hey yall! im ella, and im from australia. i made this blog so i could post about my interests, but also anything else that comes to mind.
fun fact time!
➡️ im from victoria (aus)
➡️ i was born in 2004
➡️ some of my hobbies include: dance (mainly ballet), pilates, listening to music, and playing stardew valley (among many other things)
➡️ i have 7 grandparents (long story. im not related to all of them... duh)
➡️ i listen to pretty much any genre of music, but mainly kpop
➡️ i ult skz, and im an ot8
what you can expect to see here
fanfiction is my guilty pleasure, so expect to see some recs eventually! ill also post other stuff, including but not limited to: music recs, random gifs, cat memes... pretty much anything, really 🤷🏼♀️
thats all for now. i might as some more later though.
STRAY KIDS HYBRIDS AU : OT8 STRAYKIDS X HYBRID RAGDOLL CAT FEM READER
Summary : Hybrids is well known to public, and in the entertainment industry, idols owning hybrids wasn’t unusual. Stray Kids have one, a pure ragdoll cat hybrid. Not as a pet, but more like a family, A Pack for her.
Pairing : Stray Kids OT8 x F!Reader
Tags : Angst ( I love angst), and fluff
A/N : This is my first time writing, so advice, tips and critics are helpful :). English isn't my first language so I used tools to help me write.
Chapter TW : a little suggestive but not really !
Word Count : 3,777
< Previous Next >
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CHAPTER 8 - Beautiful
Morning came softly to the staycation house.
Golden sunlight slipped carefully through the curtains, painting warm streaks across wooden floors and tangled blankets. Outside, waves rolled endlessly against the shore in calm rhythm, their distant sound blending beautifully with the peaceful silence inside the house.
For once—
Nobody had alarms blaring.
No managers rushing them.
No schedules demanding immediate movement.
Only rest.
And maybe that was why everyone woke slowly. One by one the members emerged from their rooms looking half-dead and sleepy, hair messy, oversized shirts hanging lazily from their bodies while yawns echoed throughout the house. Scattered around the house like sleepy cats themselves.
Felix collapsed dramatically onto the couch first. “I’m still tired.”
“You slept for like ten hours,” Seungmin pointed out while walking into the kitchen.
“Not enough.”
Meanwhile Lee Know quietly started preparing coffee while Han wandered around wrapped entirely in a blanket like a ghost.
“Water…”
Minho passed by holding coffee.
“You’re pathetic.”
“I know.”
The living room slowly filled afterward. The atmosphere felt slow.
Lazy.
Comfortable.
Hyunjin appeared with messy hair and oversized pajamas.
Changbin walked in still yawning.
Seungmin sat quietly scrolling through his phone while Jeongin practically slept upright against the couch cushions.
Until suddenly—
“What time is it?”
Jeongin checked his phone lazily.
“…10:45.”
Silence.
Then immediate chaos.
“…Why is it almost eleven?!”
“WHAT?”
“I thought we were leaving before noon?!”
“Why didn’t anyone wake us up?!”
Han nearly tripped over his own blanket rushing upright while Felix panicked dramatically about wasted daylight. In the middle of the chaos, Seungmin frowned slightly while looking around. “…Wait.”
Everyone paused briefly.
“Where’s Y/N?”
That immediately made everyone look around instinctively.
No answer.
Then Seungmin blinked slowly. “And Chan hyung?”
“Y/N and Chan hyung aren’t awake either.”
That immediately silenced the room.
Usually it was either you or Chan waking everyone first.
Always.
Jeongin yawned loudly from the kitchen doorway.
“That's weird.. Chan hyung didn’t sleep in our room last night.”
Silence.
Then Han’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh my god.”
Without another word, he immediately sprinted upstairs. The others followed instantly, immediately burst into laughter while following behind him noisily.
“NO WAY.”
“YAH WAIT FOR ME.”
“I KNEW IT.”
“Move. MOVE !”
“I KNEW IT.”
“You’re all acting like middle schoolers,” Minho sighed while still following behind them anyway. Eventually the entire group gathered outside your bedroom door while Han slowly pushed it open dramatically. The bedroom door swung open with a thud.
And immediately everyone froze.
Because there you were. Still deeply asleep. Curled while parts of your body was on top of Bang Chan like you naturally belonged there.
Chan laid sprawled across the bed, somehow he was shirtless beneath you, one arm sprawled up beside his head while the other rested low against the backside of your upper thigh that’s on his stomach where it’s dangerously too close to your ass possessively. His discarded shirt from last night sat somewhere near the edge of the mattress alongside tangled blankets that clearly hadn’t survived the night.
Your cheek squished softly against his warm chest, making your face look impossibly soft and ridiculously cute. Tiny quiet purrs vibrating faintly from your chest can be heard by them.
And somehow you looked so smaller than you actually are, wrapped around their leader.
So safe.
So comfortable.
Han gasped dramatically loud enough to wake the dead.
“Oh my GOD!”
The noise finally stirred Chan awake. Slowly, Bang Chan blinked open sleepy eyes before spotting seven members crowded in the doorway staring at him. And instead of shame, Chan just stared right back at them lazily.
Completely unbothered.
Then with absolutely zero embarrassment he closed his eyes again like he intended to continue sleeping.
Felix looked personally betrayed.
“HEY! That’s not fair!”
“Says who?” Chan answered lazily without even opening his eyes again.
The smugness in his voice made everyone immediately erupt.
“YAH!”
“You’re unbelievable!”
“You stole her!”
“She has her own room for a reason!”
Still half asleep, Chan only pulled you slightly closer against him.
Deliberately.
Teasingly.
And unfortunately for the others—
The movement only made the position look more intimate.
Han looked personally devastated.
Meanwhile Minho leaned casually against the doorway with crossed arms, clearly amused rather than shocked.
“You’re all acting surprised like you didn’t expect this eventually.”
“Not helping,” Seungmin sighed while laughing.
Meanwhile Chan only smirked faintly before deciding to make things infinitely worse.
Then—
Almost deliberately dangerously slow.
His hand slowly dragged up tracing along your thigh up to the plush of your ass. Squeezing and fondling softly, fingers squeezing softly against the plush skin like he was making a point.
The room exploded instantly.
“HEY HEY HEY!”
“HYUNG.”
“WE CAN SEE YOU.”
"Hey ! THAT'S OFF LIMIT !"
Chan finally opened one eye again, completely unashamed.
“What?”
“You know what.”
Even Hyunjin had started laughing helplessly by now.
“This is painful to witness.”
Minho laughed openly from the doorway while Hyunjin nearly collapsed against the wall from amusement.
“You’re doing that on purpose!” Han accused dramatically.
Chan finally opened one eye again.
“Maybe.”
Then even worse—
His other hand landed on your waist slipped beneath the hem of your sleep shirt slightly and dragging it upward a little, thumb brushing lazily against the warm exposed skin there.
Not inappropriate.
But absolutely enough to send the others into chaos.
“Christopher Bahng!”
Felix sounded betrayed.
Meanwhile Chan smirking with eyes closed, looked entirely too pleased with himself.
Like a dragon proudly guarding treasure.
The commotion eventually stirred you awake, purr died down. A soft sleepy moaning sound escaped your lips first before you shifted slowly on top of Chan. The room instantly went silent.
You blinked tiredly, still barely conscious.
Then pushed yourself up weakly—
You looked devastatingly adorable.
Sleep still clung heavily to your expression while your fluffy ears twitched weakly. One ear had folded awkwardly inside out during the night, making Felix physically clutch his chest from cuteness aggression.
Now accidentally straddling Chan’s hips while your hands rested against his stomach for balance, with him gripping your hips for balancing you. Your oversized sleep shirt hung loosely off one shoulder while your fluffy hair looked completely ruined from sleep.
Everyone stared.
Completely defeated and awestruck. Because somehow this looks is such a rare sight to them, you waking up before them. Not from nap, but from real night sleep.
You blinked slowly at the crowd gathered in the doorway. Completely confused. “…Hm?”
Nobody answered immediately.
Because every single member was too busy staring at you. Your cheeks looked soft and puffy from sleep.
Hair messy.
Eyes barely open.
And the tiny sleepy pout on your lips nearly killed everyone instantly.
Then yawned softly.
Before immediately collapsing back down against Chan’s chest with a tiny sleepy whine.
“I’m tired…”
Your voice came muffled against his skin as you curled instinctively beneath his chin again, purr sound can be heard again.
The members physically recoiled.
“That’s lethal,” Hyunjin whispered dramatically.
“Aww,” Chan cooed sweetly. “They woke my baby girl up huh?.” Chan continued back on fondling your lower ass and kiss the top of your head sweetly. While his other hand still on your hip.
“YOUR baby girl?!” Han shouted.
Chan ignored him entirely.
Instead, he gently cradled the back of your head before turning fully onto his side—
Taking you with him, adjusting the blanket to cover the both of you. And completely shielding you away with his entire body from the others. Like he genuinely intended to hide you away forever. Jeongin burst into laughter immediately.
“He’s actually hoarding her.”
Felix finally snapped.
“No absolutely not.”
Han and Felix launched themselves onto the bed dramatically attempting to pry you away.
“Give her back!”
“She belongs to all of us!”
Chan tightened his grip dramatically.
“She chose me.”
“She was unconscious!”
Meanwhile you remained half asleep through the entire argument, clinging lazily to Chan’s chest while your tail swished slowly beneath the blankets. You blinked awake slightly again from all the movement, confused laughter bubbling weakly from your chest while being squished between fighting members.
“What’s happening…”
Minho shook his head while laughing softly beside Seungmin.
“Embarrassing.”
“They’re acting like divorced parents fighting custody,” Seungmin sighed.
Even Changbin leaned against the doorway laughing before eventually joining Han and Felix trying to pry you away.
“Okay move over already.”
“No.”
“Chan.”
“She’s comfortable.”
“She’s asleep!”
“Exactly.”
Eventually the bed devolved into complete chaos.
Blankets got stolen.
Felix attempted dragging you gently by the waist.
Han complained loudly every five seconds.
Changbin wrestled Chan’s arm away while laughing.
Hyunjin joined in eventually got a chance to grab your arm dramatically pulling you away from Chan. “Come here.”
Chan groaned loudly.
“Traitors.”
Meanwhile Minho, Seungmin and Jeongin only watched the chaos with exhausted amusement.
“Children,” Minho muttered.
“Literal children,” Seungmin agree
By the time everyone finally got ready to leave for brunch, the energy inside the house felt warm and lively again. Sleepiness lingered softly beneath everyone’s movements while the ocean breeze greeted you all the second you stepped outside. The salty air filled your lungs immediately.
Fresh.
Cool.
Comforting.
Your ears perked instantly at the sound of distant waves while everyone slowly made their way toward a nearby ocean-side restaurant.
The streets near the shoreline buzzed peacefully with late morning life. The smell of grilled seafood drifting through the air. You walked quietly between the members while sunlight warmed your skin.
And for a moment—
Everything truly felt okay again.
No tension.
No loneliness.
No fear.
Just warmth.
Laughter.
Belonging.
You walked beside the members toward a nearby seaside restaurant while salty air brushed gently against your skin and hair. The ocean spread endlessly beside the road, waves crashing rhythmically against rocks below while sunlight shimmered beautifully across the water.
Everyone instantly relaxed the second they reached the coast.
Felix stretched both arms dramatically toward the sky.
“This is healing me emotionally.”
“You keep say that every five minutes,” Seungmin replied.
“Because I need healing every five minutes.”
You laughed softly while walking between Chan and Jeongin, your cardigan fluttering slightly in the sea breeze.
Then suddenly—
Chan reached down quietly and hooked his pinky around yours.
Small subtle gesture but warm.
You glanced up at him.
He only smiled softly.
And for some reason—
That tiny gesture affected you more than anything else that morning.
Because after everything lately…
After all the distance.
All the hurt.
All the moments where you thought maybe you were slowly being left behind—
Being loved this openly again almost made your chest ache.
The restaurant overlooked the ocean directly, wooden decks extending toward the water while the smell of grilled food and sea salt mixed warmly together.
Everyone immediately began arguing over menu choices.
Han wanted everything.
Changbin complained about portions.
Hyunjin cared more about aesthetics than food.
Meanwhile you sat quietly for a moment just watching them.
Listening.
Smiling softly.
And without realizing—
Your tail slowly curled happily around the leg of your chair beneath the table.
Because this—
This was what you’d missed most.
Not attention.
Not gifts.
Not affection alone.
But this feeling.
Being included.
Wanted.
Loved naturally in the middle of everyday moments.
None of you noticed the way Jina’s unread message still sat quietly on Chan’s phone.
Ignored because of the Do Not Disturb mode was on.
Waiting.
Brunch ended up becoming one of those moments all of you would probably remember years later without even trying. Not because something extraordinary happened. But because everything felt so right.
The restaurant overlooked the ocean directly, large windows opened to let the sea breeze flow through naturally while warm sunlight reflected beautifully across the water outside. The salty scent of the ocean mixed together with grilled seafood, butter, citrus, and fresh drinks, creating an atmosphere so comforting it made everyone visibly relax deeper into their seats.
The long table overflowed with dishes.
Fresh grilled fish.
Crab.
Shrimp.
Seafood stew.
Rice bowls.
Fruit platters.
Cold drinks sweating beneath the warmth of late morning.
The members talked over each other constantly, laughter weaving naturally between bites of food and random conversations.
You sat comfortably beside Lee Know, who’d somehow silently taken responsibility for helping you eat the moment he noticed you struggling with seafood shells. “You’re hopeless,” he muttered fondly while peeling shrimp for you effortlessly.
“I’m trying…”
“You almost launched crab meat across the restaurant.”
“That happened once.”
“It happened twice.”
You gasped softly while Han laughed loudly from across the table. Minho only shook his head with amusement before placing freshly peeled seafood carefully onto your plate.
“Eat.”
Your tail flicked happily behind your chair while you obediently took another bite.
The savory taste nearly made your eyes close.
“So good…”
Minho glanced sideways at your expression and smiled faintly to himself.
A little sauce lingered near the corner of your lips.
Without even thinking about it, his thumb brushed there casually, wiping it away with the side of his knuckle.
The gesture felt so natural like he’d done it a thousand times before.
You blinked softly at him.
“…Thank you.”
Minho only hummed quietly before continuing to peel more seafood for you.
Across the table, Felix whispered dramatically to Hyunjin—
“They’re literally married.”
“I know right ? I want to be married to her too.”
“Channie hyung HOW could you leave me alone in our room last night! Even worse you went to sleep with Y/n, keeping her to yourself!” Jeongin playfully brought up the topic about this morning. Everyone calling him out agreeing with Jeongin, while you only chewed on your food looking at Chan to see his reaction. “If you brought her to our room last night I wouldn’t complain.” Jeongin added. Chan only laughed, forming thin lines to the outer of his eyes. Hand waving to dismissed the teasing.
“Oh you guys, there’s nothing happened last night, I should be the one complaining.” Your calm reply shocked everyone, making them laughed even more. Han clapped his hand and throwing his head back laughing, Felix and Jeongin’s mouths wide open surprised from the comeback. Everyone can hear Changbin’s iconic laugh. Chan though, looking so shocked his eyes and mouth wide apart, disbelieve written all over his face.
“What did you guys expect bound to happen?” You continued chuckled teasingly, cocking an eyebrow to mocked them more and continued stuffing rice into your mouth. “Wait!... you expected something to happen?! What did you expect to happen Y/N-ah ?!” Chan pointing his finger at you, his ears hot and red.
“Oooh so sassy! I love that side of you!” Hyunjin said outloud.
“Huhh I don’t know Chan…” you took a moment to swallow the food properly, “why don’t you try and find out?” you looked at him, trying to looked as innocent as ever.
Minho smirked beside you and poke your side tickling you, “Such a brat aren’t ya?”. You playfully winked at him, drawing a small laughter from Minho, shaking his head.
Chan can only scoffed, tongue the inside of his cheek, nodding his head, lips forming a half-smile, amused and still can’t believe how casually you flirted back.
After most of the table finished eating, only Chan, Changbin, and Minho still had proper meals untouched in front of them.
Because naturally they’d spent most of brunch feeding everyone else first.
Cutting food.
Passing dishes.
Helping you.
Refilling drinks.
Han noticed too and frowned.
“Hyungs, eat properly.”
“We are,” Changbin answered while finally taking his first real bite.
Once everyone finally finished eating, the atmosphere shifted into lazy contentment.
Sunlight glowed warmly through the windows while drinks sweated against the tabletop and nobody looked particularly eager to move.
Then suddenly—
“Dessert?”
You turned toward Han immediately.
Han already looked halfway through convincing himself.
“I want something cold.”
He leaned closer dramatically.
“Share with me?”
You laughed softly.
“Okay.”
“YES.” Han immediately flagged down a waiter while looking absurdly pleased with himself.
Across the table, Felix bounced excitedly in his seat. “We should explore today.” Everyone looked toward him. Felix gestured excitedly toward the ocean outside.
“Like properly explore Busan. Cute places. Shops. The streets. Then tomorrow can be full beach day.”
“Tomorrow beach. Then Saturday we should just relax at the house.”
He pointed his fork thoughtfully.
“There’ll probably be fireworks and drone shows near the beach this weekend anyway.”
“Ooh,” Felix perked up instantly.
“We can watch from the porch,” Seungmin added excitedly.
“And barbecue.”
“Yes,” Changbin immediately agreed.
Minho hummed thoughtfully.
“Add alcohol too.”
Then his eyes shifted directly toward you.
“But not for you.”
You blinked in disbelief.
“What?!”
Everyone laughed immediately at your offended expression.
You pointed accusingly at him.
“Why can’t I drink with you guys?!”
“Because no.”
“That’s not an answer!”
Chan nodded seriously beside him.
“He’s right.”
You looked even more betrayed.
“Christopher Bang!”
But Chan only hid his smile behind his drink.
“It’s bad for your health.”
“Then it’s not good for your health too!”
“Nahh it’s only bad for kitten.” He mocked even more.
“Hey!”
Han nearly wheezed laughing while scooping dessert onto a spoon.
“Just drink apple juice, baby.”
Then he fed you the spoonful before you could continue arguing.
The cold sweetness instantly distracted you.
“…Oh this is good.”
“Exactly.”
Minho shook his head fondly.
“So easy.”
The rest of the afternoon passed beautifully. Busan felt alive in a completely different way compared to Seoul.
Softer somehow.
More relaxed.
The streets bustled gently with people wandering through markets, cafés, and seaside paths while ocean air lingered everywhere.
The members stayed close together while walking through the marketplace since even on weekdays there were still enough people around to lose someone accidentally.
Food stalls lined the streets selling hotteok, seafood skewers, fish cakes, and shaved ice while little souvenir shops displayed jewelry, accessories, handmade crafts, and clothing.
Your eyes sparkled the entire time.
“There’s so much stuff…”
Han immediately bought snacks for everyone.
Felix got distracted by literally every dessert stand.
Hyunjin disappeared twice because he spotted “pretty lighting” for photos.
And somewhere between all of it—
The members kept taking pictures.
Constantly.
Of each other.
Of the scenery.
Of you.
Especially you.
“This way, sunny.”
“Wait, stay there.”
“Don’t move.”
You laughed helplessly while being shuffled around like everyone’s personal model.
At one point, Seungmin and Felix practically argued over who got better candid photos of you.
“She smiled more in mine.”
“Because she was looking at ME.”
“That’s worse.”
You wore the sundress Jeongin picked earlier during shopping, paired with soft strappy sandals and a small brown shoulder bag Felix helped choose.
The members genuinely looked proud seeing you dressed up.
“You look beautiful,” Felix told you for probably the fifth time that day.
Your ears warmed.
“You literally helped style me.”
“Exactly,” he grinned proudly.
Then suddenly—
Jeongin grabbed your wrist lightly.
“Come here.”
“Hm?”
“I want to take your picture.”
Instant anxiety immediately returned.
“Oh no…”
“You’re fine.”
“I don’t know how to pose…”
Jeongin sighed dramatically.
“You’re hopeless.”
Still, he guided you patiently toward a small bench overlooking one of the prettier streets near the coastline.
“Okay. Sit.”
You obeyed nervously.
“Cross your legs a little.”
“Like this?”
“Yeah. Hands beside you.”
You adjusted awkwardly.
“I feel weird.”
“Stop thinking so hard.”
Then softer—
“Just look at me.”
You did.
And somehow that made things easier.
Jeongin smiled encouragingly behind the camera.
“Good. Tilt your head slightly.”
You copied him carefully.
Meanwhile behind him—
Han suddenly clutched his chest dramatically before dropping to one knee. “Oh my god she’s beautiful.”
You burst out laughing immediately.
And click.
Jeongin captured the exact moment your face relaxed naturally.
Eyes crinkled.
Smile genuine.
Beautiful without trying.
Jeongin stared at the photo afterward triumphantly.
“See?”
You peeked over his shoulder.
And honestly—
You looked happy.
Really happy.
Eventually everyone gathered together for group selfies too.
Hyunjin, being tallest, naturally held the phone highest while the rest crowded around you shamelessly. Felix pressed against one side. Han leaned over your shoulder. Chan stood behind you with his chin resting lightly near the top of your head.
Your laughter filled nearly every picture because nobody could stay serious for more than two seconds.
And somehow—
Those photos became your favorite.
Messy.
Warm.
Real.
Time slipped by faster than expected.
Before anyone realized it, the sky had already begun turning gold.
The group slowly wandered toward the beach almost instinctively, following the distant sound of waves and warm evening breeze.
People filled the shoreline casually.
Families.
Couples.
Friends gathering together.
Street musicians somewhere nearby.
You stepped onto the sand slowly—
Then immediately froze.
The sunset looked unreal. Orange melted into red. Pink blended softly into purple higher across the sky. The ocean reflected everything beautifully, sparkling beneath the dying sunlight like scattered jewels across water. Your breath caught softly.
“Wow…”
Without thinking, you walked closer toward the shoreline alongside Felix, Han, and Jeongin, completely mesmerized by the colors. Behind you, Changbin watched quietly.
Not the sunset.
You.
The way your eyes reflected the light.
The way your ears twitched softly in the ocean breeze.
The way happiness softened your entire face.
You turned slightly toward him.
“Isn’t it beautiful?”
Changbin smiled faintly.
“Yeah.”
But his eyes never left you.
Seungmin eventually joined beside him too.
Then quietly—
“You’re prettier though.”
You blinked at him in surprise before smiling softly.
“Thank you.” A little new to the feelings of receiving compliments completely without second thoughts and acknowledged those compliments to your heart.
Changbin suddenly leaned closer toward your ear. Close enough his voice brushed warm against your skin.
Your fluffy tail and ears immediately stood upright in shock, almost like in alert mode.
Then without another explanation he casually patted your shoulder and walked away toward the others like nothing happened.
You remained frozen.
Face blanked.
Hyunjin immediately noticed.
“What did he say?”
Seungmin blinked.
“I didn’t hear it too.”
You covered your face instantly.
“He said 'you're sleeping with me tonight'…”
Hyunjin let out the loudest offended whine imaginable.
“THAT’S NOT FAIR.”
Meanwhile Seungmin burst into laughter.
“It’s fair to me tho.”
You blinked.
“Huh?”
He grinned smugly.
“We’re roommates.” Gesturing to himself and Changbin.
Realization hit immediately. “I get to sleep with her too LOL”.
Your face burned hot, laughing from his reply. Seungmin stepped closer before gently cupping your cheeks between both hands, squishing them until your lips puckered helplessly. “I can’t wait,” he teased softly with a smirk.
Somewhere behind you, Hyunjin sounded seconds away from filing an official complaint.
or: you don't believe that spiderman is real. who would believe that a masked vigilante just popped out of nowhere, started shooting webs and swinging through Seoul saving people, in spandex?? and most of all, you wouldn't believe that said "spiderman" would have any correlation with han jisung, that's just a load of nonsense!
in other words..: look, in jisung's defense, he didnt mean to get bit by a genetically modified spider. but he did, so now he's stuck with the superhuman side effects, a superhero persona, and his roommates constantly covering for him. and hey, he doesn't mind a sprinkle of chaos into his life. he's actually glad he got this alter ego, a version of himself that does good for other people, y'know...saving the city, and one that he can maybe impress you with, since his original self is stuck being your academic rival that you can't stand even if you were paid.
warnings: academicrival!jisung x reader, college au, MDNI!! contains sexual content (the smut is unprompted and is completely self indulgent) inappropriate use of webs, upside down kiss, references from multiple spiderman movies, college slop, group project slop, talks of biotech and robotics that are probably false (research was poorly done), injuries and bloodloss, reader is an academic weapon and doesn't catch a break.
wc: 9.5k | part 1
The final keystroke of your semester project sent a wave of relief so palpable it nearly knocked you sideways.
You slumped back into the couch cushions, arms flopping dramatically at your sides. "Done," you announced, voice hoarse from hours of revision. "We're done."
Jisung, who had been hovering over your shoulder, let out a cheer so loud it startled Chan into almost dropping his phone.
"We slayed that presentation," Jisung crowed, "Like obliterated it. Decimated. Annihilated-"
"Okay, we get it," Changbin interrupted, carrying three boxes of pizza, "But if you don't shut up and eat, I'm finishing your half."
Changbin dropped the pizza boxes onto the coffee table. Chan immediately lunged for a slice, Jisung snatched two before Changbin could even open the second box.
You reached for a slice of your own, the warmth of the cardboard seeping into your fingers as you took your first bite.
The exhaustion of the past seven weeks, staying up late to fine tune every slide, running through practice presentations, arguing over citation formats, finally melted away with the simple act of chewing.
Jisung, usually incapable of sitting still for more than thirty seconds, actually paused between bites, slumping against the couch cushions with a satisfied sigh.
It was strange, how comfortable you’d grown here - how easily you’d slipped into the rhythm of their apartment, their habits, their banter.
When the last slice disappeared, you gathered your things. Jisung, still sprawled on the couch, craned his neck to watch you pack up, and offered to walk you out, as usual, but you waved him off.
the campus pathways were still buzzing with students as it was still around 8pm.
You waved over your shoulder without looking back, calling out a lazy, "Bye, guys," as the dorm door clicked shut behind you.
The evening air was warm and humid, typical for early summer, and you barely made it halfway across the quad when the first fat raindrop splattered against your forehead.
You paused, blinking up at the sky. "You've got to be kidding me," you muttered.
Within a few minutes, your hair was damp, your shirt started clinging uncomfortably to your shoulders.
you continued walking, not that you had any other choice, your shoes making sad squelching noises with each step, when suddenly the raindrops abruptly stopped hitting you.
You blinked, staring at the sidewalk where water still splattered against the pavement mere inches from your feet. Then you turned your head.
Jisung stood beside you, holding an umbrella over your head with one hand while rainwater soaked his other half. raindrops drenched his shoulder, his bangs were slightly damp and clung to his forehead.
you stared at him for a second. he was breathless, chest heaving, "You," you said flatly, "are the least effective umbrella holder I've ever seen."
Jisung grinned, shaking his head like a wet dog and spraying water droplets everywhere. "Excuse you," he said, nudging the umbrella handle toward you. "I ran after you."
You blinked at him, "You-" you started, then stopped, "Why?"
Jisung shrugged, "Because I wanted to," he said simply.
The umbrella was small enough that you had to stand closer than usual to both stay under it. His arm brushed against yours as you walked, making you hyper aware of the unusual proximity.
"You're still getting wet," you pointed out, glancing at the way rainwater still soaked his shoulder that wasn't covered by the umbrella.
Jisung shrugged, shifting the umbrella slightly more toward you. "I'm already soaked. Doesn't matter."
"that's stupid," you muttered, but you didn't step away.
The rain drummed a steady rhythm against the umbrella as you walked, the sound muffling the usual campus noises.
For once, Jisung wasn't filling the silence with chatter, just walking beside you.
"You didn't have to do this," you said after a moment.
Jisung glanced at you, a slight smile forming. "I know."
The simplicity of his answer caught you off guard. You looked away, focusing on the puddles splashing beneath your feet.
A gust of wind sent rain spraying sideways, and Jisung instinctively shifted, angling himself between you and the worst of it. His shoulder bumped against yours, steadying you when you slipped on a slick patch of pavement.
"Careful," he murmured, his hand briefly brushing your elbow before he pulled away.
The rain slowed to a drizzle as you reached the covered walkway outside your dorm building, its roof shielding you from the worst of the weather. Jisung shook the umbrella out with a flick of his wrist, sending droplets scattering across the pavement.
"You didn't have to walk me all the way back," you said, watching as he ran a hand through his damp hair, pushing it back from his forehead.
Jisung shrugged, "Would've been rude to leave you halfway."
"at least stay a bit till the rain dies down?" You leaned against the dorm's brick wall beneath the awning, the sound of rain pattering around you both. Jisung nodded, mirrored your posture.
after a moment of silence, "You're shivering," he noted, eyebrows knitting together.
"I'm fine," you lied, crossing your arms over your damp shirt.
Jisung then peeled off his hoodie. The motion made his tshirt ride up slightly, revealing a strip of skin that you very pointedly did not stare at.
"Here, it's less wet than yours" he said, dangling the garment in front of your face.
"you don't have to-"
"Do I have to put it on you myself?"
The mental image made your ears heat. "I'm capable of dressing myself, thanks." You snatched the hoodie, your fingers brushing against his.
The material was a little damp but still held the residual heat from his body as you pulled it over your head.
"There," he said, satisfied, reaching over to adjust the hood where it had caught on your ear. His fingers lingered for a heartbeat too long, tucking a strand of wet hair behind your ear. "Now you look-"
"Like a drowned rat in your laundry?" you supplied.
Jisung's mouth quirked. "I was gonna say cute, but sure, let's go with that."
You froze.
Jisung seemed to realize what he'd said at the same time you did. His ears turned pink, "I mean- not that you're not usually- I just-"
"You're rambling," you pointed out,
"Yeah," he admitted, uncharacteristically quiet. His eyes flickered to your mouth, then back up.
The rain drummed above you both, creating a rhythm that drowned out everything else.
Jisung leaned in, just slightly. Your pulse kicked up as you tilted your head toward him. His lips parted slightly, and you closed your eyes, inching closer.
Three inches. Two.
Then, police sirens.
Jisung flinched backward, his head whipping toward the sound. your eyes snapped open.
The sirens wailed louder - close, too close - their flashing blue lights reflecting off the wet pavement in erratic pulses.
His entire body tensed, fingers twitching at his sides as if physically restraining himself from bolting toward the noise.
"You should-" His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat, already stepping back. "You should go inside before you catch a cold."
You blinked. "What? No, I-"
"I need to go," Jisung blurted out, already taking another step backward.
"You're leaving?" You gestured at the rain still sheeting down. "In this?"
Jisung hesitated for only a second longer, "I'm sorry," he said, already backing away, "I'll- I'll text you."
And then he was gone, sprinting into the rain without so much as a glance back, his sneakers splashing through puddles as he disappeared around the corner of the building.
