part two :ย https://connieslover.tumblr.com/post/646834471134429184/wounded-soul-part-two
โงห*ยฐเฟ you work as a nurse in a hospital and youโre 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.ย
you were late, for the third time of the week.ย
well, who couldnโt 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.ย
you ran into the hospital, ignoring the stares of the staffs and patients as you eagerly searched for your co-worker.
โoi y/n! there you are,โ you heard your co-worker call out,ย โlate again huh?โ
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.ย
โpeople here really donโt take their jobs seriouslyโ
โtch, as if you werenโt partying last night too,โ 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.ย
โwhatever. anyways, these are soldiers who are facing psychological problems due to the war. i already checked every patientโs details. youโre assigned to kruger,โ 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.
โi donโt know about you but he looks homeless to me,โ he leaned in to whisper to you.
you rolled your eyes before looking through the medical details of kruger on your board.
โpoor thing. he mustโve really suffered during the war,โ you sighed, feeling empathetic for him. you walked over to the male with a soft smile on your face,
โhello kruger, iโm y/n. from today onwards, iโll be your nurse. if you need anything, feel free to call me,โย
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.ย
โw-well iโll bring you into your room,โ 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.ย
โiโll start checking on your vitals,โ you announced. after a temperature measure, reading his pulse and checking his blood pressure, you could deem that he was fine.
โokay, it seemโs that youโre all good, kruger,โ 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 didnโt want to make matters worse for the poor soul. but curiosity ate you up.ย
โkruger, do you mind if i ask you a question about the war...?โ you asked with great caution. krugerโs facial features remained stoic as he stared at you.ย
โi understand if you donโt want to talk about it though! iโm sorry, i shouldnโt have asked,โ you spluttered, waving your hand around frantically.
โthe war was hell. i never imagined that humanityโs greatest enemy is humanity itself. titanโs were flying everywhere. it was a repulsive sight.โ 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.ย
your facial expression contorted into pity, mixed with slight fear.
โyou mustโve went through a lot kruger. i sincerely thank you for fighting for marley,โ all of a sudden, you had a jolt of enthusiasm coursing through your body,ย ย โi will do my best to take care of you!โ
โso....how was kruger?โ your co-worker sneaked up behind you, giving you a startle.ย
โoh my god, donโt scare me like that!โ you scolded, hitting him lightly on his shoulders.
he only chuckled before repeating his question,ย โso are you going to tell me how kruger was or ?โ
โhe seems very...closed off. he doesnโt answer a lot of my questions. i donโt know what else i can say about that. the war mustโve traumatised him really badly,โ you sighed, crossing your arms on your chest.
โand he was only fifteen when he enlisted,โ added your co-worker. he checked his wrist watch and patted your shoulder,ย โi gotta go now, see you later y/n.โ you nodded and bid him goodbye.
โwell, i guess i should be looking for kruger,โ 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.
โfalco?โย
falcoโs 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.ย
โi havenโt 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,โ 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 wasnโt 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.
โi told you weโd make it back alive,โ he chirped, lips forming into a smile.ย
โyou made marley proud,โ you ruffled his hair once again. your eyes then darted to kruger who had been watching the two of you the whole time.ย โso, i see that youโve made a friend,โ
โmr.kruger here has been giving my encouraging words- oh, speaking of words i have to deliver a letter he wrote. iโll see you soon y/n!โ with a letter in his hand and the other waving at you, falco was off running to the post. a small smile made itโs way to your face. you sat down on the bench, beside kruger.
โyou seem to get along well with falco. how did you two meet?โ you asked.
โhe helped me the other day. itโs good that we get along well,โ he simply responded, looking into the direction falco ran.
โhis 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,โ you started,ย โiโm so proud of falco for becoming a warrior candidate. im hoping that heโll inherit a titan too,โ
โwhy are you telling me this?โ kruger could only question.
"donโt ask him to send letters for you, they might get suspicious. so instead, iโll deliver your letters from now on,โ you said. kruger only nodded to your words.
an awkward silence engulfed the two of you.
remembering something, you excitedly jumped on your feet,ย โkruger, let me bring you somewhere,โ
the male rose a brow,ย โwhere?โ
โyouโll see,โ you grinned, helping him stand up. the walk to your secret place was silent well, asides from your occasional humming.ย
โweโre here!โย
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.
โcome sit,โ 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.ย
surprisingly, it was kruger who broke the silence.ย
โafter the festival, iโm going to go back home,โ
โoh, i see. your family must be worried about you,โย
โso, how are your family like back home?โ
you swore you saw krugerโs eye twitch for a second. pain sprawled on his face and disappeared quickly like lightning.ย
โmy parents are dead,โ he stated emotionlessly. your mouth flew open.
โiโm so sorry, i shouldnโt have asked,โ you apologised, cursing to yourself in your head.
โitโs 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...โ you gazed upon kruger. although his emerald eyes had a dullness to them, you couldnโt ignore the sadness that often glinted.ย
โthatโs nice. i havenโt seen my own family in a while...but itโs okay since i have falco... and the rest,โ you slowly laid down on your blanket, crossing your arms behind your head which acted as a cushion.ย โweโre both people with broken families huh?โ
โyeah...โ
you were too occupied at staring at the sky to notice kruger who was staring at your resting state.
ย he was eager to hear your thoughts.
โsay...what do you think about the devils of paradis?โ
you were silent for a couple of seconds before you spoke,ย โwell, everyone says that only devils live on that island. devils who turned our world into hell and selfishly made their own utopia.ย โwe eldians have devoted our lives as we atone for the unspeakableย historyย we brought to marley. because we are virtuous eldians,โ.ย virtuous eldianโs my ass.โย
โno one deserves the fate of turning into a mindless titan. after all, at the end of the day, no matter who we are, weโre all just humans right? i bet there are kind people on paradis too. not just devils. we canโt just judge a race we donโt have a lot of knowledge about. actually, we shouldnโt even judge a person based on their race. so iโd like to believe that the people on paradis arenโt devils,โ you finished speaking.ย
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 werenโt devils. and that everyone was one and the same.
you had earned his respect.
'sheโll get along well with armin,โ
โwhat about you?โย
flustered by your question, kruger cleared his throat,ย โi donโt think they are devils too,โ
days passed with you continuously doing the regular routine of checking krugerโs vitals, sending his letters, you sharing your own stories and bringing falco to talk to him.ย
you didnโt know how but visiting krugerโs hospital room became something you looked forward to doing everyday. it was something about his mysterious aura that made you interested in him.ย
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.ย
the two of you were walking around the outdoors of the hospital asย โphysical activityโ was something kruger lacked.ย
โand then after the party, my friend reiner started throwing up everywhere so badly he couldnโt get out of his bed the next day. and guess what? when he woke up, the first thing he did was vomit. on me!โ you rambled about your story of reiner throwing up, your hands moving animatedly as you talked.ย
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 wasnโt even paying to the words you said, and instead he was just staring at you. with an unexplainable feeling and admiration.ย
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.
โsorry y/n, i guess i was too excited,โ he apologised, picking up the sheets of paper that were once in your hands and now on the floor.ย
โitโs alright falco,โ 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.
โwhat are those?โ he asked.
โthose are y/nโs secret works,โ whispered falco to the taller man. you shot falco aย โwhy did you say that look?โ beforeย hiding the files behind your back.
kruger raised a brow at you,ย โsecret experiments?โ
your mind came into a blur as you tried to give an excuse.
โsecret works? w-who said that? falco was just joking. after all im just a nurse...iโm way too busy for secrets. falco, tell kruger you were joking,โ you gave a fake chuckle and nudged the boyโs side. falco simply blinked before understanding what you were doing.
โoh yeah i was just joking kruger. y/n would never experiment on anything. sheโs too clumsy!โ the both of you shared an obviously fake laughter.ย
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.
โwelcome to my little lab,โ
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. krugerโs eyes moved to the shelves that had bottles of unknown substances.
โso, do you mind telling me what your secret works is all about?โ questioned kruger.ย
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,
โfast regen number four,โ
โmy 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 doesnโt exist here in marley. and so, i just decided to become a nurse,โ you explained your upbringing and interest in titans.
โy/n couldnโt give up on her fascination with titans though. and so~ she started playing around with zekeโs spinal fluid and started creating weird serums and stuff,โ chimed in falco. you puffed your cheeks with air in embarrassment.ย
โi wasnโt playing around falco, i was experimenting!โ
"are the serums in that shelf?โ kruger asked, pointing to the dusty shelf.
