newt's most wanted. miss ambrose nineteen years running. a minor rogue in belle reve. front of house at the bear. x-men member. no. 69 in squid game ;^)
oh idk probably when marcus (thg oc) had to watch the love of his life, johanna get addicted to morphling while he was months sober, knowing snow did it as a personal attack.
or when winona (tcmg oc) watches the corpses of her victims for hours because it’s the only way she can feel a connection with others.
or maeve (twd oc) gutting carl’s sexual assaulter because him going through the same thing she did would completely break her, so she murdered him in cold blood so he couldn’t do anymore damage.
Hot fandom discourse take but framing dark content as only being acceptable if its a vehicle for exploring personal trauma is just giving ground to the puritan segments of fandom.
Simply liking dark content for its own sake is perfectly fine.
ok i love hyunju x gyeongseok but i NEEEED noeul in as a throuple. the yearning she would feel watching hyunju and gyeongseok protect each other. some yandere feelings too?? the jealousy ripe, making her fingers tremble on the trigger, the sniper closely following hyunju. how can she protect gyeongseok? what does she know about him? nothing, not what noeul knows and will do anything to cherish. she needs his daughter to survive, or else she will feel like a failure. she needs to be in gyeongseok’s life to have the child that was stolen from her. and no one, especially hyunju, will get in the way of that.
then she clears her head, staring at the four walls of her tiny dorm. get yourself together, she mutters. she holds too much on her shoulders. how can she think jealous thoughts when there is people in the games doing far worse. hyunju is not a threat, even if the way gyeongseok looks at her kills her inside. she watches them closely, stalking each movement behind her mask, eyes averting when gyeongseok catches the intense stares, naively pointing it to just another cruel masked solider. i’ll get you out, noeul thinks.
but the plan diverts just slightly. hyunju, for once, is not by gyeongseok’s side like noeul expected. during the ambush, noeul inches towards him, cocking her gun right at his chest.
“please, i have a daughter. she is sick”
stop talking, noeul thinks, please, i beg you.
the gun goes off. his chest bleeds, but the wound is inches away from his heart, like intended. noeul drags his body away while the guards followed the rest of the ambushers. gyeongseok faintly breathes as he clenches his chest. his mind stirs faintly.
“hyunju… where is she? she should be back with the ammo.”
noeul grits her teeth but keeps on going ahead. don’t worry, i’ll try my best to save your girlfriend, noeul thinks, but i need you alive. you have a daughter to get home to.
“Hyunju…” he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper as he leans in closer. The faint smell of alcohol lingers between them. “Are you going to miss me? In Thailand?"
pairing: cho hyunju x park gyeongseok
word count: 1.9k
warnings: au - canon divergence, first kiss, drunken kisses, sexual tension, making out.
a/c: english is not my first language! wrote this for ao3 but I decided to post here for my fellow hyunju x gyeongseok lovers!
"I bought the tickets yesterday," Cho Hyunju says at last, blunt and to the point, a small smile on her lips. She doesn’t meet his eyes. "One way only."
She places her drink down slowly, feeling the edges of her tipsiness creeping in. Her vision wavers slightly, and she knows if she isn’t careful, the words will start pouring out of her mouth unchecked. She heads toward the backyard for some fresh air, hearing his footsteps close behind.
“You know, Thailand’s weather is ridiculously hot. And humid.” Gyeongseok says, trying to keep up with Hyunju’s fast pace. "Even for us Koreans."
Hyunju chuckles, unimpressed. She turns to face him, effectively stopping them in the middle of the hallway. “I know that. You and Geumja don’t need to remind me every second.”
He laughs along with her, leaning against the wall and taking another swig from his bottle. “Hyunju," he said with relish, rolling it around on his tongue, his words slurring just enough to reveal how drunk he is. His shirt undone at the top, revealing a flush chest, no doubt from all the soju he’s had. He sways slightly, his voice dripping as he teases, “Who’s gonna protect you if you go to Thailand alone?”
It’s a rhetorical question, almost a joke, despite their unspoken agreement to not talk about the games too much and drag the mood down during social gatherings, Gyeonseok can’t help himself. So often his thoughts would drift to Hyunju and her skill with guns. He wanted to ask her about it, to tell her how impressed he was with her.
He wanted to know her more.
