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mooniconic · 2 years

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Adore You (a special Johnny chapter)

This is part of the Magnets AU, basically a flashback to Avery and Johnny's friendship.

CW: curse words.

fluff that's it.

The first time he saw her, they competed for the same position in NCT media. Johnny has been trying to be a journalist for the past few years. When Taeyong, his college dorm mate, said he could have the job if he asked for it, he was tempted to take it, but he’s been fighting his peers and a few of his cousins about making it with his skills and not through connections, so he asked for a chance to apply instead. Tayeong made sure hr put him on the list of interviewees for the junior reporter position.

He wanted his peers to know that he could make it by himself.

He was in the waiting room trying to make small talk to calm his nerves, but everyone was already too competitive to make small talk, and they were busy making sure their portfolios were in top shape to show off to the interviewer. He was checking his own to pass the time when he noticed someone sitting beside him. He turned and said,

“Hi! I’m Johnny,” she answered with a small smile,

“Hello, I’m Avery”

They made small talk, but then Johnny heard his name being called, and instead of playing a trick on him, she sincerely wished him luck. That’s when he knew he liked her.

______________________________________________________________

He got through with the first interview, and so did Avery. He asked for her number the 2nd time he saw her in the waiting room; she declined, saying that her boyfriend would get upset if she gave a man her number, and he respected her boundaries.

They made small talk, mostly about what journalism field they liked. Avery liked investigative journalism, while Johnny preferred writing feature stories. They ended up making it into the 3rd round, but this round wasn't another interview; it was like a paid internship, and for three months, they were supposed to write an article that would blow the editors away.

There were no rules about partnering up, so Avery and Johnny partnered to investigate and interview the former cast of a famous review channel on youtube. Most were kids and teenagers, and since the channel had a significant impact in the early 2010s, they thought it would be a great idea. They proposed the idea to their editor, Suho, and he approved, especially when one of the former reactors made a video about their experience working on the channel. To say it was less than scandalous is putting it lightly.

They worked on that article day and night. Avery was ruthless in digging up settled lawsuits and finding former reactors for their interview. As she was relentlessly finding facts, Johnny was gentle during interviews, getting the interviewees to open up to him.

“How do you do that?” Avery asked him in one of their all-nighters.

“Do what?” he says with a yawn.

“Have them open up like that?”

“What do you mean? They open up to you too.”

“Yeah, but it’s like they’re friends with you.”

“I just approach them with open arms, just like what you did to me, Avi.”

“What?”

“You’re like my only friend on our team. Everyone was competitive from the start, and like they were just on the defense since they got here.”

“Truth be told, I was waiting for you to spill something I can use as sabotage later on.” She said with a sly smile, but guffaws as Johnny looked at her with surprise.

“I’m kidding! But you’re right; they're too competitive. I mean, I get it, but at the end of the day, we all deserve common kindness.”

“Yeah! That!” Johnny says before standing up and getting both of you more coffee to finish transcribing today’s interview.

It was impossible to pull off, but they did it. They wrote the article complete with transcriptions and fact checks. Their article was a hit on the website and garnered almost 500 thousand clicks by the end of the day. The celebration was big, but they both knew there was only one available position, and at the end of the day, either of them was getting the job. When the office was throwing a small celebratory dinner for all the interns, she came up to him and congratulated him.

“Hey. Congrats! You did it!” Avery cheered Johnny.

“We did it!” he affirmed to her.

“I know, but I honestly couldn’t have done it without you. You made it possible to investigate that piece.”

“And I couldn't have done it without you too. You ensured all the facts were right and tracked down the people to talk to.” Johnny said sincerely.

“Whatever happens. I’m glad I worked with you, Johnny. You got so much passion, and it was such a pleasure working and ultimately learning to write with tenacity. Thank you, Johnny.” she said while looking him squarely in the eyes.

Johnny blushed and tried to brush off the compliment as he wasn’t used to being hyped up with his journalism pursuits. “Avi, just thank you.” He said with a shy smile.

______________________________________________________________

The celebration continued after work hours in a club near the office; most of Johnny’s editors and superiors were there. Most did not expect NCT Media’s Vice President and the owner's son, Taeyong, to be part of the party. He mingled with all the other staff, mainly with Doyoung from HR. Taeyong went up to the table of the interns and introduced himself, but not without hugging Johnny and telling him that he was happy that Johnny applied for the position.

This rubbed a few interns the wrong way, and Avery noticed this, but she was preoccupied with her ringing phone. Her phone was always in DND, but when Johnny worked with her, he noticed that her phone would always ping when it was her boyfriend texting her, which would be often. Johnny tried to spend the night having fun and not thinking of what his co-interns were thinking about him.

