Mikki . asian . she/her . xreader writing blog | request(s) ; ON A LONG HIATUS.
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𝜗ৎ | 2022 @mikkies. All rights reserved. Do not repost, edit, translate, feed into Al, or plaglarize my work on any platform.
synopsis: [reader] works at a rundown inn tucked away in the mountains of huashan, serving chinese cuisine and doing every single shift herself, seeing as the entire staff abandoned their posts to either chase their dreams of becoming "swordmasters" or died in a clash of duels. the workload is manageable enough because on a regular day she's lucky if she sees one or two customers walk through the door. it's peaceful and quiet, exactly how she likes it. though that peace, unfortunately, does not last, because somehow, through what cosmic joke or divine punishment [reader] has yet to determine, great masters, sect leaders, every sword-swinging glory-hungry aspirant with dreams of being "the best in the world," and even the leader of "maninbang" decided that her humble little inn is a marvelous place to eat at.
warnings: okay some people might be a little ooc, bear with me. mentions of death, depictions of violence and gore, slight yandere! chung myung (warnings may change as story progresses)
synopsis: yi zaha’s latest medical emergency involves a severe midday slump and a refusal for respecting personal boundaries. why bother dealing with sect paperwork when he can shamelessly rest his head on his favorite doctor's lap in broad daylight?
yi zaha x female!reader (oneshot) for my lovely reader @bloomfaery ♥︎
wc: 1.4k
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the wooden porch of the southern courtyard was warm, baked through by the gentle rays of the midday sun.
[reader] sat cross legged on a thick woven mat, her back resting comfortably against a painted pillar while she cradled a small earthenware cup of roasted barley tea.
the courtyard was supposed to be completely empty for the next two hours, a rare miracle that she had spent the last three days actively planning for. there were no loud arguments over missing inventory, no sudden noises of wood splintering from training sessions, and absolutely no chaotic energy vibrating through the air.
[reader] took a slow sip, closing her eyes as she let out a satisfied breath.
that beautiful illusion of solitude lasted for exactly four seconds.
the heavy wooden gate at the edge of the courtyard practically rattled on its iron hinges as a tall figure came marching through the gravel path.
yi zaha didn't know how to walk like a normal human being. he moved with a dramatic stride that made his white silk robes billow out behind him like a cloud, his dark eyes instantly locking onto the porch the second he rounded the corner.
he looked disheveled, his long dark hair falling out of its knot in messy silk strands and his expression was a mix of annoyance and deep exhaustion.
[reader] didn't even have time to lower her tea cup before zaha ascended the wooden steps in a gravity defying leap.
"my brain is melting," zaha said, dropping himself right onto the mat next to her. "some idiots were trying to explain a tax dispute to me for the last two hours and i'm fairly certain my left ear is bleeding from the lack of intellect in that room."
"zaha, the tea is hot," she warned, hastily moving her cup out of the way as he immediately shifted his weight.
he didn't care about the tea at all. without a single shred of hesitation or respect for personal boundaries, zaha swung his long legs out across the wooden porch and dropped his head straight into her lap.
the sudden weight of his skull made her breath hitch, his thick dark hair spilling all over her knees like blanket.
he let out a groan that sounded like a dying animal, twisting his body until his face was pressed completely against the soft fabric of her apron, until his face is smothering [reader]'s belly.
"massage my temples," he muttered, his voice muffled by her clothes. "if you don't do it within the next thirty seconds, my internal qi will become unstable and i'll have to go back out there and throw those tax collectors into the well."
"you can't just throw people into wells zaha," [reader] couldn't help but let out a soft huff of laughter. she set her cup down on the floorboards, looking down at the "cruel and savage" clan leader currently using her thighs as a premium mattress. "and get off me. you're way too heavy for this."
"i'm as light as a feather," zaha lied smoothly, his eyes snapping open as he looked up at her from below. from this angle, his sharp jawline and ridiculously dark eyes looked entirely too intense, especially since he was staring at her with a soft expression that contradicted his wild reputation. "besides, my head fits perfectly here. your thighs are clearly designed to support the heavy burden of my genius."
"...you're ridiculous," [reader] whispered, her face growing slightly warm under his steady gaze.
but she reached down anyway, her fingers gently sliding into his messy hair to find his temples. the second her thumbs made light and circular contact with his skin, zaha let out a soft sound. (that was embarrassingly close to a cat's purr)
all the rigid tension in his broad shoulders instantly melted away, his long limbs relaxing completely across the porch floorboards.
but he couldn't just sit still and enjoy it like a normal person.
he was far too touchy-feely for that.
while her fingers were busy working through his hair, zaha reached up and grabbed her left hand with both of his. his palms were large, warm, and heavily calloused from years of wielding weapons, making her hand look incredibly small by comparison.
he began to shamelessly play with her fingers, tracing the small lines on her palm with his thumb and wrapping his long fingers around hers in an intricate and very tight lock.
"your hands are always cold," he murmured, lifting her knuckles to his mouth to press a lazy kiss that lingered against her skin. "it's highly concerning. i should probably stay like this until sunset to ensure your blood circulation doesn't completely fail."
"my circulation is fine, thank you." she uttered back. "you just want an excuse to stay here and avoid your paperwork."
"paperwork is a tool of the devil," zaha nuzzled his cheek deeper into her lap. "true warriors don't write things down. we remember them in our souls. right now, my soul is focused on the fact that you smell like sugar."
before she could even formulate a sarcastic retort to that completely shameless line, the quiet sound of soft footsteps echoed from the gravel path outside the courtyard wall.
two sect subordinates came walking through the archway, holding a thick stack of ledger books and looking miserable.
they stopped dead in their tracks the moment they noticed the porch.
[reader] froze completely, her fingers stiffening in zaha's hair as she tried to pull her hand back from his grip. oh dear, she thought, her face instantly turning into a bright crimson.
"leader yi," the senior man stammered, his eyes widening in horror as he looked at the sight of his bloodthirsty master currently lying across a woman's lap like a spoiled child. "we... we have the finalized merchant reports from the northern district..."
"get out," zaha barked.
yi zaha didn't get up nor did he lift his head from her thighs.
instead, zaha’s long arm shot out, wrapping securely around [reader]'s waist like a steel vise and pulling her entire upper body down until she was forced to lean over him.
right in front of the trembling subordinates, zaha reached up and caught the back of her neck with his hand, before firmly planting a loud and shameless kiss straight onto her burning cheek.
"can't you see i'm currently receiving vital medical attention?" zaha shouted toward the yard, his voice full of casual arrogance as he kept his arm locked tightly around her hip, anchoring her body flush against his chest. "this woman is the sole custodian of my sanity. if you idiots disturb her peace for one more second, i'll make you rewrite those reports using your own blood as ink. drop the books on the grass and vanish."
the senior subordinate didn't even wait for him to finish the threat.
he dropped the heavy ledger books straight into a puddle of grass and grabbed his companion by the collar before sprinting out of the courtyard gates.
the courtyard fell completely silent once more, save for the sound of [reader]'s embarrassed breathing.
"zaha!" she gasped, finally tearing herself out of his grip and burying her hot face in her hands. "what is wrong with you? why would you do that right in front of them?"
zaha just let out a deeply satisfied, rumbling laugh, his arm sliding right back around her waist to pull her back down against his side. he looked up at her with a thoroughly unhinged grin, his dark eyes sparkling with amusement.
he's enjoying this! this moron—
"why should i care about those fools?" zaha retorted back, his fingers lightly tracing the soft fabric of her skirt as he settled his head back down into the center of her lap. "they need to know that if they want to speak to the master of the sect, they have to check if his woman is currently using him as a footstool first. now, stop hiding your face and keep rubbing my head. the left side still feels slightly congested."
[reader] looked down at his handsome (and unbothered) face before letting out a defeated sigh and dropping her fingers back into his dark hair.
he's completely hopeless, she thought.
though her thumbs naturally resumed their gentle, soothing circles against his temples.
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[a/n]: hello yes im alive... barely
lately been feeling under the weather but this has been sitting in my drafts for so long i didn't wanna delay it any further
requested by @bloomfaery (ask and you shall receive!)
♡ྀི 01. MY NAME IS PINK AND I'M REALLY GLAD TO MEET YOU
There are multiple ways Cheongmyeong thought this little walk would go.
"Okay, which kid from 2022 owns this harry potter core, dream-shifting I am in rn!?"
Meeting a stranger speaking in a foreign language is not one of them.
To understand what happened, let's rewind to a few minutes ago...
The sun had only set recently, allowing the night to envelop Mount Hua in darkness. Only a few lamps illuminated the sect, but by the time a certain hour passes, the lights will be extinguished.
On one particular trail, where a path carved from the footsteps of frequent visitors of such a location, lacks the bright flames that aids the human eye. The modern person cannot navigate through such a route, especially when. The only kind of person accustomed to this kind of darkness are those who lived in a more ancient era. However, the absence of light proved to be crucial to a certain disciple.
"Woah, the moon is a lot brighter tonight"
Cheongmyeong stared at the moon, having just left the repentance chamber. He had been holed up in there for days, for a reason he most likely already forgot. The stars winked above him, almost as if there was something they had to say.
When a person lives in this kind of world, where the inventions of man have not yet been discovered, it is difficult to not appreciate the sky— and the kind of light it brings. Although, once a person is too much habituated with the natural environment, they often take this kind of scenery for granted.
The protagonist is not at all like that. Instead, he sees the opportunity, and takes advantage of it. Like what he is doing now.
He stands across two paths. One that is straightforward, narrow, and is sure to bring him back to his sahyung's place in mere minutes. The other is a path inside the forest-part of the mountain. The "scenic route", one might call it.
There are no torches or lamps to guide the way, making it harder to navigate, and there is no way to make sure that the terrain is flat— forcing anyone walking through the woods at night to watch their step. Trees grew thick from living off of the nutrients provided by the mountain, and whole ecosystems composed of grasshoppers and the like thrive during this time of night. Walking through the woods also prolongs the time it takes to return to the main sect.
It just so happens that Chung Myung is now walking toward it.
' If I delay my return... maybe I can avoid doing the chores sahyung assigned me! '
—is his thought process.
His shoes stepped on a few dry leaves as he walked, each emitting a satisfactory "cruncchhh!" in their wake. A cold wind blew, but it failed to make the trees shudder and move their branches. It did manage to free a few pink flowers, the shade a little lighter compared to the eyes of the young man watching. The plum blossoms made their descent gracefully on the ground before Cheongmyeong's feet.
It is spring, which is why the plum blossom trees are in full bloom, why the crickets hiding in the bushes are louder, and why the temperature in Mount Hua is not as cold as it was before. Usually, someone would exclaim that "It's a wonderful day!", only to repeat those words the next day, the next day, and then the following days as well. Certainly, they would say this with all their teeth showing as their mouth curves upward. They say that a person is the happiest when it is spring.
Cheongmyeong would like to share the same sentiment, but what's on his mind right now is what dish is prepared for dinner, his sahyung's plans for spring cleaning, and—
The figure laying beneath that tree.
Alarm bells rang in the young man's head, his face moving multiple muscles at once in an effort to make a reaction. His brows furrowed, then the slight frown on his lips opened its lower jaw to gape, and then he squinted his eyes to get a better look. Surely, that is just—
By the Tao, it looks like a person. A stranger!
Carefully, Cheongmyeong approaches the what-seems-to-be unconscious civillian. He finds himself now in a small clearing, just a few meters away from them. It strikes to him the abnormal clothing this person is wearing. This person... he seems to be wearing pants, and some sort of robe as another layer.
His eyes narrowed, is this person a threat? What else could he be doing on Huashan's premises at this hour?
The man stirs from his slumber—
Cheongmyeong immediately drew his sword, waiting until the man sat up from their place. Unfortunately, his back was facing towards the protagonist, so he could not see their face clearly. That's alright though, he could threaten this suspicious person from the back.
Mount Hua's disciple pointed his sword at the man's neck.
"Who are you?"
At once, the person froze on the spot. He could almost hear the man's frightened heart flutter against his ribcage. It occurs to Cheongmyeong that this man is smaller than he expected.
He pressed the blade deeper against the man's neck, just enough to sting. "You are to answer when spoken to!"
"Hiiikkk—"
Hick?
Shuddering, the man slowly turned to face him. Only to reveal—
That's... that face undoubtedly belongs to a woman.
The moon shone brightly now, deliberately spot-lighting the two of them. Its shine highlighted the features of the woman before him. Her eyes and lips are drastically different from what he is used to seeing, the color of her skin, the way her hair frames her face in a way that can only suit her; she looked so out of place in this world. Everything about it is different, foreign.
Otherworldly.
In normal circumstances, Cheongmyeong's breath would have been caught.
But this certainly was not a normal meeting.
"Ah, a woman—?"
She screamed, a blood curling, hair-rising, heart-pounding scream.
"What level of the backrooms are you from!?" She jumped, making as much distance as she could from him.
Her scream was done with such a high volume and genuine fear that Cheongmyeong almost instantaneously concluded that she was terrified of something. His head whipped around, foolishly looking for some kind of monster that was threatening her. With the language barrier, it is easy to misunderstand these types of things.
"What's wrong, Miss!? Where's your attacker!?"
A feeling of guilt crept up in his heart. After all, he just pointed his sword at her! To Cheongmyeong, his mind made the inference that this foreigner is some unfortunate woman with unfortunate circumstances that led her to the mountain. How she managed to find herself here was beyond him.
When the young man took another step toward her, she took even more steps backward, screaming— just to get away from him.
"NOOO! Stay away from me!" Her head turned to each side to take in her surroundings. She looked even more distraught as time passed. "What is this place...? Why does everything look like that!?"
He had not a single sliver of understanding with what she's saying. "Miss—"
"Stay where you are! Don't come any closer!"
"My name is Chung Myung" In turn, he walked a few steps back in an attempt to make her feel less frightened. "I want to help you"
"Cheongmyeong?"
She managed to single out his name in a foreign language? "Yes! And you are...?"
"Oh" her hands fell to her side as she swayed slightly. "...you need to do better at cosplay".
With those words, the foreigner's eyes closed as she fell unconscious.
"Miss!!"
Thankfully, Cheongmyeong managed to catch her on time, a few seconds before her body hit the ground. With her in his arms, the disciple can see that there is a large dark imprint on her neck... in the shape of a spiky rope?
He adjusts his hold on her and tries to shake her awake.
"Chung Myung!"
Immediately, Cheongmyeong recognized that voice, realizing a little too late on what kind of trouble this will get him into.
A few pairs of footsteps made their way to him. He didn't realize that they were coming until now. Cheong Mun took the lead, and was the first to find him.
"I heard screams, what did you—" his sahyung grabbed his shoulder, pushing him to the side before gasping "Of all things good and evil what on earth?"
F*ck
The next thing Cheongmyeong sees after blanking out is the table he shares meals with his sahyung with.
He stopped counting the amount of times his sahyungs and elders asked him to recount what happened. They bombarded him with the attention only a suspect of crime would be given. His voice came dry as another iteration of the events left his mouth. Each time with the same story rolling out of his tongue.
No, he wasn't the one who hurt her. Yes, she really was found beneath that old tree.
Other questions soon followed, but he wasn't sure if he answered them correctly. The bizarre event left him momentarily stunned.
As he continued to stare at the food left for him, the air shifted. Left by the chaos that happened before, at least to him. In his body, a pressure that weighed his chest festered. The same could be said on the item currently weighing his pocket.
With a quiet "tsk!", Chung Myung dug into his pocket to pull out the object plaguing his conscience.
In his hands, what could only be referred to as a "necklace" lies. The metal gleamed in his grasp, and the chain held a pendant in the shape of a heart. The clasp as well stayed consistent with the foreign identity of its owner. A thing of beauty, yet it somehow made the young man's heart race with anxiety.
Why is it so?
Maybe it is because this necklace belongs to the lady that he met earlier.
She had dropped it, or it may have loosened from her neck, or perhaps he had unclasped it stealthily during her unconscious state. For what reason would he even do that? He doesn't know, his memory is a mess (after telling the same story a hundred times). That doesn't matter, since it now stays with his person whether it was intentional or not.
He quietly admired the intricate pattern carved into the metal. It seemed like the work of an artisan— smooth valleys forming an aesthetic picture. Curves shaping petals, an illustration of vines, and an arch in the shape of a heart. Could a commoner really have this kind of jewelry?
He tentatively bit into it.
It's... it's real gold/silver!!
He could already hear his sahyung scolding him in his head.
...
It's not stealing if he returns it... right?
But that wasn't even the bad part of it.
"Hey, hey, Chung Myung"
This bastard...
"Is it true? Is it really true? You met a woman in the woods and she screamed at you?" Chung Jin grinned from ear to ear, his hand resting on his sahyung's shoulder.
Before his Saje could finish his sentence, Chung Myung had already pocketed the necklace.
"I don't understand, why would she react like that?" He stared at his food; his stomach was growling, but he couldn't bring himself to get a bite.
"Maybe she thought you were a monster"
"You wanna go?"
At the threat, Chung Jin doubled down. He looked over at his sahyung only to see that he was already stuffing his mouth with food— that he couldn't help but purse his lips at. Usually, the correct form of etiquette was to eat until their sasuk arrived. But since when was Chung Myung someone who followed the conventional? He could count on one hand the number of people Chung Myung would listen to.
Silence reigned for a while, allowing the clink of porcelain bowls and chopsticks to disturb.
"To think it was you of all people she met first" the junior of the two clutched his chest, as though he really was heartbroken. "I already feel this deep throbbing ache in my heart for her"
Chung Myung only rolled his eyes in response. "Oh, like you would react better than me".
"No, but in all seriousness I think you looked so unsightly to her that she was scared out of her wits"
"Me? Unsightly?" The young man in question, pointed at himself. He had the audacity to look confused. "What part of me is hard to look at?"
"Well, we can start with the hair—"
"Shut your mouth and just eat"
"Yes, yes I will ah— huh?" Chung Jin looked at his plate, expecting it to have the food he served himself with. Instead, there was nothing, not even a single grain of rice. "Hey! My food—! YOU STOLE IT AGAIN!?"
Chung Myung laughed at his face until the only door in the dining area opened. Their sahyung, Chung Mun, finally returned after what felt like hours. In all honesty, it had only been an hour since the incident. When he entered, the protagonist was suddenly the most behaved child in the world.
"Sahyung" the disciple who had his food stolen, greeted his senior, attempted to report this slight against him. However, once he saw his sahyung's serious expression, he had no choice but to swallow his complaints. "Welcome back"
"Good evening" Chung Mun nodded towards his junior, his gaze then moving to the youngest. "...Chung Myung"
In turn, the protagonist merely hummed in acknowledgement, still stuffing his mouth with rice. Silently, the older man stared at him wordslessly, unsure of whatever was going on in his head. After a whole minute, Chung Mun took his seat by the table and started serving himself food.
Unlike his sahyung, Chung Jin kept glancing at Chung Mun. A question— maybe multiple, surfaced in his mind, but they all died in throat. He watched through fleeting glances, his sahyung get an even number of meat and tofu, before taking the rest to place on the bowls of the other disciples. Unbothered, the protagonist continued what he was doing, all too focused on what was in his bowl than what was going on.
The silence stretched on for minutes, before being broken by a "sahyung—".
"I know you have many questions to ask me, but I'm afraid I don't have the capacity to answer them all". Chung Mun answered, swallowing the rice that was once in-between his chopsticks.
The upright posture that Chung Jin had suddenly collapsed as he slouched. Sighing, his disappointment was apparent from the frown that now sat on his face.
Noticing this, the elder continued.
"—You can save those questions for when the translator arrives" he finishes, chopsticks resting comfortably in his dominant hand.
"Translator?" The junior echoed, his head turning to his sahyung's direction. "So Mount Hua has the capabilities to summon a linguistic master..."
Chung Mun nodded, looking directly at the younger man. His hand found the cup nearest to him, and assumed it was his before pouring himself tea. As he lifted the cup to his mouth, he paused mid-sip.
The youngest of the three in the room had stopped eating, despite there being almost half of his food left. Instead, he was staring at the meal before him, eyes unfocused, and seeming deep in thought.
The man who practically raised this boy for so long almost choked at the sight. He had never seen Chung Myung this... serious before.
He called the young man's name and coughed into his hand to get his attention. "Don't you have something to ask me?"
"Is she dead?" The protagonist replied quickly.
"You—! Hah..." Chung Mun sighed.
"Hehehe"
"Look, he's going crazy after just one encounter with the opposite sex" Chung Jin backed a few inches away, his hand to his mouth as though he was disturbed. "Imagine if—"
Whatever scenario the junior was going to say fell on deaf ears, since the protagonist interjected his sentence.
"We will not even find out this woman's identity until that translator arrives?" Chung Myung picked at his food, looking elsewhere as long as it wasn't his pocket.
Who even is she?
The question echoed in his mind.
Chung Jin perked up. "Is there not an empire in the west with an ongoing war? What if she hails from there?"
"We'll have to wait and see..."
"What if, what if she's actually a princess from a distant kingdom and sahyung just saved her life!?" The junior gasped as he connected non-existent dots, turning to the young man in question.
"What are the elders letting you read?" The protagonist's face twisted at the fantastical twist his saje just spouted. "Are you really studying or just reading fairytales?"
But... somehow, Chung Jin's words don't feel impossible at all. Chung Myung's mind flashed to the pretty necklace that belonged to a certain foreigner.
"Pft..." Chung Mun pursed his lips, managing to maintain his composure. "For the time being, the lady will be staying with us"
"The sect isn't going to send her to the sanitorium in Huayin? Or— report this to an imperial official?"
"The... unfortunate incident happened on Mount Hua, so Mount Hua will be taking responsibility" he glanced at a certain young man through the corner of his eye. "And it is the sect leader's desicion—"
" This doesn't make any sense ". Chung Myung thought to himself.
A woman who seemed to be in her late 20s, suddenly appearing in Huashan's premises? Mount Hua? The Mount Hua? The Mount Hua that is so very difficult to climb? Especially for the average person that isn't trained like a normal martial artist?
That Mount Hua?
" She did it with fresh injuries too... " the protagonist's brows furrowed, remembering the mark around her neck.
The foreigner wasn't found in front of the main gate either. She was in the woods, under one of the oldest plum blossom trees on the mountain. How on earth did she get there on her own? Did she climb from the back? There's no way a normal person like her would be able to survive climbing all of that.
Who is she? What is her intention in Mount Hua?
It doesn't make sense. No matter how much he tries to wrap his head around it.
...what is this foreboding feeling in his chest?
"What do you think about this, sahyung?" Chung Jin's voice came to the forefront of the young man's mind. Interrupting his thoughts.
"Well, among many other things... I speculate that the young woman is a human trafficking victim" his sahyung answered.
Oh.
That... that makes sense.
His saje gasped. "...that poor girl"
"Unfortunate indeed"
That answered a few holes in the story, but would a kidnapper really go that far? Hopping mountains for the sole purpose of what? Unless...
"But, this kind of plot..." Chung Jin muttered, sharply looking up at the protagonist. "Isn't it similar to a princess's fate? Sahyung, I think she really might be a princess"
Chung Myung rolled his eyes.
"Do you have any idea on who's behind this, sahyung?" The longer-haired young man asked.
"Yes... but this is all just speculation," Chung Mun nodded. "We have no confirmation for any of this, so you'll have to wait as us elders investigate"
A few beats of silence passed, then—
"So, Chung Myung" the eldest of the three set down his utensils. "Please tell me that you did not do anything that would leave a negative impression to the girl"
Had it been any other situation, Cheongmyeong would have been able to lie with no effort. But the circumstances are different, and the young man felt the need to tell the truth.
"I drew my sword at her neck..."
Just as he expected, the other two men looked at him with the same horrified expression. His saje, with an expression akin to a man that lost in his bet, and his sahyung, looking up at the ceiling as if he was going to find his ancestors up there.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk" Chung Jin shook his head in disappointment. "I can't believe you blew all your chances of marrying a princess, sahyung"
"I did not know she was a woman" Cheongmyeong was quick to reply in his defense, deciding to ignore his saje's comment. "Her... countenance made it difficult to figure it out"
"Do you really have to comment on her appearance?" The older man's nose scrunched up in displeasure. "You could have used the darkness of the night as an excuse— and that's no way a proper man talks about a woman"
"Right, that's enough" as always, the elder was there to calm the two down. "Chung Myung—"
The young man sighed, already aware of the fate that awaits him. "I'll see myself to the repentance chamber on my own..."
"No, that's not it" Chung Mun shook his head, posture straight. "To morrow, you will visit the lady in the medicine hall. Among the many cuts she came with, there was a prominent one on the side of her neck— I'm sure you know what that implies"
Did he do that? Chung Myung mentally questioned himself. Did he somehow cause a cut in her neck and completely forgot about it?
Seeing his sahyung's grave expression, the young man decided not to question it.
"Can you apologize to her?" Chung Mun asked of him, looking at the young man sincerely. "Imagine yourself in her shoes, I'll—"
"I'll do it"
At his admission, Chung Mun stared at him speechless.
"It's different when there's a lady involved?"
"They don't deserve to be troubled so much"
Chung Mun did not know whether the young man's respect for women came from the many years he took care of him— or simply because there were barely any women in Mount Hua that he did not have any clue on how to act around them.
Still, he supposed that it is a good thing.
"Can I join? I want to meet this woman and shake her hand"
"No!"
"Can you hurry up?" In the end, Chung Myung had to let his saje tag along. "It's going to be mid day by the time we get there"
"Yeah, yeah..."
Together, they walk along the path that would lead them to the medicine hall. The sun barely reached the center of the heavens, leaving only one side of them to be illuminated. Their shadows dragged behind them with each step. A few people were already up and about, walking around and greeting each other.
"Sajae" Chung Myung's voice interrupted the silence. "Am I hideous?"
"Are you sure I'm the right person to ask that?"
"No, it's just..."
"Wait" Chung Jin stopped in his tracks, turning to face his sahyung. His hair that was usually unkept looked tidy and purposefully styled, and his uniform was free of any wrinkles on the fabric. The young man looked him up and down. "Since when have YOU cared about what you look like?"
"From the first moment I met that woman, I feel like I've been insulted," the protagonist explained, clicking his tongue at the nuisance it all was, putting in any amount of effort. "I need to know— for my own peace of mind— that she did not mean to"
"And how do you know that she insulted you?"
"I have a feeling"
"Good morning—" Chung Jin's greeting was cut off as he saw the sight before him. "AH! What are you doing, miss!?"
The foreigner let out a small gasp, immediately straightening from her earlier position of crouching. She did it relatively quickly, and in doing so caused a sharp sting on one of her bandaged wounds. Her breath hitched, whilst her hand came up to press against her throat.
"Miss, you shouldn't move around so much" the disciple was careful to keep his distance. "You're still recovering from your injuries..."
With half-lidded eyes, the young woman's gaze roamed around the room— searching. It was at this time Chung Myung had the bright idea to offer his hand. But the moment he tried to reach out, she moved from him. Almost as though she was avoiding him.
He swore that her eyes flicked to his hand before she ignored him.
And to that, he raised a brow.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know that I was going to have visitors" she spoke, taking a few steps so as to create distance. Her head remained bowed, carefully avoiding the gazes of the two men.
"Ooo, you have a very nice voice" the junior of the two disciples commented, crouching slightly to peer at her. "What language are you speaking?"
The young woman lowered her head even more. "...?"
"Please, sit!"
Just as Chung Jin took his seat on a wooden stool, he made a gesture towards the bed adjacent to himself. His sahyung waited until the foreigner sat on her bed before following suit. The white covers sank a bit as they held up a person's weight. Though, there were no creaks whatsoever as these beds were installed recently.
Chung Myung takes his time to stare at the foreigner, who skillfully avoids his gaze. Again.
It was much better to look at her while she was unmoving. His eyes roam over her face, from the shape of her eyes, and to the color of her lips. He could make out each line of hair, each defined stroke of a shadow, and the cross-hatching that makes up the shade of her skin. All these features seemed to be formed in a meticulous manner, as though the gods spent more time on her than anyone else.
But, something felt... odd? No matter how much he looked at her, it feels as if there is something he can't see. Her appearance, though highly detailed, was not the whole picture. He knew it.
He concludes that she is made up of fragments from a dimension he could never perceive fully. But what does that mean? Everyone agrees that she's a foreigner, but to him, she's more alien. Why is it that no one is bringing this up?
The protagonist does not really know how to make of this.
"Pssst!" Chung Jin nudged him by the elbow. "Stop staring too much! You're scaring her!"
Sure enough, he was right. Chung Myung saw the foreigner, who he last saw sitting on the bed and avoiding his gaze, now leaning away from him with a look that only a person who is about to be tortured would wear. In an instant the young man corrected himself, coughing into his hand while sheepishly moving his gaze elsewhere that would not cause discomfort.
His gaze fell to her hands, and (despite the strange way it was drawn) he realized that her hands look smooth. Not a single blemish or rough texture in sight. Chung Myung swallowed.
This woman... she didn't climb the mountain on her own.
Which means, she was definitely brought here by someone.
"What were you doing earlier, miss?" To break the tension, his junior spoke slowly, purposely making his voice soft. "Did you lose something?"
"Ahhhmm..." the foreign woman reached for her collarbone, her fingers fiddling with air. She muttered under her breath. "Ay, if these people can understand me, I would've asked them to help me find my necklace. I have to do everything myself, don't I?"
Every now and then— Chung Myung notices— the foreigner will rest her hand around her neck. As if there was something she used to hold onto done by habit. His pocket suddenly weighed heavier as he realized.
"I'm so sorry about the commotion my sahyung brought to you" Chung Jin continued, still talking in a manner that brings the protagonist chills. "You must have been very frightened"
The foreigner's gaze slowly lifted to finally look at them— or more specifically, Chung Jin. She stared at him clueless, most likely not knowing what to say.
The junior nudges the protagonist the second time.
"Uh, right!" He replied, sweat dropping, he then turned his head to give a glare of warning to the other young man beside him.
Unexpectedly, he feels something heavy by the side of his head.
His head jerks face-forward to the source, only to go eye-to-eye with the foreigner.
This was the first time he's ever made eye contact with her.
Her eyes...
As quickly as he caught it, the young woman averted her gaze away. She looked as if she was burned, and an uncomfortable expression donned her face— at least, that's what the protagonist assumes from the way her brows furrowed.
Huh?
"Miss, please don't mind my sahyung" Chung Jin continued the conversation, taking the foreigner's attention with it. "He's just curious, but he means well"
Huhh?
"When are these people going to leave..." she spoke freely, her sights landing on the junior in front of her— whom she smiled at.
Wait, wait!
How come she could look at Chung Jin without physically recoiling, but when it comes to him— suddenly he has the face of the ugliest creature in the world!?
That's not right!
The young man stared at the woman, and once could translate his "stare" as a glare. Really, you'd think that she just insulted him in every way possible from the heat that was radiating off of him. Chung Myung wasn't sure if he should speak up or whatever.
The other two somehow managed to maintain casual conversation, however the topic was really hard to tell.
"I hope papa's not going through my phone while I'm away..."
"You know, I don't recognize the language you're speaking"
"Sh*t, I left my ao3 tabs open last night"
"Right!? I come from a family of scholars— surely, I should know..."
Her reaction only ignited a surge of curiosity in Cheongmyeong. This curiosity however, is closer to borderline suspicion. The longer-haired male narrowed his eyes at the foreigner, attempting to catch her gaze once again.
She spared him a small glimpse—
Hmmmm!!! His eyes widened as he intensified his stare.
The foreigner averted her eyes. "What the hell..."
If Chung Myung could understand her, he would agree. Indeed, what the hell is this situation and why is she making intermittent glances at him!? All the while ignoring him once caught!? Make it make sense.
"This thing?" Chung Jin, misunderstanding the foreigner's glance at the book he was carrying, brightened. "I'm working on something really cool, but I'm not allowed to show outsiders about it"
"me when my bro brings up the ancient texts"
"Unless—" the young man gasped. "Are you interested in becoming a disciple of Mount Hua?"
"Is this the part where you asked me to do drugs?"
"Stop that, did you forget that she doesn't understand us?" Chung Myung interjected before Chung Jin could misunderstand again (not that he knew what she meant anyways). "You haven't introduced yourself yet either"
"Right!" The junior disciple perked up, placing a hand on his chest as he addressed himself. "My name is Chung Jin, Chung-Jin. It looks like this when you write it..."
Gently, the young man pulled out his book— pages bound with string and leather, and flipped it open to show her the name inscribed with ink. He traced each character with his fore finger, speaking his name slowly so as to help the foreigner to memorize it. There were other characters written in the book as well, but because of the woman's illiteracy in their language, he wasn't at all concerned with her being able to read it. In good measure, he pushed the book closer to her to keep Chung Myung's gaze away from it too.
She reached out to trace the characters on her own. "Chung... Jin..."
"Wow! You're such a fast learner!"
The woman paused for a few seconds, her eyes focused still on the name, before slowly looking up at him. "Isn't that the name of the disciple mentioned in the first few chapters of the webtoon?"
"I don't know what you just asked so I'm just going to agree"
"...well, my name is—" the foreigner pointed at herself, saying her name that sounded just as out of this world as she looked.
"How do you pronounce that?"
The woman spoke her name again, making sure to enunciate each syllable for their own comfort. Still, as Chung Jin attempted to say her name, it didn't sound right. Or at least, it sounded like a far cry from what she just said. Thankfully, the foreign woman was patient— and she taught them her name again.
Chung Jin mispronounced her name still after 10 tries.
"Agh! I'm sorry miss!" The young man starts apologizing, his head bowed in shame. "I can't get your name right!"
The young woman seemed to understand what he was trying to say, so she reassured him. "It's okay... I know it's hard to say for you guys—"
Chung Myung abruptly interrupted her, by speaking her name perfectly. "...that's your name, right?"
Both taken aback, they simultaneously turned their heads to the protagonist's direction. Chung Jin, with a shocked expression, and the foreigner with a complicated one. They gawked at him for a moment, until the foreigner looked away— just like the last time.
"How did you get it on the first try!?" Chung Jin exclaimed despite his disbelief.
The longer haired male narrowed his eyes at her, before answering. "...you're thinking too much about it".
"We've met already, my name is Chung Myung," the young man introduced himself.
The foreigner froze, but made no move to acknowledge him. For the first time in his life, his heart tightened in frustration at this woman.
Still, he tried again, bowing his head this time. "I hope you can forgive me for what happened last night..."
A sniff came from—
Sniff?
Chung Myung's head whipped upwards so quickly that it was a miracle he didn't get any whiplash from it. It was the same for Chung Jin, who also looked up at the source of the sound.
Lo and behold, tears were already streaming down the foreigner's face. Her eyes and her nose steadily reddened as it continued. The woman's lips trembled, while her hands balled into fists— her final attempt to keep it together.
At once, the two young men jumped at their feet, both startled at the sudden turn of events.
"M-miss!?" The junior disciple reached his hands out to her but stopped at a short distance, unsure whether it was alright to touch her. "Wha-what's wrong—?"
"I'm sorry, I'm not usually this emotional..." she bowed her head, sniffling. The tears kept pouring from her eyes down to her cheek. "It's just..."
She turned her gaze to the older disciple, then to Chung Myung— before sobbing in frustration.
"F*ck me, I'm really in the pbss era" the woman buried her face in her hands, crying at the situation she's found herself in.
"Sahyung! You made her cry!" Chung Jin was fast to point accusing fingers at him. "And you call yourself a man!?"
The protagonist, bewildered at his saje's words and the weeping woman in front of him, could only look over at the two hopelessly.
"What did I do!?"
"She hates me"
"Hate is an exaggeration"
"Alright" Chung Myung breathed in for emphasis. "She despises me, she LOATHES me"
"How could you say that?" Chung Jin tried to mediate with a good point. "There's a language barrier, you might've misunderstood her"
"Then why did she start crying as soon as I introduced myself!?" The protagonist raised his voice, his tone indignant. He was making it seem as though he was wronged in so many ways. "And—! That woman is deliberately ignoring me!"
His saje's face looked like he didn't know whether to burst out laughing or to be the responsible one and console his sahyung. Seriously, it's so funny to see the protagonist, someone who is treated with the upmost care, meet someone who is not so impressed with him. Even going to such lengths to avoid making eye-contact with him. If Chung Jin didn't know any better, he would have thought the woman held hatred for his sahyung.
"She's still very nice though"
"Rude! That's what she is!" His temper flared as he reasoned with Chung Jin. "You know— what have I done to her? I have been all things polite, I have never treated a woman rudely! Ever!!"
"I think it is because—"
"If you're going to talk about my appearance, shut your mouth"
As soon as the woman started crying, one of the disciples in the medicine hall entered and immediately assumed that he had done something to her. Both him and his saje were kicked out of the room without being able to explain themselves.
This report will definitely reach his sahyung's ears...
Fine, if she hates him, he'll return that same attitude!
"She's so... she's so weird!"
Chung Jin watched his sahyung's face twist in frustration, before walking away on his own. The junior sighed, jogging to catch up.
He's so easily aggrieved.
"Wha— how did you find this place!?"
Chung Myung exclaimed as he took in the sight before him. A familiar sight of plum blossom trees surrounding this small clearing. So small that not many people know this spot exists, even the current sect leader and elders have no idea. But a foreigner he had been avoiding for the past few days was here. There she was, crouching in front of a log.
His log, the one he sits on when hiding from his senior brothers and training. The one that has witnessed him open a bottle he shouldn't be opening.
The only thing standing between him and shooing this woman away is his stubborn self— who would rather find somewhere else to drink.
The protagonist wholeheartedly agreed with that thought.
Turning, he had barely took a step away when—
"Imagine yourself in her shoes!" His sahyung's voice echoed in his mind, clear and uninterrupted.
It struck him much harder than it should.
For once, he did imagine it. He imagined himself waking up in a different world from what he knew. Imagined what it would be like to be ripped away from his sect brothers, his sahyung, his Mount Hua. Only to be taken to a place where no one understood him, and he was left alone.
He would go mad.
The hand clasping the ceramic bottle's neck tightened their grip, and he sucked in a breath.
A world where Mount Hua was no more...
Sharp, he turned around and marched his way to the woman's side. The back of his mind protested, but the thought from before weighed heavily. It must be the reason why he is acting this way. Once he reached her side, he crouched down next to her.
"Ahhh, this was supposed to be a secret spot" he began, looking far away from her. "Now some foreigner found it mere days of staying here"
From the corner of his eye, he spared a glance toward her only to find her already staring at him. Her unexpected look caused him to flinch, but just like the last time, she moved her gaze downward— avoiding him.
This ticked him off for some reason. Why is she staring at him, only to look away when she meets his gaze?
She was looking at something beside him now.
"...This is—!" He grabbed the bottle at his side, almost breaking it from the speed he moved it.
Wait, why am I trying to hide liquor around her? It's not like she'll report me or anything!
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The unexpected sound surprised him, and in turn made him whip his head toward the source. It came from a small bird, with white and brown feathers, a diamond-shaped beak, and eyes that are comparable to the smallest obsidian. He blinked at the avian, mouth agape at its existence.
"Uh, is that a bird?" Chung Myung pointed at the avian, who was nuzzling into the foreigner's hand. "Where did you find that tiny thing?"
His question was met with silence, save for the random chirps that the bird would make.
"Are you even allowed to go outside of the medicine hall?" He tried once more, awkward.
The quiet continued.
The protagonist looked to the foreigner, eyes narrowing. Has she gone mute? Deaf? Why is she so unresponsive to his questions!?
It was almost like he wasn't there, and it was only her that existed at the moment, staring at what was in front of her. She made no expression, almost lost in thought while the wind blew light against her hair. Her hands moved towards the bird, fingers petting it gently. Chung Myung watched, as her attention remained solely on the avian.
The protagonist's face twisted in displeasure.
"Hey, are you still going to keep ignoring me? That's rude, you know" realizing that she was really going to ignore him after another pause, he decided to call her by her name. "Yah, ...!"
She flinched, turning her head to see him. "Yes...?"
"So you can look at me"
Instantaneously, the foreigner tried to turn away.
Tried.
Except Chung Myung caught her by her cheek, pinching it and forcibly turning her head to meet his eyes. He had half a mind to raise his voice just to annoy her like she had, but recognized that it might not be the best course of action. Especially if he wanted to get her attention in a way that wouldn't make her even more displeased with him.
"Don't look away" he tells her, slowly letting go of his grip and teased. "What, never looked at a Chinese man before?"
"I can smell your lunch"
Chung Myung scowled at no one in particular. "Of all languages to speak, you just had to be a foreigner!"
"...?"
"Can you at least talk?" He leaned closer, frustration evident. "You're turning this into a one-sided conversation! At the very least, speak!"
"..."
"Haahh..." sighing, he dragged a hand over his face.
From afar, distant shouts of other disciples' training echoed. The sound reaching the two people in the clearing. Upon hearing this, the foreigner whipped her head curiously to the source of the sound. On the other hand, Chung Myung opened the bottle in his hand with a flick of his finger, taking a swig of the alcohol as soon as it was free.
The perfect blend of bitter and sweet engulfed his throat, the familiar sensation burning him. It travelled from his mouth to his stomach, and his heart began to beat faster, red covering his cheeks and reaching the tips of his ears. All of this happening as he continued to gulp down the contents of the bottle like water.
Meanwhile, the young woman at his side simply looked at him, then towards the training grounds— where sounds of disciples training vigorously ensued. She alternated from looking between him and at the other disciples training before finally settling her gaze on him. She stared at him intently.
It didn't take long for Chung Myung to notice her. "What's wrong—? Oh, you want some?"
She pushes away his hand that was offering liquor. "Stop that"
"Hm?"
"Are you not going to train with the others?" The foreigner spoke sternly. "You're seriously slacking off?"
Now it's his turn to stare with confusion. "...?"
"Tsk..."
Pointing at the sword resting on his hip, she makes a swinging motion. "Sword!! Ha! ha!"
He gestured to her in confusion. "You want to train?"
"No!!" She said it in a way that made it seem like she was offended. "You! Youuu!!" She continued, indicating him.
Is she telling me to train!?
"My sword? Swish-swish?"
The foreigner nodded only after Chung Myung pointed at himself.
"I'll do that tomorrow" he says, waving a hand dismissively.
The foreigner's eyes narrowed at him— in what seemed like irritation? Why the hell would she be irritated at him?
Rolling her eyes, the foreigner spoke with a firm tone. "Girl, pick up your sword— I promise training a little more is not going to kill you"
"You can't tell me what to do" . Somehow sensing what the woman was talking about, the protagonist protested against it. After all, why would he take orders from a foreign woman he met barely a few days ago? Much more when this woman had offended him(?) several times. "I'll do whatever I want!"
"It's almost like... your beloved mount hua will live forever... if you train harder"
"Ah! I heard 'Hua'!" Chung Myung jumped, and in turn startled the woman. He used his index finger to point at her, eyes brightening at the recognition of such a word. "Did you say 'Mount Hua?'"
"Hua...?" The foreigner repeated.
"Mounntt Huaaaa"
In just a few attempts, the woman managed to perfect speaking it. "Mount Hua"
"Yes! That's it!" He clapped his hands in joy. "Mount Hua!!"
"Okay bro" keeping her distance from him, she gestured at his sword once more. "Go train... for Mount Hua"
Again, sensing what she meant, he shook his head. "I don't need to do that"
"Lazy ahh..." the young woman clicked her tongue, crossing her arms as she looked away from him. The protagonist watched as she muttered under her breath. "I hate slackers"
"This won't do" Chung Myung sighed, there was a limit to what he could understand. "It's so hard with this language barrier"
There is no such thing as a "universal language" at this point of history and it is a shame that only few people could come into contact with foreigners. If the opportunity were granted for all, he would not even be having this problem. For a moment, Chung Myung imagined a world where everyone could speak in Mandarin— making it the dominant language. Maybe in that reality, this foreigner and her overall strangeness could be easily explained with just a few bearable sentences. But everything must always come with effort.
There must be a way to break down this language barrier...
How can he make her understand him?
.
.
.
Should he teach her?
Growing up, Chung Myung had been surrounded by teachers. His sahyungs are teachers, the elders are teachers, everyone who is a part of the Mount Hua sect are teachers. So who is to say that he can't teach?
If you hit a dog enough times then it can learn to do tricks for you.
Wait, but he can't just hit a woman!
...
Where would he even start? There's so many things that he has to teach. The characters in the Chinese alphabet are a pain to memorize as well...
Perhaps he could teach her basic words first? Like yes and no...
Chung Myung mulled over the topic on his own, almost forgetting the foreign woman's existence beside him. It was only until she opened her mouth that he looked at her again.
"wo— wo men jin shêng zhù dùng shì căng săng ku zhe lái yào xiào zhe zòu guò ya"
!?!?!?
What the—!?
She continued with no shame. "péng yõu a ràng wo men yi qi lão láo ming jì ya wǒ men jin shêng xiõng di qíng yi cháng—!"
"HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!"
"uh..."
"Where did you learn that!?" Chung Myung slapped his thigh multiple times, clutching his stomach. "Haha, do you even know what that means— AHAHHAHAHA!"
The protagonist bursted out laughing, both appalled and humored at the way this woman sang. It was so random, and she sang so confidently that there was no way she's not aware that she mispronounced a few words.
Now that she stopped singing and realized that he was laughing at her, the foreigner stilled in her position. Her face slowly turned red at the humiliation she had to go through just to be understood. She clenched her fists, unsure if she wanted to hit the laughing man or to use them to choke herself to death.
But as he continued laughing like a maniac, the foreign woman finally saw him for the way he is— a weirdo. She looked at him the same way a mother would when she sees a crazy person only to then usher her children away from said maniac. That is how she is looking at him now. Like he's doing too much.
Funny how they both have the same opinion of each other.
"Haha... ha... you're funny" he's still laughing btw. "Why don't you sing like that to the sect leader? HAHA!"
It took a whopping 15 minutes until Chung Myung calmed down. His stomach ached after having his breath knocked out of him for the past halved half-hour. The foreigner however, returned her attention back to the avian in front of her. The bird had been nipping at her fingers in an attempt to get her to notice him.
Once the silence had settled, Chung Myung took the initiative to break it. "So, why do you want me to train so much?"
The question made the woman turn her head to him, a puzzled expression on her face. At once the protagonist knew that his words made no sense to her.
"Training!" He pointed at his sword and made vague gestures to get his point across. "Why...?"
It seemed as if the foreigner understood, because she answered. "Mount hua!!" She clenched her hand into a fist, leaving the thumb upright. Then she made a slicing motion over her neck. "Krrrkk—"
"Watch your tone!" Chung Myung suddenly stood up, almost throwing the woman off balance. "How dare you! Are you insinuating that Mount Hua will die!?"
"Eh?" Surprised at his switch-up, she tried to explain. "What I meant is... Mount Hua will reach its downfall because you depend too much on your talent—!"
"Shut up!" He raised his voice, outrage in his eyes. "Listen here, I don't know what you're thinking, but you better stop it now! You're just a guest, you don't know anything!"
"Mount Hua is more formidable than you think!"
Just like that, Chung Myung stomped away from the woman, leaving her alone in the woods. The foreigner watched his retreating figure, bewildered at the turn of events. His outburst had left her confused, and she had to re-evaluate if she had said something wrong. The conclusion she made was that he must have misunderstood her. But how would she know that if they didn't understand each other?
"What the hell is wrong with him, Lou?"
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A/N: First chapter yippee!! Tysm for all the support you have for this fanfic. In fact, it was inspired by an anon from my tumblr who asked to see the reader and pbss!chung myung meet. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Comments are love!
summary : as a farewell gesture, you grant postman his first kiss.
tags : no use of y/n , fluff , kissing scene , angst , no implication of reader's gender , sorry for the buns kissing scene idk how to write kissing scenes
a/n : ok gangalang i rlly dont know where i was going with this lmao i rlly need to make more masterlists like i dont even have an anhg masterlist yet also im rereading this and cringing so bad can u tell i have no idea how kissing works TvT
You couldn't believe it.
Couldn't believe him!
He really had to rat you out! You never would've thought that he'd snitch on you.
And now he had the audacity to come back and act like nothing even happened?
So, for the sake of being petty, you stubbornly crossed your arms and looked away instead of giving him your usual warm welcome.
