summary: reader has started at university, and found a partner who isn’t exactly who she thought he was. beginning her barista job to live comfortably, she meets an individual who somehow finds a hidden away place in her heart.
modern au, hange zoe x fem!reader
ao3 link
wattpad link
chapter one.
“I’m proud to welcome you to your new job, y/n.”
A new start. Since leaving Shiganshina behind, you’ve been lost, all you began to know was your crappy college classes, your crappy boyfriend, your crappy life. Stohess should’ve been a new start, better than the fucked up childhood you just had to live, but this isn’t the change you wanted.
“Thank you, Miche.” You manage to muster up some confidence, shaking the blonde man’s hand. “When would you want me to start?”
“Next week will be alright, I’ll see you Monday.”
And with that, you leave Miche’s coffee shop, the smell of central Stohess hitting your nose again as you begin walking down the street, passing an individual with an eye-patch. Not something you see every day, but its rude to stare.
Every person has a past, it’s impossible to live a life full of bliss, just the same it’s impossible to live a life full of suffering. Maybe they lost their right eye, maybe they were involved in some weird attack, maybe it’s some weird fashion choice. Stohess does attract the odd types as well.
It’s always interesting to people watch, thinking of every person’s story, its always kept you entertained, free of your own thoughts as you make it back up to your apartment, the fun part of it is that you’ll never know the truth, you can let your imagination run free. It’s not like you’ll ever see this eye-patched person again.
Walking up to the 6th floor of your apartment complex, you hear party music getting louder. Great. Just more people having a social life. Its always been a dream to live like that.
Instead you walk up to the 6th floor, unlocking the door to greet your boyfriend, who is absolutely stoned.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
“Floch, seriously?” you wish you could be surprised, but this isn’t an occasion anymore. “you’re going to get us kicked out of here one day.”
“Not my problem. Got you one this time, so stop complaining.” Floch gestures to the coffee table, where an unsmoked blunt sits there, next to your baby pink mat. At least he hasn’t ruined that.
“You know I don’t want it.” You hang up your keys near the door, next to where Floch’s should be, of course they aren’t there. “Where are your keys?”
“Shit. They’re at Zeke’s, or maybe Reiner’s. let me borrow yours.”
“You aren’t going anywhere like this.” He groans, mumbling something about being controlled. “Anyways, I got the job at Miche’s.” That gets his attention.
“Fuckin finally. Now there isn’t so much pressure on me.” He stretches his hand out, taking the blunt from the coffee table up to his mouth. “Well done darling, looks like if you do flirt enough, you can impress another man.”
“Right.” You sigh, walking to sit down next to your boyfriend. You want to defend yourself, but there’s no point. You’ve been here before. If it wasn’t for Floch, you’d still be a miserable virgin. He made you the girl you are today.
“So you’ve learnt from last month. Good girl.” He takes a hit of the blunt before wrapping an arm around you, slowly inching it down to squeeze your waist. The stench of marijuana instantly hitting you as you sit uncomfortably next to your boyfriend.
“Miche’s is down the street from Sasha’s work too, so I have her to lean on if something goes wrong.”
“Right. Why don’t you go see her or something. I’ve got some boys coming over soon.”
You open your phone, swiping to Sasha’s contact. It’s like you don’t live here anymore, like you never really lived here.
Floch has been your boyfriend for 3 months, ever since you started university. You really did fall in love with him. He held you so gently, you were once his everything. You met him at the only party you’ve been to, you swapped contacts, you met up again, did everything together. He loved you. Maybe this is just what love feels like, at least he hasn’t left you. That’s the thing that matters.
You call Sasha, it rings once, twice, there she is.
“Hey girl! What’s up?” She basically screams down the phone, barely audible over the rave music that is way too loud for a house party.
“Sash, its like.. two in the afternoon.” The thing is with Sasha, as drunk as she may get, she never hesitates to answer you. She is an amazing friend.
“Its THAT early? Whatever. You want me to come pick you up?”
“You’re too drunk. Tell me where you are silly, I’ll get a taxi” Sasha texts the address, and you leave the door unlocked for Floch and whoever comes over. Leaving the apartment complex, you wait outside for the taxi to take you to Sasha’s.
⤷ ゛ ˎˊ˗ now playing TiK ToK by Kesha
Walking into the party, you’re introduced to music that’s overwhelming. You have to barge through crowds of people, accidentally interrupting a few make-out sessions as you try look for Sasha, who is usually the life of any party.
She’s wearing platform boots, a short yet flowy skirt with an off shoulder red top today, sat around the kitchen counter speaking to a blonde haired man, this is your first time meeting him.
