You're My Salvation

through gritted teeth

pairing: Hannibal Lecter/Reader

reader's race & gender are ambiguous; no pronouns or physical descriptors are used.

summary:

The man says he’s your husband.  He’s polite, charming, intelligent. He seems a little pretentious, but he appears to know you rather well and the thinly-veiled devotion in his eyes dispels most of your remaining doubts.  It certainly helps that the man is rather well-dressed—and attractive, a traitorous voice in the back of your mind whispers.  Unfortunately, you have no idea who he is. 

word count: 3.8k | ao3 version

You wake up to fluorescent lighting burning into your eyes, pulling tears down your cheeks as you blink stars from your vision. Your entire body aches with exhaustion and you can feel a headache brewing already. Groaning, you try to push yourself up to a sitting position. There’s an IV attached to your arm and, upon closer inspection, you seem to be in some sort of hospital room. White walls line the space, and there’s nothing much of note in your immediate vicinity. You blink a few more times past your absurdly dry eyes and continue inspecting the room, until your eyes catch on the chair to the right side of your bed. 

There’s a man sitting at your bedside with his eyes closed. He stirs within a few moments, as if he can sense you staring at him. Relief is written all over his face as he leans forward and clasps your hand with a small smile on his face. You can’t stop yourself from instinctively flinching at the contact and he notices, removing his hand at once. 

“Do you remember who I am?” He asks. His words are carefully constructed, strung together with eloquence and remnants of what sounds like an accent from a European country. You blink at him once, twice. It takes a moment for you to process the question, and another to contemplate the answer. The man doesn’t look familiar. Indeed, he looks like a stranger. 

When you tell him as much, a sad smile works its way onto his face. It seems he expected your answer. He begins to explain the circumstances surrounding your visit here, which you are immensely grateful for. You know next to nothing as you sit in this hospital bed, and, try as you might, you can’t remember anything save for your name. 

Apparently, you’ve suffered a serious head injury that left you with a spontaneous case of amnesia. Fortunately, your memories will likely return to you in due time. Somehow, these two revelations aren’t the most shocking of statements from the stranger. What the man reveals next shakes you to your core: he’s your husband. 

Upon closer examination, you find that the man is charming, polite… He’s rather attractive, too, with fine-combed hair and sparkling brown eyes with flecks of amber. His face looks as if it was sculpted by Michelangelo himself—sweeping lines, sharp edges, soft curves. The man is intelligent and [perhaps as a result] a little pretentious. From his attire, you can only assume that he makes a lot of money and has rather particular tastes. You could see someone like this going to the opera regularly. 

But there’s something else about this man—something lurking beneath the surface. You can’t puzzle out what it is. There’s something sinister concealed in those reddish-brown eyes, an unspoken violence in the man’s careful poise. And you think you catch him intently scrutinizing you—as if you’re under a microscope.  

You soon learn that the man’s name is Hannibal Lecter. He’s a psychiatrist who used to be a surgeon. He’s in his 40s. He has refined tastes—and even goes to the opera on occasion, yes. He is fascinating, intriguing beyond measure. He discusses heavily philosophical topics with ease. He is slippery, only giving you the information he wants to give you. He has a very controlled image. The dishes he cooks you are extravagant and lavish, with ingredients you’ve never even heard of. (The meat in them is always some sort of organ, and it turns your stomach every time.)

In the wake of your injury, you’re unsure of almost everything. But you know one thing for certain: Hannibal is not your husband. And you’re convinced that he’s dangerous. You don’t trust him—can’t trust his carefully crafted words, his home-cooked meals, his polite smiles. It’s all a farce. 

It would be all too easy to ask your next visitor about this well-dressed, enigmatic man. Unfortunately, you don’t get any other visitors. In fact, your next visitor is Hannibal again… And again. And again. It gets to the point where your nurse gives up on having him sign in when he visits. At first, she had been rather strict in enforcing the rules; she seems to have caught onto something that you still haven’t grasped, because she now collects herself with an entirely different—almost heightened—awareness. 

You’re having increasingly conflicting feelings, especially when you consider the fact that Hannibal hasn’t actually exhibited any behavior that justifies your wariness and suspicion. If anything, he’s been the perfect supporter—the perfect husband—throughout your recovery. You want to believe your gut sense, want to believe the whispers in the back of your mind that tell you to exercise caution. But, at the same time, who’s to say they can be believed? You still have almost no recollection of who you are. Why are you questioning the only person who has bothered to show up for you throughout your recovery? 

Days pass in the blink of an eye; before you know it, Hannibal is walking in one morning with the declaration that you’ve been officially discharged from the hospital. Despite your misgivings, you head to the bathroom to change into some normal clothes before putting on the pair of shoes near the door. Your heart is racing as Hannibal’s gaze refuses to leave your form. Why can’t your mind rest? Why can’t your thoughts be silent, for once? Why are you so damn suspicious of every minute kindness? 

The walk out of the hospital and through the parking lot is painfully silent. You can’t resist sneaking glances at Hannibal, waiting for his mask to crack and fall. It never does. He catches you looking and sends you a smile, which discourages you from looking again. You let your eyes roam about the shiny cars in the parking lot as the warm afternoon sunlight greets your skin. You missed the fresh air. 

“Where are you taking me?” You finally ask, as you continue to follow behind the man.

“Home,” Hannibal remarks. He pointedly does not say your home or even our home. Your heart is racing in your chest. His back is turned, leaving you to imagine the expression on his face.  

It isn’t until you’re secured in the front seat and Hannibal’s driving out of the parking lot that you summon the courage to utter the question that has been plaguing your mind. “Are you really my husband?”