You heard his voice waver a little, and from the corner of your eye you saw his smile wobble. You didn't see the point of the messages flashing across your eyes, telling you to remember and not to trust him. Of course you remembered! How could you forget? You'd had enough of his little games.
As he walked away, he clenched his fists. No, he was not having any more of this. How dare you act like he was in the wrong here? He spun around, venting about how lucky you were, about how much he hated every second of this. But then he started talking about how you were the one thing that made it all seem better. And now you wanted to leave? And take everything else he cares about with you? Not on his watch.
"And I am not letting you bring me down with you-" He was about to point at you, but his hand was held down by white glowing strings. Then the other hand. He gasped, struggling against them. "Wh-wha--wait--get off of me!"
A message flashed across your eyes, telling you to get to the truck. You knew that you probably should've, but... after hearing Postman's little rant, you felt a little guilty. He was right, you were being selfish. You didn't think about what might happen to him.
You were determined to make your last few seconds with him memorable, this may be the last time you see him. Time was not on your side, but you'd have to make it work.
You slowly trudged up to him. He held your gaze, still trying to fight against the strings holding him down, glaring at you. You cupped his face, and he felt that familiar rush of warm flood through his body. His attempts to ignore it and push it down were futile.
"Posty..." You sighed.
"Don't call me that!" He croaked back. He looked like he was on the verge of tears. Your chest tightened.
"Hey... listen to me..." You said softly. "I'm sorry, Posty. I really am. I didn't want to hurt you..."
"I know..." He muttered back, melancholic.
Your shoulders sagged as you pressed your lips together. You caressed his cheeks, wiping away any stray tears. You had to go soon. You had to get to the truck.
Your eyes dropped down to his lips. You gently leaned in a little closer, giving him plenty of time to stop you.
A million thoughts raced through your head, but before you could chicken out, you pressed your lips to his.
His lips fumbled against yours. He was trying to kiss back, but he didn't exactly have a lot of experience in this field.
You kissed him a little harder, a little deeper, your hands cupping his face and tilting it ever so slightly to get a better angle. He whimpered against your mouth, melting into it. You pulled away, chuckling as his lips chased after yours.
After pressing a final kiss to his forehead, you walked around him to run over to the truck. Postman snapped out of his daze, shouting after you and squirming against his restraints.
Hopping into the driver's seat, you took one last glance at him, all pretty in white strings, before forcing yourself to look away and starting the truck.
Hopefully, he could find happiness without you.
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this work and all others are original and mine. please do not translate or put my works through ai. thank you for reading. you can support me by liking, reblogging, and/or following me.
tags : no use of y/n , fluff , touchy feely mushy stuff , no implication of reader's gender , sleep deprivation , some of these quotes were taken from the game lol , i love postman hes so bbg , this is pretty long
a/n : i had this idea for so long i was just so busy i hate ixl i hate it i hate it i hate it and i also have a math quiz tomorrow why is school so buns like it fr needs to get gud lowk also FIRST ANHG FIC YIPPEE
It started when you put your hand on his shoulder.
The two of you were sitting on the roof of your house, watching the stars. You listened intently as he rambled about what it would be like to explore.
Gently, you placed your hand on his shoulder. "That must suck, Posty."
It was a fleeting touch. Friendly. Nothing more to it. But he tensed. Because for the first time ever...
He felt warm.
It felt better than how he imagined it would, and when you pulled away, he immediately missed the sensation.
He found himself craving your touch more often. Noticing little things about you that no one else would care to remember. Your touches started to linger, the warmth clinging to him like a second skin.
He walked up the steps to your house, a grin already tugging at his lips without him even noticing. He knocked on your door, eagerly waiting for you to open it, shifting the package in his arms.
"Hey, Posty..." You croaked, rubbing at your eye lazily.
"Hey hey, day 2! I was just about to drop off your--uhm... are you okay?" His fingers twitched around the box, wanting to reach out but not wanting to overstep. He scanned your figure. You looked... exhausted. "You don't look so good... And your wake-up time was a pretty late too, at least... for me..." His voice drifted into a mumble as he tried to find a solution. "Uh... Okay, I know this is against my code, but how about I stay over? Just this once." Your lips parted, about to protest, not wanting to burden him. He quickly added, "I'd hate for the game to bug out for you, so don't worry!" before you could speak.
With a comforting smile, he teleported into your house, setting the package down before turning to you. At first, he was hesitant to touch you. Would you be comfortable with it? What if he crossed a line? Violated your space and boundaries? What if you stopped being his friend? What if he was reprimanded for getting too close? What if you got banned? What if he got deleted? What if--
"Thanks, Posty. I appreciate your company."
"I-It's no problem!" He tried to sound smooth, but his voice was embarrassingly high pitched (even more so than usual). You didn't even have to touch him and he was already feeling warmth, this time pooling in his cheeks. His smile wobbled into something more bashful. "You lay down, I'll get you some water!"
With a fond smile, you got comfortable on your bed. He disappeared into your kitchen and came back with a glass of water and some snacks he found in your cupboard.
He learned a lot about you that day. Your favorite color(s), your favorite food(s), your preferences, what you like to watch/read, your hobbies, your interests, and more. He listened to every word, storing away every fact close to his heart. When you finished, he started rambling too about a whole bunch of things. You rested your head in his lap as he talked, and he absentmindedly played with your hair.
"The stars remind me that there's so much more out there... So many things to explore..."
You hummed in agreement, drifting between staying awake and falling asleep. "The stars are beautiful... It's so calming to just... look at them."
"Exactly!" He beamed. You didn't reply for a while. Neither did he. It wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't awkward either.
"Hey..."
You hummed against his thigh.
"Why'd you wake up so late anyway? Do you wanna talk about it..?"
"It was just a weird dream... I didn't get much sleep last night..." You mumbled, your eyelids feeling like weights as your struggled to keep them open.
"Ah... Then sleep. I'll be here when you wake up." He whispered. It didn't even occur to him that this was against his code. Either way, he didn't care. He couldn't get enough of this feeling, couldn't get enough of you.
Whispering for permission, heart fluttering when you nodded, he gently lifted your head off of his lap, setting it on the pillow and crawling into bed beside you. The bed was small, but he didn't mind, and neither did you. His hand found yours in the darkness, a wide smile on his face. He wasn't used to affection, wasn't used to... this. But he loved it, just as much as he loved you.
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this work and all others are original and mine. please do not translate or put my works through ai. thank you for reading. you can support me by liking, reblogging, and/or following me.
How are you doing? Hopefully nothing has been too stressful or pressuring for you!!
I was looking through your blog again and found out that you have a tiktok :-)
if you don't mind, can I have it?
I also have Vivi's tiktok by the way ^o^
I want to cause world dominion with origami paper fishes.
hi I'm doing well! I recently got into fostering and animal rescue so I'm always gone on socials except tiktok lol (gotta keep the streaks alive) hopefully you're doing well yourself!
really sorry but can't really give you my tiktok since I post my face a lot on my videos and I'm shy
but really hope you n vivi have fun! also nice paper origami! they look sick!