Hyunju shakes her head, laughing more freely. He steps closer, and for a second, she thinks he might stumble and fall into her. She reaches out, steadying him with a hand on his chest and then grabbing his bottle. “You are drunk.”
He smirks, he wasn’t that drunk. “So, are you actually leaving then?”
“Gyeonseok…” Hyunju falters, and she looks away. She doesn’t understand exactly why it’s so hard and embarrassing to tell him about the plane tickets. Going to Thailand has been her goal, her dream, that’s why she went through that hell, that’s why she survived. Yet, looking at his eyes and telling him she’s going away make the words stick to her throat. “I-“
He sees this as an answer itself and nods, running a hand through his head and the other in his waist, he lets the silence stretch for a minute before saying a little lower. “I’m gonna miss you.”
Hyunju lifted her head and tilted it, almost like she didn’t get the words right, that she was imagining the whole interaction. She pursues her lips, wanting to say something, anything. “I-“
He cleaned his throat, his hand going to the back of his neck. She sees how the red in his exposed chest got a little more vibrant, she doesn’t think it’s the alcohol this time. “I mean, we’re all gonna miss you… You know.”
Hyunju nods her head then, giving him a little smile. “Yeah, yeah.” She says, a little chuckle leaving her lips.
Gyeonseok was by no means a talkative person. Neither was she. They rarely spoke about their times in the games. She never asked him why he had saved her, and he never asked her about Youngmi. Hyunju often thought that if she hadn’t run into him at that public park, she wouldn’t have reached out, or even come close to the kind of relationship they had now.
Or whatever they had between them.
He steps closer, leaving the wall behind to stand face-to-face with her. His arm moves slowly, his hand brushing lightly against her fingers as he takes the bottle from her grip. Without a word, he tilts it back and finishes what’s left of the alcohol.
At this closer distance, Hyunju sees more than the tired eyes and dark circles that seem to brand every survivor of the games, haunted by nightmares and memories they’d rather forget. Those were things she’d grown used to seeing. But now, she notices the fresh trim of his beard and how his hair is longer, like hers. Yet he’s changed in other ways, too. He seems lighter somehow, maybe even happier.
She tells herself she’ll feel that way soon, too. In Thailand.
“Hyunju…” he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper as he leans in closer. The faint smell of alcohol lingers between them. She tilts her head instinctively, letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Are you going to miss me? In Thailand?"
Her nervous chuckle escapes before she can stop it, her eyes darting everywhere but his face. “Phones exist,” she says, her voice wavering slightly, trying to sound dismissive. “I can always call you.”
“That’s not what I asked you,” He says, a smirk playing on his lips. Hyunju can’t help but look before quickly averting her eyes again. “Are you gonna miss me?”
She doesn’t know why it’s so hard to say yes. Of course she’s going to miss him, it should be an easy answer. if Geumja asked her the same question, she wouldn’t feel that nervous. But then again, the way she’ll miss the old woman isn’t the same as the way she’ll miss Gyeongseok.
She stays silent then, unable to meet his gaze. He let out a soft sign and his grin widened, like he’s been reading her mind all along. And maybe he can. For once, Hyunju wishes she’d had more to drink, enough to blame the flush on her cheeks on the alcohol rather than the proximity of him.
He sets the empty bottle on a nearby desk, then lifts a hand to her jaw. His fingers brush her skin lightly as he tilts her face up to meet his eyes. His voice is soft. "No?"
She finally looks into his eyes and swallows hard, her gaze dragging across his face. The tired shadows beneath his eyes, the sharp angles of his cheekbones, the curve of his nose, and then his lips. Her attention sticks there, her head shaking in response to his question, though her focus remains locked on his mouth.
His finger moves to her chin, a firmer touch now, guiding her focus back to him. He wets his lips once, and for a moment, Hyunju is certain he’s about to say something. But his eyes speak instead, asking for permission.
She nods, once, then again, her breath catching as it leaves her lungs.
And then he kisses her.
At first, it’s soft, almost hesitant. His hand cradles her jaw as he leads the kiss, his movements careful, aware of her nervousness. He can feel it in the way her hands stay at her sides, her fingers fidgeting anxiously like she always does. So, when he pulls back to breathe, he’s half expecting her to step away, maybe slap him in the face and run to the main room where the others are still laughing and drinking. He fears this might be the last time he’ll see her like this.
