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baek-at-it-again95 · 4 months

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We Know

Pairings: park seonghwa x fem reader x choi san

genres/content: action, agent au, mafia au? rivalry, leader bang chan, angry seonghwa, y/n is san's weakness lol

Warnings: profanity, violence, weapons, suggestive content!! please take care of yourselves <3

A/N: I am nervous about this one y'all 😳 I've never written something like this before, but it ended up being so fun! This is for my friends, @milfks and L, who had these wonderful ideas! Love you two lots <3

Synopsis: Tonight's mission is in your hands, and you're eager to prove that you're capable of handling it on your own. Unfortunately, your plans are interrupted a bit sooner than you expected.

***

"I've got eyes on him," you mumble, pretending to fix your diamond earring as you adjust your earpiece. Surveying from the platform of the mansion's grand staircase, your eyes follow a man in a black suit as he turns the corner and disappears down a far hallway.

Chan's sigh rings in your earpiece. "Be careful."

"I can handle myself. Trust me."

"I trust you, Y/N. You know that. It's everyone else that I don't trust. It's your first time unaccompanied," Chan says.

"Like I said, I can handle it. Besides, the boys are always out by themselves and they're just fine." If you could see Chan right now, you know he'd be pinching the bridge of his nose out of stress, holding back from giving you a lecture on why your situation is different from theirs. You know his concern is out of love, and he would blame himself if anything were ever to happen to you. But this is your chance to prove yourself. Tonight, you'll be participating in an auction to get your hands on the Cromer, a powerful artifact that can control time. It's been rumored that ATEEZ has their sights set on it as well, so Chan had you do as much research on them as possible. Unfortunately for you, they're quite good at covering their tracks and keeping their identities under wraps. You know only a few of their names and faces, so you'll need to be extra careful about your approach to this.

The auction will begin in about an hour, and you'd rather not hear a lecture from Chan. "I'm going in," you whisper. Your black dress flatters your figure perfectly, and you're excited to show it off tonight. With a deep breath, you make your way down the staircase, your heels silent on the expensive red carpet.

Clusters of people stand together around the large space, sipping champagne and chatting amongst themselves. Many wives have separated into groups away from their husbands, who go on and on about their latest business ventures and investments. Understandable—how boring. You greet some people as you go, your charming smile in effect as their eyes land on you. One woman compliments your dress as you pass by, and you enthusiastically return her compliment, telling her that her own dress brings out her eyes. She blushes and tells you it's custom made, which basically means "my dress is worth twice as much as the average person's monthly paycheck."

You continue to weave through the crowds and admittedly get a bit distracted, still thinking about the woman's compliment. As you turn into the hallway you witnessed your target disappear into, you bump straight into an oncoming person. A strong arm wraps around your waist before you can lose balance on your high heels.

"Woah there, doll. Straying too far, are we?" A tall man with dark hair looks down at you, his eyebrows raised.

Park Seonghwa. Just the man you were looking for.

"My apologies sir," you say quietly, feigning innocence and avoiding his eyes. His arm leaves your waist after steadying you. "I was wandering in hopes of finding a vacant room to lie down...I'm afraid I've had a bit too many drinks too early in the night." You stumble for dramatic effect, hoping he'll eat up your lies. "I have to sober up before the auction," you say, shaking your head. "Daddy will throw a fit if I spend all his money tonight."

The man looks amused. "Yeah? Better be careful, princess."

"I can handle myself," you say for the second time tonight, stepping closer to trace the pads of your manicured fingers over the fabric on his chest. He tilts your chin up gently, and you meet his intense gaze. He's breathtaking. Suddenly, you have an idea that seems much more fun than your previous plans.

Sorry Chan, you think as you press yourself against Seonghwa.

***

You didn't find anything of importance on Seonghwa's person, but you did manage to slip a tracking device into his suit pocket. Chan should be able to access his location any minute now.

You enter the auction room fifteen minutes before the event is scheduled to start, scanning the tables for your seat. It's dimly lit, a majority of the lighting coming from a screen behind the stage. You don't see Seonghwa seated anywhere yet.

"And what are the starting bids on you, lovely?" a low voice asks, breath tickling your ear. You turn to look at the owner of the voice, his strong facial features almost as striking as his neatly-styled red hair. He's practically undressing you with his eyes, and you can't say you hate it.

"Whatever you've got to offer, pretty boy," you reply sweetly. He smirks, pleased with himself as one of his hands finds your waist.

"My friend says you're not as innocent as you look."

"Pardon?" you ask. The man turns you around, your back against his broad chest as his free hand reaches up to your ear. Before you know it, your earpiece is on the ground in front of you, crushed beneath a polished designer shoe. Looking up, you see that the shoe belongs to none other than Park Seonghwa. Of course they're working together.

You freeze as something cold presses to the exposed small of your back.

Fuck.

"One wrong move and you're done for, princess," the man with red hair says calmly, lowering himself back down to your ear. "Try to cause a scene and innocent people will pay the price."

You take a deep breath before nodding your head in submission. You slowly turn back around and watch as he returns his gun to his shoulder holster, his expensive blazer completely concealing it. No one around you sees the ordeal, too distracted and eager to spend their money. The man then puts his arm around your shoulders, leading you out of the auction room. Seonghwa follows close behind, making sure you aren't able to slip away. You have no idea if he is armed at this point in time.

You're led into a large meeting room at the very end of the upstairs corridor, the bright moonlight seeping through the open balcony doors and illuminating the glossy wooden table at the center of the room. You catch a glimpse of the pretty garden below the balcony before the man guiding you throws you to the floor. You can feel the bruises forming on your knees instantly.