โyup,โ you grabbed one of the serum bottles from the shelves,ย โiโm currently developing a tonic that speeds up the regeneration for shifter titans. it could be handy for when theyโre in war,โย
โwhat else have you been thinking of developing?โ
โyouโre one curious fella arenโt you?โ you chuckled.
โso far only the faster regeneration tonic and stimulants that can make a titanโs power stronger for a period of time,โ you answered showing kruger a sheet of paper that had a messily written recipe.
โhange would go crazy if she saw this,โ kruger muttered, just loud enough so that you could hear.
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 wasnโt sitting on his bed, waiting for you like usual.ย
slightly panicked, you ran to your co-worker, asking him if he knew about the whereabouts of kruger.
โkruger? i saw him leave the hospital a while ago....โ
you immediately ran outside the hospital, eyes surveying the perimeter. you didnโt see the familiar long browned hair male.ย
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 didnโt 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 wasnโt aching anymore when you saw his figure.
relieved that you found him, you quietly sat down beside him.ย
โyou gave me a scare. i thought you had ran away,โ you chuckled, then laying down onto the blanket. you closed your eyes, your chest heaving up and down.
โfreedom.โ was all he said. you remained quiet, allowing him to continue.
โthe only thing i want is freedom. for me, and the people in my hometown. iโll do anything it takes...to acquire that freedom for them,โ krugerโs emerald eyes gazed upon the horizon. the hues of orange and red from the sunset reflected in his eyes.
โwhat do you think is freedom, y/n?โ
โfreedom feels unreachable but the closest thing to freedom for me is being with you. i donโt know how to explain it but being with you feels like this. a cool breeze, relaxing with no worries and-โ 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.ย
โwhat were you saying?โ
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.ย
the male scooted closer to you and placed your head on his lap.
kruger didnโt 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 oneโs who were injured, how you had such strong beliefs, how you didnโt care about the whole history of eldianโs and especially, how he felt like when he was with you.
he hasnโt felt this way with anyone before.
though he inherited visions of the future from his titan powers, he didnโt 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.ย
a person who he had to often remind himself was one of his enemies.ย
his thoughts were cut off when he heard your voice,
โgood morning kruger! you canโt guess what happened to-โ
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 krugerโs lips. his lips were turned upwards and the corner of his eyeโs 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 didnโt 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.ย
โhow dare you laugh at me,โ 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.
โi havenโt laughed in a while,โ kruger confessed, his lips slowly returning back to itโs neutral frown.
โwell, iโm happy that i made you smile,โ
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.
โs-sorry. youโll be leaving tomorrow right?โ you stammered, wanting to change the conversation.ย
kruger didnโt respond to your question and instead said,ย โletโs go for a walk.โ
the two of you were walking next to each other, admiring the silence between the two of you.ย
โyouโre the first person i have ever brought to my secret place,โ you hummed. your feet stopped. you then turned to face kruger,
โi never knew that i could ever befriend a patient. thank you, kruger.โย
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.ย
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.ย
but he knew that your smile wouldnโt last.ย
โactually, my name is eren,โ
you blinked twice.
โeren?โ you repeated, letting his real name roll off your tongue. the male nodded.
โeren...is a nice name,โ
โi hope to see you again in the future, y/n,โ and with that, the two of you remained silent.ย
๐เญญห. แตแต๏ฝก๐งท๐ฆนยฐ headcanons of how the &team members would crush on you if you were an idol
โญ idol! &team x idol! reader
โญ fluff
first time writing for &team.. Kinda nervous..
koga yudai (k) โ โหโก
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ i can see him either being Really discreet about his little crush on you or just a little bit obvious
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ obvious in a way where he BEGS his members to be the one to film a dance challenge with your group's new song
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ discreet in a way where he pretends like his gaze on you doesn't linger for too long during encores
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ 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 โ โหโก
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ 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
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ he LOVESS watching you perform, immediately #Locked in when you're on screen
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ he'd purposely walk past your group's waiting room a few times in the hopes that you'd bump into him
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ 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) โ โหโก โชโช
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ 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
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ plays your group's song during one of his lives and smoothly talks about how he loves your group's music
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ 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
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ 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) โ โหโก โชโช
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ 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 searchesโชโชโฌ
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ 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
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ 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
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ he instantly turns red, bowing and apologising profusely (the members tease him about it till this day)
nakakita yuma โ โหโก โชโช
โชโชโค๏ธ โฌ 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
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ but backstage when you're performing, he's singing your lines with eyes glued to the screenโชโช
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ 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
โชโชโค๏ธโฌ 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 โ โหโก
โชโชโค๏ธ โฌ 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)
โชโชโค๏ธ โฌ 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)
โชโชโค๏ธ โฌbecause 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
โชโชโค๏ธ โฌhe 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 โ โหโก
โชโชโค๏ธ โฌ his crush on you goes undetected by his members because it doesn't show on his face
โชโชโค๏ธ โฌbut it becomes very obvious when you congratulate his group for their korean debut, and specifically, complimenting him for his facial expressions, he's Beaming
โชโชโค๏ธ โฌgets very excited when your schedules align, which means that he gets the chance to see you more !!
โชโชโค๏ธ โฌbravely 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 โ โหโก
โชโชโค๏ธ 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
โชโชโค๏ธ purposefully positions himself so that he's close to you during encores
โชโชโค๏ธ 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
โชโชโค๏ธ 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) โ โหโก
โชโชโค๏ธ unlike some of his members, he's pretty open about his crush on you
โชโชโค๏ธ plays your group's music 24/7, even going as far as recommending one of your songs on one of his lives
โชโชโค๏ธ he does Not fear eye contact and interactions, casually and naturally making eye contact with you during interviews, award shows, and encores
โชโชโค๏ธ 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)
โแฐ word count: 10.9k
โแฐ genre: fantasy, romance, slow burn, action, werewolf!jo, siren!oc, mythic worldbuilding
โแฐ 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
โแฐ author's note: introducing something i've been brewing for abit! here's part 1 of the veilborne saga โ 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 Joโs ears twitch. His paws made no sound on the damp earth as he moved along the edge of his packโs territory. Normally, the patrols were routine, boring, uneventful โ but tonight, something felt off.ย
A faint shimmer caught his eyes near the waterโs edge. Moonlight danced across the surface, glinting off something that didnโt belong. He froze, ears flicking, muscles recoiling.ย
There she was.ย
Half-submerged, her raven hair floating across the water, chest rising in uneven breaths.ย
A human?ย
It was laughable really, as much as everyone liked to say magical beings and humans could coexist peacefully, it just wasnโt true. And for some human to even think step into the borders of a packโs camp was downright insane.ย
Jo inched closer. Her skinโฆ it glimmered faintly, iridescent, almost ethereal. She wasnโt human. But still insane. Insane enough to walk straight into a wolfโs den. That much he could tell instinctively.ย
She noticed him at the same time, eyes widening in alarm. An immediate hiss, low and defiant escaped her lips. Thatโs when he noticed the blood.ย
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.ย
โWho are you?โ He said, voice low.ย
She flinched but didnโt answer, tensing as if ready to strike. Her tailโor what he assumed was a tailโ swished in agitation, water splashing against the rocks. He caught a flicker of clawsโor fins?โshining beneath the surface. Joโs instincts screamed that she was dangerous, unpredictable.ย
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 wasnโt an immediate threat.ย
First mistake.ย
The creature lashes out, a reflexive swipe that caught his arm. Another swipe that he barely managed to twist aside, avoiding her.ย
โCareful,โ he muttered, but his tone was steady, not angry. โIโm not your enemy.โย
Second mistake.ย
She glared at him, teeth bared โ 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 couldโve caused that.ย
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.ย
He stepped closer, slowly, deliberately, trying to shake off the drunk feeling. Seriously, what is that?ย
Letting his presence calm her without breaking her space. โYouโre hurt,โ he said quietly. โYou need help.โย
Third mistake.
A split second of looking into her eyes sends a shock down Joโs spine.ย
Siren.ย
His mind buzzed. Light, unfocused.ย
Her humming swelled, soft and dangerous.ย
Beautiful. Too beautiful.ย
Fuck, am I seriously going to die here?ย
โYou need help.โ He tries again, sounding more helpless than before.ย
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.ย
Joโs jaw tightened. He couldnโt leave her thereโnot like this. Not in his territory. After all, thatโs what the patrols were for.ย
โIโll take you back to my pack,โ Carefully, he extended his arm. โSafe. No one will hurt you there.โ He promised.ย
Her eyes juggled between him, the water and back to him again. There was defiance, yes, but also somethingโฆ a flicker of trust.ย
โFine,โ she murmured, almost reluctantly.ย
Jo allowed himself a small, controlled exhale.ย
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.ย
Wolves stirred from their dens, some already baring their teeth.ย
Murmurs rose like a storm.ย
โIs that a siren?โ
โWhat the hell was he thinking bringing her here?โย
โSheโll kill us in our sleepโjust wait.โย
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.ย
Nicholas was the first to step forward, jaw tight, eyes dark.ย
โYouโve lost your fucking mind Jo,โ He spat, circling like he was already preparing to strike. โBringing that into our camp? Do you have any idea what youโve done?โ
โSheโs hurt,โ Jo shot back, voice low but firm. โShe wonโt make it through the night out there.โย
Nicholas sneered. โGood. Let the sea finish what it started.โ His gaze slid to her, dripping with venom. โShe doesnโt belong here.โย
Harua cut in, pushing past Nicholas. His hands hovered over her wounds, healerโs instincts kicking in. โSheโs burned. Frostbite too. These are fatal if untreated.โ He looked at Jo, then at the alphaโs den. โShe needs care.โย
The tension broke as Euijoo emerged from the shadows. His presence silenced the whispers instantly. The alphaโs gaze was heavy, unreadable as it lingered on the siren in Joโs arms.ย
โExplain.โย
Jo tightened his grip unconsciously, barely meeting his leaderโs eyes. โI found her on the border. Injured. She wasnโt attacking โ she was barely breathing. I couldnโt leave her.โย
โAnd the claw marks on your arm?โย
Right. She technically did attack him.ย
Euijooโs expression didnโt change as he continue, โYou thought it wise to bring a siren into our den?โย
Dozens of eyes burned into Joโs back, their silence louder than any growl.ย
Joโs throat worked, but he didnโt look away. โSheโll stay. Just until sheโs healed enough to return to the waters.โย
Before Euijoo could respond, Nicholasย stepped forward, growl rumbling low in his chest. โNo. She doesnโt get to stay at all.โ His fists clenched. โWe know what they are. Liars. Manipulators. Killers. Youโre letting her put every single one of us at risk!โย
The siren stirred at his words, her lips pulling back in the faintest hiss, โOh boohoo. Mister big bad wolf trembling at the sight of a siren.โ She mumbled but Nicholas noticed it instantly. His temper snapped.ย
โThe mouth on this oneโโย
He lunged before anyone could stop him.ย
Jo shifted immediately, dropping the girl behind him as he intercepted Nicholas. Claws scraped across dirt as the two collided.ย
Even half-dead, she still had fight in her. Jo didnโt know if it made her reckless or braveโor both.
โEnough!โ Jo snarled, shoving him back. โSheโs injured, Nicholas!โ
Nicholasโ eyes blazed. โThatโs when theyโre the most dangerous! You know this Jo.โ His voice rose, sharp with hatred. โOr are you so bewitched you canโt even see it?โ
Behind Jo, the siren pushed herself unsteadily to her feet, blood still trickling down her arms. She didnโt speakโshe didnโt 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.ย
In an instant, Jo was back at her side, bracing her before she could collapse again.ย
Nicholas lunged once more, eyes blazing with fury. But this time, Euijooโs voice cracked through the camp like thunder.ย
โStand down.โย
The weight of the alphaโs command froze them all. Even Nicholas, panting with rage, stopped mid-step. Jo felt his chest tighten. If Euijoo casts her out now, she wouldnโt last an hour out there. But if she stayedโฆ the whole pack could turn on him.
Euijooโs gaze swept over the girl who was growing paler by the minute, then to Jo, then back to Nicholas. His voice was steady, final.ย
โShe stays. One night.โย
โShe can barely breatheโโย
โAre you kidding? Weโve lost enough to her kindโโ Jo and Nicholasโ voices overlapped.
โOne. Night.โ Euijooโs tone cuts them both down. He turned on his heel. โHaura, treat her.โย
Jo exhaled slowly, tension leaving his shoulders.ย
โAnd Jo?โ Euijoo called without looking back. โYouโre responsible for her. If anything happens to her, and gods forbid anything happens to anyone in my pack, it is your head Iโm coming for.โย
He bowed his head in acknowledgement.ย
Nicholasโ lips curled back in a snarl- the siren couldnโt help but wonder if his face was just permanently like thatโbut he didnโt argue again. Instead, he spat on the ground and stalked into his den.ย
The sirenโs 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.ย
Harua crouched beside her again, holding a clay bowl of something orange and steaming. โDrink.โ He ordered, pressing it into her hands.ย
She sniffed it and wrinkled her nose. โThat smells like death.โย
โYouโre going to be closer to death if you donโt drink this. Itโll stop the burns from festering.โ Harua said simply, waiting.ย
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.ย
In the common room, Yuma leaned lazily against the wall, voice carrying as he spoke. โThey say the tides near the coast are boiling. Whole fishing villages abandoning their boats. Leviathan rising up again.โ His eyes gleamed with mischief. โSounds like the start of one of those old myths.โย
The sirenโs voice cut sharp through the air, stronger than it had been since she arrived. โItโs not a myth. The Shattersea War has begun.โย
Every head turned.ย
Jo froze where he stood. Fumaโs expression didnโt change, but his eyes sharpened. Nicholas gave a short, humorless laugh, โOf course. Trust a siren to drag war to our doorstep.โย
The siren ignored him, eyes fixed on the wolves around her. โThe Leviathans want dominion over all waters. We sang them back into the depths for centuries, but theyโve grown restless. They struck first. My podโฆโ Her voice cracked slightly, but she forced it steady. โThey didnโt survive.โย
The room went still. Even Yuma lost his easy grin.ย
Jo felt the words cut through him, but before he could speak, Nicholas stepped forward, sneering. โSo what now? You expect us to pity you? To hide you while your kind calls monsters to our shores?โ
Her eyes narrowed, a flash of steel. โI didnโt come to beg wolves for pity.โย
In a heartbeat, Jo was between them, his stance low, protective. โEnough,โ he growled, voice rougher than he meant.ย
Nicholasโ gaze flicked to Joโs shoulder brushing hers, the instinctive way Jo shielded her without thought, the way Joโs paws brushed her scaly claws just slightly. His eyes lingered.ย
โInteresting.โ Nicholas muttered, before storming out.ย
Silence hung heavy until Fuma broke it, turning to Euijoo. โIf the Shattersea War has begun, keeping her here may be dangerousโฆ but sending her back could be worse.โย
Euijooโs jaw clenched, He looked at the siren, then at Jo, who hadnโt moved an inch from her side.ย
โShe stays another night,โ the alpha decided. โThen weโll see.โย
โWhat? The siren?โย
โYou said the siren was only going to be here one nightโโ
โEuijoo, weโre talking about a sirenโโย
โShe doesnโt belong here, she could lure anyone into the sea!โ
The pack didnโt bother to hide their whispers.ย
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.ย
โSiren.โ She pushed herself upright, voice sharp and cutting, startling the pack into silence. โYou keep saying it as if Iโm a threat, as if Iโm some monster you need to fear.โ She shoved herself fully onto her feet, shoulders squared, News flash: Iโm the one who got attacked trying to protect my pod. And I have a name.โย
All eyes shifted to her. Even Jo, though he had been near enough to hear her voice bubbling quietly, froze, pulse hitching.ย
โSyrena,โ She said, voice firm, carrying over the murmurs. โNot โthe siren.โ Syrena.โย
โOf course, Syrena.โ The alpha breaks the silence. He nods briefly in acknowledgement, โYou can stay one more night. And Iโm sure you understand when I say: Iโm just looking out for the safety of my pack.โย
Jo, already standing beside her, took a careful step closer. โSyrena,โ he repeated quietly, testing the word on his tongue. There was something satisfying in saying it aloud, something grounding, refreshing even.ย
โYes. Syrena,โ She confirmed, eyes softening for just a fraction of a second. The faintest hint of relief tugged at her features โ finally recognised, finally seen.ย
The othersโTaki, Maki and Kโ exchanged uncertain glances, slowly beginning to adjust to the idea of calling her by name.ย
Jo stayed close, but the weight of the packโs tension pressed against him. Before he could settle his thoughts, Fuma appeared next to him, voice low.ย
โJo. A word.โ
Joโs stomach twisted. He glanced at Syrena, whose eyes flickered toward him, sharp and questioning. He didnโt even notice that Syrena had interlaced their fingers together in the commotion.
