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lacollectionneuse1967 · 5 months

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slip of the tongue part 2 - jealous

Theseus Scamander x Reader

“He was all over you,” he hisses. “I am not a possessive man, but I could’ve killed him then and there. He doesn’t know what’s mine.”

summary: after confessing your feelings for (and sleeping with) your boss, theseus, you join his brother newt's team of wizards attempting to thwart the notorious gellert grindelwald. when you're tasked with distracting and seducing a powerful dark wizard on your first mission, theseus gets uncharacteristically and fiercely jealous.

fem!reader. theseus scamander x reader.

category: smut with plot

warnings: 18+ smut, (light) mdom/femsub elements, unprotected penetration, semi-public sex, jealousy/possessive behavior, also the reader suffers brief unwanted sexual advances in a scene

part one / part two

Your dreams are uninventive. Your nightmares are even less so.

Often you are hounded by dogs: drooling, snapping canines, bloodthirsty past the point of cognizance, they’re more open mouths than animals. Or, you’re standing on the hill where your old orphanage used to sit in North London, barefoot on the roof while the rest of London floods below, water rising, you know you’re going to drown. Or some other tired, boring allegory for your past catching up with you, at last, your blessings, your wand, crumbling to ash—you know what the dreams mean and they don’t scare you anymore.

But tonight you are perfectly dreamless. The dream dogs, the wintry world outside, the sound of the wind whistling through the empty London streets, it cannot touch you now. The fireplace is crackling and warm orange light spills in beneath the door from the living room.

Theseus’s arm is draped over your body, your head is on his chest. Every part of your body where your bare skin meets his buzzes with contentment. His room is like a sanctuary, his arms a house that holds you.

You don’t think you’ve slept for even a full hour. It’s still dark outside when you feel Theseus jostling your shoulder.

“Y/N. Wake up, darling.”

You sigh in response and are about to put up a fight, but when you meet his eyes they’re full of sore regret, apologetic. He wouldn’t ask you to leave his bed unless it was important.

You emerge from the covers and start to stretch.

“What time is it?”

“I’m sorry, love, but it’s nearly four in the morning. We have to be going, it’s urgent.”

You turn to look at him, he’s raking a hand through his hair, sitting up in bed.

“Did you sleep at all, Theseus?” You ask incredulously.

“No, too much to think about. And besides, I knew if I slept I wouldn’t be likely to wake. Better you sleep…”

Your heart wrenched. In a swell of affection, you went to him, crawling back over his body on the bed.

“No,” he groans, but his hands come around you, sliding down to your hips, anyway. You kiss his neck, raking your teeth over the skin there.

“Don’t do this to me,” he anguishes. His grip tightens on your hip, it’s meant to be chastising but it makes you want him more. “Please. We need to leave, Y/N.”

It wasn’t easy letting go of him. You know he would’ve given you what you wanted with enough persistence.

“Okay, okay!” You relent, kissing his mouth with a smile. “I’ll stop terrorizing you now.” You leap out of bed again without complaint.

When he stands he’s serious-Theseus again, your boss. And you love him still.

For his sake, you pretend not to notice his erection in his boxer shorts. It looks painfully hard.

“Get dressed,” he says to you before turning to the bathroom. “We need to get to Hogsmeade.”

It was wonderfully strange to see him like this—hair in wavy disarray, looking soft and subdued, barefoot and in his t-shirt. You want to appreciate the sight, you want to talk about what had happened between you and all that had been said. But his mind is elsewhere, preoccupied, and it seems you are both running late.

At your insistence, he lets you apparate to your apartment for a change of clothes, but then the two of you are off, running down the stairs of his building into the dark world below.

—————

Hogsmeade is more of a detour. There is an incognito meet-up organized with none other than Professor Albus Dumbledore. You’d, mercifully, taken a train--the Hogwarts Express. Theseus mentioned that Dumbledore was being watched by the Ministry, and that there were anti-apparition charms put up around the village and the castle.

You were just grateful to see him sleeping, at last, on the way there.

It was barely daylight when the two of you arrived, the sun bleak and pink over the Highlands, providing no warmth. You were grateful for the coffee you'd nursed on the train, as you were grateful to relieve yourself of the confidential documents from the Ministry. Their weight was an invisible one for you, evidence of your betrayal.

"Some aspiring Auror you are," you thought to yourself, bitterly.

“I tried to organize them for you. I started to, actually,” You supplied sheepishly when Dumbledore regarded the haphazard stacks of parchment, laid out on one of the tables in what you assumed was his brother's inn.

Dumbledore smiled warmly at you regardless and thanked you sincerely.

When you step out of the inn, you look to Theseus just as he looks over his shoulder at you. You're both more or less sleepless, and cold, and it seems the both of you have betrayed the Ministry and embarked on a hopeless mission, without many allies in the world.

But you were a united front.

It surprises you when he says, so earnestly that the tension in his shoulders seems to deflate, “God, I missed you. I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed you.”

You blush, but don’t break his gaze. You’re not afraid to let him see you anymore.

“Where to, Mr. Scamander?”

He flexes his jaw like he’s not thinking about the plan at all, like he’s thinking about last night. But then, with a sigh, the moment is broken.

“Germany,” he says. “It’s time you meet my younger brother and the rest of the resistance.”

He says ‘resistance’ like it's some inside joke, some funny jab. You don't understand it until you arrive at the hotel room in Berlin.

-----------

Other than the hair, that uncommon shade of reddish, honey brown, and the apparent kindness and sense of humanity, Newt is nothing like Theseus. In fact, when he comes over to greet you he can hardly meet your eye, his head is half bowed in the other direction, his mouth a nervous, flat line.

"Pleasure to meet you, Y/N. I was sure that you'd do the right thing when Theseus sent you his letter. It was... very brave of you."

You look to Theseus in sharp amusement, eyes sparkling.

"Was there ever a question of whether or not I'd betray you? Did you really think there was a chance I'd turn you over to the authorities?"

Theseus places a reassuring hand on your shoulder.

"Come now, Y/N," he says. "You know if I were to die I'd prefer it to be at your hand anyway."

You want to roll your eyes, but you're not sure to what extent he's joking.

You shake Newt's hand. You're soon after introduced to a muggle baker named Jacob and an astute, somewhat brash Auror from America named Tina. You're not much of a people-person, but you find that you like them both, immensely. They feel genuine, the sort of strong, singular characters that couldn't deceive anyone if they tried. That is why Newt's explanation of your task for the night sends a bolt of dread down your spine.

"We need to need to retrieve a magical object from a German Minister's office. I-I can't say much, it's better you don't know, but it's safe to assume that a large portion of the German Ministry of Magic has already fallen. Helmut, Vogel--and who knows how many others are under the influence of Grindelwald."

"Which German Minister's office?" Theseus says. His hands are in his pockets, he's leaning against the windowsill, the picture of nonchalance, his hair swept back. He's so handsome you could cry.

Newt ignores him. "Now, tonight may be our only chance. There's a diplomatic gala at the ministry itself. I can get us all in, Pickett and I can handle sneaking into the office itself, but there are five people who know about the object being at the ministry, who will be on the lookout and who need to be distracted until we're out."

He doled out assignments swiftly. Theseus was to distract the head of security. Jacob, the two waitstaff who served as the Minister's private informants. For Tina, the German Auror, Helmut. And for you? The Minister himself.

"Which Minister, Newt?" Theseus asks again, the edge in his voice unmistakable, though you don't understand it.

"Baron Dietrich, the Minister of Finance," Newt says at last.

Dietrich. Most of your work for Theseus was domestic, but you try to remember what you can. Dietrich was some Bavarian-born descendent of the aristocracy. Hedonistic, high society. He fought in the war, but gained his reputation in the drinking clubs of Berlin. Even you knew he was ruthless, notorious. A brute of a man without much respect for the law. That was the extent of what you knew.

Newt is rushing to explain before you or Theseus can speak.

“Please, Y/N, Theseus." He looks between the two of you, trying to appeal to both. "Dietrich, h-he likes…he likes beautiful women and he-"

Theseus crosses the room to his brother in a single stride. "Yes, and do you have any idea what he likes to do to those beautiful women, Newt?” He's seething. “Even everyone at the British Ministry knows he brutalizes them."

“I-I wouldn’t ask her if it weren’t absolutely necessary. So long as she’s able to distract him at the party, keep him interested there, at the party, nothing will happen to her—to you!” Newt turns to you now, addressing you directly. “I’m sure of it…”

Theseus sucks his teeth and turns away from his brother, still fuming. “Absolutely not. You will not send her away from my side, that’s final. Not to that man.”

“Theseus, please-"

“She’s muggleborn, Newt! Do you know what men like Baron Dietrich do to wizards like her? If he found out, if any one of Grindelwald's followers did, she'd be killed.” Theseus is speaking with such firm authority, but you know him well enough to detect the barely concealed panic in his eyes, the fracture just beneath the fortress. “Send Tina instead, she’s an Auror.”

“But Y/N is exactly the sort of girl that Dietrich would be-"

“I want to be an Auror too,” your voice sounds strange to your ears when you find it. It has a clear, confident quality, musical and lucid.

Theseus looks to you in shock. You wonder if he knew about the promotion you’d been offered at all, if he knew all you’d sacrificed to stay close to him—your very dreams dashed to pieces. From his expression, naked and open as day, he did not.

“I can do it,” you make an effort to sound settled. Unshaken.

Being a young, vulnerable girl in the streets of East London, at the orphanage after, and then being a woman at the British Ministry as an adult, you’d dealt with plenty of over-friendly and entitled men. Boorish men were everywhere and were not uniquely monstrous. You hoped Baron Dietrich wasn’t either.

"It's settled then," Jacob claps his hands together, seeming relieved that the tension between the two brothers has evaporated. Theseus is slumped over, leaning back on the nightstand in apparent defeat. "We're going to a party!"

Tina places her hand on your arm, leading you towards the closet. She doesn't seem to be terribly affectionate, so you're grateful to her for extending you this small kindness now.

"Here, Y/N," She says. "Let's get you dressed. We have plenty of time to go over the plan. It'll be okay."

------------------

Your outfit, "disguise" you suppose, is nothing like the subdued robes of your companions. You don't know why you're surprised when they ask you to enter the ministry ten minutes after them, alone.

The skirt of your dress is flowy and short, like a dancer's, ending just above your knee, something that might've been acceptable a decade prior, given the fashion trends. It's made of delicate petals of off-white fabric, adorn with tiny silver and pearlescent beads, glittering. Meant to draw attention. It's sleeveless and the top is breathtakingly form-fitting, pinching in your waist and hugging every curve of your body, but you are gratefully afforded an elegant high neckline. Silk, ivory-colored, wrist-length gloves that do nothing for the cold cover your hands and a fur half-coat is draped over your shoulders. Your lipstick is a deep red.

You understand what it means, these luxury items, your styling, the fact that you were instructed to enter alone. By no design of your own, the implication was that you were an escort, a madame of the night. No wonder Newt had Theseus leave the hotel first, before he could catch a glimpse of you. You didn't dare imagine his reaction.

As you enter the gala, handing the doorman your fabricated invitation without a glance, every head turns to you. Chatter stills as you pass, the women gawk and the men look stricken, hungry as the pack dogs in your dreams. Plates and trays sail overhead and the instruments play on, unattended. The German Ministry of Magic has spared no expense.

Patrons lean in close and speak hushed and anxiously. You assume the upcoming election for the highest office of the International Confederation of Wizards is on everyone's mind.

You head for the bar with your head held high, hoping it doesn't show on your face, your discomfort at being so seen. You were told Baron Dietrich would be at the bar with some of his men. With a trembling, gloved hand you motion the barman over and order a drink.

You don’t dare look for your friends. You assume things are going swimmingly for them, but for you? You are drowning in your finery.

You’re not even alone for a moment before the wolves descend. You should've known a man like Dietrich would come find you.

"Mädchen!" He approaches you partially, but expects you to come the rest of the way, waves you over with a meaty hand. When you raise an eyebrow, haughtily, he switches to English.

"Girl, come here." The timber of his voice is low, gravelly. He has a heavy brow, his hair is thick and peppered with gray. The gray does nothing to diminish the impression of his strength. In a fight without your wand, he could have your neck snapped, broken and rolling around its stem, in a heartbeat.

You walk over, leaving your drink at the bar, untouched.

The gala is housed in a mammoth, marble room, twenty foot ceilings held up by smooth columns, something that reminds you of Gringott's. But around the massive bar at the room's center are half-circle booths and tables, spiraling out like lily pads. You slide into Dietrich's booth and his arm goes around you immeditely.

He smells chokingly of cigars, a perfumey, sickly sweet smell. He is a bloated, thick-limbed man. No, you couldn't have fought him off. There are so many uniformed men at his table that some of the younger ones have to stand. With a sting of shock, you don't see how you could be of any influence on these men at all, they hardly see you as a person, aren't speaking to you. You hope Newt and Pickett work quickly.

Another young man, dressed in what looks like a soldier's uniform, slides into the booth after you, sandwiching you in next to Dietrich. You let out of noise of shock and begin to push him off you when Dietrich grabs both your wrists.

"Don't be fussy. This is my young friend, newly recruited. I plan to make him my protégé."

The other men slap the boy over the shoulder, jostling him in congratulations. He smiles meekly. You could hate him for that meekness. That pathetic deference to power.

"We'll share you tonight, of course." Dietrich is looking at the boy, not you. "In my office."

Dietrich's hand clamps over your exposed thigh and his fingernails jab into the fat of your thigh. You don't react to the bright bite of pain. The other boy begins to lean into you, breath hot over your neck.

Whatever small bird lives in your ribs begins to beat itself against that cage, flailing and thrashing.

"No!" You can't help the edge of panic in your voice. Dietrich is too strong, so you don't bother, but you shove the boy off of you and out of the booth without much effort. The boy stumbles out, dumbfounded.

Dietrich snatches your wrist with real fury, bruisingly.

"What?! You're for sale, aren't you?" He won't hurt you in front of his men, not at the gala, but his face is so colored with anger that it's nearly purple.

"Please," there's a real plea in your voice when you say it, you try to cover it up with a hurried smile, you try to look charming. "Dance with me, sir?"

That seems to sedate him. He looks irritated, but pleased by your attention. At least he won't be able to molest you in front of all his colleagues and superiors.

He leads you to the dance floor and the entire way your mind is racing, scrambling for purchase, trying to figure out how you're going to keep him out of his office. He made it clear he had plans to go there later tonight with his men. With you.

And he was an even cruder man than you'd thought, he'd made no attempt to even flirt with or seduce you. His interest in you was moreso entitlement, the same interest a predator has for a slab of meat.

Your wand, concealed on your person, gave you little comfort. Newt had asked that you did not reveal yourself, didn't make a scene. But if it came down to it, you would fight Dietrich rather than submit to him. He was more than repulsive. He wanted to hurt you.

"Please," you think to yourself. "Please, God, don't make me-"

You startle at the large hand that grips your waist and spins you away, just before you reach the dance floor.

Dietrich, abandoned, turns in flustered outrage and is swallowed by the crowd. You're being whisked away before he can fully react, Theseus guiding you deftly out of the overfull room of diplomats.

You sob with relief. "Theseus-" you start, but he's leading you deeper, still, away from the gala.

It's not until you're in some pitch-dark, gaping mausoleum of a hallway that Theseus finally stops, pressing you delicately against the wall, holding your face in his hands like water, like something precious. He examines your body.

"Are you okay?" He asks, pressingly.

You could cry out in joy, the sight of his face is balm-like, giving you a familiar relief.

"Yes, yes!" You reassure him. "Is it done? Did we do it?"

Theseus nods in confirmation, still looking over you for injuries, turning over your wrists in his hands.

"The others are already out. It was quick. No one noticed a thing, we probably took too many precautions this time around..." He finally meets your eyes. The look in his is dark and indecipherable. When he swallows, it's raggedly. "You're really okay, Y/N?"

"Yes," you answer, hesitant at the intensity of his look. "Why?"

Theseus presses his body against yours harshly, you don't even have time to moan before he's swallowing it with his mouth. Your hands are all over him, but he gives you no room to move, it's as if he doesn't notice, the way he's pushing you up against the wall, kissing you like he wants to consume you.

"You're so damn beautiful," he mutters. "When you walked in I almost blew my cover just to go to you."

"Theseus," you pant. You're needy, you want him to keep kissing you but he's leaning his neck back, pinning you against the wall but holding himself away so he can look at you when he runs his warm hands from the backs of your thighs up to your ass. He hooks his fingers around the waistline of your panties and pulls them down so they're only hanging onto you by one of your ankles.

He leans in for another kiss, just as deep and wretched as the last, just as maddening.

He pulls away again with a pant.

"Your dress is too damn short," he curses under his breath.

"Are you angry at me?" You ask quietly, still writhing against him, desperate for friction, but suddenly self-conscious.

"No, no sweetheart," he soothes. "Not at you. You did so good. Such a good job." His praise has you leaning into his palm, which is cupping the side of your face.

You whimper, "I want you." You realize it's true as you're saying it. You can't ever lie to him. "I want you," you repeat, more insistently.

“He was all over you,” he hisses against your ear. “I am not a possessive man, but I could’ve killed him then and there. He doesn’t know what’s mine.” He punctuates the last word with a squeeze to your backside.

"Theseus," you breathe out, helplessly. You can't believe this is happening. The wing of the German Ministry that you're in is completely dark, you can barely make out the tapestries and curtains hanging loose from the walls. But there's distant light at the end of the hall, and dim voices and music filter in and out from the gala a few rooms over.

But you want him to keep touching you more than you know better, know you should stop. More than anything.

He starts to hike your dress up, his movements urgent, when he stops abruptly. The spot where Dietrich's nails dug into your upper thigh is small, but he drew blood.

Theseus pauses, loosens his grip and lets you slide down the wall. With a slow-thudding heart you briefly fear he'll be so furious he'll run back to the gala, to find Dietrich, but he only bends down and kisses the wound, just barely, lips ghosting over skin, so gently you could cry. Kneeling before you, he looks like a prince, a knight. He's careful to avoid the wound when he lifts you back up against the wall.

You can't help but stare down at it, in awe, when he takes his dick out. Your body still thrills at the sight of it, there, huge, resting at your entrance. Theseus grinds a slow circle, sliding it against your wet folds, against your clit. You just stare.

He flashes you a lazy smile.

“What? You want me to help you put it in?”

You moan, audibly. You're not doing a very good job at being discreet, but how can you when he says things like that to you and expects you to answer?

"Yes, please," you close your eyes, too flustered to meet his burning gaze when you say the words.

He grips the base of his cock and guides it into your pussy. Clamps a hand over your mouth to muffle the noises you're making, you whimper dumbly against his palm. Only releases his hand from your mouth once he's fully seated inside of you. The stretch is so big you know it would hardly take any movement at all for him to break that tension and make you come, drive you mad, unravel you completely. Just a few rocks against the wall, a few rolls of his hips and you'd be brainless and spent, crying out his name. You're already dripping around him. But you want to last longer for him this time.

He's looking directly into your eyes.

“You’re taking it, Y/N. You can choose where—in your mouth, on your face, inside. But you’re taking it all.”

You nod. Then once again he's fucking you dumb, you don't even care that anyone could walk by, you're just thinking about how big he is, how good it feels. He's fucking your body slack now, you don't even have to do anything, he’s holding you up, lifting you onto and off of his cock roughly, debasingly.

His hands nearly circle your waist completely, they’re so large. Your mouth is stuck open, making stupid, feeble noises and he’s grunting small words of encouragement.

"Say my name," he says.

When you don't respond immediately, too blissed out to think, he slams your body down harder onto him and you nearly yelp.

"Hngh, Theseus. Theseus, please-"

You can feel him get almost unbearably hard inside of you, then he’s heaving you up and flipping you around, manhandling you, so your back is his against his torso, his right arm a bar across your chest, still inside. He brings a hand down roughly to your clit to touch you through it, and then you're both coming hard, your loud, jagged breaths echoing through the empty hall.

Your head spins, you're seeing stars.

"Baby," he says, when you don't come back to yourself immediately. "Was I too rough? Are you okay?"

You nod, breathlessly, but stumble when he finally stops supporting your weight. Your body is still juddering with pleasure, your fingertips quiver and feel numb as you smooth down your dress.

He's right, you think with a laugh. My dress is too damn short.

Theseus has the decency to look around the hall to make sure no one was watching, and to help you fix your hair and what's left of your lipstick. Your lips are pink and bitten now, swollen.

"They're probably wondering where we are. We should go." His voice is serious, unemotive, but there's something like devotion in the way he looks over you from head to toe, just one last time, to make sure you're beyond reproach. He hands you his jacket, which is huge on you, and slings your fur cape over his arm, bearing the cold himself like a gentleman.

A flurry of snow has begun to spiral down in the streets of Berlin, white particles curling and dancing in the wind. You've always found this type of snowfall to be so fanciful, the closest thing to magic in the muggle world. You walk back to the meeting point in comfortable silence, Theseus's hand clasped firmly around yours.

"He doesn't know what's mine," he'd said about Dietrich, about you. And last night, not that long ago, he'd said, "I love you."

Albeit, after you said it first. You look over to his oblivious face, checking both sides for cars before leading you across the busy street. His kind eyes, the line of his jaw..

You wonder how he could mean it... You'd so meticulously tried to conceal from him all the ugly parts of your life, your past, your fears, even your wants when they seemed to inconvenience him.

Could he love me? Could I let him?

"I want you," you'd said to him in the hall of the German Ministry. You realize now that you meant more than his body. For so long even just a look from him, just a word, was enough to sustain you.

But now you wanted more. Maybe it was selfish, undeserved, that the magical world was giving way to crisis, the dark forces were closing in around hope, and yet here you were, wanting to ask him for more...

part three here

author's note: hiiiiii! YES i switched to present tense from past tense in the last part, and no i'm not sorry... please let me know if you'd like me to continue this fic! i have a third & final chapter in mind. or i can take other theseus requests. the theseus brainrot is real... some AUs would be fun too! as always, feedback is welcome <3 taglist: @mystic-mara

#theseus smut #theseus x reader #theseus scamander #theseus scamander x reader #hp fic #fantastic beasts

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fangirltothefullest · 12 days

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I find it fascinating seeing the use of tone indicators circle around so much back to a similar way that my mom used them in early AOL message board days. Tone indicators are useful to us because they help people read how we are talking and the tone we intend so as to not alarm people when talking online. We don't have the ability to tell if anyone is serious by playful manner of facial and physical expression so they're useful to us online even now!

But the fact that they evolve and change is fun to watch even as I watch it circle around.

So here's some examples of American tone indicators and outside influences to them that I've seen since first being online:

My mom's age- AOL users/early message board system used a fabulously straightforward way of indicating tone:

::::begin sarcasm now::::, ::::laughing::::, ::::shaking my head::::

The usage of colons was an easy way to identify a tone indicator was coming. There was a very limited way of creating text and often message boards did not come equipped with rich text formatting so this was a perfect way to show what you meant. They tended to have indicators fully worded with no short/chatspeak.

Then two things happened near each other- cellphones and rich text formatting being more prominent in online spaces.

Starting with cellphones- when they became a more accessible thing, tone indicators changed and abbreviations of the sayings became prominent, originally known as "chat speak" which began to form much more readily in texts and online. These indicators tended to be indecipherable unless told what they meant and the indicators had to be memorized:

Rofl, lol, smh, istg, wtf, ruok,

These tone indicators persist today, but part of their legacy was the limitation on character counts. Most places had a 140 character limit, meaning you had to get your message across fairly quickly. A way to indicate tone was either go the abbreviation route, or use the rich text editing.

