You open a book and are transported to a misty place where only a sheep, with its curly wool and innocent eyes, stands. You notice as the mist twists and tints, it becomes black and suffocates the sheep.
This year, the villain collab is posted for year of the sheep, and we are all about corruption. Formulate your plans, sharpen your knives, and kill the innocence.
We are looking for a story where you tell us all about how the villain became. We want haunting back stories. We want loves lost, and love never returned. We want tragedy and revenge. Tell us how your villain acquired their rotted soul in this year's villain collab: year of the sheep.
đđĽđ˘ âđ˛đŠđ˘đ°
đmust feature a villain, be it an idol or other character (reader,oc,etc)
đwill be accepting all male kpop groups (no bg members who are minors)
đmust include dark themes, dark plots, and even darker characters (tagged appropriately as to not trigger readers) it is a villain collab after all
đmust include a story of how someone descended down the path to eventually embrace being the villain, much like corrupting a sheep
đmust have a word count of 5k minimum
đdeadline is Feb.6th/2027, for the lunar new year
đPlease tag me, reference the event, and use the hashtag #makemeyourvillain
{closed to the public, invite only. only the following writers are participating}
Five years ago, when I first met San, I told him, "You really look like a fashion person."
Back then, 22 year old San, who had come up from Namhae, was much thinner and more innocent and unassuming than he is now. He worked incredibly hard more than anyone else to train his lean physique, gradually turning it into a strength of his own. Even then, just like now, he was someone who put a lot of effort into whatever he did.
After that, I saw San from time to time. With each new album, he changed little by little, and at some point, I became more accustomed to seeing the face of a man than that of a boy. His physique, his expressions, and even the way he presented himself onstage had changed.
Along the way, he met Dolce & Gabbana. The response was enthusiastic from the very first show he attended. Honestly, it wasn't all that surprising. Just as I'd said when I first met him, San was someone with a distinct character of his own whenever he put on clothes. What I didn't know back then was that he would make it so completely his own, the way he has now.
And then, in 2026, I saw ATEEZ's 'BAD'. Suddenly, I thought of the San I'd first met. He looked quite different back then, and yet somehow, there were parts of him that hadn't changed at all. I also got to be part of San's first cover with Dolce & Gabbana, something I obviously could never have known would happen five years ago.
San, Dolce & Gabbana, Dazed Fall Edition.
For this cover, rather than focusing on San of ATEEZ, I wanted to get a little closer to Choi San, the person born in 1999.
Rather than creating yet another intense face for the stage, I wanted to see the face that has already taken shape in the person he is today.
I remember the San I first met, and now I'm looking at the San he is today.
People are always changing, and San will take on yet another face in the years ahead. When we meet again a few years from now, he may be a completely different person from who he is today.
So this time, I wanted to preserve the San of this moment. So that even when I open this page again long after it has passed, I can recall what kind of person Choi San was in 2026.
rubicon (n.) ~ a limit or boundary, when crossing it there is no way back
Pairing: Jung Yunho (Ateez) x GN!Reader; Genre: Apoclyptic AU, Dystopia AU, Fantasy, Angst, childhood friends;Â Rating: sfw, PG-13;Â Warnings: slum raids, bad government, people getting abducted, a punch to the face, lots of cursing and calling names, torture in the form of experiments, oh yeah, sandstorms, mention of an attack, mentions of bombs and other weaponry, burning skin with a hot knife and I think that's it;Â Wordcount: 8.661
Collab: Adrenaline Anthology hosted by @lapydiaries; other stories include: âCrossroads by @daemour, No more running by @potatomountain, Guardians oath pt.1 by @anyamaris, Floating Silver by @sanjoongie, tbd by @defwoodz, tbd by @pars-ley and tbd by @an-annyeoing-writer
Summary:Â Years after you lost your best friend, a soldier during one of the many regular slum raids felt eerily familiar. Discovering him to be your lost best friend, you make the decision to get him out of the clutches the government has on him. No matter the consequences.
A/N:Â Did I have time since Adrenaline came out? Yes. Did I write any of the story in all that time? No. Did I cram the last two days to write this? Yes. Also first time in a long time writing something big again!
You pushed your foot against the dirt on the ground, gritting your teeth as more and more people living around your area got forced onto the open market field.Â
Your eyes darted around, seeing dozens of robotic soldiers lining up at the edge of the market. Each and everyone of them had heavy looking guns ready at arms.
A few human soldiers forced the people to line up properly. Others walked with a face scanner through the lines, holding the device up in front of every face and waiting for a green light.
You knew most of the faces from this part of the city. It was one of the lower neighbourhoods where most families struggled to survive and some even used the streets to beg for food.Â
Those on the streets usually hid through these official assemblies. Though not everyone was successful. When they got caught and their faces got scanned it always lit up red.Â
Then two robotic soldiers would make their moves, grabbing the person and dragging them to a large vehicle. Guards would make sure nobody tried to escape whenever the doors of the vehicle opened.
These assemblies started when you were somewhere around ten years old. Before that people would simply vanish from one day to another. First you hadnât thought much of it, being a child and all but there had been one day to change it all.
~
âSee you tomorrow Yuâ, you called out over your shoulder, grinning brightly as you ran towards your home. You waved your hand far over your head one more time, wanting to make sure Yunho saw your farewell.
He shook his head, looking at the ground as his cheeks and ears slowly turned into a light shade of pink. Still, only a few heartbeats later he waved back at you, wishing you a safe trip home.Â
You had to giggle again. Your home was only down this narrow street, a faded green door of the second last house to your right. There truly wasnât anything dangerous that could make the two minutes any less safe.
At least that was what you thought.
Robotic soldiers had stepped out from the alleys leading to your street and blocked your way. They lined up in front of you, carrying weapons in their arms.
While they didnât move anymore, you didnât dare walk past them. Nor did you dare turn around and run away. You simply stood frozen right in front of them.
One of the robots made a step towards you, their hand reaching out for your arm.
Your eyes widened. Yet you couldnât move.
Before the robot actually touched you, you got pulled back. Yunho stood in front of you, making himself look bigger than he actually was. Not that he wasnât big, you thought, but he was still just a few years older than you and very much underage.
âWhen I tell you to run, run home. Donât look back, donât stop. Just run.â Yunho grunted as he glared towards the robots in front.
Only then did you notice the metal bar in his hand, which slightly shook. You werenât sure whether it was from anger or fear.
âRun!â
Yunho jumped forward, slamming the metal bar into the side of the robots. While they didnât stumble nor flinch, all their focus shifted towards him. He thrashed around, the loud clanking sound of metal hitting metal ringing in the air.
Once you saw an opening on the narrow street, you followed his command. You ran like youâve never run before. You didnât look back. You didnât stop. Just like he said. You simply ran until you reached that old faded green door.
The next day Yunho was gone.
~
The sound of a wailing mother pulled you out of your memories, the dark shadows of the past still clinging to your features.
A soldier tried ripping a newborn child out of the mothersâ arms.Â
Her desperate cries filled the market place, combined with the screams of the newborn. âPlease donât take him! Please! I wasnât able to register him! Heâs only a few days old!â
âRed is red.â
A chill ran down your spine. Not only from the situation itself. A heartless system with no chance of exceptions. No, that voice of the soldier made the hairs on your neck spike up.Â
âPlease, you canât! Please!â
The soldier tried yanking at the mothersâ arms once more, nearly making her drop the baby.Â
Before you even registered your own thoughts and the decision you made, you already stormed towards the quarrel. You barely heard the other human soldiers yell at you, nor did you hear the calls from the people around - which you pushed away. You only focused on the crying mother and the soldier beating her.
You punched him in the face, watching him stagger backwards. He grabbed his jaw and rubbed over the sore spot. His eyes narrowed as if he just registered what had happened. Then his focus turned to you.
Your shoulders rose and fell from your heavy breathing. You clenched your jaw, every muscle in your body tense. âItâs a fucking infantâ, you spat, still glaring at the soldier.
He pulled his shoulders back and stood in front of you to his full height. You had to tilt your neck so you could still look him in the eyes.
Eyes that seemed so familiar and yet so distant.
âIt is not registered in the system.â
You rolled your eyes. âUse your fucking brain, dickhead. How can it be registered when itâs only a few days old? Ever heard of maternity bed? You assholes literally dragged all of us out of our homes today!â
He glared at you, his eyes flickering only momentarily towards the mother clutching her baby close to her chest. âFineâ, he grunted, âconsider this a warning, woman. Register it immediately after this is over.â
You heard the woman cry behind you, repeating her thanks towards you and the soldier, telling everyone how grateful she was.
Still, more soldiers came closer with their guns ready. You knew they came for you.
âSoldier Jeongâ, one of the robots said in their static voice, âthereâs still work to do.â
Rubbing once more over his jaw, the soldier in front of you let out a deep sigh - as if all of this was a terrible inconvenience. Without a word he raised the scanning device to your face.Â
A line of green lasers wandered over your features.Â
You scrunched your eyebrows, confusion washing through your thoughts. You watched him stare at his screen, waiting for something you couldnât name.
Suddenly he mumbled your name, still staring at the screen of his device. For just a second a sliver of recognition flashed in his eyes as they ever so slowly wandered back to your face. He repeated your name, looking straight at you.
You blinked a few times, trying to make sense of this situation.Â
Another soldier stepped to his side, shaking his shoulder roughly. âSnap out of it, Yunho. The bots are waiting.â
At first nothing changed. It felt like minutes later before your mind registered the name the other soldier had said.Â
Your mind told you the name over and over again, though every time it was said it felt as if someone spoke underwater or through cotton.Â
The next second you could have sworn hearing glass shatter, followed by a loud ringing inside of your ears. Your heartbeat suddenly increased and cold sweat built on your skin. It was as if your body made itself ready for something you werenât aware of just yet.
âYunho?â
You stared straight into his eyes, seeing your own face mirroring in them - void of any emotion. Still, you had whispered his name just now, as more and more memories of your old friend flooded your brain. Each of them being compared to the Jung Yunho standing in front of you.
Your logical side admitted he would fit to be the same Yunho, considering the age. Also he was still taller than you.Â
A sudden wave of pain twisted his features and he staggered backwards. Confusion filled his eyes as he continued to look at you. Yunho pressed his hand against his forehead, feeling even more stings hitting him.
âTake this person to the van!â The soldier next to Yunho shouted, waving for the robotic soldiers to deal with you. He turned to Yunho, who still trembled from the pain coursing through his body. âGet to the truckâ, he mumbled, âweâll deal with the rest.â
Yunho nodded shortly, before he started moving towards one of the many trucks parking at the side of the market place. Yet, he never stopped keeping an eye on you.
Two robots stopped in front of you, telling you in their static voices what they wanted to do.
âDonâtâ, you hissed, momentarily glaring at the two robots before staring back towards Yunho, âdonât touch me. I can walk by myself.âÂ
Normally people screamed and thrashed around, trying everything so they wouldnât get into the back of these vans.Â
You wouldnât give them that satisfaction. With your head held high, you walked towards the van where all the other citizens had been thrown into. Right as you were about to climb into one of them, Yunho stepped in front of you.
âNot this one.â
You saw him nod towards another van. While you didnât want to show them any emotions, you knew you couldnât hide your confusion.Â
There was still enough space in the van right in front of you and so far no other person was brought to the second van.
You swallowed your slowly building nervousness and walked over to the second van. While the robots moved back to the crowd, you heard how Yunho followed you.
âI wonât run, if thatâs what youâre worried aboutâ, you told him with a sarcastic lilt to your voice.
âNoâ, he hesitated, a sudden memory flashing before his eyes, âyou were always good at following orders.â
You chuckled dryly and climbed into the van. There were only two benches on each side of the truck, following the whole wall until the end where safety bars were installed to secure the driver from whoever sat back here.
Yunho stood at the open back of the van, watching how you moved further back and sat down.
âI canât believe youâre doing thisâ, you spat, crossing your arms in front of your chest.
âWhat do you mean?â
You heard something snap in your neck from the speed of turning your head towards him. You stared at him in disbelief, opening and closing your mouth over and over again. For a second you assumed he was only joking with you but seeing his face you noticed there was no hidden mirth like when you two were kids.
âYouâre seriously asking me that?â You scoffed and rolled your eyes, not knowing what to say.
Yunho simply looked at you. His face showed you nothing, as if he was only an empty shell, waiting for some sort of input.
âIsnât this what happened to you all those years ago?â You glanced once more at him, before turning your head back and staring at the dull wall opposite from you. You leaned back, somewhat resting your head as you continued talking. âOne day you were there playing games with me and the next youâre gone. Nowhere to be found. All I remember were those robots in the alley. They took you, didnât they? Just like they are now with all these people. Ripping families apart. Destroying friendships. Letting the remaining citizens believe the lost ones are gone forever. Most likely dead.â
For a moment it became silent between you two. Only the shouting from the raid in the distance interrupting the silence here and there.
Then Yunho hummed. Not in understanding. It sounded more like he hummed, thinking about what you said.
âWhat happened back then?â
With every minute of Yunho keeping quiet, your frustrations grew. All these years you thought he was gone forever. Maybe he was as this Yunho was a far cry from what you remembered.
You sat up straighter again, turning your whole body towards Yunho now. âWhat have they done to you?â, you asked, your voice getting slightly louder while also trembling.
Still, Yunho remained silent. He didnât even look at you anymore. Instead he stared at the bottom of the van, seemingly lost in his thoughts.
âTell meâ, you pressed. You scooted slightly closer towards him, urging him to speak with you.
Nothing.
âWHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?â Now you screamed at him, your voice breaking from your desperation. While you didnât want it to happen, the first tears rolled down your cheeks. You finally stood up and took the few steps back towards him. While your whole body trembled you stared down at him, wanting him to say something.
A few more heartbeats nothing happened, then Yunho looked back up straight into your eyes. âItâs my jobâ, he stated plainly.
Your shoulders dropped, followed by a mirthless chuckle. âI fucking hate you, Jung Yunho.â You shook your head, exhaling loudly, avoiding eye contact with him now. You tilted your head back, momentarily closing your eyes to prevent more tears from spilling. After several deep breaths you opened your eyes again, looking far into the sky.
In some distance you saw the skyline of the inner city. Even during the day it flashed in neon colours from various holographic and other signs. Above the skyscrapers multiple airships floated through the sky like big whales swimming through the open sea.
Not that youâve ever been there or seen one, you simply knew they existed from reading old books. You couldnât even say if they still existed after the big catastrophe.
Your parents told you it was due to some power hungry politics that the whole world started fighting each other until they bombed nearly everything to ashes.
An old man who used to sit at a corner of the street once told you a secret government invention had gone wrong, bringing chaos to the world. Meanwhile a woman on the market always said mother nature took back what belonged to her long ago. The woman also explained nature would still send sandstorms and earthquakes since humanity hasnât learned from the big catastrophe.
You couldnât say which of all these origins was the right one and probably nobody else could as well.
A blaring alarm pulled you out of your thoughts and your eyes immediately traveled back to Yunho.
âSandstormâ, he gritted through his teeth. Yunho turned around to the market place shouting for the others to pack it up.
It wasnât like one of the storms actually hit the outskirts or the city itself. Mostly the storms only pushed lots of dust and sand towards it, making the air hard to breathe and turning everything into an orange tone.
You watched how the soldiers moved back to the trucks and vans, starting the vehicles and driving off one by one within a few minutes.
The second the soldiers left the market square the people rushed into the streets and alleys, seeking shelter in their homes.
âSit down and hold tightâ, Yunho ordered, shutting the doors of the van and rushing to the driver's seat in front.
Through the open bars in the back you already saw the airships slowly descending and a tall orange dust wall rolling towards the city from the horizon.
The door in the front slammed shut and the engine came to life. Yunho stepped on the gas pedal and the van jolted forward.
You stumbled and fell against the back door before getting your footing again and staggering forward to the bars dividing you from Yunho.
âI told you to sit downâ, he shouted over his shoulder, focusing on the street and the decreasing visibility.
âWhat do you think Iâm trying to do?â You snarkily answered and sat down, using one hand to hold onto a bar behind Yunho. âWhere are we going now?â
âBack to headquarters.â
You silently waited for him to tell you more. When he didnât continue you just observed his side profile through the metal bars. His jaw was tense and his eyes narrowed on the road ahead.Â
Even though he wasnât the same Yunho from your childhood, his comments so far indicated he remembered at least a little from your shared past. You didnât care what happened to him, you only wanted your best friend back - no matter what you would have to do.
As you continued to look at him, mapping every detail of him into your mind, you made a silent promise to yourself.Â
Yunho saved you back then and now it was time to do the same for him. You would do anything in your power to free him and get him out of the clutches from the government.
The orange tint outside of the van slowly ebbed down, revealing blaring neon signs in various colours advertising all kinds of things and places. By now the buildings were high enough that they covered most of the sky.Â
You looked ahead, noticing the road leading directly towards the highest building within the city - the headquarters. It appeared intimidating, looming over everything and casting a long, dark shadow over the town and its people.
Minutes later your vehicle reached headquarters and large doors opened up in front of you. Once Yunho parked the van, he stepped out without saying another word to you. He moved around the car and opened the back doors.
You didnât need him to tell you and simply walked over to him, getting out of the van too. You silently turned your head, taking everything you saw - which wasnât much. Everything seemed to be made out of concrete. The grey only got highlighted by the unnatural white neon lights in the ceiling. Groups of robotic soldiers walked through the hall, their metallic steps the only sound inside.
A shiver ran down your spine once you realised Yunho and yourself were the only humans around. You turned back to look at him, waiting for him to say something.
Instead he only nodded his head for you to follow and started moving towards a closed door at the very far end of the hall.
You hurried after him, getting close to his side while he guided you through the labyrinth of grey hallways. With every step you took, the place became more and more depressing. âWhere are you taking me?â, you whispered, looking back at Yunho. Your voice eerily echoed through the empty hallway, appearing way louder than it initially was.
Once again he didnât answer you, no matter how hard you stared at him. While doing that you at least notice some sort of mark or tattoo on his neck - half covered by his uniform. All you could make of were some sort of wings peaking out.
After a while Yunho led you through another door, opening a large, oval concrete hall with dozens of doors lined up on each side. He walked over to a door in the middle and opened it through a holographic touchpad.Â
Even after the door stood wide open you stayed rooted in your place, looking at Yunho for some sort of explanation.
He once again only nodded for you to go inside. When you shook your head no, he sighed in annoyance, grabbed you by your arm and shoved you inside.
You were about to protest loudly and curse him out again, when you saw him follow right behind you and pull the door close behind his back.
âThis will be your room for the time beingâ, he slowly started to explain to you, âI will bring you food and water. Follow every order given to you - no matter who gives them. Trust no one and stay out of trouble, do you copy?â
You stared at him for a long moment. Instead of answering him you asked: âWhat happens here?â
Yunho once again didnât answer and pressed for your understanding. He stepped closer to you, grabbing you by your upper arms and leaning slightly down to be on eye level with you. âDo you copy?â
âI get itâ, you groaned and rolled your eyes, shaking his hands off and stepping away from him again, âbut why canât you answer any of my questions? I want to help you! Donât you understand? This isnât you!â
He straightened again and raised one eyebrow as he looked at you. âIâm going now.â With that he turned around and slipped through the door before you could even react.
âWait! Donât go!â You launched forward only to slam against the already closed door. Through a tiny window with small metal bars you looked at Yunho, who stayed in front of your cell. Dozens of questions whirled through your head but you decided only on one, hoping for him to answer at least that one. âWhen will you be back?â
âFor your next meal.â He leaned closer to the small opening and dropped his voice: âRemember what I told you.â After his final warning he left you standing there.
You heard the other door close again, leaving you in complete silence. With a deep sigh you turned around and leaned back against your door. You finally scanned the tiny room in front of you. There was only a bed and behind it a partition on one side and a table with a chair and a washing basin on the other side. âItâs a prison cellâ, you mumbled and slightly deflated.
With nothing but grey concrete walls around you it became incredibly hard to tell the time passing inside your cell. It could have been an hour or half a day when you heard voices outside in the hall.
Out of nowhere your door opened. You sat up straight on the mattress, staring at the open door. You immediately saw the doors on the opposite side being open as well. Others walked out of their cells and lined up inside the hall.
Ever so slowly you stood up and moved towards the door. You noticed how all the others wore white clothes. You glanced down your own body, wincing when you saw your regular outfit - a stark contrast to the pristine white.
For a moment you considered just staying inside your cell, hiding behind the partition until Yunho came back. That thought was thrown over the second a robotic soldier appeared in front of you. âLine upâ, it told you with their static voice, holding something that looked like a stun gun.
