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it was not the silky smooth skin (scales?), nor the somewhat fascinating slits for gills flaring in the creatureâs shock that first caught your attention. not even the wriggling tail, shimmering golds and greens and blues even in minimal sunlight with every movement.
it was the eyes. the wild young eyes that defied the status of prey and established itself as a living being, not just a body of meat and bones. there was a soul there, so hungry and alive, barely containing the storm behind them.
it was startling how such fire could come from a child of the sea.
thetis had blessed you today with your first close-up look at a real merman, suspended above you in a fishing net. still hissing and thrashing, it bared its teeth at you and the crew, fighting for freedom, but only managing to tangle itself further in the process.
"lucky catch?" first mate!johnny mused, shrugging his shoulder.
"didn't think we'd see merpeople in these waters," quartermaster!jaehyun muttered.
cook!chenle was shaking his head. "we can't eat that," he said, arms crossed over his chest.
"no shit," pirate!haechan replied, "we've all heard the stories â men's blood freezing up in their veins." he shuddered. "don't know about y'all, but i'm not about to have my blood turned into slush."
your crewmates' words hung about you like the low-hanging clouds on a still day, and yet you couldn't take your eyes off the creature, so very clearly out of its element.
to see such a beautiful, fatal beast struggling in such a way under your hand, exposed and vulnerable â so wonderfully voyeuristic and intimate, you couldn't help but become intrigued by it. him.
his eyes had turned from furious to panicked as the net was lowered down onto the deck, grabbing at the ropes and swiping desperately as if his claws could cut through in such a time.
you still had yet to say a word, still stunned with awe as he spilled out onto the wooden deck along with the rest of the catch â but found yourself lunging forward as you saw your crew stepping forward to handle him however they planned.
hand at your sheathed cutlass, you stepped in front of the merman, turning to face your crew with a daring glare.
"you won't touch him," you warned, raising your chin to challenge anyone to question your authority.
jaehyun let out a sigh and motioned for the others to step back. they begrudgingly obeyed, just as the captain's quarters opened and captain!taeyong, your brother, stepped out on deck.
"what's going on there?"
"merman, sir," cabin boy!jisung piped up, "pulled up the fishing net and there he was, sir."
"merman, you say?" taeyong repeated, taking his time down the stairs. "you mean that boy?"
looking back at him, your jaw dropped as the boy's tail seemed to melt away, fins into flesh and bending into knees â real knees, ankles and feet and all â right before your very eyes.
the boy's face was twisted with nausea and pain, and you realised he must have been enduring the sensations of new limbs being created in real time, bones fusing and scales sinking into skin, then splitting into two separate legs. you winced as he visibly fought back a strained groan of agony.
you took a second to process the transformation before you as the crowd parted for your captain like the splitting sea as he approached. you clenched your jaw when he signalled you to step aside, but you did so cautiously nevertheless.
crouching in front of the naked half-boy, taeyong ignored his (weaker) warning hiss and held a short blade under his chin, tilting it upwards so as to get a better look at his gills as they vanished, fusing back into the skin of his neck. he took a long gasp of air, strained with the position he was held in.
"now, what's a pretty thing like you doing in our fishing net?"
instead of replying, he snapped at his hand, jaws opening to reveal a normal, human set of teeth. instead of flinching, however, like most of the crew, your brother gave him a warning of his own, stabbing downwards at the half-boy's no-longer-webbed hands. the blade caught the gap between his thumb and finger, which would have pinned him to the deck had he still been in his merman form.
your grip tightened on your cutlass' handle as the creature yelped in shock. "taeyong, enough!" nudging him hard out of your way, you reach down and pull the knife out, throwing it aside. you turn on your brother, recovering from his fall. "get away from him," you snapped, only to be met with laughter.
"what's it to you, whether it dies or not?"
"you'll leave him alone, and that's that." you tried to put as much finality as you could into your voice, half-worried it wouldn't be enough â but to your surprise, taeyong snorted and gave you a nod.
"suit yourself," he placed his hands on his hips, "what would you have us do with it, then? leave it in the sun to dry?"
the merman let out a low growl at that suggestion, but you ignored it.
"we let him go."
pirate!jaemin threw off his shirt to drape over the shivering boy as he was hauled up onto shaky new feet, legs buckling and knees giving in with the first few steps he took.
as soon as he could take certain steps, taeyong ordered for the plank to be taken out, and they were quick to usher him onto it to drop back into the sea. he hadnât helped at all, squirming profusely in protest all throughout.
the boy's previous feral ferocity had long since gone, and his eyes now screamed of a strange panic and fear. glancing from the horizon to his feet and the waters below and back, he seemed to be hesitating. wasn't the ocean his home?
you didn't dare move a muscle in anticipation until he looked desperately over his shoulder, staring straight at you â begging for mercy from the only person who had granted it to him.
pure instinct launched you forward, stepping onto the plank and tiptoeing over to him, ignoring your crew's exclamations behind you.
"it's okay," you called out, "you can come back."
the boy clutched at the shirt, wrapping it tighter around himself as he trembled in cold, beautiful face twisted in anguish.