Rich text allowed for italics, bonding and underlining so people could use these tools to indicate tone. These also had to be learned, because not everyone read them the same way and sometimes different places online would have different etiquette on what each tone meant. Freeboards would often have one board to specify what each one was for:

Sarcasm was popularly italicized

Anger was often bolded

Underlining was used often for seriousness

CAPSLOCK WAS YELLING!!!!

BOLDED CAPSLOCK WAS REALLY FUCKING ANGRY!!!

ITALICIZED BOLDED CAPSLOCK WAS A CATACLISMIC EVENT EVEN WITH A PERIOD.

If you had the ability to strike through, it was a whisper or afterthought.

Doubling your rich text with different punctuation could change the tone.

But the internet also let people in America see other people's cultures more readily. We are notoriously bad for teaching about other cultures here but the internet did allow us something fun! An exchange of faces if you will.

In the West, we were using emoticons with other things (note that this was dependent on if it would not work if your HTML or CSS confused the brackets and parentheses etc. as coding):

:), :(, :O, >:(, =), =D, D8, D:<, O_O, ( • )( • ), >.>, 8===D~~~, [̲̅$̲̅(̲̅1̲̅0̲̅)̲̅$̲̅], ಠ__ಠ, ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ,

But now we could see that other people were making faces in different ways and the anime crowd caught on very quickly:

OTL, (^_^;), (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄), (/◕ヮ◕)/, \(^o^)/, (✿◠‿◠), ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, (づ￣ ³￣)づ, (OwO), (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻,

Boy do I LOVE emoticon indicators! A lot of them are still used today as well.

And then things shifted again when cellphones gave us emojis! Now tone indicators were colourful!

🥺🤞🙂😔❤️😝🙄😨😱😣💀🤏👍👎🤞

But they were not accessible as easily to PC users so there becomes a nice little divide between who is and isn't using them. Also there are so many now sometimes it's hard to figure out what the intended emotion is, considering they look different on different devices! But the younger age groups of my students are trained on emojis! So much so that if I ask them to draw happiness, they draw the happy emoji.

I'm sure I'm missing a few but right now we've been back to a combined group of tone indicators! Here on tumblr we are using the slash to indicate tone much like the original AOL message board users used the colon and we are shortening the words AND using abbreviations and some write out the whole thing! Its FASCINATING seeing it come full circle.

/gen, /pos, /jk, /srs, /serious, /genuine, /positive, /happy, /encouraging

I just love how languages evolve! 8D

What are some tone indicator trends YOU noticed in your online spaces?

Edit: FIXED all of the stupid phone spelling errors.

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deathmetalunicorn1 · 1 month

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Hello!! I finally got to request 😭😭... Its a long one but what if after the Ragnarok Tournament, where after everyone was revived and the Humans won, a trio was formed? Basically,

Thor & Reader & Lubu,

Sasaki & Reader & Poseidon,

Jack & Reader & Heracles,

Hades & Reader & Qin

Nikola & Reader & Beelzebub

Odin & Reader & Simo

The Reader is the Human Fighters Valkyrie, and is extremely beautiful but also have a sassy attitude. Both of the human and heaven fighters are inlove with her but none have made their move until reader start getting hit on by her admirers. She manage to get out of the situation by lying that the human fighter is their boyfriend, but one day the same admirer come again, determine to at least get a date but accidentally screw up and this happen...

How will the Gods and Humans react? I do imagine they actually decided to go into a relationship, all 3 of them though, lol 😂

-The two men you called your lovers didn’t start out that way, you were a Valkyrie, one who as willing to give your own life to become a weapon for humanity against the gods.

-When you fused with (Human), it felt so right for the both of you, it felt so warm, so beautiful, and he almost instantly fell for you.

-(God) had loved you for a long while now, as he was taken by your feisty personality, you always spoke your mind and he had to admire you for that. However, seeing you soul bonding with a human angered him, he felt like (Human) was taking you away from him!!

-As the two men fought, they bonded as well, learning about each other, and by the end of their fight, which left all three of you heavily injured, they had respect for one another, and when they learned of the feelings they both had for you, they had agreed to share you, they just had to somehow convince you, as you were notorious for refusing dates, not wanting to bother with romance.

-That’s what led to this predicament you found yourself in; unlike others who asked you out, usually taking your rejection lightly, there was one, Kand, an earth god, who was persistent and annoying!

-You had been walking around with (God) when he approached, asking you out on a date and he was trying to refuse your rejection this time around, not wanting to take no for an answer.

-It was only when you grabbed (God’s) arm, pulling it to your body, “This is my boyfriend, I’m not interested!”

-Kand was stunned, seeing (God), and while (God) was stunned by your words, he realized that you were using him to get this pushy minor god to back off as he instantly glared, making Kand back off and run.

-When Kand approached you two days later, you were with (Human), and once again, he was being persistent, but as (God) approached, as the three of you were going out for a meal together, you grabbed (Human’s) arm, “This is my boyfriend!”

-Kand paused for a moment before glaring, pointing at (God), “You said he was your boyfriend he other day!” the two men looked down at you, curious as to what you were going to do next.

-They hadn’t expected you to grab (God’s) arm, pulling it to your other side, “He’s my boyfriend too! Got a problem with it?”

-Kand fell to his knees in anguish as (Human and God) were surprised by your words before you kept ahold of them and led them away.

-When you went to pull away, they grabbed your hands, holding on to them, which surprised you as they both smiled down at you, telling you that the three of you were going on a date, and as your boyfriends, they were going to treat you.

-You hadn’t expected them to be okay with this accident, but you weren’t complaining, finally accepting a date as the three of you headed off.

-Thor and Lu Bu- Had been surprised by your bold declaration, but you weren’t bothered by it, so they weren’t either. They had a strong bond between them, being so alike, being strong warriors, and you were their third.

-Poseidon and Kojiro- While Poseidon was elated at you finally accepting his proposal to date, Kojiro was a little shyer, as he wasn’t well versed in dating. Kojiro tried to back out, “You don’t need an old man like me. You two have fun!” this didn’t fly with either you or Poseidon, who each grabbed one of Kojiro’s hands, putting him in the middle, not willing to let him walk away. Kojiro was flattered but it took a bit for him to be comfortable.

-Hercules and Jack- Jack was initially hesitant on being your boyfriend, as he felt like you deserved better, not a killer like him, but both you and Hercules, who thought of Jack as a kindred soul now, refused to let him leave. You were both a bit exasperating, but Jack adored you both as you told him that he wasn’t leaving and that you were a trio, you were all partners. Jack couldn’t help but smile, seeing the kind souls that he found himself blessed with.

-Hades and QSH- Hades had his hands full with the two of you, QSH did what he wanted when he wanted while you had no filter, but he couldn’t imagine a day without both of you driving him crazy. QSH wasn’t bothered by having multiple partners, he was used to it from his time as emperor, when he had several consorts at one time. You definitely had your hands full with the two of them, as they were so different as far as personalities are concerned, but you enjoyed every moment spent with them.

Beelzebub and Nikola- Nikola was such a sweet baby boy, as he had been a lifelong bachelor, as he always saw women as something that needed to be respected and cherished and that he wasn’t worthy. Beelzebub was initially afraid of getting close, not wanting to hurt either of you, but with the three of you working together on each other, the relationship flourished, and you all found happiness you never knew that existed.

-Odin and Simo- Odin was initially hesitant, despite his feelings for you, as he was worried you wouldn’t be happy with an old man like him, and Simo, being a lifelong bachelor, was a bit shy in the dating scene. You definitely had your hands full with them, but you kept them both grounded, reassuring them that you wanted to be with them, and they believed you, because you wouldn’t hesitate to tell them otherwise.

#record of ragnarok #ror x reader #ror thor #ror lu bu #ror poseidon #ror kojiro sasaki #ror heracles #ror jack the ripper #ror hades #ror qin shi huang #ror beelzebub #ror nikola tesla #ror odin #ror simo hayha

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anyca786 · 3 months

Text

Press Conference

Platonic!Marvel cast (Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anthony Mackie, Tom Hiddleston) x actress!reader

Summary: When a notorious press member became too personal,your marvel family stood up for you.

The flashbulbs exploded in synchronized bursts as you entered the Endgame press conference, the air thick with anticipation. You, the newest member of the MCU family, were the talk of the town, and tonight, all eyes were on you.

The lights dimmed, a hush fell over the packed auditorium. All eyes swivelled towards the entrance as the press conference host boomed, "Let's give a warm welcome to Y/N L/N, our newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe!"

Chris Evans, seated beside Benedict Cumberbatch, couldn't help but steal a glance, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. Sebastian Stan, across from him, mirrored the sentiment, his gaze lingering a beat longer. Tom Hiddleston, ever the gentleman, offered a small, knowing nod, while Anthony Mackie, your on-screen partner, winked playfully, muttering, "Ready to steal the show, Y/N?"

After introductions and greetings, everyone settled into their assigned sofas, you positioned amongst the Avengers heartthrobs. The press conference began, questions flying thick and fast, your name met with excited murmurs and camera clicks.

You settled onto your designated sofa, a nervous flutter in your stomach. But as the press conference began, you found your rhythm, your wit and intelligence shining through your responses. Your laughter filled the room, captivating not just the audience, but also the men around you.

Their gazes, once discreet, became bolder. Chris leaned in, his smile widening with every insightful point you made. Benedict chuckled at your witty retort, his eyes sparkling with appreciation. Sebastian's lips twitched, and Tom offered a thumbs-up, his smile tinged with a hint of something deeper. Even Anthony, usually the joker, seemed captivated, his gaze lingering on you with newfound respect.

Then, the atmosphere shifted. A reporter, notorious for his inappropriate remarks, directed his attention solely at you, his motives seemingly more personal than professional, began peppering you with flirtatious questions, his gaze lingering a little too long on your figure. The room grew tense, and you could sense a change in your fellow MCU stars. Chris's normally relaxed posture stiffened, his jaw clenching imperceptibly. Sebastian's smile vanished, replaced by a steely glint in his eyes. Tom, even Tom, seemed to radiate a cool disapproval.

"Y/N," the reporter drawled, his voice dripping with insincerity, "you're absolutely captivating. Tell us, does playing alongside such handsome co-stars come with any perks?"

Benedict leaned closer, his voice barely a whisper, "You don't have to answer that, Y/N. He doesn't deserve your attention." His words, laced with a quiet intensity, sent a wave of gratitude through you.

You gave him a polite smile, your response witty and deflecting. But you saw Chris clench his jaw, and Sebastian crossed his arms, a scowl forming. You appreciated their silent show of support, focusing on the next question.

However, the reporter persisted. "Come on," he pressed, "surely there's some juicy behind-the-scenes romance brewing..."

Before you could even formulate a reply, a chorus of voices interrupted.

Suddenly, Chris interrupted, his jaw clenched, stood up, his voice low and dangerous. "Excuse me, but your line of questioning is overstepping boundaries."

Anthony, equally protective, rose, his voice booming, "Show some respect, man!"

Benedict, ever the diplomat, interjected, "Let's keep things professional, shall we?"

Sebastian, his eyes narrowed, added, "We won't tolerate any further disrespect towards Y/N."

Tom, ever eloquent, finished the thought, "Her talent speaks for itself, no need for cheap tactics."

The reporter, flustered and intimidated, stammered an apology, slinking back in his seat. You sat there, speechless, the warmth of their protectiveness washing over you.

The press conference continued, but the mood had changed. The air buzzed with a new energy, a silent understanding between you and the men around you. You were no longer just the newest star; you were their colleague, their friend, and they would fiercely protect your place in their universe.

Later, after the formalities were over, Chris approached you, a sheepish grin on his face. "Sorry about that," he muttered, "we don't take kindly to anyone disrespecting our team."

You smiled, touched by their protectiveness. "It means a lot," you admitted, "having you all have my back."

A comfortable silence settled between you, before Chris chuckled. "Besides," he winked, "who wouldn't stand up for someone as brilliant and beautiful as you?"

Your cheeks flushed, and you laughed, the warmth in Chris's eyes making your heart skip a beat. Maybe being an Avenger wasn't just about saving the world, but also finding a new kind of family, one that protected you not just from villains, but also from inappropriate reporters and perhaps, even budding feelings.

And as you looked around at the smiling faces of your co-stars, you knew you wouldn't trade this experience for anything, even if it meant facing a few intrusive questions along the way. After all, who wouldn't want to be protected by Earth's Mightiest Heroes, both on and off screen?

Please suggest anything related to marvel characters, cast or actors. I'm very new to this, I just started yesterday *cries*

#marvel #avengers x reader #marvel fanfic #chris evans #benedict cumberbatch #sebastian stan #tom hiddleston #anthony mackie #marvel cast #actress reader #tumblr #marvel fic

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bloofinntoona · 1 year

Text

Baby's Breath

Word Count: 1.4k

Themes: Fluff, a little bit of angst? Sebastian Sallow x F!Reader (Reader's house can be up to you!)

Summary: (SPOILER FOR HOGWARTS LEGACY ENDING) You're asking Sebastian Sallow who will he take to the Yule Ball.

Author's Note: So... This is my first fanfic(after a while). I played Hogwarts Legacy and I love Sebastian's questline and his story. I'd thought I wrote a little bit of a story after the main HL story. Based on the marriage question???? scene from the first Avatar movie.

A year has passed since the massive battle with Ranrok, as well as the murder of Solomon Sallow. You, Anne, and Ominis had decided to not turn Sebastian in. The weight of killing his own family member was tormenting enough for the teen, there was absolutely no need of putting him behind bars at Azkaban. Despite the darkness that has been brewing inside Sebastian, his friends still have much love for him. Especially you.

You didn't think much of it at first. Why, Sebastian Sallow was notorious for being the Slytherin bad boy. Dodging detentions here and there, and persistently asking his schoolmates to duel in his not-so-unsanctioned-secret-dueling club. One would think that this boy was a menace. But you know that he was more than that. Sebastian was smart, curious, relentless, outgoing, kind, cunning, and obviously as ambitious as a Slytherin could be. As if the boy couldn't be more perfect, he has the most beautiful hazel eyes you've ever seen. You particularly noticed the tiny freckles that adorned his face — you swear you could see constellations if you connected the dots.

Getting back to your relationship before the incidents was not easy. Ominis and Anne took their time to make small talk and joke around with Sebastian. You, on the other hand, shared a kinship. You also wielded the unforgivable curses with him. You often found yourself between Sebastian's arms, finding consolation from the responsibilities of being the so-called Hogwarts Hero who possessed the Ancient Magic. There was also a time when Sebastian broke down in your arms, feeling guilty for being too absored in the Dark Arts. Nevertheless, time is the best healer as you both were able to cope and live somewhat normally in school.

After all that you both have been through, there was never a point where you confessed to each other. Yes, you hugged and comforted each other. You swore you felt him kissed your forehead once. Perhaps it's the archaic rule of courting in the 19th century that your guardians had been drilling into your brain. Or perhaps you're just too scared of being rejected and loosing the closest friend in your life.

⁂✲＊⁂✲＊⁂

You shifted your feet back and forth, hearing the snow rustling underneath your platform shoes. Merlin's beard, you thought, where in the world is Sebastian? Saying that it's freezing in Hogsmeade is an understatement. The wind blew past your ears as you cursed yourself for putting your hair in an updo today. You jumped as you felt hands tickled your sides, "Hey!" you shouted, turning around. Sebastian grinned, "Sorry, 'had to pick up something earlier." He patted your head, which prompted a red blush spreading across your face. "Shall we?" He offered his hand as you head into The Three Broomsticks. Nothing like a full glass of Butterbeer can make you feel better, especially with Sebastian as your company. This is how you both liked to spend the weekends after a tedious week full of classes and homework. The outing almost ended with You and Sebastian racing on the broom, cruising over the lake until you both reached the rickety docks in Lower Hogsfield, looking over the school.

"That was a good race. Obviously, I was here first." The boy puffed his chest.

You rolled your eyes, "Sure, consider yourself lucky that we're alone 'cause I literally landed first!"

Sebastian and you playfully bantered, pushing each others' broom. He accidentally pushed a bit too hard which sent you flying back. "Oop-!" you yelped as you felt his swift hands caught your back and pulled you close to him. Too close. You felt your chest pressed against Sebastian. Godrick's Heart, did he grow taller? You also swore he was not this strong and muscular before. Puberty years did work wonders for teen boys. Feeling his warm breath against your face, you started to panic and gently pushed him away. You swore you could see a hint of disappointment in his face.

"So," you cleared your throat, "The Yule ball is coming soon. I, uh, heard that you're supposed to look for your own date." You paced around the dock, afraid to look at Sebastian. "Have you thought about who you're going to ask?" You bitterly questioned him. A part of you was a bit disappointed that Sebastian didn't ask you when the ball was announced. You'd expect him to take you, even as friends. The thoughts of Sebastian secretly having a crush without telling you made your guts churn. It's not like other boys haven't asked either, Garreth Weasley was very sweet, offering an enhanced (his words) Wiggenweld potion warped in a bow with an invitation to the ball. You were flattered, but you thought there wasn't a point of going without the boy you actually had a crush on.

"I thought about it." Sebastian calmly said, using his wand to cast Levioso, levitating a rock and flung it to the lake.

"Oh..." you gulped. "May I know who?" You wanted to slap yourself for asking, why would you want to hear answers that will hurt? You still have your back facing Sebastian.

"Guess!" and there's Sebastian Sallow, never making it easy for you.

You used your wand to flung some pebbles into the water. "Well, Imelda Reyes is an amazing flyer. I bet you learned a flying trick or two from her," You smiled bitterly, "Plus, you both are in the same house, so I bet you're close with her?"

You could hear his laugh. "No way, I'm not keen on being ridiculed by Imelda." Sebastian flung more rocks into the water.

"I guess Natty is a good option too. She's brilliant, probably the kindest person I've ever met-"

"What about me?" Sebastian joked, "I'm also kind."

You rolled your eyes. "Also she has a professor as a parent, like you."

"It's not Natty, too... Gryffindor for me," He shook his head, "Don't get me wrong, Natty's a good friend. But she's just a friend for me."

"What about Poppy? She's the cutest girl in school. I think her passion for the beasts is amazing too." You chimed.

Sebastian shook his head again. "Nope, not her."

You raked your brain, thinking about the rest of your schoolmates. You didn't even notice Sebastian's footsteps inching closer to you.

"Ominis?" you blurted out, now facing Sebastian. Hearing your question, he made a face and blurted out an explosive laugh. "I mean I would, but he probably would kill me first," he wiped a tear from his eyes, "no, not my dear friend Ominis Gaunt."

"I give up!" You held up your hands, "I don't know who you have in mind."

Sebastian lets out a sigh. "There is this girl," he stood close to you, "She is beautiful, brave, and possesses an ability like no other. She's always eager to beat me in duels and learn new things. This girl is always there for me, through thick and thin. Even though I was a sodding disappointment of a mate, she still greets me with a warm smile. I don't think I could be here right now without her."

Your breath hitched, feeling warmth crept around your face. Sebastian's face is turning red as well. He took your hands in his, caressing your fingers softly. You can feel your body heating up despite the cold air. "I'm glad you came to Hogwarts. Having you in my life was the best present the universe gave me." He reached inside his pocket and presented you with a corsage decorated with baby's breath and baby blue ribbon. "I was going to give it to you tomorrow. But since we're having this conversation..." He smiled, face red as ever, "Will you go to the ball with me-"

Sebastian didn't get to finish his sentence before you crashed your lips against him. You could feel electricity sparked all over your body, butterflies flying all over your stomach. It seemed like forever, feeling his soft lips molded with yours. His hands rested on your waist, gently pulling you closer. You snaked your hands around his neck, entangling your fingers in his brown locks.

You broke the kiss, resting your forehead against his. "I'd take that as a yes?" Sebastian whispered. You nod, couldn't get a word out of your mouth. He smiled, peppering small kisses on your cheeks before capturing your lips for another kiss.

He pulled back, took your hand, and wrapped the corsage around your wrist. "You know, I had to do a bunch of tasks to have Professor Garlick help me grow this flower." He chuckles, admiring how the flowers looked on you.

"Sebastian.. I-" You grinned widely, "Thank you. I would love to go to the ball with you." You couldn't help but to wrap your arms around him again. "Why baby's breath?"

"Well, darling, they said it's the symbol of everlasting love."

⁂✲＊⁂✲＊⁂

#sebastian sallow #fluff #sebastian sallow fluff #sebastian #ominis gaunt #sebastian sallow x you #sebastian sallow x reader #hogwarts legacy #the way i screamed #yule ball

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valorant-drabbles · 6 months

Note

I am in dire need of more iso x reader so bad

Can I ask for Iso x cold! sniper! reader Can be platonic or romantic if it's okay (・∀・)

So reader has been part of the protocol for a while before iso (they joined just after gekko) and she's still a lone wolf then enters Iso. They would always coincidentally bump into each other and reader would just nod at him and walk past him even though Iso tries to strike up a conversation. (also reader is prone to getting hurt all the time whether it's on a mission or just a normal everyday fistfight with strangers)

One mission Iso and reader were both in the same team, timeskip to team entering battle, so reader pushes Iso out of the way and takes a hit resulting in reader being critically injured so when they got back to HQ Iso confronts them

Thanks for requesting! I will say, this was a little tough considering I don’t know much about Iso’s personality aside from what it says on the wiki. I apologize if this is ooc! Hopefully I did him justice!

Gender-Neutral Reader written, but input whichever gender you prefer/identify as if you’d like!

Summary: Lone wolf Reader keeps their distance from everyone- even from the newest recruit, Iso. Despite his best efforts to be friendly, conversations are avoided or cut short. But one fatal injury on the battlefield is the final straw, before Iso decides that he’s had enough of the ‘stand-off-ish’ façade, and demands answers. Does the reader actually give a shit or not?

Warnings: Some cursing, critical injury (nothing graphic), near death experience, possibly ooc Iso?

Word Count: 2.3k

Cold Shoulder

Reader x Iso

| Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 |

When Iso initially joined the Protocol, he was expecting to be treated with an air of caution. He was, quite literally, an assassin. And to boot, one that had been requested to target one of the Protocol's agents; Omen. Many were still skeptical of him- and he couldn't exactly blame them. For all they know, he could've joined Valorant to make his job easier to finish.

It had been a fair few weeks by that point. Some of the agents had come around, seeing that Iso wasn't just out for blood and, in fact, was seeking haven within their walls. His skills in the field proved expert, proving further to any doubters amongst VP's ranks that he was worth the risk; the myth incarnate.

Though he was far from the most impressive in the field. As arrogant as Iso could be, even he couldn't doubt the abilities of his fellow agents; with Reyna and Chamber both being most fascinating to him. The empress herself, and the expert marksman... could there be a more intriguing member to be drawn to?

Yes, actually.

Expert sniper rivalling even Chamber's ability, Y/N was incredible to witness on the battlefield, and Iso very quickly found himself drawn to his fellow agent. Swift, precise, seemingly always appearing at the right moment to save someone's ass; hell, even Yoru couldn't help but be grateful for Y/N's sharp eye.

Unfortunately for him, Y/N was notorious amongst the agents for being one of the coldest people there, keeping to themselves when not on a mission; even proving a tad short-tempered at times as well. They had quite the record for starting fights with certain agents-- okay, yes, it was Yoru, and yes, it was very much warranted.

Yet... Y/N intrigued him still. As a result, he did his very best to get on their good side. Complimenting their aim after a particularly close call, offering to grab them some coffee on cold mornings... he'd even tried to strike up a conversation once or twice. To no avail, sadly. But it didn't stop him from trying. He was nothing if not persistent.

