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#lotus wrote something
lovelylotusf1 · 1 month
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Is it the sun or are you making it hot out here?
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Summary:
Marketing make Oscar and Lando play a game of beach volleyball in the Australian heat. Oscar decides to teach Lando a few moves. While doing so, they tease each other. A lot.
Lando Norris/Oscar Piastri, Landoscar | 2.8k words | rated T
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rose-tinted-vision · 5 months
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Fic: Tales from Tianji Manor
(prev/ao3 link/next)
Relationships: implied Di Feisheng/Fang Duobing/Li Lianhua
chapter summary: Our local murderous gremlin gets exposed to motherly affection. He does not know how to deal with it.
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“Where's Di Feisheng?” He Xiaohui asks at breakfast. The spot by Li Lianhua’s left was left conspicuously empty, which neither her son nor Li Lianhua seemed particularly concerned about.
Xiaobao shrugs, shovelling another mouthful of congee into his mouth.
Deeming her son useless in this topic, she turns to Li Lianhua, who gives a small cough, cheeks puffing in what she now recognizes is discomfort before answering, “Lao-Di does that sometimes. He comes and goes as he pleases, please don't worry, Sect leader He.”
Well. That was something to unpack.
She heard from Xiaobao that Di Feisheng came from the Di Family in the southeast region, that secretly conducted Death sorcerer training, creating trained assassins out of children. That explained his high martial skills, as well as his disregard towards social etiquette.
Though he was trying, she could see that. There are certain times where Di Feisheng paused, thinking through his words before suggesting murder to all their problems.
That was not the most pressing issue now, however.
“I told you to address me as ‘mom’,” she admonishes lightly, pushing a bowl of dough fritters towards Li Lianhua, who is careful not to agree but acknowledges her with a nod anyway.
It wasn't an outright refusal, she notes with a degree of satisfaction. She would work at slowly chipping away at his defences for now.
“And as for Di Feisheng, he'd better be back by evening, no one misses dinner here,” she fixes her Xiaobao with a glare.
“He usually disappears for a month though,” Xiaobao looks up in alarm, knowing full well she would make do on her threats, “even Hulijing is unable to track him down!”
“Nonsense, we have He Xiaofeng. Or have you forgotten how your xiaoyi managed to follow you all the way to Jin Mantang’s residence?”
“That was because this traitor set off a smoke flare!” Xiaobao gestures to Li Lianhua. (Who was currently stuffing his cheeks with pieces of dough fritters, the very picture of innocence and nothing like the 'traitor' he had just been accused of being).
“Also, are you calling my xiaoyi a tracking dog?” her Xiaobao huffs in mock indignation.
“You're the one calling her that, not me,” He Xiaohui says dismissively. Though her youngest sister does have a strange affinity for tracking people down, smoke flare or not, strangely enough.
(“Try calling for him,” Li Lianhua nudges Fang Xiaobao, who wrinkles his nose at the suggestion.
Li Lianhua shrugs, “it's worked before, no?”
In the end, Fang Duobing had volunteered himself to look for Di Feisheng, citing that the other would likely flee at seeing his xiaoyi. Not out of fear, but from guilt, that his taking her hostage had gotten her stabbed multiple times. He may have a morally gray compass, but he did have his own set of strict moral codes that he stuck to.
Fang Xiaobao pointedly ignores Li Lianhua's ribbing, holding out one of A-Fei’s sashes to Hulijing, who gives it a curious sniff before setting off northwards of the forest.
It wasn't until the sun started to set, painting the sky in various shades of pink, orange and yellow, with Fang Xiaobao muttering curses under his breath that Hulijing returned triumphant.
They eventually find him meditating by the waterfalls nestled in the forest, a lone figure clad in red stark against the cool grey of the cliffs. Hulijing bounds up to him, her barks rivalling the sounds of the crashing waters.
Standing there against the waterfalls that far eclipsed him in height as he pets Hulijing, Di Feisheng looked nothing like the monster in the stories teashop storytellers liked to spin.
Di Feisheng clearly had not expected his zhijis to come seeking him out, nor had he expected that He Xiaohui would be concerned about his absence. He did not know what to make of her demand that he be back for dinner, having managed to get by all his life alone. Never had anyone besides Li Lianhua fed him a meal without ulterior motives).
He Xiaohui is considering the merits of tearing up the offensive letter placed in front of her when attendant Xie rushes in, hastily announcing the return of her wayward son-in-law (to-be, but that was a moot point) and her sons.
“I'm famished!” Fang Xiaobao announces, waltzing into the dining hall with his zhijis trailing in behind him.
“Is there an issue?” Di Feisheng addresses her, taking the seat across Li Lianhua. It was hardly a conversation starter, but it was also not a straight ‘what do you want from me’ that his posture was radiating. She would give him points for that.
Unlike Fang Xiaobao, who had tore into his food with vigor upon sitting down, Di Feisheng had paid the veritable array of food no mind, posture tense and coiled for action, still wary after a week of residence in her Tianji Manor.
She had meant to put on her most stern expression, ready to grill them for being late, she really did. But Di Feisheng had looked so bewildered, so lost, his earlier collected demeanour gone when she replied that all she truly wanted was all her family members to be present during dinnertime.
“You…have fixed meal times?” Di Feisheng followed-up, sounding genuinely confused. The question has Li Lianhua subtly perking up in curiosity as well- and He Xiaohui’s heart aches.
That it was such a simple thing as having a meal together- that Di Feisheng likely never experienced -has her feeling choked up.
Truly, fate had not done right by these two men.
From the wet sheen in Fang Xiaobao's eyes, and the fond, almost tender expression he was sporting, she figures that he felt the same way too.
Not trusting herself to speak without breaking down into tears, He Xiaohui nods in response to Di Feisheng's expectant expression.
“Alright then,” Di Feisheng nods, deeming the answer satisfactory, “I shall try not to miss dinner.”
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shining-gem34 · 5 months
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Path Choice: Hunt
||Long overdue thoughts regarding how DH obtains his paths and what it means to him. I did want to like write a drabble about it, but now have this short summary of my thoughts.
The Hunt
Initially, Dan Heng followed The Hunt because he feels like he should. Ever since he was born, he was educated of Dan Feng life and crimes (or more like drilled it into his head). Because he is Dan Feng reincarnation, Dan Heng had to bear his punishment.
By following the Path of the Hunt, the Reignbow Arbitor, Dan Heng feels that "he" (Dan Feng) can find redemption- forgiveness for his sins. That way, Dan Heng won't be haunted by that man past anymore.
There is some idea that Dan Heng met Lan in a dream before he was sentenced to banishment. Unable to recognize the vast space around him, he sees a shooting star moving too fast for his eyes to follow: Beautiful but terrifying. All he hears, as arrows of light descends toward him, are along the lines of: "A Scion of Permanence? The Azure Dragon who attempted to drag the Stars into the ancient sea. Very well. If you seek to redeem your crimes, then take my arrows and vow to annihilate all of Yaoshi spawns in your path."
Then Dan Heng wakes up, confused about his dream. He had no time to decipher it when he's escorted out of the Luofu; exiled. The first signs of Lan blessing are subtle:
The first signs of wind gathering in the palm of his hand (a gift to hide the waters running down his veins)
The confidence he feels unflinching in the face of danger as he wields his spear.
The whispers in the back of his mind (Dan Feng? Lan? Who?) that guides him how to keep his footsteps quiet, to find weaknesses against his opponents, and know when to retreat/fight.
But upon his first meeting with Blade as they clashed, Dan Heng realizes the impact of Lan blessings. The single-minded focus he had, his defenses shifting to pure offensive, and the aggressiveness in his strikes he never had before all because of Blade as his enemy. The fury and hate that tastes like bile in his throat does not belong to him.
It belongs to Lan, and it is Lan that controls him at this moment.
Dan Heng hates it. He hates it even more when he feels something else fighting within him- Permanence, Dan Feng maybe. Struggling to keep Lan power at bay, forcing Dan Heng to stagger in his movements and slow (barely avoiding the lethal strikes of Blade).
Oh, Dan Heng is sick to his core that he has no control at the moment. He hates the feeling that he is never free, even in his own body he has no autonomy.
The first time he stabs Blade in the heart, Dan Heng finally feels like himself. He throws up, the whispers in the back of his mind slowly fading. He believes it was Lan at the moment, but the many times after that...
Dan Heng only slayed Blade if the situation is necessary, and it was within his own choice. In a way, he feels like Lan is watching nearby and mocking him.
The thing is, an Aeon's blessing is also a curse for Dan Heng, he was unaware at the time that the beast he killed many times is the same man his previous incarnation, Dan Feng, dearly loves.
And remember, Lan only requirement for Dan Heng in exchange for his blessings (and allowing him to follow his path) is simple: Annihilate Yaoshi spawns in his path. :)))
Inspired by @everlastiingiimmortals and their amazing Jing Yuan Erudition Path HC's. >:333
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xythlia · 4 months
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kita !!!!!! i was looking for a fic on ao3 because i wanted to download it and read it again for the sixth time (i think) and then i saw it was yours !!!!!!!!!! i got so happy when i saw you wrote it 🥺 i was like ''wait!!! i know her :O"
omg lotus that's so sweet im literally cheesing at my phone screen so hard rn that makes me really happy!! <3333
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ryan-is-a-god · 10 months
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Fuck it, Art school.
Staring at the red sun,
And hazy sky.
The world's on fire.
It turns, and it burns.
Why not then?
Why not be who you are,
Do what you love.
Forget the degrees,
The expectations,
The whole world on your shoulders.
Because that world turns,
And burns.
It won't slow for you,
It won't heal for you,
So do what you will,
And if you fail,
Well the whole world burns anyway.
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maggstar · 4 months
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𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐈 𝐃𝐢𝐞
───────────────────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹────────────────────
𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: 18+, mni DNI!
𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: 365 days since the incident, in which Heeseung's life turned upside down, is today. Will he be able to save her this time?
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: smut, hard angst, veryyy emotional, trauma bonding/coping, cop!Hee (injured reader, guns, shooting, kidnapping, violence, death) kissing, biting, marking, handjob, oral (f. receiving) , fingering, vanilla, very intimiate and loving unprotected s3x, missionary, spooning, lotus.
!!!TW: ED, suicidal thoughts, mentioned attempts, s3lf harm (both characters)
𝐖𝐂: 21k+ (ehm..., yea)
𝐀/𝐍: Finally. It is here. this one is for ♡ anon. ily. I want to say I loved writing this whole fic even though it was emotionally difficult. I wrote about heavy topics, so please be aware before reading as this might not be everyone's cup of tea! Both characters are in pretty messed up mental states, but their love to each other is what keeps them going. I hope you guys enjoy this fic as I never put this much effort into any fic before.
Please leave any sort of feedback: reblogging and commenting is the best for me, so let me know!! ───────────────────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹────────────────────
As Heeseung approached the town, he immediately recognized the steep, rocky road that led to the street of his most ominous memories. Despite the passing of a year, everything remained the same. The familiar layout felt like coming home after years of being abroad. In a way, he had been. 
He found it amusing how visiting his past brought such mixed feelings. Given how messed up things were before his departure, he was afraid to face all the negative emotions. Merely thinking about the events crawled an uncanny sensation. 
Yet, here he was, letting the comforting sentimentality alight on his heart and beam at the faint breeze entering through his window as he soaked up the evocative atmosphere. It had a hint of gloom as the rain amplified with his reappearance, making the ominous night colder than usual. Goosebumps took over his body, observing the surroundings while the car shifted its gear to neutral. 
The park was abandoned at this time, reminiscing on the children's laughter in the evenings, playing for hours without a care. He liked to come there after work, sit for a few minutes, and listen to them. They still had the monkey bars and pirate-themed wooden ship in the middle of the playground, which he helped paint. 
He examined the residences next to his old one, all appearing the same. Looking at the colorful houses with picturesque gardens pierced an arduous nostalgia. A few had undergone reconstructions as the previous owners seemed to have parted. 
Some even had new furniture or repainting, their garages containing bigger and more luxurious vehicles. New additions like swings or slides for children were also notable. A small number of areas were also seemingly building new homes for the future, expanding the population in the tainted town.
With a glance beside, he examined the house he spent his student years in. 
"Would you look at that," he scoffed, studying the untouched exterior, still covered in that sensational buttermilk paint. 
Even the pecan concrete tiles on the roof were there, with additional solar panels. The current owners also installed a masonry chimney to the side - something he had always wished for but couldn't afford. 
They were definitely more knowledgeable in Botanics than he was. The garden looked completely different. The condition Heeseung left it in was atrocious, with dead flowers and dried weeds scattering the place. Zora Neale Hurston once quoted: "Trees and plants always look like the people they live with." He didn't know if this disclosure was comical or tragic, heavily soughing instead. 
Currently, the place had more of a Japanese style: a little lake in the middle underneath beautiful white lotuses. Oak and cherry trees surrounded the layout, whereas perfectly cut bonsai trees greeted passers-by in the front. The family likely had their roots there because it was uncommon to opt for this type in this area. Yet again, he was inexperienced in this topic, so who was he to say anything? 
He sighed, lowering his head to take a deep breath to process all the garnering memories reaching the surface from the seabed. It was bound to happen, and he still didn't manage to prepare for it. 
Back then, there was too much weight on his shoulders. From college to his family, there was only so much a teenager could handle. 90% of his memories were the ones he sincerely wished to omit evermore. He didn't want to rub salt into his wounds by reliving them, aiming to concentrate on the better side.
After all, it was this place he achieved and lost everything at once. The city that welcomed the lost pup with open arms after the death of his parents, soothing with empty promises and fraudulent head pats. 
Back then, he was too naive to differentiate malicious intentions, foolishly jumping onto every proposition. He thought people wanted to help and not take advantage of his incapacity, that they would aid the broken one with the loving words he needed. 
Fundamentally, he was an emotional wreck, emptiness and numbness following him all day. 
There wasn't anyone left in his life, just miscellaneous pictures gathered in a photo album and recollections of happy moments in carton boxes. Going through their belongings hurt more than anything, smudging their smiles with tears and repeated callouts to which no one could respond anymore. 
In other words, it was the worst period of his life.
His nights were established on puffy eyes, a terrible headache, and a stuffy nose, suffering in silence for months. The money he was supposed to spend on food went to tissues, trashing the whole place. Getting up in the mornings was incredibly demanding, failing often at convincing himself. Staying in and laying in his PJs permanently tolled more promising.
No one seemed to care about his late arrival to classes anyway. The teachers were the exclusive individuals, questioning his defect of attendance and interest. They often came to various false conclusions. They didn't consider asking for the real reason behind his struggles at handing in assignments and essays on time without lying to dodge admonitions. 
In the same way, no one doubted the sunglasses he wore every day. They assumed it was part of a fashion trend when, in reality, it was an excuse to hide the redness and semicircle exhaustion. 
The clothes that fit him weeks ago began loosening, appearing enormous on his underweight body. When his friends pointed out his lack of appetite during lunch, he put it behind him and led the conversation in another direction. That way, he felt he had control over reality. 
In reality, he knew it was avoidance. He wasn't ready to concede he was struggling. Something wasn't alright, and he deteriorated with each passing day. 
Reminiscing on the past, optimistic Heeseung wearing a warming smile mirrored the numb motionlessness, not containing enough confidence to face the drastic and tragic change.
The only courageous people were the Choi family. 
He turned his head to the left, catching a glimpse of the elderly couple sitting at the table inside their closed terrace. They were laughing and enjoying dinner, accompanied by two other people, handing out the freshly grilled food on their plates. A little boy was attending the meal as well, gesturing widely. He leaned forward to examine the guests, scanning their faces. For some reason, they were so familiar...
"No way," a gasp forsake, realizing that turn of events. 
The handsome, tall young man with an athletic build was no other than Choi Hyun-woo, the son of the married pair. Heeseung facepalmed himself for taking so long to figure out his identity, doubting his dexterities.
His parents had introduced the two after a few weeks of Heeseung visiting. Around that time, he was in a custody battle with his dangerous wife. That adjective was an understatement when considering her malicious threats. They were predominantly about hurting their son if he didn't leave her alone or running away with him.
That wasn't the only crazy part. The more unsettling information he learned, the more he feared for the safety of the small boy. Besides being mentally unstable, she also struggled with psychosis. The doctors warned her countless times, but she didn't reflect on any of their words when entering a new relationship. If anyone was the victim in this situation, it was Hyun-woo. 
Seeing them reunited was all he could have ever wished for them, smiling at the cheerful sight. 
"Thank you for being here for us, Heeseung. We just want you to know we're also here for you," he could hear the oldster sighing while patting his back, sensing the weariness from the mere flicker.
"We're all humans in the end. Even the strongest ones cannot lift the weight the world pushes on us." The stogie burned further whenever he would take a whiff, passing it on for a moment of peace.
"Life hasn't been easy on you, has it?" the bearded man turned to face the youngster, quietly sitting and observing the night sky. 
"No, sir, it hasn't," he took the long roll of tobacco to try it out, analyzing its shape and thickness.
"Pretending to be happy when you're in pain is an example of how strong you are as a person, Lee."
"Never doubt your strength, you hear me?" he repeatedly swung his index finger to reprimand him. 
"Yessir," Heeseung nodded before inhaling the cigar, not foreseeing its power. On the other hand, the veteran couldn't help but enjoy the outcome, laughing as he expectorated. 
"How can you smoke this?" he punched his chest numerous times to get the bubble of smoke out of his system. 
"Times were different back in my days. We had nothing else."
"Still..."
"Do one thing for me," the senior flipped the page, taking another load and slowly exhaling a white cloud into the cold fall night. Heeseung faced him after successfully getting rid of the awful irritation in his throat. He sat there, waiting for another round of sagacious words from the wise man. 
"Don't give up. Whatever it takes, don't give up, son. Even when you feel like there's no purpose, don't because nothing lasts forever. It will get better."
It was those words that made Heeseung push through the days. It was almost unbelievable how much of an impact it had on him. Never in a million years would he have thought a motivational speech could get him back on his feet. Then again, he never gave anyone a chance to see behind his facade.
Although they were the ones who required assistance, Heeseung ended up receiving all of the help. 
"Have you eaten? No? That's unacceptable! Come over as soon as you're done with school!"
Mrs. Choi's disappointment still rang through his ears, envisioning her in her French kitchen with a spatula in her hand. It was a vista he missed, alongside the delectable smell of her exceptional cooking.
She constantly checked on him, calling once his school was over and asking if he needed anything. Cooking him meals became a habit whenever he stopped by to help in the garden, practically shoving packets of food into his chest. She knew it wasn't much, but for Heeseung, it meant the world. Knowing that someone actually appreciated his company and cared about his well-being without solely thinking about theirs was unknown. 
So unknown that in the beginning, he assumed the lunch boxes in his backpack ended up by accident and that Mrs. Choi had mixed it up. 
That's how messed up people have been to him that his mind found it unbelievable. Every bit of aid had to have a twisted meaning behind it because why would anyone care about him? No one was there when he was bereaved. No one came to say their condolences or ask if he was alright. It was just him in the columbarium as he placed the ceramic pot with the last remains of his loved ones into the repository. The sole visitor on his free days, leaving the deceased ones' favorite snacks underneath their memorial. He was the boy the guard always had to wake up and send home. 
"It's just thee, thy, and thou, huh?"
"Yes, Mr. Choi."
It is how he achieved his dream and became a successful officer and the person he is now. 
All the hardships and woes he underwent in his early adulthood built up the future he worked for without resting. The mornings and nights would meld into one, struggling to distinguish AM from PM. Around that time, his coffee intake started slipping out, and he tried out every possibility to stay awake and finish everything. 
So much he had to do in such little time. Heeseung didn't understand how he finished it, but his body did. It was giving up, slowly but gradually, because he wouldn't stop pushing the limits. He thought he could do more each time, twisting the meaning of "just a bit more."
One day, the strings finally tore off, and his body had enough. 
Without looking back, it gave in. It handed in the shattered pieces of his soul to the unknown, streaming down like a feather. Nothing had left within, no recollections to reflect on his actions. All his hopes had dashed, molding his fears into a vase of entrapment. The more he tried to climb out of the well, the deeper he fell back, the walls elevating. He screamed into the darkness, the exclamations reflecting due to the scarcity of allowance. 
