#hongjoong fantasy au

[justaaveragereader]

Slashtober🔪||OT8

Pairing: OT8 x Reader

Word Count: 3.0k

Warnings: MeanDom!Ateez, Sub!Reader, Name Calling, Gang Bang, Ass Fucking, Unprotected Sex (Please Dont😀), Spanking, Spit, Tit Smacking, Breast Play, Bukkake, Dacryphilia, Oral, Cum Eating, Rough Sex, Degradation, CNC, Choking, Marking, If I Missed Anything🫣👀Lemme Know..

A/N: I can’t believe I was able to get this done before 12am😵‍💫, I tried my best to get this done before midnight, bc I wanted to make sure I posted it on Halloween. I can’t believe it’s officially over now, thank you to everyone who supported me. Rather it was with a like, reblog, a comment, an ask, anything tbh. I received so much love this October and I’m grateful and appreciate to every single one of you😭💙. Also special thanks to @seonghwasbobaeyes for betaing the first half of this fic, you are muchly appreciated babes😚! This isn’t the end of the road for Slasher!Ateez👀, we will DEFINITELY be seeing them again! I’m already thinking about what I’m going to write for November tbh..😚. My asks will be opening due to October being over, so send in your requests!

Kinktober Masterlist

Ever since your last visit with the two masked men, you had been itching, yearning for more. They left you with an undying last in your mouth. You craved them, how sinners crave sin. They were addicting, they were like a forbidden fruit.

You hadn’t heard a peep or even seen a peep of them in weeks. You had been on the lookout constantly, trying to find any trace of them. It's like your neighbors knew you were on the fence. Making sure to greet you everyday, going out of their way to make sure you were happy. They so easily picked up your emotions. It's like you bonded with every single one of them. Wanting to get into better spirits you decided to throw a small Halloween party inviting the guys from the neighborhood as a way to say thanks for all they do, and thanks for being there for you.

You were at home prepping the food when suddenly the lights went out in your home. Letting out an annoyed huff you make your way to your circuit breaker box. Walking past your bedroom you notice a figure in your room, hiding behind the wall, you try to steady your breath clearly worked up and scared by what you saw, you quietly try to creep down the hall when your lights cut back on. Wanting to see if it was your eyes playing tricks on you, or if there was someone actually in your home you slowly make your way to the bedroom. As soon as you cut the corner to your room you see one of the masked men in your bedroom, sitting on your bed, man spreading widely. Energy as heavy as stone, he sat like he owned not only your hole, he sat like he owned you, and every move you made. Getting up slowly, he walks towards you, slow long strides.

Putting his hands up on the frame of the door. His muscular body takes up the whole door frame.

“And where are you running off to, pretty girl?”

Your eyes grow big, backing away slowly, your back bumps into a hard frame behind you. Looking up you see Mingi towering over you, staring down at your helpless frame.

“Don’t you look cute in your pajamas.” Mingi says with a large smirk on his face, running his fingers over the lace trim on the bottom of your sleep shorts. Jongho walks over to you, peeling his body off of the door frame. His large frame crushes you between him and Mingi. You can barely see his eyes through the mask, yet you can feel the intensity radiating from the person beneath it.

“Wh-what’s going on…” you whisper out through a shaky breath. Gripping your hips Mingi pulls your ass against him, grinding his hard on, onto you. Jongho moves closer, his chest completely crushing you. Gripping the front of your pajama shorts he plays with the lace on them, letting his hand slowly fall to the front of them, gradually untying the ribbon that keeps them up. Loosening the shorts, they fall dangerously low on your hips.

“What do you think is going on darling?” Seonghwa says, smooth voice floating out beneath his mask, making his way into your bedroom room. He seats himself on the bed. Man spreading his legs wide open, your eyes drift over the female plastic mask he’s wearing, down to the bricked cock beneath his skin tight pants. When Jongho squishes your body even further in between him and Mingi.

“I-I don’t kn-.” Your sentence gets cut off when the other two masked men enter, the largest one of the group takes up the whole door frame, while the shorter broader one stands in front of him. With his head cocked to the side. A shiver runs up your spine. Your brain can barely process what’s going on in front of you. All you want to do is flee but it feels like your feet are cemented to the ground.

“Look at her.” Yunho says, stepping forward into the room, clearing his large stature out of the door frame. San lets out a loud chuckle, making his way towards you.

“She looks like a deer caught in headlights.” San says through a laugh, walking on the other side of you while Yunho goes on the opposite. Caging your body in by all four men, while Seonghwa sits on the small bed watching you.

“I know you guys aren’t starting the game without us.” Wooyoung whines out, walking into the room, face paint smeared across his face yet with the lack of the red lights you can see clear as day that it’s Wooyoung. Trying to strain your neck between the men who are caging you in.

“Wooyoung, what’s going on?” You whisper shout, as if the men couldn’t hear you in the same confined room. Letting out a loud laugh, he walked over, looking at your poor helpless frame. Your body does a noticeable shiver.

“Do you want me to save you?” He says through a fake coo. Yeosang stands in the doorway, leaning his muscular form against it. Looking at you behind his mask he makes his way slowly over. Pushing through the cage the boys have you in.

“No…I think she wants all of us to help her out.” He says while he runs his gloved hand up your body. Starting from your chest, running it between your breasts, settling his covered hand around your throat. It's like deja vu, you start getting various flashbacks of each time one of these men have rearranged your guts, and practically broke your spine.

“Do you need saving darling?” Seonghwa says, standing up off the bed, making his way towards you with long slow strides, the men who caged your body slowly back away, making room for Seonghwa. His tall frame easily towers over yours. Soaking you in from head to toe.

“Of course not Seonghwa she doesn’t need saving, she needs to be fucked like the slut she is.” Hongjoong says, gripping your throat pulling your body against his invisible one. Manhandling you with ease, you swear you can see every person in the room, eyes darken instantaneously.

“Is that what it is dear? You need us to bend you over and rearrange your guts?” Seonghwa says, gripping your chin lightly while Hongjoongs hand continues to hold you tightly. Letting out a small whimper your eyes dart around to every man surrounding you in this room. Your lower belly grows hot with need. Hot with want, hot with flashbacks of every orgasm you’ve had with the individuals in this room. You open your mouth, just to close it once more, not exactly sure what words you are trying to speak. But you can tell by the way they are crowding you, and the way you are drinking them all in. You want nothing more than for them to break you.

~

Wrapping your hand around Yeosangs cock, you continue to pump his dick up and down. Fist tight to make sure he gets as much pleasure as possible. Gripping your chin in his hand, San turns your face towards him, cock deep down your throat, with his other hand on the back of your head, you gag with every powerful thrust he delivers to your throat. Eyes watering with unshed tears. San lets out a loud laugh, gripping the back of your head even tighter. Slamming his hips into your mouth..

“Look at this slut crying. Go on baby, cry on my cock.” San grits out, the pleasure that your warm mouth is giving him is becoming too much. Hongjoong lines himself up with your entrance, not even giving you time to prep, he slams his cock deep into your cunt. Body driving forward your nose bumps against Sans pelvic area. Letting out a loud sadistic laugh, he starts out at a rough pace, jack hammering your body forward. Causing a quick rhythm between him and San. Your hand starts to fall slack around Yeosangs cock. Gripping your head, Yeosang turns your face towards him.

“Do it right slut.” He grits out, squeezing your cheeks so tightly that he can feel Sans cock slide in and out of your mouth.

“Stretch her out.” Seonghwa says, the heaviest presence in the room. He stands up, hard cock in his hand, he slides under you. Your breast jiggling in his face, gripping your left breast, he runs his long cool tongue over your nipple. You squeeze your eyes shut, too immersed in the pleasure.

Mingi makes his way behind Hongjoong who is hammering away at you, collecting the drool that is hitting the floor from the way San is making you choke and gag on his cock. He wets his fingers, sliding them down to your puckered hole, you let out a moan so loud that all the boys can hear you. Sliding one finger in, your eyes grow huge, tears starting to run down your face by all the pleasure you are feeling.

Gripping your face harshly San gathers all the spit in his mouth, letting it slowly drop down to his cock, hitting your lips, it aids in the drool on the floor. Your eyes roll into the back of your head at the taste of him. You can taste him in more ways than one, and it has your head clouded with nothing but hot lust.

“Such a whore who loves to be degraded.” San grits out, watching you suck him down your throat.

“Look at her crying again.” Yeosang says while your grip tightens and untightens on his cock. Mocking you through a fake coo. Letting his hand travel down, he grips the breast Seonghwa isn’t paying attention to, squeezing your nipple, just as he’s squeezing Mingi slips his second finger in your ass trying to stretch you out as much as possible. Tears are running down your face rapidly, your pussy clenches on Hongjoong, letting out a loud groan. He slams his hips up into you once more before pulling out, chest heaving up and down. Holding his orgasm back, wanting to save it to paint your body.

Wooyoung lets out a small laugh, clearly enjoying the view of you getting rag dolled all over the place, sliding into the place of Hongjoong, he taps his cock against your wet cunt, sliding his cock in between your wet pussy lips, making sure with every thrust up he nudges your clit. Pulling back San bites his lip, gripping your head even tighter trying to fight the urge to cum all over your face, he slides back letting Yunho in. Letting out a choked cough, you intake as much air as possible. Trying to catch your breath before Yunhos large frame towers over your small body.

“Look at this slut..” he says while hooking your bottom jaw with his thumb. Jongho stands behind Yunho, getting an eye full of you, tilting his head to the side almost like he’s studying you.

“Wanting to take us all..” Jongho says, continuing Yunhos sentence.

“She wants us in every way…” Mingi finishes after Jongho speaks.

Moving on the side of your body, Mingi pulls his fingers out, feeling like you’ve been stretched enough, he lets Seonghwa know that you are prepped and ready for whatever he is ready to give you. Sliding out from under you, Wooyoung and Seonghwa trade spots. With his wet fingers Mingi slowly strokes his cock while Seonghwa slides in between your wet cunt. Making sure that he soaks his cock with your juices that are practically pouring down, he lines himself up with your puckered hole. Sliding in slowly, inch my inch. Your eyes scrunch shut, the feeling of him sliding in your ass is unlike any other feeling you’ve ever felt. You grip Yunhos thighs for stability, just as you are about to let out the loudest moan, Yunho slides his cock into your mouth, instantly stuffing it. Wooyoung lines himself up with your sopping cunt that is dripping down onto his cock, your arousal just leaking all over him. Yeosang and Jongho stand on opposite sides of you, large bodies towering over your frame. Bunching your eyes shut, Wooyoung slides easily into your pussy. Shooting your eyes open you let out a loud, muffled moan. Placing your hands out, trying your best to find your balance while Seonghwa is fucking your ass, Wooyoung is deep in your cunt, while Yunhos large cock is deep down your throat.

Gripping Yeosangs and Jonghos cock in your hand, you slowly start to pump them, making sure to pay extra attention to the head of their cocks. With each stroke the members are giving you, you are seeing heaven behind your eyes, Seonghwa continuously slaps your ass cheeks while he strokes deep in your puckered hole, watching your ass cheek welt with each deep stroke he delivers to you. Wooyoungs balls are dripping with your arousal, inner thighs shining with your juices. While Yunho grips the sides of your face, making sure you take his cock as far as your small throat will let him.

San, Mingi, and Hongjoongs degradation fill your ears. Making you on the brink of the most powerful orgasm.

“Look at this hungry cock slut.” Hongjoong says, slowly stroking his cock, watching everyone have their turn with you.

“Look at her crying over how good all of our cocks are…” Mingi grits out, grabbing his balls while he beats his cock. Making sure to collect the drool that leaves your mouth on his hands so he can stroke himself with ease.

“Nothing but a cock sleeve for all of us.” San says with his head tilted back, stroking himself, matching the rhythm at which they all are fucking you.

Mingi makes his way over to Seonghwa, watching the way his cock slides in and out of your ass. Gripping one cheek so it’s easier for Seonghwa to get a feel of your warm wet hole. He gathers the spit in his mouth letting it drop onto your puckered hole. The cool sensation differs from the warmth of Seonghwas length sliding in and out of you. Hongjoong lets out a small chuckle at the way you whine every time someone spits on you, he makes his way towards Yunho, holding the sides of your throat, giving it a slight squeeze your breathing stutters, with his hands tightening around you throat he can feel Yunho slide in and out, the feeling is delicious, the lack of oxygen heats your body up.

Wooyoung reaches up, squeezing one of your tits in his hand while he strokes his cock in and out of your warm walls. Giving your nipple a pinch, you let out a muffled whine. Reeling his hand back he slaps your tit, the sudden feeling of the impact causes your jaw to drop, eyes fluttering in immense pleasure. He lets out a high pitched laugh, slapping your other tit, you feel the skin of your breast heat up with each heavy slap. The warmth that spreads through your body, has your toes clenching, you feel your orgasm charging its way through your body. Before you can get yours, Seonghwa is going to make sure all of them get theirs.

“You know what she’s only good for..” Seonghwa spits out through clenched teeth, pulling back swiftly, Wooyoung, and Yunho pull back as well. Urging you to sit on your knees with your mouth open. The members gather around you, stroking their cocks rapidly. With a loud groan, all of them cum almost in sync. Opening your mouth last minute you have drool running down your chest, with your tongue sticking out, trying to catch as much of their cum on your tongue as you can.

“This whore is only good for catching cum.” Seonghwa pants out. As they watch their cum drip down your body, it pools right between your legs, creating a small puddle. Letting out a low growl, Seonghwa moves forward first. Gripping the back of your throat he shoves you face down into the floor.

Running his hands down your back, he hikes your hips up into the air, your sticky chest comes in contact with the floor, creating a tacky feeling on your skin.

Cock already brick hard again, he taps it against your puckered hole, slipping in with ease once again. You let out a loud cry, throat sore from all the throat fucking you still let out loud moans with each buck of Seonghwas hips. Making his way over swiftly Mingi grabs your shoulders, lifting you up so your back is flush against Seonghwas chest, he lays down cock standing straight up, maneuvering you Mingi brings you down on his cock with the aid of Seonghwa. Letting out a loud cry once more your body falls forward, becoming chest to chest with Mingi. Gripping your neck Seonghwa pulls you back up, fingers tightly wrapping around your throat, destined to leave marks.

Wooyoung and Yeosang stand on opposite sides of your body, gripping your breast, before giving your chest a firm slap. Your body jolts forward, yet with Seonghwas tight grip on your throat you go nowhere. All the other members make their way towards you with their heavy, cum dripping cocks in their hands.

“You are going to be a good girl, and take all of our cum.” Seonghwa grunts into your ear before hiking his hips forward, biting your lip, you nod your head. Chest heaving with want. Mingi lets out a deep groan..

“Fuckkkkk…she’s dripping down my cock. Are you going to make a mess on our cocks, princess?” Adjusting his hips slightly, Mingi hikes his hips up into yours. Gripping your ass cheeks so you are spread even further for Seonghwa. The members step closer to you both.

“You are going to swallow all of their cum, then you are going to take our cum in this tight ass, and wet cunt of yours.” Seonghwa says knowingly, letting out a loud whimper by the authority in Seonghwas voice you nod as much as you can with his fingers still tightly wrapped around your throat.

Giving your ass a hard slap, Mingi jiggles the cheeks of your ass.

“Alright princess, who do you want to swallow first?”

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[thelargefrye]

THE YULE DRAGON … holiday one - shot ( 17+ )

pairing : poly!dragon!ateez x witch!f!reader

genre : dragon au, fantasy au, holiday au, fluff, angst

word count : 4.3k

warnings : language, mentions of dragon hunters, talks about death, light injury but nothing major, one death threat

suffer tag : @sanjoongie and for anon who asked about any new chapters

note : very excited to write this, so let me know what you think! also here is a link to what y/n's dress at the yule gala looks like!

the winter month draws near and the clan prepares to celebrate the yule dragon festival for the first time in years. knowing this is wooyoung's first one with an actually clan, you want to make sure everything is perfect.

when you woke up in the morning, you noticed how snow had slowly begun to fall and lay on the ground. you also couldn't help but notice how the dragons around you seemed to have been in good moods. smiles on their faces as they walked around and some even greeted you with warm smiles.

when you arrived at the nursery, the hatchlings all immediately greeted you. most of them run up and tackle you to the ground.

"miss y/n! miss y/n! did you see the snow?" one hatchling, jiyu, asked and you couldn't help but laugh as you nodded and pushed some hair out of her face.

"yes, i did. very beautiful isn't it?"

"not as beautiful as you, miss y/n!" another hatchling, minjae, said. the other hatchlings couldn't help but agree with minjae and you couldn't help but laugh at them all.

"prince mingi said that we will be able to celebrate the yule dragon festival this year!"

"the yule dragon festival?" you remember wooyoung telling you about the holiday years ago when you first met. you can't help but feel excited knowing he's going to enjoy a real one this year.

"yeah! it's been years since the clan last held one," seeun says and that quickly catches your attention. years? you thought the holiday was a yearly thing?

"alright, little ones, let's go ahead and get ready for the day," mingi comes in and ushers the hatchlings away from you in order to gather them in a line so they could eat.

you push your curiosity down for later as you go over to help mingi with the hatchlings. you watch the hatchlings with a warm fondness as they eat and talk to each other, and the rest of the day goes by in flash with you and mingi taking care of the young dragons.

"miss y/n, have you ever experienced a yule dragon festival before?" one of the hatchlings asked as they were laying down for a nap. the question of one hatchling seemed to have caught the attention of a few others around you two.

"not a proper one with a true clan, but me and wooyoung used to do a small celebration before we came to the clan," you said as you remembered your time with wooyoung back in your cottage. you can feel your cheeks heat up as you remember the first time you both celebrated the yule dragon together.

"do witches have any special holidays?" another hatchling, siyu, asked.

"we do but they're not like the yule dragon one. we focus more on what we are thankful for and mourning those that have left us," you explain.

"that sounds sad."

"sometimes it is sad, but then you have to remember that even those that left this world are still with us in spirit. watching over and guiding us on the right path of destiny," you say.

"but miss y/n, you don't have to be sad anymore because you have all of us!" one hatchling said with the others immediately agreeing and you couldn't help but smile at all of them.

"okay, okay, everyone," mingi says as he comes in and immediately calming all the hatchlings down. "its time to rest, not get excited."

"but prince mingi," minjae says looking towards the tall prince, "don't you agree that miss y/n doesn't have to be sad anymore, since she has all of us now?"

"of course," mingi says as he bends down to pet minjae's head, "but miss y/n still has a right to miss those that she lost. we all do. now come on, everyone, time to rest!"

you can't help but smile at how some of the hatchlings groan at mingi's words, but nonetheless all lay down in their little nooks. you and mingi go through and make sure each hatchling is comfortable before you leave the nesting room.

you watch as mingi closes the door behind him before he's offering his arm to you. you take his arm with a smile as he escorts the two of you back to the main palace wing.

"i meant what i said though," mingi begins and you look at him with a raised eyebrow, "that you have a right to be sad about those you lost, but also know that hatchlings are right as well and that you have all of us now. the hatchlings, me, wooyoung, yeosang, the others, and even the clan. you have all of us."

"thank you, prince mingi," you say, reaching up to press a kiss to his cheek and he smiles at you before quickly pressing his own kiss to your lips. "also," you speak up after you two continue to walk, "what did the little ones mean when they said its been years since you all had a yule dragon festival?"

"well... we haven't had one since hongjoong's parents and brother were killed. hongjoong didn't want to have a large one with the whole clan, so this is the first time in five years that we have celebrated it as such," mingi explains and you nod your head in understanding.

"what caused him to suddenly change his mind?"

"well you and wooyoung of course," you wanted to laugh at mingi's answer. more like just wooyoung, you think. you decide to remain silent as mingi guides you through the palace.

"this will be wooyoung's first yule dragon with an actual clan in years," you note as you notice many dragons setting up and decorating the palace corridors with festive decorations. you can't help but feel excited knowing that wooyoung will be able to experience the real thing after so many years of not having it with an actual clan.

your mind goes back to when you and wooyoung would celebrate together back at the cottage. both of you dressing up, decorating the cottage, and spending the entire night together. wooyoung taught you the dances that he learned. even when you weren't celebrating the dragon holiday, you would find wooyoung and yourself dancing and just enjoying each other's company.

"hey, mingi?" you caught the dragon's attention and he turns towards you as you continue to speak, "is there... a way i can help set up the festival?"

"oh! umm, i think so. seonghwa is usually in charge of things like this, but i volunteered to help him this time, so..."

"do you need help?" you ask, feeling an excitement bubble up in your stomach.

"of course you can help," mingi says, a wide smile on his face and you mirror his smile, beaming up at him. the two of you share a quick hug, mingi lets out a small laugh at your excitement, almost not expecting it.

"thank you," you say, pressing a kiss to his cheek before you are separating yourself from him. you notice the blush that covers his cheeks and ears and you have to stop yourself from pouncing on the tall dragon from how cute he is.

as the next week goes by, you spend your time helping the dragons in the clan to decorate for the yule dragon holiday. at first some of the dragons were reluctant at accepting your help, but slowly and eventually they allowed for you to help with the decorations. sure they didn't trust you with the important stuff, but that was okay.

you only wanted to make sure everything was perfect for wooyoung, he needed to have the best yule dragon after everything he has done for you. you also wanted to make sure the clan had a good one as well, but wooyoung took priority in your heart.

"wow, look at these decorations, darling," yeosang's voice snaps you out of your thoughts and you look down from your spot on the wooden ladder to see your lover looking up at you with a smile. you finish hanging the silver garland before climbing down the ladder and yeosang is quick to press a loving kiss to your lips.

"thank you, me and the hatchlings made them," you say, feeling rather proud from how all the decorations have been turning out. many of the other clan dragons complimenting you on your hard work.

"you've been working so hard, a lot of the clan members are grateful for your help," he says as the two of you begin walking out of the grand hall, where the yule gala will be held tomorrow night. other dragons are busy around you all finishing up last minute details, with most of them stopping to bow at yeosang before scurrying away to finish their task.

"i have something for you, princess," he says once the two of you are out of the grand hall and you give him a confused look which only makes him smile. "it’s custom for everyone to wear special outfits, rather a little too fancy if you ask me, but people really enjoy it," he begins as the two of you continue to walk down the hall.

"and i bet you completely forgot to make sure you are prepared for the gala," yeosang teases and you felt yourself get flustered at his words. "but don't worry because you wonderful mate has taken care of you," he says as you both stop in front of your chamber doors. "i hired a seamstress to make you a dress and thankfully she managed to finish it in time."

"wait, yeosang– you... you didn't, you shouldn't have."

"but i did, and i wanted to. my darling, you have done so much, let me give you this," he says, cupping your cheeks before leaning over and kissing you. you feel yourself melt into the kiss as you press yourself closer to your lover, arms wrapping around his waist. the two of you only separate when you're out of breath and yeosang presses one last kiss to your lips before he's pulling away and opening the door to your bedroom.

when you stepped inside, you were completely shocked at the dress that rested on the mannequin in the center of your room. you had honestly never seen a dress more beautiful in your life and you felt yourself tear up because of it. you felt like you didn't deserve a dress as gorgeous as this.

"it's beautiful, yeosang."

"you look absolutely beautiful, my fire," seonghwa says when he sees you walk into the grand hall.

the gala had been going on for several minutes, hongjoong lighting the ceremonial flame that burned in the center of the clan. you were amazed at the flame and its rather unique color, and mingi explained that this flame could only be lit by the leader of a clan and that it in order to celebrate the first dragon.

you honestly couldn't look away from the flame, almost like it was meant to entrance you.

"thank you, prince seonghwa," you said, bowing slightly to the eldest dragon prince. seonghwa could only smile as he took your hand into his before pressing a kiss to the back of your hand.

"make sure you enjoy yourself," he says, not yet letting go of your hand. "i want a dance before the night is over."

"of course, your highness," you say, a small smirk taking over your lips before seonghwa is nodding and making his leave. he does unfortunately have other people to see and talk to.

your eyes scan around the grand hall, looking for the head of familiar red hair and you feel your heart skip a beat when you finally find him. wooyoung looked absolutely handsome in his outfit and you were glad to see that he matched the other princes. it made your heart flutter knowing that wooyoung was being accepted by the clan.

you made your way over to your first lover, your feet picking up speed when you two made eye contact. you felt like it had been forever since you last seen wooyoung – however it had only been a few hours. you had been so caught up in making sure the festival and gala were perfect for him that you had completely forgot to pay the red-headed dragon attention.

so you immediately wrapped wooyoung in a tight hug once you were close enough. wooyoung was quick to return the hug, holding you close to him as he inhaled your scent before pressing a kiss to your neck.

"my y/n, you look so beautiful," he says as he twirls you around, the white-silver fabric that was decorated with beautiful shimmering stars and moons. wooyoung had seen the dress, yeosang having shown him before you and he knew you would look beautiful in it. but of course, seeing you actually in it he was blown away by your appearance.

"are you having a good time, woo?" you ask, heart beating rapidly waiting for his answer.

"of course i am," he says with a smile, "mingi mentioned how you helped out with this whole thing. any reason why?"

"you, of course," you say, both your hands linking with his. "this is your first yule dragon with an actual clan in a long time. i wanted to make sure it was perfect."

"oh love," he says, gently pulling the two of you off to the side, "you didn't need to do that. it would have perfect no matter what because i'm celebrating it with you. back at the cottage... i saw the two of us as our own little clan. and the yeosang joined," wooyoung says and you can't help but laugh at his last comment. despite mating and bonding with yeosang, wooyoung still couldn't get over the other dragon coming in basically setting up camp in your little cottage.

"you love yeosang, don't try to fool yourself," you tease and wooyoung grumbles a little bit before rolling his eyes.

"whatever."

you were about to say something when the sound of a familiar tune filled the grand hall. you turned to see a lot of the people gathering at the center and began dancing. you noticed mingi pulling yunho behind him to the dance floor with many of the other dragons cheering for the two tall princes. following them, you see yeosang and san dancing and you were a little surprised at seeing the blonde guard dancing and smiling as him and yeosang looked at one another.

"wow, who knew san could smile," wooyoung says and you crack a smile before turning to your lover.

"shall we join them as well?" you ask and wooyoung nods before he's pulling you towards the dance floor and you two quickly fall into a rhythm of the dance. the music easily guided you as you and wooyoung danced, you felt your whole attention center in on your lover and it felt like it was just the two of you.

you got flashbacks to when you and wooyoung would dance in your cottage. how back then it really was just the two of you and no one else, but now you were surrounded by people that even if they all didn't welcome you, they welcomed wooyoung. and even if you didn't feel welcomed at first, you have mingi, yeosang, the hatchlings.

seeing wooyoung smile and laugh and enjoy himself made you feel like you were on cloud nine. even if he wouldn't say it out loud, you knew wooyoung enjoyed being a part of the clan.

you felt the music guide you and your thoughts, as the music began to slow down you found yourself and wooyoung also slowing down. wooyoung pulling you close to him, his arm coming to wrap around your waist to hold you close to him.

"i have you had your ceremony?" wooyoung suddenly asks, snapping you out of your happy daze. you knew immediately what he was talking about.

"not yet, i was waiting till after the gala was over," you say, feeling a lump form in your throat at knowing what you would have to do later.

just like dragons, witches also had their own traditions and such. not as public as the yule dragon, but more intimate to each witch. celebrating those that you left you in this world. wooyoung has been with you during this ceremony like you have been with him for his. you don't know how many nights you have fallen asleep, crying in wooyoung's arms because of all the witches that have died.

"do you want me there with you?" he asks, and it takes you a moment to think about it.

"no, i'll do it alone this time."

"are you sure?" you nod your head, you didn't want to ruin wooyoung's good time here with your own traditions and ceremonies.

when the music changed once again, you pressed a kiss to wooyoung before stepping away, telling him you needed some fresh air.

"let me come with you," he says as he starts to trail after you, but you stop him.

"it’s okay," you say, hand out to stop him, "i'll be right back."

you don't give wooyoung a chance to say anything as you're turning and making your way to one of the many garden doors that lead out into the courtyard.

once the cold air hit your skin, you let out a sigh as you made your way over to one of the stone benches that overlooked most of the courtyard and even down further into the clan. the yule flame burned brightly a short distance away and you couldn't help but walk over to it. the flame reminded you of the flame that you would light for the umbra ceremony.

the flame burned brightly and you almost felt like a moth from how you were being drawn to it.

which is how you found yourself in front of it. the noises from the grand hall behind you is like static as you look at the flame, letting it consume you. you got flashbacks to when you would set up a room of candles for the witches that you lost, the flame from those candles burning brightly into your mind.

"why are you out here," the cold voice snaps you out of your thoughts and you turn to look at hongjoong with wide eyes. the prince looks at you with a stern expression, his cold eyes burning into your body.

"i was just... just getting some air," you tell him, refusing to fully make eye contact with him.

hongjoong lets out a 'tsk' sound before he's coming to stand next to you, looking up at the flame. you're surprised by how close hongjoong, this is probably the closest he has ever gotten to you without trying to kill you.

"mingi told me how you helped decorate for the festival," he said out of nowhere after the two of you stood in silence. "i guess witches can be good for something," he adds and you feel yourself deflate at his harsh words.

"i did it for wooyoung," you said wanting to make it clear that you were only doing it for your first love and no one else. "this is his first yule dragon with an actual clan in years," you add.

"and i'm sure witches are the reason why he had gone for so long without experiencing one with a clan," he says back.

"perhaps," you say as you clench your fist together tightly, "but wooyoung is here now with a clan," you turn your head to look at hongjoong, taking in his form once more. his lavish outfit and vibrant blue hair standing out against the dark night. he was the epitome of what a leader of a dragon clan should be in the fact that he always had that air of authority around him. everyone respected him and if they didn't respect him then they feared him.

you, unfortunately, feared him more than you respected him. the dragon oracles say that you two are mates like you are with the rest of the princes, but you knew hongjoong refused to acknowledge you as his mate. you were a witch, the thing that killed his parents and brother and forced him to take the role of leader too soon. you wondered if you and hongjoong would ever get along.

you notice how the flame reflects against hongjoong's skin and then something hits you.

"please excuse me, prince hongjoong," you say suddenly before you are rushing past him. hongjoong doesn't say anything and you don't know if he watches you leave as you are too caught up in rushing back into the palace.

you run to your room, feeling out of breath as you enter your chambers you share with wooyoung before going over to the large trunk that rested at the foot of the bed. you quickly dig through the trunk and pull out a set of candles. all three a beautiful rose color and it reminds you greatly of your mother.

"what are these for mother?" you asked, looking up at your mother as she handed you the three candles. they were different from the ones you were use to lightly for the umbra ceremony and you wondered why she was giving them to you.

"these are special candles, y/n, i made them myself so you can use them when you need them the most," she explains, her voice seeming ever cryptic.

"when i need them the most?" you echo and she nods, a tight-lipped smile painting her features.

"they are for the one who will need to say goodbye the most."

you gripped the candles tightly as you raced back to the courtyard and was surprised to still see hongjoong standing there. somewhere deep inside wants you to believe he waited for you, but you know that's impossible.

"prince hongjoong," you say as you approach him. "i want to thank you for letting wooyoung into your home. i know that... you despise me and my people, you lost your parents and brother after all. and i know you probably don't care but i want to share something with you."

hongjoong turns to look at you, his face void of emotion as he watches you set the three candles down between the two of you. you crouch down, kneeling front of the candles as hongjoong stands towering above you.

"the umbra witches have their own ceremony, we light candles in order to remember those that have left us and this world. we do this as a way to remind us that while they have left this world physically, they are still here with us spiritually," you pause in order to take a deep breath, licking your lips before continuing.

"my mother made me these candles when she was still alive. she told me that they were for someone who needed to say goodbye, and... i think she made them for you."

"what the hell are you talking about?" hongjoong asks, voice full of surprise and anger. "i don't need any of you stupid umbra witch shit," he adds and you notice his fist clenches with his rage.

"please," you beg, voice straining as you plead with the prince, "take the candles, it will bring you peace, prince hongjoong."

you feel a sudden shock as you are grabbed by the collar of your dress. you're pulled up from your kneeling position, face dangerously close to an enraged hongjoong as he bares his teeth at you. in the moment you are reminded that you are at the mercy of a clan full of dragons whether you liked it or not.

"i will never," he jaw clenched tightly as he speaks, "ever, forgive your damned people for what they did to my family. my people. so don't think so damned candles will change that. you will never be my mate and just know that if it wasn't for yeosang and mingi that i would have burned you at a stake a long fucking time ago."

hongjoong waste no time in throwing you to the ground, your hands skidding across the stone pathway harshly and you flinch at the sudden burn of skin. you turn to see hongjoong's eye burning, like he will kill you if you say anything else to him.

you then watch him destroy two of the candles, his foot coming down harshly on them and you feel like a part of you is being ripped apart as you watch him. he's about to do the same to the last one, but you move and grab the last candle. the last one your mother made.

then without thinking you stand up and run away from the prince. you clearly made a mistake in thinking that you could get hongjoong to open up just a little bit. you felt tears begin to form in your eyes as you ran, clutching the candle close to your chest as you collapsed in the one of the many decorated halls.

you looked down at the candle once more, the image of your mother's smile flashing inside your mind as you caressed it. you knew this candle was for hongjoong. he was the one who needed to say goodbye to those he lost, but it was obvious that now wasn't the time.

"y/n!" the sudden call of your name makes you snap your head up to see yeosang rushing towards you. face full of concern and he drops down to the floor next to you. "y/n, what's wrong, why are you crying?" he brushes the tears away and you open your mouth to say something before a sob escapes instead.

you throw yourself into his arms and he arms them around you protectively. you hold your mother's candle close to you as you allow yourself to cry in yeosang's arms. yeosang doesn't say anything, only letting you cry as a comforting hand runs over your hair.

"it's okay, y/n, i'm here," he says softly, holding you closer to him. "whatever made you sad, don't think about it anymore, okay? cause i'm here to protect you."

and so the night comes to an end as you spend the rest of it in yeosang's arms, allowing him to hold you closely as you mourn for the loss of your mother and the hate hongjoong bares for you. 

tag list : @frankenstein852 @watamotee33 @kawennote09 @mixling-blog @marahleiwhen @kpopnightingale @harry-the-pottypus @pyeonghongrie @sanniesbum @marvelahsobx @khjcoo @mysticfire0435 @exfolitae @dementedaly @simeonswhore @moonm1st @nvmbheart @spooo00oky @frgogh @sookacc @seongwin @burnsmepls @ad0rechuu @tunaasan @northerngalxy @silverpixiedust23 @cheesekimchi @confusedmoonchild777 @mjyungi @innieontop @iweirdthingsblog @s0obinluvr @worcesheshestershiresauce @moonlightgrleric @wineyoungie @jeongwangjessmina @lemineso

network : @cultofdionysusnet @cromernet

[icarusignite]

PIRATE! ATEEZ MASTERLIST

The ships have come to carry you home Pairing: Captain Hongjoong x Runaway Princess Reader Summary: Weary of the gilded cage of royalty, you escape your opulent life, only to realize that your longing for freedom has landed you in the clutches of ruthless pirates. Determined to prove your worth, you must persuade the enigmatic captain to defy the bounty on your head.

Pairing: Siren Yeosang x Poacher Reader Summary: You have always lived by the code of the hunt, and as a skilled poacher of exotic creatures, the only law you abide by is that of your own survival. But when a lucrative contract tasks you with capturing a siren alive, you find yourself ensnared in a perilous game where delivering the prize without succumbing to your own guilt or its elusive song proves impossible. (coming soon)

Pairing: Ex-Naval Officer Jongho x Captive Reader Summary: As the daughter of the naval commander, you find yourself ensnared by the very pirates your father hunts. Among them, your most ruthless captor is none other than the man who once served your father but is now a deserter of the worst kind. As days turn to weeks, you uncover the hidden truths that drove him from the ranks of the navy, and through the eyes of your captor, you witness the cruel corruption that festers within the very force sworn to protect the seas. (coming soon)

Pairing: Cartographer Yunho x Pirate Reader Summary: When you find yourself marooned on a remote island after your ship is stolen, you must rely on your wits to survive. With the unexpected help of an old friend, you join a new crew ready to take back what was yours. Among your new allies is the soft-spoken cartographer, whose quiet strength and compassion offer you unexpected comfort. (coming soon)

Pairing: Explosives Master Mingi x Medic Reader Summary: Life as the ship's medic is no easy task, battling not only the fierce skirmishes and injuries typical of a pirate's life but also the ship's resident explosive expert, who constantly finds new excuses to seek your company, often accompanied by yet another injury for you to tend to. Despite your repeated warnings, his cavalier attitude toward safety continues to test your patience and skills, until his recklessness costs him more than he could ever anticipate. (coming soon)

Pairing: Lookout San x Spy reader Summary: You have managed to infiltrate a notorious pirate ship through deception and lies. Your mission: to pass on their secrets to their enemies. But navigating the perilous waters becomes increasingly difficult when you discover the all-seeing eyes of the ship's lookout, who seems to witness all and scrutinize your every move. Caught between the need for stealth and the watchful gaze that seems to penetrate your every facade, you must tread carefully, or risk being exposed and facing dire consequences. (coming soon)

Pairing: Firstmate Seonghwa x Ghost Reader Summary: Trapped for centuries within an ancient artifact as a restless ghost, you find yourself unexpectedly released by the intimidating first mate of a pirate ship. However, there's more to him than meets the eye, and as you struggle to adapt to a world you no longer recognize, he finds himself strangely drawn to you and your secrets. (coming soon)

Pairing: Quartermaster Wooyoung x Pirate Hunter Reader Summary: You have dedicated your life to eradicating piracy from the seas, but when a case of mistaken identity finds you on the wrong side of the law, you're forced to flee with the very crew you have sworn to destroy. Onboard the pirate ship, tensions run high, and you find yourself torn between your duty and an unexpected connection with the charming quartermaster who is determined to make you stay. (coming soon)

A/N: lol so Ateez at Coachella was my final straw and I absolutely had to write for them. This pirate/maritime theme has been rattling around in my head for a while so I'm excited to get into it. They're probably going to be one-shots or maybe 2 parters if they get long. Comment if you wanna be added to the tag list <3 will probably post the first one sometime next week cuz exams this week rip

[skz1-4-3]

I need some recommendations for these type of ateez stories on tumblr:

Vampire!ateez member x reader

Wolf!ateez member x reader

Wolf!ateez member x hybrid reader

Wolf!ateez member x wolf!reader(or anything else related)

Siren!ateez member x reader

Ateez member x siren!reader

Hybrid!ateez member x reader

Warlock!ateez member x reader

Warlock!ateez member x witch!reader

Soulmate Au!ateez member x reader

Demon!ateez member x reader

Demon!ateez member x demon!reader

Demon!ateez member x witch!reader

Mafia!ateez member x reader

Mafia!ateez member x mafia!reader

Mafia!ateez member x Pure!reader

Or anything else supernatural because i love things like that. Also if you can recommend any ateez writers than tell me bc i still only have found about 15😔

Heres a pic of yunho as a reward ;

[shadowynn]

| in love and lore | eleven |

pairing: ot8 ateez x fem reader

genre: fantasy/daemon/soulmate au

warnings: some cursing, negative thoughts, a little bit of self-loathing, slightly possessive thoughts

wordcount: 10.7k

a/n: so, this chapter was an absolute joy to write, which might explain why and how i managed to get it out faster than normal. it has been a very long while since i've been able to write ilal so easily and with so much joy, so i hope you all enjoy this piece as much as i do. and for all you yunho biases out there, i hope this piece might do some justice for him. <33