“OMG! It’s y/n!” she practically squeals, running up to give you a hug, a very comforting hug.
As much as you feel multiple people staring at you, you will always feel safe in your closest friend’s arms. She hugs you tightly, before letting go and instantly creating small talk while Mikasa, Historia and Ymir walk up.
Explaining your situation to the girls, Ymir gets angrier with Floch, repeating how she’s going to “kill that guy” one of these days. Honestly you cant even defend him anymore.
“Anyways, I finally got myself a job. Barista at Miches!” You announce to your friends, trying to lift the mood back up. This is a party, you haven’t been to many but you do want to celebrate.
“HELL YES!” Sasha cheers.
Mikasa embraces you tightly, kissing your cheek, while Ymir and Historia both celebrate for you. “Well done y/n! I think it’s time you celebrated!”
With their encouraging, you end up with a few shots down you, now sipping on a blue cocktail Mikasa made for you, feeling yourself becoming lighter, breathing freely again. It always does feel freeing getting drunk, despite how much it scares you. With your friends around you, you can forget your haunting past for a while and truly enjoy yourself.
It’s time to say goodbye to your past life anyways. You have more and more going on every day. And somewhere along in the night, you really do forget it. In that moment, you are prepared to take on the world. Work on your degree, begin working at Miches, and even work on your relationship with Floch, he is the only one for you after all.
a level summer and no job yet, we have began the chudding out and this starts with headcanons! (also ive seen so little love for noya and he deserves so much more)
☆ when he was in middle school, he HAS searched up “how to get taller in a day” on google, bought testosterone booster pills, nothing at all happened. Hasn’t told a soul.
☆ when in a game, he enjoys watching his team jump up to spike, always found it so satisfying when they hit the ball, however he does infact love being the libero and receiving any ball much better.
☆ he is SO serious about his hair styling, buys the most expensive gel to make sure his hair looks the best.
☆ he’s been hit by a soaring ball so many times he barely reacts. One time, Asahi’s ball got blocked, straight down onto Noya’s face. Ended up with a nose bleed and a profusely apologising Asahi.
☆ this is pretty much canon but he climbs on literally anything, jumps around on peoples shoulders, climbs up trees.
☆ hinata is his favourite first year
☆ after a long game, he sometimes gets Asahi to give him a piggyback, where he rests for about 5 minutes before magically regaining all of his energy and celebrating their win or doing his finger pushups and practising if they lose, usually ending in Daichi having to drag him off the court, even Hinata and Kageyama had stopped practicing.
man it’s genuinely diabolical that fujimoto was like how can i fuck up aki hayakawas life the absolute maximum amount possible and then on top of everything else he went and made him bisexual
LITERWALLY MELTING! I picked up the game after like ten years and I’m in the same boat of being back into it!
If you’re taking requests I would looooove to see headcannons of a cozy night in with saeyoung :3 I’m curious about your take on it !
hiii THANK YOUUU omg yeah i think mysme is one of those things that can never truly get out of your head lol!!
when you and saeyoung have finished your work for the day, you naturally gravitate towards each other to unwind. you are each other's comfort, and it feels like an unspoken rule at this point to touch base with each other in the evenings
you have changed into your pajamas, sitting on the couch on your phone waiting for him to come out and see you (like he always does). when he does emerge after spending hours building robots, he'd trudge behind you, lean over the couch, and hug you from behind, his head resting on his shoulder. he'd groan against your neck, his fatigue obvious
since being with you, he has gotten better about knowing when to take a break, and this is definitely one of those times. with his new line of work with the toy shop, there are certainly deadlines and things to handle, but the stakes are a lot lower than they were at the agency. now, he can take as many breaks as he needs to prevent burnout
you'd put your phone down immediately, leaning back against his chest, your hands reach up to hold his arms that are tightly wrapped around you. you'd gently rub his arms through his hoodie as if to say "i know." he'd let out a long sigh, nuzzling into your neck and kissing your skin
"come sit," you'd say, gesturing to the spot on the couch next to you, but you wouldn't be surprised if he opted out of walking all the way around, and instead fell on top of you lol
however, he'll do something in between. he pulls away, then swings his legs over and jumps onto the couch next to you. he doesn't wait for you to move, he just pulls you against him so you can lay together, reaching for a blanket to cover the both of you
you'd run your hands along his chest, your head tucked under his chin. he'll sigh contentedly, closing his eyes and welcoming your warmth
"how was your day, baby?" he'd ask you after a while.
and you'd smile softly at the pet name. "same old, same old."
if you plan to cook dinner, it will probably involve one of you clinging to the other while you stand in front of the stove
if you order take out, it allows for way more snuggle time on the couch, which can be more ideal. cozy nights with saeyoung really emphasize being lazy and showing a ton of physical affection!!