The next thing you know, he woke up in an unfamiliar and cold environment, with doctors coming in and out. They kept asking various questions and filling out some forms before leaving. The 
He expected the nurses checking up on him now and then to answer the question marks in his head, watching them flush the tube in his nostrils.
It was when he opened his mouth to ask about it that one of the nurses responded, explaining its essential purpose.
She called it "Nasogastric tube feeding". A line delivering nutrients directly into his stomach through his nose. Heeseung kept listening while the woman cleaned the skin around his nose with a warm washcloth, describing his situation. 
Apparently, he had been in the ICU for a few days, and the doctors ran various tests to unravel his deficiencies. The stats showed the deceleration of cardiac activity, leading to low heart rate and blood pressure. They also mentioned low body temperature, which Heeseung had been battling for centuries. It exemplified why he felt faint and weak all the time. Maybe it even answered his apathy toward life.
The results of his BMI indicated severe underweight, whereas the blood test showcased micronutrient imbalances. Heeseung couldn't fathom all of the details his doctor kept streaming, closing his eyes in a vain attempt to ignore the consequences of his stubbornness and lack of eating. 
Not only did he have to wear a plastic tube, but he also had to talk with dietologists and healthcare professionals to make changes in his life.  
Heeseung loathed it and didn't listen to anything they had to offer because, in his mind, he had already decided what was best for him. Suggestions like attending occupational therapy gave him a laugh, not comprehending the reason for such an absurd and useless alternative. There was still a belief that everything was alright, and the situation was being blown out of proportion. 
Even after all that information, he refused to accept reality. If he did, he would have to reconcile with his aggravating condition and shape. He would have to acknowledge how bad the situation was. That if he didn't take action now, it could end terribly. 
And Heeseung wasn't prepared to admit it aloud. Admit he had been suffering for so long that he lost track of days because they began blending into one endless loop where he couldn't live in peace. Confess the terrible feelings of hopelessness, loneliness, and emptiness. The feeling that he woke up to bypass that motivating bright sun hiding behind those dark, self-destructive clouds. The ones which slowly perished his soul.
Disclose the deep yearning for love, tenderness, and affection lingering in his sore throat. Reveal the hope to knit his tattered heart, wrapping around his neck so delicately that he didn't want it to stop. Divulge the need to end everything trussing in the back of his head, increasing whenever an obstacle occurred, doubting everything about himself. Concede the crossing between life and death, questioning the meaning of existence. 
Relent that the word suicide kept repeating in his mind like an old cassette player, seeing the curse inscribed over everything. Allow the guilt to take over and condemn him for leaning towards the balcony whenever it whispered the word "jump". It conveyed it so alluringly that it made him go crazy, holding onto the railings in pure despair. 
Describe how sharp blades appeared veracious. Explain why he deleted the Google search history to hide the questions on overdoes. 
He wasn't ready, but he had to be. Otherwise, he would ultimately lose himself in the hollowness and disperse forever. 
So, he decided to bite the bullet and push through by turning the page.
Thanks to his determination, he could now sit in a police car and help those in need. Do a job where he could be the person he needed others to be at his lowest. 
There had been one. However, Heeseung was forbidden from ever thinking about that person. 
Why? Because he made the biggest mistake of his life, which he atoned for till today.
A beautiful mistake that he deeply missed every hour, every minute, every second.
"Dispatch to Patrol One," the sudden statistic transmitted through the two-way radio, pulling back the officer from daydreaming. 
"10-04," he quickly responded, grabbing the transmitter and acknowledging the callsign. 
"Are you alright, sir?" the worry conveyed, belonging to none other than Seo-Jun. 
"Yes," He sighed, resting his head on the steering wheel. 
"Sir, pardon me, but you don't sound like it," the young officer evoked, tentative about probing her senior. 
She could hear him repeat the proverb: "Curiosity killed the cat." It wasn't her best trait, and she knew it. It was always these times she couldn't help but push it forward and let concern get the better of her. 
After all, it was Lee Heeseung, the guy who managed to turn her life over. 
If he hadn't helped her escape from her toxic ex-boyfriend last summer, she wouldn't be sitting in the obsolete office now. She was lucky to dial 112 in time and come out alive. If he had been a few minutes late, she could have suffered to death from the undying abuse. The memory was deeply engraved in the depth of her heart, recalling him standing by her side during the hospital procedures. He never wanted to admit it, but he was the town's hero for saving the mayor's daughter. 
Therefore, her gratitude towards him was prodigious. And for the same reason, she wanted to be there for him during tough times. No matter how hard she tried, her approach would emerge unsuited and unfit each time. People told her to get ahold of her steps countless times, and she still made the same slips every time. Nevertheless, she didn't give up and reached out to dial the official. 
"Seo-Jun, I-"
"My apologies, sir. I've crossed my line," she hastily tried to cover up her actions, slapping her forehead for being nosy and pushy. 
"I'm not okay," the voice on the other side emitted into the discomfiting silence, a heavy sigh following the statement. Seo-Jun opened her eyes to perceive the sentence, staring at the floor beneath her as the declaration reiterated in her brain. She widened her pupils when she finally realized what he had uttered, almost falling off her chair after swiftly turning and grabbing back the radio. 
"Sir, is this about the note you've received?"
"What note?" he frowned, backing up. 
"Well, you've got a message on your account, and you know it goes through me first, so I might have accidentally read what was on it-"
"What note are you talking about?" The stern change in speech startled her, contemplating if it was due to her admitting her horrible demeanor or the want of information. 
"The one that states: Broadway 123, 11:30 PM," she reread the email, stuffing her mouth with another strawberry-flavored lollipop. At this point, it was a miracle her teeth hadn't fallen out yet. 
"Any signatures?"
"Just two initials: K.J."
Heeseung's stomach dropped at the revelation, which only confirmed his prior thoughts. It was the 13th of March, after all. What was he thinking?
He looked at the time on the display, typing in the coordinates to the navigation. It showed an estimated arrival in 15 minutes. His jaw clenched, attempting to pulverize the inexhaustible alarm ringing in his skull.
"Fuck, why didn't you tell me earlier?" his panic disseminated into anger, hastily starting up the car. He grabbed the gearstick, his leg pressing the accelerator. 
"I'm sorry, sir. I thought you knew about it."
"You know goddamn well I never check my email," he shifted to 3rd gear already, turning on the emergency lights on the car. They switched from one color to the other, the sound of sirens following right after every blick. 
"I'm really sorry, sir, but what does it even tell? It sounds dangerous."
"Cause it is," Heeseung cut her off, "and that's why you should have told me earlier." 
Seo-jun's voice went quiet, the time on the call prolonging without either side speaking. 
She had nothing to say, as she realized the severity of her actions. 
Frankly, she had difficulty understanding the whole situation and why it aggravated Heeseung this much. She stared at the email, trying to find a hidden clue or something that would cure her curiosity. 
Despite her attempts, she ended with disappointment, leaning back on the chair with a loud sigh. 
She turned her head to the side while Heeseung turned his back on the road, which was moderately clean, with no traffic jams preventing him from reaching his destination. Most cars quickly reacted to the situation and pulled to the side of the road. 
He looked in the rear mirror, seeing a silhouette sitting in the backseat with blood all over her face, a faded smile visible. 
"Help her, I beg you," The voice echoed in his ears as he made a left, entering the mentioned street. 
He fought the unwanted shakiness in his body, the sentence replaying like a broken cassette, causing him to break down the walls he had built in the past months.
He had to be more collected. His duty was to stay calm under pressure and not to invoke panic, but here he was, gripping the wheel too much. His nails began to hurt from the prolonged force, eyes ungluing from the road for a split second. He looked at his image in the mirror, sensing a faint taste of blood. There, he could see the deep cut on his lip, his teeth responsible for choosing the wrong coping mechanism. 
He could also see the same hopeless look as the one on that day, anger building up from within to curse him for being a wreck in such a crucial situation again. The consequences of it taunted him, internally punching him for his incompetence. An officer who couldn't control his emotions was the same one trying to rescue someone. He couldn't even stop himself from deteriorating, and here he was, seeking to thwart others.
It was all foolish, just like he was at this moment. 
What a fool he was for wanting a chance to right the wrongs. 
Without a second thought, Heeseung immediately parked near the reported location, practically jumping out of the car. He checked if his gun was locked and loaded again before heading out. 
He looked around, eyes looking for potential gang associates in the surroundings. He expected at least some bodyguards or watchdogs near the building, but no one was around. Grabbing his flashlight, he took an overhand grip, shortening the distance to the building with each cautious but fast step. 
The residence was outdated, definitely abandoned by the looks of its upkeep. What seemed like a factory was now an empty, deserted residence. No one had visited this place for a long time. 
He approached the door, reaching the porch to see if anything was happening inside. 
The front door was locked from the other side, the darkness concealing the image inside. Heeseung had to go through the back to enter, listening for any noise on his way. It was too quiet for his liking, not a single peep emanating from the residence. He climbed over the wire fence, sucking up the pain the metal left after puncturing his skin. 
Nothing was more important than reaching inside.
He did suspect the message, wondering if it was another prank pulled by the bored teenagers. Sadly, it happened quite too often, with them lining up the emergency number and creating false stories to bring out the hirelings for their entertainment.
Still, none of them knew about his past, so the chances were nearly impossible. Not even his colleagues knew why he decided to take a day off today. They had zero keen on why this day was so important for him. They had no idea it was this day that turned his life around.
He took a position behind the wall as he glanced for the back door, peeking out carefully. To his surprise, it was wide open, bestowing him an entrance. 
He approached it slowly, looking out for a possible intruder since the unusual stillness wasn't preventing the tension in his muscles from stiffening. When he met no obstacles, he determined it was clear to proceed, stepping inside.
The uneven concrete underneath welcomed him back, permitting a path towards the middle. Just like last time, he thought to himself, before approaching the cursed center. 
Here.
It all happened here.
It was where he found Seo-Jun. Right here. 
He could see the silhouette in the wooden chair, bound by duct tape. He could still feel the hopelessness and helplessness.
A supposed rescue mission turned into a shootout, in which he had zero back-ups to overcome the opponents. 6v1, and Heeseung barely came out alive, with one bullet shot in his right arm. The female he was supposed to save bled out on the spot because of fatal injuries, and there was nothing he could do to help her. He tried so hard to stop the bleeding and apply as much pressure as he could in his injured condition. All just to witness her slowly part away in his arms with a painful "thank you".
Heeseung blamed himself for her death till today. After all, he was the one to blame for it. That's what her parents kept repeating.
"Murderer! It was your job to protect her!"
"She's dead because of you!"
"It should have been you who died, not her!"
They were right. 
He agreed with everything they said. It was the truth. He had failed, and there was nothing he could do to bring her back. 
Nightmares of the terror night practically became the fairytale of his sleep. He would wake up drenched in sweat, pushing himself to successfully save her in his dreams. He was so close but so far away at the same time. 
It was all humorous. How returning to this unfortunate place stirred the wrong memories. How it managed to discern the familiar gut-wrenching feeling in his system. The one he had to take medication for every day to keep his head clear. To stop seeing the silhouettes of her everywhere. 
"Seo-Jun, don't do this to me," his head dropped to his feet, refusing to reexperience his trauma. 
"You're not here anymore," he bit down on his lip, gulping down the ascending guilt.
"But it's not me, Heeseung." 
His eyes rose, staring at the silhouette. They struggled to decipher the person in front of them, barely having the energy to stay open. 
He stepped closer, his heavy steps echoing through the enormous vacant room. He was expecting it to disappear as it was a part of his imagination. However, it stayed there, clear as a day.  
It was her.
Not her her, but her.
The voice that haunted him every night in his nightmares. The one that begged him to save her sister from those psychopaths, putting the last bits of hope into him. The screams replayed in his nightmares when he had come out with her sister in his arms, barely holding the victim as he was close to passing out himself. They soon turned into weeps, coughing up the pain in her system, unable to stop her body from shaking at the sight of her sibling in agonizing pain. 
He remembered the way she looked up at him while the paramedics carried her inside the ambulance, face covered in shock and desperation. 
It was as if both knew the outcome awaiting them in the hospital, not prepared to admit the painful reality. They wanted to pretend like they didn't know, even if it was only for a minute. 
He recalled her running after the car, legs giving out in the middle, getting up over and over again without thinking twice about the damage on her knees. 
The same pain he felt back then kicked in right now, pounding into his stomach because despite disappointing her, she was the one who checked up on him in the ER. She was the only person who turned up. The only one worried about his condition, holding in the tears.
"I know my sister was glad someone tried. That someone cared and wanted to save her."
"I'm happy to know that the last face she saw was yours and not those bastards'."
"Mr. Lee, thank you. Thank you for everything."
Despite everything, she said those words to him, managing to smile at him before leaving. He felt her release the painful ache through the door, mourning for the lost one as the hospital tiles created a path stained with sorrow. 
"It's your chance, Heeseung."
"To do what you couldn't with me."
He looked around to glimpse a ghost of Seo-Jun, to believe it was all real and not a part of his disturbed imagination. 
But she was nowhere to be found. 
It was Y/N instead, encircled by the cause of her sister's death.
The same person he stopped visiting every day after the incident, too thoughtless to leave her all alone in that big city while the perpetrators roamed around freely. 
He thought it would have been for the better to give her space to grieve properly, without him appearing at the door to remind her of the incident. 
She never complained, though, but rather showed her gratitude for the concern, not managing to function alone with her parents passing on their sadness to her. 
It was a difficult time for her to be in, especially alone. That's why Heeseung's presence brought her the peace and comfort she needed. He helped her move out her sister's furniture, going as far as to seclude a deal to sell the apartment so the family could have a proper funeral, which he ended up attending himself. 
Her parents weren't exactly hiding their anger at his presence at such a personal event, holding him accountable for the happening of the ceremony. 
However, she was the one who had invited him. She chewed their disapproval and asked him to stay beside her. She needed someone to hold on during the event, both mentally and physically, thankful for his hand lingering on hers as she watched her other half disappear into the ground. 
He stayed with her for a long time after that, coming every morning to help her get out of bed and get ready for the day, becoming her caregiver for the following weeks. 
She was suffering inside, and he could tell by her blankly staring into the walls, movements so slow it looked like it hurt. It was difficult to convince her to eat, noticing the loss in appetite she kept ignoring, blaming it on her stomach troubles. 
Nonetheless, she never protested when he wanted to feed her, always cooking or ordering something from outside. She felt like a baby in those moments, with him practically begging her to open her mouth, putting a smile on her face instead. 
They talked a lot over those weeks, with Heeseung opening up about his past and traumatic childhood, sharing the fragments of his parent's death and how it has affected him. He talked about the car accident, the one he was also in. He was the sole survivor, the sole person to exit the hospital and not be transferred into the morgue.
He had never told anyone before, and conveying the lingering heartache was such a relief that he couldn't stop talking, gathering up every detail he had in his memories. 
In a way, it connected the two more, having gone through the tragedy of losing a loved one. Y/N couldn't help but notice the feeling of safety in his company. The more he transmitted, the closer she felt, like she could trust him with her whole life.
While she was fully aware of the effects he was having on her, Heeseung was too busy focusing on her condition to catch the sparkles of joy. 
Whenever she opened the door to him, he couldn't help but beam. His heart would fill up with contentment, dopamine levels increasing at the brief touches they shared, hiding the butterflies amassing inside. It was wrong for him to catch feelings after everything he caused her, and the guilt expanded in his chest at the realization.
Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one who had caught up on the situation. Soon enough, her parents personally contacted him and asked to meet without their daughter's knowledge. They were the real reason for his departure, the why for abandoning her when she needed him the most. 
He never had the opportunity to tell her the truth, to tell her he didn't go on his will but was forced into that decision. He wished he could have told her he was threatened with being sued and losing his career forever due to their belief about his negligence on the mission. Either that or he had to leave her alone and go as far away as possible if he didn't want his life to be over. 
That is what he meant when he said he was a coward: a coward who couldn't even tell the truth. It followed him wherever he went, the mere image of her constantly transmitting in his thoughts.  
And now, the image was trapped in another nightmare with little time, falling into his hands yet again. 
This wasn't how he wanted to meet up, but fate had its way of managing things. The only thing Heeseung knew was that he couldn't let her down again. 
She had to come out of here alive.
No matter what it would take.
"You came," a raspy voice loomed from the darkness, causing Heeseung to hastily stand up and point his gun at its origin. 
His stomach dropped when he locked gazes with the criminal. 
"Kang Joon-Woo."
"It is I indeed," he fixed his tie covered in a fleur de lis pattern, showing off his wealth in the black tuxedo. His auburn slick hair drew attention to his green eyes, which turned stone cold once his gaze landed on the officer in front. They were empty, vacant, without any emotion. It was like staring into a deep well at night, manifesting fright and unpleasantness. 
"It's a pleasure to meet you again, Mr. Lee." his silver crown shone as the moonlight sheathed his face, lowering his head before looking back at him again. He exuded the same stare that day, slicing through deeply and threatening with its lethal power. 
Kang Joon-Woo, one of the lead rings of the cooperation of Kang Holding, was the chairman and the mastermind of the whole operation a year ago. Kang Jun-Seo was his right hand, more like a lap dog. 
They were both known criminals in the district he used to work in, successful businessmen who led one of the most influential companies in the city. They ran many hotels scattered over the country, using them as a front to conceal their actual intents by managing and commencing new deals. 
Beneath the surface, they hid several classified secrets, ordering various exchanges between dangerous parties. Some reports revealed drug usage and distribution, contacts with the black market, and even active participation on the deep web.
However, their main focus was on sex trafficking, exploiting young women for their income. It has been going on for many years, with the two predators selling out females to different countries, motivated by the big numbers on the cheque. They were both aware of how these girls would end up, forced to become objects for whoever had bought them. That was the twisted part in itself. The fact that the two went off to doing this.
He found out himself when he got ordered to take over one of these cases since the department had a lead and had a high chance of uncovering the trafficker's location, hopeful about the retrieval. So was Heeseung, especially after the Chief of Police had picked him out personally for the case along with two other ambitious corporals as the sergeant was sick that week, unable to operate. It was his biggest chance to prove himself and stand out amongst his coworkers. 
"Months of searching, and now I have you both at my feet," the snarky laugh punctured through.
"What have you done to her?" Heeseung looked back at Y/N from the corner of his eye, unable to bypass her drugged state. He knew he had to act before it was too late, struggling to piece a plan together at the revelation. 
"I just gave her some candy. You know the ones that bring you to another dimension?" he pulled out a pack of Arrirangs from his pockets, finding the whole situation hilarious. It was uproarious to watch the terror in Heeseung's eyes, darting from the girl back to him. 
"You fucker," Heeseung quickly hovered over her, checking her pulse and breathing. 
"Calm down," he scoffed in amusement, taking a whiff of the toxic elements his body lacked. "I need her to be alive as well." 
"What do you want?"
"Come on, Heeseung. You're smart enough to know," a sigh parted in the heavy ambiance, playing with the cigar between his fingers.
"You know goddamn well someone has to pay for the losses you caused on that day."
"Leave her out of it. She has done nothing."
"Who called you on us?"
"She did the right thing. They just chose the wrong officer."
"Fucking pathetic indeed. You couldn't even save her in the end, could you?" the man burst into laughter, brushing back his hair. He was loving every second of this.
"Since you failed to save her. Now, we need someone to replace her place."
"Jun-Seo was thinking about this beauty right here, but I told him it was too dangerous. Didn't I, brother?"
Heeseung froze at the callout, feeling the mentioned one's presence behind him. He also felt the weapon pointed at his head, threatening to be blasted at a slight movement. Every possible curse flashed in his mind, all pointing towards him.
He was screwed.
"Drop it," the baritone ordered. 
Before he could even look at the famous criminal, the man punched him in his back, amplifying his directive. Heeseung had no other option but to comply, slowly placing his gun on the floor. The guy immediately kicked away the weapon, far away from their reach. He stood there with his hands aloft, looking back at the man ahead.
"And what did I also say?" his tongue clicked, putting on a pair of black leather gloves.
"To have her, we must get rid of the cop."
"That's right." He snickered, approaching the injured girl. 
"Poor girl, she has no idea what's happening," his fingers wrapped around her neck, snickering at the beauty. He turned her face to the side, his filthy eyes scanning her features.
