#missed on the wings a bit whoops they should attach further down. ah well.

[grumpyoldsnake]

For the doodles if you're still doing them, maybe a creature based on hummingbird moths! Or any of my cores only if you're in the mood!!

Hummingbird moths are the goofiest little things and I adore them and their silly little shrimp tails. :D So uh. I just drew a straight up hummingbird moth, because they are cute and soft as-is and I didn’t feel like redesigning that.

Also drew an angry Calidyte, because she seemed like she’d be fun and satisfying to scribble out with my fountain pen! I was correct.

[Image description: Marker and pen doodles on a journal page. One doodle is a green and red hummingbird moth; the other is a one-eyed alien in a lab coat. End ID.]

Thanks for the doodle prompt!

[mrs-han]

Water Runs Dry - Part One

~~~

For my beautiful @jafndaegur ♥️♥️♥️

This is totally different from what I had originally planned, but!! I really hope you like it!!

Happy Belated Birthday, my darling!!

~~~

“Aahh!!!!”

Sarah’s shriek resounded through the penthouse. A sound that would have otherwise deafened you, you were far too preoccupied with him, the man gripping your arm with one hand and steading your chin with the other. 

“Wh - what, what are you...!!” Sarah stammered her voice but a faraway mirage. 

You pulled away enough to create some space between your body and his. “... Ju - Jumin...?!” 

“Shh...” His placid hush followed by a more established squeeze on your chin silenced you... captivated you. “You’re blushing.”

“... We - well, of course, I’m blushing, y - you’re k-k - kissing me...” 

“You’d better close your eyes,” Jumin hummed, his lips barely brushing against yours. “Focus on your senses.”

“Jumin...”

Your emotions began to pound as his lips reconnected with yours. A small buzz - a voltaic shock caused your head to jerk back, but he refused to release you. In that very moment, you two were the only ones who existed. But as he opened his eyes and looked toward Sarah, a sinking sensation in your stomach took hold.

“Ugh... I’m going to tell Ms. Choi!” Sarah stamped her foot and drew her phone from her purse. 

“Yes,” Jumin sighed. “Having an audience for our first kiss takes off the tension.” His eyes fell back over you and a slow, steady smirk ran over his lips. He spoke gingerly to you, completely different from the curt tone he had given Sarah. “Your lips are so warm and soft. And... I think I smell a bit of the pancake?” He beamed. “You’re cute, MC.”

“How...! I’ve never been so insulted!” Sarah roared, her voice moving further away from where you and Jumin stood. 

“God... finally she’s leaving,” Jumin huffed, his hold on you relaxing.

The door to the penthouse slammed roughly, making you jolt in place. Jumin caressed your arm and moved his thumb over your cheek, stroking delicately... but you felt no comfort. No sense of solace. The warmth and vibrancy of the kiss had dissipated, leaving you with more questions than whimsical ideas of what the future held for you and Han Jumin. 

He could sense the tension emitting from you. A small blush crept over his cheekbones as he said, “I’ve wanted to do that from the first moment I saw you.” He took steps toward you - bold and confident about what he had done.

But the pounding sensation in your heart faded... and once curled fingers and toes from the sheer passion of the kiss unfurled as a heat of a different kind overcame your senses. Your cheeks and ears burned with embarrassment, even anger. Your brows furrowed and your arms wrapped firmly around your midsection.

Jumin stopped.

“What... what was that all about?”

Confusion flashed through his expressions, which upset you further.

“How disconnected are you...?” You rasped, barely able to get your words out.

Jumin’s eyes widened. “MC?”

“You really don’t see what you did?” Your voice crackled back to life, a flash of rage rising to the surface and flowing from your tongue. “You kissed me just to get rid of her.”

He blinked. “MC... I’m sorry if that was so sudden. I wanted you to be comfortable here... perhaps I’ve bothered you.”

“Bothered me,” you whispered, running your hands through your hair. “That wasn’t real, was it?”

“What... of course it was,” Jumin frowned. “The kiss was very real. As I said, I’ve wanted to do that from the first moment I saw you -”

“You used me to get her out of here,” you blurted, pointing towards the door. “And it worked. She’s gone. But I’m still here dealing with the repercussions of your... your agenda!” 

Jumin’s gaze dimmed. His lips formed a grim, straight line. “MC, I didn’t mean to cause you any pain. Can you believe that, at least?”

Your body began to tremble. “Your cat is missing, by the way. Was kissing me a way for you to distract yourself from that too?”

“This has nothing to do with that,” Jumin replied, his voice louder and more imposing. “My emotions have caused me to act in a way I normally wouldn’t. I was impetuous and thoughtless, this I will admit. I should have been more considerate of your emotions. But MC, my feelings for you are real, solid and sincere. I realize that the longer Elizabeth the Third is away that you are indeed different from not only her but the other women I’ve met in my life -”

“Oh my god,” you laughed bitterly. “So now you’re comparing me to your cat.”

“Listen to me,” Jumin’s voice dropped and his hands immediately went to fiddling with his sleeves. “You aren’t listening to me.”

“I think I hear what you’re saying loud and clear,” you spat sharply.

“You aren’t,” He whispered, vulnerability dripping from his speech. “I’ve never known what it truly felt like to have that one person. That one special person who can truly understand me... who I can touch and kiss and understand what I’m saying. Seeing you right in front of my eyes... I feel like I’ve finally gotten what I’ve always wanted.”

