waywardsummoner46

[waywardsummoner46]

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ Sink Into the Darkness, My Light | Five | ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

"Join us, my Light."

Two centuries ago, the ruler of the Light disappeared, plunging the universe into chaos and disrupting the sacred, unspoken balance of the universe.

The eight rulers of the Darkness never stopped looking for her; their obsession never once waning since she vanished.

Recently, they've sensed something. Never around long enough to pinpoint but so euphoric that it sings within their veins. And since meeting you, well... slowly they begin to understand why.

"Sink into the darkness with us."

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

「✦」 PAIRING - yandere ot8!ateez x (?)reader

「✦」 GENRE - ancient gods!au, fantasy!au, magical powers!au

「✦」 WARNINGS - mind control, gaslighting, dom/sub, subspace (of a sort), temporary amnesia, manipulation, YANDERE AND DARK THEMES

「✦」 WORD COUNT - 3188

「✦」 A/N - Hey...

「✦」 TAGLIST - @yandere-stories - @adorawritesalot - @yoongisgirl69 - @sadtoru

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

• one • two • three • four • five • six •

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

“Listen, I don’t know what else to tell you. My friends and I were sitting at that table right here and he lost his phone,” frustration was clear in your tone of voice. “Has no one seen it? At all?”

  “I’m sorry, ma’am, but no one has handed a phone in.”

  You shake your head as you look down at the floor. Perhaps Wooyoung hadn’t lost his damn phone and had just misplaced it at home. They definitely looked as though they’d be doing more than sleeping after you and Ji-Ah left last night. You wrinkle your nose slightly at the thought. The last thing you want to picture on a weak stomach is whatever compromising position those two got into. It was none of your business, anyway.

  You look back at the receptionist, “Well, thank you anyway.” Pulling out a pen from your pocket, you write down your number on an old receipt you found in your pocket and handed it to the receptionist. “If anything pops up, let me know.”

  You glanced around. Siren’s Den looked completely different during the day. A large dance floor, plenty of comfy, dark red booths for people to sit at, all with a perfect view of the incredibly elaborate stage that was the pinnacle of the whole place. 

  You wondered, briefly, why such a stage might be familiar to you, but that thought was gone as soon as it came. You chalked it up to the fever dream of a night you’d had.

  It was honestly quite nice; like somewhere a sociable child would have a disco party. You laughed mirthlessly at the thought, what a fucking birthday you’d had. 

 You sipped the drink you’d been poured - one they’d offered complementarity - and pondered over the past… well, day. Again.

 It was definitely a birthday unlike any other you’d had, for numerous reasons. Could you say you were grateful for them all? No. Definitely not. Meeting Wooyoung, or even learning of his existence was provoking feelings in you that you did not like, regardless of his kindness and friendliness last night. He was charming, you’d give him that. He had to have been in order to have charmed Jiwon into the closest thing to settling down she’d done since you were teenagers. And he had treated you and Ji-Ah with nothing but respect.

  So, why then did he make your skin crawl? 

  You swished the liquid around in the glass before downing it all in one. Maybe you’d just have to put up with it, for Jiwon’s sake. You wondered for a bit if you were confusing your unease for Wooyoung as worry for how he’d treat Jiwon but in all honesty, last night, you couldn’t pay attention to them in any capacity. 

  From the moment he had sat down, hell from the moment you had laid eyes on him, a strange feeling stirred in your gut. And then… eventually left your gut and onto the floor. 

  Something had triggered such a reaction, you were sure of it. It wasn’t like you to have such an aggressive wave of anxiety crash over you like that. As much as you disliked Wooyoung, you couldn’t blame him for the physical reaction you’d had last night. Maybe it was the drink you’d chosen? Doubtful. The atmosphere? It was rather suffocating, in all honesty. The lights and blaring music definitely weighed on your already stressed head more than you liked to admit. Yeah, you’ll go with that.

  Sighing loudly, you stood and thanked the receptionist once again. It was 11:17. Contrary to what you’d told Jiwon, you decided to go in the morning for his phone so you’d have gotten rid of the anxiety swirling in your stomach for the rest of the day. 

  “Have a lovely day, miss!” You hoped you would.

  “Thank you!”

  Ultimately, you decided to visit Life Rose On. You felt as though you should spoil yourself, as a late birthday present. Buying a new bouquet of flowers for yourself was a treat you didn’t often indulge in, but one you treasured all the more for as a result. And after the whirlwind of emotions you’d experienced within the past twenty-four hours, you felt like you deserved it.

  In the past, Jung-Hee always either picked out a bouquet for you herself or let you have free reign over what you wanted to create. Flower language was important to her so when she made the effort to navigate through her endless galaxy of different flowers, it really put into perspective for you just how much she genuinely did care. 

  You’d been touching up on it yourself, although not nearly as much as you’d like. You were doing it so that you could surprise Jung-Hee with your knowledge, something she’d always admired in you.

  “You should put your wits to use, honeybee. It’s wasted holed up in that apartment of yours,” she chided from where she was cutting the thorns from her rose bush. Your face turned exasperated, even if you were fond of her fretting. 

 “You know I’m searching for a job, halmeoni,” your gaze turns wistful. “The right one just hasn’t come up yet.”

  You knew she could sense the longing in your tone. All you’ve ever wanted is to be able to help people, really help people. You’d always had that natural instinct, always been naturally good at making people feel better about themselves and about their situation. Jung-Hee said it was a gift, you were inclined to agree, even if those urges were never truly sated.

  In your peripheral, you saw her lower the clippers in her hands and dust them off on her apron. She approached you and placed two callused palms on either side of your face and squished. The look in her eyes was the same love given from a grandmother to her grandchild, as though they could do no wrong and were yet to shed their naivety.

 “You will get the job you want, honeybee, there is no doubt in my mind.” She gave you a delicate kiss on your forehead. “Who knows? Maybe it will be sooner than later.”

  The familiar sign of the flower shop always put a smile on your face as it stood out amongst the others. The ivy clinging to the walls and the flowers dangling from the entrance an everlasting spectacle. You felt like you could finally relieve the weight from your chest at the sight of it.

  Glancing towards the opening door, the smile that had bloomed grew even brighter at the sight of who was leaving the shop. 

  “Yunho? Hey!” You exclaimed, happy to see his face again even if you’d only met him yesterday. Your mind couldn’t help but remember how reassured his words and voice made you feel yesterday. Yunho seemed to have a naturally soothing presence and, right now, that was just what you needed.

  His head turned in your direction with a slight scowl to his brow before it smoothed, finally seeing who had addressed him. “(Y/N), how lovely to see you again.” He stepped further from the door and tucked a hand into the pockets of his long, black trenchcoat. He was smartly dressed in a black suit but you could practically taste how expensive it was to tailor. You wondered what he did for work.

  His other hand came up in a wave, showing what you assumed to be pure leather riding gloves.

  It was then that you saw that there was someone with him. A man of a similar height in an outfit that looked to be worth more than your apartment. Yunho noticed where your eyes had strayed to and gestured kindly to the man as he moved to stand where you could both be introduced properly, “This is Mingi. Mingi, this is (Y/N). She’s the lovely lady I said I met yesterday.”

  You smiled at him and noticed how Yunho didn’t offer any more of an introduction past his name. Mingi attempted a small smile back but you could tell that he probably wasn’t the kind of person who would put himself into social situations like this very often. His body language was screaming ‘I am on a social timer and it is getting dangerously close to zero’. 

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mingi.”

  “You too,” and, oh, wasn’t that interesting? You had to fight to suppress the shiver that wracked through you as his deep voice reached your ears like a crushed silk and prayed that Mingi hadn’t felt the aftershocks as you shook hands. 

  You couldn’t quite temper the blush that dusted your cheeks, but you could play that off as a chill from the cold air. 

  “Mingi and I were just on our way to get a light snack before we visit a friend later. Did you, perhaps, want to join us?” Yunho asked you, drawing your slightly wide eyes back to him. Admittedly, it took you a few seconds to completely process his question but as soon as you did a pleasant warmth filled your chest.

  “Oh, I’d love to! I wouldn’t be intruding, would I?” they both shook their heads immediately. 

  “We insist. Please, it’d be a nice way to get to know each other better.” 

  A bright expression overtook your face. “Then yeah, I’d love to join you both. Where did you have in mind?”

  Yunho looked expectantly at Mingi, and you did the same, thinking that perhaps Mingi was the one with a coffee shop in mind. He wouldn’t meet either of your eyes, instead adjusting the collar of his creaseless shirt as though he was warm, even though the temperature outside was biting. “Any ideas, Mangi-ya?” 

  Your eyes looked between the two of them subtly. You noticed that Yunho was looking at Mingi like he’d hung the stars in the sky and your heart clenched at how adorable Yunho’s love for Mingi was. Mingi’s eyes darted to Yunho’s briefly, not meeting your own, and even in that minute locking of gazes you saw a desperate grasp for reassurance and maybe a call for help as well.

  Interesting, you mused internally. You weren’t about to speculate on the nature of their relationship as it wasn’t your place to do so - it was clear from a mile away that they meant the world to one another. Who were you to judge that?

  Yunho must’ve seen the same thing as you, most probably saw and understood more than you ever could, for he seemed to take mercy on Mingi and put the pressure onto you instead. “How about you, (Y/N)? Anywhere you like to go?” And he genuinely seemed to care.

  Thinking deeply, you listed mentally all of the immediate coffee shops you could think of in the area. There was your typical, universal Starbucks. There was a little shop on the main high street. Was there one on the same street as Life Rose On perhaps?

  Your train of thought screeched to an abrupt halt as you turned to them both with a regretful expression on your face. You’d forgotten the entire point of coming to this part of town today.

  “I’m so sorry but I completely forgot I was meant to be visiting Jung-Hee today, she owns the flower shop and she wasn’t in yesterday. We could go again some time? Maybe this week?” You looked up at them both with hope glistening in your eyes. You were genuinely sorry about the turn of events. Selfishly and selflessly. You’d love to spend time getting to know Yunho and Mingi, they both seemed like kind and genuine people, regardless of how reserved Mingi appeared to be, and you’d always clicked immediately with people of that description. 

  Not seeing Jung-Hee yesterday, despite how pleasant meeting Yeosang was, worried you a little bit. Coupled with how she hadn’t left you a text or even a little bouquet behind the counter with a note, her well-being couldn’t help but preoccupy your thoughts slightly. 

  Both men looked at you with a startling amount of attention in their eyes. You didn’t quite know what emotions were there, you weren’t sure you were quite comfortable with them though. Slowly, your apologetic posture began to angle towards the direction of the shop and away from them.

  “Hey, wait,” Yunho stepped closer to you. A large hand coming up to hover over your arm as though wanting to touch you but hesitant to breach what you were comfortable with. He ducked his head slightly to meet your gaze and, just like yesterday, the deep brown of them captured you once again.

  Voice soft, he murmured, “I’m sure she’s alright. If there was anything wrong, you would know about it.” 

  His words were so convincing. You could see the truth in them, the objective fact that you would know if something was wrong because you were her emergency contact for essentially everything these days. She’d always praised you on your reliability and you’d always appreciated her transparency when things were wrong as she knew that denying you insight into what ailed her would only worry you more.

  You maintained eye contact with him. “Why would there be anything wrong?” Why would Yunho jump to that conclusion? You had provided no indication you were worried about her. 

  Something… ticked in his gaze. As though you’d said something wrong. Or as though he’d said something wrong and wasn’t happy you’d noticed it. You weren’t sure which was more plausible, but you didn’t like either of them.

   Pursing his lips momentarily, he continued, expression as calm and controlled as ever and tone of voice reassuring and firm. “Nothing is wrong, I promise.” He dropped his hand and looked back at Mingi, prompting you to do the same. Mingi’s expression was one of intense curiosity and it was beginning to bother you that you didn’t know why. 

  “Yeosangie is a good friend of ours. He’ll be able to tell you that Jung-Hee is alright and I heard you and Yeosang met yesterday, no?” 

  You nodded in confirmation. “You know Yeosang?”

  A light smile spread across Yunho’s lips, yet it was Mingi who answered. “Our Yeosangie is very special to us. We’ve known each other for what seems like eons.” 

  “Eons, huh? That’s a long time,” you laugh, tension bleeding from your body. “My friendship with Ji-Ah is like that. She’s my best friend, I wouldn’t replace her for the world.”

  Mingi’s smile seemed to shrink slightly but his gaze remained sincere. 

  You still felt majorly apologetic. Their kind words meant a lot to you, and you were admittedly mildly shocked at how coincidental it seemed that the two handsome men before you also seemed to know Yeosang, Then again, you supposed it made sense. “I really must be going now, I’m sorry. I promised Jung-Hee I would visit this week.”

 “Jung-Hee isn’t there today,” Yunho said. “We went in to see if we could find any flowers for our friend that I mentioned earlier, and it was Yeosang who was at the checkout.”

  Yeosang again? Where on earth was Jung-Hee?

  “Come with us, (Y/N).”

  A strange sensation began tingling behind your eyes.

  “We’d love to get to know you better. Please.” 

  As though your eyelids were itching. On the inside. 

  You brought a mindless hand up to rub at them, sighing in contemplation. “I… I don’t know, I’m sorry. I should really check if she’s alright.”

   You turned to them both, hoping to emphasise your sincerity and regret through eye contact. Yunho blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. Mingi stood stock still with his hands buried in his pockets and his eyes downturned towards Yunho. 

  “It’s alright, we understand,” Mingi placated like a warm blanket over your nerves and you smiled gratefully. He pulled out his phone from his pocket. “Would you mind adding your number to my phone?” You could’ve slapped yourself, how else were you supposed to organise another coffee grab? Bump into each other again? Doubtful.

  You added your number to Mingi’s phone and added his number once he sent you a message himself. Yunho still hadn’t said anything. Studying his expression, you could see nothing of the obvious that was wrong and you didn’t know him well enough to even begin to guess why he was suddenly silent. It couldn’t have been because you declined their offer, you’d already agreed to meet up the day after tomorrow. You’d have to refresh your mind on the name Mingi had mentioned, not having heard of the place before, but you saw a slight element of excitement in Yunho’s eyes at that announcement, despite his clear deliberation over something. 

  You all bid your goodbyes, you going into the shop and Yunho and Mingi heading off to meet their friend. 

  Hand resting on the door handle to Life Rose On, you hesitated before turning curiously to follow the two with your gaze. They walked closely together, turning heads as they walked which was unsurprising to you. 

  You were about to turn back, satisfied with whatever you saw them straighten and pause. They didn’t look back at you, thankfully. You saw them tilt their heads slightly, as though straining to hear something they couldn’t quite decipher. What was going on? 

  They stopped almost as soon as they’d begun. You noticed, in the small gap between both of their swishing trench coats, that they had taken to grasp each other’s hand. 

  And by the looks of it, they were gripping tightly. Huh…

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

“That’s not possible.”

  “It’s not.”

  “That shouldn’t be possible!”

  “It shouldn’t.”

  …

  “And yet, she resisted.”

  A curiosity, but a fleeting one. They had rare butterflies like you flutter by on occasion, it made the high of the chase all the more rewarding. Yunho seemed to struggle to accept that it was he who had been challenged this time around and knowing how he was, how any of them were, in face of a challenge… 

  A sharp, cruel giggle echoed in their minds. A wince flying through them all. 

