#zhong chenle imagine

[leerongrong]

❥ 𝐍𝐂𝐓 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 – they learn love through the little things.

⌜ mark ⌟

mark lives his days to the fullest; he laughs a lot, he has good food on the table, he has people who love him dearly, and he prays because he's grateful for all he's been given. but there are days he isn't content; he's human and the pressure put on him isn't something a 22 year old should be facing.

it was on those dark days when you showed him love through tranquility. the town was quiet with no one walking because of the downpour and you showed mark the beauty of simplicity, through bus rides.

"mark?" you whisper, hand gently carding through the front of his bangs as his head lols from side to side. not even a sudden movement from the bus wakes him from his sleep.

"be happy." you smile when he moves to cuddle your palm now placed on his cheek. "you of all people deserve to be happy."  

now, mark thinks of you whenever he sees a bus working its way down a street, the image of foggy glass a constant reminder of the constant love he receives.

⌜ renjun ⌟

if there's anything he wishes to have, it's to be his old self again. renjun feels like an old shell of who he used to be. days used to be filled with blue skies and he was ready to say hello to the bright future waiting for him. yet somehow, they all turned gray; a constant static he wishes he could break free from.

though one day his vision is dotted with flashes of yellow. you bring color into his life through the first sticky note you wrote on that day, stuffed in the pocket of his bag. there wasn't much on it, just a messy scribble of your writing in black saying 'i love you' with a smiley face next to it.

the next day, pitter patter of shoes and a shout catches renjun's attention before he could disappear into the practice room. he tilts his head when he sees you out of breath, one hand on your knee as you double over.

"what are you doing?" it's when he finally notices the lime sticky note in you other hand, comprehension hitting him as the words finally makes sense.

"sometimes it's going to be suffocating but give yourself sometime to breath. you're moving according to your own timeline and one can do it best except for you."

from that day forward, renjun smiles a little bit more as the colors that start to fill his life once again remind him of you.

⌜ jeno ⌟

jeno's life has always been filled with a buzz; he went on with his life around his friends, family, co-workers, and the millions of fans screaming his name. he went to school with his parents and older sister at a young age, he attended school with friends when he was a freshman, and now he puts on concerts to billions of people with his found family.

yet he doesn't feel secure and warmth from the people around him; it's a void in his heart and the echo of voices make his head spin whenever he steps into his room, the cold and comfort of his bed doing nothing to sooth his stress.

"jeno, i'm here. what's going on?" you step into jeno's room, seeing the boy curled up by the edge of the bed. you rush over at the sight of his shaking shoulders, an effort to calm himself down. "hey. what happened?"

"it's okay if you don't want to talk about it." you finger traces random patterns on his skin as you engulf him in a hug. his arms are around your waist and his head hiding in the crook of your neck. "i'm right here. i'll always be right here, jeno."

jeno learns to find comfort in silence from you.  he basks in your warmth and knows that all he needs is a calming presence to pull him through.

⌜ haechan ⌟

for all he knows. for all donghyuck ever knows is that he was given the name haechan because people wanted him to shine as bright as the sun.

he was given the term 'fullsun' meaning he was someone who needed to be as dashing and radiant as the sun that shines high in the sky. all day long, full weeks straight, from the start till the end of his career line.

and as much as he adores it, he hates it. he hates the dark circles starting to imprint under his eyes like a permanent tattoo. he despises the weight of his bones every time he's off camera, and he grimaces every time smiling feels more like a burden than a choice.

and yet, u bring him love through darkness like night. comforting like a toddler in the arms of his mother, lulling like gazing up at shooting starts at midnight, rejuvenating the day after a whole 24 hours of sleeping.

"it's okay to rest, love." you grumble, looking at haechan's reflection from across the room. his eyes are dark with lack of sleep and his expression monotone. "you don't have to earn rest. you need it, deserve it, are worthy of it."

"don't ever let anyone make you feel guilty for taking time to rest." your footsteps are soft, padding through the carpet to reach him and rest your hands on his shoulders. "sometimes walls, emotional blockage walls, they're there so we can lean on and rest."

a small smile breaks on haechan's lips, his head nodding as he slightly leans on your frame for support, the weight of his burdens slowly being lifted from his shoulders. "your smile could make flowers grow. don't ever lose it."

⌜ jaemin ⌟

jaemin has a long history with coffee. he's used to the fatigue seeping through his bones and the adrenaline that courses through him whenever he takes a shot of his coffee. he knows that it's bad for him; that he's borderline addicted to it but he can't find it in him to stop.

there are times when it tastes like heaven on earth but most of the times it's to dull his senses; a nagging reminder that he has so much to do with a body and mind that's threatening to crumble over without rest.

you bring love like a breath of fresh air, one he deliberately takes multiple gulps of, through tea. he hears your scolding more often than not, he distinctly remembers every mimic of your face; from your furrowed eyebrows, to your pout and especially your wrinkling nose, every time you catch him drinking coffee.

"stop drinking so much soul sucking liquids!" jaemin chokes on his coffee from your scolding and has to slam his fist into his chest to help with the shock. he feels your palms gently smoothing over his back to help. "oh gosh, i'm so sorry!"

"okay, okay, i'll stop." jaemin laughs, still slightly coughing out his drink. "i know you love me enough to scold me but maybe don't call coffee a soul sucking liquid while i'm drinking one?"

"whatever." you roll your eyes and smile when jaemin presses a kiss as an apology.

he doesn't realize it but jaemin has a fond look on his face every time he sees a kettle boiling. he has a special place in his cupboard for your ceramic tea cup, one that's the exact same as his because he thought it would be cute to match. he even bought a perfume of tea leaves and a tea set just to remind himself of the better half that is you.

⌜ chenle ⌟

chenle is used to being in the spotlight; he's had his fair share of fame since he was a kid and now he's part of one of the biggest kpop groups in the world. he's done his best with whatever he can control; practice, sleep, eat, repeat. yet he still can't control his short fuse.

he feels the need to explode sometimes,  people get on his nerves easily. he knows what its like to let his anger get the best of him and he knows the scolding that is bound to come right after.

"chenle, let's go over there." your voice breaks him out of his staring match with a rude employee. he's done his best to slowly let his anger simmer but nothing is helping him calm down. "let's drink our hot chocolate, yeah?"

chenle looks at nothing but the ground. all he sees is red until he feels your hand intertwine with his and recognizes your sweet tone. "you okay?" you bring him back by telling him to breath, reaching out to stroke his cheek. "i love you, chenle."

chenle sees you in the gentle breeze on a hot summer day, something smooth that brings him relief whenever he feels he might let himself slip away.

⌜ jisung ⌟

if jisung could describe himself in one word; it would be shy. he remembers hiding behind the shadows of his parents and brother, he knows he hides from the spotlight, becoming a side character in his own story.

"jisung! congratulations!" your shout from across the hallway has jisung hiding his face, groaning as attention gathers on him. "way to go! i knew you could do it!"

he hides his face behind his hands, eyes peaking through his fingers when he hears you stop in front of him. "did you have to shout?"

"yes," you frown. "jisung, you're number one in that dancing competition. you should be proud."

"i know but-"

"no buts!" you gently pry his hands away from his face, your smiling face coming into his view. "you're a winner jisungie, let the whole world know and celebrate!"

you bring love in the form of courage and jisung smiles at the thought of your bravery. your words make him want to live life as if it were a movie and he's the main character.

[endthedream]

three sins to hell

pairing: devil!chenle x human!reader

summary: the devil, a creature so sinister he seduces humans into sins so he can have their souls in hell.But if you’re his next target, what would you do? Would you even notice that the devil is standing right in front of you?

words: 10k

story colour: orange

warnings: vulgar language, toxicity, manipulation, heavy makeout/almost smut (nothing happens tho)

note: I hate this story with a passion, but I didn't have the nerve yet the time to rewrite it again. I hope you can still somewhat enjoy it. It's my halloween story (a few days too early). I will try to get something out on Halloween as well, but I can't make any promises. Hope you guys are doing well! Feel hugged~

masterlist of ‘nct dream as supernatural creatures‘

You have known of the existence of the devil, have heard stories about him when you grew up. Warnings, wherever you go. ‘Don’t go near the devil. He will suck out your soul and bane you to an eternity of hell and misery.’ People would tell you stories about him, how he seduces men and women to doing sins, how he hides among the common folk, how easily he gets into your head. They called him the fallen angel, who was banned to ruling over hell for his sins. Some say he is a frightening, red creature with three heads and a mouth with teeth so sharp they can break through any bones. Some say he is a demon with wings and horns, and a tail so long and sharp he will pierce through your heart. But some also say he is a man, a very handsome one. He was once an angel graced with an eternity of beauty; hell couldn’t change that as well. They say the reason why he is able to seduce so many people is because of his piercing beauty, his sharp features and hypnotizing eyes. They say that one look from him and you’re gone, fallen into a pit of longing, no matter how pure you swear to be.

You heard so many stories, got told so many warnings and still you found yourself not believing those words. You found yourself thinking it was all just a tale, trying to make you scared to keep you in control. But you were never one to believe in fairy tales, never one to look for the truth in them.

But all this changed. All this changed when you looked the devil right into his eyes.

-

There is something in the air this morning, something different. You can feel it filling up your body, clouding your senses. You take a deep breath of the fresh morning air, before grabbing the straps of your backpack and beginning your walk to school. It isn’t far from your home, just about six minutes, but you like to take those few moments to be grateful for everything you have. You go over it, over and over again, in your head. ‘I’m grateful for the roof over my head, the food in my stomach, the friends that I have, the clothes that I wear, all the luxury items I have at home and every single day that I live on this planet, protected and healthy.’

It is something you like to do to remind you that nothing in this life is given, nothing in life is permanent. Some people don’t have a house, or food, or clothes. It keeps you on your toes, never lets you stray away or complain about unimportant things. It keeps you down to earth.

“Y/n.”, you can hear your best friend Jisung, calling your name and see him sprinting in your direction. “There you are. I was starting to get worried about you. You are always on time.”

“On time?”, you ask confused as you look at the time on your watch. It’s five minutes before class starts. Five minutes? Normally you are always here ten minutes before it starts, never five. But you walked the same path you always do every single morning, you left at the same time you always do. How come you arrived five minutes later than normally? Something is weird, you felt it this morning when you left your house. Something is definitely weird.

-

You almost fell asleep three times in class today, which isn’t like you. You are a straight A student, with a perfect attendance record. You don’t sleep in class; you pay attention and write notes. You ask questions and answer the teachers’ questions. You don’t fall asleep, that is not like you.

“Ms. Lee.”, your teacher says, a sympathetic look on her face. “I have seen you doze off three times today and I must say this genuinely surprised me. You are my ace student, Miss. I have never seen you like this, so I wanted to tell you if you have anything in your heart, or if there is anything that is bothering you, private or in school, you can always talk to me, okay? You don’t have to go through this alone.”

-

“Wait so she really offered you therapy hours?”, Jisung says, amusement lingering in his voice. You shake your head at the boy, opening the main doors and walking out of the school. All you want to do now is to get home as fast as possible and forget all about this awful day. You want to drown yourself in your books and studies and wake up the next morning to your normal routine again.

“You are so funny, Jisung.” Said boy ignores the roll of your eyes and the annoyance in your tone, and bumps your shoulder with his, showing you a sheepish grin.

“Come on, princess. I didn’t mean it like that. Everyone has a bad day every once in a while, even you little Miss perfect.”

“I am not little Miss perfect.”, you protest, crossing your arms and showing Jisung a pout. He just laughs at you, ruffling your hair in an adoring manner.

“Are you sure? Aren’t you the person who follows a strict routine every single morning? Aren’t you the person that volunteers at every event, helping the poor and caring about the ones who are lost? Aren’t you the person who goes over a list of things she is grateful for just to stay down on earth and never take things for granted? Sounds like little Miss perfect to me.”

“First of all, a routine is good for your mental health. It gives you stability, helps you stay organized and clears your head. Second, I like helping people in need and volunteering in places where they need someone. It’s better than playing video games every single day.” Now it’s Jisungs’ time to roll his eyes at your words. “And lastly, I just see so many horrible things every single day. So much agony, pain and suffering, I just want to remind myself that having luxurious things is not a normal thing and that I should always be grateful for being born into a family that doesn’t have to turn every penny twice and fear they won’t make it out alive until next week.”

You can see Jisungs’ mouth open and close a few times, contemplating what to say to your words, but right when he feels ready to answer, someone clearing their throat interrupts you.

“I’m sorry I don’t want to interrupt your nice talk, but I’m looking for someone named Y/n.” Jisung and you turn around almost immediately, looking like dears caught in a headlight. A boy is standing in front of you, hair a bright orange. He is wearing all black, black ripped jeans, black shirt, black leather jacket and black shoes. A smile is present on his lips, well more like a smirk, his posture is straight with his head held high. He is oozing with confidence, oozing with something you can’t name. And he looks, well, breathtaking. He looks like came straight down from heaven, like he was created by God himself. He simply doesn’t look real.

“Uhm, that’s me.”, you speak up, voice breaking with those two words. You have to clear your throat a few times, ignoring the teasing look Jisung is giving you. “How can I help you?”

“I just transferred here, and the principal said you would show me around school tomorrow. I just thought I would search for you and introduce myself already.” The stranger softly takes your hand in his, but instead of shaking it, he places a soft kiss on the back of your hand, showing you a charming smile afterwards. “My name is Chenle. It is very nice to meet you.”

There is something in his aura, something about the way he talks, the way his eyes bore into yours, that makes your heart skip a beat. “It’s, uhm, very nice to meet you too.”

It is like Chenle can sense the effect his simple presence has on you by the way his head cocks to the side and cockiness takes over his whole face. “How about we meet here in our lunch break and then you can tell me all about the school, and you, of course.” You can’t do anything but nod at the suggestion, suddenly losing the ability to form sentences with your mouth. “Wonderful. Till tomorrow then.” And with one last smile in your direction, he walks away, turning his back and leaving you and Jisung alone yet again.

“Well, that was… weird.” Your friend just mutters, shrugging his shoulders before grabbing your arm and pulling you in the other direction. “But as I said, you are way to tedious…”

-

Chenle is already waiting for you at one of the tables outside of the school. It seems like nothing has changed from yesterday, he is wearing the same clothes. His orange hair stands out in the crowd, earning stares which he just ignores. Because the moment you step out of the door, his eyes are on you, and only you. He doesn’t pay attention to the girls a few tables from him who are giggling and yearning for just one look, he only looks at you.

“Just be careful.”, your best friend says as he walks you out. “I have a bad feeling about him. I mean, he didn’t even look at me once yesterday. He is weird. I heard some rumors about him. They say he was in prison in China and broke out two months ago. Some say his father is in some kind of gang and they earn their money with human trafficking. Some even call him the devil. I just don’t want you to get into whatever weird thing he is in.”

“Jisung.”, you call say his name, looking up at him with stern eyes. “He is new and needs help around school, that’s all. He is not in a gang; he did not escape from prison, and he is definitely not the devil. Stop feeding into cruel rumors and give him a chance. And even if you don’t want to give him a chance because you have a bad feeling about him, then don’t. No one is forcing you to be friends with him, just don’t be one of those judgy people, okay?”

Jisung sighs, throwing his head back with a groan and rubbing his forehead with one hand. “You are right, I know that I’m just worried about you, that’s all. Be careful, okay? And you remember our codeword, right? Just scream it or text it or send an owl, I don’t care.”

You smile at him, wrapping him in a quick hug. “Don’t worry, I will. See you in thirty minutes.” And without one last glance you walk in Chenles’ direction, showing him a small smile and a wave.

“Hey.”, you say as you stop in front of him. “Are you ready to take a tour through the school?” Chenle looks down at you, eyeing you for a few seconds before nodding his head at you and following you into the school.

-

“I’d rather hear more about you.”, Chenle says as he stands in the middle of the gymnasium. “I don’t care about the boring stories of how this school was founded. Tell me something about you. Something fun.”

“Fun?”, you ask him, playing with the page of the school map between your fingers. “I’m not really fun. I don’t think anything about me would interest you.”

“I beg to differ. What do you do in your free time? How does a pretty girl like you spend her day?” You have to swallow the lump in your throat and hide the evident blush on your cheeks. This hasn’t been the first time Chenle has flirted with you today. He used every opportunity, every small timeframe to throw in a comment that has you blushing and clearing your throat in embarrassment.

“I don’t do much. I read or study after coming home from school. Sometimes I spend the evening with Jisung, but he plays video games most of the time, so I end up reading anyway. Sometimes I volunteer at social events, at the church or for any person that needs help in that moment. I like to help people, makes me feel a bit better for living such a privileged life.”

There it is, Chenle thinks. There it is again; the pureness he felt the moment he laid eyes on you. The innocence, so evident he could smell it from miles away. He wanted you, from the moment he laid his eyes on you, he knew he had to have you. He just has to corrupt you; make you do all the awful things in the world and drain you dry until there is nothing but pure evil running in your veins anymore. He has to destroy you, absolutely and utterly destroy you.

-

You didn’t expect to run into a familiar face while grocery shopping for your elderly neighbor. But Chenle stands right there, right in front of the apples. One hand picking up a green one, admiring its shine against the shining lamps, the other in his pocket, casually resting there. Normally, you would have turned around, walked to another aisle and ignored the strange boy, if it wasn’t for the bright red ink on the paper sheet in your hand reading ‘green apples’. You close your eyes, taking a deep breath before walking to where the orange-haired boy is standing.

“What a pleasant surprise.”, Chenle says the moment he spots you. “Are you stalking me? Not able to get enough of me, huh?” You show him a pointed look, grabbing one of the apples, inspecting it and softly laying it in your basket.

“No, believe it or not, but I am also grocery shopping.” A sound escapes the boy’s throat, almost sounding like a choked chuckle. He grabs another apple, following your movement before placing it in your basket as well.

“For yourself?”, he asks, ignoring your confused stare.

“No, for my neighbor. She recently had lumbago and is on bed rest. I’m just getting her some things she needs, since her children are out of town until tomorrow.” Chenle feels it again, this need, this heart wrenching need, to break you, to make you do things you would never dream of doing. It overwhelms him for a second, blinds him and consumes his veins. He has to find a way, some way, to fulfill his desires. And it is as if it hits him with a brick on his head, that he got just the right idea to make you carve into him.

Sin 1: Wrath

Jisung talks your ear off as the two of you run side by side in gym class, something about last night’s game and how he lost to a twelve-year-old online player. You try to pay attention, you really do, but the piercing gaze of Chenle sitting on a bench is distracting you. Ever since your encounter at the grocery store something about Chenle has changed. Something about the way he was looking at you. It almost seems like he is craving you like a bloodlust lion craves its prey. It scares you a bit, if you are being honest with yourself, but you can’t help but to be intrigued by him.

You can’t explain it, can’t grasp the concept with your bare hands. It confuses you, plagues you, keeps you up at night. He hasn’t made a move anymore, hasn’t tried talking to you again. It’s like he is waiting for you to come to him, to approach him. It’s like the lion changed his tactic, waiting for his prey to step closer, fascinated by the lion’s presence, before making a move and eating the prey alive.

“Are you even listening?”, Jisung says, voice evident with hurt. “I have been pouring my heart out for the last ten minutes and you don’t even listen to me. What kind of best friend are you?”

“I’m sorry, Jisung.”, you tell him, honestly. “I’m not really concentrated today. Everything is distracting me and it’s like I fell face first to the ground and I can’t get up.”

Upon the whistle of your coach, all of you stop running, walking to your water bottles and hastily taking sips. “I know, I’m sorry. I noticed you were acting kind of off today and I still kept talking about all of my worries without even asking about yours. I’m the bad friend, sorry.”

“No, you’re not, Sungie. I love listening to you and all your stories, don’t apologize for it. Today is just a rough day, and I want it to be over really bad.”

“You’ve been having a lot of bad days lately.”, your best friend remarks, worry lacing his voice. “Are you sure there is nothing wrong at home? Maybe you are just burned out from all your studying, and you need to take a break. How about we drive down to the beach over the weekend. It will help your mind to clear a bit.”

Normally you would hate this idea, not wanting to waste the weekend lying on a beach instead of studying for your upcoming tests, but with everything going on lately, you don’t think it’s a bad idea. You haven’t been feeling like yourself in a while, fog clouding your brain whenever you just try to sit down and read a book. Maybe a little trip away from everything will help you get back on track and be your old self again.

“You know what.”, you say, looking up at the boy in front of you with a bright smile. “I think that is a great idea.”

“Oh yes.”, Jisung jumps up and down a few times, excitement filling the young boys’ body. “This is going to be the best trip you will ever be on; I promise.”

-

Chenle leans against the hood of his car, waiting for you to come out of school. He has done this a million times, successfully. There wasn’t once that he failed, that he strayed behind. This is his job, his repute. He was born to do this and nothing else. But never once, never once in the years he is alive, has he crossed someone so pure, someone so good. There was a little bad in everyone, a little temptation, a little sin. Everyone did something bad, everyone had that part in them, that longing to commit a sin. But not you. You are so good. There is not one single part of you that seems evil. And that has made you become his most desired hunt.

Chenle doesn’t just want you, he needs you. He craves you. Your soul, your body, everything. He wants to break you, make you become the worst version of yourself. He wants to be the reason why you sin, not only once. Oh, no. It will take a few sins to make up for all the goodness you brought into this world. And he will watch you do them. Every single one of them. And he will thrive in the feeling of all the goodness draining your body, of the evil ruining your soul.

He will enjoy every single second of it.

Chenle watches as you smile at your friends. He watches as you bid goodbyes to every single one of them with a hug. And he decides then and there that it’s the first thing he wants you to lose.

“Chenle. Hi. Is everything okay?”, you ask him as he walks up to you. In his presence you change, he can feel it. Your body goes stiff, your eyes wide and alarming and your heart starts to beat faster than it normally does. And he loves the effect he has on you.

“Actually. No.” As you see the sadness in his eyes, alarms ring inside your brain. You have never seen him like that. You have never seen him express any other emotion than confidence, cockiness. And it immediately worries you. “I have this problem. And I wanted to come and talk to you. You know, you’re the only person I talked to so far and I think I can trust you the most with this issue.”

“Yeah, yeah, of course. You can talk to me. I will try to help you with it.” He has you now, he thinks. Of course, he knew you wouldn’t turn down the opportunity of helping someone who desperately needs you. How could you live with yourself knowing you couldn’t help Chenle? You would do anything to help him, right? That’s who you are. That’s what you do.

“There have been some people talking about me behind my back, making up rumors about me. And while I act like I don’t care it actually really gets to me. You know the only thing I want is to fit in. I just came here, and all these rumors are making it hard for me to make friends. Everyone is scared of me, while all I want is for the people to like me.”

He can see it, right there, your face changing. Sympathy overtakes your features, and he can feel it spreading through your whole body. “Oh, Chenle that is awful. How can I help you with it? Do you want me to talk to those people?”

“That’s were it gets a bit tricky.” Chenle stops for a second, looks down at the ground, biting his lower lip nervously. “Your friends started these rumors. They were the ones who said I escaped from prison, and that I am a drug dealer. They were the ones who started calling me the devil.” Tears fill his eyes, and the sight breaks your heart. He sniffles, once, twice, before he continues. “They said I scared my family away, that they left me because I am so terrifying. I don’t get it, Y/n. I really don’t. I am not the most social person, I know that. I have been taking the time observing people more than actually talking to them and I know that can seem a bit scarry, but I am not a bad person. They haven’t even given me a chance to prove myself. They judged me without knowing me.” Chenle wipes one stray tear away from his eye, looking at you with pain in his face. “All I wanted was a chance.”

A feeling you never felt before enters your body. Is it rage? Is it anger? No, you are pretty sure it is wrath. Your friends, the people you trust, the people you grew up with. How could they treat a person like this? You knew about the rumors, all the things’ people were saying about Chenle, but hearing your own friends were the ones making all this up, makes you want to scream at them. Your parents taught you to surround yourself with people like you, kind and honest people, with people that respect others and show love to every soul, even the lost ones. You really thought they were like you, but you were wrong. You were wrong about them.

“Are you okay?”, Chenle asks, gently placing a hand on your shoulder. You look at him and see the tear stain still evident on his cheek. You see his glassy eyes; his slightly trembling lips and you knew you had to do something about this. You had to make them stop.

“Yes.”, you answer him, taking a few calming breaths. “Don’t worry Chenle. I will fix this. I will make them stop saying all these mean things about you.” With that you take off, walking to the back of the school. You know they hang out there after school is over, talking and studying together. And it is where you find them right now as well.

“Hey, Y/N. What are you doing here? I thought you went home already?” Looking at them, hearing them talk and laugh, it makes you sick. How can they sit there and act so nonchalant when they just hurt a person with their made-up rumors? How can act so innocent when they have the devil inside of them?

“Well, I came back because I just had an interesting conversation with someone.” The girls give you an usure look, all confused at the angriness in your voice. You don’t try to hide how you’re feeling, how upset and disappointed you are. You don’t try to hide the obvious wrath on your face.

“Okay? I am a bit confused. Why exactly are you telling us that?” It’s a simple question. A simple sentence. But it makes your blood boil.

“I ran into Chenle, and he told me something about you.” There are a few seconds of silence, and you watch as the girls look at each other, some confused, some with a knowing look. “He told me that you were the ones that made up those rumors about him. You made up lies about a person you don’t even know, a person you didn’t even give a chance to introduce himself. I know that he can seem a bit creepy, and distant, but that doesn’t give you the right to be so cruel to him. That doesn’t give you the right to act like stuck up bitches.”

“Y/n, what are you talking about? That doesn’t sound like you.” You just scoff, anger and frustration filling your body. You have never felt that way before, like you were about to explode, like you couldn’t control yourself anymore. And while it scares you a bit, you also never felt more powerful, more secure.

“Not like me, huh? Well, I thought the same about you. I thought I could trust you, count on you. I thought you were nice girls, raised to treat everyone with kindness. God, I thought you were like me. But, oh, was I wrong. You are all just insecure little girls who gain satisfaction in bringing other people down, in seeing them fall.”, you scream at them, not caring who can hear you. Your hands are shaking, your body is trembling. But you don’t care, you just go on. “You are so pathetic, a disgrace to humanity. You know how much you hurt that poor boy? He cried in front of me, because of you. You were the reason why he couldn’t make friends, why he never had the chance to fit it. People like you are the once that put shame on our society. You are the kind of people my mom always warned me about. Backstabbing, stuck up, insecure little girls. I should have never trusted you, be friends with you. God, I hope one day you will wake up and regret all this. One day you will pay for what you did, for your disgusting behavior. I hope that one day, one day… one day…” Your voice flatters, your vision goes blurry.

