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callmeagardengnome · 5 days

Text

𐙚 ink my heart 𐙚 - chapter 3

w.c. - 3.9k

pairings - idol! lee dong-hyuck x tattoo artist! fem! reader x idol! mark lee

genre - romance, strangers to friends to ?

synopsis: being a tired university student with no interest in life was something you were satisfied with until you unexpectedly become friends with an idol.. but what if it becomes more?

not proofread!

previous / next masterlist

Compared to the vibrant night you had last month, your days have been pretty bland and dull. As per usual, you have been very busy with work and classes - which meant that you had no time to reach out to both Haechan and Mark.

With school break approaching, you find yourself being more excited than before. This could be the chance to catch up with the both of them. However, you find yourself worrying about whether they have time. Do they have a break too?

Haechan and Mark never mentioned what they did for a living. To be fair, you didn’t ask. You initially guessed they were university students because of their age, but their hectic and random schedules made you think otherwise. Either way, you were anxious that you might have to spend your second break alone.

You stared at the newly bought groceries on your kitchen counter. You finally got your pay-check from your boss, which allowed you to replenish your empty fridge and pantry.

As you put your fresh groceries into the fridge, your phone started to ring violently on the other side of the room. You reached over your couch to grab your phone before answering, “Hello?”

“Ahh.. ‘____’,” you heard your boss, Mr Park, sigh on the other side of the screen. “I’m going to need you to come in, I have a very important client that needs a tattoo right now.”

“Huh?” you blurted as you sunk slowly into your couch. “Right now? That’s so sudden and I can’t get there that fast..”

“I don’t care- just be there NOW,” he yelled before hanging up the phone.

The whole interaction was added to your list of reasons of why you hated your boss. Even though he paid you decently,(especially since you’re a part-timer), he seemed to take you for granted and called you in whenever he pleased. As annoying as it was, he did pay you extra money.

With that, you rushed to put your final groceries away and headed out the door.

The figure of a tall man leaning against your studio wall became clearer and clearer as you jogged towards your workplace. As you got closer, he quickly put out the cigarette that he was smoking.

“Hey uh- thanks for waiting, I wasn’t expecting a client today,” you panted as you fumbled with the keys of the studio.

“It’s okay, sorry for the short notice,” The man replied understandably.

You managed to open the door, letting the both of you inside the dark studio.

“You can sit over there,” you said, pointing towards the tattoo chair.

As he took a seat, you switched on the lights, illuminating the room with a soft glow. You glanced at him, noticing the tired and fatigued look in his eyes.

“So.. what are we doing today..?” you asked as you tried to shake off your exhaustion from the rushed morning.

He paused, “I’m not too sure.. I saw what you did for my friend and I wanted something with a similar style..”

You nodded while preparing your sketchbook. “Who’s your friend?”

He muttered, “Taeyong.”

“Really? The one with the white hair?” you asked curiously.

He gave a small nod before you asked again, “Oh so do you know the guys he was with?”

“Yeah..” he mumbled as he scrolled through his phone for tattoo ideas.

The thought of Haechan and Mark being friends with this man made you want to ask more, but you resisted the urge as he seemed uninterested. The both of you started to discuss ideas for the tattoo. Once you were done sketching, you printed out the stencil for the design.

You wouldn’t describe the silence between the two of you as ‘comfortable’. It felt as though the both of you were carefully treading the conversation, trying to find a common ground.

You placed the stencil on his skin, “What’s your name, by the way?”

“Johnny,” he said as he grabbed his phone that was over on the table. “The guys were talking about you so I thought I should check the place out.”

They talked about you? You felt your cheeks getting warm at the thought of that. “Oh.. What did they say?” you asked, trying to sound casual as you adjusted the stencil.

Johnny chuckled, “Just that you were ‘crazyy’ talented and cool.”

You smiled, feeling a mix of pride and embarrassment, “I’m glad they think so. Ready to get started?”

He nodded, putting his phone away. “Let’s do it.”

The familiar buzz of the tattoo gun filled the room. As you worked, the both of you engaged in a light chat, breaking the silence.

“How did you get into tattooing?” Johnny asked, his voice steady despite the needle his skin.

“I kinda just needed a job,” you answered sheepishly. “I always liked art and I wanted to pay off my student loans. It just seemed like a good way to earn money.”

He winced slightly as you moved the needle to a more sensitive area. “That’s cool. Not a lot of people do what they like for a living.”

“Yeah, I guess I’m lucky…” you admitted. “What about you? What do you do?”

Johnny hesitated for a moment before shrugging, “I’m in the entertainment industry. It can get pretty hectic sometimes.”

You raised an eyebrow, “Entertainment industry? Like music or acting..?”

“Music,” he replied, keeping his tone modest.

“WOAH- that’s actually so cool,” you remarked, being genuinely impressed. “It must be really stressful though..”

“It is,” Johnny agreed. “But it’s worth it.”

As you continued working on his tattoo, the conversation flowed naturally as he asked more about your work. You heard his phone ringing just as you were about to start colouring the tattoo. Johnny muttered a ‘FaceTime…?’ before answering.

“Dude- where are you?” You heard Mark’s voice coming from the speaker.

“Didn’t I tell you guys I was gonna get a tattoo?” Johnny replied, confused. “I’m at that girl’s studio, the one you guys talked about..?”

There was a brief pause before he responded, “Wait, wha-“

“No way! Hyung, you’re with her right now?,” Haechan interjected, his face appearing on the screen beside Mark’s. “Can I say hi?”

“I mean you’re on speaker so..” Johnny mentioned as Haechan stole Mark’s phone.

“Hey ‘____’!” Haechan said excitedly while running. “Sorry I haven’t reached out in a while, I’ve been pretty busy.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve been busy too,” you smiled at the screen, looking at the chaos unfolding in front of you. “How have you guys been?”

The call lagged slightly, before the sight of Haechan and Mark fighting for the phone appeared. “Dude- back off,” Mark said as he pushed Haechan aside. “We’ve been good, how about you?”

“I’m alright, just working you know?” you replied. “Actually, my school break starts soon..”

“Really?” Mark’s face lit up. “How long is your break?”

“About 3 months,” you replied while shrugging.

Haechan snatched the phone from Mark’s hands before adding on, “We should definitely hang out, it’s been too long.”

Mark nodded in agreement, “Yeah.. do you have any plans yet..?”

“Not really,” you chuckled. “It’d be cool to meet up again.”

“Why wouldn’t it be,” Haechan grinned playfully as Mark nudged him. “I’m pretty awesome.”

Mark rolled his eyes but smiled, “Shut up dude.”

“Guys, my battery is low,” Johnny interrupted as he checked his phone. “I need to end the call soon.”

Haechan’s face fell slightly, “Come on Johnny, charge your phone..”

Mark laughed, “It’s okay, we can plan something later.”

You nodded, feeling excited at the idea of seeing them again. “I’ll text you guys once I have my work schedule sorted out.”

“Sounds good,” Mark said, his voice warm. “I hope we can hangout soon.”

You felt a flutter in your chest. “Of course! See you guys soon..”

The call ended and the screen went dark. Johnny looked at you and gave a sly grin, “You must have made quite an impression.”

A blush crept up your neck, spreading to your face. “I guess so,” you replied. “They’re really nice..”

“Nice?” Johnny leaned back slightly. “They literally just fought.”

You laughed, “Yeah, it was kind of funny though.”

“Sure..” Johnny trailed off. “It’s good to see them excited though, they need more actual friends.”

Actual friends? You didn’t know what he meant by that but you brushed off the odd comment. You passed him a charger that you found in one of the drawers and continued to work on the tattoo - the conversation flowing with the initial awkwardness dissipating.

“All done,” you announced, bringing a mirror closer to Johnny.

Johnny looked at the reflection with amazement. “They were right, you are really good at this.”

“Thanks..” you said, appreciating his words. “Do you mind leaving a review? It would help us a lot.”

“Of course, don’t worry,” he replied as he started to take photos of the tattoo.

After settling the payment and exchanging a few words, he headed towards the door. He gave you a small wave before stepping out into the evening.

The studio’s bell chimed softly as the door closed behind him. With a sigh, you began cleaning and tidying up the studio. Once everything was in order, you turned off the lights and flipped the sign on the door to ‘CLOSED’.

You felt the bitter coffee go down your throat as you sat in the lecture hall. The white fluorescent lights acting as a harsh reminder of your mundane routine. It’s finally the last day of class and you felt your stomach bubbling with excitement just thinking about your break.

You didn’t want to get your hopes up - again the three of you are usually busy, but you couldn’t help yourself. The possibility of seeing Haechan and Mark again made it hard to focus on your lecture.

As the clocked ticked closer to the end of the class, you went over your plans for the break. Maybe you could go to new places or pick up a hobby..

