#i haven't proofread this at all but idc

[saintsmith]

Shiaaj woke to see a great silhouette eclipsing some brilliant white glow. “Ah,” said the silhouette with Haagrul’s voice as she sat up and tried to focus her eyes. “She awakes!”

There was a general roar of clapping and hollering at this. She swallowed to wet her dry mouth and asked, “What?”

“You’ve cast your first spell,” Haagrul said. “And quite a tremendous one at that!”

Another silhouette entered the frame, pushing Haagrul aside. Shiaaj’s eyes finally came into focus, and she saw the second silhouette belonged to Dregor, the Greshtal skysaint who cast the initial speed spell. Her face was scrunched up in some mixture of exhaustion and anger as she grabbed Shiaaj’s shoulders and shook. “How did you do it, kid?”

“Do what?” asked Shiaaj, mind still muddled.

“No games. That spell, that got us away from that wyrm. So much speed. I demand you tell me!”

Shiaaj finally remembered. The abyssal maw of the Eilhwyrm – and the opal whose secret delivered her from that maw. She instinctively began to reach for it, but stopped herself, her hand hovering near her heart. “I…don’t know,” she said. It wasn’t entirely untrue.

Dregor scoffed. “Luck, then. Pure beginner’s luck. Disappointing.”

“Leave her be, Dregor,” said Haagrul, placing a firm hand on her shoulder from behind. “Strange things are known to happen to fresh wroughtsaints. It need not damage your precious ego.”

Dregor pouted, raised her upper hands in the air, then crossed all four arms before marching away.

“Don’t worry about her,” Haagrul assured Shiaaj. “She’s a velocimancer. They’re very competitive.”

Velocimancer. A sorcerer who emphasizes speed. Without a definition given to her, Shiaaj still somehow remembered what it was.

“Tremendous thing you did,” said Haagrul. “We’ll discuss it more later. First we must prepare for battle.”

Shiaaj looked around. They were still on the Eilhship, but instead of swimming in inky blackness, it was docked in some world of near-blinding light that seemed to go on forever in all directions. “Where are we?” she asked as she clambered to her feet.

“This is a Sanctuary,” answered Haagrul, gesturing all around. “A realm within a realm, forged directly from Raam’s light.” He pointed behind Shiaaj. “They’ve lowered the gangplank. Go ahead and step out into it.”

Shiaaj approached the gangplank slowly. It seemed to have landed on some invisible platform in the empty white space. She walked to the end of the plank and, having more faith in Haagrul than Raam, she took a tentative step off.

Her foot found something solid, and she let go of a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. She let her other foot fall off the gangplank into the whiteness, and walked a small circle in it. This impossible floor was perfectly stable.

“Watch out!” yelled Haagrul. “One wrong step and you might fall through!”

Shiaaj quickly lowered her stance, spreading out her arms in panic.

“Joking, joking,” laughed Haagrul. “This place is completely limitless.”

Shiaaj frowned, brow-plates swiveling up. Maybe her earlier faith in him was misplaced. She made a gesture she’d never seen, much less done herself: a crude twisting of the arms, popular non-verbal insult among Greshtal, but lacking four arms she could only perform half of it.

Haagrul’s jaw dropped in mock surprise. “How rude, to display such a symbol to your beloved mentor! Although I supposed I deserve it.” He leapt down the gangplank in a single bound, landing on the floor of light. “Raam has prepared this place for us,” he said, changing the subject. “But we must not hesitate to join the fray.”

Shiaaj looked around. There was a great gate across from the Eilhship’s landing. Several saints were crowded around it, waiting their turn to enter. Between the bodies Shiaaj could barely see what lied beyond the gate: a haze of black smoke, dotted here and there with amorphous spots of color. 

“What’s on the other side?” Shiaaj asked as she followed Haagrul towards the gate.

“War,” Haagrul said, gripping his half-halberds tight.

Shiaaj’s brow-plates descended. “I mean, what is this realm like?”

Haagrul turned his head back slightly. “I don’t know. I’ve never been to this one. But we as saints must have courage – often must we wade into unknown battlefields.”

Shiaaj tightened her grip on her sword. But slowly, thought by thought, she loosened up; even the world of Aurenna was largely unknown to her, despite the imprints of memory she was born with, so why should this be any different?

The throng of saints filtered through the gate. Shiaaj and Haagrul, near the outskirts, followed. They were close to the gate when Shiaaj asked, “What’s it like to kill?”

Haagrul sighed but answered patiently. “It’s not really killing, here. We dispel phantoms. They often aren’t gone for good. But we push through regardless. We saints are the only ones in true danger. But I will protect you. No more questions.”

Shiaaj still had hundreds of questions, but she kept her mouth shut.

Finally it was their turn. Haagrul held out an empty lower hand, and Shiaaj took it. They crossed the barrier of smoke together.

Inside, it was dimmer than the Sanctuary, but the high towers of steel and glass, reaching for the smogged sky, reflected brightly into Shiaaj’s eyes. She held up an arm to shield them a bit.

The towers were tall and square, lined with rows of gleaming windows, and arranged along black streets in perfect arrays, and crowded with so many strange metal carriages. Soldiers in strange garb – white shirts buttoned down the front, short black coats and long black pants, shiny black leather shoes, and multicolored strips of cloth hanging from their necks – poured out of the towers. They wielded strange metal staves long-ways, the ends hollow. Occasionally one would stop to point the staff at a saint, wait a moment, then let fire burst forth from the hollow end.

Shiaaj turned around to look back at the Sanctuary, but it was gone. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught one of the strange soldiers pop up from behind one of the strange metal carriages. She turned to face him, but by then it was too late: he lifted the staff, pointed, and blinded her with the flash of a flame. Instantly she felt pain, real pain, for the first time, on her chest. It pushed her, and she fell on her back, breathless.

[sanjisboyfie]

shanks being your doting boyfriend

(slightly himbo) shanks x male reader

NOT PROOFREAD mb. small, slight manga spoilers??? sorry guys + LMFAO i hadto ctrl + f every single time i used "arms" and switch it to "arm" also im so soorrryyyy its kinda rlly short.....forgive me also idc???? if this seems ooc to me shanks is just a silly lil guy.

— oh god. the power you hold. you actually singlehandedly could change the course of the entire one piece universe if you wanted to. why??? because one of the four emperors of the sea follows everrything you say like a lost puppy. he hangs off of every word that leaves your lips with a dumb, lovesick grin on his face. his head is empty, just thoughts of you. good thing you use this power of yours for good and keep this man HUMBLE.

"[name], can you please tell your idiot boyfriend to just do the dishes, i can't-"

"beckkkkkk, why are you bothering me and my boyfriend's personal time together?" shanks whined, little spooning his way into your side. his stubble was scratching your skin, making you itchy around your neck and shoulder, especially with the way he was so aggressively nuzzling his head. "we haven't even woken up yet,"

"yeah, and you were supposed to be on cleaning duty last night and you instead chose to spend that time coddling [name], so look where we are now,"

"i'm the captain, goddammit! why do i have to do something like cleaning duty?"

"ask [name], he made that rule,"

shanks' aggressive demeanor turned into putty as he pouted at you. it was not a fitting expression for someone that had a reputation like his and also his age (too old to be acting like a kid).

"babbbbyyy, why are you making us spend less time together? is it because you hate me?"

"shanks, just go fucking do some cleaning in the kitchen. it's a shit show and it's pissing me and the chefs off. get a grip, babe," you scolded, pushing his pouting face away from your own.

with a look of hesitation, shanks finally backed off and got out of bed. as he was putting on a proper pair of trousers on, he was muttering about his own boyfriend was bullying him. his comments went ignored by both you and beck — who was watching with a look of disbelief on his face.

to see his best friend, captain, and one of the four emperors of the sea so easily swayed into doing chores was something he doesn't think he'd ever get used to. no matter how long you and shanks have been together, seeing the red head so obediently follow orders was infathomable.

— shanks -> really intimidating status as captain of the red hair pirates -> turns into complete mush when you walk into the room. without fail, he physically deflates into whatever seat he's sitting in and holds his arm out to you invitingly, waiting for you to sit on his lap.

shanks was supposed to be in serious mode. he was sitting in front of some pretty high ranked marine officials, who were after his crews' heads. he wasn't the type to hold hostages, just to let them go back running to their navy base, but considering the crew was on a vacation of sorts, he needed to know how they were able to track them down.

it lingered in his mind that there was a chance there was a mole in their ranks, but he didn't want to accept that as it would be a painful reality.

"so, how did you know we'd be at this island to recover?" shanks questioned, eyes glaring holes into the marines' faces. they were shaking where they sat, except for one who tried holding a tough demeanor. "i'm not going to do anything to you if you just answer my question,"

just as the marine was about to spill all their information out, the door of the room they were in was slammed open. shanks' haki faltered slightly as he was able to recognize that it was you, and with that imbalance, it sent the marine officers over the edge and made them pass out instead.

you took in the scene, bleakly apologizing for interuppting. shanks didn't have the heart to scold you, so instead he just took you into his arm with a wide grin and said, "no, no, it's alright. i was beginning to miss you anyway, doll. was wondering why you weren't with me," he pouted into your skin, making you laugh.

"turns out one of the lackeys you let on board recently was the reason why these guys showed up out of nowhere," you informed your lover, who hummed in interest, "took a while, but was able to get him to crack under pressure."

shanks sighed in content, hugging you even tighter, "i love you so much, you're so sexy when you take control,"

another laugh escaped your lips as you heard your boyfriend almost drunkenly sing you praises, "it was nothing, the guy had zero resolve anyway,"

"you're so amazing, baby," he continued complimenting into your skin, acting as if there weren't three passed out marine officers in front of you two.

a couple of the lackeys of the crew came bounding into the room and almost froze when they saw their intimidating captain cuddling into your side like an eager puppy.

"u-uhm, captain?" shanks only hummed in acknowledgement as he held you tight to his side. "what do you want us to do with these guys and that bastard traitor?"

"oh, just keep them tied up and then leave them on the shore when we depart — they probably won't survive with all the wildlife around here," shanks hummed, waving his hand dismissively. you were standing in between his legs and he was relishing in the skinship you were allowing him.

"should we tell the rest that we will be setting sail soon then?"

this time you interjected, "yeah, i'll come with you, boys. i'll make moving the bodies easier."

the crew's face lightened up at your familiar kind behavior, but then stiffened when they heard a groan coming from shanks.

"but [name]!! these guys got it, just stay with me longer, please,"

"oh, shut up, idiot. just go back to the main event and lift up the spirits of our crew, they probably wanna hear words from their captain after such a traitorous bastard infiltrated us,"

shanks sighed at your mini lecture, but dragged himself to follow your footsteps. he was holding onto your hand and his feet were practically stomping into the wood.

"who even made me captain, i never asked for this," he sighed, making the crew weakly laugh to fill the awkward silence while you just tried apologizing for your boyfriend, and captain's, idiotic behavior.

— shanks really cherishes the alone time he can spend with you. living your lives as highly wanted pirates makes your daily life hectic. and, thankfully, the foundations of your relationship only led to you two being able to keep that strong trust, respect, and love for each other so alive.

it was nighttime and the ship was rocking ever so slightly with the waves. for once, you switched cuddling positions and had your head resting on shanks' chest. your fingers were drawing mindless shapes on the exposed skin while shanks' arm was squeezing your plushy flesh every now and then.

"you know, i love you so much, right?" he confessed into the night air, the genuineness of his emotions being made obvious with how softly he spoke.

"i love you too," you easily said back, not thinking twice.