"come back with me," you beckoned, reaching your open hand out. "i can protect you."
you realised you didn't even know for certain that he knew what you were saying, but your eyes seemed to say enough for him. he managed a shaky step towards you, then another, and another, until he was within reach for him to take your hand (albeit tentatively).
the plank was nowhere near wide enough for you to support him side by side, so you offered your arm and shoulder for him to grab onto and lean on as you led him back onto the ship. the crew allowed enough space for him to collapse to his knees almost as soon as he climbed back on deck, and you ordered for jisung to bring him a new outfit.
soon, the crowd dispersed, returning to their duties â you looked up from helping him put on a clean shirt to taeyong, grinning down at you.
"you'll be responsible for it from now on," he said.
"i know."
"good," he nodded slowly, seeming to be proud of himself.
you fastened the last button for him and examined his face as he stared down into his lap.
"do you have a name?"
the boy's pale lips twitched, like he was trying to form words as you had done.
you repeated your question, softer and slower.
you didn't know what voice you were expecting from him, but it was more melodic and fragile than you could have ever imagined.
â ïž tw: tragic backstories and crippling angst lol, mentions of deceased parents, drowning mentions, implied suic*de, grief, renjun's cute english (all mistakes in his dialogue are intentional. enjoy)
i had no idea this would get such enthusiastic reactions. thank you everyone who requested a continuation, hope this makes you feel something and answers some questions âĄ
this is part three of merman!renjun, find parts one and two here :))
1:44pm: "did it hurt?"
merman!renjun glanced up at runaway prince!jeno's prompt, who stared expectantly at him through the bars of his cell.
"what?"
the prince gestured at renjun's legs and spoke matter-of-factly. "your tail. it's gone. did it hurt?"
"oh... yes." he wiggled his toes. "it hurt."
"a lot?"
renjun paused and hugged his knees a little closer into his chest. "yes."
"and you... can't transform back." pirate!you lifted your chin to make eye contact with renjun, who pursed his lips and nodded in response.
"magic is no-come-back," he said with a shrug.
"irreversible," the prince offered.
"irressimble. no merperson ever come back from land."
your heart and eyes sank to your lap. "right."
poor haechan.
you found yourself getting to your feet. "i... i'm gonna leave you two to catch up." dusting off your palms on your hips, you cleared your throat. "let me know if you, uh, need anything, alright?"
renjun nodded.
"right. um... your highness." you offered a quick curtsey towards jeno, who scoffed lightly at the difference between your usual domineering behaviour and your attempt at character continuity.
as you made your way up the stairs, you remembered the time pirate!haechan had first opened up to you about his past. you had both been younger, yet already best of friends.
"cap'n the only family you got?" he tossed a grape into his mouth.
"we have an older sister. on land, though. runs an orphanage."
he made a noise of interest. "parents?"
you shook your head as you reached for another grape. "shipwreck, funnily enough. you?"
"three siblings. all younger than me."
you chortled at the thought. "you? the eldest?"
"i'm more responsible than you give me credit for," he retorted, a dramatic hand placed on his chest in mock offence.
"yeah, right. i'll give you credit when you don't slack off."
he laughed, and the two of you sat in silence for a moment.
you reached the top of the stairs, and took a moment to let yourself adjust to the sunlight. scanning the deck through squinted eyes, you spotted haechan at the bow of the ship, his back turned to you as he stared out at the ocean.
"your parents still around?" you had asked.
his brow had furrowed at the stars above and his chewing grew hesitant. you had started to apologise, realising you'd struck a nerve, but he shook his head and reassured you it wasn't your fault.
"dad's there, yeah. mum's, uh... mum was a mermaid."
a sound of surprise escaped your lips.
"âor so my father told us. she came to shore, grew legs and lived as a human. had my siblings and i... and loved my father. loved us."
you chose to listen in silence and watch as he focused on peeling the skin off the grape he held in his hands.
"we were at the beach one day. i guess she missed her home, 'cause she barely said anything and just stared out to sea." he took a slow, shallow breath. "i asked her to come and... and play with us. and she... took my hands, told me she loved me... let me go, andâand just walked straight in. right through the waves. didn't stop. never saw her again."
you didn't know what to say, so you went with the safe option. "i'm so sorry."
"nah," he said, trying to disguise his sniffling with a deep inhale, "all in the past. i used to be mad about it, but i'm over that now. she's probably happier."
you sighed at the sight of him. he was barely moving, but his loose shirt and hair whipped around in the wind. no, you aren't.
leaning your elbows on the taffrail next to him, you watched the hull of the ship split the ocean surface, leaving waves in her wake and advancing still.
you weren't taken aback when you turned towards haechan and was met with tears streaming steadily down his cheeks, their trail from his grief-stricken eyes shining in the sun.
he could barely maintain eye contact with you, his gaze drawn to the horizon again. a wet exhale left his lips before he pursed them tighter and gripped the railing until his knuckles turned white.
"the merman's telling the truth, then?" he managed, his tone laced with anger. "you can't transform back once you grow legs?"
"haechan, iâ"
"you can't transform back, then what happened to my mum, huh?" he demanded, perhaps towards you, perhaps not. "you're telling me she walked in to die? to drown in her own home?"
