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Instinct | Taehyung x Reader

Pairing: Hybrid Taehyung x Reader

Word Count: 3.6k

Warnings: 18+, Yandere, Obsession, Stalking (in the animal sense lol) Fear, Blood, Murder, Kind of Cannibalism? Hunting Animals and Humans, Depictions of Dead Bodies, Non-consensual touching, Human Experimentation, Depictions of Gore, Break In, Attempted Murder, Light Spice at End, Insinuated Dub-Con, Taehyung is kind of a switch tbh

Preview: He was huddled in the middle of the road, his arms wrapped around himself as he remained crouched on the wet pavement. But you knew he was looking at you. His golden eyes were glowing back at you, like a predator glaring at you from the depths of the jungle. There was something inside you that knew that he was dangerous, an echo of intuition from thousands of years before you. But you were a modern human, you were good at ignoring your instincts. 

A/N: I wrote this in two days due to your guys' interest in the prompt. I chose Tae instead of Jimin, he only has two fics on my blog! Anyways it’s two in the morning and I’m really tired, this is really short compared to the majority of my works but I hope you still enjoy it. ILY and I can’t wait to see you in my inbox and the comments ~ good night my loves 💜

“I’m sorry,” He whispers, the words cracked and broken. 

“No, you’re not.” You sighed.  

He always did this. He always turned on the tears every time you called him out on his bullshit and you had a terrible habit of falling for it every time. He cried, he apologized, but in a few days he was back on his usual shit. 

“But I am, I really am!” He insisted, tears pooling in pretty brown eyes. 

“Really? I don’t think he sees it that way,” You said with a jerk of your head in the direction of the limp body splayed on the ground. “In fact, I really doubt he sees much anymore.”

“But he-“

“No!” You yelled, spurring a flinch from him, “You always have some excuse but not this time! I am tired of spending my evenings scrubbing blood out of the grout!” 

He could only pout in response because there was no way of getting around it, you were right. It was unfair that you always had to be the one to clean up his messes. But he just couldn’t help himself, he was a killer by design. Not nature, design. 

You let out another laborious, tired sigh. It seemed that was all you did these days, ever since you had found Taehyung. 

You had almost hit him with your car. It was late at night, a new moon to be exact, the darkness thick and just barely penetrable by your headlights. He had come out of nowhere, his lithe body trapped between two beams of light before you swerved out of the way just missing him by mere inches. 

You could remember the feeling of your tight grasp on the leather of the steering wheel, the way your throat constricted and how your chest rapidly rose and fell, and the sound of catchy pop music that was so ill fitting and off putting for such a dramatic turn of events. It was ingrained in your memory, a turning point in your life that you would never forget. 

He was huddled in the middle of the road, his arms wrapped around himself as he remained crouched on the wet pavement. But you knew he was looking at you. His golden eyes were glowing back at you, like a predator glaring at you from the depths of the jungle. There was something inside you that knew that he was dangerous, an echo of intuition from thousands of years before you. But you were a modern human, you were good at ignoring your instincts. 

As you approached him you noticed several things about him. The dirt and blood that stained his honey skin, his taunt, tense, strong muscles, and of course the ears protruding from his thick, dark curls, and the tail that swung in agitation from his tailbone. 

Taehyung was, quite literally, one of a kind. 

An embryo spliced with the DNA of an apex predator, something that had never existed before him, a hybrid. 

He had hissed at you, stopping you four feet away from his crumpled form. His teeth glinted in the light, a set of fangs protruding from the top row of his teeth with a smaller matching set on the bottom. That noise had every nerve in your body tingling in fright, yet still you persisted. 

You made yourself smaller, lowering yourself to the ground so that you were lower than he was with your arms at your sides, every vulnerable point of your body open and exposed to him. 

You remembered the feeling of his nose nudging at your pulse point, the warmth of his breath ghosting over your neck, the rumble of a growl deep in his chest before it faded to a gentle chuff as he nuzzled his face against the column of your throat.  There were serrated teeth hidden behind beautiful full lips, one little bite would sever a major artery and blood would arch through the dark sky. 

Taehyung was a dangerous brand of beautiful. 

You often liked to joke to yourself that you were a lonely woman who took in a stray cat. It was easier to use humor to veil the harsh reality of what you had actually brought into your home. 

Taehyung quickly became attached to you, it was almost like he had imprinted on you. It was the only way that you could explain his sudden and intense adoration towards you especially when you remembered the way he looked at you when he first saw you. It was like he was hungry. 

That hunger was ever present in his eyes, buried beneath the loving gaze it's embers still burned. The fiery gold cooled to a deep brown, his eyes wide in wonderment as he watched you. 

You hissed in pain when he dug his fingers into your arms as you tried to help lower him into the tub. A hiss died in his throat as he slowly sunk into the warm water, a gentle purr took its place. 

“There you go,” You hummed as you helped him wash, the tub water steadily growing murky as you scrubbed the grime and blood from his skin. 

The noise he made as you washed his hair, massaging his scalp and the base of his ears, was heavenly. A beautiful baritone groan that melted into a purr. After all, panthers were still cats. 

When you pulled the drain plug and went to grab a towel, he spoke to you for the first time. 

His hold on your arm tightened, his soft eyes turned primal once more. “Don’t leave.” 

His voice was deep and raspy. It sounded like he hadn’t spoken in a long time, it sounded animalistic. It suited him well. 

Over time you learned Taehyung never wanted to be alone. He clung to you at all times no matter what you were doing and despite your protests he followed you to bed every night. He would wrap you up tightly in his embrace sealing you into his prison-like grasp with a leg draped over your hip. His adoration was constricting. 

“It was cold,” He finally explained to you, “They kept me in a room all by myself. It was all metal and concrete, they fed me with long silver tongs. I was always alone, the only touch I knew, hurt.” 

You held him tighter that night, your heart ached for your panther. All he wanted was for someone to love him, he was just as human as anyone else. 

“Please don’t hurt me.” He whispered, nudging the back of your head with his nose and breathing in your scent as his pretty fingers smoothed over your ribs in a slow, circular pattern. 

In reality, it wasn’t you that would end up hurting anyone. 

You had noticed something was wrong when he lost his appetite. He would stare down at his plate with a bored and confused look in his eyes, poking at whatever he was supposed to be eating with a lack of interest. 

“Please, Tae,” You would beg, using the soft and soothing voice you knew he responded well to, “Just a few bites for me? You don’t want to hurt my feelings, do you?” 

He would acquise with those big adoring eyes before taking small and faux enthusiastic bites. But it was clear he wasn’t enjoying it and you had an idea as to why that was. But it was easier for your own sanity if you ignored the glaring problem. 

It became unignorable the night a man broke into your house. 

Taehyung had heard it first, the shattering of glass and the metal squeak of door hinges. He had crept out of bed and stalked into the hallway, clinging to the shadows as he watched the man attempt to sneak further into your home. He was trespassing into his territory and that was a dire mistake. 

You were awoken by the screaming. You jolted upright and were greeted by your pitch black bedroom. The screams persisted, deep, panicked, blood curdling screams followed by a wet gurgle and then an ever scarier silence. 

That feeling was there again, that intuition that was buried inside of you that was begging you to lock and barricade the door and not go investigating the source of those screams. But Taehyung was missing and you were scared without him. 

The hallway was dark, but a single beam of moonlight shone through the broken window of the front door and illuminated the carnage in front of you. 

Taehyung was bent over the body of a man. His tail was slowly skirting over the floor in delight as he ripped a chunk of flesh from the man’s shoulder and tilted his head back. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, the blood on his face gleaming in the moonlight. 

You could see the man on the floor now, his throat had been ripped open and blood was steadily pooling around him. His eyes were vacant, his jaw was slack. He was dead. Taehyung had killed him. 

Taehyung was eating him. 

There had always been a part of you that had considered this to be a possibility. It explained why Taehyung was in the state he was in the night that you had found him. It explained how he had escaped that facility and why he wasn’t hungry for days after. He had killed and consumed his handlers. 

Despite the panther ears and tail, you often forgot that Taehyung wasn’t entirely human. He was so sweet with you, so clingy and adorable. But he was still an apex predator. He didn’t want to be fed with tongs or served cooked meals. He needed to hunt, it was ingrained in his DNA. 

You watched in fascinated horror as his teeth and textured tongue expertly removed flesh from bone. He was finally eating. 

You took a step back only to trip over a bag that had belonged to the intruder. Out of it spilled horrifyingly familiar items. Duct tape, zip ties, knives. It was a kill kit. Your breathing stuttered and your heart dropped. There was not a doubt in your mind as to what that man had planned to do, and Taehyung had stopped him. He protected you. 

His golden eyes were looking at you now, their narrowed predatory gaze relaxing, and his soft round eyes returned. He rose up from his animalistic crouch with a fluidity no normal man could possess and slowly approached you. 

You closed your eyes as he neared you, your body on fire from genuine fear. It was a toxic blend, the love and the fear that you felt for him. You flinched when his large hand cupped your face and held your breath when you felt his lips softly drag over your cheek leaving a streak of warm blood in their wake. 

“I’m sorry,” He mumbled, a stray tear escaping his eye and rolling down your cheek, “I’m so hungry.” 

When you opened your eyes you were met with quite a sight. Taehyung had always been beautiful, the most beautiful man that you had ever seen. But the way he looked now made you realize how sick you were. How could you think he looked beautiful with those full lips stained red and the glaze of a shed tear streaked down the curve of his face. 

Taehyung never asked to be made, and now he had to suffer the consequences of his creation. 