"but, do you know i love you?" shanks repeated, sitting up and holding onto your waist to make sure all your attention was directed on him, "i know our lives don't make our lifestyle easier and i know i get really busy when times get rough, but i needed to tell you again that i love you so much [name]."

you grinned at his sincerity, leaning forward and pressing a soft, gentle kiss to his chapped lips. he reciprocated in a second's notice, but you pulled away before he could deepen it (as he usually did whenever you two kissed).

"i know you love me shanks, you are the sweetest lover i can think of. your kindness and humanity remind me everyday that this life is worth living if it's with you," shanks smiled at your words, nudging his forehead against yours to entice you to pull in closer to him.

your lips locked once more in a passionate filled kiss. your bare chests were now skin to skin with one another and it took a couple minutes of desperate kissing for shanks to be satisfied.

and when you finally pulled away and settled back onto his chest, he squeezed you once more and asked, "you've had other lovers besides me?" in reference to what you said earlier.

cue an eyeroll and pinch to his sides to make him shut his pretty mouth for some needed peace and quiet.

[teacute]

❝ hc: they have a crush on s/o ❞ — knights + 2wink

character(s) ! knights / 2wink / gn! reader [separate] warning ! nothing.. just floof... i mean fluff note ! i proofread the whole thing, might miss some typos or incorrect facts by mistake.. that's all.. also a reposted work of mine from my watty and pardon my editing skill

- he'll try to find s/o anywhere he could since he felt all bubbly everytime he's staying near them, he wanted to know what is he feeling - upon finding them, he'll probably jumped and called out for the whole world to hear - "s/o !! there you are, my inspiration !! my muse !!~" - they were confused so much, ended up standing there and looking weirdly at leo - still smiles sweetly at him - again, he felt the bubbly feeling inside him - leo felt content only looking and staying by their side - believe me, he'll never stop being by s/o side— not until he finds out what he's feeling

- he knew it the first time he felt it— believe me, he'll still teases s/o and say bad thing; it's his nature after all (i love him sm slapped) - maybe he'll either confess or not - your choice - but his life is not the same anymore; he's acting weird - his tsundere is showing too much - fellow knights member noticed the change - except for the person themself - sena can't help but always say something to them and sometimes, accidently made s/o cry - cue the knights members being angry at him - he's having a hard time since he knew he has a crush on them

- this beauty here !! darling is so sweet - always gives affection to s/o - but when naru had a crush on them, love and affection everywhere overloads - somehow the love and affections being showered on s/o was not an odd thing anymore - they were basically being oblivious as naru-chan tried to show her love to them - damn too sweet is all i see - i can describe no more //kisses her cheeks

- sleep, huggies and desserts - he asks s/o to join him in short naps - they were was shocked but obliged - he uses their laps as his pillow - "i think i have a crush on you..." - he blurted out - they were confused but they got the message - would even spend more time with him if asked - since their feeling is mutual towards him too

- this baby boy here doesn't know how to act around his producer anymore - he'll stumble upon his words - s/o laughs at his cuteness - they'll play and spoil him nonstop - kasa got fumes running out of his ears while red tinted his cheeks - "p-producer!! please stop!!" - no, they won't stop - his crush for them bloom until one day he had the courage to tell them - "producer, can i call you [name]?" - bewilderment covered their face - they understood why he asked that and they teased him afterward

- he's mischievous - will probably pull pranks to make s/o notice him - troubles - yuta will only sigh in the background - "yuta-kun, hinata-kun is acting weird..." - he'll get complaints from s/o since they felt uncomfortable by his sudden change - hinata said sorry and showered them with nonstop sweets due to his sweet tooth - found this side of him is cute - slowly, they got closer and damn - hinata was proud of himself - cue yuta watching from afar silently supporting his brother

- this boy here may be having a problem when he knew he has a crush on s/o - since he's the opposite of his brother, who's filled with mischief all the time– yuta tends to get in trouble with having a crush on s/o - totally - he's a sweet baby (everyone is idc) - yuta would would be seen snooping around looking at s/o - "s/o, are you alright?" - he once found them moody and he brightened their day with spicy food - but they loved it and appreciated the kind gesture - probably hinata got jealous over the affection his brother gave to their producer

closing note ! fr idk what did i wrote here.. i tried to proofread.. there might still be incorrect facts and how they would react as i haven't been able to stay up to date ever since the ss event (?) for (!!) ... so basically yeah i'm not sure anymore lol ... reblogs and likes are appreciated , thanks :3c

[siilvan]

fortuna redux

characters (ocs): mylène "petra" scholten de ridder, freya "mini" mactavish

summary: the medic of the 141 suddenly becomes two.

genre: general, fluff, light angst?, fem!oc

warnings: semi-proofread, cursing, mentions of canon-typical violence, mild descriptions of blood/injuries, mildly superstitious stuff, they're so sister-coded...

word count: 3k

note: “but navi we want bloodsport” i know babygirls, it’s gonna be my next post 😔 i just need to be cringe with my oc first…

also big shoutout to @sofasoap for giving me the much-needed confidence to write this AND for trusting me with her beloved mini 😌 this is going to get zero notes, but idc, i wrote it for fun lol

you let out a soft breath as you sift through documents, analyzing dossiers and combat records until your eyes burn and beg for a break. it's the season of new recruits, which means late nights, early mornings, and headaches for yourself. why did you offer to train them when price asked?

probably because ghost has a track record of sending new faces running for the hills. as the one-four-one's only other commanding officer, you're the only one fit for the job. fantastic.

after a much needed break – that consisted of you laying back in your chair with a damp cloth over your eyes – you grab the next document off the pile on your desk and scan it like you did with every other. you stop short before you even finish reading the name at the top, though.

freya mactavish.

surely, it can't be...

you flip through the pages of the dossier, blinking at the information that only served to confirm your suspicions. scottish, twenty-two years old, combat medic, has an older brother in the special forces...

"no fucking way." you mumble, staring at the picture attached to the file. you recognize her from pictures that soap's shown you over the years – she is, without a doubt, the "mini" he's told you so much about. why haven't you heard about the transfer request until now?

when you come across the combat records, the reason is glaringly clear. she hardly passed on all fronts; if she was any other recruit, this file wouldn't have even made it to your desk. she can't match the rest of the team in the field, you'd all end up slowing down to accommodate her. it's nothing that can't be fixed with dedicated training, but with how precious the task force's time is, you simply don't have the time to bring new recruits up to speed.

with a quiet groan, you push back from your desk and gather up the files on her, heading out the door and padding down the hall towards price's office.

you round the corner and spot him unlocking the door, his back facing you.

"captain!" you call out from down the corridor, catching his attention. price turns to look at you, pausing with the door held open as you approach.

"you're up early, petra." he comments, reminding you to glance at the time. five am— shit, you spent the whole night pouring over those files. "got something for me?" he continues, pulling your focus back to him.

you nod, waving the document folder at him. "i've got some questions about one of these recruits."

his eyes flick between you and the folder, before a low chuckle escapes him. "think i might know who you're talking about." he mutters, motioning for you to follow him into his office.

he shuts the door behind you and clicks the lock shut before circling around his desk and settling in his chair. you sit across from him and lay the files out, starting when he nods for you to speak.

"i'm assuming you've connected the dots between the surnames?" you ask, earning an affirmative hum. "you've known soap longer than i have, so maybe this makes sense to you, but—" you flip through the pages of the dossier and slide it towards him, pointing out the large boxes of redacted information with two companies logos plastered at the top of the page. "—i can understand mi6's involvement with this, but what does the cia want with a low-ranking british soldier?"

price leans back in his chair and drags his eyes from the document to you. "it's a long story." he shrugs, pulling a frustrated huff from you.

"come on, price, don't give me that." you reply, shaking your head. "soap's never mentioned anything like this. is there something i need to be worried about if we recruit her?"

his tongue darts out and wets his lips as he lets out a noise, somewhere between a groan and a sigh. "even i don't have all the information, scholten. all i know is that she's damn good at what she does." he sits up straight and thumbs through the dossier, glancing over it like he's already familiar with the contents. he probably is.

"you've been tripling as this team's commander, medic, and medical intelligence expert since its formation. you've already got ghost and myself to handle most of the leadership, but you need someone to help with the rest." he asserts, unclipping the picture from the rest of the stack and holding it up to face you. "you need the assistance and she's reliable. trust me on this."

you blink at the photo, then at him. "she barely passed any of the physical tests – even her marksmanship scores were average at best. there's other medics with better scores, captain. i know we cherish family on this team, but i'm not willing to send someone unequipped onto the battlefield."

price sets the picture down and sighs, low and heavy in his chest. "did you see what she's called?" he asks.

you furrow your brows at him. "something like... what was it, 'lady fortuna?' what does that have to do with this?"

"lady luck, lieutenant. she doesn't look like much on paper, but whenever she's in the field, people always come back. the only person that serves to suffer when she's working is herself." he smiles as a noise of confusion tumbles from your lips.

"never pegged you as the superstitious type," you start, squeezing your eyes shut and pinching the bridge of your nose. "that isn't reassuring, anyway. i can't risk having a soldier, especially family, die under my watch, even if it means the rest of the team makes it home unscathed."

price places a firm hand on your shoulder, jostling you and forcing you to look at him again. "it's your refusal to let her die that'll keep her alive." he mutters, and the plan in his mind finally clicks with you.

she'll keep you from working yourself to death. you'll keep her from dying in her work.

a mutual safety net.

price, you clever bastard.

"you were never going to let me say 'no,' were you?" you cock your head to the side, slumping back in your chair.

he shrugs, mirroring your position and producing a cigar from one of his pockets. "i always respect your judgement." he lights it and places it between his lips. you move to gather the documents and stand, before he snaps his fingers, remembering something. "a transport just picked her up, by the way. she'll be here in a few hours."

you pause mid-action and glower at him. "guess i should get started on the training schedule, then."

⋆⋆⋆

"corporal freya mactavish, reporting for duty, ma'am."

you eye the younger woman curiously, noticing the way she shifts her weight from one foot to the other, shrinking a bit under your scrutiny.

bright blue eyes, just like her brother. she's a few inches shorter than yourself, about five-four according to her files, and you feel yourself soften a bit at the glimmer in her eyes – a soldier desperately wanting to be acknowledged. again, it reminds you of soap.

"so, you're the new recruit?" you regard her with a gentle smile in an attempt to ease her nerves. when she visibly relaxes from her stiff stance, you turn to price. "i'll take care of her, captain."

price uncrosses his arms and chuckles. "don't be so quick to write her off, petra. who knows, she might end up surprising you." he says, tapping your arm and giving mini an encouraging nod, before walking out of the room and leaving the two of you alone.

you turn back to her and rest your hands on your hips, silently studying her again. you don't miss the puff of her chest under her vest when she inhales deeply and opens her mouth to speak.

"you can call me mini, lieutenant," she utters, the stiffness from earlier returning, her shoulders locking up as she stands more straight. "i know i'm not much of a soldier, but..." she trails off, her gaze flitting from yours to the empty space between you.

your brows furrow as you tilt forward. "but?" you repeat, urging her to continue.

she drags her focus back to your face, but still avoids looking directly into your eyes. "my brother's told me a lot of stories about you, and... i swear, i won't disappoint you."

she's sheepish, hands flexing as she confirms her statement, and you almost let the pity you feel flash across your face. she's so similar, yet so different from her brother. every word is said like she has something to prove; to you or herself, you're not sure.

"we'll have to swap stories sometime," you start, stepping closer to place your hands on her shoulders. "soap's always going on about you, he's very proud." you assure her with a gentle squeeze. mini rolls her eyes at it, but smiles nonetheless.