"haechan."
"you mean i let her go for what? for nothing?"
"heyâ"
he sniffed and shook his head, "no. no, it can't be true. maybe he just doesn't know her. my house is on the other end of the earth, he probably never even heard of someone returning because he's never metâ"
"haechan." you caught his shoulder and he gripped your hand, to throw it off or for support, you couldn't tellâuntil his breath was sucked out of his lungs, his head hung and he gave in to the sobs that racked his body. his weight fell forward as his knees buckled, and you caught him with practised foresight.
the two of you sank to your knees, his face buried in your shoulder and balled fists clutching the fabric of your shirt. murmuring your words of comfort and drawing circles on his back, you let him grieve his mother a second and final time.
when he finally exhausted himself and you stopped having to remove your hand from his head to wave away anyone who approached you, renjun climbed onto the deck in search of you. he frowned in confusion when he recognised haechan and stayed wary as he drew nearer.
haechan noticed his presence and pulled himself out of your arms and onto his feet. clearing his throat, he raised his eyes to the merman's.
"i shouldn't have touched you," he began awkwardly, "i was... stupid, and... it almost cost you your life. i'm sorry."
renjun looked like he didn't know what to respond with. "you are welcome," he replied hesitantly.
taken aback at the unexpected answer, haechan cleared his throat again and walked past the boy.
renjun turned back towards you, tilting his head in puzzlement. "why is he sad?"
you sighed deeply before standing up too. "haechan's mother was a mermaid."
renjun's lips parted in shock.
"she had legs, too, and lived on land. but she missed the sea, so she said goodbye and went back." you gestured over his shoulder at haechan's disappearing figure down the stairs, his gaze following your hand. "he never knew merpeople couldn't transform back, so he thought she was still alive."
the boy didn't meet your eyes when he turned back around. a moment of silence smothered any further words you might have said.
"and he tried help me and push me back in water."
"... yes. he thought... you would be happier in the water."
another beat.
"he is not happy."
"no, he isn't."
you paused to let him contemplate.
"but. she was happy."
"hmm?"
"his mother. she was happy."
then it was your turn to tilt your head to the side.
"mermaids choose legs," he explained, "his mother choose land."
"merpeople choose to transform permanently?"
he nodded eagerly, "choose to t...ransform pernamamently. i choose because you protect."
"because i protected you?"
"yes. i am in danger and you protec-ted me. i choose tarnsform tail to legs."
you mulled over this consideration. "i... i'll let him know. thank you, renjun."
"you are welcome," he responded with certainty, offering you his first smile, albeit small.
you managed to smile back. "alright," you declared, "how about some lunch? you hungry?"
i reckon there's room for part four.. hm hm thoughts thoughts
Mark: HELP URGENT what do i need to damage to prevent facial recognition???
(Read at 4:10pm.)
Jaemin: Amygdala
Mark: THANK YUO
Mark: YOU
mark pushes his glasses higher up his nose bridge and pulls himself in his wheelie chair closer into his desk. his fingers find the keyboard in front of him and resume an excited pace, his eyes darting across his screen, getting lost in his own story.
Lee Jeno x Reader, 0.8k, basketball!AU, basketball player!Jeno, manager!Reader, no warnings.
Masterlist
âWeâve got to stop meeting like this.â
Startled at the sound of Jenoâs voice, you narrowed your eyes and glared at him, resting your hip against the side of the basketball cart.
âYou mean, you have to stop following me into the equipment room because you canât talk to me like a normal person,â you corrected. âBesides, how did you even get in here?â
He pointed to the door. âYou left it open.â
âActually, I closed it.â
âActually, it was wide open when I walked in.â
âDid you steal the extra key from Coach Suhâs office again?â
âAgain?â he questioned. âYouâre making me out to be some sort of delinquent.â
âItâs because you are,â you snorted. âLast time I checked, that key isnât supposed to be touched unless I lose this one and considering itâs still in my pocket, youâre breaking in without permission.â
He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. âFine, I just wanted to talk to you and I saw you go into the equipment room, so I took the key and followed. Sue me.â
it was not the silky smooth skin (scales?), nor the somewhat fascinating slits for gills flaring in the creatureâs shock that first caught your attention. not even the wriggling tail, shimmering golds and greens and blues even in minimal sunlight with every movement.
it was the eyes. the wild young eyes that defied the status of prey and established itself as a living being, not just a body of meat and bones. there was a soul there, so hungry and alive, barely containing the storm behind them.
it was startling how such fire could come from a child of the sea.
thetis had blessed you today with your first close-up look at a real merman, suspended above you in a fishing net. still hissing and thrashing, it bared its teeth at you and the crew, fighting for freedom, but only managing to tangle itself further in the process.
"lucky catch?" first mate!johnny mused, shrugging his shoulder.
"didn't think we'd see merpeople in these waters," quartermaster!jaehyun muttered.
cook!chenle was shaking his head. "we can't eat that," he said, arms crossed over his chest.
