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ephemerlskies · 4 years

Text

constant craving 03 | jjk

⇢ pairing: jungkook x reader

[other members - seokjin]

⇢ genre: drabble series, ANGST, bestfriend!au, unrequited love, the same idiocy just in a different font

⇢ word count: 4k

⇢ warnings: explicit language, alcohol consumption (drunk jungkook makes his first and final appearance enjoy it while you can), vehicular misdemeanor (drive the speed limit kids), an all out emotional and verbal brawling, a lack of communication on one end and a communicational vomit on the other, seokjin appearance for about .02 seconds, the entirety of this is just.... angst

⇢ summary: your dates with Seokjin had become a somewhat consistent fixture in your schedule, however, jungkook's itinerary seemed to clash with yours when he called you after a night of drinking for reasons you assumed to be him helplessly pleading for a safe return home.

♪ playlist: constant craving - k.d. lang, bad religion - frank ocean, misunderstood - lucky daye, neu roses - daniel caesar ♪

╰ series index: 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 (final)

a/n: whew, okay.... this was probably the most argumentative fic i have ever written so prepare yourself. i hope you all enjoy this god awfully angsty installment of the series! also, yes, jungkook is a sentimental drunk and you all know it

part three: i love you

It's true. It's always the biggest pills that are the most difficult to swallow. And if you could compare someone as elusive as Jungkook to anything, it would be the largest pill imaginable. The kind that hurts the first try, then when you drink half your body weight in water, the Jungkook-emblazoned pill forces down your esophagus no easier than the first gulp. You were still holding it in your mouth, pretending that pill wasn't about to dissolve and stain your mouth forever.

And that was the whole process, just to get over Jungkook. Because getting over him wasn't a one-step program. It was waking up everyday, training and retraining your mind not to think of him first thing in the morning. It was resisting the urge to press the send button on multiple texts and funny videos you knew would make him laugh. It was refusing his calls and every memory that would saunter in your mind and compel you to ask him to watch a movie or order takeout.

It was saying yes to Seokjin when he asked you on a date. And, it was doing your best to sever that instinct of yours to ask Jungkook for advice.

But old habits die hard, and this one still clung onto the bit of breath it wielded. That explained why your idiot of a best friend was sitting on your couch, offering half-hearted nods whenever you would walk out draped in a new outfit.

"Okay, this one?" You twirled around, as if doing so would make you any less skeptical of how you looked. And you were never one to scrutinize your appearance so closely, but this was the date. The one that might light the torch to a brighter romantic future and lead you to someone other than the man who could never be yours to begin with.

"Yeah. Cool." At this point, five outfits in, he wasn't paying any attention at all. He couldn't even bring himself to pretend, his eyes lazily fixed onto your dvd player.

"Jungkook, you didn't even look! Let me guess. You wanna play video games. Is that why you're giving fuck-me-eyes to my T.V. set?" You knew a laugh was far along, but you hoped that would get some sort of reaction out of him. Unfortunately, your words were barely registered for a good ten seconds, though, it felt much longer.

"Hm? Oh, sorry. Just tired, I guess." Jungkook said through barely parted lips. You knew when he couldn't even pronounce his words properly, something he took more seriously than others due to the hauntings of a certain speech impediment, there was definitely something wrong.

Things felt off from the moment he walked into your house. Judging from the way he avoided your hug, that alone suggested a sort of imbalance. It was a casual greeting exchanged between the two of you so often that when you lifted your arms to embrace him, it was born of reflexive association. Like Pavlov's dog, trained to hug him the moment you saw him. But the oddity of him almost discretely walking past you before any contact could be made wasn't where the tension bordered.

Following his arrival, he would have littered a few snarky remarks about how messy your kitchen was, while already scavenging through your fridge, just to get a rouse out of you. And Jungkook wouldn't call himself a connoisseur of all things fabric and fashion, but he surely would have a few thoughts consisting more than two-worded responses. But he just sat on your couch, armed with a face any poker player would commend, and gave you insincere cool's or nice's when need be.

"Okay, what's up? Is it Irene?" You sat down since taking a break to figure out what Jungkook was thinking felt better than continuing your self-absorbed fashion show.

"Kinda... We broke up. Well, she broke up with me or... I don't know. It was weird." It bothered you a bit too much that he didn't even look at you. But if he had, then you would have seen a film of red dousing his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Kook. Is there anything I can do? Anything at all? Want me to egg her house?" This time, he did laugh. You felt relieved he could at least ease slightly back into his expressive self, even if it was just a fraction of what he usually was. A fraction of Jungkook was more than enough for you.

"Nah, no need to go to jail for me. It's not like I didn't see it coming, and apparently she felt the same. Whatever." He let out a sigh that sounded trapped in for a while, then sat up. "We have more important things to worry about."

"I'm sorry, but I don't believe that. Jungkook, literally a week ago you told me she was the love of your life! And now you're just like 'yeah, whatever, I saw it coming.'" You used your notorious 'man voice', which was just yours lowered a few octaves, knowing it would crack another smile along Jungkook's lips. "Come on, I know you love her. This must hurt a lot. I wish... I wish there was something I could do."

You knew exactly what you were doing. Self-sabotage under the guise of consoling your friend. Clearly, it was selfish and regressive to use Jungkook's heartbreak as a means to avoid doing what you could never do before, what you knew deep down you probably would never be able to do: swallow that pill. And what felt even more pathetic than that was the stale, yet persisting hope that he would ask you to stay.

And that's when reality gave you the most gutting and obvious sign. Jungkook was your best friend, the man you had to lug home when he was too drunk to drive, let alone speak coherently or stand. He was the person that buys you ice cream when you're sad, but just as quick to cancel plans with you when Irene needed him. He was just a friend. You'd never be the person he chose, and it nearly made you angry at him for not seeing it all this time.

So, what he said next made everything he was most likely unaware of all too clear to you.

"No, you go have fun. I'll just... chill here?" It was his avoidant way of asking to stay the night, because you knew him to never sleep alone when he had an ache in his heart. "Maybe raid your pantry and use your Netflix account to binge some shows?"

"Fine. Only 'cause I can't say no to you when you're like this." His smile was reimbursement enough for all the food you'd have to restock and the electricity bill that would be higher than usual.

But what he did next, you could almost never forgive him for. It was so subtle, as though it could have passed as an accident or an act he was trying to perform secretly, without any intention of you even noticing. And how could you not notice? The far too temporary and entirely disarming linger of his hand on yours.

Now, you were always one to decipher his most subtle mannerisms, but this one felt beyond the reins of your perceptiveness. It could have been a small gesture of a thank you, but the gentle, and what one could even describe as sentimental, way his skin pressed against yours bore no semblance of a mere expression of gratitude. And it wasn't possible this was a caress of love, because he was already low on currency in that field, spending it completely on Irene.

So, what was it?

How would you describe the way he rested his hand on yours, as if asking you to stay without words, yet punctuating it quick enough to justify it a coincidental form of contact, that your hand just happened to be where his hand was?

"Well, I'm gonna go eat through my problems." Jungkook stood up before you could bat away the wetness in your eyes from your momentary refusal to blink, as if that would somehow help you visualize the meaning of what just happened.

"Oh- Okay. I, um... I should get going." So you did. You walked out your door, and made a decision beyond the demands of your devotion to Jungkook.

Because it probably meant nothing, and he was your best friend, after all.

---

It was easy with Seokjin. And surprisingly enough, that wasn't a bad thing.

You had come to realize everyone craves that passionate kind of love because, in the movies, that's the blueprint for what love should feel like. But that's all it is, something pretty and shiny enough to work into a film. Make believe. And it could never extend beyond the realm of silver screens, where best friends don't magically fall in love and passion awarded more broken hearts than you could count.

Besides, your heart was worn.

See, your heart is a muscle. It works itself to the bone keeping you alive, willing your lungs to breathe, administering blood to each vein and so on. To strain it for someone who was already in love was functionally inefficient. The heart, like any other muscle, grows tired. It can exhaust itself the same way your hand aches after writing for too long.

You needed a break from the gripping emotional aerobics that is and was loving Jeon Jungkook. So, it sufficed that Seokjin was easy. No more overexertion, no more aches and pains and residual soreness occupying your chest, no more of any of that. Because you knew Seokjin liked you, which was safe and easy knowing there was no point mapping out the possible meanings of every inflected word or shrug or smile. They were simply words and shrugs and smiles with him.

And yet, the thing about giving your heart a 'break' is the period succeeding it. When you were finished resting, you knew who would be waiting for you. Who you would always wait for.

"___! Hello?! I can't hear you! It's too loud!" It wasn't really that loud, your idiot of a best friend was just that drunk. You couldn't tell what concerned you more, the fact that his hearing degenerated when he was, from the sound of it, seven shots deep or that this was the third of alcohol-induced call for this week.

"Where are you?" You asked through a sigh, eyes trained on your Twitter feed and ears occupied with the urgent voice blaring through the speaker phone.

And since it was the third time this week, you were not even half-amused by the repetitive stunt he was pulling.

"I don't know... I walked out and now I'm out and I don't know." The hiccup following his messy sentence was comically textbook 'too drunk'. “Hey, we should take a trip! We should, like, go somewhere!”

“The only place you should be going is home.”

“See, I would totally do that, but I have no idea where I am. Why are these street signs so hard to read?” The end and beginning of each word blended together, rendering that sentence one long, slurred word.

By now, the step by step plan synthesized by you had been memorized. And even though you labored your brain to rewire any feelings leaving you at his beck and call, it clearly hadn't been proficient since your keys had already been gathered and his whereabouts programmed in your GPS via his location services.

"You're so annoying." It might have been rude of you to want him to feel guilty, but it was just as rude of him to interrupt your one night off, which was supposed to be spent with Seokjin, with his intoxicated antics. "I'm coming to pick you up."

"Yo- u are? I love you sooo much. You're the best friend ever, ya know that?" Overly emotional professions was your que to drive fifteen miles over the speed limit so he didn't do something stupid enough to land himself in an ICU.

"Okay, I'm almost there. I think I see you. Wave for me?"

The slumped silhouette you were squinting at began to frantically throw its arms side to side, making you both laugh and pull over so he could drag himself into your passenger seat. And, if you were being honest, he looked better as the blackened shadow of himself.

Jungkook, in all his glory, had his shirt almost fully turned backwards, hair ruffled into a mess, and face as red as the time you and him laid on the beach until your skin punished you with a second degree burn. And all those factors didn't amount to how he smelled like he bathed for hours inside a hand sanitizer bottle.

"God, you're a mess, Jungkook." You said that as jokingly as possible, but meant the sternness embedded in each word. Jungkook was a mess, physically and mentally.

"Hey! You're judging me! Stop being th-o mean, ___." Whenever he was this drunk, his lisp made more appearances in his speech than when he wasn't.

You hated how easily it reminded you of when you were in middle school and he was still navigating and rehearsing through his speech patterns. In middle school, when he was the sweet boy with his only fault being his lisp, who gave you his hoodie and a compassionate smile upon meeting you because your current bully plotted the embarrassment of a lifetime with that piece of chocolate on your seat. In middle school, when Jungkook was the only person in your grade who was kind enough to be kind and true to his word when he pledged his loyalty as your best friend. Forever.

With just one word, you were that timid little middle schooler again, helplessly and unconditionally in love with Jungkook.

Hauling Jungkook, who was more muscle than bone and flesh, over to his door was an art form you had trained, practiced, and mastered about thirty or so times before this one. He weighed about twice as much as you could normally carry, and nonetheless, he was out of your car and in his house in no time.

After you locked the door, you turned around to meet Jungkook, rendering the door frame into a crutch and effectively detaining you between his body and the solid wood behind you.

If you weren't so reminiscent in the car seconds before this, then the vodka-scented souvenir on his breath would have gagged you. However, being this close to him, feeling the warmth of his body consuming and overpowering yours, just made you want to sink into him even more and give him everything you had to offer.

His head was hung so when you looked up, you were greeted with Jungkook's lazy smile that gave his lips a boyish asymmetry and draped his eyelids halfway down his irises. And he had you spooled around him so tightly, this look just made him all the more appetizing.

"Kook, we gotta get you to bed, buddy." You tried to ward him off by weaponizing the most strictly platonic nickname you could think of, partnered with a neighborly pat on the back.

It was mostly to remind yourself that this man, who was an inch too close to your face, was your friend, and that in less than ten minutes you were expected to see Seokjin, but from the way he was looking at you, as if he reached into the depths of your heart to devour all your feelings for him and make them his own, you had to remind him of the universally accepted best friend boundaries.

No deep, romantic gazing into each other's eyes. No intimate activity that could be a precursor to anything more affectionate than a hug. No doing exactly what you two were doing as of now.

"Don't call me that." You hoped his aggression against what you said was merely his inebriated irrationally talking, and as always, his emotions were far beyond his control.

And, shamefully, you also hoped it was because he actually did feel the way you felt. What if he wanted the date that Seokjin was going to get tonight and he wanted all the hand holding and none of the back patting, a 'baby' instead of a 'buddy'?

"What? You're drunk-"

"Don't." Before you could drag him by the arm to his bed, a firm palm settled on your torso and closed the gap between you and the door while widening the gap an inch further between Jungkook and his bed, where he would fall asleep without the warmth of the only person he wanted. "___, please."

His voice was strangled with desperation and Jungkook was depleted of all resistance. He just needed to drink you up. To fill himself with the nourishments of your lips, your body, you.

"What-" He could have silenced you easily with a 'shh' or a finger to your lips. Or anything to your lips except his lips.

His lips. They were greedy and giving all at once. Making soft and intimate ministrations against yours as he kissed you before you had the chance to register what was going on. And even when you did, you let his tongue slide into your mouth. This moment was brimming with all the spontaneity you could ever be prepared for, and though it was new, there was no denying that kissing him felt like finally coming home just from the amount of times you had played this moment out in your daydreams. Plus, Jungkook seemed to ease his tongue along yours a bit too confidently for this to be the first time the idea of kissing you has ran through his mind.

You're being stupid, you told yourself and Jungkook, but that didn't matter when you were finally allowed a taste of what it felt like to be kissed and touched and possibly even loved by Jungkook.

Your shirt was bunched halfway up your torso, his body pressed to your front a reprisal for the chill of the door against your back. Jungkook was, admittedly, a phenomenal kisser even when the lens of sobriety wasn't available to him. The way he ran his hands along the bare of your back like some desperate pilgrimage to discover the undiscovered parts of your body and took your bottom lip between his teeth like it was his to begin with was nearly enough to undress you from all your defenses, from all your clothing, from every single barrier that kept you from Jungkook for the past twelve years and let him have you. And finally have him. It was nearly enough.

Your hands divorced his body from yours before your lips and heart were ready to let go. It was painful, but the heartbroken look wringing his face into a tearful frown was even more so.

"No." You pushed him away further only to walk past him and seek refuge in the open space of his living room. "You don't get to do this."

"What? What does-"

"You don't get to drunkenly kiss me, Jungkook. You don't get to hold me and kiss me like you love me. It's not fair."

"Hey-"

"Because you don't. You don't love me..." If you weren't too busy finally permissing the hot words to boil over from pure anger, then you would have felt the even hotter tears wetting the expanse of your cheek.

"Well, how the hell would you know that?" His voice drowned out the loud pumps of blood beating in your ears like a drum.

"Because it would have happened ten years ago, Jungkook! Jesus, it would have been obvious from the beginning. So if you love me, if you really love me, then it wouldn't be happening now, like this. When you were drunk out of your mind and still vulnerable from Irene."

"You don't know anything." If that were the case, then Jungkook somehow knew even less than you.

"Yeah, clearly. I didn't know you'd stoop this low. I thought I was a lot of things to you. But I never thought I'd be some rebound."

"A rebound? You think that's what this is?" Jungkook seemed upset, but to your knowledge he had absolutely no reason to be angry with you.

He was, as always, displacing the burdens he didn't feel like dealing with on you, moderating you into an emotional punching bag. But what hurt more than those scrapes and bruises, was the aftermath of letting him fuck his worries away which would have consisted of him telling you the next morning that it meant nothing, expecting you to nod demurely, maybe even console him, and act like your chest hadn't been emptied and filled with his baggage in the most murderous way.

"Fuck you."

"Wow. You're really being like this? You really wanna talk about this now?

"You know what? Yeah I wanna talk about it. I wanna talk about the years. The years, Jungkook, that I've spent loving you! I- I wanna talk about the amount of times I've spent thinking about you when you were with her, and I probably didn't even cross your mind. Or how about the fucking thousands of times I've spent crying over you because I knew I was never going to be the one you'd want to wake up next to! And I had to watch! I had to fucking watch you fall in love over and over and probably wonder why I didn't fall in love either. It was you. It was always you, Jungkook."

"___, I-"

"No." His attempt to intervene was quickly denied. You were too angry to let him speak, too tired to carry these grievances any longer. "You don't get to talk. It's all out there. I loved you. I still love you! Fuck, I'm trying to get over you. And it's like you know. It's like you can read my mind or something and strike right when I'm about to recover from the last wound."

Your breathing was as heavy as Jungkook's was shallow. He could only stand, breathlessly, only curse himself for ever being so blind and regret taking advantage of your love even if it were entirely unknowingly, just to let his heart sink deeper until it fell completely out of his chest while his tears fell just as heavily.

"I'm done, Jungkook. I'm tired of trying to outrun you in this race that you're not even competing in. I'm tired of loving you. So, I'm done."

All the words Jungkook wanted to say, the words pleading for sound, carving deep gashes in his throat and leaving him vocally impaired, could never amount to the apology you deserved. Maybe this once, he wouldn't leave you wounded. He would gather the nobility to shut up and let you move on from him. Because you wouldn't know from his lapse of silence that he was empathizing with every bit of pain he caused you, and he hated himself more than you did right now for allowing such a pain to ever fall in your hands. But, where you knew you could someday forgive him for it, he knew he would never forgive himself.

He could scrounge for a few things to respond with, pour the weight of his emotions into the scarcity of his words, but he needed to let you leave and be selfless for once in his life.

"I should go. Drink some water before bed, okay?" You mumbled to choke back your tears, though it wouldn't matter letting a few more tears escape since you were previously sob-ranting and he'd seen you cry like this a hundred times before. He was the shoulder you never thought you'd have to miss leaning on, but walking out of his door punctured a hole in you. An empty space in your heart designed for the one person who had crushed the rest of it.

If this were a movie, with star-crossed lovers and a fiery infatuation blooming into what everyone secretly wants: true love, then Jungkook would have ran out of his door and held you close, professing his undying love for you. He would have won you back, reassembled your broken heart into fullness, kissed you beneath the brilliance of the moon, and lived happily ever after.

But this wasn't a movie, and he did none of those things.

Instead, he stumbled his way into his kitchen. He poured himself that cup of water you advised. He thought about how even when you swore to him you were done, you spared a bit of compassion to remind him to take care of himself. He wondered how deserving he was of everything you are. He touched his lips, searching for the echo of yours. He fell into his queen-sized bed meant for two, alone, and whispered the words that were ever eclipsing to the space beside him where he longed for you to lay so you could hear them for yourself.

"I love you."

a/n: sorry to put you through that, but the idea was born and i am but a humble vessel to bring it to life <3 hehe thank you all so much for reading and like i said, don't worry there will be a happy ending!!! (and possibly a longer-than-drabble final chapter to this series)

#bangtanarmynet #btsgoldnet #ficswithluv #bts fanfic #bts x reader #bts angst #bts writing #jungkook x reader #jungkook fanfic #jungkook angst #jungkook bestfriend!au #bts drabble #jungkook drabble #constant craving #rubycoast

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drmmyrs · 4 years

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Caught in the Act (Becca x MC)

My first smut fic you guys!! I’m very new in the tumblr/writing community so I’d really appreciate feedback/constructive criticism. Also, English is not my first language so forgive me for any grammatical errors. Hope you enjoy and if not, thanks for reading anyways :))

P.S. Should I do a part 2??

Pairing: Becca x MC (Emily)

Word Count: 2300

Warning: Smut and some swearing

A/N: In this scenario, Becca and MC didn’t hook up during freshman year.

You were just about to leave when James stopped you with a book in his hand. "Can you give this to Becca? She left it in class this morning." You placed the book in your bag and bid James goodbye.

***

When you arrived home, you remembered that Zack, Kaitlyn, and Chris will be out late tonight. "I wonder if Becca's home," you mumbled to yourself. You grabbed Becca's book from your bag and proceeded to walk to her room. As you near her room, you noticed that her door is slightly ajar. You heard a whisper of your name coming from behind the door, barely audible that you weren't sure if you heard it right. Curiosity got the best of you, and you slowly crept towards the opening, your eyes widening at the sight in front of you. Becca is lying in bed in her underwear with one hand under her brassiere and the other underneath her panties, her hips slightly hunched upwards. When she noticed you at the door, her eyes widened but before she could say anything, you shouted, "sorry!" as you darted to your room. As soon as the door is shut, you pressed your back against the door, heart beating out of your chest as you processed what you just saw.

***

Hours go by as you contemplated going out of your room to have dinner. After you had mustered enough courage, you crept towards the kitchen, hoping and praying that you won't run into Becca.

As you were about to eat, you heard faint footsteps coming down the stairs and a few seconds later, Becca comes into view. When your gazes met, she quickly looked away, seemingly frozen in place. She looked as if she was contemplating if she'd rather starve than face the embarrassment of the earlier encounter. As she started heading back upstairs, you lamely said, "wait! I made dinner and... uhh.... eat with me?"

Becca slowly turned around, her eyes still not meeting yours. After what felt like forever, Becca finally decided to join you. You both ate in incredibly uncomfortable silence which you tried to alleviate by making small talk. "So... how's your day?"

"It's... okay," Becca said awkwardly, stabbing at her food.

You winced at her response. The Becca you knew would have already made a sassy remark about some girl's mismatched outfit or how some creep had tried to ask her out or anything that had annoyed her really, which is, to say the least, a lot. Ever since her fall out with her father and friends, you became the primary receiving end of her rants and annoyances, which you don't mind at all, as long as you're not the source. In fact, your playful banter with the blonde is something you had grown to look forward to. However, the recent encounter might temporarily halt your daily ritual, and the thought didn't sit well with you. She shouldn't be embarrassed, really. It's normal. You do it too. Not that you'll ever say that.

As the silence that followed grew and became deafening, you scrambled to say something, anything. "You left a book in your class earlier, and James asked me to give it back. That's why I was..." you trailed off. Really? You couldn't think of anything better to say?

Thankfully, Becca said, "so, where are the dorks?" successfully changing the subject.

"Kaitlyn has practice, Chris is hanging out with the team, and Zack said he was sleeping over at Grant's tonight."

"Right."

"Do you wanna watch a movie later?" you blurted out. Maybe if you hung out and talked about other things you could both forget about what happened.

"... what?"

"A movie... there's this movie I wanna watch and... I mean only if you're not doing anything." You held your breath as you prepared for the impending rejection.

But then Becca said, "sure, why not."

After you finished cleaning up, Becca settled on the couch as you prepared the snacks. "Do you want some wine?" you called out.

"Uh-huh," Becca answered absentmindedly while scrolling on her phone.

You sat on the couch beside Becca, handing her a glass of wine, and pressed play. You tried to focus on the movie, but your mind kept drifting back to a certain sight much more captivating, a sight that left you hot and bothered ever since. It didn't help that beside you was Becca, wearing a tank top and a tight skirt that hugged her curves in all the right places. You've always known how hot Becca was but you've never allowed yourself to think of her that way. After all, fantasizing about someone who had clearly despised you would only end up badly. But seeing her touch herself, whispering your name... no, not your name. You must've misheard, right? Right. There's no way she thought of you like that.

You didn't realize how much you've been drinking until Becca grabbed the bottle from your hand and said, "quit hogging all the wine."

Halfway through the movie and bottle of wine, you and Becca became more comfortable, exchanging commentaries about the movie, the earlier event seemingly forgotten. Except that you haven't forgotten and, frankly, you didn't want to forget.

"So, you're saying that he's potentially the most intelligent being, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Doesn't look intelligent to me. I mean he could've just wiped out all the assholes and we'd be in fucking paradise. Not to mention, people were half as many before, and it wasn't really a better time then, was it. The number of people isn't the problem here nor the lack of resources."

You raised your eyebrow at Becca. You have never seen her so riled up at a superhero movie before. No, you haven't seen her so riled up at anything but America's Most Eligible before. "Okay then, Aristotle, what do you think the problem is?"

"It's the selfish, rich assholes being selfish, rich assholes, duh."

You couldn't help but laugh. "Like you weren't once a selfish, rich asshole."

"Once? Are you saying that now I'm a selfless, humble angel?" Becca mused, sporting a dazzling smile.

"No, I'm saying that now you're just an asshole. I'm definitely the selfless, humble angel." And then you both burst out laughing.

As your laughter died down, Becca scooted closer to you and rested her head on your shoulder, the sudden move of affection rendering you frozen. You didn't know what was more intoxicating, the alcohol or Becca's perfume. After a brief deliberation, you reciprocated the gesture by leaning your head on top of hers.

"So, tell me, if you had any superpowers, what would it be?" you asked.