A week after, they were asked to come into the office for their last pay and the lucky person- their work contract. It turns out NCT Media needed three new hires that day. Two Journalists and one Video Content Journalist, Johnny and Avery, got the journalist positions, and a guy named Ten got the Video position.

A fellow intern was upset at Johnny for getting the job and threw a tantrum at the office; he called out that Taeyong probably gave the role to Johnny and that he didn’t deserve the job at all, but before Johnny said something, he was surprised that Avery defended him.

“I get that you’re upset but saying that Johnny doesn't deserve this job is just laughable. He worked tirelessly in this internship, and I haven't seen him complain or even judge another person's work. Unlike you, who spent most of their internship making snide remarks against everyone and just whining about how you can’t get a fucking story. Everyone had an equal shot at this, but you wanted to be spoon-fed. You don't get to call someone who worked hard a ‘nepo baby’ just because you want people to applaud you for your mediocre work.”

The room was silent after that, and the guy left without even thanking his superiors. Everyone was impressed by Avery, more so Johnny; he didn't know Avery would do something like that, especially for someone like him.

He handed her a cup of soda from the office pantry and expressed his gratitude, “Hey. Thanks for saying that stuff about me, Avi.”

“What? You don't need to thank me at all, Johnny. I was just stating facts.” She beamed at him.

“Yeah, but I’m still Taeyong’s friend-” She cut him off.

“Did you ask for the job from Taeyong?” She asked in a serious tone.

“No.”

“Did you have the same chance as I did?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you proved that you got that job fair and square. Johnny, I saw you work your ass off, and you would even get me coffee whenever we had to work late. You never went beyond another person’s boundaries. You still message me through email! You deserve this job, and you shouldn't let that jerk’s opinion matter because what he said wasn't true at all.” She finished with a smile.

“You’re awesome and kind and a badass journalist. Stop putting yourself down.” she tuts at him. He smiled at her, letting her words echo in his brain.

“Thank you.” he says again, but before he could say anything else, their senior editor calls both of them in for their orientation.

For the first few months, Johnny had impostor syndrome; he had a hard time with the workload and his writing, but Avery would often encourage him through all this. She would leave his desk with post-it notes with words of encouragement, or whenever they had to work on an article together, she would always compliment him on his work.

S he kept it strictly about work, at least when she was still with her boyfriend. She would encourage anyone she worked with and often highlight what that person did well. Johnny found this endearing, but what made him want to be her friend was that she had the same kind of humor as he did. They crack up at random questions and get excited for trivia nights at work.

They had a lot in common; she also loved his friends, and his friends adored her. Avery would always bring them Pan Au Chocolat as an apology whenever she got drunk and cried over her ex. They were there for her and let her vent when she could, most times at the coaxing of Doyoung and Taeil.

But what Johnny fell for was her passion and how she respected her work. She loved her job at NCT Media, and her work ethic has always been great, but when Johnny saw her helping cover investigative exposés, she would shine bright and always be happy to work extra hours. She loved her work, and Johnny wanted to be like that in his field. She never stepped on someone to get ahead; he admired that a lot.

He loves it when she smiles because it always looks like the sun is shining on her; whenever you are with her, you shine too. He loves her laugh because to him. It sounds like everything good in the world is reachable. He loves her drive and passion because he sees that she’s in her element and that she’s herself. He loves the fact that she's actually independent and that she can stand on her own, but she's open to others in helping her. He loves her for who she is more than for what she gives. He just couldn’t help falling in love with her, especially after that extensive article on a foreign celebrity.

They were tasked to cover a pr tour of Kim Kardashian, their first project with the video content team. Avery handled the fact-checking and had great questions for the celebrity mogul, and when they lost a chunk of their recording, she was the one to help them out with her back up and defended the entire team from their superiors. They got more hard drives for backups and cloud storage too. That’s when Johnny started calling her ‘Avi Maria’. She got Johnny to take the lead in writing the article because she knew it was his forte, and he wrote such a fantastic piece that his mother had it framed in her house.

Now he looks at her being uncomfortable in her job because it’s involved with her ex. A person who caused her pain, and that worries him. All he wants to do is to protect her from him, not because she can't defend herself but because she deserves to be free from her past.

It takes most of his effort not to sock her ex in his smug face, but whenever he looks at her and sees that she can face it, all he can do is encourage her as she did with him. He’s not scared of her returning with Yuta because he loves her so much that he only wants her to be happy with whoever she wants to date. He loves her so much that he’s willing to break his heart for her heart to heal.

#johnny suh x reader #nct au #nct fluff #johnny fluff #yuta #magnets au

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mooniconic · 2 years

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Chapter 6

Yuta was brimming with excitement, his plan was working. He knew you were pissed, and your reactions proved to him that you still cared. It’s a shitty thing to do, but he has tried being nice, but you weren’t responding, not until he acted like an asshole that you started taking notice. He hates that it’s the only way you react to him, but when he can finally explain things when you give him a chance then he can finally be honest of everything.