"no shit," pirate!haechan replied, "we've all heard the stories â men's blood freezing up in their veins." he shuddered. "don't know about y'all, but i'm not about to have my blood turned into slush."
your crewmates' words hung about you like the low-hanging clouds on a still day, and yet you couldn't take your eyes off the creature, so very clearly out of its element.
to see such a beautiful, fatal beast struggling in such a way under your hand, exposed and vulnerable â so wonderfully voyeuristic and intimate, you couldn't help but become intrigued by it. him.
his eyes had turned from furious to panicked as the net was lowered down onto the deck, grabbing at the ropes and swiping desperately as if his claws could cut through in such a time.
you still had yet to say a word, still stunned with awe as he spilled out onto the wooden deck along with the rest of the catch â but found yourself lunging forward as you saw your crew stepping forward to handle him however they planned.
hand at your sheathed cutlass, you stepped in front of the merman, turning to face your crew with a daring glare.
"you won't touch him," you warned, raising your chin to challenge anyone to question your authority.
jaehyun let out a sigh and motioned for the others to step back. they begrudgingly obeyed, just as the captain's quarters opened and captain!taeyong, your brother, stepped out on deck.
"what's going on there?"
"merman, sir," cabin boy!jisung piped up, "pulled up the fishing net and there he was, sir."
"merman, you say?" taeyong repeated, taking his time down the stairs. "you mean that boy?"
looking back at him, your jaw dropped as the boy's tail seemed to melt away, fins into flesh and bending into knees â real knees, ankles and feet and all â right before your very eyes.
the boy's face was twisted with nausea and pain, and you realised he must have been enduring the sensations of new limbs being created in real time, bones fusing and scales sinking into skin, then splitting into two separate legs. you winced as he visibly fought back a strained groan of agony.
you took a second to process the transformation before you as the crowd parted for your captain like the splitting sea as he approached. you clenched your jaw when he signalled you to step aside, but you did so cautiously nevertheless.
crouching in front of the naked half-boy, taeyong ignored his (weaker) warning hiss and held a short blade under his chin, tilting it upwards so as to get a better look at his gills as they vanished, fusing back into the skin of his neck. he took a long gasp of air, strained with the position he was held in.
"now, what's a pretty thing like you doing in our fishing net?"
instead of replying, he snapped at his hand, jaws opening to reveal a normal, human set of teeth. instead of flinching, however, like most of the crew, your brother gave him a warning of his own, stabbing downwards at the half-boy's no-longer-webbed hands. the blade caught the gap between his thumb and finger, which would have pinned him to the deck had he still been in his merman form.
your grip tightened on your cutlass' handle as the creature yelped in shock. "taeyong, enough!" nudging him hard out of your way, you reach down and pull the knife out, throwing it aside. you turn on your brother, recovering from his fall. "get away from him," you snapped, only to be met with laughter.
"what's it to you, whether it dies or not?"
"you'll leave him alone, and that's that." you tried to put as much finality as you could into your voice, half-worried it wouldn't be enough â but to your surprise, taeyong snorted and gave you a nod.
"suit yourself," he placed his hands on his hips, "what would you have us do with it, then? leave it in the sun to dry?"
the merman let out a low growl at that suggestion, but you ignored it.
"we let him go."
pirate!jaemin threw off his shirt to drape over the shivering boy as he was hauled up onto shaky new feet, legs buckling and knees giving in with the first few steps he took.
as soon as he could take certain steps, taeyong ordered for the plank to be taken out, and they were quick to usher him onto it to drop back into the sea. he hadnât helped at all, squirming profusely in protest all throughout.
the boy's previous feral ferocity had long since gone, and his eyes now screamed of a strange panic and fear. glancing from the horizon to his feet and the waters below and back, he seemed to be hesitating. wasn't the ocean his home?
you didn't dare move a muscle in anticipation until he looked desperately over his shoulder, staring straight at you â begging for mercy from the only person who had granted it to him.
pure instinct launched you forward, stepping onto the plank and tiptoeing over to him, ignoring your crew's exclamations behind you.
"it's okay," you called out, "you can come back."
the boy clutched at the shirt, wrapping it tighter around himself as he trembled in cold, beautiful face twisted in anguish.
"come back with me," you beckoned, reaching your open hand out. "i can protect you."
you realised you didn't even know for certain that he knew what you were saying, but your eyes seemed to say enough for him. he managed a shaky step towards you, then another, and another, until he was within reach for him to take your hand (albeit tentatively).
the plank was nowhere near wide enough for you to support him side by side, so you offered your arm and shoulder for him to grab onto and lean on as you led him back onto the ship. the crew allowed enough space for him to collapse to his knees almost as soon as he climbed back on deck, and you ordered for jisung to bring him a new outfit.
soon, the crowd dispersed, returning to their duties â you looked up from helping him put on a clean shirt to taeyong, grinning down at you.
"you'll be responsible for it from now on," he said.
"i know."
"good," he nodded slowly, seeming to be proud of himself.
you fastened the last button for him and examined his face as he stared down into his lap.
"do you have a name?"
the boy's pale lips twitched, like he was trying to form words as you had done.
you repeated your question, softer and slower.
you didn't know what voice you were expecting from him, but it was more melodic and fragile than you could have ever imagined.