"I'd like to be able to fly. When I was a kid, I'd see Lily flying and imagined I was flying beside her."

"Okay. Where will we go?"

"We?"

"You're not leaving me behind, are you?

"Of course I am. You'll just drag me down." You raised your head, shooting Becca a playful scowl.

Becca rolled her eyes. "Ugh, fine. You could be my sidekick."

You shifted closer to Becca as her head nuzzled against your neck. "What crimes would we be fighting?"

"Crimes of fashion, of course."

"Like you didn't commit one when you had those awful bangs," you teased.

"Careful, Emily. We're gonna be a thousand feet in the air. We wouldn't want someone to accidentally fall, would we?"

You chuckled. "Like you would do that."

"Oh, you don't think I can?"

"Come on, Becca. We both know you'd be lost without me."

After several beats of silence, Becca lifted her head to face you, her face serious all of a sudden. "You're right. I would be." The air in the room immediately shifted as she proceeded to caress your face, her touch sending your senses into overdrive. Her fingers trailed down to your lips, and your breath hitched from anticipation. "Becca, I-" Before you could finish, Becca pressed her lips against yours, muffling your next words. The kiss was slow and sweet at first but quickly became more fervent as you pulled her onto your lap with one of your hands at the small of her back and the other behind her head. Becca looped her legs around your waist as she ran her fingers through your hair, flicking her tongue against yours in a hot, open-mouthed kiss. When you pulled apart for air, you trailed kisses down to her neck and nipped gently, eliciting a moan from Becca. Becca then placed her hand under your shirt as she pulled her body closer to yours, the space between you two becoming nonexistent.

"Emily," Becca groaned, her voice a hoarse whisper. Becca saying your name is nothing new. In fact, you have heard her say it in anger, annoyance, disgust, tears (not your fault), laughter, more annoyance, but never in a million years have you expected to hear her say your name with so much want and desire; it was utter music to your ears. She was now grinding against your lap, her wetness seeping through the fabric of her panties matching your own wetness. You pulled her in for another kiss, roughly gripping her hips as she continued to grind against you.

"Should we move this to the bedroom?" you panted between kisses. Becca unhooked her legs from your waist and planted her knees on both sides of the couch, hastily removing her top and then helping you out of yours. I guess that's a no then. The thought of someone walking in on you ravishing each other naked both thrilling and terrifying, fueling your arousal.

You pulled Becca in for another kiss, your hand darting to the hook of her bra and expertly unclasping it in one swift motion. She attempted to do yours but you leaned hard against the couch, blocking her efforts, earning you a frown. "In a while, Becs. I just wanna see you first."

Becca pulled back from you, giving you a better view of her body. You reached out and slowly pulled down the straps of her bra, your fingers grazing her skin as your eyes locked with hers in a heated gaze. As you finished removing her bra, your eyes were greeted by a breathtaking sight, knocking you speechless. Sitting on you is a freaking goddess.

Becca smirked down at you as if pleased by your reaction. "As much as I want for you to ogle me all night, I believe it's my turn."

She leaned towards you and practically ripped your bra off. She then took a moment to appraise your body as her lips curled into a smile. "I can't believe you've been hiding this from me."

"I didn't really have a reason to be naked around you, did I?"

She raised her mouth towards your ear and sultrily whispered, "Well, now you do. And I'm gonna enjoy every. single. inch," before sucking a sensitive part behind your ear, and you swore you came just a little bit then. Overcome with desire, you placed your hands underneath Becca's skirt, grabbing her perfectly sculpted ass as you hoisted her up further, making her yelp as she staggered upward, her hands now gripping the top of the backrest with her breasts directly in front of you. Having better access, you brought one of your hands to her front, only a thin fabric separating you from her.

"You're so wet, Becs," you murmured as you started rubbing against the drenched underwear.

"Ohhh... god... Emily," Becca whimpered, her hips moving against your fingers to gain more friction.

"Tell me what you want me to do, and I'll do it," you softly uttered as you brought your other hand to her breast, softly massaging it while your nose teased the hardened nipple on her other breast.

"Touch me. Fuck me... oh, please. Fuck me hard," Becca begged.

You swept Becca's panties to the side and inserted two fingers with ease, pumping them slowly, exploring her walls, her crevices, her depth, then gradually increasing the tempo as your mouth latched to her nipple, sucking greedily at the swollen tit.

"Ohhh fuck... yes... there... that's it.... ohhh that feels so good."

You slowed your fingers down a bit as you added a third finger, stretching her further, thumb pressed firmly against her clit. Becca was now gripping your hair tightly, pushing her breast further into your mouth as your tongue flicked vigorously against her nipple. Her other nipple was attended by your thumb and index finger, pinching and rolling roughly - the pain indistinguishable from pleasure.

Becca had now lost all inhibition to keep silent; her moans echoed throughout the house while she rode your fingers in wild abandonment. She was basically screaming as you quickened the thrusts, her body struggling to keep up with the pace.

"Emily... Oh god... I'm about to..."

You redoubled your efforts, wanting to give the blonde her release. After a few more thrusts, Becca exploded, crying out in pure, carnal pleasure as your pumps slowed down, riding the waves of her orgasm. After you finally withdrew your fingers, Becca collapsed to your lap, her head slumped on your shoulder as you held her in an embrace. You gently kissed the back of her head as you lovingly caressed her back. After a moment of recuperation, Becca finally lifted her head and gave you a long, sweet kiss. When you pulled apart from the kiss, your foreheads are touching and your eyes closed. You stayed like that for a while as you breathed in each other's presence. When Becca leaned back, her smile was mischievous, her gaze playful. "Now that that's over with, shall we move on to the main event?"

"Main event?" you asked, cocking your head in confusion.

"You didn't think you'd get away unpunished, did you?"

Read Part 2

#the freshman #the freshmen series #the sophomore #the junior #the senior #becca #becca davenport #rebecca davenport #becca x mc #choices #playchoices #play choices #my fanfics #my writing #my work

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mortalfaerie · 3 years

Text

To Fake An Engagement (M.F.)

part 1/?

matthew farichild x (fem) reader

word count: 2118

synopsis: reader has had a crush on matthew for years, but has never acted on it. after a night of drinking at the devil’s tavern, reader and matthew jokingly exchange family rings, a gesture of engagement. at least, she thought it was a joke. no coi spoilers.

If there was one good thing that James and Cordelia’s faux engagement had afforded your friends, it was the ability to stay out as long as you liked, feigning to help with wedding preparations or attending social events with the young couple.

In truth, most of those nights were spent you would have all longed to have spent it anyway: in the rooms above The Devil’s Tavern, idling away the time with cards, experiments, and telling stories. This was how you intended to spend this night, seated at the table in the center of the room, playing poker for hairpins with The Merry Thieves, Cordelia, and Lucie. Not having poker chips on hand, and not equally having enough coins to play for real money, Cordelia had scoffed and begun to pull out the ridiculous amount of hairpins that held up her locks- intended for a night of festivities in society- and placed them on the table.

“Well, that will have to be at least thirty.” She said, nodding at the pile.

“Ah, well, I’ll contribute as well.” Lucie had agreed amiably, and discarded twenty or so pins to the pile. The rest of the group looked to you, your hair still contained in its chingon.

“Oh, well, sure.” You conceded, and discarded your hairpins to the table, and idly ran your fingers through your hair, trying to smooth it out. “But I am sticking you all with the blame if it is horribly knotted by the end of the night.” You stated, jokingly.

From beside you at the table, Matthew gave you an appraising look. “Seems well enough to me.”

You gave an eye roll, as you often did, and let your hair fall over your shoulder between you and conceal the blush. It was fairly common knowledge to at least a few members of the group that you had a crush on Matthew, for better or for worse, since your family had come to London two years ago. Of course, Matthew, who had long been your friend, had appeared to be infatuated at different times, with everyone except you. You had resigned yourself, complaining to Lucie that it was hopeless, but she of course had denied it, not wanting to see you upset. Now, he seemed to be bewitched by Cordelia.

You all knew that Cordelia and James’ marriage was fake. In some ways, you thought it was rather funny. That said, Matthew seemed eternally bittersweet at the thought of it. A marriage was a marriage, was indeed a marriage, whether fake or not.

You played cards and laughed, exchanging drinks at intervals, and nipped a bit of Matthew’s brandy while whispering about Christopher’s strategy and Thomas’ lack of proper poker face. After a game, when unsurprisingly, Lucie took the lot of hairpins, you talked idly with your friends as Lucie gloated.

“So, what will we do once James and Cordelia marry, and we can no longer feign that we have very important wedding business on dull nights?” Thomas asked the group.

“Ah, well, we could create another marriage blanc among the group, y’know?” James laughed, not noticing the slight wince Cordelia gave at the reminder.

Lucie laughed. “Well, I am not volunteering myself as the bride. I have many things I yet need to do before marrying, blanc ou non.”

Matthew, who had been studying his glass of brandy for the past few minutes in an odd quiet, looked up and said humorously “Well, that leaves us with Y/N,” and, turning to you, asked “So do you accept such a nomination?”

You laughed, feeling your cheeks flush rapidly. “Oh, my, well I don’t see anybody proposing to me?” you reasoned, and took a brisk sip of your drink.

“Ah, but you can have your pick!” James said, poking a finger about the table. “You could choose to be Y/N Lightwood,” he gestured to Christopher and Thomas, the latter of the two punching him playfully in the shoulder to dissuade him, but he concluded, “Or you could be Y/N Fairchild!”

The group roared in approval at the suggestion, and though it was all a joke, you couldn’t lie that you enjoyed the sound of it.

“Oh, come now, we still have months before you marry.” You laughed.

“And so months to plan our next deception of the Enclave.” Christopher nodded. He, probably more than the rest, loved the idea of deceiving the Enclave.

“Certainly more time to plan than we had.” Cordelia said, with a half smile.

“Shall you accept petitions of marriage in the meantime?” Lucy asked, a sparkle of mischief in her eyes. “I think it would be most romantic, and surely, the most diplomatic means to decide.”

Mathew, in response, snorted. “Oh, Lucie, you’re beginning to sound like Charles.”

Lucie’s face screwed up in momentary dissatisfaction. “Oh, by the Angel, I should hope not.”

You smiled. “All the same, I rather like the idea of you all presenting why I should marry you, and not the others.”

“Hm, well,” Thomas began, carrying on the ruse you seem to have created at the table. “Well, Lightwood is a good name, and you would never want for comfortable conversation.”

Christopher nodded enthusiastically at Thomas, and added “And Aunt Sophie would love Y/N.”

“Oi! Conjecture!” James said accusingly. “You can’t advocate for someone else.”

Christopher raised his hands in mock surrender. “Alright! I-” he began, but then paused. The group laughed in response. “Uh. Okay, well, you would always be entertained.” he decided, and gave a toothy smile.

You nodded to him obligingly, and then turned to Matthew, expecting him to contribute. He started when you looked at him.

“Hm? Oh! Yes, my petition.” He said, setting down his glass. “Though I am certain to be an eternal bachelor, I could assure that you would always be fashionably dressed,” he said, considering. “Your bed would always be warm, if by me or by Oscar,” he added with a smile. You laughed in response, he knew you loved Oscar. You had always wanted a dog of your own, but your parents would never oblige you. “You would be the Consul’s daughter, I should add, and Fairchild is also a good name,” and he gave you an indulgent smile and thumbed your nose as he concluded, “And I must say, our children would be beautiful indeed.”

You flushed even redder than you had before, and the group whooped at your shock.

Cordelia shook her head. “Matthew, nobody said anything about children. It would be another blanc marriage, after all.”

He sketched a bow to her and answered, “I will not apologize for having a flair for the dramatic.”

“Mm, well then,” James interjected, eyes shining. “Your verdict, Y/N?”

You looked around the table, surprised to see they were all looking expectantly to you. “Oh, well, if I must choose,” you began, and cleared your throat. “I think I would have to take Matthew’s offer.” And apologetically, added for Christopher and Thomas, “I am sorry, I could never say no where Oscar is concerned.”

Matthew winked at you. “And who could blame you? He is most charismatic.” He patted your hand beside him and then said, “It is decided then, after Cordelia and James have wedded, Y/N and I shall become engaged, and you may all fuss over us in turn.”

Surprising all of you, Matthew removed his Fairchild ring and held it out to you. “Shall we?” he asked, still smiling. Your mind raced. He was drunk, of course, and you weren’t much better. Of course, it was a joke. A ruse, and you would probably return rings in the morning after a good laugh. You bit your lip consideringly, and then decided to have fun. You reached for your family ring, and placed it in his hand. He slid the Fairchild ring onto your finger, and placed a kiss to your hand. You giggled, and the group applauded and laughed.

“My bride to be.” He said to the group, gesturing to the ring on your hand.

The next morning, when your family’s maid drew open the curtains of your room, you blocked the light with your hand and was surprised when you recognized that the ring on your hand was not yours, but Matthew’s. You couldn’t remember all of night, but you must have not returned his ring before parting. You made a mental note to return it upon seeing him later, as you were likely to see him at the park, where a picnic- this time, without daylight demons- was planned.

You were enthusiastically listening to Lucie’s latest edition of The Beautiful Cordelia alongside the Lightwoods, Anna included, and Cordelia when the Consul’s carriage arrived, and Matthew and James together exited to join you on the blanket. You had tried to find the time during conversation and food to return the ring, but it evaded you. As the afternoon pulled on, you gathered your coat in a pile and reclined against it, watching the moving clouds. You had closed your eyes a moment when abruptly, the sun disappeared above you. Your eyes flew open in shock as you reached for your dagger, but stopped when your eyes landed on Matthew, standing over you and looking down.

“No demons, only me.” He said with a smile. As always, you rolled your eyes. “Will you take a turn about the path with me?” He asked, and offered a hand to help you up.

You accepted it, and brushed off your skirts. You looped your arm through his and began to walk in silence. After a few minutes, you blurted out, “I expect you’ll want your ring back.”

He shot you an odd look, and answered, “I was about to offer you yours. Though, I admit, I was tempted to keep it.”

“What?” you asked, incredulously.

“Well, it seems to be great fun to pretend to be engaged, don’t you think?” He said, looking straight ahead.

“Oh, I’m sure, but, Matthew,” you sighed, and he stopped to regard you.

“Ah, yes, you would not want to be engaged to me.” He said, looking inexplicably through and past you. “I would not blame you. I accepted a fate as an eternal bachelor long ago.”

“No, Matthew, that’s not-” you began, but he cut you off.

“You would want to be engaged to me?” he asked, brows raised.

“Matthew, please let me finish a sentence!” you exclaimed, and he fell silent.

“Thank you.” you sighed. “I was saying, I am sure it would be great fun to pretend to be engaged, but I would want-” you gestured aimlessly. “A husband who loved me.”

He looked at you earnestly and said quietly, though you were alone, “I could love you, Y/N.”

Your heart wrenched at his words. “I would want you to love me, Matthew, not simply be able to.”

You passed a moment of silence, regarding each other, and then he said, “Will you keep the ring?”

You shook your head in disbelief, and reached to take it off, but he stopped you. “Don’t. Keep it. You can have yours in return, but keep mine. It does me good to see someone else wear it. It’s unlikely to be given to another.” and there was a loneliness to it that hurt you.

“Matthew.” you sighed, and laced your fingers in your own. “I can’t believe I’m saying this,” you began, and he met your eyes. “What if- what if, we had a deal.” you suggested.

“A deal?” he asked. You nodded. “Yes, a deal. What if I kept the ring for… a year?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You will have to explain your reasoning.”

You cleared your throat. “You say, you could love me. If I keep this ring for a year, and at the end of the year, you love me-”

“You’ll accept my offer in earnest?” he supplied. You nodded in response.

His eyes lit up, but he nodded with a schooled expression. “Very well. A year. Keep my ring for a year.”

“I shall.” you replied. You smiled oddly, and regarded your interlaced hands. “I do quite like the Fairchild ring.”

He smiled warmly. “It is quite superior, as far as family crests are concerned.”

You nudged him playfully. “You are biased, Matthew Fairchild.”

“Perhaps I am. Am I the worse for it?” he replied.

“Oh, no more than the rest of us. We shadowhunters are terribly prideful.” you said, and looked up to him. To your surprise, he pressed a kiss to your temple. You squeezed his hand without thinking, and he smiled. “A year. A winter wedding then, or spring?”

All you could do was laugh in response, but your stomach was tied in nervous, hopeful knots.

#matthew fairchild #the mortal instruments #the infernal devices #the last hours #the dark artifices #matthew fairchild x reader

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mca-attack21 · 4 years

Text

The Beginning of Something -P2

Do I really need to write anything here? Okay, so this is the second part of my reader insert series that is rewriting the ending of BBC’s Merlin (based on 5x9). That being said, get ready for the rollercoaster of emotions that is Merlin. Also, you can find more of my writing: Here.

The next day, against Merlin and Gaius’ better judgment, you started as Gwen’s handmaid. During the night, Merlin had proven to Arthur, that Gwen was enchanted by Morgana. Merlin filled you in and asked you to keep an eye on Gwen and try to keep her distracted.

Tiana Giaga. That is the ritual that was able to break the soul to the point that a person fell prey to the desires of whoever cast it. That meant it would be nearly impossible to restore Gwen. It was after you were dismissed that night that you found Merlin distractedly reading as he was headed from the library to his chambers.

“Find anything interesting?” you asked curiously, managing to spook Merlin in the process.

“Oh, hello Y/n, I was just doing some research. How was your first day?”

“Uneventful, which is good all things considered,” you said glancing at the book Merlin had been reading so intently, “Have you figured anything out concerning Gwen’s status?”

“Nothing good, I’m afraid,” he glanced around to make sure their were no unwanted ears near, “She was affected by something called the Tiana Giaga, and Gaius doesn’t think there is a cure,” seeing the way you tensed up at the mention of Tiana Giaga he asked, “Have you heard of it?”

“Unfortunately, I have,” you replied softly as unwanted images were brought to memory.

“Do you know how we can save Gwen?”

“Merlin, this is dark magic, from what you have told me it is beyond anything you have seen before. No one has ever been brought back from this ritual without one of the high priestesses themselves being involved.”

“But there is a way to do it? How?” Merlin asked a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“You would have to go to the Cauldron of Arianrhod, Gwen would have to willingly enter the water, and then the white goddess must be summoned, but is not a task to be underestimated.”

“Wow, that’s a lot to take in. It seems impossible,” Merlin frowned.

“Not impossible, just not something you can do alone,” you tried to reassure him.

“I have to go talk to Gaius, thank you so much Y/n,” Merlin said before turning back towards his chambers.

“You’re welcome,” you called after him.

He discussed this new information with Gaius and together they formulated a plan. One that involved both you and Arthur. It was soon thereafter that Merlin snuck into Arthur and Gwen’s shared chambers and woke Arthur to inform him of the plan. Arthur was extremely hesitant, as there was much that could go wrong and it was Gwen’s life that was at stake. Furthermore, Arthur was against having you involved at all, however, Merlin was eventually able to convince him. Merlin went to you and explained everything that was going on, together the two of you prepared everything that you would need for the impending departure.

The next morning at the break of dawn, you and Merlin slipped Gwen a few drops of the potion Gaius had created to keep her unconscious. Arthur was getting the horses and supplies. You and Merlin brought Gwen out to meet him, careful not to be seen.

“Y/n, I want to personally thank you for helping us with this endeavor, Merlin assures me that there is no one he trusts more. I will not forget this and hope one day to repay you,” Arthur spoke as he took Gwen from the two of you and placed her on his horse.

“It is an honor to be of assistance, your highness,” you answered.

“Please, there are no need for formalities here, call me Arthur,” he replied.

“We really need to be off,” Merlin reminded as he loaded the last of the supplies.

“Of course,” you agreed, mounting your horse.

The three of you rode well into the day, Arthur took the opportunity to get to know you better. Merlin was glad to see the two of you hit it off so well, despite the circumstances. He could already tell that you and Arthur were going to be great friends. It was as you reached the mountains that both you and Merlin sensed something. You were being watched.

“What’s wrong Merlin you look like you’ve seen a dragon?” Arthur joked.

“We are not alone out here,” Merlin answered solemnly.

“One of your funny feelings then?” Arthur asked. Merlin nodded and Arthur sighed, “All right then, we tether the horses and go off the path on foot.”

You did as Arthur said.

“What about the supplies?” Merlin asked.

“You’ll manage,” Arthur decided.

“What about you?”

“I’ll be carrying Gwenuivere.”

“Oh come one, she is half the weight of this lot.”

“Merlin, what are you suggesting?”

“I’ll take Gwenuivere, you get the supplies.”

“She’s my wife!”

“I’d be careful,” Merlin explained.

“And, you are the servant,” Arthur reminded.

“Besides, I am here to help you Merlin,” you added with a grin before taking half of the supplies.

“Y/n you really don’t have to-” Merlin started.

“Nonesense, I didn’t come out here sit idle and look pretty. Now come on,” you said before marching forward past both him and Arthur, who both looked after you slightly dumbfounded.

Arthur and Merlin were talking somewhat behind you, and as Arthur was distracted you took the opportunity to use your magic. First, you used a spell to lighten both your and Merlin’s loads. Second, you used your powers to see the path ahead, which was seemingly clear. It was as you finished that you felt a jolt in your chest which was immediately followed by Arthur shouting for Merlin. You turned around to see that he was laying at the bottom of the dropoff.

Without hesitation, Arthur gently set Gwen on the ground, “Stay here and protect her, I’m going down to make sure he is alright.”

“Of course Arthur,” you agreed.

However, it was as Arthur was climbing down the siding that the rocks began to fall. You were too far away to stop them, but quickly made your way down to help.

“Arthur? Are you alright?” you asked as you went to his side.

“My arm, it’s pinned,” he breathed sharply before remembering, “Check on Merlin.”

“He is unconscious, but no signs of injury.”

You returned to Arthur’s side. Upon further inspection, you realized that the rock was far too heavy for you to move without magic, so you would have to do this the old fashioned way. You found a decent-sized rock and positioned it beside Arthur.

“Hand me your sword, I am going to wedge this under the rock and use it to lift it up, when I do I need you to pull your arm out quickly and roll out of the way as this boulder will land where you are currently laying, understand?” you asked, preparing yourself.

“Yes,” Arthur nodded.

“Okay, 1...2...3” you counted before using your strength to shift the boulder, holding it just long enough for Arthur to clear the spot he was laying.

“How did you learn to do that?” Arthur asked, relief evident in his features.

“Need I remind you again that I am more than just a pretty face,” you replied smiling and rolling your eyes before refocusing on Merlin. You went over to him and retrieved the drought and handed it to Arthur, “Go up and give Gwen her next dose, make sure no harm comes to her. I will wake up Merlin.”

“Y/n, I am the king, I give the orders.”

“I am sorry,” you replied eyes going wide, “What would you have us do?”

“Calm down Y/n, I was merely jesting,” Arthur replied at seeing your change in expressions. He then took the vile and headed up, being more careful of his footing this time.

As soon as he was out of earshot, you used your powers to heal Merlin.

“What happened?” Merlin asked shooting up and immediately looking to make sure Arthur was safe.

“If I had to guess, Morgana has discovered our plans and is attempting to foil them,” you replied and then added, “Arthur is with Gwen, both are safe, but we really need to try to make it farther before nightfall. Are you alright now?”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

“You can thank me later, now let’s go.”

Merlin climbed up first, and then turned to help you.

“Ah, Merlin, did you enjoy your nap?” Arthur quipped.

“Not as well as I would have liked, I am afraid rocks do not make good pillows Sire,” Merlin returned.

“Here Arthur, take a moment to eat and drink, as we should try not to break again until nightfall,” you said handing the king the water and some food.

“You better watch it Merlin, Y/n is well on her way to replace you,” Arthur added as he took what you were handing him.

Merlin was going to reply but was cut off as you came over, “And for you Merlin, best to keep your strength up.” He was caught off guard, and could not manage to hide his blush before fumbling through a thank you.

After that break, you all continued on until it was time to make camp for the night. You helped Merlin collect and prepare a fire as Arthur administered Gwen’s next treatment. You prepared dinner as Merlin and Arthur went over the plan again. As soon as you had eaten, Arthur had told you and Merlin to get some sleep as he offered to take the first watch.

It was hours later when you awoke to see Arthur staring sadly at his queen.

“She will be alright,” you reassured.

“How can you be so certain? What if the sorcerer doesn’t agree to help us? What if we can’t get Gwen to enter the water?”

“I am certain because I believe in you, Arthur. I have only just met you and I would lay my life down for you and your causes. The sorcerer will help because it is you who is asking. And your and Gwen’s love is something no magic could ever destroy, it is that love which will guide her into the water, and that love that will save her,” you answered.

Arthur was slightly taken aback by the sincerity of your reply. He was searching for the words to return, but you beat him to it, “Now, hand me your sword and get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

Normally, Arthur would have refused you, but somehow he knew that you were right and that he could trust you. There was an oddly safe feeling that you brought him and he was learning not to question it.

Just after sunrise, he awoke to find that you had already prepared breakfast and packed up the site. He looked over to Merlin who was snoring and rolled his eyes.