"i hope he hasn't mentioned any embarrassing childhood stories..." she mutters.

you pull back, recalling the many stories the sergeant's told about his family since joining the squad. "just a few. we can share those later, we've got a busy day ahead of us."

⋆⋆⋆

you had hoped the combat records would be out of date, but to your chagrin, they reflected mini's performance well.

her shots are hitting the target... most of the time, at least. you've had to correct her stance and grip more than once, give her several basic tips— so now, you're standing behind her, eyeing the target over her shoulder, your fingers twitching at your sides as you watch her form slip again. before you can correct it, however, she pauses and shifts, fixing her posture and adjusting her grip on her rifle.

it's been three hours, but she's showing some improvement, you think to yourself, the edges of your lips twitching up.

mini lowers her gun after emptying another clip and lifts the headphones from her ears, turning to you. "what do you think?" she asks, searching your face for approval.

you take off your own headphones and step closer, squinting at the target. most of the bullet holes lie around the edges, near misses, or scattered around the torso of the silhouette. there's a handful of headshots, but for three hours of work, it isn't enough.

"you're getting better," you sigh, facing her once more. her face drops and you rub the side of her arm in a small attempt at comfort. "you just need more practice, is all. that's why i'm here."

she huffs and shakes her head, setting her rifle on the counter. "you're supposed to be leading me in the infirmary and the field, not holding my hand through the basics, lieutenant." she complains in a low grumble, crossing her arms tight over her chest. your eyes narrow as your hand drops back to your side; you know her frustration lies with her performance, not you.

mini trails close behind your right shoulder, listening intently as you rattle off the list of activities for the day. basic marksmanship, physical tests, close-quarters combat... things that the rookies even younger than her are working on.

"you aren't going to be seeing as much action as the boys or myself, but you still need to be capable enough to defend yourself if necessary." you say, stopping in front of the door to the shooting range.

she hums, standing in front of you. "i know i'm not as skilled as the rest of you, but i can hold my own." she replies, furrowing her brow.

"i'm not clearing you for duty until you show some major improvement." you assert. her eyes widen, pupils turning into small saucers, before the crease in her forehead returns.

"lieutenant, you can’t—"

"i can," you state, perhaps a bit too stern, as the rest of her rebuttal immediately dies on her tongue. "price put you under my watch for a reason. i can't in good conscience send you out underprepared." you continue, softening to a low murmur.

mini merely stares at you, the gears turning in her head. after several seconds of this, finally, she relents with a barely-audible exhale.

"let's do this, then."

the sound of an irritated groan brings you back to the moment. you look just in time to see mini lean back against a nearby wall, her head tilting back and knocking lightly against the surface. she shuts her eyes and breathes in deeply, prompting you to go quiet as she steadies herself.

once her eyelids flutter open again, you speak. "let's take a break, yeah?" you give her a tight-lipped smile. "we can worry about the physical and close-combat tests later. we have plenty of time."

mini eyes you for a few seconds, deep blue irises swimming with about a hundred different emotions, cascading across the surface like waves crashing against jagged rocks during a storm. you've never seen so much conflict in soap, even in his worst times – whatever she's feeling clearly goes deeper than irritation over slow progress.

"how about we hang out? get to know each other a bit?" you suggest, brushing past the observation.

she seems to ease up at your words, her fingers interlacing in front of herself as she silently considers a response. a short, yet eager, nod of her head brings a more genuine smile to your lips.

you find yourself comfortably settled in on one of the worn couches in the common room after cleaning up the range, leaning back against the arm of the couch to face mini as you talk to her, mug of steaming tea in-hand.

"johnny's never been pleased with me following in his footsteps," she confesses after taking a healthy sip of her tea, her legs crossed under the blanket you haphazardly slung across your laps.

you hum, lowering your mug to rest atop your knee. "can't blame him. once you're in this field, you stop wanting your family close." you chuckle, before adding, "i wasn't particularly happy when my brother joined the forces, so i get where he's coming from."

mini grumbles into the rim of her cup and sends you a half-hearted glare. "i'm perfectly capable, though." she mutters, earning another curt laugh from you.

"i'm not saying you're not – even though there's still a lot to improve on – but, think about his perspective." you lean forward, motioning with your hands as you continue. "his little sister, who sounds very prone to injury and bad luck, going into such a dangerous line of work? i'm surprised he doesn't have you attached to his keychain."

you both pause, waiting to see who concedes in the argument first, before another thought crosses your mind. "speaking of luck," you start, catching the raised brow she sends your way. "ever since i read your files, i keep hearing about this whole 'lady fortuna' thing. even the captain's pretty convinced you're lucky."

another beat of silence passes as you both sip on your tea. you eye mini curiously as her eyes dart anywhere but your face, avoidant, but not nervous by any means.

"i don't want to sound like i'm bragging, especially in front of you," she trails off, only perking up again once you dismiss her concerns with a wave of your hand. "i guess, uh... i've been told that i've got this knack for bringing soldiers home unscathed, even on dangerous operations that should end with casualties. it's become something of an urban legend." she says, eyes settling on the steam rising from her cup.

"and yet, you are always getting injured. guess the luck comes at a price, huh?" you comment off-handedly.

her mug lightly clacking against the table nearby catches your focus, drawing you back to her as she wrings her hands together.

"when one person's fortune rises, another falls," she utters, looking focused as ever as the words leave her lips. "bearing misfortune is the cost of giving good fortune to those around me."

for a second, you almost think she's joking. harmless superstitions exist everywhere in life, but this is a new for you – not only is mini convinced of it, but even the captain believes it to some extent.

when her eyes drag up to meet your gaze, you feel a pang in your chest.

the zero-sum game. one party's advantage is equal to another's disadvantage. mini's misfortune is equal in value to the good fortune of those around her. what could possibly match the value of saving lives, though?

death isn't the opposite reaction; to lose the fortune entirely is a worse fate. suffering is a fate worse than death for the benefactor— it's perpetual, iterative, something that would stick around for the rest of her life. save a life and have your own ruined, it's an equal trade. you set your cup aside and reach forward to wrap your hands around hers, holding them in a loose grip.

"let's split the cost." you murmur.

mini blinks at you, confused. "what?"

you squeeze her hands gently, warming when she mirrors it. "there's no sense in one person bearing the world's misfortune alone. i'll carry some of it and you'll save some of that luck for yourself."

she shakes her head and retracts her hands, sitting up straight and leaving you leaning forward. "i don't think that's how it works, lieutenant. it's not something you can just give or take." she stutters out, stifling a nervous chuckle.

"it works that way if we say it does. you can give out as much luck as you need and we'll bear the burden of it together." you take another sip of your tea and let out a low sigh. "i won't take 'no' for an answer, from you or from fate." you add a moment later.

mini giggles, finally giving in with an affirmative nod and a "yes ma'am" escaping her amidst the giggles.

you don't believe in superstitions about luck or fate. the choices a person makes is what defines them, not a third party pulling the strings. however, if it'll bring her some comfort, then you're happy to bear whatever misfortune you can. at the end of the day, keeping your team safe is more important than shallow beliefs.

as a bright grin crosses her face, you make a silent vow with yourself.

you won't let her suffer.

whatever it takes, you'll bring her home safe.

[wonwoonlight]

my way to you / jeon wonwoo | chapter 6

➝ Wonwoo x fem!Reader

➝ rich!AU // heir & heiress!AU // best friends to lovers // idiots to lovers lol // fluff // a lil drama bc why not // somewhat angsty // clicheeeee <3

➝ series warning: OC is Dense with a capital D, so many cliches but idc, implied sexual activities (but no actual smut scenes), eventual suggestive scenes, theyre both idiots, food, insecurity and self doubts, somewhat toxic parents, someone fainted like once, not always proofread am sorry ;-; that’s probably it? tell me if there’s more!

➝ A/N: something's gonna unfoldddd though, [spoiler], you guys know we haven't reached our //main// problem right? enjoy as always and dont hesitate to tell me what you think after <3

series masterlist

Wonwoo frowns at his phone as he sees his messages unread since this afternoon, and while it’s not that weird for you not to answer his texts when you’re literally days away from an event, there’s just something about today that doesn’t sit well with him. It doesn’t help at all that he’s also busy the whole day, barely having any time to properly check up on you until right now.

He even tries calling you, but you don’t answer either so he texts Seungcheol only for the guy to say you’re napping in your office. His frown deepens at that. It’s six and you’re still at the office?

“Wonwoo?” Jennie calls him softly, and he snaps up from his phone at her voice. He smiles sheepishly before texting you to call him once you’ve woken up and placing his phone on the table.

“Sorry. What were you saying?”

It’s Jennie who’s invited him for this particular dinner, and though he doesn’t get why she wants to eat with him again when she’s literally at his family house the night before, he accepts because this is actually the first time she goes out of her way to ask if he would eat with her—usually, it’s his mom who asks him to accompany her because she’s heard Jennie is somewhere by herself.

She did ask him once or twice if he could go somewhere with her, but only because she’s unfamiliar with the place and Jennie has never been good at being in a new place. But she had never asked if he has the time to eat with her and talk.

Plus, you’re not answering his texts.

So he figures he should be able to talk with her because it must be somewhat important, and he could go check on you after he’s finished with the girl. But Seungcheol’s text came when he’s already arrived at the restaurant Jennie’s chosen and now he’s sitting there worried because he just wants to go to you.

“I just… I want to apologize for taking so much of your time,” she says softly, her voice unsure and Wonwoo honestly can’t tell where this is coming from. “I know your mom asks you to take care of me, and I know at times you’re just… here because of that, but I hope you know you really don’t have to do this if you already have things to do.”

“Oh, Jen,” he exhales, not realizing that he’s been making her feel like a burden. “You know me better than that. You’re still my friend, you know? No need to feel that way.”

She chuckles a little, and Wonwoo can’t help but think she sounds sad. There’s always something a little lonely about Jennie that he can’t quite wrap his head around, and even though he’s not exactly close with her, she’s still an old friend that Wonwoo’s glad to keep around.

“I know. And I hope you’re not taking this the wrong way, but…” she hesitates for a bit, pressing her lips together as she contemplates her words. “I also know Y/N isn’t… fond of me and she must’ve felt like I’m stealing you because you’re always with me these days.”

His mouth dries at her words, unsure how to reply to that. It would be a complete lie to say you haven’t been explicitly annoyed because he’s been unable to be with you as much as he would’ve liked, but Wonwoo has always just figured Jennie doesn’t notice or she simply doesn’t care. But the way she says it… Wonwoo might not be the most sensitive person in the world, but it is clear even to him that she’s hurt–hopefully not at you but at the situation.

Thankfully, Jennie speaks again because Wonwoo has no idea what he’s supposed to do at the revelation.

“Can I be honest with you?”

He doesn’t see where this is going, but he nods and she continues.

“I’ve… always admired her, you know? She’s so… fierce and she wouldn’t let anyone get in her way ever since we were kids. I can still remember that time she stood up for you in the playground because some bigger kids considered you an easy target,” she smiles, looking down on her plate to avoid his gaze. But even from her peripheral vision, she can clearly see Wonwoo being shocked at her words. “She’s even smaller than you were, but she didn’t hesitate to go there and told them off.”

He softens at the memory, and his head takes him back to that time when you were all six; Wonwoo had always looked like an easy target because he tended to be quiet and he was pretty lanky, it didn’t help that he never told his parents about it either. In the playground, it didn’t matter that he was the Jeons’ youngest son, six-year-olds did not understand the concept of conglomerates.

