#nctechnet

[neoneversleeps]

achromatopsia | l.dh

pairing: lee donghyuck x reader (gender neutral)

genre: angst, fluff

warnings: swearing, making out, mentions of a rare eye condition, anger outburst

description:

You fall in love with the colourful boy who sees the world in shades of grey. 

words: 8.7k

disclaimer: this fanfic in no way intends to romanticize the condition of achromatopsia nor does it intend to make light of anyone who deals with this condition. it’s only intent is to show that even though living with such a condition can be hard, it shouldn’t stop you from living your life like everyone else. also, i do not claim to be an expert on this condition, all my information has been gathered from internet research. 

playlist ☀

Lee Donghyuck. The cheery youthful boy with the red rosy cheeks and wide smile who lived down the street. The boy who played soccer in the fields of the nearby park, bright blue shorts and pink knees stained with green and brown patches. The boy whose laugh sounded like a burst of color, the sound fading through shades of pink and red and orange and yellow. The colors of happiness. The boy whose caramel colored skin was dotted with freckles and moles.

The boy who embodied the sun. Embodied the hues of pink and lilac when it rose in the morning, the yellow light as it shone through the day and the red glow as it set for the night.

Donghyuck was colors. He lived and breathed in them and the painstaking irony of it all,  was that he’d never get to see them. 

Achromatopsia.

“Achromatopsia is a condition characterized by a partial or total absence of color vision. People with complete achromatopsia cannot perceive any colors; they see only black, white, and shades of grey.”

By now, you could probably recite the entire Wikipedia article by heart from the amount of times you’ve read through it. 

You still remember the day you had first looked it up. It was sophomore year, sometime at the start of semester. The day you had officially met Lee Donghyuck, the annoyingly loud class clown and your recently assigned lab partner. 

You are working on your chemistry experiment alone. Your supposed partner chatting with his friends at the table over, his obnoxiously loud voice ringing throughout the class. You search through the list of things required for your experiment and diligently set everything up. You were used to working alone. While most of your classmates slacked off or goofed around, you actually worked on the assigned projects.

Although you must admit, it was getting increasingly difficult to balance all the various chemicals you had to add to the concoction in front of you while also controlling the temperature of the fire and reading through the instructions. You huffed in frustration, seemingly louder than you had intended, because your aforementioned lab partner was now right by your side. 

“Can I help?” You were surprised that his voice actually sounded genuine and that he had the decency to look a little guilty. Nonetheless, you were pissed. 

“Oh why thank you, how kind. I would most certainly appreciate your help.” you gritted through your teeth, the sarcasm rolling off you in waves. 

He shoots you a sheepish smile but you stare him down, and you swear you see him gulp as he turns towards the ingredients splayed out on the table. 

“Ok. What should I do?" 

Your eyes skimmed over the list of materials before you answered. "Pass me the hydrogen peroxide.” Donghyuck looked a little helpless at that and if you were in a different situation, you might have even found his expression endearing. Now, however, you resist the urge to roll your eyes. “The one with the red label." 

Donghyuck freezes at that, and you see his eyes flit nervously between the two substances in front of him. You were confused at the sight, why couldn’t he just hand it to you? 

You hadn’t failed to notice the way his friends at the other table had gone quiet as well, the whole classroom suddenly falling into an eerie silence. A strange feeling settles in your stomach and with a much quieter voice than before, you repeat your request. 

"Can you… pass me the one with the red label, please?" 

Donghyuck blinks furiously a few times, red painting his neck as he shoots a nervous smile your way. "It’s- I’m colorblind…totally colorblind.” He gulps after he speaks his words and his eyes  search yours for some sort of reaction.

It feels like the whole class is watching the two of you, breaths caught in their throat, much like your own. Your mind is on overdrive. Should you apologize? Should you stay quiet? Ignore it? What were you supposed to do? 

With what feels like a hundred stares burning into your back and your own cheeks heating up so much you thought you might burst into flames, you utter your next words. 

“The one on the left. Can you- can you pass me the one on the left." 

You internally chastise yourself for your small stutter and the fact that your heart still hasn’t stopped it’s incessant pounding.

It’s only until Donghyuck reaches for the red-labeled bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide and hands it over to you with a small smile that you feel your heart’s rhythm slowly return to normal. Time seems to unfreeze at the simple gesture and the chatter throughout the class starts up again as usual.

The lesson continues with the both of you working side by side in relatively comfortable silence. 

It wasn’t until the end of the hour that Donghyuck turns to you, one of the straps of his bag already hanging off his shoulder.

"Thank you." 

You’re momentarily stunned at his words. Why was he thanking you?

"For what?”

“For not apologizing.”

That night as you got home, you spent hours researching complete color blindness, a concept that was previously foreign to you. It was odd to the think that the boy down the street, the boy who had been your classmate throughout you whole childhood, suffered from something you weren’t even aware existed. 

The words you read caused a painful twist in your gut. It didn’t seem right to you that Donghyuck, whom you had always seen as the most colorful boy in town, saw nothing but the world in black and white.

You went to bed that night feeling restless, nothing but the honey coloured eyes of the boy that saw no colours invading your dreams.

Those eyes invaded more than just your dreams, since after that fateful chemistry class, you seemed to bump into Donghyuck at almost every corner. You saw him at the ice cream parlor at the edge of the town, at your local arcade where he hung out with his friends. Sometimes, he waved at you from his garden down the street from your house, as he tended to the flowers with his mother. His bright, wide open smile, so care-free and bold, contrasted your small shy smile, which you always returned.

To this day, you wondered if it was coincidence or fate that drew you two together. In your heart, you liked to believe it was the latter.

One tuesday, at lunch, you had found him sitting alone at a table, his usual loud group of friends nowhere to be seen.

Tentatively you walk in the direction of the sunny boy that sits alone at the usually boisterous table. The two of you hadn’t properly talked since the chemistry class incident, except for the small greetings from the numerous casual encounters you had shared, but still, something inside you pulls you towards him. As you draw closer, you notice an uncharacteristically somber expression on his face. Your heart twists uncomfortably, wanting nothing more than to replace his dark expression with a much brighter one. 

Once you place your tray down on the table however, Donghyuck grins up at you as if snapping out of a daze. “Y/n! What brings you here?” You smile pleasantly back at him as you sit down, although your heart feels heavy as you noticed his smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes. 

“I- I saw you were sitting here alone so I thought maybe…” You trail off as you look down at your hands. “You’re cute.” The boy in front of you comments as he leans his chin on the hand that’s propped up by his elbow. The smile never leaves his face. You don’t find it uncomfortable, Donghyuck’s smile might be the most beautiful one you had ever seen,but you can’t help but feel that he’s using it as a mask. 

You roll your eyes playfully at his comment and take a bite out of your sandwich. “Where are your friends? Don’t you normally eat lunch with them?” Donghyuck shrugs at your question.

“They have better things to do like cramming for our next exams.” You narrow your eyes at the boy. “And why aren’t you cramming with them?” Donghyuck lets out a soft chuckle and a playfully cocky expression takes over his face. It’s hard to picture his somber look from before.  “Oh please, I could ace those exams in my sleep.”

You nearly let out a snort and before long there’s a ripple of laughter that leave your mouth due to his words. Donghyuck looks mildly offended. “What’s so funny?” It takes you a few moments to compose yourself before you speak again. “No offense, Donghyuck, but I’ve seen your grades.”

Donghyuck’s jaw drops open as you continue to stifle your laughter through your hand. You can see how his tongue pokes at his cheek in light annoyance. Normally, you’d be afraid you had actually made him mad, but you see he’s fighting back a smile. It isn’t long before the baffled look on his face is replaced by a defiant one. 

“Do you think you’ll do better than me then, puppet?”

The sudden use of a pet name catches you off-guard for just a second, but you remain composed, easily playing along with Donghyuck’s banter. You lean forward on your elbows and cock your head to the side slightly. “Oh, I know I will.”

It takes a total of five seconds for Donghyuck to burst into laughter as he shakes his head at your words. “You’re a lot less shy than you seem. Has anyone ever told you that?” 

A rosy color rises to your cheek at the fond smile Donghyuck sends your way. Color. There’s a faint realization in your mind that Donghyuck isn’t able to see your blush ut you push the thought  away. 

As you speak next,you’re voice is quieter and soft, as if what you’re saying is a secret shared between you two. “Nobody’s ever cared enough to find out.” Donghyuck’s eyes soften at your sad smile and what he says next is just as quiet. 

“Well then I say it’s time to change that.” 

The smile he gives you afterwards is so bright that the sun that shines above you seems to dull in its presence. 

Donghyuck had kept true to his words. You never had many friends in your life, and none of them would you consider as close, but Donghyuck seamlessly becomes your closest friend in only a few months. He weaves himself into your day to day so much you wonder how there was even a time where he wasn’t a constant in your life. Through him, you earn other friends as well. Jaemin, Jeno, Renjun and Mark, Donghyuck’s childhood friends. They easily accept you into their little group and the six of you hang out almost every single day.

You had never spent that much time outside the house. In fact, you spent so much time outside, even your parents had noticed your absence. SOmething that didn’t usually occur since their work life kept them so busy. 

Although you hung out with all of them, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that most of your time was spent with Donghyuck. The two of you were inseparable. It was a given that wherever you went, Donghyuck went too. 

“Stop pulling on my arm!” You whine as Donghyuck tugs at your appendage, trying to make you fail at the arcade game in front of you, an annoyingly gleeful smile on his face. 

You inevitably lose and the small tune that sounds with the words GAME OVER is accompanied by the melodious laugh of the boy beside you. Donghyuck shrugs at your death glare. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s not my fault you suck at this game.” You try to swat at his head but he dodges your attempt. 

“Not your fau- how am I supposed to win when you keep distracting me?” You huff indignantly and he leans in closer to your face. “A true master does not blame their defeat on distractions, puppet.” His breath fans across your face and your cheeks heat up involuntarily once you realize how close he is. Rolling your eyes at him, you push him back at his shoulder, earning another cackle from the boy. 

“Well, let’s see how good you are, oh so great “master” of games.” Donghyuck winks at you before he gets to work. He grabs the controller and his brows furrow in concentration as he stares at the screen. 

You observe the vibrant neon colours of the game. You know that they’re nothing but dull shades of grey in Donghyuck’s mind, but it’s still hard to imagine even after all this time. 

The character on the screen bounces up and down, dodging the obstacles in its way. However you notice that the next abyss that approaches is filled with lava instead of the usual water and couldn’t be crossed in the small boat the character carries. You act upon instinct and place your hands over Donghyuck’s as you coordinate the maneuver necessary to surpass the lava pit. The small victory song hums out of the machine as the character reaches the finish line right behind it. 

Donghyuck looks down at you, his expression somewhat shy. “I had that, you know.”

“Of course, I was just being overprotective of little mister speedy here.” You say as you gesture at the character gleefully cheering on the screen. There’s a fond look in Donghyuck’s eyes as he stares into yours. You can’t help but notice how close his face is to yours once agai, as your eyes trail down to his lips for just a second. 

“Come on, slowpokes! We’re  already moving to the next floor!” Jaemin’s loud shout from somewhere to your right pulls both of you out of your trance with a jolt. 

“Coming!” Donghyuck shouts in return. He turns to face once Jaemin already runs off. He smiles briefly, plants a quick kiss to your cheek and then grabs your hand to drag you with him. 

More. Donghyuck and you had always been more than friends. It was clear from the first time you spoke, where you were left with butterflies in your stomach. It was clear from the way you looked at each other.The way your fingers absentmindedly toyed with his every time you sat at the table and from the way’s Donghyuck would often plant small kisses on your cheeks and to the crown of your head. 

At first, it felt like a crush, something you didn’t want to further in fear of losing the friendship you already had. But one thursday night at 11pm in your favorite diner, you felt your relationship shift. 

You scribble down the  equations, eyes moving from the sheet in front of you to the math notebook you were writing in. Two strawberry flavored milkshakes sit between you and Donghyuck, who currently had his chin propped up on his folded arms, eyes trained on one of the milkshakes. You look over to him or a second before resuming your homework. 

“Shouldn’t you be thinking of completing this assignment too? Its due tomorrow you know.” Donghyuck simply shrugs. You huff and shake your head, but continue writing in your notebook. A few minutes pass where the only sounds are your pen scribbling on the paper and the person behind the counter whistling along with the song that plays from the jukebox. 

“What’s the colour pink like?” 

Donghyuck’s sudden question startles you quite a bit and you place your pen down to look over to him. You follow his line of vision and land on one of the milkshakes that stands before you. It’s silent for a few more minutes as you think of what to say. 

“Pink is like… the feeling of cotton candy. It’s sweet and fluffy. It’s the colour of people blushing, of hushed secrets and hopeful promises. It’s the colour of falling in love. It’s also the colour of youth, of the bubblegum that you pop in your mouth and the colour of strawberry milkshakes you drink at a diner at 11pm on a school night.” You finish with a smile. Donghyuck smiles back and then closes his eyes.  He exhales slowly through his nose. 

“It sounds nice. I think I like the colour pink.” 

There’s an undeniable sadness in his voice despite the soft smile that plays on his lips. In that moment, you desperately want to trade places with the boy on front of you. He deserves to see the world in color just as much as you do, if not more. 

You also realize, that you’ve never really paid that much attention to the fact that Donghyuck was completely colorblind. At times, you would even forget it. Of course, you knew he appreciated the way in which you had never treated him any differently just because of his condition, but you oftentimes forgot how hard it must be. 

Donghyuck, though being open about most things in his life, kept any feelings about his condition under lock and key. In all this time you had never really talked about it. He brushed it off every time it came up in conversation, and you never pushed or prodded any further. 

That night, you swear to yourself that you would do anything in your means to make Donghyuck’s world as colourful as he deserved. And maybe, just maybe, that night you also realize that your crush on Lee Donghyuck was much more than just that. 

Some time after that night at the diner, the two of you were having your biweekly sleepover at his house. His parents were out of town, which meant you had the house to yourself. 

And in the early hours of the morning, after a sinful amount of movies and popcorn, your previous light conversation turned to something much deeper. 

You lay down on your back next to Donghyuck, the clock on his computer reads 3:07 am. The last movie had just ended and the both of you felt rather full from splurging on popcorn and other snacks. 

The last few hours had felt giddy, like the both of you had turned back time for awhile and just rejoiced in your youth. Now however, the room had gone quiet and the only sounds to be heard were your’s and Donghyuck’s shallow breathing. 