When the lecture ended, you gathered your things with a burst of energy. You decided to send a text to Haechan:

@‘____’ hey! my class just ended.. school break is finally here !!

You slid your phone into your pocket before heading out the door.

As you sat on the familiar train, you sketched various figures and shapes into your notebook. The clatter of the tracks added to the noise of people chatting. Suddenly, you felt your phone buzz in your pocket.

You paused your drawing and reached for your phone, glancing at the screen.

@dong-hyukkkk OMG That’s really good timing cuz We wanted to go to our fave bar later.. Wanna join?

A smile spread across your face as you quickly typed back,

@‘____’ of course! i’m not a drinker :/ but i would love to hangout!

@dong-hyuckkkk Dont worry about it Plus they have some cool games so let’s do that :p

@‘____’ text me the address can’t wait to see you guys!

@dong-hyukkkk See you later :)

A wave of excitement washed over you as you returned back to your sketchbook. Maybe your break would actually be fun after all.

You’ve never been more stressed about what to wear in your life. It’s not that you wanted to ‘impress’ them (though that would be nice), you just didn’t want to come across as sloppy.

You’ve never been to a bar before. You have no idea what to expect or wear. Why did you even agree to this? The anxiety gnawed at you as you rummaged through your closet. Should you go casual? Comfortable? Formal?

You settled on cropped baggy shirt with jeans and a chunky belt. While it was comfortable, you hoped that it struck a balance between comfort and casual.

You started to apply your makeup, drawing a baby winged liner. You even applied your boldest lipstick shade - a muted red.

Taking a deep breath, you gave yourself one last look in the mirror. A knot of uneasiness twisted in your stomach. You shook off the nerves before grabbing your purse and headed out the door, into the fun night ahead.

Is this right? You looked at the address that Haechan sent you a while ago. It led you quaint bar, one that was not bustling with people. You weren’t sure what you were expecting, but a bar with a quiet, almost cozy atmosphere wasn’t it.

The murmurs of conversation and the low hum of music that greeted you felt strangely intimate, contrasting the loud and rowdy image you had of a bar. You scanned the room as you tried to look for familiar faces in the dim lighting.

“Over here!” You saw Haechan wave at you vigorously as he stood up. You weaved through the scattered tables and settled into the booth where Haechan and Mark were sitting in.

“You made it!” Heachan said, pulling you into a quick hug. “We were wondering if you got lost.”

“Almost did,” you laughed, trying to shake off your anxiety. “I’ve never been to a bar before.. so this is all new to me.”

“Really?” Mark exclaimed, sounding genuinely surprised. “I don’t know why- but I always thought uni students went to bars.”

“Maybe they do,” you replied while shrugging. “I don’t really have the time though.”

Mark said reassuringly, “Don’t worry, we’ll make sure you have fun.”

You nodded, feeling a bit more at ease as you glanced around the bar. “What are you guys going to get?”

They looked at each other briefly before Mark answered, “He’s getting Soju.. but I’ll probably take Sprite since I’m driving.”

“Oh yeah, you don’t drink right?” Haechan asked as he turned to you.

“Yeah.. I’m not a fan of the taste,” you replied, smiling nervously. “I think I’ll just get water or somethi-“

“Wait- this place has the best milkshakes, you should get those,” Haechan intercepted.

“Milkshakes..?” you echoed.

“Yeah, it’s one of their specialties,” Mark added on. Haechan stood up, starting to lead you over to the bar, “Come on, let’s pick one.”

As the both of you approached the bar, you looked at the menu overhead. A variety of drink types and milkshake flavours displayed proudly on it.

“What’s your favourite flavour?” Haechan asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

“Um.. chocolate is nice..?” you admitted, feeling slightly embarrassed at your ‘basic’ choice.

“Ooo.. they do have that,” he said as he pointed to the menu. “I recommend trying the chocolate peanut butter shake though, it’s like dessert in a glass.”

“That does sound really good,” you said, feeling excited about the drink.

Haechan grinned, signalling the bartender. “One chocolate peanut butter milkshake, one Sprite and one bottle of Soju please.” The bartender nodded and began preparing the drinks.

“You’re going to love this,” Haechan stated confidently. “Our friends found this place a few years back and it’s been our go-to.”

“I see why..” you said as you looked around.

There was a small pause before Haechan commented, “I know I keep saying this, but I can’t get over your tattoos.. they look really cool on you.”

Your cheeks flushed suddenly as you heard his words. Your tried to find a way to respond without sounding too eager.

“You think so?” A nervous laugh escaped you, betraying your flustered state.

“Yeah I’m not blind,” he smirked with a playful glint.

“Thanks..” you looked away and fiddled with the edge of your sleeve.

When the drinks were done, you pulled out the cash you had in your purse and tried to give it to the bartender.

“Woah- what’s this for?” he asked, confused.

“I wanted to pay for the drinks..?” you explained, being as confused as him.

Haechan gently pushed your hand back, “Nonono, it’s my treat.”

“But-“

“I invited you out remember? Let me pay for it,” he said firmly, pulling out his wallet and handed his card over.

“Oh, thank you so much..” you stammered, your voice tinged with nervousness. You collected the drinks and started to walk towards the booth, trying to avoid Haechan’s eyes.

The night was filled with laughter and chatter, something you haven’t had in a while.

“I can’t get over how good this tastes,” you said before taking another sip of the milkshake.

“Told you,” Haechan said with a smug grin.

Mark took a sip of his drink, then asked, “How have you been so far?”

You sighed as the weight of the past few weeks dawned on you. “Stressed… finals just ended a while back and I’m getting my results soon.”

Haechan leaned back, looking sympathetic. “Yikes.. that’s rough. At least you have a break now..?”

“True..” you said. “What have you guys been up to?”

There was a slight hesitation as Mark answered, “Well, we’ve been pretty busy with work stuff.. our schedule is kind of a mess.”

Haechan made a sound of agreement, “Yeah it’s been really hectic.”

“Wait, you guys work together?” you asked, your interest piquing. “What do you guys do?”

As they were about to answer, a worker approached the three of you, “Hey guys, the kitchen is about to close soon. Do you have any final orders?”

You looked over at the two guys, “Do you guys want food..?”

Their eyes lit up with excitement at the mention of food. “Uhuh.. the wings here are genuinely so good,” Haechan exclaimed, almost jumping out of his seat.

Mark nodded enthusiastically, “Dude- and the cheese fries?”

You chuckled, their excitement was infectious, “Alright, let’s order those.”

The soft music played in the background and the quiet conversations filled the air. As you finished your food, Haechan glanced around and then nudged Mark.

“Should we play some darts or pool?” Haechan suggested as his eyes lit up with excitement.

Mark grinned. “Yeah, both sounds fun. What do you think?” he asked, turning towards you.

You looked over to the corner of the bar where the pool table and dartboard had been set up. “I’ve never played either before..” you admitted.

“Perfect! We’ll teach you,” Mark said as he stood up and motioned you to follow him.

You grabbed your things and followed the guys to the corner of the bar. Haechan grabbed some darts and carefully handed them over to you and Mark. Haechan explained, “It’s pretty simple, just aim for the bullseye and throw.”

You stood infront of the dartboard with the dart feeling unfamiliar in your hand. Mark noticed your hesitation and stepped closer to you.

“Here- let me help you,” Mark said, moving behind you. “First you need to hold it like this,” he placed his hand over yours, guiding your fingers to the right position. Your heart skipped a beat when you felt the warmth of his touch.

“Focus on the bullseye,” Mark continued with his smooth voice close to your ear. “Then take a deep breath and throw.”

You drew your arm back and released the dart. It flew through the air and landed on the outermost ring of the dartboard.

“Woah.. you really suck,” Haechan remarked with a teasing grin.

Mark laughed, “You can’t aim either dude.”

“At least I’m better than you in pool,” Haechan replied, rolling his eyes playfully.

The three of you continued to play and you slowly began to improve with each throw.

“See? You’re getting the hang of it,” Mark said while smiling.

You moved a some hair in front of your face, hoping to hide your blush. “I guess.. should we do pool next?”

The both of them played a demo game of pool to show you how it’s played. Haechan wasn’t lying when he said that he was good. Once their ‘match’ ended, Mark handed the cue stick to you. “Wanna try?”

You nodded and tried to mimic the way the guys held the cue stick, but it felt awkward in your hands.

Mark chuckled, “Want me to help again?” He adjusted your grip on the cue stick and his hand rested on top of yours. “Aim for that ball,” he directed. “Make sure to hit in the middle.”

You leaned over the table, trying to focus but your mind kept drifting to how close Mark was. His breath brushed against your ear as he explained, which left you feeling flustered and self-conscious the entire time.

With his hand guiding yours, you took the shot. The cue ball rolled forward and tapped the target ball, sending it into the pocket.

“Nice!” Mark exclaimed as he gave you a high-five.