You don't dare fight back yet—your training in hand-to-hand combat doesn't do shit when your opponents are armed with guns, of course. You would attempt it if he were alone, but with Seonghwa present and potentially armed, you'd rather feel the situation out.

God, Chan will never let you out onto the field again. He's probably losing his mind now that you've lost contact with each other. Not to mention the fact that you were busted before you even had a chance to get what you came here for. The auction is going to start any minute, and now you're certain there are other ATEEZ members in the auction room that are ready to claim the Cromer instead of you.

You're angry with yourself for not being more prepared with your own weapon, but your favorite handgun unfortunately didn't fit under your dress of choice. You sigh to yourself. At least you look good in it.

"Give it up, sweetheart. We know what's going on here," the man with red hair says. Seonghwa locks the door behind him before speaking.

"I saw your wolf tattoo, and I've seen only one other just like it. You're working with Bang Chan," he states, is emotions unreadable.

No. You had forgotten to conceal your waist tattoo since your dress fully covers it. You hadn't expected to completely remove your dress tonight. Rookie mistake. You should expect everything.

"All this over a tattoo?" You eye him, downplaying the situation.

"How brave of you to interfere with our operation by yourself," the other man comments, ignoring your previous sentence. "No back up here to save you, huh?"

"Oh, you don't really believe she's here alone, do you, San?" Seonghwa asks. Choi San. You recognize that name. Seonghwa comes over to you, a completely different aura surrounding him now. He's intimidating, gripping your chin with much more force than he had earlier. "Be a good girl and tell us where your friends are, yeah? Don't make things difficult." A chill runs down your spine at his threat.

"I'm not here with anyone," you state. It's the truth. Even though Chan had insisted he wait in his car nearby, you convinced him to stay and monitor operations from your base. If you don't make contact within the next hour or two, he'll know something is wrong and follow Seonghwa's location.

"Wrong answer, princess." He grips your hair harshly and you wince. "I have a hard time believing that they would put you in a situation like this without back up. Where are they?"

It's sweet of him to underestimate you, honestly. You got yourself into this situation, and you're sure as hell going to get yourself out. You're already halfway done formulating your escape plan. "I said they're not here," you answer again. He lets go of your hair with a hiss.

"It would pain me to ruin such a pretty face...I think we'll let the boss deal with you."

The boss? Chan told you that no one knows the leader of ATEEZ—it's safe to assume that anyone who's seen him hasn't lived to tell the tale. You're not sure if he'll have any mercy at all to offer you. But maybe these two still have some in them.

"No, please!" you plead, your fists balled up as they rest on your thighs. "If I tell you where they are, will you go easy on me?" You let your head hang low, looking at the floor. San lowers himself in front of you and you find his eyes. You blink, letting a few tears slip down your cheeks.

"Sure, doll face. We will." You look away from him to briefly meet eyes with Seonghwa. He still stands at full height, arms crossed as he looks down at you. Perhaps it's your tears making your vision blurry, but you swear his gaze softens at the sight of you. You look back to San, sniffling.

"You promise?"

Now, never ever would someone in their right mind trust a promise from someone like them. But you're not planning on following through with your own side of the promise, either. Two can play at this game. You would never jeopardize the safety of SKZ...you told Chan you could handle yourself and you meant it.

"Promise," San says. He's truly something else, radiating such strong and convincing charm. You would fall for his promise in a heartbeat if you didn't know who he really was.

As you slowly rise from your knees, San stands with you. "They made me do it," you confess, more tears spilling from your eyes and taking your favorite mascara with them. "They said they would kill me if I didn't," you whisper, looking away.

"It's okay, doll," San says, coming closer to comfort you. You flinch before he touches you. "Just tell us where they are, okay? We'll help you." You bury yourself in his chest, your frame shaking in his arms as you cry quietly.

Your best performance yet, if you say so yourself.

After a long minute in his embrace, you begin to pull away. In the process, you grab the gun out of San's shoulder holster and hold the barrel to the center of his chest. He curses under his breath, raising his arms in defeat. You slowly step backwards, turning your aim to Seonghwa as a warning not to try anything, and then returning your aim to San. Seonghwa makes no attempt to grab for anything, so now you know for a fact that he is unarmed.

"I told you the first time that there's no one here with me." You smile. "But it's nice to discover that you both have a heart."

"Tell Chan we said hi," Seonghwa replies, irritated.

"Of course, it would be rude of me not to. It's truly been a pleasure, boys." You give Seonghwa a wink. "We'll meet again, right? Maybe you can introduce me to your boss next time."

You've backed up far enough to step onto the balcony, assessing the situation above and below. The garden below is deserted now that the auction has started, but it's a far drop to the ground. There is another balcony above you, but it seems a bit too high for you to escape to. You're trapped, so you're going to have to pull this off fast to avoid getting hurt.

All you can hear is the sound of your own heartbeat as you throw the gun over the railing into the garden. If you slip up, they could get their hands on it again, and you cannot let that happen. You'll fight the real way if you must.

As soon as it leaves your hands, the men launch at you. You quickly dodge them, ducking under San's punch and managing to sweep Seonghwa's leg, knocking him to the ground. Now that they're both on the balcony, you run back inside, shutting the french doors and locking them behind you. You know it will barely do anything to set them back—they could easily break them down if they wanted to. Through the glass, you watch as San pulls Seonghwa off the ground and looks at you. He doesn't make an immediate effort to get inside.

Is he letting you go?

You shouldn't wait around any longer to find out. You blow him a kiss before taking your exit out into the main hall.

But after stepping out, you see why they let you go...