  “Fly high, little butterfly. I look forward to seeing your wings break.”

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

It begins with the sweet scent of a soul, they cannot resist it. The smell, the sight, the taste. 

  As gluttonous as they claim not to be, it is in their nature. This I know. This you will know, my child. For they will come for you with all of their strength and manipulation and such beautifully twisted lies, simply waiting for the right moment to devour you whole. 

  The more you resist, the more they obsess and the more they crave the sins they will carve into your flesh. 

  But you must not give in, my light. You are too good, you are good. And it is that goodness, that light, that will either be your greatest strength… or the catalyst for your final downfall.

  Remember me, in times of struggle. Remember me when no light pierces the veil of shadow they have blinded you with. 

  You will not succumb. You will not surrender.

  I will not allow it. Not again.

A helpless lover, clinging to hope. 1117 BC.

[waywardsummoner46]

ORRRRRR if you’re looking for dom Yunho thoughts… hmmm

After a long day of responsibilities, meeting new people, having to make grand and elaborate speeches for the company you work for, all you want to do when you come home to Yunho is simply shut off. No speeches. No speaking. No thinking.

And he can get you there.

Speaking? Pfft, he tells you to strip when you come home and lay face down on the bed. His hands massage the tense muscles in your body but one creeps up towards your face. He knows what you’re asking for, and he’ll give it to you.

Stuffing your mouth with his sinful fingers and rutting into you with a dominance and force that leaves nothing for you to worry about. All you have to do is enjoy the pleasure he’s giving you and suck absentmindedly on his pretty fingers, slowly but surely getting lost in your own mind and all thoughts and responsibilities flowing out of your head.

Okay, I’m done now

ohhhh you get meeee

and you don't even have to tell him you've had a long day. he just knows. he'll text you to come to the bedroom when you get home. and he'll just undress you so slowly, making sure to kiss every inch of your neck and shoulders. guiding you to the bed where he's laid out the pillows and blankets just the way you like it, and you can tell he's freshly washed all the sheets.

he'll start massaging your shoulders first. applying just enough pressure for you to let out a soft moan. he smiles and leans down to your ear, "that it~ relax for me, baby. let me make you feel good."

and his hands make their way from your shoulders to your back and all the way down to your legs. working out the knots in your thighs and calves. and he'll even give you a foot rub too (he's very thorough).

but when he makes his way back up your legs, he spreads them just enough so he can have access to your pussy. and he keeps you on your stomach as he runs his fingers through your folds.

and when you gasp and start to squirm a bit he leans over your back and scolds you with a whisper right by your ear, "no no, pretty. i need you to stay still for my, okay? be a good girl and don't move."

and his fingers slide in so easily because of how needy his little massage made you. and he groans as he sinks his fingers all the way inside you. feeling how perfectly you wrap around them like you were made for him.

and he's sure to play with your clit, too. watching with a smirk as you try to hold yourself still despite the pleasure.

but eventually it all just falls away. after one orgasm. and then two. there's just not a thought left in your pretty little head. and all you can think about is the man above you who kisses you and touches you in all the right places so that you never have to think again.

[waywardsummoner46]

Yandere!Hongjoong x reader. Very vague ot8 x reader.

Warnings: drugging, nonconsensual restraints, hinted violence, major undertone of mind manipulation, mild violence

“Wooyoung, you need to let me go you don’t understand what he’ll do to me! Please!”

He stroked your sweat-drenched hair from your forehead with a gaze so tender your heart shuddered in disgust.

“Everything’s going to be alright, sweetheart. We’ll all take care of you,” he reassured misguidedly.

Harsh lights filled your vision as your restrained form was wheeled into what looked to be an abandoned basement.

Panic began clawing its way up your throat, its talons manifesting as a thick lump clogging your airway. You began to struggle, despite the haze of the sedatives still in effect. “Wooyoung-“

“Wooyoung, step over to San, please.”

If your heart had shuddered earlier, now it had sunk to the deepest depths of your despair.

You never thought you’d have to hear that voice again. Never thought you’d have to grimace at his devilish grin or to cower away from his confident stride once more.

He hummed lowly. The sound echoing ominously in the dark chamber. “Been a while, hasn’t it?” And then Kim Hongjoong himself sauntered into your field of vision, his teeth like glittering canines in the dim light.

You gulped. “Ten years and yet it still wasn’t enough away from you.” And just because you knew the rest of them were around somewhere, you added, “From all of you.”

In the stupidest move of your life, you spat directly in Hongjoong’s face. All he did was laugh.

It was that laugh that his enemies heard before their deaths, a torment so unyielding it follows them into the afterlife.

Today you would not die. Today you’d be subjected to something far worse.

“Yeosang,” he started.

In that moment, you felt every wall you’d built shatter. It couldn’t be him, anyone but him.

“No…”

“Come and help me with this, hm?”

“Hongjoong… please… I’m begging you,” and you seriously were. Every ounce of sincerity you could muster flowing from your eyes and mouth as tears and pleas. “Anyone but him, not Yeosang.”

He cooed down at you. His hand coming up to stroke your damp cheek, no semblance of mercy or pity on his face at all. “But, precious, who else would it be?”

Then, before you could blink, the needle was plunged into your brain stem from under your restraints.

A trembling gasp left you as every nerve in your body burned. Just when you felt Death’s hand creeping over your shoulder… nothing.

You’d lost. And you’d be trapped forever without ever being aware of it.

“Welcome back, my love. I’ll make sure you never leave me again.”

[waywardsummoner46]

[yunho+subspace+collars] - 01:30

He looked like an angel, knelt before you with his head resting delicately against the inside of your thigh. Yunho sighed as you ran your fingers gently through his hair, a small content smile finding its way onto his face.

“How are you feeling, pretty?” Your whispered question breaking the blanket of warm silence that had fallen over the room. Yunho had needed this today, badly; coming home with tense shoulders and restless limbs. Luckily, you knew exactly what to do to help.

You cooed as his eyelids fluttered open and his spaced out and glazed over eyes blinked heavily at you. Yunho was very deep tonight. If it took this much effort to open his eyes, all he needed was one last push…

He tongue poked out to wet his lips, your eyes following the motion completely endeared by how out of it he looked. You had done that. 

“Feeling a bit floaty, huh?” Yunho took a while to process what you’d said and giggled dazedly when it finally translated in his current state of mind.

“‘M not… ‘m not floaty, m-” he stopped talking. Your eyebrow raised in silent amusement. You knew what he was about to say, that one word that he only called you when he was completely submerged into his precious subspace.

Entertaining him, you pressed a quick kiss to his plump lips. “I think you are, baby.” One hand still stroking his head, you reached to your right with the other and grabbed the one item you knew would send him drifting blissfully over the edge and into the headspace he pleaded with you to put him in earlier. “I have your collar for you, but… if you’re not floaty, then you won’t be needing it.”

It was the perfect bait, and had he been in a clearer state of mind he would’ve noticed that and probably laughed at how poorly you were manipulating him. 

But he wasn’t. The sluggish furrow of his brow and heavy hands coming to paw at your thighs. “But, I want it,” he whined.

"Only my good, floaty boys get to wear their collar. Are you my good, floaty boy, Yunho?”

You didn’t get a response, you never do when you play this game time and time again. Seeing his eyes droop and head falling impossibly limper against your thigh would always be worth this cat and mouse phase of his submissive state. 

“Oh, you’re such a good boy for me. You deserve it, precious.” 

Meticulously and so slowly, you attached the black lacy collar around the perfect skin around his neck, watching his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed, succumbing completely to the call of his submission. 

“Mommy…” he whimpered against the inside of your thigh,

You shushed him gently. “Come on, baby. Let’s get you to bed.” Yunho, with a lot of your help, found his head gently resting against your chest. The calming beating of your heart sending him to sleep almost immediately.

No other thoughts sprang to your mind apart from how lucky you were to have him trust you with this vulnerable side of him.

You pressed a kiss to his forehead and murmured a soft goodnight. His soft breaths lulling you to sleep, a smile staying on your face the entire night.

[waywardsummoner46]

Hello this a long shot call, am a citizen of Palestine. I am here to request for your support to help get my insulin (Humalog), just an injection for today to save my life please I beg.I was diagnosized with type 1 diabetes and due to current situation in Gaza I'm unable to get my insulin injection as a result I'm here begging for little financial support to help me purchase insulin for this week, am having a balance of$168. Am sorry if am sending you again this request, kindly donate any amount please. My donation link is in my pinned post. Thank you and be blessed

Please help this lady out if you guys are able to! These people deserve all the help they can get in such awful circumstances.

[waywardsummoner46]

Hi, I hope you are doing well.🌹

Can you help by sharing my story, reblog, and donating if you can, to keep hope alive for me, I'm type 1 diabetes. I am calling on your humanity and kindness to help me raise $340.

This amount will enable the approval of an insulin pump that will help me better control my diabetes. Although I am happy that I have been approved the hardest part is the money to pay for the pump and equipment, please your contribution is important. Be blessed ♥️

Hey guys! If anyone is able to help this person out with some donations, that would mean the absolute world to her! If not, be sure to spread this to wherever you can so she reaches as many people as possible. Thank you!

[waywardsummoner46]

The Battle of Sentiment (Loki x GN/ASGARDIAN!Reader)

Summary: You and Loki were childhood friends, but now he seemed more like a stranger. Sentiment… It wasn’t just your weakness. There was always something unspoken between you two. (Set during ‘Avengers’.)

Rating: SFW/All ages - brief mentions of injury/blood but nothing graphic. Angst, hurt, kinda romance if you squint.

A/N: Written more from Loki’s POV, with an ‘unspoken love’ between you both. No use of ‘Y/N’.

Based off of my POV

“I see they’ve sent in the cavalry.”

Loki slowly turned in his glass cell - or cage he should say. He wore a slight smirk on his lips, eyes faintly narrowed as the sound of his leather boots shifted on the floor, filling the silence in the room. There you stood, donned in the armour of a warrior. It seemed a lot had changed since he fell from the Bifrost. He was hardly surprised, you had always wanted to be a ‘protector’… Yet his tone as he said those words was one of mockery. He knew this was Thor’s doing, sending you to try and talk some ‘sense’ into him. The one person Thor thought maybe he would listen to…

“I assume my brother and his new friends believe you can, what?” Loki continued, tilting his head faintly, walking slowly closer to the glass. “Offer solace? Be a balm? Remind me of ‘who I really am’…?” His lips tugged into a sharp, sardonic smile as he shook his head, hands clasped behind his back. “Tell me how I ‘don’t need to do this’…” You had yet to say a word, simply observing the God turned attempted Ruler. “Thor told you of my true parentage, did he not?” Loki raised a brow. “I was never one of you.” A pause. “And I certainly will not be swayed with sentiment.”

It was a declaration. A hypocritical one at that. Every action since he found out about his true heritage had been born from sentiment, whether he liked to admit it or not. And the way you had yet to say a single word… It irked him more than he liked. His sharp smile slowly fell, a steely expression taking over his features. A low rumble left him, almost sound of frustration as he turned once again on his heel, slowly beginning to pace the round cage.

“It appears much has changed since I was cast into an abyss…” Loki’s voice held an edge to it, perhaps even the faintest traces of hurt at the memory of Odin’s last words echoing in his mind. The simple ‘no, Loki’ that had left his fath-… Asgard’s King’s lips. Rejection. “You don a warriors garb.” He paused his steps, glancing back at you. “Asgardian armour, a fierce expression and yet…” His eyes narrowed analytically. “Your eyes reveal your… disappointment. Your uncertainty. Your doubt.” Once again, his lips twitched upwards, this time into a slight smirk. “So, enlighten me…” He tilted his head. “What do you hope to gain?”

You had remained silent, watching the man you had once called your friend. Your dearest friend… Yet, somehow now he felt like a stranger. You had seen Loki be angry, jealous, cunning, manipulative… But never this detached. Especially, not to you. Your lips pursed as you dared take a few steps closer to the glass between you both, your leathers lightly creaking as you did so. Loki mirrored your movements, also taking a few steps closer. You were disappointed. You were uncertain. And your doubt was regarding your friendship with the God of Mischief.

“Nothing.” You finally spoke, voice low, almost quiet. “I came to Midgard to aid Thor, to protect the mortals-“ A breathy, almost mocking laugh cut you off. It was brief, Loki’s hands unclasping from behind his hand to fall at his sides. “And to ensure the Tesseract is secured.” You continued, trying to ignore his clear dismissal of your words. “This isn’t about what I can gain.”

“Hm.” Loki hummed lowly, smirk still on his face. You fought the urge to shift under his calculating stare, knowing he likely saw right through your words. Loki was adept at finding weaknesses, but you both knew he didn’t need to probe too much to find yours.

Of course, you were in love with him. He had been a constant in your life since you were children. You had seen him at his worst - or at least, what you had thought was his worst - and his best. Just as he had you. There was always something unspoken between you, but neither of you had ever admitted it openly or even really admitted it to yourselves - not fully. And now… Well, everything that happened before Thor’s coronation seemed like a distant memory. It felt cold. And that hurt more than anything. You didn’t know what was worse, the feeling of grief you had carried the whole year after his fall from the Bifrost or this, right now. It was a different type of grief.

“Could you do it?” Loki’s sudden question brought you out from your thoughts, your brows furrowing ever so slightly. Loki’s smirk had disappeared, replaced with a look that was somehow steely as it was curious. “Could you stop me? Any means necessary?” A pause. “To protect this-“ He gestured loosely around him with a hand. “-lost realm?”

Silence.

You raised your chin faintly, trying to remain composed and neutral. But of course, he knew what your silence meant.

“Just as I had suspected.” He murmured, almost softly. “You see… it’s where you and I differ.” He took a step closer to the glass. “I wouldn’t hesitate.” And just as quickly as the softer tone appeared, it disappeared. “Not even for a second.” He tilted his head downwards, the shadows from the holding cells lighting giving him a darker look, sinister almost.

“I don’t believe you.” You countered, although the slight waver in your voice said otherwise. There it was… That doubt.

“Sentiment is a weakness.” Loki continued lowly. “Foolish, dangerous… And it gets you killed.” His voice was barely above a whisper, yet held the edge of danger he had spoken of. You swallowed the lump in your throat, taking a quiet breath.

“We were friends once.” You raised a brow, shaking your head faintly. “And now? We are… enemies?” There was that brief, breathy laugh again.

“Words spoken like a child…” Loki continued, taking another step closer, his shadow growing taller with each step. “Holding onto the memories of a lost boy.” His lips curled in what looked like disgust, his eyes flickering over you. “Pathetic.” The simple word cut right through you, making your composure falter. “You came to Midgard, not to protect but to try and reconcile. Letting sentimentality rule your actions. And it will be your undoing.”

You hadn’t even realised you’d been holding your breath until his fist suddenly collided with the glass, making you gasp, stepping back as he glared at you. It was cold, cruel… It was a side to Loki you hadn’t seen before.

“You stand in a warriors attire, yet you let emotion control your actions.” He snarled. “Your ancestors slain monsters like me and you came here to talk!?” He spat, his anger only growing. However, deep down, buried underneath all his animosity, his need for vengeance, his craving to be seen as a worthy ruler, he felt… hurt. Guilt even. The way you looked at him… Your eyes so expressive, so open like a book. His words were hurting you, just as he had designed them to. Then why did it affect him?