Haechan clapped from the other side of the table, “Okay okay you’re alright.. are you ready to lose?”

You smirked, still not over the contact you had with Mark. “You wish. Watch me actually obliterate you.”

You probably shouldn’t have trashed-talked Haechan, his skills were unmatched. You (naturally) lost the game, but you still had fun despite it.

The night grew and the bar started to empty. Haechan excused himself briefly and Mark took the opportunity to reposition himself in front of you.

“Did you have fun?” he asked softly.

You nodded, “You guys are really fun to be around..”

“Good,” Mark chuckled. “It’s been a while since Haechan and I properly went out.. I’m glad you’re here.”

His words caught you off guard and you felt a blush creep up your cheeks. “Yeah- I’m glad I’m here too.”

Mark’s eyes softened and leaned back into the chair. “Do you like the place?” he asked as he gestured around the now quieter bar.

“Mhm, I see why this is your favourite bar,” you replied. “It’s so cozy that I might start coming here.”

He smiled warmly at your response, “Yeah it has a charm to it.”

As the both of you continued talking, Haechan returned with a bowl of dessert.

“Chocolate ice cream,” Haechan said with a playful grin, placing the bowl in front of you.

You laughed, feeling genuinely touched by the gesture. “You didn’t have to.. but thank you.”

Haechan shrugged nonchalantly, “It’s the least I could do after defeating you at pool.”

You rolled your eyes but your heart fluttered at his thoughtfulness. You took a bite of the ice cream and it tasted heavenly.

“Hey- I lost too so where’s my ice cream?” Mark asked teasingly.

Haechan laughed as be nudged Mark with his elbow, “It’s only for pretty people.”

Haechan's playful remark brought a smile to your lips. Mark feigned offence but there was a glint of amusement in his eyes. "Dude- are you calling me ugly?" he asked before turning back to you with a smile.

As you stepped out of the bar, the chilly air hit you, making you shiver slightly. The both of them exchanged a glance before Mark spoke up, “Do you need a ride home again?”

You sighed, “I promise you guys that I can take the train home and be safe.”

Haechan grinned cheekily, “You said that last time too and we ended up sending you back.”

You paused for a moment, “Yeah.. are you sure? Are you guys not tired of sending me home?”

Mark shook his head. “Nah, it’s honestly no trouble. Plus we feel better knowing that you made it back safely with us.”

You nodded reluctantly and accepted their offer. As you settled into the car, you couldn’t help but have a butterfly feeling in your chest at their kindness.

As they pulled up to the train station, the all-familiar feeling of disappointment sets in. You turned to thank them, your heart feeling strangely full. “Thanks again for the ride guys.. I had a really great time.”

Mark flashed you a smile, “Anytime.”

Haechan nodded enthusiastically before adding on, “Yeah seriously. Text me when you want to hangout again.”

You stepped out of the car and watched them drive away. Despite the slight sadness of your parting, you knew that this wouldn’t be the last time you saw them.

author's note: sorry for the late updates! i had an exam recently and rn im studying for another one.. hopefully i will be more consistent in the future! make sure to like and repost.. all and any feedback is appreciated <3

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callmeagardengnome · 11 days

Text

𐙚 ink my heart 𐙚 - chapter 2

w.c. - 2.8k words

pairings - idol! lee dong-hyuck x tattoo artist! fem! reader x idol! mark lee

genre - romance, strangers to friends to ?

synopsis: being a tired university student with no interest in life was something you were satisfied with until you unexpectedly become friends with an idol.. but what if it becomes more?

not proofread!

previous / next

masterlist

You rolled over to the other side of your bed, plucking your phone from its charger. The brightness of your phone blinding you before displaying a ‘5am’ on the screen.

It’s been about 4 days since you first met the three guys. For the record, you truly enjoyed your time with the them. However, the idea of disrupting your everyday routine seemed.. scary? Work, school, tattoos - these things have been the bane of your existence and yet you’ve always found comfort in them. It was almost like a safe space. Adding friends to that list seemed.. off.

You never liked change. Change frightened you - which is why you to stuck to the same routine, same food, same clothes. This could be the reason why you haven’t reached out to Haechan yet.

You weren’t good at keeping friendships, so what made you think you could start now? What if you’re not as fun or cool as they think? What if, once they get to know you more, they realise that there isn’t much beneath the surface?

Your fingers hovered over the keyboard, hesitating as anxiety filled your stomach. Sighing, you started to text Haechan.

@‘____’ hey dong-hyuck! i was just wondering if the three of you are free next thursday? i dont have classes or clients that day :)

You nearly threw your phone across the room as you hit ‘send’ on that message. Did you sound too eager? Too casual? What if he doesn’t respond?

You pulled yourself away from your bed and started to get ready for a tiring day. You dragged your feet to the bathroom, squinting as the harsh white light hits your face.

You looked in the mirror where the dark circles under your eyes act as evidence of another sleepless night. Your body went on autopilot as you moved to brush your teeth and pack your bag.

You performed your daily morning ritual of staring into your empty fridge before realising you could barely afford to buy actual food. Annoyed, you grabbed the lonely apple in your fridge right as you left the door.

As you sat in your morning lecture, you tried to distract yourself with note-taking, but your thoughts kept drifting back to the unread message. You tapped your pen against your notebook repeatedly as you looked around the classroom. Everyone else seemed so focused in their work, and yet you couldn’t even concentrate on the board in front of you.

You unwillingly joined a group discussion, hoping that a conversation would help anchor your thoughts. You nodded just enough to appear engaged but your mind was still elsewhere. Just as your classmates were debating a point, you felt a slight buzz in your pocket.

Your classmates voices faded into the background as a surge of excitement shot through you. You thought about whether you should check your phone now, but you reminded yourself of the money spent on the class. You were not allowing a single notification to disrupt your class.

By the time the lecture ended, you finally absorbed the material being taught. You (luckily) caught up with the pace of the class and you slowly forgot about the buzz of your phone. You packed your bag and continued on with your next class.

Your daily commute of two hours to the tattoo studio was a grueling routine you were used to. You were about to pull out your sketchbook and work on new tattoo designs, until you remembered that you had a message to check.

@‘____’ hey dong-hyuck! i was just wondering if the three of you are free next thursday? i dont have classes or clients that day :) read 3 hours ago

@dong-hyuckkkk NOOO we have something pretty important that day… Are you free any other days?

Well, crap. It’s very rare that you have a day off - one that’s free from both work and school. Since you’re the only tattoo artist there, it made requesting the day off more of a hassle than it needed to be. While you could try to postpone a client’s session, you didn’t want to go through the long process of rescheduling again.

You continued to text each other, trying to coordinate your schedules. But it seemed like the universe was against you. Every time you were free, he was swamped with work, and whenever he had a break, you’re buried under assignments and tattoo clients. You realised just how busy the both of you were.

@dong-hyuckkkk I’m actually so sad that we can’t meet :( You’re 100% sure you have no other time..?

@‘____’ yep.. :/ why are we both overworked???

@dong-hyuckkkk Right?? It’s pissing me off.. Either way just text me if you manage to free up your day

@‘____’ yeah of course! you too :) read 2 minutes ago

You reached the tattoo studio with a sense of disappointment lingering in your brain. Not only would you be unable to meet the guys for who knows how long, the entire commute was mentally exhausting. You pushed your feelings down the drain, before taking a deep breath and focusing on your job.

A few months passed by and the interaction you had with the three guys became a distant memory. From time to time, you would like his Instagram stories, but you started to accept the fact that it was just a one-time interaction. You felt more frustrated than ever, struggling to keep up with your pile of assignments.

When you finally had a break, you were dragged to a music festival by a group of your classmates. You had been working on a tough group project with all of them and they decided to go out for a celebration.

Despite the success of your project, you couldn’t shake the feeling that they were hesitant to invite you out. Their shifty eyes and fidgety hands made you unsure if their invitation came from genuine interest or pity. In the end, you reluctantly accepted their offer and followed them to go to the music festival.

You’ve never felt more out of your element than you did right now. It didn’t matter whether or not it was considered a ‘small’ festival, the sounds of people overwhelmed your ears.

You found a sleeveless red dress in your closet, one that showcased your tattoos perfectly. You put on makeup and the cowboy boots that were neatly tucked away at the back of your closet.

Your classmates told you to reach early so that you all could be at the barricade, but you left the house later than you wanted. You ended up near the back crowd, where you could barely see the stage.

“Hey! Uh- do you know who’s performing?” you asked a random girl that was nearby. She looked at you confused, “WayV.”

‘WayV…?' You’re weren’t up to date with the current musicians. You would only listen to the radio with no intention of delving into the artist.

However, being separated from your classmates was your main concern. They promised that they would be your ride home, but with your phone battery dying, you were worried you won’t be able to reach them.

Nearing the start of the performance, you heard a distinct and familiar voice that said, ‘Woah.. she has really cool tattoos.’