Thereโs no way his brother in arms would shred her to pieces while he steps out for a little right?ย
โI got her. Go.โ Harua says simply, wrapping seaweed against the sirenโSyrenaโs arms.ย
Jo gave her a slight nod, promising heโd return, and followed Fuma into the morning mist.ย
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. โIโve been watching. Since you carried her into camp, youโve beenโฆ different.โ
Jo tensed. โSheโs injured. Iโm keeping her safe. Thatโs all.โ
โThatโs not what I mean.โ Fuma turned, eyes sharp but not unkind. โYou stand like a shield. You hover as though the moment you blink, sheโll vanish. That isnโt duty, Jo. Thatโs instinct.โย
Jo opened his mouth, closed it. His pulse pounded in his ears. โSheโs a siren.โย
Yeah right, as if that changed anything.ย
โYes.โ The beta tilted his head slightly. โAnd yet.โย
โI think,โ Fuma interrupted gently, โthat the bond between wolf and mate is not something you can ignore forever. Whether you admit it or not, your body already knows.โย
Jo dragged a hand through his hair, placing a short line across the forest floor. โThat canโt be. Not with her. Sheโs a siren.โย
โInstinct doesnโt care for reason,โ Fuma said, โBut Joโฆ if itโs true, it will divide the pack. Even now, with half the pack glaring daggers at herโyour instincts donโt lie. You need to think about what that means. Nico already feels the tension. And you know heโll only push harder.โย
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.ย
Thinking back about it now, Fuma was right. If it were anyone else, Jo figured he wouldnโt think twice, not allowing anything near his packโs borders. He valued their safety over anything else, his brothers.ย
Fuma laid a hand on his shoulder, steady. โYou need to decide how far youโre willing to go for her.โย
The beta glanced at the alphaโs den once, and itโs enough for Jo to understand.ย
โBefore Euijoo decides for you.โย
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.ย
He approached carefully, trying not to look too tense. โYouโฆ donโt have to worry about them right now,โ he murmured. โIโve got you.โย
Syrenaโs violet eyes lifted to him, narrowing slightly. โIโve been fine without a pack watching my every move.โ The way she puts pressure on the word โpackโ makes him flinch slightly, her tone sharp but not unkind. โDonโt start hovering.โย
โIโm not hovering,โ he insists almost sounding like a child whining, voice low, leaning against the doorway. โIโll justโฆbe nearby.โย
Before they could settle, Taki and Maki padded into the clearing, ears perked, tails flicking. Their eyes widened at the sight of her.ย
โSo sirenโฆโ Taki says slowly.ย
Syrenaโs lips twitched in irritation.
Taki is quick to correct himself, โOhโฆ right. Sorry, Syrena.โ
K finally emerged, moving silently as shadows, and observed her quietly. He didnโt 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. โYou all look like youโre trying to decode if Iโm going to eat you or not,โ she said dryly. Joโs chest tightened at the tension in her voice. Fuma has been rightโ his wolf knew before his mind did.ย
Taki and Maki exchanged uncertain glances, then nodded hesitantly, โWell Syrenaโฆโ Maki says her name like it left a foreign taste in his mouth, โUsually wolves are the ones who do the eating?โ He tried for a joke to which Syrena returns with a soft giggle which she masks quickly by coughing.ย
Jo swore it was the most beautiful sound heโd ever heard, his head snapping to look at her with a smile plastered on his face.ย
Harua, returning from tending to supplies, carried a small bowl with one of his gross concoctions. โDrink this,โ he instructed, gently pressing it toward Syrena. โItโll help with the burns and bruises.โ
Syrena sniffed at it, eyes begging Jo for help, then back at the bowl like it personally offended her. โYou wolves are obsessed with making me eat weird things,โ she muttered, but took the bowl anyways.ย
โYouโll get used to it.โ He said softly, his lips twitching.ย
Syrena raised an eyebrow. โI doubt it.โย
โWant me to hold your hand while you drink it?โ
โIโm not a child.โย
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 Haruaโs medicine. โGods, thatโs nasty.โย
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.ย
Even as the sun rose higher, Syrenaโs 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.ย
The Shattersea War was beginning and with it, everything was about to changeโย for Syrena, for Jo, and for the entire pack.ย
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.ย
Syrena tilted her head, violet eyes catching his yellow ones in the soft morning light. โI thought I told you not to hover.โ She said, tone teasing, but not harsh. โIโm fine. You donโt need toโฆpatrol my every breath.โย
Joโs fingers twitched over the fading marks on her skin. โIโฆIโm just making sure youโre okay,โ he muttered, avoiding her gaze. But even as he said it, the back of his mind hummed with something he didnโt 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.ย
โYou act like Iโm fragile or something. Iโve been through worse than this.โ She flicked her hair back, revealing a faint scar along her collarbone, a memory of a battle fought long before she came here.ย
โI know,โ Jo said, voice low. But the tightening in his chest betrayed him. โItโsโฆ not that.โ
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.ย
This isโฆ not normal.ย
Syrena leaned back slightly, resting her hands on the fur. โWell,โ She said softly, eyes glimmering with amusement, โIf you insist on hoveringโฆ I guess you can. But only if you really do insist.โ
Joโs lips twitched in a smile before he cleared his throat.ย
A sudden voice broke the moment. Yumaโs easy tone carried from the doorway, a grin plastered on his face. โHear 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?โย
Syrenaโs gaze sharpened instantly, โItโs not the start.,โ She corrected, voice firm, each word measured. โThe Shattersea War has already begun. The Leviathans attacked first.โย
Yuma whistled low, eyes now pointed towards the floor, โWell, that escalated fast.โย
โI donโt know why Euijoo is letting you linger here.โ Nicholas appears from the shadows, his gaze fixed on Syrena, sharp and dangerous. โDo you think your presence wonโt draw the Leviathans straight to our shores? Do you really think this pack will survive if they sense a siren on land?โย
Joโs hackles rose slightly, โNico, back off.โย
Nicholas ignored him, eyes rolling. โI donโt care about your feelings for her, Jo. Iโm talking about survival. The surface and the underwater worlds have never fought directlyโฆ but with the tensions rising now, never say never. And you know this.โย
Syrenaโs violet eyes met his, unblinking, not an inch of fear in them, โThen you understand why I was attacked,โ She said quietly. โThis isnโt just about me. Itโs war.โย
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 tryingโalbeit, unsuccessfullyโto lighten the mood.ย
Fumaโs earlier words echoed in his mind: Instinct doesnโt care for reason.ย
The air in the den thickened as Yumaโs probing shifted from the Leviathans to something sharper.ย
โYou keep saying your pod was attacked,โ One of his ears flopped down and one remained upright, โBut Iโve heard whispers, even in our world . The Leviathans arenโt just picking fights at random. Theyโre targeting kingdoms. Thrones.โ
Syrenaโs breath caught. Jo noticed โ the tiniest hitch in her throat, the way her fingers clenched the blanket tighter.ย
โI donโt know what youโve heard,โ she began carefully, eyes fixed on the brown muck that Harua made earlier for her, โBut Leviathans donโt move without reason. They want power. Sirensโฆ 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. โย
Nicholas couldnโt help but bare his fangs, โAnd where do you fit into that picture?โ
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. โI amโฆ or wasโฆ Princess of the Coral Spire. My family ruled the eastern waters for generations.โ Her voice wavered. โTheyโre gone now. Every one of them slaughtered.โย
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.ย
Jo couldnโt stay still. His wolf growled low, a warning he barely controlled. โYouโฆ Youโre royalty,โ he repeated. Voice rough.ย
Yuma muttered a low curse. Takiโs eyes widened, while K remained impassive, though the muscle in his jaw twitched. Nicholasโ face was carved from stone, though something flickered in his eyesโrecognition, perhaps even fear.ย
And then Euijoo stepped in. The alphaโs presence filled the room like a storm rolling over the sea. โSo the Leviathans arenโt just hunting sirens,โ he said slowly, eyes narrowing on Syrena. โTheyโre hunting you.โ
Her gazed flicked up , defiant despite the tremor in her voice. โI didnโt choose this. I didnโt ask to be born to a crown. But they wonโt stop until Iโm dead. And if they canโt find meโฆ theyโll kill anyone who harbours me.โย
That was the breaking point.ย
The alphaโs voice came out sharp, decisive, the tone that brooked no argument. โThen you cannot stay here.โย
Joโs chest constricted. โWhat?โย
โBy sundown, she leaves,โ Euijoo continued, eyes never leaving Syrena. โI will not risk the safety of this pack, not for one outsider. Not when her presence paints a target on all of us.โย
Jo stepped forward, โSheโs not just some outsiderโ"
โEnough,โ Euijoo snapped, silencing the room, โIโve been kind enough Jo. She is to leave by sundown.โย
The alpha turned to his pack, voice carrying the weight of command. โMaki, Taki, Yuma, Kโ youโll scour the ridges and the forest lines. I want eyes everywhere by nightfall. Fuma, Jo and Harua, youโre with meโ we need to fortify the eastern den. As for youโโ His gaze cut like ice towards Nicholas, โYouโll stay behind. Patrol the shore. Guard our main den.โย
Nicholas bristled, hatred flashing in his eyes, โWith all due respect, Alphaโ"
Euijoo spared him a quick glance which made the wolf dip his head in reluctant obedience.ย
Joโs throat tightened as he glanced at Syrena. Her face betrayed nothing, but her hands twisted in the blanket, and he could sense itโthe sting beneath her calm. The rejection. The dismissal.