after (or during) dinner, you two might watch a movie or a tv show, just holding each other close. saeyoung may whisper sweet nothings in your ear, just to see if he can distract you from the tv. he tells you his favorite things about you, how much he loves you, and how happy you make him. if you react, complain, or accuse him of distracting you, he will tease you by saying "shh... i'm trying to watch," then go right back to those sweet nothings :')
cozy nights with saeyoung are his favorite, and they have quickly become yours, too.
character(s) ; hyun ryu / zen, jaehee kang, jihyun kim / v, jumin han, saeran choi / unknown / ray, saeyoung choi / 707, yoosung kim
outline ; “love language hcs for all the love interests”
warning(s) ; none, just fluff!
hyun ryu / zen
physical touch
nuzzle your nose against his after you kiss, tackle-hug him after he’s nailed yet another performance, hold his hand tightly when you’re walking through a crowded area, cuddle up to him when you’re laying on the sofa at home, pepper kisses all over his face until he wakes up, play with his hair when he’s laying across your lap — shower him with your touch and affection and care and this man will absolutely melt
and make no mistake, zen gives just as good as he gets both in public and in private — like it’s rare for you to go more than a few moments at a time in his company without him reaching out for you or kissing you (be that on your lips, your cheeks, the top of your head or your temple, or lower like on your neck, or shoulders, or hands, or fingertips — he just really likes kissing you, especially if you’re the type to get flustered by it)
words of affirmation
it’s so very important to zen that you never have any room to doubt his feelings for you nor your worth as a person, so he makes a habit of complimenting and praising and confessing to you whatever comes to mind whenever he can — whether that means firmly stating that you’re the most attractive person he’s ever seen in between kisses, or showing up to every event you’re participating in to cheer you on (with flowers of course), or texting you ‘i love you’s and ‘you’ve got this’s throughout the day, or calling you so many lovey-dicey pet names that it makes your head spin, or leaving you voice messages when he’s away for work just so you have something to listen to when you’re feeling down, or whatever, he goes above and beyond to make his feelings for you impossible to underestimate or ignore or brush off no matter how insecure you may be feeling at the time
and while his work as an actor has left him very accustomed to compliments and praise, it hits so much harder when it’s coming from the love of his life than a hundred strangers — so call him handsome, and babe, and praise him for his talents, and watch him turn to mush
jaehee kang
quality time
after working under jumin for so long, it’s safe to say that jaehee is very familiar with what an unhealthy work-life balance looks like and now that she’s working with you she’s very intent on not falling into familiar bad habits — refusing to let work and stress get in the way of your relationship and doing what she can to ensure the two of you get to spend plenty of time together
having a cup of coffee together in the morning before opening up your cafe, making sure to leave work at the door when you both get home, dancing together to whatever song comes on the radio when you’re closing up your business on an evening, taking your lunch breaks together so you have some time to decompress during the work day, meal prepping as a team, attending new musicals together (both those featuring zen and others that caught your eye), going out on the weekends for proper dates, etc. — needless to say you two spend plenty of time together that isn’t related to work and she wouldn’t have it any other way
honesty
after spending all day putting on an amiable and charming facade for your customers or for attendees at the latest charity gala the rfa organised, there’s nothing quite like being able to go home, take off the mask, and be yourself with your partner — having the space to be frustrated or upset or exhausted without judgement, and being able to be there for you when you’re feeling those same things, is so important to jaehee and arguably helps prevent most major arguments because there’s no pressure to pretend and bottle things up with each other
bonus points if the two of you join in on each other’s vents, but she’s just as willing and happy to provide comfort and understanding instead as you rant about that one stupid customer who really got on your nerves today — anger may not be pretty, but it’s human and she’s grateful that you trust her enough to show her the sides of yourself that aren’t strictly friendly or ‘nice’, and that she can trust you not to judge her when she shows you her frustration in return
jihyun kim / v
art
no matter what type of art he ends up leaning into, you as his lover will always be his greatest inspiration and his muse — and he makes no attempt to hide that from you. after all, what’s there to be ashamed about being enamoured with his spouse?