You feel two arms wrap around you, panic floods through your body until you hear the familiar voice of your best friend. “Hey, it’s okay. Just relax. It’s all going to be okay.”

The world starts spinning, your head starts throbbing. You can’t take this anymore, this pain, this stress. And shortly before the world goes black you see Chenle, standing on the sidelines with a grin on his lips.

Sin 2: Envy

“You’re sure he wasn’t there?”, you ask Jisung as you watch the waves crash against the shore. The setting sun glows brightly over the ocean, painting your face in a beautiful rosy color. The sand under your feet cools your body from the heat of the day. You watch as a caterpillar moves over the bumpy surface, hurrying back to his home to take a rest during the cold night.

“No, Y/n. Chenle wasn’t there when you passed out. He wasn’t anywhere near, believe me. I watched him walk home two minutes before I caught you in my arms, I swear.” You let out a sigh, closing your eyes as the soft evening breeze hits your hot face. Everything about that day is a blur, a fever dream. You don’t remember a lot. Everything is a haze. You barely remember talking to Chenle or screaming at the girls or fainting shortly after. Everything is blurred memories; no clear picture comes to your mind. But the only thing you remember clearly, like it’s burned into your brain, is seeing Chenle right before your vision went black. You remember his grin, his triumphant grin, like he just won a prize he has always wanted. It makes no sense that he wasn’t there when that is the only thing you can actually remember.

“Are you ready to talk about what happened that day?”, Jisung asks carefully, adjusting his position on the itchy sand. You haven’t avoided that subject, it’s just that you aren’t sure what’s happened. You aren’t sure why you reacted the way you reacted or why you felt the way you felt. This has never happened to you before and you are simply… lost.

You don’t know who that was that screamed at your own friends, but that wasn’t you. And it scares you to know what you are capable to do, scared at the lengths you can go. You barely managed to get the girls to except your apology. They were so shocked and hurt by your words, they didn’t even know if they wanted to forgive you. But they did. They also apologized, explained their side. They told you they didn’t start the rumors, but they also did nothing to stop them. They spread them just like everyone else and for that they’re sorry. But that day will always be hunting your friendship. It will always be there, day after day. And while they forgave you, you don’t know if you will ever forgive yourself for it.

“I told you already Jisung, I don’t know what happened. It’s all a daze, and it’s confusing. And hurts by brain just trying to think about it.”

“Hey, it’s okay. You don’t have to think about it, Y/n.” Jisung shows you an encouraging smile, one hand softly taking yours. “It’s all going to be okay again. Let’s just enjoy the rest of our trip and forget about all this for a while.”

-

Chenle has been sitting with you at lunch for the past couple of days. Jisung is too busy at football practice, and Chenle took the opportunity of catching you alone. It’s mostly silent between you two- which you appreciate a lot- but when you’re talking, the conversation doesn’t seem to stop.

“You are telling me you have not watched the movie Tangled, the best Disney movie to ever exist?” Chenle shakes his head, earning a gasp to escape your lips. “How couldn’t you? I mean it’s such a life changing movie. Wait, tell me you have at least read Romeo and Juliet?” You are met with another shake of Chenles’ head. “Romeo and Juliet? Shakespear? Not ringing any bell? Wow, where do you come from that you don’t know those things?”

Chenle shrugs, taking a bit off his sandwich, chewing it cautiously before answering your question. “Well, we don’t really focus on books or movies where I come from. It’s considered a waste of time. Something that doesn’t bring you far in life.”

“That’s… so wrong. Movies and books teach you so many valuable lessons about life. I mean, Disney movies, for example, shaped me when I was a little girl. And with books you can gather so much knowledge, you can improve your imagination. They give you a chance to forget everything that happens in the world, even if it’s just for a few minutes. It’s really calming, reading I mean.”

“Well, how about I can come over to your place and you can show me that movie and that book, and I can judge for myself how good they really are.”

“I would love to, but my parents don’t allow boys in my room. I mean, not even Jisung is allowed to come into my room, and I’ve known him since I was five.” When you see Chenles’ face after your words, you start feeling bad. You can’t change your parents’ strictness, and you definitely can’t sneak Chenle into your house somehow. That would not end well, and you would break your parents’ rules. You were never one to do that, never one to disobey your parents. You couldn’t live with yourself had you gone behind your parents’ back to do something.

Chenle looks down at his hands in his lap, eyes sad like those of a puppy. It breaks your heart, yet again. It makes you long for him, long to make everything right, to cure all his pain, to change whatever is the reason behind his sadness. You let out a sigh, one hand nervously tucking your hair behind your ear. “But what about we meet at the local bookstore? I can recommend you books and tell you a bit about them. How those that sound?”

Chenle looks up at you, a smile lightening up his features. You can’t help but to match his energy, showing him one of your bright smiles as well. “That would be wonderful, Y/n. I’m picking you up later at 4.”

“But…”, but before you can say anything, Chenle has already packed his things together, hastily walking out the door. You sit there, dumbstruck, heart racing and mind spinning in circles. You ignore the fluttering in your chest, the weird churning in your belly. You ignore the lightheaded feeling, the blush on your cheeks. You simply ignore it, because if you ignore it, it isn’t there. It isn’t real.

But it’s all going according to plan, Chenle thinks. Everything is going according to plan.

-

Chenle has a book in his one hand and a coffee in another while you explain him the story about the book ‘To kill a Mockingbird’. He’s not listening, nodding when needed and humming when it feels necessary. He spends his time looking around, scanning people for familiar faces, waiting patiently for someone to arrive. Before he spots who he was looking for.

“But I think you should definitely read it. It’s one of the most important books on this planet. I think everyone should read it at least once.” You finish your ramble, placing the book in Chenles’ bag, before looking back at your list. “The next book is Moby-Dick. A classic in my opinion. Another book that everyone should have read at least once. You know I’ve watched a theater play of this book.” You are met by another hum, probably the 20th you received in a matter of seven minutes. “Are you even listening?”

“Yeah, sure, of course I am listening. Moby-Dick. Classic.”

“You know, you were the one who asked me to show you books, but if you’re not going to listen, then I will just leave.” You want to get up, but before you do, your gaze shifts into the direction Chenle is staring at. Lee Nuri is sitting a few tables away from you, a book in her hands. You know her from school, talked to her only a handful of times, but you never paid close attention to her. She is gorgeous, unmistakably, but she doesn’t run in the same circle as you do. “Were you staring at Nuri this whole time?”

“Nuri? That’s her name?”, Chenle asks, eyes not meeting yours even just for a second. And you ignore how upset that makes you feel. “I wondered what beautiful name such beautiful girl could have.”

A scoff threatens to leave your lips, but you swallow it before it comes out your mouth. You pack your bag together, ready to leave Chenle behind in the bookstore before he continues. “I mean look at her, she is glowing. Her skin looks so soft, and her hair so silky, don’t you think?” He looks at you, just for a millisecond, before focusing his gaze again on her. “Her legs are so long and smooth, her short skirt only empathizes that. Her body is perfect, look at her waist, what an hourglass figure. I bet so many girls are jealous of her. And she has such plump and pink lips, I guarantee you she’s a phenomenal kisser. Oh, what she could do with those lips. Her eyes, man, they are so big and round, makes her look so desirable, right? It’s almost like God took his time crafting her to perfection, to create a temptation to every person on this planet.”

Something inside of you shuts off, completely. You don’t work anymore. You can’t speak, can’t feel, can’t breathe. Your mind is blank, wiped clean, empty, expect for the blinking white light behind your eyes. Dizziness takes over your whole body, stops in your head and makes a home there. Everything is a blur, a daze. It’s almost like a déjà-vu, like something hidden deep inside your memory.

“Are you okay? You’re so pale.” You hear a voice, but you don’t know who is talking to you. You don’t know if that person is right in front of you or five feet away. You don’t know anything anymore. “I’m taking you home.”

-

You stare into the mirror, deep and long, seeing your bare self in front of you. You don’t know how you got home, when you took your clothes off or why you started staring at yourself. But you do it anyway. You observe every single part of your body, judging it. You take the flesh of your skin in your hands, moving it, adjusting it, never being satisfied with how it sits on your body. Your hips could be smaller, your legs longer, your lips fuller, your eyes bigger. You could be taller, skinnier, prettier. You could be so many things, so many things Nuri already is.

You know that this isn’t you. You wouldn’t pick yourself apart. You wouldn’t sink into this envy, into this jealousy. But you haven’t been you in a while now, haven’t felt real in a long time. You feel it sinking in, this need to be her, to have what she has. You let the envy sink it. No longer grateful for what you have, for what you are. You want what makes her so attractive to Chenle. You want her long eyelashes, her red lips, her curves, her long fingers, her clear skin. You don’t care about the things you have, the things that make you beautiful.

There is a scream inside of your head, a voice that repeats itself over and over again. It multiplies, getting louder and louder and louder.

Be grateful.

Be greedy.

Love yourself.

Love what she has more than what you have.

Don’t care about others’ opinions.

Impress Chenle, be what he desires to be.

You want him to look at you the way he looked at Nuri. You need him to want you, crave you, desire you. He can’t find her more attractive than you, he simply can’t. Your jealous of his attention on her, of his gaze wandering off; his thoughts not belonging to you. You’re jealous of her grace, her captivity, her beauty. You need to be her if that’s what it takes. Whatever it costs you, whatever it makes you do.

When you look up again into the mirror, Chenle is standing behind you, a grin on his lips again. It robs your breath, crushes your soul into two. It brings burning tears to your eyes, a broken heart. He doesn’t look at you, not really, not how you want him to. He stares straight into your eyes, his gaze never once straying.

“Am I not enough for you?”, you ask, screaming into the void. “Am I not desirable enough? Sexy enough? Pretty enough? Is my body not good enough for you to look at? Would you rather look at Nuri, huh?” You don’t get an answer, but you wait anyway. You stare back at him, tears uncontrollably streaming down your face. “What can I do, Chenle? Tell me. What can I do to be enough for you? I will do anything. Anything it takes. I want you. I need you. Please don’t look at Nuri anymore, please just look at me.” You watch as Chenles’ grin never leaves his lips. He doesn’t move, doesn’t say a word. He just silently watches you lose yourself. He watches you break, and he seems to enjoy it.

“You’re sick you know that? Watching a girl begging you, crying her heart out and still you say nothing. Still, you choose to be quiet, enjoying this sight. Is that what gets you off, huh?” Your voice gets louder and louder by the second, raw with emotion. “Please, just look at me. Speak to me. Say anything.” Nothing. “I will make you want me, Chenle. You will look at me the way you’re looking at Nuri. I promise, I will become everything you’ve ever dreamt of.”

There is hope glimmering in your eyes, stupid, dangerous, hope. “We belong.”, you say, voice just a bare whisper. “I know that. Because since you’re here, I’m different. You did something to me. I don’t know what it is, but you did something. You have that power and you used it on me. You talked to me first. You stared at me first. You want me, and you know it. You wouldn’t be standing here if you didn’t.” You laugh, hysterically, like you already lost your mind. “You want me.”

Another pause, another silence. You sniffle, lifting your hands to furiously wipe the tears away from your face, rubbing your eyes.  And when you open them again, regaining your vision, Chenle is gone. He disappeared, like he was never there in the first place, and you’re fully dressed from head to toe in the same clothes you wore earlier.

Sin 3: Lust

Heavy eyebags surround your eyes, exhaustion written all over your small quivering frame. But the familiar feeling of determination fills your body as you hold the Halloween Party flyer in your hands with a written note saying ‘Pick you up at five. Dress nicely.’. This could be your chance, your chance to keep the own promises you made.

You have been ignoring Jisung, the girls, Nuri. Everyone, if you’re being honest with yourself. Nothing has been worth your time, not listening to Jisungs’ endless rambles, not watching the girls Cheerleader practice, not reading a book, or studying for all your tests. It’s not important anymore, not worth your thoughts. There is one thing, and one thing only, in your mind written in bold red letters, engraved into your brain. Chenle. Nothing more. Just him and his orange hair, his seductive grin, his black outfits. Just him and his words, replaying over and over and over again inside your mind, reminding you what to fight for, what to live for, or to die for.

“Y/n. Stop walking away from me. What is wrong with you?” There is a voice calling for you, behind you, but you don’t pay any attention to it. You continue your walk home, thoughts of what to wear, how to look the best. “Stop.” A hand grabs your arm, and you flinch, turning around to see your best friend, no Jisung, standing in front of you. He is wearing his practice clothes, sweat dripping down his forehead. He looks frustrated, desperate.

“I don’t have time, Jisung. I have to go home.” You try to walk again, but his grip on your arm doesn’t budge and it irritates you. Why can’t he just let you go? Can’t he see that you have something more important to do, a duty to fulfil?

“No, you’re going to stay and you’re going to tell me what is wrong with you.” And it is then in that moment that you realize what’s wrong. That you know why he looks so desperate. “Y/n, please just tell me what’s wrong. Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you in any way? If I did, please tell me. All I want to do is make it up to you again, be friends again. Y/n I don’t want to lose you, please just tell me what’s wrong.”

You look at him, long and deep, before a sigh slips past your lips. There is no other way around this. “God, if I knew you were so clingy, I wouldn’t have become friends with you.” Silence. Long, dreadful silence. Jisungs’ mouth is hung open, his eyes wide. He can’t believe his ears.

“What…? What did you just say?” Jisung already starts talking again before you can repeat your words. “Y/n, that’s not you speaking. I don’t what happened to you, what made you turn into this. But that’s not you. You are loving and sweet and kind. This is not you. For god’s sake, you told me you love it when I’m clingy, that it makes you feel needed. You told me those exact words.”

You sigh, yet again, taking the moment to remove your arm from Jisungs’ grip. “Maybe this is who I always was, not who everyone wanted me to be. I know this is hard for you, Jisung, but you have to accept it. You have to accept the fact that I will never love you the way you love me.”

Jisung chokes on his own spit, eyes almost falling out of his body. “You… you know?”

“I think I’ve always known. But I don’t love you, Jisung. I never will. And I feel honored, really, but this won’t work out. So just accept it, move on. It’s for the better.”

“But I can’t move on, Y/n. Not after everything, not after our trip together. I love you, and I want you to be in my life, even if it is just as my best friend. You can’t do this to me. I won’t let you.” Jisung is trembling, head shaking left and right over and over again, desperation in his eyes. But it doesn’t work. You don’t feel bad for him, you don’t care. You care about one thing only.

“What happened on that trip was a mistake. I never should have kissed you.” But you did, and as nice as it felt, you regret it now. Because now you wish it would have been Chenle. “I don’t want you, Jisung. I want Chenle. Get that inside your head and leave me alone. I don’t want you, never.” And with that you turn around and continue your way home, leaving a heartbroken Jisung behind.

But your thoughts already pushed that away. All you can think about again is the outfit you’re going to wear tonight. All you can think about is how tonight you will make Chenle yours, you will make him desire you.

-

Devil and angel. That’s what you find yourself wearing as you enter the party. It’s ironic, really. How Chenle decided to wear a devil’s costume, black clothes, red horns and big black wings. And you as an angel, white short dress, big fluffy wings and red lipstick painting your lips. It’s even more ironic that Chenle wants to make the rumors come true, he wants to be who the people paint him to be, he wants to show them that he can play this game as well.

Chenles’ hand hasn’t left your lower back ever since you left your house, sometimes wandering further but never too much. It sends electric shocks through your body every time, something different filling your body. Lust, is what you call it. He hasn’t left your side, keeping you close. Sometimes he leans down, whispering things into your ear that leave you breathless. And sometimes his gaze wanders through the crowd, but you stop him every time, guiding his face back to you, capturing his eyes with yours. You don’t want him to look somewhere else, don’t want him to stray away. You just want him to put all his attention on you, to put everything on you.

Out of the corner of your eyes you can see Jisung, leaning against a wall, drinking a cheap drink out of a red plastic cup. But you ignore him, you ignore everyone in the room. You just keep on grinding your body into Chenles’, dancing until your lungs give out. Chenle has his hands firmly on your hips, guiding your moves, pressing you further into him. It makes your head spin, your vision blur. It makes you want to rip his clothes off, right here, right on this dance floor for everyone to see.

And you would have, you really did, if it wasn’t for Jisung grabbing your hand, pulling you away from Chenle. “What the heck?”, you scream at him over the loud music, struggling to get out of his grip. “Where are you taking me?”

“Somewhere quiet.”, Jisung says, voice unsteady. The kitchen isn’t crowded, expect for one couple making out in the back, but Jisung doesn’t give them any attention. He just looks at you, at your revealing dress, your smeared red lipstick, the sweat dripping down your forehead. “God, I can’t even look at you.”

“Then don’t.”, you shoot back, turning around to leave, but he stops you. Jisung quickly walks in front of you, causing you to bump into his chest. “Jisung.”, you sigh. “I already rejected you. Stop bothering me. I am here with Chenle, I want Chenle. Do you want me to spell it out for you? Want me to scream it to the whole world? Because I will when he fucks me later.”

Jisungs’ breaths are unsteady, tears sting in his eyes and you have to advert your gaze. You can’t look at him like that, and you don’t know why. “Look at me.”, he whispers, one hand softly holding your cheek. “Look at me, please. I’m begging you.” Your eyes meet his, unsure, unsteady. “I love you. I do. Chenle doesn’t. He doesn’t even know you, not the real you anyway. Whatever you are doing, I know it is to impress him. But you don’t have to. You don’t have to be someone you are not. You don’t have to change yourself just so that he will like you. God, if he doesn’t like you for the way you are then he doesn’t deserve you.” He lets a frustrated hand stroke through his hair, tugging on it lightly.

Jisung knows something is wrong. He knows that whatever Chenle did to you to make you this way, it must have been something serious. Ever since he came here, you have changed. You turned into someone you always wished never to be. “Remember when we were eight years old.”, he starts speaking, his other hand never leaving your cheek. “We were friends, barely actually. We knew each other, played every now and then together, but we were both shy. We didn’t know how to talk to each other. That was until I scrapped my knees falling down while playing with a jumping robe. I remember crying so much, not being able to look at my bleeding knee. But you immediately came running to me. You kept on telling me how everything was going to be okay. And you held my hand until my mom came, until she was done cleaning up the wound and until I had a band-aid on my knee. You never once let it go. And that’s when I knew, Y/n. That’s when I knew that I love you, and that I always will. That’s when I knew that you are the kindest person on this planet.”

“Jisung.”, you whisper, one tear falling from your eyes, but he catches it with his thumb. You feel it, all the weight crushing down on you. You feel every single thing, and it destroys you. Jisung looks deeply into your eyes, his other hand coming up to stroke your hair softly. You don’t know what to say, what to feel, what to think. “I’m so sorry.” And he wants to say something, open his mouth to speak, but someone beats him to it.

“There you are.”, Chenle says, leaning against the kitchen doors frame. “I searched for you everywhere, my love.” And it’s like a switch turning inside of you. You slap Jisungs’ hand away, rolling your eyes at his advantages and walking towards Chenle. The moment you are within reach, Chenle pulls you in, wrapping one hand around you. “Hey man, I get that you are in love with her, or whatever, but it’s rude to steal someone else’s date. So, search for someone else to fuck.”

The moment Chenle pulls you into one of the free rooms, his lips are on yours. He kisses you feverishly, devilishly. He kisses you like he wants to leave you dry, like he wants to have you pleading. Chenle has you against the wall, hands all over your body, gripping and groping the sensitive skin, marking you up flesh by flesh. He bites your lower lip hard, only stopping when blood drips down your chin. Only then does he move on to your neck, sucking and biting, slurping and groaning. He presses you further into the wall, presses his whole body against. And you enjoy it. You enjoy his roughness, his possessiveness. You enjoy the way he doesn’t care if he’s going to hurt you, how he only cares about his own pleasure.

“You’re mine, sweetheart. You know that, right?” You nod at his voice, taking a few breaths trying to clear your foggy brain. You lean into him again, searching for his lips with yours but he pulls away, enticing a whimper to come out of your mouth. “I need you to say it, baby. Say you are mine. Say it like you mean it.”

“I’m yours.”, your voice is hoarse, breaking with those two words. “I’m yours.” Chenle grins, evilly almost. But he knows it’s not done yet; he knows that he has to do a little more. Just a tiny bit more and then he can have you, all to himself. He gives you what you crave, leaning down and capturing your mouth with his.

The kiss is messy, spit dripping down your chin, but you don’t care. All you want is to have Chenle closer, feel his skin on you. You want him to make you his, to claim you, to paint you from the inside. You want him to fill you up with all his everything and never let you go again. You want him so much it’s starting to hurt. Deep inside of you the pain starts to immerge, starting in your heart and spreading through your veins, slowly consuming your whole body.

“You feel that.”, Chenle whispers, parting from your lips slightly. You breathe him in, deep and long, but every breath is causing a sharp pain in your lungs. “You can feel the pain? This is your love for me, your want, your lust. It’s consuming you, isn’t it?” You almost can’t hear him through the ringing in your ears, almost can’t see him through the haze in your eyes.

Chenle presses his knee between your legs, enjoying the way you moan in pleasure at the feeling. He lets his hands wander over your body, moving your hips down, pressing you more on his knee. “I can feel you, baby. I can feel how you want me.” You weakly grip his shoulders, trying to stay up right. You feel dizzy, like you are about to pass out. And you don’t know if it’s from the pain in your body or the pleasure clouding your mind. But you know you want more, you need more.

“Please.”, you whimper, hands fumbling to unbutton his shirt. Chenle lets you try, chuckling at your shaking hands and the frustrated frown on your face as you notice your inability to open the buttons.

“Please, what, sweetheart? Use your words.” You sigh, throwing your head back and letting one hand glide down to the hem of his shirt, right before the button of his pants. “I can’t give you what you want, if you don’t tell me.”

“I want you.”, you tell him, voice coming out more stable than you thought it would. “Please, take me, Chenle.” And he knows, right in this moment, that it is time. That his plan has worked. He knows that he succeeded, that he can finally have what he has desired for so long.

“Finally.”, he whispers, face falling, eyes glowing red. “You know how long I waited for this? How long you made me wait? I should punish you, you know? I should destroy you for making me waste so much energy on your small little frame. But you don’t want that, do you? No, I bet you don’t. You just want to be with me, forever. Aren’t I right?” A tiny spark of fear courses through your body, but the lust inside of you makes you ignore that feeling.

“Yes, I want you forever, Chenle.” And it all happens so fast. Chenle takes your hair into his fist, tipping your head back violently. His eyes bore into the skin of your neck, marking it with his gaze. The whole room turns into black smoke, filling your lungs and making it hard for you to catch your breath. He is heaving, licking his blood shot lips with an animalistic manner.

“Oh, my sweet girl. We are going to have so much fun together. Your mind is mine, was mine from the second you looked me in the eyes. I made you mine, and that will stay forever. I broke the sweet innocent girl you were. I broke you and showed you who you really are. You are going to be eternally grateful to me for that. I am your master now. I am the one you’re serving. And don’t worry, I am going to take extra good care of you. I couldn’t waste such a pretty little thing.”

And just like that, in the matter of mere seconds, in the blink of an eye, everything you once knew gets taken away from you. And it is one thought that flashes through your mind, before you the world turns black.

You should have listened to them when they told you the devil exists, and that he is among us. You should have listened to them, before you fell right into his trap, before you looked him in the eyes.

Bonus

Screams of suffering souls are faintly heard in the back, whimpers of pleading ghosts surround you and the burning fire warms the side of your face, but you stay unmoving. Glued to your place right beside the throne of bones and shattered spirits with Chenle sitting on it.

His large wings stay firmly tucked on his back, horns covering the top of his hands and his sharp teeth snarl from time to time.

Hell is worse than anyone imagined it to be, but you got used to it. You got used to the screams of pain, the muttered pleadings, the overwhelming heat. You got used to the suffering around you, inside of you. It never gets easier, never gets less. It stays constant, the suffering. Only when you step out of line, when the begging gets too much, do you die again. You learned to not do that, to behave, to be a statue. You learned that asking Chenle to spare your life isn’t going to help you. Because the devil doesn’t feel remorse, the devil doesn’t feel anything at all. You learned that it will only make him more ruthless, angry, wrathful. And that is not a sight you want to see again. So, you stay a perfect statue, a perfect toy. Because nothing matters anymore, nothing is important anymore, nothing makes any sense anymore. Why?

Because you’re already dead.  

[blu-joons]

BEST FRIEND NCT A⇴Z HEADCANON ⇴ Zhong Chenle

A ⇴ ATTENTION

He would pretty much always find himself paying attention to you just because it was what felt like instinct for Chenle. It was as if there was a magnet on you quite a lot of the time that just drew him towards you.

B ⇴ BICKER

Having a bicker wasn’t something that the two of you were particularly big on, it wasn’t something that happened often. The most you’d usually do was mutter under your breaths as you didn’t like to let the other one hear you when you were having a go at one another or say it aloud to start something unnecessary.

C ⇴ COMFORT

He would always be with you when you needed comforting, Chenle would talk to you all night long if that was what he needed to do for you. He didn’t mind if it meant not going to sleep, most of the time he couldn’t sleep anyway because he was too busy worrying about you and wanting to solve your problems for you.

D ⇴ DISAGREEMENTS

Neither of you were big on disagreements, you both were pretty good at squashing an argument if it felt like something was starting. You knew the signs, as did Chenle, and so when one of you suggested changing the subject, the other person would always disagree. If it was something particularly troubling, then you’d stall it and talk about it sensibly when you were both feeling a little bit calmer.

E ⇴ EARLY YEARS

It took a little bit of time for the two of you to settle around one another, but once you began to bond and notice the similar interests that you had, it made things a lot easier. You found yourselves getting along because you could talk about the same thing and add to the conversation by asking the other whether they knew a certain thing attached to that interest, and if they didn’t, then you’d tell them about it.

F ⇴ FAMILY

Chenle’s family could never quite describe just how much you meant to them, knowing that Chenle had you was a huge comfort to them all. Anytime that they got to talk to you, they always let you know how much they liked you and how they couldn’t wait to see you again so that they could treat you and thank you for being there for Chenle, keeping him company and making sure that he was healthy too.