Upon hearing him stir you smiled, “I was just about to wake you, I administered the drought to the Queen, and prepared everything, after breakfast we will be ready to leave at your command.”

“Right, very well, we should eat then. Merlin,” he called.

“Five more minutes,” Merlin mumbled.

Arthur then took the liberty of using some of his water to wake Merlin properly which earned your laughter and a very offended look from your favorite warlock. After he recovered, you handed him his food and began to eat your own. It wasn’t long before you began your journey for the day.

All was going well until a white dragon appeared and tried to take you out. Merlin pulled you and Arthur away.

“Okay then, you take Gwen to the water just beyond that ridge, and I will distract the Dragon,” Merlin spoke.

“Are you mad?” Arthur asked.

“No, just overly aware of the fact that Gwen is bound to wake up anytime now and we have used the last of the drought,” Merlion replied.

“Go, Arthur, I will make sure he is okay,” you spoke.

Again, Arthur didn’t know why, but he knew that he could trust you to do so. He worked up his strength and lifted Gwen, carrying her where Merlin had instructed. Meanwhile, Merlin worked his way to where Aithusa was circling around. He used his Dragon Lord tongue to send her away. You stayed in your hiding spot and watched in awe. Merlin turned back around and started back toward you when Morgana appeared.

She used her powers to knock Merlin backward and hold him down. She was walking towards him, prepared to end him once and for all when you used your powers to knock her out. You rushed forward to Merlin, making sure he was okay before helping him up. The two of you ventured towards Arthur, all to aware of the limitations of time.

“We need to hurry, Morgana is here and will not remain unconscious for long,” Merlin informed Arthur.

“Okay, so where is this sorceress?” Arthur asked looking around.

“I don’t know Arthur, it’s not like she is going to sit around here all day just waiting for you to show up,” Merlin replied, setting all of his packs down before grabbing his costume.

“I’ll look this way, you look that way,” you instructed Merlin.

“I don’t like the idea of all of us splitting up like this,” Arthur spoke.

“It’ll be fine, we’ll each walk 60 paces, if we don't find her then we will turn back. At that distance you’ll be able to hear if we meet any trouble. Besides, Merlin is right, we are running dangerously low on time here.”

Arthur hesitantly agreed and you went a few paces out of sight and met up with Merlin who used the spell to change himself into an old woman and put on the dress he had packed. You tried very hard to contain your laughter, however, there was no doing so once you heard him speak.

“Really Y/n? You would laugh at me at a time like this?”

“I’m sorry, but if you could see yourself you’d be laughing too.”

“Let’s go,” he said begrudgingly.

The two of you emerged from the wooded area and it was clear that Arthur was on edge.

“It’s okay your highness, I explained the situation and she is eager to help,” you assured.

“You are the Dolma?” he asked.

“Who else would I be?’ Merlin sassed.

“Yes. Of course. What do you need me to do?”

“Take your queen and set her by the pool.”

Arthur did as asked and waited as the Dolma scanned Gwen before speaking, “The magic which has ensnared you queen is powerful and dark. It can be broken, but it can also prevail, do you understand that?”

“I do.”

“When I awake her, she must walk into the cauldron of her own will. Everything inside her will fight against it, you must find a connection stronger than the evil Morgana has bestowed upon her. You have to reach the part of your queen which has gone untouched by Morgana.”

Arthur nodded in understanding, and the Dolma uttered the enchantment and Arthur bent down beside Gwen as she woke. She shot up immediately, “Where am I? What have you done to me?”

“Gwenuiver, my Gwenevier,” Arthur tried as he grabbed her so she couldn’t dart off.

“Your Gweniuver? You stupid man, I was never yours,” Gwen denied.

“You must reach her Arthur reach out to all that is lost,” Merlin reminded

“You loved me once,” Arthur tried.

“You are easily fooled,” Gwen replied

“You still do.”

“It was a charade, nothing more. Just a means of subterfuge to pass Camelot to its rightful queen.”

You could tell that Arthur was getting desperate as he began to use force to bring her to the water before the Dolma reminded him that it wouldn’t work.

“Find a memory Arthur, something powerful and full of love. Something that Gwen can hold onto,” you instructed.

Arthur didn’t even have to consider it before saying, “Do you remember when I asked you to marry me? Do you remember what you said? You said ‘with all my heart’. That’s not trickery or subterfuge,” he started and then he saw it, Gwen’s face softened.

“With all my heart,” he repeated letting go and slowly backing towards the water.

“With all my heart,” she muttered.

“Come on Gwenuiver, come back to me.”

And then she trudged out to meet him in the water. The Dolma started to use the spell and a white light took over Gwen. As it faded she looked over to Arthur and with tears in her eyes waded over and collided with him with enough force to nearly dunk him under the water. You sent Merlin a smile. He did it, and you were so proud to have witnessed it.

After a moment, Arthur and Gwen remembered that they were not alone, and came back onto the shore.

“We owe you a great debt, if there is ever anything I can do for you,” Arthur spoke to the sorceress.

“There is only one thing I desire.”

“Name it.”

“Remember what it was that saved you queen today. For there is no evil in sorcery, but only in the hearts of men. My request is that you remember this.”

“You have my word,” Arthur replied and looked over to you, “we should get going to avoid Morgana.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” you asked.

Arthur looked down to check that he had his sword and looked over to Gwen to see if he was missing something, “I don’t think so?”

“Maybe a certain, neckerchief wearing servant?” you replied.

“Ah, I thought this had gone unusually, smoothly.”

“I will go find him and send him your way, I know these paths well, he couldn’t have gone far,” the Dolma spoke.

So the three of you started back, and Merlin soon joined you.

“Merlin!” Gwen smiled bringing him into a warm hug.

“Nice to have you back my queen,” he replied grinning.

The trip back to Camelot was light-hearted, Gwen was even more welcoming to you than Arthur had been. As you worked with Merlin to make camp for the group you took every opportunity to make sure that he was doing alright. You understood, maybe more than he did, that he was supposed to be the greatest sorcerer to ever walk the earth, but even then… Besides anything that helped distract you from the fact that you were still shaken from your encounter with Morgana was welcomed.

“Y/n? Are you good?” Merlin spoke pulling you out of your thoughts.

“Yeah, sorry I zoned out for a minute.”

“Thanks again for coming with us today, I don’t want to think about where we would be if you hadn’t.”

“I am confident that you would have figured it out. It’s not like this is your first rodeo.”

“Yeah, I guess, it just all feels different now. Like everything I do is so big like on a fate of Camelot level and no one even knows.”

“I understand, more than you know, and I can assure you that you will not have to face it alone. Not anymore,” you were going to continue talking, but Arthur was calling after the two of you saying that he’d managed to find some rabbits.

That night after everyone else was asleep you allowed your mind to once again drift to Morgana. You wondered if she had seen you before you managed to knock her out. Would she start targeting you again? Would that put Merlin in more danger? You wondered if the prophecies could really be true, protecting Merlin was pretty straight forward, but the rest of it, the part about rewriting destiny and turning the end into the beginning, that you had no clue about. Merlin was right earlier though, everything was starting to feel more drastic and you were not a fan of it.

@heyrobinstuff

#merlin #bbc merlin #merlin imagines #merlin imagine #merlin x reader #bbc merlin imagines #bbc merlin imagine #bbc merlin x reader #Merlin BBC #Merlin Rewrite #king arthur imagines #Arwen #arthur and gwen #arthur pendragon imagine

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dimpled-gukkie · 4 years

Text

Santa Baby (tell me you hear them too)

moodboard made by the lovely @today-we-will-survive

Summary: You attend a last minute Christmas party and meet your soulmate. The catch? You don’t remember anything about them besides the fact that they were wearing a Santa suit. Turns out there were seven Santas at the party... The question remains: Can you find your soulmate before Christmas Day?

Genre: Soulmate AU/ College AU

Pairing: ???? x reader

Warnings: hand burned on hot chocolate, Jin says he’s too pretty to be a hostage, mentions and depictions of drinking, joon is described as a porn aficionado

Word Count: 12.4k

a/n: It’s a very special day for my dearest friend @purpleful! In your honor I thought I’d write you a story of your own, as you help me with a countless amount of mine. Remember all the times you asked me this month if I had written anything or had a Christmas fic? I had been working on this the whole time nshjfhn. You sent me into a panic sometimes though because I swear you guessed the plot several times without actually knowing I was even writing. Anyways I love you and thank you for being my friend ❤️

a/a/n: also Happy Holidays to anyone else celebrating. I hope you’re able to find lightness even in these dark times. And to the atheists out there, cheers to the upcoming new year

1 day, 12 hours, 32 minutes and 12 seconds until Christmas

“Don’t you think those elf costumes are hot? Like damn I wish my legs looked like that in tights.” Mina whispers conspiratorially, though her voice has a tendency to carry no matter what volume she attempts to speak in, meaning the elf you’re passing by surely hears her based off his reddened ears.

“Do you have any shame?” You laugh, tucking your arm around her own to tug her into the nearby candle store. Your professor offered to give extra credit in exchange for a present and while she’s undoubtably exploiting her students for free gifts you could really use some help in your upper division history elective.

“What’s the fun in that?” Mina giggles, reaching over to the nearest stand and picking up a candle. She gives it a good whiff before coughing, holding the offending item away from her like that will somehow save her from smelling it further despite the top still being off.

“I imagine this is what elf vomit smells like.” She groans, shoving it into your arms in an effort to make you suffer as well. True friendship.

“Winter Candies?” You question, reading the label and the ingredients it’s supposed to smell like. “Adding pecan and peppermint is probably what went wrong.” You hum before smelling it yourself and coughing from the fumes. “Oh you were right this is disgusting.”

“Have I ever lied to you?” Mina hums. “Get that one for your professor.”

“I’d like my grade to be higher not lower. Let’s just get this pine one. It’s a safe bet right?”

“If you like your house to smell like a forest I guess so.” She shrugs, following behind you to the register. “Do you think we could get something to eat? I’m starving.”

“Didn’t you eat like half of Songi’s Christmas cookies this morning? Speaking of which you’re going to get in trouble, she was whining the whole time about how long they were taking due to her lack of patience.”

“When is she not whining about how long things take? Girl has the attention span of a nat, better yet a goldfish.” She snickers, though her eyes shine with a particular fondness for one of her oldest friends. Songi is actually how you met Mina in the first place, the both of you stuck in statistics together and becoming quick friends. When sophomore year rolled around it just made sense to move in with Songi and Mina as they were already looking for a third roommate.

“Very true. Though I’m sure her soulmate will find it charming. Hopefully.”

“Do you ever wonder when we’ll meet our soulmates?” Mina sighs, looking dreamily off into what appears to be the oncoming food court. It’s a toss up whether she’s thinking about her soulmate or fried food.

“All the time but I try not to dwell on it. I just want to live you know? They’ll find me eventually.” The line for hotteok is long, but the sweet smell of pancakes keeps you placated even if your stomach is grumbling.

“When my soulmate does come I hope they’re as fine as Park Jimin. That man must be an angel or something because no one has the right to be that attractive.” You’re about to comment on where that sudden thought came from when Park Jimin himself exits hastily from a store, a clothing bag thrown over his shoulder as he hastily types on his phone. From the draw of his brows and slight scowl he almost looks a little angry, an expression you’ve never seen on him before. “Jimin!” Mina calls, and the orange haired boy immediately picks his head up and puts on a light smile before jogging over.

As he approaches the bells around you jangle, the clock at Santa’s workshop echoing throughout the mall and ringing in your ears. Rubbing your ear to try and ease the slight pain you give Jimin a small wave when he finally appears before you. “The bells are pretty loud huh?” He smiles, nodding towards the large bell that apparently looms behind you.

You agree at the same time Mina says, “I don’t think they’re that loud. Annoying at most.” Before looking between the both of you and wriggling her brows. You brush it off as her being weird before gesturing to Jimin’s bag.

“Don’t tell me you bought a Santa costume.” You say, causing him to laugh. The way his eyes slip between his plump cheeks is rather flattering.

“I lost a bet and this is the price to pay for tonight’s party. Speaking of which you guys should come. Jin’s on alcohol duty so he’ll definitely get all the fancy shit.” Jimin says.

“Well since the Park Jimin invited us, I guess we’ll have to stop by. Text y/n the address and we’ll get there eventually. No promises to be on time though.” Mina jokes.

“That is why they created the term ‘fashionably late’ is it not? Just make sure not to wear a sexy Santa costume, Jin says he wants to be the lone slutty Santa.” Jimin laughs, as if drawing a picture in his own mind before shaking his head.

“It’s a little odd to have a party on the twenty-third though. Why not Christmas Eve?”

“Most of us are going home tomorrow so today was really the only time. Everyone was strung up with finals and stuff.”

“Understandable. I’m getting last minute extra credit before grades are finalized tomorrow. Our school really kills the festive spirit with everything being so close to the holidays.”

“Exactly. All the more reason to party out our frustrations.” His phone buzzes and Jimin types a quick reply before turning back to you. “I gotta go and help Tae at the shelter but I’ll see you both tonight right?”

“And Songi! Our ride or die, our forever plus one, our favorite-“

“Alright, alright. Yeah we’ll be there.” You smile, your hand still over Mina’s mouth as Jimin turns and jogs away. When you release her she smacks the back of your head and you whine.

“What was that for??”

“For being stupid dumbass. You’re telling me both you and Jimin thought the bells were super loud and didn’t think that’s sus. He’s clearly your soulmate!” Mina practically screeches, bouncing on her heels in excitement. The spectacle draws the attention of those around you and you can’t help but shy away.

“Shut up! Besides it’s the holiday season, bells are ringing everywhere. There’s no way to tell if it’s actually your soulmate’s bell jingle. Besides Jimin didn’t seem to think anything of it either. Shouldn’t you just know?”

“I don’t know, you tell me. You’re the one with the found soulmate after all.” Mina shrugs before giving her order to the vendor. She nudges you to give your own but your mind is still reeling. Park Jimin isn’t actually your soulmate, right?

1 day, 1 hour, 37 minutes, 53 seconds until Christmas

Despite your nonchalance earlier, you feel jittery standing outside the address Jimin sent you. Shivers rack down your spine at the prospect of seeing him again, of being certain that Jimin is your forever. You can hear the music through the door, a rhythmic thumping that you try and match your breathing to. Even if Park Jimin isn’t your soulmate it’s not going to be the end of the world. At least that’s what you try to tell yourself, ignoring the way just the idea forms a pit in your stomach. “I know we’re waiting for you to mentally prepare yourself but could you hurry up? I for one would love to witness slutty Jin.” Mina says, nudging you forward lightly with her shoulder.

“Chill out Mina, give the poor girl some time. She’s about to find her soulmate after all.” Songi says, throwing an arm over your shoulder and dragging you into her side. “If it makes you feel better I’ll stay by your side the whole night. We can make fun of Mina shamelessly trying to outdo Seokjin.”

“Hey! Jimin may have said I couldn’t be a slutty Santa but that will never stop me from being the baddest bitch there.” She makes a show of grabbing her sweater and tugging it to emphasize ‘ho’ stitched across the front. Songi has a matching one with Santa losing said hos.

“If I don’t see a dance battle I’m going to be disappointed. After all you promised to do something stupid for me to film. It’s the only reason I decided to come, I mean after supporting you of course.” Songi laughs, giving you an affectionate squeeze.

“Hey I could be an idol with these moves! Ryujin has nothing on me.” Mina huffs, breaking out into the iconic Itzy choreography in the middle of the hallway. You can’t help but crack up at the serious face she makes while ungracefully flailing her limbs. “And you should be grateful to us you hermit! I hope for your sake your soulmate is outgoing because you’ll live your whole life holed up in your apartment otherwise.”

“It’s safer that way. No bugs.” Songi says, causing Mina to push her and nearly send you both crashing to the floor.

“You’re insufferable. I don’t know how I’ve put up with you all these years.”

“You love me, I mean really it’d be hard not too.” Songi shrugs, a smug smile pulled onto her face as she pats Mina’s cheek.

“More like tolerate you and to be honest I’ve reached my limit. Let’s go inside so I can ditch you losers.” Mina throws the door open and heads inside, easily weaving through the bodies crammed inside the small apartment.

“I can just feel the love.” Songi sighs, clutching onto the space over her heart. “Now come on, we can’t find him if we’re in the hallway all night.” Moving to grab your hand she drags you inside, only for you to run into a boy passing through.

“My bad, didn’t think anyone else would be coming by. I have to go get more eggnog before Jin starts screaming at us again.” He smiles, the corner of his lips forming into soft right angles.

“It’s alright.” You murmur, looking around for Mina or Songi. Surely they’re somewhere nearby. Songi is most likely tucked away in some corner, longingly looking for an animal to keep her entertained while Mina is probably at the makeshift bar. If you weren’t so busy looking for your friends maybe you’d pay mind to the soft tinkling of bells and his cardinal red Santa suit wrapped nicely around his frame. Yet even when he breezes past you, your eyes are focused on your two friends. You spot Mina first, surprisingly she’s near the edge of the makeshift dance floor, a drink in her hand and likely about halfway drunk enough to begin belting along to whatever song comes on, even if it’s a terrible EDM mashup of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

You push through the bodies to get to her, almost getting trampled twice before breaking out and grabbing her by the arm before she can walk away. “Oh hey! I got you a drink, I know you don’t like eggnog so I swiped the chocolate milk from the fridge and spiked it myself.” She smiles, shoving a green plastic cup decorated with little lights towards you. You take a sip and wince at the bitter taste, the gingerbread liquor making an interesting concoction. But it’s the thought that counts and you smile despite wanting to cough at the strong flavor.

“Thanks. Where’s Songi?” You ask and Mina curses.

“She was just over in that corner but she’s gone now. Maybe we should try to find her?”

“You know, for someone who claims to hate social interaction she goes off on her own quite easily.” You hum, pushing your way through only to bump into Park Jimin himself. “Sorry.” You say, bumping into Mina from how quickly you try to put space between the two of you. You had momentarily forgotten the whole reason you came was because of Jimin and the possibility that he’s your soulmate. Your hands are suddenly clammy and you rub them against the side of your pants nervously.

“No big deal. Good to see you though! How long have you been here? You should’ve come and said hi to me first.” He whines, his pretty lips drawing into a thick pout, brows upturned as he gives you his best puppy dog look. You can feel yourself melting and all he’s doing is staring at you. The bells around you seem to get louder, Mariah Carey’s iconic Christmas song setting the stage.

“Ahh yeah. Next time! Maybe we could-uhh even come together. If you want to that is.” You smile shyly, pulling your sleeves down over your hands anxiously. You hope he can understand the implication behind your words, and as he steps towards you the bells seem to grow even louder. Someone shoves you from behind and you stumble, body alight with nerves when Jimin catches you. You’re practically shaking, in nerves or excitement you can’t discern. The only thing you can focus on is how pretty Jimin looks cast under red and white lights, his eyes filled with little twinkles. Your breath hitches at how close he is and you look down quickly when he gazes back at you so he can’t read the pure adoration on your face.

Naturally to try and seem less awkward you rush out the first thought that comes to mind. “Your suit is orange?” He takes a step back and you wish to reverse time as the warmth of whiskey and cinnamon on his breath parts from you.

“Ahh yeah, I lost a bet so I had to wear a Santa Suit and Hobi didn’t have enough for us all. I was in such a hurry I didn’t even bother looking at it before renting it. It’s my own fault for being swindled. I should’ve known better than to rent from a halloween shop that was suspiciously still open in December. Can you believe all the other stores were sold out?” Jimin scoffs and despite being interested in his story you can only focus on the way his lips move and pout with each word. They’re a rosy pink, slightly shiny in the dim lighting like he had just put on chapstick or licked his lips. The only thing that draws you out of your stupor is a petite girl throwing her arm around Jimin’s waist.

“Baby!” She exclaims and your eyes widen as Jimin grins down at her, wrapping his hands happily around her own waist and dragging him tightly into her. His smile is the largest you’ve ever seen on him, cheeks particularly squished in utmost happiness and his expression being what you could only describe as love. You can feel your heart breaking already. “Hi I’m Jisoo!” You think you’re going to be sick to your stomach, not just because Jimin is in love with someone else but because the girl you’re supposed to hate is so nice. She smiles at you warmly like you weren’t just staring at her boyfriend’s lips and wondering what they’d taste like.

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Isn’t my soulmate so cute?” Jimin asks you, his eyes sparkling like diamonds as he squishes her cheek between two fingers. Your breath starts to quicken and you smile widely to hide the way your eyes begin to fill with tears.

“You both are adorable together.” You manage to get out, impressed with how natural it sounds despite how tense you feel. The bells in your head are just mocking you now as you make up an excuse to leave, the two of them so wrapped up in each other they don’t pay mind to your absence. Clearing your throat you head to the bathroom to try and get some privacy for your inevitable break down only to run into Mina and some guy in a Santa suit stumbling out.

“Y/n!” Mina cheers, too intoxicated to notice the way small tears begin to fall down your face. The hallway is rather dark and yet you can still make out the guy next to her with a curved nose and reddened ears. He looks a little embarrassed to be caught after an obvious rendezvous in a bathroom at a party and yet his hands still wind around Mina’s waist comfortably when she pulls away from you. “My soulmate’s an elf!” She cackles and you welcome the distraction her words bring.

“What?” You ask confused. The guy beside her is wearing a Santa costume, you’re sure of it.

“Hoseok is a mall elf! You know the guy with the hot legs? It’s him, my soulmate!” She squeals excitedly, grabbing him by the arm and smiling up at him blissfully.

“How are you sure?” You don’t mean to sound so bitter, but Mina never mentioned hearing bells at the mall nor did she mention hearing bells when you caught her earlier. If anything this could just be her wishful thinking like her suggestion of Jimin being your soulmate.

“You just kinda know! Like at the mall when we passed I wrote it off as shop bells. Then when I got here and we bumped into each other I just knew it was actually him. And when we touched it was like I was struck by lightning.” Your face must show incredulity because she just smiles at you.

“I know, I know. It sounds super cliche but it’s true. Though now that we’ve touched a lot more it’s wearing down.” She giggles, winking at him and reveling in the way the blush burns brighter. He sticks his hand out to you after squeezing her waist and you stare at it for a moment before reaching out to shake it.

“Hi, I’m Hoseok. You can call me Hobi though.” His smile takes the form of a heart as he grins at you and Mina practically squeals.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’d love to talk later but I have to use the bathroom.” You nod behind them and Hoseok seems to realize he’s standing in the doorway and moves aside bashfully.

“So sorry! Didn’t realize I was still standing there.” You just give him a tight-lipped smile and nod, moving past them quickly. Your silence seems to be what draws Mina’s concern, a tentative hand coming to grab your forearm lightly.

“Y/n-“ She starts but you gently brush her off.

“I’m fine. Really don’t worry about me.” You say softly before locking the door and sliding down it. It’s in the comfort of the quiet bathroom that you allow the tears to freely fall and mourn the soulmate you didn’t have.

22 hours, 45 minutes, 35 seconds until Christmas

You finally find Songi, a random cat cuddled up in her arms as she’s squished into a small chair nestled by the kitchen. She’s a little hazy in your mind, it feels a bit like you’re looking at her underwater, and you smile at her lazily before plopping down into her lap. “Be careful!” She scolds, holding the cat up higher so it’s curled into her chest instead. You just blink slowly at her in response and she sighs. “How much did you drink tonight?”

“After I cried for like thirty minutes I stole a bottle of peppermint schnapps and drank the whole thing.” You sigh, resting your head against her own.

“Why’d you cry? I wish you would’ve told me you were upset, I would’ve suggested we leave right away.”

“Park Jimin already has a soulmate…it’s not me. I know chances were already slim because he’s Park Jimin and well, I’m me but I just thought maybe this would be it. I finally would have someone to share everything with and I wouldn’t.. be so lonely.” You murmur out the last part, your drunken state revealing the thoughts that consumed you upon meeting Jisoo. No matter how much you mentally prepared yourself for the possibility of Jimin being a fluke, you weren’t ready for just how brutal the disappointment was.

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being you. Besides I’d never let Park Jimin sit on my lap and yet here you are, perched upon a throne.” You can’t help the small giggle you let out. Songi always knows what to say to cheer you up.

“You’re so weird you know that? You’re the only person I know who refers to thighs as a throne.”

“Don’t judge me and my preferences. You drool over hands and I drool over thighs, it’s perfectly normal. Anyways, I know you mean romantically but I’ll always be here if you want someone to cry with or to yell at fictional characters about their stupidity with you. You’re my best friend.” Despite her hatred of hugs and physical contact Songi retracts her arms from the cat to put them around you instead, gently giving you a squeeze. It’s a little awkward because she’s terrible at hugs but you appreciate it nonetheless.

“How about we get out of here okay?” She suggests and you nod, wincing as your head starts to pound. The alcohol must be catching up to you. The pounding is then followed by ringing, and you hold your head in your hands as church bells ring in your ears. The world is truly out to make a mockery of your life.

“You okay? Here sit down a minute.” Songi ushers you into the chair as she hovers above you, rushing off to get some water for you.