"Don't touch her!" Heeseung shouted, attempting to step closer.
"You better calm down." 
"Or do you want my brother to pull the trigger already?" her hair twirled around his finger, "I want her to see it first." He quickly pulled onto it, causing her head to fall with the snatch.
"No, she has nothing to do with this. I killed your men, not her. Let her go, now!" 
"I'm afraid I cannot do that, Heeseung. My client wants a replacement for his previous loss."
"And we decided to give him the other sister," the twin snickered, licking his lips. 
"You're fucking sick." Heeseung looked at the man above Y/N, passing on a distrustful smile. 
"I think we have waited far too long for this one," The snarky laugh punctured through, running his hands on her exposed thighs. 
"I said don't fucking touch her!" 
The delinquent just laughed and took a knife, putting it under her neck. He played with her hair, leaning closer to her ear, whispering something, and smirking right after. Whatever it was, Heeseung was sure it was appalling and lewd. 
"So," the edge of the weapon traveled down her T-shirt, "I'm going to have my fun." He sneered as its sharpness cut the clothing in two, exposing her body to the filthy losers. 
"And you're going to watch."
"You fucking piece of shit!" he jumped the guy, not thinking twice about it. They both rolled down the floor, one trying to keep the weapon, whereas the other risked to grab it. 
"I'll kill you. Right here, right now," Heeseung hissed, head-bumping him as soon as he had the opportunity. 
"You fucker," Joon-woo immediately covered his nose, staining his hand with his very own blood. He was sure it was broken, but it wasn't enough to stop him from returning the favor. 
Heeseung looked back at the other brother, who attempted to shoot the man in black, raising his arm to carry out the movement. 
However, Heeseung was quicker, avoiding the fatal hit by rolling over in time. He still had Joon-woo on his back, getting on his hands to perform a leg sweep. With that, he fell on his back, pushing all the air out of his lungs with a curse.
"You are dead meat, Mr. Lee," the man coughed out, barely having the energy to properly look him in the eye.
Heeseung knew he was minutes away from another blast from Jun-Seo's gun. Without wasting time, he quickly stood up and ran into the other perpetrator with full force. He successfully knocked both of them over, the firearm vanishing in the far distance. The stunt in the movement allowed him to yank and throw the firearm into the far distance. 
"Get him!" the other twin ordered, quickly taking out his Glock 19 to point it at Heeseung. Jun-Seo got on his feet again, shooting a death glare. Despite not having anything to defend himself with, he relied on his strength, rushing to him. His arm extended toward Heeseung's direction, and a sudden hand appeared in front of his face. 
"I should have killed both of you when I had the chance," Heeseung panted, evading each punch like a pro. It was too easy to fight with such an incompetent loser like him, managing to switch positions in the meantime. 
"We should have gotten rid of you two sooner," Joon-woo yelled, shooting into the brawl. He only didn't predict Heeseung doing the unthinkable by pushing the brother in front of him. The bullet entered the wrong body, disappearing in Jun-Seo's chest with a loud gasp. 
"No!" The shooter yelled at the turn of events, watching his twin fall to the ground right next to his feet. He panted in pain and brought his hands to the wound his sibling unintentionally caused, his eyelids losing their tension as his pupils dilated. 
"You piece of shit!" The scourge unleashed from between his lips, a pair of heartless eyes darting back. He looked back to see the cop with his gun right back where it belonged, pointed at him, the main suspect.
"You did all of this just for this stupid bitch!" He raised his arm, turning in the direction of the abducted innocence. 
"Step away from her," Heeseung yelled, blood rushing through his veins.
It was a relief to have taken down one of the obstacles in his way without getting his hands dirty. Nevertheless, there was still the main problem standing in front of him, aiming to assassinate his victim. 
He knew the sicko could pull off a dangerous stunt since his actions were unpredictable, scanning the expressions on his face. He was expecting furrowed brows, hands clenched into fists, or a death glare at least. 
All he got was a loud sigh, followed by a prolongated laughter. The kind of laughter you would hear The Joker do in a quarrel with Batman whenever the two would argue. It was almost as if he was amused or pleased with the outcome, even though his brother was lying inches away in a puddle of blood, practically minutes away from dying.
"You really are a jokester, Mr. Lee," he lowered his gun, ignoring the confusion on the cop's face.
He just passed on a stare and a scowl, fidgeting with the weapon in his hand like it was a toy with no bullets in it. His behavior was so bizarre that Heeseung couldn't help but stare at him in confusion. 
The thing was, the stare he carried didn't belong to someone who had just given up. It wasn't of someone who just surrendered and accepted his fucked-up fate. 
It was the complete opposite of what it was supposed to be -malicious, daring to some degree as if he was taunting him with his capability. He challenged him with a gradually growing smirk. 
At that moment, Heeseung realized it wasn't a renunciation but a part of the plan. The plan that had been constructed from the beginning. Composed to every little point to lure out the enemy. She was his weakness, and they damn well knew about it. They were cruel enough to use it against him. 
With another look, he noticed the turnabout in Joon-Woo's glare, the shade of wrath igniting. 
"For thinking I would let her off so easily," the loud bang emitted through the silence, a sharp "pop" following right after. The noise yielded Heeseung to register the situation, his eyes widening as they quickly scanned for the landing. His gaze landed on the girl in the chair, uncovering a bullet point of entrance on her chest. 
Heeseung's heart dropped as he looked over to the side. 
His eyes widened in horror, staring blankly at the injured girl.
His body went numb, but he still tried to remain as stoic as possible.
All he could do was stare, frozen in fear, as the girl's white shirt slowly turned red.
Heeseung knew he couldn't repeat the same mistake, not hesitating to respond as he pointed his gun directly at the shooter. It was what had to be done. Jun-Seo was going to die today, next to his brother.
His heart skipped a beat as the adrenaline rush towards his veins intensified. He pressed the trigger, watching the evil twin staring back at him in shock, falling back. 
The loud thud confirmed the man was no longer alive, the bullet in his head adding to reason. 
Heeseung slowly approached the corpse, looking at him one last time to ensure himself. 
At that moment, he indeed felt the unbearable weight on his shoulders falling off, all of it evaporating in the air. 
Heeseung finally exhales, dropping his gun to the floor. His heart rate slows down, but the poundage in his body becomes heavier, almost as if the world was collapsing in on him.
"Where-" he quickly turned around at the origin of the sound, his eyes meeting the girl's.
Heeseung instantly rushed to her side, trying to assess the damage.
Her blood flowed onto his hand as he pressed it on the entrance wound, attempting to stop the bleeding.
"I'm going to save you, just hang on..." he whispered, applying pressure after dialing his collegaue. 
As she struggled to remain conscious, her eyes locked into his.
She was unable to express her gratitude with words, so she gave his hand a light squeeze, letting him know that she understood his intentions.
She trusted the man for some reason, even though she couldn't see his face. Everything was pitch dark.
She hoped for the misery to end soon, letting her eyelids rest.
She only waited for the moment to end, for the afterlife to welcome her.
Heeseung was overwhelmed with worry and fear. He knew how close she was to dying, watching her breath grow shallower and more shallow after each passing moment.
He saw her eyes flickering in and out of consciousness, but all he could do was gently stroke her hair away from her face, hoping and wishing for a miracule. 
His hand rested on her chest, feeling her heartbeat. He desperately implored it to keep going, pleading with the higher powers, begging them not to let her slip through his fingers.
"Don't leave me, please," he whispered, kissing her hand.
Heeseung noticed her breathing pattern becoming erratic, her pulse slowly becoming weak, indicating that she was losing the battle for her life.
"Don't go," he whispered, placing his face closer to hers, willing her not to leave. The tears rolled down his cheeks, shaking his head in denial. He desperately tried to keep them from falling again.
"Please stay with me," he beged, unable to handle the thought of her dying in his arms. He continued to caress her cheeks, his voice muffled as his face grew redder and redder.
"Please..."
He recalled all the memories they encountered, the bad and the good, and burst into tears again. He didn't even try to stop them, unable to hold it in any longer.
"I don't know what I'm going to do without you..."
Heeseung's voice filled with anguish, and ha piece of his heart ripped out of his chest. 
His desperation grew as her heartbeat grew weaker and weaker. Her chest rose and fell, labored. 
Each breath was battle for her life, and her body was not winning the fight. It started to grow cold, and her heartbeat became even fainter, as if it was trying to slip through his grasp.
"I'm so sorry." 
"I should have protected you," he cried, pressing into her chest. 
"I love you, Y/N."
Her hand rested on his, a faint smile spreading across her face. 
---------------------------------------------
"Y/N," 
"You-"
"It's you?" her brain refused to believe the alternative, pacing back and forth, forth and back, like a spectator at a tennis match. 
Lee Heeseung? 
Her Lee Heeseung?
No, that's impossible.
She foolishly wanted to hold onto the strand of hope even though it was perilous. She knew it would relish on painting her walls within in qualm, scribbling various disquietude lines, and doodling frightening visions.
It appeared so compulsive, eyelids concealing the water amassing beside. The droplets traced her rubicund cold cheeks, reaching the corners of her quivering mouth. She tasted the woeful hopelessness accumulated over the past months. 
How hopelessly she wished for it to be real.
For him to be with her. 
If there was one thing she had been yearning for, it was his return. 
Somewhere deep down in her shattered soul, she dreamed of a reunion. A reconvene in which she could hold onto him without fear. Without having to worry about him letting go once she would look away. Without being afraid of falling asleep because he wouldn't be there in the morning. 
It was the only thing she had been longing for. 
"No. You're not here. I'm seeing things again, right?" She looked around, laughing while groping the mattress. Doing so, she failed to detect the unknown material, repeating the same motion. It wasn't the same at home. It wasn't the latex filling she was used to. 
She swiftly looked around, eyes darting around the unknown layout. They glanced over its walls sheathed in snow without a single trace of a painting, the dim lamp gleaming in the corner. It smothered the gloominess in a soothing tint of beige, strangely comforting. 
It was so familiar, yet so unknown. 
Was it because this wasn't her first time being in this room?
"Why am I here?" Her rapid breathing complicated the question's delivery, hands clutching onto the duvet to prevent them from shaking even more. 
You fool.
She looked down, studying the IV line inserted in her vein. Her eyes popped out of their sockets, desperately trying to recall what had happened to put her in this situation in the first place. 
"Calm down," the man beside appeased, holding her hand. 
Compared to her ice skin, he was a burning flame. 
He wanted to believe it was because of his anticipation and not because of her declining health. 
He didn't want to be attentive to her paper skin or her bones visibly sticking out. Oh, how much he wanted to believe her knuckles weren't poking out next to his hand. 
However, he couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to denial when these were all the signs he harbored before. 
The last time he saw her, his thumb couldn't reach his pinky finger. When he wrapped them around her tender wrist now, they managed to join. 
All of these signals were so familiar that he couldn't ignore them. They weren't normal and he knew from experience what effects it could have if not properly treated. Consulting with the doctor during her sleep was a necessary procedure, but he couldn't tell her everything now. 
For God's sake, she couldn't even acknowledge it was him caressing her hand. 
He felt like a stranger sitting there, with a worried expression and no response. He didn't know what to do. The only thing he wanted was to hold her and tell her everything was over. That he had finally accomplished what he should have done a year ago. Something he owed her from the day they met.
Where was the feeling of joy he was supposed to encounter? First and foremost, he executed an outstanding performance on the job tonight. Thanks to him, the case that was open for years had finally come to an end. It was due to his commission the two criminals now lingered behind bars.
"Is this one of those dreams again?" she suddenly grasped his shirt, unable to distinguish fantasy from reality. She held on to the cotton fabric with dear life, knuckles beginning to hurt as the grip amplified. The oaky fragrance disbanded into the air, entering through her nostrils to allow a segment of remembrance. 
Her fingers slid against the black clothing, studying the outlines of it, tracing down and up again. His chest rose with each unanticipated touch, brows sliding upwards to inscribe a few lines. Worry was written all over them when she gaped at him in confusion, refusing to accept his existence.
"Where I hopelessly look for you and never manage to find you?"
The headache was overlapping her brain in confusion, and she struggled to fathom her surroundings. She didn't comprehend the quick change of emotions on his face, looking at her as if she had announced the death of a close relative. In the end, she went through these nightmares almost every night. So, it wasn't abnormal to her. Yet, his stare was intense and frightened, screaming in concern, the complete opposite of her disclosure.
It wasn't.
It couldn't be after all.
He left a long time ago.
"I'm tired of those dreams," her voice broke down, replacing it with a weep, "because I never manage to find you." She broke down, releasing the suppressed pain gathered in her system. 
The mere thought of them ran shivers down her spine, completely despising the state they left her in. The number of times she woke up crying, desperately trying to hold onto the comfort beside was too much to count. The way she would open her eyelids only to realize there was nothing but a cold and untouched bedside. 
She would always look at the empty spot with hope. 
Hope he would come into the room with that dazzling look and hop back in the bed to hold her tight in his embrace. She wanted him to say everything would be okay, just like he used to. She wanted to hear his smile again, see his laughter, and feel his love in her hands. 
Was it that selfish to ask for the undoable? 
It was.
After all, he had always been a far stretch - an unreachable beauty, like a star in the sky she could only admire from afar. Too unreal to be authentic. Too perfect to exist. Too good to be true. Just like their relationship. 
Even stars die eventually and gradually start fading away. It was simply natural for them to end as well. 
So why was it so hard to say goodbye?
Over 365 days have passed since the day, and Y/N still stood at the beginning of the road. It was as if her feet were glued to the floor, trapping her in the moment she desperately tried to eradicate. 
If a samurai's katana could slice through her stomach now, it wouldn't manage to do more damage. Nor his bow stricken to embed in her lungs. It would simply sting for a second before disappearing into the mist, just like everything else in her life. It would form a pool of blood beneath, assembling a shattered reflection. A reflection she would reach for and fall into its never-ending well of hatred and pangs of conscience.
"I did something wrong, right? That's why you left. I was so annoying with my constant mood swings, wasn't I?" 
Heeseung closed his eyelids to prevent the accumulated sadness from firing, trying to stay collected so as not to evoke more sorrow. 
His hands turned into fists, aching to swing on the coward's head.
What a selfish idiot he was. 
He was going to cry? Him? When he was the reason they were both in this room right now?
It was his decision that caused all of this. He wouldn't be right back at the start if he hadn't given her up for his stupid career. If only he had just listened to his inner heart, things could have been different, better.
It was like someone was ripping him open, cutting and slicing with the sharpest blade, puncturing endless rebukes. Not only was he screaming from the pain, but also from witnessing Y/N uncontrollably crying in front of him. 
Her petite hands held onto her hospital gown, slanting over to let out all the misery he had caused her. She couldn't stop herself from wailing in agony and torment, feeling so hopeless and confused with him reappearing in her life. It was a hard pill to swallow. The kind that gets stuck in your throat, and water cannot drown it. 
"I'm so sorry I couldn't control it," she sniveled, clutching her hair tightly and pulling it to inflict more pain on herself. 
"I'm so sorry," she screamed into the duvet, countlessly snuffling. Her cries were muffled, the airways between her lungs and nose becoming tighter with each one. She was practically yelping for air, hyperventilating. 
"I love you, Lee Heeseung. I love you so much that it hurts," her trembling index pointed towards her heart, repeatedly tapping her chest.
At this point, she was out of breath, wailing and gripping her clothes as if they could release the painful embrace around her chest. She lifted her gaze to meet the apples of his eyes. They were glutted with sorrow and guilt, heartbreak and commiseration. They were merely reflecting his feelings - complete hopelessness. 
"I can't live without you, Heeseung. I can't-" Her sob got cut off by his sudden maneuver, palms gently cupping her cheeks before drawing her face closer to him. Now, he stared into her chocolate eyes, gazing at his hickory ones with surprise. 
"I love you more, Y/N." His nose rubbed against hers, foreheads aligning with one another to create an intimate moment between the lovers. They used to do this often, almost every morning, just holding each other and laughing in joy. It was like a routine, something mandatory before getting out of bed.
"More than anything else in this world," his tears caressed hers, tracing them upwards with his lips. He replaced the traces of sorrow with caring pecks, making sure to collect every drop. 
"Heeseung," her hand clutched his shirt, trying to stay sane even though, deep down, she was melting in his touch. 
He lightly tilted her head back, gaining access to her quivering mouth. She had it slightly ajar, huffing the compressed air through the small gap. Waves of electricity were dashing down her cells, causing an upheaval of homeostasis. The more he looked at her, the harder it got to breathe without a strain on her lungs. She had no choice but to say, "Please, just kiss me."
There was no time for that request to have been adequately thought through, as the circumstances deemed the opposite effect. For once, Y/N didn't want to think over her decisions. She wanted them to happen and worry about the consequences later. 
"Can I really?" his hand slid back, holding her head to grant her maximum relaxation. 
"You fool, I just told you to do it."
"I only want to make sure," he murmured, his lips automatically attracting with hers, like two magnets of opposite poles. 
Perhaps it was a lofty comparison, but the way neither side hesitated before carrying out the deed proved otherwise. They have been yearning for this moment ever since they have parted ways. 
Hell, they spent all of their time convincing themselves they weren't a match made to last for centuries when they were. Their love was so powerful that the glue in their bond never dried out. 
Even though they were two completely different people, it was their love that brought them together. No one could change that.
"No one."
"Not ever," he whispered while he damped her lips with his wet and warm tongue, panting with each smacking sound.
It was like entering heaven. 
He could almost feel the bright rays of happiness encircling them with its mighty power, not to mention Y/N's whimpers, which were like music to his ears.
Or maybe it was his poetic description of this incredible ecstasy that made it appear so illusory. 
He felt like a teenage boy again. His hormones were all over the place, and his heartbeat was agitated with an uncomfortable tension in his boxers.
God was cruel for putting his body into this state, especially in this situation. However, he couldn't control it. A whole year without Y/N meant a year full of bottled-up pain and tension. He never went out and slept with someone else because he knew too well no one could compare to her. 
Fuck, no one could be her, so there was no point in doing anything reckless. Plus, his heart wouldn't be able to do something so dishonest. It was loyal, unlike him, and it never erased nor forgot the name of his soulmate.
"I missed you so much," she cried, her grip around him tightening, so afraid he would let go and the feeling of safety would disappear with him.
"I know, Y/N. I missed you, too." Heeseung's hand slid up her arm, then her neck, until his hands rested on her cheeks, and he gently pulled her closer.
"But I'm here now," he continued, his voice filled with tenderness and affection. "And I don't plan on leaving your side ever again."
She looked up with red eyes, swollen and aching from the pang inside her heart. "You promise?" she asked innocently, not ready to receive a no for an answer. 
"I promise." His voice was firm, his words soothing. 
He kissed the top of her head, feeling her grip tightening around him while tears still ran down her wet, rosy cheeks. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, refusing to let go. 
"I'm not going anywhere. Not this time."
As if by instinct, she buried her face in his chest yet again, breathing in his scent and feeling his warmth as he enveloped her petite body in his warm embrace. 
Y/N felt her heart beating faster, the rush of emotions overwhelming and confusing her in the process. God, how much she has missed this. Being held, taken care of, and loved. For the first time, she allowed herself to feel vulnerable and let out a pained sob. She had held it for so long.
"Breathe," he whispered in her ear, noticing her shallow breath in a poor attempt at composure.
Her body couldn't stop shaking in his arms, the waves of emotions and shock deluging her.
"I'm here." The man of her dreams whispered, his words soothing out the bump of worries in her head. He stroked her lusciously dark hair once again, caressing her cheek as she leaned her head on the crook of his neck.
"I've got you."
That was all she needed to hear. 
They both remained in each other's arms, the silence broken only by their heavy breathing. At the same time, Y/N leaned in for his hands, holding them in hers. They were big and mighty next to her small and delicate ones, swallowing them in his palms. She played with his fingers, wrapping her digits around each one like an adorable baby. 
She has done this so many times before. It felt so natural each time as if their hands were sculpted to fit between the gaps of their fingers. Every insertion and removal was smooth like butter. She repeated it over and over because she couldn't get enough of it.
It was his hand she was holding and her hand he was kissing.
"Is this alright?" he asked foolishly.
