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pl-panda · 3 years

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To Marry a Vigilante: Part 4

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To Marry a Vigilante: Part 4

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The next day, Marinette woke up in her bed, still dressed. By the time her father brought her into her room, she was already asleep. The emotions finally caught up with her somewhere along the way. Remembering the end of the evening, her eyes immediately latched onto her finger, but the ring was not there. A mere second before a panic attack, she looked at the bedside table, where both the box and the ring rested. She let out a breath. She didn’t lose it.

“Morning cupcake,” a voice startled her. “Are you okay?” Her father was looking through the repealed doors.

“Yeah… Did yesterday really happen?”

“We are still at Wayne Manor and I seem to remember to have put the ring on the night table.”

“I can’t believe he actually proposed!” Marinette jumped off the bed and started to pace around with a dreamy look on her face. “I mean I know we are married, but it was still so romantic! And in front of so many people! Oh, Papa! I’m so happy!” She fell back onto her bed.

“I’m glad you’re happy, cupcake. Remember that your Maman and I will always be here for you.” His smile took a sadder shade. “I know you’re almost a grown-up with a job and all, but to us you will always be the same little girl that I used to fit in the palm of my hand.”

“Don’t worry Papa. I won’t forget you and Maman.”

“Good. Now let’s go open the presents! Race you!” He ran out of her room and toward the big tree in the hall. Mari giggled at her father’s antics before following him; the ring shining on her finger.

In the back, Tikki floated with a big smile on her face. Her chosen finally had a chance for some happiness. If only that ruddy alley cat did not run away with the miraculous. She could still feel Nooroo and Duusu active. She could wait one more day before telling Marinette though. The girl deserved a peaceful Christmas.

---------

By the time Marinette arrived by the tree, most of the people were already gathered. Dick was seated in a large armchair next to a pile of gifts. He was dressed in a full Santa Claus outfit, complete with a fake beard. The only reason she recognized him was because of his voice.

“Now that everyone’s here, who wants…” He started, but someone interrupted.

“Before that, I need to apologize.” Johnathan Kent turned toward Marinette. “Yesterday, after you left, I made some unsavory accusations about you, for which I want to deeply apologize.” Just for a second, his eyes jumped toward Sabine. The girl noted that her mother was glaring at the older man. “I’m a simple man and this… secret world you all live in is strange for me. Please, accept my sincere apology.”

“Oh… No problem Mr. Kent. To be honest I’m still getting used to it all myself.” She smiled at him. Marinette was not that oblivious not to guess what kind of accusations the older man had made.

“With that out of the way, I think we can get started. Maybe let’s begin with the youngest?” Dick said, trying to imitate how the real Santa Claus would sound. Marinette would admit that he was close.

“Me! Me!” Mar’i started floating in the air until Jon pulled her gently to the ground. He really got into the ‘older brother’ role.

“Yes, you, sweetheart.”

Mar’i received several gifts from the pile. Marinette was surprised to see one from her family. Inside were several baked goods from their bakery. She didn’t remember her parents packing any, but maybe they made them here.

“Me next!” Jon was giddy. His pile of gifts was slightly smaller, but there was a box of sweets there too.

After that, it was Marinette’s turn. She received probably even more than Mar’i. There were also gifts from her Nona, grandfather, uncle Wang, one without a name tag that she was pretty sure came from aunt Sandra, a giant box from Chloe, and a small one that she had no idea who sent her. It was wrapped with a paper with black cats that would look better somewhere around Halloween, but she was too distracted to question it. Damian was busy arguing with Jon about whether he would get the Kryptonite knuckle dusters or not.

She started with the largest box that Chloé sent her. Inside, there was a giant chest filled to the brim with detective novels and a letter that she chose to read when she was alone. Next was the gift from her uncle, which turned out to be an intricately decorated stone bowl for mixing ingredients.

Her grandfather got her a beautiful rolling pin made half from cherry wood and half from solidified resin. The resin was in dark green color that reminded her of Damian’s eyes. But Roland had no idea about that, did he…?

Many gifts were some nice fabrics, a gift card to Gabriel, which she was tempted to burn as soon as she got it, but out of politeness just put it back into the box for now. Finally, the gift from aunt Sandra contained a set of beautiful daggers, a Katana, and a hairpin that had a space to pour poison inside.

Her parents gave her a new rope dart, this time with a sharp end that she could use in combat. The line it was attached to was made from titanium-carbon alloy that would be able to withstand point-pressure of at least two tonnes. The weapon itself was practical instead of good-looking. The blade was thick, looking a bit like a diamond. The edges were sharp and the tip very pointy. The grip of the weapon was wrapped in a red cord for a more comfortable grip. Mari thanked them both before pocketing the weapon into her bag for now. She would probably fashion a better place for it.

Finally, only one box remained. The mysterious cats. Mari was about to open it when Jon noted it and leaped at her. The bow came undone the moment he covered the small box with his body. Everyone waited, watching carefully what was going on.

Nothing happened.

“Tt. Kent? Mind explaining to us why you decided to smash my Angel’s gift?” Damian glared at him.

“Um… I might have accidentally scanned it. You don’t want to see what’s inside. I definitely don’t want to see what’s inside ever again,” he shuddered.

“Show me,” Sabine demanded. She picked up the squashed box and opened the top before closing it. A small lighter made its way into her hand and before anyone knew better, it was aflame. Seeing people staring at her, she smiled. “Nothing to worry about. It was a terrible prank.” She wrapped the now-charred remains and some vaguely straight shape into the torn paper.

“What was this Maman?”

“A very distasteful prank.”

Marinette looked at the shape in her mother’s hand and her blood suddenly ran cold. It was shaped like a knife. The knife.

“No… He knows?! He can’t know!” She panicked, but Damian quickly pulled her closer to him, immediately soothing her some.

“No, Sweetie. That bastard thought he would appease you by offering a painting of a stabbed Ladybug.” Sabine’s expression was heralding God’s wrath.

Jason growled. “He is sick.”

Next to him, Tim muttered so that only Stephanie could hear him. “You gave B. a crowbar on your first Christmas back…” Superman heard it too, judging from his reaction.

“So what now?”

“Well, I think it’s safe to say we won’t be coming back beyond ‘appearing’ at the airport when your class is scheduled to leave. I still can’t believe how incompetent your teacher must be to force you to travel with them.”

“I know it might sound stupid, but I think you will be safest in Gotham City.” Lois offered.

Mari nodded sharply before cuddling into Damian. “Don’t worry, Angel. I will protect you.” He reassured her while hugging her close to his heart.

“I can protect myself.” She huffed but didn’t reject his hug.

“That I don’t doubt.”

“There is a good chance he won’t be able to reach you in Gotham anyway. He is just one kid, which will make crossing the border much harder for him.” Stephanie pointed.

“He has his daddy’s money. That will probably be enough.”

“Let’s hope not. I will send the warning to the border control that he might be trying to enter the country, but that’s the best I can do.”

“Meanwhile I will go check if my guns are working…” Jason tried to leave, only for Tim to grab the back of his jacket and pull him back into place.

“There is no point worrying for now. Let’s just enjoy Christmas.” Sabine nodded for everyone to return to gifts. When no one was looking at her, she pulled Jon to the side and placed the knife paper on the stone floor. They didn’t speak, not to start another drama, but the boy understood. A short heat-vision later the knife was no more than a piece of smoking paper and molten steel.

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A blonde boy walked toward the terminal. He was dressed in a light gray long-sleeved dress shirt underneath a dark gray vest. He also sported a black necktie, dark gray dress pants, and black dress shoes. His hair was combed back, adding to the impeccable look. The green eyes swept over the guards as they observed him closely. He presented the passport.

He noted that it took them longer than it should. His eyes fell on the wanted poster next to the guards.

“I’m not my idiotic cousin if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Ah… Um…” The guard that was speaking to him was clearly confused.

“Really? Ugh! That idiot decided to play supervillain and suddenly I have to suffer for it! I am not Adrien Agreste.” He ruffled through his bag, not caring that several guards almost drew their weapons. He finally pulled out a magazine with him and Adrien standing side by side, modeling for Gabriel. When side by side, the difference in their styles was even more pronounced.

“Apologies, mister. You must understand thought…” The man started to back-track.

“Yeah yeah. Spare the prostrating.” He dismissed the guard and walked past the checkpoint. Once he was out of the hearing range, he grinned. “It’s not you that I want to see on the floor…” He whispered omniously.

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Marinette and Sabine arrived through a portal five minutes from the airport, with ten minutes to spare before class was scheduled to meet. The two did not carry any luggage so they would get past the customs much faster. An upside to having all your things brought through a magical portal the day before.

The airport was buzzing with activity. Marinette and her mother quickly got past the checkpoint and met with Chloé, who awaited them eagerly.

“Dupain-Cheng! How was Christmas with the Waynes?” She asked in a hushed voice, so the class didn’t hear her.

“Well…” Mari grinned before showing the blonde her ring.

“What? Now that’s what I call a good Christmas gift.”

“How did you like the belt?” Marinette asked. In response, Chloé showed her that she was already wearing it. It was white with some golden glitter around the elegant buckle. There was a barely visible MDC logo etched on the buckle. The designer worked on it for some time before repurposing it as a Christmas gift. She had to cut on the glitter decorations, but in the end, the more minimalistic design appealed to Chloé.

Sabine watched the two girls talk. A year ago, the woman wouldn’t believe her eyes if Marinette and Chloé acted this friendly. Now though, they were cute.

“Did you get my gift?” The blonde asked impatiently.

“Um… Yes. The books are great.”

“What was under the books!” The girl whispered, hoping to avoid Sabine’s watchful eye and ear.

“What?” Marinette looked surprised and Chloé had to resist the urge to facepalm.

“Honestly Dupain-Cheng! You’re ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!”

And then the mood was broken when the rest of the class found them.

“Good morning Marinette.” Madame Bustier greeted the girl. “Sabine.”

The older woman did not return the greeting. “It’s Madame Cheng. We are here in the role of chaperones.” She almost seethes. “Let’s keep at least the illusion of professionalism.”

“Um… right. Moving on kids!” The slightly embarrassed teacher declared.

“She is just as bad as Maribrat,” Alya muttered to Lila when she thought Sabine couldn’t hear her. The glare she received in response made it clear she made a mistake in her judgment.

After they got to the plane, people started to whisper when Chloé and Marinette didn’t join them in the economy class where they had their tickets. Instead, the two left for the first class.

“Why aren’t they joining us!?”

“Because Chloé’s father paid for hers and I can afford mine.” Marinette normally would be against such blatant flaunting of wealth, but she couldn’t stop herself from rubbing it a bit into them that she earned the luxury.

“She probably…” Kim suddenly lost his ability to speak when he was met eye-to-eye with Sabine Cheng.

“Think carefully about what you want to say next.”

He could almost see the flames of hell burning brightly behind her. “Um… she probably earned it?”

“Good boy.”

“While I agree that Marinette earned it,” Caline started speaking and Sabine, Chloé, and the girl in question all had to resist the urge to groan, sensing there was more to that sentence. “I think it would be preferable if the girls joined the class for the duration of the flight. It would serve to strengthen the bonds between kids.”

“And how exactly do you plan on fitting them when all the places in this place are bought out. Not to mention the price difference. Or maybe you thought money was not a problem?” Sabine asked, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

Before Caline could answer, Lila decided to open her mouth. “Maybe Madame Bustier and you, madame could switch places with them. We know how hard our teacher worked and a bit of relaxation and comfort would do her good. You too could probably relax a bit from all the hard work in that Bakery.”

Immediately after that, everyone started to agree and try to convince the chaperones to leave them alone. Sabine was about to protest when Caline spoke up. “Well, I think it would be acceptable, provided the girls agree.” She sent both a glare.

Sabine’s blood boiled. She wasn’t sure if any normal girl would actually have the strength to stand up to a teacher in that position. Only the fact that Marinette looked completely unbothered stopped her from reacting.

“Of course they won’t agree! They are too selfish!” Alya shouted.

Some of the people on the plane started to stare at the group, with many gazes falling on Marinette and Chloé.

The blonde scoffed, but her best friend grinned. “Sure.” She pulled her ticket and handed her to the teacher. “But we’re blocking the flight, so let’s move.”

Chloé handed hers to Sabine, smiling politely at the woman. “Marinette suspected this would end like that.” She whispered before taking a seat next to Dupain-Cheng. Both girls pulled out old-fashioned dictaphones and started recording what was going on with the class. Then Chloé gave Mari one of her detective novels and they started reading.

Sabine shook her head. Her little girl had a plan and she would trust her. And after seeing Lila in action, she now had some idea how that liar worked. The way she manipulated people’s opinion reminded her in some ways of the assassin training she underwent.

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The plane was already half-way to Gotham. Sabine did her best to ignore Caliné’s rambling about Marinette, switching between praising her and making her into the heart of all the problems with the class. If she didn’t know better, Sabine would think that the teacher had some sort of mental disorder. Beyond simple stupidity that is.

Out of the blue, Caliné stopped rambling and Sabine saw her asleep, snoring lightly.

“A strong sedative. It should give us at least an hour of peace.” A calm voice spoke from behind her.

“Sandra.” Sabine greeted her sister politely, but without the usual cheerfulness. “Clever of you to choose here of all places to meet me. Don’t think that it will let you escape my wrath. You left that girl on the mercy of a monster.”

“Cassandra was… I did regret what I did, but I couldn’t risk trying to reclaim her. Not until I was sure she could defend herself.” Sandra said, allowing emotions to enter her voice. Sabine could tell she was genuinely saddened by the situation.

“You could’ve brought her to me. I would raise her along Marinette without a second thought. And you know that nobody would dare to come after me.” The older turned in her seat to glare at her sister. Two men at her side were both also sleeping, each with a small wound on their neck. They had complete privacy.

“I… I’m sorry. By the time I managed to find her again, I… I was ashamed. I admit that it pained me to see what Cain did to her. But I couldn’t…”

“We will talk about it when I can scream at you properly.” Sabine cut her off. “For now I want to know what is so important you decided to show up personally, risking my wrath.”

“The boy has allies.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know, but they are influential enough to shield him from many of my contacts.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you tried. As opposed to with your daughter.”

“I deserve it…” Sandra lowered her head.

“Yes, you do.” Sabine huffed.

“If I find the kid…”

“He sent Mari the knife he stabbed Ladybug with. I have no idea how he got his sticky hands on it…”

“You still have the bag, right?”

“Already waiting for me in Gotham.”

“I will try digging some more, but I’m getting blocked at each turn.”

“Meanwhile I will keep both our girls safe.”

“I got the picture of Talia by the way.” Lady Shiva allowed a smile to ghost her face. “I carry it framed and put it by my bed. She got a few copies too.”

“Good. That might remind her not to trifle with us.” The sisters shared a laugh, but Sabine was still angry and it showed. She would give her sister a piece of her mind when the time came.

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A figure stood cloaked in shadows. The small screen showed a series of images.

“Poison Ivy; Bane; Penguin; Riddler; Mr. Freeze; Two-Face; Scarecrow; Clayface; Falcone; Harley Quinn; Killer Croc; Joker…”

“The previous Hawkmoth was a fool.” Another figure spoke from the shadows. Their voice was neither feminine nor masculine. “He stuck to a moral high ground, giving powers to untrained kids. Then again, he was fighting kids.”

A small, butterfly-like creature floated in the air. “But that is precisely what the Butterfly Miraculous is supposed to do! Its powers will work best with the common people.”

“Interesting.” The main figure grinned. “So my father wasn’t such a fool after all.” He laughed when another image appeared on the screen. “And I see that my trap is already working.”

Duusuu had to hide from fear. This was not the kind boy they knew. What could’ve happened to Chat Noir, the great kind Chat Noir that made him into… this.

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Masterlist // Next

#batman #arranged marriage AU #maribat #maridami #marinette dupain cheng #maribat au #Damian Wayne #Damian al Ghul #damienette #lady shiva #miraculous ladybug #miraculous #miraculous lb #ladybug

137 notes · View notes

4dtk · 4 years

Text

stuck with you

pairing: enemy!journalist!haechan x journalist!reader

genre: angst, fluff, humour, enemies to lovers (hope i did the trope justice tbh TT)

warnings: cursing, f words lmao, i mention stranger things a lot in this??? mainly bc i just finished watching it w a friend. i also only use ‘haechan’ when narrating the story so i don’t get confused! the timeline for this is Very Weird as well bc like i didn’t consider how long a pandemic would last…… so Uhm. pls just excuse the weird ass time sequence. also referenced yangyang’s bastard child behaviour from dream plan where he packs his things messily and kun had to mf intervene and yangyang had the audacity to go like “see, this is how u get ppl to pack for you, now i don’t have to do anything” 💀

word count: 8k (a headache to proofread...)

A/N: first time trying an e2l trope and im not sure if it was done ok??? i didn't want it to feel too rushed so i tried to spread out the days as much as i could!! i also included small snippets of their life w the other so it won’t seem like the fic is just focusing on the e2l concept! was inspired tons by the lyrics of stuck with u by ariana grande and jb, so that song is definitely something you can listen to if you read this! hope you enjoy ^^

[day 1]

"you're insufferable," you groan, reluctantly handing over the remote control for the hotel's television after some unsuccessful scrolling.

hotels never exactly had much range anyway.

you were very much already dreading the time ahead with the male, sadly having been stuck in quarantine not even half a day with haechan.

offering to go to a neighbouring country to report on the rising covid-19 situation, you didn't expect your rival to tag along, no doubt seeking to craft up a better story than you would.

and so, you were now nudging the remote control into his waiting palm with a roll of your eyes. you hoped it emphasised your annoyance with him even a little, standing up to prepare a cup of tea before bed.

"are you going to keep watching television while i sleep?" you ask a genuine question, peeking at him through the mirror of the vanity that sat outside the bathroom.

he just shrugs with a tired sigh, turning his attention back to the cartoon playing in front of him.

"okay, well, keep to your side of the bed and i'll stay in mine. we need to be social distancing, anyway."

there's a hint of "okay, loser" mumbled under his breath, but you pay it no thought as you finish your tea and brush your teeth before you skillfully set up a fortress made out of pillows.

"ow! what the hell?"

"your leg was in the way, jeez! move it, and i'll stop annoying you," you said, putting up the last of your requested pillows beside where haechan currently sat.

taking one last glance at haechan, you wondered when the lockdown in your country would last before they start letting people fly in. for now, you were trapped with the nightmare himself in a sad hotel room, with only a bed to share.

"goodnight," he tells you, but the sardonic way he says it irks you to the point where you settle for silence instead. the only thing that drones on are the voices of the cartoon, soon fading as you feel into a dreamless sleep.

[day 4]

"this virus thing is probably driving me insane by day, and you, lee haechan, are adding on to it!"

"no headlines, no idea what style to write in, minimal pictures-" the doorbell to the hotel room interrupts your current rant, prompting you to storm off to answer the call with an annoyed look.

"what now?" taken aback by your quick response, the housekeeping girl retracts with downturned eyebrows and a voice hesitant to speak. your roommate comes to the rescue almost immediately when he's heard the commotion.

you watch as he sends her a smile and a wink, deflating when he's let her in to clean up the room. you're not sure why you can't keep your eyes off the both of them as they converse, blaming it mostly on your hatred for the male.

with the last of her duties fulfilled, you offer to help her with the cleaning supplies as an apology, but she cuts you off almost immediately. there's a linger in her step, however, as she walks the short hallway to the door, evident in wanting haechan to send her off as he received her.

turning back to call him, he holds up a hand as he types down his opening lines to an article, prompting you to shoot the housekeeper girl another apologetic look.

"sorry again," you mumble, letting out a sigh at how this was all playing out. day four and you were already making enemies with the hotel crew.

"maybe day forty-one is where i fall in love with lee haechan," you scoffed, perhaps listing down all the unfortunate things that could happen while you were in quarantine.

one of them was catching feelings for your rival.

rolling your eyes, you settled on the bed to catch a few Zs as he continued to work on his article, though you weren't exactly sure about the weight your words held.

[day 9]

"haechan, what is this?" you ask with an eyebrow raised, his dirty boxers barely hanging off your finger.

haechan only groans at that, knowing you were relentless in the laundry. even in a pandemic, he was sure you'd prioritise your clothes first.

"jesus! don't go picking up my underwear just like that!" he snatches it from you, folding it neatly and placing it next to where his luggage sat. unfortunately, yours was right beside his.

"you think just because you're doing the laundry you're able to look through a man's prized possessions-!"

your jaw drops, "it was near the sink, haechan! i don't want to look at the checkered pattern on your boxers when i brush my teeth. i don't want it near my face either."

haechan groans yet again, running a hand through his hair in frustration before turning back to the computer, a blank document opened up in front of him.

despite gathering findings, interviewing healthcare workers and serving the public alongside frontline staff, he had deleted every attempt at writing.

there's a rumble from the bathroom, perhaps from your upset stomach or the choked pipe, but sometimes they sounded too similar he couldn't tell it apart. haechan stifles a laugh when there's a "fuck!" echoing behind the door, though unsure if he should help you or not.

when haechan hears another crash, he comes running without hesitation with a face morphed into furrowed eyebrows and a tilt of the head.

"don't just stand there, you moron!"

haechan snaps out of his daze to assist you off the floor, swiftly helping you even more off the floor as he carries you to the bed with a stiff one arm. you notice his other hand hanging awkwardly, probably not knowing what to do with it before you feel the soft sheets under your butt.

he gets to work within a minute, fishing for an ointment and some bandages his mother forced him to bring. he remembers it as he always has: a caring mother looking out for her son, maybe a little too much sometimes.

haechan is thankful for his mother, now, for the stray bandages laying around in his pouch.

you watch in silence as he cleans the cut with alcohol, wincing when his hand hadn't even touched your skin.

"my hand isn't even on your skin yet! jeez, calm down."

you shake your head, holding onto his bicep to halt his arm, "just use water, please."

exhaling in exasperation, you wonder if you've pissed him off tenfold when he leaves for the bathroom with a side-eyed glance, though not hostile.

"problematic," haechan whispers, dabbing a wet cloth over the wound carefully before applying the ointment and securing the bandages.

"your words contradict your actions so much, haechan. i never know what you're thinking." sighing, you pull your leg away from his hold after he's done with the bandages, making your way to the bathroom and leaving him in his thoughts.

"why do you want to know?"

haechan gets silence; the lock of the bathroom audibly turns to signal another wall put up between the two of you. with another frustrated groan, the boy plops down on the chair to work on his article with the right words forming in his mind.

even if he was the one who asked, he wasn't sure if he was ready to tell you.

[day 13]

"stranger things is freaking me the fuck out, man!" haechan whispered, ignoring your pleads and groans to continue writing.

"haechan! give me the damn laptop! i don't even know why you brought an HDMI cable when it doesn't work with the television system here!"

"well, we got one that matches it, didn't we?" he said, eyes peeled to the screen that showed the young boy, will, in the upside-down.

"you mean you did!" you shoved him, ready to disconnect the devices before haechan held you back, clearly entranced by the next sequence of eleven being able to see will in a pool of salt.

"ugh, god, i don't even know why people watch the show!" you spill with sourness, knowing the show was praised for its excellent acting and writing.

haechan raises an eyebrow, turning to you with a strangely slow speed.

"stranger things have received multiple awards, and you didn't give any other reason. are you scared?"

when you struggle to find words, haechan laughs at his revelation, hiding his pearly whites behind his hand as he continues to make fun of you.