“It’s okay baby,” You cooed, your thumb brushing a bead of blood from his lower lip that he chased with his tongue, swiping it off of the tip of your finger. “Finish your meal.” 

~~~~~~~

There was a shift that night. 

The relationship between the two of you was changing. You could see it in the way he watched you. It was a different kind of hunger, one for a companionship he had never been able to have. 

And his regular appetite was changing too. 

You tried taking him to the forest, letting him hunt small and big game. And it worked, but the human side of him would often combat the animal side. He craved the complexity of hunting humans. He craved satiating his wrath against humans, the very beings that had created him.

Animals worked in the short term, but it was never long before another man ended up dead in your yard or in this case, on the kitchen floor. 

“You said it was okay if it was bad people!” Taehyung tried, his ears pressing down flat against his skull as his tail twitched behind him.

“Yes, bad people Tae! Intruders, rapists, murderers, not delivery guys!” 

“He entered my territory-“

“This is my house, Tae! My house! Don’t start with the territory shit again.”

“I can’t help it, you know that! You don’t feel what I feel, it’s instinctual, I need to do this!”

You gripped your hair tightly in distress before leaning against the counter and dropping your head into your hands. 

“People are going to start noticing, Tae. You can’t keep doing this. If it’s not the police then it’s going to be the people that made you and they’ll take you away from me, is that what you want?”

“No!” He yelled, grabbing you by your shoulders and spinning you around to face him. “I want to stay with you, please don’t let them take me away!” 

You softened as he began to cry again, his tears wearing away at you like they always did even though you were very aware of the fact that you couldn’t keep letting him do this. You cupped his cheek and lightly wiped his tears away as he bumped the side of his face against your hand before laying a bloody kiss to your palm. 

You couldn’t think rationally when he treated you like this. Your head was also hazy with desire when he did this. It was completely and utterly unfair. 

“Come on, I’ll put you to bed.” You hummed before taking his hand and guiding him to your shared room. 

It was even harder to think clearly when he looked so adorable, wide eyed and curled up beneath your blankets. That was why you needed the distance. You needed to think about what more you could do, you couldn’t keep letting him kill innocent guys whose worst crime was getting a little handsy, like the delivery guy. You knew what it was, you knew what desire looked like in someone’s eyes. Taehyung was wiping out any man he saw as competition. He had said it himself, it was instinctual.  

Your heart ached when his eyes filled with confusion and it tore in half when despair overtook him as you shut and locked the door, trapping him on the other side. You could hear him scramble across the floor and you watched as the door knob jiggled. 

“Please open the door!” He called through the wood, “Why are you doing this, please let me out!”

“Just calm down Taehyung, go to sleep, I'll be right back.”

“I didn’t mean to scare you, please open the door, I’ll be good I promise! I won’t hurt you!” 

“I just need some space, just lay down, I’ll be back.” You said firmly despite how horrible you felt for confining him to your room. 

“No, no, no, no! Don’t leave me, please! I’ll be good!” He continued to yell and continued to break your heart. 

You couldn’t bear to listen to his anguished, panicked cries especially with the knowledge that you were the cause of them. 

You could still hear his yelling and banging on the door as you dragged the body out of the kitchen, a long and laborious effort that left a large streak of blood behind you. This wasn’t the first time that you had to do this but usually you had Taehyung to take care of all the heavy lifting while you took care of the cleanup. It was a morbid, macabre chore, but one you had come accustomed to frighteningly quick.

In your backyard, there were several piles of dirt. Some had been freshly turned over while others had sat undisturbed for some time. Above each pile sat a freshly planted rose bush. There had been a time where your backyard was barren and neglected. Ever since Taehyung had entered your life, you had done quite a bit of gardening…against your will. 

You huffed in exhaustion as you patted the soil smooth with your shovel. You would need to pick up another rose bush tomorrow. 

You had figured this would be the best way to deal with the problem, and it helped Taehyung in some odd, primal way. Sometimes he would sit outside with a satisfied look on his face like he was proud of what he had done. You knew it was because it felt that he had eliminated another threat or competitor. It meant that he had you all to himself again. 

Fear and love are a volatile blend. Could you look past your fear because you loved him? Or did you love him because you were afraid? Afraid of what would happen if you didn’t shower him with affection and attention. Would he turn on you too?

The sound of a loud crack frightened you causing you to drop the shovel. It clattered to the ground and rolled over in the grass, suddenly becoming far more interesting than it had been moments ago. 

You glanced back up at the house and watched, frozen in shock, as the door was thrown open and slammed up against the siding of the house. Taehyung stood on the back steps, his hands bloody from clawing at and breaking through your bedroom door. His chest was heaving from exertion and anxiety and for the first time in a long while, he scared you. His gaze narrowed in on you, those panther eyes glowing with hunger and desire once they found you. 

With blood and dirt caked beneath your nails you were reminded of the kill he made not all that long ago. The fear you felt was all too real. And, on instinct, you turned and you ran. 

You really should have known better. He was an apex predator, he was built for the chase and for the hunt. You had watched the way he enjoyed tracking and stalking his prey before going in for the kill. But in reality, everything you had done up until this point had not made sense. You should have kept driving that night, you shouldn’t have brought him home, you certainly shouldn’t have let him sleep in your bed, and you definitely should have ran the first time he had killed and consumed another human being. 

Running was instinct, it was the only thing that you did that made sense. 

But you couldn’t make it far. You were exhausted from dragging and burying that body, you were running on empty with a dash of adrenaline. And Taehyung, he was stronger than you, faster than you, and could even see in the dark. It was embarrassing that you had even attempted to escape him. 

His strides were completely silent, you had realized he was closing in on you too late and within seconds his arms were wrapped around your chest and dragging you down into the grass. 

It had happened so quickly that you didn’t register it, you laid on your back, frozen in the grass as you processed what happened. And once you looked up and caught sight of his canines you began to writhe beneath him, managing to turn over and scramble a foot away before he grabbed you by your hips and dragged you back beneath him. He caged you in between his arms and pressed his body weight against you until you collapsed chest first into the ground. 

“Taehyung, wait!” You cried as you felt him shove his face in the juncture between your neck and shoulder. 

You closed your eyes then, waiting for him to make the fatal bite that you had seen him deliver time and time again. But there was nothing. You jerked with a surprised cry as you felt his tongue glide over your pulse point in slow languid laps. 

“Tae, what are you-“ He cut you off with a menacing growl, one that told you you were not going to dissuade him from doing what he felt needed to be done. 

An involuntary gasp parted your lips as you felt his hips grind down against you, his hands sliding up towards your wrists and holding them in an iron grip as his slow licks transitioned into hot, wet, open mouthed kisses along the side of your neck. He was making sure he marked up every inch of skin that was exposed to him. 

“I can’t help it,” He whined, his voice breathy and deep as he ground himself against you even harder than before, spurring a soft cry from you. “I need you.” 

You supposed this was the better alternative to him killing you. But still, it didn’t feel quite right.

“I can’t.” You groaned. 

A menacing snarl echoed beside your ear and in one quick movement he flipped you over onto your back and pulled your legs tightly over his hips. His hold was so strong he wasn’t giving you an inch to move unless it was against him and in the way that he desired. 

And in a moment of pure need he firmly gripped your jaw and pressed his lips against yours in a searing kiss. Everything about him was primal, even the way that he kissed. It wasn’t particularly skilled, it was definitely his first, but it didn’t lack passion or desire. He wouldn’t even let you breathe, your lungs burning and singing in desperation for air as he moaned into your mouth while desperately rutting against you. 

“Don’t leave me,” He moaned in between desperate, relentless kisses. 

‘Tae-,” You tried again only for your words to be smothered once more. 

“No, I won’t let you leave me.” 

The Taste of Deceit( Hyung line Part One)

Request

Yandere Masterlist

Warnings: Violence, Dark Characters with Darker Intentions. And the plot would only get darker from here. Disturbing imagery, allusions, blood.

Word Count: 14k+ (Yes, I lost myself in the flow)

(GIF credits to the owner. I do not own them)

Kindly excuse the typos and errors

*****

The night was young and the stars were restless.

The night was young and the club was booming.

The night was young…

yet it felt like the darkest hour when his eyes met hers. 

(Y/N) worked as a bartender at an elite bar in the city- sort-after, high-end, but oddly lowkey. It was subtle, but an experienced pair of eyes would point out the oddities with ease.

As he sauntered towards her section, she busied herself with arranging the glasses and the mixers.

She had sworn to herself that she would stay out of trouble, and the broad-shouldered man with lips that seemed to be the carrier of kisses from paradise looked nothing less than trouble- big, deep trouble. 

“What specials do we have tonight?”

(YN) almost flinched at his voice, but her actions remained smooth as ever as she arranged the glasses. She managed to put up a smile though

“Cosmopolitan, French 75 and Paloma.”

“Cosmopolitan with olives please.” 

Even his voice was honey-like. But it held an unusual edge to it– some rare kind of honey- light but the right amount of sweet.

“I haven’t seen you before.” 

He stated as a matter of fact.

“I joined a few months ago,” she replied 

“I visited here last week.”

“I used to work the morning shift, it’s my first day in the evening shift.” she replied softly while handing him his drink.”

He smiled as he sipped from his drink but his eyes never left hers.

“Hope it’s not too overwhelming for you?”

“A little.” she admitted sheepishly “But my colleagues have been incredibly helpful, I think I will be settled soon.”

He hummed before finishing off his drink with a swig “I am Jin,” he offered his hand for a shake. 

With a somewhat hesitant smile, she took it– his hold was firm but his hands felt warm and smooth, just like his eyes.

The night was young and the stars were restless.

The night was young and the club was booming.

The night was young, yet when he smiled, 

it felt like slow electricity pulsing through the air

Jin– Kim Seokjin.

(Y/N) noted. The description that she was provided did no justice to what she was experiencing at the moment– his aura, his appearance, everything hit her at once.

The night was still young

And it was a long way ahead.

But officer (Y/N) (L/N) was determined.

“Liya. My name is Liya Grace.” she introduced herself.

The night was young

And she had taken the first step

—------------

Kim Seokjin was many things, Liya came to know that with her two years spent with him. He was a perfect gentleman, and he remembered exactly how many teaspoons of sugar she liked in her coffee and he oddly remembered the days that were otherwise insignificant to Officer (Y/N)- the person behind the mask of sweet and charming Liya Grace.

Little things mattered to Kim Seokjin, (Y/N) had realised– when Liya would cook dinner for him and wait up to reheat it even if her eyes would be droopy. When she would remember what tie he liked on certain days. When she would help him with fixing his tie and cuff links. Or when she would bring him his coffee to his home office every two hours.

One might misunderstand those as his expectation at first glance, but no– he never expected or assumed that he was not of the kind.

But the little gestures of care and devotion made him happy. It assured him that his partner was just as devoted to him as he was.

And was he a sincere lover– to the extent that (Y/N) felt a prick of guilt every time she replied to his soft, quiet declarations of love.

Jin was a lover straight out of a woman’s daydreams. 

One would never believe how the hands that touched her so delicately were the ones that pushed his enemies to their dooms.

But (Y/N) knew. She knew because she had witnessed him strangle men twice his size with ease– it was like buying bread to him- mundane business.

His eyes would be chillingly nonchalant and they were the windows for the sinister beast in him to peek through.

But only (Y/N) knew of this side of him– undercover officer (L/N)(Y/N) who was quick and quiet and never even breathed loud but took all the pictures right, and never forgot to set bugs in his office. Officer (Y/N) was subtle and clever, after all.

Liya Grace, however, was naive and oblivious, believing in whatever her beloved boyfriend fed her. He owned chains of hotels, exclusive nightclubs and restaurants. What was odd with that? Some red wine sprinkled on his white shirt? Happens! Why would not she believe him?

That was not technically a lie. Jin did own all of them. But they were the surface, the strong shields protecting his underground illegal weapon dealings– his real business.

It would have been so easy to fool any ordinary civilian, but (Y/N) was no ordinary civilian. 

“You’re late. Again.” 

“I’m sorry Jagi, you know well that I am– it’s those old investors, always looking for loopholes in my projects.”

Potential buyers

(Y/N) corrected him mentally  as she scoffed and turned away pretending to be upset 

“Liya–love, you can’t be angry at me now, it's only–uh– a bit late…” he trailed off as he glanced at his limited edition watch.

“It’s two in the morning Jin.” she huffed while reheating his dinner 

“Hmm, pretty late, but you are still awake sweetheart.”

“Yes”

Just getting some confidential documents.

“I wanted to talk.”

“Everything alright Jagi?” he sounded concerned but her smile soothed his frown

“Just considering visiting my parents. Haven’t seen them in a while.”

“Why? I mean is everything okay there?”

“Oh no, I just miss them.”

There was another thing (Y/N) had noticed about Kim Seokjin. He liked to keep her for himself.

He was a possessive man, more so emotionally than physically. It was normal for lovers to be possessive, but his sense of possession extended a bit too far.

And it made (Y/N) squirm sometimes– she could swear it was just her being uncomfortable, but deep down, she knew that there was a sinister edge to his love and it made an eerie anticipation bloom in her heart.

“Why not we go to meet them this weekend? You can finally introduce me to them then?”

“Oh Jin, no need of that, you already have a tight schedule.”

There was no way that she could let all her hard work go down the drain.

“But Liya, I have to meet them someday.”

“Sure Jin, I want you to meet them too, but I want to see how they would take the news of me already living with my boyfriend– they have always been a bit protective of me and I want things to go smoothly so bad...Let me set the ground first. Hm?”

She managed to muster up her best puppy eyes and Jin finally relented and nodded with a sigh. He was in a hurry to put a ring on her finger, so eager in fact that she already had a promise ring occupying her finger.

“When do you plan to go then?”

“Tomorrow?”

Jin smiled and nodded “Just don’t stay away from me long, okay?” 

—------

“Liya! I have cooked your favourites.” 

Her father greeted her on the porch as soon as she arrived.

“Dad I missed you!”

Her father smiled and pulled her in for a hug.

“You have the pigeon feed?” he whispered into her ears without a single muscle faltering.

She hummed, still smiling.

There could be no chance taken. It was Kim Seokjin after all, and underestimating him would be foolishness. The department knew that Kim Seokjin had eyes everywhere and one slip-up could cost them not only all their hard work but also their lives.

“Hurry up, your Mom is setting the table.” he ushered her in as they played the perfect father and daughter for the hidden hawks.

—----

“Here.” (Y/N) handed them a Pendrive. It was the one that contained recordings of his office, some pictures of classified documents and some codes

“Excellent Officer.” her ‘mother’ hummed as she examined the item.

“Now that the pigeons will be feeding, let us have dinner too.” her ‘father’ quipped in– finally at ease now that the documents were in their hands.

—------

(Y/N) had excused herself back to her room. It was cosy yet oddly familiar– detailed to perfection. A typical room that screamed  ‘I spent my teenage years here’. (Y/N) felt exhausted. Not only because she had been putting up a facade for so long but also because the ring on her finger sat heavily– mocking her as it gleamed under the nightlight. But most of all, it was the booming questions in her mind, screaming at her for answers.

She dug into her purse to retrieve a Pendrive. Another Pendrive that held the most crucial information, the deepest vulnerabilities in Kim Jin’s empire, in his security system. The Pendrive contained information that could easily lead to his encounter– no more pieces of evidence required.

She gulped, fiddling with the tiny device. She had always known what she wanted, what she was doing. But not this time.

What was she doing?

Why couldn’t she—why did not she submit the most important Pendrive to her superiors?

It would take them no time to bring Kim Seokjin and his empire of illegal weapons into ashes and yet….

“What’s wrong with me?” she huffed out breathlessly.

Finding no convincing answer, she settled for going to bed. Maybe a bit of rest would do? She had been pretending for so long, acting as the perfect, oblivious little girlfriend to a man so subtly dark, it had taken a toll on her mentally and emotionally.

—----

Drip

Drip

Drip

Drip

Drip

Drip drip drip dripdripdripdripdrip

.

.

.

Gurgrlegurlegurlegurglegurglegurgurgurgle—

“Huh?”

It was disorienting to wake up to the sound of an open tap. Without much thought, she stepped into the bathroom, cringing at the wet sensation. It was tap left open and the basin was overflowing. Turning the tap off, she waited for the water to settle down. 

The drain was blocked.

She did not remember blocking it. She had not even stepped into the bathroom.

She pulled out the lid, unlocking the drain as thoughts began to flood in. It was an in-built instinct within her. She never dismissed anything that even felt remotely off.

And at the moment she felt like something was very, very strange.

The sound of splashing and gurgling of water felt louder than it actually was. The silence was no longer blank, or even remotely cosy. It was instead eerie. 

Something just did not feel right.

Rushing to the closet, she searched for any weapons that they have provided her in the room. She let go of the breath that she had been holding as she felt a gun kept between a bundle of empty boxes. 

Fishing it out, she checked if it was loaded before pocketing the pen drive and slipping out of the room as quietly as possible. It was two o'clock in the morning, and while the silence was expected, this silence felt like holding one’s breath– it was filled with anticipation.

Making her way down the carpeted stair, she remained glued to the wall while her finger wrapped around the trigger. She gulped silently as her foot reached the bottom of the stairs. The door seemed locked, the kitchen was empty—

The backdoor!

Carefully gliding around along the walls, she reached the bedroom near the backdoor. The safety of her colleagues mattered the most to her at the moment. 

Much to her relief, she saw them asleep on the bed. Noislesslyy shutting the door, she made her way to the backdoor. It  appeared perfectly—

No.

It was unlocked. 

One twist of the doorknob gave away the fragility of their safety. Her ears tried to pick up any noise behind or around her while her eyes searched for her other colleagues roaming around in disguise. The house, past the lawn, was supposed to be occupied by her colleagues too. She quickly searched for the torchlight she knew was kept there. Gripping it with a tinge of desperation, she blinked it at the house window.

No response.

She tried again. They were supposed to have their eyes on this house for the whole damn night!

No response.

Feeling the panic beginning to build, she took a deep breath in and out. She had been spying on one of the country's biggest underworld figures, there had been people she had taken care of before.

Everything would be under control.

She tried to soothe herself as she made her way back to the bedroom, leaving the door unlocked. If something went wrong, the backdoor would be their safe exit.

As soon as she stepped into the bedroom, she reached out for them, fingers almost twitching to shoot anyone other than her colleagues.

“Sir, wake up.” she whispered as quietly as possible. Not getting a response, she tapped on his covers “Sir, Ma’am please—”

She felt cold at the sensation of the warmth she was familiar with–--warm and wet. Her throat closed up as she felt around the covers. It was all damp and warm inside but her colleagues were still and cold. 

She yanked her hand out with a shaky gasp, only to be further horrid at the sight of her tainted hands in the darkness of the room— she could see it clearly–even under the street light. 

There was a faint noise of something shifting that had her pointing her gun at the darkest corner of the room. Her heart thumped in fear and anticipation as she pointed her gun at the darkness.

It was at that moment when her anticipation came to a  heavy halt— Jin stepped out of the dark corner, taking up the space near the window instead. The streetlight and moon rays falling on his form gave him an eerie illumination.

“Why wait now?… Here I am. Pull the trigger.” 

His inaction was far more chilling than his acts of violence. He was just standing still– and nonchalant and yet, the darkness in his eyes was far deeper than the dark corner he emerged from.

“Is it not what you were sent for, after all?” he drawled, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Now you even have a reason.” 

his eyes flickered to the bed momentarily before settling back on her as he tilted his head slightly

 “What’s the matter Officer (Y/N)(L/N), pull the trigger.” the amusement was clear in his tone.

She would not pull the trigger, even if it was the right thing to do, she would never do that. 

And Kim Seokjin had realised it before her. 

She hid away the pen drive, her hands shook as she pointed her gun at him and her fingers froze at the mere thought of shooting him. 

She shook her head, trying to push back her tears as the realisation began to dawn upon her, like a nightmare merging into reality.

“E-even if I tell you why, you would not believe me.” she breathed out.

It was pathetic. How would he believe her if she told him that she had just realised that she was in love with him? For real.

Why would he believe that even?

The corner of Jin’s lips lifted up slightly at her words.

“Oh Jagi, I know you inside out…” he trailed away as he sauntered towards her.

His movements reminded her of the first time she had met him. Two years ago.

Today was the day– the day they first met.

She stepped back, half in shock, half in caution, her hands lowered far before she had realised.

“Why did you keep the other pen drive to yourself? You had two of them.” 

He knew, he always knew.

“How long?”

Jin’s lips tugged up with smugness.

“The moment our eyes met I knew that you did not belong there.”

She took in a sharp breath.

“Assuming that I had never known of you– confidence.” he continued to take predatory steps towards her. 

She truly felt like a cornered prey– so small and helpless. His towering form seemed to have engulfed the whole room- and he, her whole existence. She flinched internally when her back touched the wall. 

“But assuming that my sources would never know about you– overconfidence.” he smiled as he reached her. The kind of smile that made her feel cold

There was no way out.

“If you plan to kill me, just get over with it now.” the words felt foreign on her tongue, but she meant them.

“Oh Jagi…” he drawled as if sharpening his sword “ I only intend to teach you a sweet, sweet lesson…I do love you after all.” she forced down a whimper as he leaned closer to her, his lips touching her earlobes

 “After all, you love me too, and you shall scream that to the world tonight”

****

Min Yoongi was many things.

He was subtle, he was lowkey, and yet he was powerful, he bathed in money and influence and guess what– he was a well-known face on the top magazines, billboards and newspapers.

He was one of the leading industrialists after all.

To the world.

Behind closed doors ran the chaos and spills of the underworld– white power, red ink and sharp edges.

Min Yoongi was many things, but he was not always very patient– especially during crucial interrogations. His business was vast and deep. And to run such a vast business empire– one he had built himself, he needed money– a flood of it.

 People looked up to him as an inspirational figure– the ideal rags-to-riches man. But to build such an empire by the age of thirty-two, one needed something extra, and Yoongi had nothing– nothing other than a hawk’s eyes and a razor mind. So he used them instead and created a whole ring of underground business. The profit in the market required heavy investments and it came not only from big investors, it was pumped from the underground.

Who would suspect that the man making gaping charities, arranging free scholarships and educating millions of children would be the one running a whole underground business?

The police, who else?

It was an open secret among the top officers. They knew what went on behind closed doors and dark basements in his posh offices and luxurious hotels. Too bad, Min Yoongi was always ten steps ahead.

It had turned into a cat-and-mouse game, they would hunt for evidence, a loophole and Yoongi would hunt for the one digging those holes.

