Love At First Sight. / Squid Games!Men

slut!

“in a world of boys, he's a gentleman.”

pairing: finnick odair x reader

summary: in which finnick takes care of you after you survive a blood rain. aka finnick being an absolute gentleman ;)

warnings: idrk maybe thoughts of not surviving, fluff, lmk if i should add more, non-edited

requested!

a/n: this sucks i’m so sorry anon but i loved your request and hope you like how i brought your idea to life 🩵 also i listened to slut! on repeat when writing this so that’s why i associated it with that song 😝

MILLIONS of thoughts raced through your head, as you tried to walk as carefully and quietly as you could. You couldn’t believe you lost your allies - which included one of your closest friends - within the first few hours. Your chances of survival plummeted, and you hated yourself for foolishly wandering off.

The jungle was silent, apart from the birds chirping occasionally, and normally it would bring you comfort. But now, as you were reliving the same nightmare you had a few years ago, it wasn’t much of a comfort at all. Usually, the jungle and the water would be your number one place to escape to. To ease your mind. But now, walking around in the jungle meant life or death.

Something fell on your shoulder, making you stop in your tracks. You looked up at the sky, but saw nothing strange or unfamiliar. You scanned the trees thoroughly just to be sure no one was hanging in there, before slowly and cautiously continuing your journey. But then you felt something drop on your face. You wiped it away with your index finger and looked at it, red substance staining your finger.

With furrowed eyebrows, you inspected it—resembling blood.

You looked up at the sky, confused as to where this might come from. But before you could even register what was happening, the red substance started pouring from the sky.

Your vision was entirely blurred because of the substance you assumed was blood, and there was nothing you could do. All you could think about was Finnick, who you had grown feelings for during the years you had known him. The thought of him was the only thing making the situation look less unpleasant than it was.

You were close to giving up, when you heard a scream of your name. Even though you could hardly see, you moved from your place, looking around. Another scream of your name and you followed it, screaming for Finnick, whose voice you had recognised.

Warmth filled your heart. There it was again, that little hope Finnick always gave no matter the situation.

You got closer, his voice getting louder every time he called for you, “Finnick?!” But it was like he couldn’t hear you. You got so close, you were sure you were close enough for him to hear you. But when you wanted to take another step, there was this force withholding you from doing so. You put your hand on the force as it was still pouring and fear took over you once again.

But that was when you saw Finnick, looking around worriedly, his trident in his hand. You yelled for his name, banging against the force, a cry for help escaping your lips. And when Finnick spotted you, his face relaxed at the sight of you. He ran over without a doubt, but ran straight into the force. Finnick fell backwards to the ground, and all you could do was watch him get up with confusion. It seemed to hit him now that blood was pouring on you like there was no tomorrow.

You could see him say something, but you couldn’t hear him anymore. A tear fell down your cheek, but it was almost unnoticeable because of the blood pouring from the sky. But Finnick noticed everything you did and didn’t do, and he put his hand on the force. “You will be okay.” He said, trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince you.

Even when you didn’t hear him, you knew exactly what he was saying and you nodded. You rested your forehead on the force, as he followed your action. With your foreheads almost leaning against each other, you waited until it all was over. It killed you how you couldn’t touch him right now. He was so close, yet so far away.

And when you thought it would never end, the one thing that separated you from Finnick, and the rain, disappeared. Before you knew it, you had fallen into his arms, and he was holding you as tight as he could. “I thought I had lost you.” The tremble in his voice made a lump form in your throat. You tightened the hug, never ever wanting to let go of him.

Soon enough, Peeta and Katniss came running. While panting heavily, they released a sigh of relief, glad to see you were okay. “Finally found you.” Katniss spoke. She rested her hand on her hip, as she gave you a small smile, glad you were okay.

After giving you time to recover - which you actually didn’t at all - you and your allies headed to the beach. During your entire walk back, Finnick never let you go. One hand always lingered on the small of your back, as the other held your hand tightly. Even when you had made it to the beach, his fingers were intertwined with yours. And if you had to be honest, you enjoyed it more than you initially thought you would.

The first thing you did when you stepped foot on the sand was collapsing onto it, obviously still shaken up about what had happened. Finnick sat down next to you, wrapping his arm around your shoulder and pulled you even closer to him. “It’s okay.”

You nodded at his words, before resting you head on his shoulder with a sigh you were holding in for too long. The two of you sat in silence for a while, your fingers intertwined as they rested in your lap, his thumb rubbing the back of your hand soothingly. Butterflies swarmed in your stomach, but the thought of everything going on right now, gave a whole different meaning to the feeling in your stomach. You almost forgot you were in an arena again, and when the realisation hit you, anxiety washed over you.

