#at LEAST he took off multiple articles of clothing. but it seems too fast for that.
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you know that one bit in ep39 where tim breaks out of the tunnels into document storage high out of his mind on CO2? its such a tiny tiny thing but people always misquote that section as
ARCHIVIST
You’re not bitten, are you?
TIM
No, I don’t think so! Have a look!
ARCHIVIST
Yes, alright Tim, you look fine. Put it back on, please.
and its SUCH a small but vital word choice, in the actual show jon says "put THEM back on." not "it." its so important to me that tim did not in fact take off his shirt here, he fully ripped his pants (trousers) off in front of his boss
#the magnus archives#at LEAST he took off multiple articles of clothing. but it seems too fast for that.#and the only single article of clothing that we refer to as plural (that would get a flustered reaction) is pants/trousers#its possible he took off pants (underwear) in the same motion idk hes high as fuck#theres a nonzero chance that jon and martin have unwillingly seen tims dick and/or ass ACCEPT IT#idk why everyone assumes its his shirt ive read so many fanfics where its just some saucy shirtless tim#no!!! cowards!!!
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SugarDaddy!Enji X SugarBaby!Male Reader <3
Not entirely sure where this came from, but couldn’t help myself once it started :3 nothing crazy, and kinda short, so apologies for that, but I hope you guys enjoy it! Prompt fills should be out later this month: In the midst of a move, so slow going getting fills, out, but hopefully soon <3 thanks for the patience, and the continued support. Much love to you guys! Enjoy :3
Sugar Daddy!Enji x Sugar Baby!Male Reader
(Sort of, kind of, it is but also not entirely the focus)
“What would you do without me, dad,” Fuyumi sighed, though her smile was palpable, even if Enji couldn’t see it- as she’d stepped behind him to lint roll his dinner jacket. Enji adjusting his watch, and catching the time, puffing his chest up a bit as he shooed his daughter back, and glanced at himself in the full length mirror once more, briefly.
Enji would lie down and accept the sweet, bitter kiss from the grim reaper, before he ever told his daughter just where he’d found his date from. But, and as hard as it was to so much as admit it, Enji did know when to wave the white flag of defeat, and after three hours of trying to pick his own outfit, he’d shuffled off to her room and mumbled the bare minimum about having a date from an app tonight.
Fuyumi had freaked out for all of ten minutes, before growing startlingly serious, and rifling through his closet for articles of clothing Enji had no idea were even there. And now...well, he looked more presentable than he had in ages. Granted, his wardrobe consisted of his hero suit ninety nine percent of the time, but still.
Bidding Fuyumi goodbye was a whole other ordeal, but soon enough, Enji found himself- or rather, his driver, pulling up along the curb of the restaurant he’d asked you to. Not even a moment to gather himself, or suck in a few lungful's of crisp evening air, before his eyes landed on you. Your dazzling smile so bright, Enji had to keep himself from squinting, as you hurried over, and without so much as a hello first, threw your arms over the hero’s broad shoulders, and brought him down into a tight, warm hug.
Enji squeezed back awkwardly, though your cologne was mouthwatering, and the feel of someone wanting to be in his arms almost made the older man dizzy, as he pulled back, and smoothed out the front of his jacket. Just to busy his hands, as you eyed him up, and your smile grew softer. More intimate.
“It’s so nice to meet, finally. In person.” You laughed, gesturing for Enji to follow you to the front door, as there was already a man waiting to escort you back to your table.
Well, Enji thought. Here goes nothing.
“You’re nervous,” you pointed out quietly- gently, reaching across the table to lay one of your hands over Enji’s much larger one: meeting the older man's gaze as he stopped jiggling his leg, and focused his full attention on you.
“Observant,” Enji huffed, though not unkindly, as he took a deep breath, and reached up with his free hand to tug at the neck of his sweater. Cheeks flush, both from the heat within himself, and his nerves.
You were much more...handsome? Pretty? Drop dead gorgeous?- than your profile pictures had given you credit for, and even then you were one of the most beautiful specimens he’d ever laid his eyes on, so that was really saying something.
“I try to be,” you laughed, bringing your other hand around to sip at your champagne, before laying your glass-chilled hand over the other covering Enji’s, to clasp them on either side- just holding his hand, and smiling. Awkwardness creeping back up Enji’s neck as his throat worked around the words he couldn’t quite find.
“I could talk, if you’d like? And you can interject whenever you’d like. No pressure to, if you’re not ready. I could probably talk enough for the both of us.” You we’re trying to cut the man some slack, bless his big confused heart. Your online chats hadn’t divulged much, though you did get the gist from Enji. Bad relationship with his children. Not too close to anyone of his own age. He was lonely. And so were you. You were also broke as fuck, but all thoughts of monetary value flew out the window the second you hugged the man when you’d arrived. Seen the restaurant he’d asked you to; and the private balcony dinner he’d arranged. Enji was trying so hard, and it made your heart beat a little too fast. Your smile almost too bright.
“That...would be preferable, thank you,” Enji replied gruffly- though he cleared his throat after like he’d done it by accident. It only made you smile wider
“Of course. A very considerate daddy you are,” you teased, referencing the website you met on jokingly- or at least, half jokingly- though the way Enji’s blush deepened had you stuttering around your first few sentences- glancing down suddenly as Enji turned his hand palm upward- holding your hands in return, as you laughed, suddenly, and began speaking smoothly. Squeezing the man’s hands in silent thanks, as he listened intently to you rambling on about your life. Where you went to school, what instrument you played, your favorite movies, and books. He really /listened/, grunting every so often to show you he was- and even interjecting with questions every so often; Enji really wanted to know about you. He wanted to listen. You’d never quite had anyone like that before. Not even close friends who cared enough to really listen to you.
Your chest felt tight suddenly as you began touching on your most recent life happenings. Pausing slowly, voice getting quiet as you held Enji’s gaze, you lifted the older man’s hand to press a kiss to his palm. Snickering into it as Enji’s flames burst across his face at the contact. “Ah-Ahem. What uh...what’s that for?” He questioned, voice husky as he turned away slightly. Embarrassed at his flames for the first time since he was a pre-teen.
“Just thanks, for listening,” you admitted with a shrug, kissing his palm again, even softer this time. Enji turned then, pure honesty in his gaze as he gathered his courage to speak clearly, “I could listen to you speak...for hours, if I’m being honest. You have..a lovely voice.”
“Ah,” You nodded, your cheeks just as flushed as the hero’s as you swirled your champagne in its glass gently. Missing completely the way Enji’s face fell, and he withdrew his hands from atop the table, and back into his lap.
The rest of the night went pretty much the same, though you noticed Enji seemed slightly more reserved, and gruff than before. Still just as attentive, still nearly mute, just more...withdrawn. Less open then he’d become as you spoke. It wasn’t until the date had come to an end, and he was escorting you out of the restaurant, and to the car he’d called to take you home, did you realize why.
“Here you go.” Enji spoke quietly, yet clearly, crowding you in slightly so the valet couldn’t see the wad of cash he was holding out to you. Crisp bills neatly folded into a money clip, engraved with Enji’s initials.
“Oh.” You’d almost forgotten by this point that this was sort of part of it. Or...well, it was the whole point, really. Or had been.
“That’s….quite a lot of money,” You thought aloud, frowning at the way Enji’s brows drew down tightly, and he thumped the money into your chest gently.
“I apologize for the evening. Please, just take it. It’s triple the amount we originally spoke of. Compensation for the poor company I’ve been.”
You froze, staring between Enji’s eyes, that wouldn’t meet your own, and the cash being held out to you, Enji’s grip so tight on it his knuckles were white.
/Oh/.
So that’s what he thought. Earlier in the evening, your reaction to his sincerity, he’d read into it wrong.
….Sweet old man.
“Silly daddy,” You sighed, smiling despite the situation- reaching up to tug out one solitary bill from the stack, before pressing Enji’s fist back into his own chest with one hand- the other snaking up and around the man’s neck, to ease him down to your level gently.
“I can’t say I’ve ever had a more wonderful time with anyone before in my whole life. You listened, and saw me. And only me. For hours. I don’t think I can properly describe how absolutely wonderful that was. Truly. Silly,” You laughed again, watching the way Enji’s shoulders hunched, and tensed, a myriad of emotions flitting across his face, before he settled on bewilderment it seemed.
The tiniest flames danced across his cheeks as you leaned up on your toes, brushing noses briefly, before capturing Enji’s lips in a soft, chaste kiss.
Hand carding up and into the soft hair at the nape of Enji’s neck, scraping your nails through his scalp gently as your lips began to move against one another. Unsure, and hesitant, before that quickly melted away, leaving only the deepest desire, and want. A soft, needy noise leaving your mouth, that Enji swallowed up happily. Panting into your face as he pulled away, breath a wash of champagne, and the chocolate cake you’d both had for dessert.
“Tip...for your driver,” You breathed, slightly dazed as you fell back into the car, feet firmly on the ground now- tapping your pocket where you’d slid the bill from the stack he’d held out to you at first.
“I...should get going. But if I don’t have a text from you with the details of our next date when I get home, i’ll be one very disappointed boy,” You admitted quietly, cupping Enji’s cheek briefly- thumb sliding across his plump bottom lip, before you opened the back door of the car, and slid in. Wishing Enji a goodnight, before the door was shut, and you were being driven off towards home.
Enji checked the time briefly as you pulled away, and once more when he finally was able to get his legs working again- nearly an hour had passed, in which he’d tried and failed multiple times to collect himself. Had that really just happened?
The feel of his lips twisting up into a smile felt strange, and foreign for the pro hero. And as he walked home, to allow himself a chance to breathe finally, he began to laugh. Cupping his own face, and touching his lips, an incredulous laugh bubbled from deep within him as he threw his head back and allowed it to overtake him. Smiling in a way he hadn’t in...so, so long.
Pulling his phone out, he immediately began texting you, checking your schedule for the next night, before suggesting going to a play. A quiet, private balcony just for the two of you. Close seats. Beautiful music. He could watch your reactions under the bright stage lights. It sounded fantastic.
A text from Fuyumi chimed into his phone as he was nearly home, and still smiling like a love struck teenager.
So? How was it!?-FT
Enji sighed heavily, catching himself in a nearby shop window- looking too happy to be real, and recalling your words from earlier.
Wonderful.-ET
It was wonderful, Fuyumi.-ET
#bnha x reader#bnha x male reader#bnha x y/n#mha x reader#mha x male reader#mha x y/n#enji todoroki x male reader#enji todoroki x reader#enji todoroki x y/n#endeavor x reader#endeavor x male reader#endeavor x y/n#endeavor#enji todoroki#viciousvixxxen
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Castor - character bio
I’ve been struggling with getting a bio out for Cas for waaaaay too long now, but i feel pretty ok with how it looks currently - i'm going to repost it on my art blog with some drawings of Cas and Hjalle in the future (hopefully). If you want to skip most of the nonsense and just get a feel for her personality, the section under the bio paragraphs is FULL OF POINTS.
links to drawn refs here and here
Longpost under the cut
✦ Early life in Hjalle:
Being born into the noble family Aran, Castor’s early life consisted mostly of being pampered by the attendants and strict education. Cas was a rowdy kid, and with time, lack of affection and validation from her family served to amplify the trait - she went from occasionally disobedient to full-on antagonistic towards her parents, and the nobility as a whole. She began to sneak out; spending her time outside of the Fort, spying on the guards and trying to bribe knights into taking her on as a page.
When Cas turned nine a sibling came into the picture, and she made it her duty to assure Aster’s upbringing would be better than hers. She poured everything she had into Aster, but soon developed a brash and overbearing streak, unyielding in her focus to teach the meek little sister to stand her ground. Aster became torn between Cas and the parents, who in all fairness, treated her much better than their firstborn. This would remain the case until Castor’s dragon-induced injuries.
In her late teens, Cas was seldom seen in the fort - to everyone's great relief. Her mood was always sour, she gave up on her studies and only seemed to care about Aster and joining the hunting parties. Her parents reached their limit when Castor announced she would not become one of the renowned judges of House Aran - this led to an explosive argument, which concluded with Castor storming out. For the following two years, she lived and worked with rangers tasked with protecting and providing for the town.
It was in those years that Cas acquired her battle prowess and scars, the most prominent being a gift from an especially large and angry dragon. A single swipe of its tail tore Castor’s chest and forearm open, forcing the hunting party to rush her to the fort in (what the hunters expected to be) a futile attempt to get her family to provide medical help for their dying kin. The reception was cold indeed, and if it weren’t for Aster’s hysterics and outrage over her family’s indifference, Cas would have not survived the grievous wounds. The upside to this event was a new high tale to impress people with, and strengthening the bond between two sisters. The downside - Castor was now under her parent’s thumb. They made her accept the position of inquisitor; to make up for the hassle she caused them. Taking up the mantle turned Castor’s world upside down - not only would she have to work in close proximity to her father, but her dreams of being knighted were shattered, as inquisitorial duties stand in stark opposition to virtues of knighthood. As Inquisitor she was tasked with investigating and interrogating for the court - the latter, as Aran tradition had it, was extraordinarily bloody.
✦ Vesuvia:
Almost as soon as she arrived, the city sparked something in Cas. This was unexpected to say the least; she was certain the years of gruesome work as inquisitor numbed her to simple joys of life. The sights and sounds of Vesuvia however, made her eager to explore and see how everything ticked - and the more she saw the more she wished to remain in the city. After attending the Masquerade and becoming acquainted with Asra, Cas was prepared to do anything to stay - even if it meant sucking up to the Buffoon count and begging for a job. Lucio proved to be anything but opposed - he’d heard of the “bloody good shows” (pun intended) Castor was infamous for, and was eager to take her off her parents hands. This led to working parallel to the count and his court, but also enabled Cas to dabble in magic under Asra’s tutelage.
This slight betterment of Cas’ situation would not last long however, as The Red Plague took complete hold of the city mere months after she took up her residence in Vesuvia. After perishing, and being brought back by Asra, she very slowly regains certain memories and traits - her sister, love of astronomy, sword skills. She sneaks out, snoops, and is a handful overall; but Asra is happy to see Castor’s “new” self free of bitterness and pain.
After this point, the “game events” take place. I like to imagine Castor braving an amalgam of Nadia and Portia routes, with a fistful (or multiple) of courtier drama. Castor is tasked with an investigation, slowly but surely unravelling how deep the corruption runs in Vesuvia, and how much of it can be attributed to the courtiers. The conclusion of her story focuses on first facing off against the court, then the Justice Arcana.
✦ Physical appearance
Light olive skin, she picks up a slight tan in Vesuvia.
Dark gray eyes, striking marbling on the iris.
Long girl - 176 cm tall, loves being the “tall friend” (and manhandling people close to her). Being taller than her is taken as an indirect challenge.
She has a rectangular body type, could be described as a “runner’s body”.
Prominent scarring across right forearm and torso, missing right breast.
Tastefully disheveled. Her hair has a constantly windswept quality, and the gray streaks seem to be especially unruly.
Inherited the “Aran silver” (early graying), she tries to ignore it. “The more you hide it, the more it shows”.
Secretly really bothered by the many similarities to her father. Avoids looking at herself too much, and whenever she does it feels like he’s looking back at her, judging.
Only ever smoothes herself over before important court meetings and social events. She doesn't know how makeup works, so before any party she asks Asra to sort her out. Cas looking prim is both a treat and a source of friendly jabs.
✦ Character traits
Power walking by default. This can be somewhat intimidating, and she won’t stop if someone is in her way - just put them to the side and continue.
Puts up a really convincing pretence of formality and refinement.
In actuality she finds this facade tiresome, and just wants to talk fast about battle/hunting feats or astronomy. Maybe show off her pyromancy.
Loves socializing, it recharges her batteries.
Dilligent worker.
Tends to overwork herself and neglect her relationships.
Often scatter minded and wanting to do too many things at one time.
Doesn’t appreciate people instigating physical contact or getting up in her face. She needs to prepare herself for it, or be the initiator.
Stubborn as a mule. Never knows when to stop pressing people.
Extremely callous at times.
Annoyingly overbearing
Most of this springs from a place of fear - things had a habit of getting worse whenever her family imposed decisions onto her. In her mind, if she’s the one holding the reins, everything will be better. And if something does fail - she will be the only one to blame.
Starting arguments comes much too easily to her, but she’s just as quick to introspect, and seek out the person she argued with to apologize and approach the issue in an appropriate manner.
Forgives easily
Eternally scoffing at astrology. She knows shes being bigoted, but at this point its almost like an inside joke between her and Asra. “Astrology? It's baby stuff. PSEUDOSCIENCE!” (she cries as she worries over her afternoon tarot reading and preparing pretty horoscopes for the Shop...)
A huge hypocrite at times. “Do as I say, not as I do” could easily be her motto.
Both the upright and reversed Knight of Swords card sums her character up perfectly.
✦ Occupation & Residency
Vesuvia:
Beginning of her story follows the game canon almost to a T - Cas lives with Asra in the Shop, and works there. It bores her to death, and she plays tricks on every customer just to entertain herself.
After being officially hired by Nadia as the Palace Magician, Castor moves out of the shop and purchases a modest house in Goldgrave, much below the value of what Nadia offered her, and what she could afford. It’s convenient and that’s what matters to Cas. She continues supplying the shop diligently, and takes over whenever Asra runs off.
Nadia insisted on Castor having an office in the palace. It grew on her with time, and after The Devil is dealt with it becomes her little “hub”.
Hjalle:
Cas lived with her family in the castle site until 17 years old.
After denying her parents their plans for her future as a judge, she hunkered down in a hunting lodge outside of the town, and spent almost two years living that way - she still thinks of these two years as the most joyous time in her life.
The only thing she ever used her family’s wealth for was commissioning the construction of an extravagant observatory. Reminiscent of a gothic fortress, the stark exterior is contrasted with insides filled with artwork and art-nouveau ornaments. The central chamber is a vast library with a powerful telescope in its apse - it is a sight that could take the breath of the most haughty of nobles.
There’s a tiny living space below the main chamber, furnished sparingly, but with a lovely fireplace (in Hjalle, its a necessity). It’s where Cas stays after becoming the inquisitor/whenever she visits after the in-game events.
✦ Trivia
Cas is 23 years old when she first arrives to Vesuvia - 28 at the time of The Devil’s downfall.
She freed Merlin from a merchant’s cage in the Red Market, during one of her outings in the three year interlude after her death - Asra fumes after they find out she snuck out to the market - yet is amazed that Cas found a familiar.
Cas regained her first memories via touching objects linked to her past life - a letter from Aster, articles of clothing, a sword...
This self re-discovering takes a turn for the worse when Cas finally finds a large, ornate knife - the one she inherited after becoming inquisitor. The memories it resurfaces are a staggering blow to Castor, completely derailing the beliefs she had about her own person. She thought of herself as a paragon, and remembering the torture she inflicted upon others, the lives taken in the name of “justice” made her relapse into bitterness and disenchantment. She deals with those feelings as her investigation into the courtiers progresses.
Predominantly uses pyromancy, other types of magic are strictly used for her work at the palace, and rather sparingly.
Could be best described as a battlemage - enjoys being in melee range and assaulting her quarry with both sword and fire; the latter being used more as a way to distract or stagger the enemy than actually harm. There's no fun in just burning them up!
Doesn’t cook for herself, although she has a natural knack for it - will only cook for guests and short people.
Her dislike of Lucio clashes with gratitude for employing her when she first arrived to Vesuvia - he was the knife which cut Cas off from her parents, and it’s something she could never forget.
Demiromatic/sexual.
She was offered to be knighted by Nadia after defeating The Devil. Cas declined - It’s much more than a title to her, and accepting seemed like mockery (considering her past as inquisitor).
Short fuse, she learns to better control herself while working in the palace. But if someone really pushes her the nearby candles miiiight get a bit out of control. Or she’ll just throttle them.
Hates her full name - Castor is such a mouthful. Sounds stuck up too...
#mc cas#castor aran#apprentice castor#oc bio#longpost#im pretty sure this is just incomprehensible#also text formatting on tumblr SUCKS i never knew until now#ive beed rewriting this for SO LONG NOW and im TIRED#so ill just leave it here#and if i ever feel like i can do better#oblivion is but a click away#begone#post#i cant write so PLEASE forgive me for the sins contained in this
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NSFW Alphabet [Amajiki Tamaki]
A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)
Tamaki needs attention and a little bit of reassurance when all is said and done, acting rather needy as he cuddled close and refused to let you leave the bed (even if it was to clean yourself off). You don’t mind sitting there with him for a bit but you always encourage him to come clean himself off with you, knowing he really enjoyed it when you took showers or baths together afterward. Throw some bubbles in and it’s the perfect end to a romantic night with you.
B = Body Part (Their favorite body part of theirs and also their partners)
He wouldn’t say he disliked his body but to have a favorite body part… He can’t really think of anything. Thinking about how you praise him during sex really flusters him so he can’t even use your favorite body part as an answer because you seemed to just love everything about him. He’s in good shape so he feels he at least has that going for him, but he always thinks of how his arms could be bigger or his abs more defined.
He likes both your arms and legs, as odd as it sounds. It’s for romance purposes but he loves leaving a trail of slow kisses up your arm as he keeps the mood agreeable and he likes to do the same with your legs. He can’t help but worship your soft skin with his lips, your moans of approval enough to fuel him even if he feels like he looks foolish ravishing parts of you that don’t directly contribute to sexual pleasure. He likes to take his time if he works up the courage to actually have sex, so it means allowing him to slowly get comfortable with where the night is heading.
C = Cum (Favorite place to cum)
He dislikes cum finding it to be a gross and sticky mess so he prefers when he can cum inside you, or the condom so that he doesn’t have to deal with it. He feels guilty making you swallow if you’re giving him a blow job as he knows he wouldn’t want to so he doesn’t feel any which way about how you decide to take care of him.
D = Dirty Secret
Using his quirk in bed isn’t something that’s been put into practice quite yet but he’s seen tentacle porn, you’ve talked about tentacle porn, and he couldn’t help but dream about what that might be like. He’s far too embarrassed to do so in actuality or even bring it up to potentially see if you have an interest in it, but perhaps if the relationship needs some spicing up he’ll take the initiative to introduce it into your lives.
E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)
Tamaki has no idea what he’s doing and he doesn’t have a good sense on what to do, either, so you’d better be ready to give him some instructions. It’s not that he’s stupid or doesn’t know how to make a person feel good but once he sees you start removing articles of clothing his brain freezes and almost refuses to reboot until you shake him out of it. He needs someone with a great amount of patience who understands having sex for him is an intense experience and he needs plenty of time to prepare himself mentally; he can’t be pushed out of his comfort zone the first few times but after that, he’s willing to branch out now that he knows the basics to pleasing you.
F = Favorite Position
There are plenty of positions that he doesn’t mind but he finds missionary to be tried and true when you’re both not looking for anything adventurous. It’s how you know he fully trusts you, when he can look you in the eye even when there’s lewd sounds filling the room and he’s desperately thrusting into you in a haze of pleasure. He likes being able to see your face as he knows whether or not you’re enjoying what he’s doing, especially if you’re the quiet type, and it feels all the more intimate when he can lean down to lock lips with you right before he cums.
G = Goofy (Are they serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc.)
Tamaki is almost comically serious every time the two of you have sex, and even if you teased him he’d tell you he couldn’t help it. He felt like this was a bonding activity that was heavy with emotion so he shouldn’t take it lightly though he did know that emotion wasn’t necessary to stick his dick in you. He just preferred it this way but he wasn’t above giving you gentle smiles or laughing into your skin when you make some sort of joke or teasing remark.
H = Hair (How well-groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)
He kept himself neat and cleanly but not completely shaven unless you prefer it. He really doesn’t think too much about what’s going on down there until he makes an issue which it rarely does. A good way to get him flustered and turning fifty shades of red is to ask him to shape it into a heart since you’re the only one who’s going to see it anyway.
I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…)
Tamaki likes it when it’s quiet or there’s ambient noise in the background, something like the rain or lyricless music. He would be surprised if you set up something romantic like rose petals leading to the bed and scolds himself for not thinking of such a thing first, but he loves when the moment is played up to be romantic and not just about the sex. He craves the intimacy of being close to another person and even if it’s nerve-wracking, he enjoys the feeling of having all your attention on him. He loves to take his time in cherishing the bare skin you’re presenting him with, leaving kisses everywhere he can reach and then some until you take the reigns and start to ravish him with your love.
J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)
Every once in awhile the mood overtakes him and he’ll masturbate but only if he’s completely alone in the house with no threat of anyone walking in. He has multiple safeguards put in place to assure he’s not caught with his pants down as the thought is so mortifying he doesn’t know if he’d ever recover. He can’t help but let little noises slip out while he’s masturbating and he almost always imagines it’s you touching him, whimpering your name, begging you to go faster, and thinking about how much he wished you were actually there to kiss him.
K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)
Praise: He loves the sound of your voice during sex and even if he doesn’t agree with the things you’re saying, it’s almost too easy to get lost in the moment and just accept them without complaint. He doesn’t like anything that’s too extreme (like calling him the best you’ve ever had) but gentle encouragement can go a long way with him.
Body Worship: This isn’t something he quite appreciates at first as it feels like you’re almost scrutinizing him but it’s something he slowly grows used to; if there’s anyone he can trust with complimenting him without going overboard it’s you, and he knows you wouldn’t ever say anything that you didn’t mean. He especially loved the feeling of your lips against his burning skin while you’re getting hot and heavy.
L = Location (Favorite places to do the do)
Tamaki prefers the comfort of your own home to any other place, so don’t expect him to branch out too much when you’re in public together. The bedroom is, of course, his favorite place as it feels safest to him but he’s not above indulging you when you want to fool around on the couch or in the bathroom (not while in the shower but the bath is fine).
M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)
Tamaki doesn’t have a very high sex drive but he is also very sensitive to innocent things, like being rubbed against or seeing a glimpse of your underwear through your clothing. It can be pretty easy to make him hard but if he’s not at home he simply thinks of unsavory things so his hard-on will go away. If you mentioned or implied you wanted to have sex, or you start kissing him a little more intensely than usual, he begins to feel the need to satisfy you and that can be enough motivation to get him responding in kind to your fervent touches.
N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)
He won’t be verbally abusive, doesn’t like to cause physical harm even if it’s something you’re interested in (spanking is as far as he’ll go, but even that makes him mildly uncomfortable). He tries to go with the flow but he’s not afraid of making it known when you’re going too far out of his comfort zone, and though he doesn’t mind trying out new things from time to time, you have to give him fair warning in advance so he can do his own research on the topic and assure it’s something that won’t freak him out.
O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)
Both of them making him rather nervous so he can’t say he prefers one over the other. He likes giving you oral because hearing you moan his name can be reassuring and he likes knowing he can make you feel good but he also worries he might not be do something right. While receiving he feels uncomfortable because the spotlight is all on him and he doesn’t know what to do. Should he moan? How loud? How much was too much and how loud was too loud? There’s a lot of pressure and he doesn’t know what you want from him (at least at first) so he finds himself so full of petty worries he can’t even enjoy the moment.
P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? Etc.)
Tamaki much prefers slow and sensual as he doesn’t want to hurt you, even accidentally, so he takes his time. When he’s inside you he’ll generally pick up the pace but not to the point where he’ll cum in the blink of an eye, something he finds to be rather embarrassing when it does happen to him on certain days. He likes to try to enjoy the moment and your presence, listening to your soft sighs mix with his groans in a glorious love symphony.
Q = Quickies (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)
Tamaki isn’t a fan of quickies unless you’re really pressed for time and you both can’t resist each other, it’s one of the few moments you see him actually let loose and indulge rather than worry that everything’s set up perfectly. He prefers the whole ordeal be more romantic in nature rather than just about getting off but he can understand the need to just have fun without putting too much thought into it.
R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)
Tamaki does not like to take risks and you’re unlikely to convince him to do anything outside of the bedroom, but experimenting he is game for. He needs to know that either you know what you’re doing or that you’re willing to do research with him to assure you’re acting safely before he tries anything drastically new. Introducing toys or new kinks can make him a little apprehensive so patience is required while he gets used to the idea.
S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…)
Tamaki is always exhausted after two rounds but it doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the amount of stamina he has; he is a pro-hero who trains daily and keeps himself as in-shape as possible. It’s more like the experience of sex is just all around exhausting for him that he only has it in him for a round or two before he wants to tap out, but he can easily continue if you rile him up enough (or if he really wants to please you).
T = Toys (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)
Tamaki doesn’t personally own any toys as he’s too intimidated to walk into an adult shop alone and buy one, plus, all the ones he’s seen look scary and he’s not quite sure how to use them. Introducing toys into the bedroom would be an interesting concept for him and if you start out simple, he’ll warm up to the idea a bit more and try out toys on himself in his own time (just so he doesn’t embarrass himself in front of you).
U = Unfair (How much they like to tease)
Tamaki is more of a pleaser than a teaser, but he won’t ever rush the process of having sex with you so that may be seen as teasing. You could be begging him to put his dick in you but he’d carefully run through your foreplay routine, wanting to assure that you’re ready for him (he’d heard horror stores of tearing and not prepping properly and swore to never rush as long as he could help it).
V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)
Tamaki isn’t loud but he is vocal, noises slipping out of his mouth constantly without his permission. This happens both while he’s masturbating and when you’re the one touching him, and he admits he tries to ignore his own voice as he feels it’s embarrassing (his entire face looks like a tomato if you tell him the sound of his moans turn you on even more). He lets out little whimpers and soft groans, mumbling your name under his breath and squirming under your touch when you’re showering him with love.
W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon)
Tamaki had never had a wet dream before he met you. It’s not as though he wasn’t attracted to people, or that he didn’t know what they were, he had just never experienced one until he began to fall for you. The experience was a jarring one and he had to rush to clean his sheets, unable to talk about the phenomena he’d gone through until Mirio pestered him about how weird he was acting. He felt only slightly more reassured when Mirio told him it was totally normal to have one of those dreams when you genuinely like a person.
X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants)
Tamaki’s dick is rather average with an average girth, about 7 inches hard with a slight curve to it. He tries to make up for his lack of length and experience by showering you in affection and making other parts of your body feel good while he’s inside you.
Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)
Tamaki has an admittedly low sex drive and he feels guilty about it, as though he’s not normal and he’s not appreciating you nearly enough. He had worried at first that it’d be a point of contention in your relationship and that you’d want to leave him if he didn’t sleep with you as much as you wanted, something he worked himself into a tizzy over until you finally calmed him down by explaining sex wasn’t the defining factor of your relationship with him.
Z = ZZZ (…How quickly they fall asleep afterwards)
Tamaki never falls asleep before you do and he enjoys listening to you talk after you’re both coming down from your high, snuggling into your arms and enjoying the feeling of your fingers stroking his hair. He’s generally exhausted after a few rounds and, once he hears you’ve fallen asleep, he’ll quickly find himself in dreamland, too.
#Amajiki Tamaki#Amajiki Tamaki x Reader#BNHA X Reader#My Hero Academia X Reader#BNHA Smut#My Hero Academia#Boku no Hero Academia
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Out of Body: Chapter 3
Didn’t really feel like writing much of a resus scene after recent events, but I already had some stuff written so I worked it in where I could while expanding the story a bit more.
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2
************
Jane
The ambulance swung into the emergency bay of the major trauma centre, stopping a few feet beyond an assembled team of doctors and nurses. They were already in blue surgical gowns and with the coordination of professionalism and experience, they spread around the back doors and pulled them open, dragging the gurney out. Dave was still pumping the ambu bag while Jane, her sweat slicked fringe sticking to her forehead, handed over the IV bag and monitor to waiting hands before the team ran inside.
“What have we got?” The trauma lead asked as he ran his eyes across Laura’s restrained body. His eyebrows raised slightly at the improvised chest tube.
“Laura Beckett, 23. Involved in an RTC, sedan vs motorcycle. Fractured femur, query dislocated hip and knee. Fractured wrist as well. Multiple broken ribs and punctured lung, leading to severe haemothorax. Resulted in cardiac arrest, downtime of approximately 25 minutes, reversed after the pressure of the haemothorax was relieved. BPs still low and O2 sat’s barely over 80. Currently sinus tachy at 120.”
“Beckett?” The doctor asked, not asking the question out loud. Jane simply nodded. “Ok, lets get her inside, fast beep radiology we need to get a full trauma series ASAP. Let’s get a proper chest tube in, get her on the vent and pack the rapid infuser with TXA, platelets and 2 units of O-neg.”
“She’s A-positive.” Jane cut in.
“Good, lets get 6 units of that up from the blood bank. Get in touch with cardiothoracics, orthopaedics and neuro for consults.”
The rest of the team confirmed their orders as the gurney was pushed into the primary trauma room. After a 3 count Laura was lifted across onto the table, a flurry of action surrounding her as doctors and nurses perform the assigned tasks. The lead eased Jane back.
“We’ve got it from here Jane.”
She shook her head defiantly, but her voice came out in a whisper. “I’m not leaving her.”
“You’ve done your job. And done it well, but you can’t help her in here. Go get cleaned up, you’ll be the first to hear when we have any news.”
Jane lingered for a moment, gazing at her sisters body as nurses rapidly stripped away her clothes, discarding them into a bloody heap in one corner of the room. Then her shoulders slumped and her head bowed as she retreated from the trauma room, discarding her gloves into a bin.
Dave tried to catch her attention, but she ignored him, heading towards the ladies restroom while pulling out her phone.
Ashir
Ashir sat at his desk, much of the room shrouded in the late-night darkness. The desk itself was lit by a powerful lamp that starkly highlighted thin tendrils of smoke as they were drawn into the small extraction unit mounted in the window. He peered through the microscope, gently applying more solder to the electronic circuit board he was working on. It wasn’t work that needed to be done right now, but he needed something to occupy his mind. He made a satisfied grunt and shifted the microscope out of the way. He leaned back, stretching and rubbing his eyes, while spinning on his chair.
His gaze fell on the other desk in the room. Laura’s desk. It was cluttered, stacks of newspapers, photographs and journals were strewn about in a system that Ashir couldn’t recognise, but his journalist roommate seemed perfectly at home with the mess.
The pin board hung on the wall behind the stacks was a different story. It was laid out like a true conspiracy theory board. Over a dozen profile pictures formed the centres of different sections and various colours of string linked articles and reports in a web that looked chaotic at first glance. Looking closer, and with only a small amount of guidance, it began to come together into a cohesive whole.
Ashir sighed. He really hoped his roommate was wrong about all this. But even he had to admit the evidence was compelling when presented in the way she had laid it out. That was part of what worried him. She should have been back by now. Or at least have dropped him some form of message. At least she’d told him where she was going. He’d been able to get his own backups into place. She’d probably kill him if she knew about them.
As that thought crossed his mind his phone began to ring. He let out a relieved sigh as he prepared to make his concern clear. That was when he saw the caller ID. His hand trembled as he answered.
“Ash you were right. She’s in over her head.” Jane’s voice was tight.
“What happened?” Ash was already on his feet looking for his keys.
“She’s hurt Ash. She’s really hurt.”
“I’m coming down there.” He pulled on his jacket then flicked off the light.
“Hurry Ash.”
Laura
I heard the noises first. Alarms sounding. Orders being given. I opened my eyes, once again struck by seeing the world in that strange brightness. A nurse was above me, rocking backwards and forwards, her ponytail flicking to and fro with the motion, until she paused for a brief moment. I followed her arms, down to her hands that rested in the slight valley between my breasts.