"yeah yeah, i'm scared! so what?"

"'oh haechan! oh no~ i'm terrified, would you care to provide some comfort?' jeez, don't worry, man, i'll protect you." there's a cheeky glimmer in his eyes and a cocky smirk on his face which you very much want to wipe off with the disinfectant in the toilet.

"it's not all that bad, c'mon! give it a-" turning back to the tv, the sudden attack of the demogorgon lashing out at the camera has the male screaming, hiding behind your body in fear.

"you were saying, mr superman?" you deadpan, unlatching his arms around your waist as you sink deeper into the sheets with your phone in hand.

[day 17]

haechan thrashes in his sleep, almost knocking the wine glass you had in your hands when he crosses over the pillow barrier you made.

"what in the hell-" you winced, keeping an eye on the male should he have any more outbursts that would ruin both wine night and the stuff you were working on for the article.

with tipsy hands, your keyboard keys unconsciously write out a letter of disdain and confusion regarding haechan, the boy sleeping next to you with a cute drooling face and curly hair.

with beautiful tan skin like that, you wondered why he didn't model instead. with a voice as impressive as his, you wondered why he didn't sign a contract. with natural hosting capabilities, you wondered why didn't fucking get the place of a talk show host.

because man, he can get pretty bothersome sometimes.

[day 20]

the next few days pass by with a breeze.

despite not knowing how the current pandemic will turn out, you find haechan more bearable, his habits being dumped in the past with a wave of a hand.

petty arguments occur, of course, until one of you brushes off the matter like nothing.

today was one of the days you won't back down.

there's worry evident on your face, eyes scanning through every last document on the stupid laptop. fingers travel fast over the keyboard as the realisation slowly dawns on you.

with slumped shoulders, you take a deep breath before turning to the male.

"what do you mean you accidentally deleted my article? i know we're sharing the damn laptop, but we established that you stay on your files and i stay on mine."

the other waved his hand, "i did not touch any of your files, (y/n), i'm not sure what happened."

"how could you not know? what the hell? i had good content on it, but now i have to spend more hours reorganising the news and interview answers and everything else in my notes. thanks, lee haechan."

"maybe if you weren't so caught up in me trying to sabotage your place in the publication team, then you would've believed me." he shrugged, taking a seat on the one bed like nothing.

you scoffed, arms crossing across your body. "funny how you mention sabotage because a villain never reveals their motive. that's why you came with me, didn't you?"

haechan stuck his tongue out to the side of his mouth, eyes blinking and rolling like an 8-ball that it sickened you to the core.

"villain? i'm the villain?"

"was i not clear?" you hiss, stepping closer to the male.

"no, make it more precise, please. i wanna hear it word for word. spit it out, coward."

with every word, you plunged your finger into his chest, looking deep into his eyes. "you're set out to take my place for department editor, where you know i'm best at."

"and that department would be...?" he crossed his arms, looking down at you with scorn you wished you could slap off his face.

"the..." you gulp with his face all up in yours, eyes boring as he awaits your answer, no doubt losing confidence at your realisation.

"the world depart...ment? you love to travel, right?" you trail off, biting your lip in anxiety when you remember how he was on the plane. you don't exactly remember whether he was more excited or scared.

"wrong! try again."

"politics?" you propose.

haechan's face contorts into disbelief, with his mouth twisted with perplex and eyebrows furrowed. "me? politics?"

your mouth runs dry at the roadblock you've faced, and as that annoying, stupid smirk grows, your hatred for him increases by the charts.

"naming departments i'd rather die than join, running your mouth, accusing me of deleting your files..." haechan shakes his head dramatically, rolling his eyes and letting out a fat sigh.

"you think i wanna be stuck here with your infuriating ass? god, you're so entitled, aren't you? aren't you?!"

"talking like you own the place, talking like you're the only one in this world, talking like- mhfh-"

within three angry steps, you were across the room.

within three booming steps, your hands were on his face.

within three significant steps, you were kissing lee haechan.

"you never learn to shu..." with horror, you're brought back from the trance with widened eyes.

"oh, god, sorry. what. what the hell. what the fuck?" you whisper, pushing the boy away with both hands in a panic, trying to highlight your scorn for him by wiping your lips on your sleeve.

had you liked it?

the other scurried to the balcony in a frenzy while you collected yourself in the bathroom, although no amount of water could calm your nerves.

with shaky words in bed, you both agreed to never talk about it again.

[day 25]

"hey, i can see your damn annotations on my article, (y/n). will you stop it?" haechan whines, making you second guess if he was joking or not.

for the nth time that day, you roll your eyes and proceed to sip from your cup of gin tonic that haechan desperately wanted you to try. it was... a refreshing taste, but hell, you wouldn't drink this even if it was the last beverage on earth.

"i'm just giving my feedback, be thankful i didn't bring up that stupid kiss five days ago. bleugh."

haechan falls quiet at that, fingers lingering over the keyboard as he typed out some note with the speed of a sloth's.

"hey, call me donghyuck. that's my actual name," he mumbles, glancing at you through his bangs while he awaits your reply.

"donghyuck? is haechan an alias?"

the boy shrugs, "i don't know, maybe. my friends gave it to me when i was younger, and i just stuck with it."

"full sun? your friend gave it to you, sure." you grin with a gesture of your hand, almost spilling the gin in the clear glass before breaking into small laughter with the other.

[day 28]

"hey! hey, what the hell?" you whisper, feeling the boy huddle up to you in lightning speed.

"what is wrong with you?" you whisper-shout, nudging him off your body as his phone screen remains as the only thing illuminating his face.

"sorry, i- i was watching stranger things while i was shitting and after i cleaned up... i heard something and bolted out of there."

"so now you're butt naked? hyuck, ew!" you groan, thankful for the sheets that were covering your body and his junk. his reluctance to get off you didn't seem to bother you as much as earlier, but you still wished he wasn't literally naked against you.

"go put on your underwear, you big baby. i'll be here when you come out. no demogorgon is going to come out, for real."

"no no, i was watching season two and it was that big shadow thingy that freaked me out. can't you feel this poor boy shivering?" haechan sighed, eyes never leaving the corridor that led to the bathroom.

"i can, and i also can feel your dick. please get dressed, or you're sleeping on the floor," you mumble, pulling the sheets to cover your freezing body.

[day 31]

your face hits something soft, cuddling into it even further because of its warmth before you realise there was only one other thing that would be warm in the room.

haechan.

your breath shakes, and your eyes widen as you pull yourself away from his embrace. your subtle movement leaves him thrashing around, though, and his arms tighten around your figure slowly and endearingly.

gulping, you will your hands to stay in their place, opting to freeze to death although there are hints of heat crawling onto your face.

when you wake up, you find that his hand's in yours and maybe you were searching for one wrong thing. an anomaly, an exception. it fit in yours perfectly, however, his tanned skin glowing lightly under the rays of sun filtering through the curtains.

you hoped he didn't realise the small shift of your fingers as they enclosed around his hand.

[day 32]

"what are you doing out here?" haechan asked quietly, peeking around the sliding door before joining you on the chilly balcony. it wasn't much, but it was still different and refreshing from the old, stagnant aircon air that was blowing in the hotel room.

"can't sleep," you whisper. you had your arms around your figure cautiously, as if it could protect you from all the bad, evil and terror in the world. at this point, you weren't sure what was it that you were feeling, but it sure didn't involve entertaining haechan's teasing.

luckily, he bit his tongue from making the usual snarky remarks.

"it's two in the morning, what's up?"

you shake your head in reply, watching the empty streets as the last light in the apartment across you switches off. sure, at two in the morning, pavements were dusty clean, and the birds were sleeping, but there would always be younger boys smoking along the road, or a drunken group of friends laughing about a past memory.

now that the pandemic forced everyone into their homes, everything was pretty much dead. there wasn't that excitement you felt when you saw a late-night kiss shared between two lovers or the snug hug of a child to his father who was working overtime that day.

"nothing's up, hyuck, it's fine. you can get back to sleep if you want."

maybe today you two were the one causing the ruckus this time, though. haechan may have let his words slipped, and at that moment, you knew you regretted that bloom in your chest when his lips met yours.

"you're so hard to read, (y/n). i want you to be able to trust me, tell me what's going on."

"why do you wanna know anyway? so you can expose me of my bad habits and weak points?" you whisper, eyes trained on the flickering lamppost a few yards away.

"there you go again! again with the sabotage?" haechan scoffed, exiting the small space and stepping back into the room of mixed emotions.

"is this just about your feelings for me?"

haechan laughed, "my feelings? might i remind you that you were the one who kissed me full on the lips twelve days ago? what was that all about? i wanna talk about it, even though we said we wouldn't! i wanna talk about why you hate me so much. i wanna talk about why your emotions are so contradictive!"

your mouth hangs open as you sputter out a heated reply, but instead gets interrupted with a knock on the door.

"keep quiet, you damn teenagers! i don't need your petty fights at two in the morning!" with padded feet, the guest returns to his room and slams the door to emphasise his complaint. swallowing, your mind goes blank as it focuses only on one question.

"why do you want to know so much lee haechan? what are you gaining out of this? if it's not sabotaging, then what is it?!" you whisper, standing your ground as with the first argument.

your throat is clenched up, and your fists are balled up tightly with nails digging into your palm. your heartbeat races like a fast car and your breathing's laboured in the cold room. there's no movement for a second, though they feel like minutes on end as haechan struggles to answer your question.

"what is it, lee donghyuck?" you cry out again, the sparkle in your eyes shining brightly from the tears of your never-ending dispute. he wished it was from the moonlight, instead. he wished the two of you were laughing over the rim of wine glasses and sharing the mischievous glimmer of the moon in your eyes.

"it's nothing. don't mind it." the other turns to catch up on sleep, leaving you to bite your lip.

"now you're doing it, now you're the one doing it. just tell me, you dumbass!" you mumble, pulling on his pyjama sleeve and tugging you to him.

"i like you, okay! it's out there now, i like you a lot, but you make it feel like a crime to do it," haechan whispers, "whatever. fuck this."

"no- what- no, we'll talk this out." you propose, adjusting your grip on his wrist with the curl of your fingers.

the male shakes his head and snatches his arm back, "no, forget it, and i'd prefer if you left me alone, (y/n)."

even with the warmth of his body next to yours, your body felt frozen and stiff. even with the thick duvet cover over you, you felt out of place in the stale hotel room, with colour becoming black and white, they merge into grey as the moonlight shone without a care for your problems.

there's action on the balcony when your eyes flutter open in the morning, noticing the quiet way haechan observes those rushing to work as well as social distancing officers making their rounds.

his eyes look hopeful and youthful, different from the tired ones the night before, or rather, this morning. you hadn't forgotten the angry neighbour banging on the door, and you definitely hadn't forgotten about how much you've wounded haechan this morning.

with a soft knock, you let him know of your presence and you just miss the way his eyes soften at your bed hair and messy appearance. his gaze turns hard in a second as he turns back to the apartment across yours, the balcony door showing your reflection of how hesitant you were.

haechan wished he could take your hands in his and accept your apology in a heartbeat, but he stayed seated and waited for whatever you wanted to say.

"don't run off, please." there's a shameful hand on his shoulders, and he's dying to get up when he sees your downcast eyes in the reflection across the street.

"i was too caught up in getting department head that i... didn't consider other possibilities. even the possibility of you uhm... liking me. it's still a weird concept to me, especially with how much we bicker."

"i'm sorry i didn't stay to hear out your feelings and rather, i just talked over you instead. i'm not sure if you want to accept this or not, but i want to open up—about this, about your feelings and... i don't know how much i've masked my emotions, i just know that we need to communicate."

the doorbell interrupts your apology, but you internally thank the housekeeping for bringing breakfast for the two of you.

with silence over breakfast, you weren't sure how the other felt as he scoffed down the croissant and almost burned his tongue with the coffee he ordered.

[day 33]

the boy barely watches the television and instead, reads over the article you were working on. seeing as it was already there when he logged on, he skimmed through it out of curiosity, finding that you were rephrasing the messy typos and sentences frantically on your notes.

haechan never forgot the way you were typing away on the laptop, eyes reading and rereading the sentences to make sure they made sense, to make sure they were clear to the reader.

the argument had taken a toll on you, too. he sees it in the way your eyes sink when your words turn out choppy and lacking, he sees it in the way you lug your body to the bathroom after a late night, he sees it in the way you struggle to hold your smile while attending an interview.

'haechan. you confuse me. i'm not...' the note below it trails off, piquing his curiosity at what it had in store.

'haechan.' big and bold letters it wrote, with a few dozen question marks below it. your writing skills shine through even in an informal note about your self-proclaimed rival, each line prompting the other to read more.

'you confuse me. i'm not sure what you're at but, it doesn't seem natural for you to tag along with someone you hate, right? that's what i was thinking too.'

'jeez, i remember hating when suyeon told me you were coming along. i didn't believe her one bit until she showed me your plane ticket and the hotel rooms next to each other. god, and when i came here, it was a day of interviewing before the damn government decided to close flights and force us into a room together.'

'i heard that other people had to be separated. i didn't know why we were the unlucky two that had to be put in a room together. i wished we didn't, almost. of course, you annoyed me when we first moved in. hogging the tv to no end, leaving your dirty underwear everywhere, running your mouth just like at our workplace.'

'i couldn't take it, maybe. sure, my brother has similar antics, but there was just something about you that just set me off, you know? i wouldn't have thought it was the opposite, or at least, i think so.'

'i'm counting the days. day 17 and i'm not sure why i feel this bubbling feeling inside me. of course, there's anger—i'm sure it's there, but there's also this other thing i get whenever i look at you.'

'my heart clenches up, and my hands become clammy, but it couldn't be a crush, right? i would've wasted my breath shouting, and my strength whacking your shoulder.' that makes haechan chuckle and look over at you where the soft light dances over your face.

'and then i started imagining. how would your arms wrap around me? how would your infuriating laughter, which somehow turned out to be so contagious, feel in the crook of my neck? yikes, that was cheesy.'

'what would it feel like if we fell in love for one night? where would you bring me and what would we eat? would we make out in your car like unruly teenagers?'

'what would it be like to love you? it's dumb, isn't it? i don't know. i've liked this bickering thing we had going on, and it's amusing to see you one-up me. i'm not sure if i want that to change and i'm not sure if you want us to, either.'

'maybe i'm wrong, and i'm the only one in this thing. this is so stupid, writing while he's sitting next to me. i'll regret this, maybe. goodnight.'

haechan sighs, closing the device in thought, confused at the words he wasn't exactly supposed to read. had you done this on purpose? he was sharing the laptop with you...

the boy brushed it off, placing the laptop on the vanity before adjusting your side of the duvet, hoping he could find the right words. with hesitant steps, he keeps to his side of the bed, thinking, thinking, thinking.

when he couldn't no more, haechan fell into the spell of slumber in the comfortable hotel room.

[day 34]

"tea?" he asks from the bathroom as the door clicks behind you, returning from the short hotel walk with a new keychain hanging from your sling bag.

"yeah sure, thanks."

the water runs as he fills up the kettle as the constant whir of the aircon and the conversation on the television keeps you company in the vast quietness of the room.

you weren't sure if you should say anything, but when you saw the dishevelled appearance of your roommate, you knew you had to bring up the argument and apology.

"haechan, about our... feelings. do you want to talk about them?" you whispered, a reply reaching your ears in the form of his spoon against the porcelain mug.

haechan hands you the drink wordlessly, sitting on the chair at the vanity before sipping cautiously at the tea. there are unexchanged glances between the two of you before he sighs at your expectant hand tapping the sheets.

"i think it's about time we did," he mumbled, dragging the laptop off the wooden table with anxiety. the other opened it without saying anything, catching you by surprise when the mouse hovers over your note.

"hae- donghyuck! no! what the hell?"

he holds up a hand and clicks on it anyway, making your heart drop to your stomach as he turned the device towards you.

"read the bottom." haechan whispers as you pull the laptop closer to you, settling it on your lap as he observed your expressions carefully.

'i read it, i'm sorry.' you look at him and lift up a hand to prepare to whack him, a defeated sigh escaping you before you carried on.

'was it wrong to read it? of course, and i cannot apologise more for doing shit like that when we still have unsolved tension between us in this small ass room. it was incorrect, but.'

'do you feel the same as me? is bickering all we have to do? why can't we work anything out? they're the questions i keep asking myself after i read your letter.'

'i guess i was too caught up in the fight and not wanting to be the loser that i... can't deny that i've never thought about wanting to get to know you, even if you were that sought out to be my destined enemy.'

'when we fought earlier, you kissed me. i know we said not to mention it, but, uhm, it was good. i liked it. i'm not sure if the reason why you did it was because of the reason you mentioned in the note, but at the time, i assumed it was to shut me up. i thought something would happen after, though you pushed me away and apologised right away.'

'it was a far off dream that i had, but i think it was after i bandaged your foot. you said that you didn't know what was going on in my mind, and i told you.'

'it was like, i was granted an insight into an alternate world, another universe where you didn't feel the strain, where you legitimately assumed i was going for your position.'

'you scoffed when i confessed, right then and there, on day 9. i was counting, too, and it was a scary, confusing dream. i think that's why i held it off as long as i could until your words puzzled and angered me further because you just didn't get it.'

'you scoffed and told me to get lost, pushing on my shoulders where we fought on the balcony for everyone to see. you never spoke to me, you never mentioned my article nor the interviews. we never joked over wine, and we always kept to our side of the bed.'

'i was convinced that heaven wanted me to stay away from you and your heart. maybe it was broken too many times, and you had someone up there looking out for you.'

'i feel like i'm copying off the textbook of some greek mythology starter pack, but i'm for real! no kidding.' you smiled, looking at him with nervous eyes at the small joke he put in.

'i guess whoever put that dream in my sleep really wanted us not to be together because i think i would've told you i liked you on the spot itself. i let my conscious get the best of me.'

'i know this is a lazy way of conveying my feelings, and i wished i could do it with words, but i feel like you wouldn't believe me otherwise. i rushed it this morning when you went on your morning walk around the hotel and when you let me know of your stroll in a soft voice, i wanted nothing more than to get you in my arms as we wake up to the housekeeping service.'

'i didn't want any more tension between us, and i didn't want to be interrupted by your alarm while we avoid each other more. it hurts seeing you escape the room in haste. you said it was weird for me to tag along with someone i hate, too, and that someone was you. i guess you found out why.'

looking up, you found him right in front of you, mouth dry from his reply to your letter. with a gulp, you leaned forward to meet his lips halfway.

"i'm sorry to whoever's up there," he whispers, prompting a grin and a laugh out of you.

the laptop is forgotten on the bed as haechan situates himself over you, clutching your shoulder gently while his lips move quickly, fast to make up for lost time.

"wait wait, wait, you're not playing me, are you?" you mumble in return, reluctantly pulling away while witnessing the way his eyes soften at your guard still up. haechan shakes his head forlornly, tongue pressing up against the side of his mouth nervously.

"no, i'm not, (y/n)," he says quietly with as much sincerity he can muster, removing his hand from your shoulder with a forced smile.

"okay." there's a shakiness to your voice, but when you bring his lips back to yours, it gives you a rush of confidence. your skin is burning up, and your hands can't stop wandering as his lips capture yours, repeatedly moving against yours like a trance.

you grant haechan access to your mouth with a whimper, melting into his embrace as his arms wrap tighter around your figure. his eagerness lingers when he pushes forward, straddling your lap as his leg nudges the laptop.

"wait, hyuck, wait, the laptop!" you joke, placing the device on the floor before getting back into the kiss with just as much fervour. within a minute or so, the other breaks away to say the words you so hated to hear:

"we... we need to talk. we can't just kiss the fight off, although i very much like to," haechan murmurs the last part, making you stifle a smile.

you nod quickly, repeating the word "okay" like a robot. your hands naturally travel from his arms down to his fingers, and you clutch them like your life depended on it.

"we have... established, that i like you, correct?" haechan whispers, scooting closer as his tea-ridden breath surrounds you. from here, you could even smell the buttered croissant he ate this morning.

it made you smile, something simple as that.

"why- why are you laughing (y/n)?" he asks anxiously, eyes darting to find the reason why you found this so funny.

"no. no no no, i'm thinking of... the croissant you ate just now, and," you sigh, resting your head on his broad shoulder.

"i'm thinking of the way your eyes light up when you show me the articles you idolise so much, and i'm thinking of the way you cuddle up to me whenever we watch stranger things."

"i'm thinking of the way you thought i wouldn't give you a chance, even though i've been pondering on the same thing as you. i'm thinking of the things that make up lee haechan, lee donghyuck. yes, you like me, and yes i like you, but i guess i haven't told you the reason."

"i hated you, i really did. i found every reason to convince my mind to hate you. gaining trust, signing up for events you didn't know shit about, sucking up to the seniors, stealing my friends when they didn't know your personality. the personality i didn't even want to know because i was too busy in my little bubble."

"assuming you'd want to get department head was the cherry on top, because why else would you want to tag along? that was the factor that convinced me and confirmed my suspicions from day one."

you grunt in opposition, clearly not liking the truth that was spilling from your lips. haechan deserved to know, however. you kept your eyes trained on his lap where his hands were holding yours in support, crumbling from the blindness that caused your hatred.

"so from then, the plane ride, immigration, the cab to the interview place, the cab back, the hotel room, my hatred for you boiled over." you listed, voice breaking as you looked haechan in the eye.

"it was stupid of me to assume, to assume the worst of you when i didn't even know you. i wasn't even sure why i felt so bitter looking at you, but the way you acted, the way you whined, worked me up so much that i figured that was how you were."

"now when i'm sitting here with the curtains drawn, i can see why you're so attractable and easy to talk to and easy-going and bright that my friends keep talking to you."

"i can see why the seniors turn to you because you're reliable and hardworking without uttering a single word."

"i can see why you wanted to hop on this flight with me because you're always curious about the world and how you can expand your skill set."

and as you said word after word, haechan observes you with a soothing hand against your forearms. his eyes shine for a different reason, for the lost time he could've had if the two of you didn't have this massive barrier. a massive barrier that's been up for the longest time.

brick by brick, the wall is being torn down. as you hold haechan's face in the stillness of the room, you feel closer to him than you've ever felt and his tears match your frustrated ones.

choking on sobs, delayed apologies were all you could whisper.

"i'm sorry, i'm sorry, really. we fought so bad that day, and i was so goddamn insensitive..." you sigh, swallowing a lump when his hand reached up to wipe the tears. with a blocked nose, you breathe shakily as housekeeping interrupts the moment.

you nod towards the door as he stood up slowly to reveal the same housekeeping girl. she cleaned up the bathroom and wardrobe quietly as the two of you stood awkwardly in the small space. she had left the sheets since everyone was practically stuck in, anyway.

haechan nudges you toward the door with a shove, shooting the same housekeeping girl a small smile and a bow as an apology to the previous run-in.

"he confessed his feelings?" she inquired softly, noticing the tear marks on your face.

you bit your lip, "yeah."

"that's good, he's finally not a coward." she laughs, folding the used towels and placing them with her.

you leaned against the door, asking for an explanation with your puzzled look.

"he was someone i liked, before. we had classes back in high school. it was just a dumb crush, honestly." the housekeeping girl shrugs, resting her head on her fist in thought.