Finnick seemed to notice this, just like he always did, and he softly whispered your name.

But you ignored him, lost in thought as the breaths you took were heavier than usual. “Hey,” He gently took ahold of your chin, making you look at him softly, “You’re okay.”

The green in his eyes reminded you of the sea, and if it meant looking at them all day, you wouldn’t mind drowning. The hand holding yours, brought your hand up to his lips. You watched with a racing heart as he lovingly kissed your knuckles one for one, holding eye-contact with you through all of it. Peeta and Katniss, who were watching you two from afar, shared a look.

You took in a sharp breath, before telling Finnick, “I should probably clean myself up.” The man in front of you nodded, and got up swiftly. He offered his hand to help you get up.

With his hand in yours, he led you to the water until it was at the height of your legs. Finnick grabbed a bit of water with the palm of his hand and started washing your arm. He removed every single trace of blood on your body, and you closed your eyes as he did so.

At some point you had sat down, your legs crossed over each other as the water reached the height of your neck. Fish boy - as you liked to call him - washed your hair as if he had done it a million times before. He massaged your head in the process, making you relax under his touch. He was gentle with everything he did, as if you were as fragile as an item made of glass. He handled you with such care, it made you feel like you didn’t deserve him at all.

You got up after he was done, and the smile that adorned his face made your heart leap in your chest. “Almost done.” He mumbled, before cleaning your face affectionately, his thumb swiping softly against your skin. You looked at him as he focused on the dirt on your face, his tongue poking out of his mouth in concentration.

“Done,” He whispered, so insanely close to your face, that you could feel his warm breath against your skin. “Thank you, Finnick.” You breathed out, your hands almost instantly grabbing his, as if his hands were magnets. He left a kiss on your forehead, before finally resting his on yours. There was no force keeping you apart anymore.

It was just you and him.

hii everyone i am having a terrible, horrible writers block atm and can’t seem to get out of it no matter what i do :( i was wondering if you could maybe send blurb ideas for the characters on my masterlist? (maybe writing blurbs will help) and do you guys have any tips for getting out of a writers block?

fortnight

“and i love you, it's ruining my life”

pairing: nikolas omilana x reader

summary: in which niko avoids you for a certain reason, and at some point you can’t take it any longer.

requested

a/n: hii everyone i’m back from the dead like i always am every few months!!! school has been draining, but one night i got this motivation and managed to write this, hope you like it <3 btw i know i should be finishing of the hunger games requests, but there are so little fics on here for the beta squad members and the motivation just got to me when watching a video.

also pleaseeeee start requesting more beta squad, not just niko because there aren’t many fics for these amazing men

NIKO never knew what it was like to be so infuriated by someone, it caused restless nights. To be so head over heels, that all your thoughts were consumed by only that person. That was until Niko met you. The way you had him wrapped around your finger, without you even noticing or trying, was something he never understood. But it was you, how could he not be?

The famous youtuber also didn’t know what it was like to love someone that wasn’t his. Someone not meant for him.

He had respect for your relationship, of course, he wasn’t one to mingle and make things worse. Especially since your boyfriend was one of the best ones you’ve had. However, the mere thought of you drove him absolutely insane and he wasn’t sure for how much longer he could bear it anymore.

You were happy, though, and he didn’t want to be the reason that would be ruined.

So he avoided you like the plague. Leaving every room you entered, switching the topic whenever you were mentioned, trying to keep his eyes from wandering off to where you were standing. It was killing him, but if it meant keeping you happy, he didn’t mind the torture one tiny bit.

Niko hadn’t told anyone about what he felt for you, he would take it to his grave, that’s for sure. Yet, he was more obvious than he thought he was, since he’s noticed the sympathetic looks his friends gave him whenever you were around. Numerous times. It didn’t matter, it’s not like you were ever going to find out and that’s all that really mattered.

After Niko had arrived back at his apartment, he was surprised to hear not a single sound being made. Knowing Aj, he would always either be gaming and yelling for the whole neighbourhood to hear or edit a video with the volume on to the max.

After checking a few rooms for where his roommate was, he got a call from Aj himself.

“Where are you, you rat?” Niko questioned, not even bothering to greet him. Aj let out a laugh on the other line, “Missing me now, are you? Giraffe.”

Niko rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help the smile forming on his face, “Ha ha, hilarious.”

“Anyway, I’m at Chunkz’ right now.”

And after conversing for a few minutes, discussing everything and nothing, they ended the call. The tall guy let out a loud sigh, as he sat down on the sofa, turning on the tv to watch anything that came up first. However, just when he was about to push the button of the remote, the doorbell rang.