as a violinist he’d compose entire arrangements dedicated to your love story, as a painter he crafts the most brilliant pictures inspired by you and how you make him feel, and as a photographer he creates entire exhibitions featuring you and the life you’ve lived together — each variation undeniably gorgeous and emotional, so rich and unfiltered in how he approaches his feelings that it’s impossible to not start to love yourself a little bit more through the lens of his adoration (the way he sketches your smile, the sound of your laughter woven into a larger musical piece, a candid photo of you in the early morning when you’re still half asleep — all made beautiful and earnest and punctuated with an expression of pure warmth on his face when he shows them to you)
words of affirmation
after everything he’s been through, after the losses and pain and abuse he’s suffered throughout his life, having you there to treat him so softly and to so generously shower him in your love is more than enough to leave him teary eyed and warm. though he does have a bad habit of brushing off your praise and compliments at first, the longer you’re together the better he becomes at accepting your earnest declarations and encouragements as an extension of your love for him and the more he becomes impacted by them — reddened cheeks, brightened eyes, and a smile so bright that it borders on contagious
jumin han
gift giving
jumin is ridiculously wealthy and has absolutely no qualms about using that wealth to spoil you rotten — in his eyes, as his lover, you deserve nothing but the absolute best and he will go to any extreme, pay any price no matter how expensive, in order to give you the lifestyle you deserve. luxury clothes, fine jewellery, sports cars and private planes, frequent trips abroad, holiday homes across the globe, etc. — anything you could possibly dream of will be yours if only you say the word… or just look at something for longer than usual…
and for his part jumin much prefers to receive handmade things from you — a painting or sketch, a poem or love letter, something that reminded you of him and is proof that he’s as present in your thoughts as you are in his — and he keep all of them in the best condition possible. he even has a whole drawer in his home office where he keeps every letter and note you’ve ever left for him… it’s nice to be loved for who he is, that’s all
quality time
whenever he’s not working on something for his family business or the rfa, jumin is spending his every waking moment with you: spoiling you rotten, taking you out on luxurious vacations, treating you to extravagant dates, showering you with his affection, and just generally making you feel like the only person in the whole world that matters to him — because you are! he feels terrible about how busy he is and aches for you whenever you’re apart, so he does everything he can to make up for that when he’s with you — and if you show appreciation for his efforts and a longing for his presence that rivals his own then he’ll melt
saeran choi / unknown / ray
protectiveness
saeran is someone who knows pain and loss and grief intimately, someone who knows what it’s like to be hurt and used and to be made to lose themselves for the whims of another, and he will do any and everything in his power to keep you from experiencing the same things that he has — and even the smallest amount of pain or illness on your part (like a papercut or a cold) is enough to set him on edge and leave his chest feeling unbearably tight. this fear makes him immensely protective over you — both in the sense that he’d jump in front of a bullet for you, and in the sense that he will nurse you back to health whenever you’re unwell or hurt and will not let you do anything unsupervised until you’re completely recovered
you’re the centre of his universe, the love of his life, and saeran is ready to do whatever it takes to protect you and your peace from the darkness he was raised in… because goodness knows you only deserve the best
quality time
sometimes all saeran needs, more than praise and touch and gentle looks, is just to spend some time with you alone — ideally somewhere quiet where he can just exist with you without the need for conversation or outside entertainment. your presence in general is just really calming to him and he loves being around you, and knowing that you truly enjoy his company in return, even if sometimes he just doesn’t have the energy to do something extravagant or keep up conversation. sometimes it’s just enough for you to be there, with him and with the flowers in the garden.
saeyoung choi / 707
humour / playfulness
whether its through his endless pranks and corny jokes over text in the rfa chat, or his so-bad-they’re-good puns and unexpected innuendos that always manage to catch you off guard, or his practical jokes that never cross the line of ‘too far’ and manage to hit just right, saeyoung always finds a way to make you laugh and brighten your day — even if that laughter comes at his own expense sometimes when he’s been a complete idiot
and having you there to understand and mirror his sense of humour means everything to him — because you get it and he doesn’t have to make himself smaller, or quieter, or blander, to fit into your world… you accept him as he is and even manage to use his own methods against him and leave him laughing until he’s in tears, and that means so so so much to him
attention to detail
seven made no secret of the fact that he ran a detailed background check on you when you first joined the rfa, and he also never attempted to hide the fact that he was almost always tuned in to the cameras in the apartment to keep an eye on you, so it shouldn’t come as too much of a shock to say that he knows you extremely well. so well, in fact, that if you didn’t know better it would be all too easy to assume that your darling hacker is an actual psychic for how well he’s able to predict and react to your moods and cravings (even, at times, anticipating you wanting something before you realise it yourself)