â ïž tw: swearing, violence, haechan's a bit of an ass in this, but he has his reasons
this is part two of this au!
1:24pm: "will someone remind me why it is we're taking him with us?" pirate!haechan demanded.
pirate!you shot him a look. "he stays."
he scowled back at you. "look at him," he said, nudging his chin in merman!renjun's general direction, "he can barely walk."
glancing over, you had to admit that haechan's observations were rightâhaving given up attempting to stand a while ago, renjun sat alone on the edge of the deck. he was staring down at the wood under his new feet with a slight frown, like he was wondering why the dark grains weren't rolling over each other as waves would. the clothes given to him were too big for his frame, and his hands and feet were barely visible in the sea of sleeves.
"he doesn't belong here. why he's stupid enough to stay, i couldn't say." turning around, haechan started to scrub the railing with more aggression than ever.
"well, he obviously didn't want to go back, so lay off it, will you?"
haechan scoffed like he had given up. "you know what? fine." throwing the rag back into the bucket, he shrugged rather dramatically. "i'll just accept that i can't possibly fathom why a merman won't go back into the ocean." with that, he left, stomping away with as much dignity as he could muster despite leaving his chore half-finished.
sighing in frustration at both yourself and him, you picked up his bucket and continued his job.
you decided not to chase him upâyou knew the grudge he held, and you weren't about to sour his mood further just for the sake of it.
you also knew haechan wasn't being ridiculous, nor was his reasoning questionable. you remembered the terror in renjun's eyes when he turned back at you, the wordless pleas to save him, his desperate hands clutching at your shoulder. you only had the capacity to be confused after you led him back onboard.
tossing the rest of the water in the bucket over the railing, you carried it below deck, then remembered you had yet to offer renjun some food. visiting cook!kun and cook!chenle in the kitchen, you cleared your throat to announce your presence over the rapid chinese conversation the two were engaged in. they poured you a bowl of a simple soup, and you blew on it softly to cool it down on your way above deckâyou were sure renjun wasn't used to steaming hot meals.
shouts and sounds of a scuffle caught your attention midway up the flight of stairs, and you rushed out to see what the commotion was about.
alarm overrode your senses as you recognised renjun in the crowd gathered at the far end of the shipâpinned down onto the railing by none other than haechan, who was yelling in renjun's face about something you couldn't quite make out. even in the chaos, renjun spotted you in his peripheral vision, and opened his mouth to scream for you.
you dropped the bowl and broke into a sprint, your breath hitching as haechan reached down and hooked his arm under renjun's knees. panicking, the boy kicked out, which only aided haechan in lifting him completely off the deck. you almost swore his hand was searching for something to hold onto as he plummeted.
it all happened so fast, and you were so farâone moment, he was scrabbling at haechan, the next, he was slipping off the railing... then he was airborne, but not for long.
"what are you doing?!" you screamed, almost shoving haechan to the side.
"putting the fish back where he belongs," he replied breathlessly, barely looking at you. "why? you gonna tell me i shouldn't have?"
you caught the railing in your hands, leaning over to search for renjun in the water. a cloud of bubbles had risen to mark where the merman had landed, and you held your own breath as you waited, not knowing what to expect. was he just going to swim away? would he wave goodbye?
when most of the bubbles cleared, you caught a glimpse of the white shirt he had been wearing.
even though the blue of the ocean blurred your view of him, the pit in your stomach grew as you realised the shirt wasn't sinking, and neither was it still. in fact, the sleeves were still flailing around erratically, the unnatural movements slowed by the density of the water.
barely thinking, you kicked off your shoes and threw off your hat. you were about to shake off your jacket when a hand pulled your shoulder back and away from the edge. you let out a cry of shock, whipping your head around to see captain!taeyong, who shook his head at you sternly. you tried to shrug him off, but he only held on tighter.
"haechan," he said, "fish-boy's drowning. you go get him."
the boy's face turned incredulous. "why me?"
"you threw him over. you get him. go."
you weren't shocked when haechan audibly swore under his breath, but started kicking off his shoes anyway. he wasn't one to cross the captain's orders, and he wasn't about to start.
still grumbling, he jumped onto the railing, calculating the distance from the ledge to the water below. he spat out to the side, swore, then pin-dropped perfectly.
you watched as haechan disappeared under the surface, and reemerged a few moments later with a panicking renjun in his arms, yelling at him to shut up and relax.
two of your crewmates had lowered the rowboat onto the water when haechan had jumped. he dragged renjun towards it, pulled himself up and helped renjun in before leaning back and waiting for the crew to haul the boat back up.
when they were both back on deck, renjun was still spluttering up water from his lungs. you crouched next to him and thumped your hand on his back rhythmically, encouraging him to cough it out. tears flowed down his cheeks as he struggled for breathâhe had obviously never experienced coughing before.