Niko was confused to say the least, but didn’t expect much of it. It was probably one of his friends needing something from him.

When Niko opened the door, however, he wished he didn’t. His heart dropped to his stomach, his breath hitching in his throat. That was the effect you had on him. Your hair was messed up quite a bit, your lips forming a pout as you looked at him. Oh, how he had to restrain all the power in him not to kiss that pout away.

A soft call of your name left his lips, as if he was terrified it was just a hallucination. “Niko,” Your voice was stern, yet there was some kind of sadness to it. And without saying another word, you entered the apartment as if you owned the place.

When you walked past him, your scent wafted into his nostrils and he took it in. He closed his eyes, not wanting to lose control and confess the second he turned around and looked at you again. Niko closed the door, taking his sweet time going to you. You were pacing back and forth in the living space of the apartment, your eyebrows furrowed and face filled with worry.

“What’s wrong?” Niko questioned, earning a rather unbelievable scoff from you. When you stopped pacing and moved closer to him, Niko took back a step, making you even more frustrated than you were before. “You’re asking me what’s wrong? I should ask you!” You couldn’t comprehend why the closest friend you had ever had, wasn’t present in your life anymore. The minute your feet took a step closer to him, he backed away once more, “Look! What’s this? Why are you avoiding me?”

You were absolutely fuming to put it lightly. What was he doing?

His gaze fell down to the floor, because if he would look at you right now, he knew he would ruin things even more. “I don’t get it, Niko…” Your voice was dripping with desperation, but you couldn’t care less at the minute, only interested in whatever was going between the two of you.

Another step closer, but this time he didn’t budge, his eyes stuck to the ground. But when you said his name so sweetly, who could blame him when he averted his gaze to meet yours. The question that left your lips, made the guilt sink inside of him, “What did I do wrong?”

However he didn’t cave in. He couldn’t and he wouldn’t, no matter how tempting the thought of you being his seemed right now.

“Niko, please. Talk to me!”

Silence, once again.

“Nik-“

“I can’t talk, please don’t make me.” His whisper was barely audible, but still loud enough for you to hear. “Why not, huh? Are you just going to ignore me like you have done for the past couple of-“

“I have to! I never wanted for this to happen.”

The tone in his voice took you by surprise, your eyes searching his for a more clear answer, “What are you talking about?”

“You think I wanted for all of this to happen? Of course not!” He started, and he regretted everything he said after, “I couldn’t help it. Couldn’t help to feel at home with you, couldn’t help but feel as if you are the only one in this universe.”

His gaze was burning into yours, “I couldn’t help but fall in love with you.”

Something fluttered unwantedly in your chest, followed by your breath hitching in your throat. Niko’s in love with you?

“You… what?”

“I fell for you, hard and painfully so. I’m sorry, okay? It happened one way or another and now you’re the one consuming my thoughts and dreams. I care for you and love you so deeply, it hurts me to stay away from you. But I did what’s best and will continue doing so.” He rambled, never noticing how you were still hung up on the first sentence he uttered.

But when you met his gaze once more, and saw the spark in his eyes when he looked at you, you wondered how you could’ve been so blind. “Now, please, leave before I do something both of us will regret.” Niko warned firmly.

You were stood there absolutely speechless, but came back to earth quickly, when you realised your boyfriend was waiting for you outside.

can I request an imagine (or it could be a hc) abt how the reader and trent are so wrapped up in each others love. like the world around them dosent exists when they are together. it could be when going out with friends or after a game 🫶🏽 not sure if I came abt this right but I hope u get the idea. thanks!

LOVE BUBBLE: trent alexander-arnold x reader

NOTE: i don't know if this is satisfactory level but i definitely love writing for soft!trent 🤧 he's my baby boy and i would definitely be looking at him with heart eyes every time like it's me against the world just for my favorite right-back.

It’s probably Trent’s beautiful face.

Or his Scouse accent that immediately hooks your attention on to him when he speaks, like a magic melody that enchants those who hears him talk.

Or maybe, you just love both and the entirety of him too much to be enticed by the things happening outside of your bubble.

Trent has the same love-dovey eyes when he's with youㅡ from an outsider’s perspective he's definitely someone who holds a personal vendetta against those who are not you.

It's the nonchalant, almost detached and cold look he possesses when he's having a conversation with the others, but that look drops because he's all smiley and attentive and chatty when he's around you.

The both of you don't notice of course, too wrapped up in each other's presence to notice those things that the other people from an outside perspective have observed.

Your hangouts with your friends should be infested with ants, they think.