Euijooโs voice softened slightly, though it still carried steel. โAnd you. You will leave before the moon rises, Syrena. For your safetyโฆ and for ours.โ
The silence that followed was heavier than any roar. Syrena didnโt 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- donโt let her go. His chest tightened, the pull sharp, primal. He turned away before the sound escaped him.ย
Fuma lingered by the entrance, watching him. โYou should breathe,โ he murmured.ย
Joโs hands flexed at his sides. โHe canโt just send her off,โ he said, too low, too rough. โSheโs still healing. If the rival pods are hunting herโ"
โThen Euijooโs not wrong,โ Fuma interrupted softly. โTheyโll come for her. And when they do, theyโll find us standing in their way.โย
โThatโs not what I meant.โ Joโs voice broke through the air like a snarl. He caught himself immediately, shoulders tense. โShe doesnโt have a home anymore. She wonโt survive out there alone. Not like this.โ
โThen what would you have him do?โ Fumaโs eyes glinted โ calm but heavy with meaning. โKeep her here? In our den? You know what that means, Jo.โ
Jo didnโt 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.
โYour wolf is loud tonight,โ he said. โToo loud to pretend.โย
Jo shot him a warning look. โDonโt start.โย
โJo.โย
The alphaโs tone. Commanding, sharp.ย
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.ย
โYou disagree with my decision.โ It wasnโt a question.ย
Jo stayed silent.ย
Euijoo turned, gaze piercing. โYou think I didnโt see the way you looked at her?โย
โIโm justโ"
โProtective,โ Euijoo finished for him, stepping closer. โIโve seen you protect pack mates. This is different.โย
Joโs jaw flexed. His wolf shifted beneath his skin, restless.ย
โFuma tells me your instincts are acting up,โ the alpha continued. โAnd now I understand why.โย
Joโs eyes flashed gold for a heartbeat. He forced them back. He canโt know yet.
โItโs not what you think.โ
โThen tell me what it is,โ Euijoo challenged. โBecause Iโve led this pack long enough to know when a wolfโs found his mate.โ
The words hit like a blow. Joโs breath caught, his pulse hammering in his throat.ย
Euijooโs exhaled slowly, expression unreadable. โA siren, Jo? Of all creatures beneath the wavesโฆโย
โI didnโt choose this,โ Jo growled. โYou think I want it? You think I asked for it?โย
Euijooโs tone stayed firm. โNo one ever does . But what we do choose is how we protect whatโs ours.โ He stepped closer, gaze heavy with the weight of command. โYouโd risk the pack for her. I can see it in you.โย
Joโs silence was answer enough.ย
The alpha nodded onceโ a quiet verdict. โShe leaves by sundown. Thatโs final.โย
Joโs wolf lunged inside him, clawing against his ribs, but he held still, knuckles white. โAt least, donโt leave her with him.โ His wolf reacted before he could, the hostility when he remembered Euijooโs orders of wanting Nicholas to stay back with Syrena at the den. โLet me do it.โย
โQuestion my orders one more time Jo,โ Euijoo said firmly. โYouโll find yourself out of the pack with your mate.โย
Jo wanted to argue, to tear the words apartโย but one look at the alpha told him it would be useless. He bowed his head, the gesture stiff, restrained.ย
Euijooโs voice softened just slightly. โWhatever bond your wolf feels? Control it. The packโs safety comes first. Always.โย
When Jo left the chamber, the firelight hit him again โ 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.ย
Joโs wolf stirred again โ that same relentless, instinctive pull toward her.ย
And he knew, as the sun began to set, that having her leave by sundown would destroy him long before it ever broke her.ย
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.ย
Jo lingered by the entrance, arms crossed, heart unsteady. Every movement she made drew attention โ not from curiosity, but because his instincts sparked at every flicker of her breath.ย
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.ย
โIโve got it,โ he said softly.ย
She blinked, โWhat did I say about hovering, wolf?โ
He hesitated, his hand still brushing hers. โMaybe I donโt have a choice.โย
For a moment, neither spoke. The forest outside thrummed with cicadas, the silence between them sharp and delicate.ย
Syrena looked away first, her jaw tense. โWhy do you care so much?โ she asked, almost a whisper. โYou should be glad Iโm leaving. Less trouble for your pack.โ
โIt doesnโt feel that way,โ he said, too quickly.
Her eyes flicked up, studying him. โYouโre strange.โ
โI get that a lot,โ he said, smiling faintly.
Her lips twitched, returning the smile for a split second. But then her gaze dropped, distant. โThe sea doesnโt forgive easily,โ she murmured. โWhen the Shattersea War began, I thought Iโd be the one to lead them home. I thoughtโฆ if I sang loud enough, maybe theyโd listen.โ She trailed off, swallowing hard. โBut the water only answered with silence.โ
The sound of her voice only lingered, low and salt-bitten, like a tide retreating too soon.
Joโs chest tightened. He wanted to reach out, to ease that ache in her voice, but something about her stillness warned him off. โYou still hum when you sleep,โ he said instead, quietly. โI can hear it from the next room.โ
Her head snapped up, a flush gracing her cheeks. โThatโsโ itโs not meant for wolves to hear.โ
โMaybe it was meant for me,โ he said simply.
The air stilled. Something fragile and warm passed between them โ unspoken, unacknowledged, but real.
Jo reached into his belt and pulled free a small pendant, carved from pale bone and tied with worn leather. โHere,โ he said, holding it out to her. โFor protection.โ
โItโs beautiful.โย
โItโs been passed down for generations in my family. Itโs a little silly, but I like to think it keeps me safe.โ He reached for the back of his head, scratching his neck.
โItโs not silly.โ Syrena frowned, uncertain. โBut you trust me with this?โ
โYou saved your pod,โ he said. โYouโve earned it.โ
Her fingers brushed his when she took it. The faint jolt of contact made his breath catch โ the wolf inside him howled in recognition. He steadied himself. She noticed, gaze flicking briefly to his hand before looking away, pretending not to.
โIโll make sure itโs returned,โ she murmured.
โIโm not worried about that,โ he said.
When he turned to leave, she caught him watching her once more. Her expression softened, almost imperceptibly. โJo,โ she said, voice low.
He paused.
โThank you.โ
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.ย
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 โ his damn wolf โ didnโt 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 goneโtheir 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 backโor 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.
โYou donโt have to stare holes into my back,โ Syrena murmured, without turning. โIf you want to say something, say it.โ
Nicholas exhaled through his nose. โI donโt trust you.โ
โI gathered.โ
โYouโre dangerous,โ he continued, stepping closer. โNot because of what you can do. Because of what follows you.โ
She finally turned, meeting his glare with unnerving calm. โYou think I donโt know that?โ
His jaw tightened. โThen why stay here? Why let himโโ he stopped himself, biting the word short.
Her brow arched. โLet him what?โ
โGet attached.โ The words left him like a growl. โYou saw what this does to him. To his wolf. He canโt even look at you without fighting himself.โ
Her lips parted slightly, as if the thought hadnโt fully formed until now. โThatโs not my doing.โ
Nicholas took another step forward. โMaybe not. But if the Leviathans are after you, theyโll come here. Theyโll tear through this place to find you. And Joโheโll tear through us to protect you.โ
Something in his tone โ not quite hatred, not quite fear โ 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 โ but below. From the sea.