| ten | eleven | twelve |

~~~

The stars were falling tonight. 

You had thought it was luck when you caught sight of the first one streaking across the sky a few hours after dinner, but a few minutes passed and your eyes had found another. They were difficult to make out amongst the canopies of the tents and lights flickering around the camp, but the night sky above was clear and you were just able to make out a few streaks of light flying across the sky.

After a day amongst people, you relished the time you had to yourself. It was impossible for you to be completely alone, but you found solace in your position at the back of your tent. Yunho was on watch duty for the first half of the night, but other than a quick question of concern when you had exited your tent an hour after retiring, he had left you be. He had disappeared into the sea of tents shortly after you requested some space, but you knew he was still a call away. If anything were to happen, he would be at your side in an instant. All you had to do was say the word. 

You considered calling him over to you now at your revelation of the night sky’s activities, but quickly decided against it, not wanting him to think something might have been wrong. It had happened often in the past weeks, any small beckon you made for any of them was met with instant concern. You hadn’t minded too terribly at first, overwhelmed by what had happened yourself, but it had quickly become stifling. No matter how many times you had insisted you were fine, they never seemed to hear you, making it impossible to go anywhere without one of them trailing behind you.

You understood their concern, at least, up to a point. No one had hidden the fact the culprits had gotten away that night, but who they might have been or why they had attacked, escaped your grasp. It was clear they knew something more than they let on, but any answers you were given had been allusive at best, if they weren’t dodged completely. They claimed they didn’t want to worry you, continually stating they had it under control, and though it frustrated you, you didn’t push too hard. Perhaps they were right. Perhaps it was better if you didn’t know the whole truth. You had long since learned living in ignorance was sometimes easier than knowing the truth, after all. And you had enough other things on your mind to worry about. 

But despite the threat of the attackers still being somewhere out there, you couldn’t stand being under constant supervision for too long. And it wasn’t until you had gotten caught sneaking out the back of your tent once that they finally relented. You still had a guard on you at all times, but they were no longer right on your back, breathing down your neck. 

Of all nights, you had thought it would be the one you would most want to be alone. And you did. You yearned for some time alone, away from the daemons that had invaded your life. For just a moment, you wished to get away. To forget everything that had happened and everything that was yet to come, but the stars were calling you. Each flash across the sky beckoning you to come and watch them. To allow them to ease your worries for just a moment. 

But to do that you would have to leave camp, and unless you wanted another wave of panic to erupt when they inexplicably found you gone, you would have to go accompanied. 

You weighed the decision in your head for a minute, trying to decide which would be a more welcome distraction from the thoughts that had been driving you mad. It didn’t take you long to come to your decision. You might have felt more comfortable on your own, but Yunho’s presence would just maybe distract you from the thoughts you had tried to bury for the night. 

So, you picked yourself up to your feet, stretching out the kinks in your muscles. Ideally, you would return back to your bed and sleep the rest of the night away, but you knew the chances of that happening were slim. Not when you were finally arriving at Taeyang tomorrow. 

After a month on the road, you had just started getting used to the flow of things. You had just started to grow comfortable with your new life among the daemons, but this way of life had only ever been temporary. As much as you wished you could be on the road forever, it wasn’t plausible. The day would finally come when it would end and you would be left with no choice but to deal with the reality of your new life. A life you had purposefully avoided thinking about to this day, but one that had haunted the back of your mind ever since Hongjoong had told you the truth. And now that it was here, you didn't know what to do.

You wrapped the blanket you carried with you closer around your body, shuffling in the direction Yunho had said he would be. While the days still held a hint of warmth to them, the nights had grown cold. Cold enough, your cloak was no longer warm enough to fight against the night air, forcing you to make due with whatever else you could find as you had foolishly left the majority of your winter clothes behind. 

True to his word, you found Yunho in the small clearing between the tents that housed him and the other generals. A fire had been started since you had last been over, illuminating him and what appeared to be a large dog at his feet. 

“Who’s this?”

Yunho jumped at your question, most likely not expecting you to make an appearance this late at night. His eyes softened as he took you in, before following your gaze towards the animal in front of him. Now that you were closer, you saw it wasn’t a dog like you had originally thought, but a wolf, black as the night sky above you. 

“This is Haru,” Yunho replied as the wolf stood to his feet, stretching out his legs as he went. His tail quickly began to wag as you bent down in front of him, showing no hesitation or aggressiveness towards you as he nudged your hands with his nose. “He’s one of many animal companions I can conjure up if needed.”

“Really?” Your head tilted, reaching out to oblige to Haru’s request and scratch him behind his ears. You were quick to recoil, however, taken back by the strange sensation his fur elicited. It was cold to the touch and not quite fully corporeal, causing a shiver to course through you. 

“Each beast has their own unique use, and I’m able to see and hear what they do from quite a distance if I need to.”

“That’s amazing.” You recovered quickly, finding the sensation of his fur against your fingers still strange, but not quite as unnerving now that you were expecting it. “What other animals can you create?”

“As long as it’s an animal that I’ve seen before, I can conjure up any beast using my blood and the surrounding shadows.” He reached out for Haru, running his hands through the fur at his back. “It might not be quite as useful as some of the others’ abilities, but it does have its benefits. Haru, for example, can track a scent for miles.”

“I don’t know, I think it’s pretty wonderful.” Haru leaned further into your touch, eliciting a giggle from you at the tickling sensation caused by him licking your face. “Definitely wonderful,” you repeated, gently coaxing Haru away from your face. You turned your gaze to Yunho, proffering him a soft smile in the hopes of reassuring him you thought his ability truly was as wonderful as you said. 

“Thank you.” Yunho returned your smile, causing you to quickly turn your gaze back to Haru. Something in his eyes had caught you off guard, causing your heart to flutter. “I’m glad you think so.” 

Silence settled between you, one which neither of you seemed keen on breaking. You wanted to, but you could feel his gaze lingering on your figure as you busied yourself with Haru, preventing your brain from coming up with anything worth saying. 

“Was there something you needed from me, angel?” Yunho asked after a few more seconds, jumpstarting your brain and reminding you why you had come to see him in the first place. 

“Oh, yes.” You nodded. Haru’s presence had distracted you, but it hadn’t deterred you from voicing your request. “I was wondering if I- if we could head outside the camp for just a little.” 

You were quick to correct your statement, already aware there was no chance at all that you would get to go out on your own. Despite being less than a day’s journey from their capital, everyone was still on edge. It made you begin to wonder if perhaps they were no longer only worried about the recent attackers, but the surrounding daemons as well. After all, it was common practice to kill your kind before Hongjoong was crowned, especially near the capital where the bloodlines were purist. 

“The stars are active tonight,” you added upon seeing his confusion, “and, well, I don’t believe I’ll be going to sleep anytime soon, so I was hoping we could maybe go out and get a better view.”

Yunho was silent in the moments that followed, making you more nervous with each passing second. Haru had nuzzled his head against your chest, and you buried your hands and attention into him to help break the anxiety you felt awaiting his answer. And though Haru added to the chilliness of the night, you let him wiggle his way into your arms, wrapping the blanket around the both of you. 

“Is that what you want?”

You nodded, relieved to hear him finally speak. “If you don’t think it’s safe though, I can observe them elsewhere. I just thought I might get a better view away from-“

“No, if you wish to go, I will gladly go with you.” This time he was quick to respond, taking no time to get to his feet before proffering a hand down to you. “Shall we?”

You didn’t respond, staring at his open hand. It wasn’t until now that you became aware of the unintended implications your request had with it. What had meant to be an innocent desire to see the stars a bit clearer, held the additional weight of being alone with him. A weight you hadn’t been aware of until you noticed the way he had reacted to it. All too eager to oblige to your request. 

It left you hesitating, unsure if it was something you were comfortable with yet. Of course you had been alone with some of them up to this point, and you were clearly alone with him now, but this situation felt different, far more personal than anything you had been through before. 

And yet, what was the alternative? To stay here on your own and inevitably worry over tomorrow’s events until the sun rose? To sit and stress over the uproar your presence was sure to bring when they realized just who their king’s mate was?

As much as going with Yunho terrified you, it also sent a shiver of excitement flowing through you. You could feel the warmth flooding your stomach at the thought of sharing the night with him, at being able to share your love for the stars above with him. 

You took Yunho’s hand, allowing him to pull you back to your feet. Haru let out a whine as you separated from him, nudging your side in an attempt to grab hold of your attention once more. 

“Haru, no.” Yunho was gentle as he called out the wolf’s attempt to get in between the two of you, yet the intention was clear and Haru backed away from you. “Stay.” Haru made it clear he didn’t enjoy the command, whining once more, but eventually settled back down on the ground next to the fire to obey it. 

“I’m sorry.” It took you a second to realize the apology was directed towards you. “Haru is for the most part, an extension of myself, so he…” The light was dim, your figure casting a shadow on his, but it wasn’t hard for you to decipher the almost bashful expression that had crossed his face. “He will bother you all night long if I were to let him join us, wanting to be as close to you as I’ll allow him to.”

“Oh.”

You could feel your own embarrassment creeping up at his confession, unsure just how to respond to it. But as embarrassed as his words made you feel, you thought you were beginning to understand. They had said the bond wasn’t quite as strong for you as it was for them, but even you felt its effect this close to him. If you struggled to keep yourself from burying yourself into his side for warmth, what was it like for him? And if it was stronger like they claimed, how the hell was he resisting it?

“It’s for the best if he stays anyways, especially if someone were to wake and notice our absence before we return. We’ll be too far to communicate with anyone other than Hongjoong, and San will be taking over my watch within the next hour or so.” 

“Is it fine if we go, then? I don’t want to cause any more trouble.”

“Trust me, angel, your request is no trouble at all. Haru will let me know if anyone is searching for either of us and lead them our way if needed,” Yunho replied, brushing past your worries. “And if it’s your own safety that concerns you, I give you my word that no harm shall come to you tonight. If my word still means anything to you, that is.”

“It does.” Despite doing your best to reassure each of them that night had been your own fault, they still blamed themselves for what had happened. And though talk of that night had become sparse, you could see the blame they still laid upon themselves in moments like these. “And my safety was never a concern of mine. I trust you, Yunho. I guess-“

You didn’t understand the impact your words held until you saw the way he reacted. The hand that was still clasped firmly against yours tightening its grip as his body tensed. His eyes widened ever so slightly as your words caught him off guard. 

“I guess,” you repeated, trying not to think too deeply about what you had just said or the implications it might have had, “I guess I’m just worried I would be inconveniencing you and I don’t want to cause any more problems than I already have. If it’s better for me to stay-“

“Angel,” Yunho’s eyes softened, bringing up his free hand to cup the side of your face, “nothing you could ever ask of me would ever be an inconvenience. You are not an inconvenience.”

Your eyes shifted to the ground, pulling away from his touch. Despite the genuinity in his eyes, you didn’t believe him. You couldn’t believe him. Not when you had only ever been told the opposite. Not when you were more than aware your mere existence had always been an inconvenience to those around you and would continue to do so. After all, how much easier would it have been for all of you if you had just been fully human? No one would have a problem with you then, would they?

“It doesn’t feel like it.” 

You felt slightly guilty once the words left, not meaning to voice your frustration towards him. If anything, he and the others were the first ones in a long time that had treated you like you mattered. That they wanted you to be around. 

But that didn’t mean you didn’t still feel like an inconvenience around them, though this was no fault of their own. It simply came down to the fact they had been stuck with a mutt for a mate. 

“y/n.” Yunho’s voice was gentle as he called you back to him, taking no offense to your earlier statement. “You are worth it-“ You shook your head, opening your mouth to rebuke his statement, but he didn’t allow you a moment to speak. “And I know you might not believe it now despite how many times I may try to tell you, but I hope that someday you might.” 

He tugged you against him then, pulling you into a tight embrace. Your eyes widened at the sudden move, body stiff as you were pressed flush against him. You struggled to react, still attempting to process what he had said to you right beforehand. The combination was almost too much, the situation threatening to overwhelm you, and yet… you could feel the panic easing out of you as the surprise faded away. Your head had fallen against his chest and you could hear his heart beating, the steady rhythm it thrummed helping to control the panic that had risen up. 

“In the meantime, please try and extend some of the grace and kindness you show those around you to yourself.”

His body was warm, making it impossible for you to keep from moving in closer, burying yourself fully into his arms. “It’s hard.”

“I know.” His reply was soft, words mumbled against the top of your head. “But you can talk to me. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

You knew the wisest action to make would be to pull away, but was that what you wanted? His touch was comforting, helping to ease the anxiety coursing through you. It was a welcome relief from the past hour you had spent by yourself, trying your hardest to avoid the fears that crept up in the corners of your mind. Would it be so terrible if you were to give in just this once? If you opened up just a little and allowed him to carry your burdens with you for just a moment?

You felt the words bubbling up at the back of your throat, begging you to open up and confess them to the man before you if you only found the courage. 

“Yunho, I’m scared.” You hadn’t realized how heavy the words were until they were out, immediately lightening the load on your shoulders. “I’ve stepped foot into hundreds of war zones, snuck my way around them knowing exactly what might await me if I were to get caught by the wrong person, but none of it compares to the fear that has been building up with each step we take towards your world.” Now that it was finally out, the rest of the words flowed with ease. “I’ve barely come to terms with the fact I’m your mate here within the safety of this camp and around those whom my identity as the Black Angel might have earned me an inkling of respect. So, how the hell am I supposed to come to terms with any of this amongst those who will be more vocal in their distaste for it?” 

And there would be those against it. There was no doubt about that. Even if you weren’t their mate, and had simply been brought back because of your ability to heal, you would come to deal with the same prejudice and hatred you had faced back home amongst the humans. But this time, you weren’t just some random half-daemon who could save a person from death, you were Hongjoong’s mate, and by proxy, his guardsmen as well. If they didn’t want you in their city, they most definitely didn’t want you as their queen. 

And you couldn’t even blame them. Not when you didn’t want to be queen either. 

“I’m sorry, angel.” Yunho’s arms tightened, attempting to bring you in closer than you were already. “I know how terrifying it can be to leave your home and arrive at court in Taeyang, but that doesn’t mean I have any idea what it must be like for someone like you. Nor will I ever.” He was gentle as he slowly loosened his hold on you, pulling away just far enough so that he could look you in the face. “I do not know exactly how things will go when we arrive tomorrow nor how some will react, but you won’t have to go through any of it on your own. We’ll be by your side each step of the way.” 

“What’s it like?”

“What’s what like?” Yunho’s brow furrowed, taken back by the sudden change in conversation. “Taeyang?”

You nodded. Though you had caught snippets of the daemon’s capital from them over your time on the road, the majority of the city and its inhabitants were a mystery to you. And though Yunho’s confession had prompted the question from you, you would have been lying if you had said you hadn’t just asked if as a way to direct the conversation away from yourself.

“I would assume it’s quite different from any city you’re used to.” He let you go for just a moment, hands lowering to take hold of your hand and begin guiding you towards the southern edge of the camp. “Though I’m sure you’ve already been able to gather that much from the few cities we’ve passed through this past week.”

He was right. Though you had done your best to keep your head down in the cities and villages you passed by, all it took was one passing glance to take note of the difference. The design of the buildings was vastly different from any town you had been to before, alongside the structure of the town itself. You were used to hard lines and stone, buildings compact against each other between streets of dirt and mud. But here, everything was more open, buildings sprawled out amongst the terrain, incorporating the nature around them into their design. And a large majority of buildings featured areas, though covered by the sloping roofs above, left completely open to the warmer air of the south. 

“To me, it’s most beautiful in the autumn during the Festival of Memories when the Dal is set ablaze by the lanterns sent out along it.” The hint of a smile appeared on Yunho’s lips. “Then there’s the way the city comes back to life in the spring when the plum blossom trees bloom. You should see the royal gardens at that time, especially at night when the fireflies come out.”

“It sounds beautiful.” You could only imagine the scene in your head, having only ever caught glimpses of the gardens in Maehwa when your services had been requested by the council. “Do you miss it?”

Yunho was silent for a moment, mulling over your question as he led you past the edge of camp and off into the nearby field. “Parts of it, perhaps. There’s a familiarity about the city that is comforting after all this time. It is my home, after all, but I do not miss the politics of deception that fills the halls there. There are many who will do or say anything if they believe it might benefit them in some way.”

You understood what he meant. Though Maehwa had never treated you well, it had been your home and a part of you longed to return. It may have not been the greatest of lives, but you had been happy at times. Life was constant. There were no surprises. No unexpected events that would change the entire course of your life. You were normal, or at least as normal as you could be as a half-daemon, able to carry on with your life with little issue with your siblings by your side.

“Do they know?” You were conscious of the way Yunho hadn’t let go of your hand during this time, but you didn’t dare attempt to slip it away. Not with the way it helped to keep you grounded, a physical reminder that you were not alone at the moment. “About me? About my relationship to all of you?”

Yunho nodded, but you weren’t sure exactly how the revelation made you feel. “The majority of the court learned about you when Hoseok, Hongoog’s father, did. He… he saw your relation to his son as a reflection of weakness upon him, so he wasted no breath shaming Hongjoong on the matter.”

His words made you feel like you had just been dumped into a bath of ice, body freezing as the weight of them hit you. You had always known how ridiculous it was for someone like you to be his mate. When they had told you, it had felt like some attempt at a cruel joke, made worse by learning it was indeed true. To know the only reason any of them had shown an ounce of kindness or expressed attention towards you was because of some supernatural bond that tied you all together. Even now, it still hurt, fully aware Yunho wouldn’t even be out here comforting you without you. 

And yet, you had never stopped to consider how it all might have felt from their view. From Hongjoong’s view. How had he felt when he first learned about you? How had he felt when he had first learned the person he had been waiting for was a half-daemon? Had he been upset? Had he felt shame? Had he wished things might have been different? That you had been different?

He must have. It was only natural for him to wish fate would have delivered him a better hand. It was only natural for him to wish it had been someone other than you. Someone better than you. 

And yet, he had saved your life, going so far to risk his own for yours. When he should have ignored the bond and listened to the other daemons and allowed his father to kill you, he hadn’t. 

Why? Why hadn’t he? Why hadn’t any of them? 

“Many of them believed you to be dead alongside your father in the years that followed.” Yunho continued, sensing the way your body had tended beside him. “And it wasn’t until after Hongjoong was crowned that they discovered what had truly happened and that you were still alive. As you can imagine, it created quite the uproar on many accounts. Nothing like this had ever happened before.”

Was it simply because of how difficult it was to reject a mate? They had told you how impossible it was to fight against the bond. How it was stronger than either of you could fight against and strong enough to drive you insane if you attempted to reject or ignore it. In the end, it didn’t matter how ridiculous it all sounded. It didn’t matter if they were against it. There was simply no way to fight against it. A fact you were quickly coming to learn for yourself. 

But would they have dealt with the repercussions if none of them had ever met you? Would it have been impossible for them to reject you if you had died so long ago? 

“Would it not have been easier to just let me die?” You pulled Yunho to a stop, terrified to hear the confirmation you knew awaited you at the other end, but desperate for it all the same. You needed to know. “Perhaps if Hongjoong had never met me. If none of you had ever met me, then-“

“He would have spent an eternity with a part of him missing, just as we all would have when the bond between us fully snapped into place. Even if we had never fully known you, we would have spent the rest of our lives mourning you.” His reply was soft as he brushed aside the hair the wind tossed into your face, expression terribly gentle “As impossible as it all may seem, none of us regret the choices we made to get to this moment here. To get to you. How could we?” He raised a hand against your cheek, thumb tracing along the bone. “You have no idea just what you do to us, do you? What you do to me?” He moved the hand he held towards his chest, laying your palm against the area above his heart. “Can you feel that, angel? Can you feel how it beats for you and only you now?”

You could feel the heat pooling inside you, locked into place from the intensity he took you in. The raw emotion in his voice made your breath hitch, heart thudding in your chest. You didn’t believe him. You couldn’t believe him, but one look at him left you trembling as your chest ached for you to just let him in. To let yourself be loved.

“Never before have I so fully been enraptured by another. Your presence captivates my entire being and not a second goes by that I do not think of you and what I wish might become between us. Of everything I would do for you to finally make you see yourself the way I see you.”

“Yunho…” Your voice quivered, breathless from his confession. You didn’t know what to say, let alone what to think. All you could focus on was the way he peered down at you so lovingly, as though he fully believed each and every word he spoke to you. 

Whether it was on purpose or not, you could feel the wave of emotions that flooded through him into you. You could feel the desire he spoke towards you filling him, of how much he yearned for you to return the same sentiment towards him. And when his thumb brushed against your lower lip, it was impossible to tell whether you simply felt his desire to kiss you burning through you or whether it was your own natural inclination building up. 

“We chose you, angel. We have accepted you just as you are.” Yunho leaned closer, slowly closing the distance between the two of you. “Won’t you now please accept us? Just give us a chance?”

He gave you no time to respond - not that you would have been able to if he had, his words fully rendering you speechless - closing the gap completely and pressing his lips against your own. They were hesitant at first, just barely brushing against you as though testing to see just how you would respond to it. Only once you hadn’t pulled away did he finally deepen it, using his grip on your face to tug you closer to him. 

You were frozen in place. A thousand different thoughts were running through your head, but you couldn’t quite grasp at any of them. It was impossible to differentiate them from his own desire that overflowed into you still, looking at the base of your stomach. The only thought you could properly take hold of was how soft his lips were against your own and how very warm they were. 

Your body responded before your mind did, fingers tightening their grip on his shirt in an effort to pull yourself in closer. The action left him gasping, and a wave of pure joy ran over into you from the excitement he felt at you returning the kiss with a similar fervor. 

It was over just as quickly as it had started. Yunho was the first to pull away, breathless as his forehead came to rest upon your own. You remained silent in the seconds that followed, eyes still shut as your mind replayed the moment in your head, holding on to the high the act had created for as long as you could before reality came crashing back down on you. 

You could feel his fingers trailing across your face, taking you in as much as he could for the brief moment he had you with your guard down. And when your eyes finally fluttered open, you were caught off guard by the face that met you; the pure adoration that lined his features convincing you for just a moment that everything he had said was true. That you were worth it. 

Your face turned away as the situation finally processed in your mind, cheeks tinting pink as you realized what you had just done. You felt no regret for allowing him to kiss you or for the way you had returned it, but the yearning you felt to give in and close the distance between you once more did scare you. The desire you felt for the man standing before you was completely foreign and you struggled to process it. Never before had you ever wanted something, wanted someone, as much as you wanted him now. 

“I’m sorry,” Yunho’s voice was strained as he broke the silence, “should I not have?”

You shook your head. “No, it’s…” It was a struggle to speak, unsure of just what to say. Your head was still spinning, thoughts flying as you tried to straighten it all out in your head and just how you felt about all it. “It was nice. It’s just… I just…” You stumbled over your words, face growing hotter with each passing second. You struggled enough as it was with communicating your emotions and having to do so now over something you had very little experience with felt nearly impossible. “I’ve never-“

You cut yourself off, unable to stop the wave of embarrassment that ran through you at the thought of revealing your lack of experience. Of revealing that you had never before shared this sort of experience with anyone before. Of how you had never kissed anyone before. Of how you had never felt this way before and how terribly overwhelming it all was. 

Instead of attempting to finish your thoughts, you tucked your head against his chest in the hope of hiding your reddening face. He didn’t try to push you further and was silent alongside you as his fingers brushed through your hair. 

“Shall we go and observe the stars now, love?” Yunho was the first to speak, pulling your face back out to meet him.

You nodded, having completely forgotten why you had come to him in the first place. Despite the overwhelming nature of everything that had occurred between the two of you, it had worked as the distraction you had hoped for. You had long since forgotten why you had wanted out in the first place and the stress that had plagued your mind earlier in the night had been replaced with a different anxiety altogether. 

You allowed him to guide you further into the night, away from the lights of the camp behind you. As you went, you resituated the blanket along your shoulders, feeling much colder than before now that you weren’t pressed up next to Yunho. You hoped it would help with the heat still pooling inside you and prayed it would ease the redness of your cheeks.

It was just a kiss. It may have been your first kiss, but it was still just a kiss and nothing to get so worked up about, but one glance in his direction was all it took for your face to flame again. Your thoughts kept trailing back to the feeling of his lips on your, alongside the way he had looked at you so lovingly. The way he had so unabashedly confessed his feelings to you making your stomach flip. 

“Is this far enough?” 

You nodded, any and all feelings you might have pushed aside in the silence fully returning once Yunho turned back to you. A hint of a smile danced across his face, and you were once again struck by just how beautiful he was. You had always known it, but the kiss had given rise to a whole new wave of emotions flooding through you. It made you wonder if you had fallen asleep without ever realizing, and the events that had transpired between you nothing more than a dream. Seeing him bathed in starlight, the near epitome of perfection, left you feeling small beside him. How could someone like you have ever caught the eye of someone like him?

You tumbled to the ground, wondering why you had ever thought this would be a good idea. When you had asked for a distraction, this wasn’t what you had meant. You hadn’t wanted to spend the night wrestling over your feelings for a man you knew was way too good for you despite everything he said. 

The night sky offered little comfort. Everything was cleared out here away from the lights, but you struggled to piece the stars together. Everything was different here, the stars shifting far more than anything you had seen in your travels before, reminding you just how far from home you truly were. 

“Minnie, Woo, and I used to sneak out all the time when we were younger to observe the stars. My mother had taught Soomin the constellations before she passed, who in turn taught them to us before she outgrew the act of sneaking outside Maehwa’s walls.” Your voice was soft as you spoke, finding a bit of your panic fading away as you slowly found your way amongst the twinkling lights above. “Soomin says she loved the stars, so much so that she named each of us after them. And though I never knew her, I feel as though I can see a sliver of her in them.”

And tonight, the stars seemed to echo your sentiment. The stories said that falling stars were tokens of good luck and fortune sent by those who had long since passed from this world. And though you had never given much merit into the thought, it gave you some form of comfort tonight. Who else could have sent them besides your mother who had loved them so dearly in her life? As though to tell you, I see you. I hear you. I am with you always. 

You shivered, wishing more than ever that you had had a chance to know her. What had she been like? What about her had drawn the attention of someone like your father? Hadn’t he also been a member of the former Black Guard? Hadn’t he also been forbade from any sort of relation like the one he had with her? Had she ever felt the same way you did now? As though she wasn’t worth the love he gave her? As though she wasn’t worth the risk despite how happy she might have been?

It hurt to think about, chest aching as you wished more than ever before that things had been different. You wished you could have known them, seen who they truly were for yourself and not from snippets you heard from others. You wished it could have been your mother sitting by your side tonight, giving you guidance at a moment you felt completely lost. 

“Soomin is a summer child, so you aren’t able to see her constellation this time of the year. The stories claim it is because the serpent goddess disappears into the southern seas each winter, hibernating through the colder weather to return in full strength in the spring.” You didn’t know what possessed you to explain the origins of your namesakes, but it was comforting to think about and a welcome distraction from everything else. “It’s why they say it always rained so much at that time, as she brings the sea with her to nourish the earth for the new year.”

“Hyunwoo and I were born in the dead of winter, however, so you should be able to see them at this time. In fact, Hyunwoo’s should be somewhere…” Your eyes followed the trail of stars, piecing together the patterns until you found the collection you had been searching for. “There!” You did your best to guide Yunho’s gaze towards them, subconsciously leaning over to better line up his sight. “His namesake was said to be a great and mighty archer whose ability caught the attention of the Gunungsins. They challenged him to a competition, promising him a spot amongst their rank if he were to succeed. He did, of course, and now he roams the skies above keeping watch over those down below.”

“And then-“ Your words cut off when you caught sight of him in the corner of your eye. He was looking at you again, the hint of a smile dancing across his face. “I’m sorry.” The blush you had finally gotten under control came rushing back. You had been rambling, boring him with information he hadn’t asked for, nor did he care to hear about. “You probably didn’t care to hear about all that.”

“No, please continue. I’m most interested in what you have to say, especially on your own.” He nudged your shoulder, gently encouraging you to continue on. “And I apologize if my distraction made you think otherwise. It’s just… you’re very beautiful, you know? Especially when you are talking about the things you're passionate about.”

God damn it, Yunho.

“I’m sorry, truly.” Yunho replied, clearly hearing you curse him in your head. It hadn’t upset him though, and he struggled to control his laughter at the outburst, making you wonder if his apology was sincere or not. 

Your cheeks were definitely red again, however. Any and every feeling you had managed to suffocate over the past few minutes returning once more. 

Was he doing it on purpose? Enjoying the way you squirmed under his gaze and hoping perhaps if he prodded enough, you would do something about the growing desire you had to kiss him that had been pooling in your stomach ever since the first. 

“Please, continue,” he added in your silence, leaning closer towards you as he finally turned his gaze back towards the sky. “Which one is yours?”

“It’s the cluster just to the south of Hyunwoo’s, just above the horizon.” It took a second for you to steady your voice, aware of Yunho’s side now brushing against your own as he followed your guide. “She was said to be a maiden whose lover had become deathly ill. The only cure was in the flowers that grew at the peak of a nearby mountain, and though he had begged her not to go as the path was long and treacherous, she persevered and obtained that which she sought.” It had been a while since you had last thought of the story, and it felt strange telling it to Yunho now. Despite being a tale told through the ages, it felt oddly personal telling it to him now. “When she arrived home, however, she learned her lover had succumbed to the disease in her absence. She mourned for days, unable to live without him and ready to take her own life. The moon, however, who had watched the tragedy unfold, was moved by the woman’s selfless love and offered the woman passage to her immortal domain in the stars where she was reunited with her lover. Now they forever roam the skies together, given the happy life they had been stolen here.”

“Your mother named you well.”

“Soomin thinks so as well. She used to curse our mother for naming me after the maiden, claiming it had caused me to take the story too seriously and share her lack of concern for her own life. And I don’t know,” you shrugged, remembering all the times Soomin had cursed you in the past, “maybe she’s right. Maybe I have been cursed by my namesake, but she persevered to the end, did she not? Perhaps I will too.”

“y/n?”

You hummed in response, wondering what it was that had prompted him to call you out by name.

“May I kiss you once more?”

This made you stop, and you could feel the wave of heat flooding through you at the request. You didn’t dare look over at him, doing your best to not show just how much his sudden question had caught you off guard. 

“You wish to kiss me?”

“Very much so.” The pressure at your side grew as he leaned in closer next to you, fingers brushing the hair that blocked your face back behind your ear. “If you’d let me, that is.”

Your fingers dug into the fabric of the blanket you held, trying to process his request in your head and just what it was you wanted. Deep down, you already knew what it was. You wanted him to kiss you because you wanted to kiss him. 

So, then why did the thought of it scare you so much? 

You wanted it. There was no doubt about it, but the thought of acting out on your emotions terrified you, and you couldn’t quite pin your finger as to why. Was it the unknown that scared you? Simply self-conscious of your lack of experience. Or was it the underlying fear that they would change their minds that strayed at the back of your mind? That despite their reassurances, eventually they would realize what you knew all along and move on. And the only way to keep yourself safe was to keep your distance. 

You made the mistake of turning your head. One look at the man beside you and you could feel yourself caving; your want for him outweighing any fear you might have had. 

Fuck it.

You didn’t have to verbalize your consent, the way your head tilted towards his own telling him everything he needed to know. He wasted no time, pulling your chin up towards him and capturing your lips against his own once more. 

He continued to periodically kiss you throughout the next few hours you remained awake. At his behest, you pointed out more stars and constellations, telling him their stories as best you remembered. He would interrupt you every so often to kiss you once more, seemingly at random. You would be in the middle of a story or pointing out a new constellation and he would cut you off with his lips, making you lose your train of thought each and every time. 

At some point, the blanket you had was extended towards him, and he was quick to bring your body in next to him. A part of you was still conscious of the closeness, of the vulnerability you were showing him. Would it not be best if you pulled back? The less involved you got with them, the less it would hurt when it all came crashing down. And it would, would it not? You would arrive in Taeyang tomorrow and they would finally come to their senses and realize you didn’t belong in this world. In their world. 

But for now, it was nice. Perhaps the nicest night you had had in a very long time. For once in your life, you were able to forget your worries and just relax. Thoughts of tomorrow had been pushed to the back of your head, overtaken by the man next to you and how warm he was. How terribly sweet he was. 

So, for once in your life, you let yourself enjoy the moment for what it was. You let yourself relax into Yunho’s side, allowing yourself to open up just a little bit, because perhaps he was right. Perhaps things would all work out. All you had to do was let them. All you had to do was accept them. 

~~~

Is it almost time to switch?

San didn’t so much as open his eyes as he lazily reached out to Yunho, hoping the other daemon would tell him he still had a little time left to sleep. He hated pulling the second shift of your guard. While Yunho might have gotten an hour or two of your time before you went to sleep due to your insomnia, he wouldn’t get to see you until you woke up in the morning. And by then, everyone else would also be awake and vying for your attention. 

Yunho?

It was only in the second bout of silence that he realized Yunho wasn’t just ignoring him. He couldn’t feel the taller daemon’s presence on the other side of the bond at all. Yunho was nowhere in his current vicinity at the moment, cutting off communication between them. 

This had San waking quickly, reaching out just a bit farther along the bond that tied him to you only to be with silence once more. Neither of you were anywhere nearby. 

While he was concerned, he didn’t allow the panic hovering at the back of his head to take hold of him just yet. San knew how nervous you had been, he could feel the anxiety growing within you each day you drew closer to Taryang, so he didn’t doubt you must have simply wandered off somewhere in the hopes of easing it. And with Yunho being gone as well, he could only assume the two of you must have gone out somewhere together. 

He was met by a pair of black eyes as he exited the tent, finding one of Yunho’s shadow beasts lying near the fire Yunho had sat near at the beginning of his watch. Haru’s head lifted at his approach, observing him with mild curiosity. 

“Where are they, buddy?” San bent down next to the beast, scratching the back of his head. If Yunho had left him here, then he knew the two of you must have been somewhere safe and there was no reason to wake any of the others. “Can you take me to them?”

Haru stood up at the request, stretching his front legs and shaking out his fur before setting off towards the south of camp. San was quick to follow, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to straighten it as he yawned. He wasn’t sure what time it was. The candle set out to signal the end of the first watch had long gone out, signifying Yunho’s watch had ended some time ago. Wherever the two of you had gone, he must have lost track of time, causing San to curse under his breath. Normally, he wouldn’t have minded if Yunho took over part of his watch, enjoying the extra sleep, but not when it was because he had gotten distracted by you. If only the watches had been switched, then it could have been him out there with you right now instead. 

You hadn’t strayed too far from camp. Once Haru had left the tents behind, he could feel hints of your presence along the bond once more. To his surprise, your emotions had shifted significantly since he had seen you last. The anxiety that had riddled your body had almost completely disappeared, leaving you far more relaxed than he had ever felt you before.

This had him curious, wondering what might have conspired between the two of you to put you in such a state. For one brief second, the impossible crossed his mind. Yunho hadn’t mated with you, had he? But he shook the thought away before he could ponder it long enough to feel the outcome of that scenario. It was impossible, at least now. You hardly let them touch you at this current time, growing flustered and escaping away the moment things became too heated for you. There was no way you would give in and bare yourself completely to Yunho at this time. 

He didn’t have to wonder for long, eventually finding you curled up against Yunho on the ground in the nearby field. The two of you were bundled up beneath a blanket and your head rested against his chest as you slept. It was the most peaceful he had ever seen you, for once completely at ease with one of them. It didn’t completely erase the jealousy that was brimming in his chest as he took you in, but it did alleviate some of it. How could he be upset seeing you like that? Knowing that whatever Yunho had done or said had eased your mind enough to help you sleep before the day you had tomorrow? 

Yunho’s eyes were also closed, but San knew he was awake before he brushed against his subconscious. Despite how comfortable the other daemon might have been next to you, he would have never drifted off. Not when your safety was at risk in an environment like this.

I see now why you didn’t wake me.

It was hard for San to keep his tone from sounding too bitter, wishing once again that it could have been him instead. Though you had loosened up around each of them in your journey, he had yet to get as close to you as some of the others. And not nearly as close as he had been that night in Maehwa so long ago. 

He still remembered the moment he had first seen you that night. He had thought you were beautiful the moment he first saw you, but the feelings that had arisen seeing you dressed like that had been something else altogether. You had looked so radiant, so regal, that night, and it was at that moment he knew without a doubt that he would lay down his life for you. Spend the rest of his waking moment serving you in any way you desired. He would do anything for you, his queen, and bathe the world in the blood of anyone who stood in your way. 

“She fell asleep,” Yunho couldn’t hide the smile Sam’s words pulled as he replied, shifting slightly in the means of pulling you closer to him, “and I didn’t see the harm in straying here for just a bit. I don’t want to wake her after she finally got to sleep. She needs all the rest she can get for tomorrow.”

San couldn’t blame Yunho, both of them aware the moment between the two of you would end the moment he took you back to camp. And if he had been in Yunho’s position, he would have held you as long as he could. He would spend the entire night under the stars with you if he could. Whatever it was that you desired. 

“She kissed me, San.” Yunho’s following words made San stop, and he had to replay them over in his head before the implication of them hit. “Well, technically, I kissed her, but she let me. She kissed me back. And then she allowed me to kiss her again when I asked.” He paused, shifting to his side as gently as he could to better take in your sleeping figure next to him. “Don’t worry though,” he was quick to add, eyes glancing over at San as if he knew just what thoughts had popped up in his mind, “I think it will be a while again until she allows me to do it again. In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have done it. She was vulnerable, desperate for any form of distraction from the days she has in front of her, but I couldn’t control myself. Not with the way she was looking up at me, and certainly not with the thoughts running through her head.”

And what thoughts would those be? San spoke to Yunho directly when you stirred in your sleep. As much as he did want to spend time with you, he couldn’t stand to wake you either. Not after you had finally gotten to sleep. 

She thinks we should have just let her die. 

San was thankful he had taken the time to sit down on your other side, Yunho’s confession shaking him to his core. 

That everything would have been easier if none of us had ever met her.

San was well used to your attempts at rejecting them. You had made it clear that you didn’t believe you were deserving of any of them, believing your status as a half-daemon made you lesser than them in some way. He knew the insecurities you held towards yourself, fueled by all the lies you had been told by the people before them. Their treatment towards you had cut you deep, and though killing them had alleviated some of his anger on the matter, it did nothing to heal the scars that remained. And to now hear their lies had led you to believe it would have been better if you had died alongside your parents, refueled his hatred towards them fully. He wished more than anything he could go back in time, realizing whatever death he had given them then was far too merciless. They deserved to suffer for what they had done to you. 

But the rage Yunho’s revelation brought only lasted so long, dissipating the second his mind thought of the inevitable. What would have happened if Hongjoong and Yeosang hadn’t gotten to you in time? If Hoseok had succeeded in his attempt to kill you alongside your parents? 

He could only stray on your death for so long before it became too much. The sheer panic he had felt when you had been attacked was something that still haunted him to this day. For days he had been unable to keep you from his sight, putting up as many barriers as he could manage to ensure nothing else happened to you, even going so far as to sketch the runes beneath your saddle to ensure no one but them could approach you when you were on the road. The last thing he wanted to think about was a life without you in it, let alone a life in which you never were. 

It made him wonder just where he was going wrong? Had their actions not shown you how much they cared? Had they not shown you just how much you meant to them? Had they not been enough to convince you that they would do anything to keep you safe? To keep you happy? 

He would have been lying if he said he hadn’t cursed your humanity before. Not for the reason you would have expected him to; he couldn’t care less about your blood status. He didn’t care if you were considered pure or not; it didn’t change who you were as a person, let alone how he saw you. But he did hate how your human heritage did limit the effects of the bonds that tied you to them. It had only been around two months since you had entered his life and he was already beginning to go insane. Every fiber of his being was drawn towards you, desperate to finally claim you as his own. It was driving him crazy. You were driving him crazy. Each second he spent next to you only fueled his hunger for you. A hunger you very well would have felt just as strongly if you had more maetha flowing through your veins. 

He may have promised alongside the others to wait as long as you needed, but he knew he hadn’t been the only one who had lied to you at that moment. He wouldn’t be able to wait that long. It would be impossible for him to wait another lifetime to finally have you. He knew it. The others knew it. But it didn’t really matter. In the end, the lie was meaningless. Even with your humanity, not even you could fully withstand the bond that mates shared. Already, you were cracking. A fact shown in your current position curled up to Yunho beside you. 

Does she realize that would have changed nothing? That it would have simply resulted is us feeling as though a part of us would have been missing for the rest of our lives? 

I told her as much. 

And? 

And… then I kissed her. Yunho paused, weighing the situation in his head. I guess a part of me hoped to convey just how much she means to us and that we mean each and every word we say. …At least that was the original intention, but then… The way she looked at me, San, I couldn’t control myself anymore. 

San was silent as he took in Yunho’s confession. As much as he wanted to be jealous, he knew Yunho wasn’t telling him all this to simply rub in the fact he got to kiss you first. Some of the others might have, including himself, but that wasn’t something Yunho would do. He was simply trying to piece the situation together himself, working through the wave of emotions flooding through him. 

Did you know she was named after the stars? Yunho shifted, eyes wandering the sky above. That’s why she stays out so late at night. It’s the one place she feels truly at home. 

Do you think she’ll ever feel that way with us? 

I hope so. Yunho sighed. You should have seen her, San. The passion that filled her. The way her eyes would light up. I like to think a part of her enjoyment was getting to share a part of herself with me. Of having someone to share it with. 

A wave of images flooded San’s mind as Yunho shared his thoughts with him. He could hear the hushed excitement in your voice as you spoke about some particular collection of stars, and see the way your eyes lit up just before turning away shyly when Yunho gently encouraged you to continue. To think Yunho had managed some control over kissing you was a shock to San. If it had been him, he would have kissed you under the stars until your lips were bruised and you were desperate for air. 

As much as I wish to stay here, we should probably head back. Yunho’s fingers ran through your hair, taking in what little time he had left with you. Dawn will be arriving soon and I don’t doubt she’ll be more comfortable waking up in her own bed rather than here. She has enough to worry about tomorrow. 

I’ll get her. San was quick to offer, eager to have you in his arms again, even if it was just for a few moments. 

Yunho offered no resistance, allowing San to wrap his arms around your sleeping figure and gently pick you up. You stirred once more from the movement, but did little more than curl in closer to him once he had you secured. San’s heart fluttered at the action, unable to resist planting a chaste kiss against the top of your head as his grip on you tightened. 

It was hard to let you go once they had made it back, and even harder to lay you down in your own bed, knowing he couldn’t stay there with you. All he wanted was to take you back with him, curling up next to your body which would slot in so perfectly next to his own. 

Nothing would happen if you weren’t ready. He’d be perfecting content with just having you next to him for now. But if you would just give him a chance, oh, the wonders he could show you. The things he could do to convince you he wanted nothing more than to have you by his side for the rest of your lives. The way he would worship your body and sing your praises all but forcing you to believe just how much you truly meant to him. 

But today was not that day. And he didn’t doubt it wouldn’t be any day in the near future either. For now, you were still stuck behind the walls you had built around yourself, an invisible barrier he had yet to find his way through. For now, he would have to be content with your mere presence, knowing that one of these days you might finally allow him to come inside. He just had to be patient, because one day he would succeed. One of these days he would finally get to fully savor you in the way he had craved ever since he had first set eyes on you. 