You could be having a small random conversation with Trent, a simple talk about the most nonsensical topics but it's almost like you're talking of the greatest adventures you both went together due to how invested you two are of what the other has to say.

Trent would be leaning down to catch your words better, smiling too much for someone who doesn't smile a lot and you would be laying a hand or an arm over his and your boyfriend would use that as an opportunity to tuck a stray hair behind your ears, or wipe something off your face or pull your chair close to his as if you're both not sitting close enough, the distance an outrageous offense.

It's not overbearing (yet) to your friends to see two people act the way you both do, knowing of how horrible your past relationships had went, not even to the point of them being bearable and you, opening up traitsㅡ good traits from a closed-off person like Trent which truthfully, helps eliminate the idea that he's an imposing man especially in front of the media and fans.

It's just very sweet and new to the eyes of the people who had a fair share of memories enough to dapple you with.

It's like witnessing two soulmates finding the red thread on their pinky finger, slowly lurching towards the other as they get to know each other better, unraveling certain things that only the both of them can find and helping each other heal their traumas from years-worth of existing within the range of people that left them scarred.

What love you have is just so mellow and full and beautiful. It's a love that the others wish they have and by the reaction of the bystanders witnessing you and Trent be complete with the presence of the other, it's definitely a relationship that they knew would last for a lifetime and possibly even the next to come.

hi lovely!!

i hope vacation is going well <3 mwah

hi ml!!

my vacation was sm fun and honestly went by so fast too!! i landed back in the netherlands (where i live) yesterday and i miss vacation sm already :(

how’s your day/night going? <3

Resurfacing

Pairing: Thanos (Choi Su-Bong) x Reader

Summary: After Su-Bong's last visit will you ever see him again?

Warnings: mentions of drug use, brief mentions of gore

Word Count: 1,951

Comments: Apologies if there are mistakes, I've tried to proofread but I've been super ill this weekend and I'm a bit out of it 🤧

<- Part Four

You told yourself you did the right thing. He wasn’t himself, and letting him stay would’ve made things worse. You were protecting him as much as yourself. He had to understand that, didn’t he? 

Still, no matter how many times you tried to convince yourself that it would be okay, you couldn’t shake the bad feeling that had settled over you the moment he walked out the door.

The worst part was you didn’t know if he regretted it, or if he even remembered what happened.

In the cold light of day, you couldn’t help but wonder what it all meant. Maybe he didn’t mean any of it. Maybe it was just the drugs talking. It had felt so real- the way he looked at you, the sound of his voice as he called you baby, the touch of his hand on your cheek. Was it real? Or just another night he’d forgotten?  

The thought made your stomach twist with uncertainty.

You forced yourself to go to work the next morning, unsure if it was a blessing or a curse. The distraction helped, but every few minutes your fingers twitched with the urge to check your phone, to see if he’d called - to see if he cared.

He hadn’t.

You tried to push it down, to focus on anything else. The rhythm of work, the chatter of customers, the busy routine. But the pit in your stomach didn’t ease.

Your boss must have noticed because, as the rush ended, she pulled you aside.

‘Are you okay sweetheart?’ She asked gently. 

You plastered on a smile. ‘Yeah, I’m just tired.’

She didn’t look convinced. ‘You’re quieter than usual today.’

You paused. You weren’t the type to just spill your problems to someone, but your boss had never been anything but kind. And maybe saying it out loud would make it feel less like it was swallowing you whole.

‘It's just my…friend. He left on a bad note yesterday and I haven’t heard from him at all today.’ You were careful to keep the details vague.

Your boss leaned against the counter and hummed knowingly. ‘The friend that walks you home?’

You nodded.

She gave you a small understanding smile. ‘Sweety, maybe you need to reach out to him first. I’ve been around long enough to know that if someone matters to you then it’s better to talk it out.’ She continued, placing a warm hand over yours. ‘Call him. Otherwise you’ll worry yourself sick.’

Her words stuck with you through the remainder of your shift. By the time you left you were done debating with yourself. The second you stepped outside, you pulled your phone out and clicked his contact.

One ring.

Two rings.

Three.

Voicemail.

You lowered your phone slowly, staring at it as if that would will him to answer. Maybe he was busy. Maybe he was asleep. Maybe he didn’t- … No. No more excuses.

You called him again.

Ring.

Ring.

Voicemail.

This time the rejection settled in you.

You gripped your phone so tightly that your fingers ached. The cold air nipped at you, but you barely noticed it compared to the hollow feeling taking over.

You shoved your phone to the bottom of your pocket and forced yourself to keep walking. You weren’t sure if you’d try again tomorrow.