#ateez au #ateez x reader #ateez reader insert #ateez fanfic #ateez fic #ateez #park seonghwa #park seonghwa x reader #seonghwa x reader #choi san #choi san x reader #san x reader #bang chan #stray kids #ateez x female reader #ateez x y/n #skz

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baek-at-it-again95 · 5 months

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It's my birthdayyyy! And I get to share it with everyone because it's also ATINY's birthday today!!! 🥳💓 Everyone have a wonderful day and give some extra love to yourself for being so cool!!! ;)

#atinyday #atiny #ateez #happy atiny day

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baek-at-it-again95 · 6 months

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Intro: Siren (Sailor! Hongjoong x Siren! Reader

Synopsis: Killing men is all you have ever known—it's what your species does. However, you have recently begun to question your purpose. When given the chance to save a human, your experience leads to new discoveries

Warnings: Mentions of death and violence.

Genres: fantasy au, angst, fluff?

A/N: Helloooo atiny babies! HAPPY HONGJOONG DAY! I was supposed to be writing a four page paper on the odyssey and ended up being inspired to write this. What can I say? LOL :) Thank you for so much love with the previous hongjoong series as well <3

You lie on a bed of rocks near the shore of your island, listening to your older sisters gossip and giggle amongst themselves. They always talk about rather useless matters. Your tail glistens beautifully, each obsidian-colored scale appearing shiny when the dense clouds decide to reveal the bashful sun. The waves that crash over the rocks create a refreshing mist that dusts your grayish skin. The voice of your eldest sister interrupts your relaxation.

"Y/N, you have not joined us to hunt humans in a while. Have you become weak?" she asks sharply. Your other sisters giggle.

"No," you answer quickly. "I...I have just been thinking a lot. What is our purpose? Why must we kill humans? We do not even eat them." Another one of your sisters places her hand over her chest, surprised.

"Why must we kill them? Oh, Y/N, we are just helping the world. Men are vile creatures. They cause every problem. They destroy the world and then destroy themselves. We are doing the gods a favor."

"They cannot all be bad." You argue, cheeks feeling warm with embarrassment. Are you wrong to think so?

"Do not be foolish, Y/N. If you get yourself into trouble, I can only say I warned you," your eldest sister speaks again. You avoid her eyes.

"Look!" Another sister points to your left and all of you follow her clawed finger. A large ship approaches fast from beyond. Speak of the devil. Your sisters gasp with excitement. "This will be fun!"

"Y/N, come with us this time. It will be good for you," the eldest says. You reluctantly push yourself off of your rock and slide into the water below. You follow behind all of them, consumed with guilt for what is to come.

With just a few strokes of your strong tails, you arrive at the ship. You station yourself a bit farther behind everyone else as usual. One of your sisters mischievously splashes the surface of the water with her tail, causing a commotion for the humans on board to peer at. Just as she desires, a man comes to the railing, pointing and calling over his crewmates. One by one, more men join him at the railing and look on in fascination. With all of your tails now hidden under the dark water, they must think you are mermaids or sea nymphs. They do not fear you as they should.

The last man to appear at the railing piques your interest. He is similar to you, the way he quietly positions himself farther from the others in the group. While the onlookers pay attention to your sisters, you make eye contact with the man at the end...and you can't look away.

He is the most beautiful creature you've ever seen.

You cannot possibly stay and watch as your sisters kill such a beautiful thing. Ridden with guilt, you disappear below the waves and swim to the other side of the ship.

Once you surface on the other side, you hear a voice from above filled with concern. "Miss!" You look up to see the same human, looking down at you again from the other side of the railing. Why did he follow you instead of watching your sisters making all the commotion?

It is then that you hear them. Your sisters begin to sing, their voices like honey but dripping with venom as they lure their prey. You panic as the human turns his head toward the other side of the ship. You cannot let him die. They can't kill him. You quickly begin to sing a soft melody yourself. The human suddenly turns back to face you, entranced by your voice. Despite refusing to sing for quite some time, it comes naturally, your voice as sweet as always.

You continue singing, luring him with your sweet melody until he plunges into the waves beside you.

***

You had pulled the unconscious human to the shore of your island, your strong tail allowing you to arrive quickly. You hurriedly laid his body on the pale sand and retreated back into the water to watch him from a safe distance. How will he act when he wakes up? Your sisters have always told you human men can be violent and unpredictable...but you have only seen them under the influence of your enchantments. Besides, this human did not look at you in that way.

After observing him from afar for some time, you begin to get antsy. The human does not stir, just lies peacefully, chest rising and falling slowly. You cautiously swim closer, looking for any more signs of movement. Pushing yourself onto the shore, you sit yourself next to him. Now you are able to take a longer look at him, his eyes closed and his lips slightly parted. There is sand in his soft, wet hair, and his pale skin is flawless. He is truly the most beautiful creature you've ever laid eyes on.

"Hello?" you whisper meekly. No response. Curiously you draw closer to his face, touching his cheek slightly. When he does not move, you boldly trace your finger across his sharp nose and jawline, fascinated. "Pretty," you say out loud. A sound nearby causes you to look up, eyes darting around to look for any sign of a threat. When you don't see anything, you look back down at the human. His eyes are now slightly open, peering up at you. You gasp, scooting away from him.

"Wait," he says. His voice is angelic, so soft and light. He tries to sit up but holds his head, stifling a groan. You hurriedly move back to him, lightly touching his head in concern. Your eyebrows furrow together as you observe him, your thumb brushing over his temple gently. He stares at you in awe. "Did you...save me?" You look at him with wide eyes, nervous about talking to a human. You have only used your voice to sing for them, killing them one after another for as long as you can remember. You are afraid to hurt this one.

You decide to start with one word. "Yes." Your species has the ability to speak in any tongue in order to lure your prey with a song they can understand.

"I see, how—" You see his gaze land on your tail, eyes widening. "A mermaid?" he questions. Should you lie to him? You do not want him to fear you. Mermaids are a completely different species. Though you have similar anatomy, they have much more colorful tails, and they lack the ability to lure their prey with song. You must have taken too long to answer, because the man says, "Yes?"