“Still nothing, resume compressions.” Someone said. The nurses hands suddenly disappeared into my chest. CPR, I was getting CPR again. My heart had stopped once more. The way the nurses compressions passed through my ethereal form was still incredibly disconcerting, so I sat up and looked around. Doctors and nurses surrounded me, but there was a gap at my feet. I managed to scooch past them without passing through anyone, then turned to look my body.
I was naked on the table. And I didn’t look good. My chest was heavily bruised, with tubes sticking out of either side, Jane’s impromptu effort having been replaced by a proper chest tube, an identical one mirroring it. My broken arm and leg had both been splinted and bandaged, though the bandages were already stained through. A urinary catheter had been placed. I was slightly glad I hadn’t seen that happening, someone touching me in such an intimate place.
A large bore IV was in my leg, with other lines into my arms and another one near the base of my neck. Blood and saline were flowing into my body, though as I watched, a nurse pushed some drugs into the central line.
The ecg wires trailed across my chest, leading to a monitor that hug above the trauma table. The line on the monitor was flat. I looked down at my chest, seeing my lifeline still strong and thick. I also saw that my ghostly form was naked too. I instinctively tried to cover myself, despite no one being capable of seeing me.
I looked around for my clothes, shredded and discarded into one corner. I reached out to them, but of course my hand passed right through them. But there was something. A strange feeling, almost like a memory of sensation across my whole body. I reached out again, letting my hand linger within the bundle. The sensation became stronger, growing steadily, and it was almost like I could feel the clothes on me.
I took a deep breath, recalling the meditation techniques my therapist had taught me years ago. How visualising a result can help it happen. I had no idea if it would work, but I’d rather not walk around naked, even if no one could see me. I tried to hold on to the memory of my clothes as I pulled my hand out. I could still feel the clothes on me, and focused on that feeling, blocking out everything else. Slowly, I let out the breath and opened my eyes, looking down at myself. I was clothed. My dark grey t-shirt and similar coloured pants were whole, despite their real counterparts being little more than shreds before me. My black hoody was also on me, unstained by blood like the genuine article.
“We’ve got V-fib.” Someone shouted, dragging my attention back to my body. The alarm had changed, it was familiar enough that I knew what was going to happen next. A doctor, fully gowned and masked, held a pair of black paddles down against my chest. “Clear!” He said, a moment before my naked body jerked on the trauma table. I cringed at the way my legs spread slightly.
“No change. Let’s do another minute of compressions and shock her again.” A nurse immediately had her hands back on my chest, pressing it down, seemingly quite easily. Given how petite the nurse was, my ribs must be really soft.
It was almost enough to turn my stomach, and I instinctively took a few steps back. There was a momentary feeling of resistance, and suddenly I couldn’t see anything. I paused, realising that wasn’t quite right. I could see, there just wasn’t anything too see. Except the papery texture of the back of the plasterboard sheet in front of me, and the treated timbers that were the drywall studs. I was inside the wall. I took another step back, emerging into a corridor.
It was a quiet corridor, empty except for a cleaner at the far end. Yet I could still hear a voice. Quiet, but clear. It was counting. “15…16…17…18…” I grimaced slightly, then plunged back through the wall. The nurse was still pressing down on my chest, and she was mouthing the words, but more to herself. She wasn’t shouting by any stretch, in fact I would be surprised if her words would even carry to where I stood.
So, I can still hear what is happening to my body. Helpful. I glanced down, concentrating slightly to look at my lifeline. It was still strong and steady. How far can it stretch? I remembered Keith telling me to stay close, but the lifeline was thin then, insignificant compared to the almost cable thick line I could see before me now. I made up my mind. I strode across the room, towards the doors, unable to stop myself from hesitating just slightly before I walked through them. Again that slight resistance, more a reminder the wall was there, than something really stopping me, tugged as I passed through. And then I was in a different corridor, busier, but still quiet.
I looked around, hoping to see Jane, but she was not there. I walked down the corridor, trying to figure out precisely where I was, or where I should go. I glanced at the signs, but most of them were mainly just numbers, hanging in front of cubicles or other offshoot corridors. Coloured lines were on the floor, branching out down the corridor behind me. Presumably, I thought, they must all come together at one starting point. I followed them back, dodging a nurse pushing a young man in a wheelchair, a large boot on his foot. Neither of them payed me even a sliver of attention.
“Ok, that’s a minute. Let’s shock her again.” It was the voice of the doctor working on me. “Clear” he said a moment later. I stopped walking as I wondered if I was about to be wrenched back into my body. “Still no change. Load her up with epi, bicarb and amiodarone.” I considered going back, but my lifeline hadn’t changed. I was close enough to see the name plate on the nearby doors, ‘Reception’. Seemed like a sensible place to look for my sister.
I passed through the door and immediately sidestepped out of the way of a porter. It was much busier in here. I retreated to an out of the way corner and looked around for Jane. I couldn’t see her anywhere and was beginning to wonder if she had abandoned me and gone back to work when I saw a high-vis jacket come around the corner. It was her partner. Dave. I remembered. He held two coffee cups, putting them on a counter before reaching for his radio. I crossed the room, weaving around nurses and patients, cringing when a small girl ran through me.
Dave was already mid conversation. “…anks for sorting it. I’ll tell her then I‘ll run the rig back to base.”
“How’s she doing?” A voice said from the radio.
Dave blew out a breath between clenched teeth. “Honestly, not good.” He seemed to stare across at a pair of doors across the room. Toilets. “I mean, it is her sister after all, how many of us would be alright after seeing someone we love in that …” I left him behind as I crossed the room and plunged through the wall into the ladies restroom.
Jane stood there, leaning over a sink. Her high-vis jacket lay on the floor at her feet. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the edges of the sink. She was murmuring to herself, enough to earn a sideways glance from another woman who quickly scurried out.
“…stupid. Stubborn. Why couldn’t you just listen to me. I begged you. ‘Don’t go after him.’ But you didn’t listen. You never listen.” As I stepped closer, I could see her aura. There was a bubbling of red, but it was mostly that sickly green. As the door swung shut behind the fleeing woman, Jane let out a great shuddering sob, and tears began to fall from her face. I reached out, but my hand passed through her shoulder.
I could still hear the distant sounds of the attempt to resuscitate me. A third shock delivered. “Back in asystole. Ok, hang another round of blood products and chase up the surgical consult, if we don’t get anything back in two minutes we open her up down here.” That sounded just delightful. I glanced down at my lifeline, but it didn’t look like it had diminished.
That’s when I noticed the traces of red in the sink. Blood. My blood. As if to distract herself, Jane washed out the bowl of the sink, tears still dripping as she took deep steadying breaths. I’d seen her do it before. Fighting to assert an iron control over herself. It had always driven me crazy, especially after what had happened to Mum and Dad. But then, something happened that I had never seen before.
She lost.
Her whole body was wracked with sobs as she sank to the ground against the wall. Her hands covered her face and she drew her knees up tightly. I didn’t know what to do. So I sat down beside her. For just a moment I passed into the wall, but I grabbed that moment of resistance, held it my mind for a few seconds, and suddenly the wall felt solid. I leaned back against it, looking at the ceiling.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” I whispered. As expected, she didn’t respond. She continued to sob, and I could see tears leaking out. I sighed. “It was him. If you can hear me at all, hear that. It was him. Patterson. I was right. He’s a murderer, and he tried to kill me. Just like he killed them.” I could feel the anger building. I turned to look at her, as she lowered her hand, her sobs easing. “It was never your fault Jane. It was always him. He had mum and dad killed.”
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EXPLORING ABANDONED INSANE ASYLUM (Y/N breaks her leg?)
Hi there! This is my first Tumblr fic, I’ve done some writing on multiple platforms (mainly Archive of our own) trying something new out though! This is an injured!reader x Colby for my school friend who loves Colby.
Anyways! I hope you enjoy!
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“What’s up guys, it’s Sam and Colby,” Colby started the video. You stood off to the side with Jake and Corey, waiting to be introduced, “we’re here with Corey, Jake and (Y/N), back for another explore video.”
You, Jake and Corey all bounced into frame when Colby said your names, all pushing and shoving playfully to be in the center. You let the two guys rough house for the center spot, leaning a little into Colby and waiting for things to move along.
“So, today we’re here with these guys-”
“And girl!” Jake chimed loudly, letting his head fall onto your shoulder since he’d claimed the center spot and was standing shoulder to shoulder with you.
“I’m getting to it!” Sam scolded playfully, “with these guys and this lovely lady. We’re at an abandoned insane asylum, in the middle of nowhere.”
“Seriously, we’re in the middle of nowhere,” you frowned, “the nearest buildings are at least four miles on either side.”
“This place is supposedly pretty haunted, so, y’know.” Colby explained.
“Why do I let you talk me into these things,” Corey groaned, “no one said it was haunted, man.” Sam and Colby glanced at him with mock guilty expressions.
You laughed at them. You kind of liked exploring with the boys. It was fun, and spooky- and the commentary off and on camera was bright and funny. You’d recently been in quite a few videos, as you generally enjoyed all this spooky exploring stuff.
You’d first been friends with Katrina. She was great, and you’d known her since high school. Both having grown up in Toronto Canada. You were inseparable through the years, moving to California together and watching her pursue her singing career. You only really stopped hanging out a lot when she got together with Sam. It was understandable, couple bonding and all that- so you distanced yourself.
You’d met Sam through her, him coming over one afternoon when you were both hanging out in your shared apartment. Kat liked going over to hang with the guys and rarely invited Sam to the apartment (and when she did you usually gave them space).
He was super nice to you, introducing himself and talking about how much Kat talked about you. You knew probably a lot more about him than he assumed you did, as you were the person Kat liked to complain about the hardships of the relationship too.
You’d met Colby at a party in the trap house. Sam had invited you and Katrina. It was a huge party, many YouTubers and friends of friends. Possibly the biggest party you’d ever been too. Kat stayed by your side, while Sam helped host. Colby had come around with Sam, eager to see Kat and meet you- Sam had apparently told him about you?
You guys had hit it off straight away. He was amazing. He was charming and sweet- but funny at the same time. You spent a great deal of the party talking with him- barely noticing when Sam and Kat snuck away together.
That had been many, many months ago, and your relationship with everyone had grown- especially with Colby. You two were super close, but nothing was official. You’d never been one label things, so you were content with how things were.
“Before we get going,” Colby started, “we got new XPLR merch!” Everyone was wearing XPLR merch. You were actually wearing Colby’s sweater, the one he usually wore. You’d taken it, so he settled with one of the new ones.
“We got the new stuff we’re wearing-” Sam started, all four guys twirling out of sync as you laughed, “and the sweatshirt miss (Y/N) is wearing will be leaving shops soon, so get it while you can!” You bunched the sweatshirt sleeves in your hands and hid your face in the black material, smell the lingering scent of Colby on it.
“Let’s get exploring!” Jake shouted, stepping back and turning to walk down the trail.
“A fan sent the location, and how to get there,” Colby explained to the group, pointing the camera as the five of you moved single file down a steep trail. “It’s on my phone.” He passed his phone to you, and you unlocked it. “Screenshots in the gallery.”
You read out the text convos once, then again slowly as you came up to each bit of the explanation. It took about a half an hour to get to the old building. It looked worse for the wear, weathered down and mossy.
“It says there should be a small door on the left side, we’ll have to, ugh- we need to crawl to get in.” You explained, grimacing at the camera. Crawling through grimy bandos was your least favorite part of the experience.
“I wore my Gucci jeans today!” Jake gasped, gesturing to his beaten down ripped skinny jeans. Everyone laughed.
“I am not going first,” Corey told the camera, “it’s y’all’s video, one of you go first.” Colby huffed out a laugh, telling everyone he’d go first in a high-pitched voice. You watched quietly as Colby kneeled down in front of the small waist height hole. He held a flashlight in his mouth and he crawled in, mumbling quietly.
“Yo, it’s sick in here.” He exclaimed, reaching out so Sam could pass him the camera. Jake crawled in next, then Corey, and you followed him in. The boys were always so cute, always making sure you were never first or last- safe in the middle.
Colby helped you up, his thumbs running along your knuckles softly before he released you and took the camera back from Jake. You looked around as Sam crawled in. It was super cool. The walls were lined with beautiful graffiti art work. It was really dark, so you relied heavily on your flashlight.
“Guys, this is super cool!” Jake yelled, only to be shushed by the group.
Slowly you guys moved through the hallways, opening doors and stepping into rooms. Everything was old and cracked. There were holes in the walls and trash littered around. Stray articles of clothing were left- but remarkably, almost all the furniture from the asylum was still intact and neatly placed around.
“This is creepy,” Corey frowned, peeking into a room that hardly looked like it had been abandoned for nearly thirty years.
“How is everything still so nice?” you questioned, walking into that room and running your hand along the table there. There was hardly any dust.
“I don’t know,” Sam blinked, sitting on the chair by the table. “This is actually super weird.”
“Let’s keep looking around.” Colby suggested. The group continued on. Sam held the camera, supplying good commentary with Jake and Corey, while Colby took your hand and hung towards the back with you.
“This one’s awesome,” you whispered to him, leaning close so he could hear you over the talk.
“It is, this place is strange but I like it.” It had been a while since you’d been anywhere remotely clean. And they’d been doing a lot of hiking and cave exploring videos recently.
A breeze swirled around the room, and you shivered. Colby didn’t say anything, but curled an arm around your shoulder and pulled you into his side. Together you caught up with the group- who were goofing around with an old stethoscope that Jake found under one of the creepy wiry metal beds.
“Oh, that’s a syringe,” you mumbled, pointing to a used syringe in the corner of the next room.
“That’s disgust-”
“Shh!” Colby hushed with wide eyes. The group glanced around, silence filling the air. “Did no one hear that?”
Colby’s tone was quiet, barely loud enough for you, who was maybe two feet away, to hear.
“No, what did you hear?” Sam questioned, suddenly serious.
“It was uh, like... a tap- like a tap on glass. Tap, tap, tap.” Colby explained in a hushed voice, acting out tapping on glass with his index finger as he whispered the noise he’d heard. Your face scrunched up at the thought of the clinking noise a fingernail makes when poked against glass.
“Yo, did you hear that?” Corey startled, gazing around, jaw dropped. Everyone looked up, because yes, everyone heard that. It was footsteps. Above you guys. The building was three stories, and you were on the second story now.
“Shit, we have to be quiet,” Jake whispered.
“There is no way we’re alone here,” Sam added quietly, not that there was any question about it.
“Let’s just start heading back the way we came?” Colby suggested. It was a silent agreement as everyone retreated the way we came.
It was silent for a bit again while you guys looked around. The commentary continued, although it was pretty quiet. Sam and Colby would probably need to add captions since you could hardly hear anyone and you were standing beside them.
Everyone would occasionally pause, listen for strange noises, but nothing seemed that bad- so you all continued joking around.
It was only when a figure caught your attention when you happened to glance behind yourself. You stumbled over your own feet, crashing into Sam who was quick to catch you.
“Y/N?” Sam frowned, steadying you. Colby was the first to notice your shocked point behind.
“Holy fuck, someone’s back there! Move, move!” And then you were all rushing out. “Jake! Go!” Down the hallway. Down the stairs.
Halfway down the stairs you gasped, tripping over something. You fell hard on the stairs. Corey, who happened to be the only person behind you, helped you up.
“You good, Y/N?” Colby shouted back to you, pausing his running to turn to look at you in concern. You bit down on your lip, waving him out. Your leg hurt like hell, but everyone’s safety was the number one priority. Corey grabbed your arm and pulled you down with him. He was moving fast.
The initial pain was being numbed by adrenaline, so you kept up with him. There was a dull pain in your leg, but you could handle it. Your eyes were moist with tears, and your heart rapidly beating in your chest. Everyone fell to their knees at the exit, crawling quickly.
You weren’t sure, but you thought you saw Colby with the camera in his mouth. On your hands and knees, the ache in your leg eased and you took a breath of relief.
Outside, the boys sprinted through the first bits of the forest, away from the building. Corey rushed you along by a hand between your shoulder blades.
Finally, at a safe distance, everyone stopped to catch their breaths. You leaned back against a tree, panting heavily. As your adrenaline started wearing off, a sharp pain in your leg started pulsing. Tears filled your eyes as you slid down the tree, lifting your foot in the air to ease all pressure. It didn’t help.
“Shit, Y/N,” Colby rushed to your side, wiping tears off your cheeks, “what’s wrong? what happened?”
“I twisted my ankle or something when I fell,” you whimpered, wiping your cheeks as all the guys gathered around.
Colby carefully pushed your tight jeans up about halfway to your knee. It was swollen, very swollen. Dark shades of blue and black around your ankle. You couldn’t move your toes, but you didn’t want the guys worrying too much.
“That looks bad,” Corey admitted, leaning over Colby’s shoulder to look.
“Holy guys, she can’t walk on that. What even happened?” Sam sat beside Colby, carefully touching the swell.
“I fell on the stair,” You explained, as calmly as you could muster.
“You didn’t say anything,” Corey frowned, looking guilty that he was the one pushing you down the stairs in his hurried state after you fell.
“I asked if you were okay.” Colby glared lightly at you- but the concern outshone the glare.
“Yeah, well- we all could’ve died. I think a sprain was the least of our problems.” You huffed, crossing your arms across your chest.
“I don’t think that’s a sprain, Y/N...” Jake mumbled.
“I don’t either- that looks broken.” Colby sighed, giving you a sympathetic look.
“She definitely shouldn’t be walking on this,” Sam told the group.
“I’ll carry her, Jake, you take the backpack.” You watched quietly as the boys sorted themselves out. Sam held the camera, Jake the backpack. Corey took your shoes and helped you onto Colby’s back. You wrapped around like a backpack, and Colby held you by your thighs. You held on around his neck and rested your cheek on his shoulder.
It was nice to be close to Colby. His smell calmed your raging nerves and anxiety. You could feel how tense he was, obviously concerned for you, and the sentiment was nice.
“So, it appears that when Y/N fell, she fell a little harder then we’d first thought,” Sam explained to the camera, pointing it at himself. You’d all started the hike back up the trail- which was about a half an hour. You felt guilty that Colby had to carry you, but you were in was too much pain whenever there was any pressure on your foot.
“Y/N didn’t tell us, so she probably made it worse by running on it.” Corey casted a joking glare back at you.
“We’re pretty sure Y/N has broken something in her leg- or maybe her ankle. She can’t walk on it, so Colby is carrying her to the car.” Sam pointed the camera back at the two of you, and you hid your face from the camera.
“Can you not film, Sam. Y/N is in pain.” Colby scowled.
“No, it’s fine. Don’t... don’t waste the video for my sake. It’s okay,” You smiled, nuzzling your face into Colby’s neck as a silent ‘thank you’ for his concern.
“That was crazy though, I don’t know if the camera caught that creepy person or not, but that was scary.” Sam continued.
“We just sprinted, all the way. Like no one stopped,” Corey told the camera. “Y/N fell, broke a bone in her leg- and legit got up and continued running.”
“I mean, I’d be rolling around on the floor wailing if I broke a bone,” Jake joked. You laughed quietly.
“We’re taking Y/N to the ER when we get out of these woods.” Colby told the group, since he was the driver.
“Get some x-rays,” Sam nodded. At this point, the camera was turned off, and the guys conversed easily. You blinked your eyes shut, fully trusting Colby to keep you safe.
You didn’t open your eyes until the ground evened out and the quiet sound of rubber shoes on pavement filled the air. You rested your chin on Colby’s shoulder, looking at the car that was coming into view slowly.
Colby eased you off his back when you could lean against the car (with the help of Sam). Much to your surprise, you got the passenger’s seat- which was usually Sam’s spot for debriefing the video. Sam helped you into the car while Colby started digging around in the trunk.
When you were settled in the car, Colby came beside you set a blanket on the dashboard, helping you to elevate your swollen ankle on the cushiony texture.
“You good, Y/N?” Jake asked from the backseat.
“Yeah, thanks guys.” You smiled at them. Sam grinned back, but there was an underlying sadness in his eyes. You had become really good friends with all these guys.
“Good?” Colby whispered to you as he finished adjusting your foot.
“Yes, thank you, Colb,” you smiled at him. Colby pressed a quick kiss to your cheek before shutting the passenger’s door and moving to the driver’s side, finally getting in and starting the car.
The guys debriefed the video as usual, promising an update about you. Colby put on a show of being his usual self, even though he was clearly still pretty shook about you being injured.
You fell asleep through the drive, listening to the boys talking quietly. Some plans about Corey and Jake getting an Uber from the hospital to head home. Sam saying he’ll stay with you guys- but you drifted off before anything was full decided.
The next time you woke up, Colby was at the passenger’s door, lifting you bridal style. The bright red beam of the ER sign lights dulled your tired eyes as Colby carried you in.
Jake and Corey wished you well, calling an Uber to take back to the trap house. Having Sam and Colby was more then enough emotional support, and it would look weird if four guys bring in a girl with a broken leg, then all waited for you.
Together, you, Sam and Colby filled out the paperwork- and waited the next hour for medical attention. It wasn’t too busy, but there were people that were there before you- and you weren’t in need of urgent care.
Finally, after an hour of waiting, at two AM, you were brought to get your leg and ankle x-rayed.
As it turned out, you had, in fact, broken your ankle. It was a compact break, and you’d all missed the fact that the bone had broken the skin towards the back of your ankle. A complete break of the tibia towards the bottom of your ankle.
Thankfully, a cast was all you needed- not surgery as of then. As long as it healed as it should, you would be fine with a cast.
Sam waited in the waiting room, and Colby was beside you through it all.
“Last time you come with us to explore a bando,” Colby muttered when it was just the two of you in an examination room. The doctor had left to get the materials for the cast.
“No way,” You laughed. “It’s just a break- two months and I’ll be good as new.”
“Really? You literally broke your ankle running from a freaking scary figure at the end of a hallway in an abandoned insane asylum in the middle of nowhere?” Colby stared at you with an annoyed look.
“Common’ we made it- everything's fine. Unfortunate accident. Could’ve been any of us, I’m just the unlucky one this time.” Colby stared at your beaming smile for a few long seconds before shaking his head.
“You’re lucky you’re cute or I’d be saying no to bringing you along again once you’re healed up.” You leaned up to tempt him into kissing you, and he met you halfway pressing a lingering kiss to your lips.
-----
“Hey guys, we’re back home now. It’s the next morning. We usually don’t add anything to the videos this late, but I thought it would be good to show you all how Y/N is doing, since we left things on bad terms.” Colby explained to his camera.
You were laying on his bed, tucked under his blankets. It hadn’t made sense to bring you back to your apartment at four AM when Katrina was no doubt sleeping. Plus, it’s not like it’s the first time you’d slept in Colby’s bed with him.
“Here she is, perfectly fine.” Colby grinned at you, showing you to the camera, “Look at her all curled up in my blankets.”
“Hey guys, I’m all good now.” You told the camera.
“A broken tibia, but she fought like a champ. Two months at least with her new cast.” Colby told the camera, keeping it pointed at you.
“I got a blue cast though,” You threw the covers off, exposing your brand-new navy coloured cast. It went from your toes up to just below your knee. It was sporting Sam and Colby’s signatures and a couple drawings Colby had done on the drive back to the house.
Sam had driven so Colby could keep you company in the backseat and keep your foot elevated in his lap.
“So, Y/N is on crutches, and will not be joining us when we go exploring for a while.” Colby laughed as you pulled the blankets back up to your face. “Anyways, thanks for your concern- and see you all in the next vid.”
Colby turned the camera off, set it on his desk then flopped down beside you in his bed.
“They’re going to have soooo many questions,” you told him, inching over to rest your head on his chest.
“Yeah, I know.” He laughed.
#colby brock#colby#fanfic#injury#colby x reader#injured reader#cute#fluffy#protective colby#colby brock fanfic#colby brock fic#colby brock angst#reader insert#sam and colby#sam golbach#corey scherer#jake webber#xplr#exploring#abandoned building#bandos#angst and fluff#fanfiction#cute colby#colby imagine#colby brock imagine#fan fiction#imagine#colby brock x reader
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A Constellation of Fires | 02
; Hoseok x Reader
; Genre: Angst, fluff, smut
; Word Count: 29.2k
; Warnings: Talk of scarring, oral sex (giving), severe self-doubting, panic attack, traumatic events
; Synopsis: Vulcan Industries, a titan in the world of technological inventions that have helped humanity progress. Despite its influence though, their CEO remains a mystery to the world, content to simply invent in the shadows. That is, until a journalist uncovers the mystery that connects a simple car mechanic to the technology giant.
; A/N: I’m sorry it took so long to come out...I’m sorry it’s so long (RIP your apps)...I hope people enjoy :3 PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU DID BECAUSE THIS IS RIDE.
; Greek Gods Series
Hades; Poseidon; Zeus; Hephaestus; Artemis; Athena; Ares;
01 | 02
-
It takes more than a few days for you to get used to the tiny town you now inhabit. You’re used to towering buildings, air pollution, fast food chains on every other block and traffic that barely seems to move yet screams at you when you somehow interrupt them.
But here, it’s like time moves at a snail’s pace. In fact, you’d witnessed your very first traffic jam only the other morning. It was kind of adorable, given that there were only two main roads in this entire town but someone had been rear-ended at the one set of the traffic lights.
Even that had been an introduction into small town life as you’d watched in fascination as they’d amiably greeted each other with a back slapping hug before they began to talk. You’d wondered why they weren’t screaming at each other for the damage or exchanging insurance until you saw Hoseok pull up alongside them in a tow truck you hadn’t even noticed at the garage.
He’d greeted both men with his brilliant smile, so bright and wide that you’d seen it even from your apartment window, before checking over the damage. The town’s sheriff had taken it upon himself to wander over to the accident, chatting with everyone while Hoseok assessed everything.
You presumed that it was just a mere accident as no one seemed to get arrested or even written up, and Hoseok had directed the first car to drive back to his garage. He’d hooked up the second car, obviously deeming it to be undriveable, or at least not safe, before driving off.
And that had been it.
You’d been so fascinated by the whole process that you’d almost written a whole article on the eccentricities of small town life. It had only been when you’d realised how dumb it would sound that you’d meekly deleted the Word document, scolding yourself as you tried to remember that you were trying to uncover information about Vulcan.
It was nice overall though, and you quite enjoyed your little walks in the fresh air. You hadn’t quite realised what you’d been missing out on, living in the concrete jungle that is the city.
Although it’s not all roses. You’d kill for a Starbucks or something, and the lack of your favourite take out meant you were craving sushi so bad. It made you feel a little stuck up when you realised what you were doing, but you figured that you could cope with it for a while longer.
Because the positives really did outweigh the negatives, and if you ignored the assignment you had then it was easy to just pretend that you were on a long vacation somewhere. The mountain air was truly refreshing and you had an oddest urge to hike.
Though that may have possibly been because of one Jung Hoseok. The mysterious mechanic was still sending your journalist spidey-senses tingling, but you would be a straight up Pinocchio if you said that he wasn’t possibly the sweetest guy ever.
You hadn’t actually seen him in person in three weeks now, the accident not included, due to him being overwhelmed with work for the first two and then being away for work for the last. That on its own had sent your investigative feelings haywire, wondering how on earth a tiny mechanic’s garage in a teensy town in the middle of the nowhere could possibly be busy enough to warrant not seeing someone for two weeks.
And then going away? Where did he have to go? His workplace was literally only like...a hundred feet away from his home. He was a delightful mystery that you were positively itching to unwrap, even if you felt a strong sense of unease at potentially hurting such a sweet and compassionate soul.
Because he was. He really, truly, was quite possibly the kindest person you’d met.
Even though he’d been busy with his work, he’d made sure to message you once he finished to check that you were okay and query what you’d been up to. Multiple apologies had been sent for him being too busy, but he’d also sent you many suggestions about things to do both in the town and the surrounding areas.
It was because of him that you’d discovered the next town over, a whole twenty minutes away, had a movie theatre and a bowling alley. You’d also discovered that there were multiple hiking and walking trails around the mountains and forests that surrounded this tiny town when he’d casually mentioned it one day.
A further query had resulted in him telling you that he’d grown up around mountains and felt at peace on their tall slopes, reminding him of the peaceful times in his life. It had almost made you want to go on a hike yourself, before you remembered that this was the first time you’d ever even seen a mountain and you’d probably die from some stupid reason.
Hoseok had also been exceptionally patient with you and your incessant questions about the area, querying the history of certain places or even buildings. He seemed to have a surprising amount of knowledge for someone who was a self-proclaimed introvert, but was happy to let you be privy to his veritable wealth of information.
It was remarkable how comfortable he was talking with you for long periods of time through text as well, given how open he had been about not understanding how to communicate with people properly. He would often start texting at around 8 or 9pm and continue until he went to bed at 11pm.
You’d queried why he didn’t want to call once, and he’d taken a while to respond. Though not because he was avoiding the question, but more like he didn’t seem to know what to say given the three dots that kept appearing and disappearing constantly.
He’d finally simply responded by saying that he didn’t feel comfortable on the phone with people who weren’t customers, and so preferred text as there was no expectations on his responses. Which seemed reasonable enough to you, and you didn’t want to push him any further than he was willing to go.
His texts had become even less frequent since he’d gone away, so you’d settled for exploring more and trying to make at least a single friend in this forgotten town. June was happy to talk to you, but you didn’t really feel like you both had things in common enough to make proper conversations with her.
And everyone your age seemed to be working, leaving you to often simply sitting in your apartment and researching Vulcan. It had been through searching the forums that dedicated themselves to Vulcan Industries that you’d discovered a new pseudonym for the CEO had been found today, signed onto a document from five years ago.
Hannah Jameson, which had proven to be false almost immediately. The signature was appalling and you’d wondered how on earth the company got away with filing documents with such fake signatures and names. Though you presumed that they probably filed legitimate documents with the real CEO’s name and signature on it, but that they were never revealed to the public.
The government seemed to be very content to acquiesce to Vulcan, eager to keep the industrial giant inside its borders and ensure that American engineering remained at the forefront of the world. Not that Vulcan had ever given any intention that they wanted to move elsewhere.
Though Vulcan was a strange company anyway, choosing international headquarters in locations that perhap wouldn’t be someone’s first choice. Their Asian offices were based in Seoul, South Korea, and their European offices had raised more than a few brows when it had been announced they would be choosing Athens, Greece, instead of where the other international corporations often chose, such as Amsterdam, Dublin, London or Berlin.
So who knew what they would do if given the chance?
Three sharp knocks on your door though has you squealing in fright, hands quickly grabbing the laptop that’s about to slip off your knees before you’re glancing wide eyed to the dull brown door. Brows creasing in confusion as to who could be visiting you, you carefully close the lid on your MacBook before placing it onto the coffee table and heading over.
A peek through the peephole that’s installed in the door lets you see a sight you weren’t expecting, causing you to jerk back with a hand pressed to your throat. Glancing around at the untidy apartment, you curse quietly before looking down at your own outfit.
The cupcake shorts and baggy white shirt with a unicorn on it were what you’d gone to sleep in and with a day of nothing ahead, you’d simply not bothered to change.
Which was just fantastic when quite possibly the most handsome man you’ve ever seen in real life is currently standing outside your door.
Glancing to your bedroom door, you let out a soft whine as he knocks again before stamping your feet on the ground in a tiny tantrum. Dammit Hoseok! Why hadn’t he texted to let you know he was swinging by?
You’d have at least dressed in normal clothes instead of your damn sleepwear!
But it’s too late now, and it would be rude to make him wait when you’re quite evidently inside. Pressing your forehead to the wooden door, you take in a deep breath and square your shoulders before letting it out in a long, slow exhale.
Unlocking the door, you open it slowly with a bright smile that you hope will distract him from your clothes. He looks magnificent, and your smile wobbles slightly as you swallow thickly at the sight of him.
Dark jeans with rips in them cling to his legs, ending in tough looking boots that are scuffed to high hell. A plain white shirt drapes over his torso loosely, the front tucked into his jeans and letting his belt buckle take the glory while a black leather jacket rests over the top of this.
A dazzling smile practically blinds you as he takes you in, his teeth perfectly straight and white while his dimples burst into view and his eyes crease from the strength of his expression. His dark hair gives no glimpse of the red that shines when he’s in the sun, but looks suitably messy enough to let you know that he’s been running his hands through it.
“Hoseok! What are you...I didn’t know you were coming here? Or even that you were back.” You stutter out, gripping the door tightly as your smile turns a little bit brittle as you realise he looks like a five course meal and you look like a squashed McDonald’s.
He lets out an awkward chuckle, bringing up one hand to rub the back of his neck slowly before he shrugs with a lopsided smile. “Surprise? I got finished earlier than expected and made good time back.”
You’re about to say something more when he makes a sudden noise, mouth forming an ‘o’ while he holds a finger out to you before producing his other arm from behind his back with a sweet smile. “Surprise! Turns out there’s a drive-thru now in the next town over. I saw it and thought you might like it. Sorry if it’s not very warm.” He says apologetically, but you pay no attention to him anymore.
Instead, your eyes are focused on the tall, white cup that’s held in one hand, the world famous green logo on the side letting you know he’d brought Starbucks. Squealing in excitement, you let the door swing open without a care in the world as you grip the cup, bringing it to your lips and taking a sip before letting out a sigh of happiness.
It’s not boiling hot, but is still more than warm enough to make your insides quiver at the delicious taste of the white chocolate mocha. You wish that you could say you’re surprised he remembered your casual mention of your favourite drink, but honestly you’re not.
On the list of surprising things about Jung Hoseok, that’s probably pretty low.
It’s only then that you remember to thank the man for bringing you this small moment of bliss, opening your eyes to thank him before noticing him admiring your clothes with a quirked brow. Glancing down, you feel your heats cheek with embarrassment before curling an arm around your waist.
“Thanks for the drink. And err...sorry about the outfit. I wasn’t expecting company. Obviously.” You mumble, shuffling to the side before gesturing for him to come in if he’d like. He does so with a gracious smile, toeing off his boots at the entrance before following you inside to your small living room.
He looks around with interested eyes before smiling at the sight of a random YouTube video that’s playing through the television. It’s one of those stupid list videos that you seem to have an undying love for.
They can take away your documentaries, but they can never take away your list videos!
“I’m sorry for just...turning up like this. I didn’t think properly.” He apologises once more, sitting on the edge of the couch carefully and looking down at his hands in contrition. You get the strongest urge to just run your hands through his hair and telling him everything’s fine, but you recognise that he probably wouldn’t like that.
Instead, you just smile and self-consciously clean up some of the crap that’s been thrown around the place since you’d started to live here. “It’s okay. I’m sorry it looks like a gremlin’s been at it in here.”
He snorts with that and you glance over to see him biting at his lip to try and stop his smile, your insides warming at the sight of his amusement. “Anyway, was there a particular reason for your visit or are you wanting to hang or something?”
Hoseok stays silent for a moment, leaning forward and taking an empty Coca-Cola bottle from where it lies on its side and picking away at the label. “Well...I mean I got home earlier than I expected like I said. And...well...I mean I do have jobs I could be doing, but I figured I’d ask if maybe you want to...you know...hang? Somewhere? I don’t know, it was just a thought that went through when I was driving back.”