“You’re nothing but a child, interfering in affairs of Gods and Kings. If I were you…” His breath fogged the glass lightly from how close his face was to it, his fist uncurling as his palm pressed against the glass. “I would return to Asgard and stay out of my way.” It was a warning, not quite a threat. A quick breath left your nose, lips downturned, brows creased… Yes, it was a warning… But a part of you thought that perhaps… Perhaps it was born from care that he still felt somewhere inside.

“And if I refuse?” You asked, voice barely above a whisper, your eyes searching his. Loki’s hardened stare slipped for the quickest of moments, so quick that you wouldn’t have caught it if you hadn’t have been staring at him so intently.

It was the same look he had worn when you had insisted to go to Jotunheim with him, Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three. But that time… He was able to stop you, to keep you from accompanying them. This was different. You were on opposite sides, and he knew the mortals would not care what became of you in the war he sought to ignite.

“Then you would be foolish.” He finally spoke, voice a low murmur. “Return home.” He reiterated, more of an order than a warning now. Perhaps even a hint of a plea.

“Not without you.”

The words left you before you could stop them, the warriors facade completely melting away. Before him now stood his friend… The person he grew up with, the person he had once felt he could trust… But that trust broke with Odin and Frigga’s lie he had discovered. He couldn’t trust anyone. He wasn’t even sure he could trust himself anymore… His hand fell from the glass, his eyes blinking as he took a step back, chin raising as he spoke:

“So be it.”

The battle had begun.

Loki had once again managed to pull the strings, manipulating the team and getting the war he had wanted. He had fought his brother, and when Thor had forced him to look out at the world he was destroying… For a moment, the mask slipped. The vengeance, the rage, the envy… The craving to be a ruler… It disappeared for a second. In that moment, he felt like the lost boy. Destruction, chaos, death and pain… That was what he was inflicting. ‘Madness’ as Thor had called it.

Was it madness?

And for a second, Loki considered backing down. A part of him just… wanted it to be over. But the part of him, the logical part, remembered the consequences if he failed. And it surged him onwards.

But it was futile. The Avengers had won. He couldn’t help but feel some relief, the sceptres influence ebbing. It had bolstered him, intensifying his motives, his conviction… And now it was gone… Reality began to set in. As the Avengers stood before him, all ready for another round, Loki sat against the steps, cuts and scrapes littering his face from the fight. Exhausted. He was exhausted.

His eyes trailed over the triumphant team, before they flickered in your direction. His blue eyes took in your own exhausted face. You had survived… And the relief he felt at seeing you alive… It showed for a moment on his face. However, you didn’t escape unharmed. Your hand clutched your side, fingers bloodied and dirty. Your skin had sustained bruises, cuts and was covered in dust. Before him now was a warrior.

“If it’s all the same to you…” Loki’s eyes travelled back to the Avengers. “I’ll have that drink now.” He raised his brows faintly, noticing the small smirk Stark wore at his words. This was the Loki you remembered. Not the one you had been facing the last few days.

Thor didn’t waste any time in moving to apprehend him, although Loki had no plans of trying to escape. Punishment from Odin seemed a much better prospect than the consequences he would face at the hands of Thanos. As Thor hoisted him to his feet, Loki let out a quiet hiss, one of pain and frustration. It was then he saw you approaching, just as Thor cuffed his wrists.

“I’m impressed.” Loki raised a brow, eyeing you. “You survived.” He didn’t know what he expected you to say, but the look you gave him… told him everything he needed to know. “Well, you conquered your first battle.” He continued lowly. “I believe that is cause for celebration.” Thor glared at the God of Mischief, clearly not appreciating his candidness about his actions. He opened his mouth to say something, but you beat him to it.

“You think this is amusing?” You breathed out, your own frustrations and anger rising to the surface. Loki’s face remained neutral. “You think I wish to celebrate after the horrors I have just faced?” You shook your head in disbelief, your voice raising slightly, causing a few of the others in the room to glance your direction.

“Uh oh, looks like we have a domestic.” You heard Stark mutter wryly as he closed the suitcase which was now housing the Tesseract.

“People are dead, Loki. Their home destroyed!” You continued, taking a shaky breath. Loki’s lack of emotion only reinforced your frustration. In fact, he didn’t think he had ever seen you so angry. “All this for a throne you don’t even want.” You narrowed your eyes, taking a step closer. Thor remained close, almost between you, worried it could quickly turn hostile. “If sentiment is my weakness, then what is yours?” You asked rhetorically, making Loki’s jaw twitch. “If my actions have been that of a child, wanting my friend back, then what are yours?”

He knew what you were implying. That his own actions were that born of the lost boy that was still somewhere deep inside of him. And it stung, it got to him… because he knew it to be true. His actions were born from bitterness, rage, envy and most of all… Sentiment.

Loki took a step closer, Thor shifting on his feet almost nervously, seeing the way his brother’s posture had tensed. But as Loki looked down at you, his features remained as composed as possible. The air was tense… His unpredictability weaving around the room. And then…

“I’m glad you did not perish.”

It was simple. But he knew you could read between the lines. It was an admission, in Loki’s way. Your tight features relaxed faintly, processing his words. And that doubt, that uncertainty you had felt before when facing him on the Hellcarrier… It began to ebb slightly. Perhaps… Perhaps he wasn’t a complete stranger after all… Maybe he still was your friend. Somewhere beneath all that hurt.

Thor placed a hand on Loki’s shoulder, steering him away from you. But Loki held your gaze as he was ushered towards the elevator, unspoken words being exchanged with just a look. It wasn’t quite an apology, or remorse… But it was similar to that of a plea. A plea not to give up on him as his father had. It hit you right in the chest.

There he was.

Your friend.

Perhaps it was foolish… dangerous… And maybe it would be your undoing… Or maybe sentiment wasn’t a weakness after all. And maybe… Just maybe… It was the thing that could give you strength.

[waywardsummoner46]

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ Sink Into the Darkness, My Light | Four | ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

"Join us, my Light."

Two centuries ago, the ruler of the Light disappeared, plunging the universe into chaos and disrupting the sacred, unspoken balance of the universe.

The eight rulers of the Darkness never stopped looking for her; their obsession never once waning since she vanished.

Recently, they've sensed something. Never around long enough to pinpoint but so euphoric that it sings within their veins. And since meeting you, well... slowly they begin to understand why.

"Sink into the darkness with us."

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

「✦」 PAIRING - yandere ot8!ateez x (?)reader

「✦」 GENRE - ancient gods!au, fantasy!au, magical powers!au

「✦」 WARNINGS - mind control, gaslighting, dom/sub, subspace (of a sort), temporary amnesia, manipulation, YANDERE AND DARK THEMES

「✦」 WORD COUNT - 1,406

「✦」 A/N - Did I vanish again? No? Good answer. Anyway, I AM BACK NOT THAT I LEFT. Shorter chapter this time but there is a lot of lore packed into it. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think!

「✦」 TAGLIST - @yandere-stories - @adorawritesalot - @yoongisgirl69 - @sadtoru

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

• one • two • three • four • five • six •

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

You woke to the worst migraine of your life. It throbbed against the walls of your skull and felt like someone was taking a sledgehammer and relentlessly battering your head.

  You let out an unattractive grunt, one hand coming up to massage your temples and the other trying to rub sleep from your eyes. You cringed at the amount of gunk that had gathered over night, although you were grateful for the good night’s sleep that came hand in hand with it. 

  Letting out a long sigh, you lowered both of your hands. The early morning atmosphere was very calming, despite the pounding migraine, and you took the time to appreciate it whilst it lasted.

  You took the time to recollect your birthday; it had surely been a hectic day, a birthday unlike any other you’ve had before, to say the least. Yunho and Yeosang were back in your thoughts (and if smiled slightly then that was no one’s business but your own). They had truly made your morning, their kindness and general warm exteriors effortlessly making a pleasant feeling spread through your chest. 

  It dissipated once you remembered Seonghwa and Wooyoung. 

  There was something… off about them. Completely opposite to Yunho and Yeosang. They instilled a feeling of such instinctual wrongness within you that you found yourself grimacing absentmindedly. Seonghwa had been welcoming with a presence that demanded attention, and there was nothing wrong with that. But then, he’d taken such a drastic turn in emotions after he’d styled your hair. Mumbling, crying, even laughing almost hysterically - and for what?

  Wooyoung was an even more different story. Something about the guy gave you chills and you’d barely interacted with him for more than half an hour. And how did he manage to get Jiwon to finally settle down? He’d completely bypassed her aloof nature and her inability to keep major secrets from you. 

  You let out a long sigh and shifted slightly, and a mild prick at the back of your neck had your hand snapping up. You felt around your hair, feeling that it was still styled how Seonghwa had done it yesterday. But apparently he had placed a hair pin at the back of your head that you hadn’t noticed yesterday. 

  “Huh,” you said as you examined it. The hair pin was gorgeous; holding it vertically, you saw that there were two separate parts to the hair pin, the bottom of each connected by a singular rose gold chain. Both pieces were single helices in shape, however, one was the deepest black you’d ever seen in your life - squinting at it, you swore it was almost sucking in the light around it but you chalked that up to your sleep-addled brain.

  The other side was the most ethereal and pure white you’d ever bore witness to. A complete juxtaposition to its partner and yet somehow complimenting it so beautifully. You grazed your fingers gently across the narrow curve of the strand, eyes completely transfixed on its blinding glow, and you felt a spark, almost like an electric shock, travel from your fingertips down your arm and directly to your heart.

  And just like that, you entered a memory that was not your own.

A figure knelt before the dias, before the eight beings who sat on thrones of a grandeur impossible to capture in any form of literature, made of materials unfathomable to a mortal mind. 

  It was a young man, no older than twenty five, that held an audience with the eight. Seven of them unfamiliar to the furthest extent… the remaining one a love so old that words could do it no justice. And it was she, sat in a dress as weightless as the clouds and as treasured as the gentlest of snow, that gazed upon him with such heartbreak and betrayal. 

  Not anger, though. She could never be angry at him. Being angry at him was a poisonous thunder in her chest and a stain on her very being, irreversible and endlessly damaging. And he knew this.

  That didn’t stop him from taking her trust and thrusting it into her back like the sharpest of knives, 

  A delighted giggle echoed around the vast space, stars and galaxies and planets existing so peacefully around the circular platform these beings had created. He knew that His Lady of Light despised this stage more than anyone, despised the theatrics of sitting with the seven Lords of Darkness and utterly despised why the universe had called her here… called them all here.

  The King arose, and so did the Queen. The King raised an elegant brow at her behaviour, delighted to see her so far out of sorts that she had reacted physically. The young man knew that he was the cause, he knew that what he had done could not be undone. Nor could it be forgiven. 

 “Something you wish to say, My Lady?” The King asked, a morbid and sadistic pleasure behind every syllable he played with his tongue. Any mortal would sway to the symphonies he spoke, completely blinded to the sins woven between each letter. He was the worst of them all. He was the first. 

  Just like she was. 

  The young man’s eyes darted to His Lady’s dress as a light, almost imperceptible grey had begun to tease its edges. A human would never have detected it… but he wasn’t exactly mortal anymore, was he? 

  His Lady of Light hesitated for the briefest moment in time, enough for the seven Lords to smirk cruelly at her turmoil. And yet, with her head still raised high and eyes holding emotions unwilling to be released, she sat back down.

  “Wonderful,” The King crooned. He turned towards the young man, giving him his full attention once more. The man gulped, one of his last remaining human responses to fear and stood as the King beckoned him with a grin. 

  A chilling hand grasped the man’s chin. A flash of perfect white teeth and then a pain so intense that every nerve in the man’s body was alight with Hellfire. Shaking, he lowered his head slightly and whimpered loudly at the sight of the King’s hand puncturing his chest and grasping his heart.

  His gloves were off. There was no barrier from his corruption. 

  His Lady of Light could do nothing but watch her lover die. He did not perish but to her, to her heart, he might as well have. The call of Death would  have been a mercy compared to what the King was making him. 

  The man could feel an inky sensation spreading from his heart and down every lining and every nerve in his body. He imagined that black veins marred his skin. 

  There was a slight… itch, though. On his cheekbone. He knew not what it was nor where it came from but that sensation was firmly behind a fortress of onyx with a gravitational pull so undeniable that the man fell to his knees once more. This time in reverence of the King.

  The man heard a sob in the distance but even that was drowned by the pure evil binding to every blood cell in his body and replacing it with unparalleled power, power unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life. 

  His Lady would say that such power was a burden, a responsibility no one should have to bear. And now, the Lady’s words were of little concern to him now, a distant trickle of memory in the face of a waterfall of temptation, of sin. 

  “There you are.” 

  The boy stood. His eyes now a pitch black.

  “Our very own-”

You woke to the worst migraine of your life. It throbbed against the walls of your skull and felt like someone…

  A piercing ringing next to your ear made your eyes squeeze together in pain. Frantically, you aimed messily for your phone on your nightstand and pressed the answer button and regretted it immediately.

  “Morning! How did you sleep?”

  “I slept well, tha-”

  “‘Kay, cool! I’m suuuuper busy today and Wooyoung left his phone at that place we went to last night. We would go and get it but…” Why-oh-why did Jiwon have to mention Wooyoung, he gave you pins and needles even just thinking about him.

  Shaking your head silently, you responded, “It’s alright, Jiwon. Tell Wooyoung I’ll… go and grab his phone this afternoon. I’ll call you when I’ve got it.”

  She squealed and made a hasty goodbye. Nothing exasperated you more than that girl, you’re sure of it. 

  Time to start the day, you supposed. You hauled yourself out of bed and noticed that ‘The Hidden War Within’ was opened and on the floor. Your eyes skimmed the passage it had landed on, muttering a soft, “Awesome, the first entry is poetry? Who wrote it?”

Anonymous.

Inspiring. With that, you made your way to the bathroom and tidied yourself up for what would most definitely be a gruelling day.

[waywardsummoner46]

Hello there beautiful author...

I just wanted to stop by to tell you that your recent ateez yandere fic was immaculate.

I loved it and as a daydreaming girlie, my head wouldn't stop thinking of different scenarios.

The recent scene with wooyong where he excercised mind control over her best friend was awesome.

You are awesome! Take care of yourself and Keep going!

I'll be rooting for you..

Forever and always,

Zara ❤️

Oh my god thank you so much. I genuinely teared up over this, your words are so kind.

In all honesty, it’s comments like this that help keep me motivated and I really thought that this chapter was horrendous 😭

Thank you so much, again. You’re truly lovely.

[waywardsummoner46]

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ Sink Into the Darkness, My Light | Three | ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

"Join us, my Light."

Two centuries ago, the ruler of the Light disappeared, plunging the universe into chaos and disrupting the sacred, unspoken balance of the universe.

The eight rulers of the Darkness never stopped looking for her; their obsession never once waning since she vanished.

Recently, they've sensed something. Never around long enough to pinpoint but so euphoric that it sings within their veins. And since meeting you, well... slowly they begin to understand why.

"Sink into the darkness with us."

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

「✦」 PAIRING - yandere ot8!ateez x (?)reader

「✦」 GENRE - ancient gods!au, fantasy!au, magical powers!au

「✦」 WARNINGS - mind control, gaslighting, dom/sub, subspace (of a sort), temporary amnesia, manipulation, YANDERE AND DARK THEMES

「✦」 WORD COUNT - 2,024

「✦」 A/N - Sorry it took so long to get this one out, it is shorter than usual but after a couple of weeks I'll be able to write more frequently :)

「✦」 TAGLIST - @yandere-stories - @adorawritesalot

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

• one • two • three • four • five •

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

You hadn’t said a word since you left Seonghwa’s house.