“Hm?” It’s clear he heard you; he’s giving you a chance to retract the remark. You know you should take it, but… you want to know what’s going on. You need to find an answer for the seemingly irrational fear drumming in your chest and rushing in your ears. 

“You say you’re my husband,” You repeat yourself, gaining a bit more confidence. “But I don’t think you are.” For an awful moment, there’s nothing but silence. The car zips along the road. You feel your hand trembling at your side—hopefully the only visible sign of your distress. You clench your shaking hand into a fist and try to remain calm. Panicking won’t do you any good. 

“Do you remember how we first met?” Hannibal asks instead. You stare at him in disbelief, surprised by how he completely ignores your accusation. There is an utter lack of emotion on his face. Seconds later, you remember his question and shake your head. “You’re an FBI agent,” Hannibal reveals. “I was called in to perform your psychiatric evaluation.”

Great. Just great. Out of all things, you had to be an FBI agent. The thought of forgetting your work—forgetting all the victims left to die in muddied puddles of crimson, forgetting all the killers with mocking smiles and cruelty written in the lines of their faces—is sincerely troubling.  

And Hannibal is a psychiatrist. That seems to fit—you can see him in a needlessly extravagant office, surrounded by books and expensive elegancies. You have to shake your head to get rid of the weirdly vivid imagery that your thoughts produce. “Are you… my psychiatrist, then?” You ask. 

“If you wish,” he replies with a mirthful smile. That answer doesn’t satisfy your curiosity—not in the slightest. 

“Were you my psychiatrist?” You press. You get the feeling that you need to be asking the right questions in order to get the answers you want. The man across from you is adept at picking apart people’s words, flipping them around and twisting their intended meaning. Your wording will be immensely important. 

“I was your psychiatrist, for a time,” Hannibal acquiesces. From that statement, you get the sense that he really was your psychiatrist, until something evidently happened. You ask him as much, but you seem to go too far, because he regards you with an amused glance. “You’re asking a lot of questions.”

“And you’re not giving me any answers,” you feel the need to respond. You have simultaneous suspicions that honesty is dangerous in front of Hannibal, and that he values honesty above sugar-coated words. Your eyebrows furrow. “You haven’t exactly been forthcoming with information.”

“Is that so?” Hannibal is providing more questions in lieu of answers. He’s definitely hiding something. Sensing that you won’t get anything more from him, you fall silent and settle for staring at him out of the corner of your eye. His gaze is locked on the road ahead.  Despite the time you’ve spent together, talking about your past, you still aren’t totally convinced that you’re married to Hannibal. Is there a way you could test him—test his knowledge of you? Surely there’s something you can ask him to determine if he truly knows you or not. 

It comes to you a moment later. “What’s my favorite color?” You ask, before you can think better of it. The man doesn’t react at first, instead staring straight ahead. Just before you can repeat the question, he answers. 

“I can’t imagine you have a favorite color,” Hannibal responds. “You once told me the very notion was foolish.”

Okay, he’s sort of correct there. But that was an easy question. You sort through the few memories you have, looking for something you can ask him. “What’s my middle name?” That’s an answer that you just barely know yourself—a memory came back to you a mere few minutes ago, of you and your childhood friend talking about middle names and nicknames and other unimportant things. 

Hannibal answers the question correctly again. The two of you must’ve been friends, at the very least. You continue to search your mind for something you can ask him. 

Five minutes and several questions later, you’re starting to doubt your own conviction. Hannibal answers every single question correctly, providing you with information you don’t remember but know deep-down to be true. It’s unnerving and disturbing to think that you could’ve forgotten this man so easily. He seems… utterly unforgettable, in every sense of the word. Furthermore, he’s your husband—perhaps you shouldn’t be doubting him so easily. 

“I’m sorry,” you blurt out, before you can quite contemplate your next words. Hannibal’s eyes are locked on the road, but you know he’s listening. “I don’t mean to doubt you, I just- I don’t know what to do. I don’t remember anything, obviously, and… I feel so lost.” You choke out, your throat burning. You bury your head in your hands for a selfish moment, hoping for some solace and clarity. 

“Don’t apologize, dear,” Hannibal says. You hate how the remark sends a shiver down your spine. Damn it, why can’t you just be comfortable? This man is practically a dream, so why are you trying to ruin it? Can’t you just accept that, sometimes, you deserve to have nice things?! Hannibal continues, unknowing of your internal dilemma. “You’re going through a lot right now. I’m just happy to be here with you.” 

You feel ashamed, knowing that you’ve been holding yourself back despite the fact that Hannibal has shown you nothing but compassion and affection. “I’m… happy you’re here, too,” you say. Guilt prickling in your chest, you impulsively reach out and clasp his free hand resting on the console. Somehow, this surprises your husband, because he stiffens for a second before reciprocating, gripping your hand reassuringly. 

“We will get through this,” he promises. You push aside your doubts and decide to believe him.

Maybe things really will be alright. Maybe, you’ll get your memories back sooner rather than later, and you’ll be able to look back on these moments—riddled with doubt, insecurity, wariness—and laugh. You take a deep breath and look out the window, watching the passing trees blur together. 

Your hand slips from Hannibal’s and you look at your nails, picking at your cuticles. Your hands are somewhat indicative of the life you led—the one you don’t remember living—with a few scars stretching down your wrist and climbing up your forearm. You look down at the healed wound and frown, trying to remember how you got the scar. 

Suddenly, you get a flicker of a memory. It’s faint and fast, but it’s a reminder of the past nonetheless. You squint ahead, trying to focus on keeping the flashback in your mind for long enough to dissect it. You remember… blood. A corpse, perhaps? Yes, a corpse. A woman’s corpse, hoisted and impaled on antlers. You remember… staring at that corpse for so long that you had to be physically led away from the scene, albeit with a gnawing feeling in your gut that something just wasn’t right. You remember… walking into an office, only to be met with Hannibal’s curious gaze. That must’ve been the first time you met the psychiatrist. You put a hand to your temple and try desperately to concentrate. 