She replied with a passionate kiss instead, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling the strong man as close as possible. Her body pressed against his, so gentle with each movement that it made him shiver. He leaned into the squeeze, letting go of his worries once and for all, only focusing on her warmth blending with his. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, the heat of her against his own sparking lascivious ideas. 
Her lips pressed softly against his skin, enticingly murmuring her name as a result. 
"Y/N..."
"I missed hearing you saying my name," she whispered into his ear before gently biting onto its helix.
Heeseung closed his eyes and exhaled a deep and long breath. He leaned closer and caressed her chin, tilting it upwards so he could meet her eyes again.
"I want to be with you forever," he said softly, hand gently caressing her hip.
"I want to wake up next to you every morning and sleep with you by my side."
"I want to hold your face and feel your lips on mine every chance. To feel our love growing more and more each day."
"I want to spend my life with you. To know you're my home, my heart."
She gaped at him in shock, not expecting to hear such a meaningful trail of confession after everything. It contradicted his ambiguously lengthy absence in which Y/N went through hell thinking about what she had done wrong. 
Now, he sat before her, eyes full of ardor and sincerity, brushing his devotion on her like a naked canvas. 
"I've made the mistake of letting you go once," he held her hand, placing it on his chest. She felt his rhythmic heartbeat gradually increasing with each prolonged second of his speech. 
"I won't make the same mistake twice, Y/N." 
Heeseung's voice is filled with sincerity and truth, determined to finally carry through his feelings to her like he should have done. 
"I can't promise I will always be perfect," he expressed, his hand intertwining with hers. "But I promise, I won't let anyone tear us apart again."
He squeezed her even tighter as if she was the only thing holding him together.
"What do you mean? Who tore us apart?" her face changed instantly, confusedly staring into his apprehensive eyes. The cat was out of the bag, and Heeseung finally had to face the harsh side of reality.
Instead of answering, however, his gaze drifted away. 
His expression became darker, pupils dilating from the rise of anger within. It wasn't directed towards the reason, but himself. He was furious for preserving this crucial information from her for so long.
He looked away, his hand still over hers as he tried to find the words. He took it and brought it to his lips, gently kissing it as he spoke.
"Your parents..." Heeseung said quietly.
"They never approved of us, and I knew."
Heeseung paused, unsure of how to proceed or what to say next. He didn't want to ruin her relationship with her parents or affect their reunion. Telling the truth was the best choice, but he wondered if she would forgive either side.
"They threatened to sue me and ruin my career. They said I was negligent on the mission. That I wasn't a good enough person to be with you."
He stared at her, doubtful of how much information to share. 
"They didn't want me to talk to you ever again," he disclosed, his tone guarded. "They told me either I stayed away from you or they would ruin my life."
He sighed and looked down at the ground, a slight sense of shame on his face. 
"It was their disapproval, combined with the threat of losing everything, that forced me to leave."
"So you chose your career over our love?" she scoffed, pushing his arms away.
"Your career was more important than our relationship?"
She shook her head in disappointment. 
"No..." Heeseung quickly replied, stunned and hurt by her sudden change of attitude. "You know I'm not like that."
The truth was that he completely understood her reaction. He responded to his terrible decision the same way, turning against himself for being such a selfish prick. 
Nevertheless, so much was at stake that he couldn't have done it differently. That's what he wanted to explain. To make her see his point of view and hopefully make her understand. 
"You're the only person who knows what I had to go through to become an officer, Y/N. You know what kind of future I envisioned for myself, for us."
He wavered, rethinking his wording so as not to make it sound wrong. His voice slightly trembled, incredibly scared of what might come after all of this. "It would have been my entire future they would have destroyed."
She shook her head in denial, not wanting to believe her bloodline would stand in the way of her happiness. She couldn't believe her mother and father put her into that misery and pretended to be clueless. 
They blamed him for everything, constantly pointing out how right they were about him from the beginning of their relationship. They kept telling her that he would eventually leave and never look back when, in reality, they were the ones who would cause it to happen. They were pulling the strings behind her back. 
This whole time, while she deteriorated from the uncontrollable pain all alone, they were the culprits of her suffering. 
"I," she covered her mouth, the urge to vomit intensifying at the repulsive revelation. 
"Why," she looked up at him, anger and resentment burning in her eyes. 
"Why didn't you tell me right away?" she whispered, her voice hingeing from the lack of power.
Heeseung shut his eyelids, unable to speak at first due to the words choking him up. He couldn't even look his love in the eyes as he lowered his face in remorse.
"I thought you wouldn't believe me," he replied calmly, his voice full of emotion. "They are your parents, after all."
Heeseung searched for the correct words to express what he felt in those moments right before he took the decision to leave her for good. 
"I thought me leaving would be the least painful, the least harmful choice. I didn't want to ruin your family for one incompetent coward like me."
"Bullshit!" she yelled, throwing all of his attempts away. She was so angry at him and her parents all at once that it molded into one tangled wool of wrath that gushed obstreperous amounts of ire. 
"I would have believed you, Heeseung. These are all just excuses-"
"How can you say these are just excuses," Heeseung oppugned, his voice breaking at the end of the sentence.
"You think I liked being forced to make that decision? You think I liked seeing you in pain because of me?"
He sharply inhaled, almost hissing when exhaling. The words were pouring out of him as fast as a waterfall, and no one could stop him from speaking his mind now.
"Don't you think I regret all of it? Don't you think that I wished every single day that I had just told you the damn truth?" he snapped back, his tone rising at each word. 
"Do you have any idea what I went through this last year?" she shut him down, firmly pushing him away.
Do you have any idea what I was thinking this entire time?" she panted, the wrath inside her escalating through the roof.
"I thought I wasn't good enough for you, that I couldn't even make you happy, that you left because I only rubbed off my bad mental state, and you couldn't handle it anymore. This entire time, I thought it was MY fault you were gone, and I wanted to die." The curses escaped her chapped lips, fists hitting the mattress out of frustration and lack of control over her emotions. Her eyes burned with ire and disarray, quivering from undergoing sudden shock.
"Every day, I dreamt about dying. Every night, I hoped I wouldn't wake up the next day and that I would just die." She shouted into his face, her yells soon enough turning into painful sobs. 
"After you left, Hee, there was no point for me to live anymore."
Heeseung stared at her, totally awed and stunned by her words. He was blind this whole time, ignorant about what was happening behind the curtains.
He couldn't form a sentence, experiencing such strong and intense emotions that he couldn't even find the words to describe them.
"I tried to end my life so many times," she cried, covering her face with trembling hands, entirely losing control of her body.
Chills ran down his spine at the weight of the last sentence, which unraveled the extent of her suffering. 
His worst fear became true: she was hurting because of him. 
From the start, he tried to do what was best for her future. Yet, he only made it all worse. He ruined her and became the cause of her nightmares, of every second of her affliction.
His heart broke into a million pieces. The amount of guilt he had never experienced before struck him intensely, leaving him breathless.
Tears slowly rolled down his cheeks as he realized he had worsened her depression. 
First, he took away the person who loved her the most and then disposed of the one she loved the most. All at the same time, because of him. 
He wanted to shout, to kick himself for being so oblivious. He wanted to hug her and hold her, cry with her, and beg for forgiveness.
But all he could do at that moment was stand like a deer caught in the headlights, completely speechless.
"I'm so sorry," he murmured.
"I never wanted to cause you... pain." His voice broke as he said those words, the guilt eating him alive.
"I-I should have been there for you, I-" Another sigh parted away.
"I failed to protect you."
"Yea, you fucked up. Now, go," her tone drastically changed, sitting up as she crossed her arms, head turning towards the window.
The world outside seemed so much calmer than the one in the room, the tension sticking on the walls.
Heeseung didn't know what to say. He tried to protest, to say something, to do anything to fix things, but after your dismissal, he knew he had to accept the fact that he had messed up beyond all reasoning.
He walked towards the door, waiting for her to change her mind and ask him to stay. 
However, his wish was replaced by a soft "go."
No other words were necessary for this goodbye.
He turned to face her one final time, his eyes full of regret and misery. They couldn't even match hers for more than two seconds before a tear rolled down his cheek.
He had to look away, refusing to see the pain in her eyes and her trembling face.
"No," he said, turning around.
Heeseung was frustrated and felt misunderstood, lost in the words of frustration and anger thrown his way. 
It broke his heart to hear her say these things. Although he expected the worst possible scenario, he couldn't come to terms with this alternative. There was no way he would let her go again. 
He paused, taking a deep breath to process what he was hearing.
"I failed you as a lover and a friend," he whispered, the tone in his voice filled with sorrow and disappointment. 
"I should have been there for you, I should have stayed and fought."
Her stare was still focused outside, refusing to communicate with him further. There was a lot of bitterness and pain inside her to pursue a polite conversation. Any minute, she would go off like a bomb. He was pushing the time until detonation.
Heeseung took a deep breath yet again, looking around the room in disbelief.
He had never seen her so angry before — not even when she was angry with her parents. This was a whole new level of anger.
He couldn't bear the thought of leaving in such a condition while being furious and hurt. Even if he thought she no longer wanted him around, he needed to prove that was not true. He wanted to prove to her his love was real and was not as shallow as she thought.
"Don't make me call the staff and get you kicked out," the threat set a foot on the floor, directly aiming at him.
She finally made eye contact, handing a cold glare, her brows furrowed and her nostrils flared.
For a few seconds, Heeseung was utterly stunned by her sudden threat and the intensity of the stare. Once she made eye contact, he saw deep down the pain and hurt that she was frantically trying to mask.
"I just want to say one more thing before I leave," he whispered, his tone gentle and apologetic. He looked away, unsure if he was doing the right thing.
"I don't want to hear anything from you," she sat up and got her slippers, aiming to stand up and walk him out.
However, a sharp groan escaped instead, her hand automatically positioning on the ache in her chest. His heart sank once again as he noticed the sudden wince in her facial expression.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice full of worry and concern.
He wanted to reach out but knew he did not deserve to comfort you in such a critical moment. It was all his fault.
Therefore, he remained standing, but only a meter away, as his worries grew over.
"I just need you to leave me alone." her expression changed nattily, practically hissing out the sentence.
He remained silent, not saying a word.He could hear her breathing and the slight wheezing with each inhale. Other than that, there was only the silence of the room.He couldn't find any words to say in such a situation, not when her voice bore hatred and disdain.
Slowly, he backed away from her, his feet making light sounds on the floor, almost unable to hear them. She winced when attempting to slightly move, each muscle in her body tensing at the unexpected action.
Tears summon in her eyes, crawling back from the overlapping ache and sorrow combined into a deadly mixture. Heeseung noticed how her body reacted, recalling the doctor's orders. He couldn't hold back anymore. He couldn't stand idle.
"Wait," he said quickly, his tone filled with worry and panic. He rushed to her side, putting a hand on her shoulder to prevent her from getting up.
"God, you're such a-" Her whine swallows the curse word, shutting her eyelids due to the ascending pain.
"You can hate me as much as you want, but you must lay down this instance," Heeseung sighed, noticing her effort at resisting his actions even if it was all for her safety. He tried to lay her down slowly but firmly, making sure he didn't hurt her any further.
He gently pushed her backward on the bed, hoping the pain from the movement didn't worsen.
"You're a pain in the ass," she coughed, eyes still closed to avoid any form of direct eye contact. His presence beside was enough to rile her up and clench her fists.
He had to hide his smile as her attempts to push him away and the occasional bursts of insults were adorable. She might have been furious at the moment, but her actions gave away the small hint of weakness underneath.
It made him want to apologize for coming back at the wrong time, but he remained silent and waited by her side for the pain to subside.
He sat on the edge of the bed, looking out of the window with a heavy pang in his heart. He stayed silent for a while, content with sitting in silence, even if she was still furious at him.
He occasionally glanced at her with a sorrowful look, as if he was sorry for causing you so much pain and distress.
Slowly, he turned his head back towards the window and exhaled, the only noise he made for the following minutes.
"I should be furious and mad at you for everything," she whispered, "Yet, I can't because it hurts even more."
Heeseung's eyes widened once she spoke up. She might have not looked at him, but he heard her perfectly.
She still sounded angry, but it sounded more like regret than anything else. It was the first time he saw her defenses crack, and he was starting to wonder how long until she completely broke down.
"I prayed every night to see you again, to be held in your arms," she paused, suppressing the wave of tears from flushing down her face.
"I-" she put her arm over her face, fighting herself from speaking up further.
He remained silent, watching her struggle with her emotions. He couldn't help but feel a pang in his heart seeing her trying so hard not to break down in front of him.
With a light, tender gesture, he wiped the tears away from her cheeks and put his hand over her fist, trying to hold her fingers while remaining careful about the injuries.
"I hate you," she whimpered.
"I hate how much I love you after everything."
Those words hit him like a knife to the heart.
Hearing her confess her love and hatred towards him was a bittersweet feeling. Although her words still harbored anger, there was no denying his heart was aching for her.
He looked at her, not saying anything, just staring, his eyebrows furrowing, waiting to hear what else she had to say.
"You broke me, and somehow-" she lingered on her words, snuffling, "you're the only thing I think about."
Heeseung's heart ached with each word she spoke, hearing the emotional confession.
He didn't quite know what to say. Her love for him seemed just as conflicting as her rage and hatred as if both were trying to take the throne as the primary emotion in her heart.
Her tearful, trembling voice made him feel vulnerable too, his entire being consumed by the emotions that made him want to hug her so tightly, wanting so desperately to make everything better.
"You turned me into a mess," she covered her face with her palms, refusing to be seen this vulnerable and weak again.
He couldn't even argue with that statement because, at that moment, he knew she was right. He had turned her into a mess. He had left her without a single thought about if she would be alright, what it would do to her given her psychological condition. 
He had forgotten how much she loved and needed him and how his sudden disappearance would affect her. He was unable to stand her vulnerable state any longer.
He grabbed both her wrists, pulling them away from her face, letting his eyes meet hers.
"Look at me," he said in the softest way possible.
He was doing exactly what she didn't want him to do.
She was concealing her reckless emotions from him, forbidding him to see her like this any longer.
At his words, she reluctantly let go of and slowly lifted her face. She didn't want him here, but she did. She craved, no, needed him.
She looked directly into his eyes, feeling her heart ache, not wanting this moment to end but also wanting to escape it. His orbs had the most solemn expression, looking at her with sorrow and empathy.
He couldn't help but feel how her emotions were constantly switching between rage and sadness, and although she didn't say the words, his heart was still willing to believe that she still loved him.
Because she truly did.
And that's why she hated herself so much.
Heeseung's heart couldn't take it anymore.
When she looked away from his eyes, he saw how much she was still struggling to keep her emotions from breaking down completely. He wanted to help her, he wanted to make everything better, but he didn't know how.
With a light tug, he pulled her close and tightly hugged her. The warmth from his body spread to her, the smell of his cologne filling her nostrils.
As if the whole world had turned upside down, she had officially reached her limits. There were no barriers in her way anymore and she let her emotions burst out.
At last, she allowed herself to cry in front of someone again. In front of him. In his arms, in his embrace, in his chest.
With the sound of her trembling breaths, Heeseung could feel how real this moment was. Every tear falling from her cheeks, every sniffle, and every sob.
He didn't mind one bit. He didn't care how vulnerable she was right now or how weak this moment made her look. To him, her hugging hugging him back and feeling her body pressed against his was all that mattered right now.
She was finally home.
She was finally safe again.
She was where she was supposed to be all along.
With her lover, her soulmate, her other part.
She could finally smile again.
Heeseung tightened the grip on her body, wanting to bring her as close as possible to fill the space of loneliness in her heart.
The feeling of her warm body against his was all he needed to feel complete again. It was like he found the last missing piece of the puzzle. With it, the picture was complete. His heart was finally beating again. 
He kept his arms around her, not letting go of her for a single second. He hoped that this was just the beginning of their second chance.
Her hands rested on his chest as she lifted her head, inches away from his lips.
He brought her closer, making the space between their faces even shorter. He slowly lowered his head to meet her lips, his breath slightly trembling as his heart pumped rapidly in his chest.
She moaned into the kiss, closing her eyes and letting him take control. She was so tired, both mentally and physically, but craved him intensely.
Their tongues collided against each other leisurely and intensely at the same time, desperate to have one another as close as possible. 
The kiss was hungry, both despairing for each other that they were practically devouring each other rather than just simply enjoying the moment.
Heeseung's arms tightly wrapped around her, holding her firmly against his body, his lips moving with a steady pace alongside hers. There was no need for any words, as their entire bodies had already expressed everything they needed to.
His hands ran under her hospital gown, sliding upwards on her back. She arched her back at the contact, moaning and lightly biting onto his lip.
Heeseung couldn't help but moan at her reaction. The feeling of his hands on her skin sent shivers down her spine, his fingers feeling like little sparks of joy spreading through.
He moaned against her lips again, wanting this moment to last even longer.
She was all his, and he was all hers.
There was nothing that could stop them from being so intimate and together right now. All the anger and hatred that lingered inside was washed away by the sheer joy of being reunited.
He began tracing her spine with delicate, light touches, sending a chill down her back despite the warm sensations that the gesture caused.
When his hands moved further up, her back began to arch involuntarily, breathing becoming heavier.
His fingers found themselves tangled in her hair, pulling back as the kisses became even more passionate.
"Someone could come in any moment," she panted as he pulled away for a minute, gripping his shirt for stability since she was in a daze. Any hospital staff could barge in, and she certainly didn't want anyone to catch her engaging in lewd activities...
Heeseung let out a chuckle at her reminder, still feeling his heart pump and his lips vibrating with a warm, fuzzy feeling.
"I don't mind," he whispered, his lips hovering near hers again, teasing.
At that moment, the kiss felt so perfect for him, so right that he didn't care if anyone saw them in such a vulnerable state. He looked around the room and back at her, a small, mischievous grin appearing on his face.
"You're crazy!" she wanted to protest, but he kissed her again, sliding his hand behind her neck so she could fully transfer her weight onto his hand.
"Don't worry," he said, getting up and heading towards the door, getting a "do not disturb" sign out of the shelf and putting it on the door's front handle before locking themselves in.
He was glad he had decided to take her to a private hospital, not only because the surgery was done quickly, but he could also stay the night with her.
She couldn't help but feel a little bit of relief wash over, knowing that they wouldn't be interrupted by anybody walking by. The two of you could finally have some privacy to let the passion and desire run free.
With the heat between both of them building up, Heeseung returned to the bed, this time straddling on top of her.
"Oh," she gaped at him from below, her hands holding onto his arms next to her.
Her gaze landed underneath his shirt as he hovered over her, allowing her to fully see his abs. They were still as sculpted and defined as she remembered, perhaps even more visible now. Her mouth slightly hung loose, biting her lip to conceal her arousal.
He looked down at her, seeing the intent stare at his abs as her finger lightly trailed towards the edge of his shirt.
With a soft smirk, he lifted his arms, letting her expose his entire upper body, the abs, and pecs flexing slightly as he moved. He let her admire and touch every inch of his muscle, even letting her trace the veins on his arms.
For some reason, seeing him suddenly topless caused a couple of fireworks to set off in her stomach, immediately looking away to hide the wave of heat mantling her cheeks.
Heeseung couldn't help but giggle softly at her shyness, finding it utterly appealing. He still got butterflies each time she blushed like this, finding it to be one of her most endearing characteristics.
He leaned closer, lifting her hands off her face and caressing it with his own hands.
"So beautiful," he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers.
"Don't be shy. You can touch any part of me you want."
"Hee," she panted, feeling breathless from the lewdness of his words.
He chuckled, noticing how overwhelmed she got.
"I can't believe how easily flustered you get."
He paused for a few seconds before placing one of his hands on her pink cheek.
"It's okay to be touched like this, you know," he whispered into her ear.
"You've touched my heart so many times already, you can touch me as much as you like."
"If you keep talking like that, I'll melt," she sighed, placing her hand on his face as his gaze only evoked more attraction.
Heeseung laughed, finding her response to his comments sweet. He could see her already trying not to blush and feeling quite embarrassed, which made him want to tease her even further.
"Is that so?" he inquired, looking at her with a teasing smile on his lips.
"Well, maybe it would be better to see you in liquid form. Then I could at least drink in your beauty all at once."
"What are you even saying!" She widened her eyes, slapping his arm and covering her mouth out of embarrassment.
Heeseung smiled and played with a strand of her hair.