The man’s head was pulled out of the cold water. He coughed and wheezed, struggling to breathe through the remaining water dripping down along with blood.

Yoongi sighed. Twenty minutes– twenty fucking minutes and no information regarding the infiltrator. Though it was no new thing, it was a matter of increasing concern because he had not been able to get hold of the mouse yet. 

The man being interrogated was one too, but Yoongi knew that he was not the spy he should be concerned with.

“Here’s how this is going to be young man…” he began with a cigarette clasped between his lips. He paused briefly to light it up. “You tell me who has been collecting information about my organisation and I give you an easy death.”

Yoongi’s eyes flicked up, finding the dilated pupils of the man, blood and saliva running down his busted lips. He spat out two of his bloody teeth into the water and coughed. He gasped again as one of Yoongi’s men took hold of his hair, ready to dunk his head into the murky water again.

Yoongi rose his palm this time, halting his men’s actions. Pulling the cigarette away, he blew out smoke into the air, momentarily blurring his face “Let me rephrase it..If you do not reveal your partner, I will make sure that you continue to breathe.”

 Nearing him, Yoongi leaned closer, whispering in his ear 

“Besides, your sister would make up for the loss of our money for our clients. Now, that would be perfect, don’t you think?”

Yoongi smirked as the man clenched his jaw and shuddered. He gripped his shoulder and squeezed the bruise hard, making the man scream.

“Think about it, hero– your charity might cost you your sister’s life. She just entered college, didn’t she? Tsk tch tch, she must have so many dreams…” he threatened with a voice dripping with mock concern while his eyes held a promise of acting through his words.

The man shut his eyes, gritting his teeth before looking dead into Yoongi’s eyes

“Raven”

Was all he said before pushing out a tiny bottle from his tied hands, it had been there between his palms. It happened within the span of seconds, one moment the man was there, and the next, he shoved the bottle in his mouth before dropping dead.

Cyanide.

“Where were your eyes?” Yoongi gritted out as he looked at his men with fury “Where.the.fuck were you looking when he had this in his fucking palms?”

His men trembled but said nothing, only hanging their heads in shame. Min Yoongi with raised voice was a threat, but he with a cold, low voice with gritting teeth was a warning that barely stood between one’s life and his gun.

Surely, the police officer's body was not the only one which would be laying there.

But to their utter surprise, their boss’ fingers, instead of going for his gun, went to his head, running through his long hair.

He took a few puffs from his cigarette before dropping it on the wet floor and viciously crushing it with his heavy shoes.

He sighed, closing his eyes, the thin cut running through his face could be seen in its complete glory with his eyes closed– it began from his forehead and sliced straight through his left eyebrow, and eyelid, ending on his upper cheek, parallel to his nose. It was faded but only added to the grim aura he carried.

“Find out who is Raven. And don’t be lousy fucky this time.”

That was all he said before marching out of the place.

Min Yoongi was many things but he was not a man to step back from his words, even if it was something he had promised himself.

No blood on his hands on her birthday. 

—---

The front light of the shop flickered before dimming considerably while Yoongi’s car pulled up in front of the flower shop. It was decent, but in Yoongi’s mind, needed a ton of renovation. It was already past midnight and his only regret was that he could not be there to wish her on the strike of twelve.

The door sign showed ‘closed’ but he rang the bell anyway, his heart thumping on hearing the muffled sound of her ascending the stairs.

His lips curved into a smile as soon as the door opened.

“You came? I thought you were busy.”

“And I thought I told you to wait for me at my place. Yet I find you here, sleeping with just a single lock at the main door.” he commented as he walked inside. 

The flower shop was on the ground floor, and the floor above was where she lived. It would seem odd, special in a way– a business tycoon and a florist. But it would turn bizarre at the revelation of his true identity. A man marred with the underground murk and a sweet florist, oblivious to the monster she was letting in almost every night at her home.

“I baked some cookies.”

“Mhm? I got you some fried chicken with cheese and beer.” her eyes lit up at that and she smiled, raining heavens on his heart.

“Oh, Yoongi, you always know what I want!”

 Her voice dripped with delight as she made her way upstairs, while he locked the door, making eye contact with his men stationed just opposite the flower shop, under the guise of some construction workers.

He sighed in delight as her delicate floral fragrance engulfed him while he followed her upstairs.

“Wait for me in the bedroom, I will bring the food. And–what is this? A cake? You even brought me a cake? Oh Yoongi, you did not need to.”

He shook his head and smiled, taking her hands into his.

 “But I wanted to.” 

His hand slid to her lower back and the other hand guided her hand to his shoulder as they began to slow dance in the kitchen, the food long forgotten at the kitchen counter. 

Fishing out his phone, he clicked to play a retro romantic track– slow, lovely and oh-so poetic. He smiled at her, stealing a fleeting kiss on her forehead as they continued to move, like a slow-burning flame that would ignite one’s soul.

“Happy Birthday my love.” he whispered ever so tenderly as she looked up with glistening eyes. 

She tucked her head on his chest, relishing the moment in silence.

—---- 

One of the best leisure activities had to be sitting on the bed and enjoying one’s favourite meal along with one’s favourite person, Yoongi realised that while placing another piece of fried chicken on her plate. She smiled at him, a smudge of ketchup on her lower lip and it made her all the more adorable to her. All he wanted was to protect her, love her and be loved by her.

He scrunched his nose lightly while wiping the ketchup with his thumb while she munched on the chicken with stuffed cheeks.

Min Yoongi was in love with her, he knew it, she knew it too and he hoped that she would trust him too, enough to believe in his love through thick and thin.

“Gina…” he began as he took her hands in his, not minding the crumbles and oil “Do you trust me?”

She blinked “Yoongi, where is this coming from?”

“Just tell me, do you trust me to never hurt you? To love and protect you with my life?”

She frowned before nodding, but that was not enough for him.

“I need words Gina, do you trust me, love?”

“Yes Yoongi…” her voice shook but there was a crack of uncertainty. 

He would admit that it did hurt him, but he also knew that this was nothing beyond normal human behaviour– blind trust was a luxury and he would taste that luxury soon, he only had to be patient. He knew that her trust would falter with his next words, but he needed to do what was required.

Taking a deep breath, he grasped her hands firmer “Gina…I love you, and I did not wish to lose you…so I hid something from you, but now I must come clean for the sake of our love.” licking his lips, he continued “Gina, you know me as the world does, a philanthropist business tycoon, one with multiple companies under his banner, international projects, the rags-to-riches guy and what not…But the truth is beyond that, darker than that.”

Her frown deepened at that “What do you mean?” 

Yoongi sighed and continued “I have an underworld business, Gina, I have my hands dipped in everything murky you can possibly imagine.”

He felt her stiffening at his words and as she attempted to pull away from his hold, his fear began to take the shape of reality. With each attempt to pull her hands away, his hold coiled tighter like a hungry snake. His jaws ticked at her futile attempts

“You promised to trust me, didn’t you?” his hand crept to her forearm 

“Y-Yoongi…”

“I love you, I love you so much Gina, don’t try to take that away from me.” hissed, turning desperate “I love you too much to let you go. I have everything prepared for you love, you will love the mansion, it has a vast garden and even a patch of woods, there are flowers, beautiful flowers, and the room I have prepared for you is your dream room, Love. We shall move to our room soon after the wedding.”

“Wedding?” she whispered out incredulously as if it were the most bizarre thing to hear from him. 

“Of course Jagi, are we not going to marry soon? I love you Gina and I thought this would be a perfect time to come out clean. I want to keep you safe love, pack up hmm? I have had the mansion all readied.”

“No” she whispered, making Yoongi pause

“No?”

He scowled, tightening his hold to a painful extent before jerking her closer to him, ignoring the whimper his actions and eyes had elicited.

“What do you mean by No?” he snarled before closing his eyes and looking away– his tongue pushed against the inner wall of his cheek to show his thinning patience as he remained unfazed by her struggle to slip away from his bruising hold. “Gina…I told you that I love you, didn’t I? I came clean to you like a good lover. Isn’t it your turn to show appreciation and fucking listen to me? You are so fucking unsafe here I cannot protect—”

He was cut off by the sound of a click that tore through the otherwise heavy silence like an arrow in a dead forest

He looked at her, hold loosening before she mouthed--

RUN!

But there was no time for that other than reaching for his gun strapped on his shin but the moment his fingers touched the gun, he felt the piecing of a bullet. Chaos ensued as a figure in black jumped down from the attic, opening the foldable ladder that dropped from the ceiling, and reaching the bed.

Yoongi felt hands forcing him down before he elbowed the assaulter. His palm was already suffering a bullet wound but his eyes never left her– his Gina, or that was the name she had used. She shook her head, tears now streaming down in full force. 

“Min Yoong, you are under arrest!”

How were there so many men in the room? Boots rang across the floor as many men in uniform stormed the room, forcing him down further. But his eyes remained on the woman sitting in front of him, nursing her bruising wrist yet looking down at him with the sorrow only a true lover could.

Her eyes widened as he smiled at her– a genuine smile that came from the realisation that she did warn him to run, that she had pain in her eyes. 

“What’s your name?” he whispered softly making her her eyes widen. “Your name…”

“Oi! You are under arrest for being involved in illegal business, you just confessed that!” 

One of the officers spat out as he snatched away the necklace she wore roughly, making her wince and Yoongi's jaws tick.

 “We have it all recorded you scum!”

 He waved it in front of him before landing a heavy punch, making Yoongi’s head whip to the side, a bruise already forming while blood trickled down the corner of his lips.

But he did not care, finding her frightened eyes once more as her hand jerked to reach him, only to be stopped midway by the officer “What’s your name?” he asked again

 “Get her out of here.” the senior officer barked before the subordinate approached, his actions and tone much gentler than his superior as he helped her get up from the bed.

But before went out, she turned to him one last time, eyes filled with emotions, while Yoongi focused on pushing his heel against the sole of his shoe– one press of the sensor and his team would be ready. He smiled at her as she disappeared from his sight.

Soon, Love…Very Soon.

—-----

The journey to the police station involved being shoved into a heavily guarded van with too many armed men.

Twenty men for one person? Even with a bullet wound?

He liked the fear. 

His eyes met with one of the amateur officers, young, naive and so fucking idealistic perhaps– a version of his in his early teens. Yoongi smirked as he watched him gulp subtly.

Good.

As soon as they reached the police station at an ungodly hour, he was shoved into an overly guarded prison, the captain watched him from outside as one would while inspecting a feral animal.

The middle-aged man held his gaze as Yoongi made himself comfortable behind the bars, sitting on the bed near the wall, his form faintly visible in the darkness.

The captain held his phone to his ear before speaking up, breaking the tense silence that felt like a bated breath

 “Mission Raven Completed,” 

He whispered out, his eyes holding Yoongi’s gaze in mockery as he cut the call and slipped his phone into his pocket

“Your game is over Min Yoongi.” 

Yoongi sat still, his feline eyes shining with amusement under the minimal light reaching his prison.

“What? Aren’t you scared? The whole world will come to know your true face in a few hours!” he snarled at him.

Yoongi knew that he had made many, many enemies along his climb to the top of the underworld rings. And this captain seemed to take things a bit too personally. But what did he know of the ‘games’ he played?

“ Captain Jiwok…” he watched in satisfaction as the smirk was wiped out from the man’s face “My game has just begun.”

Before the man could speak any further, a deafening boom shook the whole building as rubble began to fall,  he watched the building burst into bedlam, throwing his back into laughter while his eyes twinkled in delight.

****

A sunny day, the bright colours of the summer and the gentle breeze playing with the new, tender leaves and the playful petals of brightest and softest blooms. 

It would make anyone smile. But not the mistress of the Jung Estate–(L/N)(Y/N), who could only resentfully look on as the servants, maids, dogs, cats, butterflies and even insects enjoyed their freedom of embracing the outside world– all but her.

The sprawling estate encompassed a vast garden with water channels running around in symbols, hosting a range of koi fish, one more stunning than the other and a number of servant quarters that housed the staff. 

The place would look idyllic to anyone who would first set their eyes on it. But underneath the beautiful estate, laid metal doors, bloody walls and unending, dark body chutes. One might find that shocking, but not (Y/N) – to her, the Jung Estate was an extension of the master of the property– Jung Hoseok– an angel’s face and a devil’s soul. But (Y/N) doubted that he had any soul at all.

Taking her eyes off the garden, she focused on the elaborate lunch spread out for her. At least she had a choice of food, she thought with contempt as the maid served her more rice.

“Would you like dessert after lunch Ma’am?” Lia, her personal maid enquired.

“No thank you.”

“They’re all your favourite Madame.” she pressed ever so gently.

Sighing, (Y/N) nodded. Dessert might do her soured mood some good.

“I will bring them right after you are finished, Madame.” Lia beamed

(Y/N)’s lips tugged up subtly with an amused smile as she continued to eat her lunch. Hoseok, her husband always told her how much he loved her smile. And yet, he had turned the reason behind its decline. 

Jung Hoseok was probably the most feared man in the country and she had made the foolish mistake of walking right into the lion’s den one sorry evening.

—-----

“Madame, sweet buns along with mini butter croissants.” 

(Y/N) had smelled the delicious aroma before the oven-fresh delicacies came within her sight. After all, something to truly smile about, without making her cheeks ache. 

“You should have your lunch, Lia.” she offered softly, aching to be left alone, truly alone, without his people following her like some…fucking guard dogs!

Lia, the dedicated girl was obviously not at fault– she was just doing what she was paid so heftily for– taking care of the mistress of the Jung Estate.

The Mistress of Jung Estate…Ironical, really, when she could not even step out of the iron castle without his consent. And if he were to go out of the city, even the garden was out of her reach. Even his pet had more freedom than her. 

And yet…

And yet he would claim to love her the most, adore her more than anything and appreciate even the most mundane thing she would do.

Huffing as such thoughts crossed her path, she violently tore the delicate croissant into two before—

Croissants were not supposed to make any tearing sounds! Or were they?

This time, she looked closer, only to two torn pieces of the same paper peeking out of the halves of the delicacy. (Y/N) frowned as she pulled the pieces of paper out before joining them. Only to part her lips in surprise at the sight of the message written there.

A phone number!

She crumpled the pieces of paper, hiding them away in her fist before carefully peeling apart another croissant– the same number!

This had to mean something, this could not be a coincidence.

Her stomach flipped as she gulped an uncomfortable lump in her throat. 

What is this?

The question rang louder than all other thoughts in her head as she delicately folded the paper and walked up to the closet before hiding the paper in one of her shoes.

Thankfully, there were only two such croissants and the rest had only warmth and aroma stuffed inside them, so were the sweet buns, simple and delicious. The incident felt more like a dream but (Y/N) knew that it was not.

—--

“Who prepared the dessert today?” (Y/N) prayed that she sounded absolutely nonchalant as she fiddled with her food, pretending to mix the sauce with the rice.

Sitting on the terrace, she could have a wide view of the spread-out property– all lit up and quiet, except for nature’s sounds.

“Oh, did you not like it Ma’am?” it was the butler serving her this time– breakfasts and dinners were his responsibility and she had no clue why this was a rigid routine.

“No, it was delicious, that’s why I asked…”

“I am glad Madame, Lia herself prepared the dessert.”

(Y/N) kept her eyes down, afraid that her eyes would give away the surprise. Somehow, she managed a mundane “Oh, I see.” but all she did was restrain herself from frowning.

She did not even remember when she fell asleep, in his absence, sleep seemed to come easy and deep. But this time, somehow she woke up with a start in the middle of the night. It was quiet but tense and while she was alert as soon as she woke up without the usual grogginess she would feel, the goosebumps all over her skin told her that something was just not right.

Squinting her eyes, she tried to adjust her eyes to the darkness when she spotted–

“Lia?” she hissed, annoyed that the girl was there inside her bedroom and had given her a nightmare-worthy scare.

“Lia, is that you?” she felt her parched throat before recognising her rising fear— what if it was not Lia but one of Hoseok’s rivals? What if the person wanted to hurt her? The silhouette matched that of her personal maid but she had not seen the person’s face yet and—

To her slight relief, Lia revealed herself as she stepped near the bed “Madame, you are awake at this time?”

What kind of question was that?

“What are you doing in my room at two in the morning?”

Lia only smiled at her counter-question, but there was something condescending about it.

“Don’t you feel better? More refreshed than mornings?”

“Wh-what? What kind of question—”

“I assume you’ve got the number and are smart enough to hide it in a safe place?” she cut her off,

(Y/N) gulped, feeling increasingly uneasy with the situation. She was alone, vulnerable in her room with her supposedly personal maid who seemed…just off.

Lia sighed and tilted her head “Don’t worry, I'm not here to hurt you. In fact, I can help you.”

“Help me?” she could feel her voice crumble at her words.

Help her as in helping her get out of the place? But who would dare to?

“No, woman, I am not a rival’s spy or something if you are worried about that. I work for the government.”

(Y/N) gasped quietly at that. Why would the government of the nation take the pains of infiltrating Hoseok’s home to rescue a simple girl? She gulped again, feeling her mouth grow increasingly dry.

“Don’t,” Lia’s voice was quiet but strong, halting (Y/N)’s movement immediately as she reached out for the water bottle placed on the nightstand.

“I was just feeling thirsty?” she could not help but feel fear beginning to grip her in the face of the uncertain situation.

“You can drink that once we’re finished with the conversation woman. You drink that right now, you will fall asleep again.”

“What?” (Y/N) frowned while Lia rolled her eyes with a slow shake of her head 

“You are such a naive girl, no wonder you are still stuck here.” 

 She sighed before explaining

 “Don’t you feel weird? It is only the butler who serves you breakfast and dinner, prepared by him in the boss’ absence? Don’t you wonder why you feel so sleepy, even after breakfast? You sleep until noon and yet feel tired after dinner”

“So…” (Y/N) gulped, feeling her stomach beginning to flip “So, y-you are saying that the food, the water is compromised?”

“‘Compromised’? Don’t soften this up now, you know what it is, just acknowledge it.”

“He–he won’t–I mean he couldn’t have—”

Lia smiled again, the same condescending smile that rubbed the ugly fact on her face and made her stomach churn.

“You are saying that—that the food and water I consume are…drugged?”

She knew that Hoseok’s ‘love’ was toxic, but this was straight out of some nightmare-inducing psychological thriller. She let out a shuddering breath as the horrible realisation dawned upon her. It was sick, absolutely sick. 

“You see, morning and night are the only times when guards change shifts and take breaks, he could not take any chances. You are after all his most treasured possession.”

She drawled, and her words slapped the bleak reality of her marriage right on her face. Was it even a marriage? She felt like a prisoner before, now she was reduced to a precious little pet.

Weren’t you always his fucking pet?

Her subconscious mocked her as she felt tears beginning to gather.

“It took me a while to figure out what was he giving you, but today I managed to slip an antidote in your dinner. How does it feel to wake up refreshed?”

When she did not answer, Lia threw something beside her, making her flinch 

“In case you realise how deep you are in. All you need is to call.”

(Y/N)’s eyes remind of the buttoned cell phone, she did not even hear Lia leaving– she left as quietly as she came.

But she left behind a storm brewing in (Y/N)’s mind.

—-------

Despite knowing the consequences, (Y/N) tucked the phone away in some safe corner and drank the water, she was absolutely parched. Everything was too much to take. She knew that Hoseok was no saint, but this made her sick to her stomach. She feared Hoseok but now…now she was terrified of him.

The sky rumbled before her eyes found the window gigantic window of the place– big droplets of rain had begun to dot the glass. From that height, the sky seemed nearer, yet all the more distant– it was just a better, clearer sight, especially when one could leisurely watch the thunderstorm up close– clouds flashing, clashing and the skies illuminating with blinding cracks.

No one seemed to notice, or care, but her. It felt like it was only her– just like her four years old relationship– it was only her there. She was the one making the effort, she was always the one apologising, she was the one making her plans, her schedule flexible, initiating dates and she was the only fucking person in a relationship involving two.

And it took her a whole bad fight and a slap on the face to realise that. It was the worst fight the two had, and also perhaps the third major one in a span of four fucking years– so used to ‘sweeping things under the rug’ and ‘keeping the peace’, she had was, for once glad to let it all out– the bottled disappointments, suppressed anger, resentment, frustration hurt, envy, jealousy– every ugly emotion one could come up with when they had to carry the weight of a dying relationship and when she was spitting the facts on his face, he retorted with a slap that shook everything– the relationship, her perspective, her beliefs— everything shuddered and began to crumble with nothing. 

Noted, she had pulled his parents’ failed marriage in a fit of rage but reacting with violence? Was it ever okay?

Thankfully, she knew the answer. She did not even remember how she simply picked up her phone and wallet in dead silence after he stormed out of the house in tears. She had her vision blurred with unshed tears as well, but she did not let them escape her eyes, at least not until she drove back to her apartment. She had seen her first-ever serious relationship crumbling into nothing and she had no clue how to deal with that.

After days of crying herself to sleep and being on autopilot, her friends decided to intervene and drag her away to the fancy event. She had blocked him from everywhere but she was not sure if he even tried to contact her. Even in the glittering and gilded place, she could not stop thinking about him and the relationship she had dragged on for such a long time, but not romantically. She could not bring herself to do that after what had transpired that evening.

“Ma’am, a drink for you.” 

(Y/N) frowned as the bartender slid a fancy-looking shimmery drink in front of her. While her friends were busy chitchatting and flirting with people they knew, she had excused herself to the quieter part of the gigantic hall, a bar. But she had not ordered anything yet.

“But I did not order anything.”

“The gentleman bought you this.”

Not all drinks were free and the drink definitely looked like it had soaked up a fortune. Her eyes followed the bartender’s gaze and found a man she had never seen before leaning against the other end of the long island.

He looked sleek and mysterious and every last thing she wanted at the moment. While he smoked and raised an eyebrow, she smiled apologetically before shaking her head before getting off the barstool and making her way back to her friends.

She did not know what she needed at the moment, but she did know what she did not need.

As the event dragged on (Y/N) had begun to feel more uninterested. Maybe such high-class parties were more suited for her millionaire friend who had thrust the invitation card in her face. (Y/N) knew that all she wanted was to make her feel better but the event was quickly turning her eyes droopy. 

Bidding her friend goodbye with an excuse, she sighed in relief the moment she walked out of the hall, as the door closed, she was greeted with a silent hallway leading to the exit of the building.

“Hello there” the voice made her jump as she turned around, only to find the same man just a foot behind her.

“Oh, didn’t see you there.” she mustered up an easy smile as her feet remained in the direction of the exit.

The man hummed and assessed her with a ghost of a smile on his face, the tilt of his head had a few strands falling on his exposed forehead. He was an attractive man, no doubt, but she was just not interested. He seemed well above twenty-five, even past thirty perhaps.

“Did you not like the drink, Pretty?” she cringed internally at the nickname.

“I am in a hurry actually, thank you for the drink by the way.”