“Taehyung really shouldn’t have been in charge of the playlist.” Someone from beside you sighs but you can’t look up at them for the sake of your pounding headache. “I think I’m going to have bells ringing in my head for days.” They sigh before they seem to notice you. “Hey you okay?” They ask, a hand placed on your shoulder in concern but the electricity that runs down your spine makes you gasp. Your skin prickles in goosebumps but Songi is just near enough that she takes your gasp as extreme pain instead of astonishment.

“I’m sorry I took so long!” She says, throwing your arm around her shoulders haphazardly before hauling you up and against her.

“Hey wait-“ The voice from beside you starts, but Songi brushes them off.

“Don’t worry I’m not gonna steal your cat this time. But don’t let him roam around with a bunch of drunk people. I almost saw him get stepped on five times by idiots.” For a brief second you manage enough strength to turn your head without wanting to throw up and blearily lock eyes with a pair of chocolate brown ones. They’re swimming with something you can’t quite make out: pain, regret, longing. But then Songi calls your name and you turn away to make sure you don’t smack into the front door. It’s odd but you can feel a pit in your stomach the further you walk away and his eyes are imprinted on the back of your lids with every blink.

14 hours, 18 minutes, 22 seconds until Christmas

“Wake up bitches!” Mina screams, banging on your and Songi’s doors and you groan. Rolling over, you throw the pillow over your head and try to fall back asleep to avoid the way your head pounds. Mina throws your door open and you wince when it smacks against the wall next to it. “You can’t evade me.” She says, reaching for your comforter and trying to throw it off. However, you predicted this to happen when you flipped over and cling tightly to the fluffy bedding, expertly disrupting her evil plan. Mina huffs in annoyance and you hide your grin in your sheets before releasing a puff of air when she jumps on top of you. “Wake! Up!” She yells, jumping on top of you like you’re some human trampoline.

“You’re the worst kind of person.” You grumble, rolling over to come face to face with her smile.

“Thanks! Now I want to eat cookies for breakfast and I refuse to eat them alone like it’s a shameful activity.” True in her shameless fashion she’s only wearing a baggy t-shirt, her neck exposed and colored various shades of purple and red. Though your night was unexplainably horrible you’re glad at least someone had a good time.

“I want Songi’s cookies. Hers always look pretty.”

“You mean you don’t want to try my cinnamon bourbon toffee snickerdoodles? I saw it on tiktok and they took me two hours! I nearly set the oven on fire!” You wrinkle your nose at the memory of two days ago, and coming home from finishing up one of your last papers to her covered in flour and the counters doused in eggs. It’s like she somehow got in a food fight with herself.

“And that’s precisely why they shouldn’t exist in the first place. You didn’t even know how to turn on the oven.” Songi murmurs, leant against your doorway.

“You’re all ungrateful, uncultured swines.” She huffs, though she still proceeds to make you all hot chocolates when you emerge from your room. The three of your are sat at the kitchen counter, plates full of cookies and Songi’s mom’s homemade fudge. If anything can cure a hangover it’s gorging yourself on unhealthy food.

“Did I ever tell you one kid in high school called me an uncultured swine because I didn’t know the rat from the ninja turtles?” Songi says, munching on her own frosted sugar cookie. It was her first attempt at a 3D wreath but turned out to be more like a bush of frosting. For most it’d be deemed to sweet and disgusting to ingest but Songi happily licks away at the icing.

“What is the rat’s name?” Mina asks, and Songi just shrugs.

“I still don’t know honestly.”

“Why were you up so early anyways? Don’t you normally sleep until noon?” You ask Mina, noticing the way she turns away from you almost shyly.

“Hobi slept over and he had to go back to work early to return the Santa suits he stole before his boss found out.” The Santa suits spring a memory to mind and you suddenly recall seeing more than just one. Though Jimin did mention there being others, you only saw Hobi and Jin wearing them.

“Why were so many people wearing Santa suits anyways? I thought Jin wanted to be the only one.”

“The only slutty one, so naturally he was wearing the top of the suit like a robe and cut the pants into thot shorts. Hobi was understandably pissed about that one since they were only borrowing the suits after all. But it was some bet, he told me about it last night but I was too drunk to remember.” Looking into your drink the swirling chocolate then reminds you of eyes and the tingling feeling down your back when a warm palm rested on your shoulder.

“Holy shit!” You exclaim, suddenly standing up and running to your room. Mina and Songi are hot on your heels, watching curiously as you bounce around on one foot while struggling to pull your jeans over your thighs and hips.

“Where are you going?” Songi asks and you widen your eyes at the realization that she’s the only one who would’ve seen their face.

“Songi who did you see before you took me home? Who had their hand on my shoulder?” You ask, running up to grab her by the upper arms and shake her almost desperately. “Songi I need to know who it was.”

“What’s this all about? Did they steal from you or something?” Mina asks and you throw your head back in a frustrated groan.

“No they’re my soulmate!”

“Babe-“ Mina starts and your glare at the pity in her expression.

“I’m being serious. I felt the sparks or whatever and I can see his eyes when we walked away. I just can’t remember anything else. Songi you have to remember who they were.” You plead to the both of them and they look back at you rather sadly.

“I’m sorry but I’ve never seen them before. I think they were wearing a Santa costume but I don’t remember much else about them.” She says and you can’t help but deflate. You actually found your soulmate and got so drunk you can’t remember anything about them. Great.

“Are you sure they’re your soulmate anyways. I passed by you later that night and you seemed pretty wasted but maybe after Jimin you just thought-“

“No I didn’t make up a soulmate just because I was depressed that Jimin wasn’t mine. You know how you just knew with Hoseok? Well I just know with him. How many people were wearing Santa costumes?”

“Six.” Mina says but Songi disagrees and says there’s seven.

“A guy came in later with another suit. That’s how I found the cat, it was just following him around and I heard the little bell on the collar.”

“You-you heard a cat bell at a party filled with drunk people screaming?” Mina asks, her face twisted up in confusion. You have to admit that does seem like it’s rather unlikely that someone would be able to discern such a quiet sound with so much commotion.

“I have exceptional hearing, of course I heard it. Besides this isn’t some fanfic where we all find our soulmates in the same place. The guy did have a pretty face though, I wouldn’t mind looking at it upon closer inspection.” Songi shrugs, staring off dreamily like the cat guy is standing right in front of her.

“Do you think Hobi can give me the name of the guys he leant the suits to?” You ask and Mina sighs.

“Just don’t get your hopes up too much okay? Songi only thinks he was wearing a Santa costume. I just don’t want to see you heartbroken again.” She pats your head softly, almost motherly, and you give her your best smile.

13 hours, 45 minutes, 36 seconds until Christmas

The name Min Yoongi swirls around your brain as you stand outside of Bored and Brewed. It’s tucked between a music supply store and a flower shop, leafy plants hanging above the entrance and the large front windows blocked in by thin rectangular frames. You can see warm lights strewn across the cafe from outside, casting it in a golden hue as soft pink chairs and petal green couches decorate the inside. The bell above you jingles and you tersely smile, flashbacks of your embarrassment from misinterpreting a common sound during the holiday season returning. Hoseok gave no description of what Min Yoongi would look like, only stating that he’s a frequenter of this specific cafe given it’s proximity to your university’s music school buildings. Though Jimin mentioned all his friends were leaving today, you’re still hopeful that your soulmate will stick around long enough for you to find them. This is a matter of fate after all, the universe wouldn’t allow you to meet them before Christmas only to end up spending the day alone right? No matter how cruel the world normally seems you refuse to believe it would do this to you.

Upon entry the guy behind the counter smiles at you, then goes back to busying himself on the phone while you look at the menu. You’re not one for liking strong coffee, so your eyes naturally linger towards the sweeter drinks that are on the special menu. The bell to the shop rings again but you don’t pay it any mind, too fixated on trying to figure out what you want.

“I wouldn’t get the peppermint drink if I were you. They load it with sugar and whipped cream so it doesn’t taste like anything.” A voice from behind you says and you nod along. “I’d get the sugar cookie one, it’s not super sweet but also has a nice flavor. It’s the only thing I get that’s not actual coffee.” He hums and you decide to go ahead and order that before you make the guy behind you wait any longer.

“Make that two. I’m feeling particularly generous today.” He hands over some cash before you can say anything and you whip around to face him. Wavy black hair covers his brows, most of it tucked inside a gray beanie. A baggy hoodie and black skinny jeans adorn the rest of his figure and he gives you a tight lipped smile with the edges quirked upwards.

“Thank you. You really didn’t have to.” You say, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. You follow him to the pick up area for your drinks, tucking your hands into your pockets to try and hide your nervous fiddling.

“I try to do a good deed every day so today that’s you it seems.” His voice is low and soft, a quiet rumbling in the wind.

“Well I appreciate it.” You say and silence falls between the two of you. Your mind is searching for something to say to fill the silence but the barista comes by with your two drinks. You’re about to just leave the conversation at the polite end but the barista’s words catches your attention.

“Feel free to buy me a drink sometime Yoongi.” He laughs.

“Yoongi?” You ask and the boy with the beanie turns back to you.

“Yeah?”

“As in Min Yoongi. Hobi’s friend?” You press further and the boy’s confusion turns to skepticism.

“Why do you ask?”

“Well you see I met my soulmate last night at the party but I don’t remember who they were, just that they were wearing a Santa costume.” You murmur, following behind when Yoongi makes a move to leave the shop.

“I’m sorry but I don’t believe in soulmates. I think you should have a say in who’s right for you.” Despite the coldness of his words, his tone is still soft- sympathetic almost.

“Yoongi wait!” You exclaim, grabbing onto his wrist with your own hand. The bell above the store chimes above you and for a second you allow yourself to believe you’re the one to change how Yoongi feels about soulmates. And yet you feel no goosebumps when your skin touches his, only the slightly dry texture of his palm when he gently takes your hand off him. “The-the bells. I can’t lose my soulmate again, please.” The end comes off as a whisper and Yoongi must take pity on you because he gives you a gentle smile.

“The bells were from above the door. But I can give you the name of another Santa, his name is Jin. He’s the one who hosted the party. He works at the restaurant I play piano for, he should be there picking up his check because the manager is old fashioned. If you hurry you can probably catch him. Two blocks down, it’s the fancy place with the stupid golden archway like a high end McDonalds.” He pats your upper arm twice before walking away. Though you miss the way he turns to watch you run around the small corner mumbling a small good luck at your parting figure.

13 hours, 30 minutes, 23 seconds until Christmas

Yoongi wasn’t lying when he said the place did have a strange high-end McDonalds feel. The golden arches are spotless, reflecting the red and green lights scattered in some windows of the buildings across the street. The doors are large french ones with gold painted around the trim and a guy in a butler’s outfit opens them for you. You thank him before heading inside, observing the grandiose chandeliers and poinsettias decorating the host stand. A girl with long blonde hair smiles at you before asking if you need a table.

“Actually I was looking for Jin? He has blonde hair and really wide shoulders.” It’s the only information Yoongi offered but the girl in front of you nods in understanding and you can’t help the sigh of relief you let out.

“He just came in to get something so I’ll find him and let him know you’re waiting for him. Can I get your name?”

“Umm just tell him Hobi’s friend is waiting.” You say nervously, pulling at the strings of your sweater to busy yourself. She just nods before walking away and you stuff three of the free mints in your mouth to try and ease yourself. That is before you realize they’re peppermint flavored and instantly start gagging as the taste of last night’s peppermint liquor surfaces. With your hand over your mouth to stop yourself from gagging, Jin walks into the lobby and spots you. His eyes widen in recognition, sparkling as he gets nearer. And as he draws closer a distant tinkling sounds rings out and your eyes water with tears. Is your soulmate perhaps the sluttiest Santa of them all?

“I’d remember you from anywhere. You stole my entire bottle of Peppermint Schnapps out of my secret liquor cabinet. I’m surprised you could reach it to be honest, I have to climb on the counter to grab it myself so you must’ve done some serious spider man shit.” He smiles and you wish the ground would swallow you whole. You have no recollection of doing that. What had Mina put in your first drink?

“Ahh yes. I was hoping I could speak to you privately.” Your eyes dart to the blonde hostess, perched on the host stand and conveniently leaning toward the two of you to hear closer.

“I was going to steal some food from the back before I left. You want anything?” He asks, walking towards the kitchen with you following him like some lovesick puppy. At this point you refuse to let your soulmate be taken from you any longer.

“What do you have?”

“Anything you could ever want. I’m heading home after this so I need some snacks for the drive.” He picks up a baguette and fruit, before opening the freezer and pulling out ready made desserts and quiches. “You think the caviar is here yet?” He asks to himself before rifling through some more shelves and letting out a loud ‘aha!’

“You hold this.” He says, giving you the expensive caviar and gesturing for you to hide it under your shirt.

“You want me to smuggle it out?” You exclaim and Jin quickly shushes you.

“It’s not smuggling, it’s borrowing. If there’s any left I’ll return it.” He says, pushing you away from the kitchen and walking normally like he doesn’t have a baguette and many other foods in his arms.

“Isn’t that a health violation?” You ask and Jin rolls his eyes.

“What are you? The health inspector? Besides you weren’t worried about health violations last night.” He says, leading you towards the front. The tinkling sound is particularly loud here and you finally gather the courage to question him about your real intentions.

“Speaking of last night, I don’t actually remember much. But I do know I found my soulmate.” You start, looking towards him and Jin hums in acknowledgement. “And he was wearing a Santa suit…so as you know, you were also wearing one. So I was thinking-“

“I’m your soulmate?” Jin says and you nearly drop the bowl of caviar that’s tucked underneath your shirt.

“You are? Honestly that’s such a relief because I’ve been stressing myself out about trying to find them before it was actually Christmas so I don’t have to spend another alone. You said you were having to go to your family’s right? Would I be able to come with? I know we’ve only just met but I can’t imagine having to be alone again and-“ Seokjin has tucked the baguette under his arm, a finger pressed delicately to your lips.

“This is very flattering, truly the sweetest soulmate confession I’ve received thus far. But I have to stop you because I’m not your soulmate. You think you’re hearing bells right? The bus boys are polishing all the glasses and they always knock them into each other.” When he sees your eyes water again he gently wipes the falling tears. “I know you’re looking to find them and I want to help you. You said it was a Santa right? Lucky for you all my friend’s wore the costume because of Taehyung’s punishment. They were betting the length of time it would take Taehyung to smuggle a cat out of the shelter he works at. If you ask me I think it was rigged since Taehyung was the determinator of the bet length but my friends are stupid at best so they overlooked that. I was going to be slutty Santa anyways so I didn’t really care what they did. The only surprise was Taehyung being a freak and wearing a suit as well. Can you believe it was just because he wanted to be festive and not to get someone to sit in his lap?”

You can only sniffle and nod, internally questioning if trying to find your soulmate today was really a good idea. Mina did warn you about the potential heartbreak but you had been stubborn and unwilling to listen. The universe has had it out for you thus far, so why would it suddenly take pity on you and make things easy? “Hey, hey don’t give up. I’ll send you the shelter address and you can stop by when you’re ready. He should be there all day, his family is coming up here tomorrow so he has nothing better to do.” Jin says.

“You don’t think this is stupid? That I’m searching for something that clearly wasn’t meant to happen?”

“I don’t think any matter of the heart is something to criticize. If you really wanna find your soulmate you will, I believe in you. And Hobi must’ve believed in you too if he gave you our government names and locations. He wouldn’t give them out to strangers he didn’t trust. Or at least I hope he doesn’t, I’m much too beautiful to be held hostage.”

“Thanks Jin. That was oddly encouraging.”

“There’s nothing that a pretty face can’t fix. Now if you’ll excuse me, I must coast to the gas station and stand there until someone offers to pay for me. The sugar daddies are normally out right about now so that’s my queue. And when you find your soulmate, tell him he and his garbage truck stomach owe me groceries.”

“You know who it is?” You ask and Jin only shrugs.

“Maybe, maybe not. I’ll see you at the next party y/n.” He winks.

12 hours, 28 minutes, 12 seconds until Christmas

“Did you find them?” Songi asks excitedly when you enter the apartment and you shake your head in reply. You’re not exactly completely discouraged but you feel nowhere near as excited and prepared as you were earlier. “I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?” She asks, tentatively sitting on the couch beside you.

“Can we just watch a fun movie or something? i don’t really want to think at the moment.”

“How about a drama instead? Someone I know really loves Goblin.” She sings, already reaching for the remote.

“Goblin would be nice. It’s been a while since I’ve watched it.” You hum, snuggling under a fluffy blanket thrown across the back of the couch and curling up next to Songi.

“You want some popcorn? I can make hot chocolate or something if you want.” She offers but you shake your head and lean your head on her shoulder.

“I just want to mindlessly watch some dramas and pretend I’m the main characters.” You say and she merely nods before turning Goblin on.

“We can do that.” You both settle in comfortably, your body easing as the stress and emotional toll begin to weigh on you. Maybe what you needed was to just relax before putting yourself back out there. Besides Taehyung was supposed to be at the shelter all day, you had plenty of time. And even if you missed Taehyung, even if you didn’t find your soulmate by Christmas, you wouldn’t truly be alone. You had Songi right here with you, someone who had already offered to bring you with her when she saw her family tomorrow. It was with this warming realization that you finally allowed yourself to stop thinking, and close your eyes to get a peaceful sleep.

8 hours, 32 minutes, 56 seconds until Christmas

“You two took a nap and I wasn’t invited? You know napping is my favorite part of the day.” Mina whines, setting bags down onto the kitchen counter before squeezing between you and Songi on the couch. “Oo I love this scene! Though I have to say Nam Joo Hyuk’s swim scenes in weightlifting fairy were the best part of any drama I’ve seen thus far. When I tell you I almost drooled.” She sighs, batting away the pillow that Songi attempts to hit her with.

“How dare you talk about my man like that.” Songi huffs dramatically before pouting. “Besides he’s best as Nam Do San. If I could marry any character it’d be him.”

“He’s cute but I wouldn’t want him.” You say.

“Yes, yes. We all know you like your men older.” Mina cackles, wiggling her eyebrows at you suggestively.

“Hey they don’t have to be! I just- I don’t know, I want someone who could take care of me.”

“In all ways.” Mina giggles, her voice choked when you smack her dead in the face with the pillow beside you.

“None of that in my christian household!” You giggle to which she gasps, accosted.

“Then tell Songi to stop her weird thigh club thing!”

“I am part of the weightlifting club it’s not my fault we focus on squats!” Songi says, her voice rising significantly higher as she attempts to defend herself.

“Look me in the eyes and tell me you didn’t join because you heard Wonho was the president.” Mina challenges, giggling when Songi’s cheeks bloom pretty roses.

“Sh-shut up. If you can have your hoe hours so can I. Besides Wonho’s my friend now, so I don’t admire them as much anymore.”

“You’re right, you admire them respectfully.” You add, laughing harder when Songi flips you off in retaliation.

“I hate you all. I need someone who will truly love me and be on my side.” She whines, standing up and moving to put on her shoes by the front door.

“Where are you going now?” Mina asks.

“To get a cat!” Songi exclaims, grabbing her bag off the rack by the door and storming out. You know she’s not really mad, but you also know there’s a one-hundred percent chance she’s coming back with a cat despite your lease directly stating it doesn’t allow animals.

You settle back onto the couch before your eyes widen and you jump up to put on your own shoes. “And where are you going?”

“I need to go to the shelter to see Taehyung and Songi’s the only one with a car!” You shout, running out the door and after her. You sprint down the stairs, it’s the most exercise you think you’ve gotten this year, and make it into the parking garage just as Songi unlocks her car. “Songi wait! Let me come with.” You yell, crossing over to her and throwing the passenger door open before she can say no.

“If you’re also getting a cat I get first dibs. It was my idea after all.” She says, waiting patiently for you to buckle up before pulling out. “Hey can you find directions for the nearest shelter? I know there’s one on third but I have no idea where third is.”

“Yeah I have the address for one.” You say, pulling up the place Jin sent you.

8 hours, 16 minutes, 24 seconds

The shelter itself is pretty small, but there’s a large fenced-in play area in the back. It’s filled with new toys and the sight makes you smile, especially at the few puppies that topple over each other when they trip while chasing one another. Your eyes linger on them a little longer and your heart pangs a little as you miss your dog from back home. You were supposed to see your family this winter season but all the flights in your home city were too expensive so you’ll have to see them after New Years instead. While you’ll get to see your family in a little over a week, you still miss them greatly especially when everyone is talking about going home to their own families.

“Do you want a dog instead?” Songi asks and you shake your head.

“No I don’t think I’m getting any pets. I have a umm friend who works here though.” You say, tucking your arm around hers and dragging her inside.

“Do you think they’ll give me a discount?” She asks, squeezing your arm when you tense at the little bell ringing above the door. At this point you hate bells and anything that has to deal with them.

“Maybe.”

“I’ll give you them free if you get two.” A smooth voice says, a boy with a black mullet and sharp eyebrows stepping in from the back. He smiles widely at you, rosy lips drawing into an almost blinding smile.

“Two might be a bit much for us.” You laugh stiffly. “I think we’re fine with just one.”

“Cat or dog?” He asks.

“Cat. Do you have any old cats? I’d like to give an elder guy a happy home.” Songi smiles and the beautiful man’s brows pinch.

“Taehyung is more familiar with the cats, I’ll go get him so he can show you around.”

“Sweet, thanks.” She says with a nod, tapping her feet to an imaginary beat. “Do you think I’ll find one that likes me? What if they all hate me?” Songi asks you, worry painted in her features.

“I’m sure they’ll all adore you. You’re difficult to not love.” You tell her, her shoulders sagging in relief.

“I just want to give them all the love in the world.” She says. “Oh do you think they sell collars? Something’s jingling.” She comments and before you can say anything the boy you first ran into last night appears. His boxy smile graces his features, dark eyes and long lashes fluttering as his gaze fixates on Songi.

“You’re the one looking for a cat?” He asks, his baritone voice causing a blush to rise to her skin. In fact, his voice when paired with his features seems to have glitched her brain out because she’s not moving at all. Her mouth is agape, her eyes wide as she takes in Taehyung. Several seconds have passed and she has yet to even so much as breathe. You nudge her shoulder and she seems to reboot, giving him a sheepish smile.

“Yeah.” She says breathily.

“Jaebum told me you wanted one of the older ones. I’ll show you the ones who’ve been here the longest too.” He says, urging you to follow him through the door on the left. “The first section is where we keep the older ones, hoping they’ll catch someone’s eye before they see the kittens.” He explains, gesturing to a large enclosure filled with cat beds and towers.

“Can we go inside?” Songi asks and Taehyung nods, opening the gate and allowing you both to enter before a cat can escape. Songi instantly takes a liking to a white fluffy one that’s sprawled on a blue bed in the corner. It’s ears twitch with each step she makes and she pauses when she’s an arms reach away.

“Hello.” She begins introducing herself to the cat and your eyes flicker to Taehyung who gazes at her almost fondly. Your stomach sinks because it’s clear you’re much more aware that Taehyung doesn’t have a belled collar in his pocket than Songi. Seeing her so clueless to her inevitable soulmate standing so close by allows you to give yourself forgiveness for being so clueless yesterday.

“That one’s named Gucci. Named him myself because he’s a rare breed.”

“Does that mean he’s going to be expensive too?” She jokes.

“Probably, he’s an old guy after all. Sometimes they develop health complications. This boy right here is thirteen and has been here for about two years I think?” Taehyung supplies and Songi immediately frowns.

“My poor baby.” She coos, gently reaching forward to scratch behind his ear and then further under his chin. “You wanna come live at my house? I’ll sneak you all the chicken you want.”

The cat just blinks at her, rather slowly, before sniffing her palm. Songi immediately takes this as a yes and tells Taehyung that she’ll take him. “A good choice if I must say so myself. You two look cute together.” Taehyung smiles before his eyes widen until they’re nearly entirely round like he didn’t realize what he was saying until it was already out of his mouth. He doesn’t retract them or try and make them less flirtatious however. He merely just walks away with a slight blush decorating the apples of his cheeks while mumbling about leaving to get paper work and a soft crate.

“You like him right?’ Songi asks and you just shrug despite the large smile pulling at your face.

“Taehyung? He seems really sweet.” You giggle to which she shushes you vehemently.

“He might hear you! Besides he’s way out of my league, there’s no way he’d like me back. Plus I already have a man in my life and he’s right here.” She tugs Gucci into her lap, pressing a small kiss to his nose.

“I will not let you turn into a cat lady. You’re already a hermit at twenty.”

“But people make me nervous.” She whines. Taehyung enters again before you can comment any further, the soft crate draped over his shoulder with a fluffy blanket tucked inside.

“I’ll come in with you and when you’re done signing, I’ll put him in the crate. Sometimes they put up a fight when you try and get them in there and I don’t want him scratching you.” Taehyung tells Songi and she just nods along. You can tell she’s stalling because the two pages takes her about five minutes, as she pretends to care about having neat handwriting. You’re pretty sure she’s working up the nerve to say something to Taehyung so you decide to do it for her.

“Taehyung do you have a collar on you? I think Gucci would look really cute with one with like a bowtie bell.” You ask and his mouth parts slightly open, brows pulled together in confusion. It gives off a similar vibe to when your puppy cocks his head to the side when it can’t figure out what you’re saying.