Deep down, you wondered if he’d ever pick up.

The next few days blurred together, work, home, sleep. You’d tried calling again to no avail. Each time you were met with the same voicemail message, it felt like he’d built a wall between you. 

Eventually you stopped trying. Slowly, beginning to accept that maybe this was his way of saying goodbye without actually saying it. It hurt more than you’d care to admit, how easily he could just block you out.

Your apartment started to feel too big without him. You never realised how much he made himself at home. The way he took over your couch, or raided your fridge with no shame, or leaving half finished energy drinks on your table. Now it was back to being just you, and it felt lonelier than ever.

You spent evenings curled up on your couch, catching yourself glancing at the door more often than not, half expecting him to just show up. But he never did. 

You crawled into bed on the fourth night of no contact, emotionally exhausted, but sleep didn’t come easily. Thoughts of Su-Bong mixed with memories of the games circled around your mind, no matter how much you tried to push them away.

And then, at some point, your exhaustion won and darkness swallowed you whole.

At first there was nothing. Then the distant sound of screams filled the space around you. The air was suffocating, pressing down on you like a weight. 

A flash of movement caught your eye. Someone was there. A voice rasped out your name, it sounded oddly familiar. You tried to move towards it but the ground gave way beneath you. You fell hard, landing in something warm. When you looked down your breath hitched. The green numbered tracksuit clung to your body, soaked through with blood.

Piles of bodies surrounded you, their lifeless eyes staring straight at you. You tried to scramble back but something latched onto your ankle. A cold, lifeless hand. 

Panic surged through you as you kicked and thrashed but more hands reached out for you, dragging you into the darkness with them.

There was no way out.

You opened your mouth to scream…

And suddenly awoke with a jolt. Sharp breaths came quickly, your trembling hands gripped at your bed sheets. 

Your heart was beating so hard you thought it might break your ribs. You knew it wasn’t real, but the echo of the screams still rang in your ears. The panic still clawed at your chest.

Without thinking you reached for your phone, calling the one person who would understand what you’re going through. It didn’t ring long enough for you to even doubt whether he’d pick up.

‘Hey?’

At the sound of his voice you froze, fingers tightening around your phone. For days your calls had gone unanswered, you’d come to expect the sound of the voicemail. But now his voice sent a jolt through you.

‘Su-Bong?’ Your voice was quiet and disbelieving, as if you’d imagined him answering. 

There was a brief pause, you heard him shift and take a breath, then he was suddenly more alert. ‘What’s wrong? You okay?’

The concern in his tone shocked you almost as much as the fact he’d answered at all.

You tried to steady your breathing before carrying on. ‘I just, it was…’ you suddenly felt stupid, embarrassed that this was the way you two were finally talking again. ‘It was just a nightmare, I’m fine. Sorry for waking you.’

‘I’m coming over.’

‘No, you don’t have to-‘

‘I’ll be there soon.’

He ended the call before you could question him.

You stared down at your phone, breath still coming too fast. A cold sweat coated your skin, the fear still lingering. The images from the nightmare stayed sharp in your mind, refusing to fade completely.

But now something else was added to your nerves. Su-Bong was on his way over.

After the way he’d left. After four days of nothing.

Would you both pretend like nothing happened? Your heart continued to pound for a different reason now. You had no idea what to expect when he showed up. But you didn’t have time to dwell on it because before you knew it there was a light knock at your door.

You felt unsteady as you made your way to the door. You simply stared at it for a moment, your hand hovering over the handle, The last time he’d been here he’d disappeared without a word. But he’d actually shown up. He was here. You unlocked the door and pulled it open.

Su-Bong stood on the other side, looking slightly out of breath and as though he hadn’t slept much either with tousled hair and a hoodie thrown on haphazardly. He kept his distance, the space between you felt heavier than it should. 

Neither of you spoke at first, but his eyes searched yours like he was looking for something, like he was waiting. The memory of your last conversation clung to the silence. Now here he was, in your time of need. Like that last time hadn’t happened, like he hadn’t ignored your calls. Your throat felt tight. Should you say something? Should he?

Then, softly, he asked ‘You okay?’

You wanted to say yes, it was just a stupid nightmare, and apologise for calling him. But standing there, staring into his eyes the truth slipped out before you could stop it. ‘No.’

His expression shifted, but he didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward, closing the distance between you and wrapping his arms around you, firm but cautious.

He held you tightly, grounding you but there was something else. He was being careful, like he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to hold you like this. It was in the way his fingers hovered briefly before tracing soothing circles across your back.