  The entire experience had left a queasy feeling in your stomach and regardless of how immaculately styled your hair was, it seemed nothing could quell your unease. Ji-Ah had noticed your unusual silence when departing the old house but hadn’t caused a scene until after Seonghwa had waved you off.

  “I hope you have a good night, (Y/N).” He’d grinned at you, a glint in his eyes that seemed completely alien to his distraught visage earlier. You’d suppressed a shudder at his wink, feeling distinctly off until Seonghwa’s manor was but a speck in the rear view mirror.

  Ji-Ah turned to you, hair curled to frame her face and layers only accentuating her features. “Okay-”   “Seonghwa was so handsome, wasn’t he?” At Jiwon’s exclamation, both you and your soon-to-be interrogator winced violently.

  “Jesus fuck, Jiwon-ah. Tone down the volume a little bit.”

  A mildly sheepish look crossed her face but the heat in her eyes didn’t diminish. A headache began to form at your temples and you were growing increasingly agitated at her persistence, “You can’t deny it. He was like an angel! I’ve never seen anyone look like that before.”

  Regrettably, you whispered, “I have.” Perhaps a little too loudly, for Jiwon’s starstruck eyes grew brighter and the fire in Ji-Ah’s eyes was replaced by a mischievous twinkle.

  “Who-?”

  “Why, you little-” 

  Yeosang and Yunho’s faces flashed in your mind, a private smile gracing your lips. That feeling of lingering anxiety also melted away. 

  How strange. 

  You weren’t ready to discuss that so readily after your emotional roller coaster so… “What? I didn’t say anything,” and just like that the car erupted into madness.

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

“Hey, ladies. What can I get ya?”

  After ordering your drinks, the three of you scoped out a table tucked into a corner but still with a good view of the stage. 

  There were still residual nerves fluttering about inside your chest; this nightclub in particular was a last minute decision on Jiwon’s behalf. The club you regulared was full, according to the bouncers, so, determined not to have a failed birthday, your two friends had dragged your half-hearted and highly reluctant self to ‘Siren’s Den’. 

  Apparently, this nightclub had only recently been built and the owners were as elusive as the sun in a lightning storm.

   In other words, good luck finding them. 

  Despite your mild discomfort at being in such an unfamiliar environment on top of (being so far out of your comfort zone) the unexpected turn of events… the nightclub wasn’t half bad. 

  The stage was very evidently the main attraction; expensive-looking stage lights were attached to the ceiling and what you assumed were smoke machines of some kind were concealed by the intricate, crimson velvet curtains on the stage. In the darkish lighting of the club, you couldn’t really make out the floor of the stage but it was evident that it was top quality just from the taintless reflection of what little lighting illuminated the space.

  And… were those fire machines?

  “It isn’t too bad here, is it?” Ji-Ah commented passively, taking a sip of her rum and coke. She grimaced immediately at it, staring at it as though it had personally wronged her.

  You laughed at her expense. “Not too bad, huh?”

  “Har har, you’re hilarious,” she said, sticking her tongue out at you. “It’s not even that it tastes bad, there’s just something about it I don’t like.”

  Silence for all of two seconds swept over the table before Jiwon grabbed her glass of whatever cocktail she’d decided, picked it up and chugged the entire thing down in one go. She let out the most ungodly shriek you’d ever heard and all you could do was stare with a dumb half-smile on your face. 

  Because just what on earth was that.

  “I don’t know why you two are looking at me like that, I displayed perfectly acceptable behaviour for a nightcl- oh, Wooyoung! Hi!” 

  Following her gaze with a raised eyebrow you turned to look behind you, 

jaw dropped at the sight of a young man practically waltzing up to your table - he didn’t look like he’d just be hovering either. The table was circular so the only way for him to sit down was either by Jiwon or by… oh, no.

  Luckily for you, he sat down quite energetically next to Jiwon who looked completely thrilled to see whoever this Wooyoung guy was. So thrilled that, instead of simply moving over, she grabbed his smooth cheeks and brought him in for a kiss. (A kiss is generous, it looked more like they were trying to eat each others’ faces off.) A quick glance at Ji-Ah showed she shared similar sentiments to you. 

  “Jiwon, care to introduce us to your… uh, friend?” Ji-Ah questioned, a disapproving twinge to her facial features. 

  You’d like to know the answer to that yourself. Jiwon had always been the more extroverted and flirtatious of the three of you, but never had she treated someone with so much passion. To your knowledge, there had never been any further progression than incredibly suggestive flirtation so to see her basically eating this man’s face off was, to say the least, a bit of a shock. 

  Ultimately, it was Wooyoung who pulled away first, looking down at Jiwon with a devilish grin on his face. That wasn’t entirely inaccurate either; you’d compare him to the devil, dangerous because he was so beautiful. In return, she looked up through dazed eyes and you thought you saw something a black mist or pigment fading from her eyes. 

  Your eyes lingered on her own for a little while longer, convinced you’d seen something.

  She noticed you staring, “Everything okay, (Y/N)-ah? You’re looking at me like you want to kill me.” 

  Giving her what you hoped was a natural smile, you assured her lightly that you were fine, simply mildly shocked. “Yeah, sorry about that.” She then turns to Wooyoung with a glint in her eyes that made every hair on your body stand on edge, for a reason you couldn’t quite put your finger on. “So, this,” she gestures to him. “Is Wooyoung.” 

  A faint itch began at your jugular and you raised an absentminded hand to scratch at it.  

  “Yeah, Wooyoung… it’s, uh, nice to meet you?” Ji-Ah phrased it as a question, probably still recovering from the emotional whiplash of the entire day.

  Wooyoung turned to Ji-Ah and gave her a polite bow from across the table, “Nice to meet you as well, Jiwon’s told me a lot about you.”

  You listened to him speak, picking up on something in his tone that made your eyes narrow subtly. The itching grew worse and you tried to be conspicuous with your scratches, the sound drowned by the low hum of the nightclub around you.

  “And you must be (Y/N).” The words to respond got stuck in your throat, as though something was causing your trachea to swell and your voicebox to break. You tried to smile politely, really you did, but your jugular grew to a point of pain where controlling your facial features was becoming difficult. 

  Clearing your throat, you struggled past the pain and brought your hands into clenched fists under the table. “That’s me.” And that was all you could manage. Jiwon began a conversation that you couldn’t focus on at all but the sound of her voice was comforting.

 God, what was wrong with you today?

 You closed your eyes tightly, letting the low droning of your friends' voices ground your senses. You were becoming mildly overwhelmed, to say the least, and you just needed a few seconds to come back to yourself before maintaining a facade of sociability. 

  The night had only just begun, and yet… you really just wanted to sleep.

  A light touch to the hand clutching your drink caused you to open your eyes, turning to meet the concerned eyes of Ji-Ah. Communicating silently, you assured her through your eyes that you were okay. Having known each other for so long, reading each others’ facial expressions was like being fluent in another language.

  “- and then, this guy, Hongjoong I think his name was-” 

  You couldn’t help it; the hairs that were already on end seemed to stand impossibly straight and goosebumps erupted all across your skin. The nauseous feeling in your stomach that you’d tried so desperately to ignore returned tenfold and you emptied everything you’d consumed on the floor.

  You coughed violently. Ji-Ah stroked your back with a soothing hand and encouraging words, reaching for a water someone must’ve brought to the table. 

  Accepting it gracefully, you took a sip and washed your mouth out of the taste of your own vomit. After a while of sitting keeled over at a table, you assumed it was some cleaners that had to come to clean up your mess. You would’ve apologised profusely but you were hit with a wave of exhaustion so powerful Ji-Ah had to actually wrench you back upright from your clothes. 

  “Alright, that’s it. I’m taking you home.”

  “No, Ji-Ah, I’m okay. I swear-”

  “Tell that to the cleaners who just swiped away your stomach acid. For fuck sake, you’re green in the face! You aren’t well. Now. Let’s. Go.” Once Ji-Ah had her mind set on something, there was no use in disputing against her. You wouldn’t win. 

  Before even turning to look at Jiwon and Wooyoung, you knew Jiwon was sitting there with an expression of utter devastation and regret. She’d blame herself, even if nothing was her fault. “Jiwon-ah, I know exactly what you’re thinking. I’ve had a wonderful day and this does not erase the fact that this has been the best birthday I’ve had in a while.”

  Ji-Ah wrapped your arm around her shoulders and grabbed your bag from the seat. “It was lovely to meet you, Wooyoung. Sorry to cut it so short.” 

  He’d rested his head on top of Jiwon’s. His arms wrapped around her, evoking a sharp spike in your heart rate and the final reawakening of that damn itch on your neck. He smirked, tilting his head as though considering your entire being. Eventually, he must’ve found what he was looking for. “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing each other a lot more often.”

  Ji-Ah’s hand tightening from its place supporting your waist made you realise just how ominous that sounded. “Now that we’ve officially met, I’d love to get to know my… girlfriend’s friends a bit more, wouldn’t you agree?”

  You laughed awkwardly, and nodded. “See you around, then.”

  “Goodnight, (Y/N). Happy Birthday.” 

  Then, bidding final goodbyes, you and Ji-Ah walked out of that nightclub but not without a final glance back at the couple. Something compelled you to look and you saw, with appallment, that Wooyoung was actively biting Jiwon on the neck. She seemed to be enjoying it. Thoroughly. So you turned around and tried to rid your mind of that sight.

  What you didn’t see were the black veins spreading from where he’d bitten, Jiwon collapsing against him like a puppet with no strings and a euphoric breath leaving his mouth. 

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

  Ji-Ah drove you home and the first thing you did was collapse onto your bed and sleep. The day had taken its toll on you and you were more than prepared for the comforts of Dreamland.

  As you snored away, the book on your nightstand grew alive. The cover was thrown open and pages were being flipped of their own will. ‘The Hidden War Within’ began to glow in the dim light of your bedroom, a white light emitting from its pages and the faint heat made you burrow into your pillow, subconsciously comforted by the warm aura. 

  Eventually, the pages ceased their movements but the book remained open; it was the first dated entry. 

A plague punctures mine heart,

Mine soul forever tainted by thine words,

For false promises and careless lies are such sweet sins,

And I pray, I may drown in the Light,

Than sink into the Darkness.

~ Anonymous

[waywardsummoner46]

Hiii

Im not sure if there is one but could i be added to the taglist for Sink Into the Darkness, My Light if you have or plan to make one?

Hey! Yeah, of course you can be added. I’m planning on posting the next part some time next week so I’ll see you there :)

[waywardsummoner46]

You can only reblog this today.

[waywardsummoner46]

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ Sink Into the Darkness, My Light | Two | ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

"Join us, my Light."

Two centuries ago, the ruler of the Light disappeared, plunging the universe into chaos and disrupting the sacred, unspoken balance of the universe.

The eight rulers of the Darkness never stopped looking for her; their obsession never once waning since she vanished.

Recently, they've sensed something. Never around long enough to pinpoint but so euphoric that it sings within their veins. And since meeting you, well... slowly they begin to understand why.

"Sink into the darkness with us."

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

「✦」 PAIRING - yandere ot8!ateez x (?)reader

「✦」 GENRE - ancient gods!au, fantasy!au, magical powers!au

「✦」 WARNINGS - mind control, gaslighting, dom/sub, subspace (of a sort), temporary amnesia, manipulation, YANDERE AND DARK THEMES

「✦」 WORD COUNT - 4,863

「✦」 A/N - You're all so lovely. Thank you for the reception part one received. We meet another of the members in this chapter, enjoy.

「✦」 TAGLIST - Let me know if you'd like to be added :)

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

• one • two • three • four • five •

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

It was roughly 17:49 when you had another phone call. This time, it was Jee-Won’s caller ID that greeted you, not Ji-Ah’s. A picture of her kissing your smiling cheek and you with your eyes scrunched up. Funny how the picture held so much happiness but its motives caused you nothing but dread at whatever crazed things she wanted to discuss with you now.

  You sighed long and deep; your food was ready and you’d just sat down to begin digging in. How utterly stupid of you to assume that you could simply eat your food in peace. 

 “Hey, Jee-Won,” you said, masking your mild frustration. Speaking to her before you were going out was slowly tearing down the mental preparation you’d been working on. Dealing with her now was seriously reinforcing the recurring thoughts of simply not going… but you’d promised Ji-Ah. You couldn’t back out now (despite how much you wanted to).

  You loved Jee-Won dearly, you and her had been friends since you were very young. You knew basically everything about each other and could trust each other with everything. The fact that your personalities differ so greatly only made that friendship even stronger as one could offer outlooks and perspectives the other couldn’t. Through your care for each other, it was obvious you always had each others’ back.

  Doesn’t mean she doesn’t grate your nerves sometimes though.

  Jee-Won let out an ungodly squeal on her end of the phone and you had to pull the phone away from your ear, wincing. 

  “Happy birthday, my beautiful best friend! How are you on this gorgeous day?” Contrary to your mild vexation, her bubbly energy never failed to make you smile. This was something you could mirror, being practically all smiles yourself.

  Picking up your chopsticks, you began to twist the cheap store-bought noodles absentmindedly. “I’m wonderful, thank you. I’ve had a very… interesting day so far, but it has been genuinely good. How are you doing?” 

  Interesting was one word for it - neither Yunho nor Yeosang had left your mind all day. Thinking about them was natural and your best efforts were no match to their lingering effect on you. 

  Some selfish part of you wanted to go back to ‘Life Rose On’ right now just to see Yeosang again. Yunho you had resigned yourself to the understanding that you’d probably never see each other again (a fact that saddened you much more than it should’ve). Perhaps you were being childish in your hope that they knew each other. 

  It made sense; stumbling into two new pretty boys in the same shop on the same day. Couldn’t be entirely coincidental that they were in such close proximity with one another. Alas, the unknown was killing you and your unexplainable longing for the two handsome strangers remained. 

  And it was unexplainable. 

  Meeting and interacting with those two today felt so intense, so real. Somehow, talking to them was easy and could be done with the familiarity of long-time friends. After the initial hiccups (stumbling over your feet and words), when Yunho spoke to you it felt like every one of your senses was being stroked so sensually and lovingly that it made you shiver. When Yeosang had tucked that breathtaking purple rose behind your ear, that same shiver and unrestrained emotions of rightness returned. 

  … it bothered you. 

  Never in all of your years of living had you let anyone have such an effect on you. Nor were you one to be swayed by good looks alone so easily. Admittedly, both men were incredibly kind and friendly which enabled you to talk to them for longer, in addition to their angelic appearances.

  The effect that they’d had on you troubled you for a reason you couldn’t quite understand and, simply put, you were uncomfortable with it, especially after one meeting. 

  In conclusion, it wasn’t them that made you uncomfortable but rather the effect they had on you that did. Or did it? Oh, you didn’t know. These feelings confused you and only gave you a headache. 

  Realistically, you’d never see Yunho again and you’d probably see Yeosang once or twice more considering he worked in the florist you regulared. There you go, done. No need to dwell on it anymore. Nope. Not. At. All.