Nicholas froze. His wolf senses sharpened instantly, nostrils flaring.ย
โYou feel that?โ
โFuck.โ Syrenaโs expression darkened. โTheyโve found me.โ
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 โ faint lights, like will-oโ-wisps flickering beneath the surface.
Nicholas swore under his breath, unsheathing the blade strapped to his thigh โHow many?โ
Syrena stood, her body already humming with the faint glow of siren power. โThree... maybe four scouts. But theyโre not alone. They never are.โ
โJo shouldโve been the one to stay,โ Nicholas muttered, eyes scanning the shoreline.
Her gaze flicked toward him, unreadable. โNo. You were right, Nicholas. You donโt trust me. You donโt have any reason to.โ
The first shape broke the surface โ 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.ย
โLet me handle this.โ Syrena braced herself, her hands curling.ย
Nicholas crouched low, growl tearing from his throat. โGet back.โ
Syrena ignored him, stepping forward as her voice deepened, carrying a resonance that wasnโt human โ ancient and commanding. The air vibrated, the water answering her call.
She whispered just loud enough for Nicholas to react just in time, โBack.โ
The nearest Leviathan flinched, its glowing eyes dimming momentarily โ 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. โThatโs your idea of warning?โ
Syrenaโs eyes burned violet. โThat was mercy.โ
And as the waves surged again, her song rose โ not gentle this time, but furious, the sound of a storm breaking free.
The song tore through the cove โ sharp, violent, heartbreakingly beautiful. Nicholas staggered against the stone wall, one hand pressed to his ear. The air itself seemed to warp under the sirenโs 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 โ but each wave brought them closer.
Syrenaโs 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.
โYou psycho siren,โ Nicholas gritted his teeth. โYouโll draw the whole ocean down on us!โ he growled, though she couldnโt hear him over the roar of the tide.
The first Leviathan lunged.
Nicholas moved before he thought โ instincts older than logic taking over. He met it mid-surge, blade flashing, claws bursting through his knuckles. The creatureโs 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 Syrenaโs voice cut through the air again. The Leviathan jerked back โ for half a second, its eyes went dull.
โMove!โ she shouted, her voice trembling with the effort.
He didnโt 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 โ once, twice โ 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 โ he assessed.
One siren. Three Leviathans. A broken tide.
She wasnโt 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, Joโs face flashed in his mind. The way his voice had cracked when he said, She wonโt survive alone.ย
Nicholas cursed under his breath, leaping back into the fray. โDamn it, Jo.โ
He lunged back into the fight, slashing through the next Leviathanโs flank. The creature screeched, thrashing, its tail knocking Nicholas off his feet โ 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.
โAlright thatโs enough,โ he growled, blood slicking his teeth. He tilted his head back and let loose a howl โ 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.
Fumaโs head snapped toward him, eyes narrowing. โThat was Nicholas.โ
Jo didnโt wait for orders. He was already running.
Back at the shore, Nicholas dropped to one knee, breathing hard. His claws were slick with blood โ 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. โIf you die,โ he said between breaths, โheโll never forgive me.โ
She looked up, eyes dazed. โThen fucking fight, wolf.โ
He smirked โ half a snarl, half a grin. โYouโre not giving orders down here, Princess.โ
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 didnโt 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 โ shattering against the stone walls of the cove.
Nicholas lunged after her. His claws caught the creatureโs 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 thenโ
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 โ 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.
Syrenaโs song faltered again โ 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 โ 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. โNicholasโ!โ
Then the sea exploded.
A wall of black water rose behind her โ 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 โ a desperate, broken sound โ before three more Leviathans surrounded him.
For a moment, all he could see was movement. Teeth. Claws. Water. Blood.
Then โ
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 โ fur pale as moonlight, eyes like steel. K.
He didnโt pause. His claws met scale, and the air filled with the sound of monsters dying.
More shapes burst through the trees โ 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 โ for a heartbeat, even monsters understood fear.
Joโs wolf didnโt. He didnโt hesitate. He didnโt even look at the others.
He tore straight past them โ 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.
Joโs 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. โJoโ!โ
But Jo didnโt hear. Couldnโt.
He was already gone โ swallowed by the sea and fury and the bond that refused to die.
The moment Jo disappeared beneath the surface, the pack howled โ the sound fractured, raw, and helpless.
The Leviathans didnโt retreat quietly. The remaining beasts writhed and lunged, their tails slamming against the rocks, furious that their prey had been stolen from them.
Kโs wolf met them first, white fur streaked with blood and seawater. His claws sank into a Leviathanโs eye socket, tearing through scale and flesh. Beside him, Euijooโs wolf โ darker, broader โ pinned another down while Fuma leapt over his back, jaws finding the creatureโs throat.
Nicholas staggered to his feet, ribs aching, vision blurred from blood. He watched the surf โ watched the sea churn where Jo had vanished โ and his heart lurched.
He took a step forward.
Fumaโs snarl stopped him cold.
โDonโt.โ The word came through his teeth, half-growl, half-command. He shifted back to his human form, chest heaving, blood slick down his neck. โYouโll drown before you find him.โ
โHeโs in there!โ 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. โAnd youโll be next if you keep this up. Weโre wolves, Nicholas. Land-born. We donโt belong below.โ
โButโโ
โEnough!โ Fuma slammed him against the rock wall. โThe old laws are clear โ the land does not interfere with the sea. They crossed that line first, and theyโll pay the price. We canโt.โ
Nicholasโs jaw clenched. He could still hear the faint echo of Joโs snarl somewhere beneath the crashing waves โ or maybe it was just his mind playing tricks. โSo we just let him die?โ
โWe hold the line,โ Fuma said, voice low, heavy. โItโs what heโd do for us.โ
Euijooโs wolf barked sharply โ 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.
โJo,โ he called quietly. The Alpha tone in his voice cracked for the first time that night. โIf you can hear meโฆ come back.โ
The sea didnโt 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 โ higher, lighter tones this time. The rest of the pack.
Yuma arrived first, panting hard, followed by Maki and Taki โ their faces pale at the sight before them. Harua brought up the rear, carrying a medicโs satchel that looked far too small for the blood spilling onto the rocks.
โWhereโs Jo?โ Yuma asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Euijoo didnโt look up. His eyes were fixed on the dark water. โUnder.โ
Harua dropped beside Nicholas immediately, checking his side where crimson soaked through fur and skin. โYouโre lucky,โ he muttered, pressing a cloth to the wound. โA few inches deeper and youโd be shark food.โ
Nicholas didnโt respond. His eyes were still on the waves, his body trembling from exhaustion and something colder.
Fuma dragged a hand through his soaked hair. โWe need to regroup. Get everyone back to the den.โ
K nodded, grim. โHeโll come back.โ
It was a statement, not a question โ but no one said it aloud that they all felt the same cold fear:
What if he didnโt?
Euijoo lingered one last moment at the waterโs edge. The Alpha inside him warred with the man. His instinct told him to dive โ 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. โBack to the den,โ he ordered, voice low. โNow.โ
The pack obeyed โ 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.
Joโs 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.
โJo! Focus!โ she shouted, her tail slicing through the currents with impossible grace. โMove with me!โ
He wanted to, he tried โ 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 โ and in that instant, everything shifted.
Then, instinct flared. His wolf โ dormant until now โ erupted in a surge of awareness and strength, muscles coiling, limbs extending. He gasped, and something strange happened: his throat didnโt burn. His lungs filled. He couldโฆ breathe.
Syrenaโs violet eyes widened as she saw him adapt, her hand reaching out. โThe myth,โ she said, voice trembling with awe and disbelief. โJoโฆ if a siren kisses youโโย
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 Syrenaโs hand, spinning to dodge a Leviathanโs 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 โ Joโs wolf instincts guiding every strike, Syrenaโs 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.
Syrenaโs 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 โ subtle now, but strong โ 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 โ electric, grounding โ steadied him. โWe can do this,โ she whispered, her voice carrying authority, calm and deadly.
For the first time, Jo realized: she wasnโt fragile. She wasnโt just a siren in need of protection. She was his equal โ powerful, unstoppable, and bound to him in a way that made the impossible feel like instinct.
A Leviathanโs 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 โ 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 โ her power, her fear, her determination โ 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 โ a coordinated force neither had ever known โ 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 โ 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 wasnโt 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 Syrenaโs hair, clinging to her scales, and for the first time since their arrival, she lookedโฆ 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. โSoโฆabout the kiss,โ she said quietly, the words almost drowned in the gentle lapping of the surf.