"No." You look at him nervously before letting out another word above a whisper. "Afraid."

"Afraid of what?" You watch as his gentle hand comes to hover over yours. As his hand touches yours, you tense, but immediately relax at his warmth. Humans are warm. You forgot that they are, since their bodies soon turn cold after dying.

"Hurt."

"It hurts for you to speak?" he asks, his eyebrows furrowed with worry. Maybe now you can try more than one word.

"No. I do not want to hurt you." He tilts his head.

"Your speaking hurt—oh." He glances at your tail again. "You must be a Siren."

"Yes," you reply, eyes wide since he figured it out. Humans are intelligent.

"Why have you not killed me?" At this, your heart sinks. Is he afraid of you now? Maybe it was a bad idea to even interfere with your sisters' plans. What will he do when he realizes they killed his shipmates? You think about your words carefully.

"Killing humans was all I knew for a long time, but I do not wish to hurt them anymore. My sisters think there is something wrong with me." The man's eyes search yours with a gentleness you've never seen. Your free hand comes up to touch his face again, just as you did when he was still asleep. "Beautiful," you say suddenly. The human touches your hand that traces his face, looking at you with the prettiest brown irises.

Why do you kill these human creatures?

He draws closer. "Y/N!" The piercing voice of your eldest sister calls from the water. You pull away from the human, struck with fear. Following the fear comes a sudden jealousy. You do not want your sisters to see him. He is yours. "Y/N, have you finally killed something? Let me get a look!" She laughs, swimming closer.

You cage his body protectively with your arms and hiss at her. "Mine!"

"Alright, alright. But I want to hear all about him later." She smiles, disappearing into the dark sea. You turn to the human, fear evident in his features.

"You are not safe here," you say. Your guilt returns, the uncomfortable feeling arising in your stomach. "You must go home. I will take you back to your abandoned ship, and I will pray to the gods that you arrive safely home."

He seems hesitant, but he agrees. "Thank you for saving me. You are very kind." As he thanks you, the realization that you would be parting from him completely sinks in. An emotion you have never felt before begins to overwhelm you. You touch your face, wiping at a warm liquid that falls onto your cheeks. You look down at your hands with confusion.

"They are tears," the human says. "It happens when you are sad." You look up at his now blurry face, feeling more tears drip down your cheeks. "It will be alright," he says, using his thumb to wipe them away. He stops suddenly, proposing an idea. "Come with me."

Leave with a human? Humans and Sirens cannot coexist...can they? No human has ever left this island alive. But you could change that. After all, you have grown tired of your life here. Killing men and listening to your dreadful sisters every day is not what you desire.

If you cannot leave with this human, you would rather die anyway.

"Yes." You use the back of your hand and wipe away the rest of the strange tears coming from your eyes. "I would like that."

#ateez au #ateez x reader #kim hongjoong #hongjoong x reader #ateez reader insert #ateez fanfic #ateez fic #kim hongjoong x reader #ateez #kim hongjoong fanfic #hongjoong au #ateez hongjoong #hongjoong #hongjoong day

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baek-at-it-again95 · 8 months

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Walk The Plank (KHJ x fem reader)

Chapter 18: Outro: Long Journey

You had grown up hearing tales about the infamous pirate crew ATEEZ—the fearless, power-hungry men that roamed the seas in search of the most valuable treasure they could lay their hands on. You almost didn’t believe the stories your mother had told you as a child...not until you wound up on their ship

Warnings for this chapter: Depictions of weapons. That's it :)

A/N: I'm going to try not to get emotional...but this is the FINAL CHAPTER!! I am incredibly grateful to all of you who have read, reblogged, or commented on this story. You have brought me so much joy while writing this! :) I wanted to end this on an open note, so that the reader is introduced to a new adventure. New stories are coming in the future, and now that I have declared myself an english major, I can hopefully improve a lot. Love you all! :)

Previous: Chapter 17, Masterlist

Chapter 18: Outro: Long Journey

Early this morning, the ship had changed course towards your homeland, Utopia.

You and Hongjoong had a rather lengthy discussion, coming to the consensus that you should see your parents and let them know you're alright. Despite the captain's distaste for your father, he is willing to forgive him...especially now that he's in love with his daughter. And with the Cromer being gone, the map your father had stolen from Hongjoong is no longer useful in the grand scheme of things anyways.

You have many feelings about returning home. Your parents are unaware that you are not being held against your will since you were unexpectedly taken from your father's ship. You never did get the chance to write to them. You imagine your mother would be overwhelmed with joy at your safe return, as well as delighted that you've found where you belong. Your father, on the other hand, is a different story. You cannot imagine that he would be delighted when you tell him you plan to stay with ATEEZ. He had plans for your life that you never quite wanted, and that was just how it had always been, being the daughter of a wealthy researcher and politician.

Therefore, you were content with parting from the things you had left behind. Living in Utopia felt like an entirely different lifetime, and you were at peace with that. This ship has become your new home, and you wish to go on many future adventures with your crew. With Hongjoong. You hope your family can understand that.

You let your mind wander as you rummage through your chest of clothes. You pull out an ivory dress, recalling that Hongjoong was wearing a coat of the same color earlier. You carefully change into the pretty garment, smoothing down the fabric of the skirt with delicate fingers before taking some time to tend to your hair.

As you finish and tidy up, you're about to close the chest when a sparkle catches your eye. You push some fabric to the side, revealing two shiny items: the pearl necklace Wooyoung had given you, and the knife San had given you. They glisten in the low light as if speaking to you. You smile, picking up the pearls and fastening them around your neck before shutting the chest with a satisfied sigh.