"Am I making you upset?" he teased, "and there I was, planning on making you melt all over me so I could lick it all up." With a smirk, he brought his face closer to hers, letting her feel his breath against her lips.
"You're such a pervert," her head turned to the side on the pillow, closing her eyes as the tip of her ears began to redden.
"You like it, though," his voice was tinged with a teasing undertone, almost daring her to deny it.
"Is this making you nervous?" he asked lusciously, "maybe I should keep kissing your neck until you can't take it anymore."
She moaned and grabbed his back the moment his lips brushed against her neck, breathing heavier than before.
He knew damn well how sensitive her neck was, and he always used that against her. He smirked at her reaction to his kiss, noticing how her body tensed up.
As he continued kissing her neck and leaving hickeys all across it, he could hear how she was trying to repress her moans.He didn't plan on going too far with this, but he was incredibly tempted to make you her out with his touch.
She pushed him away for a minute, her whole body practically shaking from the stimulation.
Heeseung smirked, knowing he had pushed her limits with the kiss.
Still, he didn't hesitate one second to get close to her again and place light kisses across her face.
"Is that too much?" he asked, his voice still maintaining that teasing tone, "I could do even more you know. We have a whole night ahead of us."
"I hate you so much," she grunted, letting him peck her face with smooches.
"Such harsh words coming from such a cute mouth." Heeseung laughed as she kept resisting his kisses, only making him want to tease her more.
"You can hate me all you want, but you can't escape my charm," he grinned at her, kissing her forehead and letting his fingers trail downwards.
"You could have gotten me naked instead of blabbering on."
Heeseung raised his eyebrows and smirked at the straightforwardness of her comment.
"Is that an invitation?" he inquired, "cause if it is, then I accept it completely." He brought her close to his body again, still keeping a firm grasp around her waist.
"Let me make your desire come true."
"Be careful, it hurts," she sat up, holding onto him.
Heeseung smiled softly at her actions, letting her sit up and gently lifting her onto his lap. He saw how tired she was, the exhaustion of the surgery still weighing in on her.
"Are you sure you want to do this right now?" he inquired in a concerned tone, "we don't have to do anything, and still…"
He wavered for a moment, leaning her body against him.
"I still want to be near you."
She nodded, running her hands on his bare chest before giving it soft and tender pecks.
He let out a soft groan as his chest was bombarded with so many kisses, his body feeling warm at the spot her lips placed on. He let her body lean on him, enjoying the softness of her skin on his own. He couldn't stop but smile at how soft and gentle her every gesture was, making him feel the need to protect her.
She traced upwards, bringing her lips to his neck. She soaked up the smell of his scent, letting her lips slowly brush against his honey skin, licking and biting occasionally.
After kissing his cheek, she let her face rest on his shoulder, sighing at the warmth they were passing onto each other.
Heeseung cuddled her, running his hands through her silky hair as he enjoyed the closeness of her presence. They were both lying in silence for a couple of minutes, letting the quietness of the moment envelope them both. He felt content, and so did she. She floundered to explain it, but being in his arms made her feel safe and protected as if she was in a cocoon away from the outside world.
"Help me take this off, please," she pointed at her gown, slowly kissing him one more time.
"You don't have to say it twice."
He paused for a moment, feeling her tongue gently slide across his lips. It was as if she couldn't wait to feel his warmth all over her body. The thought made him eager to get rid of the clothing, so he began pulling the strings to the side, slowly untying them before she could slip the dress over her shoulders.
She looked down to see her chest wrapped with bandages from the surgery, sighing at the sight. Her eyes darted away, slanting a bit.
Heeseung's eyes followed her gaze, realizing how uncomfortable and self-conscious she must have felt about it. Wanting to ease her tension, he smiled and placed his hands on her shoulders before whispering next to her ear.
"You don't have to feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. I am your lover, and nothing you show me will make me love you any less."
With those words, Heeseung's voice was tinged with kindness, as he wanted to make her feel at ease and wanted.
"I'm sorry for looking like this," she lowered your head, trying to hide her chest.
Heeseung gently caressed her face, lifting it so he could stare directly into her eyes.
"Never be sorry for something you have zero control over." He lifted his hand and placed it on top of her chest, his thumb running across the bandages.
"I was here to support you during the surgery, and I'm still here now to support you through your recovery, and no matter what, I will always love you."
She felt her eyes watering, sobbing as his kind words caressed her soul with love.
He didn't hesitate to pull her in a tight hug, soothing her as he cradled her in his arms.
The comfort of his touch was evident, not only from how her body quivered from the sudden embrace but also from her sobbing. It was clear as a day that she was going through a lot, but the thought of being in his arms was enough to calm her nerves and soothe her soul.
"I love you," she whispered, looking for his lips with hers.
"I love you more, Y/N."
Heeseung brought their bodies closer. It was a tender moment, full of affection and love, as they shared a deep kiss full of care and adoration.
"So you still want me? Even though I look like this," she foolishly asked, worried he could be less attracted to her after the surgery. Not only that, but she had lost a lot of weight, and she wasn't comfortable in her skin.
Heeseung was instantly alarmed at the comment, well aware of her insecurities. The way she was concerned was the last thing he needed to see right now.
"Don't ever think like that again," he placed his forehead against hers, wanting her to understand how he felt.
"Nothing will ever make me love you less. You've been through this surgery and lost some weight, but have I ever told you how beautiful you still look? How much I still want you?"
"Please tell me," she hiccuped, getting goosebumps when he cupped her cheeks and softly caressed them in his big hands.
Heeseung smirked softly before leaning down to kiss her forehead.
"You are incredible to me. Nothing has changed how I feel about you. In fact, I feel that my love for you has multiplied, and I want you more than ever."
He waited for a minute, letting his words sink into her heart.
"You've gone through so much today, and all I want to do is take care of you and help you recover fully..."
She wrapped her arms around his neck, sobbing from receiving so much care and affection. She had gotten used to being alone and not having anyone for so long that she forgot how it felt to be loved.
Heeseung saw how his behavior was having a huge impact on her, and although he was touched by seeing her reaction, he also felt a certain joy in it, since it meant she was letting him into her life. The more she let him in, the more he felt satisfied, seeing how she accepted his protection. 
"Let me cuddle you again," he smiled, caressing her hair as he pulled her closer to his body.
"No, make love to me, please," she leaned back, letting him gently hold her close.
"I want you so badly."
Heeseung was a bit taken aback by the suddenness of her demand, but the tone of her voice was tempting and irresistible.
He let his hands crawl down her body until they ended up resting on her hips and butt.
"Are you sure you're feeling good enough to do something like this?" he whispered into her ear, not wanting to do anything that could potentially hurt her.
"As long as you're gentle," she smiled, caressing his face in her palm.
Heeseung let out a low growl as she touched his face, delicate yet sensual, enough to make him harder. The more she touched him, the more he felt his heart racing and his breath speeding up.
He moved in closer, their bodies touching from head to toe as her breath hitched.
"I'm all yours," she whispered.
Heeseung was speechless the moment he heard those words leave her mouth. 
It was the most beautiful thing he could ever imagine. 
Someone who truly loves him and wants to be with him.
He looked down at her, letting his orbs get lost in hers.
"Do you mean those words?"
She nodded, pressing herself onto his erection.
"My heart only beats for you and you only," she smiled, intertwining her hands with his.
He let out a low gasp upon seeing her take control, feeling some blood hastily flowing to his lower regions.
Her words were like music to his ears, and he kept grinning like an idiot. He was so happy she felt this way about him. He lowered his head, kissing the small space between her shoulder and neck.
"Take off your pants, Hee," she grabbed his belt, trying to take it off.
Her command had him on edge. He was so eager to obey that he didn't waste a second and quickly complied, undoing his leather belt and taking off his trousers as he sat on the edge of the bed.
Seeing him completely naked in front of her made her nervous, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear while looking over to the side.
Why did he have to look so ethereal and luscious?
The moment she averted her gaze to another direction and started playing with her hair, urging him to be even closer. He let out a slow breath and took in her appearance from head to toe.
She always had a way of looking vulnerable yet seductive that made his heart flutter with every heartbeat.
He leaned over, gently laying her back on the bed, getting on top. 
She gasped quietly, having him this close making her feel some type of way. Her hand wandered on his neck, pulling him lower to get a taste of his luscious lips one more time.
Heeseung moaned as she tugged him downwards and let her explore his body. It was a feeling that left him with no words.
He let his body rest on hers, making sure she was in a comfortable position as his hands roamed around her flawless body, trailing upwards until they ended up on her breasts.
She hitched once his warm palms held them, cautiously caressing them. Her hands rested upon his, guiding them to cup her breasts a bit more.
His touch was tender and careful, making sure not to hurt her while molding his hands to fit her curves. Her hands encouraged and guided him more, immediately tightening. Nevertheless, he made sure to keep the pressure at a minimum.
The feeling of the heat between their bodies, the sensation of their fingers running over each others' bodies, and the delicate kissing was enough to make his breath pick up pace as he groaned softly.
"You're so beautiful," she breathed out, every bit of oxygen getting cut off in her system whenever he looked at her with that dazzling gaze.
He sensed a deep level of contentment, letting his lips brush against hers. They were warm, and the feeling of her soft body under him left him feeling so excited that his heart would burst.
The fact she even wanted to be with him in that moment made the experience more fulfilling to him, the love only growing with each passing second.
He guided his mouth lower, from her neck to her collarbones, until he had reached her petite breasts, rubbing his face against them. He couldn't get enough of her scent and warmth, kissing and licking her nipples.
The tingling sensation of his tongue made her body shiver, bringing a rush of excitement. Her hands moved upwards to his hair, letting her fingers run through it. She failed to hide her moans, a few escaping, causing a surge of ecstasy to run to her toes, which curled in response. It was quite difficult to maintain her composure.
Her whimpers drove him crazy, glazing her teats tenderly like they were his favorite type of ice cream he couldn't get enough of.
She looked down at Heeseung's erection, grabbing it in her hand. Her fingers wrapped around it gradually, her heart rate racing, mind all over the place. She was lost in passion and had a hard time believing this was happening.
He leaned to her ear, his breath brushing over her after whispering her name. Her touch sent shivers down his spine, but he was also excited at the same time. It's been a while since the last time he had felt the sensation of a woman's touch on him, and he liked it.
She kept guiding her hand, traveling up and down his shaft. He continued twitching in her hand, overstimulated by her touch and existence. She struggled to properly inhale, the intensity of their activities sucking in all the clear oxygen roaming around the room.
Heeseung was going crazy. He was shivering and jolting, all his sensations heightening, and his body was becoming a little sensitive. She didn't have to touch his sensitive area to make him squirm. The way she used her hand to stroke him made any self-control he had left fly out of the window. The pleasure of her touch was overbearing.
"I missed you so much," she confessed, her thumb pressing on the head of his member, causing him to hiss in pleasure.
"I missed you too, Y/N," he whispered, letting a low moan slip out of his lips. She had his full attention. Not even his breath would slip away.
The way she took pride in making him squirm and moan, the way she traced him like a paintbrush across a canvas, made his heart skip a beat, wanting more of her.
He slowly thrust his member into her hand, practically using her to ease his arousal. She guided her palm gently down his shaft, letting him pleasure himself using her body. She kissed his neck, gently biting it. It was fun to care for the dominant one in the relationship.
Heeseung groaned as her lips kissed and nibbled on his neck. The feeling of the kisses left the blood running hot through his veins, sending a rush of heat through, slightly spasming below.
His hands moved down her body, one of them grasping her hips. She groaned as he felt his fingers circling her sacred part, spitting down for easy access inside.
"You shouldn't be doing this," he panted, his index playing with her clit.
"I should be the one pleasuring you," he stopped her from doing anything more, not wanting her to feel as though she needed to compensate him in any way.
His hand moved down to her body, skimming over her skin and body before settling down between her legs. His fingers caressed her folds, sending shivers.
"But I want to," she pouted, attempting to close her legs when his face was inches away from her exposed lower part.
"I know you do, but it's time that I got to return the favor to you," he cupped her thighs, squeezing them gently as he lifted her legs over his shoulders.
She covered her mouth, closing her eyes the minute his tongue brushed over her woman parts, causing her to throw her head back from euphoria.
Heeseung's touch was gentle but firm. He wasn't being forceful, he wasn't being rough, he was merely enjoying the moment of watching her body shake and tremble.
His hand moved lower and lower, his finger tracing your entrance.
His spit slipped inside, alongside his fingers, moving them in and out with ease while licking her clit. He pushed his fingers in more, curling them upwards to hit that sweet spot that would make her moan and groan in pleasure.
"Hee," she panted, drooling over how good she was feeling, tugging his hair since she needed to hold onto something. After all, she was going through cloud nine.
His touch left her gasping for air like a dying woman. She had no choice but to squirm and moan, letting a wave of ecstasy take over. It felt like she was in another world, the feeling extremely intense.
Heeseung's fingers circled and moved inside her, causing her to dissolve. She gritted her teeth, hands forming into fists as the pleasure overstimulated her.
His were moving slowly and methodically, focused on her that the world around him almost didn’t exist anymore.
It was as if the both of them were in their little worlds, enjoying the feeling of being together, their breathings syncing, bodies blending into one blossom. His hands slowly picked up the pace, going slightly quicker while remaining gentle.
"Hee," she called out softly, fighting to contain her lewd sounds, legs shaking slightly as the stimulations were overlapping. She felt like she was going to explode any second.
He knew what you were going through because he could see her expressions rapidly changing with each lick and curl. She was reaching that point where she couldn't hold it in anymore. It made him happy since this was proof that he was capable of pleasuring her to such an extent.
"I love you," she cried from the pleasure, arms crossing over her face to hold it all in. His fingers were quickly moving deeper and faster. He wanted her to experience as much as she could right now.
The words of affection got Heeseung feeling all mushy inside. He wanted to please her, to make her experience everything he could give.
"I-" her mind went blank, turning your head from one side to the other, feeling her climax building up inside. She was so close, and she couldn't hold on anymore. Her hand immediately grabbed his free one, tightly gripping it.
Heeseung didn't stop, speeding up to drive her over that edge.
"Hee-" she called desperately, legs shaking as he kept licking and moving his fingers quicker.
"Relax… Just relax, Y/N… Let go, let go for me," he said, his voice soft but commanding.
Without another minute, her nails dug deeper, her body shaking and tugging rapidly as she reached her climax, completely covering his fingers in her arousal. Heeseung smiled, licking all of her cum from his fingers and entrance, edging her with his kitten licks.
"Fuck," she cursed, overstimulated by everything.
She felt like all the tension had left her body - as if gravity had let go, and she was floating in the air. Her mind was blank, body trembling, breath quick and shaky as the feeling of pleasure was running all through your system.
"Heeseung," she whispered, pulling him closer.
He smiled a little as he moved his hand up to her cheek.
She wrapped her arms and legs around his body, kissing his neck over and over again.
"Please, put it in," she begged, resting in his embrace.
The moment she spoke was almost like music to his ears, and Heeseung knew exactly what you were asking for.
He gently pushed her down onto her back, leaning over with his hand trailing down her shoulder and chest to her neck. He let his other hand move lower slowly to touch her properly.
"Are you ready?", he whispered.
She kissed him, letting her actions speak. Her tongue immediately slid inside, breathing and moaning into his mouth.
He matched her energy, his tongue fighting with hers. He wasn't being gentle, neither was he being a beast. He was allowing the moment to unfold, not rushing it. The wet kisses were leaving them yearning for more.
"I don't want to wait anymore, Hee," she conveyed, wholly resting her body on the bed. Her legs were still wrapped around his waist, putting her arms above her head.
It was her way of letting him know that she was ready. That she needed him, now.
Those words sent his blood boiling, causing his member to twitch and jolt from the feeling of wanting her so badly.
He looked down at her marvelous body, noticing the position she had placed herself in for him - the invitation he saw in her eyes made him go wild.
He leaned down to her, his breath handling her with every word that came out of his mouth.
"Are you sure you can handle me?" he whispered, his voice a little low and husky from the intense moment.
"Stop talking and just do it already," her patience was getting thin, rubbing her lower part against his.
He grinned, unable to hold back the smile on his face after she snapped at him. With his body resting over hers, his hands went to the back of her legs, squeezing them slightly.
He looked into her eyes once more before pushing his body forward, aligning his shaft at her entrance. It wouldn't have been Heeseung if he hadn't teased first, rubbing his member against her slickness. He enjoyed watching her whimper in agony and frustration.
Her mind went blank the more he teased, swept away from his touch. There wasn't one single thought in her mind, merely focusing on this moment.
Her hands gripped his muscular arms, moans getting louder with each moment he rubbed against her beautiful body.
Heeseung's mind was on nothing but giving her satisfaction. Her legs gripped his back, voice becoming more breathy and soft as she wanted him to ease her arousal.
He smiled, and without a warning, he put himself in, his dick sliding inside her smoothly, causing both of them to moan loudly.
Her slippery and hot walls trapped him inside, trying to soothe his tugging and jerking shaft. He groaned, his abdomen drawing in at every push, shaking his head from the vigor of pleasure. She was unreal, her beauty, her body, just all of her.
Heeseung opened his eyes after calming down, his breathing deepening. His lips agonized for hers, huffing his compressed desire and longing into a powerful and passionate kiss. It was the longest one of today, sucking her lips in his mouth, his tongue grazing over, between, or under them continuously. He couldn't get enough, cursing at how unbelievable this was.
Her heart was beating so fast she could feel it in her ears, not believing that this was happening to her right now.
"H-Hees…" she could barely say his name as her voice quivered. He was using one hand to hold her against him, his other moving down to her hand.
"Y/N…" He breathed out, his voice husky and shaky. His thumb rubbed her hand, squeezing it gently to the point she could feel his touch.
The feeling of him being inside was a mix of many things, but the main factor was that it felt right. His body fit like a puzzle inside, like two pieces finally joining together.
She had used this expression before, but there was no better way of describing this bliss. It was too perfect to be true.
She was losing her mind, forgetting to breathe.
“Take a deep breath,” he whispered, the words barely audible from being so lost in the moment.
His hips slowly moved alongside her, their bodies now both thrusting together, absolutely lost in the moment.
All of his thoughts disappeared, the rush for pleasure consuming him. His lips met her shoulder between kisses, his tongue licking along it.
She did as he said, inhaling and exhaling filthy noises, turning him on even more. Her eyes were teary, not because it hurt, but because it felt too good.
“Good girl,” he whispered, caressing her hair.
His hips kept moving, taking longer, his back arching as he did. It took everything in him not to lose himself in the pleasure, to hold back and make sure that this was a long and enjoyable experience for both sides.
"Don't ever leave me again, please," she pleaded, realizing how emotional she was getting with each thrust. The fear inside was climbing over her walls, ready to ambush.
"Never," he vowed, kissing her with such desperation that he couldn't control himself any longer. It was like he was craving more of her.
Her hands held onto his hips, nails digging into his skin for support. Her legs were starting to give up, shaking from the intensity and ecstasy of their lovemaking.
Heeseung noticed her legs, moving his hand down to grip her thigh and hold it up slightly. He knew that he had to make adjustments to take it slower and not wear her out so quickly.
“Heeseung,” she breathed out, watching their bodies moving together with every single thrust. How he slid inside her and pulled away, completely disappearing inside her while hitting her hallowed spot. She threw her back, the image sending goosebumps all over.
He watched her body twitch and shiver, nails digging into his back. His breath was growing shaky, incapable of thinking about anything but being inside of her, enjoying the moment when the two of them were connected completely.
She looked at him through her droopy eyelids, toiling to look straight as he kept pushing himself deeper. Her mouth was drooling slightly, a light string of saliva tracing down her neck. This had to be what they meant by being fucked until your brain was empty.
"I love you," he moaned, his voice shaking and his breath increasing in speed. He could barely keep himself from falling in that moment; he was trying his best to keep a steady rhythm.
Her eyes rolled back, completely deteriorating in his thrusts. The deeper he fucked her, the more her insides quivered.
Heeseung pushed even deeper, his mouth open and his breaths coming out in small puffs of white air.
Her nails left long scratches on his back, losing control over herself.
"I'm here," he whispered against her neck. "I'm not going anywhere." Every word he said had a sense of urgency and determination to it. He was there, in her arms and he wasn't leaving her.