and he puts that knowledge to good use: surprising you with gifts he knows you’ll actually appreciate or trips to places he knows you’ve been wanting to visit, knowing what snacks and medications to keep stocked up in his home so you always have exactly what you need, reminding you of an upcoming appointment or birthday or anniversary that he knows might have slipped your mind, and just generally making you feel so understood and seen that it’s impossible to not want to smother him in kisses until his glasses fog up and his cheeks are a deeper shade of red than his hair
yoosung kim
gaming / sharing interests
while he does start to game less and less as he gets older (veterinary work keeps him busy, after all), if you were ever to stop by and ask him to teach you how to play then he’s going to be jumping at the chance to share his interests with you — and he’s patient as hell, too, even if you genuinely do suck at the game he’ll just sit back and cheer you on until you’re able to take on an enemy alone and win (at which point he’ll be so genuinely proud it’s adorable)
acts of service
yoosung is the ‘picks up flowers on his way home everyday’ type of boyfriend, the ‘buys your favourite takeout when he notices you’re feeling down’ type of boyfriend, the ‘helps you take care of yourself when you’re sick’ type of boyfriend, the ‘learns the new game you’re playing just to help you with a level you’re struggling with’ type of boyfriend, the ‘gives you his coat and freezes on the way home type of boyfriend’, and the ‘helps you revise for your exams and interviews’ type of boyfriend — and he does it all with determination and a boyishly charming smile because, to him, you’re worth all of that and more
and if you’re the type of partner who would do all of that for him too — who makes note of all the important dates so he doesn’t forget, who helps him clean his wounds after his encounter with mint eye without a hint of a complaint, who ties his ties for him before he goes out to work just because you can, who makes an account on lolol just to play with him, and who is there with him on those late nights during exam season to keep him healthy and sane — then he’s going to have to fight the urge to propose to you then and there
"i asked chatgpt" "i asked grok" well i asked Hange Zoë and they went on an unrelated rant about abnormal titans and i fell even more in love with them than i already was so
these lowkey might be a bit ass but oh well! got myself back into mystic messenger and ohmygod i love this man
☆ Initially loved the idea of working as a secret agent and being anonymous, learnt to hate it after his first name change. He had never felt so replaceable and he despised it. The only place he ever felt valued in was the RFA.
☆ Worries late at night that if he ever lived long enough to grow a family (with mc), he’d be a terrible father. He is terrified that he will screw everything up as he’s never experienced a father’s love.
☆ He names his cars (i have a feeling this is already canon idrk) and LOVES to car rot. Keeps honey buddha chips in the glovebox of his favourite and relaxes in there once a day.
☆ Has bought the same jacket multiple times just to avoid properly washing it when it gets stained.
☆ Lowkey has an entire closet full of crossdressing clothes just because he finds it fun. He even owns one of those wig styling heads and takes it seriously when styling.
☆ One of his biggest dreams is to travel into space, just to see how beautiful the earth looks from above.
☆ Loves mc no matter what route she decides to take. (Lowkey we all know this but i just had to add it ok bai)
au: in this life, we do laundry and taxes together.
!! gender-neutral reader but.. how do i not spoil it ?
longer a/n attached to the end.
Saeyoung eagerly comes bursting through the door with an obnoxious-looking bouquet in hand. But when he sees you in the kitchen, barefoot as you hum to yourself while mixing up some kind of icing, hair tousled away from your face in a distinct and messily charming way- shit, man.
He just falters. His limbs loosen and a goofy smile breaks out onto his face. You know the one.
“I’m home,” he announces, eyes already fixated on your figure long before you lift your gaze to meet his. And just like that, you’re wearing a smile that matches his.
“Saeyoung, what-” you shake your head at him fondly, unable to suppress the wide grin on your face upon seeing the flowers in his hands. “You didn’t have to-”
“When has that stopped me?” He laughs, pulling you close with an arm and kissing the top of your head as he hands you the bouquet. “Besides, our tax return came. So I-”
“Bought me flowers?” you can’t help but chuckle. Your words melding into his. “On your birthday, no less?”
The look on his face is a rather lovestruck variation of the expression he makes when he says “duh.”
“And?” Saeyoung shoots back.
“You know it’s been a little tough this year,” you sigh, fingers gently skimming over the petals, your head downturned as you admire the bouquet. With an exhale, you half-lie. “I haven’t even been able to get you a gift yet but you…”
“Baby, I know I joke around a lot, but-” he chuckles, gently taking your chin and raising it so he can meet your eyes. “I meant everything in our vows. Every single thing.”
You’re quiet. A deep breath in, a deep breath out. Saeyoung takes a moment to savor the sight of you in the kitchen just like this: eyes wide and looking up into his, all draped in his jacket as you bake, last night’s marks littered all over your skin, hair still a little bit unruly and yet- he looks at you with the biggest cartoon hearts in his eyes, anyway.
“My birthday or not,” he tucks a strand of hair behind your ear delicately and a fond smile grows on his face. “You deserve to receive flowers. Every single day.”
