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âš° summary: You wake up amidst a war with no recollection of your past. Faced with suspicion and distrust, you struggle to assimilate into a foreign nationâotherwise known as your home. But on your enlightening journey to search for your identity, you come face to face with the General of the Army.
âš° pairing/rating: yoongi x reader & jungkook x reader | PG-15
âš° warnings: profanity, death of minor characters, very brief mention of suicide
âš° wordcount: 6.7k
âš° join the taglist! (pm/send in an ask/reply/reblog)
âš° a/n: your support and help means so much to me @the-berry-named-ari! thank you for beta-reading once again <3
âš° previous | series m.list | next
â§â§Circa Garnetâ§â§
Itâs a new year.
A fresh start, a novel beginning, the end of the truce and the commencement of battles.
For the most part, things havenât changed. The tasks are the sameâtending to the wounded, participating in officer meetings, creating battle plans⊠But if something did change, you can confidently say that it was you.
Maybe it was your first extended conversation with the General. Youâve spent so much time with him, yet it has never felt like you really got to know him. That night, you learned that you and the General have more in common than you thought. But knowing more about the General also opened up more doors of mystery. Why does he have nothing to lose as you do? What past has shaped him to want to fight for Solariaâs freedom? Why does he not believe in love and war? And why wonât he tell you why he thinks youâre peculiar?
Or maybe it was meeting the fire tiger. Youâve never felt so safe, so secure, so warm at the same time. Youâre not sure what brought the sol to find you, but you thank the spirits that it had happened.
And besides, it doesnât really matter whether the reason was the General or the tiger; something that night had prompted you to feel like you were reborn. And now, for the first time, you feel like you.
âY/N!!!â Hana shrieks, running toward you at breakneck speed. She takes you in a bear hug, jumping up and down while attempting to spin you in circles. âI got back two weeks ago! How come I havenât seen you until now?? I missed you so much! I had the time of my life back home, but for Soriâs sake, I couldnât stop thinking about my duties back here! I was so glad to be back! And now to meet my friend!â
You laugh, bringing your arms around to brace her. âDid you eat all the bread you wanted to back home?â
âYou know I did! Father made his homemade special holiday acorn bread, which I ate for nine days straight!â Hana sings. âI set aside some to save for you, but my siblings decided to surprise me with an empty platter the night before I left,â she sighs, shaking her head. âThey send you their formal apologies. Oh! And did I tell you? I have a boyfriend now,â she says, dreamily. âHe says heâs going to wait for me until I get to go home again. Isnât it amazing?â she sighs happily. âI think Iâm in love.â
âIn love?â you ask, eyes wide. âFlaming hell, Hana! Iâm so happy for you! Tell me everything! Who confessed first?â
âOf course I did!â Hana snorts. âHe was too shy. Maybe itâs âcause Iâve known him since we were both three. I might have gotten a little drunk, though, before the confession, that is. Either way, it was perfect, Y/N. I didnât know it was possible to feel this happy. Heâs an earth medium, you know, and he made me the prettiest garden of flowers right outside my windowsill! Roses and tulips and carnations!â
You smile. âIâm really happy for you. It sounds so romantic, Hana.â
âOh, it was,â she grins. âWeâre gonna send each other love letters every circa. I was actually going to send you a letter, Y/N!â Hana laughs. âBut then I realized Iâd come back here before you would even get that message.â She giggles. âBut enough about me. What did you do during the break?â
âOh, me?â you ask, a little taken off guard. âNot much,â you reply with a smile. âI guess Iâve been cranking out battle plans, if that counts as relaxation.â
Hana gives you a horrified look. âMy sweet Y/N, youâve lost your marbles.â
You laugh. âDonât worry. I had the General to keep me company.â
âThe General??â Hana gasps. âHis idea of relaxation is work, Y/N! No wonder all you did was crank out battle plans! Youâre in need of a vacation!â
You shake your head, grinning. âHana, what would I even do? Besides, I canât just abandon my duties!â
âYouâve been working so hard that Iâm pretty sure you donât even have duties left to take care of,â Hana pouts. âWhy donât you take some time off for yourself?â
âTake time off for myself?â you ask, laughing. âI really canât, Hana.â
âHmph!â she sighs. âYouâre going to burn yourself out at that rate, Officer. Donât think I donât notice the dark circles under your eyes! You havenât been getting much sleep. If you donât rest, sooner or later, youâre going to crash and burn!â She grins, sweeping in a low bow. âBut thatâs all the convincing I can afford today, my good friend! Iâve gotta go train. See you later, Officer!â
âO-Oh! Yeah, see you later!â you call out to your friend, who waves while continuing to jog away. You wave back, but your other hand gently traces under your eye. You didnât know your body had left evidence of your many sleepless nights.
Take some time off for yourself.
But thatâs what youâve been doing. Youâve kept yourself busy, trying to make sense of the monocode and reviewing battle plans that you want to share as soon as possible. Itâs a new circa now, which means the Darlaeans have already made new formations for their new line of code. And itâs up to you to crack it.
You know Hana means differently when she tells you to take time off for yourself, but what is there to do other than work for the army? Besides, this is a war for fuckâs sake. And youâre an officer. So you shake your head, making your way inside the medical tent to see what Joonâs been up to.
âOh dear,â Namjoon says when he first catches a glimpse of you. He carefully stirs a giant pot filled to the brim with warm Incha and gives you a worried look. âAre you feeling okay?â
âJoon, Iâm not sick, I promise,â you say with a laugh. âI was just wondering if you need some help around here?â
Namjoon sighs, stopping his stirring to turn to you. âY/N, youâre an officer now. Itâs kind of you to offer to help all the time, but you donât have to come to this tent to work anymore. You have your other duties. Oh, dear⊠It looks like youâre overworking yourself. Didnât we sign off a temporary truce with the Darlaeans over the brunt of winter? You havenât gotten any rest at all, dear. You look very tired.â
âIâm not tired at all, Joon,â you say, shaking your head. âIâve just about finished all my officer duties, so I thought you could use a helping hand. I would be training too, if I was a fire medium, but I havenât quite learned the works of that yet.â
But Namjoon is firm. âY/N, you look like youâre seconds away from burning out.â
âI can last a few more circas like this,â you say. âMaybe an eternity,â you smile, though it feels a little heavy on your lips. âI feel okay, Joon, I swear.â
âYou can barely keep your eyes open.â
âI feel so awake!â
âWhen did you last sleep?â
âWell, I⊠I donât know.â For some strange reason, your eyelids have gone heavy. And oddly, itâs getting harder and harder to blink. âMaybe two days ago? Iâm not so sure.â
Namjoon reaches forward, gently placing the back of his hand onto your forehead. âNo fever⊠You need sleep right away. Whenâs the last time youâve eaten?â
âAlso canât rememberâŠâ
Youâre feeling a little dizzy. There are strange, white blobs in your vision, and though Namjoon just checked your temperature, you feel cold all over.
âY/N? Y/N?? Y/NâŠâ
You can hear words, but you canât quite comprehend them. Your head feels lightâa little too light. Thereâs a loud thump!, and thereâs a dull impact on your side. There are more words. They sound more urgent this time. But you canât bring yourself to understand what they mean. And before you can have another thought, everything goes black.
âShe seemed fine at the last officer meeting. I didnât know she was overworking herselfâŠâ
âShe hasnât slept in two days, and her blood sugar levels are quite low⊠I donât think sheâs eaten for a few days, either. I nearly had a heart attack when her eyes rolled back and she just fell to the ground.â
âFlaming hell. This girl is trying to carry a nation on her back before she even takes care of herself.â
Thereâs a polite laugh. âOh, dear. I donât think she was taking a proper break. Has she always been⊠well, a workaholic? After she got promoted, we havenât had much reason to see each other. I shouldâve made sure we kept in touch. Iâm her healer, for Sahnâs sake.â
âSheâs hardworking. But Iâve never seen her overwork herself to this extentâŠâ
Your eyes flutter open and you try to sit up immediately, but strong hands push you down. âIâm fine! Iâm fine!â you protest.
But the Lieutenant General snorts, shaking your head. âY/N, you fainted.â
âI did??â
When you look around, you see that youâre in a cot, covered with a blanket and a cup of warm Incha waiting for you in Joonâs hands. Without much protest, you take the tea and sip on it. It makes you feel just a little bit better.
âNamjoon here tells me that youâve been overworking yourself for whatever reason,â Doyun sighs. âYouâre already doing so much. Creating battle plans is not easy, Y/N. Though the way you whip them up, it doesnât seem like it. But a normal plan takes us weeks to create, Y/N. Maybe circas. Trust me. Youâre allowed to take your time.â
You fidget with the cup. âI feel like I need to fill in the gaps, Doyun.â
Itâs the partial truth. Of course thereâs a real reason hidden in your mind somewhere. Something that you donât necessarily feel the need to reveal in such a casual conversation.
âThe gaps?â she asks, raising her eyebrows.
âIâm an officer, but I donât know how to fight.â
Doyunâs eyes soften. âOh, Y/N. Youâve lost your memory. Itâll come back to you eventually.â
Eventually. That could be in a thousand circas; decades, even. There isnât enough time to wait. And besides, do you even want your memories to come back now? Still, the last thing you want is for Doyun to worry.
âI guess it will,â you say with a weak smile. âIâm sorry. I shouldâve taken care of myself better. I apologize for making you worry.â
Joon shakes his head. âItâs fine, dear. Iâm just glad I could have helped. But do take care of yourself. I didnât fix your broken ribs and head injuries for you to falter from malnourishment and sleep deprivation.â
You smile, nodding. âIâll keep that in mind.â
âWe donât have an officer meeting for a few days,â Doyun says. âFrom now to then, youâre forbidden to do any work. Just rest. Trust me. Youâve already done so much for us. We canât risk losing our Battle Plan Coordinator, can we?â Youâre about to open your mouth to argue when you hear a new voice in the tent.
âThatâs an order, Officer.â
Itâs quite the familiar voice.
As expected, when you look up, you see the General. Heâs got his hands laced together behind his back, an amused look painted on his face. âWhen you said you wanted to fight for the end of the war,â he drawls out, âI didnât know you were trying to fight for your end as well.â
You scoff. âSir, I only fainted.â
âAnd fell nearly face-forward,â Namjoon adds to your dismay.
âMaybe if youâd hit your head on the ground, Officer, you wouldâve lost all of your memories. Again,â the General says. âWe wouldnât want that, would we?â
The General lets out an exasperated sigh at your protest. âIf you wouldnât mind, Doyun, Joon, Iâd love to speak to our officer alone.â
âOh, of course!â Namjoon says. âDrink all of that tea, dear. And if you need more, you know where to find me.â
âIâm expecting you to rest, Y/N. General says itâs an order,â Doyun says, crossing her arms over her chest to emphasize her point.
You nod at both of their words. And once the healer and the Lieutenant are gone, the General speaks without a second to waste:
âWas it something I said?â
You blink. âSorry?â
âWas it something I said, Officer?â
âIâm not sure I followâŠâ
âYouâre overworking yourself to the brinkânoâto actual collapse. It seems to have started shortly after our conversation that night near the woods, Officer. So I must ask: was it something I said?â
Your eyes widen. âOh, no! No, sir. It wasnât what you said.â
âWas it the meeting with the fire sol?â
âHeli?â
âHeli?â he repeats, raising his eyebrows.
âO-Oh.â Your face heats up in embarrassment. âI know Iâm not supposed to name the animal spirits, but Iâve been meeting him every night, and I just couldnât help but name him. I hope that doesnât go against a rule book somewhere. He answers when I call him, though. But oh, for Soohtâs sake! It wasnât because I met Heli, either. Or maybe it was⊠I donât know, sir. It was everything.â
âEverything?â
Flaming hell. With the Generalâs simple persistence, youâre going to have to dig up what youâd buried away in your thoughts.
âI had an epiphany that night,â you admit. âAnd maybe it was because of my conversation with you. Or maybe it was because I met Heli. It couldâve been both, too. I donât know, sir. But I just remember being fed up being tied to my past life. I wanted to break free from the ropes. I just wanted to let go.â
âSo you let go, Officer?â
âYes, sir. Iâve decided that this is who I am now. I donât care what I did in the past.â
âWell, congratulations, I suppose,â the General says with a quirk of his brow. âBut Iâm failing to understand how this makes you overwork yourself, Officer.â
âI donât know if I made the right choice,â you blurt out. âI donât know anything about my previous life. Is it really right for me to cast it away? What if I had people I loved? What if I made promises that I canât remember? What if theyâre waiting for me to come back but I never do? Iâm scared, sir. And see? Iâm doing it again.â
His voice is soft when he asks, âWhat are you doing?â
âOverthinking,â you sigh. âI didnât want to overthink my choice. So I bit off more than I could chew. To distract myself from a spiral of horrible thoughts. But here I am, overthinking anyway.â
âIâm impressed that you were able to make such an executive decision, Officer,â the General says. His words ease just a bit of the tension from your shoulders. âYou neednât beat yourself up about it. This is who you are.â
âI suppose it is.â
âAnd truth be told, Officer, I like that you overthink.â
Your eyes widen. âYou do, sir?â
âHow else could you create battle plans so naturally?â he says with a gentle smile. âItâs just a part of you. No need to punish yourself for it.â
âSir, but do you really expect me to sit around and do nothing until the next officer meeting?â
âNo.â He smiles. âBut still try to take time off for yourself.â
âBelieve it or not, thatâs not the first time Iâve heard that,â you sigh.
âI believe it,â the General replies. âBut hearing that more than once is also a sign that you should take that advice. Take time off, overthink, ponder, ruminate. Do what you like. Maybe even go on a ride with Heli. I expect you to be well-rested by the officer meeting. Iâm sure you have many great things to share.â
âI do, sir.â
âItâs settled, then.â
âIt is.â
Thereâs a short, awkward silence. You sip your Incha and the General stares down at the dirt. After a while, youâre the first to speak.
âSir?â
âYes, Officer?â
âDo you happen to know anything about the number 19?â
He frowns. What an odd question. âNothing comes to mind,â he replies. âIs that all?â
âYes, thatâs all, sir.â
He clears his throat, suddenly feeling a little dizzy. âThen⊠Then I will see you in two daysâ time. Take care.â
He barely remembers what you had answered because heâs staggering out of the tent, a distant ringing in his ears. The walk to his own tent is a blur. When he finally collapses on his chair, his hands begin to cradle his head.
âS-Sh-She⊠Sheâs dead.â
âQuit pulling my leg, Yoongi. There are more serious matters to tend to.â
âMother⊠Yoojin is dead.â
âShe is only wounded. She is not dead.â
âYou have to believe me, Mother.â
âItâs General Min to you, Yoongi. How many times do I have to tell you? Yoonsoo is always so good at showing his respect. You? Why must you disappoint me, son?â
âMother!â Heâd yelled, tears streaming down his face. âShe set fire on herself. Yoojin did. Sheâs dead. Sheâs gone. Dead, Mother. Sheâs dead!â
âShut your mouth!â his mother had roared. Sheâd stood up abruptly, knocking over the heavy desk. âNo daughter of mine chooses a cowardly death in the medical tent!â
âShe was hurting, Mother, please. You know how severe her injuries had been.â
âWho is going to be the General after I die?!â his mother had yelled. âIt was supposed to be Yoojin! Coward!â she had yelled. âShe didnât want the responsibility!â
Yoongiâs mother had been horrified. She didnât want to admit it, but she loved her daughter. She loved her children. Her form of denial had been rash, but her denial showed that she had cared.
And with the death of Yoojin, General Min began spiraling out of control. She wouldnât sleep. Wouldnât eat. And she expected her soldiers to do the same. Be so disciplined that they didnât waste a single second of their lives doing anything else other than thinking, acting, breathing for the war.
Of course, this mania didnât last.
Within circas, she knew what a monster she had become. A cycle that her youngest son would continue. But she didnât know that.
Sensing the growing resentment of her soldiers toward her, General Min knew it would be better to die in battle than to resign. So she led a final, semi-victorious battle, sacrificing her life for her clan, her family and her army. She knew going into that battle that she wouldnât come out alive.
That had been her form of an apology.
Her last letter to her sons had consisted of one sentence: I appoint Min Yoonsoo as the next General of the Solarian Army and Min Yoongi as his Lieutenant General.
And while dealing with the sudden deaths of his sister and his mother, Yoongi had also dealt with the humiliation. The sheer humiliation that his mother had skipped over him and given his younger brother the title of the General. It was heartbreak over heartbreak. A devastation that haunts him to this day.
He was only 19 years old.
âThe General suggested I go on a ride with you.â
Heli huffs happily, stretching out his back as if to tell you heâs preparing for that very task.
âIâve never been in the forest alone.â
Heli paws at the air.
âYouâll take me on a tour?â
Heli huffs, the fire in his eyes burning just a bit brighter. He nuzzles you, and you wrap yourself around his warmth. âThank you,â you tell him. âI appreciate it.â
Within minutes, you see a blur of green and brown and white. You hold onto the blazing tiger, face nearly buried in his soft mane. Heli darts between the trees, weaving in and out amongst the frost-covered bushes. You pet his fur, hugging his figure and looking out to watch the beauty of the forest.
Alderâs woods are magical.
The trees are grand, towering over everything else. Their barks are etched with lines and shaded with contours so intricate that youâre convinced they could be the language of nature. Moss sprouts on the tree roots, painting the ground an emerald green. The morning dew drips off the smaller plants and falls delicately onto the forest floor that preserves the remnants of a cold winter.
Even during a wintry Circa Zircon, life seems to have survived. Some have flourished in the frigidity. You spy a couple of beautiful flowers, their petals a shade of vivid violet peeping out from under a patch of white snow. As the shy morning sunlight begins to stream in between the thick leaves of the trees, the life hidden in the forest becomes illuminated.
Your head rises a little as you catch a glimpse of a deer shimmering in the light. Itâs completely transparent and resembles Zeru in its light steps and delicate grace. An air sol. Heli seems to sense its presence, his nose twitching as he tilts his head up. You smile, scratching behind his ear. âItâs an air deer.â
And there are many more sols after that.
You see a horse whose mane ripples like water, peacocks that spread their fiery feathers, a herd of elephants made of rich soil and blossoming flowers. You see a pack of water wolves with translucent skin that reflects the light of the sun. And you see a tiger made entirely of patches of well-trimmed grass, its stripes created by the various hues of green.
There is so much to watch.
But there is much more to listen to.
There is the whisper of the wind (and maybe from the air sols), the rustling of the leaves as the earth squirrels pounce on the branches, the spry chirps of the fire birds. You canât quite listen but you can feel the trees murmuring amongst themselves.
If you were an earth medium, maybe you could speak the plantsâ language or at least understand bits and pieces of their phrases. Or maybe they donât speak in words at all. Maybe they communicate through signals and patterns and gestures that youâre too ignorant to comprehend.
There is so much to witness in Alderâs forest. So much movement. So much existence. So much life. And with the abundance of stimulation around you, you donât have the time to overthink.
As Heli races through the forest with you perched on his back, you close your eyes. The wind hits your face, rustling your hair but gently kissing your cheeks. And the arms that you tightly wound around Heli, you begin to spread in the air. It feels like youâre flying. Like youâre one with the wind.
You feel free.
This has to be the rest that the General had wanted you to take.
There is an uncomfortable silence in the tent as everyone stares down at the table to the single word that you point at. When youâd first figured out the new Darlaean code, you knew it would warrant some kind of confusion amongst the officers. But you didnât expect complete and utter silence.
In fact, youâre not sure the central tent has ever been silent for this long. It seems like everyone is at a loss for words. No one moves, either. Even Major Ki is frozen, her fingers holding onto her rings in silence. You stay frozen too, but your eyes sweep across the tent, surveying the countenances of your fellow officers. Captain Im stares at your writing, noticeably calculating something in her head. Captain Chu looks angry, his fists tight as he glares into the table. But then again, when does he not look angry?
Besides that, there are still a number of officers who have never spoken up in the meetings before. Among them is Captain Goe. With a round face and a rounder body, he always sports around a gourd filled with what you suspect is Takju. The middle-aged man is always present in the meetings, but you donât think heâs really there. But today, for once, he looks alert, eyes wide as he tries to make sense of the information youâd brought to the table.
In fact, Captain Goe is the first one to move. Mumbling something under his breath, he pops open the cork on his gourd and takes a generous swig. Everyone looks his way.
âExcuse me,â he burps out, swiping his sleeve over his mouth. Next to him, you see Captain Bak grimace.
Sheâs easily one of the most attractive people in the tent. Her silky hair is always woven into a tight braid, bangs framing her full face perfectly. With her sharp eyes, thick lips and rather intimidating presence, she makes a charismatic captain as you imagine her second sector soldiers would say. But at this moment, her eyebrows are twisted and her lips are curved down in a rather irritated look.
âIf you have something to say, Captain, you should say it,â Captain Goe says as he takes another swig of his drink.
Captain Bak scoffs in response. âIf youâre going to bring liquor into the tent, at least bring enough to share.â
âIs that what youâre so peeved about, Wonmi?â Captain Goe snorts. âHere, then, have a sip, my dear.â
Heâd obviously meant it as a joke, but to everyoneâs surprise, Captain Bak snatches the gourd out of Captain Goeâs hand and takes a very, very long drink. When she finishes, she tosses the empty gourd back to a shocked Captain Goe and pats the corners of her mouth dry. She smiles. âSharing isnât so hard, is it, my dear?â With a short laugh, she turns to the rest of the officers with a grin on her face. â19, huh?â she says. âFor Soohtâs sake, we should all drink to that! How is ânineteenâ possibly related to âjewelâ and âusurp?ââ
âItâs not,â Captain Chu grumbles. âThe Darlaeans are taunting us, and weâre falling right into their trap. Which wouldnât be new news to me at all. Might give the rest of you a nasty fright, though.â
âI wanted a legitimate answer, Captain Chu,â Captain Bak says with an angelic smile on her lips. âNot your nonsense again.â
âYou stay silent for circas in the meetings and now you decide to run your mouth?â Captain Chu says. âIs that the best you can come up with? Call my legitimate worries, nonsense?â
âI donât like arguing with those who wonât listen,â Captain Bak retorts before turning her back on the man with the tiger tattoo. âBut besides him, I wanted to ask you, Officer Ryu, if you had any theories? Youâve recognized the pattern first, so itâs only fair that we listen to your thoughts before others can taint it.â She smiles at you, and you find yourself sweating at the brow a little.
Now thatâs a lot of pressure.
âThe truth is, Captain,â you say, cheeks turning warm, âIâm not sure, either. The more I thought about it, the more I started thinking that maybe⊠maybe the words donât have to be related?â
Thereâs a murmur around the tent as everyone tries to comprehend your words.
âI just find it hard to believe that theyâve sent an arbitrary number following two consecutive Darlaean-related words,â you say.
âThatâs the thing,â Major Lee says. â19 doesnât have to be an arbitrary number. Just like how it doesnât have to relate to the other codes.â
âThat gives us more to think about than ever,â Captain Bak hums. âSo many theoriesâŠâ
âThen could it be possible that ânineteenâ is a marker?â Captain Im pipes up. âThat would explain how it isnât arbitrary and remains unrelated to âjewelâ and âusurp.ââ
âA marker?â Major Ki says. She drums her jeweled fingers on the table. âI like where youâre going, Captain.â
âA marker?â Major Ahn echoes. He rubs his stubble and hums, eyebrows furrowing. âYou mean to say the codes following this ânineteenâ will be related to each other in their own way, while âjewelâ and âusurpâ share their own relations?â
âYes, exactly,â Captain Im says. Her eyes sparkle as she begins to explain her theory. âI think there are 19 more codes left to go. So in total, by adding the three codes we already know, we should get 22 words. We donât know what these codes might entail, but weâre barely 14 percent into the full message. I think weâll need a bigger picture before we can say that this is just a Darlaean trap.â
âIf ânineteenâ really is a marker, then there might be a possibility that it isnât counted as a code,â Major Hyun says. âWhat if we have 17 more codes left to go and 19 words in total?â
âThatâs a possibility, too,â Captain Im says. âBut whoâs to say there arenât any more markers? And how do we know for sure if these markers count toward the overall total?â
âSo we have no idea how many total codes there are,â Major Lee sighs. âGreat.â
âItâs okay, Jeonwoo,â Major Jang says, patting his back. âThis is a start.â
âIâm wondering if they will continue their pattern of two codes followed by a marker,â Major Ahn says. âIt is too early to tell, however. There is a large chance that weâre not even on the right track.â
âYouâd think after decoding the monocode message that weâd be able to understand it,â Major Lee snorts. âTurns out we have to decode plain words, now.â But one look from Major Jang and he changes his outlook. âBut yeah, this is a good start. I guess we donât have to be on the right track now. We can always find it later.â
âI concur,â the General finally speaks. He rests his hands on the table and surveys his officers with a satisfied look on his face. âThat was enough discussion for today. We might not have found answers, but weâve found clues. And in situations where we donât know as much as weâd like to know, it is better to slowly piece the puzzle together ourselves, rather than to come to hasty conclusions.
âIt has been a productive meeting,â the General says. âNow, I would like toââ
âSir, I apologize for interrupting,â someone interrupts.
Heâs an officer who most other officers would forget is in the tent. A fifth sector captain with a slim build and lofty stature, Captain Yang is quite the anxious man. He rarely talks in meetings and when he does, itâs to agree with whatever his major, Major Hyun, says. Youâve seen him sometimes, zoned out, biting his nails during meetings and looking worried even when there is good news to share.
âI-I just wanted to⊠I wanted to share a theory. Just one more,â Captain Yang says. âBut itâs just⊠Itâs so different from what weâve been sayingâŠâ
âNo, no, itâs fine,â Doyun says with an encouraging smile. âWhateverâs on your mind, youâre allowed to say it here. Weâre all allowed to swim against the current. Because who knows? What if we turn around and swim along with you?â
âThank you, Lieutenant,â Captain Yang says, looking down at his feet. âItâs just a littleâŠâ He trails off to nip at his nails. You, in turn, begin to chew on your lip.
âIâd like to grab some dinner soon,â Captain Bak says, breaking the short silence. âAnd Iâm sure Captain Goe here would like a refill of his Takju, too.â
Captain Goe gives her a mean look.
âIâm sorry,â Captain Yang apologizes again. âBut⊠My theory⊠Itâs aboutâŠâ He looks terrified to say it.
âCâmon, then. Spit it out,â Captain Chu says. âWill you stop acting so damn scared all the time?â But one disapproving look from his girlfriend and he ducks his head, staring at his feet.
âI-Itâs about the General,â Captain Yang finally admits.
âMe?â the General says, eyebrows raised. âHow so?â
âThe three codes so far have been directed towards you⊠sir,â Captain Yang says, bowing his head. âJewel⊠Iâm sorry for bringing it up, sir, but thatâs how your father passed awayâwith a jewel stuck to his heart. T-They couldnât get it out. And⊠And usurp, sir. Itâs what our army threatened to do to your brother before⊠before he⊠before you took his position. And 19⊠You were just 19 when your mother and sister⊠Sir, theyâre poking fun at you.â
âOh?â
âI-Itâs⊠I was⊠Sir, I was there when you became appointed as your brotherâs lieutenant, sir,â Captain Yang says with a tremor to his voice. âI-I saw how⊠I saw how hard it was on you. That whole year⊠Those were horrible times. âNineteenâ doesnât have to be a marker. It could be an age. Sir, I think this message from the Darlaeans is to you. It might just be a direct threat against you, sir.â
The General pauses. And for a second, you see hurt flash before his eyes. But itâs gone in an instant. He quickly composes himself and speaks.
âThatâs a fair theory, Captain. Thank you,â he says quietly.
âIt does make sense,â Captain Ahn murmurs. âBut my question is, what is their point? Why make an obvious threat to the General? One where they will inevitably sacrifice their own soldiers because weâve figured out their pattern?â
âTheyâre planning something,â Major Ki says.
âAnd we donât know what,â Captain Im says. âWe donât know, but we can guess. But I think their first move is to lower the Generalâs morale. Make him doubt himself. Make him suffer from his memories.â
âThatâs real grand of them,â Major Lee snorts. âGeneral, is your morale lowered?â
âNo,â the General answers.
âItâll take a lot to lower the Generalâs morale,â the Lieutenant says with a grin.
âOfficer Ryu? Do you have anything to add on to this?â the General says. âYou asked me if I knew anything about the number 19. Did you suspect what Captain Yang said?â
His words startle you out of your thoughts. âO-Oh, umââ But before you even get a chance to come up with an answer:
âWhy are we always asking her opinion? Even when she clearly isnât ready to talk,â Captain Chu says, pointing at you as if you werenât looking straight in his direction. âSheâs not even a fire medium. I still donât get why we need her in this tent. She doesnât do anything that Captain Im canât do. We never needed a new officer. And especially not an officer who doesnât know the first thing about fighting in a fucking war.â
âLetâs not use what sheâs lost against her,â the General says. âI ask for her opinion because it matters, Captain Chu. Itâs as simple as that.â
Not even a fire medium. You have to admit, that hurts a little. Doesnât do anything that Captain Im couldnât do. You chew on your lip. Never needed a new officer. But why are his words sort of true? In truth, your only job is to create battle plans, something youâre sure the other officers could do. Youâre not out there in the war, fighting for your life and your soldiersâ lives. All you have to worry about is how cold it will be during nightfall. And during officer meetings, sure you talk, but youâre never the one coming up with new theories and ideas on the spot. How can you? You hate sharing things before youâve had the time to finalize all the little details. You hate being incomplete.
Of course you have something to add. Thereâs a dark, muddled thought brewing at the back of your head, but you canât share that now. You havenât polished it yet, and if you share a premature thought, and a thought as serious as this one, youâll cause more drama than youâd like.
But you suppose your fear of incompleteness is your weakness. Thereâs always something lacking in your presence in these officer meetings, and the others can see it.
âNo,â you say. It comes out a little harsher than youâd wanted.
âSorry?â the General asks.
âYou asked if I had anything to add.â
âAnd your answer is no?â
Captain Chu scoffs. Youâve just proved his point. âAre we dismissed now? If thereâs nothing more to say, we should all be able to leave. And Officer Ryu?â
You look up at him.
âDonât take what I said personally. Iâm just looking out for all of us.â
The General frowns and the Lieutenant is visibly irritated, but Major Ki steps in before either of them can react.
âJaenoâs been mourning recently,â she says. âWe all react to grief differently, donât we? Although I canât say being rude to your colleague is a healthy coping mechanism.â She turns to you. âIâm sorry, Y/N. He shouldnât have attacked you like that. We all think youâre a valuable asset to our team. A catalyst, if you will. And General?â
âHm?â
âPermission to be dismissed? I think I need to have a small talk with my boyfriend.â
âPermission granted,â he says, nodding to himself. âIn fact, this meeting is over. The rest of you are dismissed. I hope that everyone in this tent remembers what we are here for. We can only win if we work together.â
âCaptain Chu, I expect you to apologize to Officer Ryu sometime before the next meeting!â the Lieutenant calls as he and his girlfriend leave the tent. He grunts in response.
And as the officers begin to trickle out of the tent, you let out a large breath, almost unable to move from your position.
Not even a fire medium.
But heâs right. You arenât.
Maybe itâs time to begin praying to the spirits?
No.
Youâll figure it out. You always do. Right?
Someone puts an arm around your shoulder. Itâs Doyun.
âHey. You all right? Donât worry about Jaeno. There was a disease outbreak in Ara, and it looks like itâs affected his family.â
âHe hates me.â
âHeâs probably jealous,â Doyun says. âHe was like this to Captain Im before you came along and took her spot as his new scapegoat. Nobody listens to him anyway.â
âA brilliant fighter,â the General adds. âBut a not-so-great strategist. Heâll come around, though.â
âIâm sure he will,â Doyun says. âHeâs stubborn and dense, but heâs not that dense. And I trust Suhyun to convince him.â She rubs your shoulder. âYou brought change into our army, Y/N. There are some people who will always oppose it. Hell, I opposed it, too. At least in the beginning. But look at what change has brought us. Our biggest problem now is to figure out a stupid little riddle. Weâre winning battles left and right, and if Jaeno doesnât want to acknowledge that, then fine. But you have to know that youâre doing great work here.â
Her words make you feel so much better. âThanks.â
âBut Iâm curious, Officer,â the General says, who actually looks a little confused. âDid you really have nothing to add?â
Doyun rolls her eyes. âYoongi, her mind is always working at the speed of light, donât you know? Of course, she had something to add. What if youâre just as dense as Jaeno is?â she teases. âCome on, Y/N,â she says. âLetâs go get some dinner.â
She leads you out of the tent, where the sky is darkening and the breeze is turning icier. And you canât help but think, what a wonderful fucking start to your new year.
And inside the tent, Yoongi cocks his head, rather confused. Maybe he is dense. Because what in Soohtâs name were you thinking that you didnât want to share just yet?
âš° previous | series m.list | next
âš° a/n: who's your favorite character? (because ngl i think mine has to be doyun LMAO). i'm working on a character cheatsheet so all the names don't get confusing :)
please consider telling me your thoughts with a comment, an ask or a reblog :) i love hearing readers' impressions/rambles/predictions! if you want to join the taglist, send in a private message, ask, reply to this post or reblog with your request!
Can I request you angst but fluff by the end where Taehyung was so busy in his work and you guys got into a little fight where you confronted how you feel his absence made you feel Unloved and a single parent in the marriage?
âwhereâs dad?â
PAIRING(s): Taehyung x reader
RATING: pg
WORD COUNT: 1.2k+
CONTENT/WARNINGS: angst with fluffy ending, not present Taehyung for most of it, established relationship/husband!Taehyung+wife!reader, parent!au, mild arguing
SUMMARY: request above // The one where Taehyung spends too much time at work and not enough at home.
