Summary: Taekwoon remembers now. Yesterday, when he was busking at Myeongdong, he had seen the very same man in the crowd.
Characters: N/Leo
Rating: G
Word Count: 1,400+
Taekwoon rolls the large iced Americano between his hands, enjoying the gentle wave of coldness that washes over his damp palms. The stifling heat of the afternoon has calmed into a forgiving warmth that eddies around him as the evening breeze blows through the park. His notebook lies beside him on the bench, the latest page of struck-out song lyrics marked with a pressed flower bookmark his nephew had made for him. He sighs, looks up at the darkening sky that is devoid of clouds and stars. He can't find the words today.
'Hi!'
The iced Americano almost slips from his grasp, but his reflexes kick in just in time. He stares at the man who appeared before him, fingers clenched around thin plastic but mouth slack as he tries to speak.
'Hello,' he manages to say, and the man with the tousled hair and sun-kissed skin smiles. Taekwoon licks his lips, a nervous tic he has tried and failed to stop for a very long time; there is something familiar about the man, but he can't quite place him.
'You performed at Myeongdong yesterday, didn't you?'
Taekwoon remembers now. Yesterday, when he was busking at Myeongdong, he had seen the very same man in the crowd. Taekwoon had been at the further end of the street, away from the dance groups blaring pop songs and thriving on the hoots and cheers from their audience. He was sandwiched between a duo of gangly boy singing sweet ballads and a band of ladies who were playing self-penned songs. He hadn't been as nervous as he used to get when he first started busking, and had even advanced to making eye contact with the more receptive people in his audience and smiling at them.
Taekwoon hadn't noticed when the man joined the crowd, but when he saw him, he was standing a little off to the side, slender frame swaying in time with his cover of Park Hyoshin's Snow Flower. He was dressed in a plain blue top and black trousers, round cheeks highlighted by the lights coming from the shops that lined the street. Noticing how into the music the man had been, Taekwoon sought his gaze, but when they connected, he was startled by what he saw. Though the man's demeanour was relaxed, his gaze was sharp, piercing even, but not unfriendly. If anything, it had been kind, and eerily familiar, though he was sure they've never met before. A tingle had raced down Taekwoon's spine and he had to look away, disoriented, and it was sheer muscle memory that kept him from hitting the wrong keys. When he finally worked up the nerve to look at the man again though, he was gone, and Taekwoon had ultimately dismissed the encounter as a sudden case of the nerves.
But here the man is again, his eyes still kind and clear, and Taekwoon shifts a little in his seat. It's almost as though the man can see straight into his soul.
'Yes, I did,' Taekwoon replies, wincing internally at how his voice catches even in that short sentence. He tries to smile, to mask his discomfort, but a stiff grimace forms on his lips instead. Excellent. If the man hadn't noticed his strange behaviour yesterday, he was going to pick up on it today for sure.
However, if the man notices Taekwoon's distress, he doesn't show it. Instead his smile grows impossibly brighter as he clasps his hands together, 'I thought you looked familiar! You were great! I felt so bad that I couldn't stay to the end of your performance to tell you that since I was rushing off to meet a friend. You have such a distinctive voice. I love it!'
Taekwoon colours, blood rushing to his cheeks to form two warm blotches. He's been busking regularly for two months now, and he's had people clap and cheer for him after his performances. He's also chatted briefly with onlookers while his manager passed out flyers at the start and end of his performances. A few nervous school girls had even approached him once to express their support for him between nervous fits of giggles, before scurrying away before Taekwoon could react. But this was the first time someone had recognised him and approached him outside of the context of busking to praise him with such enthusiasm.
The man presses a palm against his chest, 'I'm Hakyeon, by the way.'
'Tae- I mean, Leo,' Taekwoon stumbles. He isn't eloquent a lot of the time, but this is one of those times he wishes he was born with a glib tongue. Belatedly, he remembers the manners he has forgotten, and is thankful that Jeonghwan isn't there to lecture him. 'Nice to meet you,' Taekwoon says, bowing his head in greeting.
'Leo,' Hakyeon repeats the two syllables with care, as though he were committing the name to memory. 'Did you pick that stage name yourself?'
'Kind of,' Taekwoon shrugs. He knows he shouldn't be so dismissive, but honestly, he is not entirely charmed by the stage name his CEO had convinced him to take on. Still, that's the name that's been put on the flyers, and that's the name he designed his signature to include, so he's better get used to it.
'What does it mean?' Hakyeon asks.
'It means...' And here, Taekwoon struggles not to duck his head as the red of his cheeks flares up again, 'That I hope to dominate the music industry someday. King of the jungle, you know,' he mumbles.
'That fits!' Hakyeon says, 'You play the piano so well, and put so much emotion into your singing, plus you're tall and good-looking. You will definitely be a force to reckoned with when you debut! You haven't debuted yet right?'
Taekwoon's friends had teased him over his stage name, saying that he was more like a literal big cat than a fearsome lion, but here was Hakyeon, a person who has only seen him perform once, who was saying such nice things with such conviction that it momentarily silenced the self-doubt that flutters constantly in Taekwoon’s belly. It made Taekwoon feel... well, something, though he doesn’t know how to describe it.
'No, not yet,' Takewoon replies.
'But I bet you have fans already, right?' Hakyeon asks with a grin.
'A few...' Takewoon admits, thinking back to the flustered school girls. Hakyeon chuckles.
'It's only natural that people would fall for a talented guy like you!' he pulls his handphone out from his pocket, 'Do you have a social media account?'
'No,' Taekwoon says, 'Though my company does.'
'Great, what is it?' Hakyeon asks, handing his phone to Taekwoon. Taekwoon, though taken aback with how easily Hakyeon handed him something so personal, has the presence of mind to put aside his Americano and wipe his palms on his jeans before he pulls up his company's Instagram. He passes the phone back to Hakyeon.
'Bluefish, eh?' Hakyeon says, scrolling through the page. 'A singer-songwriter!' he exclaims, probably after reaching the post introducing Leo to the world and detailing his busking schedule.
'You write your own songs?' Hakyeon asks, wide-eyed.
'Yea,' Taekwoon replies, with just a hint of pride, 'I performed one of them yesterday, after you left.'
'Oh no, what a shame! I would have loved to hear your songs,' Hakyeon says with an honest-to-god pout. Taekwoon is filled with the sudden urge to laugh at the oddly adorable sight, but he fights it back.
Hakyeon scrolls a bit further before jabbing at the screen. 'Followed!' he announces, waving his phone back and forth. 'Now I can keep up to date with your progress. It says that you're performing against next Friday right? I'll definitely be there.'
Taekwoon blinks in surprise.
'T-thank you,' he says, sounding stupidly shy even to his own ears. He fiddles with the hem of his shirt, 'Truly.'
'You're welcome!' Hakyeon says, pocketing his phone. He extends a hand to Taekwoon, 'I look forward to seeing you grow as a singer and become the king of the jungle.'
Taekwoon stares at Hakyeon, at this man who is the first stranger to not only express support for him, but to have such pure faith in him. He is touched beyond words, so he takes the offered hand. His fingers wrap around Hakyeon's warm, solid grip, and he is surprised by how not-surprised he is when he notices that their hands fit well together.
Taekwoon smiles as he commits Hakyeon's face to memory.
'I'll do my best.'
-
Original prompt: LeoN, soulmate!au where Taek’s an idol and Yeon’s a normal person. They met at Taek’s concert and things go from there…
Sorry I didn't follow your prompt to the tee @leon4life, but I've been working and reworking this fic for so long, I figured I should go with what flows and hope that's good enough :')
Summary: 'Hakyeon, Taekwoon,' Sanghyuk calls, his voice weak. He reaches out to them, 'Get Wonshik away from me.' // vampire/magic!AU, chapter 03
Characters: Ravi/Hyuk, Jaehwan, Hakyeon, Taekwoon
Rating: PG
Word Count: 4,000+
Wonshik is helping evacuate the pub when he hears a bang. Everyone ducks their head, before turning around to see what had happened.
That is when Wonshik sees it. His first werehound.
The werehound's face and body is covered in thick black hair, which stands in glaring contrast with his bright floral shirt and khaki shorts. His eyes are a flat reddish-brown and wicked claws curl from his fingertips. His physique is still human. There is none of the physical engorgement or skeletal transformation that superstition would have people believe. But Wonshik knows that werehounds are like vampires; you can't judge them by their appearance.
'Move, move, go!' he urges the people who are frozen, transfixed by the sight of Jaehwan and the werehound circling each other with slow, cautious steps. There is dead silence, not a sound in the room except for the odd growl rumbling from somewhere deep inside the werehound. A trail of slobber drips down the werehound's chin. Jaehwan's face could have been carved from stone.
Without any warning, the werehound leaps at Jaehwan, clawed arm raised to take a swipe at the vampire's head.
'Jaehwan!' Wonshik shouts, but he need not have worried. Before the first syllable of the vampire's name had left his lips, Jaehwan was gone. The werehound crashes into a table, smashing the metal furniture and its attendant cutlery and tableware into pieces. He hops back onto his feet, unscathed, growling as he whirls around, sniffing the air for the scent of his prey.
That's when the screaming begins and the crowd finally starts moving. Wonshik slides behind a decorative pillar to avoid being bowled over by the surge of people trying to escape, and eventually has to hop onto the bar counter to avoid being trampled.
'Holy hell.'
Wonshik nearly topples off the countertop, but Sanghyuk, who had materialised out of nowhere and spooked him, catches him around the waist.
'Where's Jaehwan?' Wonshik asks, clinging onto Sanghyuk's shoulder for balance and, if he is totally honest with himself, comfort.
'In the shadows,' Sanghyuk says, eyes darting across the room, presumably tracking Jaehwan's movements.
The werehound howls, frustrated by his evasive foe. He goes into a frenzy, ripping and clawing and tearing anything within reach, seemingly at random, but Wonshik soon realises that he is destroying all items that cast a shadow large enough for a mage to hide in, while avoiding all light sources. Despite the circumstances, Wonshik finds himself impressed with the werehound's tactics. Lycanthropy might rob werehounds of their self-restraint, but it does not addle their intellect in the slightest.
'Clever,' Sanghyuk grimaces, having noticed what Wonshik had. Then, 'Oh shit.'
In the blink of an eye, he is gone too. Wonshik is left hanging in midair for a split second before he falls back on his ass.
The moment would have been comical if not for the fact that Wonshik sees exactly why Sanghyuk had darted away: there is a couple trapped in one of the booth seats, pinned down with no way to get to the exits without getting close to the werehound. One of the ladies is shielding the other with her own body. Her partner is holding her arm to her chest, blood dripping from between her fingers and staining her blouse.
As the werehound overturns the jukebox, the last large piece of furniture in the pub, Jaehwan is forced out of hiding. At the very same moment, Sanghyuk reaches the ladies. Wonshik can't hear what he is saying, but judging by his gesticulating, he is trying to convince them that he is here to help.
'Hey, fleabag,' Jaehwan calls as the werehound notices the trio in the corner of the room, takes a step towards them. 'Oi!'
The werehound freezes, torn between his original adversary and the three easy targets.
Sanghyuk takes advantage of his hesitation and gathers the women in his arms to try to make a run for it.
Sanghyuk's movement catches the werehound's attention. Wonshik sees the exact moment he makes his mind up; sees that slight curl of his lip that reveals a sharp row of fangs.
The werehound pounces.
An explosion of yellow sparks light up the room like miniature stars, and Wonshik throws an arm up to shield his eyes. There is a loud bang, a crashing sound, and a yell of pain. The tremor from the blast shakes debris from the ceiling. Wonshik pulls his sweatshirt over his nose and mouth as he squints to see through the dust.
The first thing he sees is Sanghyuk lying on the floor. The injured woman is cradled in his arms; the other woman lies beside them. Sanghyuk is bleeding from a gash in his leg, and Wonshik fears the worst, but then the vampire coughs, his breath stirring up a whirl of dust. He's alive.
The werehound is injured too. There is a hole in his shirt, and his fur is matted from where blood pours from a wound on his back. He is hunched over in pain, watering eyes fixed on Jaehwan who stands between him and Sanghyuk, face pale, arm raised in warning.
'Wonshik,' Jaehwan snaps. 'Get them out of here.'
'Y-yes!'
Wonshik leaps off the countertop, nearly twisting his ankle as he lands, but he manages to scramble over to the figures lying in the rubble. His heart screams for him to check on Sanghyuk, but he knows that the mortals are in greater danger. He helps the uninjured woman sit up and makes sure she is okay, before lifting her partner out of Sanghyuk's arms.
'Come on,' he says to the woman as he leads the way out of the pub.
The air outside is cool, the scene deceptively calm. People mill about aimlessly in the streets, chattering, tweeting, on their phones to their loved ones. Wonshik hears sirens, sees flashing lights. He hands the woman in his arms over to a paramedic, gives a brief description of her injury, and then he dashes back in, ignoring the shouts for him to stop, to stay.
Back in the Steel Heart, Sanghyuk is still lying on the floor. Blood pools around his leg, soaks into his jeans.
'Sanghyuk,' Wonshik cries, falling to his side. He barely notices the duel going on between Jaehwan and the werehound, the crash and boom as they trade spells and blows.
Wonshik gathers the younger boy in his arms. Dust streaks his face, and he is so, so pale.
'Wonshik,' Sanghyuk whispers, a shaky hand moving to cling to Wonshik's forearm. No, not cling, but to push. 'You have to get out of here.'
'We both have to get out of here,' Wonshik says, fighting back the terror in his throat. He tries to manoeuvre Sanghyuk's arm around his shoulder.
'No, you have to go, now,' Sanghyuk gasps, struggling away from him.
'You're bleeding, we need to get out, the paramedics–'
'Sanghyuk! Wonshik!'
Wonshik looks up to see a slender figure standing in the doorway.
'Hakyeon,' Wonshik cries, 'Sanghyuk's hurt, we need to get him outta here!'
Another figure appears next to Hakyeon.
'Hakyeon, Taekwoon,' Sanghyuk calls, his voice weak. He reaches out to them, 'Get Wonshik away from me.'
The senior SRU officers share a glance, and then Taekwoon dashes off. The werehound howls, and Wonshik knows everything is going to be okay. Vampires and werehounds are fairly evenly matched in terms of physical strength and magical power, but two seasoned vampires versus one young werehound is an easy fight to end.
Hakyeon hurries over, the channelling stones on his tactical belt clacking as he kneels beside them.
'Hurry,' Sanghyuk urges, pushing himself away from Wonshik again, though there is much less strength in his limbs this time.
'Sanghyuk, buddy, it's me, Wonshik. The SRU are here now, they're here to help,' Wonshik says, but Hakyeon hushes him. One look at Sanghyuk has Hakyeon's lips set in a thin flat line, and Wonshik's worry doubles.
'Knock me out,' Sanghyuk begs, and now that Wonshik has the space to breathe, he takes a good look at Sanghyuk. It's not just the dust falling from the ceiling. The colour has gone from Sanghyuk completely—his skin, his hair, his lips. All that's left is the angry threads of red creeping through his sclera.
Hakyeon doesn't say a word. He places a hand over Sanghyuk's eyes, lips moving soundlessly.
Sanghyuk slumps in Wonshik's arms.
'Sanghyuk,' Wonshik sobs.
'He's fine, just sleeping,' Hakyeon says, voice steady despite the chaos around them. He pulls out a piece of cloth with healing symbols embroidered on its edges, ties it around Sanghyuk's wound. He mutters an incantation, and the cloth flares gold.
'That should do it,' he says. To Wonshik, he asks, 'Are you hurt? Can you walk?'
'Yes, I'm fine,' Wonshik croaks out.
'Good,' Hakyeon says. He claps Wonshik on the shoulder, and Wonshik immediately feels a calm fall over him. His body still shakes, his heart still pounds, but his mind is clear.
'Get Sanghyuk to Haebin. Tell her he's lost a lot of blood and needs an immediate transfusion.' Hakyeon grimaces, 'He's in bloodlust.'
Hakyeon helps Wonshik lift Sanghyuk up, guides them to the door.
'Be calm, Wonshik,' Hakyeon says, cupping his chin. His words are smooth and round, 'Sanghyuk needs you to be calm so you can get him the help he needs. Can you do that?'
Wonshik knows that Hakyeon is charming him, but he doesn't mind, not at a time like this.
'I can do that,' he says as he holds Sanghyuk tight to his side.
'Good,' Hakyeon squeezes the back of his neck, 'Now go. Leave this to us.'
-
Sanghyuk wakes up to a desert in his throat and a boom box blaring in his head.
He tries to open his eyes, but they feel like they're surrounded with cotton wool. He manages a slit of vision. He is lying down. He moves his head to the side, feels the soft give of a pillow against his cheek. There is someone sitting beside him, a slender figure curled up in an armchair. He tries to speak, manages a feeble croak. The figure unfurls.
'You're awake. Thank heavens.'
Hakyeon.
The older man moves away, calls out to someone. 'He's awake! Yunjoo, get Sejin! Sanghyuk is awake!'
Hakyeon returns to his side. A wave of summery citrus washes over Sanghyuk. Hakyeon's cologne. That smell, he remembers, when he smelt it last...
'Wonshik,' Sanghyuk mumbles, the name catching in his throat like thorns. Pieces flash in his mind. The sound of spellwork, the taste of dust, the hunger that threatened to overwhelm him. 'Jaehwan.'
'They're fine,' Hakyeon says. There is the sound of pouring, then a click, followed by a whirling. The bed starts vibrating. Sanghyuk feels himself moving, sitting up. 'Jaehwan had a couple of scratches and bruises, but nothing he couldn't recover from. And Wonshik has been worried sick about you.'
Hakyeon's hand is warm when it touches his. The older mage guides Sanghyuk's hand around something. A warm cup.
'Drink,' Hakyeon coaxes, 'There's a straw.'
Sanghyuk works his lips, seals it around the thin plastic. The potion tastes like strawberries. It soothes the rawness in his throat, sits warm in his belly. The ache in his head subsides. Sanghyuk blinks, his eyes able to open wider than before. The walls are blue, with a strip of starry wallpaper running across it at waist-level. The heavy curtains are drawn. He can't tell if it's day or night. The door opens.
Hakyeon steps away to allow Dr. Park—the "specialist specialist" as Jaehwan calls her—to examine him. She listens to his heartbeat, takes his temperature with an infrared thermometer. She asks him to follow her finger with his eyes, checks if his pupils react to the tiny pencil light she keeps in her coat pocket. She holds a palm to his forehead and a wave of energy sweeps over him, cooling, like a balm.
'I'd recommend keeping him under observation for one more day, but he has recovered nicely,' she says finally. 'His leg will need a few more days to heal completely, but he should be able to put weight on it without aggravating the wound.'
Hakyeon sighs, the tautness melting out of his frame. 'Thank you, Sejin,' he says, touching her arm.
'He did all the hard work,' she says, returning the gesture. 'Him and Wonshik.' She nods to Sanghyuk, gives him a warm smile. 'I'll leave you two to it.'
'What'd she mean,' Sanghyuk asks as she leaves the room. His voice sounds like a rusted gearbox, but at least it works. 'Me and Wonshik?'
Hakyeon fusses over him, tucking extra pillows around him for support, brushing his hair out of his face. Sanghyuk wants to complain about the attention, but the look on Hakyeon's face stays his tongue.
'You,' Hakyeon huffs, half in accusation and half in exasperation, 'You pushed yourself way too far this time. You've been unconscious for three days. Three! Do you know how many pints we had to transfuse? Taekwoon and I have told you again and again—feed when you have to. You have a partner for a reason, Sanghyuk.'
'I don't like feeding,' Sanghyuk says. 'I don't want to be a burden.'
'For the last time, you aren't a burden! You've never been!' Hakyeon snaps, fierce with frustration and pride, 'You saved countless people that night! You put your own life on the line for absolute strangers, and damn near gave all of us a heart attack in the process!'
Sanghyuk flinches. Hakyeon blinks. He steps back with raised hands. 'Sorry.'
He draws a shaky breath, pinches the furrow between his brows, exhales slowly.
'You aren't a burden,' he says in a calmer voice, 'not in the slightest. But you are a stubborn little toad!' He tweaks Sanghyuk on the nose. 'You shouldn't have strained yourself when you were already running on so little to begin with.'
'M'not little,' Sanghyuk pouts. He looks down at his blanket-covered legs, one lumpier than the other from the bandaging around it. He wriggles his toes. He should consider himself lucky that he can still make that small movement. If Hakyeon and Taekwoon hadn't gotten there in time...
'I'm sorry,' Sanghyuk says in a small voice, 'I didn't mean to worry anyone.'
'Don't apologise,' Hakyeon says, taking the cup from Sanghyuk to refill it. 'At least not to me. Apologise to Wonshik. He nearly bled himself dry for you. He would still be here if I hadn't gotten Hongbin to haul him back home.'
Sanghyuk freezes.
He remembers the limitless hunger that took over him as he lay bleeding on the floor of the Steel Heart. He remembers being consumed by the urge to bite into Wonshik's neck, to drink his blood, to drain him of every last drop. He remembers how hard he had to fight against himself to keep from harming him. It was like his very soul had grown fangs and all he could do was devour.
'Is he...' Sanghyuk hesitates, afraid to finish his question, 'Did I...'
'No,' Hakyeon says, handing the cup back to him, 'You didn't hurt him.'
Sanghyuk takes a big gulp in relief.
Hakyeon perches on the edge of the bed, hands folded over his lap.
'You did an excellent job, Sanghyuk,' Hakyeon says. He is composed now, more like a Senior SRU Team Leader as is his job title, and less like the flustered mother hen that is his true nature. 'You were able to remain calm despite the circumstances, and provided accurate and important information that allowed for a quick response. You assisted in the evacuation process, and in doing so, prevented this incident from devolving into a bigger disaster. I expect the MPF will give you an award for your bravery at a later date.'
Sanghyuk shrugs it off.
'The werehound,' he asks instead, 'What happened to him?'
Hakyeon crosses one leg over the other, 'He's still recuperating at Mount Paean Hospital. Our investigations thus far paint him as innocent. He's a student, eighteen, like you. Works part time at a fishing tackle store. No criminal record. He had done his due diligence—taken his stasis meds, worn his suppression charm, but the energy bomb overwrote all his precautions.'
'Was someone targeting him?' Sanghyuk asks, leaning forward, 'It's too much of a coincidence, isn't it? A nix going off on a full moon night, in a pub where there just so happens to be a lycanthrope?'
'We're considering every angle at this point,' Hakyeon says, pushing Sanghyuk back against the bed, 'Officially, this will be a NSR investigation, but Eunji said she'll keep me in the loop. Heeyeon is also liaising with her MAD counterparts for updates.'
'But I want to-'
'But nothing,' Hakyeon says firmly. 'You haven't graduated from the academy yet. I am only sharing this information with you because I feel you deserve to know some things after what you did.'
Sanghyuk slumps back in annoyance and disappointment.
'I know you want to be part of this, but you need to leave this to us,' Hakyeon says firmly, 'Right now, focus on your health.'
'I'm fine,' Sanghyuk snaps, before wincing as a twinge of pain lashes in his chest. Physically, he knows he's going to heal without a hitch—rapid physical regeneration is one of the only perks of vampirism—but he had run himself completely dry that night. It will take a while longer for him to regain his full range of magic.
'You will stay here one more day,' Hakyeon says with finality, 'If Sejin gives you the all clear later, you can go home tomorrow.'
Sanghyuk presses his lips together, crosses his arms as he glares at the wall at the foot of his bed.
Hakyeon watches him fume, and sighs. He rests a hand on Sanghyuk's arm.
'I may not know what it's like to be in bloodlust, but I do know what it's like to watch someone I care about go through it. And knowing what I have to do if I can't bring them back...' There is a terrible tightness to Hakyeon's voice as he gives Sanghyuk's bicep a gentle squeeze, 'Maybe its selfish of me to ask this, but please... don't make me go through it again.'
Sanghyuk turns back to look at the older man. He is shocked to see tears in his eyes.
'Promise me you'll feed when you need to, as much as you need to,' Hakyeon says quietly, 'Please. Promise me.'
Sanghyuk clenches his fists. Tears well up in his eyes too as he thinks about how unfair it all is.
He hangs his head.
'I promise.'
-
Taekwoon offers to drive Sanghyuk home from Dr. Park's clinic.
The older vampire doesn't say much, only that he is glad that Sanghyuk is okay. His solemn gaze when he touches Sangyhuk to scan him is enough to make Sanghyuk feel guilty.
On the one hand, Sanghyuk is annoyed because he shouldn't feel bad for doing the right thing, but on the other hand, he understands their fear. Taekwoon and Hakyeon are the ones who saved him from his village; the ones who taught him how to navigate his gifts; the ones to comfort him through his tears and protect him against negative attention when he was young and defenceless. They are like brothers, or parents. They are family, as much as his blood family are, and when he knows they have to go on a major operation he gets anxious too, because as Jaehwan said, you never know what can happen.
Taekwoon follows him to the door of his and Wonshik's apartment.
'Call us if anything comes up,' Taekwoon says, standing at the threshold.
'I will,' Sanghyuk says, hand resting on the door jamb, 'Thanks for driving me home.'
Taekwoon nods. He turns to go, then pauses. He reaches out and ruffles Sanghyuk's hair before continuing on his way.
Sanghyuk watches him walk away until the older vampire disappears around the corner.
-
'Sanghyuk, thank god you're okay!'
Wonshik drops his backpack by the entrance way to throw his arms around Sanghyuk.
'Glad to be back,' Sanghyuk says, returning the hug. As comfy as it had been at Dr. Park's, it really was nice to be back in the space he shared with Wonshik, surrounded by the familiar poster-plastered walls and crammed-to-bursting bookshelves that decorate their otherwise austere student accommodations.
'I'm sorry I couldn't have been of more help,' Wonshik says, face buried in Sanghyuk's shoulder.
'Hey, you did what you could,' Sanghyuk says, patting him on the back, 'And not many people would have been crazy enough to run back into a pub where a vampire and a werehound were duking it out, so you definitely get points for that.'
Wonshik pulls away to look at Sanghyuk, 'Well, we're partners, right? I couldn't leave you behind.'
Sanghyuk feels his heart melt. Damn Kim Wonshik and the way he says such sappy stuff without batting an eyelid.
'Yea,' Sanghyuk smiles, puts on a cowboy twang, 'Thanks, partner.'
Wonshik follows Sanghyuk into the living room, where Sanghyuk is revising for the physics test he had totally forgotten was coming up.
'How're you feeling?' Wonshik asks, dropping into the couch next to Sanghyuk, 'Is your leg alright?'
'Not too bad. It's mostly superficial damage at this point,' Sanghyuk says, propping his leg up on the coffee table to show Wonshik the bandages around his left calf, 'Doc said I should give it a few days before I attempt to use magic again though.'
'Well, you can pretend to be mortal like the rest of us in the meantime then,' Wonshik says, before stopping himself. He looks stricken as he apologises, 'Oh crap, sorry, I didn't mean...'
Sanghyuk waves it off, 'Naw, it's cool.'
He had been much more sensitive about his condition when he was younger, hating that he was born this way and wishing that he was 'normal' like everybody else. He hated his vampirism and what it made him do, hated it to the point that he didn't even want to be capable of magic at all. But after the incident at the Steel Heart, he's done a lot of thinking.
If he hadn't been what he is, he wouldn't have been able to help anyone that night. Sure, he could have been like Wonshik and helped herd fellow mortals away from danger, but they wouldn't have had time to do that if Jaehwan hadn't engaged the werehound. Did Sanghyuk wish he wasn't a 'defective' mage? Of course. But better a defective mage than a hapless bystander who can't protect those he cares for.
Wonshik fidgets in his seat, still feeling awkward about what he'd said. Suddenly, he springs up. 'Wait right here!'
He hurries off to his desk, pulls something out of a drawer. He passes a small, square box to Sanghyuk.
Sanghyuk accepts it, recognising the logo embossed on the lid—a circle enclosing the initials L.E.—as that belonging to the crafter the SRU officers frequent. He opens the box.
'My ring!' he says, slipping it on. He hadn't even realised it was gone.
'The nix wiped out the solar shield spell in it, so I went to get it fixed,' Wonshik explains, perching on the arm of the couch, 'And you're gonna think this is super lame, but... Ta-dah!'
He shows his right hand to Sanghyuk. On his ring finger is, appropriately, a ring. It's not exactly identical to Sanghyuk's, but it is also double banded, and the twin lines of metal twist and overlap to form an X at the front.
'Hakyeon says he'll arrange for it to be charmed once I join the SRU,' Wonshik says, smiling as he swivels the ring around his finger, 'Probably with a single-use shield, but until then, I'm just gonna wear it as is.'
Sanghyuk stares at Wonshik. The mortal looks so happy at the thought of them working together in the future, so hopeful and excited.
'What?' Wonshik asks, head cocked in curiosity when he realises Sanghyuk is looking at him.
'Nothing,' Sanghyuk says, looking down at the ring on his own finger. His mind flashes back to when he was in the throes of bloodlust and fighting the urge to hurt Wonshik. He can't let that happen. He can never let that happen, never again.
'I'm hungry,' Sanghyuk says softly.
Wonshik blinks, surprised to hear him say those words. But then he chuckles and reaches for the hem of his shirt.
'Coming right up.'
-
< Previous Chapter | End of Part. 01
Well, there’s Wonderwall.
In all seriousness though, I had fun with this AU. I’d initially set out to write a stereotypical vampire!AU with angst and smut and stuff, but I couldn’t do it. Despite my track record, pwp isn’t really my thing :’)
I do plan to write more for this AU, and have a very general plot sketched out (there will be real Hyukvi I swear!!), but you know how I am with long projects. Fingers crossed this is the one that bucks the trend and actually gets finished within this decade?
Summary: 'Shit,’ Sanghyuk whispers, stumbles to his feet. He tries to think, remember the sky outside, ‘Full moon.’ // vampire/magic!AU, chapter 02
Characters: Ravi/Hyuk, Jaehwan, Sungjae, Peniel
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2,700+
So to anyone who thought this was gonna be a fluffy little AU, erm, surprise?
-
Housed in the basement of a former nursing home that was converted into a field hospital during the war, the Steel Heart is a sci-fi themed gastropub located in the fifth district—an area on the cusp of gentrification, but which remains popular with students and new immigrants because of the cheap housing and developed facilities.
Jaehwan and Sanghyuk wait for Wonshik at the tram stop in front of their dormitory block located in the heart of the third district. The sun has already set, so the vampires don’t have to wear their cloaks, though they keep them in their bags just in case.
'How’s the thesis thing going?’ Jaehwan asks once they’ve gotten a seat on the tram.
'It’s coming along,’ Wonshik sighs. He laces his fingers behind his head, leans back in his creaky seat. 'I’ve been staring at glyphs for so long, I think they’ve been burned into my cornea.’
'Good thing I never had to bother with that paper writing stuff,’ Jaehwan says, 'Perks of a practical education!’
'Yea, cause you just love being drilled on shadow walking over and over again,’ Sanghyuk says with a grin.
Jaehwan sniffs, 'Everyone has a weakness.’
'And yours is doing anything that involves subtlety.’
Jaehwan takes a swipe at Sanghyuk, who tries but fails to avoid it.
'Dammit, how are you so fast!’ he complains, rubbing his arm.
'You still have a lot to learn, young padawan,’ Jaehwan says with a smug smile.
Wonshik pouts, 'I wish I could be half as fast as Jaehwan, but that’s never happening, not even if someone hooked me up with a booster charm.’
'Naw, you’d probably be more like Sanghyuk; built for heavy lifting rather than speed,’ Jaehwan says, giving Wonshik an appraising once over. 'You should see the weights Taekwoon has him train with.’
'Bro, do you even lift?’ Sanghyuk quotes, flexing his deceptively thin arms.
'Unfortunately, I do, but I still wouldn’t stand a chance against either of you,’ Wonshik says with a mournful sigh.
'Don’t worry, Wonshik,’ Jaehwan says, patting him on the thigh, 'At least you’re pretty.’
Wonshik splutters helplessly, and even as he laughs at the older male’s expense, Sanghyuk can’t help but think that Jaehwan has a point. Wonshik is kind of adorable when his face flushes in embarrassment.
-
The pub is nearing full capacity by the time the trio arrive, but they manage to bag an empty table at the back of the room, near the kitchen.
'Cheers!’ Jaehwan says, bumping his glass against Sanghyuk’s and Wonshik’s in turn.
'And what are we drinking to?’ Wonshik asks as he takes a gulp.
'How’s about we drink to Sanghyuk getting gold for his levitation test?’ Jaehwan proposes.
'What?’ Wonshik nudges Sanghyuk, 'Dude, you didn’t tell me!’
'It’s no big deal,’ Sanghyuk shrugs, even though it kind of is. Levitation is not an especially difficult piece of magic, but it requires a constant stream of energy as opposed to a one-off expulsion. Having to regulate the flow of magic and the direction of movement simultaneously is mentally taxing, and the obstacle course for the levitation test is designed to stretch one’s stamina, spatial awareness and reflexes to the limit. Vampires do have the advantage of being naturally gifted with corporeal magic though, which makes levitation comparatively easy for them to master.
'Don’t sell yourself short, Sanghyuk, getting gold isn’t easy!’ Jaehwan says, 'Heck, I don’t think we could get gold anymore, not without proper training.’
'We’ referred to Taekwoon and Jaehwan, the vampires of the MPF’s Specialised Response Unit, which Sanghyuk will be part of once he finishes his training. They are the only two vampires currently in the SRU, largely because there aren’t many vampires in Mezoa to begin with.
Mages are rare, with the last national census putting 0.5% of Mezoa’s total population of eight million as being magically inclined. In turn, vampirism is a genetic disorder that affects about one mage in every five thousand, and not a communicable disease as most people believe. Little research has been done on the condition, and the general population’s knowledge of vampirism is largely made up of folklore and superstition, which is why Sanghyuk had such a hard time growing up, once his disorder surfaced after he turned six. His neighbours were understandably distressed when their livestock started dying of exsanguination.
'Yea, well, the power of youth, right?’ Sanghyuk teases.
'I can still pass off as a high school student!’ Jaehwan squeaks.
'I dunno Jaehwan,’ Wonshik says with a laugh, 'I’d peg you as a freshman at most.’
'Bullies, the both of you,’ sobs the baby-faced 25 year old. He downs his beer and waves a waiter down, 'I’m going to need more alcohol to get through the night.’
'Don’t use us as an excuse,’ Sanghyuk grins, 'I’m not carrying you home if you get drunk!’
-
The evening passes in a happy haze of banter and good food. Wonshik talks about what he’s been learning in his Magus Studies module (or more specifically, The Historical Development of Combative Magic in Mezoa), and Jaehwan regales stories of the cases he’s dealt with recently. The two younger ones listen slack-jawed as Jaehwan describes a raid he’d been on with Hakyeon and Taekwoon, where they had stormed a shophouse that was being used as a safe house to stash persons involved in a mage trafficking ring.
'The whole operation was part of a co-ordinated effort between the National Security Bureau, the Mezoa Police Force, the Immigration and Border Protection Agency, and the Magus Affairs Department. The SRU had been helping surveil the place for months. We’d already figured out how they ran the place, their schedule, their personnel, the whole shebang, so it was time to shut things down.’
He pauses for effect, downing his beer before speaking in a hushed, dramatic tone.
'We hit them a little past three in the morning, took them by surprise. There were thirteen Sierras total; nine hot, four cold.’
Sierras were subjects, or suspects, and mages ran hot while mortals ran cold—a reference to the energy fields that mages could feel radiating off fellow practitioners.
'One of the smugglers was quick and popped a blast that nearly hit Hakyeon, but he managed to deflect it. Wrong move. Taekwoon took him out so hard, the guy will probably be feeling that punch till next month. Hakyeon and Minhyuk ran defence along with the other duellers on the task force, and Taekwoon and I went on the offensive. Luckily, we didn’t have to do much. Most of the mages surrendered pretty quickly once they realised they were outnumbered, but the mortals kept going. We stunned three of them, but there was one with a gun, so Taekwoon had to sleep hex her. She went down like a ton of bricks. Her head might have clipped a table, but well, them’s the breaks!’
'Damn,’ Wonshik says, a spam fry hanging from his lips. 'That sounds intense.’
'Sure is,’ Jaehwan agrees, shovelling a forkful of chocolate brownie into his mouth, 'Doesn’t matter how many times you’ve done it. Each case, each incident is different. I trust our duellers of course, but you always have to be on your toes. You never know what can happen.’
Sanghyuk exhales slowly, blowing a stream of air at his fringe and making it ruffle. Anticipation and nervousness clenches in his gut. 'I can’t believe that’s what I’m going to be doing in a few months time.’
'Not so fast, youngling,’ Jaehwan cautions, 'You don’t get to go out on raids on your first outing. You’ve got to get at least two years worth of patrolling under your belt first!’
Sanghyuk makes a face, 'But I’m a specialist,’ he whines, 'Don’t we have an accelerated route?’
'Maybe if you show the Department bosses that you possess 'an exceptional aptitude for fieldwork’ and have 'great personal integrity’ and are able to maintain 'high standards of delivery’ in your work,’ Jaehwan quotes with an eyeroll, 'Then they’d have enough to raise a case with SRU, but until then, you’re going to have to go through what the rest of us did.’
Sanghyuk sighs. 'Fine…’
Wonshik pats him on the back, 'Don’t worry man, at least we’ll be patrolling the streets together.’
'And that’s supposed to comfort me how?’ Sanghyuk says with a straight face.
'I’m hurt, partner, real hurt,’ Wonshik jokes, holding a hand over his heart.
'Aww, do you need me to kiss it better?’ Jaehwan offers, batting his lashes. The two vampires laugh at the way Wonshik blushes again.
'Way too easy,’ Jaehwan giggles, 'He’s going to be fun to bring out on vice ops.’
Wonshik opens his mouth to protest, but whatever he had intended to say next is stopped short by a sudden, blinding white flash and a thunderous cracking sound.
Sanghyuk reels backwards, nearly knocked off his chair by the wave of magic that rips through the room. The pulse is so strong, it shakes up his store of magical energy, leaving him dazed, breathless, and nauseous. Next to him, Wonshik looks pale and Jaehwan, Jaehwan looks pissed. The older vampire is on his feet in a crouched battle stance; his honey warm eyes are ice cold as they scan the room.
Sanghyuk feels Jaehwan’s presence press against his consciousness, and he struggles to pull himself together enough to open his mind to him. Telepathy is one of the greyer arts, because of its potential for misuse and abuse, i.e. entering and manipulating another’s mind without their consent. However, the official ruling is still not out on whether the craft should be banned completely, or allowed to be studied and practiced under tightly regulated circumstances. Until that particular bureaucratic Gordian knot is resolved, the SRU intend to keep using it as a form of communication during emergency situations.
Wake up, Jaehwan presses, his voice a warped echo in Sanghyuk’s mind, occupying a higher plane above his own thoughts. Feel.
Sanghyuk pushes himself upright. He spreads his senses out to locate other mages in the vicinity, hissing from the effort it takes to wrangle his magic back under control. He pings one, two, three other mages, apart from himself and Jaehwan. His senses aren’t as fine tuned as Taekwoon’s, who can even identify the type of magic a mage is most well versed in, but he can still identify the basics like energy levels.
Jaehwan, Sanghyuk says as his attentions are drawn to one mage in particular, someone sitting near the stage where a local band called the Baskerville Hounds had just finished their set.
I see it. Jaehwan replies. Call it in.
Sanghyuk fumbles for his phone and dials 666 for the MPF hotline.
As Sanghyuk gives the operator the location and known details of the attack, Jaehwan moves towards the front of the pub. Around him, the mortal patrons of the pub are stirring. There is no shouting or screaming, only confused murmuring. To them, the energy bomb—it could only have been an energy bomb, also known as a 'nix'—would have felt like a mild concussive blast, but to mages, it had been a lot worse. Crafted by binding a detonation charm to a highly-charged energy crystal, nixes were historically used to stun enemy mages while minimising damage to friendly mortal soldiers.
Even now, Jaehwan can feel its effects. Despite being seated far away from the detonation point, the pool of magic inside him, his source, is spinning like a whirlpool. Stray magic sparks off him in bursts of yellow, and he takes a deep breath as he draws his energy back inwards. The energy fields of all the mages hit in the blast are fluctuating, and one of them is unconscious, which is a dangerous combination. But the mage who concerns Jaehwan most is the one near the stage.
Their energy levels are all over the place, and there is something off about their magic. Jaehwan cloaks his own field and steps into the shadows, of which there are few due to the tube lighting installed to build up the clinical laboratory atmosphere the Steel Heart aims for. He edges closer, bit by bit, goes around the room to get a view of what he’s dealing with.
The mage feels young, as young as Sanghyuk. Jaehwan can’t see their face since they are hunched over in their seat. They’re shaking, their magic fizzing and whirling around them like fireworks, albeit harmless ones. The mage’s companion has an arm around them, is asking them if they’re okay.
'Sungjae, hey, talk to me man. What’s wrong?’
Sungjae. Jaehwan files that name away for later as he moves closer to catch a piece of magic sparking off Sungjae so he can examine it.
There is something wrong with Sungjae’s magic alright, a very familiar kind of wrong. There’s that 'tarnish’ that Jaehwan knows only too well, but Sungjae isn’t a vampire. What is he? Jaehwan digs deeper, teasing apart the energy signature to compare it against all the kinds of atypical magic he has encountered before: medusas, ghouls, oracles, trolls, sirens… Oh.
Werehound, Jaehwan telegraphs to Sanghyuk who has just finished his call. He’s a werehound!
'Shit,’ Sanghyuk whispers, stumbles to his feet. He tries to think, remember the sky outside, 'Full moon.’
Jaehwan, Sanghyuk thinks, it’s a full moon tonight.
Jaehwan swears under his breath. The nix had enough magic in it to wipe out any precautions the werehound would have taken. He is going to transform.
Jaehwan steps out of the shadows, clutches a hand to his throat. 'Everyone, may I have your attention please,’ Jaehwan speaks calmly, aware that any shaking in his voice will be especially noticeable now that its been magically augmented, 'Kindly make your way to the closest exit in an orderly manner. Thank you for your co-operation.’
'Hang on, what’s going on, who do you think you are?’ says one of the waitstaff, a lady with metallic nuts and bolts painted on her face to match her boxy, silver uniform.
'Madam, there’s been a security incident. I’m a police officer, off-duty,’ Jaehwan explains, flashing his badge. 'Some of your patrons have been hurt. One of them is unconscious. I’ve already had my colleagues call for backup, but until they get here, please help me get everyone out of the pub.’
'But-’
'Please come this way, madam,’ Wonshik interjects. He shares a look with Jaehwan as he escorts the lady away; Jaehwan gives him a grim nod.
While Wonshik talks the waitstaff into evacuating the premises, Jaehwan approaches the werehound and his companion, a bald youth dressed in baggy sports gear.
'Sir, I need you to come with me, please.’
'What, no! Sungjae is, Sungjae is…’
Jaehwan touches the back of Peniel’s hand, 'What’s your name, sir?’ he asks politely, urgently, pushing a little charm behind his words. He can’t spare much magic, not if Sungjae turns, but he needs to get Peniel away from him.
'Me? I’m Peniel. Sungjae is my friend.’
The werehound’s trembling is getting worse. His hair is growing longer, coarser. They’re running out of time.
'Okay Peniel, I’m Jaehwan. Listen, I need you to leave Sungjae to me, alright?’
'I can’t,’ Peniel says, wild-eyed. He’s frightened, he knows, but he can’t leave his friend, 'Sungjae, he has a condition-’
'I know about his lycanthropy,’ Jaehwan says, hitting Peniel with another shot of charm, 'I can handle it. Please, go now. Trust me.’
'Jaehwan,’ Sanghyuk calls as he approaches them. He’s shaken off the worse of the shock, his source stable. Around them, the pub starts to empty out. A few curious patrons are staring, some of them have their phones out.
Jaehwan curses again, raises a warp around them. It’s a shoddy job—intangible magic is harder for vampires to master—but it will have to do. Sungjae’s ragged breathing is turning rougher. His nails…
'Get him out of here, Sanghyuk,’ Jaehwan snaps, 'Clear the area, now!’
Sanghyuk doesn’t waste time on questions. He immediately throws Peniel over his shoulder and carries him away.
Jaehwan steps backwards. Sungjae isn’t shaking anymore. He falls off his chair, onto all fours. A deep growl emanates from his chest. Jaehwan takes a quick look around. There are still a few bystanders close by, too-curious-for-they’re-own-damn-good idiots who are trying to peer through the watery haze Jaehwan has drawn around them. Sanghyuk is zipping back and forth, hauling them away one by one. Jaehwan can only trust that he and Wonshik will take care of the members of public, because he can’t afford to think about them anymore.
Summary: 'Well, time to get comfy,' Sanghyuk says as he returns to Wonshik's side. Wonshik sets the book down on his lap and puts on his reading glasses. Sanghyuk reaches for the scalpel. // vampire/magic!AU, chapter 01
Characters: Ravi/Hyuk
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2,800+
Kindly blame the existence of this AU on @ch-y and @hakyeon-go-go, my muses and enablers.
-
It annoys Sanghyuk, the way fanatics romanticise the process of feeding. There is nothing nice about having to stave off a premature death by absorbing energy through another living being's blood—there is nothing sexy about being born with a genetic abnormality.
Sanghyuk doesn't mean to be ungrateful. He is thankful that capital folk are accepting (to a certain degree) of mages with his affliction. Back in his village, he was called all sorts of names: monster, freak, hellspawn, demon. Here in the capital though, he is simply known by the neutral term 'vampire'.
Not everyone is accepting of his kind of course, so he does still gets called things like 'leech' or 'bloodsucker'. But even those people aren't stupid enough to try to kill him, unlike his old neighbours, which is all well and good for Sanghyuk. He doesn't want to be kicked out from the organisation he has come to see as home because he accidentally damages some moron with a chip on their shoulder and a stick up their ass.
If he was being fair and levelheaded, he understood that the suspicion and aggression was merely fear disguised, and that the fear was rooted in ignorance and misinformation. When mortals think of mages, they imagine two clearly delineated camps: good mages versus bad mages. Officially certified and healthy practitioners of sanctioned magic fall in the former camp, while corrupted practitioners—be it corrupted in his sense, or in the sense of dabblers in the forbidden crafts—fall in the latter.
But real life is never that simple, and since he moved to the capital eight years ago, Sanghyuk has met just as many good-hearted vampires and warlocks and sorcerers as he has met depraved healers and architects and crafters. In his opinion, mages are simply mortals born with the ability to manipulate energy, and they should be judged purely on what they choose to do with their gifts rather than the exact nature of their gift.
Sanghyuk sighs as he climbs the spiral staircase up to the library on shaky legs. His stomach is heavy with the pile of dumplings he had demolished with Jaehwan's help, but a deeper hunger still scratches in the background. Like most civilised vampires, he tries to stretch his reserves by consuming regular food; the standard ingestible form of energy that vampires unfortunately can't process efficiently because of their condition. He's tried to go for a month between feedings before, but the human digestive system can't cope with the amount of food a vampire would have to eat if food was their only source of energy. Ever since he hit puberty, the longest he's been able to go between sessions is two weeks, and even then he is pushing it. By the tenth day, he can barely get out of bed and is usually so pale he could be mistaken for a ghoul.
He finds Wonshik in his usual spot: a quiet alcove near the western end of the cavernous room, flanked by tomes of books lined up neatly on towering floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Unlike Sanghyuk, Wonshik is mortal and cannot use magic. That doesn't stop him from wanting to learn all he can on the theory of magic though, and his pet topic is textual magic, or the craft of storing intentions in written or carved symbols, which can be unleashed at a later point in time. He is absorbed in a thick leather-bound book when Sanghyuk catches his attention by slipping into the seat opposite him.
'Oh, hey,' Wonshik says with a faint smile. He runs a hand over his face, looks at his watch, 'Woah, it's already seven?'
As if on cue, his stomach growls so loudly a fellow library dweller one table over looks up. Sanghyuk snickers as the tip of Wonshik's ears turn pink in embarrassment.
'Come on,' Sanghyuk says, jerking his head towards the exit, 'I got Hongbin to buy some of that stir fried noodle you like so much from the market.'
Wonshik's face lights up, 'Great! I'm starving!'
'Ya don't say.'
Whilst Wonshik tidies up the desk and returns all the reference books he'd taken out, Sanghyuk stands by a window, rocking on his heels as he watches the lights come on throughout the city. The final sliver of sun is disappearing under the horizon, and he fiddles with the ring on his finger, feeling the spell embedded in it slowly fizzle out as its services were no longer required. His ring can't protect him from the full force of the afternoon sun, but it is strong enough to allow him to walk outside around dawn or dusk.
'Alright, let's go.'
Sanghyuk looks at the books Wonshik has shoved into the crook of his arm. 'You do know we have weights in the gym, right?'
Wonshik chuckles, 'I've been digging up all the information I can on the efficacy and utility of multi-language spells for combat purposes, and there's a lot on it if you know where to look.'
Sanghyuk shrugs, his interest dampened by the nagging ache in his limbs. 'Whatever floats your boat,' he says, before leading the way out of the library and back to their apartment.
-
'Man, that hit the spot,' Wonshik hums as he put his chopsticks down on the now empty plate and leans back in his chair.
Sanghyuk makes a vague sound of acknowledgement from where he is sitting on his bed, scrolling through his text messages and reading incident updates sent by the on-duty teams. There is a banishment in progress to contain a class two haunting at Frangipani Street, and a dispute between two drunken spellcasters down by the Fig and Fiddle; just an average Monday night in the capital.
'You ready?' Wonshik asks as he shuffles off to the kitchen to retrieve the kit.
Sanghyuk put down his phone. 'Ready when you are,' he says, playing it cool even as a familiar rush of anticipation and shame courses through him at the thought of being able to feel truly full again.
Wonshik plonks down on the armchair tucked into the nook between the bookcase and television set. He tosses a plastic container at Sanghyuk, who catches it by the handle between his thumb and index finger. Sanghyuk opens up the box, setting out the supplies stored within while Wonshik takes off his shirt and tosses it over the back of the chair.
'We're almost out of numbing gel,' Sanghyuk says, checking the contents of a large metal tin, 'Remind me to pick up a new batch from the pharmacy later.'
'Oh yea, we're almost out of toiler paper too,' Wonshik says as he offers his left arm to Sanghyuk who has moved to kneel by his side.
'That's all on you,' Sanghyuk snorts. He scrapes out a generous amount of translucent blue gel and spreads it over Wonshik's forearm.
Wonshik rolls his eyes, 'Pass me my book bag, will you?'
Normally, Sanghyuk would tell him to get it himself, but given that he is about to do, he does as he's asked, and even fetches a glass of water for the older man after. Wonshik accepts the water with a nod, takes a sip from it before setting it aside to rummage in his book bag with one hand.
'Whatcha reading?' Sanghyuk asks, nodding at the hardcover book Wonshik selected as they both wait for the gel to work its magic.
'This?' Wonshik runs his fingers down the cover with a smile, 'It's the seminal work on multilingual magic; Fairey's book was the first to theorise that talismans created using symbols and graphemes from different languages could be used concurrently to affect intentions in a process which could theoretically cost a crafter less energy than if they had only used one language.'
'Huh, really?' Sanghyuk says, arching a brow in thought, 'Well, I guess that sounds plausible. I've seen some ancient talismans that use both Hangul and Chinese characters.'
'Exactly! But this book goes further by experimenting with combinations like Germanic runes and Arabic. The results aren't perfect, and they'd have have to go through multiple rounds of testing before certification, but there's a lot of potential in this field!'
'I don't know how you do it, man,' Sanghyuk shakes his head as he grabs a piece of tissue to wipe away the gel that has changed consistency to become a solid creamy paste, indicating that it is spent. 'How do you juggle your studies, internship and club activities, and still find time to go to the gym every day?'
He casts a furtive, appreciative glance at Wonshik's abs; a strictly professional kind of admiration, of course.
'Lots and lots of coffee,' Wonshik says with a laugh. 'But don't worry, I held off today cause you said it makes me taste bitter.'
Sanghyuk walks to the kitchen to gargle with some minty mouthwash, thankful for the excuse to hide his face. He'd never say it out loud, but he could not have been paired up with a better partner.
'Well, time to get comfy,' Sanghyuk says as he returns to Wonshik's side. Wonshik sets the book down on his lap and puts on his reading glasses. Sanghyuk reaches for the scalpel.
'Ready,' Wonshik says serenely, and Sanghyuk gives him an apologetic smile.
'Sorry,' Sanghyuk says as he always does before cutting into Wonshik's radial artery.
Sanghyuk isn't sure where the myth of vampire fangs comes from, but the idea has always been hilarious to him. Do non-vampires have any idea how long it'd take them to finish feeding if they could only lap from two tiny puncture wounds? It is way more efficient and tidy to make a small incision to drink from instead.
The first few times, Hakyeon had been the one to guide him and Wonshik through the feeding process. He taught them how to prepare the area, where to cut, how much pressure to use, and how wide a wound to make. Too large a wound, and Wonshik might bleed out before the incision healed, whereas too small a wound would drag out the process unnecessarily and increase the chances of infection. That wouldn't be an issue if they were feeding in a sterile and secure environment, but if they were out in the field, time could be of the essence, especially if Sanghyuk was running low.
Jaehwan was the one who taught Sanghyuk feeding etiquette.
'Always wipe your mouth. We don't have to before we eat, but we definitely should before we feed! Don't want to be getting cookie crumbs on your partner's arm, right? Don't forget to gargle too. Mouthwash won't kill the bacteria in your mouth, but at least your saliva won't smell too bad. And don't bite. Not unless you and your partner are into that kind of thing,' Jaehwan said with a wink.
'If you did things right, you should have a steady flow to drink from. You can suckle, but be gentle, and don't probe with your tongue. You don't want to widen the wound or cause a tear, and you don't want to drink too much too fast; it could make your partner lightheaded. All donors are given foods, herbs and supplements that'll increase their energy density and blood production beyond the average human, but you should still be careful about how much you take. You wouldn't want your bloodlust to kick in, now do you?'
Jaehwan has a point. It's only been a week since he last fed, but Sanghyuk can barely stifle the moan that rises unbidden as he presses his mouth to Wonshik's forearm. The moment the blood touches his tongue, he feels a jolt of energy shoot down his spine. Sparks start to tingle throughout his body, and Sanghyuk closes his eyes, relishes the life seeping into him.
Wonshik's blood is so, so red.
-
Wonshik flips a page, humming to himself while Sanghyuk feeds. The dulled warmth and dampness of the mouth on his skin is not an entirely unpleasant sensation. If someone had told him three years ago that he would willingly give up his blood to a vampire, given how squeamish he is, he would have asked them to get their head examined. Yet here he was, sharing an apartment with a 'specialist'—as mages like Sanghyuk are referred to in their profession—and offering up his arm on a weekly basis whilst whiling away the time, doing mundane things like watching music videos on his laptop, or going through readings for class.
Wonshik can still remember the day he saw the poster pinned to the notice board at the entrance way of his high school, promoting the tertiary education scholarships being offered by the Mezoa Police Force. When he was younger, his relatives would ask him what he wanted to do when he grew up, and he'd always said he wanted to be a crime fighter, so he could keep the city streets safe for his sister and family. The poster had seemed like a sign.
His grades, though nothing spectacular, were decent enough, and the hiring officer had taken his participation in the school football team into consideration. He was awarded the scholarship, and that, along with some serendipitous twists during the past two years, was how he ended up here and now: in his final year of university and ready to join the Specialised Response Unit of the MPF after graduation.
Sanghyuk shifts to lean against his leg, bony hand flexing around Wonshik's elbow as he changes the angle of his head. Wonshik looks up from his book. He is happy to see the colour slowly returning to Sanghyuk's face. Like Taekwoon, Sanghyuk is very reluctant to feed. However, unlike Taekwoon, Sanghyuk makes no effort to hide the pale skin that gives away his condition. Most other vampires he knows are like Jaehwan, who feed regularly to conceal their identity as much as possible, but not his partner—even though it makes him look like death warmed over, he wears his discolouration with a fierce defiance.
Wonshik can't help but stare, enthralled by the way Sanghyuk's hair darkens from a bleached blonde to a dark chestnut brown. A peachy glow rolls over his skin, and the ashy-grey of his lips is fading into a rich pink. His lashes flutter like butterfly wings, and Wonshik is filled with a sudden, inexplicable urge to touch him, but he resists. He doesn't want to disturb the younger boy.
So Wonshik returns his attentions to his book. He wonders, fleetingly, what Sanghyuk thinks about when he feeds.
-
Sanghyuk drinks until the throbbing at the base of his skull fades away.
Once his hunger is largely quenched, he forces himself to pull away from Wonshik's arm. He immediately sterilises the wound with an alcohol swab, then places an adhesive dressing loaded with accelerated healing salve over the incision.
'You okay?' he asks, peering at Wonshik's face for any sign of discomfort.
Wonshik looks up from his book, 'Hmm, me? I'm fine.' He places his book over the arm of the chair, bends his arm back and forth a few times, wriggles his fingers. 'Yup, I'm good. You?'
'Yea, I'm fine,' he covers his mouth with his hand as he licks the remnants of blood left on his teeth. 'About seventy percent full? I should be good to go for another week.'
'You should drink more.' Wonshik stretches and yawns, then downs the rest of the water Sanghyuk had gotten him, 'Don't you have that physical proficiency test coming up soon?'
'And you have a thesis defense to prepare for,' Sanghyuk counters as he tidies up and repacks the kit.
Wonshik groans, throws his shirt at Sanghyuk's head. 'Don't remind me... I'm supposed to meet my advisor next week but I haven't gotten anything done.'
'Lies,' Sanghyuk sniffs, picking up the shirt he'd easily dodged and chucking it back at Wonshik. It hits its target with a soft paft. 'You've been camping out in the library for days now, and I've seen the notes you've been taking. You got this.'
Wonshik slumps in his seat, shirt hanging over half of his face. He rubs his eyes and sighs.
'I'm tired,' he admits. 'I'm excited by what I'm turning up, but it's tiring, poring over books and articles day after day.'
'So take a day off,' Sanghyuk says, 'You've earned it.' His phone buzzes from his bed, and Sanghyuk is reminded of something.
'Tell you what,' Sanghyuk says as he fetches a pack of assorted cookies for Wonshik, 'Why don't you come to the Steel Heart with me and Jaehwan on Friday? They have live singers and performers in the evenings.'
'Steel Heart? That's out in the Fifth, right?' Wonshik pops a chocolate chip cookie in his mouth, 'Hmmm, I don't know, I was going to go for a run on Saturday morning.'
'Chill out man,' Sanghyuk laughs, 'Missing one run won't kill you!'
Summary: 'It’s nearly one in the morning,’ Wonshik said, following after Sanghyuk who stalked towards the front door, grabbing his coat as he jammed his feet into his sneakers, ‘Where are you going?’ ‘Out.’ Sanghyuk repeated, calm as anything, and then he was gone. // canonverse + fluffy angst
Characters: Ravi/Hyuk, polyamourous!OT6
Rating: G
Word Count: 4,400+
What Apple senpai asks for, Apple senpai gets! Hope ya like this @ch-y~
-
Sanghyuk was a brat.
All the members agreed on this, though they’d say it with varying degrees of exasperation and fondness. (Hakyeon: loving exasperation, high fondness. Taekwoon: much exasperation, such fondness. Jaehwan and Hongbin: mild exasperation, gleeful and conspiratorial fondness.)
Wonshik would say he occupied the middle ground. Sanghyuk, for all his mischief and silliness, was a hardworking and reliable junior, so as much as he tested Wonshik’s patience and sanity at times, he was still very precious to him.
Lately though… Lately, Wonshik’s feelings for Sanghyuk have been tilting to the exasperated end of the spectrum.
It started off innocently enough; some sass here, some roughhousing there, nothing out of the ordinary. Then Wonshik’s things started disappearing and reappearing in unusual places. His deodorant relocated to the living room one morning, and he found his friendship ring lounging at the top of the bookshelf in their room after a frantic two hour search. Wonshik even came home late one night to find Sanghyuk lounging in Hongbin’s room, watching the gamer decimate other players on Overwatch while crunching through the bag of crisps Wonshik had bought at the convenience store downstairs.
'Hey, those are mine!’ Wonshik complained, jamming his hands on his hips. He’d been in his studio all day, and after subsisting for hours on coffee and the energy bars his manager had taken to leaving on his desk, he had been looking forward to a salty snack.
Sanghyuk peeled his eyes away from the screen to flash Wonshik a smirk before turning back to whoop as Hongbin headshot the enemy Genji, who had accidentally darted out from behind cover for one brief but fatal moment.
'Sorry, I thought they were Taekwoon’s,’ Sanghyuk said even as he slipped another thin, curved crisp between his teeth and chomped it in two with a sharp bite.
'You shouldn’t eat other people’s food!’ Wonshik pointed out, taking the rare opportunity to loom over their youngest.
'I was hungry,’ Sanghyuk shrugged, tossing the remaining half of the crisp into his mouth. Fine flakes of potato and salt dotted his lips.
Wonshik’s stomach squeezed in envy. 'You’re always hungry!’ he complained while rubbing the crick in his neck.
'I’m a growing boy,’ Sanghyuk said, thrusting his hand into the bag to fish out another crisp. Hongbin snorted as he danced away from the vengeful fire of an enemy Symmetra, and Wonshik pressed the heel of his palm against his aching eyes. He was way too tired to deal with this right now.
'Fine,’ he said, raising his arms in surrender as he headed back to the kitchen, 'I’ll get some for you the next time I buy them.’
-
But things didn’t stop there. If anything, Sanghyuk got bolder, though he never went so far that his antics could be judged as outright disrespectful.
He justified jamming his knees into the back of Wonshik’s car seat by claiming that the backseat was too narrow to contain his long legs. He ganged up with Jaehwan and Hongbin to balance miscellaneous things—hair clips, tissues, keychains—on Wonshik’s forehead when he fell asleep in the waiting room. And as for tonight, while the member were having barbecue for dinner, Sanghyuk had taken to reaching for food or condiments in a way that would obstruct Wonshik.
'Hey!’ Wonshik yelped when a pair of silver tongs sliced the air before him as he reached for a piece of garlic.
'Whoops, sorry,’ Sanghyuk laughed, drawing back the tongs that were now loaded with a small mountain of gopchang.
'That’s the fifth time,’ Wonshik grumbled, eyeing Sanghyuk’s hands as he reached out for the garlic again.
'Don’t fight,’ Hakyeon tutted. He took a sip of beer, 'We haven’t had a meal together in a long time.’
'We’re not fighting,’ Sanghyuk fluttered his lashes, the very picture of innocence. His dimples winked as he sucked the sauce off his chopstick, 'Right, Wonshik?’
'Right…’ Wonshik replied, folding his wrap up with a quick pinch and stuffing it into his mouth in case the tongs made a return.
Hakyeon shook his head with a chuckle. 'How’s the album coming along, Wonshik?’
’S'good,’ Wonshik mumbled around a mouthful of greens and juicy meat. He shoved the mass to one side of his mouth, still chewing with his right molars as he said, 'Got a meeting with the team on Thursday to finalise the tracklist and refine the concept. There are a few more songs I want to do a rough recording of before then though.’
There were so many things Wonshik wanted to do, so many songs and images and ideas still buzzing in his head that he wished he was back at his studio capturing them for further use, but he was at the point where he needed to narrow things down, find focus, create one coherent project. That was why he had relented and taken time away from his music to eat with the others, to get some space and perspective on things as a whole. He swallowed and ticked his chin at Jaehwan, 'Jaehwan came in for a session today, and I think we definitely got something there.’
'I would say remember to get enough rest, but I already know someone will have to physically drag you out of your studio at some point during the next few weeks.’ Hakyeon sighed. 'Still, I can’t wait to experience the final product. I’m sure it’ll be wonderful.’
'Of course it would be with my help!’ Jaehwan crowed, patting and primping his hair while wriggling like a worm in his seat. Taekwoon rolled his eyes as he snipped the sizzling belly pork into bite sized pieces, and Hakyeon pressed a loose fist against his smiling lips.
'Cute,’ Wonshik laughed, reaching out to scritch Jaehwan on the shoulder, that is, until the tongs reappeared again.
'Hey!’
-
'I’m done,’ Wonshik said, rubbing a towel through his hair and nudging open their bedroom door with his foot. The door swung inwards to reveal Sanghyuk sprawled flat on his back on the floor between their beds, a manhwa held aloft and casting a shadow over his face.
'You shouldn’t read while lying down,’ Wonshik nagged, dabbing at the odd droplets of water he’d missed while towelling off. He squinted, 'Is that my shirt?’
Sanghyuk looked up, or well, down at the unbuttoned pinstripe shirt lying half open on his bare chest, 'Oh yea, I borrowed it cause you guys were taking so long to shower and my clothes stunk,’ he said over a temporary double chin.
Wonshik slung his towel around his neck with a frown, 'Yea, but now my shirt’s gonna stink of gopchang.’
'Stink is not a word to describe the smell of gopchang,’ Sanghyuk teased, but he faltered when he saw the serious look on Wonshik’s face. He lowered the manhwa onto his stomach.
'Give it back please,’ Wonshik said, deciding it was time to put his foot down. He had a lot on his plate now that the gears were in motion for his official solo debut, and between those preparations and the rehearsals for the year end shows, he needed to be minimise distractions. 'I give you a lot of leeway because I love you, Sanghyuk, but sometimes you take things too far.’
Sanghyuk sat up, bit his lip. 'It’s just a shirt,’ he grumbled as he shrugged it off his broad shoulders. 'It’s not the first time I’ve worn your clothes.’
'The other times were… Different,’ Wonshik said, trying not to blush, 'At least I was there when you took them.’ Wonshik planted a hand on his hip, dragged the other hand down his face, 'These days, you’ve been taking things without asking, and I know we share a room and all, but you should still ask for permission before borrowing my stuff.’
Sanghyuk opened his mouth as though to retort, before clamping it shut in a mulish pout. 'Okay,’ he said, bowing his head, 'I’m sorry.’
'It’s fine,’ Wonshik said with a wave of his hand. As long as Sanghyuk understood that he needed to rein his antics in, it was good enough for him.
Sanghyuk handed him his shirt, which he accepted, draping the soft fabric over his arm and smoothing it down. 'Anyway, bathroom’s free. Better go before Jaehwan gets to it,’ Wonshik said with a grin.
Sanghyuk didn’t grin back. Instead, he turned his back to Wonshik and picked up the clothes he had worn to dinner.
'I’m going out,’ he said as he pulled his layers on.
'Huh?’ Wonshik blinked as Sanghyuk breezed past him while winding a scarf around his neck.
'It’s nearly one in the morning,’ Wonshik said, following after Sanghyuk who stalked towards the front door, grabbing his coat as he jammed his feet into his sneakers, 'Where are you going?’
'Out.’ Sanghyuk repeated, calm as anything, and then he was gone.
Wonshik stared at the closing door just as Taekwoon shuffled out of Hakyeon’s room, an empty mug in his hand.
'Where’s Sanghyuk going?’
Wonshik looked back at him, 'I don’t know.’
Taekwoon glanced at the front door, then back at Wonshik. He sighed and gestured at Hakyeon’s room.
'Let’s talk.’
-
’…And that’s all I said! I didn’t raise my voice or anything,’ Wonshik finished, arms crossed over his chest.
Hakyeon leant back against Taekwoon’s side and slung an arm over his lap as he hummed. He shared a look with Taekwoon, who raised his brows over the mug of freshly brewed coffee cradled in his hands; Hakyeon nodded and breathed out slowly through his nose.
'What?’ Wonshik said, rubbing his hands over his biceps.
All six members were in a relationship with each other, and though they’ve worked out most of their worries and jealousies and feelings of being left out, there were some combinations of them that were inexplicably closer with each other, and the oldest members were such a combination. For all they bicker and whine, Hakyeon and Taekwoon could hold entire conversations through mere body language, and their near-telepathic communications could be pretty eerie and annoying when you knew they were talking about you.
'Wonshik,’ Hakyeon said, raising his arm and beckoning him over, 'Come here.’
Wonshik hesitated, but recognised that Hakyeon was being serious and not his usual overly-affectionate self. He uncrossed his arms and shuffled over, sliding in under the covers. The others moved to make space for him between them, and he settled down in the warmth at the center of the bed. Taekwoon leaned against his right side, coffee mug still in his hands, and Hakyeon rest his head on his left shoulder. Wonshik felt the tension he didn’t realise had been gathered tight in his limbs all week start to melt away. He let out a soul-deep sigh and rested his head on Taekwoon’s shoulder, allowed Hakyeon to intertwine their fingers.
'How long has it been since you’ve done something like this?’ Hakyeon asked, his voice soft even in the silence of the room. The scent of lavenders wafted over them in waves and the two candles on Hakyeon’s dresser burned steady and bright.
Wonshik closed his eyes, soaking in the warmth radiating off the older members as his bones turned to jelly, 'I dunno,’ he said, flexing the fingers trapped between Hakyeon’s. 'A while?’
Taekwoon snorted, amused. He knocked his chin against Wonshik’s forehead. 'At least since we wrapped up promotions for The Closer.’
'That is a while,’ Hakyeon agreed, gently, but with an undercurrent of subtext that Wonshik didn’t understand.
'I’ve been busy,’ he explained. Ever since their CEO let him explore creating music that was uniquely his, he’d been working hard on composing, preparing for the day he could debut solo. He never let up, not even while they were preparing as a group for their Conception project, and it was all going to pay off soon.
'We’ve all been busy,’ Hakyeon acknowledged, shifting his head to nuzzle Wonshik’s temple, 'and there’s nothing wrong with working hard. But maybe you’ve been focusing on work a bit too much?’
Wonshik’s eyes fluttered open. A half-formed thought hovered at the edge of his mind, prodded into existence by Hakyeon’s question.
'Our Sanghyuk is not like me, or Jaehwan, or even Taekwoon,’ Hakyeon continued, turning his body to curl up against Wonshik. He draped his arm over Wonshik’s chest, snuggled close, 'He isn’t as comfortable admitting that he wants something, at least, not when it comes to things like love and attention.’ Taekwoon harrumphed in protest but Hakyeon ignored him, 'You say Sanghyuk should ask for permission before he takes your things, and that’s true, but have you considered that maybe he doesn’t ask because he doesn’t know how?’
'He just has to give me a call, or text me, or something,’ Wonshik said. Taekwoon knocked him on the forehead again.
'And risk disturbing you?’ Hakyeon prodded. 'He wouldn’t do that. Not when you’re working on something so important.’
'But…’ Wonshik’s eyes widened as realisation bloomed full in his head, 'But he’s important to me too! You all are!’
'Maybe he forgot that,’ Hakyeon said simply, doodling a finger over Wonshik’s heart, 'Maybe you need to remind him.’
-
Their bedroom was dark by the time Sanghyuk got home. He’d been out walking the cold empty streets for an hour. He’d dodged into a 24-hour convenience store at one point to get a hot chocolate, but his fingers were still freezing because he’d forgotten to take his gloves in his haste to leave the dorm. He couldn’t turn back to get them though, couldn’t let Wonshik see how upset he was.
“Ask for permission.” What a laugh! How was he supposed to ask someone who was never home! And what the heck was he supposed to say? Can I borrow your deodorant because I miss your scent? Can I eat some of your crisps because I can’t remember how you taste? How was he supposed to admit that he missed someone who didn’t even care about his existence, so absorbed was he in his work that he had left his ring among the unwashed dishes by the kitchen sink and headed to the office without it?
Sanghyuk pinched his nose bridge, swallowed the lump in his throat. He thought he had cooled down, but being back in the dorm was riling him up again. He breathed out, emptied his lungs flat. He needed to take a shower and get some sleep—unconsciousness would be good right about now.
He padded to their room, pushed the door open with a finger. The hallway lights sliced through the darkness, panning across the room and lighting up a package that was sitting on his bed. A pack of crisps. Sanghyuk couldn’t stop the snort of surprise that burst out. Was it supposed to be a peace offering?
'You’re back.’
The lump Sanghyuk had assumed was a deeply-sleeping Wonshik moved and Sanghyuk’s stomach dropped. Wonshik had been waiting for him; the lack of snoring should have given it away.
'Yea,’ Sanghyuk said, keeping his tone neutral as he bumbled though the half-lit room to get his pyjamas that were hanging over the foot of his bed. He saw Wonshik sit up out of the corner of his eyes.
'Are you… mad at me?’
Sanghyuk stiffened. He did not want to deal with this right now.
'Mad? Why should I be?’ Sanghyuk lied, playing dumb as he started backing out of the room, 'Anyway, I’m going to shower now. It’s late.’
'Sanghyuk,’ Wonshik leapt out of bed to grab him by the wrist, 'Babe, wait.’
(Screw Kim Wonshik and his stupid deep voice, and screw his own weakness to that pet name.)
'It’s late,’ Sanghyuk repeated, keeping his head turned away from Wonshik. His grip on his pyjamas tightened. He needed to stay calm. 'Go to bed. We can talk tomorrow.’ Okay, that’s good. 'If you’re still here, anyway.’ Ah shit.
'Sanghyuk,’ Wonshik said, his voice small and forlorn, and really, screw Kim Wonshik. How dare he sound hurt after all he’d done? Sanghyuk grit his teeth before turning around to look at Wonshik.
'Yes?’ he said. He was proud that his voice didn’t break despite the kicked puppy look on the older man’s face, though his stomach did feel like it was folding in on itself.
Wonshik flicked on the lights; Sanghyuk squinted as his eyes adjusted to the glare.
'You are angry.’
Wonshik was the member who stood the best chance against Sanghyuk strength-wise (though Sanghyuk would ultimately win), yet Sanghyuk couldn’t bring himself to shake him off, because despite everything, he missed the feeling of Wonshik’s hands on him. Pathetic!
'I’m not angry,’ Sanghyuk scoffed, pulling on an amused half smile, 'Why would I be? I’m not going to lose my temper just because you asked for your shirt back; I’m not that petty.’
'That’s not it,’ Wonshik said, and dammit, his gaze was way too intense up close. Sanghyuk’s heart pounded in his chest, and when Wonshik took a step towards him, he flinched, but managed to stand his ground.
Wonshik’s frown deepened.
'Sanghyuk,’ he said, then paused, rubbed the back of his neck. 'I’m sorry.’
'For what?’ Sanghyuk said, still trying to play things off. He could feel his control on his emotions slipping despite his best efforts. 'There’s nothing to be sorry about,’ he smiled, tried to twist out of Wonshik’s grip, 'Look, I’m tired. It’s been a long day. Let’s go to bed, okay?’
'No, not yet,’ Wonshik insisted, shaking his head. His grip tightened as he squared his shoulders. Sanghyuk recognised that stubborn look on his face. 'I’m sorry, okay?’ Wonshik said, his mouth a thin, serious line, 'I’m sorry for neglecting you.’
Sanghyuk’s mouth went dry. Bull’s-eye.
'I know how… single-minded I can be when it comes to my music. Not! That I’m making excuses for myself,’ Wonshik clarified, tripping over his words in his haste to explain his first statement. 'I, It’s just the way I am. And you told me once that it was one of the things you admired about me, right? How driven and committed I am to composing. Do you remember?’ he asked, shy and hopeful. 'That night?’
Sanghyuk inclined his head. He remembered. It was after the first time they had made love, just the two of them, because it felt right, because they wanted each other, needed each other, in more than a physical sense. It was one of the rare times Sanghyuk had felt comfortable enough to speak about his feelings for Wonshik with naked honesty. Wonshik had been moved to tears.
Wonshik pulled the pyjamas out of his grasp, tossed it on his bed and reached out to take both of Sanghyuk’s hands in his. His hands were blessedly warm, but Sanghyuk didn’t move, either to reciprocate or pull away. He simply waited.
Wonshik cleared his throat, 'I know that sometimes, I can become so absorbed in my music I neglect the other things that matter. I forget to eat, I forget to sleep, I forget to bathe, but most importantly and unforgivably,’ Wonshik said, starting deep into Sanghyuk’s eyes, 'I forget to show you how much you mean to me.’
Sanghyuk couldn’t stand the ernest sincerity in his gaze; it shot straight into his soul and burned away the last of his restraint. He ducked his head, stared down at their hands instead, at Wonshik’s tanned skin against his. His throat was tight and the ache he’d been carrying in his chest for the last few days roared in his ears.
'It’s fine,’ Sanghyuk mumbled, one last ditch attempt to cut things short, 'I know how much this means to you.’
'It’s not fine,’ Wonshik said, 'I’ve been a terrible boyfriend lately and I know it.’ He squeezed Sanghyuk’s hands to encourage him to look up, but Sanghyuk couldn’t.
'I love you, Han Sanghyuk,’ Wonshik said. He tried to catch Sanghyuk’s eyes. 'I love you, and I’m sorry for the things I’ve done to make you feel otherwise.’
Fuck. Sanghyuk grit his teeth, his nose getting stuffy as he fought to keep his breathing steady. He can’t deal with this.
Sanghyuk blinked furiously. What did he want him to say? What was he supposed to say? The truth? That he wasn’t angry at Wonshik, that he wasn’t mad; that what he actually was, was sad and, god forbid, lonely?
'Fuck,’ Sanghyuk whispered. He didn’t want to cry, he wasn’t going to cry, yet still he did, a single tear dripping down his cheek.
'What’s wrong?’ Sanghyuk laughed. The jig was up. He looked up at Wonshik with a miserable smile, 'What’s wrong is that I love you. What’s wrong is that I love you so much it kinda freaks me out. What’s wrong is that I miss you, that I want you to spend time with me, but I don’t know how to say it!’
Sanghyuk buried his face in his hands, stepped back, so overwhelmed that he’d gone numb, unable to feel anything but a vague horror at how he was breaking down after keeping his feelings pent up for so long.
'I know how much your solo debut means to you. I know how hard you’ve worked for it, how hard you are going to keep working for it, and I’m happy for you, honest!’ he said, managing to keep any further tears from falling but unable to stop the words gushing forth, 'And I know that I can hang out with Hakyeon or Taekwoon or Jaehwan or Hongbin in the meantime; that this- this separation is only going to last a month or two, but I can’t help it! I can’t help being a greedy bastard,’ Sanghyuk groaned, guilt and fear and shame boiling unfiltered inside him, 'I love them all, of course I do, but I still want you and I don’t know how to deal with that!’
'Oh, Sanghyuk…’ Wonshik said, sounding stricken. He reached out and enveloped Sanghyuk in a hug, 'I’m sorry, I had no idea...’
'Don’t...’ Sanghyuk put up a half-hearted struggle, but Wonshik held firm, and Sanghyuk eventually gave in. He clung to the front of Wonshik’s shirt, clamping down on the dry sobs heaving in his chest as Wonshik’s heart beat strong against his palm.
Being hugged by Wonshik was different from being hugged by any of the others; he was the perfect height for Sanghyuk to bury his face against his shoulder, and he was the only one whose body was a solid frame he could lean his weight against fully. Though the rapper wasn’t as perceptive or eloquent as some of the members, there was a charming simplicity—almost purity—to his affections, and as Wonshik started to run his hand up and down his back, Sanghyuk felt himself calm down with each steady stroke.
Little by little, his inner turmoil subsided. He had done it, he had spoken the truth; all the ugly emotions he’d tried to banish were now out in the open. But there was no judgement like he feared, no scorn or disgust or pity. Of course there wasn’t. Wonshik wasn’t that kind of person. He should have known that. So Sanghyuk took a deep breath to anchor himself, then another. Wonshik still smelt the same; still smelt like the heady mix of cologne and deodorant and musk Sanghyuk had breathed in when he put on Wonshik’s shirt earlier in the evening. He shifted his head, pressed his lips to Wonshik’s neck in a not-quite-kiss.
Fuck, he’d missed him so much.
'Better?’ Wonshik asked, his voice a low rumble that vibrated against his cheek.
'Yea,’ Sanghyuk pressed his face harder against Wonshik’s skin, chewed his bottom lip in embarrassment. 'Sorry about that.’
'Not your fault,’ Wonshik cupped the back of Sanghyuk’s head, massaged his scalp. 'My fault, okay? My fault for being too fixated on work. Should have remembered that loving you is part of my job description too, and not something I can ask the others to sub in on. I should have realised,’ he teased, 'that you were acting up because you wanted my attention.’
'You wish,’ Sanghyuk scoffed, but the effect was spoiled by the shiver that rattled through him as the last of his distress slipped away.
'No need to wish for what I already have,’ Wonshik chuckled, before he gave Sanghyuk a little squeeze, 'But in all seriousness, I really am sorry,’ he kissed him on the temple, 'My work is important to me, but so are you, and I never want to give you any reason to doubt it. I’ll do better in the future, I promise.’
Sanghyuk sighed. He wrapped his arms around Wonshik’s torso and squeezed hard enough to make the older man gasp.
'If you were all the same to me,’ he said, enunciating each word precisely and deliberately, 'I would only be in love with one of you. Get it?’
He felt Wonshik nod.
'Yea,’ the older man said quietly, 'I get it.’
'Good.’ Sanghyuk released him, hoping that his eyes weren’t red or puffy as he gave Wonshik a playful shove, 'Now go to bed so I can shower in peace.’
'One more thing.’ Wonshik reached out to take his hand again, 'You free for lunch on Thursday?’
'Isn’t your meeting on Thursday?’ Sanghyuk asked.
'Wanna ask for your opinion on some things before I meet the team. You’ve worked with me before; you know my strengths, my weaknesses,’ he kissed the back of Sanghyuk’s hand, 'I’d like to hear what you think first.’
'Hmmm…’ Sanghyuk cupped his chin between his thumb and index finger in a thinking pose even as the butterflies in his stomach kicked into full gear; Wonshik could be oblivious at times, but he could also be so damn sweet. 'I’ll probably be able to clear some space in my schedule.’
Wonshik laughed, 'Fair enough.’ He let go of Sanghyuk’s hand, fingertips brushing a lingering line over his knuckles, 'Alright, I won’t keep you from your shower any longer.’
'You know…’ Sanghyuk said, waggling his brows as he ran a hand down Wonshik’s chest, letting his fingers catch at the top of his trousers, 'You’re welcome to join me.’
Wonshik froze, taken aback by the sudden change in mood, and Sanghyuk had to laugh. He swooped in to kiss Wonshik on the lips, 'Your face!’
Sanghyuk picked up his pyjamas again and sauntered out of the room. 'Sweet dreams,’ he called over his shoulder.
Wonshik spluttered, red-faced and flustered in more ways than one.
Summary: Some nights, the loneliness feels so infinite he is brought to the edge of tears, and can only clutch his covers tight in his hands and sob for air. // canonverse + blink-and-you’ll-miss-it soulmate!AU
Characters: Hakyeon, implied Hakyeon/Hongbin
Rating: G
Word Count: 1700+
-
Today finds Hakyeon standing in the lobby of Jellyfish Entertainment.
'Hi, I'm Hakyeon,' he flashes his most winning smile at the receptionist, even though he feels dead on his feet from not getting enough sleep after an extended shift at the barbecue restaurant. He's been up since the crack of dawn from nerves, and can only hope his cologne is enough to mask the stench of grease and garlic. 'I'm here for the audition.'
The receptionist gestures at a corridor to their right, 'The audition will take place in practice room two. Go down the stairs and turn left. It's the second room on your right.' She takes one of the crisp printouts rolling out from the photocopier beside her and slides it over the counter towards Hakyeon. 'Please fill up this form. Someone will collect it from you later.'
He smiles again, meaning to thank her, but she has already turned her attentions to her laptop. The light from the screen throws her eye bags in soft relief, and Hakyeon feels a little sorry for turning up so early for the audition, but since he's already here, he takes the form and heads to the practice room. He sneaks a peek into some of the other rooms along the way, but they are all empty. It's only when he reaches practice room two that he sees any sign of life.
There are about a dozen boys gathered there, each exhibiting a different kind of nerves. One boy peers at the full length mirrors and fiddles with his clothes. Another sits as still as a statue, glazed eyes staring off into another dimension. Some mouth soundlessly to themselves under their breaths, while others twitch in their seats as they run through their choreography with small, jerking motions.
Hakyeon sees some familiar faces, people he met at auditions with other companies. He grabs a pencil from the stationery basket placed at the front of the room before approaching his acquaintances. He tries to make small talk as he fills in his personal details, but the conversation is terse and strained. Once he finishes filling his form, he folds it into a neat rectangle and pockets it. He then excuses himself and returns the pencil before retreating to a corner of the room to do some light stretching.
Hakyeon grabs the elbow of one arm with the other hand, pulls it above and behind his head while watching the other auditionees out of the corner of his eyes. He takes in their tense postures and wary faces, before looking into the mirror to see the same look on his face. He sighs, and drops his arms down to his sides, shakes them loose. The charm bracelet on his right wrist chimes quietly. Not for the first time since he arrived in Seoul, he wonders if this is the right path for him.
He had come to Seoul for many reasons: to become famous, to see the world, to better himself. But the main driving force was because he wanted to stop feeling so lonely. Hakyeon's friends and family like to joke that he is born to receive love, and he goes along with their ribbing, hamming things up with exaggerated displays of cuteness and declarations of affection. But truthfully, his need for love runs a lot deeper than it seems.
Hakyeon isn't simply an extrovert who is energised by spending time around people. He is driven to seek the love of others because it is the only thing that can fill the small but deafening silence buried deep in his chest.
He is all smiles and good cheer and infectious fun in the light of day, but when he lies alone in bed at night, an emptiness spirals out cold and hungry from within him. Some nights, the loneliness feels so infinite he is brought to the edge of tears, and can only clutch his covers tight in his hands and sob for air.
He has never mentioned the overwhelming hollowness to anyone. He doesn't dare. He feels ashamed and guilty for belittling the bountiful love he receives from his family and friends. He knows he is lucky to be blessed with such wonderful, kind people in his life, and when he's with them, he feels like he's at the top of the world. Yet when he is alone, that feeling of not enough niggles at him; an ever-present pressure buzzing at the back of his mind.
And while Hakyeon wouldn't say he is possessed by this need for affection, it has held sway over many of the biggest decisions in his life, and was why he ultimately made the decision to move to Seoul to seek his fame—because surely, becoming a celebrity would get him all the love and adoration he needs to finally know what it feels like to be whole.
Hakyeon casts a wandering eye over the boys gathered in the room. He thought that he would be okay with moving to Seoul. He knew he'd miss his family and friends in the beginning, but he's always been good at making friends, and who better to make friends with than people who were like him? People who shared his passions and drives?
Unfortunately, once he officially joined the legion of hopefuls dreaming of making it big in the entertainment industry, he realised that his theories didn't match up to reality. The combination of camaraderie and competition he'd been expecting was much darker and uglier than what he'd known when he competed for top marks in school, or for first place in dance contests. Though no one else could understand his drive and pain and fear like they could, they were also the very same people who stood between him being accepted as a trainee and him returning to Changwon an abject failure.
Hakyeon rubs his fingers over his charm bracelet to sooth himself. It's a childish thing, the bracelet. A cheap trinket his second sister had won from a school fair many years ago. But though it is only a collection of dull silver charms and black plastic beads held together by yellowing elastic, the press of the beads into his skin is comforting, and he is reminded of the day his sister gave it to him.
She was seated on his bed, watching him riffle through his belongings as he agonised over what to pack. There were so many things he wanted to take, so many things he needed, or had to have, or couldn't possibly find a replacement for. She had one leg tucked beneath her, the other leg swinging like a pendulum while he pored over his collection of baggy shirts. Suddenly, while he was choosing between an ash grey top and a dark grey top, she sprang up and went off to her room.
'Arm out,' she instructed upon her return. He obeyed and she fastened the bracelet around his bony wrist.
Pointing at the first charm, she had said, 'This flower represents the cherry blossoms, and this,' she taps on a leaf charm, 'represents the pine trees.'
'The heart represents your dreams,' she continued, 'while the star is to remind you to shine brightly. And this,' she said, touching an arrow charm, 'this is to show you the way home.'
Home. Hakyeon tugs at the arrow lightly, twists it this way and that. The door to the practice room swings open and close, but he barely registers it. He wonders how his mom is doing. He wonders about his father. He thinks about his siblings, his nephews, his friends. How are they? Are they thinking of him too? Do they miss him the way he misses them? Do they ever feel as lonely as he does now?
He thinks and he twists and he tugs and he pulls, and eventually something gives. The aging elastic snaps with a faint ping, and the charms and beads fall to the floor with the sound of rain.
Hakyeon jolts back to himself. He mutters a dismayed curse under his breath, and falls to his hands and knees to retrieve what he's lost.
The beads are scattered everywhere, little black circles sharp against the cream flooring, like a reversed night sky. He gathers them into a small pile as he goes, much more concerned with retrieving the charms first. Spotting the flower and leaf charm under a nearby chair, he crawls over to pick them up.
He holds the charms against his chest and has just turned around to locate the other three when someone thrusts their hand into his line of vision. Sitting on the small open palm lies the heart and the star, and Hakyeon lifts his head to thank the stranger, but his voice catches in his throat.
The boy is, for lack of a better word, stunning. His wavy hair fringes a pair of large doe eyes, while his high nose is bracketed by sculpted cheekbones, and his smooth, pink lips are underlined by a sharp, square jawline that Hakyeon thought was only found airbrushed onto magazine models.
A strange feeling blooms inside Hakyeon, a warm tingle that spreads to the tips of his fingers and toes. His chest feels swollen tight and his head feels both clouded and crystal clear at the same time. He swivels on his heels to face the boy straight on and rests on his haunches as the boy looks back at him, gorgeous face contorted in curiosity and confusion.
It's rude to stare, Hakyeon knows that, but he can't help it, and not just because the boy is so visually arresting. Hakyeon stares, because there is something different about this boy who would obviously be a visual if he debuted in an idol group; something that sets him apart from all the other hopefuls Hakyeon has ever met.
'I know you,' Hakyeon blurts out, and though he says that unthinkingly, he knows he speaks the truth and is shaken by how certain he feels.
'I know you,' Hakyeon says again, ignoring the curious glances shooting their way. He knows the boy, even as he also knows that he has never seen this boy before.
And the boy, the boy Hakyeon knows yet doesn't know, the boy with the broad shoulders and wide brown eyes, he blinks, once, twice, and licks his lips. His voice is low and filled with cautious wonder as he replies, 'I know you too.'
Hakyeon shivers, releases a breath he didn't realise he was holding. He glances down. The arrow charm is lying right at his feet, and it is pointing straight ahead.
-
This started out as a flash drabble I unleashed on @hakyeon-go-go after we got to talking about a past lives AU, though the finished fic turned out more like a barely-there soul mates AU that is 92% about angsty lonely Hakyeon. ^^;
It took many tries to hammer the original drabble into a presentable fic—Return (Side B) is actually something salvaged from the many drafts I wrote based on this scenario—but I hope y’all like it!
Summary: Crying before an audition is a tremendously bad idea, but though Hakyeon is good at many things, keeping his tears in is not one of them. // canonverse
Characters: Hakyeon
Rating: G
Word Count: 870+
-
Hakyeon rocks back and forth on his heels as he watches the traffic whiz pass the bus stop.
How many times can a person have their dreams crushed, he wonders, before his soul dies?
He isn't usually a morbid person, but he has his bad days, and today is definitely one of those days.
He's been in Seoul for a while now, juggling part time jobs and dance lessons between applying to various companies and attending so many auditions he's lost count.
(That's not true. He knows exactly how many times he's been turned down.)
This will be the one, he tells himself each time he steels himself before entering another room filled with judging, merciless faces.
One more, just one more, he tells himself each time he walks out while trying to keep his head up high.
I can do this!, he tells himself when he looks into the mirror every morning.
Do you ever get tired of your own lies, the voice at the back of his head asks as he lays in the dark on the lumpy mattress in his rented room.
He squashes that voice—always fiercely, sometimes desperately—because hard work will not fail you. That's what he believes in, and that's why he keeps going, why he continues to stay in a strange city, far from home, waiting tables or handing out flyers or walking dogs to get by and falling asleep at night to dreams of the day when he finally becomes a celebrity and can return home in glory. If that day comes.
Bzzt, bzzt!
Hakyeon is roused from his thoughts by his phone vibrating in his pocket. He fishes it out, and the photo he took with his mother the day before he left for Seoul flashes on the screen. Hakyeon answers the call right as the bus he's been waiting for rumbles into view.
'Hi Mom,' Hakyeon chirps, clamping his phone between his ear and shoulder as he waves the bus down with the hand that isn't digging into his back pocket for his bus pass.
'Sweetheart,' she coos in return, and though her voice is muffled by the bus screeching to a halt, Hakyeon feels all his tension and fatigue roll off him within the space of those two syllables.
'Have you been well?' he asks, sliding into a spot between a group of rowdy schoolboys and a businesswoman nodding along to the music playing through her earphones.
'Fine, fine, I'm okay,' she sings, and he can almost see the way her eyes must be crinkling, 'How about you?'
'I'm fine,' Hakyeon lies, cradling his phone close and putting his pass away so he can grab onto a nearby pole for balance, 'I'm on my way to an audition right now, actually.'
'Ah, another one!' she says, 'How exciting!'
'Yea,' Hakyeon replies, forcing a smile as he tries to inject enthusiasm into his words, 'I didn't think they'd call me back for a second round but they did!'
'Of course they did. Who wouldn't call you back?'
Many people didn't, Hakyeon thinks, but he says, 'Exactly! How could anyone bear to turn away Mrs. Cha's talented son?'
She laughs, a warm, magical sound that makes Hakyeon ache for home cooked meals and his old neighbourhood and his dearest friends. His grip on the pole tightens as frustrated tears gather in his eyes.
'I miss you, Mom,' he says, trying to sound bright, but his words are raw with confession.
'I miss you too, son. Every day,' she says, and she is trying to sound bright too, but then her voice wavers, 'every day I think about you and wonder what you're doing, whether you are eating well or sleeping well, whether you are taking care of yourself.'
'I am, I am!' Hakyeon soothes even as he fights down the lump in his throat . 'Don't worry about me. I take very good care of myself; you know that!'
'I just worry. That's what mothers are supposed to do, right?' she says, sounding as choked up as he feels. Crying before an audition is a tremendously bad idea, but though Hakyeon is good at many things, keeping his tears in is not one of them.
'I promise you I am totally fine, Mom, really.' he says while wiping away the tear trickling down his right cheek, 'I'm almost there, I can feel it. Hard work doesn't fail you, right?'
'It doesn't,' she agrees with a sniffle that hurts Hakyeon with the force of a slap, 'And I know my son. I know you never give anything less than your best.'
'That's right! I'm going to be fine,' he says with more confidence than he feels, 'I'm going to go to a few more auditions, get to meet more people and learn more things, and then I will be accepted as a trainee, and then before you know it, I'm going to be a celebrity!'
'That's right,' she echoes, if not cheerfully then at least wholeheartedly, 'You can do it. Of course you can!'
Hakyeon is good at many things, but breaking promises is not one of them, and he's determined to keep it that way.
Summary: But Hakyeon was as Hakyeon is. // canonverse + fluff
Characters: Hakyeon/Taekwoon
Rating: G
Word Count: 280+
Note: Inspired by this gifset.
-
You often look back on that moment and wonder if that was when you fell in love.
It still stands out in your mind—the noise, the heat, the stifling gaze of everyone around you. Everything was motion and chaos, and for someone like you, it felt entirely possible to drown in the warm air rising off the crowd swarming around you. You remember wishing you could disappear, remember hoping that if you stared at the floor hard enough it would rise up and engulf you, take you away, but Hakyeon was as Hakyeon is, anchored tight to your side and endlessly infuriating. Infuriating because of his boisterous personality and incessant pokes and prods. Infuriating because you envied how comfortable he was with the space he occupied and the attention he drew.
One of your managers hovered nearby with a camera, filming something for heavens knows what because there were too many cameras to keep track of, too many things to show, too many things to hide. You had to fight the urge to shrink into your shirt like a tortoise into its shell, but Hakyeon, infuriating Hakyeon, he just smiled and flashed a V sign before looking down; demure and poised and everything you were not.
You looked at him then, and there was annoyance within you, you remember that. Annoyance and a hint of dismissal, but there was also admiration and fascination and… wonder. There was, you remember, a wonder that left you star-struck and helpless, and you, now, looking back on that moment—at the way you stared at Hakyeon, at the way you blinked and looked away too—you wonder why it took you so long to realise you had already fallen in love.
the 1st and 3rd picture reminds me of your every saturday fics! yaoiotakulovers(.)tumblrcom/post/154744289269
Oh my gosh?? This is perfect?!? The lil boy is so squishy and their hairdos are such a close approximation to N and Leo’s! Thank you for sharing this! Imma go stare at the pics for a moment okay?
OMG OMG I have just recently discovered fics on tumblr and the vampire au is just... IS JUST!!! WONDERFUL. Do you read me? VERY. WONDERFUL. AMAZING. AWESOME. And I really hope to see part 2 XD *Anticipating your updates*
Aww, you’re sweet :3 I’m sorry it’s been forever since I ask wrote! I don’t know when I’ll get back to it, but I defo will write more on that AU!
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! *actual muffled screaming abt you last fic* I LOVE THE NEW FIC!!!! everything is so cute!! there is too many aspects that i feel familiar with (i mean i am so into webcomics too--have you read, say, bff? Hehehe.) i get so excited ajsfhs. And all the references you put in there!!! I Lost It at j dice. Theo and k, really? I am screaming. The fact that its kenvi just makes it even better. Ah, its so good. T_T Have you consider posting it on ao3? I wish you got more views for this.
Ah, gosh, you’re so sweet! I’m glad you liked the fic!!
omg i just realised the rest of my reply got cut off??? i am never replying to asks on mobile again! okay, here’s what was supposed to go after that bit:
i had tons of fun putting all those references in, so i’m glad you caught them~ (i couldn’t think of good names for HB and Hyuk tho so I conveniently left their J.Dice-selves unnamed xD) and unfortunately, i don’t know BFF cuz i don’t follow webcomics anymore, except for Transfusion on occasion because yay for queer hot vampires who call you ‘love’.
and i have indeed toyed with the idea of getting an ao3. do people usually go there to look for vixx fics? it would be nice to get more views (and comments!!) on my fics~
I just realized this is the fic you gave the snippets of omg. Well my reaction for this is a lot of yelling for sure :’)
teehee~ i mostly posted those bits to force myself to finish the fic, but it was fun teasing you guys too ;D
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! *actual muffled screaming abt you last fic* I LOVE THE NEW FIC!!!! everything is so cute!! there is too many aspects that i feel familiar with (i mean i am so into webcomics too--have you read, say, bff? Hehehe.) i get so excited ajsfhs. And all the references you put in there!!! I Lost It at j dice. Theo and k, really? I am screaming. The fact that its kenvi just makes it even better. Ah, its so good. T_T Have you consider posting it on ao3? I wish you got more views for this.
Ah, gosh, you’re so sweet! I’m glad you liked the fic!!
Summary: Jaehwan’s smile is blinding and Wonshik knows that he is doomed. // AU + fluff
Pairings: Jaehwan/Wonshik
Rating: PG
Word Count: 8k+
-
‘Do I know you?’
Wonshik freezes. Well, here it is. He's about to be recognised for the first time. He's been preparing for this moment since his debut video was released two weeks ago, but his heart still does a little jig when he looks up from the online clothing store he runs and tries to feign nonchalance at the guy who's just come up to his table at the café.
‘I get that a lot,' he says, clearing his throat when his voice catches on the last word, ‘I guess I just have one of those faces.’
‘No, no, I’m sure I’ve seen you before,’ insists the guy, who has a comically large nose and thick shaggy hair. His ears are pointed, almost elf-like, and the way he squints in concentrated thought is kind of endearing. Still, Wonshik tugs at the collar of his hoodie and prays the guy doesn't remember why he recognises him. And if he does, he hopes he's one of the normal ones and not the creepy, effusive type or the terrified and embarrassed type that Hakyeon warned him about. Wonshik likes this café he just found, hopes to be able to seek refuge here again when Hongbin goes on his next cleaning frenzy around their new rental flat, so if this guy decides to cause a scene...
‘Oh, I remember now!’ The guy slaps a fist into an open palm, brown eyes wide and bright, ‘You’re the guy I was sketching last night! You're a Flower boy, aren't you?’
Wonshik winces, glances around at the other patrons who thankfully didn't seem to hear or care about the guy's exclamation. So much for not remembering. At least he doesn't seem to be freaking out about realising that the person skulking in the quietest corner of the café is an adult film actor? Things could be worse.
‘Oops, sorry,’ the guy says, clapping his hands over his mouth and glancing around the café too. He whispers loudly through his fingers, ‘Are you cool with talking about your work?’
‘I don’t mind, I guess,’ Wonshik says with a half shrug, and that's mostly the truth. He isn’t ashamed about his work, and he knew these kind of encounters were bound to happen when he signed up for the job, so he may as well get used to them.
‘Awesome! Mind if I sit with you?’ the guy asks even as he pulls out the chair opposite from Wonshik and settles into it. He offers his hand and smiles, ‘I'm Jaehwan, by the way. Should I call you Ravi, or...?’
It's strange being known to someone by his pseudonym, but Wonshik still takes the offered hand and gives it a polite shake, ‘You can if you want to.’
Jaehwan tilts his head like a sparrow, ‘It's your name; you get to choose.’
‘Well,’ Wonshik pauses as he considers the pros and cons, wonders if Jaehwan will laugh at his real name. ‘My name is Wonshik,’ he decides.
‘Hi, Wonshik.’ Jaehwan says, eyes crinkling into cute little crescents. He rests his crossed arms on the table and leans forwards, legs swinging gently under the table, ‘I used to go by a bunch of names when I ran in the anime fanart circles, but once I started doing my own stuff, I decided to use my real name.’
‘Your own stuff?’ Wonshik quirks an eyebrow. ‘Are you an artist?’
‘Officially, I'm a “freelance illustrator,”’ Jaehwan explains, long fingers crooking in air quotes, ‘I do illustrations for magazines, websites, colouring books, whatever. But my main project is my webcomic.’ He gestures at Wonshik's laptop. ‘Can I…?’
‘Yea, sure.’ Wonshik hot keys a new tab in Chrome and slides the Macbook over to Jaehwan. Jaehwan taps something into the address bar and hits the enter key before turning the screen back to Wonshik.
‘“Gap Gods,”’ Wonshik says, reading out the silver lettered banner that loads at the top of the page.
‘Yup, that's my baby,’ Jaehwan says, puffing his chest out in pride. ‘It's about these six guys who are part of an idol group called J.Dice, and they get pretty popular over the course of the story ‘cause they're great performers, hard workers, tall, good looking, really charismatic—the works! But they're super weird and quirky off stage, hence the name.’
Wonshik raises both his brows at that. It's been a while since he was a trainee at Starfish Entertainment, and though he left the company after two years of training, he still keeps in touch with his friends who stayed in the business, some of whom have since debuted and are grappling with the highs and lows of celebrity life.
He clicks through a few pages of the comic while Jaehwan natters on about the characters. Jaehwan's art is colourful and cartoony, but there is a lot of attention paid to subtle details, and Wonshik is intrigued enough by the premise and character designs that he adds the site to his bookmarks for later.
‘That’s Vega!’ Jaehwan interjects, pointing at a character who has a bandana tied around the base of his spiked blue hair, ‘He’s J.Dice’s rapper, so he likes to act tough and cool, but he’s really a big ole’ softy. The softest!’ Jaehwan taps the screen and smiles. ‘He’s the reason I found your video.’
And they’re back to his debut film. Wonshik’s stomach does a wriggle and squeeze, but Jaehwan is being really cool about the whole thing, so Wonshik knows the awkwardness is all on him and he needs to get over his natural shyness.
‘Oh yea?’ Wonshik asks, leaning back in his chair and fiddling with his hoodie strings.
‘Yup! During his pre-debut days, Vega wanted be learn to be sexy ‘cause that’s a huge part of his job, and he figured who better to learn how to be sexy from than porn stars?’ Jaehwan giggles. ‘His logic is a bit weird, but that’s just how Vega is. I’m not picky with porn myself; I just watch whatever looks good and is available, and that’s usually hetero stuff. But Vega would need to watch porn where guys are trying to appeal to the audience, and your company Flower is one of the better producers of gay porn, so I looked through some clips for, ahem, research purposes.”
Jaehwan waggles his eyebrows at the last bit, and Wonshik can’t help but laugh.
‘Yea, Flower does some pretty good work.’ Wonshik agrees, ‘And they never cheat their actors or make them do things they are uncomfortable with, which is why I signed up with them.'
‘That's good to know,’ Jaehwan nods, ‘Vega is a total romantic and super vanilla, so he prefers porn where it looks like everyone is genuinely enjoying themselves, and you looked like you were having a really good time!’
A blush creeps across Wonshik's cheeks and he scratches the back of his neck as he remembers how nervous he had been for his first shoot, how he worried about having to fake things for the camera and whether he'd like his partner. Luckily for him, Hakyeon was really patient and experienced. The older man guided him through everything, taught him how to position himself, how to react, how to beg—all the while making it such a genuinely pleasurable experience that Wonshik hardly remembered the cameras were rolling as he moaned himself to a very real and satisfying orgasm.
‘N is good at what he does,’ Wonshik says finally, referring to his co-star by his chosen stage name, and Jaehwan giggles again.
‘Oh, I know. He was one of the best things about me looking up Flower videos.’ Jaehwan says with a dreamy sigh. He catches Wonshik’s eye and winks, 'You’re one of them too, of course.’
Wonshik feels his blush burn to the roots of his hair and he has to fight the urge to pull his hoodie strings so tight all anyone will be able to see of him is his nose. Lewd comments and sleazy pick up lines he can handle—he got his fair share of them when he worked as a bartender—but Jaehwan's playful yet sincere compliments are getting to him.
‘Thanks, I guess?’ he says with a self-conscious chuckle.
Just then, a thin, light voice cuts through the aural backdrop of murmured conversations and clinking coffee cups, ‘Jaehwan, your order’s ready.’
‘Coming!’ Jaehwan says, popping out of his seat as suddenly as he had sat down.
Wonshik is thankful for the distraction and works to untangle his fingers from his hoodie strings while Jaehwan makes a beeline for the counter where he accepts a paper bag and cup from a solemn-faced barista.
Jaehwan peers into his paper bag. ‘What, no extra doughnut holes?’ he whines.
The barista prods him on the forehead, ‘I run a business, not a charity.’
Wonshik watches amazed as Jaehwan honest-to-god pouts at the man, puffy pink lips wibbling as he presses his fists to the sides of his face and stares at the barista with the biggest, saddest puppy eyes Wonshik has ever seen.
The barista—Wonshik squints at the name tag pinned to his navy blue apron and sees his name is Taekwoon—holds Jaehwan’s stare for five whole seconds before his broad shoulders slump and a resigned smile curls the corners of his mouth. He reaches below the counter and pulls out another paper bag.
‘Here,’ Taekwoon sighs, waving it at Jaehwan.
Jaehwan snatches the bag with a triumphant crow of happiness, ‘You’re the best!’
It seems like he has more to say, but Taekwoon makes a shooing motion, ‘Don’t you have a deadline to meet?’
Jaehwan deflates.
‘Party pooper,’ he grumbles as he opens a bag and tosses two doughnut holes into his mouth. ‘Fine, if you want me to leave so badly, I will!’
Taekwoon snorts as Jaehwan flounces back to Wonshik's table.
‘Sorry to cut things short, but I gotta go,' Jaehwan says with bulging cheeks and icing sugar lips, ‘It was really nice meeting you though; maybe I'll see you around?’
‘Yea, sure,’ Wonshik replies, surprised to find that he means it. ‘It was nice meeting you too.’
Jaehwan waves the hand clutched tight around his paper bags of goodies in parting, and then he is gone, leaving Wonshik alone with his thoughts and the gentle chiming of the bells hanging over the main entrance.
-
When Wonshik gets home from the café, he is ambushed by Hongbin who gives him an earful about the pile of stinky clothes fermenting on his bedroom floor. Hongbin forces him to put all his dirty laundry in the washing machine because ‘I will not live in such disgrace.’
After the offending articles have been left to spin, Hongbin proceeds to lecture him on the virtue of putting his clean clothes away instead of piling them on his bed. He actually sits Wonshik down to teach him the best way to fold each type of clothing in order to preserve its shape and maximise their limited wardrobe space, and only after Hongbin has satiated his cleaning urges for the day is Wonshik free to sprawl out on the freshly vacuumed sofa and rest.
Wonshik flips through a few channels on the TV, but nothing good is on. He’s still waiting for his supplier to get back to him on that latest order of snapbacks, and he isn't in the mood to write songs or work out either. He stares glumly at the ceiling, trying to think of something to do, until he remembers Jaehwan and the webcomic he had bookmarked a few hours ago and decides to give it a read from the start.
Gap Gods starts out with a standard 4-koma layout and simple black and white shading. The humour is a strange brand of cheesy absurdism that fits what Wonshik knows of the illustrator, but the situations, the struggles, they are a pretty realistic take on trainee/idol life going by Wonshik's personal knowledge and experience. As the story develops, Jaehwan’s art becomes more refined and an overarching plot starts to link each fully coloured, multi-panelled update. And as Wonshik learns more about what J.Dice go through to accomplish their dreams, he finds himself hooked.
From the push-pull friendship of flamboyant leader K and introverted main vocalist Theo, to rapper Vega’s unadulterated adoration of J.Dice’s hyper ‘cutie main vocal’ Ken, to the constant torment the two youngest members inflict on the older members—each character is quirky yet relatable, and their relationship with each other is delightfully chaotic but undeniably close. Wonshik is awed by how Jaehwan’s writing switches effortlessly between ridiculous and heart-wrenching, and when Wonshik gropes around for a tissue after finishing the highly emotional arc that culminates in J.Dice’s first music show win, he is surprised to see that it is already two in the morning.
Wonshik juggles a number of jobs to support himself while he tries to build his online store into a proper business and stable income stream, and unfortunately, one of his gigs includes being the personal trainer of a client who he needs to meet at the gym at seven, so he reluctantly showers and heads to bed. But once he finishes the session, he gets right back to reading whilst on the ride home, and he is so immersed in the story he nearly misses his stop.
Wonshik spends the rest of the day following J.Dice through their subsequent comebacks and concerts and award show wins, their disappointments and heartaches and breakdowns. When he finally gets to the most current page, the first thing he does is flop back on his bed, winded by the rollercoaster J.Dice and Jaehwan had put his heart through. The next thing he does is to go through Jaehwan’s social media sites in search of behind-the-scenes content, as every newly converted fan is wont to do.
He scrolls through Jaehwan’s Tumblr, where the illustrator answers fan questions and posts sketches and scenes that were cut from Gap Gods; Jaehwan’s Twitter, which is full of silly musings and playful teasers and shots of the conventions Jaehwan has attended; and Jaehwan’s Instagram, which seems to consist solely of photos of food and of the illustrator himself. The older man—assuming Jaehwan is being truthful about his age on his Twitter profile—has a penchant for winking for the camera and typing in a cutesy manner, and Wonshik finds himself grinning as he scrolls through Jaehwan’s many selfies.
‘Who’s he?’
Wonshik jumps, startled, and looks up from a selfie of Jaehwan miming a finger heart to thank his fans for purchasing the first printed volume of Gap Gods. Hongbin is leaning over the back of the sofa and peering at the screen of his laptop, the setting sun shining through the dust-free slits of their venetian blinds and painting stripes of gold across his handsome face.
‘I met him at a café yesterday,’ Wonshik says vaguely, scrolling down to a less incriminating photo of One Piece coffee art, ‘guy's a freelance illustrator.’
‘Yea?’ Hongbin says, swinging his legs over the back of the sofa to slide into place next to Wonshik, ‘And what are you doing stalking a guy you met in a café?’
‘I’m not stalking him,’ Wonshik protests, ‘I’m checking out his work.’
‘Pretty sure you said he was an illustrator, not a model,’ Hongbin grins.
‘I did check out his art first! I’m just, you know, learning more about the guy behind the art.’ Wonshik says.
‘Riiight,’ Hongbin drags out the word as his smirk widens, ‘this is all about the art, of course.’
‘Of course,’ Wonshik repeats, squaring his shoulders despite the blush creeping up his cheeks.
-
@AceRavi omigosh it’s youuu!! hi hi ><
@jaehwany0406 hey there ^^ i just caught up w/ gap gods and loved it! your art is awesome man
@AceRavi thank chu~~ /shy shy shy/ i’m glad you like my babies~ and hey, you collect jordans too??
@jaehwany0406 sure do! i’m a bit of a shoe hoarder in general. i own too many pairs to put in the shoe cabinet and it drives my flatmate nuts ㅎㅎ
@AceRavi i prefer to let my shoes roam freely around the house~~
@AceRavi wow wow you have such nice clothes too! keke sorry i’m going thru ur twitter rn >< your fashion sense is gr8!!
@jaehwany0406 thanks ^^ i was kinda going through your instagram the other day too and your food pics made me super hungry!
@AceRavi teehee, should i should treat you to a meal to make up for that? and what’s your instagram i wanna follow you!!
@jaehwany0406 haha there’s no need for that. my insta is rravii0215
@AceRavi no no i insist >< are you free for lunch on saturday?
-
It's not a date, Wonshik tells himself as he stares at his reflection in the bathroom mirror and tries to get that one strand of hair to fall just so over his forehead.
It's not a date, because he doesn't have feelings for Jaehwan. How could he? They'd only met a week ago and spoken face to face once. So what if they’ve swapped numbers and been texting each other nonstop since then? So what if Jaehwan sends him the silliest, cutest, inanest Snapchats that never fail to make him laugh out loud? And so what if it turns out they have a lot in common? Wonshik has met other people who also like his favourite songwriters and designers, who share his fondness of robot figurines, who have a similar weakness for sappy romcoms.
Granted, there was never one person who liked all of the stuff he liked, but… that’s beside the point. The point is that it’s not a date, and he’s agonising over his hair and wearing one of his nicest outfits—a casual white shirt with the top-most button undone, tucked into skin-tight black jeans that took him a solid minute to wriggle into—because he really admires Jaehwan’s creativity and artistry and wants to impress him. That’s all.
Wonshik leans towards the mirror, one hand clutching at either side of the washbasin.
‘It’s not a date,’ he tells himself with a stern frown.
His voice echoes hollow off the bathroom tiles and fades into an awkward silence that is punctuated by the buzz of his phone.
He snatches it up like his life depends on it, and there is no mistaking the disappointment that settles in his gut when he sees it's a message from Hongbin reminding him to pick up the groceries.
Wonshik puts down the phone and looks at his reflection again, at the eyeliner circling his eyes and the silver necklace hanging round his neck that he had settled on after trying on his entire accessories collection.
He groans defeated into his hands.
It’s not a date, but he sure as hell wishes it was one, because he is a sap who falls in like with people way too easily and he definitely, definitely has feelings for Lee Jaehwan.
-
The bells chime as Wonshik steps into the Moonlight Coffee House and he spots Jaehwan at the table where they first met. The older man is dressed in a fuzzy yellow jumper and sits hunched over a massive sketch pad, brows furrowed in concentration as he moves his pencil with quick, confident strokes. Occasionally, he glances at the iPad placed beside the sketch pad before turning back to his drawing. Wonshik almost doesn’t want to announce his arrival so he can fully appreciate how attractive Jaehwan looks when he is serious and focused, but he doesn't want to keep the other man waiting either.
‘Hey,’ Wonshik calls as he approaches the illustrator with light, slow steps. Jaehwan glances up, and the way his knit brows smoothen out when he smiles makes Wonshik want to melt into his boots.
‘Hi!’ Jaehwan gives Wonshik a once over, lips pursed in appreciation. ‘Oh wow, you look amazing!’
‘Thanks,’ Wonshik replies, averting his eyes as he fights to hold back a pleased little grin.
‘Do you mind?’ Jaehwan lifts his iPad and points the cartoon chick-covered back of the tablet at Wonshik, ‘Just, hold still for one moment…’
Ka-chick, ka-chick! A few shutter snaps emit from the iPad and Jaehwan smiles as he reviews the photos.
‘Perfect,’ Jaehwan coos before explaining to a confused Wonshik, ‘I’ve been using your pics as reference, to practice anatomy and design outfits for the boys. Your proportions and fashion sense are amazing!’
Wonshik feels his cheeks heating up, and somewhere inside his head where he is still capable of coherent though, he marvels at how often he blushes when Jaehwan is involved.
‘Thank you,’ Wonshik says, rubbing a hand over the back his neck.
‘This photo doesn’t do you justice though,’ Jaehwan continues as he squints at the screen. ‘The ones on your Instagram are way better, especially those you took in the park recently. Did you set up a tripod to take them?’
‘Hongbin took those photos,’ Wonshik explains, ‘I got him new camera lens for Christmas and he wanted to try them out.’
‘No wonder they looked so great,’ Jaehwan says as he gestures for Wonshik to sit. ‘So are you and Hongbin a couple?’
‘What? Oh, no. God no,’ Wonshik laughs as he pulls out the chair opposite to Jaehwan and sits down. ‘I’m single,’ he clarifies at Jaehwan's curious stare. ‘What about you?’
‘Single and ready to mingle!’ Jaehwan cheers before lowering his head as he sobs in exaggerated sadness, ‘But it’s so hard to find people who appreciate my genius.’
‘I appreciate your genius,’ Wonshik says, and his heart nearly stops when his brain catches up with his mouth.
Luckily for Wonshik and his continued existence, Jaehwan doesn't freak out at his Freudian confession. Instead, he closes his eyes and presses a palm to either cheek, shaking his head as he giggles, ‘Aww, thank you~’
Even though he's still trying to recover from his self-induced heart attack, Wonshik flails internally at how adorable the older man is. He wonders if he's going to last the evening at this rate.
‘I hope you’re hungry!’ Jaehwan chirps suddenly, snapping Wonshik out of his musings, ‘Taekwoon doesn’t cook much these days, but since I’m his favourite customer, I can bug him to whip up his signature rose pasta! How does that sound?’
‘Sounds great,’ Wonshik manages to croak in reply, ‘Perfect.’
Jaehwan’s smile is blinding and Wonshik knows that he is doomed.
-
Jaehwan is good for Wonshik in many ways.
He is the reason Wonshik gets out of the house more these days, and he brings Wonshik to fun places and good restaurants Wonshik would never have sought out on his own. They give each other tips on how to manage their respective online businesses, and Jaehwan is also a great source of inspiration for Wonshik's song writing. Though it may be cheesy for Wonshik to think of Jaehwan as his muse, the fact of the matter is that when he’s with him, images and lyrics and melodies spark in his mind and it’s all he can do not to pull out his phone to try and capture it all in real time.
As the months pass by, they spend more and more time with each other. Because they both have flexible work schedules, it is easy for them to meet up spontaneously. They catch movies during off peak hours, go shopping for figurines and shoes, visit the park to build snowmen or go ice skating, and hang out in each other's apartment to play video games (Wonshik can never decide if Jaehwan is more adorable when he wins or when he loses).
Wonshik is happy with the way things are, is happy just being in Jaehwan's presence, yet he still wishes for something else. But he doesn't know if Jaehwan wants a romantic relationship with him, so he doesn't act on his desires; at least, not until enlightenment comes in the form of one Han Sanghyuk.
-
Jaehwan is going to a convention to promote and sell the second printed volume of Gap Gods, and Wonshik offers to help him out since he has nothing on that day. They get there early to set up, unpacking the boxes of prints and keychains and pin badges to lay them out in neat rows, before the doors open and the crowd comes pouring in. Business is brisk, and Wonshik helps collect money and restock the table while Jaehwan chats with fans and autographs anything and everything put before him.
‘Hey Wonshik.’
Wonshik is rooting around under the table, trying to find the last box of Gap Gods Volume 2: Slice and Dice, when he hears a familiar voice. He peeps out from under the tablecloth and grins when he sees who it is.
‘Sanghyuk! What are you doing here?’
‘Massive Naruto fan,’ Sanghyuk says with a matching grin, pointing at the distinctive headband wrapped around his head. ‘What about you?’
‘Helping a friend,’ Wonshik says, grunting slightly as he hauls the box he was looking for out from the tangle of bags and fan gifts under the table and drops it onto his chair.
‘Gap Gods, huh?’ Sanghyuk remarks, picking up a copy and reading the blurb on the back.
‘It’s his webcomic.’ Wonshik explains as he lays out the books in tidy stacks, ‘It’s really good, you should give it a read.’
Sanghyuk is flipping through the book when Jaehwan finishes chatting with a customer and bounds over to introduce himself.
‘Hi!’ His cheerful expression slides into something more thoughtful as he stares at Sanghyuk, ‘Do I know you?’
Sanghyuk flicks a meaningful glance at Wonshik. ‘Does he?’
‘This is Sanghyuk, my co-worker.’ Wonshik explains and Jaehwan's eyes widen in recognition.
‘Oooh, I remember now. You were the one in Wonshik’s third video; the one where he was a college professor and you were a super hot dance major.’
Sanghyuk chuckles at Jaehwan's description. ‘Yup, that’s me.’
‘I really liked that one.’ Jaehwan says, bouncing on his toes with excitement. ‘Your thighs are amazing! I had a lot of fun sketching them.’
Sanghyuk arches a brow. ‘Sketching them?’
‘Pornos are one of the best free resources for anatomy practice, doncha know?’
Sanghyuk laughs at Jaehwan's cheeky wink and sweeps into a low bow, ‘Glad to be of service.’
‘Speaking of service,’ Jaehwan says, glancing at a group of teens approaching the table, ‘customers! Be right back.’
‘Interesting guy,’ Sanghyuk comments after Jaehwan flits off.
‘Yea, he’s pretty great, isn’t he?’ Wonshik says, smiling softly as he watches Jaehwan greet the group by doing Ken's signature hair-brush-wink-gun-hand move.
‘Uh-huh.’ Sanghyuk agrees. He leans back against a nearby pillar, crosses his arms over his broad chest, ‘So have you asked him out yet?’
Wonshik nearly drops the book in his hand.
He turns to Sanghyuk, denial ready on his lips, but Sanghyuk's smirk is knowing and full of mirth, and Wonshik groans. ‘Is it that obvious?’
‘You should see your face when you look at him,’ Sanghyuk says, patting Wonshik on the back. ‘You’ve got it bad, dude. Why doncha do something about it?
Wonshik fidgets with a Ken bookmark. ‘It’s not that simple.’
‘Why not? You like him, he thinks you’re hot; I say go for it.’
Sanghyuk's statement makes Wonshik jolt to attention. ‘He thinks I’m hot?’
Sanghyuk jerks his chin in Jaehwan's direction. The illustrator is currently cooing over a piece of fanart someone gave him. ‘You shoulda seen his face when you were bending over to pick up that box of books.’
Wonshik blinks as though he's waking from a dream, ‘What?’
‘You're got an awesome bod, man. And you're a really nice guy too; super sweet and cuddly and stuff.’ Sanghyuk holds up a finger, ‘Those aren't my words by the way, they're Hakyeon's.’
Wonshik sneaks a glance at Jaehwan who is taking a selfie with the person who had gifted him with fanart. His full lips are stretched in a bright smile, index and middle finger held up in a V to frame his right eye, and Wonshik struggles to believe that someone as good-looking as Jaehwan would find him attractive.
Sanghyuk glances between Wonshik and Jaehwan, and then he sighs.
‘Look,’ he says, clapping a hand on Wonshik's shoulder, ‘you're a nice guy, and so am I, so I'm gonna do you a favour. Don't freak out.’
Sanghyuk leans deep into Wonshik's personal space and starts to whisper in his ear, ‘Please put the galbi-jjim on the rice, mix the galbi-jjim with the rice...’
Wonshik squirms away from the ticklish sensation of Sanghyuk's hot breath against his neck, face crinkled in bemusement, ‘What are you doing?’
‘Pretending I'm flirting with you. Just roll with it.’ Sanghyuk says, pressing a firm hand against Wonshik's hip to keep him from moving too far away. ‘Quick, laugh like I said something really funny.’
All Wonshik can manage is a confused smile, but Sanghyuk still gives his best cocky brat smirk that has melted many a viewer as he leans back and murmurs, ‘Okay, that will have to do.’
Sanghyuk slides the palm on Wonshik's hip up to flatten a cowlick in Wonshik's hair, and Wonshik shivers at his touch. Sanghyuk's eyes flicker in delight.
‘That's more like it. He's definitely looking now. No, don't turn around,’ he stops Wonshik by grabbing him by the wrist, ‘he'll catch on.’
‘To what?’ Wonshik asks with an exasperated shrug even as he stops obediently.
‘Me trying to make him jealous, duh.’ Sanghyuk shakes his head, ‘Man, you're pretty, but your brains...’
Wonshik shakes off Sanghyuk's hand and smacks him on the arm.
‘Oh yea, that's it,’ Sanghyuk encourages, ‘play fighting is good.’
‘This is ridiculous,’ Wonshik protests.
‘But it's working. A lot better than I expected, too.’
Wonshik itches to turn around to see what Sanghyuk is talking about, but the younger man slides an arm around his waist and leans in even closer than before.
‘My work here is done.’ Sanghyuk whispers. He gives Wonshik a squeeze. ‘I hope you like jealous types. Good luck.’
He bids Wonshik goodbye with a small salute before leaving, his auburn mass of hair bobbing above the crowd as he walks away.
Wonshik stands frozen in indecision. Should he turn around to look at Jaehwan? Should he continue restocking the table like nothing happened?
The decision is made for him when a short lady with soft doe eyes approaches him to ask if there are anymore Vega pin badges for sale. He naturally turns round to look through their stock of pin badges and catches a glimpse of Jaehwan staring at Sanghyuk's retreating back with an intense frown clouding his features.
Wonshik's heart flutters and he forgets what he is doing until the lady prompts him with a gentle touch on his arm. He apologises for spacing out and busies himself with locating the pin badge even as a jumble of possibilities swirl in his mind.
Maybe... maybe Sanghyuk is right. Maybe he does stand a chance with Jaehwan.
But how can he win him over?
-
Congrats on 300 pages!! ^^
07:59
But the 300th page isn’t even out yet~
08:00
Haha yea but I wanted to be the first to say it and… well...
I have a present for you
I emailed it to you
Hope you like it ^^
08:01
Oh. My. God.
Wonshik…!!
I can’t believe it.
You made this for me?
08:05
I wanted to do something special.
300 pages is a big deal, isn’t it?
08:05
So is composing a song for a fictional boy group!!!
08:06
It's only an instrumental. And it’s not like I did it from scratch.
08:06
But, but, but
It IS a big deal!!
All I did was sing you a few lines of what I imagined their song would sound like, but you turned it into a real, complete song!! TT^TT
I could kiss you right now oh man oh man can I share it with my fans???
08:07
Hello? You there??
08:09
Yea, sorry, got distracted.
And sure. Like I said, it’s my present to you.
You can do whatever you want.
08:10
You’re the bestest!! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you thank you thank chuuu~
08:10
You’re welcome!
❤️
08:11
-
‘Wonshik is in love~ Wonshik is in love~’
‘Stop it guys.’ Wonshik groans, glaring at the grainy video call image of Taemin and Jongin with as much annoyance he can muster while curled up on his bed in the ratty combination of threadbare black T-shirt and sweatpants he calls pyjamas. ‘I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea to call you two.’
‘Because we’re your best friends, and you might love this Jaehwan guy, but you love us so much more,’ Taemin sings with a Cheshire grin.
‘I’m not in love!’ Wonshik protests, ‘I just… really, really like him, and I don’t know what to do.’
‘Tell him,’ says Jongin from where he is lying with his head pillowed on Taemin's stomach.
‘I can’t do that!’ Wonshik snaps.
‘Why not?’
‘Because!’ Wonshik runs a hand over his face, tone dropping from scandalised to vulnerable, ‘Because... what if he doesn’t feel the same way?’
Taemin and Jongin exchange looks.
‘He said he could kiss you right?’ Taemin says, ‘And he sent you hearts?’
‘That's a figure of speech,’ Wonshik says, rubbing his blanket against his chin stubble, ‘And he sends everyone hearts.’
‘He sends his fans hearts,’ corrects Jongin. ‘Social media hearts are different from text message hearts. Do I text you hearts?’
‘Only when you’re drunk,’ Wonshik admits.
‘There you go. Come on, you wrote him a song! That’s everyone’s dream right?’ Jongin glances up at Taemin for support, which he gives with a half-hearted shrug. ‘He's gotta know how you feel by now, unless he's as thick as you are. Besides, he got jealous when your colleague did that thing at the convention, right?’
‘He didn't look very happy about it...’ Wonshik says pensively, gaze passing through his phone as he recalls the unfriendly look on Jaehwan's face.
‘So kiss him already!’ Taemin interjects.
‘I can’t!’ Wonshik wails, pulling his blanket over his head, too afraid to even consider the consequences if he did as Taemin suggests.
Taemin moans in frustration, ‘I’m going to strangle you when I get back to Korea.’
‘When are you two coming back, anyway?’ Wonshik says, pulling the blanket low enough that he can peer over the fabric.
‘The last leg of the tour is next Thursday and we’ll fly back on Friday,’ Jongin says. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll be back in time for your birthday, you big baby.’
‘Big needy baby.’ Taemin chimes in.
‘Worst friends ever,’ Wonshik complains, but he can't stop the fond smile that spreads across his face.
-
Wonshik's birthday gets off to a great starts.
The moment the clock strikes midnight, well wishes start pouring in on his social media sites and messaging apps. Jongin and Taemin send him a video montage of their friendship through the years, Hongbin surprises him with the pair of ROVIX headphones he's been eyeing for months, and he has a buffet lunch with his family that leaves him stuffed full of food and love.
By evening, he can barely keep count of the number of people who have wished him happy birthday, and he is both humbled and thankful for having so many wonderful people in his life. But the day is not over yet, and he still has one more thing to do: he has booked out the entire Moonlight Coffee House for a small party with all his closest friends, and he needs to arrive early to meet Jaehwan and decorate the place.
Wonshik practically skips his way to the café, the limited-edition sneakers from V.I.X's Superhero line that his sister had gifted him that afternoon laced lovingly to his feet. There is no way the day could get better, he remembers thinking when he opened Jiwon's present, but Jaehwan proves him wrong when they meet up by gifting him with a one-of-a-kind print of the J.Dice boys dressed in their vampire-concept outfits (Wonshik's favourite era) and a tiny bouquet of chocolate roses.
‘Happy birthday~’ Jaehwan sings, linking arms with the stunned Wonshik and dragging him into the café through the open door. ‘Taekwoon and I got started without you, hope you don't mind!’
Rainbow paper chains hang from every wall of the café, and the tables have been rearranged to leave a space in the middle of the shop ‘so we can dance or mingle or have a limbo-battle or something’ explains Jaehwan. He plucks his gifts out of Wonshik's grasp and places them on a table before taking Wonshik by the hand and leading him around the café.
The illustrator shows off the currently empty buffet table that he assures Wonshik is going to be filled with ‘the most yummy dishes ever’ by the time the guests arrive; the photo-op area complete with hand drawn props like moustaches and eyeglasses to spice up the selfie-taking that would happen later; and the karaoke machine Taekwoon usually keeps hidden in the backroom after ‘the open mic night incident of spring 2014.’ All the while, Wonshik is making wordless sounds of appreciation because he knows he'll choke on his tongue if he tries to speak because Jaehwan is holding his hand abort abort abort!
Thankfully for Wonshik's sanity, Taemin and Jongin arrive early and Jaehwan skips off to welcome Wonshik's closest friends. The pair gift Wonshik with a big bag of assorted snack foods they picked up during their time in Japan, and the four of them finish decorating the café while Taemin and Jongin relate various embarrassing anecdotes from their childhood, much to Wonshik's chagrin, and various stories from their recent trip where they were the opening act and backup dancers to the nation's girl group, gu9udan.
The guests start arriving just as Taekwoon fills up the last chafing dish, and the party is soon in full swing. Wonshik plugs an iPod full of his own compositions into the speakers and wanders through the crowd, greeting and chatting and thanking everyone who came by. The presents pile up around the print and chocolate rose bouquet Jaehwan gave him, the general noise level picks up once everyone gets a bit of alcohol in them, and when Hakyeon grabs Wonshik to join him in a dance off with Jongin and Taemin, Wonshik is so buzzed off the energy of the room he shakes off his usual shyness to give it his all, much to the appreciative hoots and howls of everyone watching.
(And when Wonshik notices the way Jaehwan has his eyes glued on him? Maybe he winks at him, because why the hell not? As the Internet once said, you only live once.)
‘Holy crap, Wonshik,’ Sanghyuk exclaims after the crowd unanimously votes for Wonshik as best dancer and the birthday boy stumbles towards the drink trays to grab a gulp of water, ‘I never knew you could dance!’
‘You never asked,’ Wonshik says with a grin. He pushes his hair back, unfastens the top two buttons of his tight black shirt as he fans himself with a disposable plate.
‘Here,’ Hakyeon says, handing Wonshik a paper napkin as he dabs at the sweat dripping down his own temples.
‘Thanks.’ Wonshik accepts the napkin and wipes away the sweat gathered at his hairline.
‘So where did you learn to dance like that?’ Sanghyuk asks.
‘I wanted to be an idol when I was younger,’ Wonshik explains, ‘but then my dreams changed and I left the company. Never forgot what I learnt while as a trainee though.’
‘I pity all the poor fans who will never get to scream over your moves,’ Sanghyuk says with mock solemnity, and Hakyeon giggles.
‘It really is a shame,’ Hakyeon says as he bumps hips with Wonshik. ‘Sure we can't convince you to become an idol again? I'd be willing to queue up overnight to buy tickets to your concert.’
‘No thanks,’ Wonshik laughs, giving Hakyeon a playful nudge, ‘I'm happy with the way things are.’
Suddenly, the lights go out, all except for the ones that illuminate the corner of the room where Jaehwan is standing with the karaoke machine.
‘Karaoke time!’ Jaehwan announces, and Hakyeon claps his hand, ‘Go on Wonshik, you were an idol trainee right? So you must be great at singing too!’
‘Yea, Wonshik, show them what you got!’ Taemin says a devilish grin, and him and Jongin push Wonshik over to Jaehwan.
‘Any requests?’ Jaehwan says, putting on a hammy DJ voice. Wonshik laughs weakly, fiddles with the collar of his shirt. He's not as confident with his singing as he is with his dancing, but Jaehwan's eyes are wide with anticipation and he doesn't have the heart to say no.
He wracks his head for a song and settles on the one he heard blaring from someone's car radio when he was walking to the café, ‘May I have Busker Busker's The Flower?’
I persuade you to play badminton with me
I call you out for a cup of coffee
I persuade you to talk a walk around town
But you never
say yes or no
The flowers, the flowers,
yes, yes, they have bloomed
The flowers, the flowers, that one flower,
yes, yes, it has bloomed
Wonshik's voice is a bit rough when he starts, and he keeps his eyes fixed to the screen, fingers tight around the mic as he focuses on getting each word right, but when he gets to the second verse, someone joins in.
The countless people on the streets,
the people on that street
Yes, how special am I to you?
That’s the hard part, that’s the hard part,
that’s the hard part
He looks up, and it's Jaehwan. He has picked up the spare mic and is leading the crowd in clapping along to the song.
I persuade you to grab some delicious food
I call you out to watch a movie
I persuade you to take a walk around the lake
But you never
say yes or no
Wonshik smiles, cheered on by everyone singing along in one voice, and he relaxes, allows him to enjoy the experience instead of worrying too much about getting things right.
The flowers, the flowers,
yes, yes, they have bloomed
The flowers, the flowers, that one flower,
yes, yes, it has bloomed
The countless people on the streets,
the people on that street
Yes, how special am I to you?
That’s the hard part, that’s the hard part,
that’s the hard part
I like it, I like it, harmonica solo!
No sooner has Wonshik finished that line when Jaehwan starts miming what has to be the world's most dramatic harmonica solo, complete with flailing arms and booty jiggles, and Wonshik is so busy laughing he nearly forgets to finish the song.
The flowers, the flowers,
yes, yes, they have bloomed
The flowers, the flowers, that one flower,
yes, yes, it has bloomed
The countless people on the streets,
the people on that street
Yes, how special am I to you?
That’s the hard part, that’s the hard part,
that’s the hard part
Everyone cheers once the song is over, and Jaehwan throws an arm around Wonshik's shoulder, hugs him tight.
‘I didn't know you could sing like that,’ Jaehwan exclaims, eyes sparkling with excitement, cheeks still pink from shredding on his imaginary harmonica.
‘I was nowhere near as good as you,’ Wonshik says as he slings an arm around Jaehwan's slender waist and hugs him in return.
‘No, you're amazing. Out of this world,’ Jaehwan insists. He shakes his head and stares at something behind Wonshik before he says quietly, cryptically, ‘I'm so glad I met you.’
Without another word, Jaehwan slips out of Wonshik's grip to stand before the karaoke machine again, and someone taps Wonshik on the shoulder. Wonshik turns around to see Taekwoon, gesturing for him to sit in a chair that has been placed in the middle of the room. Wonshik scratches his head, confused, but sits down as requested.
‘When you texted me to invite me your birthday party,’ Jaehwan begins, ‘I went into such a panic, you know?’
Jaehwan's big bright eyes are fixed on Wonshik and a hush falls over the room. Wonshik squirms from the attention, but he is too enraptured by the serious look on Jaehwan's face to look away.
‘I've never been good at getting presents, and well, what could a poor artist like me get for a guy with such expensive taste in clothes?’ Jaehwan grins and everyone laughs a little, but the expectant silence returns as Jaehwan fiddles with his tiny red bow tie.
‘I wanted to write you a letter, but I'm bad with words. Chocolates and flowers are boring , so I decided to get you both in one. But that didn't feel special enough, so I thought I'd draw you something one-of-a-kind, but even that wasn't special enough, not for you.’
Jaehwan runs a hand through his hair and Wonshik sits there, throat dry and mouth slightly open as he tries not to hope, tries not to read too much into what Jaehwan is saying, because if he's wrong...
‘In the end, I figured the best thing I could give you... is honesty. So I will.’ Jaehwan clears this throat, licks his lips. ‘I hope you like this song Wonshik, because I mean every single word of it.’
Jaehwan closes his eyes as the music starts, and though Wonshik has heard him sing before—when Jaehwan is celebrating kicking Wonshik's ass at Mario Cart, or when they are walking through the park late at night and there is no one around—the way Jaehwan sings now is different; it is slow and sincere and steeped in emotion.
You probably hated me all day
You still don’t know me, stupid
Your birthday comes only once a year
How could I forget?
I’m sorry I couldn’t express my heart for all this time
I guess I was too shy to say I love you
Will you close your eyes?
Wonshik sucks in a breath he didn't realise he had been holding. It can't be. This can't be happening.
Congratulations, happy birthday to my love
Even after ten years, it’ll be like only one day has passed
I won’t change, I’ll make your heart race every day
I promise you
Thank you so much, thank you for my love
For being born today, for coming to me
Meeting you was a great fortune in my life
Now blow out the candles, my love
Jaehwan opens his eyes then, and when their gazes meet, he ducks his head, seems almost shy, but his voice is steady and strong as he sings on.
The only thing I can do is
To love you even more
There might be times when I hurt you
But please know this one thing
Just like always, just like now
I love you, you’re my everything to me
Even after ten years, it’ll be like only one day has passed
I won’t change, I’ll make your heart race every day
I promise you, my love
Jaehwan raises his pinky as he sings the last line, and tears prickle at the corner of Wonshik's eyes as he presses a hand to his mouth, too overwhelmed to speak. He is vaguely aware of the other people in the room, but all that matters is the way Jaehwan smiles at him, heart breaking and beautiful.
It still feels like a dream
An angel is looking at me and smiling
Like this
Even if I yell I love you endlessly
It’s not enough
Lonely and hard days won’t be scary if we’re together
I’ll give you things that always overflow
Jaehwan reaches into his pocket and produces, of all things, a ridiculously oversized candy ring. Wonshik doesn't know if he should laugh or sob, so he does both.
Thank you so much, thank you for my love
For being born, for being by my side
I am born again because I met you
Jaehwan raises the candy ring and looks Wonshik dead in the eye as he sings the final line.
Now will you put this ring on? My love
Nobody moves. Nobody speaks. The world is just Wonshik and Jaehwan, just the ring in Jaehwan's hand and the lump in Wonshik's throat.
The silence stretches for what seems like an eternity before Wonshik finally finds the breath to croak, ‘You like me?’
Somewhere behind him, Wonshik hears a slapping sound. Probably Taemin face-palming in despair, but he ignores him.
‘Yea,’ Jaehwan says with a crooked grin, the grin Wonshik recognises as the one Jaehwan puts on when he's trying to be brave. ‘I like you a lot. A lot, lot. So...’ he wriggles the ring, ‘be my boyfriend?’
Wonshik stares at the ring, then back at Jaehwan, then the ring.
‘Yes,’ he whispers.
‘Yes,’ he repeats, louder, before rushing out of his chair to tackle Jaehwan in a hug that nearly topples the shorter man over.
The spell is broken and everyone breaks out in applause and cheers. Wonshik can hear Hongbin snapping away with his camera even through the din, and Wonshik will bug him for all the photos later, but right now, he only has eyes for the man in arms, the man who, the moment they pull apart, takes his hand and slips the candy ring onto his left ring finger.
‘I thought I was the only one who felt this way,’ Wonshik says as he admires the way the light catches on the facets of the candy diamond.
‘It took me a while to realise I liked you, but when I did...’ Jaehwan trails off with a laugh.
‘What's so funny?’ Wonshik asks.
‘It all happened one night,’ Jaehwan explains as he slips his hand into Wonshik's free hand, intertwines their fingers. ‘I was sitting at my desk, pencil and paper at the ready, prepared to watch your latest video, but when I got to the point where Hakyeon leaned in to kiss you, I had to stop.’
‘I'm not saying you have to quit acting for us to be together,’ Jaehwan clarifies when Wonshik makes a sound of confusion, ‘What I mean is, normally, I get off to porn as long as the people are pretty and the kink fits. I don't need to feel sexually attracted to them as individuals. I don't need to feel anything for them beyond, wow you're hot. But when I watched you that day...’
Jaehwan bites his lip, ruffles his hair.
‘I felt something,’ he admits, ‘I wanted you. I wanted to be the one who was there, kissing you, touching you,’ he squeezes Wonshik's hand, ‘and I don't usually feel that way unless I like like someone. So that's how I knew.’ He laughs again, ‘Weird, huh?’
Wonshik's heart does a little jig, much like the one it did when he had met Jaehwan for the first time, but the emotions that caused the reaction back then could not be more different than the ones he is feeling right now.
‘Actually,’ Wonshik says as he angles his head and leans in close to Jaehwan, ‘that’s the most romantic thing I've ever heard in my life.’
-
this au was born of two things i consumed a lot of a few years ago: JGVs and webcomics (don’t worry, i judge myself on a constant basis hard enough for all of us). it started out as a simple desire to write demisexual!Jaehwan who realises he’s fallen for occasional adult film actor!Wonshik when he realises he can’t watch his films anymore because they became too close emotionally, but a lot more than expected was required to get from point A to B, and what was meant to end at 3k words tops became more than twice that.
still, kenvi has a special place in my heart, so i’m glad i could write so much because of them :3