“Saeyoung…” you’re a little speechless, a little teary, your chest suddenly swarming with emotions, but then-
“Besides,” he grins, and you know he’s snapped back into his usual playfulness. “You’re, what?”
The redhead steals a swipe of what you’re mixing, humming at the taste as you smack his wrist lightly in scolding.
“This is frosting?” Saeyoung identifies. “You’re making me a cake after we stayed up waiting for my birthday last night. After all the rounds I put you through-”
“Okay, okay, enough!” You laugh, relenting. Feeling the way your cheeks burn and not-so-secretly relishing in his teasing. “Babe, I know you never had the tradition of celebrating before but cake is an absolute necessity. This isn’t a favor. You don’t have to repay me for it.”
“I’m going to thank you anyways,” his voice softens once more, arms loosely wrapping themselves around your waist like second nature- right where they belong. “You’re so happy when it’s my birthday, it’s almost as if it were your own.”
“I’m happier, actually,” you correct with a giggle as you begin to divide portions of the mixture. Saeyoung watches intently from over your shoulder.
“It kinda…” you murmur, tilting your head slightly while focusing on your task. Bottom lip catching between your teeth. “It may as well be my birthday too, really. What would my life be without you?”
He absolutely melts as you turn in his arms and look up at him with that shy smile of yours. After all these years of being married and getting married again (and again), these little things you do never fail to knock the wind right out his lungs.
“You’d be just fine, pretty,” Saeyoung says like you have no choice but to believe him. “It’s me who’d have a drastically different life. Although, I do think that I’d still be funnier than whoever you would’ve ended up with.”
Both your laughs fill the kitchen as you fold colors into the icing, glancing up and nodding at him in agreement.
“That’s true. No one is funnier than you,” You smile, then after a beat, a thought pops into your mind and pulls a laugh from your chest.
“Except maybe, your coworker-”
“HEY!” Saeyoung interjects immediately with a childish sounding whine at this very big age of his. He lifts a finger and starts to say “Just because they’re as good at teasing me as you are-”
“I’m kidding,” you let go of the bowl and spatula in favor of grabbing his face in both hands and planting an obnoxious smack to his lips. “How was work, anyways? Did they have anything for you?”
Your husband is still a little lovestruck and dumbfounded from the kiss you gave him, the look on his face practically cartoonish. At the question, he blinks a little and physically shakes his head out of it. He hopes you don’t notice, but of course you do.
You always do.
“Hah,” Saeyoung chuckles, crossing his arms proudly as he watches you begin your crumb coat. “You know how Madame is, they pretend I’m an absolute pain in the ass-”
“Which you are,” you state matter-of-factly in between his sentence.
“Which I am!” He grins, hands now at his hips. With every word Saeyoung says, his voice gradually softens. “But I know I’m Vanderwood’s favorite. They got me a little gift and greeted me. Covered for me a bit too so I could leave early, that’s why I had time to get flowers for my beloved.”
“That was so sweet of them,” you smile fondly as you work the icing. Silently wondering how he’d react to your own gift. “Maybe you could bring leftover cake for them tomorrow, if…”
“Between you, me, and my brother-” Saeyoung laughs and raises a brow, one hand on the counter when he leans his face a bit closer to yours.
“Sorry,” you look up at him sheepishly. “It’s not my fault that Saeran also has a sweet tooth! And you, your mouth is kinda like a vacuum-”
“Or your cooking is simply the best, baby,” he shrugs without missing a beat, smiling all smug in that way he always does. Rolling your eyes and snickering, your fingers deliver a flick to the bridge of his glasses. Saeyoung’s laughter sounds like the stars themselves.
“He’s not working late tonight, is he?” You ask him, carefully cleaning up the first layer of frosting on the cake with a scraper. Slow and steady. Buying yourself a little more time.
“Naaah, I made sure he’d be here in time for dinner,” Saeyoung answers, none the wiser. So blissfully unaware of what you’re about to spring on him- his voice still so playful and full of mirth. “We’re all celebrating together whether he likes it or not!”
“That’s good,” you nod, and your nerves look like you’re simply focused on your task. Really, you were a genius for planning this the way you did. Saeyoung could read you like the back of his hand at this point. It was hard enough hiding something from him.
“Anything I can help you with?” He asks, noticing the look on your face. “You know, it’s fine if it isn’t really super perfect. It’s still gonna taste good, so you don’t have to-”
“Hush,” you lift the cake by the board as he reassures you, moving it to cool the crumb coat in the fridge so it can set. This is it, you say to yourself in your head. It’s time to tell him. With a deep breath, you calm yourself before giving Saeyoung your gift.