“You look as if you’ve seen a ghost,” Hannibal says, effectively throwing your focus. You blink and chance a glance at him. He’s still looking at the road, yet you can’t shake the perplexing conviction that he’s been watching you. What’s more, you can’t shake the feeling that his interjection was purposeful—that he meant to throw you off and break your concentration. 

“I- just remembered something,” you choke out, feeling a bolt of pain slide down your scalp to the back of your neck. You bring a hand to the nape of your neck and press, hissing as your fingers glide over sore muscles. “Something important.”

“Congratulations,” Hannibal hums, immune to your internal panic. You don’t know exactly what this man did, but he must’ve done something. Your subconscious is convinced that he is incredibly dangerous, and you feel inclined to trust your gut. 

Another flashback arrives, apropos of nothing. You remember sitting across from Hannibal in a finely-decorated room, lined with bookshelves and artifacts. You remember averting your eyes as you speak, desperate to avoid the roaring flames racing up your skin with every additional moment of prolonged eye contact. You remember… a twisted grin on Hannibal’s face. You remember… the intensity to his gaze as he studied you when he thought you weren’t looking. 

Unsettled, you shake your head and try to refocus on the passing scenery again. To your surprise, you think you recognize where you are. Hannibal must be taking you home. You take a deep breath. You just have to survive this car ride—then you can figure things out from there. You have all the time in the world to muse on the nature of your injury and the nature of your “husband,” once you’re safely contained within four walls. Right now, though, you need to be wary. You need to have your wits about you, you need to watch for any sudden movements, you need to be ready-

“We’re here,” Hannibal announces, promptly throwing your thought process to a halt. You blink and look ahead, only to find a nondescript home with beige siding and a somewhat weathered front door. Vaguely, you remember pulling your car into this driveway, remember unpacking boxes from your trunk. Yes, this is your house. Hannibal is much quicker on the uptake, as he gets out of the car and walks around the vehicle. You don’t realize that he’s opening the passenger door for you until you feel him staring at you expectantly. You thank him and get to your feet, a sudden bout of dizziness sending you wobbling. Hannibal is there in a moment, steadying you with a hand on your forearm. You pretend not to notice his hand on the small of your back as you walk up the path to the front porch. When you’re finally situated in front of the entrance, you realize that you have no idea where your keys could be. 

“Left pocket of your jacket,” Hannibal murmurs, as if reading your mind. You nearly choke on a breath. 

“Thanks,” you respond a bit breathlessly. When you finally manage to unlock the front door and swing it open, you turn back to face him. “Well, thank you for the ride.”

“Of course,” Hannibal responds easily. There’s a regretful smile rising on his face. Everything around you fades to obscurity. “I’m afraid this is goodbye.” That remark sounds strangely ominous. Your heart is in your throat. 

“Thank you for keeping me company,” you feel the need to say, regardless of your suspicions about the man. He was the only one to visit you. You don’t want to think about how you would feel if you spent your entire hospital visit without a single familiar face. “...Bye.” Suddenly, there’s a hand on your cheek. Hannibal’s hand cradles your jaw, his thumb gently roving along your skin. He regards you for a moment, his eyes sparkling, before kissing you on the cheek and leaving. You watch him return to his car and drive away, apprehension and adrenaline coursing through you. Somehow, you get the feeling that you’ll never see Hannibal again. 

Your doorbell rings about an hour later. You look through your peephole, only to find a somewhat intimidating man with his hands shoved in his pockets. You have to focus on quelling the foolish spike of hope that had risen in your chest when the doorbell rang, and the subsequent disappointment at the unfamiliar figure you found. You take a second glance at the stranger, only to find that he looks somewhat familiar. This vague familiarity convinces you to crack your front door open slightly and ask him, “Who are you?”

The man pulls something out of his pocket. “Jack Crawford, FBI,” he answers, showing you his identification card. You stare at him for another moment. “Your boss.” Crawford supplies, when you can’t seem to get the words out. After a few seconds of awkward silence, you decide to invite him inside. 

Before long, the two of you are settled in your living room. The tension that first appeared when you opened your front door has yet to fade. You’re not sure why this man has yet to crop up in your memories—he has a rather powerful aura of authority, not to mention the fact that he’s apparently your superior. You decide not to beat yourself up about it. Your memories will come back in due time; until then, you’ll make do with what little you have.

Crawford—Jack, he tells you to call him—clasps his hands over his knees and levels you with an unreadable gaze. “I need to ask you something,” Jack says, rifling through his other pocket and pulling out a folded piece of paper. He unfolds it slowly, before revealing it to you. “Do you remember this man? Hannibal Lecter?” Jack explains, immune to your growing dread. You feel sick to your stomach as your eyes flit across the black-and-white photograph of the same man who watched over you vigilantly as you recovered, who claimed to be your husband and kissed you on the cheek mere moments ago. “He’s the Chesapeake Ripper—the serial killer who has been evading capture.” 

“I-” You stammer, bringing a hand to your temple. Your headache from earlier is returning and your head is spinning from this sudden disclosure. You almost don’t want to believe Jack, but you get the feeling that he’d have no reason to lie to you. If anything, lying would just make his job harder. You take a shuddering breath in, trying to come to terms with the fact that you just narrowly escaped a serial killer’s grasp. 

“It’s alright,” Jack tries to reassure you, evidently sensing that you’re growing a bit panicked. 