His mom wouldn’t usually let him go to the playground without bringing his nannies, but Shua was actually there with you both, just that he went to the restroom nearby for a bit which gave the those kids an opening to do whatever they wanted now that the older kid was gone.

“I also remember being scared that they would hurt her, but Jinyoung came about and they immediately scurried off at the sight of someone older than them,” she continues, and it’s fascinating to him that she remembers this event vividly. “That was the first time I saw her, and I immediately thought that it’d be amazing to have a friend like her. But, well…”

His heart falters at her tone, knowing full well you’re not exactly friends with her now. He doesn’t know whether it’d be better if you downright act like you dislike the girl or to be like right now, holding her at a distance but never letting her in.

“I thought maybe I could befriend her if we spent enough time together, but years passed by and it became clear to me that she…didn’t want to befriend me…I guess? But, even then, it’s obvious to me how much she takes care of those around her and it’s something that I can’t help but still admire. I’m aware that she keeps her circle small, but she… even to an outsider like me, it’s obvious that she makes sure everyone of you is well taken care of and she does more for you guys than for herself.”

There’s something close to pride burning in him at the way she’s describing you, but the longing in her eyes hits him harder than he thought it would.

“Jen, you know she doesn’t dislike you, right?” he decides to say after a moment. While he’s still in the dark about how you actually feel about her, he knows you don’t dislike Jennie. The best that he can guess is there’s something about Jennie that doesn’t sit well with you in one way or another, but how did you, as a six year old, manage to attain this kind of idea and maintain it until now, basically two decades later?

It doesn’t make sense.

“Yeah, but she isn’t fond at the thought of me either.” Her defeated smile breaks him a little, but then again, he can only imagine how she’s feeling. He’s never known Jennie holds this much sentiment towards you and it feels awkward to be talking about this after knowing how she feels–suddenly very conscious of how you treat him and the others in front of her. “It’s something that I’ve come to accept, so you don’t need to say anything about it. But, anyway, I just kind of feel bad because I know you’re… forced to attend to me these days and I really don’t want to give her more reasons to distance herself from me.”

“Hey, are you not my friend?” he frowns at her words, wrapping his head around how bad she’s holding this over herself. “I’m not forced to spend time with you. We’ve literally known each other for at least two decades now and, even though my mom did ask me to take care of you, I’m here because I want to, Jen.”

“There’s still instances where you’d rather not, though.”

He winces at that, a little guilty that she’s caught him. While it’s true that he’s not always willing to accompany her, it’s also true that he’s often with her by choice. Perhaps it’s the fact that he knows Jennie doesn’t really have any friends in Korea, that most of the people around her are acquaintances and none of them actually knows her. No matter what, Wonwoo doesn’t wish for Jennie to feel alone while she’s in the country.

“It doesn’t really matter. At the end of the day, you’re my friend and I care about you. You’re not here often and it’s my job as a friend to make sure you’re not alone while you’re here,” he tries to explain, hoping to get through her. It’s painful to know your friend is feeling bad about her own self. “Do you… do you want me to talk to her?”

“No, it’s okay,” she says after a while. “I told you I’ve come to accept it. Maybe she just doesn’t want to be close with me and I respect that.”

“I’ll… I’ll try, okay?” he blurts out in the end, deciding that it’s the least he could do. “I’ve never actually asked her about it because I thought it didn’t bother you and you don’t see each other often anyway. Clearly, I was wrong.”

“But what if–”

“I know when to stop, don’t worry,” he smiles comfortingly. He knows you won’t give in so easily just because he’s your best friend, because if it was that easy then you would’ve told him about whatever it is bothering you about her a long time ago. But you have never even touched the topic, simply close yourself up and keep it to yourself when it comes to her. It wouldn’t be easy, but perhaps it’s time to ask you about it, after all. “I’m not promising anything though.”

She thanks him regardless, and tells him she appreciates him wanting to try anyway. Jennie wasn’t actually sure what she was expecting when she decided to open up to him about the whole thing, but after accidentally hearing Wonwoo call you last night to say he couldn’t join you and the others in your place, she felt bad and there’s this need to come clean with one of her truest friends.

Jennie never considers Wonwoo a close friend–she’s not that naive. But he’s a dear friend and a piece of her childhood that she’d like to keep around. She appreciates that the Jeons never treat her as the heiress of her parents’ company, even the head of the Jeon family never really talks about the company the few times she meets him, and she’s exceptionally thankful for Wonwoo and Jinyoung for treating her genuinely as friends despite not being that close to her.

That’s already more than a lot of people around her would do because they only see her as a trophy.

If there’s anything more she envies about you, it’s the fact that you don’t let people treat you that way. Jennie’s too afraid to brush people off and walk away from their meaningless chit chat, but you’d turn away before they even reach you without caring about the rumours it’d leave about your attitude problems.

“Are you finished?” he asks after noticing her plate is empty. “Should we go back?”

“Yeah, sure,” she nods and stands up from her seat. She eyes the unfinished dessert and drink in front of him, then tells him to quickly finish them while she goes to the front to pay.

At first, Jennie thinks she saw wrong when she sees you sitting by yourself in the waiting area near the receptionist. But when she calls your name and you turn to her at once, she can’t help but feel like something’s off about you. Your smile is forced, almost as if you’re in pain.

Wonwoo’s equally confused when he sees Jennie with you, and there’s something nasty at the pit of his stomach when he sees Soonyoung approaching. But the feeling’s gone in the blink of an eye when you grab Jennie for support and he sees your body swaying a little.

He doesn’t even know he can move that fast, but how can he not when your body falls forward even when he’s holding on to both of your arms? His palm moves to your forehead, feeling cold sweat forming there as he quickly asks any of them to take his car so he could bring you home.

Soonyoung says something about Seungcheol and Mr. Lee, and Wonwoo really doesn’t care about who’s driving as long as he can get you to bed fast while Jennie’s already calling for the Jeons’ family doctor upon his request.

He seems to be out of it, but no one can really blame him when you’re laying limp in his arms and he tries his best to calm his beating heart as he cradles you to his embrace. You’re barely conscious, but you can still hum when he asks if you’re awake, and he can feel you weakly grasping his shirt when he pulls you close.

When Soonyoung comes back with Seungcheol on his trail, you still have it in you to wobbly walk on your legs even though you need Wonwoo and Seungcheol to hold your weight from the side. Wonwoo quickly hands Soonyoung his car key when the guy asks for it, thanking him despite the panic in his chest.

“Y/N? Can you hear me?” he softly asks as he caresses your hair. It’s crazy how cold your forehead is against his palm and Wonwoo can feel the dread filling his body even more before he tells Mr. Lee to drive faster before you actually pass out right there and then.

“Hmm…” you murmur softly, though you don’t open your eyes–can’t open them because you feel like you don’t have any energy within you to even blink at the moment.

“Drink this, okay?” you hear him say before you feel something prodding against your lips “It’s warm tea, the restaurant staff gave it to us earlier. It should help.”

You hum again, lips a little ajar just enough to catch the plastic between your lips. Wonwoo insists you drink all of them if you could, so you do exactly that because it seems to help even slightly. The tea is sweet, and you wonder if it’s the sugar that helps clear your consciousness if only by a thread; anyhow, you can still feel the pounding in your head and you bury yourself deeper into him for comfort.

“Won…” your voice is barely even a whisper and Wonwoo wouldn’t even have heard you if it’s not for the fact that you’re literally pressed against him. “‘m so tired…”

“Sleep, okay? I’ll carry you to bed,” his voice is gentle despite the frantic sound of his heartbeat, still worried out of his mind to witness you like this. After a few minutes pass and he feel your breath evening, he finally asks Seungcheol if you’ve eaten anything today.

“I’m not sure, sir. She did drink her usual juice in the morning on the way to the office, but I’m not aware if she’s eaten anything while she’s in there. Miss Yoon specifically asked to be left alone today because she had a lot of documents to review so I stood guard in front of her office, sir.”

“You’re in the office since morning? Did she leave for lunch?”

“No, sir. She asked for a sandwich but I can’t tell you for sure if she did eat them in the end.”

He huffs in concern, only now regretting not calling Seungcheol earlier. Had he known you’re in the office since morning by choice without even leaving for lunch, he would’ve come over and dragged you out to eat. No wonder you’re not answering your phone, you probably didn’t even have time to check the device nor remember to eat because you have too many things to do.

He looks down at you, finally realizing how pale you look despite the makeup. He leans down to kiss the crown of your head, his lips lingering there to calm himself down before he lets go and rests the side of his head on top of yours.

When Mr. Lee stops in front of his building, Seungcheol is quick to help open the door and assist him inside. As the elevator goes up, he asks the older guy to inform Jeonghan about this immediately.

“Tell him she’s in my place and I’ve already called for Dr. Jung. She’ll obviously be taking the day off tomorrow and the day after,” he calmly speaks with you in his arms. It’s not easy to carry an adult in her 20s for this long, but Wonwoo’s pretty sure his worry runs over and the weight just doesn’t really register to him at the moment. “Please help me call Chan too and tell him I’d be working from home for the next two days.”

Dr. Jung is already there when they arrive in his penthouse, and Seungcheol helps Wonwoo put you down to the bed before he excuses himself to make the requested calls. There’s an oxygen tank near his bed and Wonwoo watches exasperatedly when the doctor puts the tube into your nose.

You’ve never been one to get sick easily, but it comes at the price of you suffering more than most people would everytime you are. That said, Wonwoo has never been able to take it well during those time. There’s something inherently scary about seeing you pale and still.

“She didn’t eat anything?” Dr. Jung makes sure after checking you up, frowning when he hears Wonwoo’s explanation earlier.

“We’re not sure, but that’s the assumption. She had juice for breakfast and, if she did eat anything after that, it’s just a sandwich.”

“Then that’s probably the reason why. Her blood sugar presumably dropped too,” he concludes. “Also, you did say she’s been busy the past few months but even more so these days, so it’s not outrageous to assume she hasn’t been taking care of herself.”

Wonwoo sighs at his words, well aware that Dr. Jung is most likely correct. While you do have the tendency to forget to eat when you’re focused on something, Wonwoo has never thought it’d be to the point where you forgot to eat anything for the whole day. You probably meant to eat your meal with Soonyoung to make up for the lack of supper throughout the day–only that it’s a little too late and your body has been running on nothing for too long at that point.

“I can prescribe her some supplements. But what she needs most is proper rest and proper meals. She’s no longer having cold sweat so you can worry a little less, just make sure she eats something when she wakes up.”

“Thank you, doc,” he nods, his heartbeat finally settling into its usual rhythm. His eyes can’t seem to move from you though, the color in your face returning a little even though it’s still not enough to clear his worry. “I’ll make sure she rests well for a few days before she’s back to work.”

“Do you want me to stay until she wakes up?” he offers good-naturedly, though Wonwoo shakes his head and tells him he’d just call him again tomorrow. It’s already late now anyway and who knows if you’ll wake up soon or not? “Okay then. I’ll come again to check her up tomorrow morning. Take care of your girlfriend, Wonwoo.”

Wonwoo simply nods, sitting down on the space near your head as he caresses your hair then gently massages your temple. You don’t look like you’re going to wake up anytime soon, but it’s okay as long as he knows you’re resting. He can still feel the way his heart dropped to his stomach when your body swayed forward the moment you lost consciousness, the horror creeping in his body isn’t something he wishes to feel ever again.

It’s not long after Dr. Jung leaves when he hears soft knocks on his bedroom door and he looks up to find Jennie, Soonyoung, Jeonghan, and Shua coming in to check on you. He’s just gotten off the phone with Chaeyoung when they come in, the girl frantic and panicked when she heard you’ve fainted.