“It’s okay, just help me clean these up,” you say, turning to face him once more and walking back to the table, reaching for the used measuring cups and bowls. He nods and easily follows your instructions, bringing this and that to the sink.
You give yourself three seconds of stalling, before finally–
“Actually,” you tell him. “Can you check the oven for me? I’m pretty sure I didn’t leave anything in there, but I might’ve…” you trail off, watching as Saeyoung doesn’t even question your words. He reaches for the oven door and pulls it open.
Saeyoung’s brows furrow at what he sees, because this is strange. He knows how you bake bread. There’s usually a tray for the dough, but this- right on the iron rack of the oven? When you weren’t even baking bread in the first place?
“Why is there just one, singular bun in the-” he says as he cautiously taps it twice to check its temperature before pulling the bread out, his eyes widening at the sight of the white stick poked into the back of it. This…
Could it really be…?
Saeyoung’s hands tremble as he takes the stick out, seeing the two distinct lines that could only mean one thing.
“This isn’t a prank, is it?” he says in disbelief, setting down the bun in favor of running a hand up his forehead to clutch at his ginger strands as he stares at the positive pregnancy test. “You’re- This is-”
“There’s a bun in the oven, yes,” you supply for him with a soft giggle, walking up to where he stands and closing the oven door. Pressing a tender kiss to his cheek, you say ever so softly-
“Happy birthday, dad.”
All of a sudden, Saeyoung drops to his knees, hugging you around your waist and pulling you close. He’s quiet for a moment, and you take this time to run your fingers through his hair, a soft sigh escaping your lips. At the feeling, Saeyoung leans into your touch, his gaze lifting to meet your own.
The way he looks up at you, almost like you’re a deity, honey-amber eyes shining in the sunlight as he kneels down before you…
Yeah. This is the man you married.
Your Saeyoung.
What could you ever be so worried about?
“God…” Saeyoung murmurs, and you feel his fingertips against your skin, pushing up your shirt just enough to expose your stomach. You’re not showing yet, nowhere near it, but he starts kissing all over your tummy anyways.
“Hi baby,” he talks to the life you created together in the hopes that his words reach it, pressing his lips to your skin again and again.
“I can’t believe your mommy gave me the best gift…” Saeyoung trails off, his grip on your shirt growing tighter. His words have a way of trespassing every single barrier and going straight to your heart.
“... the best gift that I could ever ask for,” he rasps, and your eyes meet. Both glistening with so much emotion. Your mirror, always, every single time.
“Yeah?” You find yourself murmuring softly, fingers tenderly brushing against his face as you cup his cheek.
“Yeah,” he echoes, just as soft, and you’re taking off his glasses, bending down to press your lips to his forehead.
You think you hear a sniffle. But then Saeyoung is tickling you, and you erupt into laughter. The both of you. You’re in his arms on the kitchen floor and he’s leaning down, kissing you all over your face.
“I love you, I love you, I love you,” he proclaims with every little kiss. “Did I tell you that yet? Honey, I love you.”
And then he’s blowing a raspberry on your stomach.
“Saeyou- babe! Hey-!” You struggle between fits of laughter.
“Do you think the baby gets tickled like thi-” and just like that, Saeyoung is blowing another raspberry before you can even process his question.
“I don’t think that’s how it w- ah!”
“I think it’s worth a shot! Just let me try again-”
Saeyoung only stops when you’ve run out of breath from laughing. In his arms, he’s looking down at you like you hung the very stars in the sky. Like you’re the one who set all the planets in motion.
And just like gravity, he’s falling into you. Kissing you deeply.
Your eyes flutter shut just as your heart does in your chest. He makes the stupid thing grow wings and flap against your ribcage.
He doesn’t pull away just yet, his forehead resting on yours. He chuckles softly, eyes still closed.
“Every single time,” he whispers, lashes parting to reveal those eyes you love so much. “Fizzy. So fizzy.”
“Fizzy,” a soft laugh escapes your lips.
“Yeah,” he murmurs. “Like when the soda bubbles are all in your chest if you drink too fast-”
You shake your head fondly at him, feeling the heat grow in your cheeks, the color rising to match his hair. Will you ever tire of the way Saeyoung says these things?
“I can’t believe this man is going to be the father of my children,” you sigh rather dramatically.
“Oh, believe it, baby!” Saeyoung grins all goofy, lips pulled wide across his cheeks, exposing his teeth. “Because we’re having one.”
His voice softens, and his hand gently rests above the beating life in your womb.
“We’re having a baby.”
And so tonight, you have dinner with your husband and his brother. Together, you break the news to Saeran, who is ecstatic about being an uncle. Sure enough, the three of you get really close to finishing the cake you baked- the top having half cherries and half strawberries. While the twins are distracted and discussing anything and everything about having a baby, the doorbell rings.