He’s muttering by the end and you have to stifle a chuckle behind your hand as you grab the bottle from his hand and throw it into the recycling bin. “Sure. That’d be fun. I haven’t actually done a lot lately as, well there’s not many social activities to do in this place.” You ponder for a moment what the two of you could actually do before you suddenly remember his mention of metal working.
“Oh! Could you...I mean...do you think you’d be willing to show me your metal working stuff? I know you said you really like doing it and I’m kind of interested.” You ask chirpily, smiling at him as you rearrange the cushions on the couch around him.
Hoseok watches with amusement as you flutter around the place before nodding slowly. “Yeah okay. I mean, if you want. It sounds pretty boring but I can show you them. If you’d like, we can maybe go to the movie theatre in the next town later and watch something? I’ve not been to see a film in so long, and you can get another Starbucks.” He suggests, shrugging nonchalantly but his twisting fingers give away his nerves.
You pause and smile at the sight of him, trying to be bold even though he’s obviously cringing internally. “I’d like that. I’ve not seen that town either, despite you constantly going on about it. So it’ll be nice to see what’s nearby. Just give me half an hour to actually make myself look presentable or something okay?”
“Why? I think you look charming as you are. Unicorns are very in now I hear, or at least that’s what I’m assuming given it looks like a rainbow and a horse had sex all the time in the stores.”
A clean shirt thrown at his head is the only response he gets, causing him to laugh out loud as the door closes behind you.
-
Any worries that you’d had that the atmosphere would be awkward or tense between the two of you dissipates once you both get into his car. The radio is blasting out cheesy 90s music and you can’t help but giggle at the flush on his cheeks as he practically slams the radio in an attempt to change the station.
Pushing his hand away, you look at the fancy radio with a raised brow. “This is...very advanced looking. Did you install this recently?” You ask, finding a station that’s playing some 80s rock before pressing some buttons that appear on the screen.
A soft gasp leaves you as it suddenly projects a hologram above the dashboard, the station name listed along the top along the song currently playing. In the right hand corner is the temperature and weather status while a highly realistic looking 3D map takes up most of the space, the cars position perfectly visible as Hoseok drives along the street.
“What is this?!” Reaching out, you gently push at the air where the ‘Media’ button hovers and grin as a menu screen appears. You can’t even begin to understand the technology that makes this work, nor have you even heard anything about it.
Hoseok lets out an uncomfortable cough before he waves his hand through the holographic simulation, eyes remaining firmly on the road while it disappears into thin air. “It’s a...err...prototype. Yeah. Vulcan asked me to...test it, you know? I mean...it’s good but it’s not very road safe. As you just saw. We’re...I mean they’re working on it.”
You watch him quietly for a moment, eyes narrowing at the slip of his tongue. We? You’d question more before you rationalise it to yourself, figuring that he’s obviously their head mechanic and the best placed person to decide whether vehicle related tech is good or not.
But still it’s shocking to see something like this being used so openly. Your finger traces along the edge of the fancy radio before you place your hands back in your lap, lip quirking slightly. You could certainly make some money reporting on this prototype, but it’s with a content heart that you decide to pretend you never even saw it.
Instead, you refocus back onto the road and smile when you see Vesuvius Mechanics reappear along the side of the road. There’s a few cars parked outside but the main shutter is down and the lights are dark inside. You’d found out that he had two assistants, but they only worked for a few hours every other day.
The bulk was entirely done by Hoseok, which fascinated you.
But he doesn’t pull into the garage, and instead drives on a road you’d never noticed that runs alongside it. It continues on, simply a gravel road inbetween the trees and you watch with fascination as his house appears.
You wouldn’t be able to see it properly from the road, but it’s a pretty, two-story house that looks big enough to host a whole family inside. The walls are painted white while terracotta tiles line the roof in true Californian fashion, but it also kind of reminds you a little of the Mediterranean.
A porch wraps around the entire house and you note the swinging chair positioned out front along with a variety of colourful flowers, all in white pots that are decorated in subtle oranges and browns. Along the ground of the porch, a flowerbed is overflowing with bushes and plants that all clamour for attention while his lawn is neatly mown.
There’s a large building built separately from the house with a garage style door that opens slowly, allowing Hoseok to pull his car inside to protect it from any weather. The space inside seems a lot smaller, surrounded with tools and gardening pieces while a metal door is closed to the remainder of the space.
You note with interest momentarily the electronic keypad that keeps the door locked but look away quickly. Given the ridiculous technology installed in his car, you couldn’t even imagine what Hoseok had in that room from Vulcan.
Following Hoseok to the main house, you can’t help the noise of awe that leaves your mouth as you look over the entire area he lives in. It’s secluded from everything else, and you feel like Hoseok has turned what would be something unassuming into his own personal heaven. Quiet and peaceful, with only the sounds of the birds chirping in the trees.
“Hoseok...this is beautiful!” You coo softly, running your fingertips along the white wooden post that frames the archway leading up to his porch with reverance. He lets out an anxious chuckle as he stands in front of his door, watching your face closely.
“Yeah? It’s taken a while to get it to this point but...I think I’m okay with it for now. Give me three months and my opinion might change.” He teases, teeth peeking through his small grin as he inputs some numbers into yet another keypad. A loud beep is heard before the door unlocks, leading to him welcoming you inside.
For someone who lives on his own, you expected Hoseok’s house to look a little more bachelor. And for someone who works as a mechanic and is constantly covered in grease and oil, even today he’s still got some dark grime in his fingernails, you thought his home might like his garage part two.
But instead, it’s oddly beautiful inside. Everything is perfectly clean and looks to be in its place, and if it weren’t for the fact he’d been open about constantly redecorating his house, you’d suspect he had brought in an interior designer.
“Damn, if you did all this,” You spin in a circle as you enter the living room and eye everything with an intrigued gaze. “You’re missing out on a career as an interior designer. This is California, there’s always some soccer mom who wants their house to look like an IKEA catalogue.”
He leans against the door frame and watches you with an amused face, lifting one brow as he looks around the space with a slightly more critical eye. “You think? I appreciate your thoughts but there’s a reason I work with cars and not soccer moms. When a car whines at me, there’s actually something wrong.”
His tone is sarcastic and for a moment you’re left speechless, shocked at how your normally shy and socially awkward mechanic could have come up with that blistering rebuke to soccer mom’s across the United States. Snorting out a laugh, you cover your mouth as you follow him into the large, open kitchen and rest your elbows against the marble counter.
Watching as he pulls a bottle of water out of the fridge, you giggle as you wiggle your eyebrows at him. “Had experience in soccer moms huh?”
He tags a deep swig of the ice cold water and you have to look away to avoid the tantalising sight of the muscles of his throat working, the golden skin looking biteable under the natural lighting. It’s only when the plastic bottle hits the counter that you realise he’s finished and you look up with an expectant gaze.
Hoseok is smiling as he shrugs, his expression a sweet mix of shyness and amusement. “I’m a, not totally, unattractive, single guy with my own business in a small town. I think some people harbour Desperate Housewives motivations or something.”
You gawp at him for the pop culture reference before laughing out loud, letting your head fall forward as you do so. “Oh my god! So you do watch television occasionally? But Desperate Housewives? Seriously?”
He’s biting his lip at your teasing before sighing, coming around the island and gesturing for you to follow him. “I’m not up to date on all that stuff. I only just found out Game of Thrones exists. Give me a break.”
You snigger at that and poke at his back lightly, pleased at the way he jerks ever so slightly but doesn’t pull away from the touch. “That’s a good show, I think you’d like it.”
He reaches a closed door and opens it up grandly, making a sweeping gesture for you to follow with a sardonic brow raise. “After you my lady. And it is, I’m only on like episode 6 of season 1 so...don’t spoil it.”
Anything you’d say is gone though as you walk into the room and freeze in place, looking around the place with wide eyes. His living room connects directly to his kitchen, with no walls blocking the space between and the island counter obviously serving as his dining room table.
This room must take up the rest of the space on the lower floor, as it’s huge. And filled with some of the most exquisite looking metal sculptures you’ve ever seen. Some are finished works, with their gleaming bodies just waiting to be housed somewhere else and they range from taller than you to tiny pieces that could be displayed on a fireplace.
Others look to be half completed, resting on tables that are in complete disarray compared to the rest of his house. A whole range of intriguing looking tools litters almost every surface, and you note that his back wall is pretty much balcony doors that leads out to his backyard.
Walking carefully through the room, you head towards those doors and open one up when he gives the nod to do so. Outside is an extended porch, and you note with interest that he has what looks like a bunch of forge things set up out here. Despite the chaos of everything around you, it’s still peaceful and the backyard extends out until it hits the forest line.
“Wow...this is...I’m not even sure.” You state quietly, turning back and heading over to a metal horse. It’s comes up to about halfway up your thigh and is prancing beautifully, the bronze colouring gleaming in the light that shines through the doors. Running a finger along the smooth edges, you smile at the surprising amount of detail on it.
A tiny metal cat is perched on the table next to the horse, while a Spartan style helmet rests next to it like a war prize. Across the room are some more abstract pieces of art, shapes that make no sense to you yet are pleasing to the eye.
“Hoseok...these are incredible.” The words whisper from you as you eagerly move from one piece to the next, taking in the smooth curves of musical note that stands on a stone base to the rough, unfinished edges of a sword in the making.
It was suddenly clear why Hoseok had never even been aware that Game of Thrones existed, as he quite obviously spent most of his time in here creating works of art that would last for lifetimes. The amount of skill he must have to create the items on his own was mind boggling, particularly as you couldn’t even draw a stick person without it going lopsided.
“It’s nothing. I mean...they’re just little projects I work on.” He mumbles, gaze down as he lets his fingers dance along the back of a leaping tiger. Moving over to him, you crouch down to get a closer look at the big cat, admiring the orange sheen to the metal while the black stripes appear to be engraved into its sides.
“Are you serious? These little projects are better than some of the stuff I’ve seen proper artists doing! I mean...god you’ve got a full time job out there in your garage and then you come home and do...this!” You say, amazement filling your voice as you gently press a finger on a curved fang.
Standing, you look around at the room once more before turning back to him with a grin. “Is there a chance you can show me how you do this stuff?” The question is innocent enough, but he stiffens slightly and swallows, eyes flickering everyone but yourself.
“Maybe. I mean...not now. It takes time to set everything up. But...I can show you in the future if you want? It’s not very interesting to watch.” He practically mumbles out and you lean into his space slowly, giving him plenty of time to back out if he felt uncomfortable.
He doesn’t though, instead standing squarely while you move closer to him with a pretty smile painted onto your face. “I think you and I have different ideas of interesting Mr Jung. Maybe not today then, but I’d love to watch you create something beautiful in here. Because you appear to have quite the creative imagination.”
Hoseok goes a deep red at that, spluttering slightly as he steps away and moves over to the door with a shaking breath. “Well...I do like to dabble in inventing every now and again but...this is just an outlet.” He pauses and looks back into the room, running his eyes over you as you turn your attention back to the metal work and his lips curve up gently.
“I don’t think I could ever create anything as beautiful as you.” He murmurs to himself quietly, rubbing his lips before freezing when you turn and look at him inquisitively, making a questioning noise.
“Nothing! Just...thinking out loud. Anyway, do you want to set off now? We can take a look at the film times and decide if we want to eat first or after?” You follow him out of the room and making thoughtful noises, completely unaware of the racing heart that moves in front of you as you decide.
-
The film and dinner went by surprisingly easy, with the conversation flowing between the two of you throughout the whole night without feeling cumbersome at any point. As had multiple other dinners since, along with many impromptu hang outs over the months.
You’d find it strange that he was surprisingly social despite his protestations, yet you’d quickly discovered that Hoseok was a puzzle wrapped in an enigma and decorated with a conundrum. He defied your descriptions and even when trying to describe him to your mom or the few friends you had back home, you’d found yourself floundering.
And yet, you found yourself wanting to be closer to him. He gave off an aura that you simply enjoyed; warmth and kindness mixed together with genuine caring. Everytime he went out of town, he made it a mission to bring you a Starbucks back or something else you were craving.
Not to mention the movie nights he’d designated Friday to, whereupon you would go to his and watch a range of movies streamed from Netflix onto his ridiculously big and fancy television screen. Even if he did made strange comments whenever you watched historical films. Watching Clash of the Titans with him had certainly been an experience as he’d spent the whole time whining about how it wasn’t historically accurate.
Despite his odd behaviour when watching things, you found that spending time at his house was both wonderful and strangely relaxing. Whether it was because you were increasing his knowledge of pop culture or simply watching him work on some hobby.
Hoseok had shyly called you a few days after he’d shown you his metal working room, asking if you wanted to come and watch him work as he was feeling inspired. By the time you’d got there after enjoying a walk over in the autumn evening, he’d had everything up and running and you’d been convinced that you’d died and gone to heaven when you saw him in a white vest, his arms on display.
A swipe of your lips had determined that you were not, in fact, drooling at the exceptionally defined biceps, nor at the toned shoulders that moved underneath the shirt with each of his movements. And you had definitely not let out a tiny whimper at the sight of him sweating once he’d been at it for a while, his skin practically glowing in the evening light.
It was quite possibly every straight or bisexual woman’s dream, seeing an incredibly handsome man sweating away over physical labour as he’d slammed down a hammer on the pieces of boiling hot metal. You’d thanked him for the seat, but internally screamed out your gratitude as your knees had felt weak at the sight of him.
There was something primal about watching him work, which was at odds with the soft way he spoke to you as he explained everything he was doing. It had taken two sessions of watching him to finally begin to understand some of the process, but you’d shied away from actually having a go yourself.
You’d no doubt burn yourself or something ridiculous.
But Hoseok, as per usual, was a sweetheart about it and simply accepted your request. Instead, he just let you watch as he created something wonderful out of a lump of metal. The man had the hands of a god, truly, and an unbelievable talent. It was almost like the metal just listened to him and formed the shapes he desired.
You’d even suggested to him that maybe he could create a YouTube channel so that people could watch him as he created things, to which he’d laughed sardonically.
“I don’t think people would be interested in that.” Hoseok said, brows raised as he looked up at you. A droplet of sweat was slowly trickling past his temple, slowly sliding along that luscious skin before reaching his jaw.
It disappears when he lifts an arm to wipe at it and you chew your lip thoughtfully as you watch him. You don’t want to tell him that there would likely be thousands of women who would watch his videos solely for him, but you certainly wouldn’t be wrong.
You’d watch them for him.
“I bet they would. You’d be surprised how many people watch stuff like that on YouTube. There’s a whole series on a channel dedicated to creating weapons from pop culture. It’s really successful, so I think you could probably make something of it.” You muse, running a finger along your lip as you watch him bring a hammer down on the metal sheet he’s levelling out.
“Well...if there’s already someone doing it, then why do I need to do it?” He asks, wet tongue licking his dry lips. He moves the metal over to the forge, heating it once more before moving it over to a what looks like a metal press.
“Well...Mr ‘I-Like-To-Create-Prototypes-In-My-Free-Time-In-The-Hopes-Vulcan-Will-Make-It’, why does Vulcan ever make anything then? We’ve already got televisions, why do we need them in bigger sizes or in different styles? The cars been invented for a long time, why do we need new cars? Va-ri-ety.” You sing out to him, smirking at his narrowed gaze.
You’d found a hand drawn blueprint for a prototype the other day on his countertop in here, the lines sketched to produce something that you didn’t understand. Honestly, you understood nothing about it as none of the words made sense to you, but you had understood the ‘Property of Vulcan Industries’ along the top.
Hoseok had flushed red when you’d teased him about it, saying that he occasionally liked to dabble in the idea of creating things but that Vulcan usually turned him down and it was an old idea. It was kind of sweet honestly, and you’d thought it impressive of him to put himself out there like that given his introverted nature.
“I guess. Maybe in the future or something. You could be my videographer.” The last statement was almost muffled, but you heard it all the same. You don’t comment on it though, simply letting it drift gently into the comfortableness between the two of you with a warm heart at the thought of him thinking about you being in his future.
Nothing further had been mentioned on the idea of a channel, but you noted that he seemed to be a little bit more receptive to ideas than you’d originally anticipated. And he certainly seemed to be loosening his grip on his work life by being more open to spontaneous activities with you.
In fact, it was only a few weeks ago that he had asked if you wanted to go on a hike, finally fulfilling your secret dream. It had taken all day, but you’d discovered that you enjoyed it and more importantly, you enjoyed his company.
And as much time as you spent at his, he spent almost as much time at yours. You’d be a little frightened by just how easy it was to let him worm his way into your life until the first person you thought of when something new happened was to let him know.
The only downside was that he still remained an intensely private person, with entire areas of his house still unseen and hidden behind keypads. And his history was basically non-existent as far as you knew. He’d never mentioned his parents or family, nor even where he was from.
It was only through a random meeting with June that you’d found out he’d done something big when he was around 15 that had resulted in him becoming well off. What that was though, you had no idea as he seemed to live a pretty quiet life with no real showings of wealth.
You didn’t even know what had caused his scars, which he had become more comfortable around you with. Though it had only been in the last week that you’d finally plucked up the courage to ask, frightened that he’d be offended by it.
Hoseok’s chest is warm and surprisingly comfortable, leading to you blinking at the screen with sleepy eyes. Game of Thrones plays on, the man you’re leaning against silent as he watches with interest while a hand almost lazily runs through your hair.
It’s...domestic. In a way you never expected nor demanded, and your stomach fuzzes slightly at how much you enjoy it. At how much you want to do this for a long time, and you wonder for a moment what it is about this sweet, kind-hearted man that has you so thoroughly wrapped around his finger.
His heart beats solidly under your ear, the sound reassuring and calming. Glancing down, you note the scars on his left arm with an idle eye. You were so used to seeing them, along with the rough tissue on his left cheek and throat, that it was almost like they weren’t there.
Almost.
But while you could never forget them, you never looked at him with disgust. He was far too good a person to ever think that.
Your mushy thoughts about him accidentally turn verbal, as the words tumble out of you without meaning to. “How did you get these scars?” It’s only once they’re out that your eyes widen, realising what you’d said to him and your body stiffens.
He stills as well and you wince, mouth opening to take them back and tell him it’s fine. Only he surprises you.
“Fires. When I was younger. I don’t...I can’t talk about them.” He murmurs out and your cheeks heat, mouthing out a curse to yourself before pressing against his thighs to push yourself up.
“I’m sorry Hoseok, I didn’t mean to-” Hoseok cuts you off, shaking his head with a smile that’s gracious despite the uncomfortable look on his face.
“No, it’s fine. You’ve been surprisingly good about it actually. I just...can’t talk about how I got them yet. I’m not ashamed of them. It’s just...if they’re on show then people stare. And I can’t handle people staring because then they’re looking at me and...I panic. I can’t cope with attention.” He runs his hand along the scarred skin of his wrist slowly.
“I just...can’t. The stares I used to get when I was younger...they hurt. And the things people said. They were cruel in way you can’t imagine. It made me never want to go out. It affects you. I moved out here as soon as I could to just...get away from people. I used to get anxiety attacks about going out or seeing people. I’m better now, not 100% as you can tell but...better.” He looks at you then, his almost supernatural eyes with their mahogany rims and hazel inners looking hopeful suddenly.
“I’m trying. I think I’ve spent long enough hiding in the shadows and licking my wounds.”
He’d been rather abrupt when discussing them, but you’d understood that despite his words it was still a touchy subject for him. But you’d felt happy that he’d at least talked about them with you, let you into his high walls even if it was only a glimpse.
You hadn’t queried him any further, respecting what he’d been willing to tell you but it had almost shifted your relationship with him slightly. The comfortable closeness you had both engaged in for the last few weeks had clicked softly into a mutual trust, full of warm smiles and gentle touches.
And sexual tension that you were positive could be cut with one of his exquisite swords.
Your own attraction to him had been evident the whole time, so bizarrely strong that you were positive it was written on your face whenever you looked at him. But the indifference he’d given you at first had ever so slowly changed the more you hung out.
His gentle gazes often turned molten when he didn’t think you were looking, and exposed skin garnered more than a second glance. Affectionate touches evolved into sensual strokes without meaning to, and you were beyond positive that you were both on the knife’s edge of desire.
One way or another, you were positive that it would all come to ahead pretty soon.
But for tonight, you were on your own. Hoseok was out of town again for a week with yet more work and you were left to browse the usual conspiracy forums to find out some more information about your Vulcan CEO.
Lazing on the couch with your laptop on your belly and a documentary about Pompeii on the television, you read the comments with a sigh. You’d become a bit more lax lately with your research, leading to you feeling guilty when you responded to any of Donghae’s correspondence.
You’d assured him that you’d found something, when in reality you hadn’t. If anything, there was something that almost seemed to be stopping you from looking into it, a sense of unease that you couldn’t figure out.
Someone had managed to find a project that had been scrapped by Vulcan, hidden deep in their servers that had been hacked the other week. Nothing of interest had been found apparently, except for the outlines of a prototype that had never happened.
The only reason it was even on these forums is because apparently it had been developed by the CEO, so of course the gold diggers were out in force. Clicking on the link, you look at the drawing with a frown, wondering what the hell you were looking at.
No one else had figured it out either as there was no explanation that made sense, the language used apparently a form of shorthand that the CEO had developed. Squinting at it, you tilted your head to the side and frowned.
It looked oddly familiar, and the words written around it looked equally as familiar. Which was bizarre, as you’re the least technologically minded person you know. Perhaps you’ve just seen it in some science fiction show or movie somewhere - you’d discovered that Hoseok really enjoyed that genre.
Closing the screen again, you scroll through the forum before you find yourself tuning back into the documentary. It had been talking about Pompeii today and the history of the archaeology that had led to it being discovered.
You watched with idle interest as it began to talk about the fateful day in 79 AD, describing how the Roman inhabitants had ironically been celebrating the festival of Vulcanalia the day before Vesuvius erupted.
This was ironic, as apparently Vulcanalia was the festival of Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and volcanoes. Raising a brow, your lip quirked at the strange turn of events before you suddenly frowned, head tilting as your mind worked a hundred miles a minute.
“Vulcanalia...weird how my life seems to be revolving around you, Vulcan.” You mutter, looking at images of the ancient god when you type him into Google. Clicking on his wikipedia page, you read with interest before pausing once more.
Maybe Vulcan Industries had something to do with why Hoseok’s garage was called Vesuvius Mechanics? The two were closely linked after all, so it made sense to name things that were kind of similar.
The Wikipedia page is full of information that would not be accepted as a reference in university, but you pause when you read that he was also the god of metalworking. Flashes of Hoseok’s metal creations appear in your mind and you look to the side as you recall the blueprint in his room suddenly.
Gasping out loud, your eyes widen while you frantically try to get back to the forum that showed the link to the prototype that had been scrapped by Vulcan. Clicking on it frantically, you take it in with new eyes as you recall the hand drawn version you’d seen in Hoseok’s house.
“No way...I mean...no. He did say they rejected it.” You murmur before you read the comments about the weird language, stomach going cold. Looking to the side, you let out a deep exhale slowly before grabbing your notebook off the table and a pen.
Writing everything you’ve just realised out, you note the similarities and scowl. How would Hoseok know the weird language that the CEO invented when he’s just a damn mechanic? He lives in a town with two set of traffic lights for crying out loud!
Hannah Jameson.
Floats through your head and you stare at your computer screen for a few seconds before typing in the forum search bar. The theorists keep a running list of the pseudonyms that have been used and you read through them all.
Hannah Jameson
Hope Justice
Heff Jackson
Jeon Hyuna
Harold Jackson
Helena Jupp
The list goes on and on, almost comical. It’s only when you scan the comments that you note the amusement of that fact that every name starts with H and the last name with J.
Jung Hoseok.
“No. No way. It’s just...a really weird coincidence.” You mutter, rubbing at your forehead furiously. It’s just a fluke that his name follows the same naming conventions of all the pseudonyms given. And that his prototype was somehow in Vulcan’s servers with the CEO’s language scribbled all over it.
“It’s not even logical. He’s not even old enough…” Your words trail off when you search for Vulcan, discovering that it was founded 21 years ago.
When Hoseok was 15. June had said he’d done something big when he was 15 that made him independently wealthy. Founding a multi-billion dollar company is certainly something big.
“No…” He wouldn’t hide this...would he?
I can’t handle people staring because then they’re looking at me and...I panic. I can’t cope with attention.
His words slowly filter through your head and you nod to yourself. Yes. Yes he would hide this. But Hoseok isn’t good at hiding things, which means that this is almost laughable how easy you’ve figured it out, despite everyone else failing.
You’ve only figured it out because he’s let you in slowly, letting you see clues that on their own are meaningless but together form the hastily constructed walls around the most elusive CEO in the world.
Picking up your phone, you find the post that lists the name and number of the assistant to the Vulcan Industries CEO. She was notorious for being the ultimate gatekeeper, refusing to allow anyone access who wasn’t supposed to and keeping the CEO’s identity on lockdown.
People try all the time to guess who it is by calling her, and the bubble of panic inside is consoled slightly by the knowledge that she’ll shut you down quick. There’s no way it would be this easy.
Dialing the number, you hold it to your ear with a shaking hand and take a deep breath as you hear the dial tone. It rings three times before it’s picked up.
“Hello, Annabelle King speaking.” Her voice is brusque and you can almost hear the irritance in her voice, probably ready to put the phone down as soon as it becomes apparent that it’s yet another prank call.
Clearing your throat, you begin to speak with a voice that’s far more stable than you feel. “Hello, I’m wondering if I can schedule an appointment with Mr Jung please? I know he’s in town for the week and would love the opportunity to speak with him about a possible investment opportunity in a charity?”
The lie falls from your lips like honey and you feel sick at it, wanting to put the phone down. You’re wrong, you’re definitely wrong and this is just the thoughts of a deluded woman coming through. But Annabelle hasn’t said no, in fact she’s hesitating.
“I’m sorry, Mr Jung?” Is all she asks, tone inquisitive and you swallow thickly. Maybe she has no idea who that is and it’s just another way of catching people out.
“Yes. Jung Hoseok? I was told he would be in the area from Monday until Friday.” There’s silence and you begin to breathe easy again, content with the knowledge that your mechanic really is just that. A brilliant and inventive mechanic.
“Mr Jung is in town this week, however please accept my apologies as he is unable to accept appointments at the moment. If you would like, you can leave your number with me and I can schedule an appointment when he is next here Miss…?” Her voice trails off but you’re hitting the end call button anyway as you sit there in silence.
Holy shit.
Holy shit. No fucking way. You did it.
You found out who Vulcan Industries CEO was. The mystery of the century.
It’s Jung Hoseok.
-
You ruminate over the knowledge you have for the next few days, agonising over whether or not you should write that article. The little you’d managed to gain about him in physical form was sitting in a file on your laptop, but you felt no inspiration to write anything.
It felt like betraying someone, and you weren’t sure if you were ready to do that.
Staring at the screen on your laptop, you sigh heavily and run your hands over your face before the buzzing of your phone catches your attention. A quick glance reveals the very person you’ve been thinking about, and your stomach twists into a knot at the sight of his name, normally from excitement but currently from guilt.
Watching it for a moment, your eyes flicker between your laptop and the phone. If ever the universe was asking you to make a decision, it was now. You almost appreciated the irony of it all before you reached out and took the phone.
“Hi Hoseok.” You whisper, slumping back into the couch. He pauses for a moment and you can practically feel his surprise and concern.
“Hey. Are you okay? You sound sad? I’m almost back in town and wondered if you want to go watch a movie or something? I bet you’ve not even left your place.” He teases, his voice sing song like and you can practically hear the happiness in him.
Smiling without meaning to, you flop onto your side and sigh heavily. “You don’t need to rub it in, my social butterfly. But...yeah. A movie sounds good.” It really does, because it’s Hoseok.
And as you listen to him chatter away, you feel a sense of warmth take over your body as you make a decision. Looking at the laptop screen, you get up and head into your room to change for him.
You found the elusive Vulcan Industries CEO, which was the paycheck of a lifetime. But it would involve destroying his happiness for material gain.
Shaking your head, you smile softly as you make a decision that will have ramifications for your future. There is no way you could destroy Hoseok’s confidence and trust just to further yourself. Not only is that not how a friend would act, but it’s certainly not how a potential love interest would act.
And you were just a little desperate to be seen as the latter to him. Because you loved him. You’d suspected for a while, feeling silly and childish, but you did.
His smile made your stomach flutter and his touch made your heart race. The very thought of him brought a smile to your face and you went warm at the thought of spending time with him. The tiny smile he got on his face when he danced self-consciously to a song when he was in the garage or the way his eyes lit up when he saw something he liked.
He was everything you ever wanted in a man, and so much more than you could have ever dreamed of. Jung Hoseok was so easy to fall in love with, but he was even easier to damage and you found that you could never do that.
The knock at the door brings you out of yours thoughts and you head out, slipping on your shoes and grinning at Hoseok as you close the door behind you. He looks beautiful, with his black hair swept off his forehead carelessly, the subtle red highlights shimmering slightly in the natural light that seeps through the hallway window while a responding smile of his own illuminates his face.
Your heart kicks slightly at the sight of him and you suddenly reach out for his hand, taking his work roughened fingers between your own and carefully lacing them together. Hoseok stalls, his face creasing in confusion as he looks down at the sudden, and obvious, intimacy you’ve initiated but he doesn’t say anything.
All he’s wearing are simple jeans and a black hoodie, and yet he looks like the most handsome man you’ve ever seen. “Shall we go?” You ask lightly, cheerful as you feel a weight lift off your shoulders.
He watches with bemusement before shrugging and following, obviously concerned about your sudden change in behaviour.
But you don’t care. Because you’ve figured out your mystery and decided it’s not worth it. It’s not worth losing this beautiful, handsome man and his kindness and love. So instead, you’re going to enjoy this for what it is.
“Is this a date?” You ask suddenly as you reach his car, watching as he goes bright red and splutters in surprise with shocked eyes. He’s so astonished by your sudden question that he even drops his keys, crouching down to pick them up.
Hoseok doesn’t rise though, and instead lets the keys dangle from his finger as he gazes down at the concrete below his feet. You hear him take a deep breath before letting it out slowly, the technique almost meditative before he speaks.
“Do you want it to be?” His voice is quiet, and you want to wrap your arms around his neck so badly. But you shove your hands into the pockets of your own hoodie firmly, determined to not push him past his boundaries. You’ve already violated one part of him so horribly, you would never do so again.
“I’d like that.” Is all you say and he stands slowly, keeping his gaze averted before nodding his head, tongue licking his lips slowly.
“Okay. Okay...a-a date. We’ll g-go on a d-date.” He’s blushing and you want to aww so badly at him, but instead you simply give him the brightest smile you can to try and make him feel at ease.
“I can’t wait.”
-
The mood is tense on the way to the next town, Hoseok’s fingers opening and closing on the steering wheel while he chew on his lip. Your own stomach fizzes with excitement and you wonder if he’s as excited as you are.
Turning your gaze from the passenger window you’d been staring out of, you watch Hoseok for a moment quietly. From this side, the exquisite profile of his face is made even more obvious by the low light. His elegant, sloping nose ends in a perfect point while his lips are just pouty enough to give them dimension, before his jawline takes over from everything else.
You’ve always thought he was stunningly attractive, from the very first moment you ever saw him, but seeing him in the fuzzy light of your new feelings makes him look like the highest form of perfection a human being can ascertain.
Reaching out, you take his hand without realising and watch as his eyes glance over to you, wide with concern that there was something wrong. Your lips kick up ever so slightly before you tug his hand into your lap, turning it over and slipping your fingers between his.
He’s a little slow to react, and from the nervous twitching of the muscles in his hand you suspect it’s because he’s not entirely sure what to do, but he finally closes his own fingers around yours. Smiling, you let your fingerpads run over the rough, scarred skin on his hand and take careful note of every point of interest on his arm.
You’d never thought you’d see the day when you thought an arm was beautiful, but here you were. “Are you okay with this being a date?” The words are soft, barely heard over the radio but you want to make sure that he’s okay.
The guilt over your discovery and original mission make you feel a little sick if you think about it too hard, but you were a little desperate to make sure that he wanted this too and you weren’t simply projecting onto him.
He’s quiet for a few seconds before he squeezes your hand, nodding his head a tiny bit as he lets out a shaky breath. “Yeah. I think...I think I am. No, I am. I’m just...I mean the people.” He mutters, eyes flickering down to your joined hands.
You sigh quietly, bringing his hand up to your lips and pressing a featherlight kiss to the scarring there. The poor guy is worried about how people will react to the both of you and it turns your stomach at how people must treat him. He’s always a little self-conscious whenever you go out, and he usually prefers to do things that are solitary.
“We don’t have to go out, I’m fine with just hanging out in the back of your truck or something.” You gesture to the open bed in the back, causing him to laugh and shake his head.
“Really? So we can grab McDonald’s and you’re fine just sitting there?” He asks almost sarcastically, brow raised while his amusement shows clearly. Along with more than a little relief that you understood without him having to explain.
“With you? That sounds perfect.” Your words have his cheeks turning crimson in the soft light and you want to run your fingers along them so badly. He’s so unbelievably charming and kind, how could anyone hate or be mean to this ball of sweetness?
“Okay.” Is all he says, turning and heading towards the closest McDonald’s. A trip through the drive-thru leaves you with two Big Macs and a Coke for Hoseok and a quarter pounder and strawberry milkshake for you.
A meandering route through some of the forested roads leads you to what you presume counts as a lookout spot here in the countryside. But instead of a city view, you’re treated to some of the best nature can offer in these areas, with the mountains reaching into the sky in the distance while the sun slowly falls into their welcome embrace.
Hoseok turns the car around before getting out and pulling the back down, leaving you with a way to get into the bed and you watch as he pulls some blankets out from a toolbox that’s tied down. Once down, he gestures to the makeshift sitting spot with a shy smile, helping you up.
Sitting cross legged next to him, you look out at the view in front of you and sigh softly as you chew a bite of your burger. He’s watching it as well and you turn to watch him quietly for a moment, admiring not only his beauty but the strong personality that has let him build a multi-billion dollar company, all while keeping himself grounded.
Now that you know, it’s almost kind of obvious.
“It reminds me of home a little, you know.” He suddenly speaks and your eyebrows rise in confusion, wondering what he was talking about while simultaneously being excited that he’s willingly talking about himself.
As if sensing your confusion at his words, his lips tip into a fond smirk before he gestures with a fry to the landscape in front of him. “This. The mountains, the sun, the sky. There’s more forest here and no sea but it’s still beautiful.” His words sound almost longing as he speaks, eyes squinting in the setting sun.
“You sound like you miss it. Would you go back?” Even if you have no idea where he grew up, you can hear the homesickness in his voice suddenly. He stays quiet for a moment before smiling and shaking his head.
“I couldn’t go back even if I wanted to. It’s not the same anymore.” You reach forward and grip his hand comfortingly, simply letting him know that you were there in case it brought bad memories for him.
“You never talk about your family.” He stays quiet, chewing on his burger slowly before letting it drop into his wrapper. The only sounds that can be heard are the soft calls of birds and the wind rustling through the trees gently, blowing his crimson highlighted black hair.
“My family...is not a nice family. They are...egotistical, selfish, cruel and they like to play games. Both physical and mental. They’re vain, their reputation means everything to them and they think they’re owed everything by everyone.” You’re not sure if he’s aware of it, but he’s pulling apart the remainder of his burger bun as he stares at it unseeingly.