You stared after him, the hoodie sleeves dangling over your hands, rainwater dripping from your hair onto the pavement.
"What the hell?" you muttered to no one.
~
The shower barely warmed up before you finished washing off the rain. but the borrowed hoodie made up for it as you towel dried your hair.
Your phone buzzed against the sink counter, screen lighting up with a notification from a news page on twitter. You tapped it absently while tugging the hoodie's sleeves over your palms.
Safety Alert: Vehicle collision near university campus. Avoid area. Emergency responders on scene.
You frowned at the timestamp- eight minutes ago. Right around when those sirens had interrupted whatever that was with Jisung.
Scrolling down revealed tweets already flooding in.
seoullights: SPIDER-MAN JUST WEBBED A CAR FROM HITTING A BUS.
chemmajorhell: did spiderman just yeet a sedan???
strayawayfromme: video proof before yall call cap
You tapped the blurry video thumbnail.
The footage was shaky, clearly filmed by someone sprinting away.
A silver sedan spun out of control toward an intersection. Then - spiderman dropped from nowhere, webbing the car’s front bumper mid skid and yanking it sideways. The sedan screeched to a halt inches from a bus.
The camera panned up, catching Spiderman perched on a traffic light, one arm outstretched with webbing still attached to the car. you could see his shoulders heaving. Then his voice cut through your phone speakers.
“Hey, watch the crosswalk!”
The video froze mid buffering, right as Spiderman swung off the traffic light, but not before you caught the jagged movement, the way his descent stuttered unnaturally.
The camera jerked away, but not before you saw the red blooming across his leg where something, a piece of debris, maybe - had clipped him mid swing.
The next frame showed him stumbling slightly on landing, one hand pressed to his thigh before he forced himself upright.
You stared at your phone screen long after the video had ended, thumb hovering over the replay button.
The timing was too convenient. Jisung bolting the second those sirens blared, Spiderman appearing minutes later, the uncanny similarities in their voices, their mannerisms.
It was ridiculous. Impossible. And yet-
Your fingers twitched toward your messages, halfway through typing "Did you just-" before deleting it with a frustrated sigh.
What exactly were you going to ask? "Did you just stop a car crash as Spiderman?" That sounded insane, even for Jisung.
You tossed your phone onto your bed, where it landed against your comforter.
Outside, the rain had slowed down, occasional droplets tapping against your window.
You peeled off Jisung’s hoodie and held it up, studying it, It was just a hoodie. A dumb, slightly damp hoodie that smelled like his cheap cologne.
You groaned, flopping backward onto your bed and dragging a pillow over your face. "I’m losing it," you muttered to the empty room.
Because no. There was no way.
Han Jisung was not swinging around the city saving people.
He disappeared at weird times, and yes, he had so many unexplained bruises, and okay, maybe his voice did sound eerily similar to Spiderman’s when he was being particularly smug.
but that didn’t mean anything. Coincidences happened.
You were just tired. Overworked. Probably hallucinating from sleep deprivation.
~
days passed.
With the semester project finally submitted, you allowed yourself the luxury of not pulling all nighters for once. sleeping in past sunrise, lingering over coffee in the campus café instead of gulping it down between lectures.
The relief felt like shedding a weighted vest you hadn’t realized you’d been wearing.
But the reprieve from academic stress only left more room for other thoughts to creep in.
You noticed things now.
The way Jisung winced when he stretched too far in class, how he’d disappear mid conversation only to text some excuse his supposed stomach problems.
You pushed the observations aside, each time. It was ridiculous. Coincidental. Probably.
other than that, things between you and Jisung were... fine.
If "fine" meant orbiting each other like awkward middle school crushes, both hyperaware of the almost kiss that neither of you acknowledged.
He still showed up to your shared lectures, but now there was a hesitation in his movements. like he was constantly stopping himself from reaching out to fix your hair or brush a crumb off your cheek.
It was infuriating. And confusing. And maybe a little endearing, not that you'd ever admit it.
Chan and Changbin, to their credit, pretended not to notice the shift. Mostly.
Changbin did once mutter "Just kiss already, Jesus" before, earning a kick under the table from Chan. Jisung had choked, and you’d smoothly pretended not to hear anything.
but at least you have free time now, and actually sleep properly for a change.
but you might've jinxed yourself on that part.
~
you were at a cafe on campus with yunjin, the straw of your iced coffee collapsed with an obnoxious crunch as you sucked up the last dregs, barely listening to Yunjin's enthusiastic rundown of the annual university fair's attractions.
"-and the engineering department is doing a robot battle arena, which sounds lame until you realize they weaponized Roomba vacuums," she was saying, waving a fry for emphasis. "Plus free cotton candy if you donate blood at the med tent, which, morally questionable, but-"
then, a hand clamped onto your shoulder. "You."
Professor Ann’s grip was firm, her manicured nails digging in just enough to make you freeze mid sip.
The head of the biotech department had the presence of a hurricane, and right now, her gaze pinned you to your seat like a specimen under glass.
Yunjin’s fry hovered halfway to her mouth. "Uh,"
Professor Ann didn’t wait for a proper response, just tightened her grip on your shoulder and steered you bodily out of the cafe booth, her heels clicking against the tile floor as she marched you toward the science building. "You’re coming with me," she announced, not bothering to check if you were keeping up.
"Did I fail something?" you blurted out, scrambling to match her stride.
Professor Ann snorted, pushing open the heavy double doors with one hand. "If you had, I wouldn’t be dragging you to help"
She guided you down a hallway lined with framed research posters, stopping abruptly outside a lab door labeled 'Advanced Robotics AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.'
Before you could process the warning sign, she shoved the door open with her shoulder. The lab was chaos, grad students hunched over circuit boards, undergrads scrambling with toolkits, and in the center of it all, looming like a sci fi monstrosity, stood a gleaming exoskeleton suit suspended on a display rig.
Professor Ann clapped once, sharp enough to cut through the noise. "Everyone, this is our missing piece."
A dozen exhausted faces swiveled toward you.
"she," Professor Ann continued, placing a hand on your shoulder, "is going to be the live demo operator for our showcase at the university festival next week."
You blinked. "I- what?"
"The neural interface needs a pilot with your exact cognitive profile," she said.
When you just stared, she sighed and grabbed a tablet off a nearby workstation, thrusting it into your hands. "Look. The suit’s responsiveness correlates with specific neural activity patterns - patterns you happen to excel at based on your neurobiology midterm scores."
The tablet displayed a graph you vaguely recognized from last semester’s lab, except someone had circled your data points in aggressive red marker.
One of the grad students, his lab coat streaked with what looked like motor oil, piped up. "We’ve been testing for weeks, and no one’s synced above 78% compatibility. Your scans hit 94%."
You gaped at the numbers. "That’s… not how brains work?"
Professor Ann waved a hand. "Technicalities. Point is, you’re our best shot at making this thing not faceplant during the demonstration."
A nervous laugh escaped you. "And if I say no?"
She smiled, the kind of smile that made you instinctively take a step back. "Then I reconsider your extra credit eligibility."
well, fuck.
You sighed, already resigning yourself to the inevitable. "Do I at least get hazard pay?"
Professor Ann patted your shoulder "You get bragging rights and a free tshirt."
The grad student handed you a stack of waivers thicker than your biochemistry textbook. "Mostly liability stuff," he assured you, "Also, you don't have to worry about your body strength. The suit does most of the heavy lifting."
You skimmed the first paragraph 'participant acknowledges risk of potential neural feedback, musculoskeletal strain, and/or unforeseen technological malfunction' before sighing and reaching for a pen.
Just when you thought you could get a breather.
~
Preparing for the university fair became the distraction you were grateful for, right up until it wasn’t.
The first few days were almost exhilarating. poring over schematics in the robotics lab, learning how to sync your movements with the exoskeleton’s hydraulic whirs, watching grad students argue over calibration settings.
It was a welcome reprieve from overthinking whatever the hell was going on with Jisung and spiderman.
Then the exhaustion hit.
you’d memorized the suit’s startup sequence faster than the engineers expected, but your hands shook from the overload, and your eyelids felt like sandpaper.
Professor Ann had you rehearsing the demo routine six times a day while undergrads adjusted sensors on your limbs like you were a mannequin. The suit itself was lighter than it looked, but after hours of testing, your shoulders ached from the pressure points, and your calves burned from the assisted jumps.
“You look like death warmed over,” Yunjin sai'd once, plopping down next to you in the cafeteria as you face planted onto the table.
The university fair preparations drained you in ways caffeine couldn't fix. By the fifth consecutive day in the robotics lab, you'd perfected the exosuit's startup sequence to a muscle memory beat - left knee actuator first, then right shoulder stabilizer, then the neural sync pulse that made your vision briefly pixelate. your hands developed a permanent tremor from exhaustion.
The suit's cooling vents whirred against your spine during particularly grueling rehearsals, doing little to combat the sweat soaking through your shirt as Professor Ann critiqued your form for the seventeenth time that hour.
"You're anticipating the jump instead of letting the suit assist," she called from her observation perch, tapping her tablet "It's making your landings sloppy."
You bit back the urge to snap at her, Instead, you wiped sweat from your brow with the back of your hand, careful not to dislodge the EEG sensors plastered across your forehead- and nodded. "Got it. Less anticipation, more... trusting the robot."
"Again," she commanded, tapping her tablet. "From the obstacle course sequence."
The suit whirred to life around you, servos clicking into place as the neural interface pinged your motor cortex with its familiar electric tingle.
You'd gotten used to the sensation, mostly, though the first time it happened, you'd yelped and nearly kneed a grad student in the face.
"Obstacle course sequence initiated," chimed the suit's automated voice, cheerful, like it wasn't about to fling you face first at a plywood wall.
You took off at a jog, letting the suit's augmented strength propel you forward faster than your legs could manage alone.
The first hurdle- a stack of foam blocks- approached. You tensed instinctively, bracing for impact, but the suit's hydraulics kicked in at the last second, launching you cleanly over with a whir that vibrated through your bones.
"Better," Professor Ann called from the sidelines. "Now stop thinking like a human."
wow, real helpful, Ann.
You barely had time to process that utterly unhelpful advice before the next obstacle, a swinging pendulum rigged with pool noodles, came at you sideways.
The suit's reflexes were faster than yours, it twisted your torso out of the way before could.
And then-
A sharp, staticky burst of feedback crackled through the neural interface.
Your vision whited out for half a second, the HUD flickering wildly as the suit's systems stuttered.
You stumbled mid stride, the suit's left knee actuator locking up at the worst possible moment - right as you were supposed to vault over a platform.
Instead of a graceful arc, you faceplanted directly into a crash mat, the suit's weight pinning you like an overturned turtle.
"Ow," you wheezed.
A flurry of panicked grad students descended, poking at the suit's access panels while muttering about "feedback loops" and "neural load thresholds." Professor Ann sighed, rubbing her temples.
"We'll recalibrate," she announced, "Take five."
You lay there for a solid thirty seconds before mustering the energy to roll onto your back, staring up at the lab's lights. The suit's chest plate dug uncomfortably into your ribs, but at this point, you were too tired to care.
Your phone buzzed in the pocket of your leggings, a minor miracle you could reach it with the suit's gauntlets in the way. You fished it out.
A text from Jisung
Jisung: u alive? heard u joined a mecha fight club
You snorted, typing one handed
you: more like a mecha abuse club
Jisung: want me to stage a rescue? chan says we have duct tape
you: rempting. But I think Prof Ann would hunt you down.
Jisung: worth it.
You stared at the message, something warm curling in your chest. another text popped up
Jisung: seriously tho. u look dead in that insta story
You blinked. You hadn't posted anything—
then you get a notification that you were tagged in a story,
You clicked it.
There, in glorious 240p, was a video of you mid faceplant, captioned 'MY FRIEND IS A WARRIOR' with heart eye emojis.
It had been filmed from the lab's observation window, where Jisung, Changbin, and Chan were currently pressed against the glass like overgrown children at a zoo exhibit.
all three of them waved. you barely raised a gauntlet to wave back when professor Ann cleared her throat pointedly behind you. "Break's over."
You sighed, letting the grad students haul you upright as another round of calibrations began.
~
The university festival arrived soon enough. The robotics department had transformed their section of the quad into something resembling a tech expo - neon lit banners flapping over display tables crammed with prototypes, while the exosuit sat center stage.
You stood off to the side, tugging at the suit’s armored collar where it pinched your neck. “Remind me why I agreed to this again?”
Professor Ann didn’t look up from her tablet. “Because you enjoy having a GPA above 4.0.”
Nearby, Changbin materialized with a cotton candy stick the size of a small child. “So,” he said, mouth full of pink sugar, “you gonna, like, punch through a wall or something?”
You rolled your shoulders, or tried to, given the suit’s restrictive plating. "More like gently lift a cinderblock while Professor Ann narrates like it’s a nature documentary."
Changbin nodded. "ohhh, so educational trauma." He tore off a chunk of cotton candy and offered it to you. "Here. Sugar helps with existential dread."
You leaned forward to take it, nearly toppling sideways when the suit’s weight shifted unexpectedly. Changbin steadied you with a snort.
you glanced around, "Where are the other two, anyway?"
Changbin shrugged, mouth already full of another cotton candy bite. "Chan is nearby, dunno where Jisung is tho," He squinted at you. "Why? Miss him already?"
You swatted at him, nearly knocking over a display of mini robot arms. "Shut up. I just figured he'd want front row seats to watch me faceplant in a million dollar death suit."
Before Changbin could retort, Professor Ann clapped her hands. "Showtime! Places, people!"
The stage lights flared to life, nearly blinding you as a crowd of students and faculty gathered around the robotics exhibit.
You swallowed hard, the suit's neural interface tingling at the base of your skull, and stepped into position.
The demo started smoothly enough. You lifted the weighted cinderblocks (Professor Kim’s narration did sound like a nature documentary), executed a series of precision jumps that would’ve shattered your knees without the suit’s assistance, and even managed not to decapitate any bystanders with the suit’s articulated arm extensions. The crowd ooh'ed and aah'ed on cue.
Then came the "surprise" obstacle course segment — because Professor Ann had a thing for theatrics.
You gritted your teeth as the suit’s HUD flashed a new sequence 'evasive maneuvers initiated'.
The first hurdle was easy. The second, a sudden spray of water jets from the stage’s hidden nozzles, nearly sent you skidding into a group of horrified freshmen.
You recovered just in time to hear yunjin yell "STICK THE LANDING!" from the front row, cotton candy clutched in both her hands, closely resembling a cheerleader's pom poms.
And then-
A sharp, staticky burst of feedback crackled through the neural interface.
Your vision whited out for half a second, the HUD flickering wildly as the suit’s systems stuttered.
something was gonna go wrong.
You stumbled mid stride, the left knee actuator locking up just as you were supposed to vault over the final platform. you careened sideways, straight toward the exhibit’s main power grid.
Time slowed.
The crowd’s murmurs faded into white noise as your outstretched hand grazed the power console.
a high voltage power surge triggered a thermal runaway in the main power grid behind the stage. A fire was about to errupt.
Thick, black smoke erupted from the stage’s machinery, fire instantly filling the upper half of the pavilion. Screams erupted as the toxic cloud billowed outward.
"EVACUATE!" Professor Ann bellowed, already herding students back. "fire suppression system engaged!"
The automated sprinklers hissed to life, just as the security shutters began slamming down with a groan, cutting off exits.
You barely registered Changbin being yanked to safety by Chan before the nearest shutter sealed with a final clang, trapping you inside the smoke filled platform.
Alone.
Coughing, you fumbled for the suit’s emergency release, only for the neural interface to shriek another burst of feedback, locking the mechanisms.
The smoke burned your lungs with every ragged breath. Staggering backward, you collided with the half collapsed display behind you-
-just as the ceiling groaned ominously.
You looked up in time to see the steel framework buckling, the entire lighting rig teetering precariously.
"Well," you wheezed, blinking up at the collapsing ceiling through the smoke, "if I'm going to die, at least it's in a multimillion-dollar robo-coffin."
The suit's HUD flickered in agreement, or maybe it was just short circuiting. Either way, not ideal.
The ceiling groaned louder, steel beams creaking under the weight of compromised supports. You squeezed your eyes shut-
-and then something yanked you sideways with enough force to make your teeth clack together.
"Ow," you mumbled against a fabric covered chest as momentum sent you both skidding across the stage floor.
The impact knocked the breath from your lungs, but the arms around you were firm. When you pried your eyes open, the first thing you saw was a familiar red and blue suit sleeve.
Spiderman.
The idiot was holding you so tightly you could feel his heart hammering through the suit’s fabric. Smoke curled around his masked face as he quickly assessed the collapsing pavilion, one arm still locked around your waist.
he launched you both upward just as the ceiling fully gave way. The suit’s weight made the motion clumsier than his usual swings, and you barely had time to register the stomach dropping lurch before his web caught a still intact beam, yanking you sideways out of the debris path.
“Hold on—”
You didn’t get a chance to protest before he was maneuvering you both toward the nearest shutter, where the metal had buckled just enough to reveal a sliver of daylight.
The smoke was thicker here, clawing at your throat as Spiderman braced against the frame, muscles straining as he forced the gap wider with a grunt.
“Go, go, go—”
You barely scrambled free before the framework buckled behind you with a deafening crash. A strangled yelp cut through the noise - cut off too soon. Whirling around, you saw the shutter had snapped shut like a trap, pinning Spiderman’s torso beneath twisted steel. His fingers clawed at the gap, but the mechanism held fast.
"Hey- hey!" You dropped to your knees, grappling with the metal. It didn’t budge. Smoke curled from the seams, stinging your eyes as you yanked harder. "Stop playing dead and help me, you idiot!"
A weak cough answered you. Spiderman’s head lolled against the shutter, mask fogging unevenly with each labored breath.
When you finally wrenched the metal aside far enough to pull him free, his suit tore on jagged edges, revealing a gash along his ribs that oozed crimson down his side.
The exosuit's neural interface screamed warnings at you 'SYSTEM FAILURE, LOCK ENGAGED' but you slammed your forearm against the emergency release with enough force to break. Hydraulics hissed as the plating finally disengaged, clattering to the ground in pieces that probably cost more than your tuition.
You stumbled free just in time to see Spiderman's fingers slip from the shutter's edge.
"Don't you dare pass out on me," you snapped, dropping to your knees beside him. His breathing was ragged, mask clinging to his face where sweat and blood had glued it unevenly. Up close, the tear in his suit was worse - jagged metal had ripped through the fabric, exposing a deep gash that painted his side in alarming red streaks. Your fingers hovered uselessly before finding purchase on his shoulder. "Hey. Eyes open, c'mon"
Spiderman groaned, head lolling sideways. His gloved fingers twitched toward the wound before flopping back down. "'M'fine," he slurred, voice thick with pain. "Just... nap time."
A distant wail of sirens cut through the smoke. Fire department. EMTs. People who would absolutely not ignore a bleeding Spiderman sprawled in the wreckage.You grabbed his wrist and yanked. "Up. Now."
"Ow shit-" He scrambled upright with your help, one hand clamped over his ribs. The motion dislodged his mask slightly, revealing a sliver of bruised jawline you'd seen a hundred times. Your stomach dropped.
You didn’t have time to process it, not with sirens wailing closer, so you hooked his arm over your shoulders and half dragged, half carried him away from the wreckage.
The abandoned greenhouse behind the biology building was your only option - it was nearby, its broken windows and overgrown vines made it the perfect place to hide from the commotion outside.
You kicked the door open with your foot, nearly tripping over a pile of discarded plant trays as you hauled him inside.
Your knees gave out the second the door slammed shut behind you, sending both of you crashing onto the cracked tile floor.
Spiderman slumped against the glass wall with a pained hiss, his face bruised and cut beneath the half displaced mask.
You didn’t think. You grabbed the edge of his mask and yanked it off.
Han Jisung blinked up at you, dazed and bleeding and unmistakably himself.
his breath was laboured, so was yours, both of you struggling to catch your breaths and comprehend what just unfolded in the past 10 minutes.
"I wanted to tell you," he whispered, voice cracking. His fingers twitched toward yours but stopped short, "I swear I did."
The sheer absurdity of it, the late night library rescue, the perfect grades despite the exhaustion, jisung being the city’s savior - it hit you all at once.
Tears pricked your eyes, but a breathless, hysterical laugh escaped your throat. You were crying and laughing simultaneously, completely overwhelmed.
Jisung flinched. "Hey, hey, don’t cry, please don’t cry," he panicked, wincing as he tried to reach out. "Are you hurt? Did something hit you?"
You wiped your face with the back of your hand, "No, you absolute moron, I'm not hurt - you're the one bleeding all over the place!"
He blinked, then glanced down at his side like he’d forgotten about the gaping wound. "Oh. Right." His fingers prodded the edges before he winced and pulled them away. "Huh. That’s... more red than usual."
You grabbed the hem of your shirt , "Future of Robotics" in bold text printed in the center, professor Ann's stupid merch - you ripped a strip clean off with a tear.
Jisung’s eyes widened as you shoved the fabric against his side, pressing hard enough to make him yelp. "Ow-fuck- are you trying to finish the job?"
"Shut up," you muttered, fingers trembling as you knotted the makeshift bandage tight around his ribs.
The white fabric bloomed red almost instantly, but you tightened it further, ignoring his hissed curses. "You’re literally bleeding out, and your first instinct is to make a joke? Typical."
Jisung’s breath hitched when your fingers brushed a particularly nasty bruise. "Not a joke," he managed, voice strained. "Just - really bad at serious moments." His attempt at a grin faltered when you glared up at him, tear tracks still fresh on your cheeks. The humor drained from his face. "...You’re really mad, huh?"
"Mad?" Your laugh came out jagged. "I’m furious. You’ve been- what, swinging around campus this whole time? Letting me think Spiderman was some-some urban legend while you sat next to me?" Your voice cracked. "You let me argue with you about yourself."
Jisung winced. "Okay, when you say it like that-"
"You saved me," you interrupted, hands still fisted in the bloody fabric of his suit. "Twice. And then- what, just went back to making our project like nothing happened?"
His fingers twitched toward yours but stopped short. "I wanted to tell you," he admitted quietly. "Every damn day. But-" He exhaled sharply, wincing as the movement tugged his injury. "What was I supposed to say? 'Hey, by the way, I’m the guy you keep calling a fake on Twitter?'"
"You could’ve trusted me," you shot back.
"I do," he whispered. "More than anyone." His palm settled over yours where it pressed against his wound, "That’s why it hurt so much not to tell you."
The confession hung between you. Outside, sirens wailed, and the distant shouts of first responders filtered through the greenhouse glass.
Your breath stuttered. "You’re an idiot,"
Jisung’s laugh was breathless, pained. "Yeah," he agreed. His free hand lifted, hovering near your cheek. "I'm sorry."
You didn’t let him hesitate. Grabbing his wrist, you pressed his palm to your face. "I won't forgive you that easily," you muttered.
"I know, I'll work for it" he said, thumb wiping a tear away.
and then you leaned down and kissed him.
It was messy, your hands were bloody, his hands were bloody, but his gasp against your mouth was worth every second of confusion. His fingers cupped your face, pulling you closer like he’d wanted to do this for years. Maybe he had.
You broke away first, gasping for air, only for Jisung’s lips to chase yours clumsily, His fingers trying to pull you closer, tugging you back with a whimper that was equal parts desperation and pain.
"Wait-" he mumbled against your mouth, "I think I blacked out for a second- was that real or am I hallucinating from blood loss?"
You laughed, your forehead resting against his as his fingers trembled against your cheek. "It was real," you murmured, breath warm against his split lip. "You're not hallucinating."
Jisung blinked up at you, his lips twitched into a wobbly smile. "Hmm. I dunno." His thumb traced the curve of your cheekbone, "Might need another one, just to make sure."
you leaned in again, kissing him slower this time, letting him memorize the shape of your mouth on his.
His breath hitched when you nipped at his lower lip, and you felt the exact moment his brain short circuited, his grip on your waist slackened, then tightened again. When you pulled back, his dazed expression was priceless.
"...Okay," he breathed, licking his split lip absently. "Definitely real." His gaze dropped to your mouth again, lingering. "Also, wow, we should've done this sooner"
~
30 minutes after dragging Jisung to the greenhouse, Chan and Changbin found you both — Chan’s expression tight with worry, Changbin unusually silent as he took in the bloodied state of his roommate.
They didn’t ask questions. Chan simply slung Jisung’s arm over his shoulders while Changbin handed you his hoodie to cover the torn edges of your clothes. You watched them disappear before you turned toward the chaos of the main campus.
The quad was still swarming with paramedics and evacuated students when you pushed through the crowd. Yunjin spotted you first, her face crumpling in relief as she barreled you into a hug.
You let her fuss, nodding through her rapid - fire questions about smoke inhalation and whether you’d seen the structural collapse, but you offered no answers about where you’d been or who’d pulled you out.
The university issued a formal apology within hours, citing a critical system failure in the exosuit’s neural dampeners, and suspended all related projects indefinitely.
By evening, campus security had roped off the pavilion with yellow tape, and administrators granted you a week’s leave to recover, not that you needed it. Your bruises were superficial compared to the ones hidden beneath Jisung’s hastily bandaged ribs.
Across campus, Chan and Changbin had hauled a barely conscious Jisung back to their apartment through the service elevators, his suit stuffed into Changbin’s bag. They fussed over him like parents, then stitched him up with a first aid kit and a YouTube tutorial.
True to his enhanced biology, Jisung’s wounds closed faster than humanly possible- the deep gash along his ribs scarred over within three days, though the bruising lingered in ugly shades of yellow green.
The university excused his absence with a vague note about "lab accident trauma," which wasn’t entirely a lie.
He spent the first 48 hours sleeping off the worst of the pain, only waking when Changbin force fed him or when Chan changed his bandages.
You told Yunjin everything eventually.
Not the Spider-Man part - that was his secret to share, not yours - but the Jisung part. but you didn’t have to say much.
She wasn’t surprised.
“Oh my god,” Yunjin groaned, flopping backward onto your bed like you’d just confessed to something painfully obvious. “Finally. Do you know how exhausting it’s been watching you two?” she said, “You’ve been making heart eyes at each other since sophomore year.”
and three weeks later, the university had moved on from the festival disaster like any other. The wrecked pavilion was already half demolished, the exosuit project quietly scrubbed from the department website, and Professor Ann transferred to a research branch in Busan under suspiciously sudden circumstances.
the semester resumed, lectures, exams, studying, but for you, everything had shifted.
~
The tap against your window was barely audible- just three quick raps of knuckles against glass, You shoved your chair back with a smile and crossed the room in three strides. The window slid open with a quiet creak, letting in a gust of cool night air.
Spiderman was perched upside down on the fire escape, "Miss me?" he asked, swinging forward until his face was inches from yours.
You hummed, reaching forward to tug his mask down just enough to reveal his mouth, then leaned in and kissed him. His fingers scrambled against your windowsill for purchase, his gloves squeaking against the metal as you grabbed his face and deepened the kiss.
When you finally pulled away, he was breathless, still dangling by his knees, "You were gone for two hours," you deadpanned, but your hands reached for him, fingers curling into the fabric of his suit to tug him inside. He tumbled into your room.
"Two hours and seventeen minutes," he corrected, pulling flowers from behind his back with a flourish. "Which is exactly how long it took to track these down."
The bouquet was… well, it was something. A color cluster of wildflowers, dandelions, and what looked suspiciously like a handful of weeds yanked from a sidewalk crack, all tied together with a web string.
You stared at it. "You robbed a community garden?"
"Rude. I foraged." He shoved the flowers toward you insistently. "Also, I nearly got arrested. Show some appreciation."
You took the bouquet, your nose wrinkling as a ladybug crawled lazily across one of the petals. "They’re… vibrant."
"See? Vibrant." Jisung beamed, rocking onto his toes. "I knew you’d love them."
You snorted, turning to place the bouquet on your desk — gently, because despite the weeds and the ladybug, he’d tried, only to yelp when Jisung’s arms suddenly wrapped around your waist from behind. His chin dropped onto your shoulder, his breath warm against your neck as he nuzzled into the space just below your ear.
"Admit it," he murmured, his voice low and teasing. "You adore them."
You elbowed him lightly, but didn’t pull away. "I adore you" you muttered, then immediately regretted it when his grip tightened and you felt his grin against your skin.
"Knew that, too," he said smugly, pressing a kiss to the side of your throat that made your breath hitch. His hands slid up your sides, thumbs brushing the underside of your ribs through your thin shirt.
"Missed you," he added, quieter this time, lips moving against your throat, tracing a path up to your jawline that sent shivers down your spine.
You twisted in his arms, turning to face him just as his mouth found yours, impatient, he'd been waiting all night for this. His fingers tangled in your hair, tugging just hard enough to make you gasp against his mouth, and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, his tongue sliding against yours with a low, satisfied hum.
You giggled as Jisung’s lips trailed down your neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive spot just below your ear. "My roommate’s in the other room," you whispered, leaning into him despite yourself. "She’s sleeping."
Jisung paused, his breath hot against your skin. "Well," he murmured, dragging his mouth lower, "you’ve gotta be quiet then." His hands slid under your shirt, gloved fingers skimming your waist before hands tightened, lifting you effortlessly.
You barely had time to register the movement before your back hit the mattress, his body hovering over yours, "Quiet," he whispered, pressing a finger to your lips, though his own grin made it clear he had no intention of making that easy for you.
His mouth found yours again, swallowing your breathless laugh as his gloved hands slid beneath your shirt, then his mouth drifted lower, biting your lip to stifle a whimper when his teeth grazed your collarbone, lower, his tongue flicked over the peak of your breast through the fabric, and you dug your fingers into his hair, tugging impatiently.
"Jisung" you hissed, your voice barely above a whisper.
"Patience," he murmured against your skin, tho the way his hands trembled as they pushed your shirt up betrayed his own impatience. His lips followed the path of his fingers, kissing down your stomach until he reached the waistband of your shorts. He hooked his thumbs into them, glancing up at you with a look so openly hungry it made your pulse stutter.
"You’re sure?" he asked, his voice rough.
You nodded, swallowing hard. "Yes. Please."
The second the word left your lips, Jisung yanked your shorts and underwear down in one swift motion, tossing them somewhere over his shoulder without breaking eye contact, as he settled between your thighs. "You’re so pretty like this," he breathed, his thumbs brushing the inside of your knees, pushing them apart gently. "All worked up just ’cause of me."
Your face burned, but before you could retort, his mouth was on you, his tongue dragging a path that made your back arch off the bed.
You barely stifled a gasp, biting down on your lip as his hands tightened around your thighs, holding you open.
"Fuck," Jisung muttered against you, his voice wrecked, his breath uneven like he was the one unraveling. "Taste so good—"
The words dissolved into a groan when your fingers twisted in his hair, tugging hard enough to make his hips jerk. His answering laugh was breathless, uneven, his lips curving against you as he doubled down, tongue flicking over you in a way that made your legs shake.
his mouth was *relentless, teasing and coaxing until your grip on his hair turned desperate, his mouth never faltering as he swallowed every sound you tried - and failed - to stifle.