“No, I-” You’re choking on the words. Recent memories are mixing with old, creating a convoluted and murky timeline of events. It’s hard to sort through everything, to find the truths hidden amongst the lies. You’re not sure how long it takes for you to collect your composure and organize your thoughts into a relatively coherent statement. “I saw him. He… visited me in the hospital. He drove me home.” 

“What?” Jack asks, utter disbelief written all over his face. You don’t remember your boss very well, but you get the feeling he isn’t usually so expressive. The look on his face would be comical, in a different situation. “What did he say to you?” He implores.

“He said a lot of things… Nothing very important.” You try to recall what you can, but your memories are quickly slipping through your fingertips in granules of sparkling sand. You press a hand to your temple, your headache growing worse as you try to recall what happened. “I tried asking him questions about me, to throw him off, but he knew all the answers.” 

Somehow, Jack doesn’t seem surprised by the notion. “You two were… close, before,” your boss evidently settles for saying. There’s a certain suspicion in his voice, as if he suspects you may have been more than “close” with Hannibal. You’re feeling too discombobulated to rise to the bait or bother calling him out on the obvious verbal trap. 

“He said ‘goodbye,’” you continue, eyebrows furrowing. Somehow, you get the sense that Hannibal isn’t the type to utter goodbyes. Moreover, a goodbye ushers in a sense of finality, as if you will truly never see him again. You pinch the bridge of your nose, pretending that your exchange with him on your doorstep isn’t replaying in your mind. He kissed me on the cheek, you don’t say to Jack. He said he was my husband. He watched over me in the hospital when no one else did. And it may have been fake, all of it… But that gleam of affection in his eyes didn’t look manufactured—it looked genuine.  

Jack looks troubled and somewhat restless. “You’re lucky you made it out alive.” He states. You don’t think you can quite believe his words. For whatever reason, Hannibal Lecter—the Chesapeake Ripper—is interested in you. Whether sick fascination or cloying obsession, you have to face the facts:  luck had nothing to do with it. The Ripper kept you alive because, inexplicably, he wants you alive. 

And that unnerves you. 

hannibal taglist, cause i think y'all would be down with reading this since it's also hannibal: @its-ares @tobbotobbs @xrisdoesntexist @gr1mmac3 @tiredstarcerberuslamb @yourlocalratwriter @kingkoku @kahuunknown @atlas-king1 @pendragon-writes @slipknotcentury @cryinersaved @the-ultimate-librarian @starre-eyes @pendragon-writes @peterparkeeperer @gayschlatt69 @flow33didontsmoke @mrgatotortuga @house-of-1000-corpses-fan

Atonement

SEO MOON-JO X READER

When the world falls apart, you have him by your side, loving and caring for you every step of the way. Accidentally stumbling upon his most sinful line of work, you wonder how much you really know about the dentist you fell in love with.

The cold and dreary night sky looked overhead and the moon cast a shimmery glow onto the pavement in front of Eden Residence. The flowerbeds that seemed to be teeming with life at one point in time were now filled with weeds and miscellaneous cans and bottles. The sidewalk was perfect on the way up to the residence, however as soon as you stepped foot in the vicinity of your new boyfriend's place, you noticed how broken and jagged the cement was. Overall, you had expected a bit more from the dentist, but you weren't going to be the one to judge. Moon-jo wasn't close to anyone really, so when he'd offered to take you on a date the first couple of times, you were excited and surprised to say the least. You knew he had secrets (everyone does), but little did you know the secret he kept from the world.

Smiling, you see the familiar figure standing outside the entryway, smoking a cigarette. Moon-jo was wearing a black turtleneck and grey dress pants with a black leather jacket on top. His hair had been gelled down previously to his arrival but was now strewn about his face and ears; it was disheveled in the "I may have just got out of bed but I'm still sexy" type look. He had a piercing in one ear that was just barely visible from his curly black locks of hair and upon seeing your face, his expression changed from daunting to pleasant. Even his demeanor changed as he stood up just a bit straighter and positioned his hands behind his back, a stance that you were familiar with when he welcomed you to the clinic.

"Why hello there." You said with a knowing glance, making it obvious that you were checking him out. He didn't seem to mind though, in fact, he looked expectant of it. His eyes shifted downwards from yours to your lips and then to your outfit, never staying in one place for too long. How he was so good at undressing you with his eyes, you didn't know. All you knew was that you wanted him to do it again and again.

"Hello." He said in his soft deep voice. He smelled of Dolce and Gabbana or something similar in exquisiteness, with a faint familiar touch of... bleach?

"You look sexy as hell." You said, just itching to voice what was on your mind. It wasn't fair for him to be so taunting with his angled features and impeccable style.

"Wow. I thought I would've had to put in a bit more effort before you offered to sleep with me." He laughed and snaked an arm around your waist, leading you up the stairs. You smiled up at him and wondered how you found such a godlike person. From the way he walked to the way he acted, everything seemed so meticulous and beautiful, almost as if he was never truly from this realm. You were in awe of Moon-jo in every way, and you scared yourself with the thoughts of what you would let him do to you...

Up at the landing, he removed his arm from your body and pushed open the door to reveal the apartments on the floor which he resided. It was dark and dreary and had the faintest smell of mold and cleaning chemicals; you wondered if that's where you picked up the bleach smell from. The walls were a dark green which made it even darker and the walls were so close together that it felt suffocating trying to navigate your way around the building. There was not a decoration in sight, not a plant, not any of the other tenets. The silence was so deafening that your ears started to ring.

Opening up the door to his room, Moon-jo looked on the shelf above him for the car keys he needed to take the two of you on a proper date. He had offered to give you a ride to the new restaurant that had just opened, and you agreed even when he said you two would need to stop at his place for the keys.