When you arrive to the main deck, Seonghwa's smile is perhaps even brighter than the sun. He comments on how lovely it is to see you so radiant and well-rested. And it is not just Seonghwa—every crew member's smile seems a little bit wider after you bid them a hello...even Mingi's. It's quite pleasing to think the others missed your presence as much as you missed theirs.

At this time, San and Wooyoung have abandoned their posts, finding excuses to chat with you about your time away from them.

"There's our angel," Wooyoung says, knowing no personal space as he arrives at your side.

"Woo—"

"Looking lovelier than ever." He sighs. "So, I hear the other Sector Ones are nothing like ours, aye?" He must have overheard you talking to Hongjoong at some point.

"Both of them were unlike anything I have ever seen," you reply.

"And we are outlaws there?" San asks.

Wooyoung laughs. "O' course we are. We're us! And Miss Y/N here is an outlaw, too. Destined to be a pirate."

You roll your eyes at him. "I am not. I believe I was destined to meet you. Becoming a pirate was just something that happened after that." San gives you a sweet smile.

"I think so too, Y/N. Are you excited to return home?"

Just then, Mingi passes by, immediately scolding the boys. "Get back to work you two." He throws a bag of grains at San and he catches it with ease, setting it down and returning his full attention to you.

"More nervous, actually," you admit.

"Why?" Wooyoung presses. San raises a brow.

"You realize we took her from her father's ship?" Wooyoung starts up his usual loud laugh.

"Oh, yeah. But she actually likes it here," he retorts, the smirk on his face growing. "Right, Y/N?"

"Yes, yes. I mostly enjoy San's company," you reply teasingly. Wooyoung looks at you with shock.

"What would Captain think when I tell him that?"

"Alright, alright, I enjoy your company too, Woo," you add, looking around and hoping your eyes don't land on Hongjoong. Wooyoung's smugness returns and you can't help but smile, rolling your eyes. You ruffle his hair and wink at San before heading off to see if the others need a hand.

"Wait, where are you going, Y/N?" San asks. He and Wooyoung trail behind you like ducklings.

"Well, if I am to be on this ship, I should be of use, yes?"

"You could help us move those." Wooyoung pouts, pointing to the bag of grains San had dropped mere seconds ago. You give him a look of amusement.

"San just picked up that bag as if it was full of feathers. I am helping elsewhere," you state, giving Wooyoung a kiss on the cheek since you know it will silence him. You spot Yunho and make your way toward him, turning around to steal one last glance at Wooyoung. He seems dazed as he grins and touches his cheek.

***

You sit at Hongjoong's desk peacefully, writing in detail your experiences with the Cromer. His journal of adventures has become like your diary as you fill its pages with your own accounts. When you finish detailing your experience with what the alternate Hongjoong had called a telephone, you set your pen down.

"Hongjoong?" you say, glancing up to see him pacing the cabin slowly, reading something you don't recognize.

"Yes, darling?" he answers, not lifting his gaze.

"Do you think that one day, this will be important?" He now looks up at you curiously. "That sometime far from now, someone will read this journal and learn what happened?"

"Why of course, sweetheart. Even in the present, it is important knowledge."

"I hope someone uses it to get rid of the Guardians one day." You sigh, picking up your pen again.

"I know someone will," Hongjoong assures. With a tight-lipped smile, you nod.

Your attention moves to the door as a crew member hastily enters the cabin. "Cap'n, there be another ship headed this way." You exchange a worried glance with Hongjoong before heading outside, the crew member holding out his telescope for the captain to take. You nervously tug at the hem of your sleeve as Hongjoong lifts the lens to his good eye.

"A Utopian ship," Hongjoong mumbles. "They do not show signs of moving out of our way. Prepare to fight," he demands. "But do not fire unless fired upon first. Inform the others...I will steer the ship."

Your head feels light. A Utopian ship? Could they be searching for you? Perhaps it's just a trade ship and you're overthinking. The news is relayed to the crew quickly, and everyone begins preparing their weapons and stations. Hongjoong takes your hand in his, bringing it to his lips to place a gentle kiss before heading towards the helm. "Stay close."

"I will be right back," you inform him. Before he can say anything, you're running down to the crew's cabin, halting in front of your clothing chest. You open it to find the knife you had ignored earlier.

Perfect.

Quickly snatching it up, you return to the main deck. Your grip on your weapon is strong as you run to assume your position next to the captain.

Seeing how rapidly the Utopian ship approaches, you squeeze the handle of your knife even tighter, every muscle in your body tense with fear. Hongjoong spins the wheel to the right and the ship leans in the new direction. You widen your stance to prevent yourself from falling over, Seonghwa eyeing you from nearby to make sure you're alright. The tension is thick, everyone on guard as they await any kind of signal. Holding your breath, you scan the approaching ship.

The hair on the back of your neck stands up when your gaze lands on a familiar face across the way, near the center of the ship. The grip on your knife loosens and all air feels like it's knocked out of your lungs as you lock eyes with a man you've known for a long time. His muscular build is apparent even in his military uniform, and his dark curls flow in the wind.

Before you is the man your parents had arranged your marriage with.

Bang Chan.

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baek-at-it-again95 · 10 months

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Walk The Plank (KHJ x fem reader)

Chapter 17: Desire

Warnings for this chapter: None? A lot of vulnerability? Some kissing and some crying...I couldn’t hold myself back lol

A/N: We are approaching the end! 🥹😭 I'm so attached...I wish I could just continue this story forever. I've been writing this one for a long time now! I have a Seonghwa fic in the works so hopefully that will be out soon <3 🤧 I love you all so much and I am truly so grateful! Also, happy San day!!!

Previous: Chapter 16, Masterlist

Chapter 17: Desire

How are you going to tell them that you need to destroy it...

You hadn't noticed until now how well you handled the jump back to your universe. You had not experienced difficulty breathing or feelings of overwhelming panic. Perhaps you've finally adapted to using your ability. You have used the Cromer frequently enough to begin understanding it. Unfortunately, now that you've accomplished that, you have to get rid of it.

You sigh as Jongho places his hand on your shoulder, tearing your gaze away from the Cromer. You'll tell them soon...you just want to enjoy your moment with your crewmates.

"Y/N, I am so happy to see you," Jongho says.

"I am happy to see you too, Jong." You smile, nudging him. "I was only away for two days, but it felt like an eternity without you all." Jongho's eyebrows scrunch together.

"Two days?"

"What, was it three?" you question.

"Y/N, you were gone for eight dreadful days and nights," Yunho says.

"What?" you exclaim.

"Time must move a bit differently in the world you were in. Fascinating," Seonghwa says.

"Not fascinating. Dreadful," Yunho repeats.

"That did not happen the first time, did it?"

"No, you were gone for mere minutes the first time," Seonghwa states.

"Y/N, may I have a word with you?" Hongjoong interrupts.

"Yes, actually there was something I needed to discuss with you as well." He nods, placing his right hand at the small of your back to guide you. You enter his cabin and carefully shut the door behind you. It has become your safe place, really.

"Joong I—"

"Y/N." He takes your face in his hands again, the side of his cool metal hook pressing into your soft cheek. "I just needed a moment with you. I cannot even begin to imagine what you have been through. It must be overwhelming."

"You know I can handle myself, Joong." You give him an assuring smile. He pulls you into a hug, this time much calmer than before. You melt into his arms, your hands grabbing the fur of his coat tightly. As turn your head to the side in your embrace, you catch a glimpse of the absolute chaos on his desk.

It was bad before, but this? More papers and maps than you have seen in your lifetime are sprawled across the table, journals and pens and navigation tools littered everywhere. "Oh my," you say quietly, leaving his hold to get closer to the desk.

"It was difficult trying to research a way to get to you," he explains. "We are so relieved you were able to get back here yourself." You pick up a familiar journal opened on the desk. As you scan over it, you notice it's the story you had written detailing how you ended up on their ship. A small piece of paper falls from the journal and back onto the desk. In black ink, there are sketches of you. One is a picture of you reading a book, and another smaller one is of you with your hair ribbon.

"Did you draw these?" you ask him, taking the paper to examine it closer.

"Yes," he mumbles. "You were all I could think about, Y/N." You blink back some sudden tears and quickly set down the paper before you can ruin it. "I will not let you out of my sight again." This time, you take his face in your hands.

"I know, Joong," you whisper. "I know." You pull him into a quick, gentle kiss.

As you pull away, you see his eyebrows are scrunched with worry, and you trace your fingers over his features. Your fingertips caress his chin, his cheek bone, and eventually, his eye patch. The tips of your fingers trace the band above his ear, where you slide your finger beneath it. Hongjoong's jaw seems to clench at this, but he does not stop you. Still, you don't wish to pressure him. You love him, whether you see all of him or not. You begin to lower your hand, but he takes it, placing it right back where it was. He nods as you look at him with surprise. With a small smile, you pull at the strap and lift it ever so carefully.

Once you remove the leather and set it aside, you take in his face. You had been expecting some kind of scar...perhaps even no eye at all. But what you find is that his iris and pupil are clouded. Hongjoong avoids looking at you for the first time ever.

"You are beautiful, Hongjoong." He meets your eyes, surprise etched across his features. You give him an assuring smile.

"I have never thought so. I was cursed a long time ago, after making a foolish deal with someone I thought I could trust. They took my sight." He sighs, pausing. "It is rare to encounter those that use magic for good anymore."

"You are still you, Hongjoong. Nothing less. You are beautiful, regardless." The man in front of you suddenly closes the small distance between you, desperately kissing you as if you would be swept away any moment. You place your arms behind his neck and his strong arms wrap around your waist, holding you protectively. You feel safe and warm in his embrace. The moment is blissful, and you wish he would never let go. But when you break for air, you remember why you agreed to have a word with him in the first place.

"Hongjoong, perhaps it is not the right time," you say breathlessly. "Not that I wish to stop this...just remember that I have something to tell you."

"Yes, darling. What is it?" You bite the inside of your cheek, nervous about how he might react.

"It is about the Cromer," you start. He tilts his head.

"What about it, Y/N? You can tell me."

"I was told that we should destroy it."

"Destroy it?" Hongjoong repeats, looking at you as if you are not quite serious. "Who told you that?"

"You—the other Hongjoong. He explained that once we rid ourselves of it, the Guardians will not be able to locate us as easily, if at all. It was upsetting to hear, but it does seem like the best thing to do to keep each of us safe. We have all experienced some kind of danger with it, Joong." Hongjoong looks at you with an unreadable expression, and you shift nervously. "Please say something," you whisper.

"Y/N, think about what you are saying. We have put infinite time, energy, and resources towards getting this artifact. To give it up is mad!"

"But if we do not have it, the Guardians cannot find us. They cannot take anyone. They cannot take me!" Your voice cracks, and your vision becomes blurry as tears well in your eyes for what feels like the hundredth time that night. "I just want to be with you, Joong. It is difficult to give up something that we searched so hard for but you are more important to me." You're crying harder now, your hands trembling at your sides as you grip the fabric of your skirt tightly. "I do not care about magic. I do not care about treasure. I found what I want and it is you!" you exclaim. You lower your gaze, rubbing your eyes with the back of your hand and watching as your tear drops hit the floor pitifully.

Hongjoong is then right in front of you, lifting your chin gently. "I love you, Y/N." You look at him in awe, a bit taken back. "I ask that you forgive me for not understanding at first. I see why this decision must be made." He wipes your tears with his thumb, looking at you with all the care in the world. "Do not cry, darling. It will be alright." You can't bring yourself to speak, only nod at him.

Hongjoong places a kiss to your forehead before turning to his desk. You watch as he picks up his eyepatch and you hurry over, taking it from him to help him put it back on.

"I love you too, Hongjoong."

***

You stay in the cabin until the captain is done explaining the situation to the crew. Not wanting to witness their reactions to the news, you pace around in circles until they are done. You are feeling a bit tired, but you'll manage. "Y/N!" Mingi's deep voice calls you from outside.

You take a deep breath and step out into the moonlight, your favorite people gathered closely.

"Yes?"

Yeosang hands you the Cromer. "Will you do the honors, my lady?"

"Are you sure we should not just toss it overboard?" Yunho asks.

"We could, but think about the suffering of those who might find it in the future," Jongho says.

"I could live with that," Wooyoung chimes in.

"Silence," Hongjoong demands. "Go ahead, Y/N." You stare at the hourglass, the gold gleaming under the bright full moon. This is it. This is a decision for the better. With a heavy heart, you raise the fragile object above your head and drop it to the ground. Fragments of glass shoot outward like stars across the deck. Your father's entire life of research, shattered at your feet. Your captain's research. The guilt hurts, but the thought of being separated again from everyone that you have come to love in this world...that hurts more.

You watch in silence as Hongjoong pulls his hook through the dented gold frame and swings it overboard. Seeing it feels unreal. It makes you think of the other Hongjoong, and what he must be doing. Is he safe too? You hope everything works out for him.

Exhaustion hits you hard out of nowhere, and you reach out to San beside you. It seems like your travel did have an effect on you, just not immediately.

"Woah there." San picks you up, his arm tucked behind your knees.

"Tired already, princess?" Wooyoung asks, heading for the crew's quarters and motioning for San to follow. "You're out before we even got to start drinking." He giggles. Your eyelids feel heavy, closing before you can manage a response.

"Be careful with her," you hear Hongjoong warn.

"Got it, Captain!" San says, his footsteps heavy on the steps leading below deck.

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baek-at-it-again95 · 11 months

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Walk The Plank (KHJ x fem reader)

Chapter 16: If Without You

Warnings for this chapter: tall heights, soft mingi lol, angsty!

A/N: HI ATINY BABIES! It’s been a while! I wrote half of this before seeing TXT and then my brain was fried for the weeks following... I hope you are all enjoying your summer so far <3

Previous: Chapter 15, Masterlist

Chapter 16: If Without You

"I have something I want to show you."

You follow Hongjoong as he leads you outside, a comfortable silence falling between you. It's a nice break from the previous chaos.

You pass by a flower field that is beautiful in the moonlight, and you realize that the building you just left is surrounded by a farm. It's on the outskirts of a city, which looks like the Sector One you had jumped from moments ago. You space in and out as you follow Hongjoong, sometimes glancing at his hat from behind, wondering if he knows you're looking at him.

"You were not lying when you said your Sector One was similar," you mumble. He looks back at you, waiting for you to catch up to his side before answering.

"Did you not believe me?"

"No, I just...did not imagine there could be so much of the same thing in all these different worlds."

"Humans are very repetitive beings," he replies, wide eyes glistening in the moonlight. "Their history seems to repeat in similar patterns, whether from one world or another. Things that are present in one are present in the next."

You look at him curiously. "Do you think that is a good thing?"

"I believe it can be a good and bad thing. For example, bad, because you, me, and our alternates seem to be wanted in different timelines." You play with your fingers nervously at his statement. "But also good, since we are together in those worlds, as well."

"So perhaps it is beyond just a simple repetitive history. Like... fate," you suggest.

"That is true. Though, I would rather it not be."

"Why?"

"Fate is such a set concept. Like there can only be one option and one outcome, you know?"

"I see. You do not like your fate, if this is what your fate is. Correct?" You look at him with a frown.

"Yes. I would rather this life not be destined for every alternate version of me."

"Well, like there are different versions of you, I believe there can be different versions of fate," you reply. "I am sure that somewhere, an alternate of you and your lover are together. And they are happy." You keep your eyes on the ground as you exit the fields of the farm. The ground transitions from dirt to the same kind of odd, smooth ground from the previous city.

"I can believe that," Hongjoong says. "Actually, I know that we are together, happy somewhere. I have seen them."

"Oh, that is nice to hear." You give him a sad smile. Had he seen his alternate with his lover somewhere in the world you had just jumped from? Or maybe he's jumped worlds before even meeting you. You wonder what other kinds of artifacts aside from the Cromer possess such a power. What do the Guardians use to jump? Does each world have its own version of the Cromer, like they do people?

He nods. "I hope they stay together." Hongjoong pushes open the door to a tall building you hadn't even realized you arrived in front of. "Come on," he whispers, holding it open for you.

Hesitating for just a moment, you enter the new structure. He gently takes your arm, leading you down a narrow walkway into another door. In this one, there are steps going around and around, spiraling up to a ceiling you can barely see. You begin to ascend them quickly but slow down soon after. It feels as if there is no end to them as you continue up, so after some time, you abruptly stop in the middle of a platform.

"Need a break?" Hongjoong asks, smile on his face as he watches you catch your breath.

"No, no. Are we almost there, though?"

"Yes. Here." You reluctantly follow him up one more set of stairs and he opens a door, taking you outside. You cautiously step out and look around.

"Wow." From here, you can see all of this Sector One. Little lights in the windows of the many structures sparkle like stars, making the ground look like a mirror of the sky. The lights expand across your entire line of sight, and the moon looks huge as it looms over the city, casting its low light over the buildings. "This...is beautiful." You can't tear your eyes away from the view. Unlike the last time you were high above the ground, you are not scared. You feel free.

"Isn't it? I used to come up here a lot when I couldn't sleep."

"We are all so similar." It reminds you of the time your captain found you out on the deck, watching the reflection of the moon in the waves. He told you the story about his journey to Twilight Cove and you had fallen asleep right there, on the steps to the quarter deck. You smile to yourself.

"What do you plan to do once you get home?" Hongjoong asks.

"Oh, I have not given it much thought. I was not even sure we could get home before this."

"I see. There is one thing you must do when you go back, though."

"What would that be?"

"You have to break the Cromer."

"What?" Your breath catches in your throat. "But we searched so long and hard for it. My father's entire life of research is in our hands, and you want me to break it? As if it is nothing?"

"Y/N, I understand why this would be upsetting. But your life will continue to be in danger as long as you have it in your possession. Once you rid yourself of the artifact and its effects, the guardians will likely not be able to find you."

"But Hongjoong—"

"I know, darling. It is your decision, and I will not be there. Just...think about it, please. I do not want you to live a life like me where you just run and run." He runs his fingers through his dark hair and you sigh, nodding.

Hongjoong then points to the sky, taking you away from the subject of the Cromer.

"Do you see that star right there?" He comes next to you.

"The brightest one?"

"Yes, that one. It reminds me of her. Sometimes I feel like giving up, but I know she wouldn't give up. So, I can't."

"Hongjoong...I did not know her, but I feel like she would want you to live freely. Without worrying about her. Just as you do not wish for any harm to come to her, she is probably hoping the same of you." He lowers his gaze to the ground.

"I know, but I am selfish. I have thought about giving up, but after these past few days, I remember why I want so badly to be with her again. And if I can't, I will die trying." Your eyes widen at his confession.

"I see." You notice in the distance how an orange hue has begun to appear in the dark sky.

"Y/N, I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" you ask, still watching the skyline. You begin to see pink along with the orange.

"It has been nice to see you again."

"Again?" You turn to look at him.

He hesitates. "Y/N, you are my lover. In every universe."

The world seems to spin at his words.

"Hongjoong—"

"I know I am not your Hongjoong. And you are not my Y/N. But being with you has given me some peace. To know you are just as lovely as I remember, beyond time and space. It has not filled the hole in my heart, but helped patch it." You just stare at him, your jaw opening to say something but closing again. "Forgive me for keeping this from you...I just did not know if it would cause any issues earlier on."

"I suppose for me to be in love with the Hongjoong in my world and you to be in love with the Y/N in your world makes sense. It is just quite overwhelming to think about."

"I understand. How do you think I felt when you suddenly appeared and helped me escape that Guardian?" He laughs.

"Terrified!"

"Yes. Thank you, Y/N. For everything."

"No need to thank me." You brush him off. "I did not do anything."

"Yes, you did. Y/N, you're amazing. You saved our lives and you have been so strong through it all. And again, you reminded me of what's important to me. So, thank you."

"Thank you." You pull him into your arms and hold him tight. "For everything. Good luck finding...um...me." Hongjoong laughs at you, pulling back.

"Here." He pulls the Cromer from the inside of his coat, handing the shiny object to you. You accept it carefully.

"Hongjoong, how can I be sure I can go home now? You said it works best when I am in danger..." He holds onto both of your arms as he speaks to you.

"Trust me, Y/N."

"I do, but—" He places a chaste kiss on your cheek.

"And don't be mad at me, please. Understand this is for you to get home."

"But why would I be—" Hongjoong scoops you up, bringing you to the edge of the rooftop. Your eyes widen and your heart feels like it stops as he holds you over the wall. "No, Hongjoong," you plead. "There has to be some other way. I do not like this method."

"Trust me. Until we meet again."

"Kim Hongjoong I swear—AH!" You scream as he lets go of you and you close your eyes, hugging the Cromer tightly to your chest. You hear nothing but the wind in your ears as you descend. Home. You have to go home. You think about your crewmates and the captain you miss so dearly, along with the ship you had gotten so used to traveling on.

Are you still falling?

You can't feel anything particular around you, and you're scared to open your eyes. But you know you have to eventually. With one deep breath, you open them slowly. You make eye contact with Hongjoong. Your Hongjoong. You take in his eyepatch, his hook, and his scruffy mullet that you missed. His telescope clatters to the main deck and it brings you out of your daze. He runs over and cups your cheek with his hand.

"Y/N?"

"Joong!" You practically knock him over as you bury yourself in his arms. He pulls you away, inspecting your face and your body for visible injuries. Tears prick at your eyes, and you sniffle.

"I am okay." You watch as a tear falls from his eye, too, and he pulls you back into his chest.

"Y/N, I was so worried about you." He places a kiss on top of your head.

"I was worried about you, too. I missed you so much." His embrace is enough to calm you completely, his familiar scent comforting.

"What is going on out her-" You hear Mingi's voice from behind you and you turn to peek at him with your blurry, tear-filled eyes. "Shit." He disappears back into the captain's quarters and comes back out with six other men who you missed equally as much.

"Y/N!" Wooyoung shouts, running over to hug both of you. "I knew you'd be back with no problem." You roll your eyes, smiling.

"Where is..." Yeosang starts.

"He is home. I have a lot to tell you all."

"We do too," San says. "Mingi cried a lot while you were gone." You watch as Mingi jabs his laughing crew mate in the side, and you have to hold in your own laughter.

"I am flattered." Your eyes then catch a glimpse of the Cromer on the deck. You must have dropped it when you saw Hongjoong.

How are you going to tell them that you need to destroy it...

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