"Y/N!" Iso raised his hand in greeting, as he spotted you across the hall, supposedly heading his way. Another chance, he thought- maybe he'd get some progress today. Y/N had noticed the newest agent greeting them, and nodded firmly in recognition. Did Iso... just get acknowledged? That was a first with you! It excited him a bit more than perhaps he might've thought.

"I saw you in the shooting range earlier... looked like you were having a competition with Phoenix. Heard you wiped the floor with him, good job." Iso started as you approached him. You gave a small shrug in response, hands in your pockets as your sniper rifle hung off your back. "It wasn't much of a challenge. He was too distracted with trying to impress me to... well, impress me. It was finished rather quick."

That didn't surprise Iso in the slightest. Phoenix did have a slight ego, always feeling the need to try and impress the newer agents in hopes of gaining their respect. So far it'd only really worked with Gekko and Harbor... and that was enough for him to do it even more frequently.

Before the assassin could open his mouth to add anything to the conversation, he found himself being brushed by rather quickly by you. His eyebrows knit together slightly in frustration as he turned just as you passed, reaching out to grab your shoulder.

"Y/N, wait-"

"Don't touch me." You scolded coldly, your tone enough to startle Iso into retracting his hand immediately. He cursed himself internally- why had he done that? He must've broken a boundary by touching you, even if it was innocently. Fuck.

"I'm sor-"

Slam went a door in his face. Your door. To your room. Had he been standing in front of your door this whole time...? God, how creepy he must've come off, he thinks. How come things always went to poorly when he tried to talk to you...?

Sighing heavily, he ran a hand through his hair, with the sound of his lone footsteps echoing down the now-empty hall. With an air of defeat, he resigned to go to his own room for the night. Maybe he'd have better luck with you tomorrow...

---------

A few days had passed since Iso's failed conversation attempt, and things with you were still as barren as ever. It frustrated him to no end, but there really wasn't much else he could do.

All too soon came the day when you and Iso were sent on a mission together. You seemed as indifferent as ever, whilst Iso saw it as another opportunity to try and win some form of your favor. But god, was he ever trying hard not to come off as overbearing.

The team was ordered to defend B site of Pearl, one of Iso's favorite spots out of all the locations the Protocol would send them; primarily because you were in your element. Staring down B Main with an Operator set up, waiting, watching... It'd be a lie to say that Iso wasn't staring. Your focus and intensity was... fascinating to watch. Iso was positioned at B Screen, meant to watch the side of the pillar that was out of your range. Emphasis on 'meant' to watch... As he was far too busy watching you in action to actually focus.

A bullet from your classic shot past him, jolting him out of his daze as he caught your glare. "Iso, focus. They could be rushing us any second." You scolded. As a result, Iso's face grew a fine shade of red out of embarrassment. You'd definitely just caught him staring, now he was completely thrown off. God. Could this mission get any worse, even though it barely started?

As if on cue, the mirror agents had rushed by the box atop B Ramp. Your heart dropped for a moment as you saw an enemy Chamber quickly set up from behind the box, scope aimed directly for Iso's head. Goddammit.

"Iso!" You shout to him, panic evident in your voice, which was... definitely new. Your tone was usually so monotone, empty, uncaring- but the second you saw your teammate's life in danger-

You were moving before you knew what was happening, abandoning your operator at your position as you ran forward. You'd managed to grab his arm, forcefully yanking him down as a bullet whizzed past, missing Iso by mere milliseconds. Now disoriented, Iso was shaken by his shoulders, meeting your steely gaze.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! Aren't you supposed to be some kind of... myth or some shit? Where is your head at?" You hissed at him, causing Iso to swallow the nervous lump suddenly in his throat. Why was he so off his game today? Was it solely the fact he was put on a mission, at the same site as you? Was it--

Bullets began raining through the screen they were ducked behind, relentlessly. That was an Odin in action, easily- the inaccurate bullet holes said that much, since they were shooting from so far away-- though before you could properly assess the situation and form a plan, or even call for backup- you felt a searing pain in your shoulder. A pained hiss escaped from you as you instinctively pushed Iso away. Then another bullet, then another-

Before you could take more hits, you found Iso in front of you, sending his shield forward to stop anymore bullets from reaching you.

Throwing you into his arms, Iso took a running start and slid into B hall, where your operator was, setting you down by a wall. "Sage, I need backup at B site immediately!" Iso shouted into his coms, as he positioned himself at your Operator. His eyes bore into your soul as you felt a strong dizziness overtake you, the sound of the gunfire becoming a ringing in your ears.

"Don't you dare die on me, Y/N."

The last thing you remember is Iso firing your Operator, and the sound of the Odin stopping.

------------

You awaken to the dim lighting of the infirmary, and a soreness throughout your torso. Moving to sit up was painful, forcing you to move slower as you got a feel for your surroundings. Looked to be about 3AM, based on the deafening silence. And the clock on the wall was a helpful indicator as well. Duh.

You rubbed your face, still feeling completely drained and exhausted. Looking down at your torso, you see nothing but a few new scars, presumably from where you'd been shot. A shoulder shot, one to the side, and one just narrowly avoiding your stomach. Any more bullets and you'd look like swiss cheese.

Once your senses were fully awake, you became acutely aware of another presence in the room. Your eyes shot towards where you sensed this presence, expecting to find Sage or maybe even Skye-

"Iso?"

Iso had been sat in a chair nearly, eyes closed resting, with a single earbud playing music into his ear. Usually he'd have both in and completely tune everything out after a mission- something you'd noticed the first few times you'd gone on a mission with him. A little thing to notice, you thought to yourself.

At the sound of your voice, though a tad hoarse from having just woken up, Iso's attention was directed to you immediately. His eyes widened in both surprise and relief, as he tossed his earbuds aside, and slid his chair over to your bedside. "Oh thank god. You've been out for days, I was starting to think Sage lied to me when she said you were stable." His voice was drenched in relief.

"You told me not to die on you. So I didn't. Just following orders." You started, earning a slight glare from your fellow agent, who didn't seem too pleased.

"Uh- no. No more of that." He interrupted you before you could say anything else, holding his hand up, as if to tell you it was his turn to speak. Your eyebrows furrow in confusion. "No more of what-?" You prompt slowly, not entirely sure why he seemed so upset. You were fine, weren't you?...

"This... whole thing you do!" Iso gestured vaguely at you, trying to find the proper words to convey his frustration, but it only left you more confused- and a little irritated.

"What are you talking abou-"

"You pretend not to give a shit about anybody, you give everyone the cold shoulder- you make it clear you don't want to associate with any of us. And then, for some reason, you basically throw yourself in front of an Odin to save me? Risked your life for someone who you've only ever pushed aside?" Iso's eyes narrowed at you as he speaks. You feel a strange nervousness twinge in your chest.

"Sage had to resurrect you, Y/N. You literally died for me! I just... don't understand what your deal is!"

You didn't notice until now, but... Iso was holding your hand in both his own. His voice was wavering, but he dared not subject you to anything further than that to show his fear.

You find yourself averting your gaze, noticing there's a single lilac on the table next to your bed.

"I... I apolog-... No. I'm sorry, Iso." You correct yourself, your usually-tense shoulders shifting to a more relaxed position, despite your mild discomfort at being called out like this. Had you really been so cold towards the other agents?

"Listen, I-... Don't exactly have an explanation that'll satisfy you." You admitted softly, causing Iso's gaze to soften in return. Sighing, you continue. "I've always... worked on my own. I never found a need to make connections with the people I happen to work alongside, because I know that... one of us is inevitably gonna leave, or die. It'll cause more grief than anything, getting close to people, only for them to be taken in the blink of an eye. I've been through my fair share of loses... and I'm just sick of how terrible it feels. It's better for me to just get by without getting too attached. Nobody gets hurt that way."

"I don't think you're thinking about this right at all." Iso piped up quietly, though there was an air of understanding laced in his words. "I was a fixer, Y/N. I worked solely on my own, like you. If I crossed the wrong kind of people, anyone I cared about could become weapons to be used against me for blackmail. It was only after joining the Protocol that I started opening up to others. After all, Valorant has promised to protect me from my employers, so any connections I make within Valorant are... safe. This is the only place I feel like I can make friends that won't be used against me, I guess." He wasn't able to keep his cheeks from reddening. Admitting all this was new for him, but... he thought that if he shared his own experience with you, maybe it would provide you the comfort you need to do what he did.

The silence in the room was heavy, and yet... it was oddly comforting to you. You actually had someone who understood where you come from. A small smile found its way onto your face, as you allowed your gaze to meet Iso's.

"I guess despite my best efforts... I ended up caring about someone after all. Some idiot who almost got a bullet to the forehead." You couldn't help but smirk faintly as you flicked Iso's forehead, causing the man to flinch in response. He shot you a slight glare, though no malice could be detected behind his eyes. He let out a sigh, shaking his head slowly.

"You're... never gonna let me live that down, are you, Y/N?"

"Nope."

#valorant x reader #valorant #valorant iso #valorant fanfiction #valorant agents

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overleftdown · 4 months

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farleigh start and racism; oh boy.

(some people are going to find this post really annoying. some people are like felix catton.)

read this.

just some thoughts from the perspective of a person of color who is slightly too obsessed with this character. this movie leaves the viewer a lot of wiggle room to interpret how dynamics such as race and privilege come into play. there are certain parallels between this movie and the real world, and how unnoticeable white privilege tends to be for white people.

lemme lay some groundwork. from what i understand, the most prevalent form of racism and white privilege within upper- and middle-class circles is implicit bias. this is racist conceptualization that subconsciously interacts with one's perception of society and people. implicit bias is often externalized through microaggressions, differences in treatment and language towards a marginalized person, misplaced guilt or pity, and persistent denial of any existing privilege or marginalization. most of these biases are also founded on stereotypes. some racial stereotypes are heightening (e.g. asians are all smart) and some are lowering (e.g. black people are all lazy). all stereotypes are harmful. i'm going to discuss some of the stereotypes that could theoretically interact within the saltburn canon, as well as some things i've noticed within viewers. can of worms, to be honest. boutta get INTO IT.

to use one of my externalization examples, let's discuss (or, more accurately, let me discuss) the denial of existing privilege or marginalization. this is a subconscious way to uphold a sense of morality, effectively avoiding "white guilt," so to speak. as is clearly presented to us, the cattons are very attached to their methods of upholding their own self-righteousness. saviorism is a common theme within both elspeth and felix. in oliver's conversation with elspeth about poor dear pamela, you can see that oliver recognizes elspeth's need to justify her actions in an attempt to preserve her sense of decency. one can only assume that this applies to how they view farleigh's relationship with them. there's more to talk about there, but i'd like to start with the only overt mention of race in this movie.

in felix's confrontation with farleigh, farleigh makes the bold and brave decision to mention his blackness. i call this brave because it's genuinely a terrifying thing to do, and the end of this conversation is proof. "oh, that is... that is low, farleigh. seriously, that's where you want to take this? make it a race thing? i never know our footman's names; the turnover for a footman is notoriously high!" we have felix's intentional or unintentional shaming of farleigh. we have felix's appalled denial of any involvement of race or racial bias. we have felix's diversion away from farleigh specifically and onto his own inability to know his staff's names. felix made no further attempt to recenter farleigh, aside from telling him that the cattons have "done what they can." (which is SO absurd on its own. they are clearly and obviously able to do more. they are disgustingly rich). farleigh does feel ashamed after felix's response; you can see it on his face, and archie says it directly. here is a relevant and prevalent stereotype for all marginalized people: that the discussion of marginalization is exclusively weaponized to gain something or manipulate a situation. this is how felix chooses to see farleigh's implication of existing white privilege. this conversation results in nothing, does nothing, as felix chooses not to confront what he's probably thinking as he repeats the words "begging bowl" to venetia.

now. saviorism, guilt, and pity. felix specifically tells oliver that sir james made an effort to support farleigh out of guilt. i'd like to order some things in a way that i perceive them. frederica start runs from england, which is explained in a condescending way by felix. frederica start marries a so-referred-to "lunatic" who dug through fred and jame's money, although it's farleigh who only mentions fred's financial irresponsibility. out of guilt, james offers to pay for farleigh's education. the specificity of education is compelling to me. perhaps james is simply a patriotic man who strongly believes that english education is better. or this is a mobilized racial stereotype! who can truly know. i digress. james' offer to pay for farleigh's foreign education puts the cattons in an odd position; if farleigh is to attend english schools, he will need to stay with the cattons. if farleigh is staying with the cattons, he will need to be treated as equal to felix and venetia. this is all one long chain of obligations. none of these acts from one family member to another should be considered "charitable," because family should intrinsically create a trustworthy and supportive dynamic.

i believe that the cattons do consider their fostering of farleigh as obligatory. moral obligation, as they recognize that families are intended to have a sympathetic and loving relationship. they cannot, however, escape the truth that they're just guilty. the "begging bowl" and "biting the hand" are more symbolic of a starving dog and its charitable adopter than a cousin/nephew who's staying with his absurdly rich family. see, the cattons are fully and entirely capable of affording another child, of supporting frederica financially, etc. the only way i can rationalize their reluctance to do so is by assuming that they don't feel like farleigh deserves it. is this a crazy assumption? i genuinely don't see why else. of course, i don't think this mentality is explicit or conscious. it's more-so the reality that when farleigh walks in a room, he's not the same as anybody else. aside from background characters at oxbridge, the only on-screen black people are liam, joshua, and james' godson's wife (who gets degraded on-screen). this is the reality of being different in an environment such as the english aristocracy. the cattons choose to see themselves as the hand that feeds the less fortunate, more entertaining, and least inconvenient. the cattons' inclusion of farleigh is not only reliant on how well farleigh performs, but also on their own pity and guilt.

all of this is somehow, painfully mirrored by some takes i've seen on farleigh. maybe this entire post is presumptuous, but you know what isn't presumptuous? saying that certain people hold farleigh to an incredibly odd standard. while the cattons never canonically said anything along the lines of "farleigh doesn't deserve our love and support," mfs on the internet have. the number of times people have referred to this character as greedy, lazy, petty, and malignant is so odd to me. i'm insane, i know. i just don't understand how people can hold farleigh to the backdrop of an english aristocratic family and so passionately say that he, of all characters, is the most detestable. or that he, of all characters, has no reason to behave in the way he does.

is farleigh greedy? greed is defined as a desire for more. farleigh has no desire to climb ranks, no desire to replace or surpass felix, no desire to hold any power over any family member. he is maintaining, upholding a standard that has been set for him throughout his life. is it kind or selfless of him to meddle in other people's affairs with the cattons? no. does he have a reason to be upset that non-relatives of the cattons are a threat to his inclusion in the first place? yes. is farleigh lazy? i don't even need to explain this one. no. if you don't consider oliver lazy, then i really don't want to hear anything. is farleigh petty? pettiness is defined as "an undue concern for trivial matters, especially in a small-minded or spiteful way." farleigh's meticulous attention to trivial matters isn't undue in any sense. a person of color and their meticulous attention to trivial matters is almost never undue. elspeth is a good example of petty. is farleigh malignant? there are a lot of definitions of malignant and i've seen people apply all of them, in some way, to farleigh. that's just wrong. archie madekwe once said, "i was interested in humanizing what, on paper, seemed like a mean character, a villain, or a bully. i don't think he's any of that. he's very self-serving, but i think he's really a heartbreaking character." case closed, this was for my own piece of mind. had to write this section because good lord.

in conclusion to this post that has gone tragically off the rails, i think the in-canon and viewer perspective of farleigh is, perhaps, a little racially motivated. sue me. they are all very centered on this idea that farleigh doesn't deserve inherent respect, support, and love. to remove farleigh's rational position within the cattons family would be akin to removing his right to familial love. genuinely, that's how i see it. the transaction nature of farleigh's actions is responsive. he sees felix as a social shield at oxbridge, he sees elspeth and james as the beholders of his perceived security, and he sees saltburn as a way to escape from his lack of privilege and his lack of stability in america. boom. bam. pow.

#farleigh start #saltburn #saltburn 2023 #i love making it a race thing #took multiethnic lit and racial sociology this quarter #critical race theory is my weapon of choice at any given moment #“erm actually”#the “i love making it a race thing” is a jest #white people b making it a race thing without even knowing it #like hello ur the one who fucking started it #womp womp on GOD on griddy #i tried to explain to someone that i related to farleigh because i'm also half white and my white family is painful to exist around #and this mf said “erm u actually relate to him cuz ur a horrible person and so is he”#hello what #i'm not doing what farleigh is doing like obv i don't live in a fucking castle #but the girls that get it get it #i'm incapable of shutting up #ever #actually #yabbering on at 1am #talking to the voices in my head #the voices r saying “farleigh start u will always be famous”

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wovenstarlight · 3 months

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I got an interesting anonymous ask on the SFS Tumblr asking about the reasoning behind a bunch of Yoohyun's decisions that had… less-than-stellar outcomes, let's say? (LMAO.) and I'd like to keep the TL blog clean so I'm answering Anon here. I'm gonna post their ask in full for reference, because the answers to each individual question overlap:

Hi, thank you very much for your time, energy and effort. What you are doing is really amazing and admirable. I know you are busy enough and I shouldn't trouble you, but after reading the manhwa, I had questions about Yoohyun's logic and sentiment, and I became more confused after reading the novel and I don't know who to ask. Please ignore my message if it's to much trouble. 1: Why doesn't Yoohyun spend the last years of his life on earth peacefully with Yoojin, even though he knows that the world will end soon? 2: What did Yoohyun accomplish by leaving and humiliating Yoojin that he was persistent to do it for so many years? 3: Why instead of using his forces and technologies to protect Yoojin, he announces to the world that it is open season on him and he is worthless? (Normaly no one dares to harm the family of an S class but Yoohyun expose Yoojin to danger by abandoning him.) 4: Why does Yoohyun stop protecting Yoojin when the most dangerous part of Yoojin's life as an F class hunter begins? (Using his influence he could easily ban Yoojin from entering dungeons. Or he could have secretly formed a group of the most powerful hunters to go with Yoojin to dungeons. This way he could have provided him with everything he needed and keep him safe. That is, if he had any intention of protecting him.) 5: Why would Yoohyun gain all that resources, power, wealth and connections and he sit around and does nothing so that Yoojin would face death every day and rot in the basement? He gain all that for what, if not for protecting Yoojin? 6: Why doesn't he ever change his procedure or provide new options for Yoojin to stop going to dungeons? (Yoojin has no chance for a peaceful life due to not having a degree and being a notorious person. And he doesn't know about that cult.) Yoojin got to see his 30 years old birthday cause the cult didn't feel like killing him and he took care of himself in dungeons and was lucky that only his legs broke. So why would Yoohyun identify as a doting brother? The more I think about it the less I understand.

(crossposted on AO3, if you'd prefer to read there)

Okay, so, I'm really prone to rambling at length and this is a subject I have strong feelings on, so I'll give you a very short version of my answer in bullet points, and then a longer version with proper chapter-specific references and full explanations of what I think was going on.

Yoohyun wants to repay Yoojin for all the care and love he's given him, but as a 17-year-old, he doesn't have much social power

Yoohyun's Awakening puts himself and anyone he loves (i.e. Yoojin) in a dangerous position, because while he has individual physical power as an S-rank, he still lacks social power and also can't singlehandedly protect Yoojin 24/7

Yoohyun, in all his rash 17-year-old glory, takes the drastic action of cutting off Yoojin, planning to build up enough power to protect Yoojin and then reunite with him. Yoojin, as just your ordinary everyday 22-year-old, faces no risks other than people targeting him in order to hurt Yoohyun (I don't agree that no one would dare to harm the family of an S-rank, for reasons I'll elaborate on later in the long answer), so if Yoohyun's not close to Yoojin, then that cuts it down to "no risks at all", right…? So tell the media, tell the world, that no, Han Yoohyun doesn't give a shit about Han Yoojin. Yoohyun assumes he'll be able to explain it all to Yoojin one day and that he'll understand. (This should answer your Question 2 and Q3.)

But it doesn't work out as expected. Yoohyun thought it'd take much less time to establish his position than it does in reality (the assumed 4-ish years ended up as 6+ years). Also, Yoojin's gone from trying to make up with Yoohyun in a way that'll let them be together again (not going to happen, because Yoohyun's still not ready to bring Yoojin back into the fold) to being in his own terrible situation, so he's started lashing out at Yoohyun. So even if Yoohyun was in a stable enough situation to try reconciling with him, Yoojin might not be open to it by this point

Somewhere along the way, Yoohyun learns from the filial duty addict Diarma the world is going to end. He doesn't drop everything and go to live with Yoojin because even now, there's still the concern that maybe Yoohyun won't be able to protect Yoojin from everything, and maybe Yoojin doesn't want Yoohyun around, anyway. There's no use in going to live with Yoojin if it'll just end up getting Yoojin killed through Yoohyun's inaction (Q1).

So Yoohyun keeps maintaining his guild and his power so he can keep protecting Yoojin from what he thinks are the Real Threats. (Because the worlds of low- and high-rank Hunters are VERY different. Yoohyun probably assumes that because Yoojin's not facing the high-rank Hunter dangers, he's facing no dangers—a stupid but understandable mistake, given that Yoojin also assumed the exact same thing in reverse about Yoohyun! It sucks, it really does, but I really do think Yoohyun just… didn't realize just how bad it was.) (Q5) And the world can end whenever it wants; if there's no challenging it, then at least Yoohyun's kept Yoojin safe in the meantime.

And the one danger they have in common, dungeons—you suggest Yoohyun banning Yoojin from entering any, but Yoohyun's cut himself off from Yoojin entirely, remember. Trying to interfere in his life would be met with (a) STRONG rejection by a deeply hurt Yoojin who doesn't understand why Yoohyun thinks he has any say in Yoojin's life anymore, and (b) interest by Yoohyun's rivals, who'd wonder why he's trying to keep his hyung away from dangers when he says he doesn't care about that hyung's wellbeing, putting Yoojin right back in their crosshairs. (Q4)

Also, the immoral people have been killing Caregivers of S-ranks. Diarma might have told Yoohyun about this. If he did, then Yoohyun's goals would definitely have gone from "stay strong and one day reconcile with hyung" to "NEVER get close to hyung, because there are beings outside this world, much more powerful than anything I can match in a reasonable timespan, who will 100% kill him". At which point, even if Yoohyun had wanted to reconcile with him, or compromise by just adjusting his plan and talking to Yoojin a little more, or literally anything past making a show of total and complete indifference, he couldn't have without knowingly risking Yoojin's life. (Q6)

You and I and all the other S-Ranks readers, removed from this situation as we are, can think of half a dozen ways Yoohyun could probably have gotten around things. But the simple fact is that in that situation, under that much pressure, with that much emotional attachment to his brother and literally everything that mattered to him at stake if he fucked up in the tiniest of ways—forget making perfect decisions, there was absolutely no way Yoohyun was going to do anything other than what seemed least risky. Because to do otherwise would be risking Yoojin’s life and therefore his own. And the choices you’ve already mades, the path you’re already on—no matter how bad it is for you, no matter how bad it is for the people you love, no matter how much it hurts—will always, always be less risky than the unknown path, because at least this way, you know what dangers to expect and brace for. At the core of the matter, it’s just that… the path that was best for Yoojin's happiness wasn't the path that was best for Yoojin's life expectancy, you see? And Yoojin can't be happy if he's dead. Yoohyun can't be alive if Yoojin's dead. That's all it came down to.

……oh my god that was so long actually. And that was supposed to be the TL;DR. The long version is going to be SO long. I hope you like reading 50-page passionate essays. There's a poll at the end, you can look forward to that!!!

(Also, okay, before we jump into the Deep End. Two disclaimers.