"Where are they.....?" He asked himself as he shuffled about the shelves, looking for the familiar shape of the keys. You started to feel somewhat sick the longer you stayed in the building, the walls and the lighting started to take a toll on you. It was disorienting and uncomfortable and for a moment you thought back to the possibility of parallel universe liminal spaces, since the place reminded you of it so much. Clutching your purse closer to your body, you hold the cool chain around your neck to get some feeling back into your nerves.

"Hey, baby are you okay?" You hear him ask on the opposite end of the room.

"Yeah, yeah. I just need some air." You lied, trying to look at the floor to appease your stomach. Your shoes even felt tight.

"You can go wait for me in the kitchen, if you'd like. It's a bit more open in there. Down the hall to the left." He said, shrugging his shoulders and continuing to look through the cabinets. How he lost something in such a small place, you had no idea. But, you took him up on the offer of leaving the room and you made your way to the brightest but dreariest kitchen you've ever seen in your life. The wallpaper was ripping off the walls and dishes were piled into the sink as if their intended use were to sit and collect dust. Sitting down on one of the dining chairs, you place your head in your hands and take deep breaths as you try to steady yourself. What was wrong with you? Why did you feel so sick all of a sudden?

"I think I might've left them on the fourth floor." You heard the familiar voice resounding from behind you. Moon-jo knelt down beside you, placing his hands onto yours and removing them from your face. His expression was one of genuine worry and you felt bad for him for having to deal with you when you were like this. He offered you a slight smile as he tried to read your expression; his fingers brushing away at the hair that had fallen into your face. "Are you alright?"

"I guess I'm just claustrophobic or something. I'm sorry, I'm not usually like this it's just that this place-"

"-Feels like a cage." He said, completing your sentence. His gaze turned into a dark one but you had no idea why he was so bothered by the thought. It was reassuring to hear that he felt the same way about Eden Residence that you did.

"Yeah," you said, "something like that."

...

Walking up towards the fourth floor, you were relieved to catch your breath and to breathe in the night sky. The ascent to the floor above meant climbing one flight of stairs and trying not to step on any broken glass. This place that Moon-jo lived in made you nervous for him as it didn't seem all that safe. You wondered if the rest of the tenets were a bit strange.

The big heavy door to the women's area of the building looked even older than everything else. There were charred marks on the door (you didn't know what from) and the way it was tucked neatly into the corner all by itself shrouded it in an eerie darkness. The sign was chipping away and soon enough any evidence of there ever being any humanity living behind the door would be gone forever, like dust in the wind.

"Why were you on the women's floor?" You asked, slightly accusatory. You and Moon-jo had only been together for two weeks, but you still felt hurt to know that he could be around other people that sparked his interest.

"I was working." He said, revealing a hallway even darker than the one from downstairs. "I have a side hustle of..... sorts."

Walking into the room, the sensation of being trapped filled your senses once again. The walls had the same charred marks as the doorway and the floor was scuffed and dirty. "What happened in here?" You asked, noticing how it looked as though someone had set the place aflame.

"It burned down shortly after Eden Residence was built," Moon-jo held your hand, walking towards the end of the hallway slowly, "Everyone died except for the old lady's cat. Sometimes you can still hear it up here, moving about and scratching the walls."

The hallway ended and the two of you were in a room so isolated from the rest of the building that you felt a knot in your stomach. This was the type of nerve-wracking that people on Criminal Minds talk about before they're brutally murdered, and you finally understood now why Moon-jo had insisted that you stop at the Residence to grab his car keys. He was trying to get you alone and vulnerable and you didn't think it was for sexual related reasons.

You slowly stepped back from the middle of the room as Moon-jo grabbed something off one of the wooden planks on the floor. "Here they are. Would you look at that?" He said, turning to you with a wicked malicious grin. In his hands were the keys, pristine and clean as he liked the rest of his belongings. That's what drew him into you, the fact that you seemed so pure and innocent. Something he could make an absolute mess of. Dirty hands on a white towel. Satan holding a sacred dove. You were his most precious belonging.

"Moon-jo? I think I'm going to call it a night. I'm still not feeling all that well." You let out a slight whimper, trying to feel around for the door you just came through. Instead, your back hit the wall and you were met with Moon-jo's face just inches from your own. He wrapped his arms around you and forced you into his embrace, not caring whether or not you wanted to be touched at the moment. The truth was going to come out tonight and he knew you would take it well. You would have to take it well. And if you didn't, he would make sure you felt too threatened to leave him either way.

"You're not going anywhere, love." He pushed his nose into the crook of your neck and allowed for his face to rest there, listening to the rapid pace of your heartbeat and taking in the scent of your perfume. It was intoxicating to him knowing that your life belonged to him and he could end it at any moment. He could, but he wouldn't. He wouldn't ever lay a finger on you in the way he killed so many others. You were different. You spoke to his soul and made him feel something after years of searching for something to fill the empty space within his chest.

Your entire body froze as Moon-jo held you there, calmly breathing into your skin. You wanted to run away but you had no idea how you would be able to leave without him following you. He knew where you lived and you worked within the same office. Rejecting Moon-jo would be impossible.

Finally, he turned to look at you as he continued to hold you close to his chest. "I'm a killer, (Y/N). You were going to be my next target but I think I accidentally fell in love with you."

Your heart plummeted to your stomach. There's no way he was telling you the truth. This had to have been a lie, the antisocial doctor whom you had gotten to know was quiet and poised. A killer wasn't even an option in your mind as to what he could've occupied himself with outside of his work. And that's when it hit you: the dead bodies that had been found all over Gyeonggi-do with missing teeth.