His eyes - those alluring orbs that resembled the foams of the ocean but plunged you in just as deep as the waters themselves - bore into yours.

“I want you,” Jumin hummed, confident enough to take a step toward you. “And I want you to want me too.”

Your hands fell to your side. “I admit... your words are very pretty...”

“They’re honest. They’re real,” he said as he grabbed your hand and pressed your knuckles against his lips. “I mean everything that I say. Answer me now. Do you believe I intentionally meant to cause you any pain?

“No,” You began. “But I do think you had a plan... one that didn’t dare to consider what I might think or what I might do... and you pushed through in fulfilling it.”

“MC -”

“That was my first kiss.” A pained smile flashed over your lips. “Maybe it was wrong of me to fantasize it to begin with but... never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined it being done with a hidden motive attached to it.”

“MC, please -”

You pulled your hand away. “I need to get out of here... ah... right, I didn’t bring anything.”

“What, wait. No.” His wing-tipped shoes struck the floors frantically as he rushed to block the door. “MC, don’t leave.”

“Please move, Jumin.”

“Don’t go. Don’t leave me alone.”

“Jumin.”

“Please.”

A brisk shove of your shoulder caused him to step off to the side. He tried to reach out for you, an action taken in vain as you quickly skirted away from him and to the door.

“MC!” Jumin shouted.

“Ma’am?” The chief bodyguard called after you. “Ma’am, where are you going -”

“Stop her, now!” Jumin boomed.

You dashed to the staircase, yanking your phone from your back pocket. If anyone could help you... or at least give you some sense of comfort... it was Zen.

You urgently punched his image through the RFA chatroom.

“MC!!” Jumin hollered, his voice ringing through the stairwell.

“Leave me alone!!” You barked back, nearly stumbling over yourself.

“MC? MC, are you there?”

“Zen?” You gasped.

“Where are you? Did something happen?”

“Can you pick me up?” You sniffed, wiping at your nose. “It’s urgent.”

“I’m on my way.” Frantic rustling from his end only heightened your sense of awareness. “Are you still at Jumin’s penthouse?!”

“I am,” your voice trembled. “Please hurry.”

“I’ll be right there. Hold on, okay?”

You silently thanked him for his swiftness. He was the first to ask questions, and no doubt he would have some. But in urgent matters... especially matters that involved your safety... he was fast on his feet.

You looked back, just to make sure Jumin wasn’t following you. As you did, you yelped as another stumble caused your ankle to roll over the weight of your body. You landed on your hands and knees, fully aware of the sprain on both your ankle and maybe even a wrist.

“Shit,” you hissed, grabbing onto the railing and pulling yourself up. The lobby wasn’t far, and that mentality gave you the strength to limp down another long flight of stairs.

Music mixed with heavy perfume welcomed you as soon as you opened the door to the foyer of the building. Excited chatter as shoppers hustled and bustled through the apparel outlet C&R had graciously bestowed gave you ample opportunity to sneak through the entrance undetected by the bodyguards who knew your face.

A motorcycle engine revved furiously, startling you as you limped outside. You could recognize him immediately despite your only evidence of his existence from his chatroom selfies; his silver ponytail whipping smoothly through the wind, his lean yet athletic physique...

“MC?!” Zen panted, haphazardly jumping off his bike, snatching his helmet from his head and nearly sprinting over to you. “MC, are you... why are you limping?”

And his eyes... crimson and full. Full of worry, passionate for you cause, and a friendliness that couldn’t be contested.

“I’ll explain everything later,” you tried to smile while wiping the tears coursing down your eyes. “For now, can we go?”

“I’ve got you,” Zen reassured, curling his arm under your legs and lifting you into a bridal-position. “You can lean on me if you need to, don’t be afraid to rest your head on my back okay?”

“Thank you Zen,” you whimpered.

He placed you on the passenger seat and secured his helmet over your head. “Okay,” he assured calmly, settling into the seat in front of you.

“Wait, Zen, your helmet -”

“Ah-ah. You expect me to let a lady ride without any protection?” He smiled. “Trust me. I’ll get you away from here safe and sound.”

“Thank... thank you,” you sighed, hesitantly hugging his waist. “Thank you so much... and it’s nice to meet you by the way, I’m MC...”

A soft chortle escaped him. “Nice to finally meet you, MC. I’m ZEN, the KNIGHT who has NOBLY COME TO YOUR RESCUE!”

The theatrics in his tone allowed you to burst out laughing... for a short while. Jumin burst through the doors of the building, his bodyguards in tow.

“MC!!” Jumin’s voice thundered.

“We’re going!!” Zen whooped, revving his engine and speeding ahead.

“Wah!!” You yelped, your head crashing against Zen’s back.

“Hang on!!” Zen shouted, weaving through lanes of traffic.

“Zen, oh my god!!” You gasped, adrenaline spiking through your body.

“By the way!!” Zen turned his head slightly. “Do you know where Rika’s apartment is?!”

“No!!” You answered.

Silence.

“We- well!! ... Uhhh!!” Zen stammered. “If...!! If it’s okay with you, you can stay with me until we figure something out!!”

“And if we don’t?!”

“We... well!! We can always talk to Seven!! Besides!! Any place is better than Jumin’s, right?!”

A settled feeling coursed throughout as you silently agreed.