You started to look around, confused. You assumed that they were talking about you and your curiosity made you try to locate the source of the voice.

Your eyes landed on a two men - both wearing masks and caps. Huh, you started to remember the first time you met the three guys. A sense of familiarity washes over you as you look over at the pair.

As you got closer to the them, you could hear snippets of their conversation and the sound of their voices - which confirmed your suspicions.

“Wait.. is that ‘____’?” you heard Mark exclaim.

As soon as you were noticed, you were immediately pulled into a hug by Haechan. “No way! What are you doing here?” he asked before letting go of you quickly.

“I could ask you the same thing!” you replied as a smile spread across your face. “My classmates dragged me here.”

A chorus of ‘ahhhh’s was heard from the pair. “Yeah I kinda figured.. this doesn’t seem like your scene,” Mark muttered before adding on, “It’s good to see you by the way.”

“We’re here to support them,” Haechan said as he pointed towards the stage where WayV was performing.

You nodded as you asked, “Can I join you guys? I got separated from my classmates…”

They looked at each other briefly before Haechan said, “Sure, join us.”

As the performance continued, you couldn’t help but notice their odd behaviour. They kept readjusting themselves so that they wouldn’t draw any attention and they weren’t cheering as much as the people around them.

“You guys come to these things often?” you asked, trying to make conversation over the music.

“No.. we’re usually pretty busy” Mark said, keeping his voice low. “But we didn’t want to miss this performance.”

“Makes sense…?” you murmured. You were still puzzled by their behaviour.

They kept their masks on most of the time, only lowering it briefly to take a sip of water. It was a bit unusual but you shrugged it off, maybe they were just cautious.

During a quieter moment between the songs, Haechan leaned towards you. “Have you eaten yet?”

You met his eyes that were filled with concern. “No.. I was actually gonna ask if there were any food places nearby..”

Mark, who overheard your conversation, blurted out, “You didn’t eat yet??” You shook your head ‘no’ before he gestured you to follow him.

Mark led you to the area where the food trucks were. You looked at the different food options that they had. The delicious aromas made your mouth water, but the prices reminded you of why your fridge is still empty.

“Um.. I’m actually not that hungry anymore.. I can just stop by a 7/11 on my way back,” you said, hoping that he would bring you back to the performance.

“Are you sure? You have to eat something.” Mark frowned slightly. “Wait here.”

Before you could protest, he was already jogging towards the counter and ordering food. You felt a twinge of embarrassment as you watched him pay for the food.

“You didn’t have to do that..” you said softly as he handed you the food. He even got you a drink.

“Nah I wanted to,” Mark replied while shrugging. “Plus we haven’t seen you in a while, might as well get you food.”

You couldn’t fight the smile that appeared on your face. “I'm paying you back once I get my salary.”

He chuckled as the both of you walked back to the group, “Whatever you say.”

You were having a lot more fun than you thought you would have at the festival. You weren’t sure if it was because of the music, (the free food) or the company but it made you realise how enjoyable an outing could be.

You felt upset when the performance ended, not realising how dark the sky turned from when you first came.

As everyone talked about how good WayV was, you reached for your phone to text your classmates. “Crap..” you mumbled while trying to turn on your phone.

“Are you okay?” Mark asked as he watched you aggressively tapped the power button.

“I’m supposed to text my classmates.. they’re my ride home,” you answered frustratedly.

Haechan looked between you and Mark before mentioning, “I have a charger in the car if you want.”

“Really? That would be a life-saver, do you guys mind?” you asked hopefully.

“Not at all,” Mark said while bringing you over to the car.

The three of you huddled around the charger, waiting for your phone to revive.

“Dude- honestly your phone is kinda old,” Mark said with a baffled expression on his face.

“Stop trying to be nice Mark, it’s super old.” Haechan commented while looking at your phone. “I’m surprised it even works.. don’t you wanna get a new phone?”

“Believe me I do.. I can’t really afford it though,” you replied while brushing the hair off of your face.

A moment of (awkward) silence passed by in the car, before Mark mumbled, “Dude, I can’t get over how sick your tattoos look.”

“Right??” Haechan agreed excitedly. “I’ve been saying that since I saw her earlier.”

You felt a flush of warmth at their compliments, “Thanks guys..” You didn’t usually show your tattoos off. Whenever you did, people would stare judgmentally at you, and you didn’t have the energy to deal with that type of attention.

Haechan asked while shifting closer to you, “Did you design them yourself?”

“Mhm, I’ve always liked drawing so tattooing just seemed like the most obvious choice.” you answered as you moved your arm to showcase more of the tattoo.

“That’s so cool,” Haechan said as his eyes lit up. “You know.. some of our membe- friends, want to get tattoos.”

“Really?” you asked, suddenly feeling a surge of excitement. “You guys should come down again.”

Mark sighed. “We want to.. but our schedules are always packed..”

“Ah…” The fact that you were all very busy people re-entered your mind. Your incompatible schedules was what held the three of you back from hanging out in the first place. Feeling disappointed, you gave a slight smile, “I’m sure we can figure something out.”

As your phone finally powered up, you noticed a few missed messages from your classmates. You left the van, feeling the cold air hit your face. You dialed one of your classmates numbers and waited for them to pick up.

“Hey- where are you guys?” you asked while looking around.

“Huh? What do you mean..” They said confused. “We thought you didn’t show up so we left without you.”

You felt a pang of frustration, “Seriously?” You didn’t blame them but you couldn’t help yourself from feeling angry.

“Sorry, we didn’t see you.. Are you gonna be okay going home?”

“Yeah, I’ll manage. Thanks,” you said before ending the call.

You walked back to the car while letting out a deep breath, trying to shake your disappointment. As you collected your purse, you saw Haechan and Mark looking at you with concern.

“I’m taking the train again.” you announced, forcing a smile. “Thanks for helping me guys.”

“Wait what?” The both of them said in unison.

“Yeah.. my classmates thought I didn’t come so they left,” you said while sighing. “Not their fault but now I have to go home alone.”

“We can give you a ride home again.” Haechan suggested.

You hesitated, you didn’t want to impose. Not only that, it would be the second time they had to help you get home.

“It’s okay, I can get bac-“

“Nope,” Mark intercepted. “You’re coming with us. We're planning on leaving soon anyway.”

“Are you sure..?” you asked, feeling a mix of relief and guilt.

“Absolutely,” Mark said with a reassuring smile.

As the car started moving, you settled next to Haechan. “Thanks again for the ride,” you said, glancing at the two of them. “I really appreciate it.”

“No problem,” Haechan replied. “We’re happy to help.”

The car drove by the bright, city lights that created a blur of colours outside. While on the inside, the atmosphere was warm and relaxed. Mark leaned back in his seat as he drove, casually talking to Haechan about the festival and other things you didn’t catch. You allowed yourself to tune out the conversation, feeling more at ease with every passing moment.

Haechan noticed your silence and tapped you gently, “You okay? You’ve been pretty quiet.”

“Yeah… just tired,” you admitted. “Haven’t gone out in a while.”

Mark nodded in understanding. “Mhm, festivals can get overwhelming sometimes.”

The conversation continued and you felt yourself nearly falling asleep. Just as you were about to, the van reached your train station.

You reluctantly shuffled to the exit. You were enjoying their company much more than you thought and you never expected yourself to feel sad when the night came to an end. It reminded you of how you felt the first time you met.

As you left, you turned around to thank them again. “It was great hanging out with you guys.”

Haechan nodded in agreement, “Hope we can meet again soon.. maybe next time you can show us your tattoo designs.”

You smiled genuinely before waving them off. You heard Haechan shout a ‘STAY SAFE!’ as they drove away.

You changed out of your clothes and removed the makeup you put on earlier that day. Normally, you would feel ecstatic that you’re finally home, but this time you felt slightly disappointed.

You laid in your bed, taking in everything that happened. You don’t remember the last time you smiled this much.

Sighing, you grabbed your phone from your purse. As you were charging it, you noticed a notification that displayed:

‘@mork_lee requested to follow you’

author's note: hope you guys enjoy it! sorry that it took a while ;-; i cant promise a consistent upload schedule.. either way please make sure to like and repost! any and all feedback is appreciated <3

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callmeagardengnome · 14 days

Text

𐙚 ink my heart 𐙚 - chapter 1

w.c. - 2.3k words

pairings - idol! lee dong-hyuck x tattoo artist! fem! reader x idol! mark lee

genre - romance, strangers to friends to ?

synopsis: being a tired university student with no interest in life was something you were satisfied with until you unexpectedly become friends with an idol.. but what if it becomes more?

not proofread!

previous / next

masterlist

You never expected to find yourself in a love triangle. From working in various odd jobs during high school to currently taking a hellish part-time job as a beginner tattoo artist in university, you have always focused on one thing: money. Your desire for cash increased tenfold when you entered university, as your student loans racked up. Sure, you were lucky enough to get a job, but you somehow ended up with one of the worst bosses you have ever come across.