"I love you so much, Hee," she sobbed, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. Her moans occasionally slipped out due to his magical thrusts, becoming one with him.
"I love you too," he said quietly as he raised his other hand to her forehead and gently ran his fingers through her bangs. His hand came down to caress her cheek and he looked directly into her eyes. The passion he felt for her was overwhelming, and he couldn't think of anything at this moment but her and the wonderful moment they were sharing.
Heeseung moved his mouth back to her neck, kissing and nibbling softly. This feeling of belonging and unity between the two of them was just incredible.
His thrusts were longer but at the same time slower, his hand moving down her thigh and moving her legs down to his, he needed more grip for the both of their pleasure.
She bit her lips, eyes shutting at the phenomenal experience, throwing her head back and slightly arching. Her chest started hurting a bit, as their intercourse was getting a bit intense.
"Hey," he breathed, pulling himself out for a moment from your body. "Are you okay?"
It seemed that he caught on to the fact that she was beginning to feel some pain. He moved to the side and looked down at her, his face concerned.
"Sorry, it just," she pointed to the wound, exhaling loudly.
He realized that he made her discomforted. He couldn't stop himself from frowning, his face looking concerned.
"Don't apologize," he said, his voice a little low. "Just tell me what I can do to help relieve the pain, alright?"
"Maybe if we lay on our sides," she proposed, struggling to make herself turn
"That's a good idea," he helped her turn, leaning behind her and putting his arms around to help her stay in that position. His body eased into that position, laying his head behind her, arms holding her, and his chest touching her back.
"That's better," she smiled, breathing a bit easier now.
"I'm sorry for hurting you. I was enjoying the moment so much that I got a little carried away…"
"No, it's ok, I was enjoying it as much as you," she turned her head back a bit, grabbing his hands and putting it on her stomach.
Heeseung's body relaxed after her reassurance, leaning in more to wrap himself around her, the top half of his body covering her while the lower half pushed deeper into her.
She whimpered when he slid back in, squeezing his hands with a resonant sigh. This time, he was slower and more gentle, kissing from her nape all down her spine, leaving a lengthy trace of ardor. His mouth traced slowly down her back, turning his adoration into a sensational experience.
It was different this time because his concerns about her comfort were clambering. He never wanted to hurt her, only aiming to give her pleasure. Hence, he grabbed her leg, putting it over his so he had more space to enter deeper, to hit that spot that sent her through the roof.
As expected, she let out a deep gasp, the sound escaping from her almost involuntarily. Heeseung's tongue traced another slow line down her spine and back up again, savoring her taste.
He caressed her inner thigh, moving his hand back to her chest to play with her teats. His thumb and index grabbed them, twisting them around. He loved her appearance, but her breasts were the real treasure he never got enough of.
Words weren't able to describe how incredible this moment was, how their bodies connected and merged into one blossom of fervor.
His hands trailed up and down, drafting her marvelous curves. His touch felt light and gentle, yet there was still a sense of urgency and power behind it.
"You're so fucking beautiful, it's driving me crazy," he cursed, squeezing her breast.
"You're… you're so perfect," he spat out in between kisses, his body getting comfortable and used to this position. He bit down more forcefully on her neck, his kisses leaving more and more red marks.
"Hold me close, please," she whimpered, looking for his hands on her body.
"I got you," he said, body shifting to fully align with hers, arms gripping her from behind to tighten. He brought his face into her neck, his breathing speeding up with each kiss he gave her.
"Never let go," she sobbed, squeezing his hands with her trembling ones.
"Never, I promise," he pledged, holding her close to his chest.
She could feel his heart beating in time with hers, both sounding like they were about to explode.
"Never," she repeated, praying it was going to become true.
Heeseung kissed her deeply and passionately, pressing his body up against hers.
He was aware of her intonation, the worries raking in her head. Every kiss was stronger, more intense, and hotter than the last as he had to destroy all of them, one by one. His lips moved along her neck, tongue encircling on her neck, licking along it as he left no spot untouched.
She sat up, pushing him back on the bed. Heeseung's eyes widened, his reflexes quickly grabbing her wrists to prevent her from falling back.
She slightly groaned, lowering her head a little to catch her breath.
"Can you also sit up?" she proposed, wanting the two of you to make love while hugging each other.
He did as she asked, lifting himself a bit, leaning his back against the bed as he sat up with his legs spread. His hands held her back, one of his hands moving down to hold her leg as the other rested back on his. His mouth met hers, giving her a long kiss, not letting go of her in any way.
"I wanted to look at you," she voiced as she guided his shaft back inside her, scrunching her face.
"That's fine," he breathed out, his voice hoarse from being in her again, the constant switching driving his member to aggravate.
His eyes looked at her while her body trembled and twitched, his body feeling incredible. It was almost like being high, heavenly, and divine.
"I can feel your heart beating against mine," she smiled, her chest brushing against his, her perky nipples stimulating themselves.
Heeseung's heart beat faster every time she did that, her soft hands tenderly caressing his body, as if it would break in her delicate touch. She went over the muscles of his leg, his stomach, his chest, and eventually his arms. Her touch sent shivers down his spine and made him moan and sigh, realizing just how much she was driving him crazy.
"I missed you so much," she chuckled, masking the pain in her voice by cupping his cheeks.
"I missed you too," he breathed out, his lips locking with yours, making sure to kiss her deeply to show how much she meant to him.
Every kiss and bite seemed to drive a feeling of euphoria through his body, like every time he kissed her, a wave of happiness and satisfaction coursed through.
She closed her eyes when he caressed her back, circling it with a tender push. He made her feel so comfortable and safe, all with just one look, one touch, one kiss.
His kiss was the sweetest thing, his hands and lips exploring every inch of her. He wanted to feel all of her curves and touch every inch of her skin.
Her fingers wandered into his hair as the kiss deepened, huffing into his mouth while gently moving up and down, making both of them feel the most wonderful fractions inside.
He pulled her closer, their bodies wrapped around each other, unable to let go of one another. Their hands rested along each other's sides and their legs slightly entwined underneath.
Heeseung's tongue slid in and out of her mouth, exploring all of the areas he had already tasted before. He licked her upper lip after moving his hands down her hips.
He firmly gripped them, guiding her up and down his cock while he sucked on her neck, leaving trails of hickeys.
His breath warmed her icy skin and his lips kissed and nibbled along. Her body was starting to tremble and shake, his tongue returning to her lips. His kisses were extremely passionate, the ones where she forgot to breathe or think.
She pulled away, staring into his eyes through her lax gaze, mouth slightly agape, lips covered in their saliva. Her brain was empty, not thinking about anything but his presence and being inside her.
It felt like a deer caught in the headlights, clueless and innocent.
Heeseung smirked, watching her stare back but not knowing what to say. She appeared so pure it made him want to kiss her over and over again, fully swallow her in smooches and happiness.
He ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her face towards him again, this time gently kissing her neck.
Her wet lips brushed against his neck, quietly puffing and huffing. Her saliva was pooling on his shoulder since she rested her face on it, unintentionally drooling from the sensation.
Neither of them had any intention of stopping, wanting this moment to be eternal. When he saw how much she was enjoying herself, when he felt how aroused she was and how much he was giving her pleasure his lips curled into a satisfied smile.
His hands moved back from her cheeks to her hips again, squeezing her waist. His kisses still moved along her neck, his tongue occasionally nibbling at her collarbone and leaving it slightly red from the small love bites. 
She was drunk-dazed from his love and affection, from his kisses and touch, from his presence. One man was enough to wreck your entire world over and gather it up back, and that was Lee Heeseung. 
"I love you," he muttered. 
Nothing else was on his mind other than how gorgeous she looked, how incredible she felt, and how good it was to see every expression on her face from pleasure to satisfaction.
"Say it again," she murmured into his ear, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"You want me to.. say it again?" he asked, his voice a bit playful, yet his smile warm and genuine.
He moved his tongue to the side of her neck, running it from her ear to her collarbone, kissing it softly.
"I love you."
"Again," she smiled, closing her eyes from the exhaustion.
Heeseung chuckled, caressing her cheeks and running his fingers through her hair.
"Hmm, should I?" He teased, his voice mischievous.
"Should I say it again?" His breath and hand fondled her neck with marks.
"Mhm," she nodded, lazily dragging her lips on his neck.
"I love you..." he breathed out, moving his lips down until they reached hers.
"How many times do you want me to say it?"
"Until the day I die," she mumbled, eyelids shut and mouth still drooling, body completely relaxed and leaning against his.
"I love you," he repeated, giving you a light kiss.
"I love you." Another kiss
"I love you." Another one.
"I love you." The last one, slightly rougher than the rest. 
"How much, though?" her eyelids open a little, giving him a tired, but extremely seductive look, the one he lost himself in each time. 
"Hmm.. let me think," he chuckled, feeling the hotness mounting in himself from her look alone.
"If I could, I would take all of your pain away and replace it with the happiness you deserve. I would give you the whole world just to see you smile in my arms every day. I would give my life to make yours wonderful. I would sacrifice anything just so you can feel safe and loved. "
She whimpered at his words, eyes watering and insides rolling over. Her nails dug into his back again, hiding her flushed, red face in his shoulder.
"I would fight for you and protect you with my life, not allow anyone to hurt you ever again. I would fondle you in love and affection, from the moment you open your eyes till you close them," Heeseung breathed out, her scent intoxicating him.
"S-stop," she whinced in pleasure, eyes rolling back. The more he spoke, the closer she was to cumming, his words messing up her insides.
"You're my world, my life, my home, my reason to breathe every day. I want to take care of you and protect you, make you happy, and keep you warm every single time you feel cold or sad," his breathing shallowed as he spoke, feeling incredibly turned on by her reaction.
"E-enough," she pulled back, throwing her head back. He grabbed her wrists, not allowing her to escape his love.
"Never," he responded, pulling her back into his arms.
"I want to be with you all the time, I want to feel your body against mine, I want to make you feel loved, I want you to be mine and me to be yours until we die."
"S-shut u-up," she stuttered out, knowing she was minutes away from her orgasm.
"Why would I stop? " he asked, moving his thumb over her shoulder, circling and brushing her skin with the slight graze of a nail, leaving little marks on her skin.
He was also close to his climax, so he was more determined to finish the job than ever. His body tightened around her and his kissing became more profound and stronger.
"You need to hear the truth," he hissed in her ear, clasping her buttocks in his hands, pushing her onto his dick. 
"H-Heseung, I'm gonna-" she trembled, biting onto his shoulder to keep her loud moans in.
"Don't hold it in," his mouth ran along her shoulder and her arm, the marks getting darker with every kiss.
"Cum with me, please," she pleaded urgently as if her life mattered to it. 
"I will, don't worry," he kissed her cheek, caressing her head. 
Without another minute, her nails dug deeper, her pussy trapping his shaft in her fully. Her walls spasmed in a periodic pattern, sucking him in. Her clear cum glistened his shaft, wrapping him in its warmth and comfort. 
"Good girl," he whispered, his jaw twitching slightly. He wrapped both of his arms tighter and pulled her into a messy kiss.
His release followed up right after, managing to pull out just in time to cover her abdomen in his crystal white load. He panted as his fingers traced his cum on her stomach, spreading it all across her. 
His other hand gently laid her down, licking all of his mess off of her, the same way he did with her own. 
Perhaps it was the overstimulation he loved to observe on her or the fact that she clung to him more after cumming. Either way, he didn't stop rolling his wet tongue along her body. 
"My good girl," Heeseung whispered into her slick hole, pushing his tongue inside to slurp up all of her cum like it was a treat. 
Did he love her? Yes.
However, was he a bit of a sadist? Yes.
A low moan escaped his lips as he felt his mouth filled with her cum, his free hand gripping hers tightly. 
"H-hee."
He lifted his stare, landing on her adorable one, beseeching him to hug her. 
"You look so cute when you’re all tired like this, Y/N," he smirked, a faint peck landing on her cheek. His hand intertwined with her, the other playing with her hair. 
Sometimes, the amount of love he harvested for her managed to surprise him, finding himself falling apart in her touch and gaze. 
"H-hee," she whispered, closing her eyes. She tried to fight her exhaustion, but it was starting to get to her.
He saw how drowsy she looked, so he pulled her tighter to his body. 
"Go to sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up," he kissed her, his voice very relaxed and comforting.
"You promise?" she murmured, half asleep on his chest. 
"I promise," he assured, kissing her forehead and tucking her against him, pressing her body against his.
His hands stayed on her side, keeping her safely in his warm embrace.
"Until the day I die."
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Taglist: @end-hyphen, @hee-pster, @jakeswifeyy, @gegeetime, @heerated, @jayked, @forjongseong, @enhastolemyheart
𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧! ^^
───────────────────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹────────────────────
@maggstar
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cinnamostar · 4 months
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lotus
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pairing : seungmin x gn!reader
summary : how do you save a failing relationship?
wc : 921
cw : established relationships, angst, sadness, a touch of fluff, not proof read
a/n : hehehe ok i ended up getting inspired again! let me know what you guys think!!!! also hehe lotus flowers can represent rebirth/new beginnings btw >:3
wilted petals laid across the counter, the color they once held greying out as the dried edges chipped away over time. the flowers that once blossomed beautifully in its porcelain vase had long died out, the life that once coursed through it left without a trace, leaving behind the depressing, unsightly death of a flower. the few petals that remained clung onto the stem of the flower in a desperate attempt to hold onto life, yet their grip would eventually loosen as it weathered its painstakingly slow demise, signifying the end of its life cycle. their reluctance to let go was pitiful, yet it felt like the bouquet of dying flowers now only mocked you and served as a cruel metaphor of the state of your relationship.
months had gone by, the fiery passion that once ignited the love story you and seungmin wrote had been put out, leaving behind only a trail of ash and soot that covered every inch of your hands. the pages of this novel was slowly ripping at its seams, the book thinning out as you desperately thumbed through it, praying to find a clue on how to rekindle this dying romance. except your touch would leave behind cinders on each page, the words you hopelessly searched through now becoming illegible.
you both had become complacent, completely forgoing the smallest details of maintaining a healthy relationship which ultimately whittled down the foundation of your love. the cracks had become more apparent, the soullessness behind each action was undeniable, and you were both becoming exasperated as you tried to keep up appearances to one another, not willing to admit there was a growing issue that needed to be addressed. they say ignorance is bliss, but the tension between you two hung heavily and was gradually drowning you, and it was about time for one of you break to the surface to catch your breath.
tonight, you and seungmin were sitting across each other at the dinner table, quietly eating the take out food you ordered. it was upsettingly silent, not a single exchange of words and only the sound of your utensils scrapping against your plates could be heard.
what was the point of this anymore? why had you both accepted this new norm without a fight? had you both become use to each others presence? were you both too afraid to face the possibility of loneliness? did he even still love you?
these questions had occupied your mind for months, the number of them growing as the aching feeling your heart once suffered from had slowly become numbing.
should you say something? right now? interrupt the faux peace that you two had become accustomed to?
maybe, maybe not. it was all too daunting to not know where that conversation would leave, but you also no longer wanted to live with never ending misery. something had to be done.
“do you still love me?” you whisper, your voice quivering with trepidation, bracing yourself for his response.
seungmin looks up from his meal, his piercing gaze meeting yours, uncertainty and fear in hiding behind his stoic expression. he lets out a heavy huff, nodding his head as he took in your words, “of course i do. do you still love me?”
“yes, always,” you respond, your face softening at his confirmation, “but… what happened to us?”
he didn’t need you to further explain yourself, the few words you spoke carried the weight of your sadness as he reflected on the state of your deteriorating relationship. “im not sure,” he sighs, “im sorry.”
you swallow thickly as a lump of your emotions manifests in your throat, “im sorry too,” tears begin to prick your eyes, “what do we do?”
“i don’t know.”
“i don’t know either.”
the uncomfortable, familiar silence returns in its place as you each gaze longingly at the other. what was there to do? there was no guide book on how to salvage the skeleton of a relationship, the tendrils of love thinning out as they weakly held your hearts together.
seungmin clears his throat, as if to disperse the tensity in the atmosphere, “do you want to keep trying?”
you bit the inside of your cheek anxiously, “i do, but what if it doesn’t work out?”
“then at least we can say we tried our best,” he hums, mindlessly poking his food with his fork, “i wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if i didn’t try.”
“okay,” you nod meekly, “let’s try again.”
“when was the last time i took you out on a date?” he asks, pain evident in his voice upon making this realization.
“i don’t even remember,” you tearfully answer, looking away from seungmin’s eyes as his began to glaze over with anguish.
“i see,” he whispers to himself with a sniffle, “let’s start there then.” he forces a weak smile, feebly holding onto the bit of hope he rediscovered, “let’s remember why we fell in love in the first place, okay? let’s go to the ice cream shop we went on for our first date tomorrow. how does that sound?”
you look back at him, a touched smile that sent butterflies down seungmin’s abdomen, a smile he didn’t realize how much he missed, “i’d like that very much.”
the very next day, when you woke up to get ready for your date, the withering flowers had be replaced with flourishing lotus flowers. a small note scrawled with seungmin’s handwriting laid next to it:
here’s to a new beginning. i love you.
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confusedgeckotree · 1 month
Text
random but I like to think Orpheus posted Trial by Song to his space Spotify or smth not long before he left for the vault job and just titled it something like 'song for the vault' or something similarly cryptic to anyone not familiar with the vault job because no way he just wrote the whole thing not to make money from it (bros gotta afford that lotus somehow)
And then he never posted anything again
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Text
Vergil NSFT alphabet
18+ for filth. If your blog says you're a minor then you're gonna get blocked
It hit me that I never wrote one of these for Vergil and I needed to fix that
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A = Aftercare
Bathing is what he prefers. Being able to touch you casually and show affection without feeling awkward is an absolute joy for him. Since it's usually the end of the night, it's also time for the two of you to relax together
He actually needs aftercare, he won't admit to it easily, but he needs the closeness. Leaving him alone for too long after sex hurts him, he starts feeling used and ashamed
He doesn't want to come across as needy or weak in your eyes so he won't mention it under normal circumstances
B = Body Part
He's not picky in either case
C = Cum
Always inside unless you want something else. He stays buried in you until he has to pull out or he's hard enough for another round
Hates condoms, but he'll wear them if you prefer them
If he's in his devil form, he cums way more. Enough that it rushes out around his cock
D = Dirty Secret
He's just as filthy and depraved as Dante, it takes trust to bring it out of him though
E = Experience
Vergil has had only one or two partners before you. He has an idea of what to do and what he likes in theory but not much practical experience
F = Favourite Positions
Wrapped lotus and full nelson. Missionary is fine, but he does worry about accidentally crushing you and it keeps him from fully relaxing into it
G = Goofy
Surprisingly, not as serious as you'd figure when he gets comfortable in the relationship. He keeps his snarky sense of humor and quick wit
H = Hair
He's not hairless like V is, but his hair is so light and thin, it's hardly noticeable
I = Intimacy
Once he gets comfortable being fully vulnerable he'll fully admit to loving you and showing tenderness
Even during rough sex, he retains a hidden sweetness. He trusts you to tell him if you're uncomfortable with something, but he still checks in just in case
J = Jack-Off
Not often. He prefers to come to you to take care of any needs that might arise
K = Kink
Edging, orgasm denial, shibari, bondage, domination, overstimulation
L = Location
Anywhere private, where no one can hear or walk in
M = Motivation
Being bratty towards him gets him going pretty fast. He'll fuck the attitude right out of you until you're good to him again
N = No
Doesn't enjoy pain play or blood play. He won't let you collar him either. Anything that reminds him of his time as Nelo Angelo is off the table
He doesn't want to use his sin devil trigger. There's just too many risks involved for him to feel comfortable
O = Oral
He'll hold your hips down to keep you from going anywhere until he's through with you. He'll moan against you if you pull his hair
You're not gonna be able to fit him in your mouth and he knows it. He'll laugh at you if you repeatedly try it
P = Pace
Rough and slow
Q = Quickie
Not into it. He can wait til later and he expects you to be able to wait too
R = Risk
Down to experiment, even willing to bring out his lesser devil trigger if you think you can take it
Doppelgangers too
S = Stamina
There's no chance in hell you'll outlast him, even on your best day. If you challenge that then you're not leaving the house any time soon
T = Toy
Doesn't really care for many of them especially vibrators. It's not jealousy or anything like that, they just don't appeal to him
He's fine using cock rings if you'd like him to
U = Unfair
Like V, he can tolerate being denied for a long time, but he can outlast his other half. He can handle being edged and denied for over a month before he has to tap out. The downside is near the end, he starts getting agitated towards everyone that's not you
If you choose to make him wait like that, know turnabout is fair play and he doesn't show mercy
V = Volume
Pretty quiet until he starts getting close to cumming. The exception to this is if you're blowing his back out, then he gets loud quick
The louder he can make you get, the more amused he is
W = Wild Card
He's very interested in predator/prey play. Vergil gives you a head start, but there's no escaping him. He doesn't care about playing fair, he'll gladly trick in front of you just to mess with you
X = X-Ray
Uncut and thick as hell. His cock clocks nine inches easy and curves upward slightly
Y = Yearning
Vergil has a sex drive to rival Dante. Until fairly recently, he's had no reason to use it so he mostly ignored it
Z = ZZZ
He stays awake long enough to read a couple chapters in whatever book he's currently reading. He has a hard time sleeping even when he's tired, it's a way to help him wind down
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happypopcornprincess · 3 months
Text
Tangled Fates
Part 2
A Phaya x Tharn fic about their past life as Sapuna and Wansarut.