A/N: here you go anonnie! I hope you enjoy this <3 also I hope this wasnât cringe (đ€Ą) also, despite the title, itâs not super angsty FJDJJSKSKSKAKS I know itâs misleading but trust me itâs not that sad T^T anyway, have a great day/night! Like and reblog to show love <333
Want to make a request?
RING!
Your eyes peek open, right hand going to slap your alarm clock without a thought. Checking your surroundings, you frown at the realization that your queen sized bed is as empty as the night before when you finally decided to rest.
You know Taehyung had been there at some point, the pajamas folded on his nightstand and the dirty suit in the laundry hamper proof of it. He probably made it home late, slept, then left before you or the kids woke up. Just like heâd done every other night for the past three weeks.
You get it, he has a job, one he loves and works hard to keep. But, he also has duties as a husband and father that outweigh the extra hours he puts in just because he wants to.
With a sigh, you turn off the snoozed alarm and climb out of bed to get ready for the day.
âMina, Hyejin, wake up,â you whisper to the seven and ten year old pair of daughters you have the pleasureâand painâof raising and caring for each morning. With a few groans and pleas to skip school just for today, you manage to get them up.
âWhereâs dad? I thought he was taking us today?â The older oneâHyejinâasks sleepily, rubbing her eyes whilst brushing her teeth.
You give her a sympathetic look, knowing how attached she is to her father. Some called her a daddyâs girl, but you were glad they were so close. âHeâs busy at work. Maybe heâll be able to pick you up afterwards, but let's just get you to school for now.â
She pouts a bit, but goes back to her morning routine, leaving you to deal with her troublesome younger sister. Minaâs playfulness definitely came from her father, thatâs for sure. âStop kicking me or I wonât pack you dessert in your lunch!â
âFine but I want a cupcake!â She had his sweet tooth too.
âAgain? Isnât this the third week heâs done this to you now?â Your best friend, Areum, exasperates from the other side, sounding like sheâs about to murder your husband.
âSomething like that⊠I donât know what to do. I know he takes his work seriously, and I know he wants to do his best to take care of the girl and I, but I want him to spend time with us too, yâknow?â
âGirl, if Jungkook ever pulled this on me, heâd be sleeping on the couch for weeks,â you giggle at her dramatic tone. âYou should talk to Tae about this, soon.â
âIâm going to try tonight. Okay Iâve gotta get the girls to bed. Bye!â You sigh, hanging up your phone and changing into your pajamas. By the time you manage to tuck your angels into bedâyou use angels generously when talking about Mina, who also had her fatherâs stubbornness (honestly, she was a carbon copy of the man, shoved in a petite seven year old girl)âyouâre all tuckered out. But you can't go to bed now, you have to talk to Taehyung.
Youâre half asleep when a pair of keys rattles in front of your door before it creeks open. Itâs almost one in the morning, and Taehyung is just barely arriving home. Heâs about to drag his feet across the floor to your room, when you finally decide to make your presence known.
âWelcome home, Taehyung.â
His drowsy self almost jumps at your voice, startled. With a hand on his chest, he heaves in a deep breath to calm his heart rate. âYouâre up?â
âI know, surprising since it's almost an hour past midnight,â you give him a look of frustration, âI wanted to stay up so i could see my husband for the first time in weeks.â
âIâm sorry I havenât been home muchâbut Iâm working toward a promotion. Once I get it, weâll never have to worry about money, and Iâll be home more, I promiseââ You cut him, arms crossed and forehead creased.
âTaehyung, thatâs what you said before you got promoted to your current position. Yet here we are.â
âI know, but Iâm doing this for us. Itâll be good for the girls, for the entire family! We could go on vacation or somethingââ
âI donât care about a vacation, Taehyung! Not if youâll be working the entire time too!â You groan, trying to keep your voice down to not wake your daughters. âYou know what would actually be good for us? Spending time together as a familyâyou included.â
â[Y/N], donât make me sound like the bad guy,â he mumbles, voice soft with guilt. âYou know I want to be here with you and the girls, but Iâm just trying to take care of us as a father and husband.â
âFathers and husbands are supposed to do more than just work. Do you know how sad Hyejin was this morning when she found out you wouldnât be taking her to school today? Iâm not making you the bad guy, Iâm just asking for you to be home more.â You can feel the tears pricking behind your eyes, built up frustration and frankly, loneliness, finally getting to you in a wave of emotions.
He nods, not meeting your eyes. âIâm sorry.â
âActions speak louder than words Taehyung.â
After so many cold, lonesome mornings, it comes with a bit of shock to find a strong, tanned arm wrapped snugly around your waist. Peeling one eye open, you can just make out Taehyung's peaceful expression staring back at you. Lips parted, eyes slightly open and hair tousled by his pillow whilst the tiniest snores escaped his sleeping body.
You move to get up, lugging his heavy arm off you as best you can, when it instinctively tightens around you, âTaehyung, I have to make breakfast and get ready,â you whisper, trying to unhook his fingers from around you. âDonât you have work today?â
He groans, shaking his head and moving his other arms to encase you into a bear hug. âNo, I donât have to go in on weekends. I was just trying to get extra hours beforeâŠâ He yawns, nuzzling his face into your neck to hide his guilty expression. âYou donât have to get up yet either. Letâs just sleep a bit longer.â
âWhat about your promotion?â
He sighs, getting up to lean against his palm and face you. âIâm probably going to get it from all the overtime I put in the last few weeks. Which Iâm sorry for prioritizing⊠And even if I donât, I donât really need it anyway,â his sheepish, boxy grin melting your heart.
âIâm sorry I got so mad at you. I know you just want us to be taken care ofâitâs just that the girls and I missed you and I was tired from work and taking care of them and the houseââ you almost feel embarrassed for how harshly youâd spoken to him last night
He hushes you, engulfing your body in his. âI know, Iâm sorry about that too. Iâll start coming home on time, and leaving a bit later, okay?â
âAnd you wonât forget to take the kids to school on your days, right?â
âRight,â he chuckles nervously, the crack his voice makes eliciting a giggle from you. âBut for now, can we just sleep a bit longer?â
Youâre about to comply, when two pairs of footsteps and giggling intrude your room, your daughterâs joyful faces coming into view as they leap onto your husband excitedly. âYouâre home! Letâs make breakfast together! Câmon Dad!â
âAnd weâre getting up,â you chuckle, your husband half groaning half laughing as the skinny arms of Hyejin struggle to pull him out of bed.
âIâm up! Iâm up! Letâs go make breakfast for your momâŠâ
genre â mafia AU â romance/action (angst, fluff, smut)
18+ | warnings â Â all sorts of crime (including: drug and arms trade, embezzlement, mentions of kidnapping and attempted kidnapping), frequent use of guns and knives, gore (non-descriptive), mild injuries to multiple characters including reader, death.Â
word count â 6.3k
summary â Â Blood, business and betrayal is all that Park Jimin has ever known, but when you cross paths again, the stakes are raised even higher and he finds himself battling his conscience, and his heart.
taglist is open â dm/comment/send an ask to be added <3
notes â this is one of the fics iâve been most excited to share since i came up with the idea almost a year ago now, i hope i can do justice to the story thatâs in my head LOL. with the next part, iâll be sharing the series masterlist and a glossary of sorts to keep up with the characters + locations as the story progresses :) for now: sehun â readerâs dad.
biggest thank you to mimi @personasintroâ for putting up with me for the last few months when iâve been so annoying đ i really appreciate your help and support so so so much! â€ïž+ my sweet ash, @jimilterâ thank you for being the most supportive and lovely beta (i have changed this a little too since you read it i think ) <3 + hadi @amourtaeâ for listening to me so many times and always checking in đ„ș + hana @cutechimâ + naia @opaljmâ for helping me out too! (it was a while ago now lol) đ„°
lastly, if you read it, please tell me how you find it send a comment/dm/send an ask it means so much to me <3Â
genre/au : fluff, cafe! au, strangers to friends to lovers, pining (oof)
word count : 1.6 k
rating : PG-13
warnings : none, except for some kissing
summary : Day and time do not determine your return to your favourite place, for your favourite person.
taglist : @ggukkieland ââ <3
a/n: i have no excuse for this iâm (not) sorry wjfwieuiefsj. also, please just pretend itâs 13th of february for the sake of this drabble. hope you enjoy <3
â written for @bangtaninnââs xoxo event â prompt : âIâm only doing this because youâre cuteâ â
Your mouth falls ajar as your feet halt in front of the cafe you have grown so familiar with.
~summary:Â This had always been a bad idea. You, notorious for kitchen disasters, attending a cooking class. Maybe it could be what you needed to fix your terrible cooking skills - or maybe you could meet someone who makes it so much worse!
~pairing: namjoon x reader
~word count:Â 3.2k
~fluff, humour, strangers to lovers, cooking class au
~rating: g
~warnings: knives? (theyâre just for cooking), jin being a shameless wingman
~a/n: hello! this is proof that I am still writing, and my first full joon fic, look at that! I wrote this for the square âcooking classâ over at @bangtanwritingbingoâ and hopefully I will have more entries to come for that event over the next couple of months. for anyone wondering where I have been for ages, I am still around I promise, but for a while I invested most of my writing efforts into some series Iâm writing, one for jk and one for namjoon, so I have been posting less for good reason! now tho, I am nearing the end of a hellish bunch of uni work and so all being well I will be able to offer you lots more fics soon!!
ready to return home after nearly two weeks of being apart, your excitement begins to fade into anxiety; thereâs something important you need to tell your husband.
đ yoongiâs birthday drabblesâč đ
‷ drabble for gold
pairing â husband!yoongi x reader
genre/rating â R | fluff, smut, light angst, established relationship
word count â 3.3K
warnings/tags â strong language, domestic yoongi đ„ș, mentions of nausea, mentions of pregnancy & babies, explicit smut â so many kisses, fingering, cockwarming, biting/scratching, edging, hair pulling, unprotected sex, impregnation kink, praise kink, creampie, some nipple play
a/n â can be read as a stand-alone !! i missed them đ
The twitching of your fingers intertwined with his is the first thing that begins to worry Yoongi. Gaze fixed on the bouquet of flowers in your lap as he tries to keep his own on the road, glancing at you now and again. But you donât notice that he had noticed your anxious state.
Hiii for the Two Hearts, One Love event, can I request a drabble?
Taehyung, Agape, combo #2
// credits go to @heybaetae !
Pairing | kth x reader
Genre | just pure fluff !
Word Count | 605
Rating | PG13
Summary | âmy soulmate just friendzoned me! how do you think i feel?âÂ
Authorâs Note |Â here you go my lovely! thank you so so much for requesting this <3 i loved your choices, and i wish i couldâve written this into something longer than just 605 words! either way, i hope you like what i whipped up for you<3
âMy soulmate just friendzoned me, how do you think Iâm feeling?â
Taehyung has been incessantly whining for the past hour. Snuggled closely to your ear, where he knows you canât ignore him no matter what you do. In a way, you love knowing heâs aching for your dear attention, but then again, he had it coming.Â
During your date at the cinema, your cute, loving boyfriend decided itâd be a good idea to eat both of your pretzels, leaving nothing for you in the end. Your stomach had been grumbling into a new Jurassic World movie, and seeing nothing but crumbs left behind had you raising an unsatisfactory brow at Taehyung.Â
âIâm out with a friend.â You stated simply on the phone with your father as everyone filtered out of the building. Light-heartedly, but who wouldnât be just a teeny bit upset at their stolen pretzel? âYes, dad, a friend.â And at the sound of this, your boyfriend was crumbling at your feet almost as if heâs back in his theater college days. He can be a real handful - only when his inner dramatics are in show.Â
âIâm sorry!â He pleads, linking your hand with his as his lips peck loving kisses onto your skin. The more attention he gives you, the more pleased you become. Youâre not actually angry at him, although teasing Taehyung comes with its amusing pros. âI bought you that Hersheyâs bar that you like so much - it has almonds in it.â
Music to your ears. He knows you like the back of his hand.Â
âAnd whatâs in it for me?â You press on, turning to him with a raise of the brow. You try to look as unimpressed as possible, but the pout that drags his lips downwards and the twinkle in his eyes threaten to make you smile and kiss him silly. He looks like a tiny bear. âWhoâs to say you wonât eat my pretzel ever again?â
His pout grows by tenfold. Taehyung rolls onto you with a wail, grumbling. âMy starlight, my pollen, my dearest love,â he chants, cupping your cheek even as he throws his whole weight onto your lap, âI will never eat your pretzel ever again. Pinky promise. You have my word - Iâm never eating another pretzel in my goddamn life.âÂ
This makes laughter bubble out of your lips, and he knows heâs hit a jackpot making you laugh like that. Taehyung has secured forgiveness.
Perhaps not yet, but heâs very close.
Your finger reaches down to pinch the tan skin at his cheek, pouting down at him ever so tauntingly. âSay the magic words first, and maybe Iâll forgive you. But you still owe me a pretzel next time we go watch one of your geeky turn ons.â
A gasp elicits from him. âMind you! The Great Gatsby is a masterpiece. I have full evidence, and in this essay I will-â
In neither essay will he do anything, because you pull him up to place your lips onto his and lock yourselves in a tender kiss. Sure, you have no idea what the hell your boyfriendâs talking about when he starts going off about these little things, but you adore him nonetheless. Even if he did eat your pretzel, you forgive him in the end. Youâd rather lose a measly pretzel than Kim Taehyung - a man whoâs planted himself in your life as your soulmate, and your boyfriend.Â
âI love you,â you giggle as you pull away, pushing strays of hair behind his ear. And itâs all it takes to see that wondrous grin of his that makes your heart flutter so ecstatically.
Genre: smut, fluff, enemies to lovers, non-Idol!AU
Rating: M (18+)
Warnings: swearing, kissing, drinking, fingering, getting frisky in a public bathroom, uh i'm gonna say light bondage, dirty talk, oral (f receiving), Yoongi is a blond menace, undercut warning
Word Count: 6.5K
Disclaimer:Â NSFW, obviously I donât own BTS - they just inspire me
Summary:Â What's a little wager between enemies? How about if it's your body on the line?
A/N: Sooooo this was supposed to be a drabble, part of my Milestone Celebration. The prompt was âThat was the prettiest sound Iâve ever heard.â I wrote 500 words... and then another 500... and then bloop! It became a one-shot. Originally I intended to post this on his birthday, but I'm impatient to get started on my next fic idea, so.... here you go!
Thanks to @thatlongspringnight and @namjinsmoonchile for brainstorming trivia team names.
Unbetaâd as usual. I would love to hear what you think - my inbox is always open! đ
Masterlist đ Find me on AO3
âOkay, you motherfuckers, letâs do this. Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!â With a vicious grin, you raise your pint in a toast to your teammates.
Blank stares greet you from around the table.
âSheâs doing it again,â Jungkook says.
âI know. Just ignore her,â Seokjin replies.
âOh, come on,â you sigh. âHelp me out here! Itâs been three weeks with no wins. Youâre our leader, Seokjinâgive us a rousing speech! Do something to rally the troops!â
Jungkook frowns. âJin, you promised youâd talk to her about the military metaphors.â
âI did! And do you know what she said? âRoger that!â Then she saluted!â
âIâm sitting right here, jerks. Youâre not even pretending to whisper!â With a frustrated pout, you turn your attention to the busy room around you.
The Blue & Grey is packed once again as you sip on the pubâs latest brew (an apricot wheat, perfect for early summer) while you wait for your trivia match to begin. Itâs your Friday night post-work routine, just as itâs been for the last five months, ever since your coworker/work spouse Seokjin invited you to join his team, the Real Jiniuses.
Heâd heard through the office grapevine that you liked games. And were a little competitive. Clearly, his source understated the facts.
You love trivia. And you fucking live for the thrill of competiton.
So once youâd stopped mocking him for the team name, youâd agreed.
Seokjin leans forward, long black hair flopping over his forehead as he gently clasps his large hand over yours. He utters your name calmly, like a parent trying to reason with a bratty child. âDonât you think youâre taking this a little too seriously?â
âPfft, I think youâre not taking it seriously enough! Do you really want to lose to You Just Got Served? Again?â
You Just Got Served. Aka the Real Jiniusesâ rivals. Led by Hoseok from Legal aka Hardass Hobi as you and Seokjin refer to him. So named because of his ruthless attitude in the office.
Also he had a peach so firm you could bounce a paperclip off it. Not that you, the head of HR, had ever tried that. Ahem.
Normally, your teams trade the top spot in the match rankings, but theyâve been kicking your asses for the last few weeks. And you know itâs all thanks to one man.
Min Yoongi. Your nemesis.
Heâs You Just Got Servedâs ace. The man with all the answers. The man who annoys the fuck out of you. Because just as quickly as you marked him your biggest competition for ultimate trivia master, he sussed you out as the same.
A sneak glance at his teamâs table confirms what you already knew. Heâs watching you. Which only adds to your irritation. Sure, his whole team is technically your competition, but all your ire is reserved for the annoyingly sharp, vexingly handsome man studying you from across the room.
Make no mistake, he is handsome. As he gazes at you now with those cat-like eyes, newly bleached-blonde hair hanging messily over his brow, examining you from behind a pair of thick black frames, your pulse quickens slightly, despite your best efforts to appear calm and unperturbed.
âDo I want to lose to Hardass again and have to deal with him bringing it up in our Monday morning meeting? No. But itâs a minor annoyance in the grand scheme of things.â Seokjin pauses. âDo you really want a repeat of Trivial Pursuit night?â
âYou always bring that up!â A few weeks into your time with the team, Seokjin had invited you to his apartment to play board games with some of the others. It had not gone particularly well. The âtake no prisonersâ approach to trivia youâve got makes for a bad scene when your opponents are your friends. âI said I was sorry!â
And youâd been permanently banned from board games night.
âYou made Jungkook cry!â
You scoff, sipping your pint. âOh, like thatâs hard!â
âHey!â Jungkook protests with a tiny sniffle. You gesture emphatically.
âFine, point made,â Seokjin concedes, lovingly rubbing his boyfriendâs back while carefully avoiding his glare. âCan we just have fun tonight? Please?â
Only because heâs your favorite coworker, and only because you donât want to lose yet another friendship over a game, you give in. âYeah, yeah, fun, whatever. Iâll get the next pitcher.â
The bar is horribly crowded as you approach. Apparently all the other players have decided to place their drink orders at the same exact time. Tapping your fingers on the smooth wooden surface, youâre patiently waiting to catch the bartenderâs eye when a velvety voice rumbles in your ear.
âBack for more, huh?â
The devil himself. âHi, Yoongi.â
He slips in beside you, propping himself up on an elbow on the bar. If you were friends, youâd tell him that you think his fresh undercut is striking, and paired with his newfound blondness, makes him look like a goddamn snack.
But youâre not, so you just ignore him and keep focused on flagging down the bartender.
âI never pegged you for a masochist,â Yoongi notes, tongue licking at the corner of his mouth. You try not to follow the movement with your eyes but itâs like breathing - happens completely involuntarily. âYet here you are again, looking for more pain. Which Iâm more than happy to provide.â
You finally place your pitcher order with the bartender before sizing up the man beside you. This is your other Friday night routineâtrading insults with Yoongi. Itâs how you prepare for the game, exchanging verbal jabs with the enemy. Though lately itâs been more innuendos than barbs, especially on his end, and these back-and-forths leave you feeling more heated than ready for battle.
Damned if you'll let him know that, though. Admitting that Yoongi has some sort of power over you feels like admitting defeat. And thatâs the one thing youâll never do.
âGod, I canât wait to make you choke on those words when we beat your ass tonight.â
His lips twitch mirthfully. âOh, now you want to choke me? And thereâs the sadism. Fascinating. Iâm just learning all sorts of new things about you tonight.â
âOh, fuck off,â you groan, rolling your eyes. Heâs so transparent with these attempts to get under your skin. Itâd be hilarious, if only they didnât work. âMaybe you should spend less time learning about me and more time studying up on your trivia? Then you wonât have to resort to these childish attempts at riling me up to feel superior.â
âPlease. We both know I donât need to do any of that. When it comes to trivia, Iâm the king.â
âYouâre the worst, your highness,â you proclaim, tone dripping with disdain.
He sidles closer, near enough that you breathe him in. Despite all his sharpness, his scent is so softâlavender, with woodsy notes, mixed with the spice of the whisky cocktail he exhales as he peers at you through those dark glasses. Warm and inviting.
âOh, I like that. You can call me that from now on, if youâd please.â
âFuck off. Prepare to be dethroned, asshole.â
âHa. You making a run for the crown? Good. Bring it. But know that I never back down from a challenge.â
Your retort is cut off by a voice behind you. âYoongi, did youâoh.â Itâs Hobi, looking devastatingly gorgeous as usual in a perfectly tailored suit. Since most of the players here come straight from your place of work, it's a rather well-dressed bunch of nerds. No complaints on your end. âI was gonna ask whatâs taking you so long with my drink, but nevermind. I see now.â
âJust having a friendly little discussion here.â
âIâm sure.â Hobi nods coolly at you before he nudges Yoongi out of the way to speak to the bartender. âDonât let me interrupt.â
âOh no, please do,â you quip. âI insist.â
Yoongi pouts, pretty lips puffing up before that cocky grin reappears again. Itâs never far when heâs talking to you. âBut we were having such an illuminating conversation.â
âYou mispronounced âtorturous.ââ
His smile widens and you realize youâve once again led him where he wants the conversation to go. Itâs incredible. You never intend to set him up like that and yet there you go walking directly into his traps every time.
You sidestep.
âWell, it depends onâwhat? What are you looking at?â He slaps a hand to his slender neck suddenly, rubbing as though heâll find something staining the skin there, based on the way youâre squinting as you stare at his throat.
âSorry, Iâm just marveling at the structural integrity of your neck.â
He lifts an eyebrow.
âItâs amazing that something so thin can support something so big.â
His eyes flash before he smirks, opening his mouth.
âIf youâre about to make a big dick comment, I swear to God Iâll kick you straight off this team right now,â Hobi promises from over his shoulder, and Yoongi swiftly closes his mouth. âCome on, enough harassing the competition.â He tips his drink towards you. âBest of luck.â
Hobi leads Yoongi back to their table, and you know you shouldnât ogle him openly, but Yoongiâs tight pants hug his ass so obscenely that you canât stop yourself and oh, great, he caught you looking. Hastily, you grab your pitcher and bolt for your table, which is close enough to where Yoongi sits that you can hear him chuckling delightedly.
The quizmaster welcomes everyone to trivia night, and your thoughts are quickly replaced by the only thing that could drive Yoongi out of your headâthe exhilaration of the game.
Two hours later, sitting at the bar, youâre trying to drown your sorrows with yet another pint. You Just Got Servedâs winning streak continues.
âThat was the prettiest sound Iâve ever heard.â
You frown as Yoongi takes a seat on the barstool next to you. âWhat sound?â
âThe little noise you made when your team lost.â He sips his drink casually, eyes once again fixed on your face, observing your reaction closely.
âI have no idea what youâre talking about,â you sniff, crossing your arms. âI didn't say anything.â
For once, you hadnât. Youâd been so sure that your team was going to pull out the win with the final question tonight that you were left completely speechless by the results. Unlike last week, when youâd let loose a flurry of loud expletives, much to Seokjinâs absolute embarrassment.
Okay, maybe tonight youâd made a little exclamation of protest. Just a tiny one. But there was no way Yoongi couldâve heard it.
âYou absolutely did. Kinda sounded like a⊠a needy whine?â The smirk returns. âIâve never heard anything so sweet.â
Your eyebrow quirks. âIs that because youâve never made a woman whine before?â Yoongi scowls as you raise your pint to your smiling lips.
Hobi suddenly materializes at your side like a sexy but stern magician. âIâve said it before and Iâll say it again. You should really consider joining our team,â he says, motioning to the bartender for a refill. âArenât you tired of losing?â
âCross over to the Dark Side? Arenât you supposed to entice me with saving my friends or offer me cookies or something?â
âFuck, even for a nerd, youâre a nerd, you know?â Hobi sighs. âWhich is why you should be with us. Youâre absolutely wasted on the Jiniuses. Donât you want to be on the winning team for once?â
âSave it, Hoseok.â With one hand, you shoo him away. âGo gloat elsewhere. Itâs bad enough I can never shake this one,â you thumb at Yoongi.
âYeah, weird how that always happens,â Hobi comments drolly, clapping Yoongi on the shoulder as he drifts off to bother Seokjin.
âAnywayâŠâ Yoongi drawls as if he were never interrupted, âwhat will it take to get you to make that noise again? I miss it already.â
âGod, what will it take to get you to shut up about it?â
âHow about a little wager over next week?â
âMmmm, not much of a gambler.â Contests, you like. Gambling, not so much. You donât believe in luck. Just in yourself.
âAfraid youâll lose? I wouldâve thought youâd be used to that by now.â
Heâs such an ass. âFine, letâs say I take you up on this. Whatâs in it for me?â
âName your prize.â
âOkay, how about⊠if my team wins, you pick up our tab for the night.â
He taps his glass thoughtfully. âIs that all?â
âWhat, thatâs not enough?â He has no idea how much Seokjin alone can drink.
âIâm just saying. Make it worth your while.â
Tossing back the rest of your drink, you reconsider. What do you want? âAll right. You pick up our tab, and you have to stop annoying me every week. Which means no more comments about stupid shit like imaginary sounds.â
Heâs silent for a moment, still examining you as he mulls your words. You wonder if youâve made a mistake with your choice of prize. Donât you enjoy being the center of his attention every week? Crave his fiery words and longing looks? Thereâs a weird sense of panic growing in the pit of your stomach while you wait for his response.
âOkay,â he finally replies, setting his empty glass on the bar. He tilts towards you, and the loud din of the room around you dies away as he murmurs, âBut when my team wins, Iâm finally going to take you home and do everything Iâve ever wanted to do to you, over and over, until you can only make that sweet little sound.â
A jolt ripples through you. Shifting in your seat, squeezing your thighs together, you inhale deeply to control your breathing, so you give nothing away. âAre you kidding me? You really think Iâd agree to that? To offering myself as a prize?â
âYes.â Stated so matter-of-factly.
âAnd just why the fuck would I do that?â
âBecause you want to come home with me. Youâre just too proud to admit it. So Iâll make it easy for you. When I win, youâre mine for the night.â He lightly skims a long finger down your arm, and goosebumps rush to fill the space where his skin touched yours.
The satisfied look in his eyes as you struggle to compose yourself is the only thing anchoring you to reality, keeping you from grabbing him by the tie and dragging him straight into the bathroom.
You wonât let him win that easily.
âWell. That is simply not going to happen. Iâll take the bet, because I know itâs the only way to get you to stop bothering me, and because I know Iâm going to win.â Gracefully, you climb off your stool, thankful that your legs havenât turned to jelly after what he said. âYouâre going down.â
He winks. âWell yeah, fingers crossed, love.â
Your scowl leaves him laughing as you stalk away.
âIâve been dreaming about that noise all week long.â Yoongiâs voice drifts over the clatter around you. After another long week, itâs Friday again, so youâre at the bar, ordering provisions. And of course Yoongiâs here, too, wearing a grey three-piece suit, running his hand through his perfectly coiffed hair, looking delicious as always.
How annoying.
âYouâve been hallucinating an imaginary sound? You should probably get that checked out.â The bartender slides a cocktail towards you and you give them an appreciative nod before taking a sip.
âReally?â
âReally what?â
He grins, pink lips revealing a gummy smile. âIs that the best youâve got tonight?â
âOh, fuck off.â
âYouâre not stressing about the match, are you? Wouldnât want to win because youâre not on your game.â
âIâm always on.â Maybe itâs the exhaustion of a long week getting to you, but his snarky comments are even more irritating than usual tonight.
âGood. Because I want to know Iâve beaten the best.â The corner of his mouth lifts, that familiar crooked smile igniting a flame inside you.
You quickly tamp it down.
âAlways so damn confident, arenât you, Yoongi? Talking so big. Even if you win, do you really think you can make me make that sound again? Or any sounds, for that matter?â
He watches you over the rim of his glass as he takes a long dram. Something flutters against the bare skin of your thigh and you glance down to see his other hand brushing lightly along your leg.
âI assure you that I can and I will. But if youâd prefer a demonstrationâŠ?â
The hem of your skirt is pinched between his fingers. He rolls the fabric up slightly and you inhale sharply as his thumb strokes the smooth skin beneath. Tearing your gaze away from his hand, you find him studying your reaction. Waiting.
The quizmaster for the evening announces ten minutes until the match. You snap out of your trance and swat his hand away, hoping your bored expression is more convincing than it feels. âNo need to embarrass yourself now. Save it for the quiz.â
Even though you know you shouldnât, you glance back over your shoulder as you saunter away. Yoongi leans against the bar, tongue poking his cheek as he watches your hips sway and fuck, heâs caught you looking again. That spark inside you burns as he winks, and you turn away, in desperate need of your drink and a distraction.
Without a doubt, trivia night is always the highlight of your week. But tonight youâre too keyed up to truly enjoy it. Every round has you on edge, wondering if youâre one step closer to winning or losing the betâand trying to figure out which outcome youâd prefer. All of this means a quieter, more subdued you than usual. Naturally, your friends notice.
âYou feeling okay tonight?â Jungkook asks between the second and third rounds, nudging you gently with his shoulder.
âYeah, Iâm fine.â You flash the briefest of smiles. Jungkook jerks his head at his boyfriend, who shrugs and raises his eyebrows. âStop talking about me like Iâm not here looking right at you.â
âI didnât say anything!â Seokjin exclaims.
âPlease. Your face is louder than a fire alarm.â
âYou say youâre fine, but youâre still on your first drink, and you havenât made a single warfare reference all night,â Jungkook states. âSo obviously youâre not.â
âItâs nothing! Just a little out of it after a rough week,â you lie, trying to summon some enthusiasm. âDonât worry, Iâm ready for the next round! Once more unto the breach!â
Jungkook wrinkles his nose adorably as Seokjin grants you a half-grin, but you know theyâre not fully convinced.
Is this Yoongiâs evil plan? To psych you out with this bet and mess with your mind? Prevent you from playing your best? If it is, itâs really working, goddamn it.
Somehow, despite your inability to relax, the match flies by, a blur of questions and answers and shouts of victory and defeat. It comes down to a repeat of last week, the Real Jiniuses and You Just Got Served neck-and-neck to the very end, with everything hinging on the final question.
âAlright, the category tonight is âLiterature of Future Past.â If you donât know this next question, donât blame the stars. What famous phrase from classical literature was infamously uttered by General Chang, the Klingon villain from the 1991 film âStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country?ââ
As your teammates whisper to one another, hazarding wild guesses, you glance at Yoongiâs table. Like your team, he and the others sit with heads bent towards one another. But you have a clear view of Yoongiâs face, all furrowed brows and pouting lips.
For once, he doesnât look confident.
âHey!â Seokjinâs voice brings you back to the group. âYou havenât said a single word in the last five minutes. Do you have a guess or what?â
You donât need a guess. Calmly, you whisper the answer to Seokjin. Everyone else seems uncertain, but youâve never been more sure in your life.
âAnd the answer isââ
You canât hear what the quizmaster reveals because one of your teammates begins screeching in your ear. Your eyes are fixed on You Just Got Servedâs table as the scores are revealed.
Yoongiâs expression says it all.
You won.
Thereâs a lot of cheering and even more drinking after the results are announced. Youâre thrilled that your team has finally snapped their run of losses. But you hang back a bit, watching your friends carry on carousing without you.
The celebrations eventually die down and your teammates begin to drift away. Soon, youâre the only one left, nursing another drink at the bar. You know you should go home, but you feel antsy, like youâre not quite done with the night yet.
âCongratulations,â Yoongi mutters, shouldering his way next to you. He motions to the bartender that heâs ready to close out his tab, which is undoubtedly astonishingly high given how much your team imbibed after you told them it was on him.
âSorry, didnât catch that?â Mustering up a playful grin, you cup your ear.
His mouth sets in a flat line before he speaks again. âCongratulations. You won. Iâll stop bothering you.â His long fingers drum quietly on the bartop as he waits for his card. There are no quippy comments, no teasing smiles, nothing but silence and distance.
Well, you donât care for this at all.
âHow disappointing,â you remark, twirling the stir stick from your cocktail between your fingertips. âI guess you talk a big game, but just canât deliver, huh?â
Yoongi turns to you with narrowed eyes. âExcuse me?â
âYou heard me.â
âFor your information, I didn't miss a single answer tonight, other than the last one! Any other night, that wouldâve been enough to beat you,â he sulks. âThat final round was bullshit. Whoâs even watched that stupid old movie?â
Wow. Someoneâs a sore loser.
âExcept it wasnât any other night, it was tonight, when you really needed to dig deep and secure the win, and you just⊠couldnât.â You tip your head, giving him an appraising look. âAnd now youâre just giving up, huh? Throwing in the towel, because you lost one match.â
âThrowing in the - what are you talking about?â he hisses, attention fully focused on you now. You can feel the heat of his body where his arm presses against you, jostled closer by the other patrons vying for the bartenderâs attention. âThe betâs over! You won. I lost.â His jaw twitches slightly with that last declaration.
Oh. You understand instantly. Heâs mad at himself for losing.
Itâd be so easy to reach out and grab his chin, look him in the eye, and tell him that you donât care about any stupid bets. You want him to take you home. Make you his. But that requires you to surrender yourself to him, and thatâs not the way you play.
âYou know what I want?â The last dregs of your drink flow down your throat as you tip your head back to drain your glass. Yoongi watches closely, eyeing the graceful line of your neck with interest. âWhat I want is for you to show me that I beat the best tonight. Didnât you say you never back down from a challenge? Then prove it.â Heâs breathing hard as you smirk, twirling his black tie around your fingers. âShow me that you can deliver on that offer you made earlier. Make me whine, Yoongi, right here, right now, and Iâm all yours.â
His eyes are darkened pools as he studies you. God, how you long to dive in. âAre you serious?â
"Mmmhmm. If you still want to take me home, you gotta make me want it. Show me what you can do.â Gently, you untwist his tie, smoothing the silky fabric, letting your fingertips skim against his chest as you gaze at him through lowered lashes.
âFuck,â he whistles a low note. His tongue dances over his lower lip. âCome on.â
His hand grasps yours, pulling you off your seat. Most of the trivia crowd has cleared out by now. The quizmaster has been replaced by a deejay currently spinning something loud and fast. You wind your way through the crush of bodies on the dance floor as Yoongi leads you into the back hallway of the pub.
He pauses for a second at the door of one of the bathrooms. When no one answers his questioning knock, he quickly urges you inside and locks the door behind you.
In the flickering fluorescent lighting of the restroom, Yoongi removes his glasses, tucking them into the inner pocket of his suit jacket. His gaze slowly roams over your body, a nakedly hungry look on his face. Gone are the winks, the smirks, all those cocky little gestures he loves to tease you with. This is the expression of a man who wants to devour you whole, in no uncertain terms, and heâs dying for you to know it.
One of his hands cups your cheek while the other slides up your thigh, bunching your skirt as it goes. âIf at any point you want me to stop, just say the word,â he instructs you. âThis is only fun for me if youâre into it, too.â
âOkay.â Your breathing is a little shaky. The intensity of his gaze has you rattled. But youâve already decided you want this, so you donât plan on saying a word.
In fact, you donât plan on making any noises at all. Youâre not giving him an inch, or rather, a whine, unless he earns it from you.
With a tilt of his head, he pulls you into a kiss. A hint of whisky still clings to his lips, sweet and smoky, but itâs the bite underneath that has you leaning into him, seeking more, getting drunk on him. You curl your fingers into the lapel of his suit as he slides his hand around to your ass. He palms you through your panties, then lifts your leg to wrap around him as he grinds himself into your core.
Heâs so hard against you already. Knowing that youâve done this to him spurs you on, your lips falling open enough for him to lick into you. His hands find the zipper on your skirt and in an instant itâs crumpled around your feet.
âYou taste so good,â he whispers, kissing a trail down your neck. âDo you taste like this everywhere?â You nearly moan his name, but bite your lip in time. Abruptly, he drops your leg and pulls away, and you teeter for a moment before catching yourself. In your head, you call him a few choice names, but you say nothing out loud.
His smirk reappears as he drops to his knees. âBetter hold on to something.â He buries his face in your heat, kissing you through the sodden silk and lace he finds there. A keen bubbles up but you swallow it back down as his nose finds your clit and rubs against the sensitive nub. âYou can start with me.â He grabs your left hand, placing it in his hair. Instantly, you card your fingers through his platinum locks. With your right hand, you grip the sink, needing something steady to keep you in place.
The man between your legs yanks your panties to the floor and dives in with no hesitation. His tongue licks a long stripe up your slit before he begins to swirl it around your clit and then his hands join the fray, fingers prying back your folds as he slips inside.
Your own tongue is speared between your teeth, to the point that you begin to fear you might chomp clean through. But if you let go, thereâs no telling what sort of sounds will escape your lips, so you continue to hold it. Releasing his hair, you clutch at the sink with both hands.
Yoongi chooses that moment to replace his tongue with his index finger, and your mouth falls open as you rock your hips forward. How did he find that spot so quickly? Heâs playing you like a musician plays an instrument, all deft fingers and graceful tongue, making your body sing.
âYou like that, love? Hmm? Want another?â He adds a second finger.
Swiftly, you stuff the palm of your right hand into your mouth, gnawing to suppress any whimpers. Your eyes flutter shut as you feel yourself nearing your peak, continuing to rut your hips brazenly as you chase your high on his thrusting fingers. God, youâre going to cum if he keeps this up, but thereâs no way you can possibly do that silently.
âOh, look at you,â Yoongi groans happily, mouth lapping at the wetness clinging to your thighs. âHumping away, so needy. Are you wishing that was my cock inside you? Hmm?â He nips when you donât reply. âI asked you a question, love.â
His fingers suddenly withdraw as his tongue stops.
Your eyes fly open. Releasing your palm, you glance down to find him resting on his heels, watching you with a wicked glint in his eyes.
âSo thatâs your game, huh?â he rasps, grabbing the hand that was just in your mouth. His thumb rubs over the teeth marks there. âMuffling yourself, so you wonât make any sound?â
You shrug, crossing your arms. âMaybe. Does it matter?â
âI think it does. Seems a bit like cheating to me.â
âItâs not cheating,â you petulantly claim, frustrated beyond belief. Canât he just let it go and get back to proving his skill? You were so close. âItâs just⊠itâs like the final round. You know, itâs meant to be a challenge, not a walk in the park.â He doesnât make any movements, continuing to observe you closely, and you pout. âCome on, I thought you didnât back down from anything!â
Yoongi tips his head to the side as he considers your words. âI suppose youâre right.â He stands, loosening his tie. âYou never really set any rules for this⊠challenge⊠of yours, so I canât really say itâs not fair. But, you also didnât specify what I could or couldnât do, so....â He yanks the silky material from around his throat. âTurn around.â
He grips the tie tightly as you shoot him a curious look. âAnd what exactly do you think youâre going to do with that?â
He doesnât answer, just takes a step forward and lightly grasps your chin. âTurn. Around.â The tone of his voice is commanding, but thereâs a question in his eyes. A way out, if you want it.
You turn around.
âClasp your hands together.â Silently, you obey, and he wraps the tie around your wrists, binding them together. âToo tight?â Testing his work, you find that you have a little give, but not enough to get loose. Once you shake your head, he spins you around to face him again.
âLetâs see how quiet you can be now,â he murmurs, lowering his face to your neck and sucking at a sensitive spot beneath your ear. You huff a breath through your nostrils, still determined to keep completely mum.
Yoongiâs hands run over your blouse before tugging it up, sliding it over your breasts. His lips glide down until they meet your bra. He mouths at your nipples through the dark lace and you arch into him, wishing your hands were free so you could remove all the fabric preventing his hot kisses from touching your bare skin. Having him so close is torture.
Which is obviously the point.
Youâre shifting around, trying ardently to get him to slide your bra down without actually saying anything, when thereâs a knock at the door.
You both freeze. Yoongi lifts his head.
âMaybe we shouldââ
âDo you want toââ
âHello, is someone in there?â More knocks. âCome on, thereâs a line!â
âDo you want to stop?â Yoongi asks.
âGod no,â you answer immediately, without a trace of shame.
A full gummy smile crosses his face. Then he turns and bellows, âFUCK OFF!â
The knocking ceases.
âI guess I should move things along,â he hums, tracing his hand down your torso. âAs much as I wish I could take my time right now, I canât. But thatâs okay. After this, weâll have all night.â
Without warning, he pulls you flush against him and kisses you fiercely. Your cry of surprise is swallowed by his greedy mouth. With your hands bound, you canât run your fingers through his hair or cling to his shoulders or touch him in any of the million ways youâre dying to right now. You canât even hold yourself up, melting into his embrace. Heâs completely in control.
So you surrender.
His kisses grow messy, more desperate, until youâre both gasping for breath. His hand finds its way between your legs, stroking and plunging, one finger, then two, before heâs on his knees again.
âLift this for me,â he bids you, bending your left leg. âJust let it rest here.â You wobble a little as you try to balance your thigh on his shoulder, puffing a frustrated breath, but before you can keel over, his strong hands grip your waist. âItâs okay, Iâve got you, love. Just lean back.â
Your back tilts against the cold sink. Yoongiâs supporting most of your weight as his hand splays on your stomach, holding you in place so youâre angled just right, completely open to him, just as he desires.
âSo beautiful,â he murmurs reverently. âSuch a shame I canât savor you right now. But I promise I will later.â And then his mouth is on you.
The rude interruption seems to have lit a fire under him, because as soon as he sets a relentless pace, he doesnât stop. He keeps finding that spot inside you, lithe fingers brushing over it again and again, making your eyes roll back in ecstasy. As he tongues at your clit, treating the tiny bud like a drop of the sweetest nectar, you realize your end is approaching quickly again.
You try to keep quiet. You really do. But all your effort is completely useless against Yoongiâs talented hands and tongue. Once your mouth goes slack, itâs over.
You begin to wail.
âYoongi, oh fuck!â The floodgates open and you gasp, you moan, you scream his name. âJesus, fuck, oh my god!â
Heâs laughing into you, and you struggle hard against the tie, fighting to slip a hand loose so you can get your fingers on him, grab his hair, touch him, but in addition to being a trivia master heâs also apparently a fucking knot expert, so youâre not getting free. With a frustrated whine, you drop your head.
Game over. He wins.
He replaces his mouth with his thumb as he watches you through heavily-lidded eyes. âThere it is, love! Thereâs that beautiful sound Iâve been dreaming of. I knew I could get you there.â
All you can do is groan his name. âYoongi, please!â Not even sure what youâre pleading for, just knowing that you want whatever heâs willing to give.
The fingers pumping in and out of you make the filthiest background noise as he babbles on, caught up in the rush of victory. âFuck, love, everything you do is so fucking hot - the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you moan my name. Youâre so fucking sexy. I canât wait to have you tonight. You ready to get fucked by the king?â
âYoongi.â Heâs still the fucking worst and you hate how much you love it, clenching at his words. âOh fuck, please donât stop!â
He feels you tightening around him and growls. âSay it. Say Iâm the king.â
Right now youâd say anything he told you to if it meant heâd keep going. âYouâre the king! Ah, fuck, youâre the king!â
With another thrust of his hand, you come undone. The burning inferno inside you spreads, consuming you so completely that your right knee buckles and you pitch forward. Yoongi holds you up, one hand on your torso, the other gripping your left thigh, still lapping at your cunt until you canât take any more.
Panting, you protest. âToo much, Yoongi, itâs too much.â
He stops, glancing up at you. A glossy sheen of sex is smeared all around his nose and mouth, and as you fight to catch your breath, he removes his hand from your core and sucks each finger clean, one by one.
âGod, youâre so over-the-top,â you huff as he laughs. âWill you untie me now?â
He rises to his feet. âSay it one more time and I will.â
âSay what?â
âYou know what.â He blinks languidly, a proud smile curling his lips. âTell me Iâm the king.â
âAre you kidding me?â
âJust say it.â
Heâs unbelievable. You try appealing to his baser instincts. âPlease, Yoongi, I wanna touch you. Donât you want me to touch you?â Bringing your knee up, you rub against the massive tent in his pants, smirking as he exhales forcefully.
Yet he doesnât cave, running a thumb over your lips. âCome on. One more time. I wanna watch this pretty mouth say it.â
You want to kiss him and curse him all at once. Pleasing him wins out.
âYouâre the king,â you sigh. âNow untie me and fuck off.â
You start to turn, but Yoongi stops you with his hands on your hips, and leans in for a kiss, slow and sure. Something must be seriously wrong with your knees because theyâre seconds from giving out again. His fingers pick at the knotted tie, releasing your wrists. As soon as your arms are free, you loop them around his neck, never breaking the kiss for a second.
Until thereâs another knock at the door.
âHello? Look, whoeverâs in there, can you please wrap it up?â the bartender hollers through the door. âOther people need the restroom, you know.â
âJUST A MINUTE!â you boom, giggling at Yoongiâs startled expression. âSorry.â
âIâm assuming my demonstration was satisfactory, given the many, many sweet sounds you made. I didnât hear a single complaint, but I think I did hear you call me the king once or twiceâŠ.â he trails off, grinning as you push him away and adjust your blouse, straightening the wrinkled fabric over your stomach.
âOh, fuck all the way off, will you?â You reach for your panties but he swipes them up first and stuffs them into his pocket.
âWhat?â His tone is airy and innocent. âI earned these.â
No argument there.
Once youâre both looking respectable enough to leave the bathroom, he pauses with his hand on the doorknob. âI know what you said earlier, but youâre not under any obligation toââ
âYoongi.â His voice falters as you place your hand on his chest, fingers curling around his tie. âTake me home.â
â” summary:Â you despise your quarterly meetings with the demon king, kim taehyung, for many reasons. one; being that heâs maddeningly charming, two; he tests the limits of your relationship every visit, and three; heâs gotten under your skin so bad, youâre ready to show him that two can play his game.
â” pairing: demon king!taehyung x angel queen!reader
â” warnings: fantasy depictions of angels and demons, explicit sexual content, hard but sweet dom!taehyung, switch/sub!reader, huge dicc!tae, dirty talk, biting, blood play (heâs a demon with it), bondage, handjobbing, size kink, pain kink, punishment, degradation/humiliation, nipple/breast play, possessiveness, choking, marking, so much licking (taehyung loves tasting his angel), begging, crying, orgasm denial/control, spitting, oral (f. receiving), cum eating, fingering, anal play, sex toy, double penetration, throne sex, reverse cowgirl, hitting it from the back, hair pulling, finger-sucking, deepthroating, forced orgasms, multiple orgasms, creampie <3
â” a/n: lord forgive me for i have sinned, i have no explanation for this fic except complete horniness!! >_< please enjoy this to-die-for demon king tae đ as always, your feedback means the world to me <3
â” playlist:Â wicked games by the weeknd
âł in submission for the february games:
â âWhere Cupidâs Arrows Lieâ
    â hosted by: professor ryen @kithtaehyungââ through @bangtansorciere
† au type: âwhy me?â // enemies to lovers
† themes: angels/demons, fantasy
† kinks: anal play, biting, blood play, bondage, choking, cunnilingus, degradation/humiliation, double penetration, fingering, handjob, hair pulling, orgasm control, pain kink, sex toys, size kink, deepthroating <3
âMust I really see him today?âÂ
âItâs essential, your Majesty. He requested the meeting himself.âÂ
âWhat for, exactly?âÂ
âHe would not disclose that information, only that he desires to see you.âÂ
You sighed grievously as you fixed the backing of your earring in your mirror, ensuring it was snug. Wearing your appropriate royal robes, you dressed yourself for a cordial meeting, along with packing your utmost patience and tolerance.Â
Soon, you were going to meet the most obnoxious, prideful, exasperating being in the universe.Â
Hello Mars!! Happy Valentines day!
For the Bangtan Valenties, Gummy Bears, wrapped in cellophane, and purple!
I hope that you last two weeks is as chill as it can be, and I hope you have a good day! <3
Case Reopened (knj)
summary- Your ex has some nerve to antagonize you during a case after everything heâs put you through. But Kim Namjoon always did have a hold on you, whether you admit it to yourself or not.
word count- 1.6k
pairing- ex!Namjoon x Reader
rating- R
genre- lawyers au, exes2lovers, angst, smut
warnings- infidelity mentioned, oral (f receiving), unprotected sex
a.n.- this was meant to be sexy but somehow turned into this đ hope you enjoy saturn! <3
This is not betaed oop!
-
âFuck you,â you gritted through your teeth, rage boiling under your skin, making it erupt in goosebumps.
âYouâd like that, wouldnât you?â he said with the same infuriating smirk he had donned in court when bringing in a witness you were unprepared for. He was the defense attorney and it was his prerogative to bring in surprise witnesses but the fact that he brought him in was a low blow.
You had gone against Namjoon too many times to count in your career as a prosecutor. It was what started your relationship. It was what ended it too. Too many cases requiring you to build a wall between each other â a wall that only expanded from cases into an impenetrable fortress that left a three year relationship full of deceit.
This case was the biggest case you had ever tried, a chance to take down the crime syndicate that terrorized your city. It was the cherry on top that youâd be defeating your cocky ex, but he had to once again turn the courtroom into a circus. Not only did he blow up your straight forward case by bringing in a witness that nullified your entire offense, but he brought in Jungkook, the sweet bartender you were seeing. Who wouldâve thought that the bar he worked at would conveniently provide the perfect alibi? Clearly not you.
âYour boy toy was great today, wasnât he?â he mocked, sitting on the desk, a foot still on the ground, legs spread â confident and overbearing. He tilted his head, a lip between his teeth as he surveyed your body in a way that made you feel naked, made a familiar tremble crawl up your spine. However, regardless of his affect on you, you would not let him one up you. Not again.
âHow much did you pay him for that false testimony?â you seethed, stepping closer to him, wanting nothing more than to tear him from limb to limb. He only leaned back, twirling a pen between his fingers, a picture of ease.
âYou hurt me,â he feigned a frown, a hand holding his chest, the shirt creasing tantalizingly, before he was looking at you with cold, narrowed eyes, all playfulness disappearing. âI would never compromise my ethics.â
You snorted at his response, rolling your eyes as you crossed your arms. âOnce a cheater, always a cheater.â
At your words, he was standing up, the rage in your glare mirrored in his. âYou know I never fucking cheated!â he yelled, the pen in his grip breaking easily. It always endeared you how clumsy he usually was, how despite his usually delicate movements he was breaking things. This time however there were no delicate movements, his anger fuelling his stomps as he made his way over to you, jaw tensed and eyes turned to slits. âYou never fucking listen! You never let me explain. Instead you run away. So fuck you!â
He was almost toe to toe with you, towering over you as he spoke the flurried words, and kickstarted your heart. You hated how the look in his eyes never failed to turn you on, but you forewent the thrumming of lust in your veins at his ridiculous retelling of the past.
âI donât listen?â you snorted, your disbelief overshadowed by how angry you were. âWhat fucking excuse would you have to be sneaking away all the time? The secret phone calls? The early mornings when I knew you werenât going into the office? I canât believe I fell for you!â
He laughed at that, loud and bitter, shaking his head.
âI was gonna propose,â he said quietly, stepping away from you as his earlier wrath seemed to suddenly vanish, leaving only hurt in its wake. He shook his head as if to rid himself of the memories. âI took dance lessons too. You wanted a flash mob proposal, right?â
You felt your heart plummet, dropping to the floor, but you were nothing if not stubborn, holding onto your belief that Namjoon wasnât for you. You had spent months trying to villainize him, a flowery confession was not going to sway you. You needed to protect your heart from his clutches again.
âSure you were,â you said, and just like that his sad expression was morphing into rage again, jaw locking as he stared at you. âJust admit you never loved me, cheater.â
You didnât know why you were antagonizing him, why you were refusing to believe his extremely plausible explanation. Perhaps it was that you never thought your relationship would last. Who would think that a public prosecutor and a defense attorney making well over six figures would last? It was meant to be doomed from the start. He made more than you made in a month during his lunch break. There was no way you were more than a placeholder till the person he was meant to be with came along.
Yet, the words had barely left your mouth before he was sealing it with his, hands cupping your face as he dove into you. Breathless, you couldnât help reciprocating, months of pent up frustration and insecurity barrelling from you to his lips as he graciously swallowed all your moans. There was no prequel, no conversation, just both your hands clawing each other in an attempt to get impossibly close, buttons ripping to the ground in a muted clatter.
Before you knew it, you were pinned against his desk, his large hands lifting you to deposit you on the oak surface, lips leaving yours to nip at your jaw, your neck, your chest. It was an inferno unleashed as you gripped his hair, pushing the infuriating fabric of his shirt onto the floor as he did the same to yours.
You knew it was a bad idea to give in, but regardless of the alarms blaring in your head, you wanted more, you wanted him. Your skirt was carelessly pushed up to your waist as he kneeled in front of you like he had a hundred times before, teeth digging into the soft flesh of your thighs, blooming the skin into rose petals before he latched onto your clit â his only mission to make you unravel.
You had barely recovered from your high, muscles locked, sweat dripping down your spine, moans of his name still echoing through the room, when he was on top of you, pants haphazardly unzipped. You didnât realize how much you missed the familiar weight of him on top of you, his chest pinning you down, his eyes ablaze as he gazed at you with such catastrophic intensity that you couldnât help the whimper that escaped your lips.
With another searing kiss, he was inside you, your walls welcoming him home as a loud moan left him, only to be captured by you as you dove into him. You had missed the coffee on his tongue. It reminded you of the nights the two of you worked late together, case files cluttering your dining room table, blue for him, red for you. It reminded you of the mornings where you both had to rush, exchanging kisses in the car. Of the morning where you had all the time in the world and he put on his favorite song while you cooked breakfast. It reminded you of the casual way he had kissed you the first time, after months of secret glances in courtrooms, right next to the coffee cart in the courthouse lobby.
âDo you still think I never loved you?â he asked, his hips rendering you speechless as he looked at you full of an agony you wished upon him, but now wished you could erase. When you didnât answer, he slowed his pace, his thumb caressing your cheek so gently you thought youâd break. But you had already broken, tears flowing that you never noticed, too busy missing him even when he was inside you.
âAnswer me, darling,â he whispered, voice waterlogged as his eyes glistened in the sunlight flowing from his window. âPlease⊠please believe me,â he pleaded, and you couldnât help holding him close, letting him nuzzle his face in your neck.
âI believe you,â you murmured and the awestruck way he looked at you shattered your heart till his hips were resuming their feral pace, his fingers moving from where they were tangled in your hair to where your bodies met. He brought you to your peak, letting your secrets float into the air.
âI love you! I love you! I love you!â
The two of you chanted as if the three words would heal the distrust, make it disappear into the air, make all the months of heartbreak be worth it. And for a brief moment as you lost yourselves in each other they did, pushing you into a rosy bubble where nothing was wrong, where the two of you were still in the blissful honeymoon phase of three years ago, exchanging sneaky kisses in the courtroom bathrooms.
But when your breaths evened out, and your temperature returned to normal, all that was left was a mess â your clothes strewn everywhere, his cum between your legs, sweat drying much too slow on your bodies.
âI still love you,â he whispered, his body still on top of yours, arms pinning you to him in a vice grip. âI will always love you. Donât you love me too?â
âIâll always love you too,â you answered too easily, too honestly, because even though you knew you would never match up to rising superstar attorney Kim Namjoon, you couldnât help the way your heart had hitched itself to his.
He sighed, relief sagging his body as he lifted himself from you, opting to forego the mess both of you had made and instead sitting on his desk and pulling you into his lap. You didnât know if you had it in you to go back to him once more, but much like him, you were too weak to let go of the only person who ever made you feel whole.
Summary: Yoongi almost didn't meet you. Yoongi almost let you go. Yoongi almost gave up.
A little background story of my favorite domestic couple.
Pairing: Yoongi x wife OC
Rating: R, SFW
Genre: established relationship, idol!au, fluff
WC: 1.9k
Warning: pregnancy outside of marriage, some swear words, friends with benefits situation
A/N: I have been thinking about the background story of this couple for a while, and then @thebtswritersclub has the perfect prompt this February for to get my writing juices started! (prompt: almost)
- Part of the Domestic Yoongi series -
Yoongi almost didnât meet you.
After he had bought his first ever apartment in Seoul, he hired an interior designer to decorate it. His busy schedule unfortunately prevented him from being more hands on; so, he left his mother in charge of everything.
Until the designer herself insisted that he needed to be present at handover, and his mother refused to stand in for him anymore.
âYou need to see how Iâve spent your money, or your father and I will never step foot into that apartment again.â His mother threatened after he kept telling her he trusted her and her taste.
So, Yoongi finally agreed. After squeezing in an extended break time on the day of the handover, and with Namjoon and Seokjin tagging along, he made his way to the appointment. He scrunched his eyebrows when it was not the designer that was waiting for him, but rather, you.
âMy boss had an emergency. Iâm her assistant.â You explained.
âSheâs been nagging me to meet her and now sheâs bailed on me.â Yoongi grumbled.
âIâll be sure to tell the baby in her belly to be more mindful of her schedule.â
Seokjin snorted in amusement at your response.
âOh,â Yoongi stumbled, âI hope everything goes smoothly for her.â
You simply nodded, then started explaining what had been done to the apartment. You effortlessly showed them all the custom furniture, all the imported light fixtures, all the smart home appliances. With every word leaving your mouth Yoongi found himself feeling more interested in you and less in his apartment.
You answered Namjoonâs questions about sustainable hardwood furniture and about the design philosophy behind it. You tackled Seokjinâs lame dad jokes with a dry sense of humor, even managing to make him blush all the way to his ears once.
And in that short period of time Yoongi spent with you, he almost asked for your number.
But he didnât. Because Namjoon had beaten him to it.
~
Yoongi almost missed his chance.
Yoongi knew Namjoon had gone on three dates with you, that he had even commissioned you to make a custom table for his new studio. Yoongi knew he should not get annoyed when Namjoon kept talking about you.
So when Yoongi asked for your number from Namjoon, and called you on the pretense that something was not working right, he should feel guilty. But he did not. Not when you were on your knees, dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans, with a small toolbox by your feet, as you inspected the joinery in the walk-in wardrobe.
âYoongi-ssi,â you stood up, âthe glass door is fine. But if you find something else not working right, just let us know. Weâll come to check it out.â
Yoongi nodded.
âIs that it? Iâll show myself ou-â
âAre you dating Namjoon?â
You blinked, and Yoongi thought a tinge of pink appeared on your cheeks. âI, uh, no, Iâm not.â
Yoongi felt flutterings in his stomach. âI thought things were going well.â
You cleared your throat. âWell, itâs really none of your business.â
âHeâs my friend.â
âThen you ask him.â
You stared at him as you replied. He stared back, not willing to look away, but his heart skipped a beat when your eyes moved, ever so briefly, down from his eyes to his mouth. He saw you swallow, and the pink in your cheeks deepened.
He should not, he really should not. There was a code. He could not possibly put his own selfish needs before his friendship with Namjoon.
Yoongi took a deep breath, preparing himself for the question he was about to ask and the conversation he would have to have with Namjoon later that night.
âDo you want to have ramyeon with me?â
~
Yoongi almost let you go.
To Yoongiâs relief, Namjoon was cool with him seeing you; he felt you werenât that into him anyway. So Yoongi started seeing you with a clear conscience.
Only, he wasnât sure what it was he had with you. One, he barely had any time. Two, you were not clingy or needy, which Yoongi should be grateful for, but still it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Three, Yoongi spent more time fucking you than actually dating you. Four, you did not seem to mind that whatever you had with him was leading more and more to the friends with benefits territory. Five, Yoongi hated it.
Yoongi knew you deserved better. You deserved to be taken out on dates, to have your hand held in public, to be able to see him anytime you wanted to. But he could not give any of that. Meeting you had to be either at the dorm or at his apartment, and that was when he could find a sliver of breathing room in his schedule. He had to keep you a secret, and the worst thing was, you did not seem to mind at all. In your acceptance and understanding of his idol life, he felt you held yourself back to prevent your heart from getting in too deep. And it made Yoongi feel like shit.
One night, a mere month into the world tour, as he stared at his equipment all laid out in his hotel room, he started missing you like crazy. His invitation to fly you out to America or somewhere closer in Asia was still left unanswered. The darker side of his mind told him it was a sign you wanted out, and frankly, he couldnât blame you. Maybe it was better that he ended everything with you. He couldnât give you what you needed, not at this time in his life, at least.
The ringing of his phone brought him out of his meandering thoughts. He saw your name. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the green answer button, convincing himself that it was for the best, that you deserved a whole lot better than him.
Yoongi almost let you go, but he didnât.
Because the first words you said to him were, âYoongi, Iâm pregnant.â
~
Yoongi almost gave up.
He knew the right thing to do was to marry you, but you kept turning him down.
Granted, the first time he proposed was downright terrible. After talking to Namjoon and their managers, accompanied by a bottle of whiskey, he ended up drunk calling you, telling you that heâd marry you, before throwing up half his stomach into a strategically situated dustbin by his bed.
The second time he proposed, he was much more sober, but not any less stupid. In one phone call he managed to inform you of a mountain of paperwork from the agency coming your way and then ended it with a marriage proposal. He was not surprised when your answer was, âWeâll talk about it when youâre home.â
The third time was when he was finally back in Seoul. Yoongi carried Soojin for the first time in his arms, and he sat in the corner of your studio apartment, fighting back tears of joy for his daughter but also full of remorse and regret that he had not been around to support you through your pregnancy and labour.
âWe should get married,â he said softly as he watched his daughter sleep.
âWhy?â
Yoongi raised his eyebrow at your reply, âWell, because we have a daughter.â
âI donât want to get married just because we have a kid together. I know itâs the right thing for her, but is it for us?â
Well, shit. You got a point there.
The fourth time was a proposal of a different kind. He wanted to spend more time with you and Soojin;Â whatever free time he had was precious, so he made his case to you on why you both should just move into his apartment. When you agreed, he was hopeful. After a few weeks, he wanted to ask you again to marry him but somehow he felt he was being too greedy. You and Soojin were living with him, he should be content for the time being.
The fifth time was on the eve of the start of another world tour. Yoongi was feeling especially melancholic leaving you and Soojin behind for nine months, especially as your relationship had grown exponentially. Since you had moved in, he got to see the real you, the vulnerable you, but also the strong and resilient you. He grew to respect you and he realised he had started to love you as well.
With Soojin fast asleep in her room, and your lips swollen and your breathing ragged from his kisses, Yoongi asked you. His heart sank when you simply stared back in response and moved yourself from under him.
âStill no?â Yoongi asked dejectedly.
âI donât know, Yoon,â you whispered, voice shaky. âI love you, but I donât want to be made to feel I have to marry you.â
He dropped his head onto his pillow, frustrated. He ended up arguing with you that night, and left the next day with just a brief and tense peck on your cheek. He felt like shit.
The sixth time he proposed, it was in New York. You and Soojin had visited with his and the other membersâ parents, so you both took the rare opportunity to have a date night- which was simply a room service dinner in his room.
The dark thoughts were returning, hanging by the periphery of Yoongiâs mind. And combined with the memories of the fight before he left for tour, his insecurities threatened to rear their ugly heads.
âYoon, I love you, you know that, right?â
âI know,â he replied, reaching for your hand to link his fingers with yours. You smiled at him, and the haze in his mind immediately started to clear.
âI just want to make sure weâre doing the right thing for ourselves.â
He nodded. âI know.â
He reached into the pocket of his sweatpants. You narrowed your eyes at him.
âHobi took me to a jewelry designer in Chicago. May or may not have gotten something.â
âMin YoongiâŠâ
He tried to hold back his laughter at the way you were squirming. âI can only show you what it is if you say yes, though.â
You rolled your eyes at his teasing.
âSo, do you want to marry me?â
âNo!â You playfully smacked his arm. âIâve made you wait this long, you can wait a bit longer!â
Yoongi laughed at your annoyed tone. But you were right, he was willing to wait for you.
It was during the bandâs long awaited vacation that Yoongi thought of letting go of the idea of marriage altogether. He and you were going strong, Soojin was thriving, and he started to wonder if there really was a need to be married at all. It was not like you would love him any more or any less with a ring on your finger.
But the jewelry he had bought in Chicago continued to burn a hole in his pocket. He contemplated if he should give it one more try. The dinner date in New York many months before gave him some hope, so perhaps it was worth another shot.
â_______,â he murmured your name as you were reading in bed.
You looked up from your book, and he sat next to you.
âLetâs do it?â He asked for the seventh and last time, the final proposal.
You blinked at him a couple of times, before you realised what he meant. You took a deep breath, and he prepared himself.
âOkay.â
Yoongi almost gave up, but he should have known. Seven was the magic number.
-
Yoongi comes home just in time for dinner. Walking into his house, he finds Soojin reading about a sleepy wombat to her brother, Joowon. She pauses for a moment, tilting her head as she tries to read an unfamiliar word. She turns to her left, asking her invisible friend for help, then proceeds to reading the very word she was struggling with a moment ago flawlessly.
Yoongi sighs. Then, his attention is caught by the movement of two chubby legs kicking from a baby bouncer in front of his daughter. He smiles fondly as Soojin coos at Joowon.
He moves to the kitchen, where he finds you, ladle in one hand and your phone in the other, stirring the stew on the stove as you talk to- Yoongi assumes- your business partner about the rising costs of exporting your custom furnitures.
Yoongi leans back and watches you, with the sounds of his children in the background.
His home, his children, his wife- all the almosts in his life that led him to one definite certainty: love.
To: @beckysworld7 â On behalf of all our staff at BCC, happy birthday! We love and appreciate everything you've done for us as a mod and we hope you had an awesome birthday!
From: Levi â Happy birthday Becky!! I hope you have a great birthday and a great 2022! âš - Levi
From: Onyx â Happy Birthday Becky! You're one of the most talented and adorable people I know and you always seem to brighten up everyone's day with your sweet self <3<3 I wish you an amazing day and an even more amazing year ahead luv !!!
From: DeeDee â Happy Birthday Becky!!! I hope it is filled with lots of joy and happiness. Sending lots of love and positivity your way! - Dee
From: Marinette â Becky love! Happy Birthday!! I hope you have a blast! Here is for yet another going around the sun that is filled with nothing but the best1
From: Lexi â Hello hello hello! I know I havenât been around as much on BCC but thank you so much for the help with the queue! Itâs been great having you here in the net! Hope you had an amazing birthday
From: Ash â hey, becky!!! wish you the happiest birthday ever, babe! i hope this new year in your life goes better than all the previous ones. i hope you're happy, healthy and achieve all your goals! đ„șâ€ïž loads of love to ya! â€ïž - Ash
From: Elle â Happy birthday Becky! I know we havenât talked much but Iâve definitely seen your work and it is just incredible! You are so talented! Seriously never give up. I wish you all the best in this new year and I hope we can get to know each other better. Love, Elle.
From: Jay â happy birthday becky!! wishing you all the best and i hope youâre staying safe and taking good care of yourself :D have a great day, youre amazing <333
From: Mei â Happiest birthday to you Becky! May the year ahead be full of sunshine and abundant blessings! đđ - Mei
âš° summary: You wake up amidst a war with no recollection of your past. Faced with suspicion and distrust, you struggle to assimilate into a foreign nationâotherwise known as your home. But on your enlightening journey to search for your identity, you come face to face with the General of the Army.
âš° pairing/rating: yoongi x reader & jungkook x reader | PG-15
âš° join the taglist! (pm/send in an ask/reply/reblog)
âš° a/n: thank you to @the-berry-named-ari for beta-reading <3
âš° previous | series m.list | next
â§â§Circa Zirconâ§â§
Wintertime finally catches up to Alder. Blankets of snow cover the grass, even decorating the tops of the scarlet tents scattered about the terrain. Soldiers stay inside their homes, lighting their own fires and rubbing their hands together to keep warm. Snow falls steadily from above, veiling the last of the autumn colors with whiteness.
But the cold does not stop the war.
With a swift movement of your hand, you splay out your latest battle plans, the various papers fluttering for a second before settling down on the wooden tableâspread out, like a falconâs wings.
You clear your throat, delicately placing the back of your hand over your mouth as you do so. âThereâs a lot to go over today,â you say. The officers nod, agreeing with your words. As per your routine, you survey each and every one of them, taking a mental note of their facial expressions and attitudes for the day.
Strange.
Thereâs a face missing in the crowd.
You wonder what kind of emergency made Captain Im miss a very mandatory officer meeting. Maybe the General sent her on another trip to Elu for whatever reason he found important. Or maybe sheâs running a little late. The meetingâs only been going on for a few minutes. Maybe she has some last-minute fourth sector business to take care of. Or maybe sheâs healing in the medical tent? But if she was, the General wouldâve announced something at the beginning of the meeting.
You glance at him, and to your surprise, your eyes meet. He looks at you expectantlyâas if heâs waiting for you to say something.
Itâs then that you realize that youâre supposed to be presenting your battle plans. Awkwardly, you clear your throat again. âS-So! Um, yes, first and foremost, if we can get some earth mediums here,â you say, tracing a particular formation with your index finger, âthen we couldââ
âForgive me for interrupting!â A red-faced Captain Im rushes into the central tent.
So there she is.
Her jet black hair, which is usually neatly combed, is in visible disarray as she pants, trying to catch her breath. She waves a cream-colored paperâa letter in the air.
Everyone pauses to stare at her, wide-eyed.
âA message?â the General asks.
You cock your head. Who could it be from? It must be important enough to get Captain Imâwho is usually exceptionally calmâteeming with excitement. Her eyes sparkle as she uncharacteristically slams the paper on the wooden table. The movement causes some of your battle plans to disperse across the table, but nobody minds. Instead, everyone leans in synchronously to squint at the writing etched onto the letter. âA message from the Darlaean General!â Captain Im announces. âTheyâve agreed to call a temporary truce for the rest of winter!â
You blink. You blink again. Then youâre suddenly gasping with happiness, along with your fellow officers. Someone pats your back and another person links their arm around yours. Others are crowding around and hugging Captain Im for delivering the news. Some even cry tears of joy. It surprises you to see so much emotion on their faces. The officers are usually so incredibly stoicâso stern and serious. Through the corners of your eyes, you catch Major Ki and Captain Chu sharing a passionate kiss, and you even see Captain Yoo slapping Captain Chang on the back while grinning so hard that you can see his whisker dimples. But you suppose that theyâre just as human as everyone else. When someone bears good news, and the news is as good as this, they canât help but celebrate.
The battle plans are long forgotten.
âTheyâve never accepted our offers before!â Doyun exclaims as she tightens her grip on your arm. She looks incredibly happy, eyes wide and sparkling as her mouth sets in a wide grin.
Never? Amidst the celebration, you begin to wonder⊠Are they only accepting a temporary truce now that theyâre losing? If so, what will it take for them to agree on a permanent truce?
The cheering officers begin to lift Captain Im up on their shoulders, and that action alone brings you back to reality.
You let out a small sigh. This is the time to celebrate; thereâs no place for doubt.
So you join the happy crowd, a semi-worry-free smile on your face.
The night before the soldiers are permitted to visit their families back home, there is a feast. Rumor has it that the General pulled some strings and brought over the kingâs chefs from Elu. There are piles and piles of steaming rice, heavy pots of spicy soups and endless bowls of delectable side dishes. Soldiers eat until they can consume no more. But they drink like their stomachs are bottomless pits. They stumble about inside the large medical tent, drunk smiles on their faces, slapping their friendsâ backs and talking loudly over each other.
You spot Doyun playing a competitive game of cards with some of the other officers. It looks like theyâve bet some solarins too because thereâs no way kind Major Hyun would be yelling across the table at poor Major Ahn like that if there werenât a couple of coins involved. You smile a little and fix your gaze toward a group of healers (including Namjoon) in deep discussion. But with their swaying bodies, red, sedated faces and empty bowls, you really doubt that anyone there is cognizant enough to have a coherent string of thought. Even so, you like to imagine that theyâre talking about their families, whom theyâll be going home to see tomorrow. You canât imagine how happy they must be. And youâre happy for them, too.
The feelings of jealousy youâve felt during the last celebration are gone. Because this time, you have a home too. It might not be your alleged birthplace of Elu, but itâs a place where you feel safe. A place where you seem to know best. A place that you can proudly call home.
âNow, what are you doing, Y/N??â
You jump a little, startled to find Hana waving a loaf of bread right in front of you. One look at her and you know sheâs drunk, which is surprising considering the fact that sheâs a heavy drinker. She mustâve had at least ten bowls of Takju.
âYouâre just standing in the corner watching everyone!â she yells. âCome out and have some fun! Grab a drink and some bread!â She boops your nose with the end of her loaf.
Giggling, you shake your head. âBut I like standing in the corner.â Besides, youâre too sober to walk up to complete strangers and strike up a fascinating conversation with them that theyâll inevitably forget in the morning.
Hana makes a face. âWho the hell likes standing in the corner during a celebration?â she says, flinging her arms out dramatically. Consequently, the loaf of bread flies out of her hand and rockets straight into a crowd of soldiers.
Thereâs a small thump! and someone yells out a displeased, âHey!â
Hanaâs eyes grow wide as she looks around in panic. âOh no.â
She grasps your hands, hers instantly warming your colder ones. But you feel that shock again. The same, strange feeling from before. It washes over your entire body, drenching it in a strange, staticky sensation. But before you can really comprehend what this could possibly mean, Hana pulls away.
âI have to run,â she says. âNo. No. That would be silly. Why would I run away from that very obviously angry soldier? No. I have to find that loaf of bread. You know how rare a good loaf of bread is around here? The last time Iâve had some good bread was a week ago when you brought some back from Elu.â She smiles, her head lolling to the side as she looks at you. A strand of her dark hair falls in front of her face, and she waves her hand, the wind following her lead and moving it out of the way. âI appreciate you, Y/N,â she says. âIâm going to miss you.â
You snort. âYouâll be back by Circa Garnet, Hana.â
Her button nose wrinkles. âThatâs too far away. Iâd rather fight!â She pumps her fist in the air. âIâm going to fight until we win this damn war!â And before you can even react, she gasps. âMy bread! Iâve got to go! Goodbye, Officer Ryu!â Hana gives you a ninety-degree bow (nearly falling over while doing so), and then quickly rushes to find her loaf of bread somewhere in the crowd of drunk soldiers.
You watch her leave, amused by how much someone can change with some alcohol in their system. It makes you wonder how you would be perceived if you were drunk. But that thought isnât too pleasant.
After your encounter with Hana, you begin to survey the vast medical tent, eyes shifting through the soldiers and healers and officers to find anyone you recognize. There, around the middle of the tent, you find Hyojung and Captain Im dancing passionately in what looks like an unofficial official dance battle. Thereâs Jeonwoo on the sidelines, cheering Hyojung on, and quite a crowd of young soldiers chanting for Captain Imâs victory. Even stoic Captain Yoo looks content for once.
âCaptainâs quite the dancer, isnât she?â
You donât recognize that voice, so you turn around to see an attractive woman, leaning on one leg and crossing her arms over her chest. With her wavy, brown hair and cat-shaped eyes, she emanates confidence and allure. You reason that she must be a soldier, judging from her uniform. She doesnât seem so drunk, but thereâs a flirtatious look in her eye, and you canât seem to look away.
âI didnât know Captain Im could dance like that,â you reply with a polite smile.
âSheâs a jack-of-all-trades,â the woman replies. âBut Iâve heard the same about you.â
Your eyebrows raise. âYou have?â
âA prodigy rivaling Captain Imâs intellect,â she says with a smirk. âA soldier one circa and an officer the next. Iâm impressed, sir.â
âUm⊠thank you.â
She laughs and tosses her hair back behind her shoulder. âYou can be more arrogant than that, Officer. Itâs more attractive when someone knows their worth.â
You blink rapidly, processing her words before making a comment of your own. âThen I suppose you know your worth quite well.â
âOh, I do.â She grins. âI know my worth very well.â
How strange.
Is this what they call flirting?
In that case, there is no doubt about it that sheâs interested in you. And sure, you may be interested, too. But why does this feel so⊠so foreign? And itâs not just foreign; it doesnât feel right. Not because you donât find her attractiveâshe, indeed, knows her worthâbut because this is a war. Youâve seen how many times a couple is torn apart. How many times a soldier mourns over the death of their lover. You donât want that pain. Nor are you ready to dedicate yourself to someone, only to have them torn away from you.
But there you go again, overthinking about everything when there was practically nothing said. This is just what they call âcasual flirting.â And if youâre understanding that correctly, itâs a fun, one-time thing. So youâre definitely getting ahead of yourself. But then again, do you really want to have such a fleeting connection with a dedicated soldier in the army? Wouldnât it be awkward if this were a one-time thing, and the next time you see each other, one of you is dead? In fact, it wouldnât be just awkward. Itâd be fucking miserable.
The soldier notices your hesitation, which you may or may not have made very obvious. And to your relief, she grins, shrugging her shoulders. âItâs all right, Officer. We canât all be interested in love and war.â Before you can say anything, she bows slightly, that alluring grin still on her face. âThen I suppose Iâll see you around, sir. The alcohol is calling me.â Sheâs gone so quicklyâslipping into the crowdâthat it almost feels like your encounter had been a dream.
But sheâs right. And she was right to leave, too. Youâre definitely not interested in love and war. How can you be? Youâre married to the idea of creating battle plans and nursing injured soldiers back to health. What do you know about love, anyway? You only know sacrifice when it comes to your nation. But how do you sacrifice your heart for a partner? How do you cope with the fact that someone will want to sacrifice themselves for you? And what about the necklace?
Oh, the necklace.
It had slipped your mind for circas and circas. The only piece of evidence of your past. How fast your present mustâve moved for you to forget such a core detail of your old identity. So what about the person who gifted you the necklace? You should wait for them. But what if theyâre dead? Would they have wanted you to move on?
But why are you so fixated on this fantasy anyway? You already thought of it yourself that youâre not one for love and war. Now as a Solarian Officer, youâve dedicated yourself to the army, to the people, to the General. This is the new you.
But what about the old you? Are you going to abandon her, just like that?
Itâs too much. Your thoughts begin to suffocate you. Though your surroundings are festive, you canât seem to match the atmosphere. While soldiers are drinking away their problems, you seem to be giving yourself more by doing your usual overthinking. So you find reprieve by escaping into the night.
The winter air is cold, nipping at your exposed skin. You shiver, wandering into the darkness. The moon hides behind thick clouds, and only a few stars have come out to greet the night. The icy frost on the grass leaves wet prints on your thick uniform, goosebumps dotting your skin.
Itâs cold, yet you feel oddly calmâan overwhelming contrast from the loud, hotness of the tents. Out here, you feel like you can breathe.
Further and further you wander into the darkness. Youâre not sure why, but your legs persistently carry you forward. Out here, your thoughts are clear, no longer muddy and tangled and twisted. Out here, you feel free. You feel adventurous. The darkness, for some reason, fuels your desire to explore. And before you know it, youâve wandered past the tall grass and just at the edge of the great, dark forest.
But then, there is light.
You see the amber glow coming from behind the trees, casting a dark shadow over the ground. It is the same brightness you remember seeing in the forest when you and the General were riding to Elu just a week ago. The swift brightness that had disappeared when youâd blinked. But this time, even when you blink, the mysterious light stays.
You take a step forward.
It takes a step forward.
And soon, you realize the amber glow is not just a light but an animal.
A tiger.
Your eyes widen as it reveals itself from behind the tall trees. Itâs majestic. Warm.
The tiger burns, scarlet flames emanating from its entire body, yet never scorching anything around it. It stands tall, gazing up at you with sparks in its kind eyes.
You feel entranced. Hands carefully outstretched, you begin to walk slowly towards the tiger, and it lets you. Calmly waits for you to reach it. And once youâre in close proximity, it bows its head. As if it wants you to touch it. You stare at the orange flames blazing on its fur, hand hovering right over it. It seems dangerous. Why would you stick your hand into fire? But then again, thereâs something about this tiger that calls to you. Something that feels safe. Something that doesnât seem logical and all but still feels right.
Your hand falls onto the flames. But itâs warm, and the light casts pretty shadows on your arm. You run your fingers down the tigerâs head, petting its soft fur. It lets out a gentle huff, nuzzling into your hand.
So this is a sol. A fire sol. A sol that found you. Theyâre free animal spirits, supposed to roam about Solariaâs vast lands. But why has this one come to you? Has it been watching you? And why do you feel so calm and safe around it?
The tiger huffs contentedly as if to tell you he appreciates the attention heâs getting. Then, heânot an itâstands up, his head reaching just a little above your waist. His bright eyes speak to you. As if to tell you that heâs been waiting in the cold for you.
âWell then, I hope you didnât wait for long,â you whisper, scratching behind his ear.
The tiger huffs again.
âI⊠Iâm just⊠I needed some air.â
Why does it feel like youâve known him forever?
âHave we met before?â
But the tiger raises his blazing paw, leaving your question unanswered. You begin to think taking his paw in your hand will help you understand something, but then you realize the sol has been trying to point behind you. âOh. Oh. Somethingâs behind me?â Quickly, you turn around to seeâ
âSir!â
âI see that youâve met another sol,â the General says. He walks closer to you and the tiger, seeming oddly accustomed to the animal. âThis one here is the physical embodiment of fire. Heâs known to wander around Alderâs woods.â
But youâre barely able to hear his words. âSir, Iâm surprised to see you here. Youâre the General that led hundreds of battles the past several circas. I thought youâd be celebrating your victories.â
You didnât think anyone else would have wanted to forgo an excellent celebration for some alone time outside. Besides, you and the General have barely exchanged words since your trip to Elu together. Why is he suddenly approaching you, anyway?
âI donât like to celebrate doing my duty,â the General replies without missing a beat. He stares behind you, at the blazing tiger, and shrugs. âWith your logic, you should be celebrating too, Officer. You were the one who came up with our most successful battle plans.â
You cock your head. âMaybe I donât like to celebrate doing my duty either, sir.â
The General makes a noise that sounds somewhat like a laugh and a snort. But he shakes his head, instead. âThe sol seems to take a liking to you.â
As if to prove the Generalâs words, the tiger nuzzles you again, then sits down right next to you. âI like him too,â you say, reaching down to pat his blazing fur.
âHe must see your potential to wield fire,â the General says. âOr heâs gotten tired of roaming about the forest alone.â
You smile, kneeling down to scratch behind the tigerâs ear. Its warmth seems to melt your insides, making the same kind of heat emanating from your body. âItâs a good thing that we can keep him company for tonight.â
The General raises his eyebrows. And for a second, you think he might say something on the lines of, âWell, maybe you can keep him company, but Iâm going to go not celebrate my duty somewhere else.â But the next thing you know, heâs kneeling down too, sitting cross-legged on the grass straight across from you. When you look at him in surprise, your eyes meet, his dark ones reflecting the red flames of the tiger. However, he quickly looks away and clears his throat. âI suppose you wonât be leaving camp tomorrow.â Then, he looks even more embarrassed that he had said anything.
You shrug your shoulders. âI donât really have anywhere to go,â you say. You gaze up to the sky, watching the sparse stars sparkling in the distance. âBesides, as far as I know, Alder is my home.â Your gaze falls down to the man sitting in front of you. âAnd what about you, sir?â
Will he go back to Aithne, his homesector? Just to visit? But visit who, exactly? Heâs the last of his bloodline⊠Does that mean he will stay here with you?
The General shakes his head, an unreadable look on his face. âAlder is my home as well.â He finally looks up, the brightness of the tigerâs flames and the shadows dividing his features in half. And this time, he doesnât look away. Instead, he stares into your eyesâcuriously. âYou donât like to drink, do you, Officer?â
Itâs a question that catches you off guard. âDrink? I mean, I just⊠I donât want to be perceived in a way that I cannot control,â you admit sheepishly. âI also get the impression that some drink to forget, but I donât want to forget any more than I already have, sir.â
âBeing in control, huh?â he says. He seems to nod to himself as if to fully digest your words. âI really do wonder where you were after all these years. Why you didnât join the army sooner when youâve got the talent and personality. But,â he says, back slouching as his hands graze the cold grass, âdonât you believe that itâs thanks to your memory loss that youâre now my officer?â
You cock your head. âThatâs also very true,â you say. But for a split second, your thoughts flit to the abandoned necklace in your tent. Yet you shake those thoughts away. âThen Iâm very lucky to be able to work with such talented people.â
The General smiles, his features glowing in warm light. âAnd weâre lucky to work with you.â
You shake your head though smiling at his compliment. âIâm pretty sure if you knock anyone out hard enough that they lose their memories, theyâll voice the same polarizing ideas that I have. Itâs just something about not being able to remember anything that makes you feel like you have nothing to lose.â
The Generalâs eyes sparkle in amusement. âHm⊠Nothing to lose,â he echoes. âIsnât that quite a mindset?â
âIt is.â
âThen you must be ready for the new year, Officer,â the General says. âIt may seem peaceful now, but weâll go right back to fighting in the next circa. Nothing to lose, huh?â He shakes his head. âYou must not be afraid of death.â
âI feel like I should be,â you say, leaning back against the warm tiger who huffs happily in response. âBut I donât remember who Iâve loved, and Iâm starting to think whoever they wereâif they even existed at allâtheyâre already gone. So it doesnât matter, I guess. If I die, no one will feel like they died with me.â
âTogether, love and war is dangerously precarious, anyway,â the General says in agreement. âDo you wish you remembered, though? At least their face? Maybe faces?â
It takes you a moment to realize heâs talking about your past lover, or lovers, as he phrases it. âIâm not sure,â you reply. âIt could be both a blessing and an agony to know.â
The General nods. âForgive me if that was too personal.â
âItâs fine,â you say, then you grin, an idea lighting up your mind. âI can ask you a personal question, sir. Maybe it will cancel out.â
He snorts. âIf youâd like.â
âAre you afraid of death?â
The General visibly grimaces. You raise your eyebrows. âIâm sorry, was that too personal?â
âNo.â He shakes his head. âI just didnât want my answer to kill the mood.â
The mood? Is he referring to the quiet calmness of being outside? Or the exhilarating curiosity youâre sensing that you have towards each other? Either way, the General likes the current atmosphere, and heâs cautious enough to not want to ruin it. You find that rather interesting.
âIâm sure we can manage,â you reply. âOne answer wonât kill the mood, will it?â
The General seems to think. Then: âI suppose I agree with you. In that case, the short answer is no.â
âLooks like we have something in common.â You grin. âDo you mind divulging to me the long answer, sir?â
Thereâs a short, deliberate pause, where the General makes it quite obvious that he is in deep pondering, his forehead wrinkling and his posture worsening. But he finally decides to answer in the end. âMy death will inevitably bring the burden of leading the Solarian Army on another person. Iâm not afraid of death itself, but Iâm very wary about the effects of my leave.â
âSee, sir? That didnât kill the mood. You were just being thoughtful and honest,â you say, smiling. âI also donât think weâll die anytime soon. So thereâs nothing to worry about.â
âNot die anytime soon?â the General says. âPray tell why you think so, Officer.â
Your fingers also graze the ice-cold grass, playing with the droplets of water before looking up to answer. âBecause weâre going to crack the code. Weâre already almost halfway there. Iâm starting to think theyâll have a new code for every circa. Itâs to the point that Iâm wondering what the next word will be.â
The General nods. âI wonder, too.â
âSir? Can I ask you another personal question?â
His eyes sparkle. Yes, losing your memories makes you feel like you have nothing to lose at all. His other soldiers wouldnât dare be as upfront toward him as you are. âAre you going to inquire about my love life, next?â he asks half-jokingly.
You pretend to think. âThough that sounds tempting, I was really going to ask what your reason to fight is, sir. And I realize I never told you my reason, either, though I did tell you that you helped me find it.â
âThen why donât you tell me your reason?â the General says.
âBut sir! I asked you first.â
âAnd Iâll answer you after you tell me,â he responds, smiling. âDid I not help you find your reason?â
âWell, I suppose itâs nothing to hide,â you sigh, yet clearly amused. âBut I did want the advantage of going last for the shock value.â
He snorts. âIf it were a shocking reason, then it should shock me regardless of the order we share it.â
âFine then. I fight for the end of this war.â
âThe end?â He sounds incredulous, eyes slightly wide as he stares at you. As if youâd just uttered the impossible. Youâve shocked him all right.
âI know it sounds preposterous,â you say, attempting to explain yourself. âBut even if I end up dying in the process, I want my efforts to have brought us just a step closer to the end. And itâs stupid.â
âStupid?â
âItâs stupid that we fight for peace.â
âOf course itâs stupid,â the General says to your surprise. âBut what better way is there to measure our egos?â
You scoff. âDo the Darlaeans even know that theyâre fighting a nation run by a child?â
âThey donât,â the General replies. âIf they did, they would be out for blood. More than they already are.â
It doesnât make sense. Why not leave the Solarians alone? Why not embrace peace? âWhy do they hate us so much?â you say. âI donât understand.â
âThe Darlaeans?â the General asks. âItâs because they love power. They canât stand the thought of their ancestors abandoning Darlaean magic for elemental wielding because that would imply that Darlaean magic is not enough. If they win, Solaria will die.â
âThen we canât possibly let them win.â
The General nods. âItâs why I fight for our freedom.â
âFreedomâŠâ It sounds so nice saying it out loud.
âIâll sacrifice anything so we can be a free nation with free people,â the General says. âBecause like you, Y/N, I have very little to lose.â
âI guess we have more in common than I first thought,â you say, absentmindedly reaching back to pet the tiger. The sol huffs happily, his tail swishing in the cold air. âTruth be told, though, you scared me a lot when I first met you.â
Youâre not sure whatâs prompting you to be so honest in this hour. Maybe itâs the secure warmth of the fire sol behind you. Or maybe itâs the serene atmosphere of the night. Or maybe itâs the General who gazes at you like youâre the most interesting person heâs ever had the pleasure of talking to.
âI canât blame you,â he answers, the corners of his lips twitching upward. âI shouldnât have been so brash.â
âItâs okay,â you say. âI know that itâs all a façade. Iâve seen how you act with children.â
The General snorts. âYouâre peculiar.â
âMe?â
âYes, you. Would I have been talking to the sol behind you?â
âWell⊠it could have been a possibility. But how so? How am I peculiar, that is?â
âI donât know⊠You just are.â But he does know. Well, he has a small idea. You walk without weight on your shoulders. You talk with a sparkling glint in your eye. You approach him like you and he are acquaintances. You talk to him like heâs your friend. But you treat everyone the way you treat him. Youâre a master battle planner, yet you think the war is stupid. Youâre intimidating when you want to be, but when you smile, your face lights up and you begin to glow. Youâre kind to the people who do not like you, but you can be mean when somebody pushes you too far. You showed up on his campground memoryless and innocuous, yet youâve somehow made it as an officer. Youâre an enigma.
Across from him, you get an inkling that the General knows exactly how you are peculiar. But you realize he must feel a little awkward verbalizing it. Or maybe he wants to keep being the enigma that he is. âYouâre peculiar, too,â you say. âVery peculiar.â
His eyebrows raise. âHow so?â
âI donât know,â you echo with a grin. âYou just are.â
He rolls his eyes. âMust you always repeat what I say?â
âYes, but unlike you, Iâll actually elaborate,â you say, laughing at the Generalâs exasperated expression. âYouâre an interesting balance of authoritative but receptive. Youâre intimidating, but you know, when you smile, your whole face does this thing where it lights up. Maybe itâs the fire medium in you? Youâre graceful yet awkward. Youâre a leader but you also know how to follow. Youâre my superior, but you treat me like weâre equals. Maybe like weâre acquaintances. Is that enough?â
The General is rendered a little speechless. You think the same of him when he smiles like he does when you smile. How peculiar.
âThatâs more than enough. And for the record,â he says, âwe are equals. Everyone in this camp stands on the same level. My life costs the same as everyone elseâs. AndâŠâ he trails off, unable to help the grin that stretches across his lips. âAm I really that awkward?â
You laugh, shaking your head at his question and refusing to answer. âYouâre lighting up again.â
âIt must be because I enjoy your company.â
The General? Enjoys your company? Youâre so shocked that you accidentally utter a: âWho wouldnât?â Itâs so out-of-character that even the Generalâs eyes widen at your words.
âI mean! I enjoy your company, too. Sir,â you quickly add. âI donât know why Iâm acting so inebriated. I havenât had a single bowl of Takju.â
The General smiles. âItâs the atmosphere.â
Again, youâre not too sure what he means by this. The atmosphere of the night? The cold winds juxtaposed with the warmth emanating from the fire tiger? Or the atmosphere between the two of you? Either way, you donât get an answer because thereâs someone calling for the General, waving at the entrance of the main medical tent.
âGeneral! Iâve been looking for you! We want you to make a toast!â
The General meets your eyes. And for a second, you see disappointment in them. But that emotion is gone the next time you blink. Quickly, he stands up. âWould you like to come?â
Oh, would you? You hesitate. Do you really want to go back in that stuffy tent?
Besides, you have a fire sol willing to keep you company for the night. If you leave now, youâre not sure if youâll ever see him again. The tiger, sensing your predicament, huffs, rubbing his head against you. It helps you make your decision.
âIâll stay, sir,â you say. âI donât know when Iâll see him again.â
The General nods. âDonât stay out too late, then.â He looks at you one last timeâas if somethingâs on the very tip of his tongue. But he turns at the last second and walks away.
You watch him leave, huddling closer to the fire tiger.
What an interesting conversation you just had with the General. The more you get to know about him, the more you come to admire his character. And the more you want to uncover.
He said he has little to nothing to lose. It makes sense. How would it feel to be the very last of your bloodline, knowing your death would be a bigger deal than youâd like? Who has he lost that makes him the person he is today? What kind of past does he have for him to take on such a burdening role? What makes him want to fight for the freedom of Solaria?
You reach behind to scratch the tigerâs ear, and he huffs, nuzzling into your hand. âI should stop overthinking, huh?â
His tail thumps on the ground in agreement.
âItâs so beautiful tonight,â you sigh. âIt feels like everything thatâs happened so farâfrom the moment I woke up in that medical tent to right nowâis a dream. Iâve learned so many things. Met so many great peopleâand animals,â you add with a laugh. âIt sounds silly, but this almost seems too good to be true. I know weâre in the middle of a war, but thereâs no way my past life was better than this. Iâve become a better person after I lost all my memories. Maybe⊠Maybe itâs time to really let go. Embrace that this is the new me.â
You close your eyes, taking in the crisp air and breathing out slowly. âI donât want my old memories anymore.â It feels great to finally admit it. Your eyes open wide, a new kind of determination set in them. âThinking about my past always weighs me down. And I donât want that anymore. I donât need my old memories to reconnect with fire. Hell, I can make new memories for that. I think I can relearn. I want to fight. I want to become a fire medium again.â
The tigerâs tail thumps rapidly on the groundâas if he is cheering you on.
âThanks,â you say, smiling. âDo you have a family to go to? Am I keeping you away from them?â
The tiger paws at the air, and you interpret that as a no. âAre you going to keep me company for the night?â
He snortsâa happy-sounding yes.
You smile. âThank you.â
With your fingers tangled in the tigerâs burning mane, you watch the nighttime clouds grace the sky, floating slowly to their next destination. The warmth against your back, the honey-colored flames of the sol and the quiet tranquility of the outside world begin to soothe you. Your eyelids feel heavy and your breaths start to slow. You fall asleep with the midnight sky gazing over you, and the blazing tiger keeping you guarded.
In a few hours, you awake along with the chimes of the water clock. Itâs still early, the fog hiding away the dawn light, but you find that thereâs something soft and bright supporting your back. When you turn around, you see the fire tiger. Heâs awake too, staring at you with his round eyes.
âYou stayed.â
He snorts as if youâd just uttered the obvious, which you sort of did.
âI just thought I wasnât going to see you again,â you say. âYou can go if you want. Youâre not obligated to stay.â
The tiger lets out a soft growl as if he disagrees. He stares at you, mane blazing even in the early morning hours. His stare makes you feel like electricity coursing through your entire body. Again, thereâs that feeling inside of you. That feeling where you swear youâve seen him before. But that doesnât matter anymore.
The moment right now is what counts.
With reinvigorated energy, you stand up with the tiger. Placing a hand on his back, you look around at the vast Alder territory. Itâs so early that no one has come out of their tents yet. Gray fog weaves between the scarlet homes, and a wintry breeze still permeates the air, but for the most part, it looks like the frost from last night has melted. The scenery feels so raw, and the barrenness feels so intense. You feel the determination again. The passion and the ambition.
You take a deep breath of the fresh air. It stings your nose but you feel so awake. So alive.
âItâs a new day,â you say. âAre you ready for it?â
The tiger takes a step forward, tail swaying from side to side. He throws you a happy look with his soft eyes reflecting the flames of blazing fires. Then, he roars. The sound shakes the trees, reverberating across the land and stirring those who had been asleep. He roars and it wakes you up, too. You feel amazing. Like youâve woken up from an amazing nightâs sleep and came across a thousand epiphanies.
For Soohtâs sake. Youâve never felt so good before.
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âš° a/n: i've been balancing a social life with clubs, research and classes and it's been a little difficult đ please bear with me (and my characters LOL). i hope you like this new chapter because things are going to be picking up from here! đ
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itâs Hoseokâs birthday, and Yoongi has the perfect gift in mind.
or after Yoongiâs assistant decides to go on vacation during the busy season, Hoseok asks if you could assist his friend until she gets back. One favor turns into two and before you know it, your relationship that was once professional turns into something more.
warnings/tags â secretary!reader, single mom!reader, same au as âbonus,â strong language, manhandling, curvy reader, hoseok is just đ„ș, theyâre both very persuasive & in love with reader bc sheâs that bitch, reader has a kid, mentions of financial difficulties, allusions to mental health issues, mentions of alcohol, mentions of cigarette smoking, they lowkey bicker for her attention, sope synchronization mhm, possess hobi, explicit smut â threesome smut, voyeurism, spit kink, bit of a sir kink, breast kink, body worship, dirty talk, fingering, oral (f & m), finger sucking, name calling, throat fucking, cum eating, biting/scratching, mentions of bruising, hair pulling, nipple play, overstimulation, spit roast, unprotected sex, multiple positions, multiple orgasms, spanking, masturbation (m), cum shots
Summary: Growing up the daughter of the boss of a gang is never easy, but normally the problems are around being given too many responsibilities, or the risk of being connected to a gang leader, or wanting to escape but not being able to. But youâve got a different problem, you want more responsibility, want to be like your brother whoâs been named heir, want a role in the family gang. Your whole life youâve been denied what you want, being born a female seemingly your main issue; perceived as weak, naĂŻve, trying to step above your station. But as unsupportive and dismissive as your family is, there is always the bright light that is Jimin; the boy you love but can never have.
Pairing: Jimin x reader
Genre: Unrequited love; brothersâ best friend; mafia au; fluff; angst
Word count: 15.6k
Warnings: Angsty feelings, unrequited feelings, Jimin uses the nickname Princess, thereâs a âminorâ character death, blood, feelings of shock, misogyny, the story flicks between ages, thereâs a five year age gap, I guess just lots of things youâd imagine from a gang/mafia fic but overall itâs also not that dark.
Authors Note: I know, I know, another gang fic, I just canât help myself. I hope you enjoy this one :)
You canât remember when you first met Park Jimin, canât remember what the situation was or what your first feelings towards him were. Heâs always been in your life. A constant figure. Your brothers best friend and confident.
For as long as youâve lived and been conscious of the world, youâve been in love with Jimin.
Maybe your feelings grew slowly, or maybe it was like a switch, one day waking up and realising that you like him a little more than the brother like figure he was supposed to be. Youâre not sure, because whichever it was, it was so long ago that youâve long forgotten. All you have ever known is the increase in heart rate when heâs near you, the flush of heat to your skin, the way your thoughts go haywire, and you donât act quite right. Itâs all youâve ever known around him. Or at least all you can remember.
At the start maybe it was nerves, this dominant figure in your life, someone everyone around you feared, even despite his young age. But as you grew and got to know him, you realised he couldnât hurt a fly. Well, he definitely could, in fact you know he had killed men before, but you at least knew he would never hurt you. And that brought on a whole other swath of problems.
Your brotherâs best friend. Someone high up in the gang. Someone who kills people and does hideous acts calling it his job.