“I’ve bought soup earlier,” Jennie speaks first, telling him she’s put it in his refrigerator and that he could just heat it up when you wake up later. “Is she… okay?”

“Yeah, she… probably didn’t eat anything the whole day so her body is running on nothing,” he explains tiredly, his fingers still moving against your head.

“This girl…” Jeonghan shakes his head, his tone laced with worry. His whole body is tense, and Wonwoo relays what Dr. Jung has told him earlier to assure everyone that you’ll be fine as long as you take a proper rest for a few days.

He looks at your cousin, somehow already aware about what’s going through his mind. “She wouldn’t want to let go of your parents’ wedding anniversary. You know she loves them more than her own parents.”

“Still…” he sighs, upset that you actually fainted from overworking. “I should’ve told mom she has too much on her plate already.”

“The charity dinner is three days away, Han,” Shua reminds him, seemingly calmer than anyone in the room even though he, too, is worried out of his mind. It’s true that he was also against you handling these projects at once, but Shua also knows how much Jeonghan’s parents mean to you and with the dinner around the corner, your schedule should be emptier than it was before. “If you ask her to let go of the anniversary nowshe’ll just be mad at you. I’ll clear some of my classes and help, don’t worry.”

Wonwoo turns to Soonyoung, the guy awkwardly standing in place as if unsure if he’s allowed to be there. He smiles weakly at him, thanking Soonyoung for taking care of his car and whatnot when he couldn’t possibly think about them earlier.

“No problem, man. I’m just glad she’s taken care of,” he nods firmly before he tells him he’s placed his car key on the dinner table earlier. “She… she was asleep when I came to pick her up. We were supposed to meet for dinner but she wasn’t answering so I called Jeonghan just in case.”

“You had to pick her up at the office?” Jeonghan exclaims in surprise. “Didn’t you call me at, like, six?”

“Yeah. Seungcheol said he’s still in the building so I made my way there.”

“She really has been overworking herself.” Shua rubs his face in concern. It’s suddenly clear why you looked tired the night before, almost like you could pass out anytime soon when the movie had barely even started. The only reason why you forced yourself awake was probably because it’d been sometime since everyone (minus Wonwoo) came together to hang out.

He glances at Jennie, the girl also looking at you in concern even from afar. He was surprised when he saw her with Soonyoung earlier, and when she briefly explained about what happened, he could tell that she’s just as worried as they were despite not being close with you.

Silence settles in the room after that, everyone seemingly too worried to say anything. Shua can’t even remember the last time he saw you in a hospital bed–probably that time in sixth grade when you broke your leg–and it wouldn’t be exaggerating when he says his eyes almost watered after Jeonghan told him you’ve fainted.

You’re practically his sister, and Shua has always been your big brother before Jinyoung, Jeonghan, or even Wonwoo came and helped take care of you. He knows that, on top of these projects, your father also makes you review reports and proposals even though your official position within the company really shouldn’t be concerned with proposals.

Perhaps it’s about time he and Jeonghan speak to your parents about your workloads. What’s the use of letting you not be the head if you’re working just a little less than Jeonghan is?

“Don’t you have work tomorrow?” Shua speaks up again after a while. “It’s getting late, guys. Unless you’re going to sleep over, I think it’s time to return home.”

“Right,” Jeonghan sighs once again, moving over to drop a kiss on your forehead before telling Wonwoo he’ll come again tomorrow after his morning meeting. “Take care of her, okay? She’s not allowed to go out until the charity dinner.”

Wonwoo nods, and then tells Shua he’s welcome to sleep over if he wants. The guy shakes his head though, telling him he needs to talk about something to Jeonghan but he’ll come first thing in the morning. Jennie and Soonyoung bid their goodbye too, and Wonwoo thanks them one more time for helping him earlier.

Once everyone’s gone home, his gaze falls to you again. It’s unfair how peaceful you look after making all of them freak out beyond comprehension. He sighs at the thought and then moves to take off the oxygen tube from you and switches off the tank like Dr. Jung has instructed earlier.

After changing his clothes into a more comfortable one, Wonwoo slowly takes the other side of the bed, careful not to nudge you awake though you seem to be in such a deep sleep anyway. He shifts to his side so he can look at you, his hand reaching out to caress your cheek as if to convince himself that you’re really there with him.

And when you scoot closer to him in your sleep, the breath of his name falling off your lips, only then Wonwoo can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

taglist: @hoe4wonwoo@dnylwoo@yslshua@twogyuu@najaemin138@blueixnie@boowanie@pwettytae@itsveronicaxxx@aphrodyteeth@leechanniee@jeoonghann@sdoulc@kyeomjjigae@ru-lin@listxn@yngreid@vynnz@lilactangerine@justasoftstan@amymoonl@02psh@lovelywoo@pusangmamon@yoontaedotin@soonchanshua@fanfic24@nothingbutadeadesceane@nollixtrml@sweetheart-gs

©wonwoonlight – all rights reserved. I don’t allow any reposting, translation, and any other kind of redistribution of this fic. Please tell me if you’re aware of anyone doing this without my permission.

A/N: told u jennie isn't an antagonist 😭😭

[ilynaevis]

what abt the sibling moot game or ships with trope? (๑>◡<๑)

okay i'm not sure if i'm doing this right bc i haven't rlly done moot games before but 😭 ALSO THIS IS NOT PROOFREAD sorry for spelling or grammar mistakes 

@jungwonize hi sai <3 i ship you with riki tbh.... i'm getting bffs2lovers vibes u guys would probably fight (affectionate) over small things like who gets the last slice of pizza or something like that  Plz + the ppl around you would ask if y'all are friends or enemies bc they rlly just CANNOT tell when half of the time ur at each other’s throats and the other half ur sharing headphones on the bus or whatever </3 @yyunari i am so tempted to say ningning but u and beomgyu would be a good match HEAR ME OUT i know this isn’t a set trope but radio show co-hosts. YEAH. just going back and forth w the playful banter and all ur listeners can tell y’all are whipped for e/o but ur oblivious! bc how could u fall in love with someone who makes deez nuts jokes... right... @yeongwonie  was thinking strangers to lovers IDK THO!! or maybe like classmates to lovers i’m kind of struggling Hold up ok so i’m thinking ur like oh shit i’m failing this one class so this teacher assigns me a tutor and god must be on my side bc it’s the cute boy from my chem (??? just roll with it) class (cue hyunjin) but plot twist hyunjin has been cheating on the tests for like an entire year (i saw this somewhere once but i forgot where !! idk if it was on tumblr so someone let me know if you’ve read something similar i’ll tag them/ leave a link) so ur like wow ur no help ur an idiot and he’s like at least i’m not failing <3 and boom you fall in love @blessed-sky JAKE argue with the wall idc i feel like you guys would be the perfect match now THIS i am certain is strangers to lovers. sorry to be cliche rn but coffee shop au too like the 2 of u would meet at ur local coffee shop where he’s a regular barista n you think he’s rlly cute but obviously u would never tell him that! but then he writes his number on ur cup. so ur shot has been shot for you ! good for you !!!  @chiyuv heeseung i know he’s ur bias and you were probably hoping for him but u guys would be cute together OKAY i’m going to do enemies to lovers for this one i know u like piano and ballet so maybe one of those and you’re competing for first or like a spot in a rlly prestigious overseas program (its head to head bc u and hee are top 2 like no one can  beat u guys) but one day u start thinking he’s cute (and then the pining and angsty stuff happens) fast forward now he’s teasing you for thinking he’s cute. but then he tells you you’re cuter. yeah <3

[channoticedmeuwu]

— 𝐧𝐚 𝐣𝐚𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧 as....son of hades !

p : jaemin × fem!reader | g : fluff, humor, jaemin isn't human, human!reader | w : vague concepts of death and destruction

a/n : pls tell me if you'd like to see more things like this! I'm still experimenting <3

also I haven't used any pronouns in this, as I refered to reader as "you" (normally I go "she") but this is has underlying fem!reader and isn't proofread, so yeah just a heads up!

oml someone help me

JAEMIN

Okay so nation's badboy coming through!

Make way peasants

Anyways so see, Jaemin is adorable we all know that

But this kid oof he's a different breed

quite literally bc he's not human so

now see, jaemin was born in the overworld and pretty much lived there his whole life.

The underworld was like a second home type place

Jaemin was, sadly, never his daddy's boy oml I'm getting personal

so rather, he'd run off in the overworld to pretty much very often

it's his happy place (◡ ω ◡)

happy place soon to turn into wtf place when he found you

NOW LETS TOUCH UP ON OUR MAIN MAN HERE BEFORE WE GET INTO THIS LOVE STORY

pretty much, he could appear as human, bc that's the form he took in the overworld

of course, he'd walk around dressed in all black, carrying some sort of weapon behind his jacket, with an unwelcoming glare on his stormy eyes

he really liked how the overworld was so cheerful, he took pity on the mortals on the earth how sweet oof ( ´◡‿ゝ◡`)

no one really noticed how doom literally followed wherever he went

like, my man opens a bag of chips, BOOM some car crash happens somewhere

So naturally, he tries to not do much up there

Just sit in the warm sunshine and absorb everything that he wouldn't get in the underworld

so that no one was harmed

Oml he has a heart of gold ಡ ͜ ʖ ಡ

BUT YES

Now right now, Mr I-have-no-feelings-so-you-should-totally-believe-me-when-i-say-idc-about-you is sitting on a rock on some mountain, swinging his legs and watching the clouds <(￣︶￣)>

he's so amazed by the Earth's beauty that he sometimes forgets that he's the son of the god of the underworld

when he notices that there's some soft shuffling noise behind him

Like, someone is tip toeing in grass which is a dumb idea if you ask him bc slow motion grass crunching doesn't change the fact that you're still there and trying to sneak up on someone

BUT ANYWAYS also bc maybe his senses are beyond a human's duh my mans a god

when you appear from behind the bushes, some sort of shocked expression on your rather cute features

Jaemin was like wEOWWWWW (ﾉ*0*)ﾉ you can hear that don't lie

you were >:( cute >:(

BUT OFC mr badboy didn't show that

So he's like ಠಗಠ

"uh, what do you wan—"

"WHY IS THE GRASS LITERALLY SOULLESS?"

now he's taken by surprise

Did you just say....soul-less?

Now he's thinking :

are you some sort of special human × monster breed or what bc why are you seeing things? Soulless grass?? Is that a thi—

That's when he looks down and sees a trail of dead grass right behind him where he walked

And he's like ",,,,,oh (・_・;)"

now you're a human, A FREAKING OUT ONE, and if he told you he was a fucking god, you wouldn't believe him >:(

so now he's panicking

So it's just two cute idiots panicking

*camera pans to my face* are we just here to suffer?

ANYWAYS *kicks camera back to the scene* YEA so two dying idiots

now you're like trying to come up with logical reasons for the dead grass

"did you spray paint it?"

"did I what?"

then you looks down to the grass around where he's sitting and it's literally spreading dead

cue another panicked scream from the both of you

you grabs some soft of...stick?

And point it at him

His arms are raised and he's staring at the stick, his eyes literally crossed rn

"stay away from me you demon"

now jaemin was internally all (╯︵╰,)

did you just call him a demon :(

the disgust on your face was real

but he didn't seem fazed on the outside, instead he just raised an eyebrow

he sighed and said "come sit next to me and I'll tell you"

And you're like "nO—" but you do it anyway bc HOLY SHIT THIS GUY IS INSANE

so now its two idiots swinging legs while gazing at clouds ( ･ั﹏･ั)

"so you're telling me, you're a god?"

"son of the god of the underworld, yeah"

"wait,,,,hADES!?"

cue him dead panning to you

"uh yeah, how did you kno—"

"HES REAL!?"

he keeps forgetting how dramatic humans are

"yeah, and you're talking to his spawn right now ರ_ರ"

"woah, so that explains the dead grass"

he pretty much sighs now, because killing whatever you touch is a curse, not a blessing

he plucks a flower growing next to your leg

And goes "watch this"

soon, the flower dies in his fingers, the petals fall off and shrivel, the stem curls up from dehydration

he flicks away the delicate, decaying remains away in the sky and watches them float away

and you're watching in awe

"so, anything you touch dies?"

"depends," he only shrugs, "my power isn't as powerful as my father's. If he would walk on the grounds, the earth would open and swallow people whole. I just cause minor doom."

you hum at this and then focus on swinging your legs

he watches you quietly

Like oml that's kinda cute she's not running away screaming am I befriending a human!?

and then you look up at him, grinning stupidly

If he must say, it was hella cute

"if you touch this kid in my grade, will he die?"

"wOAH WOAH WOAH," now he's backing up in disgust, "I can't just kill anyone for fun, that's against the rules!"

"you have rules for existing?"

"well, I mean, if death was literally in my hands, which it is, killing someone for the betterment of yourself, when their time hasn't come, is basically requesting a banishment wish."

"oh, I didn't know you couldn't kill just anyone."

he's staring at you like (ー_ー゛)

"no, there are consequences"

then you're nodding like "yessir makes sense"

then you fall down, placing hands behind your head as a cushion as you gaze at the sky

"does it get lonely?"

He tilts his head in confusion like a baby puppy

"what do you mean by that?"

You shrug, "I mean that, since anything you touch can die, it must be kind of upsetting to live with"

Suddenly his lil wil godly heart does a flip

"I mean," now he's trying to squeeze next to you, "Yeah, it kinda is"

you turn your head towards his now, and you examine his face for the first time

the first thing you notice is that his eyes aren't just stormy, there are literal souls roaming behind those black things

Like black glitter floating in water

You stared into it for a while, of course, because it was literally a portal to view the worst deaths you could imagine

jaemin notices your facial expressions flatten as you look even closer at him, your eyes turning dark, your skin turning pale

so he snapped his eyes away

he didn't want you to see that and it was affecting you clearly

so he just sighs while staring at the clouds

"yeah, that's just me"

you hum now, snapping out of the daze

"wanna hang out with me? For a while?"

"why would you want doom following you around?"

"why not? You're not all bad"

now his stomach goes 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

Did you just say he's not all bad??

"what's your name, son of eternal darkness?"

he had to hold himself from squealing bc DID YOU JUST CALL HIM THAT?

"u-uh it's jaemin."

you hum again, smiling a bit

"so then, jaem, let's be buddies :D"

"I'm sorry wha—"

"I'm right next to you, can't you hear me? (٥↼_↼)"

he could, he's just FREAKING OUT BC HE NOW HAS AN OFFICIAL FRIEND

cue jaemin fake coughing

"y-yEAH I CAN HEAR YOU *cough*"

things just fly on from there

like zooM up the clouds

he'd summon when you're alone most of the time

Like a walking home from school or going to a convenience store

He was like a silent angel following you around and keeping you safe (*˘︶˘*)

it was cute indeed

he was like a cloud :] floating around with you :]

you'd hear him in your head when you're doing something sometimes

Like in school, you're doodling and the teacher catches you

"y/n, what's the 17th element in the periodic table?"

"uhHHHHhhhh—"

"cmon, spit it out, since you were so focussed in that art book of yours."

Now you're screwed.

suddenly this voice invades in your mind, speaking to you "chlorine, you idiot"

and then you blurt it out and WOOOOOOOOO it's correct

cheating suddenly became easier :>>>>

vdidgdidhdBDJDG but yeah, jaemin also never showed himself visibly unless he was sure you were alone to hang out with and no one would pop out

so it was pretty rare when you saw his physical form

you were sitting on your rooftop, it was the very raw moments of the night

Everyone in your neighborhood was asleep, and you were sitting there, feeling the night wind and the lights of the city when you felt some sort of particles moving to something beside you

You look over to see jaemin pop out of a black hole of darkness

the particles and the dust in the night took form of his sharp features as they sculpted into him

his eyes were closed, so when he was finally present and next to you, he opened his eyes

they were way more prettier in the night compared to when you first saw him

you barely saw him smile too, since he always said it was "tiring" like okay dark much?

he licked his lips and the corner of his lips tugged into a smile

"why hello there"

you'd chuckle at him, his pasty pale skin was glowing in the moonlight

"what are you doing here, jaem?"

"I saw you alone and decided to finally summon."

you only stared at the sky

"aren't you supposed to be in the underworld at night?"

"I have the ability to sneak out, y/n."

that's probably when it hit you

Why would someone, or something so powerful as him, take time out of his godly life to follow you and stay with you, a pitiful mortal?

it didn't make sense

why would someone so capable of anything like him do that for you?

you only?

"jaem?"

"yeah?"

"am I someone special to you?"

he was caught out of the blue

"um, what do you mean by that?"

now HE knew that YOU knew

And now he didn't PREPARE A LOVE CONFESSION SPEECH

If he was being honest, he just wanted to be friends

But staying with you, following your daily routine, keeping an eye on you, it made him so invested in your life

he couldn't help but fall in love with you and your habits

he loved to be with you, even if it was rare to hold your hand and even if it was hard for him to hide away

He'd risk it and now

HE HAS TO SAY IT ALL TO YOU

he didn't notice you staring at him with a soft smile

"jaemin? Do you like me?"

"of course I do!" he licked his lips, "that's why I hang out with you, fool."

"yeah," you rolled your eyes, scoffing, "I mean, do you like like me?"

you narrowed your eyes, a stupid smirk on your lips as you inched closer to his face

now you're flustering a fucking god damn y/n????

his skin turned a shade of soft pink as he was interrupted by a series of coughs

"you're so funny, y/n"

but you're not dumb

"shut up, jaem, you have a crush on me, admit it."

"no I don't! I'm not human, we don't have feelings."

"then why are we buddies?"

"uh—"

"aha!" You pointed at him, triumphant, "I knew it!"

he found you so cute when you knew, and most of all he was just HAPPY THAT YOU DONT HATE HIM FOR IT

naturally, his icy cold fingers slid in yours when you smiled so big

he just loved it when you do that, his hands just automatically reach for yours

you felt the familiar cold spread through your bones, but it soon turned warm as it roamed your skin

"you know why I like your hands?" he hummed as he inched closer, placing his head on your shoulder, "They're really warm, they feel safe"

"it must be cold wherever you go"

"yeah, it is."

he turned around to look up at you with his glittering eyes

Damn homeboi's in love

"do you like me too?"

"of course, you idiot," you sigh, placing your head on his too, "That's why we're friends, aren't we?"

"friends..."

now you BOTH knew what he was thinking

OOOO LA LAAAAAAA

you both look at each other, blushing like nuts

"do you wanna be more than,,,, uh,,,, people who just meet normally platonically?"

"Jaemin!" You push him a bit, smiling like crazy, "Humans don't say it like that!"

"I don't know, I'm not a human, y/n!"

"we say, 'do you wanna date me'"

"ah, yes, wAIT WHAT!?"

that's when you just attack his lips with your own

AND WHEN I TELL YOU, ICE PRINCE MELTS

lmfao I'm so funny

if your hands were enough to warm him up, then your kiss is gonna make him EVAPORATE BITCG

because even though his lips were rather cold and tasted like sour pomegranates, he could feel your warmth nip at his skin

a thing he could do, too, was sense how much life was left in someone or something

and he could feel how full of happiness you were with that one kiss

your entire fate flashed in front of his eyes when you held close to him like that

he watched everything with that one kiss, your marriage, your first love, your family, even your death

it was sad okay he started crying when you tore your lips away

He held on you close after that, just giving you a soft hug

he felt safe and coldish, like snow under sunlight

he smelt something like dew and dust

it was strange

it was also a very heart warming thing when you heard him sniffle a bit against your shoulder

CUT! that's it okay I'm sorry this got depressive ;-;

Bruh please this was sad

I listened to rainbow while writing the ending scene IM SO SORRY

This wasn't supposed to even exist LMFAO I just made it up as I got emo-ier

LMFAO PICK MY DISH okay I'm off have fun dating or whatever

Last note : Jaemin marry me okay bye mwah

main taglist (hmu to get added) : @wonciel-main @kisshim @allegxdly @stayctday  @yunntext  @neotism  @jungwon-luv-bot-pt3  @bluejaem  @leetaeyonglover  @radiorenjun  @sleepylixie @oifelixcmerebrou  @coffeevddict @mrkcore @imdamnconfused  @reinjunn @sicluvz

I'd appreciate if you'd give me a little feedback on the drabble if you read, whether it's an ask, a reply or in the tags of the rb! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed!

[seacottons]

steel heart: — [ soulmate au ]

pairing: kang yeosang x reader

wc: 5k

genre: trash

notes: some swearing. set in wave-era. the early 90s? this was supposed be a long, slow-burn kinda fic, but in my defense i suck ass at strangers-to-lovers, so. yes. not proofread bc idc.

summary: yeosang took joy in pickpocketing all of the naive tourists in town, until he realized he stole his soulmate’s wallet.

The pads of your fingers gently brushed along the row of cat food cans, your orbs flickering to each one as you squinted in concentration. Picking a can up, you observed it curiously and failed to notice a shadow loom over your figure from behind. A hand grasping a can above your head startled you, and you swiftly turned to glare at the person invading your personal bubble.

The stranger paid you no mind as he walked away, can in one hand and skateboard in the other. You scoffed, opting to silently glare holes into his back before turning around to continue your search, vehemently spitting out, "Rude jerk."

After filling your cart with all the necessities, you made yourself over to the checkout. You fished for your wallet from your bag, brows furrowing in confusion whilst failing to locate it. You were absolutely certain you didn't leave it at home.

Your felt your stomach practically drop at the memory of the man, head snapping up to glance around your surroundings frantically. Was he still here? Had he taken it? Had you accidentally dropped it somewhere in the store?

With an embarrassed smile, you hastily explained your situation to the unamused cashier and excused yourself to take a look around the store. Half an hour ticked by, and you're sure you've looked through every aisle about three times each, but your wallet was nowhere to be seen.

And to think your new life here was sailing smoothly.

Trudging back home begrudgingly, you made a silent note about the man's appearance. It didn't help that you only caught a glimpse of his backside, but you only had chestnut brown hair and a skateboard to work with. It wasn't much, but it was something at least.

"Don't give me that look," you scolded your cat gently, "I'll bring you tuna another day."

The gray feline gave you a blank stare before curling against the windowsill.

In all the days he's lived, Yeosang thinks today is most likely his worst. He pays no mind to the scrambling and angry Seonghwa, who is trudging around the house with an apron and gloves, grumbling (read: yelling) to himself about how the place looks like 'a disgusting man-cave that even a pig would be ashamed of'. Sure, the coffee table and kitchen were always littered with half-drunk, chipped coffee mugs, used tissues, torn magazines, San's cat treats, and random phone chargers, but in all honesty, it wasn't that bad.

Also, Yeosang had a major headache, and Seonghwa's nagging really didn't do anyone any favor. And quite frankly, he didn't give a rat's ass; He had other important matters to attend to.

"Wow," a loud laugh rings throughout the large living room, "You've royally fucked up this time, haven't you?"

"Who fucked up?" Mingi asks from the kitchen. He carefully stirs a pot of noodles while his blue haired companion stares impatiently from over his shoulder. If the lack of hygiene didn't kill them, it'll be the sodium instead. That, or San's crumb-filled, backwash water bottles.

"Yeosang fucked up," Wooyoung replies in amusement at his friend's dismay. The brunette picks his head up and gives the laughing boy a menacing look.

"Shut up," he grumbles, a hand running through his locks in frustration, "They don't need to know."

"What don't we need to know?"

As if on cue, a redhead plops down onto the sofa beside Wooyoung and a snickering San. There's some suspicion in the tone of his voice, and Yeosang doesn't like it. Hongjoong peers at the two in question, his eyes then studying the look of betrayal on Yeosang's features.

The brunette bristles angrily from his spot, "Don't say it-"

"Yeosang apparently stole a wallet," Jongho mumbles quietly from his spot on the floor. He squints in concentration at the word puzzle below him, not paying the older boys any mind.

Hongjoong quirks a brow, not quite understanding, "Okay? But doesn't he do that daily? What's the problem?"

Yeosang shifts his annoyed glare to the giggling San.

"Apparently, the wallet belongs to his soulmate," San smiles deviously, quickly snatching the brown leather item from the coffee table to showcase to Hongjoong, "See? Same birthmark and all."

Hongjoong's eyes widen as he assesses the identification card within the wallet, his jaw going slack.

Mingi noisily slurps his noodles while entering the living room, Yunho trailing behind him not too long after, "Oh, wow. Yeosang really did fuck up this time," he says with a mouthful of noodles. He and the blue haired male share a look of amusement, before both erupting into fits of laughter.

The brunette dropped his head once more into the safety of his arms, shoulders slumping in defeat at the sound of the other boys' laughter, "Why me?"

Another week and another paycheck later, you finally had enough for a recent trip to the market. You peered down at your work attire, grimacing at the embarrassing sight of red sauce stains. It'll be a quick run, so maybe nobody will take notice.

Grabbing a few cans of cat food and other items, you grimaced at the heavy weight of the hand cart straining your muscles. You sighed gently, turning to walk into another aisle when a blur of man invaded your vision. A heavy weight sent you flying to the floor, the items in your cart spilling and rolling down the aisle as the stranger groaned atop of your frame.

"Shit, I'm sorry-"

Your mind took a few extra seconds to process just exactly what occurred, and when you blearily took note of the flipped skateboard to your left and the mop of brown hair invading your vision.

A pair of wide eyed brown eyes met your own, and you silently gaped at the handsome stranger sprawled on top of you. You gaze at him as if you truly saw the sun for the first time, utterly captivated by the way his eyes widen ever so slightly. Swallowing thickly at the close proximity and the soft puffs of his breath fanning your burning face, you study his features intently, "Oh, wow.. you're.."

You really don't think you've ever seen a man as handsome-

You suddenly gasped.

"You!"

The man hastily sat up, eyes wide and mouth agape as he wordlessly took in your disheveled appearance. Before he had the chance to open his mouth for an apology, you fisted the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer to assert dominance, "You took my wallet, didn't you?"

Instead of replying, he casually brushed the hair from your face and leaned forward to gaze at your left eye, his own widening at the sudden sight. You hastily slapped his hand away with a scoff of disbelief, "What in the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Your birthmark.."

He suddenly snapped out of his train of thought, eyeing you in mild amusement while digging into his back pocket for an item. When you caught sight of the familiar brown leather of your wallet, you released a gasp of disbelief, giving him an accusatory look of anger, "I knew it!"

"I was looking for you actually- to return it," he curtly started, brows quirking up as you quickly snatched it from his hands. He gives you a brief glance, a glint of amusement in his eyes, before he stands and offers you a hand, to which you stubbornly ignore. You hurriedly stand and save the small crumb of dignity you have left. You quickly study the inside of your wallet, brows knitting in confusion at the untouched money.

"Cut the bullshit," you scoffed, dusting your uniform and shooting him an unamused stare, "You stole it—" you blinked down at the skateboard before returning your hard stare at the male, "Who even rides that thing inside- I- nevermind."

You ignored his attempt at helping you pick up your items off the floor, defensively snatching the canned goods from his hands, "I don't need your help! You've done more than enough!"

"I'm Yeosang," he hesitantly offered his hand. He towered over your frame with an awkward smile.

"Yeah? And I don't care," you grumbled, turning away to saunter off to the cashier. The smile instantly vanished from his features, and he reached over to grasp your elbow.

"Wait-" he calls after you, "Give me a minute to explain!" He tugs you back, and you nearly stumble against his chest.

In all fairness, you've just found the thief who stole your wallet, and you quite frankly don't think he deserves any form of respect whatsoever.

You attempt to wrench your arm from his grasp, but he only tightens his grip with a determined expression on his flushed face.

"You have five seconds to let go of me, or else."

The fumes of Hongjoong's nail polish in the air and an obnoxious splutter of laughter greeted him once he stepped foot inside the large home. Why did he ever agree to live with seven other monsters?

His brow twitched in annoyance.

Three heads from the living room turned to gaze questioningly at the frustrated brunette.

"What the hell happened to you?" wheezed an amused Wooyoung from the sofa. Yeosang wanted to wipe that stupid smile off his face and-

"I take it things didn't go well for lover boy," San grinned from the floor, hands occupied with running along his cat's fur.

"Got his ass handed to him by his soulmate, you think?" Jongho added casually whilst adjusting his posture and clicking away at the remote. The other two snorted with amused laughter.

"Aren't soulmates supposed to be infatuated with each other at first sight?"

"I don't know, San. Maybe Yeosang's case is special."

"I mean, he did steal-"

"Can you three please just shut up," he seethes, rummaging through the freezer for a bag of frozen vegetables. He simply walks past Yunho's confused form in the hallway, grumbling about how he doesn't want to talk about it.

You thought you had seen the last of that pest, but the very next day, you practically choked at the sight of the male walking into the coastal cafe you worked at.

"What are you doing here!?"

"Y/n, wait-" he grimaced, hands raising up defensively, "Give me a minute to explain."

He even had the audacity to dodge your question.

"How do you know my-" you gave him a puzzled look, before your expression darkened, "Oh. Right. You stole my wallet, of course you snooped through my ID."

He gave you an awkward smile, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, "I forgive you for giving me a black eye."

He notices your dumbfounded look.

"Huh. I don't recall ever apologizing to you," you begin, "And I never told you where I work, either. You've been stalking me, haven't you?"

"No. You were wearing the uniform of this place yesterday actually," he points a matter-of-factly. Clearing his throat, he peered around, thankful at the lack of customers this early in the morning, "I uh.. I think- I think you're my soulmate."

You pause your ministrations.

"Come again?"

Rolling his eyes, he sighs, shoulder slumping as he repeats himself whilst pointing to his left eye, "I think we're soulmates. You and I share the same birthmark and-"

A loud laugh escaped your lips, "You are most definitely not my soulmate. Birthmark or not," you turned to assemble utensils and napkins, fully disregarding his presence, "I'm not interested in thieves. Now if you'll leave me alone, I have some work to do."

"But you felt a connection too, didn't you? Yesterday, in the market-" he drawled in amusement, leaning over the countertop in a teasing manner, "I know you feel it when you look at me."

"The only thing I feel when I look at you is a mind-splitting headache," you grumble while adjusting the radio station to your liking.

A minute of silence passes. His face scrunches in distaste.

"What on earth is that insufferable noise?"

"That's called rock music." You roll your eyes, "Now leave me alone."

You take sudden interest in the dirty speckle you find on one spoon, and maybe if you stare hard enough at it, he'll disregard you and leave.

Your head perks at the sound of a chair dragging against the floor.

"Serve me."

"What the hell did you just say?" you spluttered belligerently, turning around with a look of pure disbelief. Your eye twitched at the sight of him taking a seat so casually on one of the booth chairs. "You think you're so funny, don't you?"

"I honestly don't, but—" He studied you with humor in his eyes, his fingers drumming along the wooden countertop, "my friends say that I am."

"I don't know who you think you are, but you-"

"A customer."

"Oh, piss off," you give up and turn to continue wrapping pairs of utensils together, "I'm not serving you."

"Is everything alright there, y/n?" called the tiny, elderly lady from the back, "Do we have a customer already?" Your head turns to eye the small, gray-haired woman exiting the kitchen, "Oh! A handsome fellow. What would you like to drink, young lad?"

Your eyes widen and your heart nearly drops to the floor.

Your orbs turn to slits as Yeosang gives you a sleazy smile, "Coffee for now, actually."

The poor napkin crumples into a wrinkly mess in your fist.

Oh, this bastard. This slimeball. You'll make him pay.

"Y/n! Take the man's order and start brewing the coffee!"

"Yes, Mrs. Lee!" You turned back to give the brunette a sour look, "The faster you order, the faster you'll leave. So what the hell do you want?"

The next day was much busier than the last.

You're particularly disturbed by the way two males stare at you like deer in headlights every time you pass by their table. They're young looking, maybe around your age. Kind of handsome, too- but they really don't know how to be discreet in the slightest.

Tired of the staring, you pause suddenly, giving them a look of concern as they suddenly dart their eyes and find extreme interest in the salt and pepper shakers in between them, "Is everything alright here?"

For a moment, they stay quiet.

"You're fine," the black haired one replies with a delirious smile, his head resting in his palm. He startles as the blonde elbows him in the side with a harsh whisper of Wooyoung!, and he jumps upright, back stiff and voice growing louder, "Uh! I- uh, I mean- it's fine! Everything is fine!"

"Okay.." you slowly draw out with furrowed brows.

The blonde grimaces in embarrassment, shielding his face with his hand as he looks off to the side in shame, "Can you at least try not to embarrass us?"

"In my defense, Yeosang never said his soulmate was that hot in person!? I could've used a warning, y'know?"

The bell on the door jingles and immediately catches your attention. You walk to the front with a smile only for it to instantly fall at the sight of the familiar mop of brown hair.

"Not you.." you sigh, your head in your hand as you stare in dismay out the window, "Why does the universe hate me?"

"Why are you complaining?" He quipped back with a playful bite, "Weren't you the one staring at me all day yesterday?"

"I was making sure you weren't going to steal anything," you narrowed your eyes at his growing smirk. He leans over the flaky, wooden podium and simpers at the sight of your panic stricken face, "Stop, you look like a creep."

"I know a liar when I see one," he sighed with a shake of his head. Reaching over to pluck out a stray fuzz of dust from your hair, he shoots you a determined frown, "The only thing I'm ever going to steal from here is your heart."

"I- that's kind of gross. Flirting is against the law on these premises," you stutter out, brows furrowing and nose flaring. You refuse to give in to his flirtatious remarks. You're also thankful the podium conceals your wobbly legs.

"Who the hell made that stupid rule?"

"Me. Now what do you want?"

"Such welcoming service skills you have there," he mumbles sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.

"Let me guess. You want chicken and a soda, right?"

Across the room, the two boys shared a quick look before one leaned over to whisper in the other's ear. They both nod in unison, before throwing you knowing grins and snorting as they munched quietly on their food.

"Correct," he says with a steady cold voice, "And a body-bag if you have any, please."

Before you processed his words, he sauntered off to the table of the two boys, their complexions paling at the sudden angry demeanor of the brunette. His hands quickly reach forward to tug both of their ears as he quietly berates them.

"I told you not to come here!" he ignores the way Wooyoung laughs and whines in protest as he's practically pulled off his seat by his ear.

"We're not doing anything! We're just eating!"

"Eating my ass, you're-"

"Oh, gross. I'm not gonna do that. Maybe you should ask y/n-"

You and other patrons stop to gaze at the commotion at the back of the cafe, and you roll your eyes at the disturbance, before walking back over to another table to collect the money and bill.

A few minutes pass and kitchen bell rings. You look back to see the fried chicken plate steaming on the countertop, along with a large glass of bubbling soda.

The duo discreetly peek up to stare at your form, only to startle at the unwavering glare from Yeosang.

"Fried chicken and a large coke?"

"Mhm," Yeosang meets your eyes, and you internally pester yourself at the sensation of your cheeks and ears flaming. How absolutely dare he make your stomach churn like this, "Thanks, y/n."

"Say, y/n. Are you new to these parts? I wouldn't forget a pretty face like yours if I saw one," mused the black haired male. Yeosang threw a hard stare at the younger, and the latter shrunk a bit in his seat, the same mischievous smile unwavering on his features.

"I moved here about a month ago," you stated simply. A moment ticks by and the trio argue in a hushed manner.

"Well, we'll take our leave now!"

"Good luck, Yeosang!" the blonde called out suddenly, throwing a thumbs up in the air whilst hastily making their way out of the cafe, the little bell signaling their departure.

His eyes glance at you momentarily, before he clears his throat and looks away.

Your eyes narrow suddenly at the brown haired man.

"You're paying for their lunch, right?"

He chokes on a bite of his chicken.

"Where are you going?"

"Out," Yeosang says hurriedly, fingers stumbling as he attempts to tie his laces.

"Where?" presses Wooyoung with a large smile.

Yeosang doesn't reply and instead throws open the coat cabinet to look around for his ripped, acid-wash jacket.

"Guys! Yeosang's treating us at y/n's cafe!"

Excited jeers come from some of the rooms, and Yeosang can only stare in utter horror and disbelief at his best friend.

Today was definitely going to be the worst day of his life.

A week passes by, and you suddenly catch yourself feeling almost disappointed that Yeosang hadn't come to visit you.

You want to slap yourself for having such thoughts, and take out your frustrations by wiping one of the tables aggressively.

And the bastard was spot on about that stupid feeling you got in the pit of your stomach at the mere thought of him.

But, you were keen on wanting nothing to do with him.

Not after the trouble he put you through.

Soulmate or not.

Besides, he was technically a criminal. Sort of.

He had a charming smile though. And really pretty lips.

And maybe you found him to be the most handsome man you've-

"He's not handsome!" You blurted to your reflection on the wet table. A table of customers feet away pause their conversation and give you a look of bewilderment.

"Uh," a voice pipes from a few feet away, "Table for eight, please?"

Your heart suddenly leaps at the familiar voice and thw corners of your lips perk up in happi-

Pausing, you internally scold yourself for being unable to conceal your excitement.

This stupid attraction you had towards him left your mind scrambling for coherent thoughts- and curse that feeling of your stomach doing back flips. You fight the urge to punch your gut to rid yourself of that disturbing sensation.

You internally groan, not even bothering to turn around to know who had just spoken. You stand up straight, clearing your throat and awkwardly folding the wet towel in your hands. Yeosang stood at the entrance, an unamused expression on his face as the other seven behind him nosily peered over each other's shoulders to spare you a curious glance.

"Uh," you begin, looking back at the empty tables, "You can sit right here. I'll go grab some menus."

As the eight men made their way to the table, you overheard one laugh loudly to the others, "Wooyoung was right! Y/n is pretty cu-"

A jerk underneath the table and loud yelp caught your attention, and you instantly threw Yeosang a look as the other boys timidly settled in their seats. He caught your gaze and rolled his eyes.

Oh, the nerve he had.

And to think you actually missed his presence.

You learned that the seven other boys were a loud bunch, often saying something to fluster and piss off the brunette. Especially when you were in earshot. And, sweet heavens, they can eat.

Your arms were practically sore from the amount of times you walked back and forth carrying their orders.

You watched as Yeosang finished with his meal and leaned against the adjacent wall, arms crossed in annoyance and face turned to the side to stare out of the window. Your eyes study the others before flickering back at him, and you can’t help but feel a small, knowing tug of want in your chest. You instantly straighten up at the thought, shaking your head in dismissal, before walking over to collect some of the empty plates.

"Would any of you like some dessert?"

A blue haired man wiggled his brows.

"Yeosang wants some, isn't that right-"

Another kick and another glare.

"Actually, we'll just have four cheesecakes if you don't mind."

Ah. Finally. A decent, well-mannered being really does exist.

You can immediately discern that the red-headed man, despite being the smallest, held a leader-like aura to himself, given how the other boys suddenly fell quiet when he spoke. They look amongst each other and nod in agreement.

When the boys wrapped up and fought amongst each other about the payment, your shift neared its end. You nodded with a polite smile as they filed out the door with boisterous cries of 'thank you, y/n'!

"Sorry," a voices suddenly says, and you give the brunette a quizzical look, "If they were too loud.. or embarrassing."

"That's okay," you shook your head and shrugged lightly, "It wasn't a big deal. I'm used to loud customers."

"Right. So, uh.." he pursed his lips, words dying out in his throat as he glances around the cafe with nervous eyes, "Thanks- ah, for the food. See you soon!"

Before you had the chance to reply, the bell chimed and you were left alone in the cafe.

"You have a cat!?"

Your nearly jump out of your skin at the loud remark in your ear, and you immediately spin around threateningly.

Hovering behind you were those same two boys from the other week. You mentally make a note to find an ENT doctor soon. And perhaps a cardiologist.

"Yeah-" you squint in confusion as the black haired male leans forward to study your features. You gently push his face away with an uncomfortable grimace, "What are you doing?"

"You really do have the same birthmark as Yeosang, I can't believe it."

"Yeah, neither can I," you hum sarcastically, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a cat to feed."

"What's your cat's name?" The blonde practically bounces in his step as he follows you into another aisle. You want to ask why he's filming the rows of snacks with a small video camera, but you decide to save yourself the headache and not bring it up.

You peer back at the duo with a look of disbelief, "Why are you following me?"

"You're interesting."

"Right."

"We should really have a cat play-date. Is your cat a boy or a girl?"

You sigh as you place a bag of chips into your cart, deciding to amuse them for a brief moment, "Pepper is a male."

"Great! Byeol needs a man," the blonde, San- you think, nods in excitement.

"What kind of a friend are you? Set up your friend before you set up your cat," scoffs Wooyoung with an amused snort. His hands grab at the large bags of barbecue flavored chips, and you contemplate giving the back of his head a whack when he sets them into your cart.

They continue to follow you through the aisles, and while a small part of you wants to tell them off, another part of you can't help but laugh in amusement and endearment at their antics and bickering.

Once you've finished shopping, you bid them a farewell, handing Wooyoung his chips and strolling over to the cashier. Your head suddenly perks up at the commotion over by the fruit section, and you only can stare in bewilderment at the ruckus the other boys create whilst shopping for necessities. A store employee stares nervously as one of the boys juggles a bundle of bananas and oranges, while another nearly stumbles back from the other two dancing aggressively in the aisles. You wonder if this was a regular occurrence, and judging by the way the manager walks by without a care in the world, you conclude it indeed is.

You step outside afterwards, placing the bags into your bicycle's basket, before mounting it and debating whether to look back into the market at the rowdy bunch.

Your eyes catch Yeosang staring at you, and bite your cheek to prevent yourself from smiling. He's riding that damned thing again, and he pauses for the briefest moment to give you a wave.

You find yourself mindlessly waving back, and you abruptly stop once you realize your actions. You hastily throw your arm down to your side and attempt to glare in his direction, but he's already looked away with a large smile plastered on his features.

Most days working at the cafe were fine. People ate, some lingered longer to catch up with friends and play round of card games, and others came to take advantage of the happy hour specials.

But then there were some days you wanted to throw all your dignity in the nearest disposable bin, and wrestle down obnoxious patrons.

You huffed in anger at the sight of an empty table.

What kind of grown up decides to dine and ditch?

Isn't that what... children do?

It's when you stack their empty plates in your hands and turn towards the kitchen do you spot Yeosang walking towards you.

"Now is not the time," you start, hoping your annoyance isn't that obvious.

He silently hands you a wallet.

You quirk a brow, setting the plates down onto the table, "That's not mine?"

"Open it," he says with a roll of his eyes.

You swear if he does that again, you'll roll his head.

You furrow your brows and snatch it out of his hands. Your eyes widen at the picture of the very same man who left without paying, and you instantly shifted your attention to the brunette, "You did not just.."

"I'm sure all that cash is triple the amount his lunch costs," he replies with a wink, "It's no big deal."

"I can't," you swallow, shaking your head and handing him back the wallet, "I can't take this. It's considered stealing."

He gives you an unimpressed look.

"So?" he reaches over to flick your forehead, earning him a glare, "Stop being such a goody two shoes. He stole your service, so you steal his money. It's only fair, right?"

"I'll just take the amount he owes.." you speak unsurely, brows knitting in contemplation. He hands you a few bills, and you nod, "Yeah. This is just enough to-"

"And a tip."

He shoves the remaining money into your apron and your hand flies to smack his arm in shock, "No! I said-"

"Yeah, well I said you deserve a tip!"

"It's not my money!" you scold him.

"I stole it, so it's considered mine now, and I want to tip you! Stop being so stubborn, and just accept it!"

It's when you stop struggling do you notice the extreme proximity of the disgruntled male. He's so unbelievably close that you can make out the borders of the birthmark that mirrors your own. You don't waver as you stare back him with widened eyes.

"Y'know, you're kind of cute when you're mad," he begins sheepishly, eyes narrowing in thought as he inspects your features, "Uh. Since you're new to town, maybe I can show you around whenever you're free?"

Stepping back, you brush out the wrinkles of your apron and straighten your back.

"I'm not going on a date with you," you counter simply. You turn your face to glare out the window, but he stares knowingly at your burning face.

"Whoa, hold on," he smiles in amusement, "Date? Who said anything about it being a date?" You flush at his words, eyes narrowing. He laughs at your lack of amusement, "It's not a date, okay? Just think of it as a.. friendly welcoming gift. And an apology for, y'know. The whole stealing your wallet thing. Besides, my friends want to come anyway."

You cross your arms defensively and ponder for a while.

"Fine, but I expect an ice cream cone as a welcoming gift as well," you try and ignore that absurd feeling of butterflies fluttering in the pit of your stomach. You want to roll your eyes as his features suddenly brighten at your agreement, but you don't. Unable to breathe within the awkward atmosphere, you turn to clear the remaining utensils and plates off the table, "So, uh. I'm free tomorrow, I think. I guess you need my number, right?"

"Oh, no need. I already saved it." You swivel around to see him quirking his brow at your phone.

Oh, he didn't.

You instantly slap your hands onto your back pockets, your heart nearly dropping at the lack of the device, "Y'know, you really should put a passcode on this thing. Also, nice background picture you got there."

This obnoxious little-

He laughs out loud as you swipe the phone angrily from his hold and snap the dry towel onto his chest in retaliation, "Stop pickpocketing me!"

"I can't! Not until I have your heart," he leaves with an amused wave of his hand and a soft laugh, "Besides, you make it too easy. See you tomorrow!"

"Who was that?" asks Mrs. Lee as she waddles out of the kitchen with a large tray of pastries. Her eyes are wide behind her wide-brimmed glasses, and she attempts to tip-toe over the countertop to catch a glimpse of the retreating figure outside.

You contemplate your next words for a moment and bite your cheek to keep a smile at bay, "My stupid soulmate."