As someone who only started tattooing actual people a year ago, your boss was really pushing you to take on all of his clients. You didn’t mind too much (he was paying you more money) but you can’t help but wonder if he even knows how to tattoo people.

Now not only is your social life dead, you feel dead on the inside, having to work unnecessary hours with additional school assignments on top of that. It didn’t help that the tattoo studio was about 2 hours from your school, home or any signs of life. You can’t remember the last time you met up with a friend.

Ding ding!

You look up from what you realise is a blank computer screen and see three blurry figures walking to towards you. You fumbled around your desk and grabbed your glasses. You noticed that they all wore caps and masks. Okay, weird, but who are you to judge?

However, you don’t remember seeing three clients on the schedule - do you have to work overtime again?

One of them approached your desk and started tapping on it rhythmically before finally saying, “Hey uh.. I booked a session for 4pm?” you nodded mindlessly while turning on your computer to look for the work schedule.

“Yeah you’re a little early,” you squinted your eyes at the computer trying to see if you read the right name. “It says here that you are… TY..?” you asked while raising my eyebrow. “Sorry, thats just my nickname,” he said nervously. “It's actually Taeyong.”

“Uh huh.. you’re the only one getting a tattoo right? Unless the other two are walk-ins?” You swivelled your chair over to the printer and waited for the tattoo stencil to print out. The moment he nodded, a mini celebration went through your mind. You finally have short day. Sure, the tattoo would take a minimum of 3 hours, at the very least you wouldn’t have to walk through the creepy street at midnight again.

“You guys can make yourself comfortable over there,” you said, while pointing to the tattoo chair in the corner that was accompanied by a small couch.

They shuffled over to the chairs before deciding to take off their masks and caps. You took a glance and of course, they happened to be one of the most gorgeous men you’ve ever seen. It’s not like you’ve never met a man before in your life, but something about them exuded confidence you wished you had. You gathered the templates (and your composure) before rolling your chair over to the three men. “You wanted a shoulder tattoo right?” you asked, while putting on your gloves.

The three of them looked at each other, surprised. “A-are you the one tattooing him?” one of them questioned. “Yeah…?” you looked at them confused.

“Sorry- it’s just that on the Instagram page it said that a ‘Mr Park’ was the sole tattoo artist here,” he added on quickly, “You can call me Haechan by the way.”

“Well.. Mr Park is my boss and no, I’m actually the only tattoo artist here.” you answered before taking a warm towel and slowly dabbing the stencil onto Taeyong’s arm.

As you continued your work, they started to chat with each other, trying their best to include you in the process. You soon find out that the final man was called Mark.

“So how did you guys find this place? Its not like it’s popular or anything,” you asked, trying to make small talk as you focused on the tattoo.

Mark shrugged. “We heard that it was good for privacy.” He isn’t wrong, your boss’s main priority was the privacy of the studio. Shady location, tinted windows, only providing the address once the client puts down a deposit, the whole studio screamed safe house to you.

“Yeah- well.. Mr Park is known for his discretion,” you said, lifting the tattoo gun when you saw Taeyong wincing.

“But it seems that you’re the real talent here,” Haechan said while leaning closer to the tattoo.

His words made you pause for a second. It’s not everyday you receive such compliments, especially by someone so.. good-looking. You tried to brush it off and returned back to tattooing, but the way he continued to look at your work (and you) made it difficult to ignore the fluttering feeling in your chest.

“Thanks..” you mumbled keeping your eyes on the tattoo, hoping that no one would notice the slight blush on your cheeks. You continued to steal glances at him, seeing his eyes sparkle with curiosity and amazement.

“Dude.. you have a really steady hand though,” Mark said while pushing Haechan aside to get a better view of the tattoo. “How long have you been doing this again?”

“A little over a year.. I think…?” you trailed off, feeling slightly self-conscious under his gaze. It’s strange, you always prided yourself as someone that was independent, a workaholic, being perfectly fine with having little social interaction. And yet, you’re basically crumbling under the a simple compliment.

You heard him mumbling a ‘thats awesome’ before continuing to talk about random things you didn’t catch. The level of sincerity in their interest made you question every interaction you’ve ever had. Sure, you’ve talked with some of your clients before, but most of them barely acknowledged you, treating you as though you weren’t even there.

Today is different though, these guys treated you like a friend, like someone real. The way they talked to you made it feel as though you have an actual friend group, even if it’s just for a moment.

Hours pass by in a blur of conversations and needlework. When you finished, Taeyong looked at the tattoo, smiling widely while doing different poses.

“Dudee.. that looks sick!” Mark exclaimed, the awe in his voice making your heart swell. Haechan nodded behind him before saying, “Yeah you’re crazyy talented.”

You can’t remember the last time you said the words ‘thank you’ as much as today. You haven’t felt this good about your work (or yourself) in a long time.

“Thanks, you really did a good job today,” Taeyong said. You gathered the money in his hands before putting it in the cash register.

“No, thank you guys for being such great company,” you said while looking over at each of them.

As they gather their things to leave, you notice Mark lingering near your desk a bit longer, hesitating. “Hey uh-“ he said, looking at the door. “We were thinking of get some food nearby… do you wanna join?”

Your eyes widened, did you hear him correctly? “Uhh…” you glanced at the clock briefly before looking back at him.

Your first instinct is to refuse. You’ve had a long day of work and school and you know that you have an assignment waiting for you back at home.

As if noticing your hesitation, Taeyong quickly added, “No pressure by the way. We just thought it would be fun.”

“Yeah, it would be fun to hangout more,” Haechan interjected. “You're cool.”

Great, more pressure. You let their words sink in. You never saw yourself as someone ‘cool’, just basic. You only knew how to talk about three things - work, school, and tattoos. Also, you’ve never really hung out with anyone before. You doubt you would be a fun addition to their night.

“Sorry to disappoint guys.. I’ve had a really long day today,” you said hesitantly. “But I’m pretty sure I can make time for you guys next week…?”

A downcast expression flashed on Mark’s face, “It’s okay we understand..” You gave him a small smile before continuing to pack your things.

“Wait, before we go can I get your Instagram?” Haechan said while swiftly sliding his phone towards you.

The shock on your face must have been obvious as he started to chuckle at your expression. You weren’t expecting any form of interest from them, and the sudden request caught you off guard.

“Uh.. sure...” you muttered as you took his phone and entered your details. You handed his phone back and your fingers brushed against each other, sending an immediate spark through you.

“Let’s keep in touch yeah?” Haechan says with a playful grin.

Mark, who had been quietly observing the two of you finally speaks up, “I hope we can meet again soon ‘___’. Tell us when you’re free, okay?”

“Yeah of course,” you replied, hoping that your exhaustion isn’t obvious on your face.

Right before they leave, Taeyong suddenly mentioned, “Wait, I didn’t see a car when we got here..” he looked at you with concern. “How are you gonna get back?”

“I mean trains are a thing..?” you said shrugging, before Mark interrupted you. “Dude.. didn’t you say that you lived like- two hours away from here?”

“It’s really not a big deal,“ you tried to say. It really wasn’t, you had gotten used to the routine of taking the train back home. However, the three of them looked at you as if you were going to be trekking through a storm.

“Absolutely not,” Mark says firmly. “We can’t let you do that, especially not this late.”

Haechan nods in agreement, “Yeah it’s not really safe in this area.”

“You guys are acting as if you didn’t take public transport here,” you chuckle as you pick up your heavy bag from the floor.

“We took the car…?”

“Wait, WHAT??” Now it was your turn to be shocked. “Aren’t guys like my age? How can you afford a car?” you started to question rapidly.

The three of them looked at each other nervously. “Well.. we’re actually ido-“ Haechan said before he got cut off by Mark.

“Actually its my parent’s car.. yeah my parents car,” he said weirdly. You saw a look of confusion on Haechan’s face before he added on, “Sure whatever he said..?”

Mark offered, “Just- let us give you a ride home.”

The offer does seem tempting, but it doesn’t feel right to enter the car of three guys that you just met. You open your mouth to protest, but the looks on their faces made you pause for a moment. “I really don’t wanna be a bother.. and I promise you that I can make it home safely.”

“You’re not a bother,” Mark insists. Taeyong made a sound of agreement before saying, “You did me a huge favour today so let us help you."

You don’t know what compelled you to enter a stranger’s car. You weren’t usually this trusting, but something about them made you feel.. safe. Still, you gave them the address of the train station near your house to be careful. You sat at the back with Mark while Haechan accompanied Taeyong as he was driving. You were planning on staying awake to make sure that they weren’t going to kidnap you but your heavy eyelids had other plans.