"You- ah -I'm gonna-" The warning barely escaped your lips before Jisung's fingers tightened around your thighs, pinning you down as his tongue swirled faster. Your back arched off the bed, a strangled gasp tearing free as you came, his name half choked in your throat.
he didn't let up for a second, dragging out every shuddering pulse until your legs twitched violently against his shoulders, your fingers yanking his head back.
he crawled up your body, wiping his mouth with the back of his glove, still wearing the damn suit, before leaning down to kiss you, deep and so filthy, letting you taste yourself on his tongue.
you felt him rolling his hips against yours. The fabric of his suit was frustratingly thick, but you could still feel the heat of him pressing against your thigh, "Still with me?" he murmured, nipping at your jaw when you didn’t answer fast enough.
You grabbed his face, pulling him down into another kiss, his breath hitching when you rolled your hips up against him, the friction drawing a ragged groan from his throat.
“Still with you,” you muttered against his lips, your fingers already working at the hidden zipper of his suit. “But this stupid thing needs to go.”
Jisung let you zip the suit down to his waist. The second his bare skin met yours, he shuddered, his hands gripping your waist, “You’re killing me,” he mumbled against your neck.
You reached between you, wrapping your hand around him, and the noise he made sent a thrill straight to your core. His forehead dropped to your shoulder, his breath coming in short, uneven bursts as you stroked him slowly, relishing the way his muscles tensed under your touch.
“Jisung,” you whispered, “you’re so loud.”
Jisung's head snapped up, his face flushed "I'm" he started, but his protest dissolved into a gasp when your thumb swiped over the head of his cock. His hips jerked forward involuntarily, "oh- fuck," he hissed, his voice cracking.
Jisung’s breath hitched when you tightened your grip, his hips stuttering against your hand. His eyes flickered shut for a fraction of a second before snapping open again, "You-" he started, voice strangled, but you just smirked, slowing your strokes.
"Oh, sorry," you whispered, feigning innocence. "Am I distracting you, Spiderman?"
That did it. Jisung’s fingers clamped around your wrist, wrenching your hands away and pinning them above your head with one hand.
Before you could react, his other hand flicked out - thwip - and suddenly your wrists were bound together by a thin strand of webbing, stuck fast to the headboard. You yanked instinctively, but the silk held firm.
"Cheater," you hissed, glaring up at him through your lashes.
"You started it," he murmured, dragging his free hand down your torso, fingertips skating where you wanted him most. His thumb hooked into the hem of your shirt, tugging it up until the fabric bunched under your bound arms. "Now you get to lie there and take it."
His fingers suddenly dipped into you, curling, and you arched off the bed with a strangled moan. "Told you to be quiet," he murmured, "want me to web your mouth too?".
His fingers withdrew before you could answer back, leaving you clenching around nothing, and you barely had time to whimper before he was lining himself up, the head of his cock dragging through your slick with a filthy, wet sound.
His hips jerked forward once, just a teasing press, enough to make your breath hitch - before he stilled, "Fuck," he muttered, his voice ragged. "Gimme a second - fuck -"
You rolled your hips impatiently, earning a choked groan from him as his grip on your waist tightened. "Jisung," you hissed, nails scraping uselessly against the webbing binding your wrists. "If you don’t move-"
He cut you off with a sharp thrust, burying himself to the hilt in one motion. The noise he made was downright embarrassing, his hips stuttering as he adjusted to the feeling. "God," he panted, his breath hot against your skin. "You feel so, fuck-"
His words dissolved into a groan as he pulled out slowly, only to slam back in with enough force to jolt the bedframe against the wall. You bit down on your lip hard, stifling a cry as he set a punishing pace, his hips snapping forward with a rhythm that left you seeing stars.
The webbing held firm, keeping you pinned beneath him as he fucked you with single minded intensity, his breath coming in ragged bursts against your collarbone.
one sharp thrust forced a moan from your lips before you could bite it back - loud, embarrassingly loud - and Jisung’s hand slapped over your mouth instantly, his fingers pressing hard enough to muffle the sound.
"Quiet," he whispered, but his hips didn’t slow - if anything, the pace turned meaner, each snap of his hips deliberate and punishing. "Roommate’s sleeping, remember?"
You whimpered against his palm, your back arching off the bed as he angled his hips just right, hitting that spot inside you that made your vision blur. his own control fraying at the edges as he fucked you into the mattress.
"Fuck - fuck - you feel so good," he muttered, his forehead dropping to your shoulder. His fingers flexed against your mouth, his other hand gripping your hip hard.
Jisung’s hand slid from your mouth to your throat, his fingers pressing just enough to take your breath away, his thumb brushing the line of your jaw as he leaned down, “Close?” he murmured, his hips never slowing their relentless pace.
You nodded frantically, your breath coming in short, uneven gasps as his cock dragged against that spot inside you with every thrust. The webbing around your wrists tugged taut with every movement, keeping you pinned beneath him, utterly at his mercy.
“Yeah?” he breathed, his hips stuttered, his rhythm faltering for just a second. “Gonna cum for me?” His free hand slid between your bodies, his fingers finding your clit, rubbing tight, frantic circles that made your back arch off the bed.
You couldn’t answer - couldn’t think - just clenched around him with a muffled cry, your thighs shaking as pleasure crashed over you in waves. Jisung swore under his breath, his fingers tightening around your throat just slightly as he fucked you through it, his hips losing their rhythm entirely as he chased his own release.
"Gonna - fuck - gonna cum too," Jisung gasped, his rhythm faltered completely then, his thrusts turning erratic, desperate .
His forehead dropped to your shoulder with a ragged whimper, his hips jerked forward one last time, burying himself to the hilt. You felt him pulse inside you, his whole body trembling with the force of his release.
Jisung slumped against you, his breath still ragged against your collarbone, his fingers flexing weakly against your throat before sliding up to cradle your jaw instead. His thumb traced the curve of your cheekbone, his touch gentle compared to the way he absolutely rocked your shit just now.
"You okay?" he murmured, his voice hoarse.
You let out a shaky breath, your wrists tugging instinctively against the webbing still binding them. "Pretty sure you just short circuited my brain there," you admitted, your voice equally wrecked.
Jisung let out a tired laugh, his nose scrunched up adorably - adorably, god, when had you started thinking of him like that? - as he pressed a sloppy kiss to your cheek. "Mission accomplished,"
Your wrists twisted slightly against the sticky webbing, the thin silk strands flexing but refusing to give. "Jisung," you muttered, wincing at the dull ache in your arms from being pinned above your head for so long. "This hurts. set me free."
His smile faltered immediately. A flicker of panic darted across his face as he sat up, suddenly nervous. "Uh." He scratched the back of his neck, avoiding your eyes. "Yeah, about that."
You narrowed your eyes. "About that?"
"The - uh - the webbing," he admitted, wincing preemptively like he expected you to throw something at him. "It... doesn’t dissolve for, like... an hour?"
Your jaw dropped. "An hour?"
Jisung scrambled upright, his hands flying up in mock surrender "Okay, okay! Before you kill me-" he started, then paused, reconsidering. "When you kill me- I swear I have a solution. Kind of. Maybe."
You yanked at the webbing again, the strands stretching slightly but refusing to budge. "What kind of solution?" you hissed through gritted teeth.
He bit his lip, "So... I've been working on this solvent? For emergencies? Like, if I accidentally web someone who isn't a criminal, or-"
"Jisung."
“Okay, so the solvent is back at my dorm. Which, uh. Isn’t here.”
You stared at him. “You’re joking.”
“I wish,” he groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Look, I can swing back real quick-”
“You are not leaving me like this,” you hissed, twisting against the webbing for emphasis. The strands held firm, sticking stubbornly to your wrists and the headboard. “What if my roommate wakes up?”
Jisung blanched. “Oh. Right.” He glanced at the door, then back at you, his expression shifting from panic to something close to amusement. “So... we wait?”
“We wait?” you repeated, incredulous. “Jisung, I am naked and stuck to my own bed.”
“.....skill issue?”
you end up waiting the entire hour. with jisung serving as a very poor distraction to the the ache blooming in your arms and shoulders.
~
The university’s digital bulletin board flickered to life at exactly 9 am, updating the semester’s final rankings. You stood frozen in front of the screen, backpack dangling precariously off one shoulder.
your eyes skimmed over the results, your name in first place with a 100% next to it, followed by Jisung with a 98%.
A beat of silence. Then-
“No way,” you blurted, so loud it echoed off the empty hallway walls.
Behind you, a familiar weight slumped against your back, Jisung’s chin hooking over your shoulder as he squinted at the screen. “Huh,” he said, voice dripping with exaggerated contemplation. “That’s weird.”
You whirled around, “Huh? That’s all you have to say?”
Jisung shrugged, his lips twitching into that infuriatingly smug grin you’d spent years wanting to wipe off his face, though now, you had far more effective methods than stomping on his foot.
“I mean, congrats,” he said, leaning in until his nose brushed yours. “Enjoy your victory lap, genius. It’s not gonna last.”
You rolled your eyes, “Keep telling yourself that, Spiderboy.”
“Spiderman,” he corrected, flicking your forehead before dancing out of reach. “And don’t think this means you get to slack off. I’m watching you.” He mimed narrowing his eyes, pointing two fingers at his own eyes, then at you.
You lunged for him, but Jisung dodged effortlessly, freakishly fast - your wrist with a laugh and tugging you flush against his chest. His fingers slid between yours, “Seriously,” he murmured, voice softer now, “I’m proud of you.”
“Yeah, well,” you muttered, ducking your head to hide the flush creeping up your neck. “Turns out I can focus when a certain idiot isn’t yapping in my ear.”
“Wow. Wow.” he gasped dramatically, clutching his chest like you’d shot him. “After everything we’ve been through? The trauma? The bonding? You wound me.”
You snorted, shoving him away “Go lick your wounds in silence,” you said, turning on your heel toward the lecture hall. “I have a victory lap to take.”
a/n: I proofread this at the mall after my friend stood me up when I was ALREADY THERE, anyway, it's done! I had so much fun with spiderhan, hope u did too!!
or: you don't believe that spiderman is real. who would believe that a masked vigilante just popped out of nowhere, started shooting webs and swinging through Seoul saving people, in spandex?? and most of all, you wouldn't believe that said "spiderman" would have any correlation with han jisung, that's just a load of nonsense!
in other words..: look, in jisung's defense, he didnt mean to get bit by a genetically modified spider. but he did, so now he's stuck with the superhuman side effects, a superhero persona, and his roommates constantly covering for him. and hey, he doesn't mind a sprinkle of chaos into his life. he's actually glad he got this alter ego, a version of himself that does good for other people, y'know...saving the city, and one that he can maybe impress you with, since his original self is stuck being your academic rival that you can't stand even if you were paid.
warnings: academicrival!jisung x reader, college au, nerdsung + nerd!reader, slowburn, eventual smut (not in this chapter), 3racha as roommates, Yunjin as your bsf and roommate, references from multiple spiderman movies, innuendos, profanity, college slop, caffeine slop, group project slop, party slop, talks of biotech and robotics that are probably false (research was poorly done), some action scenes, some injuries and blood loss (not in this chapter), reader is an academic weapon and doesn't catch a break, cameos of other members, crack, fluff, banter, no angst at all because Im sensitive, probably a heck ton of typos.
wc: 14k | part ll
98%.
The number glared up at you from the paper.
it's a good grade, objectively a great one. but there had to be a mistake - you’d stayed up three nights straight reviewing every possible permutation of the material. Your notes had been immaculate. You’d even rewritten them twice just to be sure.
Behind you, someone cleared their throat. you braced yourself for whatever annoying thing Jisung was about to say.
"Oof," Jisung said, leaning over your shoulder. "Ninety eight? I mean, close enough."
His own test fluttered into your peripheral vision, 100%. Of course.
"Better luck next time," he added. His voice was light, teasing - a tone he’d used since freshman year whenever he edged you out by fractions of a point.
You exhaled through your nose, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Instead, you shoved your test into your bag, zipping it shut.
Jisung didn’t take the hint. He never did. He propped his hip against your desk, grinning as he watched you pack up.
"Don’t worry," Jisung continued, "I’ll let you copy my notes next time."
You finally looked up at him - his stupidly perfect face, his stupidly smug grin, stupidly big framed glasses.
"Like hell I’d copy your chicken scratch," you muttered, shoving your chair back harder than necessary. making its legs screech against the floor.
Jisung’s grin widened. "y'know, if you actually got enough sleep instead of staying up all night-"
You stood up and stomped on his foot, hard.
He yelped, hopping backward with exaggerated agony. "Ow! What was that for?"
You didn’t dignify him with an answer. You slung your bag over your shoulder and walked off without a backward glance.
Behind you, Jisung’s dramatic whining faded into the background noise of the lecture hall, punctuated by a burst of laughter from somewhere near the exit. You didn’t need to look to know it was Changbin, doubled over with amusement while Chan stood beside him, hand resting on the strap of his bag, waiting patiently.
The three of them had been inseparable since their second year of high school, when Chan, already broad shouldered and responsible beyond his years, had stepped between a scrawny, loudmouthed Jisung who'd just learned curse words and a group of seniors looking for an easy target.
Changbin, who’d been watching the confrontation from a nearby bench, had tossed a water bottle at the ringleader’s head mid threat. The resulting chaos had somehow ended with all three of them in detention, and that was where their friendship formed.
By graduation, the three of them had already cemented their fate - Chan, Changbin, and Jisung were a package deal, an inseparable trio that had somehow survived four years of high school without murdering each other.
So when university acceptance letters rolled in, the decision was already made, they’d stick together, signing a lease for a cramped apartment near campus before the ink on their diplomas had even dried.
And then there was you.
Orientation week had been the beginning of it all, though you hadn’t realized it at the time.
You hadn’t noticed Jisung at first during orientation. Not really. He’d been just another face in the crowd, another overeager freshman with bad posture and a laugh too loud.
as for him though, he had a stupid, undeniable crush on you.
he tried to talk to you, you’d been too busy rearranging your schedule to register his existence - some mumbled joke about the professor’s hair that you’d brushed off with a polite smile before walking away.
Another time, still during orientation, he’d lingered near your seat after the icebreaker games, hovering like he expected you to acknowledge him. You hadn’t.
What had caught your attention was the first exam. You’d walked out of that lecture hall certain you’d aced it, only to find your name one spot below his on the results board.
he'd realized then that you're probably a perfectionist, and that you did not like being in second place. you never were in second place, ever since high school.
he became your competition from then.
Jisung noticed the shift immediately. He could’ve backed off. He didn’t. Instead, he leaned into it.
It wasn’t that he wanted you to hate him. He just wanted you to look at him.
Don't get him wrong, he did try to befriend you, but when that ended in inevitable failure, he opted for his last option, the one thing guaranteed to make you react, relentless, obnoxious teasing. If you couldn’t stand him, at least you’d notice him.
It worked better than he’d expected.
three years later, and Han Jisung was still the single most irritating person you'd ever met.
~
The sound of the apartment door jolted Jisung awake. He blinked at the ceiling, groggy and disoriented, sunlight already painting stripes across his unmade bed.
His phone lay facedown on the floor where he’d tossed it last night. He fumbled for it, thumb smearing against the screen as he squinted at the time, 9:47 AM.
"Shit."
Jisung groaned, rubbing his face with both hands as the pieces clicked together - his snoozed alarm, the muffled knocking he'd sleepily batted away earlier, Chan had tried. Chan had definitely tried to wake him up.
Jisung rolled out of bed, scrambling upright, one hand already tugging his hoodie over his head while the other fumbled for his backpack.
He was not gonna be that late if he decided to take a short cut. And so he did.
Cutting through the science building was a gamble, technically off limits to non majors before noon, but Jisung had long since memorized the janitor’s schedule.
He ducked under a half raised security gate, sidestepping a cart of lab equipment as he beelined for the west exit. His footsteps echoed too loudly in the empty hallway, but he didn’t slow down - not until a sharp clang from an adjacent lab made him skid to a halt.
Jisung turned his head just in time to see a door marked 'BIOTECH RESEARCH - AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY' swing shut, the tail end of a lab coat disappearing behind it.
He hesitated for half a second, before the distant chime of the campus clock tower rang. He was so late.
Jisung shouldn’t have been there.
The lock mechanism whirred as he hovered near the entrance, the distant hum of machinery inside prickling at his ears. Curiosity had always been his fatal flaw.
He glanced over his shoulder. The hallway was empty.
The door hissed open with a nudge of his shoulder, just wide enough for him to slip through. The lab was a maze of steel tables and humming equipment, bathed in the sterile glow of overhead LEDs.
Glass tanks lined the far wall, their murky contents swirling with movement - something skittered behind the frosted glass, too fast to track. spiders.
"Cool," he muttered, stepping further inside.
Jisung's fingers hovered over the nearest microscope, its lens gleaming under the lab lights. The surface was cool to the touch. Before he could explore more, a sharp click from the far end of the room froze him mid reach. His breath hitched. The sound wasn't mechanical. It was footsteps.
He ducked behind a lab bench, his knee connecting painfully with a drawer handle. He bit his tongue to keep from swearing.
Through the gap between two beakers, he could just make out the silhouette of a researcher - tall, white coated, absorbed in a clipboard. The man moved methodically down the row of specimens, pausing occasionally to adjust dials or scribble notes.
When the researcher turned toward a computer terminal, Jisung seized his chance. He crab walked backward, keeping low, until his shoulder bumped into something decidedly not a lab table. it was one of the glass tanks from earlier.
The container wobbled. He lunged to steady the glass before it could shatter and give away his presence that was not allowed in this lab, but his palm slipped against the condensation slick surface. The lid shifted with a silent clink.
A spider the size of a quarter dropped onto his wrist.
Jisung's entire body locked up. The spider's legs were needle thin, its body an unnatural shade of iridescent blue that shimmered under the lab lights.
For a suspended second, neither of them moved - Jisung paralyzed by instinctive revulsion, the spider crouched like a coiled spring. Then it bit him.
The pain was sharp and sudden, Jisung clamped his free hand over his mouth to smother the yelp threatening to escape. The researcher's footsteps paused.
"Who's there?"
Jisung froze. His wrist burned where the spider's fangs had pierced his skin, the pain radiating up his arm in slow, crawling waves.
The spider twitched between his fingers, its iridescent body pulsing unnaturally as he pinched it. For a split second, he considered tossing it aside - but the memory of its bite made his stomach twist.
Without thinking, he squished it between his finger, killing it.
Jisung grimaced, wiping his hand against his pants as the researcher's footsteps grew louder. He ducked lower behind the lab bench. A clipboard clattered onto the table above him, followed by the metallic click of a pen. The researcher muttered something under his breath - numbers, maybe, or measurements - before his shoes squeaked against the floor, turning away.
Jisung exhaled silently through his nose. His wrist throbbed. The bite mark was already red, the skin around it blotchy and hot to the touch. He flexed his fingers experimentally, half expecting his hand to lock up, but aside from the sting, nothing seemed immediately wrong.
The researcher's footsteps faded toward the far end of the lab. Jisung waited ten seconds before risking a glance over the edge of the bench. The man's back was turned, his attention fixed on a row of specimen jars. Jisung didn't wait. He walked backward until his shoulders hit the wall, then slid along it toward the door, keeping low.
The door clicked open just enough for him to slip through. He didn't look back.
The hallway was still empty. Jisung broke into a sprint, rounding the corner just as the lab door groaned shut behind him.
By the time he burst through the science building's side exit, the pain in his wrist had dulled to a steady ache. The sunlight hit his face, momentarily blinding him. He blinked, disoriented, before his phone buzzed violently in his pocket.
Changbin's name flashed across the screen.
Jisung fumbled with his phone, nearly dropping it as Changbin's second call lit up the screen. He swiped to answer just as a cyclist swerved around him, yelling something unflattering about his lack of spatial awareness.
"Where the hell are you?" Changbin's voice crackled through the speaker.
He rolled his wrist experimentally, half expecting a jolt of pain, but only a dull ache remained. strange, but not alarming enough to mention.
"Chill, I'm literally two minutes away," Jisung huffed into the phone, sidestepping a group of freshmen clustered around a campus map.
Jisung skidded to a halt outside the lecture hall, his sneakers squeaking against the polished floor as he yanked the door open. Twenty pairs of eyes swiveled toward him - including yours, narrowed with undisguised irritation from the front row.
The professor paused mid sentence, her laser pointer flickering against the projection screen.
"Nice of you to join us, Mr. Han," she said dryly.
Jisung flashed her a grin "Traffic was brutal."
The professor arched an eyebrow. "You live on campus."
"Exactly."
Jisung collapsed into the empty seat next to you with a sigh. Conveniently, there were no other free seats.
The professor resumed her lecture, but Jisung wasn't listening. His fingers drummed restlessly against the desk, his knee bouncing so fast it blurred. You gritted your teeth.
"Would you stop?" you hissed under your breath, jabbing your pen toward his twitching leg.
Jisung blinked at you like he'd forgotten you were there. "Stop what?"
"That." You gestured pointedly at his knee, "You're shaking the entire row."
He glanced down, as if surprised by his own body. "Huh."
Jisung blinked again, his fingers stilling mid tap against the desk. "Oh. Sorry."
He stopped. His knee went still. His fingers curled into a loose fist against the desk. Even his breathing seemed to slow, like he was consciously holding himself in check.
The professor's lecture droned on, but you couldn't focus. Your peripheral vision kept catching on Jisung's unnaturally still form.
Then he sneezed.
The sound was sharp, explosive, and entirely too loud for the lecture hall. Half the class jumped. The professor paused mid sentence, her laser pointer flickering off the screen. Jisung sniffled, rubbing his nose with the back of his hand.
"Bless you," you muttered automatically.
Jisung turned his head so fast you heard his neck crack. "Thanks," he whispered back. His voice was hoarse, like he'd been yelling earlier - though you couldn't remember hearing him speak at all today.
The strangeness of it prickled at your neck. Jisung didn't whisper. He didn't apologize. And he certainly didn't stop fidgeting for twenty straight minutes.
weird
~
after lectures, you were supposed to be studying.
Keyword: supposed.
Currently, your textbook lay abandoned as Yunjin scrolled through her phone, legs kicked up onto the library table in direct violation of at least three campus rules.
"I swear to god," she muttered, stabbing her screen, "if Professor Kang assigns one more reading—" she cut herself off with a sigh.
"I'll drop out," Yunjin announced, tossing her phone onto the table. "I'll move to a remote island. Raise goats. Never think about electron configurations again."
You snorted, flipping a page in your textbook without absorbing a single word. "You'd cry over the first goat that liked someone else better."
"Excuse you, I'm extremely likable-" Yunjin's protest cut off mid-sentence as she caught you glancing sideways for the third time in five minutes.
"Ohhhh. That's why you're failing to absorb basic chemistry. Distracted by your archnemesis over there."
You stiffened. "I don't know what you're—"
"Han Jisung," Yunjin sing songed, nodding toward the table where Jisung was slumped over a pile of notebooks, dead asleep.
His cheek was pressed against an open textbook, one arm dangling off the edge of the table, the side of his wrist adorned with what looked like a nasty bruise. A thin line of drool connected his mouth to a page. "You were staring at that."
"I was not staring," you hissed, slamming your textbook shut . Several students at nearby tables startled. Jisung didn't even twitch. "I was just—"
"Admiring his scholarly dedication?" Yunjin smirked, kicking her feet down from the table. "Or maybe his impressive drool radius?"
"I was wondering how someone who sleeps through every lecture still manages to ace every exam."
As if on cue, Jisung shifted in his sleep, his dangling arm swinging. he nearly toppled him sideways out of his chair. Your body reacted before your brain could stop it, half standing, hand outstretched - only to freeze when he somehow righted himself without waking.
Yunjin's eyebrows shot up. "Wow."
"Wow what?" You dropped back into your seat, face burning.
"Nothing," she said, stretching the word into three syllables. "Just never realized you cared so much about Jisung's spinal health."
"I just didn't want to witness a concussion in the library."
Yunjin grinned, kicking you lightly under the table. "Uh huh. Sure. That's definitely why you looked ready to dive across three tables like a superhero." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. "You secretly like him."
You choked on air. "Like him? Are you insane? He's—" You gestured wildly toward Jisung's sleeping form. "—that. That's what he is. A menace. A sleeping menace."
"Aw, but look how peaceful he is," Yunjin cooed, feigning innocence. "Like a little angel."
At that exact moment, Jisung snorted loudly in his sleep, mumbled something unintelligible, and promptly face planted directly onto his textbook. You winced. Yunjin burst out laughing.
He lifted his head blearily, blinked at the drool smeared page stuck to his cheek, then promptly slumped back down without a single coherent thought behind his eyes.
Yunjin wiped tears from her cheeks, still giggling. "Oh my god. He's adorable."
"You're delusional," you muttered, shoving your notebook into your backpack. The zipper caught on a loose page, and you yanked it free with a frustrated huff. "Let's get lunch before I have to listen to any more of this."
Yunjin’s eyes lit up suddenly, "Oh! Right," she said, snapping her fingers as you shoved the last of your notebooks into your bag. "You’re coming with me to that party tonight."
You blinked. "What party?"
"The one hyunjin’s throwing at his apartment," she said, as if this were obvious. "The one I told you about last week."
"You absolutely did not."
She waved a hand dismissively. "Semantics. Anyway, after lunch, we’re going back to our dorm so you can try on at least three outfits before I approve one."
You groaned, slinging your backpack over your shoulder. "No way. I have actual responsibilities."
Yunjin stood, shoving her phone into her pocket "Nope. You’ve been holed up in the library for weeks. You’re coming, and you’re going to socialize, and you’re going to like it." She paused, then added with a smirk, "Unless you’d rather stay here and stare at Jisung some more."
You nearly tripped over your own feet. "What? I wasn’t—"
"Uh huh." She linked her arm through yours, steering you toward the library exit "lunch first, outfits second, party third. No arguments."
You dug your heels in halfway to the door. "What if I want to argue? - who the hell even hosts a party on a school night-"
Yunjin sighed dramatically, turning to face you with a look of exaggerated pity. "Sweet, naive, delusional you. When have your arguments ever worked on me?"
"...Never."
"Exactly." She patted your cheek. "Now move. I’m starving."
You did end up going according to Yunjin’s plans - not that you had a choice, given she’d physically dragged you out of the library, then out of your dorm.
to top it all off, you had to wait for her because if you didn't, there'd be no one to take her drunk ass home, and you'd end up finding her in a ditch somewhere next morning.
so you had to wait till the asscrack of the night to take her home because no matter how un enjoyable a party is, you were not a bad friend.
and you were gonna be so late tomorrow.
~
The blaring alarm tore Jisung from his sleep this time. He gasped awake, limbs tangled in sheets that felt suspiciously sticky - had he spilled something last night? His hand shot out blindly toward the nightstand, fingers slapping against anything but his phone.
The alarm continued shrieking. Jisung groaned, pawing at the edge of his nightstand until his fingertips brushed warm metal. He grabbed his phone and hit the screen repeatedly-
The screen cracked under Jisung's fingers with a pop when he swiped to turn off the alarm. not a full shatter, but a spiderweb of fractures radiating from his thumbprint.
He blinked at it, sleep fogged brain struggling to process why his phone screen suddenly broke just from a few taps of his finger.
The display still functioned beneath the damage, the time, 8:15AM, visible through the splintered glass. Jisung flexed his fingers. He hadn't pushed that hard. Had he?
Jisung frowned, pushing himself up onto his elbows. The cracked phone screen wasn't the only thing that felt off, his head throbbed like he'd pulled an all nighter.
He grabbed his glasses from the nightstand, fingers fumbling with the frames in his haste.
The moment he slid them on, the world tilted.
Everything blurred into a nauseating smear of colors and shapes - like someone had smeared Vaseline across his lenses.
Jisung ripped the glasses off his face. The world snapped into focus, he could see perfectly without his glasses. He blinked rapidly. His vision hadn't been this clear since elementary school.
"What the fuck," he whispered, turning his hands over in front of his face. The calluses on his fingertips stood out in stark relief, the whorls of his fingerprints unnervingly detailed.
He rubbed his eyes hard till he saw colors and shapes behind his eyelids, but when he opened them again, his dorm room remained horrifically, impossibly sharp.
Jisung exhaled slowly through his nose and tossed the glasses onto the nightstand - they landed with a clatter, one temple arm snapping off completely.
His wrist itched. The bite mark from yesterday was gone.
Jisung rolled out of bed, his feet hitting the floor with an audible thud that made the loose change on his nightstand rattle.
He stretched, arms arching high above his head - and froze mid yawn when he heard the distinctive rrrip of fabric.
His sleep addled brain registered two things at once, the sudden draft across his shoulders, and the fact that his favorite hoodie, the one he’d slept in last night, now had a gaping tear along the seam.
He blinked down at himself. The fabric clung to his torso in ways it never had before, stretched taut across shoulders that suddenly looked broader. His biceps pressed against the sleeves, the cuffs riding up his wrist like they’d shrunk in the wash.
Jisung frowned and tugged at the hem. It didn’t budge.
his full length mirror confirmed it. His reflection stared back at him - same messy hair, same sleep creased cheek, but it was like he hit a second puberty overnight.
The hoodie that used to hang loose now hugged every contour of his torso, the fabric straining across his chest when he inhaled.
he took his hoodie off - since when did he have abs?? he was met with whole six pack. he even counted them.
he prodded at his own bicep experimentally, half expecting it, I don't know, deflate? It didn’t.
The bedroom door creaked open - Chan appearing at the doorway, "I swear to god, if you're still asleep-" His threat died halfway out of his mouth when he saw Jisung.
Jisung stood frozen in front of the mirror, shirtless and wide eyed, one hand still gripping the torn remains of his hoodie. The morning light caught the sharp new definition of his shoulders, the lean muscle coiled along his arms like he'd spent the last six months living in a gym.
"...Did you steal Changbin's protein shakes?"
Jisung whipped around "What? No! I just-" His voice cracked. He cleared his throat. "I woke up like this."
Chan stepped inside, kicking the door shut behind him with his heel. His gaze flickered over Jisung's torso - the previously soft lines of his stomach now taut, the faint shadows of ribs replaced by something decidedly more athletic.
Chan reached out and poked Jisung's bicep with two fingers. It felt like pressing against granite.
"Ow," Jisung lied automatically, then blinked. "Wait. That didn't actually hurt."
Chan's eyebrows raised. "You're telling me you went to bed and woke up as-" He gestured vaguely at Jisung's entire existence. "-whatever this is?"
A beat of silence. Then, from the hallway, "If you two are having a moment, I'm throwing myself off the window." Changbin's voice, muffled through the door.
Chan ignored him. "Did you take something? Experimental pre workout? Sketchy supplements from the gym bros?"
Jisung's fingers twitched toward his wrist - where the spider bite had been. The skin was smooth. "I might have... broken into the biotech lab yesterday."
Chan's expression grew even more confused. "okay...?"
The bedroom door slammed open before Jisung could answer. Changbin stood in the threshold, mouth already open to ask why the hell they were whispering with the door closed - then his eyes landed on Jisung’s bare torso. His eyebrows shot up. "Woah. What happened to you?"
Jisung threw his hands in the air, "I know! I woke up like - okay listen," he took a deep breath,
"yesterday I was late, like super late, so I took a shortcut through the science building even though I’m technically banned from the biotech wing after the centrifuge incident—"
Changbin mouthed 'centrifuge incident?' at Chan, who pinched the bridge of his nose.
"-and then I heard this noise from the restricted lab, right? So obviously I had to check it out-"
"You didn’t have to," Chan groaned.
"and there was this spider, this huge freaky blue one, in a tank that I maybe knocked over-"
"You knocked over-"
"-and it bit me! Right here!" Jisung brandished his unmarked wrist, "It hurt like hell yesterday but now it’s gone and suddenly I can see everything without my glasses and I just ripped my favorite hoodie like it was tissue paper-" He demonstrated by grabbing the hem of his remaining sleeve and tugging. The fabric split with a sound like tearing paper.
Changbin's mouth dropped open. Chan's blinked in disbelief.
"Okay," Chan said very slowly, "So you're telling me a genetically modified spider bit you, and now you're..." He gestured vaguely at Jisung's new physique. "This?"
Jisung flexed his arms experimentally. His biceps jumped under his skin "I mean, when you say it like that-"
Changbin suddenly lunged forward and punched Jisung square in the stomach - or tried to. His fist connected with what felt like solid concrete instead of soft flesh.
Jisung didn't even flinch. Changbin yelped, shaking out his hand. "Holy shit, dude. That's not normal."
Jisung looked down at his own abdomen, prodding the spot Changbin had hit. "Didn't feel anything." His voice went unnervingly quiet. "Should I be freaking out?"
Chan grabbed Jisung's shoulders - or attempted to, before his fingers slipped off the unexpected slope of muscle. "You shouldn't be able to bench press a car after one spider bite!"
"Technically I haven't tried that yet-"
The alarm on Jisung’s shattered phone blared again, 8:45AM, and Chan visibly flinched. “Shit. Class starts in fifteen.”
Changbin was already halfway out the door, yelling over his shoulder, “I’m not getting marked absent because you two want to dissect Jisung’s sudden glow up!”
Chan walked out of Jisung's room too, coming back after a moment,
"Here," Chan grunted, tossing a black hoodie at Jisung's face. It smelled faintly of fabric softener and Chan's inexplicably expensive cologne. "It's the biggest one I've got. Don't pop the seams."
~
Jisung reached campus a full minute before Chan and Changbin, his sneakers skidding to a halt outside the lecture hall with unnatural ease.
His lungs barely burned, just a pleasant warmth where there should have been heaving breaths.
He turned, bouncing on his toes while waiting for his roommates to catch up, when a sudden prickle raced down his spine. His scalp tingled.
Something was about to happen.
The prickle exploded into full body alarm a half second before the weight hit him.
Jisung spun without thinking - his hands snapping up just as you tripped. His palm connected with your shoulder an instant before you would have face planted into his chest.
The force should have sent both of you crashing to the ground, but Jisung didn’t budge an inch - just absorbed the impact like you weighed nothing.
Your coffee wasn’t so lucky, The cup slipped from your grip. Jisung’s free hand shot out, snatching it mere inches from the ground. Hot liquid sloshed against the inside of the lid but didn’t spill. He held it there, frozen, your shoulder still cradled in his other hand, both of you staring at each other in stunned silence.
Up close, you could see the flecks of gold in his brown eyes - something you’d never noticed before.
“You-” you started.
“I-” he interrupted at the same time.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. “Uh. You okay?”
“Yeah,” you said, too quickly. His hands were still there.
Jisung blinked like he’d just remembered they were attached to him, then jerked them away. The coffee wobbled dangerously in his grip. You grabbed it before it could spill .
“Late too?” he asked, stuffing his hands into the pockets of Chan’s hoodie.
You nodded, adjusting your bag strap. “Yeah.”
You stared at him for a second too long, suddenly noticing how the hoodie strained across his shoulders - when had Han Jisung gotten broad? The absence of his usual thick framed glasses left his face strangely exposed, his cheekbones and dark lashes more pronounced than you remembered.
"Thanks," you muttered, brushing nonexistent lint off your sweater where his hands had been.
After a beat, you added, "Good reflexes," because it was true and you hated leaving truths unsaid, even for him.
Jisung blinked at you, momentarily stunned by the compliment - his mouth opened, closed, then opened again. A faint pink spread across his cheeks, "Uh," he managed. His fingers twitched toward his face, a habitual gesture to push up glasses that weren't there, before aborting the motion halfway.
"Uh, thanks," Jisung managed after an awkward pause, He cleared his throat "I mean - you're welcome. Obviously. Because I saved your life."
"You caught my coffee," you corrected flatly, lifting the cup slightly as evidence.
His grin returned, familiar. "Same difference." He rocked back on his heels, "You would've face planted on the pavement if I hadn't intervened. Tragic, really."
"I take it back. Never complimenting you again."
before he could retort, Changbin's voice cut through the courtyard "If you two are done flirting, we're gonna be late!" He stood at the lecture hall doors with Chan, who was rubbing his temples like he'd aged ten years in the past hour.
Jisung whipped around so fast his sneakers squeaked against the pavement. "We're not-!"
You walked past him before he could finish the sentence, shoulders brushing hard against his as you passed.
~
Jisung didn't plan to become a hero - it just sort of happened at 1:37 AM outside a convenience store three nights after The Bite.
He'd been pacing his dorm room, fingers twitching with pent up energy, when Chan threw a couch cushion his head and told him to "go climb a building or something, Jesus Christ."
So he did. Sort of. Mostly he just jumped fire escapes until his thighs burned and his lungs finally felt normal again, which is how he ended up perched on a rusty AC unit overlooking the 24 hour convenience store when the guy in the ski mask walked in waving a gun.
The gun glinted under the lights of the convenience store, its barrel wavering between the cashier and the racks of snacks. Jisung's body moved before his brain caught up, one second he was crouched on the AC unit, the next he was dropping through the open window like a damn action hero.
His sneakers hit the floor with barely a sound, knees bending to absorb the impact that should've shattered his ankles. The robber whirled around, gun swinging wildly. Time slowed. Jisung saw the trigger finger tense, saw the cashier duck behind the counter.
He lunged.
What happened next was equal parts luck and whatever the hell that spider had pumped into his veins. His palm smacked the gun sideways just as it discharged - the bullet embedding itself in a display of energy drinks with a sickening thunk.
Jisung's other hand grabbed the guy's wrist, twisting until the gun clattered to the floor. The would be robber screamed. Not from pain, Jisung realized, but from the sight of his own fingers bending the wrong way under Jisung's grip. He let go like he'd been burned. The guy bolted, leaving his ski mask behind in Jisung's fist.
Silence.
Jisung didn’t realize he was holding his breath until the cashier wheezed out a shaky "Holy shit." The gun lied abandoned on the floor between them, still warm from the misfired shot.
Jisung stared at it, then at his own hands - his bare hands, no gloves, no mask, just his stupidly recognizable face that was probably caught on camera. His stomach dropped.
Chan was going to murder him.
The cashier - a guy his age with a nametag reading 'jeongin' - slowly straightened from behind the counter, eyes darting between Jisung and the discarded ski mask. "...Are you gonna rob me too?"
"What? No!" Jisung’s voice cracked. He kicked the gun farther away for emphasis. "I just-" He gestured vaguely at the empty space where the robber had been. "-stopped that guy. Obviously."
The ski mask stared up at Jisung from the convenience store floor. He scooped it up, fingers brushing the rough knit fabric, still warm from the robber's panicked sweat.
The cashier was already dialing the police with shaking hands, but Jisung's feet were moving before his brain caught up. He bolted out the door like he was the criminal, the stolen mask crumpled in his fist.
His knees nearly buckled when he hit the pavement - the sudden realization that he'd just stopped an armed robbery barefaced hit him.
Jisung sprinted down three alleys and ducked behind a dumpster just as police sirens wailed past the mouth of the alley. His heart hammered against his ribs, not from fear, but from something far worse. exhilaration.
He lifted the ski mask toward his face, hesitating for just a second before remembering its previous owner had been sweating bullets into the fabric.
He tentatively sniffed it - then recoiled so hard his head smacked against the dumpster behind him.
"Yuck," a stench clung to it, absolutely not.
He sprinted home in record time, sneakers barely touching the pavement. His enhanced legs carried him up the fire escape in three leaps. The window to their apartment's living room was still cracked open from his earlier escape, curtains fluttering in the night breeze. Jisung slid inside, falling right onto his ass.
"Ow," Changbin deadpanned from his bed, not looking up from his phone.
Jisung scrambled upright, ski mask still clutched in one hand. His gaze flicked from Jisung's disheveled hair to the crumpled mask.
Chan’s eyebrow twitched. “So. You robbed a robber.”
Jisung flapped the ski mask like a surrender flag. “No! I disarmed a robber. Then maybe borrowed his mask. Temporarily.”
Changbin snorted "And you didn’t think to cover your face before playing hero?"
this rooted a bad, bad idea into jisungs head.
he spent the next morning hunched over Chan’s laptop, scrolling through fabric stores frantically. His fingers drummed against the keyboard, pausing only to zoom in on a breathable material that promised "enhanced mobility" and "sweat wicking technology."
The description sounded like something straight out of a superhero movie - which, he supposed, was exactly what he needed now.
Chan watched from the doorway, arms crossed. "You realize this is insane, right?"
Jisung didn’t look up. "Less insane than stopping another robbery barefaced."
his first attempt at making a suit for his superhero persona was a disaster.
Jisung had underestimated the complexity of sewing stretch fabric, resulting in a lopsided mess of seams that bunched uncomfortably around his shoulders.
The second attempt fared slightly better - until he tested its durability by scaling the dorm’s exterior wall, only for the pants to split straight down the middle mid climb.
soon enough, Chan saw jisung's genuine dedication, and had taken pity on him. they spent late nights hunched over fabric scraps, Chan’s steady hands guiding the sewing machine - that chan bought from is own money earned from DJ gigs, mind you - while Jisung sketched designs in the margins of his notebooks.
The final prototype emerged from their shared efforts, a sleek red and blue suit with reinforced stitching and breathable mesh panels. The mask took another three attempts before achieving the perfect fit, complete with oversized white lenses that concealed his identity while enhancing his already unnaturally sharp vision.
Jisung examined himself in the dorm’s full length mirror for the first time, twisting to check the fit. The suit hugged his new musculature without restricting movement, the fabric stretching effortlessly as he flexed. He rolled his shoulders experimentally - it was the most comfortable model so far.
Changbin tossed an empty soda can at Jisung’s head from across the room. Jisung caught it without looking, reflexes kicking in. The can crumpled further in his grip.
"Show off," Changbin muttered.
The mask was the final piece. Jisung hesitated before pulling it on, fingertips brushing the blank white lenses. Once these went on, it'd be an official embodiment of... whatever this was.
The fabric settled over his face. His breathing echoed strangely in the enclosed space, but his vision remained clear. He blinked, adjusting to the surreal sensation of seeing more while being seen less.
Chan exhaled sharply. "Well. That's... a look."
Jisung twisted to examine his reflection in the mirror. The suit clung to his new physique like a second skin, the red and blue panels accentuating rather than hiding the slope of his shoulders. with a spider logo stitched across the center of his chest.
"So. What now?" chan cleared his throat.
Jisung exhaled through the mask, watching the fabric flutter slightly with his breath. "Now I test it."
His fingers found purchase on the brickwork without thought, his body moving with an instinct he shouldn't possess. He scaled the dormitory wall in seconds. Below, Seoul sprawled in a grid of neon and shadow, its pulse thrumming through the pavement under his palms.
He jumped.
The world tilted. His stomach lurched from the sheer impossibility of what his body was doing. He arced over the alleyway, arms outstretched, fingertips brushing the opposite fire escape before his feet even registered the landing.
The impact should have shattered his knees. Instead, he rolled smoothly onto the grated metal platform, his pulse steady in his ears.
That was when he heard a scream.
It cut through the ambient city noise . Jisung's head snapped toward the sound. Four blocks northeast. A woman's scream. fear, urgent terror in her voice.
He moved.
His body propelled him forward before conscious thought could interfere. The city blurred around him as he swung from ledges, his shot web lines that shouldn't have held his weight. Yet they did.
The polymer strands stretched taut as he launched himself between buildings, and landed on the third story balcony of a love hotel just as the scene unfolded below, a man dragging a woman toward a waiting car, her heels scraping against pavement as she fought.
Jisung didn't think, he immediately droped down, landing between the assailant and the car with a thud. The man recoiled, dragging the woman tighter against him as a human shield. Up close, Jisung could see the knife glinting in his free hand, the woman's smudged mascara.
"Back off!" the man snarled, blade pressing into her side.
Jisung's hands came up instinctively, palms out. The woman's wide eyes locked onto his mask. "You're-" she gasped.
Then everything happened at once. The man lunged, knife flashing. Jisung's body moved - his hand shot out, catching the blade mid air. Metal screeched against reinforced fabric, but didn't pierce.
The man's eyes widened comically as Jisung twisted his wrist, sending the knife clattering to the ground.
The knife skittered across the pavement. Jisung didn’t wait for the guy to process what had just happened, he pivoted on his heel, using his own momentum to yank the woman free in one motion.
She stumbled forward, gasping, but Jisung was already stepping between them, his body angled to shield her completely.
“Run,” he said. The word came out muffled and distorted through the mask, more like a growl than actual speech. The woman didn’t need to be told twice. She bolted, heels clicking against the sidewalk as she disappeared around the corner.
The would be attacker stared at Jisung, then at his own empty hand, then back at Jisung. “What the hell are you?”
Jisung's breath hitched behind the mask - What was he? A broke college student who'd bitten off more than he could chew. A walking science experiment. Definitely not someone who should be standing between an armed assailant and certain doom at 3 AM on a Tuesday.
"Uh," he managed, voice cracking through the fabric. "spiderman?"
The man lunged. Jisung sidestepped on instinct, the guy's momentum carried him straight into a dumpster with a metallic clang that echoed down the alley. Jisung winced. That had to hurt.
Police sirens wailed in the distance, close enough to spook the would be kidnapper, who scrambled upright and bolted in the opposite direction.
Jisung let him go. Chasing him down would mean explaining why he was dressed like a rejected Power Ranger, and frankly, he'd already pushed his luck far enough for one night.
Jisung crouched on the rooftop ledge, peeling off the mask with a wet shluck sound - the fabric sticking stubbornly to his sweaty forehead.
Below, the woman he'd rescued was giving a statement to the police, gesturing wildly toward the rooftops. He ducked back before she could spot him.
His phone buzzed violently against his thigh. Chan's caller ID flashed across the cracked screen, followed immediately by Changbin's bombardment of texts
BRO
DID YOU JUST GO VIRAL ON TWITTER
THERES VIDEO OF YOU DOING A BACKFLIP OVER A CAR
Jisung groaned, flopping onto his back. Gravel dug into his shoulder blades through the suit. Above him, Seoul's light pollution drowned out the stars, leaving only a murky orange haze.
He held up his phone, squinting at the blurry footage someone had uploaded. there he was, mid backflip, his red and blue suit a neon smear against the night. The caption read
Spiderman??? In SEOUL????
The first tweet had thirty seven likes. By morning, it had seventeen thousand and counting.
Jisung woke to Changbin shoving his phone in his face, screen displaying a grainy video of someone in a red and blue suit flipping over a moving car. "Congratulations," Changbin said. "You're a meme now."
Chan was less amused. He paced their dorm room, pausing only to read the growing pile of news articles on his laptop:
SPIDERMAN IN SEOUL? SUPER-HERO OR SUPER-ZERO?
before rounding on Jisung. "This," he hissed, jabbing a finger at the screen, "is the opposite of keeping a low profile."
Jisung groaned into his pillow. "It was one car."
~
You'd seen the videos. Everyone had. Grainy footage of some idiot in red and blue flipping over cars and catching falling flowerpots like it was nothing. The internet had collectively lost its mind - #SpiderManSeoul was still trending and it's been a whole two weeks - but you refused to join the hype.
"Obviously fake," you muttered in the cafeteria, stabbing your chopsticks into a piece of kimchi. The table next to yours erupted into excited chatter about the latest clip, Spiderman allegedly stopping a truck from hitting a pedestrian near Hongdae.
Yunjin slammed her phone down on the cafeteria table hard enough to make your soup bowl rattle. "That's three robberies he's stopped this week," she hissed, scrolling through blurry footage. "How can you still think this is fake?"
You rolled your eyes, stirring your half cold soup. "Easy. Because physics don't work like that, and neither do people." You pointed your chopsticks at her phone screen where 'Spiderman' was currently doing something that should've snapped his spine in five places. "That's either CGI or a really dedicated performance artist with a death wish."
Across the table, Yunjin made a noise like a deflating balloon. "You're impossible." She flicked to another video, this one showing the vigilante webbing a purse snatcher to a lamppost mid sprint. "Explain that then,"
You leaned in, squinting at the pixelated mess. "Okay one, that 'web' looks suspiciously like industrial grade fishing line. Two-" you tapped the timestamp in the corner "-this was filmed at 2 AM near Hongdae. Everyone's either drunk or sleep deprived enough to hallucinate shit like this."
You snorted into your soup, watching Yunjin's face contort in frustration. "Honestly, anyone dumb enough to believe in 'Spiderman' probably thinks pigeons are government drones too." You waved a dismissive hand toward her phone. "He's probably just some adrenaline junkie with too much free time and a GoPro."
From the neighboring table, someone choked on their rice. You glanced over just in time to see Jisung wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Chan smacked him hard on his back, whether to help him breathe or silence him, you couldn't tell.
"Or," Jisung wheezed, voice still rough from coughing, "maybe he's actually helping people?" He twisted in his seat to face you fully, elbows propped on the table behind him. "Ever think of that, genius?"
Changbin groaned audibly and slid down in his chair.
You arched an eyebrow. "Didn't realize you were such a Spiderman fan, Han. Got a poster of him over your bed?"
Jisung's ears turned pink. "I'm just saying-" he jabbed a chopstick in your direction "-if someone's stopping crimes for free, maybe don't trash talk them while chewing with your mouth full."
Yunjin added "You're just jealous because you can't backflip over cars."
"I could if I wanted to," you shot back, knowing full well your athletic abilities peaked at speed walking to morning lectures.
Jisung snorted. "Sure, and I'm the queen of England."
Chan materialized between the tables. His palm hit Jisung’s shoulder with a dull thwack that knocked him forward into his bibimbap. “We’re late,” Chan announced, already dragging Jisung upright by the collar like a misbehaving kitten.
Jisung spluttered, chopsticks clattering to the tray. “Late for what?”
“The thing,” Changbin interjected smoothly, sliding out of his seat “The very important thing.”
You watched as Chan dragged Jisung toward the exit, Jisung still craning his neck to shout over his shoulder, “Ask me about my queen of England autograph later!”
Chan’s exasperated groan echoed down the hallway as the door swung shut behind them.
Left in their abrupt absence, you blinked at Yunjin. “What the hell was that about?”
She shrugged, scrolling through more Spiderman footage. “Dunno, but Han Jisung defending a vigilante’s honor is weirder than you denying literal video evidence.”
She paused the playback right as Spiderman executed a midair twist that defied every law of physics. “anyway, I think you’re just salty because Spiderman could probably out academic you and out athletic you.”
well...he literally did.
~
your disbelief in spiderman came back and smacked you right in the face.
you were at the library after you finished your lectures for the day, the library was unusually quiet for midterm season, the usual chatter replaced by the frantic scratching of pens and the occasional sniffle from sleep deprived students. You rubbed your temples, staring at the same differential equations page for forty five minutes straight. At this rate, you'd be here until sunrise, again.
Outside, Seoul had long since plunged into darkness, the campus pathways illuminated only by streetlamps. You hesitated at the library doors - your dorm was a fifteen minute walk through the least lit part of campus, but the alternative was another all nighter hunched over textbooks.
You'd taken three steps onto the pavement when the first catcall sliced through the quiet.
A group of drunk frat boys loitered near the bus stop, their laughter too loud, eyes tracking your movement.
You tightened your grip on your backpack straps and picked up the pace. Their footsteps followed, uneven against the pavement.
"Hey sweetheart, why you walking so fast?"
Your pulse jackhammered against your ribs. The shortcut through the engineering building's side alley was suddenly a terrible idea — too narrow, too dark, too isolated. You fumbled for your phone just as a hand grabbed your elbow.
Your elbow jerked instinctively, but the grip tightened. One of the drunk guys leaned in, his breath sour with soju as he slurred, "Don't be like that. We're just walking you home."
The others chuckled, closing ranks around you. Your phone slipped from your sweating fingers, clattering to the pavement.
You tried to say something, anything, but your voice came out shaky and thin, "Let go," you managed, but it sounded more like a question than a command.
The guy holding your elbow laughed, his grip tightening just enough to make your bones protest. His friends shuffled closer, their shadows swallowing the dim streetlight whole.
A second hand clamped onto your shoulder from behind. "Relax," someone slurred. "We're nice guys."
You twisted against the hold, but there were too many of them, too many hands, too many laughs, too many bodies boxing you in.
Then, movement. A flicker of red and blue in your peripheral vision. One of the drunk guys yelped as his hand was suddenly gone from your arm, yanked backward by an invisible force. The others barely had time to turn before something - someone - slammed into their midst like a human wrecking ball.
The drunk guy's hand vanished from your elbow with a wet thwip sound, followed by his startled scream as he was yanked backward into a dumpster.
His buddies whirled around - just in time to see a red and blue blur drop from the fire escape above, landing between them with a crouch.
"Hey guys," Spiderman said, tilting his head. The blank white lenses of his mask made his expression unreadable, "Didn't your moms teach you it's rude to grope strangers?"
One of the drunk guys lunged. Spiderman sidestepped without looking, webbing the guy's sneakers to the sidewalk mid swing. The dude faceplanted with a grunt, his friends gaping as he struggled against the sticky white strands now gluing his shoes to concrete.
"Oops," Spiderman said, tapping his chin. "Must've slipped."
Another guy charged. Spiderman flipped over him effortlessly, landing on the dumpster lid with a metallic clang. "Wow," he mused, watching the guy stumble past. "You're really bad at this. Like, impressively bad."
You stood frozen against the alley wall, watching Spiderman web the third guy's hands to his own jacket zipper. "There," he said, patting the stuck zipper. "Now you can't unzip or zip. Poetic, right?"
The last drunk guy made a break for it. Spiderman sighed dramatically. "Come on, man. Group project participation counts toward your final grade." A web shot out, snagging the runner's ankle mid stride.
He yelped as Spiderman reeled him in like a fish, depositing him neatly beside his webbed up friends.
Spiderman dusted off his gloves. "Alright, team huddle! Here's the deal-" he crouched to their eye level,
"-next time you think about cornering someone in a dark alley? Don't." He tapped the first guy's forehead with one finger. "Or I find you."
The drunk guys paled. Spiderman straightened, turning toward you then froze. His masked head tilted slightly, the lenses widening almost imperceptibly.
You realized three things at once
one, Your knees were shaking.
two, Spiderman was much shorter in person than the videos made him seem.
three, You'd dropped your phone and backpack during the scuffle, and your differential equations notes were now scattered across the alley like confetti.
Spiderman bent to gather your papers, his movements almost... familiar. He stacked them neatly and held them out. "You, uh. You okay?" His voice was softer now, the earlier bravado gone.
You took the notes with numb fingers. "Yeah. Thanks." The words came out hoarse.
Spiderman nodded awkwardly, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "Cool. Coolcoolcool." He cleared his throat. "So. Should I web these guys to a lamppost for the cops, or...?"
One of the webbed up drunks whimpered.
You swallowed hard. "Lamppost's good."
Spiderman saluted. "Lamppost it is."
Spiderman made quick work of securing the drunk guys to the nearest lamppost, his webs forming a messy cocoon around their legs. One of them hiccuped pathetically as Spiderman gave the webbing an experimental tug. "There," he said cheerfully. "Now you can reflect on your mistakes while waiting for the cops."
You hugged your notes to your chest, still processing the fact that Spiderman, the same one you'd spent weeks insisting was fake, just saved you.
"You're... shorter than I expected," you blurted out before you could stop yourself.
Spiderman's head snapped up. For a second, the mask's lenses just... stared.
Then he pressed a hand to his chest. "Excuse you, I'm perfectly average height for a-" He cut himself off abruptly, clearing his throat. "Anyway. You're welcome for saving your life or whatever."
"You didn't save my life," you muttered, kneeling to gather the last of your scattered pens.
Spiderman made a noise between a laugh and a wheeze. "Right. Sorry for interrupting your very important... pen collecting."
You looked up at him, "I was handling it."
"Uh huh." He crossed his arms, the red fabric stretching taut over his shoulders. "Because saying 'let go' in a squeaky voice is totally handling it."
Your cheeks burned. "I wasn't squeaky."
Spiderman's mask tilted slightly, "Sure," he drawled, dragging the word out.
You opened your mouth to retort when a police siren wailed in the distance. Spiderman's head snapped toward the sound, his posture more alert. "Right. That's my cue." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Need a swing home?"
You blinked. "A what?"
Before you could protest, he'd already grabbed your wrist, his grip firm but careful, "Do you trust me?"
"No," you said immediately.
Spiderman grinned beneath his mask - you could hear it in his voice. "Perfect."
Then he yanked you forward before you could react, making you drop your bag in the process, his other hand shooting a web line to the nearest rooftop with a sharp thwip.
Your stomach lurched violently as your feet left the pavement, the ground dropping away beneath you with terrifying speed.
You shrieked, instinctively locking your arms around his neck in a death grip as the world tilted sideways. Buildings blurred past, wind howling in your ears loud enough to drown out your own panicked breathing.
Spiderman's arm banded around your waist, pulling you flush against his chest as he swung into open air. "Relax!" he shouted over the rush of wind. "I've only dropped one person!"
"WHAT?!" You dug your fingers into his shoulders hard enough to bruise - if normal humans could bruise whatever weird super skin he had.
"Kidding!" He adjusted his grip slightly, angling his body to catch the updraft as he launched you both higher.
he released the web line, freefalling for one terrifying second before another thwip sent you arcing upward again. The city sprawled beneath you, the view would've been beautiful if you weren't convinced you were about to become sidewalk confetti.
"wait- you passed my dorm!" you yelled over the wind, nails digging into Spiderman's shoulders as another swing took your breath away. The familiar building of your residence hall flashed below - then vanished behind you .
Spiderman's grip tightened fractionally around your waist. "Yeah, well," he called back, voice strained from the wind and what sounded suspiciously like laughter, "you looked like you could use some fresh air!"
You tried to say something back, but your words dissolved into a startled squeak as the city tilted dizzyingly. Your fingers clawed at his shoulders, but somewhere between the fourth and fifth swing, you realized your death grip had eased slightly. Maybe it was the way his arm stayed locked around your waist like a seatbelt, or how he angled his body to shield you from the worst of the wind.
"See?" Spiderman's said, "Not so bad once you stop trying to strangle me." He flipped midair just to hear you yelp, catching another webline with practiced ease.
"You're insane!" you managed, but your arms relaxed incrementally as you adjusted to the rhythm of his swings. The initial terror dulled into adrenaline, mixed with reluctant awe as Seoul sprawled beneath you in glowing grids.
The Han River flashed between buildings, and for one insane second, you understood why people did extreme sports.
Then Spiderman corkscrewed sideways without warning, shooting a web toward a higher rooftop. "check out this view!"
Before you could protest, he backflipped off the webline, sending you both soaring over a pedestrian bridge in a wide arc. Your stomach dropped straight to your shoes.
and suddenly you let out a laugh at the sheer absurdity of everything. at the fact that you were saved by spiderman in an alley, at the fact that you were finally getting your first breath of fresh air after days of being cooped up in either your room, or the library, or the lecture Hall.
The sound burst out, bright and startled against the roar of wind. Spiderman's head snapped toward you so fast, then he laughed too, the sound muffled by the mask but real, bubbling up from somewhere deep in his chest as he swung you both higher.
you spent a minute or two like that. Spiderman took a sharper turn than intended, nearly clipping a Samsung billboard with his shoulder. "Shit, sorry!" he yelped, twisting midair to avoid impact.
The sudden jerk should have terrified you, but instead you just laughed harder, your fingers loosening their death grip on his shoulders as you clung to him more out of habit than panic now.
"Are you trying to kill me?" you shouted over the wind, a smile still on your face.
"Only a little!" he called back.
Your dorm building came into view far below, Spiderman slowed his swings gradually, letting momentum carry you both downward in gentler arcs until. He landed with surprising grace on the sidewalk out front, setting you down carefully - though your legs wobbled like jelly the second your sneakers hit concrete.
"Whoa there," he chuckled, steadying you with a hand on your elbow. You swayed slightly as your feet touched solid ground again, still dizzy from the swinging.
Spiderman's gloved hands lingered on your elbows, steadying you. "You good?" His voice was softer now .
"I'm-" You swallowed hard, willing your legs to stop shaking. "I'm alive. Which is... surprising."
The adrenaline was fading now, leaving you strangely lightheaded. "I... thanks. Really." The words came out quieter than you intended, but you meant them.
"Yeah. No problem. That's kind of... the whole point of the suit." He gestured vaguely at himself, the red fabric stretching with the movement.
You snorted despite yourself. "Yeah, well. You're still insufferable."
"Ouch. And here I was going to offer you a free ride anytime."
"Hard pass," you said immediately, but you were smiling, a small, reluctant thing.
Spiderman chuckled, the sound muffled by his mask. He rocked back on his heels slightly. For a second, neither of you spoke, just stood there in the quiet aftermath, the distant city sounds filling the space between you.
Then he straightened. "Right. Don't get kidnapped again."
you smiled. "I'll try."
Spiderman gave a two fingered salute, already backing toward the alley wall. "If you do get kidnapped again-" he shot a webline upward without looking, the *thwip* cutting through the night air "-I'll be there." He tugged the web experimentally before adding, "But try not to make it a habit, yeah? My web fluid's expensive."
Before you could retort, he launched himself upward with a sudden burst of movement, the red and blue blur disappearing over the rooftop edge before you even processed the motion.
You stood frozen on the sidewalk, staring at the empty space where he'd been, your brain still trying to reconcile the fact that Spiderman - the same Spiderman you'd spent days dismissing as fake - had just swung you across half of Seoul.
The walk up to your dorm felt surreal. Your legs were stilll shakey, and you were still slightly dizzy.
You collapsed onto your bed fully dressed, convinced you'd lie awake replaying the night's events - then promptly passed out the second your head hit the pillow.
outside, Spiderman nearly faceplanted into a building mid swing. Because he was smiling like an absolute idiot under his mask, cheeks aching from the stupid, unstoppable smile that had been plastered on his face since he'd heard you laugh mid air.
He landed on the fire escape of their building, still buzzing with adrenaline. Peeling off the mask felt like surfacing from underwater - cool air hitting his sweaty face, the sounds of the city rushing back in clearly.
he shoved the window open, tumbling into the living room. Chan and Changbin were sprawled on the couch when Jisung crashed through the window.
Changbin glanced up from his phone. "Oh good, you didn't die." He paused his game just long enough to take in Jisung's disheveled state, mask off, hair sticking up in wild directions, and that ridiculous grin still plastered across his face. "Wait. Why do you look like that?"
"guys, you won't believe what just happened"
Jisung was halfway through inhaling to launch into his story when he froze mid breath, his eyes widening comically. "Wait - shit, her bag" He scrambled to his feet so fast he nearly tripped over.
Chan blinked. "Whose-"
"Be right back!" Jisung yanked the mask back over his head, the lenses setteling into place as he lunged for the window. "Forgot something super important"
Changbin's shout of "What the hell-" was cut off by the sharp thwip of a web line as Jisung flung himself back into the night.
~
You woke to sunlight stabbing your eyelids and the distinct sensation of having been hit by a bus.
The events of last night rushed back in - drunk guys, Spiderman, swinging through Seoul.
You groaned into your pillow, half convinced it had all been some dream.
Then a gust of wind hit your face like a slap. You squinted against the sunlight, realizing with a start that your window was wide open, and you definitely hadn’t left it that way.
you scrambled out of bed and approached your window sil. There, dangling from a single strand of web, was your missing backpack.
The backpack swung slightly as you reached out, the web strand stretching oddly. You tugged it free with a disgusting schlorp sound, and you saw a folded square of notebook paper stuck to the fabric with another glob of web.
You peeled it off with two fingers, The note was written in messy, angular handwriting that looked familiar.
you dropped this. your phone is inside too, you're welcome.
also, you snore.
- s
you stared at it, brain short circuiting between he brought my bag back and he watched me sleep?! before settling on the most pressing question, how the hell had Spiderman even known which dorm was yours? You hadn't told him. You were certain of it.
but maybe he'd just checked every single window till he found you -which would be extremely creepy, but made sense.
"There you are," Yunjin's voice cut through your spinning thoughts. You spun around to find her leaning against your doorframe, hair still mussed from sleep, squinting at you. "I was worried sick - where the hell were you last night?"
You opened your mouth - then froze. The backpack in your hands suddenly felt like damning evidence. "Library," you blurted too quickly.
Yunjin’s eyes dropped to the backpack in your hands, then narrowed at the sticky web residue still clinging to the fabric. Her gaze flicked to the note in your hands, then back to you. "Library," she repeated flatly. "Right."
She padded into your room, plucking the note from your hand with two fingers, then reading it, "You do snore," she said laughed, squinting at the handwriting. "Also, who the hell wrote this, who's 's'?" She waved the note in your face, the web glue still tacky.
You snatched it back. "no one."
She pointed at the webs on your bag. "spider webs?" Her voice pitched higher. "Did you, oh my god. Did Spiderman bring you home last night?"
She planted herself on your bed, legs crossed. "Start talking. Now." Her eyes flicked to your window, then back to you "And don’t even think about leaving out the part where Spiderman apparently knows where you live."
You sighed, sitting infront of her, "It’s not that dramatic. Some guys were being creeps last night, Spiderman showed up, webbed them to a lamppost, and then-" You hesitated, "And then he insisted on swinging me home."
Yunjin’s eyebrows shot up. "Swinging you home?" She grabbed your shoulders, shaking you slightly. "You swung through the city with spiderman?!"
"Yes! And it was terrifying!" You pried her hands off your shoulders. "And also... kind of amazing? But mostly terrifying. I almost threw up on him twice."
Yunjin's mouth fell open. "You- what" She grabbed your shoulders again, shaking you "You rode Spiderman?!"
"Swinging with Spiderman!" you corrected, cheeks flushing as you smacked her hands away.
Yunjin's grin turned positively feral as she flopped onto your bed, "Details. Now. How tall was he?"
"he's definitely shorter than you'd expect"
"Did he smell nice? Was he hot under the mask? Did he-"
"I didn't see his face. And you're disgusting," you hissed, chucking a pillow at her face.
"I'm invested," she corrected, hugging the pillow to her chest. "Also, I told you he was real."
You groaned, collapsing onto the bed beside her. "Okay, fine, he's real. Happy?"
"Ecstatic,"
safe to say, Yunjin wouldn't stop fangirling over this all afternoon.
~
Midterms came and went. You barely had time to process the fact that Spiderman had swung you across Seoul before exams swallowed your entire existence whole.
The only upside was that Jisung, for once, wasn't hovering around to gloat about his grades.
He seemed more busy, like he got a life or something, you'd catch him dozing off more than once, dark circles under his eyes like he hadn't slept in days.
Winter break arrived soon after. If not at some party with yunjin, you spent most of it holed up in your bedroom, halfheartedly scrolling through Spiderman footage.
The videos had multiplied exponentially, now there were compilations of him rescuing cats from trees, stopping bike thieves, even helping an old lady carry groceries up six flights of stairs when her building's elevator broke.
The comments sections were flooded with debates about whether he was a hero, a menace, or just some guy with too much time.
You never commented. But you watched.
When the new semester started, campus was buzzing with fresh Spiderman gossip. Someone claimed they'd seen him perched on the humanities building at 3 AM.
Another swore they'd spotted him buying convenience store ramen in full costume.
Yunjin, of course, had compiled an entire folder of sightings on her phone and updated you daily despite your protests.
Jisung stumbled into Professor Kim's lecture hall seventeen minutes late, face still puffy like he'd rolled straight out of bed, which, given the pillow crease still visible on his left cheek, he probably had.
he blinked blearily at the seating chart projected on the board before shuffling toward the only empty seat in the room- right next to you, of course.
"You're late," you muttered as he collapsed into the chair with a groan.
"Yeah, well," Jisung yawned so wide his jaw cracked, "tell that to the asshole who decided 9 am classes were a good idea."
His elbow slid off the desk mid sentence, nearly knocking over your water bottle before he caught it with reflexes that were still annoyingly precise despite his obvious exhaustion.
Dark circles bruised the skin beneath his eyes, deep enough to be visible even in the lecture hall's dim lighting. and when he reached for his notebook, you caught a glimpse of fresh scrapes across his knuckles.
You didn't think much of it - Professor Kim clears her throat, and announced the semester's major project.
"Partners are assigned randomly," she said, tapping her clipboard as murmurs rippled through the lecture hall. "No swaps, no complaints. You'll be working together for the next eight weeks."
You barely had time to dread the possibilities before the projector screen lit up with the pairings list. Your stomach dropped straight to your shoes when you saw your name right next to Han Jisung's.
"Aw, we're finally spending quality time together."
You rolled your eyes so hard it almost hurt, but didn’t protest. Because - annoyingly - Jisung would a good project partner if he bothered to focus.
“Here,” you muttered, shoving your phone across the desk toward him “Put your number in before I change my mind.”
Jisung’s eyebrows shot up, he just stared at your phone. Then his face split into that infuriating smile.
“Aw,” he cooed, snatching the phone before you could reconsider. “You do care.” His thumbs flew across the screen with alarming speed. “Should I put a heart next to my name? Or maybe-”
“If you put anything besides your name and number, i'll take Chan's number and all interactions will be through him”
Jisung pouted before deleting the heart emoji he'd already typed, and then handed your phone back. "You're no fun,"
after class was over, you spotted Yunjin leaning against the courtyard railing, scrolling through her phone per usual.
The moment she caught sight of you, her eyebrows shot up, then immediately waggled suggestively as she took in your exhausted expression.
"Let me guess," she drawled, pocketing her phone with a smirk. "Spiderman swung by again? Or was it just Han Jisung being his usual pain-in-your-ass self?"
You groaned, dragging your hands down your face. "the latter." You paused, then sighed dramatically. "And also... we got paired for Kim's semester project."
Yunjin's eyes widened. "Oh my god. You're finally spending quality time together"
"You said the exact same thing he did," you groaned, "Word for word. I swear, both of you share the same overworked brain cell."
Yunjin snorted, "Girl, I wish I did share a brain cell with him, then maybe I'd actually be able to solve Kim's exams without wanting to yeet myself into the Han River."
you sighed, already drained from all the work you'd have to do this semester before it even started "then there's the university festival too"
"oh yea, what'cha planning to do for the big fair" yunjin said. "gonna work on something with han too?" she wiggled her eyebrows.
"absolutely not" you answered quickly, "I won't do anything, I'll just rest. yeah. I'll catch up on all the sleep I'm about to lose"
"aw, what a shame," yunjin said, then she leaned in, whispering, "Though honestly, if you really want to tap into that academic powerhouse, there are way more fun ways to-"
"Finish that thought and I'm throwing you into the Han River myself."
"I'm just sayin'," she said, dodging your attempt to push her, "both of you just need to have a good fuck for this rivalry to go away."
"Speaking of fucks," you said, leaning against the courtyard railing, "I’ll be working on the project at Jisung’s place most days. Which means our dorm will be delightfully empty."
You flicked a stray leaf off your sleeve "Feel free to bring your Tinder disasters over, just keep them away from my room, please"
Yunjin gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. "Excuse you," she said, tossing her hair over one shoulder with exaggerated offense. "My Tinder disasters are upstanding gentlemen—"
"Who leave their boxers on your floor and eat my cereal," you deadpanned, "Just wash the sheets afterwards. And hide the good mugs."
~~~
when Jisung kicked the door open - a lethal combination of unwashed socks, stale ramen, and the faint metallic tang of something that might have been blood hit his face.
Chan looked up from his laptop just in time to see Jisung hurdle over the couch, skidding to a stop in front of the coffee table where changbin was demolishing a bag of chips.
"We have a problem," Jisung announced .
"You are the problem." changbin said.
Chan sighed, closing his laptop, "What did you break this time?"
"Nothing!" Jisung paused. "Well. Maybe the window latch. But that’s not the point." he paused. "She is coming here. To work on the project."
Changbin froze mid chip. "Who’s ‘she’-"
Chan’s eyes widened. "Oh no."
Jisung nodded frantically. "Oh yes."
Changbin’s eyes darted between them. "Wait. Are we talking about-"
"Yes," Chan groaned, already dragging a hand down his face.
Changbin’s chip bag hit the floor with a crunch. “Oh, hell no.” He scrambled up, scanning the apartment with mounting horror.
Medical supplies littered the kitchen counter, spare web cartridges rolled under the couch, and most damning jisung’s half finished suit upgrades dangled from a makeshift clothesline strung across the living room.
“We have twenty minutes to make this place look like normal people live here.”
Chan was already in motion, snatching stray web shooters off the coffee table. “Jisung, hide your suit. Changbin, take the first aid kits.” He paused mid step, “And for the love of god, air out this place. It smells like a rat died in here.”
Jisung went to yank the prototype suit off the clothesline, "It's not that bad," he protested, bundling the fabric under his arms.
The apartment was almost presentable by the time you knocked.
You stood outside their door, knocking twice, when a crash echoed from inside followed by frantic whispering.
after a minute, the door opened, revealing Changbin "Heyyyyy," he drawled, voice pitched an octave too high. "You're early"
you blinked, pointing your thumb back towards the elevator, "I can come back in a bit if you guys are busy-"
Changbin waved a hand like he was shooing away smoke. "Nah, nah, we’re good!" he stepped aside,
“Home sweet home,” Changbin announced, “Ignore the-” He gestured vaguely at a suspicious lump under a blanket that was definitely not laundry. “Decorative choices.”
You toed off your shoes at the entrance, noting with mild surprise that the apartment was cleaner than expected - though said suspicious lump under the blanket suggested they'd simply relocated the mess rather than actually cleaned it.
Chan looked up from his laptop, offering a casual salute as you stepped further into the apartment. "Hey," he said, "Jisung's in his room pretending he didn't just spend twenty minutes panic cleaning."
You snorted. "Sounds about right."
Jisung's bedroom door was slightly ajar, revealing a space that had clearly undergone a last minute excavation.
The floor was visible and his desk was suspiciously organized, textbooks stacked next to his laptop.
"Wow," you said, leaning against the doorframe. "I didn't know you owned a trash can."
Jisung spun around from where he'd been adjusting a poster that was still slightly crooked. "Shut up," he muttered, He gestured vaguely at the desk. "I set up already. Figured you'd want the, uh-" He waved his hands. "The workspace. Or whatever."
You walked in and over to the desk, project outline stared back at you from Jisung's laptop screen - neatly formatted, color-coded, and some parts were already done . You blinked. "You... started without me?"
Jisung shrugged, spinning a pen between his fingers, "Couldn't sleep last night." His knee bumped yours when you sat down, "Figured I'd get a head start before you could accuse me of slacking."
You stared at the spreadsheet he'd prepared, grudgingly impressed despite yourself. The formulas were flawless, the research sources ready, "Well. At least you're not completely useless."
"Wow. Wow. That might be the nicest thing you've ever said to me." he leaned closer, "Careful. Keep this up and people might think we like each other."
"get to work," you muttered, pulling your chair closer to his desk.
Jisung straightened, "Yes, ma'am."
You shook your head, but the corner of your mouth betrayed you with a twitch. He noticed instantly, and his grin widened like he'd won something.
You kicked his chair leg under the desk in retaliation, sending him wobbling sideways with a yelp.
Working with Jisung turned out to be - annoyingly - far less painful than you’d anticipated.
He had a way of cutting through your overthinking, dismantling problems you’d tangled into knots. When you got stuck on a statistical analysis, he spun his laptop around to show you a ridiculously simplified formula that somehow worked.
When he hit a dead end with the literature review, you pointed him toward three obscure sources he’d missed. It was infuriatingly efficient.
you'd also grew to realize that Jisung focused when it mattered.
Then there were the snacks. Jisung kept shoving food at you - convenience store food, but its the thought that counts “Eat,” he’d say, nudging a bar of chocolate toward you without looking up. “Your blood sugar’s crashing. I can hear your stomach growling from here.”
You’d protest, but he wouldn't hear any of it until you tore open the packaging begrudgingly.
and he actually remembered things. Tiny, insignificant details you’d mentioned in passing - your preference for blue pens over black, the way you organized your citations, the fact that you always forgot to save drafts until it was too late.
Halfway through typing, your laptop would ding with a message from him You didn’t save again, genius. You’d glare at him, but he’d already be smirking at his own screen.
You didn't expect to bond with Chan and Changbin too, but somehow their apartment became your second home for the past 6 weeks.
you stayed past 10 pm once, Chan slid a takeout menu across the table. "Pick something," he said, "Jisung forgets to eat when he's focused, and you're worse than he is."
The takeout containers were long empty by the time you stretched your arms over your head, joints popping from hours hunched over textbooks.
"You should head back," His voice was casual, but his eyes flicked to the time on his phone, 11:47 PM, then back to your face. "It's late."
You sighed, gathering your notes into a pile. "I've walked home later than this."
"Yeah, and nearly got followed by drunk assholes," Jisung muttered under his breath.
"I'll be fine. It's like, twelve minutes max." You slung the strap over your shoulder.
"at least let me walk you home?" jisung asked.
"Relax. you don't have to act like my hero for the night, i'll be fine."
jisung heard the word "hero" and an idea popped into his mind. bingo
"Fine. Die in a dark alley. See if I care."
"You won't," you shot back, toeing on your shoes by the door.
"Night, guys," you called over your shoulder as you stepped into the hallway, the door clicking shut behind you.
Inside the apartment, Jisung was already running to put his suit on before Chan caught him by the hood. "Are you serious right now?"
"I'm just gonna-" Jisung started.
"Follow her as Spiderman?" Changbin supplied, "Dude. That's creepy."
Jisung froze. "It's not creepy if I'm making sure she doesn't get murdered."
"It's extremely creepy."
"She literally said she didn't need an escort!" Changbin pointed out.
Jisung waved a hand. "She always says that."
"Because you always try to escort her!"
Jisung hesitated, just long enough for Chan to sigh and release his hood. "If you're gonna be an idiot, at least put the mask on first."
Changbin tossed a web shooter at Jisung's head. "And try not to get arrested for stalking."
Outside, you were halfway down the block when a shadow flickered across the streetlight above you. You glanced up just in time to see a blur of red and blue vanish behind a rooftop.
"Really?"
A thwip sounded overhead. Spiderman landed lightly on a lamppost ahead of you, "Fancy meeting you here," he said, voice dripping with faux surprise.
You crossed your arms. "Are you following me?"
Spiderman gasped, pressing a hand to his chest. "I'm patrolling. This is a coincidence."
"A coincidence," you deadpanned.
"Yep." He swung down to street level, falling into step beside you like this was completely normal. "Totally random."
You sighed. "I don't need an escort."
Spiderman tilted his head. "Says the person who nearly got jumped last time."
"That was one time-"
"And here I am," he said, spreading his arms wide, " not letting it happen again."
You glared at him. He smiled at you - or at least, the mask's eyes crinkled in a way that suggested a smile.
"Fine," you muttered, stomping ahead.
Spiderman matched your stomping pace, "So," he drawled, swinging around a lamppost to land directly in front of you, forcing you to halt mid step or you'd have walked straight into his chest. "What's a pretty girl like you doing out so late?"
Your ears burned "I was just coming back from a friend’s place," you muttered, sidestepping him to continue walking. "Working on a project. Unlike some people, I actually take my education seriously."
Oh the irony.
he fell into step beside you, his posture casual, "So this friend," he pressed, "What's their deal? Study buddy? Secret admirer?"
You shot him a glare. "None of your business."
Spiderman gasped, "Ouch. And here I thought we had something special." He swung ahead, landing lightly on a parked car’s roof just to force you to look up at him. "Come on, humor me. Tall? Short? cute?"
You stayed silent, refusing to dignify that with an answer. But Spiderman was nothing if not persistent, he dropped down directly in your path again, close enough that the lenses of his mask reflected your exasperated expression back at you.
"Han Jisung," you finally said, shoving past him. "My project partner. Happy?"
"Han Jisung," he repeated, "Wow. Sounds like a real catch. Bet he’s incredibly handsome and talented."
"He’s annoying," you corrected, kicking a pebble harder than necessary. "And arrogant. And-"
"And?" Spiderman prompted, suddenly right beside you again.
"And none of your concern," you finished through gritted teeth.
Spiderman made a wounded noise, "Rude. Here I am, risking life and limb to escort you safely home-"
"You invited yourself," you corrected.
"-and you won’t even indulge my harmless curiosity about your mysterious project partner." He swung ahead to perch upside down from a streetlight, "Tell me more about this Han Jisung character. Does he have any redeeming qualities? Or is he just tragically, devastatingly handsome?"
You scoffed, refusing to acknowledge how accurately that described Jisung’s stupid face. "Fine. Jisung’s... not completely terrible." You looked at the sidewalk. "He remembers stupid things. Like how I always forget to save my work, or that I hate when people highlight in yellow."
Spiderman’s mask tilted, the lenses narrowing slightly. "Wow," he said, his tone an exaggerated awe. "Truly, a monumental compliment. Does he also breathe air and occasionally blink?"
You kicked a pebble at him, which he caught mid air with a web before it could hit his chest.
"Shut up. He’s..." You hesitated, then sighed. "He’s weirdly considerate. Makes sure I eat when we’re studying. And his roommates are..." You gestured vaguely, as if that explained anything. "nice. more tolerable than him, actually. they insist on feeding me too"
Spiderman went suspiciously quiet. Then, in a voice devoid of sarcasm "They sound nice."
You snorted. "They’re menaces. But yeah. They... grew on me."
A beat of silence. Then Spider-Man dropped from the lamppost, landing softly beside you. "And Jisung?" he prompted, suddenly closer than before. "What’s his fatal flaw?"
You didn’t even have to think. "He's always right somehow. And he gloats about it. alot."
"Horrifying," he agreed solemnly. "Anything else?"
"He’s always there," you muttered, more to yourself than to him. "Even when I wish he wasn’t."
The mask hid his expression, but his next words came out oddly soft. "Sounds like you’ve got it pretty bad, genius."
The familiar nickname prickled at the back of your memory, but you couldn't place it, until Spiderman abruptly straightened, realizing his mistake, clearing his throat.
"So!" he said, "How much further to your dorm?"
You narrowed your eyes at the obvious subject change. "Why? Getting tired already?"
Spiderman scoffed, "Please. I could do this all night." then shrugged "Just making conversation."
"You were doing just fine until the nickname," you pointed out, watching his lenses widen fractionally.
"What nickname?" he asked, voice pitching slightly higher.
"Genius." You tilted your head, studying his frozen posture. "Jisung calls me that."
spiderman got into character again, "Jisung calls you that?" His voice was pitched an octave higher than usual, his hands fluttering in dramatic disbelief.
"Wow. What a coincidence." He leaned closer, "Maybe l'm Han Jisung. Ever think of that, genius?"
He lowkey regret what he said the second the words came out of his mouth. but hey, reverse psychology?
you stopped walking for a second, facing spiderman, genuinely considering what he just said.
"nah" you snorted, shaking your head. "Jisung can barely walk in a straight line without tripping over his own feet." You gestured vaguely at Spiderman's lithe posture. "No way that disaster could pull off... whatever this is."
"Ouch. That hurts. I'll have you know some people find my-" he gestured at himself, "this extremely charming."
"You mean annoying," you corrected.
"Charmingly annoying," Spiderman corrected, He swung lazily ahead, landing atop the lamppost outside your dorm building.
You stopped beneath the lamppost, glancing up at Spiderman’s silhouette squatting on top of it. "This your stop, genius?" he asked, voice lilting with amusement.
"Yes," you said flatly. "And don't call me that."
"Call you what? Genius?" He leaned forward, resting his chin in one gloved hand. "Or pretty girl?"
Your face heated instantly. "Both."
Spiderman laughed, a sound that you swear you heard before.
"Fine, fine. Wouldn't want to inflate your ego too much." He swung down from the lamppost.
He turned to leave, then hesitated, just long enough to glance over his shoulder and add, voice softer than before, "Sleep tight, pretty girl."
Then he was gone, vanishing into the night sky with a thwip of webbing before you could retaliate.
you stayed glued to the pavement for a minute as you watched spiderman's figure get smaller the more he swung away, face slowly heating up.
"Talking 'bout some pretty girl," you muttered under your breath, walking to the entrance of the building
who is this guy?
~
a/n: *takes in a big deep breath* I initially meant for this to be way shorter (10k ish words) but it kinda spiraled and now its more than double that so I had to split it into two parts 😞. the second part is ready just needs proofreading and a few tweaks. hope it doesn't disappoint because I put my entire coochie and butt into this.
STRAY KIDS HYBRIDS AU : OT8 STRAYKIDS X HYBRID RAGDOLL CAT FEM READER
Summary : Hybrids is well known to public, and in the entertainment industry, idols owning hybrids wasn’t unusual. Stray Kids have one, a pure ragdoll cat hybrid. Not as a pet, but more like a family, A Pack for her.
Pairing : Stray Kids OT8 x F!Reader
Tags : Angst ( I love angst), and fluff
A/N : This is my first time writing, so advice, tips and critics are helpful :). English isn't my first language so I used tools to help me write.
Your life changed overnight. You didn’t even realize it at first. The morning started normally.
Or at least, you thought it did.
You were still buried deeply beneath blankets, curled around one of your pillows while faint dawn light filtered softly through the curtains. Your ears twitched sleepily at distant movement somewhere in the dorm, but exhaustion still kept your body heavy and warm.
Then suddenly—
Soft kisses pressed against your cheeks and forehead. One after another.
Persistent.
Needy.
Your brows furrowed groggily.
“…Mmph.”
Another kiss.
This time against the corner of your mouth.
Then up again to your forehead.
Then your nose.
“Chan…” you called out weakly, familiar with his scent.
A quiet laugh vibrated beside you.
“Wake up.”
You blinked slowly awake only to find Bang Chan hovering ridiculously close over you, caging you with his frame , eyes bright despite the early hour. “Why are you attacking me… it's too early..”
Instead of answering, Chan immediately buried his face against your neck. Warm lips pressed there softly once.
Twice.
Then lingered longer than necessary, dangerously close to your scent glands, a little sensitive over there.
Your breath caught slightly.
“Channie…”
He hummed against your skin before mumbling quietly into the crook of your neck—
“You went viral.”
You blinked.
“What?”
Chan suddenly shoved his phone directly in front of your face. The brightness nearly blinded you instantly. You squinted dramatically.
“OW—”
“Look.”
Still half asleep, you stared at the screen in confusion while your brain struggled to function.
Then slowly your eyes widened from the realization.
The photoshoot results.
Everywhere.
Articles.
Posts.
Trending tags.
Edits.
Millions of views.
Your sleepy expression vanished completely.
“What?!”
Chan laughed loudly at your sudden panic while you snatched the phone closer. The shoot had apparently exploded online overnight. And honestly the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Summer had just fully peaked.
Warm weather.
Vacation season.
Bright aesthetics flooding social media.
And somehow your photos fit perfectly into all of it. The public adored them. People reposted your pictures everywhere calling you “summer personified.” Comments flooded endlessly beneath every article.
“She looks so warm and comforting.”
“I’m obsessed with this concept.”
“Why is she genuinely prettier than most influencers.”
“SKZ's HYBRID REVEAL???”
“I need her skincare routine immediately.”
“Ragdoll hybrids are literally ethereal.”
You stared speechlessly at the screen while Chan watched your reaction with obvious amusement.
Then quietly—
“You deserve it.”
Your chest tightened softly.
The members completely lost their minds over it. Absolutely unbearable. The second you stepped into the kitchen later that morning, everyone started talking at once.
“LOOK.”
“No, this comment is my favorite.”
“Someone made an edit already.”
“STAYs are actually insane.”
Han nearly shoved his phone into your face dramatically.
“Read this one.”
You squinted.
“She looks like the physical embodiment of drinking cold water during summer.”
Silence.
Then everyone burst out laughing.
“That’s weirdly accurate,” Felix wheezed.
Meanwhile Lee Know casually scrolled through fan posts while sipping coffee.
“They’re asking for more Y/N content.”
Your ears perked instantly.
“Huh?”
Minho turned his screen toward you.
Thousands of comments flooded fan platforms.
“Please let her appear more.”
“She’s basically part of SKZ already.”
“We need TikTok Challenges immediately.”
“Let the hybrid have screen time please we beg you !.”
“Protect her at all costs.”
Even official fan accounts edited together compilations of your rare appearances with the members. Some fans literally ran entire accounts dedicated to your interactions with them. Your face burned brighter the longer you looked.
“This is embarrassing…”
“It’s cute,” Jeongin corrected immediately.
Chan grinned from across the table.
“They love you.”
And somehow hearing that still affected you deeply every single time. Because for weeks you’d convinced yourself people were slowly getting tired of you.
Too clingy.
Too emotional.
Too much.
Yet here everyone was—
Still loving you loudly.
The members made things worse by feeding fans with you all over the platforms constantly afterward.
Or better.
Depending on perspective.
Instagram, Bubble, Fans, even on TikTok, you name it.
Chan uploaded a selfie of you half-asleep beside him during breakfast.
Jeongin posted blurry candid photos of you laughing while shopping.
Han uploaded behind-the-scenes clips from the photoshoot with dramatic captions about “our summer princess.”
Hyunjin posted an artistic close-up of your ears beneath sunlight and nearly caused chaos online.
Felix posted a trending Tiktok content that he saved in his draft.
“YOU GUYS ARE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE,” you accused while hiding your face in embarrassment.
“Yes,” Seungmin answered immediately. No shame whatsoever.
And honestly watching the members proudly show you off so openly filled something fragile inside your chest. Because there had been a time recently where you felt invisible beside them. Now suddenly they looked at you like something precious again. Wanted everyone else to look too.
The day your payment finally arrived felt surreal.
You sat cross-legged on the living room floor staring blankly at your banking app while Bang Chan and Lee Know hovered nearby.
Just days earlier, both of them had helped you open your own bank account properly.
You’d felt oddly nervous about it then.
Like becoming more independent somehow made adulthood suddenly real.
But now—
Looking at the amount transferred into your account—
You genuinely thought there’d been a mistake.
“…Wait.”
You blinked repeatedly.
“…WAIT.”
Chan immediately burst out laughing.
“So cute.”
“That’s way too much money,” you whispered in horror.
Minho leaned over your shoulder calmly.
“No, that’s normal.”
“FOR ONE SHOOT?!”
Chan nearly fell sideways laughing while your ears stood fully upright in shock.
“I’m rich.”
“You are absolutely not rich yet,” Minho deadpanned.
“I’m buying everyone food.”
“Absolutely not! It’s yours, Jagi. You don’t need to spend it on us.” He told you with a small smile displayed on his face.
Still—
The excitement bubbling inside you felt impossible to hide.
This was yours. Money you earned yourself. Not something given. Not something provided. You worked for this. And the pride glowing in your chest made your eyes sting slightly.
That same afternoon, everyone lounged lazily around the dorm for once.
No schedules.
No rush.
No rehearsals.
Just peace.
You curled beside Minho on the couch while he absentmindedly stroked your hair, fingers occasionally brushing softly beneath your ears in ways that made your eyes droop contentedly.
The television played quietly in the background.
Felix lay sprawled across the floor dramatically.
Han and Jeongin argued over snacks.
Chan half-dozed against one armchair.
Everything felt warm.
Domestic.
Safe.
Until suddenly—
“We should go somewhere.”
Everyone looked toward Hyunjin immediately. “A vacation,” he clarified dramatically. Changbin perked up instantly.
“Oh.”
Felix sat upright.
“WAIT YES.” Within seconds the room erupted into overlapping conversation.
“We actually have a few free days.”
“A staycation maybe?”
“Somewhere near water.”
“Busan?”
That immediately gained everyone’s attention.
Busan sounded perfect.
Far enough to feel like escaping. Close enough to manage easily.
The sea.
Night air.
Temporary freedom before schedules consumed everyone again.
Decision made.
Immediately chaos erupted.
Phones appeared.
Properties got searched.
Arguments broke out over room arrangements before anything was even booked.
And eventually—
A staycation house in Busan was rented for all nine of you.
The excitement became contagious instantly. Everyone scattered around the dorm packing at lightning speed. Including you.
At first packing felt exciting.
Until you actually opened your wardrobe. Then your excitement faded slightly.
Because suddenly you realized something.
You didn’t really own many clothes. Not proper outing clothes anyway. Most of your wardrobe consisted of oversized hoodies or sweaters, comfortable basics, and stolen member shirts. You stared at the closet thoughtfully.
Then sighed softly.
“…Oh.” Maybe you really didn’t have much of your own.
After hesitating a moment, you padded quietly toward Hyunjin and Changbin’s shared room.
Knock knock.
“Hyunnie…”
“Come in,” Hyunjin called immediately.
You peeked your head inside carefully. Both Hyunjin and Changbin sat surrounded by half-packed clothing. Changbin smiled immediately seeing you.
“You need help?”
The way he asked sounded more like a certainty than a question. You shuffled slightly. “I don’t know what to pack…”
Hyunjin looked up instantly.
“Why?”
“I don’t think my clothes are good enough for a staycation…”
Silence.
Both men slowly turned toward each other. Then toward you. Then back toward each other again. Like they’d just silently communicated an entire conversation. Changbin immediately stood.
“Show us.”
Five minutes later both of them stood in your room staring directly into your closet with expressions of genuine concern.
Hyunjin looked personally offended. “Why do you own five identical hoodies.”
“They’re comfortable…”
Changbin pinched the bridge of his nose dramatically.
“You own almost nothing.”
“I do own things!”
“Half of these are ours,” Hyunjin corrected.
You looked away guiltily.
“…Maybe.”
Changbin sighed before pulling out comfortable basics.
“Pack these first.”
Meanwhile Hyunjin already pulled out his phone rapidly typing something. You narrowed your eyes suspiciously. “What are you doing?”
“Saving your life.”
“Huh?”
Before he could answer—
Suddenly footsteps thundered down the hallway.
Then your bedroom door burst open dramatically.
“We volunteer as tribute!”
You nearly jumped. The members piled inside loudly all talking at once.
“We’re taking you shopping.”
Your ears shot upright instantly. “What?!”
Hyunjin smiled smugly while brushing your hair softly behind your ear.
“I told them your wardrobe situation.”
“You exposed me.”
“Correct.”
Your tail swished rapidly despite your embarrassment.
“Really? Is that okay?”
Everyone answered immediately.
“YES.”
“Obviously.”
“We literally wanted an excuse anyway.”
Chan clapped his hands together.
“Okay everybody move. Mall first. Busan after.”
And just like that the entire afternoon turned chaotic.
Shopping with eight Stray Kids members was an experience you’d never emotionally recover from. Absolute chaos. Every single member had opinions. Strong opinions.
“This color suits you.”
“No it washes her out.”
“She looks cute in oversized fits.”
“She looks cute in everything.”
“Helpful, Felix.”
They took turns shoving outfits into your arms relentlessly.
Soft dresses.
Casual streetwear.
Cute skirts.
Beach outfits.
Accessories.
Even shoes.
Meanwhile you spent half the time getting shoved back into dressing rooms while everyone waited outside rating outfits aggressively whenever you emerged.
“TURN AROUND.”
“OH THAT’S CUTE.”
“No, next.”
“You look expensive.”
“What does that even mean?”
You learned surprisingly quickly what styles suited you best. Soft colors brightened your complexion. Certain cuts highlighted your shape naturally. Flowy fabrics complimented your fluffy ears and tail beautifully.
And honestly—
It was fun.
Really fun.
Especially seeing how genuinely excited the members became dressing you up.
Then eventually—
Jeongin found the dress.
A white sundress patterned with tiny blue flowers.
Softer.
Shorter.
More delicate than the photoshoot one.
The skirt layered gently while thin shoulder straps tied into tiny ribbon bows. Jeongin immediately grabbed it.
“Oh this is THE one.”
Your ears perked.
“Hm?”
He held it against you thoughtfully.
“The cream in your fur would look insane with this.”
Then he shoved it directly into your arms.
“Try it.”
You laughed.
“Right now?”
“Yes right now.”
Then mischievously he teased. “If you need help changing just call me.”
You smacked his arm immediately.
“Jeongin!”
Everyone burst out laughing while he cackled dramatically. When you finally stepped out wearing the dress—
The silence alone told you enough.
Then immediately—
“Buy it.”
“No discussion.”
“That’s yours now.”
“It reminds me of the shoot,” Felix mumbled softly.
It did.
The dress made you glow similarly.
Soft.
Warm.
Beautiful in a way that didn’t feel forced. You stared at your reflection quietly. And for once you liked what you saw.
By the time everyone returned home later, your arms overflowed with shopping bags.
New clothes.
Accessories.
Pajamas.
Swimwear.
Even bikinis you were still too embarrassed to look at properly.
Someone had also bought you a fluffy bunny plushie because “we all know how much you love soft fluffy things.” You nearly cried, overwhelmed with their kindness.
Later, after finally packing everything into your suitcase, a soft knock sounded at your door.
“Ready?”
You opened it to find Seungmin leaning casually against the frame.
Your ears perked immediately.
“Mhm!”
He smiled softly seeing your excitement.
Then without complaint, grabbed several of your bags for you.
“I’ll help.”
The living room downstairs already looked chaotic with luggage piled everywhere.
Snacks.
Drinks.
Board games.
Breakfast ingredients.
Everyone buzzed with excitement while dividing into cars. Eventually groups got decided. You ended up in Minho’s car.
Minho driving. Han in the passenger seat. And you squeezed comfortably between Chan and Jeongin in the backseat.
The roadtrip started quietly around seven that evening. The city glowed alive outside the windows while traffic slowly thinned the farther you drove. Streetlights reflected softly across the glass. Music played low through the speakers.
Jeongin eventually leaned sleepily against your shoulder.
Chan’s hand rested loosely over yours between the seats.
And as the city lights slowly faded behind you—
By the time the cars finally rolled into the driveway of the rented staycation house, the clock had already passed midnight.
Everyone looked exhausted.
But excited exhausted.
The kind where tiredness couldn’t fully settle because anticipation still buzzed too strongly beneath the skin.
The ocean air hit immediately the second everyone stepped out of the cars.
Cool.
Salty.
Fresh.
It carried the distant sound of waves crashing softly somewhere beyond the dark horizon, mixing together with the sleepy chatter of the members unloading luggage from the trunk.
“Careful with the snacks!”
“Who packed this bag so heavy?!”
“Yah, that’s mine!”
You laughed softly while pulling your hoodie tighter around yourself, your tail swaying happily behind you as you stared up at the house.
It was beautiful. And the biggest out of all the houses on that staycation private site. You could see that the other housings are occupied.
Warm lights glowed softly from inside the large windows, making the entire place feel cozy despite the darkness surrounding it. The staycation house stood tall near the shoreline, two floors with wide balconies and wooden details that made everything feel peaceful and homey rather than luxurious.
The second everyone stepped inside—
Chaos.
Immediate chaos.
Han nearly threw himself onto the couch dramatically.
Felix ran straight toward the windows to look at the ocean.
Hyunjin gasped loudly at the interior design like he’d entered heaven itself.
Meanwhile Chan immediately switched into responsible leader mode.
“Okay, everyone help unload first before dying.”
Groans filled the room.
Still, everyone obeyed.
Shoes got kicked off near the entrance while bags and groceries slowly filled the kitchen counters. You helped organize drinks into the refrigerator alongside Minho while Changbin and Seungmin carried luggage upstairs.
The house somehow looked even prettier from the inside.
There were soft warm lights everywhere, large comfortable couches, blankets folded neatly across chairs, and huge windows overlooking the dark ocean outside. The kitchen was massive, connected directly to the dining area where a long wooden table stretched beautifully beneath hanging lights.
Outside, the backyard opened toward a pool and jacuzzi area, while farther beyond sat a wooden porch facing the sea. The sound of waves carried clearly from there.
And upstairs—
A balcony.
A karaoke room.
Movie projector.
Big cozy bedrooms.
It genuinely felt unreal.
“Can we live here forever?” Felix whispered dramatically while spinning slowly in the living room.
“No,” Chan answered immediately.
Felix sighed deeply.
“Cruel.”
Eventually the rooms got divided naturally.
You ended up with your own room.
Smallest in the house.
But still warm and comfortable.
The members insisted it was important you had your own privacy.
Even though they also repeatedly reminded you—
“You can sleep in our rooms whenever you want.”
“Seriously.”
“Anytime.”
The pairings formed based on who's more comfortable with who.
Chan with Jeongin.
Minho with Han.
Changbin with Seungmin.
Hyunjin with Felix.
And honestly—
Seeing everyone naturally settle into the people they trusted most made something soft settle inside your chest. They loved each other deeply. The rooms themselves varied wildly too.
Yours had a single double bed tucked near the window, smaller than everyone else’s but cozy with soft blankets and warm lighting. No personal bathroom, but you didn’t really mind.
Hyunjin and Felix’s room looked ridiculously luxurious with a king-size bed and huge private bathroom.
Minho and Han somehow got another giant room equally beautiful.
Changbin and Seungmin’s room felt more practical and cozy, while Chan and Jeongin’s connected single beds looked comfortable enough to collapse into immediately.
By the time everyone finished showering, brushing teeth, and completing skincare routines, the house slowly quieted.
One by one the bedroom doors closed.
Soft footsteps faded.
Laughter died down.
Until eventually only the distant ocean remained.
You couldn’t sleep,not even close. You tossed gently beneath the blankets while staring at the unfamiliar ceiling above you.
Maybe it was excitement. Maybe it was because of the effect of unfamiliar place. Or maybe your heart simply felt too full lately to rest properly.
The digital clock near the bed read 3:07 AM, Thursday.
The entire house sounded asleep.
Quietly, you slipped from bed.
The wooden floors creaked softly beneath your feet as you padded downstairs wearing oversized sleep clothes and fluffy socks. Your tail swayed sleepily behind you while you wandered into the kitchen searching for milk.
Warm milk always helped.
The refrigerator light glowed softly against your face while you searched through the shelves.
Then suddenly—
“Can’t sleep?”
You startled so badly you nearly hit your head against the fridge.
“Ah!”
Soft laughter immediately followed.
You turned to find Chan standing nearby.
Still awake.
His hair messy from sleep, oversized shirt hanging loosely from his shoulders. He looked at you so softly.
“You scared me…”
“Sorry,” he chuckled quietly.
His dimples appeared immediately.
“You okay?”
You nodded slowly.
“Couldn’t sleep.”
“Me too.”
Chan approached naturally beside you, gently patting your head once before reaching above you to grab a mug from the cupboard.
You blinked.
“You already know what I want?”
“I know you, baby.”
The simple answer warmed you embarrassingly fast and your heart skipped a beat from the certainty in his voice.
Chan quietly poured milk into the mug before placing it into the microwave. The kitchen fell silent afterward except for the low hum of the machine.
Comfortable silence.
The kind that only existed between people deeply familiar with each other. Your tail brushed lazily against Chan’s back while you both waited. Almost automatically, his hand found your head. His fingers stroking slowly between your fluffly ears.
Your eyes fluttered slightly at the comfort.
No words needed.
The microwave dinged quietly.
Chan tested the mug first carefully before handing it to you once it cooled enough.
“There.”
You smiled softly.
“Thank you.”
Then immediately he guided you gently toward one of the dining chairs before sitting first himself.
Pat pat.
His thigh.
Invitation understood instantly.
Your ears stood slightly while you settled carefully onto his lap sideways, sitting facing sideway naturally on his lap while holding and blowing air to the warm mug. Chan looking up at you adoringly while adjusting your position instinctively until you rested comfortably on his lap.
One arm wrapped securely around your waist. The other resting lazily across your thighs.
You sipped the milk slowly while your tail swished contentedly behind you.
Chan watched quietly.
Almost longingly.
Then suddenly—
“I missed you, baby.”
The words came low and quiet enough your chest ached instantly.
You looked at him sideway first, slowly head turning facing him with eyes filled with curiosity. Your right cat ear flicked. Chan’s eyes stayed fixed on you.
“T-that suddenly…”
He smiled faintly.
“Feels like we haven’t properly spent time together in forever.”
Something fragile tugged painfully inside your chest at that.
Because he was right. Even when things got better again lately—
There was still distance left behind from those weeks.
Moments lost.
Affections interrupted.
You hid part of your face behind the mug shyly. But your tail curled instinctively around his wrist resting against your back. Chan noticed immediately.
His smile softened.
Once you finished drinking, he carefully took the mug from your hands and placed it aside.
Then gently his hand cupped your cheek. Bringing your face down closer to his carefully. Your breath caught slightly.
Because he was close.
Very close.
Close enough to feel warmth radiating from him.
Close enough to hear his breathing.
“Can I sleep with you tonight?” he asked quietly.
Then softer—
“Please… I need you. Really need you.”
The honesty and yearning in his voice melted you instantly.
“Of course, Channie.”
His entire expression softened with relief. Brushing his thumb lightly near the corner of your mouth. “You’ve got milk here.”
Before you could react, he wiped it away gently with a teasing smile.
Your face burned immediately.
“Chan…”
He only laughed quietly.
Then without warning—
Lifted you straight into his arms.
You squeaked softly.
“Channie!”
“You’re light.”
“That’s not the point!” Still carrying you easily, Chan walked upstairs while you hid your burning face against his shoulder. The house remained quiet around you both.
Peaceful.
Safe.
Like the entire world had slowed down just for this small moment. Once inside your room, Chan immediately collapsed dramatically onto the bed while still holding you. The blankets tangled around both of you quickly as laughter escaped your lips softly.
Then slowly—
Everything settled.
Your head rested naturally against his chest. His arm tightened securely around your waist beneath the blankets. Your legs tangled together comfortably. And in the darkness, surrounded by distant ocean waves and soft breathing—
Chan whispered quietly above your head,
“Turns out I only needed you to sleep.”
Your heart squeezed painfully warm. You inhaled softly, breathing in his familiar scent.
Comforting.
Home.
“You smell nice… too nice actually.” you murmured sleepily.
Chan laughed quietly beneath you. Then his fingers brushed slowly along your back.
Gentle.
Protective.
And eventually curled safely against him while the ocean sang outside the windows—
STRAY KIDS HYBRIDS AU : OT8 STRAYKIDS X HYBRID RAGDOLL CAT FEM READER
Summary : Hybrids is well known to public, and in the entertainment industry, idols owning hybrids wasn’t unusual. Stray Kids have one, a pure ragdoll cat hybrid. Not as a pet, but more like a family, A Pack for her.
Pairing : Stray Kids OT8 x F!Reader
Tags : Angst ( I love angst), and fluff
A/N : This is my first time writing, so advice, tips and critics are helpful :). English isn't my first language so I used tools to help me write.
The next few days passed like it's supposed to. Not perfect. Not fully healed. But smoother.
The tension that had wrapped so tightly around your chest for weeks finally loosened little by little, enough for you to breathe without constantly feeling like something heavy sat over your ribs. The members became warmer again too, whether because they finally noticed the distance growing between all of you or because schedules lately had forced everyone together longer. Either way, the dorm slowly regained fragments of the warmth it used to hold.
And you clung to those fragments desperately.
Every morning started early, sunlight barely touching the windows before you were already awake in the kitchen, wearing one of your oversized hoodies beneath an apron. Your fluffy cream-colored tail swayed lazily behind you as you moved around preparing breakfast while soft music played from your phone speaker. Eggs sizzling quietly. Rice steaming. The comforting smell of soup filling the dorm little by little.
It became your favorite part of the day again. Because mornings felt honest, sleepy and unfiltered.
The members shuffled in one by one with messy hair and tired eyes, naturally gravitating toward you before they were even fully awake. Lee Know always entered first these days.
Somehow already carrying a warm mug for you.
“Drink this first.”
You turned from the stove with a small blink.
Warm milk. Your ears perked slightly.
“You made it for me?”
Minho only shrugged casually while leaning against the counter.
“You forget to take care of yourself when you’re busy.”
The words settled warmly in your chest.
Quiet affection. The kind Minho gave without making a scene. You accepted the mug with both hands, smiling softly.
“Thank you.” His fingers brushed briefly behind your ear as he passed you.
“You look less dead lately.”
You gasped dramatically.
“I did not look dead!”
“You absolutely did.”
And just like that, your laughter filled the kitchen again.
Soon after, the others began piling in noisily. Felix immediately attached himself to your back while you plated food, wrapping both arms around your waist and pressing his face against your shoulder.
“You’re warm.”
“Lixie, I can't move properly if you cling to me like that.”
“I don't wanna Y/n-ah...”
He mumbled through your shoulder then he kissed your cheek absentmindedly before stealing bacon directly from the pan and ran to quickly sat down.
“Yah!” you protested.
Meanwhile Bang Chan sat at the dining table already sipping coffee, eyes following you around the kitchen quietly. There was something unbearably soft about the way Chan looked at you this morning.
Gentler.
Longer.
Like a lovestruck feelings lingered somewhere beneath his eyes.
“You’re staring,” you stated boldly while setting down plates in front of him. Chan smiled immediately. “Can’t help it.”
“Ugh,” Changbin groaned from beside him. “You sound like someone’s husband.”
Chan only grinned wider. “Maybe I am.”
Your ears instantly flattened in embarrassment while everyone burst out laughing, Changbin pretended to vomit. Then Han appeared dramatically out of nowhere.
“Move.”
Han turned you around and wrapped his hand around your waist from the front, hugging tightly while you whined saying that the breakfast still need to be serve.
“My affection now.”
Changbin immediately protested. “Yah, get off!”
Han ignored him entirely, rubbing his cheek dramatically against your shoulder while pouting. “She likes me more anyway.”
“I literally cooked for all of you,” you laughed.
“Exactly,” Han answered smugly. “Proof of love.”
Changbin looked deeply offended.
And somehow, sitting there listening to everyone bicker over you again felt so painfully domestic your chest almost hurt. Breakfast became slower these days. And longer much to your liking. Nobody rushed to leave immediately anymore.
Seungmin fed you pieces of fruit while pretending he wasn’t.
Jeongin rested his head against your shoulder half-asleep.
Felix complained loudly whenever Minho got more of your attention than him.
At one point, Seungmin suddenly pulled you directly onto his lap while you were trying to clear dishes. You yelped softly in surprise. “Seungmin!”
He only tightened his arms around your waist comfortably.
“You move around too much.”
Felix nearly slammed his spoon down dramatically.
“That’s unfair.”
“She sat on your lap yesterday!”
“And?” Seungmin answered smugly. “Skill issue.”
Your laughter spilled out before you could stop it.
Real laughter.
Not forced.
Not careful.
And hearing it made several members glance toward you instinctively with lightened expressions.
Because they’d missed it too. More than they realized.
Eventually everyone scattered around the dorm preparing for schedules, leaving the kitchen messy with warmth and leftover conversation. Meanwhile you packed essentials carefully into bags while double-checking schedules mentally.
Water bottles.
Medicine.
Extra snacks.
Chargers.
Always prepared.
Always careful.
But when you reached for your tumbler—
It wasn’t there.
You paused.
Blinking slowly.
Weird.
You always carried the same tumbler everywhere. A cream-colored insulated bottle decorated with tiny cat stickers Felix once insisted on buying for you.
You checked your bag again.
Nothing.
The counter.
The sink.
Your room.
Still nothing.
Your brows furrowed deeper the longer you searched.
Because you never lost things.
Especially not daily used things.
And stranger still—
You genuinely couldn’t remember when you last used it. The memory felt blurry somehow. Like trying to grasp smoke. From the hallway Chan’s voice called out. “Baby? What’s taking so long?”
You peeked out from your room.
“I can’t find my tumbler…”
Chan immediately walked over.
“You lost it?”
“I think so…”
Your ears drooped slightly.
“That’s weird.”
Chan stepped inside your room helping you glance around briefly before sighing. “You probably misplaced it at work.”
“I don’t usually forget things…”
“You’ve been busy lately.” Chan gently squeezed your shoulder. “I’ll buy you water later, okay? We gotta go.”
You hesitated. Something about it still bothered you. But eventually you nodded. “Okay.”
The photoshoot studio buzzed with energy all afternoon.
Bright lights.
Music blasting through speakers.
Staff rushing everywhere with makeup kits and clothing racks.
The atmosphere felt exciting rather than stressful though, mostly because the members were in unusually good moods today.
And honestly—
They looked stunning.
Every single one of them.
You sat near the monitors watching the shoot while occasionally snapping photos with your phone whenever the staff got distracted.
Hyunjin looked ethereal beneath the lighting.
Changbin somehow made simple black clothing look devastating.
Felix’s freckles stood out beautifully under soft makeup.
Chan’s smile alone kept making the stylists scream dramatically.
“You guys look too good,” one staff member complained jokingly while reviewing photos.
You nodded immediately. “They really do.”
“Careful,” another stylist teased. “Y/N’s staring too hard.”
Heat instantly crawled into your face.
“Yeah I am...” Too struck with how good looking they are
“You absolutely are.”
The members overheard immediately.
Hyunjin grinned proudly. “Can you blame her?”
“You’re literally flaunting,” Minho sighed. You buried your face behind your phone while everyone laughed.
And for a little while—
Everything felt light again.
“Aren’t you guys looking good today~?”
Your head snapped toward the familiar voice instantly.
Jina.
You hadn’t even noticed her arrive. She stood near the back of the studio smiling pleasantly, coffee cup in hand. But something about her sudden appearance made unease crawl quietly down your spine. Her eyes landed on you almost immediately.
“Oh.” A pause. “You’re here too.” The emphasis on you felt strange.
Subtle.
But noticeable enough your ears twitched slightly. What does she mean by that ?
Still, you smiled politely.
“How’s work going?”
“Good, good.”
Jina approached casually, gaze flickering across you thoughtfully.
“How are you, Y/N?”
Again.
That emphasis.
Like she was testing something invisible.
You laughed awkwardly.
“I’m okay.”
“You’ve looked upset lately.”
The statement caught you off guard.
Not because it was wrong.
But because of the way she said it.
Sweet.
Concerned.
Yet somehow it still made your stomach tighten. Maybe it’s a cat instinct.
“I’m fine,” you answered carefully.
Jina’s brows lifted slightly before she smiled again.
“I’m glad everything’s working out, then.”
Something about the sentence lingered strangely in the air.
You couldn’t explain why.
But suddenly you felt cold.
Jina stood smoothly afterward.
“Well, don’t push yourself too hard.”
Then she walked directly toward the members with effortless familiarity.
Laughing naturally with Chan.
Fixing Hyunjin’s sleeve.
Showing Felix something on her phone.
You watched silently from your seat.
And once again—
That same uneasy feeling settled heavily in your chest.
Because no matter how kind she sounded…
Something always felt wrong around her. Like standing too close to a smile hiding teeth. Maybe it's the cat inside of you, having the instinct and ability to detect bad vibes from people.
“Y/N!”
You startled violently at the sudden voice.
Nearly dropping your phone.
The photoshoot director approached quickly, smiling brightly.
“You scared me…”
“Sorry,” she laughed. “I have an idea. A really great one!”
You blinked. “What idea?”
The director clasped her hands excitedly. “How would you feel about doing your own photoshoot?”
Silence.
Your brain stopped completely.
“…What?”
Several nearby staff members immediately perked up.
“Yes!”
“Oh my god, please say yes.”
“We already have makeup ideas.”
You stared at everyone blankly.
Completely flustered.
“M-Me?”
The director nodded enthusiastically. “The first time I met you, I immediately pictured a concept.”
You blinked again. Still processing nothing.
“You’d fit it perfectly.”
“No, no, I’m not model-like at all—”
“That’s exactly why I want you.”
Your ears flattened shyly.
“What does that even mean…”
The director laughed warmly.
“You have a natural face. Expressive eyes. Soft features. And your hybrid traits make everything visually stunning.” Nearby stylists nodded aggressively in agreement. “We’ve literally talked about this before.”
“You’re gorgeous.”
“You’d photograph beautifully.”
Your entire face burned hotter with every word.
“No way…”
“It doesn’t even need to be published,” the director reassured gently. “I just really want to bring this concept to life.”
You hesitated.
Nervous excitement fluttered strangely inside your chest.
A photoshoot?
You?
Before you could fully answer, suddenly—
Han appeared beside you at lightning speed.
“DO IT.”
You yelped as he grabbed both your hands dramatically before kneeling in front of you. “Please!”
“Han—”
“You’ll look gorgeous.” He looked genuinely excited now.
“Like actually insane. STAYs would lose their minds over you.”
Nearby members immediately agreed.
“Facts.”
“Absolutely.”
“You’d break the internet.”
Han tightened his grip dramatically.
“And WE would go crazy too.”
Then he hit you with the full pout.
Big bobba eyes.
Whining voice.
The devastating combination he knew you couldn’t resist.
“Pleaseeeee?”
You stared at him helplessly. Then at the excited staff surrounding you. Then at the members smiling expectantly nearby. Your heart pounded nervously. But underneath the anxiety…
There was excitement too.
A tiny spark of confidence you hadn’t felt in a very long time.
Maybe…
Maybe this could be fun.
Slowly—
You nodded.
“…Okay.”
The entire room exploded immediately.
And somewhere across the studio—
Jina watched silently. Her smile never wavering but her eyes darkened almost imperceptibly.
The preparation room buzzed with excitement the moment you stepped inside.
It felt completely different from the loud energy of the studio outside. Softer somehow. Warmer. Filled with overlapping conversations, makeup brushes clicking together, steam from curling irons, and the faint scent of perfume and hairspray lingering in the air. The second the door closed behind you, several staff members immediately surrounded you with bright smiles.
“Thank you for agreeing to this.”
“We’ve wanted to style you forever.”
“You’re literally our dream concept.”
Your ears twitched shyly beneath all the attention.
“I’m really not that special…”
A collective groan immediately filled the room.
“No.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Do not start that.”
You laughed softly despite yourself while being guided carefully toward the vanity chair.
The makeup artists adored you openly. One gently brushed your fluffy ears while cooing dramatically about how soft they were. Another lightly touched your tail with sparkling eyes.
“You’re seriously adorable.”
Your cheeks warmed instantly.
“Thank you…”
And strangely—
For the first time in a while, the attention didn’t feel heavy.
It felt nice.
Safe.
"You are beautiful, you should always embraced your beauty Y/n-ssi." Her encouragement stuck in you that day.
The stylists chatted excitedly while working around you carefully, fixing your hair into soft waves that framed your face beautifully. Makeup remained natural and light, just enough to brighten your features without hiding them. A soft pink tint dusted across your cheeks and lips, making your eyes appear warmer beneath the lighting.
Every few minutes someone would pause dramatically just to admire you.
“You have such pretty eyes.”
“Your skin is glowing today.”
“That dress is going to look insane on her.”
Your confidence slowly bloomed under all the kindness.
Not arrogance. Just pure confidence in yourself.
Like maybe you really could look beautiful too.
Eventually the dress arrived.
And when they helped you step into it—
You genuinely froze staring at yourself.
It was soft white fabric scattered with delicate pink floral patterns, the kind that looked almost painted beneath the light. Thin straps rested gently against your shoulders while a ribbon tied neatly across the chest area. The material hugged your figure just enough to flatter you naturally without feeling tight or uncomfortable.
You didn’t have the dramatic body proportions models usually did.
But somehow—
The dress made you feel pretty anyway.
Soft.
Bright.
Summery.
Like the kind of person someone would want to remember.
One stylist placed both hands dramatically over her heart.
“Oh my god.”
Another sniffled jokingly.
“She’s so cute I’m emotional.”
You burst out laughing.
When you finally stepped out into the studio—
Everything stopped.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just…
Stopped.
Conversations paused.
Cameras lowered.
Several staff members blinked slowly like they genuinely forgot what they were doing.
And the members—
The members looked stunned.
You froze immediately under the sudden silence.
“...What?”
No one answered for a moment.
Then Han whispered faintly—
“Oh, we’re doomed.”
Laughter instantly broke across the studio.
But even then, the members still stared.
Bang Chan looked completely speechless, coffee cup still halfway lifted toward his mouth.
Hyunjin pressed a hand dramatically against his chest like he’d just witnessed something life-changing.
Felix literally looked ready to cry.
And Changbin stared so openly that heat immediately rushed to your face.
One of the stylists giggled proudly behind you.
“Thank you for the reactions.”
The staff surrounding you looked incredibly satisfied, like your appearance alone validated all their hard work.
Meanwhile you could only laugh shyly while smoothing down the dress nervously.
“You’re all exaggerating…”
“We are absolutely not,” Seungmin answered immediately.
“You look insane,” Jeongin added.
Your ears flattened bashfully, giggling from the compliments.
The director clapped happily.
“Okay! Let’s shoot before they start fighting over her.”
The photoshoot theme centered around summer.
Not glamorous luxury summer.
Not dramatic beach magazine summer.
But warmth.
Sunlight.
Soft happiness.
And somehow—
You fit into it naturally.
The set had picnic blankets, flowers, fruit props, warm lighting, and soft pastel backdrops. The director guided you patiently through poses while constantly reassuring you.
“Relax your shoulders.”
“Think soft.”
“Good— yes, exactly like that.”
At first you felt awkward.
But slowly—
You began enjoying yourself.
Laughing naturally.
Holding flowers while sunlight reflected against your skin.
Playing with your own tail absentmindedly between shots.
The staff kept gasping dramatically whenever the preview images appeared on-screen.
Meanwhile the members watched from the side completely invested in every second.
“You guys are staring too hard,” one photographer teased.
“We can’t help it,” Felix complained.
Changbin didn’t even deny it.
Han took approximately eight hundred behind-the-scenes photos.
And somehow their attention didn’t make you anxious this time.
It made you glow.
After nearly an hour, the director finally smiled.
“Ten minute break.”
You immediately bowed politely.
“Thank you for your hard work!”
Then quietly slipped away toward the restroom.
The bathroom felt cool and silent compared to the busy studio.
You washed your hands slowly while staring at your reflection in the mirror.
And honestly—
You looked happy.
Really happy.
Your cheeks still carried a soft pink flush from smiling too much. Your eyes looked brighter than they had in weeks. Even your ears stood higher. A small smile spread across your lips. You actually did it.
Before you could sink too deeply into the moment, the restroom door opened.
Jina walked in.
“Oh, hey!”
You smiled politely.
“Hi.”
She approached beside you naturally, leaning against the sink facing you.
“You look beautiful today.”
Your ears twitched shyly.
“Thank you…”
Jina gently brushed a strand of hair behind your shoulder.
The gesture felt strangely intimate.
Then casually—
“Maybe hold your stomach in a little more though Y/n-ah.”
You blinked.
“What?”
She smiled lightly like she was giving harmless advice.
“Your tummy rolls are showing a little in the dress.”
And before you could process the words—
She playfully pinched lightly at your side where the fabric rested against your waist. " Look at this, so plumpy !" She giggled.
“I just don’t want anyone making fun of it later.”
Still smiling, sounding sweet, like she genuinely cared.
“Oh.. I didn’t notice.”
Jina smiled sympathetically.
“It’s not a huge deal.”
Then she tilted her head slightly.
“You’re not really model-sized after all.”
The air vanished from your lungs.
Your eyes immediately dropped toward your own body.
The dress suddenly felt tighter.
Your stomach suddenly felt bigger.
More visible.
You instinctively wrapped your arms slightly closer around yourself.
Jina continued casually.
“You’re still cute though.”
“I…” you swallowed quietly.
Jina only waved casually while walking toward one of the stalls.
“Just helping.”
The restroom suddenly felt freezing cold.
When you returned to the studio, something inside you had shifted.
Tiny.
But devastating.
Because now you couldn’t stop thinking about your body.
About how the dress hugged your waist.
About whether everyone noticed the softness there.
About whether the photos looked embarrassing.
You became hyper aware of every movement.
Every pose.
Your confidence drained away quietly.
The director noticed first.
“Relax your shoulders again.”
You tried.
But your body felt stiff now.
Awkward.
Wrong.
The members exchanged small glances from the side. Because only twenty minutes ago you’d been glowing. Now you barely looked at the camera. Finally you lowered your hands awkwardly.
“Can we… pause for a second?”
The director blinked gently.
“Of course.”
Immediately Hyunjin approached towering over you. Concern already visible across his face. “What happened?”
You hesitated.
Because saying it aloud sounded ridiculous.
Still—
Quietly, you admitted—
“I think my stomach looks weird in the dress.”
Hyunjin stared at you blankly.
“What?”
“I’m not a model,” you rambled nervously. “And maybe this concept would fit someone prettier or skinnier or—”
Suddenly—
Hyunjin kissed you.
Right on the lips. With his plump pink lips, that every Stays would die for.
Your brain completely stopped functioning.The studio exploded instantly.
“YAH!”
“That’s cheating!”
“UNFAIR!”
Minho eyes got wide.
Han collapsed dramatically onto the floor.
Meanwhile you stood frozen.
Completely stunned.
Your ears burned so hot you thought you might actually combust.
Hyunjin pulled back only slightly, hands cupping your face gently.
“Love...How can you say that,” he murmured softly, “when every single one of us has been completely obsessed with you all day?”
Your breath caught.
Hyunjin smiled faintly. “Seriously. You’ve got everyone falling in love with you all over again.” Nearby, Chan nodded immediately. “True.” Felix groaned dramatically. “She’s been attacking us since she walked out.”
Your entire face flamed deeper.
“Stop—”
“Some of them are literally malfunctioning,” Hyunjin continued teasingly.
“HYUNNIE.”
“What? I’m serious.”
Han pointed aggressively.
“I forgot how to speak earlier!”
The staff burst out laughing.
Meanwhile you buried your face in your hands.
“I’m never coming out there again…”
Hyunjin gently pulled your hands away.
“Hey.”
His voice softened instantly.
“You’re beautiful.”
Not exaggerated.
Not teasing.
Just honest.
“And you looked happiest when you stopped worrying about being perfect. You are literally an art Y/n.”
Your chest tightened painfully.
Because maybe—
Maybe that was true.
The director approached carefully afterward.
“Everything okay?”
Hyunjin explained briefly while rubbing comforting circles against your waist.
The director blinked once.
Then laughed softly.
“Oh sweetheart.”
You looked up nervously.
“This shoot isn’t about having a perfect body.”
She gestured around the set.
“It’s about summer.”
You stayed quiet.
“The warmth of it. The brightness. The happiness people remember.”
Her expression softened warmly.
“And you embody that perfectly.”
Your eyes widened slightly.
“You don’t look like a model,” she admitted gently. “You look real.”
The staff nodded in agreement immediately.
“Comforting.”
“Warm.”
“Pretty in a way people remember.”
“You feel like sunshine.”
Your breath got caught unexpectedly. Because nobody had ever described you that way before. Not beautiful because you were flawless. Beautiful because you felt warm.
The insecurity loosened slightly.
You smiled softly.
Then bowed deeply.
“I’ll do my best.”
The rest of the shoot turned out even better somehow. Once your confidence returned, everything flowed naturally again. The photos captured laughter.
Movement.
Warmth.
Life.
And when the final images were reviewed afterward—
The entire studio collectively lost their minds.
“Oh my god.”
“These are insane.”
“She looks magical.”
Even you stared speechlessly at the screen.
Because somehow—
You looked genuinely beautiful.
Not edited into perfection.
Just… beautiful.
Warm sunlight against soft smiles.
Wind catching your dress.
Your eyes glowing naturally.
Minho immediately pointed at the screen.
“I want every photo.”
Everyone laughed.
“I’m serious,” he insisted. “I’m making an album.”
Felix gasped dramatically.
“That’s actually genius.”
“I want copies too.”
“Me too.”
You laughed helplessly while fanning your burning face with your hands.
The director turned toward you with a pleased smile.
“So?”
You blinked.
“Hm?”
“How does it feel?”
You looked back at the photos slowly.
Then at the staff surrounding you.
The members smiling proudly nearby.
And quietly—
“It feels really precious.”
Your voice cracked slightly from sincerity.
“Thank you so much for letting me experience this.”
The director’s expression softened deeply.
Then carefully—
“How would you feel about publishing them yeah?”
Your eyes widened immediately.
“What?!”
Several staff members nodded excitedly.
“You’d do amazing.”
“People would adore these.”
Instinctively you looked toward the members first. Seeking permission.
Reassurance.
Every single one of them nodded aggressively.
“Yes.”
“Absolutely yes.”
“Please.”
Then you turned nervously toward the managers. One of them smiled.
“If the publisher approves it, we’re okay with it.”
The director laughed confidently.
“They’ll approve it immediately.”
Then with a grin—
“And of course you’ll be paid.”
You froze.
“…Paid?”
The thought hit unexpectedly hard.
Because you’d never really had your own income before.
You lived with the members.
Relied on them.
Everything you had came from them somehow.
But this—
This would be yours.
Your own work.
Your own achievement.
Your eyes lit up instantly.
And before anyone could stop you, you bowed deeply toward every staff member repeatedly.
“Thank you so much! You don’t understand how grateful I am!”
The room filled with laughter and applause immediately. Everyone looked happy proud.
Everyone except one person.
From the far corner of the studio, Jina sat quietly with crossed legs and a drink resting in her hand.
Watching.
Smiling faintly.
But irritation burned clearly beneath her expression now.
happy pride month to those in the closet. to those who went back into the closet. to those who have unsupportive families, friends and relationships. those who were bullied and harassed because of their identity. those who were killed because of who they truly were and loved.
STRAY KIDS HYBRIDS AU : OT8 STRAYKIDS X HYBRID RAGDOLL CAT FEM READER
Summary : Hybrids is well known to public, and in the entertainment industry, idols owning hybrids wasn’t unusual. Stray Kids have one, a pure ragdoll cat hybrid. Not as a pet, but more like a family, A Pack for her.
Pairing : Stray Kids OT8 x F!Reader
Tags : Angst ( I love angst), and fluff
A/N : This is my first time writing, so advice, tips and critics are helpful :). English isn't my first language so I used tools to help me write.
Thank you all, but I'm gonna closed the taglist for now.
Peace never really lasted long. The tension returned quietly.
Subtly.
Like water slowly filling a room.
It started with small misunderstandings. Tiny things.
Barely noticeable individually.
Yet somehow every incident chipped away at you piece by piece.
Until eventually—
Even the members started looking at you differently sometimes.
Confused.
Concerned.
Wary.
It happened three days later.
You’d just finished helping fold laundry when loud voices suddenly echoed from the living room.
“What happened to this?!”
Han’s voice thundered out of his room, he rushed to the living room with heavy step. You walked out instinctively to see what had happened. Minho, Chan, Changbin and Hyunjin gathered near the couch staring at something in Han’s hands. Your stomach dropped instantly.
A sweater.
Cream-colored.
Shredded badly across one sleeve.
The fabric looked clawed apart.
Han stared at it in disbelief. “This is my favorite sweater…”
Your ears lowered immediately. You recognized it. Han lent it to you three days ago because you said it smelled so nice and comforting with his scent on it. You remembered wearing it once before tossing it into the dirty laundry bin afterward.
That was it.
Before you could even process anything—
Jina suddenly appeared from the kitchen with the rest of the Maknaes. She’s there because Felix invited her to movie night and apparently they were preparing snacks and drink.
“Oh my god, what happened?” Her eyes widened dramatically seeing the sweater. “Han, isn’t that your favorite one?” Han only can nodded sadly still staring down the sweater in his hand.
“Yeah…”
Jina moved closer sympathetically and rubbed his shoulder. “Aww…”
Then—
Her gaze shifted toward you. Sharp.
“How could you do that to him?”
The room suddenly felt very still.
You blinked with confusion.
“…What?”
“He literally lent it to you because he was being nice.”
Your heartbeat stumbled.
“No, I didn’t—”
Jina tilted her head lightly.
“Then how did it get clawed up like that?”
Everyone’s eyes slowly drifted toward your hands.
Toward your nails.
Your stomach dropped violently. How could she accused you like that.
“I—”
“Only you have claws in here, and it's pretty obvious that poor sweater got clawed up” Jina continued softly, sounding like she's concern to others but not you.
Not loud but reasonable.
Which somehow made it worse.
The room suddenly felt suffocating.
Too many eyes.
Too much silence.
Your breathing turned uneven instantly.
“It wasn’t me,” you whispered.
But it sounded weak even to yourself.
Han looked conflicted.
Not angry.
Just confused.
“I mean…” he muttered softly, “maybe just be more careful next time?” looking at me with sad boba eyes. Accusation linger in his eyes.
Next time?
Like it was already decided that the culprit is really you.
Your chest constricted painfully.
“It wasn’t me,” you repeated.
Quieter now.
Your ears flattened low.
Nobody answered immediately.
Then softly—
Felix spoke.
“Maybe we should trim your nails a little, Sunny.”
You looked up instantly wide-eyed.
Your nails.
The nails the members once adored painting for you.
Chan choosing colors carefully.
Hyunjin decorating tiny gems onto them.
Felix holding your hands gently while waiting for polish to dry.
“You have such pretty hands,” they used to tell you.
Now—
Now your claws sounded dangerous and problematic. Something needing to be fixed.
You instinctively grabbed your own hands tightly.
Protectively.
“…Okay,” you whispered automatically.
Even though deep down you already knew you wouldn’t do it.
The room slowly dispersed afterward.
Conversation moving on awkwardly.
The other returning to the kitchen to grabbed the snack they prepared earlier.
Like nothing happened. But you remained standing there feeling so small and humiliated. Trying desperately not to cry over a stupid sweater.
Eventually only one person stayed behind.
Seungmin
You didn’t notice him approaching until he stopped directly in front of you.
Quietly, gently—
He slipped one hand beneath your chin. Lifting your face carefully. Your watery eyes met his. The other hand moved to your head. Softly petting between your ears.
Comforting.
Steady.
“Y/N.”
His voice stayed calm. Gentle.
“Tell me honestly.”
A whimper escape involuntarily from you.
“Was it really you?”
The question should’ve hurt.
Instead somehow it felt like relief.
Because unlike everyone else…
Seungmin sounded like he actually wanted the answer.
Not assumptions.
Not easy conclusions.
Just the truth.
Your eyes burned fiercely.
“It wasn’t me,” you said firmly this time.
Not small.
Not weak.
Just hurt.
Frustrated.
Certain.
Seungmin held your gaze for several long seconds.
Then nodded once.
“Okay.”
That was it.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
Just—
Okay.
And somehow that tiny bit of trust nearly made you cry harder than the accusations did.
He directed you to sit on a sofa with him, and draped a blanket to you.
After the sweater incident, something inside you quietly changed.
Not all at once.
Not dramatically.
Just slowly.
Like a candle burning lower and lower every day. You became more careful around the members after that. Too careful.
You watched your claws constantly now, fingers curling into your sleeves whenever someone got close.
You stopped casually leaning on them.
Stopped climbing into laps.
Stopped touching first.
Even your tail seemed quieter lately, no longer wrapping around wrists or brushing affectionately against their legs without thought.
The members noticed eventually. Just not in the way you hoped.
“Y/N, you’re acting weird.”
You nearly dropped the water bottles you were carrying at Felix’s words.
“I’m not weird,” you answered quickly.
Too quickly.
Felix tilted his head slightly.
“You’ve been avoiding everyone.”
“I’m not.”
But even you heard the weakness in your voice.
Because you were.
Not intentionally.
You were just… scared.
Scared of bothering them.
Scared of being annoying again.
Scared of accidentally doing something wrong.
So instead, you hovered at a distance now.
Still helpful.
Still smiling.
Still trying your hardest.
Just quieter.
Smaller.
You helped staff prepare stage outfits.
You organized schedules.
You cleaned endlessly.
You offered massages whenever practices ran late.
“Do your shoulders hurt?”
“Anyone want help stretching?”
“Chan, you’ve been hunched over too long.”
Sometimes they accepted.
Mostly they smiled apologetically and declined.
“It’s okay.”
“You should rest instead.”
“Maybe later.”
Always later.
Later never came anymore.
The anxiety settled into your body quietly after that.
You stopped sleeping properly.
Dark circles formed beneath your eyes.
Your appetite disappeared little by little.
Even your ears drooped more often now.
Still—
Whenever anyone looked your way, you smiled immediately.
Bright.
Cheerful.
Easy.
Like nothing hurt at all.
One evening there was a soft knock on your bedroom door. You sat up immediately from where you’d been laying on the bed. “…Come in?”
The door creaked open carefully. I.N peeked inside. Your face brightened automatically. “Jeongin?”
He stepped in quietly.
Unlike the others lately, he looked at you carefully.
Really carefully.
“How are you?”
The question caught you off guard.
For a split second, something vulnerable almost surfaced.
But instinct kicked in first.
You smiled brightly.
“I’m good!”
Lie.
“I’m really excited about the new project too, hope Stays will like it like I do.” Another lie. Your tail swished weakly behind you trying to sell the act.
Jeongin didn’t answer immediately. Instead he sat beside you on the bed silently. The mattress dipped slightly beneath his weight. You felt oddly nervous under his gaze.
“What?”
“You look tired.”
Your smile faltered briefly.
“I’m okay.”
His brows furrowed softly.
“There are dark circles under your eyes.” He brought his hand to your cheek, brushing it with his thumb.
Your ears twitched downward automatically.
You quickly laughed it off.
“I just haven’t slept much.”
“Why?”
You froze.
Because how could you answer honestly?
Because I cry too much at night lately.
Because I overthink every interaction until morning.
Because I’m terrified you all don’t love me the same anymore.
Instead you shrugged lightly.
“Busy.”
Jeongin stared at you for a long moment.
Then suddenly—
“Massage me.”
You blinked.
“…Huh?”
His lips curved slightly. “My shoulders hurt.”
The change in your expression was immediate. Your ears perked upright instantly. Your tail swished rapidly behind you. “Really?!”
Jeongin laughed softly at your reaction. “Yeah.”
You nodded aggressively. “Mhm! Okay!”
The happiness that flooded your face made something ache strangely in Jeongin’s chest. Like he’d forgotten how desperate you’d become for tiny moments of being needed. He thought back to last few days where he noticed how antsy you looked standing near the members or in the corner for practice room.
In his and Chan's room, you sat behind him carefully while he relaxed against the edge of his bed.
“Tell me if I press too hard.”
“Okay.”
Your fingers moved gently against his shoulders.
Experienced and careful.
Years of taking care of the members made you surprisingly good at things like this. Jeongin practically melted after only a few minutes.
“Oh my god.”
You giggled softly.
“Too much pressure?”
“No,” he groaned dramatically. “This is amazing.”
Your tail puffed proudly.
“Really?”
“You’re so good at this.”
Warmth bloomed through your chest instantly.
You pressed gently against a tense spot near his shoulder blades.
Jeongin hissed quietly.
“Ow— okay, maybe not there.”
“Sorry!”
“No, no, keep going.”
Eventually his posture loosened completely.
Eyes half-lidded.
Breathing slower.
Relaxed.
“You always take care of us,” he murmured sleepily.
Your hands paused briefly.
“I like taking care of you guys.”
Jeongin smiled faintly.
“You’re too kind.”
Your heart fluttered unexpectedly. Because once upon a time, hearing things like that made you happy. Now it almost made you sad, because it reminds you how much you needed those kind words from the members. Like kindness was the only thing you were valued for anymore.
Still, you smiled anyway.
At least tonight someone needed you again.
Later, after the massage ended, Jeongin stretched lazily across the bed before glancing toward you.
“Sleep here tonight.”
Your eyes widened.
“Huh?”
He shrugged casually.
“Everything’s tense lately because of how hectic work is.”
Then quieter—
“And I really wanna cuddle you right now.”
It’s so rare to see Jeongin being so affectionate, not to you tho. He loves you so much, basically he doesn’t hold back his affection for you. You nodded quickly.
“…Okay, let me get ready for bed.”
That night felt peaceful for the first time in weeks. Jeongin wrapped around you sleepily while mumbling nonsense half-asleep. Your tail curled around his wrist.
And for several precious hours—
The loneliness eased.
After that, hope returned dangerously fast. Maybe things really could go back to normal. Maybe you just needed to try harder.
So you did.
You became brighter again.
More affectionate.
More present.
You laughed louder during schedules.
Cheered them on during rehearsals.
Brought snacks unexpectedly.
Played around more.
And slowly—
Some of the members started responding again.
Not fully.
But enough to keep your heart chasing after them desperately.
Then one afternoon, something unexpected happened.
“We’re taking you out.”
You blinked at Hyunjin in confusion.
“…What?”
“Date day,” Felix added cheerfully.
Your ears shot upright.
“With us.”
You stared blankly.
Outside?
Publicly?
That almost never happened. Not because hybrids were hated. Actually, hybrids were adored publicly. Especially idols’ hybrids. Fans even made edits, collected merchandise, and ran fanpages. Some hybrids even modeled professionally or became ambassadors themselves.
And STAYs—
STAYs loved you.
Even though you rarely appeared publicly, clips of you helping the members spread online constantly.
Fans adored your fluffy Ragdoll ears.
Your soft and cute personality.
The way the members spoiled you.
There were entire accounts dedicated to “SKZ’s hidden ninth member.”
But despite that—
The members still worried.
People online could be cruel sometimes.
Possessive.
Jealous.
And the boys hated the idea of anyone hurting you.
So public outings stayed rare.
Which made this feel even more special.
The day outside felt almost unreal.
Warm sunlight.
Crowded streets.
Hyunjin buying you expensive desserts dramatically.
Felix laughing every time your ears twitched at loud noises.
You visited clothing stores.
Small cafés.
Bookshops.
A park near the river.
And for the first time in weeks—
You genuinely laughed.
Not forced.
Not careful.
Real laughter.
At one point Felix held your hand while crossing the street absentmindedly.
At another, Hyunjin tucked a strand of hair behind your ear while complaining your style was “wasted potential.”
“You’d look pretty in softer colors.”
“I like black hoodies.”
“You dress like a tired college student.”
“You dress like a divorced art professor.”
Felix nearly choked laughing between you both.
You needed this more than you realized. Needed them. Needed proof you still belonged beside them.
At the park, children pointed excitedly at your ears. Other hybrids smiled knowingly as they passed. A tiny bunny hybrid waved shyly toward you. You waved back immediately.
Felix snapped a candid photo while laughing.
“Cute.”
“No pictures!”
“Too late.”
Hyunjin smirked.
“STAYs would explode if they saw this.”
Your tail swished shyly behind you.
And for a little while—
Everything felt warm again.
Like home.
But not everyone was happy about it.
Back at the company building, Jina watched from across the hallway as Felix showed Chan photos from the outing.
You laughing.
Hyunjin feeding you cake.
Your smiling eyes crinkled happily in sunlight.
The members looked lighter too.
More affectionate again.
Jina’s jaw tightened subtly.
Annoyance flickered sharply across her face.
Because despite everything—
You were still slipping back into their hearts.
Still loved.
Still theirs.
Her nails tapped slowly against her coffee cup.
Then—
A small smile spread across her lips.
Sharp.
Calculated.
Almost amused.
“Oh,” she murmured softly to herself.
“If that’s how it is…” Another idea already formed quietly in her mind.
STRAY KIDS HYBRIDS AU : OT8 STRAYKIDS X HYBRID RAGDOLL CAT FEM READER
Summary : Hybrids is well known to public, and in the entertainment industry, idols owning hybrids wasn’t unusual. Stray Kids have one, a pure ragdoll cat hybrid. Not as a pet, but more like a family, A Pack for her.
Pairing : Stray Kids OT8 x F!Reader
Tags : Angst ( I love angst) (and a little fluff)
A/N : This is my first time writing. Commenting means a lot to me. Open to advice, tips and critics :). English isn't my first language so I used tools to help me write.
I know it hurts, but let me build up the tension first :] Buckle Up Cuz This Roller Coaster Of Emotional Not Gonna Stop.
The hallway blurred slightly through your watery eyes as you walked away from the living room.
Your wrist still tingled faintly where Changbin had grabbed it.
Not painful.
Just warm.
Lingering.
Like proof that something real had happened.
You rubbed at your eyes quickly with your sleeve before anyone could see.
Stupid.
You were being stupid.
Changbin was stressed.
Everyone was stressed.
You should understand that better than anyone.
So why did it feel like your chest was caving in anyway?
The dorm suddenly felt unfamiliar tonight.
Not home.
Just walls.
Doors.
Voices behind them that no longer seemed to belong to you.
Still—
There is one more room.
Just one more try.
If this failed too, maybe then you’d finally stop bothering everyone.
Soft game sounds echoed faintly from behind the last occupied bedroom door.
Han’s voice chirped loudly through the wood.
Something about losing points.
Something dramatic and exaggerated.
Normally it would’ve made you smile.
Tonight it only made your throat ache from nervousness.
You stood there hesitating for several long seconds.
Your hand hovered near the door.
What if they were busy too?
What if you annoyed them again?
What if—
Before you could lose courage completely, you knocked softly.
A pause.
Then Han’s distracted voice floated out.
“Come innn—”
You slowly opened the door and letting your head peeked inside.
The room glowed dimly from warm bedside lighting.
Han sat cross-legged on the floor near the bed, completely invested in his mobile game with headphones crooked around his neck.
Meanwhile Lee Know leaned comfortably against the headboard scrolling through something on his tablet.
Unlike everyone else tonight—
Minho noticed you immediately.
His eyes lifted from the screen.
And softened instantly, small smile display on his lips.
“There you are, Kitten.”
Like he was waiting for you, his voice was calm.
Warm.
Like slipping beneath blankets after standing in the cold too long.
Then he patted the empty space beside him on the bed.
“Come here.”
Your chest tightened painfully at how easy the invitation sounded.
No hesitation.
No annoyance.
No confusion over why you wanted affection.
Just—
Come here.
Your tail twitched weakly behind you.
Slowly, quietly, you padded toward the bed.
Minho shifted automatically to make space for you before you even climbed up.
And the second you settled beside him—
Something inside you cracked open.
Because he smelled familiar.
Comforting.
Safe.
Laundry detergent.
Cat treats he secretly kept hidden.
The faintest trace of his shampoo.
Without really thinking, you curled into him completely hugging him to nuzzled your head on his clothes.
Your body practically folding against his side before slowly laying across his lap.
Small.
Heavy.
Exhausted.
Your head rested near his stomach while your fluffy tail curled limply around yourself.
The second Minho’s hand moved behind your ears—
You purred.
Instinctively but weak.
The sound embarrassed you normally but tonight you were too tired to care. Because he knew exactly where to pet.
Exactly the right pressure.
Exactly the right spot.
Years of taking care of cats made his touch almost unfairly comforting.
Your eyes fluttered shut immediately.
“There’s the spoiled baby,” Minho murmured softly.
Not teasing.
Fond.
He kissed lightly your fluffy ears making it twitched from the sudden touch.
Your throat tightened dangerously.
You missed this.
You missed him.
You missed being touched like you mattered.
Across the room, Han glanced over briefly from his game.
“Oh, hi Y/N.”
You lifted one weak hand in greeting.
“Hi…”
Han returned his attention to the screen almost immediately.
“What was that yelling earlier?” Han asked.
Your ears twitched slightly downward.
Right.
Changbin shouting.
The memory made shame crawl hot through your chest again.
“I accidentally bothered Changbin while he was working,” you mumbled quietly.
Han burst out laughing immediately.
“Yeah, don’t ever do that again.”
Your smile weakened automatically. “Yeah… I’m sorry.”
The apology slipped out so naturally now it barely felt voluntary anymore.
Minho’s fingers paused briefly behind your ear. His gaze dropped toward you slowly. The room stayed quiet for a second too long.
Han continued button-mashing loudly without noticing anything strange.
But Minho noticed.
Minho always noticed strange things.
Your ears remained flat.
Your body unusually still.
Even your purring sounded weaker than usually.
The edge of your eyes a little red, a sign where someone has been crying. A tear burns.
Carefully, Minho resumed petting you again.
“It’s okay,” he said softly.
The gentleness nearly hurt worse.
Because nobody had spoken gently to you all night.
You pressed your face slightly deeper against his stomach.
Minho tilted his head faintly while studying you.
“…What’s going on?”
You froze.
His voice stayed calm.
No pressure.
No judgment.
Just quiet concern.
“You’ve been weird lately, kitten...”
Your chest tightened painfully.
Because suddenly you wanted to say everything.
That you felt lonely.
That everyone felt farther away lately.
That every little rejection felt like tiny cuts piling over each other.
That you felt guilty for even hurting this much because nobody was technically doing anything wrong.
That you were scared one day they’d realize they didn’t need you anymore.
The words crowded your throat painfully.
But nothing came out.
Because how could you say something so selfish?
Instead—
The only truth your exhausted heart managed to push out was a tiny whisper.
“…I missed you.”
Minho blinked slowly.
Your voice cracked slightly on the last word.
“I missed you so much.”
Silence.
Han’s game sounds filled the room noisily in the background.
But near the bed—
Everything suddenly felt very still.
Minho looked down at you carefully now.
Really carefully.
Like he was finally seeing something he’d overlooked before.
“…What?”
You didn’t answer.
Couldn’t.
Because exhaustion hit all at once the moment someone finally let you stay close.
Your body felt unbearably heavy.
Your eyes burned.
Your thoughts tangled together uselessly.
Too many feelings.
Too much loneliness.
Too much pretending you were okay.
Minho’s hand kept stroking slowly behind your ears.
Steadily grounding you.
Your breathing gradually softened.
Then slowed.
You didn’t even realize you were falling asleep until consciousness already started slipping away.
The last thing you felt clearly was Minho adjusting slightly so your neck wouldn’t hurt.
The last thing you heard was his quiet voice.
“…Y/N?”
No response.
Just soft purring and slow breathing against his lap.
Minho stared down at you for more several moments.
Confused.
Concerned.
Because something about this didn’t feel right.
You weren’t normally this fragile.
Not this quiet.
Not this desperate for affection.
Your tail twitched faintly in your sleep, curling tighter around yourself.
Like even unconscious, you were trying to protect your own heart.
Minho frowned slightly.
Then looked toward Han.
“What happened in the studio earlier?”
Han finally paused his game enough to glance up.
“Hm?”
“With Y/N.”
Han blinked blankly.
“What about her?”
Minho’s hand continued absentmindedly petting your ears while you slept heavily against him.
“She’s upset.”
Han looked genuinely confused.
“She is?”
Minho stared at him incredulously for a second.
“You seriously don’t see it?”
Han frowned slightly now, finally taking a better look at you curled up asleep.
Messy hair.
Flattened ears even in sleep.
Faint dried tear tracks near your cheeks.
His expression shifted slightly.
“…Oh.”
But even then—
He still didn’t fully understand.
None of them did.
Because they thought this was temporary.
Just moodiness.
Jealousy.
Neediness. Not realizing your heart had been breaking quietly for weeks right in front of them.
Warmth.
That was the first thing you noticed.
Warm arms around your waist. A soft blanket pulled up to your shoulders. Gentle fingers absentmindedly combing through your hair.
For a few blissfully disoriented seconds, you thought maybe everything had gone back to normal.
Then someone shook you lightly.
“Hey Beautiful~.”
A familiar voice chirped near your ear.
“Wake uppp.”
You blinked slowly awake.
Your vision blurred before finally focusing on Han grinning down at you brightly.
And only then did you realize—
You weren’t lying on Minho anymore.
At some point during the night, Han had apparently moved beside you and pulled you against his chest in his sleep.
Your head rested beneath his chin while one of his arms stayed loosely wrapped around your waist. The position felt strangely intimate.
Han’s eyes crinkled when he noticed your confused expression.
“You sleep like a literal cat.”
Your ears twitched weakly.
“…Sorry.”
Han immediately pinched your cheek.
“There it is again.”
“Hm?”
“That apologizing thing.” He squished your cheeks lightly. “You’ve been saying sorry way too much lately.”
Your chest tightened faintly.
You tried to smile anyway.
Han thankfully didn’t push further.
Instead he adjusted the blanket around you dramatically.
“Minho hyung already woke up early and started breakfast, so you don’t have to worry about kitchen duty today.”
Your eyes widened instantly.
“Oh no—”
“And,” Han continued over you, grinning, “if you wanna sleep more, I can cuddle you back to sleep because you looked ridiculously cute earlier.”
The image alone made heat crawl up your neck.
“Oh stop it...”
Han stared at you blankly.
Then burst out laughing.
“You literally purred in your sleep.”
Your ears flattened in embarrassment immediately.
“I did not.”
“You did,” he said smugly. “Minho hyung heard it too. I have videos for proof”
Mortification flooded through you. You quickly untangled yourself from the blankets and sat up. Han sat up too.
“No, it’s okay,” you mumbled. “I’ll help Minho.”
Han caught your cheeks again before you could escape.
“You are too sweet, seriously.”
He squished your face affectionately.
“Our little kitten works too hard.”
The words warmed your chest painfully.
Because this—
This felt like before. Before things got strange. Before every interaction made you overthink yourself sick.
You leaned unconsciously into his touch for half a second too long before pulling away.
“I’ll go now.”
Han watched you quietly as you stood.
Something thoughtful flickered briefly behind his eyes.
Like he noticed how desperate you seemed for even tiny scraps of affection lately. But before he could say anything, you were already padding out into the hallway.
The dorm smelled like breakfast.
Warm rice.
Eggs.
Coffee.
The sound of quiet morning chatter drifted from the kitchen.
For a moment, your chest eased.
Maybe things really were getting better.
Maybe last night was just stress.
Maybe you were overthinking everything.
When you stepped into the kitchen, several members already sat around the dining table.
Felix leaned sleepily against the counter drinking juice.
Seungmin scrolled through his phone.
I.N complained dramatically about being awake.
And in the middle of it all—
Lee Know stood cooking quietly.
Domestic.
Your heart softened immediately making you sighed a little relieve.
But then you noticed one person missing.
Changbin.
Your stomach twisted slightly.
Last night replayed again in your mind.
His frustration.
His gaze.
The way shame still lingered heavy in your chest.
You turned instinctively toward the hallway.
Maybe you should apologize again properly—
THUMP.
You walked directly into someone’s chest.
Strong hands immediately grabbed your shoulders to steady you.
“Woah.”
You blinked upward.
Changbin stared down at you with wide eyes.
“You okay?”
Your ears twitched.
“…Mhm.”
For a brief second neither of you moved.
Then suddenly—
Changbin pulled you into him.
Tight.
Warm.
Immediate.
Your breath caught.
One of his hands cradled the back of your head gently while the other settled against the small of your back.
Pressing you against him completely.
His face buried briefly into your shoulder.
And quietly—
“I’m sorry.”
The kitchen stilled slightly.
You froze.
Changbin’s grip tightened.
“I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that.”
Your heart squeezed painfully.
“I didn’t mean it that way,” he continued softly. “I was stressed about the project and took it out on you.”
His voice sounded genuinely guilty.
“I know.”
“No,” he murmured. “You came because you needed comfort and I pushed you away.”
The members nearby glanced over quietly but didn’t interrupt.
Changbin pulled back just enough to look at you properly.
“You know I’d give you all the cuddles you want, right?”
The tenderness in his voice nuzzled nicely in your ears down to your heart. Because this was the Changbin you knew.
Soft.
Protective.
Affectionate.
Your eyes stung slightly.
Still, instinctively—
You apologized again.
“I’m sorry for bothering you.”
Changbin’s expression fell immediately.
“Y/N.”
“You were busy.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
You looked down quietly.
“But it does.”
Changbin sighed heavily before hugging you once more.
Softer this time.
“You shouldn’t have to beg us for attention.”
The words lodged painfully in your chest.
Because lately…
That’s exactly what it felt like you were doing.
Still, you forced a small smile and patted his back gently.
“It’s alright now.”
You pulled away slowly.
“Let’s just eat, Bin.”
Changbin studied your face for a long moment.
Like he knew something still wasn’t right.
But eventually he nodded.
“Okay.”
And for a little while— Things almost felt normal again.
STRAY KIDS HYBRIDS AU : OT8 STRAYKIDS X HYBRID RAGDOLL CAT FEM READER
Summary : Hybrids is well known to public, and in the entertainment industry, idols owning hybrids wasn’t unusual. Stray Kids have one, a pure ragdoll cat hybrid. Not as a pet, but more like a family, A Pack for her.
Pairing : Stray Kids OT8 x F!Reader
Tags : Angst ( I love angst), and fluff
A/N : This is my first time writing. Open to advices, tips and critics :). English isn't my first language so I used tools to help me write.
Thank you all for the comments, likes, and reblogs. Prepare for the Emotional Roller Coaster. Because the Ups and Downs make it fun and your heart pounding.
The hallway suddenly felt too long after leaving Felix’s room.
Too quiet.
Too cold.
You stood there for several seconds staring at the closed door you, listening to their laughter muffled through the wood.
They’d already moved on.
Another round started.
Another burst of yelling.
Another joke.
And not once did anyone notice you were gone.
Your tail hung limply behind you as you slowly turned away.
It’s okay.
They’re just busy.
Don’t be dramatic.
Don’t be greedy.
The thoughts repeated in your head like a punishment.
You tried to believe them.
You really did.
Calming yourself down, you took a several deep breaths, drying the small tears away.
Your feet dragged you, warm light spilled from the living room ahead.
You could hear soft music playing from someone’s laptop speakers along with the quiet clicking of keyboard keys. Soft humming and pencil scratching the paper, could be heard faintly too.
Maybe here.
Maybe someone here would still want you close.
Even just for a little while.
You carefully padded into the room.
Bang Chan and Changbin sat cross-legged on the floor, facing each other only to be separated by the wide wood coffee table surrounded by lyric sheets, cables, empty coffee cups, and open laptops.
Meanwhile Hyunjin lounged across the couch, phone held above his face while scrolling lazily.
The room smelled faintly like coffee and fabric softener.
Usually comforting.
Tonight it only made your chest ache.
You stood awkwardly near the entrance.
“…Hi.”
Three heads lifted briefly.
“Oh, hey.”
Chan smiled distractedly before looking back down at the laptop.
Hyunjin hummed a casual greeting still looking at his phone.
Changbin only raised a hand absentmindedly without looking up.
It wasn’t cold.
It wasn’t mean.
Just…
Distant.
Like talking to someone passing by.
Your ears twitched uncertainly.
Still, you walked further inside.
“Can I…” your voice came out smaller than intended, “can I have cuddles?”
Silence lingered for half a second.
Then Hyunjin answered first.
“Sorry, love.”
His eyes stayed on his phone.
“Not in the mood right now.”
You loved it when Hyunjin called you that.
You swallowed quietly.
“Oh… okay.”
Usually Hyunjin adored cuddling.
He called you his “living plushie.”
He’d pull you into his lap during movies.
Rest his face against your fluffy ears.
Wrap your tail around his wrist absentmindedly while scrolling through social media.
Now he barely glanced at you.
You tried again softly.
“What are you busy with?”
No answer.
At first you thought he hadn’t heard you.
So carefully, you came closer, sat down on the floor beside his head.
Close enough for your shoulder to brush his arm.
Your tail curled into a question mark while you leaned slightly to peek at his phone screen.
Hyunjin giggled softly.
Just amused.
“You wouldn’t understand anyway.”
Before you could respond, he ruffled your hair lightly.
The familiar touch nearly made you melt from relief.
But then—
“I want to understand,” you replied quickly.
The desperation in your own voice embarrassed you instantly.
“I-I mean… you can explain it to me.”
Hyunjin smiled absently at the screen again.
“A hybrid like you shouldn’t worry about this stuff.”
Your stomach dropped.
A hybrid like you.
A hybrid.
Your ears lowered slightly.
“Oh…”
“It’s just fashion stuff,” he continued casually. “I’m trying to pick something out for Jina.”
Jina.
Of course.
“She likes this style.”
He showed you several photos briefly.
Expensive coats.
Accessories.
Jewelry.
You stared blankly even though you genuinely tried to focus.
Mostly because you were still stuck on the phrase a hybrid like you.
Once upon a time Hyunjin spent hours explaining art and fashion to you because he loved your reactions.
He said you noticed emotions in things other people overlooked.
Now suddenly you “wouldn’t understand.”
“Oh,” you repeated weakly.
"And you, Love, need to improve how you style." He teased you lightly.
You gasped, trying to play along with his teasing poorly.
Hyunjin chuckled and finally sat up from the couch with a stretch.
“I’m heading to bed.”
Then he smiled lightly.
“Goodnight, love.”
Before you could even answer, he disappeared down the hallway.
Leaving behind the faint scent of his perfume and a hollow ache in your chest.
The living room suddenly felt much bigger.
Much emptier just from one person leaving.
You sat there awkwardly for several moments before slowly crawled approaching Chan and Changbin on the coffee table.
They remained focused on their work.
Typing.
Crossing things out.
Discussing beats quietly.
Normally they’d immediately pull you between them somehow.
Chan would pat the space beside him.
Changbin would grab your wrist and drag you closer dramatically.
Not tonight.
Still…
You tried.
“…Can one of you pet me?”
Chan blinked up finally.
“What?”
You shuffled nervously closer to him.
“Or cuddle…”
His brows furrowed in confusion.
“What’s with you tonight? It's not usual you crave this much affection, Baby”. You could hear a little worry in his voice.
The question made heat crawl across your face immediately.
Because suddenly you sounded pathetic and embarrassing even to yourself.
“I just…”
Lonely.
Sad.
Scared.
“...I dunno.”
Chan sighed softly, exhaustion heavy in his expression.
“Sorry Baby, but we’re working.”
“I know.”
You quickly scooted beside him anyway.
Close enough that your knees touched.
Then carefully—
You took his free hand that is beside you.
Warm and familiar.
Your chest tightened painfully at the feeling alone.
Slowly, gently, you guided his hand toward your cheek.
Instinctively rubbing against his palm.
A silent plea.
Please love me.
Please notice me.
Please.
For one tiny second Chan froze.
Then suddenly—
He tugged his hand away.
Not violently.
Not harshly.
Just lightly.
Like he genuinely needed it back.
“Sorry,” he muttered distractedly. “I need to finish this project.”
Your hand remained suspended awkwardly in the air.
Empty.
“Oh…”
Chan already turned back toward the laptop.
The rejection wasn’t even important enough to linger in his mind.
Meanwhile your chest felt like it physically hurt.
Still—
Changbin.
Changbin always gave the best cuddles.
Surely Changbin wouldn’t mind.
You turned toward him slowly.
“…Binnie?”
No response.
He continued scribbling aggressively across papers.
You poked his arm gently.
“Can I cuddle you while you work?”
Nothing.
Maybe he didn’t hear.
So you poked him again lightly.
“Binnie?”
Still no answer.
You tried one last time.
Soft.
Careful.
Almost pleading.
“Please?”
Suddenly—
“Yah!”
You flinched from the sudden outburst.
Changbin whipped around sharply, frustration exploding across his face.
“Stop bothering me, I’m busy!”
The room fell silent instantly.
Even Chan looked up.
Your ears flattened completely against your head.
Your tail instinctively curled tightly around your waist.
“Oh…”
Your voice barely existed.
But confusion hurt almost as much as fear.
Because usually—
Usually Changbin loved when you clung to him.
Even during work.
Especially during work.
You’d curl beside him while he produced music and he’d absentmindedly pet your tail.
Sometimes he’d rest his head against yours during breaks.
Sometimes he literally dragged you into his lap complaining you weren’t affectionate enough.
So you tried again quietly.
“…But you usually don’t mind…”
“I said I’m busy.”
Sharper now.
Lower.
Controlled anger.
You stared at him helplessly.
Not understanding.
Not keeping up.
Your voice became tiny.
“I can be quiet—”
Before you finished, Changbin suddenly grabbed your wrist that’s trying to reach him out.
Firm.
Not enough to hurt.
But enough to shock you silent instantly.
He looked directly into your eyes.
And somehow that hurt worst of all.
Because there was irritation there.
Real irritation.
It made you looked down to avoid his intimidated stare.
“Y/N,” he said tightly, “stop. I’m working. You need to understand that.”
Your breath caught painfully.
Understand.
Right.
You always had to understand.
Understand schedules.
Understand exhaustion.
Understand stress.
Understand being busy.
Understand being replaced little by little because everyone else had lives outside of you.
You always understood.
So why did it still hurt this much?
“Bin.”
Chan’s warning cut softly through the room.
Changbin immediately loosened his grip.
Like realization hit him too late.
He let go quickly.
Your wrist fell back limply into your lap.
The silence afterward felt unbearable.
Heavy.
Humiliating.
You stared down at the floor unable to lift your head.
Shame burned hot behind your eyes.
You made him angry.
You annoyed them again.
You were too clingy.
Too needy.
Too emotional.
“I’m sorry,” you whispered immediately.
Then again.
And again.
“I’m sorry… sorry…”
You stood quickly and bowed deeply.
Your fluffy ears lowered so far they nearly disappeared into your hair.
Chan’s expression softened instantly with guilt.
“Baby, wait—”
“I’m sorry for bothering you.”
Changbin looked exhausted more than angry now. His hand came to his eyes to cover it, head hung a little low.
Like he regretted snapping but didn’t know how to handle it. The silence was too heavy.
Still—
Neither of them stopped you when you slowly backed away.
Neither of them reached for you.
Neither of them noticed the tears finally slipping silently down your face until after you’d already turned away.
STRAY KIDS HYBRIDS AU : OT8 STRAYKIDS X HYBRID RAGDOLL CAT FEM READER
Summary : Hybrids is well known to public, and in the entertainment industry, idols owning hybrids wasn’t unusual. Stray Kids have one, a pure ragdoll cat hybrid. Not as a pet, but more like a family, A Pack for her.
Pairing : Stray Kids OT8 x F!Reader
Tags : Angst ( I love angst), and fluff
A/N : This is my first time writing, so advice, tips and critics are helpful :). English isn't my first language so I used tools to help me write.
The changes became impossible to ignore after that.
Not because they were cruel.
But because they weren’t.
That was the worst part.
Nobody yelled at you.
Nobody told you to leave.
Nobody stopped loving you completely.
They just… slowly stopped needing you the same way.
And every tiny moment stacked on top of another until your chest constantly felt too tight to breathe properly.
It started with forgotten routines.
“Y/N, can you help me pick an outfit later?”
“Of course.”
But later never came because Hyunjin ended up shopping online with Jina instead.
“Y/N, let’s eat together after practice.”
But Changbin got dragged out by staff and Jina tagged along while you ate cold and soggy ramen alone in the dorm kitchen at midnight.
“Y/N, wait for me after recording.”
But Han forgot entirely.
You waited nearly two hours in the hallway outside the studio before a manager gently told you they’d all gone out for drinks already.
You stood there silently while your tail slowly drooped lower and lower behind you.
“Oh,” was all you whispered.
The manager looked awkward.
“…They probably assumed you already went home.”
You smiled automatically.
“Mhm.”
You always smiled automatically now. You came home alone that day.
You tried harder after that.
Much harder.
If you became more useful, maybe things would go back to normal.
You woke up earlier.
Cleaned more.
Cooked more carefully.
Memorized everyone’s schedules even more obsessively.
You packed vitamins into their bags.
Prepared warm towels after practices.
Stayed awake during late-night productions just in case anyone needed something.
You became quieter too.
Less clingy.
Less emotional.
Less greedy.
At least that’s what you told yourself.
Because maybe this was your fault.
Maybe you had relied on them too much emotionally.
Maybe they felt suffocated.
The thought alone made you sick with shame.
The studio became the place you hated most.
It used to feel warm there.
Crowded and messy and alive.
Chan producing while humming quietly under his breath.
Han rambling nonsense between lyric ideas.
Changbin aggressively scribbling notes while arguing about beats.
And you—
Curled somewhere nearby.
Listening.
Existing with them.
Sometimes Chan would absentmindedly pet your ears while working. Sometimes Han rested his legs over yours. Sometimes Changbin shoved snacks into your hands without looking up.
You used to belong there.
Now you just felt in the way.
Tonight was especially bad.
The studio lights burned too bright.
Too loud.
Too crowded.
Several staff members moved around discussing schedules while music played repeatedly through the speakers.
Jina stood beside Chan’s chair holding coffee.
Han laughed loudly at something she said.
Changbin leaned over her shoulder showing her lyrics.
And you sat curled at the far end of the couch. Looking at their backs.
Silent.
Small.
Your knees hugged tightly to your chest while your fluffy tail wrapped around your legs protectively. Lips unconsciously pursed into a pout.
Your ears stayed flattened low against your head.
You tried not to listen.
But hybrid hearing was cruel.
Every laugh sounded sharper.
Every happy interaction stabbed deeper.
“Wait, no, listen to this line—”
Han burst into another fit of laughter.
Chan smiled so wide his dimples showed.
Jina lightly smacked Changbin’s arm while teasing him.
The room felt full.
Yet somehow you’d never felt lonelier.
You tucked your face deeper against your knees.
If you made yourself smaller maybe the ache would shrink too.
It didn’t.
“Y/N?”
A soft voice startled you.
One of the female staff crouched beside the couch.
Older than you.
Gentle-eyed.
Concerned.
“You okay?”
You lifted your head slowly.
“Oh… yeah.”
Lie.
Your voice sounded tiny even to yourself.
Her expression softened immediately.
Poor thing, it practically said.
Carefully, she sat beside you and began petting your hair softly.
Then your ears.
Your body nearly melted from the affection alone.
Because lately—
Nobody touched you first anymore.
“You look exhausted,” she murmured quietly.
“I’m okay.”
Another lie.
Her fingers stroked gently through the fluffy fur near your ears.
You glanced up instinctively.
Toward Chan.
Toward your Channie.
He was smiling brightly at something Jina showed him on her phone.
Han talked over everyone excitedly.
Changbin tapped rhythms against the desk.
None of them looked your way.
Not once.
A heavy sigh escaped before you could stop it.
The staff member noticed.
Her hand paused briefly.
“…Did something happen?”
You panicked instantly.
“No!”
Too loud.
Too fast.
Several people glanced over.
You shrank immediately.
“S-sorry…”
Chan looked over finally.
Concern flickered briefly across his face.
“You alright, baby?”
Baby.
The nickname nearly made you cry.
You nodded quickly.
“Mhm.”
Chan smiled absentmindedly before turning back toward the conversation.
And somehow that hurt more than if he’d ignored you entirely.
Because it proved he still cared.
Just not enough to notice.
The night dragged endlessly.
You sat there listening to them laugh together while exhaustion pooled heavy inside your chest.
At some point Han moved beside Jina to show her lyrics.
Changbin asked her opinion on melodies.
Chan told her stories about trainee days.
You used to know all those stories.
Now you heard them from a distance like an outsider.
Like a guest overhearing strangers.
The female staff beside you kept gently petting your ears occasionally.
Maybe she realized you needed it.
Maybe everyone else was too distracted to notice.
At one point your eyes accidentally met hers.
Sympathy.
That’s what you saw.
And somehow that was humiliating too.
By the time everyone returned to the dorm, your chest felt unbearably heavy.
The members scattered quickly.
Some showered.
Some grabbed food.
Some disappeared into rooms.
Laughter echoed faintly through the hallways.
And suddenly—
You didn’t want to be alone.
Not tonight.
You just needed someone.
Anyone.
Just for a little while.
The first room you approached belonged to Felix and Seungmin, but apparently Jeongin was inside too because you could smell his scent inside the room.
Light spilled beneath the door.
You could hear loud game noises and shouting.
Your tail swayed nervously behind you while you knocked softly.
“Come in!”
Jeongin’s voice.
You opened the door carefully.
The room immediately glowed warm and lively.
All three sat crowded together on the bed holding their phones horizontally while yelling at each other over the game.
Felix looked up first.
“Oh! Hi, angel.”
Your heart warmed weakly.
“Hi…”
Seungmin didn’t even glance away from his screen.
“Hurry, hurry, HEAL ME—”
“I AM HEALING YOU!”
“You suck at healing!”
“I literally carried last round!”
Jeongin burst out laughing.
You stood awkwardly near the doorway clutching your sleeves.
“…Can I play too?”
Nobody answered immediately.
Too focused.
Then Felix blinked.
“Oh… uh…”
Before he could continue, Seungmin spoke.
“The lobby’s full.”
Your ears twitched lower.
“Oh.”
Jeongin added casually, eyes still glued to his screen—
“Jina-noona’s playing with us.”
Right.
Of course.
You forced a smile.
“That’s okay.”
You’d actually spent weeks practicing this game secretly because they always talked about it.
You wanted to surprise them someday.
Maybe make them proud.
Maybe finally join in properly instead of just watching.
Instead Seungmin snorted lightly.
“Besides, you’re kinda bad at this game.”
The words hit harder than they should’ve.
Because he said them jokingly.
Carelessly.
Without meaning harm.
But all you could think about were the countless nights you stayed awake learning maps and controls because you wanted to spend more time with them.
Your smile became thinner.
“…I’m practicing.”
“Hm?” Seungmin barely listened.
“Nah, you’d just ruin our rank.”
Felix laughed playfully.
Not rudely.
Just automatically following the mood.
Still—
Something wilted painfully inside your chest.
“...Oh.”
Your fingers tightened around your sleeves.
Silence stretched awkwardly around you while game sounds filled the room again.
Then quietly, carefully—
“…Can I just watch?”
No response.
Han’s voice suddenly blasted through someone’s microphone speaker.
Everyone started shouting again.
You stood there uncertainly for several seconds.
Like furniture.
Like background noise.
Slowly, you approached the bed anyway.
Maybe if you sat quietly—
Jeongin suddenly nudged you away lightly with his shoulder.
“Ah, don’t block the screen.”
You stumbled back instantly.
“S-sorry.”
Your ears flattened harder.
You moved toward Seungmin instead.
Carefully.
Tentatively.
Like approaching something fragile.
You leaned your head lightly against his shoulder while trying to watch the game screen.
Usually he’d complain dramatically but still let you stay.
Usually.
Tonight he shrugged you off immediately.
“Yah, stop bothering us.”
Not harsh.
Not angry.
Just irritated.
Distracted.
Like you were interrupting something more important.
Your chest tightened so sharply it almost hurt to breathe.
Still—
Still you tried again.
Because you missed them.
Because you felt so unbearably lonely.
Because maybe if someone just looked at you properly for one second, the ache would stop.
You walked behind Felix slowly.
Your footsteps barely made noise.
Carefully, hesitantly, you leaned forward until your cheek rested lightly against his back.
Soft.
Warm.
Familiar.
A tiny silent plea for affection.
For comfort.
For home.
Felix stiffened slightly.
Then sighed.
“Angel…”
His voice sounded tired.
“Maybe go bother the others for a bit, yeah?”
The words shattered something quietly inside you.
Because bother.
Not stay.
Not cuddle.
Not sit with us.
Bother. Am I… really a bother?
Your ears flattened completely.
“…Okay.”
You stepped back immediately.
Nobody noticed your watery eyes.
Nobody looked away from their screens.
Nobody noticed the way your tail stopped moving entirely.
You reached the door slowly.
One hand lingering against the frame.
Waiting.
Hoping.
Please call me back.
Please.
Please just say my name.
But behind you—
Only game noises.
Laughter.
Shouting.
Life continuing easily without you in it.
Your fingers trembled slightly before you quietly closed the door behind yourself.
And the soft click sounded strangely final in the empty hallway.
STRAY KIDS HYBRIDS AU : OT8 STRAYKIDS X HYBRID RAGDOLL CAT FEM READER
Summary : Hybrids is well known to public, and in the entertainment industry, idols owning hybrids wasn’t unusual. Stray Kids have one, a pure ragdoll cat hybrid. Not as a pet, but more like a family, A Pack for her.
Pairing : Stray Kids OT8 x F!Reader
Tags : Angst ( I love angst), and fluff
A/N : This is my first time writing, so advice, tips and critics are helpful :). English isn't my first language so I used tools to help me write.
Word Count : 1,654
Next >
————————————————————————————
CHAPTER 1 - Suddenly
The first time the boys brought you home, you were barely seventeen.
Small. Quiet. All wide eyes and trembling hands, fluffy cream-colored ears pressed flat against your head while your tail wrapped around your waist like it could protect you from the world.
A pure Ragdoll hybrid.
Rare.
Too rare.
In the entertainment industry, idols owning hybrids wasn’t unusual. Some groups had wolf hybrids acting as security, fox hybrids for variety appearances, bunny hybrids for fan engagement. Companies loved the image. Fans adored it even more.
But Stray Kids—
They spoiled theirs.
“Don’t sit so stiff,” Bang Chan had told you softly that first night, crouching in front of you with warm eyes. “You’re not property here.”
You remembered staring at him in disbelief.
Because everyone said that.
No one meant it.
But somehow… they did. And that became your downfall.
Years later, the dorm felt more like home than anywhere else ever had.
You woke up before everyone else every morning.
It became routine.
You’d shuffle into the kitchen with sleepy ears drooping, oversized hoodie hanging off your shoulders while coffee brewed softly in the background. Your tail swayed lazily behind you as you prepared breakfast exactly how each member liked it.
Lee Know liked his eggs slightly runny.
Changbin wanted extra meat portions.
Hyunjin preferred fruit prepared neatly because he claimed uneven slices “felt emotionally upsetting.”
Han forgot to eat half the time unless you physically handed him food.
Felix always hugged you from behind while you cooked.
Every single morning.
Without fail.
And Seungmin always complained your attention span became “dangerously cat-like” before morning tea.
“You almost poured orange juice into the rice cooker yesterday.”
“I was tired.”
“You hissed at me.”
“You scared me!”
“You’re literally the one with night vision.”
From the couch, I.N would laugh so hard he’d nearly choke.
The dorm was loud. Warm. Alive. And you lived for it.
You weren’t just their hybrid.
You were woven into every part of their lives.
Schedules.
Practices.
Award shows.
Late-night recordings.
Concert prep.
Managers trusted you because you remembered everything.
Stylists adored you because you fixed emergencies before they escalated.
Staff relied on you because you were dependable.
And the boys—
The boys leaned on you constantly.
“Y/N, where’s my charger?”
“Y/N, did you see my hoodie?”
“Y/N, remind me to call mom later.”
“Y/N, can you stay in the studio a little longer?”
Sometimes you wondered if they realized how much of yourself existed in the spaces between them.
Like thread stitched quietly into fabric.
Invisible.
Necessary.
“You spoil them too much.”
You looked up from folding laundry.
Their manager laughed from the doorway.
“They’re grown men, you know.”
Your ears twitched sheepishly.
“I know…”
“Do you?”
He gestured toward the living room.
There was complete chaos.
Chan and Changbin arguing over lyrics.
Hyunjin sprawled dramatically across the floor.
Han asleep sitting upright.
Felix stealing fries from Seungmin.
Lee Know threatening violence over said fries.
And somehow, impossibly—
Your chest filled with warmth.
“I like taking care of them.”
The manager stared at you for a second.
Then sighed fondly.
“Yeah,” he muttered. “That’s the problem.”
You didn’t understand what he meant.
Not then.
Her name was Yoo Jina.
At first, she was just another new staff member.
Pretty.
Smart.
Easygoing.
She had long dark hair, soft smiles, and a laugh that came easily at all the right moments.
The company introduced her casually.
“She’ll be helping coordinate schedules and media activities.”
That was all.
Nothing important.
Nothing threatening.
You even bowed politely the first time you met her.
And she smiled sweetly.
“Ah, so you’re the famous Y/N everyone talks about.”
Your ears warmed instantly.
“I-I’m not famous…”
“But everyone depends on you.”
Something about her smile lingered strangely.
Like silk hiding a blade.
At first, the changes were tiny.
Microscopic.
Impossible to explain.
“Chan, your coffee.”
You held out the cup automatically—
Only for Jina to step in first.
“I already made one for him.”
Chan blinked.
“Oh— thanks.”
You froze.
Your hands slowly lowered.
The coffee suddenly felt stupidly hot against your fingers.
“Sorry,” Jina said lightly. “I got here early.”
You forced a smile.
“No, it’s okay.”
And it was okay.
It should’ve been okay.
So why did your chest hurt?
Then—
“Y/N, you don’t have to carry all those bags.”
Felix gently took concert supplies from your arms.
Before you could answer, Jina laughed.
“She seriously babies you guys too much.”
The members laughed too.
Not cruelly.
Not maliciously.
Just naturally.
But then Jina added—
“No wonder they can’t survive alone.”
More laughter.
You smiled because everyone else did.
But something small twisted inside you.
Because once upon a time, they used to say things like that affectionately.
Now it sounded embarrassing.
Childish.
Like maybe you were becoming too much.
You started noticing things.
Jina sitting between members during meals.
Jina already knowing inside jokes.
Jina bringing Chan coffee.
Jina helping Hyunjin fix his accessories.
Jina laughing with Han late at night in the studio.
Jina resting comfortably on the dorm couch like she belonged there.
And the boys welcomed it naturally.
Why wouldn’t they?
She was funny.
Helpful.
Pretty.
Human.
Normal.
Not a hybrid constantly following them around with needy affection hidden behind quiet obedience.
The thought made you sick with guilt immediately.
Because they had done everything for you.
Given you a home.
Loved you.
Protected you.
So why were you feeling jealous?
Why did it ache every time someone else occupied the spaces beside them?
You hated yourself for it.
One night, you sat alone in the kitchen cutting fruit after practice.
Your ears drooped low with exhaustion.
The dorm lights were dim.
From the living room came loud laughter.
You glanced over instinctively.
Jina sat between Changbin and Felix on the couch, laughing so hard she nearly leaned against Felix’s shoulder.
And Felix—
Felix smiled at her the same soft way he smiled at everyone he cared about.
Your grip tightened around the knife accidentally.
A sharp sting.
You flinched.
A thin line of red bloomed across your finger.
“Oh—”
Before you could react—
“Y/N?”
Chan appeared instantly.
He grabbed your hand carefully.
“What happened?”
“Nothing,” you said quickly.
But his brows furrowed.
“You’re bleeding.”
The living room quieted.
The members looked over.
For one hopeful, pathetic second—
You thought maybe they’d all rush over.
Like before.
Instead—
“Careful,” Lee Know said absentmindedly before returning to the conversation.
Changbin only glanced up briefly.
Felix smiled apologetically from the couch.
And Jina said—
“Aww, poor kitty.”
Kitty.
Not Y/N.
Just—
Kitty.
Her tone feels like a mockery to you.
Something inside you cracked quietly.
Chan cleaned your cut gently, unaware of the way your eyes burned.
“You okay?”
You nodded too fast.
“Mhm.”
Liar.
That night, you curled up in your room unable to sleep.
Your tail wrapped tightly around yourself.
The dorm outside buzzed faintly with laughter.
You could hear them.
You always could.
Hybrid hearing.
Unfortunately.
“…Jina, stop stealing my food!”
“You weren’t eating it!”
“That’s not the point!”
More laughter.
More warmth.
Without you.
Your throat tightened painfully.
Because the terrifying part wasn’t that they hated you.
It was worse.
They still loved you.
Just…
Less.
And maybe that made you selfish.
Maybe you should’ve been grateful they loved you at all.
Maybe wanting to remain important forever was greedy.
Maybe you were just a pet after all.
Replaceable once something newer arrived. Someone newer.
Your ears flattened hard against your head.
You pressed both hands over your mouth to stop the shaky sound escaping your throat.
Because if anyone heard you crying—
You didn’t think you could survive the embarrassment.
The next few weeks became torture disguised as normalcy.
“Y/N, you should rest more.”
“Y/N, stop overworking.”
“Y/N, come sit with us.”
They still cared.
Still smiled.
Still thanked you.
But somehow…
You felt farther away every single day.
Like standing outside your own home looking through glass.
And Jina fit in seamlessly.
Too seamlessly.
One evening after practice, you entered the dorm carrying grocery bags only to stop dead.
The kitchen was already busy.
Jina stood beside Chan cooking.
Felix setting plates.
Hyunjin laughing while stealing ingredients.
It looked…
Domestic.
Comfortable.
Natural.
Like a family dinner.
Except there was no place left for you.
“Oh!” Felix noticed you first. “Y/N’s back!”
You smiled weakly.
“I got the groceries…”
“We already ordered food,” Jina said brightly. “You didn’t need to do all that.”
Silence.
Your arms suddenly felt unbearably heavy.
“Oh.”
Chan turned quickly.
“Wait, Y/N— we forgot to text you—”
“It’s okay.”
Too fast.
Too automatic.
You set the bags down carefully.
Your tail no longer swayed much these days.
“I’ll just put these away.”
No one noticed your hands shaking.
Except Lee Know.
He watched you quietly from across the room.
And for a moment—
His expression changed.
Like realization dawning too late.
Later that night, you sat alone on the dorm balcony wrapped in a blanket.
Cold wind brushed through your fluffy ears.
Inside, laughter echoed again.
Always laughter.
You used to be part of it.
The balcony door slid open softly.
Lee Know stepped out.
Neither of you spoke immediately.
He leaned beside you against the railing.
“You’ve been quiet lately.”
Your smile came automatically.
“Have I?”
“Yes.”
You stared down at your hands.
“…Sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
Because I think I’m being replaced.
Because I think I’m losing my home.
Because every time they smile at her I feel like something is clawing apart my chest.
Because I’m terrified one day you’ll realize life is easier without me in it.
But instead you whispered—
“I’m just tired.”
Lee Know looked at you for a long moment.
Too perceptive.
Too sharp.
“…Y/N.”
Your ears twitched weakly.
“You know,” he said quietly, “cats hide when they’re hurt.”