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GIF by @25shadesoffebruary || Original Post by creator is here
a/n - As a desi, this series has captured my heart with the mythology and storytelling! So I wrote this fic as I believe this backstory was one of the best in BL! This happens right after Sapuna is saved by Wansarut and left on the riverside. All of this is my imagination this is not from the book as i haven't read it yet. A lot of this is inspired from indian and thai mythological stories that my grandparents would tell me (shakuntala, nala-damyanti, radha-krishna, etc)Some terms might be difficult to understand so I have underlined them and provided a guide at the end for them.
The Sign series spoilers ahead!
---/---/---
Leaning back on the tree bark under the night sky, Sapuna winced as he tried to calm down. He took shallow breaths while pain coursed through his body. Within a single day, he had been bitten by Prince Chalothorn, thrown from the skies, almost died from Naga venom, and saved by a Nagini.
He was experiencing the after effects of detoxification. His eyesight was weakened, he couldn’t see the infinite like he used to. Is this what human vision is like? How do they manage to live like this?
He closed his eyes in frustration, trying to get some rest so he could gain strength to go back to the battlefield. He was worried that his brothers and sisters were searching for him. But the image of Prince Chalothorn flying towards his army in his serpent form worried him more. He wasn’t even in Garuda Lok. Everywhere he looked he found huge trees and dense forests. The shallow river on whose bank he sat was clear and cold, he craved for the warmth that was native to his kingdom.
This was Naga Lok, or somewhere near it. Nagas were territorial. They would never wander far from their home.
The Nagini earlier was proof of it.
“You will not be safe here.” Her eyebrows scrunched, she gazed at him with a blend of curiosity and caution.
“And why should I believe you?” Garuda retaliated with anger, looking at her legs that were still in the water, her territory, ready to run in case he attacked.
“I extracted all the venom but I can’t help with the after effects. You should return to your kingdom and let the vaidyas heal you.” She pleaded, looking around. “You will be killed if you stay here.”
The Lady turned away from him to face the water, and he flinched in habit when she turned into a serpent and dived into the water.
Did she go away to warn him? Will she be back? Why did she help him?
He could now hear the rumble in his stomach as if it were the roar of a lion. He remembered the lavish banquet he had shared with his clan before the war. In spite of his best efforts, Sapuna couldn't help but think about the delicacies he had been served just a day earlier.
Another sound echoed through the forest at the moment, the simmering sound of bangles. Sapuna sat up abruptly, on alert. He looked around but saw no one.
Was the Nagini back to finish me off?
Something brushed against his hand. Without his divine vision it took him a while to see what was in front of him in the moonlight.
It was a lotus leaf filled with berries, fruits, and edible flowers from the wild. His hunger only grew as he smelled the freshly picked mangoes, and throwing all caution to the wind, he dived in. Halfway through, his eyes caught a movement in the water.
He lifted his head to see a blur of green and gold; the same as the Nagini's clothes.
---/---/---
The sound of Wansarut’s bangles echoed through the plains as she picked the fruit. She chose the mangoes carefully for the injured Garuda. She saw how he ate the mangoes happily yesterday, they seemed to be of his liking. What do Garudas eat anyway? She has heard about them eating serpents since she was young. It sent a shiver down her spine. She will simply leave the food like she did yesterday and won’t talk to him. The quicker his health improves, the sooner he will leave.
She gained her composure, and took off her anklets and bangles and kept them by the riverside. She almost got caught yesterday. She saw a fawn and its mother drinking water by her side. Smiling, she said in their tongue, "Keep them safe for me now, will you?” The fawn nodded, standing guard over her jewels with its tiny form.
She got into the water, smiling back at the fawn. Spending time with wild animals in this forest has always been her joy. This place was the divide between Naga Lok and the human world, a place she accidentally stumbled upon while wandering in the woods. It felt like a hidden haven, known only to her; a sanctuary where she felt safe.
She surfaced by the bank where she had left the Garuda, quietly approaching the tree where he had fallen. There, she delicately placed the lotus leaf, ready to run away the second she placed it on the ground.
"Why are you here?"
Wansarut screamed as the heavy voice echoed behind her, causing the food to fly from her hands and land on the ground. Startled, she turned to find the Garuda staring at her with an unpleasant expression. Although color had returned to his skin, and he no longer appeared pale, his armor was still stained with blood. Other than that, he seemed to be in good health.
“Do you often save your enemies and treat them with mangoes?" Sapuna inquired, a strange sensation in his chest as he observed her green attire and flowing hair.
---/---/---
"Do you make a habit of lurking in the shadows to frighten others?" the Nagini screamed once more, eyeing the scattered food on the ground.
His gaze remained steady as she gathered the fallen fruits, placing them on a lotus leaf and gently allowing the stream to cleanse the mud. Garuda found himself unable to look away, his attention fixed on her delicate wrists and the fluidity of her hands in the water, reminiscent of the mudras of Kohn.
Sapuna snapped back to reality. "Why are you here again?" he asked, approaching her as she handed him the food.
"Because I want you gone," she declared, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
"Is this a farewell lunch, then?" he inquired, taking a seat under the tree where he had fallen. Diving into the mangoes, he saw the Nagini looking at him, puzzled.
"You need to regain your strength to fly. Mangoes help," she explained, turning to leave. "I hope you leave this place by tomorrow."
Sapuna quickly swallowed his food and shouted, "Wait." She halted, looking back at him, one foot in the water and the other on the stones near the bank.
"Thank you. The Garudas will never forget your kindness and hospitality," he expressed.
The Nagini locked eyes with him. "I hope you don't forget to repay me." Sapuna recalled her asking for this war to end, for peace among her kind and his.
“I will do what I can," Sapuna replied.
The Nagini nods, stepping into the water to go away when the Garuda shouts again, “What is your name?”
She pauses yet again, but doesn’t turn.
"Wansarut." After saying so, she shifts into her Nagini form and dives into the water.
“Wansarut.” Sapuna smiles, whispering her name as he looked at the half-eaten food with a smile on his face.
---/---/---
Sleep didn’t come easy for Wansarut that night. The image of the Garuda's face lingered in her thoughts.
There was an unusual aura about him; something she had never witnessed before. His presence seemed to glow, and his features were perfectly sculpted. In his human form, he could easily be mistaken for a heavenly demigod. Truly divine.
She thought about the possibilities if he was a Naga like her. She could have asked him for courtship. They could have had the blessings from the elders and…
Wansarut sat up, shaking her head to dispel the fantasy.
He was a Garuda, her enemy. She could be in grave danger if discovered that she helped a Garuda. She didn’t even know his name and she wanted to do what? Ask him to court her? Love her?
Attempting to push these thoughts aside, she tried to sleep, resisting the image of him standing by the stream where he fell, waiting for her.
But she made a firm decision - she wouldn't go back. It wasn't just for her safety but for his as well.
---/---/---
More to come soon...
---/---/---
Guide
Sapuna - Phaya's name in past life as a Garuda
Wansarut - Tharn's name in past life as a Nagini
Naga - A creature from Hindu and Thai mythology who has magical powers and can shapeshift into a Serpant
Nagini - Females of Naga clan.
Garuda Lok - The realm of Lord Garuda
Naga Lok - Realm of the Nagas
Vaidyas - healers
Smiling, she said in their tongue - Naginis have magical abilities to talk in any language (be it human or animals)
Mudras of Khon - Khon is a classical dance in thailand and mudras are different types of hand movements in classical dances like odissi, khon, bharatnatyam, manipuri etc.
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lovelylotusf1 · 4 months
Text
Inspired by the lovely @wisteria-wisteria and her Pinterest roulette posts. I present to you an AU:
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Lestappen - Coding rivals.exe
Don't know yet if I'll do anything larger with it so I'd love if someone adopts the idea! Give it a new and welcoming home!
Max Verstappen, a brilliant hardware engineer who is mostly focused on robotics, is partnered up to work with programmer and game designer Charles Leclerc. From the moment they meet, he despises his new coworker. Charles is everything he isn't - all smiles and polite questions, a laid-back attitude when it comes to his work and yet somehow constantly praised by others. The predestined programmer, they call him. Max thinks it's all very ridiculous.
But they need to work together to meet the looming deadline. Maybe they'll even learn to appreciate the other's company along the way...
Small scene after this universe's InchidentTM:
"Mr Verstappen. What happened?" His boss's cold voice greets him the moment Max sits down in the overpriced meeting chair. The board of directors stare at him, disdain obvious in their postures, but their faces are carved into polite masks.
Max glares at Leclerc, who is sitting across from him. Even now, he doesn't look like he gives a single damn about the situation he has brought them into, that unnervingly pleasant smile still plastered on his face. Max wants to wipe it off.
Leclerc is slumped in his chair, glasses askew and in his normal working attire consisting of a sweater thrown over a shirt. There is a small coffee stain on front of it, reminding Max of what brought them into this situation in the first place.
"It's just unfair. He pushed a glass of coffee onto the robot, so I pushed it back onto his computer. It's not fair, right?"
Before he can give further explanations, he is shot down, "Thank you, Mr Verstappen. What is your perspective on this matter, Mr Leclerc?"
Leclerc straightens and lets his eyes sweep over the room. Max doesn't miss the fact that he pointedly doesn't look at Max and a small pang of annoyance flashes through him.
Leclerc says, "Nothing. Just an inchident in the lab. We will have the code restored and the robot running by next week."
Max needs to remember all the self-control exercises he taught himself in order to not jump over the table, drag Leclerc towards him by his stupid oversized sweater and yell at him until that guy's ears ring.
Of course, he can say that easily. He just needs to write a few lines of code that the automatic backup hasn't caught. But Max will have to build the hardware from scratch, the delicate electronics fried beyond repair. Oh, how he would like to strangle Leclerc for that.
His boss is apparently pleased by this response. He nods. "Very well then. Get back to work and fill out the provided reports. I don't want to repeat this, the funding is already minimal and you don't want to make your budget even tighter than it already is."
They are dismissed and walk back to the robotics lab in silence, their steps echoing off the blank walls. At least it would be silent if Leclerc's annoyingly smooth voice didn't disrupt it, "I know you don't like me. But at least pretend that you do when other people are around. It will be easier if you let some of my charm work on you, non?"
That fucker has the audicity to wink at him and it is the most awkward thing Max has seen in his entire life.
Max almost snarls. He'd rather be caught dead than enjoy Leclerc's company.
(I don't know why a robotics guy would work with a game dev but just let me fantasize about my AUs without worrying too much about realism)
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marleyybluu · 1 year
Note
hey! could you write an oscar x reader about the reader smoking with oscar for the first time? maybe the reader says something stupid and he clowns her and they’re just being stupid together. ty🫶🏽
Stoned
Oscar x fem!reader
Wc: 2.2k
Warnings: marijuana use, swearing, a bit of self-insert, driving while high (but don't be this stupid irl), stoner phrases. bit of fluff.
A/N: I loved writing this, it was fun I felt like I got to put myself in a story yk. I based some of the behaviours and everything off of what I've experienced. and I wrote this stoned. had to.
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“You got a lighter?" You rolled your eyes at the stupid question. He knew you didn't smoke so why would he ask you for a lighter?
You knocked your head to the side, your hand froze in mid-air with the remote resting in your palm as you paused the action of changing the channel just to stare at your boyfriend until he got the message but he was too busy sprinkling his shredded green bits inside the thin paper. He usually smoked backwoods but he was out so RAW papers would have to do today.
He quickly glanced up after noticing the time it was taking for you to answer. He looked to the side and looked back at you. "What?"
"You know I don't smoke."
He shrugged. "You know I do, so you should start carrying extra lighters." Your jaw dropped at his sassy response, you grabbed the pillow from under you and whacked him in the head with it, he sucked his teeth as a little bit of kush fell out of the paper and onto his rolling tray. "Really?" You poked out your bottom lip and batted your lashes. "Sorry baby, my brother probably has one in his room go look."
Oscar put everything back on the tray and placed the tray on the table, he rose from the couch and disappeared to go find what he was looking for. You looked down at the materials that were spread on his well-decorated tray, you look behind you and back at the table, the mischievous voice in your head telling you to just smell it at least.
You reached over and picked up a bud that he hadn't ground yet, assuming he'd save it for later, and held it to your nose you took a deep inhale and were immediately met with an earthy yet sweet and fruity smell-- almost like a dessert. You looked down at it, examining every piece of the bud, it was a mixture of colours such as green, a light brown and a small hint of yellow right where the stem was.
"What are you doing?" Oscar laughed having stood there long enough to see everything. You flinched placing the gram back where it was. "Nothing, just... inquisitive." You smartly answered. He bent his lips inward to hold his smile, he thought it was a bit cute you were curious. He'd been trying to get you to smoke with him but you continuously declined and he wasn't the type to force you to do something you didn't want.
He sat back down in his spot and resumed back to rolling, but once your interest peaked you couldn't let it go. Your head faced the television but your eyes cast to the side watching Oscar carefully wrap up his kush in this thin and almost fragile brown piece of paper, you liked watching him roll-- the way his big fingers suddenly became small and nimble in order to swaddle his precious baby tightly but then came the use of his tongue, leaving a little bit of paper so it could overlap and close everything. His tongue swiped across, getting it wet but not too much, he would gently fold it over, press down on it and done. It was ready to smoke.
"What's it like being high?" You asked. "Uh, it's like you're floating... sometimes you feel your body swaying even though you aren't actually moving. It could also depend on where you are when you're high." He informed. You bit your lip weighing your options, you'd been wonderous about this for a while but didn't know how to go about it, plus you were nervous you'd make an idiot out of yourself the first time.
Oscar noticed the look on your face and smiled. "You want to try it?"
You nodded your head. He looked out the window noticing orange slowly replacing the blue in the sky. "Aight, come on." He said placing the blunt behind his ear and the lighter in his pocket, he stood up and headed to your kitchen grabbing water bottles for the both of you. "Bring your bag too."
"Why?"
He made his way back over to you, bent down and placed a kiss on your forehead. "Because I want you to have a nice experience with this, we're not smoking here. Imma take you to the beach, but we gotta grab food and snacks first because you will get hungry." You squealed, you were lowkey excited about this. You changed into some shorts and a loose top, you grabbed your backpack and stuffed it with the water bottles a blanket and a little speaker just in case.
The two of you left the house and ventured off to find some food. You went to your usual spot and he picked up your usual orders. The drive to the beach didn't take long. Oscar parked in the lot and you guys left with your things. The place was scarce, which was for the greater good, maybe you wouldn't get too paranoid about other people staring at you.
Oscar led you down a little further away from the steps and a bit closer to the water. You spread a blanket on the sand and plopped everything on top of it. The cool breeze tickled your skin producing goosebumps on every surface. You watched as your boyfriend removed the blunt from its cozy spot and dug the lighter out of his pocket.
"You still sure about this?" He asked sparking a light. You nodded eagerly. He placed the tail end between his lips, he cupped his hand over the lighter so the wind wouldn't blow the spark out. Smoke emerged from the little shelter he created, that same earthy sent has become more pungent now that it was burning.
Oscar took the first pull, you noticed the thick cloud essentially disappear into his mouth— he puffed out his cheeks and blew out a thinner puff of smoke. He handed you the weed, you took it between your thumb and index finger as he had it. "You just have to inhale baby."
You nodded, copying his actions you placed it between your lips, you inhaled as much as your lungs could let you and held your breath. Oscar's eyebrows scrunched together. "Ma, you don't have to hold your breath, just inhale."
It was tickling your throat and not in a good way. You let out a loud and hoarse cough, you sounded like someone who'd been smoking cigarettes for thirty years. Oscar patted your back while you banged your palm against your chest. "Shit!" Cough. "What the fuck!"
"Drink some water." His voice was shaky trying his best to hold down his laugh. You handed back the blunt and reached into the bag for your water. "You wanna try again?" You put your finger up as you chugged the h2o. Once you felt like you were fine you responded with a yes.
Oscar took his time to explain what he meant by inhale, that to just smoke and blow was a waste of weed and you wouldn't get high off of that technique. Once you understood you took another swing at it. Pull, inhale, blow. You did it just like that and a quick flash of pride ran over Oscar's face. "Nice." He nudged, you handed it back to him and he took it between his fingers.
"So, when does it hit?" You asked. He chuckled. "Trust me, you'll know." And until then the both of you kept puffing and passing, enjoying the view of the water, the small waves running up to kiss the sand. You sighed contently, your body completely relaxed and loose. So relaxed you didn't feel the need to use your own strength to hold it up anymore so you decided to lay down on the blanket.
Oscar chuckled. "You good?" You nodded with a smile as wide as the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. Your lids felt so heavy... so tired. You struggled to keep them up, you looked over at Oscar who had been holding the last of the blunt in your direction for a while. The both of you are too stoned to mutter a word.
Your hand felt wonky and distorted as you accepted it. As you smoked Oscar dug through the bag for the other water bottle and the speaker. "You want me to play or you?"
"You." You answered way too lazy to even touch your phone though it was right next to you. Your eyes were laser-focused on the sky, you felt like you could see every detail of the clouds. So light and fluffy, colliding with one another and you wish you could touch them. Maybe you could.
Your arm extended to the sky, your hand gripping and releasing constantly you felt like you were touching them— they felt like cotton candy. Your daydream was interrupted by Oscar lightly smacking your hand down. "What are you doing?"
"I'm touching the clouds bitch."
"No, you're not." A brief moment of reality settled in and you were back on the ground, back on earth just watching those misshapen things float by in the orange sky. You looked down at the blunt and back over at Oscar. Both held a gaze until you two busted out laughing. "You are so fried." He chuckled. "Holy shit am I? Wow."
This feeling was different. You didn't feel like you, you felt like a passenger just enjoying the view and vibes while someone else drove. Your sense heightened, you could hear every flap of a bird's wing, every whoosh of the water. You could hear your own heating in your eardrum. "Are you high?" You asked taking one more drag before passing it back. "Finish it." He challenged, you shrugged and placed the butt end back between your lips. 
"I smoke a lot so it's not gonna hit me like it's hitting you. I'll smoke again soon." 
You nodded. You closed your eyes just taking this all in. The last puff of marijuana had left your throat while you smushed the end in the sand. Oscar was already working on his spliff because he didn't feel like smoking another big one. "I like flamingos," You randomly burst out. "They're so pink and pretty." Oscar snorted and shook his head. "I thought your favourite animals were penguins." 
"I love penguins." You giggled like an airhead. Oscar quickly finished his spliff and dusted off whatever was on his pants, he tucked behind his ear before moving closer and laying next to you. "How do you know so much about me?" You pouted feeling sentimental for some reason, and a sudden rush of overpouring love took over. He leaned down gently plopping his lips on yours, you could taste his neediness on your lips-- your tongues passing by, occasionally colliding. Why were you so hot all of a sudden? 
He pulled away and you pathetically whimpered for more. "Because I only study what I love." He wooed. You pinched his chin and rolled your eyes. "Well, I love you too." 
"Good." 
You sat up watching the sky become darker and darker, you looked out to the water and smiled. "I wanna live by the beach." 