G ⇴ GETTING TOGETHER

He loved to invite you to his place when Chenle wanted to hang out with you, he was very cautious about being out with you too often and allowing you to get swarmed by fans. Being able to close out the rest of the world by staying at his home and away from everything was definitely Chenle’s favourite thing to do.

H ⇴ HABITS

The two of you had a habit of knowing exactly what the other person was going to say. Quite often you would finish each other’s sentences, much to the surprise of others around you, but never to the surprise of each other, as you always had a pretty good feeling of what the other person was hinting at.

I ⇴ INSIDE JOKES

Together the two of you had many inside jokes, you kept them written in a list too so that you could make sure that you never forgot them. When the two of you were talking about the past, or if you wanted to try and make the other person smile then you’d get the list up and talk about your favourite jokes.

J ⇴ JEALOUSY

He couldn’t help but be quite judgemental of your other friends, Chenle only wanted the best for you, and that included the people that you surrounded himself with. He never wanted to consider himself as jealous of those around you, but Chenle would certainly take the time to get to know them and form an opinion of them based on what he saw, even if he decided to keep that opinion to himself.

K ⇴ KICKS

Chenle got a kick out of knowing that he was your best friend. It was little things like how you’d turn to him when you needed help or someone to make you smile before you turned to anyone else that meant the most to him, getting a great deal of satisfaction from knowing that he was your number one person.

L ⇴ LOVE

He loved how easy everything was with you, conversation, enjoyment and laughter was never forced when Chenle was with you. Things between you both could best be described as effortless, you knew how the other one worked, what they liked, when they were feeling down, all of the little things that added together to make getting along with one another pretty much the easiest job that either of you had.

M ⇴ MEETING

The two of you first met when Chenle first signed to as SM and you were working there. You noticed that he seemed a little lost, and through the language barrier you tried to point him in the right direction, bumping into him a few more times and helping him before eventually introducing yourself properly.

N ⇴ NONSENSE

He loved the fact he could be himself with you, he never had to be conscious or worry. It took a bit of time for him to get that comfortable around you, but as soon as he was, Chenle never held back after.

O ⇴ OBSESSION

Chenle was obsessed with your kindness and how you were such a good friend to him. He felt lucky more than anything else to have such a good friend in you who was always there for him when he needed you.

P ⇴ PRECIOUS MOMENTS

Seeing you with his family were always the moments that meant the most to Chenle. Even if you were talking to them over the phone and struggling to understand because of the dodgy signal, he still loved to just sit back and see the smile that was on your face and the smile that his family had too.

Q ⇴ QUESTIONS

If he had something he needed answering, you were the one that he turned to. You were smart in his eyes, and he knew that if he ever got confused that most of the time you were the one who could help him out.

R ⇴ RANDOM FACTS

In the spare room of his apartment, Chenle had a box under his bed of your things so that you always had the essentials whenever you suddenly decided to spend the night at his. He invited you to stay so often that the box saved you from a lot of wasted journeys back to your place to pick up a few things.

S ⇴ SUPPORT

Without his family always there to cheer him on, Chenle relied on you a lot to be that voice to give him a boost when he needed it. Whenever he was beginning to doubt himself, you were the first person that he called, letting you know that he was nervous, and then letting you reassure him not to be.

T ⇴ TRIPS

Nothing made him smile more than the first time that he was able to take you home, Chenle was so proud to introduce you to all of those that meant the most to him as his best friend, he had a huge smile on his face.

U ⇴ ULTIMATE

He was lucky beyond belief to have you, which was something that those around him often made sure that Chenle knew too.

V ⇴ VISITS

Most of the time Chenle would invite you to his place when he was bored, even if you were far away, he’d send a car to go and get you, trying his best to counteract any excuses that you tried to give him to not visit.

W ⇴ WISDOM

He prided himself on being helpful when you were struggling and would bombard you with advice to help you solve your concerns.

X ⇴ XXXX

The two of you weren’t massive on affection with one another, you tended to hug or poke each other, but it was never really anything too dramatic from either of you as that wasn’t really your styles.

Y ⇴ YOU

You were his support, Chenle turned to you whenever he needed a boost.

Z ⇴ ZZZ

Having his home place definitely made it easy for Chenle to offer you his place to stay when you hung out. He loved having you there for company quite a lot of the time, letting you stay for as long as you wanted.

---

Masterlist

[lowkeychenle]

And Then It Was [ZCL] (M)

Description: After your marriage with Chenle was arranged by your parents for a company merger, things with him aren't quite like you expect. In your life full of obligations, he's determined to finally give you the ability to make your own choices. Genre: Smut/Fluff/Angst (arranged marriage!au, rich families using their children as business mergers yk) Content Warnings: Rich, generational family trauma, family secrets, reader in her men suck era, explicit, protected sex, mentions of pregnancy (no actual pregnancy in the fic), reader feels obligated to have children, explicit, unprotected sex, use of the pet names 'baby' and 'darling', dirty talk, oral (f receiving) Word Count: 28.2k Pairing: Zhong Chenle x fem!Reader (features Jeno, Jisung, Jaemin, and Mark, but mostly Jeno and Jisung! (sorry idk where Renjun and Haechan are in this fic?????)) A/N: Y'all tumblr really f'in hates me because it was so difficult to format this fic? like it did not want to let me put the whole thing on here. So if the last section is oddly formatted, that's why and I'msosorry :'( (p.s. thank you so much for 700 followers!!!)

Juliet's Masterlist | Tell me what you think? :) Taglist: @midmourn @nominsgirl @winwinscvnt @bugcattie @sleepyvic @chenlesfeetpic @tolerable-tears @yutaswh0re @bitchzitschimi @velvtcherie @leefullsun @pnkified @valerieluvsyu @defzcl

Chenle’s hand grips yours loosely, resting between the two of you right on the crack between the couch cushions. All of this is a formality, down to the smile plastered on your face. It started out simple, like something out of a movie, honestly, but even movies have to roll the end credits at some point.

“So, tell us the story of how you met,” the interviewer begins, crossing her legs as she looks at you in complete interest.

“We’ve known each other for ages,” Chenle says.

Lie. You’ve known of each other for ages. You’re only here with an oversized ring on your finger to complete your family’s merger with Chenle’s. What big news that was, two heirs of two of the biggest companies around the world falling in love. If only that were true in the slightest.

“Wow, way to make it sound romantic.” You laugh, reaching across to push his arm—gently, of course. “He makes it so lackluster. But to be completely transparent, it wasn’t…anything crazy. We did meet years ago, and we’ve been friends since then. Gosh, probably since we were sixteen?”

“Fifteen,” Chenle corrects you and sends an award winning smile your way. You’d be inclined to believe him if everything wasn’t scripted.

“He always has been a little more detail-oriented than me.”

The interview drags. You and Chenle were officially married just over a month ago, and while you know it’s your owed duty to your family, you wish optics weren’t so important. After all, legally binding yourself to secure a company was one thing, but physically binding yourself to a man you barely know? You wouldn’t dream of it. Even holding his hand feels odd, not to mention his palms are sweaty.

Your honeymoon had ended shortly before the interview. You’d been gone for four weeks, and it was the last bit of privacy you’d have when it comes to your ‘relationship’ with Chenle. You got to know him enough to where you’d be comfortable sharing an oversized house with him, but there were still a lot of mysteries between you two—mysteries you were sure would never get solved. There are a lot of good things about Chenle. He’s smarter than most people you’ve met, he knows how to make jokes and take them, he’s nice to look at, to hold a conversation with, but you don’t love him. You’d been of the mind that you wanted to marry for love since you were young, but some things are overshadowed by your duties. By money.

“There aren’t many people in this world that don’t just…immediately bow down to powerful men. It was…interesting to say the least, because throughout my entire life I’d always just been given respect. From the moment I met (Y/N), I knew I’d have to work for it. For her respect, I mean. She’s just as confident and much more intelligent than any other man I’ve ever worked with.” Chenle squeezes your hand.

That wasn’t in the script. It’s almost enough to have you break character and forget your next line. “Is that so?” You quirk an eyebrow at him, and he chuckles.

“Tried and true,” he replies with ease. “You really are extraordinary, you know.”

Can’t script a blush rising to your cheeks. It’s something about the way he makes direct eye contact with you that has your face burning.

Grinning, he turns back to the interviewer. “I have a lot of things to be grateful for in life. Truly, I do. I’m very fortunate for all of the good my family has done for me and for having things set up for me from the start. One thing I never could’ve imagined was that it could get better. Meeting her changed my life, and if I had to, I’d give everything else to keep her next to me.”

That time, your smile does fall, but you quickly catch yourself. Your heart picks up its pace in your chest, but you know it’s all part of the script. It has to be. He’d never give up his money, his family, his lifestyle for something as simple as you. You desperately want to pull your hand away, but you’ll wait until the cameras stop rolling.

As soon as you and Chenle are behind the tinted windows of his car, you drop his hand and scoot all the way over to have some semblance of peace. None of this truly makes sense to you. You’re much too young to be worried about your marriage to another person equally as young as you, yet you can’t help but mull over each word that left his mouth today.

“Are you alright?” he asks.

“Of course.” You pull your phone out of your purse and scroll through your social media with a sigh.

The driver pulls away from the spot, and after a few minutes, you look over to find Chenle watching you.

“What?”

“Is that it?” He clasps his hands together in his lap.

You scoff. “Oh, I’m sorry. Are we to keep acting while we’re alone, too? It’s exhausting.”

“You don’t even want to…try to keep getting to know each other? You’re just done?” He pauses, tongue wetting his lips. “We’re here for the long haul, (Y/N). We signed a legally binding contract. Divorce isn’t an option ever. We may as well try and—”

“All due respect, Chenle, I’d rather not know you. What happens if I do, and then I hate everything about you? Ignorance is bliss. Why risk hating you when I can just tolerate you instead?”

“Is it the hate you don’t want to risk?” His question catches you off guard, the confidence laced in his tone sending sparks of irritation through you.

“Are you insinuating that you think I could fall in love with you?”

“There’s no insinuation. I’ll tell you with full certainty that you would.” Chenle’s dark eyes narrow, and he shifts in his seat. “You fear failure. But a marriage failure would be easier if you’re not in love, right? No feelings to cloud your logical judgment.”

“For such a smart man, that was an incredibly stupid statement.” You scoff, setting your phone in your lap. “This is a job, not a marriage.”

“Not according to our sealed certificate.”

“Burn it for all I care. I’m not here for you. I’m here for my family, so I could’ve been married off to anyone. Don’t think that means I’ll allow you to control me. What’s mine is still mine. If I choose to see someone outside the marriage, that’s my own choice.”

“Ah.” He inhales slowly. “You’re already in love.”

“Wrong again.”

“Then why is that the first thing you say?”

“Because I have a duty to you. An obligation. But that does not mean you’re obligated to my heart.” You look straight forward, refusing to acknowledge the heat of his stare boring into your side.

“At least make sure you’re using protection.” He clicks his tongue.

“That was also in the contract. Didn’t you read it?” You tap your foot. “‘Extramarital relations require usage of effective birth control methods, and I may not bear another man’s child.’”

“I’m sorry, what?” He gapes at you. “Are you serious right now?”

When you laugh, his eyebrows furrow deeply.

“What’s funny?”

“No, no, I just forgot. You’re the man. You’re expected to stray from the marriage because you obviously don’t have everything life can offer. It’s okay for you to get someone else pregnant because you don’t have to physically have the child. Ridiculous.”

“And you think that’s my intention? Seriously?”

“It’s an expectation in every arranged marriage, I assume.” You cross your arms over your chest. “I don’t care what you do, Chenle. Just act like you respect me at least.”

“Okay, now hold on.” He scratches his forehead, his thought process basically written out across his face. “You were the one that mentioned extramarital relationships. I was never going to suggest it because I’d never do something like that. I don’t care what our…relationship is like, it’s still a marriage. You’re my wife, whether we like it or not, and I’m not going to do anything that would undermine you or the legacy you’ve already created. Regardless of what you believe, I do respect you. Honestly.”

“I…” you trail off, swallowing roughly. “I’d prefer silence for the rest of the drive.”

Chenle runs his tongue over his teeth, but he nods.

“Do we have to share a room?” you ask as you take your earrings out. Placing them on the vanity in front of you, you stare at Chenle through the mirror, watching as he removes his suit jacket and tie.

“We don’t have to do anything.” Chenle shakes his head and untucks his shirt from his pants. “If that’s what you want, I’ll stay in another room.”

“What?” You frown. “This is your house. You should keep the master bedroom.”

“Stop thinking like that,” he says, working on his buttons. “It’s yours now, too.”

He stops halfway down, grabbing his shirt and sweatpants to change into.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” His voice seems different, almost cold. Distant.

“Chenle,” you call out, turning in your chair to face him directly.

He sighs, stops, and looks back at you. “Yeah?”

“Before you go, can we…get something out of the way?”

“More things.” He presses his lips together in a thin line, but eventually nods and takes a few steps closer. “By all means.”

This time, it’s your palms that are sweating. You grip the armrest and flounder for the words you want to say. It’s rare for you to get flustered or shy with anyone, so acting this way in front of him has heat rising to your cheeks.

“We’re expected to have children,” you finally spit out. “Heirs. We carry two legacies on our backs.”

He shifts on his feet, taking his bottom lip between his teeth as he glances away from you. “This is what you want to get out of the way?”

“I…I just think it’s a good idea for us to put our…expectations out there early.”

“About sex or babies?”

“The only reason we’d ever…is to have babies.” You try to maintain your strong facade, but the conversation makes you more nervous than you’d care to admit.

“Right, because thinking that you’re sleeping with me out of obligation is incredibly sexy.” He runs his fingers through his hair. “We don’t even have to have sex to get you pregnant, you know. There are other options. Do you even actually want children? Or is that purely out of obligation as well?”

“Everything I do is out of obligation.”

“Not anymore.” He walks closer, resting his hand on the edge of the vanity. “You’re my wife now. You do what you want, and you do it for you. No one else. Understood?”

You stand up, obliterating the minuscule distance between the two of you. Your chest almost brushes his, and you’re nearly distracted by his half-unbuttoned shirt. Tilting your head, you scan over his face.

“You’re saying there’s not anything you want from me?”

“Wanting and demanding are two very different things.” He doesn’t back down, his impenetrable gaze locked on yours.

“And what is it that you want?”

“For someone who doesn’t care, you sure are inquisitive,” Chenle remarks.

“Don’t let my level of interest stop you.”

His eyes narrow. “How long have we known each other?”

“I can tell you our first real conversation was just over six months ago. We were informed of this…situation.” You sigh. “Why?”

“I was relieved to find out it was you.” He gulps. “To know that you are someone I’m…attracted to. That we could maybe one day have something real in the wake of this…joke of an arrangement.”

“Relieved?”

“Yes.” He nods without hesitation. “And that is what I want. A real life, real love, real family. And while everything else may not be ideal, I’d never force you to give me any of those things. As I’ve said, you’re free to make your own choices. Whether they include me or not.”

His voice is soft, barely carrying over to you from his spot mere inches away. Your heart pounds in your chest from his proximity, his words, him. You don’t want to risk anything, and the consequences far outweigh the rewards of a relationship like this.

“Good.” You nod. “I’ll remember that.”

“I expect nothing less.” He takes a step back, unintentionally shattering the tension between the two of you. “Have a good night, (Y/N).”

But for some reason, once he closes the door behind him and leaves you alone in this giant, extravagant bedroom, you truly wonder what the hell you’ve gotten yourself into.

“I mean, is that a bad thing?” Jisung’s voice carries through the phone, shuffling around with documents in the background.

Your cousin always did have trouble seeing things from your side. You sigh. “It is a bad thing. Why can’t he just be a normal man? I’m not going to beg anyone to impregnate me, if that’s what he’s waiting for—”

“(Y/N),” he says, tone laced with disbelief. “After that whole conversation, that’s what you got out of that? That he wants you to beg him?”

“What else am I supposed to get?” Crossing your arms over your chest, you study yourself in the mirror. Despite the stress as of late, you still seem miraculously put together.

“That he actually cares about you. And wants something real.”

“Then his family picked his wife incorrectly,” you insist. “I’m here because I was told to be. And why risk a lifetime of unhappiness and hate when we could just…tolerate each other?”

“Not everything has to be—”

“You were supposed to be on my side for this.” Your chest deflates, and you put him on speaker to apply your lipstick and put your earrings in.

“I’m always on your side, even if you think I’m not. I’ve met Chenle, too. You could’ve been much worse off for a company merger.”

“Right, so I should be grateful?” You snort. “Grateful that my husband doesn’t want to have—”

“Insufferable,” your cousin cuts you off. “You’re insufferable. The whole world is not out to get you. In the position you’re in, you need every single ally you can get. Chenle especially. He’s one of the most powerful men in the country. Imagine what that could do for you.”

“Yes, because powerful men are so enticing for me.” You roll your eyes.

“You don’t have to love him. Nobody expects that of you, but you can at least be friends with him.” Jisung clicks his tongue. “Give him a shot, okay? He’s not an asshole, and from what you’ve told me, he seems to be trying with you.”

You tap your fingers on the vanity. “I have a business meeting with him and his board. Guess I’ll see you in a few.”

“That you will. Talk to you soon.”

As the line cuts, you head out of Chenle’s—your—room, and head down the hall and out the door. Today is a new day, and the first way to present your dominance to your husband is to talk business. You’ve always been good at keeping your composure. While the buildings for your family’s company and Chenle’s were on opposite sides of town, the merger gave you unlimited access to both. Chenle was his own respective CEO, while your father still held the technical title at yours.

COO had been sitting in your pocket for years, and your father told you the only way he’d relinquish his CEO title onto you is if you married. And produced an heir without any public miscommunication. Essentially, your heir would, under no uncertain circumstances, be conceived and birthed in a conventional way.

You’re the last one to arrive in the conference room. The walls are mostly windows, overlooking the bustling city below you. You inhale deeply at the sight, and Chenle looks up at you, standing as soon as he finds you in the room. The rest of the board follows suit, and you almost scowl at the realization that the only open seat is right next to your husband. You don’t recognize any of them since this is solely for Chenle, but he insisted you were to be included on all business discussions from the moment you were married.

You stand next to Chenle, staring down at the five men around you. “Sit. Standing on my behalf is a waste of time.”

All of them listen to you, Chenle included, leaving you the lone pillar in a room full of money.

“Thank you for waiting for me.”

You don’t ever apologize for being late. Some things are out of your control. Sitting, you move your chair closer to the table. Chenle leans in, close enough for his lips to brush your ear. “I told you to just drive with me.”

You turn to him, unintentionally scanning over his face while he’s so close, and give him a small, fake smile. “And I told you I travel alone.”

It’s the first time you see annoyance pull at his brows. The only thing it does for you is make you give yourself a mental tally mark. Winning is your strong suit.

“Late on the first day isn’t a good look,” the man in the back on the right says. “It’s almost as if it’s not important to you.”

“First day?” You raise your eyebrows at him. “Bold of you to assume I haven’t been involved from the moment I signed a wedding certificate.”

“That’s hardly an excuse—”

“Jaemin,” Chenle interrupts him. “It won’t happen again. Leave it alone.”

Anger bubbles in your stomach as you watch the man at the end—Jaemin—immediately back down. Your words weren’t enough, but the second Chenle opens his mouth, the argument’s over? With the group of men, you talk financials from last quarter. You follow along easily thanks to the binder of data Chenle provided you with. Stopping on the fourth page, you frown.

Leaning over to Chenle, you nudge his shoulder. When you point at the page, his eyes follow. You turn your head to whisper in his ear, “This charge isn’t itemized. Little amounts may be fine, but a $143,000 charge with no itemization from one of your departments can’t be normal.”

“You’ve got sharp eyes,” he mutters, almost appreciatively.

“Obligations make you that way,” you return, brushing your hair back as you lean against your chair. Chenle’s button-up sleeves are rolled to his elbows, the tip of his pen tapping on the table as he listens to Jisung talk.

Chenle’s smart not to bring anything up just yet, as he’s likely to do more research before asking his team what is going on with something like that. You cross your legs and listen intently, but most of it is beyond your scope in his company, anyway.

“You’ll also have to decide on new positions as well.” Another man speaks up from beside your cousin.

“And what positions are those, Mark?” Chenle asks.

“COO and CFO nominations for the board to vote.”

“There isn’t any need for nominations for COO.” Chenle frowns.

“Why’s that?” One of the men, Jeno, follows up.

“Isn’t it obvious? The only person qualified for such a role is my wife.” Chenle crosses his arms over his chest, but this time, you can’t stop your outward reaction. Your jaw drops as all eyes fall on you, and you give him an incredulous look.

“Are you serious?”

“Why is this a surprise?” he inquires, gaze meeting yours.

It’s a surprise because nowhere in your signed contract did it say you were entitled to a position of power at his company.

“(Y/N) is an excellent candidate. She’s done great things at my uncle’s company,” Jisung butts in, nodding at you. “If it were up to a vote, she’d have mine.”

“We’ll reconvene for the vote. I have several candidates for CFO listed in the binders you received today, so you may vote on those as well.” Chenle pauses. 

You don’t realize your leg bouncing up and down until his palm presses against your knee. The movement is undetectable to everyone else, but it makes every ounce of air dissipate from your lungs. You calm down in an instant, no matter how much you hate to say it, and you clench your fists together in your lap.

“For now, my wife and I are going home,” he continues. “Have a good and productive day today.”

Everyone stands as he does, and you stare at him briefly when he extends his arm out to you. In that split second, you make eye contact with Jisung, who nods in encouragement. You let out a nearly invisible sigh, but you wrap your fingers around the crook of his elbow and allow him to lead you from the room. Once you’re far enough away from everyone, he still doesn’t let you go, a somewhat proud half-smile on his face. “After you pointed out that discrepancy, I almost switched gears and made you CFO instead.”

“You’ll learn quite fast that numbers aren’t really my strong suit.” You don’t even attempt to remove your grip on him. “My attention to detail makes up for the…lack of numerical intelligence.”

“I hope I didn’t take you too off-guard.” He opens the door to the building, disconnecting your arms to place his hand on the small of your back to guide you.

“Please.” You chuckle and shake your head. “You? Take me off-guard?”

“Competitive, too, huh?” He raises an eyebrow at you as he glances around at the different people with cameras surrounding you. Whether to keep you away from them or to keep up appearances, his hand slides from your back to your hip, gently pulling you closer to his side.

“Let’s just say I stopped being invited to family game night,” you admit.

Once the two of you make it to the car, you barely realize you’re disobeying your own rule of traveling alone. He grasps your hand to help you into the backseat, ignoring the flashing lights behind him as he watches you slide over.

He gets in after you, closing the door with a huff. “That’ll be a headline tomorrow.”

“You helping me into the car?”

“You smiled at me.”

“We’re married.”

“Nobody believes it.” He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair.

After a moment of your silence, he reaches over to grab your hand. You surprise even yourself when you allow him.

“I’m sorry. It’s not your problem. And it doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks.”

“Don’t apologize.” You shake your head. “It doesn’t matter, Chenle. We’ll get our…obligations out of the way, and then you can find the love you claim you want.”

His jaw tightens as he looks forward, his grip on you loosening. “Right.”

“Why?” you ask. “Why is that what you want? With me, or with anyone.”

“Love is good for you.” He shrugs. “To have someone who actually cares for you more than themselves just because they want to. Ever since I was young, I wanted to marry for love, but I’d always understood it wasn’t in the cards for me. But I figured I’d at least be able to try. With whoever it was, at least I’d be able to try to be a proper husband.”

There’s much more complexity behind Chenle than what you initially gave him credit for. You figured he’d be the typical CEO, a man high on power who will do everything and anything to not only keep it, but to grow his influence. The version of him you see now doesn’t support that original thought, but you have a hard time believing it.

“Life is already dull and loveless as it is. Rich families don’t exactly enjoy time with their relatives. I figured you, of all people, would understand where I’m coming from in that aspect.” He fidgets with his wedding band. “I don’t want to bring children into a world where they won’t be loved.”

“You think I wouldn’t love my own children?” you ask.

“That’s not what I said.” He glances at you. “Children deserve a complete family. One with parents who not only love them, but each other. I didn’t have that growing up, and I refuse to put anyone else through it.”

“I see.” You understand his point all too well, but you don’t see the big deal. Even if you two were in love and had children, wouldn’t you still have nannies and cooks and all of the things that you had as a child?

“Again, I’m not forcing you into anything. So, you don’t have to try with me if you don’t want to. But I’m not searching for it somewhere else. Since we…are obligated to have children, I wouldn’t put them through a situation where they view their father as a cheater. When I signed that contract and the marriage certificate, I signed my life away to you. Sure, it wasn’t in a traditional way or necessarily…by choice, but we’re here.”

“Wow, you sure know how to woo a woman.”

“You’ve made your stance clear. All I ask is that whoever you…” he trails off and scoffs. “Whoever you decide to be with, you keep them away from any future children. And we’ll never force them into a marriage like this.”

“You want our children to marry for love?”

“Of course, I do.” He nods.

“Chenle, I…”

This time, you reach over to him to stop his excessive movement. The second your fingers wrap around his wrist, he stops.

“I think the same way you do. Hopefully, we respect each other enough not to be caught. Publicly or by children.”

“So, you really…There’s no chance? Of anything real between us?”

Your heart comes to a dead-stop in your chest, and the word ‘no’ hangs on the tip of your tongue, but for some reason, you can’t bring yourself to actually say it. It’s one simple syllable, but it’s so heavy in your mouth, you fear opening it will wreak havoc.

“I…I don’t know,” you reply, gulping.

He turns his hand so your palms are touching, and then he squeezes you gently. “All I ask is that you keep an open mind. It’s okay to let yourself have things you want, too. Not everything has to be an obligation.”

Before you can speak, the driver is opening the door for you and Chenle to get out. The two of you make your way into the house, but you’re honestly not sure where to go from here. You head upstairs toward the master bedroom to take off your dress.

“(Y/N),” Chenle calls, stopping you in your tracks. He continues, “I have to get clothes to change into. They’re still all in the master, but I’ll have the staff move them by the end of the week.”

You wet your lips. Standing on the third stair makes you taller than him, and he looks up at you with only kindness behind his brown eyes. You want to hate him. Or to only tolerate him. But through the moments of kindness, you know he’s the type of man you could be friends with. You could—

You stop that thought before it completes. “It’s your house. Do whatever you need to.”