“Hyuck?" 

You were careful to talk quietly, scared that any louder sound would break through the veil of intimacy that had befallen the room. Donghyuck’s low hum is the only indication that he’s listening. 

There’s a million things you want to ask. A million things you still don’t understand despite all your research. So many questions in your head, but you settle on just one. 

"What is it like?" 

There’s no need for any specifications. Donghyuck knows what you’re asking. 

Your heart picks up in speed as minutes go by without an answer. You’re scared you’ve overstepped your boundaries and suddenly you want to take everything back. What if he’s mad? What if he hates you now? What if- 

"It’s hard to explain.”

Donghyuck steady voice cuts off your frantic thoughts, and you shift slightly closer to him, the both of you staring up at his bedroom ceiling. You wait patiently for him to continue. 

“My parents noticed how shaky my eyes were when I was still a baby. It’s called nystagmus, and it’s a symptom of achromatopsia. I also… had photophobia. Everytime my parents tried to take me out in the sun, I would scream and cry in fear. And the large stuffed animals my family bought me, they scared me to death. To me… they were just formless patches of gray or white. Visual acuity for people with achromatopsia is very…”

“ …low, I know. It gets better with age though, doesn’t it?” You finish Donghyuck’s sentence for him after he trails off. You look over to see that he now has his eyes closed as he nods slowly. 

Your fingers move to intertwine with his, and his hand grips yours tightly as you do. You give a small reassuring squeeze and he continues. 

“It has gotten a lot better…but-” Donghyuck sighs, his voice slowly getting less steady. 

“But sometimes, when I look at you in the sun.. it’s- it gets hard to make out your features and I- I hate it so much because I want to be able to see you. Truly see you and be able to- have this perfect picture of you in my mind but I can’t-. can’t because everything blurs together and I can’t- I can’t-” There’s a choked sob that escapes Donghyuck’s mouth as he talks and you immediately lean up to take his face in your hands. 

Your thumbs rub soothingly across his cheeks, spreading around the streaks of tears that roll down them. Donghyuck’s eyes are still shut and his breaths come out heavy and strained.

“Hey, hey, open your eyes, Hyuck." 

Donghyuck’s forehead draws together as he forces his eyes to stay wired shut and he shakes his head. 

"Donghyuck. Look at me." 

"Please.”

At this, Donghyuck’s eyes finally flutter open. Their red and watery and the fear that swims in them tugs at your heartstrings painfully. You manage to smile regardless. 

“I’m here. You don’t need to have some perfect image of me in your head because the real me is right here. Right by your side. I’ll always be right by your side." 

You wipe off the tears pooling under Donghyuck’s eyes as he looks up at you. 

"You promise?" 

You plant a small kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"I promise." 

You lay back down next to him and before you know it, Donghyuck curls around you, resting his head on your chest. 

Minutes go by as you gently comb through the boy’s hair and slowly, you hear his breath evens out. 

"Thank you… for talking about it. I know it must be hard." 

Your voice is barely above a whisper and it hangs in the air for a few more moments before Donghyuck shakes his head and nuzzles closer into your neck. 

"It was good to finally talk about it, especially with you. I trust you, Y/n. I trust you with every part of me, the good and the bad." 

You kiss the crown of Donghyuck’s head lightly, your hand moving to caress along his arm. 

"I trust you too, Donghyuck, with every part of me." 

You fall asleep that night, the boy you hold most dear safe in your arms,  your legs intertwined and your hearts beating as one.

As the start of senior year came around, you and Donghyuck decided to head to the beach as a way to celebrate your two years of friendship and to destress before the inevitable impending assignments you were to receive.

You had mentioned your plans to Jaemin in passing as the two of you stopped by your local cafe and you distinctly recalled his words at the idea.

“We’ll take my mom’s car, since she won’t be around anyway.”

Jaemin nods his head as you finish your small explanation, his foot tapping idly at the ground as the both of you wait in line. “And this is to celebrate your friendship?”

“Uh yeah. Why?” 

Jaemin rolls his eyes. “Oh come on, Y/n. Everyone in a one mile radius can tell you two are more than friends. You know, I’d really appreciate it if you’d just tell me straight up that you’re dating.” 

“But we’re not dating.” You state as if it’s the most obvious thing in the entire universe. 

Jaemin shakes his head at you. “Whatever you say, Y/n L/n.”

In truth, you’ve always known you were more than just friends. Nothing was ever said, but it remained as kind of an unspoken promise between you two. What’s more, you felt no need for any kind of title. You were content with your late night talks, the fleeting kisses on your cheeks, or hands, or forehead, and the lingering glances. You sigh quietly. Nope, you didn’t need any sort of official titles. None at all. 

“Venti Iced Americano. Ice, no water, with 4 extra espresso shots, please.” Jaemin smiles at the woman behind the counter as he orders his usual. Behind him, you recoil in disgust. 

“I still can’t believe you drink that vile concoction of yours.” Jaemin turns to you, an exaggerated look of offense on his face as he places a hand over his chest. “I’ll have you know, that this particular “concoction” is a delicacy.”

It’s your turn to roll your eyes. 

“Whatever you say, Na Jaemin.” 

A few days later, you found yourself in the driver’s seat of your mom’s car on your way to the beach, an overexcited Donghyuck sitting next to you. 

Chocolate by The 1975 blasts through your car’s radio at full volume. Donghyuck belts along the lyrics as best as he can, limbs thrashing around him as he dances to the upbeat rhythm of the song.

“We never gonna quit , no, we never gonna quit it, no!”

You laugh, loud and carefree, as you steal glances at your silly best friend. You nod along to the song and drum your fingers on the steering wheel, enjoying the way Donghyuck harmonizes with the vocalist. 

The warm wind blows through your hair from the open window. The air already smells of sea salt and sand as you’re close to approaching the coast. You glance to your right to see Donghyuck leaning his head out of the window, not unlike an overgrown puppy. 

With one hand on the steering wheel, you use the other to pull him back into his seat. “Stop hanging your head out the window like a dog. Are you crazy? You’ll behead yourself at this rate.” You reprimand despite your laugh. 

Donghyuck rolls his eyes playfully and pulls out a lollipop from your glove department, plopping it into his mouth. “You sound like my mom, puppet.” You don’t appreciate the comment and flip him off with your free hand. 

He gives out a chuckle at your annoyed expression and takes out his lollipop to give you a quick peck on your cheek. You wish away the blush on your cheeks as you stare at the road ahead, both hands tightly gripping the steering wheel.

It takes a little less than ten minutes for you to arrive at the beach, and even less for the two of you to run down to the water, leaving your clothing in the car as you were already wearing swimwear underneath. The sand is scorching beneath your bare feet, and it propels you forward faster, chasing after the boy in front of you. 

“Slow down, Hyuck!” You pant as you run as fast as you can to even keep up with your friend. 

Donghyuck’s laugh carries through the wind. “Catch me if you can, puppet!”

The coldness of the water causes you to shriek as you come in contact with it, Donghyuck already waist deep into the ocean. You brave forward through the waves until you reach him. “Asshole. Couldn’t you wait for me?” You say as you playfully stick your tongue out at him. He shrugs nonchalantly. “Not my fault you’re so slow.” He retorts as he pokes out his own tongue. 

You take the opportunity to splash water at Donghyuck’s face and watch in glee as he wipes the droplets from his face. Your giggle falls short however, at the defiant look in his eyes. 

“Oh, it’s on.” 

Before you know it, water is flying between the two of you at all heights and angles. A full fledged war of water splashes. Your shrieks of laughter are swallowed up by the strong summer breeze as you desperately try to outrun Donghyuck’s attacks. You had quickly come to realize that he had the upper hand in this particular game. 

Your attempts at escape are made futile, however, as you feel a pair of arms wrap around your middle. “Gotcha.” Donghyuck breathes next to your ear and your laughter mingles together. 

You place your arms over his as your laughter dies down and Donghyuck sways you slightly as you watch the rise and fall of the waves. 

Donghyuck’s voice tickles your ear as he cuts through the sound of rushing water. “What’s the colour blue like?”

You close your eyes and lean back into Donghyuck’s chest, letting your body enjoy the warmth he emits. You hum contently. 

“Blue? It’s like the water. Sometimes it’s calm and soothing, a comforting and calming presence that you’d use to paint a nursery. Like that feeling when a mother cradles her newborn baby, and it immediately ceases it’s crying. Other times, it’s strong and emotional. It can feel like plunging into the depth of something unknown. It can also represent sadness, like those tears you cry after having lost someone you love. It’s a beautiful colour, but it’s often related to sadness.”

“Then, what colour would you say represents me?”

You open your eyes and turn around to face Donghyuck at this. 

“All the colours of the sun. The way it paints the clouds in soft hues of pink and purple in the morning. Those represent your days spent in comfy sweaters, with your hair mussed ever so slightly and that small special smile you give me when I brew you a tea. Then there’s the strong yellow of the sun in its prime. That’s for when you smile the brightest, and your laughter is loud,  boisterous, youthful. For those times when you don’t hold back. When you don’t let anyone or anything… hold you back.”

Donghyuck takes your hand in his his as he lifts it up to his lips and plants a small kiss there. The fond look in his eyes makes your breath hitch for just a second before you continue. 

“And then there’s the dark orange that seeps into red right before nightfall. That’s for the times when there’s a dangerous glint in your eyes, the playful fire inside you. But it’s also for your passion. For the hours you’ve spent dedicated to the things you love. Like those nights you’d spent awake just to perfect that one song on the piano that was so damn difficult. You kept at it though. It’s admirable, really. You’re admirable.” 

Donghyuck’s hands come up to your cheeks. “That’s how you see me? Those are the colours that come to mind when you look at me?”

You nod. “Always.” 

Donghyuck leans in slowly and your eyes flutter shut as he finally closes the distance between you. Your first kiss is slow, languid, as your mouths move against each other, water lapping at your waist. 

Donghyuck’s tongue swipes at your lower lip and you easily grant him access, sighing as you further the kiss. Your hands move to link behind his nape as his move down to your lower back, pulling you flush against his bare chest. You kiss for what feels like hours before you’re forced to pull apart for air. Both of you smile at each other like two fools in love. 

That day, just before sunset, you drive back into the town, the taste of salt on your skin and your lips a distinct colour of cherry red. 

The morning that followed after your little trip to the beach, you awoke to multiple buzzes sounding from your doorbell. 

The ringing is incessant and you groan as ignoring it proves to be futile.Once you manage to drag your body out from the warm comfort of your duvet, you cross your room to open the window. The chilly morning air hits your face as you look down to your front door, blinking to adjust your eyes to the bright rays of the sun. You recognize the mop of brown hair immediately. 

“Hyuck?” You call out from your first floor window.

Donghyuck smiles up at you once he spots your figure from below, one hand blocking the harsh sun from reaching his eyes. “Come down! I need to take you somewhere!” 

You duck back into your bedroom and start flitting about to get ready. As you brush your teeth at lightning speed, you wonder what the hell Donghyuck has planned on a sunday morning. The events of yesterday also swim around in your head. Your heart stutters dangerously in your chest as your mind races with different scenarios of what was to come, but you eventually push those thoughts to the back of your mind as you focus on changing out of your pyjamas. 

You bound down the stairs, taking two steps at a time, suddenly eager to know what awaits you. You open the door in a flash and Donghyuck whips his head in your direction, a smile overtaking his face. He leans in quickly to place a kiss on your lips and you feel slightly lightheaded at the easiness with which he does. 

Donghyuck doesn’t waste any time and tugs on your wrist as he starts to drag you off somewhere, leaving you with barely enough time to shut the door. “Hyuck!” You laugh as he nearly breaks out in a sprint. You can tell he’s excited. “Where are we going?” 

Donghyuck turns around for merely a moment, a playful glint in his eyes as he smiles at you. “It’s a surprise.” He sends a small wink your way and you shake your head at his silliness. 

After a few minutes of walking through your neighborhood, you recognize the route you’re taking as the one that leads to your high school. “Hyuck, why are we headed to school? You do know it’s sunday, right?” You ask as you draw closer to the building. 

“You’ll see.” 

You huff in response to his words and he turns to look at you. “Were you always this impatient?” You stick out your tongue in retaliation, which earns you a small laugh from Donghyuck. 

The both of you finally come to a standstill under a willow tree that sits on a small hill just outside the school building. “Do you know where we are?” You raise an eyebrow at Donghyuck’s odd question.

“Um..yeah. We’re at school? I don’t really-”

Your sentence is cut short by Donghyucks groan as he rolls his eyes. He points his finger at one of the schools buildings, to a window that looks into a classroom and tilts your head with his hands so you follow his line of vision. “What’s that classroom over there?”

You still weren’t quite following. “The chemistry..lab? Again, I don’t-” This time you cut yourself off with a gasp. It finally hits you. The memory of sophomore year, the first time you ever spoke to the boy in front of you. 

“Got it now? I figured, for what I’m about to ask…” Donghyuck reaches for something inside his inner jacket pocket. “…it would be best to go back to the place where everything started.” He finishes with a small folded letter now in his hand. 

You stare at the folded paper before you. “Purple, it’s your favourite colour, right?” You nod. “Yeah.” You breathe out with a smile. The thought of Donghyuck probably asking one of your other friends to help pick out the right coloured paper for you warms your heart. 

You take the letter out of his hands, only noticing then how much they were shaking. Donghyuck was nervous. You fold open the piece of paper and read along the one line of text scribbled across it in Donghyuck’s unmistakable handwriting. 

"In my world full of greys, you’re my splash of colours.”

It’s short, sweet and undeniably cheesy, but it makes your eyes water all the same. One of your hands comes up to cover your mouth as you reread the words over and over, trying to permanently etch them into your memory. “Y/n?”

You look up at the mention of your name, and Donghyuck takes notice of the way tears threaten to spill from your eyes. He immediately moves a step closer. 

“Y/n, oh my God, why are you crying? This was supposed to make you happy, not sad.” He says as he wipes off the tears from the corners of your eyes with his thumbs. 

“It does.”,you choke out, “It does make me happy. So happy.” You wrap your arms around the boy in front of you, squeezing him tight as you plant butterfly kisses along his neck, jaw and cheek, all the while listening to the airy giggles that erupt from his mouth. 

You stay like that for awhile, just wrapped in eachothers arms, until finally Donghyuck pulls away. He jerks his head to the side. “Diner? I’ll buy you pancakes as an apology for forcing you out of bed.” 

You hadn’t even noticed the fact that you’d skipped breakfast until the mention of food brings out a growl in your stomach. The both of you laugh at the sound and you nod in acceptance to the offer. You take off towards the diner, hands intertwined and swinging between you two. 

“Hey puppet.”

“Mm?”

“Just so we’re clear, you do get that that whole thing back there means we’re official now, right?” 

You lightly punch him in the arms as you roll your eyes. Donghyuck wears a gleeful grin on his face. The grin is wiped off however, when one of your hands grabs him by the jaw and you smash your lips onto his, hard. You turn the kiss into a near make out as you nibble on his lower lip and tilt your head to push into him even further. And just as Donghyuck exhales in bliss, you pull away, his lips still chasing yours. 

You turn and continue to walk as if nothing happened. Donghyuck is left staring after you with a dumbfounded look on his face, as a satisfied smirk plays on yours. 

Not much changed in your relationship after that day, except for the fact that you would now introduce Donghyuck to people as your boyfriend instead of your best friend. Or the fact that most of your movie nights would now also include a make out session. Or the fact that you would nibble along Donghyuck’s ear as you whispered, Renjun gagging in his seat across from you. 

After you had broken the news to your friends, you had learned that they had long since placed bets on when the two of you would finally get together. Jaemin was the only one who had bet you would do it before the end of senior year and had cashed in a total of sixty bucks from your friends, of which you and Donghyuck requested twenty. 

“And why exactly should I hand over any part of my hard earned money?”

“Because, you wouldn’t have any if it weren’t for us.” You state matter of factly, Donghyuck nodding along, one of his arms secure around your waist. Jaemin begrudgingly hands over the twenty dollar bill, a scowl very evident on his face. 

“Thank you for your contribution.” You say, smile on your face sickenly sweet. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Jaemin mutters as he waves you off. You grin triumphantly as you look up at the boy beside you and Donghyuck grins right back as he plants a small kiss on your forehead. 

The next few months of school were stressful for everyone and the constant and seemingly never-ending amount of workload caused a slight strain in your relationship. The many nights of studying and finishing homework had made it harder for the two of you to meet or even talk for a while. 

One early evening, as you sat down to get started on your biology studies, you called up Donghyuck and asked to come over so the two of you could study together. That had seemed to be the only thing which would allow for some time together, even if it was spent with your noses buried in books. Donghyuck had sounded somewhat strained on the phone but he had agreed to your idea regardless. 

You knew Donghyuck had his bad days, but that night was one of the worst. 

You sit in silence on the floor of Donghyuck’s bedroom, the only sound in the room the one of highlighter pens scraping across the surface of your textbooks. For whatever reason, the atmosphere in the small room is tense. It feels like the air buzzes with some sort of energy every time you move, so you try to sit as still as possible. 

Donghyuck lays chest down on his bed, his eyes squinting at the page in front of him in concentration. You feel like you’ve been revising for hours, and honestly, you would like to just take a break and cuddle with your boyfriend, or at the very least be able to hold a conversation with him. 

You exhale a breath, thinking of conversation starters. You were never one for small talk, but you and Hyuck used to be able to talk about anything, and it never felt awkward. Not until now, at least. So,you decide to go the easy route. 

“I’m gonna fail this exam.” , you chuckle lightly, “All this hormonal regulators shit is hard.”

“Oh yeah? Well at least you can actually see the colours to help you memorise them.” 

You’re taken aback at the harshness of his tone. In all the time you’d known each other, he’d always just told you about his frustrations, but never before had he let them out on you. Slowly, you move to get up and sit at the edge of his bed. 

“I don’t wanna talk about it.” he says, eyes trained on the same page of the biology textbook he’s been staring at for the past five minutes. Hesitantly, you reach out a hand to touch his shoulder, only to take it back in shock as Donghyuck stands up abruptly. “Don’t-”, he breathes in sharply through his nose, “Just don’t.”

“I don’t understa-”

“Exactly!” Donghyuck’s shout cuts off your words. “You don’t understand! I mean, how could you? You weren’t born with some sort of defect. You were born with perfect eyes. And yet you complain about the stupidest shit sometimes. “Oh that shade of green is ugly” “The sunlight is so bright” “All these different colours are confusing”.” Your heart twists painfully in your chest as you watch him mock you. You knew the comments could be hurtful, and you tried with all your might to avoid saying them, but sometimes they just slipped out. You never meant to cause any harm. 

“And then you complain about-” He pauses to let out an exasperated laugh. “You complain about hormones, in a biology book. What is it about you and biology anyway? Your grades are fine.” You want to say something but Donghyuck continues before you get the chance. “Have you ever heard of, oh i don’t know,  thinking before you speak? Because newsflash! Biology- Fuck- Life itself, is a little harder when all you can fucking see, is IN BLACK AND WHITE! But no, your complaints are way more important aren’t they? You know why? Because you’re selfish.”

Selfish.The word feels like a spear to the heart. You stand up and your voice shakes with anger and hurt as you speak, tears already rolling down your cheeks. 

“You wanna know why I’ve been so stressed about biology? Because I need a fucking perfect GPA in that class to get into medical school.” Donghyucks brows draw together in confusion. “Yeah, you heard right. Medical school. You wanna know why? Because I want- because I promised myself that I would do whatever it takes to make you see the world in the same way I do. And yeah, maybe it’s impossible. Maybe I’ll spend my life trying to find some sort of cure and never do. But atleast I tried. I tried.” Your voice cracks ever so lightly at the last word. 

“But never mind that, right? I’m just some selfish idiot who complains too much and never thinks before they speak.” You say as you storm past Donghyuck, but are halted by his hand on your wrist. You turn around to yell at him to let go, only to have your yell stuck in your throat as Donghyuck smashes his lips onto yours. The kiss is filled with emotion, but it lasts only a mere few seconds as Donghyuck pulls away to lay his head on your shoulder. His hands fist the fabric of your t-shirt and his breaths are heavy against your neck. You lift up your hand to rub up and down his back soothingly. 

“I’m sorry. It wasn’t right of me to yell at you like that.” He moves his head to rest against your forehead. “You’re not selfish. In fact, you’re the farthest thing from it. You’re the most selfless person i’ve ever met.” His voice shakes as and he inhales deep through his nose. “You don’t deserve this. I’m so sorry.” 

You shake your head at him, and lean up to kiss the corner of his mouth, by now a comforting gesture between you two. 

“Apology accepted.”

The last few weeks of senior year were still filled with nerve-wracking levels of stress but you took comfort in the fact that the strain between you and Donghyuck had vanished completely. It had felt nice, how everything returned to normal between the two of you. It was like, after the fight, an immense weight had been lifted off your shoulders and you could finally breathe again. 

You braved through your last set of finals and then decided to focus on the one thing you had been looking forward to in the year: prom. Still, the results of your exams plagued your mind with worries. If you didn’t reach the results expected of you, you could kiss the idea of medical school bye bye. 

You were brought out of your spiraling thoughts on prom night as your boyfriend called you over to help pick out an outfit. You were grateful for the distraction,and headed over as fast you could, already finished with your own attire and makeup. 

 Your fingers drum absentmindedly along Donghyuck’s bed covers as you wait for him to finish rummaging through his closet. The sound of rustling fills the air as your mind once again drifts to your exam results, as you desperately try to recall your answer to that one question you’re sure you failed. “Aha!” Donghyuck’s shout calls your attention back to him. “Found ‘em.”

He holds up two dress shirts: one a silky blue and the other a deep shade of velvety red. 

“The blue one is nice but, the red one will look better with your tan skin.” You say as you point at the second shirt Donghyuck holds up in front of his chest as he looks in the mirror. 

“ I do recall you using the colour red to describe me once.” Donghyuck says as he smiles over at you. “So it’s only fitting.” 

“Yeah.” You breathe with a smile, but it falls from your face just as fast as it arrived. It’s not long before your boyfriend stands in front of you, tilting your chin up so you look at him. “What’s wrong, puppet? It’s prom night. You should be excited.” You sigh as you squeeze your eyes shut for a second. “I am! I am excited. It’s just…” 

“Your results?” Donghyuck states more than asks, his voice soft as he sits beside you. You let your head fall onto his shoulder as you exhale. “Yeah..” You feel Donghyuck place a quick peck on the crown of your head and one of his hands trails down your arm to comfort you. “Y/n. You’re the smartest, most amazing, and most dedicated person I know. I don’t think anyone studied harder for these finals than you did. You did great, and your results will be great too. Hell, they’ll probably be the best the school has ever seen. The best the county has ever seen.” You lift your head off his shoulder to chuckle. “Well, I wouldn’t go *that* far.”

“I would.” Donghyuck says as he looks at you, a fond expression on his face. You lean in to kiss him, lips only barely touching his. He deepens the kiss, slowly molding his mouth together with yours as his body pushes you down onto his bed. He moves to hover above you, his arms supporting his weight as his tongue dances with yours. 

“Donghyuck! Y/n! Are you guys ready?” Donghyuck’s mom’s shout causes you to break apart. Donghyuck groans. “Yeah! We’ll be down in a minute!” He goes to lean back down but you plant your hands firmly on his chest to stop him, a laugh bubbling in your throat. “ Easy there, tiger. You.”, you poke your boyfriends tummy, “still need to finish getting dressed.” Donghyuck groans again, but obliges and gets off you in favor of buttoning up his shirt. 

You watch in fondness as he fumbles with the buttons, tongue poking out at the corner of his mouth in concentration. For the first time that night, you truly are excited to go to prom, all thoughts about the future long forgotten in the back of your mind. 

You ended up passing your finals with flying colours, even graduating as the valedictorian of your class. An honour which you did not expect, but had accepted humbly and happily. 

The thing that made you most happy now however, was the fact that you had been accepted into one of the best medical schools in the country with a partial scholarship. And,  the fact that your boyfriend was going to attend university in the same city as you, only a few streets over, as a music major in a prestigious fine arts academy. 

The time came for both you and Donghyuck to leave behind the town of your childhood, and to part ways with your friends and family, promises of holiday visits and choruses of “see you soon’s” as you bid them all goodbye. 

You sit in your car, hands on the steering wheel as you try to calm the nerves bubbling in your stomach. Your high school, diploma sits stored away in one of the many boxes that litter the back of both yours and Donghyuck’s dad’s car, who will accompany you in your drive towards the big city. 

You recall the teary eyed faces of your parents as they wished you farewell and there’s a small hollow ache in your chest. It’s scary, leaving home. But you know that the life that awaits you holds promises of adventures to come, especially when you have the love of your life by your side. 

Said boy swings upon the passenger side door as he hops into the car. He leans over for a quick peck on the lips before he closes the car door behind him. “Ready?” he asks. You watch as he taps something into the GPS navigator, presumably the directions of your new apartment, and your eyes trail over his features. You take in how much he’s grown. How different he is from the chubby cheeked kid who ran through the parks of your town, or the fresh faced sophomore who didn’t care to pay attention in chemistry. 

You think back on your memories together. The days spent at the arcade with your friends, afternoons turned into evenings at your favourite diner, movie nights filled with unhealthy amounts of snacks, the beach where you shared your first kiss. You would miss this old town. You would miss its colours, the ones you had gotten so good at describing all these years. You would miss the familiarity of it all, the safety,  the way it felt like home. 

You know however, as you look at the boy sat beside you, that he was now you’re home, and that wherever you went, you would feel safe as long as he was with you. 

So, with a determined sigh, you turn the key in the ignition and tighten your grip on the steering wheel. 

“Ready.” 

#neowritingsnet #nctechnet #nct haechan x reader #haechan angst #haechan fluff #lee donghyuck #donghyuck x reader #nct #nct u #nct 127 #nct dream #angst #fluff #nct x reader #nct haechan #nct donghyuck #x reader

[eyesmilesjeno-archive]

[12:03am] Jaemin hears the shower turn off and the shuffling of your feet in the bathroom. When you open the door and enter his room he can’t help but smile at the sight of you wearing one of the matching hoodies he bought you “Hm, that looks awfully familiar.”

 A slight laugh leaves his lips at the roll of your eyes and the scoff that leaves your mouth at his comment. You see his arms open wide waiting for you to fall into him, with a matching little pout on his chapped lips. “Come hereee, you look so cuddlyyy.” you sigh as you crawl into his arms. “Did you really have to get such a big size?” you see his pout get a little more prominent. 

“Babeee, You look so cute in over sized things.” He pinches your cheeks after his statement. “Ok, ok.” He laughs at your response, finding you impossibly adorable, god did he think you were the cutest thing ever.

#neowritingsnet #cznnet #boyfriend!jaemin #nctechnet #jaemin blurb #jaemin blurbs #na jaemin blurb #na jaemin blurbs #jaemin drabble #na jaemin drabble #jaemin scenario #jaemin fluff #na jaemin #na jaemin x reader #na jaemin scenario #jaemin scenarios #jaemin drabbles #nct dream drabbles #nct dream drabble #NCT Dream Jaemin #nct jaemin #nct fluff #nct dream fluff #nct dream #nct scenario

[cottonblush]

excalibur | ljn

❧ word count: 10,079

❧ genre: fluff because that’s literally all i know how to write lmao

❧ notes: the way that jeno is so pure and precious i couldn’t stop smiling when i wrote this,,, ugh HIS POWER! once again, tysm kp for the feedback! i hope this version is a lot better:)

❧ moodboard

The heat of the forge is something that used to bother you, but after spending almost a decade at Ulric’s Forge, your skin has developed into a shield of sorts. The heat of the thousand-degree flame no longer dries out your eyes and you can proudly say the sparks that fly off the forge feel no stronger than a bug bite. Over the years, you’ve developed into a strong and independent woman, or as strong and independent as a woman could get in such medieval times. You’ve gained the respect of most of the men at the forge, though it took walking into a sleeping dragon’s lair to convince the oldest blacksmith, Cedric, that you’re tough enough to make it at Ulric’s. The whole ordeal was worth it because not only did you gain respect, but also a family. The guys at the forge are people you can trust with your life, people who have your back. A specific instance is when your single father passed away during one of the many wars that swept the nation. You were only ten years old at the time, but your father worked at the forge and no one hesitated to bring you in and teach you the trade.

Speaking of which, your specialty is swords. You’ve always been fascinated with them and figure that if you could keep on developing better weapons, people would be able to defend themselves better and fewer people would die; fewer children would be left without their fathers. You’ve slowly amassed a reputation for making quite strong and dependable swords as well as new types of swords. You’ve actually been testing out designs for a curved sword and are currently working on one, hand repeatedly striking hot iron, when you’re interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat.

You look up from your work, eyes traveling across the figure standing in front of you. The young man, Na Jaemin, is a famous sorcerer who holds a lot of power in the kingdom. He also happens to be a close friend since birth. He’s squinting due to the immense heat coming from the burning coal, but even then you can see his pleading eyes and you can tell he’s about to ask you for a troublesome favor.

Your premonition is correct as Jaemin is asking you to make him a sword mere seconds later. It needs to be perfect, he says; if possible, it needs to be more than perfect. The weapon needs to be made out of the most durable material and has to be able to cut straight through stone. When you ask who it’s for⁠— Jaemin has never even touched a sword in his life and doesn’t plan on it since he fights with his “superior magical prowess"⁠— you’re told that the sword will be for the new king. Instantly, your brain comes up with a barrage of questions. Has the new king already been selected? Why do you have to be the one to make it? And realistically speaking, couldn’t Jaemin just conjure up one in the blink of an eye?

Jaemin answers all of your questions fast enough that you’d think he read your mind, but you know he didn’t because the two of you agreed he wouldn’t after he tried to once, found out about your first crush, and subsequently teased you about it for months on end, receiving a cold shoulder in return.

"I guess I should specify that it’s not just for the future king but for the selection of the future king. Of course, I could conjure a sword since I am that powerful, but I could only make a generic sword. You guys are the ones who can experiment with designs and materials. And before you complain, it has to be you. You might not be the best or most experienced, but there’s intention behind what you do. Your hopes and dreams are passed down into every single one of your creations. I can feel it. There’s no one else I know who would fit the job better.”

“Not even Johnny? He may only have two years of experience under his belt but he’s quite the prodigy when it comes to this kind of stuff.”

“Not even Johnny.”

You groan externally, but your insides are bubbling with excitement. You’ve never said no to a request unless you knew it was going to be used for something immoral. Plus, you’re sure the reward for this sword is quite hefty. However, you try to keep a serious façade because you know Johnny and Woojin would mock you by copying whatever sentiment you express except at a higher decibel. You place your hands on Jaemin’s shoulders, his smooth robe feeling strange and foreign under your rough, weathered palms, and steer him out of the forge. The smoke and heat are clearly starting to take a toll because once he gets outside, he wheezes so hard you would think he’s had weak lungs since birth.

“Leave it to me,” you say, hand coming up to wave him goodbye as you tell him you’ll give him an update after two weeks.

Returning to your forge, you spread out the coals, allowing them to cool down at least a little bit before turning your attention to the notebook in your bag. You pull out the old leather book and take a seat on a stool, propping your chin up on your hand and ignoring the dull pain of your elbow digging into your thigh. You flip to a new page, paper feeling slightly unpleasant against your hands that have had the moisture sucked out of them by the dry heat. Making a list of all of the possible metals you can use and the combinations you can try, you also draw in a column on the side and give each an individual score based on practicality, weight, cost, and durability. However, you don’t do any eliminating yet as you never know which metals you may need for the design you end up choosing.

You head out to talk to your suppliers, asking each if there are any new alloys that have been made or if any new materials have been discovered. Most say the same, scratching their chins and going down the same list of precious metals and steel mixes. You’ve just about given up hope and are walking back to the forge dejectedly, feet gently kicking up small clouds of dust along the rocky path. At the last minute, something catches your attention in the outermost corner of your peripheral vision. There’s a cloaked figure resting against one of the trees of the forest that borders the market. You don’t know why but it feels like the person is calling to you so you turn back, taking hesitant steps toward them.

“Excuse me,” you call out. “I’m looking for different precious metals and materials that can be used in a sword. They have to be really strong, though. Do you happen to know where I can get any? I already have a sufficient supply of iron so I’m not really looking for that.”

The voice that responds is just a little over a whisper, like a gentle breeze tickling the shell of your ear, but you can hear the response clearly, “I can get you what you need, but it’ll be pricey.”

Your eyes light up and you almost skip over to the mysterious figure, grabbing a hand to shake. The action startles the stranger, causing their shoulders to shoot up and the loose hood that covers their face to fall down behind them. A sharp breath escapes your mouth as your hand releases theirs and raises so your fingers are ghosting over your lips. Your soft petals are parted in shock from the sight before you, a light pink flush spilling over your cheeks. It turns out that this mysterious person is not an actual person, but a faerie. The young man before you is the first of his kind you have seen and it is truly a shame because he is breathtakingly beautiful in an understated type of way. His hair is a pink that appears softer than even the freshest of tulips and his ears are small, dainty, and pointed at the top.

“You’re a faerie,” you breath out, partly in shock but mostly in awe.

The faerie, who introduces himself as Renjun, does not try to deny it. He explains that his kind usually prefer to keep to themselves, but he has personally had an interest in humans for as long as he can remember. Renjun also adds that the metal that he has access to is something that only faeries know about, so it will truly be one of a kind in the human world.

When you ask him why he is so eager to offer up something that has been kept secret for so long, Renjun admits that he was spying on Jaemin earlier and happened to hear your conversation. He says that if he plays a part in making the future king’s sword, perhaps the ruler will offer them protection from any future enemies and faeries will finally be able to rejoin the human world. Overall, his explanation seems legitimate enough so you decide to make a deal. You’ll pay him as much as you can for it, and you’ll also find him someone who’s willing to show him around the world beyond the borders of Avalon.

In the meantime, you return to the forge and plan to test out different materials for the hilt of the sword and for new creations as well. As you hammer into different kinds of metals, you think to yourself with a soft smile that this really is something you can see yourself doing for the rest of your life. The aspect of discovering something new is something that you constantly yearn for and through this job, you’ll be able to meet new people and constantly learn new techniques.

You’re so lost in thought, the thick smoke wafting off the glowing hot coals also seeming to cloud your mind as well, that you don’t even notice that you have visitors. There are three men standing at the entrance, eyes drifting around and taking in their surroundings. They’re tall and lanky, disinterest seemingly tattooed onto each of their faces. The man in the middle starts to saunter around, perking a brow at anything that brings the slightest bit of interest. The other two that flank his sides walk over to one of the other blacksmiths in the forge, Jinyoung. Your eyes go back to the anvil you’re working on, noticing your steel bar has gone cold and you need to place it back in the flames.

The bar has regained its bright orange glow when you pull it out, aligning it against the surface of the anvil. You bring your hammer down several times, each hit precise and filled with purpose.

A voice interrupts you as you’re flattening out the steel rod in order to make a handle, “What are you making there, sweetheart?”

You grit your teeth at first, rolling your eyes and hoping if you ignore this guy then he’ll eventually leave you alone. Unfortunately, that’s not the case as he just begins to pester you even more.

“Are you sure you can handle that? Want a strong guy like me to help you out?”

Having had enough, you look up to the man and meet his eyes, this time striking down your hammer with an unnecessarily excessive amount of force. The irritating and unwanted visitor visibly stiffens, intimidated and surprised by your display of strength, and backs off. He walks backwards slowly, eyeing you warily as he rejoins his friends.

You can vaguely hear him saying, “Jinyoung, where did you guys find that weirdo? She’s scary strong, for a girl anyway.”

You smirk to yourself, but then you look down and notice that you’ve used so much strength in that last blow that you’ve accidentally broken the hammer you were using. It’s your favorite hammer, especially efficient in flattening surfaces and absorbing some of the impact so it creates less of a strain on your wrist. You doubt anyone has one that’s just like yours, but you decide to ask around anyway. Unfortunately for you, no one you know seems to have it. But there is one person you have yet to ask. He’s wearing goggles to protect his eyes as he gets up close and personal with whatever he’s working with. You don’t recognize him so you figure he’s new around the forge, but you might as well give it a shot and ask him. Walking up to the man, you wait for him to finish with whatever he’s doing before clearing your throat.

"You don’t happen to have a hand hammer just like this one, do you?”

The man takes off his goggles and repositions them on his smooth forehead, eyes scanning over the broken hammer you’re holding in your hands. He thinks for a moment, fingers leaving their place on his cold chisel to drum against the wooden table he’s leaning against, before rummaging through his own tools.

“Sorry, I don’t have one; I just have chisels and maybe two or three hammers,” he says, voice softer and calmer than you were expecting.

You nod slowly, shoulders slumping slightly in dejection as you rock back and forth on your heels and contemplate what to do next.

“Hey,” you start, “are you new? I haven’t seen you around here before.”

The man, who had turned back to face his own forge, jumps a little in surprise, probably not expecting you to continue the dialogue.

“N-No. I mean, yes! I just joined around a month ago but I haven’t really taken the time to introduce myself to everyone so I guess it’s my fault no one recognizes me.”

You laugh and wave him off, assuring, “Don’t worry about it! It gets kinda busy around here so I totally understand. I’ll make sure you’re invited to our next group trip to the cavern. I’m Y/n, by the way. What’s your name?”

The young man reveals his name to be Lee Jeno, smiling a warm smile at you and waving slightly.

“Well, Jeno, it’s certainly nice to meet you. Anyway, since no one has the kind of hammer I’m looking for, I might as well go visit the market. Even though I just got back from there.”

You whisper the last part but even in the midst of the chaos of the forge, Jeno still manages to catch what you say. He hesitantly offers to come with you, wanting to check out the different stalls to see if they have any new hot chisels for him to use. The two of you walk side by side on the familiar dirt path that leads from the forge back to the center of town. You take the time to observe the man beside you. Your eyes start by sweeping over his figure and taking note of his impressive height compared to your own and how his slightly tanned skin seems to glow under the sun. Jeno is looking ahead, deep pools clearly reflecting his surroundings. You’re pretty sure if you squint, you could check out your own reflection. When his head starts to turn towards you, you snap your head forward, acting as if you weren’t just checking him out.

Your companion asks, “So how old are you? I’m nineteen.”

“Eighteen,” you respond, “but I’ve been working in the forge since I was ten, so I actually have more experience than some of the older guys. My dad used to work in the forge as well.”

“That’s really cool. I was actually in training for something else before I joined Ulric’s. But I really like it there. Everyone’s like one big family.”

“Exactly! I’m glad you feel that way too. Don’t forget that if you ever need anything, you can come to any one of us and we’ll be glad to help.”

Jeno’s lips curve upward into a smile and you can’t help but notice how his eyes form the shape of a crescent moon as if they too are smiling. He’s about to express his gratitude towards you when you’re interrupted. A guy, a stranger to you, walks up to Jeno and wraps an arm around his shoulders, punching him lightly in the side with his other hand. Jeno seems to recognize the two because he offers them the same kind smile you received moments before.

“Hey, Jeno! How’ve you been, dude? Still pursuing that pipe dream of yours?”

Jeno tenses up beside you and you start to notice that his smile wasn’t the same genuine smile to begin with. His lips are stretched thin and his jaw is taut. You can tell this man is Jeno’s old friend, but even so, you won’t stand for the way he acts.

“Jeno’s actually a really good blacksmith, for your information,” you say in your companion’s defense. “He’s probably the best person in our forge to go to for detailing.”

The stranger, who deems you unworthy of knowing his name, decides to ignore you and take a step back to look at Jeno, giving him a once over. He narrows his eyes in scrutiny and looks like he’s about to continue his attack on Jeno’s already meek personality when a second person joins the conversation.

“Oh! Jeno, is that you? It’s been forever!”

A girl, rather a beautiful young lady, runs up to the three of you, throwing her arms around the man she called out to. Her voice is light and airy, like a wind chime on a calm summer day, and her long hair flows down to her hips, curling ever so elegantly. She has flowers laced in her hair and her gown is made of a rich red satin, not a stain to be seen. She’s everything you’re not and even you have to admit that you’re stunned by her beauty. When she lets go, her eyes flicker toward you, as if just noticing you for the first time.

She asks, now blatantly staring at you, “Who’s this?”

“She works in the forge. We just came to the market to look for new tools.”

The girl’s expression lights up, no longer deeming you a threat, and introduces herself, “Oh, hello! I’m Yoona, Jeno’s friend. My brother, Yonghee, and I have known Jeno since we were little kids.”

The way Yoona says the word ‘friend’ has a bitter tinge to it and you can instantly recognize the crush she’s harboring for Jeno. However, Jeno is completely unaware, eyes nervously darting about. You’ve had enough of it and decide it’s time to go, grabbing his wrist and pulling him toward a stall that you know to have high-quality tools.

You call out behind you, “It was really nice meeting you, Yoona, but we’re in a bit of a rush right now. Maybe we can talk some other time.”

You don’t give them a chance to respond, instead turning a corner and going into the alley where the shop is located. You step in, welcomed by the cool air of the building. Realizing you still have a hold of Jeno’s wrist, you let it go and turn to look at some of the sledgehammers on display. You expect for Jeno to do his own thing and look at the chisels since you know that’s what he came with you for, but you find him following you like a little duckling follows its mother. His attention is not on you, but on the hammers resting in a display case. He runs his fingers along each one, grabbing some to see how they would feel under his hands.

He asks you and the shopkeeper, “What would be the best hammer for a beginner? I hate to admit it but I’m really not that strong yet, so I’d like something easier to maneuver.”

The shopkeeper leads the two of you to a section with smaller hammers, stating that they’re lighter, though they’re not as strong. Jeno raises a brow towards you as if asking if he should purchase one or not. Of course, you’re not one to say no and if he has the money for it, you don’t see the harm. Not long after, the two of you are walking back to the forge, both having purchased a hammer. Jeno stops in his tracks, free hand coming up to rub at his other arm.

He clears his throat and says, gesturing to his newly acquired hammer, “Actually, I was wondering if you could teach me how to use this properly.”

Of course, you agree, eager to share your passion. However, you want to add something else, eyes stuck on the way Jeno’s figure seems to cave into itself.

“Why aren’t you more confident in yourself?” you ask.

You don’t mean it offensively. It’s just that Jeno lets himself be bossed around so easily. He’s too nice for his own good. He explains that he’s just always been this way and he doesn’t really see anything to be confident in. You don’t know why but your heart throbs at his words. Can’t he see that he’s worth more than the value he’s placing upon himself? You want to help him, though you’re not sure how. Contemplating it for a few moments, you come up with the beginnings of an idea: you’re going to help Jeno get in shape. You think maybe if he feels more confident in his figure, he’ll start standing up for himself.

Introducing the idea, you watch as Jeno plays with the idea for a bit. Eventually, he agrees. He admits that although he’s not sure it’ll help with his self-esteem, it won’t hurt when it comes to his work in the forge.

There's a clearing in the forest by the forge that you two decide to meet at. It's not big, probably a circle with a diameter no more than fifteen feet, but it'll do for what you have in mind. It's rather calm too, the bustling sounds of the townspeople completely out of earshot and the thick smoke of the forge nowhere to be seen. Trees surround you, tall enough that several families of birds have built nests, their chirps and calls echoing sonorously. And yet, they're short enough that the sun's rays can clearly filter through.

You arrive first, setting down your canteen and satchel against the trunk of one of the trees along the perimeter. You've brought two swords from the forge with you, one light and one heavy but both blunt; you're not aiming to damage anything. You hold the lighter sword out as soon as you see Jeno approaching. He takes it, features morphing to show his surprise at how easy it is to wield.

"It's for beginners," you explain. "I made it myself, actually. Just for you, so consider yourself lucky."

Starting with basic drills, you teach Jeno how to dodge and parry with the correct stance. He practices against a still target at first, blade making small cuts along the thick trunks of the tall trees. The young man is making quick progress and soon you decide he's ready to start practicing with you. You take it slow at first, repeating the same exercises that you had him do with the trees, except you shift your weight from one foot to the other, bouncing back and forth. Jeno tires easily and you can understand why. The heat in the forge is strong and dry, but this summer day is humid, beads of sweat lining both of your foreheads. The sound of heavy breathing fills the air as the two of you slump down against the trees.

"Is it always this hard?"

Your eyes flicker up to look at Jeno as he practically wheezes out his question. You tilt your head back and let out a laugh.

"No, I promise it's not. But have you ever really worked out before?"

The man sighs and hangs his head in shame, causing you to laugh once again. You reassure him that it's okay but you think it'd be good for him to work on building muscle too. His expression is distraught but you can tell he's joking from the way his lips are twitching, a hint of a smile peeking through.

"Take off your shirt," you say.

Jeno splutters, surprised by your sudden request, "W-What? Wait, like right now?"

"Yes, now. I want to see what I'm working with if we’re going to bulk you up. Don't worry, I don't bite."

You're teasing him, but you do want to see his physique without the blacksmith apron or baggy shirt he always wears. He slowly peels off his shirt, sweat causing it to stick to some parts of his back and arms. You're not shocked when met with the sight of an outline of ribs and a flat stomach. However, you're pleasantly surprised when you see that he already has some definition in his biceps from working at the forge and his shoulders are actually quite broad. His skin is fair but still has a healthy tan, and you have to stop yourself from staring for too long.

Jeno feels as naked as the day he was born as he watches you scrutinize him like a hawk. He wants to curl up into a ball but he knows you'd probably reprimand him and tell him to be more confident. At that thought, a smile settles on his face. Your presence has already made itself known in his mind, reminding him whenever he feels small that he is worth more than he thinks. He appreciates it more than you'll ever know and the only thing he can think to do to repay you is to listen wholeheartedly to what you have to say and make you proud.

You clear your throat, realizing that even though you tried not to, you ended up ogling the boy before you. Jeno gets back to practicing, completely oblivious to the embarrassed flush that has turned your ears and neck a hot pink.

Between slashes, he asks, question coming out low as he quickly becomes short of breath, "Where did you learn how to fight like this? I mean, you're so good that you could even be a knight."

You're in the middle of picking up your own sword when you freeze, the question bringing back some delicate memories. Sensing the sudden shift in the air, Jeno panics, waving his free hand frantically. He assures you that you don't have to share if you don't want to, but you silence him by waving him off.

"It's okay, Jeno. I don’t mind talking about it. You see, my dad was one of the top blacksmiths at the forge and he had a lot of knight friends that would come to him with custom requests. He'd often travel to the castle and to the training grounds to visit them and sometimes I would tag along. 'Sometimes' turned into weekly visits, even when my dad didn't go. I was just fascinated with how cool the knights looked. I wanted to be a knight so much back then."

Jeno inquires, "What made you change your mind?"

"Well, there was this one time that I actually got to watch the knights from the inside instead of observing from over the top of the fence. I saw some kids watching them too and I went to introduce myself, but they all laughed at me, making fun of how dirty my clothes were and how I didn't belong. They ran away before I could even get in my first word. I never went back. I wanted to prove to them that I didn't need their fancy training methods to become a knight. But then I started going with my dad to his job and I fell in love with his work even more. I guess I kinda gave up on that old pipe dream."

Something settles in the pits of Jeno's stomach that makes him feel uneasy. The story feels familiar to him, though he doesn't quite know why. It isn't until you turn your face directly to him and give him a toothy smile, telling him the past is in the past, that he fully registers what's bothering him.

You don't know it, but Jeno was apart of that story. He was one of those kids you saw, one of the kids that you showed your smile to, eyes unwavering in their innocence and kindness. He didn't say anything mean to you, yet he did nothing to stand up for you either. He thought nothing of it at the time, truly believing his friends when they told him a dirty kid like you would probably be carrying several diseases and that you should just be avoided. When Jeno tells you all of this, your reaction definitely is not what he was expecting. Your pearly white grin morphs into a gentle smile, and your eyes are holding the same innocence and indiscriminate kindness that they did years ago.

"At least you're making an effort now," you offer, though it doesn't do much to help the guilt making it's home in his heart. "If you really want to make it up to me, you can do the detailing on the sword I'm making for Jaemin. Everyone knows you're good at it."

"It's a deal," Jeno says as he shakes your hand, not missing the little spark that makes its way through his arm when you first make contact or how he can still feel it even when he goes home for the day.

Jeno's mother sends him out to the market to get some ingredients to make a dessert for his father's upcoming birthday. He arrives at a farmer's stall, eyes raking through his list to see what ingredients he can cross off. After the farmer hands him some eggs, milk, and flour, Jeno hands over the necessary amount of money. He's pocketing the leftover change when something, or rather someone, catches his attention.

"Jeno," you call out, arm raised above your head, waving back and forth. As you jog towards him, Jeno's eyes draw together in confusion.

"Are you talking to me- Oh! It's you, Y/n. I don't know why I didn't recognize you."

Jeno does know why he doesn't recognize you. Your hair is down and thoroughly brushed through, soft locks tickling the skin of your neck. You're free of the smears of charcoal that usually taint your face. The starkest difference, however, is your choice of clothes. Instead your usual work trousers, you're adorned in a soft cream-colored dress, delicate ruffles capping off puffy sleeves. You look like you've had years of worry shaved off of you, smile light and carefree. More so, you look like an angel, the sun's rays surrounding your frame like a large halo. When you reach him, you're only slightly out of breath, a blinding smile gracing your soft lips. Jeno feels tongue-tied; he knows you're the same person you've always been but it's like he's seeing a new part of you.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," you say, tucking a couple of loose strands behind your ear.

You look a bit uncomfortable, out of place, hiding your dress behind the large bag of vegetables that you're holding.

"It's fine, I was just distracted. Are you done shopping?"

"No, I actually have to get a couple of fruits as well. You're welcome to join me."

Jeno agrees, of course, and offers to carry your bag. It's a cute gesture, really, but you can't help but giggle as he lets out a grunt, arm shaking under the weight of it. You tell him you're fine, taking back the bag with ease. You pull him along to another stand that sells fresh fruits, grabbing some strawberries, cherries, and peaches. As the afternoon sun bears down on you, Jeno offers to walk you home, an offer which you accept after a bit of convincing.

"Let's take a little break," you say, setting down your bag on a grassy hill and flopping down to sit with your legs crossed. You dig around in your bag and bring out a bunch of cherries, pulling one off of its stem and popping it in your mouth. You hand a couple to Jeno as well, the two of you enjoying the sweet, yet tangy fruit. While you enjoy the change of pace, a meek voice pierces through the peaceful silence.

"Excuse me," says a small child, "may I have something to eat? I haven't had anything in days."

The child is skinny to the point where you're wondering how he is standing up on his own, bones prominent against his thin and dull skin. Of course, you oblige, not only handing over a cherry, but the whole bunch.

"Come and sit," you say gently, not wanting to scare the poor child away. You hand him your canteen and he takes a big swig, several drops dribbling down his jaw. Wiping away at his chin with the fabric of your sleeve, you tell the child to take it easy. Your eyes are soft as you speak, hand gently rubbing at his back.

It's a day full of new experiences for Jeno as he looks at the scene unfurling before him. He likes this side of you, the one that doesn't seem to have such a tough exterior. He can't deny how his insides melt a little when the sickly child falls asleep on your lap and you carefully card your fingers through his thin and tangled hair.

"It's nice seeing you like this, you know," he tells you. "You look so carefree and feminine that I almost forgot you're a total god when it comes to swordsmanship."

"Hey," you reprimand, "you can be feminine and be great with a sword."

Jeno puts his hands up in defeat, but the point he made still hangs in the air, causing you to let out a soft sigh.

"Not everyone is as nice as you, Jeno. You know I've been through some things and I don't think I've seen enough to prove that my views on people of the other class are untrue."

Your voice is laced with sadness as if you wish you could say otherwise, and looking down upon your watery eyes that reflect the setting sun, Jeno vows to right all the wrongs that have happened to you.

Images of you fill his mind, those of you in the forge, the orange coals casting a soft glow upon your features; visions of you training with him, wiping the sweat from your brow; and pictures of you and your carefree smile under the afternoon sun. They're all he can think of as he shuts the door to his house behind him.

"Had a nice day, sweetheart?"

Jeno's eyes flicker up to see his mother looking at him with an accusatory gaze. Her eyes are narrow and her thin arms are crossed across her chest, weight shifting to one leg.

"Y-Yeah," he replies. "Why do you ask?"

"A little bird told me you're spending even more time with that commoner girl. You know that's not good for you or our image, Jeno. We're people of nobility; we can't be seen with just anyone. First, you choose to go to that silly old forge and waste your time away, and now, this?"

"Mother, you know that blacksmithing is my passion, my dream. And there's nothing wrong with that girl. She has a name."

"You're getting attached, Jeno," comes his mother's mocking sing-song voice, clearly not taking his argument seriously. "You already know that Yoona is the girl for you, so I suggest you stay away from that… peasant girl from now on."

Jeno is far beyond angry at this point. Hot air blows out of his nose as his figure practically shakes. First, his family disrespects the dream he finally worked up the courage to pursue, and now they're judging you without even knowing you. He doesn't know how he never noticed how biased his family and friends can be.

"If this is how it's going to be, I can't say I'd be okay aligning myself with this family," Jeno declares.

Jeno's mother huffs indignantly, asking, "What will you do without us, Jeno? We're all you've ever had."

Before storming upstairs to stuff some clothes into a bag, Jeno makes sure to enunciate the fact that he has a whole different family, one that actually cares for him and his dreams, waiting for him back at the forge. He slams the front door behind him and walks toward the familiar building, his bag of clothes feeling extra heavy as if being weighed down by the consequences of his decision. He probably should've thought it through and planned ahead of time, now not knowing where to go. However, luck seems to be in his favor because there is a source of light in the forge, signaling someone is still working.

Jeno breathes a sigh of relief as soon as he pushes open the door to the forge and sees that Jinyoung is hard at work, flattening out an iron rod. The aforementioned man looks up, confusion filling his eyes as he notices the figure in the doorway.

"Jeno? What are you doing here?"

The young man scratches his chin as he replies, "I was planning on crashing here for the night. And basically from now until forever."

Jinyoung immediately sets down his tools, walking over and asking if everything is okay. He nods understandingly when told that Jeno basically ran away from home.

"Jeno, you can totally stay with me and my brother. We have a spare room in our house."

"Are you serious?"

Jeno wraps his arms around his friend, relief settling into his bones. It finally feels like he can breathe freely again and he can't express his gratitude enough. He's still thanking Jinyoung even as the two close up shop and head home for the night, no matter how many times the older boy reassures him that it's what anyone in the forge would do.

Jeno doesn't tell you about his situation, mainly because your relationship is running so much smoother these days. Your interactions are full of smiles and secret glances at each other across the flames of the forge. The strange faerie you met earlier, Renjun, managed to get his hands one the precious metal he was speaking of and you've started working on it, the material proving to be just as durable as claimed. Overall, everything is going really well.

It's one of those days that you and Jeno meet up in your secret spot in the forest. Lately, Jeno has started sparring against you, skills rapidly developing. You two are moving so fast and so fluid that it's almost like a dance, tiny sparks flying off every time your two swords clash. This time, you're about to go in for the kill (not literally, of course) when your foot gets caught on the root of a tree and you stumble backward into its trunk. Jeno takes advantage of this opportunity and holds his sword up, level with your throat. Slowly, he brings the sword back to his side and forms a cage around you with his body. There's a thick tension in the air as he approaches, eyes never leaving your own. Drawing even closer until he's mere inches away from your face, the young man feels the rough skin of your worn hands come up to caress his face. His eyes flicker over, smiling gently as he feels the hairs on his arms raise from the feeling of this much awaited skin contact.

You have other ideas in mind, hand suddenly wrapping around the back of his neck and pulling him into a chokehold. Your partner soon gives up, raising his arms up in surrender. You smirk as you let him go and lean back against the tree again.

"Never let your guard down," you remind Jeno. "I believe that was lesson number four or five."

Jeno rolls his eyes at your feigned cocky attitude, watching as you release on of your now trademarked carefree laughs. Seeing an opening, he takes a chance. Placing a hand on your waist, he pulls you flush against himself. Your breath is stolen as you place both of your hands on his chest. You can't help but let your hands wander across his now hardened physique. It's as if he's bulked up in the blink of an eye, chiseled abdomen making itself known against your own. This time, it's you who can't seem to look elsewhere as you swallow thickly.

"Jeno, are you sure about-"

The man before you makes the final move, hand snaking around to the small of your back to give you a gentle push closer, if you could even get any closer at this point. Your lips meet at the middle, soft pillows interlocking perfectly as if made for each other. The sun's rays are nothing compared to the heat of Jeno's hand as it finds a place along your jaw. You feel a tug of something in the base of your stomach as Jeno brings your lower lip between his teeth. You know that if you don't stop here, you could get too carried away, so you push him away, lips parting and foreheads now coming to rest against each other. Your breaths mingle in the little space between you as your chest heaves, partially because you're out of breath and partially because you feel as if your whole body is on fire and your heart has been stolen. You give Jeno one last peck at the corner of his mouth before fully backing away. Picking up your stuff, you adjust the strap of your satchel on your shoulder.

"I should go. I'll see you at the forge, Jeno."

You disappear into the thick maze of trees, but not before shooting one last dazzling smile his way over your shoulder.

"Y/n, you have a visitor," comes the voice of Johnny as he walks in, clocking in for the day.

You place your tools down and dust your hands against each other, rubbing them against your apron as an extra precaution. You take off the goggles that are wound around your head, blowing strands of hair out of your hair. Taking your hair out of its ponytail, you brush through the strands with your fingers before deeming yourself presentable enough. Usually you wouldn't mind so much about your appearance, but since you're at work, you never know if it'll be a friend or a potential customer. However, you're surprised when you step outside and find that neither is waiting to greet you.

"Y/n, right? I'm sorry to pull you away from your work, but there is something really important that I must talk to you about."

You can tell from the tone that the woman standing before you isn't the least bit sorry. However, you let her continue, not really bothered enough to interrupt.

"I don't know if you remember, but we met at the market once. I'm Yoona, Jeno's childhood friend and former betrothed."

"Former?"

"Oh, Jeno didn't tell you? He ran away from home just so that he could be with you. It's actually what I came to talk to you about. It's probably not your intention, but you've become quite a toxic person for Jeno to be around. Not only are you negatively affecting his life, but the lives of his family and dear friends."

"I- I didn't know. He didn't tell me."

"Yes, because he wants to live out this little fairytale that's in his head. But you and I know what's really the best for him. He needs to be with his family, not with some poor strangers that were forced to take him in."

You try to argue that Jeno would never be the type to purposefully be an inconvenience, especially to strangers. However, Yoona doesn't let up for a second.

"It's up to you, really," she says. "Do you want to be the girl who comes between Jeno and his family? And all for what? Some crush that you have on him that'll never be reciprocated?"

Yoona spins on her heels, hair whipping behind her and creating a sharp breeze that blows toward your face and causes you to flinch. You watch as she walks away, gait slow and delicate. Sighing to yourself, you realize that is the type of girl that's meant for Jeno, not someone like you. You do care about him, more than you've probably cared for anyone other than Jaemin and your father, but this means that you won't hesitate to do what's best for him. This is why when you walk back into the forge, your head remains low and your expression is stone cold, no form of sadness peeking through. You look down at the sword resting on your anvil, blade and grip already complete. All that's left is the detailing of the rain-guard, but that's where your problem lies: Jeno is supposed to do the detailing. Taking a deep breath, you pick up the sword and bring it over to Johnny, ignoring the blatant way Jeno's eyes follow your figure.

"Hey, Johnny," you start. "Do you think you can do this detailing for me?"

Johnny's eyes raise in surprise and you don't miss the way his eyes flit over to Jeno for a second before replying, "Are you sure? I have a bit more experience than you, but you know I've never been good with a chisel."

"Yeah, I'm sure. Anything's better than the sloppy job I'd do."

You hear the sound of a tool clattering on the floor and you know that it's Jeno who's dropped whatever he's been working with, but you choose to ignore it.

Jeno's eyes still haven’t left your figure since the moment you walked back into the forge, and he's plagued with confusion. Just the day before, you were taking a walk, hand in hand, stealing kisses on the cheek, forehead, and nose. And now? You're acting like he doesn't even exist. The change is too stark and he knows he has to figure out the cause, but for not, he walks over to Johnny, offering the older man to do the detailing instead. Johnny gratefully accepts, handing over the sword and agreeing not to tell you about it. As he aligns his chisel with the tip of the hilt, an idea forms in his head. He has an inkling of who could be behind your sudden behavior change and resolves to ask about it when he clocks out for the day.

"Mother, Father," Jeno calls out, voice echoing in the silence of his home. He hears soft footsteps and not long after, he sees his parents' figures descending down the main staircase.

"Jeno," the young man's mother all but squeals as she rushes up to him and wraps him in a tight hug. He has to admit that he's missed seeing his family, but there are more important things to be said.

"I have something to ask you… Did you say something to Y/n? I know you don't approve of her but you have no right interfering in our relationship. And even though she may not have had an official education, she's just as knowledgeable and eloquent, if not more, than any of my friends."

Jeno's parents shuffle uncomfortably for a moment before his father clears his throat and speaks up, "We know, son. And we're truly sorry for that. We see now how committed to your dream you are and we think that girl has actually had a positive influence on you. You used to never stand up for yourself. I really don't know why she would be acting that way."

It feels as if the weight of the world has been lifted from Jeno's shoulders. Sure, he would stay with you with or without his parents' consent, but now he can pursue a relationship with you and have complete confidence. Now, the only problem is finding out who or what could've changed your mind. His mind plays his memories with you back as if he's reading one of the story books he read as a child. One day seems to stick out in particular. It's the day you two first met. More specifically, when you visited the market. He remembers feeling insecure and shy around Yonghee. Then right after, he remembers Yoona rushing up to him, latching onto his side and making her presence known to you.

"That's it," he whispers, causing his parents to look at him weirdly. "It's Yoona. I can't believe I hadn't figured this out sooner. I know I just got here, but I have to go. I'm sorry."

Jeno's parents give him encouraging smiles as they see him off, mother stating, "It's okay, dear. We know this is something you have to do.”

It's not a long trip to Yoona's house, probably a five minute run at most, and as soon as he reaches the doorstep, he's practically banging against the door. His heart rate quickens as the door opens, but it's not who he's hoping for.

"Jeno, what's up? You look totally different from the last time I saw you."

"Not now, Yonghee. Where's Yoona?"

"I-In the kitchen. Why-"

Jeno doesn't give Yonghee the opportunity to speak, dashing towards the room where he knows the cause of all of his problems is residing. He runs up to Yoona and demands to know what she's said to you, restraining himself from physically shaking the answer out of her. Yoona's eyes dart around nervously as she tries to avoid his question 

"I don't know what you're talking about, Jeno."

"Yes, you do. Why else would she completely ignore me like she's doing right now? 

It takes a couple of tries, but Jeno manages to get some sort of an answer when Yoona reveals, "Ok, fine. I may or may not have told her about how you moved out and how it was all her fault."

"Yoona, I know we've been friends since we were four, but that doesn't excuse this. You had no right to interrupt like you did."

"I know. God, I know that now. You'll never love me like that and I see that now. Can I ever make it up to you?"

"I don't know if I'll ever completely forgive you, but if there's one thing you could do, it would be apologizing to Y/n."

With that, Jeno turns and retraces his steps back to the forge. Each step he takes makes him feel light and heavy at the same time, and he doesn't know why. It's like some invisible force is holding his heart in hand, ready to crush it into pieces if all goes downhill. At this point, all he can do is hope and pray that his chances at a real relationship with you haven't been completely ruined.

Jeno tries not to picture what his life would be like without you in it as the forge draws closer and closer. Pushing open the door, he's greeted with utter silence, realizing that the light he saw from outside was just a candle that someone forgot to extinguish. He curses aloud, shutting the door and pacing around, trying to remember the way to your house from one time when he walked you home. He has a vague idea of where to start, taking a narrow road to a residential area not too far away. However, the darkness of the night sky and lack of lighting along the rough pathways does nothing to aid him. He ends up taking a wrong turn somewhere along the way and is now lost among the many small houses lined up side by side. And just to make things worse, he feels a few droplets fall from the sky and splatter against his face.

By the time Jeno finds your house, a small one-story building tucked away in a maze of flowers and shrubbery, he's soaked to the bone, the loose white cotton shirt put on in the morning now sticking to him like a second skin. He knocks on your door once, twice, and then thrice, hoping you can hear him over the sounds of the storm that's brewing.

It takes a couple moments, but you do eventually pry open the door slightly, your face poking out and tiredness pulling your eyelids down. Bringing a palm up to rub at your eyes, you blink a couple times, finally acknowledging the person on the other side of the door.

"Jeno? Oh my god, what are you doing out there? You're going to catch a cold."

You swing the front door open wider, free hand reaching out to grasp his arm and pull him inside, all the while trying your best not to ogle at his clearly visible figure. Asking the drenched boy to stand in one place, you rush to your bathroom and grab a dry towel. You don't realize it but as you wrap the towel around Jeno, you're also pulling him closer to you, and it only really hits you when the two of you are almost standing toe to toe, his shaky breath fanning out across your face. Clearing your throat, you take a step back and leave him to dry himself. In the meantime, you warm up some milk for the two of you.

When Jeno is mostly dried down, you request for him to take a seat at the couch in your living room. You hand him the glass of warm milk, noticing how his hands are still shaking, and decide to light up your fireplace. Dusting off your hands and turning to face the man on your couch, you start to think maybe it wasn't the best idea, because the way the glow of the fireplace bounces off Jeno's skin already has your heart going a mile a minute. You settle for sitting on a chair across from him and looking down as if the milk in your glass is the most interesting thing you've ever seen. Eventually, you feel as though you have to say something, the silence seeping into your skin and creating a ball of anxiety that weighs down your heart.

"Why did you come here, Jeno?"

The man looks up at you, eyes full of sorrow, guilt, and something else as he formulates his response.

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I haven't been-"

"Yes, you have. You asked Johnny to help with your sword even though it's something we promised we'd do together."

You swallow thickly, knowing that you've been caught, and admit, "Ok, so I did try to distance myself a bit, but I just felt like we were moving too fast."

Jeno sighs deeply, frustration turning his knuckles white as he grips his mug tightly and says, "You're lying again, Y/n."

The way Jeno can see through you so well leaves you feeling overexposed, but somewhere deep inside, there's a part of you that appreciates it. He's looking at you as if you're the only thing that's ever existed and you've never felt so bare and content at the same time.

"It wasn't a complete lie, though," you say, tone slightly defensive. "You have so much going for you. You come from a wealthy family and you have good friends, and Yoona is head over heels for you. You could have so much. I just don't think you should be wasting all of your potential on me."

"None of that matters if I don't have you with me. Yes, my family is rich, but do you really think I care about that kind of stuff when I gave it all up to come work at the forge?"

"Well, I…"

"And do you think I'd be here right now, doing my best to fight for you, if I thought I could live a life with Yoona? Y/n, you're the only one I could see myself with; you're the only one that will ever make me feel complete."

"But your parents, Jeno. They'd never approve."

"I talked to them. Sure, they think still Yoona is my match, but they're willing to accept you. And so what if they weren't? It's my life and I'd be willing to give up all of it for you." 

He stands up, placing his mug on the little table between you and walking around it to stand before you. He reaches into the pocket of his trousers to pull something out, but it slips through his grasp, falling somewhere on the hard stone floor with a soft clink. It takes a minute but Jeno is able to find it, fingertips grazing across a familiar cold metal underneath the chair you're sitting on. He takes the object between his fingers and offers it to you.

The scene before you is something you'd never think would happen. Jeno is on one knee and in his hand is a small metal object, a ring that you can tell is handmade. It's not a perfect circle, not even close, and you can tell it was rushed by the lumps on the surface, but the mere sight of it has you flustered beyond belief

"Jeno, I hope that's not what I think it is. Never mind the fact that society wouldn't approve; we're not even twenty yet!"

It takes a moment for the man to realize the position he's in, but when it clicks, he jumps to his feet, startling you a bit. He takes your smaller hand in his, holding it as if it's a delicate flower, and looks deeply into your eyes.

"It's a promise ring I meant to give you. It means I'll always care for you, support you, and love you until the day that I die. I hope this proves how much you mean to me."

With that, Jeno slides the ring onto its designated finger. And in this moment, it's like you can see into each other's hearts and souls. In this moment, no one else exists and nothing else matters. Jeno thinks the smile that finally breaks your tense visage is bright enough to illuminate the whole world, if not the whole universe.

You jump up to your feet and wrap your arms around the man, your man, placing a kiss on his chapped and cracked lips. The feeling of your lips locking perfectly together assures you that this is how it's meant to be and you should've never tried to settle for anything less. The kiss is sweet and innocent and pure and you want to stay like this forever. Unfortunately, you both run out of air and pull away, though your hand is still tangled in the hairs on the back of his head and his palm is planted firmly on your waist.

"I love you too," you breathe out, reciprocating what he had said earlier.

Jaemin holds up a finished sword, the product of yours and Jeno's hard work, twisting his wrist to inspect the blade from all angles. The sun’s rays make it glow as if it’s molten silver, causing your friend to nod in approval. He makes a few slashes at the air, but they're sloppy and slow as the sorcerer has never been the fighting type.

"It's perfect, Y/n," he tells you with his pearly white smile.

You can't take all the credit though, elbowing Jeno in his side as you declare, "Jeno did a good amount of work on it too."

Jeno snaps out of whatever daze he's in and shyly rubs a hand against his neck, claiming he really didn't do much. Even still, you decide to split the reward evenly between the two of you. You think it's only fair since what's yours is his and what's his is yours. 

Jaemin snaps his fingers as he reminds you, "Hey, you never did tell me its name."

You and Jeno look at each other, smiles coming to your faces knowing you'd actually discussed this topic just the night before.

"Excalibur," you declare proudly.

And Jeno finishes off, "The sword that cuts through steel."

#nct jeno #lee jeno #jeno x reader #neowritingsnet #nctechnet #lee jeno x reader #nct x reader #x reader #kpop x reader #kpop imagine #jeno imagine #nct imagine #nct dream #nct dream x reader #nct dream imagines #kpop fluff #nct fluff #nct soft hours #nct soft scenarios #nct imagines #jeno fluff #jeno soft hours #cottonblush's arthur au

[neoculturetechxgot7]

[09:31]

Your fingers were dipped between the so subtle crunch of fresh grass blades, palm smeared with cool morning dew to support your weight as you reclined backwards and obtained a perfect view of his gold-carved features. He looked too angelic, too overwhelmingly mesmerising under the solar kiss of summer on the apples of his cheeks and the adorable tip of his nose, light peachy with a special kind of shimmer.

Suddenly, Johnny's attention shifted from the rainbow coloured variety of picked flowers on his lap to you, eyes of burnt sand and fallen leaves walking their charming gaze to meet yours. And, in that moment, you might had caught a glimpse of something like a galaxy, as if its thick delirious blackness and all of its opal stars had spiralled behind his iris.

"Come closer." That feathery, smooth voice rang crystal clear over the plush greenery, with an audible hint of his ivory smile and you felt simply enchanted. "I want to show you something."

As if every movement was sacred, you hunched forward and offered him a questioning look, head tilting to one side as your knees moved beside his seated form.

His hand lifted to hover before you and, much to your surprise, a thin stem was pinched gently between his fingertips, a stunning virgin white blossom that seemed too pure and flawless for anyone's eyes.

"What is this?" You inquired with a curious peer.

"Jasmine." He replied and slowly, like a mystical treasure, he raised it to his nose to inhale deeply, chest heaving under his white shirt."It smells amazing."

A couple of short seconds later he brought it to your nose, silky petals emitting the most etherealy drunken fragrance, a little bit stinging a little bit divine as you tried to take all of its perfumed breath in your lungs.

"It's beautiful." You whispered into the floral blow of a silent breeze without realising.

Within an instant, the prickly edge of it was gliding over the top curve of your ear, digging into loose hair to adorn them with a small gift of nature. After placing it there so tenderly, Johnny's knuckles came front to swipe the most romantically caring stroke over your cheeks, its sorcery leaving behind a creamy rose tint and moon's precious, heated gloss. Your skin could easily have melted into nothingness at how kind, how soft, how loving the lingering sensation was.

"Just like you, my love." He spoke carelessly, not knowing the after effects of his words, and shattered your heart into a million of lovestruck and utterly devoted shards, each one swollen with those pulsing emotions.

Maybe Johnny had truly been formed out of royal fairytales and glowing platinum dust and blush dreams an eternity ago, that's why you found such sincere bliss in his slightest touch, his shortest glance, his most shy kiss.

#johnny seo #nct 127 #nctechnet #neowritingsnet #cznnet #johnny nct #johnny suh #johnny fluff #nct fluff #nct imagines #nct blurbs #lee taeyong #taeyong #jung jaehyun #jaehyun #johnny x reader #lee donghyuck #dong sicheng #donghyuck #kim doyoung #doyoung #jungwoo #mark lee #yuta #nakamoto yuta #nct dream #taeil #na jaemin #jeno #jaemin

[waikuuu]

[ 5: 34 P.M. ] Imagine Renjun painting a picture of you putting it on his wall reminding himself you were the one who taught him to love himself and that you are and always be with him forever. 

#neowritingsnet #nctechnet #nct #nct dream #renjun #nct renjun #nct dream renjun #blurbs #nct blurbs #nct dream blurbs #renjun blurbs #nct renjun blurbs #nct dream renjun blurbs #fluff #nct fluff #nct dream fluff #renjun fluff

[yanggerm-archive]

[12:34 A.M. ] --- Angel!Jaehyun. Silence filled the sky, and things shining brighter than they were supposed to be. Jaehyun slowly turning his head facing towards the girl he loved so dearly, he wished for this moment to never be over, but he knew time was never infinite. He never wanted to go back to heaven, back to his father, he already broke a rule, if his father knew, he’d be banished to hell. 

Rule 1: Don’t fall in love with the person you’re guarding

He slowly turned his head away, slowly lowering his body to lay down as he quietly pleaded not to be taken away, not yet at least. And you sitting still looking at the stars, hoping one day the fallen angel, Na Jaemin would finally notice you but sadly he hasn’t. Your eyes getting heavier as you eventually close your eyes and snooze of to dream land. Jaehyun looks over at you silently snoring and scoots over to you, touching your cheek, suddenly having a flash what was on your mind, and the person he saw wasn’t him. And that’s when he knew, you never loved him at all.  

#cznnet #nctechnet #nct #nct u #nct 127 #jaehyun #jung jaehyun #jung yoonoh #nct jaehyun #blurbs #nct blurbs #nct u blurbs #nct 127 blurbs #jaehyun blurbs #nct jaehyun blurbs #angst #nct angst #nct u angst #nct 127 angst #jaehyun angst

[nyukhie]

[ 0:00 ] “I’m sorry” You said. “I’m sorry I couldn’t love you the way you loved me.” You said again, your head slowly looking down. “But you weren’t sorry, you just wanted somebody to keep you company am I right?” Hendery whispered, the sadness in his voice, filling the room. “Hendery I-” You said and Hendery proceeding interrupt you. “You knew how much I hurt, you knew how much I’ve been through, and how much I loved you, you don’t have the right to say anything, because all you did was use me to your pleasure and threw me away once you were done and left me for my best friend.” He said, his tone getting louder and louder and it felt like the whole world stop, and you were both suddenly on different galaxies and the distance wouldn’t stop growing. 

#nctechnet #hendery #nct #wayv #wong kunhang #blurbs #hendery blurbs #nct blurbs #wayv blurbs #kunhang blurbs #angst #nct angst #wayv angst #hendery angst

[xuxismoon]

thinking bout you | x.d.j.

Count: 1,140 | Genre: Angst, suggestive, fluff | Song: Thinking bout You by KATIE

Yeah I don’t know why you’re messing around with all them other girls

Acting like you’ve got all of the time left in the world

I promise that if you were mine I’d never let it go to waste

“Where have you been all night?”

“Out” 

“Again? Its the third time this week, ya know, will you ever sleep?”

Xiaojun hums, rummaging through the fridge for food.

“I made something for you, its in the microwave.” Xiaojun places a tender kiss to the back of your head when he walks past you. “Thanks” You watch him disappear into his room, not only taking the food you made, but your thoughts too. 

I can tell that you’ve been hurt before I know because I was too

I know you feel the energy when you look in my eyes

Can you tell the way I feel I’m obviously yours to take

You are alerted to your roommate Xiaojun’s presence when your front door slams. You watch him slowly walk in to the living area, head down and cheeks stained. “Dejun?” The boy’s eyes dart up, startled. Quickly wiping away what was left of his tears, a cracked voice reaches your ears. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were home.” You look at him, already knowing what happened. “Come here.” You gesture him over and he slides into your embrace, burying his face into your hair. After a few minutes he pulls away, looking down at your features. You look at at him, studying his tear stained face. “Don't do that” You quirk your eyebrow at him. “Do what?”

“Looking at me like I matter.”

Because it’s 4 o’clock in the morning

And that’s about the time I start zoning

Thinkin bout all the ways that I want it

And it's time that you know you know you know

You stare at you clock trying to focus on the time ticking by to drown out the moans of pleasure coming from Xiaojun’s room. Your mind clouded with thoughts of him and what it would feel like if it was you under him right now instead of the girl he brought home from his science class. The way your heart aches for his touch makes you clutch your chest in pain. You tell yourself you'll confess to him tomorrow, like you do every night. 

That I can’t stop thinkin bout you

I can't stop thinkin bout you

And I don’t know what I’m gonna do

I can’t stop thinkin bout you

“Hey! Are you even listening to me?” Your friend Joy waves her hand in front of your face. “Y-yeah, sorry Joy, I just zoned out.” Joy rolls her eyes at this, “When are you gonna tell him?” You shrug as a response as you keep staring at Xiaojun from across the room where a girl is getting touchy with him. The pang of jealousy in your chest makes you look away into Joy’s concerned facial expression. “I don't know what I’m gonna do.”

In my imagination I can almost feel your touch

Dreaming of the day you say you want me just as much

But what good are the fantasies if I don’t get the real thing

“Dejun-” 

“Shh, don't worry about them baby, focus on me.” His lips crashed onto yours and you couldn’t help but whimper at the feeling of his body pressed against yours. His hands wondered your body, eventually slipping under your shirt to cup your breasts. Massaging the mounds of flesh, Xiaojun broke the kiss to pepper more along your jaw. “You’re so beautiful”

The loud knock at your door startled you from your slumber, “Hey! Am I driving you to class or not?” Xiaojun yelled from the other side of the door. “No, you can leave, Im fine.” You respond, wiping the sweat from your forehead.

Cause although it’s only in my head for now

I’m hoping once I finally let it out

That you say you feel the way that I do

Baby say you feel the way that I do

“Dejun?” Xiaojun opens his eyes and stares up at you from where his head was placed in your lap. “Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too” He says closing his eyes again, and you couldn’t find it within yourself to explain to him what you actually meant.

Because it’s 4 o’clock in the morning

And that’s about the time I start zoning

Thinkin bout all the ways that I want it

And it's time that you know you know you know

The moans continued to spill from the unknown girl’s mouth for what seemed like hours. You laid in bed and questioned if a boy was really worth all this pain. You came to the conclusion you do every night, Xiao Dejun wasn't just some boy to you. Finally you turned on the shower in hopes of not only drowning out the girls moans, but your sobs as well.

That I can’t stop thinkin bout you

I can't stop thinkin bout you

And I don’t know what I’m gonna do

I can’t stop thinkin bout you

“Fuck off, Xiao”

“Woah, someone’s cranky, you need to get laid.”

You roll your eyes, “Sure, because sex fixes everything.” At this Xiaojun shrugs, “I never said it fixed everything, but its one hell of a distraction.” You sigh and place you coffee down, “I don't think I could.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m in love with someone already.”

And I just want you to know

And if you feel the same then say so

Babe I just want you to know

Baby I just want you to know you know you know

That night instead of one of Xiaojun’s daily escapdes filling your home with the scent of thick sex, Xiaojun comes on with only the scent of alcohol on him. He stumbles into the living area and collapses into your lap on the couch. “She loves someone.” He mumbles into your thigh. “Who?” you ask. “The girl I love with is involve with someone else.” Youre stunned into silence and the only thing that reaches your ears are Xiaojun’s soft snores.

That I can’t stop thinkin bout you

I can't stop thinkin bout you

And I don’t know what I’m gonna do

I can’t stop thinkin bout you

“Im sorry” Xiaojun mumbles when he wakes with his head in your lap and your fingers stroking his hair. “Don’t be.” You say, looking down at his tired eyes. “You should go back to sleep.” Xiaojun shakes his head, “No, im good, I didn't say anything stupid last night did I?” You smile and help him off the couch, “No you didn't.” Chuckling, Xiaojun makes his way to the kitchen only to be frozen in place by your words. “By the way Dejun, Im in love with you too.”

#neowritingsnet #ncitynetwork #nctechnet #xiaojun #xiao dejun #nct #wayv #song fic

[nctechnet-blog]

Applications are: O P E N

Please read the Network’s rues here

Please follow the network and answer the questions in this survey to apply!

For any questions please contact Admin Moon ( @xuxismoon ) through Tumblr DM’s

Love, Admin Moon and Admin Smiles!

#nctechnet #nct #nct 127 #nct dream #nct u #nct 2019

[neoneversleeps]

peanuts | l.dh

pairing: lee donghyuck x reader

genre: tooth rotting fluff

warnings: none

description:

Keeping your eyes open at what must be one of the must boring events you’ve ever been to when you’re already low on sleep is an exceptionally hard challenge. Luckily, your seat partner seems determined to keep you awake. 

words: 1.5k

requested by anon: 

“hello i was wondering if you could write something where you’re at an award show and the only thing keeping you awake is the guy sitting next to you’s commentary ? (johnny or donghyuck pls) ty !”

notes: i tried to make this as bubbly and light as i could because it just really fit with the theme for me, so expect a lot of giggles and smiles throughout this small drabble. (also i hope you don’t have a peanut allergy or else this could be awkward jahsdfv) anyways, hope you enjoy reading, anon! ♡

"And the winner is…" 

A name foreign to you is called out and the ring of applause that sounds out from around you is what forces your eyes back open from where they'd been drooping shut. You subtly try to stifle a yawn behind your hand before clapping along, a beat later than the crowd. The past few days had been particularly tiring for you, and between work, your studies and outings with your friends you had found close to no time to sleep. 

And of course, as fate would have it, during your one free day, you mom dragged you to one of her many events. Some award show that also doubled as a fundraiser for whatever organization your mother was currently working with. You could never quite keep up with the amount of times she bounced around between jobs. 

Your eyelids fall dangerously low again as you hear a voice right beside your ear. "Falling asleep, are we?" 

The sudden noise causes you to shoot up, whipping your head to look at the young man sitting in the chair next to you. His light brown hair is styled away from his face, leaving his forehead in full view. His tan skin stands out against the crisp black and white of his tux and your eyes can't help but wander over the elegant slopes of his face. You can't help but note that this stranger looks very very handsome. You hadn't even noticed him before now, too engrossed in your own little world to pay attention to your surroundings. 

You choke on your spit just a little before forcing out a somewhat pathetic "I wasn't falling asleep." The stranger laughs at what you say and you can't help but chuckling with him just a little, realizing the obviousness of your lie. 

"Hey, I don't blame you. This award show is boring as hell." 

You turn to the stranger, a totally serious look on your face. "My mom organized this event." His eyes widen almost comically as he sits up straighter, already fumbling over his apologies. It's your turn to laugh wholeheartedly at his helplessness. His previous shocked expression turns into a playful scowl and he narrows his eyes at you. 

The presenter's echoing voice is what draws your attention back to the stage in front. The man takes out a new set of cards, reading through them at a quick pace as he fixes the glasses perched on his nose. You feel the handsome stranger lean in closer to you on your side. "You know, I bet he's gonna mess up this next guy's name." You raise a questioning eyebrow at your seat partner before focusing back on the presenter. Sure enough, he completely butchers the winner's last name, stumbling through the syllables of the word with great difficulty. 

You turn to the young man beside you once again. "How did you know that was gonna happen?" He shrugs, not even sparing you a glance as he answers swiftly. "I already know exactly who'll win what award." Your eyebrows draw together at his confession. "What? How?" 

"Because it's rigged." He turns his gaze towards you, a serious look to his face. It only lasts a second though, before he bursts out laughing. His laugh is full in its glory, a melodious sound that escapes him as he bends forward slightly. He quiets down only after there's a small shush from behind you both.  "Oh my God, you should've seen the look on your face just now!" 

You roll your eyes at him and move one of your hands to slightly push at his shoulder, a smile finding its way to your face despite yourself. "So how do you know?" 

"I caught a peek at the presenter's cue cards earlier." He says nonchalantly as he rummages around for something in his blazers inner pocket. You huff out a small laugh. "Cheeky." 

He clicks his tongue as he pulls out a bag of peanuts, plopping one of them into his mouth with ease. Your stomach growls slightly at the sight. You hadn't eaten anything since lunch. "You've got snacks?" You question in disbelief, not having seen any form of food anywhere at the venue. 

Another peanut finds its way into the guy's mouth. "Yeah, I smuggled them in. You want some?" You nod eagerly, reaching into the small package and pulling out a handful of nuts. The guy chuckles as you plop a few into your mouth and you look at him in confusion. "What's so funny?" 

"Nothing. It's just- I find it funny how you don’t even know my name and yet you’re accepting my offer of peanuts. These could be poisoned, you know?” 

You bring your hand up to your mouth to stifle a snicker, before reaching over and grabbing another handful from the small plastic bag in mystery guy’s hands. You cock your head as you shoot him a crooked smile. “I’ll take my chances.” Your currently leaning across the boy, your faces only inches apart as you notice his breath hitch. His eyes flicker briefly down to your lips and you freeze, still close enough to the see the elegant curve of his dark lashes. 

“Donghyuck.” He breathes out. “My name is Donghyuck.” A playful smile forms on your lips, still dangerously near his. “I didn’t ask for your name.” His eyes shift to the side nervously, and you can see the way goosebumps erupt on his caramel skin, before his eyes come back up to meet yours. “Well, I thought you should know, regardless. Seeing as I’m the guy who’s been keeping you awake for the past thirty minutes.” 

Finally, you pull yourself back, leaning against your seat as you gaze over at Donghyuck, whose shy expression has turned into a coy smile. “Y/n.” He blinks once in confusion and a small chuckle falls from your lips. “My name is Y/n. It’s nice to meet you Donghyuck.” You hold out your hand, watching as his long fingers engulf yours in a short handshake. He wears an almost boyish grin on his face when you next look at him. “Well, it’s nice to meet you too, Y/n.”

The next hour or so of the event is spent with you barely holding back a laugh at whatever witty commentary Donghyuck has to offer, emptying out the bag of peanuts and avoiding the glares and shushes of those around you. Not once do your eyes droop with the lively boy next to you, and by the end you feel lighter and filled with more energy than you have in a long time. 

It seems almost far too soon, when the curtains close on the stage and the people around start standing up to shuffle out of the auditorium. You join the crowd, Donghyuck still beside you as you continue to talk about idle things, smiles on both your faces.

After a while you reach the exit and the both of you are left standing side by side under the night sky, a cool breeze ruffling through your hair. A small moment passes where none of you talks, and you use that brief time to glance at Donghyuck’s face underneath the meager glow of the streetlight in front of you. The light casts moving shadows over his elegant features, and his windswept hair paired with the pristine tux he’s wearing make him look like he just stepped out of an old hollywood movie. 

His phone buzzes and you watch as his face shifts to an almost annoyed expression once he glances at the screen of the device. “What’s up?” You break the silence, only for Donghyuck to shoot you an apologetic look. “Ah, I- My brother just texted that he’s locked out of his apartment and I have to go save him. I actually wanted to invite you out to dinner…” His voice trails off as he types something on his phone, undoubtedly and angry text at his brother from his adorable scowl. There’s a flutter in your stomach at his last words and you tap his hand to get his attention. His gaze shifts to you and you simply gesture towards the device in his hands. 

Wordlessly, he hands it over to you. You type in your name and number, unable to hide the way your lips curl upward as you do so. “Well we can reschedule then. Call me. Or text, whichever you prefer.” You hand his phone back to him, only just stifling your laughter at the way his mouth hangs slightly open. You can hear your mother's voice somewhere behind you. Whipping your head around, you find her in the crowd, her eyes no doubt searching for you. 

You turn once again to Donghyuck and, in a quick motion lean up to press a chaste kiss to his cheek. “Thanks for tonight.” Turning on your heel as quick as you can to hide your blush, you find your way over to your mother. She nods at you and heads for the car, you following suit. 

However, once at the car, you allow yourself one last glance over your shoulder. A smile tugs at the ends of your lips when you spot Donghyuck do a small victory dance as he looks down at his phone, where you had saved your number, and your name, complete with a heart.

#neowritingsnet #nctechnet #cznnet #nct haechan #nct lee donghyuck #nct haechan x reader #nct donghyuck x reader #haechan x reader #donghyuck x reader #nct x reader #nct drabble #haechan drabble #nct aechan drabble #nct donghyuck drabble #nct 127 #nct u #nct dream #nct scenarios #nct donghyuck scenario #req'd

[eyesmilesjeno-archive]

[3:21am] You run you hands through Badboy!Jeno’s newly blonde hair while his lips attach themselves to your neck, enjoying the whimpers that left your mouth. This all happened when you told him how attractive you found him to be today, with his fresh undercut and slick backed hair, a tighter then usual leather jacket that hugged his arms in just the right way. Of course when you told him this, your goal was to somewhat make him flustered, to which that goal failed. It instead ended up with you pinned against the wall, purple splotches blooming on your neck, and lewd noises leaving your mouth. You thought that maybe you might start complimenting Jeno a little bit more often.

#neowritingsnet #badboy!jeno #cznnet #nctechnet #suggestive content #suggestive jeno #Lee jeno #jeno #jeno imagine #lee jeno scenario #lee jeno imagine #lee jeno au #jeno scenario #jeno blurb #nct jeno blurb #lee jeno blurbs #lee jeno blurb #Jeno blurbs #nct dream jeno #nct dream au #nct dream blurbs #nct dream blurb #nct dream boyfriend #nct jeno fluff #nct jeno #lee jeno drabble #jeno drabbles #jeno drabble

[neoculturetechxgot7]

[19:12]

Hyuck's fingers, cold and wrinkly from the lasting effect of ocean water, steadily guide you on path behind the dips of his footsteps into warm sand and you obediently scurry to whatever secret he wants to take you. The sun's golden disk is slowly eclipsed by the shadowed edges of mountain tops, dreamy dusk knitting a gradient of coral orange and red and galactic mauve up in the sky. For a moment, your gaze wanders off between the clouds above, virgin white and so beautifully sprawled like cotton art.

Such aromance laces the salty air, such a fitting scenery for the release of pulsing feels and long awaited confessions...

"Come on!" A sprinkle of impatience is mixed in his silvery voice and somehow the crooked smirk gracing his lips is heard in the rings of every word.

Your friend gently tugs on your wrist, impelling you to hurry, yet the very next moment you lose your gait and stumble, a soft whine escaping into the sunset.

"Hyuck, where are we going?" You realise the sound is almost breathless, and truly, it's his presence that's draping such a starstruck daze over your mind.

"We're here." He abruptly announces, excitement coating his tone and speeds up.

Your eyes shot far forward to spot a thick slot of darkness running down the side of the hill, a large opening cut straight across grey rock, small traces of sea foam gracing the shore beside it with every soft wave.

It feels somehow intimidating walking into the hollow cave, the splashing of water bouncing off of stone with every small step and for a moment, you hesitate to continue, pulling on Donghyuck's hand with a firm grip.

"Where are we going?" You repeat stubbornly and watch his face turn, that celestial glow on the apples of his cheeks and that devilish trace of a grin across his dazzling teeth still evident even thorough the faded light.

"I just don't want the others to find us..." He backs up, his bare chest now only a couple of steamy breaths away, and you're suddenly sensing your limbs numb under the weight of his almost melancholic gaze.

"Why?"

Silence hangs loose on the crispy air, broken only by the low echo of rippling waves and his eyes avert to the sandy ground before he takes another fierce step forward.

"Hyuck, we're here, now what?"

His answer never comes.

Or maybe, it does, but in the form of two ruby lips clashing against your own in the most unexpected, the most feverish collision of need and blazing built up emotions that freeze you in a delirium. His arms, searing with a flame you wish so badly to feel, cage you tightly against the heat of his body and it seems that his raw strength is the only support of your quaking knees.

And then, you kiss him back so eagerly, nails digging into his forearms as if to never let go, wanting this sacred moment to flourish into an whole eternity and savour the paradisaical flavour he so prettily drenches your mouth with. Exploring fingertips twirl the ribbons of your biking, sending shudders down your spine with the slightest touch, the slightest brush of his knuckles against your skin. Dressed in the purity of sunset's dying sunrays, he devours a part of your very soul with those smoldering lips, projecting the whole universe in the darkness behind your closed eyelids.

Hyuck pulls back absolutely breathless, breaking the blessed contact only for his forehead to fall gently against yours as the scent of all the unspoken infiltrates the little cave.

"Did you like it?"

A deep sigh is your only reply, to which his arms tense and progressively loosen around your waist, his godly warmth choked by a sea perfumed breeze. You see how anxious his eyes turn in an instant, a dash of regret fleeing around their pits and oh it's sole mischief that sparks in yours.

"Do it again." You demand, wrapping around him in utter longing, utter devotion as relief washes over the gorgeousness of his bronzed features.

He leans down once again, hungrily, to write a lone 'finally' against your lips with such magic in his kiss, that you can only fall deeper and deeper into those now revealed feelings.

pulsing feelings and long waited confessions...

#haechan #lee donghyuck #neowritingsnet #cznnet #nctechnet #donghyuck #doyoung #kim doyoung #dong sicheng #lee taeyong #taeyong #mark lee #johnny seo #johnny suh #jungwoo #jung jaehyun #jaehyun #nakamoto yuta #yuta #jaemin #lee jeno #taeil #nct drabbles #nct dream #nct fluff #nct imagines #nct 127 #nct #way v #huang renjun

[yanggerm-archive]

Your mobile masterlist is broken :/

if you’re talking about the one that i put on nctechnet than yeah i have to change it and the one on my bio isn’t ready yet bby :(( it’ll be soon, I just need some time to organize it !!

#im really sorry :(( #i feel bad tbh #asks #ask #anon #answered

[nyukhie]

[ 4: 34 A.M. ] Taeyong opened your shared bedroom door to find Jaehyun sleeping beside you, knowing you cheated on him, but he loved you too much and would sacrifice to be hurt to be with you even if you loved someone else. 

#nctechnet #ngl this is a red flag #taeyong should have broken up with #nct #nct u #nct 127 #taeyong #nct taeyong #lee taeyong #blurbs #nct blurbs #nct u blurbs #nct 127 blurbs #taeyong blurbs #nct taeyong blurbs #lee taeyong blurbs #angst #nct angst #nct u angst #nct 127 angst #taeyong angst

[xuxismoon]

Bloom | 4

Mark Lee | Social Media!au and written fic hybrid ☾ Angst, fluff, humor

After a tough run of high school, you finally return to your home town to attend college. Little do you know the boy who broke your heart is determined to capture it again.

Face claim : Chuu Model Taeri

Word Count: 837 | Warnings : Violence, suggestive, horrible writing

Note: Im sorry this is not edited lol, let me know if you see anything!

previous | next

You open the door to a smiling Mark, a milkshake in one hand and a bouquet of roses in the other. Mark blushes slightly at the shocked expression on your face at his gifts for you, “I wanted to cheer you up.” He stutters out, his tongue darting out to wet his lower lip. You move your body from blocking the door way completely to let Mark slip into your apartment. After closing the door you turn to see Mark gazing at the pictures on your wall. Mark turns and catches your gaze, holding it with his own. “You still have this picture of us?” He nods his head towards a picture on the wall, which happened to be of him and yourself at the beach. 

You smile fondly at the memory, “Yeah I do, I could never forget about you, even after we stopped talking.” You say, looking down at your feet in embarrassment at your confession. Mark places the roses and drink down on the table and slowly approaches you. Using his index finger, Mark tilts your head up. “Look at me.” He mumbles as he brings his other hand to stroke your cheek. “Mark...” “No, Y/n Im sorry, I shouldn't have treated you like that, I didn't deserve you.” You search Mark’s eyes only to find the soft brown orbs of a boy who cared, who cares. Without thinking you step closer to Mark, his scent enveloping you. You chests touch and Mark leans his head down closer, your noses grazing one another. “Please?” Mark says as he slides his hands down your back to grip your hips. You close your eyes and nod leaning into Mark’s touch, roses and milkshakes long forgotten. Everything around you disappears as Marks lips meets your own. You tangle one hand in his dark locks and the other rests on his chest. Mark slowly walks forward, pushing your back against the wall, trapping you with his body. You sigh when Mark’s tongue prods your lips, slightly parting to let him explore your mouth. Mark’s hands wonder your body, sliding his knee between you legs and grabbing your thigh to lift you up slightly. You whimper into the kiss when he grinds his knee into your core, startling you by how aroused you are. You and Mark pull away from each other when a loud knock echos through the apartment. You look at one another in confusion and you whisper to Mark, “I wasn't expecting anyone but you.” Mark nods and looks at you thoughtfully before moving to go open the door. Grabbing the handle, Mark opens the door halfway before its shoved open by a much stronger force. Before you could see who it was a voice made its way through your ears. “You!” Yuta sneers, pure anger on his face. Mark quickly blocks the door with his body, “Go away Yuta, she doesn’t want to see you.” Yuta lets out an empty chuckle at this, “And did she say that? Or did you just want her all to your self lover boy?” Before Mark could answer Yuta attempts to push his way past Mark to get to you. Mark grabs Yuta’s arm and shoves him back out the door again, “I said she doesn’t want to see you, Nakamoto.” Yuta’s demeanor surprisingly calm as he nods and seemingly turns to leave before he whips back around and lands a clean punch on Mark’s cheek. Mark stumbles back, his hand on his cheek, and mouth open in shock. “Yuta no!” You yell, attempting to run to Marks side before Yuta could do more damage. Yuta grabs Mark by his shirt and slams him against the wall, staring at him with hate. “Let go of me, you don't wanna do this, not in front of her.” Mark reasons. “Don't tell me what to do, Lee.” Yuta slams Mark into the wall, harder this time and the breath leaves Marks lungs. Without thought, Mark shoves Yuta off of him and steps to the side, shielding you from Yuta’s view. Yuta moves to punch Mark again, and you scream, “Yuta stop!” Ignoring your pleads Yuta punches Mark again. Mark looks at Yuta with disappointment, “Im not fighting you, please just leave us alone.” Yuta’s anger seems to double and as he moves to harm Mark again, you quickly grab the milkshake off the table and douse Yuta in the sweet contents. Both men look at you in shock at you glare hard into Yuta’s eyes. “If you wont listen to Mark, listen to me, leave, and don't come back.” You spit, anger coursing through your veins. Yuta looks down at his milkshake covered clothing and back at you. “Y/n I-” Pointing at the door you shake your head, “Leave, Yuta!” At this Yuta nods and makes his way out the door, looking back at you like a lost puppy. You refuse to look at him and turn your head, only looking back when you hear Mark closing the door.

#ncitynetwork #neowritingsnet #nctechnet #mark #mark lee #mark lee angst #mark lee smut #yuta #nakamoto yuta #nct #nct 127

[nctechnet-blog]

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