To confirm your suspicion, you noticed a dentist's chair in the corner of the room, the white upholstery now stained with colors you did not want to familiarize yourself with. Next to it laid a table with various tools, all clean and polished.

"I kill them. And then I eat them after I take their teeth."

That's when you fainted.

...

Waking up in Moon-jo's room, you look up at the ceiling overhead. It was cracked and crumbling and visibly painted over layers and layers of ruin. The window closest to the top of the room let in just enough light that you were able to barely make out your surroundings...and the person who shared the bed with you.

Moon-jo looked so innocent while he slept. His head was resting on the bed (he had given you his pillow) and his hair was a mess as he nuzzled deeper into the sheets. His arms were around you still and you noticed how hard it was for you to move in his intense grasp. His face was completely calm and his skin glowed in the soft light above. You didn't know when you had passed out or how you had gotten into his bed, but you assumed he had taken you here after your vision went blurry. In other circumstances, you would have found him to be cute in the position he was in, but instead your stomach was filled with worry. What did he mean by killing? Why was he sparing you? What did he mean by loving you?

Even with the nervousness bubbling up inside of you, you still found yourself glued to your spot, not even because Moon-jo was holding onto you so tightly. You knew that you wouldn't have left even if he allowed it, so instead you nuzzled up closer to his chest which awoke him softly.

"You're awake?" He asked in a deep soft voice, holding you even tighter in case you decided to make a run for it. He seemed confused as to why you were still okay with being near him and why you hadn't tried to escape while he was vulnerable.

"Yeah." You said after a moment of silence.

Moon-jo noticed your slight distress and watched you conflict in your head the possibilities of loving him and leaving him. He watched your eyes and saw behind them that you were trying to keep your morals, noticing it became harder and harder as you leaned into his touch, giving into him completely.

"(Y/N), because I love you, I'm letting you leave if you decide not to be here anymore." He felt his chest tighten as the words left his mouth, knowing that he was being entirely honest with you and dishonest with himself. He didn't want you to leave his arms.

"Moon-jo, I'm not going to leave you." You said, looking up at him from the pillow. He looked beautiful in the soft light.

"Why not?" He asked, certain that you were going to make a run for it.

"Because I think I love you too much to do that."

Okay Panko Shrimps-

How would we feel about an angsty fight between Billy Hargrove and Steve Harrington over the reader? Except it's a choose your own adventure so y'all would get to pick a side and the story would change based on who you ended up with?

Or would we prefer more fluffy fics? I can't help but write Billy and Steve into the most heartfelt sweet things because they are the bees knees.

It's late and I drank an entire thing of butterbeer so I might just be going crazy with the Steve and Billy thoughts rn, but I just want your input!

Also, thank you guys for the love on the Stranger Things fics, the amount of support I've received from them is astronomical. 🥹 I love you.

Thank you!

💛🦐

Glimpse of Us

Steve Harrington X Eddie Munson

⚠️ Warnings: this whole thing is just painful ⚠️

"You fill my lungs with sweetness, and you fill my head with you..."

The unfamiliar song started to play softly through the speakers of Steve Harrington's car, leaving him with a feeling of dread and sorrow. It was a foggy afternoon and the trees surrounding the town of Hawkins were tall and provided shade from the very little sun that poked through the clouds. It was darker than usual, a reflection of how Steve felt inside. The soft smell of petrichor filled his senses as he rolled the window down in an attempt to catch the air as he drove by. He was by himself today. No Henderson from the backseat to shout and cheer at the latest adventure they had. No Robin in the passenger side fixing her mascara and droning on about her love of Vickie. No one but the crisp cool air and soft rain starting to fall from the sky, so soft one might miss it if they weren't actively feeling rainy inside. Steve tousled his hair and wiped at his face as he continued down the path to the familiar clearing in the woods; somewhere he would be completely isolated and alone.

Pulling up alongside the road, he put his car in park and slumped against the wheel. His head hurt from the night before as he had stayed up later than normal, drinking an endless amount of coffee to get him through work and then through home. His cardigan felt heavier than usual as he wrapped it around himself quickly, trying to trap in any warmth before turning off the car and walking outside.

The King of Hawkins High now had a slight limp in his walk ever since the battle for his home. His hair was starting to lighten up at the roots and he had lost a couple pounds. Chiseled jawline and sad eyes completed the forlorn look he now wore with contemptness. Vecna was a thing of the past, but the pain the monster left him was far greater than anything that could truly heal over time. Today was full of nostalgia for him so he decided to release his emotions in the only way he knew how to; talking to Eddie.

The trees eventually opened up into the bright and beautiful field he had known all too well; the grassy meadow was a bright yellow in contrast to the darkness of the rest of the world which Steve figured was his friend's doing. Such a happy corner of the universe but such a sad day it held within its corners. 1986.

Eddie looked lovely today. The birds were flying overhead in intricate but beautiful patterns in the sky, keeping a watchful eye on everything happening down below. They paid no mind to Steve as he frequented this place often. Besides from Dustin, he was the only other human to walk this place with the knowledge of what it truly meant. Visions of Eddie running around with Dustin himself, bright eyed and beaming grins as they pranced about the meadow with their makeshift swords and shields. Robin and Steve had sat alongside the outside as they shaped spears using what they had gathered. Erica and Lucas fighting over the binoculars as they playfully expressed that they cared for each other. The last time when things were truly perfect, Steve thought to himself as he sunk to his knees by the site where Eddie rested now.

"Eddie Munson. The Hero of Hawkins."