He joins you on the third step and leans closer to you. “Wrong.”

“Wrong?” You tilt your head.

“Remember that everything I have is yours, too. This house belongs to you just as much as it belongs to me. As much as you hate to think so, I know you, (Y/N). The ball is in your court. You make the decisions around here, whether it’s what color the walls are or twenty kids running around the hallways. Whatever you want, I’ll make it happen.”

You gape at him, face red as he leans away from you and continues up the stairs without looking back at you. Once he’s far enough away, you clear your throat and pat your cheeks. Regaining your composure, you follow him up and find him working on the buttons of his shirt, his tie discarded on the bed.

“Does this bother you?” he asks. “I can go.”

“What makes you think it bothers me?”

“You’re staring.”

You head over to the closet instead of responding to him, more than ready to put pants on instead of the dress that’s much too tight for comfort. Once you’ve picked out your new clothes, you stay where you’re at and reach behind you for the zipper. After a few moments of struggling with it, you finally give up and decide to use your resources.

“Chenle?” you call out.

When he appears in the doorway, his shirt is absent, and you were pretty sure he’d been wearing a belt before. His arms are crossed over his chest as he leans against the frame, awaiting you to tell him what you need. You don’t have to actually speak. Instead, you turn your back to him and pull your hair over your shoulder. He hums behind you, keeping a respectable amount of distance before he grips the zipper.

“What did you do before me?” he asks, hesitant to pull it down.

“Staff.” You shrug. “But I mostly wore things I knew I’d be able to—”

The familiar sound and the rush of cool air against your heated skin as he reveals more of you has your breath catching in your throat. You cut yourself off, immediately reaching up to hold the dress to your chest.

“I’m a very accommodating man, (Y/N).” His voice sinks into every inch of you. “If you need something, tell me. I’m your husband. It’s quite literally my job to ensure you’re happy, darling.”

The heat radiating from his bare skin so close to yours has every thought in your brain flying away. Logically, there’d be nothing wrong with giving in to your temptation. It’d been a long time since anyone had touched you, and the man behind you is your husband. Physical attraction had nothing to do with emotions or feelings, so it was okay. One thing you’d never be able to deny is how he’s one of the most beautiful men you’d ever met. Your parents could’ve chosen much, much worse for you.

His voice centimeters from your ear startles you out of your trance. He says, “I wonder what you’re thinking about. You seem a bit distracted.”

“Wouldn’t you love to know.”

“Truly.”

“I need to change.”

“Do you?” He trails a finger up your spine. “You’re so soft. What an odd comparison to that steel wall you’re forcing yourself to keep up.”

“I think you’re forgetting your own boundaries.” You clench your fist into the fabric of your dress. “This wouldn’t be real.”

“What even is this?” His breath fans across your neck, and you’re sure you feel the sublest brush of his lips on your skin. “Tell me where you think this is going. After all, I’m helping you with your dress like a good husband.”

“My dress was dealt with minutes ago.”

“Darling.” He tsks. “If your dress was dealt with already, it would be long, long gone.”

Even like this, you refuse to let him win. If this were to be the extent of your relationship with Chenle, you’d be fine with that. You crave satisfaction, and you also know this is a means to an end. This may be the key to giving your family those fucking heirs they want so badly. In a bold move, you release your grip on the fabric and allow it to crumple at your feet.

“What?” You tilt your head, grinning when his breathing halts. “Are you the only one who can deliver?”

He places his hand on your hip. “Can I touch you here?”

“Mhm,” you inhale sharply when he squeezes, trying your best not to roll back against him.

“Here?” he whispers, splaying his fingers out along your stomach.

“What’s your goal?” you ask, looking back at him over your shoulder. “You seem like you want something from me.”

His face is much too close to yours, but for some reason, it does little to bother you. When his lips part, you don’t mean to squirm in his touch. His eyes sweep over your expression, his touch edging just a little further downward until he can play with the lace hem of your panties.

“I’ve told you what I want already.” His gaze locks on your mouth. “Everything. I want it all.”

You gulp, unable to speak for fear of making a fool of yourself.

“What about me makes this hard for you?” he asks.

Despite the softness of his voice, your proximity to him means you see the hint of hurt swimming around in his dark irises. The heat of his bare skin on yours has everything inside you awakening, but you can’t give him what he wants.

“The choice is yours.” He takes a deep breath. “Going forward, the choice is always yours to make. I’m yours in any way you want me.”

The atmosphere around you is so warm, charged, you can’t help the way you struggle to breathe. You lean closer to him, and when your lips brush his, his grip around you tightens. Before he’s able to initiate a real kiss, a knock sounds on the bedroom door.

“Mr. Zhong, you have a visitor.”

“God damn it,” he curses under his breath, annoyance replacing whatever vulnerability you’d just seen. Stepping away from you, he grabs a shirt for you and hands it to you.

You accept it quickly, embarrassment flooding through your system as reality sets in and you realize what you’d done. He stops in the doorway, stealing one more glance at you before he runs his fingers through his hair and walks out.

“What the fuck?” you mutter to yourself, patting your cheeks.

Your skin where he touched you suddenly feels much too cold, and you give yourself a few moments to calm down as you search for a pair of pants to put on. You pick your dress up off the floor and put it with your dirty laundry. You tie your hair up to get yourself to cool down, and then you follow Chenle out to see who saved you from making a decision you wouldn’t be able to come back from.

“You came all the way here to deliver a report?” Chenle’s voice cuts through the air before you’re able to see him, and you hear the agitation flooding through it.

You round the corner and stop at the top of the stairs, finding Chenle in the foyer with one of the men from the meeting earlier standing right inside the doorway with a binder. He’d slipped his shirt back on, retucked it, and even rolled his sleeves up. His hands are deep in his pockets.

“It couldn’t wait,” the man says.

“There are plenty of things that can’t wait in this world, and they wait anyway, Jeno.” Chenle shifts on his feet. “But you’re here, so give it to me.”

Jeno hands Chenle the binder, and he opens it. At the realization of what it is, the latter’s eyes close.

“You’re telling me that this has been going on for years?”

“Before you were even CEO, yes.” Jeno nods.

“My father knows about this?”

“I’m not sure.”

“What is your father supposed to know about?” you ask, finally making your presence known as you make your way down the stairs.

Chenle turns to you, his jaw clenching as his gaze travels on its own accord. “The amount you pointed out earlier. It’s not just one payment. There’s…an entire binder full of payments to someone that aren’t accounted for. That’s $143,000 a quarter, for longer than I’ve even been able to—”

“Should she really be involved in this?” Jeno grabs Chenle’s arm.

“She’s the COO of the company.” Chenle frowns at the other man. “And she’s my wife. If this is going on, it affects her, too.”

The other man releases him, and you join Chenle at his side. At this point, even pressing your arm against his is far too much contact for you, yet you crave it all the same.

“It’s new for them,” you remind your husband. “They’re not used to me yet. They’ll learn in due time.”

“Right.”

You hold your hand out for the reports, and he gives it to you. You flip through, noting the dates corresponding with the payments.

“I wouldn’t bring it up to your father,” you mention.

“What?” Chenle recoils. “Why not?”

“These charges have been happening for years,” you point out. “There’s a chance he might know about them. That he could be the one—”

“That’s impossible,” Chenle interrupts you, his posture immediately straightening out as he stands rigid.

“It’s not.” You keep your voice soft in an attempt to neutralize the situation, and you reach for his wrist. “All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t rule anyone out. We need to keep this within a circle while we do research. No one else can know that this has even been caught.”

As soon as your fingers wrap around him, the tension in his body melts away. He lets out a sigh, wets his lips, and nods. “You’re right. We’ll look into it.” He turns to Jeno. “No one can know about this. This stays between the three of us.”

“Of course,” Jeno confirms. “I’ll leave you with that information now. Have a good night, you two.”

“Thanks,” Chenle says.

Jeno leaves, the echo of the door closing behind him leaving you and Chenle draped in an awkward silence. You place the binder on the table on the glass table, turning to face your husband.

“Are you alright?” Chenle asks.

“Me?” You raise your eyebrows. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

He gives you a pointed look, one that tells you he’s in no way wanting to beat around the bush. “Don’t do that.”

“I’m…okay, yes. Maybe a little flustered, but I didn’t…hate what happened, if that’s what you’re asking.” You avoid his gaze, rolling your eyes as you stare off past him to the ornate details of the front door.

“We’re married,” he points out.

“Yes, I’m acutely aware of that fact, thank you.” Your fingers find the band of your wedding ring.

He pauses, but his gaze leaves goosebumps all over your body as he trails over you. “It’s clear we’re…attracted to each other. And you’re still sure you’d rather not attempt a real relationship.”

“We’ve talked about this.” You glance around, like the staff overhearing is the most embarrassing thing you’ll deal with.

“Not enough.”

“What else could we possibly add to that?”

“I don’t want us to tolerate each other, (Y/N). At the very least, we should try to be friends.” He takes a step closer to you.

You’ve been confronted by a lot of men in your life. There have been even more men who doubted your abilities, but none of them had ever intimidated you. Chenle, standing in front of you with a determined look on his face, intimidates you. A part of you—no matter how small it may be—knows he’s everything he says he is and more. He could give you the life you’ve always wanted, but you’re sure you don’t deserve it. Not until you’ve fulfilled your portion of the contract and take your place as CEO. Only then can you allow yourself to let go.

“Do you want me?” he asks. “In any way?”

“I don’t want to,” you tell him honestly. “But I do.”

“When we were on our honeymoon, or the semblance of whatever that was, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. About how we were forced into this arrangement, yet none of it…None of it feels wrong. You may not have paid me much attention beforehand, but for years before we were ever to be married, I’ve admired you. Your willpower and the way you hold your own. The independence you have. Your autonomy. I envy you.”

“Why? Why envy me?”

“Look at yourself.” Chenle puts his hands on your shoulders and turns you to look into the floor-length mirrors against the wall. “I’m not talking about how beautiful you are, even though that’s definitely an added bonus. I mean the utter tenacity you have flowing through your veins. The way you can command attention the second you walk into a room. How you’re unafraid to put men with decades of more experience in their places. You are…unapologetically yourself. This life, one of business, is significantly easier for me as a man, yet you’ve absolutely bulldozed everyone in your way.”

“Chenle—”

“I’m not done.” He taps his fingers against you.

Seeing him standing behind you in these mirrors is making your heart race, your brain jolting with electricity, and inexplicable thoughts running around your mind. He looks good like this. He watches you fondly, the admiration in his gaze evident.

“But you’re honest, too. With your intentions and with the way you want to live your life. I wish you’d give me the chance to prove how things could be, but like I said before, these choices are yours alone. Don’t get that confused with me not wanting to try. Because I’ll keep trying as long as you want me in…whatever way.”

You turn to him, craning your neck to look at him with your hands flat on his chest. “I’m beginning to think you’re crazy.”

“If trying to give my wife the life she deserves is crazy, then I’ll gladly claim that title.” A smile tugs at the corner of his lips. “Something tells me you might come around someday.”

“I wish you saw things the way I do,” you mutter.

“I think the same way. But as much as I understand your fears, they shouldn’t hinder you in your life. You’re allowed to explore all aspects. Business. Joy. Intimacy. Love.”

“And you’re an expert on intimacy?” You raise your eyebrows.

“Expert might be a strong word, but I won’t ever lie to you. I’ve been in love in the past and gotten hurt because of it. But every heartbreak is worth it if it leads you to the person you were made for.” His hands slide to your hips, fingertips barely applying any pressure. “If we find we’re not good for each other, I’d let you go. You’re bound to me in a legal sense only. Paper. It means nothing unless we make it mean something.”

“You…scare me,” you breathe out. “This scares me.”

“We’re doing something right, then.” He lets out a short chuckle. “But I like this. Being close to you. Knowing that we’d be so much better as a team than as roommates.”

“I’ve always worked alone.”

“Does that mean you’ve never been in love?”

You shake your head. “Never. I don’t give myself the time to feel things like that.”

“So, feel.” His finger brushes below your chin, angling you so your eyes meet his. “Tell me what you’re feeling right now.”

“I—”

“Don’t think. Feel.”

“I…I’m nervous. You can’t be real. I’ve only been burned in the past, but it feels like you’d…just keep me warm. I don’t know if I want that.” You gulp past the unexplainable lump in your throat. “It’s…overwhelming.”

“What can I do to help you?” Chenle asks. “Whatever you need. Tell me, and I’ll make it happen.”

“You.” Your voice almost refuses to work. “I want you, but I…I need time to see if that’s really it or if I’m tricking myself in order to fulfill these stupid obligations set for me.”

“Which obligations?”

“Heirs.” You avert your gaze, but he gently pulls you right back.

“Take whatever time you need. I mean it. I’m not going anywhere, and I’m not going to push you into any situations like that.” He reaches up and plays with a strand of your hair. “But there are…plenty of ways to explore that side of our relationship without pregnancy being a risk. Or a reward, if that’s what you view it as.”

Your face burns. Never before has a man made you blush.

“With that in the open, does removing the pregnancy factor make you want me any less?”

You contemplate. While you’d love to say that portion of your contract was the last thing on your mind, you thought of it frequently. But thoughts of what he’s mentioning has your insides twisting and turning in every way, with or without heirs being involved. When he touched you earlier, his hands on your bare skin, that genuinely wasn’t a thought. You want him for personal gain, but not in the way you originally assumed.

“Never less,” you murmur. The warmth around you becomes unbearable, yet you still find yourself shivering. “I think we need to come back to this at a different time.”

“Of course.” He takes a step back, allowing cool air to rush over you. Grabbing the binder from the table, he gestures for you to follow him into his office. “Shall we move on to some numbers, then?”

Finally, you laugh shortly. “Yeah. Yes, that sounds good.”

After two hours of studying the documents, spreadsheets, and all the other information Jeno brought for Chenle, the two of you have gotten as far as discovering the payments were sent to the same bank account. Stress is written across his face, and eventually, you slide the binder away from him.

“You’re going to run yourself into the ground,” you scold him. “It’s time for a break.”

“What time is it?” he asks, massaging his forehead.

“Almost 8pm.” You lean back in your chair and cross your legs.

His lips part in shock, and he checks his watch. “Fuck. I’m sorry, I didn’t even…you haven’t eaten yet.”

“Neither have you,” you point out.

“We’ve already established that you’re more important.” He lets out a sigh, partially filled with frustration. “You know what? Why don’t you get changed and we’ll go out?”

“Together?” Your eyes widen.

“We’re married. It’d be weird if we went by ourselves.”

“Right, of course. Um, anything in particular I should wear?”

“The choice is yours.” He grins, and like it’s the easiest thing in the world, robs all of the oxygen from your lungs. You realize then that you don’t see him smile much, but the pang in your heart can only mean you want to see it over and over again.

“Okay.” You nod and stand. “Give me ten minutes.”

“Take your time. I’ll be waiting for you.”

“You sure you don’t want to pick?” you offer one last time.

“While that would honestly be an honor, darling, I’m trying to prove a point here.” He lifts himself to his feet and reaches across the desk to close the binder. “I could use a drink.”

You give him a small smile before you exit his office. Once he’s out of sight, you practically bound up the stairs. You’d been on dates before, sure, but this feels different. You know better than to let yourself look too far ahead, so once you’re in your closet, you want to make sure you wear something nice. You pick a dress you’re sure you can get yourself out of. Unlike your outfit from earlier, this one isn’t as tight to your figure, and the soft color matches you well. For business meetings, you only wear black. Wearing bright colors hasn’t ever brought you success, but you figure you can wear the purple for a date with your husband.

A date. Is it a date?

That part of it doesn’t matter. This dress makes you feel good about yourself, truly. Disgust immediately sends a shiver down your spine when you realize you’re beginning to ponder how Chenle will perceive you. He’s a man. You could wear a trash bag and he’d think you did something revolutionary. Brushing the skirt of your dress off, you grab a pair of heels, slide them on, and head back down the stairs. He waits by the door, his suit jacket back on and buttoned in the middle. He turns at the sound of your shoes on the floor, and he freezes in his spot.

“What?” you inquire.

“I just…I’ve never seen you in that color before.” He clears his throat, but his cheeks tinge with a light, barely noticeable pink. “You…it suits you well.”

“Thank you.” Before you attempt to leave the door, he grabs your jacket from the rack and drapes it over your shoulders.

“It’s cold, darling,” he mutters, making sure the fabric is secure on your shoulders.

“You don’t think it ruins the outfit?”

“Not a chance. Jacket or not, it’s my favorite of yours.”

“Relax with the compliments. You’re making me blush.” You brush your fingertips against his shoulder and exit the house.

“My hard work is paying off. Good to know.” He closes the door behind him and guides you to the car with his hand on the small of your back. “I’ll stop with the compliments if you ever stop deserving them. Which I doubt will happen, by the way.”

The drive is thirty minutes, and the city is still bustling by the time Chenle is helping you out of the car. His palm against yours makes your stomach flip, and you’re beginning to hate this effect he has on you. It seems like it hit you out of nowhere, and you’d prefer if it were to sink back into the depths of hell where it came from in the first place. But before you know it, you’re a glass and a half deep of wine, you’ve eaten enough pasta to get you through the night, and Chenle’s in the exact same boat you’re in. Between the two of you, you’ve finished a bottle, and it seems as if your husband is debating ordering another one.

You hide a laugh with another sip from your glass and shake your head. “I cannot believe we’re this out of order.”

“The order doesn’t matter as long as the end result is desirable. Isn’t that true?” He quirks an eyebrow at you.

“Mm, I’ve always been an order of operations girl. Everything has to happen in the exact right way.” You set your drink down and rest your head on your palm.

“I just realized I know…nothing about your past. Please, tell me what the younger version of you was like. What kind of trouble did you get into?”

“Wow, what makes you assume I got into trouble?” you tease him, unable to fight your smile.

He sucks in a deep breath and pats his legs. “God, I’m not sure. It couldn’t be the way you never take no for an answer or how you absolutely run over everyone in your way.”

“I’ll have you know that I am a very composed human.” You run your tongue over your teeth.

“I’d expect nothing less, to be honest.” He gives you a soft smile. “And for the record, I enjoy those qualities. There aren’t many people in this world that would be unafraid of calling me out if I’m doing something wrong.”

“You mean earlier.”

“I mean in general, but that does apply, yes.”

“I only want to be a balance for you.” You look down at the red liquid in your cup. “We’re meant to complement each other now, yeah?”

“I think we were the most strategic pair…ever.” Chenle nods.

“Can I be honest with you?” You take another sip.

“Absolutely.”

“You asked me earlier what about you makes this situation hard. Or what about you makes it hard for me to…let go of certain views.” You clear your throat, dreading the conversation more than you’d care to admit. “I feel like it’s…because a part of me knows the greatness we’d be capable of together. But I’ve worked hard to build my own greatness, and I can almost guarantee the second this becomes real, my greatness becomes ours.”

“Ah.” He purses his lips. “I won’t lie to you. There will be people that see it that way. But by being married to me, those people already exist.”

“I’m not talking about other people. I don’t care about them or their opinions.” You finish off your glass.

“You…you mean me?” His eyes widen in shock.

“That is a fear I have.”

He flounders for a second, and he scrambles for words for the first time all day. “I’m sorry, I just…I’m not sure if there’s anything I can say to make this better. I…(Y/N), I know my promises probably don’t mean much to you at this point, but I’d never discount you like that. Or take credit for anything you’ve done. How can I make that clearer?”

“It’s not your issue to correct.” You chew the inside of your cheek. “It’s mine. And I don’t say it to make you feel responsible, but as a forewarning, I guess. Being a woman and working my way to the top just to have…this thrust upon me is a little redundant.”

“You never wanted to marry in the first place.” It’s not a question.

“That’s correct.”

He blows out a long breath and looks down at his hands, twisting the wedding band on his finger. “You never saw this in the cards for you.”

“I knew I’d eventually have to marry for company purposes. My father would never let himself die before he knows I’ve carried on his line.” You snort and shake your head. “But I figured all of these types of marriages were the same. People signed their paperwork and barely acknowledged each other unless it was to reproduce.”

Chenle lets out a laugh. “Your word choice is interesting.”

“Shut up, you know what I mean.” You cover your mouth as you join him in laughter. “I just never thought you’d be…you.”

“I live to prove to you that you can have everything. We can be happy, have a real family, and still be at the top of our field. Both independently and together.”

Fortunately for the both of you, Chenle doesn’t order the second bottle of wine. Instead, he pays the bill and leads you from the restaurant with his arm wrapped around your waist. He opens the car door for you, and as you place your hand in his to enter, he squeezes your hand gently. Once you get home, the two of you separate at the top of the stairs, him heading off to a spare room down the hall while you step into the room that technically belongs to him. You change without interrupt, your silk nightgown soft on your skin as you climb into bed.

You stare up at the ceiling, tracing along it with your eyes as if you were drawing a map. Where the destinations were you had yet to figure out, but you imagined a whole new world up there, one where you didn’t have to have this wall up. One where you didn’t have to fight tooth and nail for a shred of respect you more than deserve. One where you didn’t have to be scared of what Chenle was trying to offer you.

You sigh, clutching the blanket to your chest. The wine has since settled in your system, yet your blood still runs warm. The map on the ceiling becomes mountains, oceans, continents. It forms real shapes, real geography in your mind, but you find the destination right in the middle is where you truly want to be. When you look at your phone, the time is already past 2 a.m., and you’re not anywhere near tired. You’re startled by the knock. You shuffle out of bed, crossing your arms over your chest as you crack the door open slightly.

Chenle stands there, hands buried deep in his sweatpants. His eyes sweep over you as you open the door wider.

“You’re up,” he comments.

“I couldn’t sleep.” You shrug. “You’re up. And here.”

“I was hoping I could talk to you.” He pauses. “I can’t stop thinking, and I just really don’t want to be alone right now.”

Your heart skips a beat. As much as you hate it, warmth spreads through your entire being at the thought of his first idea being you.

“This is your room, Chenle. I’m not going to tell you you can’t come in your own bedroom.” You step back to give him space to walk in, but he stays put outside, staring at you as if he’s seeing straight into your soul. You give him a pointed look, but give in. “Yes, it’s okay for you to come in here. I’d prefer company as well.”

He shuffles past you, tiredness clearly weighing down as the bottoms of his feet slide across the hardwood floor. You watch him closely, admiring him. Quickly, you realize that he fits into any room he walks in. He belongs anywhere and everywhere, and within moments, he makes you feel something you’ve only ever been able to provide for yourself until this moment—safe.

“Sorry,” he whispers with a sigh. “I need to stop thinking.”

“Trust me, I get it. Me too.” You stand with your arms still crossed over your chest and you rock back and forth on the balls of your feet. “Do you want to tell me what’s bothering you?”

“I shouldn’t bore you.” He waves you off and sits on the edge of his bed. “How are you adjusting?”

“I’m okay. I’m not complaining about my accommodations.” You move and sit next to him, putting your hand on his knee. “You won’t bore me. If something’s bothering you, I want to try and help.”

His eyes sparkle even in the dark. The landscapes of the map you drew reflect in his gaze, and you swear you see every mountain, every body of water, entire worlds forming in his irises. How have you never seen this before? Why are you seeing it now?

“The payments,” he murmurs. “The idea that my father might know about them. Might be facilitating them. It’s driving me up a fucking wall.”

“When I said that, I didn’t mean to upset you.” You reach over and grab his hand. “We just need to take precaution when it comes to situations like this. If it is him and he knows we’re onto him, it might be…a bigger issue than it needs to be.”

“I know that. I guess it’s the idea that he’d be capable of something like that.” Chenle stares down at the way your thumb traces against his skin.

“You look up to him.”

“I did. I do. A lot, actually, so this seems so…backwards. That’s a lot of money per quarter, you know? I could only imagine what it’s going towards.” He turns his hand around so your palms are touching, and he gently intertwines your fingers. “Sorry, I should’ve asked if this was okay.”

“It’s more than okay. Don’t worry about me. Keep talking.”

“My parents never really loved each other. They grew to love their life together, but not each other. And despite that, I had a decent time growing up. They were good parents to me, and that’s what truly matters at the end of the day, but it makes me wonder if they’re…not these great people I’ve made them out to be in my head.” He lets out a short chuckle. “This sounds pathetic.”

“Hey.” Before you realize what you’re doing, you reach up to cup his cheek and bring his gaze back to yours. “Don’t talk like that. You’re not pathetic. These are valid concerns, and if you’ve been lied to for this long, you have every right to be upset.”

You’re so distracted by him, you barely even recognize the softness of his face. Your thumb runs gently along his cheekbone, and you watch as the frown fades from his features. Something you can’t recognize forms behind his irises, yet it still feels familiar. How do you explain how the normal beat of your heart hurts? How do you tell him that seeing him upset like this feels like needles running along your skin?

“My father would tell me I was foolish for hoping for love,” Chenle whispers. “He said it was a waste of time, since any man as busy as we are just isn't suited for it. For families.”

“If you’d asked me a few weeks ago, I would’ve agreed with him.” You squeeze his hand and give him a small smile.

“Something changed?” he asked.

“I don’t think that way anymore,” you admit. “Now, I’ve realized it’s about the amount of effort someone is willing to put in. It has nothing to do with time. We make time for those we care about.”

He leans into your touch as his eyes flutter shut. You admire the angelic glow the stars leave on his skin, and despite how tired he is, he’s still so fucking beautiful. Your throat dries at the sight, and you hate how it feels like your insides are at war.

“I like this,” he tells you. “Being with you like this.”

“Me, too.” You smile, even though he can’t see you. “You should try and sleep though. You’ll be exhausted tomorrow.”

His chest visibly deflates, and he places his hand on top of yours to pull it away from his face. “Of course. I…I’ll get going.”

You recoil, but you don’t let go of his other hand. “Oh. Is that what you want?” Nerves crawl around in your stomach. You figured he’d stay with you tonight, in his own bed. That maybe the two of you would learn to be better comforted by each other’s presence.

“You’re tired, and I’m keeping you up. I was inconsiderate.” He clears his throat.

“No, no,” you quickly interject. “That’s not what I meant at all. I’m only worried about you, so I was hoping you’d stay with me.”

“In here?” he asks.

You nod. “Yes. If it were my choice, you’d stay.”

“Damn, you got me there.” He delivers a tired grin and ultimately agrees. “I’d love that, (Y/N). Truly.”