He can finally explain his biggest mistake in his life- breaking up with you.

“Please don't leave.”

“This is what you wanted, right? I’m just giving it to you, Avi.”

“This isn’t what I want. Yuta-”

You try to hold his hand, but he slips it away from your grip.

“Yuta, please. I’m not giving up on us. I’m still here, and I still love you. Please. Please don't do this.”

“You made your choice, Avi. You left me first.”

“I didn’t”

“You did. You chose your job over me.” He says through gritted teeth

“It’s not just a job, Yuta-” he starts to leave your room, rushing to get out of your apartment.

“Yuta, please let me explain. Yuta!” You try to chase him, but he turns around before you collide with his body.

“6 years down the drain, Avery. All because of that stupid job.” He slams your front door, leaving you in a crying mess in your living room.

Yuta chose the stairs over the elevator, it was ten floors down, but he didn't care. Tears roll down his eyes as he climbs the emergency stairwell, knowing damn well it wasn't because of a job. He knew he was a shitty boyfriend. His anxiety about you choosing someone better was what made him a possessive man. He couldn’t lose you- his paradise.

You were the one who believed in him, the one who loved him for who he was, but no matter how many times he repeats those words in his thoughts, it keeps getting replaced by the image of you being happy without him and how he knows you can survive without him has gotten him in knots. He blames himself for neglecting you, amongst other things. He tried so hard to keep you by his side, but it didn't work, so he pushed you away, but now it’s blowing up at his face.

He doesn’t want to let you go. His thoughts are running so fast that he needs to sit down. He cries and cries and lets the thoughts eat him up. “I’m a loser. I can't save my band. I can't save my relationship. It’s all my fault. All my fault.”

He snaps out of his thoughts when his manager, Chanyeol, calls his attention. “Hmm?” he says.

“I said whatever stunt you’re pulling, you better stop. We’re announcing the comeback in a week, and we can’t afford delays if you want this album out before the hiatus.”

“right, the hiatus," Yuta says in his head.

the hiatus was pushing through, and the group agreed to release a new album in exchange for a few months to try and explore solo projects. Yuta has been trying not to think about this; he saw other bands do this, and he knew most of them never made music as a band after the members started going solo. They were still in their golden era, their latest album and EP just went triple platinum, and now the members want to go solo?

Everyone is on his ass about this. He’s the only one against solo projects- it was the band or nothing else; why does everyone want to be on their own?

“It’s what we need, remember?” Sicheng says to him, and Yuta blinks at him, confused,

“You were making that face again?”

Yuta smirks “what face?”

“That face where you look like you’re about to murder everyone here,” Sicheng says with an awkward chuckle.

“Yeah, sure.” everyone besides Yuta feels like they're waiting for a bomb to drop; they’re careful around him, and even Jungwoo, who’s closer to him, was being cautious right now.

“I’m heading to bed. It’s another day tomorrow.” Yuta says with a closed-lip smile,

“Lay off, Avi, tomorrow. Sort out your relationship after the promotions,” Chanyeol says.

It’s like the air was sucked out of the room; he just stares at his opinionated manager and lets out a low “I don't know what you’re talking about.” and then heads to his room. He’s pissed off.

They don’t understand what he’s trying to do for the team and his personal life. He lets his thoughts lull him to sleep.

It was a month before his 6th anniversary with Avi, and he was still on tour. He wants nothing but to rest, but the music label has been booking them these dates to make up for their albums just barely going platinum. The tour dates were always almost sold out in places they never thought possible, but their local fanbase is their most reliable source of support and income; even their merch has sold out.

Management has been on their ass about playing it safe, no smoking (at least outdoors), keeping the cussing to a minimum, and absolutely no dating scandals (at least till they get two albums to platinum). So management had him hide Avery from the public while his band was none the wiser, he didn’t want to add to their worries; he saw how stressed his members were, and he was the leader after all the one who pushed them to take this path, so he felt responsible for shielding them from the other stuff. He knows why management wanted her out; they saw how bad it was for another band; their frontman was exposed for being engaged, they were more popular than 127, but then the rumors came out… well, now they barely make the top 100 list.

The industry is cold, and they’re lucky to be in a label where there’s support, but it’s still a business, and they need to keep things running smoothly. Yuta has been trying to keep everyone happy, and he’s sick of it. Hell, all he wanted was to make music and to come home to her- his paradise, but he couldn’t even do that.