  “Hello? Are you still there?” Jee-Won’s mildly concerned voice startled you and made you realise just how far you’d sunk into the ocean of your thoughts. 

  You massaged your temples. “Sorry, Jee-Won. I didn’t sleep well last night, is all. What were you saying?”

  You practically taste her fond exasperation on the other end of the phone. “Are you sure you want to come out tonight? You know Ji-Ah won’t take it personally.”

  That snapped you to attention. 

  “I know that but I genuinely want to go, I promise.” Hoping your tone of false conviction was believable enough, you glanced at your watch. 17:54. Two hours and six minutes before you had to be there.

  “Mhm. Yeah, absolutely. I believe you one hundred percent.” Apparently, you were not as convincing as you’d once believed. “I won’t force you not to come because I know that despite how much you don’t want to go, you’ll go for the sake of other people. But please, if you need to go home early, please, please do. I know you don’t like it when everyone starts to get pissed.”

  Well, she wasn’t wrong there. The easy way out was like a weighted security blanket around your shoulders. A sense of grounding that you hadn’t realised you needed. Of course, Jee-Won noticed. Jee-Won, for all of her flaws, was a good friend. One that you wouldn’t replace for the world. 

  “Curse you and your eternal wisdom,” you said and laughed. Then in a quieter voice added, “And I will.”

  A muffled snap could be heard from the other end. “I know what will help.” Oh dear. “Getting our hair done together!”

  You supposed that the night was never destined to start on schedule; who knew that it would begin during your ramen?

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

 “Uh, Jee-Won I hate to burst your bubble but I think we’re in the wrong place. This looks like someone’s house, not somewhere where we can get our hair done.”

  “We are very much in the right place, my beautiful sunchild.”

  Your face twisted in immediate distaste. Sunchild? 

  You repeated it silently to Ji-Ah behind Jee-Won’s back and she mirrored your baffled expression. That certainly was a new one.

  Both of you turned to look at the building that was allegedly where you’d be getting your hairstyles for tonight. You didn’t necessarily see why Jee-Won had put so much emphasis on your hair in general, let alone praise this place to buggery and ultimately drag you two there against your will. Heck, you’d have been happy curling your hair or simply braiding it so at least it differed from your typical style.

  This place was huge. When she had said hair stylist, you expected a dainty little corner shop surrounded by similar establishments relatively close to ‘Life Rose On’. Everything was around there. The mansion that you beheld in front of you was on a whole new level.

  Never in your life had you seen a building like this, forget anything else. It was a truly impressive piece of architecture; there seemed to be multiple layers to the mansion and different areas with varying spires and towers. 

  The three of you stood on the entrance balcony. Beams of a rich brown supported the canopied roof and each were delicately hugged by the richest, healthiest clematis you’d ever had the honour of seeing in your life. Jung-Hee’s abilities to nurture plants was impressive but the owner of this fantastical building had powers akin to the Gods. Each beam seemed complimentary to the gold-lined, rectangular windows that were on either side of the main oak door, and the patterns on them made that of an intricate hourglass - one half stained a deep black and the other a blinding white, slowly being tainted by the darkness. Or at least, that’s how you saw it. Perhaps ‘The Hidden War Within’ was turning you into more of a poet than you thought.

  Removing yourself from the balcony temporarily, you strained your neck to ogle at the rest of the building. The roof the balcony on the ground floor was seemingly the foundations of the first floor as you saw that a set of glossy black rocking chairs and a dazzling coffee table sat atop it. This time, blood red roses wrapped around the fence bordering that area and worked as a nice contrast to the lighter purple of the clematis. 

  Of what you’d processed of the building so far, it was a double-layered abode with a relatively square shape. Then you looked to the right and it was more reminiscent of a castle than anything else for a circular tower merged into the rest of the building and had a spire at the top of it. It reminded you of a fairytale you read as a child. 

  Beyond that, there were two further layers to the house. Each topped with the traditional Korean dancheong roof, the building truly was like something out of a novel. 

  Quite peculiarly, there seemed to be… trees? Growing from some of the open windows? The picture it painted was exquisite but you wondered with unrestrained curiosity how on Earth the owner managed to achieve such a thing. 

  You’d have to tell Jung-Hee all about this mystical house next time you saw her. The fact that the mansion itself was well out of the way of the main road and surrounded by an incandescent forest was just feeding your slowly spiralling feelings of awe.

  As Ji-Ah and Jee-Won bickered by the front door, you took your sweet time to observe every sheltered nook and every single captivating cranny of the house’s exterior… when you caught a glimpse of something in the tower window. Squinting your eyes, they promptly widened once more when you realised it was a someone and not a something.

  Just as quickly as they’d come, they had disappeared. You blinked rapidly, trying in vain to see if you could catch a glimpse of the dark figure in the window. 

  From what little you had seen, whoever it was was male and looked relatively tall. His face was wholly covered by the shadow the lighting gave him but you could’ve sworn you saw the slightest hint of a smile.

    A shiver ran down your spine and you shook your head to recompose yourself. The day was catching up to you - getting to your head. You needed to breathe and stay grounded rather than let your head wander, especially in a place as isolated as this.   

  You were just about to go towards Ji-Ah and Jee-Won when something wet hit your nose. At first, the shock made you freeze momentarily but reaching up to touch the droplet you found it was only rain. Then, a booming clap echoed through the forest and then the rain began to pour down with a vengeance. 

  Running for the balcony, you avoided trampling the delicate pathway the owner had laid out. Ji-Ah and Jee-Won looked as though they were struggling to hold back their laughs and you raised a soaking finger at them.

  “Listen-”

  “Oh, you must be freezing!” A kind voice said from behind the two of them. All three of you looked at the mystery voice immediately and the breath left your lungs for the third time that day. “Please, do come in,” he said and gestured for you all to follow him through the front door.

  The man must’ve been a God because the urge to drop to your knees and worship him with everything you had was suffocating. 

  His hair was the first thing you noticed about him; silky raven locks lay gracefully across his forehead and framed his face perfectly, like a dark angel. You hadn’t had ample time to examine (appreciate) his face before he turned around but you saw his outfit.

  Long, dark tailored trousers hugged his legs. Flaring off towards his feet, you saw that the man wore glossy black heeled boots that only added to his intimidating aura. There was something so divine about a man confident in his appearance and this man was an example, not an exception.

  Embracing his torso was something akin to a black waistcoat except there were no sleeves nor were there any shoulder coverings; it came up to his chest and gave way to a bright white blouse whose sleeves hung from his muscular arms like decorations and a button up collar that gave the man an impression of elevated status. The cherry on top of the cake was the brief glimpse of an expensive silver necklace you noticed decorated his neck.

  You could basically hear the wealth and power screaming from his form as you followed dutifully behind him and through the mansion’s winding halls. Nothing around you was being processed, your attention wholly centered on the man you trailed behind.

  “You’ll catch flies if you don’t shut your mouth,” Ji-Ah’s smug voice said. Your attention was immediately directed at her, scandalised that she’d say something like that as loudly as she did.

  An inquisitive hum was heard from in front of you and your knees nearly buckled when seeing his face for the first time. 

  (Perfect, chiselled jawline. Perfect, sharp nose. Perfect, full lips. Perfect, piercing boba eyes and, undeniably, one of the most handsome faces you’ve ever seen.)

  One of his eyebrows were raised in question but lowered once he saw the two of you. “Ah, the architecture is rather impressive, isn’t it? This was built by my great, great grandfather during the nineteenth century.” 

  Letting out a subtle breath of relief at his misunderstanding, you subtly nudged Ji-Ah’s side with your elbow. She almost landed you in one of the most humiliating experiences of your life. You never would have forgiven her if he’d picked up on why your jaw was actually dropped.

  “Forgive me, I never did introduce myself,” he turned once more and bowed deeply. He straightened and made eye contact with you. 

  Perhaps you were delusional. Perhaps you were just seeing what you wanted to see. But the way he was looking at you made you feel like he was picking apart the very linings of your soul.

 “My name is Park Seonghwa, but you may call me Seonghwa.” 

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

  Eventually, Seonghwa led the three of you to what looked like a dining room.

  The walls altered between pink and white marble with streaks of gold complimenting the foundation colour. There were old sconces laid evenly across the walls of the gigantic room and they all lit up a long table, the key feature of the room. An impressive chandelier dangled from the ceiling and the scarce rays of light bounced off of it in a faint imitation of falling stars.

  What truly caught your attention was the painting on the opposite side of the room. It covered the entire wall; black and white paint entwining with each other to give the picture frame a misty effect and the same hourglass patterns from the windows lay in each corner of the frame. 

  Nine people were in the painting. Eight men and one woman. Each man wore an outfit straight from a fantasy novel, completely covered in black clothing. Some donned a cloak, others were clad in onyx medieval armour and one with a crown made entirely of black metal and dangerously glinting gemstones. Quite fascinatingly, the one with his hand on the girl’s shoulder wore a dark half skirt and black trousers that were connected to a torso of gold, floral patterns dusting a glossy tunic.

  In a certain light, it looked as though their eyes were following your slow movements around the space but you disregarded that thought as soon as it entered your head.

  The girl, on the other hand, well… the resemblance she bore to you was uncanny. She lay across the floor in front of the eight men and wore a white dress that could only be described as having the consistency of a cloud.

   “Hey, that’s kind of freaky,” Jee-Won said from behind you. She was also looking at the painting and was alternating her gaze from the painting girl and your face. 

  “Jee-Won, don’t be rude,” Ji-Ah scolded from her side. 

  “I am not being rude, I’m making an observation.”   “Could you try and be more polite about it next time then, please?” Ji-Ah returned, equally as sassy as Jee-Won had been. 

  You shook your head fondly at them. Since becoming a trio, it had been a constant battle between the two of which was right and which was wrong. Ji-Ah had a better understanding of social situations and standards whereas Jee-Won’s unfiltered opinions were something that both benefited her and were to her detriment - like right now. 

  Seonghwa entered your peripheral and placed a calming hand on each of your friends’ shoulders. “Now, now, there’s no need to argue, is there?” There was a power in his words that had the girls quieting down instantly. You were surprised at the look of sheer embarrassment that was on their faces; and you thought you were bad. 

  Seonghwa gave them each a pleased hum and crooked a pointy, gloved finger for you all to follow him. He sat down on a cream-coloured chaise longue, posture entirely straight, and patted the seat next to him as he made direct eye contact with you. 

  You gulped but did as he wished. Tension rendered your body immovable and prolonged eye contact was impossible. 

  Contrary to Yunho and Yeosang, Seonghwa had an effortless motherly energy to him and a deep part of you didn’t want to risk tarnishing that with any hesitance or inclination to disdain. Because you were very much not disdainful of Seonghwa, the exact opposite actually. 

  Watching as Ji-Ah and Jee-Won sat down on the two individual lounge chairs opposite you two, you remembered that you’d all come here to get your hair done. Nothing in this mansion seemed equipped to give you those services nor did you think that you’d have enough time between now - 18:40 - and when you had to be at the night club - 20:00. 

  Seonghwa might look like a miracle but you doubt he could perform them. 

  A clap and all three of you snapped to look at him. He held his entwined hands to his chest and smiled softly at you all. 

  “Firstly, I would like to welcome you to my home. I trust you’ll respect it as it will you during your time here.” The three of you nodded.

  “Excellent. Now, I understand each of you are here to have your beautiful hair styled to perfection for the birthday girl’s night out,” he gave you a wink and you felt your heart stutter in your chest. “Unfortunately, due to the late hour, my… colleagues will be taking two of you whilst I give my undivided attention to another.”   You all seemed to have a silent conversation with each other. His words and logic made sense but his implication that you would all be separated had you grimacing mildly. There wasn’t an issue, you were all grown women - you’d just thought that you could enjoy each others’ presence before the night out when you’d be swarmed by drunkards and junkies. Much fun. 

  The conspirational smile he gabe you all made you aware that he was privy to your mild displeasure. “My sincerest apologies, ladies. I simply wish to maximise time and efforts.”

  “It’s no trouble at all, thank you so much for even accepting us in on such short notice. You’re a lifesaver,” Jee-Won practically gushed. You raised your brow, short notice, huh? She’s acting as though she hasn’t had this planned for the better part of a week (you’d overheard her and Ji-Ah talking).

  Seonghwa raised a hand. “No need to thank us. We’re always happy to help, aren’t we, Yongbokie-dear?”

  A short man with pretty silver hair entered the room. He looked young, only mildly younger than you. “Of course, we are.” His deep voice contrasted his innocent features, much like Yeosang’s had but to a milder degree. He met Seonghwa’s eyes, “We’re ready now, Seonghwa-hyung.”

  “Have the three of you decided who will stay with me?” Seonghwa questioned, looking rather intensely at you. 

  You got so caught up in his eyes that you nearly missed Ji-Ah’s comment. “Jee-Won and I will leave you two to it. Thank you again, Seonghwa-ssi.” The look of unbridled horror on your face caused her to stifle a laugh and you prayed to whatever god was listening that Seonghwa didn’t pick up on it. 

  Seonghwa merely smiled in goodbye as they followed Yongbok out of the room… leaving you alone with a man who compromised your ability to talk.

  Being alone with Seonghwa was worse than being alone with Yunho or Yeosang. You didn’t know why but you genuinely felt as though words were beyond you right now. 

  As though approaching a frightened deer, he extended his hand slowly for you to take. Your eyes darted rapidly from his own and his hand, struggling to comprehend what he was asking of you, why you were reacting like this and just what was going to happen now. 

  “Shall we, darling?” Is it possible to melt into the floor? Because that’s how his voice made you feel. 

  With a new found determination, you took his hand and allowed him to bring you over to a window seat you hadn’t noticed on your way in. Lengthy, silk curtains obstructed it from the dining room’s view but once Seonghwa guided you through them, it was like being embraced by shadows. 

  Very little light penetrated the area for the curtains were dark enough to block the sconces from the dining room and where a window should have been there was only dark marble.

  Seonghwa gently sat you down on a chair in the centre of the area. You remained as silent as he while he rummaged through whatever was behind you. 

  Despite how many times you reflected on the whirlwind that was today, you still couldn’t completely comprehend any of the turns it had taken.

  An hour glass was placed on a previously unseen table in front of you and you jumped at the unexpected movement. Dark sand dominated the most of it and only a slither of white sand sat atop it. It seemed to be some form of bioilluminescant sand as it was glowing in the darkness. How, you did not know. You didn’t question it though, it was beautiful. 

  “Seonghwa-ssi? Excuse me if this is rude but I was wondering how you were going to style my hair in this lighting?” Your meek voice permeated the blanket of silence that had settled over you two. 

  His rummaging halted momentarily as he chuckled lowly. “Not rude at all, little one. A perfectly sound question.” You jumped slightly when you felt his hands in your hair, removing any accessories you had in and detangling the biggest knots. “I work better in the darkness, you see. I find its security to be some form of an embrace, you might say.”

  Your gaze remained fixed on the hourglass in front of you as you absorbed his words. You couldn’t understand how anyone could prefer the darkness to the light. The darkness was stifling and clung to you like a parasite, always had done, always will do. The hourglass was a direct representation of that; it was practically crushing the white sand and reducing it to the thinnest grains possible all in order to rid its presence entirely.

  Seonghwa began to part your hair, separating the top of your hair from the bottom. “What do you think of the darkness, dear?” He asked, and you could sense the genuine curiosity behind his words.

  “I don’t dislike it. I just prefer the light,” your words gained a few ounces of strength with every sentence you spoke. It shouldn’t be as substantial as it was but having been rendered speechless so many times today, the ability to talk was relieving to have once more.

  “How fascinating,” he whispered. Both hands were focused on the top half of your hair now; you felt two pieces of hair tickle your cheeks in what you assumed was him using them to structure your face. He parted your hair down the middle once more except this time it felt as though he was going to braid them. Going off of that assumption, you followed his hand movements as best as you could without actually seeing them as he begun to manoeuvre the right side of your hair. 

  “If I may ask, why do you prefer it?”

  It was a good question. The answer was as natural as breathing. “It’s… safe. It’s hope, it gives everything life and through that gives them happiness.”

  His hands finished the plait he was working on and he rested them tactfully on each side of your head, gently stroking the soft locks as he thought of an answer. “Wouldn’t you agree that without the darkness, there is no light? Similar to without death, there would be no life?”

    You hummed, digesting his words. Secretly, you were rather entertained by this turn in conversation. It was very reminiscent of ‘The Hidden War Within’ with the discussion of dark and light and their codependency on each other to survive but also how they consistently defy the other’s existence. 

  You started off slowly, choosing your words. “Alright, well… take a flower, it is inevitable that they will fall to the darkness and death that swallows it. But there’s always a light that shines down on it and through that light there will be a new bud that will be protected and nurtured by the light until the darkness once again claims that life.” 

  The white sand seemed to glow brighter all of a sudden and you paused in your words. How ironic. 

  “Finish what you were saying, dear. I am enjoying this immensely.” The sand dimmed and you found your head tilting at its loss.

  “Right, um. I think through the existence of light, darkness must consequently exist too. They need each other to balance the other out, that’s simply the way of the world. Too much of one thing - like overpopulation or war - can have a detrimental effect on that balance and that’s why the world is in so much discord today. Because that balance hasn’t existed for a long time. So to answer your question,” you could feel how your gaze was glued to the hourglass.

  For reasons you couldn’t explain, it was magnetic and you were hopeless to resist its pull. The more you spoke, the more the sand looked fluid; it began to twist and weave through and around one another until it mirrored the universe, stars filling in its vastness and only reminding it of its mortality. It was morbidly beautiful. 

  “I believe that without the darkness there would be no light. And I believe that, somewhere, there is a place where light and darkness meet and the distinction between good and evil is no more because there is only existence where morals and nature don’t have a sway.” 

  You reached for the hourglass and turned it over, watching as the sand glided across itself. Nature’s river, caught in a glass prison. “That is how we will find true peace. When war is over, when selflessness works alongside selfishness, when the line between love and hate isn’t so thin after all and instead becomes one.”

  Seonghwa had finished styling your hair minutes ago. He simply stood behind you, hands gently caressing your locks of hair as he listened intently. Even after you finished, slightly breathless, he remained silent as though taking in every last one of your words to heart and committing them to his memory.

  The curtain was ripped open and light spilled in the dark space you’d settled into. Inquisitively, you turned to look at him and your mouth dropped when you saw there were tears in his eyes.  

  “Oh, my - are you alright?”

  He burst into sobs, and hid his head in his hands as collapsed onto the chaise longue from earlier. You stood frozen, completely baffled at the turn of events and even more reluctant to approach him since you were sure you had caused it.  

  “Seonghwa-ssi, I am so sorry. I really-”   “No,” he raised his hand, stopping your apologies before they became ceaseless. He seemed to be struggling to compose himself if his long, deep breaths were anything to go by. 

  You stood, fiddling with the hourglass absentmindedly as you waited tensely for him to make the next move. 

  Seonghwa took one final deep breath and stood on shaky legs. He began walking over to you with such intent you stumbled back slightly. Before you realised what was happening, he grabbed your face in his hands - his teary eyes meeting your wide ones.  “You… are perfect.”

[waywardsummoner46]

Why are descriptions so hard 😔

[waywardsummoner46]

Oh, thank you so much! You’re so kind ❤️. I love that you’ve picked up on the flowers, you’re on the right track 🙈

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ Sink Into the Darkness, My Light | One | ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

"Join us, my Light."

Two centuries ago, the ruler of the Light disappeared, plunging the universe into chaos and disrupting the sacred, unspoken balance of the universe.

The eight rulers of the Darkness never stopped looking for her; their obsession never once waning since she vanished.

Recently, they've sensed something. Never around long enough to pinpoint but so euphoric that it sings within their veins. And since meeting you, well... slowly they begin to understand why.

"Sink into the darkness with us."

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

「✦」 PAIRING - yandere ot8!ateez x (?)reader

「✦」 GENRE - ancient gods!au, fantasy!au, magical powers!au

「✦」 WARNINGS - mind control, gaslighting, dom/sub, subspace (of a sort), temporary amnesia, manipulation, YANDERE AND DARK THEMES

「✦」 WORD COUNT - 4,343

「✦」 A/N - Long time no see, huh...

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

“Oh, Ji-Ah! You really didn’t have to, you know.”

   Holding your phone up to your ear, your eyes twinkled as they beheld the gifts your friend had gotten you.

  “Of course I didn’t have to, but it’s your birthday and I… I wanted to.” 

  She quietened towards the end of her sentence, and your heart clenched at the sincerity of the gifts and her words.

  “Ji-Ah…”

  Whilst you were at work that day, she must’ve used her spare key to your apartment and placed all of these presents on your living room table. The book you had been raving over for the past few months was sitting in a brand new giant teddy bear’s lap, all decorated and styled with a bow. A now-opened card sat neatly to their side, a picture of you both from a few years ago on its cover and the sweetest message inside. 

  As much as you appreciated everything and made sure to verbalise that gratitude to her, you both knew that the book was what held your attention the most. You had spent literal months searching for it, ‘The Hidden War Within.’

  When you’d first mentioned it to Ji-Ah, she’d laughed and asked if it was some sort of mindfulness, positive psychology type book. You’d dismissed her playfully, stating that she wasn’t necessarily incorrect but ignored the actual content of the book. ‘The Hidden War Within’ is a novel by a collection of authors over the course of centuries; it’s written from the first person perspective and tells the tale of a lady, every time, who aims to nurture the goodness in people and minimise the evil that could fester. The antagonist, a male whose origins vary, actively dismisses her aims, instead wishing to incite sin and discourse within the people of the land. The  descriptions of the constant battle between the pure aims of the protagonist and the insidious intentions of the antagonist captivated you in an inexplicable way; the applications this has to the human race as a whole really piqued your interest.

  Philosophical topics was something you dabbled in on occasion but the discussion between good and evil being a force out of the individual control of a person and, instead, determined by forces beyond comprehension did cause some discussion between you and Ji-Ah. Mainly, are people born evil or is it an environmental thing?

  The fact that it had been written from numerous authors over the span of centuries was another aspect that only deepened your intrigue. How had authors, all from different parts of the globe and periods of time, collectively written something akin to a timeline of a novel? Realistically, the only thing the stories within the novel had in common was that they discussed the same topic in eerily similar detail just with different historical influences, but that only reinforced the entire philosophical debate of are people born evil.  

  Undeniably, ‘The Hidden War Within’ had wormed its way as a repetitive topic within your friendship and that enabled your obsession with the novel to grow until you were borderline desperate to possess it for yourself.  

  So, as you held it in your hands, tears of unfiltered happiness streamed down your face silently. “Thank-”   “You are very, very welcome,” she cut you off. Then, there was a pause on her line. “To repay me, if you’re feeling oh-so indebted to me, you have to come out with us for a drink tonight.” 

  You knew that the tender moment wouldn’t last long, not with Ji-Ah’s aversion to lengthy emotional situations. 

   Still, you sighed. 

  “Ji-Ah, you know I don’t drink.” You’d had a few in the past, curious to try it out but it never became anything more than just that - a new experience. Alcohol was off-putting to you, it just never tickled your fancy and after seeing what it can lead to… well, fair to say you’d rather stay away from the stuff. 

  Ji-Ah, bless her, was very accommodating to this particularity of yours and always ensured that you were as comfortable as possible at any social event. Hence why her next words weren’t a surprise, “You don’t have to drink-drink, but I am going to have lots of drink-drinks… if that’s okay with you?”

  You laughed softly, shaking your head lightly even though you knew she couldn’t see you. “I trust you, Ji-Ah. I know you’re responsible with it. It’s Jee-Won that I’m dreading, you know how she gets.” 

  Everyone knew how Jee-Won got after a few drinks, especially at a bar where there were plenty of young, ‘attractive’ men to scope out. Her fascination with picking out another guy at every social event was sad because she could quite easily find someone to truly love her and be loved by her. Alas, you might have to resign yourself to her drunken activities and pray that whoever she invited back to the table tonight would be decent and not equally as unhinged as she could be.

  On the other end of the phone call, you could basically hear her thinking of how to convince you to go and as painful as it was to admit to yourself, her persistence was slowly grating at your resilience. 

  The teddy bear sitting on your living room table was practically begging you with its plastic, unseeing eyes. Ji-Ah had bought you all of those gifts and… it was only one night, wasn’t it? And it was your birthday? Surely, it couldn’t be that bad…

  A heavy, resigned sigh escaped your lips and Ji-Ah practically squealed over the phone. 

  “See you at eight! You will not regret this, (Y/N).”

  Somehow, you already did.

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

  It was her fault really that you were in this situation, really. She couldn’t possibly have expected anything different, right? 

  Maybe she did, maybe she expected you to resist, to battle it off as much as you could but her optimism would be her downfall. 

  The urge was just too mighty, the temptation too unbearable to deny and you, too unfortunately stubborn for your own good.

  Looking down at your tote bag, swimming with an array of different chocolates and a multitude of her favourite sweets, you grinned. She’d definitely kill you for buying these for her but words of thanks just weren’t satisfactory enough. Her gifts had quite literally made you cry; you needed to show her, rather than tell her, just how much you cherished her actions.

  Deep down, you knew that she knew that. It was also just fun to see the outrage on her face when you presented her with chocolates or some flowers whenever she’d gone out of her way to spoil you. 

  Deep down, you also knew that she knew that you knew she secretly likes her efforts being appreciated so much and it always makes for a phenomenal movie night whenever you shower her with a myriad of sweet and sugary specials (not that she’d ever admit to that).

  There was something missing from your horde of tradeable valuables and that was, in fact, a palette of different coloured flowers. With a subtle mischief to your stride, you made your way to your most trusted, dear florist ‘Life Rose On’.

  The name never fails to make you chuckle.

  On Jung-Hee owned the beautiful establishment and had been a friend of sorts since you moved to the area five years ago. When moving into your then-new apartment, you decided that the first step to making the space your own was to liven up each room with different colours and types of flowers. 

  Your idea worked like a charm and really helped to keep you motivated when unpacking. Jung-Hee very kindly took the time out of her day to help you hand select each individual flower (and entertained your ceaseless indecision); from that day, you always made sure to drop by whenever you were in town to say hello and to drop off some soju. The old lady was very open about her love for the stuff, even if you had no interest in it. 

  If it was for Jung-Hee, there’s not a lot you wouldn’t do. You loved the elderly lady like your own grandmother and would also lend a helping hand should she need it. 

  She was similar to you in the way that she always repaid you through gifts for your considerate actions - typically a free bouquet of your favourite flowers. 

  After a nice stroll through town, you reached the florist. 

  Unsurprisingly, the window display was stuffed to the brim with a myriad of floral beauties that looked like Mother Nature’s mosaic. Jung-Hee seriously knew how to capture an onlooker's attention and, judging from how many people you could see in the shop beyond the glazed window, she’d succeeded immensely.

  You crossed the street, navigating the crowd of people on the pavements. 

  You got so caught up in the masses of people that you failed to notice the raised step at the entrance of ‘Life Rose On’ and, ultimately, began falling to your doom.

  Letting out an embarrassing squeak of surprise, you braced yourself for the impact with the floor that… never came.

  Peeling your eyes open in mild confusion,  you barely suppressed your gasp of shock at the kind eyes of the stranger that had caught you. You both stayed in whatever position he’d caught you in - you were too out of it to process that properly - and took the opportunity to analyse each others’ face.

  He had the warmest eyes you’d ever seen, a gorgeous galaxy of chocolatey velvet wrapped up in his irises. His lips, parted ever so slightly and downturned, were rosey red and were porcelain in their appearance, flawless and beautiful. Delicate waves of dark hair lined his forehead and it took all of your energy not to reach up and smooth a stray strand out. 

  It felt like hours had passed with you looking into his eyes and examining his face. You couldn’t get enough, there was something so captivating about him, something that made you want to know more-

  Someone cleared their throat. Both you and the stranger were shocked out of your respective reveries and a light blush dusted your cheeks. The stranger seemed completely composed, in contrast. The person who’d cleared their throat was a customer trying to leave through the doorway but found it difficult with two humanoid obstacles in the way. You were happy to see that the lady wasn’t a regular, so she probably wouldn’t bump into her on another occasion. 

  Huffing at your distracted apology, the lady moved past you and the stranger and out of the florist. Now that you and the man were both standing by yourself and pointedly not tripping over some violent, unseen step, you struggled to maintain a neutral expression when you saw how tall he was compared to you. 

  He was easily six foot tall, and using the door as a substitute measuring tape you guessed that he might be slightly taller than that as well. You cursed yourself internally. Of all the people that had to see and catch you, why did it need to be this man? 

  “I am so sorry, are you alright?” You questioned with an apology written all over your face. 

  And, oh, if you thought his face was perfect, then his voice was enough to cause you to ascend. “I’m perfectly fine, are you alright?” how were you supposed to keep composed when his voice sounded like that. 

  Smiling self-deprecatingly, you responded, “I’m perfectly fine. Thank you for that.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” And you didn’t, not really. Not when he assured you so confidently that there was absolutely nothing to trouble yourself with. “Tell me your name.”

  Instinctually, you went to tell him but something held you back. Possibly the way he’d said it - a demand rather than a question. Possibly something else. Although, It struck you as odd that that was how he’d go about that topic but figuring it was largely irrelevant and most likely you were reading too much into things you gave him your name.

  “(Y/N),” he repeated, your name sliding off his tongue so heavenly. “My, how interesting. I used to know someone with the same name.”

  Your eyebrows raised in polite surprise. “Oh, really?”

  He smiled down at you but there was a pinch of something unpleasant weaved into his expression, “Yes. A very compelling woman, was she.” His sudden emotion made you mildly uncomfortable, feeling as though you’d unintentionally uprooted some harsh forgotten memories. 

  Before you could say anything, though, the man bowed to you. “Lovely to make your acquaintance, (Y/N). My name is Yunho.”

  Yunho. 

  You finally had a name to match his angelic face. It suited him perfectly.

  Smiling, a genuine, light-hearted one this time, you mirrored his bow before you both straightened and simply stood there, on the doorway to the shop, and gazed at each other silently. There was something about this man that made you search his eyes, the very deepest, darkest parts of his pupils to find his soul. You didn’t know what it was, but something inside of you said that Yunho was very unique.

  Very unique indeed.

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

  Yunho and you had spoken for another twenty minutes before he’d had to leave.

  The entire time, you were hanging off of his every word and couldn’t quite escape the magnetism of his irises. There was something so captivating with the way he spoke; the words he chose, the tone in which they were woven but also how calming his deep voice was. And, oh, his eyes.