His breath hitched when you clung to him. Gripping his hoodie like it was a lifeline. His touch became more sure, his warmth fully enveloping you. You finally felt safe as the memories of the nightmare began to fade away. 

‘It’s okay,’ he murmured into your hair. ‘I’ve got you.’

A shaky breath escaped you, and suddenly the weight of everything crashed down onto you. The nightmare, the four days of silence, the games. Your fingers curled tighter into his hoodie as tears stung your eyes.

You squeezed your eyes shut, but it was useless. A single tear slipped down your cheek, and then another. 

Su-Bong must have felt you shake, because he shifted slightly, pulling you closer. ‘I’ve got you,’ he repeated gently. 

That was all it took, your tears fell harder, there was no hiding the way your shoulders trembled or the way your breath stuttered against his chest. Su-Bong held you through it, continuing to rub slow circles across your back.

You weren’t sure how long you stood there before the tears slowed. But after a while your legs began to feel weak, noticing this Su-Bong gently guided you to the couch. He gestured for you to sit down, waiting until you did to settle beside you. 

‘You wanna talk about it?’ He asked.

And for a moment you weren’t sure if he was referring to the nightmare or to the last time you saw him. You knew you should probably talk about both, but not tonight.

Tonight you just wanted to enjoy the comfort he’d brought you, so you shook your head and remained quiet. 

‘Alright.’ He didn’t push. Just settled back into the cushions, like it was a normal night. As if everything between you wasn’t a mess of unspoken questions.

After a beat he reached for the tv remote, flicking it onto a random programme with the volume low. It was a distraction. A kindness. You focused on it for a while, letting it drown out the remaining thoughts.

Minutes passed before you realized he had draped an arm across the back of the couch, close enough that if you leaned just a little, you’d be against him. You hesitated for only a moment before shifting toward him. He didn’t react at first, but then you felt it—the way his fingers curled slightly, barely brushing your shoulder. A silent reassurance.

Neither of you spoke after that. You didn’t need to, not yet.

For the first time in days, the pressure in your chest eased.

-> Part 6 coming soon Series Masterlist

Taglist:@andersonslove @fallout-girl219 @olasz-2003 @l5byrinth @hotdxdragon @cherrypied0lly@nicklet94 @learninglinesintherainn @tebteb @lotsa-juicy-shit @onecojg @the-iridescent-phoenix @red22wolf

trent with darwin’s kids

hELLO are requests open? 😽😽 if it's okie, i'd like to request an ahn sooho × reader fic ( I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY FIC OF HIM I'M SO SAD 😭 )

Hero | Ahn Sooho

my first sooho fic :] thank you anon! also here's to @slytherinshua and hannie , no angst this time

Meeting Ahn Sooho was the most unexpected occurrence in your life. It was almost like he was your hero.

You had your earpieces in, music blasting as you read the book in your hand. It wasn't every day that you were this interested in a book. The words seemed to swirl in your mind as you imagined each word, taking in each detail of every movement of every character.

That was until you were knocked down, hard. Your bottom slammed onto the concrete floor as your book fell onto the floor right after you, covered in soda. Your right earpiece went flying out of your ear, song stopping. Your eyes widened as you looked at your book, the words blending in with the soda, unclear.

You looked up, eyebrows furrowed as you looked at the culprit who had one hand extended out while the other was at the back of his neck.

"Ahn Sooho?" You asked, like a question, as he looked at you in surprise. "You know me?" Sooho replied as you looked at him, scoffing.

"Why wouldn't I?" You responded as you took his hand, standing up as you looked at the stain on your white uniform, starting to feel annoyed by your situation. "The infamous Ahn Sooho who nearly got his ass beaten by the baseball team over a girl. You're a playboy aren't you?".

Sooho's eyes widened as he took off his red jacket, revealing his white uniform that was unbuttoned to show his red work uniform.

"I wouldn't call myself a playboy, maybe everyone's just attracted to my charm?" Sooho responded as he winked, placing the jacket over your shoulders before picking up the soaked book and placing it on the locker near the window.

"I'll replace your book. By tomorrow, the same book will arrive at your table, sergeant!" Sooho said as he saluted you, picking up the empty soda can and continuing to run down the hallway.

You looked at the jacket on your shoulders, putting your arms through it as you zipped it, covering the stain on your uniform.

Sooho delivered his promise. You entered the classroom and walked to your seat near the middle as you saw the same exact book, this time with a sticky note on the first page.

"I'm sorry for bumping into you and ruining your uniform and book. I still feel like this isn't enough to make up for it. Would you want to eat lunch together? I'm in Class 1!" The messy handwriting read as you couldn't help but form a small smile on your lips as you grazed the yellow paper with your fingertips. Why was he like a puppy?