Anon, you said you read the manhwa and novel, but I read only the novel, so some of my chapter references might be unfamiliar. I know they shuffled events around a little in the webtoon, too, so I'll try and describe the general events so you can find any webtoon parallels.

Yoojin's a REALLY unreliable narrator and definitely doesn't know a lot of what Yoohyun's gone through. Part of that is because there's things he has no way to pick up on or deduce; part of that is because he wants to not think about Yoohyun going through bad shit; part of that is because Yoohyun doesn't want Yoojin worrying about him and has actively hidden the worse parts of his life from him. So a fair part of what I'm talking about is going to be reading between the lines and extrapolating.

Okay, disclaimers done!) Now on to the long version with references. Let's go point-by-point based on the TL;DR.

#1: Yoohyun wanting to repay Yoojin

I mean, the skill's called Last/Final Repayment! Isn't that enough? Where did you think that came from? There certainly wasn't anything Yoojin wanted to repay Yoohyun for.

Okay, no, more seriously. Yoohyun and Yoojin have grown up with only each other to depend on. Yoohyun has watched Yoojin take care of him alone their whole lives, with no outside support, keeping a roof over their head and their stomachs filled. For Yoohyun's sake, Yoojin has given up:

A complete education, with Yoojin having "dropped out of school to take care of his little brother", as mentioned in chapter 1.

A proper social life. In chapter 25, Yoojin says his friends in his early 20s were "middle-aged factory workers" instead of people his own age.

Hobbies. He says to Yerim and Myeongwoo in chapter 45 that one of his "few hobbies" is taking spam calls, but his character profile from the E-books volume 1 confirms it's his only hobby, and one that's now fading… which leaves him with zero personal interests. (The spam calling thing is almost certainly something that sprouted from loneliness in the years that the brothers were separated, by the way. After all, why would Yoojin waste time listening to some stranger on the phone talk to him about something he doesn’t care about? Most likely because there isn’t—wasn’t—really anyone else who’s willing to talk to him, anymore.)

The sole birthday present of "a 10,000 won bill to buy something tasty to have with his friends" he got from their parents, which "would be used for Han Yoohyun’s birthday. As [it was] every year", as mentioned in chapter 239, during Yoohyun’s flashback to childhood.

And Yoohyun, a helpless child, could only watch as Yoojin gave up all of that, to no real benefit of his own, just to focus all his attention and resources on supporting Yoohyun.

By the time he was in middle school, Yoohyun was already talking about becoming a doctor since it'd be "advantageous in a lot of aspects"; he says he "just wanted to make it so you [Yoojin] could live comfortably" (chapter 258). Yoojin wouldn't have to be the sole earner, and would've been able to pursue his own happiness as well as Yoohyun's. Yoohyun wants very badly for Yoojin to not have to worry about him anymore. It makes sense that that sentiment would remain even after he Awakened.

#2: Yoohyun's Awakening

And boy what an Awakening it was! Straight from a random orphaned kid with zero social life and decent grades to one of the world's most desirable and dangerous individuals, basically overnight. He has none of the social sway that the rich and well-connected Sung Hyunjae or the professional athletes Moon Hyuna and Choi Sukwon do, and he refuses to get the help of big corporations like Choi Sukwon and Bak Mingyu (and Yoon Kyeongsoo? I forget if Soodam was also a corp-backed guild). So he's got no power, but he's also declared his intent to create a guild, and that combined with his nature as a born S-rank makes people perceive him as a threat. Maybe not so much in the early days, when people think he's just an arrogant, stupid kid who's going to crash and burn, but definitely more so as time passed, which Sung Hyunjae confirms in chapter 152:

“[Han Yoohyun] was at an age where he had a lot of problems, starting out living alone.” […] “He wasn’t even alone, strictly speaking. I heard Team Head Seok and the others joined Haeyeon early on.” I heard that Seok Simyeong had visited Yoohyun-ie even before Haeyeon was founded. He was still annoying, but I had to give him his share of the credit for Haeyeon. Sung Hyunjae gave a small nod at my words. “Even so, it isn’t easy for a latecomer to find his place.” “That’s… You’re right.” “For the first year or so, it was easier. Since most of them said Haeyeon wouldn’t be able to properly establish itself.” Sung Hyunjae also said he hadn’t been interested in Haeyeon—in Yoohyun-ie—at the time, either. “The problem arose when it started to become a major guild.”

The second the initial "LOL, this has got to be a joke, right?" blinders come off, he's at risk. And he would've known that this would happen right from the start—Yoohyun's smart enough that he would've understood the lack of attacks was just because they didn't see him as a real threat yet.

So, again: a latecomer on the scene with no power and no experience to his name, and seen as a threat to deal with. No social connections means he has no one to rely on to help him with Yoojin's protection: it's up to him alone. And even S-ranks have to eat and sleep and use the bathroom and do half a dozen other things that would pull him away from Yoojin's side, not to mention the all-important requirement of raiding dungeons, which Yoohyun himself admits in chapter 71 was one of his main concerns:

“Once I start a raid on an S-rank dungeon, I’ll be gone for a week […]. Me… avoiding you… was also largely due to the S-rank dungeon raid time. Since, obviously, I can’t look after you once I go into the dungeon.”

So Yoohyun himself can't just stay by Yoojin's side as his bodyguard 24/7. He'd have to leave him unattended for, at minimum, whole weeks. Which means he doesn't have a reliable, sure way to keep his hyung safe.

#3: Cutting off Yoojin, and the risks to an S-rank's family

And that's not even mentioning his own safety. What happens when Yoohyun's hurt and can't help with guarding Yoojin? And he will be hurt, either by dungeon raids or other people. If you don't think that second one is a concern, as early as chapter 6, when Yoojin and Yoohyun are having their first meal together, Yoojin asks about Yoohyun's ability to cook, and he says he taught himself:

“I’ve got items for detoxification and de-cursing, now, but I didn’t have them before. So making my own food felt safer. Even now, when I enter dungeons, I bring dried rations I made myself. Since it’s most dangerous inside dungeons.” “…Detoxification? De-cursing?” What was I hearing right now? As in, there were bastards who’d poison and curse his food, so he had to make it himself… that sort of thing?

Yoohyun himself, a strong, healthy S-rank with a good constitution and one hell of a temper, was at risk of being poisoned and cursed through something as everyday as food. You said that normally, no one would dare attack the family of an S-rank—but if people are willing to attack the S-rank himself, knowing that he'll kill them for sure if it fails and he learns they're behind it, then what's stopping them from attacking the S-rank's family?

There's two points you could argue:

Yoohyun says in the chapter 6 conversation that "It’s a major crime for an Awakened person to target an Unawakened person, so I made them think it wasn’t worth it to risk going after you." But that'd only last for the 3 years up until Yoojin Awakened, and honestly, there's a real risk that anyone targeting Yoojin before that time would just be rich or socially connected enough that they could make the charges go away.

The other argument that if they attack an S-rank's beloved family and that fails, now the S-rank is coming after them with a vengeance, and he's not even suffering from the aftermath of poisoning or a curse to weaken him in the slightest, so that might scare them off. But, like… people do stupid things when they're desperate. In that kidnapping where Yoojin met the Krecke Blackie (chapters 46–49), sure, Yoojin had his own special skills that made him valuable, but he also had five major guilds and the Association all dedicated to his protection. That's several times the protection a single S-rank could offer, and some idiots who weren't even in a desperate situation still tried to go after him for benefits similar to what you'd get from having leverage over an S-rank. So I really don't think anything would stop people from threatening Yoojin. If anything, the combined facts of Yoohyun starting out from a weak position, Yoohyun obviously caring about Yoojin, and Yoojin being so much weaker than Yoohyun would make that the best option by far, if you wanted to hurt Yoohyun. After all, it’s not like Unawakened F-rank Yoojin can fight back himself, and again, Yoohyun isn’t going to fight you if it would risk Yoojin’s life.

So, Yoohyun goes "if I distance myself from hyung and make people think it WON'T hurt me for him to be hurt, then people have no reason to target him!" and follows through. I do think this was a stupid move on his part, even if he intended to explain it all to Yoojin eventually, because by not letting him in on the secret right from the start, he guaranteed that Yoojin would be hurt and upset by his sole remaining family member seemingly abandoning him for better prospects. Which leads Yoojin to start making his own stupid moves, which snowballs into a series of bad decisions on both their parts, and so on… but we'll get to that in a minute. The problem, I think, is that this plan could've worked, if only Yoohyun had told Yoojin at the start, so that Yoojin knew not to draw attention to himself. Maybe they could've done regular calls on burner phones or something, to stay in touch, and they'd have been happier that way.

Unfortunately that didn't happen. Why? Because, as Yoohyun states in that same conversation in chapter 6, he "didn’t want to burden" Yoojin. Yoohyun's desire to protect Yoojin is not just physical, but also mental/emotional—he doesn't want Yoojin to know that Yoohyun's going through all this trouble of leaving home and dealing with threats to his life and making big decisions, because he doesn't want Yoojin to worry.

[EDIT: And actually, thinking back over this, do you realize—Yoojin always talks about how Yoohyun was a delight of a child to raise, never complaining, never throwing tantrums, wonderfully behaved and always doing as he was told. Enough so that Moon Hyuna has to tell him, explicitly, in Chapter 43, that that’s not normal, in those exact words:

“He was a good younger brother who never needed to be scolded. Ever since he was little, he listened well and didn’t worry me…….” “You said you were the one to raise him, right? After you lost your parents early. That’s not normal.” She clicked her tongue and continued. “A good, obedient little brother from a poor family without parents. That sort of thing doesn’t even appear in children’s fairy tales these days. Because it’s not realistic.” “I mean, to go that far—” “Kids are kids. They get frustrated and angry if there’s something lacking, they make trouble to get attention, they compare themselves with others, and beyond begging their parents to buy them something they want, they might even resent them. Parents might still think their kids are cute, but brothers? To them, they’re just enemy bastards; I also have a younger sibling, so I know. Of course, there are brothers and sisters who get along. In peaceful households where their parents take good care of them. Even then, it’s not like they never fight. Younger brothers in particular are a type that need to be put in their place; older siblings the world across would probably agree.”

This suggests that Yoohyun and Yoojin have never, ever, EVER experienced conflict on major life decisions. Not once have they argued about Yoohyun making choices that Yoojin wouldn’t like. Which means Yoohyun approached cutting off Yoojin with a very particular mindset, and I have some guesses as to what exactly that mindset was. Do you think he hoped Yoojin would understand that his perennially well-behaved brother would have some reason for leaving home? Do you think he just… didn’t know how to approach telling Yoojin about his choice, knowing it’d upset him so much, so he simply didn’t and hoped for the best? Or was it something else entirely?

Either way: Yoohyun absolutely did not know what would come of this choice. He definitely did not expect just how hard it would be on Yoojin. At the time, he was probably just wanting to spare Yoojin the heartache of their first major argument about Yoohyun’s life choices.] And it's that very desire to not bother him with the knowledge of how much Yoohyun's suffering that eventually makes things go wrong and both of them suffer for it.

#4: Yoohyun's strategy failing

What do we know about Yoohyun's plan going wrong? We know that Yoohyun intended to wipe out his enemies before even thinking about allowing Yoojin into danger. In that conversation in chapter 6, he tells Yoojin to wait "just 1 year" and to basically live in confinement, locked up safe inside Haeyeon, until Yoohyun's done. Combined with the 3 years since the dungeons appearing and Yoohyun Awakening, that means he thought it'd take maybe 4 years in total, with hurrying at the end to accommodate Yoojin already being involved with him again. Yoojin says in narration that pre-regression, it took him 3 years instead of the 1 he's proposing, which puts us at a total of 6 years minimum before Yoohyun could even think about reuniting with Yoojin.

But, of course, a lot can and did happen in those 6 years. Within the first 3, the brothers' relationship had deteriorated enough that Yoojin blocked Yoohyun's number, as mentioned in chapter 32 by Yoohyun to Yoojin during novice Hunter training:

“You got angry and told me not to call, remember? You even blocked my number.”

Why was Yoojin angry? See chapter 158, when Yoohyun was temporarily amnesic due to Jellyfish's fog:

“I’m certain I told you not to come near me.” …I remembered. When I’d heard that, I’d blocked Yoohyun’s number, telling him not to call me back.

Yoohyun's repeated refusal to tell Yoojin about his plans, just telling him they had to stay apart, only worsened their relationship. And while Yoohyun did attempt to reach out and help Yoojin in ways such as sending him money to cover living expenses (probably hoping to repair their rapidly deteriorating relationship), that also made it worse, with Yoojin rejecting all of those attempts. As he explains in chapter 274, during the flashbacks induced by Jellyfish in their fight:

Gritting my teeth, I sent back the money Yoohyun-ie sent me without even laying a finger on it. To the me of that time, it was horrible money that my young brother had as good as traded his life for. Yoohyun-ie wanted me to accept living expenses and stay safe, but I believed my brother was being sent to his own death and could never accept it.

It isn't like Yoohyun didn't try to reach out. He did. The problem was that all of his attempts were undercut by his continued refusal to tell Yoojin why he had distanced himself, such that all those attempts at staying in touch only rubbed salt in the wound of being abandoned. And as early as 3 years in, by his own admission in chapter 6, Yoohyun starts to think that things have gotten so bad that even if he tries to confess everything now, Yoojin might not "be understanding". He might not be willing to let go of his hurt and resentment to reconcile with him.

So should he stop reaching out, then? Surely there's still hope that they can reconcile in the future. Someday, maybe, when Yoohyun's sure he can protect Yoojin, even if Yoojin doesn't want to be with/near him.

#5: Learning about the world ending

Only, there's a deadline imposed by the end of the world, which Yoohyun learns about from filial duty addict Diarma. Part of the contract with the filial duty addicts, as Sung Hyunjae explains in chapter 102, is not interfering with said end of the world. Actually, the contractors have to give "their word that they’ll eliminate obstacles" i.e. other people fighting against the end of the world, so Yoohyun can't do anything about this deadline. This gives him a limited amount of time in which he can "eventually" reconcile with Yoojin.

So, as you ask, Anon, why not spend that limited time with his brother? Well, just because there's an end of the world approaching—which Yoohyun can't even talk about! L-rank contract, remember—doesn't mean that Yoojin is 🌟magically🌟 going to get any less mad about Yoohyun abandoning him for several years than before. Yoohyun still doesn't want to explain, so that argument is absolutely not getting resolved.

Even if he tries to explain vaguely that there's some threat and that he'd like Yoojin to live with him or at least accept his offers of protection and security, what happens if Yoojin refuses? Yoohyun clearly isn't willing to violate Yoojin's desires too far, since the most certain way to keep him safe would be to lock him up in a vault somewhere inside Haeyeon and never let anyone else see him, but that would trample all over his free will and happiness, not to mention it'd ruin Yoohyun's "live normally and happily with hyung" goals. So he'll have to let Yoojin stay out in the world, while all of Yoohyun's rivals and enemies are still out there, watching the Haeyeon Guild Leader reach out to his brother and wondering if they've reconciled. At that point, it doesn't matter if they actually have made up or not. If someone even suspects that Yoojin is close to Yoohyun, then they'll target him on the off-chance that it's true. And if Yoojin did refuse Yoohyun's offers, which he's almost certain to, then he's defenseless against whatever attacks come. And they will come. In chapter 6, Yoohyun admitted that a single visit to Haeyeon Guild by Yoojin, willing or unwilling, would be enough to get attention on him:

“But if I directly give orders for you to be brought in and allowed to live within Haeyeon Guild, my enemies will start to actively target you. Even with you just being here right now, I’m sure they’ll already have started keeping an eye on you.”

Think of it from Yoohyun's enemies' perspective. If Yoohyun cares about Yoojin, attacking Yoojin gives you leverage over Yoohyun. If Yoohyun doesn't care about Yoojin, then he won't care if you're attacking Yoojin, so you'll face no retaliation from him. Yoohyun's enemies have nothing to lose from this, while Yoohyun has everything to lose. So, in this situation, it'd be better to take the least risky path: just don't engage with Yoojin at all.

And, also, even if he'd decided to take that risk, there's a different one when it comes to actually figuring out a system to guard Yoojin. This point is more speculation, but I do think Yoohyun might have struggled with deciding when he'd done enough for Yoojin's protection. Because the reality is that Yoojin was never, ever going to be 100% safe from all dangers ever. Again, the vault method is the only way Yoohyun could achieve that. Yoohyun could've put together any amount of high-rank Hunters as Yoojin's exclusive security detail, and he'd still have to leave him alone with these potentially corruptible strangers for a full week at a time during every S-rank dungeon raid. I suspect there was a real risk of Yoohyun continuously going "I just need to get a bit stronger and a bit more established" indefinitely, without ever reaching a point where he was actually satisfied. (Which, if this was indeed a risk in canon, would be overridden in the post-regression timeline by Yoojin's keyword usage making Yoohyun's desire to live with him again and uncertainty about Yoojin's response win out over the urge to keep obsessing over safeguards.)

#6: What counts as a "real" threat

When it comes to Yoohyun's need to defend Yoojin against threats, there's also an important aspect you need to consider, which is: what threats? You see, the worlds of low-rank and high-rank Hunters are very different, to the point where Yoohyun seems to completely overlook some aspects of what Yoojin's used to dealing with, while Yoojin explicitly notes on multiple occasions that he didn't even realize Yoohyun faced certain dangers. As always, we come back to the poisoning attempts mentioned in chapter 6, the first time Yoojin realizes Yoohyun was suffering his own ordeals. This sort of sneaky threat gets reiterated in chapter 11, after Yoojin's trip to the Hunter Mall, when Yoohyun tells him he can't even take a simple drink from any public vendor because it might be poisoned (not something that'd work on Yoohyun himself, but it certainly would on those lower-ranked people around him who he cares about). No, not even in a government-sponsored location like the Association, because even these locations are filled with other guilds' spies and informants. Yoojin's internal response is essentially "what sort of underhanded bullshit is this", and out loud he questions Yoohyun about it:

“But would they do that sort of thing in none other than the Association? If they get caught, the backlash will be huge.” And if Awakened people couldn’t trust the Association, it’d end up hurting the guilds, too. “Of course they wouldn’t make trouble inside the Association. But it’s possible to have their target sent away in an ambulance or police car.” “…And then that ambulance or police car goes missing?” “You’re getting it.”

And Yoojin literally thinks, not a paragraph later, that this is maybe too much even for him:

Somehow, the further things went, the more I felt like I should stop being involved with this brat Yoohyun-ie and go off to live on my own.

Better the dangers you know than the ones you don't, but in Yoojin's words.

Everyone in the high-rank sphere is, well, high-rank. Strong and resilient even when they don't have defensive skills, to say nothing of when they do. They face threats, yes, Real Threats that pose danger to them and risk their safety and status, including threats from other people—Song Taewon mentions to Yoojin in chapter 83 that he's investigated Yoohyun for murder multiple times a year—but because they're so strong, those threats come in the form of dungeon monsters or social attacks, not actual physical harm. Especially not physical harm from other people; like, chapter 75 mentions there's laws against S-rank Hunters going into dungeons together for fear that they might hurt or kill each other, so unless they encounter each other in a dungeon break region where combat is expected (or pick fights with Chief Song, an S-rank duty-bound to fight other S-ranks), they're never really going to encounter personal threats from other Hunters.

Take all that through the lens of protecting Yoojin: he's just some guy, he's not involved in the social/political Hunter Hunger Games, so he's probably fine on that front, right? And otherwise, Yoohyun just needs to protect him from dungeons (keep Yoojin out of them when possible, prevent breaks in his area), and maybe just some general watching out for Yoojin getting himself into anything risky, since he's so weak as an F-rank. That's all the threats Yoohyun sees on a daily basis, so that's probably it, right?

Wrong. Low-rank Hunters have their own set of threats they face, and while a part of that is dungeons and monsters, a very large part of that is also just… being easy to kill, in a community of people very ready to kill. Low-rank Hunters murder each other a hell of a lot more than high-rank Hunters get to even hurt, let alone kill, each other. Think about how easily the knowledge of dungeons being good body disposal spots comes to Yoojin (chapter 19, when threatening Yerim's uncle). Think about the way Yoojin talks about being pressured into slave contracts and miner guilds, and how common it seems to be for low-rank Hunters to be maimed and disabled and left in the lurch (chapters 21 and 22, saving Yoo Myeongwoo from Hope Resources Guild). Think about chapter 49, where Yoohyun claims there's strong camaraderie among high-rank Hunters, and Yoojin responds with this:

Comradeship, huh. There was no such concept in low-rank Hunter teams. Of course, it wasn’t like there were no good people around. The problem was that they all died before long. There were fixed low-rank teams united through trust and friendship, but it was very rare that they lasted. With how strongly they banded together, if one of them died, they couldn’t endure the shock and would fall apart; and even if that didn’t happen, if they were doing well for themselves, they’d be attacked from the outside by the many Hunters who’d find them unpleasant. But a high-rank dungeon raiding team that suffered few such accidents could form a sense of comradeship and keep staying together.

Low-rank Hunters will get killed by monsters, or survive only to get killed by the loss of their teams, or find good teams only to get killed by other jealous low-ranks, or (in Yoojin's experience) survive multiple team-wide killings only to get ostracized and distrusted for being suspiciously good at surviving (almost like you're the one setting up your teams to fail! really makes you wonder, doesn't it?), or, or, or…

High-rank Hunters just… survive. That's it.

Of course Yoohyun wouldn't know to protect Yoojin from these threats. He's never faced them. To him, fighting other people is a fun, challenging pastime, where no one being allowed to kill each other is an unspoken rule that goes implicitly understood. He wouldn't realize how it was very much not fun for Yoojin; maybe he'd know it intellectually, but I don't think he'd understand, not without getting up close and personal to see Yoojin struggle with it, which he can't do himself. If he tries to send someone to spy on or just generally help out his brother, Yoojin's primed by his experiences to distrust the people around him, so spies won't get anything out of him, and any strong Hunter handpicked by Yoohyun to help his hyung might simply be unable to gain Yoojin's trust. (Picking out a whole team of strong Hunters? Even if Yoojin trusts them, they'd probably end up victimized by jealous Hunters. Rinse and repeat.) You must also take into account that Yoojin's been made enough of a target by society that he's hiding every weakness someone could potentially exploit. Hell, if he's hiding well enough, you might think he's doing just fine.

And in the time period where it would be blatantly obvious that Yoojin was not fine, that early period right when he Awakened and turned into society's scapegoat overnight? That was when Yoohyun and Haeyeon were also being targeted, and wouldn't have been able to spare the kind of attention and help Yoojin would've needed, not with all the scrutiny they were all being subjected to. Actually, when Yoojin's reminiscing about these times in chapter 59, he hypothesizes it might've been Yoohyun's rivals themselves who were behind the scapegoating:

At that time, it would’ve been hard for that guy to look out for me. Public opinion wasn’t good in many ways, and there were too many scrutinizing eyes for him to secretly look after me. Now that I thought about it, I wondered if there wasn’t some sort of operation targeting me. The response was too excessive to have simply been the work of a few trash journalists. It was a matter that could be packaged excitingly, I was an F-rank which made me easy to use, and at that time, it could drag down Haeyeon Guild in the public opinion. Whether it was the government, the Association, or rival guilds, they’d have been fools not to use me.

If it was Yoohyun's rivals behind it, then by fighting on the Haeyeon front, Yoohyun might actually have been keeping Yoojin safe, too. How do we know he didn't actually mitigate the suffering to some degree? We haven't heard from Yoohyun about his side of things during this time, so we don't have a definite answer one way or another.

Certainly, Seok Simyeong didn't help at all by making a public statement denouncing Yoojin, especially not when it was so bad Yoojin admits to almost being suicidal over it (chapter 19)! But, well, it was a busy time. We don't know whether Yoohyun was consulted on that one, or if it was something they rushed in order to get ahead of the situation. It might also be that Yoohyun was consulted and made the choice that they'd publicly denounce Yoojin but privately offer him support, only for Yoojin to reject it as he did before with the money Yoohyun sent. Yoojin's done this before, where he conveniently doesn't mention a detail about a scenario until it becomes immediately relevant!

I cannot emphasize enough that we don't have Yoohyun's perspective on this. We don't know what he was doing or not doing to help. But we know, from his love for Yoojin, from his desperate desire to keep him safe at all costs, that he must've been doing something. Was that something effective? Was it useful to Yoojin's immediate life? Who knows. But he was trying.

#7: Banning Yoojin from dungeons

…Keyword being trying. Because, uh. To be honest, how well do you think any direct attempts at "helping" went over? The very first moment that Yoojin regresses to is when Yoohyun got him out of a meeting with an Awakening broker. And Yoojin himself says that ended so badly that "after listening to Yoohyun-ie’s nagging, I’d become furious and stormed off, shouting that I could take care of myself and to quit bothering me" (chapter 5). So if Yoohyun tries to openly keep Yoojin out of danger, then Yoojin is going to have a screaming fit of anger at his life being controlled by someone who apparently isn't even interested in being in it.

And that's before Yoojin Awakened. Once he had an actual, legal, government-assigned license saying he could go into dungeons? Yoohyun had zero standing. Zero chance he was ever going to be able to stop him from going into dungeons, short of breaking down and crying and begging for him to not do it, which (to successfully convince Yoojin he wasn't just putting on a show or trying to guilt trip him) would also require Yoohyun to admit he still cared about Yoojin and reveal his 3- uh, 4- I mean, 5- 6(!!)-Year Master Plan To Keeping Hyung Safe Forever And Ever.

Yeah. Never gonna happen.

And even that one (1) attempt at keeping Yoojin away from dungeons and Hunters and everything related could've gone really badly, because as Yoohyun himself admits in their chapter 6 conversation, his enemies will "already have started keeping an eye on you [Yoojin]". Just from one single show of apparent concern for Yoojin's wellbeing! Can you imagine what would've happened if Yoohyun kept stopping Yoojin every time he tried to go into a dungeon? Setting Yoojin's own frustration and anger aside, can you picture the kind of attention that would've gotten Yoojin? No, this was one battle Yoohyun had to lose in order to win the overall war.

Anon, you mention providing "new options for Yoojin to stop going to dungeons". Okay, sure, we're starting with Yoojin being society's black sheep and probably rejected out of hand from most positions he applies to, and Yoohyun's only leverage in society being in dungeon- and Hunter-related fields. What options would he have provided for Yoojin? A dungeon- or Hunter-related job, probably at Haeyeon or one of its affiliates? That's precisely what we're trying to avoid, and also visible enough that Yoohyun might as well not have even fucking bothered with the 6-Year Master Plan etc. etc. Okay, so then something at one of Haeyeon's sponsors-? Except Haeyeon famously doesn't have backers, and any connections they have through business deals will be glaringly obvious to Yoohyun's rivals if leveraged. Oh, Han Yoojin, the man who no one wants to hire, got a job at a company whose products Han Yoohyun sponsored just a while ago! Absolutely no one is wondering how this could've happened. Also, funny how Han Yoohyun's helping Han Yoojin find work, it's almost like he cares about him… (And so the end begins.)

Remember, all of Yoohyun's efforts at separating himself from Yoojin require actually being separate from Yoojin and the choices he makes. Yoojin's life is—unfortunately enough for Yoohyun—his own to live… and his own to ruin.

#8: The transcendent threat

And all of that—every single one of these environmental factors that make it so Yoohyun has a billion and one concerns to consider before he can so much as talk to Yoojin—all of that comes before we take into account one more fact:

God Hates Caregivers Personally.

Or, in a non-joking manner, and in the fashion Yoohyun might have learned about it from Diarma, as is strongly suggested in the virtual reality dungeon arc during chapter 246:

There are beings out there, outside your world, stronger than anything you know, and this is acknowledging the fact that you are among the strongest existences humankind will ever produce. These beings rule your entire world, are the children of the very power that created the dungeons terrorizing your planet, are themselves so powerful that they can predict dungeons and manipulate the system in their favor, that they can manipulate the circumstances of individual humans as long as they're inside dungeons. In allying with any one of their number, you make an enemy out of half of the entire population of these transcendental existences. You have already made an enemy of them. And these people, these all-powerful creatures, who you've painted yourself a rival of? These same people have a known track record of killing the loved ones of people like you.

Your brother goes into dungeons every week as part of his job. He's already at immense risk. If you go near him, if you make it seem even slightly like you're interested in him personally, you make him an out-and-out target for these transcendents, and they'll smite him. He dies, and you die, and it's game over.

Option one: You can grow to their level, meet them with equal strength, certainly, but will you get the time to grow that far before they kill your brother? Is his natural lifespan even long enough that he'd survive the time it took for your growth? He dies. You die. Game over.

Option two: Don't pose a threat. It's too late for you to never get on their radar in the first place, but if you can keep from seeming any more dangerous, maybe they won't give him any attention. Secure a favor that will let you help him when he needs it, at most, but otherwise never use your transcendent connections to your own advantage.

Option two, taken to its conclusion: If you die before your brother does—if you die calling in that favor and saving his life—you never have to see him be killed.

(Option two, on the flip side: You will not expect it to be your own ally who set the stage for your loved one to be killed.)

So, basically, every single concern Yoohyun's had about protecting his brother that made him distance himself and not tell him anything so far? All of that is taken and cranked up to difficulty level Maximum. "If I show interest in hyung, one of my rivals or enemies might choose to hurt or kill him!" The transcendents WILL kill him with NO known incentive. Yoohyun might assume it's because he poses a threat to their side, but he can't be absolutely certain that's it. In fact, he doesn't know anything about this opposing transcendent faction, since he was blocked from contacting them by the very fact of having chosen a side in the first place, as Water Droplet explains when discussing the born S-ranks in chapter 106:

“We don’t know for sure either. The filial duty addicts contacted them first, so their information is obscured. We only know that there are five, and about the ones that are in contact with you.”

And while Yoohyun-as-Alpha knows the reasons behind the immoral people killing Caregivers—namely, that they want to remove distractions for S-ranks, so that they focus on combating dungeons and monsters—if Diarma had told Yoohyun about this, and if he'd thought to apply the bare minimum of intelligence to his delivery (a disclaimer that must be made, with this transcendent in particular), I really don't think he would've told him why. No, he would've wanted the immoral people to seem like a dangerous threat, so he would just have said that they might kill Yoohyun's family, without giving him their reasoning.

Which means Yoohyun knew nothing about the immoral people's motives, nothing about their goals, nothing about what they'd see as aggression. Which meant, hypothetically, that any and every action he took could trigger them to smoothly and efficiently eliminate the only person he loved in all the world. It would be so easy, too; Yoojin's entering their turf multiple times a month as part of his daily job, a fact which we've already established Yoohyun couldn't do anything about. The only thing he knew for sure is that they hadn't killed Yoojin so far.

Remember what I said before, about the known path being safer? Because you know the dangers you'll face on it? Yoohyun knows doing what he's doing right now is keeping Yoojin alive. He can't control a single other thing outside of that. And the danger posed by not doing what he's doing just got shifted to a level he is not prepared on any level to respond to. Before, he might've thought Yoojin was safe at least inside dungeons with his chosen teams; from his perspective, "dungeons with only guild members inside are actually safer than the outside world" (chapter 134), while the outside world was more of a risk because of all of Yoohyun's enemies. But now? There is danger all the time and in every location Yoojin goes, even those outside of this world, on an insane, unrivaled level. He is never, never safe, and any single unexpected action Yoohyun takes puts that at risk. If doing anything at all is dangerous, then it's better to do nothing.

So, yeah, that's the crux of it, isn't it. Yoohyun needs to protect Yoojin every day, every single time. Everything else in the whole world only needs to kill Yoojin once. In such a situation, how would Yoohyun ever dare to risk making either of them vulnerable?

…The end! I hope that this explanation, long as it is, has given you at least some additional insight into Why Yoohyun Did All That, and helped serve as a reminder of just how little we actually know about Yoohyun's perspective of the events pre-regression.

By the way, this entire post is pulling only from information we get up to chapter 272; there’s more information revealed up to chapter 350—actually, even just in the next few chapters after that, up to 275—that sheds more light on Yoohyun’s decision-making process in the pre-regression timeline. Maybe I’ll come back and post a part 2 to this analysis someday using the additional information we get as time goes on, but right now, this much will have to be enough.

In any case—thanks for reading this far. And of course, as promised, here's the poll!

#star.txt #my writing #my sranks #the s ranks that i raised #han yoohyun #answered #anonymous #this had the working title of 'han yoohyun's shit idiot reasoning' bless his soul #certified yoohyun hater is asked to defend his actions. what happens next will shock you

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heehoonieluvs · 9 months

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Please like me

Sunghoon x reader

Angst, slight fluff

The way that the members are depicted in this story has nothing to do with how they really are or how I feel they are. It is all solely for the storyline so please bear that in mind 🫶

I would also like to add that I know literally nothing about rugby 😁

Summary: Sunghoon was notorious for being cold-hearted to everyone and he’s aware of how many girls at school are dying to melt his frozen heart. Surely nothing would change once Sunoo introduces his friend to the boys

Heeseung is in his final year, 02z are in their 3rd year, Sunoo & Y/N are in their 2nd, and Jungwon & Niki are in their 1st

F/N = female name

Warnings: cursing, slight violence, name calling, gaslighting (please let me know if I need to add any more 🤍)

Series masterlist

Masterlist

It was just like any other day at Hybe Academy and the 7 boys known as Enhypen were making their way to their lectures. The high-pitched squeals of girls asking how their day was or if they were free to “hang out” was nothing new to them.

Don’t get it wrong though. They never asked for all of this attention but being the top players of the school’s rugby team, they were bound to attract the eyes of the girls, as well as the odd few envious eyes from the guys.

The 7 boys were a tight knit group ever since they were little. Their parents were great friends and wanted their children to all get along just like they did. Heeseung being the oldest, was extremely protective of all of them and provided them with an older brother figure to guide them through everything. And once the youngest of the group Niki was born, they finally felt that they were complete.

They have been inseparable since day one and nothing was going to change that. Yes the odd few girlfriends would come and go but they never lasted more than a few weeks. But it didn’t matter to them when it came to relationships because at the end of the day, they would always have each other.

Out of all of them, Sunghoon was by far the coldest one. Of course he wasn’t like that around his friends but once the popularity started to build up, so did his walls. You see, Sunghoon was naturally introverted and any hated attention on him. It made him feel so crowded as if he was some kind of show animal.

His mysterious personality paired with his god-like visuals only pushed for girls to want to win his heart over. And trust me, they were persistent. Especially the captain of the cheerleading team F/N who just so happened to be in the same year as the 02s.

Every rugby practice would end with F/N clinging onto his arm and asking if he wanted to join her for whatever party was going on that week. Of course Sunghoon would decline every time with a scowl on his face as he could see through her act.

F/N was a pretty girl but she had been trying to weave her way into the group for ages. Was it for popularity? Was it just to brag? Who knows? And who cares? Certainly not them.

F/N had already tried to suck up to Jay and Jake but there was no going through them. So she went to her final target because why not kill two birds with one stone? She could be apart of their group AND say she was the girlfriend of the ice prince. Nothing was going to stop her and no one would dare to.

Time skip

It was finally time for lunch and everyone slowly started to filter into the cafeteria. At the moment the boys, apart from Sunoo, were sat at their designated table having a catch up on their day and planning on who’s house they were going to hang out at after school.

“Has anyone seen Sunoo hyung?” Jungwon asked.

“He’s probably busy in the library or something. He did mention that there was a partner project coming up so he’s probably sorting that out.” Jay responded

“Hey Sunoo hyung!!!”

The whole cafeteria quickly turned to their table after Niki shouted across to his friend.

Heeseung chuckled “Talk about a grand entrance or what”

Sunoo walked over with his head down after feeling embarrassed by the youngest member. “Could’ve been more obvious you know Niki”

“Sorry hyung. I was just so scared that you weren’t in our presence and just felt so relieved that you’re alive!” Niki exclaimed with a hand on his heart

With a roll of his eyes at Niki’s dramatic answer, Sunoo explained “I was just having a conversation with Y/N. We’ve been partnered up together for this project and had to sort out when we could meet up.”

Niki’s eyes widened “Y/N?! She was the one that helped me and Jungwon hyung find a lecture hall in our first week. You should bring her here when you meet up Sunoo hyung. She was so nice and I never got to properly thank her”

At this Sunghoon, who had peacefully been savouring his tiramisu, couldn’t help but scoff at what Niki said.

“Really Niki? She’s probably just like every other girl just trying to get our attention. She probably knew that you two were close to us and put up a cute act to make it seem like she’s doing it out of the kindness of her heart.”

His comment caused a sudden feeling of overprotectiveness to come up in Sunoo.

“Yah don’t talk about her like that! Y/N is the most genuine person ever and we’re great friends actually. She’s been helping me a lot since we started here but I never brought her up because I knew you’d react like this”

The members were startled at Sunoo’s outburst as it was the first time he had raised his voice in a serious matter.

Before anything could escalate, Jake stepped in to mediate the conversation and turned to Sunoo “Look, I’m sure Sunghoon didn’t mean to insult your friend like that. You know that he can just say things that sound harsher than he intended”

“But that doesn’t excuse anything. None of you have even properly met her and you jump to conclusions about anyone who shows an act of kindness��

Sunghoon spoke up again “I’m sorry Sunoo. I know we can be harsh when it comes to letting new people in but we’ve been fucked over way too many times and I don’t want you to end up getting hurt again”

Sunoo understood where he was coming from. Throughout his life, people had taken advantage of his kindness and used him as a stepping stone to gain the attention of his older friends. But he knew you were different. You never once diverted the topic of the conversation to his friends or remotely showed any sort of interest in getting to know them.

“I get that but I’m telling you that Y/N is not like everyone else. I know it’s what everyone says but I’m being serious about this”

Heeseung spoke up and said “You know what, maybe we shouldn’t be so stuck up and let Y/N sit with us next time. She seems to be someone that you trust a lot Sunoo so there’s no harm in her sticking with you”

Both Sunoo and Niki cheered at their hyung and happily carried on eating their lunch. But Sunghoon still couldn’t help but feel slightly wary about you.

The next day

Y/N’s POV:

“Hey Y/N!”

I turned around with a smile on my face and was met with Sunoo making his way towards me. Sunoo and I became very close since first term where he turned up late to a lecture and took the empty space next to me. His bright smile and bubbly personality always made my day better and it turned out that we had similar interests.

One of our favourite things to do together was to rant about the unbearable cheerleading captain from the year above. Her fake, high pitched voice pierced through our ears every time she found an attractive guy come within her vicinity.

“Omg Sunooo! Where is Hoonie?!? I’ve been looking all over for him and he’s no where to be found! I’m planning for my birthday party in a month and I need him so we can match our outfits” F/N shrieked as she grabbed onto him whilst completely ignoring my presence.

“For fuck sake F/N. First of all, don’t call Sunghoon hyung Hoonie, it’s disgusting and he hates it. Second of all, when will you take the hint that he wants nothing to do with you?” Sunoo snapped back

“Well for your information, Hoonie is just playing hard to get. I know likes the thrill of having the most gorgeous girl of this school chasing after him but he knows at the end of the day, we’re perfect for each other.”

I don’t think I’ve ever had a stronger urge to throw up after hearing her cringy words. I could tell that Sunoo was having none of it from his side eye directed towards F/N. Seeing the obvious look of disgust, I couldn’t help but slightly chuckle at him. Only then did F/N finally acknowledge me with a glare.

“What are you laughing at? You’re just one of those sad losers that try so desperately for any guy to even look in your direction. That’s probably why you stick around with Sunoo isn’t it? You just want to be one of us so bad don’t you” F/N got in my face and started taunting me.

Sunoo was ready to go and roast her like a turkey on Thanksgiving but I quickly responded “One of you? From what it seems F/N, you seem to paint the perfect description of yourself. You know, the desperate puppy chasing her precious Hoonie who wants nothing more than to send you off to a shelter. But I can see that you’re not the brightest and can’t comprehend logic very well so let me spell it out for you. I want absolutely nothing to do with you or Sunoo’s friends. I stick with Sunoo because I care about him and we get along well. Obviously you wouldn’t understand that concept since the people that leech onto you are just your minions that use you to their advantage with the cheer team.”

I could sense Sunoo silently hyping me up from behind, but what can I say? He taught me well.

F/N’s face turned red and she screamed back “HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT YOU BITCH! You’re just jealous of me aren’t you? You’re salty that you thought you could be the cheerleading captain but you’re just shit and excused it as you having an injury! You can’t handle the fact that I have everything you dream of”

“You really think that I’m jealous of you being captain of the cheerleading team? Well I hate to break it to you F/N but I have a life outside of cheer and have moved on. I have people around me that actually care about me but what do you have? Just an obsession with someone who won’t spare you a glance I guess.”

The built up rage in F/N made her raise her hand to slap me but I grabbed her wrist

“Look F/N I don’t want to deal with you ok. You always find a way to get in my face about the most ridiculous shit but I’m sick of it now. I’m not dealing with your bullshit any more”

*School bell rings*

“I’m not finished with you Y/N. You better watch yourself before you regret it” F/N spat as she snatched her wrist away and stormed off.

Other students in the hallway started mumbling about what just happened but I couldn’t care less about what they had to say.

I turned to Sunoo and said sarcastically “Oh so scary! Shiver me timbers 😱”

We both laughed with each other and got ready for our lecture

Time skip

“Hey Y/N, we should probably get started on our project. Why don’t you sit with me and the boys for lunch since I have practice after school?”

“I’m not sure Sunoo. I don’t want to interfere with you guys and after everything that happened this morning with F/N, I’m not exactly interested in having her coming over and causing another scene.”

“No Y/Nie! I swear it will be ok for you to sit with us! They said they don’t mind you eating lunch with us. That’s if you’re comfortable with it though”

“Wait you told them about me?”

“Yeah! They know we’ve been partnered for the project so they won’t bombard you with questions. Also Niki and Jungwon really want to talk to you since you helped them during their first week here.”

Oh I remember those cuties. They were walking around in circles and bickering about which direction to go to in the maths department.

“Ah Niki and Jungwon? I’d love to catch up with them! They’re so cute!”

“But I’m cuter though”

“Of course you are Sunoo”

At the cafeteria

The students looked at me and Sunoo in shock as we both made our way to the boys’ table. I didn’t look at anyone since I knew that I would just be met with envious eyes

What is Y/N doing with them?

I bet she’s just trying to get with one of them

Didn’t she just accuse F/N of doing exactly what she’s doing right now

Well isn’t this fun? I’ve stayed out of drama for my entire time I’ve been here and all of a sudden I’m the centre of the gossip.

“Don’t listen to them Y/Nie. If you want I can roast the shit out of them?” Sunoo whispered

I laughed at his overprotectiveness and responded “It’s ok they’re just finding any way to get some gossip”

We got to the table and Sunoo introduced me to everyone. I was met with charming smiles from everyone. Well, except one.

“Hi Y/N! It’s nice to finally meet you. Sunoo has told us a lot about you” Jay said politely

“Ah hope there was nothing bad” I responded nervously

Jake laughed “No of course not. He’s been going on about how amazing you are and we also heard that you’ve already met Jungwon and Niki”

“Hi noona!” The two younger boys greeted

We all fell into a comfortable conversation as we got to know each other but I could see Sunghoon sitting quietly, sending me the odd glare every now and then.

Heeseung saw as well and spoke up “Sunghoon are you ok? Why don’t you get to know Y/N as well?”

All Sunghoon did was scoff and mumble “Nah I’m good” before getting up abruptly and leaving the cafeteria.

There was a lingering awkward silence before Sunoo reassured me “Don’t mind him Y/Nie. Sunghoon hyung just has a hard time warming up to new people, that’s all.”

I gave him a small smile and thankfully we all carried on our conversation and steered off the awkward moment that just happened.

Time skip

As it turns out, the boys are the sweetest people ever minus Sunghoon and we’ve been hanging out almost every day since. They called me their little sister (ofc older sister for the younger ones but still little in terms of height 😤) and it really did feel like I had a bunch of protective brothers with me.

I’ve been trying to get to know Sunghoon as well, especially since I feel guilty of just turning up in the group out of no where. But I still wanted to respect his boundaries so I never pushed. When I did have the chance to speak to him, they all felt very one-sided on my part as he only responded with short answers before leaving.

For the past few weeks, everyone has been stressing as we all had exams coming up which contributed to 50% of our grade for the year. The older ones were practically living in the library with barely any time to sleep or eat. I knew they felt the most pressure since they were in their final years and the grades that they got now had an impact on if they could graduate or not.

Even though I have exams coming up too, I’ve been a bit more chill since they weren’t as intense. So during my free time at home, I’ve been making lunch for the boys since there’s no way of getting them away from studying if it’s not rugby practice. It’s not much but at least they’re not starving.

I woke up extra early today to make them all some lunch and packed it ready so I could go to the convenient store on the way to school and buy extra snacks.

At the convenient store

I picked out a load of snacks and ramen so the boys could have a bit of energy during their study time. It was mostly just some generic snacks but I still made sure to pick out everything mint choco flavour for Sunoo (aka my favourite person). In the dessert aisle I saw tiramisu and remembered that Sunghoon would eat it for almost every lunch. Hopefully he won’t think I’m some creep 😬 He had still been distant but it was better than him storming away from me every time he sees me.

Time skip to school

Just as the school bell rang, Sunoo and I packed up my things and I quickly brought out his snacks so he could eat some on the way to the library.

“Ah thank you Y/Nie! I actually got you some of your favourite snacks since you’ve been feeding us all so well the past few days”

“Sunoo you didn’t have to thank you so much! This is why you’re my favourite” I smiled at him as we traded snacks

“Of course I am” Sunoo said smugly and flipped his hair before we laughed and went to meet with the others

At the library

The boys greeted the two of us as we arrived and I started handing out the food that I made and snacks. Their faces lit up at the sight of food and they were quick to thank me for it.

As I got around to Sunghoon, I handed him the tiramisu and the boys started to tease him with Niki asking why he got special treatment.

Sunghoon rolled his eyes but I could see a small smile as he thanked me and started to eat.

We spent a few hours studying and every so often we’d have a small break. I felt thirsty so I decided to refill my drink

“Hey Sunoo I’m just going to quickly go to the water fountain, make sure Niki doesn’t try to break my laptop pleaseee”

“Haha of course I can”

The corridors were basically empty at this point so I didn’t have to worry about there being a queue for the water fountain. There were the odd few students who sent me a smile but other than that, it was a quick trip.

Just as I finished filling my bottle, I could hear faint footsteps but I didn’t think anything of it.

“Hey Y/N. Can I quickly talk to you?”

I turned around and there was Sunghoon standing awkwardly and avoiding eye contact with me.

“Sure, is everything alright?”

“Yeah. I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to get food for us”

I was shocked at what he said. Not because he was thanking me, but because he came to talk to me first.

“No worries Sunghoon! I know you guys are stressed and you need to look after yourselves so this was the least I could do” I responded with a bright smile

And if I wasn’t shocked enough, he sent back a shy smile to me. Maybe he doesn’t hate me that much then…

We both made our way back and the rest of the guys were having a small conversation

“Hey Y/N you should come and watch us practice tomorrow” Jake suggested

“Really? I mean I guess it would be nice to see”

“Yeah! I’m gonna show noona that I’m the best player” Niki bragged and the rest of the boys started to playfully argue with each other that they were the best.

At rugby practice

The boys were warming up as I went to find a seat with the best view of them. Unfortunately for me though, I also had a view of the cheer team practicing by the field. The sight of F/N and her minions alone was enough to ruin my mood

Just then, the boys started their practice game and my attention was quickly turned to them. Seeing how well they worked together was truly amazing and it was no wonder why they were the top players in the school.

As I carried on watching them, my eyes couldn’t help but land on Sunghoon every so often. And to my surprise he started to look back at me as well and we’d hold eye contact till I’d try to divert my attention.

Their coach told them to take a break and the boys made their way over to me, where their water was. I told them how well they did and they all smiled and thanked me before jogging back onto the field. But Sunghoon stayed back a bit longer and I could see the gears turning in his head

“Do you think I did well?” He asked

I could feel the blush creeping up my cheeks as I answered him “You did amazing Sunghoon!”

He flashed the brightest smile and I thought at that moment my heart had stopped.

I was so distracted by the beautiful sight in front of me that I couldn’t feel the burning glare aimed towards me from across the field.

The next day

I could barely sleep last night. I still felt giddy about the small interaction with Sunghoon during practice yesterday. But I felt energised at the thought of seeing him again.

Wait what am I thinking?!?

No there’s no way

Do I have a crush on Sunghoon?

I mean if I do, is there anything wrong with that?

All these thoughts clouded my mind at the thought of me liking Sunghoon. But if I say anything or act on it, he might take it the wrong way. Especially since it’s taken time for me to try and build a friendship with him. Maybe I’ll just carry on as usual and not rush things. Then I can make sure that these feelings are genuine and not spontaneous.

At school

The rugby team had a meeting before lunch about their next big game that will take place a few weeks after exams are over. So I was by myself, waiting for Sunoo in the corridor when all of a sudden, I hear this agitating, grating voice (iykyk 😂)

“Oi Y/N”

I really didn’t want to bother engaging with the owner of the voice so I tried blocking her out and walking away

“Hey don’t ignore me you bitch. I need to have a word with you.”

I rolled my eyes and turned towards her

“What do you want F/N?”

“I don’t know who the hell you think you are but you better stay away from my Hoonie. He belongs to me and he doesn’t need to be constantly cornered by a desperate rat.”

“What makes you think he’s yours? Sunghoon and I are clearly just friends and we can actually have conversations together because unlike you, I treat him like a person, not some trophy to be won and shown off for my own pleasure.”

F/N laughed with pity as she snapped back “Really? You guys are friends? Come on Y/N. I know you don’t have any friends of your own which is why you stay with Sunoo all of the time. But I can see through your act. You like Sunghoon don’t you? I could tell from the way you looked like a lovesick puppy yesterday but guess what? He will never like you back because he’s way out of your league and he knows it. Think about it. Why do you think he warmed up to you so quick when you guys barely talked? He doesn’t care about you. He’s playing with you so he can have a bit of entertainment and you were just gullible enough to play into his game. So give up. He’s had his fun messing with you now and it’s time that him and I make our relationship official.”

Her words pierced through me like a knife but I wasn’t going to let her think that she could hurt me.

“Oh give me a break F/N I already said that Sunghoon and I were friends so why does it bother you so much? Is it because he at least looks at me? If you’ve been waiting so long to make your relationship ‘official’ then why hasn’t it happened yet? Just because Sunghoon hasn’t as much as spared you a glance, doesn’t mean you should take your insecurities out onto me.”

Before she could respond, I stormed off and I felt the stinging tears starting to fall. I knew that she said all of those things to purposely hurt me a try to make me back off from the boys. But she doesn’t mean shit to me and there is no way I would take that bitch’s word over theirs.

Time skip

I had finally calmed down before I got ready to meet the boys in the library. Sunoo had called me during lunch to tell me that their coach had bought the team food so I wasn’t able to see them then. The thought of seeing them made me feel slightly better and almost made me forget what F/N had said before.

When I entered the library, I saw everyone but Sunghoon with their work out and their heads down in concentration. I put on the brightest smile I could muster greeted them all, which they returned and started to hand out all of their food.

I looked up from my bag and saw Sunghoon standing stoically as it looked like he paused on his way over. I flashed him a smile, ready to show him the food I had made him but he rolled his eyes and walked away.

Sunoo was the only person that witnessed the encounter and he angrily spat “What the fuck crawled between his ass cheeks?”

I was absolutely stunned by what just happened but I still said “I don’t know but I’ll go talk to him.”

“Do you want me to go with you?” Sunoo asked

“No don’t worry. You guys carry on with what you’re doing” I gave them a quick smile before running out.

“Hey! Sunghoon is everything alright? I’ve bought you some f-”

“Stop Y/N! Why won’t you just leave me alone?” Sunghoon turned to me with a cold look on his face

“I-I’m sorry Sunghoon. I thought you’d be hungry after studying and just wanted to make sure you’re ok” I was at a loss for words with the way he was acting. Tears began to form in my eyes as he stared at me with burning hatred. Did he figure out that I might have feelings for him?

“You know I really thought you were going to be different from the rest of them. And seeing how much Sunoo adored you, I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt because maybe, just maybe, you were someone we could trust. But I can see it now and I was too blind before. You’re no different to them. You’re just as desperate to try and get in between my brothers and I. And for what? For some dick? I should’ve trusted my instincts from the start but now I see how pathetic you are, thinking you could buy our friendship and try to get in our pants. It’s actually quite funny how ridiculous you are”

I could not believe the words that I was hearing. Did he really see me like this? F/N was really telling me the truth and now I look like a complete fool.

Without thinking, I slapped him across the face. The rage built up inside me after hearing his vile words and my tears started pouring down

“How fucking dare you Park Sunghoon. I did nothing to try and interfere with you and your friends. I decided to be nice to you all and make an effort because Sunoo wanted me to sit at your table. Not once before that did I ever give a flying fuck about you and your friends but seeing how nice the others were, I thought it would be worth the effort for Sunoo’s sake. I truly and deeply care about each and every one about you. Do you really think I’d put in all of this effort trying to get to know you all and wake up early to make sure you guys are fed if my goal was to just sleep with you? That is absolutely disgusting and I refuse to let anyone, especially you talk down to me like that. Before this all happened, we didn’t know shit about each other and now you think I would all of a sudden try to gain your attention now? Well I’m sorry your majesty but you need to pull that stick out of your ass and come back to Earth because surprise surprise, not everyone in this school just wants to fuck you.”

At this point I didn’t care if people were staring at me having a go at him with tears streaming down my face.

“You know, I really thought there was someone sweet under the hard facade you put up but it turns out that you really are just a cold, stuck up bastard. I can’t believe that I thought that I was starting to fall for you. But thank you for waking me from that ridiculous fantasy. Goodbye Sunghoon”

Third person’s POV

Sunghoon was left absolutely speechless the whole time as you walked away. He so desperately wanted to grab you and ask what you meant but he remained still. He really fucked this up didn’t he? He thought he was doing the right thing to protect him and his brothers but seeing how genuinely hurt you were, it was clear that he got the wrong end of the stick. How will he explain to his friends what happened, especially Sunoo.

Wait you liked him? Ah shit. All Sunghoon could think about these days was your adorable smile. The way you remembered the small details about everyone and their favourite things. How you looked at him with the softest eyes during rugby practice. He wanted to let you know how he didn’t mean what he said and that in reality, he fell for you too. But it’s too late and now you hate him.

Well done Sunghoon. You just pushed away another person who really cared for you…

Author’s note: So how are we feeling? 😅 maybe we need a part 2? 🤔😏

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my work I really appreciate it and I hope you enjoyed it

I would also like to reiterate that the way the members (especially Sunghoon) are shown in this fic has no correlation to how they really are or the way they come across to me. I love them all so much 🩵

#heehoonieluvs #enhypen x reader #enhypen imagines #enhypen oneshots #enhypen series #enhypen fanfiction #enhypen angst #enhypen fluff #enhypen smut #sunghoon x reader #sunghoon imagines #sunghoon oneshots #sunghoon series #sunghoon fanfic #sunghoon angst #sunghoon fluff #sunghoon smut

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dawn-moths · 6 months

Text

"No Use Crying Over A Wolf"

Werewolf!Dabi x Female Reader

part 1 * part 2 * part 3 (COMING OCTOBER 2024!)

word count: 13,000+

(After surviving your first encounter with the notorious werewolf who lured you into the dark depths of the dense forest, you unexpectedly find yourself wanting to meet him again. But things are different now. He’s different now. And although you two come from completely different worlds, you can’t help but secretly wish there was a way you could be together. You’d certainly rather be involved with the dangerous wolfman than the overly persistent hunter who never seems to give up on vying for your attention and, eventually, if he has it his way, also your hand in marriage. Although, you soon might find both Dabi and yourself will be in danger, as the hunter seems to have caught your scent and followed the trail…)

disclaimer/content warning: 18+ content! minors dni! keigo/hawks plays a pretty big role in this chapter, your relationship with Dabi is more consensual this time, mentions of the church, reader is carried briefly, possessive Dabi, smut at the end, unprotected sex, multiple orgasms, some brief aftercare.

*ao3 mirror*

***

Autumn seemed like an eternity ago, the cruel, bitter chill of winter seeping into your skin, your hair, your bones, every time you stepped out the door. But, as your mother always used to tell you when you began to worry about something, things will always change, just as the seasons do, coming and going with time and patience.

Before you knew it, the last of the snow and frost had melted away and the first buds of spring had started to sprout along the thin branches of the bare trees, the promise that change was indeed on its way.

Though, as much as you looked forward to warmer days, to leisure summers spent picking berries by the steady rush of the river, your mind had been unable to evade the crunchy leaves and fog of dawn that the fall had provided.

Because, what always cut through to light your way through those dark winter evenings were the brilliant blue eyes that had shone through the thick forest, the ones that seemed to glow iridescent as they’d tracked you through the mist.

You hadn’t seen the wolfman since that fateful day— the very same day you’d received the gift of your beautiful crimson cloak, which you usually wore on your way through town, drawing many an envious eye at the saturated, fur lined fabric— yet still he always found a way into your dreams, whether caught in a daze during the day or sleeping deeply at night.

You used to fear wolves. Hate them. But now, that had also changed.

Perhaps, you thought, it had been because you’d survived one, were maybe even confident that you could do it again. Or, the more likely explanation, it was because you’d grown rather fond of one wolf in particular, even if he was more man than monster most nights under the moon.

As you trudged up the hill towards your little cottage home atop the cliff, a wicker basket heavy where it was slung over the crook in your elbow, filled with fresh bread and vegetables from the village market, you replayed that night in your head for the hundredth time.

If you really concentrated, you could still feel his rough hands ghosting over you, taste the smoky flavor of his mouth on yours.

You used it to fall asleep most nights, sometimes your own hands wandering to try and replicate what he’d done, yet it never felt quite the same.

So, immersed in your daydream, you almost thought it was merely your imagination as the echoes of a distant howl faded into your serene, early spring soundscape. After a brief pause, you left your basket by the fence and took off running. Though it wasn’t away from the sound, like you’d been meticulously taught to do.

This time, it was towards it.

You felt a laugh bubbling up in your chest as you raced through the rows of pine, the edge of the forest bordering the small patch of valley that composed your backyard, growing giddy as the howl rang out a second time, closer now.

You used to become so afraid when you heard the distant echoes of a howl, knowing how dangerous and vicious the owner of the primal note could be. But this howl, as it rang out a third time, was laced with the smoky, teasing tones of the wolf you’d met before. It was a sound you couldn’t help but be drawn towards. You’d been hearing it in your dreams for weeks now. And Dabi knew you were coming to meet his call, beckoning you further down the winding paths of the dense woods, eager to see you again too.

The winters here were usually long, but this past winter had proved to be the longest and bitterest of them all. Not as much from the unrelenting weather and so much time forcibly spent inside, but more so from the intense loneliness that had come from knowing, when the snow piled up as high as the latticed windows, neither of you could trudge through the blizzard’s banks in hopes of meeting even if you’d wanted to.

As Dabi heard your quick little footsteps approaching, he had to force himself to suppress a smile, though you thought you caught a glimpse of those sharp, glinting canines as you broke through into the clearing that the secluded little spot hidden between the thicket provided.

Dabi stood there looking pleased with himself, as if he’d tricked you into crossing his path again, but you both knew it had been deliberate. You were just surprised that he dared venture this far from his territory, or rather, this close to yours— the territory of his enemies. He was practically in your backyard, your tiny cottage house still slightly visible in the distance through the thin, silvered gaps among the many tightly clustered trees.

He remained half concealed by the shadows cast down from the canopy, those cobalt eyes shining through the dark like two glittering sapphires before he stepped out and revealed himself to the light of day. And then, well…

Then you really were surprised.

Because the wolfman had shed the first half of his title, it seemed, the distinct ears and tail of the creature that cursed him seemingly absent this time around. Nothing left to remind you what he really was under the pale, scarred flesh of the human he had once consistently been.

“You— What happened?” you blurted out, the grin dropping from your face for a moment, concern and confusion taking its place only to be replaced by naive elation moments later. “What happened to your—? You look human now!”

But before you could get too excited, perhaps thinking that his curse had somehow been broken, Dabi stepped forward and bitterly informed you that he wasn’t cured.

“Full moon was a few nights ago,” he said, rolling his eyes a bit at your obliviousness. “Cycle starts over after a full transformation…” He reached forward, slow and steady this time, hoping you wouldn’t flinch away, and ran his fingers through the black, speckled fur on your cloak’s hood for a second before flicking his gaze to meet yours, cocking his head a bit, and asking, “Remember?”

You’d been so distracted by his sudden, casual proximity to you that it took a moment for what he’d told you about those afflicted with his condition to register, the realization then spreading across your face with a warm blush before fading into a sad, soft melancholy.

“Oh…” you muttered. “Right… Sorry, I—” Your sentence stopped short when you caught sight of his wrist. As he pulled it away from you, you noticed it was marked with several cuts and bruises. Fresh ones. Ones that looked like they hurt.

“What’s this?” you asked, taking his hand back in your own before he could try and hide the injury. “These are recent…” you noted, trying to examine the gashes closer, worry tugging cutely at your brow. “Did this happen on the last full moon? Did the hunters do this to you?”

Dabi let you handle him for a moment, caught off guard by your authentic concern. How often did he allow people to get close enough to touch him? And how rare it was that they’d be so gentle. But when you looked up at him with those big, troubled doe-eyes of yours, dappled sunlight catching on your long lashes and brightening your irises, he flinched out of your reach, pulling his injured wrist into his other hand.

“‘S nothing…” he lied, averting his gaze, feeling vulnerable under your attempted care. “Don’t worry about it.”

Stubbornly— and rather boldly— you reached forward and tugged his arm towards you again, revealing the wounds once more. Dabi swallowed, a slight scowl twitching on his brow, but he didn’t pull away that time. He didn’t dare, lest you never let him feel your touch again.

“Don’t tell me not to worry about it,” you lightly scolded him, gently turning his wrist to examine how the cuts wrapped all the way around, almost like he’d gotten his hand— or, perhaps, his front paw— caught up in some sharp, barbed razor wires. Traps that hunters had set in hopes of catching rabbits and other small forest creatures, no doubt. “This needs to be disinfected and wrapped. Stay here—” You let go of his wrist and were already turning back towards your house. Dabi fought the urge to reach out and grab onto you, not wanting you to leave so soon, even if it was temporarily and also for his own good. “We have some bandages at home. I’ll be right back!”

Dumbfounded as he watched you weave in and out between the gaps in the pines, Dabi’s protests had come to him a little too late. Not that you would’ve listened to them even if he’d remembered to speak. But he just couldn’t believe how much you seemed to care for him after what he’d done.

Because you didn’t even know his name yet. He didn’t know yours. And the last time you two had been in the same vicinity, he’d intended to do you more harm than good.

But, against his own wishes, he’d reluctantly grown his own fondness for you, the roots of the bittersweet plant entangled throughout every bone within him, the flower’s sating venom clouding his thoughts, oftentimes causing him to pace his territory in hopes of spotting a flash of vibrant red through the bleak streaks of grey and white that winter had painted over the woods. He would sniff the air, wishing he would catch a whiff of freshly baked bread and plump, ripe fruits or that distinct, delicately human smell of your skin.

Through the cold and the snow and the long, dark, lonely nights, Dabi could only dream of you, the feisty girl who traveled alone through the woods with a silver dagger and the fur of a killer frothed around her neck. He never imagined that you’d possibly be thinking of him over these last few months as well. But, as he lost sight of your flickering figure amidst the trees, as much as it tore him apart inside to accept the realization, it would probably be best if you two stopped seeing each other at all.

***

The first aid kit was tucked in between your grandmother’s cookbook and the cutting board. Once you’d procured some basic cloth bandages and a glass bottle half full of what you could only guess by the horrid, eye watering smell was pure alcohol, you doubled back towards the front door.

A thought crossed your mind then that it was a good thing neither of your parents were home. How would you explain taking such precious medical supplies? That you’d found an injured deer and wished to help it? If your father had been around, he would’ve just had you lead him to it so he could finish it off and drag it home where part of it would become dinner, the remains brought into town and sold for as many coins as they could fetch.

Unable to keep a beaming smile from lighting up your face, you supposed that you were feeling pretty lucky today. First you run into your favorite wolf and next you’re actually able to help him and make yourself a little useful so—

The moment you swung open the door to exit your home, you stopped short and froze, submerged in a shadow that stretched over the flat stones leading to the home’s front entrance and finding yourself face to face with someone you’d rather not see right that moment, or ever, for that matter.

“Hello,” Keigo Takami, the village’s most infamously charismatic hunter, greeted you with a charming smile. His blonde, wavy locks caught the afternoon sunlight like spun gold and he was bundled up in a tan jacket lined with fluffy cream colored fur— the result of several successful rabbit hunts in season’s past, no doubt. “I was hoping to find you at home. I thought I saw you in the market earlier…”

Your eyes went wide, and as Keigo undeniably noticed this, his smile dropped and the corner of his mouth pulled down into a slightly concerned frown. “I-I…” you stammered, former glee replaced with a nervous grin that spread crooked across your lips. You forced yourself to swallow down the fear, attempting to hide your alarm, lest you look suspicious and let him onto the type of trouble you’d chosen to associate yourself with. So, concealing the supplies under your cloak, you shakily lied, “I was just on my way out actually. Now isn’t really a good time…”

Keigo’s amber eyes seemed to flare with confusion before narrowing a bit, considering you with a skeptical stare. It was then that you saw him for what he really was, more hunter than human. It took every ounce of courage within you not to look away instantly.

Hawks.

That’s what most people called him.

They said he never missed a shot and always brought in the biggest haul of birds every hunt, providing the village with most of its poultry.

But it wasn’t just birds that he had a habit of hunting. It was people too— those the church deemed witches or demons. He was revered by the bishops and townsfolk alike for protecting the town, preventing monsters from lurking too close to the innocents residing behind the tall brick walls.

But you didn’t view him as a hero.

You saw him more as an executioner, for anyone accused was sentenced to be crucified and burned at the stake. He’d made sure of it, and even though he wasn’t necessarily the one striking the flint, he was still the one who helped drag the victims kicking and screaming all the way to the pyre at the center of town.

Even before encountering the wolfman and finding yourself a little more sympathetic towards those the church declared as evil, you hadn’t liked Keigo much. You hadn’t always been able to describe it, but there was just something about him you couldn’t quite read. It gave you a grave sense of unease and caused you to go out of your way to avoid him every chance you got. But, of course, the hunter had caught a glimpse of that red cloak billowing behind you as you’d weaved between the crowds in town and decided to pursue you.

The other women in town would call you foolish for evading his advances, whether they be a request to escort you home or a gift of fresh meat to take to your family for dinner, but you only saw his offerings as a strategy to get closer to his next target, the bait placed in the center of a trap.

Oftentimes, the words your father had used to warn you about traveling through the woods wearing such a bright color popped into your head.

Easier for hunters to spot, he’d said, and predators too.

You reckoned Keigo counted as both.

“Is everything alright?” he asked, eyes flicking down to where your fidgeting hands gripped the bandages and bottle under your cloak, that misleading grin finding its way back onto his deviously handsome face. “You seem…” he paused, considering you in a calculated, callous kind of way, “bothered by something.”

You cleared your throat, putting your hands behind your back and giving your most convincing sweet and innocent smile, even peppering in a cute little giggle for good measure before assuring him, “Oh, no, everything’s fine. It’s just— I really should get going. There’s plenty of errands to run before the sun goes down and I’ve barely even started.”

When Keigo’s expression softened, eyes flickering from cautious back to kind, you instantly knew that had been the wrong excuse to give. “Allow me to help you then,” he insisted, holding the door further open and moving out the way for you to step outside, gesturing with his free hand in the direction he assumed— and hoped— you would start down.

You passed by him, allowing him to close the front door shut behind you, and internally started to panic. Normally, when he caught you unexpectedly, it was somewhere in town. Similar to now, you tried to be polite, though denied him nonetheless.

The other young women would watch with jealousy and scorn as he perched against the wall and conversed with you, wishing to be in your place, knowing full well that the hunter lived a pretty comfortable life when he wasn’t surviving out in the woods. The moment you’d slip past his looming shadow and meekly apologize that you were running late for something, though never specify exactly what, hurrying out of town without looking back, their envy would turn to confusion, but the disdain would only grow as they watched him try to win you over time and time again despite your endless rejections.

As elusive as you could be, however, Keigo was just as stubborn. And now he practically had you cornered, coming all the way to your little house on the hill where he knew you couldn’t escape. Because where else would you go from here, besides back into town where he could follow you? Surely not into those dark, dangerous woods that bordered your backyard. What business could a sweet girl like you possibly have out there?

“What’cha hiding under there, chickadee?” Keigo teased with a chuckle, craning his neck as he came to walk beside you as you automatically headed around to where your meager livestock was kept, hoping that you’d think of a good enough lie in between now and then.

“Hiding?” you repeated, playing dumb. Luckily for you, you were pretty enough that some people might believe there wasn’t a whole lot going on in your head. You liked to use that to your advantage when the situation called for it. “Nothing. I’m not hiding anything…”

Keigo smirked, coming to a stop in front of you before you could reach the low gate of the goat pen, barring your path. “Show me your hands then,” he challenged, raising his eyebrows as his gaze narrowed, trying to act like he was simply toying with you.

But you knew that those playful sounding words were more order than suggestion.

You glanced behind him where the steepled roofs of the village poked over the jagged, pine-lined horizon. It was quite a trek from the town all the way up the hillside to your home. He must’ve spotted you during your grocery run and followed you home. You hated that he knew where you lived. Hated that he felt like he could come up here whenever he wanted.

“It’s just some medical supplies…” you sighed, holding both your hands out in front of you and showing him the bandages and the bottle, knowing you’d lost this battle. Then, hearing the baby goats beginning to bleat, thinking they were going to be fed again upon seeing you, you conjured up the perfect lie. “One of the goats got cut on a piece of wire that broke off the fence,” you explained. “It’s nothing serious. I just thought I’d see what I could do and—”

“Your fence is broken?” Keigo cut in, looking over his shoulder to try and spot the area in question, but you quickly pulled his attention back to you, not wanting your cover to be completely blown.

“Keigo, now isn’t really a good time,” you began again. “I—”

“Let me fix it for you,” he insisted, wearing that arrogant grin as he added on, “Wouldn’t want you and your family to lose your livestock again.”

It had been Keigo who’d oh so generously gifted your family the goats about three months back. Another desperate attempt to try win you over and prove himself worthy to your parents of earning your hand the day you’d finally agree to let him have it. And as he began to turn on his heel to open the gate, you took a frantic step forward, starting to say that you could handle it on your own, but this time what cut you off mid-sentence was a gasp from your own mouth.

You suddenly found yourself falling forward, tripping over the untied shoelace of your favorite brown boots. Though, it wasn’t the ground that your body found purchase on next, but the solid, warm strength of the persistent hunter, his arms bracing you against his broad chest as he tried to help you find your footing again.

And you were so close to him.

Closer than you ever wanted to be.

If the other young women in town could see you now, you were sure their hatred would flare so bright their eyes would turn red with loathing and anyone who witnessed it would report them as possessed.

“Careful there, dove,” Keigo simpered with another one of those irritatingly patronizing chuckles. And you, feeling even more awkward than before, quickly righted yourself and pulled away from his grasp, kneeling down to tie your pesky shoelace while mumbling something passive-aggressive under your breath.

“What was that?” Keigo asked, leaning over you a little further, his shadow engulfing you again from above.

As you stood, however, you flashed another one of those fake smiles you’d damn near perfected and said with your own brand of condescending coolness, “You know, my parents aren’t home at the moment. Don’t you think it’s a little unseemly for a young lady to be spending so much time alone with a man who’s not even courting her?”

That time, when Keigo’s expression changed from arrogance to embarrassment, you felt a sadistic little victory ignite within your chest.

Try talking your way around that, you thought with petty triumph, still smiling like the innocent little angel you pretended to be in moments like this.

“Y-you’re absolutely right…” stuttered Keigo, cool, calm, and collected facade cracking as he cleared his throat and tried to slide back into that smooth, casually charming air of his. “I apologize if I’ve offended you in any way. Though, if you ever find yourself in need of any assistance,” he adjusted his jacket over his shoulders, beginning to walk past you and towards the steep slope that would lead him back to the village, “please don’t hesitate to seek me out.”

With a final nod and a muttered farewell, you watched until Keigo’s silhouette disappeared down the hill. Once he was gone, you unclasped the gold facet on your cloak and left it hanging on the little wooden bench beside your back door, not wanting anyone to be able to spot you taking off back into the woods.

But as Dabi saw you running his way that time, he retreated.

He’d snuck up to keep an eye on you, feeling his heart twist in his chest as he viewed that haughty hunter strolling towards your front door, watched the two of you migrate around to the goat pen, witnessed the way you’d smiled so sweetly for him.

He’d felt a growl rumbling in his chest as you fell into Keigo’s arms, wishing for perhaps the first time since his turning that it were closer to a full moon so his teeth were a little sharper, that he had claws to rip the blonde’s throat out with.

Because, in his absence, you’d found someone else after all, hadn’t you?

Of course she has, he thought as he swiftly wove his way deeper into the maze of pines.

How could he ever fool himself into thinking a girl like you— a perfect, pretty little human— would ever end up with a wretched creature like him?

***

“Sorry it took so long…” you began to apologize as you reentered the clearing where you’d left Dabi, a little out of breath from your sudden sprint. “Ran into an unexpected visitor… God, he’s always—!” But your complaint was cut short as you looked up and realized the wolfman was gone, the rest of your fiery explanation turning to ash on your tongue.

Straightening your posture and slowly pacing the perimeter that the pine created, you wanted to quietly call out his name, but then it once again occurred to you that you didn’t know it.

You doubted he’d respond well to, “Here, boy,” even if he were still around to hear it.

So, a little puzzled but figuring he’d had a good reason for leaving, you placed the roll of bandages and vial of alcohol down by one of the trees’ exposed, mangled roots and headed back home, all the way cursing Keigo for interrupting you.

You didn’t know how long it would be until you saw the cerulean-eyed stranger again, but the next day when you returned to the clearing to retrieve the supplies you’d left, you found them gone.

***

The tavern was rather lively at this time of night, the sounds of rambunctious laughter and drunken arguments overlapping to score its own melody over the upbeat music being played from one corner where the village bard enthusiastically strummed his mandolin.

Amidst it all, Keigo sat at the bar, his head in one hand, fingers absentmindedly combing through his honey locks as he mulled things over, staring down at his warped reflection in the rippling amber liquid that filled his glass. The look on his face was one of strained concentration, as was to be expected when one could barely even hear themselves think in the tiny, overcrowded pub.

The hunter cradled the stein in his other hand, his drink barely touched, another sign he was caught in his own thoughts, wondering what he’d done that had made you hate him so much.

Then, from the other end of the counter, a fellow hunter called out a teasing, “Oh, cheer up, Hawks! And why don’t you finish your drink, while you’re at it! That is, unless you want me to finish it for you!” before bursting out in a fit of laughter, clearly already way past tipsy from the blatant blushing of his cheeks and slurring of his words.

Even though this bit of unwarranted commentary irked Keigo, he forced himself to snap out of his brooding for a moment and throw some playful banter back at his acquaintance, saying in the same cheerfully teasing manner, “I think you’ve had enough, don’cha think? What’s the missus gonna say when I show up at her door with you slung over my shoulder and barely conscious again, huh?”

His friend shouted something back, but Keigo couldn’t quite hear him that time. So, as he was known to do from time to time, especially after a plentiful hunt, Keigo slapped his hand down on the counter and called out, “Y’know what! Next round is on me!” He pointed to the drunk hunter who howled out with the chorus of cheers, and playfully warned with a quirk of one eyebrow, “But it better be your last one!”

After that, the ruckus only built as the barmaids served out full glasses to everyone in the rickety old establishment and the bard began to play another fast-paced, jolly tune. Keigo took the jovial, drunken distraction as his opportunity to slip out of the tavern in search of a quieter place to sort through his worries and woes.

The streets were nearly empty at this time of night, the cobblestones shimmering under the dim lanterns flickering inside their sconces, ground shiny and wet from the quick storm that had rolled in and passed through the valley earlier that evening.

Keigo’s boots tapped down the empty road, wandering aimlessly towards the old water well where he sometimes went to think before a hunt. But then, as another set of footsteps echoed from the opposite side of the street, the hunter stopped and stared into the adjacent alley, watching as an unfamiliar figure stepped out from the shadows and into the dim lamplight.

He squinted, unable to identify the lanky form through the faint glow cast down from the crescent moon, and when the figure stopped to stare back at him from across the street, Keigo felt dread fill his stomach like a flood.

It was the same feeling he got right before he fired off an arrow he knew wouldn’t bury itself in the hide of an elk or the wing of a duck mid-flight, his intuition turned razor sharp after years of studying patterns between good fortune and bad.

The stranger’s eyes flashed a vibrant blue, the kind of electric cobalt that cut through the night. Keigo shifted his gaze to what appeared to be a bag of some kind in the shadow’s hand, getting a feeling the man— if he was even human— was a thief, at the very least.

“Hey!” Keigo called, taking a step forward as he reached for the hooked, serrated knife used for skinning secured at his belt. The blue-eyed silhouette remained frozen on the other side of the street, staying as still as one of the holy statues standing in reverent prayer by the entrance of the church, both of them waiting for the other’s first move.

And then, Dabi took off running, Keigo giving chase.

They wove in and out of the market stalls, Dabi jumping over the counter of the butcher’s stall, Keigo following suit. They chased each other through the town, sprinting over the uneven cobblestones, past the looming cathedral, and closer to the edge of the high wall that surrounded the village.

Dabi let Keigo gain on him, waited until the last second, then darted into the next side alley.

When Keigo turned that corner, however, breathing hard and ready to strike, adrenaline coursing through his veins, he was horrified to discover the dead end vacant.

Cautiously, he ventured further down the narrow nook, thinking the thief had some kind of trick up his sleeve and was waiting for the right moment to attack and make his real escape, but after a few minutes, the hunter came to the conclusion that he was truly alone once again.

Confused and caught off guard, Keigo backed out of the alley with caution, slid his knife back into its sheath once he was sure the threat was gone, and headed home, forgoing his original plan of visiting the well, glancing over his shoulder here and there as if expecting to see that distinct flash of blue from the corner of his vision.

He may not have been too sure about who the culprit had been, but there was one thing Keigo knew without a doubt…

Whoever it was— whatever it was— they certainly weren’t human.

***

The following week, you found yourself back in town to replenish your pantry, marching reluctantly down the hill that morning, praying that you wouldn’t run into Keigo Takami again after that awkward encounter outside your house.

As you strolled the streets, your wicker basket already half full of loose spices stuffed into linen pouches tied up with twine and a couple of apples marbled red and yellow slightly rolling with every stride, you began to feel uneasy. It was almost like you could feel someone’s gaze tracking you, the growing panic of being followed a familiar and dreadful thing.

After paying the baker and tucking the loaf of fresh, warm bread into your basket, you glanced over your shoulder and scanned the moving crowd across the street, expecting to find a pair of golden eyes staring you down or catch a glimpse of that misleading smile that disguised itself as charm. But, with the hunter nowhere in your line of sight, your imagination began to fill in the blanks with other, more favorable possibilities.

You headed further into town, noticed the traffic of people growing thinner, and when you thought no one was looking, you turned down into a vacant alley.

As your steady pace began to slow, a mischievous smile crept across your lips. Because perhaps this familiar feeling of being followed could begin to carry a little more fondness than fear. Maybe it was your favorite wolf sneaking into town for a visit. He struck you as someone who’d take the risk.

But then, hearing footsteps tapping on the cobblestones behind you, rounding the corner into the alley, you turned. As soon as your gaze met gold, the eager grin dropped from your face.

“Keigo—” you nearly gasped, taking a few steps back as he approached closer. He looked troubled, brows furrowed and the corners of his mouth turning down as if he was about to become the bearer of bad news. “What’s wrong? Why are you following me?”

You tried to hide your nerves under a giggle, but the smile didn’t reach your eyes. The hunter mumbled something, said he needed to talk to you, and guided you further down into the alley where you wouldn’t be overheard.

“It’s not safe here,” Keigo began, his voice low and dangerous as he leaned over you, shadows cast over his face and making you more wary of him than you already were. “You need to get home. Stay out of town for a while.”

“Why…?” you dared to ask, the syllable quivering a bit as it left your mouth.

“Just trust me, alright,” he pressed, avoiding your question. “I’ll take care of it, but until then…” He glanced over his shoulder at the opposite end of the alley as if expecting to see the topic of his concern peering around the corner. He let out a sigh, raking his fingers worriedly through his tousled hair, and then wrangled a reassuring smile onto his tired looking face, even if just for your sake.

“I know you’re not very fond of me,” he stated, unable to suppress the sliver of disappointment that slipped through into his voice. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to protect you. So just go on home and don’t worry about anything, ok? I’m going to take care of it.”

Before you could try and fish for more answers, he was ushering you out of the alley, repetitively telling you to go home any time you attempted to open your mouth to protest.

Eventually, you gave up. Gave in. Headed out of the town and towards the hill that led to your home. You looked back once, seeing Keigo standing at the village’s arched wrought iron gates, watching you. Making sure you continued to obey. When you were at the top of the hill, you looked back again, feeling your stomach sink when he was still there, now merely a pin dot of tan and cream and gold. He could see you even from that far off too, your red cloak serving as a beacon to him.

You clutched your basket tighter in trembling hands and swallowed hard. Pulling the cloak further over your shoulders, you turned away, continuing the rest of the way home.

Even when you disappeared around the bend, the village no longer in sight as you peered over your shoulder, you could still feel it. Keigo was no doubt still standing there. Watching. Waiting. Counting the steps he predicted it would take you to reach your front door and get inside.

***

“Oh, you’re back!” your mother beamed, coming over to take the basket from your hands. It had grown heavier with each step up the hill with all the extra anxiety weighing you down. “How did it go?” she inquired cheerily, raising her eyebrows playfully. “Did you happen to run into that nice Keigo boy again?”

You tried to hide the fact that you were, for many reasons, shaken.

“Not this time,” you lied, a nervous grin tugging crookedly at your lips. As you headed towards your room, you said, “I’m quite tired, actually. I think I’ll lay down for a bit,” before your mother could pry any further.

Her good mood faded into gentle concern, replying with a slightly melancholy, “Oh… Alright then…” before leaving you be and beginning to prepare dinner.

As your door closed behind you, the urge to sneak out your window and go running into the woods suddenly became overwhelming.

Because all you wanted to do right now was find Dabi.

You wanted to warn him, just knowing he was somehow involved in all of this, as if he didn’t already know.

But you knew you couldn’t. Not now, anyway.

The next time you had a delivery to run, however, you’d plan to find him.

Until then, you just hoped he and Keigo didn’t cross paths.

***

Five painfully long days later, your next delivery was packed neatly into that old wicker basket and slung over your arm.

The afternoons were growing warmer lately, the sun hanging in the sky just a little bit longer. The buds on the trees were slowly beginning to bloom in tiny blossoms of pink and white and small patches of green were popping up among the faded landscape leftover from the winter’s frosty kiss.

As you’d headed down the path into the woods, you tried to remember where you’d first veered off through the fog last fall, scouring your surroundings for anything familiar, but it was no use.

All you could seem to recall from that fateful day was the flash of those glowing blue eyes that tracked you through the dark and the eerie, echoed humming of your mother’s melody. After that, it all became a jumble of panic and praying to make it out alive.

So you continued on to your grandmother’s house, greeted her with a grin when she opened the door, gave her the weekly update of your daily activities, and helped her make some delicious pumpkin soup before curling up by the fire and reading one of the old fairy tales she kept on a bookshelf while she worked on her knitting.

That’s about where the calmness of your night ended, your worries worming their way into your sleep and sending you into a restless state of tossing and turning, quick flashes of Keigo standing over the bloody corpse of a black wolf pierced with arrows cutting through your dreams on the few occasions you did manage to slip unconscious.

Needless to say, as the sun shone in through the latticed windows the following morning, you cursed the day, exhaustion weighing over you like a heavy quilt. But you knew you had to get up, redress, and head out by noon in order to make it back home before dark.

The sky overhead was painted with thin, wispy clouds, a nice breeze offering a gentle reprieve from the sun’s warm rays. You strolled the path absentmindedly, head hung a little low as you began to think maybe you wouldn’t discover a way to seek out your wolf on your own after all. But then, as if in reply to your despondent sigh as you lazily kicked a rock with the toe of your boot, you heard a rustling sound from nearby.

Instinctively, you perked up and drew your knife, hoping it was just another rabbit or a deer grazing on the freshly grown grass and not something more dangerous or deadly. The moment you saw that familiar shade of blue though, you relaxed your stance and let out a surprised giggle, your furrowed brow smoothing as an expression of relief spread across your face.

“It’s you!” You declared as Dabi stepped into better view through the thick greenery, trudging over tufts of wild fern.

“Who else would it be?” He flashed a smirk, teeth sharp and glinting, but in a way that was more mischievous charm than ill intention.

He looked the way he had when you’d first met, the ears and tail of a wolf plain as day, another full moon undeniably approaching.

“I was looking for you,” you explained excitedly, sliding your dagger back into its sheath and trotting over to meet him. You then shifted your gaze to his wrist, which had healed quite nicely since the last time you’d seen it. But then your cheer began to ebb as you remembered how he’d left you during your previous encounter, causing your worry to regrow anew, the thorny vines of the carnivorous plant scraping against your heart.

Because perhaps he wasn’t as excited to see you as you were to see him.

If he was, he sure was doing a good job of hiding it.

Inside though, Dabi was using every ounce of his willpower to restrain himself. He’d been hoping to run into you too, finally catching your scent as the breeze carried sweet honeysuckle and fresh bread through the sea of spruce and pine.

“I was worried about you,” you admitted, your tone dropping down to a darker octave. “Did something happen? I mean, did you run into the hunters? Kei— I mean, one of the hunters said he’d spotted something dangerous near the town and I was afraid they might’ve seen you and—”

You were talking a million miles a minute, question after question rolling off your tongue before Dabi could even choose one of them to answer.

“Hey— Hey!” He interrupted your rambling, grabbing you by the shoulders and giving you a slight shake. “Slow down—”

“Why did you go into town?” you blurted out, distressed eyes pleading with him. “Why would you take a risk like that?” You were near tears but tried to contain them, a frustrated scowl pinching on your brow. “He saw you! He saw you and now he—”

As your voice broke, you swallowed what remained of your sentence, knowing even one single syllable more would send you into a fit of sobbing.

Dabi’s pointed ears drooped back, a strained kind of concern lacing itself through his scarred face then. He could feel your shoulders trembling beneath his palms, so he cleared his throat, swallowed, and said, “Yeah, I went into the town. I needed food. My supplies were running low and—”

“Why?” you squeaked, shooting him a look of pressing anger, your tears finally welling enough to spill over, droplets rolling down your cheeks in shimmering pairs, the small patch of dappled afternoon sunlight that shone overhead making them glitter like diamonds. “Why didn’t you just ask me to bring some to you? Why would you risk your life like that?” You were becoming more upset by the second and Dabi didn’t know what to do.

He’d never had anyone show such concern for him before. And, while he’d been the cause of other’s tears before, it had never been like this.

“I could’ve been bringing you food every time I ran a delivery to my grandmother,” you told him, words garbled with your sorrow as you tried to wipe away your tears with the edge of your sleeve. “You could’ve just asked me— I was so worried— Just ask me next time—” Your hiccuping sobs were turning into sporadic little sniffles now, and after Dabi removed his hands from your shaking shoulders, he wondered why…

Why had he chosen to withdraw from you when what you probably needed most right now was his comfort, as unpracticed and awkward as it was?

He didn’t want to leave you to cry on your own. What he wanted was to reach out and pull you against his chest, run his long fingers through your soft hair and soothe you— in his own rough around the edges kind of way— as he promised he would never make you worry like that again.

“I’m sorry…” was all he could manage at the moment, averting his gaze from you and glaring down at the ground, frustrated with himself. “I just thought…”

As you drew in a sharp breath, pulling his attention back to your face, Dabi saw you looked more angry now than you did sad. Gravely serious, you warned, “You don’t understand. If Keigo decides he wants to hunt you, he’ll find you. Keigo will kill you. God, I— I thought maybe he already…”

That time, when your emotions overtook you and sent you into a new fit of tears, Dabi didn’t waste the chance. Moving towards you slowly, as if afraid he might spook you like a rabbit that went off running upon the first sign of a threat, Dabi put his arms around you and pulled you into an embrace. It was surprisingly gentle, at first, as if he was afraid you were far more delicate than he already thought you to be and if he held you too tightly you might break. But then, when you returned the gesture, clasping your trembling arms around him, he took that as permission to hug you a little tighter, your ear pressed to his warm chest to listen to his beating heart.

“It’s ok,” he muttered, the words vibrating faintly against the side of your head. His fluffy black tail curled around your back as if to shield you, cradle you, and then he said, “I’ve gone this long without getting caught. You don’t have to worry about me so much…”

Looking up at him, so much earnest concern woven within your gaze, bottom lip still quivering a little as you attempted to hold back another hiccuped sob, you eventually were able to clear your throat and clarify, “You don’t understand how persistent Keigo can be. Once he marks you as a target, he won’t stop until he has your head. He’ll hunt you down and kill you if it’s the last thing he does. That’s just who he is. Please… I just— I don’t want that to happen… Not to you, I—”

“Wait,” Dabi cut in, one brow quirked up in befuddlement, holding you at arms length now, big, rough hands still resting carefully on your shoulders. “So you mean you two aren’t…?” When you stared back at him equally confused, Dabi couldn’t help but crack a crooked, embarrassed grin. He wouldn’t admit he’d been wrong, at least not out loud, but right about now he was starting to feel a little guilty for brushing you off for so long under his own false pretenses.

Once you realized what his unfinished question had been alluding to, you quickly assured him, “Me and Kei— Oh, no. No, no, no, no. I mean, he looks out for me and helps my family sometimes but…” You could feel Dabi withdrawing more and more with every frantic word that left your mouth. Then you said, “He might have feelings for me but I— I don’t want to be with him. I want…” To be with you.

If only you could say those words out loud and truly mean them. But, the fact of the matter was, right now, you didn’t know what you wanted.

In a perfect world, one where you wouldn’t be crucified for having relations with a creature of the night, you probably would pursue whatever had been growing between the two of you without hesitation. But you knew what would become of you, and what would become of him, and maybe even your family too, if anyone, no matter how much you thought you could trust or confide in them, ever found out you and the wolfman had even met.

Dabi seemed to recognize this too— had recognized this a long time ago and had fought against it, then fell into acceptance of it, then gone back and forth between the two until he couldn’t tell one emotion or decision from the other. Even so, he began to remind you, “You know why we can’t…”

You shook your head, feeling the ever looming threat of tears prickling in the back of your nose once more. “I know…” you muttered, burying your face back into his chest. “I know but…” But you still couldn’t help but want it all the same.

“But, y’know…” he raised, some of that unbothered nonchalance bleeding back into his voice, the normalcy of that tone putting you a little more at ease. “At least until you find another human to be with,” he rolled his eyes upon the word as if it were a casual insult, “I’ll be here for you.”

You just wanted to stay like this with him forever, swaddled in his warmth and the scent of pine and campfire smoke. You wanted to live in his world of trees and moonlight rather than your own of cobblestone streets and the deep clanging of distant church bells. You wanted him to take you back to his cabin so you could study all his knick-knacks properly this time, so you could learn about each one and its significance to him.

You wanted to learn his name.

You wanted him to hold you again.

“I can tell my parents I stayed an extra night at my grandmother’s…” you shyly suggested, sounding half-apologetic as if feeling ashamed for suddenly imposing yourself on him. “We can go back to your place and…”

And he could put his hands on your body in all the ways you’d imagined and tried to replicate over all these long, bitter months you’d missed him. You could give yourself over to him completely willingly, forget that he was a wolf and pretend that he was an ordinary human just like you.

For a second, Dabi wasn’t sure what you were alluding to, not used to you being so bold. But, again, it had been a while since you two had last really seen each other. Who knows what ways you could’ve changed, ideas you could’ve come around to, in all that time apart.

And those deceivingly innocent doe-eyes of yours were already starting to drive him crazy, making his mind go to all kinds of dirty, shameless places about his fantasies, the ones he’d concocted during his own sleepless nights, having purposely stayed as far away from you as possible during the seasonal mating urges that accompanied his condition for only the most obvious of reasons.

“Yeah?” he asked, sounding deviously confident now, trying to keep his tail from wagging in excitement about what this opportunity meant. “Alright,” he nodded, keeping an arm slung possessively around you.

You were his special little human, after all. And if that golden haired hunter wanted to try and take you from him, well…

He’d just have to become the monster your kind was so keen on believing him to be.

***

The cabin was almost exactly as you remembered it, only now, without the haze of trepidation clouding your view, you noticed a lot more details than before. Like the small collection of smooth stones lined up in order from biggest to smallest on one of the shelves, the rocks probably worn from a life spent lounging in a riverbed. You could imagine Dabi pacing the edge of the flowing path, gazing down through the layers of ridges and ripples until he spotted the little piece of condensed earth and reached down into the icy waters to claim it.

There was also an array of what appeared to be little handmade dolls, six of them braided and woven from pieces of long, dry grass in varying sizes— a whole family. It reminded you of the curses that the church warned of witches leaving behind, only, seeing them here, all you could think of was a place, a people, that Dabi could’ve come from before he’d been forced to leave his old life behind.

But, above all else, what really stuck out to you as you scanned your gaze about the place was that it was a lot neater than your first visit. Dare you consider it actually organized. It made you wonder if he’d put a little extra effort into his house chores lately in preparations for a very special guest.

He’d never admit it to you, but Dabi had been preparing to convince you to come back here for a long time now. Nearly six entire months. Making his den nicer for your return had been deliberate, intentional, yet when you made a comment about it to compliment him he just gave a lazy half shrug and an unaffected, “Yeah, it’s whatever I guess…”

He stoked a small fire in the hearth, directing you to the warmest seat nearest to the flames, while he curled up on the beat up old sofa where you blushed to recall he’d taken your virginity, the place where the shared addiction the two of you had secretly harbored for each other all this time had began.

“I can’t believe no one’s found this place yet…” you absentmindedly muttered, leaning in closer to the crackling fire while you continued to look around, even taking the time to study the ceiling, tracing the hairline cracks that zig-zagged through the old foundation like fault lines.

Then, as if forgetting Dabi was even there, you nearly flinched when he chimed in to comment, “Who says they haven’t?”

The look in his eyes was pure, white hot malice. That one expression alone was enough to answer any unasked questions, like what happened to anyone who crossed paths with the cabin? Full moon or not, Dabi was more than capable of getting rid of any witnesses. But you didn’t want to think about that. Not now. Not when you were actually trying to forget your fear and enjoy your experience here this time around.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” you announced, standing from your chair and going to retrieve something from your basket. When you returned, you were hiding it from his view within cupped hands, wearing a smile as if barely able to contain your joy. “These are my favorite! My grandmother makes them this time of year and she sent me home with a ton of extra this time!”

In your hands you held out to him some type of small cinnamon cookies, their sugary swirl sparkling when near the firelight. Once Dabi had a couple in his palm, popping one into his mouth, and you’d retaken your seat to enjoy your share, you sighed to yourself and said, “I’m really gonna miss these some day…”

Your grandmother’s health had slowly been declining over the last few months, her heart and lungs and bones not as strong as they used to be. This past winter especially had done quite a number on her. It was an unavoidable fate you tried not to dwell on but…

“Guess you’ll just have to learn to make them,” Dabi commented, thoroughly enjoying the bite sized morsels but trying not to show just how much. When was the last time he indulged in real sugar? Even during his human years, it had been a rare commodity, his family having too many mouths to feed just for the sake of staying alive to worry about unnecessary expenses like sugar and sweets.

“Yeah, I guess…” you shrugged, not seeming too thrilled with the notion. Then you sighed, “It just wouldn’t be the same…”

When Dabi noticed your melancholy smile, he paused before finishing his final cookie, realizing he must’ve said something wrong. He leaned forward, reaching out one hand to place on your knee in hopes of it offering you some kind of apology, then retracted a bit to himself when he realized he couldn’t conjure any words of comfort.

God, he sucked at this. Even when he was trying to do the right thing, as few and far between as those occasions were, he just couldn’t seem to get it right. He cleared his throat softly, trying to swallow down the lingering insecurities, then said, “We all die someday. But not everyone gets to go as the person they started as…”

Not everyone gets to go surrounded by those they love, either.

And, when Dabi’s final day came to pass, who would be there to bury him? According to the church, demons weren’t buried, they were burned, reduced to blackened ash and then scattered around the village’s perimeter to ward off any other evil creatures that lurked nearby.

But they’d tried to tie Dabi to that pyre and ignite him once and failed. You doubted he’d ever give them the chance to do it again.

“I’m sorry they did this to you…” You nearly whispered, voice airy and broken as you cupped a soft palm to his scarred cheek, gently brushing your thumb over the remnants of the burns and feeling the warped skin glide unevenly beneath your touch. “I’m sorry you have to live out here all alone. That even by going into town they might…” You felt your sympathy for his circumstances swell, threatening to bring tears to your eyes again, so you cut your last sentence short and let the remainder of it linger.

“Stop that,” Dabi said, but there was a guilty kind of smile twitching at his lips. Taking your face in both his hands, he stared you in the eyes for a moment before pulling you close into his chest. He couldn’t hold your gaze for too long when you looked at him like that— like you liked him, like you might’ve actually loved him— with such a fragile tenderness filling your eyes, and for him of all people.

After pressing a kiss to the crown of your head, he kept his lips against your hair and murmured, voice raspy and raw, “There’s nothing you could’ve done.”

And even though that was true, whether you’d known him back then or not, it still hurt. It hurt knowing no one had done anything for him back then, that no one had even tried.

“I just wish they could’ve known you like I do. Like this,” you replied, words feather soft yet still splintered with small shards of resentment for the village you came from, the people who preached love and acceptance only to turn around and torch the first thing that they thought didn’t fit in. “If they did, maybe they’d change their minds about—”

“Just stop.” He was more direct that time, a barb of harshness spiking through his words. But when you looked up at him then, you saw the loneliness he tried so hard to hide shining through all that entrancing blue, shimmering like the dewdrops that blanketed the valleys like a veil of glittering lace upon the first light of dawn.

You began to protest, “But it’s not fair—”

“Fair, unfair…” Dabi cut in, his grip on you tightening a fraction. He shook his head, a minute little motion that barely shuddered through you. “What happened is long past any of that. They’ll always see me as a monster,” and so a monster he became. “I can’t control what happens under a full moon,” so killing a couple civilians would only be expected. “The next one’s only a few days away now…” So you should probably hide from him before he ended up convincing you he was a monster too.

But, no matter what he said, no matter what excuses or reasons he or anyone else gave as to why you should keep as much distance between him and yourself as possible, you’d never see him that way. As a monster. As evil. As what could very likely become your untimely end, either by his razor sharp claws and gnashing, pointed teeth, or by the church and their ominous, sacrificial pyre settled at the center of town, just waiting for the next witch to be tied to the cross and burned all in the name of something holy.

It was like this, when you were closest to him, that you feared you’d lose him forever. You realized you had no say whether he stayed or disappeared from your life. Someone like him did as he pleased. But, as hard as it would be to feel his absence again, you thought you might be able to live a little easier with the loss if only you knew just one thing about him.

It was the question that had haunted you ever since you two had first met.

“What’s your name?” you asked, hoping he’d actually oblige you this time. Things had gotten a little more personal as of late. Plus, you didn’t want to be wolfman and little rabbit to each other forever.

He looked at you as if seeing you for the first time, as if he’d finally found the answer to whatever unasked question always seemed to be lying in wait behind his eyes. He said, “You can call me Dabi.”

He had a real name, one from before he was turned, but he’d let that boy burn to ash in the fire along with his humanity. Having to leave his old life behind, he just thought it easier to abandon his old name too.

When he explained this to you, he expected you to press him on it. But you didn’t. You just assured him that, as long as that was the name he wanted you to call him by, it was good enough for you.

“Dabi…” You rolled the syllables around in your mouth, repeating his name a few times until the acquired taste became something sweet and you were beaming that bright, carefree smile at him again.

He cracked a small grin as well. He liked hearing you say his name and he wished he’d told you sooner. And then it occurred to him…

He didn’t know yours either.

So, after you told him and he practiced saying it with his own mouth a few times, the sound of it not as angelic and tender when spoken with his rough, raspy voice as you had the ability to make his name sound with yours, you both realized there was no going back. You were no longer strangers, no longer a stray girl wandering through the foggy woods and the devil come to tempt her.

It was the most intimate moment you two had ever shared. It felt like fresh air on an autumn day, like sinking into a hot bath after walking home in the cold. It felt like home. It felt like never letting go. It felt terrifying and elating all at once.

Eventually, you two even began to laugh together, just repeating each other’s names back and forth until a giggle rose up in your throat and Dabi caught the chuckle like it was contagious. There wasn’t a moment his touch broke from you, and once the frivolity of it all had died down, his hands began to roam, slowly wandering across your soft, warm skin until he had you straddling his lap, head lolled back as he left spit-shined bruises along the column of your throat, intoxicated by the stuttering rise and fall of your chest while you gasped and whined, now able to shape your lilting little mewls into the letters of his name.

“Dabi…” you whimpered, only spurring him on more, causing him to nip you a few times just to hear another one of those adorably delectable little sounds. He could’ve listened to you moan his name all night and never gotten tired of it. And, as your hands began to explore the untraversed plane of his pale, scarred skin, feeling his stomach flinch when your fingertips lightly ghosted over that part of him, little hands eager to reach lower, Dabi felt impatience swell from within him, something dark and hungry rearing its head from deep inside his chest.

“Off,” he growled, the long skirt of your dress bunching up in his rough hands, already attempting to strip you of the garment lest he rip it to shreds. He nearly forgot he had to unlace your corset before he could pull the flowing fabric, today a pale seafoam green with embroideries of white and gold at the hems, over your head and expose your fragile human body to him.

His mouth was already watering, the desire to devour you down to your core quickly becoming overwhelming as his hands made frantic and slightly rough work at pulling the laces of the hickory brown corset sinched in at your waist loose, both of you eager to have you rid of the confining thing.

The moment you became bare to him, he dove back in, his mouth seeking out yours while his hands kneaded at your breasts, your butt, your thighs, and as he continued to leave a trail of fervent kisses across your skin, down you cheek and neck to your collarbones and shoulder, you were wrapping your hands in the fabric of his shirt and trying to pull it over his head.

When you struggled with this particular task, Dabi let out another low, impatient growl, yanking it over his inky spikes and pointed ears and tossing it aside as if disgusted with it. When he looked down at you next, the carnality of the beast inside of him seemed to settle for a moment, his fleeting humanity flickering back to life behind his dilated cerulean gaze to something more tender.

Because you were giving him one of those sinfully sweet smiles, both hands reaching for him, openly beckoning him closer. His movements then slowed, lowering his lips to meet yours for a languid kiss rather than an urgent one that time. Because there was no need to rush now. You weren’t going anywhere. He could finally take his time with you.

Your little fingers were soon clumsily fumbling with the buckle of his belt, trying to undo it but unable to get a good enough grasp whenever he shifted on top of you.

“Off…” you whined, repeating his earlier wishes back to him, only yours came out as a pathetic little plea accompanied by an adorable pout.

Dabi chuckled, going to do as you asked but only getting halfway, the belt unbuckled but still threaded through the loops in his trousers when you sat back upright to place a trail of your own gentle kisses across his bare chest, following the line of his scars like they were a path to guide you. The sensation there wasn’t as heightened as the unharmed parts of his body, but still…

The fact that you weren’t scared of them, weren’t repulsed by the marred flesh, didn’t find the injuries ugly— quite the opposite, in fact, you found that those patches of his skin probably were in the most dire need of loving attention— made his heart stutter behind the cage of his ribs.

He was starting to accept that he wanted more of you than just your body— might have developed actual feelings for you— and that terrified him more than the hunters and the church and being alone for the rest of his life combined. Before he could become too anxious over it, he went back to the distraction of your flesh, one of his hands slipping between your legs and brushing up against where you were most sensitive and aching for him.

“Wait…” you hesitated, pulling back from him just far enough to look into his eyes, the electric blues glowing through the dim darkness that flooded the cabin now, as bright and alluring as the crackling fire beside you. For a moment, Dabi was afraid you’d changed your mind. But then you requested, “Can we go to your room this time? I-I want…”

Well, honestly, you just wanted to continue this on a bed.

Dabi seemed to understand, cracking a crooked smirk and running his palms slowly up and down the dip of your waist, an affirmative hum that sounded closer to a growl rumbling through his chest as he hoisted you up, pulling a slightly started gasp from you, before beginning to carry you up the creaky staircase to where he slept.

In the short time it took to go from the couch to the mess of blankets atop the old mattress that served as the wolf’s nest, you tucked your face into the crook of his neck and tried to memorize the scent of him. He smelled unlike anyone or anything else, and part of you wondered if that indescribable, otherworldly aroma had something to do with his curse. It was addicting, intoxicating, something about it making you feel safe and turned on with just a single whiff. It was more than just the undertones of the pines and that smoky campfire scent. There was something woven throughout the entire smell that could only be described as purely and uniquely him.

Lowering you onto the edge of the bed, after wrapping one of the patchwork quilts around your shoulders as a light shiver skittered across your skin, Dabi slowly let his cock spring free from the waistband of his trousers, letting out a muffled groan through clenched teeth at just how painfully hard he’d become. He then finished kicking off the rest of the garment before climbing atop the sunken mattress to rejoin you. He made sure you were comfortable, surrounded by enough blankets to keep you warm, and pulled the quilt over his back to create a cocoon around you, shrouding you in further darkness and warmth.

Up here, there was only the illuminated glow of a nearly full moon slipping through the gaps in the curtains to see by, the rustling of the newly budding leaves brushing together as the wind swept through the treetops, the distant hooting of an owl echoing beyond the dusty glass of the window panes.

Even in the dark, Dabi could see you just fine. It was, perhaps, one of the only perks of his curse, being able to view things clearly through the cover of night, his cobalt eyes blazing through the shadows.

Until your eyes took their time to adjust to the dark, all you could perceive was the gentle huffs of his breathing and the feeling of his hands gliding over your skin, stopping to knead at the softest parts of you he loved to touch the most.

When he reached your thighs, admiring their velvety plushness between his calloused fingers and palms, you felt your little hole flutter in anticipation, tummy flinching as more arousal pooled thick and warm in the pit of your stomach and began to leak out of you.

Dabi pressed a tender, open mouthed kiss to the underside of one breast, his mouth repeating the sentiment down your abdomen, to the soft raise of your lower belly, working his way down your thighs, your skin pebbled with gooseflesh as a sudden chill skittered up your spine despite the enveloping warmth.

“You gonna be a good girl for me?” he asked, hot breath fanning over your pussy, leaving a coolness in its wake that told you just how wet you’d truly become for him. “Hm?” he propositioned, the hum playfully lilting in his throat. You could tell he was smiling even without being able to see him clearly just yet, could hear the cruel amusement in his voice when he said, “Or are you gonna make me use force again?”

You tried to swallow down the whimper that was rising in your throat but ultimately lost that battle, your voice breaking on his name as if pleading for him to say it again, to say all the dirty things he wanted to do to you, whisper them in your ear until you were begging him to follow through and prove he wasn’t all talk.

You knew he wasn’t. He’d verified that much the first time around. But still. You wouldn’t mind if he gave you a little preview of what he had planned for you tonight. Although, as you already knew, his words could never compare to the act itself.

As his long tongue lolled out to tease at your swollen little clit, your back arched instantly, overly sensitive to the foreign sensation. And, god, it felt so fucking good. He ate you out like a man starved, not missing a single crease or fold of you, his obscene slurping sounds causing a new wave of heat to surge through your blood.

With his tongue spearing into your tight, fluttering little hole, moaning against you as he felt your cunt clench around the slick muscle, Dabi wrestled your thighs still when they desperately writhed beneath his hold. Every time his nose nudged against your tender bud, you felt yourself already teetering on that dangerous edge. Threading your fingers through his tousled hair, you grabbed a fistful of course ebony and gave a sharp tug, causing another groan to simmer in his chest, Dabi’s eyes rolling slightly as the sound vibrated against your pussy, sending another shockwave of pleasure shooting through you like electricity.

When he pressed his tongue flat and ran it roughly up the length of your soaked slit, you felt yourself tip over that edge.

“Dabi—!” you cried, legs trembling and your head thrown back, mouth hanging open with a silent scream.

Your first orgasm of the night came crashing over you like a wave colliding with a cliffside, unstoppable and almost violent until Dabi helped ease you through it, his face shining with his saliva and your slick when he pulled away, murmuring words of praise to you while his thumbs massaged gentle circles into your hips, tracing the dip of your waist back and forth with nonsensical patterns until your shuddering gasps smoothed over and your quivering figure came to rest.

Your eyes were closed but you were urging him towards you again, lightly grasping his arm to make sure he didn’t stray too far. Dabi used the back of one hand to wipe his mouth, though there was still a mess left surrounding it. He didn’t care. He kept absentmindedly darting his tongue out to catch another taste of you.

“That’s it…” he sighed, planting both hands firmly on your thighs again. “Knew you were my good girl… God… Just look at you…”

You only caught about half of what he’d said, your heart beat pounding in your ears as that saccharine, post-orgasm haze clouded your mind. You were too weak to resist when he spread your legs back apart, exhaling a shuddering breath in knowing that this night was still far from over. You’d just barely recovered from round one before Dabi’s fingers were already dipping back between your soaked folds, spreading around your lingering arousal, some of it already turned sticky on your skin, to stimulate your tender little bundle of nerves all over again.

“That’s it, baby…” Dabi cooed, taking his sweet time to stretch you open in preparation, first inserting one finger to test your tightness, then a second to begin gently scissoring inside of your pulsing pussy. Then, as if only to himself, he sighed, “God… You have no idea what you do to me…”

Because the first time, as good as it had been, had been conditional. It had been selfish. It had been a hunter luring in its prey. Now, the rabbit had willingly returned to the wolf’s den, running towards the sharp teeth and gleaming eyes and ignoring every instinct that told it to run away.

His cock was aching to be inside of you, velvety head blushed a deep pink as a bead of precum glistened like a pearl at the tip. Dabi guided it in his hand to glide between your silky folds, pulling a tiny, adorably started gasp from you when it caught on your drooling little hole.

“Please…” you were eventually begging him, tortured by his teasing ministrations, a thin veil of tears misting your lashline. “Please, Dabi, I need—” A short, broken cry clawed its way up your throat when he unexpectedly inserted a few inches inside of you with a quick, sharp thrust, the sweet sting of the stretch his cock carved out in you flooding you with adrenaline and arousal.

Dabi meant to shoot back with something sarcastic, being a little mean to you a habit he couldn’t seem to entirely abandon, but what came out was a strangled, “You— fuck— Y-you really want it that badly, huh? Greedy little— hng!— Greedy little thing, aren’t you?”

You both winced as he pushed in a little further, the way your cunt constricted so tightly around him nearly knocking the next breath from his lungs. You were so tight it almost hurt him to sink in deeper, both of you trying to catch your breath and adjust to the intensity of each other’s bodies.

Dabi shuddered, pointed wolf’s ears twitching amongst all his inky tufts of hair, ribs expanding and deflating with short, rapid, panting breaths. You were gripping his biceps for dear life, nails biting little crescent moons into his thin flesh when you felt him quivering from inside of you, letting out little sounds of pain that blurred into pleasure as he finally began to move again.

“Good… Good girl…” Dabi praised you once you’d relaxed enough to allow him to sink all the way in, wincing when you felt him brush against your sensitive cervix. It hurt less than the first time, but it was still uncomfortable. However, when Dabi began to massage little circles on your puffy clit, still a bit overstimulated from the first round, it helped to take your mind off the soreness growing inside of you.

As he worked you back up, his hips moved in tandem with the pressure he applied to your little hooded nub. “Mine—” he growled, biting down on his bottom lip hard in order to resist the urge to sink his teeth into the tender flesh between your neck and shoulder. “All— All mine—”

When he sensed you were getting close again, his thrusts became more erratic, losing all rhythm until his hips stuttered and stilled, letting out a strangled moan as he filled you to the brim with sticky ropes of his hot, thick cum. You were completely spent, feeling as if your consciousness was slowly drifting away from your body, mind lulling itself into a peaceful, sated state.

You both were caught in a bout of panting in the midst of the come down, bodies covered in a thin sheen of sweat and no longer needing all the quilts that encapsulated you. Dabi pulled out and rolled over to lay beside you, wrapping his arms around your shuddering body and pulling you closer into the heat that always seemed to be emanating from his being no matter the situation or the season. He kissed you on the temple and listened to your breathing slow as you began to doze off to sleep.

As he stared at the ceiling, he was incredulous as to how he’d gotten you back beneath him, in his own bed, willingly. Especially after so much time apart. Especially after how he’d treated you the first time you’d met.

Maybe being around you caused him to recall some of his humanity. The notion half comforted, half petrified him, and as he carefully rose from the mattress to retrieve something to clean you with, part of him resented the softness you brought out in him. It wouldn’t last. The moment you were gone from his territory he’d start shifting back into the monster he’d accepted himself to be and you’d go back to being his secret little fantasy, always feeling like a world away despite the fact he could find his way to your cottage home by scent alone.

“I just wish they could’ve known you like I do…”

He pulled the quilt back over your body once he was done tending to you, sitting up to watch you sleep for a few minutes as a thousand different realities flashed through his mind. Ones where he’d never been changed. Ones where he’d become a hunter who could get down on one knee and ask for your hand. Ones where your roles were reversed and ones where he turned you so you’d have no choice but to stay by his side like he’d once done before his maker had been reduced to the decoration around the collar of your cloak.

What the hell am I thinking, he sneered to himself, shaking his head with a quick twitch as if to throw the thought from his brain. He could never damn you to the kind of life he had, burden you with this curse that would never end.

He thought about taking you and going somewhere far away, just fleeing from these woods and going to a place where no one knew you, hiding away in a village that didn’t have a pyre looming at its center, if such a haven even existed.

No, he begrudgingly countered that option, surely that troublesome hunter would follow if you went missing, based on what you’d cautioned about his relentless determination.

However, if he were able to eliminate that threat, perhaps there could be a chance you two would be able to cover your tracks. The full moon was coming. It would be the perfect opportunity to get rid of Hawks. Dabi could already imagine the way his golden curls would look soaked in his own dark blood, turning his hair black under the cover of night as Dabi watched the light leave the hunter’s eyes.

For now though, that would have to wait.

In the meantime, as Dabi lay back beside you and tried to quiet his runaway mind, he began considering what he could scavenge up for your breakfast tomorrow morning.

***

Keigo was swift and soundless as he followed the tracks through the woods. Even in the dark, the brightness cast down by the moon blotted out under the thick canopy of pine, he could make out the pair of curious and distinct footprints that seemed to travel side by side.

One set of prints were heavy and dragged a little, gait appearing lazy at times. The other, however, was much more familiar. They were boots. Women’s boots, based on the size and stride pattern they followed. They strikingly reminded him of the ones you wore— your favorite ones— with the laces that always came untied without you noticing.

Which only meant one thing.

The notorious wolfman must’ve kidnapped you, stolen you in the night like a greedy thief swiping ripe fruit from a kiosk in the market.

Keigo remembered the flashing blue eyes of the silhouette he’d seen in town that night, the man who disappeared into the shadows like he’d been a part of them.

He’d counted his arrows and cleaned his favorite hunting knife that afternoon, intending to bring you back a portion of his most recent catch in hopes of further convincing you that he could provide for you, if only you’d accept the proposal he’d been ruminating on for who knows how long now. But, when he’d made the journey up to your cottage upon the cliff to drop by, planning on earning some favor with your parents so maybe they’d pester you about “that nice Keigo boy who’s always coming to check on you” again, only to be told you hadn’t returned home on time from running your most recent delivery to your grandmother’s house, your poor mother already starting to fear the worst, well…

How could he help himself? Of course Keigo went out looking for you.

And, Keigo figured, even if you weren’t his yet, there was still time to win you over. Perhaps saving your life from a vicious monster would finally be what it took to open your eyes to just how far he was willing to go to care for you.

So, as he continued his strategic trek through the winding woods, almost scoffing at how easy it was to follow the tracks, the perpetrator clearly not paying much attention to the damp weather that had given him away, Keigo made a vow.

He’d rid the village of its oldest myth, its most dangerous legend.

And he’d do whatever it took— kill whoever it took— to get you back alive.

***

(Sorry it took me an entire year to get part two out but here it is! I hope you enjoyed it! Perhaps there will be a part 3 to wrap it all up by next halloween lol. Anyway, until then, I hope you all have a wonderful day and take care of yourselves <3)

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