  You couldn’t stop thinking about them. 

  Glancing at your phone, the time read 15:26. That left you about four and a half hours before you had to be there, three hours before you had to get ready, two hours before you got some food and only an hour and a half before you went home. 

  Flowers were the last thing on your list, so once you’d picked out a personalised bouquet for Ji-Ah you’d be able to browse whatever other shops tickled your fancy and then go home, to get ready for your “night out”.

  The more you thought about it, the more you regretted your decision to go. Realistically, you’d most likely have a phenomenal time if you allowed yourself to indulge in the experience. But sitting on your living room table was the one thing you’d wanted for months; it was finally in your grasp and you couldn’t even read it until tomorrow (because you weren’t stupid, you won’t be leaving the club until two in the morning).

  Helplessly, you sighed. There was no way to escape your fate. It was inevitable. At least the flowers were pretty.

  ‘Life Rose On’ was, for lack of a better word, a labyrinth. The only reason you could get around as quick as you could was because you’d navigated its maze-like twists and turns for five years and, even then, when Jung-Hee decided that the shop was getting “too predictable”, she’d reorganise the entire shop so that any hope of save journey was futile. The woman loved to keep people on their toes, her distaste for monotony something you admired contrary to the perilous jungle that was her shop.

  The shop was bigger than it appeared; the bleak outside of the shop didn’t do its magnificent interior any justice. As soon as you entered the florists, an archway made entirely of Japanese Wisteria, Mandevilla and Clematis enveloped you with their sweet smells. Each climbing plant twisting so delicately around the foundations of the archway and certain pieces dangling down in a still, flowery downfall; the occasional petal falling to the ground made walking into the shop feel like you were stepping into another realm with only nature’s best caressing you lightly on their way down to join those who fell before them. 

  After the winding walkway, there was the option to take a left or a right turn. Both laid out to be the start of a rainbow - the beginning of each row included dark red roses, amaryllis to name a few and continued down the line with plants including sunflowers, bluebells and lavender. 

  On Jung-Hee loved a spectacle. She was only just getting started.

  The overall layout of the shop was circular. So, after making your choice of left or right, you would be brought to a turn that took you further towards the centre of the shop. Instead of beginning from red and going down the rainbow, Jung-Hee intricately places each and every flower on these stands to mirror the symbol of whatever season of the year it was. For example, for Valentine’s day, she had gathered the flowers and created a phenomenal display of plants made to look like a landscape of a couple sitting on a mountain, overlooking the horizon. 

  What made ‘Life Rose On’ so unique is that Jung-Hee’s life quite literally revolved around the shop and had dedicated her life to making the shop thrive. It was her family heirloom in a way. The building itself had been in her family for generations but she’s been the first to utilise it to its full potential and allow her family home to bloom to its fullest extent. 

  It was that same ideology that inspired her to make it a florist. Ever the poet, she said that every plant or flower sold was pollen and her customers were the bees, helplessly drawn to its beauty and coming to crave its offerings as sustenance. 

  “You will always be my favourite bee, my dear,” she always said. 

  “And you’ll always be my favourite flower,” you’d respond with an unrestrained smile on your face. 

  After the landscape aisles of the shop, you’d finally reach the centre where the cash register was. Dotted around it, however, were individual stands and displays of flowers that may not have been considered as suitable for the display chosen that month or were simply too big to be practical anywhere more confined. 

  And sitting at the cash register, looking effortlessly in her element would be Jung-Hee. 

  Except… she wasn’t there. A young man was sitting there instead, one you’d never heard of before, let alone seen. Jung-Hee had no children nor did she have any nephews of close relations to anyone of his description.

  You hadn’t seen his face yet, having turned right after the archway you’d reached the centre from behind the cash register so his back was turned to serve the small line of customers there, but you found it slightly odd that Jung-Hee wasn’t at the register she seemed to be glued to six days a week (it used to be seven but you managed to convince her to take Sunday off to look after herself, rather than others for once).

  Biting your lip slightly, you looked down at the collection of blue hyacinths and forget-me-nots you’d collected for Ji-Ah and contemplated coming back at a later date. There was nothing necessarily wrong with having a stranger in Jung-Hee’s place but you had brought along some small things you wanted to give her today and, evidently, you wouldn’t be able to do that. Ji-Ah would still have her flowers and chocolates and whatnot, but at a later date. 

  Thinking about it, it made more sense to kill two birds with one stone at a later date. You wouldn’t be able to give Ji-Ah the flowers until after they’d died anyway due to your schedules being unaligned after tonight and the florist you were looking for was nowhere to be seen.

  Then again…

  “Daisies would work wonderfully with those.” 

  You jolted and looked up to meet the eyes of one of the prettiest, most angelic people you’ve ever seen in your life. Internally, you were mildly shocked at how such a smooth, deep voice could match such an innocent face and yet, somehow the low baritone of his voice was as pleasurable to listen to as his eyes were to gaze into. 

  The irony of his rosy red lips wasn’t lost on you. 

  The man had a birthmark on his cheek, strands of parted black hair framed it like the most cherished picture. Because this man was a work of art, and he deserved to be framed for eternity. 

  Two men. Two heart-wrenchingly handsome men had crossed paths with you in less than twenty minutes. The first one you’d made a fool of yourself to. You’d be damned if you ruined this chance to redeem yourself, even if only to make yourself feel better,

  Meeting his eyes, you took a subtle breath to steel your nerves. “Do you think so? I was debating between purple tulips or just buying them as they are, but I see where you’re coming from.”

  Alright, a slight ramble perhaps but at least you didn’t stumble over your words (or your feet like with Yunho).

  The way his eyes twinkled with sudden interest gave you a bit of confidence. “An interesting choice, but don’t you think the contrast of the daisy’s white petals against the darker purples and blues would only add to the beauty of them all?”

  Contemplatively, you looked down at your hands and imagined the picture he’d painted in your hand. It did make sense, actually. As he said, the contrast between dark and light made a very balanced, very alluring image inside your head. “Ah, you know what? You’re right, that would look lovely.”

  He leant back (you didn’t register when he’d closed a slight distance between you), and looked proud of himself. Dare you say it, the pleased expression he wore was adorable. 

  “I’m glad I could help. My name is Yeosang.”

  Yeosang.

   Just like when you learnt Yunho’s name, something felt so instinctively right about that. Not only did the name suit him perfectly but as though something thrumming underneath your skin calmed after learning his name. 

  “(Y/N), it’s nice to meet you. Thank you for your help, Yeosang-ssi,” you bow deeply so that he avoids seeing the blush dusted across your cheeks. You don’t know what it was, but there was something going on with you today. First Yunho, now Yeosang. Two complete strangers that had affected you more in two minutes than a lot of people had in two years. 

  “You’re very welcome, (Y/N).”

  Yeosang helped you to find however many daisies you wanted (six) and walked you to the register, all while making small talk. It was only when you saw him stand behind the counter rather than in the queue did you make the connection between the mysterious new worker and this kind stranger. 

  Lips parting softly, you placed the flowers into his outstretched hand for him to place them into the bouquet wrapping. “How long have you worked here?”

  His hands worked the ribbon around the patterned wrapping so expertly that you wondered how much practice he’d had at this. “I’ve been here for about two years this month.”

  Two years? Impossible, you would’ve run into him at some point with how frequently you visit the shop. And even if by the very small chance that hadn’t occurred, Jung-Hee would’ve told you of such a development. 

 “How come Jung-Hee never mentioned you?”

  At your question, his hands slowed momentarily but picked up from his slight hesitation as though nothing had happened. “You know Jung-Hee?”

  “I’ve known her for nearly five years now. She’s always been wonderful company and an even better friend.”

  He hummed thoughtfully, “I find it odd she never mentioned me, I must admit.” Finishing wrapping the flowers up, he made eye contact with you again and the sudden tenseness and mild hostility you found in them caught you off guard. “She and I have a very complicated relationship but one that I cherish, nonetheless.”

  You waited for a few seconds for him to elaborate but once he remained silent for the same amount of time, it became clear he wasn’t going to answer further. 

  A part of you still wanted to know where Jung-Hee was today, and you were about to ask when he reached down to something on the shielded side of the counter, hidden from your view. 

  Bringing his hand up, you saw that he’d picked a singular purple rose. He twirled it in his hand for a bit, admiring its rare beauty, before making eye contact with you once again. Slowly, as though giving you the opportunity to step back should you wish, he raised the rose to your head and tucked it gently behind your ear.

   His hand lingered by your cheek for a second longer than it should’ve, especially considering the short amount of time you’d known him… but, you’d be lying if you said that closeness, even the faintest amount of it, wasn’t the best thing you’d experienced in a long, long time. 

  Appearing reluctant, he pulled back. “Goodbye, (Y/N). I hope I’ll see you again soon.” His voice was a whisper but carried the weight of a winter wind. 

  You couldn’t help the blush that spread across your cheeks. If the slight twitching of his lips was anything to go by, he was well aware of the effect he had on you. 

  You met his eyes, the look he was giving you so tender it made saying this goodbye almost unbearable. “Goodbye, Yeosang.”

  After leaving the innermost circle of the shop, you felt like a weight was settling off of your lungs. You didn’t even recognise how difficult it had become to breathe there, nor had you recognize how unexplainably painful it was to depart from Yeosang only after knowing him for fifteen minutes.

    A rush of something euphoric had spread through you after he’d given you the flower, and coupled with the barest touch to your cheek your emotions had been sent tumbling. You stepped out of the shop and, for the first time in a long time, felt like there was something more to your life again. As though you’d found your purpose.

  Oh, how little you knew.

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

[waywardsummoner46]

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ Sink Into the Darkness, My Light | One | ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

"Join us, my Light."

Two centuries ago, the ruler of the Light disappeared, plunging the universe into chaos and disrupting the sacred, unspoken balance of the universe.

The eight rulers of the Darkness never stopped looking for her; their obsession never once waning since she vanished.

Recently, they've sensed something. Never around long enough to pinpoint but so euphoric that it sings within their veins. And since meeting you, well... slowly they begin to understand why.

"Sink into the darkness with us."

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

「✦」 PAIRING - yandere ot8!ateez x (?)reader

「✦」 GENRE - ancient gods!au, fantasy!au, magical powers!au

「✦」 WARNINGS - mind control, gaslighting, dom/sub, subspace (of a sort), temporary amnesia, manipulation, YANDERE AND DARK THEMES

「✦」 WORD COUNT - 4,343

「✦」 A/N - Long time no see, huh...

「✦」 TAGLIST - Let me know if you'd like to be added :)

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

• one • two • three • four • five •

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

“Oh, Ji-Ah! You really didn’t have to, you know.”

   Holding your phone up to your ear, your eyes twinkled as they beheld the gifts your friend had gotten you.

  “Of course I didn’t have to, but it’s your birthday and I… I wanted to.” 

  She quietened towards the end of her sentence, and your heart clenched at the sincerity of the gifts and her words.

  “Ji-Ah…”

  Whilst you were at work that day, she must’ve used her spare key to your apartment and placed all of these presents on your living room table. The book you had been raving over for the past few months was sitting in a brand new giant teddy bear’s lap, all decorated and styled with a bow. A now-opened card sat neatly to their side, a picture of you both from a few years ago on its cover and the sweetest message inside. 

  As much as you appreciated everything and made sure to verbalise that gratitude to her, you both knew that the book was what held your attention the most. You had spent literal months searching for it, ‘The Hidden War Within.’

  When you’d first mentioned it to Ji-Ah, she’d laughed and asked if it was some sort of mindfulness, positive psychology type book. You’d dismissed her playfully, stating that she wasn’t necessarily incorrect but ignored the actual content of the book. ‘The Hidden War Within’ is a novel by a collection of authors over the course of centuries; it’s written from the first person perspective and tells the tale of a lady, every time, who aims to nurture the goodness in people and minimise the evil that could fester. The antagonist, a male whose origins vary, actively dismisses her aims, instead wishing to incite sin and discourse within the people of the land. The  descriptions of the constant battle between the pure aims of the protagonist and the insidious intentions of the antagonist captivated you in an inexplicable way; the applications this has to the human race as a whole really piqued your interest.

  Philosophical topics was something you dabbled in on occasion but the discussion between good and evil being a force out of the individual control of a person and, instead, determined by forces beyond comprehension did cause some discussion between you and Ji-Ah. Mainly, are people born evil or is it an environmental thing?

  The fact that it had been written from numerous authors over the span of centuries was another aspect that only deepened your intrigue. How had authors, all from different parts of the globe and periods of time, collectively written something akin to a timeline of a novel? Realistically, the only thing the stories within the novel had in common was that they discussed the same topic in eerily similar detail just with different historical influences, but that only reinforced the entire philosophical debate of are people born evil.  

  Undeniably, ‘The Hidden War Within’ had wormed its way as a repetitive topic within your friendship and that enabled your obsession with the novel to grow until you were borderline desperate to possess it for yourself.  

  So, as you held it in your hands, tears of unfiltered happiness streamed down your face silently. “Thank-”   “You are very, very welcome,” she cut you off. Then, there was a pause on her line. “To repay me, if you’re feeling oh-so indebted to me, you have to come out with us for a drink tonight.” 

  You knew that the tender moment wouldn’t last long, not with Ji-Ah’s aversion to lengthy emotional situations. 

   Still, you sighed. 

  “Ji-Ah, you know I don’t drink.” You’d had a few in the past, curious to try it out but it never became anything more than just that - a new experience. Alcohol was off-putting to you, it just never tickled your fancy and after seeing what it can lead to… well, fair to say you’d rather stay away from the stuff. 

  Ji-Ah, bless her, was very accommodating to this particularity of yours and always ensured that you were as comfortable as possible at any social event. Hence why her next words weren’t a surprise, “You don’t have to drink-drink, but I am going to have lots of drink-drinks… if that’s okay with you?”

  You laughed softly, shaking your head lightly even though you knew she couldn’t see you. “I trust you, Ji-Ah. I know you’re responsible with it. It’s Jee-Won that I’m dreading, you know how she gets.” 

  Everyone knew how Jee-Won got after a few drinks, especially at a bar where there were plenty of young, ‘attractive’ men to scope out. Her fascination with picking out another guy at every social event was sad because she could quite easily find someone to truly love her and be loved by her. Alas, you might have to resign yourself to her drunken activities and pray that whoever she invited back to the table tonight would be decent and not equally as unhinged as she could be.

  On the other end of the phone call, you could basically hear her thinking of how to convince you to go and as painful as it was to admit to yourself, her persistence was slowly grating at your resilience. 

  The teddy bear sitting on your living room table was practically begging you with its plastic, unseeing eyes. Ji-Ah had bought you all of those gifts and… it was only one night, wasn’t it? And it was your birthday? Surely, it couldn’t be that bad…

  A heavy, resigned sigh escaped your lips and Ji-Ah practically squealed over the phone. 

  “See you at eight! You will not regret this, (Y/N).”

  Somehow, you already did.

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

  It was her fault really that you were in this situation, really. She couldn’t possibly have expected anything different, right? 

  Maybe she did, maybe she expected you to resist, to battle it off as much as you could but her optimism would be her downfall. 

  The urge was just too mighty, the temptation too unbearable to deny and you, too unfortunately stubborn for your own good.