"i think he liked me, and i did too, but we didn't do much except for exchange looks and flirt because both of us were just too scared." she shakes her head and adjusts the disinfectant spray bottle, fidgeting with the nozzle.

"i'm glad he had enough courage to admit his feelings."

nodding along to her statement, she bids you farewell as her figure fades with each step, leaving you with a sense of calmness to the end of this situation.

[day 38]

"is... is this okay?" haechan asks, arm hovering over your body while waiting for your confirmation. you smile and nod, sinking into his side as you venture in the third season of stranger things together.

"don't you think we should be working on our articles?" you whisper, looking up at him from where you were with raised eyebrows.

the boy opens and closes his mouth in thought, gesturing to the television with an exaggerated expression.

"stranger things, ma'am."

you click your tongue and sigh with a smile, turning back to the show as you try to relax for an online interview in a few hours.

[day 39]

"what do you say about my set-up?" haechan nudges you, proud of the hangout area he prepared on the balcony. although small, he had no trouble making it look comfortable.

with a smile, you pop open the wine to celebrate the last scheduled interview for the trip, clinking glasses with haechan in the setting sun.

the country you were supposed to return to was slowly opening up flights for those stranded overseas and as refreshing as a different environment was, you missed home and the warmness of it.

you missed the office and your desk. hell, you even missed the mediocre coffee from the pantry.

with the last of the wine finishing, haechan pours half into your glass and the other into his, clinking one last time before you one-shot the beverage.

the high of the alcohol is gradually brought down by the mellow atmosphere and colours of twilight. as pink and orange cross over on the horizon, haechan mumbles a low "c'mere" to you in the darkness.

you hum in response and get up from your seat, bringing a pillow with you as haechan shifts to make space. sinking naturally into his arms, you sigh while you try to contain a smile full of content.

"this is nice," you admit, the corners of your lips disobeying your command, prompting you to shoot him a smile. haechan nods against your hair, a comfortable arm around your waist while you trace the tan skin of his arm.

the other taps your waist repeatedly, turning in response as he whispers out a question that makes your heart melt.

"can i kiss you?" you grin, slipping a hand around his neck and pulling him in right away. haechan's caught by surprise, laughing into your lips and striving to savour the moment as much as he could.

a shout from across the hotel distracts you from the kiss. looking up, you realise it was the apartment resident opposite you shooting you a 'rock on' gesture.

"you guys are not fighting anymore! congrats!" you both stifle a snort as you wave back to the resident, sighing in relief when their balcony door slides shut.

"should we go inside, m'lady?" haechan giggles, replying in the form of a nod, cleaning up the area while you head in.

[day 41]

"i didn't think they'd be letting flights in so early," you mumble, folding your clothes neatly as your vision shifts to haechan... shoving his fair share of apparel into his luggage.

"donghyuck... what the hell?" you roll your eyes, shoving the boy softly as you took over the task at hand. switching personalities almost immediately, haechan fakes an interview segment with exaggerated tones.

"see, everyone, this is how you convince someone to do the work for you," the boy lays on the bed with a satisfied expression, "now i don't have to do anyth- ow!"

"if we ever live together, maybe i should punish you by doing the laundry and then folding it," you grunt, working at the speed faster than you expected while you fold shirt after shirt.

"are you proposing we move in together?" haechan peeks through an open eye, curiosity dripping from his tone. he tried to feign nonchalance but awaiting your answer felt like a weight on his heart.

your next words lifted that weight, a seemingly invisible force bringing his upper body off the bed as he stares at you in shock.

"maybe, not now but... in the future, maybe," you mumble the last part, focusing on the clothes to prevent the male from seeing the fluster on your face.

"for real?" haechan sits up, biting his lip to contain his excitement as your confirmation.

"we'll be all stupidly domestic and shit, and i'll say i love you five years from now before you go off for work if you want that and stuff," your voice goes lower and quieter, especially towards the end, biting off way more than you could chew.

"aw! i love you too!" haechan gushes, bringing you into an embrace as your hands go limp, scrambling to explain your emphasis on the 'future'.

"d-donghyuck, i meant the future, not now..." you manage to spit out, hoping you need not answer his queries any more. your mind blanks out at the current situation, wishing you hadn't said those dumb things.

he grins into your neck, "i know, i'm just answering for future me."

you groan and escape the hug with a roll of your eyes, "yuck, too cheesy!" the boy just lets out a laugh, watching the way you fold his clothes despite your initial annoyance.

[day 42]

suyeon switches between the two of you in disbelief, finger crooked at the ambiguity of "we like each other".

"wha-" suyeon doesn't get the chance to finish the sentence before you shoot her a thumbs up, grabbing haechan by the arm and your stuff with the other.

you were happy to leave the office after a quick debrief since you two had reported to the office right after arriving at the airport, relieved when you heard he'd spare a few more days for your articles to be cleaned up.

"so, (y/n), what would you like to do now?" haechan looks at you through the reflective material of the elevator, observing the nervous wringing of your fingers.

you're glad for the material protecting your face because there's a smile that you struggle to keep as his soft, gentle voice carries through the quiet space.

the anxiety ends when the lift sounds, prompting your eyes to trail down his arm. your hand moves on its own accord, grabbing his last finger with yours as you proceed into the lift sheepishly, not missing the way haechan's eyes show his bright smile behind the mask.

"maybe i'll get to know you more, lee donghyuck."

haechan lets out a gasp, "have you not learned about me enough? scandalous."

you feign a punch in his direction, the luggage beside you tripping over its wheels due to your swift movement. the only response you get is a giggle from the other as he tightens his pinky around yours, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek right above your face mask just as the elevator doors open.

"man, i really do want to punch you now," you mutter as you let haechan lead you, wanting nothing more than to rest in the arms of your enemy-turned-friend? enemy-turned-someoneyoulike?

you weren’t exactly sure.

he doesn't answer during the walk to the main road, nor the ride back to your home, the only constant thing being the way he admires your profile in the taxi, shrugging when you counter with a playful "what?".

"nothing," haechan grins.

[there are more days to come]

sure, day forty-one may not have been the day you fell in love with haechan, nor the day where he outwardly claims you as his lover.

but, taking it slow never hurt anyone, either.

you know it in the way he tells you he can't go in unless he's invited and you see it in the way he asks if he can switch the television on while you prepare some drinks.

like the hotel, you know it in the way he asks if he can kiss you and the way he deepens his kisses with caution.

you appreciate it in the way he quickly apologises for a personal question, while visibly relaxing as you brush it off with a smile.

with hours pass, day forty-two becomes day forty-three, and haechan remains as chivalrous as always.

days pass, and you submit your articles. weeks pass, and you get to know the boy more and more. months pass, and you feel his love in the way he plays with your fingers in the dark and pulls you close under the sheets.

even if you hadn't acknowledged the love between the two of you, that note you wrote half-drunk matched the way you felt now—with how your heart clenches up and with how your grin never leaves your face with haechan around.

there are more days to come with lee haechan, lee donghyuck, even if it meant getting stuck together in a hotel room with unsaid words.

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chaoticneutralwriter · 4 years

Text

Jamais Vu

A remedy, a melody A memory that only I will have If we stop here Would it be better to just turn everything off?

guardian demon!Jimin x reader

genre: supernatural, romance, comedy, angst, fluff

word count: 13.5k

related works: see Masterlist under guardian demon!Jimin

Continuation of Second Act: Temperance

A/N: IT’S HERE!! AHHHHHH TT-TT This chapter, we’re finally heading to the concert! :O what other sorts of things can possibly happen here...? 👀 👀 LOLL As always, thank you so much for all of you guy’s patience and the endless love and support i’ve been getting through your asks! I really truly appreciate you all for sticking it out for this story!! 💖💖💖🥺🥺🥺 As always, I hope you enjoy!

Tag: @cherryjiminiee @kokobaekkie @breathebangtan @itsadoozie @thatshylatinagirl @chiminieboi @azulamakesmeblank @sectumsemptae @awkwardwookie @aduky @poisonseashell @shortannoyingginger

“Hey Y/N, we’re here.” A hushed voice along with a gentle nudge stirs you from your half-slumbering stupor. Blinking, you sluggish look around, mind beginning to catch you up on where you are and what’s happening as you hear the car doors open. It takes a minute but you eventually get your butt into gear, taking off your seatbelt and exiting the car as well to round to the back where your friend, Rosa, and the Uber driver were unloading your luggages.

You hastily make to grab yours, the last of it and place it onto the four wheels before pulling up the handle.

“Thank you so much for the drive.” Rosa thanks the driver, a fairly elderly man who’s been nothing but sweet and accommodating to the both of you despite it being nearly the ass crack of dawn.

“It’s not a problem. You two have fun on your trip; take care and be careful okay? There’s been too many horrible stories about young women traveling alone lately.” He says it kindly, almost like a grandfather to their granddaughters and even though you’re so tired, you can’t help but to smile in return.

“We will sir. You take care driving out there too.”

He nods before waving you two off as you and your friend shuffle onto the island. When he pulls away from the curb, you hear your friend take a deep breath in before exhaling. Turning to her, you catch her eyes and she grins at you, white teeth peeking out past the tops of the neck pillow she has on.

“It’s really happening.” She says, a little breathless — nervous yet excited.

You nod, her giddiness, although self-contained (you had a feeling it was because it’s so early and she’s mindful to the people who aren’t as awake yet i.e. you), is still contagious, the smile on your own lips stretching a bit wider.

You both head on inside, rolling your luggages along until you come upon the many self-checkin kiosks placed in the large terminal. The process was thankfully made easy with no need to send anything off; the trip was short and thus, Rosa and you have settled on just having one carry-on case and a crossbody handbag (or in Rosa’s case, backpack) each. With that done in no time, the next thing on the list was finding your correct gate, go through security and then finding the nearest Starbucks to ingest as much coffee as your body will allow you to.

Contrary to Jimin’s advice on getting as much rest as you can, you felt like you hardly got any sleep at all. Your restlessness was caused by many things — nerves from flying out for the first time with a friend, navigating your way through a city you’ve never been to until now, the excitement of not missing out on seeing a BTS concert when you were so sure you wouldn’t be going, it all felt so surreal to you, even as you’re strolling through the airport amongst many other people who bustle along with you, either arriving from a flight or off to catch one like yourselves.

But rising above everything, like a tumultuous wave ready to crash down on you, was your guardian demon. It should be no surprise really as it seems he’s constantly occupying your thoughts nowadays, a permanent resident and not paying rent though you think this time around, you can forgive it. The worry you have for him had remained firmly in the back of your mind, festering and growing until it too, joined in with the other thoughts keeping you tossing and turning that night.

Jimin told you that he would be meet you at the gate in spite of just coming out of a two-day coma from a near death experience; something that you can’t process at all. Even though he’s reassured you that he would heal in time, the very thought of the slight chance he could be putting up a front didn’t sit well with you, made worse that it’s more likely than not. Before you know it, the anxiety is eating at you and already, you’ve caught yourself doing double-takes for the fifth time, mistaking someone else for him. It’s embarrassingly made you prone to spacing out, so much that an officer at one point had to nudge you along because you were holding up the line during the screening process.

Thankfully, you make it through without further incident (though your cheeks are red and you kinda want to curl up in a corner somewhere but that would probably get you sent to an interrogating room under suspicious behaviour).

“Oh hey, I see our gate.” Rosa’s voice breaks through your thoughts, forcing you to take in the overhanging sign indicating that and the fairly empty seating area. Beyond the large windows overlooking the runway, the sky is still dark, the barest soft orange hues peeking through along the horizon. You’re about an hour and a half early for your flight, glad that the ample time you’ve given yourself arriving to the airport was used well because you weren’t in a panicked rush in finding your gate and risk missing your flight. Furthermore, you now have the leisure to do the next thing on your list — finding some food and caffeine.

“I think most of the cafes and other eating places are just a little further down that way.” Rosa comments, stretching her neck to peer down the long pathway before turning back to you. “Do you want to stay here and I’ll go grab us something or…?”

You smile, shaking your head. “No I’ll come with. I think I need to keep moving around to stay awake at this point.”

You choose to leave out the fact that you’re also feeling a little too fidgety, your anxiety not allowing you to stay put.

So the both of you wander further down the terminal, taking advantage of the moving walkways when they come and eventually come across the duty free stores, some luxury brand boutiques, and of course, the cafes and eateries. There’s a decent amount of foot traffic here despite the early hours, though you suppose you shouldn’t really be surprised — the airport only ever gets busier so to some, this might be considered ‘quiet’.

“Which place? Starbucks, A&W’s… I see Second Cup too. Is that a Mcdonald’s?” Rosa lists out loud before audibly gasping at the prospect of seeing the faint traces of the trademark ‘M’. You squint your eyes too, trying to make out if it was indeed your potential elixir of life and can’t help the snort that escapes you.

“It’s a McCafe, which is close enough so let’s go.”

Rosa giggles, falling into step beside you as you both make your way over. Fifteen minutes later, you’ve got a muffin and a medium ice coffee in hand. The shock of the cold drink in your system has you feeling more alert but the effect doesn’t last long nor does the caffeine (you swear it’s actually making you sleepier). You walk around for a while longer, looking at things you can’t afford and nibbling on your chocolate muffin before you lose your appetite halfway eating through the top half. Stuffing the remaining into your crossbody, you continue to follow after Rosa, your conversations kept light by the underlying buzz for your upcoming travels and yet you feel like you’re not all really there yourself.

“Hey, Y/N….Y/N?”

“O-Oh! Yeah sorry?” Your gaze snaps back to Rosa, unaware that you had become lost in watching people pass by the shop you and Rosa were in.

Your friend chuckles, giving you a wry smile. “You were spacing out hard fam. I think you need to take a nap.”

“Hey, have pity on me. I am not a fully functioning human-being any time before 12PM, at most.” You reply defensively in half truth. In the end, it’s decided that you should both head back to your gate to wait out the rest of your time there. The seating area has become fuller when you arrive, at least in terms of an early flight which thankfully means you still have no trouble in finding a place by an outlet to hunker down until your boarding time an hour later.

You practically sink into your seat, the exhaustion encompassing you like the flannel blanket you should’ve brought along with you just as a yawn threatens to tear your mouth open.

“Oh my God, we need to board soon before I just pass out right here and miss the flight entirely.” You say around it, stretching your arms before you cross them to get comfortable.

“For real, but luckily you have me to haul your ass onto the plane. It shouldn’t be too long now…” Your friend remarks, taking the seat beside you. She peers out at the runway, the sun already rising and daybreak beginning to light the sky an azure blue but even that isn’t enough to pull you from teetering over the edge of sleep again. You fall into companionable silence, Rosa occupying herself with her phone while you begin to drift in and out of a haze, a confusing seesaw between staying awake and drifting off. You don’t notice how the time pass as when you’re nudged gently on the side, you find your friend grinning at you like a Cheshire Cat.

“We’re twenty minutes from boarding fam! Watch my stuff for a second while I go use the washroom? I don’t want to have to go while we’re 5000ft off the ground.”

Your astounded expression pulls a laugh from her, no doubt picking up on your lack of time awareness but nonetheless, you smile with a nod, voicing your own desire to probably do the same after she’s back so please hurry, the ice coffee needs to be drained from your bladder too. She takes off in a brisk walk, beelining straight to the overhanging sign indicating the facility and make to stretch out your arms and crack your stiff joints. Lifting your gaze, you scan the sitting area, noting the few people sitting ahead of you with their heads buried in their phones or other electronic devices, some having taken up the seat facing the large windows, and there are even those looking like they’ve spent the night here as they lay curled up on multiple seats, oblivious to the world around them as they rest.

You wish you could be like that, but you’re plagued with a restlessness you can’t drown out no matter how hard you try. You breathe a heavy sigh, shoulders heaving as you think how even though your flight is a fairly short one, you get the feeling that it’ll be twice as long in your mind and that’s something you’re not looking forward to.

“Maybe I should’ve grabbed a pack of Xanax or something….” You grumble to yourself, rubbing your eyes with your hands.

“I don’t think you’ve got the health insurance to cover that sweetheart.”

You jumpstart in your seat, nearly jostling both yours and Rosa’s carry-on luggage over as you whip your head to the side. Your gaze catches the back of his head, and you wouldn’t have known any better had it not been for the unmistakable smooth lilt of his voice. He’s sitting on the other side of the bench from you, back to back, one seat to your left so when you twist just slightly, you would’ve caught sight of his side profile. To your dismay and surprise though, the lower half of his face is hidden by a black surgical mask, the rest by his black ball cap.

“Ji—!“

“Eyes forward cherub, don’t want to draw attention.”

Your mouth snaps shut, heat warming your cheeks when you realize how much of your elation at seeing him came through your voice. You heed his advice, partly because he’s right but also to hide your struggles in fighting off the wide smile threatening to break out on your face. Plus, this way it feels like you’re suddenly in a spy movie, meeting up with a contact incognito.

“Could’ve sent me a text to let me know you were here…” You say afterwards.

“I could’ve, but where’s the fun in that?”

You scoff quietly, rolling your eyes at his playful gibe but you’re not bothered by it at all. You’re glad Jimin’s here, his presence having some sort of immediate effect on you and your previous uneasiness, which now, has calmed to something manageable, like the invisible shadow following you has disappeared and you no longer have to keep looking over your shoulder to make sure it doesn’t sneak up on you. You finally have breathing room however, there’s still something that lingers persistently.

“So…H-How are you feeling…?” Your question comes out far softer, more hesitant than you had intended and you bite your lip. There’s a drawn pause, one that felt too long for you and makes you all too aware of the heavy pounding of your heart. Unconsciously your fingers begin to tug at the ends of your loose cardigan sleeves, nervous all of a sudden and just when you open your mouth to fill in the void, Jimin replies.

“Do you really have that little trust in me cherub? I’m kinda hurt…”

 “N-No! What I meant was—!”

“Relax I know, I was just pulling your leg.”

A huff of air leaves you, a little on the exasperated side as you’re frozen midway in fully turning to face Jimin, subtly be damned (you think you’d never make for a good spy anyways). You know he’s trying to reassure you and it would’ve worked had you not picked up on the way he downplays the seriousness of the question, deflecting with humour and banter. He’s clearly intent on not worrying you so much but it only serves to do the opposite. It makes you want to turn around to gauge his expression, see for yourself if he’s really okay.

“Hey,”

The call of his voice tears you from your train of thoughts, head naturally turning towards him and you’re a little surprised to see dark obsidian eyes staring back at you. You’re lost in their depths, how they hold you captive in a gentle but firm way and instantly it’s like the whole world melts away and it’s just the two of you. Then, they turn up slightly at the corner in a way where you can already imagine the soft smile he has on beneath the mask, it sends your heart racing once again as you wait with almost bated breath for what he has to say.

“I’m okay, really. I promised I would be didn’t I?”

Your teeth pulls at your bottom lip, eyes darting off for a second before they come back to his. You take him in as much as you can, searching for anything that might give way to his front but it’s either he’s concealed it so well that you can’t tell or maybe perhaps he really is okay like he says. Jimin was already a hard person to read, but with that face mask on, it’s even harder.

You sigh, relinquishing.

“Then…Can you also promise me you won’t push yourself?”

His eyes crinkle a bit more but you’re determined to remain steadfast in your conviction. Jimin sees it as he tilts his head before nodding in agreement.

“Okay, I’ll try not to.”

You shoot him a pointed look, one that makes him chuckle and raise a finger to tap on your nose, so quickly you didn’t get the chance to lean away. You blink, flinching back in a delayed reaction but cheeks warming just the same.

“Will it convince you if I told you I’m not going to teleport there and that I’ll actually be on the flight with you?”

That makes you straighten up, eyebrows shooting into your hairline.

“You are?”

“Well, I figured it’s the best solution to the two problems we have; I don’t have to strain myself like you said and we’ll be in close proximity to each other, enough that in case anything goes wrong, I can step in without any issues.”

You nod, seeing his point and honestly even asking yourself why you hadn’t thought of that before until you furrow your brows, zeroing in on him again.

“Wait, you haven’t been recognized yet have you?”

“Of course not, I got this on for a reason.” He gestures to his face, indicating the face mask and baseball cap but that only makes you cock your head back, chin tucking in with an extremely dubious look scrunching your face. There’s absolutely no way this ‘disguise’ of his worked, in fact, he’s playing right into the ‘obviously-a-K-Pop-idol-leaving-for-a-flight’ airport look. It makes you cast shifty eyes around you suddenly — maybe you should actually turn around and pretend you’re in a spy movie again.

“Jimin that’s hardly a disguise! And you can’t tell me you haven’t taken it off at least once to do airport security checks. Are you using your cloaking spell right now? Don’t tell me you are.” You resort to frantically whispering to him as you sink a little lower in your seat.

“I’m not right now, but I did use a couple of enthralling spells here and there, nothing too taxing though so relax. Just enough that I get by with no incidents.”

You suppose that’s as good as it’s gonna get with an answer so you choose to not pry any further. Rubbing the bridge of your nose, you let out one last sigh.

“Alright… Just stay out of trouble.”

“I should be telling you that.” He chides back, getting up with a stretch. Jimin reaches down to grab his denim jacket and black duffle bag (Louis Vuitton, you’re not surprised at this point anymore) sitting on the seat beside his. Your eyes can’t help doing a full sweep of his figure; fitted black t-shirt tucked into dark wash jeans, held by a belt cinched around his waist. You feel like a troll next to him in your sweats and oversized t-shirt (that you double up as a sleep shirt too, you literally just threw on a bra before you left that morning).

“Where are you seated?” You ask after getting over Jimin’s unfaltering immaculateness (you swear the apocalypse could be happening and he would still be dressed in designer brands).

“Business of course.”

You nearly choke.

“B-Business…?!”

“Ah, I should really try to snag another cocktail at the lounge before we start boarding soon.” He says offhandedly, dark eyes drifting off in thought and then redirects them to you. “I’ll be in touch cherub, even if you might not see me. Still, stick with your friend and don’t have too much fun now you hear?”

He’s striding off with a finger wave salute before you can get another word in, but not like you can you think, absolutely stunned speechless. You don’t even notice your friend making her way back to you, just as the attendant at the front desk to your gate announces pleasantly that you would all be boarding soon and can those with special needs, young children and the elderly begin to line up to board first.

“Hey, what’s up? You look…kinda pissed? More alive but pissed.” Rosa laughs good-naturedly. “Some bastard try to pull a fast one on you?”

You exhale a wheeze because she’s not too far off with that statement so you don’t necessarily deny it, almost ruefully replying, “Yeah…I guess you could say that…”

She lets out another laugh, grabbing your hand to tug you out of your seat when the attendant calls for your section to begin lining up. As you gather your things and begin to make your way, you ironically think that your friend wouldn’t be laughing if she had known she, and by way you, have been robbed first class seats.

Oh well, you think, you can’t be too mad because as they say, beggars can’t be choosers. And besides, you have a lot to be thankful for in that moment and you’re not just talking about the round trip to seeing your favourite band play. So with a little more pep in your step since you first arrived to the airport, you eagerly board the plane.

What you had planned was to use the flight time to catch up on as much rest as you can before landing where you know it’s going to be a whirlwind of hopping from one place to another.

Unfortunately for you, your ice coffee kicks in despite having emptied your bladder only fifteen minutes into the flight. You significantly feel more alert so your attempts at getting comfortable against the window were futile. Even when you shut your eyes, you’re very much still conscious and aware of everything going on around you, especially the loud droning of the plane’s engine. You don’t know how people get used to it, let alone make it as part of their white noise to help them sleep.

What you do know is that it’s not easy as after a few more minutes of shuffling in your seat, you give up on any hopes of getting any decent sleep and instead, settle for just closing your eyes, earphones on with your old iPod touch cycling through BTS albums — might as well drown out the plane engine with some good music.

You zone in and out for the entire four and a half hour, which felt like it went by in a snap because next thing you know, you’re startled by the chime of the PA going off.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking, we are about ten minutes away from landing and — …”

You pull off your earphones, winding the cord to tuck your iPod away into your crossbody as you gaze out of the window, watching the clouds drift like oversized cotton candy through the clear blue sky, sun blazing on overhead. You’re glad that it seems like the weather would be perfect for the concert, which means there won’t be any pains in traveling around by foot. Bonus is that sunnier weather always puts you in a better mood.

Rosa seems to share the same sentiment because when you turn over to her, she’s staring out the window too, eyes practically sparkling and way perkier now that she doesn’t have to hold back. She grabs your arm, giving it a squeeze, silently conveying her excitement and you grin back at her, wiggling a bit in your seat as you both eagerly watch the wing of the plane dip, swooping down lower until it breaches the sea of white below and you get your first glimpse of the city.

You land without a hitch, even having some passengers clapping much to your amusement but in general, the lively buzz just adds to the atmosphere. You gather your belongings, double checking to make sure nothing is left behind as you wait to join the queue in the aisle to exit the plane.  “So it’s close to eleven-thirty right now, which gives us a good amount of time before doors open to let us into the stadium. Should we find our hotel to drop off our things and then go find something to eat? Or should we drop off our things, head to the venue and then see if we can find a place to eat near there?” Rosa asks, tapping her phone so that the airplane mode is turned off.

You contemplate, humming before you say, “How hungry are you? Because I don’t really have an appetite right now but if you want to eat after we drop off our things first, we can do that.”

“Oh, I’m pretty good too so we drop off our things, head to the venue, then eat?”

“Yeah, sounds good to me!”

After struggling to get both of your carry-ons down from the compartment without giving yourselves a head injury (luckily your seat neighbours were kind enough to lend you a hand), you and Rosa wheel off out of the plane, down into the ramp. For a split second, you catch yourself glancing back one last time, eyes searching for that familiar shadow but the pace in which the masses move easily sweeps you up, not allowing you to linger for too long less you want to hold up traffic. However, you recall his words, assuring you that even if you might not actually see him, he’ll be close by to still be able to help you out if you need it. So you continue on, exiting out into a terminal in no time thanks to bypassing the need to go to baggage claims, telling yourself that everything’s fine and there’s no reason to fret.

You’re here to see BTS damn it; your faves, your ultimate and you can’t waste this golden opportunity by overthinking on things.

 “Okaaay…” Rosa starts, not unlike a ranger about to take their scouts on a rigorous hike while teaching them survival skills. “Let’s grab an Uber and head on over to the hotel. You have the address right?”

“Oh, yes!” You quickly pull out your own phone, pulling up the text file as Rosa opens the Uber app on her phone. She’s typing the address into the destination bar when you hear someone call out to you.

“Um, excuse me?”

You and Rosa both look up, wide eyed like rabbits caught out in the open and turn to see two other girls staring back at you, no older than you are but what caught your attention immediately was the firefighter red cushion that’s shaped like a heart clutched in one of their arms, only this heart had a funny little face on it — two beady eyes, straight brows and round, yellow plush lips. A familiar face.

Tata.

Your eyes light up, you hear Rosa gasp softly beside you and in an instant, the mood shifts. You’re no longer confused from not recognizing the pair, instead it’s like running into old friends again if the way they smiled back just as widely was anything to go by, a knowing look on their faces.

“Are you..—?”

“ARMY?”

“YES!”

“YES!!”

You barely stop yourself from escalating in volume but your newly formed group had already drawn a couple of judgemental looks in your directions. Cheeks warming yet pleasantly aching from the grin, you wave frantically in an attempt to quiet the excited chattering that has exploded, your initial task forgotten in favour of acquainting yourselves with your new found friends, comrades gathered here for a common purpose and love for one particular group.

Rosa lets out a surprise squeak before falling into more of a hush, a sheepish smile playing on her lips and everyone sort of follows suit, still giggling.

“Oh my God this is so wild!” One of the girls laughs, “Are you guys staying somewhere close by the venue?”

“Yeah, actually we were just about to grab an Uber to head over there.” Rosa replies, flashing her phone with the app still open but address only half completed.

“AirBnb or did you somehow grab a hotel?” The other asks you, adjusting her backpack and making a few keychains jingle. You get a flash of a Cooky enamel chain glinting in the light.

“Yeah we’re staying at this hotel.” You showed them the official website page and she gasps.

“Wow! You’re lucky, that’s so close to the venue! Literally everywhere I go I keep hearing how everywhere is fully booked, even the AirBnbs around the area.”

“Where are you guys staying?” Rosa asks, after she’s copied down the address from you.

“We got an AirBnb that’s a little bit further away from the venue, like a ten minute drive? Not so bad but we’d definitely need to Uber to and back.”

You make a sound of understanding, picking up on the implication that it’ll be more money spent but that’s just what comes with these things. However, an idea comes to you.

“Hey,” You speak up, getting the attention of the party, “We can… split rides for Uber to your place if you want to? I mean, we’re all heading out anyways so we might as well right? I think it’ll be cheaper that way too.”

Rosa nods at your proposal, jumping in to add, “Yeah! Uber has a feature for that, I can definitely set up a second trip.”

The two girls glance at each other in a wordless act of debate, shortly reaching an agreement of sorts when one of them shyly turns back to you and Rosa with a timid smile.

“If you don’t mind? That would be really great actually.”

“Of course not! Save money when you can right?” Rosa says exuberantly, dispelling any remaining doubts to the two as their smiles widen again. So with a few taps, you make the necessary adjustments to your ride and now you’re all heading out to meet your driver in a merry band of four.

During your wait, you finally realize you haven’t made any formal introductions to each other (which, upon bringing it up, causes a round of laughter) but at least now, they know yours and Rosa’s names and you know them as Sam and Megan. Conversation flowed easily between the four of you, quickly getting acquainted with each other and by the time you and Rosa are getting dropped off first at the hotel, you’ve all followed each other on Twitter, Instagram and gotten everyone’s backstory on becoming fans of BTS (and of course, biases and bias wreckers).

“Hey, hey I got this, don’t worry!” Rosa says, trying to bat away Sam who had stepped out of the car as well to help you unload your carry-ons in the trunk. Megan follows suit after placing her Tata cushion and duffle bag in the backseat.

“No! This is the least we can do for sharing the ride!”

“It’s not even that heavy, it’s okay!”

Everyone fusses until it eventually turns into a group effort, even if what Rosa said was true. It makes you all giggle in the end at how silly it is but no one seems to mind.

“Thank you so much for the ride again! We should try to meet up at the venue!” Megan suggests to all of which you nod in agreement.

“Yeah! We’ll be in touch then since we have each other’s handles.” You smile back as Rosa closes the trunk. You go to shuffle onto the sidewalk, ready to see the other two girls off when Sam, wide eyed, suddenly lets out a loud gasp.

“Oh! I almost forgot!” She says quickly, darting into the back seat to grab her backpack to rummage through it, you and Rosa watch on curiously. After a short while, she triumphantly pulls out two baggies and already you see the goodies in them — self-printed photo cards of a member, fan art stickers, post cards, and a handmade purple bracelet. What’s more is that she hands them to you and Rosa, making you and Rosa squeal simultaneously.

“I’m handing these out at the venue and I wouldn’t want to run out before seeing you guys again.”

Immediately, you’re thanking her profusely and after another round of bidding each other later, you and Rosa head inside to the lobby of the hotel. It’s nothing fancy to be of note, but thankfully, it’s not sketchy either. The interior is quite simple yet spacious, the decor all in warm tones that matches the lighting, the accents emphasize on a deep mahogany wood. Off to the side, closest to the windows overlooking out onto the streets, is the lounge, the only area where it’s carpeted while the rest of the hotel is tiled, curtains drawn up and out of the way with an array of long couches and chairs surrounding coffee tables. The flat screen tv hanging on a single panel of wall space that perfectly divides the windows in half is set to a local news channel, displaying the weather and traffic around the city.

You and Rosa roll your carry-on towards the front desk, standing behind a few people ahead of you. It’s actually quite busy with lots of people coming in and out or taking up space in the lounge but all of it doesn’t surprise you because you have a sneaking suspicion as to why. Almost on cue, the group at the front begins to walk away, keycards in hand and bags full of BTS merchandise hanging off or stuck to their travel cases. Rosa nudges you but you’re already nodding with a grin on your face to show that you’ve noticed.

Checking-in was an easy process, what with both you and Rosa only needing one room with two beds to share. So you scurry off to the fifth floor, locating room 517 and as soon as you get the keycard on the door, you fling it open, rushing into the room with a bounce.

“Lemme change my outfit real quick! I feel like a slob and I can’t be looking like this in front of my boys!” You gasp, throwing your case onto the ground to open it.

“Oh shit you’re right. I need to put on liner or something! Can’t show my face like this to Jin.” Rosa says, doing the same with her carry-on case to pull out her little make-up pouch.

You grab your change of clothes, rushing to the bathroom and it felt like you were doing a quick change routine by how fast you managed to switch out everything. Looking in the mirror, you can’t help the grin on your face as you check yourself over. You’re wearing a black t-shirt with BTS’ logo taking up most of the front of the shirt while on the back lists all the members names in white text. It’s an old shirt, unofficial merchandise too but you’ve worn it the previous time you were lucky enough to go to their concert so you feel like it’s only right to bring it out again. After deliberating on a French tuck or a full on tuck, you decide to go with the latter, stuffing the ends into your distressed skinny jeans.

Satisfied, you step out to find Rosa already decked out in her concert gear that includes an RJ shirt over black cargo pants and RJ headband. She’s carefully applying lipgloss in the vanity and it prompts you to grab your own make-up bag until the both of you are crowding around another for the mirror. Once you’re done applying liner, some lip tint and other touch ups, you turn to Rosa.

“‘Kay, I’m good to go!”

She turns to you with a grin, grabbing both of your light sticks that’s set out on the bed, presenting it to you like it’s an Oscar. You can’t help letting out a boisterous laugh but take it from her anyways.

“Let's get it!”

You grab your bag, emptying out the things you wouldn’t need and leaving only your wallet, cellphone, charger bank, and keycard in. Stepping out, you make sure the door locks itself properly before you and Rosa start heading towards the elevators.  “So the venue is like… a ten minute walk from here, do you want to Uber it or walk?” You point out, pulling up Google maps as a reference.

“I’m good for walking because we’ll make it five if we power walk.”

Turns out, she’s right. Apparently Rosa’s enthusiasm sparks to double yours which you’ve completely underestimated because before you know it, you’re walking alongside other concert goers and then you see the first of the banners and then…

“Oh my God…” Rosa whispers beside you, absolutely vibrating but you nod, sharing the same sentiment.

There are banners with each members faces on it hanging from the flagpoles lining the walkway towards the stadium. Around on the grounds, there are canopies of tents selling official concert merchandise, light sticks and a giant wall poster with BTS at the centre, dressed to impress as always, giving the fans the opportunity to take a commemorative photo. It’s like a little marketplace for the fans — there’s so much to look at and so much to take in that it makes your heart pound but along with that, there are lines.

Oh the lines.

You gulp just looking at all the different lines leading to different activities and booths, how they seem to stretch for miles and miles, twisting and curving like one giant serpent. You can’t even begin to imagine how early some people must’ve arrived here in order to be the first twenty in line. Honestly, it makes you sweat a little, but somehow, you’re determined to embrace this madness, swept up by the hype and the fact that you may never get this chance again.

“Okay, what do we do first?” Rosa asks, “I’m really not about to try for that merch line but I really wanna do the photo booth. We didn’t get to do it last time right?”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking too.”

“Okay! Photo booth line!”

So without a second thought, you and Rosa speed on over to the set up, racing to find the back of the line. You find it curving halfway around one of the buildings that was a washroom with vending machines posted out at the front. Once you made it, you and Rosa buckle down and play the hardest game known to any fan — the waiting game.

It wasn’t so bad you think, you and Rosa basically spent time catching up on things you didn’t get to talk about in the early morning, talk about which songs you’re looking forward to see live and even getting interrupted every once in a while by kind fans handing out freebies. Time is lost amongst the shared laughter, swept away in the electrified thrum of other people’s combined energy and you soak it all in, loving the feeling even if your cheeks ache from having smiled and laughed so much. You shuffle and move along with the line, at times, zoning in and out or simply watch what’s going on around you (you think it’s amusing how every time the venue staff would announce a round of items that were sold out, the awaiting crowd would groan or yell in anguish altogether; it resonates with your soul).

Soon, you find yourself within the winding barricade part of the line, thirty people deep and close enough to hear the squeals and squawks people are making when they first enter the photo booth.

“I’m totally gonna be like them when I go in, just completely lose my shit at holographic Jin.” Rosa points out, grinning.

“I’m just so excited to finally do it! It’s just too bad we can’t get any merch but at the same time, I’m pretty much too broke to afford anything.” You reply. Rosa nods solemnly in agreement.

Another half hour later, you’re finally at the front, waiting for your turn and you’re absolutely besides yourself, rocking on your heels to try to restrain from combusting. It’s hard to do because Rosa is bouncing in her spot which makes the monitoring staff giggle. You shy away a little, even though you know they’re probably used to it by now but your embarrassment doesn’t last long when two of the three booths become free and you’re given the go ahead along with Rosa. You’re laughing all the way in from hearing Rosa’s gradually fading scream.

Drawing back the curtains, you enter in the little room, brick red in colour with one ottoman bench fit for two people. On the wall in front is a touch screen with seven squares, each displaying a members face on it and all you have to do now is choose who you want a digital picture with.

Your finger moves as if on its own, right towards —

You stop.

It takes a second for you to realize where they hover, a hair’s breadth from his picture.

Jimin.

No…Not him. Not…

You shake your head, ridding the thought and this odd feeling that overcomes you in that second. You chalk it up as it finally hitting you how all of it seems so bizarre that you’re here to see BTS’ Jimin when all this time you had a literal clone of him manifested as a demon meant to protect you. It’s tripping you out, which is why it takes you a hot minute to get your head in the game, so to speak.

This is BTS’ Jimin — vocalist, dancer, model idol and member of BTS, the biggest boy group in the world right now. Park, nation’s angel/fairy, Jimin.

Totally different.

You repeat the words in your head like a mantra, convincing yourself before breathing in deeply. Then you press the icon, submit yes and watch with a rapidly beating heart as a countdown begins, the screen switching to the live selfie camera and on one, Jimin appears as if entering the booth. Your eyes dart up to the space he should be instinctively but you quickly chastise yourself, drawing back to the screen in front of you as you hear him speak a few lines. Even as a digital hologram he’s breathtaking, soft honey blonde hair swept off his forehead and dressed in a black suit that fits him so well that it’s almost criminal. He strides to sit beside you and you reel a bit, quickly trying to orient yourself on the seat in the screen and his figure, barely catching a few words in Korean that initiated the first photo take.

The countdown begins and you get into position, smiling towards the screen but within those three seconds, you catch sight of yourself and him; the way he leans into you, a soft smile adorning his lips and in that moment, your heart squeezes and you falter as the camera shutter goes off.

You blink, stunned but you can’t stop to process the feeling so you push it back as Jimin prompts for a second photo, this time holding his hand to form half a heart which you’re meant to complete.

This is BTS’ Jimin.

You hastily follow, almost stubbornly so as again, the countdown begins and you force a smile, angling yourself to look half as flattering as Jimin.

This is BTS’ Jimin.

The shutter goes off again, he says a few more sweet words before he walks off screen and you’re left to choose between the two pictures you’d taken to have printed.

You grimace as you scan them over — neither one of them are satisfying to you.

“I think your photo looks cute!” Rosa exclaims, looking over yours before giving you a nudge on the shoulder with a teasing glint in her eyes. “You two look good together.”

You nudge her back, taking the photo from her and stuffing it into your crossbody. “Stop, before some sasaeng overhears.”

Rosa cackles loudly, throwing her head back. “Oh please, a bitch can try to run up on you or me. I will fight.”

That pulls a laugh out of you but somehow, you have no doubts about it. Clicking her phone, Rosa checks for the time and with a glance, you’re shocked to see that you’ve already spent a good three hours around the venue. And a chunk of it was just waiting in a line.

“‘Kay now should be a good time to grab something to eat.”

At the mention of food, your stomach gurgles and churns in response and you’re surprised it’s only then that you feel the ache of not having eaten anything sufficient since six in the morning.

“Yeah, I’m starting to feel it now. Where should we go?”

Rosa hums, straining to look around as you come to the borders of the stadium grounds. She turns her head from one side of the street to the other and you follow her, spying a few familiar fast food chains by their company colours.

“I think we should grab something that we can take on the go, it’ll be easier in case we spontaneously decide to jump in a line again.”

You snort, not arguing with the idea but the thought of getting into another lineup is…. You’re gonna have to think on that after eating a sandwich or something. Your head cocks a little at that.

“How about a sandwich then? That’s pretty easy to carry around, and filling too.”

Your friend considers the idea and then nods, “Yeah, I can do that.”

It wasn’t hard to find a place that would meet your requirements of a delectable sandwich as the concert venue was situated very closely to the downtown parts of the city. It was only a matter of how far you’re both willing to walk, which is…not very far. You and Rosa both agreed that it would be in your best interests to stick around the venue because on your way to picking a spot, you chance your first look at the one lineup you and Rosa probably dreaded the most, outright feared.

“God is that—?”

“…Yeah….” The words come out short but heavily in a resigned sigh. Like with any other lines you’ve seen so far, this one stretches just as long with the only difference is that you can at least pinpoint exactly how and when it started. You easily spot the makeshift camp ground fans have created, tents of varying colours dotting along in the empty parking lot, peeking out from over the heads of those currently waiting in the queue for GA. Now your stomach churns uneasily for a different reason.

“Let’s hurry and get in before the line gets any longer!”

The both of you rush into action, entering the closest fast food establishment for the sake of not dallying but perhaps you think all in vain because it too was crowded with people, specifically other concert goers. At this point, there’s no escaping the wait anywhere and Rosa seems to realize too as she gives you a wry smile, moving to stand at the end of the formed line with you following suit. Another twenty minutes later, you and Rosa are dashing out, a bag in each hand containing your sandwiches, extra snacks and bottle of water. You’re out of breath when you finally reach the end of the line, ready to sit on the sidewalk and eat. To your pleasant surprise however, you find some familiar faces.

“Oh my God! Sam, Megan!” Rosa exclaims, wide eyed as the girls glance up from their phones respectively, wide smiles appearing on their faces when they see you and your friend. They envelope you in a hug each and you fall into conversations, all centred around what you’ve done so far in the venue, showing the pictures you took and freebies you got. It goes on for a while until you can’t stand it anymore and as politely as you could, informed that you must devour this sandwich now or else you would keel over. The first bite you took was nothing short of heavenly and it’s like a ravenous monster has been awakened because you think you downed it all in ten seconds flat.

Regardless, it does the job of filling your stomach with something so that it doesn’t end up eating itself but you somewhat had the thought before to try and portion it out, knowing you had a bit of a wait to get through before doors officially open. Within that time, you had also finished your bag of chips, sharing amongst the group and drank your fill of water. Hydration has always been the one thing everyone emphasizes the most when going to BTS’ concerts but you still struggle to find that balance between getting enough water and having too much water because who would want to have to go to the washroom in the middle of a concert? Plus, any water you don’t finish before security check you would have to throw away anyways.

You end up holding back on chugging your entire bottle, stopping when you felt like your bladder won’t explode any time soon but that means you’ll have to accept that the rest would be given to the trash.

Finally after some time, you’re startled from your stagnant position when the line ripples to life. You perk hearing the muffled bass of songs you’ve grown to love and know word for word despite the different language. Megan is the first to stand up, all of you at one point resorted to sitting right along the sidewalk edge, tip-toeing to see what the commotion was.

“I think doors are opening! The line looks like it’s moving now!”

The news has an immediate effect, the rest of you springing to your feet just as the people in front of you start shuffling forward. A surge of jitters tingles along your spine as you move along, inching closer and closer to the entrance. Not only does this mean you’ll be finally getting into the arena, but it also means that the concert is well on its way to starting soon. You catch yourself in time from bumping into the person in front of you when the line suddenly stops right on a bend. You think nothing if it until you hear murmurs of a commotion and see people actually leaving from their spots.

“What’s going on?” You ask, concerned.

“I think there’s a confusion between lines?” Sam answers, peering around the many bodies in front of you. You do the same, trying to worm your way through this broken telephone game until you hear someone raising their voice.

“Left side of this line is for GA!! This line is for seats!!”

“Ah shit!” Rosa curses, turning to Sam and Megan. “We gotta bounce then. Enjoy the show girls!”

“Bye!! You too! Now go, go!”

You wave hastily before Rosa is pulling your arm and you both go running to the newly formed line beside the one you were just in. You’ve made quite the jump, even if you are a bit aways still from seeing the front entrance. But it’s almost like it doesn’t matter because the line continues to move and before you know it, the doors are right in front of you.

“As soon as we get through the security gate, we’re booking it.” Rosa says, determined and fired up, even doing little stretches as if she’s getting ready to do a 100m sprint. You don’t argue with her though, chewing on your lower lip at thinking about how many people must already be in the pit, how your chances of getting a good spot is dwindling lower and lower with every people let in. Slowly, you grow more anxious and now you’re antsy to get your ass in ASAP because like hell, you’re going to be stuck with an awful view!

You swear it takes everything in you to remain as calm and collected on the outside as you can once it’s your turn for the security check. You present your crossbody, showing them the inside, dispose of the water bottle in the growing bin, pull up your ticket on your phone for verification and once you’ve given the all-clear—

“Go, go, go, go, go!” You take off, following the herd as your only means to finding the path to the concert pit, glancing over your shoulder to make sure Rosa is behind you (she is with a big goofy smile on her face). You hear the echoes of numerous excited voices bounce off the walls and they increase in volume, easily intermingled with instrumentals and growing clearer, more distinguishable as you approach. When you finally pass through the entryway, you feel your breath hitch.

The crowds are already gathered at the edges of the barricade, singing along to the music video being played on the large screens. Above and all around you, the seats are being filled by more fans, their light sticks twinkling to show their numbers. You rush to join in with everyone, coming to the space furthest left at the head of the stage, just a row or two behind others, brandishing your own light stick to switch on. With the app, you sync it up, right when Rosa joins you.

“I CAN’T BELIEVE WE’RE HERE AHHHH!!” Rosa screams, waving her light stick crazily and falling into the fan chant. You laugh, not caring how loud you might be. You spend the next remaining minutes dancing, singing, and screaming, immersing yourself in the energy all around you. Rosa pulls you in for selfies, taking commemorative videos every once in a while. It helps pass the time and as the final notes of the music video fades out, the lights dim and the screams are louder than ever. All eyes are glued to the intro VCR, your heart’s pumping in your ears as you feel the rush of adrenaline increase. You’re blown away by the visuals and you can’t help but to scream whenever the sight of any of the members appear (and this is all before they’re on stage dear god).

The video fades to black, transitioning into a new track as the spotlights light up one by one to the beat until it swells into a climax as extravagant stage props are revealed and the pyrotechnics are going off. You truly lose all sense of inhibition when from the floor of the stage, seven figures emerge. You don’t know if you’re shaking from the force of your scream, the screams of a thousand people around you reaching a whole new level of pitch and intensity, or from the booming stereos that begin to blast their title track.

They were nothing short of incredible, you’re starstruck at how coordinated they were, all the while maintaining such stable vocals, not to mention look absolutely stunning in their stage outfits — sparkly black suits with varying gold accents that decorate their shoulders or as lapels, giving off very princely vibes. And you’re witnessing all of this with your own two pair of eyes. Never have you ever been this close to them before where you seldom rely on the big screen camera in front of you and you’re having trouble on where your eyes should be, so captivated by their aura and charisma.

So you find yourself screaming names left and right when you’re not shouting the fan chant. The first song comes to an end though it doesn’t mean that the energy doesn’t carry on as after a moment’s pause, the next song starts up, another hit single everyone recognizes and loves. When the lines of the first verse starts, the boys start making their way down the catwalk towards the thrust stage. As they move, so does the audience, all eager to keep their eyes on them no matter what. It’s hard to fight the wave so you can only go with it, forced to shift from your original spot to something a little less than favourable. You’re still too far up the main stage that the only thing you see is their backs and try as you might, half the time a phone is blocking your view.

It’s a struggle but you make do with the large screen and when there’s a song this hype playing, it’d be a crime to not do anything besides dance and cheer at the top of your lungs. And that’s what you love about their concerts; the moment you step into the arena it’s like you’re transported into another world, a place where you can let loose and for once be happy, blessed and thankful.

No more worries, no more what-ifs.

You’re going to seize this moment as if it’s your last.

When the song comes closer to the end, the members gradually make their way back to the main stage, waving to the crowd as they go and you swear Namjoon had returned your wave, dimpled smile on display. You can’t help the squeal that comes from your mouth.

When the last notes end, you finally turn to assess your surroundings, the crowd once more shifted but thankfully you spy Rosa not far from you so you maneuver yourself to her. She greets you ecstatically.

“DID YOU SEE JIN?! HE HAD PURPLE HAIR!! I’M GONNA DIE!!”

 “I KNOW!! AND NAMJOON WAVED AT ME!!”

The two of you fangirl until the VCR is done and the melodies of another song bubbles over the speaker. Once more, the attention of everyone in the arena draws towards the main stage and from there, it starts all over.

You work up a sweat dancing and singing along to the songs, breathless in the best way possible. You were enjoying the concert through and through, the only issue you have was your throat beginning to burn a little more than usual from all your screaming and the sea of people you’re currently swimming in is getting a bit more pushier. But the night was still young and though you’ve been dancing nonstop for four song straight, there was nothing stopping you when the spotlights turn into a warm golden yellow, the ones along the ground turning green and the first notes of possibly your favourite song starts to play.

From the floor, Jimin’s figure rises up, voice as light as a feather filtering through the building and instantly, you’re entranced.

Before, you had been unsure of how you would react to seeing the original Jimin on stage, the apprehension nearly smothering you as you waited but like a spell, as soon you laid eyes on him, singing and dancing so gracefully, so effortlessly, you knew that this was someone else entirely different. Now dressed in a flowing silk shirt embroidered with crystals that twinkle endlessly in the spotlight, he has singlehandedly rendered you speechless as the rest of the thousands watching him. Your eyes were glued to him, heart swelling with emotions as you watch him in his element, nailing each step and note and like caught in a siren’s song, you itch to be closer. Scanning around, you try to find an opening you can squeeze through, anything.

You see a space, big enough for you to stand in and without even thinking twice you surge forward, weaving as best you can before the chance disappears. You bypass two people, grazing their shoulders but shrinking in on yourself pays off because your view is even better than ever. Now you’re a row away from the metal barricade and when you focus back on Jimin—

You’ve heard many times that photos don’t do any of the members justice, not even a fraction of how they look but being this up close, you think it’s the understatement of the century. You’re stunned, mind going blank like it has trouble processing the fact that there is a human being that exists in this world you’re living in that is beautiful beyond words and his name is Park Jimin and you’re currently staring at him, in person.

Being this up close, you can see the details of his movements, how every part of his body from the tips of his fingers to his toes is adding something to this choreograph to make it that much more fluid or powerful. You see the rings on his fingers glint as he brings it up to run it through honey blond hair, strands falling so delicately and softly against the thin sheen of sweat against his forehead, it has you mesmerized. And then you see the beginnings of a secret smile, one that starts in his eyes before stretching over his lips as he sings those sweet words. You don’t stop yourself from swooning loudly because you’re not the only one who’s affected. The song ends all too soon, Jimin backing away to be lowered down on the stage but not without throwing another smile out towards the audience, gaze so full of love for the people around him as he sings the last notes and you feel like you can finally breathe properly again.

You find yourself laughing, half in disbelief and giddiness, smile so wide thinking that that performance was closer to a spiritual experience more than anything.

BTS’ Jimin is truly something else.

So caught up in it all, you fail to notice that, at some point, you’ve lost your friend Rosa, only after when you turn your head, ready to gush about Jimin and finding that she’s no where to be seen. You had the mind to look, but it’s difficult for you less you want to lose your newly obtained good spot. Besides, the lights darkening makes it even harder to distinguish her. You leave it for now, as the next song starts up; if you can’t find her by the end of the concert, you can always call her. With that settled, you return your attention back to the next member performing.

You’re thankful for the relatively slower songs, allowing you to the time to recover and more importantly, keep the crowd controlled to a rhythmic swaying. You hate to admit it, but you really wished you had bought another water bottle even if they did cost you an arm and a leg in the arena. Your throat aches uncomfortably, making swallowing hard even if it’s a knee jerk reaction in an attempt to quench your thirst. The most you can do now is refrain yourself by simply mouthing along to the lyrics but it’s a lot easier said than done. You still catch yourself shouting the fan chants when the timing comes up even when you sound like a dying cat (but who says no to the Kim Namjoon?!)

Perhaps a poor decision on your part because then comes the medley.

You feel it in the crowd before the track even kicks in, like the tides pulling back in a telling sign that a tsunami would follow and you have no choice but to ride it, too deep into the sea of bodies to put up any sort of resistance. You’re forced to move as close to the thrust stage as possible, everyone trying desperately to grab the boys’ attention as they walk along the edges. It pushes you until you’re on the left side of the catwalk behind two rows of people now, much to your chagrin but you don’t linger on it long, too immersed in the heavy beats of the song that makes you dance with reckless abandon.

Your spurt of energy doesn’t last you long as you quickly tire, heart hammering as loud as the bass in your chest you feel like it would burst through your ribs, and what’s worse is that every ragged inhale and exhale of breath agitates your scratchy throat. The t-shirt you’re wearing is too damp for your liking, clinging to your skin and does nothing but add to the heat already surrounding you. You slow yourself down, fighting off a dizziness the overcomes you, like you’ve accidentally stood up too fast and your shoulder collides into someone. You get shoved back and though there wasn’t any real strength behind it, you stumble, barely catching yourself. You think a couple of toes have been stepped on but you think it’s collateral damage at this point, too preoccupied with trying not to succumb to this moment of weakness.

Breathe, relax, you’re fine!

You blink rapidly and as if out of sheer willpower, it begins to subside, the dark hazy border clouding your vision seeps away. You remain in your spot for a while longer, making sure that it goes away completely and once you’re sure, you focus back in on what’s happening. You’ve been moved way farther back into the crowd than you had thought, maybe about ten steps away from reaching one of the sides of the catwalk. You’re surrounded on all sides by jumping bodies, the high of the atmosphere showing no signs of stopping and with the boys still partying it up on the stage, it’s all it takes to pull you back in.

Literally nothing will stop you from seeing this concert to the end.

“Everybody say—!!” You think you hear Jungkook scream and you can’t help laughing but join in to the chorus of thousands of others singing along. The song tapers to a simple beat, the main instrumentals dying off a bit so that you could really hear the echoing voices and see the way members egg on the audience. It gradually builds again, you realize it’s a remix in place of the original song that seems even more hype than should be possible. It’s gearing up for a drop you know would have the whole arena lose their mind over as the boys travel back towards the main stage. You naturally follow the crowd, always vying to get a better view just as the music picks up and everyone starts jumping in place again.

You’re torn from trying to see the actual stage or the big screen, so keen on keeping your eyes on them until the song comes to an end. You’re out of breath once more, shoulders heaving in effort and the foggy feeling creeps back again. The stage lights dim until the only source of light you have is the big screen playing the next VCR. You distantly hear the dreamy soundtrack, a mere muffled sound against the ringing in your ears. You try desperately to make it pass, along with this dizzy spell and you shut your eyes in hopes of doing so.

It was meant to be for a moment; just like the first time it happened, you had expected for it to pass easily, only… it doesn't.

It’s like your body decided to shut down without notice, going numb before you even had a chance to fight it.

It all happened so fast.

When you become conscious again, you’re extremely disoriented, vaguely aware that you’re not where you thought you would be — on the ground, trampled with a concussion and causing a whole scene by having a team of on site paramedics surrounding you (and if you’re being honest, you’re thankful that it’s not the case because you would rather take the concussion, unconscious and all than having to see thousands of people and all the members of BTS remember you in that way).

Vision clearing a little more, you slowly start to piece the shapes and colours that come together until you recognize them as eyes…

You…You know those eyes….

Time seems to slow until you’re taken back to the night you first met eyes with a pair of crimson ones. You remember how vibrantly they gleam against the dark, burning so deeply into your soul that you had dared not breathe. Those eyes stared at you with an intensity that had frightened you from the power they hold, yet you learned that they can shine with mirth, twinkle impishly, soften in tenderness, become the moon and hold endless stars and galaxies that had you wanting to see more.

But now, they stare back at you, pupils shaking in an amalgamated storm of emotions so palpable you wonder if the stars had burnt out and the world was no more.

Distress.

Panic.

But above all, fear.

“Y/N….? Hey Y/N, can you hear me?”

You blink, rousing from your daze, the faint smell of lavender intermingling with burnt wood enveloping you like a warm blanket— a comforting and familiar scent. You turn to get a better look at the owner of this voice but all it does is throw you in for another loop.

Jimin is staring down at you, wide eyed in alarm. The black surgical mask he’s wearing is pushed down, revealing full lips parted in a way that can only be described as holding his breath, bracing for the worst. The hoodie he has pulled over his head makes it hard to get a good look at him, the orange cast of the light above almost intensifying the shadows over his face that it has you squinting, wanting to discern his features, wanting to confirm that it’s him but his voice alone should’ve been enough.

“Ji…Jimin…?” You wince at the croak you just let out, voice completely shot and sore but you need to know if this is real or not, still feeling so out of sorts. Gently, you’re being propped up into more of a sitting position and something touches the bottom of your lip.

“Drink…”

As soon as you get that first sip of the cool liquid, it’s like you come to life again, grasping at the bottle to gulp down more like you’ve spent the past hours in a desert rather than in a concert arena.

“Slow down cherub….”

A bit spills over, trickling down your chin but you don’t care, the feeling is welcomed against your hot skin. After having your fill, you pull away to take a deep breath, finding the strength to support yourself though you feel the solid arm behind you linger.

“Wha — What happened….Where..?” You mumble, bringing a hand to press to your forehead, to yourself or to him you’re not sure.

“You blacked out, probably from dehydration. I had to get you out before you got seriously hurt.”

“Out…?”

The word belatedly registers with you but when it does, your gaze whips around you, taking in your surroundings for the first time. You’re outside, on the side of the building that acts more like a back alley meant for delivery trucks and it’s secret employees-only side doors that more or less, lead to the dumpsters you see farther down the way. It’s dark out, the night air much cooler now and distantly, you hear the cheers and the thumping of the bass, the concert still going on.

The concert!

A gasp flies from your lips as you spring to your feet, so fast your world spins and you would’ve toppled over had it not been for a hand to steady your shoulders.

“Y/N! What are you— “

“I-I have to get back! The concert—!” You sputter, cutting yourself off from a cough that tears through you, making you duck into the crook of your elbow in hopes of quelling it. Your feet falter in trying to figure out which way you should go but that wasn’t the only thing holding you back.

“Wait, just hold on a second—!”

You’re tugging against his hold on your wrist, eyes watering from the force of your cough but all you hear is the waves of excited screaming and the start of a new song which rings more like the tolls of a bell signalling time is running out. You become more frantic and frustrated — at him, at yourself. All at once, these tumultuous thoughts surge forward, consuming you in their urgency; you’re blowing it, completely throwing this chance away, couldn’t even do this one thing right, why couldn’t you just hold out?

It was all a waste. You really don't deserve any of this.

“Let go of me! I need to—!”

“Y/N! STOP!”

You’re jerked back quite suddenly, firm hands taking hold of both your shoulders until you feel your back pressing into the rough brick wall of the building. Your mouth parts, a retaliation ready at the tip of your tongue but you’re cut off with a hard shake.

“Are you out of your mind right now?! What do you think you’re going to accomplish going back in there in your state?!”

“Can you just lay off?! I’m fine!”

“You can barely hold yourself up! I’m not letting you put yourself in danger!”

“I DON’T CARE!”

“Y/N LOOK AT ME!”

His voice snaps you out of your frenzy, the sheer volume of it able to pull you out of the spiralling decent into your own madness — you don’t think you’ve ever heard him shout before. The revelation makes you pause and it’s enough for you to finally become aware of what’s in front of you.

At some point, his hoodie had fallen off, letting you finally see him. He’s everything you had remembered seeing, still so utterly beautiful in that otherworldly way that it’s almost heartbreaking. Your mind can’t help but to replay those images of him on stage, so ethereal and mesmerizing until they shift, melting away altogether to what you see in front of you — raven locks replacing the honey blond, slightly more disheveled against his forehead, strands sticking to a light sheen of sweat that makes the bruising stand out more against paler skin, and stormy blue irises for a subdued scarlet, the faintest glow barely visible behind those eyes that look at you in such a pained way.

It’s a sobering sight, one that has your heart clenching.

This isn’t BTS’ Jimin.

No, he’s —

You’re slightly out of breath but you realize you both are, his exhales fanning warm against your lashes. You see Jimin’s eyes search yours, not really sure what he’s trying to find in them but you don’t want to know, too afraid of that answer. After a tense moment, he asks, a single question falling from his lips in a disquieted whisper that resonates above the cacophony that surrounds you, inside and out.

“Why….?”

Why…. It tumbles around in your head chaotically with no signs of reaching any conclusions, the thoughts disjointed and fragmented for your mind to even begin processing. It dredges up feelings you’ve unconsciously tried to bury, way more than you had imagined and it becomes too much for you to handle right now, much less put into words. But perhaps above everything, you can’t find it in you to face any of it.

You break eye contact first, turning away from the intensity that has you feeling more vulnerable than it should.

“I....You—….” You struggle to form the words past the trembling in your voice, hands balling into fists until they dig crescents into your palms, on the precipice of breaking down entirely from experiencing so many heightened emotions in one night that you just want it to end. “Forget it…Please, you— you wouldn’t understand….”

You don’t look up to see his expression, won’t dare to but you feel the way his hold tenses, going rigid until slowly, his fingers begin to slip away, touch barely brushing the tops of your forearm before they recoil completely. And then you feel his warmth leave you as he steps back, feet heavy and you miss the way the glow in his eyes extinguishes, leaving nothing more than an empty, dark abyss.

“You’re right…. I wouldn’t…” He rasps, the resignation palpable and your heart squeezes again without your permission. Your guardian demon doesn’t say anything more, the silence threatening to suffocate you but you’re moving before it has the chance to, pushing away from the wall even though your steps hesitate.

You feel like you should say something, guilty conscious tugging you to hold you in place, the words I’m sorry sitting on the back of your tongue but when you swallow, what comes out instead is, “I…should go…”

You run without looking back, ashamed.

A coward.

You find your way into the arena following the sounds of the cheering crowd, rising continuously in crescendos. You have no sense of how much time had passed, the lack in any distinguishable song playing makes you sprint and when you burst through the entrance, the entire place is bathed in violet and magenta as the white lights of people’s cellphones twinkle all around you like a sea of constellations in a galaxy.

“This is gonna be the last song for tonight, love you guys, let’s go.” Namjoon says, a bittersweet smile on his face as the music begins to play and everyone cries out again in recognition. You’re left bewildered, not wanting to believe that the concert is coming to a close already and after a brief moment of stunned silence, you force yourself to move, rejoining the crowd in the pit. You walk, wanting to immerse yourself again and finding a spot on the farthest side of the stage, closest to one of the big screens displaying the members. All around, people are singing along to the uplifting lyrics of the song and you do as well, but it’s like your body and mind are on autopilot, completely numb.

Your thoughts are running rampant inside, the fight still fresh no matter how much you’re trying to take everything in around you, commit them to memory before…

Before what?

Before you lose this small piece of happiness you’ve ever known? Or are you afraid of losing the feeling it brought you, when watching these seven amazing men who share their music that heals the hearts of so many no longer bring that sense of comfort and joy to you, but instead remind you of sad, distant memories full of unspoken words, yearning and regret.

You can almost feel it already happening.

The song comes to an end, continuing on in an instrumental loop as the members gather up to do one final bow at the thrust stage, hand in hand. Afterwards, they disperse, each taking their time to wave and interact with the fans from all corners of the stage before leaving through the lift at the main stage. You catch sight of Taehyung on the catwalk waving and gesturing cutely, Hoseok who’s eyes are glued to the far off seats, grin broad and waving enthusiastically to make sure that the fans there are not forgotten, Jin who makes a show of following the camera to blow kisses into it for everyone to see….

And then your eyes wander unconsciously, searching for him, for Jimin who’s ever the sweetheart, is running to the farthest left of the stage he can reach, right in front of where you’re standing to greet the fans there. He's radiant, a stunning smile stretching over his face so wide in a way that makes his eyes turn into crescents but you know no doubt that they sparkle in pure happiness as they look out to the fans, like he’s trying to memorize each and every face of the people who made all his dreams come true. Jimin waves to as many people as he can, blowing kisses here and there and occasionally gesturing to those to not cry and smile.

You watch on fondly, but your chest begins to ache uncontrollably in a way you don’t think is because he’s beginning to make his way back to centre stage, ready to leave. He walks languidly, like he’s trying to draw out as much time as he can while his eyes still remain focused out onto the fans and in that moment, he looks your way.

You’re not even sure if it’s just your mind playing tricks on you but you see him so clearly. With the softest smile gracing his lips, you lock eyes, his gaze so warm and adoring and as cliche as it sounded, the world slows and you see him mouth something that makes the breath catch in your throat.

I love you.

He reaches out a hand to wave one last time before he’s turning away, screaming those same words again into the microphone to let the whole arena know and with that, the boys are lowered down. The music fades, there’s a final huzzah as a massive lit up panel with the band’s logo rises up to take up centre stage and like a movie, the credits begin rolling on screen, signalling the official end of the concert. People around begin to disperse, intending on leaving to beat the rush of traffic while there are some who remain in their spots to watch the extra practice footage the boys took.

You are the latter, however your attention is not on the clips rolling, rather you are lost amidst a turmoil of emotions as your mind seems to be stuck on replaying that moment with Jimin. You’re not sure why, can’t understand the affect it has on you when logically you know this isn’t the first time you’ve seen something like it. It’s almost a bit absurd until you realize….

For the split second it happened, you had wished for raven hair and deep ruby eyes.

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amazonianbeauty · 4 years

Text

It Happened-Chapter 5: Adventure Time

Word Count: 1818

You had spoken to Fury over the phone before leaving, letting him know that you would need to be off duty for a while due to your pregnancy. You had decided against telling him about your leaving the compound. You figured the less people that knew, the better. The hairs on your arms and the back of your neck stood on end, at the thought of one the many enemies the Avengers have faced, finding out about you carrying Captain America’s child. You shook the thought from your head, knowing you would die before you would allow anyone to harm the offspring of you and Steve.

As you headed out of your bedroom, you were slightly disappointed when you saw that Steve wasn’t there to see you off. You steeled yourself in the fact that you and he needed to think things through to make sure the baby would be raised in a safe & healthy environment. You looked around the room one last time, and a good memory swam to the front of your thoughts. Smiling to yourself over the pleasant reminder, you opened the door to leave and almost ran smack into Wanda. Your eyes darted to her hands, that were holding her own luggage. Your smile faltered as you realized that she wanted to come with you. “Wanda, I think you should stay here. The team can’t afford to have us both gone.” Wanda shook her head in disagreement, “Y/N, the next couple of months are going to be a trying time for you. Are you sure you want do it alone?” “Yes, Wanda I’m sure. I just need some time to figure everything out, I won’t be gone long. Plus I’ll check in with you often and keep our mental connection open so that you can pop in on me whenever you want.” Wanda looked at you unconvinced, “Promise?” You held out your pinky to your sister from another mister, as a sign of good faith. You both tightly clenched your pinkies together, swearing to keep in touch until your return. After sharing a tight hug, you turned away and headed for the garage. You dumped your belongings into your Black Audi TTS Coupe, hopping into the driver’s seat you started the engine as a quick reminder ran across your mind. Courtesy of ever nosy Tony Stark, every car in the compounds garage had tracking equipment placed on them, for just in case reasons per Pre-HYDRA, SHIELD protocol. You knew if you left them in, Steve or Bucky would easily be able to find you if they wanted to. You hopped out and made quick work of snatching out every tracker that you knew of in your car. You walked over and placed them on Steve’s motorcycle, you then looked down at your cell phone knowing that the one in your phone couldn’t be removed. You placed it on the bike with the other trackers and hopped back into your car. Revving the engine, you exited the garage and put the compound, your teammates, Bucky, and Steve in your rearview mirror to quickly drift away. * * * Steve, Natasha and Bucky were still seated in your and Steve’s apartment at a stalemate when FRIDAY broke the awkward silence. “Captain Rogers, your wife has exited the compound.” Steve blew out the breath he unknowingly held, “FRIDAY, can you turn on the trackers in her car and cell phone. I at least want to know where she is, in case of an emergency.” Natasha began to shake her head knowingly when FRIDAY uttered a quick response to Steve’s request. “I’m sorry Captain, but she removed the trackers before leaving, they are currently located on your bike along with Mrs. Rogers cell phone.” Bucky began to chuckle lightly, bringing Steve and Natasha’s attention to him. “What is so damn funny?” Steve said to the man, his voice unable to hide his annoyance. “You are Steve,” Buck replied with a smug grin. “…for being the amateur that you are at tracking Y/N. That’s what’s funny.” He stood and puffed out his chest slightly, “F.R.I.D.A.Y. pull up Y/N’s locket tracker.” “Yes, Sergeant Barnes.” The A.I. had a holographic screen presented, showing a blue-colored dot moving at a steady pace along the New York state outskirts. Steve stared at the man in shock, “You had a tracker put on my wife?” Bucky’s metal arm plates began to shift, annoyance clear on his face, “NO, I put a tracker into my girlfriend’s locket before you stole her from me!” The two men glared at each other across the coffee table. Natasha had, had enough of the testosterone volleying through the room. “Okay, we’ve already established that you both are very overprotective of Y/N. Can you two hash out your issues now?” Steve and Bucky looked away from each other, their faces still holding stern looks. Natasha sighed slightly at their stubbornness. “If you two don’t find some middle ground to agree on and move forward, I don’t see this ending well for everyone.” Both men looked at her in annoyance, knowing that she was right. They turned their glares back to one another. Steve huffed out a breath and spoke first. “Why Buck? Why Y/N? You could have any woman in the world, you already have one of the best.” Steve glanced briefly at Natasha, giving her a soft smile. His gaze returned to his best friend, “Why are you trying to steal my wife?” Bucky slid forward and leaned across the table, facing Steve. “I told you before, she was mine and you stole her first.” Steve scrunched his face up in disgust, “Buck, do you hear yourself right now?” As the two men began to quarrel loudly over one another, Natasha stepped in once again. “STOP!”, she yelled. The men’s discussion had ceased, but they continued to stare at one another. “You two are still arguing, instead of trying to understand one another. Let’s not go over what we already know. You two need to come to an agreement on what’s going to happen from here on out.” Natasha walked over to where Steve was sitting. She stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck, she moved her mouth near his neck and kissed him gently there, feeling Steve’s body tense up. She looked back up at James, his eyes barely hiding their glare at his wife’s actions. She whispered into Steve’s ear, knowing James’s serum enhanced hearing would hear her message loud and clear. “Didn’t your mothers ever teach you two how to share?”, she winked at her husband. Steve looked up at Natasha with confusion spread across his face. She rolled her eyes at him and walked around to the front of his chair, taking a seat in his lap. “James, you had every intention of including Y/N in our relationship, if she had agreed to it. And we all know Steve clearly still wants to sleep with me.” She watched as his eyes searched the floor as if the answer were located there. Natasha turned her attention back to Steve “Y/N gave you permission to have sex with me.” She ran her fingers through his hair, and looked at him questioningly, “Why can’t we all just share?” Steve opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, at a loss for words. He looked over to his friend and saw that Bucky looked to be giving Natasha’s idea actual thought. As if it was only a passing thought, Bucky’s eyes quickly fell back on to his wife. “And you think that I am just going to allow you to sleep with Steve? So, he can take you from me, too?” Natasha shook her head, “James you are not allowing me to do anything, Y/N is ok with Steve and I sleeping together. You clearly aren’t going to let Y/N go, you have to be able to give and take.” “S…ss...so, we’d all be sleeping together?” Steve questioned Natasha, his cheeks turning slightly pink under her gaze. “We don’t have to make it a group thing if you don’t want to, but we can be with each other whenever we want, sort of like an open relationship, except it’s only open to the 4 of us. Think about it Steve, I know you and Y/N have some things to work out once she comes back, but do you honestly want to not be with her anymore?” Steve shook his head, he didn’t want Y/N to leave in the first place, much less to divorce the present love of his life. Now that he knew they were expecting a child, it only reinforced that for him, he had absolutely no intention of leaving his wife. He still couldn’t explain the sexual desire that pulled him to Natasha, wishing he’d kept his mouth shut instead of rambling about it to Sharon. He’d hoped that telling the woman would keep her from coming on to him while he was at her residence, but it only seemed to slightly stall the blond. Natasha could read from his eyes that he was going to go along with it, she then turned back to her husband. “So, James, are you willing to comply?” He gave a firm nod to his wife, letting her know he would allow her to sleep with Steve. Bucky got up and walked over to where she and Steve sat. He bent slightly and gave her a deep lingering kiss on the lips, as Steve looked on. Rubbing his thumb gently across the apple of her cheek, he then gave a nod of okay to Steve as he stalked out of the room. He thought back to what Natasha had mentioned earlier about “giving and taking”. He would need to give a little in order to get what he really wanted…YOU, he wouldn’t be completely ok until you were back at the compound, safe in his arms. He still loved you, as much as he loved his wife, she understood his desire for you. Natasha had still agreed to marry him, even with the knowledge that one day, it would be the three of you sharing a bed. James hadn’t accounted for Steve to interfere with his plans, but now he knew that getting you to leave Steve would be extremely difficult, if not impossible. Unless you personally made the decision yourself, he would have to accept the terms as they were. He made it to his and Natasha’s bedroom and shut the door. Taking out his phone, he pulled up your tracker, seeing that you had stopped only two hours away. He knew it was probably just a temporary stop. He decided then, not to allow Steve or his wife to be a distraction from keeping watch over you. He would bring you home if it was the last thing that he did.

Tags: @iheartsebastianstan

#bucky x reader #steve x reader #bucky x you #steve x you #bucky #steve #bucky x female reader #steve x female reader #bucky x y/n #steve x y/n #bucky barnes #steve rogers #bucky barnes x reader #steve rogers x reader #bucky barnes x you #steve rogers x you #possessive bucky #possessive steve

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theshatteredrose · 5 years

Text

A Gathering of Guardians: Prologue (Chapter 18) - Etrian Odyssey Nexus Fanfiction

AN: Almost done! Just the epilogue to go. After that, I might take a small break and attempt some oneshots. Or at least finish playing DQXI. But the next saga to TTS is also calling. Ah, so much to do Q^Q Anyway, hope you enjoy reading~!

Ao3 | Wattpad | FFNet

Chapter 18:

The cool, crisp morning air was barely felt as everyone was busy going through their checklists to ensure that they had all they needed. Luggage was being placed upon carriages to be carried to the city of Maginia.

Drayce’s belongings had already been sorted and was packed into the horse-driven carriage. He helped the others with their luggage, while subconsciously counting them all to ensure that everyone was there. The last thing he wanted was to accidentally leave someone behind. That would be devastating!

Every member of his guild was accounted for, thankfully. Except for Ramus. Drayce was reluctant to step foot upon Maginia until Ramus joined them. He’d prefer to be with him when he temporary left the land of Arcania. It was a huge moment for him, after all.

Thankfully, as he glanced down the path that led back into the city of Iorys, a familiar figure appeared. With him, the tall, hulking form of guildmaster Egar. Ramus was dressed in his usual garbs. Egar carried Ramus’ luggage easily in one hand, while the other rested on Ramus’ upper back. Likely placed there in a comforting manner.

“Great, you're here,” Drayce said with a smile as the two reached them. “Ready to go?”

Ramus returned his smile with a polite one of his own, though it was more like an attempt to hide his nervousness. “Yes. It took some convincing for the councilmembers to accept.”

Drayce resisted the urge to sigh, and instead scratched his cheek in an exasperated manner. “They still dislike me, huh?”

Egar audibly scoffed as he handed Ramus’ belongings to Ashton to be placed upon the carriage with the others. “They are irritated by the fact that you have been more of an asset to the kingdom then they have ever been.”

“Wow, you're going to make me blush,” Drayce murmured with said blush making its way to his features.

“Egar here was a great help,” Ramus explained before a wry smile appeared. “As was the fact that I was going to go anyway.”

Drayce had to chuckle. Ramus was standing up for himself. Good!

“They finally accepted that I would temporarily take Prince Ramus' role while he joins this important expedition,” Egar continued as he folded his arms across his chest. “They did have one condition. That Prince Ramus takes a guard with him.”

“Oh?” That certainly was a surprise. “Who did you choose?”

Egar motioned toward the path behind him with a quick tilt of his head. As Drayce dutifully looked in that direction, he immediately recognised the familiar figure as they approached. They may be wearing the armour that all Iorian guards wore, but Drayce recognised him all the same. It was the flock of chickens at his heels that really gave him away.

“Virgil? Hey!” Drayce greeted as the guard meet up with them.

“Good morning,” Virgil returned as he removed his knapsack from his shoulder and placed it at his feet.

“You're joining us?”

“Yes,” Egar was the one to answer. “Under the guise of supporting Prince Ramus. Though, I'm sending him on this expedition as a vacation of sorts.”

Drayce nodded his head in understanding. “Well, Virgil is a hard worker.”

But what Egar said next caused him some concern. “His illness is also acting up.”

Virgil immediately sighed and sent Egar a sour look. “You just had to tell them, didn't you?”

“I doubt you would be able to hide for very long,” Egar was quick to retort.

Drayce wasn’t surprised that Egar was concerned. He and Virgil had been friends for many years. And Virgil had been dealing with his illness for many years, too. It often left him exhausted and in discomfort, but since he lived alone (besides his chickens, of course) he still needed money to pay for his medicine. He didn’t want to rely on charity, as he believed there were others in more dire need than him.

That was why Egar gave him the job of a guard on the first floor. Close to the entrance at that. He could be helpful in guiding new explorers while also allowing for him to indulge in the one other thing that brought him some joy.

Egar was such a huge softy. It was a shame he couldn’t join also. But if there was anyone who could keep both the council of Iorys and explorers under control, it would be him.

“From what I understand there's several dedicated healers already on Maginia, so I'm sure Virgil is in good hands,” Drayce said. A thought soon occurred to him, however. “Wait, what about your chickens?”

Virgil gave him a small smile. “They'll be joining, too. Maginia is allowing livestock to help with the feeding of residents and explorers.”

Ah, that made sense!

“I've also been told that I can bring my little flock of hens into this Sanctuary,” Virgil continued as his pet chickens patiently clucked at his feet. “Apparently, it's the name of a community that is housing the guilds and explorers that a man called Villard had gathered.”

Drayce watched idly as another chicken darted from behind him to join the little flock. “Deloris will be happy to be with her sisterhood of chickens again.”

That got an amused laugh from Virgil. He soon paused as a mild look of discomfort spread across his face. He continued to smile absentmindedly, however, and patted at his chest.

“Faelen, Sarkis; help Virgil with his chickens,” Drayce called out.

“Kay,” Faelen happily replied as he and his brother joined Virgil’s side to help him get both his little pets and belongings ready to join Maginia.

Speaking of which. They couldn’t dawdle for any longer.

“We should get going.”

“Yes,” Ramus agreed. Quite eager to get the expedition started. However, as his expression fell into a solemn look, he turned to face his loyal knight and guildmaster. As he did so, Drayce dutifully took a step back to allow the two to talk in peace.

“Egar, thank you. For everything.”

Egar unexpectedly reached up to remove his helmet, revealing a scarred but fatherly face. He set his helmet in the crook of one arm as he placed his other hand on Ramus’ shoulder. Again, in a comforting and father manner. “Not at all. Go on, your Highness. Learn more about yourself and your role. Meet new people. Learn their stories and share your own. And have fun.”

Though tears glimmered in Ramus’s eyes, he managed to smile and nod his head. “I will try.”

The scene was heart-warming. Yet, there was a sense of underlying sadness to it. Egar and his wife were more supportive and comforting than Ramus’ own parents. In fact, they were closer to him than his parents. Case in point; Egar accompanied Ramus to the gates of Maginia while his parents stayed within the palace walls.

Did they know that he had chosen to join this expedition? Did they even care?

Drayce shook his head to rid himself of that thought and placed a smile to his lips. “We'll take good care of him,” he promised.

Egar glanced over at him and nodded his head. “I know you will. And Virgil, remember to take your medicine daily.”

Virgil sighed and nodded as Egar moved to replace his helmet. “Yes, yes.”

That was their cue to move on. No matter how tough it was. Goodbyes were always difficult. But they weren’t forever. They would return one day. And Ramus would have stories of his own to tell and share with Egar.

As they moved together to board Maginia, Drayce slipped an arm around Ramus’ shoulders and pulled him to his side. “You ok?” he asked softly.

Ramus automatically nodded his head. “Yes, I’m fine,” he replied, though that was indeed a lie. His royal duties forbid him from showing weaknesses, after all.

“Nervous?”

Ramus didn’t immediately reply. He was silent for a moment, his eyes forward and his face passive. He soon nodded his head, however. “…A little. It’s no surprise. But I’m excited, too.”

“So am I,” Drayce returned as he tugged the young prince firmly against his side. “But we’re all together in this. This should be a lot of fun.”

That got a small chuckle from Ramus. “I certainly hope so.”

Drayce smiled reassuringly down at his little brother and they both lapsed into silence as they followed the carriages with their luggage and the rest of his guild.

As they walked along the large boarding bridge that led to the inner city of Maginia, they entered the large steel hull, momentarily plunging them into darkness. But after a few minutes they stepped back out into the light. And found themselves in the middle of a large city.

It was quite beautiful. Tall, sturdy buildings with stone roadways and paths. The city wasn’t as open as he was used to. Not unlike Iorys. Covered pathways, buildings made from strong masonry, and the parks and gardens were enclosed. There was a large steel ceiling over the entirety of the city itself.

Well, since it was a literal flying city, it made sense.

They continued to follow the carriage through the streets. After a few minutes they soon reached a set of steel gates set within a tall sandstone wall. The gates were opened into a large courtyard.

When the carriage stopped, Drayce assumed that they had reached their new place of residency, known as The Sanctuary.

He looked around the courtyard and soon narrowed in on a small group of men that stood together in front of a set of opened doors. He recognised two of them. Specially Axel and Lynus. But those that stood with them were completely new.

“Do try to behave yourself.” As Drayce walked through the gates and down the path, he heard Lynus say to a man with long brown hair and dressed in purple robes.

“You may be the first and only person that I’ll allow to order me around.”

“That was hardly an order, but a plea.”

The man with brown hair shook his head. “Even so. And solely for the fact that if I do something to upset you, I’m fairly certain Axel wouldn’t hesitate to launch me into the vacuum of space.”

“He wouldn’t do that,” Lynus returned as he nudged Axel with his elbow. “Would you?” Axel didn’t answer, however, which prompted Lynus to turn to face him. “…Axel?”

“We all know the answer to that,” Axel stated, which prompted everyone else to laugh aloud at the response.

Lynus, however, shook his head as he sighed. He soon straightened his posture, however, and turned to look behind him. His gaze immediately narrowing in on Drayce. And a large smile appeared on his lips. “Ah, Drayce! Welcome!” he greeted warmly.

“Haha, thanks!” Drayce said in response as he stood before the group. “Glad to be here.”

“Is everyone here?” Lynus questioned as he glanced over Drayce’s shoulder, where his guildmates were in the process of unpacking the carriage.

Drayce nodded. “Yup, everyone is accounted for.”

“Good. That means everyone has finally been gathered together,” Axel said with a half-smile before he turned his head to glance at the tall brown-haired man that stood next him. “Time to start with the introduction process.”

“Yes,” the man said in response to Axel before he took a step forward and offered his hand toward Drayce. “My name is Roxbury, leader of the Phaedron Guild from Tharsis.”

As Drayce shook his hand, another man with light-brown hair and a scar on his left eyebrow took a step forward to offer his hand, also. “Lindis. A representative for Etria and the Midgard Library.”

“And I’m Oracle,” the man Lynus had pleaded with just moments ago quickly introduced. “Leader of the Aurora Guild from Armoroad.”

Drayce shook their hands in turn, nodding and smiling. “Drayce, leader of the Angelward Guild.”

Lynus turned around and gently pulled a young man to his side. Purple hair and striking blue eyes, the young man appeared shy, skittish even, as he clung to the front of Lynus’ coat. “This is Azure, my apprentice.”

Axel slipped his arm around the neck of a man with spiky blue-hair and pulled him playfully to his side. “And this guy’s my protégé,” he introduced, earning a light blush from the teen in his hold. “His name is Zadkiel.”

Apprentices, huh? Drayce got the feel that they were more like adopted little brothers.

“Nice to meet the lot of you,” Drayce returned in a friendly, good-natured manner.

Roxbury continued to smile politely as he glanced over Drayce’s shoulder, to where his guildmates were gathering together to ensure their belongs were all accounted for. “Ah, you have a large guild, too.”

“Yup,” Drayce replied readily. “And from what I hear, so does everyone else.”

“Very true,” Roxbury said around a chuckle. “There’s going to be a lot of introductions to be had, that’s for sure.”

“Good to see that Prince Ramus is here, too,” Lynus said in earnest as Ramus moved to stand by Drayce’s side.

Ramus smiled politely. “Please, just Ramus will do. I’m not a prince here on Magina.”

Lynus unexpectedly chuckled. “I was going to ask about that. We have a few sovereigns with us already and they bristle at the thought of formalities.” He paused for a moment as a thoughtful expression appeared on his face. He tapped his cheek in thought and asked a rather unexpected question; “Hm. Do you have any interests or hobbies?”

It seemed that Ramus was also caught by surprised by the question. “Oh, well…”

Tokala appeared behind Ramus and draped himself over his back and shoulders in a friendly manner. Something he liked to do often because, in his words, Ramus was the right height for cuddling.

“He enjoys cooking,” he answered for him before he raised an arm into the air and exclaim, “And so do I!”

That answer seemed to please Lynus and he smiled. “Ah, that’s prefect. We could always do with more cooks in the kitchen. Flavio would be more than happy to teach you a few recipes.”

“Ramus’ a good cook, too,” Drayce said proudly, and from the corner of his eye he saw a light dusting of red on his cheeks. “He might be able to teach a few things, too.”

“Of course,” Lynus replied as he nodded his head idly. He also gazed absentmindedly around at the others. His eyes soon paused. “Hm? I see a new face.”

Drayce didn’t need to turn to look for himself to know who Lynus had to be referring to. “Yup. That’s is Virgil. The council wouldn’t let Ramus join unless he took a guard with him,” he explained.

He paused to finally glance over his shoulder toward Virgil, who thankfully appeared to be busy inspecting his chickens with Faelen to notice. He then turned back around to give Lynus his attention. And motioned for Lynus to lean in. Though somewhat startled, Lynus curled a piece of his hair behind his ear and leaned forward.

“He’s also not good health wise,” he whispered.

A flicker of concern immediately appeared on Lynus’ face and his eyes darted over in Virgil’s direction once. “Yes, I can see,” he murmured after a moment.

Lynus appeared that he wanted to ask a few health-centric questions when there was a suddenly noise of a window being slid open. Followed by the shout of someone sounding excited.

“Chickens! Cress, there’s chickens!”

Surprised, Drayce and those with him turned toward the sound of the noise just in time to witness a couple of young teens scramble out of an open window. One with blond hair, the other with purple. They looked to be in their early teens at the very most.

“Joren, Cress,” Oracle called out chidingly. “What have I told you about jumping out of windows when you get excited?”

The teen with blond hair paused. “Um. Make sure the window remains open so I can get back inside?”

“And check the height before leaping out,” Oracle finished before he made a shooing motion with his hand. “Now, go on. Don’t forget the introduce yourselves.”

“Kay,” the blond said before the two kids made a beeline to Virgil, and his chickens that pecked and scratched contently at his feet. “My name is Joren and this is Cress. Are they yours?”

Virgil regarded the two with a curious, but amused tilt of his head. “Yes. I raise and care for these chickens. They’ve even been in the labyrinth.”

“Wow, really?” Cress returned honestly enthusiastically. He then turned to face Oracle and those that stood with him. “Are these chickens staying here?”

Oracle folded his hands into the sleeves of his cloak while he turned to look toward Lynus. Likely asking him for what he thought.

“Hm. I don’t mind,” Lynus finally answered. “Maybe they would be ok in the greenhouse?”

“They’re quite docile,” Virgil reassured as Cress crowded down to give one of the clucky chickens a cautionary pat. “They’ll be happy anywhere as long as they can do their pecking and scratching.”

“I haven’t raised chickens before,” Joren revealed. “Can I help?”

Virgil smiled. “Of course.”

And the look of excitement on Joren’s face was genuine. “Thanks! Suzy will like them, too. Oh, Suzy is my pet lamb. I’m making a garden in the greenhouse. Nitish and Jeroden are helping, too. You’ll like them.”

“Joren,” Oracle called out, interrupting Joren’s rambling. “Show Virgil to the greenhouse and help him get his chickens settled in.”

“Kay,” Joren immediately returned before he reached out to grasp Virgil by the wrist, ever-so-slightly startling the gentle guard. “This way, Mr Virgil.”

Virgil glanced toward Ramus, silently seeking his approval. And Ramus smiled in return. “Of course,” he said simply.

Joren quickly led Virgil by the wrist through the courtyard. He and Cress chatted happily as the chickens dutifully followed, clucking and chirping the entire way.

Good to see Virgil getting such a warm welcome. His chickens, too!

“Come on, Baldur!”

A new voice caused Drayce to turn his attention to what he assumed was the front foyer of the main hall within the Sanctuary. Appearing from the two large doors were two figures. Again, they appeared to be teenagers, no older than seventeen.

One with blond-hair and a friendly expression on his face. The other had greyish hair and purple eyes, and an expression of exasperation and disgruntlement on his face as the blond dragged him around by the hand easily.

“Stop dragging me around already,” the second teen murmured, though it fell on deaf ears. And his voice wasn’t that loud to begin with, so it was likely something that happened often. More often than not, perhaps.

Roxbury turned toward the two and smiled. “Ah, good,” he said as the blond continued to drag the other until they reached Roxbury’s side. Roxbury moved to stand behind them and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “These two are Blayden and Baldur. Members of my guild. Baldur is a prince, too.”

Ramus immediately perked up at the notion as his gaze focused in on Baldur. “Oh?”

Baldur, however, furrowed his brow in disgruntled confusion. “Too?” he asked before he his attention suddenly narrowed in on Ramus. And he stopped.

“Yes, I am Ramus, Prince of the Earthlain Royal Family,” Ramus introduced. An introduction he had given many times before.

Baldur didn’t reply, however. Drayce wasn’t sure, but he could have sworn that a lump of emotion lodged itself in his throat. And his hand, the one held by Blayden, suddenly tightened into a fist. “…I see,” he said, slowly. “Do you have…?”

He trailed off, however, and simply…looked. His expression was melancholiac in a way. Far away. Lost in thought. Or memories.

Ramus was both unnerved yet concerned. “Um…?”

Baldur abruptly snapped himself from his thoughts and he turned to look away. “Nothing.”

“Well…It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Ramus stated, politely.

“…Yeah. You, too,” Baldur said before he abruptly turned around, pulling his hand from Blayden’s. “I have to go.”

A tense silence fell over them as Baldur power-walked back through the doors to which he was dragged through. Blayden watched him leave with a…pained look on his face. He finally torn his gaze away to instead share a look with Roxbury. The taller man just smiled sadly, however.

Drayce didn’t need to know everyone to know that Baldur was haunted by something. He was curious, concerned in a way. That was the big brother in him, honestly. Still…

“…Anyway, once you guys get settled in, I’ll show you around!” Blayden suddenly announced and waved at them before he spun on his heel and jogged away. In the direction Baldur disappeared in.

“Did I do something wrong?” Ramus asked softly, worry abundant in his voice.

“No, it’s not you,” Roxbury immediately reassured as he turned to give Ramus a small, comforting smile. That smile soon faded, however. “Baldur…has been through a lot. And carries deeps scars of his kingdom, you could say.”

He was purposely being vague. Which was understandable. It was painful for Baldur. Something that his guild knew, but wouldn’t talk about in his absence, nor without his consent. And Ramus soon realised that.

“I see…” Ramus returned with a nod of his head. He glanced over in the direction that Baldur left. In his eyes was concern.

And yet, Drayce could see a small sense of bubbling determination. Determined to get to know Baldur. Maybe make friends with him. In a way, that made Drayce happy. Ramus practicing his right to be stubborn and curious was a very good thing indeed!

The sound of his brother’s wheelchair pulled Drayce from his musings, and he turned to instinctively look for his twin. Sure enough, Kyrell wheeled Rhain in his chair toward them. Though he looked tired, he had a small smile on his lips.

On his lap, a small black bird. Fat, fluffy, sitting on its butt with its little yellow legs sticking out in front of it. And a tongue flopped out from one side of its peak. A dopey looking bird, honestly.

But it was no ordinary bird. That was Raven. A wraith. Kyrell’s wraith partner. Despite its appearance, Raven was rather…intimidating in nature.

“Rhain, how are you feeling?” Lynus asked gently as he walked over to him.

“I’m feeling all right today,” Rhain answered truthfully. “I’m happy that everyone is together.”

Lynus smiled in agreement. “It is comforting, isn’t it?”

Raven suddenly flapped its stubby little wings and took to the air. Lynus watched, his eyes widening in surprise as Raven flapped over to him. Instinctively, Lynus raised his hands up, letting Raven to drop down onto his upturn palms.

The moment that Raven touched Lynus’ hands, his head reeled back sharply in surprise. “That…?” he murmured.

“This is Raven,” Kyrell explained simply. “He’s a wraith.”

Lynus, however, didn’t answer. Just stared wide-eyed at Raven. He appeared confused, startled, and just bewildered. It was highly likely that he didn’t know how to take the wraith before him. Didn’t understand what he was sensing.

“He has quite a presence,” Rhain said sympathetically.

“Y-yes,” Lynus finally stuttered as Raven rose from his hands and flapped back over to Rhain’s opening arms. “I’m…sorry, I don’t have much experience with wraiths.”

Rhain wrapped his hands around Raven and pulled it toward him, gently nuzzling his cheek against him. “Raven has protected me numerous times. He’s kind.”

Lynus continued to eye the wraith with a curious gaze. “I see,” he said simply.

“More puppies!”

Lindis immediately spun around and suddenly, he had a small brown-haired child in his arms. The child himself looked confused as to why he was suddenly not going anywhere, and that his feet was no longer touching the ground.

Shortly afterward, another appeared from the entrance of the large building at the end of the courtyard. He ran over to Lindis, who kept the child in his arms quite easily, even as the child began to wiggle and struggle. He stopped in front of Lindis and leaned forward to rest his hands on his knees, as he panted.

Oddly, he was another orange-haired medic. He looked strikingly similar to that of Lynus.

“Hah,” the orange-haired man wheezed. “T-thanks. He’s getting faster, I swear.”

Lindis simply smiled as he manoeuvred the kid in his arms, so that he was holding him under one arm. Carrying him much like one would with a heavy sack of potatoes.

“Hey, Remedy, you all right there?” Axel was the one to ask.

Remedy nodded his head as he continued to pant heavily as he rested against his knee. “Getting there.”

“This is Remedy and his nephew, Nathan,” Lynus quickly introduced. “We’re not related, though we’re both medics.”

Oh, ok. Somewhat like Salim and Andre, then? Unifamilial twins or doppelganger. Ah, didn’t matter.

“Anyway, let’s get you lot settled in,” Axel said as he looped an arm around Drayce’s neck and dragged him toward him. “After that, expect to meet a few characters.”

“Hah,” Drayce chuckled as he let Axel lead the way inside. “Looking forward to it.”

… … … … …

Whew. Axel wasn’t kidding when it said there were a lot of introductions to be had!

There had to be well over a hundred people living within the Sanctuary. Most of them explorers. Experienced explorers. With specialised skills. Investigators. Search and rescue experts. Researchers. Just guys who are generally helpful.

There were also those who weren’t explorers, but still supportive with their own skills. A builder of airships. A bar-keep who would garner up requests. An inn-keeper. Guildmasters. Even important figureheads were all on board.

They certainly had an interesting group of people on the expedition.

Drayce entered the dining hall and took a moment to glance around. He soon noticed that Zohar seemed to be speaking with a small group. He appeared to be the focus of attention, really. There wasn’t a sense of discomfort from him. In fact, the slight upturning of the corner of his mouth, there was a very slight sense of amusement.

“I hope I’m not being intrusive,” Simon started. “But I had heard that you have something called Wraiths that you use in battle, correct?”

“This is true,” Zohar answered simply. Soon after he said that, Drayce felt that chilling forewarning to Theodore.

Seemingly materialising out of thin air, Theodore dramatically appeared before Simon and those that stood with him. There was a notable gasp of surprise from the small group, and Drayce anticipated either yells of fright or someone lashing out to defend themselves. The usual reactions.

Theodore really needed to stop scaring people like that.

Varuna was the one to react first by lashing out his unarmed hand and…grabbing a handful of Theodore’s face.

“It’s so squishy,” Varuna unexpectedly stated in a slightly confused tone as he grabbed at Theodore with both hands, compressing him and decompressing him in an experimental manner.

As Varuna continued to inspect Theodore’s elasticity, Simon joined him readily with his own prodding and poking. “Interesting. Feels like soft rubber. Very adaptable.”

“Do you think it can bounce?” Flavio asked as he, too, gave a few cautionary but experimental pokes.

“I’m more interested to know if it’s resistant to fire~” Sigil grinned almost menacingly.

That…wasn’t the kind of responses Drayce had been expecting. But he was thrilled by them nonetheless. They all appeared to be cool guys. Perhaps researchers in their own right. Always good to have an interest in the unknown and unexpected.

The four men continued to chat quite excitedly to each other as they poked and prodded the white wraith in interest. Completely ignoring the fact that Theodore flailed about, his face in an expression of distress as he waved a surrendering and pleading arm in Zohar’s direction.

Pfft. Theodore was likely enjoying the attention in some way. He could easily get himself out of their grasp if necessary.

A few muffled chuckles urged Drayce to turned toward the sound and noted that another small group of explorers had gathered together close by. No doubt attempting to keep a close eye on the other group. Or simply observing their surroundings out of habit. Blayke was with them, too. Good to see!

“Man,” Bryce sigh aloud with an exasperated shake of his head. “Researchers.”

Next to Bryce, Axel gave a half chuckled. Though, there was a sense of self-loathing to it. “That’s a better response than mine.”

“What?” Kardos started with an amused tone to his voice. “Hauled off and punched it?”

Axel sighed. “In the face, no less.”

The corner of Blayke’s mouth twitched into a half smirk. “Into a wall. Left a crack, too.”

Bryce snorted, but it definitely had a sense of mirth to it. Kardos, however, released a laugh, and made no attempt to hide his amusement.

“To be fair, I’m pretty sure I would have, too,” he said.

Blayke’s expression darkened ever so slightly. “Little shit deserved to be punched in the face,” he muttered.

“Aw, man,” a new voice whined aloud. “Why does that thing get all the babes?”

Axel immediately honed in on the direction the voice originated from and his eyes narrowed fearsomely at none other than Agata. A ninja, apparently. Even with the high visibility orange vest. And Drayce had been…warned about him.

“Talking about someone needing a punch to the face…” Axel said, warningly.

Agata had obviously heard him as his head whipped around in Axel’s direction. And winced in a comically unnerved and frightening manner. He made no attempt to respond. He simply scurried away. In a right hurry.

And Axel watched him through narrow eyes until he was out of sight. Drayce had to chuckle. Protective guys were always good to have around. Fun to watch, too.

Turning his attention back to his surroundings, Drayce’s gaze found its way to his brother. It was a habit, really. Rhain sat with another who was confined to a wheelchair, Zydon. From what Drayce knew, he was under Lynus’ sole care. Which kinda indicated that his health was pretty…precarious.

He seemed to get along with Rhain, though. And the two had a group of healers gathered nearby, occasionally turning to ensure that the two were comfortable. Lynus, Isiah, Remedy, even Fiorello stood together to chat.

Azure, Lynus’ skittish but sweet apprentice, however seemed to gravitate toward Rhain. He sat on the edge of a chair next to him as they talked. He was very shy and quiet when Drayce was introduced to him, but it seemed that both Rhain and Zydon were able to get a few more words out of him.

And at the table closest to them sat Ramus. With him sat Highland Count, Quinn, and Seyfried. Though the older men appeared to be the ones who did most of the talking, they did engage with him. And Ramus appeared quite interested in what they had to say.

It was honestly good to see. So many different people in one place, getting along, working together as they travel to an unexplored island. They were all good people, too. Drayce could tell they were. Their professions, their eagerness to welcome new people, their willingness to be of help for others.

Moving to Maginia for an expedition was a big step. But Drayce wasn’t worried. In fact, he was absolutely certain that he had made the right choice.

He was looking forward to what they’ll encounter once they get to Lemuria. Together. As one large guild.

#Etrian Odyssey #etrian odyssey nexus #fanfiction #gathering of guardians #ramus #simon #lindis #egar #flavio #baldur

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adrenalineguide · 6 years

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Volkswagen’s Golf GTI Autobahn and Kia’s Stinger GT Limited: Bringing fun back into driving

Text and Photos by Michael Hozjan

Whether you like it or not summer is over and with it comes the fall driving season. A time of year usually reserved for amateur car rallies, a last look at a vintage car show in New England, apple picking with some wine tasting in the townships, and of course leaf peeping in the Laurentians. I usually save this time of year to bring you a roadster or two but this year I’ve had so much fun with the two sedans featured here that I just had to include them as best picks for hitting autumn’s open road. Oh and of course you can bring another couple along for the fun.

Volkswagen Golf GTI Autobahn: the original hot hatch offers more than performance.

Every once in a while I come across a car that fits me like the proverbial glove, a vehicle that just feels right. Volkswagen’s Golf GTI is one such vehicle. The original hot hatch instills sporty performance, comfort and practicality but there are a number of features that separates it from other hot hatches, first and foremost is its overall feel. It’s quality personified, German engineering at a bargain price. Plant your butt in the Recaro buckets and your thighs and ribs are cradled in a way few other cars in this price range… and for that matter many pricier cars do. The thick leather steering wheel feels like you’re in control long before you even turn the ignition on.

The GTI takes the practicality and roominess of the Golf, tosses out the 1.8L four cylinder and replaces it with a 220 horsepower 2.0L turbocharged four cylinder, ten more than last year. Even better, it pumps out a whopping 258 lb-ft of torque that peaks at a low 1500 rpm so, yes it sends you back in the seat. Cosmetically the GTI adds a more aggressive front fascia in keeping with its persona that is highlighted by its trademark red stripe on the grille, and dual exhaust. If you miss the GTI badging, red brake calipers easily set it apart from the run of the mill Golf.

Two trim levels are offered starting with the base GTI at a very reasonable $30,595 equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission and the trademark plaid seating. The upscale Autobahn starts at $35,895 My Autobahn came with the same plaid seating (thankfully) which is a no cost option over the standard leather units, and the 6-speed automatic DSG. More on this $1400 option later.

The Autobahn package replaces the base car’s 17 inch tire/wheel combo with 18 inch units, an 8.0”high rez touchscreen to support the nav, cd player and other infotainment paraphernalia that we’ve come to expect from today’s rides. It is one of the most user- friendly multimedia systems on the market. Take note Honda. An 8-speaker Fender Premium Audio System with a subwoofer is included for those times you want to listen to your favorite songs instead of the sweet melody of the powerplant. Additionally, the Autobahn buyer gets LED headlights with adaptive front lights that steer into the turn as well as a panoramic sunroof. My tester also came with the $1750 Driver Assistance Package that includes adaptive cruise, blind spot and rear traffic alert, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection and park assist.

Aside from the usual audio adjustments, nav controls, the infotainment screen also lets you know how much boost the turbo is churning out and even how many g’s you’re pulling on acceleration or in a corner. OK that last one may be a little mickey-mouse.

Rear seat passengers will profit from the straight roof with ample headroom and there’s enough (22.8 cu.ft.) luggage space with the rear seats up to carry a weekend’s worth of luggage for four to your destination and 53 cubic feet with the rear bench folded. And getting to the destination is what the GTI excels in.

On the road

Now in its seventh generation, the refinements just keep coming. Drivers will appreciate the larger brakes pirated from the Golf R parts bin. I didn’t experience any brake fade through my trip in the back roads of Quebec’s Laurentians and managed to scare the heck out of a Boxster driver, that ‘s how flat this car handles. If there was a weak link, it was the all-season rubber more tuned for a family sedan than a performance car.

The 6-speed dual clutch DSG automatic is a wonderful piece of engineering with launch control that will propel you down the road faster than any manual transmission, no matter how quick your shifting skills. There’s also the ability to go through the gears manually on the steering column mounted paddles. The GTI also features four driving modes, Eco, normal, sport and custom. Switch modes and both throttle and steering input response changes. I question however why the Eco mode, which lessens throttle response to the point of blandness, and makes the steering too light, why VW would include it in a car known for performance. Besides I still managed average 7L/100km even with my spirited drives.

Electronically controlled limited slip differential helps you around the essess making an already great handler that much better.

But don’t think that for a moment the car’s performance suspension jars your spine. Even in Sport mode the GTI’s ride is comfortable, soaking up all but the biggest road imperfections.

Not all is perfect

Sadly, not all is perfect in the Land of Oz, and neither is the GTI. The sunroof in my tester had an annoying squeak and the DSG (Direct-Shift Gearbox), as good as it is, would shut the engine off at red lights. Forcing me to restart the car manually as the stop/start feature deactivated. Volkswagen is already thinking of dropping the DSG trans because of complaints of hesitation when the light turns green – something I discovered is remedied by leaving it in manual mode. Lastly the tire pressure monitoring system kicked in with an erroneous low tire warning – a common ailment.

The verdict

Tough choice between the base car and the Autobahn, but having spent a week with the Autobahn, I would have to opt for the upscale model and forego the $1400 DSG. Regular readers know I’m biased towards manuals and with a car that’s as communicative as the GTI, the manual would just be that much more seductive.

The Golf offers mature styling, combing luxury, performance and agile handling like no other hot hatch. No wonder it has such a big following. Oh and while your spouse might say no way to many performance vehicles, the GTI may just be the wolf in sheep’s clothing to get you to live your dream.

Price as tested: $39,045*

Still not enough power? There’s always the 292 horsepower all-wheel-drive Golf R…. it’s only money.

* Dealer prep and destination fees not included

Kia Stinger GT Limited: Kia’s big gamble brings big smiles

Suddenly the purveyor of sensible, economical, compact sedans and SUVs, Kia, has gone ape sh…oops, stir crazy and released a sedan that goes against everything it’s been known for and in the process released a performance sedan that I haven’t had this much fun with since my first time behind the steering wheel of Porsche’s Panamera. Ya, it’s that good.

Like the GTI, you just want to drive this car. Forget about the available 255 hp, 2.0L turbocharged four cylinder available in the base GT Line, the 3.3L twin turbo V6 mill is what your soul wants.

You might laugh when I tell you that the Stinger is touted as Korea’s answer to BMW’s 3-Series, but stay tuned and you’ll see why it’s not that insane of a claim. Penned by the same man that designed the Audi TT and the ’97 VW Golf, Peter Schreyer, the Stinger brings Teutonic design and engineering to the masses at affordable prices.

While the Stinger is available in either rear or all-wheel-drive elsewhere in the world, we Canucks only get the all-wheel-drive version. Available in three different trim levels beginning with the base GT Line which other than the 2.0L four includes Kia’s usual array of more bang for your buck - like leather seating, 18” wheels, 7” infotainment screen and a wireless phone charger for the paltry sum of $41, 895. Next up the corporate ladder is the GT adding the deliciously quick 3.3L GDI twin turbo V6, Brembo brakes, 19”Michelin performance rubber, dynamic stability control and a full-width sunroof. The GT Limited adds premium Nappa leather seating, heads up display, a 15-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, eight-inch infotainment screen with multimedia interface and nav.

Schreyer has moved up the ranks in Kia from designer to president. It’s easy to say that the Stinger is his baby and you can see his signature touches in things like the flat bottom steering wheel.

The end result is an edgy four-door grand touring sedan yet mature enough not to be mistaken for something out of a video game. There’s not a bad angle to the car but my personal favorite has to be the three quarter rear view, an angle that most other drivers will see. Schreyer’s design successfully combines luxury touches with sporty and stylish accents. Incorporating a high opening hatch to the family sedan eases access to the 23.3 cu.ft of cargo space in what otherwise would have been a miniscule trunk opening.

Sit in the cockpit and you’re surrounded by metal, leather, plastic, but it all works. Schreyer’s love of airplanes is evident with the round aviation style vents on the dash and aluminum accents. Like the Sorento I reported on a couple of months ago, the Stinger’s interior is slick. The tilt and telescopic heated steering wheel has a memory feature found in pricier cars.

Luxury accouterments include air-cooled/heated Nappa leather front seats, heated rear seats, wireless cell charging, 360 degree camera system, as well as the usual gamut of items we find in today’s cars like lane keep, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay. The Stinger has the largest front seat passenger legroom I’ve seen in a very long time – think limo rear seat. Even with the front buckets pushed all the way back, the back seat still offers the adults in the back ample legroom but headroom is tight.

The open road

We’re talking autumn drives and the Kia surprises and feeds every sense of the driving experience. Schreyer saw a vision for Kia and he brought in ex BMW M Division boss, Albert Biermann to perform his magic on the Stinger.

Mr. Biermann’s input can be seen in the adrenaline inducing performance goodies which include items that are familiar to the Bavarian marque, like big Brembo brakes, 225/40R19 Michelin performance rubber and hi-performance shocks. The Stinger GT is the company’s first car to feature a continuously adaptive suspension system.

Yes we’re not getting the rear-wheel drive car but the good news is that this all-wheel-driver is rear-wheel drive biased so you can still toss the rear out, but the awd system will kick in and transfer up to 50% of the available torque to the front wheels when the need arises, so it’ll keep you out of trouble and make you look good in front of your friends.

The 8-speed automatic (with paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel) is one of the smoothest quick shifting trannys going. Whether your climbing a steep grade, coming down the same grade, exiting the highway or accelerating to pass a slow semi, this tranny doesn’t miss a beat.

Set the launch control and the 376 lb-ft of torque will rocket you from zero to 100km just shy of 5 seconds, that’s faster than the V6 Porsche Panamera and the heads up display will keep you informed without taking your eyes off the road. Like the GTI, the Stinger’s Sport mode offers quick acceleration and crisp handling while not sacrificing anything in terms of cabin comfort. Steering is nicely weighted and the car has a nearly 50/50 weight balance thanks to the bulk of V6 being mounted longtitudely aft of the front axle.

This thing feels like a much smaller car, its agile, crisp and light on its feet. It corners flat and takes everything that you can throw at it and comes back for more. Oh the large scoops flanking the grille and the vents behind the front wheels aren’t cosmetic, they’re open to let fresh air in and hot air to cool the big Brembos and keep fade to a minimum, not that I experienced any on my road trips.

The verdict

Affordable performance sedan isn’t an oxymoron any more. Kia has successfully managed to bring us German engineering and upped the ante for other manufacturers to give us affordable performance sedans. The affordability doesn’t end at the dealer; my fuel bill showed I averaged a very impressive 9.0L/100km with mostly highway travel.

Kia is gambling a lot on getting enthusiasts to take them as a serious performance/grand touring car company. The Stinger has won accolades from around the globe and rightfully so. Those of you who are still skeptics need only remember that it wasn’t too long ago that we never thought Toyota or Honda would be in the luxury car business going up against the likes of Mercedes. Stopping at the local shopping mall I was mauled by twenty something’s who wanted a closer look at the car.

“There’s a guy with a white one that works down the street and I saw another red yesterday.” It seems the younger generation is open minded to a Kia performance sedan and I’d be proud to have the Stinger in my driveway.

If you’re looking for driving excitement and have been visiting Acura, Audi, Lexus and Porsche dealerships, do yourself and your family a favor and run don’t walk to you Kia dealership. Oh and did I mention the …warranty.

Go ahead and book that weekend getaway in the Presidential Mountains of New England, you’ve got a great excuse to go.

Price as tested: $51,855*

*Includes freight, colour charge, and A/C tax

Oh and if you bring the kiddies to school, you’ll be the coolest mom and dad in the world pulling up in either of these rides.

#vw #vwgolf #vwgti #kia #stinger #hothatch #audi #acura #lexus #porsche #panamera

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sf9pentascenarios · 7 years

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[Pentagon] I loved you.

✧ Member: Yeo One / Hongseok ✧ Genre: Angst ✧ Words: 6k I’m sorry it’s so long! TT ✧ Author: Jessie ✧ Notes: OMG I am so sorry if there are mistakes in this! It’s like 1:30 am right now and I just wanted to finish this.

Request:

Can I have an imagine with YeoOne when we date for a year then I go away for a year then come back and walk in on him kissing another girl (he moved on because I wasn't there). I move on (with HongSeok my bff in Pentagon) and he tries to take me back after breaking up with the girl. Could you make it angsty? Thank youuu 😘😘❤️❤️

One year.

It’s been one year since you’ve seen your precious boyfriend, Changgu. The butterflies welling in your stomach, as you settle into your seat after throwing your carry on bag into the overhead compartment, are enough to make you even queasier than the idea of being on this plane for the next twelve hours. You nervously look around at the other boarding passengers, before glancing out the window at the sharp colors of the runway lighting.

A year ago, you left the life that you knew behind to study abroad, leaving behind your boyfriend of just over a year and some of the best friends that you’ve ever had. Your tight class schedule and his schedule filled with practices and promotions with Pentagon made it difficult to visit one another. You wanted to see him so many times, but just couldn’t find the time, or money. So, Changgu insisted that it would be all right, that the time would just pass quickly and you would be able to see one another again before you knew it. Reluctantly, you agreed, deciding to save the money and return when your classes were finally over.

Little did he know, that you excelled in your classes and were able to finish them up nearly a month early, finally ending your year of study. You didn’t want to excite him while he was in the middle of promoting, so you decided to keep this a secret and give him the biggest surprise you could think of.

You have tickets to the latest Pentagon concert series and even have access to backstage, all thanks to your best friend, Hongseok, who helped you set everything up. When you told him about your plans, he was more than willing to help. He has always been there for you, and was actually the reason why you even knew Changgu in the first place. He introduced you to the other members at a party one night, and the rest is history, as they say. You instantly fell for Changgu and the two of you have been together ever since.

The plane jerks forward, pulling you from your thoughts and back to the situation at hand, your fear of flying and the anxiety building in your every muscle. As you roll down the runaway, you pull your phone from your pocket one last time and send Changgu a quick message telling him to work hard today and that you love him. You slide the phone back into your pocket, not expecting a message back anytime soon, and hold on as the wheels lift off of the tarmac.

Several hours later, seemingly the longest hours of your life, you arrive in Seoul, SO ready to see your friends again. As you file out to collect your luggage, you check your messages, but, as expected, there is no response. As usual, your stomach drops slightly, knowing that this has become a common theme as of late, but you quickly attribute it to Changgu’s busy schedule. Instead, you type up a quick message to Hongseok, giving him a head’s up that you arrived safe and would see him later on, excitement spreading through your entire being as you let the idea of seeing your boyfriend soon sink in. Only a little bit longer, you remind yourself, quickly setting off to find your suitcase and meet your cab outside.

Roughly an hour later, after arriving back home and freshening up, you are lined up outside of the concert venue, awaiting your chance to go inside. It’s shocking, jumping back into this life, but you couldn’t be more excited about tonight’s events. You quickly swipe your sweaty palms against the front of your jeans as you step up to the door to have your ticket checked. You hand the usher your ticket and extra pass. She looks you over curiously before calling over another employee. She whispers something to the man who joined her before telling you to follow him.

“Thank you,” you whisper to the female usher before falling in behind the male, who was already weaving his way through the crowd of fans. On more than one occasion you worry that you would lose him, but thankfully, you stick close enough to him that you don’t. He steers you down a side hallway before stopping in front of a steel door. Without hesitation, he pulls a key from his pocket and pushes the door open.

He finally turns to you and points down the newly visible hall. “I can’t escort you the rest of the way, but your friend should be in one of the waiting rooms at the end,” he tells you with a wink.

This action startles you. How did he know why you were here? “How did you…?” you ask, but he nods before you can even finish.

“I was made aware of your arrival by Hongseok, but was informed to keep it quiet. Only I knew about your arrival. The usher thought you were trying to forge a backstage pass,” he lets himself chuckle at his sneakiness, and you can’t help but laugh with him, before he quickly switches back into serious mode. “You’d better hurry before the concert starts,” he nods his head down the hall, ushering you into the doorway once again.

“Yes, thank you,” you offer with a slight bow as you duck through the doorway into the dimly lit hall.

You pass room after room filled with props and outfits, lighting equipment, and wires, until finally you come to the changing rooms near the end. You open the first door, but the brightly lit room is empty of people. The next door is cracked open slightly, a soft, golden light spilling out into the hall. As you near this next room, you hear a soft voice, resembling Changgu’s, drift through the door and a smile plays on your lips. There is a slight skip in your step as you reach the doorway, the thought of finally seeing your love enough to send butterflies fluttering through your stomach. You gently push the door open, expecting to see the familiar face of your long time boyfriend smiling in your direction, however, you couldn’t be more wrong.

Changgu is indeed in this room, the voice definitely belonged to him, but just as your eyes land on his beautiful face, his lips are meeting the lips of another woman. You watch in a shocked silence as your boyfriend kisses someone other than you, unable to believe that this is happening right now, unable to grasp what is actually happening. As his fingers tangle themselves in her hair, you take a step back and gasp for air, feeling as though the air has been knocked out of your chest.

How could this happen?

You swallow thickly, struggling to control your emotions. This was supposed to be a surprise for him, instead, you are getting the shock of your life and you can’t even begin to process all of the emotions coursing through your body. Pain. Shock. Sadness. Fear. Anger. Hurt. As tears begin to pool in the corners of your eyes, you shake your head, taking another step back until your back is against the wall on the opposite side of the hall.

“Ah! There you are!” the familiar voice of Hongseok calls from somewhere to your right. You can’t even force yourself to look, your eyes still glued on the scene playing out before you, and his voice is almost lost on your ears. As he reaches your side, Hongseok curiously looks into the room before you. “What the f-…” And before you even knew what was happening, he was in the room with Changgu, pushing him away roughly.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Changgu!?” Hongseok growls angrily, pinning the younger against the wall of the changing room, tightly pulling the front of Changgu’s shirt into his fist.

“What did I do?!” Changgu asks, clearly confused as to why his hyung would be so upset with him, never having seen this side of him before. He quickly scans the room nervously, trying to figure out what could have set Hongseok off like this, never once connecting these actions to the presence of the woman in the room. “What is the-…” He starts only for his word to fail him as his eyes focus on your broken form just outside of the room, suddenly hyper aware of what has upset his hyung so much, and your name silently falls from his lips.

Hongseok lets out a frustrated grunt as he sucks in a forced breath, trying to control his temper, but when your name slips from Changgu's lips, he can't hold it in any longer. His fist, which was previously balled at his side, sharply makes contact with the younger male's jaw. Your eyes widen and your hands clasp over your mouth, beyond shocked by your best friends actions. The sound of the contact, and the mystery girl's scream, echoes down the hall, surely alerting everyone else of the altercation. "You don't deserve to say that name!" Hongseok growls after decking his Pentagon brother.

A stunned Changgu, holding his freshly bruised cheek, a small line of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, slides down the wall, using his other hand to brace himself as he hits the floor. He stares up at the man standing over him, Hongseok's fists both tightly curled by his sides, before he finally turns and storms away, leaving Changgu alone to nurse himself in a shocked silence.

When your friend reaches your side once again, Hongseok lays an arm across your shoulders and pulls you away, leading you further down the hall to his changing room. You both remain silent until you are securely tucked away behind closed doors. He quickly guides you to the nearest seat, sitting you down, both hands resting gently on your shoulders.

He kneels down in front of you, leveling his eyes with yours and carrying an extreme amount of sorrow in his gaze. “I’m so sorry,” he offers even though this is in no way his fault, “I had no idea this was going on. I thought you two were happy. Had I known, I would’ve…” he trails off to ponder on what exactly he would have done. How could he not have known what was going on?

“Hong,” you whisper, your voice coming out as more of a choked croak, “This isn’t your fault. I should’ve expected something like this. I’ve been gone for nearly a year…” You say no more, and as the tears well up in your eyes there are no words to express the depression that has taken ahold of your heart, but you don’t have to say anything.

As soon as your voice vanishes into the quiet room, your cheek is pressed against Hongseok’s chest, held in a tight hug. He lets his hand rest comfortingly on your back, a soft shush blowing into your hair. “This isn’t your fault either,” he assures you, his voice equally as soft as yours was previously. “Any self respecting man would wait for your return…”

Despite finding comfort in Hongseok’s words, it is still too soon to forget the pain you’ve been dealt, but you decide to keep yourself distracted for now. You push away from your friend’s body, taking his hand in yours. You quickly look over his knuckles; only slightly redden from the contact with Changgu’s face. “Are you ok?” you ask, subconsciously running your fingers over the back of his hand.

“Yeah. It hurt him a lot more than it hurt me,” he says with a smirk, and you believe him. Hongseok prides himself on his strength. “No need to worry about me, I’m fine. It’s you that I’m worried about.” He takes both of your hands in his and shakes them up and down once. He gives you a comforting nod, silently reassuring you that he will remain by your side.

Just as he is about to speak again, a knock raps on the door, a muffled voice comes from the hall, “Final makeup check. On deck in 10.” It passes quickly; you can hear who ever that was moving onto the next room already. Within a few seconds the knob turns and the stylist enters, you have seen her many times before and she isn’t startled by your presence.

Hongseok stands as she enters, gently dropping your hands back into your lap. She quickly looks him over, touching up a spot of makeup just above his right eye and adjusting the slight curl of his bangs. When she is satisfied with his hair, she straightens the collar of his stage outfit and pats his chest once. “You’re all set,” she nods proudly at her work and turns to leave. “Good luck tonight!” She adds just before walking back out into the hall.

As you watch her leave, Hongseok claps his hand on your shoulder, “You better get to your seat.” You look up at him, not really wanting to go claim your seat, wanting to stay back here where screaming fans wouldn’t surround you. Without you saying a single word, he nods, “All right, you can stay back here. I’ll let the staff know. I’ll be back between sets. Stay out of trouble,” he adds teasingly, poking you in the middle of your forehead, before following in the stylist’s footsteps and exiting the room.

Just as the concert comes to a close, you rush to meet the members as they come backstage, immediately approaching your best friend. "Help me, Hong," you suddenly say, surprised by your own voice and the words spilling from your lips, "Help me get back at him." The thought had come to your mind during the last few hours after letting the events from earlier sink in. Changgu hurt you, bad, and you needed him to experience the bitter sting of hurt himself.

As if he knew exactly what you meant, Hongseok pulled you into a tight hug, in full view of the others as they exit the stage, but hugging wasn't going to be enough. They have seen the two of you hug before, many times, that's just a natural part of your long time friendship. You needed something else. You needed something more shocking. You need this. Without thinking, you jump straight in for a kiss, and as you press your lips roughly against your friend's you can hear the shocked gasps from around you.

The other members were fully aware of your relationship with both boys, and knew that this wasn't how things were supposed to be. You were SUPPOSED to be kissing Changgu, not Hongseok. Curious, you peek out of the corner of your eye only to find half of the other boys staring at Changgu, who in turn was watching you, his mouth hanging agape. Clearly, the other members were not aware of Changgu’s fling from earlier either, and you knew that this would most likely show you in a bad light, but you didn’t care. Your goal was met. You just needed him to witness this.

It isn’t a long kiss, but the time seemed to slow, making it drag on forever. It wasn’t bad, but you rushed it, clearly only interested in making the target jealous. It must have worked, because when you look again, Changgu is gone, retreating to get ready to go home.

When you look back to Hongseok, about to thank him for helping you out, he is staring at you, an expression of shock on his face, but when your eyes meet his, a strange feeling sparks in the pit of your stomach. You shake it off and pull yourself free from your friend’s strong arms. “Hong, I-…thank you,” you falter, suddenly nervous to be around your oldest friend, but quickly recover. What is this feeling? You assure yourself that it’s nothing to worry about, and contribute it to just being under a lot of stress today.

“Do you…want to go get some drinks?” Hongseok offers, guiding you back towards the room that you spent most of the night in, watching the concert on a screen.

You shake your head, a yawn escaping your lips just before you answer, “Not tonight. I think I just need to get some sleep. It’s been a long day.” He agrees with a nod, sliding his jacket down his arms. “ You need me to take you home?”

“Nah, I got it. Thanks though,” you say, grabbing your bag from the floor near the chair. “You get some rest too, and no more fighting,” you scold him, sounding just like a mother, but a laugh follows and Hongseok joins in.

“Deal.” With one last hug, you bid him farewell and head back down the hall. As you pass other members, you congratulate them on a job well done and wish them a good night. That is, all except Changgu.

During the following week, it isn't a surprise that you don’t hear from Changgu, however, things have gotten a bit awkward with Hongseok. You don't talk as much as you used to, but you are sure that this is no one's fault but your own. How could you use your best friend like that? You regret kissing him, but at the same time, you don't. Too many times to count this week, you have thought about that kiss again and again, thinking about it more times than the kiss you unexpectedly walked in on.

When you least expect it, the feeling returns and you can't help but think about the way his lips felt against yours. Every time that you think about calling him, or sending him a message, your stomach flips flops over itself and your palms get sweaty, your hands jittery. Just the thought of him makes you nervous, even after being his best friend for all of these years.

When your phone rings, your heart stops and you find yourself anticipating, no, hoping, that it will be Hongseok on the other end. This time, unlike so many other times this week, it is. You hesitate to answer the phone, your heart pounding in your chest. Why I am like this? The familiar fluttering feeling returns to your stomach and you answer, "Hello?"

"Can you meet me for coffee?" Hongseok asks, jumping right to the point, his voice wavering ever so slightly, lacking his normal confidence.

The abruptness startles you, "is everything ok?"

"Do you have time now?" He replies, completely ignoring your question. You can't help it, but your stomach drops, suddenly worried about the well being of your friend. You mumble an "mhm" and he quickly continues, "All right. Meet me at our cafe in 20 minutes." It was more of a rushed command than a joint agreement, but he hangs up before you even have time to dispute the arrangement.

You stare at the screen for a moment until it goes black, entirely confused about what just happened, but you don't have time to wonder any further. The walk to the small cafe that you often frequent takes you at least 10 minutes, and you are still in your pajamas.

Hongseok is already there when you walk through the door, seated at your normal table in the back, two coffees steaming away on the table. He looks good, despite not being able to see much of his face, a mask across his mouth and a cap on his head. His back is to you as you approach the table, and the closer you get, the more your heart races. Just the sight of him is making you happier than you have been all week, and you quickly forget how desperate his voice sounded not so long ago on the phone.

You slip into the seat across from him after placing a quick hug around his shoulders. "Hi Hongie," you say with a smile, remaining chipper even if his expression is anything but. "Did you make it here ok?" You question him, trying to start up some casual conversation. But he doesn't respond.

Instead, he only sighs your name as he pulls the mask off of his face. He takes a sip of coffee before his eyes trail back up to meet yours. He repeats your name, louder this time. "I can't do this," he confesses, his voice shaking, yet strong. He takes a deeper swig of coffee before continuing again, cradling the mug in both hands slightly too tightly. "I've been trying to deal with this for a long time now, but now that you're back..." He trails off, nervously thumbing the handle of the mug. "I can't stop feeling this way now. And what happened... I'm sorry."

Slowly, you tilt your head to one side, trying to make heads or tails of the mess of words that are spilling from Hongseok's lips. You search his face for answers, but there are none to be found, you are just as confused. “Hongie, are you feeling all right? Did something happen?” Just as you ask, a thought strikes you and you cover your mouth. Your voice is muffled when you speak again, “You didn’t get in trouble did you?! OMG Hong, I’m so sorry. I didn’t kno-…”But he cuts you off.

“No. I mean, yeah. I did get scolded for what happened with Changgu. But you know what?” He looks you over briefly before continuing, “I would do it again and again. I would do whatever needed to be done to protect you.” He then goes silent the full meaning behind his words still lost in your confusion.

“So what happened?” You press on.

His eyes stare into yours for the longest ten seconds of your life, but he tells you, his voice so low that it was barely more than a whisper, “You happened, [Y/N].”

Your thoughts still unsure about what was happening, “What did I do?”

“You…” he pauses to think further about what he is going to say, “ You walked back into my life, more beautiful than ever.”

His words start to sink in slowly, causing a light blush to dust the apples of your cheeks. “Aw Hong, but you always say those things” you remind him, and it’s true. In the past, he was constantly complimenting you on every thing, on looks, on smarts, or on games. It didn’t matter to him, every thing you would do, he would love it.

“I mean it. A long time ago, I pushed aside feelings for you in order to maintain our close friendship. But [Y/N], I can’t anymore…Seeing you after this past year, reminded me of how much I truly care for you. I can’t hide it anymore. I know that this is such bad timing, but I needed you to know.” Once he is done speaking, he looks down at the coffee mug before him, slowly running his index finger around the rim.

“Oh… I...” but words escape you entirely. You never thought about Hongseok like that before, but you can’t deny the fact that something fishy has been going on lately. When you think about him, you become giddy. When you see him, your heart races. He is constantly on your mind. But, it is too soon for any of that. Your heart is not healed over the break that Changgu caused. “This is all wrong, Hong…” you admit, shaking your head slightly, finally taking your coffee mug into your hands.

“I know,” Hongseok says, shaking his head as well. “I hope that this doesn’t hurt our friendship, but you needed to know the truth.”

For a few moments, you get lost in the swirling coffee within your mug as you gently twist the mug around, your mind racing in every direction. With him confession, the feelings that you harbor become more apparent, but you don’t know whether to trust them or not. You don’t want this to seem like a backup plan because things went south with Changgu. You don’t want to move on too quickly without giving yourself time to heal.

“Hong?” You finally whisper, quickly grabbing his attention away from his own coffee.

“Yeah?” He responds, searching your face, taking in every detail and recording it to memory.

“Will you wait for me?” You ask timidly, finding it hard to maintain eye contact with the man in front of you, your voice so soft that you almost don’t even hear it yourself.

“Huh?”

You lock eyes with him just long enough to ask again, this time a bit louder, “Will you wait for me?”

He immediately sets down his mug and engulfs one of your hands in both of his. “I will. I will wait for as long as you need. I will wait until the end of time. Just please…don’t make me wait that long.” A smile plays on the corners of his mouth and you can’t help but smile in return. He lets out a sigh of relief, and you can see the weight lift from his shoulders.

“Thank you, Hong. You are the best friend anyone could ever ask for,” you confess, letting your fingers entwine with his. In return, he just smiles and brings your hand to his lips, gently leaving a single kiss on the soft skin on the back of your hand.

Honestly, you wanted Hongseok right then and there, but you waited, just not too long. Right after that meeting in the café, you settled things with Changgu and gave him your piece of mind, the first step in this healing process. Now, it’s nearly 4 months later, and you couldn’t be happier, and neither could Hongseok.

“It’s been one month already, can you believe it?” you ask your new boyfriend as you settle in next to him on the floor in the living room of his dorm, settling a plate of snacks on the floor in front of you.

“No,” he laughs, reaching in to ruffle the hair on the top of your head playfully, “I mean, I can, but I never thought that I would actually have the chance.” He picks up a slice of cucumber off of the plate before offering it to you, which you gladly accept.

“OH! I forgot something. I’ll be right back,” you pick yourself up off of the floor and scurry over to your bag near the front door. As you rustle through the bag, quickly finding the small gift you were looking for, the door opens. You jump back, but come face to face with Changgu, just as startle to see you as you are of him.

His mouth opens and closes countless times in the mere seconds that you stand there, Pentagon’s most talkative member rendered speechless. It’s a few more seconds before he is able to find any words, “Wha-what are you doing here?” His eyes are glued to your face, but you hide the tiny box behind your back to avoid any questions regarding it.

“I am here with Hongseok,” you deadpan, like he should have been able guess that much at least. There is another awkward silence before either of you says anything else.

“Good. I need to talk to you,” he admits, taking a step closer to you. He takes a deep breath to keep all of his emotions in check, before quickly spitting out, “Listen, [Y/N], I’m really sorry about what happened. It was so foolish of me to do that. I was wrong on so many levels. I took our relationship for granted and I didn’t realize how much I truly missed you until there was no chance of you coming back. Please,” he pauses for a breath and to collect his thoughts once again, “let me take you out for dinner. Let’s sit down and have a talk about what happened, A REAL talk. I think that we both need it…” As he awaits your answer, his eyes search your face, his hand instinctively reaching out to touch your arm.

You take a step back, silently telling him that you don’t want any sort of contact with him right now. You are still upset. You are still hurt. You don’t even want to see him right now, but here he is. “Changgu, I-…”

“Is everything all right?” Hongseok’s voice carries around the corner, mere seconds before he comes into view. His eyes quickly land on the other man, “Oh. What do you want, Changgu? The other dorm too boring for you?” The two clearly still don’t get along, a sneer forming across Hongseok’s face.

“No,” the younger member rebukes, I heard that [Y/N] was here, we needed to talk.”

Hongseok steps up beside you, placing his arms in front of you like a barricade, guarding you from getting any closer to the dorm intruder. “There is nothing for you to talk about. Go home, Changgu,” he jerks his head up, motioning back to the door.

Changgu doesn’t back down though, in fact, he takes a step forward, pulling a low growl from your guardian. “We have a lot to talk about actually. So if you don’t mind…” He reaches out his hand again, this time offering for you to take it, but Hongseok isn’t having any of that.

He steps completely between Changgu and you, nearly blocking the younger from view. “ACTUALLY,” Hongseok spits, adding extra emphasis to mock the younger’s previous line, “I DO mind. You see, your previous relationship is of no concern anymore. We are together now.”

Changgu takes a step back, nervous in his own skin as he is squared off against Hongseok. It’s just a moment of weakness though and he takes a deep breath and puffs his chest out just the tiniest bit. “Why would [Y/N] ever date a brute like you? You always lose your temper too quick. It’s a shame.”

You are just as shocked by Changgu’s actions. He has never before egged Hongseok on like this, and it’s completely jarring to see something so out of character. “Changgu, stop,” you add, trying to settle the tension, but it clearly doesn’t work, because he takes another step forward until he is almost nose to nose with Hongseok. This isn’t going to end well…you could feel it. You knew Hongseok better than anyone, and you knew that Changgu didn’t stand a chance, but you didn’t want to see either one get hurt.

“I won’t stop, all I want to do is talk, but “Hong” here only wants to talk with his fists. I’m just trying to get my girlfriend back.” They mocking tone in Changgu’s voice is enough to set Hongseok off.

Just like before, Changgu finds himself against the wall within the small entryway, the fron tof his shirt bunched up in Hongseok’s fist. “There is nothing for you here Changgu. Go. Home. Now.” He warns, his words hissing through clenched teeth.

Changgu laughs, albeit nervously, “There is nothing you can do. You know what they said about last time.” You remember Hongseok briefly mentioning the warning that he received the last time he decided to throw punches in Changgu’s general direction. Would he really risk his life here with Pentagon, all over you?

“Nothing?” Hongseok scoffs, “I wouldn’t call this ‘nothing’.” He releases the younger member’s shirt, and turns away, heavy breaths trying to steady his raging temper. When he takes a step, you lay your hand on his forearm, please that he was able to control himself, but scared of what else he has planned, if anything.

As soon as Hongseok’s back is turned, Changgu’s voice rings out with just one word. One word that would change the rest of the day, “Wimp.” His voice is cocky and confident, but he got the response that he wanted.

Without a single word, Hongseok once again clocks him square in the jaw, the force enough to throw Changgu onto the floor, toppling over your bag and shoes. “Can’t say that to my face, now can you?!” Hongseok moves forward to tower over the prone victim, but you grab his arm.

“Hong, please, it’s not worth it,” you plea, tugging him away slowly and step by step. When you have pulled him far enough out of the hallway, you force him to face you and you look him straight in the eyes. “Hongie, stop. Please. It’s over with him. I just can’t bear to see you fighting over me, over this.” Although you didn’t intend to sounds this way, but you are practically begging him to stop. You grip both of his hands tightly, searching his face, silently pleading for him to calm down.

As he squeezes his eyes shut, he pulls your head against his chest for a tight hug, whispering an apology. “I’m sorry… I never thought that it would be like this, but I just can’t deal with him any more. I can’t deal with how he treats you, even now.” His words touch your heart, making you feel that you are in the safest, most capable hands. When you look up at him to say something, he captures your lips in a sweet kiss, only to pull away a few seconds later.

“Hongie, let me go take out the trash,” you offer, trying to lighten the mood a little bit. “Everything will be ok. I got this,” you assure him, rubbing your fingers down his cheek gently. Reluctantly, he nods in agreement and releases your from his tight grip, watching you cautiously as until you disappear back into the hallway.

You find Changgu leaning against the wall, rubbing his aching jaw with his hand. “Again, really?” he mumbles to himself mostly, but you just shake your head.

“Why do you instigate him? This is no one’s fault but yours,” you tell him, sternly, yet trying to be as caring as possible. “Changgu, listen to me. Please. I told you once…you did me wrong, and I can’t forgive that.” You try to avoid eye contact, and he makes that easy.

He leans against the wall, head down and bangs hanging over his eyes like a thick black curtain. “Why are you throwing away 2 years, just like that? Don’t you remember what we were like together, or were you gone too long?” His voice is barely there, sounding more pathetic than you have ever heard before. And it stabs you in the heart.

The fact that this hurts, still, tells you that it is all still there. All of the emotions and love that you had for Changgu for the last 2 years. All of the memories that you’ve shared together.

“Can’t we please just go back to how things were before? Back before you left to study. Things were so good then. Even if I was busy, you were able to be there. You were always able to be there. I need that now. I need you…” his voice strains with the pain in his heart and it pulls heavily at your heartstrings.

“Changgu. Stop. Please,” you beg him, your voice dropping to a barely audible sound. “I know things were good then, but we can’t ever go back to that. So please, do yourself a favor, Changgu, and just shut up and let me go.”

Without any further words, you turn away, leaving him alone; the only sound a soft sobbing sound, causing you to stop. He’s crying, and it hurts. You needn’t worry about his feelings, but you can’t help but hurt with him. You take a deep breath and swallow hard, letting out a soft whisper before walking away to be with the man that would forever be by your side.

“I’m sorry, Changgu… I did love you…”

#pentagon #pentagon scenario #pentagon fic #pentagon imagine #hongseok #yeo one #changgu #yang hongseok #pentagon hongseok #yeo changgu #yeo chang gu #pentagon yeo one

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