He’s so worried about letting Avi out of his touch; she’s his home and the only person where he feels safe. He was so possessive of her, and he knew that and he tried, he really tried not to be toxic he wanted to keep himself sane, but the thoughts of her just meeting another person… the thoughts of her leaving him terrified him to the core,

Avery was the first person who never saw him as a failure, or as competition, she saw him for who he was- an insecure boy trying to please his family and everyone around him because he’s scared of being alone. Avery was the first person who encouraged him to go after what he wanted, even if it was just sushi, and she was the first person who would congratulate him for getting an A-minus.

He grew up needing to be the best at everything, and it was heaven when he didn't have to strive to be perfect, with Avery, all he had to strive for, was happiness. That happiness gave him so much freedom.

Now everything is just complicated. He knew how his anxiety had gotten worse, and he remembers his father telling them at the dinner table that only crazy people saw psychiatrists, and he is not crazy- he can't afford to be crazy. His family has started talking to him again, and his parents are trying to understand his career and get to know him. Damn, even his older sisters are talking to him again.

His family is starting to want to let Avery in, but he hasn't told her that yet. He wants to tell her when he’s sure they're not going to just blow it up in his face. He loves his family, but if their fallout taught him anything, it was that even blood couldn’t make you fully trust someone.

Now he stands outside her building with a mask and a hoodie. No one realized it was him, and he was grateful for that. He has a bouquet of her favorite flowers; he was excited to surprise her, even if it’s just a short dinner as he needs to fly back to be with members for the tour.

But what surprises him is how Avi walks out of the office building smiling and beaming like a sunflower following the sun, and then he looks at the person she was smiling at, a guy. Tall, good-looking enough to be a model; he says something, and she laughs.

Something he hasn't heard so much since the tour, he stands frozen in place; so many thoughts are running in his head, but one voice is loud; it’s the voice telling him that she has replaced him just as he feared. He watches her walk away from the building, and slowly he follows them; he sees her say goodbye to him, just a wave as she crosses the street to the bus stop. He just watches her until she gets on the bus, and then this man leaves with a smile on his face.

Yuta feels like a bucket of ice has just been poured over him; he dials her number, and she answers, and then the barrage of questions stumbles out of his mouth “where were you? What were you doing? Who are you with? Why didn't you text me at lunch?” She answers him honestly, but the feeling doesn't go away; he asks her what time she’d be home, and she says an hour at most. He hails a cab to go their-her apartment.

He waits outside her door, and she is surprised to see him there, she goes and gives him a big embrace, but Yuta notices that when she smiles at him, it was like she was tired. He knows her. He knows her well enough to see how she lies to him. Ever since that day, he texts her and calls her constantly. At first, she tried to reply to him immediately, but then she resorted to only texting him during off-work hours; this made him more angry and resentful.

His anxiety increased even when she tried to tell him what she did all day; it wasn't enough, and he needed her near him; he needed to see with his eyes that she was only for him. He would constantly check his phone and one time escaped from tour to check up on her, only for him to feel guilty as she was just at work and busy covering stories about an international celebrity. He went back to his bandmates a few hours before the show to find them fuming.

He left them, and management almost penalized them, but Mark was able to convince them that Yuta was just within the city. He failed to be a leader, and that incident caused the band to have that “solo stuff” conversation.

Sicheng said that all of them needed a break from the band. They were getting on each other’s nerves; he mostly opened it up because if he had to sit next to Haechan’s singing any longer, he was going to start smashing the youngest’s drum kit. Mark was excited, he wanted to do other genres of music besides rock, and Haechan feels the same. Jungwoo was excited to explore singing solo, he befriended a producer a few months back and was slowly making music with them. They all needed time to pause, also for Yuta’s sake it’s no secret he’s co-dependent on his girlfriend but his bandmates noticed he was always on edge even when it’s about the band.

He wakes from his sleep all groggy and tired. Today is his last chance to convince Avery to get back with him, he knows if he doesn't do anything today you’ll be with Johnny.

All he wants is another chance to be with you, at this point him being an asshole is what gets your attention so it’s what he starts being. He knows it's wrong but being an asshole and noticed by you is better than you ignoring him. When you blocked him and the 127 pages he felt like he was losing his mind.

For a month he couldn’t see any signs of you and he couldn’t even try to visit you since they were recording. He missed being happy. He misses being with you, feeling your soft skin against his calloused hands, running his fingers through your soft hair, and nuzzling his head in the crook of your neck.

He misses being enveloped in you and letting go of the day’s stress because you’re all he wants to be consumed by. Some people call him codependent but he isn't right? He just loves you so much. Isn't falling in love supposed to be like this? He refuses to give up on them, the last time was just a moment of weakness, He’s stronger now, and he has better control of his anxiety. He’s better now. He has to be.

#magnets au #yuta x oc #yuta nakamoto #yuta imagines #yuta angst #nct yuta #nct angst #nct fanfic #johnny suh #nct au #mark lee #dong sicheng #haechan #nct imagines

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