“I got these scars because of them, for them. But they...shunned me for it afterwards. I didn’t fit their idea of beautiful, so they isolated me. I was good enough to make their stuff for them, but not to be with them.” Dropping your gaze to the scars that scatter both hands and up his arm, you scowl at the thought of his family being so cruel.
“They don’t deserve you. You’re one of the nicest, kindest and sweetest men I’ve ever met, and if it helps you’re quite possibly the most handsome man I’ve ever seen. They don’t know what a great man they’re missing out on.” His head is bowed and you shuffle forwards, reaching out to touch him but hesitating.
Looking back up, you make a soft noise of unhappiness at the watery gaze he gives you before he shakes his head, laughing weakly. “I know this isn’t really first date conversation, but...you mean a lot to me. More than you realise. More than you can ever realise actually.”
Shaking your head, you move even closer to him, smiling at this compassionate man that stole your heart. His eyes flicker to your lips and you have to physically control yourself to stop from vibrating with excitement and squealing as he watches you lick them slowly.
“Can I kiss you?” You ask, the words so soft that they’re barely audible and yet he’s nodding slowly with blown out eyes that focus on you. It’s the only permission you need as you close the gap between you, your lips finally pressing to his in a sweet, chaste kiss.
It’s short, and you pull away after a few seconds to gauge his reaction. His eyes are closed and he has an exceptionally adorable dopey look on his face before he focuses on you, cheeks tinging pink in the golden light of the sun.
Grinning, you gently run your fingertips over his cheek as you cup his face, watching as he flinches slightly as they run over the roughened skin of his scars. Leaning in, you capture his lips once more, enjoying the velvety feel of his lips beneath yours as you both kiss almost innocently.
Tilting your head, you want to smile as his nose bumps against your cheek before your tongue slowly tracks along the seam of his lips. There’s a moment of nothing before his mouth is opening, allowing you entrance as you deepen the kiss with him.
Without even realising it, you’re practically pressing yourself to his front as your tongues dance in a rhythm that is centuries old. His hands rest on your waist before tracking along your body to your hips in long, slow movements that raise shivers in you.
Hoseok is rather submissive in his approach to this, letting you take the lead and content to simply follow where you go. Pulling back slightly, you tug his lower lip into your mouth and release it ever so slowly, eyes focused firmly on his as you do so until he lets out the softest groan.
“Can we go back to mine?” You ask, uncaring if you’ve barely spent any time on this date but you want him. God you want him so badly, show him that he’s more than worthy of your attentions and love.
He’s quiet for a moment, breathing heavily with lips that are wet and puffy from the intense kiss you’d shared. It’s almost eerie how his hazel eyes always seem to glow like fires in the dying sunlight, but you’re distracted away from it by his slow nod.
“Yeah, yeah we can do that.” Hoseok whispers raggedly, his throat sounding gruff while his breath comes in short pants. Neither of you move for a moment before he’s suddenly bounding off the bed of the truck, gesturing for you to follow him as he latches it back together and then you’re both inside, Hoseok taking the handbrake off as he begins to drive.
The drive back to yours is filled with a sexual tension that has you feeling hot and bothered, but it’s with an impatience for him to drive faster. You’re almost on the verge of telling him to just floor it; given how much the sheriff likes him he probably wouldn’t even get stopped.
But you don’t, as you kind of enjoy the sizzling atmosphere that’s slowly building between you both. Hoseok is gripping the wheel even tighter than on the drive there and he seems to be focusing on breathing slowly. It’s almost cute how intently he’s staring at the road, but you don’t say anything that could potentially embarrass him.
You were aware that he wasn’t inexperienced in this area, but his shyness still made you want to take it slower than you normally would.
It’s still hard not to ravage him when he pulls the car to a stop outside your apartment, both of you staring at the brick and stone building for a moment before getting out slowly. Hoseok comes around the front and takes your hand in his, leading you to the door and you shudder with anticipation, your thighs squeezing together with a need you hadn’t even thought about in a long while.
Your hands shake as you unlock your door, the keys jangling in the quietness of the hallway and it takes everything you have to not curse at the physical manifestation of your need for him. But any prospective embarrassment is gone when you turn round to look at him and see Hoseok’s eyes.
The unusual colour almost looks to be glowing in the dim light of your apartment and you shudder slightly, watching as he carefully tugs off his hoodie and hangs it up. It’s almost hilarious, how polite he’s being when all you want is for him to ravage you.
But you know Hoseok, and you know that he’ll only do whatever you feel comfortable with.
Stepping up in front of him, your hand rests on the solid chest beneath his shirt and you reach up onto your tiptoes to press your lips to his once more. The kiss is slow and languid, his tongue slipping into your mouth and exploring at a leisurely pace.
You let out the softest moan at the touch, which seems to trigger Hoseok’s desire as suddenly he’s bending ever so slightly and then you’re in the air, pressed to him as your thighs wrap around his waist tightly. Even underneath the stiff fabric of his denim jeans, you can feel his hard length pressing against your core and a whimper leaves you, causing him to growl ever so slightly.
So consumed by your want for him, you don’t notice when he manages to manoeuvre you into the bedroom until you’re toppling backwards, back meeting the soft covers that lay on your bed. He follows quickly, knee pressing into the mattress as his mouth pursues your own almost desperately.
Sinking your fingers into his luscious hair, you keep his face firmly against yours as you kiss him deeply, enjoying how reciprocal he’s being before his hands graze the soft skin of your stomach underneath your shirt. Pulling away, you look up at him with sheer lust, pushing yourself up just enough to remove your shirt.
Without a word, your bra follows and you watch as he pushes himself up, kneeling between your legs and simply admiring the curves and lines of your body with the practiced eye of an artist. His tongue licks along his lower lip slowly as his eyes track you before his hands run along your skin almost reverently.
“You’re so beautiful.” He whispers, his tone awed and you smile at him, the love you hadn’t spoken aloud practically emanating from your expression. At it, he hesitates slightly and turns his head to the left, hiding his face and you frown immediately, sitting up to cup his cheek.
“Don’t. Please. Don’t do that. Hide yourself from others if you really want, but please don’t hide from me.” His mouth opens before closing, jaw quivering before he nods quickly. Hoseok leans in to kiss you again but you dance away from him with a smile, reaching for his own shirt and playfully tugging it upwards.
There’s a pause from him as he resists for a moment before his arms lift, letting you take his shirt off to finally witness the incredibly toned torso you’d been craving to see for so long. And he’s glorious, everything you had imagined and so much more.
The soft pads of your fingers trace over the defined muscles of his abdomen, teeth biting at your lower lip in excitement at the smooth expanse of golden skin. Tracking upwards, you note that his chest is just as defined and it makes your mouth water.
You make no mention of the scarring that tracks down his left side, instead leaning forward to press featherlight kisses to his skin before evolving into hot, open mouthed kisses that leave wet patches that signal where you’ve loved him.
Each touch of your mouth causes him to jerk slightly and you feel him quivering as his breath exhales from him shakily. You’d like to say it’s because of how turned on he is, but the way he flinches when your lips press to his roughened skin tells you otherwise.
You don’t want him to feel like this when you’re together so intimately. In fact, you want him to forget about anything as he enjoys you, but you know it probably doesn’t work like that. So instead, you simply continue to tease him and touch at him, your fingers dipping into the waistband of his jeans and snapping them against his waist.
He moves away abruptly, standing at the side of the bed and you sit there for a moment in concern, wondering if you’ve pushed too hard. Instead though, he stares directly into your eyes before unbuttoning his jeans and pushing both them and his underwear down his legs.
Any thoughts you may have had vanish instantly as you stare at him, sheer lust and excitement bubbling through your veins at the sight of him fully naked. He’s quite possibly the most exquisite person you’ve ever seen, and he’s here for you.
Shuffling forward until you’re sitting at the end of the bed, you reach forward and grasp his hips firmly. He goes to say something but you simply shake your head and pull him closer with encouraging tugs until he’s standing close to you.
Reaching out, you take his hard length into your hand and give him one, long stroke that has him gasping out as his head rocks back. It’s almost bizarre how beautiful he is, even his penis is so perfect that it belongs in an x-rated movie or something.
Tugging at the silky smooth skin over his cock, you take note of the copious amounts of precum he’s leaking and feel a shard of pride take over at how much he’s obviously desiring you. Leaning forward, you kitten lick at the engorged tip of his head and internally grin at the almost pained whimper he lets out.
“You are beautiful.” You say to him, giving him another stroke before enveloping him in your warm mouth. Hoseok is almost the perfect mix of length and girth and he whines as you move down him as far as you can go before hollowing your cheeks out on the journey back up.
You continue on for a few minutes, simultaneously jerking him off while alternating between sucking on him and licking along his length, teasing all the spots that make him gasp out with need.
It’s only when his hips start to rock even harder that you pull away, eyes flickering up to meet his desire filled gaze as his chest heaves with gasps. Keeping your eyes locked to his, you carefully unbutton and tug off your own jeans and underwear before crawling back up the bed slowly and spreading your legs for him.
Immediately, his eyes focus on the glistening wetness that shines in the final strands of daylight that stream in through your window, an audible groan leaving him at the sight. Smirking at his want, you reach out for him before grinning as he practically falls over himself to put on a condom before he pounces onto the bed and inbetween your legs.
“Do you want me to…” He breaks off before glancing down between your legs but you’re already shaking your head, reaching down to grasp his dick and caress it languidly, enjoying the way his eyelids flutter shut while his jaw drops open.
“No, I want you. Now. Believe me, I’m wet enough.” You murmur, letting go of him to push yourself up and meet his lips. He responds immediately, his kiss almost aggressive but still allowing you the control that you’ve taken the entire way through.
He doesn’t do anything for a few moments however and you almost whine at him until he grinds his hips against yours. The movement has his hard shaft sliding against your engorged clit and you immediately let out a high pitched pant at the sensation, shifting your own hips to encourage him to find a perfect rhythm.
Each slow slide has his cock becoming coated in the clear slickness of your arousal while it sends lightning spears of pleasure through your own body. Moaning into his mouth, you grip his hair tightly to keep him close.
The slightest shift of his body suddenly has him penetrating you in one slow, long slide. Immediately your head slams back into the pillows at the intrusion that stretches your walls in the most delicious way while he in turn lets out a breathy grunt at the tight sensation as you grip him.
A stream of words you don’t recognise in a musical language escape his lips while his brow creases in concentration as he remains seated in you firmly. Recognising that he’s probably a little overwhelmed, you stroke along his back in long and soothing movement while you suck deep kisses into his neck and whatever other skin you can reach.
Finally, he begins to move in slow rocks that gradually increase in speed and depth until he’s moving at a good pace, the two of you moaning out your pleasure into the quiet room. “Oh god Hoseok, please.”
He’s not hugely vocal in bed you discover, but he doesn’t need to be when his body does all the speaking for him. Each snap of his hips has you jerking up the bed and your eyelids flutter shut of their own accord as bliss crackles through your veins.
“Is it good?” He finally speaks, and when you open your eyes you see the concern painted deeply in them. Hoseok wants to make this good for you, and your heart swells to see his concern for you.
Nodding at him, you let out a choked gasp as he hits a particular spot inside you that sends your body convulsing under him. “Fuck Hoseok, fuck I’m close.” You whine and your hand moves of its own accord down your body, reaching between your legs before you begin to play with your clit.
The engorged bud has been severely forgotten about, but as you begin to circle it with the right amount of pressure it intensifies the pleasure that Hoseok’s cock is providing you. Your other hand grasps at the bed covers desperately as you continuously clench around him in pursuit of your orgasm, causing him to moan out in turn as he maintains a good pace.
“Come for me.” He whispers into your ear, the words rough and gravelly from his exertion and the air tickling at your sensitive skin. The pounding of his hips into yours combines with the furious movement of your hand and then you’re exploding around him, mind blanking out for a few moment as long, animalistic groans leave you.
They quickly become the high pitched whines of over-stimulation as you pull your hand away as he continues to fuck you through your orgasm, hips moving at a startling pace. The gratification of his dick inside you continues though and you can’t stop the breathy moans that seem to leave you with each thrust, but you look up at him lazily as your hands stroke along his body encouragingly.
“Your turn Hoseok, are you close?” You whisper, voice raspy from your vocal exertions and you bite your lip firmly as he nods with closed eyes. His face is a picture of pleasure and effort and you push up to bite at his defined jawline gently, squeezing your inner muscles around him encouragingly until he’s almost sobbing with his need.
A sudden jerk of his hips is the only inclination about his impending orgasm until suddenly his head is dropping into your neck as he grunts, his hips jerking forward in tiny movements as his length twitches inside you. Head dropped to the pillow, you watch with fascination as he orgasms, brow quirking as his skin almost seems to be illuminated but you dismiss it as the lighting outside.
He’s quiet for a moment and the room feels hot and stifling, a layer of sweat coating both your skin and his own. But it’s comfortable and you feel a swelling of emotion in your stomach as he lays there, your arms gently wrapping around his shoulders as best you can.
Hoseok pulls out and flops onto the side, letting out a heaving breath as he tries to catch his breath before looking to the side at you. Swallowing, he licks his lips before giving you a tentative smile.
“Was it good?” It’s almost adorable that he asks and you find yourself grinning as you lean forward to press a kiss to his abused lips, remaining close enough to him that your noses brush with each breath.
“It was amazing.”
-
The air is still when you finally gain consciousness the next morning, eyes bleary and crusted from the most restful sleep you’ve had in a while. While the sex had been phenomenal, truly amazing, it had been the intimate and quiet minutes afterwards that you’d enjoyed the most.
As you rolled over under the sheets, inhaling his scent that lingered deeply, you let a meek smile loose as flashbacks of the night before race through your mind. He had been so caring and attentive, with far more experience than his shy and awkward nature let on.
It had been all the better with the knowledge that you’d fallen in love with this compassionate man who had a smile that would put the sun to shame. Staring up at the white ceiling and listening to the soft chirping of birds outside your window, you couldn’t stop your lips from spreading into a grin as excitement fluttered in your stomach.
You loved him, and there was no way on Earth you were giving him up to the vultures of the media or your harpy of a boss, Donghae. They’d rip this affectionate and introverted man apart and the very idea of it made your breath hitch.
He froze up with tension and fear in a crowded place and in the months you’d spent with him, he’d only acquiesced to one photograph with you. A photograph you treasured beyond belief. No, Jung Hoseok did not have a personality that would survive the assault on his character and live.
Finally registering the fact that the apartment was quiet, you sit up with a frown as you look around your bedroom for the man in question. His dark ripped jeans are gone but the shirt he’d been wearing yesterday was still carelessly thrown onto the floor.
Climbing out of the bed, you smile to yourself at the gentle ache between your legs before bending to pick up his shirt. Pulling it on, you take a moment to bring the collar to your nose and inhale deeply, eyelids fluttering at the scent of cologne, oil, metal and the very essence of Hoseok.
You marvel for a moment at how it falls down to your just above mid thigh before remembering how you always have to look up at him all the time. Running a hand down the soft material, you grin with pleasure. You’ve never worn the clothes of your partners before and you kind of like it.
Before leaving your bedroom, you make sure to at least pull on underwear so that you didn’t appear to be too desperate for a round two. Though you certainly wouldn’t say no if he proposed it.
Heading outside, the constant silence is confusing to you. Given he wasn’t in bed when you’d woken up, it would only make sense that he was either in the bathroom or the kitchen. But there was no noise coming from either and you half entertain the thought that perhaps he really had just left and not bothered to put on his shirt or shoes.
You find him, however, in the living area of your apartment where he sits on the grey couch in silence. Walking over, you add what you hope is a seductive tilt to your walk only to see it goes completely unnoticed. Instead, Hoseok is focused on your open laptop in front of him.
It’s the deep frown lines that paint a map of unhappiness on his forehead that let you know that something is wrong. As you step towards him, he suddenly looks up with distress written all over. Immediately you want to wrap him in your arms and protect him from whatever has upset him.
“What is it? Hoseok what’s wrong?” You ask, coming forwards with arms open to embrace him. Only you freeze when he flinches away from you, his eyes that had been so vibrant with happiness yesterday rapidly cooling. Pressing his lips together, he swallows thickly before licking them and pointing to your laptop screen.
“Is it true?” His voice is hoarse, the tone husky and rasping enough to cause goosebumps to rise along your skin. Only it’s not from pleasure or anticipation, but fear. Edging your way around the coffee table, you look down at the bright screen of your laptop and focus on what he can see.
The sight causes you to freeze, your heart dropping into your stomach as you read the email that had been sent this morning. Coldness envelops your body as blood rushes from your face and you can’t think properly, mind going fuzzy with panic.
“Hoseok...it’s not what it looks like. I swear.” You begin, voice pleading immediately and your hands are moving of their own accord towards him. He stands up though, muscular thighs flexing as he darts away from you and you watch with despair as his shoulders close in, back hunching slightly like an animal that’s been cornered.
Hoseok lets out a frantic laugh, each sound tinged with a despairing note that makes your heart clench with trepidation. “So...you’re not a reporter then? And you haven’t been given the job of finding out who the CEO of Vulcan is? I know you’ve figured it out as you left your notes open on here. I just sat down to drink some coffee when I must have nudged your laptop into life and there it was...a full report on me and how you’d figured it out.”
Staring at him in distress, you find that the only thing you’re capable of doing is opening and closing your mouth. Any attempts to formulate a response, despite the fact your mind is screaming denials, simply comes out as an oddly soft, croaking and gurgling sound.
When he catches your eyes flicker to the screen, cursing the fact you’d left your Outlook open and that your boss has evidently finally gotten annoyed, his face crumples. Those cheeks that harboured dimples you were desperate to learn with your touch fell, mouth disappearing behind his shaking hand.
Stepping further back, his uncovered back hitting the wall with a soft thud and you feel like someone has reached into your chest and cruelly ripped your heart out. The soft ticking of the clock on the wall sounds like your happiness slowly dripping out of the hole that’s been left, but it’s the film of tears that shines over his eyes that sends your body cold.
Those beautiful eyes, so unusual and vibrant are dull and you don’t even need to see the rest of his face to understand the betrayal he must be feeling. His other arm presses to his stomach in the classic protective position of people across the world and it’s with growing consternation that you realise he’s afraid of you.
Afraid of the power you wield because of your job.
Gasping out, you bend over slightly at the metaphorical gut punch at that knowledge as you watch the man you have come to love recoil away. Slowly lifting your hand to him, your head begins to shake as tears slowly fall, internally willing yourself to stop being so selfish and focus on him.
“It’s not...Hoseok I swear. I swear I wasn’t going to. I...I’ve known for a few days who you are and it didn’t matter. It doesn’t matter! Please don’t, I’m not going to. I swear to you.” You plead, your throat quivering slightly as tears thicken it.
He watches you for a moment before slowly gesturing to the room. “Was this...all part of it? Moving into the town? Getting to know the people who know me best? Was it just...a way to get close to me?” At that, he suddenly frowns deeply and your heart breaks to see an innocent, confused look take over.
He points to himself slowly, almost as if he doesn’t want to ask. “Did you get close to me...just for that? Was last night just…” Hoseok can’t finish his words and immediately you’re denying it, moving closer and wanting to cry as he slips out of your grasp, dancing around your hand and to the door.
“No! It wasn’t, I swear Hoseok it wasn’t. Yes, yes it started out as an assignment but...you’re my friend and well...you’re my closest friend. And last night was...amazing and great and everything my past relationships have never been. I’m so sorry Hobi, please believe me. I didn’t use you, I’m not using you, I lo-” Immediately he’s shaking his head violently, messy black hair flying.
“Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare say that! You can’t, you can’t...not when. No, you can’t. I can’t...I need to...no!” Hoseok cries out, the tears finally breaking the dam and slowly trickling down his face in a trail of pain at your deception.
Staring at you for a few moments more, you choke on a sob as you watch his chest heave with the emotions he tries to keep locked down. “I trusted you.” He whispers low, wiping at his face furiously before he’s turning round. You’re not sure what to make of his actions till you realise he’s yanking on the black hoodie he’d hung on the coat rack.
It’s only when he’s grabbing his keys and shoving his shoes onto his feet that you suddenly come to your senses, mind screaming at his actions. “Wait, Hoseok just wait!” You call out but he’s gone, the door slamming shut behind him.
Staring at the door, you watch for a few seconds in shock before you’re grabbing your keys and running after him. He’s not in the hallway and it’s only while your feet are slamming against the stairs that you register you hadn’t even put on shoes.
Skidding to a stop just outside the entrance to the building, you let out a broken whimper as you watch the back end of his black pickup peel out onto the street. Hand pressing to your stomach, you try hard to ignore the nausea you feel along with the numbing fear. You’re not sure what you’re supposed to do now and it’s only when you look around with wide eyes that you see a few people staring at you with judgement in their eyes.
Looking down, you note your bare feet and legs before realising you’re stood out in public in just Hoseok’s shirt and some underwear. Flushing bright red, you run back inside to your apartment before standing in the entrance, hands fisting at your hair in anguish.
Swiping at your nose, you gasp on a choked breath before rushing into the bedroom. Standing still for a minute, you grip the roots of your hair tightly as you try hard to ignore the dark thoughts running through your head. You’ll pack your stuff, get your car and then leave. Simple, you’ll go back and tell Donghae you’d failed.
As you began to throw clothes into your suitcase, half of your mind was screaming to go after Hoseok and explain properly but the other half was too ashamed and upset. His reaction had been everything you’d been afraid of and you were far too cowardly to go after him.
Besides, for someone as skittish as Hoseok you had no doubt that he didn’t want to see you and was likely hiding somewhere till you left. The best thing you could do for him would be to vanish and never publish the information you’d found out. Even if it felt like your heart was shrivelling and dying.
You’d chosen to be selfish that day in the meeting with your boss, deeming your career more important over someone else’s privacy. But after getting to know Hoseok, you knew that while your life would improve exponentially upon revealing the information you’d found, his would crash and burn around him.
Dragging your suitcase out to the hallway, you abandon it for a moment while you focus on cleaning the apartment as best you can and throwing out the food. It wouldn’t be fair to June for you leave the place untidy; you may be running from your problems but you won’t be that rude.
It’s only when you sit on the sofa to turn your laptop off that you finally pause, rational thought finally making its way through your mind. Staring down at the dark screen, a press on the touchpad wakes up the screen to reveal the documents detailing all you’d found about Jung Hoseok and what explicitly linked him to Vulcan Industries.
Reading over your notes again, your palm runs down your face tiredly while another rubs the back of your neck. Why did you care so much? Why did anyone care so much? Hoseok had done so much good for the world, made so many inventions that had brought relief and happiness and he’d demanded nothing in return.
Nothing except for the ability to live peacefully and privately in his own private version of heaven; a small town where no one cared about big corporations, a home he’d made his own and a garage that allowed him to help in small ways along with the big.
Swallowing thickly, you open up the email that had led to him figuring everything out. Donghae is curt, demanding an article as soon as possible on whatever you’d found. It’s when you read the words that you’d sent to him weeks ago that you feel the hot tears prickle your eyes, filling to the point that they slowly trickle down your face.
From: Y/N
To: Lee Donghae
Subject: Project Vesuvius
Hi Donghae,
Please accept my apologies that I’ve been radio silent for a while. I’ve been doing research into the CEO and I think I’ve finally found something.
I will respond to you with an article once I’ve confirmed my suspicions and done extensive research. It should be within the next few weeks I believe, please wait for further correspondence.
Kind Regards,
Y/N
Unsurprisingly, Donghae had got annoyed at waiting for you to respond to him and taken it into his own hands. The resulting email had all the hallmarks of Donghae’s infamous lack of patience and it made your stomach shrivel to know that not only were you going back with nothing, but Hoseok had seen it.
From: Lee Donghae
To: Y/N
Subject: RE: Project Vesuvius
Y/N,
Where the hell is this article?! You’ve been gone for four months now, I’d expect to at least see something after this.
What am I doing? Paying you for a vacation? Send me what research you have now or I’ll be docking your pay for this waste of time.
Donghae
Deleting the email with a gulp, you instead open up the pictures folder. There were so many images in there of Hoseok’s metal work, each piece a small work of art that he had put his heart and soul into.
But that isn’t the one that makes you stifle a sob, instead it’s the one solitary picture you have of the man you’d fallen hopelessly in love with. It was from when he’d taken you hiking up one of the mountain trails that were dotted around the landscape here.
Wearing dark jeans, a pair of sturdy and well used walking boots along with a plain grey shirt and white hoodie, he’d looked an absolute picture of beauty. You’d felt more than a little ridiculous when he’d raised his eyebrow at your white linen shorts, pale yellow t-shirt and white Adidas trainers.
The reason for his dubious look had appeared only an hour into the hike, when you’d fallen over twice from the uneven ground and now had shorts that had turned a lovely shade of dusty brown along with scuffed shoes.
Still, the view had been worth it when you’d reached your destination. Hoseok had packed a lunch for the two of you and it had been perfection. At your shy request for a photo together, he’d acquiesced and there it was.
He was smiling so prettily, his face slightly turned to the side to try and hide his scarring while the red highlights in his hair had gleamed in the bright sunshine. His eyes were reduced to almost squinting from the bright light yet you still admired the pretty shape of them, the way the apples of his cheeks were so rounded and the dimples that always appeared so easily.
The tiny mole on his lips could be seen even while his smile was so big and you bit down on your lip hard as you realised he looked happy and relaxed. Because he had been happy and relaxed.
Changing screens back to your notes, you stared at the countless words and html links with a blank look for a moment. The letters blurred slightly from your tears and you shook your head, closing down the document.
Going into your documents, you found the file that contained all the information you’d found out about Vulcan and Hoseok and dragged it over to the recycling bin. Watching it disappear with a soft ‘woosh’ from your laptop, it only took a moment to right click and empty.
Shutting it down, you placed it inside your messenger back and sniffled pathetically. Wiping your nose with the back of your hand, you looked down at the black shirt that still smelled of him and willed your lips not to tremble.
It took no time at all to leave June a voicemail apologising for your sudden absence and informing her of where you’d left the key before you were walking towards Hoseok’s garage, a lump in your stomach as fear filled your limbs.
You didn’t want to face him. Not because you were afraid of him, but because you simply didn’t want to hurt him anymore and you certainly didn’t want to see that look of betrayal in his eyes again.
The suitcase trundling behind you was so loud and you wince as you reach the garage, noting with a sad relief that the main doors were closed and his car was nowhere to be seen. Shuffling quickly to the customer entrance door, you enter the six digit code that Hoseok had told you only two weeks ago, 790824.
He’d invited you over to his place for the evening and warned you that he’d be in the garage working on some repairs. As such, he’d simply informed you of the code to enter so that he wouldn’t need to leave. The reasoning behind his choice of numbers had only been made clear to you the other day, making you wonder for a moment if he’d wanted to be found.
Entering the clean waiting room, you look around and inhale the oh so familiar scent of oil and metal that had always been Jung Hoseok. Swallowing, you let your fingers trail slowly along the counter top as you move around it, spying the tray of keys to all the cars he has.
Picking out yours, you clutch onto them tightly before turning and practically running out of the building. It’s only once you’ve stuffed your suitcase into the back of your car and sat in the drivers seat that you finally pause to crane your head, trying to take a peek up the isolated drive that leads to his house.
From here, you can barely see the building you’d become so acquainted with over these last few weeks, but you can clearly see the black car parked haphazardly in front of it. Turning back, you rest your head on the wheel for a moment and fight the desperate need to go to him and apologise, beg on your knees and anything else you can think of to make him forgive you.
It’s only a deep, fortifying breath that shudders dangerously that gives you the strength to insert the key and turn the ignition. Your car starts immediately, the deep and almost choking rumble that you were used to filling the silence and you move away with a heavy heart.
A glance into the mirror lets you watch his garage disappear as you drive down the road, heading down the long and lonely roads that make up this part of the world as you drive back home. You’ll probably get fired from your job for wasting their time but it’ll be worth it.
It has to be worth it, because it will mean that his secret is safe.
-
Hoseok sat the floor of his bedroom, back resting against the bed as a bottle of half empty whiskey dangled from his fingers. Staring at nothing, he sighed heavily before running a hand through his hair and letting his head fall back against the mattress.
He desperately wished that he could get drunk, that when he drank this whole bottle of whiskey he’d be half comatose with inebriation. Instead, all he got was a burning sensation when he drank the foul liquid.
Damn his godliness that meant only alcohol made by the gods would work. He hadn’t had a good drink like that in centuries and he wasn’t particularly in the mood to go find some. Maybe Hermes had invented some online store for Olympus made products already? Musing on that, he tipped the bottle back and swallowed some more lazily.
It was over. It was all over.
He’d had a good run at anonymity, he thought to himself before a shard of pain lanced through his chest. Holding his right arm out, he looks over the scarring that always caught the human’s attention and let out a shaky breath.
It didn’t bother him that he had them anymore, he’d gotten over them a long time ago, but it was the staring he could never get over. The way people would turn slightly when they saw it, their eyes tracking over each point like a dot to dot puzzle and he could see the questions forming in their head immediately.
He’d experienced it for millennia, and no matter what mortal body he chose he knew that the scarring would appear in the exact same places every time. For these were wounds that had been caused by the fires of Mount Olympus and even his godly skin would not heal them.
Hoseok could only imagine what the humans would say to find out he was the genius behind Vulcan. It would be nice to think that they would be understanding and kind, focusing on the technological achievements that he had made throughout the years.
Perhaps note how he was a small town guy who had shunned the spotlight, instead letting his works take all the fame. Maybe even his philanthropy and how he tried to help improve not only human society but the environment as well. That he was an example for children across the world to aspire to.
But he knew what they would focus on. His scars, his anxiety, his pathological need to be away from crowds, his panic attacks. He had no doubt that there would be people in town who would happily take money to spill all his secrets, to gleefully tattle about the one or two times he’d lost his temper or been rude.
As he watched, his hand began to shake from the stress as his mind went into overdrive. Despite the terror that threatened to swallow him whole at the thought of his face being plastered across the media, his mind kept latching onto you. To the look of shock on your face when you realised that he knew.
Staring at his hand, he gritted his teeth as the tears began to fall once again and with effort he clenched his fingers into a fist. Hoseok had spent centuries on his own, millennia even. The gods, his own parents, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts and cousins, had rejected him long before any human language was first inscribed on stone.
To be a god was to be the perfection that humans looked up to. As such, it was only right that they were the pinnacles of humanity. They had to be the strongest, the fastest, the smartest, the wittiest and above all else, they had to be the most beautiful.
It mattered not that Hoseok was one of the smartest gods in the Pantheon, creating machines that humans still couldn’t comprehend even today. It did not matter that his strength was just as strong as any gods or that he could hold his own in a battle of wits with even Hermes, the flighty god who was a trickster personified.
No. They had taken one look at the scarring on him, the scarring that he had gained while building and creating the weapons and machines they had asked for, and deemed him unfit, ugly and not welcome amongst their ethereal beauty. And so he had been relegated to the harshest area of Olympus, surrounded by lava and searing temperatures. It was a place no gods visited.
None except the one who had become his best friend, the equally lonely and rejected Hades. The isolation he had experienced had continued for millennia, which had resulted in what the humans called social anxiety today. As he had told you previously, he had sexual experience but he was basically a virgin in terms of relationships. He didn’t understand how to navigate the complexities of society, and as society had become even more complex he had decided he didn’t want to.
Until you. Until you had come into his garage, with your sweet and innocent smile and the laugh that made his heart flutter. You had spent weeks with him, slowly chipping at the casing around his heart until you’d finally found her way inside, curling up within him and slowly spreading until all he could feel was you.
He had spent a large portion of the time ignoring his feelings, believing them to not be true and just a figment of his imagination. It had taken him a while to convince himself that you were being honest as well, that you truly wanted him for himself. That when you laughed, it was with him and not at him.
He had finally learnt how to love another, had been willing to ask you if you would be willing to try a relationship. Hoseok had no idea how to be a boyfriend - he had had many names over the millennia but that had never been one. But he had been willing to try for you, to look into how to be the perfect human boyfriend and simply love you as you deserved.
And then he’d found out it had all been a sham. That he had been wrong now and right long ago. He had written off humans as individuals millennia ago, deeming them to be selfish and stubborn creatures who would sell their own mother if it meant it would advance their own agenda. As a society on the whole, they had positives that he could see, but individually they were a menace.
It was simply his need to create and his wish to improve the lives of innocents who suffered and to try and stave off some of the illness that humanity had cursed the planet with that had spurred on his creation of Vulcan Industries. But humans themselves? He had no care for them, as they had regularly rejected him in turn.
It had always been a point of contention between himself and Hades, which had continually baffled him. His best friend, and uncle to get technical, who ruled over the Underworld and regularly saw the very worst that humanity had to offer get thrown into the eternal pits of Tartarus, believed in humans so strongly.
Whenever he’d pointed out the dichotomy, Hades had always shrugged. “For every one human that has done atrocious things that is sent to Tartarus, I watch two innocent humans enter the Fields of Elysium. I see children who do not belong in death and I see elderly who should have never reached the age they did. If I had the time, I would take every bad human and thrown them into the Styx before dumping them into the Acheron for extra measure and then let them make their own way to Tartarus in the Phlegethon. But the vast majority of humanity is not evil, just misguided.”
You had made him think that maybe Hades had been right. Maybe he had been wrong all these years and that there was much to celebrate and rejoice about humanity. And then you had proven him right, in the most painful way possible.
He rubbed his chest slowly, fingers pressing against the soft material of the hoodie before he clawed at it slightly. It felt like he had a gaping hole in his chest, exactly where his heart had once been placed. Lowering his head, he let the now empty bottle of whiskey fall to the floor as he let out a shaky sigh.
Hoseok had carefully, and with much trepidation, given you his heart. It was a big thing, for it was the heart of a god and carried with it much power and blessings. He wished he could say that it was easy for him to snatch it back, but that would be a lie. You still had it, and he wasn’t sure how long you would continue to do so.
Looking around his room with a depressed eye, he felt the inescapable need to just flee. Go somewhere and pretend that this life had never existed. Hoseok needed to go and recoup, come back to himself and try to forget you. He couldn’t do that here, not now.
The house was filled with your memories, from the sound of your laughter in the kitchen as you baked with him to your awe filled gasps in his workshop. Your very presence had seeped into the walls without his permission and it sounded like betrayal.
Pulling out his phone from his pocket, he stared at the dark screen for a moment before pressing it to his forehead firmly. Closing his eyes tightly, he swallowed before finally speaking. “Vulcan, call Hades on speaker.”
Immediately his phone acknowledged his request and soon a dial tone began to call out. He waited with a patience that he was surprised he had, though in reality he was simply beginning to wallow in the despair of his misguided faith and love.
“Holy shit, Heph! Is the world ending or something? I think you’ve still got a way to go before you own it all you know. On that note, dude! What the fuck? Where’s my funky hologram phone. Some best friend you are. Millennia together and you can’t even be fucked to-” The familiar ranting of Hades begins and Hoseok simply listens for a moment, eyes closed before his lips tip up of their own accord. Yes, maybe this was the right choice.
“Hades...I’m sorry, Jimin. I keep forgetting that’s your name now,” He mumbles, rubbing at his eyes tiredly as he sighs. “I’m sorry, I’ll send you one. Or bring you one, if that’s okay?” The words are quiet, much more softer and shyer than he’d intended.
There’s silence on the other end before Jimin is speaking again. “What’s wrong? You don’t sound okay.” At his words, quiet and completely void of any joking or teasing, Hoseok’s eyes fill immediately and he bites his lip to try and stop any noise.
It doesn’t work though, and his voice cracks before a heart wrenching sob leaves his whiskey burned throat. “I did it Jimin. I did what you always said I should.” Blinking rapidly, he tries in vain to stop the gentle trickle of tears down his cheeks.
“...you finally had a six-some with the sea nymphs?” The confused tone to Jimin’s voice makes him laugh, the sound thick with pain. He wasn’t offended, the God of Death had never handled emotions well.
“No, I let a human in. I finally...I mean I...she made me think that maybe you were right. That humans aren’t all terrible and that maybe I was worthy of some happiness finally. But you were wrong. They are, and it turns out I’m not.” Hoseok’s hand wraps around his mouth at that, trying hard to keep his crying silent.
Jimin is quiet before he speaks again, his voice soothing and calming. “I’m sorry Hoseok. Are you okay?” Hoseok lets those words sink into his skin slowly, contemplating what his answer would be as he takes a shaking breath.
“No.” Is all he can manage to gasp out, the word so meek and quiet but he knows that if he tried to be louder then his voice would crack. There’s a couple of seconds of silence, the speaker barely even letting Jimin’s breathing be heard before he finally hears a long, deep sigh.
“You can come here for a while if you want? We bought a new place a few years ago, it’s gated and no one can get in. It’ll give you the privacy and solitude you need right now?” Immediately Hoseok felt a wave of relief wash over him, numbing his frayed nerves in a way that the whiskey never could. “Oh, you can meet my wife too! Finally. I know you’re a bit annoyed at humans but...she’s a good one. I swear. And she knows about us.”
Sighing softly, Hoseok let his phone dangle from his fingertips as he let his head tip forward to rest on his knees. Of course, he remembered that Jimin had gotten married a few years ago. Hades, of all the gods, had finally let himself fall in love. Hoseok remembered sending them some Vulcan stuff and one of his own metalworks to congratulate them.
“That’s okay. As long as she doesn’t, you know. Actually what does it matter. Whatever. I just need to...be away from here.” He whispered, just wanting to leave this damn house and forget the memories before his life imploded on itself.
The remainder of the phone call was simply Jimin agreeing and telling him that he would be expected. Once the call ended, his phone chimed once to let him know that the god had texted him his new home address.
It took Hoseok half an hour to finally convince himself to stand up and get moving, half-heartedly throwing a few clothes into a duffel bag. The garage would be fine for however long was necessary as he had no outside clients currently, only the Vulcan cars. Walking down to the door, he stopped into his workshop for a moment to grab the metal sculpture he’d created a few months ago and thought Jimin might like.
But he freezes in place when he sees the sculpture he’d been working on for a while now, taking the utmost care to make sure every inch of it is perfect and beautiful. A metal rose, so delicate that it looks like it would shatter if it was dropped. He hadn’t finished it yet, the edges of the leaves still sharp where he had yet to smooth them out.
Rage erupts from inside him, the emotion thick and molten like lava and without even thinking he’s gripping the rose head tightly. Muscles strain as he distorts it crumpling it in his heated hands until when he moves away, all that remains is a lump of deformed metal.
Sharp pains radiate from his palm and he looks down, staring at the deep cuts that bleed freely from where the petals had embedded themselves. As he watches, he feels the anger bleed from him with each drop until all he is filled with is despair and hurt, tears of sympathy falling from his eyes.
Turning quickly, he flees the room without even taking the item he’d originally intended, the sheer need to vanish overwhelming him. He threw his duffel bag into the footwell of the passenger seat and turned the ignition, listening to the satisfying rumble of his car. Stretching his fingers over the wheel, he took a deep sigh and willed himself to calm down.
He would be okay, he had to be okay. It had to be okay. Clenching his jaw and squeezing his eyes shut, he focused on breathing slowly. In and out, in and out, just like how you’d shown him how to cope with a panic attack. The thought of you had his eyes filling up again and his next exhale trembled viciously, almost interrupting his calming process.
By the time he was finally feeling stable, fifteen minutes had passed and he let out a sorry sigh. According to the sat nav in his car, it would take 4 hours to drive to Jimin’s place. But maybe that was good, he thought to himself, as it would give him 4 hours to come to terms with everything that had happened to him.
And everything that would happen to him. Was he ready to be outed to the world? No. But he didn’t have a choice now. As he drove along in silence, his mind ran at a million miles a minute. He was terrified of being revealed to the world, yes. Yet he’d come to realise what hurt the most was simply your betrayal, the fact that you’d used him so easily.
Hoseok came to realise, as he drove along the long, isolated road through the vast forest that linked his town to the next, that he was ashamed of how easily he’d let you in. The memories of you made his heart clench in happiness before he felt the sharp pains of hurt dagger their way through. Each memory became tainted suddenly and he found himself viewing every interaction with suspicion.
As he drove, he suddenly had a moment of panic about whether or not you’d filmed last night. Immediately he felt sick and he had to pull over to the side of the road, jumping out and heaving for breaths as he bent over. Even as he struggled to breathe, his mind scolded him for his thoughts.
You were cruel, but he doubted you were that cruel.
Straightening up finally, he took a few fortifying breaths with his eyes closed as he tipped his head back. The forest was quiet and it took him a few moments to realise that it was unusually quiet, the sound of birds were absent and he opened his eyes to look around in confusion.
It was then that he noticed the underbrush was disturbed up ahead, the grass flattened and the clear sign of tyres being the cause. He stared at it, eyes squinting slightly before he began to walk forwards.
There was no reason for a car to come off the road here, the trees of the forest were too thick and frequent to fit a car inside. Not to mentioned the slight dip in land that meant the car probably wouldn’t be able to get back up.
Walking over, he listened to the sound of his boots crunching in the dirt before he finally caught sight of why there were signs of a car. Because there was, and it was currently upside down and smashed forcefully into a tree around 30 feet off the road.
Eyes widening, he started to slide down the slight embankment as he made his way over. There had been no brake marks on the road to indicate that the driver had tried to stop, so there was no surprise that the car had tried to wrap itself around the tree.
“Hello?! Is anyone in there? Are you okay?” He called out, voice loud against the stark quietness of the forest. There was no response from the car and he felt an odd sense of trepidation.
Dried branches cracked underneath his boots as he walked forward, suddenly wishing he’d put on a shirt underneath the damn hoodie when he’d been home. As he got closer to the car, he winced as he saw how completely destroyed the car was. It’s front end was practically non-existent and he wondered how fast they’d been going to cause this much damage.
He glanced at the number plate for a brief second and it was only seconds later that his mind finally translated the upside down plate. Immediately he froze, looking over the car with new eyes as shock numbed his system.
“No, her car is still at the garage. I never fixed the bra..” His voice trails off as horror takes over the numbness, gasping as he rocks back. “I never fixed the brakes.” He breathes out, frowning instantly before he’s sprinting forwards.
Skidding to a halt next to the wreckage, he looks it over desperately while his hand gestures uselessly. Dropping into a squat, he prays to Olympus that some joy rider had just stolen your car. Please, please let it be some idiot, he chants internally.
But his prayers aren’t answered when he ducks down, looking through the shattered drivers window. “Oh god no. No, no, no. Please no.” He whispers desperately, falling forward to his knees and ignoring the glass that pricks at them.
“Hey, Y/N? Hey come on, wake up. Please wake up. Come on sweetheart, wake up for me please.” He calls out, encouraging as his fingers gingerly reach for your throat. There’s blood dripping from your head to the ceiling, which is now the floor, and he notes with a sickening feeling that there’s a good sized pool there already.
He feels a heart beat, slow and sluggish, but a gasp of relief runs through him. “Okay agapi mou, it’ll be okay. I’ll get you out. Stay with me okay?” He speaks, his voice oddly soothing despite the panic running through him.
Looking over the car, he winces when he realises that the engine had been practically destroyed, but the sheer force of hitting the trunk has wedged the dashboard onto your legs. The steering wheel is pressed against your stomach and he hopes that you’re not injured too badly internally.
“Okay, okay Hephaestus. You can do this. It’s fine, you just need to get her out without hurting her.” He has no idea where to start. He can take a car apart if necessary but that’s usually under controlled circumstances; it only takes one look at the door to know that’s not going to open.
Swallowing, he sits confused for a few seconds as his mind frantically works. He’d need an industrial saw to cut through the door and he needs to basically straighten the dashboard out enough so that he can pull you out.
But he doesn’t have that, and he knows that the closest fire station will take half an hour to get here. Taking a quick look at you again, he winces when he sees the constant stream of blood and knows you probably doesn’t have the time it would take to wait. Stripping his hoodie off, he tries to wrap it in a way to stem the blood flow.
Staring at the dented door frame, he takes a deep breath before muttering encouragements to himself. “It’s okay, you’re a god. You can do this, it’s fine. She’s not awake, she won’t know. You can do this. You have to do this,” Swallowing he places a hand on the door frame. “You have to do this or she’ll die.”
He’d been hurt by your actions and you were likely going to ruin his life, but he couldn’t escape the fact that he was in love with you. And the thought of you being gone forever made his chest constrict tightly.
Nodding, he placed his hands on the door frame, fingers squeezing against broken glass and he begins to pull. Groaning out loud, he strains hard as the car begins to creak and complain. An unholy loud sound screams around the silent forest as the metal begins to rip and he curses the fact that you’d chosen an old car instead of a newer one.
Yanking up, he shouts out as he strains desperately against the resisting door. Come on, he thinks internally, grunting at the pressure on his hands. Pausing, he presses his head against the cool metal and takes deep breaths, regulating himself before he’s pulling again.
The door finally gives way, causing him to almost fall backwards from the force but instead he’s simply throwing it to the side. Scanning over the dashboard, he groans softly as he wonders how the hell he’s going to sort this.
Looking back at you, his eyes trace over your delicate features quickly and his stomach twists. You’re paling rapidly and it frightens him, bruises already beginning to blossom on your face while all he can hear is the constant dripping from your head.
“I’ll get you out, I swear.” He whispers before looking at the front again. It’s going to require care, to pull the dashboard off you without causing any further damage. Looking everything over, his eyes flicker to you again before he makes his decision. There’s no other way.
Holding up his hands, he watches as the cuts slowly heal before his golden skin begins to shimmer slightly. As he concentrates, the shimmer turns into a soft glow that gets brighter and brighter until it looks like he’s been lit from within, arms burning a red glow. He desperately hopes you won’t wake up and see this, but it’s more important to simply get you out.
Take hold of the steering wheel, he presses a hand against where it connects to the dash before closing his eyes and hissing out. As he does so, the place he touches begins to bubble and burn until his hand is through the plastic and pressing against the metal connecting the wheel. He grabs hold of it and grinds his teeth together, concentrating to do something that he hasn’t done in millennia.
The dim interior of the broken car lights up as he channels through the power of Olympus, the direct contact he has with the seat of the gods activating and he begs for the power of the mighty volcano hidden inside.
Searing pain races through his arm as the mountain answers, his veins becoming molten lava and his hand heating a temperature that no human could withstand. He would pay for this, with new scars that the volcano would demand from him.
The metal began to heat, turning white hot under his hand and within seconds it was malleable enough for him to pull. Carefully, he removed the steering wheel and placed it outside, making sure that the heated end would not touch the ground and accidentally start a wildfire.
He burned his way through the car, the heated metal peeling apart with ease until finally he could free you without causing further harm. Waiting a few seconds till his arms return to their normal colour, Hoseok gently pulls you out until you are laid on the cool forest ground.
“Agapi mou? Please, please wake up. Please?” His voice cracks as confused emotion runs through him, the hurt and despair from earlier warring with his worry and love for you now. Shaking fingers trace down the side of your face and he notes the new scars on his hands with jaded interest.
There’s nothing from you until he suddenly hears the softest murmur. The reassuring sound has him lowering his head before he’s lifting you up, fully aware that he’s probably doing everything wrong but he’s a mechanic, not a doctor. But you make no noise and he’s moving back to his car, placing you into the bed of his pickup as gently as possible.
“It’ll be okay, I swear.” He whispers, brushing the hair out of your face before he’s darting back into the driver’s seat. The closest hospital is half an hour away and he drives as fast as he possibly can without attracting any attention to himself.
Screeching into the emergency bay, Hoseok is jumping out of the car as quickly as he can before running inside and calling for help. Internally, he praises humanity’s need to heal as immediately nurses and doctors are rushing to his car. As he explains to the nurse at his side what had happened along with the few details he knows about you, he watches intently as they place you onto a stretcher and you’re being whisked off.
Following until they disappear behind some sliding doors, he places a hand on the nurses arm hesitantly. She stops and turns to look at him, concern on her face. “Will she be okay?” He asks softly, voice filled with concern for you.
At his words she gives him a reassuring smile, her own hand coming to rest against his own and patting gently. “Your girlfriend should be fine, the doctors are very good at their job here.”
As his mouth opened to refute the title she’d given you, she quickly runs behind the doors and he’s left to stand on his own. It’s only when he looks down at his hands that he realises he’s shaking violently and everything catches up to him in a rush.
Pressing a palm to the wall, he gasps loudly and bends over as nausea takes over. His mind acknowledges that he’s in shock, even if another part of him is confused as to why he’s experiencing such strong human emotions. Clenching his eyes closed, he takes slow and deep breaths to try and calm himself down while he slowly slides down the wall.
Hoseok has no idea how long he sits there, with a hand pressed to his forehead and his eyes closed. The fire of Olympus is still raging in his veins, hot and demanding that he create but he can’t. For the first time in his long life, he has nothing that he wishes to create. Instead, he lets that fire slowly burn away, ebbing until all that remains when he turns his hand over is a soft glow from his veins.
Watching the slowly dimming light, he sighs heavily and lets his head fall back against the white wall with a thud. He can hear the busy sounds of the hospital all around him; nurses doing their rounds and patients complaining. Part of him wants to leave, to simply get up and walk out of the hospital and never look back. But a meek voice inside his head, so new and fragile yet hiding away from hurt, asked him to stay.
It was this voice that he listened to, hoping desperately that he wasn’t making a terrible mistake and potentially destroying that tiny, delicate hope. Pulling out his phone, he sends a quick text to Jimin to let him know before shifting over to one of the waiting room chairs and settles for what he believes will be a long wait.
-
“Sir? Sir?” Hoseok wakes with a startle, eyes wide and panicked as he looks around the unfamiliar place and anxiety grips his throat tightly. His mind soon recognises the hospital waiting room and he blinks rapidly, focusing on the blue uniformed nurse in front of him. Her blonde hair is tied back tightly and pink lips turn up into a gentle smile.
“You’re the man who brought Miss Y/L/N in correct?” She asks, noting the name on the clipboard she has in her hand. He nods slowly, sitting straighter at her words and looking around.
“Yes, yes I did. Is she out of surgery? Is she okay?” He peppers her with words, not even caring that he’s not being polite. An urgent need to know how you are is overwhelming him. The nurse gives another smile before nodding, a hand squeezing his shoulder lightly.
“She’s out of surgery now, we’ve placed her into room 201 and are just waiting for her to wake up. You may visit if you’d like?” She gestures down the corridor and he follows her movement, swallowing thickly before nodding and standing.
“The police are likely to want to talk to you later once she’s awake, if that’s okay?” She asks and he simply nods his acknowledgement, giving a tense smile before striding in the direction of your room. Reaching the door, he stands outside and lets out a shaky breath while looking at his feet.
Is he really ready to confront you so soon after what he had discovered? Rubbing his chest slightly, he knew that the wounds you’d caused were still so raw that they were bleeding and he figured that he wasn’t. But he also knew that he couldn’t leave you alone here, not when you had almost died alone.
Pushing open the door, he steps into the room with more than a little reluctance. The soft beeping of a heart monitor is the only noise that can be heard, while you lie on the bed in silence. A thick bandage is wrapped around your head and he notes the casts you wear. One over your left wrist and a second around your left leg up to the knee.
Bandages wrap tightly around your torso underneath the hospital gown, peeking out from underneath. That’s just what he can see too. Tears prick his eyes at the sight of you so broken and he moves the chair to sit next to you, gently taking your free hand in his own.
“I told you that you’d be okay agapi mou, and a god always keeps his word. Or at least I do.” Hoseok whispered, lowering his head to rest against your hand. Underneath the antiseptic and other medicinal smells, he inhales the scent that he’s become so familiar with.
It’s a smell that calms him when he feels his heart race and his breathing quicken, a smell that makes him smile without even realising. It’s a smell that he fell so in love with, and it’s with a trembling breath that he exhales it out.
Tears fall onto the white bedspread, the wet stains the only witness to his emotional breakdown. He’d thought he’d had enough earlier in the day, but it turns out that he was wrong. When it comes to you, he’s not sure he’ll ever get over it.
“I’m so sorry,” He whispered brokenly, gripping your hand so tightly the skin ashen with blood loss. “I’m so sorry, I swear I forgot. I didn’t mean to, I swear I didn’t mean to.” He cries, guilt over the brakes he forgot to fix warring furiously with the heartache he’d suffered before. Hoseok had spent the morning crying over your betrayal and fearing the attention he would soon be given.
But now he cried over the guilt of almost killing you, of how his carelessness and procrastination had almost led to you dying alone in a forest. He’d put off fixing the brakes for so long, hoping that the longer they remained unfixed, the longer you would stay.
Of course, he knows now that it would have had no impact on your decision, but he’d let himself believe. Instead, he’d almost destroyed the thing he loved most in the world, even if that thing had crushed his heart into tiny pieces.
Finally, his tears dry and he simply sits in silence as he performs a quiet watch over you. He answers the questions the police officers ask, carefully dancing around their confusion over the ripped car and simply waits for you to wake.
Hoseok doesn’t know if he’ll forgive you, but he knows that he can’t leave you yet. Maybe he can get some closure from you, maybe his love will sour rapidly into hate. The gods are infamous for their fickle emotions after all.
It’s only because he’s staring intently at your hand, thought rushing through his head, that he notices the slight twitch of your finger. Glancing up to what little of your bruised face he can see, he watches quietly until your eyelids begin to flutter open.
“Y/N, hey agapi mou. Hey it’s okay, you’re okay.” He soothes, running his fingers over your hand as you look around in a panic. “You’re in the hospital. I don’t know if you remember but you were in an accident - your brakes went. I’m so sorry, I really am. The-” He gets cut off by your frown, the tips of your eyebrows just visible under the white bandage.
“Are you a doctor?” Your voice is raspy and his first instinct is to grab the cup of water and straw that had been left on the table next to the bed. It’s only when the plastic cup is in his hand that the words register and he falters, water sloshing over the sides.
“Am I a...doctor?” His own brow creases in a frown as he looks down at you. Automatically, he helps you to drink while his mind tries to compute this information. He may be one of the smartest gods in the pantheon, but right now he can’t quite understand. “No, I’m...I’m not a doctor.” He stutters out.
Coughing delicately, you wince in pain and your free hand rests on your ribs lightly. “Who are you then?” The question is innocent, the look in your eyes wary and he suddenly feels like he’s been punched in the stomach. Any air he has is gone, leaving him gasping slightly as ice runs through his veins.
“I’m...I’m...I-” He can’t finish the sentence however, standing up and backing away slowly. Shaking his head, he moves over to the door quickly and tries to breathe as steadily as he can. “I’ll go get...the doctor.” He wheezes out, slipping through the door and closing it quickly. For a few seconds he simply rests against the wall, eyes squeezed shut as he pants for a breath his lungs simply won’t give him.
You don’t remember him. You don’t remember him. Months in the company of one another, playing the slow dance of flirtation around each other and you can’t remember who he is. Flashes of your laptop screen detailing his information appear in his mind and he lets out a laugh that sounds just this side of sane.
He’d spent hours panicking over his identity being revealed and now this had happened. Looking up at the ceiling, he lets out a strained chuckle. “After millennia of ignoring me, are you finally trying to help Moirai? ‘Let’s finally let Hephaestus have a break?’. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.” He finishes, cursing the fates.
A passing nurse gives him a strange look and it’s only then that he realises he’d spoken in Ancient Greek, a language that had died long ago. Giving a tense smile, he informs her that you’d woken before slumping onto one of the uncomfortable chairs lining the hallway.
Sinking his hands into his hair, he tugs lightly while letting out a strained giggle. Even a god has their limits, and right now his mind feels fried from the tennis match of emotions he’d been under. Rubbing his palms over his face, Hoseok vaguely realises that his leg won’t stop shaking and it’s only then that he acknowledges the overwhelming feelings.
Standing, he makes his way to the exit and stands outside, bending over against the wall and engaging some of the breathing exercises you’d taught him. Surely this was a good thing? He could walk away and you’d never be any the wiser. Your laptop had been broken in the car accident, he remembered seeing it smashed on the ceiling.
Hoseok could go back to his quiet and peaceful life without the worry of being unmasked to the world. This could be his escape, the way to calm his panicking mind and soothe his anxious soul. But it came at the cost of truly losing any chance with you.
“Hoseok?” The light voice comes from his side and he looks up in confusion, brow creasing before realising he’s seeing Jimin in front of him. He takes a moment to look over his old friend, noting the blue hair that he’s paired with skin tight black jeans, a black shirt and silver outlined black jacket. Stylish sunglasses hide eyes that glow an ethereal blue, the effect of two gods near each other, and he notes the slight smile on the man’s face.
“Jimin? What are you...how did you?” Hoseok asks, bewilderment running over his face. Jimin’s thick pink lips spread into a sweet smile, spreading over half his face and causing his eyes to crease into tiny half moons.
“You told me you were at the hospital, this is the closest to where you live. I just drove here as quickly as I could. Something’s obviously wrong.” The God of Death states simply, closing his eyes and letting out a long exhale. At his words, Hoseok’s eyes fill once more and he wonders idly if a god could have his dry his eyes out.
Reaching out, he places a firm hand onto the smaller god’s slim shoulder, squeezing tightly as he lets out a trembling breath. He knows how hard this must be for Jimin to be here, one of his passive abilities is to attract those who are about to die without them knowing. A hospital is likely to be one of his least favourite places to visit.
Without a word, Jimin leads him over to one of the benches and Hoseok sits down heavily, head lowering as he lets his arms rest on his thighs. “So...what has got you looking sadder than that time I accidentally took your favourite sculpture.”
At that, Hoseok gives him a slight glare as he remembers that incident thousands of years ago. Immediately, Jimin’s hands are rising as he makes a placating movement with wide eyes. “Hey! Don’t get upset again. It’s not my fault you made it so phallic shaped,” He mumbles, glancing down. “You should consider a Vulcan line for that by the way, I know it wasn’t intended for that but it felt-” Hoseok raises his hand and cuts off the words.
“Please Had-Jimin. Not now. I don’t...I can’t right now.” He deeply, rubbing at his temples with a low groan. Jimin quietens down and turns serious, letting Hoseok have his time to himself for a few minutes. It’s only after a comfortable silence settles that he finally leans forward, trailing his fingers over the new scarring on Hoseok’s hands.
“This is new. I thought you swore that you’d never call on Olympus again?” Jimin’s voice is muted, his emotions carefully caged until Hoseok can’t tell what the god is feeling. Looking down at the new scars that have spread across his hands and wrists, he flexes them before sighing through his nose.
“I also said I’d never fall in love with a human but...here we are.” His voice is so quiet that he’s not even sure Jimin heard him until he notes the older gods clenched fists. “I had to. It was the only way to save her, otherwise you’d be very much aware of who she is right now as she’d be residing in the Underworld.”
“She must be very special to you then. Not only for you to fall for her but to willingly call that.” He gestures to the scarring and Hoseok swallows, thick tears slowly beginning to fall past his lashes as he nods.
“She was. Is. I don’t know,” Looking up, he sniffles and wipes his eyes on his wrists, only just realising that he’s still shirtless and no one even bothered to tell him. As if able to tell, Jimin gently drapes his own jacket over Hoseok’s bare shoulders and patiently waits for the story.
“She was perfect you know? Funny, sweet, kind and so curious. She was interested in my hobbies and smiled at me even when I made an idiot of myself. She taught me how to control my panic attacks and encouraged me to go out more, talk to people more. I was changing, and not just for me but because of her. She made me smile. She made me feel the same happiness I feel when I’m creating and when we’d curl up on the couch watching a movie, I’d feel content for the first time ever.” His voice breaks suddenly, emotion rising up his throat and thickening his words.
“She didn’t stare at me like there was something wrong with me, nor did she ask me to give her things or do things for free. I fell for her. I started to imagine a possible future. She never set off any alarm bells in my head.” Jimin watches him in silence, his expression open and icy eyes locked onto him.
“I was an idiot. No one has ever gotten close to me without wanting something except you, so I should have known. Thousands of years and what possessed me to think this human woman would be any different?” His fists clench tightly as the memory of finding out slashes across his soul.
“What did she do?” Jimin asks, fully aware that you must have done something tragic to hurt his closed-hearted friend so much. Playing with his fingers, Hoseok stalls for time as he mulls over how to explain this.
“She...my identity is worth a lot, right? And humans can never just...keep to themselves. I thought she felt the same way about me and we...you know. It was great, I’ve never felt that kind of emotional connection before. And then I woke up the next morning and accidently hit her coffee table. She had her laptop out and it came to life. I saw her notes.” Licking his lips, he grits his teeth to try and stop the overwhelming emotions from spilling.
“She’d told me she was a writer, that she needed inspiration. Well, I guess she was kind of right. She is a writer...only she’s a journalist and her job was to uncover my identity. She figured it out and she was going to write that article.” Pressing his lips together, he shrugs in a way that doesn’t give away the sadness he feels. “It would have made her career and it would have destroyed everything I’ve worked so hard towards in this persona.”
Jimin heaves a sigh as he slumps back on the bench, toned body relaxing as he runs his fingers through his soft blue strands. “Damn. And in today’s world, you’d have to ‘kill’ yourself and come back in another body huh? And with none of the money that Vulcan gives you.”
Hoseok scoffs at that, rolling his eyes. “As if I care about money. I like this life. It’s quiet and I get to indulge in my inventing and create things that change the world. I like the anonymity while being able to see my work doing good. I like knowing I’m changing lives and the world, why do people need to know who I am? I don’t want to give this up and I don’t want to start a new life.”
Neither of them speak for minutes, letting the idle sounds of cars and ambulances fill up the silence between them and watching as humanity continues on. Every single one of these humans will die one day, and even if Hoseok and Jimin never moved from this spot, they would live on long after the great grandchildren of these people died.
“I understand, but you keep talking about her in past tense.” Jimin finally notes, shifting his body so that one ankle rest against his knee and an arm stretches across the back of the wooden bench. Nodding slowly, Hoseok lets out a long sigh that tells Jimin a lot.
“I got hurt, and angry. And I left. Tried the human thing of trying to get drunk, failed, panicked a bit more and then called you. I was driving to you when I had another panic attack and that was when I noticed…” His voice breaks, the sound loud and suddenly Hoseok is stuffing his fist into his mouth as feelings overwhelm him once more.
Jimin immediately begins to rub his back in slow circles, his touch soothing and comforting until finally Hoseok can breath properly. “Her car. I think she made up an excuse for it, but the brake pads. I never fixed them and she never questioned and then she...she took it and they failed and I found her.” He looks away from Jimin’s concerned gaze.
“She almost died. She would have died alone, bleeding to death in that forest if I hadn’t stopped. But she wouldn’t have crashed if I’d just fixed the brakes. I’m so confused, I don’t know what to do. On the one hand I’m so angry at her and hurt but on the other I’m terrified after watching her bleeding out because of something I did.”
Chewing on his lip, Jimin sits forward again as if he can’t find a comfortable position and nods as Hoseok talks. Once he pauses, he looks towards the blue haired god and waits to see if he has anything to say. Unsurprisingly, the god who has always been more at home with dead souls than with emotions sits in silence, waiting for him to continue.
“I’m angry at her, and I feel deceived and I don’t know what’s real and what’s not. But...I still love her. I love her enough to call on Olympus. I was so prepared to go in there, maybe even talk to her and listen and then the Moirai decided for once in my miserable life to try and help. She doesn’t remember me.” He mumbles, heart clenching painfully as he remembers the blank look in your eyes at the sight of him. Even though he’d wanted nothing more than to never see you again only hours ago, the thought of you not remembering your time together hurt him more than anything you’d done.
“She doesn’t remember who I am, which means she doesn’t remember who I am. Her laptop was destroyed, so everything I was terrified about is gone. I can just leave and she’ll never remember me. I can stay anonymous and no one will ever know why Jung Hoseok is important to the world.” Scowling at his hands, he stands suddenly and begins to pace.
Jimin shifts and when Hoseok looks over, he notes the scowl on the god’s face. Immediately he’s confused, wondering why on earth Jimin is annoyed when it’s him who should be irritated. After querying, he watches as the god removes his sunglasses, running a hand through his hair and letting out the longest exhale.
“Let me get this straight. She’s a journalist working to find out who you are?” Hoseok nods in affirmation. “Did she mention it? Did she send it off? Has the article been written?” Frowning, he thinks back and shakes his head.
“No, her boss had sent her an email this morning demanding that she send an article in about it.” Jimin lets out the loudest groan at shakes his head. Taking a step back, Hoseok’s shoulders hunch slightly as he tries to protect himself subconsciously from Jimin’s annoyance.
“So she hadn’t sent anything. And I’m going to presume she’s probably known for a little while, figuring everything out. So who’s to say she was going to send it in? The way you talk about her, I’ve never heard you talk about anyone like that. And you keep yourself so closed off to the world, I can’t see how she truly means you harm. Did she ever do anything suspicious? Did you find her anywhere?
Hoseok shakes his head slowly. “Did she ever ask weird questions about you or Vulcan?” Another shake. “I know it might be hard for you to consider, and believe me I’m not trying to undermine your hurt or anger here, but maybe she loves you just as much as you love her. Journalists have some integrity, and I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t sleep with you if she planned to expose you. There’s no reason for her to do that, unless she’s the world’s worst person and what you’ve told me doesn’t match that.”
Looking away from his old friend, Hoseok focuses his gaze on an ambulance that speeds into the emergency bay. As he watches, the back doors slam open and the paramedics begin to push out the stricken human on a stretcher, nurses and doctors surrounding as medical talk begins to be fired between them all.
“I know, I know that it’s hard for you to think this. I know you’ve always given to the humans and only received mistrust and hate back, but just this once, do you think you could look past that and maybe give her the benefit of the doubt?” There’s something in Jimin’s voice that makes Hoseok frown, turning back and letting his eyes trace over his figure.
Normally so boisterous and outgoing, the god is tense and unhappiness radiates from him as he twitches his foot. “What’s wrong with you? Why is this bothering you so much? Shouldn’t you be more upset for me that she lied?” Hoseok asks, tone curious and tentative as he begins to navigate the treacherous waters of Jimin’s infamous temper.
Perfectly white teeth chew his pink lips before he’s blowing out a sigh, cheeks swelling and making him look far more adorable than the God of the Underworld should. “I should be, and i am upset for you. I really am. But I’m angry with you too.”
At that, Hoseok steps back in shock and his hand immediately raises to his chest in a protective move. Blinking in surprise, he lets that statement settle between them until all that can be heard is the general lifeblood of a hospital.
“Why?”
“Because...because you finally opened up to someone and found her worth loving. And now you’re just going to throw her away because of a stupid mistake?” The words have a hissing tone to them and Jimin’s fists clench slightly.
“A mistake? She was going to expose me to the world! I’d have lost everything, you know I can’t cope with that attention!” He exclaims loudly, arms gesturing wildly as disbelief rolls through his body.
“Who. Cares?! You’re a fucking god Hephaestus! You’ve lived hundreds of human lives and you’ll live hundreds more. So she almost exposed you as a freaking CEO, who cares? You could have just asked her not to, or seen what she was going to do with it. And if she did it anyway, then you’d know that it wasn’t worth it. But even if she did, you can more than rebuild your life. You always do, that’s what you do. You build things.” The slighter god stands suddenly, arms flexing underneath his t-shirt as he points to the hospital.
“You have the chance for real happiness in there Heph, real fucking love and happiness. Olympus, the way you talked about her and the smile you got. I’ve never seen that on you. She’s a risk, I get that, but I’ve discovered over the past ten years that sometimes the best things are the riskiest.” Jimin clenches his teeth suddenly, looking firmly at the ground.
“I will never forgive our family for what they’ve done to us. They convinced both of us that we were unworthy of love. That love wasn’t for the God of Death or a scarred god, that we should just spend our lives alone, hidden away from sight. I hate that they got into our heads so much, and made us think we are so unworthy of being loved. But we are.” His hands come to rest on Hoseok’s shoulders, squeezing tightly while his eyes shine with sincere emotion.
“You are worthy of being loved Hephaestus.” Hoseok had been prepared to be angry with Jimin once he’d started his tirade, confused as to why he didn’t seem to be bothered by the prospect of you revealing who he was. But the final words have his throat closing up as his eyes swell with tears, an emotional punch that cracks through thousands of years worth of hidden hurt.
“But...the article.” He mumbles, trying really hard not to cry for what feels like the thousandth time today. Jimin lets out a tired laugh and simply places his hands on either side of Hoseok’s jaw, lifting up gently and giving a twisted smile.
“We’ve all made mistakes in our lives, and as gods we’ve made more than a few. Ones which were definitely worse than this. Think deeply, is the prospect of her potentially revealing your identity enough to stop you from loving her?” He’s quiet for a moment before his head is shaking, black hair falling into his eyes as he answers honestly.
“I love her so much. I didn’t even know it was possible, which is why it hurts so much.” Hoseok whispers, voice barely heard above the blare of a siren in the distance. At that, he’s tugged into a hug and the two just stand in silence for a few minutes.
“If there’s one thing I’ve discovered in ten years, it’s that love is possibly the scariest thing you’ll ever do, even as a god. And it also hurts in ways you didn’t even realise were possible, but it’s so rewarding. I swear. If it goes well, then you’ll never be happier than you are when she’s with you.” Moving away and sitting back on the bench, Hoseok chuffs out a laugh at Jimin’s tangent.
“You sound very much in love Hades. Careful, or I’ll start teasing.” The death god just smiles brightly, his eyes closing as he obviously thinks of his wife given the wedding ring he keeps twisting around his finger.
“I am. And if it turns out she isn’t going to do anything, then I will never forgive you if you don’t hold her tight and love her as much as you can.” His eyes open and Hoseok shivers slightly, the fires of the Underworld glowing fiercely in Jimin’s glacial gaze. “You have no idea what a gift you have, the opportunity the Moirai have blessed you with.”
And now it’s Jimin’s turn to sound choked, his cold eyes filling with unshed tears as he looks down at the ring he plays with. Hoseok hesitates at the sudden emotion before softly querying what Jimin means.
He takes his time to answer, throat working as he swallows thickly before giving a sad smile. “You’re one of the few gods who can give a human immortality. If everything works out well for you, then you can keep her young and love her forever.” A tear escapes its dam and slowly trickles down Jimin’s face.
“I love my wife, I love her so much it terrifies me. And it terrifies me because each day I wake up and each day I see time on her face. Each line and each grey hair is a visual reminder that she’s going to die one day and I’m not. I’d give anything to be in your position, anything.” A sad silence takes over while Hoseok rubs Jimin’s back comfortingly, unsure what to say that could possibly soothe the hurt.
“So if you decide to forgive her and go for it, then I want you to love her so much. I want you to hold onto her tightly and tell her that you love her, and if you turn her immortal then I want you to appreciate the gift you have forever. If you don’t, I’ll never forgive you.” He gives a tremulous smile and Hoseok’s heart clenches, wishing desperately that he could help his best friend.
Squeezing his shoulder tightly, Hoseok stays quiet in understanding for a few moments as they both sit amidst the frantic nature of humanity. “I’m sorry Hades. Really. I am. But I hope you enjoy every moment with her.”
Jimin sighs at that and stands, ruffling Hoseok’s hair with a tired smile. “It’s Jimin now, remember? And I do. Just like I hope you’ll choose right.” At that, he says his goodbyes and lets Hoseok know that his door is always open before leaving.
Hoseok heads back inside and stands outside your door for a few minutes, simply staring at the white paint as he inhales deeply before letting it out slowly. He has a choice he can make here. A choice that could change everything.
He could run away and pretend this never happened. Or he could love you, despite what might come.
Opening the door, he heads inside and sits down at the empty chair next to your bed. You’re awake, and watching him with curious eyes that are tired and doped up on just a little pain medication.
“You’re back.” You mumble, jaw barely moving as the words practically slur out of you. He watches for a moment, eyes tracking over your face that is still so heart wrenchingly beautiful even when bruised before smiling.
“Yeah. I am.”
“The doctors said you brought me in. That we know each other?” Your voice is inquisitive, with threads of frustration interwoven that you can’t remember him. His lips quirk up slightly as he nods, tentatively reaching for your hand and running his fingers along the smooth skin.
“Yeah, I did. And we do. My name is Jung Hoseok,” He pauses for a moment, wondering whether he should go all in before squaring his shoulders. “And I’m in love with you.”
-
The doctors and nurses work out a plan with Hoseok when he informs them of his relationship with you, and he takes on the role of almost caretaker. Your memory loss is deemed to likely be temporary amnesia from hitting your head so hard, and they suggest that your memories are likely to come back on their own slowly.
It makes Hoseok’s stomach churn to think about you remembering who he is properly, but he makes no mention of it. Jimin’s words filter through his mind constantly, and he eventually comes to terms with the fact that he had been just as bad as you.
If anything, he was even worse as he was hiding two entire personalities from you.
One thing he does discover while you remain in the hospital is aspects of your personality that he’d never seen before that come to the forefront, including the shy and cute personas that appear along stubborn exasperation. You’ve always remained mature and almost professional with him, but vulnerable as you are, an almost childlike petulance emerges.
Refusing to eat certain foods and whining for other things, he should find it annoying but instead he finds it cute. It’s understandable though, given your frustration at being stuck inside the hospital. But what he enjoys most are the moments when you begin to remember who he is.
He has nothing to really show you to try and trigger your memories as there are no pictures of you both, so instead he brings in some of the smaller metal sculptures he’d made that you’d admired. Every time, you’d stared at them so intently before giving him a simple smile.
“Pretty.” You would murmur, tracing your fingers along the edges. But then you began to mention things that one of you had said during your many times together, whether it was a funny comment Hoseok had made or a casual observation that only the two of you would know.
And each time, his heart would clench before soaring, happy that you remembered some part of him. Because he had slowly worked through his pain and hurt until he realised that he didn’t want to be forgotten by you.
You’re finally allowed to go home two weeks after you entered the hospital, and he has to bring you back to his house as your apartment as already been rented out again. Due to the cast on your leg, he has to work quickly to turn the living room into a makeshift bedroom to which you thank him profusely and with much embarrassment.
He doesn’t care though, and enjoys his time caring for you more than he thought he would realise. And even if you can’t remember why he sometimes looked at you with pain filled eyes, he finds it cathartic to work through his hurt and anger until all that’s left are smouldering ashes.
As the weeks continuously pass though, you remember more and more and he begins to feel happier and more comfortable around you. Until one night though, when you’re both laid on the bed watching the large television screen as Breaking Bad plays. His hand is slowly drawing patterns on your uninjured arm, but he stops immediately when you suddenly speak.
“I deleted the files.” For a moment, he doesn’t understand until the memory comes back and he looks at you in a combination of fear and shock. Your gaze is somber on his, face carefully blank before you try to give him a trembling smile.
“I didn’t send anything. As soon as you’d gone, I deleted everything. I swear. No one will find out.” He stays quiet for a moment as the pain of your betrayal hits him once more, but its softer this time and a little muted. “I remembered it a few days ago, but I didn’t know how to bring it up.”
Rubbing at his chest, he frowns slightly at the ghost of the pain he’d felt at that time before glancing back to you. “Why? You could have made your career with that.” It’s stupid of him to ask, but the knowledge that you won’t reveal him has his heart singing, even if his stomach sinks at the thought of what is likely your impending job loss.
A soft laugh leaves you, wincing slightly as your still sore ribs complain before shifting so that you face him better. “And I would have hurt you beyond belief. I couldn’t do that. I’d decided as soon as I found out that I would never reveal it. What kind of person willingly destroys the person they love?”
Your words make him freeze before he’s carefully looking up at you. “Love?”
Smiling, you bring up your hand to cup his cheek and stroke at the scar tissue fondly. “How could I not love you Jung Hoseok? You’re perfect, and I could never make you unhappy. I mean, you’re so...kind,” Your voice cracks as tears form. “I mean look at you, you’ve spent weeks caring for me, even knowing that I could possibly ruin everything.”
He shakes his head at that, grabbing your wrist while he shifts his head to press a kiss to your soft palm. “I stayed and cared, because what kind of person willingly lets the person they love suffer on their own?”
The words are careful and slow, his tone barely heard but you hear them all the same. Heart stopping, you look at him with wide eyes as he stares back with such fondness in them. “I love you enough, to stay even though you could hurt me. Because you’re something so special, that I’ve never experienced it in my long life and for once, I want to.”
His unusual words should have you frowning, confused about the phrasing but slowly your lips simply quirk upwards as you remember something else. Looking down at his arms, you slowly trace over the new scars that have appeared before giving him a quirked brow.
“Do those strange words have anything to do with these scars magically appearing?” Hoseok freezes at that, as he’d come to terms with you knowing who he was in terms of Vulcan but this is something else entirely. How can he explain this without sounding crazy?
“Err….well.” He starts but you interrupt him, flicking your eyes back to his unusual ones with curiosity deep set.
“I don’t remember much about the accident. I don’t remember coming off the road, or hitting the tree. I don’t remember you arriving. But...I do remember a few things that I thought were just weird, dream hallucinations.” He stays quiet, tongue nervously licking at his lips as he simply waits for you to continue.
“You called yourself Hephaestus. Which was odd. But then you...ripped the door off? And then...you were glowing? Like...so bright, it was like looking at molten metal. And it got so hot, and you...practically peeled the car apart? And when you stopped...you stopped shining and these scars were burning bright. What was that?” Your face is an expression of befuddlement, with your brows practically meeting in the middle.
Hoseok’s mind works frantically, wondering how he can explain this before his shoulders slump. Jimin’s wife knew, maybe you’d react well to his frankly, ridiculous statement?
“Remember when I said I grew up with mountains? Well they were the mountains of Greece. And...I’m not 36. I don’t actually know old I am, just that it’s a good few thousand years. You’ve probably heard of my family, they’re pretty infamous worldwide though they’re nothing like that Disney Hercules film.” Your eyes widen at his words as he doesn’t dissuade your ridiculous comments and you stare at him.
“Seriously?”
He laughs slightly, the sound a little manic as he runs a hand through his hair. “I’ve had many names throughout history. You might recognise some of them, but the two people know the most are Vulcan and Hephaestus. It might make some things make sense to you now.”
It feels almost good, to reveal himself so freely, knowing that there will truly be no secrets left between the two of you.
You gawp at him for a few moments before twisting into a position to stare at him, grimacing at the slight sensation of pain. “No fucking way. You’re saying you’re a Greek god?”
Immediately, flashes of the strange things about him run through your mind. His unusual eyes that often seemed to glow, the strange way he seemed to be lit from within when he orgasmed, the way metal worked so easily under his hands, the strange language he swore in and the fact he was so otherwordly beautiful.
“Yeah, I am. I wasn’t 15 when I made Vulcan, I just wanted to help. But I didn’t want the spotlight, I never have. I’ve always been hidden in the shadows, and that’s where I wanted to stay. These scars, come from when I called on the fires of Mount Olympus to create things for the gods. They’ll never heal.” You look down at his scars with your new knowledge.
“Wait...you did this...for me?” Reaching forward, your grasp his wrist gently to get a closer look. He sighs deeply before nodding. “Why?”
Smiling sweetly at you, you realise that you believe him. Hoseok has never outright lied to you, he just subtly shifted things around and hid them because they were too hard or unbelievable to explain. But he’d never lied properly. So why would he lie now?
“Because I love you. And I had the power to save you. It hurt, but the thought of you being gone forever hurt more,” He leans forward to press his forehead against yours, lips quirking slightly. “I forgive you for lying. Because I lied far worse, and it was a form of lying even if it would have been outrageous to explain. But just know, you have the heart of a god in your hands. Be gentle please, no one has ever had it before.”
Bringing your fingertips up to his cheeks, you grin brightly as tears slowly fall. You haven’t yet come to terms with everything that’s happened, and there’s no doubt going to be growing pains in your relationship with how fast everything has moved now, but for now you simply marvel at him.
“I’ll be gentle and loving. I swear. I don’t know how to love a god, but I’ll try for you. It doesn’t excuse you from leaving the toilet seat up though.” He grins so bright at that, his happiness overwhelming his senses and you watch with awe as his skin begins to brighten, glowing a soft gold from his emotions and it’s awe-inspiring to realise he really is a god.
“Sounds fair.” He doesn’t bother saying anything else though as he captures your lips with his own, hand cupping the back of your head as he feels a sense of contentment and bliss that he’s never felt before. But one he hopes to spend the rest of his long life feeling.
-
Epilogue
“Parcel for you Jimin.” His manager dumps a mailbox on the table in front of him, distracting his attention away from his phone as he reads the text from Hoseok telling him that everything is going to be fine in his friend’s relationships.
Smiling brightly, he exhales slowly as happiness bubbles for the fact that Hoseok was pushing past his comfort zone before bitterness slithers through his veins at the knowledge he’ll get forever with his love. Shaking his head, Jimin tries to ignore the feeling and instead focuses on the box in front of him.
There’s no return address on it, and he notes with confusion that there’s no delivery address either, just his name. It’s not until he sees the winged helmet stamp in the corner that he realises and he snorts, wondering how much pride Hoseok had to swallow to find Hermes.
The only reason he knows it’s from Hoseok is because of the anvil stamp in the corner, the symbol of the metalworking god. Tugging open the box, he looks inside and pushes away the packing chips until he finds an elegant, mahogany box.
Placing it onto his lap, he takes the accompanying letter and unfolds it with interest, noting the elegant handwriting that’s written in the god form of Ancient Greek. Unreadable to humans.
Hades,
Thank you. I can’t ever express my appreciation to you but I hope this will suffice.
Have her take one every month on the first. There is one for each month of the year.
I wish you both a long, and happy life.
Your friend,
Hephaestus
Jimin’s hands are shaking by the time he finishes reading and he lets the letter drop slowly as he stares at the box in awe. Opening the lid slowly, he bites his lip to try and stop the tears from falling as he sees the twelve pomegranate seeds carefully placed inside.
#networkbangtan#armiesnet#btscreatorsnet#btssunshinenet#btssmutclub#hoseok fluff#hoseok angst#hoseok smut#greek god au#bts smut#bts angst#bts fluff#j hope fluff#j hope angst#j hope smut#hephaestus hoseok#hobi fluff#hobi angst#hobi smut#hoseok x reader#hoseok x you
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Changes (VI)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Smut, CEO! AU, Idol! AU
Pairing: Junmyeon x Reader x Baekhyun
Length: 3.6k
Changes Masterlist
The next morning you woke up expecting Baekhyun to be gone and for this all to be some dream, but reality was different. There he was, sleeping like a prince, so beautiful, so ethereal. All his features seemed enhanced from close up. The cute moles the adorned his face, the way his pink lips parted slightly while he slept, his fluffy black hair scattered over his forehead. Your fingers traced over his soft features, making sure to not wake him up in the process. You brushed the hair of his face to get a better look at him, then you traveled down to his right temple where his most noticeable beauty mark laid, and you finally got to his baby soft cheeks where another mark was placed. How could a man this beautiful exist and be in bed next to you? It was mystery. You looked at the time and it was only 6 am, the shoot didn’t start till 10 am today which gave you about 4 hours of bliss before you had to face the outside world.
Carefully, you got out of bed and put on a clean pair of panties and put on Baekhyun’s sweater. You were happy to know that the sweater never lost its warmth. Softly you made your way to the kitchen to make coffee and breakfast for the pair of you. Sehun must’ve been out as well because there was no trace of him. You opened the fridge and was a little disappointed, you needed to go shopping soon. You still had enough food to make a decent breakfast. The menu was eggs and french toast. You quickly got to work and started cooking. You were humming like a bird whilst cooking and that might have been what woke Baekhyun.
With a smile on his face he walked over to you to plant a wet kiss on your cheek. “Good morning beautiful.” Even his voice in the morning was beautiful.
“How’d you sleep?” You asked before flipping over a piece of bread.
“Better with you around.” He was a cheeky son of bitch but you liked it, you liked the cliches. As if you were trapped in a cheesy rom-com, he snuck up behind you and snaked his arms around your waist. His head was buried in the crook of your neck, it tickled a little when he would breathe and it hit your skin but you just continued with what you were doing.
“Don’t forget the shoot is at 10 which means you have to go home and change by then.” It sucked that you had to but a damper on the mood but you had to remind yourself that you were also his manager and his work comes before anything.
He mumbled a soft reply before removing himself from you and pouring a cup of coffee. “Have you checked your phone yet?” He asked in between sips.
You shook your head, “I’m too scared to look.” He gave you a look, a look that had your heart ready to burst at the seams.
“Like you said, they wouldn’t be lying. There is nothing to be scared of.” It was easy for him to say that because he wasn’t the one on who had to be on the receiving end of death threats and endless hates. He also didn’t have to worry about whether or not he would be fired.
“Baekhyun your fans are pretty… uh… aggressive to say the least.” You turned off the stove when you finished the last piece of toast. “You saw what they did to that poor girl who played your love interest in that drama, and she is famous and has a following of her own. Imagine what they’ll do to someone like me.” The nerves were setting in once you started to think about the repercussions of this.
“They won’t do anything. I’ll make sure of it.” His hands fell onto yours and took it into his warmth.
“You can’t say things like this Baek. You can’t make empty promises.” The last thing you wanted was another relationship founded on lies.
“Who says they’ll be empty?” He lifted your chin to meet his eyes. “Once they find out how good you are to me, how well you look after me, and how happy you make me, they’ll love you.” When you looked into his eyes you saw nothing but genuinity. Something about those brown eyes just told you to believe him and to trust him.
“Come on lets eat.” You said putting the conversation to rest and moving on.
During the whole time eating Baekhyun complimented your cooking nonstop. You thought he was just trying to flatter you because this was like a 6 on your capability scale. But nonetheless you took his kind words and smiled.
The time for you guys to leave came sooner rather than later. You both freshened up, unlike Baekhyun you put on new clothes. He would be stuck with his clothes till he got back to the dorms. Sehun still hadn’t been home but you that was last thing on your mind. Your phone still went unchecked, you haven’t opened pandora’s box. Once you did there was no turning back. You would see the most horrendous comments about you online and have everyone on the face of the earth looking at you, giving you unwanted attention. But you couldn’t back out now, you already told Baekhyun that you would face this together.
Both of you walked out of your apartment building hand in hand, with face masks incase any fans or photographers were there. He lead you to his car and drove to the dorms. Xiumin and Chen found it suspicious that Baekhyun was gone all night and when he finally showed up it was with you. They must not have checked their phones either. None of them had social media so it would take more time for the news to hit them than others.
On the drive Baekhyun’s hand never left yours even while you read the headlines of allkpop, soompi, and many more sites. “Ooo this is my favorite one: CBX star, Byun Baekhyun caught on scandalous rendezvous with alleged girlfriend!” Both of you laughed at the word choice of the article. “At least I wasn’t referred to as a mistress this time around.”
All these articles came attached with multiple photos of you and Baekhyun, almost always touching or holding hands. But none of them got a clear view picture of you. It was blurred or your hair was covering your face. You were thankful because that meant you had more time to prepare for the storm. “I think we should till Minseok and Dae first and foremost. If something were to happen they would be affected as well.” You nodded at his words and felt proud that he was making responsible choices.
Unlike your place, Baekhyun’s was being bombarded by reporters. They were all gathered around the gate and when they saw his car pulling in they quickly swarmed the car. Baekhyun was careful not to hurt anyone whilst pulling into the driveway. Keeping your head down and following his orders, you waited for Baekhyun to get out first and for him to come around to get you. He opened the door and reached his hand out for yours. He kept you behind him while walking to the door so that you wouldn’t have to face the rowdiness of the crowd. All you heard was, “Baekhyun who is she?” “How long have you guys been together?” “Is she pregnant?”
Thankfully you made it in the house in one piece only to be rushed by Xiumin and Chen with questions of their own. They found out. Like agreed upon, you and Baekhyun came clean and confessed. They were shocked but not surprised. They had their reservations mainly in fear for you. The had the same worries as you did, the fear of the fans reaction to all this.
“CEO Kim won’t be happy about this.” You totally forgot about him. There was no doubt that once he found out that you would be out of a job. It was only a matter of time before he called you both to his office.
Not wanting to dwell on it, you told the boys to start getting ready to go. Baekhyun went up to his room to change and the other two followed after.
What the hell did you get yourself into? You literally got out of a work relationship just to land yourself right back in the same situation. But the difference between this one and the last is that Baekhyun wasn’t Junmyeon, and you knew his feelings were real and there. With Baekhyun you could truly trust him unconditionally. After Junmyeon you thought that was it for you. You believed that he was the best it got for you. That was before Baekhyun pulled you out of the rain. He saved you from yourself. If it were anyone else you probably wouldn’t have taken such a big leap so fast. But this wasn’t just anyone, this was Baekhyun, your Baekhyun.
You knew they were done when you heard all three of them screaming as they came down the stairs. Xiumin said he and Chen would drive to the set and you and Baek will follow suit. The reporters were still there when you left. Lights flashing as their cameras took pictures.
Today’s shoot was different in a way that Baekhyun wasn’t being draped with girls. His eyes and affection were reserved just for you. Between shoots he would sneak away with you and give you soft kisses. “Baekhyun i’m working.” You said leaned up against the back of trailer.
His hands were placed on either side of your head. “Yeah for me and as my manager you need to attend to my well being and oddly enough you are exactly what I need.” He leaned in for another kiss but you stuck out your hand and stopped him before he could get further.
“I don’t just work for you, Chen and Xiu are my priority too.” He pouted the most adorable pout in the world.
“Are you saying i’m not first?” He was playing hurt.
You tiptoed to give him a smooch on the cheek, “Of course you’re first. But at work I can’t play favorites.”
He smiled because he knew he was being a pain in the ass. “As long as i’m your favorite anywhere else then that’s all that matters.”
You wanted to pinch his big cheeks for so many reasons but instead you just told him to get back to set before the director gets mad. Huffing and puffing he walked back, dragging his feet. It was cute seeing him be so clingy and attached. With Junmyeon you always had to catered to his schedule and his needs. But Baekhyun was there 24/7 which made you feel at ease.
After another couple hours or so, the mv was finally wrapped and the boys were free to go. They suggested a celebration but the boys had to be in the studio bright and early tomorrow. You all left the same way you came, you with Baekhyun and Xiumin with Chen.
Car rides with Baekhyun may have been one of your favorite things ever. He never failed to keep a smile on your face. Always singing cute, silly, love songs whilst holding your hand. This time his song of choice was Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes. He performed as if he was in front a million of his fans, but in reality he was just singing for his number one fan. The song ended just as Baekhyun pulled up to your place. “You know I won’t sleep well tonight.”
You were still in the car, his hand still joint with yours. “And why is that?” You asked with a raised brow.
“Because you aren’t there.” There he goes again with his cheesiness.
“I think you’ll do just fine Baekhyun. You’ve managed to sleep over 20 years without me. One night won’t kill you.” His infamous pout came out and you knew you should have just taken his cute words and ran with it. “But i’ll miss you too.” You added trying to make it better.
“So why can’t I spend the night again?” Optimism gleamed in his eyes.
“Space is good in a relationship Baek. If we are attached at the hip 24/7, we’ll eventually grow tired of each other.”
He scoffed, “Me? Getting tired of you? Never.” He said in a matter of factly tone.
You chuckled at his comment, “That’s what you say now.”
Out of nowhere he grabbed your face in his warm hands and squished your cheeks. “Look at this face. I could stare at it for days on end and never get tired of it.”
You copied his actions as well. “Ugh why do you have to be so damn cute?! How can I ever leave you now?” He was batting his lashes like a cute, innocent puppy. “Fine you can stay the night.” He was about to yell in joy but you cut him off. “BUT! No funny business. We both have to get up early tomorrow, and since we have to go back to the dorms for you to get ready that means early than planned.” He saluted you as if he was a private and you a captain. “What am I gonna do with you?”
The following day was a bit more difficult than the day before, mainly because Sehun was there and you knew you had some explaining to do. To say you were caught in a compromising position was an understatement. Sehun had busted into your room to see you and Baekhyun cuddled up, sleeping soundly. Being the weirdo he was, he didn’t just leave you and Baekhyun be. No, he sat at the edge of your bed and just watched the pair of you snore away.
Baekhyun woke up first and was the one who saw Sehun just creepily staring. He let out a shriek which in turn woke you up in a worry. You looked toward what caused the scream to erupt from Baekhyun and saw Sehun batting his eyes with a smile of innocence. “Sehun what the fuck?!” You yelled throwing a pillow aimed for his head.
“Oh don’t let my presence stop you two love birds.”
“Wait you know him?” Both of you were trying to calm your heart rates.
“Yeah, he is my roommate and the biggest pain in my ass.”
He rolled his eyes at your harsh comments. “You love me.” He sent a flying smooch your way, only for you to flip him off. With his hand clutched on his heart, he pretended to be deeply affected by your actions. Finally he got off your bed and walked to the door, “Come on, i’m cooking. You can tell me about this,” he said signalling between you and the other person in your bed.
The red on your cheeks spread and you were embarrassed to be caught in such a compromising position. When Sehun finally left the room you buried your head in Baekhyun’s chest out of pure shame. Both of you just laughed at the predicament at hand.
A few minutes later both of you left the room to go outside where Sehun was. He had three plates already scattered with food on it. “Ah Sehunnie.” A satisfied a sigh left your lips as you looked at all the food. You turned to see Baekhyun pouting. “What’s wrong?”
His droopy eyes found yours. “You don’t have a cute nickname for me.” He was bitter over your cheesy nickname for Sehun, it was cute.
You wrapped your arms around his middle and pouted as well, looking up at him, since he was taller than you. “You’re my Baekhyunnie.”
Immediately his smile lit up like a Christmas tree. He grabbed both sides of your face and squished them together, before bending a bit to give you an eskimo kiss.
“You both are ruining my appetite.” You heard Sehun from behind you. Both of you finally detached from one another, only to find yourselves sitting side by side. “Wait, i’ve seen you somewhere.” Sehun said pointing his fork at Baekhyun with narrowed eyes.
“Yeah probably all over Seoul. He is in CBX.” You responded to your best friends cluelessness.
“Ahhhhh that’s him!” Then it hit him. “Wait?! How did you?! What?!” You and Baekhyun just laughed at his reaction.
“Don’t ask me because I don’t even know how it happened.” You said before stuffing a strawberry in your mouth.
“Let’s just say that I can be very persuasive when I want to.”
Sehun applauded him, “I gotta give it to you man. I really thought she would be stuck on that douchebag forever.” Then the room went silent and awkwardness lingered on. Everyone knew who Sehun was talking about and that’s what made you so uncomfortable.
Deciding to get the spotlight off you, you switched the subject to something Sehun loved talking about, himself. “So where have you been these past couple days?” Suddenly Sehun had so much to say and talk about. He went on and on about his time in Germany and how he met a cute girl there. It was no surprise to you that you would somehow land on the topic of his love life. But he kept that part of the story brief with not much detail.
Like he always does after a trip abroad, he brought back a gift for you. This time it was a picture he took of the Berlin Wall. Sehun’s story time lasted throughout breakfast, when you and Baekhyun finished eating you thanked Sehun before leaving to get ready for work today. As planned the night before, you had to leave earlier than usual in order for Baekhyun to freshen up. Even if Baekhyun was older than Sehun, he still was respectful towards him and thanked him for the breakfast once again.
Unlike the last time you and Baekhyun left together, there was a coup of photographers outside just waiting for you and Baekhyun to come out and expose yourself to the world. It was Baekhyun who suggested you just follow him and keep your head down. He even went as far as to give you his facemask because protecting your identity was more important than protecting his own. Like many times before you both walked out with hands intertwined and faces looking downward. Baekhyun pushed through the crowd, making sure to not let go of you until you reached the car. The loud noises never stopped even when you were in the safety of Baekhyun’s car.
He looked over toward you, concern adorning his brown eyes. “Are you ok?” You nodded in response before taking his hand in yours once more. You knew it would help settle his nerves.
Not much was said on the drive to the dorms. This was the first time Baekhyun didn’t break up the silence and it concerned you a bit. It seemed that the crowd in front of the boys’ house only got worse. This time there were angry fans holding posters calling you horrible names. Baekhyun tried his best to shield you from it but it was no use, you already saw it and there was no unseeing it. When you made it into the house you could finally breathe. You felt sorry for Chen and Xiu for causing such a hectic scene. Finding them a new house will definitely be on your to do list today. Now that you thought of it, today would be utter hell. Not only did you have to start working on finding a new house for them but you would have to face Junmyeon today. This past week has been successful in avoiding him but you knew him well enough to know that he would call you and Baekhyun to his office as soon as you stepped foot into the building.
Trying to take your mind off things Xiumin started a very intense conversation on whether or not water is wet. The two boys went back and forth arguing their points and you just sat back and let it all happen. The laughs that you let out were genuine. They always had a way to make light out of a situation.
Sooner rather than later, Baekhyun made his way down in a new outfit and wet hair. You don’t know if it was the inner girlfriend in you but you got up and made your way towards him and snatched the towel from his hands to dry his hair yourself. “You’re gonna catch a cold if you don’t do it good.” It was amusing to ruffle his hair with the towel. He didn’t protest or try to argue against it, he just let you take care of him.
For a second you forgot the other two were in the same room as you guys. When you turned your head you saw their faces looking at the pair of you with a face that was quite similar to Sehun’s this morning when he saw you guys being too touchy. Your manager side kicked in and you told them to get their stuff and go out to the car already. You figured one car would suffice today.
Before you could leave Baekhyun to put away the towel, he pulled you into a soul sucking kiss. On instinct you kissed back but pulled away before it deepened. “If I didn’t say it today, good morning.”
#exo angst#junmyeon angst#junmyeon scenario#junmyeon x reader#suho angst#baekhyun angst#baekhyun x reader#exo fanfiction#suho scenario#suho x reader#exo fic
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PUCKS DEEP - CHAPTER 4 (Mark Scheifele Fan Fiction)
WORDS: 3641
That night after my lunch date with Mark, the team was on a plane heading to the west coast. The Jets’ first game of the season was in San Jose the next day. I decided to stay up late to watch the game, illegally streaming it on my laptop because it’s pointless to have basic cable in this house. All we ever watch is Netflix or Youtube, and if we’re extremely bored we bus over to Polo Park and spend our banked Scene points on movie tickets and popcorn.
It was halfway through the first period; the score was already 2-0 for the Sharks. Me being an idiot, I originally thought hockey was played in quarters, like football and basketball. Upon further review--and by that I mean I Googled ‘Hockey for Dummies’ and found a cheat sheet--I discovered that hockey was played in three twenty-minute periods.
Heather walked into my room to find me sitting on my bed, concentrated on my laptop, eyes darting back and forth watching the movement of the puck on the ice.
“Hey.” I glanced up to acknowledge her existence for a second and promptly got back to watching the game. “How are you feeling?”
“Better.” She leaned against the door frame, her voice was still raspy. “Actually, I was coming in here to check up on you.”
“Why?” I slightly raised my voice, irritated over the fact that the puck got overturned and the Sharks gained possession, again.
“Because you haven’t stopped yelling for the last ten minutes. What are you watching anyway?” She came over and laid down beside me.
“I’m trying to follow and understand how the heck this freaking game works!” My voice got louder when seeing #9 of the Sharks take a shot at our goal. Fortunately, the puck flew over the net and bounced off the glass before landing back on the ice. #27 on the Jets took control of the puck and shot it to the other end of the rink. The play was stopped by one of the referees, the commentators mentioning something about icing.
“What the heck is icing?!” I cried, quickly skimming through my cheat sheet. The stupid term wasn’t included in the stupid article; back to Google!
“Well, they’re not skating on a cake, that’s for sure…” Heather cheekily remarked, covering her mouth to cough. I intensely glared at her; If my eyes had the ability to produce laser beams, she would have been dead.
“Funny…” Finally, I found the definition on the internet. “Icing in hockey occurs when a player shoots from behind the red centre line across to the opposing goal line and the puck stays untouched.”
...What? The words were crystal clear coming out of my mouth, but they mushed together in my mind. Heather's grimaced look on her face made me realize I wasn't the only one confused.
“That didn't register in my head at all,” She blinked.
“Uggggh, why is this so confusing?!” I groaned in frustration, softly hitting my head on the screen. “Sports are supposed to be easy to follow!”
“I think you’re focusing too much on the technicality of the game rather than, you know… enjoying it?” Heather analyzed, I could hear the difference between her regular voice and her ‘I-studied-Psychology’ professional voice; it was a lower tone, and she enunciated more than usual.
“It's hard to enjoy when they haven't scored yet…” I anxiously played with the drawstrings of my grey hoodie. “I guess you're right. I figured if I was able to follow the game better and know the ins and outs that I would have something else to talk to Mark about.”
“Newsflash, Nina! You already talk to him about stuff! You were glued to your phone for a good two hours when you got home from work today! Plus, he already knows that you’re not a hockey expert so I don’t think he expects you to spit out stats or remember all the mumbo jumbo right away!”
Even though Ruby wasn’t home, I could hear her voice at the back of my head. Once again, I’m overthinking everything. I needed to stop stressing about learning everything right away and let it come naturally. Just enjoy the game.
All of a sudden the commentator’s voice got loud and full of energy. I looked up to see Mark with the puck, speeding down the ice past the Sharks’ defence and advancing towards the goal. He took a shot, the puck ricocheted off of the goalie’s padding and flew up in the air. In a swift and effortless motion, Mark lifted his stick and tapped the rebounding puck past the goalie and into the net.
SCORE!! Mark Scheifele bats the puck mid-air into the net for his first goal of the season! The Jets are now on the board; it's 2-1 with the Sharks still in the lead!
“He got a goal...” It took a moment to sink in, then the astonishment turned into excitement at full force. “Oh my God! He got a goal!”
My cheeks hurt so much from smiling, I couldn't stop clapping or squealing or bouncing on the bed. They replayed the goal from multiple camera angles, and each time the puck flew into the net I felt more and more elated, cheering each time even though I knew it was a replay. I could feel Heather's eyes on me, watching Mark celebrate his goal with his teammates; I was admiring the screen so closely that I could have gone cross-eyed.
“Look at you! You are smitten!” Heather chuckled.
“What! I can't admire a good goal?” I began to babble, trying to justify my behaviour. “It was a really good one! I KNOW I wouldn't be able to do what he just did! I can't handle a stick or hit a puck so fast like that! And yeah, maybe it did attract me to him more knowing that he's disciplined in a sport he plays professionally but it's mostly because of the goal! It looked awesome! I'm in awe! That's all it is…”
Heather rolled her eyes at my sad excuse of an explanation. “Neens, just admit it! You’re falling for him, he’s basically your boyfriend already!”
“Yes, I like him. A lot.” I sighed. “But he's not my boyfriend. We don't have an official label, not to mention we just met less than a week ago. Right now, we’re friends that are still getting to know each other and that have also kissed once or twice. I don't plan on rushing into a relationship anytime soon.”
“But you definitely wanna get into his pants…” Heather’s eyebrows wiggled up and down, a sly smirk spreading on her face. The thought of being intimate with Mark quickly processed through my mind and instantly my cheeks felt flush. I threw a pillow at her in retaliation.
“NO! Shut up! I have a hockey game to watch!” I faltered, trying to be serious but the muscles in my face betrayed me, forcing me to smile and giggle like a big dork.
Has the thought of being intimate with Mark run through my head before? Kind of, but not really. They’ve been innocent thoughts; very tamed, nothing remotely close to being pornographic. Like I’ve mentioned before, I have flaws; I’m insecure when it comes to my body and I’m scared that If I get too close too soon, I’m going to end up hurt. It’s happened before, and it’s messed with my self-esteem ever since. Therefore, I don’t want to put myself in that situation until the time is right and we’re both ready. Thankfully, Mark doesn’t seem like the ‘hit-it-and-quit-it’ type. His heart seems to be as gooey as a marshmallow, however, people can change as time goes by.
Heather left my room after the first period and I watched the rest of the game by myself, or at least I tried to. As much as I wanted to tape my eyelids open, I succumbed to my drowsiness at the beginning of the third period. All of my energy was sucked away during the second when the Jets came back in a big way from the deficit. Ruby came home from work and thought I was being murdered because of how loud I was freaking out over #13's goal. Heather had to reassure her that I had been acting like that all night. When I passed out, the score was 4-3; the Jets had the lead. I was optimistic about a win.
I woke up to my alarm on my cell the next morning. One of the girls must have been in my room; my laptop was set on the side table and my blanket was tucked tightly around me like a burrito. I unlocked my phone and saw that I received a text message at 2:30 AM. It was from Mark:
Hey, beautiful :) I know you're sleeping but I just wanted to tell you that we won! Got tied up in the 3rd and were about to go into OT but we got the game-winner just before the horn. I'm heading to bed now. I'll text you when I'm back in the Peg.
I miss you.
Although I felt restless, seeing that text from Mark revitalized me in an instant. Not only was I thrilled that they won their first game of the season, but reading that he missed me had me walking on air. And he called me beautiful again! If only this exhilarating, floating feeling could last all day (but it won't because I have to go to a job that I hate with every fibre of my being!) If only he was here, lying next to me in bed…
Remember, take it slow.
I replied back, telling him that I saw the game and congratulating him on his impressive goal. Also…
I miss you too.
It’s Wednesday. It’s the day of the home opener, and I’m freaking out.
“Nina? Simon is on his way. Are you ready?” Ruby asked as she walked into my bedroom to see me, wrapped in my housecoat and staring at the mountain of clothing I accumulated on my bed.
“No…” I huffed, lost in contemplation. “What does one even wear to a hockey game? I’ve gone through everything in my dresser!”
I couldn't believe this was happening. When it comes to plans made in advance, I'm usually the one that's punctual. I'm always ready before everyone else; my outfit is coordinated the day before, my hair and makeup are done hours prior to leaving, and I'm the one helping others and rushing them out the door to show up an hour early.
Right now, I'm all over the place; nothing in my wardrobe seems like it's fitting, my hair is half done and my makeup looks like, for lack of a better word, ass. At this rate, I'm not leaving my room. My chest was feeling tight, I felt nauseous and short of breath. This isn’t like me; I am always prepared!
I flopped onto my bed, burying my head under the pile of clothes like an ostrich. “I need help! I need an adult!” I whined loudly.
“It’s okay, I will help! Don’t worry!” Ruby reassured. I pulled my head out to observe her looking over the many options I had laid out. Surely, she would be able to find something. She dresses better than Heather and I combined. However, the expression on her face turned sour, her head shaking in disapproval as she threw clothing off the bed piece by piece.
“No, this won’t do...” She muttered under her breath. “Not this… Definitely not this… Gross… Plaid? Seriously? That’s a no!”
Deep breaths, close your eyes and take long deep breaths. Everything is going to be fine… I hope.
Finally, a saving grace. Ruby picked up a white turtleneck and a light bulb flickered on in her head.
“Good. This is good, We can work with this…” Ruby searched through the rest of my clothes and in no time, she was throwing an outfit at me. “Get dressed.”
She paired the turtleneck with a pair of high waisted denim jeans and a black belt. She ran out of my room and came back shortly with my black Chucks and the leather jacket I wore the night I met Mark. Once everything was on, I looked in the mirror at my makeup. I had no time to start over, All I could do was fix the smudged eyeliner that turned into eyeshadow and dab my face with the leftover foundation on my blending sponge. My hair was half straight, half wavy; no use in trying to salvage it at this point so I threw it into a ponytail.
“How do I look?” I looked towards Ruby, letting out a loud exasperated sigh and my shrugging arms falling to my side. On a scale from one to ten, my self-confidence was at a negative two.
“You look great! Very stylish!” Ruby complimented, trying to get my spirits up. It wasn’t working; I could feel my hands getting clammy, my mouth drying up.
“I am so nervous...” My voice croaked while fidgeting around with my sweaty palms. My head was overwhelmed with worse case scenarios. “What if Mark gets hurt tonight or if their team loses or both? What if I become some sort of jinx and he performs badly?”
Ruby cupped my cheeks in her hands and lifted my head up to look at her. “Tonight is going to be fun! There is no need to be nervous! It's as simple as going to a hockey game with your friends. You look fantastic and when Mark sees you cheering in the stands, he is going to feel so lucky! And if we're being honest, if you weren’t like a sister to me, I would bang. One hundred percent!”
I rolled my eyes while trying to stifle a chuckle, my frown breaking down into a straight, awkward grin. “You and your words of encouragement.” Weird enough, her idea of a pep talk did help a little bit.
Ruby’s phone buzzed. “Simon’s here!” She asked me one more time. “Are you ready?”
I took one more look in the mirror. “As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”
“This. Is. Nuts.” Simon's mouth dropped, his eyes about to pop out of his head as we were escorted down to the Jets’ locker room at Bell MTS Place. “I can't believe we're down here!”
“Whatever you do, don't go wandering off like you did at the Iceplex,” Ruby warned, her eyes following Simon's every move. “We don't need you getting banned and making Nina look bad. We're her guests and we should be thankful that she can bring us along.”
“Right! By the way, have I said 'thank you’ yet?” Simon put his hands on my shoulders, he was so excited I could feel him vibrating.
“Yes, about fifty times on the way here.” I let out a chuckle. Seeing Simon hyped up and Ruby discipline him helped calm my nerves. He was like a little kid at a toy store, wanting to touch and play with everything. We passed by a rack of hockey sticks and Ruby had to grab on the hood of his jacket to pry him away.
“Don't!” She scolded him in a deep, motherly tone. I bit down on my lip trying not to laugh but the staff member with us couldn't help but crack a smile.
“We do have a cleaning closet nearby if you need to put him in a time out,” They joked.
“Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.” Ruby pulled Simon away from touching a photo on the wall. “Apparently, leaving his harness and leash at home was a bad idea…”
We turned a corner and my stomach fluttered. There was Mark at the end of the hall, leaning against the wall waiting, hands tucked into his pant pockets and looking down at his shiny black dress shoes. He was wearing a dark navy suit, paired with a white dress shirt and grey tie. He looked like a different person compared to when I saw him on TV a few nights ago; his hair was freshly cut and styled to the side, and his face cleanly shaved. He glanced up and saw me, his crystal blue eyes and smile looking brighter than ever. My heart went rapid as we approached and Mark went in for a hug. His cologne was sweet smelling, like a flower garden after a spring shower.
“Hi,” We greeted in unison, both of us giggling at the coincidence afterwards.
“I like the suit. Blue is your colour!” I complimented.
“Thank you. What do you think of the baby face?” He asked. I gently touched his right cheek, his skin was so soft I was envious.
“I miss the scruff, but you look much more handsome.” Our eyes connected for a moment before I broke contact to look at him licking his lips. The urge of wanting to kiss him grew exponentially. However, the moment was quickly ruined by Simon, whose arm was frantically waving to the extent of producing a light breeze behind me.
“HI MARK!” He shouted in my ear, I winced.
“Hey, Simon. Hey Ruby,” He laughed. With her fast reflexes, Ruby grabbed Simon's arm in mid-wave and linked her arm with his.
“By any chance, you wouldn't happen to have duct tape lying around, do you?” Ruby inquired.
Mark shook his head.“No, just grip tape. I don't think it will help in restraining him.”
“That's okay. I'll just keep a close eye on him.” Ruby pulled Simon close to her. It was like watching someone trying to keep a hyper Cocker Spaniel puppy under control.
“Come on, I'll introduce you to the guys.” Mark grabbed my hand, his fingers interlocking with mine, and led me to the locker room.
Of course, the first thing I do when I walk in is almost break the most sacred rule in a hockey locker room.
“Careful!” Mark politely placed his arm in front of me, pointing at the carpet. “It’s a thing not to step on the logo.”
I look down to see my feet an inch away from the gigantic Jets logo on the locker room floor. I immediately distanced myself from it. “Oh, crap-- I am so sorry!”
“Scheifs! Did your girl step on the logo?” One of Mark’s teammates playfully chided, walking up and messing up his hair. I could hear Simon squealing like a girl behind me. Ruby covered his mouth to mute the sound.
“Nina, Blake. Blake is the captain of the team.” Mark introduced, I shook Blake’s hand.
“I didn’t do it, I swear.” I nervously smiled.
Blake laughed. “It’s all good, no worries! I heard it’s your first game tonight. Have fun!”
We continued around the locker room and I met more of the team. I couldn’t remember all of their names because there were so many people and they were all really tall. I felt like the only gnome on a lawn covered with garden flamingos. The only people I do remember were Andrew (because he’s Mark’s roommate), Tyler (because he was the tallest out of everyone I met), Patrik (because I couldn’t stop staring at his beard), and Dustin (because he recognized Simon as the guy who snuck into the locker room at the Iceplex and threatened to kick his ass if he didn’t leave).
“I’ll get him out of here,” Ruby agreed, pushing Simon towards the door.
“I’ll come with.” I took one last look around the locker room. “Everyone seems to be getting their stuff on, anyways.”
“Before you leave…” Mark walked over to his gear and came back with a light blue jersey, different from the typical dark blue and white ones I usually see around the city. “This is the new alternate jersey. I figured you would need something to show your newly found team spirit.”
I turned the jersey around to see his name and number on the back. “This Scheifele guy, is he a good player?” I teased.
“The best! Even better than me!” He quipped back. I took off my jacket and Mark helped me put the jersey on over my turtleneck.
“How do I look?” I modeled the oversized sweater in front of him. He gave me two thumbs up.
“Blue is your colour!” He praised. I looked down to admire the jersey. Compared to what I felt like earlier, my self-confidence was now at an eleven.
“It’s really nice. Thank you,” I hugged him one more time, I didn’t want to let go but he needed to get ready. “Good luck out there tonight.”
I stepped back to leave the locker room when I felt Mark’s hand squeeze mine. “Hey...”
I looked back at him and he pulled me close again, our noses brushing against each other. “Don’t I get a ‘good luck’ kiss?”
“Maybe…” I smirked, my hands resting on his chest. Mark lifted my chin with his finger and leaned in, his soft lips touching mine in a gentle, sensual kiss. Once again, our moment was ruined. This time by Mark’s teammates jeering at us to get a room, throwing their towels at our heads.
“Hey! Those better be clean!” Mark shouted. I gave him one more peck on the cheek.
“Get ready, please. Before they start throwing jock straps.” I ordered, grinning from ear to ear. “I’ll see you out there.”
I left the locker room and made my way upstairs to my seat, which happened to be a few rows behind the Jets bench. Ruby and Simon were sitting down, beers and Jets Dogs in hand. Ruby handed me a beer as I sat down beside her.
“Feeling better?” She asked.
“Yeah, definitely.”
#mark scheifele#mark scheifele fan fic#mark scheifele fan fiction#winnipeg jets#winnipeg jets fan fiction#winnipeg fan fic#pucks deep#creative writing#nhl fan fiction#hockey fan fiction#chapter four#mark scheifele imagine
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Light in the Darkness (Ardyn Izunia) Part 1
Hello everyone! ^_^
Now, I said in a recent post that I was deleting my fic Memento of the Past because I am re-writing it. Well, this is the first half of that fic, ta dah!
Anyway, this was a request from a anon, who asked for Ardyn with a young daughter. So I took that prompt and merged it with Memento of the Past and created this fic. Plus, I feel a bit better about this one. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this fic anon and @kuro-megane :D
WARNING!: Brief scenes of violence and blood
Ardyn twisted the champagne flute he held between his fingers, swirling the bubbly beverage within its glass container. Across the large ballroom stood Niflheim’s elite who laughed and toasted to their great nation’s victory. For indeed; the battle against the Glacian was hard fought, though eventually the goddess had fallen. Now that frozen tundra was naught but an enormous tomb for the icy witch.
And with the impressive results the Magitek had provided, Ardyn had these pitiful mortals right where he wanted them. They listened to his honeyed words so easily, and bent to his designs like the good little hounds they were. Ah yes, everything was working out perfectly….
“And there is the man of the hour himself. Congratulations on the new post, Chancellor.” Verstael spoke, the blonde man coming to a halt next to Ardyn.
“You are too kind, my friend. And what’s this? So, you’ve finally taken my advice and exchanged that appalling armor for something more…flattering.”
Verstael glared at the magenta-haired man, a rather absurd action due to the Chancellor’s superior height. “At least my armor is comfortable; instead of this blasted ensemble.”
Ardyn chuckled, “I am sure the Emperor will honor you for your selfless sacrifice!”
“Your wit never ceases to entertain, Izunia.” Verstael drawled irritably.
“I live to serve.” Ardyn grinned mockingly, even tipping his hat to the blonde scientist. “And if you will excuse me, I shall take my leave.”
Spinning on his heel, Ardyn turned away from his dear associate and proceeded out of the ballroom; ignoring the various nobles trying to mingle with the new Chancellor.
Exiting the Imperial Palace Ardyn continued to walk down the streets of Gralea, deciding to enjoy a simple stroll instead of warping discreetly back to his current place of residence. Much of Niflheim’s militaristic lifestyle was reflected within the city’s steel and concrete architecture; a far cry from his dear old homeland. Slowly he walked across the empty cross-walks, humming merrily to himself before falling silent at the touch of cold steel against his back and the sound of movement in front of him.
“Hand over your gil, and don’t try anything funny!” The thief shouted while two more thieves appeared from the shadows.
Ardyn smiled cheekily at his captor, hands raised in a innocent manner. “Oh? Is that a dagger in your hand or are you simply happy to see me?”
“Shut the hell up and hand over your money!” one of the thieves exclaimed, raising his own dagger.
“Gentlemen, as entertaining as this experience has been, I am rather busy. If you will excuse me- I shall bid you all farewell.”
The thief behind him bristled angrily at Ardyn’s playful tone and immediately raised the dagger in his hand to strike the Chancellor down. Quickly Ardyn spun about and twisted the thief’s wrist, immediately catching the released dagger and dragging it across the boy’s throat. The boy collapsed to the floor, choking on his own blood while his friend roared in anger and charged at Ardyn; his own dagger raised dangerously high. The ancient king simply side-stepped the clumsy assault, giving his attacker a mocking grin that simply enraged him further.
A gunshot then sounded, missing Ardyn by mere inches. He glanced to his attire and his eyes widened in horror as he stared at the large hole that now sat within the fabric of his scarf.
“Shoot him again!” His attacker yelled to his companion.
The gunman moved to take aim but only responded with a sickening gurgle as a dagger imbedded itself within his throat. He moved his hands toward his neck to stop the bleeding, raising his arms halfway before he fell to the ground in a puddle of blood. The final thief turned to face Ardyn, screaming at the sight of glowing golden eyes surrounded by an inky darkness. “Wh-What the hell are you?”
A cold smile pulled across the monster’s lips as a crimson sword materialized within his hands. “A man of no consequence.” He answered before swinging the blade down and removing the thief’s head from his shoulders.
When Ardyn appeared within his flat, it was late, cold, and his suit was covered in blood from his earlier encounter. Slowly he flicked the light switch on before walking to the sofa and retrieving the cloak that was folded within his jacket, gently placing the damaged cloth upon the low table. Removing his blood-stained coat and tossing it within the rubbish bin; as he refused to keep the now stained article of clothing, Ardyn collected a small box that sat atop a bookshelf and returned to the sofa. Opening the box revealed a simple sewing kit, containing needles, thread, an ancient pair of scissors, and a pin cushion in the shape of a Lucian tomato stuffed to capacity with multiple pins.
Withdrawing a needle and the spool of grey thread, the immortal king expertly looped the string through the needle’s eye before stitching the damaged cloak together once more.
“Seems another scar has been added,” murmured aloud to himself.
Once the hole was stitched together, Ardyn tied off the thread and returned the needle and spool of thread to the box once more. He lifted the cloak to the light and admired the beautiful piece to check for any other unfortunate marks. He ran a hand across the elaborately stitched black sylleblossoms, the soft fabric brushing gently against his skin.
Here, this is for you. It’s special, so it will keep you safe!
Ardyn frowned as he felt the multiple repair jobs he had stitched upon the ancient cloak but shook his head, and closed the box of sewing supplies and carrying the article of clothing to his bedroom.
It even has those flowers you like! Slyblos….Sylepow…Syfpossums!
He placed the cloak upon his dresser before readying himself for sleep; not like it would come though.
You’ll come back, soon right? Then we can go and see the flowers together! It’s a promise!
Slowly he laid down upon his bed, staring up at his ceiling as sleep began to claim his senses. At long last his eyes closed and Ardyn fell into the abyss of unconsciousness, where the shadows always came to play.
....Together….right Papa?…
The Crown City of Insomnia; Lucis
The wind slowly blew through the open balcony doors, gently ruffling the sheer floor-length drapes of the elegant bedroom. Quietly the door creaked open, allowing a small shadow to sneak inside before the door shut once more. The shadow glanced about the large bedroom, immediately focusing on the enormous bed that stood in the middle of the bedroom. Beneath the large duvet that sat upon the massive bed lay a sleeping figure, a tuft of raspberry hair peeking out at the top.
Calmly and quietly the shadow moved closer, hands outstretched as a grin appeared on their face. Yet as soon as they only a few inches away from their target, a hand snatched their rest and pulled. The shadow squeaked in surprise before falling onto the bed, laughing hysterically as hands begun to tickle their sides.
“You will have to do better than that, love,” Ardyn chuckled, ceasing his merciless tickling of his young daughter.
The 4 (and a half, as she always corrected) year old child smiled, her face flushed; “but I was so close! How do you always know it’s me?”
“Ah ah ah, that’s my secret.~” Ardyn grinned, kissing her forehead; “now then, may I ask why you are awake at this hour?”
The young princess beamed, thick dark-magenta hair pooling across the sheets of the bed, “Papa, don’t you know what today is? Did you forget?”
“Hmm…I believe it is Tuesday.”
She giggled, mischief sparkling within the depths of her (e/c) eyes. “It’s not just Tuesday Papa.”
“Oh? Then I’m afraid I am at a loss, my little moogle.”
“Today is your birthday Papa!”
Ardyn blinked in surprise, having forgotten all about the day. With the preparations for his…departure, he had all but forgotten the arrival of his birthday. But his little girl spoke the truth, it was indeed his birthday.
“You did forget, didn’t you?” (f/n) frowned before a smile lite up her face. “Good thing I didn’t! Come on Papa, we’ve got lots to do today!”
“Well then, it is imperative that we are not late!” Ardyn replied, hoisting the younger royal upon his shoulder, causing her to laugh in delight.
He smiled happily as his young daughter dragged him through the corridors of the Citadel and toward the gardens. Apparently, with the help of Gilgamesh, his little girl managed to clear the meetings of that day to free his own schedule. It was no surprise to be honest; as (f/n) could cause even the strongest of men to tremble at the sight of her tearful “puppy-dog” eyes. Yet he was at least happy to spend his final day within Insomnia with his sweet, little girl, and not locked away in the throne room burdened by final preparations. It made the burden of leaving his dear (f/n) a little easier and lessened the guilt….
“Come Papa, we’re almost there!” she cried excitedly, gesturing to the gardens.
“Is that so? Well then…last one there is a smelly Malboro!” He exclaimed, dashing off in an instant.
(f/n) gasped in surprise before following at his heels, “hey! You cheater!”
Ardyn laughed, purposely slowing his stride so that (f/n) remained just behind him. The entrance to the gardens was fast approaching, surely guaranteeing his win before a flash of blue light illuminated the hallway. Ardyn turned about to search for the source, only to see his daughter warping toward him. Immediately the King’s arms shot outward, catching (f/n) before she hit the floor and collapsing onto the soft grass of the Royal Gardens.
“I win!” she cheered, sitting comfortably upon his chest.
“So, it seems,” Ardyn smiled, lifting her off his chest. “And what will the young lady like for her prize?”
(f/n) paused, biting her lip slightly before glancing to the floor. It was a look Ardyn knew well, for he himself did the same action when wishing to hide something. Instead she simply smiled, “I will tell you later, Papa.”
Ardyn raised a curious eyebrow, wondering what she could be hiding, but decided to let it go…for now. “Very well then, my dear. Shall we continue with the birthday celebration?”
“Yes!” (f/n) replied, taking hold of his hand and guiding him toward a small picnic which was set beneath a cherry blossom tree, near the small water pond. “It’s a birthday picnic! Do….Do you like it?”
“I love it. Thank you, my little moogle.”
Ardyn slowly walked toward his daughter’s bedroom, the young princess leaning against his chest in content. The sun had already set below the horizon as the moon begun to take its place alongside the stars. Reaching the Royal Wing, Ardyn opened the door and walked toward the bed, placing his precious cargo down upon the duvet.
“Wait Papa, I didn’t give you your birthday gift.” (f/n) spoke, leaving the bed and claiming the box that sat upon the small vanity.
“(f/n), your company is more than enough of a gift.”
“Please Papa, please open it.” She pouted, eyes starting to water as the “puppy-dog” eyes began to reveal themselves.
“Alright, my dear.” Ardyn chuckled, taking hold of the box and untying the dark blue ribbon that was wrapped around it. Lifting the lid off he peered within and pulled out the item within. A beautiful cloak, soft to the touch; made of grey and black fabric with black sylleblossoms stitched into the material. Ardyn let his hand slowly slide across the mantle, admiring its craftsmanship.
“Do you like it? It even has those flowers you like. Slyblos….Sylepow….Syfpossums!”
”Sylleblossoms,” He corrected, tying the cloak about his shoulders. “Oh (f/n), this is beautiful….”
(f/n) beamed happily, “It will keep you safe….” She replied before yawning loudly, rubbing her eyes. “Papa…can I tell you what I want my prize to be?”
“Of course,” Ardyn spoke.
“….Don’t leave.”
He frowned, gazing sadly down at his tired daughter, knowing what it was she spoke of. Sitting upon the bed, he pulled her into his arms and embraced her tightly. “I know you don’t wish for me to leave, but I am afraid I must. This is a job only Papa can do to help our people.”
“I will miss you….”
“And I you. But how about I make you a promise. When I return, we will go to Tenebrae together and I will show you the sylleblossoms. Would you like that?”
“Uh huh! So…you will come back soon, right? Then we can go see the flowers together?”
Ardyn nodded, giving her a small smile; “it’s a promise.”
Yawning loudly once more, (f/n) slowly sunk into the pillows, eyes beginning to close. “Papa, can you…sing Mama’s song? Just…just for tonight….”
“Of course, my dear.” Ardyn answered, humming the lullaby’s melody before singing the words.
Deus dormit
Et liberi ignem faciunt
Numquam extinguunt
Ne expergisci possit
Omnia dividt
Tragoedia coram
Amandum que
Et nocte perpetua
In desperatione
Auroram videre potest
Mane tempus expergiscendi
Ardyn glanced down to see (f/n) eyes closed, her breathing calm and even as she slept peacefully. He smiled softly and leaned down, placing a gentle kiss upon her cheek and tucking back a strange of her magenta-hair. “Sleep well, my little moogle.”
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I decided to post 2 short stories today \o/
I’ve had em sitting around for like a month, cuz I’ve been liking the newer stuff I’ve been writing more. So might as well post em (after a bunch of re-editing).
There was an idea right after writing Last Chapters about Caleb one day finding out about his parents’ past. I just couldn’t figure out how to set it up, then I think about how most kids these days kinda believe creepypastas or urban legends are real and stuff.
Anyways, rambling...
Set after Last Chapters.
Secrets are secrets for a reason. Curiosity may lead one to find out things they wished they hadn’t.
Many years have passed by for the small family, Caleb was in school, made quite a number of friends, and even proved to excel in his subjects – just like a normal child.
There were times where Zack would joke about him growing too fast.
“Seriously kid, slow down for a moment…it’s like every time I blink, you grow like a weed!”
Rachel often chuckled at his comment, but she felt happy about it. With Caleb growing happy and healthy each day, it simply proved that Rachel and Isaac did their job right in raising him. Caleb was a bit of a mischief maker, but never to the point of causing too much trouble, he had his mother’s smarts to thank for that. He also remained an adventurer at heart like he’d always been, now that he was much older, he was given more freedoms to explore, especially when he wanted to go meet his friends after school.
Yet, in every growing generation there seemed to be different rumors or scary stories of madmen wandering about to scare or test the mettle of young minds. One of Caleb’s friends was bringing up a “supposed urban legend” about a killer that was still running loose. He always had friends that liked to say tall-tales, this seemed to be yet another one of those wild stories. The boy was always keen to pick out lies and exaggeration, thanks to his dad. Caleb lightly rolled his eyes at his friend’s attempt to sound ominous.
“I’m serious! Have you not heard of the Alleyway Ripper?”
“Haha, is that what he’s seriously called?” Caleb asked with a disbelieving chuckle. “Sounds like something you pulled from a movie…”
“Well…no…but it sounds like it could be…if the cops would’ve given him a cool nickname…” his friend grumbled.
Yup, another wild story.
Caleb lightly sighed, “Go on then…why is he so scary?”
“He’s a real person and the guy’s still loose, he could be anywhere. If someone got killed in the back-alleys, it’s definitely from him! I even heard he kidnaps kids too,” his friend said, “I think he was on the news for a long while because of that.”
If he was real, he should have a name, but he wasn’t given that either. He might as well start picking apart his friend’s claims.
“Okay? So, what does this ‘Ripper’ look like? I gotta keep an eye out, right?” Caleb teased.
“He’s like a grim reaper, literally. Hood, scythe, even a scary face that he keeps covered.”
A hood and a face that is often covered, why did he get a flash of his father just now?
“Uhh…right…maybe you should tell that to some girls, I think they’ll really get scared of that story,” Caleb reluctantly joked.
“I’m serious, he’s real,” his friend insisted, until mischief set in, “…but good idea though…”
A hood and a concealed face. No, that’s just a stupid coincidence…was it?
During the final half hour of school, Caleb decided to head to the school library and use one of its computers. He often went to the library for usual study time before the final bell, but this was a chance to do some investigation. Even though there were the typical internet locks to block out unwanted websites, some were permitted for research use only. Caleb decided to put in the vague details he heard until he got a match.
The computer directed him to an official website containing information of convicted criminals, one name had stuck out like a sore thumb – Isaac Foster. The very same name as his father.
Isaac Foster: approximate age upon registration, 20. Suspected serial killer in connection to multiple murders, assault with a deadly weapon, and kidnapping. Status: WANTED.
Caleb felt his blood grow cold, he didn’t want any of the information he just read to be true, until the mugshot came up.
A young man, his familiar face was completely covered in wrappings, and wore a bloodied and slightly charred hoodie while he had a bloodthirsty glint in his bi-colored eyes. This picture was an absolute opposite of the mischievous and gentle expression Caleb had known most of his life.
The supposed killer spoken as some sort of Boogieman was none other than his own father. Caleb silently closed out of the browser and excused himself out of the library as soon as the bell rung. He had a confused yet sullen expression on his face, normally he would walk with his friends until he met with his mother halfway, but he wanted to be alone.
Rachel met up with Caleb, but she seemed to sense a different vibe coming from her son, she offered to help carry his things as they made their way back home.
“Hey Caleb, you’re looking so down today…did something happen in school? Nobody’s giving you a hard time, are they?” she sweetly asks.
His mother’s tender voice always lightened his spirits, but his mind continued to be clouded with uneasy thoughts. Does his own mother know what kind of man she’s married to? He felt compelled to ask, but deep down he wanted to hear the truth from his father first, someone he felt like he was his best friend for the longest time.
Rachel was unsure what was bothering her son, she brought a hand up to gently run her fingers through his hair, “If you feel ready to explain what’s on your mind, I’m always here, okay?”
“Alright, mom…thanks…” Caleb replied with a partial hug.
Rachel opened the door for Caleb to step inside first to make himself comfortable while she set his things off to the side for him to take care of later. It was always time to unwind first, then take care of responsibilities afterwards.
Soon, a voice called out from the kitchen, “Is the kid back? Hey Caleb, I just stockpiled some snacks!”
Both Caleb and Isaac had a soft spot for junk food and their son would go flying right towards the kitchen, but even now, he seemed to drag his heels. Zack seemed to detect a change in behavior, so he met both his wife and Caleb to the doorway. The man had a large plate in his hand filled with assorted junk food, mostly chips and cookies. He glanced at his son and noticed an expression Caleb had never given before.
“Hey kid…what’s up? Are you feeling alright?” Zack asked, already having a cookie halfway in his mouth.
Caleb lightly bit at his lip, he didn’t want to see his father’s face for a moment, all he could picture was the mugshot, and the grim expression that showed clear as day.
“Dad?”
“Yeah?” Zack asks.
“Have you…ever…killed someone?”
That question made both Zack and Rachel freeze, the plate simply slipped from the man’s grasp and crashed onto the floor. What brought this question? Why did he ask it? How could he avoid it? Caleb could see a conflicted expression on Zack’s face, it was a mix between regret, anger, and grief.
“How did this question come up?” Zack stoically asks.
“A friend of mine was making up stories again, stuff about a runaway killer. At least, I thought it was made up…it obviously sounded fake, but the description fit you…” Caleb said, “I was hoping it was just coincidence…then I…”
“Enough, Caleb…” Isaac interrupted, his voice wasn’t raised, but it was slightly firm. “I know where this leads…”
Zack knew that Caleb was very smart for his age, the boy was already in middle school. If Caleb got curious, he was damn determined to get results. He must’ve found it, judging how unsettled he was.
“Zack…” Rachel beckoned.
The man glanced to Rachel for a moment, then sighed to himself, “Let me talk with him for a while…sorry for the mess…”
Rachel was still uncertain as she watched Isaac gently nudge Caleb with him to follow. The boy felt like he had opened the door to the lion’s den and became nervous for what he was about to be lectured on – or possibly find out. Zack remained an unnatural calm, and didn’t even utter a single word until he guided Caleb into his room.
“Sit down,” Zack said as he closed the door.
Caleb did just as his father asked, and sat himself on the edge of the bed, Zack quietly walked over to the closet that contained his assortment of hoodies and Rachel’s outfits. The man swiftly pulled the articles of clothing to the side to reveal his scythe.
A hood, a scythe, with his face covered up.
“Yes Caleb…I have killed people before…” Zack answered, “it was the only nature I’ve known back then…the only thing that gave me the feeling of purpose…”
The ugly truth finally came out, Caleb could see a crestfallen expression on his father’s face, like the truth hurt him instead of a lie.
“I never wanted you to know…” Zack murmured, “I never wanted you to learn the ugly truth about us…”
“Wait…Mom too?”
Zack faintly sighed, then nodded. He walked up to the bed and sat down next to Caleb, then buried his face in his hands. He thought, for once, whispers of his infamous misdeeds were put to rest after his ‘inactivity’. Instead, it was cast into mere urban legend, keeping that dark legacy of his alive.
“Fuck…”
It wasn’t the time to be watching his language, he was both frustrated and hurt with the situation they were in now.
“Your mom didn’t do it as high of a degree as I did…she did have her…moments. That was about it,” Zack continued, “She’s still the loving know-it-all you know her by, Caleb…”
“…am I going to end up the same way?”
That question felt like an immediate stab in the heart, he even groaned from the internal pain, but Zack simply took a deep breath to calm his nerves. It was the only best thing he could do instead of swearing at the top of his lungs and punching a hole through the wall to combat the ache he was feeling.
“Do you want to?” he asks.
“What?”
“Do you want to end up like me? Do you want to hurt people?” Zack asks once more.
Caleb paused at the question, then quickly shook his head, “No…no, of course not.”
Zack brought a hand up to gently ruffle his hair, “Good, keep saying that…you won’t end up that way. Your mom and I did everything we could to have you live the best fucking life possible. Shit, I dreaded the day something like this would happen…but I kept ignoring it…”
“…What made you want to do all those horrible things?” Caleb asked.
Zack sighed as he leaned back some, “…People have a breaking point, kid. My scars are one, I got lit on fire when I was young. Then was left to rot away in that fucking orphanage…but I’d rather not get into full detail about that right now, this god damn topic is gloomy enough as it is. Murder looked so easy, it eventually became my calling. I was so sick of seeing the happy smiles on people’s faces and preferred to see despair. Every person was given a count to three to try outrunning me before the deed was done…it was a guarantee to see that look…that was how I rolled…”
“Was mom the same way?”
“Her parents were a fucking work of art…at least, from what she tells me. Drunk cop for a dad, a mouthy and bitter woman for a mother. Fights, shouting matches, even she was caught in the fray…someone like her to go through that kind of bullshit for that long…it was no wonder she snapped too. The worst things in life loves to bring out the worst in everybody…”
Zack sensed Caleb’s insecurities, “…Monsters are made, not born. There’s always a reason for the insane shit people do. I guess with work…monsters can be unmade too. You’re a good kid, Caleb. Hell, you and yer’ mom are really fucking important to me than just a few seconds of thrill. I…I think that’s proof enough…”
Caleb thought about that statement for a moment, but another question sparked in his mind, “Do you still want to kill people?”
“I’d be lying if I said no, I still get those urges from time to time. It’s something I’ve been doing for years…it doesn’t just go away with the snap of the fingers. That’s why when I go out at night, I do a bit of stealing to try and suppress it - bonus if a brawl is involved, helps me vent out aggression,” Zack replied. “If I can knock a guy out, that satisfies me for a good while…”
“Who was the last person you killed?”
Zack paused for a moment, “Do you remember the scary lady?”
The woman from before, when Caleb wandered too far off from home, Zack was there to chase her away from him – didn’t he? His father’s old answer came back to mind. Scared her to death. To death. Now it made sense as to why Zack lacked a hoodie and bandages when he returned.
“Why did you have to kill her? I mean - yeah, I was terrified of her, but what reason did you have?”
“Because she knew who your mother and I was, and now she knew where we lived. If I had let her go…” Zack stopped in his sentence, then grit his teeth as he felt frustration build, “Fuck…if I had let her go…the life we got now…everything would have gone to hell in an instant…”
The thoughts of the possibility were showing signs of upsetting Isaac greatly, he began to feel tears threatening to build up. Zack had never expressed this side of himself before, but it seemed right now that it couldn’t be helped, he felt like he was being torn apart.
“They’d send your mom back to that fucking psyche ward, I’d be executed in a heartbeat, and…” Zack couldn’t finish, the final possibility was killing him on the inside, “and…fuck…fuck…losing you would be the hardest, especially if they found out who your parents were…”
There were actual tears streaming from his eyes, dampening the bandages that covered his face, “I can’t fucking have you go through that nightmare, Caleb. God fucking damn it, I know it’s not happening but shit, it fucking hurts to think about…it fucking hurts…”
His father had tears streaming down his face, the truth was agonizing to spill out, along with the ‘what ifs’ that was plaguing his mind, especially when that ‘what if’ was his family being ripped from each other.
Caleb learned his father lived a life of horrific crimes, a person that people would often depict as a monster with no conscience - even his mugshot would’ve said the same. Yet, here Zack was, showing the most human of emotions beside him. Zack was fully aware of his past, still struggles with it, yet feels like every sacrifice he made for the sake of his family was worth it, and having it be taken away could literally kill him.
No, not just Zack - Rachel too.
Their son only heard a brief summary of his mother, but Caleb was sure that she had her own share of dark secrets. Having to tell him would be just as heartbreaking for Ray as it was now for Isaac. He can reluctantly picture it, especially for someone as giving as his mother. From what Caleb gathered, his parents were emotionally broken people, whatever further history there was to share, it seemed to heal them in some sort of way.
Caleb was torn at first, he didn’t know what side to truly believe. There was the truth laid before him that his father committed atrocities, and there was a feeling like there was an attempt at some sort of redemption, no matter how large or small of an impact it would make. The years that was spent growing up until now, their feelings towards one another as a family was genuine. Should things be allowed to change after coming across this new information?
Caleb lightly bumped his head against Zack’s shoulder and wrapped an arm around him in his way to hug his father. Isaac turned his focus to his son, then quietly chuckled to him.
“…The guy hug?”
“The guy hug…” Caleb replies.
Isaac brought his arm around his son to pull him close into a returning half hug, and stayed that way for a brief moment. It was comforting after a heart-wrenching moment for the two of them.
Within seconds, Zack suddenly yanked his son close to give him a playful noogie, feeling the lad flail underneath his grip.
“Jeez kid, stop growing…you’re almost as tall as me…” Zack teased, then let his son go.
Caleb huffed as he tried to fix his messed-up hair, despite the darkest contrast of his parents, they certainly acted like everyday people. They truly wanted what was best for him while growing up.
“Hey dad?” Caleb asked.
“Hmm?”
“My friends often gripe about their parents being too strict and stuff. I guess because they don’t see from their parent’s point of view. How you and mom act every day, you behave just like ordinary parents. You both care for me, you’re firm but fair, and of course…you’re both really embarrassing at times – like normal parents,” Caleb spoke.
Caleb really did inherit his mother’s smarts after all, those words alone made Zack express a touched yet proud smile.