"for the stars' sake," haechan challenged, "why is he still here, inconveniencing everyone? huh?" he leaned into renjun's face threateningly, "you get caught accidentally, we let you go, and you ignore that? you could have just transformed back and swam away, but no. you just had to make me get my clothes wet, didn't you? why? you determined to piss me off?"
still doubled over on his knees, renjun had managed to stop coughing. he didn't move from his position, his chest still heaving as he panted. you noticed his fingertips pressing into the wooden planks under his palms, his nails turning white with the pressure. his shoulders quivered and jaw was clenched tight.
your lips parted in realisation.
"he can't."
haechan probably hadn't heard you over the sound of his own blood roaring in his ears. "what?"
"he can't," you repeated, looking up at him, "he can't transform back."
renjun's silence only confirmed your theory.
haechan blinked. his hands slipped off his hips, and his jaw went slack.
you could only imagine how haechan must have been feeling. how his chest must have tightened with the confronting truth, how he must have forgotten the world around him.
that you could only guessâyou knew what thought was whirling through his mind.
"come on," you said gently, gripping renjun's shoulders. "can you stand?"
he nodded shakily, and you thought you heard him choke back a sob.
leaving haechan to some space to himself, you led a trembling renjun below deck to get warm. you sat him down on a crate next to the brig, murmuring reassurances to him, and started searching for a spare blanket.
"what theârenjun?"
you had almost forgotten the brig wasn't empty, so you weren't alone below deck. you turned to see runaway prince!jeno, who was usually rarely awake, clutching at the bars of his prison.
you frowned in confusion as renjun cried out incoherently, launching himself off the crate to kneel in front of the prison. "je-no!" he exclaimed, sounding just as shocked as the prince through his accent.
"you two... know each other?"
jeno glanced at you, then back at the merman. "renjun freed me and saved my life." the boy nodded profusely in support.
"uh... you're still very much imprisoned, your highness."
"no, no, noâ" the prince started to correct you. "âin the merpeople's palace."
greetings, miss mam! 1, 12, 17, 21 & 25 for the fanfic asks, if u may <3
i had to put a cut because i got carried away and the answers got a bit lengthy :D
fanfiction writer asks!!
1) How old were you when you first starting writing fanfiction?
i was about to say 18 but i realized i wrote for iv of spades before so 15 or 16, i think? 18 for kpop tho!
12) Who is your favourite character to write for? Why?
omg ;n; i'm not really sure if you could call it favorite? but there's always an urge for me to write for my ults (bang chan and donghyuck) and i can't explain why? i like putting them in angsty situations in my head (especially chan) and they just fit. like for hyuck it's more of unrequited/catching-feelings-for-a-friend-who-i-shouldn't-like type and for chan it's just him loving someone so much but not enough. (unnecessary elaboration, sorry :D)
17) Post a line from a WIP that youâre working on.
again, not a line but a whole fucking paragraph. but it's understandable without context so i put a whole chunk in (ăïżŁâœïżŁ)ă
âIf you donât mind me asking,â Jaehyun called out after you and you stopped on your tracks. âHave we met before?â he asked, eyebrows furrowed as he studied your features that seemed all too familiar to him. Yet he couldnât quite pinpoint where he last saw you.
You look back into his eyesâthe same eyes youâve laid upon centuries back that doomed you to this damned cycle.
âNo,â you said coldly, willing yourself not to slip up, âI donât think so.â Jaehyun only nodded but you know he isnât satisfied with your answer, like he always was every time.
He wouldnât stop until he found out the truth. Like moths drawn to the flame, he was doomed just as much as you were.
21) Tell me about another writer(s) who you admire? What is it about them that you admire?
all of these writers have the ability to suck me into their fics. error 404: current world nonexistent. they are very descriptive but it's not overwhelming. it's just enough to make you forget you're in the real world while you're reading through their fics type. most of these writers also have the ability to change my perspective on certain idols after getting to read their fics. also i have a slightly long list :D
@jeonginks : first skz writer i came across and she made me like fluff because she writes it so well ;n; it's never tiring to me. also her universes are so cleverly thought of??? it makes me want to cry bc BIG BRAIN.
@hannie-dul-set : not putting your here bc you were the one who sent me this ask but BECAUSE you really are someone i admire. tho i havent gotten around to reading more lengthy works of yours, i've read enough to say that i'm a fan of the way you build your worlds. and i'd like to inform you that i still haven't looked at hoshi the same way since sins of pride :] really left a lasting impression :D
@by-moonflower & @taeilm & @inktae : i LOVE how they write. so. damn. much. their works rival the works of people who have their works published. reading through their works make me feel like i'm walking through an art gallery.
@markswoman & @dreamsafterhours : they might just be my favorite angst writers. MADE MY HEART ACHE AT THROUGH THEIR FICS. 10/10 would recommend for a good cry.
@ateezmakesmeweep : THEY MAKE ME WEEP. i think i have never binged long fics until i came across theirs. lengthy painful fics with good resolutions and i lived for it.
@hanflix : her writing is always so intense emotions wise. like she's typing with "!!!" and it completely immerses you in the setting and in the feeling
@99zmist : everything. best plots, best fluff, painful angst, best research, very broad scope of aus (could be abt the mcu, star wars, A DISNEY STORY BUT MAKE IT MORE INTENSE, and a lot more i stg) nation's best worldbuilder ever since she started writing, also BEST MOODBOARDS??? BEST LAYOUTS????