You have to stifle a giggle.
“I’ll get it,” you say as you pass the two, gently touching their shoulders on the way to the door.
“You really thought you could celebrate without me?” Saeyoung hears it and laughs, knowing that voice and that soft click clack of their boots anywhere.
“You invited Madame?” Your husband asks as you return to the table.
“Of course they did,” Vanderwood snickers, but immediately smiles softly and nods at Saeran when the last slice of cake is passed to them. “Happy birthday, both of you.”
You take out the soju and as the night goes on, bottle after bottle is emptied by your little but growing family. Mostly by the tallest member of it. As the celebrations begin to ebb, so do your guests, bidding you and your husband good night.
“I’m really happy for you, you know?” Saeran says to his brother softly as they stand in the driveway, the twins clutching each others hands.
“I know,” Saeyoung murmurs, pulling Saeran into a hug and whispering into his ear. “Thank you. Happy birthday to us, Sae.”
“Happy birthday to us,” Saeran echoes, squeezing Saeyoung gently before letting go. “I’m gonna be the best uncle ever!” He declares into the universe before getting into his car and driving away, leaving Saeyoung chuckling to himself.
After cleaning up in the kitchen, you wonder what’s taking him so long to come back inside. You find him leaning against the doorframe, staring up at the sky, the cool night air kissing his cheek.
“Hey,” you say softly, gently squeezing Saeyoung’s arm to get his attention. “You okay?”
“Yeah?” Saeyoung is pulled from his thoughts, attention shifting from the stars to his star.
“Yeah,” he says again softly, wrapping an arm around you and pulling you into his side and pressing a kiss into your hair. “More than okay.”
“Tell me what’s in that brain of yours,” you murmur, looking up at your husband, chin on his shoulder. “What are you thinking?”
“So,” he grins, and it’s so distracting that you ignore how you know he’s hiding his real thoughts. “You think since Saeran and I are twins, that maybe-”
“Choi Saeyoung! You’re going to make me carry two-”
He laughs and throws you over his shoulder like you weigh nothing at all, delivering a swift smack to your butt. You’re squealing and clinging onto him for dear life as he closes the front door before carrying you upstairs.
“Now that’s a thought. Maybe you’ve only got one in your little belly. I ought to give you one more, our baby might get lonely-”
“Yah! I don’t think that’s how it works-” you try to reason with him, but it falls on deaf ears. Saeyoung is already laying you down in bed. Already hovering on top of you. In the moonlight just like this, your shadows look like one.
“Let me try anyways,” Saeyoung whispers, lips a breadth away from yours. “Let me love you all over again.”
And in closing the gap between your lips, you give him the same answer you’ve always given him: yes.
In this lifetime and the next. A million times over.
Yes.
a/n: hi! admittedly, i’m a little rusty. haven’t written mysmes since the last work i posted here, but it’s saeyoung’s birthday 🥹 and it’s about time i wrote him a little fic, something more than my little poems every year (it’s the 4th year i am celebrating). so, apologies if it’s 1- not very canon (?) and 2- self-indulgent. i honestly just sat here and then this happened. well, actually i sat here, this happened, i got busy, and then this happened again. i really meant to post this last year but the letter had to do because i got busy with my thesis and graduation!! plus i tried to make it gender neutral as much as possible but i didn’t know how not to use ‘mommy.’ ㅠ ㅠ
i know this is a little late in terms of Korean Standard Time, but please forgive me :’) i hope 7:07PM KST will do ㅎㅎ i think that’s it… hehe, happy birthday my sev! 마할 키타 ♡
WARNING FOR FLASHING LIGHTS, STATIC, AND EYESTRAIN! the entire animation is bright sketchy lineart on a dark background, with static incorporated throughout - which i doubt the compression helps. it is fast-paced and chaotic. please take care.
other content warnings - art of: [violence], [religious imagery references], [brief depictions of previous deaths], [guns and blades shown and used], [blood], [a semi-realistic heart], [a dead bird being eaten by another bird] [so many birds, really], [Doc’s syringe], [Crow being his usual villainous, threatening, and stalkerish self throughout]
it’s finally done…
my first fully finished animation! i’ve been looking at this thing for so long that i can’t tell if it’s good at this point BUT IT IS FINISHED and i think i’m proud of it, even if i just KNOW that this is something i’m going to look back on and see all the ways i could do better. including the video quality, certainly, but i knew what i was in for when i decided on the static.
@iincogneeto and @cxptains-hook :)) thank you both so much for your support and enthusiasm, it meant the world.