But then she kisses him.
This time, it’s stronger, more certain. The sudden intensity catches him off guard, and their teeth clash briefly before he adjusts, tilting his head to find the right angle. Her hands move, one to the back of his neck, the other to his shoulder, and the warmth of her touch sends a spark through him. His body responds instinctively, heat rising with every second. He wants more. He wants her.
The kiss deepens, growing heated as Gyeongseok lets himself push his tongue into her mouth. Hyunju responds instinctively, a soft moan escaping her as she steps closer, her body leaning into his.
When they finally pull away, both are breathless. Gyeongseok wears a foolish grin, unable to help himself as he takes in Hyunju’s flushed face and slightly swollen lips. He leans in for another kiss, but she presses a hand to his chest, stopping him.
“Someone’s going to see us,” she murmurs, her voice trembling slightly.
And she’s right. From the hallway, the sound of loud, drunken conversations and bottles clinking fills the air. Anyone could walk out and catch them at any moment, they’re lucky that it didn’t happen yet. But Gyeongseok doesn’t care. Not even a little. His grin softens into something more playful, his voice low as he replies, “I couldn’t care less.”
So he kissed her again, his hand slipping to the back of her head to guide her. This kiss is different—dirtier, wilder than the ones before. Hyunju doesn’t hesitate this time, her tongue meeting his with the same urgency, and she steps closer, sliding her thigh between his legs to pull him against her. Gyeongseok lets out a muffled moan, the sound escaping before he can stop it, and he has to break the kiss to catch his breath. Hyunju chuckles softly, amused by his reaction.
Gyeonseok is glad that they’re the same height because he can lean his forehead against her shoulder. Their shared breathlessness becomes a quiet moment of understanding before he turns his head slightly, pressing gentle kisses along the curve of her neck. Hyunju bites her lip, trying to stifle the noise threatening to escape her throat.
“I think we need to stop,” he murmurs, lifting his head from her shoulder and letting his lips trail along her jawline. The words feel like a betrayal to his own desires. He really doesn’t want to, He doesn’t want to stop, not when every part of him craves her. But the tightness in his pants is a stark reminder of how much this moment is affecting him, and he knows they’re at risk of losing control entirely.
Hyunju laughs more freely now, her hair a little messy and her lips swollen from the intensity of the kisses. Gyeongseok wonders if his lips look the same, but he doesn't ask. “Yeah,” she says softly, taking her legs between his and stepping back.
He follows her, pressing one more kiss to her lips, his hand resting on her waist. This time, it’s soft, tender, and even sweet. “You know,” he murmurs, pulling away from the kiss and creating some distance between them, “there’s this nice restaurant I know…”
“I would love to,” Hyunju responds, but then she looks down, avoiding his gaze. Her playful smirk makes his heart skip a beat. “This time you’ll be sober,” she teases, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I’m not…” Gyeongseok turns toward the wall, staring at it as he adjusts his pants. “I’m not that drunk. This wasn’t a drunk decision. I knew exactly what I was doing.” His voice shifts, a little more serious now.
He glances back at her, a smile tugging at his lips. “Maybe the alcohol just gave me courage,” he says with a shrug. “Next Monday, you’re still gonna be here?”
Hyunju answers his question without hesitation, but she doesn’t respond to his earlier deflation, even if the sparkling of her eyes tell everything about what she thinks. "Yeah, 12:00?"
“Alright,” he says, a grin spreading across his face. He heads for the door to the main living room but pauses before leaving. “Gonna come? Or need some fresh air?”
She wants to go with him, to stay at his side just a little longer, but after everything that just happened, she knows she needs a moment alone to catch her breath. “Fresh air. I’ll be there in a minute.”
He nods, walking toward the door before pausing and looking over his shoulder. “Oh, and Gyeongseok?” she calls softly.
“What?”
“Thailand’s not that far away, and the tickets are really cheap,” she says, watching as confusion flashes across his face before realization settles in. A smirk spreads across his lips.
“Just so you know,” she adds with a teasing smile, “if you want to visit me.”
hyperfixation please stay with me long enough to complete the project. hyperfixation do not fade. hyperfixation finish what you started for the love of god
I don't know, man. This isn't our normal gig. I mean, demons, they don't want anything, just death and destruction for its own sake. This is big. And I wish Dad was here. Yeah. Me too.