“God damn, you’re like a fucking gift from the gods, kid…” Zack quietly laughed, “I’m glad you’re our son, Caleb…”
Caleb softly smiled back at his father, then a question came to mind that he almost forgot.
“Hey…one of your crimes said kidnapping…who was it you kidnapped?”
Zack raised a brow, then had a smirk on his face, “Shit, I wouldn’t call it kidnapping…more like rescuing.”
“It was Mom?”
“Yup, I was the knight n’ shining armor and all that shit,” Zack answered proudly.
Now Caleb wasn’t convinced. The expression was clear as day.
“Oh, come on, I was joking with that bit…jeez…you’re like your mom.” Zack muttered with a pout.
The two then shared a short laugh before getting up to reunite with Rachel.
“Your mom is still probably worried to death about this whole thing…look, there’s still a lot more to tell you…but I think right now, this is as far as we’re going to go. When all of us are ready...me and your mom are gonna sit with ya’ and tell you what you need to know…okay?” Isaac said as he was heading to the door, “…it may not even be pretty…shit...we know what we did, just please don’t view us as any different.”
The eventual talk was going to be an emotional struggle without a doubt, it’s a hidden and dreadful truth, even if it was kept away with the best of intentions. It may be later tonight, tomorrow, or any other given point in time. The secrets coming forth was still so much to take in, and tackling it all straight away would be far too taxing for the entire family, it was better to handle it one step at a time when they were prepared.
“Oh Christ…uh…don’t let your mom know that I was letting my language fly in front of you,” Zack said.
“It’s fine, dad…I think the situation called for it…” Caleb replies, “Besides…your language is tame compared to my friends.”
“Seriously? Fuck, I’m getting old…”
He allowed Caleb to leave the room first, but he paused to look back at the closet where he kept his scythe. Zack slowly approached the small room littered with hanging clothes as he gazed at the old weapon. He stared at it for a good while to reflect on the past, then placed his hands on the hanging garments and slid it back into obscurity.
Caleb did learn some parts of an unpleasant history, and he still had much more to learn when he would be ready and willing. Whatever wild rumors and stories his friends felt like fabricating to scare and create their own creatures that go bump in the night, Caleb decided to leave it just as that – just stories. As his father said, monsters are what they are because they were made to be that way.
Yet, like his parents, he did not see them as monsters or anything compared to it, but as normal people – eccentric at times, but normal human beings nonetheless. They were simply wronged at the start and had an unorthodox way of coping, but they at least admitted their faults and errors.
After all, it’s only human to sin.
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Midnight Encuentro
{ Heads Up: I don’t speak Spanish, and I am not a tech-expert. If you find horrific errors within this fic, feel free to message me. Thanks! c: }
She watched the dark canyon swiftly move across her window. It sometimes broke for an instance, giving her a glimpse at the luminous stars in the night sky. She felt the old, musty vehicle slow, indicating the driver was turning onto another lonely road. She scanned the street, searching for that infested hub full of criminals.
¡Mierda! Why is this town so archaic?
Flustered, she opened her holographic display revealing the satellite image she had found of Calaveras. Although the resolution was quite low, she managed to distinguish a neon sign near the back of the bar. Anything helps at this point. Her eyes make one last attempt at finding the location, squinting into the shadows of several decrepit buildings.
“Here.”
She would rather go on foot. The taxi came to a crawling stop, pulling to the side of the road. As the driver got out to open her door, she brushed her hand across the buzzing display in front of her. TRANSACTION COMPLETE, it read.
She climbed out of the car and into the crisp, night air. “Thanks,” she whispered, matching the silent hum of the canyon. He simply nodded and proceeded to drive away, leaving her alone with the red dust swirling at her heels. Calaveras, huh?
The soft pads on her soles crunched the sand underneath her as she made her way down the road, this time weaving through each building looking for that sign. As she walked further down she began to hear indications of life. Laughter echoed out from balconies, the shifting of pots and pans noisily rang from within doors, and soft Spanish murmurs continuously drifted toward her. At least I’m getting closer.
Out of pure luck, she had taken an odd route and stumbled upon a path leading down a hill. She could see a familiar building nestled between two canyon walls. And near the back wall, a candy red neon skull. Gotcha! A smirk crept onto her face as she began to bubble up with excitement.
-
As soon as she entered the facility she felt right at home. Cigar smoke had filled almost the entirety of the room, giving off a sweet and earthy aroma. Flamenco music danced along the ceiling, melding harmoniously with the bar patrons’ own cante and chatter. Her eyes glanced at each member, analyzing their features for any indicators of ‘El Encantador’. His description was as follows: receding hairline, tan skin, piercing green eyes, and a biosynthetic left arm with cybernetic implant modules. A suave lady’s man, apparently.
In order to blend in with the environment, she perched herself on a bar stool. She occasionally looked across the room, sipping from her martini and clicking her nails against the counter-top as she did so. Finally. She returned her gaze to the bar, knowing very well she had gotten the man’s attention. Her eyes drooped to feign disinterest as he approached her.
“¡Saludos, bella dama! Why, what a pleasure it is to be in such a magnificent woman’s presence this fine evening!” He shifted his weight onto the bar and leaned in too close for comfort, a bright smile playing on his lips. The data was right, he did have a dazzling pair of eyes. “May I ask what a lovely lady is doing here drinking by herself?”
“Perhaps I’m waiting for a gentleman like yourself to come spark my interest.” With this, she took another drink from her cocktail, watching his reaction from the corner of her eye. This line must’ve intrigued him, as his eyebrows raised and his eyes lit up even more.
“And what might that interest be, mi hermosa?”
“Dancing.”
His tech-infused arm pushed himself off the counter and reached out toward her. “It would be an honor to dance with you,” he said as he gave her a devilish grin.
She took it and they made their way to the dance floor. On their way, she had managed to slink her lightly armored coat off and onto one of the several wooden chairs in the establishment. In her other hand, she fiddled with the micro USB drive meant to collect the necessary data on the Deadlock Gang, along with the cybernetics manufacturing information. Not only will I get this moron’s information, but I can probably turn him in for his bounty while I’m at it.
He grabbed her by the waist, his hand tightly pressed against the small of her back. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and maintained an amused smile. He spun her around a couple of times, and she could feel herself getting somewhat loose. Alcohol’s kickin’ in. The music gradually got louder and she could feel the air thickening with sweat.
As they continued to dance, she gently touched his left forearm, secretly searching for a port. In order to distract him from the insertion, she moved her face closer to his and stared longingly at his lips. “You’re doing well.”
“As are you,” he responded. Her distraction seemed to work, as his primary focus became her lips as well.
He spun her once more, this time slowly enough for her to scan the room. She had to make sure no one else was catching on.
In the far end of the bar is where she spotted him.
A man was watching her with such intensity, she began to feel quite uneasy. He sat with his elbows leaning on his thighs, hands clasped together and pressed against his lips. A large, leather cowboy hat sat atop his head, the brim of it slightly cutting over his eyes. This made it hard for her to read his expression, filling her with even more intrigue.
Suddenly, her attention returned to the dance as her partner grasped her chin and pulled her closer. She retracted, but smoothly enough for him to not take notice. His eyes were glazed over, indicating a severe case of intoxication.
He grinned at her again and spoke in a loud, uneven tone, “What is your name, my love?”
“My name?”
He gave a small nod in response, his eager eyes anxiously waiting for her’s. She swayed back and forth with him, contemplating her answer briefly.
Whether it was the multiple martinis in her system or the intimidating man watching her back, she felt the need to be a bit risque. She leaned in close, her warm cheek pressing against his while her lips brushed his earlobe. She felt her hot breath gently blow back onto her face as she let that one infamous name escape her,
“Sombra.”
His sweaty palm left her’s in an instant, and his arm fell from her waist. His bright eyes faded, and his smile flat-lined.
Shit! Gotta act fast.
She playfully tugged at his cybernetic arm, releasing the USB carefully and tucking it into her glove. “What’s wrong, mijo? You don’t like it?” She gave a menacing giggle and a crooked smirk.
He swallowed and nervously looked over her shoulder. “I’ve got somewhere to be.” He quickly darted away from her, pulling wooden chairs behind him to block her path. They screeched against the clay tile floor, tumbling into one another whilst making tremendous noise.
“Tsk Tsk. Don’t try to run away from the inevitable, mi amor!” Sombra shouted, gracefully hopping from one piece of furniture to the next. In the chaos, she had managed to swipe up her coat and throw it over her back.
He burst out of the bar’s metal entrance, stumbling up the concrete stairs as quickly as he could. She followed in close pursuit, close enough to feel the grimy fabric from his grey tank top waving violently in the wind. Almost. Her nails grazed the article of clothing, but he managed to slip away from her.
Why even bother with this tease? Just finish it already!
She lifted a translocator from her belt, throwing it into the air. It whistled as it flew above the convict, bringing it to his attention. After allowing her coat to re-attach to her spine, she clicked the metal piercing lodged in her earlobe. In response, the coat’s back-piece began blinking rapidly. Whoosh! Her body, for no more than a millisecond, contorted and transported to the location of the device she had previously thrown. Now free-falling toward her target, who was frantically looking up at her, she could feel immense elation rising within her.
“Too easy,” her voice rang out in a satisfied tone.
However, she began to notice an oblong turquoise outline forming beneath the man’s feet. Her brow furrowed with confusion. What IS that?
The man quickly began sinking into the dirt road, relief washing over his greasy face. As she came into closer proximity of the man, she could finally make out what that turquoise oval was.
No! A portal?! How?!
She soon landed with a bouncy thud, stirring up the dust around her. She watched as the top of the balding head disappeared into the desert.
“¿¡Qué chingados!?”
Her foot kicked at the ground where the man once stood. She sunk to her knees and gave the sand a final pound. Shoulders slumped in defeat, she rolled her head back to look up at the stars. Their stillness resonated with her, calming the grooves and ridges that had morphed her expression.
“Guess this means no gambling for tonight.”
She sucked in a sharp breath of fresh air and let it out with a sigh. “Might as well go get more drinks.”
-
When she returned, Calaveras’s atmosphere had strangely remained the same.
Guess they’re used to customers chasing each other down around here.
Sombra plopped herself down on the stool once more, lifting one finger and mouthing ‘gin’ at the bartender. With drink in hand, she took another gander at the people inhabiting the bar.
Her eyes locked onto the intimidating man again, except he was not occupying the chair in the back corner of the bar anymore. This time he was leaning back against his chair near the front of the saloon, smoking a cigar and sipping from a glass of whiskey. Along with him sat a busty blonde woman, whose fingers flirtatiously trailed up and down his robotic arm.
Sombra did indeed roll her eyes at this and turned away from the display, downing her gin in one go. “Another.”
-
It was around the fifth ‘Another.’ that even the bartender gave her several skeptical glances. She shrugged them off and proceeded to methodically squeeze every drop of juice in her lime slice into her drink.
“Thirsty, aren’t ‘cha?” A low and husky voice inquired behind her shoulder.
She lazily looked over at him, obviously unamused. “Dancing will do that to you…and I’ve been dancing.” Her eyes narrowed slightly, “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”
“Ah, I see you took notice of my gawking. My apologies.”
The man exuded masculinity, around a day’s worth of dirt and sweat had dried up on his face. A long nose jutted from his ferocious brow, reaffirming her feelings of intimidation once again. Underneath those brows were dark, ochre eyes that continually swept across her face as he spoke. His square jaw line was framed with a scruffy beard, and messy chin-length hair had been tucked behind his ears. He was undeniably fit, his button-down shirt exposing a set of broad shoulders. He would be considered handsome in most parts of the world. But what’s with the cowboy getup?
“Look, it’s been a long day. I really don’t-”
“Now I’m not over here tryna butter you up, sweetcakes. I’ve been beckoned by….somebody,” He quickly glanced over at the bartender, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “They think it best you call it a night, get some rest.”
Sombra looked up at the bartender, raising one eyebrow at him. “Really?” The poor bartender’s gaze shifted between the two, worry spreading across his forehead as she continued to glare at him.
“Been a long day hasn’t it? Maybe it’s for the best.”
She let out a sigh and nodded. “Fair enough.” She swiveled her stool around, facing the exit. Swinging her legs out and down, she was able to push herself off the creaky thing.
“I’ll escort you to your car.”
Shortly after finishing her last drink, however, did she remember the busty blonde he was with. Her eyes peered over his shoulder to see the lady socializing with a few other men. “But weren’t you a bit busy?”
He followed her eyes over to the voluptuous woman. “Her?” He let out a small, deep chuckle and faced her again. “Nah, I was on my way out before she got in the first word. She’ll do well without me.”
“Not your type?”
He held onto his response for a brief moment, his lips twisting partially into a smile. “Guess not.”
The rough-looking man took one more puff from his cigar and then abandoned it in an ashtray. “Shall we get goin’, then?” he asked as he wove his way through numerous tables, not even waiting for her answer.
Just as Sombra was about to protest this act of chivalry, she spotted a gaggle of gang members lingering just outside the bar. They seemed like a disorderly bunch, shoving each other and hollering into the sky. My reaction time is somewhat slow. It’d be better if I wasn’t alone.
“Yeah, sure.” Her reply is quite delayed, but he didn’t seem concerned. She followed him closely toward the exit, watching with caution as they approached it. She could feel the man’s hand reach for her back. She arched it slightly, avoiding his touch. I don’t need him accidentally feeling my implants. He didn’t force contact, yet instead kept his palm hovering there out of courtesy.
“So what’s your name, cowboy?”
“Jesse.”
They exited the bar, and the once rowdy gang shuffled away from them in complete silence. She tried to make eye contact with at least one of the members, but they all conveniently looked elsewhere. Her brows knitted together, perplexed by the weird behavior. Why the sudden change? Do they know him? Are they afraid of him?
“And what about you?”
Her attention snapped back to Jesse and her skepticism gradually faded. “Huh? Oh. Selina.” She folded her arms across her chest, looking over at him with a confident grin. That phony name is convincing, right?
“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet ya, Selina.” He tipped his hat in her direction and proceeded down the windy road. His leather soles scraped against the rigid gravel, providing a remarkably soothing sound to the rather empty air.
“Likewise.”
“So that fella you were dancing with,” His pace slowed as he reached into his back pocket, pulling out a leather case that held two unlit cigars in it. His gloved hand took one out, while his robotic one returned the case to its pocket. His robotic thumb then pressed a button on the side of his middle finger. A small, hooked knife quickly slid out from underneath it. He placed one end of the cigar into the hook and clenched his fist. Opening his fist again, the short cigar end dropped from it and rolled down the hill behind them.
“Yeah?” Her purple irises were now completely focused on his hands, concentrating on his subtle movements.
He placed the freshly cut cigar in his mouth and glanced over at her, curiosity plaguing his eyes. Raising his robotic hand to his mouth, he flicked his thumb with the side of his index finger. The second joint in his thumb locked, revealing a tiny compartment where a flame had arisen. She watched it move wildly in the night breeze, its amber dance enchanting her momentarily.
“Whadd’ you say that made him run for the hills that fast?” He held the flame against the cigar, which crackled under the heat, until it’s end burned a deep red glow.
An evil grin manifested onto her lips, as the recent memory of El Encantador’s reaction flashed behind her eyes. “Guess I shouldn’t have said I wanted to settle down and have twelve kids with him, huh?”
This made him give out another lovely chuckle, and Sombra looked up at him just in time to see a cloud of smoke escape his lips. It floated into the space between them, gently brushing her nose with its sweet scent and then dissolving into the darkness of the night.
They continued down the road in silence, listening to the crickets chirp an eerily kindred tune. Without saying a word, the cowboy peeled off his crimson poncho and draped it over her shoulders. I’m not even cold?
However, this thoughtful action had given her a great amount of comfort.
She had meant to thank him, but she enjoyed the silence too much to ruin it.
-
Ten more minutes passed before Jesse spoke up again. “Although I’m thoroughly enjoying this walk with you, dear,” He looked over at her with a surprisingly gentle gaze and continued,”It’d probably be best if you told me where your car was parked.”
She came to an abrupt stop, realizing she probably should’ve mentioned her transportation situation earlier. We walked all this way for me to end up having to call a cab. “Well, you see…the problem with that is,” She looked around at the various cars parked haphazardly on the sides of the road. “I don’t actually have a car.”
He looked back at her, unperturbed. “Figured as much.” He suddenly made a sharp left turn, reaching into his front pocket for something, and quickening his pace.
She scoffed, taken aback, “What is THAT suppose to mean?!” Her nicked brows pushed against each other as her eyes burned lasers into his back. However, the more distance that grew between them, the more irritated she began to feel. Is this douche really just leaving me with that?
Dissatisfied, she decided to follow him, readying her defenses with an arsenal full of insults. She trailed a couple of yards behind, their footsteps eventually resonating in unison. -…And I’m sure you’ve had sex with nothing but those ridiculous boots on!
Her scowl dissipated as soon as she saw it.
A 1953 Indian Chief.
“No. Way.” Subconsciously, her legs had rushed over to its side. She encircled the vintage motorcycle, examining every facet of it with great fascination.
He jingled a pair of keys in the air. “You betcha’.”
“Crime pays well I see!” She let out an envious chuckle, squatting down next to its back tire for a closer look. Her index finger glided against one of its spokes, and it sent a shiver down her artificial spine. She looked up at Jesse, absolutely beaming.
For a split second his expression turned cold, almost cold enough to make her curious. Yet, the beautiful, black bike had stolen the spotlight. Even under the moonlight, it’s chrome accents glistened with such fervor she began to sweat.
“Damn right it does. So, you wanna ride? Or are ya gonna stare at ‘er like that ‘til dawn?” He dropped the rest of what remained of his cigar and squashed it into the ground with the tip of his boot.
After rising up from the floor, she rested her right palm against her hip. “A free ride, right?” With one eyebrow raised, her distrust of his intentions was very clear.
“Of course. Not that kinda man, sweetheart.” He swung his leg over the bike as if he were mounting a mechanical mustango, his spurs clinking against the sheet metal. “Now hop on.”
Obediently, she jumped onto the small edge of seat left behind him. “How noble of you, vaquero.”
“Now Selina…..before we head out, I’m gonna need you to give me a location.”
She rolled her eyes and quickly waved her left hand next to his shoulder, producing a fuchsia holographic display in an instant. The display showed a map with a nearby GPS location, about a 30-minute drive. “Here.” An old friend’s place. Very discrete. Hopefully not that retraceable if ever he were to come looking for me.
“Can do.”
Her arms naturally slid around his waist as she eagerly anticipated the powerful roar of the V-twin engine. She could feel the tendons in his back move when he turned the accelerator. As he did so, he pushed his key further inward. The motorcycle hissed at first, then began to purr as if it were finally awake. After releasing the clutch, they were off. It raced down the bumpy dirt roads, kicking up debris and dust behind it.
The road eventually led out of the canyon walls, leading them up onto a dimly-lit freeway with desolate plains lining each side.
The only sound for the next few miles was that of the bike’s constant humming. She rested her chin lightly on his left shoulder blade, closing her eyes and listening to its white noise. Her awareness of the passage of time slowly faded away, and she reveled in that peaceful ignorance for just a moment.
The bike eventually merged onto an exit, causing her to open her eyes. As they exited the freeway, they approached an intersection. Currently stopped at the light, Jesse sought another opportunity to speak.
“What were you doin’ in a place like Calaveras?”
She lifted her chin from his back, tilting her head so she could see his profile.
“Do I not look like the dangerous type to you?” The redness of the stoplight enveloped both of their faces, tinting their skin and eyes with electric fire.
“No, no,” he chuckled to himself. “It’s not that. You just seem….different than most of those folk.” He paused, giving his words some more thought. “Too clever for that lot.”
“Well, I like to take advantage of those kinds of people.” Her voice was certain, yet she felt a bit of joy from his praise. “But wouldn’t that ‘lot’ include you, cowboy?”
“Exactly.”
Awkward silence stagnated between the pair. She had become startled by his pointedness, and how his observation was impacting her. He had commended the first aspect of herself that she took pride in: her intelligence.
“It’s McCree.” He lifted his leather hat from his crown, proceeding to ruffle his locks with his gloved hand. After swiping a few strands behind his ears again, he set the hat back in its rightful place.
“Huh?” Still recovering from his compliment, she blinked away her daze and gave him a quizzical look.
“My full name. Jesse McCree.”
“Oh.” She repeated the peculiar name in her head, wondering if she had any recollection of it before. She then quickly became mindful of how trusting he was being. Mutual respect had been implicitly exchanged between them, and she felt no anxiety over sharing her true identity anymore.
“I’m Sombra. Just Sombra.” She fidgeted in her seat and avoided his eyes by looking out onto the asphalt. There was a herd of hover-cars zooming across her view, their blurry headlights distorting her focus.
“I see… so you are quite different.” The light briskly switched to a vibrant green, allowing him to accelerate once again. Traffic and gusts of wind whirled around their figures, pulling their fabric and hair in various directions. She grasped the collar of the poncho that had been draped over her, making sure it didn’t fly off.
She spoke softly, letting the powerful wind consume her words, “I’m also not real.”
Surely, he hadn’t heard her.
-
They finally made their way into the city. The roads became narrower and warped due to the congestion of colorful houses packed against each other.
The bike turned down a dark alleyway. We’re here.
It reached a tiny apartment duplex, the entrance worn from the windy weather. The paint had almost completely chipped from the metal doorway and the stone steps were layered in sand.
“Uh, thank you for the ride. You’ve been very generous.” she said, lifting over the bike as she got off.
“Always there when a dame needs a helping hand.” he shrugged, leaning back slightly with his hands resting on the seat in front of him. He watched her walk backwards, putting distance between them as she did.
“Hah! Always? Don’t make promises you can’t keep, McCree.” She turned away from him entirely, sliding the poncho from her shoulders. She was smiling, permitting flirtatious thoughts to stir up inside her. She tossed the red material in his direction, knowing very well he’d catch it.
“It seems you don’t really need all that much help anyway.” She could feel his smiling eyes on her back as she reached the first step. “But, I’ll be here so don’t get shy on me.” He fiddled with the warm fabric in his hands.
“Will do.” She raised her right hand, extending two fingers out, signifying a ‘goodbye’.
She had her fingers on the door handle when he added,“Oh by the way,” Her eyes looked over her shoulder, meeting his.
A smug grin manifested along his lips as he spoke, “El Encantador doesn’t exist. Never did.” His metal arm revved the Chief’s engine, causing it to growl viciously at her. “Apologies if it wasted your time.”
His poncho had remarkably strung itself across his back again, taking her place. He lowered his face, his hat suddenly covering his eyes from her. A dark shadow casted over it, reminding her of the moment she first saw him.
“I guess it wasn’t a complete waste of my time.” she stated coolly.
He gave her a short chuckle and responded, “I’ll see you around then, darlin’.”
“Maybe.” Her mouth curved into an amused smirk.
That’s when he took off, turning around and riding off into the direction from whence he came.
She extracted the micro USB from her glove, and inspected the now useless, little device. She studied it for a few seconds then lifted her view back to the alleyway, seeing his figure disappear behind a corner.
Did I just get played by a fool in cowboy boots?
“Well that’s new.”
END.
#mcsombra#mccree#sombra#overwatch#overwatch ships#ships#overwatch fanfic#fanfiction#ow fanfic#fanfic#border patrol#my writing#writing
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Buprenorphine Effective in Treating Addiction in HIV Patients
Since the start, drug abuse and dependancy are carefully connected to HIV/AIDS because of the reality that substance abusers are at an accelerated hazard of contracting and transmitting the lethal virus. Although intravenous management of medicine will increase Personal Training Miami the threat of contracting HIV, it is able to additionally be easily unfold via drinking, smoking, consuming or breathing in pills along with marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and many others.
In addition to increasing the chance of HIV transmission, pills can alternate the manner the brain works because its extended use can adjust the brain features in essential and lengthy-lasting ways. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), intravenous use of medicine is a primary threat aspect for HIV within the United States. A new have a look at discovered that on integrating addiction treatment with primary take care of sufferers with or at danger for HIV, the patients' dependence on substance reduced.
Study
To lower patients' substance dependence and facilitate their engagement within the treatment plan, the Boston Medical Center (BMC) evolved a software that integrates dependancy remedy into primary care for sufferers on the danger of developing HIV. The findings of the take a look best personal training miami at have been published within the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment in 2015.
The researchers discovered 265 members who were drug structured for at the least three hundred and sixty five days and had been at a excessive danger of contracting HIV for the duration of the length from February 1, 2008 to March 31, 2012. The excessive-hazard participants had been discovered to be engaged in intravenous use of drugs inside the preceding 30 days or had a high chance of growing the disease via their HIV-inflamed partners.
As part of the treatment plan, every player turned into provided a multidisciplinary evaluation through a number one care physician, with each session including assessments of things including substance abuse and melancholy. During the course of the program, the participants have been supplied get entry to to counselling sessions related to dependancy, HIV danger discount and overdose prevention. A few sufferers have been also given a prescription for buprenorphine to help combat opioid addiction.
Surprisingly, on the stop of six months, the researchers located that the substance dependence dropped to 49 percent inside the members, with sixty four percentage making two visits within the first 14 days and greater visits inside the subsequent 30 days. Interestingly sufficient, the medicine - buprenorphine - was diagnosed as the driving force in the back of sufferers who took up the remedy to keep off addiction, whilst folks that have been hooked on substance were observed to suffer excessive bouts of despair.
"We realize that this affected person populace regularly seeks care in emergency rooms in which they see physicians who might not recognize their clinical records," stated Alexander Walley, M.D., attending doctor in general inner remedy at BMC and the lead author of the study. "As a result, unhealthy drug and alcohol use regularly is going unaddressed. Our version objectives to combine proof-based addiction treatment into number one care," he stated.
"Given melancholy's affiliation with unfavourable fitness outcomes on this affected person populace, inclusive of mental fitness treatment in number one care holds ability to improve dependancy miami personal training remedy outcomes," Walley stated. "Understanding the behaviors of these patients and figuring out which organization is much more likely to have interaction in addiction treatment will assist us target, tailor, and improve our efforts shifting ahead."
Making assist to be had
It isn't clean to fight the vicious cycle of addiction, restoration and relapse. If you or your loved one is scuffling with addiction, you may name any detox helpline to your vicinity.
All Of Your College Questions Answered Here
Can you consider you'll college? This article is jam packed with useful recommendation you may utilize to assist enrich your university revel in. Pay attention as you examine the facts underneath.
Eat healthful. The freshman fifteen kilos isn't urban legend. Try to stay privy to the ingredients you're consuming frequently. Tesol Certification Avoid consuming too much junk meals and fast food. It is cheap and quick, however does not come up with the energy an amazing meal does.
Spend all of the time you could studying every day. The extra your willpower to reading, the more advantages you are sure to attain. It is ok to socialize, however deal with university as though it had been a process. If you do nicely along with your college profession, you may expect a happier and greater pleasing life.
Familiarize yourself together with your time table and wherein your lessons are before the primary day of college. Figure out how many minutes or hours you may need to make it each magnificence to the subsequent and plan hence. Locate one of a kind places in your campus so that you can emerge as familiar rapid.
When it involves succeeding in college, there are numerous influential factors. In truth, even your desire of seat can make a distinction. Rather than going to class late, and sitting inside the again not noted, get to elegance on time and sit down on the the front. You will be capable of listen and ask the professor about any questions you may have.
You have to use the health club on campus; it is loose. At the gym you'll now not best meet new people, however you will additionally live healthful. Many schools also have gyms for his or her students.
During the first semester, take no less than one standard ed elegance so that you can put it in the back of you. If there are classes that must be taken with a view to graduate, paintings on knocking those out early to make room for more enjoyable coursework. If anything, you may wish to avoid becoming a senior sitting in a path containing specifically newcomers.
When your instructions begin, you have to get acquainted along with your instructors. Keep their touch facts and office locations in an smooth to get admission to vicinity. It is vital which you meet your professors and end up familiar with them so that they can help.
To keep money and time, use the college's bus machine. Tesol Certification You might also find that it doesn't truely take that plenty longer to get to highschool by way of bus. You save time due to the fact you are not seeking out parking. You'll also keep on fuel and parking passes. It's environmentally pleasant, too.
Create a time table and carve out each day time to head over your classes. It is straightforward to become distracted whilst attending college, however it is possible to set aside a few important have a look at time. You want to spend as a minimum multiple hours an afternoon to capture up to your studies and perform a little research. Always stick to your analyzing schedule. That manner, it becomes a addiction.
Think about how wonderful you'll feel as Tesol Certification you stroll throughout that level with your diploma in hand. Use that photo as motivation and put together yourself to be triumphant past your wildest desires. Remember the massive photograph and work hard until you graduate!
From Designer To Aficionado, Turn Your Fashion Knowledge Into Success
Fashion can be tough to get a handle on. It's sometimes very overwhelming. With the right resources you're good to go. Tribal Tattoos Think about the good ideas in the following article to help improve your fashion life.
You should not purchase an item of closing just because it is on sale at a great price. Remember, no dress or other clothing item out there is ever worth purchasing unless it fits your fashion sense perfectly and accentuates your body. You'll end up donating it and that's just flushing cash down the toilet.
Black and white is a classic combination that is popular again this season. You are likely to see many folks wearing this combination. You can simply get this look; for example, you can wear black pants with a white top, or a white and black dress. When it comes to these shades, you'll never go wrong.
Do not strive for perfection in fashion. There is no perfect sense of fashion, just opinions. If you focus on perfection, you lose the freedom to be yourself. Celebrities such as Kate Moss also have flaws, so do not think you always have to be perfect.
When you travel, bring lots of neutral clothing that you can interchange. You can put together several different outfits with only a few pieces if you keep the color palette neutral. Use belts and scarves as accessories to help you appear pulled-together.
Many are under the impression that fashion only pertains to clothes. Your hair also plays a huge role in the way you look. Taking the time to find the right hair products for your hair will help ensure that the quality of your hair style keeps pace with your fashion sense.
Keep an eye out for the sizes of clothes. Always try on clothes before you purchase them. Sizes aren't just based on set measurements anymore. In fact, different brands have different sizing. If you buy clothes online, use their size chart. Also make sure that all of the clothing you buy can be returned.
Is it time to update you jeans? There are numerous styles and sizes to choose from upon entering a store. It may seem completely daunting. Go with classic styles like straight leg or boot cut jeans. These styles look great on nearly anyone and are well worth the money.
Achieve the look of full lips by lining the outer edges with a pencil, and smudging the edges of the line inward with the tip of a makeup sponge. After this process is complete, use gloss to emphasize the lips. Finish off by emphasizing your upper lip with extra gloss towards the center to achieve a pouty look. You can also use eye shadow to highlight your lips. Give a small smudge on both lips, right in the middle.
Adding volume to your hair can actually hurt it and make it become damaged. You should not style your hair with different textures. This will only make it look like you were not able to make a decision.
Find clothes that suit you. If you have great legs, show them off with an appropriate dress. Show those legs off with some great high heels and a modestly-cut skirt to look great. Use your assets to your best advantage.
Sell or trade old clothes to save money on fashions. Either donate your old clothes or sell them. The great thing about most consignment shops is that you can either get money for your clothes or trade them in for items that they sell in the store.
Bleach is essential for individuals who own wardrobes that are full of white. However, too much bleach can leave clothing looking yellowed so follow the use instructions carefully.
If you want to identify the colors that specifically flatter you, schedule an appointment with a color consultation professional. Colors look different based on skin tone, eye color and even hair. You can dress your best when you know the colors that really flatter your physique the most.
If you have an oily complexion, it may be due to a hormone imbalance. Your body's hormones can get out of balance when you are suffering stress. Try relaxing therapy to control your hormone levels and therefore control the oil production of your skin and hair.
Don't wear outdated glasses. By updating your eyeglasses, you can use them as an accessory. If you require glasses, it can be another way to show your fashion tastes. Try on different styles to find one that makes you look great.
There are lots of ways to interpret fashion, and there is no single right or wrong answer. Look to what makes you comfortable. Just about anything you put on can be trendy if you wear it the right way. Keep these tips in mind going forward.
Information That Will Help You With Arts And Crafts
Arts and crafts are enjoyed by people of all background around the world. Not only will it keep you busy, Pallet Projects but it can give you a sense of accomplishment. But, to really succeed at becoming an arts and crafts expert, you need to do your research. Here are some tips to help.
If you are into arts and crafts projects, make sure that you set aside some materials for yourself before allowing your children to have free rein. Parents who love crafts are very likely to micromanage what their children do. This likelihood is reduced if you know you will be doing a project of your own later.
Do not make the mistake of believing that you have to pay a lot of money for arts and craft supplies. Try using old scrap materials you have at home for your next project. Things like old cloth, bottle caps and paper bags have all been used to create masterpieces.
M&J Trim offers sewing enthusiasts a place to find quality trim and buttons at an affordable price. Their selection of buttons is second to none. You can find anything you need for your sewing projects and M&J Trim. Additionally, they offer one of the largest varieties of trim to finish all of your sewing projects.
Do not make the mistake of only looking in art supply stores for all of the materials you might need. Places like discount and factory closeout stores are great places to find materials at low prices. You may not be able to find everything you need, but you may find a lot of the basics there.
Consider opening up your own shop online, if you are particularly clever with arts and crafts. Many merchants are making considerable earnings by selling their works online, and so can you. A place like Etsy will allow you to sign up for free, and after that it's just between you and your customers; offer your most unique designs up first, and take it from there!
Spirographs are a great way to teach children about patterns in drawing. This is a fun way to entertain kids while teaching them about physics.
Don't get to set on examples of final products with arts and crafts. If you're doing this with kids, let them express themselves. Let them have room to have fun. If they feel like they have to do it perfectly or meet some kind of expectation, you're defeating the entire purpose.
If you're creating arts and crafts for a sale or a give-away, map out the project you are considering first. When you need to make dozens of the same items, it's important to understand the costs of each and the time you'll need to make each one. Otherwise, you could end up with some very late nights and an empty wallet!
Begin a quilting circle in your community. In years past, there were many quilting circles across the country. However, this lost art is dying. You can help revamp the quilt revolution by beginning a quilting circle with your friends. You will learn to make a beautiful quilt that can be passed down through the generations.
Do not overspend on arts and crafts supplies. You might be tempted to purchase more supplies than you need because of low prices or might purchase supplies without really knowing what you will do with them. You should start by making a list of everything you need for a project and purchase only the supplies you need.
Make sure you're using the best adhesive materials for the job. The same old tube of glue won't work for everything. Rubber cement or a spray on adhesive might work better. Pay attention to what you are using and find out what works best on it. You don't want your projects to fall apart.
When using natural materials you gathered from outside for your arts and crafts project, put them in a zipper bag. Then, place the bag in your freezer for about two days. Doing this will kill any bugs or other critters that may have been attached to these natural materials.
To entertain young guests at a fun summer party, have each of them bring a watermelon. You provide the permanent markers and the paint, and then show them how to turn that watermelon into a head. Have them paint the facial features on, and have some old carpet squares on hand to glue into place for the hair.
Join online forums for the kind of arts and crafts you're doing. This is a smart way to get pointers on projects, suggestions for where to buy supplies and to make friendships. This can help you improve your skills as well, since suggestions from pros can give you the help you need.
As this article already discussed, people from all areas of life enjoy arts and craft. After all, who does not like the feeling of doing something fun while also accomplishing something at the same time. By putting the tips above to good use, you will see why arts and crafts is so much fun.
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