His lips tilted into an amused smile “Let me have the honours to drop you home, pretty.”

“I have my car.”

She had come with her friends and she had no car, but a cab would always be nearby in a posh locality.

“Oh yeah? Let me walk you to your car then.”

She tried to rack her brain for some excuse but the glint in his eyes confirmed her fears, he knew that she had no vehicle to return home and he was taking advantage of her situation. Even if he only intended to flirt, he was making her easy. 

“There you are!” the loud and buoyant voice startled her.

`

The man cornering her turned around, giving her a view of another man approaching them.

“And there I was, searching for you in that hall!” the new man beamed with a blinding smile before turning to him “Hi Juk, you’re here too.”

“Mr Jung, I did not that she is—”

“She came with me.” he declared, finding her gaze briefly before flickering back to…Juk– or whatever his name was.

She understood what he was trying to do and played along. 

“I was searching for you too!” even if her voice showed her relief, she did not care anymore.

Oddly, she felt less threatened in the smiling stranger’s presence. Juk came up with an excuse before walking back into the hall, leaving them alone. His gentle gaze fixed on her before his smile turned soft.

“Are you okay?”

“Eh yes, yes, thank you—I should get going now.” she bowed to show him her gratitude as he shook his head.

“Ah, it’s nothing, sometimes people here get pretty intense. I’m used to this.” he explained before realisation flashed in his eyes “I never saw you here before?”

“Yes, I came here with my friend.” 

“And you are leaving alone?”

“Yes, I was bored.” she slapped her hand over her lips immediately as the realisation dawned upon her. But it was too late.

Now what if he was the host?

“N-No I mean–I’m sorry—.” she was immediately in damage control mode, but he only waved his hand, laughing.

“No, no, I appreciate your honesty…I’m Hoseok by the way. Jung Hoseok.” he offered her his hand for a shake.

“(L/N)(Y/N).” she shook it with a smile.

—-----

When she opened her groggy eyes again, the room was illuminated with the sunshine filtering through the curtains fluttering. She rubbed her eyes as they began to close again.

Wait, she would never leave her window open at night?

“Good afternoon, Love!” 

Her actions paused as she rose from her bed, pushing away the comforter, only to find Hoseok standing in front of her, dressed in his casual olive t-shirt and sweats. Her eyes widened in surprise, the conversation with Lia floating back in her mind.

But he did not give her much time to think, instead, he got on the bed and pulled her for a searing kiss, never minding her morning breath or her stiffness.

“I missed you so much Jagi!” there it was, the deceiving smile that had blinded her to all the bright red flags once.

His arms engulfed her, pulling her towards his chest as he hummed in delight “You were sleeping when I returned, so I made breakfast for you myself.”

Schooling her expression and keeping her voice steady, she hugged him back “Thank you Hoseok.”

“Oh, no need to thank me, Love. I have been gone for a while, haven’t I? It must have been hard for you.” his voice dipped to a tone of regret before he pulled away and cupped her face “Being locked in here all by yourself. But you know it's for your safety, don’t you?”

Gulping, she dropped her gaze and nodded. He smiled in return before kissing her once more. “There, there, nothing to worry about anymore. You can even go to the garden unattended! But why bother about a garden when we have a whole vacation planned?”

Surprised, she looked up, earning a coo from him as he placed a kiss on her forehead. 

“Like, out of this place? This city?”

Hoseok nodded “Now, freshen up, I will serve you some breakfast. Okay?” 

 With a nod and a small smile, she made her way towards the bathroom, feeling increasingly uneasy in his presence. As soon as she was out of the bathroom, she was relieved to find no trace of her husband in the room. The bed was freshly made and crisp, everything seemed right in place, speckless. 

A vacation…

Lia’s words never left her mind, not even for a moment since she woke up. Did she want out?

Yes. Of course, she did. And she knew that deep down, Hoseok knew that too— she never asked to be here. That was why she was not even allowed to step out of the mansion in his absence.

But the real question was…

Was she safe?

She pondered as she held the phone in her grip.

****

She cursed herself as the thick rain pounded on her back while she jogged her way back home. Had she brought an umbrella, she could have avoided this situation. She hated getting wet in the rain. She hated such stormy evenings overall.

“Shit!”

She cursed out loud as she slipped down on the ground, her one leg folding painfully in the process. Gasping out in pain and shock, she tried to steady herself.

Breathe (Y/N), keep calm, you are almost home, you can have a good sleep and—no, not a peaceful sleep maybe but you will be taken care of.

Nodding to herself, she rose from the ground and continued her way home with a limping foot while the sky rumbled unpleasantly over her. She should have slowed down before.

Her apartment was quiet when she entered it. Closing the door with a huff, she took off her now, soaked shoes but gasped when she rose after putting them away. 

There was someone in the apartment with her!

She cursed herself before hastily switching the lights on, only to fall into a fused state of relief and annoyance.

“Namjoon!” she hissed “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? And why were you just standing there like a creep?”

Namjoon chortled and folded his arms over his chest “Why? Did I scare you little bird?”

Rolling her eyes, (Y/N) shook her head “I’m not a little bird Joon.”

“Oh Little bird, you are dripping.” he cooed as he made his way towards her.

If there was someone who could simultaneously get on her nerves and warm her heart, it would be Kim Namjoon, her boyfriend of six months- Kim Namjoon. 

And she wondered often how come he was a college professor. At the rate he lost and broke things while managing to look like the most innocent soul with round eyes and full cheeks and–no wait, he was annoying at the moment!

“There, there.” he gently patted her with a towel and yet had the audacity to tease her in between “You look like a dunked kitten by the way.”

She simply sighed. There was no stopping him, she had realised that. He was like a child sometimes, really.

“Move, I have to get changed.” pushing her laughing boyfriend away, she made her way to the bathroom.

“Hey kitten, I have turned on the heating, be careful not to burn yourself!” he called out from behind as she slammed the bathroom door shut.

(Y/N) had met Namjoon in the most cliche place possible– a coffee shop. One moment he was passing by her seat and the next, he was tripping on plain ground and the entire content of his ‘extra-large’ cold coffee was all over her.

Before she could even turn around with smoke leaving her ears, he was on his knees apologising profusely with repeated bows, so much that he had hit his forehead twice on the table in the frenzy and his ID was on the ground, taking a dip at the spilled, frothy cold coffee.

The rest? Looking at them, anyone could have guessed the rest. 

It was hard to believe that a man this clumsy was teaching at a reputed college. She often wondered ‘How did he survive this far’, especially when he tried helping her in the kitchen.

He was banned from the kitchen for a reason.

When she entered the living room, Namjoon was busy cleaning the muddy footprints near the apartment entrance.

“I ordered us some chicken ramen with some snacks and beer.” Namjoon perked up as soon as he saw her enter the room

“Finally, something good to look forward to!” she beamed

“Oh, was work not good?” his smile faded with a frown of concern replacing it.

(Y/N) smiled and shook her head dismissively “Oh nothing, just the usual running around. We have weirdos coming in with bizarre complaints” she scoffed

“So, where else people would go if not the police?”

“Joon, there were claims of alien sightings.” she huffed, rolling her eyes as she plopped on the couch “Thanks for cleaning up though. I am so tired.” (Y/N) could not stop the wince when she tried to stretch her legs. 

People might consider that once someone joins the police force, they attain immunity against injuries and pain– the fact was, she and officers like her, were only human.

“What happened?”

“Nothing, I just slipped while jogging back home.”

“(Y/N), how many times have I asked you to not rush? It's even more dangerous during the rainy season!” he was immediately by her side, bunching the loose gown she wore to her mid-thigh. He winced at the sight of the bruised shin and knee. “Look what you have done to yourself now.” he chided as he gently ran his fingers through the darkening bruises.

“I’m a police officer Joon.” she scoffed, attempting to pull away, but he would have none of that 

“So? You are still human. Moreover, it has barely been a year since you joined.”

“A year Joon, a year has 365 days.”

Namjoon simply smiled and for the first time, the warmth was missing “Oh, little bird…I bet you’ve seen nothing. The world now rivals hell.” he leaned closer and placed a peck on her knee “So, be careful what you fly into.”

Although his eyes held a playful glint, they darkened under the light, ironically, they seemed to swallow the light falling on them, not reflect. It felt like she was starring at the eyes of a stranger, a man she had never seen before and—

Ring! Ring-ring!

The doorbell rang, shoving her out of the trance as she flinched– eyes darting towards the unanswered door, the smart LED mounted on the wall– anywhere but him.

Namjoon rose and walked up to the door in silence. Looking through the peephole, he unlocked the door and opened it, while she rushed to cover her legs and look decent.

It was their dinner. 

“Dinner’s here!” he turned to her with the paper bag dangling from his hold as soon as he shut the door. 

His smile was warm, the one she knew– it was her Namjoon. 

“Don’t worry, I will set it up. Why don’t you play the sitcom we were watching last time, hmm?”

She smiled as he walked towards the kitchenette. It was so usual of him– he was Namjoon, her boyfriend. Why did it feel different then?

Shaking her head, she moved to switch on the TV– she was just tired.

—-----

There was a thing about being in the police force. One comes under numerous circumstances, meet numerous people and remembers most of them. It was a part of the training, or maybe the experience she had over a year of joining the Police. 

The spies, the police, and the military had somewhat of a peculiar kind of instinct– in fact, they were trained to follow their instinct, trained to not hold the gaze for too long without the necessity and to never stare at the back of the head of the people they were supposed to keep an eye on.

The training, perhaps makes the observation and the intuition stronger– like their subconscious would no things before their conscious mind would find out.

Even after days after Namjoon’s visit, (Y/N) could not forget the moment– the brief, dreamlike moment that, even for a part of a second did make her see her boyfriend under a different light. Even if it was just for a moment, the Namjoon she knew seemed to have turned into…someone else- someone who made her…uneasy.

So aside from the cases she already was handling along with being a part of a confidential project, she took it upon herself to research more on Namjoon– her boyfriend. He had told her that he had discarded his surname, he was just Namjoon– even his ID showed that– ‘Namjoon’.

And that made it all the more difficult for her to dig more about him. It had not bothered her before. In fact, she had not even bothered to dig up about him, she never felt like he was hiding something or even remotely pretending. He was an unsuspecting College professor– a clumsy, endearing gentle giant who loved bonsai, flowers and everything small and cute.

Until that one night.

It is just to ease my tension. Just to ease my suspicion, it's nothing probably.

She kept telling herself as she searched through digital file after digital file without a trace of anything familiar. At one point, she even thought, why bother anyway? It might just have been the light doing its trick, or maybe her tired brain making up things.

But there was something that distinguished a person in uniform from an ordinary civilian– their reliance on their gut feeling. Even if people might find it strange, the police relied heavily on their gut feeling.

So if her gut feeling sensed something, she was trained to go with it– no matter who or what. She might be an amateur, not a speedy learner like her colleagues but she knew her job and she knew was, at the end of the day, a police officer.

—----

“The police in Busan have discovered a shipment... cocaine.” there was an emergency meeting held as soon as the station’s in-charge received an e-mail. “But they are suspecting that it is not the whole shipment.”

“Sir, what is the amount?” (Y/N)’s colleague Han raised the much-awaited question

Their superior’s eyes turned grim as he sighed.

This did not seem good

“48 kilograms.”

The room fell into a tense silence.

“And how do we know that it is not the whole shipment? 48kgs of cocaine is no joke.” (Y/N) spoke up this time.

“Yes, (Y/N), but the shipment was most probably for Gangnam. I had some people working for the police keeping an eye out. Those people are cunning– they evaded the Busan police– I had spoken with the station’s in-charge there and got to know that only the shipment was discovered, not the dealers.”

 He switched on the projector and the screen showed a map of major cities in the country but there were places marked. 

“You see these places? These are the places we have foiled major shipments in the past year.” he pointed at the flagged locations “But there is a worrying pattern here. These are the areas where most hotels, resorts, and other tourist destinations are. And before last year, neither these places nor such a jump in the number of drugs was detected…You know what this means, right?”

“There is a new snake in the town?” (Y/N) guessed

Their senior nodded “Yes, most probably– you see, this person is experienced, cunning. They know what happens in the streets, they know how things work and yet we get are able to sack the major shipments, but not a single dealer…It seems deliberate.”

“Deliberate? Those cost billions Sir,” Han was right, but so was her boss.

“Hmm, but we have no idea how vast this empire is, do we? It is the underground we’re speaking of, Han, these people are powerful dangerous, cruel and cunning. You never take them as fools. That might be your last mistake.”

Han nodded at his words before he continued -

“For now, we need to increase the patrol. Patrol officers here, keep vigilance and let some officers loiter around in civil attire, we need to keep an eye out for this area, we have  quite a few tourist places here. Dismissed for now.”

With that, the sounds of screeching and pushing chairs filled the room as the officers made their way out of the room one by one. 

“Officer (Y/N), please wait, I have a discussion with you regarding the burglary case.”

“Sure sir.”

As soon as the room was empty he walked up to the door and closed it.

“Sir, the case has been–”

“Closed, I know, this is regarding the shipments.”

“It's a mind game (Y/N). I’m sure of it.”

“May I know the reason, Sir?”

 “This time, they have targeted Busan. It's like a flag of ownership and victory, not a missed shipment. Whatever actual shipment was headed for Gangnam, has already reached there while the police were distracted with this one. It's like a declaration– they have their hold beyond this city now.”

“But 48 kg of cocaine costs a lot Sir, and Han was right, whatever shipments we have found over the years, they cost billions.” 

“And..do we know if those belong to this new…snake?”

(Y/N) frowned at his response

“The underworld, (Y/N) is no stranger to brutality. As I mentioned before, this new player knows the streets. They’re experienced. Do you really think that they will make such an amateur mistake? Not a single dealer caught, no man caught. They are mocking us, making us run around like puppies and I have a name for the snake…”

“A name?”

Her boss nodded before handing her his phone. There was a message from an unsaved number. A message with only two letters.

RM

“So–so who is this?”

“Can be anyone, a business tycoon, a philanthropist or whatever, but a looming figure in the underworld with eyes and ears everywhere. Ever since the last major drug dealer was shot dead in Dubai last year, we have been receiving anonymous alerts on such shipments.”

“So, you are suggesting that this…person has replaced the notorious Don? He was a Godfather, Sir and wasn’t his son about to take up—”

“And where is his son (Y/N)? Vanished, we have no idea where he is but this is not their pattern, we know that. Their businesses are sealed– legal or illegal, their bank accounts were frozen, properties here sealed– the family is not a threat now (Y/N). But this…” he pointed at his phone in her grip “This is. They are a clear, looming threat and it is so obvious that they fear no, nothing. It's like a game to them.”

“So, what do you want me to do?”

Her superior sighed and nodded as he took his phone back “It is not easy but I know I can trust you on this. I am forming a team, and I will update you soon about that but for now, we know that this RM knows the street well, maybe they belonged there once. Take a few days off and take a sweep of the street meanwhile. We need to have more information.”

“Sure, Sir.” she squared her shoulders

He nodded “Okay, you can go now, do not let anyone suspect anything until I inform you of the rest of the team.”

“Sir.” giving him a salute, she turned to walk away.

“And (Y/N).”

“Yes, Sir?”

“Be careful. We have a cunning and venomous snake here.”

“I will keep that in mind, Sir.”

“Okay, you can go now.”

—-------------

The place looked as peaceful as ever. The aroma of roasted coffee beans, blended with that of butter and chocolate– it was a typical cafe. And the same cafe she had met Namjoon for the first time.  And as she watched the couple sitting across the place, the same seat she had been sitting on months ago, her meeting with Namjoon, her interaction, it all felt surreal. Their story was indeed novel-worthy! Like a perfect romcom—

Perfect…

(Y/N) froze completely for a moment when the realisation struck her– her chewing, her fiddling, even her breathing and blinking.

Each movement spent with her boyfriend flowed in and each moment seemed so…Perfect.

Beautiful anything, (Y/N) knew one thing about the world…Nothing is perfect.

Yes, there were some shortcomings here and there but the meetings, the bumping into one another again…Everything was indeed perfect.

She gulped, then blinked.

No, she was thinking too much. Namjoon was a true gentleman. A man she was falling for, she really liked him. Maybe–maybe even loved him? She was not much sure about love but she knew one thing for sure, her job’s stress was spilling over on her personal life and affecting her personal relationships.

Before her thoughts could spiral any further, the chair in front of her was pulled out and her boyfriend took a seat in front of her, boring holes into her form as he made himself comfortable.

“Oh, Hi Namjoon.”

Namjoon did not respond immediately, he just sat there, staring right into her eyes, fingers folded into a contemplating posture. For the first time, (Y/N) realised that indeed, it would not be difficult for him to take control over a class of even hundreds– he had a commanding presence.

“You have not been answering my calls,” he stated. 

There was no questioning regarding the possible reasons. There was no trace of ‘questions’ in his tone at all.

“Yes, I have been a bit busy lately– just the usual, police things.”

Namjoon simply hummed, eyes still searching hers without a shift. “What are you getting, little bird?”

“Uh…Coffee?” she was left baffled at her own reaction. 

It was Namjoon, just Namjoon. So why did she feel… scrutinised? She was reminded of the night she had seen a glimpse of…something in his eyes. 

“So– what would you have?” her gaze dropped to the menu card in front of her.

“The usual.” she nodded to a waiter passing by 

“Would you like to order Ma’am?”

But before she could speak up, Namjoon ‘s voice intervened “One cappuccino frappe and a caramel macchiato along with some choco-chip cookies please.” 

As soon as the waiter was gone, he reached out for her hand on the table and sighed “You scared me (Y/N).” his eyes looked so soft and vulnerable, she thought she was crazy. Something had to be wrong with her to doubt a man like him.

“I’m so sorry Joon, I was so stressed about my job I…” he squeezed her hand gently and nodded.

“It must be stressful, right? See, you have dark circles forming.” his fingers reached out and traced the subtle bags forming under her eyes. “But please let me know (Y/N), let me know that you are okay, not too stressed, no hurt…I was so worried!”

Guilt encompassed her as she stared at his vulnerable gaze addressing her. He had been so worried about her and there she was, letting her investigative brain rush to conclusions and scenarios.

“I’m...I’m so sorry Joon, I should have informed you– I was so wrapped up in things and—” she stopped herself lest she would accidentally let something confidential slip out. And no matter who it was, having a loose tongue as a police officer was unacceptable.

“It’s okay, I understand Baby. Just never...” his hold on her hand tightened with a pause “Avoid me again.”

—-----

Everything was settled. Han, her, Dok and Kyong were in the special team. They met up at Han’s place in order to discuss their strategy.

“So we have a layout of the regions where we found drugs worth millions and from different cities. Each time, different location and different day.”

“Where’s the pattern though?” Han questioned, 

“In the fact that everything time, it is a city, a town at least, no remote area.”

“Yes.” (Y/N) added. All eyes turned to her and Kyong nodded “Not yet.”

“So, where do we begin?” Dok asked the much-anticipated question

“ As we know, we are on leave on paper. This is a highly confidential mission. First thing first, Sir asked us to be lowkey. No matter what we need to risk, just don’t get caught. The department would refuse any connection without activities here.”

“If it's a special mission then, why not involve the intelligence?”

“We are yet to receive any message from the higher-ups,” Kyong explained

“So we are on our own?”

“Definitely,” Han added.

“What we can do now is to track where the recent shipment was supposedly headed for– Gangnam. Why don’t we all spread to different high-profile clubs? Meanwhile, tell our informants to be on high alert, especially in Gangnam and nearby localities, even universities and colleges.” (Y/N) proposed.

“You’re right. Shall we go tonight?” Dok proposed

“Yes, we can but would not this be obvious if anything happens tonight? We found a shipment yesterday.” Kyong suggested,

“The weekend then?” 

“No (Y/N), the weekend is just too obvious. If anything does happen this weekend, it might be planned too, maybe to distract us—right–Kyong, your best informants are active nearby airports, stations and docs right?” Han perked up as if a fuse went off in his head “Tell them to be active tonight and especially this weekend. We can spread it in different clubs in Gangnam. If anything happens there, we shall also alert the informants and the police near dockyards, train stations and transportation areas. Because if they do plan to distract us, they might be up to something much bigger. Shipment, I assume, for now. We can catch them red-handed.”

“But where would be the official orders? Like, we are involving police officers from other regions Han.” Kyong had a point.

“Well, right, we can speak to Sir, right? He will provide us with the required.” Han proposed.

“Han is right, if this is a special mission at the department level, there is no way that the higher-ups have no idea. And even if they have no idea and Byuk Sir is risking it all for this mission, he has to have some loop ways out. He can manage and he can help us all manage.” (Y/N) agreed.

“But, wait, we were supposed to just collect information, not arrest anyone.” Dok pointed out.

“Well, not this RM, we can’t reach to such a level by ourselves, but maybe get out hands on this…RM’s men? Won’t this be a breakthrough?” Kyong argued.

“And would alert them further? We don’t even know if this is a man, woman, organisation, or group–we are in complete darkness!” Dok pointed out and he was right.

“Dok’s right. We will only collect information, a full-fledged operation would happen only after approval from the higher-ups, we don’t know who we are dealing with Kyong and if something goes wrong, the whole department and especiallyByik Sir would be under fire. We have to first find out this…RM’s reach and standing.”

“Seems obnoxiously confident to me, deliberately giving away billions worth of shipments,” Han added.

“And we will let them be confident. Won’t take long to turn into overconfidence– one misstep and we can have them.” (Y/N) spoke up and everyone nodded in agreement.

“This weekend then.” Dok reminded.

“This very weekend Dok,” Kyong assured.

—-----------

“Are you free this Weekend?” Namjoon asked as he poured her some wine. 

They were dining in a moderately fancy restaurant to celebrate his promotion as the Department Head. Now he would be responsible for all the inter-section activities and event organisations for the Literature and Culture Department of the University.

“I wish I were Baby, but I need to help a friend out. She’s a colleague, her mother is sick, I need to take care of her baby for a day.”

“Oh, what happened?” he asked before sipping his wine.

“Cancer.”

She hated the fact that she was having to lie to him. But what was needed, was to be done.

“Oh, the type?”

“I don’t know much, it has been rough on her, I’m trying to help as much as I can.”

Namjoon hummed before smiling “It’s okay, Jagi, we will get to spend a lot of time later. Just take care of yourself, hmm?”

“Yes, sure Joon.” she smiled back, but guilt continued to tap within.

But it would be alright. Once she was done with this case, she would make up for the lost time with her Joonie. She reassured herself.

—------

“Okay, I’ve reached, Dok,(Y/N), Han?” Kyong’s voice was clear despite the thrumming music across the floor littered with moving and blinking streaks of neon. The earbuds were incredible though.

.

“Yes, I’ve reached. Over.” (Y/N) responded and followed.

“Okay, you have your informants inside?”

“Yes.” (Y/N) replied, as she neared the bar, body language relaxed and dressed up to mingle with the crowd.

She ordered a drink– her eyes met with that of the bartender. They flashed with recognition and he nodded and prepared her drink. He poured yellow syrup over it.

A subtle sign that he was suspicious of someone in the nightclub.

“Here you go Ma’am.” he smiled and leaned further for the final garnishing, and as he leaned, he managed to whisper out “A man in a white shirt, scotch on rocks– corner seat.”