25) Have you ever cried whilst writing a story?
no, but two particular fics made me EXTREMELY sad while in the process of writing. champagne problems and cherry wine. (sounds like an alcoholic thing but i promise it's just a coincidence!)
Hi everyone. We have extremely sad news to announce.
Yesterday, our friend Ly/ Rei @reinjunn-deactivated20210519 took her own life.
The news is shocking and horrible to hear, but it is true.
Ly is no longer with us.
She was an amazing person, both inside and out. She was a literal ray of sunshine in all of our lives, and hearing that she's no longer here with us gives us so much grief. The only thing we can do is support each other through this. Ly always made us laugh when we were down, she helped us when we needed her most, and she was a constant source of support and encouragement to not only her friends, but every single person she met. She encouraged us to be the best version of ourselves. We all love her so much.
We don't now why she did this, but it hurts so much.
Ly, we love you.
- Abhie, Aditi, G, Zeta, Lin, Meri and each of our moots
@bluejaem @chweing--gum @whiteprincessofnohr @oifelixcmerebrou @jaeminpeachy @go-shotaro @treasuretaeil @sungchanscult @hachanbaecon and all of the moots, I'm sorry I am not feeling fine I can't tag everyone
enjoy as i write purely for self-indulgence, born from my love of the series and a passion for putting my biases in fictional situations of mortal danger
this series will be formatted as report files from W.I.C.K.E.D. as they test out their maze on our seven boys from NCT Dream
there is no y/n in this series, only secondary observation reports
to clarify, this plot can be read as a 'prequel' to The Maze Runner by James Dashner. there may be references to preexisting characters, however they will not be active agents in this series. technically, this is an alternate universe for the dreamies, not thomas and his friends.
the warnings below should be enough to prepare you all for what's coming lol. buckle up
â ïž tw: major character death, violence, grievers, swearing, graphic depictions of gore and blood, weapon use, possible spoilers for The Maze Runner series. i cannot stress enough that you should read at your own discretion.
naturally, the genre is horror and will involve scientific observations to suggest adverse emotions, such as fear.
this is a work of fiction closely tied to James Dashner's novel series, The Maze Runner. while i do not intend to plagiarise any of his works, i will be using many of his plot points, including the maze, grievers, w.i.c.k.e.d., and some characters, e.g. Dr. Ava Paige, etc., however, the details of the plot will be of my own imagination.
i do not own these characters, nor do i own James Dashner's name or those of NCT Dream's members. i am merely borrowing them for alternate universe purposes.
Folder: MAZE TRIAL ZERO > Folder: Pre-Trial Preparation and Planning
File: Official Proposal to Dr. Ava Paige
File: Potential Subject Profiles
File: Details of Stakes Involved
File: Predicted Cost
File: Ethical Implications
File: Map of the Maze
Folder: MAZE TRIAL ZERO > Folder: Progress Reports > Folder: Week One
Report: Day One
Report: Day Two
Report: Day Three
Report: Day Four
Report: Day Five
Report: Day Six
Report: Day Seven
Folder: MAZE TRIAL ZERO > Folder: Conclusion
File: Discussion and Advice for Future Development
MAZE TRIAL ZERO: An NCT Dream x The Maze Runner AU (Report: Day One)
[WORLD IN CATASTROPHE: KILLZONE EXPERIMENT DEPARTMENT Memorandum]
Folder: MAZE TRIAL ZERO > Folder: Progress Reports > Folder: Week One > File: Report: Day One
Attached files > File: Potential Subject Profiles
Report: Day One (01/01/231)
12:00: SUBJECT 01 summoned to PREP WARD.
12:30: PREP SHOT administered to Subject during operation to insert BIO CHIP into Subject's KILLZONE.
17:00: Preparations to insert SUBJECT 01 into MAZE completed.
17:00:08: ELEVATOR activated. Ascent into MAZE begins.
17:00:36: SUBJECT 01 wakes inside ELEVATOR.
17:00:41: Subject attempts to access NAME MEMORY FILE.
BIO CHIP indicates acute activation of sympathetic nervous system: elevated heart rates, incr. perspiration, heightened adrenaline and cortisol levels, widened bronchial passages, temporary deactivation of all immediately non-essential bodily functions.
BIO CHIP measures heart rate past 100 BPM. Peaks at 154 BPM.
Note: Side effects of PREP SHOT include impermanent retrograde amnesia, nausea, spatial and temporal disorientation. SUBJECT 01 may experience fluctuating perception of time in ELEVATOR.
Transcript of ELEVATOR audio recording at 17:00:00:
Recording Begins.
[Elevator gears grinding. Continues for approx. 36 seconds.]
Sedative properties of PREP SHOT fully wear off as SUBJECT 01 wakes with a gasp.
[Nausea causes emesis.]
[Spluttering as Subject recovers and orients himself.]
SUBJECT 01: What the... (inaudible.)
[Subject stands.]
SUBJECT 01: Hello? Hey! â hello?
17:01: ELEVATOR completes ascent into MAZE.
[Silence for approx. 5 seconds.]