The bell for lunch rang, and unlike yesterday, you found yourself making your way to class 1, walking the back door to see Ahn Sooho fast asleep at his desk. His head rested on a pink bunny pillow, and his chest rose and fell deeply. You contemplated as you held the washed jacket in your arms, wondering if you should really wake the boy up.

"Ahn Sooho, it's lunchtime... and there's a girl here waiting for you. Sooho, Sooho, Sooho, wake up," The boy sitting in front of Sooho turned and shook the boy awake as Sooho jolted awake, eyebrows furrowed as he squinted. The boy let out a big yawn as he turned in his chair to stretch, but turned to see you standing with his jacket, waiting for him.

"Oh! Were you waiting for me?" Sooho asked as he stood up from his seat, finally awake. You handed him the jacket as you bowed slightly, "Thank you for lending it to me. It was a big help."

Sooho waved it off as he responded, "It was nothing! Besides, it was my fault since I... you know... dropped the soda".

The both of you made your way to the cafeteria, taking trays of food as Sooho paid for yours too, taking a seat at a table near the corner.

"So what should we talk about?" Sooho asked as he took a spoonful of rice and shoved it into his mouth. He acted as if he'd been starved for a week. It'd be impossible to tell a beast from Sooho.

You hummed as you thought about it for a few seconds.

"What do you like to do after school?" You asked as you used your chopsticks to pinch a piece of kimchi, placing it into your mouth as the taste engulfed your tastebuds.

Sooho thought about it as he responded with a mouth full of food, causing several rice grains to drop from his mouth.

"I work part-time at a barbecue place, and I do deliveries on two days. I don't go home because I'm scared I'll fall asleep and miss school. I can't miss school," Sooho shared as he saw the curious look on your face as you placed a spoonful of soup in your mouth.

"Why can't you miss a day of school?" You asked as Sooho responded, "I need to graduate with a perfect attendance. My grandmother wants me to graduate with a perfect attendance, even if I don't end up going to college. So, what about you? What do you do after school?".

You picked at your food as you shared a little, "I go to cram school and then I go to help my grandparents at their bookstore. Their bookstore has a lot of books so I don't have to go far to get good selections. Cram school, is cram school. There's nothing special about it, just the 7pm to 10pm classes every day,".

Sooho laughed a little, making his eyes crinkle as he joked, "I guess we know which one of us will go to college".

You smiled a little as you scooped a spoonful of rice into your mouth, continuing your conversation with the boy.

To everyone around you, it seemed as if the both of you had just met after being apart for 10 years and were catching up on the many years you'd spent together before that. The both of you seemed to connect very well, talking about everything from games to food to stuff worrying you around the neighbourhood. It seemed like you'd finally found someone for you.

You walked down to the parking lot near the school as Sooho put on his helmet, his bag in the trunk below the seat. You were about to wave goodbye to him when he passed you a helmet, patting the seat behind him as he said, "You told me that the distance from the school to your cram school made it hard for you to eat properly. I'll send you to cram school from now on, so eat properly or I'll start packing you lunches like a cooking club member".

Your mouth was practically hanging open as he took the helmet from you, putting it onto your head as he slid the face shield down, tapping the helmet lightly as he ushered you to get on.

The wind felt comforting for some reason. You weren't sure if it was the weather, the vehicle or the boy with you, but your heart seemed to speed up as fast as the motorcyle as your arms were wrapped around the boy's waist, eyes wandering around as you looked at your surroundings curiously. It wasn't often that you'd get on a motorcycle and definitely not with Sooho.

It wasn't just you who felt the speed up of your heart, Sooho could feel your heart pounding on his back as his eyes were focused on the road, not wanting to injure either of you nor his motorbike. He drove with caution as he smiled to himself every time you saw something cool on the way, 'ooh'ing every time.

Sooho lifted the helmet from your head as your hair dropped down to your shoulders, some strands left, a mess on the top of your head. Sooho reached for the mess as he combed his fingers through your hair, making sure your hair was neat.

"Don't go around alone anymore. Byuksan Middle School might be an elite school, but the schools around us have scary students. If you need to go anywhere after school or after cram school, call me, and I'll pick you up. Don't wander alone anymore," Sooho said as he placed your bag on your shoulders. You look at him, wondering what this sudden feeling blooming in your chest.

You coughed as you excused yourself, cheeks red as you walked to the entrance of the cram school, turning to give the boy a small wave as you walked in, disappearing into the crowd of students. Sooho managed to give a small wave back as he kept the extra helmet in the seat storage, heading to start his delivery gig early so he could get back to the cram school by 10pm.