You let him settle in beneath the comforter first, and he lifts it to allow you room to slide in next to him. Neither of you say anything else, but things seem to fall together naturally. He opens his arms, you push yourself against his chest, and then he wraps you up tightly in his warm embrace. He smells faintly of cologne, a soft, woody scent that engulfs you pleasantly. Despite the way you failed to fall asleep earlier, you struggle to remember a time you’d ever fallen into your dream world faster.

When you wake without Chenle in the morning, you’re sure you dreamed the last portion of the night. That is, until you see that it’s almost 10 am. You gasp and launch yourself out of bed. You never sleep in this late, so you quickly dress yourself and get ready for the day. Chenle’s side of the bed is mussed, so you determine it was, indeed, not a dream, and you make sure you look as presentable as your normal standard before you go downstairs to find where your husband disappeared to. The smell of breakfast emanates from the kitchen, so you naturally gravitate that way. When you step into the room, you’re taken aback by the company present. Not just your own parents, but Chenle’s as well. Your husband stands at the end of the table, clearly stressed with all of the people in your kitchen. He notices you first and breathes a sigh of relief at the sight of you.

“Wow,” you say as you approach Chenle and stand next to him. “Were we expecting everyone today?”

“Nope.” He chuckles and, much to apparently both of your surprises, he leans down and presses a kiss to your cheek. “Everyone showed up an hour or so ago.”

Through the burning of your cheeks, your gaze shoots up to his and you lower your voice. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“You looked really comfortable.” He shrugs.

“(Y/N), Chenle was just telling us that you’re accepting the COO position at his company,” your mother butts in. Of course, business talk immediately.

“Yes, we—”

“Isn’t that a little early? And don’t you have enough responsibilities as COO of my company?” your father grumbles, and you already start to shrink into yourself in his presence.

“She’s more than capable,” Chenle defends you. “If I didn’t think she could handle it, I wouldn’t have done it.”

“Don’t interrupt their family discussions, Chenle, that’s rude,” his mother scolds him.

“This marriage was a merger, was it not?” Chenle raises an eyebrow. “Doesn’t that technically make our families interconnected now?”

“We’ll consider them officially connected when she’s had her first child.” Your father points his finger at you. “Speaking of which, what’s taking so long?”

Your jaw drops, and you shift uncomfortably. It’s one thing to talk about your husband getting you pregnant with your own father, but him being so comfortable spitting things out like that in front of Chenle’s parents as well has you feeling queasy.

“We’ve been married for two months.”

“Your mother was pregnant after three weeks.”

“I don’t really want to hear about you impregnating my mother—”

“You’re making excuses, (Y/N), you know what’s on the line here.” Your father tsks at you, sipping from his water glass.

“Sir, all due respect, but it’s not like we knew each other very well. We’re both still getting comfortable with each other. And we’re young. We have plenty of time to have children.” As soon as the words leave Chenle’s mouth, you reach over and grasp his hand. It’s not visible below the table, but he squeezes you in reassurance.

“And what happens if she were to die tomorrow? My bloodline dies with her?” Your father narrows his eyes at Chenle. Your heart sinks in your chest, and you scratch your forehead.

“Even if she were to be pregnant, if she died tomorrow there wouldn’t be an heir either way,” your husband replies.

“Is there a reason we’re having such a lovely family reunion?” you butt in, hoping to curve their conversation.

“Do we need a reason to visit our daughter?” your mother asks.

“Typically, yes.” You shrug. “You never show up unannounced.”

“Oh, I take it they haven’t seen the tabloids,” Chenle’s father mentions.

You stand from your spot and pull your phone out of your pocket to check. You hear Chenle whisper something to the group before he pushes his chair back to join you. Despite the anxiety crawling up your spine, the warmth of him right behind you calms you.

“They came here because there’s a couple articles of people being shocked that we like each other?” you hiss, tossing your phone on the counter.

“Breathe,” Chenle tells you, putting his hands on your shoulders. “They’ll eventually leave us alone, but we’ve got to placate them for now.”

“Placate them?” You turn to him and raise your eyebrow. “You exchanged words with my father.”

“He said stupid things.” Chenle shrugs.

You chuckle. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Ah, but you said the people are surprised we like each other, so I’m assuming you enjoy how ridiculous I am.” He bites back a grin when he sees you blush.

“God, you’ve got to stop doing that.” You push gently at his chest and walk back to your parents and your in-laws.

“I’m not sure this is really something that should have blame assigned,” Chenle’s mother says. “I’ve seen married couples go years without children.”

You curse under your breath. Of course, this is still the topic of conversation.

“That’s not how it works in this family. Heirs come first immediately after marriage.” Your mother sips from a champagne flute.

“Well, that’s hardly Chenle’s fault—”

“He’s a man. How hard is it to impregnate a woman?” Your mother scoffs. “Please, she’s not ugly by any means.”

“Mother, dear God,” you snap. “Why in the world are we still talking about this?”

“I’m sorry, are you questioning my son’s…viability?” Chenle’s father narrows his eyes.

You want to combust into flames right then and there. The immediate assumption that the reason behind you not being with child yet is that Chenle simply can’t get it up. How fucking great.

“I’m just saying, there were other men contending for a contract that were more than willing—”

“That’s enough,” you shout.

You have four shocked faces staring at you, and you feel Chenle go rigid behind you.

“I am beyond tired of this conversation already. We’ve only been married for two months, and that’s just not enough time. I barely even knew him when I married him, and we’re trying to do this the normal way. As normally as we can.” You pause. “I’m the one that wants to wait. And it is a want, not a necessity, so neither of us are…sexually dysfunctional.”

Chenle holds back a laugh behind you, but four sets of eyes are still on you. And while it’s technically not the truth—as you’ve stated multiple times you’d be okay with having an heir quickly—you’d rather this portion of it fall on you than on him. Your parents would lose their minds.

“And let’s not forget that (Y/N) is a human with a career that’s just as important as mine,” your husband adds. “Having a child at this time could put her back immensely after all the hard work she’s put in. If she wants to wait, nobody should have a say in that other than her.”

With every word coming out of Chenle’s mouth, he gets more and more attractive to you. You wish today had been a simple morning, truly. One where you’d wake up with him next to you and he’d hold you for however long the two of you could stand to stay still for.

“You should be happy we’re trying to do this properly.” You cross your arms over your chest.

“Love is a waste of time in a business arrangement.” Your father sets his empty water glass on the table.

“I agree. It’s better to get the obligations out of the way first, and then worry about trying to create something real,” Chenle’s father agrees.

“Right, because that worked out so well for you,” Chenle says.

Today was going to be a long, long day.

Your parents and in-laws stayed for another hour, and then they (thankfully) willingly left on their own accord. As soon as Chenle closes the door behind his parents, you sigh in relief and slump your back against the counter. He approaches you without a word, and almost like it’s instinct, you wrap your arms around him. Running his fingers through your hair, he holds you as close as he can.

“I’m sorry my parents implied you’re impotent,” you mutter, and you and Chenle burst into laughter at the same time.

“Wow. Clearly the only two options for an explanation as to why you’re not pregnant within two months are impotency or your husband not finding you attractive. Which, for the record, neither of those are an issue.”

“Gross. But thanks, I think?” You lean back slightly to look at him and find him smiling at you.

“Just being honest. If I was impotent, I would’ve told you before we married for business purposes. And if you don’t know how attractive you are at this point, that would be one of the world’s biggest mysteries.” He pulls you to him until your chest presses against his. “But, since I was so rudely torn away from my beautiful wife this morning by our nosy, no fucking good parents dropping in like we’re fifteen years old, I wanted to thank you for last night. Since I couldn’t earlier.”

“Thank me?” You frown and tilt your head.

“I needed that. I didn’t even know it, but I needed it,” Chenle tells you.

“Of course,” you murmur. “You never have to be alone for those moments.”

“Just for those moments?” He fakes a pout. “Does that mean I have to go back to my own room?”

You give him a pointed look, and then pretend to be lost in thought momentarily. “Pretty sure that’s only when you make me mad. I guess married couples argue and then the wives send the husbands to the couch. But in this case, there’s an extra bedroom. Or twenty.”

“Can I…can I try something?” he asks, the tips of his ears turning red.

“Yeah.” You nod.

“Close your eyes,” he mutters.

If he was anyone else, you’d be asking a million questions. But this is Chenle, and you’ve grown to realize he’s exactly who he said he is. You trust him inexplicably.

“Wow,” he says. “Not even a sarcastic comment. I think I’m winning you over.”

You open one eye, push at his shoulder, and then close it again. You’re more than tempted to open them again when his hands cup your cheeks. His thumbs caress your skin, and your breath gets caught in your throat. Your heart races in anticipation as you await his next move, craving whatever it is he wants to give you. You gasp quietly when you feel his lips brush yours, and your body tenses.

“Relax,” he whispers. “It’s me.”

You don’t give him the opportunity to finish closing the distance between you two. You do it for him. Pushing yourself forward, you seal the kiss with him quickly, wrapping your arms around his shoulders to keep him close to you. He curses against you, and you follow suit when he wraps his arm around your waist and lifts you onto the counter. For a brief moment, he pulls away from you, chest heaving as he pants.

“Chenle.” You hate that it comes out as a whimper, but you love the way he reacts to it.

He kisses you again, harder this time while one of his hands tangles in your hair and the other sits on your thigh where the hem of your dress is. Instinctively, to make your dress ride up your legs more, you lift one and hike it up around his waist. The fabric slips past his fingertips, now resting much higher than it was before. You pull him closer until he’s right up against the lace of your panties.

“Fuck,” he curses lowly, digging his nails into your skin. “You’d better think this through, darling.”

A shiver runs down your spine, but heat floods your core. You need him.

“Please,” you whisper to him, watching as his eyes darken right in front of you. When you let your hand travel down his body, you smirk at how his length hardens further beneath your touch.

“Shit.” His hips unintentionally thrust into your hand. “Fuck, we should stop.”

You drop your head against his shoulder, retracting your hand away from him. “Well, impotency definitely won’t be a problem.”

He kisses up your neck. “Sorry. I don’t want to get carried away. Or even more carried away, I guess.”

“Look at me.” You wait for him to listen to you. “You don’t have to hold back if you don’t want to. Your desires are just as important as mine.”

“Before we…do anything, I need to make sure I have condoms.” He clears his throat and removes your leg from around his waist.

“Wait, what?” You frown and lean away from him. “What do we need those for?”

“Are you serious?” He takes a step back.

“Well, yeah. We’re married. We need to have children, why would we use condoms?” You run your fingers through your hair.

He sighs and runs his hands down his face. “We talked about this. I was under the impression that we were figuring this out first and then worrying about how and when we’d have children.”

“We can’t do both at the same time?”

“Did you ever think that maybe I don’t want kids yet?” He tilts his head at you and narrows his eyes. “Yes, I understand that’s part of the deal and why we’re even married in the first place, but I don’t want to even risk having kids if I don’t know it’s really me you want.”

Embarrassment floods through you, and you slide off the counter and send him back a few more paces. You pull your dress down and grimace at the thought of being in a position like that.

“After everything we’ve talked about and the time we’ve spent together, you really think that’s not true? You think I don’t want you?”

“Honestly? I don’t know. All of this is confusing. And then our parents are here pressuring you into having a kid, and you’re—”

“Oh, my God.” Your jaw drops, and you brush off your skirt. “You’re literally the one who kissed me. And then you put me on—God forbid I ask a simple question, right? That must mean I’m trying to jump your bones to get my way.”

“(Y/N), that’s not what I said—”

“Maybe not, but that’s sure as hell what you meant. And here I am, like a fucking idiot, letting you touch me when you think that fucking low of me.” You clench your fists at your side, and you’re unaccustomed to the way your heart twists so hard in your chest. “God, fuck you.”

You turn away from him and stomp off, painfully aware of your over-exaggeration. The logical side of you begs you to calm down, since both of your concerns are valid, but the side of you you’re experiencing for the first time is stronger than what you’re accustomed to. When you make it upstairs and to your room, you sit on the edge of the bed and force yourself to breathe. Chenle’s assumption hurt you. It’s as simple as that. You’ve let yourself like him, and now he has this power over you. With a simple miscommunication, it feels like everything is falling apart before it even begins.

You blink rapidly to stop the tears from welling in your eyes, and eventually, you’re more annoyed by your reaction than by the actual situation. The door creaks open, and Chenle walking in makes relief flood through your veins. He moves over to you and sits down next to you, reaching over to grab your hand.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

You nod and lean into his chest, craving his comfort. He sighs, wraps his arms around you tightly, and strokes your hair. With your ear pressed against him, you hear how his heart beats just as hard as yours.

“I think we both got a little carried away there,” he murmurs.

“Yeah,” you agree. “I’m sorry. I don’t even know why I got so upset.”

“I’m sorry, too.” He kisses the top of your head. “It’s never my intention to hurt you. Or to make you regret anything we do.”

You sit there in silence, appreciating the comfort he gives you simply by being next to you.

“I was…I don’t know. Embarrassed, I think.” You chuckle at yourself, but you don’t find it funny at all. “That you would think I’d just…do that without being truthful to you. I’ve had a lot of men assume things about me throughout my entire life. Because of my success, it’s either from my father handing it to me or because I slept my way to the top. So, I’m sure you can see why I had trouble comprehending that as anything else.”

“And I hope you know that’s not what I was thinking at all. I know how much of an influence your parents have had on you. All I ever want to do is make sure you’re making your choices for you. I never communicated that I would want to use condoms if we started sleeping together because I didn’t really assume we’d get there.” He squeezes you closer to him and takes a deep breath.

“I’m also sorry for yelling at you.” You scrunch your nose up and look at him. “That was…really weird.”

“Weird?” A small smile pulls at his lips.

“I’ve never felt anything like that before. And it’s scary that you have that kind of power over me, even if I know you wouldn’t use it against me intentionally.”

“Learning how to manage those feelings will come with the territory. Have some faith in me, alright? I’m not saying things just to bring you down.” He tilts your head up, his gaze scanning over your face. “I want you to be happy. Obviously, bonus points if I’m a part of that happiness.”

“You are.”

“Good. You deserve only good things in life, and I need to make sure you get them.”

He leans down and presses his lips to yours, gently working your mouths together. You sigh into him and tangle your fingers in his hair. Everything about this feels good. It has warmth spreading in your chest from knowing someone in this world cares for you beyond what you can give them. You know he wants you, but you also know he’s going to have your best interest in mind.

He breaks the kiss and rests his forehead against yours. “We’ll learn each other, darling. Everything will work out the way it’s meant to.”

Whether intentionally or not, you and Chenle keep your distance from each other for a couple days. Today, however, you’ve no choice but to be around each other later for the board meeting, where they’ll vote on the CFO position. And your COO position, but Chenle made it very clear that the vote was simply a formality. You choose a black dress, zip it up, put your earrings in, and head downstairs, where your husband waits for you by the door. He looks at you as you stop on the bottom step, a loud clack coming from your heel.

“Yes?” You tilt your head at him.

“Are those earrings new?” He buttons his suit jacket.

“Not new.” You shake your head. “I just haven’t worn them since we married.”

“Right.” He walks over to you and offers you his arm. “Do you like receiving new things?”

You loop yours through his and allow him to guide you toward the door. “I guess that would depend on the context of receiving.”

“If I buy things for you, will they be well received?” he asks.

“You think you know me well enough to buy me things I’d enjoy?” You bite back a smile as he leads you outside and to the car.

With his hand on the small of your back, he helps you into the backseat before following. “I think I’d figure it out fairly quickly. I’m a smart man.”

“They…would be received. Maybe not well, but received nonetheless.”

He chuckles and shakes his head, relaxing against the seat. “You’re something else, you know that?”

“I can’t make it too easy for you.” You purse your lips, and without much thought, you scoot closer to him and place your hand on his.

“I don’t think easy is the right word for most things when it comes to you.” He laughs, turning his smile toward you.

“Most things?”

“Being with you is easy. Or around you, I should say. You’re pleasant company. Easy to have an intellectual conversation with, easy to relax around. Those are the easy things.”

“Wow.” You bite back your grin. “You sure know how to woo a woman.”

“Not just any woman,” he interjects. “My wife.”

“Your wife.” It’s the first time you’ve called yourself that out loud, and it has a weird, unrecognizable feeling sprouting in your stomach.

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but it seems like you’re coming around a little bit.” He nudges you gently. “I’m not sure how it’s possible, but I’ve missed you the past few days. After the other day, I wanted to give you space in case you didn’t want to see me, but I should’ve thought to ask you.”

He stares down at where your hands are connected, his thumb rubbing against your skin.

You fight the urge to touch his face again. “I…I’ve missed you, too, I think.”

“You think?” Humor laces in his tone.

“I don’t know. I’ve never wanted to be around someone like this before.” You shrug, heat gathering in your cheeks. “Forgive me while I navigate whatever’s going on inside my brain.”

“I want to know everything you’re thinking,” he murmurs, brushing your hair behind your ear. “Every joke, unimportant sentence, emotion, process. I want to know you.”

You lean forward and press your lips to his without a single thought in your head, but he reciprocates with ease. Almost as if he’s not taken off-guard in the slightest.

“I could get used to that,” he says against your lips. “No more silence, okay? I don’t want to be away from you.”

“No more silence,” you agree.

When the two of you pull away from each other, your eyes widen at the sight of your lipstick on his lips. You grab his arm to stop him from getting out of the car and use your thumb to wipe the excess away.

“Made a mess, did you?” He grabs your wrist to stop you. “You don’t want anyone to see that you like me that much?”

A grin follows his words, and he grabs his handkerchief out of his pocket.

“No one can know I actually have a heart,” you interject, watching as he wipes his mouth.

“Alright.” He puts his hand on your knee and squeezes. “Are you ready?”

If there’s one thing you know for sure, it’s the overwhelming attraction you have for Chenle. You take him in for a moment, the dark sweep of his hair parted to reveal his forehead, the way he grips you, the way he watches you as if you’re the only person in the world to exist.

“Before we go,” you start, chuckling quietly at yourself for the question you’re about to ask him. “Did…did you ever get condoms?”

His lips part in shock, and he blinks and flounders for words for a solid few seconds before he clears his throat. “I…I mean, I did, but not because I thought we would—it was just a precaution, you know?”

“Do I make you, Zhong Chenle, so nervous that you’re stuttering right now?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” He pats your thigh. “Absolutely, you do.”

You silently thank whoever made this car for the partition between the driver and you and Chenle. “I could do so many other things to you that are so much better.” You gently touch his tie, wrapping your fingers around the fabric and pulling on it to bring him closer to you.

“I truly have no doubt that’s true.” He wets his lips. “If we don’t get out of this car in the next ten seconds, I’m having the driver fucking turn us around. We can’t miss the vote.”

“I guess receiving the title of COO is a little more important than banging my husband.”

“Fuck, I need to get out right now.” He glances up at the ceiling and throws the door open without any more hesitation. Like usual, he turns and offers you his hand.

You take it gratefully, and you loop your arm through his once your feet are safely on the ground. While you follow his lead, you realize something that has the gears in your brain turning. Chenle is the only man you’ve ever accepted guidance from. As miniscule as it seems to allow him to walk you inside, you can’t deny how you’d willingly follow him wherever he may go.

The vote does go off without a hitch, and not even half an hour after you receive your title, you’re in an office plugging away at whatever work needs to be done. Unfortunately, you’re awfully distracted by the thought of Chenle by himself down the hall. A knock on the glass door jolts you out of your thoughts. You see Jeno standing there with a file in his hands. You beckon for him to come in, and he gestures at the seat as if to ask you if he can sit.

“Please.” You nod, folding your hands together. “Did you need something?”

The man hands you the file. “We were able to trace the owner of the bank account, and an address associated with it. I…I figured it’d be best to leave this information with you, given that this could be sensitive information.”

You open it, glancing through the charges. “It started with a different bank account and name.”

“It did. Payments were originally made to a Liu Shuye, and just over two years ago, the bank account switched to a Liu Sujia.” Jeno pauses and takes a deep breath. “I think it’d be better for you to do this portion of it on your own.”

“They have different surnames.” You tap your pen on your desk. “And you’ve never heard of this person before today?”

“Not once.”

“Very well.” You sigh and close the folder, gaze meeting Jeno’s. “Thank you. I’ll look into this further and determine at what point Chenle needs to be involved. For now, Jeno, keep this between us.”

“Of course.” Jeno nods and stands. With a quick bow of his head, he moves to the door. “He’s a good man, (Y/N). Chenle, I mean. But he feels too easily, so tread carefully with whatever you find.”

“I will.”

Once Jeno departs, you cross your arms over your chest and stare down at the information delivered. These payments were made for years, so you’re unsure of how this could relate to Chenle in specific, but you feel an overwhelming resolve to make sure whatever this is doesn’t hurt him.

Chenle came to get you from your office at almost 7pm. He refused to let you work any longer and insisted he had to take you home. Your mind has been turning since Jeno brought you the documents, but you leave them buried in your desk and lay your head on Chenle’s shoulder for the duration of the car ride home. Once you're inside the house, Chenle takes your jacket off your shoulders and hangs it. You turn to him and grab his hand.

“Come to bed with me?” you ask.

“Of course.” He gives you the softest smile, and as you walk up the stairs, he follows closely behind you.

The two of you step inside his room. Chenle closes the door and then wraps his arms around your waist and tugs your back to his chest. He buries his head in your neck, a hum escaping past his lips.

“Are you tired?” you ask him, reaching up to play with his hair.

“No,” he mumbles. “I just want to be close to you. It’s been a long day, and you make me feel better.”

“Is that so?” You face him and tilt your head.

“I was scared to fall for you, too,” he whispers. “For anyone, but especially you. I know the reasons we’re here are vastly different from a conventional marriage, but I already wanted you before all of this.”

Your heart thuds in your chest as you realize his use of past tense. He was scared. Does that mean he already has fallen for you?

“C’mere,” you mutter. “We can be closer.”

“Are you sure?” He cups your cheeks, thumbing your skin. “I know we’ve gone back and forth a couple times, but I need you to know you don’t have to do anything for me. Ever.”

“Kiss me, Chenle.”

All events of the day are forgotten as soon as his lips are on yours. His hands explore along your back, fingers clenching onto the fabric of your dress as he inhales shakily. When he pulls away, it’s only for a second, as if he can’t stop himself from going back for more.

“Please tell me this means something to you.” He gulps, his words punctuated by kisses as he turns you around and walks you backward. “That I’m not crazy for wanting you the way I do.”

As the back of your knees make contact with the bed, you grip onto his shoulders, breathless from the passion behind his kiss. “You’re not crazy. It’s terrifying how fast you’ve become all I think about. Your smile and your laugh and the passion you carry. This means everything to me.”

His eyes sparkle in the lamp-lit room, a warmth dancing around in them you’ve never seen from anyone before. He finds the zipper of your dress, slowly pulling it down.

“I hope you truly know how fucking exquisite you are,” Chenle murmurs, removing the fabric from your body and returning his touch to your back to explore your bare skin. “I don’t want to fight these feelings anymore.”

“Do something about it, then.”

The heat radiating from him keeps the chill of the air in the room off of your skin, and after he guides your back down on the mattress, he haphazardly tosses his suit jacket away. You scoot back to give him more space, and he climbs on top of you. You part your legs further, nearly gasping when he takes his spot between them, pressing against you as if he were made to fill that space. As he takes your lips with his own, you work on the buttons of his shirt. Your hands shake, making it difficult, but he doesn’t mention it. He keeps kissing you like he’ll die of thirst the second he pulls away.

You finally get the last one, and he sits up briefly to rid himself of the extra material. Before it’s even completely removed, you reach down for his belt. He stares at your hands as you unbuckle it, but you don’t have time to slide it off him. When his mouth crashes into yours again, you lift your hips up.

A quiet, needy sigh passes through his lips. “God, I fucking need you so bad.”

“I’m yours,” you tell him. “Show me how much you need me.”

He grinds down against you, and his hard length slides against the wet spot in your lace panties. That time, you do gasp. It’s been much too long since you allowed yourself pleasure by another’s hand, and you crave that closeness with Chenle.

“Can I touch you?” he asks, voice rough.

“Please.” You nod. “Touch me wherever you want.”

He curses under his breath, but he presses his lips to yours once more, then along your jawline, down your neck, and paying attention to the valley between your breasts. He squeezes the right one, rubbing his thumb against your nipple through the somewhat thick material.

“You’re so fucking pretty.” He nips at your skin, and you already know he’ll leave marks on you. Pausing, he takes a deep breath. “You—you’ve done this before, right?”

“Done what?”

“Sex.”

“I have. Why?”

“No, I just…you said you’d never been in love before and I didn’t want to just assume that you—”

“Just keep going.” You blush, but he listens to your command without hesitation.

When his mouth continues downward, leaving a trail of his saliva on your stomach until he reaches the hem of your panties. He tongues along the band, his eyes flicking up to yours.

“Good God,” you whisper, the urge between your legs becoming far too much for comfort. “What are you doing?”

“Getting my fill.” He leaves open-mouthed kisses along your inner thighs.

When his thumb brushes your clit through your panties, your hips jolt. You curse, grasping onto the sheets as you prepare yourself for whatever he has planned. He smirks at your reaction, and as he pulls at your underwear, you lift up to urge him to move faster. He wraps his arms around your legs, his hands pressing your hips down into the mattress. Even though he opens his mouth to speak to you, his eyes don’t leave your glistening core.

“You can stop me if you change your mind. Just tell me.” He gulps, wetting his lips like he’s struggling to hold back.

“I won’t change my mind,” you reassure him.

“But you need to know it’s always an option.” He squeezes you gently, and without awaiting your response, he slides his tongue from your entrance to your clit.

No matter how embarrassing it is, you can’t stop the whimper escaping you. His tongue flicks your clit one, two, three times as he digs his nails into your skin. Pleasure isn’t entirely foreign to you, but you’re sure it’s the way your soul has begun craving Chenle’s that makes this so much better than anything else you’ve experienced. His grip on you keeps you from squirming too much, but you try regardless. As he steadily moves over your clit, your back arches off the mattress. Whines leave your mouth as you run your fingers through Chenle’s hair in encouragement.

He takes your sensitive bud into his mouth, sucking to add pressure, only to release it and start all over again. You lift yourself on your elbows to watch him, all while practically pushing his head further between your legs. His eyes are closed, and seeing his lips work on your core has to be one of the most erotic things you’ve ever witnessed.

“You taste so fucking good,” he groans, the vibrations against your entrance sending shivers up and down your spine.

You feel yourself approaching the edge. Your body tenses, but your high won’t take you. Cursing quietly, you lift your hips in an attempt to figure out why the hell you can’t get out of your head. Chenle pulls away from your core, pressing kisses to your inner thigh. “Relax, darling. It doesn’t matter how long it takes.”

“Please just…” You drop your head back on the mattress and let out a defeated breath. “I want all of you.”

He leans over to the bedside table and grabs a condom, trailing his lips up your body once more until he reaches your neck. His teeth graze your skin. “You can trust me, (Y/N). I’ll take care of you.”

“I do,” you mutter, running your fingers through his hair. “I swear I do.”

“It’s not me you have to convince.” He nips your collarbone. “We don’t have to keep going if you’re not ready.”

You shake your head. “I’m ready. I want you.”

“Okay.” He nods, pulling back to meet your gaze. His features are soft, nothing short of adoration in his eyes. “Try not to think about it too much. Just feel.”

“I’ve never been good at that.” You chuckle and grin at him.

“I’ll show you how, baby. I’ve got you.”

You crane upwards to kiss him, and he meets you in the middle. Tasting yourself on his tongue has you sighing into him, and you push at his pants in hopes that he’ll take the hint. He pauses to rid himself of the rest of his clothing, and then slides his hands beneath you to unclasp your bra. You arch your back to give him more space, and soon enough, nothing separates you from your husband anymore.

“You’re sure?” he asks you again, grabbing the wrapper once more.

“I want you,” you confirm.

Despite the confidence you usually feel, something here feels more…vulnerable than you’ve ever been. Your heart flutters in your chest as he opens the condom and slides it on, and you spread your legs further as he climbs over you again. No man has ever made you nervous before, even in similar situations, but something with him is different. You care about him. You want him to feel good, too, and you crave his promises of taking care of you.

“Need you to relax,” he whispers, peppering kisses on your jawline as he lines himself up with your soaked entrance. “Close your eyes, darling, just let yourself feel.”

You tilt your head back to give him better access to your neck, and you listen to him. Through the darkness, you see the world you drew on his ceiling, the one with beautiful landscapes, overarching mountains, fresh, clean streams, and you sigh in content. The middle of the map, the location you craved to be in, is right here. With him. His breath catches in his throat as he slides inside you, his length stretching you. He gulps and rests his head on your shoulder as he attempts to steady himself. You tangle your fingers in his hair, combing through the midnight strands. After both of you calm down from the initial overwhelming movement, you wrap your legs around his waist and lock your ankles together, tugging him up to kiss you. His lips work softly on yours, and he slowly grinds against you. He pulls out until only the tip is inside, and as he pushes back in, he moans into your mouth. Your body shudders at the sound.

“Tell me how it feels,” he says, chest pressed to yours. “How do I make you feel?”

“Chenle, I—” You blush despite the situation.

“You don’t have to be shy with me, baby. Let me help you.” He repeats his previous movement, and you watch as his eyes flutter from the pleasure. “I can tell you how it feels for me.”

You nod. “Please.”

The pace he sets is slow but has electricity coursing through your veins anyway. He continues to pull out almost all the way, just to allow you to experience the entirety of his length rubbing against your inner walls.

He gulps, pressing his lips to your ear. “You’re divine, darling. You’re squeezing me so tight, I could stay here forever. It’s like you were fucking made for me, soaked and so fucking warm, baby, you take me so well.”

Everything he does is like a lightning strike, every fiber in your muscles breaking down as you yearn for this completion. You know you’ll never be able to stay away from him. Even if you don’t finish, this journey is just as good as the destination.

“Feels like I’m on fire,” you whisper. Thankfully, your eyes are closed, or he’d see them roll back. “You’re everywhere and it’s still not enough.”

He picks up his pace a bit, and a moan tumbles from your lips. He holds himself up on one of his elbows, his other hand gripping your thigh.

“That’s it.” He kisses you, gently biting at your bottom lip as he pulls away. “I could never have enough of you. Need you always. Forever.”

Your heart thuds against your ribcage, and despite the pleasure clouding your brain, you allow those words to sink in through your skin and bones, deeper still until they reach your soul. There, they repeat over and over again until they’re permanently tattooed upon every recognizable piece of yourself. The hand on your thigh skirts downwards, his palm pressing on your abdomen as his thumb brushes your clit. You jolt and whine, digging your nails into his shoulders. He curses, but doesn’t let up. As the knot forms in your stomach, you open your eyes to watch Chenle, his face scrunched in pleasure as your walls flutter around him as your high approaches. He doesn’t look away from you, and as you lift your hips to match his thrusts, his fist clenches the sheets next to your head.

“So fucking wet,” he groans, his thumb never faltering in pace as he rocks his hips against yours. “You’re so perfect, darling. Gonna let me feel you cum?”

Between the slide of his length inside you and the pressure on your sensitive bud, you’re dazed at best. You nod, gripping onto him.

“I’m so close,” you whimper. “God, I want it so bad.”

Chenle adjusts his hips, and the next time he thrusts in, he hits a spot that has you seeing stars. You’ve never unraveled like this before, but your body shakes as overwhelming pleasure takes over, your vision spotting as you cry out and grip onto your husband. Your toes curl as he quickens his pace, and it doesn’t take much longer for him to press himself as deep as he can to finish in the condom. His body slumps on top of yours, his chest heaving as he presses his lips across your hot skin.

“(Y/N)...” he says between pants. “Oh, my God.”

You let out a breathless giggle. “I didn’t do any of the work.”

“Promise you, just you being here is more than enough for me.” He kisses your cheek and gently removes your legs from his waist. “I’ll be right back.”

You stop yourself from whining at the loss of him inside you, but as he goes to dispose of the condom, you get yourself clothes to put on. You slide a new pair of panties on before setting your silk pajama set on the bed.

Chenle’s arm wraps around your waist, and he presses his back to your chest. “What are you doing?”

“Getting dressed.” You chuckle. “What should I be doing?”

“Absolutely nothing.” He presses a kiss to the base of your neck. “Supposed to be naked in bed and waiting for me.”

“Ah, is that so?” You pretend to be in thought, tapping your fingers on his wrist.

“Mhm. Don’t you know bare skin-to-skin contact promotes good bonding?” He pulls you away from the foot of the bed and guides you back to where he left you. “Bet you’ll sleep better, too.”

The two of you climb into bed together, and despite the way your internal temperature is much too high, you still thrive in the extra warmth of his embrace. You rest your head on his chest, his nails gently scratching up and down your back. He falls asleep first, his steady breathing nearly lulling you as well. You adjust your head on the pillow so you can see the softness of his features, and you allow yourself to reach up and trace along his cheekbone. If anyone had asked you at the beginning if you’d ever thought a moment as intimate as this were possible, you’d quickly tell them no. There was no way you’d ever let yourself be so vulnerable with anyone. Especially not someone who has no obligations to you other than legally marrying you.

But this is more. It’s so much more than a business arrangement, and maybe a part of you has always known that. It wasn’t hating him you were scared of, but loving him.

But here you are. And you’re long past falling.

Your morning is unfortunately hectic in the wake of the events of last night. Of course, you should’ve expected moments of relaxation in your marriage to be nearly non-existent, but neither you nor Chenle wanted to get out of bed. Despite that, today you planned on going to the address listed on the bank account. You roped Jisung in, even though he didn’t know all the details. He’s your cousin, after all, and he wasn’t going to let you do anything potentially dangerous on your own. Although, you’re not sure he could do anything in a ‘dangerous’ situation anyway. He may be physically giant, but he truly acted like a teddy bear.

You and Jisung sit in the backseat while the driver takes you to the house, and you’re flipping through a binder of papers while Jisung is on his phone.

“You know.” He pauses, waiting for your attention. “I stopped by your house last night.”

You turn to him and frown. “You did? How come I didn’t see you?”

“When I arrived, the staff said it would be best not to interrupt you at the time. They didn’t really say why, but I can only imagine. Either you and Chenle were in the process of murdering each other, or you guys are really going all in on the heir making.”

Your face heats up and you scratch your head. “I—I took your advice, is all. We’re kind of trying to figure things out, I think.”

“Uh huh. So the turtleneck isn’t a strategic move?”

“Park Jisung!” You push his shoulder. “You can’t just say stuff like that.”

“No, of course not.” He bites back his teasing grin. “I’m just saying, it’s good that you’re opening up to him. You guys are pretty much stuck together, so you should at least try to make the best of things.”

“But yes, we are certainly…making the best of things.” You grin to yourself and focus back on your binder.

“So, I can stop hearing your dad complain about no heir news soon?” He rolls his eyes. “That man is truly insufferable.”

You shake your head. “Can’t say the possibility is zero, but we used protection, so probably not. And yes, my father is insufferable. When he came over last time, he implied Chenle was impotent in front of both of his parents.”

“I’m shocked by both—why not try for pregnancy if you’re already sleeping together? And why would you not being pregnant after two months mean Chenle’s impotent?”

“You just live for drama, don’t you?” You quirk an eyebrow at him. “My husband would prefer to only have a family if it’s a real one. Meaning we would love each other. And I don’t question my father’s logic. I’m not sure how he got as far as he has in business when he lacks so much common sense. Like I’m a breeding mule or something.”

“Huh.” Jisung pauses and slumps back against his seat. “Aren’t you lucky?”

“Luck has nothing to do with it, Andy. None of this is short of hard work.”

Your driver opens the door, and before Jisung can respond, you’re stepping onto the sidewalk. The house in front of you is in a suburb, an exact replica of everything else around it. It’s not remarkable by any means. For someone making over half a million dollars every year, they sure do still live modestly.

“Don’t say a word,” you warn Jisung. “I’ll handle this.”

“Considering I have no idea what’s going on, I will happily let that happen.”

You stop at the front door, knocking three times. Standing completely rigid, you wait for anyone to answer. Once it opens, you’re confronted by a surprised woman. Her hair is long and black, reaching the center of her back. Brown eyes widen in shock.

“You can’t be here.” She moves to shut the door, but Jisung stops it over your shoulder.

“I’m—”

“You’re Chenle’s wife. I know who you are.” Her jaw tightens. “You need to go.”

“Unfortunately, that’s not an option. I’m here on company business, because apparently someone decided sending $143,000 a quarter to your bank account was acceptable. You can let me in, or we can make a spectacle out here. It’s your choice.”

The woman, who can’t be too far from your age, blinks through her frustration and opens the door wider for you to step inside. You do, and she gestures to the couch.

“Have a seat. I’ll grab us all some water.” She exits the room, and you and Jisung sit down on the couch.

Despite you being resilient in hiding your nerves from people, Jisung is able to read you like a book. “Don’t jump to conclusions,” Jisung warns you quietly. “You have no idea what’s going on.”

“Right. Only her being familiar enough with my husband to only use his first name. Not a big deal at all.” You clench your fists together.

“You said he had no idea about the payments.”

“Doesn’t mean he doesn’t know her.” You shake your head. “He has no idea I’m here.”

Movement catches your attention, and you see eyes peeking around the corner. Your jaw drops before you can stop yourself, and then the small child steps into the open. You grasp onto Jisung’s sleeve, and those conclusions he told you not to jump to? Yeah, you dive into them.

“Who are you?” he asks. He can’t be more than four, and he looks achingly familiar.

“Jisung,” you whisper.

Jisung leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’m Jisung. Who are you?”

“My name is Yichen.” He walks over and sits on the coffee table in front of you and your cousin. “I’m almost five.”

“Wow,” Jisung feigns surprise. “You’re getting so old.”

“That’s what my mommy says, too.” He scrunches up his face.

You’re struggling to breathe at this point, and that’s when Sujia decides to come back. She curses under her breath the second she recognizes her child in the room, and she quickly sets the glasses of water down before shooing him back up the stairs. You’re suddenly, painfully aware of Chenle telling you he’s been in love before. Of knowing there are women out there he’s wanted in the same way he’s sure he wants you.

“I think I’m going to puke,” you whisper to Jisung, careful not to let Sujia hear. “You don’t think…?”

Before Jisung can confirm or deny whether your suspicions are valid, Sujia sits across from you on the couch. The first thing you do is look for a ring on her finger, and when you don’t find one, you feel an unmistakable lump form in your throat.

“Why are you here?” she asks. “I’ve done everything I was supposed to. I haven’t told anyone anything, and my son and I are peacefully living far away from everything.”

“That’s the issue. I haven’t the faintest clue who you struck some sort of deal with for this money, nor do I know why. And if you want the payments to continue, you’ll tell me everything.”

“Is there something in specific you’d like to ask?” She frowns.

“What makes you say that?”

“You suddenly look like you’re ready to rip my throat out,” Sujia retorts.

“The child. Is he Chenle’s?” you blurt out before you can stop yourself.

Sujia visibly recoils, eyes widening as she glances between you and Jisung. “You…Are you joking? Of course not. Chenle—dear God, Chenle’s my brother.”

You swear your life flashed before your eyes, and as you drop your head into your hands, you let out a shaky sigh of relief. Your heart still races, but it starts to slow at the news that your husband doesn’t have a secret child.

“I’m sorry, your brother?” Jisung asks. “I wasn’t aware Chenle had any siblings.”

“No one is. That’s why we’re receiving the payments.” She pauses, wetting her lips. “Chenle’s father—our father—met my mother many years ago. I see him quite often, and he’s aware he has a grandchild. I figured he never told Chenle, and this confirms my suspicions. Considering his parents never divorced, I can only assume it’s because she is also unaware.”

“He recently became aware of the payments.” Because of you. “And quite honestly, I don’t think this news will sit well with him.”

“Don’t.” Sujia shakes her head frantically. “Don’t tell him. We…We need that money, okay? And he has full power to take it away from us.”

“Do you know anything about him?” you ask her.

“Just what our father told me.”

“Chenle is exponentially kind. He’d never simply cut ties and leave you to struggle. It’s not like you lied to him by choice.” You take a deep breath and brush your skirt off. “He’s the best man I know. And for that reason, I could never intentionally keep this from him. I’m sorry.”

“I understand.” Sujia runs her tongue along her teeth.

“And on the off chance he doesn’t continue payments, I will personally make sure you’re okay.”

“You actually care about him.” She tilts her head at you.

“It’s hard not to care for someone like him.” You stand up. “I’m sorry for taking up so much of your time. And for thinking your child was my husband’s. Thank you for talking to me. Can we exchange numbers? I can keep you updated on how things go.”

You make haste of retrieving her number, and then you and Jisung leave the house. Once you're back in the car, you let out a long, pent up breath. You tug your fingers through your hair and curse quietly.

“Are you okay?” Jisung asks.

“Honestly? I’m okay now that I know this isn’t Chenle’s fuck up.” You nod. “I think I need to pay his father a visit.”

“You’re going to confront…his father?”

“I’m going to confirm the story, obviously. And if it’s true, I’m going to tell him what an incredible fuck up he is.” You turn off the emotions switch, your face going stone cold. “Chenle looks up to that prick.”

When you arrive at his parents’ house, you’re greeted by staff and Chenle’s mother. Jisung opts to stay in the car, and his mother rushes to bring you further into the house.

“Ah, (Y/N), what a pleasant surprise.”

Not if she doesn’t know about the secret child.

“What brings you here?” she asks.

“Chenle requested I bring these files for his father. Is he here?” You smile at her.

“Of course. He’s in his office. It’s down the hall, all the way to the back on the right.” She pats your shoulder.

You bow your head to her in thanks, and then you make your way down the hall. Knocking once, you await his confirmation to walk in. He sits behind the giant desk, glasses hanging on the edge of his nose. You note a lot of Chenle’s features come from him, but you can’t believe how vastly different they truly are.

“(Y/N).” He leans back on his chair. “Was I expecting you?”

“No.” You approach him and drop the paper with her bank account information on it. “Liu Sujia.”

His eyes widen, barely noticeably, and he looks at you. “Where did you hear that name?”

“Did you think no one would notice payments that high to a random bank account? From the company?”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about. A bank account means nothing. You can’t even be sure I was the one facilitating such payments. Chenle has been CEO for years now, so it’s been under his nose, too—”

“I don’t need your excuses. Or your explanations. You’re not my father, and quite frankly, I don’t care about the state of your family.” You glare at the man in front of you. “But I also spoke with Ms. Liu. She has a child. Your grandson, and Chenle’s nephew. You think he doesn’t deserve to know?”

“If you don’t care about the state of my family, why are you doing this now?”

“Because I care about my family. And the second Chenle married me, he became part of it. And while you may not love your son, I do. I won’t let you lie to him.” The words fall right out without a second thought, and you fight the embarrassment of admitting your feelings to his father before Chenle.

“So, why come here? Why not go right to Chenle?”

“I’m sure he will have his own things to say to you later. I wanted the chance to let you know, objectively, what a selfish asshole you are. Your son idolizes you for the life you built for him. For showing him that a man can be loyal to a wife he may not love, if not for his child’s sake. But you weren’t. Everything he respects you for is a lie, and you’re despicable for being okay with that.”

“How dare you come into my home and talk to me this way?” His eyebrows furrow in anger, and he leans forward, but you don’t even flinch.

“I don’t fear you,” you hiss at him. “You are human, just like everyone else. If you deserve to be scolded like a child, I have no problem being the only one with enough balls to do it. If you lose Chenle because of this, I hope you lie in your fucking grave. I’ll pay people to dance on it.”

You turn your back on him, throwing the door open and stomping down the hallway before you give him the opportunity to say anything else. Sending a smile towards Chenle’s mother, you nod once at her before walking back outside to your car.

Gaining the courage to tell Chenle takes much longer than you’d like. You get back to your office, finding Chenle waiting for you. He smiles at you, one of his genuine, happy ones, and presses a quick kiss to your lips as you approach him.

“I never thought I’d find a time where the CEO’s not busy,” you tease him. “What are you doing here?”

“I figured we could take a break and go get some lunch.” He tugs you closer. “It’s been a long day, and all I want is to be with my wife. Is that so wrong?”

You purse your lips and tilt your head. “Wrong? No. Crazy? Maybe a smidge.”

“Wow, you just called me crazy. That hurt.” He chuckles.

“How about we just order something and eat it here?” you ask. “I have a bunch of stuff to do, but I would love for you to be with me.”

“Of course. What did you want to eat? I’ll tell the secretary to order it.”

“Whatever you’re thinking is good,” you tell him, leaning back on your desk. “I’m not too picky.”

“I’ll be right back.” He kisses your cheek, and when he closes the door behind him, you let out a sigh. It feels like you’re lying to him now, but you couldn’t drop something huge like that on him now.

Not when he was looking at you with such affection. What if you telling him this makes him hate you, too?

When he comes back, he sits across from you and rests his head on his palm. “Are you okay?”

“Huh?” You frown at him. “What do you mean?”

“You’re just acting…different, I don’t know. Is this about last night? Did I do something wrong?” His forehead creases with worry, and your heart sinks in your chest.

“No, no, last night was good. I really liked last night.” You try to fight off the embarrassment at your words, but it doesn’t work very well. The tips of your ears burn.

“Okay.” He reaches across the desk and grabs your hand. “You don’t have to tell me what’s going on. As long as I’m not the one making you feel that way, I can wait until you want to talk about it.”

“Chenle,” you whisper, squeezing him. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being you.” You glance down. “For not being what I expected.”

“I want to take care of you. Not because I think you can’t, but because I want to. I can be a safe space for you, and I’d never do anything to harm that image.”

You stand up and walk over to him, grabbing both of his hands. “I think I might be able to let you do that.”

“I don’t know if I’ve ever told you this.” He pulls you closer until you’re straddling his lap. “You amaze me every day.”

“We’re at work,” you scold him.

“I don’t see you trying to move,” he teases, palms exploring your back. “I was kinda sad we had to rush this morning. I would’ve loved to just lay there with you for as long as possible.”

You relax on top of him, fighting a smile as you study him closely. “I need to stop wearing lipstick.”

“Why?” he asks. “Do you wanna kiss me again?”

“I want to kiss you a lot.” You nod.

“I can wipe lipstick off.”

“What if mine gets smudged?”

“Tell people to mind their business. We’re newlyweds.” He watches your expression as his hands dip down to grip your ass through your dress. “I think the newlywed era started yesterday. Because all I want to do is be with you. All over you. Inside you.”

“Jesus Christ, Chenle.” You smack his chest. “Composure.”

He grins. “C’mon. You were thinking it, too.”

“We certainly can’t do it here,” you tell him.

“It’s my building.”

You give him a pointed look. “I’m trying to get your employees to respect me. They won’t if they think I’m here simply because I let you screw me on the desk.”

“I gave you the position before I ever even slept with you.”

“They don’t know that.” You roll your eyes and clamber off his lap. “There actually is something I wanted to talk to you about later at home. Are you leaving at a decent time?”

“I figured we’d leave together whenever you were done. If that’s okay.” Chenle clasps his hands together in his lap.

“Perfect.”

Before you do anything else with him, you need to tell him about his father. You just hope you don’t lose your husband in the process.

You bring the binder home with you. On the car ride home, you loop your arm through Chenle’s and rest your head on his shoulder. He can sense your nervous energy and tries to soothe you with a kiss to your head. You and Chenle go upstairs, and you sit on the edge of the bed. He follows suit despite your nerves transferring into him the longer you stay silent.

“I wanted to talk to you about that charge we found.” You put your hand on his knee. “And it’s a lot, okay? So I just want you to listen to me.”

He frowns but nods in response.

“Jeno and Jisung helped me with it. Jeno found out the account belonged to a woman, and there was an address associated with it. Jisung went with me to the house, and when we got there, I met with the woman.” You pause and scratch the top of your head. “She has a little boy. He’s almost five. And to be honest, it was a possibility in my head that you might’ve…I don’t know, accidentally fathered a child, but thankfully, it wasn’t that.”

“(Y/N), who is she?”

“She’s your sister. Your half-sister, I guess.” You gulp, refusing to make eye contact with him. “And the little boy is your nephew.”

“Oh.” His voice shakes uncharacteristically, and he inhales.

“Your dad has been paying her and her mother off for years so you and your mother didn’t find out.” You close your eyes. “And she begged me not to tell you because she’s scared she’ll stop receiving her money. Which I get, honestly, but I couldn’t keep this from you. Not when I know how—”

“(Y/N), please. I need a second.” He drops his head in his palms. His jaw tightens, and he angles his gaze to the ceiling.

“Come here,” you murmur, opening your arms for him. Immediately, he melts into your grasp, resting on your chest as you stroke the top of his head. “I’m so sorry.”

He grasps the fabric of your dress in his fist as he uses you to ground himself. “The whole time I admired him for being better, he just fucking sucked?”

You can’t tell if it’s anger or sadness that makes his voice shake.

“You’re sure?”

You nod. “I’m sorry.”

“Stop saying that,” he tells you. “You didn’t do this.”

“No, I didn’t, but I love you, Chenle. I hate seeing you like this.” You and Chenle both tense up. He lifts his head to look at you, and your heart nearly shatters at the welled up tears in his eyes. You keep looking at him, more than nervous for his response.

“What?” His voice is hoarse, almost like it’s caught in his throat. “What did you say?”

“It’s not important right now, okay? I wasn’t thinking.” Your own tears form, and you try your best to blink them away. “No thinking, just feeling didn’t really work in this situation, huh?”

“You love me?” He cups your cheek and turns you to him. “Do you mean that?”

“Are you kidding me?” You scoff. “Of course, I do.”

You shouldn’t have done that now, given how overwhelmed he is, but it truly slipped out. He stares at you in shock, and when he parts his lips, a tear slips down his cheek. You shake your head, reaching forward and wiping it away with your thumb.

“Don’t cry,” you say. “This is all so much, I shouldn’t have dropped that on you like this, I’m so sorry—”

“Stop apologizing. Please.”

“I don’t ever want to hurt you.”

“Darling, at this point, you’re the only one who hasn’t.” He rests his forehead on yours. “And you…you loving me makes all of this worth it. Nobody has that power over me when I have you by my side.”

“I do. I love you.” You sniffle and hold him tighter.

“I’ve loved you since the first time I saw you walk into the room. I love you when you’re a thousand steps ahead of me, and I love you when you’re walking my pace. All the time, without fail and without reprieve.”

Every bit of oxygen is stolen right from your lungs, and all you want to do is scream and cry and punch his father in the face. Such a pathetic man doesn’t deserve a son like Chenle.

“Zhong Chenle, you’ve broken me in all the best ways. That terrible wall, the shell around my heart…I don’t want to face the world alone anymore. I need you with me.” You rub your thumbs along his cheeks, swiping up the next couple tears that fall.

“I will be better than my father. Than yours. We’ll do this the right way, okay?” He inhales sharply.

“I don’t doubt that one bit.” You lean forward and kiss his forehead. “What are you thinking? What do you want to do about all of this?”

“I’d like to meet her. My sister. And my nephew.” He chews the inside of his cheek. “She won’t have to worry about money. We’ll have to stop paying her through the company, but it’ll come out of our personal account. If that’s alright with you.”

“Somehow, I had a feeling you’d say that. Of course, that’s okay with me.”

“Can you set that up please?” he asks softly. “I honestly don’t know how, and she already knows you so…”

“You don’t have to explain. I’ll do it.” You run your fingers through his hair. “You’re the bravest person I know. Not everyone would handle it the way you are.”

“We’ll figure this out, yeah?”

“Between the two of us, there’s not a problem in this world we couldn’t solve.” You kiss the tip of his nose and stand from the bed, holding your hand out to him.

“What?”

“I was thinking we could take a bath. Help each other relax.”

He gives you a tired smile and nods. “That sounds amazing.”

You start the water and put a more-than-appropriate amount of the bubble bath liquid in it. Tying your hair up to prevent it from getting wet, you smile to yourself when you feel Chenle’s hands on your waist.

“Need some help getting this off?” He tugs on your dress.

“I might need help with everything,” you hum, letting your eyes flutter shut as he unzips your dress.

Once it's thrown across the room, you unbutton Chenle’s shirt, pushing it from his shoulders. Soon enough, both of you are beneath water and bubbles, and his arms are locked firmly around your waist. You rest against his chest, allowing the lavender scent to soothe your stress.

“Y’know what we’re missing?” you mumble. “Champagne.”

“I can have someone bring it to us. Just say the word.” He kisses your temple.

You shake your head. “We’re naked.”

“They’re professionals.” He laughs and squeezes you. “And I can have them leave it in the bedroom.”

“Right, and make sure there’s a heart made out of flower petals on the bed.” You roll your eyes.

“You can have anything you desire, (Y/N). You’re my wife. The sky’s truly the limit.” He explores your skin out of curiosity, mapping his way around your body.

You sit up and look over your shoulder at him. “You know what I want?”

He raises his eyebrows in response.

“I want it all.” You grab his hand. “I want you. The good days and the bad ones. Whatever trial comes our way, I want us to figure it out together.”

“Do you…Do you actually want children? Or is that something you feel like you have to do?” he asks.

“Honestly, I don’t know. There was a brief moment when I met Sujia and Yichen that I thought…I thought that he could’ve been yours. I mean, he looks like you a little bit, but he’s your nephew so that’s not weird. When that became a possibility in my head, it hurt. Stung, is more like it. I guess I figured that any children you’d have would be mine as well, and to think there were others you might have—”

“Darling,” he coos, tightening his grip on you. “I promise you, I do not have any secret children. Nor will I ever. You will be very, very aware of any child I have. I don’t want them if it’s not with you.” He presses a kiss to your shoulder.

“That’s good.” You nod and lean back against him once more. “We have time to think about it, right?”

“Take as much time as you need.” He takes a deep breath. “I’m not going anywhere.”

You hesitated to have Chenle meet Sujia so quickly. A week passes before you consider reaching out to her, and you know Chenle is waiting for it. She has to be too, at this point, probably worried about whether or not her money supply was going to be cut off. He has yet to confront his father, but you assume that will come with time. For now, you’re curled up next to him in bed, his heartbeat steady beneath your ear. Finally, it’s a rest day for you both, and you get to spend the whole day with him uninterrupted.

His fingers run through your hair, a deep breath passing by his lips. “Darling.”

“Hm?” You move closer to him, burying your head in his neck.

“Kiss me?”

You don’t hesitate to do as he asks, humming against his lips as the two of you connect. He shifts to his side to get closer to you, his hand trailing from your hip, down your leg, until he finds the back of your knee. Pulling your leg over his waist, he shuffles closer to you, pressing his body to yours.

“What are you doing?” you ask him, smiling.

“Loving you,” he replies easily, sliding his hand back up to your ass. The thin fabric of your shorts does little to hide the sensation of him squeezing you. You don’t mean to gasp, but you attempt to distract him by tangling your fingers in his hair.

“Tell me what you want.” You pull back to get a good look at him.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you,” he admits. “How fucking good you made me feel.”

“More.”

“You’ve been telling me you love me for a week now and I haven’t been able to hear it when I’m inside you. God, I never thought I’d be like this. It’s only been a week.” He squeezes you harder, pushing his hard length against you.

As he grinds himself slowly into your core, you curse and wrap your arms around him. “Why did you wait this long?” you ask him breathlessly.

“Didn’t wanna push you.” He kisses along your neck, nipping wherever he can reach. “Don’t want you to think this is all I want. Fucking been hard all day, darling. Every time you walked into the fucking room all week, instantly ready to bend you over.”

Your body shudders as you process his words. “Why don’t you lay back? Let me take care of you.”

“I need you so bad,” he groans. “I could cum just hearing you talk like that.”

You push him onto his back and quickly straddle him. Rolling your hips, you curse under your breath as you feel his hard length against your clit.

“Chenle,” you mutter, trailing your hands beneath his shirt. “Do you prefer ass or tits?”

“That’s an odd question.”

“You won’t regret answering.”

“Ass.”

“Perfect. Do you have a condom?” You raise your eyebrows at him.

“They’re in the bedside table—darling, I didn’t prep you yet—”

“You’re not the only one who’s needy,” you interrupt him, quickly moving to grab one of the wrappers. Before you climb on top of him again, you kiss his cheek. “You’re allowed to do whatever you want, my love. You don’t have to ask.”

You shove your shorts and panties down, and as you pull at his sweats and boxers, his fists clench at his sides. His length smacks against his stomach, and he wraps his fingers around himself to relieve some of the ache. You didn’t get to see it much the first time, but you take a second to appreciate just how fucking pretty he is. He’s so hard, it’s probably starting to hurt.

He runs his thumb over the tip and gasps. “Baby, please.”

You waste no more time in getting the condom on him, and then you straddle his lap again, but backwards this time. As you quickly sink down on his length, taking him all the way inside, he moans loudly.

“God, you’re so fucking hot.” He drags his nails down your back until he reaches your ass, and then he grips you tightly with both hands. “You needed me, too, huh? Dripping all over me when I haven’t even touched you yet.”

You brace yourself on the mattress between his legs, and set a fast, steady pace. He moans every time you sink all the way down, and your fingers curl into the sheets. You easily ignore the ache beginning in your thighs when you listen to him and how good you’re making him feel. He spurs you on, his moans slowly turning to higher pitched whines.

“Can we—fuck, can we try something?” Chenle asks, gripping your hips to hold you still.

“Whatever you need.” You shakily lift yourself off of him, and he quickly moves from below you. He removes his shirt before aiding you in doing the same.

He guides you to arch your back, your face pressed into the mattress as your walls clench around nothing. His tip catches on your clit, and your body jolts, but you grip onto the sheets instead.

“Gonna fuck you good, darling. Wanna hear you the whole time, got it?” His voice sends needles of pleasure pricking into your spine, and you know you can ignore everything else once he’s buried inside you.

“Yes.” You nod. Your fingers curl into the sheets as he slides in. The angle has you seeing stars, and your mouth falls open at the sensation.

His hands squeeze your ass as he starts slowly, the rub of him against your walls making your legs tremble already. You worry briefly about being too distracted, but as reaches around you to put his hand between your legs, all thoughts besides the way he feels completely obliterate. He rubs your clit in pace with his thrusts, his breathing uneven as he works your body as if he’s touched you for years. You barely recognize yourself when your moans slip past your lips. You’ve never let go like this before, and through your daze, you push yourself back against him. He tentatively smacks your ass, light enough to make you crave the contact. You can’t breathe as you curse.

“Again,” you whine, your entire being on the brink of collapse. “More.”

“Earn it, baby,” he commands. “You know what I want to hear.”

You let out a shuddering breath as his tip nudges that spot inside you. “Fuck, I love you. I need more.”

He smacks you harder this time, and the loud, needy moan that pours from your lips gets distorted by the way he starts to slam his hips against you. His fingers speed up on your clit, and you’re already teetering on the edge. Sounds of your arousal emanate around the room, mixing with both of your moans. His skin clapping against yours has every muscle in your body craving the release you know is so, so close.

As your high smashes into you like a tidal wave, the pleasure is so overwhelming, you cry out and clench onto the sheets. Chenle curses as his thrusts begin to falter, but you barely hear him. You’re much too sensitive, and you whimper as his fingers still work your bud. Without warning, he pulls out of you. You whine at the loss, attempting to push back, but he grips your hips and flips you onto your back. Gasping at the sudden movement, you grab for him as he climbs over you.

“What are you doing?” you ask breathlessly.

“I need to see you, darling.” He inhales sharply as he pushes back inside you. “And kiss you.”

His lips connect with yours as he keeps his steady pace. His chest rubs yours, the heat almost unbearable as your tongues fight for dominance. A groan slipping out of his mouth interrupts your kiss, and next thing you know, he’s as deep as he can get, panting against your collarbone.

“Fuck,” he whispers. “I love you.”

“Me too,” you reply, breathless as you run your fingers through his hair. “I love you, too.”

“That wasn’t too much, was it?” He peppers kisses anywhere he can reach—your neck, your chest, your shoulders.

You shake your head. “No, I’m just a little surprised. You can tell me when you want me, you know. You don’t have to wait for me to initiate.”

“It’s been…an interesting week, you know?” He pulls out of you, kissing you softly one last time before he goes into the bathroom to get rid of the condom. When he comes back, he lays down on top of you again. “I came twice.”

You recoil, angling your head to look at him. “Just now?”

“Yep. Came when you were on top of me, too,” he hums in content. “And I’ll have you know that’s never happened to me before.”

“Had someone on top of you or finished twice?”

“The second one.” He pauses. “But I—”

“You don’t have to explain.” You snort. “I have a past, too.”

“That’s good. Don’t wanna move,” he mumbles, pushing his head further into your neck.

You laugh. “Don’t, then.”

Chenle falls asleep fairly quickly, and you kiss his forehead before wiggling out from under him. You grab a new pair of panties and slide them on before grabbing one of his button-downs. It’s much too late for any of the staff to be out and about, so you grab your phone and head to the kitchen. When you look at the screen, the worry settles back in the pit of your stomach. Sujia had texted you forty-five minutes ago, asking you for an update on the situation. After a week, you think Chenle has probably had at least a little bit of time to come to terms with everything. You text her back to let her know Chenle wants to meet her, and then you get your water. You don’t want Chenle to ever feel hurt like that again, but it’s not going to just disappear. You know better than that. But it doesn’t change how seeing him so upset broke you to pieces, too. If you could, you’d ruin anything that even tried.

He was right all along.

Being in love doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It makes you stronger. Gives you a purpose other than what is required of you when you’re from certain bloodlines. From the beginning, you were sure Chenle would never—could never—mean anything to you, and even though he told you otherwise, you had to find out for yourself. You’d start wars for him. You’d do anything to make sure he was okay, because at the end of the day, he truly is the only person to love you without conditions involved. He cares for you not because he has to, not because he’s forced to, but because he wants to. Because he chooses to. You refill the glass for Chenle and head back upstairs. When you open the door, he stirs, blinking the sleep out of his eyes as he turns and sits up.

“Where’d you go?” he asks, running his fingers through his hair.

“Water.” You hold the glass up and set it next to him on the bedside table. Standing at the edge of the bed, you look at him, unable to fight the small smile forming.

“What?” He raises an eyebrow at you.

“You’re just…” You chuckle and shake your head. “Shut up. You’re just really cute like this.”

He holds his arm out to you. “Pinch me. I’m pretty sure I’m still dreaming.”

“Oh, you’re hilarious.” You smack at his wrist.

He tugs gently on the bottom hem of the shirt you’re wearing. “I like this on you.”

“It was the first thing I found.” Embarrassment climbs through you. “Sorry, I should’ve asked.”

“What part of that sounded like I wanted you to ask?” He snorts. “You’re always welcome to anything here. You should know that by now. But you’ve been away from me for way too long. C’mere.”

He opens his arms for you, and you chuckle and climb into bed next to him. When he lays on his side, he tugs you to follow suit. You listen to him, staring into his eyes while his thumb rubs on your hip through the white fabric.

“Thank you,” he whispers.

“For what?”

“For trying with me. Not running away. Letting me love you. The list is honestly endless.” He kisses your forehead. “Not to mention I really would’ve fucking lost my mind with all of that stuff last week if you hadn’t been there.”

“Speaking of.” You shuffle closer to him. “She wants to meet you. And I really think you should do it, because at the end of the day, she’s your sister, you know?”

Chenle hesitates, thousands of emotions crossing through his gaze like a storm. “You’re right. You can set it up for whenever, and I’ll be there.”

“I’m sorry this happened, Chenle.” You intertwine your fingers with his. “And I want you to know that, no matter how you’re feeling, you can tell me. I want to help you process.”

“I’ll be okay, darling. Truly. It’ll just take some time getting used to it. I do think it’ll be nice to have a sibling, although she’ll probably hate me for…I don’t know. Being legitimate?”

You laugh, burying your head in his neck. “You’re not taking her money away, so I doubt she’ll hate you.”

He hums quietly, sleep still heavy in his voice as he pulls you flush against him. “I shouldn’t be able to love you this much yet. Slow down, would you?”

“You, of all people, should know that those words do not exist in my vocabulary.” You close your eyes and breathe him in. “I love you, too.”

Sujia sets the day for the upcoming Saturday, and so while the days pass, you witness Chenle slowly lose his mind. He’s not upset at Sujia at all, but he obviously is with his father. It’s an incredibly large secret to keep from your family, so he has every right to those feelings. The entire car ride to her house, he’s squeezing your hand so hard, you fear he’ll cut the circulation off. His leg bounces restlessly, and the frown hasn’t left his face once today. The driver opens the door, and you get out first to at least attempt to lessen your husband’s nerves. You’re unfortunately aware of the straggle of photographers waiting for the two of you. While you’re not sure how they found out about this, you’re not worried about them in the slightest.

Once Chenle’s on his feet, you loop your arm in his. “Be calm. There are cameras, so at least wait until we get inside to freak out.” “Yes, ma’am.” He sends you a sly grin. The two of you approach the door, and you knock. Sujia opens the door quickly, ushering the two of you inside to prevent herself from being seen. Chenle removes his sunglasses, and you take them from him to put in your purse.

“(Y/N), it’s nice to see you again,” Sujia greets you. You nod at her. “Likewise.” “Chenle, you’re a little more intimidating in person.” She clasps her hands together. “Are you guys thirsty? I’ll get some water.” “Actually,” you say, patting Chenle’s arm. “Why don’t you two get your sibling introductions out of the way, and I’ll just play with Yichen. He’s my nephew, too, after all. And I’m pretty sure I scared him last time.” The two of them both flounder for words, neither of them wanting to be without you in a moment like this.

“It’ll be okay. Seriously. Neither of you bite, and Sujia, he’s actually really sweet. He just looks like he hates everything.” “As you can see, my wife is my biggest fan.” He presses his lips into a thin line as he fakes a glare. “Anyway.” You smile at Sujia. “I assume the child is upstairs?” “Yes, but if you want him to not be scared of you, you may want to refer to him by his name or something other than ‘the child.’” She scratches the top of her head.

“God, there is so much I could learn from you.” You separate from Chenle’s side and head for the stairs. Much to your pleasant surprise, your nephew…in-law? is already stomping down the stairs. “Oh.” The kid purses his lips. “You’re back.” “I am.” You nod and scrunch your nose up. “I figured while your mommy talks to my husband, we could…I don’t know. Play a game or something? Do kids do that?” “You’re weird.” Yichen grimaces. “But you’re nicer this time than you were last time. So yeah, we can play with the Switch.” You don’t end up actually playing, but you do watch Yichen’s game with interest. Leaning forward with your elbows on your knees, you analyze the process he uses when he plays every round.

“You’re smart,” you comment. “My mommy tells me that, too.” He nods, seemingly unaffected by your compliment. You pause for a moment. “Does your mom…compliment you a lot?” “Uh, I don’t know.” Yichen doesn’t start the next round, but turns to look at you. “Does your mommy compliment you a lot?” You laugh. “Yeah, no. Definitely not." “Are you—”

“Yichen,” Sujia calls out. “Can you turn the game off please? There’s someone I want you to meet.”

Without a second thought, he turns the Switch off and yells to his mom to tell her he’s ready. He sits next to you on the couch, folding his hands together in his lap. You’ve met a lot of children in your day, but you never imagined one could be so well-behaved. You see the panicked look on Chenle’s face as he walks in. A laugh almost erupts from you, but you hold it back. The man is meeting his nephew for the first time and can’t seem to shake the nerves away. You can only imagine what it’ll be like when he meets his own child. You tense the second that thought crosses your mind.

When?

A legitimate chill runs down your spine, and then you realize how close Chenle has gotten. He squats down in front of Yichen, and Sujia leans against the archway into the kitchen.

“Hey,” Chenle starts. “I’m your uncle. And you’re my nephew.” “Oh, wow.” You really didn’t think it could get any worse than you. “Do you know her?” Yichen nods his head towards you. Chenle smiles. “Yeah. That’s my wife. So that makes her your aunt.” “She said her mommy doesn’t compliment her.” His eyes widen. “Is she a bad person?” Your husband lets out an exaggerated gasp. “No way. She’s the best person I know.” “How?” “Well, she told me about you and your mommy when nobody else did. She’s really, really smart and, c’mon, she’s gorgeous. What else could I want in a wife?” Chenle grins, sending a quick glance your way. “I guess you’re right.” Yichen shrugs. “Do you wanna play a game with me?” “Absolutely.” He nods in response. You stand to give Chenle room, touching his shoulder lightly as you go to stand by Sujia. Leaning on the wall next to her, you quickly realize attempting to take your eyes off of your husband is futile. “He likes kids, huh?” Sujia asks. “He really likes family,” you reply.

“Do you want children?” “Oh.” You chuckle to yourself and fold your arms over your chest. “I’m not sure. But we…don’t really have a choice. We signed a contract and heirs are part of the deal.” “I’m sorry, but I really don’t envy you,” she tells you. “At the end of the day, it’s not that bad, though.” “So, you and Chenle actually love each other.” She hums, tapping her foot. “I feel like that’s rare for people in your positions.” “It is,” you agree. “And honestly, had it been up to me at the beginning, we wouldn’t even be…friendly. We’d be tolerating each other.” "Wow, he fought for you.” Humor laces in Sujia’s voice. “Well, I told him that I’d rather tolerate him than learn one day that I might hate him instead. He was entirely right when he said it wasn’t the hate I was scared of. It was love. Of relying on someone else.” “At least you can rest assured that he would be a good father.”

You don’t respond for a moment, watching Chenle interact with his nephew. They must win something in the game, because they dramatically high five each other. The smile on Chenle’s face is wide, and your heart flutters as a result.

“Yeah.” You fight your own grin. “Yeah, he really will.”

You and Chenle are at Sujia’s for hours. It’s clear the two of them are similar, and thankfully, your husband seems to enjoy having a family member other than the ones who have disappointed him. Yichen warms up to you both, and by the time you’re leaving, he’s hugging you both goodbye and asking when you’ll be back. Chenle is still smiling as he leads you back to the car.

“That went a lot better than you thought, huh?” You ask as he helps you into the backseat.

“I don’t know what I thought.” He shakes his head. “But it’s cool not to be an only child. Even if it’s unconventional, you know? And that little kid is freakin’ cool.”

You lean on his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re making the best out of this situation.”

“Actually, do you mind if we make one more stop?”

“Of course not. Where to?”

“I think it’s time I had a conversation with my father.” He pats your leg. “And I could really use your support.”

“Chenle.” You tilt your head at him. “If you don’t know by now that I would follow you anywhere, you’re not as smart as I originally thought. We may have to reconsider this whole thing.”

He sucks in a deep breath through his teeth, holding back his laugh. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that contract is pretty air tight.”

“Damn.” You roll your eyes and kiss his cheek. “You’re so lucky I love you.”

“The luckiest.” He lifts your hand up to his lips and kisses your knuckles. “Can’t even joke about that one.”

Chenle isn’t even nervous as the two of you approach his father’s office. He grips your hand tightly, but his resolve has never been stronger. Despite him doing this on his own, you feel an odd swell of pride deep in your chest. You’re so proud of the man he’s always been, and how he only ever wants to be better. His father already knows what’s going on the second he sees you both. At that point, Chenle releases your hand and drops his folder on the desk.

“What’s this?” his father inquires.

“A lawsuit,” Chenle replies nonchalantly.

You almost gasp in shock. And while you shouldn’t be enjoying the awkward tinge in the atmosphere, you feel like you need a bag of popcorn right now.

“I’m sorry?” He recoils in shock.

“You seem to forget that when I became CEO, you no longer had any claim to the company’s profits. And if I did my math correctly, which I did, $143,000 a quarter is roughly $572,000 a year, which is a grand total of $2,288,000 from the four years I’ve been seated in the CEO position.”

“Chenle, you have no right—”

“You don’t tell me what I have the right to do, actually.” Chenle buttons up his suit jacket. “So, you’ll be paying me back the money you owe me. That you stole from me to protect your little secret from getting out. But that must really suck, because you actually delivered a handwritten apology letter to Sujia and to your wife and your mistress and me and the employees at the company that’ll be announced in about ten minutes. To the whole world.”

“Your mother cannot know about this. Whatever you’ve done, you reverse it immediately.” The angry expression on his face does nothing but make Chenle grin.

“Your secret’s out, Dad. Crazy how you had two children and never learned how to be an actual father.” Chenle brushes himself out and points at the folder on the desk. “I’d read that. You might wanna think twice before fighting it.”

“You’ll understand one day,” his father replies. “There’s more to life than marriage, and it’s only a matter of time before you—”

“I will never be like you.” The smile immediately falls from his face. “I love my wife, and I’m not a fucking coward. I don’t need a second family because the first one wasn’t good enough for me. This is the last time you’ll hear from me. And you won’t be receiving any money from my company again. I hope you’re happy with yourself.” 

Your heart pounds in your chest, your lips parted in shock as you realize what’s happening. Your husband turns his back on his father, gently holds out his hand to you, and shoots one last ice cold glare over his shoulder as he leads you out of the room.

As soon as the door shuts behind you, you laugh in disbelief. “Chenle, holy shit.”

“Dude, my adrenaline is fucking crazy right now.” He chuckles and blows out a deep breath. “That was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done in my life.”

“This might be terrible to say, but I am…so attracted to you right now.” You blush as you squeeze his arm.

“So, nothing but good things today.” He helps you into the car.

Once he shuts the door behind him, you climb onto his lap and kiss him. He groans in surprise, his hands immediately finding their place on your ass.

“What? You like when I put people in their places?” he teases you, leaning forward to barely brush his lips on yours.

“There were a lot of things I liked from today.” You unbutton the first button on his shirt. “It was…very hot of you to absolutely destroy a man like that. You held your ground and…I don’t know. The tone of your voice was sexy.”

“My God, am I learning things about you today.”

“If it helps you, I’m also learning things about myself, so.”

“Mm, please tell me what else you’ve got hidden up your sleeve.” He squeezes your ass gently, pushing you closer so you feel him hardening in his pants.

“I think…we should throw every single condom away. Permanently. We’ll have an endless amount of babies for you to play games with. Of course, you’ll also have to tell them I’m gorgeous, but—”

“You’re serious.” His jaw drops, hope sparking behind his eyes. “Darling, you better not be joking about something like that.”

You shake your head. “I’m not joking. You were on to something when you said you wanted everything. A real life, a real love, a real family. Why don’t we have it all?”

“Right now? You want kids now?”

“If we’re gonna have twenty, we really have to start now, otherwise I’m gonna be too old—”

He cuts you off with an earth-shattering kiss as he pulls you flush against him. His fingers tangle in your hair, and you giggle into his mouth. The only thing that separates the two of you is the door opening.You gasp and climb off his lap, clearing your throat and fanning your cheeks from the embarrassment of getting caught. Your husband grips your hand and pulls you towards the house, and you can’t stop the profuse laughter escaping you as he apparently decides you’re walking too slowly and hoists you over his shoulder.

“Oh my God, Chenle, put me down.” You can barely speak through your laughs.

He only listens to you once the two of you are inside and he’s able to set you on the kitchen island.

“If you’re doubting it even a little bit, darling, you’d better tell me now.” He kisses down your neck. “Because I don’t care how fucking long it takes, we’re not stopping tonight until I get you pregnant.”

“You’re crazy.” You push his shoulder. “You have no way of knowing if you’ll—”

“Baby, don’t ruin my fun. Tell me if you really want this.”

“I do, Chenle.” You cup his cheeks, smiling at him. “I want it with you. They all need to look like you. I want at least one boy and one girl, and they’ll be best friends because—”

He kisses you again, groaning as he slides his hand beneath the skirt of your dress. “Keep talking.”

“Um, I just really think you’d be a good dad,” you say, lifting your hips so he can pull your panties down. “And, uh, you’ve proven how much family means to you, so it makes me feel safe. I—shit.”

He presses two fingers to your clit, and your body jolts. Chuckling, he traces along your pulse with his lips. “How are you so wet already?”

“Well.” You let out another breathless laugh as you grind your hips to match his pace. “It so helps that my husband is the hottest fucking man in this universe.”

“You think so highly of me,” he hums, teeth grazing your ear lobe.

“You’re cruel for this, you know.” You rock upward, and your head lolls forward. “Teasing after you clearly feel how badly I want you is just…so rude.”

“I’m sorry, baby. Please forgive me.” He moves down to your entrance and thrusts two of his fingers inside you.

You cry out, holding onto his shoulders. With a frustrated groan, you push his jacket off of him. He curls his fingers and pumps faster, thumb returning to your clit.

“Fuck, Chenle, wait.” You smack at his wrist. Even though you don’t want him to stop, you want more. He stops immediately, pulling back to look at you.

“What? Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not okay.” You kiss him hard. “I need you inside me right fucking now.”

“First of all, you just scared me.” He tsks as he unbuttons his pants. “You need my cock so bad you can’t fucking take what I give you?”

Oh, he knows exactly what he’s doing. You shudder at his tone, shuffling closer to the edge of the counter. He pushes his pants and boxers down to the middle of his thighs, and your mouth waters at the sight of him. He’s hard, tip leaking precum as he spreads your legs further. The fabric of your skirt prevents him from having enough room, and the dark look in his eyes sends another burst of wetness to your core.

“Love how these skirts look on you but fucking hate how I can’t fuck you in it.” He taps your hip, and you lift yourself up so he can unzip it and tug it down quickly.

You barely even pay attention to what his doing when he pulls your ankles up to the edge of the counter and spreads your thighs apart until they begin to ache.

“Now, isn’t that a fucking view.” He wets his lips as he wraps his fingers around his cock. Thrusting into his fist a couple times, he uses his other hand to tease your clit.

“Chenle, please.” You gasp, tugging him closer.

“You’re so fucking wet, baby, I can see it.” He drags his tip along your entrance, pushing in just enough to watch the head of his cock stretch you open. He’s entranced by the way you take him so easily, his eyes focused on where the two of you connect.

Your pleasure intensifies simply by watching him so drunk on you, just appreciating the way you take him. You feel every vein in your body buzzing, and you can’t help it but to push your hand between your legs and rub your throbbing bud while he’s entranced.

“You have no fucking patience,” he hisses, grabbing your wrist and pushing it away. You whine at the loss, but his glare stops you. “I’m trying to enjoy my wife’s pussy, but she’s just so fucking needy, isn’t she?”

“Oh, God.” You grip onto the edge of the counter.

“Watch how easily you take me.” He flicks your clit. “Look.”

You let your gaze travel downward until you see his cock positioned outside your hole. Instantly, the room gets much hotter. You struggle to breathe, anticipating the stretch he gives you. His tip is covered in your arousal, but the rest of his cock has yet to feel you.

“Fuck me, Chenle,” you mutter almost incoherently. “I wanna watch.”

He finally obliges, nudging the tip between your folds again before sinking inside. He moves so slowly, you want to cry. You need more, and the stretch wreaks havoc on you when you’re watching. Every time he’d fill you up another inch, he’d pull out until his tip is barely caught inside you, and then sink in just one more inch. You’re losing your fucking mind, but you can’t take your eyes away from where he pleasures you. Finally, he bottoms out, the position of your thighs allowing him to press all the way against you, his pelvis hitting your overly sensitive clit.

“Are you ready?” he asks. “I need to fuck you.”

“You know I’m ready,” you reply, dazed from the pleasure of him seated so deeply in you.

He starts a steady pace, both of you still staring at the way you stretch to accommodate him.

“You feel so fucking good like this, darling.” He thrusts harder. “Nothing between us this time.”

You cry out when his tip hits your cervix. Your legs start to shake from how far they’re spread, but all you’re focusing on is the way your arousal shines on his cock when he’s pulling out of you. You feel every inch of him, and the way he rubs against your walls is so different without the condom. You’re fucking delirious, and every time he presses all the way inside you, the pressure on your clit has you getting closer and closer.

“You’re squeezing me so tight, baby,” he groans, moving his hand down between the two of you quickly. His thumb glides over your most sensitive area, and you can no longer hold back your sounds.

“Fuck,” you cry out, legs shaking as your orgasm lingers so, so close.

“Cum for me.” He slams into you. “Not gonna fill you up ‘til you cum, darling.”

You tip and tilt over the edge, convulsing as your high hits you hard. Chenle keeps rubbing you, thrusts picking up speed as he fucks you through your euphoria. He crashes his lips to yours as he spurts inside you, covering your inner walls with white as he pants. Your whole body shakes as you hold onto him tightly. Both of you are covered in sweat, but it does little to bother either of you.

“How does it keep getting better?” you ask. “You have that effect on me.” He shrugs, chuckling as he guides your legs around his waist. “And I wasn’t kidding. We’re not done yet.” “My insides are gonna be mush.” “What if I’m gentle next time?” He kisses along your neck. “If I fuck you with your legs up, apparently it’s more likely to happen that way.” “Insatiable.” You pull back to kiss his lips. “You’re lucky I am, too. Take me upstairs.”

You don’t make it all the way upstairs. Not at first. He decides he has to take you on the couch, up against the wall next to the staircase, the desk in his office, and then your bed. By the end of the night, you’re absolutely exhausted, but you’ve never felt so fucking good in your life. And for someone who thought you could never have it all, you realize just how damn close you are to having a perfect life when you have Chenle by your side.

[najaemism]

i hate accidents (except when we went from friends to this)

PAIRING. chenle x fem!reader

CATEGORY. one shot social media au, fluff, crack/humor, fake dating, best friends to lovers

WARNINGS. language, chenle and y/n are very unserious, 30 panels!

SYNOPSIS. conversations with your best friend turned fake boyfriend, zhong chenle.

NOTES. ok rlly quick before u read i forgot to change ningning’s username 😭 that account was from a diff au i was writing before where she was supposed to be chenle’s sister but yeah (also sorry it’s really long but i didnt want to make mulitple parts 😭🙏🏼) anw … i have no idea where this idea came from but enjoy! :p

NOTE. hi this is my first time writing for chenle lmk what u think!!! 🥹🫶🏼

TAGLIST. @radiorenjun @bluejaem @pink-but-rosie @renjun-pretty @holdinbacksecrets @rynshyuckies @jelllyjae @jenyongcas @whyisquill @beemarkie @morkxlee @hibuki-chan @moonwalkun @lyyhyuck @baekhyunstruly @lilacdreams-00 @ridinhyuck @archivedmkl @najaeminluvbot @rensiu @morkleetrash @neo444 @hrjchive @keemburley @soobin-chois @yiz-yo @juune04 @nctasdfghj @studywoo @jun5ui @smolpeyy @kkotjia @yoonhanzjaem @en-boys @stopeatread @goldryush @hibernatinghamster @shwizhies @zgzgzh @bbymatz @eyantice @w0nderr @dinonuguaegi @neozon3nha @mnlylonely

[luvh4nji]

𝐍𝐂𝐓 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 + 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒

warning: just fluff, reader is shorter than jeno and jisung, sorry yall im a short girlie it's my default <//3, hyuck's is a little suggestive

mark ; he makes time for you. he's such a busy guy, but whenever he has downtime, he's immediately inviting you over to the dorms or going to your apartment so he can just be with you, whether it's just cuddling or playing video games together or going out and doing something, he always makes time to be with you, no matter what. and he always leaves some of his clothing at your place so you won't miss him too much when he's gone.

"woah," he mumbles to himself, stopping in the doorway to his room when he sees you all curled up under his blankets in his bed, your face shielded from him by his clothes, blankets, and your own hair. he has to take a moment to take you in, mind racing at the fact that you're his, before he walks over, taking of his shoes and jacket, slipping into the bed beside you and wrapping an arm around your middle, pulling you into him, whispering "i love you so much" into your hair, pressing a kiss to the back of your neck.

renjun ; he notices the little things. even when you think he doesn't, even when he acts like he doesn't - he does. he's the type to see you something you mentioned you liked out in public and buy it for you, shrugging his shoulders casually when you start gushing over him and the gist. he's the type to overhear you talking on the phone to your friends about how much you like physical touch, so he starts touching you more; holding your hand, coming up behind you and wrapping his arms around your middle, pulling you into his lap.

"saw this at the store, thought you might like it." he tells you nonchalantly, handing you a little bag with a box of cookies inside, smiling to himself when you get all excited, running towards him to wrap you arms around his neck and press little kisses to his jaw. "they're you're favorite, right?" he asks, resting his hands on your waist, keeping you close, squeezing your hips imperceptibly as you snuggle into his chest.

jeno ; he's protective. he just finds so much comfort in knowing that you're safe and protected and that he's the one that makes you feel safe and protected. he's the type to keep your hand firmly trapped in his whenever you go out, to make sure to walk on the outside of the sidewalk, to keep his hand on the small of your back, just in case. he likes the feeling of knowing your safe.

"hold on," he leans down to whisper in your ear, grabbing your hand and pulling you to his other side as a car passed on the street beside you. he let go of your hand, wrapping an arm around your shoulder and bringing you close to his side, squeezing the skin of your arm every now and again to reaffirm himself that you were still there, that you were safe.

donghyuck ; before you started dating, hyuck was always such a shithead, always poking fun, teasing, pushing you to your limits, just so he can laugh at you when you get all flustered and upset. and he only does it because he can't do what he really wants to, which is kiss you until you can't stand up, so when you finally get together, he just gets so direct. if he wants something from you, he's determined to get it anyway he can to make up for all the lost time.

"you sure you have to go?" he asks, body hovering over yours, propping himself up on his elbows beside your head. and he just sighs heavily when you nod, looking down at you with his big, brown eyes for a moment before leaning down a pressing little kisses to your cheeks, the corners of your mouth, your lips, pushing against yours passionate and bruising, one hand moving down to lace with yours. and he loves how dazed you look when he pulls away, chasing after his lips as he leans back, pushing onto his side so you can get up. "alright, baby, i'll see you later." and all he can do is give you a sickeningly smug look when you roll on top of him, pressing your lips back to his.

jaemin ; he's so unbelievably, greasily soft with you. he's always looking at you with a lovesick look in his eyes, a soft smile taking over his features, and when you ask him what he's looking at, he just blinks slowly and grins up at you from where he's sitting, muttering a soft, "just you, baby." and if it was anyone else, it'd be enough to make you sick, but there's something about how genuine he is.

"c'mere, honey." he mumbles, grabbing your wrist as you walk by him and pulling you down into his lap, his hands immediately finding purchase wrapped around your waist, pulling you into his chest. "look so pretty today, y'know that?" he'd ask, grinning when your face darkens in embarrassment. "pretty thing. love you." and he'd lift your hand to his lips, brushing his lips across your knuckles before he lets you get up.

chenle ; he's gentle with you. he's known for being sassy and teasing with his friends, but he's so different with you. he's so much more soft; his hands hovering over you at all times, touch unassuming but present, his words kind and gentle, always checking in on you, telling you how pretty he thinks you are, how smart you are - constantly showering you in compliments so you never have the time to feel self-conscious.

"you're so gorgeous." he tells you, looking up at you from where he was resting his head on your lap. reaching a hand up, he cups your cheek, making sure you look at him, despite your embarrassment at his blunt comments. "your little freckles, the lines around your eyes, the way your hair frames your face, it's all so gorgeous." he says, looking at you like you're something divine, his thumb brushing over the crest of your cheekbone, before he gets up, pushing you down to lay on your back on the couch, positioning himself over you, leaning down to press a searing kiss to your lips.

jisung ; he gets clingy. or, at least, clingier than usual. he's a guy that, generally, enjoys his own space. he likes having that distance between himself and others; he's not exactly sure why, it's just always been that why. but it's different with you. he feels like he can never be close enough. he likes holding your hand, wrapping an arm around your waist or shoulders, having you sit in his lap, laying on top of you when he gets home from a long schedule; he just needs to be near you at all times.

"hey, honey." he mutters, collapsing beside you on your bed, laying on his back and closing his eyes, nodding slowly when you ask if he's had a long day. "the longest." he replies, peaking at you from the corner of his eyes, before rolling over on top of you, nuzzling his face into your neck, pressing little kisses to the skin there. "i love you." he mutters into your neck, his breath hot, his voice low.

[ohmygs-blog]

finding out the dreamies texted their ex.

(had a request for some angsty texts & this has been sitting in my drafts for awhile now!!! so i hope you guys like <3 )

[wonbin-truther]

get caught! idol! chenle x idol! reader

[midmourn]

we can’t be friends

♡ nct dream ﹒ gender neutral!reader genre angst, fluff warnings just angst note im trying to get some writing inspo back😭 been in the trenches for months now sorry guys ( library )

[winwintea]

how dreamies would react to your first kiss

PAIRING ▸ bestfriend/friend!dreamies x reader 

TAGS ▸ none, enjoy the fluff <3

AUTHOR’S NOTE ▸ requested by anon! reader + dreamies aren't in established relationship yet.

Mark Lee

Mark’s first kiss with you happens by accident. You were both hanging out in his place together, playing video games. Exhausted, you decided to rest your head on his shoulder, creating very little distance between your faces. So Mark gave into his internal instincts, placing his lips directly on yours, startling both you and himself, “Oh, I’m so sorry that is totally my fault… umm…” He quickly pulls away, embarrassed, but instead of being mad, you stare at him dead serious, “Mark Lee. Shut up and do that again.” His eyes widen at your words, but his face slowly relaxes into a bright smile. He gladly complies with your request, more than once.

Huang Renjun

Renjun had invited you out to his favorite cafe. You two were having such a fun time, before Renjun noticed a couple of crumbs near your lips. He inched a bit closer, squinted, and used his fingers to swipe them off. It was now or never. With your faces so close together, you had to take this chance. Taking a deep breath, you grab his face and lean in for the kiss. Renjun was expecting this however, and he reacted to the kiss immediately closing his eyes. When you finally pulled apart he stared at you breathlessly, “Did I tell you, that you’re beautiful?” His soft hands reach up to gently cup your cheek with the sweetest smile you had ever seen. God how you loved his smiles.

Lee Jeno

Jeno found himself in a quite embarrassing and stressful situation. He had taken you to the carnival, since none of your other friends wanted to go. In the blink of an eye you found yourselves on the ferris wheel. You sat together, no words being said, but the discomfort on his face was obvious. You grabbed his hand and gently squeezed it. Jeno looked down at you from the corners of his eyes, he smiled. "Are you nervous?" You asked him. Jeno nodded, feeling the embarrassment rushing to his cheeks. You pulled him in close, “Just focus on me, instead.” You both leaned in for the kiss, drunk on the smell of one another. When you two finally pulled apart, Jeno looked into your eyes sparkling. If this was what heaven felt like, he would be perfectly content to remain here forever.

Lee Donghyuck

Haechan was shocked. Not only had you repeatedly denied his affections for the past year, but you had also managed to evade his playful kisses as well. Then you did it yourself. It came at him out of nowhere, and he had little time to react. “You kissed me.” He paused, then repeated again, “You kissed me?” He stared at you in disbelief. You only grinned in response, giggling at his confusion. “Does this mean…?” Haechan looked at you nervously, but then his face eased after he saw your smile. He pointed to his lips, puckering them up, and leaning in once more, eyeing you with puppy dog eyes, “Again?” (his kiss was once again rejected.)

Na Jaemin

Jaemin had been waiting patiently for you to make a move on him. You two had been spending more time together than usual, and he hoped that the feeling was mutual, but didn’t want to make any assumptions. Then one day, Jaemin watched as you plopped yourself in front of him, stood up on your tippy-toes, and placed a quick and soft cheek on his lips. He returned the kiss, but not before wrapping his hands around your waist, and picking you up in a swift motion. You found yourself making a fuss and squirming around in his arms, but Jaemin ignored all your protests, placing butterfly kisses on your face, until his lips met yours in another, this time, soft and meaningful kiss.  

Zhong Chenle

Chenle and you always bickered. You hated how arrogant he was at times. As much as you sometimes hated his guts, you couldn’t help but begin to start seeing the crazy tension you two had when arguing. Sometimes you just wanted to silence that loud mouth of his. That handsome, sometimes endearing, sometimes cocky grin. Until you couldn’t take it anymore. “If you hadn’t- mmh…?” You grabbed Chenle’s collar pulling him in quickly, and pressed your lips over his, silencing his protests. His eyes lit up in surprise, but you could feel his lips slowly turn into a smirk, as he kissed you back. “Took you long enough.” 

Park Jisung

Jisung was comforting you, as you vented out all your frustrations to him, right in the middle of his living room floor. Jisung wasn’t sure why, but for some reason you always came to him when you wanted to vent. He was always bad with expressing things with his words, so you often found yourself buried into his arms, embraced in warm tight hugs. Today, Jisung was feeling a bit more bold. Bolder than usual. He placed his hand on your cheek and suddenly leaned in for a kiss. You felt your shoulders relax, and the tension you had from earlier started to release. He leaned in, pressing your head against his shoulders whispering in your ears, “I will always remain by your side. I will be here for eternity, just for you.” And somehow, through his love for you, he found the right words to say.

[endthedream]

nct dream as supernatural creatures

mark

Pairing: Genie!Mark x Human!Reader (she/her)

Summary:

Words:

Story colour: purple

renjun

Pairing: Elf!Renjun x Elf!Reader (she/her)

Summary:

Words:

Story colour: brown

jeno

sunshine

Pairing: Merman!Jeno x Human!Reader (she/her)

Summary: Moving back to the town known for it's cruse of letting fisherman disappear from the ocean isn't the best idea - accoring to your parents. But they don't understand. They don't understand that for five years you lived without knowing if the encounter you had with a strange boy with a fishtail was real. They don't understand that your heart is calling for him.

Words: 21.3k

Story colour: silver

haechan

a sweet melody

Pairing: Siren!Haechan x Human!Reader (she/her)

Summary: Insanity isn’t what she expected to receive when she joined her father and his crew on an expedition, full of men who think she isn’t capable of anything. But it’s all that she got after seeing nothing but endless water every single day. Maybe that’s why her mind started imagining a strange boy who finally shows her the appreciation she deserves. Maybe that’s why she ignores the way she can’t escape the trance he puts her in whenever he sings a melody for her. Or maybe everything is real, and the boy isn’t who he pretending to be.

Words: 12.5k

Story colour: green

jaemin

a dream come true

Pairing: Cupids Son!Jaemin x Human!Reader

Summary: As the son of Cupid, Jaemin has been surrounded by love his entire life. But what happens when he gets sent on earth to pass a test that will determine his whole life? And what happens when he breaks the only rule he was ever given?

Words: 16k

Story colour: soft pink

chenle

three sins to hell

Pairing: Devil!Chenle x Human!Reader (she/her)

Summary: the devil, a creature so sinister he seduces humans into sins so he can have their souls in hell.But if you’re his next target, what would you do? Would you even notice that the devil is standing right in front of you?

Words: 10k

Story colour: orange

jisung

Pairing: Fairy!Jisung x Fairy!Reader (she/her)

Summary:

Words:

Story colour: white

[naids4luv]

! nct dream sending you dirty memes !

(bye i couldn’t add photos at the start cause i’m only allowed 10 photos per post💀💀)

mark :

renjun and jeno :

haechan and jaemin :

chenle and jisung :

[luvyeni]

𐙚 : 'LOW V TAPER FADE' PRANK W/ DREAM ( text ) ֶָ֢ !

request: can you do skz or nct dream with 'you should get a low v taper fade' like the TikTok reaction plzz, i hope i made sense ❤️

authors note. i love this prank , i chose dream cause it made sense 💕😭

©️LUVYENI

[kyufessions]

koala

synopsis: you help your boyfriend take his makeup up off after work

pairings: idol, boyfriend! chenle x g.n. reader

genre: domestic, fluff

word count: 1.0k

a/n: got this idea from the recent weverse live. sigh.

general taglist: @jwnghyuns @eaudenana @soobin-chois

the creaking of the front door didn’t alarm you, knowing it was your boyfriend after a long day of promotions. you knew he had been on his way, you just didn’t know he’d be here so soon. on your face sat an animal themed face mask and on your feet a foiled foot mask, with only five minutes left for each as a horror film played on the television. as the footsteps approached closer, your eyes stared out to the door frame and stared at the groggy man with a full face of makeup and tired eyes that widened at your state.

his lips upturned at sight in front of him, the smile weak but facial expression entertained. tossing his bag to the designated corner, he drags his feet into the bathroom and grabs some makeup cleaner, a washcloth, and plops down next to you. you just stare at him, a small grin on your lips. “you look cute.” he says as he looks up to you, moving his body so his head is laying in your lap. “is that a panda?”

nodding, you place a quick peck to his lips. “you look tired, baby. how was work?” you lean over to start taking the foil masks off your feet, rubbing to excess into them and tossing the masks into the trash bin next to the nightstand as chenle tells you about his day. when you turn your head, you notice him holding the cleansing balm and washcloth out towards you. tilting your head for the dramatics with a smile, you look between him and the items. “what’s this for?”

“can you wash off my makeup for me, please?” an exaggerated pout makes way onto his face, earning a small chuckle from you. soft moments like this with chenle happened every so often. your relationship was very playful and fun, the soft moments came and went but the love was always there and never questioned. but whenever either of you were ever this vulnerable with one another you never batted an eye, just went along with it.

opening up the banila cleansing balm, you take out the scrapper and start putting small amounts of it throughout his face. his eyes flutter shut, enjoying this small moment between you two. the sound of the terrifier 2 plays in the background, the vulgar noises going through one ear and out the other. you focus on making sure you get each part of his face but avoiding his eyes so as to not irritate them, watching all the colors mix together on his face as they melt into an oil mixture. wetting the wash cloth with your water bottle, you bring it to his face and start washing off the oil and making sure there’s no excess.

as you begin to wash off the oil, chenle’s eyes open back up to watch the process. his eyes watch you focus with your bottom lip out in a pout, eyes slightly squinted as you make sure to get every inch and not stain the new pillow cases you just bought last week. once you announce you’re finished, he slides off the bed lazily and tosses his clothes into the hamper. as he does so, you finally take off your face mask and throw it into the trash bin and soak the rest of it into your skin. as you tossed the mask into the garbage, you felt chenle wrap his arms around your waist and lay his head back in your lap.

when you looked down at him all he wore was his boxers and a basketball tee, his eyes still tired but grin still exuding happiness. you automatically wrap your arms around him, confused but allowing it to happen. “what’s gotten into you tonight?” you tease, causing him to look up at you.

“谢谢.” was all he said, his grin turning into a tired smile before placing a kiss to your thigh.

“i’m your partner, you don’t need to thank me.” you reply, placing your lips on his quickly before pulling him into his spot on the bed next to you.

he allows you to do so, secretly enjoying it anyway. the movie is long forgotten at this point but you don’t forget to make a mental note to rewatch it tomorrow when you have the time. you move the blanket so it’s on top of both of you and your boyfriend and allow him to cuddle up next to you, your arm wrapping around him and hand landing in his hair to play with his now messy strands.

“rough day?” you asked as he played with your shirt, his head on your chest and his breathing becoming slower. you can tell he could fall asleep any second now, but you always wanted to make sure he got everything off his chest he needed to so he didn’t sleep with anything heavy on his mind.

he moved his head up and down as if in a nodding motion. “yeah, just a lot of dance practices and interviews.” he lets out a deep sigh against your skin, causing a shiver to run up your spine as the ending credits roll from the end of the film. his one leg intertwines with yours, wanting to become even closer as he continues on about his day. “i finally have a day off tomorrow though, so that’s good.”

humming in agreement, you look down at him and press a small kiss to the top of his head. “about time.” you sink your body further down into the mattress, feeling your eyes getting heavy as well. as you reach over and turn off the nightstand light, you continue with your sentence. “my little koala has been working hard lately.”

although exhausted, chenle’s head shoots up and his eyes shoots daggers at you. his nose scrunches in disgust, hating the stupid nickname. “i hated that so much.” he pecks your lips before resting his head on your chest again, cuddling back into your warmth. “you’re lucky i love you.”

you roll your eyes, adjusting yourself in a position to get comfortable for bed. “yeah yeah, you love my stupid nicknames.” you feel him tap your side with his thumb two times, signaling something. “what?”

“you didn’t say it back.”

“chenle. you know i love you too.”

“just say it back, please. so i can go to bed.”

“i love you too.”

“good.”

even when half asleep he’s extremely stubborn.

[luvh4nji]

𝐍𝐂𝐓 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 + 𝐂𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆

warning: afab!reader, mark's refers to reader as a "girl", size kink in jisung's, renjun and chenle are a little mean, haechan starts talking to the puss

mark ; he's impatient. at first, he loves it. he loves the intimacy of having his sweet girl sat all pretty on his lap, keeping him all nice 'n warm, but then he becomes hyper-aware of warm 'n wet 'n tight you are around him, how you're squeezing his cock every time you shift in his lap, and he just can't help himself.

"'m sorry, baby." he's panting against the skin of your neck, fingers pressing small bruises into the skin of your hips as he bounces you on his lap. "fuck — you feel so fuckin' good, sweetheart — shit — i couldn't wait any longer." and he's fucking you so good, hips rolling forward and sinking into your warm cunt, the head of his cock nudging against that soft, gooey spot, you can't really bring yourself to care. and when he cums, he holds you close, arms wrapping around your back, whispering apologies and praises.

renjun ; he likes to make you beg for him. he loves having you all flustered and desperate in his lap, pawing at his chest, pressing messy kisses to his neck and jaw, whining 'n begging for him to give you anything. and he'd be so condescending, giving you a small smile and shaking his head, tapping your ass as a warning to stop moving around.

"be good for me, honey, i know you can be. jus' be still for me a little longer while i finish this up, alright?" and he'd have to bite down a mean laugh when you sniffle, but nod, telling him that you'll be good in a small, defeated voice.

jeno ; he simply cannot do it. in fact, he might hate it. he makes it all of five minutes, before he's pounding into your sweet cunny, grunting and groaning, his eyes squeezing shut at the feeling of your cunt pressing around his aching cock. he really does try, but you just feel so good, all warm 'n wet around him, practically begging him to fuck his hips up into you.

"god, y'feel so fucking good." he'd groan, his head dropping into the crook of your neck, teeth scraping against the skin and leaving angry red marks in their wake. "always so ready for me, always so wet and fuckin' ready for me, isn't that right, sweetheart?" he'd ramble, bringing a hand down to rub fervently at your clit. and he loves the way you whine and writhe against him, laughing breathlessly as he places sloppy, open-mouthed kisses on your neck. "gonna make you cum so good, honey, gonna make you never wanna do that again."

donghyuck ; he likes to tease. he likes to have you sitting all pretty on his lap, leaning against him, he thinks it's so cute that you want to be around him so much, that you want to be close to him. but he thinks you're even cuter when you're begging for him. he's the type to have his fingers trace around your skin, working lower and lower until he's rubbing little circles into the bud at the apex of your thighs, asking what's wrong when you start whining and asking him why he's being mean <3

"mean? how am i being mean, angel? i don't think she thinks i'm being mean, huh?" he'd ask, tapping your clit with the rough pads of his fingers. "i think she likes me a whole lot." and he'd just laugh when you reach around to hit his chest lightly. "c'mon, baby, i'm just trying to make you feel good. don't you wanna feel good?" he'd ask, pressing little kisses just under your ear, breath hot and heavy, knowing you can't say no to him.

jaemin ; he loves it so much. he loves the intimacy of having you sitting pretty on his lap, being as close as possible to each other, especially after a long day of being away from you. it's all so casual for him. he'd come home, find you in bed and lay down next to you, pulling his sweats and boxers down just enough for you to sit on his cock, before pulling you on top of him, pressing a sweet kiss to your forehead. his big hands on your back, his head resting on your neck, his breathing deep and even, it just feels so safe and warm.

"you getting tired, lovey?" he'd ask, his fingertips tracing shapeless patterns on your back. and he thinks you're so cute when you nod, hair mussing up against the fabric of his shirt. "it's alright, angel, i've got you. you can go to bed, 'm not going anywhere."

chenle ; he's so mean </3 he's the type to make you sit on his lap, making you keep still for him while he plays video games with his friends. and when you complain, he just laughs at you and tells you to be good for him while he finishes this round, promising that he'll make you feel good. and he's definitely the type to make you cum after every round, harsh and angry when he loses, sweet and gentle when he wins.

"c'mon, honey, you know you're my good luck charm." he coos, raising a hand to pat your head condescending. and he just laughs when you whine for him, sniffling against the fabric of his shirt, overstimulation making you twitch and ache in his lap, wetness dripping onto his thighs. "aw, don't cry, angel. i'll take care of you after this round."

jisung ; besides the fact that he likes it for cuddling reasons, enjoying the closeness more than anything else, he also uses it as a way to help you get used to his size. he thinks you're so cute when you sit on his lap, trying your hardest to take all of him, whimpering 'n whining into his neck, hands fisting in his shirt, telling him how big he is and how you can't take it.

"you can take it, honey, i know you can." he'd coo, letting you hold onto his hand, lacing your fingers together and squeezing gently, comfortingly. "you've taken it before, angel, jus' gotta relax for me, alright? i've got you, honey, i won't let you get hurt."

[ohmygs-blog]

hi baby!! asking for toxic/angry dreamies when u try to move on from your crush on them pls >_<

trying to move on from dreamies.