The inscription was clear even though the rest of the grave had been worn away after quite some time. It was small so it would've been glanced over if you weren't on the lookout for the home of the Hellfire Club leader. There were a few sprouts of miscellaneous plants growing out from some of the sides and around the lot. The dead rose from the last time Steve came to visit laid atop, waiting to be replaced with another flower. He fished into his cardigan and pulled out another rose similar to the other one, although this one was very much alive. The petals were vibrant and dewey, matching the surroundings of the meadow and the sky overhead.

"Hey Eddie." Steve said, getting comfortable on the ground and fiddling with the grass. "It's been a while."

"Nancy and I will have to visit with the kids someday soon." He began, working towards trying to have the confidence speaking out in the open like this. A faint smile appeared on his face as he said his next lines.

"The meadow looks beautiful as ever, Eddie. I can see all the work you've put into it. Your aura was always a contagious one."

Steve swallowed back a tear as he ran his fingers over the inscription he had paid for himself. Eddie would always be known as the hero, even if it was only to a few people who resided in Indiana. Funny how your world can be comprised of a few science kids and a couple college friends. Or how it used to be, anyways. Before everyone grew up.

"We named our oldest after you. Ironically, he's very into Metallica. You would be so proud of your namesake." Steve said, feeling proud for a moment at the mention of his son. Him and Nancy had gotten married in the summer of '99. She had worn a plain and simple wedding dress but she looked beautiful as ever in it, hair pinned to the top of her head and a pearl necklace around her neck. Her smile had beamed so brightly that day and Steve felt like the luckiest man in the world.

"Robin apparently still visits Hawkins from time to time. She moved to Washington not long after everything went down in Hawkins. She said she couldn't take it anymore. We had a party for her and then she left the next day. I haven't heard from her since." The mention of his best friend made him crinkle his nose in fondness, remembering the night they spent drugged in the bathroom of the Starcourt Mall and her coming out to him as a lesbian.

"I know Henderson comes to see you with his family sometimes. He's almost always over at our place. He keeps me updated on everything happening in his household. Turns out, he's a great babysitter too. He tells Eddie all about you and about how great you were."

"Lucas became a professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers. He's quite good, it turns out that he's found his people and his talent. He and Max still have some unfinished business, but as far as I know she lives alone after her mother passed not too long ago. She's doing better now since she woke up from that coma, volunteering at the local hospital. She went back to college to get a degree in nursing."

Steve tried his best to explain everything he knew. Eddie was the glue that seemed to hold their group together. After his passing, everyone went their separate ways and Steve felt very isolated. He missed his kids and the way it used to be sometimes, especially on days like today. But the same part of him that yearned for their reunion was the same part of him that was ever so pleased they all ended up okay. He couldn't be anything but proud of them after they all worked so hard to get where they were.

"The Byers still live in Lenora. Hopper went with them and he got married to Joyce. Jonathan went off with Argyle and started their own clothing line. It's pretty ridiculous, but I've heard that they're making a ton of money from it. Eleven is still with Mike. They visit us sometimes too when they can. They're still distraught over Joyce and her death not long after they had gotten married themselves. Nance and I went up to see them and it was almost as if the whole gang was back together. You would've loved it!"

Steve was laughing now as he explained their wedding even further. It was a shame that Joyce had contracted an illness but she didn't go down without a fight. Hopper visits her grave all the time when he's not too busy working for the post office. He still takes care of Eleven and adopted her the moment he was able to.

"Will is working as a librarian and he got married but that's about all I know. He's the one kiddo that hardly keeps in contact anymore. I heard he's a published author, but I don't know the titles of any of his works."

Steve stopped his rambling and stared down at the plants poking out from the grave. It was refreshing to see some new flowers popping up here and there, a contrast from the yellowing of the meadow grass. It was now starting to rain harder and he could feel the water droplets hitting his head, almost like the ticking of a clock telling him that his time with Eddie was almost up. He composed himself from his slight moment of fondness and looked down at the shining stone beneath his feet.

"Eddie." He said, moving towards the top of the gravestone and petting it in the same way he used to pet his long curly brown hair that was always mischievously framing his face and flying about. Eddie would smoke cigarettes while Steve played with it as he laid on top of his friend and played some of his Corroded Coffin guitar solos. His smile would light up Steve's entire room as the eccentric metalhead boy would sit on the end of the bed and laugh with him about their music tastes and the typical drama of the day. Eddie's Hellfire notebook would be sprawled out on the floor as he placed back and forth while he talked about what was to be expected from their next campaign while Steve listened intently. He would tilt his head if Steve had any ideas to offer and would jump up and down if something he had said would be added to the exciting fun of DND. Munson would run around in Steve's bomber jacket when it was cold. He would hold his hands when he wanted him to know something important so that he would have Steve's undivided attention. Eddie would prance around the field with Black Sabbath blasting through his Walkman. He would yell up at the night sky and ask for the universe to lift the curse that held him to Hawkins.

"I never stopped loving you." Steve admitted. Before he headed back towards the warmth of his car, he took off his cardigan and placed it atop Eddie's final resting place and smiled. "So you don't get cold, is all." He said.

Steve didn't believe in God or any particular religion, but he knew that somewhere somehow, Eddie heard every word.

yeonjun ✙ mama 2021 ‘opening performance’ intro

everytime i see this gif i am a sinner

This is so good!! 💛🦐

Theatrics

Jay Gatsby x reader

Word Count: 1.2k

Warnings: drinking, men coming onto the reader

Author’s Note: Thank you so much for requesting for Gatsby! No one ever requests for him so this was very fun to do. I hope you enjoy love!