  Looking down at your tote bag, swimming with an array of different chocolates and a multitude of her favourite sweets, you grinned. She’d definitely kill you for buying these for her but words of thanks just weren’t satisfactory enough. Her gifts had quite literally made you cry; you needed to show her, rather than tell her, just how much you cherished her actions.

  Deep down, you knew that she knew that. It was also just fun to see the outrage on her face when you presented her with chocolates or some flowers whenever she’d gone out of her way to spoil you. 

  Deep down, you also knew that she knew that you knew she secretly likes her efforts being appreciated so much and it always makes for a phenomenal movie night whenever you shower her with a myriad of sweet and sugary specials (not that she’d ever admit to that).

  There was something missing from your horde of tradeable valuables and that was, in fact, a palette of different coloured flowers. With a subtle mischief to your stride, you made your way to your most trusted, dear florist ‘Life Rose On’.

  The name never fails to make you chuckle.

  On Jung-Hee owned the beautiful establishment and had been a friend of sorts since you moved to the area five years ago. When moving into your then-new apartment, you decided that the first step to making the space your own was to liven up each room with different colours and types of flowers. 

  Your idea worked like a charm and really helped to keep you motivated when unpacking. Jung-Hee very kindly took the time out of her day to help you hand select each individual flower (and entertained your ceaseless indecision); from that day, you always made sure to drop by whenever you were in town to say hello and to drop off some soju. The old lady was very open about her love for the stuff, even if you had no interest in it. 

  If it was for Jung-Hee, there’s not a lot you wouldn’t do. You loved the elderly lady like your own grandmother and would also lend a helping hand should she need it. 

  She was similar to you in the way that she always repaid you through gifts for your considerate actions - typically a free bouquet of your favourite flowers. 

  After a nice stroll through town, you reached the florist. 

  Unsurprisingly, the window display was stuffed to the brim with a myriad of floral beauties that looked like Mother Nature’s mosaic. Jung-Hee seriously knew how to capture an onlooker's attention and, judging from how many people you could see in the shop beyond the glazed window, she’d succeeded immensely.

  You crossed the street, navigating the crowd of people on the pavements. 

  You got so caught up in the masses of people that you failed to notice the raised step at the entrance of ‘Life Rose On’ and, ultimately, began falling to your doom.

  Letting out an embarrassing squeak of surprise, you braced yourself for the impact with the floor that… never came.

  Peeling your eyes open in mild confusion,  you barely suppressed your gasp of shock at the kind eyes of the stranger that had caught you. You both stayed in whatever position he’d caught you in - you were too out of it to process that properly - and took the opportunity to analyse each others’ face.

  He had the warmest eyes you’d ever seen, a gorgeous galaxy of chocolatey velvet wrapped up in his irises. His lips, parted ever so slightly and downturned, were rosey red and were porcelain in their appearance, flawless and beautiful. Delicate waves of dark hair lined his forehead and it took all of your energy not to reach up and smooth a stray strand out. 

  It felt like hours had passed with you looking into his eyes and examining his face. You couldn’t get enough, there was something so captivating about him, something that made you want to know more-

  Someone cleared their throat. Both you and the stranger were shocked out of your respective reveries and a light blush dusted your cheeks. The stranger seemed completely composed, in contrast. The person who’d cleared their throat was a customer trying to leave through the doorway but found it difficult with two humanoid obstacles in the way. You were happy to see that the lady wasn’t a regular, so she probably wouldn’t bump into her on another occasion. 

  Huffing at your distracted apology, the lady moved past you and the stranger and out of the florist. Now that you and the man were both standing by yourself and pointedly not tripping over some violent, unseen step, you struggled to maintain a neutral expression when you saw how tall he was compared to you. 

  He was easily six foot tall, and using the door as a substitute measuring tape you guessed that he might be slightly taller than that as well. You cursed yourself internally. Of all the people that had to see and catch you, why did it need to be this man? 

  “I am so sorry, are you alright?” You questioned with an apology written all over your face. 

  And, oh, if you thought his face was perfect, then his voice was enough to cause you to ascend. “I’m perfectly fine, are you alright?” how were you supposed to keep composed when his voice sounded like that. 

  Smiling self-deprecatingly, you responded, “I’m perfectly fine. Thank you for that.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” And you didn’t, not really. Not when he assured you so confidently that there was absolutely nothing to trouble yourself with. “Tell me your name.”

  Instinctually, you went to tell him but something held you back. Possibly the way he’d said it - a demand rather than a question. Possibly something else. Although, It struck you as odd that that was how he’d go about that topic but figuring it was largely irrelevant and most likely you were reading too much into things you gave him your name.

  “(Y/N),” he repeated, your name sliding off his tongue so heavenly. “My, how interesting. I used to know someone with the same name.”

  Your eyebrows raised in polite surprise. “Oh, really?”

  He smiled down at you but there was a pinch of something unpleasant weaved into his expression, “Yes. A very compelling woman, was she.” His sudden emotion made you mildly uncomfortable, feeling as though you’d unintentionally uprooted some harsh forgotten memories. 

  Before you could say anything, though, the man bowed to you. “Lovely to make your acquaintance, (Y/N). My name is Yunho.”

  Yunho. 

  You finally had a name to match his angelic face. It suited him perfectly.

  Smiling, a genuine, light-hearted one this time, you mirrored his bow before you both straightened and simply stood there, on the doorway to the shop, and gazed at each other silently. There was something about this man that made you search his eyes, the very deepest, darkest parts of his pupils to find his soul. You didn’t know what it was, but something inside of you said that Yunho was very unique.

  Very unique indeed.

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

  Yunho and you had spoken for another twenty minutes before he’d had to leave.

  The entire time, you were hanging off of his every word and couldn’t quite escape the magnetism of his irises. There was something so captivating with the way he spoke; the words he chose, the tone in which they were woven but also how calming his deep voice was. And, oh, his eyes.

  You couldn’t stop thinking about them. 

  Glancing at your phone, the time read 13:26. That left you about six and a half hours before you had to be there, five hours before you had to get ready, four hours before you got some food and only two hours and a half before you went home. 

  Flowers were the last thing on your list, so once you’d picked out a personalised bouquet for Ji-Ah you’d be able to browse whatever other shops tickled your fancy and then go home, to get ready for your “night out”.

  The more you thought about it, the more you regretted your decision to go. Realistically, you’d most likely have a phenomenal time if you allowed yourself to indulge in the experience. But sitting on your living room table was the one thing you’d wanted for months; it was finally in your grasp and you couldn’t even read it until tomorrow (because you weren’t stupid, you won’t be leaving the club until two in the morning).

  Helplessly, you sighed. There was no way to escape your fate. It was inevitable. At least the flowers were pretty.

  ‘Life Rose On’ was, for lack of a better word, a labyrinth. The only reason you could get around as quick as you could was because you’d navigated its maze-like twists and turns for five years and, even then, when Jung-Hee decided that the shop was getting “too predictable”, she’d reorganise the entire shop so that any hope of save journey was futile. The woman loved to keep people on their toes, her distaste for monotony something you admired contrary to the perilous jungle that was her shop.

  The shop was bigger than it appeared; the bleak outside of the shop didn’t do its magnificent interior any justice. As soon as you entered the florists, an archway made entirely of Japanese Wisteria, Mandevilla and Clematis enveloped you with their sweet smells. Each climbing plant twisting so delicately around the foundations of the archway and certain pieces dangling down in a still, flowery downfall; the occasional petal falling to the ground made walking into the shop feel like you were stepping into another realm with only nature’s best caressing you lightly on their way down to join those who fell before them. 

  After the winding walkway, there was the option to take a left or a right turn. Both laid out to be the start of a rainbow - the beginning of each row included dark red roses, amaryllis to name a few and continued down the line with plants including sunflowers, bluebells and lavender. 

  On Jung-Hee loved a spectacle. She was only just getting started.

  The overall layout of the shop was circular. So, after making your choice of left or right, you would be brought to a turn that took you further towards the centre of the shop. Instead of beginning from red and going down the rainbow, Jung-Hee intricately places each and every flower on these stands to mirror the symbol of whatever season of the year it was. For example, for Valentine’s day, she had gathered the flowers and created a phenomenal display of plants made to look like a landscape of a couple sitting on a mountain, overlooking the horizon. 

  What made ‘Life Rose On’ so unique is that Jung-Hee’s life quite literally revolved around the shop and had dedicated her life to making the shop thrive. It was her family heirloom in a way. The building itself had been in her family for generations but she’s been the first to utilise it to its full potential and allow her family home to bloom to its fullest extent. 

  It was that same ideology that inspired her to make it a florist. Ever the poet, she said that every plant or flower sold was pollen and her customers were the bees, helplessly drawn to its beauty and coming to crave its offerings as sustenance. 

  “You will always be my favourite bee, my dear,” she always said. 

  “And you’ll always be my favourite flower,” you’d respond with an unrestrained smile on your face. 

  After the landscape aisles of the shop, you’d finally reach the centre where the cash register was. Dotted around it, however, were individual stands and displays of flowers that may not have been considered as suitable for the display chosen that month or were simply too big to be practical anywhere more confined. 

  And sitting at the cash register, looking effortlessly in her element would be Jung-Hee. 

  Except… she wasn’t there. A young man was sitting there instead, one you’d never heard of before, let alone seen. Jung-Hee had no children nor did she have any nephews of close relations to anyone of his description.

  You hadn’t seen his face yet, having turned right after the archway you’d reached the centre from behind the cash register so his back was turned to serve the small line of customers there, but you found it slightly odd that Jung-Hee wasn’t at the register she seemed to be glued to six days a week (it used to be seven but you managed to convince her to take Sunday off to look after herself, rather than others for once).

  Biting your lip slightly, you looked down at the collection of blue hyacinths and forget-me-nots you’d collected for Ji-Ah and contemplated coming back at a later date. There was nothing necessarily wrong with having a stranger in Jung-Hee’s place but you had brought along some small things you wanted to give her today and, evidently, you wouldn’t be able to do that. Ji-Ah would still have her flowers and chocolates and whatnot, but at a later date. 

  Thinking about it, it made more sense to kill two birds with one stone at a later date. You wouldn’t be able to give Ji-Ah the flowers until after they’d died anyway due to your schedules being unaligned after tonight and the florist you were looking for was nowhere to be seen.

  Then again…

  “Daisies would work wonderfully with those.” 

  You jolted and looked up to meet the eyes of one of the prettiest, most angelic people you’ve ever seen in your life. Internally, you were mildly shocked at how such a smooth, deep voice could match such an innocent face and yet, somehow the low baritone of his voice was as pleasurable to listen to as his eyes were to gaze into. 

  The irony of his rosy red lips wasn’t lost on you. 

  The man had a birthmark on his cheek, strands of parted black hair framed it like the most cherished picture. Because this man was a work of art, and he deserved to be framed for eternity. 

  Two men. Two heart-wrenchingly handsome men had crossed paths with you in less than twenty minutes. The first one you’d made a fool of yourself to. You’d be damned if you ruined this chance to redeem yourself, even if only to make yourself feel better,

  Meeting his eyes, you took a subtle breath to steel your nerves. “Do you think so? I was debating between purple tulips or just buying them as they are, but I see where you’re coming from.”

  Alright, a slight ramble perhaps but at least you didn’t stumble over your words (or your feet like with Yunho).

  The way his eyes twinkled with sudden interest gave you a bit of confidence. “An interesting choice, but don’t you think the contrast of the daisy’s white petals against the darker purples and blues would only add to the beauty of them all?”

  Contemplatively, you looked down at your hands and imagined the picture he’d painted in your hand. It did make sense, actually. As he said, the contrast between dark and light made a very balanced, very alluring image inside your head. “Ah, you know what? You’re right, that would look lovely.”

  He leant back (you didn’t register when he’d closed a slight distance between you), and looked proud of himself. Dare you say it, the pleased expression he wore was adorable. 

  “I’m glad I could help. My name is Yeosang.”

  Yeosang.

   Just like when you learnt Yunho’s name, something felt so instinctively right about that. Not only did the name suit him perfectly but as though something thrumming underneath your skin calmed after learning his name. 

  “(Y/N), it’s nice to meet you. Thank you for your help, Yeosang-ssi,” you bow deeply so that he avoids seeing the blush dusted across your cheeks. You don’t know what it was, but there was something going on with you today. First Yunho, now Yeosang. Two complete strangers that had affected you more in two minutes than a lot of people had in two years. 

  “You’re very welcome, (Y/N).”

  Yeosang helped you to find however many daisies you wanted (six) and walked you to the register, all while making small talk. It was only when you saw him stand behind the counter rather than in the queue did you make the connection between the mysterious new worker and this kind stranger. 

  Lips parting softly, you placed the flowers into his outstretched hand for him to place them into the bouquet wrapping. “How long have you worked here?”

  His hands worked the ribbon around the patterned wrapping so expertly that you wondered how much practice he’d had at this. “I’ve been here for about two years this month.”

  Two years? Impossible, you would’ve run into him at some point with how frequently you visit the shop. And even if by the very small chance that hadn’t occurred, Jung-Hee would’ve told you of such a development. 

 “How come Jung-Hee never mentioned you?”

  At your question, his hands slowed momentarily but picked up from his slight hesitation as though nothing had happened. “You know Jung-Hee?”

  “I’ve known her for nearly five years now. She’s always been wonderful company and an even better friend.”

  He hummed thoughtfully, “I find it odd she never mentioned me, I must admit.” Finishing wrapping the flowers up, he made eye contact with you again and the sudden tenseness and mild hostility you found in them caught you off guard. “She and I have a very complicated relationship but one that I cherish, nonetheless.”

  You waited for a few seconds for him to elaborate but once he remained silent for the same amount of time, it became clear he wasn’t going to answer further. 

  A part of you still wanted to know where Jung-Hee was today, and you were about to ask when he reached down to something on the shielded side of the counter, hidden from your view. 

  Bringing his hand up, you saw that he’d picked a singular purple rose. He twirled it in his hand for a bit, admiring its rare beauty, before making eye contact with you once again. Slowly, as though giving you the opportunity to step back should you wish, he raised the rose to your head and tucked it gently behind your ear.

   His hand lingered by your cheek for a second longer than it should’ve, especially considering the short amount of time you’d known him… but, you’d be lying if you said that closeness, even the faintest amount of it, wasn’t the best thing you’d experienced in a long, long time. 

  Appearing reluctant, he pulled back. “Goodbye, (Y/N). I hope I’ll see you again soon.” His voice was a whisper but carried the weight of a winter wind. 

  You couldn’t help the blush that spread across your cheeks. If the slight twitching of his lips was anything to go by, he was well aware of the effect he had on you. 

  You met his eyes, the look he was giving you so tender it made saying this goodbye almost unbearable. “Goodbye, Yeosang.”

  After leaving the innermost circle of the shop, you felt like a weight was settling off of your lungs. You didn’t even recognise how difficult it had become to breathe there, nor had you recognize how unexplainably painful it was to depart from Yeosang only after knowing him for fifteen minutes.

    A rush of something euphoric had spread through you after he’d given you the flower, and coupled with the barest touch to your cheek your emotions had been sent tumbling. You stepped out of the shop and, for the first time in a long time, felt like there was something more to your life again. As though you’d found your purpose.

  Oh, how little you knew.

──•~❉ ᯽ ❉~•──

[waywardsummoner46]

What I hate about writing is when I have to write so much before I finally get to the part I actually wanted to write.