He was right on time. You excited your cram school as you waved goodbye to some friends you made as per Sooho's suggestion after the mini lunch date you both had. He was leaning on his motorbike, phone in hand as the LED lit his face blue, his eyes focused on the screen. The sound of students exiting seemed to catch his attention as he raised his head to meet eyes with you.

"Sooho? You're here?" You asked as Sooho took your bag from your shoulder, putting it back in the storage box as he reponded, "Why not? I told you I'd be here. My grandmother always says, 'Sooho! Don't let a girl walk by herself! Don't let her carry her own bag, and don't let her spend her own money!' So I'm kind of like... your hero? I'll save you anytime anything happens." Sooho mimicked his grandmother as you couldn't help but laugh at his horrible impersonation.

This became a daily routine as Sooho began to reserve the helmet only for you. He would never come late and would stay true to his word. He would buy you snacks if you had make-up classes at cram school, buy you dessert to go along with your school lunch, and always have an umbrella if the weather was down.

Sooho ran. His motorbike was outside your cram school while you were nowhere to be seen. He initially thought that maybe you had some extra work to do or someone held you up, but when he saw the familiar friends he saw you hanging out with many months ago, he couldn't stop himself.

"We haven't seen her since Physics class. Physics was at 9pm. She looked at her phone and suddenly left, saying she had an emergency. " Your friend informed Sooho as he started to feel tense.

"Which direction did she run to?" Sooho asked as your friends muttered amongst each other, trying to get a definite answer.

"She ran out and ran out the gate towards the Byuksan Alley," Your friend told him as the words 'Byuksan Alley' made him run towards that place as fast as he could.

"Sooho, can I tell you something?" You asked the boy as the both of you sat at lunch as per usual. It had become a norm over the past few months, and the both of you could be considered... best friends? What everyone knew was that both of you were insperable.

Sooho hummed as he looked at you, giving you his unwavering attention.

"I think, with everything happening between you, sieun and beomseok... beomseok sent some girls after me. They didn't do anything, but they said that I better watch out," You told Sooho as his face changed into one with anger. He turned to give the disgusting boy a glance as he responded with false calmness, "If anything ever happens with them, call me first".

Sooho turned the alley as he saw you on the floor, your uniform painted red as girls with white surgical masks on their face, uniform unbuttoned revealing black shirts and skirts at their knees, kicked you repeatedly. By their side, there were guys in school uniforms too, watching the violence as if it were some sick variety show. You were ambushed. You didn't expect them to find your number and threaten you with Sooho's life. You had no choice.

"Sooho!" You called out, trying to alert him in case he was in the area. He said he'd always save you, he will... right?

Sooho ran in, kicking the first guy in the chest, making him fall against the wall with a thud as he elbowed the next guy in the lungs, causing him to cough. Sooho took the chance to punch him in the face, not leaving him any time to recover. He then turned to the last guy, who looked at him, trembling. His eyeballs practically vibrated as Sooho walked up to him. The guy took off running, leaving the three confused girls.

"Baby, why did you run...?" The girl kicking you asked as she turned to see her boyfriend nowhere in sight, and her two friends' boyfriends on the floor, knocked out.

The three girls turned in horror as Sooho spoke, "Why would you do this to her? She didn't even do anything, and here you are, kicking her as if she did something to you. "

The three girls looked at each other as the middle one muttered, "Beomseok asked us to do it. He said that she told on us that we had smokes.".

Sooho scoffed. Just because a liar told them that she told on them for cigarettes? She didn't even know them, much less cared about whether they died early because of chemical sticks.

"Leave, and don't bother her again," Sooho said as he bent down to check your bloodied uniform. Your head had dirt marks from the shoes of the girls and your tears made the dirt coat your cheek. Sooho wiped the dirt off with his thumb as he smiled.

"I told you I'm your hero now, didn't I?"

--

WOAH MY FIRST SOOHO FIC AND ITS LONG(?) WITH ALMOST NO ANGST OHMYGOD GASP OHMYGOD!!

“no, no, no, you sweet dumb thing” IM ON THE FLOORRRRRRRRRRRR. IM KICKING MY FEET, TWIRLING MY HAIR, CLIMBING UP WALLS, SCREAMING, CRYING, CRAWLING, ALL OF THE ABOVE…….

Being a girl is: wanting to go to bed early but deciding to just get on tumblr/wattpad/Ao3 for a little bit and then end up finding a fic series that you really like and read until well past your usual bedtime then keeping on because it’s already past your bedtime. Then being mad when you wake up in the morning because you overslept your timer.