Jo grunted, awkwardly brushing wet hair from his face. โYeah. Iโฆ I didnโt think youโdโuhโฆโ He trailed off, eyes darting away.
ย โIt wasโnecessary.โ She added quickly, as if reading his thoughts.
Jo grunted, awkwardly brushing his hair from his face. โNecessary?โ He echoed.
A small laugh escaped her, uneven, nervous. โItโฆ made you stop dragging me under. And a sirenโs kiss helps any creature breathe underwater. Nothing more.โ
He tilted his head, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. โI donโt know why I believed that excuse, but Iโll let it slideโฆ this time.โ
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.
โJo,โ Euijooโs voice carried across the sand, commanding and precise, โcome here.โ
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 newcomersโwet, salty, and raw from battleโwas unmistakable.
โYouโve fought bravely. Protected your mate,โ Euijoo said, eyes flicking to Syrena. โThat bond changes everything. Protect her. Honor her. That is your responsibility as her mate and as a wolf of this pack.โ
Joโs jaw tightened. โI know.โ
Syrena, standing a few feet away, finally looked like she was processing the words, and the concept behind them. โMateโฆโ 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 thisโ 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. โFor wolves, mates areโฆ everything. Their wolf chooses. And once that bond is made, itโs for life. There is no replacing it, no bargaining with it. Only one mate, or the wolf slowly dies.โ His gazed shifted away, grief flickering through his expression. โThe old tales say itโs heartbreak. Some believe it. Some donโt.โ
Syrenaโs violet eyes widened. โOnly one?โ she asked. Her tone carried a note of disbelief. โEven ifโฆ even if the mate is a differentโฆ creature?โ
Kโs gaze flickered briefly to Jo and Syrena, then back to her. โYes. Unusual, but not rare. Instinct doesnโt care about species. Only the bond matters. It is powerful. Devastating if broken. Joโs wolfโฆ and your magic, your livesโtheyโre intertwined now. You may not understand it fully yet, but you will.โ
Syrena looked at Jo, really looked, and the soft haze of awe crossed her features. โSoโฆ thatโs why I felt something when I kissed you. Somethingโฆ alive, pulling me in. Not just instinct, not just your strength.โ
Joโs pulse hammered. โItโsโฆโ He trailed off, lost for words. The wolf inside him nudged, restless, aching to claim the space beside her. โItโs real,โ he finally said, voice low.
K nodded once, solemn. โIt is. And it will shape both of you, whether youโre ready or not.โ
A quiet settled over the den, charged with something newโpossibility, tension, and unspoken understanding. Syrenaโs 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.
โSyrenaโฆโ he started, voice low, careful. She paused, eyes meeting his. โYou donโt have toโฆ accept me as your mate. Thatโs your choice. Not mine. And donโt letโฆ what youโve heard about wolves dying without a mate scare you. Thatโsโฆ just K. His wolf chose his mate long ago. She disappearedโฆ weโve searched, tried everything, but sheโs gone. Heโs holding on only because he senses she might still be alive.โ
Her violet eyes softened, a flicker of understanding passing over her features. โI see,โ she murmured. โSoโฆ itโs not a requirement. Just instinct. Bond. Choice.โ
โExactly.โ He ran a hand through his damp hair, trying to keep the tremor in his voice steady. โYou can decide for yourself. Only you can decide.โ
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. โThenโฆ I accept.โ
Joโs heart leapt. โYouโฆ really?โ
โYes,โ she whispered, though her lips twitched as if she were half-surprised by her own words. โYou didnโt treat me like a monster. You risked your life for me.โ
She held her hand on his chest and Jo prayed that she couldnโt feel just how erratically his heart was beating. โYouโreโฆ something.โ Jo chuckled at her comment, pressing his forehead to hers.ย
โAnd I know better than to defy destiny.โย
โOh?โ He smirked faintly, โSo none of this,โ he motioned the gap between the two of them, โHas nothing to do with you maybe liking me a little bit?โย
Syrena stepped back, arching a brow. โExcuse me?โ
Now where did this confidence come from?ย
โI mean, Iโm just saying.โ Jo teased. โThe way you kissed me earlierโcould have sworn there were feelings involvedโโย
โJo!โ
He laughed, relief softening his chest. His wolf hummed, low and content beneath his skin. But the moment couldnโt lastโsundown was near.
โI have to go,โ she said, voice catching, and the faint shimmer of tears reflected the last light of the sun. โI need to see to what remains of my kingdomโฆ prepare the others for whatโs coming. The Leviathans have broken ancient laws. The warโฆ itโs only beginning.โ
He swallowed, hands clenching. โIโll wait for you,โ 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. โA pact,โ she said, voice soft. โEvery full moon, I will return. A week. To spend time with you. To update you on the war. And if everโฆ you need me,โ she pressed the shell into his hand, โcall. Iโll come.โ
Jo turned it over in his palm, the smooth surface cool and comforting. โIโฆ Iโll hold you to that,โ he murmured.
Her eyes glimmered, violet meeting gold. โYouโd better.โ
There was a beat of silence, a tension thick and unspoken, as if both of them were memorising the feel of the momentโthe brush of shoulders, the warmth of proximity, the pulse of instinct pulling at them.
Then, reluctantly, she stepped back, taking a deep breath. โI must go,โ she said firmly, though not without a flicker of hesitation in her gaze.
Jo nodded, trying to swallow the ache in his chest. โGoโฆ be safe,โ he said, voice low but steady. โIโll be here.โ
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, โSee you soon.โ 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 himโand 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. โSheโs made her choice. Youโre lucky. Most wolvesโฆโ His gaze flicked to Jo, serious. โMost wolves never get that chance. Donโt waste it.โ
Jo nodded, jaw tight, eyes still fixed on the horizon. โI wonโt.โ
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.
ห เผโก โ๏ฝกหโ๏ฝกโช headcanons of how the boynextdoor members would crush on you if you were an idol
โญ idol! boynextdoor x idol! reader
โญ fluff
park sungho ๐ โโญห.
โฆ super attentive whenever you're on screen
โฆ his eyes linger on you a little longer as opposed to everyone else
โฆ during the end-of-year stages he discreetly searches for u and purposely situates himself near you
โฆ i feel like he wouldn't be afraid of initiating anything so he would bow to you and even initiate small talk
lee sanghyuk โงโห :ย ๐ฆฆโ
โฆ he is Locked in whenever he sees you performing...watching u with literal heart eyes
โฆ 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
โฆ WOULD LOVEEE doing dance challenges with u
โฆ gives his 200% in award shows when he knows u're watching
myung jaehyun ๐ถ โด๏ธห๏ฝกโ
โฆ i think he would either be super energetic or calmer whenever you're around
โฆ 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
โฆ is seen jamming whenever you're performing!! he's a big supporter
โฆ gets super sulky when he's overseas/too busy to mc because that meant someone else would have to interview U...
han dongmin ห . ๊ท ๐โโฌ . ๐ฆน
โฆ 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!!
โฆ 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
โฆ would 100% watch ur fancams
โฆ Trying his best to be nonchalant when you're on the same stage but his members r always whispering and teasing
kim donghyun โงยฐ.๐โ
โฆ mr Nonchalant number 2...he would be so discrete with his little crush on u
โฆ would really only genuinely smile whenever the two of you meet on stage or pass by each other
โฆ 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!!
โฆ 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 หส๐งธษห
โฆ he would be trying so hard to be calm...composed... Cool even though he's Mr chalant
โฆ he accidentally bumped into you and he became a stuttering Mess and ran to jaehyun (it became viral on twitter)
โฆ would definitely be singing/dancing to ur songs during award shows
โฆ 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
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 itโผ๏ธ youโre doing a massive favour to seunghan & future sm idols. & youโre getting our voices heard, Keep at it :)
(For context they were asked to make a confident pose & anton & sungchan hinted at 7 )
โโโโโโ-
On another topic shotaro said โthere will be good news soon so please look forward to itโ 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 timeโผ๏ธ
โโ .โฆ (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.
โญ.แ 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.
(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,"
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.
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,"
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.
"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.
(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.
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,"
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.
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.
"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."