“We don’t have any collars here. We don’t want the animals to get caught on anything and owners usually like to pick out their own.”

“You mean you don’t have one in your pocket?” Songi asks, equally as confused. You love her but for being so academically smart she can be so slow.

“No.” Taehyung says before turning to her with startled eyes. “You can hear bells?”

“Yeah. Should I not be able to?”

“I can hear them too!” He yells, startling half the cats but he pays them no mind as he pulls her into a tight embrace. “I’m so happy, you don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for you…my soulmate.” He says it dreamily even though Songi is right in front of him and although your chances of finding your own is dwindling significantly you can’t help but be happy for your friend. She’s lit up under Taehyung’s attention, smiling so wide you think your own cheeks are starting to hurt. “And you my little man,” Taehyung says, squishing Gucci’s head between his large hands. “I’m going to be your dad!”

7 hours, 45 minutes, 31 seconds until Christmas

After finally convincing Taehyung to let Songi go, only under the terms that you’ll meet him at a nearby diner to get food, you wind up back in your apartment. Mina is gone, probably either on her way home or out with Hoseok so it’s quiet when Songi enters with Gucci. It’s probably a good thing as Taehyung warned you both that moving was quite stressful for a cat and he’d want a quiet room to hang out by himself until he felt comfortable. Gingerly taking him to her room, Songi sets up his things before opening Gucci’s crate and quietly closing the door. “I hope he doesn’t pee on my stuff.” She comments suddenly.

“I doubt it. He probably won’t even leave the crate for a few hours.”

“You think he’ll like it here?” Songi asks, following you out of the apartment and back down to her car. Taehyung wanted to go to somewhere near his work since he biked there this morning and Songi was happy to oblige even if she normally hates driving at night.

“I think so, I know you’ll shower him with as much love as you can. He’d have no reason not to like it.”

“Taehyung?” She asks, laughing to herself for parroting you from earlier. “I know, you meant the cat. But on a serious note, the cat will like me better than him right? It’d be so depressing for my cat to like my boyfriend more than me.”

“Mmm that one is hard. Your boyfriend is scarily beautiful.”

“Hey! You’re supposed to be on my side.” Songi whines.

“I am, I’m just speaking facts. It doesn’t mean you’re not beautiful too.” Your phone buzzes and it’s a text from Mina asking what your plans are for tonight. You guess Mina didn’t go home after all.

“Is it okay if Mina comes along? Hobi’s probably with her too.” You ask, already typing out a reply because you know Songi will agree.

“That’s fine. But hey, can you give me directions again? I really don’t know where I’m supposed to be going.”

4 hours, 47 minutes, 27 seconds until Christmas

Songi is sidled up beside Taehyung, his arm resting on her leg while Hobi has his arm wrapped around Mina’s shoulders. You’re all crammed inside a small circular booth, mountains of food spread around the table as you joke around about nothing in particular. You had forgotten Taehyung and Hobi were close friends, having met so many of said friends that it feels like everyone is just a friend of a friend. And yet despite being the only one without a significant other, you don’t feel left out or lonely. In fact, you’re the happiest you’ve been these past two days as you listen to Taehyung ramble on about the time he had to streak across campus.

“Should I be horrified that the campus security guards know what my boyfriend’s dick looks like before I do?” Songi laughs.

“Hey they only got a preview, you get the full movie.” She giggles to which you all collectively groan.

“Gross!” Songi says, making Taehyung beside her pout.

“I don’t know why I thought finding Hobi would make you any less shameless.” You chuckle.

“Hey you all love me like this. Take it or leave it as they say.” Mina says, dipping a fry in ranch before popping it into her mouth. “You sure you can handle all this Hobi?” She asks to which he only winks. Lord help you, there’s two of them.

“I think our best moment was when we convinced Namjoon to sneak into the science labs and set all the testing rats free. Imagine this like six foot tall man screaming as a bunch of little white rats chase after him.” Taehyung giggles.

“What he didn’t know was that Jungkook had stuffed cheese into the pockets of his cargo pants so the rats were trying to get a midnight snack.” Hobi snickers.

“Where’d they all go?” Songi asks.

“They just kinda scattered around campus. I’m sure half of them live near the dining halls now.” Hobi says.

“Do you think they formed packs? Or are they like Remy from Ratatouille and are going to take over as chefs. The dining halls could really use an upgrade. Remember when we used to trek across campus just to get a decent dinner?” Taehyung asks.

“I’m not sure. Why don’t you two go and ask them?” Mina snickers.

“Jungkook.” They both say suddenly like that’s a reasonable and valid answer.

“Jungkook.” You repeat, the words somewhat familiar on your tongue. Why did you know that name? Pulling out your phone you look back to the list of names Hoseok had given you of those who wore Santa costumes and gasp. “Jungkook!”

“Yes that is his name.” Taehyung adds dryly.

“Jungkook was wearing a Santa suit! At the party. He’s one of the two left. Do you know where I can find him?” You ask and Hobi shrugs.

“He’s probably gone home by this hour. He was whining so much about missing his mom that I’m sure he left earlier this morning to go see her sooner.” You visibly deflate and Taehyung decides to offer up additional advice.

“Jungkook and Namjoon live together. That’s two of your list right? I’ll send you the address and you can see if anyone is home.”

“Don’t you think that’s a violation of privacy?” Hobi whispers.

“Nah it’s fine. A bunch of porn sights probably track their location with all the viruses Namjoon downloads anyways.” Taehyung says this so casually that you wonder if a big part of Namjoon’s personality is liking erotic videos. You really hope not, soulmate or not. You have a threshold for that type of conversation and Mina is relatively mild but even she regularly meets said threshold.

“Anyways, they’re not that far from here if you want me to walk you there. I live nearby anyways.” Taehyung offers.

“If you’re sure.”

“No problem.”

4 hours, 15 minutes, 53 seconds until Christmas

The apartment building is small, the colors muted brown and had Taehyung not pointed it out to you, you would’ve missed it entirely. The only source of light is small patio lights strewn between the buildings, the likes of which are only a few stories tall. Taehyung tells you the apartment number before riding off, leaving you to your own devices. Except, you realize too late that despite the buildings being rather old they’ve upgraded to modern systems. Which means you need a fob to get in. You could walk home and call it a night, but at this point you’re just annoyed and stubborn. So instead you meander through the convenience store for a half hour, pretending that you care about the difference between regular and kettle chips when you spot someone walking towards the gate. Abandoning the aisle, you hurry out of the store and cross the street.

“Hey! I lost my fob could you let me in?” You ask, a pleasant smile on your face to try and sway the guy. You can’t see his face well, it’s obscured by a black baseball cap but you can see the distrust in his eyes. “Please?” You try again.

“I guess.” He mumbles, holding the door for you to slip inside. You have half a mind to warn him against doing such things in the case of strangers only to realize that you are the stranger in this situation.

“Thanks!” You say, hurrying away before he can kick you out. The guy working the convenience store was definitely taking note of your blatant loitering and he didn’t seem like the type to ignore it. It turns out the building coordination here is quite complex because while you’d think 101-106 would be on the right and 093-100 on the left, 093-100 is actually the next building over. It’s like they put the apartment numbers in a random generator and just let that decide the order. You’re making your fifth round of building B like a creep when you decide to just sit in the stairwell in shame. It’s clear this apartment complex is your own personal form of hell for trying to best the soulmate system which so clearly doesn’t want you to find your soulmate before the holidays. You already have your phone out to call Mina and express your woes when you hear the door below you attached to the stairwell open. Before you can scramble out of the way a pair of multicolored chunky sneakers stand on the step beneath your own.

“You okay?” The stranger asks and you just nod. “Are you sure? You look a little lost.”

“Metaphorically and physically, yes I am very lost. I have somehow found my soulmate and forgot them within the same day, I’ve been running around the city chasing after fucking Santa like an insane person and I have no idea where the fuck apartment 387 is.” You sigh, glad to release at least some of your pent up frustration. The stranger takes a minute before holding out a hand for you to grab.

“Lucky for you I happen to know where apartment 387 is.” His smile is indented by deep dimples, nicely framing thick lips.

“Really?” You ask, slipping your hand into his own and allowing him to drag you up.

“Sure thing. If you’re this determined to meet your soulmate I’m sure they’re equally distraught at not finding you yet.” He offers thoughtfully and you just hum.

“I don’t know, don’t you think I’d have run into them by now? I’ve been all around the city today.”

“Two moving pieces are just as hard to connect as two not moving at all.” The stranger offers before stopping in front of door 387. Just as you’re about to thank him he unlocks it and looks back at you with a wide smile. “How about you come in and have a drink? He should be home soon anyways. Probably equally as frustrated as yourself.”

“If it’s not a bother…”

“Hey you’re my best friend’s soulmate, you’ll never be a bother. Besides I try and do one good deed a day, so reuniting lost lovers can be that.”

“Funny, Yoongi said the same thing.” You muse to yourself.

“Who do you think taught him? I’m Namjoon by the way.” You freeze, mind struggling to pair the apparent porn addict with the insightful, sophisticated man in front of you. He notices this pause and frowns. “What did one of my idiots for friends say?”

“Uhh…maybe just something about porn.” You mumble and Namjoon just takes a moment to deeply sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers.

“You should know they’re the ones who asked me to download it.” He huffs. “Chamomile or hot chocolate?”

“Hot chocolate is just fine.” You say, taking a a moment to observe the apartment. It’s decorated rather warmly, rich browns and black melding with soft orange. It feels a bit like you’re sitting at the edge of a bonfire, admiring the pretty glow it casts on everything. “Your decoration is really nice.” You say, taking note of the little wooden figures strewn across the living room. A small glass bunny makes you smile.

“Thanks I decorated it myself. I double major in interior design and business.”

“You think you could decorate my apartment? It’s terribly bland because my roommates and I all have different taste in decorating.”

“Sure thing, send me the dimensions and I’ll pick some stuff out. A lot of this is thrifted or from local vintage shops, so it’s not nearly as expensive as it seems.”

“Smart shopping, very sustainable.”

“What can I say? I’m a glutton for shopping but a stickler for lessening environmental footprints.” Namjoon says and you laugh, hiding your smile behind the mug he hands you. He even went so far as to add whipped cream at the top with chocolate shavings.

“Thank you. This is the best hot chocolate I’ve had so far.”

“Cool! I got some imported Belgian chocolate and-“

“Joonie I can’t do this anymore.” A third voice sounds before their body even enters the apartment, the front door thrown open carelessly as they flop themselves onto the couch. A jingle plays itself in your head, the bells have a rather bright sound. Namjoon urges you forward and you carry your mug with you just to keep your hands from shaking. “I’ve gone all over the city for nothing and of course when I come home to wallow in pity the bells are mocking me. They’re getting louder with each passing second Namjoon!” They whine, voice slightly muffled by the pillow.

“Would you like a hot chocolate?” You ask and they sit up so quickly that you jump back, sloshing some of the hot liquid onto your wrist. “Fuck! That’s so hot.” You whine, your supposed soulmate jumping over the back of the couch and holding your wrist gently in their hand.

“Shit, I’m so sorry.” They say, but you can’t even feel the burn because your nerves are too focused on his touch. Goosebumps scatter across your skin, as he hurries you into the kitchen to run cold water over your wrist. His mouth is moving a mile a minute, murmuring apologies and yet you can only fixate on the mole on his lower lip and the way his dark hair hangs in his eyes, long lashes blinking away stray strands. His nose is strong, a pretty curve making it much too enticing for you to not kiss it at least once. He seems to notice you’re not paying attention because he finally turns to face you head on and it’s only then does he seem to recognize you.

Similarly to last time his eyes are wide, several emotions running through them that you attempt to read: confusion, surprise, relief. He almost sags against you, pulling you into him before you can even think of anything to say. With your nose tucked into his neck, you can feel his small tremors and attempt to suppress them by pulling him in tighter. “I-I didn’t think-“

“I know.” You shush him softly, taking in how warm and solid he is, how real he feels beneath your palms. He smells like fresh linen, and when he finally pulls far away enough that you can look into his eyes you kiss the tip of his nose. His cheeks flush but the hands on your waist tighten. “I’ve looked everywhere for you, you know?”

He scoffs. “I could say the same. Why’d you disappear yesterday? I thought maybe you realized you didn’t..want me.”

“That could and would never be it.” You reassure him, running a hand through his hair to push it out of his face. “I hate for this to be our first meeting but I was super drunk when we met. I couldn’t really think and my friend thought I was really sick so she took me home before I had the chance to say anything.”

“Jin did say you drank an entire bottle of schnapps. Thanks for that by the way, now I owe him a new bottle.”

“He knew?! Why didn’t he save us the heartbreak and force us together?” You ask and he turns his head towards the small kitchen window.

Scratching the back of his neck, he mumbles, “that might’ve been my fault. I was supposed to be hosting with Joon but decided I didn’t want the mess. By then word already got out so someone had to host. You could say this was my punishment that you unfortunately had to suffer through as well.”

“Next time I’m going to pour his schnapps down the drain instead. Better yet, we’ll buy a bottle, drink it and replace it with thick water!” You huff and he smiles.

“I like the way you think. But what is thick water?”

“I heard it’s the consistency of snot. I guess drinkable jello would be the closest texture.” He scrunches his nose in distaste and you smile. He’s so cute.

“I uhh-I’m Jungkook by the way. I don’t think I mentioned that.”

“Y/n.” He stares at you for a moment before placing both hands on your cheeks and placing a tender kiss to your lips. It’s soft and warm, very much like the man who stands in front of you.

“You’re the best gift I could’ve ever asked for.” He says and despite the cheesy line the sincerity with which he speaks warms you. His hand falls to your own, only when he brushes against your wrist do you hiss and the moment is broken. “Shit, I forgot. Don’t worry baby, I took sports medicine in high school, I’ll fix it up real quick.”

0 hours, 0 minutes, 10 seconds

Jungkook’s arms wrap tightly around your frame, the both of you cuddled into the thickest blanket he could find as you gaze at the city around you. Your wrapped wrist sits carefully against your chest, a heart drawn over the fabric by Jungkook himself. The city lights are so pretty at night, the sky clear enough that if you strain your eyes you can even make out a few stars. The only stars you’re concerned about though are the ones in Jungkook’s eyes, glittering prettily as the sign from the convenience store across the street illuminates them. He takes a sip of Namjoon’s hot chocolate from a thermos before handing it to you, brushing your hair out of your face that’s been displaced by the slight breeze. Despite the fact that you’re both shivering you don’t think you’ve been this warm in a while. It’s part of the reason you insisted to stay out here just a little bit longer even though Jungkook’s warm bed is waiting for you downstairs. You just wanted to be in your own world a little longer, wanting to have an excuse to mold yourself as closely against Jungkook as humanly possible. Clicking his phone the time illuminates, 11:59, staring back at you before flicking to 12:00.

“Merry Christmas Jungkook.” You murmur pressing a chaste kiss to his lips as he smiles.

“Merry Christmas baby.” He says. Your eyes fall back onto his own and he’s looking at you as if you’re his whole world. You know your own mirror the same sentiment and you press closer to connect your lips to his own, writing your future along his tongue.

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shiversdownyerspine · 4 years

Text

5. Deprived

Gettin a little hot in here. :B

18+

The kittens arrive in the quiet of the night, stars dotting the deep dark blanket of sky. Sleep had failed to find you, and so you had shuffled your pajama-clad way to your kitchen with a chunky knit blanket wrapped around your chilly shoulders. The thick charcoal colored material dangles to the backs of your knees as you wait impatiently for your kettle to boil water for a big cup of chamomile tea.

As the water softly bubbles to your earnest desires of being lured to sleep, you find yourself distracted by a soft knock on your front door. You perk up, knowing by experience that this would be your nameless, faceless animal transporter. And just like with every other task animal, when you open the door you find nobody in sight, just a randomly sized pet kennel resting on your doorstep. You kneel and scoop up the crate to bring it inside.

Excitement momentarily stealing away your drowsiness, you quickly switch off the heat of your stove and carry your cargo to your room. Tea can wait a moment, the water will still be plenty hot by the time you're done. Closing the door behind you, you take a quick peek to find two fuzzballs huddled together at the back of the crate. The kittens are awake but clearly tired, and judging from their quivering bodies, probably a little bit stressed. Not wanting to cause more discomfort, you quietly unlock the kennel door to slowly reach in and gather them up for a quick health check.

Eyes, ears, and noses look clear and healthy, tiny claws and whiskers and tails are where they should be, no bumps or scratches to be seen. You briefly tut at the lack of towel or blanket in their kennel, worried about the absence of warmth and comfort. You've tried requesting some basic amenities for when your task animals are being prepared for delivery, but your needs have yet to be met. You're fairly certain by now that they never will be.

Both kittens are male and look to be around seven weeks old, still a bit too young to be neutered. As a matter of fact, they are still too young to be away from their mother, but some things just can't be helped. Judging by the pale bodies and dark brown coloration of their ears, face, tails, and paws, they are chocolate points. Satisfied, you pop the babies back inside and grab up the fluffy towel waiting on your dresser, carefully pushing it in and around the kittens before moving them to your bathroom.

Nestling their kennel in the corner of their 'room', you drape another blanket over them to offer privacy and leave the crate door open a crack for if they choose to explore. Softly closing the door to your bathroom, you head out of your bedroom and step once more to your kitchen to finally fix your mug of tea. Hot drink in hand, your gaze settles on the stove clock which reads 4:57 AM. With a sigh, you sip your tea and tug your blanket further up your shoulder, lamenting the lack of sleep you will be suffering from come morning. You suppose in the end you'll just have to rely on good ol' fashioned coffee to offer you any sort of alertness today. Resigned, you wander off to your bedroom, but are interrupted before you can make it there.

Midstep, you nearly drop your mug when the door to your guest room opens and there in the doorway stands a groggy, long john wearing Otto. Long hair ruffled and eyes half-lidded, he peers down at you questioningly. You freeze, your eyes sweeping up and down over his defined muscles before a blush rises to your cheeks and you drop your gaze to your feet, murmuring an apology for waking him and quickly explaining away the disrupted sleep because of the kittens arrival. You apologize once more and quickly scurry to your room as a befuddled Otto looks on, wondering why you had been up long before the kittens arrived.

Three cups of coffee in, the morning comes and goes relatively uneventfully. You do have to insist to an avidly interested Oscar that he wait just a little while longer to meet the kittens as they are still waking up and quite uncertain about their new home. You promise after their breakfast he can visit, lightly patting the grumbling man's back in reply as his brothers drink their coffee. With kitten food in hand, you hope this will help coax the babies out of their kennel. You amusedly eye Butternut and Pumpkin who are crowded around the door to your room, smelling intently.

You nudge them away with a hum of, "In due time you goofs."

To your delight the kittens perk up noticeably after feeding, and after some consideration you poke your head out your room to softly call for anyone interested to come see. As long as they keep the other cats out, that is. Oscar is naturally the first one up out of his chair while Axel and Otto hesitate before joining their younger sibling. They were simply bored, but they did have some interest in the mystery surrounding you and thereby extending to your room as well.

You tell the brothers to mind their feet before noticing Otto subtly eyeing your odd assortment of bits and bobs you have collected in a small jewelry box that had long since lost its shine and its lid. As Oscar and Axel carefully slip into the bathroom, they linger to watch you curiously from the doorway as you step to Otto to reach in your treasure box.

"I'm a bit of a collector, if something has a good texture and makes an impression, I tend to keep it."

An old bullet casing brushes your searching fingertips; you hold up the item for Otto to take, which he does, warm fingers brushing against your own slender digits. He rolls the hollow shell between thumb and forefinger as he inspects it closely. Perusing your other little knickknacks, you muse aloud how you never really plan to do anything with the trinkets, just allow yourself to indulge in an odd whim every once in a while.

Hearing the squeaky inquisitive sounds from the kennel in your bathroom, you and your little entourage find your attentions being redirected. With a gentle bump of your knuckles against Otto's wrist, you motion to follow you. Behind you the man's eyes drag up and down your figure in a surreptitious slide, settling minutely on the full curve of your rear before forcing himself to focus instead on the little jewelry box as he returns the tiny article to its rightful place.

With curiosity sated and more information shared about the tiny fuzzy additions to your home, you usher your guests out of your room as the kittens settle in for a much needed nap. You're tempted to follow their lead and crash on your bed, but you have a couple more things to do. One task being to introduce the towel you had rubbed the two kittens down with to your cats as a pseudo meeting. The Swedes watch in the living room from the sofa as Pumpkin takes a whiff, fluffs up, and slinks away while Butternut just plops herself down next to the towel like it's the most interesting thing she's ever smelled.

The other task? Well, technically you owe Axel and his brothers a tidbit of information after you refused to answer a question about your feathers during his 'interrogation'. And as you admit to the Swedes that you owe them some extra information, Oscar jumps right in.

"What is...favorite animal..no..task animal?"...It's technically against the rules, but it's a good question so you'll allow it.

Excited, you gush, "My pekin duck! Now, I love all my animals, but being my very first task, she's special. Most likely she was going to be prepared for food but the target never made it to dinner. She was wild-caught so it wasn't difficult to rehabilitate and release her. Good thing the woods have a lake. Well, more of a glorified pond really, but she loves it."

Axel side-eyes you slyly, "Duck makes good meal, shame."

You gasp, "No!..Well okay, probably, but I could never eat Ducky!"

Simultaneously, Axel's brows lifted high, Otto choked, and Oscar gasped, "Ducky?! Her name?"

You hesitate, ears red, before exclaiming proudly, "Yes, Ducky. Ducky the Pekin duck...come on this shouldn't surprise you, I named my cats after squash! Don't you dare laugh!"

Otto was roughly huffing into his fist as you floundered. Oscar had shifted closer to you with a wide grin, bumping his knee against yours.

Axel smirked, teasingly sounding out the two syllables, "Duck-y..."

The glare you send his way is intended to be irritated, but is quickly ruined by your twitching lips fighting back a smile.

"I-It's a childhood thing! I couldn't bring myself to call her anything else!" You rub your cheeks, as if that would somehow lift the vivid color from your face.

"The lake by our orphanage had a variety of birds, and every single one in that water was Ducky. I was too young to really care about the differences. Also it drove our poor caretaker crazy, which ah...kind of enforced the habit."

Your mirth falters as you process your little slip up...that's what your lack of sleep gets you, you suppose. Okay, no use fretting. Push on.

"So when I saw my first animal, her name was already decided really." You smooth the material of the towel in your hands, relaxing your posture.

"Chickens." You blink, looking quizzically to Axel. He nods towards Oscar.

Otto shifts his weight from one leg to the other, hands tugging his suspenders as he adds, "Chicken thief."

Your gaze settles on the youngest Swede with a playful gasp, "Oscar, really?"

The man meets your feigned incredulity with his ever-wicked smirk and declares with devilish pride, "Salt and Peppar."

It clicks, "...You named them after seasoning. Because you were going to eat them?"

Axel drags his eyes from Oscar to you, "Eventually."

You can't help but giggle, the three men twitching at the sound, "So, when you were younger you stole chickens? Wait wait, I'm going to guess...it wasn't just Oscar..and he roped you two into it?"

Oscar barks a laugh as the other two sigh and nod. You grin, "Goodness, chicken thieves in my home. Did you all get caught?"

Smug, Oscar shook his head as Otto responded, "Nej. Too fast. We...kept for eggs, ate later...old age."

You bump your elbow gently against Oscar's arm, immediately drawing his attention to you, "I've never had chickens before, but my old Ducky does have a bit of an attitude. How were Salt and Peppar?"

Axel snorts, leaning forward, "Angry. Not bad killing mice. Also good flavor."

Otto folds his arms across his chest, nodding in agreement. You chuckle, "Okay if any of you see Ducky, you can't eat her. It's just not allowed."

Still staring, Oscar licks his lips, "..Can we eat you?"

Axel and Otto tense, eyes boring holes into the scoundrel. You scoff, completely missing the lewd innuendo, "Oh ha ha clever; I have feathers, like poultry. Very funny."

You stand with a smile, realizing you should really grab some kind of food mat for the messy eaters resting in your bathroom before lunch time rolls around. You retreat to the kitchen to search while the brothers linger in the living room, staring Oscar down. Butternut in his arms, the youngest removes himself from the floor just to lazily stretch out on the sofa, innocent as can be as he ignores his brothers obvious ire. Pumpkin slips out from under the coffee table to hop up and settle on his stomach in classic cat-loaf position.

Axel begrudgingly turns his attention to you, recalling your cheeky attitude and fiery stubbornness concerning his prior questions in the kitchen a good while ago...yes, he won't deny how heat had pooled in his loins at your antics, bubbling even more when he glimpsed charming pink shyly sweep between your lips. But obviously it wasn't enough to tempt him; no, he didn't imagine himself seated at that very same chair, boots planted firmly on the kitchen floor as his hands squeeze your rear, bouncing you naked in his lap, fucking the defiance out of you as you moan and beg and promise you'll be good- he sucks in a breath, nostrils flaring. Taking a moment to reign in his hormones, he stalks off to the garden for fresh air, scowling all the while. Oscar.

Otto grimaces at Oscar's impertinence and clenches his hands, hesitating as remorse unsettles his stomach as he remembers the feel of you, your back against his front, his hands holding your body helpless and trembling with distress...and wonders instead about making you shake with something else; smoothing his hands over soft fabric to push under your sweater and up quivering belly to gently palm your breasts, pushing fabric away to bare them to his touch, fingers brushing your nipples, lightly pinching and plucking as your head lolls back, your hips rolling to push your ass against him- he exhales, trousers feeling just a tad uncomfortable. With a rough swallow, he lumbers off down the hallway to their room to...regain his composure. Fucking Oscar.

Oscar knows damn well what he's done. He's noticed the way his brothers' eyes linger on you, their growing infatuation not nearly as hidden as they thought. At least not from each other. Now they won't be able to get some rather debauched ideas out of their heads; just like he can't get rid of the thought of your pretty startled eyes blinking up at him, but instead of up, you're peering down, doe-eyed as he moves down your body and between spread legs, preparing to demonstrate the actual meaning of his joke as his hungry mouth hovers teasingly over your panties, just close enough that he can smell you as the heat of his breath warms the dampening fabric.

Oscar strains his neck to sneak a glance at you in the kitchen, adoration softening his expression as he hears your joyful exclamation when you track down the food mat for the kittens. It's possible you were just doing your hostly duties, but they all notice how you blossom as you accept their presence and he and his brothers gradually accept yours. He has no doubt his brothers are subconsciously beginning to consider you theirs; he saw with his own incredulous eyes as big, brutish Otto held you still, firm but careful, not a single feather crushed under fist...or how Axel, steely, stern Axel, was opening up to you about their own lives, tiny piece that it was. He had almost been stunned into silence with that one.

The thought of you in their beds had been just that; a tempting thought, conjured by night and temporarily sated come morning. But seeing his brothers' walls cracking, little by little? How curious. He can't resist giving his stubborn brothers a little push, jostling their imaginations, maybe some taunting thrown in to strain those cracks?...oh, this will be fucking fun.

#the swedes #ikea mafia #tua swedes #the swedes x reader #umbrella academy swedes #tua axel #tua otto #tua oscar #...sleep deprived and sex deprived ;D

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sherrybaby14 · 5 years

Text

Fall That Way

Characters: Geralt x Reader x Jaskier

Warnings: Threesome, smut, Alcohol

Words: 4K

Summary: You find yourself under the care of The Witcher and his Bard.

The sun beat down hard on your back. You wiped the thin line of sweat off your forehead as you tended to your garden.

It was tempting to go inside and cool down until the sun wasn’t at it’s highest, but your cottage provided self-sufficiency and that meant a time and a place for everything. Right now it was ensuring you had enough to eat for the winter.

“EEEEEEEE!” A shriek echoed across the trees. It was loud enough you brought your hands to your ears, pressing down to drown it out.

When the screaming died you turned to the forest. There shouldn’t be another soul for some distance. You’d lived here for two years and rarely saw any people.

“AAAAA!” The scream sounded again.

You glanced around, as if there would be someone magically appearing to tell you what this was, what you should do. Go inside the house and hide? What if someone was hurt? Was the noise even human? What if it was an animal?

The idea of a poor animal in pain made you drop your gardening tools and head out of the gate. You checked your skirt and felt for your knife. If the thing was too far gone you knew you’d have to put it out of it’s misery.

Branches scratched at your face as you went into the woods. You were not worried about getting lost as you went off the path and into the thick, more familiar with these trees than any city streets.

The noise grew louder, and you clutched your knife, hoping you would be able to nurse the poor thing back to health.

Branches rustled ahead and you knew you were getting close. The sun no longer felt warm, the canopy blocking the rays. A large tree was in front of you, you were certain the noise was on the other side.

You stepped forward when a sickening sound filled the air. Your breath caught in your throat as you gasped. A slicing sound came again, and you put your hands to your stomach.

The large tree fell forward, cut down. You looked at the forest floor and realized it wasn’t a tree at all. It was some sort of animal. Your eyes went back up to see a man standing there with crazed yellow eyes and white hair.

“A witcher?” You saw the shock and concern on his face. “Why?”

Then you lifted your hands from your stomach and saw the red. Blood? Your blood? You locked eyes with him, not understanding as the world started to spin and you fell to the ground.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” Geralt ran as fast as he could to Roach, holding the bleeding woman in his arms.

He wasted no time hoping on the horse and cradling her, urging the animal into action. What was she doing out there? She let out a groan against his chest. Still alive. He intended to keep it that way.

The nearest camp was a ten-minute ride. They were a temporary establishment, the ones who told him of the monster in the woods. There was a doctor there.

Time seemed to freeze as Geralt raced through the woods. He did his best to put pressure on the wound, but the warmth in his lap told him she was losing a lot of blood. He would make it in time. He had to.

Her breathing was shallow when he slowed Roach, arriving at the camp.

“Is there a medic?” Geralt held the woman to his chest as he walked among the tents. “MEDIC!”

A young man came out, his smile dropping when he saw the woman.

“Bring her here.” He waved. “What happened?”

“She was behind the Enkimara. I didn’t see her. My sword went through.” Geralt set her down on the cot.

“This is Y/N.” The Doctor opened her eyes. “She is something of a legend around here. Poor thing. Go get fresh water and bandages.”

The Doctor ripped at her dress, exposing the bloody skin.

“Will she live?” Geralt looked at the wound.

“Not without fresh water and bandages.” The medic went for some of his supplies.

Geralt let out a grunt and left the tent. He grabbed a barrel and headed to the river. His conscious couldn’t handle another innocent death by his sword.

“I suppose you can add nurse to your titles now.” The Doctor washed his hands.

“She will live?” Geralt didn’t take his eyes off the woman.

Her chest rose and fell with even breath, but her eyes didn’t open.

“Yes.” The Doctor grabbed two bottles. “Apply this to the wound and change the bandages twice daily. She should wake in a few days. See that she takes some of this one three times daily until it runs out.”

“I am not responsible for her.” Geralt held his hands up. “I am moving on.”

“When you stabbed her, you became responsible.” The Doctor took Geralt’s wrist and put the medicines in his palm. “She can’t stay here. We’re leaving now that the monster that was trailing us in slain.”

“You led that monster into her woods.” Geralt’s eyes flashed. “You hired me; you bear some responsibility for the girl!”

“By saving her life my debt is paid.” The Doctor shook his head.

“You said she is a legend. Does she have family I can take her to?” Geralt’s eyes went back to the girl.

“The legend is that her family was slaughtered by wolves and she was the soul survivor. Lives in isolation by choice, the beauty of the woods.” The Doctor rose an eyebrow. “Suiting she was stabbed by the white wolf, maybe beasts are her lot in life.”

Geralt glared at the Doctor.

“For a moment there it looked like you’re going to show some emotion. If I didn’t know any better, I would think you cared.” He smiled before turning around. “We leave at sun-up. If she is still here, this is where she will stay. Alone.”

The white wolf. Geralt hated that nickname, but Jaskier’s tune set it in stone for him. Jaskier.

“I’ll be back for her.” Geralt left the tent, knowing the perfect person to play nurse to the girl.

The pain in your stomach made you wince and groan as you turned to your side. Your lids were heavy, but you tried to open them.

“Oh!” A voice made you try harder. “You’re awake! Here. Drink this.”

Another person? Why was a person here? A hand went behind your head and lifted the glass to your lips. Through a haze you saw a man, dark hair. Why?

“That’s good. Swallow it down.” His voice was reassuring in a strange way. “Rest now. You’ve had quite the ordeal.”

“Who…” The word came out as a gurgle when unconsciousness came back.

Visions of a white-haired man, the slicing sound, the evil screams plagued your mind. Each time you came to the brunette was there to comfort you, offer you a drink before you fell back asleep. You didn’t know who he was and no longer cared because he felt more and more like comfort.

A pain in your stomach woke you. This time it wasn’t the shooting stabs. It was hunger. Your eyes opened easier and you looked around your bedroom as you sat up, moving slowly.

“Water?” The bed dipped as the man sat down, holding a cup to your lips.

You took the glass and narrowed your eyes at him as you leaned against the headboard.

“Looking much better today Beauty.” He smiled. “Getting your strength back.”

“Who are you?” You ignored the word Beauty. “Why are you here? What happened?”

“I am Jaskier. I am here to take care of you. Geralt of Rivia accidentally stabbed you in the gut.” He shrugged. “Does that answer your questions?”

“A Witcher stabbed me?” You pressed down on your stomach, feeling the bandage.

“On accident.” Jaskier scratched his head. “He was hunting an Enkimara. Terrible things. You took the tip of his sword and he rushed you to a doctor. Doctor said you were not to be left alone until you were healed. Geralt entrusted your care to myself, since you have no kin.”

“A stranger taking care of me in my own home after I was stabbed on my own land?” You shut your eyes in disbelief. “Wait, how did…”

“Geralt is a tracker. He found your house.” Jaskier seemed to read your mind. “No rest for a Witcher. The world needs him. So, again, name is Jaskier. At your service.”

Your stomach let out a growl and you winced.

“Ready for food? You’ve been asleep for five days.” He stood up. “I took the liberty of baking some bread and making some applesauce from your apple stash. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Five days? I can’t stay in bed.” You started to turn your legs.

“You must.” Jaskier touched your knee and moved your body. “I have been tending to you and your homestead. The animals are fed, the garden immaculate, the chores up to snuff.”

“You don’t understand.” You stared at his hand, trying to remember the last time you felt another person’s touch. “I have to prepare for the winter months or I will starve.”

“I am on top of it. Monitoring and preserving the foods. The beauty of the woods.” Jaskier smiled. “Did you know they tell stories about you? I know I look a sophisticated gentleman, but as I said before, all has been tended to. Relax, let your wounds heal. Do not leave the bed. Orders from nurse Jask.”

“Stories about me?” You watched him walk out of your bedroom.

What story would there be to tell? That you liked privacy? That you inherited this place from your aunt? That you were broke and needed to live off the land?

“Your family was slaughtered by wolves.” Jaskier came back with a plate of bread and applesauce. “You’re a murderess hiding out from the law. You’re a banshee, haunting the woods. And my personal favorite a good ole fashioned forest nymph, seducing men to their death.”

“I am afraid the truth is far less fanciful.” You rolled your eyes and pressed your lips. “Inherited this place from a distant relative, never knew my father, my mother died but not from a wolf and I don’t have any money so I don’t go into town.”

“You’re broke?” Jaskier looked disappointed. “That’s not much of a tale.”

“I know.” You picked up the bread. “I really need to lure richer men. That way when they die I can rob them too.”

The smile of Jaskier’s face dropped and he looked around the room, searching for confirmation. A giggle left your throat and you covered your lips.

“When your best friend is a Witcher you believe threats of the supernatural.” Jaskier pointed a finger at you.

Your giggle turned into a cough and you dropped the bread and shut your eyes, putting pressure on the pain in your stomach. The stab wound feeling like fire.

“Hey.” Jaskier’s hands were on your shoulder, guiding you back into a sleeping position. “You are in good hands. Try to rest.”

A wave of exhaustion came over you as you nodded your head.

“Thank you.” You drifted off to sleep before you heard a response.

You walked into the kitchen, still limping on the side with the wound. You were doubting your ability to ever stand up straight.

“Today was a good one.” Jaskier was right behind you, trying not to help. “Walked around the property three whole times.”

“You don’t have to stay with me.” You sat down at the table. “I am sure you have a life to return to. It’s been at least a month.”

“I made a promise to look after you until you were well.” Jaskier grabbed the pitcher and poured some water. “Don’t make me a liar.”

“I am well.” You gave a smile as you took a sip. “Or as well as well can be.”

“Maybe there’s more worth staying for.” Jaskier fiddled his thumbs as he sat in the chair next to you.

“Winter will set in soon. There will be lots of snow and it will be difficult to return to town.” You didn’t want to trap him here. “Aren’t you a traveling Bard? This is not the life for you.”

Jaskier nodded. He would leave some day. There was no future with the two of you. Both of you were too aware.

“I get to sing to you every night.” Jaskier smiled. “Do you miss the quiet?”

“What will you sing me tonight?” Your attraction to the man was growing, but this situation was temporary and you had no intentions of having your heart broken. Besides, he was a friend. That was all.

“A ballad about a beautiful woman who saved a lonely man.” Jaskier dropped his chin.

“I think I would like to hear that one.” You leaned closer to your friend, your heart beating faster as your brain yelled at you to lean away. “Though a song about a lovely man caring for a lost woman sounds just as tempting.”

“You know a lot about tempting.” Jaskier reached out and cupped your cheek.

This was a bad idea. You knew it was, but your heart craved the connection and you lowered your lips to meet his.

Knock. Knock. Knock. The sound made you jump and Jaskier’s hand fall as you looked to the door.

Equal parts of you wanted to hug and slap the person on the other side for ruining your moment.

When Geralt arrived in the nearest town he asked Jaskier’s whereabouts. To his surprise nobody had seen him.

The girl from the forest must have been healed by now. He expected a report from his friend, but with none he found himself on the steps of the cottage he had hoped never to return to.

It felt like eternity between his knock and the door opening. When he saw the gorgeous face starring up at him his breath caught in his throat.

She blinked several times, looking at him like he was an illusion.

“Geralt.” Jaskier appeared in the doorway behind the girl. “It’s good to see you.”

She looked down as Jaskier gave him a hug. Geralt froze, locking eyes with the beauty. He expected hatred in her eyes for what he had done, but there was more of hope.

“Not one for physical affection.” Jaskier backed away. “Right. What are you doing here?”

“I uhh came to check on you.” Geralt was no longer sure which person he was speaking to.

“Come in.” She back up and opened the door. “Please.”

He walked into the small kitchen. Two glasses of water on the table. He placed his satchel down on a chair.

“I was just telling Jaskier that I feel much better. Almost fine in fact.” She gave a nervous laugh. “Thank you, for seeing I was tended to.”

“Apologies.” Geralt couldn’t look at her. “For placing you in a position needing tending.”

“He means for stabbing you.” Jaskier walked around. “With his sword.”

“Yes.” She looked away from the Bard. “Subtlety is not lost on you.”

Geralt felt for the woman, living with Jaskier for a month could take its toll.

“If you’re well, we can leave you be.” Geralt narrowed his eyes at Jaskier. “Not wanting to overstay our welcome.”

“Nonsense.” The girl pulled out a chair. “The sun is setting. Stay the night. We can worry about the future in the morning.”

“Or Geralt can head back into town.” Jaskier laughed. “I know how he hates free rooms and a roof over his head. I am sure you have come from a victory. Why not celebrate?”

“I killed a night wraith.” Geralt reached into the satchel and pulled out a jug of wine. “And I was hoping to celebrate.”

“I haven’t had wine in years.” The girl’s eyes went wide. “Perfect to take the edge off.”

“Yes, the edge.” Jaskier glared at Geralt. “Like the one he stabbed you with.”

“You are acting stranger than usual.” Geralt was good at reading situations, but he was tired from fighting and traveling and not in the mood. “Why?”

Jaskier glanced at the woman and then back at him, nodding his head toward the door.

“Please, entertain us with your tales.” She sat down with three glasses. “I have never met a Witcher before.”

“Geralt isn’t much of a talker.” Jaskier sat down. “In fact, I’m sure he would rather go to bed.”

He looked between the two people. Jaskier wanted him to leave and the woman wanted him to stay. He’d put her through enough and hadn’t even met her.

“A Night Wraith is a curious creature…”

The Witcher talked and you asked questions, eager to keep him in the same room as you and Jaskier, not wanting to risk recreating the almost kiss.

Soon the singer gave up and joined the conversation, adding commentary to his friend’s stories. A smile came to your face as you enjoy the exchange. Whenever your nerves crept up you found yourself drinking more wine, the alcohol calming you down.

“A gold dragon?” Jaskier scoffed. “I don’t believe it.”

“They’re real.” Geralt lifted his leg. “I was surprised myself.”

Your eyes went to his leg. What a leg it was. Thick and powerful. You pinched your thighs together, trying not to imagine riding him. What a way to bury your feelings for Jaskier. Fuck his friend.

How long had it been for you? Too long.

“And you?” Jaskier touched your shoulder.

“What?” You jumped up and took another sip of wine.

“People have the wrong impression of you, much like they do Geralt.” Jaskier leaned back. “How does that make you feel?”

“Alone.” You gave a half smile.

Geralt gave a grunt, approving.

“Did they tell you I killed Jaskier in the town?” You locked eyes with the Witcher. “That I am some sort of woodland nymph and seduced him?”

“The suggestion was made.” Geralt leaned forward. “But I saw you, I made you bleed. You’re no monster.”

“And someone incapable of emotions would have left me there to die.” You licked your lips, filled with liquid courage. “You care.”

Jaskier cleared his throat and you turned to look at him. There was jealousy on his face. It was a look he wore well. Fuck you were turned on, and a bit drunk.

A month of teasing, tempting, wanting. You couldn’t take it any longer and jutted forward, grabbing Jaskier’s face. You pressed your lips to his. Soft, inviting, safe. He pulled you into his lap and deepened the kiss, your tongues swirling together.

Geralt moved his chair out, the sound made you whip your head and look at the mountain of a man as he rose.

“I will leave you two.” He blinked several times as if he didn’t believe what he was seeing.

In the morning Jaskier would be gone. What the two of you had was not love. You knew that, so did he. That was what had made taking this step so hard.

“No.” You stood up from Jaskier’s lap and held his hand as you rounded the table, your eyes glued to Geralt. “Stay. We all deserve some fun.”

You touched Geralt’s cheek. His eyes showed the struggle he was feeling. You didn’t want that. You didn’t want any thinking so you did as you had with Jaskier and pressed your lips to his.

“Mrph.” The Witcher’s kiss was hard. Possessive. You had to struggle to keep up as your lips parted together, his tongue dominating yours.

Jaskier’s hands were on your dress. He tugged at the bindings until the strings were undone and pushed the fabric down your shoulders. You dropped your arms and let him tug the thing away as you continued to kiss Geralt.

Your hands found the white haired man’s belt and you tugged open his fly.

“Mmm.” He pulled away and touched your hands. “This is not right.”

“Come now.” You reached up and licked his ear as you stepped out of your dress. “You already stabbed me once. You can do it again.”

Jaskier chuckled as his hands ran up your sides. You leaned back and wrapped an arm around his neck, tugging at the fabric.

Geralt’s eyes flashed at the sight of your naked figure and then his head ducked. His mouth found your chest and you fell back against Jaskier, looking over your shoulder as the singer’s lips were on yours again.

You moaned into his mouth as the Witcher flicked your nipple into a hard pebble. Sucking and teasing on the thing while you struggled with his pants. You turned your head, stopping the kiss with Jaskier.

The bard stripped behind you as you focused on Geralt’s pants. The things were tight.

His teeth grazed your tender bud and your knees almost gave out. He sucked hard before letting it fall from his mouth, a hunger on his face as he stood up and pulled his shirt over his head. You groaned at the sight of his chest, like he was chizzled by the gods.

“This is more than a strip tease.” Jaskier spun you around.

Your hands ran over his taunt, lean body. Different, but just as desirable. He pushed his pants down and his hard cock hit your body. You through your arms around his neck as you resumed kissing.

A hand cupped your pussy from behind and you arched your back, pressing yourself into the palm. Geralt’s fingers slid down your slit until they arrived at your opening and he slid a finger inside with ease.

You purred as you fell into Jaskier, rocking yourself against the Witcher. It felt so good, too good. You were being greedy.

Pulling your head back from Jaskier, you took in the lust on his face as you spit into your palms, licking each of your fingers before positioning one hand behind you and the other in front.

A huge grin crossed your face as you gripped each of the men. Both let out a moan as you started to stroke, squeezing their meaty cocks as you humped Geralt’s hand.

You whimpered when the Witcher’s finger vanished and you bucked against nothing.

“Keep that up and you won’t get your wish.” His hands found your waist.

You spread your legs and went up on your tip toes as he squatted down. Instead of stroking him you guided him to your pussy, rubbing the head up and down your wetness before you let go.

“Ah!” You gasped as he pushed inside, stretching you in the most beautiful way.

You mouth was on Jaskier’s chest and you began kissing, licking, and biting at his flesh while Geralt filled you from behind.

Your body moved forward, making your way down Jaskier’s chest until you were at a right angle. You licked your lips before kissing the tip of his cock. The singer leaned back against the table and you slid your mouth down his shaft, swallowing him inch by inch.

Being filled at both ends was a new experience, one that your body reacted to in all the right ways. You relaxed your jaw and moaned around Jaskier’s cock as Geralt’s hand found the apex of your sex.

He began to stroke your clit as he rocked in and out of you, setting the pace for your mouth bouncing up and down Jaskier’s cock.

One tasted delicious, his noises filling you with power while the other ignited your body in a glorious manner. Soul and person igniting at the same time. You moaned at the realization.

“Her mouth is too good.” Jaskier winced. “I won’t last much longer.”

“Ladies first.” Geralt grunted as he began moving faster. “Cum for us little Nymph.”

Jaskier’s hand wove into your hair. You couldn’t tell if he was trying to speed you up or slow you down, but your body started to twitch at his hands and the Witcher’s command.

“A Nymph.” Jaskier grunted. “That’s what you’ve always been. Putting us under your spell.”

You whined as the heat in your core began to grow. Your body was no longer your own, possessed by the men.

Geralt pushed harder or your nub, grinding it as he pumped into you wish such speed. You struggled to take Jaskier further, your jaw going numb in the most satisfying way.

“Yes a Nymph.” Geralt moaned. “I should have known all along. A desperate, needy Nyphm who is going. To. CUM!”

Your body exploded, the cocks sawing in and out of you too much. You writhed on them as pleasure flooded your veins. Both men followed you, Jaskier’s salty load barely hitting your tongue while Geralt emptied inside your womb.

When they left your body you would have fallen to the floor had hands not grabbed you. Your vision was blurry as you were carried to the bedroom.

“Tell me friend?” Jaskier kissed your forehead. “How does one slay a Nymph?”

“By making sure she is satisfied.” Geralt slapped your ass.

“Well by that accord, this hunt will take all night.” Jaskier squeezed you tighter.

You wiggled in his arms, ready to be slain.

#the Witcher x reader #jaskier x reader #the Witcher fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #the witcher #jaskier

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taeyongdoyoung · 4 years

Photo

pairing: vamp!Chan x Reader

genre: vampire!au, romance, angst, humour

warnings: sugar daddy!Chan, don’t ask why, he just is; biting, blood; jealous/a bit possessive!Chan bc why not; light swearing; awkward jokes, secrets; Felix and Hyunjin have a cameo due to personal reasons; keep an eye out for back door & insomnia references

word count: 7.7k (i got a little carried away…)

author’s note: Happy Halloween! This is a very special gift for @chaotic-fairy bc I know about her Vamp!Chan weakness and I want to ruin her life (jk ilysm Mary) and I hope she likes it! Without further ado…

Another exhausting week at work and you were genuinely considering quitting. But you needed the pay check to deal with your bills, your rent and getting food. Sadly, you rarely had enough cash left to treat yourself to something nice. You were so damn tired you wished you could find a way to make some extra money without lifting a finger. That would be nice, wouldn’t it?

You were feeling pretty desperate when you picked up your phone and started looking for sugar daddy apps. At first, it was just a joke to you. A silly way to pass the time and unwind from the long week you’d had. However, after half an hour of scrolling, you were seriously starting to weigh your options. Some guys on these apps didn’t even want sex! They were just asking for feet pics or something of the sort. Others simply required their potential sugar baby’s company! It was truly amazing what guys would do for a bit of affection. One of the offers piqued your interest more than the others:

Sugar daddy looking for loyalty and something else. Not sex. Specifics discussed in person. 1000$ a week.

Loyalty? That was easy enough to provide, wasn’t it? It was the something else part that got you curious. What could he want that wasn’t sex? There was a phone attached and you wondered if you should call the guy. But he’d specifically said that he would only discuss such details in person. But 1000$ a week was quite a lot of money. Compared to what the other guys were offering, this guy was pretty generous. What would he ask for in return? You were a bit intimidated by the large sum but more than anything, you wished to find out what that something else meant.

You didn’t waste any more time and called the number. You were met with a ridiculously attractive voice.

“Hello?” you said. “I’m calling about the offer in that app?”

“Ah, the sugar daddy app?” the man on the other side of the line answered. Damn it, why did his voice have to be so sexy?

“Y-yes,” you stammered nervously. “Is it still on?”

“I would have deleted it if it weren’t,” the stranger laughed. “Are you interested?”

“I guess so,” you responded. “Could we meet in person to discuss…specifics?”

“Alright,” he agreed easily. “In front of Lotte Hotel. Tomorrow, 6pm.”

Judging by his intonation, you could tell he wasn’t asking, but instead was simply ordering you to go there, which under normal circumstances, you would have found repulsive, but for some reason, you felt the need to do as he asked.

“Okay. How should I call you?”

“On my phone?” the man chuckled.

“No, I mean…do you have a name?” you whispered, feeling a bit awkward.

“You can call me Mr. Bang,” he murmured and for some reason you felt weak in the knees. “What is your name?”

“Y/N,” you managed to utter. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, then, Mr. Bang.”

You hung up before you could let him he say “goodbye”, because his dominant behaviour was frustrating you and you wanted to get in the last word. What had you expected from a guy who was offering money for something mysterious in a sugar daddy app? But you couldn’t be hypocritical, because you had been spending time on said app, as well. You sighed to yourself. You were too tired to think. You decided you would dwell on it tomorrow.

🧛🧛🧛

You couldn’t sleep much despite your exhaustion. You were anxious about your meeting with the potential sugar daddy Mr. Bang and had no idea what he would request in exchange for such a large sum of money. You wished he’d been more explicit on the phone or in the app itself so that you would have realistic expectations. You realized you couldn’t do much but go and see for yourself what he wanted. You had a whole day ahead of you so you decided you’d spend half of it watching one of your favourite shows and the other half, picking out an outfit for your meeting with Mr. Bang. Even though you still had no idea what he would like, you wanted to make a good first impression. You settled on a blue dress and white shoes that always made you feel good about yourself.

Once the clock struck 5, you started getting dressed. You put on some make-up, grabbed your bag and walked outside. You lived relatively close to the hotel Mr. Bang had mentioned yesterday, so you decided no public transport would be necessary. When you arrived in front of the hotel at around 5:45pm, you realized you had absolutely no clue what he looked like. How would you be able to recognize him? How would he be able to recognize you? You dialled the phone you’d contacted last night.

“Hello?” Mr. Bang spoke on the other end of the line.

“Hi, it’s Y/N from yesterday. Just wanted to tell you I’m in front of the hotel and to ask you what you’ll be wearing.”

“You can’t wait to see for yourself?” you could swear the mysterious man was smirking.

“No, I just…won’t be able to recognize you? There are a lot of people in front of the hotel, you know.”

“Oh, right,” Mr. Bang laughed. “I’ll be wearing black leather jeans, a black shirt and a red tie. Trust me, you’ll know me.”

You rolled your eyes at his confidence.

“What are you wearing?” he asked.

“Um…a blue dress and white shoes. Is this helpful?”

When he didn’t reply rightaway, you got a bit worried.

“H-hello?” you murmured nervously.

“You look ravishing,” Mr. Bang complimented you and you jumped up in surprise when you heard his words coming both from your phone’s speaker and from behind you. You turned around in shock and couldn’t stop your mouth from dropping. Nothing, not even him informing you in advance about his outfit, could have prepared you for how devilishly good-looking Mr. Bang was. He was taller than you and his face was, to put it mildly, flawless. His black shirt outlined his well-defined figure and his leather jeans made you focus on his muscular thighs, which was honestly quite distracting. If you had to compare him to photos of sugar daddies you’d seen online…nope, it was impossible, his existence was incomparable.

“Earth to Y/N?” Mr. Bang snapped his fingers right in front of your face, which startled you a bit.

“Y-yes, hello, I’m sorry.”

He chuckled, obviously used to such a reaction when people were confronted with his otherworldly beauty.

“Shall we go inside and get a room?” Mr. Bang suggested boldly.

“A room?” not that you were exactly opposed to the idea, but you weren’t sure getting into a hotel room with a complete stranger was sensible.

“Yeah, I can’t afford others listening to the specifics of our arrangement. Is that okay with you?”

This sounded like bad news. What had gotten into you? What on earth were you doing here? Alone? With a potential sugar daddy? What had started as a simple joke had progressed into a completely unexpected direction. You weren’t certain whether it was too late to back out.

“Well…I don’t know if I’m comfortable with this,” you admitted.

“That’s alright,” Mr. Bang reassured you only to frighten you further with his next suggestion. “We could go to a secluded park. Or an abandoned bathroom. Or a secret basement. Which one would you prefer?”

When faced with such horrendous options, you immediately regretted not agreeing to the hotel room. Perhaps what gave away your terror was the expression on your face.

“Relax, I’m just messing with you,” Mr. Bang chuckled softly. “There’s a café nearby that doesn’t have many people, but it’s still not isolated enough for you to concern yourself about getting kidnapped. Or worse.”

His cryptic intonation while pronouncing the “or worse” part didn’t do much to ease your worries. But a café nearby sounded way better than hotel rooms and shady basements, so you agreed to it reluctantly.

Once you two settled in the café and your drinks arrived, Mr. Bang resumed the conversation.

“I know I put that in the app, but let me say it again. I haven’t come here for sex.”

“What have you come here for, then?” you asked, the curiosity killing you at this point.

Mr. Bang sighed.

“Blood,” he blurted out too quiet for you to debate whether you’d misheard him.

“Don’t get me wrong, you look healthy enough not to need blood transfusion,” you pointed out.

“I don’t need a blood transfusion,” he clarified. “I need to drink blood.”

“Is this some weird kink that is fashionable nowadays? If so, I’m afraid I’ll have to go…”

“No, wait,” Mr. Bang said and grabbed your hand to keep you from walking away. “It’s not a kink. I literally need blood for survival. I’m a…vampire.”

Your initial reaction was to burst into a fit of laughter. What drugs was he on? Once you noticed how deadly quiet he was, how unmoving, how serious his expression was, you felt the need to ask:

“You’re joking, right?”

“I wish I was,” Mr. Bang closed his eyes, as if to hide something painful. You couldn’t believe this…this couldn’t be real.

“Fine,” you played along. “Can you prove it?”

“Not here,” he warned you. “That’s why I suggested a hotel room. I suspected you’d ask for proof.”

“How do I know this isn’t some intricate plot to force me into becoming a sex slave or some shit?”

Mr. Bang laughed again.

“I would have simply stated that’s what I’m after in the app, no? See, the truth is that I’m tired of lurking in the shadows, stalking random strangers. It’s too stressful and time-consuming. I’m simply looking for a companion who would give me their blood every once in a while in exchange for a reasonable sum, of course.”

You stared at him wide-eyed, still in disbelief of what he was saying. Either this man was a total lunatic who really believed his own words or…no, him being sincere was practically impossible. Unless?

“Let’s get a room. I need proof.”

“As you wish, sugar,” Mr. Bang smirked and paid the bill in a very attractive way. You were seconds away from asking him not to call you that when he held the door open for you, which got you all flustered and you forgot about your initial plans.

“Thank you,” you murmured shyly on your way out.

Once the two of you had checked into the hotel, you felt how rapidly your heart was beating. Even though you had suggested it so that you could potentially see proof of his bizarre story, you were so damn nervous you could swear you would die from anxiety. What if he was a serial killer? This was a terrible idea. But he seemed so polite…Why would he kill you? You hadn’t done anything wrong. The second the door of your hotel room closed behind you, Mr. Bang bared his long, sharp fangs at you, causing you to flinch in terror and take a few steps back. What the fuck? He was actually telling the truth?! But this was impossible, you thought.

“If you want to go, I’d let you escape.”

You were so frightened that you couldn’t move at all. Frozen in place, you simply couldn’t react to his words for the shock was too great to bear.

“Did you hear what I just said?” the vampire asked.

You nodded numbly, but still couldn’t find the strength to speak.

“You may go, if you wish.”

But you couldn’t. It was foolish and maybe a bit crazy, but no matter how scared you felt in that moment, the larger part of you was so damn curious. You wanted to stay, you realized. And maybe, yeah, you were somewhat tempted by the huge sum of money being offered. But also, you would be lying if you said you didn’t find Mr. Bang hella attractive. And not just because you had just seen proof that he was, in fact, a vampire. There was just something about his mannerisms, his voice that got you addicted in the brief time of your acquaintance.

“If you drank blood from me…” you started hesitantly. “You wouldn’t kill me, right?”

Mr. Bang smiled mysteriously.

“What’s the point of paying you if I was planning to kill you?”

“If I stay…” you continued interrogating him. “Will you drink from me?”

The vampire took a step closer and tucked a piece of hair behind your ear.

“Only if you consent,” he whispered softly.

“Will it hurt?” you wanted to know, too curious for your own good.

“Of course it will hurt,” he laughed coldly.

“Just get it over with, then!” you gave him the green light and braced yourself to feel the touch of his sharp teeth on your neck.

You closed your eyes in anticipation. Seconds passed and nothing came. You sneaked a peak, utterly confused.

“You need the extra money that much, huh?” he teased you.

“I’m just…so exhausted of working all day long and not getting enough in return. I wish I could get spoiled from time to time, you know?”

“Let me take you out,” Mr. Bang offered gallantly.

“Huh? We just got here,” you argued in vain.

“You said you wanted to get spoiled, didn’t you? So, let me do this for you. New clothes, fancy food, anything you wish for and it’s yours.”

He was joking, right? You hadn’t even given him your blood yet and he was already promising you so many things…

“What about the arrangement?”

“We’ll get there eventually. But first, I want to show you I’m serious about this and I will hold up my end of the bargain.”

“Oh-okay,” you stammered. “What, r-right now?”

Instead of responding, Mr. Bang grabbed your hand and dragged you out.

You spent the rest of the evening under his wing, while he showed you a whole new world of luxury you previously couldn’t even dream about. Mr. Bang spent more money on insanely expensive dresses, bags and shoes for you than all the money you had ever spent in your entire life. Under any other circumstances, you would have called such a pointless waste of cash outrageous, but because you were the one being spoiled, you allowed yourself this little indulgence. After shopping for clothes, Mr. Bang took you to a ridiculously posh restaurant with the most exquisite meals you had ever seen. Once you were full and started getting worried that the new dresses would no longer fit you, he took you for a walk near the river. The city lights looked so magical at night and with him by your side, you became aware of the fact you had never before felt so happy. It wasn’t necessarily his money that influenced your good mood. The mere knowledge that a busy, good-looking man (okay, vampire, but whatever) had just spent so much time on you, taking care of you and indulging your every wish was so attractive that you couldn’t think straight. Besides, his company had turned out to be quite entertaining and during your walk around the city, you had discovered a lot of things in common, such as your shared love for music, dogs and swimming. Moreover, his sense of humour was so unique that you couldn’t help but laugh at his jokes every once in a while.

At around 10pm, you started getting sleepy so you told Mr. Bang that you had fun and that you were grateful for all the time and money he had spent on you, however, there was one thing bothering you.

“What’s wrong?” the vampire asked you in concern.

“Well, the anticipation is honestly killing me. I want to know what it’s like to be bitten by you,” you admitted openly.

Mr. Bang seemed taken aback.

“We’re in public, you do realize that?”

“There aren’t any people nearby,” you pointed out. “Besides, didn’t you say that you used to follow people on the streets?”

“I did, but…I want this to be different.”

“Should we go back to that hotel room?” you suggested.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” Mr. Bang eyed you suspiciously.

“I’m just curious…and I want to ‘pay’ you back by giving you that ‘something else’ you need.”

“You’re a strange creature,” he murmured.

“If it isn’t the pot calling the kettle black!” you giggled and before you could register what was happening, Mr. Bang leaned down and bit your neck. You let go of the bags you were holding and wrapped your arms around him to stop yourself from crumbling on the ground. It did hurt, like he’d warned you it would, but it wasn’t nearly as painful as you had expected. In fact, there was something intoxicating about the venom of his fangs and you could feel yourself getting used to the unfamiliar sting. After he was done with you, Mr. Bang lifted you up in his arms and carried you to sit down on a bench nearby. The world around you was spinning, but you felt uncharacteristically safe in the arms of the vampire.

“It wasn’t that bad,” you shared your thoughts with him.

“If it was another vampire, you would be dead by now,” Mr. Bang explained.

“What, you have some special powers of self-control I should know about?”

“I do, actually. I’m quite restrained in some aspects.”

You found that hard to believe for some reason.

“Do we have a deal, then? Should I sign something?”

“That won’t be necessary,” he informed you. “Human contracts mean nothing to me.”

“Well, I did sign with blood, so…” you joked, earning a chuckle out of him.

“Let me drive you home,” Mr. Bang insisted. “You look tired.”

“Yeah and whose fault is that?”

When you arrived in front of your building, Mr. Bang told you he’d contact you whenever he required your presence and he’d send you money whenever you needed. That wasn’t part of the initial offer in the sugar daddy app, but you couldn’t complain, because it worked in your favour.

“Well, if that’s all,” you were about to part ways. “Good night, Mr. Bang.”

“Oh, and one more thing, Y/N,” he said.

“Yeah?”

“Please, call me Chan. It’s only fair.”

You smiled at him. His name sounded as beautiful as he was.

“Alright, Chan. Good night!”

🧛🧛🧛

He didn’t call you the next day. Or the following day. And the day after that. In fact, he didn’t call you for another week, which left you going back to your schedule. Work, eat, sleep, repeat. It was quite upsetting, really. You had so much fun in Mr. Bang’s…no, in Chan’s company. And he seemed to be enjoying himself, as well. Especially with his teeth stuck in your neck. You shuddered at the thought. Why did it feel so good? Did you have a vampire kink? Why hadn’t he contacted you already? You wondered if he was having second thoughts about your little arrangement. If anything, you were the one who had every right to be troubled by this whole thing. And yet, you were looking forward to seeing him again. You kept telling yourself that this was all about the extra cash and the wonderful feeling of being spoiled and treated like a princess. But there was just something about him…

Another Friday night came. You were making dinner for yourself when you heard your phone ringing. You sighed. It was probably one of your colleagues, you’d call them later. Oh, how wrong you’d been. After you were done cooking and sat down to have a bite or two, you remembered to check your phone. And boy, did you have a mini heart attack! It was Chan! He’d finally called and you’d missed his calls, thinking it was someone else! You immediately let go of the fork you’d been holding and dialed his number.

“Why aren’t you answering my calls?” he asked you the very second he picked up.

“Sorry, my hands were busy,” you explained. Even though you had no idea why you were apologizing. Why was he being so demanding?

“Busy doing what?”

“Um…making dinner,” you responded. “Why? What’s up?”

“I…need you,” Chan groaned and his voice was doing unexpected things to your body.

“Right now?” you really didn’t want to abandon your delicious-looking spaghetti. It would be such a shame.

“Yes,” Chan confirmed. “Can you meet me in half an hour in front of Lotte?”

You didn’t agree to it rightaway. What right did he have to separate you from your dear friend pasta? Why couldn’t he wait a bit longer?

“You still there?” Chan asked.

“Yeah, I’m just thinking. Could you come over?” you suggested bravely. “It’s just…you’re not the only one who’s hungry.”

Chan laughed wholeheartedly, the sound sending waves of pleasure in your ear.

“Inviting a vampire to your home isn’t a very bright idea, Y/N. Are you sure you’re ready for such a big step?”

Screw it.

“We’re both starving, so I’m just suggesting the most sensible solution. I’ll be done eating by the time you get here,” you replied. “I’ll text you my address.”

You hung up before he could argue further and quickly texted him your location. Then, you left your phone nearby and started eating your food before it got cold. You wouldn’t let anything get in the way of your relationship with spaghetti. Not even a very handsome, rich, funny vampire…Nope, not at all. You had just finished your plate when you heard the doorbell ringing. Wow, that was fast. You went to open the door and weren’t surprised to find Chan standing there like a man starved.

“Hey, you wanna come in?” you offered.

Chan didn’t want for another invitation and walked inside, looking around curiously.

“Nice place you got there,” he said, paying special attention to every detail of your little home. “So warm and cosy. So…human.”

You smiled at his unexpected compliment, but pulled yourself together soon enough.

“You can skip the formalities, Chan. I know why you’re here.”

He smirked.

“Oh, really? Enlighten me, then. Why am I here?”

“Well, you said you needed me. You’re hungry for blood, correct?”

Chan laughed, obviously amused by what you were saying.

“Are all humans so direct? Or is it just you?”

“I don’t know. What do you think?”

“I think you’re different.”

“Oh, please, spare me the clichés,” you rolled your eyes. “What are you waiting for?”

Chan made his way towards you in a deliberate manner, like a cat hunting on its prey. You closed your eyes, anticipating him to bite you rightaway. But what took place next was far more shocking. Chan embraced you tightly, not giving you room to breathe, not that you were complaining. It felt quite nice, actually. Being so desperately…needed.

“You’re so soft,” he whispered. “I just wanted to see you again. To make sure you’re real.”

What the hell was happening? You thought he only required your presence for blood. Why was he hugging you all of a sudden? Despite the pleasant surprise, you were a bit worried about his motives.

“If I’m making you uncomfortable, tell me and I’ll let you go,” he mumbled gently.

“It’s okay,” you managed to utter.

“Yeah? Why is your heartbeat so loud, then?”

“Cause I’m nervous.”

“Am I making you nervous, sweetheart?”

“Just a bit,” you confessed.

“Why? You should know by now that I’m not going to kill you.”

Oh, but what if he did something so much worse?

“I know. But still.”

Chan let go of you and you blinked up at him, half-relieved, half-disappointed.

“If I’m going to be your sugar daddy…does that make you my babygirl?” he joked.

You couldn’t resist the urge to punch his chest lightly.

“Shut up, Chan! This is so cringey!” you groaned.

He giggled cutely.

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop. But tell me, how do you want me to call you?”

“My name not good enough for you?” you crossed your arms, pretending to be annoyed.

“Of course it’s good enough! I love saying your name!” Chan reassured you. “But I want to have a pet name for you. And if you don’t like ‘babygirl’, we can think of something else.”

When put on the spot, you couldn’t think of anything else. You had to admit, ‘babygirl’ wasn’t that bad. It was the ‘sugar daddy’ part that gave you goosebumps. But you couldn’t say that to him right after you had denounced it as cringey.

“Whatever,” you shrugged. “You can decide.”

“Hm, how about I call you ‘my princess’? Sounds good?”

It was perfect, actually. You wouldn’t tell him that, obviously. But it sounded like an upgrade.

“Agreed. How do you want me to call you? Other than your name, that is.”

“You can call me anything, my princess.”

You smiled happily and wrapped your arms around his neck. You had a very, very bad idea. Vicious, even.

“I’ll call you glucose parental figure,” you teased.

“You’re terrible,” Chan chuckled. “I love it.”

“Yeah?”

“Absolutely.”

🧛🧛🧛

Things were going great between you and Chan. You two would meet up pretty often, sometimes because he was thirsty, sometimes because you were…In any case, your mutual agreement was working in your best favour and you quite enjoyed spending time around him. He would spoil you like there was no tomorrow and even flirt occasionally, which felt really nice. You would flirt back more often than not, but there was one thing that worried you. Was he serious about this? Because to you, this was beginning to look a lot more like an actual relationship. You had to remind yourself it was actually a business arrangement. As saddened as you were by that fact, you decided it would be better to make peace with it and enjoy the situation while it lasts. After all, you had known what you were getting into the minute you had signed up on that damned app.

One day, you were having a break from work. You wondered how to spend it. You could binge-watch a new show. Or you could try baking muffins. But you’d done both of these recently. And you kinda wanted to try something different, more exciting. You wanted to surprise Chan at work. You knew you couldn’t bring him human food, because his diet consisted of…well, blood, obviously. But you could bring him yourself! Both delightful company and meal! He’d be thrilled! There was one teeny tiny problem. You had no idea where Chan worked…You had known him for nearly three weeks and you still had no clue. It was a bit suspicious. You had told him plenty of things about yourself and your workplace. But he was so…mysterious and secretive. It wasn’t even the vampirism that troubled you. His personality, though engaging, was also perplexing. You were struck by an idea. You decided to…Google him. He looked pretty rich and well-spoken so there was a huge possibility you could find his workplace by lurking around the Internet. You told yourself it wasn’t wrong to check out your glucose parental figure on the web. After all, it was the very place that had brought you together. When you typed in his name you were overwhelmed by the thousands of results. It turned out Chan was the CEO of a music company. How come he never told you about this? How he had managed to be so casual when having a conversation about music without bragging even a little was beyond you. Google informed you that Chan was producing and writing music, occasionally singing and rapping himself. You were flabbergasted by all this unexpected knowledge. Why didn’t he share these things with you? It was a good thing to occasionally take pride in your talents. So why? Didn’t he trust you enough already? You didn’t dwell on it further and simply took a screenshot of the location where his company was supposed to be. You dressed up in a hurry and made your way towards him. Once you arrived in front of the large building, you felt a bit intimidated by its size and the number of guards in front of it. What was this? Prison? You had not thought this through. You noticed people were only entering the building with special permits. You didn’t have one. Which meant you couldn’t get in. Damnit. You started lurking around, hoping some generous soul would take pity on you and let you inside with their permit. Somehow…the miraculous happened.

“Are you waiting for someone?” a young-looking guy with blond hair and the deepest voice ever asked you casually.

“Um…I actually wanted to surprise my su-“ you interrupted yourself. You couldn’t just tell a complete stranger that the CEO of one of the most famous music companies was your sugar daddy. That would be so awkward. “My sweetheart,” you said dumbly. Nice save, Y/N. Brilliant.

“I could call him out for you. I work here, you see,” the guy showed you his permit, rubbing salt into the already painful wound – you didn’t have a bloody permit.

“Well, I was hoping I’d catch him by surprise inside. But I guess that’s impossible…” you murmured sadly, hoping that you’d manipulate the stranger into letting you enter the prison-like building.

“What’s his name?” the blond inquired.

“Bang Chan,” you replied smugly.

“Oh! You must be Y/N, then!”

“How did you know?” you were taken by surprise.

“Chris won’t shut up about you,” the guy said. “I’m Felix, by the way! It’s really nice to finally meet you.”

You shook his hand in confusion.

“Chris?”

“That’s his name, yeah.”

So many secrets…What else was Chan…Chris…not telling you? You were so shocked by all the new information that you momentarily forgot your initial reason for coming here.

“I could sneak you inside,” Felix offered. “On one condition.”

“Sure, what is it?” you agreed without thinking.

“I want to see the look on his face when you surprise him.”

“Alright, that doesn’t sound too bad.”

Felix smirked almost devilishly.

When you got inside, you had another big shock. If the building looked fancy on the outside, it was outrageously luxurious on the inside. The lights! The minimalism! You were utterly transfixed by the expensive furniture that you almost didn’t register the fact that your name was being called.

“The Y/N? You’ve got to be messing with me, Lix!” an unfamiliar voice whisper-yelled.

“Keep your voice down, Hyunjin! Her arrival is supposed to be a surprise for Chris!” Felix responded animatedly.

“He’s going to lose his shit!” the guy who was apparently named Hyunjin warned.

Why? You hadn’t done anything wrong by coming here, had you? You just wanted to see him on your day off. If anything, he was the one in the wrong for keeping so many things from you.

“Come on, Y/N. Chris should be in his office,” Felix said, leading you up the stairs.

“Wait up, I wanna come, too!” Hyunjin ran after you. Oh, dear. If you had known your unexpected arrival would create such a scandal in Chan’s workplace, you wouldn’t have come at all. You hated being the centre of attention. Okay, that was a lie. Maybe you liked it. Just a little. Being surrounded by such sweet and handsome guys was kinda exciting, you had to admit.

Before you arrived to Chan’s office, you noticed something a bit weird. Even though Felix and Hyunjin obviously knew about your relationship (or whatever it was) with Chan, they continued to find excuses to touch your back or hold your hand, which, though nice, was also a bit concerning. Not that you had ever talked to Chan about not being allowed to be touched by other people, but still, a part of you felt…guilty? It was so confusing. Also, you noticed that Felix and Hyunjin were walking in a frustratingly slow manner. And you were using the damn stairs even though you suspected that this ridiculously tall building had an elevator. What’s with that? Moreover, you were fairly certain these two were flirting with you. They kept complimenting your hair and your dress, which made you feel both flattered and uncomfortable. Why were you like this? It’s not like you were Chan’s girlfriend. So what if he bought you nice stuff and you gave him your blood. It wasn’t like that, you kept telling yourself. Expect…you wished it was like that. In the rare, brief moments when he showed some semblance of affection towards you, you felt the most special, the happiest in the world. But then, as quickly as he’d start opening up, he would go back to being cold and not mention anything about the way he felt. Which left you in a permanent state of confusion. What were his intentions? Why was he so…on and off?

Eventually, you arrived in front of Chan’s office and he stormed outside as if he knew you’d be standing there, Felix’s arm around your neck and Hyunjin holding your hand for whatever reason. You felt as if you’d gotten caught in the act. Despite the fact you had tried to push his clingy employees away. But they were too persistent and you initially thought they were just being extra friendly. Oh, well.

“Hands off,” Chan snarled out angrily. Okay, that was new. Never before had you seen him act so…possessive about you. Your heart started beating loudly and he gave you a warning look.

“Chris!” Felix unwrapped his arm smoothly. “Look what we bring you!”

Hyunjin also let go of your hand silently. The way Chan commanded them so easily was kinda hot, you had to admit.

“Get out,” Chan growled at them. “You,” he pointed at you. “Stay.”

The last word was said in a soft, almost apologetic way. You walked into his office nervously and began playing with your hands, feeling uncharacteristically shy.

“I just wanted to surprise you,” you murmured sheepishly. “Felix and Hyunjin were just being friendly.”

Chan rolled his eyes.

“Oh, please,” he hissed sarcastically. “I could hear them flirting with you from three floors down.”

Fuck. You had forgotten that vampires had super hearing.

“Don’t get angry at them. They were just excited to meet me.”

“You should be careful around faeries.”

He was kidding, right? First, vampires, now this? What was next? Aliens?!

“Around what now?”

“Lix and Jinnie are faeries. They can be quite clingy…if you let them. Which you did,” Chan pointed out. Was he blaming you? After not telling you anything about himself? Seriously?

“Hey, you can’t take it out on me!” you defended yourself. “If you had warned me in advance where you work, who you work with and your other name, I would have been better prepared!”

Chan nodded, silently agreeing with you.

“You should have told me you were coming,” he continued.

“Are you mad at me?” you pouted cutely, because you didn’t want to fight with him.

Chan shook his head.

“How could I be mad at you when you look so delicious, babygirl,” he whispered and placed his hands on your cheeks.

You didn’t bother complaining about his pet name for you. It was kinda growing on you.

“Why don’t you have a taste, then?” you replied suggestively.

Chan leaned his forehead against yours and licked his lips.

“Later, my princess. I forgot to tell you something.”

“What?”

“It’s really great to see you again.”

“Yeah? You didn’t seem so happy earlier?”

“That’s because I hate it when someone touches something that’s mine.”

“So now I’m something?” you were a bit offended by his choice of words.

“You know what I meant,” Chan sighed, visibly frustrated by having to explain himself.

“I don’t, actually. What am I to you, Chan?” you confronted him. “You keep mentioning our business arrangement and yet you’re acting like this…I don’t understand you,” you admitted angrily.

“I don’t understand myself, either,” Chan confessed sadly.

“Yeah, well, call me when you do,” you sneaked out of his arms and stormed out of his office.

🧛🧛🧛

A week passed by with no contact from Chan. Things were going so great before you’d come to his office. So, why was he acting so distant? Why hadn’t he called you already? After all, it wasn’t your fault that he was being so secretive. You wouldn’t call him first, you had nothing to apologize for. He had to fix his behaviour towards you. Besides, he kept giving you mixed signals. One minute he’d be talking about your relationship as if it was nothing but business, then the next he’d act all protective and affectionate. It was so confusing and frustrating you didn’t know what to think. If he wanted to talk to you again, he would, you kept telling yourself. But damn, you missed him so badly. His beautiful smile and his wacky sense of humour, his adorable dimples, his sexy voice and his mysterious personality that was also the reason for your conflicts. As if he’d read your mind, Chan finally texted you a string of desperate messages.

Glucose parental figure: I miss you.

Glucose parental figure: Can we talk??

Glucose parental figure: I’m so so sorry…

Glucose parental figure: Let me explain everything in person.

Glucose parental figure: Please??

Glucose parental figure: I need to see you again.

You opened the messages but didn’t respond rightaway. Serves him right. A whole week without a call, not even a text. You imagined him seeing that you had read his messages, but still didn’t give any reply. You wanted to torture him a bit longer, the way he had.

Glucose parental figure: I can see you’re online :(

Glucose parental figure: I sent you my money, pls respond <3

You couldn’t help but laugh at his joke. Just as you were about to reply, your phone started ringing. But it wasn’t Chan like you hoped it would be. It was one of your co-workers. However, it was your day off…

“Hi, what’s wrong?” you asked.

“Y/N, quick! We need your help, it’s an emergency!”

“I’m on my way!” you promised and hurried towards your workplace, completely forgetting about Chan’s pleas.

🧛🧛🧛

Once you had dealt with the unexpected problem at work, you returned home, absolutely exhausted. You lay down on the bed and checked your phone. Oh, fuck. Chan had left you a couple more messages and you also had a bunch of missed calls. All from him. He had gotten so worried and you felt awful for not responding to his texts rightaway. You called him immediately even though it was 2am. He had previously told you that vampires didn’t need sleep.

“Please just tell me you’re alive,” Chan begged.

“I’m fine, Chan. There was an emergency at work…Sorry for not picking up or texting you back,” you explained, even though you had hardly done anything wrong. You were still waiting for his apology for the way he’d treated you during your last meeting.

“Oh, that’s a relief! Listen…about last time…”

“You can tell me in person,” you cut him off. “I’m really tired, Chan. Can we meet up tomorrow?”

“It’s already tomorrow,” he teased you. “But yeah, I get what you meant. Just tell me what you want to do, where you want to go. I’d hate to impose on you.”

You smiled, touched by his consideration.

“How about Lotte Hotel? 6pm?” you deliberately suggested the time and place of your first encounter with Chan.

“I’ll be there. Sleep well, Y/N.”

“See you tomorrow. Well, today, but whatever,” you laughed. And you couldn’t tell him to sleep well, because you knew he wouldn’t sleep at all, he’d forever be in a state of insomnia. But you still wished him good night, because despite everything, you still wanted him to have a nice time. You wondered what he did all night. Maybe he watched something. Or produced music. And with such thoughts, you drifted away.

🧛🧛🧛

“Hey,” you greeted him the second you spotted him and Chan pulled you into a hug.

“I missed that smell,” he whispered.

“You do realize how creepy that sounds, right? It’s like telling a pig how nice it smells right before eating it,” you joked.

“Not like that,” Chan laughed. “I just missed everything about you.”

“Right,” you sighed contentedly. He let go of you and you tried your best not to look too disappointed.

“Before we go anywhere, I want to tell you how sorry I am for being an asshole and that I’d completely understand if you never want to see me again. No strings attached.”

You nodded in a morose manner.

“Okay, well, it was nice knowing you,” you teased, but judging by his devastated reaction, he had taken it seriously. “I’m kidding, relax! Of course, I would like to see you again!”

“Really?” Chan blinked at you cutely and you found it extremely hard to resist the urge to kiss him right there and then.

“Yes, dumbass, I would.”

“So…you wouldn’t say ‘no’ to a surprise?”

“Hm, that depends. Will I react the way you did when I surprised you?” you had to make sure.

“I hope not,” he chuckled lightly.

“Let’s give it a try, then,” you consented.

A couple of minutes later, you two were standing on the rooftop of the hotel. There was no one and nothing else but you and Chan, a table full of food and the city’s lights shining in the night. It was an extraordinary sight, one so special you had to pinch yourself to be certain it was real and not a mere figment of your imagination.

“Wow,” you uttered. “This is…a lot.”

“We have the whole place to ourselves,” Chan informed you smugly. “Nobody can bother us.”

“Chan…” you started, feeling shy that he treated you so nicely. “You didn’t have to.”

“But I wanted to,” he stroked your cheek gently, which felt infinitely sweeter than any material thing he could provide.

“What if I hadn’t come?” you posed a question.

“Then, I would do this every night, waiting for you until you did.”

You shook your head, overwhelmed by emotions you couldn’t quite place.

“You’re crazy,” you closed your eyes, enjoying his touch.

“Come on, the food will get cold.”

You knew, of course, that he intended all this for you, because human food wasn’t to his liking. Initially, you felt a bit awkward to be stared at while eating, but you reminded yourself this wasn’t the first time. Soon enough, you relaxed around him. When you were done devouring the delicious meals, you found yourself inclined to ask:

“Are you hungry?”

“Not in the way you’re referring to,” Chan giggled.

“Oh?”

“I have something to tell you. You stay right here, okay?”

“Okay?”

Chan got up from his chair and from somewhere on the rooftop, pulled out a freaking guitar. What was he doing? When he came back to you, he knelt down next to you and started playing it, while singing.

“Use the sleeves of my sweater

Let's have an adventure

Head in the clouds but my gravity's centered

Touch my neck and I'll touch yours.”

You started tearing up. The emotions in his voice were unlike anything he’d ever showed you before. What was he doing to your poor heart?

“Cause it's too cold whoa

For you here and now

So let me hold whoa

Both your hands in the holes of my sweater.”

It was getting progressively harder to look him in the eyes as he sang his soul out. Your blurred vision was also not helpful. He was affecting you in a way you hadn’t felt before.

“Y/N…I know that in the beginning, I told you I wasn’t looking for a romantic relationship. I know that the way we met wasn’t traditional. I know that I’m a vampire and I probably couldn’t give you as much warmth as a human could. But I also know that the way I feel about you is special. I know that my life was a shell before I met you. I know that if you let me…I would do my best to make you happy. I guess what I’m trying to say is…I really like you, my princess.”

“Chan…” you whispered and placed your hand on his cheek, rubbing circles with your thumb. “I don’t know what to say. Despite the initial arrangement, I fell for you. And…that’s why I got so upset last week. Because I didn’t think you liked me back.”

“I’m sorry for being a fool and not telling you sooner,” Chan replied.

“It’s fine. But please, don’t ever keep secrets from me anymore, okay?”

“I will try,” he promised. “I really want to share my whole world with you.”

Chan leaned down swiftly and captured your lips in a passionate kiss. He pressed his hands against your back and kept pulling you closer, not wanting to waste any more time. You enjoyed the light chill his touch was sending your way and wrapped your arms around his neck. You couldn’t help yourself and moaned into his mouth, as he squeezed you tightly. A while later, you realized you needed to breathe. You gently untangled yourself from his grasp.

“You’re as cold as ice,” you said softly, not meaning to upset him, just pointing it out for some reason.

“You’re willing to sacrifice our love!” Chan immediately burst into song again.

“Oh my God, Chan, you’re so annoying!” you scolded him playfully.

He gave you another kiss, this time on the cheek.

“You like that about me, no?”

“Are all vampires like you?”

“Oh, no, babygirl, trust me, there are no vampires like me.”

You shook your head in disbelief.

“Listen…now that our relationship has evolved,” you started. “You should probably stop paying me...”

“You can’t stop me from wanting to spoil my princess,” Chan stroked your hair gently.

“No, but seriously! I want to be able to call you my boyfriend in front of people…”

“You’re ashamed of me being your glucose father figure?” he continued tormenting you with his ridiculous sense of humour.

“Will you shut up already and go back to kissing me, please?” you complained needily.

“As you wish, sugar,” Chan relented and came back into your arms…

#stray kids #chan #stray kids fanfic #chan x reader #bang chan #vampire au #halloween #chris bang #stray kids imagines

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hysterialevi · 3 years

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Hjarta | Chapter 6

Fanfic summary: In an AU where Eivor was adopted by Randvi’s family instead, he ends up falling in love with the man his sister has been promised to despite the arranged marriage between their clans.

Point of view: third-person

Pairing: Sigurd Styrbjornson x Male Eivor

This story is also on AO3 | Previous chapter | Next chapter

A WHILE LATER

THE TAVERN

“Skål!” Eivor and Sigurd said in unison, knocking their tankards together before taking a swig of their drinks. It had only been a short while since they departed from the temple, but the pair of them were already knee-deep in merrymaking and storytelling, chatting away with each other as if they had been conversing for the entire afternoon.

The tavern was rather busy with numerous folks looking to have a quick break from their lives -- whether in the form of a meal or a pint -- and was filled to the brim with vibrant carousing, giving the place a nice, warm feel to it.

A bard entertained customers with a series of enchanting songs from her lute, and tamed the wildness of the tavern with her soothing tones. She plucked the strings in a manner so effortless that it seemed like second nature, and harmonized with its melody using the music of her own voice.

Meanwhile, a lone man sat in the back of the building, waiting patiently for anyone to join his quiet game of Orlog. He fidgeted with the tiny cubes in his weathered hands, and slowly made his way to the bottom of an impressively tall tankard as the light of a nearby candle kissed the wrinkles on his face.

Overall, it was a typical day in the tavern despite the handful of unfamiliar faces dotting its crowds, and there was nothing that could’ve put Eivor off his drink -- including the incident he and Sigurd experienced in the woods.

He just hoped he wouldn’t regret this later.

“So,” Sigurd said after taking a sip, “you mentioned you had a pet raven?”

“Well, Synin’s not really a pet,” Eivor corrected. “She’s more of a companion. That bird’s been at my side ever since I was just a child. She was actually the one who saved me from the wolf that gave me this mark.” He turned his head to the side, revealing the marred skin on his nape.

Sigurd seemed fascinated. “Is that so?”

The other man nodded. “Indeed. It was as if Odin himself sent Synin to rescue me. I don’t know where she came from, but she swooped in just before the beast had a chance to kill me.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she really did come at Odin’s behest. The gods seem to have their eyes on you.”

Eivor chuckled. “Our seeress would agree. She believe the gods spared me that day for a specific reason. I have yet to discover what it is, though.” He downed a portion of his drink, flipping the subject to Sigurd.

“What about you? Have you ever had any animals like that in your life? A companion that you could always trust?”

The prince shrugged. “In a way. They weren’t quite as loyal as Synin, but I befriended a wolf when I was a boy.”

Eivor couldn’t help but be amused by the irony of that statement. “A wolf, you say?”

Sigurd laughed. “I know. Out of all animals. But it’s true. I came across this pup when I was, what, roughly twelve winters old? It was alone in the woods, and nearly starving to death. I think it was abandoned. I didn’t really know what to do at the time, so I simply gave it some food and then left. The wolf must’ve followed my scent back home though, because when I woke up the next day, I found it waiting outside the longhouse, begging for more food.”

“Did you take it in?”

He sighed in disappointment. “Sadly, no. My father wouldn’t allow it. Too much trouble, he said. But that didn’t stop the little thing from visiting me everyday. It would always be waiting just by the entrance, wagging its tail like a dog greeting its owner. I’d place some meat at its feet, and it would run back into the forest to enjoy its meal. This routine carried on for a few weeks, until eventually... it just stopped showing up.”

Eivor could sense the disappointment in Sigurd’s tone. “What happened to it?”

“No idea. I remember setting some food by the door to see if that would lure it back, but the wolf never returned. It either died or just... wandered off.” A humorous glint twinkled in his eye. “...Maybe it was the same wolf that you encountered.”

The younger man smirked. “I wish. Perhaps the scar would’ve been smaller.”

The two of them snickered at that and took a moment to finish their drinks, leading their conversation to reach a temporary halt. The music of the tavern filled the gap in between their silence, and only brought more emphasis to the cluster of different voices around them.

When Eivor’s eyes landed on the flesh sitting just above Sigurd’s collar however, the man suddenly felt the need to bring up another question. He wasn’t exactly sure if this was a subject he should’ve broached, but he found himself curious nonetheless.

“Hey, Sigurd,” Eivor said, “may I ask you something?”

The prince extended a permitting hand. “Of course.”

“Well, since we’re on the topic of strange marks on our necks,” he nodded his head towards the one resting under Sigurd’s ear, “do you mind if I ask about that?”

The older man instinctively rubbed the mark upon hearing Eivor’s observation, admittedly surprised that he was able to notice it.

“Ah, you caught that? You have a keen eye. I’ve had it ever since I was born.”

“It’s a birthmark, then? It looks very unique.”

Sigurd smiled proudly. “Indeed. The seeress of our clan, Valka, believes it was put there for a reason. She says it’s a fingerprint of the gods.”

Eivor examined its intricate shape. “I can see why. It’s a peculiar design, even for a birthmark. It seems I am not the only one being watched by the Allfather. Not that I would want to be, anyway.”

“You don’t want the gods’ favor?”

The younger man let out a breath, casually leaning back in his chair. “Perhaps it sounds ungrateful, but I’ve never fancied the idea of being a chosen one. I feel perfectly content living within the confines of Midgard. If I have a place among the gods, so be it. But I don’t wish to spend my mortal life chasing it. I’d rather create my own path.”

“Ah, but that’s the thing,” Sigurd replied. “The life we desire is very often the same one the Nornir have chosen for us. If there is a certain path you wish to take, it’s probably because the gods placed it there for you.”

Eivor gestured to the prince. “And what about you? The gods have led you to Bjornheimr for the sake of a marriage, but... is that what you desire?”

Sigurd came to a pause, hesitant to offer any candour. “I... I don’t know, if I’m being honest. Randvi seems like a good woman, but it’s difficult for me to envision the rest of my life with her. I mean, what are we supposed to do when the wedding is complete?”

His friend shrugged. “What every prince does, I suppose.”

“What, prepare to become king? Start a family? Have children purely for the sake of ensuring that you have enough heirs?”

It didn’t take long for Eivor to pick up on Sigurd’s frustration. “I take it you don’t approve.”

The older man placed his tankard down, staring blankly at the table’s surface in discouragement.

“...No. On the contrary, I eagerly wait for the day that the crown gets passed to me. It’s the only time I’ll be able to make any difference in this world, or do some good. But... being a father? I’m not certain if that’s something I want. Or if I’m even ready for it.”

Eivor found himself intrigued. “And what do you want?”

Sigurd gestured loosely at the environment. “I wish to travel. To see the world. To bring glory to our clan. I wish to ride the seas to my heart’s content, and explore the kingdoms that lie beyond the horizon. But... I’m aware it’s an unrealistic goal. I have responsibilities, after all. And I fear my time for daydreaming has come to an end.”

The younger man took his words to heart, admittedly pitying the prince. He understood the love for adventure, and wished to sate Sigurd’s thirst for wandering.

He thought for a moment, offering a suggestion to him. “...What if I take you fishing tomorrow?”

Sigurd’s curiosity was piqued. “Fishing? Where?”

“We wouldn’t go too far from the village,” Eivor reassured. “We’d still be within arm’s reach, but it could be a nice break from all this chaos.”

A look of regret spread across the man’s face. “I’d love to, but I’m afraid I have a busy day tomorrow. My father is eager to set things in motion. Perhaps some other time.”

“Have no fear. We can--”

Interrupting their talk, a firm thud echoed from the tavern’s door as another customer walked in, drawing both Sigurd and Eivor’s attention. A gust of wind blasted through the open frame as the man entered the pub, and the candle standing by the Orlog game flickered sporadically.

Meanwhile, Eivor saw none other than Ulfar himself stepping into the cozy atmosphere of the tavern, allowing the warmth to settle into his chilled bones. His cheeks and nose were tinted red from spending so much time outside, but strangely enough, it didn’t look like he had any intention of staying.

Instead, his iron gaze simply landed directly on Sigurd, and he strode over to the man, speaking as forwardly as ever.

“Sigurd, there you are.” Ulfar greeted. “Your father is looking for you.”

The prince exchanged glances with Eivor, seemingly unsurprised by the summon. “Like I said, he’s eager to start.” He turned to the other man, giving him a nod. “Thank you, Ulfar. I’ll find him right away. And Eivor, thank you for the drinks. I enjoyed spending the day with you. Hopefully we can meet again soon.”

Eivor raised his tankard in a cordial manner. “Good day, Sigurd. You always know where to find me.”

Standing up from his seat, the older man parted ways with his friend despite his reluctance to do so, and made a swift exit from the tavern, leaving the Wolf-Kissed to his thoughts.

As for Ulfar, the weathered warrior stayed in place and watched as Sigurd took his leave, not even bothering to say another word. His arms were crossed in a serious fashion, and if Eivor didn’t know any better, he would’ve said that the man was annoyed.

“Ulfar?” He asked, pointing a hand to the chair across from him. “Care to join me for a drink?”

Ulfar’s expression immediately softened at the young man’s invitation, and a light chuckle fluttered from his lips.

“How could I say no?”

He took a seat at the other end of the table, filling the absence that Sigurd left behind. In the meantime, Eivor poured Ulfar a fresh cup of mead and slid it over to him, eager to get the ale flowing once again.

“Skål, my friend.” He said.

Ulfar grabbed the tankard’s handle and lifted in the air, smiling at him. “Skål, Eivor.”

Bringing the cup to his mouth, the man downed a decent fraction of his drink and let the alcohol loosen his mind, clearly worn out from all the stress that had been piled on him in the recent days.

His eyes sagged slightly with a hint of exhaustion, and the skin on his head glistened somewhat due to the beads of sweat that rested on the surface. It looked like he had just run a lap around the entire village, and the manner in which he slouched told Eivor he was in dire need of a break. Though, that didn’t stop Ulfar from striking up a conversation.

“...So, you and Sigurd seem to be growing close.” He remarked, his tone stiff with skepticism.

Eivor felt a pang of anxiety gripping him in the chest. Why did Ulfar sound so annoyed?

“I wouldn’t say that,” he disagreed. “We’ve only met twice thus far. We hardly know each other, in fact.”

“And yet... Sigurd hasn’t bothered to see Randvi at all. Meanwhile, he’s been here with you, chatting about frivolous subjects for hours on end.”

Eivor paused at that, picking up on his last words. “Hours? Has it really been that long?”

“Yes. Where else do you think I’ve been this whole time? Before I came here, I was carrying out your father’s orders and scouting the woods. Roughly three hours have passed since you returned to the longhouse.”

“I...” the young man stumbled over his thoughts, shocked by the realization, “...I didn’t even notice. It feels like mere minutes have flown by.”

The warrior’s response was painfully short. “I can imagine.”

Eivor tilted his head to the side in confusion, puzzled by the unusual shift in his friend’s mood. “...Is something wrong, Ulfar? You seem... upset.”

Ulfar let out a deep sigh and fell silent for a second, gazing out a nearby window as he spoke. His brow was crinkled with a profound sense of disapproval, and his lips remained flattened in a stern way.

“...Sigurd almost got you killed today.” He finally uttered.

The younger man instantly denied the notion, quick to defend Sigurd. “It wasn’t his fault, Ulfar. He had no way of knowing that Kjotve’s men were traipsing in the woods. There was no sign of danger when we first entered the forest.”

The raider wasn’t convinced. “One of the primary skills a leader needs is to be able to predict danger. Just because you didn’t see anything worth noting, doesn’t mean there wasn’t anything. The fact that we’re tangled in a war with Kjotve should’ve been enough to inform his decision. What Sigurd did today was careless, and it nearly cost you both your lives.”

Eivor tried to offer some perspective. “Well, look at this way. Despite not being prepared for an ambush, Sigurd still managed to get us out of there alive. Isn’t that another important trait for a leader? To be resourceful?”

“Yes, resourceful. Not reckless.”

That only confused Eivor more. “I don’t understand. Weren’t you the one who told Randvi that Sigurd was a man of great ambition and battle-prowess?”

“I was.” Ulfar confirmed. “Perhaps I was mistaken. Sigurd struck me as a cunning warrior when we first met, but his actions today make me wonder if he truly is the best option for Randvi. I’m not sure I like the idea of marrying her off to someone with such poor judgement.”

“You’re being too hard on him.” The young man replied. “Sigurd is unfamiliar with this region. He doesn’t know it as well as we do.”

“All the more reason to practice caution.”

A lighthearted smirk radiated on Eivor’s face. “You mean like you did when you charged into Geirmund’s fortress all alone? Or when you married a woman who killed someone in front of you?”

A quiet laugh scuffed Ulfar’s throat. “...Point taken.”

The Wolf-Kissed leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Listen, Ulfar. I know you’re only trying to protect me, but I mean it when I say Sigurd did nothing wrong today. He can be trusted. Just give him a second chance.”

The old warrior considered Eivor’s words, finally deciding to let go of the dispute. His temperament resembled that of a father scolding his child for their foolish behavior, but the rational side of him couldn’t deny that the young man had a point. Ulfar himself was no stranger to making risky decisions or getting caught in life-threatening circumstances, and he wondered if, perhaps, he was being too harsh with his comments.

His life in Bjornheimr was the result of a hasty choice, after all, and he turned out just fine.

“...Very well, Eivor.” Ulfar conceded, his tone free of the sharpness from before. “I’m still doubtful of Sigurd’s abilities, but if you believe he’s a man worthy of our trust... then I’ll reserve any further judgement for now. You’ve always had a talent when it came to reading people, and I’ve seen for myself that your instincts are usually correct. I just hope he doesn’t prove you wrong.”

The other man beamed at the sentiment. “Thank you, Ulfar.”

The raider took another swig from his tankard, emptying its contents entirely.

“Well, I think I should return to my duties. This old man has nagged you enough for one day, and the jarl will be waiting for my report.” Ulfar set the cup down and rose to his feet, causing the chair to emit a wooden scrape as it slid back with the man’s movement.

“Thank you for the drink, Eivor,” he said, returning to the gruff yet gentle demeanor that the young man was so familiar with. “And I apologize for being so antagonistic. I fear I was too rash with my anger.”

“It’s alright,” Eivor reassured. “You’re just trying to keep me safe. I appreciate it.”

Ulfar chuckled heartily at that. “It’s a good thing I was talking to you, then, and not Thora. I don’t think she would’ve been as understanding. My ferocity is often met on an equal level when I’m speaking to that woman.”

The warrior turned on his heel and began heading towards the door, bracing himself to collide with the icy weather once again. A muffled whistle could heard howling past the walls as the wind soared freely outside, and a subtle chill already caressed the parts of Ulfar’s flesh that remained exposed.

“Rest easy, little cub,” he told Eivor, placing his fingers on the door’s handle. “And remember to take care of that wound. You may have escaped with your life today, but I don’t want you to end up looking like me.”

“Don’t worry, Ulfar. I’ll be fine.”

“Good. We need your strength, especially these days. It’s clear to me now that Kjotve fully intends on taking advantage of the wedding, and the last thing I want is for any more of us to get hurt. So keep your guard up, and stay close to the village.” Ulfar threw a quick wave. “Good luck to you, Eivor. This is only the beginning.”

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