Oscar glanced over at you with awe in his eyes. "Long as it's close to the restaurant I don't mind." You blushed at the fact he saw you in his future. The sound of the lighter flickering caught her attention. "Trynna go again?" 
You eagerly nodded. You let him take the first few hits while you bit into your burger tasting flavours you'd never experienced in your life, you hummed in satisfaction as you stuffed your mouth with the salty fries it came with. It tasted better when you were in this state. Oscar offered the last little bit and you gladly took it. 
His eyes matched yours, lids low with glossed-over red eyes. He looked so cute like that, that's why you liked being around him when he was high. "You good?" You asked, he nodded reaching for his own burger now. "I love food." He said. Your eyes disappeared as you smiled. You switched between smoking at eating until the spliff was done, you flicked it onto the sand and returned to the rest of your fries. 
The night sky had come in, it reflected off of the clear water, tides slowly dying down. You two had lay there not saying a word, just enjoying each other's company-- you didn't know if it was the weed dying out but you were suddenly tired, all you wanted to do was sleep. Had a few close calls too until Oscar nudged you. "How did your first time getting high go?" He asked. You kissed his chest and said. "Mmm, we should do this more often."
"Yeah?" He replied with a bit of excitement in his voice. "Yeah. Thanks for letting me try it." Oscar planted a kiss on your head. "Anytime, baby." 
"I'm as high as giraffe titties right now." You slurred. Oscar belly-laughed, all the things you were saying were just cute and hilarious to him. "Maybe we should take you home. Sleep this off." You groaned but agreed, you two packed up everything and Oscar held onto you as you stumbled behind him, your feet completely forgetting their job. He dropped you in the passenger's seat and buckled you in before heading to the driver's side. He rolled down the windows for some cool air, started the car and pulled out of the lot. 
The ride home was silent, other than the low music playing through the speakers. You were zoned out beyond belief as you leaned your head against the car. You had given up the fight, the drug was winning and you were floating off to sleep. Oscar looked over after hearing a few little snores, he laughed shaking his head. He'd never forget the day that his goodie-two-shoes ass girlfriend finally smoked some weed. 
if you liked this fic, feel free to like this fic. Comments and reblogs are appreciated.
peace and love.
tags: @skyesthebomb
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kquil · 1 year
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THE KOI POND : NAVIGATION
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FLORA : CONTENT
⚘ LOTUS || SERIES / if you're looking for my multi-chapter fics ⚘ WATER HYACINTH || ONESHOTS / if you're looking for my longer oneshots and or requests ⚘ WATER POPPY || TIMESTAMPS / if you're looking for my short imagines/scenarios ; most are not proofread or edited ⚘ WATERLILIES || TBW / if you're looking for my 'to be written' works ; something to look forward to
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NISHIKIGOI : CHARACTERS
⌙ KOHAKU
JAMES POTTER / the golden boy who has an ego the size of a lake with the heart to match
⌙ HI SHOWA
SIRIUS BLACK / the rebellious bad boy of everyone's dreams who deserves better
⌙ SHOWA SANSHOKU
REMUS LUPIN / everyone's favourite werewolf, soft boy who deserves all the love in the world
⌙ KUMONRYU
REGULUS BLACK / the tortured boy who was failed by his loved ones but still did so much good
⌙ CHAGOI
PETER PETTIGREW / the lost boy who had so much potential and could have had it all
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SCENERY : EXTRA
⚘ THE SWANS || MY MUTUALS / my loveliest darlings ⚘ THE FIELDS || MILESTONE CELEBRATIONS / where i celebrate my milestones; next milestone: 3k followers ⚘ THE MOONLIGHT || COMFORT CORNER / short comfort fics i wrote for darlings that need it most at that moment in time ⚘ THE LAKE || MY LIBRARY / my recommendations, please read them and spread the love! i promise i have immaculate taste ⚘ THE FOREST || TAGS / how i keep my posts organised
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daze4all · 3 months
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Gotta admire Honkai Star Rail back clothing design
Honkai Star Rail Guys: Hate when you leave but love to watch you go~
Side note it's always funny there is usually something to pull on the back clothes like a leash...Like walking dogs
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Please tell me I'm not only one who feels things looking at honkai star rail guys backs. I applaud the details and wrote some drabbles.
Jing Yuan Fluff Bailu hide & Seek
2. Blade: Beribboned back
3. Dan Heng/Feng : Waist wrap
aka Harassing Honkai Star Rail Guys I guess just bit of teasing
Jing Yuan 
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Broad back kinda want piggy back 
He could totally lift a person 
His cape could hide a person…
Imagine: Bailu hiding behind his capes to avoid her duties is a cute idea. 
“Where is Bailu?”  Jing Yuan
Right behind you Yanqing pointing her only for Bailu turn around with him when he he moves to avoid capture 
“Hehe~ The general will never find me!” - Bailu hiding behind him with a twirl
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Blade 
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Unravelling the red corset like bow tugging it free so it unravels like present
He’d be grumpy “What the hell are you doing back there?”
“Nothing bladie~” 
Laugh and brush it off with a blush tie it back up for him but not to tight
I think this every time I see his ribboned back it’s bad…. 
love his spider lily flower design funerary flower desire for death and poisonous
think it may be my fav design in game
Dan Heng
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with lover! reader. I think Caelus would say this for some reason…
The sway of hips as he walks 
Waist thin accentuated by his wrap. 
Hug from behind 
Head on shoulder 
Mouth Smothered on shoulder “omg your so hot when you walk”  embarrassed to say so muffled 
“What did you say?” Dan Heng being confused ears turning red. 
Design note the lotus symbolizes rebirth which is the opposite of blades plus teal vs red color scheme probably 2nd fav design.
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missholland · 1 month
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Farewell, a place once called home!
I was homebound this week for an illness recovery, and thought it was the perfect time to rewatch one of my ultimate comfort shows: The Untamed.
Some people watch stuff once. Some people religiously rewatch their favs because they discover something new each time. I'm certainly part of the latter clan, and I cannot believe I never wrote about Wei Wuxian (WWX)'s post-resurrection return to Lotus Pier before.
The second half of episode 45 throughout episode 46 is quite a journey on its own right: the setting, the aesthetics, the dialogue, the emotional weight as one of the biggest secrets finally came to surface.
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A very long rambling analysis ahead so bear with me!
Considering the latter half of episode 45 was mostly consumed with Si Si and Bi Cao exposing Jin Guangyao (JGY)'s dark past, there were only a couple of Lotus Pier moments that worth mentioning.
As WWX and Lan Wangji (LWJ) walked through the entrance of Lotus Pier, I was immediately taken back to what WWX said to LWJ in episode 6 when they were healing their injuries in the Cold Spring. WWX asked LWJ to come visit him in Lotus Pier one day, and I bet the circumstance they eventually found themselves in episode 45 was far from what WWX thought the visit would have been like.
Let's also take another step back to episode 34, where Jiang Cheng (JC) interrogated WWX. WWX admitted that he wanted to go back to Lotus Pier even in his dream, but at the time, he had probably given up all hopes of ever making that come true.
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What else is there? His master and madam died, his disciple elder sister Yanli died, he got expelled from his own clan. It was virtually impossible to prepare WWX for the event of episode 45 where he actually got to walk into Lotus Pier again.
Let's now cruise into the main event - episode 46! Fed up with how the big clan meeting went following the revelation of JGY's wrongdoings, WWX and LWJ stepped away from the front room and made their way around Lotus Pier. They were likely just wandering around at the time, as their concentration was totally occupied with finding out who might be the mastermind trying to expose JGY. Then again, it might as well be WWX's muscle memory as they somehow ended up right in front of the ancestral hall.
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Despite initial hesitation, WWX eventually decided to come in and paid respect to his Master, Madam and Yanli along with LWJ. It's not the first time we saw this incredibly tranquil and beautiful room. It really was WWX's most frequently visited room, whether it was being punished by Madam Yu (story apparently travelled all the way to Gusu) or having heartfelt conversation with Yanli. WWX telling LWJ his childhood stories inside the ancestral hall was probably the most mundane sequence during this whole ordeal, and a small moment of normality for WWX before our resident killjoy JC walked in.
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Yes JC, we know it's your house but surely yelling in the middle of the ancestral hall whether your family was resting in peace isn't a very good idea? Our WWX certainly didn't expect any less from all the unpleasantness coming out of JC's mouth, as since forever he only let his anger do the speaking and not the common sense. LWJ was ready to have a showdown, but WWX calmly told him to stand down and let it go.
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But did JC let it go too? Of course not. He was irritated by WWX's calmness and tried to spill some more frustration to get the other to react. He clearly picked the right route to go down on by picking on LWJ and Wen Ning (WN). Worse, he proceeded to single out LWJ and insulted his commitment to WWX.
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That prompted WWX to yell out JC's courtesy name Jiang Wanyin, a name we didn't hear very often throughout the show but in this instance it was most memorable, especially coming from WWX. That itself drew a clear boundary in their relationship at that moment, from brothers to mere acquaintances in the cultivation world.
WWX wasn't afraid to ask a proud JC to apologise, but all JC was gonna do is pushing the button even more. He took a very personal swipe at their confidant/soulmate-ship that led WWX to, quite uncharacteristically, violently held JC's collar.
Our dearest is giving JC what he wants! Although to be perfect honest, I thought it was quite hilarious that JC for whatever reason was confident he could take on both of them. WWX possibly since he wasn't at his finest during that moment, but prime LWJ though...?
Thankfully, WWX looked up and saw Yanli's name. He knew very well it would break Yanli's heart seeing the two of them like this. He's gotta be the bigger person (and fair enough, he's already knackered from being the lure flag for the puppets). As our beloved couple once again tried to leave in peace, JC decided to make it as hard as possible for them. Here he is, triggering LWJ's angry lover protector mode.
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I love the swift but determined arm push LWJ did to JC a second after this to get him off WWX, then right away his expression transitioned back into anxious lover worrier mode. LWJ didn't even give JC a second look. He promptly escorted WWX away but was still super alerted to give JC a good old Piss Off for STILL ONCE AGAIN not letting it go.
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Let's take a moment to admire this bittersweet yet romantically charged frame before getting the tearfest started.
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Now, our sweet baby WN just flew in with WWX's Suibian sword, got a couple of hits from JC's Zidian but was still determined to stand tall and asked JC to unseathe Suibian. JC was angry and confused, LWJ was probably also angry and confused, WWX has fainted, so now WN is the only sane one and the voice of reason. His cold lack of reaction (because he wasn't surprised at all) placing next to a shocked pikachu LWJ and confusingly mortified JC was the perfect comparison.
LWJ's face tells me that as soon as he saw JC taking out Suibian, he was already somewhat fearing the reason behind it. He hasn't quite reached the destination yet, but he was on the way. After all, he's one of the most intelligent and knowledgeable characters in the story thanks to his sect's education. His eyes made it look like he was holding on a tiny glimpse of hope that maybe it's not true, maybe it's not the worst case scenario, but it was certainly mixed with fear that it might be.
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It's very different from JC who's just completely out of the loop, no hint of any possibility that he might be able to work out what happened. If WN wasn't there to SPELL IT OUT, JC would just remain angry and confused for the rest of the episode.
As JC is still in deep denial, and WN precisely recounted the event on the mountain in great details where JC was tricked to go find Baoshan Wanderer who could fix his core, LWJ only had eyes on WWX. His ears were listening to everything WN said too, but his focus was on WWX while he did his own reflection on how he reacted to WWX abandoning swordsmanship in the past (the same way JC did).
All the burning questions LWJ had inside his head - why WWX no longer carried Suibian, why he made all these excuses to not get back into practicing swords, why he took on crafty tricks, why he had a change in personality and demeanour, why he behaved so strangely after getting Suibian back - they are finally answered. But in the most unimaginably painful and heartbreaking way. LWJ's trembling face and tears scream PAIN, the pain you feel when you know someone you love is in pain, but you are also aware that whatever you feel is only 1/10000 of their actual suffering.
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Pain and anger come together time to time, and LWJ has heard enough. He just wanted to get WWX out of here, out of this hell of a truth. He made his feeling known by stamping Bichen loudly on the ground and took WWX away, once and all.
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Our baby WN really shined here. He wrapped up this dreadful revelation by daring JC to find anyone who can unsheathe Suibian, but not before hitting him with possibly the last thing any human being as competitive and eager to win like JC wanted to hear - did you know you were supposed to beneath your disciple older brother forever?
WN kept his head down and let out a sigh. He knew he shouldn't have done it since he promised WWX, but that was as much as he knew he had to do so. His guilt toward WWX was starting to hit him, but it was also obvious that a huge burden has been lifted off his shoulders.
We're now getting to the end of WWX's unexpectedly eventful return to Lotus Pier. Without JC's unreasonable pot-stirring screaming, we're finally given a lovely shot of Lotus lake at night with LWJ ensuring WWX's body not leaving his caring touch. I don't think we've had a proper conversation between LWJ and WN up to this point, and what makes it so special is that it's a genuine exchange between the only 2 people left who deeply care about WWX - a lonely anti-hero who's been walking alone on his deeply misunderstood journey for so long that it lasted through 2 lives.
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Sweet WN also thanked LWJ for taking care of A Yuan and we got to learn about how LWJ managed to save A Yuan back then. It was sad but heartwarming knowing that WN was content with not disclosing A Yuan's past to him, as he's had a happy childhood and blessed life thanks to LWJ. Although, he acknowledges that eventually A Yuan would find out, just like JC did about his golden core.
Now as the conversation circled back to the golden core swap, LWJ asked WN a question that truly, you only ask when it's about someone you love. 'Is it painful?'. Not 'How did Wen Qing do it', but was it painful for WWX. What was the feeling he had, what was the pain he suffered, what was it like. It's not a sympathy question. It's something you want to know and empathise when your loved one goes through hard time. It's such a deeply specific and personal question, because when the person you love is in pain, you are too. You even want to feel it too, and LWJ is no stranger to that if we recall him leaving the same burn mark on his left chest as WWX had. Shame that this detail was never explained in the show.
As WN described:
'He should be sober enough to see the golden score which connects to the spiritual vein be separated from his body and feel the spiritual power die down little by little, until it is motionless and nothing can be felt'.
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You can feel LWJ's pain peak as he was told WWX remained awake for 2 nights and 1 day with only 50% chance of success. As someone who deep down admires his soulmate's talent from a young age, what could be worse than having to hear that his other half had accepted to be mediocre for the rest of his life and never ascend to the top as he could have easily done?
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Poor WWX regained conscious and realised where he was. Unsurprisingly, all of his Lotus Pier memories were tied with Yanli and he's overwhelmed by the image of her and flashback of their time together. What is home to WWX, the one who was trying his hardest to grow lotus somewhere as deadly as Burial Mounds? JC was his family, but not anymore. Yanli is no longer around, but till her death, she remained his family. She might have had married into Jin clan, but she embodied everything about Lotus Pier. Yanli is home. Yanli is Lotus Pier.
Seeing Yanli die at Nightless City was saying goodbye to the last person on earth who cared about WWX (or so he forgot about LWJ), which pushed him to giving up on his own life. So is Lotus Pier still home without Yanli? Is there even home without Yanli? WWX was barely treated like a proper guest at Lotus Pier. He was just someone who knew the way around, as home no longer hold the same meaning as it once did.
Lovely WWX was finally jolly again at the possibility of snacking on some tasty lotus seeds he must have missed dearly. Yet his little happiness was seemingly switched off by the rigid rule follower LWJ. If anything I was surprised that WWX agreed to give up the lotus seeds that quickly, of course not without sulking in disappointment.
But all of this only make the following moment even more glorious and poignant: the high and mighty LWJ who grew up obeying 3000 rules at Gusu Lan Sect literally picked a lotus with his own hand and give it to his soulmate, much to his shock and confusion.
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At first I thought Well that's the least LWJ could do, has WWX not suffered enough, would a few (hundreds) lotus seeds matter that much. He's been in pain, he needs to be coddled and spoiled till the end of the world! So LWJ willing to break one tiny rule (tiny, comparing to all the others he broke because of WWX already) is a well deserved comfort that WWX needs.
But then it also hit me - it is an example of making compromise in a healthy relationship. WWX used to hold on to his wine and was willing to put up a fight for it, most of the time against LWJ himself. So why was it so easy to him to just have an awkward chuckle and drop the lotus seeds as LWJ didn't want to break a rule?
WWX compromised, as you would in a partnership. You don't have it your way all the time, you work together toward the same goal and there are times you're willing to put your partner's values above your own benefit. WWX, despite not fully happy about the decision, still agreed to give us the lotus as LWJ was uncomfortable. And in return, LWJ was okay with putting WWX's needs above his ingrained principle about 'stealing'. At the end of the day, it's not about winning or losing in a relationship. You win together and you lose together.
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We really are spoiled with lotus romance in this episode!
But maybe... just maybe... LWJ doesn't know whether WWX would ever get a chance to return to Lotus Pier. Should this be the last ever opportunity, he would probably rather WWX's final memory of the visit not being JC's anger and resentment. In return, it is a rare carefree moment on Lotus lake, one his WWX's favourite places, eating lotus seeds with the only 2 people who still care so much about him and willing to go to the end of the world for him.
If this is meant to be a farewell to a place WWX once called home, while LWJ couldn't change the unfortunate circumstance that led to this challenging visit, he at least has done his best to give it a drama-free peaceful ending for the person he loves dearly.
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purplephloxpress · 8 months
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It's August 21, which means: Happy Fanfiction Writers Appreciation Day! If you are a writer of fanfic, please know just how appreciated you are!! Fandom would be such a different space without your creativity and labors of love. 💜
In celebration of this most glorious holiday, @renegadepublishing ran an event where we bind copies of fics to gift to their authors, and I had the joy of binding The Tranquility of Water for @noppoh! It's a truly fantastic post-canon story and I love the exploration into the effects of the main story on its characters after the fact. (This is a story I love so much that I wrote up a page and a half crash course on The Untamed so I can try to force my sibling into reading it as well. Take that as you will)
The walls of the Hanshi creep in on him and so Lan Xichen leaves. He leaves Cloud Recesses and his seclusion, stealing away in the night with no-one the wiser that he even left. His feet bring him to Lotus Pier where a surprisingly kind Jiang Cheng seems determined to help him heal.
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With a title like "Tranquility of Water" and the story largely taking place at Lotus Pier, I may have been a little heavy handed with the lotus imagery throughout the book, but it felt very fitting! The lotus on the cover was a last minute addition, but one that turned out so lovely. Just, you know, to tie everything together lotus-wise. (Another one of my favorite design details in the typeset is that both title fonts from the chapter headers and title page get repeated within the text of the story as the main characters handwriting fonts!)
I started the physical binding process of my copy while at the Renegade Retreat in April (and decided the week before that I wanted to change my body font... can you say formatting speedrun?) and up until that point I hadn't actually figured out what the cover and endpages were going to look like. Special thanks to everyone who contributed pieces to this binding (and who moral-supported me along the way -- my copy holds so many fun memories now) because it LITERALLY would not look like this without you all. I really love the way the color transitions worked out, with a predominantly blue/green case, fading into green, into pink, into the title page, and then transitioning back out at the end of the book.
And these endbands!! Friends, that is SILK embroidery floss that a friend brought to the retreat especially so I could experience the decadence of silk endbands. I will never be the same. (They're so smooth... so shiny... so slippery to work with, but SO WORTH IT)
(Binding details under the cut)
The pieces that went into this bind:
Fandom: The Untamed/Mo Dao Zu Shi
Pairing: Jiang Cheng | Jiang Wanyin / Lan Huan | Lan Xichen
Bookcloth: Renegade Retreat Swap Table Special (I have no idea what it is, but it was just enough to make a copy for myself and the author and the color worked PERFECTLY!)
Cover paper: Opal Momi paper
Cover paper: Opal Momi paper
Endpapers: from the Craft Consortium Ink Drops - Dusk paper pack
Titling: foil quill
Endbands: leather cording core, silk embroidery floss for the bands
Body font: EB Garamond
Title fonts: Wintersoul and Bastian
Handwriting fonts: Bastian (Lan Xichen), Richardson Script (Lan Wangji), and Wintersoul (Jiang Cheng)
Tumblr insists on eating and doubling text in this section at its own whim, so if there's something missing that you're curious about, feel free to DM me an ask!
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