You shifted in your seat, trying to get comfortable. Without realizing, you drifted closer to the person next to you. Before you could stop yourself, your head gently came to a rest on Mark's shoulder.

You froze for a moment, hoping he wouldn't say anything. Just as you lifted your head, you heard a chuckle.

"It's okay man," Mark said softly. "You should rest.. you had a long day."

You met his eyes. There isn't a trace of annoyance, you only found a warm smile that spread across his face. Feeling embarrassed, you nod slightly and allowed yourself to relax on his shoulder.

You accidently glanced at the car mirror and saw Haechan watching your interaction with Mark. He quickly turned away though, pretending to look outside at the quiet street. Confused, you let your eyes close, listening to the soft hum of the engine, drifting to sleep.

You woke up with Mark nudging your shoulder lightly. “This is it right?” he asked. You squinted your eyes and saw the all familiar worn-down train station ahead of you. You nodded your head tiredly while sluggishly reaching for your bag.

You feel a hint of reluctance to leave the car as it stopped in front of the drop-off, “Thanks again guys.. really,” you said gratefully.

“Anytime,” Taeyong replied. “Yeah, don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything.” Haechan added while smiling.

You waved them goodbye as you stepped out of the car. You haven’t felt acceptance in a while. This entire interaction breathed life into your barren routine and you find yourself actually being excited for the following days.

When you reached your apartment, you flopped onto your bed as your phone starts lighting up continuously.

@dong-hyuckkkk

‘____’ did you make it back safe

answerrrrjerjue

OMG I SHOULD HAVE WALKED YOU BACK

A smile slowly appeared on your face as you replied him.

@‘____’

its okay haechan im safe…

also your username is dong-hyuck??

@dong-hyuckkkk

Yeahh its my actual name

Haechan is just a nickname

@‘____’

ohhh i see

@dong-hyuckkkk

Friendly reminder:

CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE NEXT WEEK

Not the whole week but still

You clicked on his profile and started to do a little digging. Despite of his outgoing personality, he only had 26 followers, including you. You scrolled through the countless photos, seeing Mark tagged in a few. You resisted the urge to follow Mark as you didn’t want to come off as stalker-ish.

You put your phone down before taking in whatever happened today. For the first time in forever, you feel warm and happy about something that happened in your life. Maybe you should take up their offer of meeting again next week.

authors note: this is my first ever fic that im writing and all kinds of feedback is welcome! make sure to like and repost if you enjoyed <3

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callmeagardengnome · 4 days

Text

𓆩 bless me 𓆪 - chapter 1

w.c - 2.2k

pairings - demon!ateez ot8 x receptionist! fem! reader

genre - demon au, hint of royal au, possible yandere themes (?), romance

sypnosis: as hell’s receptionist, you only wished to talk shit and stay out of trouble. yet, you happened to be the one that the two social clans in hell start fighting for.

not proofread!

previous / next

masterlist

Click clack. Click clack. You’ve gotten used to the sounds of keyboard typing. Why wouldn’t you be after hearing it everyday for almost 4 centuries?

As Hell’s receptionist, your job was to check in arrivals daily. A new soul arrives, another contract is signed and they are officially Hell’s inhabitant forever. It’s a pretty simple task, one that you’ve learned to appreciate. Unfortunately for you, the job comes with another responsibility.

You have the ‘lovely’ privilege of listening and attending to complaints. From the wails of the Dead to the petty protests of demons, your days are filled with discontent and irritancy.

As thrilling as it sounds, you find yourself being bored most of the time. Nothing exciting ever happens. You hear the same complaints everyday - all yap yap yap. You could not care less about soothing the Dead or settling another demon squabble.

Today felt no different, the neon red sign flickered above your desk, signalling that someone was entering your office space. You straightened your posture and adjusted your nameplate that read, “Receptionist of the Damned.”

Your eyes scanned over to your visitor and you immediately recoiled in disgust, “Ugh.. please leave the air that I’m breathing.”

“Come on.. haven’t I seen you enough times that we’re basically best friends?” the demon in front of you asked as he batted his eyelashes.

Wooyoung, the most annoying demon you’ve ever met, leaned over your desk with his signature smirk plastered on his face.

“Sir, you look like my sleep paralysis demon. Please leave my office,” you said sternly as you signalled to the door.

“My dear receptionist, you wound me..” he pouted dramatically, not taking your words seriously at all. “At least listen to what I have to say...”

You sighed. “It’s another complaint about the Eternals isn’t it-“

“You know it is,” Wooyoung sneered, his voice dripping with disdain, contrasting his playful personality earlier.

To put it simply, Hell has three social factions:

The highest faction - The Eternals. They are royalty, demons that need to be treated with the utmost respect. They’re the richest demons that you would find in Hell. Eternals have purple horns, ones that reached high above their heads, almost touching each other. While their horns could be used to distinguish them, their snobbish and stuck-up personality was more than enough.

The lowest faction - The Halas. If you were born a Hala, you’ve lost all hope of having a calm life. A Hala would have stubby red horns and sharp fangs. Despite making up 97% of the demon population, a Hala gets the worst treatment out of the three social factions - mainly due to their aggressive personalities. Most of them are poor and extremely money-hungry. Since they are greedy, they don’t normally make friends with each other. In fact, a Halas’ death mostly happens due to their own kind.

Last but not least, your own faction - The Walkers. The Walkers are typically neutral in everything. Money, social treatment, et cetera. Walkers have jet black horns, almost like the colour of soot. The Walkers are the rarest social class. They are in every government-related job as they are considered ‘impartial’. Having a connection with a Walker is vital for your social class to be stronger.

Money, surprisingly, was an important aspect in Hell. It allowed you to buy a house, have a family or spend it on gambling. It was sought for by so many that it had led to many riots in the past.

Wooyoung is a Hala, with a burning hatred for Eternals. His resentment towards them grew every time he visited, a fire that never seemed to burn out. “They think they can own everything,” he continued, his voice laced with anger. “They walk all over our territory with their big ass boots and claim it as theirs.”

You nodded, taking mental notes. It was a familiar complaint, yet there was more rage since his previous visit. “I’ll file your case, Wooyoung. But you know the process- it would take at least two weeks.”

Wooyoung scoffed, crossing his arms. “We don’t have time. You don’t understand- the Halas are planning a revolt.”

A revolt? His words caught you off guard and for the first time in a while, you felt surprised. Having a revolt is startling enough - but Halas revolting? It was unheard of to have them working together for a cause. You quickly shook off the feelings of shock and composed yourself.

“That’s a very bold claim.. but I’m confused of why you’re so worried. I thought you liked chaos?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

Wooyoung’s expression darkened, the usual glint in his eyes disappearing. “Chaos? Yes. But this? This is destruction, ‘____’. The Eternals will soon crush us and tear Hell apart. That includes you.”

You leaned back into your chair, the weight of his words dawning on you at full force. A revolt of this scale would disrupt all of the progress that has been built over the centuries.

You sighed as you ran your fingers through your hair. “If I file this case under ‘urgent’, its going to attract a lot of attention. The kind that gets me in a lot of trouble.”

Wooyoung leaned closer to you, grabbing your jaw. He pulled your ear closer to his mouth, making sure that you heard every word he said.

“I don’t care if you get in trouble- I’m not asking you to take sides. All I’m asking is for you to understand that this isn’t another petty complaint. This is our survival. The Halas can’t take this shit anymore.”

Complaints in Hell were rarely put under ‘urgent’. Since you had all the time in the world, you had no reason to put a complaint in that section. Also, adding a complaint there also meant that journalists and news outlets could view it - drawing attention to the whole ordeal.

You took a deep breath, thinking through your options carefully. You always prided yourself on remaining impartial but the severity of the situation at hand made you think otherwise.

“Fine.. I’ll do it,” you caved. “But you need to keep things calm on your end.”

Wooyoung smirked, stepping back from your desk. “Anything for my dear receptionist.”

Your face morphed in horror as he blew a kiss to you before leaving the room. You mulled over the whole situation that just came to light. This wasn’t just another day in Hell, it was the beginning of something way more sinister.

You typed out a formal complaint about the situation, the sounds of the keyboard being more overwhelming than usual.

You printed it out, giving it your stamp of approval - a kiss stain. You walked over to the other side of your office and finally dropped the paper into the ‘urgent’ chute.

“Sire, look at this,” Duke Seonghwa said while holding a newspaper article in his hands.

The lord looked up from his desk, his interest piqued. Seonghwa’s expression was unusually troubled and the urgency in his voice made it possible to ignore. He took the newspaper, his eyes scanning the headline.

“This can’t be true..” the lord muttered, his face darkened as he read further.

“The Halas have gotten bolder,” Seonghwa continued. “We cannot afford dismiss this as a another rumour.”

The lord’s eyes flicked back to Seonghwa’s, “Summon the rest here immediately, we need to address this.”