โ๏ฝก๐ฆนยฐโงโ เฟ headcanons of how the riize members would act when they're crushing on you
โ idol!reader x idol!riize
osaki shotaro
โ 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
โ when your group is performing he'd bop his head and sing your lines
โ would try and learn your dances every time you have a comeback
โ 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
โ super super discrete about his crush that even the members don't know (right until sohee teased him and eunseok got super angry)
โ 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
โ every time you pass by him he'd hold his breath for some reason
โ 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
โ he's super friendly and kind so he'd smile and greet you every chance he has
โ dances along to your songs whenever you perform
โ one time he accidentally bumped into you because he didn't see you and he panicked, ran, and got embarrassed
โ 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
โ 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
โ will try to position himself so that he's standing near you/your group
โ tries to be slick at sneaking glances at you but miserably fails because anton always calls him out
โ though he doesn't smile often in public, whenever you passed by he'd try his best to smile at you
hong seunghan
โ lowkey grits his teeth whenever he sees you interacting with another male idol that's not him
โ accidentally outs himself as a fan of your group on a variety show
โ every time you show up on screen he would be so in awe like he'd stop dancing/singing and just stare in silence
โ gets so excited whenever the two of you share a small interaction like bowing at each other
lee sohee
โ he is rarely speechless and the first time he saw you...he couldn't form words and speak properly
โ would become more energetic every time he knows that you're around
โ whenever there's a random play dance session and your song plays he'd jump out of his seat
โ the members would tease and nudge him whenever your group was around and his ears would flush red
lee chanyoung
โ oh my cutie patootie anton would shrink himself whenever you passed by him
โ finds the opportunity to glance at you from time to time but he wouldn't make it obvious
โ memorizes your lines, he would listen to your songs on repeat all-day just to hear ur voice
โ smiles to himself whenever he sees you on screen and the members r just like... Awww our maknae is so crushing
โ๏ฝก๐ฆนยฐโงโ เฟ headcanons of you being partnered up with the riize members for music bankย ย
โ idol!reader x idol!riize
first evuh riize hc... Many more to come teehee
osaki shotaro
โ BOYYY was he a nervous wreck when the two of you first met... but nevertheless he kept smiling like :D
โ you two always devoured the tiktok challenges and every idol just loved filming with the two of you because you dance so great tgt!!
โ shotaro would sometimes ask you for help with pronunciation and u'd always gladly help him
โ 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
โ lowkey... the first few interviews you did together were awkward
โ 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
โ ngl even though it's scripted he'd love it when you'd have to say flirty lines/compliment him
โ he would get shy whenever you're interviewing him and his group because they'd be teasing him afterward
jung sungchan
โ you best believe that everyone would obsess over your height difference because mf is literally a giant
โ whenever you accidentally mess up your lines sungchan will quickly cover for you
โ whenever it's time for you and your group to promote he'd be your BIGGEST hypeman
โ absolutely a fan of the matching mc outfits
park wonbin
โ like eunseok, i feel like the first few interviews you have together would be awkward
โ the type to discreetly stare and glance at you during interviews
โ 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
โ Lowk would hate it whenever he wasn't free to mc because that would mean seeing you mc with another guy
hong seunghan
โ he was shy at first but he became super confident and loved teasing you on and off-camera
โ 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
โ would be SOOO excited to do the tiktok challenges with you
โ before the interviews he'd nudge you on the shoulder and the two of you would fight back and forth
lee sohee
โ just like sungchan, he would be super supportive whenever you promoted
โ the brightest sunshine ever... the two of you would have sm fun together and the guests would be comfortable
โ 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)
โ he made the cute iconic nickname for the two of you
lee chanyoung
โ boy was super shy and nervous the first time you met...like he was so timid
โ 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
โ super giggly and loves it when you laugh and hide your face behind the cue cards
โ definitely cried on his last day mc-ing with you
feeling conflicted, lonesome and unwanted, cat noir finds comfort in his classmate yuki on a rooftop of a strangerโs house.ย
inspired by suki waterhouseโs good looking (im so obsessed with this song KNSDKFNK)
โฉ fluff, slight angst (very slight)
โฉ minor season 4 miraculous spoilers
โฉ fem!oc x cat noirย
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.ย
it was a silhouette of black. if she hadnโt stopped momentarily in her stroll she might not have noticed him as he blended in with the night sky.ย with prominent cat ears sticking out of his blonde locks, yuki knew very well who he was.
โcat noir...?โ she mumbled to herself.
โi donโt get it...what is it that i donโt have? im charming, responsible (at times) and funny! what other traits do i need to make her like me?โ he sighed, out stretching his arms and letting himself lay on the brick tile.
his eyes fluttered shut,ย โill never be good enough,โ
โmind if i sit here?โย
the voice of another person startled the superhero, making him immediately rise up from his position and bumping foreheads with the other figure.
โoh gosh iโm so sorry!โ 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 agresteโs small circle of close relations. he wouldnโt say that they were close friends but just good acquaintances.ย
โyuki?โย
โyou know my name?โ the long haired female raised her brow at the superhero.
โuh i- of course i do! iโm parisโs superhero so of course i know everyoneโs name,โ cat noir blurted, waving his hands frantically.ย
โthatโs....cool?โ yuki wasnโt completely assured that it was true but she shrugged it off.
โso what are you doing here?โ yuki asked, pulling the grey hood off her head.
โi should be asking you that. how did you get on a rooftop?โ cat noir crossed his arms.
โwell 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,โ
cat noirโs eyes flickered to her black shoes,ย โreally?โ
โof course not!โ yuki rolled her eyes in a joking manner, โi just climbed,โ
โwell youโre a really great climber,โ praised cat noir,ย โnot as good as me though,โ
โyeah yeah whatever so anyways are you going to answer my question?โ she asked again.
cat noir let out a deep sigh and switched his gaze to the sky,ย โi just needed some alone time. iโve been feeling so conflicted these days,โย
โwas i ruining your alone time?oh god im so sorry i should leave-โย
โitโs okay you can stay,โ cat noir cut off her sentence,ย โiโve been having a bit too much alone time these days anyways...โ he pressed his lips together.
โwell um you can talk to me about it if you want but i wonโt force you or anything because if you want to keep things private thats fine too since youโre a superhero and all! but sometimes itโs good to let things out instead of bottling them up. trust me, i know. if you need an ear iโm always here. well not to give you my ear but to listen. iโm a great listener,โ yuki blabbered, her hands flying everywhere as she talked.
a small smile made itโs way onto cat noirโs face,ย โthank you yuki,โ
the male bit his lip, debating whether or not he should open up to her. as long as he didnโt mention anything that surrounded his secret identity it would be fine.
โnowadays i feel like ladybug doesnโt 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 iโm partly to blame as to why we need new superheroes. iโve been busy with my personal life that iโm not always there to help ladybug when theres an akumatization,โ he paused,ย โi wish i could be with her all the time. but i know that i canโt. with all these new superheroes i feel like iโm just another one of her sidekicks and...another one of her admirers.โ
cat noir brought his knees against his chest, his eyes glistening with tears that heโs kept in for so long that threatened to fall, โim in love with her. im in love with someone whose in love with someone else. i know that sheโll never love me and itโs the most painful thing ever,โ his voice trembled with such pain and heartbreak.
yuki moved closer to the male, bringing her own knees to her chest.ย
โladybug needs you and you need ladybug. i know iโm 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 iโm pretty sure that she cherishes it as much as you do.โ yuki turned to face the male, โif i was a superhero, iโd be delighted to have you as my partner,โ
โand as for your romance situation...love is...difficult. it always is a difficult thing. iโve seen my mom break into pieces because of love. its powerful, scary and beautiful. you canโt 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 sheโs missing,โ yukiโs mouth curved up into a smile,ย โremember that youโre not just a sidekick. youโre cat noir! a super cool, super good looking superhero whose funny (at times) and that youโre a person too,โ
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.ย
the corners of his eyes crinkled,ย โyuki...thank you. your words mean a lot to me,โ
โitโs no problem really. superheroes need some comforting too,โ 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 yukiโs 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.ย
โmaybe your super hi tech converse shoes needs some repairs,โ 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.ย
a flush crept up yukiโs face as she laughed at his joke,ย โyeah i should take it for repairs then,โย
realising that cat noir was still holding onto her she cleared her throat,ย โwell um i have to go back home soon incase my family becomes suspicious of me. iโll see you soon?โ
cat noir smiled softly,ย โyeah, see you soon.โ
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.
.ใปใ.ใปใโญใป.ใปโซใปใใปใ.
AAA I FINISHED SEASON 4. i Feel so Empty. ANYWHO LMK IF U WANT A PART TWO SLAYYYย ย
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, ย "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.