Requested: by anon, Hi I’m new and I just recently got super into the great Gatsby I was hoping you could please do a Jay Gatsby (fanfic maybe) (2013 film) about him and his wife maybe where Jay hosts a party and someone tries flirting with the wife in front of Gatsby he doesn’t know they are married but Jay just kinda reacts if really appreciate it I have trouble finding Jay Gatsby 2013 stories so I’d love seeing it and I saw your previous stories and such you did on him your a fantastic writer!! (Maybe he was just smiles for a little knowing it was ridiculous than as it was clear he wasn’t going to be got more and more mad like he did at Tom during the hotel scene Oof-) (it so could be Tom and he gets really mad like bro you already had Daisy now you want my wife nah haha)

Summary: the request

I don’t own these characters. They belong to author/director/creator

(not my gif)

The party was about to start. You loved it when Jay threw parties. You knew that people would come to gossip and everyone in West Egg enjoyed a good Gatsby party. Maybe you just liked being the center of attention. Maybe you liked it when Jay was.

Whatever the reason was, you were pleased to find everything in place for your final preparations. People would start filling in soon in droves. You passed each other waiters carefully checking all of the plates they were holding. They made quick small talk as you passed, making sure everything was alright.

You heard a loud clap and everyone stopped moving.

Your eyes all went up to the staircase where Jay was standing, a grand smile on his face.

“My dear?!” he called.

“Yes?” you called back to him. He met your eyes from the distance, his smile widening.

“Open up the doors!”

You nodded and turned around to the waiters, gesturing for each of them to get the doors. You opened up the main one and people were already waiting.

You stood by the door as they came in, saying hello to those you knew and eavesdropping on those you didn’t. Before you knew it the room was completely filled to the brim with people. Drinks and food were being handed out. You had lost Jay to the crowd which was expected. You often found each other near the end of the night anyway.

“Y/N?” a man called. You turned, your lips upturned in a rehearsed smile.

“Nick! Hello dear, how are you? I thought you weren’t going to be able to make it,” you said, rushing over to your neighbor.

“I was able to afterall. Do you know where Gatsby is? Jay, I mean,” he said sheepishly. You shook your head.

“Sorry, I don’t. I’m sure he’s bound to turn up somewhere, sloshing some sort of drink around.” He nodded in agreement. “Try to enjoy yourself. There’s plenty of food if you want. Perhaps you can even find a nice person to go home with.” He shook his head laughing.

“I think I’ll have to find the food.” You nodded and patted him on the back.

“Then I will see you later. Have fun!” You walked past him further into the crowd. You loved these parties. You loved that barely anyone there knew that you lived there. Often people would whisper about Mr and Mrs Gatsby, the infamous party throwers and how people rarely had ever met the two of you.

You preferred to remain an idea.

You grabbed a champagne glass from one of the waiters and sat down in one of the free spots on the couches. You happened to be right next to a man you had never met before. You didn’t spare him more than a glance but you could feel his gaze on you as you took a drink of your champagne.

“Do you frequent these parties?” he asked you. You looked over at him and gave him the ‘who me?’ look before answering.

“No, can’t say that I do,” you said. You liked your identity as an idea, why not keep it that way? Plus, you had to have a little fun at these parties if you wanted to keep them going.

“You’re gorgeous, I think I would remember you,” he said, leaning against the couch. You smiled politely.

“Thank you.”

“Isn’t this house beautiful? I hear the couple that lives here is even more so. I mean, not nearly as beautiful as you though.” You held back a scoff.

“Yes it’s a wonderful house.”

“So what’s your name? Did you come with someone?”

“Actually yes, I did.”

“Oh well you don’t have to leave with them,” he said leaning into you. His breath stunk of alcohol. You stood up slowly.

“Thank you but I’m truly alright,” you told him as kindly as you could muster. He stood up too. You were trying to figure out how you were going to get out of this hole you had dug yourself when you felt a hand on the small of your back. You turned swiftly to find Jay standing beside you. “There you are,” you said happily.

“Who’s this?” he asked stiffly. The man extended his hand.

“Daniel.” Jay didn’t shake it and Daniel let his hand drop awkwardly. “You are?”

“Jay Gatsby. This, old chap, is my wife you were speaking with.” You could feel his light tension but didn't imagine that he would get into too much of a fight.

“Oh!” Daniel said, suddenly very embarrassed. “My apologies, I didn't know.” You gave him a curt nod.

“Clearly,” Jay said. “I was about to get something from the kitchen if you would like to join me,” he said to you. You nodded pleasantly.

“Lead the way darling.”

The two of you left the man in the dust as you weaved through the crowd to the bustling kitchen. Waiters came and went but it was big enough to where you were able to get a moment of peace there. The guests greatly outnumbered the waiters.

“Nick was looking for you,” you said.

“Everyone is looking for me dear,” he said, leaning against the wall. “We’re the Gatsbys.” You nodded slowly, looking at him.

“I was about to tell him that you know.”

“Oh I know. But I wanted to make sure you got lost in the crowd before he could find you again.”

“After your clear intimidation, I don’t think he will go looking again,” you promised, grabbing his hand. You kissed the back of his hand gently and he brought his other hand to his cheek.

“I am known for my theatrics.”

“You don’t have to tell me that darling.”

Yessss you’re writing for bullet train! Do you take requests for Ladybug?

YES ABSOLUTELY OMG

Send me your wildest dreams, I'm going to write a shit ton of Bullet Train fics!!!!

💛🦐

Hey!! I am currently working through some other fanfics that have been in my drafts forever and I have a Cliff Booth one coming out soon! However, I was wondering if I should post the Seo Moon-Jo one I've written? It definitely falls into the yandere category....but then again, it is Seo Moon-Jo.

Thoughts?

💛🦐

Hello fellow panko shrimps! I have a new fanfiction cooking up in the drafts for ya and it's gonna be a good one!!!! Let's just say it involves Yandere Kim Taehyung, Murder, and Gucci. Tehehehehe

💛🦐