“Yes my lord,” Seonghwa replied, bowing slightly before scurrying off to find the others.

The lord reread the newspaper article again, fingers gripping the pages harder and harder, almost tearing them.

As the leader of the Eternals and the King of Hell, Lord Hongjoong knew that maintaining power was his absolute priority. Any threat to his title would not be taken lightly.

Not long after you filed the complaint, the atmosphere in your office shifted. The temperature seemed to drop and an eerie silence took over your surroundings. The neon red sign above your desk started to flicker violently.

The doors burst open with a deafening crash and several Eternals stormed in with their purple horns glistening ominously in the dim light.

“Receptionist!” a voice boomed, making you freeze in your place. “Explain this!” the demon held a crumpled newspaper article in front of you.

You kept your expression neutral, “General Mingi, that is a concern brought forth by a Hala.”

Mingi’s eyes narrowed as he took a step closer, “This isn’t just a ‘concern’, they’re revolting. How could you standby something this preposterous?”

The other demons behind him murmured in agreement. The air in the room grew thick with tension and you could feel their rage simmering from beneath their composed state.

“I’m not standing by the Halas, General,” you replied calmly. “It’s in everyone’s best interest to address the issue than to escalate it. Ignoring it could lead to disorder.”

Mingi wrinkled his nose, his words sharp and filled with malice, “Know your place, Walker. You’re here to serve, not test our authority.”

He signaled his troop with a flick of the wrist and they began to walk of the room, stepping on the debris they created.

You let out a deep sigh. You were relieved that they left you alone. However, you knew that the Eternals would go above and beyond to get their way.

For centuries, the Eternals have been known in their attempts to get rid of the Halas. The Eternals believed that the Halas were unworthy of sharing the same realm as them. To them, the Halas were a stain in an otherwise perfect Hell.

Efforts to rid the Halas have been unsuccessful, after all, they did make up for the majority of the population. Due to their population size, it had been getting tougher to assign jobs fairly to each of them.

Even as Hell’s receptionist, you’re unable to do much for the issue. All you could do was file complaints that angered someone. You found yourself caught in the middle, witnessing a storm brewing right in front of your eyes.

You filed a maintenance complaint, hoping that your door would get fixed by next day. You gathered your things and quickly dashed out of the door - at the end of the day, you wouldn’t want to get jumped by a demon, would you?

As you scurried back home, weaving through the streets, you felt someone grab your hand before dragging you to a dark alleyway.

“What the-“

“What are you trying to pull, Walker?” the hooded figure hissed as he pinned you to the wall.

You scoffed. “Who do you think you are?” With a swift motion, you kicked the figure in the stomach, causing him to release his hold. Taking the chance, you reached up and yanked his hood down, revealing his identity.

“Duke?” you exclaimed in surprise when you saw Seonghwa’s face.

You’ve never seen the Duke in real life, only in photographs - which did not do his gorgeous features justice. He always stood next to Lord Hongjoong, rarely leaving his side. “What are you doing out of the palace? I thought you were the king’s boy-toy?” you asked with a smirk.

“Don’t talk to me like that, Walker,” he spat out, his voice oozing with venom. “Don’t defy me.”

“I’ll ‘defy’ anyone that drags me to a random alley,” you retorted.

With a snarl, he lunged forward, throwing a punch at your face. You ducked in time, feeling the wind from his fist that nearly hit his target. You countered with a kick to his shin, causing him to stumble back with a curse.

He went at you again, his movements fuelled by fury. You dodged his blows with ease - each strike he aimed at you slowly getting more aggressive.

You finally saw an opening. You managed to catch him off guard and delivered a powerful punch to the gut, leaving him gasping for air. As he staggered back in pain, you took a step back, preparing yourself for whatever he would do next.

Surprisingly, he stayed down. His hands clutched his stomach and he wheezed for breath. For a moment, the alleyway was filled with the sounds of his laboured breathing. Did you really hit him that hard?

“Shit- how are you so strong?” he coughed out, his eyes meeting yours with a mix of shame and respect.

“I thought it was common knowledge that all Walkers are trained in combat,” you replied, confused. “And I’m not that good.. I think you’re just weak..”

Seonghwa flipped you off before you threw him a mini med-kit that you carried with you at all times.

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t tell anyone about this,” you said. “It’s not only bad for me- it’s embarrassing for you. You challenged a Walker to a fight without any skills.”

He rolled his eyes in annoyance as he gave a small nod. Seonghwa started to patch himself up, placing band-aids over the scratches on his body.

You gave him a sly grin, “Sit still and look pretty next time.” With a cackle, you decided to take your leave. You didn’t know whether Seonghwa contacted his friends and you didn’t want to risk getting caught by staying longer.

You bolted home, clutching your bag close to yourself. Despite the turn of events today, you couldn’t help but feel a rush of adrenaline. Things were becoming too boring in Hell - maybe a revolt is necessary.

author’s note: please make sure to support my fic - all likes and reposts are much appreciated. any feedback is welcome <3

feel free to ask if you want to be on a taglist!

series taglist - @binchanluvrr @hiddlestandom @avantalem @hecateslittlewitchling @iarayara @thunderous-wolf

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callmeagardengnome · 4 days

Text

𓆩 bless me 𓆪 masterlist

pairings - demon!ateez ot8 x receptionist! fem! reader

genre - demon au, hint of royal au, possible yandere themes (?), romance

sypnosis: as hell’s receptionist, you only wished to talk shit and stay out of trouble. yet, you happened to be the one that the two social clans in hell start fighting for.

CHAPTERS

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 chapter 1

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 chapter 2

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 chapter 3

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 chapter 4

author’s note: number of chapters unconfirmed and no smut!

feel free to ask if you want to be on the taglist!

series taglist - @binchanluvrr @hiddlestandom @avantalem @hecateslittlewitchling @iarayara @thunderous-wolf

other fics

#gnomeo 🥫#gnomeo🥫writes #ateez #ateez fanfic #ateez fic #ateez x reader #atz #atz x reader #atz fanfic #hongjoong #seonghwa #yunho #yeosang #ateez san #mingi #wooyoung #jongho

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callmeagardengnome · 2 days

Text

𓆩 bless me 𓆪 - chapter 2

w.c - 2.2k

pairings - demon!ateez ot8 x receptionist! fem! reader

genre - demon au, hint of royal au, possible yandere themes (?), romance

synopsis: as hell's receptionist, you only wished to talk shit and stay out of trouble. yet, you happened to be the one that the two social clans in hell start fighting for.

not proofread!

previous / next

masterlist

Ash. You found specks of ash on your desk. Its presence meant one thing- someone had looked through your office.

You found even more traces of ash on your books, files and even the floor. Not only that, files in your cabinet were completely jumbled up.

What irritated you more was that you could easily guess the type of demon that snooped through your things. A Hala. Halas often had ash and soot left on their hands from constantly roaming the streets of Hell, unlike an Eternal that would prefer to lock themselves in their homes.

You didn’t want to blame a Hala, they faced enough problems from the Eternals, but going through your items was crossing the line. You needed to find out who intruded your office and what they were looking for.

You needed to find Wooyoung.

Hell was a network of narrow alleyways and crowded streets, a maze that seemed to twist and turn endlessly. It was a tangled web that even the older demons to struggled to navigate.

You felt a sense of urgency as you travelled through the corridors of Hell. The clatter of shoes on stone, murmurs of hushed conversation and the occasional distant scream added to the overwhelming atmosphere.

You regret not finding a way to contact Wooyoung. You somehow ended up in a street packed with Halas protesting, which made it harder to find him. You scanned the demons in the crowd, hoping that you would catch a glimpse of his face.

Without realising, you rounded a corner and collided with someone, almost knocking them over. Shocked, you looked up and found yourself face to face with a (handsome) Hala.

“A Walker?” he raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you guys were protesting too.”

You straightened your back and dusted yourself off. “Well- I’m not here to protest,” you clarified. “I’m actually looking for a Hala, do you know who Wooyoung is?”

The Hala crossed his arms, his expression shifting to suspicion. “Wooyoung?” he echoed, his tone becoming guarded. “Why do you need him?”

“I just need to speak to him. Do you know where he is?” you asked hastily.

The Hala studied you for a moment, his dark eyes flickering with uncertainty. “Is he in trouble?”

You sighed. “It’s about something important.. if you know where I can find him, I would greatly appreciate it.”

The both of you stood in silence as he thought about your request, the cogs turning in his head. His eyes lingered on you as he nodded reluctantly, “Follow me.”

The Hala brought you to a small, rundown house tucked away in a corner - far away from the busy streets where Halas protested earlier.

He took out the keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. He pushed it open before stepping inside, signalling you to follow him.

As you entered, you noticed Wooyoung talking with another Hala near the kitchen area. Wooyoung glanced up from his conversation, “Jongho you’re finally bac- Receptionist?”

He rose swiftly from his seat and started to walk towards you. “I didn’t know you liked me so much that you’re starting to visit me,” he said with a smirk.

“Shut up Wooyoung,” you grimaced. “I need to talk to you about something.”

Wooyoung paused for a moment. The both of you have never spoken outside of your office and it was always Wooyoung coming to you with a problem, not the other way around. He gestured the Hala he was talking to, “Sure.. Yeosang, please get our very dear guest a chair.”

Yeosang, the Hala that had been quietly observing the interaction, nodded and fetched you a chair quickly, placing it near you.

“Wait- when did you become friends with a Walker?” Jongho asked, confused.

“Since forever-“ “We’re not friends,” Wooyoung and you answered at the same time.

“You hurt me, Receptionist,” Wooyoung said, his expression feigning sadness. “So why am I blessed with your presence today?”

“One of your kind went through my things,” you replied firmly. “I found traces of ash in my office.”

“Ash?” Wooyoung’s playful demeanour shifted slightly, a flicker of concern crossed his features. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“An Eternal wouldn’t get their hands dirty which means that it’s most likely a Hala that did it,” you explained.

Just as Wooyoung was about to refute your claim, Yeosang intercepted, “Sorry- but what colour were the ashes?”

You recalled the traces of ash in your office, trying to remember the exact shade. “It was light.. like a light grey?”

Silence took over the room before Jongho broke it, “Light grey? Like the ones at the Royal Palace? Where Halas aren’t allowed to be at?”

The Royal Palace was a place where only Eternals and invited Walkers could enter. The Eternals had banned all Halas from being within the area. They even set up complex security systems that would shoot trespassing Halas.

The Palace had its own landscape. While the rest of Hell was dark with dirty ashes and soot imbedded in it, the Palace was ‘bright’ with white ashes sprinkled in its surroundings.

Wooyoung leaned closer to you, “I’m flattered that you think a Hala is brave enough to search a government office. But isn’t it a little mean to immediately pinpointed us?”

“Can you really blame me? You guys need to understand how it looks from my view,” you retorted, feeling frustrated.

Yeosang’s eyes narrowed slightly, “I’m not trying to be rude.. but what would we even gain from looking through your office?”

“Mainly documents- they contain information about every demon,” you took a deep breath before leaning back in the chair. “Of course I didn’t keep it all in my office, but it seems like someone thought I did.”

“You have documents about every demon?” Wooyoung exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief. “No wonder someone broke into your office..”

“And you’re certain a Hala wouldn’t do this?” you pressed.

Jongho shook his head firmly. “We wouldn’t risk it, especially during this time. Most Halas are focused on surviving right now.”

Wooyoung nodded in agreement. “Yeah the Eternals have gotten way more aggressive with their attacks. They’re really trying to silence us.”

“Shit- does that the intruder is an Eternal?” you muttered as you pushed the stray pieces of hair out of your face. “I can’t deal with any of them, that’s too much work.”

Yeosang mentioned, “If it was an Eternal, they should have covered their tracks better. This seems.. too sloppy.”

“Or maybe it was an attempt to frame a Hala,” Wooyoung suggested. “The dumbass probably forgot about the colour of the ashes.”

You hated the feeling of being targeted, especially by an Eternal. You spent most of your life trying to stay neutral and avoid their attention. If this was really the work of an Eternal, the chances of them tracking you down was high - especially with the amount of information you have.

Even though you were only Hell’s receptionist, you still kept track of a lot of things. From the activity logs of who enters and exits the Palace to records of communications between demons, it made you a prime target for those who are seeking information.

You stood up and placed the chair aside, about to take your leave. “Whatever, I’ll just try to not get killed.”

Wooyoung ran in front of you, blocking your path with a playful grin. “Leaving already? At least stay for dinner- you haven’t even met San yet.”

“Respectfully, I don’t care about you or your friends,” you replied impassively. “I have things to do unlike some demons.”

Wooyoung’s grin widened, unfazed by your comment. “Whatever you say,” he said, stepping aside to let you pass. “But if you change your mind, you’re always welcome here, darling.”

You could have sworn you left the door locked this morning. After leaving Wooyoung and the rest, you made your way back home. However, your house door, usually locked securely, stood ajar.

You froze, your pulse quickening. You quickly got over the shock and started to approach your door. Slowly, you pushed the door open, the creak of the hinges making you flinch. You stepped inside, your senses on high alert.

Your eyes fell on a well-groomed Eternal, seated comfortably on your living room couch. A tray of tea and biscuits was set neatly on the coffee table before him. The intruder looked up and smiled as if they have been expecting you.

“Good evening, Ms ‘____’,” the Eternal said calmly, taking a sip of the tea. “I hope you don’t mind, but I helped myself to your kitchen.”

“Who the fuck are you?” you blurted.

You blinked in surprise. The Eternal before you had an air of casual confidence and calmness, something different from your previous encounters with Eternals.

The demon set his teacup down with a small clink. “Please, have a seat. We have much to discuss.“

Your eyes narrowed, “I don’t think we do.”

The Eternal gestured to the tray of tea and biscuits. “I assure you, it will be worth your time.”

Reluctantly, you sat on the couch, keeping a wary eye on your uninvited guest. “Who are you?”

“I’m Yunho, the Royal Ambassador,” the demon replied smoothly. “Thank you for deciding to join me.”

You folded your arms, “Get to the point.”

Yunho smiled, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “Straightforward, I like that. I’m here to recruit you.”

“Recruit me? For what, a cult?” you asked, your tone laced with skepticism.

He chuckled softly, “No nothing of that sort. The Eternals need more help, especially with the Halas revolting.”

Yunho took a slow sip of his tea before continuing. “I’m sure that as Hell’s receptionist, you have access to a lot of information. Information that can be useful to the right demons.”

“So? I thought the Eternals were royalty, shouldn’t you have all the information you need?” you questioned suspiciously.

Yunho’s smile faded slightly. “Our information comes from.. less official sources. We need someone with proper access to government records. Someone that can navigate the politics of Hell.”

“You don’t have official data?” you exclaimed. “What the hell are you guys even doing? Just sitting on your thrones all day?”

“I can promise you that we do much more,” he answered, keeping his face neutral. “We need someone on the outside- someone that can see the things we can’t.”

You raised an eyebrow. “What do I gain from this?”

“Protection. Think of it as a mutually beneficial agreement. You help us and we make sure you’re safe.” He took a bite of the biscuit on his plate.

“Safe from what though?” you tilted your head. “I’m not in any danger.”

“My apologies- let me clarify,” he said, leaning closer to you. “I meant safety from us.”

Yunho’s words sent a chill down your spine, making you shift further back into the couch. “What the f- are you threatening me?”

He shook his head, the smile on his face returning. “Not at all, think of it as.. insurance. You see, to us Eternals, information is power. Demons that posses too much can become.. targets.”

“So you want me to join you before you consider me a ‘target’?” you snorted.

He nodded, “Now you get it.”

You chewed the inside of your cheek, “And what if I refused?”

Yunho’s smile turned slightly icy. “The Eternals will see you as a threat- after all, you could give information to the Halas too. We may decide to eliminate that possibility.. permanently.”

Silence hung between the both of you as you collected your thoughts. This was your worse nightmare- you didn’t want to take sides. You wanted to wait it out and let the conflict resolve itself. Yet, it seemed like the longer you waited, the more dangerous the situation became.

“It’s a difficult decision,” you admitted. “I need to think about this carefully.”

Yunho’s expression softened slightly, “Of course. I would say to take your time, but every moment of delay may affect your safety. I suggest to make your decision as swiftly as possible.”

You nodded as the weight of the decision pressed down on your shoulders. You couldn’t shake the feeling of being trapped between two opposing forces. It was always the Halas and Eternals battling- so why were you apart of it? Has the situation gotten that bad?

You thought about your options. The Eternals were the ones that started the whole fight by murdering the ‘unworthy’ Halas. They also claimed Hala territories and properties as theirs, completely disregarding their existence.

You knew that the Eternals were the problem, so why didn’t you side with the Halas from the get-go?

You were close to siding with the Halas, but after the talk with Yunho, you might have to reconsider. As much as you believed that the Halas are in the right, you also had to prioritise your own safety.

Yunho stood up, flashing you a smile. “I’ll come back another day to hear your decision. If anything, you could send a letter to the Palace as well.”

“Cool, you can bring the biscuits with you,” you said, exhaustedly.

“It’s alright, I’ll leave them there for you,” he said as he chuckled. “Make sure to have a good nights rest ‘____’. You may need it.”

author’s note: i hope you guys enjoyed! if you did, please like and repost! any and all feedback is appreciated <3 if you want to be added to the taglist feel free to ask

series taglist - @binchanluvrr @hiddlestandom @avantalem @hecateslittlewitchling @iarayara @thunderous-wolf

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