Taking her drink, she turned around and looked around the area. It was too chaotic and dark. And if there was someone, she did not want to seem even remotely suspicious. Fishing out her phone, she connected with another informant in the place– a waitress.

“Man in a white shirt, scotch on rocks, a corner seat. Use a bug.”

For an hour, whatever she had heard had been irrelevant but then, something caught her ears

“Yes, whole forty-eight, the shore, where else? Let's talk upstairs…”

From where she stood, she could see the man, partially visible under the shadows– he was a middle-aged, bulky man. But he was not alone, there were three more people. As they moved, (Y/N) slipped further under the shadows, pretending to be just another girl on call. Yet, from the corner of her eyes, she could see them beginning to walk towards the more private space of the club.

Under the shadows, she was about to stalk them when, with a beep, her team reconnected with call.

“ This is Kyong. We have information regarding a suspicious shipment at the dockyard, I repeat, we have information regarding a suspicious shipment to be loaded at the dockyard within an hour. Over.”

“Kyong, I think we have a suspect here. Over.” (Y/N) informed.

“We have to move to the dockyard first (Y/N) give the tell your informants to stay alert there. Over.” Kyong spoke

“Kyong, this might be important.”

“(Y/N), this is more important, you are alone there anyway. Just meet us near Cafe 18.” he named the meeting point in coded language.

Sighing, (Y/N) threw the door leading upstairs one last look before reconnecting with her informants 

“Keep an eye, bug the place is possible. Also, keep tonight’s footage ready. I’m leaving now.”

—-----

To their utter disappointment, there was no suspicious shipment discovered at the dockyard. Everything was in place. But the people the informant was suspicious of had vanished into thin air as well– tightening the knot on the case further. 

“It's far more complicated than I had expected,” Dok spoke out, running his hands through his hair. 

After such a hectic night, the four of them decided to call it a day and grab some dinner at a good, old ramen shop.

“This is only our first attempt Dok, we can’t lose hope like that.” (Y/N) patted his back.

“It makes no sense, they are in the CCTV footage but they never reach the dock.”

Wait–CCTV footage!

“Oh right, I think I have found a lead.” (Y/N) dropped her chopsticks and perked up. She prayed that at least the bartender would have his hands on the CCTV footage.

“Really? What?” Han asked, 

“See, I have the recordings, I already sent them to each of you, just listen.”

Fishing out their earbuds, they listened to the part of the recording she had sent them. 

“Sounds familiar? He did not use anything directly, not an amateur for sure but the words, forty-eight, shore. Don’t they ring a bell?”

“They surely do. Can we have access to tonight’s footage?”

“I hope so too. By tomorrow I guess?” (Y/N) prayed what she said would come true.”

“Okay, as soon as you get hold of that, inform us. Han, is your girlfriend home?”

“No, she has gone to her parents’.”

“Perfect.” Kyong clapped his and together.

—------

“Have you watched the footage yourself?” Kyong asked as Han began to set up his laptop.

“No, I came straight here.” (Y/N) replied with her eyes still stuck on the laptop screen 

“That's a good move, what if people are keeping an eye on us too?”

“Quiet possible.”

As soon as Han clicked on ‘play’, the strenuous task of analysing the video began. But four pairs of eyes were far better than one.

(Y/N) could feel her patience waning. The man and those people with him had been so exceptionally discreet, there was no trace of them in the footage even after hours of watching and—

“Wait, wait wait! Rewind that.” she jumped up as soon as something caught her eyes.

“What, this?” Han was clueless.

She tasked and took the laptop before rewinding the footage again. Narrowing her eyes, she zoomed in.

“It's him, the man.” she declared and placed the laptop in front of everyone.

“I see. We need to save this picture, take a screenshot Han.” Kyong suggested as he clicked a picture on his phone too. 

It was thankfully, not blurry enough to be unrecognisable, and the fact that they had not reached the end of the video made them more hopeful of catching something else. 

Han clicked on play again before they discovered the people with the man as well. One by one.

“Hmm, there are three more men and a woman. But only their backs are visible until now.”

“Wait!” (Y/N) yelled out, catching them off guard.

“Did you find something?” Han asked as he paused the video once more.

(Y/N) liked her lips and took hold of the laptop. Rewinding the part, she watched closely again. The second man…Even though his back was to the camera, he was too familiar to her.

After a few seconds, they all turned to the side to take their seats. There, she could see his side profile and her legs were fast turning brittle.

“You have seen anyone from here (Y/N)?” she could not answer Dok.

Instead, her eyes stayed on the frozen screen, she zoomed in and a wave of nausea hit her.

Namjoon...

It was Namjoon!

Her boyfriend Namjoon. She would recognise him anywhere– from the way he walked, to his back, his hair and now his side profile. Too many coincidences could never be a coincidence.

“(Y/N), you know him?” Kyong asked.

Yes.

She wanted to scream a ‘yes’ but she just could not.

“No, I was just…taking a good look at them.” she deadpanned.

—------

“Hello, this is (Collage Name) College, how may I help you?” the receptionist’s gentle voice echoed through the phone, but it only turned (Y/N)’s heartbeat erratic.

“Hello, I would like to leave Professor Namjoon a message regarding the upcoming semester.”

“Let me check Ma’am, please let me know your details.” she enquired

“ Choi Hana, Guardian of his student.”

“I request you to stay online, please…Yes, thank you, Professor Namjun you asked. Let me transfer your call to the Economics Department.”

“Economics Department? But isn’t he a professor in the Department of Literature and Culture Studies?”

“Ma’am we only have Cultural Studies Department. Literature is a separate Department. Shall I forward this call, Ma’am?”

“Okay.” (Y/N) managed to squeak out.

After a few beeps, another voice greeted her.

“Good afternoon, this is the Department of Economics of (College Name) College, how may I help you?” another woman’s voice filled her ear.

“Can I speak to Professor Namjun, please? I am a guardian of one of his students”

“I am sorry Ma’am, he is attending the Department meeting right now. But you can leave a message.”

“He is the department chairperson, right?”

“No Ma’am, not anymore, he was, two years back.”

“Oh?”

“Yes Ma’am, would you like to leave a message?”

“Sure, please let him know that…that I would be thankful to him if he could give me an appointment to meet him. It's an urgent matter.”

“Surely ma’am, would you like to share your name and contact?”

“Yes, uh, Choi Hana.” she gave the email address she used for her undercover investigations before the line was cut off.

(Y/N) felt her throat close up and her eyes turn blurry. The park was scarcely populated during the afternoons– thanks to that. But she would still not risk breaking down in a public place. Se ought to hold herself up like a true officer.

Leaning against a tree, she tried to gather herself together. But with each passing moment, her lips quivered just a little more.

No. Not now. Now now!

She tried to school herself. But nothing seemed to work. One stubborn tear managed to escape her eye anyway.

I loved you.

Another tear followed.

I trusted you

Then another.

But she managed to stop herself from bursting into a fit of tears and the scream that was itching her chords with deep, calming breaths.

A drink.

Yes, that was what she needed.

—-----

By the time she was home, the sun had already set, but it was a pleasant evening– ideal for walking home. She was not drunk, or even tipsy. It was just a buzz but it could not make her feel any better.

The apartment was plunged into tense darkness when she stepped in. Her fingers twitched, ready to reach for her gun at any moment, but she kept her body language calm– casual and unassuming.

“How was babysitting?”

She jumped at his voice. But it was too dark for her to see. 

Before she could reach the light switch, Namjoon switched on a table lamp, illuminating the space enough for her to see him sitting on the sofa but somehow making her own apartment appear threatening. 

With him in it, t did not even feel like her own place. She no longer felt safe with him.

Switching on the lights anyway, she schooled her expressions to that of being pleasantly surprised, even though her throat felt parched. Sometimes, working in the police paid off immensely.

“I was babysitting yesterday Joon,” she replied, putting away the titbits she had bought on her way home.

Namjooon gave her the heart-melting smile her heart had fluttered for. She managed to smile back at him as she made her way towards the kitchen. The delicious aroma of her favourites hit her. Switching on the kitchen lights, her suspicions were confirmed as takeouts from her favourite ramen stall awaited her at the kitchen island.

“I missed you awfully today. Couldn’t help myself.” Namjoon's hot breath teased the back of her neck, making goosebumps appear all over her body.

“Oh, Joon…you didn’t have to.”

“I don’t mind doing this for you, Jagi.” he placed a kiss on the back of her neck as she held back a grimace, keeping her smile plastered on her face.

Her heart stung bitterly as his lips tenderly traced her cheek and the side of her neck. She was greeted by his warm smile and soft eyes as he turned her around, fished out his phone from his pocket and played her favourite song. Perfect for slow-dancing to.

“What has gotten into you?” (Y/N) chuckled, keeping her composure as he led her steps, twirling her now and then.

“I love you so much, Jagi. You know that right?” his fingers wrapped gently at the back of her neck as he pulled her into a breath-robbing kiss.

“Yes, I know that.”

Now that I know your true face.

His lips descended to the side of her neck as he pulled her closer. 

Bear it.

She told herself.

Do not let him be suspicious.

“Then why are you trying to investigate me?”

His voice dropped into something heavy and unrecognisable and everything stilled. But before she could think of anything, she felt his fingers pressing at the side of her neck and her eyes rolled back.

*****

Pheww! It was a long part, but I enjoyed writing it and hopefully, it would not disappoint you all!

otherworldly ~ coraline!au (pt.3)

PAIRING ~ jimin x reader

GENRE ~ horror/thriller

WORD COUNT ~ 20K

SUMMARY ~ when you discover a tiny door in your home that leads to a much better version of your own life, it seems too good to be true. little do you know, the man posing as your boyfriend may be a lot more dangerous than you care to admit. and he is not intent on letting you leave.

WARNINGS ~ profanity, ANGST, relationship struggles, kidnapping, general creepiness, guilt tripping, spiders, violence, mentions of starvation, minor body mutilation, insects, restraints, blood, rats, non-graphic body horror, slight gore, needles/impalement, referenced medical horror, slight injury, jimin is a creep, dub-con kiss.

A/N ~ thank you for your patience!! I hope you like it :)

PART 1 PART 2

The floorboards aren’t enough to ground you. Not when your heart is about to pound out of your rib cage, shaking hands scrabbling for purchase on something solid, something real.

How does one ground themselves after crawling out of hell?

Keep reading

otherworldly ~ coraline!au (pt.2)

PAIRING ~ jimin x reader

GENRE ~ horror/thriller, smut (not in this chapter)

WORD COUNT ~ 11k

SUMMARY ~ when you discover a tiny door in your home that leads to a much better version of your own life, it seems too good to be true. little do you know, the man posing as your boyfriend may be a lot more dangerous than you care to admit. and he is NOT intent on letting you leave.

WARNINGS ~ profanity, supernatural themes, mentions of sex, depiction of an unhealthy relationship, obsessive behaviors, imprisonment, disturbing images, needles, spiders/insects, slight bodily mutilation

A/N ~ part 2 of 3. the ending is really rushed i’m sorry 😂 thank you all for being so patient and for all the love and support! make sure to leave a comment or review!

copyright © 2019-2020 under sinning-on-a-sunday. do not repost or translate my works without my explicit permission. this includes stealing my ideas/plot.

READ PART 1 HERE

It wasn’t a dream, you know that now. Dreams don’t leave hickeys.

You had to admit, you groaned out loud after waking up in your own bed. Your empty bed.

It felt like the universe was mocking you. Here you were, thrust back into your lackluster, frustratingly boring life after getting a taste of what could’ve been. Like a good dream that gets cut off right before the climax.

And that’s what you thought it was at first. A dream.

The sound of dripping water is what wakes you up, another reminder that the roof needs fixing and that you’re going to have to take care of it yourself. Rolling your eyes, you shove off the covers and swing your legs over the side of the bed, wincing at how unforgivably cold the floor is.

If it weren’t for the bathroom mirror, you probably wouldn’t have noticed the marks at all.

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otherworldly ~ coraline!au

PAIRING ~ jimin x reader

GENRE ~ horror/thriller, smut

WORD COUNT ~ 11k

SUMMARY ~ when you discover a tiny door in your home that leads to a much better version of your own life, it seems too good to be true. little do you know, the man posing as your boyfriend may be a lot more dangerous than you care to admit. and he is not intent on letting you leave.

WARNINGS ~ profanity, supernatural themes, obsessive behavior, imprisonment, depiction of an unhealthy relationship, masturbation, explicit smut (dom!jimin, sensory deprivation, bondage, soft degradation, cunnilingus, edging, unprotected sex)

A/N ~ part 1 of 3. based off of my favorite movie and novel: Coraline. thank you to everyone who’s shown their support for this monster of a fic! i hope i did this well-loved movie justice!

copyright © 2019-2020 under sinning-on-a-sunday. do not repost or translate my works without my explicit permission. this includes stealing my ideas/plot.

prologue

For the first time in ages, sunlight trickles down through the tree’s naked branches, warming the woman’s skin to the point where her heavy jacket isn’t necessary. She considers it a cruel coincidence. Why should the rest of the world be so happy and bright when she’s spent the last few months suffering?

Her brother’s been missing for weeks, the sun shouldn’t be shining.

Even though the weather is nice, mud still sloshes under her boots as she walks, icy fingers clutching at the object in her hands like it will wriggle away and escape if she loosens her grip.

She reaches the crest of the hill, coming to stop at the ring of mushrooms that surrounds the opening of the well. She vows to board it up later so that, hopefully, people will forget it’s there.

The woman looks down at the object in her hands: a doll with button eyes. It resembles a boy with brown hair, longer at the nape of his neck so that it’s almost a mullet. He’s wearing a red beret, trench coat, and small circular glasses; he looks like an artist.

She recognizes the style, she recognizes him.

Gritting her teeth, the woman steps up to stand at the edge of the well, open and gaping like a hungry, waiting mouth.

She remembers the day this infernal doll appeared in their house, she remembers how excited her brother had been. He’d carried it around with him everywhere, going on and on about how it looked just like him.

He disappeared a few days later.

A few tears prick the woman’s eyes.

No, he didn’t disappear. He was taken.

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Strangers (masterlist)

pairing: ot7 x reader

genre: yandere, horror/thriller

warnings: murder, mature themes, obsessive/possessive behavior, emotional manipulation, stalking, violence (will update this list as needed)

summary: You are finally moving out of your hometown and following your dreams of living in the big city. With an internship at a successful company and your best friend living close by, you feel like things are finally working out.

Sure, your apartment might not be the most glamorous and your new neighbors are a bit strange but that’s normal for a first time living away from home, right? Everyone had warned you about how evil the world could be but it wasn’t until you moved there that you started to understand how strangers could be a real hell.

*Loosely based on the drama/webtoon Strangers from Hell (you don’t have to know the original story to read this!)*

Chapter: 1 2 3 4 5 6…

Strangers (Chapter Five)

Strangers from Hell AU

Series Masterlist

pairing: ot7 x reader

genre: yandere, horror/thriller

warnings: murder, mature themes, obsessive/possessive behavior, emotional manipulation, stalking, violence, blood and injuries (will update as needed)

word count: 4.5k words

The next morning was a Saturday and your body could surely feel it. You blinked your groggy eyes open, wondering if you should sleep in a bit more. The bright sunlight cascading through the window told you it was probably getting a bit late, even if it was the weekend. Rolling over to check the time on your phone, your eyes widened when you saw it was almost noon.

“Shit,” you grumbled, mustering up the energy to sit up with your feet on the floor. Blinking hazily, you tried to make sense of your worn out body. Sure, you had a long week but was it normal to feel this tired? It was probably just the alcohol you drank the night before.

Figuring a shower should help you wake up a bit, you grabbed a towel and a change of clothes and made your way up to the upper floor. You couldn’t help your gaze drifting to the plastic curtain hiding the rest of the upstairs hallway as you passed by it. The memory of Yoongi catching you that night replayed in your mind, feeding into your curious nature even more. You knew you would eventually have to see what was behind that curtain, whether Jimin liked it or not.

The water cascading down your face and body seemed to do the trick, your senses coming more alert with each passing second. Your eyes closed as you rinsed the shampoo out of your hair, fingers working through the strands. The sound of the shower was loud in your ears but calming, distracting you from your surroundings. So much so that when you heard a muffled thump from behind you, your peaceful bubble burst.

“Hello?” You called out, peeking behind the curtain to look out at the empty communal bathroom. The one that was supposed to only be for you as you were currently the only female tenant in the building. Heart thrumming in your chest, you quickly finished your shower and turned the water off. Your mind felt frozen as you began drying off and dressing, trying to make sense of what you heard.

Peering out into the hallway, you felt a mix of relief and confusion wash over you to see it was empty. You knew you heard something, you were so certain it sounded like a person was in the room. 

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Love Pages

➜ Words: 18k

➜ Genres: 60% Angst, 40% Fluff, Yandere!AU, Inspired by Death Note

➜ Summary: You’ve always had feelings for Park Jimin, star soccer player and cute boy-next-door. But it’s been unrequited for years and you expect it to continue that way. Or at least until a certain notebook falls into your hands.

➜ Warning: toxic relationships, loosely implied smut, some victim blaming. This is not your typical love story.

Keep reading

— THE SEANCE

↳ part of the ghouls just wanna have fun collab.

pairing; seokjin/reader ft. ot7 genre; ghost hunters au, demon au, horror words; 8,780 rating; mature

— synopsis;  you and your friends go exploring in an abandoned house in the middle of the woods surrounded by mystery and ghost stories; what you find there may not be what you were looking for.

contents; major character death, horror, demons/ghosts, graphic violence, gore, blood. pov switch in the middle. based on the movie “demonic.”

“You really wanna go there?” you asked, skin buzzing. Jungkook looked at you and smiled, nodding his head excitedly.

Hoseok picked at the sleeve of his sweater. “Isn’t that a bit dangerous?”

“Scared of some ghosts, Hobi?” you teased, snickering along with the other boys.

“Don’t be a scaredy cat, Hoseok,” Jungkook continued to tease.

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Strangers (Chapter Four)

Strangers from Hell AU

Series Masterlist

pairing: ot7 x reader

genre: yandere, horror/thriller

warnings: murder, mature themes, obsessive/possessive behavior, emotional manipulation, stalking, violence, allusion to torture, blood and injuries (will update as needed)

word count: 4.3k words

The sun beat down on you as you walked along the beach, the sand between your toes as a tidal wave came in and washed them. You gasped as you spotted a ghost crab hole appearing.

“Dad, look! Another one!” You exclaimed, pointing at it and turning around to look at your father. He came up beside you, kneeling closer to your height.

“Good catch, kiddo.” His voice echoed in your ears. You had lost count of how many of these burrows you had found, but your dad seemed to never get tired of you pointing them out. If he regretted teaching you about them while you were still so young and excitable, he never showed it.

You knelt down and started scooping some of the wet sand to build something - you weren’t sure what yet. Your father stood up, patting your head affectionately as you worked. “I’m gonna go for a dip. I’ll be right back.”

You huffed angrily as a wave destroyed your sandcastle a third time in a row. Abandoning the impossible project, you turned around to look back at the water. You spotted your dad pretty far out, much further than you would ever dare to go. He was bobbing along the big waves and when he caught you looking at him, he smiled widely and waved.

You watched him for a while before you noticed a giant wave approaching him. It was bigger than any wave you’ve ever seen before. Even from where you sat safe on the sand, it scared you. You begin waving your arms and screaming for your dad’s attention and when you finally got it, he just gave you another clueless grin.

It all happened so quickly. The huge wave washed over and took your father with it, completely catching him by surprise. You watched helplessly from the shore, waiting for him to resurface but he never did. You were numb to the tears falling down your cheeks as wave after wave washed over your feet, burying them deeper into the sand as if trying to drag you in as well.

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Eunoia // Masterlist

eunoia (noun): beautiful thinking, the possession of a well-balanced mind, which exhibits goodwill and kindness

Pairings: Hybrid! BTS x reader

Summary: You are a world famous director and you have dedicated your life to your job.You have everything you could ever dream of; wealth, recognision, talent, your friends and family. But loneliness isn’t cured by success. So what happens when you somehow rescue seven hybrids? Can they fill the void?

Genre: Angst, fluff, hurt/comfort, eventual smut

Warnings: past abuse, past sexual abuse

Part I

✧ Chapter 1

✧ Chapter 2

✧ Chapter 3

✧ Chapter 4

✧ Chapter 5

✧ Chapter 6

Part II

✧ Chapter 7

✧ Chapter 8

✧ Chapter 9

✧ Chapter 10

Part III

✧ Chapter 11

✧ Chapter 12

✧ Chapter 13

✧ Chapter 14

✧ Chapter 15

✧ Chapter 16

Part IV

✧ Chapter 17

✧ Chapter 18

✧ Chapter 19

✧ Chapter 20

✧ Chapter 21

✧ Chapter 22

✧ Chapter 23

Part V

✧ Chapter 24

✧ Chapter 25

✧ Chapter 26

✧ Chapter 27

Strangers (Chapter Three)

Strangers from Hell AU

Series Masterlist

pairing: ot7 x reader

genre: yandere, horror/thriller

warnings: murder, mature themes, obsessive/possessive behavior, emotional manipulation, stalking, violence, brief description of a dead animal (will update as needed)

word count: 5.4k words

A few days had passed and you couldn’t believe it had been almost a week since you moved to this city. You felt like any moment now you were going to wake up and be back in your childhood room. It was all so surreal. Your mother had checked in with you a few times already, and you could tell she was trying to hold herself back from being a helicopter parent. She was worried and you understood that. You couldn’t imagine how she must feel as a single parent with her first child moving out but at least she had your younger brother to hover over now.

You still hadn’t told her about how you were treated at work or any of the drama at your residence and you didn’t plan on telling her any time soon. You knew that if you did, she would beg you to come home immediately. This wasn’t your first run-in with a bully. Growing up in a rough public school, it felt as if there was always an arrow on your back. It all felt like a blur now but all you could remember was your mother being so concerned for you and you didn’t want to awaken that part of her again. An overwhelming need to prove yourself had come over you, not wanting to run home to your mother after the first inconvenience.

Besides, things seemed to be improving. Well, they hadn’t gotten any worse so you figured that was a plus. Jiwan still gave you dirty looks and acted as if you were a nuisance so you hadn’t bothered asking her for help anymore and thankfully, she didn’t say anything to you at all. And your roommates seemed as chipper as ever. Ever since Soomi had left, they seemed much more comfortable at home. Their chatter carried throughout your floor whether they were in the kitchen or hanging out in one of the bedrooms and you somehow didn’t even mind. It was weird how fast you felt yourself warming up to them but you supposed it was the way they treated each other like a family, which they were now seemingly including you in.

Like right now, as Jungkook had practically begged you to join him in his room to play one of his video games. There was no way you could resist those big doe eyes and the way he held your hands so tenderly as he cornered you in the hallway. He was ecstatic when you finally agreed and that was how you ended up sitting on his bed with your back to the wall facing his large computer screen. He had quite the gamer setup, something you were shocked to see due to the small living spaces the residence offered.

He sat cross-legged next to you on the tiny bed, close enough for your legs to brush but you didn’t feel uncomfortable. Something about Jungkook was just so endearing that you felt like he could almost get away with anything. You could tell from the way the others babied him and how much he would turn the puppy dog eyes on you that he was used to getting what he wanted.

“Press these two at the same time if you wanna do a cool combo move.” His knee bumped yours as he leaned over to point at some buttons on your controller. You followed his instructions, causing your character to injure his character. “Ah, noona! I’m on your team!”

“Oops, sorry Kookie.” You smirked, watching in amusement as he focused on getting his player far away from yours. You don’t remember when you started calling him that but now it was hard to stop.

It was nice to get a break from adult life and enjoy some downtime with your new friend. You can’t remember the last time you let loose like this. Ever since you’d graduated high school, the stress of work and life had been set on your shoulders. You two continued to play for a while and you found yourself getting so engrossed in the game that when the door suddenly burst open, you actually jumped in shock. 

Keep reading

Strangers (Chapter Two)

Strangers from Hell AU

Series Masterlist

pairing: ot7 x reader

genre: yandere, horror/thriller

warnings: murder, mature themes, obsessive/possessive behavior, emotional manipulation, stalking, violence (will update as needed)

word count: 5.5k words

quick note!! I had to make some edits in the last chapter bc I realized two plot points were missing so to summarize: yn has a boyfriend named Jihoon that also lives in the city and Nayeon is the friend that got her a job at the company! not major plot points (and they’re only briefly mentioned in the last chapter) but just wanted to put this out there in case you were confused reading this one :)

Today’s the big day. You thought you would be nervous but right now, all you feel is excitement. You finally get to wear the professional clothes you bought recently and you feel like a real adult in them. You opted to wear a gray pencil skirt today as it’s still pretty hot outside, paired with a blue button-up blouse. You slip on the heels and inwardly thank your mom for forcing you to wear them around the house the past few weeks in order to break them in. A quick once over in the mirror gives you all the confirmation you need to start your day.

You try to ignore your clicking heels echoing in the hallway as you fish through your bag for the granola bar you stuffed in there earlier. You don’t see Jimin standing there by his office door, which he takes advantage of as his eyes rake up and down your figure.

“Good morning, YN!” You jump as you look up and see him smiling at you, his abrupt greeting causing you to almost drop the breakfast you had finally dug out.

“Good morning, Jimin.” You bow politely, fully ready to move past him when he stops you again.

“Sorry if I scared you.” He laughs warmly, stepping closer to you. “I just wanted to say I heard that things got a little rowdy last night and I hope you weren’t too freaked out.”

“Oh, yes well-”

“It’s normally not like that at all. We’re usually very quiet and respectful here.”

“I understand. It can get like that sometimes with a lot of people living in the same place.” You try to inch towards where the stairs are when he subtly moves closer, blocking your path again.

“You’re so considerate!” Jimin coos, tapping your arm in a friendly manner. “Unlike that other girl, she’s a real trainwreck.”

Your eyes widen at his blatant gossipping, not expecting him to speak so negatively about one of his tenants. “You mean Soomi?”

“Yes, she runs with a pretty rough crowd so it explains how violent she is.” His words give you pause as you take in this new information, not sure whether to believe him or not. “But don’t worry, you won’t be seeing her around anymore. She packed up and left this morning.”

Keep reading

Strangers (Chapter One)

Strangers from Hell AU

Series Masterlist

pairing: ot7 x reader

genre: yandere, horror/thriller

warnings: murder, mature themes, obsessive/possessive behavior, emotional manipulation, stalking, violence (will update as needed)

word count: 5k words

summary: You are finally moving out of your hometown and following your dreams of living in the big city. With an internship at a successful company and your friends living close by, you feel like things are finally working out. 

Sure, your apartment might not be the most glamorous and your new neighbors are a bit strange but that’s normal for a first time living away from home, right? Everyone had warned you about how evil the world could be but it wasn’t until you moved there that you started to understand how strangers could be a real hell.

You were finally doing it. Getting out of your hometown. It had been a long time coming as you were ready to move out as soon as you graduated but when your father fell ill shortly after, you couldn’t just abandon your mother to take care of him and your little brother all by herself, not to mention the family business that needed a new manager. So you stayed. You stayed until eventually death came for your father and then you stayed for when the depression hit your mother so hard she couldn’t get out of bed for days at a time. When you weren’t working, you were the one to make sure your kid brother finished his homework and ate all his meals. It was you that took care of your zombie-like mother until she came back to herself.

And now everyone was back on their feet and you felt like it was the right time to leave, especially because you had been accepted for an internship program in at a successful company that matched well with your college degree. Throughout your college years, you decided to stay living at home to help your family as well as save money. Your longtime boyfriend, Jihoon, had moved to the city a year ago after he graduated and you had been dating long distance ever since. But, you couldn’t waste any more time in your small hometown. This was your big chance and you weren’t going to miss it.

The sound of your mother’s voice calling your name could barely be heard over your suitcase rumbling down your driveway. You curse inwardly, scrunching your face up in annoyance at yet another obstacle stopping you from leaving. You were so close to freedom you could taste it.

Looking over your shoulder, you saw your mom carrying a bag of prepared meals that you surely couldn’t finish by yourself. You knew this was coming which was why you had tried to book it out of there. So much for that plan.

“Mom, I can’t carry all that,” you eye the large bag warily. You appreciate the sentiment but you were trying to be independent now and this wasn’t helping.

She ignored you and began making quick work to tie the bag to the handlebars of your suitcase so that you wouldn’t even need to hold it. Once finished, she stood back up and made a satisfied huff, “There!”

“What? I have to make sure my baby eats! You expect me to let you go hungry?” She exclaims in response to your deadpanned look.

“You have to let me find my own way now.”

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SFW Alphabet | Seo Moon Jo

{Strangers From Hell Masterlist}

Warning(s): (here we go…) series ending spoilers, manipulation, (very) toxic relationship, psychopathic tendencies, narcissistic tendencies, gaslighting, mention of panic attack, mention of cannibalism, physical abuse, emotional abuse, murder, blood, slight suggestive themes, mention of self-harm, killing animals

Author’s Note: I know I haven’t written a fic in a while and I’ve been meaning to get back into it. I find headcanons a lot easier to do at the moment due to some stress I’m experiencing. But for now here’s some sfh content. Moonjo is written as his actual fucked-up personality in this, so if you’re expecting some sort of sappy romance stuff, this ain’t it luv

A - Affection

Moonjo is very strange when it comes to expressing affection

he’s very unpredictable, so you would never really know what to expect from him

he’s very good at trying to come across as a soft loving partner

at random times he would show the sudden desire to take care of you

like cooking food for you, fiddling with your hair and rubbing soothing circles on your back when you’re lying on the couch

his double-sided personality is what keeps you on your toes

because at some times his psychotic personality would suddenly shine through slightly while he’s trying to convey ‘normal’ affection

like maybe grabbing your neck a little too hard when you’re cuddling or watching you sleep in his lap with an empty stare

it made you uneasy, especially due to his monotone voice and scarily calm demeanour

so technically, he fakes the way he shows his affection because if he treated you like he really wished to in his head, he wouldn’t be able to affectively manipulate you into believing he was a good boyfriend

Keep reading

Deep Sea Chapter IV. Yan Scaramouche x F Reader

>Rating: Mature. >Warnings: Yandere themes, mentions of amnesia, misgoynistic language, minor violence.  >Word count: 6k. >Deep Sea Index.

CHAPTER IV // ORPHAN SPIRIT

The fortune slip in your hand is heavy, even if it bends to the slightest breeze.

Mt. Yogou overlooks the rest of Narukami Island as if it were nothing but an insignificant speck. The buildings down below are tiny, the people tinier. You stretch your hand out into the horizon and grasp the distant Inazuma City and hold it in the palm of your head. How perfectly it fits, you muse. If only the same could be said for myself.

High up on the mountaintop, past the torii gates that welcome you into the realm of the divine, you fooled yourself into thinking the gods might hear out your plight. The dark ink painted on by elaborate brushstrokes echoes the same premonition it always has: great misfortune.

You sigh and consider what to do next. Last month, it was purchasing an omamori, but your luck remained as lackluster as ever. What should you try next?

Keep reading

remote working ! (twothau w/ gn!reader)

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ YOU HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER, LET’S SEE WHAT’S INSIDE! ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

salutations. remote working (requested by anon)

addressed. diluc, kaeya, tartaglia, zhongli, thoma, xiao, scaramouche, and arataki itto

content. mentions of covid-19, fluff/no-angst, mild swearing, wholesomeness, modern!au, yakuza!au, this fic is based on the way of the househusband

sypnosis. how househusbands are like with you remote working (work at home) during the pandemic.

penpals. @scaraslover @saving-for-xiao @dawgimsohot @kazu-topia @chiruru @aqualesha @renamichii

links. the way of the househusband au | teyvat's penpal service | requests info

post-script. shoutout to my bestie irl who helped me out with her big brain on xiao, kaeya, and scaramouche's parts <<3

DOESN’T GO TO YOUR OFFICE — diluc

when you first told DILUC that you'll start working at home from now on, he was relieved. ever since the announcement of a certain virus that's been infecting everyone like wildfire, the man could only worry about your safety – especially since your workplace has so much people – so now that you're officially working at home, he can now rest peacefully.

as someone who respects privacy and silence, diluc makes sure to not be noisy outside, including not vacuuming in front of your office and wouldn't put the volume on the tv to the max (im sorry but hes honestly the type to make his tv loud just to have a bg noise), which you appreciate a lot. though you wonder if he forgot the fact that your office is sound-proof.

he also doesn't want to go to your office, mainly because he doesn't want to be seen by your nosy colleagues and because he simply doesn't want to disturb your meetings with his presence. it's like the tables have been turned around the both of you since back then, you're the one who didn't want to interrupt with his work.

sometimes when he feels like it, diluc would send you a text message and ask if you'd like him to bring a drink or snack to your office. if you said yes, expect yourself to hear a few knocks one second after you sent your message. turns out, he was actually supposed to come in to your office unannounced with your drink and snacks but decided to text you first because of his conscience bothering him. it'll take months before he'll actually start visiting your office without having to text you that's a lie, he'll never do it.

LOVES YOUR BOSS MOMENTS — childe, kaeya

the moment you informed CHILDE that you’ll be working at home, he was honestly curious to see how you work. are you the type to scold many of your coworkers in a scary manner? are you the fun and chill type that made your coworkers love you? ah, so many questions !!

eventually his curiosity was lifted when he overheard you while he was cleaning outside your office, causing him to stop cleaning for a moment to hear what you're saying to your colleagues, listening to you destroying your coworker for something they’re trying to bring you down from.

it only increased his love for you because wow, who knew you would be such a boss at your job? don’t get him wrong, he very much knows how great you are — it just astounds him since you’re so closed off about your work ! childe could only smile from just imagining how scared his old subordinates would be if you were a part of his organization.

expect him to try and convince you to start telling many of your work stories — doesn’t matter if they’re all embarrassing in your eyes — as long as you tell him the ones where you prove yourself that you’re a boss (as you should !!)

KAEYA would be happy that you no longer have to go out to your crowded workplace and risk your health anymore when you told him. he feels even more unease when it comes to your safety since there’s been a virus that’s been causing so much trouble for everyone, so now that you’ll stay home until it’s considered safe to go out, kaeya can live happily.

unlike childe, kaeya only gets to see your angry side when your coworkers didn’t do their job and would think wow, you're so cute when you're angry as if he hasn't seen you being mad at him at all. he doesn’t even have to go near your office to hear your angry voice because he can simply hear it from where he is (given that unlike diluc’s, your office isn't sound-proof).

during those times when you're mad, kaeya will make sure to help you calm down after the meeting. he'll either stop by your office to give you a snack and drink or cuddle with you until your next meeting starts. if you're into sweet-talk, then kaeya's the right person for you, expect him to start telling you sweet-nothings in your ear and do everything he can to make you smile or make your cheeks feel warmer than a stove.

as much as kaeya adores your boss moments, he doesn't like how you're too busy with your work because of your piled up works to do. whenever you sometimes overwork yourself from the amount of work you've been given, your lover will make sure to make you take breaks every now and then by dragging you out from your office and spend time with him even if it takes a few minutes. you may be cute but not when you're stressed and overworked >:00 !!

VISITS YOUR OFFICE TO GIVE YOU FOOD — thoma, zhongli

when THOMA finds out that you'll start doing your work at home, he beams. mainly because you don't have to get out from your home and risk your health and definitely not because he misses you a lot.

he would often find himself at the kitchen daily even more than before, trying out snack recipes that he thinks you’d like as taroumaru watches from afar, eating his dog treat happily as always. if he deems the said snack worthy, then thoma will immediately take it away to your office and give it to you with taroumaru following.

however, unlike the rest of the househusbands besides diluc and scaramouche, thoma wouldn't be seen by your colleagues since he makes sure that he's not seen in your screen – whether it'd be going behind your laptop and place the food beside your things, or stay a few steps away from you and just give you a thumbs up before rushing off outside to not disturb you anymore.

whenever you're done with your meetings, you always have your favorite choice of drink waiting outside with your lover and dog watching a movie or resting while waiting for you to finish. expect him to try and help you clean up your desk so that you can have a tidy spot for once.

sweet-sweet ZHONGLI, who smiles so wide when he realizes that he won’t have to feel lonely anymore because of the fact that you’ll be staying home without going out to work. expect him to take you to your workplace to get your things and will help you start rearranging your office to make it more comfortable and suitable for your online meetings.

sweet-sweet zhongli, who makes sure to be quiet whenever he’s outside of your office and always prepares snacks for you. it’s scary how he always knows when you’re craving for something to eat, something that he excuse it as a coincidence and chuckles about it. he likes to think that it’s an instinct of his to know when you’re starving and/or know what you want.

sweet-sweet zhongli, who always makes sure to knock on your door before entering with foods that’ll surely make your mouth water at the aroma alone. at this point, it’s normal for your colleagues to see his lower body coming to view in your screen and putting down the tray that has your meal. they actually find it endearing and a bit jealous.

sweet zhongli, who listens to what you did for work as he massages your shoulders happily after your tiring meetings, adding a few comments here and there so that you’ll know that he’s listening to your rants. he's that good of a househusband <<3

SOMETIMES IN THE BACKGROUND — itto, xiao

ITTO felt excited when you said you'll start working at home, thinking that you meant that you’re willing to help him with the farm – only to find out that you meant you're actually still working in your career but at home, much to his sadness. nevertheless though, he was still happy because hey, at least you're now staying with him 24/7 :DD !!

like diluc, itto wouldn't dare to enter your office during your meetings in fear of disturbing you as well. despite that though, your colleagues know him already because of your choice of.. background.

you see, your office has a window that shows the beautiful view of the farm and field, something that you thought would look great as your background since the window is behind you and is visibly seen to your colleagues. what you don't think about is the fact that your husband could be seen by your many colleagues – leading many occasions where they can see itto talking with his farm- animals and/or getting chased by chickens and hens.

it only took you a long time before you realized that itto can be seen thanks to one of your friends who pointed it out, causing you to feel your cheeks warming when you realized your mistake. how could you face your lover knowing that almost all of your colleagues have seen the things he did outside?!

XIAO felt like the gods have smiled upon him when he found out about the new changes in your work. he’s been anxiously waiting for the announcement of what will happen to your and your company, so now that it's official that you'll be staying at home, he won't have to worry about anything regarding you catching the virus.

now, unlike most househusbands, your office is an open-door room that leads to the kitchen and dining area, causing xiao to be often seen by your colleagues doing random things. whether it'd be cleaning up some items in the background, walking by but accidentally tripped, cooking a meal, or even eat almond tofu nearby, not knowing that he can be seen. you didn't bother telling him since you assumed he knew.

sometimes, you'd feel like a boomer. especially during the first month of remote working since you had never used zoom or any online meeting apps, so you often come up to xiao when it comes to encountering technical difficulties. thankfully, xiao's been with zhongli for a long time to know how to fix your problems and/or answer your questions. he's basically a technician to you now.

NOISY AS FU— — scaramouche

“so? i’m still your alarm either way.” is SCARAMOUCHE’s response when you first told him that you’ll start working at home. in reality, he was lowkey relieved since he didn't want you to risk yourself to go to work.

just like diluc, scaramouche respects boundaries and silence, so he makes sure to not interrupt any of your meetings. he'll only enter if he wants to let you know that he'll be going out to buy some groceries or if he brings you a drink after you texted him.

now, despite not being able to enter your office, he's often... loud outside without realizing it.

it's not that he's intentionally loud to disturb you – no, no – he just gets a bit clumsy whenever he cleans. whenever scaramouche cleans, he sometimes gets too deep in his thoughts that he doesn't pay attention to his surroundings besides the one he's cleaning in, leaving him accidentally stumping his toe on one of the table legs and speak in colorful language, much to your embarrassment and shock when you’re in your office hearing it. thankfully it only happens when you're not talking (so far, at least).

besides that, on occasions when you're taking a "short" break while waiting for your next meeting, scaramouche will make sure to keep an eye on the time to let you know when you need to go back in case you ended up procrastinating. if you ever say “just a few minutes”, you can say goodbye to your sweet bed because your husband will literally drag you away towards your office. it's honestly scary how strong he is 🧍‍♀️🧍‍♀️

Title: Protectorate.

Pairing: Yandere!Scaramouche x Reader (Genshin Impact).

Word Count: 2.2k.

TW: Unhealthy Relationships, Implied Kidnapping, Implied Death/Violence, Blood, Controlling Behavior.

The first time you met Kunikuzushi, there was an arrow embedded in his left shoulder, and he was covered in his own blood.

It took you most of the day to carry him home, his small form draped across your back, his eyes open, but glazed over, too unfocused to be any sign of meaningful consciousness. The sun had set, by the time you reached your little farmhouse, and you deposited him in the decrypt barn before approaching the door. You didn’t reach for the knob, or knock, just pressing your ear to the wood, holding your breath as you listened. You head footsteps, the muffled sound of someone idly strumming a shamisen, and you sighed, giving yourself another moment of quiet reprieve before slipping inside, grabbing the cloth sack you kept in your bedroom and making your escape.

You’d rather spend the night listening to your father’s music, or sitting in front of the hearth as your brother read out the ancient legends and poems he’d always been so sickeningly fond of, but that was for another time. You had to be thankful that no one would bother you, tonight.

By the time you returned to the barn, Kunikuzushi was wake, sitting up and struggling with the shaft of the arrow. Without thinking, you rushed to his side, prying his hands away from the weapon and forcing them against the sheet he was lying on. “Please,” You started, before he could think to struggle against you. “If the head breaks off, I might not be able to get it out. I won’t be able to help you.”

You expected him to argue, to glare, but he only stared up at you, his dark eyes still wide, still bleary. Like a child, being scolded for the first time. “I don’t…” His voice was shaking, unsteady. He probably needed water, and a decent meal. You couldn't be sure how long it'd been since he last had something to drink. “It hurts. I want to get it out.”

“I can help with that.” He was bleeding, again, but you tried not to show your concern, smiling and squeezing his hands. “If you’re willing to let me.”

It took a few seconds, a few nervous glances towards his tattered robes, but eventually, he nodded, just starting to relax. You let go of him, hesitantly, and started to work.

“Do you know who did this to you?” You asked, tearing away the fabric that surrounded the injury. The arrowhead was completely embedded, more so than any self-inflicted wound or stray shot could’ve been, and his breath hitched as you took the arrow by the shaft, breaking it into two pieces as carefully as you could and discarding the second half. You felt him shift, trying to see what you were doing, but you caught his chin before he could, forcing him to stare straight ahead. You should’ve done this earlier, in the woods, while he was still unconscious. “I’ve treated a few hunters, but I’ve never seen anything this… thorough. Go and get yourself into trouble with the wrong people, stranger?”

You fished your scalpel out of your bag, wrapped in its own piece of burlap. He must’ve tried to remove it before you found him, judging by the amount of torn skin around the injury, how difficult it was to decipher where the arrow had first made contact. You tried to be precise, to only cut away what you were sure you had to cut away, but your incision could only be so small, so shallow, and Kunikuzushi still winced, dropping his gaze to his lap, hesitating before he answered. “I think it was one of my friends.”

You paused. “Your friends?”

“I mean, they weren’t trying to hurt me.” At least he was distracted, too preoccupied with himself and what he was saying to notice you putting down your scalpel. The pliers were next, crude but accurate, just barely small enough to latch onto the base of the arrowhead, where iron met the wood. “They were trying to help me. They said it would make me stronger, and if I’m stronger I can—”

You pulled, and Kunikuzushi’s words died into a low, terrible groan. You fished out your bandages, taking up what you could and pressing against his injury to stop the now-steady bleeding. You should’ve left to fetch fresh water, at that point, or gotten something to clean him up with, but his hand clasped over yours, keeping you in place with a grip stronger than you’d expected it to be. “They were trying to make me stronger. They said this would make me stronger.”

You brought your free hand to his other shoulder, rubbing gently. “I believe you,” You said, slowly, trying not to startle him. “I’m just trying to make sure they don’t kill you, in the process.”

He hadn’t been smiling, but his frown deepened. His grip loosened, though, his hand eventually sliding under yours, taking the clump of bandage, and you were allowed to stand up. You moved to brush yourself off, but thought better of it, curling your fingers into your palms as you turned away from him, starting towards the barn’s entrance. “I’ll get you some water, and something to eat. We don’t have much, but it’ll fill your stomach. My brother should have something you can wear, too.” You glanced over your shoulder, watching as he settled into place, pulling his knees into his chest and attempting to lift his left arm, only to drop it back to his side almost immediately. “You’re going to have to rest for a few days. It’s not a shallow wound, and it looks like you lost a lot of blood. It’s going to take some time before you’re able to use that arm, again.”

“I heal quickly,” He said, quickly, but he sounded unsure. “I don’t need anything, either. I’ll be fine on my own.”

“Let me be selfish, then. I brought you here, so you’re my responsibility, which means taking care of you is also my responsibility.” You’d never closed the heavy, sliding door, but you lingered in the doorway, giving him time to relax. Giving him time to start to trust that you were coming back. “And that means I have to see it through, right?”

He didn’t answer, not immediately, not until the tension in his shoulders began to fade, a fraction of his rigidity breaking into something else, something softer.

His response came a second later, breathy and mumbled, but no less gratifying for its delay.

“Right.”

~

The tenth time Kunikuzushi visited, he brought a man you didn’t know and tea imported from Liyue. He let himself into your farmhouse, and his friend waited outside.

His robes, thin and formless and dully colored, were gone, by now, replaced with rich silks, golden ornaments, veils made with such a fine material, you were forced to occasionally wonder how much you would be able to get for a length of it at the marketplace. He held himself differently, with more confidence than you’d ever thought him capable of, and while you wanted to be happy for him, you couldn’t help but miss the Kunikuzushi who used to follow after you for hours on end, staring up at you with those big, dark eyes and offering to lend you another pair of hands despite the fact that you both knew he had no talent for housekeeping. Despite the fact that you would've been just as happy with his company as you were with his help.

He didn’t follow you, anymore, and his pride was no longer such a small thing as to accommodate household chores. He watched you from your small table, instead, as you boiled water and brewed his newest gift, placing a clay mug in front of him when you were done. You held your own as you sat down, eager to keep your hands on its warm surface. The days were growing cold, and there was only so much wood you could justify wasting on yourself. You’d have to wait until the rest of your family returned before you could light the hearth.

Kunikuzushi waited for you to start. His pride was no small thing, and his patience had grown to adjust to it. “You cut your hair.”

“It was the only practical decision.” As eager to talk as ever, despite his hesitation. “Electo if volatile. If there’s anything flammable nearby, it’s bound to—”

“No, I mean you cut your hair. Without a mirror, from what I can see.” You bent over the tabletop, idly toying with a portion of his fringe, nearly an inch shorter than its twin on the opposite side. “What happened? It looks like someone took a pair of shears to your head, and you let them.”

He batted your hand away, but it was a half-hearted dismissal. He was smiling, and he made no attempt to hide it. “I’m leaving for Snezhnaya, soon. By the time I visit again, it should be long enough for you to cut yourself, to your satisfaction.”

You tried to smile back, but it faltered quickly, and you but your mug to your lips, instead. “You might have to come and find me on the mainland, by then.”

His expression dropped. “What do you mean?”

“It’s really nothing,” You assured, forcing yourself to let out an airy laugh before you went on. “He’s a merchant, and he just starting doing business on our island, and he’s… You have to understand, Kuni’, he’s so wealthy, and when he offered to marry me, I couldn't—”

“You’re betrothed.”

You pushed your shoulders forward, shrinking into yourself. “I am.”

“Why?” He slammed his palms against the table, rattling the mugs. You managed to steady your own, but his toppled over, spilling tea over the wood and onto the floor. He didn’t seem to notice, but you cringed, knowing you’d have to clean it up later on. “I can give you mora, gold, whatever you need. You don’t have to run off with some bastard behind my back and—”

“I need more than mora. There are healers on the mainland, real healers. People who can do more than gather herbs and… I don’t know, carve out arrowheads.” Another laugh, this one sardonic, exhausted. “You know my father needs care. His sight is getting worse, and his health is failing, but he keeps taking work, and neither I nor my brother can convince him to stop. He needs more care than I can give him. My brother will finally be able to attend an actual academy, too. This isn’t something I can walk away from.”

He was standing, now, lording over you. “And that’s worth whoring yourself out to a man you don’t even know?”

“I do know him. He introduced himself while he was on our island, and we’ve been exchanging letters.” Anxiously, you began to play with the hem of your sleeve, but stopped yourself quickly, pulling your hands into your lap, instead. “He’s a kind man. I don’t love him, but he’s prepared to take my family in, and—”

“Damn your family, this isn’t about them. I want to know why you think you can just leave me—”

“Get out.”

Kunikuzushi blinked. “What makes you think—”

“I’m getting married, Kuni, by my own volition. I have no interest in listening to you question my choices or insult my family. We don't have enough food. We don't have enough wood. If I turn down this offer, I'll be responsible when my family finally freezes to—” You looked away. “Just get out. I don't want to have to ask you again.”

He looked like he was going to say something, for a second.

Then, he turned on his heel, and left your farmhouse entirely. You could hear him say something to his friend, but you couldn’t make out the words. You didn’t really try to.

You allowed yourself one deep, long breath, forced yourself to stand, and went back to your chores, praying your wedding day would come soon.

~

On his next and final visit, Kunikuzushi arrived while you were at the marketplace, while your father was at home and your brother was tending to him. By the time you returned, smoke was heavy in the air, and there was no sound save for the crackle of the fire and the idle chatter of the friends he’d brought to light it.

The farmhouse was already engulfed, by the time you reached the clearing, smoke already billowing from the windows, the ramshackle roof already burnt-through and buckled in. You should’ve hidden, or ran, or done anything but drop your belongings at the edge of the forest and make a desperate sprint for the charred door, but you couldn’t think, and you couldn’t stop trying, even after he caught you, even after your frantic struggling drew the attention of his guards, his soldiers, soon leaving their makeshift posts to gather around Kunikuzushi, to watch as you clawed at the arms around your waist and shoved at his chest and screamed, cursing his name and calling out for your brother and sobbing until your voice grew too hoarse to do even that.

After your sobs had died down into pathetic cries and your cries had faded into whimpers – only then did one of his soldiers speak, the words stifled by their silver mask. “Is this the commoner, Lord Scaramouche? Should we get the restraints?”

“No. In fact, you and the others can return to the estate. Your help is no longer needed.” He paused, and you felt his hold on you tighten, his lips brush against your shin as he buried his face in the crook of your neck. “This is my errand. It’s my responsibility.”

You felt his smile, wider than you could ever remember it being, before.

“And that means I have to see it through, right?”

Deep Sea II. Yan Scaramouche x F Reader

>Rating: Mature. >Warnings: Mild yandere themes, amnesia, violence (not against Reader).  >Word count: 4.5k. >Deep Sea Index.

CHAPTER II // WROUGHT FROM THE SEABED 

Your earliest memories are not of collecting chirping crickets during the warm Inazuman summers, hearing ghost stories about trickster tanuki turned to stone in Chinju Forest, nor playing ohajiki late into the evening with the neighborhood children until your mom called you in for supper.

What you can remember, however, is painful enough that you sometimes wish you couldn’t.

Coarse sand rubbing your skin raw. Seawater filling your nostrils, your lungs, your soul. Ocean waves crashing down, manipulating your limp body to and fro as if it were a rag doll. Even when you were on solid ground, you had no energy to lift yourself. So you laid there and waited for whatever to claim you first — the ocean’s waves or death. You had no preference between the two. All you wished for was that whichever it’d be, it would come fast and be done with.

There is no fate worse than an eternal wait.

Keep reading

Deep Sea I. Yan Scaramouche x F Reader

>Rating: Mature. >Warnings: Mild yandere themes, amnesia (tags will continued to be updated as they apply).  >Word count: 4.4k. >Deep Sea Index.

CHAPTER I // SHIFTING TIDES

Blue is the loneliest color.

Take the sky, the sea; both are encompassing swaths of nothing, equal parts desolate and alluring. How could they ever hope to rival the fullness of land? Life cannot be sustained in the air above or the ocean below. There’d be nothing but sinking — sinking and returning to the ground where your feet may once again touch solid ground — or sinking further into the salty water’s depths.

Your memory of the past might be hazy, obscured by a thick fog that refuses to let up, but there’s one thing you can never forget; and that is your love for the ocean.

Keep reading

Deep Sea Chapter III. Yan Scaramouche x F Reader

>Rating: Mature. >Warnings: Yandere themes, amnesia, manipulation, depictions of anxiety.  >Word count: 5k. >Deep Sea Index.

CHAPTER III // DANCE AMONGST CORAL REEFS

“Heading out so soon, General Kujou?”

Kujou Sara, the most stalwart follower of the Raiden Shogun and semi-frequent patron of Shinju-an, acknowledges your passing with a curt nod. She walks in the opposite direction of where you’re headed — the innermost room your establishment offers. It boasts privacy and opulence beyond what the common folk could expect, lined pockets or not. Status is the precursor necessary to enter.

“Unfortunately, I am,” Sara stops long enough to entertain you. “My father is meeting with an esteemed individual. I’m afraid I can’t be present for the negotiations.”

How strange, you think. Is Sara’s high military ranking not enough to grant her access to this conversation? You were looking forward to her company. Nonetheless, what you want doesn’t change the fact that you’re here to work.

Keep reading

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* YOU HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER, LET’S SEE WHAT’S INSIDE! *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

salutations: NEMESIS (part three of my SAGAU fic)

content: spoilers of mondstadt - inazuma archon quests, yandere content (?), heavy religious themes, god!reader, violence, angst/no-comfort, imposter!au, mentions of injuries and gore

penpals: @creation-magician , @creatorofstars , @victoria1676 , @I-chaan, @pyromaniam , @sweet-seraphim , @h3apm3ch4n151m , @heehoe, @moon--kitty, @yukete , @ognenniyvolk , @strawberrychan0 , @sarahyumiko2 , @o-zqq, @saving-for-xiao , @korou164, @dontmindmeherevibing, @lovearchon , @04mitsuba50, @shrynkk , @izumiii-san , @scrumptioussongobservation, @megsthings, @migirizuki , @ashphorny, @zexeq

note: it’s finally here !!! as always, thank you again for liking my other sagau fics :>>> enjoy my fellow comrades !

part one | part two | beloved creator masterlist ! | teyvat’s penpal service !

before the news of an imposter has been spread across the continent, everyone in teyvat was celebrating the arrival of the divine creator.

as the most devoted acolyte, zhongli had to see for himself if the news was true — so when he finds out that the divinity decided to visit the city of prosperity, he had to make sure to be the first person to welcome the creator.

so why does he feel… hesitant?

“...zhongli, is that you?” the divine creator asks with a sweet smile, eyes brightening at the sight of the consultant. “my, my, you’ve grown so well!” they exclaimed, cupping his cheek with their hand, paying no mind to the way he stares at the assumed “creator” in confusion.

“..your grace?” he calls out.

they giggled. “of course it’s me! you know me don’t you, my sweet rex lapis?”

he noticed how so many people were watching them, whispering words of devotion and gratitude that their grace had finally decided to appear in teyvat once more – and that the consultant of the wangsheng funeral turned out to be their supposedly dead archon as well.

with how.. familiar the creator is, how could he not believe that this isn’t his divine creator?

despite doubts still sprouting in his stomach, the retired archon slowly puts one knee on the ground, bowing down to the creator, who smiles menacingly kindly.

“your grace, i welcome you to liyue harbor.”

with how… considerate the creator is, how could he not believe that his grace is afraid of their own creations?

despite doubts still residing in his stomach, the retired archon slowly brings out his polearm, shoulders tensed from the sudden command of his creator, who's barking orders about getting rid of those disgusting hilichurls as they hid themselves behind his back.

“your grace, i’ll make sure they will be dealt with swiftly.”

with how… perfect the creator is, how could he not believe that his beloved divinity doesn’t want imperfections?

despite doubts growing stronger than ever, the retired archon summons his adepti in the raiden shogun’s residence as servants try to fulfill every single order from the now angered creator.

“your… grace, i’ll do my best to kill the imposter for you.”

now, zhongli could only watch as his city crumbled from his yet another mistake.

“it’s such a shame that you’re no longer considered as one of their acolytes now,” childe says with a fake sigh, hiding his grin at the sight of the retired archon’s terrified look on his face. “but i suppose that’s what you get for letting our divine creator suffer from your people and believe that ridiculous imposter that fooled you all. who knew the so-called most devoted acolyte would dare to try and kill the creator with his own hands?”

zhongli quickly looks at childe, eyebrows furrowed. “you’re a foolish man for believing an imposter like them, would you like me to remind you that the real creator is here?”

the harbinger looked unphased, his lips twitching upward. “the real creator? you mean the same creator who doesn’t do anything at all but lay down on the most comfortable sheets inazuma has to offer? the same creator who abuses servants and doesn’t bat an eye on those who beg for blessings? i’m done pretending that there’s nothing wrong with them–”

“the creator has their reasons–”

“despite seeing so many signs, you still refuse to believe that you’ve been fooled.” childe snarls. “and here i thought you’d know better.”

childe then glances at where osial is, chuckling to himself at the sight of ningguang and the qixing trying everything they can to take down osial once more. if only they knew that the overlord of the vortex’s wife is currently on her way too..

“tell me, morax. have you seen your so-called creator bleed?”

“maybe i can forgive you and your pathetic city… when you’re on your knees and beg like the filthy dog you are.” you said with a grin.

ei trembles, slowly going down on her knees and lays her head down on the cold ground.

“forgive me, your grace, for i have sinned.” she whispers, closing her eyes in dread. “i was blinded in fury for not seeing you as who you are, i was foolish for believing in an imposter who claims to be the creator, and i was cruel for trying to execute you in front of my people’s eyes.”

you stared down at the trembling archon with narrowed eyes.

“how pathetic,” you spat out. “how pathetic of you to assume that i’d forgive you so easily after your worthless begging.”

ei lets out a shaky breath, her head still lowered to the cement floor. she doesn’t care about the fact that some of her people are watching, all she cares about is you accepting her even if forgiveness is out of her reach.

“show me where that imposter resides.” you demanded.

you didn’t have to ask twice.

the woman looks up, pointing at her residence without maintaining eye contact with you. “they’re in my palace. they’re unaware of your arrival, your gra–”

without letting the archon finish, you started walking towards the tenshukaku with the golden wolflord following behind, summoning more rifthound skulls to ambush more of inazuma city’s citizens along its way.

every step you take brought more memories of what you did in the electro nation. memories of you helping out yoimiya bringing fireworks as you try to keep your hood up, memories of you chasing after thoma after he declares that whoever’s the last one will pay next dinner, memories of you being found out after a shogunate removes your hoodie, and memories of the raiden shogun ready to execute you with everyone watching in glee.

you did not forget the memory of spotting a person watching by the entrance of the tenshukaku, grinning as they wear your face.

as soon as you found yourself standing in front of the palace, you gripped your sword tighter.

“leave me be,” you said to the golden wolflord. “you may continue helping your rifthounds, but refrain from killing anyone. i prefer to handle the imposter myself.”

the nameless king bows for a moment before taking his leave, ready to cause more destruction to the people of inazuma city alongside its archon.

you slowly touched the doors of the palace, taking a deep breath. this is it, this is your chance to finally bring justice and ki—

“hm, i’m impressed that you’ve made it this far.”

without hesitation, you immediately turned around and pointed your sword at the person talking behind you, eyebrows now furrowed at the sight of a copy version of you grinning menacingly.

“it really was interesting to see those archons being so… desperate for their creator’s attention to the point where they’re all willing to kill someone. you should use that as your potential – if you can kill me, that is.” they said with a hum, unphased by the fact that your sword is close to their neck.

“you really are underestimating me.” you retorted, your other hand that wasn’t holding your sword clenches into a fist. “all the more reasons to kill you, i suppose.”

the imposter continues to grin, summoning their own sword as well before pointing it at your neck. “i’m sure celestia would love to see you once i’m done with you, your grace.”

you copied their expression, eyes glowing more golden than before.

“if i were you, i’d pick an archon and start praying, sweet copycat.”

it only took an hour before the destruction finally stopped.

it only took one single sound before every single creature stopped ambushing the cities of their land, slowly returning to their abodes and areas alike as the citizens watched in confusion and relief.

it only took one strong strike until the battle between creators had ended.

much to your surprise, the imposter wasn’t harder to fight than you expected. although there was a lot of damage taken in the tenshukaku, it ended where you hoped it would be; with the imposter beneath you scared and helpless.

“impossible,” they murmured, dropping their ruined sword in defeat. “how? celestia said i’ll be able to live! they said i will be able to rule the world! THEY SAID I’LL BE JUST AS STRONG AS YOU AND—!”

“how pitiful,” you commented, copying their grin that was once held before the intense fight. “it’s a shame that you oh-so desperately accepted such a false offer. do you even remember what you look like before, copycat?”

the imposter didn’t respond, looking around the place in panic as they mumbled out hushed whispers of repeated words.

you then gripped their face, causing them to yelp in pain. “now that you’re done playing as me, what should your punishment be?” you ask, raising your sword as they cry.

“should i just feed you to the golden wolflord? cut your head off and show it to inazuma that you don’t bleed gold? or perhaps go for a more violent method and make sure death goes slowly for you?” the imposter shudders in response, still unable to respond.

you rolled your eyes. they were so confident that you wouldn’t be able to kill them off, yet here they are.

“very well then,” you then let go of their face, fixing your grip on your sword. “i’ll just stab you to death instead.”

without letting the imposter try and protest, you instantly stabbed them straight in their heart, causing them to gasp out and held onto your sword in hopes of removing it.

“this is what you get for pretending to be me.” you said, pulling your sword away from the imposter’s body.

just when they thought it’s over, you proceeded to stab them at the same spot again. “this is what you get for ordering everyone to chase after me - even when i didn’t do anything wrong.”

another stab. “this is what you get for taunting me and watch me almost get killed.” another stab. “this is what you get for thinking that you won’t face the consequences.” another stab.

you continued to tell everything the imposter did as you stab them again and again, ignoring the way their blood splatters your armor and the way they try to stop you from your endless stabbing.

it ended a few moments later as they slowly fall limp, causing you to stop yourself from stabbing them once more as you watch them pass away.

finally.

finally you’re free.

you slowly stood up from the ground, ripping your sword off from the imposter’s corpse as you look at the destruction you’ve caused.

you can only hope that the creatures you’ve grown to care for aren’t doing too much destruction on the cities.

you then noticed the electro archon standing nearby, still refusing to maintain eye contact with you. “… your grace, i’ll make sure your room is—”

“i have no reason to live with people who have done nothing but try to kill me as if i’ve done something wrong.” you interrupted in a monotone voice, ignoring the way the woman looks heartbroken from your response. “i’m sure you and others can understand.”

the woman tries to come up towards you and protest, only to stop when you backed away.

“please let me go.” you took a deep breath, now realizing the injuries that the imposter slashed on you. “i just want to go back to my home..”

ei quickly noticed your now weakened state, causing her to now look at you with worry and panic. “your grace, i need to take you to the healers—!”

“don’t try to touch me.” you strictly said, focusing on your breathing. “i’m… i don’t need your help.”

the archon felt helpless, watching as you call out the golden wolflord, causing a brown portal to appear, followed by the giant wolf coming out from it to retrieve you.

“your grace, please…” ei begs. “stay with us - let us make up for everything. we were all fooled by the imposter—”

“what’s there to make up for?” you ask, keeping your sword away. “how could i forgive you after everything that happened? how could i forgive you after everything you and your people did to me? i didn’t even do anything wrong, i just wanted to—”

suddenly, you started coughing out golden blood, causing the archon to immediately come up to you alongside the nameless king - who snarls at the woman coming towards you.

you stopped her from coming towards you, shooting her a glare.

“send the other archons my warning. if they ever - or if anyone tries to find my location, i’ll make sure they’ll be punished and will send every single monsters to them.”

you then hold onto the wolf. “consider this as a goodbye, raiden shogun.”

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* YOU HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER, LET’S SEE WHAT’S INSIDE! *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

salutations: WRATH (villain!darling sagau part 2)

content: spoilers to mondstadt - inazuma archon quests, violence, angst/no-comfort, heavily religious themes

note: tysm to those who love my first ever sagau fic esp to @nicebonescomrade who is an amazing writer ! feel free to check out their fics <<3

penpals: @creation-magician , @creatorofstars , @victoria1676 , @I-chaan, @pyromaniam , @sweet-seraphim , @h3apm3ch4n151m , @heehoe, @moon--kitty, @yukete , @ognenniyvolk, @strawberrychan0

part one | part two (here!)

…

there had been reports from adventurers claiming that there were no signs of hilichurls and abyss for weeks now.

the imposter had been long gone for what felt like months. everyone was more than happy that they had successfully defended their divine god’s identity with all their might and served justice to the sinner, who’s probably dead by now.

everyone concluded that the abyss disappearing was a good thing for the city - especially for the acting grandmaster jean, who was more than happy that she has less things to worry about now.

people started roaming around the nation of freedom without any worries besides wild creatures like wolves. hunters can easily hunt for boars without facing a hilichurl or abyss mages, adventurers can no longer worry about encountering those ruin guards and hunters in destroyed ruins, and dragonspine felt a little more safe now that there were no more frostarm lawachurls.

it felt like this was a gift from their grace that they oh-so worshipped to.

venti had also thought that this was a reward from the divine creator themselves for banishing the fiend imposter that dared to commit such blasphemy, only to think otherwise when the winds stopped talking to him.

everywhere venti goes, he could no longer feel the winds unlike before. although it was still there, it felt as though it had been ignoring venti for something.

he didn’t fail to notice the fact that dvalin and andrius have also disappeared, leaving the worried bard alone with mondstadt’s obliviousness to the situation.

just what is the cause behind all of this?

without any wind to talk to, venti could no longer keep on track on his long old friend who took care of the imposter and banned them from liyue as well.

not to mention the fact that there are three cases of people disappearing that caused the knights of favonius to panic.

venti was surprised to hear that kaeya, albedo, and klee have all disappeared. no one didn’t even see or recall anything regarding the three - especially from rosaria, sucrose, and timaeus, who were the closest to the two men who have disappeared.

although this case is most likely not involved, the bard couldn’t help but think that this must have something to do with the imposter.

so, venti decided to set out on a journey to visit liyue and check up on the retired geo archon, wanting to know if he too had faced such cases in his nation.

before he could step out of his beloved city, the winds suddenly grew stronger and harsh, causing everyone outside to stop what they were doing and process what’s happening.

it didn’t take long before venti heard the familiar sounds of dvalin’s roar.

“BARBATOS!” the bard felt his heart dropped from the voice of andrius, looking around the city in confusion. what is andrius doing here?

he then started to notice one of the men that mondstadt has been looking for, his eyes widens when he spots kaeya’s other eye that’s now exposed.

a shadow suddenly looms over venti, causing him to look up and see the spirit of andrius staring back at him with anger and hatred.

“you shall pay for the sins you’ve committed against our divine god.”

—

there had been reports from liyuean citizens that dogs have suddenly disappeared.

it was a strange occurrence indeed, but it wasn’t enough for zhongli to worry about. he thought that there was no need to intervene in such an incident that doesn’t endanger his city, thinking that the qixing and millelith can handle it on their own.

or so he thought.

not long after, there had also been reports from adventurers who claimed that there are no longer hilichurls or other monsters in sight – especially the infamous pyro regisvine and the primogeovishap themselves.

liyue was confused, surprised even. what is the cause of what one would consider..

a miracle?

the qixing then concluded that perhaps this was a sign from the divine creator themself as gratitude for defending their identity, causing everyone to cheer and consider this as a celebration.

as much as zhongli desires to send his prayers to his god as thanks for the kind gesture, he decided to check up on... a certain creature that he once considered as a friend.

when he visited the familiar cave that he and the traveler encountered, there were no signs of azhdaha around the place, much to his shock.

is this truly a blessing?

the retired archon could only think about how his divine creator must’ve been proud of his people and him for dealing with the sinner swiftly. just thinking about the praises he’d received from his creator makes his heart skip a beat.

“i wonder what happened that made you so happy, mr. zhongli.” childe spoke up with a smile as the two of them continued to dine in on wanmin restaurant’s finest dishes. “did you manage to win a lottery or something?”

despite what happened back then after faking his death, childe continued to hang out with zhongli much to his surprise (despite the huge tension around them).

though, he has to admit, the tension between him and the harbinger has grown.. stronger.

the consultant lets out a chuckle. “it is much better than winning a lottery, childe.” he replies, taking a sip of his tea before he continues, “have you heard of an imposter visiting liyue with the face of our divine creator?”

childe laughs. “oh i see now. you must’ve been proud of your people when they pushed the imposter to the sea.”

zhongli couldn’t help but shift a bit in his seat, feeling suspicious with the tensed atmosphere.

“i must say, i feel a bit jealous that the creator became generous with your nation. snezhnaya on the other hand became colder than ever.” childe commented, paying no mind to the consultant’s gestures.

it took a few moments of silence before zhongli spoke up again.

“...what is your reason for coming back here, childe?”

the harbinger continues to smile. “what do you mean? i just came here to see if the rumors are true, of course!”

“surely the tsaritsa would’ve given you another task to do, aren’t i right?” zhongli retorts, copying childe’s expression. “you would’ve come back to your home right now since the celebration has come to an end.”

“oh, but i’m not here just for your celebration!” childe exclaims, letting out an amused laugh.

the consultant furrowed his eyebrows. “what do you mean?”

“i’m talking about our god’s celebration, of course!”

as soon as those words slipped from the harbinger’s mouth, zhongli suddenly felt the ground shaking, now noticing how the sky has grown dark along with how the waves of the sea have grown stronger than ever.

it can’t be.

as everyone started panicking in realization that the harbor is in danger, childe could only laugh manically.

“you got me, mister zhongli,” he spoke up, standing up from his seat as everyone starts to evacuate.

“just so you know, i actually only came here to see the look on your face when you realized that you are no longer wanted by our divine creator.” he explains, watching as zhongli’s eyes widens in horror at the sight of osial rising once more.

“after all, it’s what you deserve for harming our grace.”

---

ei could only frown from the memory of the thunder manifestation saving the imposter from her wrath.

has the manifestation been fooled by the imposter and think that they’re their beloved creator? she wondered to herself, pacing back and forth in her plane of euthymia as her prototype-self deals with the aftermath of the failed attempt of the imposter’s execution.

not to mention the fact that yae miko had recently come up to the archon regarding a concerning amount of reports related to inazuma’s... change of state.

it confused ei that yae would come up to her just to bring up something the tenryou commission can handle on their own, only to think otherwise when she first read the documents.

some had reported about how the rain in yashiori island has returned once more, only this time it had begun to grow stronger and unstoppable. some had reported about how tsurumi island’s fog had returned as well and became bigger to the point where it had almost reached the rest of the islands. one had also mentioned about how the legendary maguu kenki has started to move away from his arena, killing anyone that comes out of its way to an unknown destination.

what made ei decide to come out was a certain document that mentioned both mondstadt and liyue’s troubles, all going through similar things as inazuma.

the thought that maybe, just maybe that the imposter that she had almost killed with her own hands was the very being that made her pursue eternity almost brought ei down on her knees in regret.

it can’t be them. she thought, her heart beating rapidly as she heads to the road that will take her to ritou and visit liyue —

she stops her tracks when a sudden explosion appears by the entrance of inazuma city.

“guards, head towards the commotion now!” she yelled and continued running once more, hoping that it was just an accidental experiment from yoimiya and nothing super serious as the guards followed her.

by the time she arrived, her eyes landed on yours.

there you were, standing in front of the huge smoke with a dull look on your face. no longer was the imposter disguised as someone else with the help of a cloak,

now stood the divine creator themself amidst the chaos around them and ei, whose breath hitches in realization and regret.

“you..” you spoke up, your voice now confident and vengeful instead of frightened and weak as you walked towards the archon. “you are a disgrace to teyvat for performing an execution against your god.”

ei’s heart tightens from the words you said that once slipped from her lips during your execution, now knowing that she had indeed messed up badly.

“do you remember me, ei?” you ask, walking towards the woman as the golden wolflord comes out from the smoke with rifthounds following, causing everyone to panic from the sight of the beasts that belong to the tsurumi island.

ei stood still, her hands shaking. of course she remembers you.

“tell me, did you remember when the kamisato clan offered me to you as i beg for your mercy?” you ask again, bringing out a sword that she used to try and execute you.

ei didn’t bother asking where you had gotten that sword.

“i… i didn’t know any better.” ei spoke up, slowly walking backwards as you come closer and closer. “i didn’t know it was really yo—”

“no one did!” you yelled, ignoring the lightning that suddenly struck down the city from your outburst. “no one bothered to think that i wasn’t an imposter - you didn’t even let me explain myself!”

the woman felt her posture falter, her heart couldn’t handle the fact that she had disappointed you, the very being that gave her a reason to not give up.

“forgive me.. forgive me your grace—”

“you have no right to call me that anymore, you’ve lost your right as an acolyte.”

her lips quivered, her weapon dropped to the ground. “please, give me another chance, your grace! i regret my foolish decision in mistaking you as an impo—”

you let out a loud laugh. “and why should i give you a chance when you haven’t given me one before? you and the rest of the archons are indeed fools!”

ei’s shoulders began to tense from the sounds of her people screaming and crying out for help as rifthounds attacked them. she should’ve known better- she shouldn't have believed those fools from the kamisato clan—!

she held her breath when you suddenly placed your finger under her chin, making her realize that you’re now in front of her.

you then made her look up to your eyes, the eyes that are now glowing gold instead of the original color of your orbs.

you grinned. “maybe I can forgive you and your pathetic city... when you’re on your knees and beg like the filthy dog you are~”

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ YOU HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER, LET’S SEE WHAT’S INSIDE! ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

salutations: INFERNO (villain!darling in sagau)

content: spoilers of mondstadt - inazuma archon quest, violence, angst/no-comfort, reader is def becoming a villain here, ooc!genshin characters, yandere genshin cult au

note: this is inspired by @nicebonescomrade who is one of my fav genshin writers so far (im obsessed with the disney princess trope with this au) <<3

part one (you’re here!) | part two

…

how did it end this way?

“how dare you impersonate our divine one!” huffman yelled, pointing his sword at you as you stared at him with a terrified look on your face. throughout the months of playing this game, you couldn’t recall seeing the familiar npc being as angry as he is now.

what did you do?

you look around your surroundings, panicking at the sight of most of the npcs in the city of freedom surrounding you with an intent of something despicable. what did you do to make them, the people who you thought were friendly, look at you as if you’ve done a crime?

“i don’t understand..” you spoke up, slowly backing away as they come closer and closer. “what did i do wrong?”

“don’t you dare act innocent!” donna yelled out. “you are aware of what you have done, you leech! what were you thinking when you decided to step foot here and act as if you’re our creator?!”

you continued to look around again, hoping to see a familiar face that isn’t among the hateful crowd.

your eyes then lands on venti.

oh thank the heavens.

without another thought, you immediately tried to run pass the crowd, surprising everyone in the process as your hand reaches out towards the bard, who seems to start noticing your figure running towards him with an angry mob behind you.

“venti!” you cried out, hiding yourself behind him (despite his small stature). “please help me, i don’t know why they’re after me, i didn’t do an—”

“get your filthy hands off me!”

you let out a surprised gasp when venti pushes you off, causing you to stumble backwards and fall on the floor.

he glares down at you as everyone else makes fun at your pathetic state. “you dare think i’d fall for your tricks?” what tricks? what is he talking about?

“please.. i didn’t do.. i didn’t do anything wrong.” you said, trying to stand up from the cold ground — only for venti to push you down again.

“who knew there would be a person who has the audacity to come here and mock our creator, pretending they’ve done nothing wrong with their life.” he said with a venomous tone, paying no mind to how you shivered from the sudden harsh winds.

“leave us alone before i give in to temptation and give you something worse than death.”

…

just what creator are they talking about? are they talking about celestia?

tears started forming in your eyes as people started throwing things at you — both big and small, trying to mute out those who have been saying foul words towards you.

of course liyue wouldn’t be different. what were you thinking?

you whimpered in pain when you felt what seemed to be a hot bowl of soup on the left side of your body, it will surely leave a couple of burns on your skin underneath.

“get out of here, you disrespectful idiot!” chef mao, the person who threw the bowl of soup, yelled out.

you just want to end this pain.

as you head towards the pathway of feiyun slope where the other exit of the harbor is, your eyes wanders around the area until you spotted another familiar face.

“zh-zhongli?” you called out softly with your eyes brightened, feeling your shoulders beginning to relax from the sight of the consultant that you grew to love back in your world — who turns around to see you.

perhaps… perhaps he could hel—

your breath hitched when he summons his polearm.

“you wench,” he spat out, causing your eyes to widen from his foul language. “you dare to try and fool us with your insolent disguise as our creator?”

“i-i didn’t do anything, i swear!” you cried out, alarmed from people suddenly coming out to the streets to see the commotion. “i don’t know who you’re talking about, i-i’m just a normal—”

you yelped when someone pushed you to the ground, causing your heart to beat faster in fear. what have you done to deserve this? when will you wake up from a seemingly ever-lasting nightmare?!

“pick an archon and start praying,” zhongli says, pointing the tip of his polearm at your neck as you cried.

“because what i’m going to do next will surely make you regret disrespecting our divine creator like this.”

…

who knew this world could be so cruel than your real one?

“you…” you shakily stood still as the raiden shogun slowly walk towards you with her blade in hand, you wanted nothing more than to put up your hood again and hide your face from the world, the cruel and cold world.

after getting a harsh beating from everyone in liyue, you managed to get a trip to inazuma, who started opening its doors with welcoming arms after the infamous traveler (who you still have not encountered for reasons unknown) helped their electro archon.

unlike your visits to mondstadt and liyue, you then decided to hide your face with a hoodie that you manage to steal from the boat you were riding in, hoping that you won’t have to go through the same thing as you did with the first nations.

much to your relief, no one seemed to notice your face, giving you another hope that maybe.. this was the right place for you to stay until you wake up from this dream.

you even made friends with the characters, who seemed to like you so well and never questioned the fact that you’re covering your face.

things were going well with your life in inazuma.. so how did they find out?

“you are a disgrace to teyvat for impersonating our divine creator,” she explains, not failing to notice the sight of your quivering form on the floor. “i’ll make sure this won’t slide easily.”

you look amongst the audience nearby to find who you thought were your dear friends watching you. surely they’d save you from the raiden shogun’s wrath right? didn’t they say they’re willing to help you?

when you finally spotted thoma, ayaka, yoimiya, and other people that you got along with, your heart drops at the sight of them looking away from your hopeful gaze.

they’re just like everyone else.

you felt yourself slumped, staring down at the cold ground as every hope within your eyes vanishes slowly, paying no mind to the electro archon coming closer and closer to where you are.

what is the point of living, if you have no chance to live peacefully here at all?

you thought this was a chance for you to start anew and tried things you had never experienced in your real world, only to find out in a hardest way possible that there’s no hope for you here, whereas everyone considers you as an enemy to them for simply looking like their so-called creator.

“any last words?” the archon asks, slowly raising her sword as you close your eyes in relief.

if this is the way to come back to your real home, then perhaps death isn’t too bad.

suddenly though, a lightning suddenly blasted between you and raiden — who immediately backs away in surprise.

you opened your eyes as people started screaming, confused as to what’s happening.

you then realized a large shadow looming over you and the electro archon, who seems to be distracted from the culprit who interrupted your supposedly execution ceremony.

you slowly look up and saw the familiar form of a thunder manifestation.

“your grace!”

…

after being saved by the infamous thunderbird of inazuma, you had officially decided that enough is enough.

you were beyond outrageous for the things everyone has done to you. you simply snapped the moment your so-called inazuma friends turned their backs on you when you needed them the most.

you wish to see the very thing you created burn.

even though your life has been given another chance to live, your hope has been long gone. what’s the point of hoping when you’ll end up being trampled on by people who thought they knew their creator so well?

you could never forget the disgusted looks on the archons faces as you cried and begged for their help from those who had hurt you in worst ways imaginable, only for them to join in and make you feel nothing more but pain and suffering.

there’s nothing more you desire than to see everyone regret their actions.

“your grace,” you turn around to see one of your precious thunder manifestations, the one who had saved you from the wrath of the raiden shogun. “the abyss has completed the sigils needed for the overlord of the vortex, we’re all waiting for your permission to use them.”

you smile sinisterly, feeling sadistic for being excited of what’s about to happen to the precious city of contracts. once liyue harbor has been flooded to cease it’s existence, you can move on to the next two nations that brought you hell and give them the punishment they deserved.

“release osial.”

Two Puppets, Thrown Aside

A request for @that-one-lilith / @vilithshaven hehehe

Summary: Scaramouche finds himself another person much like himself. He takes you in and so, your future is shaped.

Warnings: animal dying, blood, torture, yandere themes. Reader is definitely not sane here but neither is scaramouche. Reader is referred to as "sister" once or twice but there is no other mention for reader's gender.

THIS IS NOT SAGAU.

You were his dirty little secret.

You were his greatest failure.

You were his mistake.

Albedo Kreideprinz created you from pure alchemy, from chalk much like himself. You were meant to be a sister, one that could relate to him and furthermore help him learn the secrets of the world. You were meant to be perfect, a true testament to the powers of alchemy, to his studies and efforts just as Albedo and Durin had been for Gold.

But you turned out wrong— there was a certain gleam in your eyes, burning bright and shiny when you looked at dissected specimen leftovers from Sucrose's experiments. Cold curiosity shone through the way you let your finger drag along his sword, eyed Klee's unfinished bombs, and giggled when you stomped over slimes and hilichurl remains.

You were cruel, too cruel for him to keep around and too cruel for him to let you leave for Mondstadt. And Albedo knew what he had to do to fix this mistake, to make sure it— you did not cause trouble for Mondstadt or worse, Klee.

"Leave," he tells you, shoving a satchel of what little belongings you have. There is a pity in his eyes but it doesn't matter, does it? He's leaving you alone, on a cold, lonely mountain and under the starry sky of Teyvat with no one to turn to because nobody in Teyvat would accept you, not when Albedo himself is against you. "Leave, and never return."

You do leave. Even if it hurts, even if you're scared because despite it all Albedo is the only one you knew and found comfort it. You leave even if you're so angry no hilichurls or monsters are spared alive by your weapon— because you don't have a vision, not like how perfect Albedo or his little sister Klee do.

But Dragonspine is a mountain never alone despite its sheer cold or violent weather; Fatui agents litter around every corner, ever-searching for secrets yet to be known and always keeping an eye on the strange alchemist and his unsual experiments.

They know of you, are privy to the knowledge thst you are not quite human nor quite a deity, and if they know about you then their asdigned superior most certainly does as well.

You meet Scaramouche on the coldest night Dragonspine has yet seen, and he is looking at you with an empty smile much like a doll. Lightning and Electro falls from his fingertips and in the shaded contours of his face, monsters bleeding and dying before him, his smile stretches to something more genuine, blood-thirsty and bright.

Is this the same expression I had when Albedo got rid of me? You ask yourself, eyes aglow with greed. He doesn't have a vision and yet— you want to learn, to reach out and pluck that power like a feather from him to see how strong you'd be.

He turns to you then and offers you his hand. "Come with me," he says, and he looks at you not with the painful reluctance and disappointment Albedo used to, but with the excitement of a promised good time, with the same greed as you. "You and I are alike in more ways than you think. I can help you reach your true potential, dear humunculus. Come with me."

Who are you to refuse him, when he stares at you like that? When your blood thrums at the mere thought of more power, of more fight, of more? Of someone that accepts you?

Your hands meet and above the snow and dense clouds of Dragonspine, thunder lights up the sky in shades of violent purple in one of the worst storms the mountain has ever seen. It is the only witness to an agreement between two discarded puppets.

──・──・・ ♡ ・・──・──

Scaramouche pushes you past your limits; his training, if it can be called that, is brutal. Day after day you end up more often than not bruised and battered from the vigorous activities he puts you through. And yet— you bear it all with a vicious grin, painted a picture of elegant savagery with the way monsters and even agents lie at your feet.

Scaramouche, however, is your favorite opponent. You have to actively think of your next move, of how to avoid and attack him but that's exactly how you like it. The cryo delusion he gives you reacts wonderfully with his electro, and the training grounds resemble a ruination more than a stable building by the time you two are done.

You don't spend every second with him training, of course; despite how he keeps you a secret from the Tsaritsa and the rest of the Harbingers ("for your safety," he says but you aren't stupid, you are not blind, yet you don't bother arguing with him; you doubt any of them would be as fun as he is, anyways) he does not keep you locked out of sight, out of mind like Albedo did.

He takes you to the islands of Inazuma, sakura blossoms tangling in the strands of your hair as you so excitedly take in all the colors and sights, with him as your constant, watching shadow. You get to explore Liyue's mountains that you'd only seen the peaks and distant shadows of from Dragonspine, and your trips there are made all the better by the Treasure Hoarder camps you and him get to play with.

But, much to your annoyance, these trips are becoming rarer and rarer because a certain cicin mage thought she could talk about you in her little report for Signora.

Her pleas and begs, gurgled through a mouthful of blood, mean nothing to you— enraged as you are because Scaramouche is unrelenting on your new restrictions— or the Harbinger who only keeps on electrocuting her to the very edge of her life before bringing her back.

When she's well and truly dead, you ignore the blood seeping into the ground to latch on to Scaramouche, pouting at him. "Can't I just hide better?" You ask him, kicking away the mage's limp head away from your boots. "Maybe change my appearance? We could get some new, better agents—"

"No," Scaramouche scowls yet he doesn't remove your arms from around his person. Rather, his own grip around your waist is tight, unwilling to let you go especially after this mess. "You will stay here and I will ensure none of the other agents will dare run their mouth about you to the other Harbingers."

No matter how much you plead, Scaramouche remains steady in his resolve. He's remind you of Albedo's insistence at keeping you hidden, but unlike your no-longer brother Scaramouche promises that soon, you can go out on those trips again. He runs his hand through your hair and stares deep into your eyes, and then cups your face to kiss your forehead, soothing the wrinkles there from annoyance in the same breath.

You do end up staying, but the agents that now keep guard over you in his stead shake and shiver whenever you pass by, the cryo delusion reacting to you emotions and making the place frigid cold.

Scaramouche only laughs at their predicament and praises you for keeping them on their toes, afraid and wary.

"You'd make a wonderful Harbinger, (Name)," he laughs, a cruel smirk on his face after he noticed one agent practically run out of the room when you entered. You and him share a grin, equally bloodthirsty yet fond.

"No, thank you, I've seen the paperwork you have to do," you make a face, plopping down on a chair. "Scara. . . can we please go out today? I've been stuck here now for weeks!"

You are expecting him to refuse, have prepared yourself to try your best to persuade him— you aren't expecting him to nod.

"We are going to Dragonspine."

──・──・・ ♡ ・・──・──

Dragonspine is exactly as you remember it, cold winds howling and snow never ending. Nevertheless— and totally ignoring any and all memories of your time with Albedo— the mountain still does make you happy. Well, happier than you'd been locked up even if it was for your own safety.

You two are in one of the Fatui camps where Scaramouche does whatever it is that a Harbinger does— you don't really cade or pay attention much to that— but you're instead more focused on that one agent that keep on gazing at you.

What are you planning? You think, not letting him know that you are aware of him. That you are aware of the way he slips behind and hides.

You ignore Scaramouche and the others— watching you as you follow the agent and find him working on a report with your name in it.

When you turn to Scaramouche, he is grinning, arms spread open in invitation. His pose and being in Dragonspine reminds you of the day you two first met, you no more than a useless, discarded puppet— but that is in the past. You are now with Scaramouche and Albedo is but a forgotten project to you.

Scaramouche's wants and opinions matter way, way more than your dear brother ever did.

That is why you so happily tear apart the agent and spill his blood upon the snowy grounds; I will not disappoint him, you think to yourself, giddy at the thought of making him proud instead. I will not fail him. I will be better.

But Scaramouche is not staring at you, despite how the empty space of his heart bursts with joy at seeing you in your element. His eyes are up, staring straight ahead at a certain alchemist.

Look at your failed project, Scaramouche's mind crows in delight. Look at your failed project and see what has become of them. See their magnificence and strength, and know that it is my doing. How does it feel, alchemist, to know that your puppet is mine now?

Possessive as he is over you and because he wants to drive the point home, Scaramouche wraps an arm around your waist and tugs you close to his side. He cares not for the blood soaking the both of you as you cling to him, laughing and joyful.

"Having fun, darling (Name)?"

You beam at him and nod, eyes bright. You are still laughing when he takes your chin and kisses you, hard and possessive and so, so wonderful.

For all that you remain unaware, the same cannot be applied to Scaramouche; he stares straight at Albedo and smirks, pulling you even closer as he raises his voice just enough.

"You're mine, (Name)."

If Sucrose returns to Albedo's lab and sees it in a total disarray and the man himself muttering strange things about a sister that is not Klee, then it remains a secret between her, Albedo, and (unknown to her) Scaramouche.

What's your greatest fear?