[Elevator doors open overhead.]
SUBJECT 01: [REDACTED]!
[Silence as Subject recovers from sudden light.]
Remainder of audio consists of Subject climbing to exit Elevator.
Recording Ends.
17:03: Subject enters HOMESTEAD.
17:03:11: Subject attempts to access NAME MEMORY FILE.
17:03:31: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #43 captures Subject examining the surroundings, spinning in circles as Subject processes INNER MAZE WALLS.
BIO CHIP indicates further activation of sympathetic nervous system: elevated heart rates, incr. perspiration, heightened adrenaline and cortisol levels, widened bronchial passages, temporary deactivation of all immediately non-essential bodily functions.
17:05:37: Subject collapses to knees. Minor bruising occurs. Remains in position for approx. 6 minutes.
17:05:55: Subject attempts to access NAME MEMORY FILE.
BIO CHIP indicates incr. activity of parasympathetic nervous system: decr. heart rate to 99 BPM at 15:10:22. Heart rate lowers to 94 at 17:11:03.
17:11: Subject stands and walks towards SOUTH WALL.
17:16: Subject reaches SOUTH WALL. Knocks on the stone twice. Places his fingertips on the stone and runs it along the wall until he reaches SOUTH DOOR.
17:18: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #3 captures Subject reaching SOUTH DOOR and looking into the MAZE. Remains in position for approximately 1 minute.
BIO CHIP measures incr. activity in medial temporal lobe as Subject processes spatial components of the MAZE beyond SOUTH DOOR. Subject's sympathetic nervous response is activated.
Transcript of SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #3 audio recording at 17:18:52:
Recording begins.
SUBJECT 01: What...?
Recording ends.
17:20: Subject turns and walks away from SOUTH DOOR. Subject approaches FOREST.
17:26: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #93 captures Subject reaching FOREST and walking west along tree line.
17:28: Subject sits at edge of FOREST, looking to SOUTH WALL.
17:29:35: Subject attempts to access NAME MEMORY FILE.
BIO CHIP indicates activation of sympathetic nervous system and heightened activity in prefrontal cortex.
17:48: Subject stands and walks toward SOUTH DOOR.
17:52: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #3 captures Subject pausing in front of SOUTH DOOR.
17:52:36: Subject enters MAZE SECTION 6.
BIO CHIP measures incr. heart rate, peaking at 137 BPM at 17:57:36.
17:53: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #4 captures Subject walking slowly down SOUTH DOOR CORRIDOR.
17:54:19: Subject reaches first alternate path. After careful consideration (heightened activity in prefrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe), Subject turns right.
17:54: Further exploration of SECTION 6. Encounters 3 dead ends. Continuous active use of medial temporal lobe and hippocampus indicate spatial memory at work.
17:57:43: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #7 captures Subject staring up at darkening sky, turning back after approx. 9 seconds and retracing steps to HOMESTEAD.
17:59:50: Closing of all MAZE DOORS initiated.
BIO CHIP measures sharp incr. in adrenaline levels as Subject breaks into a sprint.
18:00:00: MAZE DOORS close. MAZE BEASTS #1 through #8 are released into the MAZE from respective SECTIONS.
18:00:00: Subject collapses to knees. Further bruising occurs. Remains in sitting position for approx. 1 minute, recovering from fear response.
Transcript of SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #3 audio recording at 18:08:57:
Recording begins.
MAZE BEAST #6: [Screeches]
SUBJECT 01: [REDACTED]!
[Subject stands and distances himself from CLOSED SOUTH DOOR.]
Recording ends.
BIO CHIP measures activation of parasympathetic nervous system and incr. activity in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
18:10: Subject approaches ELEVATOR and opens hatch. Subject examines contents of Elevator and jumps in.
Transcript of ELEVATOR audio recording at 18:10:14:
Recording begins.
SUBJECT 01: [Reading labels on boxes] WICKED.
SUBJECT 01: What the [REDACTED] does WICKED mean? (Inaudible.)
Remainder of audio consists of Subject reading labels of equipment and supplies aloud.
[Click as Subject turns on a torch.]
Recording ends.
18:11: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #43 captures objects being thrown out of Elevator. First, a sleeping bag, followed by a bag of clothing. Continues until all supplies are unloaded from Elevator.
18:15: Subject climbs out of Elevator and closes hatch. Proceeds to organise supplies.
18:23: Subject completes supply organisation. Begins setting up makeshift tent.
18:39: Subject completes tent set-up. SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #78 captures Subject starting to eat in rations.
19:11: Subject sets up sleeping bag and prepares for sleep.
MAZE BEASTS continue to howl and screech throughout the night. As a result, Subject experiences difficulty falling asleep. Audio recordings from SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #78 coincide with BIO CHIP measurements of bursts of activity in sympathetic nervous system at 19:12:37, 19:23:40, 21:05:36, 22:46:29, 23:07:47, 23:07:49 and 23:34:40.
23:38:47: Subject attempts to access NAME MEMORY FILE.
23:39:56: Subject accesses NAME MEMORY FILE.
Transcript of SURVEILLANCE CAMERA #78 audio recording at 23:39:57:
