(∩˃o˂∩)♡

hi !

[connieslover]

wounded soul | part one.

༄ؘ marleyan nurse! reader , season 4 eren

༄ؘ fluff

part two : https://connieslover.tumblr.com/post/646834471134429184/wounded-soul-part-two

✧˖*°࿐ you work as a nurse in a hospital and you’re assigned to take care of an oddly mysterious and suspicious man.

the sound of your alarm clock ringing violently woke you up from your deep and peaceful slumber. groaning, you reached your arm out and hit your alarm clock, making it shut up. your eyelids remained closed as you pulled the warm blanket closer to your body. you wanted to lay in your bed forever.

your eyes finally fluttered open. you stretched your arms and lifted your body up. yawning, you grabbed your alarm clock to check the time. with wide eyes you jumped out of your bed. 

you were late, for the third time of the week. 

well, who couldn’t blame you for sleeping in? marley had just won the mid-east war after four long years. it was a night for you, your family and friends to rejoice in victory. 

you ran into the hospital, ignoring the stares of the staffs and patients as you eagerly searched for your co-worker.

“oi y/n! there you are,” you heard your co-worker call out, “late again huh?”

the figure who eyed you watched as your nestled messy hair moved along with the wind as you ran. he looked at your nursing uniform that was so obviously threw on last minute as a few of the buttons were still unbuttoned. 

‘people here really don’t take their jobs seriously’

“tch, as if you weren’t partying last night too,” you snickered. you sent him a glare before taking a check board from his hands. your eyes surveyed the soldiers who were standing in a line. 

“whatever. anyways, these are soldiers who are facing psychological problems due to the war. i already checked every patient’s details. you’re assigned to kruger,” he pointed to the long brown haired male with a bandaged eye who had a crutch under his arm which supported his body as he was missing half a left leg.

“i don’t know about you but he looks homeless to me,” he leaned in to whisper to you.

you rolled your eyes before looking through the medical details of kruger on your board.

“poor thing. he must’ve really suffered during the war,” you sighed, feeling empathetic for him. you walked over to the male with a soft smile on your face,

“hello kruger, i’m y/n. from today onwards, i’ll be your nurse. if you need anything, feel free to call me,” 

the male only stared at you in silence. asides from his towering height, his dull emerald eyes seemed to bore into your soul, intimidating you. 

“w-well i’ll bring you into your room,” you cleared your throat, breaking the eye contact. you lead the patient into the hospital and into a monotonous room where there was only a window, curtains and a hospital bed.

you placed his arm around your shoulders and gently guided him into the bed, helping him sit down. 

“i’ll start checking on your vitals,” you announced. after a temperature measure, reading his pulse and checking his blood pressure, you could deem that he was fine.

“okay, it seem’s that you’re all good, kruger,” you beamed, placing your check board on the desk beside his bed. kruger solemnly nodded before leaning his head against the board of the bed, staring at the ceiling.

intrigued about the war, you hesitated to ask kruger your question. he was a psychological patient and you didn’t want to make matters worse for the poor soul. but curiosity ate you up. 

“kruger, do you mind if i ask you a question about the war...?” you asked with great caution. kruger’s facial features remained stoic as he stared at you. 

“i understand if you don’t want to talk about it though! i’m sorry, i shouldn’t have asked,” you spluttered, waving your hand around frantically.

“the war was hell. i never imagined that humanity’s greatest enemy is humanity itself. titan’s were flying everywhere. it was a repulsive sight.” that was the first time you had heard his voice. it was deep and raspy, with a hint of torment hiding somewhere. his voice sounded like a violin with broken and old strings. 

your facial expression contorted into pity, mixed with slight fear.

“you must’ve went through a lot kruger. i sincerely thank you for fighting for marley,” all of a sudden, you had a jolt of enthusiasm coursing through your body,  “i will do my best to take care of you!”

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・

“so....how was kruger?” your co-worker sneaked up behind you, giving you a startle. 

“oh my god, don’t scare me like that!” you scolded, hitting him lightly on his shoulders.

he only chuckled before repeating his question, “so are you going to tell me how kruger was or ?”

“he seems very...closed off. he doesn’t answer a lot of my questions. i don’t know what else i can say about that. the war must’ve traumatised him really badly,” you sighed, crossing your arms on your chest.

“and he was only fifteen when he enlisted,” added your co-worker. he checked his wrist watch and patted your shoulder, “i gotta go now, see you later y/n.” you nodded and bid him goodbye.

“well, i guess i should be looking for kruger,” you mumbled.

after jogging around the corridors of the hospital, inquiring about the whereabouts of kruger to your other co-workers, you finally spotted him. he was sitting outside on a bench, accompanied by a familiar light brown haired boy. your eyes gleamed in joy.

“falco?” 

falco’s eyes widened once he caught sight of you, tears gathered in his hazel eyes. he jumped out of his spot and wrapped his hands around your waist, nuzzling his head against your chest. you laughed before ruffling his short hair. 

“i haven’t seen you in so long falco. i worried every single day, praying for you and the rest to come back to marley safely. well, i knew that you warrior candidates would make it back safely but still... im thankful that you made it back,” you smiled, breaking off the hug to wipe away the tears on his face with your thumbs. you felt an immense amount of relief and joy when you stared at falco.

although he wasn’t your blood relative, you treated him and the other warrior candidates as your younger siblings and they treated you like you were their older sister.

“i told you we’d make it back alive,” he chirped, lips forming into a smile. 

“you made marley proud,” you ruffled his hair once again. your eyes then darted to kruger who had been watching the two of you the whole time. “so, i see that you’ve made a friend,”

“mr.kruger here has been giving my encouraging words- oh, speaking of words i have to deliver a letter he wrote. i’ll see you soon y/n!” with a letter in his hand and the other waving at you, falco was off running to the post. a small smile made it’s way to your face. you sat down on the bench, beside kruger.

“you seem to get along well with falco. how did you two meet?” you asked.

“he helped me the other day. it’s good that we get along well,” he simply responded, looking into the direction falco ran.

“his uncle was one of the ringleaders of the eldian restoration movement. the restorationists and all their families were sent to paradis. falco and his brother aspired to become warriors to protect their family. and now that his brother will be inheriting the beast titan, their family will be safe,” you started, “i’m so proud of falco for becoming a warrior candidate. im hoping that he’ll inherit a titan too,”

“why are you telling me this?” kruger could only question.

"don’t ask him to send letters for you, they might get suspicious. so instead, i’ll deliver your letters from now on,” you said. kruger only nodded to your words.

an awkward silence engulfed the two of you.

remembering something, you excitedly jumped on your feet, “kruger, let me bring you somewhere,”

the male rose a brow, “where?”

“you’ll see,” you grinned, helping him stand up. the walk to your secret place was silent well, asides from your occasional humming. 

“we’re here!” 

the two of you arrived at a small hill. there was a garden of astonishing flowers that were spread on the green grass. furthermore, from where the two of you were standing, you could see the blue sky, accompanied by the ocean. the view here was breathtaking. you spotted your blanket you hung from a tree and grabbed it, placing it on the grass.

“come sit,” and kruger did as he was told. kruger sat in the space next to you. you brought your knees to your chest as you admired the scenery. there was a gentle breeze in the air. you could hear the chatters of the citizens, along with the sound of the cars on the roads and some birds chirping. 

surprisingly, it was kruger who broke the silence. 

“after the festival, i’m going to go back home,”

“oh, i see. your family must be worried about you,” 

“so, how are your family like back home?”

you swore you saw kruger’s eye twitch for a second. pain sprawled on his face and disappeared quickly like lightning. 

“my parents are dead,” he stated emotionlessly. your mouth flew open.

“i’m so sorry, i shouldn’t have asked,” you apologised, cursing to yourself in your head.

“it’s alright... i have a half-sister who always followed me around and a childhood friend who does the same. i guess they are my family now...” you gazed upon kruger. although his emerald eyes had a dullness to them, you couldn’t ignore the sadness that often glinted. 

“that’s nice. i haven’t seen my own family in a while...but it’s okay since i have falco... and the rest,” you slowly laid down on your blanket, crossing your arms behind your head which acted as a cushion. “we’re both people with broken families huh?”

“yeah...”

you were too occupied at staring at the sky to notice kruger who was staring at your resting state.

 he was eager to hear your thoughts.

“say...what do you think about the devils of paradis?”

you were silent for a couple of seconds before you spoke, “well, everyone says that only devils live on that island. devils who turned our world into hell and selfishly made their own utopia. ‘we eldians have devoted our lives as we atone for the unspeakable history we brought to marley. because we are virtuous eldians,’. virtuous eldian’s my ass.” 

“no one deserves the fate of turning into a mindless titan. after all, at the end of the day, no matter who we are, we’re all just humans right? i bet there are kind people on paradis too. not just devils. we can’t just judge a race we don’t have a lot of knowledge about. actually, we shouldn’t even judge a person based on their race. so i’d like to believe that the people on paradis aren’t devils,” you finished speaking. 

kruger could pick up the sincerity in your voice as you spoke. he was moved and speechless. he had never met someone who had the same ideology as you; that there was a chance that people on paradis weren’t devils. and that everyone was one and the same.

you had earned his respect.

'she’ll get along well with armin,’

“what about you?” 

flustered by your question, kruger cleared his throat, “i don’t think they are devils too,”

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・

days passed with you continuously doing the regular routine of checking kruger’s vitals, sending his letters, you sharing your own stories and bringing falco to talk to him. 

you didn’t know how but visiting kruger’s hospital room became something you looked forward to doing everyday. it was something about his mysterious aura that made you interested in him. 

and you visiting him was something the man himself enjoyed. surprisingly. your radiant and cheerful energy could lighten up any dim lit room so easily. you were the only good thing here in marley. 

the two of you were walking around the outdoors of the hospital as ‘physical activity’ was something kruger lacked. 

“and then after the party, my friend reiner started throwing up everywhere so badly he couldn’t get out of his bed the next day. and guess what? when he woke up, the first thing he did was vomit. on me!” you rambled about your story of reiner throwing up, your hands moving animatedly as you talked. 

something about you that kruger brought himself to like was the fact that you were so talkative and extroverted. and the way you spoke with your hands. it was cute. at this point, kruger wasn’t even paying to the words you said, and instead he was just staring at you. with an unexplainable feeling and admiration. 

whilst you were busily telling your story, you felt a person bumping into you harshly, causing you to lose balance and toppling yourself onto the floor. you felt a sharp pain on your tailbone and you mumbled an ouch before opening your eyes.

falco bent down in front of you, a sheepish look on his face. your cross face immediately disappeared.

“sorry y/n, i guess i was too excited,” he apologised, picking up the sheets of paper that were once in your hands and now on the floor. 

“it’s alright falco,” you pulled yourself from the ground and dusted your uniform before redeeming the files from falco. kruger peered at the sheets of papers in your arms, interested.

“what are those?” he asked.

“those are y/n’s secret works,” whispered falco to the taller man. you shot falco a ‘why did you say that look?’ before hiding the files behind your back.

kruger raised a brow at you, “secret experiments?”

your mind came into a blur as you tried to give an excuse.

“secret works? w-who said that? falco was just joking. after all im just a nurse...i’m way too busy for secrets. falco, tell kruger you were joking,” you gave a fake chuckle and nudged the boy’s side. falco simply blinked before understanding what you were doing.

“oh yeah i was just joking kruger. y/n would never experiment on anything. she’s too clumsy!” the both of you shared an obviously fake laughter. 

kruger was not fazed. his eyes just stared at you. intimidated by his looks you gave a sigh and signalled him to follow you. falco gave kruger an excited look, before trailing behind you.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・

you had lead the two into the entrance of a locked experimental lab which was in the most deserted floor and area of the hospital. grabbing the keys out of your pocket, you unlocked the door knob, then pushing the doors open.

“welcome to my little lab,”

the lab was dimly lit and slightly dusty. there was a slight aroma of stinging chemicals that filled the air. on the tables laid test tubes, conical flasks, microscopes- basically any chemical laboratory equipments that has ever existed. kruger’s eyes moved to the shelves that had bottles of unknown substances.

“so, do you mind telling me what your secret works is all about?” questioned kruger. 

you placed the sheets of papers in your hand on one of the nearby tables and sprawled it out. kruger took it as a sign to move closer to where you were. on each sheet of paper there were complex formulas, messy handwriting and sketches of titans. kruger picked one of the sheets and read the bolded handwriting out loud,

“fast regen number four,”

“my mother was a scientist and my father was a doctor. with the existence of titans, naturally, they were both intrigued. and as i grew up, i became fascinated in titans too. i wanted to become a scientist so that i could discover more about titans but...that sort of job doesn’t exist here in marley. and so, i just decided to become a nurse,” you explained your upbringing and interest in titans.

“y/n couldn’t give up on her fascination with titans though. and so~ she started playing around with zeke’s spinal fluid and started creating weird serums and stuff,” chimed in falco. you puffed your cheeks with air in embarrassment. 

“i wasn’t playing around falco, i was experimenting!”

"are the serums in that shelf?” kruger asked, pointing to the dusty shelf.

“yup,” you grabbed one of the serum bottles from the shelves, “i’m currently developing a tonic that speeds up the regeneration for shifter titans. it could be handy for when they’re in war,” 

“what else have you been thinking of developing?”

“you’re one curious fella aren’t you?” you chuckled.

“so far only the faster regeneration tonic and stimulants that can make a titan’s power stronger for a period of time,” you answered showing kruger a sheet of paper that had a messily written recipe.

“hange would go crazy if she saw this,” kruger muttered, just loud enough so that you could hear.

“hange?”

“she’s an old friend of mine,”

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・

today was a busy day in the hospital. it was much more busier than usual. although your body was aching and that you were very desperate to go back home to sleep in your comfortable bed, you still had to check up on kruger.

you entered his hospital room, flabbergasted that he wasn’t sitting on his bed, waiting for you like usual. 

slightly panicked, you ran to your co-worker, asking him if he knew about the whereabouts of kruger.

“kruger? i saw him leave the hospital a while ago....”

you immediately ran outside the hospital, eyes surveying the perimeter. you didn’t see the familiar long browned hair male. 

there was only one place left you could think of,

your secret place.

you practically panted when you arrived. it was as if you had just ran a 1500m marathon. you didn’t know why you were so eager to look for him. wiping the sweat off your forehead, you looked up and there he was. you felt like every fibre of your body wasn’t aching anymore when you saw his figure.

relieved that you found him, you quietly sat down beside him. 

“you gave me a scare. i thought you had ran away,” you chuckled, then laying down onto the blanket. you closed your eyes, your chest heaving up and down.

“freedom.” was all he said. you remained quiet, allowing him to continue.

“the only thing i want is freedom. for me, and the people in my hometown. i’ll do anything it takes...to acquire that freedom for them,” kruger’s emerald eyes gazed upon the horizon. the hues of orange and red from the sunset reflected in his eyes.

“what do you think is freedom, y/n?”

“freedom feels unreachable but the closest thing to freedom for me is being with you. i don’t know how to explain it but being with you feels like this. a cool breeze, relaxing with no worries and-” a warmth infusing on your cheeks made you stop talking. you realised that if you were to go on, you might spill something that you wanted to keep for yourself. 

“what were you saying?”

the sound of the branches and honking of cars were the only things he heard. he turned his head, facial expressions softening when he saw your sleeping figure. your eyes were closed, displaying your lashes that rested on your cheeks nicely. your lips were slightly parted as you breathed. the pink on your cheeks were faint but still visible. you looked composed and peaceful. 

the male scooted closer to you and placed your head on his lap.

kruger didn’t know what brought him to do it.

with slight hesitance, he grazed his fingers on your messy hair. he caressed your hair with such fondness and gentleness that it reminded him of when his mother used to caress him as a child.

you were a kind soul. anyone could tell. kruger found himself adoring at the way you spoke with sincerity whenever you talked about a subject you were interested in, with your eyes lighting up like the stars in the sky. how you took great care for the one’s who were injured, how you had such strong beliefs, how you didn’t care about the whole history of eldian’s and especially, how he felt like when he was with you.

he hasn’t felt this way with anyone before.

though he inherited visions of the future from his titan powers, he didn’t inherit any emotions from them. they were all new. he wondered if this is what he was supposed to feel.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・

kruger stared out of his window, looking at the sky as the clouds moved. he only had a few days left before the festival. a few days left before he would be going back to his hometown. in his period of time in marley, he never expected that he would get personally attached to a person. 

a person who he had to often remind himself was one of his enemies. 

his thoughts were cut off when he heard your voice,

“good morning kruger! you can’t guess what happened to-”

you were so ecstatic to see the male that you had tripped on your own feet, making you fall onto the ground with a thump. with a bruising forehead, you heaved your body upwards, wincing at the pain.

you felt yourself getting embarrassed until you heard a chuckle escape kruger’s lips. his lips were turned upwards and the corner of his eye’s had crinkled slightly.

you saw his soul in his smile.

and it was a soul that was wounded but pure and beautiful.

this was the first time that you had heard him laugh and smile. and it was a delight.

you didn’t know if your heart was racing because you felt embarrassed, or how over the moon you were over the fact that you had finally made him smile or over how good-looking he was. 

“how dare you laugh at me,” you shot him a glare.

kruger stood from the bed, hopping over to where you were. he reached out his hand, offering to help you up. your hand reached to hold his and you pulled yourself up from the ground. his hands were large and coarse. you could see a mark on his hand that was ever so faint. holding his hands made your heart stir.

“i haven’t laughed in a while,” kruger confessed, his lips slowly returning back to it’s neutral frown.

“well, i’m happy that i made you smile,”

you then realised that you were still holding onto his hand. you felt your ears warm and you quickly let go of his hand. you shifted your eyes to the walls of the room, glancing everywhere but at him.

“s-sorry. you’ll be leaving tomorrow right?” you stammered, wanting to change the conversation. 

kruger didn’t respond to your question and instead said, “let’s go for a walk.”

the two of you were walking next to each other, admiring the silence between the two of you. 

“you’re the first person i have ever brought to my secret place,” you hummed. your feet stopped. you then turned to face kruger,

“i never knew that i could ever befriend a patient. thank you, kruger.” 

your eyes sparkled when you smiled at him. it felt as if a ray of sunshine was all over your face. you radiated such brightness and warmth that it took everything in him to not break down. 

kruger felt like the world was a better place when you smiled. he had the urge to protect the smile that you had shown him. 

but he knew that your smile wouldn’t last. 

“actually, my name is eren,”

you blinked twice.

“eren?” you repeated, letting his real name roll off your tongue. the male nodded.

“eren...is a nice name,”

“i hope to see you again in the future, y/n,” and with that, the two of you remained silent. 

[connieslover]

𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 ૮ ྀིᴗ͈ . ᴗ͈ ྀིა

🍀୭˚. ᵎᵎ｡🧷𖦹° headcanons of how the &team members would crush on you if you were an idol

⭑ idol! &team x idol! reader

⭑ fluff

first time writing for &team.. Kinda nervous..

koga yudai (k) — ⋆˙⟡

‪‪❤︎‬ i can see him either being Really discreet about his little crush on you or just a little bit obvious

‪‪❤︎‬ obvious in a way where he BEGS his members to be the one to film a dance challenge with your group's new song

‪‪❤︎‬ discreet in a way where he pretends like his gaze on you doesn't linger for too long during encores

‪‪❤︎‬ he's getting his makeup done, and when he sees that your group's stage is on, he has his neck craned to watch your stage from his seat (his makeup artist gets annoyed at him)

murata fuma — ⋆˙⟡

‪‪❤︎‬ very discreet about his crush on you, his members only find out when K ships the two of you together as a joke, and to his surprise, fuma doesn't retort

‪‪❤︎‬ he LOVESS watching you perform, immediately #Locked in when you're on screen

‪‪❤︎‬ he'd purposely walk past your group's waiting room a few times in the hopes that you'd bump into him

‪‪❤︎‬ and when you do exit your waiting room, fuma just so happens to be coincidentally walking past your waiting room, he forgets to greet you, and stutters before running away (he hears you giggling as he runs away and gets even more embarrassed)

wang yixiang (nicholas) — ⋆˙⟡ ‪‪

‪‪❤︎‬ literally Staring at the back of your head during an encore that you could practically feel it, and he's grateful that he can do so because you guys are standing near the back

‪‪❤︎‬ plays your group's song during one of his lives and smoothly talks about how he loves your group's music

‪‪❤︎‬ i feel like he'd be really worried about his first impression on you TT, so he'd fidget with his hair and his outfit, making sure nothing looks out of place and that he's displaying the kindest, jaw-dropping smile for you

‪‪❤︎‬ and when he does finally greet you, he's surprised at how fast you returned his smile (it's the only thing he thinks about for the rest of his day)

byun euijoo (ej) — ⋆˙⟡ ‪‪

‪‪❤︎‬ ej has kept his crush on you a secret for a while, that was until jo innocently asked why he had your fancam searched up in his recent youtube searches‪‪‬

‪‪❤︎‬ gets very nervous when he's about to interview your group, so he's just staring straight into the camera, worried that if he makes eye contact with you, he'd mess up his lines

‪‪❤︎‬ his members are Relentless in trying to make him approach you, taki, the scheming boy he is, accidentally nudges him a little too hard during the encore, making him bump into you

‪‪❤︎‬ he instantly turns red, bowing and apologising profusely (the members tease him about it till this day)

nakakita yuma — ⋆˙⟡ ‪‪

‪‪❤︎ ‬ during award shows and encores, or instances where your groups are together, yuma would be very nonchalant, trying his best Not to spare a glance at you

‪‪❤︎‬ but backstage when you're performing, he's singing your lines with eyes glued to the screen‪‪

‪‪❤︎‬ there are other instances as well where he's just plainly staring at you with a blank face, making you wonder if he's spacing out or judging you

‪‪❤︎‬ so when you turn around to make eye contact with him, he blinks and then gets embarrassed (maki saw this, and he snickered at him)

asakura jo — ⋆˙⟡

‪‪❤︎ ‬ boy oh boy, he was immediately outed for his crush on you when harua pointed out that his random doodle looked very similar to you (he tried to deny it but his pink ears betrayed him)

‪‪❤︎ ‬ can Not make eye contact for the sake of his life, so he just looks at you from his peripheral vision (standing near you already makes him nervous)

‪‪❤︎ ‬because his members think he's a little helpless in this situation, they force him to be the member who does your group's dance challenge with you

‪‪❤︎ ‬he keeps messing up because 1. he can see yuma and k teasing him from behind the camera, and 2. he wasn't focusing when you were teaching him the moves; instead, he was admiring you

shigeta harua — ⋆˙⟡

‪‪❤︎ ‬ his crush on you goes undetected by his members because it doesn't show on his face

‪‪❤︎ ‬but it becomes very obvious when you congratulate his group for their korean debut, and specifically, complimenting him for his facial expressions, he's Beaming

‪‪❤︎ ‬gets very excited when your schedules align, which means that he gets the chance to see you more !!

‪‪❤︎ ‬bravely offered you one of his favorite chewy candies, and before you could say anything, he got too nervous and said that it was for you and your group before sprinting away

takayama riki — ⋆˙⟡

‪‪❤︎ he literally watches your stage with Heart eyes and denies his crush on you when fuma confronts him about it, but all his recent youtube history is your group's performance

‪‪❤︎ purposefully positions himself so that he's close to you during encores

‪‪❤︎ unlike ej, he actually accidentally bumps into you during an award show, as he wasn't looking at where he was walking, completely engrossed with giving fanservice

‪‪❤︎ his eyes go round, and he stumbles backwards (thankfully caught by ej), he immediately apologises to you, cheeks pink because of embarrassment

hirota riki (maki) — ⋆˙⟡

‪‪❤︎ unlike some of his members, he's pretty open about his crush on you

‪‪❤︎ plays your group's music 24/7, even going as far as recommending one of your songs on one of his lives

‪‪❤︎ he does Not fear eye contact and interactions, casually and naturally making eye contact with you during interviews, award shows, and encores

‪‪❤︎ he lowk loves watching your tiktoks, so whenever one of your videos appears on his fyp, he'd end up in a rabbit hole, indulging himself in your content (nicholas rolls his eyes when he sees him giggling to himself in the dark)

[inkedbysonny]

Currents In The Moon

✐ᝰ word count: 10.9k ✐ᝰ genre: fantasy, romance, slow burn, action, werewolf!jo, siren!oc, mythic worldbuilding ✐ᝰ warnings: mild violence, mentions of blood/injury, near-drowning, fantasy war themes, cursing, the rest of the &team members make an appearance, Nicholas is kinda mean ✐ᝰ author's note: introducing something i've been brewing for abit! here's part 1 of the veilborne saga — each story can be read standalone, but reading in order definitely helps build the lore <3 slow burn, lore-heavy, and a little bit feral. feedback + theories always welcome! enjoy!!

The night air was heavy with salt and cold, carrying the scent of the tide and something unfamiliar that made Jo’s ears twitch. His paws made no sound on the damp earth as he moved along the edge of his pack’s territory. Normally, the patrols were routine, boring, uneventful — but tonight, something felt off. 

A faint shimmer caught his eyes near the water’s edge. Moonlight danced across the surface, glinting off something that didn’t belong. He froze, ears flicking, muscles recoiling. 

There she was. 

Half-submerged, her raven hair floating across the water, chest rising in uneven breaths. 

A human? 

It was laughable really, as much as everyone liked to say magical beings and humans could coexist peacefully, it just wasn’t true. And for some human to even think step into the borders of a pack’s camp was downright insane. 

Jo inched closer. Her skin… it glimmered faintly, iridescent, almost ethereal. She wasn’t human. But still insane. Insane enough to walk straight into a wolf’s den. That much he could tell instinctively. 

She noticed him at the same time, eyes widening in alarm. An immediate hiss, low and defiant escaped her lips. That’s when he noticed the blood. 

She was in pain. Immense pain at that. The crimson blood blending in with the tranquility of the waters she was in. Across her shoulders were multiple gashes, blisters slowly forming on her arms and Jo swore only frost giants had lips that pale but he decided he was proven wrong today. 

“Who are you?” He said, voice low. 

She flinched but didn’t answer, tensing as if ready to strike. Her tail—or what he assumed was a tail— swished in agitation, water splashing against the rocks. He caught a flicker of claws—or fins?—shining beneath the surface. Jo’s instincts screamed that she was dangerous, unpredictable. 

Yet, despite the warning bells in his mind, he felt drawn. Something in her wary defiance, in the sharp intelligence behind her eyes, pulled at him. He crouched slightly, leaning back into his hind legs, silent, letting her see he wasn’t an immediate threat. 

First mistake. 

The creature lashes out, a reflexive swipe that caught his arm. Another swipe that he barely managed to twist aside, avoiding her. 

“Careful,” he muttered, but his tone was steady, not angry. “I’m not your enemy.” 

Second mistake. 

She glared at him, teeth bared — not in a smile, but in a warning. Water dripped from her hair as she rose slightly her gaze sharp. Jo noticed more injuries then. The bruises along her shoulders, the shallow cut on her side. No human could’ve caused that. 

His mind started feeling a little buzzed, like he just downed a couple of beers. He gravitated towards her slowly and the back of his canine brain, he hears her humming a song. Or whatever it was, it was heavenly. She was heavenly, despite looking fresh out of a brutal fight. 

He stepped closer, slowly, deliberately, trying to shake off the drunk feeling. Seriously, what is that? 

Letting his presence calm her without breaking her space. “You’re hurt,” he said quietly. “You need help.” 

Third mistake.

A split second of looking into her eyes sends a shock down Jo’s spine. 

Siren. 

His mind buzzed. Light, unfocused. 

Her humming swelled, soft and dangerous. 

Beautiful. Too beautiful. 

Fuck, am I seriously going to die here? 

“You need help.” He tries again, sounding more helpless than before. 

For a moment, she hesitated, as if weighing the truth in his words against her survival instinct. And his head felt lighter all of a sudden, as if he was knocked out of the trance. Then, with a wary glance toward the forest behind him, she sank back slightly into the water, almost imperceptibly, conceding a fragile truce. 

Jo’s jaw tightened. He couldn’t leave her there—not like this. Not in his territory. After all, that’s what the patrols were for. 

“I’ll take you back to my pack,” Carefully, he extended his arm. “Safe. No one will hurt you there.” He promised. 

Her eyes juggled between him, the water and back to him again. There was defiance, yes, but also something… a flicker of trust. 

“Fine,” she murmured, almost reluctantly. 

Jo allowed himself a small, controlled exhale. 

The den stirred the moment Jo stepped into the clearing. His arms ached from carrying her, but he ignored it, pushing through the tense stares that followed him. 

Wolves stirred from their dens, some already baring their teeth. 

Murmurs rose like a storm. 

“Is that a siren?”

“What the hell was he thinking bringing her here?” 

“She’ll kill us in our sleep—just wait.” 

Her hair, still dripping with seawater, clung to her pale face. She looked half-dead, yet her eyes never stopped flicking from shadow to shadow, sharp, calculating. 

Nicholas was the first to step forward, jaw tight, eyes dark. 

“You’ve lost your fucking mind Jo,” He spat, circling like he was already preparing to strike. “Bringing that into our camp? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

“She’s hurt,” Jo shot back, voice low but firm. “She won’t make it through the night out there.” 

Nicholas sneered. “Good. Let the sea finish what it started.” His gaze slid to her, dripping with venom. “She doesn’t belong here.” 

Harua cut in, pushing past Nicholas. His hands hovered over her wounds, healer’s instincts kicking in. “She’s burned. Frostbite too. These are fatal if untreated.” He looked at Jo, then at the alpha’s den. “She needs care.” 

The tension broke as Euijoo emerged from the shadows. His presence silenced the whispers instantly. The alpha’s gaze was heavy, unreadable as it lingered on the siren in Jo’s arms. 

“Explain.” 

Jo tightened his grip unconsciously, barely meeting his leader’s eyes. “I found her on the border. Injured. She wasn’t attacking — she was barely breathing. I couldn’t leave her.” 

“And the claw marks on your arm?” 

Right. She technically did attack him. 

Euijoo’s expression didn’t change as he continue, “You thought it wise to bring a siren into our den?” 

Dozens of eyes burned into Jo’s back, their silence louder than any growl. 

Jo’s throat worked, but he didn’t look away. “She’ll stay. Just until she’s healed enough to return to the waters.” 

Before Euijoo could respond, Nicholas  stepped forward, growl rumbling low in his chest. “No. She doesn’t get to stay at all.” His fists clenched. “We know what they are. Liars. Manipulators. Killers. You’re letting her put every single one of us at risk!” 

The siren stirred at his words, her lips pulling back in the faintest hiss, “Oh boohoo. Mister big bad wolf trembling at the sight of a siren.” She mumbled but Nicholas noticed it instantly. His temper snapped. 

“The mouth on this one—“ 

He lunged before anyone could stop him. 

Jo shifted immediately, dropping the girl behind him as he intercepted Nicholas. Claws scraped across dirt as the two collided. 

Even half-dead, she still had fight in her. Jo didn’t know if it made her reckless or brave—or both.

“Enough!” Jo snarled, shoving him back. “She’s injured, Nicholas!”

Nicholas’ eyes blazed. “That’s when they’re the most dangerous! You know this Jo.” His voice rose, sharp with hatred. “Or are you so bewitched you can’t even see it?”

Behind Jo, the siren pushed herself unsteadily to her feet, blood still trickling down her arms. She didn’t speak—she didn’t need to. With a sudden flick of her wrist, the air vibrated. A sharp, piercing note cut through the clearing, not loud enough to enthrall, but enough to make Nicholas stumble, covering his ears with a snarl. 

In an instant, Jo was back at her side, bracing her before she could collapse again. 

Nicholas lunged once more, eyes blazing with fury. But this time, Euijoo’s voice cracked through the camp like thunder. 

“Stand down.” 

The weight of the alpha’s command froze them all. Even Nicholas, panting with rage, stopped mid-step. Jo felt his chest tighten. If Euijoo casts her out now, she wouldn’t last an hour out there. But if she stayed… the whole pack could turn on him.

Euijoo’s gaze swept over the girl who was growing paler by the minute, then to Jo, then back to Nicholas. His voice was steady, final. 

“She stays. One night.” 

“She can barely breathe—“ 

“Are you kidding? We’ve lost enough to her kind—” Jo and Nicholas’ voices overlapped.

“One. Night.” Euijoo’s tone cuts them both down. He turned on his heel. “Haura, treat her.” 

Jo exhaled slowly, tension leaving his shoulders. 

“And Jo?” Euijoo called without looking back. “You’re responsible for her. If anything happens to her, and gods forbid anything happens to anyone in my pack, it is your head I’m coming for.” 

He bowed his head in acknowledgement. 

Nicholas’ lips curled back in a snarl- the siren couldn’t help but wonder if his face was just permanently like that—but he didn’t argue again. Instead, he spat on the ground and stalked into his den. 

The siren’s eyes flicked up at Jo, her expression a mixture of exhaustion and anger. And maybe, just maybe, a flicker of trust.

The dawn bled gold through the trees, spilling into the den. The wolves stirred restlessly, though no one lingered too close to the small chamber where the siren lay. 

Harua crouched beside her again, holding a clay bowl of something orange and steaming. “Drink.” He ordered, pressing it into her hands. 

She sniffed it and wrinkled her nose. “That smells like death.” 

“You’re going to be closer to death if you don’t drink this. It’ll stop the burns from festering.” Harua said simply, waiting. 

She glared but sipped anyway, grimacing. The colour in her cheeks was brighter than when Jo found her, her indigo scales glistening slightly more than before, though her eyes still carried exhaustion. 

In the common room, Yuma leaned lazily against the wall, voice carrying as he spoke. “They say the tides near the coast are boiling. Whole fishing villages abandoning their boats. Leviathan rising up again.” His eyes gleamed with mischief. “Sounds like the start of one of those old myths.” 

The siren’s voice cut sharp through the air, stronger than it had been since she arrived. “It’s not a myth. The Shattersea War has begun.” 

Every head turned. 

Jo froze where he stood. Fuma’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes sharpened. Nicholas gave a short, humorless laugh, “Of course. Trust a siren to drag war to our doorstep.” 

The siren ignored him, eyes fixed on the wolves around her. “The Leviathans want dominion over all waters. We sang them back into the depths for centuries, but they’ve grown restless. They struck first. My pod…” Her voice cracked slightly, but she forced it steady. “They didn’t survive.” 

The room went still. Even Yuma lost his easy grin. 

Jo felt the words cut through him, but before he could speak, Nicholas stepped forward, sneering. “So what now? You expect us to pity you? To hide you while your kind calls monsters to our shores?”

Her eyes narrowed, a flash of steel. “I didn’t come to beg wolves for pity.” 

In a heartbeat, Jo was between them, his stance low, protective. “Enough,” he growled, voice rougher than he meant. 

Nicholas’ gaze flicked to Jo’s shoulder brushing hers, the instinctive way Jo shielded her without thought, the way Jo’s paws brushed her scaly claws just slightly. His eyes lingered. 

“Interesting.” Nicholas muttered, before storming out. 

Silence hung heavy until Fuma broke it, turning to Euijoo. “If the Shattersea War has begun, keeping her here may be dangerous… but sending her back could be worse.” 

Euijoo’s jaw clenched, He looked at the siren, then at Jo, who hadn’t moved an inch from her side. 

“She stays another night,” the alpha decided. “Then we’ll see.” 

“What? The siren?” 

“You said the siren was only going to be here one night—“

“Euijoo, we’re talking about a siren—“ 

“She doesn’t belong here, she could lure anyone into the sea!”

The pack didn’t bother to hide their whispers. 

Every murmur, every use of that word, pricked at her. Her fingers flexed against the fur makeshift bed Jo had made for her, the faint hum of irritation vibrating in her throat. 

“Siren.” She pushed herself upright, voice sharp and cutting, startling the pack into silence. “You keep saying it as if I’m a threat, as if I’m some monster you need to fear.” She shoved herself fully onto her feet, shoulders squared, News flash: I’m the one who got attacked trying to protect my pod. And I have a name.” 

All eyes shifted to her. Even Jo, though he had been near enough to hear her voice bubbling quietly, froze, pulse hitching. 

“Syrena,” She said, voice firm, carrying over the murmurs. “Not ‘the siren.’ Syrena.” 

“Of course, Syrena.” The alpha breaks the silence. He nods briefly in acknowledgement, “You can stay one more night. And I’m sure you understand when I say: I’m just looking out for the safety of my pack.” 

Jo, already standing beside her, took a careful step closer. “Syrena,” he repeated quietly, testing the word on his tongue. There was something satisfying in saying it aloud, something grounding, refreshing even. 

“Yes. Syrena,’ She confirmed, eyes softening for just a fraction of a second. The faintest hint of relief tugged at her features — finally recognised, finally seen. 

The others—Taki, Maki and K— exchanged uncertain glances, slowly beginning to adjust to the idea of calling her by name. 

Jo stayed close, but the weight of the pack’s tension pressed against him. Before he could settle his thoughts, Fuma appeared next to him, voice low. 

“Jo. A word.”

Jo’s stomach twisted. He glanced at Syrena, whose eyes flickered toward him, sharp and questioning. He didn’t even notice that Syrena had interlaced their fingers together in the commotion.

There’s no way his brother in arms would shred her to pieces while he steps out for a little right? 

“I got her. Go.” Harua says simply, wrapping seaweed against the siren—Syrena’s arms. 

Jo gave her a slight nod, promising he’d return, and followed Fuma into the morning mist. 

Fuma stopped several paces away, folding his arms, his dirty blonde hair looking eerily similar to the golden rays of sunshine peaking through the trees. “I’ve been watching. Since you carried her into camp, you’ve been… different.”

Jo tensed. “She’s injured. I’m keeping her safe. That’s all.”

“That’s not what I mean.” Fuma turned, eyes sharp but not unkind. “You stand like a shield. You hover as though the moment you blink, she’ll vanish. That isn’t duty, Jo. That’s instinct.” 

Jo opened his mouth, closed it. His pulse pounded in his ears. “She’s a siren.” 

Yeah right, as if that changed anything. 

“Yes.” The beta tilted his head slightly. “And yet.” 

The words hung heavy. 

“You think—“ Jo’s vice broke, harsher than intended. “You think she’s—“

“I think,” Fuma interrupted gently, “that the bond between wolf and mate is not something you can ignore forever. Whether you admit it or not, your body already knows.” 

Jo dragged a hand through his hair, placing a short line across the forest floor. “That can’t be. Not with her. She’s a siren.” 

“Instinct doesn’t care for reason,” Fuma said, “But Jo… if it’s true, it will divide the pack. Even now, with half the pack glaring daggers at her—your instincts don’t lie. You need to think about what that means. Nico already feels the tension. And you know he’ll only push harder.” 

Jo pressed his lips together, chest tight. He could still feel the faint weight of her in his arms from last night, the way her voice cut like silver when she hissed back at Nicholas. Fragile, curious and stubbornly alive. 

Thinking back about it now, Fuma was right. If it were anyone else, Jo figured he wouldn’t think twice, not allowing anything near his pack’s borders. He valued their safety over anything else, his brothers. 

Fuma laid a hand on his shoulder, steady. “You need to decide how far you’re willing to go for her.” 

The beta glanced at the alpha’s den once, and it’s enough for Jo to understand. 

“Before Euijoo decides for you.” 

Jo nodded slowly, tension coiling in his chest watching Fuma melt away into the morning mist. Jo exhaled sharply, rubbing at his temple before turning back toward the den. Syrena was still sitting there, furs wrapped loosely around her, eyes flicking between the wolves and the clearing beyond. 

He approached carefully, trying not to look too tense. “You… don’t have to worry about them right now,” he murmured. “I’ve got you.” 

Syrena’s violet eyes lifted to him, narrowing slightly. “I’ve been fine without a pack watching my every move.” The way she puts pressure on the word ‘pack’ makes him flinch slightly, her tone sharp but not unkind. “Don’t start hovering.” 

“I’m not hovering,” he insists almost sounding like a child whining, voice low, leaning against the doorway. “I’ll just…be nearby.” 

Before they could settle, Taki and Maki padded into the clearing, ears perked, tails flicking. Their eyes widened at the sight of her. 

“So siren…” Taki says slowly. 

Syrena’s lips twitched in irritation.

Taki is quick to correct himself, “Oh… right. Sorry, Syrena.”

K finally emerged, moving silently as shadows, and observed her quietly. He didn’t say a word, eyes moving between Syrena and Jo, studying the way Jo stood protectively near her. The faintest crease fired between his brows neutral, but thoughtful.

Syrena, sensing the scrutiny, shifted slightly, standing taller. “You all look like you’re trying to decode if I’m going to eat you or not,” she said dryly. Jo’s chest tightened at the tension in her voice. Fuma has been right— his wolf knew before his mind did. 

Taki and Maki exchanged uncertain glances, then nodded hesitantly, “Well Syrena…” Maki says her name like it left a foreign taste in his mouth, “Usually wolves are the ones who do the eating?” He tried for a joke to which Syrena returns with a soft giggle which she masks quickly by coughing. 

Jo swore it was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard, his head snapping to look at her with a smile plastered on his face. 

Harua, returning from tending to supplies, carried a small bowl with one of his gross concoctions. “Drink this,” he instructed, gently pressing it toward Syrena. “It’ll help with the burns and bruises.”

Syrena sniffed at it, eyes begging Jo for help, then back at the bowl like it personally offended her. “You wolves are obsessed with making me eat weird things,” she muttered, but took the bowl anyways. 

“You’ll get used to it.” He said softly, his lips twitching. 

Syrena raised an eyebrow. “I doubt it.” 

“Want me to hold your hand while you drink it?”

“I’m not a child.” 

He reached out stubbornly anyways, cocking his head when she hesitated. Eventually she reached just for his pinky, squeezing tighter when she savours the pungent taste of Harua’s medicine. “Gods, that’s nasty.” 

The pack lingered in the clearing, some whispering quietly to each other, some openly watching her every move. Jo was the latter, shamelessly watching her, feeling giddy like Syrena was still bewitching him with her song. But this time, it felt natural. So natural. Too natural.

It was uneasy truce but for now, the morning passed without incident. 

Even as the sun rose higher, Syrena’s eyes occasionally flicked towards the distant coastline, a subtle tension beneath her calm exterior. Jo noticed, and felt the faint pull of instinct, unacknowledged but undeniable. 

The Shattersea War was beginning and with it, everything was about to change—  for Syrena, for Jo, and for the entire pack. 

The den was quiet now, the low murmur of the pack outside fading with each footstep that disappeared into the forest. Jo stayed close to Syrena crouching near the edge of her makeshift bed. He kept his hands to himself at first, pretending to examine the still-healing bruises along her shoulders. 

Syrena tilted her head, violet eyes catching his yellow ones in the soft morning light. “I thought I told you not to hover.” She said, tone teasing, but not harsh. “I’m fine. You don’t need to…patrol my every breath.” 

Jo’s fingers twitched over the fading marks on her skin. “I…I’m just making sure you’re okay,” he muttered, avoiding her gaze. But even as he said it, the back of his mind hummed with something he didn’t fully understand. Every instinct in his wolf stirred when he leaned a little closer, when his shoulder brushed against hers, subtle warmth thrumming beneath his skin. 

“You act like I’m fragile or something. I’ve been through worse than this.” She flicked her hair back, revealing a faint scar along her collarbone, a memory of a battle fought long before she came here. 

“I know,” Jo said, voice low. But the tightening in his chest betrayed him. “It’s… not that.”

A faint shift of energy, almost imperceptible, passed between them. His pulse thudded in rhythm with hers. Jo swallowed hard, realising just how sharply his wolf reacted to her presence, to the scent, to the sound of her breathing. His throat went dry. 

This is… not normal. 

Syrena leaned back slightly, resting her hands on the fur. “Well,” She said softly, eyes glimmering with amusement, “If you insist on hovering… I guess you can. But only if you really do insist.”

Jo’s lips twitched in a smile before he cleared his throat. 

A sudden voice broke the moment. Yuma’s easy tone carried from the doorway, a grin plastered on his face. “Hear ye, hear ye. I bring magical gossip: I hear the tides are boiling again. Leviathans spotted near the northern reef. Must be the start of something big, huh?” 

Syrena’s gaze sharpened instantly, “It’s not the start.,” She corrected, voice firm, each word measured. “The Shattersea War has already begun. The Leviathans attacked first.” 

Yuma whistled low, eyes now pointed towards the floor, “Well, that escalated fast.” 

“I don’t know why Euijoo is letting you linger here.” Nicholas appears from the shadows, his gaze fixed on Syrena, sharp and dangerous. “Do you think your presence won’t draw the Leviathans straight to our shores? Do you really think this pack will survive if they sense a siren on land?” 

Jo’s hackles rose slightly, “Nico, back off.” 

Nicholas ignored him, eyes rolling. “I don’t care about your feelings for her, Jo. I’m talking about survival. The surface and the underwater worlds have never fought directly… but with the tensions rising now, never say never. And you know this.” 

Syrena’s violet eyes met his, unblinking, not an inch of fear in them, “Then you understand why I was attacked,” She said quietly. “This isn’t just about me. It’s war.” 

A silence fell, thick and tense, the weight of unspoken truths pressing down on them all. Jo glanced at Syrena, at Nicholas, at Yuma who was trying—albeit, unsuccessfully—to lighten the mood. 

Fuma’s earlier words echoed in his mind: Instinct doesn’t care for reason. 

The air in the den thickened as Yuma’s probing shifted from the Leviathans to something sharper. 

“You keep saying your pod was attacked,” One of his ears flopped down and one remained upright, “But I’ve heard whispers, even in our world . The Leviathans aren’t just picking fights at random. They’re targeting kingdoms. Thrones.”

Syrena’s breath caught. Jo noticed — the tiniest hitch in her throat, the way her fingers clenched the blanket tighter. 

“I don’t know what you’ve heard,” she began carefully, eyes fixed on the brown muck that Harua made earlier for her, “But Leviathans don’t move without reason. They want power. Sirens… we have kingdoms beneath the waves. Unlike merfolk who rules the calm waters, sirens govern the deep. Where the currents are treacherous and power comes from voice and bloodline. Lines of succession. Crowns that matter. ” 

Nicholas couldn’t help but bare his fangs, “And where do you fit into that picture?”

Silence stretched. The pack waited, every breath sharp with anticipation. Jo felt his heart proud, his wolf pressing against his chest like it already knew the answer. He was sure the rest of his pack, with their sharpened hearing, could hear it too.

Finally, Syrena exhaled, shoulders sinking as If the weight of the ocean itself sat on her back. “I am… or was… Princess of the Coral Spire. My family ruled the eastern waters for generations.” Her voice wavered. “They’re gone now. Every one of them slaughtered.” 

Her voice cracked on the last word, the sound small and human in a way Jo had never heard from her before.

The room froze. 

Jo couldn’t stay still. His wolf growled low, a warning he barely controlled. “You… You’re royalty,” he repeated. Voice rough. 

Yuma muttered a low curse. Taki’s eyes widened, while K remained impassive, though the muscle in his jaw twitched. Nicholas’ face was carved from stone, though something flickered in his eyes—recognition, perhaps even fear. 

And then Euijoo stepped in. The alpha’s presence filled the room like a storm rolling over the sea. “So the Leviathans aren’t just hunting sirens,” he said slowly, eyes narrowing on Syrena. “They’re hunting you.”

Her gazed flicked up , defiant despite the tremor in her voice. “I didn’t choose this. I didn’t ask to be born to a crown. But they won’t stop until I’m dead. And if they can’t find me… they’ll kill anyone who harbours me.” 

That was the breaking point. 

The alpha’s voice came out sharp, decisive, the tone that brooked no argument. “Then you cannot stay here.” 

Jo’s chest constricted. “What?” 

“By sundown, she leaves,” Euijoo continued, eyes never leaving Syrena. “I will not risk the safety of this pack, not for one outsider. Not when her presence paints a target on all of us.” 

Jo stepped forward, “She’s not just some outsider—"

“Enough,” Euijoo snapped, silencing the room, “I’ve been kind enough Jo. She is to leave by sundown.” 

The alpha turned to his pack, voice carrying the weight of command. “Maki, Taki, Yuma, K— you’ll scour the ridges and the forest lines. I want eyes everywhere by nightfall. Fuma, Jo and Harua, you’re with me— we need to fortify the eastern den. As for you—“ His gaze cut like ice towards Nicholas, “You’ll stay behind. Patrol the shore. Guard our main den.” 

Nicholas bristled, hatred flashing in his eyes, “With all due respect, Alpha—"

Euijoo spared him a quick glance which made the wolf dip his head in reluctant obedience. 

Jo’s throat tightened as he glanced at Syrena. Her face betrayed nothing, but her hands twisted in the blanket, and he could sense it—the sting beneath her calm. The rejection. The dismissal.

Euijoo’s voice softened slightly, though it still carried steel. “And you. You will leave before the moon rises, Syrena. For your safety… and for ours.”

The silence that followed was heavier than any roar. Syrena didn’t argue. She only looked at Jo, and that was enough to make the air hurt.

The pack dispersed, tension hanging like fog in the cavern. Jo stayed rooted in place, his wolf clawing at him, demanding he fight. Demanding he choose.

And Syrena, sitting small yet unyielding by the fire, met his gaze with quiet defiance.

Her eyes shimmered faintly under the low light, like deep-sea catching flame. Every instinct in him howled at the sight- don’t let her go. His chest tightened, the pull sharp, primal. He turned away before the sound escaped him. 

Fuma lingered by the entrance, watching him. “You should breathe,” he murmured. 

Jo’s hands flexed at his sides. “He can’t just send her off,” he said, too low, too rough. “She’s still healing. If the rival pods are hunting her—"

“Then Euijoo’s not wrong,” Fuma interrupted softly. “They’ll come for her. And when they do, they’ll find us standing in their way.” 

“That’s not what I meant.” Jo’s voice broke through the air like a snarl. He caught himself immediately, shoulders tense. “She doesn’t have a home anymore. She won’t survive out there alone. Not like this.”

“Then what would you have him do?” Fuma’s eyes glinted — calm but heavy with meaning. “Keep her here? In our den? You know what that means, Jo.”

Jo didn’t answer. He just started into the fire. The light flickered across his face, revealing the faint tremor beneath his calm. Fuma sighed, stepping closer, lowering his voice.

“Your wolf is loud tonight,” he said. “Too loud to pretend.” 

Jo shot him a warning look. “Don’t start.” 

“Jo.” 

The alpha’s tone. Commanding, sharp. 

Jo swallowed, forcing his wolf down, and followed Euijoo into the adjoining chamber. The air was colder there, quieter. Euijoo stood with his back turned, staring out toward the forest through a narrow opening in the rock. 

“You disagree with my decision.” It wasn’t a question. 

Jo stayed silent. 

Euijoo turned, gaze piercing. “You think I didn’t see the way you looked at her?” 

“I’m just—"

“Protective,” Euijoo finished for him, stepping closer. “I’ve seen you protect pack mates. This is different.” 

Jo’s jaw flexed. His wolf shifted beneath his skin, restless. 

“Fuma tells me your instincts are acting up,” the alpha continued. “And now I understand why.” 

Jo’s eyes flashed gold for a heartbeat. He forced them back. He can’t know yet.

“It’s not what you think.”

“Then tell me what it is,” Euijoo challenged. “Because I’ve led this pack long enough to know when a wolf’s found his mate.”

The words hit like a blow. Jo’s breath caught, his pulse hammering in his throat. 

Euijoo’s exhaled slowly, expression unreadable. “A siren, Jo? Of all creatures beneath the waves…” 

“I didn’t choose this,” Jo growled. “You think I want it? You think I asked for it?” 

Euijoo’s tone stayed firm. “No one ever does . But what we do choose is how we protect what’s ours.” He stepped closer, gaze heavy with the weight of command. “You’d risk the pack for her. I can see it in you.” 

Jo’s silence was answer enough. 

The alpha nodded once— a quiet verdict. “She leaves by sundown. That’s final.” 

Jo’s wolf lunged inside him, clawing against his ribs, but he held still, knuckles white. “At least, don’t leave her with him.” His wolf reacted before he could, the hostility when he remembered Euijoo’s orders of wanting Nicholas to stay back with Syrena at the den. “Let me do it.” 

“Question my orders one more time Jo,” Euijoo said firmly. “You’ll find yourself out of the pack with your mate.” 

Jo wanted to argue, to tear the words apart— but one look at the alpha told him it would be useless. He bowed his head, the gesture stiff, restrained. 

Euijoo’s voice softened just slightly. “Whatever bond your wolf feels? Control it. The pack’s safety comes first. Always.” 

When Jo left the chamber, the firelight hit him again — warm and soft against the storm still raging in his chest.

Syrena was still by the fire, tracing faint shapes in the air with her fingers, her face lit by the glow. Nicholas leaned nearby, watching her with that sharp, wary edge that never quite left his eyes. 

Jo’s wolf stirred again — that same relentless, instinctive pull toward her. 

And he knew, as the sun began to set, that having her leave by sundown would destroy him long before it ever broke her. 

By the time the camp settled, the morning light had deepened to gold. Most of the pack had drifted toward their assigned posts, their murmurs fading into the forest hum. Only Syrena remained near the dying fire, wrapping her few belongings into a tattered satchel. 

Jo lingered by the entrance, arms crossed, heart unsteady. Every movement she made drew attention — not from curiosity, but because his instincts sparked at every flicker of her breath. 

She winced, a quiet hiss slipping past her lips as she tried to lift a water flask. Before he could think, Jo was already at her side, taking it from her hands. 

“I’ve got it,” he said softly. 

She blinked, “What did I say about hovering, wolf?”

He hesitated, his hand still brushing hers. “Maybe I don’t have a choice.” 

For a moment, neither spoke. The forest outside thrummed with cicadas, the silence between them sharp and delicate. 

Syrena looked away first, her jaw tense. “Why do you care so much?” she asked, almost a whisper. “You should be glad I’m leaving. Less trouble for your pack.”

“It doesn’t feel that way,” he said, too quickly.

Her eyes flicked up, studying him. “You’re strange.”

“I get that a lot,” he said, smiling faintly.

Her lips twitched, returning the smile for a split second. But then her gaze dropped, distant. “The sea doesn’t forgive easily,” she murmured. “When the Shattersea War began, I thought I’d be the one to lead them home. I thought… if I sang loud enough, maybe they’d listen.” She trailed off, swallowing hard. “But the water only answered with silence.”

The sound of her voice only lingered, low and salt-bitten, like a tide retreating too soon.

Jo’s chest tightened. He wanted to reach out, to ease that ache in her voice, but something about her stillness warned him off. “You still hum when you sleep,” he said instead, quietly. “I can hear it from the next room.”

Her head snapped up, a flush gracing her cheeks. “That’s— it’s not meant for wolves to hear.”

“Maybe it was meant for me,” he said simply.

The air stilled. Something fragile and warm passed between them — unspoken, unacknowledged, but real.

Jo reached into his belt and pulled free a small pendant, carved from pale bone and tied with worn leather. “Here,” he said, holding it out to her. “For protection.”

“It’s beautiful.” 

“It’s been passed down for generations in my family. It’s a little silly, but I like to think it keeps me safe.” He reached for the back of his head, scratching his neck.

“It’s not silly.” Syrena frowned, uncertain. “But you trust me with this?”

“You saved your pod,” he said. “You’ve earned it.”

Her fingers brushed his when she took it. The faint jolt of contact made his breath catch — the wolf inside him howled in recognition. He steadied himself. She noticed, gaze flicking briefly to his hand before looking away, pretending not to.

“I’ll make sure it’s returned,” she murmured.

“I’m not worried about that,” he said.

When he turned to leave, she caught him watching her once more. Her expression softened, almost imperceptibly. “Jo,” she said, voice low.

He paused.

“Thank you.”

He nodded once, unable to trust his voice.

He lingered a heartbeat longer, watching her fingers trace the pendant before turning away.

Outside, the others were already preparing for patrol. Euijoo stood by the treeline, issuing quiet orders. 

Jo took his place beside Fuma, still feeling the ghost of her touch against his palm.

She was leaving by sundown. He told himself that was for the best.

But his wolf — his damn wolf — didn’t believe it.

By late afternoon, the sky had turned the colour of old copper. The waves were restless, crashing harder than usual against the shore below the den, a low growl that matched the tension in the air.

Most of the pack was already gone—their howls distant echoes fading into the forest and ridge lines. Only the faintest scents of their trails lingered in the air. The silence they left behind felt too wide, too heavy.

Syrena sat near the mouth of the cave, the pendant Jo had given her now tied loosely around her wrist. The fire beside her was nothing more than embers now, glowing faintly against her pale skin. She stared at the horizon as if the sea might call her back—or come to claim her.

Nicholas stood a few paces behind, arms crossed, his gaze flicking between her and the water. He had been silent for most of the afternoon, his usual sharpness dulled into something unreadable.

“You don’t have to stare holes into my back,” Syrena murmured, without turning. “If you want to say something, say it.”

Nicholas exhaled through his nose. “I don’t trust you.”

“I gathered.”

“You’re dangerous,” he continued, stepping closer. “Not because of what you can do. Because of what follows you.”

She finally turned, meeting his glare with unnerving calm. “You think I don’t know that?”

His jaw tightened. “Then why stay here? Why let him—” he stopped himself, biting the word short.

Her brow arched. “Let him what?”

“Get attached.” The words left him like a growl. “You saw what this does to him. To his wolf. He can’t even look at you without fighting himself.”

Her lips parted slightly, as if the thought hadn’t fully formed until now. “That’s not my doing.”

Nicholas took another step forward. “Maybe not. But if the Leviathans are after you, they’ll come here. They’ll tear through this place to find you. And Jo—he’ll tear through us to protect you.”

Something in his tone — not quite hatred, not quite fear — made her glance back at the horizon again.

Nicholas was about to retort again when the air shifted.

A low rumble, almost imperceptible at first, rolled through the cave floor. The kind of vibration that came not from above — but below. From the sea.

Nicholas froze. His wolf senses sharpened instantly, nostrils flaring. 

“You feel that?”

“Fuck.” Syrena’s expression darkened. “They’ve found me.”

Outside, the waves began to churn. Foam hissed up the rocks as the tide surged higher, unnatural in its rhythm. From the depths, something shimmered — faint lights, like will-o’-wisps flickering beneath the surface.

Nicholas swore under his breath, unsheathing the blade strapped to his thigh “How many?”

Syrena stood, her body already humming with the faint glow of siren power. “Three... maybe four scouts. But they’re not alone. They never are.”

“Jo should’ve been the one to stay,” Nicholas muttered, eyes scanning the shoreline.

Her gaze flicked toward him, unreadable. “No. You were right, Nicholas. You don’t trust me. You don’t have any reason to.”

The first shape broke the surface — a slick, scaled form, humanoid in silhouette but monstrous in motion. A Leviathan scout, eyes glowing faintly blue. Then another, and another, rising from the tide. 

“Let me handle this.” Syrena braced herself, her hands curling. 

Nicholas crouched low, growl tearing from his throat. “Get back.”

Syrena ignored him, stepping forward as her voice deepened, carrying a resonance that wasn’t human — ancient and commanding. The air vibrated, the water answering her call.

She whispered just loud enough for Nicholas to react just in time, “Back.”

The nearest Leviathan flinched, its glowing eyes dimming momentarily — but not retreating. It hissed, a shriek that split the air, and the next wave crashed with explosive force.

Nicholas was thrown back, barely catching his footing. “That’s your idea of warning?”

Syrena’s eyes burned violet. “That was mercy.”

And as the waves surged again, her song rose — not gentle this time, but furious, the sound of a storm breaking free.

The song tore through the cove — sharp, violent, heartbreakingly beautiful. Nicholas staggered against the stone wall, one hand pressed to his ear. The air itself seemed to warp under the siren’s voice, her power spilling like liquid silver across the ground.

Three Leviathans circled in the surf, their scaled forms glistening like oil. They hissed when she sang, recoiling — but each wave brought them closer.

Syrena’s chest rose and fell, her voice faltering for a heartbeat. She steadied herself, blood trickling from the corner of her lip. The song turned harsher, less melody now and more fury, a weapon aimed at the creatures clawing their way onto the rocks.

“You psycho siren,” Nicholas gritted his teeth. “You’ll draw the whole ocean down on us!” he growled, though she couldn’t hear him over the roar of the tide.

The first Leviathan lunged.

Nicholas moved before he thought — instincts older than logic taking over. He met it mid-surge, blade flashing, claws bursting through his knuckles. The creature’s hide was thick, scales like armor. He barely sank steel into it before it slammed him into the rock wall, his ribs cracking under the force.

He spat blood, rolling to his feet just as Syrena’s voice cut through the air again. The Leviathan jerked back — for half a second, its eyes went dull.

“Move!” she shouted, her voice trembling with the effort.

He didn’t need to be told twice. He ducked just as she lifted both hands, the sea behind her rising in a single, massive swell. The wave crashed down on the Leviathans with bone-breaking force, slamming them back into the surf.

But the victory was short-lived.

Syrena stumbled, her knees hitting the stone, a pained gasp tearing from her throat. Her gills flared weakly along her neck, struggling to draw breath in the dry air. The glow in her eyes flickered — once, twice — before dimming.

Nicholas saw it. Saw how she faltered. How the song, once earth-shattering, was now barely more than a broken hum.

And he did what wolves did best — he assessed.

One siren. Three Leviathans. A broken tide.

She wasn’t going to last.

He wanted to let her fall. Let the sea reclaim her and spare the pack the trouble. But then, in the haze of salt and blood, Jo’s face flashed in his mind. The way his voice had cracked when he said, She won’t survive alone. 

Nicholas cursed under his breath, leaping back into the fray. “Damn it, Jo.”

He lunged back into the fight, slashing through the next Leviathan’s flank. The creature screeched, thrashing, its tail knocking Nicholas off his feet — but he rolled, came up snarling, eyes blazing gold.

Behind him, Syrena tried to stand, her hands trembling, her voice trembling between notes. Her power sparked and faded like a dying flame.

When the next wave of Leviathans broke the surface, Nicholas realised how bad it was. Not three. Not four. At least six now, their glowing eyes cutting through the dark water like lanterns.

“Alright that’s enough,” he growled, blood slicking his teeth. He tilted his head back and let loose a howl — low and long and desperate.

It tore through the forest. A sound no wolf made lightly. A call for help.

The echo rolled through the cliffs, through the trees, through the hearts of every wolf who heard it.

Far in the distance, Jo froze mid-step. His pulse spiked, his wolf answering before he could even think.

Fuma’s head snapped toward him, eyes narrowing. “That was Nicholas.”

Jo didn’t wait for orders. He was already running.

Back at the shore, Nicholas dropped to one knee, breathing hard. His claws were slick with blood — his own and theirs. Syrena was still standing somehow, but barely. Her song had quieted to a whisper now, barely enough to hold the monsters back.

Nicholas glanced at her, chest heaving. “If you die,” he said between breaths, “he’ll never forgive me.”

She looked up, eyes dazed. “Then fucking fight, wolf.”

He smirked — half a snarl, half a grin. “You’re not giving orders down here, Princess.”

And then he was moving again, diving into the chaos, just as the next wave crashed and the first responding howls echoed back through the trees.

The forest answered him. One howl became three. Then five. Closer.

But the sea didn’t wait.

The Leviathans surged as one, dark bodies slicing through the black water. Syrena barely had time to react before one tail coiled around her leg, dragging her back toward the foam. She screamed, almost sounding scarily human — shattering against the stone walls of the cove.

Nicholas lunged after her. His claws caught the creature’s hide, tearing deep, but another Leviathan slammed into him from the side. His body hit the rocks hard enough to rattle the cliffs.

He staggered to his feet, blood dripping down his face, and then—

He let go.

His body arched, bones snapping and reshaping, muscles rippling under his skin as the change overtook him. The air shimmered around him, the scent of iron and wild earth thickening.

Where the man had stood, a wolf rose — huge, powerful, his fur a deep shade of sangria red that caught the dim light like fire. His eyes burned gold.

The wolf leapt into the fray.

He tore through the nearest Leviathan, teeth sinking into its throat, ripping scales from flesh. But there were too many. For every monster he threw down, another rose from the depths.

Syrena’s song faltered again — weaker now, barely holding the tide. One of the beasts wrapped around her waist, pulling her down into the surf. Her fingers clawed at the rocks, the saltwater turning red where her nails broke.

Nicholas howled, the sound raw and furious, echoing through the storm. He charged — slamming into the creature that held her, snapping its neck in one brutal motion.

But as he tried to drag her free, another Leviathan struck from behind, its tail whipping across his side. The wolf crashed into the stone, bones cracking, blood splattering against the wet rock.

Syrena reached for him, voice trembling. “Nicholas—!”

Then the sea exploded.

A wall of black water rose behind her — Leviathans dragging her under, claws raking down her arms and back. Her scream drowned under the roar of the surf.

Nicholas lunged forward again, but the current hit too fast, too hard. The wave swallowed her whole, pulling her from his reach. He howled after her — a desperate, broken sound — before three more Leviathans surrounded him.

For a moment, all he could see was movement. Teeth. Claws. Water. Blood.

Then —

A flash of silver.

A blur tore through the first Leviathan, ripping it apart like paper. Another slammed into the shore, dead before it hit the rocks.

From above the treeline, a massive wolf landed — fur pale as moonlight, eyes like steel. K.

He didn’t pause. His claws met scale, and the air filled with the sound of monsters dying.

More shapes burst through the trees — one sleek and dark, one golden, and another massive, with eyes that glowed the color of burning amber.

Euijoo. Fuma. Jo.

The pack had arrived.

The Leviathans hesitated — for a heartbeat, even monsters understood fear.

Jo’s wolf didn’t. He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t even look at the others.

He tore straight past them — straight toward the sea.

Straight toward her.

Syrena was barely visible now, her body tossed by the waves, her blood painting the surf pink. One Leviathan still had her, dragging her deeper.

Jo’s wolf hit the water before anyone could stop him, his snarl echoing through the storm. The sea hissed where he landed, foam burning against his fur.

Nicholas tried to rise, staggering, his breath coming ragged. “Jo—!”

But Jo didn’t hear. Couldn’t. He was already gone — swallowed by the sea and fury and the bond that refused to die.

The moment Jo disappeared beneath the surface, the pack howled — the sound fractured, raw, and helpless.

The Leviathans didn’t retreat quietly. The remaining beasts writhed and lunged, their tails slamming against the rocks, furious that their prey had been stolen from them.

K’s wolf met them first, white fur streaked with blood and seawater. His claws sank into a Leviathan’s eye socket, tearing through scale and flesh. Beside him, Euijoo’s wolf — darker, broader — pinned another down while Fuma leapt over his back, jaws finding the creature’s throat.

Nicholas staggered to his feet, ribs aching, vision blurred from blood. He watched the surf — watched the sea churn where Jo had vanished — and his heart lurched.

He took a step forward.

Fuma’s snarl stopped him cold.

“Don’t.” The word came through his teeth, half-growl, half-command. He shifted back to his human form, chest heaving, blood slick down his neck. “You’ll drown before you find him.”

“He’s in there!” Nicholas spat, voice breaking. His wolf eyes still glowed, the instinct to protect screaming in his veins.

Fuma grabbed him by the shoulder and yanked him back as another Leviathan lunged. “And you’ll be next if you keep this up. We’re wolves, Nicholas. Land-born. We don’t belong below.”

“But—”

“Enough!” Fuma slammed him against the rock wall. “The old laws are clear — the land does not interfere with the sea. They crossed that line first, and they’ll pay the price. We can’t.”

Nicholas’s jaw clenched. He could still hear the faint echo of Jo’s snarl somewhere beneath the crashing waves — or maybe it was just his mind playing tricks. “So we just let him die?”

“We hold the line,” Fuma said, voice low, heavy. “It’s what he’d do for us.”

Euijoo’s wolf barked sharply — a sound that cut through the chaos. The Leviathans were retreating, slinking back into the depths now that their prey had vanished below. Their scaled backs slipped under the foam, disappearing into darkness.

For the first time, the den went quiet.

Only the wind howled now.

Euijoo shifted back, his expression unreadable as he walked toward the shallows. He crouched by the edge, blood dripping from his arm into the water.

“Jo,” he called quietly. The Alpha tone in his voice cracked for the first time that night. “If you can hear me… come back.”

The sea didn’t answer. Only waves rolled in, lapping at the rocks like nothing had happened.

Behind him, Nicholas dropped to one knee, breathing hard. Fuma stood beside him, scanning the horizon. K shifted back, pressing a hand to a gash across his chest, his pale hair soaked red.

Moments later, more howls echoed through the forest — higher, lighter tones this time. The rest of the pack.

Yuma arrived first, panting hard, followed by Maki and Taki — their faces pale at the sight before them. Harua brought up the rear, carrying a medic’s satchel that looked far too small for the blood spilling onto the rocks.

“Where’s Jo?” Yuma asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Euijoo didn’t look up. His eyes were fixed on the dark water. “Under.”

Harua dropped beside Nicholas immediately, checking his side where crimson soaked through fur and skin. “You’re lucky,” he muttered, pressing a cloth to the wound. “A few inches deeper and you’d be shark food.”

Nicholas didn’t respond. His eyes were still on the waves, his body trembling from exhaustion and something colder.

Fuma dragged a hand through his soaked hair. “We need to regroup. Get everyone back to the den.”

K nodded, grim. “He’ll come back.”

It was a statement, not a question — but no one said it aloud that they all felt the same cold fear:

What if he didn’t?

Euijoo lingered one last moment at the water’s edge. The Alpha inside him warred with the man. His instinct told him to dive — to tear the sea apart until he found his pack mate. But the magic that held the world in balance thrummed beneath the surface, whispering warning through the salt.

The land and the sea do not cross. Not without consequence.

He exhaled, slow and heavy, before turning away. “Back to the den,” he ordered, voice low. “Now.”

The pack obeyed — limping, bleeding, carrying one another through the forest.

Behind them, the sea rolled on. Calm now. Almost serene.

But deep beneath, where no wolf could follow, the storm had only just begun.

Jo’s limbs thrashed against the pull of the water, panic clawing at him as salt stung his eyes. The world had become a blur of green and grey, scales and shadows slipping past, teeth glinting in the low light. He could barely see Syrena, only hear the sharp cadence of her voice cutting through the churn.

“Jo! Focus!” she shouted, her tail slicing through the currents with impossible grace. “Move with me!”

He wanted to, he tried — but his lungs screamed, his body uselessly flailing. The Leviathans circled, dragging him toward the jagged coastline with enormous claws and jagged teeth.

Before he could respond, she was in front of him, hand on his chest. The water around them shimmered with an unnatural glow, scales along her arms glinting like molten violet. Her lips brushed his in a sudden, electrifying kiss. It was soft, insistent, grounding — and in that instant, everything shifted.

Then, instinct flared. His wolf — dormant until now — erupted in a surge of awareness and strength, muscles coiling, limbs extending. He gasped, and something strange happened: his throat didn’t burn. His lungs filled. He could… breathe.

Syrena’s violet eyes widened as she saw him adapt, her hand reaching out. “The myth,” she said, voice trembling with awe and disbelief. “Jo… if a siren kisses you—” 

Jo felt his wolf surge fully, instincts melding with reason. Power coursed through him like fire in water, his body stronger, faster, attuned to the currents. His lungs, now filled effortlessly, allowed him to dive deeper, push harder. He grabbed Syrena’s hand, spinning to dodge a Leviathan’s tail that smashed where they had been seconds before.

She laughed, a sound of triumph and relief, her own energy flaring. Royal power surged from her, the water obeying her, swirling in whorls of violet and silver. Scales glinted like armour, her eyes catching glints of light even under the dark waves.

Together, they moved as one — Jo’s wolf instincts guiding every strike, Syrena’s magic bending the water to their will. They slammed into the Leviathans, claws and tail and song merging into something terrifyingly beautiful. A few of the beasts twisted upward, their massive bodies breaching the surface with deafening crashes, water spraying high into the sky.

Syrena’s hands glowed faintly, her power unfurling through her veins like the ocean itself obeying her command. She kicked, twisting, sending a Leviathan careening backward with a force that shook the water. Her fins — subtle now, but strong — sliced through the currents, summoning energy from the very depths.

Jo followed her lead, instinct and wolf-power guiding his movements. They were a whirlwind of water and strength, a force neither of them fully understood, yet perfectly in sync. Every motion she made sparked something inside him, his claws raking scales, his jaws snapping with unnatural precision.

Above, the wolves on land erupted into action. Euijoo, Fuma, and K barreled into the surf, claws slicing through water, muscles taut with urgency. Jo barely had time to acknowledge them, focused entirely on keeping Syrena safe, letting her lead, letting their bond guide him.

Her hands found his again in the chaos, and the touch — electric, grounding — steadied him. “We can do this,” she whispered, her voice carrying authority, calm and deadly.

For the first time, Jo realized: she wasn’t fragile. She wasn’t just a siren in need of protection. She was his equal — powerful, unstoppable, and bound to him in a way that made the impossible feel like instinct.

A Leviathan’s tail swung toward Syrena, and without thinking, Jo shot forward, barreling into it, knocking the creature back with a force that made the water roar around them. He heard the low growl of his wolf surge inside, sharper than ever before.

Syrena twisted, striking again — a strike so powerful it cracked the surface, sending sprays of foam over Euijoo and Fuma as they lunged into the fray.

Even amid the chaos, a strange clarity settled over Jo. He understood her now — her power, her fear, her determination — and something fierce and possessive coiled in him. No one would take her. Not the Leviathans. Not anyone.

As the last few of the smaller Leviathans surged to the surface, gasping and struggling, Jo and Syrena lunged together — a coordinated force neither had ever known — and landed in the shallow water with a crash that shook the rocks.

Above, the pack howled, circling, joining in with renewed purpose. Together, eight wolves and two bonded mates against the tide, they finally had the upper hand.

Jo looked at Syrena, her hair fanning like ink in the water, eyes bright with victory and relief. And for the first time, he let himself truly see her — not as someone to guard, not as a siren in need, but as his mate.

And she looked at him, and the corners of her lips tilted upward, faint, almost shy.

The war wasn’t over. The Shattersea War raged both above and below the waves. But for the first time, Jo knew one thing with certainty: together, they could face it.

The waves had settled, leaving a thin mist curling over the rocks and sand. Jo and Syrena collapsed onto the edge of the shore, drenched, exhausted, hearts still hammering from the fight. Water dripped from Syrena’s hair, clinging to her scales, and for the first time since their arrival, she looked… human again, yet still otherworldly.

Jo flopped beside her, chest heaving, every muscle trembling. He kept a careful distance at first, hands resting in the sand rather than reaching for her, though the wolf inside him throbbed, desperate to curl against her, to mark her as his.

Syrena turned her head, eyes flicking to him, violet catching the fading sunlight. “So…about the kiss,” she said quietly, the words almost drowned in the gentle lapping of the surf.

Jo grunted, awkwardly brushing wet hair from his face. “Yeah. I… I didn’t think you’d—uh…” He trailed off, eyes darting away.

 “It was—necessary.” She added quickly, as if reading his thoughts.

Jo grunted, awkwardly brushing his hair from his face. “Necessary?” He echoed.

A small laugh escaped her, uneven, nervous. “It… made you stop dragging me under. And a siren’s kiss helps any creature breathe underwater. Nothing more.”

He tilted his head, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “I don’t know why I believed that excuse, but I’ll let it slide… this time.”

The awkwardness settled like a tangible presence, a quiet tension neither of them could fully shake. Above the low roar of the sea, a familiar voice broke the silence.

“Jo,” Euijoo’s voice carried across the sand, commanding and precise, “come here.”

Jo exhaled, stiffened, then followed the alpha back toward the den, Syrena trailing a few steps behind, still catching her breath, still catching his eyes. The pack had begun to regroup, drying and tending to minor injuries, yet the tension around the two newcomers—wet, salty, and raw from battle—was unmistakable.

“You’ve fought bravely. Protected your mate,” Euijoo said, eyes flicking to Syrena. “That bond changes everything. Protect her. Honor her. That is your responsibility as her mate and as a wolf of this pack.”

Jo’s jaw tightened. “I know.”

Syrena, standing a few feet away, finally looked like she was processing the words, and the concept behind them. “Mate…” she repeated softly, the word tasting foreign but not unwelcome on her tongue. She had heard tales, hints of bonds stronger than blood, stronger than magic. But this— this felt different. Real.

K, who had remained silent through the commotion, stepped closer. For once, he did not linger in the shadows. His voice was quiet but firm, almost reverent offering a kind explanation. “For wolves, mates are… everything. Their wolf chooses. And once that bond is made, it’s for life. There is no replacing it, no bargaining with it. Only one mate, or the wolf slowly dies.” His gazed shifted away, grief flickering through his expression. “The old tales say it’s heartbreak. Some believe it. Some don’t.”

Syrena’s violet eyes widened. “Only one?” she asked. Her tone carried a note of disbelief. “Even if… even if the mate is a different… creature?”

K’s gaze flickered briefly to Jo and Syrena, then back to her. “Yes. Unusual, but not rare. Instinct doesn’t care about species. Only the bond matters. It is powerful. Devastating if broken. Jo’s wolf… and your magic, your lives—they’re intertwined now. You may not understand it fully yet, but you will.”

Syrena looked at Jo, really looked, and the soft haze of awe crossed her features. “So… that’s why I felt something when I kissed you. Something… alive, pulling me in. Not just instinct, not just your strength.”

Jo’s pulse hammered. “It’s…” He trailed off, lost for words. The wolf inside him nudged, restless, aching to claim the space beside her. “It’s real,” he finally said, voice low.

K nodded once, solemn. “It is. And it will shape both of you, whether you’re ready or not.”

A quiet settled over the den, charged with something new—possibility, tension, and unspoken understanding. Syrena’s hand brushed the water from her hair, faint tremor in her fingers betraying the adrenaline still coursing through her veins.

Jo stayed close as Syrena gathered her things, still damp from the sea, the faint shimmer of her scales catching the waning sunlight. His wolf churned, restless, desperate to anchor her here, yet he forced himself to remain still, to give her the space she deserved.

“Syrena…” he started, voice low, careful. She paused, eyes meeting his. “You don’t have to… accept me as your mate. That’s your choice. Not mine. And don’t let… what you’ve heard about wolves dying without a mate scare you. That’s… just K. His wolf chose his mate long ago. She disappeared… we’ve searched, tried everything, but she’s gone. He’s holding on only because he senses she might still be alive.”

Her violet eyes softened, a flicker of understanding passing over her features. “I see,” she murmured. “So… it’s not a requirement. Just instinct. Bond. Choice.”

“Exactly.” He ran a hand through his damp hair, trying to keep the tremor in his voice steady. “You can decide for yourself. Only you can decide.”

She nodded slowly, the weight of it settling on her shoulders. Then, after a long pause, she let out a soft breath and stepped closer, the faint brush of her scales against his arm sending a shiver down his spine. “Then… I accept.”

Jo’s heart leapt. “You… really?”

“Yes,” she whispered, though her lips twitched as if she were half-surprised by her own words. “You didn’t treat me like a monster. You risked your life for me.”

She held her hand on his chest and Jo prayed that she couldn’t feel just how erratically his heart was beating. “You’re… something.” Jo chuckled at her comment, pressing his forehead to hers. 

“And I know better than to defy destiny.” 

“Oh?” He smirked faintly, “So none of this,” he motioned the gap between the two of them, “Has nothing to do with you maybe liking me a little bit?” 

Syrena stepped back, arching a brow. “Excuse me?”

Now where did this confidence come from? 

“I mean, I’m just saying.” Jo teased. “The way you kissed me earlier—could have sworn there were feelings involved—“ 

“Jo!”

He laughed, relief softening his chest. His wolf hummed, low and content beneath his skin. But the moment couldn’t last—sundown was near.

“I have to go,” she said, voice catching, and the faint shimmer of tears reflected the last light of the sun. “I need to see to what remains of my kingdom… prepare the others for what’s coming. The Leviathans have broken ancient laws. The war… it’s only beginning.”

He swallowed, hands clenching. “I’ll wait for you,” he said simply, grounding himself in the moment.

Syrena smiled faintly, the tiniest curve of her lips, and reached her hand into the waves. In a split second she drew out a shell, pale and iridescent, with a tiny hole carved through it. “A pact,” she said, voice soft. “Every full moon, I will return. A week. To spend time with you. To update you on the war. And if ever… you need me,” she pressed the shell into his hand, “call. I’ll come.”

Jo turned it over in his palm, the smooth surface cool and comforting. “I… I’ll hold you to that,” he murmured.

Her eyes glimmered, violet meeting gold. “You’d better.”

There was a beat of silence, a tension thick and unspoken, as if both of them were memorising the feel of the moment—the brush of shoulders, the warmth of proximity, the pulse of instinct pulling at them.

Then, reluctantly, she stepped back, taking a deep breath. “I must go,” she said firmly, though not without a flicker of hesitation in her gaze.

Jo nodded, trying to swallow the ache in his chest. “Go… be safe,” he said, voice low but steady. “I’ll be here.”

He took a step forward closer to her, lifting her chin slowly to meet his eyes. Pressing a soft kiss to her lips, a faint blush painting both their faces, he mumbled, “See you soon.” before she slipped into the shallow surf, the water rising around her like a soft embrace. One moment she was there, and the next, she vanished beneath the waves, leaving only ripples in her wake.

Jo lingered at the edge of the shore, gripping the shell tightly, his wolf humming beneath his skin, restless but tethered, knowing she had chosen him—and that the bond was theirs, no matter the distance. And that was enough.

Behind him, K lingered silently, watching the retreating form of the siren. His voice, low and thoughtful, broke the silence. “She’s made her choice. You’re lucky. Most wolves…” His gaze flicked to Jo, serious. “Most wolves never get that chance. Don’t waste it.”

Jo nodded, jaw tight, eyes still fixed on the horizon. “I won’t.”

The last light faded from the sky, shadows lengthened over the forest, and the pack began their return to the den, tending to injuries, regrouping, preparing for the chaos that the Shattersea War would soon bring.

And far below the waves, Syrena swam, her heart still tethered to the wolf on the shore. She drew strength from him, from the bond they had forged in water and blood, ready to face whatever came next.

©inkedbysonny

[connieslover]

juseyo...

planning on writing a bnd sm au... BUT WHAT DO U USE TO CREATE THE FAKE TEXTS if anyone knows please help (╥﹏╥)

[connieslover]

𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚⋆｡♪ headcanons of how the boynextdoor members would crush on you if you were an idol

⭑ idol! boynextdoor x idol! reader

⭑ fluff

park sungho 🐈 ⋆⭒˚.

✦ super attentive whenever you're on screen

✦ his eyes linger on you a little longer as opposed to everyone else

✦ during the end-of-year stages he discreetly searches for u and purposely situates himself near you

✦ i feel like he wouldn't be afraid of initiating anything so he would bow to you and even initiate small talk

lee sanghyuk ‧₊˚ : 🦦⋅

✦ he is Locked in whenever he sees you performing...watching u with literal heart eyes

✦ i feel like the members would love to tease him by making him stand close to you and he'd just stand there all stiff and everything LMAO

✦ WOULD LOVEEE doing dance challenges with u

✦ gives his 200% in award shows when he knows u're watching

myung jaehyun 🐶 ✴︎˚｡⋆

✦ i think he would either be super energetic or calmer whenever you're around

✦ literally. Leaps when he finds out that you have a comeback and the only thing on his mind the whole day is his interview session with you

✦ is seen jamming whenever you're performing!! he's a big supporter

✦ gets super sulky when he's overseas/too busy to mc because that meant someone else would have to interview U...

han dongmin ˙ . ꒷ 🐈‍⬛ . 𖦹

✦ he would really enjoy listening to ur music, going so far as to analyse the lyrics when he found out that u actually participated in making the song!!

✦ he's Mr nonchalant so whenever you'd pass by him he'd just simply bow, ignoring how sweetly u smiled at him despite his racing heart

✦ would 100% watch ur fancams

✦ Trying his best to be nonchalant when you're on the same stage but his members r always whispering and teasing

kim donghyun ✧°.🐟⋆

✦ mr Nonchalant number 2...he would be so discrete with his little crush on u

✦ would really only genuinely smile whenever the two of you meet on stage or pass by each other

✦ i feel like he would be super attentive to how he looks when he knows u're part of the idol audience in award shows... Making sure not a strand of hair is out of place and making sure he makes 0 mistakes!!

✦ even though he's Mr nonchalant number 2 i think he would be super direct by unconsciously staring at ur direction or u but people would just think he's spacing out

kim woonhak ˚ʚ🧸ɞ˚

✦ he would be trying so hard to be calm...composed... Cool even though he's Mr chalant

✦ he accidentally bumped into you and he became a stuttering Mess and ran to jaehyun (it became viral on twitter)

✦ would definitely be singing/dancing to ur songs during award shows

✦ like riwoo he would give his 200% during performances in hopes of earning a reaction from u and the members would tease him so Bad afterwards

[tremiablog]

At a recent event both sungchan and anton held up a 7, these boys seriously want seunghan back & i have a strong feeling we might get him back. We are doing well on the boycott & i dont want anyone to get tired or feel like its not worth it because it is worth it‼️ you’re doing a massive favour to seunghan & future sm idols. & you’re getting our voices heard, Keep at it :)

(For context they were asked to make a confident pose & anton & sungchan hinted at 7 )

——————-

On another topic shotaro said “there will be good news soon so please look forward to it” either we are getting our beloved seunghan back soon or its a comeback announcement, which if it is a comeback SM is trying so hard to avoid the seunghan topic & its disgusting how they are working these boys at such a sensitive time‼️

BOYCOTT SM , BOYCOTT RIIZE‼️‼️

[connieslover]

RIIZE IS SEVEN!! ALWAYS

[kusukomi]

Ships that are this 🤏🏼 close to being canon have a special place in my heart

The way both girls canonically confessed to the boy

Artist: @tandoshiri

[connieslover]

𝙞 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙣'𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩

── .✦ (01) entertainment district arc! kiri fujisaki, a demon slayer who has joined the fruitful group of tanjiro, zenitsu, inosuke, and nezuko struggles to keep her childhood best friend yuta alive.

⭑.ᐟ oc x kny | angst | mentions of blood

yuta is depicted as jjk's yuta blep :P

authors note : i wanted to write an au ff butttt i kinda got lazy to write the whole story so i just wanted to write some parts. lmk if u want a kiri backstory! all characters are aged up two years.

the white-haired girl pushed herself back onto the ground once more, wiping her blood-stained mouth with her white haori. her fingers gripped the end of her chipped nichirin sword which was white with an opalescent hue.

in front of her stood a burgundy haired boy, his shoes sunk into the ground as he defended himself with his own sword against the scythe of the upper moon demon in front of him.

"now kiri!" shouted the boy.

"seventh form, glowing eyes," her grey orbs turned orange, eyes boring into the upper moon demon who had frozen in his spot from her ability.

letting out a painful scream, with all his strength, tanjiro swung his blade into the demon's neck, ignoring the pain that was shooting through his body like every inch of his body was burning.

kiri tried her best to keep her eyes on the upper moon demon as she needed not to blink while using this ability on the enemy but she couldn't help but faltered her gaze to the boy, noticing that the scar on his forehead grew and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

simultaneously, the heads of the demon siblings rolled onto the ground with a thud, rolling until they met one another. the group had successfully decapitated the upper moon demons.

tanjiro fell onto his feet, his hands on his jaw as he tried to catch the blood that dripped from his jaw from the poison. his chest rose up and down at an uneven manner, alarmed kiri was about to run up to him until she heard zenitsu's voice,

"k-kiri! help!"

she turned her head, eyes met with the view of zenitsu with his arms around inosuke and yuta. her eyes widened at the sight of her two friends, more so yuta. her heart dropped at the sight of him.

with all the strength she had left she picked up her speed and ran towards zenitsu's direction, her arm wrapped around yuta's shoulder as zenitsu passed him to her and brought inosuke to tanjiro.

only now processing the tremendous pain her body held, kiri's feet trembled, falling to the ground, her arm still wrapped around yuta who lay on her lap. she felt like every part of her body was screaming, aching, like a hundred knives were piercing into her skin and her head was bursting in pain.

yuta's dark hair was disheveled, sticking to the sides of his neck and cheeks from the sweat and blood and he looked paler than ever, making the dark rings under his eyes even more prominent.

"your stomach...." kiri breathed heavily, moving yuta's hands from his stomach which revealed a deep cut from daki's sash.

"it's okay," yuta swallowed the lump of blood in his throat, wiping his mouth with his uniform which was now stained a dark red. it was obvious that the poison had been quickly making its way to yuta's body, gnawing at every part of his insides.

yuta couldn't attempt to speak as he started a fit of cough, the bitter metallic taste of blood on his tongue made it uncomfortable for him.

"shh, it's okay. it's okay. you don't have to say anything just stay with me alright? i'm sure help is on the way," whispered kiri, her shaking fingers gently rubbing onto his hair in an attempt to calm him. grabbing a kunai from her thigh belt, she sliced a long fabric from her haori, and lifted yuta's body ever so slightly to tie it around his waist, covering his wound in an attempt to slow down the bleeding.

she turned her head, looking in the direction where tanjiro and the rest were. thankfully with the help of nezuko, tanjiro, tengen, and inosuke seemed to be able to speak again and showed no signs of life-threatening wounds or any effects of the poison left.

"tanjiro! h-help!" kiri called out to the boy, her voice a desperation of plea. the group immediately turned their attention to kiri and the boy who was bleeding out, rushing over to them.

"yuta...!" tanjiro drew in a breath as his burgundy eyes rounded upon seeing yuta's deep wound in his stomach.

nezuko let out a murmur, crawling to the teenage boy, her delicate and long fingers grazed upon his body as a burst of flames appeared, surprising kiri.

"don't worry, it's a blood demon art. it seems like nezuko can remove the poison from the bodies with her technique," tanjiro explained as inosuke grunted in agreement. however, it seemed like nothing had changed.

yuta's breath grew shorter as he continued a coughing fit. kiri's jaw quivered, and a bubbling sensation in her stomach grew.

"nezuko, please save him. please!" kiri begged, her hands remained on yuta's face as she wiped the blood from his cold lips with her haori.

nezuko attempted once again, everyone's eyes were glued onto her, hoping that a miracle would happen.

"why isn't it working?" asked zenitsu with an alarmed tone.

"it's too late," yuta managed to cough out, shaking his head, his brows furrowing together as he winced.

"no, it's not. don't say that," tanjiro disagreed, kneeling down beside the boy, his rough hands held onto yuta's arm in an attempt to comfort him.

"come on yuta, keep your eyes open. you'll be okay, trust me. you'll be okay," kiri whimpered, a lump forming in her throat as she struggled to speak, she couldn't tell if it was the poison she was trying to suppress or the tears.

"we've come so far yuta. remember when we were still kids in the orphanage? how you would tickle me until i screamed like crazy. how gyomei-san would carry us on his shoulders and spin us around until we felt like throwing up. how you would always cry when i got sick. how you would stick food up your nose to make me laugh," a deep emotion stirred within kiri's chest as a solemn tear fell down her cheek, "remember when you had that nightmare are you pleaded for me and gyomei-san to sleep with you. or that time when we fell asleep at the garden with our wooden swords, so tired from sparring? remember when we promised each other that we would be hashira's alongside gyomei-san?"

at this point it was difficult for kiri to have a clear vision of the boy as her eyes were welling up with tears, threathening to spill.

"of course i remember. how could i not?" yuta's voice came across as a whisper, his lips turning upwards forming a small and gentle smile, "kiri, please look at me. i want to see you one last time,"

kiri's grey eyes gazed upon yuta's dark blue ones, a mixture of pain and fondness welled up in his eyes, trickling down his cheeks. his frail hands reached to cup kiri's cheek as she leaned against his touch.

"you always look at me with those kind eyes. all those months and years we've trained to become demon slayers and look at us. we're demon slayers now," kiri tried to enunciate her words as best as she could, her jaw trembling from the grief and pain she was trying to keep from spilling out.

"i wish i could've spent longer in this lifetime to love you. thank you kiri," yuta spoke with all of his strength left, his voice sincere until the end.

kiri leaned her forehead against yuta's, "i love you yuta, please don't leave me,"

his hands fell against his side, and his eyelids closed.

kiri's chest grew heated and she felt like a rope was tied against her neck, her head throbbing from the pain.

"please don't leave me. yuta... wake up. please," her throat felt swollen as she tried to stutter the words out from her shaken lips.

her tears spilled over and cascaded down her cheeks like a dam that broke. each tear carrying the weight of a hundred emotions that refused to be contained from her resolve. she mumbled incoherent things as she choked through her tears.

a gut-wrenching sob tore through her chest and her breath became staggered, lifting her head from yuta's, she covered her face with her blood-stained hands as she continued sobbing.

tanjiro, zenitsu, insouke and nezuko could only watch tearfully, feeling the grief that kiri felt right into their own hearts as her heart-breaking sobs reverberated to the night.

[zurenie]

i hate them all

[connieslover]

𝙞'𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚, 𝙞 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪

⋆｡𖦹°‧★ ࿐ thread of riize as shoujo animes

I MISS SEUNGHAN SB :( i can't wait for his return

osaki shotaro ‹𝟹 horimiya

★ friends to lovers, yearning to know why he feels so much towards you

★ the best case of opposites attract

★ shotaro secretly hiding that he's an idol/his true personality only for his love interest to be the first to find out

★ just wholesome...everything about him and the anime is wholesome

song eunseok ‹𝟹 ao haru ride

★ first love, cold and sarcastic x clumsy and sweet

★ misunderstandings, miscommunication, and angst

★ secret late-night meetings, head pats, hugs, and confessions

★ learning how to let go of the past and to accept change

jung sungchan ‹𝟹 kaichou wa maid sama

★ golden retriever x black cat

★ Loves teasing. idc what yall say but sungchan is such a flirt and tease

★ frustrated feelings, confessions, and a lot of attempted skinship

★ girlboss who refuses to acknowledge that they're falling in love with a man

park wonbin ‹𝟹 special a

★ rivals to lovers

★ secret feelings and a shit ton of unexplained jealousy

★ has a secret soft spot for his love interest

★ neither of them want to acknowledge their own feelings

hong seunghan ‹𝟹 my little monster

★ delinquent x socially awkward

★ gets in trouble and beaten up a lot and his love interest is always there to take care of him

★ SOO OVEPROTECTIVE

★ definitely would not be shy to show his affection

lee sohee ‹𝟹 lovely complex

★ friends to lovers

★ unexpected chemistry and confessions

★ afraid to ruin his friendship with his love interest so expect a lot of angst and miscommunication

★ in denial of his feelings, thinks that everything is Platonic

lee chanyoung ‹𝟹 kimi no todoke

★ misunderstood and quiet x popular and friendly

★ crap ton of blushing, accidental skinship, and genuine feelings

★ changing for the better

★ the cutest and most wholesome love story ever

[connieslover]

𝙞 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙣

⋆｡𖦹°‧★ ࿐ a shy cellist finds himself falling in love with a mysterious girl who visits him every afternoon (part two).

𝘪 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪'𝘮 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘺, 𝘪'𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦, 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦

☆ princess!oc x cellist!anton

☆ fluff, slight angst, royal au

(suggested songs ; laufey lovesick, mitski my love mine all mine, taylor swift daylight & enchanted)

the next night, akira didn't show up.

and she didn't show up for the rest of the week.

yet, anton constantly checked the time on the clock, perking his head up whenever someone the bell rang and he remained staying at the store past midnight in hopes that she would show up again.

he was confused, concerned, and worried as to why she suddenly just disappeared. he recalled what she mentioned a few days ago about how her parents found out she was sneaking out and thought that maybe they found out that she was sneaking out past midnight. he was utterly worried that she was in trouble.

anton dreaded coming to work over the past few days, just because the person he looked forward to seeing wasn't there. what worth was it to get ready for work, to tidy himself up in the morning only for her not to be there?

his close friend, sohee noticed that he wasn't acting like his usual self and took it upon himself to try and comfort his friend.

"what's wrong anton?" sohee asked, dragging a chair to sit beside his friend.

anton let out a sigh and rested his head in between his crossed arms, "nothing's wrong sohee,"

sohee rolled his eyes, "come on now anton i know you. something's clearly wrong. i can tell that you've been feeling out of it."

"what would you do if someone you liked suddenly just disappeared?" blurted anton, taking sohee by surprise.

"suddenly disappeared?" repeated sohee, "well i would be confused and hurt. and worried of course. i'd try to find out what happened. search every part of town for her if i could,"

anton brought his head up from his arms, "search every part of town for her? why haven't i thought of that?"

anton immediately stood up on his feet at sohee's response and hurriedly took off his work apron, grabbing his messenger bag and slinging it over his head.

"woah there where do you think you're going?" sohee followed suit, placing an arm on his hip as he watched anton fold his work apron.

"i'm going to town to search for her," sohee's jaw fell open, astounded that anton actually took his words to heart, "wow she must be really something,"

anton nodded sheepishly, "please tell the owner that something important came up,"

sohee gave him a thumbs up, "good luck anton!"

⭑･ﾟﾟ･:༅｡.｡༅:ﾟ::✼✿　　✿✼:ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

anton let out a sigh, realizing that this was already the second time that he passed by the same bench again. he had walked around the town, discreetly checking the neighborhood, parks, stores, and restaurants in hopes that he would bump into akira.

"where could she be?" anton asked himself, his eyes observing the area around him.

as he walked past the fountain which was located in the center of the town, his ears perked up at a conversation shared between a group of teenage girls.

"did you hear? they're holding a ball this friday in honor of the princess!" squealed one of them with short hair.

"i read that she was to be engaged to prince wonbin. isn't he the dreamiest? i heard that they were childhood friends as well. it's such a love story. i wish i was a princess," cooed the other with long blonde hair.

"oh i'd love to be princess akira. she's living the dream,"

anton froze in his spot.

"princess...akira?"

he repeated it over and over again. princess akira. princess akira. princess akira. princess akira. princess. akira. suddenly he felt like his knees were growing weak and that he was seconds away from falling onto the ground. he was hit with a realization that made him physically dizzy.

everything made sense now.

she always wore a hood, to hide herself from the public in case someone recognized her. she had a specific curfew because she was sneaking out. her parents didn't want her to go out. she wore a different dress nearly every single day, and her hair was always neatly tied. she always had a pristine, royal aura that was indescribable.

everything made sense.

the reason why she stopped appearing was most likely that her parents found out that she was sneaking out again or that there was something else going on that anton didn't know about.

anton rushed over to the group of teenage girls, "she's to be engaged to prince wonbin?"

the girls looked at each other, startled by his sudden appearance.

"have you read the paper? apparently, she's to be married to prince wonbin. their parents have been friends for ages and they were planning on expanding their kingdom," explained the blonde girl while her friends furiously nodded in agreement.

"here look," the short-haired girl shoved the newspaper into anton's hand.

right there on the front cover of the page was a photo of her and the said prince. she had a delicate smile on her face which mirrored the one the prince had as well, their arms linked. he had a gorgeous face and it was evident that god really took their time making his face. as much as anton wanted to deny it, they looked perfect for each other. anton felt his heart sink into the pit of his stomach. a wave of uneasiness clouded over him and his mind was in disarray. there was a gnawing anguish that terrorized him, misery written all over his face. he felt the tears well up in his eyes and he forcefully tore his gaze away from the paper.

anton handed the paper into the girl's hand and walked away before he started to pick up the pace and started sprinting, eyes blurring with tears. he needed to go home.

anton fell onto his bed, an arm over his eyes as he tried to swallow the information. he couldn't believe it. he didn't want to believe it. the photo of them together was haunting his mind, making his insides clench together.

she was to be married to a prince. and anton was far from a prince. he didn't live in a castle, he didn't have a kingdom, he was just a normal teenager working at a bar, serving customers and selling instruments. he didn't stand a chance against wonbin who was a prince. he was just a nobody. a normal person. and akira was a princess. someone who was at a much higher status than him. he didn't even deserve to be in her presence.

the whole time that they hung out together he could only ask himself, why did she hide the fact that she was a princess? why couldn't she ever tell him? was all the secret smiles, the fluttering heart moments they shared for nothing?

anton's body wracked with the force of his sobs, his chest was hurting from trying to breathe. he was heartbroken. he was hurt.

⭑･ﾟﾟ･:༅｡.｡༅:ﾟ::✼✿　　✿✼:ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

it was the night of the ball and anton was curled up in his bed, listening to the sounds of the wind blowing, the loud music that was playing in the bar a few miles away from him, and the sound of his quiet sniffles.

"anton? are you in here?" sohee asked from the opposite side of the door, "come on anton you can't stay in your room forever. i've run out of excuses to give to the owner!"

"go away sohee," mumbled anton, just loud enough for sohee to hear.

"i'm not going to go away until you tell me what happened,"

anton removed the blanket from his legs and trudged his way to open the door to his room. sohee nearly tumbled down to the ground as he was leaning against the door.

"well you look like you've been going through it," sohee cleared his throat, noticing how disheveled his hair looked and his tear-stained cheeks.

"it's over sohee. can you believe it? im in love with the princess," anton whispered sitting on his bed there was an evident tone of sadness in his voice.

sohee's gaze on him softened as he took a seat beside him, "so she was the girl huh? who would've thought that a princess would've been visiting our store,"

"she's to be throned to someone else. a prince," anton whimpered, "how am i supposed to compete with a prince? he's probably proposing to her right now,"

"maybe she's not in love with him. just because he's a prince doesn't mean that she's infatuated with him. for all i know maybe she's in love with you too. haven't you thought about that?" started sohee, patting anton's back, "it doesn't matter if she's a princess, you love her for who she is right? and if you never let her know how you feel, you'll live with that regret."

anton wiped his nose with the sleeves of his shirt, "i think that might've been the wisest thing you've ever said to me,"

sohee threw his head back laughing, his eyes forming crescents, "i feel flattered. thank you. now come on, you have to tell her how you feel before it's too late."

"but how? how the hell am i supposed to get into the castle?"

sohee grinned deviously, "oh anton, leave that to me,"

⭑･ﾟﾟ･:༅｡.｡༅:ﾟ::✼✿　　✿✼:ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

anton fell onto the luscious fresh grass with a thump. he got back up on his feet, dusting off the grass off his pants and wiping his hands on his shirt.

sohee knew of a secret passageway to the castle garden that he accidentally came across a few months ago. and luckily for the two of them, there were no guards in their paths or people. however, anton did have to crawl through a passageway that nearly crushed his body as well as climb over a wall.

anton cautiously walked around the garden. there were rows and rows of flowers such as roses, lavenders, and daisies as well as wall bushes that made the garden feel like a maze. anton found himself at a secluded part of the garden where there was a small fountain in a shape of a heart, as well as a figure sat on the edge of it, head in their hands.

anton took a sharp inhale of air, his heart hammering against his chest.

"akira...?"

the said princess stood up in a rush, eyes widening as she watched anton walk closer to her. for the first time, her brown hair wasn't tied and instead, it was let down in waves with a dainty tiara sitting on top of her head. she wore an off-shoulder pale rose-colored dress with layers of ruffles going down to her ankles. a crystal necklace wrapped around her neck, glimmering under the moonlight. her eyes were teary, indicating that she had been crying previously but despite that, she looked more beautiful than ever. there were no words in the dictionary that could describe how beautiful she was.

anton felt underdressed considering that he was only wearing formal pants as well as a fitted blouse. in this moment he felt like he wasn't suited to be in the presence of a princess.

"anton? what are you doing here? h-how did you get in here?" she asked frantically, taking in the sight of the person in front of her.

anton didn't answer her question but instead sat at the edge of the fountain, "why did you just disappear without saying anything?"

the two were embraced in silence as akira sat beside him, fiddling with her fingers.

"ever since that night, a lot of things happened. i- i wanted to tell you about who i was. i really did but i couldn't find the right time to do so. i was afraid that you'd see me differently or treat me differently. i would've hated for you to change the way you acted just because i'm a princess. i didn't want you to see me as royalty," akira started, her voice quiet and honest, "the store was my only getaway from this place. this castle. i've been cooped up here nearly every day of my life and it felt so suffocating. that was until i sneaked out one day and stumbled upon you and the store. it was like a breath of fresh air to finally be somewhere where i was treated like a normal person. where i could be myself and not have to worry about my duties, my parents, and everything else. i really did want to tell you anton,"

she took a deep breath before she continued, "but my parents found out that i wasn't in my room during the afternoons and i was watched over by the maids. so i could only sneak out during the night when everyone was asleep. that night that i was supposed to see you, they found the tunnel i used to sneak out. it was barred and there were people taking guard so i had no way to see you. it was frustrating and i didn't know what to do. and on top of that, i had to prepare for the ball today. i really did want to see you anton. i'm glad i got to see you again,"

anton felt his heart slightly at ease that she didn't get into deep trouble by sneaking out. but there was something else that bothered him.

"what about prince wonbin? i heard that you were to be throned to him," he stammered, biting his lip.

"prince wonbin? oh no i only see him as my friend and nothing more. though it is true that i was supposed to be married to him, we both agreed that it wasn't something we wanted. i don't see him as a lover," anton felt the heavy-hearted feeling leave his chest and he could finally breathe again. he felt so relieved.

at this point, anton wasn't really sure what she was talking about anymore. something about how wonbin and her were childhood friends and their parents being friends. but his focus was on her facial expression, how she was furrowing her brows and grimacing at the thought of dating him, how her plump lips were moving, the sparkle in her eyes, and how the moonlight made her look so angelic. he felt bad for not paying close attention to what she was saying.

when akari was done rambling, she noticed the soft tender look in anton's eyes, as well as the smile that was displayed on his face. he looked adorable. she swore that she had never felt butterflies in her stomach until now.

anton slowly closed the distance between them so that their shoulders touched. his pinky reaching out for hers.

"can i kiss you?" breathed anton, his voice quiet and shy. but he couldn't help himself. to be with her was all he wanted right now. his heart was pounding so loud he could only hear his heart ringing in his ears.

anton caressed her face, as she leaned into him, closing the distance between the two as their lips collided with each other. once they separated, anton's face flushed, looking away. he felt like his heart could burst at any minute.

building the courage to look back at her again, his heart raced even faster as she laughed at him, her cheeks as rosy as the roses in the garden.

hearing the sound of the ensemble finally playing, akira stood up, offering her hand to the boy, "would you like a dance with me?"

anton rolled his eyes jokingly, grinning as he accepted her hand.

"just so you know, i've never danced before," confessed anton, placing a hand around her waist and the other on her shoulder while both of her hands rested on his broad shoulders.

"well i'm glad to be your first then," smiled akira as they swayed to the music, basking under the moonlight.

"you're everything i've ever dreamed of, princess," gushed anton.

"don't call me that," snorted akira. she leaned her head against his chest, hearing the fast pacing of his heartbeat.

"is it okay? for a person like me to be in love with you. i mean. i'm just a normal person," spoke anton, a hint of sadness in his voice, "i work at a bar and you...you're a princess,"

"i'm just a person like everyone else. and i want you to see me as me," akari stopped swaying to the music and lifted her head to face anton. she brushed away a long strand of hair that covered his face, "and besides, i love you as you are my prince,"

anton felt like he could've died happy right there and then. if it was even possible, he was blushing even harder.

"and i love you as you are,"

tilting his head down, anton closed the space between them again, his soft lips meeting hers as he brought her closer by the waist.

under the moonlight, they professed their love for each other and shared a happy ending.

[connieslover]

𝙞 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞'𝙫𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩

⋆｡𖦹°‧★ ࿐ a shy cellist finds himself falling in love with a mysterious girl who visits him every afternoon (part one).

𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘪 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯

☆ princess!oc x cellist!anton

☆ fluff, royal au

(suggested listening: laufey, what falling in love feels like)

the tall brunette hummed quietly as his long fingers grazed against the guitars on display. chatters and sounds of clinking glasses filled the store.

anton worked as a server, as well as an occasional performer at the town's bar and instrument shop. wanting to support his family and his younger brother, he gladly accepted the job offer when the owner found out that he had a knack for playing the cello.

noticing that one of the guitars was dusty, he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, held the neck of the guitar, and slid the handkerchief across the frets, removing the dust.

as he did so, he felt the weight of someone bump into his back, causing him to stumble on his feet.

"oh my god im so sorry!" a girl stood before him, her hands gripping the beige fabric of her dress. she wore a beige-colored dress with long sleeves as well as a brown hood that sat on her shoulders. she had brown hair that was tied into one long braid. her round eyes met anton's and for a second, he felt like the air was knocked out of his lungs. he had never seen such a beautiful person. he couldn't even call her beautiful for it felt like the word was undeserving for her.

anton blinked, bringing himself back to reality, "oh no it's alright,"

his voice was quiet and soft like velvet. anton quickly averted his gaze from the girl, stuffing his handkerchief from his pocket.

"do you work here?" she asked the boy.

anton nodded his head and for some reason, he couldn't find the courage to meet her eyes. was he even deserving to look at someone as beautiful as her?

"i've always wanted to visit here. there's such an array of instruments. if i could, i'd love to play all of them," she beamed as she looked around the store.

"you can always try out the instruments if you'd like," spoke anton, watching as she walked around the store, curiosity lingering in her eyes.

she turned to face the boy with excited round eyes, "really? i'd love that," she walked towards anton, "by the way, what's your name?"

"anton lee. and yours?" anton sheepishly answered, flattered that she asked for his name.

"akari," replied the girl.

'akari. what a fitting name for such a girl whose presence was radiating with such elegance, light, and beauty,' anton thought himself.

akari's eyes flickered to the clock that was displayed on the wall. her mouth opened slightly before she hurriedly wore the hood back onto her head.

"i have to leave now but i'll come back tomorrow. it was nice meeting you, anton." she smiled at him before she walked out of the store. the way she said his name made his heart flutter. he'd love to hear her say his name again and he was already looking forward to the next day.

⭑･ﾟﾟ･:༅｡.｡༅:ﾟ::✼✿　　✿✼:ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

anton was sitting on a chair, resting his chin on the palm of his hand as he stared at the small stage. occasionally, his eyes would flicker to the clock. his feet tapped against the ground feeling slightly impatient and nervous. the sound of the bell from the door rang, diverting his attention to whoever entered the store.

to his pleasure, it was the person that had been on his mind the whole night. akari entered the store with the same hoodie that she wore the previous day. but today, her hair was tied into bun and she wore a brown dress that was the same color as her eyes.

"anton!" she greeted him, her lips curling into a smile.

"hi akira," anton greeted back, standing from his seat and dusting off the invisible dirt from his pants.

"god i couldn't sleep at all last night. i kept thinking about what instrument to play. but after a long thought, i think i'd like to try out the guitar today," akira's hands moved animatedly as she spoke, there was a glistening look of excitement in her eyes.

"do you have any experience of playing an instrument?" curiously asked anton.

akira nodded to his question, "i know how to play the piano. well i was forced to," her voice turned quiet towards the end of the sentence and anton being the attentive person he was, was quick to note it.

"i-i'd love to hear you play," anton bashfully said, making akira grin.

"i'll play for you one day. now let's get a guitar!"

the two sat across each other. on akira's lap was a light brown colored guitar and on anton's lap was a dark brown colored one.

"so...how do you play a chord on this?" asked akira as she strummed the first few strings of the guitar.

"it's fairly easy to play and memorize the chords on a guitar. this chord for instance is a g chord," anton demonstrated by strumming the chord and akira tried to copy his finger placements.

"and this one is a d chord,"

"this is an f chord, it's a bit trickier to play," anton watched as akira's pointer finger stretched out across the fret, the rest of her slim fingers struggling to stay put on the frets.

"here, if you use this finger instead it's easier," anton leaned closer, changing the placements of her fingers. he noticed the difference in the size of their hands, how her fingers were smaller, and how her nails were neatly trimmed.

"i think i got it," exclaimed akira as she strummed the said chord.

"i have a chart for all the guitar chords if you're interested," anton brought up. akira nodded eagerly.

a few short minutes later anton came back with a sheet of paper in his hand. he sat back down in his seat and handed akira the sheet of chords. akira looked at the sheet in her hands.

"did you draw the chord charts yourself?" questioned akira, noticing the smudges of pencil here and there.

"yeah i did," sheepishly answered anton, fiddling with the strings of the guitar.

"that's amazing. your handwriting is super neat. this is going to be so helpful," akira looked up from the sheet, her eyes meeting anton's brown doe eyes, "thank you,"

anton felt the heat rising to his cheeks and he quickly averted her gaze, stammering "it's nothing really,"

⭑･ﾟﾟ･:༅｡.｡༅:ﾟ::✼✿　　✿✼:ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

over the next few days, anton spent his afternoon with akira, teaching her how to play the guitar. he enjoyed the time he spent with her, whether it was silently watching her practice, listening to her hum ever so often, or even listening to one of her rambles.

"oh come on anton! you work at an instrument store how do you not know how to play the saxophone?" queried akira, the saxophone in her hands.

"i don't know how to play all the instruments. i wish i did though," anton waved his hands, defending himself.

"just try it at least," akira shoved the saxophone in his hands. he couldn't say no to the desperate look in her eyes.

"fine," he murmured.

anton took a deep breath before he blew into the reed, pressing the keys in hope that something sounded right. anton created the most disharmonic noises possibly known to mankind. it was as if someone jumbled up three songs and hoped for the best.

akira found it amusing, bursting out into laughter. her laugh was just like the rest of her- genuine and sweet. her eyes were crinkled, her teeth showing just slightly. her laughter could brighten up the whole room. and she was laughing all because of him. anton was proud of himself that he was able to evoke such a joyous emotion from her just by playing the wrong keys on the saxophone. he felt slightly embarrassed at the fact that he played so terribly that she found it hilarious but nevertheless, anton found himself smiling, ignoring the flutter of his heart and how the tips of his ears were reddening.

"actually, never mind. never play the saxophone again," akira said in between laughter as she held her stomach.

"come on now, i don't think i was that bad," joked anton, putting the saxophone back in its place.

"well, if you never practice and learn, you'll definitely become a world class saxophonist," teased akira, her cheeks flushed pink from all the laughter.

"yeah yeah i'd like to see you try to play the saxophone," anton rolled his eyes earning a head shake from the girl.

"no thank you,"

akira glanced at the clock on the wall and let out a gasp. she hurriedly packed her belongings into the small pouch she always brought with her.

"oh god i'm gonna be late. i have to go anton," she worried, wearing her hood.

"i'll see you tomorrow?" anton asked, tilting his head slightly with his hands in his pocket.

akira smiled and nodded her head, bidding goodbye to the boy.

⭑･ﾟﾟ･:༅｡.｡༅:ﾟ::✼✿　　✿✼:ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

the next day, akira didn't come.

she wasn't there the day after that as well.

anton ran his fingers through his hair as he checked the clock on the wall for what seemed like the hundredth time of the day. many thoughts ran through his head throughout the day.

what if she got into trouble? what if she found another store to go to? what if she got bored of him? what if she moved to a different city? did i do something wrong?

akira was a mysterious girl. anton always wondered why she had such a specific curfew and why she always had a hood on her. not once had he seen her without one. there was something odd about her that he couldn't place his finger on.

aside from the many questions anton had about akira, he also wondered why he felt distraught that she didn't visit him.

his eyes glazed over the bar, watching as people clink their glasses together and chatter amongst themselves.

"why do you keep staring at the time?" anton's head snapped to the person beside him, startled.

"it's nothing sohee...." he sighed, adjusting the black tie around his collar.

his older friend sohee raised a brow at him, crossing his arms he asked, "are you looking for someone? perhaps the girl whose been visiting you these past few days?"

a bashful look overtook anton's face and he cleared his throat, "w-what are you talking about?"

sohee rolled his eyes and placed his hand on the taller boy's shoulder, "oh anton you know exactly what girl i've been talking about. some of the other workers have mentioned her. how is she like? is she pretty? is she nice?"

"she's the most amazing person ever. she has this aura that's just so... alluring. i don't know how to describe her. i can't find the right words to," anton breathed, her smiling face appearing in his mind.

"sounds like my friend is in love," sohee cooed with a teasing grin.

"in love? what? no no she's just my friend," denied anton shaking his head.

"i don't know who would describe their friend as 'the most amazing person ever'," retorted sohee, "you literally have heart eyes right now,"

anton bit his lip, trying to deny the fact that he was falling in love with a girl he'd just met over a week ago.

"i have to meet her! if she comes again you better introduce me to her," sohee chirped before he scurried elsewhere to serve a customer.

"anton, you're up in five."

anton let out a sigh and made his way to the side of the stage where his cello was waiting for him. once the previous performer had finished performing their song, anton made his way to the stage. the sleeves of the work blouse he wore was rolled up to his elbows, his firm veins on display.

the crowd cheered for anton as he introduced himself. he didn't perform every night, only once every few days or maybe once a week. he was a bit shy and he hated being in the limelight for too long but performing for the bar was good money so he couldn't really complain.

anton took in a deep breath before he started playing the new piece he learned. he pressed against the strings of the cello, using his bow to express all the notes. he played the cello beautifully like it was an extension of himself. as he closed his eyes, immersing himself in the music he wished that akira was here.

the crowd applauded loudly for anton once he was finished. whoops, claps, and cheers were heard around the room as he fluttered his eyes open. to his surprise, his eyes were met with a familiar pair.

it was fairly dark but he could see the faint silhouette of a hooded girl at the back of the crowd. her brown eyes were glued onto him and he couldn't tell if it was the lights but her eyes were sparkling, almost teary-eyed. anton's heart raced, and he had to blink twice to make sure that he wasn't seeing things.

anton rushed to take a bow and pack his cello back into his case. he squirmed through the crowd, muttering small thanks to the people who complimented his performance. all he could think about was akira.

and there she was, standing in the corner of the bar wearing a silky long white nightgown. like the first time he saw her, her hair was tied into a long braid that laid over her shoulder.

"akira," he breathed, the grip on his strap tightened. he noticed the look in her eyes, how it was a contortion of gloom and something else.

"you play the cello so beautifully. i never knew that you could play," admired akira.

the corners of anton's lips curved into a small smile, "thank you akira. and you never really asked,"

akira giggled quietly before the two of them were engulfed in silence. in the background was the next performer playing the violin.

"why didn't you come the other day?" anton broke the silence. akira looked away with a troubled gaze which only made anton worry more.

"my parents found out that i've been sneaking out. and since then, it was harder for me to find a way and time to sneak out. i'm really sorry for not coming," explained akira as she fiddled with the strings of her hood.

"hey, it's alright. but you shouldn't be sneaking out. i'd hate for you to get into more trouble," anton remarked as he leaned against the wall beside akira, glancing at her worriedly.

akira bit her lip, "it's hard not to when this is the only freedom i have. visiting you...this place is the only place where i can feel like i can truly be myself. where i don't have to worry so much about my future, who i am, who i want to be, and what to do. it's like my little getaway,"

"you don't have to worry about anything when you're here. you're always welcome here," comforted anton, bumping his shoulder with hers. akira looked distressed and anton could see it. he noticed the foreign expression displayed on her face and the furrowed brows and forwn did not go unnoticed by him. akira finally smiled, having to tilt her head slightly to look up at him which made his stomach swirl.

"if you'd like you can come here anytime you're able to," suggested anton ignoring the subtle flutter of his heart.

akira's eyes rounded, batting her long lashes like an excited dog she asked, "really? is that possible?"

"well i'm sure the owner wouldn't mind if i let you in the shop during closing hours," anton rubbed the nape of his neck praying that the owner would be fine with the idea.

"would after midnight be fine? i won't be able to go out during broad daylight," asked akira.

"it should be fine. i'll ask the owner for you,"

"thank you so much anton!" beamed akira, feeling giddy. anton smiled to himself, delighted that she looked happy.

⭑･ﾟﾟ･:༅｡.｡༅:ﾟ::✼✿　　✿✼:ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

"the store looks so much different now that it's midnight," hummed akira as she walked around the store. the only light was from the streetlights outside the bar as well as the moonlight that seeped through the windows. what once was a bar filled with loud conversations shared amongst strangers and loud music was gone.

akira made her way to the piano, sitting on the leathered piano bench.

"is it alright if i play the piano?" asked akira.

"of course you can. i'd be delighted to hear you play," answered anton, sitting in the empty space beside her. the piano bench was just big enough for the two of them to sit. they were close enough that their shoulders brushed against each other.

akira's fingers grazed against the keyboards, feeling the familiar hard and cold keys under her fingers. she gracefully pressed the keys, stepping onto the pedals with her flats. a euphonious sound filled the room.

there was something about the way her face was illuminated by the moonlight, the way her eyes closed at certain parts of the song, the way her brown hair framed her face, and the way she turned to look at him with stars in her eyes that he'd count that made him realize,

fuck, he was in love.

roses began to creep beneath anton's cheeks when akira shyly adverted his eyes. they were so close that anton could smell the light scent of the perfume she wore. she smelled clean, like lilacs and vanilla. the fluttering in his chest grew louder, ringing in his ears. he was afraid that akira could hear his racing heartbeat.

akira tucked the strands of her hair behind her ears as she grinned at anton. 'has he always been this handsome?' she thought to herself. she had never realized how gorgeous he was now that they were close. his dark hair fell over his rounded eyes that were looking at her like she was the moon. he had a nose gifted by the gods, heck his whole face was carefully hand-sculpted by angels. his pink lips were curved into a small smile. a crimson adorned her face as she realized that she was staring at him for a bit too long. she diverted her attention to the keyboard in front of her, an unfamiliar feeling taking over her.

"you're amazing," gushed anton, "i-i mean your piano! when you play the piano...it's gorgeous," stuttered anton, earning a chuckle from the girl.

"thank you. we should play together, as a duet one day," suggested akira, tapping her fingers against the keys.

"i'd love to play with you," admitted anton, loving the suggestion.

silence fell over the two teenagers before akira turned to face the boy.

"hey anton...there's something i need to tell you,"

"what is it?" asked anton, suddenly feeling nervous.

"i..." akira paused for a moment, a faltering gaze in her eyes before she looked away from anton, "actually it's nothing. nevermind,"

"you can tell me anything," anton placed his larger hands over akira's, surprising himself with the bold action.

akira forced a smile, "maybe it's not the right time yet. but i'll tell you, soon."

the next night, akira didn't show.

[connieslover]

⋆｡𖦹°‧★ ࿐ headcanons of how the riize members would act when they're crushing on you

☆ idol!reader x idol!riize

osaki shotaro

★ he would try SOOOO hard to try and not look at you... like he sees you and your group walking to the middle of the stage and he's hiding behind sungchan trying to sneak a glance

★ when your group is performing he'd bop his head and sing your lines

★ would try and learn your dances every time you have a comeback

★ you bowed at him once and his smile grew even larger if that was even possible. Like. he'd just be thinking about that one interaction throughout the whole event

song eunseok

★ super super discrete about his crush that even the members don't know (right until sohee teased him and eunseok got super angry)

★ the only time he'd stare at you is if you were on the screen and he'd look so stoic but on the inside, he'd be squealing about how gorgeous you looked

★ every time you pass by him he'd hold his breath for some reason

★ constantly checks if yours and his group's comeback schedules aligned and whenever it did he'd cheer, happy that he had a chance to see you

jung sungchan

★ he's super friendly and kind so he'd smile and greet you every chance he has

★ dances along to your songs whenever you perform

★ one time he accidentally bumped into you because he didn't see you and he panicked, ran, and got embarrassed

★ he'd try and find a chance to stay back longer during award show endings/music show encores just to be around you and see you

park wonbin

★ GODD the first time you met eye contact he was so quick to look away and you were afraid he hated you or something... just because of the way he was staring at you like 0_0

★ will try to position himself so that he's standing near you/your group

★ tries to be slick at sneaking glances at you but miserably fails because anton always calls him out

★ though he doesn't smile often in public, whenever you passed by he'd try his best to smile at you

hong seunghan

★ lowkey grits his teeth whenever he sees you interacting with another male idol that's not him

★ accidentally outs himself as a fan of your group on a variety show

★ every time you show up on screen he would be so in awe like he'd stop dancing/singing and just stare in silence

★ gets so excited whenever the two of you share a small interaction like bowing at each other

lee sohee

★ he is rarely speechless and the first time he saw you...he couldn't form words and speak properly

★ would become more energetic every time he knows that you're around

★ whenever there's a random play dance session and your song plays he'd jump out of his seat

★ the members would tease and nudge him whenever your group was around and his ears would flush red

lee chanyoung

★ oh my cutie patootie anton would shrink himself whenever you passed by him

★ finds the opportunity to glance at you from time to time but he wouldn't make it obvious

★ memorizes your lines, he would listen to your songs on repeat all-day just to hear ur voice

★ smiles to himself whenever he sees you on screen and the members r just like... Awww our maknae is so crushing

[connieslover]

𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙥 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨

⋆｡𖦹°‧★ ࿐ headcanons of you being partnered up with the riize members for music bank  

☆ idol!reader x idol!riize

first evuh riize hc... Many more to come teehee

osaki shotaro

★ BOYYY was he a nervous wreck when the two of you first met... but nevertheless he kept smiling like :D

★ you two always devoured the tiktok challenges and every idol just loved filming with the two of you because you dance so great tgt!!

★ shotaro would sometimes ask you for help with pronunciation and u'd always gladly help him

★ he wasn't afraid to interact with you more confidently on camera when the two of you got to know each other better

song eunseok

★ lowkey... the first few interviews you did together were awkward

★ the two of you became closer to each other when you realized you both loved watching anime and for the first time, eunseok couldn't stop talking

★ ngl even though it's scripted he'd love it when you'd have to say flirty lines/compliment him

★ he would get shy whenever you're interviewing him and his group because they'd be teasing him afterward

jung sungchan

★ you best believe that everyone would obsess over your height difference because mf is literally a giant

★ whenever you accidentally mess up your lines sungchan will quickly cover for you

★ whenever it's time for you and your group to promote he'd be your BIGGEST hypeman

★ absolutely a fan of the matching mc outfits

park wonbin

★ like eunseok, i feel like the first few interviews you have together would be awkward

★ the type to discreetly stare and glance at you during interviews

★ he messed up once and he got so upset but he was glad that you were there to cheer him up and cover for him

★ Lowk would hate it whenever he wasn't free to mc because that would mean seeing you mc with another guy

hong seunghan

★ he was shy at first but he became super confident and loved teasing you on and off-camera

★ i feel like he'd have sm selfies of the two of you together but he'd never post them because he's afraid of what the fans would say </3

★ would be SOOO excited to do the tiktok challenges with you

★ before the interviews he'd nudge you on the shoulder and the two of you would fight back and forth

lee sohee

★ just like sungchan, he would be super supportive whenever you promoted

★ the brightest sunshine ever... the two of you would have sm fun together and the guests would be comfortable

★ whenever both of your groups would promote at the same time he'd be so excited Like he'd just go to your room and ask to practice (he already has his lines memorised)

★ he made the cute iconic nickname for the two of you

lee chanyoung

★ boy was super shy and nervous the first time you met...like he was so timid

★ the staff would constantly tell him that he was being too quiet but you'd be there to reassure him and make him more comfortable

★ super giggly and loves it when you laugh and hide your face behind the cue cards

★ definitely cried on his last day mc-ing with you

[connieslover]

thinkin of doing a ts songs x riize member one shot series... what do yall think

[connieslover]

good looking

｡༅:*ﾟ𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘺𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘪 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭

feeling conflicted, lonesome and unwanted, cat noir finds comfort in his classmate yuki on a rooftop of a stranger’s house. 

inspired by suki waterhouse’s good looking (im so obsessed with this song KNSDKFNK)

✩ fluff, slight angst (very slight)

✩ minor season 4 miraculous spoilers

✩ fem!oc x cat noir 

yuki hummed along to the tune of her favourite song with her hands inside the pocket of her oversized grey hoodie as she took careless steps on the tiles of a strangers rooftop.

yuki loved strolling. whether it was on a sidewalk, the beach or even on a strangers rooftop. it was her favourite getaway activity. whenever she wanted to clear her head, or when she was bored or even to have some peace from her family, she was strolling by herself.

yuki stopped in her tracks once she heard a voice. she carefully hid behind a chimney, squinting her eyes to take a better look at the person. 

it was a silhouette of black. if she hadn’t stopped momentarily in her stroll she might not have noticed him as he blended in with the night sky. with prominent cat ears sticking out of his blonde locks, yuki knew very well who he was.

‘cat noir...?’ she mumbled to herself.

“i don’t get it...what is it that i don’t have? im charming, responsible (at times) and funny! what other traits do i need to make her like me?” he sighed, out stretching his arms and letting himself lay on the brick tile.

his eyes fluttered shut, “ill never be good enough,”

“mind if i sit here?” 

the voice of another person startled the superhero, making him immediately rise up from his position and bumping foreheads with the other figure.

“oh gosh i’m so sorry!” apologised the blonde, acknowledging the other figure who was rubbing her forehead.

it was his classmate, yuki kugisaki who was a fairly new transfer student from japan. her parents were part of gabriel agreste’s small circle of close relations. he wouldn’t say that they were close friends but just good acquaintances. 

“yuki?” 

“you know my name?” the long haired female raised her brow at the superhero.

“uh i- of course i do! i’m paris’s superhero so of course i know everyone’s name,” cat noir blurted, waving his hands frantically. 

“that’s....cool?” yuki wasn’t completely assured that it was true but she shrugged it off.

“so what are you doing here?” yuki asked, pulling the grey hood off her head.

“i should be asking you that. how did you get on a rooftop?” cat noir crossed his arms.

“well obviously i used my hi tech converse shoes that allows me to jump meters from the ground and fly from roof top to roof top,”

cat noir’s eyes flickered to her black shoes, “really?”

“of course not!” yuki rolled her eyes in a joking manner, “i just climbed,”

“well you’re a really great climber,” praised cat noir, “not as good as me though,”

“yeah yeah whatever so anyways are you going to answer my question?” she asked again.

cat noir let out a deep sigh and switched his gaze to the sky, “i just needed some alone time. i’ve been feeling so conflicted these days,” 

“was i ruining your alone time?oh god im so sorry i should leave-” 

“it’s okay you can stay,” cat noir cut off her sentence, “i’ve been having a bit too much alone time these days anyways...” he pressed his lips together.

“well um you can talk to me about it if you want but i won’t force you or anything because if you want to keep things private thats fine too since you’re a superhero and all! but sometimes it’s good to let things out instead of bottling them up. trust me, i know. if you need an ear i’m always here. well not to give you my ear but to listen. i’m a great listener,” yuki blabbered, her hands flying everywhere as she talked.

a small smile made it’s way onto cat noir’s face, “thank you yuki,”

the male bit his lip, debating whether or not he should open up to her. as long as he didn’t mention anything that surrounded his secret identity it would be fine.

“nowadays i feel like ladybug doesn’t need me anymore. it used to be just me and her. but now its me, her and a bunch of new other superheroes. well... i guess i’m partly to blame as to why we need new superheroes. i’ve been busy with my personal life that i’m not always there to help ladybug when theres an akumatization,” he paused, “i wish i could be with her all the time. but i know that i can’t. with all these new superheroes i feel like i’m just another one of her sidekicks and...another one of her admirers.”

cat noir brought his knees against his chest, his eyes glistening with tears that he’s kept in for so long that threatened to fall, “im in love with her. im in love with someone whose in love with someone else. i know that she’ll never love me and it’s the most painful thing ever,” his voice trembled with such pain and heartbreak.

yuki moved closer to the male, bringing her own knees to her chest. 

“ladybug needs you and you need ladybug. i know i’m not really anyone to say this but her chemistry with you is much more different than with the other new superheroes. i can tell how much you cherish your relationship with her and i’m pretty sure that she cherishes it as much as you do.” yuki turned to face the male, “if i was a superhero, i’d be delighted to have you as my partner,”

“and as for your romance situation...love is...difficult. it always is a difficult thing. i’ve seen my mom break into pieces because of love. its powerful, scary and beautiful. you can’t force love. maybe one day ladybug will see you more as a partner. but in the meantime try your best to make her see all the best parts of you and all the parts she’s missing,” yuki’s mouth curved up into a smile, “remember that you’re not just a sidekick. you’re cat noir! a super cool, super good looking superhero whose funny (at times) and that you’re a person too,”

cat noir was absolutely speechless at her genuine and kind words. how was it possible that she was able to say such nice things that could make him feel so much better? he had never felt more calm and comforted by a person ever before until he talked to her. 

the corners of his eyes crinkled, “yuki...thank you. your words mean a lot to me,”

“it’s no problem really. superheroes need some comforting too,” grinned yuki, patting his shoulder. he had never had the chance to take in the appearance of the female up close. her eyes were dark, almost like a deep abyss you could get lost in. he could see his own reflection in her bright eyes, along with the twinkles of the city lights. her dark jet black hair moved ever so slightly when the wind breezed. she was enchanting.

realising that he had been staring for too long, cat noir cleared his throat and looked away, with reddening cheeks.

the two remained silent as they stared at the sky. the night sky was aglow with bright lights from the street lamps. the pale crescent moon shone so brightly and mystical that it was nearly impossible to look away from it.

the sound of yuki’s alarm broke the silence between the two. the female fished her phone from the pocket of her hoodie, eyes rounding at the time. she had to leave before her family got suspicious about her whereabouts. she hastily jumped from the roof, letting out a yelp as she felt one of the tiles underneath her shoe slide, making her lose balance. 

“maybe your super hi tech converse shoes needs some repairs,” grinned the cat. his arm was around her waist and the other was on her shoulder. now that he was standing in front of her, she never noticed his height nor how he oddly smelled like camembert. 

a flush crept up yuki’s face as she laughed at his joke, “yeah i should take it for repairs then,” 

realising that cat noir was still holding onto her she cleared her throat, “well um i have to go back home soon incase my family becomes suspicious of me. i’ll see you soon?”

cat noir smiled softly, “yeah, see you soon.”

he watched as she bidded goodbye to him and skilfully run across the rooftops. during the time he spent with her, not once did ladybug come across his mind.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

AAA I FINISHED SEASON 4. i Feel so Empty. ANYWHO LMK IF U WANT A PART TWO SLAYYY  

[connieslover]

homesick

(08) 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵! ☆ 𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘺𝘱𝘦𝘯'𝘴 8𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘶

୨୧ 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘪𝘬𝘪 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘬

masterlist | read on wattpad!

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙  

riki nisihimura. that is the name of ENHYPEN'S youngest member (preferably called niki). being the only full foreigner on the team, there were a lot of things he had to sacrifice in order to be where he was today. he had to sacrifice his childhood in exchange for his trainee years. he had to move away from his dear and beloved family.

the boy was at the ripe age of fifteen, holding the title of maknae in his group. there existed instances where he felt alone. he had trouble from time to time understanding the korean language. well... he wasn't to blame. he wasn't native to the country so he couldn't be 100% fluent in the language. he was extremely grateful to his members for helping him learn the language, teaching him to understand it better. he was even more grateful to his fellow member's jay and yuki for speaking to him in japanese, making him a bit more comfortable.

there were times when niki thought about the life he had back in japan. he often thought about how his life would've been if he had never come to korea and debuted in ENHYPEN. he would be with his family, continuing school, and probably retained healthy hair. but he was happy with his choice. he finally got to pursue his dreams.

or was he happy?

niki was often conflicted with his own emotions. sometimes his homesickness would get the best of him. the poor fifteen-year-old boy was stranded away from his family and so he would put up a facade, pretending that moving to korea was the best decision he ever made. niki missed his family so bad. he didn't know when the next time he would see them be. well, if he was ever able to again.

a single tear rolled down his cheek. the more he wiped them away, the more they kept coming down. he sniffled as he curled himself under the blanket, thankful that he was the only one in the room at the moment. he hated for the members to see him in his vulnerable state.

niki thought about his family and how much he wanted to be with them so bad.

in the midst of his cry, he heard a faint voice, "niki? niki?"

niki remained under his blanket, biting his lip to refrain any sobs from escaping. he quietly waited under his blanket, hoping that they wouldn't approach him.

"niki, i know you're under the blanket,"

niki slowly peeled the blanket away from his face, quickly wiping away his tears in a harsh manner before he got up, his head facing downwards.

"hey, what's wrong?" he felt a hand gently placed on his shoulder, urging him to look up. the female in front of him stared at him with concern and worry, gaze gentle.

niki felt the walls of his throat constrict. almost as if he was struggling to swallow down all the painful emotions he was feeling. niki sighed heavily, letting his head drop once more. yuki wrapped her arms around his back, pulling him into her embrace.

niki found himself crying on her shoulder. his sobs weren't loud but fairly quiet. but his sobs carried heavy emotions in them. he had been keeping his emotions in for so long.

"i'm right here. it's okay," she whispered in their native language. her graceful fingers caressed his head slowly. niki found comfort in her hug, reminding him of the time he was comforted by his own mother.

once his sobs had quietened down, yuki pulled away from him, placing a hand on his shoulder, "would you like to tell me what's on your mind?"

niki hesitated for a moment but he nodded his head. before he could speak, he was cut off,

"but first, lay here," yuki comfortably laid down on his single bed and patted the space next to her.

"w-where?" he questioned, tilting his head in slight confusion.

"next to me you idiot," stuttered yuki in embarrassment, looking away to hide her tinted cheeks.

warmth spread on niki's cheeks as he finally understood yuki's words . he was reluctant at first but gave in. he squeezed himself on the single bed, squirming beside yuki. there was barely space in between their heads as their hairs mangled together. with just the slightest movement, niki could feel yuki's hand.

"okay, you can tell me what's on your mind now," yuki cleared her throat.

"i....i feel homesick," sniffled niki. yuki remained quiet, allowing niki to continue

"sometimes i wonder what it would've been like if i stayed in japan instead of moving here. but if i did, i wouldn't have been able to debut in ENHYPEN and meet you all. i haven't seen my family in a year and i miss them a lot. i wish i could see them right now," niki took a pause in his words, allowing himself to calm down for a bit before continuing, "i don't know when will be the next time i could see them...sometimes i ask myself if i am doing the right thing?"

"i understand you niki. i miss my family too. especially my cat. it's alright to feel homesick. we all feel homesick a little sometimes. i know that you will be able to see your family soon. they miss you as much as you miss them," her head turned to face niki who was staring above,  "i think that you're doing the right thing. you always wanted to become a kpop idol right? well now, you're pursuing your dreams. there's so much in store for you in the future. you're so talented and so young. i know your parents are happy with the decision you made. you have to continue making them proud,"

yuki's words had made him calm down. all his negative thoughts seemed to have flown out the window by just the little words she had said. they meant a lot to him. niki couldn't remember when was the last time he was properly comforted.

niki's hands rested on top of yuki's palm, giving it a small squeeze(which was quite a bold move for a fifteen-year-old if i do say so myself).

he turned his head, "thank you yuki,"

their noses were barely inches away. at the close proximity, the two immediately turned their heads to the other side, suddenly feeling shy. this had made niki's heart race (how unfortunate for the boy since he had just calmed down).

"oh um, it's no problem," yuki cleared her throat for the second time of the day, her eyes wandering around the room. she didn't want to recall how beautiful his brown eyes were up close. the glossiness from when he was crying made them even prettier. there was a sort of depth in his eyes that made her intrigued. she shook her thoughts away.

the two remained silent, too busy in their own thoughts.

there was such warmth that radiated from yuki. it was exactly what niki needed at this moment. being with her made him feel calm. he felt like he truly could be himself around her. though at times she was hard to read, that was what made her interesting. those were the last thoughts he had in his head before he drifted off into sleep was how grateful he was for her.

at the stillness of the room, yuki whispered "niki?"

she turned her head, a small smile making its way onto her lips as she saw the younger male. his lids were closed and he was breathing slow but evenly. his lips were slightly parted, quiet snores coming out from his mouth.

yuki was about to get up from the bunk bed before she felt his hand grip hers. she was startled at the sudden contact.

"stay," she looked back at the japanese boy who was still resting on the bed peacefully, eyelids still closed. yuki groaned before she fell back onto the bed.

"maybe a five-minute nap won't be so bad," she yawned, eyelids slowly dropping.

niki woke up about an hour later, letting out a yawn. there was an uncomfortably heavy feeling on his shoulder and arm. not wanting to move his head, niki glanced at yuki's sleeping figure beside him. her head was snuggled beside his neck. he could feel her breathing against his neck. he stared at her sleeping face, taking every detail of her facial feature. his breath hitched at the sight of her exposed collarbone due to the very oversized cardigan she was wearing. he let out a small shout, accidentally pushing yuki off his single bed.

yuki yelped at the sudden contact between her and the wooden floor which instantly woken her up. she groggily got up on her two feet, furrowing her brows at the younger male.

"i can't believe you just pushed me off the bed!" she exclaimed, adjusting her oversized top.

"s-sorry i didn't mean to do that," niki frantically apologized, hoping that yuki didn't take note of how red his ears were.

the sound of their dorm room opening along with chatters of loud males made them divert their attention.

"niki you idiot. if you ever need to talk to someone im here," she murmured (it sounded more like a threat to him). and with that the young female stormed out of their room, rubbing her sore arm.

"what's up with yuki?" queried jay who had just entered the room, removing his jacket while doing so.

"im not sure,"

jay raised his brows, watching the boy bite back a smile as he hid his face in the pillow.

"kids these days..."