And he couldn’t wait. 

~~~

taglists are in the reblogs :)

[hoshiseon]

desire ; preview

♰ pairings :: ot8 vampire!ateez x fem!witch!reader

♰ genre :: dark fantasy, smut, strangers to ?? to lovers, fluff, maybe slight angst?, soulmates/fated lovers

♰ content :: polyamory, references to religious themes, all of them are kinda down bad... some more than others, reader is enamored with them (i'll add more by chapter, they're not written yet)

♰ word count :: 580

♰ note :: all of the descriptions are general as this is the preview, please read the warnings for each chapter!! this is my first time not writing in third person :,) each chapter will probably focus of different sets of members. the chapters aren't planned, i'm writing this as i go so pls be patient. i'm not sure how many chapters there'll be. feedback is greatly appreciated and i should have the first chapter up very soon!! ♡

♰ gen. warnings :: blood, violence, predator/prey dynamics (non sexual & possibly sexual in later chapters), fear, anxiety, sight obsession, stalking, general dark themes, manipulation (non sexual)

☽ smut warnings by chapter, MDNI!!

as i look around confusedly, i forget that there was a small chance i was being followed by something. instead astonishment replaces the fear as i look around. but not for long. i start to hear the distinct sound of crunching leaves coming from my right. this time my entire body freezes for a fraction of a second and i do not turn to see whatever it is coming for me. instead i turn left and start to run. as i sprint through the tree line, i make it long enough that the clearing behind me starts to morph back into endless trees.

but turning back to look proves to be a mistake as i trip once again and fall, unable to catch myself as i collide with the ground. sharp pain shoots through my knee again and i know this time i would not just have a bruise. i wince and cry as i push into the dirt to roll onto my back. through my fear, i could only hear my boots making contact with the earth beneath me but now that i am still i can definitely hear the pursuit of something coming towards me. it doesn't sound like running but then again i may not be able to hear over the sound of my own pounding heart and heaving breaths. i attempt to scramble to my feet and push through the pain in my leg but i can only manage a weak limping jog. i feel tears pool in my eyes as i stop to lean my side against a tree. there's just no way i'll make it to my cabin like this. and there's no way i'd beat whatever it is that's following me. as the pain in my knee starts to throb, i sink lower until i'm sitting with my back against the tree.

through my wallowing i failed to realize that the sound from before had stopped. as i turn my head to look around, i spot a silhouette to my left. back from where i originally started running. it looks like.... a person? who in their right mind would be out this far? it seems like the seconds drag on as i stare wordlessly at the unmoving figure. i have no options to weigh so i wait. for impending doom most certainly. but there's nothing i can really do. trying to get up again really isn't practical and would just alert them to my location, if they don't see me already. i blink and suddenly the figure looks a lot closer than they were a second ago. no... my mind is playing tricks on me no one moves that fast. my heart rate kicks into high gear as the figure starts to become larger. they're definitely getting closer. my reflexes kick in and i scramble with no success to get onto my feet. i hear my breath stutter and a cry threatens to leave my lips as the figure finally really comes into view and then stops. though it's still very dark, they're close enough now that i can see the person is a man. he's human looking... enough. but that doesn't really quell my fear. he's still not close enough that he could hear me if i spoke in a normal tone but i shouldn't get my hopes up. i watch as his head tilts to the side for a second before he starts to walk, much slower now, towards me.

[songmingisthighs]

Fire of My Passion

group : ateez

pairing : poly dragon!ateez × reader, dragon!seonghwa × reader

genre : angst, fantasy, mature

word count : 13.2k

warning : slight gore (murder, abuse), death threat, murder intent, depiction of attacks and casualties, mentions of people getting hurt, psychological anguish

a/n : this is a fic based on @thelargefrye 's dragon!ateez universe !! honestly i really love the fics, i've been recommending it everywhere. if you haven't checked it, please read them first before you read this >:) you can find the dragon!ateez fics here here (m, mdni) here (m, mdni) AND BY THE WAY SMALLS IF YOU'RE READING THIS, I'M SO SORRY IT TOOK SUCH A LONG FUCKING WHILE IDK WHAT I WAS DOING ASOGHOSIGOSIJ I STARTED BULLSHITTING AND I CAN'T STOP

There were things that Seonghwa was used to; calm surroundings, his books in the library, his mates, and his clan. Everything was in order, as it should be since generations before and he loves it. This castle is his home, his sanctuary, where his past happened and where he will establish his future. All were as they are supposed to be.

That was until you came.

"Sunyeol, no!"

Just the sound of your voice was enough to ruin his whole day.

The voices made Seonghwa snap his head to see you running after a hatchling not too far behind him, a little boy named Sunyeol who was holding something in his hand, running past him with glee while you were in tow. Less than three months ago, Seonghwa didn't have to worry about being aware of things around him when he sleeps as the clan was secure in the mountains but now, his mates were sleeping with someone who could potentially kill them without having to lift a finger. How will his ancestors react upon learning that he and his mates, high-ranking members of their clan, were sleeping with the enemy and have mated with the enemy and even brought said enemy to their home, their little safe haven? To be frank, Seonghwa didn't know which part was worse but he resented himself for not preventing you from being admitted into their lives. Because as usual, the witches do whatever they want and everyone was simply supposed to go along with it despite the pain and anguish. So imagine his fury when he saw members of his clan being happy with you. He hated it. He hated YOU so much.

Seonghwa's steps halted when he saw you cornering the boy and alarms started blaring off in his head. The scene was just too reminiscent of the countless murders of both adults and hatchlings in his life. "Alright, Sunyeol, you give me my stone back or else," it was obvious (to you and the hatchling at least) that you were being playful, it was nothing but a ruse to make things fun and the hatchling looked very much happy and engaged, "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way," each step you took made Seonghwa's heart beat louder in his chest, ringing in his arms like drums, "And we both know we don't want me using the hard way," the smirk on your face was menacing to him, it was a sign of threat. At that point, Seonghwa was no longer even looking at Sunyeol, his eyes transfixed on you, on how you were preying on that little hatchling boy.

In a flash, Seonghwa had you pinned onto the wall, his arm pressing onto your chest suffocatingly in a diagonal angle, using his sleeve to separate you from him because he couldn't imagine the disgust, the utter uncleanness, the absolute filth on your skin latching onto him. "Is that your ploy, witch?" Seonghwa's eyes narrowed as he glared at you with seething hatred, the pure anger that his eyes conveyed was enough to have your stomach sink in fear. "You come here, you pretend to be this nice little witch when the truth is you were just waiting for the opportunity to erase our entire existence, right? And this is how you start? From our precious hatchlings?" smoke started coming out of Seonghwa's mouth and fear struck you deeply. You were confused because you were playing with a hatchling, helping Mingi with his duties one second, and the next thing you know, you were about to die in the hands of a high-ranking dragon for being playful. You tried to claw his arm off of you, desperately trying to get oxygen back into your lungs, but it was apparent from his grip that Seonghwa's aim was to kill as he was seconds away from murdering you.

Had it not been for Sunyeol's cries, asking Seonghwa not to hurt you, you would have surely lost your life that moment. Even when the boy was brazenly tugging on Seonghwa's shirt harshly, screaming at the top of his lungs to let you go as tears streamed down his chubby cheeks, Seonghwa still hesitated to let you go. In his head, he was only thinking of the fact that he might not get a chance like this anymore, to get you in such a vulnerable place that he could just take your life so easily. But the sound of the boy's cries seemed to remind him that he couldn't just make a decision about not only his but his other mates' mate single-handedly. Surely the council will disapprove and his mates (the ones that like you at least no matter the small number), will have his head on a stick.

With resolve wavering (as much as he hated to admit it), Seonghwa let you go, pushing you off to the floor where you croak, struggling to breathe despite being able to feel the oxygen fill your lungs again. With a last glare sent your way, Seonghwa turned on his heels to leave but not before reassuringly patting Sunyeol on his head.

Truly, Seonghwa had no idea as to how and why would his kind be so accepting and understanding of your kind. Since they were merely hatchlings, they were already warned about what witches do, what they were capable of. Cautionary tales of how witches put enchantments on dragon folks lure them to their dwellings and make them turn into their dragon form before killing them. Their scales were sold as armour to dragon hunters, their teeth turned into necklaces that serves as wards with runes on them or ornaments like trophies in their homes, their blood drained to be used as an elixir or potion, and the rest of them were either put on display as a reminder of what they managed to kill, unable to get eternal rest or let just thrown away carelessly as if they were nothing. Those who were killed like that died a gruesome death with the lucky ones got to die in their human form. Seonghwa could never forget the time Hongjoong burned down an entire village filled with dragon hunters when he saw his father's dragon bones propped in the square as if he was nothing more than a statue while his mother and brother were killed in front of it. How he took his family who were already gone, into his strong talons and stayed there as everything burned around him. That day Hongjoong unwillingly became the clan's leader, shouldering the burden and the pain that he was yet to be ready for.

You can ask anyone and they'd say that Park Seonghwa is benevolent, he is kind and understanding, and he is compassionate. But he truly drew the line at you and your kind. He would never forgive you for just entering their lives and messing things up. Things might seem okay and good now, but he knew that the likes of you would only bring pain and misery to their lives, he knew it. It's hard being someone who can see things clearly but not wanting to mess things up as too much was on the line.

For now, all he could do was keep an eye on you and prepare for when he needed to defend himself and his mates, his clan. He'd give his life for them but moreover, he'd take your life to salvage them.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Thankfully for Seonghwa, you spent the next several days cowering in the shadows. He walked around in pride whenever he saw you clutching your chest when you saw him before turning around on your heels and running away. Usually, you'd be walking around with Wooyoung or Yeosang, Mingi would only be around you when you were working with him and he convinced himself that it was simply because he saw you as nothing more than a coworker, nothing romantic. But the three seemed to know nothing which means you hadn't told them that Seonghwa almost killed you. To that, Seonghwa gave you trust points for not being a tattle tale.

It felt refreshing not seeing your face so often as before. One might even able to see the little spring in Seonghwa's steps and the slight smile that was returning after months of not seeing it.

But of course, all good things must come to an end.

One fateful day, after the sun has long set and the halls of the castle was illuminated by candle lights, Seonghwa walked out of the library to be met with the sound of hurried steps.

"Hyung, they came! They fucking came!" San cried out, panting when he reached Seonghwa with Yunho next to him, looking equally distraught. Confused, Seonghwa looked at San and Yunho with clear confusion in his face, "Whoah, whoah, whoah, calm down there," despite his calmer tone, Seonghwa felt uneasy from how his two mates were acting. "Dragon hunters attacked the border residence, we have casualties," the words that left Yunho's mouth froze Seonghwa's body.

He didn't remember what he said, he didn't even remember moving because when he came to, he was at the place where the hunters attacked. A good dozen were being treated for trap wounds, cuts and bruises, and not far from where they were, five bodies covered in white cloth laid still. People were crying over their burnt houses and while there were only two burning houses, it was two to many.

"Where are they?" Seonghwa's voice was eerily calm and stern, an absolute darkness filled his aura and both San and Yunho could feel it. "They ran off to the woods, we have three patrols chasing after them," that was all Seonghwa needed from San for him to transform and chase after the hunters himself. It wasn't hard for him at all as his eyes managed to catch their thermal signature and they were mocking the dragons they killed, obnoxiously yelling how the tip was worth the gold they spent and it just angered Seonghwa even more.

Moments passed like a second and the next thing Seonghwa knew, he reemerged from the forest drenched in the blood of the hunters he just... exterminated. His eyes was golden and face hard, wildness and fury apparent and for a moment he seemed soulless, like a simple sentient being whose job was to kill and had no remorse nor any emotions whatsoever. Not even San nor Yunho dared to got close to him as they didn't know how Seonghwa might react. Heck, they didn't even know what was going on in Seonghwa's mind as he walked past them towards the castle. Neither of them would have guessed nor expected for Seonghwa to immediately target one person in particular.

You.

Dripping blood, he was making a trail everywhere but he didn't care. No, he couldn't care less about the mess he made. He was going to do what he should have done from the beginning. He should have protected his kind, he should have protected his mate, he should have made sure that you had no chance to hurt them even for a bit.

Luckily for him (but unluckily for you), he saw you walking from the path in the garden, seemingly coming out from the forrest it led to. And everything clicked in his head. You were the one who tipped the hunters in the first place. You were the cause of the despair that befell them. You were everything Seonghwa thought you were and more.

Just as you stepped back into the castle, Seonghwa ambushed you, pushing you off of the steps and out onto the grass. The impact didn't wound you but it surely knocked the breath out of your lungs, causing you to choke as you tried to retrieve the oxygen that was oh so harshly forced out of your body. "I should have killed you when I had the chance," Seonghwa's voice was cold as ice, void of any emotion and it frightened you. You began scrambling backwards only for Seonghwa to take steps closer to you and it was only when the moonlight hit him that you realized that he was drenched in blood. "How could you?" He caught up easily and grabbed you by the hair, pulling you up as you hiss in pain, "What could you have possibly benefitted from killing innocent people?" When you were at eye-level with him, you were able to take notice of the tears brimming in his eyes, some had dropped onto his cheek and mixed with the blood before pooling on his sharp chin. "We let you stay with us and this is the thanks we get? You tipping those hunters where we live and letting them attack us? Attack the people who are precious to us? The innocent people whom we swore to protect and you made us break our promise for what? What did they promise you?" At this point, the hand that gripped your hair had moved to the side of your head as his other hand gripped the other side with his thumbs on your cheeks, smearing blood that penetrated your nostril harshly but it wasn't as bad as the pressure Seonghwa was putting on your skull. "S-Seonghwa," you whimpered, your hands gripping his in an attempt to pry him off of you. The tears in your eyes did nothing to stop Seonghwa from trying to crush your skull. He was in anguish, he was mourning, he was betrayed and he didn't even have his trust in you in the first place. So how could he have let this happen?

Your fingers had begun scratching his hand as you cried for him to let you go, begging to not kill you while proclaiming that you did nothing, that you didn't know what he was talking about. But he didn't care, he didn't want to care anymore because he was hurt, he was angry, he wanted to punish you for what you did because how dare you deny the truth when it was so glaring?

"P-please Seonghwa, don't k-kill me," you cried, managing to grab his thumb and still trying your best to remove his grip on you. "I didn't do anything." "I should have killed you the second you stepped into this place, I should have killed you like you deserved after exterminating us like vermin." Emotions were running too wildly in Seonghwa, every emotion that he never realized he had were running through his body like crazy, controlling his mind and action to the point that he didn't even realize that he was crying hard at that point. Though tears blurred his vision, he was still able to see the look of absolute fear on your face.

Your brain was swirling with ideas on how to escape the situation because the last thing you wanted was to die in the hands of your mate's mate. And then you got the idea, you found your escape.

"T-think about Y-yeosang a-and Wooyoung! Think of how much," you momentarily paused to adjust to the feeling of Seonghwa's fingers digging into your skull and you were sure that it was permanently dented. At the mention of his mates, Seonghwa seemed to come to momentarily. The grip loosened slightly but his hands were still caging your head so while it gave you a little bit of hope that you'd be able to keep your life. "Think o-of how much they'll resent you if you were the one to make me disappear," it was apparent that your tactic was working, Seonghwa's sharp nails slowly relaxed from your scalp, allowing you feel the sting from the breeze that brushed through your hair. "Let me make myself disappear, that way they'll hate me and not you and it'll be much easier for them to move on.

Your words struck Seonghwa rather deeply as he considered your words, thinking that you had a point and he'd get an easy out with his mates. As someone who was always level-headed, Seonghwa was rather surprised at himself for being taken over almost completely by his emotions and even more so that he was even considering listening to you. It was truly a cursed day and the quicker you were gone, the quicker he can move on and forget about how shitty it is.

When Seonghwa's hand let your head go, you finally realized how warm his touch was because as soon as he let go of you, the breeze blew rather harshly and goosebumps rose on your skin. Or maybe it was the realization of what just happened, you were going to have to leave your boys without saying goodbye. Technically speaking, it was just Yeosang and Wooyoung and probably Mingi, but you think it was better for your sanity to believe that the only reason Mingi would miss you was that now he didn't have anyone to help him with the hatchlings. And God, leaving the hatchlings that you had grown so close with. Just as a couple of them proclaimed their love for you because they thought you were so cool and kind and loving and they wanted to see more of your grimoire, Weiss. How were you going to move past this life? The life that you never expected but found to love despite the obstacles in every way. How were you going to survive waking up all alone when you've been so accustomed to waking up with Wooyoung and/or Yeosang in bed with you. Their dragon warmth that could not be replicated no matter how much you asked Weiss (because he didn't want you to accidentally burn him) helped you through rainy days and anxiety-filled nights. It was one of your favourite things about them and they'd be more than happy to provide it to you. But over anything else, you can't believe you were leaving them just because your life was on the line.

Just as you were about to say your goodbyes to Seonghwa (not that he was going to care, but it was just polite that way), when he suddenly grabbed you by the neckline of your top, pulling you close to his face so he could speak lowly with his teeth bared and body vibrating. "I'm letting you off for now but make sure I can't find you, you hear me? I'm letting you off because I don't want Yeosang and Wooyoung to hate me for killing you no matter how fun it would be. Because believe me when I say that I have made a list of how to kill you in an excruciatingly painful and slow way that you would actually much rather kill yourself than have me spend my precious time and energy on you," each word was like a stab to your gut but the pain it inflicted was nothing compared to the fact that you actually believed him. Genuinely, you know for sure that he wouldn't hesitate if you gave him the chance.

Seonghwa then pushed you by your chest, not so hard that you fell but just enough to send you reeling slightly, stumbling before running off into the darkness in the woods. The last thing you remembered was Seonghwa's golden eyes turning back to their normal dark brown colour shining in the darkness as he returned to the castle. It was all you could think of as you travelled through the safety of the shadows that the trees cast, thinking that even if Seonghwa were to send his dragon guards at you, you'd still be able to feel the safety of the idea of being hidden so organically.

You must've run beyond your strength because the next thing you know, you stumbled down a hill and you fell rolling down. The impact all over your body seemed to bring your realization back a little because when you finally landed limply on the clearing of the meadow at the bottom of the hill, everything came crashing down to you. How you were so close to losing your life in the hands of your mate's mate, how you were accused of doing something you didn't even understand or know and weren't given a chance to defend yourself or even to provide your point of view, how you selfishly traded your love for your own life like a coward, and how you might not be able to see your mates again anymore. It was only then and there that you cried, your throat turned raw when you screamed out of agony. The pain of falling down and your ankle twisting was nothing compared to the pain of being separated from your mates and you couldn't even imagine what Yeosang and Wooyoung would wake up to, how they would react. For now, you for sure know that they'd have nothing but hatred towards you and you were willing to burden it all if it meant that they would be kept safe. Maybe Seonghwa was right, maybe whatever happened was your fault somehow, maybe you brought them bad luck or maybe there was a reason that you couldn't even think of at that moment. But you stood firm on your resolve that you were doing this for your boys, for them all.

As painful as it was for you, you wiped the tears off your cheeks and stood up straight, letting the pain all over your body drive you by reminding you of what was important. You could still see the castle where you had resided for more or less three months, the towers were slightly covered by trees but you could never mistake it, and you could never forget what it look like. But you couldn't focus on reminiscing now, not when you can't shake Seonghwa's accusation that you were the cause of their despair. So with a shaky breath, you cleared your mind and summoned Weiss who opened itself up for you with no question as your hands raised.

"Let's get to work."

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

The past three weeks had been hell for everyone in the castle, especially for the residence. It was nothing like Seonghwa expected whatsoever. He had thought that by eliminating you, their lives would be much different and for the best. Never could he have imagined that the situation was much more complicated and dire.

"How is he?" Hongjoong asked, looking tired and stressed.

The head healer sighed and shook her head much to his and Seonghwa's disappointment. "Well, what do you know?" Although Hongjoong tried to sound confident, it was obvious that he was beyond worried, there was a slight quiver that indicated fear and while other people couldn't have noticed it, Seonghwa knew Hongjoong well enough that he was truly fearing for their newest addition. "Well... He's... Mourning, sir, the simplest explanation is that he was separated from his mate for too long that his mental state just... Broke," she explained timidly in a slightly bowed stance as to avoid Hongjoong and Seonghwa's gaze. At the mention of Wooyoung's mate, Seonghwa's body froze slightly, it was as if his body was involuntarily reacting to the trigger word or words in this case, immediately reminded of the scene where he drove you away by threatening to kill you. As far as Seonghwa knows, nobody else knew about that incident, no one knew he had almost destroyed you that night and that he didn't even see where you had gone to. He was just glad that you were gone. This, however, the news that Wooyoung suffered a mental break and Yeosang became so weak that he injured himself in a patrol was something Seonghwa didn't expect. In all honesty, he felt bad, he felt as if he was responsible, but he didn't want to believe that it was his fault so he put those thoughts on the back burner, trying to focus on how to better the situation instead.

The explanation didn't make Hongjoong feel better though as he couldn't really comprehend what is it that made Wooyoung experience such a devastating break. He tried looking at the two assistant healers but they too were avoiding his gaze as best as they could. "That's stupid," Hongjoong groaned in frustration, hands rubbing at his face harshly, "The oracle said he's our mate and if you haven't figured it out yet he's with his mates right now so you must be wrong!" he growled, terrifying the healers but didn't let them respond as he turned and walked away, yelling to them one last time, "You better come up with a better explanation and treatment plan for him!"

With a last glance spared to Wooyoung's bedroom as the healers reentered, letting the sound of Wooyoung moaning and crying in pain escape, Seonghwa followed behind Hongjoong. Maybe it was best for him to tell Hongjoong what he did, what he had done to Wooyoung's... mate. No matter how much they denied that a dragon could mate with a witch, they have to consider that fact now, especially with Yeosang's incessant and teary attempt of convincing them. The mood in the castle had gone down considerably and at a pretty drastic speed. One could argue that it was the stress of handling the dragon hunter issue and rebuilding the ruined houses and also calming the people down, ensuring their safety with double the patrols which obviously took time to assemble and set their working schedule. It was a miracle that all of them were still functional even though barely. Though, Hongjoong's dedication of time and effort to accommodate the situation was proven fruitful as they have yet to see nor sense another attack from dragon hunters. The patrolmen hadn't even sensed witches or their runes or potions around, meaning that it was more likely than not safe for them. Hongjoong and the others took this as a win as one issue is at least resolved. For now.

Other than Wooyoung and Yeosang, Mingi seemed to receive the third biggest hit. It had been a while since Seonghwa saw him practice his sword skills, abusing the life out of the dummy they usually use for practice and even managing to break three with a wooden sword for practice. As a carer of the hatchlings, Mingi was never expected to be the best in fighting as his main priority was protection over the little ones. While basic fighting skills were needed in order to protect the hatchlings if needed, none of them had ever seen Mingi letting out so much frustration and emotion which made him look terrifying. Thankfully, the children would provide him with some comfort, allowing him to still feel some semblance of warmth as he took care of them but once his duty ended, he would... clam up and go back to his sword practice. Yunho, San, and Jongho on the other hand looked detached even during their duties. While their quality of work wasn't affected, their mood does and it made them even more unapproachable, especially with the glare that Jongho and San would give to the other patrolmen. Yunho would more often than not venture off by himself, excusing it as him wanting to check something out by himself before involving the others.

"I went to the Oracle again," Hongjoong sighed as he and Seonghwa reached a secluded part of the castle, "I... Asked them about this whole thing," with his back against the cold stone wall, Hongjoong was able to lean his head back and just closed his eyes. Seonghwa sidled close next to him, his hand circled and rested on Hongjoong's hips to pull him close, the sudden act made Hongjoong open his eyes to look at his mate before accepting and just letting him get as close as he want. "What whole thing?" Seonghwa asked, his thumb began rubbing on Hongjoong's hips gently in an attempt to comfort the man. "Apparently... It was true," Hongjoong's head dropped to rest on Seonghwa's shoulder, feeling the absolute weight of responsibility burdening him so heavily that it was as if he could crumble then and there, "(y/n)... She's our last mate," an incredulous scoff escaped Hongjoong's mouth as if the words left a bitter taste in his mouth. Almost immediately, Seonghwa's body tensed up and froze, not believing his ears. "Yeah, I was surprised too," Hongjoong nuzzled his head deeper into the crook of Seonghwa's neck with his eyes closing once again, "What are we supposed to do? That little witch ran away and now once again we're left with cleaning her mess. How are we supposed to make sure that Yeosang and Wooyoung will be okay? They have truly mated with her so they're suffering greatly," Seonghwa felt Hongjoong lifting his head up slightly and when he looked down, he saw his strong leader's eyes brimming with tears, a rare occurrence that truly broke his heart, "How are we going to help them, Seonghwa? Why can I protect everyone else but them?" Seonghwa was quick to envelop the man in a tight hug despite he himself slowly becoming affected by his mate's words, he knew he had to be strong so Hongjoong could momentarily falter.

"Don't you even worry," Seonghwa said firmly, unknowingly using his own words to convince himself as well, "We're gonna get through this. We're going to be okay."

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to anyone else, Yunho had taken it upon himself to venture off again. He had been feeling something... odd in certain areas, as if something was calling for him, wanting to be found and rescued by him.

It was odd.

Every day, Yunho woke up to the feeling of wanting to venture a little bit further out than his usual patrol would take. There was something about the hills that called to him but every single time he got closer, he found himself walking back to the clan. And each time he returned to his people, there was a sense of longing and sorrow. Today, however, he woke up and sense that he felt different than the previous days. He couldn't quite explain it, but he sensed that whoever or whatever it was that was calling him is reachable now. So he rushed to the path that called onto him, fully hoping to see something new, some kind of explanation.

What Yunho didn't expect, however, was the sound of a mountain troll roaring followed by the sound of branches crunching but louder. Immediately, Yunho got into his battle stance, thinking that the troll sensed his presence and wanted him gone from the area. His ear and thermal sensors were able to pick up where the beast was coming from and where it was headed easily. However, what intrigued him was another signature that was much smaller and seemed familiar. It was only when he saw you being thrown to the ground by the mountain troll as if you were nothing but a book.

"Fuck," You groaned, trying to get up and running away but the monster grabbed you by the leg and dragged you closer to it. You were already so weak from trying to run away from the brute, and it was getting so frustrating and hopeless as you were a lot smaller and weaker than the thing. To be frank, you could've taken Weiss out and performed magic to daze the monster so you could make your escape but that would be counterproductive as it would leave a signature and you were trying to not get caught or found by anyone. So equipped with only your with and your desperation to survive, you tried your best to pry the hand of the monster off of you by throwing whatever your hands could grab from the ground at it. But it was no use, it had no effect whatsoever and it even looked unbothered. A loud cry was ripped out of your throat when you felt its claws sink into your skin, to ensure that you wouldn't go anywhere and it was then that you realized that you were facing the last moments of your life without having your task completed.

Thankfully, Yunho stepped in just as the troll was about to drag you by your injured leg to its dwelling, possibly to be torn apart and eaten by its group. With unmatched strength and clean movements, Yunho easily sliced the monster's arm off of you and sent it running to the other side, growling, howling, and injured. Yunho could've run after it to finish the job like how he was trained to do, but he was more worried about you. When he turned his back to offer you some help, you weren't where you initially were and it made Yunho panic slightly as he hadn't even gotten the chance to talk to you. His eyes darted around to see you limping away in the direction from which you were running away from. "Hey!" Yunho called out, jogging to catch up with you easily as you were injured and he was not human.

To be quite honest, Yunho actually felt glad that he saw you again after a long while. There was a sense of relief that came with seeing and confirming that it was indeed you; his chest felt lighter as if a weight has been lifted off and he actually felt... happy. Said happiness was ripped away from him however when he first noticed that you weren't where you were on the ground. "What are you doing?" his hands shot out as you stumbled slightly, situating them near your body so if you were to fall, he could catch you, "We should be getting you back to the castle! You're injured!" he exclaimed, cringing when he saw your bloodied leg that you still forcibly use to stand. It felt odd for him to be so nice to you especially since your nice gestures had been reciprocated with nothing but disdain and rejection from him for months.

Much to his surprise, you barely spared him a glance as you shook your head whilst simultaneously producing Weiss into the open air. Oh, how the tables have turned. "Go away, Yunho, I have important work to do," ouch. "Like hell you do, you need to be taken care of right now," your stubbornness was almost endearing to Yunho at that moment as it reminded him of his mates, specifically Hongjoong. It was no secret that the leader has his priorities set on his pride and his pride only so more often than not, they were forced to use force on their leader to make sure that he gets his rest. So out of instinct, Yunho held your elbows so he could usher you to the castle to get some help and hopefully some answers. But his heart stopped in his chest when he felt you slap his hands away as you turned to look at him. Yunho's eyes widened at the impact, completely stunned and surprised. You were glaring at him but he could see that it wasn't hatred, not from how your bottom lip was trembling and tears were brimming in your eyes. "Don't make this harder than it has to Yunho, go away," you said before turning around and going back to "work" just a little bit further away from Yunho.

Yunho followed suit and he was about to scold you for not wanting his help when he watched what you were doing. Your hands moved in almost a graceful manner, going into your pocket and producing a white powder to spread on the grassy ground as you recite a spell. Slowly, a translucent film-like barrier appeared from the place where the powder was spread and up to the sky. He didn't know how tall it was, but he had a good idea of what it exactly was. "You put up a barrier to keep us inside," Yunho muttered as his eyes slowly trailed from the barrier down to you who had moved further away to continue the process. "Were you trying to imprison us?" the question had no malice in them but the way he immediately thought the worse of you made you flinch slightly, "Of course not, if I wanted to do that, Wooyoung wouldn't have been able to visit my cottage," you sighed before continuing your work. Immediately, Yunho's eyes widened at your revelation, "How did you know that? Have you been spying on us?" again, he didn't mean any harm, it was just that he was in such a state of shock that it caused him to have a poor choice of language. Still, you didn't know that and it still hurt. "No, I was never spying on you all. I was making sure that you all were safe from hunters," you planned on concluding your explanation there, clapping your hands to get the remnants of powder off before limping away.

Of course, your exit was not made easy. Yunho grabbed your arm and turned you to him, this time looking at you with genuine worry in his eyes. "(y/n) please, come back with me to the castle, you need help from the healers!"

You had been hoping for months that one of them other than Wooyoung, Yeosang, and Mingi would reach out to you and asked you to stay just as Yunho was doing. But you couldn't shake off the fear Seonghwa had struck you. You couldn't even go back to living in your cottage as you were afraid that he might find you just to make sure that you were really gone or that Wooyoung or Yeosang might find you and brought you back or even just told him that they saw you back in your cottage. You couldn't risk it and you couldn't risk going to your mother's place as they could sense the dragon off of you and they might enchant you to tell them where they were. So you hid in plain sight, you set up camp in the meadows, right where you fell off after your encounter with Seonghwa and stayed there even after your barrier was set up and it was a good thing that you did because, during the past three weeks, several hunters got close to the area and you had to drive them away with enchantments and monsters ran rampage that almost broke the ward in the barrier. You had pride in your work, everyone inside was not able to look past it and those outside can't peek in except for you. If they even thought of venturing past, the barrier would incept their minds and lead them to go back to the clan instead. Of course, they were able to go out past the barrier, but not from the front entrance that you set which was the area of your camp, they were very much welcome to use the path past the river. You mostly patrol the front entrance and every once in a while, you were able to see some of them with other patrolmen. Mostly Yunho and Jongho, but you remembered seeing Yeosang and how weak he looked just three days after you left. You really wanted to hold him, hug him, tell him that you were sorry for leaving without saying anything but it was for his own good. And then you saw Wooyoung in your cottage. You didn't mean to follow him per se, you were just making sure that in his frantic state, the hunters wouldn't find him or he wouldn't do anything stupid. You even had to enchant him to go back and that was the last time you saw him.

It took everything in you to not give up and tell Yunho everything; what had happened and most importantly, how much you wanted to go back home to them, be with them. But you couldn't. You don't belong there with them.

"I'm sorry Yunho," you whispered. Before he could ask what you meant, you had placed your fingers on his temple, the touch allowed your powers to permeate Yunho's mind and sent him into a frozen state. You could feel his consciousness lowering ever so slightly as you recite the spell that would make him think that this was a dream and send him home. Yunho could feel it, your magic coursing through him and it felt warm, it felt nothing like what his elders told him a witch's magic was like. As you and him connected on that deep of a level, unbeknownst to you, Yunho was able to feel your pain, fear, longing, and love that wasn't just for Wooyoung and Yeosang, but for every single one of them including his clan. It was his first taste of pure and genuine love and devotion and he felt safe in it. Just before Yunho lost consciousness completely, he said something that surprised you as it was the first time someone had managed to peek out from your mind spell. "W-What about Yeosang? What about Wooyoung? They- we, we need you." A soft, sad smile appeared on your face and you shook your head at him, deciding to say something that you had no idea he would take to heart completely.

"He'll be fine. They both will, take care of them for me please."

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

The guilt was eating Seonghwa inside and out.

It had been a week since Hongjoong's revelation that you were supposedly their mate too and he felt like he was going insane. Days spent putting out one fire after the other with Hongjoong but thankfully it wasn't literal fire like the ones before. The things he had to handle were mostly over his mates being so unfocused they made mistakes in their jobs. San accidentally hurt himself during patrol, gashing his own leg by mistake when he tripped and fell down the stairs so harsh he had to be put to rest for two days. Jongho looked so worn out that he actually broke down crying one night to Seonghwa, saying that he didn't feel quite right and it was exhausting knowing something's wrong but not knowing where to start fixing it. Yeosang and Wooyoung were still in the same state; Yeosang's weak with cheeks hollowed, lifeless as he remained catatonic in his bed while Wooyoung reached a new level of despair; only saying "(y/n) please come back, i need you," as he made numerous attempts to travel out of the castle to find you only to pass out not even three steps from the garden. Frankly the only functional ones were Mingi and Yunho, keeping up with their duties while filling in wherever they were needed. Yunho was especially surprising because he suddenly spend his nights in Wooyoung's room, accompanying and making sure that he was okay before leaving to rest himself.

But everyone had their limits and this was it for Seonghwa.

He couldn't admit this before but he felt that his chest was hollow, his heart beating without his heart being there and his passion diminishing. Even Hongjoong took notice of this when he noticed Seonghwa slowly skipping his meals and remained to himself for the majority of the time, not saying anything when it wasn't truly dire. This, of course, led to fights between the two eldest as Hongjoong was afraid that he would be the last one standing, holding onto every last bit of remaining sanity in the group desperately while his partner was reduced to something similar to Yeosang. Seonghwa kept trying to convince Hongjoong (and himself) by repeating over and over again that he wouldn't, that he had a better grip on his sanity and control over his urges than Yeosang because he had never done the mating ritual with you. But of course, what he neglected to tell Hongjoong was the fact that he was so guilt-ridden that he has been functioning on anxiety for a couple of days and he had been travelling outside for a bit every day in hopes to see you. For the first time ever, Seonghwa was actually disappointed that he didn't see you anywhere near the castle and not even your cottage every time he checked there.

You truly did believe that he would end you and somehow he disliked that. The idea sent a bitter taste to his mouth like poison or rancid meat.

Now, however, he had to put his feelings and stress aside because he had to deal with Wooyoung who had once again left his bedroom without anyone noticing to venture out of the castle in search of you. With frantic steps, Seonghwa looked for Wooyoung, hoping that he'd be in the garden where you and he once spent hours cultivating and replanting herbs to be used or studied, or in the library where you spent the whole night reading dragon folklore to Wooyoung while stroking his hair, or even in the kitchen where you two stole cookies in broad daylight as a challenge to see if either of you were as subtle as you claimed. It surprised Seonghwa how he know so much about your behaviour yet claimed that he had no care for you whatsoever. Maybe he had been too stubborn to admit the fact that despite your identity, the connection was truly there and it was strong. His stubbornness also exists within the actions that he made namely not telling anyone else that Wooyoung had once again made a crazy escape in a very unwell state because he thought that as the oldest and the second in command, the last thing he needed to do was to involve people who were resting and made it seem like he couldn't handle certain issues by himself. God forbid that.

Suddenly Seonghwa remembered where you would sometimes take Wooyoung when you couldn't find the herbs you needed to make your (demonic mind control) potion. "Shit, he better not be there," despite his complaining, Seonghwa transformed as he jumped up to fly to where he thought Wooyoung might be. It was at the bottom of the hill where there were tons of stumps where mushrooms could grow freely and due to the type of wood growing in the area, there was one type of mushroom, a special and rare one, that could either heal someone's ailments and clean the body or kill them when consumed incorrectly. He remembered you talking about that because you had once prepared the drink for Seonghwa after he spent two weeks dealing with an issue with the neighbouring clan and was so close to passing out. Of course, back then he accused you of trying to murder him and slapped the glass off your hands harshly so that there was a large red mark on your skin for the next couple of days. Ironically, when he did pass out, he was brought back to good health by your mushroom incense which made him throw up all the toxins and fatigue that accumulated in his body from his neglecting it so bad which to stay true to his hatred towards you, he claimed that his body was rejecting whatever it was you used to incapacitate him and decided to just be better so he could fight you off.

From the sky, Seonghwa could barely see anything through the thick trees but he tried his best to sense Wooyoung. After all, he was weak and slow, it shouldn't be too hard to locate him. It wasn't until he heard sobs and a voice calling out for your name so brokenheartedly that Seonghwa dove down and transformed as he reached to ground to see Wooyoung lying on the dirty ground limply as his hands tried to pull the grass so he could crawl to his destination. Seeing him like this made Seonghwa's eyes water and his heart clench so painfully harshly that he thought it might stop beating. This was all his doing, it was all his fault for making a single-handed decision out of his sheer stubbornness and trauma, incapable of considering the fact that his mates might have been right about you because he thought he knew best.

"Wooyoung," he called out, wiping the tears that were cascading down his cheeks as he crouched down near the man who looked so broken and lost and abandoned. Wooyoung didn't even acknowledge Seonghwa's presence, he kept trying his best to pull himself forward more but the lack of strength in his body did nothing but gave him frustration. "Wooyoung," Seonghwa tried calling him again, his voice cracking slightly as he grabbed the younger dragon by the shoulders to stop him from moving more and potentially hurting him. The sight of his dirty, tattered shirt was something Seonghwa didn't look forward to finding out. To his surprise, Wooyoung was able to shrug his grasp off of him, making his escape by using whatever was left in him to stand up. "I need to see (y/n)," he croaked, lifeless eyes staring forward at seemingly nothing, "She needs me, she's calling for me," though he said with little to no facial muscle movement, the tears that sprung from his eyes indicated just how desperate he was.

The thought of scooping Wooyoung and simply taking him away flashed in Seonghwa's head. It would be so easy to just grab him and take him away, God knows it would be best for the both of them. But Seonghwa felt in his gut that he wouldn't be able to cope with the knowledge that he has once again done something that was against what his mate wanted. Another thought flashed in Seonghwa's head, was he about to let his mate do something that could potentially end his life? Not on his watch. So how was he going to convince Wooyoung to return home?

Seonghwa's deep thoughts were cut short when he heard rustles coming from the darkness in front of them and soon cloaked figures emerged from the shadows. The second they stepped close enough, Seonghwa could smell the stench on them, the stench of dead dragons. "Dragon hunters," he muttered to himself, highly alert and swiftly pulling Wooyoung back against him. It didn't even matter to him that Wooyoung was thrashing like crazy, sounds and words from Wooyoung's mouth muddled together, making him incoherent. While this just made Seonghwa panic more, as his brain immediately thought of ways how he could get both himself and the inconsolable younger dragon out of there safely, the hunters seemed to find Seonghwa's state of panic highly amusing.

One of the hunters took his hood down to reveal his face which was half hidden by a headpiece made from intricately placed dragon scales with sections that go down his jaw to his chin decorated with dragon teeth. It was highly disrespectful to wear the carcass of such majestic creatures like that but of course, those hunters don't care, the more ridiculous they looked the higher regard they got from their fellow hunters.

"Looks like we have our work half done for us, boys. We can get the crazy one to the Head of the Coven and have her turn him into a puppet for children's show or for the circus," he laughed with boisterous laughter following after him. "The taller one we can use for accessories. Did you see the colour of his scales? We'll make bank with a lot left for ourselves," the hunter's eyes zeroed in on Seonghwa as if Seonghwa was a treasure that he had been looking for.

Horror struck Seonghwa and dread washes over his body at the mention of his dragon form. It was his fault that the hunters found them, he led them here because he couldn't be bothered to take the hard way and be discreet as he looked for Wooyoung. Not to mention his stubbornness and need to prove himself that led to him not alerting the others that Wooyoung was gone and that he needed help was going to be the reason his other mates will blame themselves if anything were to happen to them both.

"Get them, but make sure you don't nick their skins, I want to make sure we can get the best price," the same man said simply, cockily looking down at Seonghwa and Wooyoung as if he was sure that he was going to get the both of them. His confidence effectively struck his companions positively as they soon took menacing steps forward, seemingly to corner Seonghwa. Between making sure he had a secure grip on Wooyoung and trying to find a way to escape, Seonghwa couldn't even estimate the number of hunters around them. Were there more? Are they surrounded? What weapons do they have? Which clan did they come from? What do they want? There were thousands of questions running through Seonghwa's head which didn't help with him concocting a way to escape.

For some reason, Seonghwa was calling to you in his head. It was odd, he didn't know what it was exactly that you could've done and to be quite frank, he had always mocked you for it, calling you useless and unnecessary because he couldn't be bothered to learn about your power. Despite that, he was calling for you in his head because he had a feeling that you would know what to do to deal with the hunters and even how to deal with Wooyoung and perhaps even calm him down a little. The grip Seonghwa had on Wooyoung was trembling slightly, he was slowly consumed with uncertainty and anxiety and he feared that the hunters must have had something on them that made Seonghwa feel like so. According to their words, they must have had witches living among them and they have been helping these hunters capture dragons. He could only assume that those witches are powerful too because Seonghwa felt his legs trembling and his chest tightening, he was slowly being overcome with anxiety and while he was still able to function, Wooyoung was wailing. With each step the hunters took closer to them, the more sure Seonghwa was that it would be the end of him and Wooyoung. His grip slipped ever so slowly but he still tried to hold on to the younger dragon, he wanted to hold on. Because however, the situation will end, he wanted to be selfless and be there for the mate that needed him.

When a sound popped out from the left side of the hunters, Seonghwa was damn near using the last of his sanity to turn into his dragon form and breathed fire at whoever made that sound. But it was a good thing he didn't because he immediately recognized you standing there, looking seemingly harmless but he noticed the determination in your eyes and it was enchanting.

"And what the fuck are you supposed to be?" One of the hunters scoffed at you, thinking that you must be a joke.

With a raised eyebrow, you whipped Weiss out and shoved both hands into your skirt pockets. "The last thing you'll ever see, unfortunately," in a split second, your gaze shifted to Seonghwa and though you spoke in a low, almost whisper-like tone that seemed to sound louder than it actually is and echoed in his ears, "Duck"

As soon as Seonghwa's front side made contact with the ground with Wooyoung in his death grip, he heard something sizzling that was followed by the smell of something burning and men screaming around him. Seonghwa couldn't look around as the sound of men screaming into the night was deafening and it caused his body to freeze in utter shock. The only thing he could see was you standing a little far away from him and Wooyoung, face emotionless with hands covered in a thin layer of white powder and your chest slightly heaving. Seonghwa didn't know what was happening and frankly, he was rather hesitant to find out because whatever it was you did wasn't good.

Your eyes met Seonghwa soon and his stomach dropped, he had never seen you like that before and he suddenly felt the urge to say a lot of things to you. He wasn't sure what those things were, but he knew there was too much to say. He was about to get up and run to you when you lifted a hand to him and shook your head, "Run," you said simply, taking small steps to inconspicuously return to the safety of the shadows. Though he wouldn't admit it out loud, Seonghwa felt his heart clench when you told him to run, to go AWAY from you instead of TO you. He could only assume that you would be happy that he finally wanted to be close to you but instead you were acting so cold and dismissive towards him. The screams of men in pain snapped Seonghwa back to reality, however, realizing that all of the hunters were in fact distracted enough that they wouldn't even attempt to follow him if he were to safely return home. You had provided him with an escape.

So Seonghwa did what he thought he should do despite the aching feeling of uncertainty about whether or not he or any one of his mates would see you again, he had to prioritize and at that moment, Wooyoung seemed more important than anything else. He grabbed Wooyoung and moved to pull him up despite him wailing for you, calling out your name and trying to claw his way out of Seonghwa's grip. "Wooyoung, snap out of it!" without hesitance, Seonghwa slapped Wooyoung across his face which seemed to stun him enough to focus on Seonghwa, "We need to get out of here! We don't have time to spare or chances left!" Desperation palpable in his voice and the eyes that conveyed a thousand emotions finally penetrated into Wooyoung's mind and for the first time in weeks, he was able to give a sound response. Slowly, Wooyoung nodded and stood up, wincing as he realized just how sore and weak his body was while Seonghwa followed suit. Hastily, Seonghwa pulled Wooyoung further away from the group of wailing men, "You need to turn and fly away home, okay? Call for help, and I'll distract them as best as I could to make sure they don't follow you," Wooyoung opened his mouth to say something but Seonghwa raised his hand to stop him, "You are in no condition to argue with me, just trust me and do as I said."

Of course, even with Seonghwa's order, Wooyoung's heart still yearns for you, he wanted to be with you after being separated for so long. Hoping that he would be able to make eye contact with you, Wooyoung glanced to where you were standing only to be met with the sight of shadows casting through the woods. "Go!" Seonghwa growled, pushing Wooyoung slightly away when he only stood still. Reluctantly, Wooyoung shifted and flew back as quickly as he could to the castle, roaring in the air in hopes that someone from the clan heard him.

Seonghwa was too preoccupied with making sure that Wooyoung was okay that he neglected to see the leader of the hunter group coming at him with an obsidian blade. He only realized what was happening when he caught his shadow moving from the corner of his eyes and even then, Seonghwa knew that it was too late for him, he was going to be stabbed with a poisonous blade and he could potentially die. Things started to move in slow motion and his eyes closed, defeated, as he waited for the pain to strike him whilst he continuously reassured himself that even though he was going to die, he managed to get Wooyoung to safety first.

The sound of the blade taking flesh in between flesh was gut-wrenching to Seonghwa and he could only imagine how the stone would interact with his dragon blood, turning everything toxic and rotting his flesh from the inside out.

He waited and waited, but the pain never came. When his eyes finally opened, he was beyond shocked to see you in front of him, the blade nesting in your right shoulder as you stared up at the hunter dead in the face. There were a lot of things that Seonghwa didn't expect from you and on the very top of that list were you jumping in front of danger for him, putting your life at risk for him. He expected you to do that for the others, even Hongjoong (since he's the clan leader), but not him. Never him.

"Wrong move," you spat and before either he or Seonghwa could react, you pressed your powder-covered hands to his face. Then Seonghwa saw it, he saw the man's face sizzling under your touch in the areas where his dragon scale helmet was and around its area. As if it wasn't enough, you mumbled spells that soon caused blood to leak from the man's eyes, his pupils constricting to the point that they were mere dots as his throat vibrated with the agonizing cry he let out.

Only when the man dropped to the ground at your feet that you let your arms fall to your sides. Slowly, you turned to Seonghwa and Seonghwa could see the more relaxed expression on your face. Then his gaze dropped to your body, specifically to your blood-drenched hands. He didn't know whether it was the hunter's blood or yours, everything was just too messy for him to see clearly and he didn't even know where to start looking. "(y/n)..." he called out reaching out to take your arm in his grip gently but you scurried away abruptly as if you were scared, you would've continued if it wasn't for the tree that you accidentally hit, making you wince from the pain of the blade. "Please don't kill me," you whimpered slightly, inching to the side of the tree in hopes that you could make a quick exit. The words somehow struck Seonghwa deeply, he was well aware that he was the one who threatened to kill you in the first place but he never realized that you would be so affected by it. The fear in your eyes when you looked at Seonghwa without the safety of hunters to excuse your presence somehow bothered him. Just a couple of weeks ago Seonghwa would've taken great pride in instilling such crippling fear into you, but now he just hated how you wanted to get away from them now. From him.

"You're hurt..." Though his voice was wavering slightly, Seonghwa tried his best to keep a strong front, wanting to show that he wasn't letting his emotions get the best of him. And it worked, you only took further steps away from him because you felt that he was being so stoic and perhaps he was giving you a false sense of security just to trap you and kill you. So you quickly shook your head at him, not wanting his words to influence your decision to go back into hiding and plan a better strategy to protect them.

With every faltering step back you took, Senoghwa seemed to want to follow and it scared you. He wasn't taking more steps than you but his strides were longer. Right then and there, you could feel a pull to him, a pull that you've experienced with Wooyoung and again with Yeosang when he finally opened his heart to accept you romantically. The feeling was warm and comforting, reassuring of your safety and life despite the poison that was entering your bloodstream. You had been so focused on Seonghwa that you didn't even notice the little trick the leader hunter pulled to ensure incapacity towards any of his enemies, dragons or not. The poison he used was deadly to dragons, capable of paralyzing them in 30 seconds and completely killing them in 20 minutes. While it wasn't as deadly to humans, you didn't have much time until you grow weak in your tent and die slowly for days whilst locked in your own body, able to feel everything but unable to do anything.

Thinking that the chicken dance you and Seonghwa were doing could last a while, you decided that you should just make your escape so you could treat your wound as soon as possible. With a smile thrown at Seonghwa, your feet took their position to run, "I'm glad you both are safe." Seonghwa's body went into an immediate state of panic as he heard you say that, alarm bells started going off in his brain knowing that that was your way of saying goodbye. He had been so determined to find you and bring you home, how could he just let you go? It wasn't like he was trying to force you to come with him or even kidnap you, but he wanted to bring you back home where you belong. The home that Seonghwa had so selfishly taken away from you and for what, pride? In the name of trauma? Nothing could excuse his behaviour and that was why he wanted to make sure that he could make up for it. And he couldn't do it when the person he wanted to make up to isn't there.

As you turned around to flee, you felt something shoot up your spine and your vision turned black. The pain made you want to scream and you could've sworn you were screaming in pain. But in reality, your face was lax and your body swayed to the side, gravity doing its job pulling you to the ground when all strength left your body. The last thing you hear was the sound of someone calling your name, then a couple more that was followed by flaps of wings and rushed steps. You must've imagined things. Out of all, however, Seonghwa's voice was more prominent and you could've sworn the palm that supported your head as you fell belonged to him. Well, you must've been beyond delusional which means the poison was doing such a marvellous job. This was maybe the sound that was sending you off to the afterlife and to be honest, you could be hearing worse.

Now all you had to do was welcome what comes next.

Whatever it was.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

"Hyung?"

Seonghwa's head snapped up to the door when he heard someone calling for him. The door to your room was shut with a heavy thud and Mingi came walking in with some things in his hands. "I thought you were told to rest," the younger sighed, displeased that his older mate was disregarding the words of healers who had instructed Seonghwa to take it easy on himself. Seonghwa shook his head as his gaze dropped back to the woman sleeping on the bed, looking like a corpse with how she was unmoving and unresponsive but still alive as indicated by the flush on her cheeks and lips. Since when do Seonghwa think of you like that?

Though Mingi was worried for him, Seonghwa only waved a hand dismissively at him, "No, I... I put her in this situation, I should take care of her."

When Seonghwa brought you back to the castle, not only were his mates up and about due to Wooyoung's warning (and being absolutely surprised that Wooyoung was functioning normally), but they were preparing to save you and Seonghwa. So when they saw Seonghwa in your arms, they thought that you had died. Chaos ensued when Seonghwa reassured everyone that you weren't dead but were definitely dying if you weren't treated immediately. Coming to his senses first, Yunho scooped you from Seonghwa's arms and carried you to the house of the head healer just outside the castle area followed by Yeosang who regained some strength at the mention of you and also Wooyoung. As soon as you were out of sight, Seonghwa dropped to his knees, legs lost all strength as tears poured out of his eyes, coating the skin of his cheeks in a glittery sheen. That was when he grabbed Hongjoong's hands and confessed to what he did, how he threatened to end you because he thought you helped orchestrated an attack. He confessed how he almost did kill you that night, how he single-handedly exiled you because he thought he was doing what was best for everyone. He confessed how it was his fault Yeosang and Wooyoung almost lost their minds and how the others were suffering, not realizing that it was because their mate was told to stay away from them.

That night Seonghwa received nothing but confused, cold glances from his mates even as he was being patched up. It wasn't that they hated him for what he did nor were they mad, it was just the fact that Seonghwa kept such a big secret from them. Moreover, after Wooyoung recounted how you had saved him and Seonghwa from out of nowhere which prompted them to ask Seonghwa how you got stabbed by an obsidian blade. Of course, Seonghwa told them everything, he told them about how you jumped in front of him with no hesitance which saved him completely from danger. Then there was a conversation of dragon's honour, how they should never bite the hand that fed them (literally or not). Mingi was the first to innocently bring up the fact that you had been but nice and generous to Seonghwa but he had only returned your kind gestures in utter disdain. Hongjoong defended Seonghwa by saying that despite his actions, he did not break a dragon's honour as you had never saved his life before. Then surprisingly, Jongho backed Mingi up by saying that the dragon's honour doesn't only apply to live-saving situations, it also applies to general, mundane situations which prompted Hongjoong to snap at the youngest, saying something along the lines of "If I remembered correctly, you wanted to stake and burn her to see if, and I quote, 'she smells like rotting eel like the rest of her coven' when she first came to us" which was not received well by Jongho.

Now, five days later, you were still not up but the tension amongst his mates had died down and things had started to turn for the better. The warriors were less antsy and got even more confident with the additional good news that Yeosang was finally cleared to come back on duty 3 days ago. Wooyoung was once again able to function normally, returning to his studies with the healers whilst sharing the recipes he learnt from you during the time you lived together. Hongjoong was finally able to calm the council and was able to address the questions regarding the citizen's safety with more assurance. Mingi brought the good news that you were back to the hatchlings and they were more than elated, immediately asking Mingi when they could see you again which made him so happy. And Seonghwa felt much more at ease with knowing that you were there with him, knowing that they were once again whole despite your comatose state. One thing for sure though, you were never left alone without anyone's watch. Wooyoung, Yeosang, and Mingi had taken it upon themselves to sleep in your room with you with Mingi dragging a (not so) begrudging Yunho with him. Jongho would only stand guard outside your door in the afternoons when everyone else was too busy with their own duties while San would stand guard inside your room but away from you, both were still feeling awkward because they had been so bad towards you and they didn't feel their fussing over you would be justified. Hongjoong would keep watch from afar and through his staff, asking questions directly to the healers or (not so) casually asking the members on watch about your condition during their supper. Seongwha remained a constant by your side though, adamant about being there when you woke up. He would do his duties from his seat and only leave when absolutely necessary and even then, he would rush and make sure someone was in the room with you.

Whilst keeping watch on you, Seonghwa made the realization that you were the difference that they needed. It could be because of the fact that you were destined to be mated with all eight of them, but it was also possible that it was because you were... you. Never had he experienced such a drastic difference that happened with a person's absence and presence. It was as if you forged their life force, your mere presence elevated their energy in more ways than one. He had been a fool to let his ego cloud his judgement.

Mingi walked towards you with a gentle smile on his face, his hand gently placing a flower crown on top of your head, "Hi there, I... made this when I took the hatchlings outside to learn about nature. They missed you so much," he wanted to say how he missed you too, but the presence of Seonghwa only made him swallow his own words. Mingi then turned to the older male, sighing when he saw his eyes busily darting through scrolls for different businesses that Seonghwa needed to tend. "I'm worried for you, hyung," Mingi confessed, eyebrows scrunched in slight frustration at the older's stubbornness. "I said I'm fine," Seonghwa sighed, putting his scrolls down on the desk next to him to look at Mingi with a small smile, "Don't worry about me, okay? I know my limits and I just want to make sure (y/n) comes out of this okay," he reassured him. It seemed like Mingi wanted to say something, but the stare Seonghwa gave him made him shut his mouth as if telling him it was pointless to argue with him, he wasn't going to budge. So Mingi simply nodded and left the room after giving your hand a gentle squeeze to return to his evening duties.

Once he was back alone with you, Seonghwa thought that it was best for him to focus back on completing his task, he was quite behind already and he didn't like leaving his duties like that. But as he was about to delve back into his scrolls, he couldn't help but look at your sleeping figure and his legs automatically took steps closer to you. Every time he looked at your face, he couldn't help but remember the frightened look on your face the day he almost killed you. While he used to find pride in it, now he couldn't help but be embarrassed of himself, embarrassed of how he threatened someone who bore no arms as it wasn't a noble thing of him to do no matter the person. Above that, he was embarrassed of himself for treating his mates' mate like that. The regret played over and over in his head as if to mock his lack of judgement and he knew he deserved it, he was willing to bear the shame brought by his own stupidity and more if it could bring you back. The healers kept reassuring him that you would be up but they couldn't really know when and that scared him, the uncertainty and vagueness only made him stress more.

With the gentlest of touch, he traced your hand that was resting on your stomach, flipping them over to graze over the burnt skin as he winced, imagining the pain you must've felt. Turns out, when you burnt that hunter's face with the powder you had, the direct contact made your own skin burn and while it will heal, the pain you must've endured was more than you should have felt. "I'm sorry..." tears built in Seonghwa's eyes as his eyebrows furrowed tightly, creating a crease in the space between, "When you get out of this, I'll make sure to pay you back a thousandfold, you hear me?"

The lack of answer made Seonghwa fall to his knees by your bed with your hands still in his grip. His face rested by your hip as he cried hard, body shaking and hands trembling with overwhelming emotions. Seonghwa didn't even know why he was crying, it wasn't like you were dead despite him seeing your unresponsive body. He was glad that you were back with him despite not knowing how you would react when you finally came to and realized that you were back in the dwelling of the person who claimed wanted you dead if you ever showed your face again. But he knew a lot of them wanted you there with them and he knew you knew that fact too whilst also knowing that before this, the majority of them disprove your existence amongst them and had even pulled petty pranks as hiding Weiss in the dungeons for three days which caused you to panic and even stated their disdain towards you and your kind right to your face. So really, what was Seonghwa crying about?

"I'm so sorry," Seonghwa's voice cracked from raw emotion like he never felt before, his cheeks wet with tears that dropped and pooled on your bed. He tried looking up at you again, but he couldn't bear the sight for long before he hunched over with his face on your stomach, crying even harder. His lips kept mumbling apologies like it was a prayer or a mantra, not knowing what else to say to you as he felt his transgressions towards you had really crossed all the lines that exist in the world. But even then, especially then, you showed him nothing but kindness and genuineness. Seonghwa gripped the blanket over your body and the shirt you were wearing tightly in his hands as if to anchor him to reality, whatever it was.

A sudden touch to his head stopped Seonghwa's cries almost immediately because he thought he was imagining things, maybe his mind was starting to play tricks on him. Seonghwa snapped his head to your face only to be greeted with the sight of you smiling gently at him, your eyes lively and smile like a fresh breath of spring that made his chest bloom. Then he felt your fingers carding through his hair slowly and gently as if the action was filled with nothing but affection.

"Purposeless tears can kill your fire, dragon. Why are you wasting them?" though your voice was cracked from the dryness of your throat, it still sounded melodious to Seonghwa.

For the first time ever since you knew all of them, Seonghwa cracked a smile, albeit a teary one. He gently took the hand that was on his head and pressed them to his lips before moving them to his cheek where he kept it to enjoy the warmth of your life with his thumb gently caressing the inside of your palm. The initial fear of you rejecting him died within seconds, now being proven that you only had love and care for him just by how you were gazing at him. Seonghwa didn't even care if it was his imagination or if it was the delusional side of his brain trying to compensate for his guilt because he was seeing actual proof in front of him. Proof that you woke up from him opening his heart to you.

"No one could kill you, my fire, I won't let anything kill you."

And you believed him.

taglist :

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@chloepurpy @cutie-wooyo

[lettersfromaphrodite]

«do you believe in fate?»

― pairing : Hongjoong x fem! reader ― content warnings : soulmates au, angst with a happy ending, magic au, super soft smut, very soft sapphic kiss, kinda avatar au, reader uses the force (not really, but also kinda a bit), locations and sceneries are inspired from Black Desert Online as always , big LOTR reference cause I'ma huge tolkien nerd,⚠️ mention of violence, mention of torture, mention of death, , mention of panic attacks, temporary major character death, mentions of pregancy, mentions of throwing up⚠️ ― word count : 42k ― notes : she's back. she's longer. she's a one shot // special thank you to my girlies @stressedfranya and @helav98, this fic wouldn't have existed if not for your support and our continuous brainstorming // Lea's character is inspired from my lovely and beloved @minbiny, aka my wonderful soulmate.

― notes : take a look at the deities! Karanda - Goddess of Air // Garmoth - God of Fire // Vell - God of Water // Offin - Goddess of Earth // Kzarka - God of Rot and Corruption // credits for the deities amazing gifsets and pics: @unikornu

― summary :

Blinded by the desire of revenge, you find yourself travelling with a group of mercenaries while pretending to be a boy. Magic, love, friendship, lies and secrets are tightly intertwined in what will be both your fate and the destiny of countless other people.

SEQUEL 🔮 : «flames to dust.»

PROLOGUE

Magic was pretty common in the world; actually, some could even say it had somehow became an essential resource in the everyday life. During the years, everyone had slowly but inevitably got used to it, and even if people weren’t born with the natural gift of magic – after few years of constant practice, they could still learn how to perform few simple spells.

However, elemental magic was definitely not that common. Elemental magic meant that there were people who were born not only with the gift of magic, but also with the blessing of controlling one of the four elements.

“Children of Nature,” they were called; those who could effortlessly bend one of the four elements to their will.

Fire, Air, Earth, Water: four were the deities who gave birth to their children, blessing – or cursing, them with a human form without almost never meeting them, but providing them with the gift of illimitate power.

Slowly, however, the admiration towards the children of Nature turned into envy, and the Serendia Shrine was created almost out of nowhere.

Situated at the foot of a mountain, the Shrine continued inside it, through long and narrow corridors and steel cages; no one knew where it ended, only that it was better to stay away from it. The Serendia Shrine was populated by disciples who could not use elemental magic but they irremediably craved it, doing everything to snatch it from those who naturally possessed this gift. There were numerous experiments conducted on kidnapped people; numerous failed attempts had been made until, after many years of fatigue and wasted blood, the disciples managed to find a solution to be able to use elemental magic even if they did not possess the natural gift: magic crystals.

This is where you, child of Air with very few memories of your past, come into play.  The only memories you have are those in which you were snatched away from your mother’s embrace, to be carried into the Serendia Shrine against your will by none other than their leader: your father. After long years of suffering, your hatred got the best of you and therefore you decided to escape, stealing one of the disciples’ black and red robe and killing any and every disciple which had questioned your way out.

As your steps conducted you outside and you realized you were free, your only goal became the one of becoming strong enough to destroy the Shrine once and for all. Blinded by the desire of revenge, you find yourself travelling with a group of eight mysterious mercenaries while pretending to be a boy. Magic, love, friendship, lies and secrets are tightly intertwined in what will be both your fate and the destiny of countless other people.

Will you be strong enough?

CHAPTER I

“Come on,” you thought, urging yourself to walk a little faster, even if you had already put a more than reassuring distance between you and the Serendia Shrine; the feeling of walking out of its rocky and humid walls as a free woman was something you’ll probably remember for the rest of your days, since you’ve been spending there almost your whole life.

With your hair safely tied up into a loose braid you hid your identity under a worn cape, ready to face the world, ready to become stronger; you managed to steal some clothes on your way out – nothing too elaborate, just a pair of leather pants, a pair of boots, a cotton shirt and a jacket. If you were lucky, you could have given the impression of being a boy since you’ve heard tremendous stories about what could happen to girls which travelled by themselves.

However, despite the fact that it wasn’t the first time you were seeing the world outside the Shrine, you had to reluctantly admit to yourself that you didn’t know much about it and therefore, you deduced that first of all, you had to learn how to survive on your own. Honestly, you were thankful to one of the prisoners you met in the Shrine for teaching you a curious and yet useful spell: not only your hood wasn't going to move from your head but your features would have been percieved as a faint blur by the people trying to peek into it. Of course, they wouldn't think you were some kind of monster who jumped straight out a horror folklore legend, instead, they would simply forget your features as soon as they looked away from your face. Clearly, the effect of the spell would vanish as soon as you took off your hood. «Why are you teaching this to me?» you had curiously asked back then. «Girls protect girls, little one.» the lady had replied without further explanation, and you decided not to ask any further questions.

During the years spent as a prisoner, there were many people – younger or older, with whom you somehow managed to become friends with, despite you already knew about their fate; anyone who was taken prisoner by the Shrine’s disciples would have never gotten out of it. 

The Shrine’s disciples managed to find a way to absorb elemental magic directly from those who had said blessing, only to transfuse it into crystals, which in turn were set in wooden staffs or otherwise, inserted into jewels that they exhibited above their vests in a clear warning of what would have happened. Although they knew what awaited them, the children of Nature you’ve met have always been kind to you, telling you about the outside world as best as they could, but also, telling you about their villages; it was curious, how during the years you’ve felt the desire of revenge slowly and steadily growing inside you until you were so blinded by it that you decided to run away towards an uncertain fate. The belief of you alone avenging or saving all of them was surely stupid and selfish, but it was the only thing you could hold on to at the moment.

The sound of the wind gently moving the leaves and the songs of nocturnal animals were your only source of company as you spent the night roaming free around the woods while looking for the nearest village; you were sure you could have either found some help, or managed to steal some money to get yourself some food and – or, a shelter for few days.

As if your steps were being led by some sort of invisible thread pulling on your fingers, you made your way careful not to trip on any tree root, until a small bonfire caught your attention; using your elemental magic, you made it so that your footsteps were soundless, so that you could approach the small group laying around it without alerting anyone of them.

Carefully making your way towards them, you hid behind the trees, while trying to briefly study the situation: apparently, all of them were sleeping and – strangely enough, no one was keeping guard. It was a small group, you noticed, seven people were spreaded around the bonfire while sleeping in various positions; you furrowed your brows for a moment with an incredulous smile, aware that this could have indeed been an excellent occasion to steal some of their money and flee. As cautious as you could be, you hesitantly walked towards one of them, kneeling next to him and slowly moving the boy’s cape from his sleeping frame just enough to uncover his waist, hoping he kept his money attached to his belt.

“Turns out, boys are predictable,” you thought briefly, as you quickly untied the leather cords connecting the small bag containing the coins to his belt.

However, as you felt something cold pressed against your neck, you petrified; as your eyes immediately counted again the number of boys sleeping, you shut your eyes, silently cursing your own naivety for not having suspected that one of them could have simply hidden himself.

«You might want to put that back down.» someone said from behind you, and you immediately tossed the small bag on the floor with a scoff, waking up the boy in front of you as well.

Turns out, the people in the group you were trying to rob were eight, and you ended up with your wrists tightly tied up with an unfamiliar rope made with some kind of tree root; anytime you tried tugging on it with all your strength, the roots seemed to get tighter instead of loosen, and eventually you decided to give up with a strained hiss, your wrists falling on your lap as you sat cross legged on the floor.

«Nice done, Jongho.» a boy with faint red hair was stretching his arms upwards, as he praised the boy which had earlier pointed a blade to your neck.

Now, the current situation was not how you expected for your new life to start; you quickly studied your surroundings, noticing with deject that the chances of you managing to escape were equivalent to zero, since they were basically standing in circle around you.

«Thinking about running away?» the boy with faint red hair scoffed with an amused smile, re-arranging the eyepatch on his right eye, «Not so smart, aren’t you?» you felt your cheeks heaten both in shame and both with the desire to kick him in the face, but sadly enough, you couldn’t do any of the sort.

Despite the fact that you were in the middle of the woods during a starless night, somehow, you could perfectly see all of them; it was almost as if the bonfire behind you was burning a little brighter than before.

«Cut it out, Hongjoong,» an exasperated groan came from somewhere on your left, and a slim, tall boy with raven black hair walked towards your direction, only to crouch down in front of you; his features were sharp, and he most definitely looked handsome.

Even if the fact that he was extremely wary of your presence was clearly written in his eyes, he tried to give you a gentle and reassuring smile. The boy kept curiously try to meet your gaze from under your hood, action which you meticulously avoided, due to your head continuously turning in some other different direction, «I don't see any weapon on him, he probably ran away from somewhere.» he finally commented. 

Secretly, you smiled to yourself; they didn’t realize you were a girl, and they didn't notice your spell, meaning that your plan succeeded at least in one small detail; you felt Hongjoong’ s gaze fixed on you, in the meticulous attempt to study any and everyone of your moves.

«Did you run away from your village?» the nice boy tried again, noticing how you seemed kinda anxious as you were nervously playing with your fingertips - as much as the ropes allowed you to, and you simply nodded at him, hoping he wouldn't question you further since, honestly, you thought you had a little more time to come up with an actual elaborated lie about your whole life.

«Trying your luck with us?» a lively voice giggled, before an unfamiliar face immediately appeared next to the boy already in front of you; he was staring at you with narrow and calculative eyes and a cunning smile, as he sat on the grass while mirroring your cross-legged position, «Do you even know who we are?» he questioned, tilting his head.  Among the group, he was probably the one with the most outstanding hairstyle: longish black hair were falling on his eyes and bright red highlights were covering the top part of his head. The mere tone of his voice was more than enough to send shivers down your spine; of course you didn’t know who these people were, you’ve been living in a Shrine until few hours earlier, how could you?

As you quickly shook your head keeping your eyes locked on the ground, you didn’t notice the two boys in front of you exchanging a doubtful gaze; the boy with black hair reached out in order to take the hood off of your face, and instinctively, you immediately bent your head and covered it with your tied wrists.  Now that you weren’t looking at them anymore, you were completely oblivious that the group was glancing at each other with concerned and puzzled gazes.

«It’s okay, we won’t remove it,» Hongjoong spoke, his voice sounding imperceptibly gentler – almost as if he took pity on you, «but you’re still coming with us.»

«What for?» a short boy with blonde hair questioned with a sigh, not attempting to hide his annoyed voice.

«I have a bad feeling about this,» Hongjoong simply said, nodding towards your direction, «he’ll stay with us until we’ll arrive at the Capital, then we'll part ways.»

«Can we go back to sleep, now?» a tall, blonde boy questioned, stretching his arms over his head with a tired yawn; Hongjoong simply nodded at him, allowing everyone to go back to sleep, since he would have kept watch. 

Needless to say, even if few hours were remaining until dawn, you didn’t close your eyes for a second; aware that Hongjoong’s gaze was sometimes glancing at you, you kept yours strictly on the bonfire, while a whirlwind of thoughts were running through your mind.

Even thought they saw that you didn’t carry any kind of weapon with you, for all they knew, you could have been able to use elemental magic, thing which made you a slight threat; therefore, the fact that they seemed so relaxed about your presence – not bothering to tie you up beside the weird handcuffs around your wrists, made you actually wonder who these people were and how dangerous they could be.

-

Morning came rather quickly, and as the group had completely woken up, they started to formally introduce themselves to you as they were cooking a small and humble ratio of breakfast.

«Don’t you have a name?» San – the boy with the outstanding hairstyle, questioned while tilting his head towards you.

“Now, that’s a problem,” you thought; of course you had a name, but if you actually introduced yourself, they would have easily found out the truth, and who knows what would have happened if they found out you were lying about your identity.

Somehow, shaking your head with a weak movement seemed the best solution, and from the corner of your eyes, you saw Hongjoong snorting in obvious disbelief, clearly not believing you.

«How come you don’t?» Mingi – a blonde tall boy, asked you while munching on a piece of bread; unlike Hongjoong, he seemed to believe you.

«I just don’t.» you said, forcing your voice to come out a little rougher in order to actually pretend you were a boy; you realized that the most of them were doubting you, you couldn’t actually blame them for being wary of your sudden appearance.

Before they could question you even further, a small loaf of bread appeared in front of your eyes, and your head snapped towards your left; Yunho had his hand outstretched, waiting for you to take it while keeping a serious expression.

«Do we have enough food to share, now?» Wooyoung questioned his friend, running a hand through his raven black hair.

«Quit it, Wooyoung,» he immediately retorted, «his stomach is begging for food, I can hear it from over here.» Yunho glanced back at you, and you took the loaf he was handing you and quickly bit into it, ignoring your own embarrassment about someone hearing your stomach rumble since you couldn’t remember the last time you ate.

«Well, he’s definitely not a threat,» Yeosang snorted, and you stopped munching on your food, confused at his sudden statement, «it could have been poisoned, for all you know.» he pointed out, and you had to refrain yourself from spitting the food on the ground as fast as you could.

«It’s not like we all poison people’s food; not everyone is a scheming snake like you, Yeosang.» Jongho mumbled, not taking his attention from his breakfast.

From the other side of the bonfire, your eyes naturally glanced towards Hongjoong, which was mumbling something to Seonghwa; they seemed to have a small argument which you obviously couldn’t hear. You noticed Hongjoong’s gaze glance towards the woods behind Seonghwa, and as you tried to study the gold patterns embroided on his eyepatch, you wondered which one of them was the leader of the group. Judging from what you saw, Seonghwa was definitely nice and reliable, but judging by what happened during the night, you deduced that Hongjoong must have been their leader.

Clearly, you were oblivious about the fat that during their small argument Hongjoong and Seonghwa hypothesized about who you could be and where you could have have ran away from. Hongjoong’s gaze had wondered south, as a well defined image briefly flashed through his mind: a circular square with a small sacrificial altar in the centre, statues of faceless hooded disciples holding crystals, and a dark entrance at the foot of a mountain.

As soon as breakfast started, it eventually ended, and you found yourself hesitantly walking with them towards the spot where they carefully hid their horses. Something snapped inside you, just like during the long years of your captivity you had managed to learn to understand who you could trust and you couldn’t; it was strange how you felt that -  with time, you could somehow eventually grow to trust a bunch of mysterious and threatening strangers about whom you didn’t know anything, strangers who, moreover were still keeping you tied up.

«He’ll ride with me,» Hongjoong simply stated before the others could ask anything, climbing on his horse and leaning back on his saddle in order to give you enough space to sit in front of him; you stood there, motionless, oblivious on how you were supposed to get up when your wrists were tied. Also, if you were to be honest, you’ve never been on a horse – nor you’ve ever seen one up close, and you were quite scared.

«I can’t believe this,» Hongjoong sighed, but eventually outstretched his hand towards you, waiting for you to take it, so that he could help you climb on; Hongjoong’s hand was incredibly warm, and it sent a weird feeling you couldn’t decipher through your soul since, as soon as your hands came in contact, he had roughly pulled you up.

Needless to say, you’ve never been close to anyone in your life, let alone sharing a saddle on top of a horse; you tried to press yourself towards the front part of the leather saddle as much as you could, in order to leave some space between the two of you, thing which you had to immediately give up as soon as Hongjoong urged the horse to move forwards.

After hours spent travelling at a quick pace, you still refused to give up on gripping at the saddle’s horn with your left hand as if your life depended on it; you were sure you wouldn’t have fallen off the horse since Hongjoong’s arms were around you in order to hold the reigns but still, you were still scared.

«If you don’t stop squirming, I’ll kick you down myself.» Hongjoong’s voice said from behind you, and if you hadn’t been so close, you would have never heard it due to the strong wind hitting your faces; you sighed, tightening your hands on the saddle in a desperate attempt not to fall off, but also in the attempt of not turning around and punch the boy right into his face.

The sun was shining on the first day of your new life, as you wondered what did you get yourself into.

CHAPTER II

Riding a horse was probably one of the worst experiences of your whole life, and judging what you've been through, this was quite a sentence; although Hongjoong had always paid attention and tried not to ride too fast, he also had prevented you from falling off the saddle more times than he could have ever imagined.

«Where did you even live?» you heard him mutter with incredulous stupor as Seonghwa had to help you get off the horse anytime you stopped.

«Where did he learn his manners?» you mumbled back once, only for Seonghwa to hear, who simply laughed at your comment.

The travel towards the Capital had lasted for a whole day, and you and Hongjoong kept occasionally bickering like cat and dog; you obviously couldn’t know that no one had ever challenged Hongjoong’s authority at the point of talking back anytime he said something, and therefore, you couldn’t know that the rest of the group found this new source of entertainment more than amusing.

Although the reason why you didn’t want to take your hood off in front of them remained a mystery, but somehow, they still respected it.

«Maybe he has a huge scar on his face.» Mingi had supposed, but even if you shook your head to say he was wrong, no one ever tried to look too much into it; you had your reasons for not wanting to reveal your identity, and somehow they seemed to respect it, even if they were still wary of your presence.

-

Seonghwa helped you climb down your horse as soon as you reached the Capital’s stables, his eyes trying to study as much as he could the facial features your hood didn’t manage to hide.

«Are you sure you’re going to be okay?» Seonghwa questioned you, as Hongjoong was busy paying the stable keeper; you eyed him questioningly, not used to any kind of concern, especially since you’ve spent no more than one day with them. You didn’t know how to honestly answer to him and therefore you decided to nod, and eventually, you and the others parted ways. 

«I hate to repeat myself,» you heard Hongjoong say to the others, «but I have a really bad feeling about this.» whether anyone answered him or not, you didn’t know, since you turned left in the first alleyway you saw.

Despite all the stories you’ve heard while you were living in the Shrine, the way you imagined the Capital did not correspond to reality in the least; wealth and poverty coexisted in the same reality as a spiral that continued to intertwine and influence each other. You had no idea about how a riot could be happening in a part of town, and immediately afterwards you could hear lively voices and loud chattering coming from a banquet happening in a private garden, but that was exactly what was happening. 

The sun of a blossoming spring shone in the sky and on your footsteps as you made your way through the alleyways walked by the most bizarre people; you didn’t know where you were going, nor what you were going to do but, since it was early in the afternoon, you figured out that you could always explore a little bit.

-

From the moment you had parted ways, the group agreed that the only way to find out whether you were lying or hiding something was to let an expert assassin follow your every step and therefore, unbeknownst to you, your steps were meticulously followed by someone more agile and silent than the fog that quietly settles on the countrysides during the night; San – under Hongjoong’s order, was following you around with extreme precision, careful not to alert anyone else about his ministrations.

Despite few hours had gone by, however, San was extremely bored; not only you were aimlessly strolling around the city, but you didn’t seem to have any destination in mind. San noticed how easily you ended up getting lost, meaning that you absolutely weren’t familiar with the city and therefore, you couldn’t be a spy. He also noticed how frequently you stopped to in order to admire the trivial things: statues, columns carved in a particular way, wandering musicians singing in small squares and entertaining all sort of people. San was indeed quite puzzled at the sight, because it was almost as if you've almost never what the outside world looked like - it couldn't be, right?

Hongjoong’s instinct was close to being infallible but still, during the hours he had spent following you around, San couldn’t understand why would his leader be so worried about his own presentiments; only when he saw you turn towards the direction of the square where he had to meet with Hongjoongin order to report what he had found out, San’s sudden smile was safely protected by the shadows.

«Well, little hood,» he mumbled to himself, «could it be that fate is leading your path?»

The capital was so beautiful that at times it took your breath away; you were completely aware about the fact that you spent almost half an hour staring at the marble statue in the main square, but it was almost as if you couldn’t take your eyes off of it. For a start, it was gigantic, almost completely carved from white marble; the figure of a warrior on a horse was holding a golden spear which was pointed at the figure of a dragon lying on the ground. As your eyes meticulously studied it, you wondered if dragons really existed; well, anything could have been possible, since you had spent the most of your life locked away.

Eventually, as you noticed that the colours of the sky were gradually becoming darker, you decided to take the alleyway on your left, once again as if it you were being pulled by an invisible force; your steps led you to another district, which you could easily identify as the local market.

To say that the market was humble was an understatement, your gaze stretched out between stalls of all kinds and people intent on negotiating for their purchases; once again, the different social classes seemed to live in a subspecies of fragile and tacit equilibrium that no one tried to shatter. With a dejected sigh you walked forwards, a wave of sadness clouding your senses since you’ve been really missing out on everyday life; a sudden harsh tug on your wrist forced you to stop, and you momentarily hissed at the pain of the stranger’s tight hold pressing over the faint bruises of the ropes you've been wearing all night.

«Don’t you know what we do to thieves around here?» a gruff voice addressed you, and you panicked; the man was easily towering over you, and his clothes seemed to be of a fairly fine fabric.

«I didn’t steal anything!» you retorted immediately, noticing how this small scene had caught the attention of few people which were standing around you.  To put it simply, you were terrified; not only you were innocent, you didn’t understand how you could have been blamed when you tried to avoid walking too close to the vendor’s tables. 

Maybe it was a coincidence, or maybe not, but after few everlasting minutes of arguing about your innocence, a way too familiar voice called the man out. 

«You should let him go, before my boss finds out - you know, dragons have a pretty good hearing.» your head snapped on your right, where you saw San’s slim figure sitting on the booth full of fabric that the man had momentarily left unattended in order to claim that you had stolen something from him. San briefly winked at you in recognition, even thought he couldn’t completely be sure that your eyes met, since you had been more than careful about always wearing your hood. 

«Is he one of your crew?» the man’s gruff and accusatory tone had completely disappeared as he turned his attention towards San, and you curiously noticed how he seemed to have paled at the sight.

Even thought your wrist was still in a vice hold, your gaze shifted between him and San; to earn such a scared reaction, who exactly did you travel with?

«You should stop using these tricks, they’re getting old.» you heard Hongjoong’s voice suddenly said, and you turned your head towards him – which almost appeared out of nowhere. 

Hongjoong’s faint red hair was gently moved by the late afternoon breeze, and the gold embroidery on the eyepatch he was wearing on his right eye almost seemed to glow under the sunlight. His features were delicate and well defined, and the serious and menacing gaze with which he was staring at the merchant was enough to send chills down your spine; for the first time, you had to admit to yourself that he was indeed handsome. 

«You might be the one using tricks, Dragon,» the merchant spat, and since your gaze was still locked on Hongjoong, you saw that he raised his left eyebrow and rolled his eyes in annoyance, «the boy is a thief, and thieves must-»

«Is he saying the truth?» Hongjoong questioned you, cutting off the man’s sentence; his gaze burned into yours and despite his tone wasn’t as harsh as the one he had used to refer to the man, it was still strict. 

«No, I didn’t!» you immediately admitted, and Hongjoong glanced at the man once again.

«I can’t really put into words how annoying you are, Alustin,» Hongjoong sighed, and started walking forward; «you know, I could always alert the authorities about your… illegal interests.» Hongjoong chuckled as he easily circled you while walking with a slow pace, halting his steps only when he was somehow standing between you and the merchant – Alustin. 

«A mercenary alerting authorities? Is that another trick��of yours?» Alustin spat, and Hongjoong didn’t miss your pained hiss, as the man seemed to have tightened his fist around your wrist once again. 

«You’re probably confused: as a mercenary, I currently work for the Capital’s Chief,» Hongjoong explained, slowly uttering each word as if he was talking to a child and not to a man twice his age, «but you, you’re the leader of the Merchants’ Guild; can you imagine how big the scandal would be?» with a pleased smirk, Hongjoong slowly lifted his hand and circled Alustin’s left wrist; immediately, Alustin let go of your wrist, as if he had been burned by an incandescent flame; you stared at him in confusion, since you didn’t notice any particularly different feeling on your skin. 

«You can’t always act like you own the place, Dragon.» Alustin spat with arrogance, but by now, Hongjoong had already started to walk away, turning his head a little bit only to motion to both you and San to follow him, order to which you immediately complied. 

Alustin’s voice was just a muffled noise now lost among the sea of people; your gaze was locked on Hongjoong’s shoulders as he was walking few steps ahead you and San, which was walking next to you with his fingers intertwined behind his nape and his elbows towards the sky.

The scene kept replaying in your mind as your heart was still hammering in your chest, your thoughts running wild, especially towards a very special way that Alustin used to address Hongjoong. 

«Why did he call him like that?» you questioned San, hoping that Hongjoong wouldn’t hear you. 

«Hm?» San hummed, momentarily confused at your sudden question. 

«Why did he call him “Dragon”?» you asked, “is he a child of fire?” you thought. 

«It’s not for me to tell,» San shrugged, «eventually, he’ll tell you about it at some point.» San’s answer was short, but yet you completely understood what he meant; after all, you were the one hiding everything about you from the world since you didn’t know who you could trust.

«How did you know I needed help?» you questioned him again few moments later, not completely sure whether you wanted to know; you’ve heard that they were mercenaries, and therefore, you had quite an idea of how dangerous they could be. 

San shrugged again, a mysterious smile plastered on his lips, «I don’t know, little hood,» he quickly glanced towards you, «must have been fate.»

Once the streets had gradually emptied of people, you noticed that Hongjoong was heading towards an inn, probably in order to meet up with the others; as soon as you were in front of the heavy wooden door, Hongjoong kept it open for you and San to get in, mumbling a quiet «don’t cause troubles,» before eventually closing the door behind himself.

Well, you were right; both Hongjoong and San were meeting their friends at the inn and you were sure you were going to remember the others’ faces for a long time; Mingi, Yunho and Wooyoung widened their eyes in surprise, while Seonghwa and Jongho scoffed while somehow hiding a smile.

«I knew it!» Yeosang said, clapping his hands once; he had been the only one to actually say something about the fact that you didn’t manage to spend a day by yourself, «You lost, buddy!» he added, lifting the palm of his hands towards Mingi, which reached for his pocket money with a groan; you followed the action with furrowed brows, did they bet on you?

As you finally were having dinner, Seonghwa briefly met your gaze from across the table, and with a sly smile, he placed his elbows on the wooden surface, only to delicately place his chin on the palm of his hands. 

«So, Hongjoong, what does it mean?» he questioned, looking at his leader with an amused expression; Hongjoong sighed, rubbing his temples. He was aware that it was a bit too late for thinking about the consequences of saving you again, but he couldn’t simply ignore you back then.

Not like he could leave you wandering all alone through the Capital, considering what had happened few minutes earlier; as you waited for his answer, your gaze was locked on Hongjoong, which was quietly sipping on his chalice of beer as he stared at the door, lost in thoughts. 

San had already reported what he saw to Hongjoong, and the young boy definitely understood that you were too naive to be a spy; slowly, the suspect of you being a former prisoner of the Serendia Shrine was forming in his thoughts, but only time could have confirmed it. There was some strange pull that was convincing him to keep you with them; despite he didn’t know how things would have turned out, he decided to follow his instinct, as he always did.

«He’ll stay with us.» Hongjoong said at last, and your heart picked up pace; for a brief moment, San throw one arm over your shoulder with an amused laugh, telling the others that «what did I tell you?», and you wondered why Wooyoung had briefly glanced at you with narrowed eyes.

«So, you adopted another one?» Yunho joked, and Hongjoong scoffed while hiding a smile. 

«Can you use magic?» Wooyoung questioned you, and you almost choked on the water you were finally drinking; of course you could, you were a child of Air, but despite the fact that they had just saved you and offered you to stay with them, you didn’t know whether you could trust them. 

«A little bit,» you answered him, «just some basic healing spells.» luckily, they seemed pleased with your answer; since healing magic could definitely come in hand. 

«Can you fight?» Yunho curiously asked, and you shook your head; sadly, you were forced to admit to yourself that from that point of view you were useless, and you hoped that it didn’t influence Hongjoong’s decision to keep you with them. 

«We’ll teach you, don't worry.» Jongho’s answer surprised you, and you found yourself nodding and thanking them. 

Your visit to the capital ended the following morning; you were surprised about the fact that they let you sleep in a room by yourself but once again, you realized that if they let you do something like that, it was because they already thought about the consequences.

Since from the moment you managed to escape the Serendia Shrine, you had decided that you were indeed a woman on a mission, you knew that risking to fight a whole group of mercenaries on your second day of freedom was definitely not in your agenda, and that night, you happily washed yourself – enjoying the feeling of finally taking off the bandages tightly wrapped around your chest, and fell asleep on a soft mattress, sleeping peacefully until dawn.

«I don’t get a horse?» you questioned, as your gaze repeatedly shifted towards Hongjoong’s outstretched hand and the empty part of the saddle in front of him.

«And risk you running away? Not a chance.» he answered, urging you to move by moving his fingertips; with a sigh, you let him help you, secretly glad that you somehow had a place to stay.

«Hurry up, or we’re leaving you here!» Wooyoung lively called out, as he was joining the others which were already riding in a slow pace towards the gates of the Capital.

«We’re coming!» Hongjoong answered back with a loud voice, only to lower his tone once again to talk to you, «Plus, you can’t even stay on a horse while I’m riding,» he chuckled, mocking you once you had completely seated on the horse; immediately, you turned your head left, his nose brushing against the exposed part of your cheek due to how close you were.

«I’ll throw you off.» you threatened, but Hongjoong simply laughed at you, urging the horse to move without further notice and therefore, causing you to gasp loudly and immediately turn your attention forwards.

As your only thoughts were to carefully keep your identity hidden and not to fall off the horse, you couldn’t help but wonder why the sensation of warmth caused by such a brief and unintentional contact seemed to linger on your cheek.

CHAPTER III

As much as you wanted to say that the two weeks spent travelling with Hongjoong and the others had flown by, unfortunately, you couldn’t. Even if you were somehow getting used to travel on a horse – Hongjoong would eventually hand you the reigns for short periods of time right before taking control of the horse as soon as he noticed you were about to panic, you still had to get used to sleep out in the open.

Honestly, you didn’t want to pry in their business; you knew that they had something important to deliver and therefore, you were travelling through unknown shortcuts which were far away from the main streets. Since you were grateful about the fact that not only you were travelling with them but – thanks to them, you were also learning how to fight, you figured out that they would eventually open up with you, telling you more about their business.

Even thought, this trip was proving itself to be a real adventure: for a start, hiding the fact that you were a girl was extremely difficult, especially because anytime you stopped for the night and the others eventually went to wash themselves at the nearby river, you always had to make up excuses in order to go alone. Needless to say, they slowly started to get suspicious, but in the end - thanks to Wooyoung’s suggestion, they simply grew to believe you were shy about your “body proportions”; you had no idea what they meant, but it was better than let them know the truth.

In addition, you realized pretty quickly that they were extremely strict teachers; you couldn’t exactly blame them, since they were mercenaries and therefore you were risking your life on a daily basis with them, but sometimes, you wish they could take it easy.

They were taking turns and, as cliché as it was, Hongjoong had been the first to teach you the basics. That morning, once he had neatly folded his jacket next to Mingi – which was curiously watching, Hongjoong stood in front of you with a smug smile, his hands on his waist as he studied your posture in complete silence.

«Come on, catch me.» he said, unmoving; you furrowed your brows in confusion, but eventually you tried to leap forwards as quickly as you could, only to see that as your hand was about to touch his shirt, he quickly took a step on his left.

«Hongjoong,» you called out through gritted teeth, «you’re not teaching me how to dodge, aren’t you?»

«Of course I am,» Hongjoong said, raising his eyebrow, «lesson number one: if you’re not sure you can face your opponent, try to dodge as much as you can, until you manage to get away.��

“He’s not completely wrong”, you admitted to yourself, your mind instinctively bringing up memories you so desperately wanted to bury; the thing is, you already knew how to dodge punches and kicks, you simply refused to admit it aloud.

Few days later, Seonghwa handed you his sword – your training had somehow become the group’s source of entertainment, and you found yourself facing Hongjoong while trying to multitask as your best: trying to actively respond to his actions, listen to his corrections, but also trying to listen the other’s suggestions about how you could easily tackle him on the ground. 

Hongjoong occasionally laughed at his friend’s suggestion, and as much as you hated to admit, such a small action somehow was able to distract you – contrarily to him, which was able to counter your weak attacks while chatting with the others about the most various things.

«Is that your fighter stance?» Hongjoong had mumbled back then, before eventually letting go of his own sword in order to walk in front of you; he quickly reached out to grip at the helm of your sword over your hand, «tighten your grip, or you’ll sprain your wrist,» he nodded to himself as you immediately followed his instruction, before quietly walking behind you.

«Open up,» something in Hongjoong’s voice made your cheeks heathen in reflex, and you eventually followed his instructions as he gently tapped your calves with the tip of his boot, until he was satisfied about the position of your legs, «now, if we’re lucky, you won’t lose balance and fall like a toddler.» you heard him mumble as he eventually walked back in front of you.

Hongjoong was strict, and even if sometimes you could feel your limbs ache from how much you had trained, you knew he was doing it for your own good, and you silently appreciated it, keeping in your mind his various tips.

Few days later, however, San took his place as your teacher; and if you thought Hongjoong was strict, well, you were in for a surprise. Eventually, you had found out that San was an assassin before joining the group and therefore, he was the best teacher if you ever considered playing dirty during a fight.

«Anytime you draw your sword, you fight in order to get out of it alive, understood, little hood?» San had said one day, after disarming you in less than five minutes and pointing one of his two short swords to your throat; you nodded at him, and he hummed with a satisfied grin, before helping you up.

«Go, little hood, fuck him up!» Yeosang had cheered from near you, and you briefly chuckled at the sudden comment.

Since you told them that you didn’t have a name, “little hood” had slowly become yours, and much to your surprise, you didn’t hate it. Even though your real name hasn’t been pronounced out loud for years, to you “little hood” felt like a nickname, and the fact that they actually decided to adopt San’s suggestion to call you like that instead of referring you as “boy” or “you, there”, somehow made you realize that maybe, they were warming up to your presence.

Eventually, day after day, your fighting teacher kept changing; you realized it was to let you understand as quickly as you could that everyone had his fighting style and everyone was fighting following their own rules, and as much as you were grateful, you found it incredibly difficult to win even a single match against them.

Hongjoong fought using two swords, they weren’t particularly long, but they forced you to constantly keep attention to his movements; he would have never admit it out loud, but sometimes, he decided to use only one of his swords in order to go easy on you.

Seonghwa’s fighting style was incredibly elegant; although he was an archer and therefore specialized in ranged combat and completely used to cover his friend’s backs, he was also a challenge while he used a dagger during hand-to-hand combat.

Wooyoung was an archer as well, but contrarily to Seonghwa, his fighting style consisted into dodging his opponent’s movement, partially to tire them out, partially to study their fighting style and eventual weak point.

Yeosang was also an archer, and his hand-to-hand fighting style was exactly like Wooyoung, with the only exception that he was the only alchemist of the group and therefore, he always made sure that his weapons were covered either with poison or with special stones, which could inflict a serious damage to his opponents. Needless to say, he was in charge to enchant his friends’ weapons as well.

Yunho was the only one fighting with a longsword; he was taller than the others were and therefore, his physique enabled him to handle such a large and heavy weapon with extreme ease.

Mingi was the only one fighting using a spear; it was probably one of the most difficult opponents, since you had to constantly be aware about the fact that he could easily be a threat from a distance as much that he was during hand-to-hand combat. Mingi – just like San, was of the idea that you had to had to learn how to fight dirty, but also, to defend yourself from the most various dishonest tricks which he eventually tried on you.

Jongho’s fighting style was something you’ve never seen before; although the always carried a dagger with him, he fought using his fists. Jongho wore leather gloves with cleverly pointed metal plates, which resulted him to be a threat, considering the fact that he had a lot of strength. Honestly, you lost count of how many times he had stopped with his fist next to your head just to look at you with a polite smile, asking if you wanted to try again and occasionally pointing out if you ever made a mistake.

San fought using two swords just like Hongjoong, but unlike him, he didn’t hold back. Despite everything, everyone had always been extremely careful with not hurting you in any way; as days gone by, you could see your own improvements, thing that irremediably brought a satisfied smile on your face.

Occasionally, even if your training was over, you stayed behind in order to secretly practice on your magic; once you had made sure that no one was around anymore, you tried to create your own fighting style – as Seonghwa had suggested you, and more than once you tried to lift a sword using your own magic. Taking a deep breath, your eyes gradually changed their colour - becoming as grey as the clouds right before a dangerous thunderstorm, as you practiced few combat moves on an imaginary target in front of you, while also trying to move as precisely as you could the sword that was floating next to your body.

Despite your happiness as you reached small goals, you realized that not everything could go according to plan, and one morning, as you were fighting alone with San, he had taken advantage of your distraction and managed to tackle you on the ground.

San was sitting on your stomach while keeping your arms pinned on your sides and he had his eyes open wide. San’s stupor was met with your fearful gaze, since as you fell, the hood you always wore had slightly uncovered your face; although he didn’t realize you were a girl, San could clearly see your features due to the spell almost completely disappearing. And of course, the boy had to tell everyone; you didn’t understand why Wooyoung stared at you with narrowed eyes and eyebrows furrowed as soon as San had told everyone that «our little hood has really pretty eyes,» but yet, you could only hope that San would have never tried to investigate further about your identity. As soon as San dropped the bomb, chaos erupted around the bonfire burning in the middle of your group since, apparently, everyone had been utterly curious about knowing what you actually looked like underneath the hood you so desperately seemed to love; you panicked a little as Mingi and Yeosang started agreeing with Yunho, which was complaining about San being too lucky.

«You know how San is,» Hongjoong spoke, his gaze burning into yours as he was meticulously analysing your body language, «he probably used a stupid trick.» he commented, and San giggled, content about knowing something his friends didn’t.

Despite what happened, no one pushed the matter if not in a joking manner, things you were extremely grateful for.

That night, instead of keeping guard, you walked towards the small clearing next to where the others were sleeping, in order to train a little bit more by yourself.

Extremely attentive to every kind of noise different from the ordinary, you spent few hours practicing surrounded by darkness, partially satisfied because if someone among the group decided to randomly wake up, they wouldn’t know that you were using magic.

Satisfied with your training, as soon as you saw that the sun was about to rise, you decided to collect your things and walk back towards the others in order to wake Wooyoung up so that he could keep guard for few hours while you could have gone to the river in order to take a quick bath. However, before you could even realize, someone harshly grabbed you by the elbow and roughly pressed your back against a tree. A hand was firmly pressed against of your mouth, and you were trying to do anything you could in order not to panic before realizing that Wooyoung was staring at you with narrowed eyes, glaring at you with a scowl.

«So, what are your intentions?» he asked, harshly taking off his hand from your mouth; you furrowed your brows in confusion, aware about the fact that despite the faint sunlight allowing to clearly see everything, he couldn’t properly notice due to the hood casting a partial shadow on your face.

«Excuse me?» you asked, forcing your voice to come out a little bit rougher; he couldn’t have found out about the fact that you could use elemental magic, right?

«San!» he said immediately, as if it was an obvious thing, «Are you planning to steal him from me?»  

«No!» you honestly answered immediately, the last thing you wanted was to ruin couples and get on a mercenary’s bad side; you knew how dangerous Wooyoung was during a fight, and it was better to keep him as a close friend, «I want to learn how to fight, I want to be helpful.» Wooyoung visibly relaxed at your words, while simply humming in response.

«I didn’t know you were-»

«We’re not!» Wooyoung cut your sentence, «yet!» he immediately added, and his scowl gradually dissipated.

«I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, Wooyoung. Hongjoong allowed me to stay with you and the least I can do is to learn how to be helpful.» “without using elemental magic”, you mentally added; Wooyoung sighed heavily, scratching his nape with his left hand, his long black hair gently falling on his face.

«It’s okay, I’m sorry for jumping to conclusion.» he mumbled, before he suddenly leaned closer to you. Despite you had slowly grown used to spend whole days between Hongjoong’s arms due to the fact that you shared a saddle, you still were not used to have a boy so close to you.

However, Wooyoung bent his knees enough so that he could made direct eye contact with your eyes, and you found it almost impossible to look away. Wooyoung didn’t try to move your hood, he didn’t try to do anything; he simply stared at you, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

«I’ll give it to you, your eyes are really pretty.» he said, before standing up in his original position once again; Wooyoung started to walk towards the others, when you instinctively called out to him.

«Wait!» you said, and Wooyoung stopped in his tracks, curiously looking at you; quickly, you walked up to him, trying clear your thoughts just enough to understand why you decided to stop him in the first place. Wooyoung tilted his head, but patiently waited.

«You…Your eyes,» you said, uncertain, «your eyes are prettier.» Wooyoung sighed in a useless attempt to hide his sudden smile; immediately, his left arm was around your shoulder as he urged the both of you to walk towards the others.

«We really adopted a cute one.» he mumbled more to himself, and you smiled at yourself at his words.

Since then, Wooyoung’s behaviour had shifted towards you; he would often offer you to ride with him – thing that Hongjoong always refused, and he always made sure the two of you slept next to each other. Wooyoung was aware about the fact that you often grew incredibly cold during the night, and therefore, he had offered to share his extra blanket with you. Needless to say, you fell asleep listening to Wooyoung’s enamoured voice whispering you about how smitten he was for San.

«Why don’t you tell him?» you innocently mumbled back one night, «you like him, tell him.» Wooyoung sighed at your answer, as if he couldn’t understand how naïve you could be.

«I have thought about it,» he admitted, «but I guess I’m scared about facing him every day if he doesn’t reciprocate my feelings.» you nodded at his words, shifting under the blanket, «the boys are our family, and I don’t want to ruin everything.»

«You’re really brave, Wooyoung,» you weakly mumbled as you felt yourself dozing off to sleep.

«I’m just an idiot.» you thought you heard him say.

-

The thick woods slowly began to dissipate around your path, as you spent another day carefully travelling using the river as a navigation reference; from what they had said, you would have reached a village in no more than two days. You were glad, since if luck was on your side, you could have gotten another room for yourself in order to wash up while not being in a hurry; it was not that simple to wrap a bandage around your chest while your skin was damp.

«What’s going on between you and Wooyoung?» Hongjoong quietly questioned you, as he was gently instructing you once again where to correctly put your hands on the reigns in order to efficiently lead the horse.

«Nothing,» you admitted, «we’re friends.» Hongjoong hummed, not actually waiting for you to explain yourself, but you still did, «I don’t think I ever had a friend in my life, so I’m glad he acts like one.»

Hongjoong’s head turned towards you, but you kept looking ahead; although the question he wanted to ask so badly was on the tip of his tongue, he refrained from asking, aware that it was not the right moment.

«Well, little hood,» Hongjoong shrugged, mirroring your action to look ahead, «you might have eight of them, now.»

Whether your heart started to race in unexpected blissful happiness was a secret only for you to know.

Later that night, you quietly walked away from your sleeping friends instead of keeping guard; sitting by the river, you closed your eyes and sighed at the feeling of having your hair dishevelled by the night breeze and your breasts no more trapped in a tight bandage.

Even if you wanted to enjoy your bath, you knew you had to be quick; no one still had found out that you were a girl, and you didn’t know how much time you had before any of them woke up. Standing completely naked under a sky full of stars, you slowly made your way into the river while shuddering at the cold feeling of the water; eventually, you slowly started to relax and wash yourself.

Next to the fireplace, Seonghwa suddenly woke up because of a weird, twinkling sensation at the tip of his fingers; he groaned, shifting on the other side in the attempt to fall back asleep just before noticing that you were not keeping guard any longer. He suddenly sat up, ready to wake up Hongjoong and alert him about the situation, when he felt that someone had entered the river.

It was a default feature of the children of Water; their power allowed them to know whether someone interacted with a natural source of water close to them and if they wanted, they could somehow see, as if they were standing into the water as well. However, Seonghwa doubted his powers were working correctly because he sensed the presence of a girl.

Seonghwa glanced at your empty spot with furrowed brows, before eventually, his eyes turned into the colour of the deep blue sea, as he connected himself with his own element. He was prepared to finally see the face of the boy they were travelling with, but he was shocked to discover that indeed, he was a girl. Seonghwa blushed, feeling guilty about spying on you as you bathed; with a sigh, he let go of his vision, leaving you to the privacy of your own bath. San’s words echoed in his head, and he silently smiled to himself, mentally agreeing with his friends.

“She’s really pretty,” Seonghwa thought, as an infinite series of questions popped out into his mind: where were you running away from, in order to pretend to be someone you were not? As he kept thinking, he shifted his position once again, keeping awake until he eventually saw you coming back, safely hidden in your clothes.

Honestly, you felt incredibly guilty about waking up Hongjoong earlier than needed, but the water was so cold you were afraid you might have passed out if you didn’t manage to hide yourself under some blankets as soon as you could. Hongjoong’s eyes snapped open as soon as you touched his cheekbone, and he immediately caught your hand in a quick move.

«Did you stick your hand into an iceberg?» Hongjoong mumbled, and you refrained from whimper in bliss at the sudden warmth of his touch.

Unexpectedly, Hongjoong offered you his blankets as well, mumbling something about him not being cold; despite your constant bickering, you didn’t want to question him or play difficult, and eventually, you laid in Hongjoong’s place, enjoying the warm sensation you felt under the covers.

However, you fell asleep too quickly in order to realize that the pleasing warmth had soon dissipated and therefore, you were unconsciously tossing, turning and moving around in order to find any source of warmth; your movements stopped as soon as your forehead encountered something warm, and you finally felt like you could peacefully rest once again.

If you were asleep, Hongjoong clearly was not; at first, he had thought about waking you up, noticing that you were moving too close to the fireplace, but then, you started to move the opposite way. As he was keeping watch, Hongjoong decided to sit against the tree close to you, his back leaning against the cortex and therefore, it didn’t take you too long to come to a stop as soon as your forehead met Hongjoong’s thigh. He didn’t miss your content sigh at the sudden warmth, and he incredulously glanced at his friends to see if anyone was awake to see it.

Minutes passed, but you didn’t give any sign of wanting to move away; Hongjoong sighed, glancing at his friends once again just to be sure that no one could see him gently placing his hand on your head over the fabric of your hood. Hongjoong stared at you, wondering whether he should have given in to the temptation and reach out with his fingers just enough to peek at your identity; minutes passed, but eventually, Hongjoong gave up with a sigh, leaning his head against the tree behind him.

“It wouldn’t be fair,” he thought, unconsciously caressing your head as you unconsciously nuzzled your forehead against his thigh.

«Well, this was unexpected,» Seonghwa whispered from nearby, «but I have to admit, it’s getting interesting.» he chuckled quietly, a faint noise carried away by the wind.

«Shut up, Seonghwa.» Hongjoong whispered back with a flustered voice.

When you woke up Jongho was the one keeping guard, and as Hongjoong was helping Wooyoung and Seonghwa to prepare a quick breakfast, you noticed that his blanket was still safely wrapped around you.

CHAPTER IV

As few weeks had gone by, you wondered more than once where exactly your friends were supposed to go; for all you knew, you’ve been travelling for weeks. Even if you never complained, you secretly admitted to yourself that your favourite moments were anytime you could stop at an actual village – even for a single night, in order to properly wash up without being in a hurry.

As days went by, something you didn’t fail to notice was the fact that somehow, Seonghwa’s behaviour towards you seemed to have shifted into something a little more protective; he would admonish Hongjoong anytime he answered to you in a too sarcastic way, he would always give you a larger portion of food, or he’d make sure for you to have an extra blanket for when you stopped at night. He would also make sure to go easier on you during your training, and even if you wondered why, you never brought yourself to actually confront him.

Hongjoong and the others seemed to have warmed up to you; eventually, you’d spend part of the evening sitting around the bonfire and listening to their stories, wondering how many adventures they have lived and most importantly, if you would ever manage to experience some of them before eventually drifting off towards you own path. The fact that their friendship was deep enough to consider each other family was evident, and you tried not to pay attention to that sense of belonging you were feeling once and a while; after all, you had a well defined objective in mind, and you didn’t want for them to risk their lives as well.

Despite the fact that you had to remind yourself not to get too attached to the loud and chaotic group of new found friends, it was as if you couldn’t do otherwise; although you were still keeping secrets from each other, you kept feeling a strange sense of belonging slowly and unwillingly building itself inside your soul, and you eventually wondered how much your inevitable separation would have hurt both you and them.

Moreover, it was a mystery to you how could Hongjoong’s presence be so incredibly soothing; it wasn’t rare for you to abruptly wake up due to a sudden nightmare, and anytime it happened, you’d ask to keep guard – so that the other could get some more sleep and you were forced to stay awake, too scared to fall asleep.

Lately, a lot of nightmares seemed to swirl around the same scene, making you see part of your past all over again; you were 10 years old back then, and the image of a Disciple dragging the lifeless body of a young boy was a vision that – even after years, kept hunting you. Although you didn’t see what the boy looked like, you quickly realized that you were the same age. However, anytime you woke up due to a sudden nightmare and Hongjoong was the one keeping guard, he always refused your proposal of getting few more hours of sleep; instead, Hongjoong always offered himself to listen to you, asking what was wrong and you felt yourself grow flustered because you couldn’t tell him the truth. It would have been nice to say “I’m having nightmares about the days I spent at the Shrine”, but you simply couldn’t, not yet; on top of that you were terribly scared about them finding out who you really were and who your father was, that you’ve always kept your talking at minimum.

«It’s nothing, it was just a bad dream.» you would say every single time, and Hongjoong would roll his eyes while sighing deeply – clearly not believing you but not forcing you to talk, before patting the spot next to him.

Needless to say, you immediately crawled towards him while making sure to bring your own blanket as well, ready to listen to anything and everything he had to say; these secret moments you shared with each other were undeniably sweet compared to those times during the day when you were tempted to throw something at him as a silent answer to one of his sarcastic retorts. Most of the time you would fall asleep, and even if you noticed the fact that you were literally falling asleep leaning against him due to his pleasant warmth, Hongjoong never said anything; he’d simply shook you awake so that you could move before he eventually woke up the one which was supposed to keep guard after him.

Hongjoong was a reliable leader, and as days went by, you understood why he others trusted him blindly; more than once, curious to admire his real face, you’ve been finding yourself on the verge of asking him about his right eye, but in the end you always refrained from doing so, since you didn’t want to bring up what could have been bad memories.

It was a mystery to you how could his mere presence or his voice make you feel completely different, and you weren’t sure whether you liked you own growing feeling.

«I remember reading a very interesting book,» Yeosang said one morning, as you were peacefully eating breakfast around a small bonfire; it was a mystery to you how he could be so talkative in the morning, but it was something you grew to appreciate, «it talked about sons and daughters of nature.» although you instinctively stopped chewing and your gaze instinctively drifted towards him, you tried to put all your effort in trying to look as neutral as you could.

Both Yunho and Yeosang had a deep passion for reading and therefore, anytime you stopped at a village, they’d spend their free times at the local library, eager to learn new things; their tales were interesting, since they’d space from talking about histories of the foundation of small villages, to how to use refined alchemy stones without destroying your weapons – and sometimes destroying your house as well.

«It said that elemental magic is unlimited, however, using too much of your magic within a short amount of time would irremediably consume you, as well.» Yeosang’s words were quiet and had the mere purpose to accompany your breakfast with something you mighthavenot known, but as he went on, you started losing your appetite.

«I heard about that, too,» Mingi nodded at his friend, «I wonder how intense your emotions have to be in that moment, in order to consume yourself as well.»

“The key word is “desperation”, Mingi,” you thought, your hands resting on your crossed legs, holding loosely the small loaf of bread you were previously eating.

Of course you knew what Yeosang was talking about; after all, it was how Serendia Shrine started creating their magic crystals. The Disciples would torture innocent people, bring them to the verge of insanity, force them to continue using their magic without ever taking a break; they would steal their life essence, in order to seal it in a magic crystal which they would use for their own wicked purposes.

Even thought you’ve spent your life locked up in there, you’ve never honestly understood what their so called “superior plan” was; for what you overheard, they wanted to awaken an old God – the God of Corruption, which, according to the legends, had been sealed away long time ago. In order to summon him, not only they needed an unquantifiable quantity of magic, but they also needed a sacrifice which, needless to say, would have been you.

«You’re not hungry?» Seonghwa’s gentle voice immediately snapped you from your thoughts, and you glanced at him, only to see that he was trying to study your stance with a concerned expression; you shook your head, honestly feeling like your stomach was curling on itself. 

«It’s okay, you’ll eat more tonight-»

«Hongjoong, I have bad news.» Jongho, who – under Hongjoong’s order, spent his breakfast time searching the surroundings, erupted from the bushes; he seemed extremely serious, and your eyes shifted towards Hongjoong, which visibly tensed up. 

«Don’t tell me they’re trying to ruin my morning.» Hongjoong groaned, briefly glancing at Jongho, which nodded at him; before you could ask what was going on, Hongjoong gestured towards you and Wooyoung with his gloved hand without thinking twice, «Take him, and wait for us at the next village.» Hongjoong told Wooyoung, and you felt your heart sink in your stomach; you suspected that Jongho was talking about Disciples, but yet, all you felt was deject.

“Am I still not strong enough to face them?” you thought, but even so, something in Hongjoong’s tone made you refrain from wanting to fight him. Silently, you nodded, immediately following Wooyoung on his horse as the others quickly put the breakfast leftovers away.

«It’s okay, little hood, we’ll see them soon.» Wooyoung whispered, before urging his horse to move. 

«Why you look so gloomy?» Wooyoung questioned once you were far enough from your friends.

«Did we run away from Serendia Shrine’s Disciples?» you questioned, not minding whether it was better for you to keep quiet about it; however, for all Wooyoung knew, it could have been an innocent question, since you’ve heard your friends talking about the Disciples more than once. Wooyoung’s affirmative answer made you scoff.

«I’m still too weak.» you groaned, more to yourself.

«It’s not that, little hood, you’re really good at fighting,» Wooyoung sighed, before groaning, «I don’t like to hide things from you… but we’ll eventually tell you, okay?» you nodded, feeling puzzled; Wooyoung’s sentence was low-key the confirm that they were keeping secrets from you, but what could it have been?

The village was small and welcoming; for what you could remember, it resembled the one where you used to live long time ago. The most interesting thing was that, in the centre of the village, surrounded by a small enchanted metal fence, stood what the inhabitants called “scuffling poplar”: a dry tree made up of two trunks tangled in a spiral, on which branches the inhabitants had hung the most disparate talismans.

Both you and Wooyoung had spent the day roaming free trough the village while waiting for the others; contrarily to you, Wooyoung was completely relaxed, certain about their friends coming back unharmed before dinner time. Eventually, your day unexpectedly turned into a promiscuous day, since Wooyoung ended up buying you new clothes, despite the fact that you kept saying no; for obvious reasons, you carried no money with you and therefore, you didn’t know how to eventually pay him back.

«We’re friends, and plus, you honestly can’t think I’m letting you walk around wearing that.» Wooyoung had said; you tilted your head, momentarily glancing at the helm of your cape. He was right, it was damaged, but it was functional; after all, you needed it in order to hide your face and to keep warm.

«It’s still good…» you tired but, to prove his point, Wooyoung raised his eyebrows, sticking his index finger inside a hole in the fabric right next to your elbow.

«We’ll buy it.» Wooyoung ended up saying every single time; needless to say, your could feel your heart swell and sink every time. 

Wooyoung was a friend to you, and the amount of trust he had in you was overwhelming; you suspected the fact that he insisted on buying you clothes was also an excuse for talking too much about his crush for San, but you honestly didn’t mind. You weren’t used to any form of affection, and your heart sank at the thought that the day where you had to part from your friends was inexorably getting closer.

Evening arrived fast, and as Wooyoung promised, you saw Hongjoong and the others walk into the small village; immediately, the two of you ran towards your friends which wasted no time and loudly greeted the two of you.

«Are you hurt?» although the question was meant for everyone, your gaze was unwavering from Hongjoong’s, which offered you a smug smile before answering «As if.»

«See? What did I tell you?» Wooyoung smiled brightly at you, as he stood in front of his long-time crush.

«Were you worried about us?» San questioned you, and you nodded briefly, «Were you?» San questioned again, but this time, his eyes were locked on Wooyoung, as if he was the only thing he could see.

«Of course I was not,» Wooyoung scoffed, crossing his arms in front of his chest and adverting his gaze in order to hide the faint blush covering his cheeks at the unexpected question, «hopefully, they beated some common sense in that stupid head of yours.»

«It’s not like I wanted to see your stupid face again.» as if they were child and not full grown boys, San immediately scoffed as well, crossing his arms in front of his chest and adverting his gaze in the opposite direction Wooyoung was looking at.

«I want to fight as well, next time.» you told Hongjoong, and he sighed, as if he could feel the determination burning in your gaze.

«We’ll see about that.» he simply answered, weakly patting your head through the fabric of your hood as he walked past you.

The inn you were staying in was quite large, the expensive wooden furniture decorated the room and made it very welcoming for travelers; although you wanted to spend your night sleeping peacefully in the privacy of your room, your friends literally dragged you towards an unfamiliar building. You couldn’t understand why some of them were so eager to show you that place, but as soon as you found yourself sitting on one of the expensive velvet chairs, you felt like wanting to go home.

There were boys and girls – some way more undressed than the others, expertly walking through the room and lovingly chatting with travelers, not really minding about each other’s personal space.

Despite the hosts’ various body shapes and their various skin colours, you noticed that the common feature they shared was eye catching beauty; there were details in each of them that prevented you from looking away, and you were glad for the fact that your hood was hiding the embarrassment portrayed on your burning cheeks. Needless to say, you didn’t know about the existence of such places, and neither you were sure you wanted to know more about them; you were feeling embarrassed, and you didn’t know what to do.

Sticking to Seonghwa’s side for the most of the night seemed to be the best solution and therefore, you found yourself sitting at a small table next to Seonghwa, Jongho and Mingi.

«What do you mean this is a brothel?» you questioned Mingi, which answered with an amused chuckle at your naivety; you absolutely did not know where you managed to end up, and why did your friends ended up taking you into such a place. 

San and Wooyoung were sitting at the table next to yours, happily chatting with a girl sitting on Wooyoung thighs, Yunho and Yeosang were talking with two different girls at opposite sides of the room, and Hongjoong was nowhere to be seen.

“Wait,” you thought, leaning towards Seonghwa, which was sitting next to you. 

«Where’s Hongjoong?» you asked him, your voice as low as possible; his gaze immediately shifted towards you, a mischievous and surprised smile on his face.  

«He’s with the owner of the brothel» he answered, a sly smile on his lips.

«… Oh!» you said, feeling your cheeks heathen in embarrassment; Seonghwa’s chuckle brought you back to reality.

«Which would be his sister,» he added, «they barely see each other. Plus, we get our informations from here.» at your confused expression, Seonghwa briefly explained that any kind of information the hosts managed to get, always ended up being reported to Hongjoong from his own sister and therefore, stopping at the brothel was pretty much a mandatory routine anytime they were close to the village; Hongjoong would get informations while finally seeing his sister again, and the boys had their own share of fun.

Although you wanted to know more about it in order to get distracted by the environment surrounding you, your words died in your throat as soon as you felt a whiff of extremely pleasant perfume, followed by a sudden weight on your thighs; you tensed up as if you were suddenly made of wood, and your head turned too see a girl smiling curiously at you.

«I see there’s a new entry in your group!» she said, loosely wrapping her arm around your shoulders and turning his gaze to Seonghwa; lavender scent surrounded you and, if only you weren’t panicking, you would have noticed the serious and accomplice look that the girl and Seonghwa exchanged. 

«Oh, little hood, you’re always so lucky!» Mingi whined, and Jongho quietly chuckled at the blonde boy’s reaction, «I wanted to be with Lea, tonight.» he added, pouting. 

«Maybe next time, babyboy.» she winked playfully at him, before suddenly getting up from your lap and making you stand up as well while gently tugging on your wrists.

Lea gently guided you upstairs, walking through a large corridor on which sides were the hosts’ personal rooms; you followed her as if you were under some sort of spell, but in reality, you were honestly panicking because Seonghwa told you that the brothel was the place where they got informations, and you were about to be alone with a host which would have found out you were a girl as well.  The thought that your friends were about to find out about your lie was enough to prevent you from thinking straight.

The faint noise of the door locking behind your shoulders made you swallow a little louder than you meant to, and Lea simply giggled at how tense you were while making her way in order to sit on her bed; although you wanted to curiously glance around the room, you were frozen in place.

«You can relax, I won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with,» Lea broke your tense silence, and you nodded, unsure on what to say, «thinking about it, it’s funny how no one realized you’re a girl, yet.» your head snapped towards her, not quiet believing if she really spoke what you’ve heard or you just had some sort of hallucination caused by the pleasant perfume in the room.

Lea playfully giggled again, shrugging and tilting her head on her left, her hair following the movement; she seemed to lower herself a bit more, as if she could peek under your hood from far away, but eventually, she gave up quickly. 

«I will keep your secret, I promise,» she added, touching her heart as she spoke, «you must have a reason for wanting to hide your identity.» 

Something in her gaze made you visibly relax, and you nodded at her, mumbling a quiet, «thank you.» it was a weird feeling, hearing your own voice while not forcing it to come out a little rougher, and it was definitely not unpleasant. 

«Come here, let’s have a girls night!» Lea smiled widely, repeatedly patting the space on the bed next to her; you nodded again, before eventually walking towards the bed and sitting on the soft mattress next to her. You were completely aware about the fact that Lea was going to ask you to take off your hood, and therefore, you brought your hands upwards, hesitantly touching its fabric before pulling it back; the hood was now resting on your shoulders, and for the first time in months, you let someone else see your face. 

«You’re so pretty,» Lea cooed, her fingers instinctively touching your cheeks with a faint touch, «okay, here’s what we’re going to do: you can wash up using my personal bathroom, and then I’ll do… something to your hair.» she mumbled the last part, leaning in to brush a hand through it.

Now, if someone were to tell you that one day you’d spent a night at a brothel, your eyes would have popped out of their sockets in shock; moreover, if someone were to tell you that you would have had fun, you would have probably asked the poor person if they happened to hit their head a bit too roughly.

However, there you were, sitting at Lea’s boudoir as she was gently combing your wet hair while gently massaging your scalp and tell you a lot of stories as your gaze repeatedly met through the mirror in front of you; although you were reluctant to talk about yourself, Lea never forced the topic. You were genuinely unable to describe the feeling of openly behaving like a girl for the first time in a long time, and moreover, you were unable to describe the feeling lighting up your soul at the fact that someone was taking care of you; aside for your mother, not one had ever treated you so kindly and therefore, there was something in Lea’s gentle touch that made yo want to cry every now and then.

Lea was a gorgeous girl, she was funny, smart, and her gaze went from mischievous to extremely sweet in a short matter of time; her beauty was easily intimidating, and you wondered if you could have the same effect on someone as well.

«I’m telling you, he tried to kiss me!» Lea said, carefully braiding your hair for the night; she seemed outraged, and you furrowed your brows in confusion.

«You don’t… kiss people?» you questioned, clearly unfamiliar with the situation and completely oblivious to the world of sex.

Lea’s expression visibly softened and eventually, she shook her head with a nostalgic smile; you could see her eyebrows delicately furrow as if she was lost in thoughts, and you were about to excuse yourself for such an indiscreet question.

«The only man I’ve ever kissed was my husband,» Lea said, her voice was gentler, and the love she felt for him was something you could definitely see in her eyes, «no other man has ever been able to make me forget about him.» with a sigh, she placed the comb she used to brush your hair on the boudoir, before gesturing to you to follow her on the bed; as the two of you sat cross legged in front of each other, you never expected her to open up to you – since you were basically a stranger, but eventually, she did.

«My husband was a child of Water,» she said, her gaze unfocused and a sad smile plastered on her lips, «we got married few months after we started dating, clearly too in love with each other, until one day, the Disciples showed up in our village, taking him and the others.» you knew where her story was leading, and you felt your heart clench, «I’ve never seen him again.»

Unconsciously, your hand reached on top of hers, and she immediately looked at you with a somewhat grateful expression; it was as if she felt relieved about talking about such a delicate matter after a long time. Lea told you that she ran away from the village in seek of help to rescue his husband, but eventually, she ended up meeting Hongjoong’s sister, which offered her a home.

«I don’t think my husband would be proud of me for doing this,» Lea confessed with a breathless chuckle, «but this nightmare has to end, and I’d do everything to help Hongjoong and the others to destroy Serendia Shrine once and for all.»

“So, we have the same objective in mind,” you thought. Although you and Lea kept talking for the most of the night, you’ve never brought yourself to ask her a description of her husband; you were more than certain that he had died, but you didn’t want to be the bearer of such a heartbreaking news, even if Lea was pretty much sure about his husband’s death.

The two of you were now laying on your sides facing each other on her wide and soft mattress, with a warm blanket was sprawled on top of the two of you.

«Part of me will never stop waiting for him.» she timidly confessed in a whisper, before eventually, the room fell into silence.

It was definitely not an uncomfortable silence, and secretly, you were glad about Lea being the host that stole you away from your friends; you didn’t want to imagine what would have happened in other situations.  However, the whirlwind of thoughts occupying your head seemed to head in a single, well defined destination.  

«Lea?» you mumbled, timidly calling out for her; she tiredly hummed in answer, and you shyly continued, «what does it feel to kiss someone?»

«Oh, godness!» Lea took a deep intake of breath, suddenly seeming completely awake, «you’ve never kissed anyone?» she curiously wondered, and you shook your head against her lavender scented cushions; the more she kept silent, the more stupid you felt for asking such a question.

«I guess, if you kiss someone you love, it’s somewhat the best feeling in the world,» Lea answered, carefully choosing her words, «otherwise, it’s just… pleasant.» you kept silent, trying to elaborate her words and wondering why did your mind ended up wandering towards Hongjoong every single time. 

«Do you want to try?» Lea questioned, barely above a whisper, and you were sure that if your heart was beating a bit louder you wouldn’t have heard it. 

«What?!» you shrieked, the peaceful silence of the room now long forgotten, «what about your husband?» you added, your voice once again a timid whisper, a neat contrast to your racing heart. 

«We can try, if you want.» you saw her smile thanks to the few candles illuminating the room; you don’t know what exactly came over you, but you agreed.

That’s pretty much how you found yourself once again sitting in front of Lea, which was constantly reminding you to relax with an amused voice; the kiss was brief and sweet, Lea’s lips were patiently moving against yours, as if to somehow give you silent tips on how to move and what to do.

Both her hands gently cupped your jaw, and as you tilted your head in order to deepen the kiss, you felt her smile against your lips; instinctively, one of your hands reached out to touch her thigh, while the other gently cupped her cheek as well. The kiss was soft, gentle, affectionate; there were no deep feelings between the two of you, there was no love if not a friendly affection and yet, in your inexperience, you enjoyed it. 

«Your first kiss is mine!» she giggled, wriggling her fingers while gesturing the motion to lean forward in order to tickle you, the pureness of her action immediately making you giggle as well. 

That night, if your dreams were composed about kisses and a handsome boy with faint red hair, was a secret for only you to know.

In the morning, Lea hugged you tight, giving you few tips on how to fix the bandage around your chest so that it wouldn’t hurt too much.

«I don’t know what your goal is,» she said, tightening her grip around your hands, «but good luck.» you immediately thanked her with a big and relieved smile, before eventually dressing up with the clothes that Wooyoung had bought you, noticing that they were perfectly fitting. Before leaving the room, Lea pecked your lips again with a gentleness that was definitely unfamiliar to you, and then she shortly placed her forehead against yours, quietly mumbling a soft, «please, be careful.»

«Lea?» Hongjoong questioned as soon as he helped you climb on his horse; you nodded, fixing your brand new clothes.

«How…?» you were meant to ask how did he understand, but he chuckled before you could finish your question.

«I’m pretty sure your whole body smells of lavender.» Hongjoong simply added with a smile while lifting his left eyebrow, and you felt your cheeks heaten once again.

Although you wanted to learn more about his thoughts on the matter, you kept quiet, figuring out that why would he mind the fact that you spent the night with someone – even though nothing happened, when he didn’t even know you were a girl?

However, the fact that Hongjoong’s grip on your waist was a little tighter would have been an answer to your doubt, if only you had paid attention.

The more you moved farther from the village, the more your soul grew restless; apparently, Hongjoong had been informed about the fact that part of the way you were supposed to go, was invaded by a storm of cruel harpies blindly attacking people. You proceeded slowly, the main fear was that the horses might freak out because of the fear caused by the loud screeches. From what you knew – more like from what Yunho and Yeosang had been explaining, harpies were social creatures and usually, their behaviour usually was not hostile towards humans.

Harpies were also extremely loyal to their leader, and most importantly, they had their own language that was incomprehensible and extremely disturbing to humans, and did not it meet the standards of actual speech from the human perspective. Harpies were born with feathers as black as coal, that eventually would change their colour as they grew older; the whiter their feathers, the older the harpy. 

The wooded paths gradually opened up to make room for the rocks and the few trees characteristic of the hilly areas that preceded the part of the mountain that you should have coasted and the more you went on, the more you could hear the tranquil silence being interrupted by loud and bloodcurdling screeches; in the distance, you could see the outline of countless harpies flying in the sky. Behind you, you could easily feel that Hongjoong was tense, and his grip on the reigns was incredibly tight; anytime the harpies screeched, your friends clutched at their ears in order to muffle the disturbing noise, while you had to pretend to be under the same effect, not completely understanding why you were immune to that.

What definitely made you consider the option you were going crazy was the moment when you were forced to pass by a soldier attached by a lone harpy; he was lying on the ground, partially leaning against a rock, while restlessly moving his sword towards the sky, in the vane attempt to neutralise the harpy’s furious attacks.

«Leave, you monster!» the soldier shouted, and the harpy aggressively clawed at his wrist, disarming him in a quick movement.

«You stole from us! Humans attacked us first!» the fact that you heard proper words instead of repetitive screeches like your friends did, made you tense up.

Was it something wrong with you? Why the others seemed to be terribly influenced by the harpy’s screech while you were not? 

«It’s okay.» Hongjoong mumbled, resting his left hand on your thigh while gently moving his thumb in a slow and reassuring movement; you were glad for his concern, although the two of you were worried about two completely different things.

Eventually, Hongjoong and the others urged their horse to move faster since no one wanted to fight a group of furious harpies, and you were left alone with your thoughts.

The rocky path became increasingly narrow, and for a good part you were forced to dismount and continue on foot, while the horses followed by inertia by the grip you had on the reigns; luckily, you didn’t meet any more harpies, as the path you should have walked deviated and prevented you from meeting any more of them. A descent before a crossroads presented itself to you as a metaphorical choice of your own destiny; laying with her back against the rocky wall, there was a harpy, weakly hissing and screeching in pain as a long arrow was perforating her stomach. The harpy visibly panicked as soon as she saw your group approaching, probably thinking that you came back in order to definitely kill her.

«Seonghwa…» Hongjoong mumbled, his gaze locked on the writhing creature on the ground; Seonghwa immediately complied to that silent order, lifting his hand in order to grab his bow.

«Wait!» both you and Yeosang said in unison, but between the two, only you brought yourself to walk closer to her and therefore, ignoring Hongjoong’s order to come back.

The harpy was writhing on the floor, hissing and screeching in pain as she was glancing at you with an unfocused gaze; you furrowed your brows in a silent wonder about her injuries, while approaching her with slow steps in order not to scare her, and making sure she could always see your movements. The boys curiously glanced at each other, ready to attack her if she ever tried something hostile towards you, but among them, only Yunho and Yeosang shared the same, suspicious look.

«It’s curious…» Yeosang started, his voice only for Yunho to hear, «… Harpies don’t let men get so close to them.» however, their discourse immediately stopped as they saw you kneel in front of the harpy, which was still looking at you with an unfocused gaze.

«The arrow, it’s poisoned.» you heard her say; it was a simple, weak mumble, and you immediately glanced at your companions, but judging by their expressions they couldn’t either hear her, or understand her words, «Please, sister, end my suffering, kill me.» she pleaded but you shook your head, horrified at her request.

«Who did this to you?» you whispered back, leaning closer to inspect her wound further, and in order not to let the others hear you.

«Humans,» she immediately whined, «they attacked us, they invaded our territories.» Somehow you understood the fury of the harpy you saw earlier.

«Please, forgive me for this.» you whispered only for her to hear, and before she could answer, you snapped the arrow in two and extracted it from the wound as carefully as you could. Her screech of pain made your heart clench, Hongjoong instinctively stepped closer to you but Yeosang stopped him, seeing that you immediately started casting a healing spell on her wound, your eyes flashing golden as you were using basic magic, ignoring Hongjoong’s pissed off question about what were you doing.

The harpy eventually lost her senses, but the wound was completely healed; you were aware about the fact that you had used a lot of magic and so, you weren’t surprised about your head spinning as soon as you tried to stand up on wobbly and weak legs.

Nonetheless, you kneeled, fatiguely picking up the passed out harpy, before turning to your companions while trying not to pass out as well.

«Are we,» you coughed, once again forcing your voice to come out a little rougher, but you were so tired you found it honestly difficult, «can we stop to the harpies’ nest or I have to go alone?»

Hongjoong’s exasperated sigh was the only answer you received, while the others looked at you as if you’ve just effortlessly tamed a wild beast in front of their own eyes; Jongho was quick to walk in your direction, helping you carrying the harpy towards the horses since he saw you struggling to stand up.

«Take my horse,» San quickly told you, «I’ll ride with Wooyoung.» you nodded at him, thankful for his offer.

Despite the fact that you could now somehow ride a horse by yourself, Hongjoong was riding in front of you while holding the reigns of San’s horse as well, leaving you the only task to avoid to fall off the horse. 

It was the first time you weren’t riding with Hongjoong on his horse and, as much as it confused you, you missed the sensation of his chest pressed against your back.

Forced to go back, you found yourself wandering through narrow and rocky paths, but in the same moment your horses started to lead towards the harpies’ nest direction, you realized that it wasn’t probably the best decision; what looked like a small storm of twenty harpies immediately started to fly above you in a threatening manner, but the harpy in front of you was quick to call out to them.

«She saved me!» she quickly screeched to the storm, forcing your friends to cover their ears in pain, «They’re my saviours!» you heard her add, and from that moment, the harpies eventually started to land, sitting on various ledges on the rocky walls while studying your group with a menacing gaze plastered on their human features; you had to admit that trotting your way into a harpies’ nest while some of them were staring at your group of friends ready to come for their head made you really scared. 

However, at some point, they all jumped in front of you, blocking your path.

«You have to come alone,» the harpy explained, «men can’t meet the Queen.» you nodded at her, before dismounting from your horse and hesitantly turning to your friends.

«Please, wait for me here. I’m the one who saved her, I don’t want to expose you to further danger; I’ll be back!» you quickly said, avoiding to explain why you were the only one who could understand her and eventually walking towards the harpies blocking your path before they could answer you. 

With incredulous eyes, your friends watched as the harpies made enough space only for you and your new friend to walk through, before resuming their action of staring at them.

«Makes sense, he saved her.» San shrugged, and Wooyoung nodded at him.

«Hopefully he won’t take long, they’re giving me the creeps.» Mingi commented.

Yeosang and Yunho simply glanced at each other, as for Jongho, Seonghwa and Hongjoong, they watched your figure disappearing with worry filling their hearts.

The road was uphill and increasingly sloping; the side the road was decorated with helmets and various remains of armour, carcasses, corpses. As you approached the top of the mountain, there were only nests on either side of the path; they were well organized, some full of eggs, some others carefully watched by some harpies. What you couldn’t understand, was the fact that despite it was full of harpies, no one of them ever tried to attack you; some of them didn’t mind the fact that you were passing by, but some other actually acknowledged you, offering you a smile with their delicate human features.

As you were walking on the path which led you even higher on the mountain, the harpy you had saved begun to explain about the sudden war they were forced to face; after years of peace, humans suddenly and inexplicably invaded part of the harpies’ nest, killing everyone they met n their way, with the sudden goal to expanse their territories.

«Humans have always been greedy, haven't them?» you found yourself saying, even thought you couldn’t understand your own words.

On top of the mountain, a small clearing opened in front of you; the rocks seemed to have flattened out, some horizontally, others in pointed diagonal spikes. Some trees also had managed to grow despite the altitude.

«Well, well. Finally, my immortal eyes see something different.» a voice above you made your head snap towards its direction; it was indefinable with human words due to its beauty; it was gentle and yet authoritative, otherworldly, almost ethereal.

A harpy – way much bigger than the others, stood tall on top of a tree which resembled a throne, her feathers white and the human part of her body had skin as white as snow, a mask resembling a bird’s beak covered her eyes and part of her human features, while white feathers as pure as snow framed her features as if it were her hair, making her look both threatening and ethereal.

«I am Karanda, the Queen of Harpies, and the Goddess of Air.» she addressed you in a polite and gentle way, and you immediately bowed to her.

«I am honored to meet you-»

«No, human, I am the one who should bow to you.» she gracefully tilted her head in a hint of a bow, action which was immediately mimicked by the few harpies standing around you taking you by surprise. you swallowed nervously, not bringing yourself to meet their gaze despite the fact that you were indeed the hero of the day.

Honestly, you were starting to doubt you were actually living a very vivid daydream instead of real life; from what you've been told, the cases of children of Nature meeting one of the deities were extremely rare, and most importantly, these meetings always had a purpose.

«Young witch, what you have shown is but a glimpse of what you will be. I will not forget your clemency, and I am sure our paths will cross again.» you couldn’t bring yourself to answer to her; her presence was overwhelming and on top of all, she said she was the Goddess of Air, could she somehow be related to you?

Her utter beauty and how ethereal and powerful she looked left you stunned, and you could only look at her – admire her, which eventually laughed, and snapped you out of your thoughts.

«Let me ask you, though, why is a one of my daughters travelling undercover with men?» you could see her smile under her gracious mask, and you petrified.

“Daughter? Wait, how did she know my friends don't know about my identity?” your head started to spin due to how many questions you wanted to ask her, but you easily figured out that, since she was a Goddess, it might have been an easily obtained information for her.

The Queen’s voice softened, explaining herself further by saying that harpies would rather die instead of letting men help them; you attentively listened to her words, hoping that no one in your group of friends knew about this.

«You are the first of my human daughters I meet in a long, long time and therefore, let me tell you something about your future,» she waved her clawed hand, generating a small agglomerate of white energy – it resembled a sphere, but it was almost translucent; despite you couldn’t bring yourself to look at it for long due to its brightness, she looked into it as if it was a book, before making it disappear in a tight fist with a knowing smile, «how small you are, for such a great destiny.» she shook her head, a hint of sadness tainting her ethereal voice.

Immediately, your heart picked up pace, «You know about my mission?» you questioned, and she nodded, «Am I going to…» “die?” you simply thought the last part, unable to finish your own question.

«I can’t tell you this, but let me tell you something else you might find interesting,» Karanda tilted her head, giggling to herself while mumbling a quiet «that Garmoth fooled me again.» 

«Your soulmate is a child of Fire.» she announced, carefully studying your reaction; you tilted your head in confusion, furrowing your eyebrows.

«Soulmate?» you questioned; you’ve never heard anyone talk about the topic, “maybe I should ask Yeosang,” you thought, “but why should it be so important for me?”

«You’re travelling with him.» you heard Karanda add, as it it could have been a clue, «However, I can’t tell you much more than this, but since you saved one of us, we’re all in your debt. Whether in danger, don’t be afraid to call for us.»

«How do I do that?» you questioned, wondering how could they hear your call if you were on the other side of the world.

The Queen smiled tenderly – almost motherly, and effortlessly ripped a feather from her arm, which immediately crafted itself into a small, neat and beautiful necklace; you instinctively opened your hands, accepting the gift which flew to you gently carried by a faint breeze.

«For a start, never take this off, and you’ll figure out the rest in due time.» Karanda nodded at you, and somehow, you had the feeling that your meeting was over; there were many things you wanted to ask her, however, your thoughts were a whirlwind of confused words and therefore, you followed your new friend on the way back towards your friends, as you immediately wore the necklace Karanda gave you and carefully hid it under your shirt.

«Why did it take you so long?» Jongho screamed as he saw you walk out the makeshift barrier of harpies that have been silently staring at them for the whole time; you jogged towards them, apologising for the wait. San was now back on his horse, so you instantly walked towards Hongjoong, which effortlessly helped you up.

«Could we please leave? I’m starting to feel like tonight’s special dessert.» Yunho politely asked, somehow lighting up the mood and immediately, you urged your horses to walk away from the harpies’ nest.

«Are you okay?» Hongjoong mumbled, trying to avoid the fact that he had acted incredibly concerned until few minutes before you eventually returned; he saw your cape moving in a silent nod, «Then, that’s what matters.»

Once again, you felt your cheeks heaten, your brain acknowledging the comforting warmth emitting from Hongjoong’s body.

“Your soulmate is a son of fire,” Karanda had said, “could he be…?”

CHAPTER V

«So, little hood…» Yeosang’s voice momentarily trailed off, as he manoeuvred his horse so that he could ride right next to you and Hongjoong, «what happened at the harpies’ ridge?»

“Not again,” you thought, furrowing your eyebrows for a brief moment; although you already explained to your friends what happened, Yeosang seemed particularly curious, almost suspicious of what you referred to them. 

«She showed me her hatched eggs,» you repeated yet another time the excuse you came up with, «apparently, she just became a mom, I couldn’t understand anything else - you know, she screeched a lot.»

If you had to be honest with yourself, your version of the events seemed to scream “I’m absolutely lying, and I have no idea about how to come up with a believable excuse” from every syllable you pronounced each time someone asked what happened, but no one ever tried to inquiry any further; Yeosang, however, was the only one who found the whole episode incredibly odd. He had read an incredible amount of books, but in none of them he had ever found even a hint about harpies’ friendly behaviour towards humans, although they were not hostile towards them; on top of that, harpies loathed men, so it was incredibly strange how an entire flock of harpies had allowed you so easily to wander free in their territory, especially because they were very territorial.

«Leave him alone, Yeosang, each one of us has a secret.» unexpectedly, Hongjoong’s authoritative tone prevented Yeosang from asking any more questions; you quickly thanked the young leader, even thought you were unsure about why he decided to intervene so suddenly, «It’s okay, plus, it wouldn’t be wise for you to turn against us.» Hongjoong simply answered, and you nodded, not that you were planning any of the sort. 

Few days went on like this, and you found yourself growing curious towards what Hongjoong had said; what secrets were they hiding?

“I don’t like to hide things from you… but we’ll eventually tell you.” Wooyoung had told you at the village, and deep down, you knew you could trust him.  However, sadly, you didn’t have enough time to completely gain their trust. 

Even thought you were incredibly grateful towards all of them for all the things they patiently taught you every day, you knew you were running short on time in order to complete your lonely mission. Each day you could feel yourself growing attached to them – to someone in particular, and each single day, the idea of running away in the middle of the night had been postponed to the following day, and so on. 

This is why, the moment you realized you were close enough to the territories that led to the Serendia Shrine, you decided that you would have given yourself two days and two nights; as soon as the full moon would shine bright in the sky, you would have used your turn to keep watch in order to run away. To say that you felt incredibly guilty for running away like a coward was an understatement but, you didn’t know how to act otherwise; informing them about your plan of destroying the Serendia Shrine meant putting them at risk as well, and you didn’t want for it to happen. 

During the weeks you spent with them, they had treated you as if you were one of them and therefore, you were convinced that the only way to protect your only friends was to walk away from them without leaving any trace behind you, just like a night summer breeze.

«Hey, little hood?» Yeosang gently nudged his elbow against yours in a gentle but firm movement, and you immediately snapped out of your thoughts; you turned your head towards his direction, noticing that he was looking at you with furrowed brows, «Why are you so distracted today?» he asked, his attention once again claimed by the numerous colourful bottles and ampoules neatly placed on the small table in front of the two of you.

Yeosang was an alchemist and so, he had the habit of carrying along with himself a big backpack filled with all sort of ingredients he might have needed to enchant his friends’ weapons; thanks to alchemy stones, he could nullify the weight of his tools and therefore, this explained how he managed to carry along with him a small wooden coffee table. 

«Oh, it’s nothing,» you answered, your attention going back on the wooden mortar and pestle in your lap; the two of you were sitting next to each other on the soft grass, your legs crossed and your elbows occasionally bumping against each other as Yeosang carefully and patiently explained to you step by step what he was doing. 

«Why are you so determined to teach me alchemy’s secrets?» you gently questioned him, weakly stirring the light blue powder in your mortar, admiring the reflections that under the sun almost seemed luminescent; Yeosang shrugged, before exhaling a long sigh and tilting his head towards the direction where the others were organizing the small camp for the following few days. 

«Mingi and Yunho are the only ones that showed interest towards alchemy, and so I taught them as well,» Yeosang shook his head, gently dishevelling his blonde hair, «I know you’re hiding something big, little hood, but I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. Alchemy could be a great help during unexpected situations, and I want you to get even better than me.» you found yourself nodding with a sad smile, as your eyes trailed from Yeosang’s profile to the small boiling cauldron in front of the two of you.

One night remained to the full moon. 

Although you kept meticulously following Yeosang’s instructions about what you had to do, you just couldn’t keep concentrated, and if the whirlwind of thoughts running wild in your mind wasn’t confusing enough, Karanda’s words kept coming up every now and then; she said that you were travelling with your soulmate but… What could it mean? What is a soulmate? Moreover, why did she found the information so important? 

Glancing to your right, Yeosang’s focused expression as he was reading a formula met your gaze and instinctively, you called out for him, which mumbled absently as a silent request to go on with what you wanted to say.

«What’s a soulmate?» you questioned, and Yeosang’s head immediately snapped towards you; his eyes were wide with stupor, and his lips were slightly parted; you were glad he couldn’t properly see your face because you suddenly felt embarrassed.  What exactly did you ask for?

«Where did you hear that?» Yeosang’s lips turned upwards in a sly and curious smile. 

«At the village; some people were talking about it.» you quickly came up with an excuse, and Yeosang nodded, believing you; he placed his mortar on the small wooden table, as if he was looking for the right words to explain such an intricate concept as simply as he could. 

«A soulmate is… someone you love unconditionally with all your heart,» Yeosang said, «a lot of books talk about this topic; apparently, a soulmate is like a missing piece completing your life, someone you can unconditionally trust, forgive, love, grow old with. Some say the bond between soulmates is so strong that they will inevitably find each other life after life.» you curiously listened to Yeosang’s explanation, wondering if you would ever been capable to feel like he said; needless to say, you have never loved anyone in your life, you didn’t even know if you were capable of it.

Karanda said that you and your soulmate were travelling together, but who could it be? You didn’t feel in any special way towards anyone, after all. From what Yeosang had told you, soulmates’ bodies reacts along to the bond, and therefore, if their soulmate were not near them, they would feel different, almost as if they were missing something.

“I don’t feel like that towards anyone,” you thought, but before you could mentally add that Karanda might have been wrong, a very familiar sensation re-appeared in your mind; few days earlier, when you and the harpy were riding San’s horse, you distinctly felt like missing Hongjoong’s warmth.

“I’m sure it’s just a coincidence,” you quickly brushed away your own thoughts, unwilling to start seeing your friend in a different light; after all, he didn’t even know you were a girl.

«Oh, I forgot one of the ingredients,» Yeosang suddenly said, «go on with creating the gem, I’ll be back soon. I think I left it in my saddleback.» before you could say anything, Yeosang had quickly stood up and started walking towards the others’ direction.

«You never taught me how to create that enchantment stone…» you whispered to yourself, and your shoulders fell for a brief moment; with a groan, you re-arranged your position, so that you were on your knees and you were balancing your weight on your calves in order to look for the gem’s recipe in Yeosang’s alchemy book.

However, despite the fact that you spent endless minutes leafing through the pages, you didn’t find anything that could help you and so, you settled for stir a little more vigorously the light blue almost luminescent powder in your mortar.

Unbeknownst to you, Yeosang didn’t forget anything; he had been studying alchemy since he was young, so the possibilities of him forgetting some ingredients were almost non-existent. However, if you were confused about your own feelings, Yeosang was confused about your whole being. He didn’t fail to notice how you and Hongjoong seemed to get along differently – although sometimes you kept bickering over stupid things, and he had few theories about which he was eager to find out the truth.

«Where’s little hood?» Hongjoong asked as soon as he saw his friend sitting next to Mingi, and Yeosang had to refrain himself from scoffing.

«He’s creating some enchanted stones, but I think he’s having some troubles,» Yeosang said, furrowing his brows and carefully studying his leader’s reactions, «could you check up on him?» Hongjoong sighed, but eventually nodded.

Hongjoong finished his task to start a fire and eventually walked off, unaware about the fact that Yeosang was going to follow him, settling for keeping a safe distance behind a large oak tree.  

«Need some help?» Hongjoong’s voice called out, and you nodded as you watched him walk towards you, before crouching down on the empty spot left by Yeosang.

«I would appreciate it,» you admitted with your eyebrows furrowed, «Yeosang asked me to create some “essence of enchantment”, but he never explained me how I’m supposed to do it in the first place.» Hongjoong gently smiled hearing your words, and eventually, properly sat down next to you, reaching out to grab Yeosang’s heavy recipes book and bring it on his lap.

«I have very little memories on Yeosang’s alchemy lessons,» Hongjoong mumbled, his gaze quickly scanning the pages as he leafed through them; once again, the question about what happened to his right eye was on the tip of your tongue but this time, you realized too late that you were voicing your own thoughts. Hongjoong’s fingers momentarily stopped, before eventually, they started moving again; you held your breath, feeling guilty and completely aware about how rude you have just been.

«Uh, let’s just say it’s a reminder.» Hongjoong shrugged, once again busy with his research; to be honest, he wasn’t angry at your curiosity but rather, he was surprised about the fact that you didn’t ask earlier. However, before you could ask any further, Hongjoong happily said that he had found the recipe, «It doesn’t look too complicated…» he said, before the two of you started working again.

For a start, Hongjoong manage to steal the mortar and pestle from your hands, leaving you to add various ingredients he named in the still boiling cauldron; once again, you felt weird feelings creeping in your heart and a weird sensation tingling in your stomach as the two of you were making conversation.

«What do you mean you don’t know how to weigh ash sap?» Hongjoong questioned you with an exasperated sigh as he kept mixing the ingredients in the mortar, «little hood, did you live under a rock?»

«Where did you learn your manners, among rogues?» you immediately retorted, hitting his shoulder using the small towel you used to clean the colourful bottles on the small table. Hongjoong rolled his eyes while lifting his eyebrows in the attempt to hide a smile, before handing you the mortar and pestle for a brief moment; as soon as your hands met the wooden material, you couldn’t help but notice how incredibly warm the wood was in that moment, contrarily to when you were holding it.  Hongjoong briefly explained you how to weigh most of alchemy’s ingredients, and you tried to pay as much attention as you could.

«What are you doing here?» Seonghwa questioned Yeosang – still hiding behind a tree, and the blonde boy immediately brushed his question off while quickly shaking his hand in mid-air.

«Alchemy.» Yeosang simply answered, and Seonghwa furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, leaning over his friend’s shoulder in order to see what he was so intensely looking at.

Hongjoong was laughing, reaching out with his fingertips - dirty with some alchemy powder, towards you while trying to dirt your face as well; you, however, were repeatedly brushing his hand away with one of the small towels placed on the small table, preventing his fingertips to reach underneath your hood. «I think our leader has a soft spot for our new entry,» Yeosang mumbled, and Seonghwa nodded with a gentle smile, even though his friend couldn’t see him.

«I have a theory,» Yeosang briefly glanced at Seonghwa, as he watched with a faint horrified expression the two of you putting the ingredients on the cauldron in the wrong order, «I think little hood is a girl.»

Now, Seonghwa was glad about the fact that Yeosang couldn’t see him, otherwise, his eyes widening comically wide would have made him immediately understood his theory was right.

«What if he was?» Seonghwa questioned, trying to sound oblivious.

«I honestly don’t care about such trivial things,» Yeosang immediately shook his head, and Seonghwa immediately felt relieved, «It’s nice to see Hongjoong so relaxed, since… well, you know.»

Although Seonghwa didn’t answer, he found himself silently agreeing with Yeosang, his eyes fixed on the eyepatch that his long-time friend kept on his right eye.

«I think something’s wrong.» Hongjoong mumbled, scratching his nape and continuously glancing towards the cauldron while re-reading the recipe; apparently, the cloud of smoke and white steam that suddenly started to come out of the boiling pot in order to immediately fall to the ground was not expected.

As the boiling noise started to become louder, you and Hongjoong quickly glanced at each other before abruptly standing up and quickly running towards the same direction; the cortex of a thin maple tree was definitely not the best choice for a shield, but the both of you quickly decided to run behind it, considering the distance between the tree and the cauldron reassuring enough.

«What if it explodes?» you wondered as the could of white smoke seemed to thicken.

«We’ll never gonna hear the end of it,» Hongjoong immediately answered, «Yeosang is going to be so mad.»

The seconds spent staring at the cauldron – waiting for it to explode, seemed to last for small eternities when finally, the smoke slowly began to dissolve; eventually, you and Hongjoong decided to walk towards it, ready to run away from it once again if you saw something you didn’t like. However, a bright purple stone was floating in the boiling water, and you instinctively clapped your hands in front of your mouth.

«We did it?» you asked excitedly, watching Hongjoong crouch down and gently move the stone using the pliers placed on the table.

«Seems like it.» Hongjoong confirmed with the same tone.

Apparently, the two of you found the situation so paradoxical that you couldn’t help but erupt into a soft streak of giggles; for the first time, you forgot to force your voice to come out a little rougher, and as you laughed together, Hongjoong thought that he had never heard such a beautiful sound.

«Amateurs,» Yeosang shook his head from where he stood, and Seonghwa snorted.

On the last day you were supposed to spend with your friends, you couldn’t understand where did the terrible feeling creeping in your soul come from.

Although you’ve been feeling uneasy since you woke up, you tried your best not to alert anyone else, deducing that you were feeling anxious about the fact that you had to part from them in few hours. Since for the day you weren’t supposed to move from your momentary camping spot, you had enough time to get a little more familiar with your surroundings and therefore, to come up with an untraceable path; after all, you were a daughter of air and you could have simply used magic in order to expertly move the fallen leaves in order to cover your traces.

Eventually, Wooyoung proven to be a great distraction since - around the middle of the morning, announced that you and him were in charge of hunting for lunch.

«I believe it’s the best time to tell you I do not know how to hunt.» you confessed, but your friend simply laughed.

«It’s not difficult, I’ll teach you!» he lively answered, wrapping his arm around your shoulders as he always did, and you felt incredibly grateful about the fact that his enthusiasm – along with his laughter, was always incredibly contagious.

The remaining part of the morning consisted in Wooyoung placing traps in few different spots, before carefully teaching you how to correctly tie a rope.

«I’m sorry I haven’t been sleeping next to you these nights.» Wooyoung abruptly confessed, and you simply stared at him with a confused expression; you were the first one sneaking out from your blanket in order to go and talk with Hongjoong anytime you had a nightmare, so what was he sorry for, exactly?

«I miss you,» you confessed, «falling asleep while you talk about San had always prevented me from having nightmares.» you teased, and he lowered the rope he was tying with a dramatic move which made you smile, «aren’t you sleeping next to him now?» you questioned him, recalling that during the times you were keeping watch, you always saw them sleeping next to each other.

«He almost kissed me last night.» Wooyoung admitted, shyly; you could see his cheeks heathen, and you found him adorable, «he never tried to kiss me, aside from when we’re at the brothel.»

“Wait-”

«What?» you asked, thankful for the hood hiding your eyes as wide as the moon, «Aren’t you supposed to spend the night with one of the hosts?»

«Well… We… We share.» Wooyoung answered while scratching his nape, feeling incredibly small under your gaze – although he couldn’t see it.

«What… What do you mean…» you mumbled; you weren’t sure your words were intended to form an actual question. Wooyoung and San spent the night with the same person, and you absolutely did not want to know anything about it.

«It means that-»

«No.» your hand flew in front of your friend’s mouth, which immediately laughed at your reaction.

«I promise you, it’s fun-» Wooyoung tried to say, although your hand muffled his voice; however, you interrupted him again.

«I swear, I’ll find a way to shut you up using those ropes.» you added, noticing how Wooyoung’s fun was increasing as you continued to talk.

«Well, that’s something we do-»

«Wooyoung!» you half shrieked, half laughed due to your embarrassment.

«Okay, okay, I’m sorry.» he chuckled, lifting his hands in defeat. Luck was on your side, since few moments later, two hares decided to jump straight in Wooyoung’s traps.

As the two of you were carefully walking your way back towards your friends, you felt once again that terrible feeling but this time, it was as if it was preventing you to move forwards; noticing your sudden discomfort, Wooyoung gently placed a hand on your elbow, but before he could question you, a loud and hostile chatter immediately claimed your attention.

Although you couldn’t make out what they were talking about, it was clear that the noises came from where your friends were, and as you looked once again towards Wooyoung, you saw his jaw tense.

«Let’s go.» Wooyoung whispered, before carefully hanging the hares the two of you had captured to one of the nearest branches; the two of you walked closer to your friends as quietly as you could, taking shield behind a large oak tree.

As your eyes studied the horrifying situation in front of you, your heart started to hammer in your chest and you started to feel dizzy; Hongjoong and the others were tied up together with enchanted ropes and therefore, they could absolutely neither move, nor use any kind of magic.

In front of them stood ten men wearing very familiar black vests adorned with red details, and the fact that you could immediately recognize their uniform made your skin crawl in both fear and rage. They were, without any doubts, Disciples of the Serendia Shrine.

Glancing at Wooyoung, you felt petrified, unsure on what to do; there were ten of them, meaning that you and Wooyoung were outnumbered. How could you help your friends? Nevertheless, most importantly, were you strong enough to do that? As if you were having a silent conversation, Wooyoung nodded at you with his jaw tightly clenched as he slowly reached for the short dagger in his boot since he did not carry his bow along with himself during the hunt; you did the same, tightly gripping to the dagger hanging on your left thigh.

In the same moment you glanced back to your friends, any of the doubts forming in your head disappeared as you saw a sword lifting Hongjoong’s chin, and immediately, you and Wooyoung walked out from your hiding spot.

Thankfully, the fact that San taught you enough dishonest tricks on how to take down your opponent during a fight came in hand, and with a quick move, you managed to kick away the sword of the Disciple standing closer to you and stab him in the neck, his lifeless corpse falling at your feet. With a quick glance, you saw that Wooyoung had managed to kill the Disciple that was pointing a sword to Hongjoong and you immediately, inexplicably, felt relieved. As you and Wooyoung stood almost protectively in front of your friends ignoring their requests to run away; you were completely aware about the fact that you managed to kill two of them thanks to the surprise element, but you were also aware about the fact that elemental magic was something they did not possess.

The fact that they could only rely on magic crystal made them weaker than you were, since magic crystal possessed a limited quantitative of magic. Although the lives of your friends were completely in your hands, you tried your best in order to fight them without exposing yourself; with fatigue you and Wooyoung managed to take down other two Disciples, meaning that only six of them were remaining.

“We can win,” you thought, motivating yourself as you were facing yet another Disciple. Stupidly, you were so distracted with focusing on your opponent that you didn’t properly realized that the Disciples weren’t using magic crystals, and therefore, your hopes immediately faded from your heart as soon as you heard Wooyoung’s loud cry of pain. Dread tightly gripped your heart as you feared the worst, and you shortly adverted your attention from your opponent just to see that your friend was laying on the ground; Wooyoung was desperately clutching at his head, writhing in pain as one of the Disciples was pointing a magic crystal towards him with a victorious smile.

«What are you gonna do now? You’re all alone.» your opponent scoffed, and rage started to cloud your senses; without realizing it, your magic started to flow in your veins with much more intensity than it usually did. Instinctively, you ran towards Wooyoung in order to tackle the Disciple on the floor and annulling the magic crystal’s effect, but before you could do it, a flow of artificial magic roughly pulled against your arm, preventing you from moving further.

The Disciples must have thought you were a regular human, because the spell holding you in place was not particularly strong and therefore, you could easily break it. Moreover, although your plan didn’t succeed as you had planned to, at least the Disciple’s attention wasn’t any more focused on Wooyoung, meaning that your friend wasn’t anymore under the effect of the magic crystal; Wooyoung started to crawl back, but before he could join your friends, he was stopped by a blade pressed against his nape.

In that moment, you realized that you were the only one that could save them and at that point, you were completely ignoring your friends’ voices telling you to give up and to run away.

«Did you really think a pathetic little boy could defeat us?» the Disciple holding the crystal spat, and it was more than enough to make your blood boil; you’ve always despised them, what they did, their constant acting as if they were superior to other people. This is probably the main reason why you let out a humourless laugh into their face; it was either that or you had gone mad in less than half an hour.

Something seemed to settle in your soul, and it was as if you were completely aware that you were following the script that your fate had written for you; you know what you had to do, the power you could feel flowing inside you was enough of a hint.

«If a boy can’t do it,» you said, for the first time not forcing your voice to come out a little rougher, «how about a child of Air?» the surprise you saw reflecting in their eyes made you feel incredibly powerful, since they obviously didn’t expect something like this.

Adrenaline was rushing through your veins,and with a quick move you took off your hood, showing your face to other people for the first time in weeks; as your hair fell on your shoulders, you saw the shadow of recognition dance in the Disciples’ eyes, and you immediately realized that you didn’t have enough time to take notice of your friends’ reactions.

Immediately, you lifted your hands in front of you, your outstretched palms facing the Disciples; as you start to imperceptibly close your fingers towards the palm of your hands, you noticed them stop in their tracks, their hands immediately clutching at their throats. Taking a deep breath, you focused even more on not to lose concentration, and inexorably went on with your ministrations, happy about the fact that you could finally use the trick that one of the child of Air kept prisoner with you had taught you many years ago. The power of Air gave you an immense power on people’s ability to breathe, and as much as you closed your hand into a fist, people would be gradually troubled with breathing, until the point of suffocation.

That was exactly what you were doing to the Disciples; you closed your hand into a fist as slowly as you could – contrarily to the original technique, as if it would make them pay for all the years you and the others had to suffer until eventually, they all fell on the floor, lifeless. Said trick was dangerous, and you were definitely not immune to it: the more you would use it, the more it would consume you. Everyone had a weak spot, and for the sons and daughters of Air, the “grip of grudge” – as they called it, was it.

«You’re a girl?!» Mingi, Wooyoung and San shouted in disbelief.

«I knew it!» Yeosang exclaimed with a wide smile and a satisfied expression.

«You’re a child of Air?!» Yunho, Jongho and Hongjoong shouted at the same time.

“Oh, good grief,” you thought; your eyes widened at the realization that you indeed managed to save your friends, but you also exposed yourself.

With careful steps, you approached them in order to untie them from the enchanted ropes, without meeting anyone in the eyes.

«I already told you, I’m not a spy.» you groaned, pulling on your wrists in order to free yourself from the ivy ropes tightly handcuffing you; exactly like the first night you met them, even if you tried tugging on the ropes with all your strength, the roots seemed to get tighter instead of loosen.

«And why didn’t you tell us?» San spat, as if you’ve personally offended him; your eyes met Hongjoong’s gaze, but you couldn’t decipher his expression.

«Excuse me, Mr.Choi,» you spat back with a sarcastic tone, «what was I supposed to do? I barely ran away from the Shrine and I stumbled into you. If you didn’t notice, I’m a girl and you were eight men, pretending I was a boy was the most obvious thing to do!»

«She’s not a spy,» Seonghwa, which had been silent for all this time, quietly spoke for the first time, «I knew she was a girl, the only times she ran off were so that she could take a bath.» Hongjoong gaze kept burning into yours as his arms were crossed in front of his chest, and you wanted so badly to ask him what he was thinking about, even though you didn’t know why you felt so desperate to hear him talk in the first place.

«I don’t think she’s a spy, either.» Wooyoung shrugged, «she has been listening to me ramble about my crush for San for weeks. If she was a spy she would have ran away already.» despite your friend was hurt about the fact that you didn’t tell him the truth, he still considered you as his best friend and therefore, he instinctively stood up for you.

«Your what?!» San shrieked, his gaze immediately shifting to Wooyoung and suddenly, you weren’t the main topic anymore, «Since when? Damn, Wooyoung, why you never said anything?!»

«It’s not my fault you’re an idiot.» Wooyoung simply answered, not wanting to meet his friend’s gaze.

«Jongho,» Hongjoong addressed his friend – and shutting up the others’ ramblings, and your heart picked up pace in anticipation as you heard his voice for the first time, «untie her.» he simply added and Jongho nodded; not even a second later, as if they had their own will, the ivy ropes untied themselves and fell on the ground.

A soft gasp escaped your lips and your brows furrowed in the sudden realization of Jongho being a child of Earth, but before you could ask for clarifications, your attention was caught up by Hongjoong quickly reaching behind his head in order to untie the eyepatch on his right eye, before placing it in the pocket of his jacket.

«Finally, I couldn’t see shit with this on.» he mumbled quietly, and as your gaze locked with Hongjoong, you felt as if you couldn’t look away.

If you thought Hongjoong looked handsome while wearing an eyepatch on his eye, you definitely were in for a surprise; contrarily to what you believed, his eye was not damaged, it was bright red with some yellow shades in it. Hongjoong had mismatched eyes, and if you looked in his right one, it was as if you were looking at fire itself; it was bright, and it seemed to set your soul alight.

«It’s beautiful,» you mumbled in awe before realizing it; you distinctly saw Hongjoong adverting his gaze – almost as if he was embarrassed, while mumbling to you to shut up.

It was strange, because as soon as Hongjoong took the eyepatch off, everyone seemed to relax; few hours later you had set up a camp for the night, and as you started sharing stories, you realized that now, there weren’t any more secrets allowed.

«Okay, cihld of Air, it’s time to explain.» Hongjoong said, taking a seat in front of you as he watched you momentarily massage your still sore wrists, and you found it impossible to hide the truth anymore.

Taking your time, you told everything: first of all, you introduced yourself and then, you explained how you the Disciples kidnapped you when you were a child, about the experiments they did on people, about how you manage to ran away, about your lonely mission of destroying the Shrine. In the end, you told them everything, except for who you were.

«That’s pretty much our goal as well,» Mingi said, «I don’t see why you shouldn’t stay with us.» much to your relief, everyone agreed with him but still, you took advantage of the moment in order to ask what you desperately wanted to.

«What’s your goal, anyways?» you wondered, «We’ve been travelling for weeks.» Hongjoong scoffed at your question, and you felt your cheeks heathen; why, all of a sudden, you were feeling like this?

«Serendia Shrine is within the Capital’s territories,» Yunho explained, «working as mercenaries for the Capital’s Chief means that we get informations.»

Although you did not like where the conversation was going, you patiently waited for Yunho to finish.

«We want to know who the current leader of the Shrine is.» Yunho’s voice was gentle and yet, it was as if you could feel your heart stop; the leader was your father, and therefore, if they ever found out the truth, they would have inexorably found out about your identity as well.

«Isn’t it easier to destroy everything?» you tried, and San looked at you as if he was looking at some sort of divine apparition.

«I didn’t think you were that kind of person,» San placed his chin on the palm of his hand, suddenly looking interested with your suggestion, «I suggested it as well, but Hongjoong is curious.» he explained, and you nervously nodded at him.

«However, the spell you used before was amazing.» Jongho said, and you felt yourself smiling.

«I’ve been wanting to try the grip of grudge for years.» you said, feeling proud that you managed to successfully complete it despite it was your first try.

«Grip of grudge?» San questioned, curiously, and you just shrugged, explaining that was the name that the child of Air used as well, years ago, «that’s a cool name.»

«Isn’t it one of the forbidden spells?» Yeosang questioned, recalling something about a spell that ended up consuming the person whom casted it as well; sadly, you found yourself nodding.

«Forbidden or not, it saved your life, didn't it?» you simply answered, silently admitting to yourself that you didn’t care about your own magic consuming you, if it meant destroying the Shrine and the Disciples.

Now that you at least knew about their mission, you let your curiosity wander towards other places; hopefully, you’ll have enough time to make your friends change their mind about wanting to know who the Shrine’s leader was.

«I guess you’re a child of Earth?» you abruptly asked Jongho, which momentarily widened his eyes at the sudden question, before answering with a gentle smile and few repetitive nods of his head.

«I am!» he immediately added, «I’m sorry if the ropes hurt you… I can’t really do anything about it, the more you try to break free, the more they tighten.»

«Oh.» you simply answered, realizing that probably, if you had kept on pulling on them, you would have ended badly hurt.

Eventually, your eyes drifted towards Seonghwa; he said he knew you were a girl, but how?

As if he was reading your mind, he nervously coughed twice, before clarifying: «I’m a child of Water.»

Hearing his words, you stared blankly at him, as if the imaginary gears in your brain were slowly processing how could this information be related to him finding out you were a girl; few moments later, your eyes widened and you stared at him with an incredulous expression.

«Seonghwa, did you spy on me?» you questioned, suddenly ready to physically fight the gentle boy which had always treated you like you were a younger sibling.

«I didn’t!» Seonghwa hastily clarified, as he noticed that you were about to stand up, «I just saw your face reflected in the water.» he explained, partially lying, but it was more than enough to make you relax and make you sit back in your place.

Needless to say, your friends found the whole interaction amusing, at least, until Seonghwa decided to drop the bomb.

«Besides, you’re the one who always fell asleep hugging Hongjoong’s thigh, as soon as you came back from washing up.» Seonghwa’s words were accompanied with a sly smile, and suddenly, chaos was released; San, Wooyoung and Yeosang were staring at you, while the others were staring at Hongjoong, which was looking anywhere beside your face.

To be honest, Hongjoong’s eye was enough of a hint to find out his real identity, but you didn’t want for your thoughts to wander towards direction which could have been proven to be the wrong ones.

«Are you sure you’re not lying?» you questioned, «I remember falling asleep next to a warm-»

«Oh.» Yeosang cut off your sentence by immediately bringing his hands in front to his mouth, hiding an excited smile; you glanced at him with a curious expression, before Hongjoong’s voice clarified his friend’s behaviour.

«I’m a child of Fire.» Hongjoong said simply, and you could feel your heart hammering in your chest.

“Your soulmate is a child of Fire,” Karanda had said.

Hongjoong was a child of fire.

Hongjoong was your soulmate.

«And us, we’re all some cheap magicians.» Yunho added, and you timidly nodded, even though his words faintly reached your ears.

«Little hood, are you okay?» Wooyoung’s gentle voice was accompanied by him gently brush a strand of hair behind your ear, «you’re suddenly pale.»

“Get a hold of yourself,” you thought, before nodding at Wooyoung’s sudden question.

«A merchant - Alustin, called you by a strange nickname, if I’m not mistaken,» you questioned Hongjoong, which scoffed at the mention of the obnoxious merchant’s name, «but… Why?» you weren’t sure your question even made sense, but Hongjoong still answered you shortly after.

«It’s an old nickname I carry since I was a child, it's probably due to my eye,» his voice said, and you wondered why your friends seemed to suddenly tense up, «disciples can be creative, when they want to.» Hongjoong’s explanation was vague, but still, it left many options to be considered: he could have been a prisoner that managed to escape, or he just happened to meet them without having ever walked into the Shrine.

«People started to see that name under his wanted posters, and suddenly it’s not Hongjoong anymore, but he’s a mythological being.» San added before you could question him further, even though you knew that he would have probably brushed off the question with another vague answer.

«Wait, no this is so stupid.» Yeosang said, claiming your attention, «Beside the fact that my theory was right, we should have already figured out!» Yeosang let out a frustrated groan at the other’s oblivious stares, «Harpies don’t let men approach them; however she managed to heal one and walk in and out their territories.»

Apparently, it was enough for them to realize the truth behind what happened at the harpies’ ridge.

«Did you meet one of the deities?» Wooyoung questioned you, and you nodded.

«Karanda, the Goddess of-well, technically my mom?» nervously playing with your fingers, you simply explained them that Karanda had thanked you for saving one of her daughters, but you carefully avoided talking about your destiny or the fact that Hongjoong was your soulmate; you friends carefully listened to you, asking a lot of questions about what did she look like and anything they could have been curious about.

«I think our group is meant for something big.» Mingi cheered, «We’ve got four different elementalists and they’ve all met their parents!»

Now, it was your turn to listen to your friends’ stories. Jongho met the Goddess of Earth when he was still a kid; although he couldn’t remember every detail of that encounter, he clearly recalled that her appearance was the one of a giant tree in the middle of a clearing in the woods near where he lived. Jongho’s expression as he talked about her was serene, and you attentively listened about how long and strong the Goddess’ branches were and mostly, you curiously listened as he described the feminine figure carved in the cortex; he didn’t remember what she told him, only that she used her branches in order to untangle Jongho’s colourful kite before returning it to him.

«Well, I met him as well,» Seonghwa said with an embarrassed smile, and the others started laughing; you looked at them with a curious smile, and eventually, Mingi started explaining to you.

«We decided to rent a small ship, almost Viking style; it was nice, it had dragons details and shields attached to its sides,» Mingi explained while gesturing with his hands, «Apparently, the God of Water was in some underwater ruins… We managed to find out the locations, and waited literally on top of said ruins.»

«Seonghwa told us to wait for him,» Hongjoong added, picking up from where his friend left off, preventing Seonghwa from saying anything «And so we looked at him dive into the water and we just waited. At some point, we saw Seonghwa crawling out of the water quite far away from where we were; he started running at super speed towards the ship while walking on water, and-» since Hongjoong couldn’t stop laughing, Yunho added some other details.

«While he was running, Seonghwa was gesturing some strange things with his arms, which we obviously couldn’t understand because he was still far from the ship.» your eyes drifted to Seonghwa, which was looking at his friends with a blush on his cheeks, mumbling every now and then that they were purposely exaggerating the story, but Yunho didn’t mind him.

«We were trying to understand what he was trying to say when a giant monster partially came out from the surface – with pointed fangs and everything, and we had to pray that the ship wouldn’t sink because if the sudden rough waves. That was Seonghwa’s dad.»

«We eventually met underwater.» Seonghwa added, «He was just happy to meet one of his children.»

«We almost died.» Yeosang emphasized, and although the experience must have been terrifying, they kept laughing together about it.

As your eyes met Hongjoong’s gaze in a silent question, he shrugged, «It’s a story for another time, we should prepare dinner, at this point.»

«About that,» San suddenly cleared his throat, looking at Wooyoung, «come with me for a second.» he didn’t give Wooyoung actual time to answer, because he simply helped him get up on his feet and dragged him away.

With a dejected sigh, you figured your talk with Wooyoung was inevitably postponed; despite his behaviour didn’t change, you didn’t fail to notice the sadness in his eyes every time your gaze met and therefore, you wanted to confront him, scared to have lost your most valued friend.

Eventually, you spotted Wooyoung few meters away from the others, busy skinning the hares the two of you had captured hours earlier; taking a deep breath, you decided to walk towards him.

«How angry are you?» you crouched down next to Wooyoung; you timidly hugged your knees, and Wooyoung sighed.

«I’m not angry, I’m just… Hurt.» he admitted, slowly cleaning the blade of his knife with a towel which was sprawled on his left thigh.

«I’m sorry,» you said, but he shook his head.

«It’s not about you,» he immediately clarified, «I would have done the same, I’m hurt at my own behaviour. I was so caught up with my feelings that I didn’t paid enough attention to the fact that you were hiding something much more important.»

«Are we still best friends?» you hesitantly questioned him, after telling him that you didn’t mind to listen to him.

«Of course we are,» Wooyoung scoffed, as if he was stating the obvious; he quickly cleaned his hands and placed the knife on the towel, before opening his arms towards you, «come here, give me a hug, lil’ sis.»

The realization that Wooyoung didn’t mind about your real identity made your heart swell, and therefore you threw yourself in his arms, happy that he hugged you just as tight.

«Hey, little hood?» Wooyoung mumbled few seconds later, and you hummed in a silent answer, «don’t run away from us.»

It was such a simple sentence, and yet, you felt like crying; finally, you allowed for that feeling of belonging to settle in your soul, finally letting yourself go and giving up to that part of you that kept making you feel as if your friends were your home.

«I won’t.» you mumbled back, and Wooyoung’s arms tightened.

«Oh, by the way, me and San are together now.» Wooyoung happily announced, as your embrace eventually came to an end; you covered your mouth with both your hands, urging him to tell you everything that happened.

The pleasant feeling of admitting you were going to take a bath without running away and hiding yourself was something you’d never thought you could feel; you were happy about how things turned out, and you were happy about how easily your friends accepted the fact that you were a girl.

Sitting by the river, you kept wetting your fingers every now and then, trying to figure out if the water would eventually get any warmer; since it was night, you probably deduced it wouldn’t. As you thought once again about the events of the day, you sat on the grass while being partially undressed; your cape was neatly folded few steps from you along with your jacket and your leather boots, leaving you with your pants and a loose cotton shirt.

A sudden rustle of leaves caught your attention, and you saw Hongjoong walk out of it with lazy step, his crimson eye somehow shining in the dark.

«Oh, sorry.» he said, when he finally noticed you; you felt your cheeks heathen, recalling that the boy in front of you was supposed to be your soulmate.

«It’s okay, I was about to leave, the water it’s too cold anyways.» you shrugged with a polite smile, trying to stand up when his voice stopped you.

«I can help with that.» Hongjoong said, and you felt your heartbeat quicken because, what could he possibly mean with that?

Hongjoong turned around and patiently waited for you to completely get in the water before walking towards where you were, sitting on the grass with his back towards you. Despite your constant whines about the water being too cold, as soon as Hongjoong sat on the edge of the river while leaning back to support his weight with his left hand and the other immersed in the water, everything changed.

«Fire can be really useful in these situations.» Hongjoong said, and your eyes were locked on his back as a sudden warmth enveloped you; the water started to become warmer, and he explained that it was a sensation that only you could feel.

It was pleasant, and as you cleaned yourself while sharing a comfortable silence, the more you let yourself enjoy that sensation, the more you felt like you were about to doze off.

«Listen,» Hongjoong said out of the blue, «I’m sorry. I treated you kinda roughly at the beginning, with the training and everything.»

«I honestly can’t blame you,» you shrugged, walking towards the edge of the river in order to place your elbows on the grass. «I’m sorry about lying, despite you did a lot to help me.»

Hongjoong sighed quietly, «I can’t really blame you.» he lifted the hand that he kept in the water, in a silent way to signal you that that bath time was over, since the water’s temperature immediately turned cold; however, you noticed how he simply kept his hand in mid-air, his pinky finger weakly turned upwards.

«No more lies?» Hongjoong asked, still looking forwards even though you could see his profile from where you stood. Hearing such a gentle and innocent question, you felt your heart sink; you were still lying about who your father was, but you couldn’t bring yourself to confess that, not yet. You were afraid that their behaviour would instantly change despite the fact that you hated him just as much as they did.

«No more lies.» with a sad smile and your heart heavy, you interlocked his pinky with yours, the natural warmth of his hand sending shivers on your skin.

«Why do you look so flustered?» San questioned as soon as you walked back to the small campfire while still drying your hair with a towel.

«I don’t? I took a bath.» you shook your head, running a hand through your damp hair as if it would make them dry faster.

«Wait,» Mingi said, «Didn’t Hongjoong go to take a bath as well?» you saw Seonghwa choke on the bite of food, and Wooyoung immediately started screaming.

It took you at least half an hour to explain them what actually happened, and still, they didn’t completely believe you.

«Hongjoong,» you called out as soon as he walked back and joined you, «can you please tell them that nothing happened back there?»

As if you were sitting among a group if children and not mercenaries, seven heads snapped towards Hongjoong, eyeing him curiously.

Hongjoong, however, simply shrugged while furrowing his brows, «Was that really nothing?» he teased with a smug smile.

«Oh, good grief,» you and Wooyoung said at the same time, but the emotions you were feeling were totally the opposite.

If you hid your face in your hands due to his teasing, Wooyoung hid a surprised smile behind his hands, his eyes as wide as the moon and his voice as loud that you were sure he could resemble a harpy much better than you could.

Few days later, you realized with deject that it was impossible for you and your friends to enjoy some peace and quiet; apparently, inexplicably, some of the Disciples must have found out that Hongjoong and the others were dangerously close to the Shrine and therefore, instead of waiting for them, they choose to look for them.

That’s how you found yourself fighting against the Disciples yet another time – still hiding your identity, but this time, both you and your friends didn’t have to hold back anymore. This time, you decided to freely use both your magic and the tricks you taught yourself and therefore, you were fighting with a short dagger while using your powers in order to move another longer sword in the air, meaning that your movements were much less predictable rather than if you were fighting while physically holding onto it.

Mingi, Yeosang, Yunho, San and Wooyoung kept using their usual fighting style while the others were now openly using their magic. Jongho’s powers were more suitable for close combat, since his style had always been fighting while literally throwing hands; however, as his eyes turned bright green, he repeatedly used magic in order to occasionally create walls of moving sand erupting from the ground right in front of his friends in order to shield them from eventual unexpected attacks, if they needed.

Seonghwa still kept his distance, relying on his bow and the alchemy stones embedded in it; thanks to Yeosang idea, Seonghwa could transmit part of his magic into his arrow, and therefore, anytime his eyes turned deep blue, it meant that his arrows had the capacity to hurt his opponents from within their bodies. Even if his arrow didn’t necessarily hit a vital point, his opponent would still feel like drowning, eventually coughing up water until the point of suffocation; the effect of his spell was a little bit like yours, even though they worked in different ways – for example Seonghwa could use it freely and without any repercussion.

Hongjoong’s style was, to say the least, both mesmerizing and distracting; for a start, the blades he used to fight were in flames. Although he seemed to dance while elegantly killing his opponents, he never bothered to focus enough so that both his eyes could turn crimson; thanks to his mismatched eyes, he could easily use a big amount of magic without repercussions. Secretly, you wondered what would have happened if he summoned enough magic to make both his eyes turn the same bright colour.

However, despite the fact that you and your friends were fighting with all your might, you were outnumbered and therefore, you were gradually backed towards a dangerous looking bridge. Thanks to Jongho’s spell, you could momentarily forget about your horses since they were safely hidden thanks to his magic and therefore, you found yourself silently following the directions where the Disciples were pushing you to.

The bridge seemed anything but stable; made of ropes and wooden tiles – some more intact than others, the bridge swayed over a cliff, gently moved by the wind. Although no one of you seemed thrilled to walk on something so dangerously looking, you were completely aware that you didn’t have any other choice; besides, if you made it to the other side, Jongho could have made the part of the ground the Disciples were standing on fall into the cliff, meaning that you just needed to buy your friends time. This is the main reason why you and Hongjoong stayed behind – although you kept ignoring your soulmate telling you to join the others.

«They’re trying to cut the ropes!» Mingi screamed, and yet, you and Hongjoong kept fighting on the unstable bridge, although it definitely was not easy, even if your friends had taught you plenty of fighting techniques.

With a groan, you lifted the palm of your hands towards the disciples, thinking that using your magic was the best solution but, before you could even summon enough magic, Hongjoong’s hand roughly wrapped around your wrist, pulling it downwards and immediately annulling the spell.

«Why?!» you quickly questioned him, defending yourself from one of the Disciple’s attacks.

«Stop wasting your magic like that.» Hongjoong simply answered, not bothering to look at you; instinctively you scoffed, and with a twist of your dagger, you sent another disciple down the bridge, when a sudden terrifying sensation made you look down.

Before you realized that the wooden tiles you were walking on were falling into the cliff, Hongjoong’s weight crashed against you, literally preventing you from falling as well as he was tightly clutching the wooden tiles. Instinctively, you took a hold of the rope next to you, while your arm instinctively snaked around Hongjoong’s neck, too scared to die to realize that you were tightly hugging him for the first time in your life. Despite your fear, you tried to focus, partially annulling the impact of the unavoidable crash between the two of you and the side of the cliff, and sighed in relief when you managed to land gently against the rocky surface.

Now that you were finally still, you realized the compromising position the two of you were in: if you were practically hugging Hongjoong, his hands were tightly gripping the wooden tiles behind your neck and his boot was safely placed on top of one of them, meaning that one of his thighs was between yours and therefore, you were practically sitting on his thigh. Needless to say, beside riding together, you and Hongjoong had never been so close while facing each other; the sensation of his natural warmth completely enveloping you made you shiver, and despite the dangerous situation, Hongjoong was staring at you in a way you couldn’t decipher, his gaze burning into yours just like the fire that burned in his right eye.

Once again, you felt a weird and unfamiliar sensation tingling in your stomach, and the fact that Hongjoong’s gaze shifted from your eyes to your lips didn’t help; as if you were two little magnets, both of you were completely aware about the fact that you were slowly and tentatively inching closer to each other. Honestly, you were anticipating the feeling of Hongjoong’s lips against yours but, as your noses brushed against each other, your friends loudly called out your names.

«Hang in there!» you heard Seonghwa shout from above you, «We’ll get a rope and pull you up!»

Unbeknownst to the two of you, no one of your friend were going to lift a finger in order to try to help you; instead, they all shared the same thought as they all comfortably sit on the grass, ready to look extremely busy once they’d eventually saw the two of you climb up.

«Just to make it clear, if anyone tries to pull them up, will be personally drowned by me.» Seonghwa clarified to his friends while glancing down to the two of you for a last time with a knowing smile.

Hongjoong, eventually, had helped you rearrange your position so that the two of you could start climbing up; it was probably the best idea the two of you had since, few minutes later, the ladder totally disintegrated and fallen down. If you were to be honest, you didn’t know how your friends solved the situation with the Disciples, and at the moment, you didn’t care; you and Hongjoong were trying to climb up and judging from where you were situated, you wouldn’t have managed to see your friends for hours to say the least.

«Hongjoong,» you called to the boy which was effortlessly climbing the rocky cliff wall, but still, obviously slowing his movements in order to help you as well, «Hongjoong.» you repeated.

«What.» Hongjoong glanced down and furrowed his brows, confused about how could a daughter of Air be so afraid of falling off a cliff; among the two of you, the one who should have been more fearful should have been him, not you.

«I’m stuck.» you announced in a dramatic and panicked way; Hongjoong scoffed, carefully balancing himself to lean back just enough to give you any advice on where you should have used as an eventual lever.

«You’re not stuck-»

«Yes, I am! Look,» in order to prove your point, you nodded towards the rocky cliff’s wall, «I can’t balance myself on anything, nor up, nor below. Hongjoong, I can’t climb up, I can’t climb down; I can’t climb up, I can’t climb down.»

«Look, I’ll help you, okay?» to say that Hongjoong was trying to refrain himself from laughing was an euphemism, «place your hand in that recess, the one resembling a curlew’s nest.»

«A what?!» you shrieked, briefly glancing at Hongjoong to see that he was quietly chuckling to himself, «can’t you say “nest shaped” like everyone else?!» nonetheless, you listened to his advice and eventually, your hand was placed above your head and next to his leg.

«Now,» Hongjoong said, «place your feet on that ledge.»

«There is no ledge.» you said through gritted teeth.

«There is, I climbed before you did,» he mocked, «come on, it looks like a… Wildebeest’s hoof.»

«Wildebeest’s hoof?!» at this point, you were refraining yourself from using your powers just to physically fight him in mid-air, «I don’t know what a wildebeest looks like, should I know how a wildebeest’s hoof looks like?!»

Despite your constant bickering, you managed to climb up a little higher, and now you were right next to Hongjoong, which was basically doing twice the work since he had to keep an eye your movements as well.

«Why are you so scared?» Hongjoong’s question surprised you, as he was tapping the empty space where you should have put your hand, which was coincidentally, under his own, «if you fall, you can easily fly back up.»  

«Who cares if I fall, Hongjoong,» your sudden answer surprised you as well, «you got that "Dragon" status, but I highly doubt that you can fly like one as well!» Hongjoong’s gaze burned into yours once again, before eventually, he adverted his gaze.

«You should worry about yourself, not me.» he added with a sigh, feeling strangely glad that you’ve been worried about him as well, «Let’s stay close, okay?» he added, and you nodded immediately.

Eventually, the two of you managed to climb up with extreme fatigue, and still, you did your best trying not to pay too much attention to the pleasing sensation that you felt every time Hongjoong wrapped one of his arms around your waist in order to temporarily helping you balance yourself.

In the end, your friends’ help consisted in grabbing your hands and pull you up as soon as they saw that you were basically arrived, after climbing literally half of the cliff’s wall by yourselves.

«Oh, just in time for dinner,» Yunho and Seonghwa said, momentarily taking their eyes off the pot on top of the bonfire, and you and Hongjoong exchanged an exasperated look as you were both sitting on the grass, trying to catch your breath while your hands felt numb. Wooyoung was apparently treating a wound on San’s thighs – who you didn’t remember getting hurt, while Yeosang and Mingi were busy fixing the archers’ bows.

As if he noticed your suspicious stares, Jongho quickly lifted his arms while pointing at the horses, «I used my magic bringing them here.» «Come on,» Hongjoong said, patting your elbow before standing up and walk towards the others, «you must be starving as well.»

That night, you felt so exhausted about what happened that you didn’t realize about the fact that you and Hongjoong had fell asleep facing each other, your hands millimetres apart.

CHAPTER VI

Without any warning, Hongjoong quickly moved his wrist upwards, creating an incandescent spear of fire that erupted from the ground while setting on fire part of the grass around itself as well, which you immediately avoided by jumping backwards, your eyes turning grey as you summoned your magic in order to move faster and to throw makeshift spears created with compressed air, and purposely making them land in a circle around Hongjoong.

Hongjoong’s talent of not having to focus in order to summon elemental magic due to his mismatched eyes definitely made him a powerful, dangerous and unpredictable opponent, thing which made your training even more intense since you could never get particular hints on what would have been his next move. Moreover, he definitely had more experience than you in battle, another thing that put you in a slight disadvantage. No matter what, Hongjoong’s expression always remained impassive and stoic, as if he was practicing some sort of ordinary, boring task instead of fighting, main reason why he managed to get under your skin, making you want to get better enough to see some kind of different emotion on his delicate handsome features.

«That was nice, you’re getting better.» he praised with a brief nod while briefly glancing around himself, his expression unbothered as if he was completely certain that you wouldn’t have hurt him, and you found yourself smiling at his words. Once again, you had to force yourself to focus on what you were doing, since it was crazy how Hongjoong could have such an effect on you.

Despite your noticeable progress with elemental combat, you were aware about the fact that you were lacking in any kind of fight that was close ranged and therefore, that’s how you and your soulmate would spend the majority of your time; even though you were completely used to how strict he was anytime you were training together, you were definitely much less used to how easily it was for him to manhandle you. Hongjoong kept patiently teaching you, giving you tips and occasionally correct your posture, and sometimes, you had to refrain yourself from leaning into his touch; you started to wonder if your actions were based on your real feelings or on your soulmate bond, since things have never been like this between the two of you.

Hongjoong’s grip on you was strong, and feeling his body pressed against yours made you briefly hesitate on your counterattack; however, as you felt your body starting to fall towards the ground, you tried to place your whole weight towards the opposite direction. As quickly as you could, you shifted in order to place your right foot behind Hongjoong’s right leg in order to reverse the situation and successfully make him fall on the grass, but the grip he had on you was strong enough to cause you to fall along with him.

It was strange, despite the fact that you spent hours training, how your heart immediately picked up pace because of such a close contact; you were sitting on Hongjoong’s stomach, your eyes wide and your lips slightly parted with stupor. Hongjoong’s hands were on your thighs, and he was looking at you as if he was waiting for your next move, which never came. There was something behind his gaze, something way too intense and complicated, something that you couldn’t understand, but it was enough to make you advert your gaze as you felt your cheeks heathen in embarrassment.

«I think I won.» you felt incredibly stupid at the fact that your voice trembled; you and Hongjoong rarely practiced hand to hand combat, it was always you and San, but the young assassin was definitely not your soulmate and therefore, you definitely felt nothing beside your desire of getting better at fighting.

However, this time, you were beginning to feel another kind of desire; it was completely unknown to you, and still, for once you felt as if you weren’t afraid by your own emotions. Of course, it happened to be harshly tackled on the ground by San and it also happened for the two of you to tease each other about how slowly you reacted, but San’s touch didn’t seem to set your soul alight or send small sparks all along your skin.

Hongjoong’s hands were warm, and as he slowly caressed your thighs until he reached the back of your legs while applying some pressure along the path his fingers were drawing, you instinctively found yourself timidly wondering how his touch would feel on your naked skin.

«Ah, really? I think you didn’t.» Hongjoong answered with a smug smirk, quickly snapping you out of your thoughts, but before you could question him, your perspective of the world changed in less than a second.

Thanks to the grip he had on you, Hongjoong had quickly pushed against your right thigh with his left hand, while his right forearm flew behind your head so that you wouldn’t get hurt in the process; your hands instinctively found their place against Hongjoong’s chest as your soulmate was now effectively pinning you on the ground, comfortably laying between your legs.

«Mind to explain what got you distracted?» Hongjoong questioned, gently removing his left arm from under your head in order to partially balance his weight on it by placing his chin on the palm of his hand and therefore, bringing the two of you irremediably closer.

“We’re soulmates and I’ve never been close to someone like this, beside San, which I basically consider as a brother”, you thought, “and you need to stop being so effortlessly handsome”.

Despite the silent conversation you were having with yourself, Hongjoong was unmoving, still gazing at you with his intense stare; you knew that he was waiting for an answer, and although he had dropped this kind of topic every other time, you realized that this time, he wasn’t settling for less.

«You-» you honestly admitted with a sigh without thinking about it too much, «No wait, I didn’t mean that-» Hongjoong’s eyes widened in stupor, while you felt your cheeks heathen in embarrassment even more, while your heart was wildly hammering in your chest.

«Well, little hood,» Hongjoong said, his smug smile never leaving his lips; he moved the hand which was holding your thigh in order to gently ghost his index finger above your lower lip, «you’re interesting, aren’t you?» he mumbled, probably much more to himself.

Exactly like the other time you happened to be so close in a somewhat compromising position, you realized that yet again, the both of you were unconsciously leaning closer; your noses were millimetres apart, and you almost felt the sensation of his lips against yours. It was as if you were certain that your soulmate cold feel the wild rhythm of your heart beating against your ribs until eventually, Hongjoong sighed, slowly moving back in order to sit up.

«Come on, little hood, let’s go,» Hongjoong stood up, offering you a hand to help you stand up as well, «the village is not that far.» you quickly took his hand and let him pull you up, so that the two of you could walk back towards the others.

Hongjoong held your hand for few seconds, and in the moment he left it, it was if as the thin wall of lies and secrets which was preventing the two of you to completely let yourselves go to your feelings, immediately stood impossibly tall between the two of you once again.

The remaining part of the day was spent travelling through thick fog and trying to identify the source of the horrible feeling that was creeping in your soul.

Moreover, you didn’t understand how your friends managed to orientate themselves so effortlessly because apparently, they seemed not to be bothered the least by the fact that the thick layer of mist prevented you from seeing anything that stood in front of your own nose, reason why you were constantly talking with each other in order to make sure that no one would have been left behind on accident. Although your friends had always fondly made fun of you for the fact that you always managed to feel colder than the others, it was as if the bitter cold was cutting your face; despite the presence of your soulmate right behind you, you couldn’t help but shudder every now and then, still feeling as if you were freezing and as if the cold was penetrating your bones, main reason why your actions suddenly got a little bit bolder.

Certain about the fact that Hongjoong would have been able to hold the reins even while using one hand, you applied a little pressure on his left hand, until he eventually let go of the thin leather material, thinking that you wanted to challenge yourself and try steering the horse in such a difficult situation. However, instead of taking the reins, you placed Hongjoong’s hand on your stomach, keeping it there long enough for him to realize that you completely meant your actions; your soulmate instinctively moved his hand a little further - until he touched your ribs on top the fabric of your clothes, before pulling you flush against his chest. Needless to say, Hongjoong never questioned your behaviour, and you never felt like explaining yourself; it was some sort of a silent agreement which the both of you enjoyed more than you were supposed to admit. Moreover, since you and your friends were forced to proceed in an extremely slow pace, Hongjoong’s chin was placed on your right shoulder, your bodies following the horse’s movement by inertia.

«Where are we headed?» you lively questioned your friends in order to keep the conversation going but despite their answers, you instinctively tilted your head to hear your soulmate’s soft mumble.

«The man which had sent us on a mission lives in Glish,» he explained, «since we won’t have any more mission at the moment, we’ll spend few weeks there.»

«Is it always going to be this cold?» you immediately mumbled back with a concerned voice, which made Hongjoong chuckle softly.

«It’s going to be even worse, sunshine.» Hongjoong’s new and sudden nickname made the strange butterflies you felt in your stomach do somersaults, and for a second, you wondered if he would ever return your feelings once he would have found out the truth about you.

«- incredible stock of crystals.» you heard Mingi say from ahead of you.

«Well, the village is pretty close to Serendia Shrine after all.» Yunho retorted from next to him; panic momentarily pervaded your senses and you were glad that your soulmate’s hold was somehow anchoring you to reality.

«The village’s defence system is great, tho.» Seonghwa commented, his voice coming from right next of your horse.

«I think the Disciples must have gotten the idea from the Lake of Tears.» Hongjoong said while moving his thumb in a gentle manner - almost as if he understood your silent and panicked state and was trying to calm you a little bit, and Wooyoung immediately agreed, «I love that legend.» you heard your best friend add from behind you and your soulmate.

«Aren’t the lake’s crystals not usable for magic?» Jongho questioned, riding next to Wooyoung and San, and you heard the latter echo his friend’s question as well.

«They are not,» Yeosang confirmed, quietly riding next to Yunho and Mingi, «no one has ever been able to use any of them for magic purposes.»

«Maybe that’s how the legend was born?» San questioned with a curious voice.

«The legend is real, you idiot.» Wooyoung immediately answered his lover.

“We will be close to the Shrine,” you thought; however, as you heard your bestfriend’s loud and contagious laughter, you were immediately reminded about the promise the two of you had made.

“I promised him I wouldn’t leave… I’ll have to figure something else out.” with an almost inaudible sigh, you tried to relax in Hongjoong's embrace, forcing yourself to ignore the uneasiness you still felt in your soul.

Glish was a small and quiet village surrounded by mist and by a thick, tall wall that ran along the perimeter, making it safe and protected; not far away, a cobbled path led to a small lake which had become the main destination of your lonely night walks. Surrounded by crystals that seemed to glow an infinite shade of different colours under the moonlight, the lake seemed to bring inner peace to your soul anytime you looked at it; it wasn’t particularly wide, and on a rare sunny and fog-free day, you were sure you would have been able to see it completely. Almost every night, you sat on one of the wooden benches, losing yourself in your thoughts until you decided it was definitely too cold to stay outside any further.

«Beautiful, isn’t it?» Wooyoung caught your attention by sitting next to you one evening; you nodded at him, asking to tell you more about the legend he mentioned few days earlier.

«A child of Water fell in love with a boy who couldn’t use magic at all,» Wooyoung’s voice explained, «for some reason, her family was opposed to their relationship and eventually, they killed the boy in front of her eyes. The legend says that she held his body and while she was mourning, she used all the magic in her in order to turn herself into the lake – which actually never existed before.»

Wooyoung stopped to chuckle at your momentarily confusion, «she said that they were in love, that they were “soulmates”. She cried and mourned his lover until she became the lake herself, and apparently… becoming her soulmate’s tomb as well.»

«That’s… Romantic…» you tried, «a little extreme, but romantic.» Wooyoung nodded at you, and a comfortable silence momentarily fell between the two of you as you were both gazing at the lake’s peaceful surface which was reflecting the weak light of the moon shining in the sky.

“Is love meant to be this tragic?” you thought, “Would anyone willing to do something like this for the person they love?” Spending your life in a lonely, dark and humid cell while being aware that you would end up becoming a human sacrifice, inevitably meant that you’ve never experienced anything that anyone was meant to experience.

After all, the first proper hug you’ve received in your life was the one that Wooyoung gave you when the two of you had talked about the fact that you were hiding the truth about your identity and being a childof Air.

«Wooyoung… How do you know if you like someone?» you timidly asked, feeling bashful for such a stupid and yet complicated question; even though Wooyoung – and San, particularly loved to tease you about the fact that you didn’t even realize your own feelings, he decided to ignore his instinct to tease you yet again for just one night.

«Well,» Wooyoung sighed, leaning back on the wooden bench and trying to find a more comfortable position, «I guess you feel different towards them… I believe it’s a collection of small little things that make you think about a certain person or, wanting to be with them,» you patiently listened to him, «I know I’m being repetitive and I hate myself for it but… During the years, anytime I was happy, I wanted to share my happiness with San, and anytime I was sad, he was the only person I wanted to comfort me.» you nodded again, keeping silent and exhaling a soft sigh because what Wooyoung had just said was exactly how you were feeling towards your soulmate.

«Do you like Hongjoong?» Wooyoung asked all of a sudden, and you were still so lost in thoughts that you instinctively nodded without processing his question.

«I-… I don’t know.» you admitted, playing with the fabric of your cape, «I feel a lot of things towards him and at the same time, I don’t know how I feel.»

«I think he likes you.» Wooyoung shrugged, as if he already knew what you would have said, and therefore, he didn’t pay too much attention to your words, «Well, it’s pretty clear he likes you, however…»

«I feel like there’s a wall between us.» you cut off his sentence; since Wooyoung was your bestfriend, you allowed yourself to confess to him about the times the two of you almost kissed, completely aware that your secret would have been safe with him. Nevertheless, you decided not to tell him about what Karanda had told you; the fact that you and Hongjoong were soulmates would have been your own personal secret.

Wooyoung listened patiently but with a big and teasing smile on his lips, before shifting his gaze once again on the lake’s surface, his expression growing incredibly gentle, «Hongjoong carries a big secret that’s not for me to tell.» Wooyoung said, shaking his head at your questioning gaze; «He will tell you himself and, from that moment, you can be sure that’s his way to tell you that he trusts you with his life.»

“How can he trust a liar?” you asked yourself as you tilted your head back, your gaze lost in the infinity of stars shining in the sky.

«And so, it’s raining.» you sighed, playing with the handle of the full chalice in front of you.

«Again.» San completed your sentence, before sighing deeply, the both of you glancing towards the big window of the tavern you decided to spend your evening in.

«My hair becomes a mess when it rains,» you heard Wooyoung’s dejected voice mumble from in front of you, and you quietly chuckled at his comment.

Since the day you arrived in Glish, you kept feeling distressed, and even though you couldn’t identify the source of your own feelings, you deduced it was because the village was close to the Shrine, since the last thing you wanted was for the Disciples to find your friends and capture them. Your friends lively conversations faintly reached your ears, as you partially pretended to take part in the conversation as well by asking something every now and then in order to distract yourself from your own thoughts. Moreover, at this point of the night, most of them were tipsy, leaving you, Seonghwa, Hongjoong and Jongho sober enough to realize you would have to take care of them.

«You really don’t like beer, don’t you?» Seonghwa’s gentle and soft voice interrupted your thoughts, and you simply shook your head with a frown, slightly scrunching your nose while looking at the boy sitting next to you; wordlessly, Seonghwa took a hold of your chalice, before replacing it with Jongho’s empty one.

«Are you trying to get me drunk?» the younger immediately questioned his friends.

«You talk as if you don’t have the highest alcohol tolerance among us,» Seonghwa giggled, before briefly nodding towards you, «little hood doesn’t like the taste of beer.»

«Oh!» Jongho immediately said, his gentle eyes wide in stupor, «You could have said it earlier.» he added; you thanked Jongho, only for him to shrug with a gentle smile.

If somewhere in between this small conversation you felt Hongjoong placing his hand on your thigh as he was still talking with Mingi and Yunho, you didn’t say anything, not even when you felt his grip on you imperceptibly tighten in the same moment Wooyoung decided to stand up in order to walk around the table and hug your shoulders.

«Seonghwa, you’re a child of Water,» Wooyoung stated, placing his chin on top of your head and loosely hug your shoulders, «can’t you make the rain stop?»

«Of course I can, but I won’t.» Seonghwa explained, «I shouldn’t interfere with natural events… On top of that, if you’re concerned for your appearance, I’m sure your boyfriend doesn’t mind.» he teased, and Wooyoung’s eyes darted towards San.

«You don’t?» he asked, his eyes wide as if he had never thought about asking him. San shook his head with an enamoured smile, and Wooyoung let go of your shoulders in order to quickly walk back to his lover with a cute and crooked walk, since he probably had too much to drink; both you and Seonghwa scoffed, laughing at your friend’s behaviour.

Few hours later, even without Seonghwa’s help, the rain stopped and you found yourself yet another time sitting on the bench next to the Lake. Silently cursing yourself for not bringing along a warmer cloak or some sort of blanket, you placed your boots on the wooden bench, hugging your knees closer to your chest as you shuddered yet another time.

As your eyes were fixed on the lake’s surface and the breath-taking scenery in front of you, you placed your chin on your left knee; the whirlwind of thoughts running around in your head was confusing you to say the least. From the moment your friends found out you were a girl, some things drastically changed; for example, San stopped teaching you hand-to-hand combat almost altogether.  Honestly, there was something incredibly suspicious about the fact that he would always assign the task to Hongjoong, which made you quickly realize that his behaviour wasn’t consequential to the fact that you were a girl. Moreover, both him and Wooyoung seemed to find incredibly funny the idea of teasing you about the nature of your relationship with Hongjoong, thing which always left you incredibly flustered. 

«I said I don’t like him!» you’d say every time the three of you were alone, glancing around in fear of being heard by someone else; as if it was a pre-arranged script, San would scoff at you while leaning on Wooyoung’s lap, which would immediately run his fingers through his lover’s raven and red hair. 

«We really have a lot to do, don’t we?» Wooyoung gently smiled while looking down at San with his eyes full of adoration. 

San shrugged, glancing at his lover with an enamoured smile before turning his attention on you once again, «We’re doomed, she doesn’t even realize she has a crush.»  

«First of all, I don’t,» you immediately retorted with flushed cheeks, crossing your arms in front of your chest, «and look who’s talking.» you teased, immediately smiling about the fact that both boys stuck their tongues out in perfect synchronization. Despite their teasing, Wooyoung had never mentioned what you confessed to him, thing which you were grateful for. 

Moreover, “confusing” was how you would describe your feelings and your relationship with Hongjoong. 

If you were to be completely honest with yourself, nothing changed since he found out you were a girl but at the same time, you felt like everything between the two of you was different; you could definitely see that there were some sort of deep feelings well hidden behind his gaze but at the same time, you never brought yourself to inquiry any further.  After all, between the two of you, a thick wall made of intertwined lies and secret was still standing tall.  Not to forget, you and Hongjoong had never talked about the fact that you almost kissed twice; although sometimes the both of you would secretly recall the moment with anticipation, you both felt like there was some sort of line you were both too scared to cross.  On top of that, something extremely suspecting was going on between Yeosang, Mingi and Yunho; they’d almost spend all of their free time studying, doing researches, leafing through the pages of their complicated alchemy books as they restlessly plotted something. 

«We can’t tell you, yet.» Mingi had told you, his apologetic eyes shortly meeting yours as the cauldron in front of them almost immediately called his attention. 

Beside the fact that they would sometimes disappear for a whole day on some kind of secret mission, Seonghwa and Jongho seemed to be the only ones that had remained themselves, showing you around town and acting like some sort of always concerned older sibling.

No matter where your thoughts went to, they always seemed to lead towards the same direction. Even if you knew Hongjoong was your soulmate, you didn’t know whether you would have been capable to love him; San and Wooyoung seemed to click so naturally, and you felt incredibly awkward even at the mere thought of letting the young leader know about your own feelings. On top of that, was it okay to let yourself enjoy such a fleeting happiness when you were ready to sacrifice yourself that easily to destroy not just the Disciples, but the Serendia Shrine as well? Despite your undeniable feelings, you knew that it wouldn’t be fair towards him; you’ve been repeatedly thought about kissing him, and deep inside, you knew he wanted the same.

However, you were still hiding from him the most important detail about your identity, and you were incredibly doubtful that his feelings would have remained the same if he happened to find out. The fact that Hongjoong was keeping a secret as well didn’t particularly matter to you, nor changed the nature of your feelings, because you were absolutely certain that his secret definitely couldn’t be worse than being the daughter of a murderer.

Completely engrossed in your thoughts, you didn’t realise about the fact that your soulmate was approaching you until his warm cloak had been wrapped around your shoulders.

«Are you trying to hibernate?» Hongjoong’s voice surprised you, and you tried to suppress an instinctive whimper due to how nice the sudden sensation of warmth felt.

«I forgot to bring my cloak,» you admitted, aware that Hongjoong was looking at you, «I didn’t think it would get so cold…»

Immediately, Hongjoong, wordlessly reached out to touch first your hands and then your cheeks, before mumbling a quiet, «you’re an idiot.» instead of answering, you simply chuckled, noticing Hongjoong’s exasperated – yet fond, gaze.

«You’re just lucky you never feel cold.» you teased wrapping his cloak a little tighter around yourself, your soulmate’s scent immediately surrounding you.

«A child of Fire subject to outside temperatures?» Hongjoong questioned with a smug smile, «that would be a tragedy, I would be the most shameful among the children of Fire.» he leaned back, his elbow placed on the bench’s backrest, and you rolled your eyes at him while hiding a smile under the fabric of his cloak.

You and Hongjoong sat quietly next to each other, and you would occasionally steal quick glances at your soulmates, admiring the faint lights of the scenery in front of you almost reflecting themselves in his bright crimson eye. It was almost as if blue few shades had added themselves to the red and yellow colours, making his eye look like a destructive and quiet burning flame.

«Wooyoung told me the legend behind the Lake of Tears,» you called out quietly, Hongjoong hummed gently, silently asking you to go on, «if you were in her place, would have you done the same?»

«What has fire to offer beside destruction, ashes and dust?» Hongjoong instinctively scoffed with a sad smile, «I believe I would have burned the village and the villagers out of rage and sorrow, but I could never create something this beautiful with my power,» Hongjoong seemed to be lost in thoughts for a few seconds, but then he quickly added with a bitter tone, «you know, the best I could have done would be frowned on by everyone else. "Oh yeh, Hongjoong, the child of Fire that burned up a village, flames to dust, out of grief".»  

«It’s not true!» you replied immediately, without realizing that you slightly raised your voice, Hongjoong stared at you with a raised eyebrow, his bright eye shining in the dark, «Fire is warm, and while they’re travelling, people light up bonfires only when they feel safe. It’s not just… ashes and dust.» playing with your fingers, you were totally oblivious about the fact that Hongjoong’s bewildered expression had turned into a soft smile, before erupting into soft, gentle laughter.

Although a whirlwind of thoughts were running through Hongjoong’s head, he didn’t voice any of them; instead, he simply reached out, gently ruffling your hair in an affectionate manner. Hongjoong’s smile was more tender than you’d ever seen, and your heart throbbed and yearned as you gazed at each other, but he turned away.

«We should head back, it gets very cold here at night.» Hongjoong stood up from the bench, slowly heading towards the path leading back to the village and you sat there, watching him.

The scenery around you was more beautiful than anything you had ever seen in your whole life and yet, you only had eyes for Hongjoong.

Despite your constant doubts and your constant fears, you felt truly happy with your friends; sometimes, you felt as if you were a family but sadly, your small illusion of happiness had to crumble down on itself in the worst possible way, making you realize that you should have never grown attached to anyone in the first place.

Hongjoong, you, Wooyoung and Yeosang were looking for some particular herbs that would have helped the young alchemists on their researches, when eventually, you didn’t realize about the fact that your small group had gotten too far away from the village’s territory.

Part of the village’s defense mechanism was made up of fog, intended to confuse and disorientate eventual intruders and therefore, as soon as the thick layer of mist dissipated all of a sudden, you realized that you were indeed in danger but before you could react, it was already too late; as if they were waiting for you, several Disciples seemed to materialize out of nowhere,  preventing you and your friends from running away. Not wearing your hood anytime you were with your friends meant that the Disciples instantly recognized you, reason why no one of them hesitated to use magic in order to materialize enchanted ropes in order to tie up each one of you. Sadly, you and your friends stood a little too distant from each other in order to actually come up with an effective plan to face them or even call the others for help. Moreover, as you saw one of the Disciples approach you with a smug and superior smile and his hand tightly wrapping a magic crystal, you started to tremble in fear; your friends didn’t understand why their attention seemed to be almost completely focused on you, until said Disciple decided to speak.

«Make sure she doesn’t escape again,» he urged to the two Disciples which were now standing next to you, forcing you to stand up as well due to the harsh grip they had on your elbows, «your father will be pleased to see you again.» his words were now directed towards you, and you felt your heart sink in your stomach, fear paralyzing you. The loud hammering of your heart was so intense you were almost certain that it was trying to crawl its way through your lung and set itself free through your mouth, judging by your sudden desire to throw up.

«Your father?!» you heard Hongjoong scream in disbelief, «You’re the daughter of that monster?! We trusted you! I trusted you!» if only you were in your right mind, Hongjoong’s words could have cut like knives, and the realization of your biggest fear coming true would have hurt even more; Hongjoong, Wooyoung and Yeosang had found out the truth about your identity in the worst possible way and yet, their bewildered words were reaching deaf ears.

No one of your friends missed your reaction, and beside the sensation of pure betrayal he was feeling in that moment, Hongjoong furrowed his brows at your visible panicked state; not only you had started shaking, but you started crying as well while either mumbling incoherent words or screaming with a screeching voice as you tried to set yourself free. In the vain attempt to escape the Disciple’s grasp, your feet made grooves into the soft ground in the desperate attempt to escape just to run away and hide yourself in a safe place, careless about hurting yourself in the process.

All the determination you had about destroying the Serendia Shrine seemed to vanish in thin air as soon as you saw your father’s shape walking out of the small crowd of Disciples; even just seeing his arrogant and proud way of walk was enough to cancel your every thought in order to replace it with pure feeling of dread.

«Traveling alone with men? I see you didn’t waste your time becoming a whore.» your father’s harsh words pierced you and you shuddered, leaning back and pulling against your restraints in order to escape his approaching figure. «You put an annoying stunt running away, I hope you realize you’re going to pay for it.» despite the fact that you were related by blood, his words were empty; as he always did, he was talking to you as if you were just another one of his experiments.

«Take her,» he simply ordered, and as he saw you trying to resist the Disciples’ hold, he scoffed in disgust at how annoyingly you were behaving, as he roughly yanked your hair back, «maybe this will calm you a little bit.» he spat and before you realized, the blade of an enchanted dagger pierced your abdomen and you immediately felt like coughing blood, before darkness enveloped your senses and you fell forward on the soft grass.

«Don’t touch her!» Hongjoong screamed, as he and the others tried to break free from the Disciples’ hold; the Serendia Shrine’s leader turned his attention towards your soulmate with an impressed whistle.

«Finally, I see a certain Dragon came to be killed once again.» he spat in disrespect, «take him as well.» even if Hongjoong could try to resist, even if Hongjoong wanted to resist, he let the Disciples drag him towards your unconscious frame, too worried about you in order to leave you alone.

«How about the others?» one of the Disciples questioned, nodding towards Yeosang and Wooyoung.

«I don’t care, these two are more than enough.» the leader simply answered, and as the whole group of Disciples walked away towards the Serendia Shrine’s direction while bringing you and Hongjoong with them, Wooyoung and Yeosang had been stunned with a magic crystal, a powerful spell erupting from it which made your friends lose consciousness and fall on the ground.

A pleasant sensation of warmth was spreading from your back, in stark contrast to the coldness of the cage you were in; you decided to open your eyes with a pained whine, wondering why there was warmth spreading from the wound on your abdomen in the first place.

«Hey, sunshine,» Hongjoong’s tired and gentle voice mumbled from behind you, and you slowly took in your surroundings, realizing that you were sitting between his legs, your back pressed against his chest as he was uncomfortably leaning against the cold and humid wall.

Since you have been thrown in what had always been your personal cage, Hongjoong’s hand has been on your wound in a constant healing spell, doing his best to make you feel better; you could feel that the wound was almost closed, and you silently wondered how much magic did he even use in the first place.

Tentatively, you adjusted your position in order to tilt your head towards Hongjoong, which looked both exhausted and beaten up.

«What happened to you?» you asked, your finger hovering above the blood of his split lower lip, and he shrugged, making you realize that he was about to avoid the topic.

«I’m sorry for earlier,» he sincerely admitted, his left hand brushing a strand of hair behind your ear, and you shook your head.

«I wasn’t expecting for forgiveness in the first place,» you answered, «I am really sorry.» you admitted, feeling tears cloud your vision. 

Hongjoong kissed your temple in a silent answer, and after some time, you allowed yourself to fall asleep.

«We have a big problem.» Wooyoung and Yeosang nervously said as they quickly walked into their friends’ provisory headquarters in the rainy village.

«We found out who the leader of the Serendia Shrine is,» Yeosang said, rubbing his eyes in an incredulous manner as his friends questioned him, «he’s little hood’s father.»

«What?» San, Seonghwa and Mingi shrieked in disbelief; Wooyoung nodded, immediately going to sit next to San, which immediately put his arm around his lover, worried about the fact that he looked incredibly pale.

«She’s a traitor, then?» Yunho asked with furrowed eyebrows, as if he couldn’t believe the words he was pronouncing in the first place, «no, I don’t thing she could be-»

«She’s not.» once again, despite feeling hurt, Wooyoung firmly spoke in your defence, «We saw how she reacted when she saw him, and…»  even if he trailed off, the others seemed to understand what he was implying. «I would put my life in her hands: she's not a traitor.» Wooyoung added with unexpected firmness.

«We’re running short on time to save her,» Yeosang finished his friend’s sentence, «both her and Hongjoong, actually.»

«They caught him as well?» Seonghwa asked his eyes wide and full of worry.

Somehow, it was as if Yeosang and Wooyoung’s nod set your friends in action; they were running short on time, meaning that they had to work even harder on their plan, and absolutely no mistakes were allowed.

Despite the disappointment Hongjoong felt once he had found out who you were, the following days after your capture were more than enough for him to understand that even if you and the Leader of the Serendia Shrine were related, the latter didn’t even considered you as a human being.

Both you and Hongjoong had been roughly tortured, forced to constantly use your magic against your will only for the Disciples to transfer your power into a series of magic crystals that they would have used for their own wicked purposes, leaving the both of you to weakly try to heal each other as best as you could once you were thrown once again in the cell.

Moreover, your constant panicked state was more than enough for Hongjoong to forgive the fact that you decided to hide who you were, admitting that after all, he understood why you decided to do it.

«I wasn’t meant to be a prisoner,» your voice trembled as you spoke, barely above a whisper, «I took my mother’s place, when he killed her.» Hongjoong’s arms tightened around you as he wondered what exactly you had to go through, gently rocking your bodies together while constantly repeating that you would have found a way to escape together.

Hongjoong’s heart clenched anytime you instinctively flinched away from his touch, trembling and making yourself as small as you could by bringing your knees to your chest and placing your cheeks between your knees until eventually, your soulmate managed to tranquilize you enough for you to realize that he would have never hurt you, patiently waiting for you to crawl back in his awaiting embrace. 

Hongjoong had patiently listened to your confessions about what happened during the years you spent in the Shrine, glad that you decided to finally open up enough to tell him the whole story without hiding anything anymore.

«How does it feel to be back into business?» Seonghwa questioned San, as he helped him adjust the Serendia Shrine’s Disciple vest that the latter had stolen few weeks earlier.

«With these clothes on? Well, for a start I feel like I want to set myself on fire,» the younger replied, «are we sure this is going to work?»

Yeosang’s plan was theoretically simple, yet extremely complicated to perform; he had meticulously planned with Hongjoong every detail about how they should have proceed all together, but now that the young leader was caught prisoner and they were running short on time, everyone felt distressed.

First of all, San would need to sneak in the Shrine, pretending to be a disciple while using one of Yeosang’s alchemy stones in order to re-create a detailed map of the whole Shrine. Said stone was probably one of the best inventions of the young alchemist, since both San and Yeosang would need to hold two pieces of the same stone at the same time, and no matter how distant they were, a map would be drawn on the paper that Yeosang was neatly keeping on his desk.

Then, San would need to alert both you and Hongjoong about their plan, before stealing some vests for his friends as well; after that, Yeosang would enchant the stolen robes, making them look white instead of black for everyone who was not a Disciple.

At this point, the group would have split in two: Jongho and Wooyoung would have waited towards the northern part of the mountain, while the rest of them would help every prisoner escape, so that you and Hongjoong could walk out freely from the main entrance.

Once the prisoner were rescued, you would have reunited in order to finally fight the Disciples.

«I honestly hope it does.» Seonghwa simply answered his friend, his jaw clenched as they shared a simple nod.

Hongjoong leaned against you, too weak in order to stand up by himself; gently holding his face in your hand, you noticed blood trickle down from his temple and dried tears on his cheeks, and your breath hitched in fear.

Quickly, you helped him sit on the ground and between your legs, mirroring the position the two of you were in when you’ve woken up the first day, only that this time, you were the one healing him.

«I’m really sorry,» you confessed while believing your soulmate was asleep, feeling yourself on the verge of tears as you momentarily buried your face in Hongjoong’s neck, «we shouldn’t have met, this is my fault.»

«Stop saying nonsense,» he quietly groaned with a tired voice. Hongjoong weakly lifted his right hand in mid-air and your fingertips instinctively caressed the top of his hand, until your palm was pressed flat against it and the both of you interlocked your fingers together; Hongjoong brought your intertwined hands to his chest, right above his heart.

«It’s okay, sunshine, we’re soulmates.» he mumbled, and you immediately tensed up.

«How-» the question died in your throat, and Hongjoong chuckled weakly, before coughing up while clutching his ribs; you kept weakly holding him, waiting for him to lean back against your chest so that you could both hug and heal him once again.

«I was a prisoner as well, many years ago,» Hongjoong said, and you realized that the moment you’ve been anticipating had finally arrived, «I knew I had to be one of the sacrificial victims along with another girl, a child of Air - which I presume was you.» you nodded against his neck, and he went on, «However, I was stabbed by your- the Leader, because I refused to cooperate with him and his plans. I don’t know what happened then, I remember being dragged across the floor while feeling life abandoning me, and then it was as if I was in a non-existent reality.» 

Hongjoong sighed, brushing his thumb against yours in a gentle manner, «I woke up, and I found myself in front of a Dragon… I was so scared at first! He was huge, no matter how far I looked, I couldn’t see the end of his tail; his scales were a faint red and his eyes- well, they were just like my right eye but slightly bigger.» he smiled, and you could see the fact that he was glancing at an unspecific point through the thick iron bars, his gaze unfocused. «He told me his name was Garmoth, and said my destiny was not fulfilled, yet. I… I don’t remember everything he said since I was ten years old back then, but… He talked about my soulmate being a child of Air, asking me how could I die before even meeting her.» Hongjoong chuckled briefly, shaking his head as if he was wondering how could he not notice something so obvious.

«“Karanda will never let me hear the end of it, if you die today,” Garmoth said, but of course, I couldn’t know what he meant. I never thought too much about it, I eventually found the others and our desire to destroy the Shrine occupied our thoughts. I started to believe that was my destiny, but now I don’t know anymore.»

«What do you mean?» you asked quietly, afraid to interrupt his train of thoughts.

«Maybe my destiny was simply meeting you and teach you how to effectively tackle someone on the ground without tripping on your own feet,» he joked, and you exhaled a breathless chuckle, annoyed at how could he joke in such a situation. «I came back to life, and since then, my eyes have always looked like that, even though I hide it anytime I’m not around the boys, well, they already explained to you how I gained the nickname of being the Dragon.»  

«Thank you for telling me,» you instinctively smiled against the skin of his neck, and Hongjoong simply nodded at you in a silent answer, «When I visited the Harpies’ Ridge, Karanda told me that I was travelling with my soulmate, who was a child of Fire,» you decided to confess, and Hongjoong curiously tilted his head in order to side glance at you, «needless to say, I didn’t know you were my soulmate, neither what that word was supposed to mean and therefore, I had to ask Yeosang what soulmates were.»  

Hongjoong snorted, finding the scene incredibly amusing, «I guess you know everything about soulmates, now.»

With a sigh, you nodded while holding him closer, finally identifying the young boy that had populated your nightmares for years.

«I saw you, Hongjoong.» you admitted, telling him about the nightmare of the boy being dragged across the floor in front of your cage, «That day, in the Shrine... I saw you die.»

«Soulmates never die.» Hongjoong simply said, and once again, you fell into a comfortable silence.

-

A Disciple unexpectedly entered your cage, and you immediately sat up in order to stand between him and Hongjoong’s sleeping frame; however, as soon as the small door closed behind him, he put a finger against his lips, before walking towards you with quick steps.

Now that he was close, you could identify San’s face partially hidden by the black vest, and your eyebrows furrowed in confusion; San quickly glanced at Hongjoong, before the two of you immediately focused on the noise of steps walking towards your cage.

«Damn it,» San cursed briefly, before turning his attention to you once again, «dodge.» before you could question him, he lifted his fist in the attempt to punch you in the face, action which you dodge as best as you could, happy that San decided to take it easy on you due to your weakened state. San caught the opportunity to pull you against him, making it seem as if he was pressing something against your throat in order to whisper in your ear about the plan their friends came up with.

«In three days from now, you’ll hear a loud noise coming from the northern part of the Shrine; ignore it, wait for the path to be clear and walk south, walk out from the main entrance, then wait for us.» San abruptly let you go, pushing you few steps away from him, «trust us.» he simply said, before walking out of the cage as quickly as he had sneaked in.

Only when you heard him order another Disciple that he already took care of you and Hongjoong, you noticed that you were tightly gripping onto something. Opening your hand, you noticed the small, thin metal needle which would have helped you free yourself from your handcuffs.

Hongjoong woke up few hours later, both his wounds and his health getting worse; as quickly as you could, you explained what happened to him, your voice barely above a whisper since you didn’t want to let yourself be heard from anyone else.

«I don’t know what’s going to happen to us, but we’ll get out of here, sunshine.» Hongjoong softly said and you nodded; you found it almost ridiculous how, despite his state compared to yours, he was still the one consoling you and giving you enough strength to face every day.

The Disciples admitted their intent to slowly kill your soulmate in order to destroy the last shred of sanity that kept your soul together and three days later, Hongjoong was still sitting between your thighs, his back pressed against your chest as he was constantly on the verge of passing out; his breath was way too soft and uneven, and you grew even more tense each passing minute.

The silence was almost deafening as you were waiting for your signal to go, and it was as if your own anxiety was bouncing off the walls of your cold and damp cell; you knew what was going to happen, and you knew your friends would have attacked in any moment.

As a loud thud coming from a part you couldn’t quite identify interrupted the quietness of the morning, you knew that the only thing you only had to do was to trust your friends and wait.

The organization was rather simple, Seonghwa, Yunho, Mingi, San and Yeosang would have helped the prisoners, setting them free and escorting them outside through the passage that Jongho would create through the mountain; Jongho and Wooyoung would have waited outside, ready to attack anyone which was either not a prisoner, nor their friend.

Thankfully, San’s previous job as an assassin required for him to have an excellent memory in order to be able to identify routes and escape routes and therefore, since he managed to draw a detailed map of the Serendia Shrine for his friend, they spent days studying it.

Jongho had summoned his magic, his eyes glowing green as he pushed with all his might against the side of the mountain, parting it just enough to create an escape route out of the Serendia Shrine.

«Are you ok?» Wooyoung asked, concerned about the fact that his friend suddenly seemed extremely tired; Jongho weakly nodded at him, and Wooyoung relaxed, his hand nervously tightening around his bow.

«Everything’s up to them, now.» Jongho said, his eyes lost in the darkness of the passage that lead to the end of the corridor on which sides were the prisoners’ cages; he briefly leaned against a tree, not mentioning to his friend that the spell he had just used had required an extremely big amount of magic.

-

If outside the Shrine neither Jongho nor Wooyoung dared to speak, inside the Shrine the atmosphere was reigned by pure chaos.

«Every Disciple not wearing a white vest is your enemy!» Yeosang shouted, as he and his friends moved quickly, either opening the cages’ locks with magic or by harshly pressing alchemy stones against the locks, «We created a path, follow us!»

«We had a great idea.» Mingi commented as he and his friend briefly made eye contact.

If the prisoners seemed wary of the presence of Disciples showing up with different coloured vests and claiming that they wanted to help, they immediately relaxed as soon as they realized that Seonghwa was using his powers in order to create small hints about which way the prisoners should follow in order to escape.

It was difficult, and it was extremely chaotic; Jongho’s action didn’t go unnoticed and instantly, the Disciples’ attention had been focused on what was happening, meaning that your friends had to fight on the way out.

Even if they were expecting for the Disciples to counter attack, the fact that some prisoners actually stayed behind in order to help was not expected; magic was effectively destroying part of the walls as the prisoners were fighting their way out.

Mingi and Seonghwa purposely stayed behind, but they had to admit that they had probably underestimated the situation; the Disciples could rely on their stack of crystals, while your friends could rely on themselves and on the prisoners that were less wounded.

At some point, a disciple managed to badly hurt Seonghwa’s leg, meaning that he had to rely on Mingi in order to limp out of the Shrine; as soon as few disciples created a spell using various magic crystals in a synchronized way, both Mingi and Seonghwa thought they would have never seen the sunlight again.

The crystals were glowing bright meaning that the spell was about to activate; Seonghwa weakly lifted his hand in front of himself, aware that no matter what, he wouldn’t have been able to neutralize it.

As they thought hope was lost, an incandescent wall of fire materialized in front of them, effectively killing some of the Disciples who were chasing them; Mingi quickly snapped his head back, just to see two girls with the palms of their hands raised enough to face the Disciples.

«Literal life savers, thank you!» Mingi smiled, tightening his hold on his friend, which groaned in pain, and the girls smiled at him, one of them briefly giving him a thumbs up.

«Come on, now, let’s go!» one of the girls said, before they all started proceeding again towards the exit Jongho had created.

«Save the wounded, elder people and children,» Yunho shouted as soon as everyone emerged from the mountain, «whoever feels strong enough to fight, must remain here!» much to your friends’ surprise, beside the most injured people, almost everyone had stayed behind.

Everyone was driven by the desire and desperation to destroy the Serendia Shrine for once and for all and therefore, as Jongho - helped by other children of Earth, summoned his magic to close the opening he had created and preventing any more Disciples to follow, the small clearing right outside the Shrine had turned into a war zone, children of nature facing Disciples which had less crystal than needed and therefore, inevitably about to meet their own death.

Silence was everything you could hear, meaning that your friends’ plan had succeeded; as your heart was racing, you managed to carry an unconscious Hongjoong out of the Shrine with fatigue, thankful to the others for having distracted everyone.

Although you wanted to summon your magic in order to momentarily make your soulmate weightless, you had a very definite plan in mind, a plan which required all the magic you could possibly be able to summon.

As soon as you felt the sensation of fresh air and the sun kissing your face you felt like crying, not believing that you managed to escape once again but most importantly, to save Hongjoong; you managed to put some distance between the two of you and the Serendia Shrine’s entering gates before checking your soulmate’s pulse.

Despite his concerning state, Hongjoong was still alive, and that was everything that mattered to you; with a soft sigh, you leaned in to press a gentle kiss against the corner of his lips, before you eventually stood up, walking in front of your soulmate in order to stand between him and the Shrine.

“I need to do it, before it’s too late.” you thought, and suddenly, an idea popped into your mind.

«Karanda, please, I need your help.» you mumbled with your eyes closed, reaching under the collar of your cotton shirt in order to tightly gripping your necklace; a whirl of wind disheveled your hair almost resembling a loving caress, and you took a deep breath, knowing that somehow, you were doing the right thing.

Closing your eyes, you focused as best as you could while summoning your magic, trying to identify where your friends were.

«Everyone is free! The bad guys are in the Shrine!» you heard Wooyoung happily confirm to his friends as they were running towards where you and Hongjoong were; with a sad smile, you weakly lifted your right hand towards the direction of the woods, immediately creating a transparent wall made of air, in order to prevent your friends to stop what you were about to do.

The blowing wind seemed to make the invisible wall glow, and with a last sigh, you lifted your palms towards the Shrine’s entrance.

The Disciples were not stupid, and neither was your father and therefore they were already hurriedly making their way towards the main entrance, since the one created by Jongho had been completely destroyed.

As soon as you saw the outlines of their shapes climbing on the stairs of the Shrine’s entrance, you focused in order to summon not only all the magic running through your veins, but your energy as well; you put your whole essence in the forbidden spell you have been taught many years ago.

“Elemental magic is unlimited, however, using too much of your magic within a short amount of time would irremediably consume you, as well.” Yeosang had said, and you realized how cruel the truth behind his words was; feeling the life flow out of you was painful, but your desire of revenge was strong enough for you to not stop your ministration, the voices of your friends trying to break the wall you created not reaching your ears.

As you started to close your hands, a loud thud was heard, followed by rocks progressively falling down from the mountain; with a pained scream, your fingers slowly met the palm of your hand, and the mountain crumbled on itself, becoming the tomb of the Disciples and destroying forever every trace of the Serendia Shrine.

With a satisfied smile, you turned to glance at Hongjoong for the last time, but before your eyes could focus on him, you let yourself fall on the cold floor, as darkness enveloped your senses.

-

It didn’t matter how loud your friends were screaming, telling you to stop, or how much strength they were using to try and break your spell; everything they managed to do was to watch the scene without having the possibility to intervene.

They saw you standing protectively in front of Hongjoong as if you were trying to shield him from your own magic, silently agreeing with each other that the quantity of magic you managed to summon was definitely too powerful for a human.

They heard you scream with the effort of unleashing a powerful spell but at some point, they had to cover their ears in pain, because your voice was filled of grief to the point it resembled the screech of a harpy.

For them, the sight was blood curling; you stood powerful, relying on yourself and sacrificing yourself for your ideals. Wooyoung felt his own heart break at the sight, wondering if he could have ever done anything in order to stop you or at least, make you change your mind; he would have never thought you were supposed to go that far, especially because now you had found friends, you had found a family.

This was also the main reason you decided to sacrifice yourself: you didn’t want anything to happen to them.

As your friends were carefully covering their ears, they started seeing a sort of veil of inconsistent and almost blinding light surrounding you, and for a second, it seemed that pure and white feathers erupted from the naked skin of your forearms.

The illusion lasted a blink of an eye, because you immediately fell lifeless on the floor, your hand millimetres apart from Hongjoong’s passed out frame.

-

Inevitably, your death caused the wall that was keeping your friends away from you to dissolve but, before they could approach you, a dozen of loud and angry screeches broke the silence, making them stop in their tracks once again.

A flock of harpies was flying in the sky right on top of your frame, before two of them eventually landed next to you, briefly looking like they were mourning, before eventually hoisting you up and carrying you away while flying high in the sky and towards their Ridge.

“Open your eyes,” you heard Karanda’s gentle whisper, but you still couldn’t understand where you were; you felt like floating, you felt weightless, you felt free.

It was almost as if you were one with the sky, confused about how you could feel like this while not using your powers; moreover, you clearly remembered that you died.

“Open your eyes.” Karanda’s voice repeated and you complied; long, dense and strong branches extended outwardly across a clear and boundless sky, the lights of an eternal dawn illuminating this foreign place.

Where were you?

Karanda was sitting on the branch next to yours, patiently waiting for you to wake up while staring towards the horizon, her gaze unfocused as if she was looking at something you couldn’t see.  

«Am I dead?» you questioned her, ignoring the sting you felt in your throat.

«No.» she simply answered with a smile as she shook her head, her feathers-hair gently moved by the breeze.

«What’s happening now?» you questioned with visible confusion.

«You fulfilled your fate, young one, you’re free to live your life with your soulmate.» Karanda explained, «I believe that once again, we’re all in your debt.» she tilted her head in a hint of a nod.

Were you dreaming?

Karanda was about to bless you with the gift of life once again, just like it happened to Hongjoong, and judging by her words, he had survived.

«Karanda… The first time we met, you said something along the line of Garmoth fooling you again… What did you mean?» you nervously played with your fingers, hoping not to sound too annoying as you were adjusting your position on the branch you were sitting on, wondering what would have happened if you fell on accident.

Karanda smiled, completely aware that now, you knew who Garmoth was.

«I believe in this life, your soulmate goes by the name of Hongjoong.» she said, and you nodded, «as you know, Garmoth is the father of the children of Fire… You and Hongjoong are soulmates, meaning that anytime you happen to be born in human form, you will irremediably find each other. However…» once again, Karanda’s gaze was unfocused as she stared in front of herself, «… I was aware about Hongjoong dying in the Shrine when he was a little kid, but I was not aware about the fact that that tricker of a Dragon sent him back.» you nodded, taking in her words while being unsure on what to say; it didn’t matter what you were thinking about, you felt like you couldn’t come up with a proper answer.

«Go, now,» Karanda said, preventing you from thinking further, «someone is waiting for you.» she announced with a gentle smile, and you felt a question slip past your lips.

«Will I see you again?»

«In many, many years from now, my beloved child.» Karanda answered, her sweet voice making you want to stay with her even further.

However, everything it took was to blink; if you closed your eyes next to Karanda while being alone in what seemed like an otherworld, in the moment you opened your eyes you were laying in front of her throne at the Harpies’ Ridge.

-

With a weak groan, you sat up clutching your head, startled by the quantity of harpies staring at you; quickly looking around yourself, you realized that, the Queen was looking at you with a gentle smile.

«Finally!» the harpy which you had saved months earlier was sitting next to you, waiting for you to wake up as she was patiently brushing your hair with what definitely looked like a brush made of bones.

«Good morning?» you tried, looking around, remembering about Karanda’s words about someone waiting for you.

«Men can’t meet the Queen, silly head» your friend reminded you, almost as if she managed to read your thoughts.

«It's been two weeks.» she replied, helping you standing up with careful gestures.

«Two weeks?!» you shrieked in disbelief, hearing an amused scoff coming from Karanda.

«Shh! Don’t let the Queen hear you,» the harpy immediately silenced you, «she can still send you back, be thankful it took so little time.» she murmured while the two of you started walking towards the edge of the Harpies’ Ridge territory. You’ve already walked this path once, and it definitely didn’t seem to take so long; you faintly gripped the necklace Karanda had gifted you, aware about the fact that you were incredibly eager about meeting your soulmate and your friends once again.

«What if they’re angry?» you asked your friend, stopping in your tracks. «Of course they’re angry!» she answered immediately, «We are incredibly distressed as well! Your friends spent all the time at the edge of our territory; we were going insane!»

The two of you stared at each other in the eyes for few seconds, the realization that your friend had probably to prevent her own sisters from attacking your friends slowly settling in your soul; she shook her head at you as you apologized, mumbling that «we’re even, now.» and before you realized, you were in front of your friends.

-

The first thing you heard was your name being called; not “little hood”, not “sunshine”, not another nickname.

The first thing you saw was Hongjoong quickly walking his way towards you, ignoring the small group of harpies screeching at him in warning not to trespass their territory.

The first thing you felt were a pair of warm hands tilting your head slightly to the left, before Hongjoong connected your lips in your first kiss.

Instinctively, you recalled Lea’s words when she said that kissing someone you loved was the best feeling in the world, realizing that she was right; honestly, nothing could have ever properly prepared you to the feeling of kissing your soulmate.

Hongjoong’s kiss made you feel complete, made you feel safe, made you feel home; at some point, you were sure that few droplets of tears of happiness had started to flow from your eyes.

«I thought I lost you.» he murmured, placing his forehead against yours.

«Soulmates never die.» you said, quoting what he told you weeks earlier, wiping the last traces of dried tears from his cheeks. «Move the fuck out the way,» Wooyoung harshly said with a trembling voice, as he was gently pushing against Hongjoong’s shoulder, «let me hug the personification of catastrophe I have the disgrace to love and cherish.» Wooyoung hugged you close, murmuring a quiet, «If you do something like this again, I’ll make sure to bring you back to life just to kill you myself.» and you hugged him just as tight with a smile on your lips.

«I missed you too,» you said, and Wooyoung partially detached from you in an abrupt way in order to retort sarcastically, before the words died in his throat.

«Oh, good grief,» Wooyoung mumbled in awe instead, «your left eye! You really look like Hongjoong’s girlfriend, now.»

«What about my eye?» you furrowed your eyebrows, touching your left cheekbones with a confused expression.

«It’s grey.» he announced, and with the excuse that everyone else wanted to see your mismatched eyes as well, you ended up being hugged tight by everyone of your friends, everyone of them happy about the fact that you were back.

-

Sitting once again in front of Hongjoong on his horse, your gaze was unfocused, as you absently participated to your friends’ lively conversation as you were headed to the small port village where all of them seemed to have bought a house.

«Why do you look so gloomy?» Hongjoong questioned, and you shook your head.

«My life has been focused on my will to destroy the Serendia Shrine, I don’t know what I am supposed to do now.» you admitted with a weak shrug.

«You could always focus on the future, then.» Hongjoong’s gentle voice replied few seconds later, and you instinctively sighed.

«What’s there to focus on? I had resigned myself not to have a future at all.»

«You could imagine a future together with me.» Hongjoong hesitantly said, and you smiled.

“As if I would say no,” you thought, intertwining your fingers with his right above your lap in a silent answer.

“You’re free to live your life with your soulmate.” Karanda had said, and suddenly, as if it was a magic trick, the disordered pieces in your soul seemed to find their own place in a matter of seconds; you were with your friends, but most of all, you were with Hongjoong. Everything would have been okay, in the end.

Few weeks later, you slowly started to grow accustomed to your new life; for a start, you and Hongjoong were now living together in his house – giving San and Wooyoung further reasons to tease you. The fact that all of your friends fell in love with the same village to the point where they all decided to buy a house in it was both amusing and heart-warming; no matter what, now that your friends were temporarily off duty, you always had the certainty of knowing where to find them if you needed anything.

Hongjoong was aware about the fact that you had never had intimate contact with anyone, reason why he always made sure to follow your lead, keeping your kisses as innocent as possible, even if sometimes the intense feelings amplified thanks to your bond were too hard to ignore.   Needless to say, you literally didn’t know what to do with yourself; you were glad for how caring and sweet Hongjoong was, but sometimes, you felt yourself wanting to give and yearning for more, even though you didn’t know what you exactly wanted in the first place.

As the dim moonlight illuminated your shared bedroom, Hongjoong tilted your face towards him, and even in the darkness, his tender gaze seemed to sparkle. He traced his thumb lightly along your lower lip, and you gently reached out, moving his hand away from your face just enough to close the distance between the two of you in a tender kiss. Hongjoong’s lips were soft and warm as they moved gently against yours; they were delicate, sweet kisses, and it felt almost as if he was taking his time, learning how you tasted, how you felt, and the way you responded to what he did.

Wrapping your arms around his shoulders, you kissed him harder, no longer too overwhelmed to appreciate how good Hongjoong’s lips felt, and you heard him make a soft, pleased noise in response. Eventually, somewhere between your soft and passionate kisses, you found yourselves laying on his soft mattress, his body moving with slow and gentle movements as the two of you made love for the first of countless times. You never felt anything like this, you felt like melting, as if he was consuming you whole while setting your soul alight, and you found yourself wanting more and more, even if you didn’t know what it could have meant.

Hongjoong smiled against your lips and you smiled as well, suppressing a whimper since it was as if he could hear your thoughts; his kisses deepened further, until it was hard to think, to do anything but feel. Hongjoong was holding you tightly against him, and you were so dizzy with need that you weren’t sure you’d be still able to stand without his embrace.

«Is it okay if I do this?» Hongjoong’s strained voice asked as he gently lift your thigh a little higher, just for it to circle his hips; the new angle made everything feel even more intense and you nodded, enjoying your soulmate’s soft moans of pleasure.

«I don’t,» you whimpered suddenly, your hands timidly circling Hongjoong’s waist; your soulmate immediately stopped his movements, glancing at you with a concerned expression, fearful of having hurt you, «I don’t know what to do.» you shyly confessed, and Hongjoong’s smile was the more tender you’ve ever seen.

«I’ll tell you a secret,» he sighed, leaning closer to your ear, «I love you so much, I don’t even know what to do with myself.»

The unexpected confession made you relax, and then you understood; despite the fact that Hongjoong was more experienced than you were, it was your first time together, as a couple, as soulmates. It wasn’t meant to be perfect, you weren’t expected to know exactly what you were doing, since you’ve never did anything like this in the first place; it was meant to be messy, it was meant to be passionate, it was meant for you to learn how each other felt. It was meant for the two of you to understand the fact that no matter what, nothing would have made you feel like when you were in each other’s company.

Moreover, Hongjoong found adorable the fact that you were puzzled about the most trivial things as where to place your hands or where to touch, and he found even more adorable the fact that you tried to hide the fact that you were feeling pleasure by covering your lips with your hands.

«I believe these,» Hongjoong said, gently wrapping his warm hands around your wrists in order to place them next to your head on the mattress, preventing you from moving them again, «belong here, and you should let me hear your voice a little more.» he added at last, whimpering the last part against your ear, and you complied, giving yourself completely to your soulmate.

-

«Hongjoong! Little hood!» you heard Wooyoung’s voice call from your porch – which was right under your shared bedroom; you and Hongjoong were still laying naked under the covers, cuddling in your post orgasm bliss.

«Come on, we’re going to be late for the village’s festival!» Seonghwa added, and you felt Hongjoong’s arms tighten around your frame, as if to silently ask for few more minutes.

«Wait, Wooyoung, the lights are off…» you heard San’s voice as well.

«… Oh, good grief,» your bestfriend’s voice commented, as if he was surprised about something obvious he didn’t notice, «Oi, you two! I’m not ready to become an uncle, yet!»

Wooyoung’s sentence made the two of you giggle, before eventually, Hongjoong rolled the two of you around just enough so that he could drape the blanket completely over your frames, in order to steal another kiss from your lips.

EPILOGUE

Magic was pretty common in the world; actually, some must even say it has somehow became an essential resource in the everyday life. However, after five years since the day you met your soulmate and your friend, the world seemed to have completely changed.

For a start, the news of Serendia Shrine being destroyed immediately spreaded like wildfire; the survivors immediately ran back to their families, whom welcomed them with tears in their eyes and their heart overflowing with happiness and relief. Children of Nature no longer needed to hide their powers and therefore, mentor figures started teaching younger people how to use magic without either being scared of it, or wasting too much energy; slowly, children of Nature became a fundamental resource in everyday life.

Nevertheless, although many former prisoners knew exactly who saved them, neither you nor your friends have decided to take the merit of what happened and therefore - formally, a group of reckless and brave heroes saved the lives of countless people, finally putting an end to years and years of suffering and unspeakable tortures.

Regarding you and your friends, the whole group had claimed that - over the years, they had managed to earn enough money in order to finally take a vacation from their job as mercenaries and so, you were all living in the same village.

Mingi, Wooyoung and San became combat teachers, organizing small classes in order to teach young warriors and curious how to master different fighting styles.

Yeosang, Mingi and Yunho opened their own alchemy school accessible to anyone interested in the subject; it was small and humble, but their love for alchemy made it seem as if it were one of the most prestigious alchemy schools that could even compete with those of the capital.

Seonghwa, Hongjoong, you and Jongho became mentors, teaching little kids and young adults how to master their own magic without unconsciously hurting people around them.  

As for you and Hongjoong – much like San and Wooyoung, you were now living together and happily married. Hongjoong had proposed in the most natural and random way on a windy and dull evening, as you and your friends were once again spending the night at the village’s tavern, playing a new game of card that Mingi and San had recently learned.

«You know what would be a great way to end the evening?» Hongjoong had whispered against your ear, and you curiously glanced at him, silently urging him to go on; Hongjoong gave you a smug yet tender smile, before saying «Let’s get married.» and that’s how you, Hongjoong and your friends had ran to the nearest chapel, getting married in a sudden and intimate ceremony.

«Hongjoong,» you groaned, massaging your stomach in the vain hope to make the pain disappear, «I feel strange.» you whined as you turned your position in bed, lying on your side in order to alleviate the imminent instinct to throw up. If you were to be honest, you’ve been feeling terrible for at least the last week, and it wasn’t rare for you to feel the instinct to throw up on random occasion; however, Hongjoong – being the gentleman he is, always kept your hair tied up in a makeshift ponytail and immediately comforted you anytime it happened.

«I think you should see a doctor,» Hongjoong affectionately mumbled while moving a strand of hair behind your ear, «I can ask Seonghwa to take my place for the day.» Instinctively, you nuzzled your cheek against Hongjoong’s warm hand, before shaking your head, your gaze locking with your husband’s worried mismatched eyes.

«It’s okay, I’ll ask Wooyoung to come with me.» although the worry remained evident on Hongjoong’s delicate features, he settled for not forcing the topic and nodded, kissing your forehead before getting ready for work.  

Wooyoung, however, spent the day with a suspicious smug smile plastered on his face; for a start, the doctor at your village was nowhere to be seen and therefore, you and your bestfriend took a carriage in order to go to the nearest one.

«Why are you smiling like that?» you scoffed as Wooyoung gently helped you climb down the carriage.

«I wonder how oblivious you can be, mommy.» Wooyoung giggled with a wide grin; his words indeed puzzled you because you had never considered the fact that you could have been pregnant but before you could ask your bestfriend for further clarifications, a lively and familiar voice caught your attention.

«Are my eyes deceiving me? Little hood, is that you?» your eyes widened and your head immediately turned on your left just to see Lea with her arm interlocked with a young man, as they stood few steps away from the two of you; needless to say, you wasted no time walking towards her and she immediately hugged you as close as she could, saying how happy she was to see that you were alive and well.  

«Of course she is okay,» Wooyoung said, «she married Hongjoong.» he suggestively told Lea, which immediately brought her hands in front of her mouth in order to hide the wide smile that immediately erupted on her lips.

«No way!» she exclaimed with an excited and joyful shriek. Of course, Lea was curious, and of course, you ended up telling her almost everything about how your relationship with Hongjoong had bloomed; however, Lea never questioned your mismatched eyes, because she already knew. Lea was more than eager to inform you that the young and handsome man standing next to her was in fact her husband, which had unexpectedly turned out to be one of the Serendia Shrine’s survivors. The man – Changbin, had told Lea about the small group that saved them, and she immediately recognized them as Hongjoong and his friends and therefore, she didn’t need to ask you anything; although her curiosity wanted her to ask you, she was happy with knowing that you were safe and happy.

After all, now that the Serendia Shrine had been destroyed, you had all the time in the world to meet each other and spend some time together and to share important secrets. Needless to say, from the moment Changbin came back, Lea stopped working at the brothel altogether, and now they were living their life and enjoying their marriage as happily as they were doing before the Disciples captured Changbin.

After your encounter with Lea and Changbin, your day basically passed by in a blur; the doctor ended up confirming what Wooyoung was teasing you about, and you spent the travel back towards your village in complete silence.

«Oi, little hood,» Wooyoung mumbled, wrapping a hand around your shoulders and you momentarily smiled at the mention of the familiar nickname, «why are you so sad about it?»

«What if Hongjoong won’t be happy about it?» you wondered, even though you were absolutely aware about the fact that there wasn’t a single possibility about your soulmate being unhappy about something like this; to confirm your thoughts, Wooyoung scoffed.

«He’s going to be ecstatic, about it,» your bestfriend said, «moreover, the two of you have been teaching kids for years now… It’s time to get your own.» Wooyoung playfully winked, and you managed to let out a breathless chuckle at his words.

Hongjoong knew you were hiding something from him: for a start, you absolutely were not capable to hide your own emotions and therefore, your husband could constantly read you as if you were an open book.

«Come on,» Hongjoong said, fearing for the worst and consequently deciding to confront you right after dinner as he caged you between his warm body and the sink, «what did the doctor say?»

As you placed the dishes back in the warm water in the sink, you took your time to dry your hands with a towel before eventually mumble that you were going to be parents; however, your voice was almost inaudible, causing Hongjoong to gently turn you around so that you were facing each other.

«We’re going to be parents.» you announced, not bringing yourself to look at him in the eyes; Hongjoong remained silent, and each passing second made you tense even more.

«What?» Hongjoong’s voice caused your gaze to drift towards his, and you immediately realized how stupid you had been to be worried about his reaction in the first place; Hongjoong was looking at you with his mismatched eyes as wide as the moon and a wide and incredulous smile plastered on his lips.

«Really?» Hongjoong repeated; his happiness was written all over his features, and instinctively you smiled, nodding in confirmation, «What’s the problem, sunshine?» Hongjoong questioned, your nervous expression didn’t go unnoticed, as he delicately took your head in his hands.

«Of course I’m happy about it,» you immediately told him, «but I don’t know how I’m supposed to be a mom… What if I’m not good at it?» you admitted, your worried gaze burning in Hongjoong’s enamoured one, which immediately softened.  

«I don’t know how I’m supposed to be a dad, either.» Hongjoong admitted as well, rubbing your nose against his, «I’m sure you will be great, sunshine, we’re gonna make it.» eventually, you loosely wrapped your arms around Hongjoong’s waist, as the cloud of doubts were gradually dissipating from your head.

«We’ll be okay.» you eventually said, and Hongjoong immediately leaned in to place a gentle and brief kiss on your lips.

«Of course we’ll be okay, sunshine,» your soulmate smiled as mismatched enamoured eyes met yours, «do you believe in fate?»

That’s how your future with Hongjoong had started, aware that no matter what, life after life, you would have met and fell in love, again, and again, and again.

all works © lettersfromaphrodite

Do not modify, repost, translate or plagiarize my stories. I only publish my works on tumblr & AO3.

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[arkive78]

ATZ Fanfics I’ll Forever Reread

Ok so most of this blog is me reblogging some of my favorite ATZ content, and I thought I’d make a masterpost of some of my all-time favorites. Please let me know if links aren’t working btw! A lot of these have NSFW/18+ content, so minors please DO NOT interact with those mentioning 18+ or NSFW below the cut!!!

** Updated: August 25, 2022 (added some fics and also tidied it up a bit hehe)

✨ Mists of Celeste by @hongism

NSFW!!, space pirate au

Ok, so if you’ve been on ATZ tumblr, you SURE have heard of this story by now, its at like 46 (roughly I might be remembering wrong) chapters of pure space-pirate galore and it’s honestly one of my favorite stories ever. It is NSFW, and is. M/18+, so yeah, it’s got smut and violence and trauma. 

The way she writes is absolutely amazing from the world building to character development it’s insane. No character is perfect, and honestly the MC is such a badass it’s just amazing. The personas she builds is just crazy and I swear she’s a god at tying plot points together or dropping some of the juiciest info or moments at the BEST TIME!!! 

Also, if you love pirates, this fic is great. I’m such a hoe for this fic it’s insane, it’s so well done and just everything one could want. It also has MANY funny moments that had me cackling. I do love the very “human” moments of just dissecting the human psyche or emotions and dealing with trauma and the like, or even the complications of relationships and ethics. Overall a work of art.

✨ Horizon by @pxedpiper

SFW, pirate au

Another iconic pirate ATZ fic, I read this one a LONG time ago, but it’s a classic pirate AU with the MC as a princess who gets stuck on ATZ’s ship and it’s very found family vibes and cute. 

It’s 21 chapters of everything I love too, and is completed hehe. It is Hongjoong x reader, so it’s even 100000x better because I am a huge simp for Captain Hongjoong on so many levels it’s a shame that there’s not more pirate Hongjoong fics. 

✨ Do you believe in fate? by @lettersfromaphrodite

SFW, soulmate au, magic au

A glorious HJ x reader chapter story with soulmates, magic, and all that good stuff. I read this one a long time ago, but the story is just so good and I love a good soulmate AU ahhhh. There is a sequel that’s a Chan x reader one (as in Chan from SKZ).

✨ Pirate King by @chaseatinydream

SFW, pirate au

NOW THIS!! THISSSSSS!!!!! I rmb when I first found this and was like huh this is a lot of chapters, and I wonder what it’s like. I swear hands-down I obsessively read the HELL out of this. IT’S SO GOOD!!!! 

It is another Pirate AU (my favorite), and it’s done so well I screeched multiple times, the whole story is so immersive and you literally cannot help but keep reading it, I would read this story til like 3AM it’s crazy. 

The MC’s storyline is SO COOL and unique from what I’ve seen. And the ending is just absolute perfection. I would make everyone read this if I could (like MOC LOL).

✨ Body Talk by @jungkxook

NSFW, 18+ smut

This is a 3 part story FWB! Wooyoung x virgin!reader, and the story is basically, reader asks wooyoung to take her virginity and the like. The smut is written so well and I just love a good ole idiots to lovers vibes because obviously they’re both in denial LOL.

✨ You’re the one that I want by @ateezmakemeweep

18+ NSFW

this is peak Badboy!Seonghwa do not get me started. This author has the tendency to pull you in and immerse you and then destroy you in the best of ways. 

I have actually not finished this out of fear of what happens next but lemme tell you, if you love a good angsty love story, read tf outta this. the way they write this story is just PERFECTION with the build-up and everything. 

Highly recommend this author in the first place but man, this was so good and the relationship building is awesome too (and ofc the angst if you love it). I swear I’ll finish this one day when I’m emotionally ready.

✨ Richboy!Seonghwa by @ateezmakemeweep

18+, NSFW

but another iconic writing by this amazing author. You will become obsessed immediately. It’s just absolute perfection.

✨ Into the Aurora by @honeyhotteoks

18+ NSFW

one of my favorite ot8 x reader fics, premise is really great and written VERY WELL. 

It’s so good it will have you absolutely SWOONING!!!!!! 

✨ Murphy’s Law by @uhmingi

NSFW, 19+ a/f/s, soulmate au, alien au, enemies to friends to lovers, san x reader, and ?/reader

the way I’m absolutely OBSESSED WITH THIS STORY??? should be illegal, it literally had me geeking out from the very first chapter, especially with the whole AU itself. 

Because aliens? How you gonna portray that? what kind of world are we in? And like literally it has me on the floor freaking out over how GOOD IT IS. 

Literally I had no idea what would happen next with each chapter. There is sadly only going to be 4 chapters, BUT I feel like this story will end satisfyingly, that’s the vibes I’m getting. 

But man, I will forever wish I could look at this story for the first time all over again just relive the shock moments. 

You will NOT regret reading this story. I would sell my soul for more chapters, but man this author got me YEARNING for these characters AGHJJJJJJ. 

Literally this story had me SWOONING

✨ Letters to a Ruined King by @ zetsumyona (on AO3)

18+, mature, 

another pirate AU that has me having heart eyes over captain hongjoong tho he hasn’t done a lot yet in this story. I

t is marked as an ateez x reader, tho granted they can always throw surprises at us but my assumption is that any member is game LOL. this series is also Mature and 18+ btw. 

It’s got great worldbuilding, portrayal of emotions, and it’s been fun to guess how each relationship is gonna go.

But the level of depth they’ve given the characters is crazy, and you don’t know what to expect next

it’s definitely an interesting take on a pirate AU

✨ You Belong to Us by @teeztheflag

18+, mature, ot8!werewolf ateez x werewolf!reader

about four parts right now, but man I love this fic. I think why I always liked werewolf!aus is the found family vibe but also the soulmate vibe and I always love re-reading it because it makes me so curious about their dynamics.

✨ Der Damonen Klan by @teeztheflag

18+, mature, demon au, poly teez

this was the first fic I found on their page and I love it. It' just such a vibe and I'm such a fan of ot8!fics because they're so entertaining and seeing the dynamics of each relationship (but also lowkey having people interested in you woohoo what fun). The storyline here I really like too because the MC is still trying to figure out what works and how she feels about them and the like. hehe.

✨ Blood Masquerade by @hongism

M/18+, fem!reader x tba, smut, violence

So ofc it's Miss Caly herself so obviously it's amazing. It actually mimics a dating simulator so she'd have choices after each chapter. and man this story is so immersive and I love how the MC is such a badass and isn't letting the boys win her over so easy, and although there's only 2 chapters so far, its stunning. The best part is you don't know what to expect since it's a twist on dating simulators and it's just so good, I cannot wait for more parts.

✨ catlike by @ maganxx (AO3)

witch au 

san gets turned into reader’s familiar and I’m about halfway thru it but it’s so good!!! It just finished I think.

✨ Kiss of Chaos by @ tenelkadjo (AO3)

Here’s the tumblr link as I’ve learned recently they’re also on tumblr @tenelkadjowrites

NSFW

another witch au

THE WAY I WAS OBSESSED WITH THIS THE STORY IS SO COOL AND THERE’S SMUT AND WORLDBUILDING AND AHHHHH

Seonghwa x reader

literally I wish they would write one shots with each member because I think it would be so cool (please write one about Fae Hongjoong I might lose my mind) !!!!!!! And Seonghwa is such a hottie in this too!!!!!!

-------

One shots! One’s that are NSFW are labelled but please read the further content readings when you go to the post.

✨ Can’t Stand You by @domjaehyun 

NSFW, HJ x reader

basically HJ is bad boy and reader is good student, and they get paired together

✨ 5 weeks by @ zetsumyona (on AO3)

NSFW

strangers to lovers, colleagues to lovers, smut, there is an age gap btw (the reader is older)

idol!wooyoung x fem-stylist!reader

✨ Can’t take my eyes off of you by @bobateastay

NSFW

san x reader

70s college au, boy next door san, smut

✨ Take me home pt 1 by @yeosanghwas

NSFW

wooyoung x reader

THIS WSS SO GOOD WTF, it gets so heated in the best of ways

sub!wooyoung, softdom!reader, smut, frenemies to lovers, college au, fluff

✨ hop hop little bunny by @bngchnsi

NSFW

yeosang x reader

when I read this for the first time I about died thank you very much

brat tamer!yeosang x brat!reader

✨ A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out by to_shinestar (AO3)

NSFW

wooyoung x san x reader

!!! the iconic duo!!

this literally got ME sweating

✨ The House of Eden by @ faerbloom (AO3)

literally the softest thing I ever read

this is a very wholesome fic and just makes me wanna live in the woods with my lovers as a witch like wtf

ot8 x reader

✨ Room for Three by @honeyhotteoks 

NSFW

yunho x reader x seonghwa

a duo I didn’t think I needed

there’s a second part too

this fic is literally so good i was SWOONING!!!!! just the dynamics and everything got me SCREECHING if they made a whole series of this I would go feral please and thank you

[teezersfics]

Journey To Wonderland

˚‧｡⋆⋆｡‧˚masterlist˚‧｡⋆⋆｡‧˚

Genere : Fantasy, Royalty, Pirate

Pairing : Secret

Ch.5 / Ch.6 / Ch.7

Chapter 6 : The Story

With every coming day, you are taking your trainings from the seniors and mainly helping with the navigation. You seem to have started developing friendships with many people on the ship, but it's quiet hard to gain seniors trusts yet, San has been your friend from first day, Wooyoung next. But it is most hardest to even hold the conversation with Seonghwa and Jongho, they seem a little too tough. And Captain, its a very distant case. He hasn't spoken to you after your first encounter. He eventually strolls around the ship and whenever you both spot each other, you try to give him a smile but he just gives you judgemental look or a short stare. It makes you feel like you've done something gravely wrong and he is judging you for that. Lately, you have also felt like someone has been watching you, it's just a feeling, when you scan around, you spot no one around you.

But, you are also quiet enjoying your time on the ship. Some days ago you also met Captain's dear pet, a very cute and talkative Parrot, who likes to mimic all the seniors. So far he has been making all the seniors embarrassed by saying silly things in their voices. His name is Crescent, and the story behind this is that he was found by Captain on the crescent moon night. But he was in very badly injured condition. Captain bought him to the ship and got him treated with the help of Yunho. The Captain also gave Crescent a collar made of gold and gems embedded on it with the bird's name craved on it. This made him look like a Royal Parrot. Since then Crescent has also been helping Captain perform tasks like delivering and carrying some urgent messages. No matter how far Crescent goes, he eventually finds his way back to the ship, no matter wherever the ship may be. He is also very intelligent.

And recently he has for sure gained liking towards you. He surprises you with suddenly sitting on your head or shoulder and sulks when you don't pet him. He does not speak alot but eventually teases any crewmate passing by. He also tells you if he wants anything. When Wooyoung saw your and Crescent first interaction, he was shocked because, Crescent's initial interaction with Wooyoung was just Crescent biting him whenever Wooyoung approached Crescent. Wooyoung also said that Cresent never easily trust any people. If Cresent like anyone that means that person passed the trust check. On the ship, Cresent's judgement is considered second important after the Captain.

So far it's been all good. But most of the crew is curious about Wonderland and all the things that happen inside Wonderland. And so, to clear everyone's doubts there is going to be a secret story session tonight after dinner. You are extremely excited for the night, to know more about the Wonderlands secrets. All the new crewmates and the other who are excited to know about Wonderland are all secretly invited to the session but keeping this away from the Captain and Seonghwa. Even though its kept a secret from them, its sure that they will eventually know about this. Nothing remains a secret on this ship for a long time.

But, on the other hand this session is beneficial for all the crew to know what they are going to get themselves into. After this, they can decide whether they want to join Captain into the Wonderland or not. Many information about Wonderland will be shared which not every other person knows. The fact that the Navigator, Yeosang will be leading the session while other seniors will help him fill in the any missing details of the story.

And the night finally comes. After dinner all of the interested crewmates are gathered in one of the reserved store room on the stern of the ship. Doors closed, all of the crewmates sitting in circle with candles in the middle. Everyone is so curious and excited for the story to start. All the seniors sitting at one side, while everyone else listening like the curious audiences.

________________________

“So, it all starts from actually long time ago, when the XCARS, the Gods of different powers and possessing the ability to give any supernatural powers to any common person of their wish. The RAVENS who were the devil's possessing the dark powers, the powers that can destroy the whole universe, declared the war against the XCARS. But, the XCARS we only 5 in number whereas the RAVENS were a massive clan of brainwashed people. At that time the XCARS asked for the help from all the Kimgdoms on the earth. They asked for the Army of the Soldiers as much as possible. And humans decided to help. The XCARS blessed all those soldiers and the royalties with some powers that would help them win the war easily. With the help of human soldiers, the XCARS did win the war, and all the RAVENS were sent to the most gruesome and horrendous place in the hell for what they did over many years. After winning the war, the XCARS decides to let the soldiers and the royalties have all the powers. But then they started misusing the powers. They started using those powers for their own satisfaction and own benefit. The people grew more and more greedy and was fighting among themselves. So before going to reside back in the Cloud Palace, the XCARS took back all the powers that was granted to the humans.

But the XCARS knew that humans has done alot for them. Especially all the Kings who lend them their soldiers. So they really wanted to do something for them, for humans. But they also knee that humans were greedy. If humans get anything easily, they simply crave for more and more, and there is no end or limits to humans desire. So they had to give humans something that they gain with their hardwork, by this, humans could realise the joy of getting the award that they have worked hard for. That's why they gifted with Rufescent Gem. One of the most beautiful gem in the world. Its Reddish in colour and during full moon it changes its colour, to remind the War that was won by the XCARS on full moon night. This gem is available in every part of this earth, but you will get it only if you work hard to find it.

But,the twist is you can't sell the stone to anyone because once a person finds it, it will glow only if he possess the stone. If he tries to sell it to anyone it will lose its abilities. So because of this, the person who wants to posses the stone, has to work hard for it.

But, for the royals, they decided to awards them with something big. The XCARS knew that if they let the Royals have some powers, they might rule their kingdom with more ease and with the intention of making their kingdom a better place to live for anyone. And…..they also knew that if they are granted the powers easily, they might again turn on the wrong path. That's why they gifted the earth with Wonderland. Where, by completing all the tasks, the Royals can wish for any power of their desire.”

“That sounds easy, then why does very less number of Kings has ever survived the Wonderland? There should have been more, right?” One of the curious crewmate asks.

Yeosang starts again.

“It's not as easy as it looks. The Wonderland does not consist of any simple games that any child can play. Even many trained King's and Warriors can not complete the game. The Kings who were greedy for power has never returned from the Wonderland and those who actually wanted to dp something for the betterment of their kingdom and their subjects, won the games and were granted with powers. The Wonderland has specific rules that the players need to follow. The game can be completed only if the rules are followed.”

“Then, is there any information of the rules of the games??” Another crewmate asks.

This time, San answers. “No, there is no specific information about the rules. Some people has even contacted with the only 3 King's that has ever survived the Wonderland. But, the Wonderland put the restrictions on the winners ti not to tell the specifications of the games. If the rules are leaked, there will be consequences for the winner.”

As San is done with his explanation he gestures Yeosang to continue further story.

“But, some basic information and rules are available for us to know.

1- The people entering the Wonderland should be from the Royal family. Commoners are not granted the entry in Wonderland.

2- Only one Kingdom can enter the Wonderland and play at a time. If another kingdom tries to enter Wonderland forcefully while other is playing, there would be clash of energies and the trespassing kingdom will be thrown out. If the Wonderland restricts you entry, you should understand that another one is playing.

3-There are tem gems that you have to acquire by playing ten games. The same player cannot play the games again and again. 9 different players have to play the initial 9 games by their own, other can help and support them from far. And the 10th and the last, game is the group game. It fully depends on the trust, coordination, control, understanding and all other aspects that are required for the group to win. By winning each game, you can retrieve a gem at the end of it. Later on you go back to the start of Wonderland and submit all the ten gems in some sort of sockets.

4- After submitting the gems, the players who actually played can wish for any power they desire. And when asked for the power the players should also tell the reason behind having that power. The reasons should be genuine. No ill intentions.

5- After the powers are granted, the winners slowly starts to see the changes. They slowly starts to realise their powers. The Wonderland not only gifts the players but all their kingdom, with some little things. The kingdom can also visibly realise the changes. The Wonderland also watched over the Winner after they have returned to their kingdom, it watches if the winners are using their powers for good or not. Wonderland is not just a place, it's an entity itself. It can speak and also watch.

This is the most information we could gather till now.”

There is a pause. Everyone is still processing the new information. Recalling all the rules again, to asks their doubts. And, one raise his hand to ask the question.

“What if, these rules are broken? Are there any consequences?”

The answer to this question is on Yeosang's tongue, but he contemplates whether to tell everyone or not. But he has to, the crewmates should know what they are getting themselves into.

He continues.

“Yes, there are consequences. And the best I can do to explain the consequences is to tell you all the <Tale Of Ynitasia>”

Here, the another story starts. As he spells the name, you have goosebumps over your body. You don't know why, but there is this feeling in the pit of your stomach, something strange feeling that you cannot figure out. You have actually heard some light news about Ynitasia, but never heard the actual story. Your already curious self, becomes more curious for some reason.

“You All must have heard about Ynitasia at least once in life. One of the most spoken Kingdom on the earth. Let's start from beginning when Ynitasia was at it's peak. Ynitasia was one of the most looked up to Kingdom in the east. It had the most skilled warriors, rich commoners and even richer Royals. It is said that there were no beggars on that land. Also having the best resources available, best constructions, most amazing sea techniques, clever cultivation and most importantly a happy and welcoming kingdom. Ynitasia was also the possessor of the world's most expensive and rarest gem, MARILEAN. A ‘Marine’ stone which was ‘Cerulean’ in colour. That's where it gets its name from. Ynitasia had everything a successful kingdom needed. But one day the king decided to go to Wonderland to make his kingdom even more efficient and by possessing All those powers, Ynitasia would've become the best Kingdom all over the world.”

“But, here is where it all starts. The king suddenly decides to go to Wonderland but he did not have the team that required enough preparation and mental and physical training. They did everything in haste. The king did enter the Wonderland and won some games, each game, he grew more and more greedy for the powers, he was blinded, but in one game he lost, he couldn't complete the game. That brought him out of his rage and overconfidence. He couldn't bear it, he wasn't ready to face the consequences and he forcefully tried to get out of the Wonderland. In that rush, he lost his and his crewmates life. All of them were dead. The king also took his daughter, Princess of Ynitasia with him, because she insisted. She was just a teenage girl. He was so confident that he would return back, that he took the risk of taking the only princess of Ynitasia with him. They lost her too. The only rightful heir.”

There is a pause.

“The day King died, that night everything changed for Ynitasia. That day was the worst day ever for them, the worst that could happen to anyone. The flowers died, the houses made of marble and expensive wood, turned into mud houses, with creepers surrounding them, the Palace was all surrounded with creepers and mush, the walls became cracked, the expensive clothes that the people were wearing became torn from places, people lost most of the wealth that they had, sickness started taking over people of Ynitasia. The dark gloom surrounded the island of Ynitasia. Ynitasia was cursed by Wonderland. Seeing this, there was chaos in the whole kingdom. The King's wife couldn't believe that it was true, that the king died. No one was ready to believe. At that time, the second rightful heir to the throne, King's brother's son. Prince of Ynitasia, he couldn't resist. He decided to go out and search for the King and his father. He took some of his friends, warriors and other experts from the kingdom. At that time the Prince was also just 16 years old. Sudden after what happened, he felt responsible for all the things. He felt that he should set things right. He set the sail to Wonderland, but some days later, some broken parts of the ship washed up on the shore of the Ynitasia from the direction where the prince went to. The people and Queen waited for some more days, but no sign of the Prince. A storm shortly hit Ynitasia after that incident and everyone considered that they also lost the Prince in that storm. Ynitasia was broken, they lost all of their hope. Their hope to stand back again, was all broken.”

“After some days, Ynitasia received a scroll, it magically appeared on the porch of the Palace. It read, that the king died in Ynitasia, but nothing about the Prince. It confirmed the death of King. Wonderland also said that, if the next rightful heir or any other kingdom plays in the name of Ynitasia and wins, Ynitasia would come back to its glory. As their successor sets the foot on the land of Ynitasia, everything would suddenly change, it would all become like before. The kingdom would also need to crown that person as the King or Queen of Ynitasia. This would completely eliminate the curse on Ynitasia making it as joyous as before. But, that day never came for Ynitasia. It's believed that the Queen does manages the things in Ynitasia now, but she is sick and still mourning and waiting that someday the king would return with Prince, Princess and the warriors.”

“What happened to Ynitasia was brutal and they are still in that misery. The gloom still surrounds Ynitasia. Nobody knows when they will be free from the curse. If nobody wins for Ynitasia, it will continue to live in that curse forever.”

There is pin drop silence in the room. Everyone feels something after listening to the story. Some are deep in thought, some are confused, some feel bad for Ynitasia, some are terrified after listening to the brutality of Wonderland. Every crew's decision depends upon how they take in the story.

“If you want to see if what happened to Ynitasia is real or not, then in two days we are going to pass by that kingdom. You can see it for yourself.” Yunho instructs.

Wooyoung starts with next instructions,

“Well, one more important thing that we have to tell. Before going to Wonderland, we will stop on an island or restock a d stuff. Before that you have to take decision whether to follow eight of us, into the Wonderland or not. Because only 10 people will be playing this game, and if we win, only 10 of us will have the benefit. There are chances, we might lose some of our crew in the Wonderland, even we can lose our life. But we are ready to face everything in Wonderland to win. We are so determined to win, because we want to bring good to Ignim, turn that land, into a non-pirare zone, make it safe for trading with other lands, start many facilities for people and children to make living efficient. We can't dream to have all of the luxuries like another big kingdoms, but we can start from basics. Slowly slowly providing and spreading the amenities all over Ignim and slowly opening it up for people of other land. We want people to think more of Ignim than just a Pirate land. We want to welcome people into our land and gradually end pirating. It might take some time but we know, the right way of persuasion can change people's mind. This is what we are so desperate for. At the end, it's your decision.”

The way he speaks about their dreams for Ignim, just feels your heart with somewhat pride and motivation. If you guide them, they can get step closer to achieve their dream and you will be somewhat part of it. You have to do it, not only for yourself but them too.

As you thought that today's story session is over and now it's time to go to bed, a crewmate raises his hand out of no where for a last question

“But master, you said that only Royals have entry in the Wonderland. Then, how is Wonderland going to grant us entry when no one among us is a Royal?”

There is a chorus of “ohhhh"s from all the crewmates as this question really makes everyone think.

Mingi smirks, as if he was prepared for this question. With a sigh he says,

“We have a solution for that-”

Chapter 7 : Face Off

[justaaveragereader]

10.26||GrimReaper!HongJoong

Pairing: Hongjoong x Reader

Word Count: 1.3k

Warnings: MeanDom!Hongjoong, Sub!Reader, Scythe Play, CNC, Rough Sex, Degradation, If I Missed Anything👀👀Lemme Know!

A/N: Can yall believe we are damn near done with kinktober😭?! One more left and it’ll be finished🥹😭.

Kinktober Masterlist

“Plea-please..” you whisper out, sprawled on the stone path beneath you. Body riddled with sweat from the ungodly heat.

Hongjoongs eyes twinkle, hearing your pretty voice beg for him was enough to have him bricked up underneath his cloak. You had been escaping him for a while, constantly cheating death, forever out running him, but not today. He had finally caught up with you, and he was going to take whatever he pleased.

“Please what?” Hongjoong says with irritation, lacing his voice. Dropping the pitch of his tone. His pitch black eyes take over your body. The way the sweat drenched clothes cling to your body leave very little to the imagination.

“I’m sorry, Hongjoong plea-please.” You end your sentence with a hiccup, tears beginning to fill your eyes. Pulling his scythe out, he swings the blade swiftly down, shutting your eyes tightly you take a deep breath, accepting the fate that he was going to reap your soul. The soft zipping of the blade can be heard. Your skin immediately feels the heat from the fire pooling around you. Opening your eyes, you see Hongjoongs body covered with skin, he had morphed into his human state. Your eyes bore up to him, his eyes still pitch black, staring holes into you. You see his head slightly tilt down. Your naked body is on display for him.

Slicing your clothes clean in half. The heat from the ring of fire that you are in the middle of heats your skin even more. Slowly walking towards you with his scythe scraping against the stone. Causing small sparks to fly in every direction. He brings up his scythe swinging it toward your neck, stopping the blade right below your neck, standing still at your collar bone. Your hands slowly come to cover your top half. Just as you get closer to your skin, Hongjoong shoves the scythe further into your skin, pushing the flat slide of the scythe so it digs into your skin, avoiding your skin touching the edge of the blade. Not wanting to slice your skin.

“Take it off.” He whispers out, with his lack of pupil it’s hard to tell where his eyes are looking, yet just knowing he’s soaking in your body spreads a heat to your core. Moving your hands slowly you remove your shirt, refusing to break eye contact with him. Moving your hands down to your pants you peel the soaking fabric off your body, your panties are split down the middle he has an eye shot view of your wet cunt. You weren’t sure if you were just pooling with arousal by his authority or if you were just drenched in sweat.

Wanting to entertain the thought of proving it is just sweat glistening off your folds, you run two fingers through your folds, letting out a gasp you are shocked to learn it’s arousal and not sweat. Feeling the heat of embarrassment burn at your insides, you spread your fingers in disbelief, watching it stretch between your fingers, looking up at Hongjoong through your lashes, you feel heat spread across your face. Letting out a small chuckle, not believing what he’s seeing before his very own eyes. Removing the blade from your collar, he drops to his knees letting the scythe hit the floor with a loud thud, the tip of the blade right next to your head. The fear of it slicing your skin runs through your veins yet the excitement of seeing Hongjoong kneeling before your parted legs takes over your body. His cool, pale hands run over your burning body. Letting his finger tips brush over your inner thighs, he inches lower, your breath hitching in your throat.

Your eyes drift down to where his fingers are touching, while his eyes never move from your body, soaking in your desperate form. Desperate to stay alive, desperate to get fucked.

“How desperate are you?” He says while toying with your clit, your head falling back against the stones at the feeling of him on your body.

“Very.” You pant out, not even trying to figure out in what way he meant when he said desperate. That was your favorite part about cheating death. While he viewed this as a punishment, you viewed this as a reward. Moving his oversized cloak out of the way, lining himself up with your entrance. He wasn’t here for foreplay, nor did he wanna be sweet and take his time with you. Slowly bottoming out in you, your eyes slightly roll back, the mixture of sweat and arousal making it easy for him to slide into you.

“Fuckkk..” you moan out as he slid in, your hands coming up to grip his black cloak, stilling him in place. Grabbing his scythe from the ground, placing the blade against the pulse point in your neck. Your nerves shoot up, yet you can’t decipher if it’s the thought of him having the upper hand, or the fear of him being able to snatch your soul with one swift movement. His hips start out at a snail pace, as he pulls back you can feel every vein drag against your warm, snug walls. You can feel his cock pulsate in you. Digging the scythe further into your skin, you feel your heart start to race. As your heart quickens he picks up pace, the feeling of his cool skin continuously brushing your heated skin only makes you want him more.

With each quick thrust he delivers to your cunt, the ring of fire grows taller, burning hotter, blue flames engulfing the bottom where the fire started. The sound of wet skin slapping is ringing out in your ears. Pushing the scythe under your chin, the sharp blade nips at your skin, he lifts your head with the blade so you are looking at him, your mouth hangs open, panting as he’s hitting your spongy spot over and over again. Trying your best to keep eye contact with him, you can’t help but let your eyes roll back at the pleasure he’s bringing you.

“Ah, ah, ah, eyes on me.” He grits out, shoving the blade further in your skin. Biting your lip, you look up at Hongjoong through hooded eyelids. The way he towered over you, you could’ve assumed he was God. His head is always held high, with a firm look always on his face. He looks down at you like you are beneath him. Like you are absolute scum, yet the way he’s pistoning his cock in and out of you it’s hard to believe that you are on a lower level then him.

“I’m starting to think you only like to cheat me because you like when I’m balls deep in your tight cunt.” He says through a smile, that signature “know it all” smirk is constantly plastered on his face. Biting your lip, your toes curl slightly, trying your best to keep your eyes locked onto his. Letting out a fake coo at you. He shoves the scythe further into your skin, letting it sit dangerously close to your pulse.

“Go ahead and say it. Tell me how much you love the chase because you know it’ll end with me balls deep in you. Go on.”

Biting your lip, you feel your orgasm cutting close, yet your pride will not let you admit that you love when Hongjoong is rearranging your guts. You enjoyed this cat and mouse game with him. Letting out a low whine you cut your eyes at Hongjoong, refusing to stroke his God complex.

“Over my de-dead body Ki-Kim Hongjoong.” You stutter out as his hips continue to speed up, folding your body in half with his hand, your knees are practically kissing your shoulder. A smile so wide takes over his face, you’ve never been afraid of Hongjoong until this very moment. Removing his scythe from your neck, he effortlessly swings it back behind him. With eyes as dark as midnight, and a smile so dangerously sinister, his choice of words match his actions.

“Don’t you know darling, you always reap what you sow.”

Taglist: @abby-grace @petsuccube @maximofftrash @tunaasan @seonghwasslytherin @pearltinyy @bubblegumbird @araknoid @mingtina @oreoqueen @dani-is-tired @8tinytings @sunwoosbaby @acetruepunk @alliecoady98 @s-unflowxr @rxnexxi @mixling-blog @staytinyinmybpack @starryskiesthings @horanghaezone @realviviboss @mikaelless @scuzmunkie @tokkibleu992

Divider and Gif @justaaveragereader

DO NOT REPOST.

[thelargefrye]

STARSEED : PERFECT LOVE … mature one - shot

pairing : king!hongjoong x concubine!m!reader (ft. concubine!seonghwa and guard!yunho)

genre : fantasy au, slight historical au, royal au, smut, romance, sprinkle angst (i'm sorry i just can't help myself)

word count : 3.7k

warnings : language, slight jealousy (mainly yn), mentions of working in a brothel

smut warnings : unprotected sex, anal sex, oral, slight cumplay / eating

note : for my secret santa @yourfatherlucifer! i hope you enjoy it and happy holidays!! no tag list for this since its a present!

as the king’s favorite, you had many advantages and most of those included being with king in a way no one else could.

something felt uneasy in your stomach. like a swarm of moths flocking around inside of you. it was a feeling you didn't like, but you couldn't figure out how to get rid of it.

"what's wrong, moonflower?" you look up at the voice that snaps you out of your dazed thoughts. your eyes easily lock with seonghwa's figure who is standing behind you. his features are so soft and comforting as he smiles down at you.

his hands come to rest on your shoulders, gently massaging them and you feel the uneasy go down. but not disappear. "hmm?" he cocks his head to the side and you swallow the lump in your throat.

"i don't know... i'm just nervous i guess."

"nervous? about what?"

"hongjoong hasn't requested to see me in a while," you say with a sigh as you feel seonghwa's fingers press into your shoulders and you slowly feel the knots go away. seonghwa always was good a massages.

"i'm sure he's just busy, y/n. he is our king after all," seonghwa tries to reassure you and you appreciate his attempt, but it still doesn't settle the uneasiness. you hate it.

it's been several days since hongjoong last came to see you or even requested for you to spend the night with him. basically almost a week, and he's never went longer than a day without coming to see you. you couldn't help the thoughts running through your mind. was he still interested in you? did he still love you like he claimed?

you know he hasn't been by himself. having heard that he's been requesting for seonghwa as of late. your eyes flicker back up to the male standing behind you. seonghwa... he was so beautiful and kind. you don't blame hongjoong for taking him as a concubine, because you too fell in love with him. it wasn't hard.

perhaps hongjoong has just fallen for seonghwa harder and enjoys his company more than yours. the uneasiness returns tenfold the longer you think about these questions.

"moonflower?" seonghwa's voice once again brings you back to the present, his hand coming to rest on your jaw as he turns it to look at you. his eyes filled with worry as he looks at you.

you don't want to admit it, but you're completely jealous of seonghwa. how could you not be jealous of your lover? even when you both were growing up, he was the star of the village that everyone either wanted to marry or be. even when your village was raided and you were both sold off to the brothel, seonghwa was seen as the favorite "jewel" that everyone wanted. you were always second place to him, your own lover.

hongjoong probably only kept you as a concubine because of seonghwa.

"y/n, what's wrong?"

you open your mouth to speak; however, a knock at your chamber doors stops you. it opens to reveal yunho stepping inside, his armor hugging him nicely as he stands tall and proud.

"excuse me for interrupting, but his highness as requested to see you, y/n," you feel your heart jump into your throat as you stand up. you feel your palms sweat at the negative thoughts that fill your head.

this is it, he's going to tell you that he doesn't want you anymore. he's going to dismiss you and you'll never see him or seonghwa or any of the others again.

"hey, y/n," seonghwa grasps your wrist and you turn to look at him. "come find me later. so we can talk, okay?"

"okay, hwa," he smiles at your words before he's quickly leaning over to kiss you. his lips feel soft against your skin and you have to will yourself to not melt into his touch. thankfully before you can he's pulling away, his touch lingering on your skin even when you walk out of your chambers and down the grand hall.

yunho trails behind you, not saying anything as he escorts you to hongjoong's personal chambers.

"thank you for escorting me, yunho," you say looking at the guard with a smile. yunho returns your smile, bowing his head a little bit and you can't help but think he might have gotten taller since you last saw him. he's definitely gotten buffer, probably training with san and yeosang instead of resting. his brown hair is soft looking and he looks much happier now than when he did years ago when you first met him.

"of course, y/n," he says before his eyes are darting down each end of the hallway. there's no one else but the two of you and yunho takes the chance to lift your hand up and kiss the back it. he lets go of your hand before he's standing tall and adjusting his armor before he's turning and making his way back down the hallway.

and then you're left alone in front of hongjoong's chamber doors. you feel an ugly twist in your stomach as you knock on the oak doors and wait for his voice to let you in.

"come in," god, how long has it been since you've heard his voice. even just hearing him speak is enough to make you weak.

opening the door, you are immediately greeted to the sight of hongjoong lounging at his table, sitting in one of his plush, velvet chairs. his royal garments have been discarded, leaving him in only his thin, silk blouse and black trousers. his brown hair framing his face perfectly and you feel a wave of butterflies fill your stomach as your heart beat picks up.

hongjoong turns to see who has arrived and upon seeing you, his stoic face quickly turns into one of happiness. he stands up and makes his way over to you as you close the door behind you.

"my moonflower," he says, arms open as he brings you into a hug. his strong scent fills your nostrils as his arms wrap around your form and you can't help but to return the hug as you bury your face into his neck. you hear hongjoong let out a small laugh as his hand comes up to run over your head. "i've missed you so much."

you can't help but doubt his words. the knowledge that he's been seeing seonghwa again and again comes crashing in. if he truly missed you then why did he wait till now to request you?

"i've missed you too, your highness," you tell him, you can't help the mix of emotions that swim through you. you want to question him, but you know it will do no good. it will only make you look jealous.

"come on now, y/n," he says with a grin as he pulls away just enough to look at you, "we're alone, there's no need to call me that."

you can't help but feel flushed at his words, "sorry, just a habit," you say a little embarrassed, but hongjoong brushes it off with a laugh. "so... did you call on me solely because you missed me?"

"ah, yes, i actually have something i want to talk to you about?" he says before he's taking you by the hand and guiding you to his lavish and overly large bed. you sit down when the back of your knees hit the edge of the bed.

"talk about?" you feel your nerves bubble up when you watch hongjoong walk away from you and over to his desk that is filled with an assortment of stuff, but mainly parchment papers with writing all over them. however, its none of the papers that he picks up, but a small ornament box instead.

hongjoong holds the box as if it will break any second before he's gently sitting down next to you on his bed. you look at the box with confusion before you're are looking back up at hongjoong.

"this box is very important to the royal family," he begins to say as he runs his hand over it. you take notice of the white moonflower – the lunar tear – craving on the top of it. "my mother gave this to me when i became king," he adds on and you can't help but feel your palms start to sweat. "when she gave it to me, she told me about the duty my family had to the goddess and to protect this box."

"what's inside it?" you couldn't help but ask as you reached your own hand out. not to touch the box, but to touch hongjoong's hand.

"my mother told me its the spirit of a great evil. that centuries and centuries ago, pandora's soul was trapped in this very box by the goddess," he explains and for a second you want to laugh at his words. you think he's messing with you, but when you look at his face you can tell he's serious.

however, despite this information he is sharing with you, you can't help but want to ask him the one question that stands in your brain. "why are you showing me something this valuable, hongjoong?"

"because, my moonflower," he says with a smile as his hand comes up to cup your face. "i want to give it to you, to protect for me."

"me? h-hongjoong have you gone crazy or something?" you are completely caught off guard by his words. he wants to give you the box that supposedly has the soul of the most evil spirit the world has seen.

pandora is a person of myth; however, its been proven throughout the history of the world that she was just as real as you and hongjoong are. her goal was to bring about the end of the world. how she attempted to bring about the end of the world tended to change slightly, but her goal was still the same. kill any and everything.

and here, hongjoong was giving you this box to trust and hold. "hongjoong..."

"i'm giving entrusting this box because i know i can trust you," he says, leaning over as his lips ghost over your cheek. you feel a chill run down your spine as you look towards your lover right as he rests his forehead against yours. "my favorite flower, the one i love the most," he adds softly as he places the box into your hands.

his words make your heart skip a beat as his hands come up to cup your face. his breath fans against your lips as his hovers closely to yours. just centimeters from touching yours.

"but that's only if you accept the box, my love, i won't force you to take it," he says and that's when you're reminded of the weight in your hands from the small metal box.

you take a deep breath before answering, "of course, i’ll guard it with my heart, joongie." the king's smile is enough to make your heart do a flip.

“that’s not the only reason why i summoned you here though,” hongjoong said, his usual grin on his face as he gently takes the box and sets it on his bedside table.

you feel hongjoong tug on your sleeve and you turn to see his eyes filled with lust and longing and you can't help the smile that tugs at your own lips. "its been way too long since we have been one, don't you think?"

"yes it has, my king."

hongjoong's chamber was filled with a mixture of your moans and the sound of skin slapping skin. your legs were spread wide and you were practically bent in half as hongjoong pounded away at your hole. you couldn't help but arch your back as how hongjoong's cock filled you up.

"you take me so well, moonflower," hongjoong says a grin painting his lips as one of his hands wrap around your own cock, he gives it a firm squeeze that makes you cry out. your lover can't help but let out a laugh as he watches you wither underneath him.

"n-ngh! joongie! p-please!" you cry out as you feel hongjoong hit your sweet spot as he continues to stroke your cock. his thumb runs over your slit and it slowly begins to leak pre-cum that hongjoong uses as lube to stroke you off quicker.

"please what, love? use your words," he's clearly mocking you as he leans down to kiss you before he's pulling out of you and turning you onto your stomach. you can't help but moan at how hongjoong handles you like you were nothing.

"h-hongjoong," you can't help but moan as you feel hongjoong lick at your puckered hole as his hand grabs at your cock again and begins to jerk you off once more. "a-ah fuck! fuckfuckfuck!"

hongjoong laughs as he licks at your hole before he's pulling away. "does it feel good, moonflower?"

"y-yes s-so-so good, joongie!"

you let out another moan when you feel hongjoong enter you once again. you can't help but let out a sigh at hongjoong not only filling you up once again, but also at him finally leaving your poor cock alone. both his hands grip your hips tightly and he begins thrusting into you once again.

you grip the sheets below you tightly as you can't help but feel your eyes roll back as hongjoong's cock massages your prostate. you clench around him tightly as you feel your orgasm build up the longer he fucks you.

"you're so perfect, my flower," hongjoong says as he presses his chest against your back. his hands wandering over your body before they stop of play with your nipples and pinching them harshly which causes you to let out loud cry. "you take my cock so well and your body was made for me."

"n-ngh, yes joongie, only yours," you say in your fucked out daze as you felt hongjoong trail his lips down your back. you felt a pleasurable chill run over your body when hongjoong licks up your spin before his arms are wrapping underneath your armpits in order to pull you up off the bed.

you're pressed flush against hongjoong as he continues to abuse your hole, pounding away as he uses you for his pleasure. not that you mind, you would happily allow hongjoong to use your body to his heart's content in order to pleasure himself and make himself happy.

"you're so beautiful," he says before kissing your cheek. "i love you so much, moonflower," he says and the nickname that him and seonghwa and others always use for you makes your heart skip a beat. you remember when hongjoong had overheard seonghwa call you that nickname and how he had asked if he could call you that ask well.

"if i could marry you, i would in a heartbeat, but t-those bastard ad-visors of mine– fuck!" hongjoong cuts himself off as he does a particularly hard thrust before he's stilling himself inside of you for a moment.

he slowly lets you go as you rest back on his sheets, the cold material feels good against your hot skin. hongjoong moves once more to hover above you as he leans down to kiss you again.

"i wanted to ask..." he begins as he moves at a slower pace this time. "if you would come with me on my next campaign. i can't bare being without you and so i want you to be with me."

"r-really?" his question catches you off guard as you turn to look at him with just as much shock as you feel.

"yes," he says with a little laugh. "i've been trying to find a way to ask you since i got back from my last one and i even asked seonghwa if i should ask you. he scolded me for trying to hog you too much, but he eventually told me to just ask and so... yeah, here i am."

"fuck– hongjoong, of course!" you say when you feel his tip rub against your sweet spot. hongjoong gives you a teasing smile.

hongjoong doesn't say anything as he kisses you one last time before he's focusing back on making the two of you come. and when you finally do, you moan at how you feel hongjoong pumping you full of his cum. you know that when he pulls out, it will leak out of you knowing how much cum the king has.

you are left a panting mess as you feel your own cum panting your stomach. hongjoong pulls out slowly and you whine at how empty you feel as your lover turns you onto your back to look at the mess he had cause.

you watch as hongjoong bends down before licking up most of your cum that painted your skin. he then moves to lean over you before kissing you and you cringe at how you taste yourself on his lips and you can tell hongjoong is enjoying himself.

when he pulls away from your lips, you can't help but pout as he smiles at you softly before he's rolling over to lay next you. he brings his hand up to rest on your waist as he pulls you closer to you.

"i love you, my king," you said and hongjoong looks at you fondly as you brush some hair out of his face.

"i love you too, my moonflower."

its a few hours later when you are finally leaving hongjoong's chambers. your lover of course begged you to stay with him longer, pleading to spend the entire night with him, but you turned him down. not because you didn't want to spend the rest of the night in his embrace, but because you needed to find seonghwa.

you wanted to talk to him as a way to clear your conscious from those jealous thoughts you had earlier.

you kissed hongjoong's pouty lips, "next time we can spend the entire night together, my king."

"yeah, yeah, just go before i change my mind in letting you leave," his tone is full of tease as he rests on his side, his silk blankets the only thing covering his nude body.

you let out a laugh as you reach for the box before making your way out of his chambers and down the hall before you are arriving at the wing that has both yours and seonghwa's private chambers.

standing outside of seonghwa's chambers, you feel a sense of nervousness settle on you as you try to build up the fleeting courage to knock on his door.

then without a second thought, you knocked on his door. you bit your lip as you waited for your lover to open the door, and it felt like ages before you heard the door opening.

your eyes immediately met seonghwa's bright and shining ones. and then he beamed a bright smile at you when he realized who was at your door.

"ah, y/n!" he says your name and you can't help want to hear him say again and again, over and over. "did you go see hongjoong?"

"yeah, i just got back," you tell him and the box he gifted you feels heavy in your hands as you look at seonghwa. "b-but i wanted to talk to you, can i... can i come in?"

"of course, moonflower," seonghwa says before letting you, "how did your visit with hongjoong go?" he asks once the two of you are in his room and away from any prying eyes.

seonghwa had stripped you of your clothes, a wet rag in his hands as he wipes down your body. you felt a warmth spread over you as you felt seonghwa's hands roam around your body. you had to stop yourself from moaning when his hand wrapped around your cock.

"so..." seonghwa begins after he finished wiping you off, "what did you want to talk about?" his head tilts to the side as he watches you redress yourself.

"i wanted to apologize for earlier," you say, feeling embarrassed now that you say it out loud.

"what for, y/n?" seonghwa asks as he comes to sit down next to you on his bed. he takes your hands into his warm ones and sweet scent makes you want to melt into his embrace.

"i thought hongjoong was going to dismiss me from being his concubine because he had been seeing you more than me recently. i was... scared that i would never be able to see you again."

"oh, y/n, i would never let that happen," he says pulling you into his embrace. your head rests against his chest, your cheek pressing into the soft material of his blouse. "i love you so much."

you couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by his confession, tears brimming at your waterline as you wrapped your arms around him. "i'm sorry for being jealous, i'm sorry for not being good enough like you."

"you hush now, don't think like that, my love. you are more than enough for me, that's why i love you." you peer up at seonghwa to see him smiling down at you. his hand runs through your hair before he's cupping your face and kissing you.

you immediately melt into the kiss as your hands pull him closer to you. seonghwa moves in order to lay you down onto his bed with him hovering overtop of you. both his and your own hands roam over each other's body, pulling away your clothes so that you are both bare and pressed up again each other like you have been so many times before in the past.

seonghwa kisses down your body, his hands squeezing your flesh as he leaves his own trail of lovebites next to and around the ones hongjoong had left.

and then seonghwa is entering you, your warm hole welcoming his cock as he milks your prostate. your moans fill his chamber as his hips meet your ass and you can't help but feel loved by seonghwa.

eventually, you reach your climax with seonghwa before you're laying together in his bed. the two of you lay so close to each other that your noses graze each other whenever one of you moves.

"seonghwa?"

"yes, y/n?"

"we'll be together forever, right? nothing's going to tear us apart?"

"no, never. together forever." you two share a brief kiss before seonghwa is pulling you to rest your head against his chest. seonghwa smiles down at you before his eyes flicker up at pandora's box that sits idly on the bedside table behind you.

network : @cultofdionysusnet @cromernet

[babyjask]

All the merteez boys + the dresses that inspired their tails and my reference pics

[wayvlocks]

ℳ𝓊𝓉𝒾𝓃𝓎 & ℳ𝒶𝒹𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 Pt. 1

synopsis: you’re a nurse who finally got promoted to work with a psycho.

pairing: ateez hongjoong x afab reader

word count: 1.8k

genre: psycho au, fantasy au, possessed pirates au

warnings: minors DNI!, not really smut yet but def will be warned for the rest of the series - HONGJOONG IS A PERV, so theres some sexual and/or dark themes  -  if you are uncomfy about psychiatric hospitals - this may not be for you as I might mention a few things within the series to come.

Chapters: Part I, Part II

additional notes: hi :) wayvlocks here. just wanted to say thank you to those who commented and liked my last post about making this ff happen. tbh i am planning to make this into a series fyi so hopefully you guys are interested in seeing where it goes. idk how many parts there will be - i just kinda make this crap up as i go and as i please lol. i wanted to also mention to those of you who will want to actively read this series, that i am a full time college student. therefore, i really can upload when i can, im sorry - i just dont have the same set schedule every day/week. anyway, enough about me, read this ff (its what you were here for in the first place)

You’ve been working at KQ Psychiatrics, in the outpatient clinic for a few years now, and you finally were able to get that promotion you worked so hard for. Years of pushing yourself more than ever, taking time off the clock to visit VIP patients, and even volunteering in the cafeteria paid off. Little did you know your promotion was an assignment change to work in the Special Cases department.

The Special Cases department was famous in the outpatient clinic. There was never a boring day when gossip floated around of a patient in the Special Cases department. There were so many rumors about patients that you had heard, and they were starting to turn your stomach with thoughts about your new promotion.

Staff1: “Did you hear what happened to Mr. Nakamoto during his medication time last week?”

Staff2: “Yes! I heard he manipulated the previous nurse on duty to go into his room!”

Staff3: “Oh my god! That's right! When she went in, he jumped her, ripped up her clothes and stabbed her in the legs with a spork!”

You thought you were lucky enough not to be assigned as a personal nurse to someone like Mr. Nakamoto. Of course, since the reveal of the true nature of your “promotion,” you haven’t truly experienced luck today. Furthermore, your bad luck deepens when it's revealed to you who you really are assigned to. The most insane, manipulative, possessive, wicked – rumored murderous man held in the hospital…

Kim Hongjoong

Kim Hongjoong was notoriously famous amongst the patients and staff. He has been housed in the hospital for nearly 5 years now. He was 17 when he was taken from his home to be permanently kept here. Hongjoong is the patient who is talked about the most, especially between other patients. They have rumored the reason he got taken from his home was because he murdered his family after having some “alternate dimension revelation” – whatever that means. The creepiest rumors you’ve heard is that sometime at night, after lights out, he disappears from his room – just “poof.” After five to ten minutes, he reappears like nothing happened. You can’t really seem to trust these rumors, after all, most of them come from the Psychiatric patients who are known to hallucinate. However, you remember one staff member telling you that he does in fact disappear.

•             •             •

You just finished clocking in, today is the day, a new job position. You make your way to the main doctor’s office to tell them you're here. One of them, proceeds to walk towards you. His coat reads:

Dr. Joshua Hong.

Joshua: “Hello Y/n, find everything okay in your Special Cases pamphlet?” He said with a quiet chuckle.

Y/n: You started to force a smile. “Ah, yes. It was somewhat informative.”

Joshua: “It shouldn't be too bad, just making sure they get their medications and sunshine,” he smiled.

Y/n: “I think I can handle that for the most part. It’s just... just...” you mumble.

Joshua: “Hm?”

For a moment you don't say anything, but before you opened your mouth, he knew.

Joshua: “Ah… you’re Kim Hongjoong’s nurse. I remember reading through the new nurses' files earlier this morning.”

Y/n: “Yes...”

Joshua: “Hm. Listen, I’ll walk you to the department and show you around, if you need me to. I can even stand by when you meet him for the first time today. The last nurse he had didn’t go through with that idea and ended up quitting within an hour.”

You thought about what he said for second. Is that true? You now wonder how malicious and sinister he could be to ruin a conversation that ended with a nurse quitting. As you stood there, stressing about meeting this Kim Hongjoong, you noticed Joshua staring at you for a response.

Y/n: “I’d love for you to show me around the department. About meeting him though...”

You stopped for a second. You thought despite all the rumors surrounding your famous patient, you realized how hard you worked for this new promotion. Think back to showing how your hardworking skills paid off, you really didn't want to show up the first day looking afraid or weak. You knew deep down you could probably handle this guy; I mean, you would barely have to talk to him, right?

“…I think I’ll be fine on my own.”

•            •             •

Joshua leads you down the halls, passing many different patient rooms and offices. At the start of the walk, you passed by rooms of patients that you had often checked out in the lobby or held conversations with daily. Some waved or spoke quiet hellos to you, which you exchanged back.

As your walk continued you started to notice the difference between every hallway, traveling further into the hospital, getting closer towards the Special Cases department. There were less patients you could recognize while the rooms kept getting duller and duller. It started to look grayer than before. You also noticed many of the patient’s rooms had bars on the windows or doors.

The rooms you passed had no pictures on the walls. There were safety locks on door and window handles. One room you passed, had stains on the floor leading from the door to the bed. It was the most shocking image on your walk. You read the patient’s tag outside the door, reading ‘Choi San’. You weren’t sure what the stains were, but it bothered you that they ranged in colors from yellow to red.

Joshua: “Hey are you okay?” You quickly came back to after zoning out.

Y/n: “Yes, I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

Joshua: “I just noticed you were blankly staring at some of the rooms. It must feel super different being down here than in the lobby for you, doesn’t it?”

Y/n: “Actually… yes. Everything is so gray and there were weird stains- “

Joshua: “Oh, yeah. Don’t mind those. Honestly, it’s better to just go about your day. I’ve heard too many stories when I asked about them my first day. Not an answer you wanna hear,” he smiles.

You were in shock. You started to have second doubts, again. You looked at his smile and felt like you weren’t entirely sure if you could believe him. You wondered if it was true, what the answer could possibly be. It was obvious he was just trying to make you aware that the less you know the better. Just then, Joshua immediately stops walking. You nearly bump into him because you were zoning out again.  

You look up past his shoulder in front of you. There’s a seven-foot metal door with a small bulletproof window and slightly rusted hinges. A guard behind the other side of the giant door looked through the small window. Joshua held up his ID and then proceeded to move out of the way to show you hiding behind his figure. The guard unlocked five or six latches until the door finally screeched open. You walked through the door frame, only to be in another hallway, only this time the walls looked like pebble stone or rocks with no windows.

Guard: “And this is…?” He looked down at you, still hiding behind Joshua.

Joshua: “Oh, this is Y/n,” he smiled. “She is going to be Mr. Kim’s new personal nurse.”

Guard: “Really huh? I hope she’s mentally strong enough for that bastard. Fucker said the most disgusting things to the last nurse he had.”

Joshua: “I’m sure she can handle it. Didn’t you hear? She’s the one who got the promotion quickly for her volunteer work. She was personally recommended by the head nurse when the top doctors had that monthly meeting.”

You started feeling flustered hearing this new information from Joshua. The head nurse? You thought the staff in charge of filling this position just got desperate for someone. You started to think maybe you specifically chosen, that others thought you could do this job. This idea started to block out anymore doubts you had about yourself. Now you knew that you were in fact strong enough for this position.

You and Joshua exchanged smiles with the door guard and walked down the dismal hallway. At some point you reached a set of stairs, leading down towards a smaller hallway with lights. You and Joshua both walk down the stairs carefully, then walking through the shorter hall. There was a caved-out room with what seemed like jail bars separating the cell from the rest of the hall. You saw a person standing in the cell, turned away from the bars. Joshua faked a cough to get the person’s attention, causing them to slowly turn towards you. You started eyeing this figure from his bare feet to the gray sweatpants and then the matching, loose t-shirt. He was holding an old leatherback book in his left hand, to which you saw a small birthmark. You noticed a distinctive mole on the left side of his neck. The second you saw the face, you could tell. Hongjoong. He was attractive. His hair was dyed, split black and white. He had a pointed nose that was slightly upturned and full, barely defined cupid’s bow lips. The most prominent feature you saw was his thick long eyebrows. Following down to his almond shaped, dark brown eyes, which were staring intensely at you. He smiled devilishly.

Joshua: “Mr. Kim, this is youre new nur- “ Hongjoong chuckled, still smiling devilishly directly at you only.

Hongjoong: “Yes I know exactly who this is. Don’t need to be told something I already know, isn’t that right darling?” You looked right at him, feeling tense.

Joshua: “Right of course, Mr. Kim.” You swore you could hear Joshua curse Hongjoong under his breath. You bite your tongue as Joshua take a step back and gives you a goodbye. You’re alone with him now.

•             •             •

Y/n: “Hello Mr. Kim…” you timidly stated.

Hongjoong: “Please darling,” practically staring into your soul, “call me Hongjoong. No need to be formal with me.”

Y/n: “Right… Hongjoong.” You took a deep breath and thought about the pamphlet you were given. Reviewing all the information in your head on the spot. “So, I’m assuming you already have gone over the schedule with the doctors. I can only work with you on certain days with minimal hours. Do you understand?”

Hongjoong: “It is not to my liking. I’d rather spend more time with you, darling. Get to know you better. Afterall, you’re going to learn about my dirty little secrets. Shouldn’t I know a few things?” He looks up and down at you, fixating his eyes on your pelvic area to your chest. You already feel disgusted, trying to cover yourself with your hands and his patient paperwork.

“I can tell we’re already off to a great start... Y/n.”

[darkphoenix07]

Elixir of 🕸️Death (J.W)

A vampire series by @darkphoenix07

Masterlist

Paring: Wooyoung x Reader

Genre: Dark Romance, Fantasy, Tragedy

Song suggestion 🎵 : Precious by Ateez

Warning ⚠️: Mentions of blood, Violence, Degradation, Death, Mention of suicide, Sympathy fuck, Blood sucking, Mention of death, Suicidal FL.

Synopsis: When the girl who doesn't have any will to live meets the demon whose only wish to slaughter humans.

"How will it help me if I drain your blood right now when I can use you anyway I want to?"

- Jung Wooyoung

Chapter 1

🍷"To the people who craves comfort and a single reason to keep themselves alive" 🍷

"How can I care about omens

If you are the worst one?

How can I think about death

When you will be the cause?"

Your lips start melting inside his once he starts kissing you on his own bed. You thought it was going to be an usual mad sex like normal strangers but there is something different in his touches. Specially the way he is holding your on wrist by his hand and pinning another above your head. There is a delicacy when he is nipping on your bottom lips and rubbing his nose on yours.

Your heart starts feeling heavy by the way he is kissing you, holding you inward.

"Suck my blood," you tell him but he sighs against your neck stopping his endless kisses.

"Last time I almost kill you. I don't want you dead yet," he tells you starting to kiss you again but you hiss.

"Just bite me, please."

"If you have a fetish for bitting then you'll have to go to a human to satisfy you because I can't bite you without my fangs digging inside you," his eyes glowed in anger and you feel frustrated not because he is not listening to you but his soft touches aren't the ones you expected.

"Why are you so scared to bite me then? I know you don't care if that kills me," your words make him pin your both hands above you as he cages you beneath him.

"Because I have no wish to do so. Let me do as I am doing," he says and waits for your reaction.

You are stunned, speechless by what he said.

"I don't like how you are doing it."

"Your body is not letting me in yet, how else should I treat you then? You are a lady after all. I can't just start by thrusting ins-"

You pull yourself up and kiss him bitting his bottom lip making him fall on you while his body melts with yours. You release all the tension you have in your muscles as he kisses you. He stops and moves your body around making you lay on your chest.

"I shouldn't have tied them up," he says and you chuckle hearing him as he starts untying the ribbons.

As your back becomes bare in front of him, he slowly touches you with his knuckles. His cold touch starts from your neck and reaches right above your hip. You squirm grabbing the sheets under you as he keeps making your body awake and comfortable to his touch.

It wrecks you thinking how a demon is pleasing you better than any other men you've slept with. They were humans but they treated you like an animal and satisfied themselves.

Whereas, he is satisfying you first, making you drink some comfort and feeding your soul not only your body.

As his hands clasp your shoulder, he makes you sit in front of him slowly dropping the dress from your shoulder to your waist. He kisses on the wet wound he gave you when he bit you.

It heals a part of you, you never thought was needed.

"Drink my blood," he demands and you look above yourself to face him.

Your shoulder is nothing compared to his which causes you to hide inside his body.

He gently touches your chin making you lean on his shoulder, "It will heal the wound I've given you."

"Drink mine first and I'll drink yours," you don't know why your voice sounds so soft when you spoke.

"Deal," he says moving you around and making you sit on his lap crossing your legs around him while your dress is still on your waist.

You didn't have any inner on, you are simply bare now where you were afraid of him taking advantage of you some hours ago. It's tragic and also surprising.

Maybe you are just vulnerable to comfort.

You feel his bulge against you when he starts kissing your neck moving your hair.

You start grinding against him while he clasp your hair inside his grip and keeps leaving soft bites on your neck.

When he nuzzles inside the crook of your neck, you hear him whisper, "Y/n, I might end up draining you."

"Is it a warning?" You ruffle his hair from the neck side pressing him against your neck, "Or a gift?"

"I'll just make it hurt so bad," he sounds like he is scaring you but you don't feel scared when he says.

He pulls the bandage on your neck and it hurts you making you grab him against you tightly.

"You can still deny," he says gulping as he watches the two holes he created.

He doesn't know why he feels this uncomfort in his chest but he is also dying from hunger. The monster inside him wants to drink the last drop of your blood but some lost part of him wants to stop.

"I don't want to. You said your blood will heal me," you tell him starting to grind again which wets the dress you are wearing.

"I'll make you regret it," he says and moves you away from him pulling your hair while his other hand supports you wrapped around your back.

He inserts his fangs on the start of your right breast making you dig your nails inside his shoulder. It hurts you more than it hurt your neck because of how soft your skin is there. It causes tears rolling down from your eyes and your breath hitches while he sucks your blood and you feel it all inside your body.

Digging your nails doesn't feel enough because of how much it hurts. Your body feels light and your fingers stop helping you endure the pain.

You fall on the bed while he is still above you sucking your blood.

"Oh God!" A plea leaves from your mouth but you don't want him to stop.

He has become a real monster now that he has gotten some blood on his lips. It washes over his head and he keep drinking until you scream not being able to take it anymore, "STOP!"

He barely pulls himself up and you see your blood dripping from his mouth while he smirks staring at you.

He licks away the last drop of blood and pulls you dress away abandoning it on the floor.

"Open your mouth, you are fucking bleeding," he urges but you don't.

"Fucking open your mouth. You told me you'll do so," he looks genuinely worried to you which concerns you.

"Damn you,Y/n!" he presses your cheeks with hand and bites his wrist then presses his blood dripping wrist on your mouth.

You try to spit his blood out from your mouth but his hard press makes you drink it making you want to gag.

You start coughing realizing how bad it tastes.

"Don't you dare spit it," he says helping you to sit down but you keep coughing endlessly. You forget about how bare you are in front of him, you forget about the purpose of coming here, you forget why you made the deal, you forget about everything that is around you without him shouting at you with concern.

You don't understand the cause and you don't know when you have stopped coughing.

"Thank God," his voice and his eyes on your neck makes you realize that your pain is gone, the scars he gave you are gone. Some drop of blood is left on you nothing else.

You don't know why your eyes don't leave him. You just keep staring at his eyes wondering how they would look if he was a human. Maybe dark brown eye color would suit him best.

"What are you staring at?"

He finally asks you and you smile.

"Your scary monstrous act is gone," you tell him and he makes an annoyed face.

"You haven't seen me eating human yet which is why your courage sounds concerning," he says and pick up the duvet from the bed to wrap around you but you hold his hands still looking into his eyes.

"Your blood grossed," you whisper and he looks at you.

His eyes look bright red for some reason and they dims again when he grabs your chin, "Do you still want to see the monster I am after how I have hurt you?"

The fear of him tearing apart is long gone from the moment you hear concern in his voice.

"That wasn't the part of our deal," you climb on his lap and wrap your legs around him once again.

When you start to unbutton his shirt, he looks down to your face watching you carefully undressing him.

When you are on the last button your head aches and you start to fall behind but he immediately captures you inside his arm,"You don't have to fill the deal now."

"I am scared, it's not about the deal anymore," and you unbutton the last one removing his shirt from his chest.

The view of his abs, his chest flashing in front of you triggers you to grope his neck kissing him. He tastes you with the same amount of hunger and leaves you breathless.

It is definite that he pulls you closer and your wetness hits his pelvis making both of you grown in pleasure. It's just the beginning of a storm yet it's too suitable.

His kisses become restless when he reaches on your chest. Your soft breasts feel like cotton candy against his lips. It does something to you that he starts leaving soft bites there, kissing you like a monster time by time.

Your head hits the headboard not being able to contain so much pleasure from his lips.

He is cold yet, he feels so warm against you.

"Please," you moan and his eyes fall on yours while the tip of his tongue is on your nipple making circles.

He removes on of his hands from your back and you feel it reaching your pelvis.

"Who are you?" He softly asks you and you feel his index and middle fingers rubbing you slowly avoiding your clit. You have soaked his fingers and it embarrasses you quite much.

"Fuck, this feels-ah" you moan sounds like a mumble against your lips when you feel his fingers inside you.

"Good?" He asks you curling his fingers inside you stretching your walls. It leaves a shock inside your body and you starts squirming when he keeps repeating this.

He is so fast and it is confusing your body feeling so much at once.

"Yes, yes...keep go-oh God," your eyes roll from his abuse and your body becomes a shaky mess getting so much pleasure at once.

He rubs your clit with his thumb while his fingers are still inside you and it leaves deeper shiver inside you making your body create a wave.

He keeps inserting his fingers knowing well that you just came on his fingers.

You grab his wrist and remove it from your core.

It gave him enough information for which he makes you sit on the bed while you lean on a pillow supporting on the headboard. Your body feels weak but you can't care less about it.

His eyes never leaves yours when he takes his pants off and crawls in front of you to come closer. It aches your pelvic floor but you welcome him giving your legs on his palm so he can make them wrap around him again.

You don't know why you are jumping into this hell but this is the only thing that is keeping you together.

He pulls you a little too hard keeping you into pieces and you feel his cock stretching you out all together.

Your breathing starts becoming irregular when he starts moving. His whole cock is inside you without any warnings and you only hear the cracking sound of the bed and the slapping sound of your skins.

It's madness, your inner self tells you.

But you keep looking into his eyes while he keeps going back and forth. Tears keep flowing from your eyes making your breath heavy but you give no reaction for him to stop and he doesn't until he makes you come. When it's his time, he removes himself from you and taint the bedsheets with his essence.

Maybe it took half an hour but he never left your eyes. His eyes is glowing the brightest now that you have made him come and for some reason it makes you proud of yourself.

You just have sex with a demon who slaughter everyone but refused to do it to you. Why does it leave you lonely again?

Sorry for being late <3

[theunhingedwriter]

It was mid-October, and the chatter of this year's Halloween party adding like wildfire around the company. People were trying to figure out each other's Halloween costumes and when and where the party will be held this year, but the main topic was...

This year's costumes!

Everyone was so expected. Halloween was the only day that the company wasn't breathing down everyone's neck, and it was a breath of fresh air, especially after how busy everyone has been since the boys have been on tour in the US.

The event was always held in the commons area; everyone would pitch in for snacks and drinks, regardless of position. But, as you would know, It was many about alcohol. Everyone could get drunk and loosen up after a hard-working summer.

You were pacing your hotel room, nibbling at your lower lip; you had ye, angrily. Everyone else had already bought theirs and cool props to go with it. Even Mingi had him, and everyone knew he was always late.

You were fighting a battle with yourself.

Am I a ghost this year?

Rabbit? NO! not.

I should cosplay. But what?

" ugh, why is this so hard?" you uttered angrily, scrolling through Pinterest to get some outfit ideas or see something that might strike your eye that you might want to buy.

It was so hard because you wanted to wear something that would impress two particular people.

As of late, you've been trying to spike their fancy and get them to notice you. You've worked with Ateez for a few years and like them—more than you'd like to admit. However, you were unsure of their status because they had yet to present, even though you were around the same age. They were late-bloomers despite hoongjoon being older than all of Ateez.

Which the other members who have presented are sure to tease him about. How come the second to oldest still needs to be present?

It wasn't just hoongjoon that had yet to present. Mingi was well despite being the third to youngest and hasn't shown any signs of presenting anytime soon. He told you how it was embarrassing being the second tallest member and still not knowing what he would be.

You related to him in a way, and you always felt like your classification always put a damper on your life. You've always been able to pass as a beta, even though you were an omega. You wouldn't have been able to get as close to boys as you did if the company knew anything about you being an omega.

When you first started, it was unacceptable for omegas to work with idols because of risks with heats, and some omegas will purposefully not take their meds to try and get the idols to attack them and try to get the Alpha to mate them.

But, in your predicament, you wanted to be the hairstylist to your best friend, San.

You've always loved doing hair, and San hasn't trusted anyone else with his hair, so when San made it into ateez, he helped you get the job.

"What do you plan on wearing for the Halloween party?" San asked you excitedly.

You and him tried hard to find good costumes, but neither could find one. Then an idea popped into your head.

"Chucky's bride!" You nearly screamed.

San was barely able to stay in his skin from the scream; he looked at you surprised and snickered softly,

"Who is who?" he joked.

You giggled.

"Well, I'm Chucky, of course!" you teased, smiling brightly at him as he rolled his eyes at you knowing better than you to argue with you over something you want to do.

The boys had learned that arguing with you is like arguing with a brick wall.

SO! you were going to be Chucky, and... San's hair was blonde anyway.

***

I’ve edited this part so read until this section is done

" It's so crazy that the 13th was on a Friday this month! It was so fucking scary, just like Friday the fucking 13th," Jongho said.

As Hongjoon let out a disapproval sound at the youngest cussing, he hated hearing Jongho cuss because he still viewed him as a baby. The youngest rolled his eyes and laughed softly. He knew it pissed Hongjoon off, but it was so funny to see him get upset with Jongho.

To you, it was adorable... his face would scrunch up cutely, and he would ball up his fist next to his side and bounce them off slightly while stamping his right foot was adorable.

You snickered softly as they started to bicker a bit; you saw San setting the commons area up with some of the staff and the rest of ateez.

Mingi was helping Yeosang hang some decorations; San was putting the snacks on the table with the staff while wooyong was lying on the couch. So you decided to watch Mingi and Yeosang hang up things.

" need some help?" You asked them

They both snicker a bit, which makes you frown; you know nowhere a little on the short side, but that doesn't mean you still can't help.

" Thanks love, but we're good," Mingi says, using the nickname he usually calls you to keep your violent impulse at bay.

You roll your eyes and nod your head. You'd get him later and Yeosang as well. After that, it was your turn to pick the movies you'd most defiantly get them back.

***

And this

You nearly jumped out of your skin from the scream that rang in your ears, it wasn’t from the jump-scare on the screen, or the terrible actor pretending to be afraid, oh no. It was from Song Mingi himself. You turned to face the other as you gave him a sly smirk. After all…you told him you'd get him back for teasing you.

He didn't believe you.

"Awe, Mingi, are you scared? " You teased

Mingi's body goes stiff, and he glares down at you, which sent a shiver down your spine. You've never shivered like that because of any of the boys; the glare the other gave you was cold, harsh and intimating but… also confusingly sensual, it made you sweat at little, was a little frightened but the fear felt…nice?

You broke eye contact with mingi and looked back at the movie. Then, you heard a chuckle on the other side of your body. You knew it was hongjoong, which made you want to sink into the floor. He must have seen the whole interaction with mingi; it was him, you, and mingi on the side of the couch with the rest of Ateez spread out around the rest of the sofa, but mingi and hongjoon decided to sandwich you between them.

Mingi was still looking down at you while your entire body started to burn with embarrassment; why was he staring at you so much? It was beginning to make you warm…no... you were a blaze.

"Heh, you gonna stare at me the whole movie." You mocked.

Mingi didn't laugh. However, he did lean closer to you to look you directly in the eyes.

"you think this is funny, huh?" He grumbled with a soft growl.

Your body went stiff as you broke eye contact with him once again. The look mingi was giving you made your entire body feel like it was on fire, and hongjoon's taunting giggling made it worse. You could feel your chest heaving in deep breaths, your chest tighten, throat becoming dry and vocal; cord straining from the harsh gulps you were taking as your forehead broke out into a sweat.

What the hell was wrong with you? Why did you start to feel like this all of a sudden?

Your body felt like an inferno ! like someone just tossed a lit match into your stomach, making your body engulf into flames and it just kept getting hotter, and hotter.

You felt like your body would cave from the heat as you start to sweat a bit for and feel the urge to pass out.

You let out a small huff in pain; your stomach started to churn and burn as heat spread throughout your abdomen outwards.

Hongjoong noticed your distress and gently touched your thigh, which had nothing to cover since you were in a skirt. Your body went stiff, and you released a soft, anxious sigh.

" you okay, sweetheart?" he asked softly as you shook your head. Then, his eyebrow frowns in worry.

"What's wrong with you?" he questions softly.

You shook your head and took your other hand to stand up, but mingi pushed you back against the couch.

Mingi looked down at you with concern,” are you alright, your body feels like it’s on fire.” He tells you worriedly as he pushes your forehead to his right cheek to check your temperature, once his face got closed to yours his pupils go small as his jaw goes slack and he grabs you up and give you a crazed look before uttering,

"You smell so divine…” he grumbled as Joong added,”just heavenly…”

your body starts to go weak, your muscles intense, jaw going slack as you sink into the couch as his soothing voice sends your once working brain straight to mush…

This is going to be a long night…

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Thank you so much for reading my very first fan-fiction!! This was so much fun to write and I hope you’ll stick around for my other stories!

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Sigh I love them