You quietly pushed past the robot and stepped into line with the others. All of them stared ahead to the door you initially came through when Yunho brought you here. None of them even moved a muscle as if they became statues.
âA new one?â
Your head snapped to the front as well, noticing a person in a white lab coat with a clipboard in their hands. Two robotic soldiers flanked their side. Your eyes met, still you glanced around once more, making sure it was actually you they talked about.
âTell me your number.â
You frowned. âSeventy-two?â
They chuckled softly and shook their head. Then they tapped a few times on their clipboard before walking towards you.
You noticed they had a similar scanning device in their hand on top of the clipboard like Yunho used during the raid.
The scientist held it up to your face and the same green lasers moved over your features. They looked down at their tablet, waiting for the information to pop up. âHmâ, they hummed lowly, âyouâre not registered. Why are you here?â
âI punched a soldier?â
Their eyes flashed up with interest, before they schooled their face into a neutral expression again. âFollow meâ, they told you and turned around, âeveryone else back to your rooms!â
You watched how all the others silently moved back into their respective cells without saying a word or looking around.
The robotic soldiers now walked to your side, flanking you to make sure you wouldnât try to escape.
Once everyone was back in their rooms, the scientist tapped on their screen again and all the doors closed once more. They then walked towards the initial entry and led you back into the maze of hallways.
This time you entered an elevator, which brought you to one of the higher levels. The second the doors opened you noticed the heavy contrast to the concrete halls on the base floors. Grey walls were replaced with an almost blinding white. On every corner you saw several monitors and doors were mostly made of thick security glass.
The scientist walked into an empty room and towards a desk in the corner of it. The soldiers now stepped next to the door that closed with a whooshing sound behind you.
âStarting research 22152984â, they said into a little microphone on their desk, right next to a big computer screen showing all kinds of data.
âWhat is this here?â You looked around, seeing more tables with different tools scattered across it, a chair close to the tables with securing straps on the arm and leg rests as well as a large capsule entirely made out of glass.
âThis floor and others above it are entirely designated for researchâ, the scientist answered shortly.
âWhat kind of research?â
They hummed in thought before answering vaguely: âVarious things, the citizens, the environment, you name it.â They turned around and walked over to the chair. âPlease, take a seat.â
âWhat if I donât want to?â
The scientist didnât even need to answer. The second you finished your question you heard some sort of clicking behind you, followed by an electric buzzing sound.
âGot itâ, you mumbled and moved over to the chair. âWhat are you researching especially?â
âEffects of the environment on the human body.â
âIs that why the government continues with the raids through the outskirts?â You continued questioning them as you sat down, needing all the information you could get. âWhat happens to the people they take? Are they still here? Doesnât it change the results when they stay in a prison cell for a long time?â
The scientist chuckled again, shaking their head softly. âYou ask a lot of questions.â
âAnd barely get any answersâ, you immediately retorted.
Again you noticed the flash of interest in their eyes. âIâll need a blood sample from you now.â
You closely watched them prepare a syringe and step next to you. They tapped on your arm a few times until finding the right spot to draw some blood.
âWhat are you hoping to find?â
âI donât know yetâ, they answered you without looking up. Once they filled a vial, they moved back towards one of the many tables. A few drops they immediately placed on a glass slate, placing it under the microscope. Half of the blood got transferred into a second vial and placed into some sort of machine. The rest got placed into a cooler.Â
The scientist looked through the microscope, adjusting a few things here and there before deflating with a sigh. âNo signs of itâ, they mumbled.
âSigns of what?â
They jolted and quickly changed the subject. âPlease go into the capsule for more testing.â
You narrowed your eyes but still got up from the chair, slowly walking over to the glass. Once you stepped into the capsule the glass frame sealed behind you. As you turned around you saw how the scientist rapidly pressed different keys on their keyboard.Â
The second they pressed the enter key, the air around you shifted.Â
Before you even knew what was happening, your heartbeat already increased and your breaths became more shallow. You wanted to ask what was happening but your body refused to waste your breath. You stumbled against the glass wall, leaning against it while your vision turned blurry. You weakly raised your hand, knocking against the glass as you gasped for air. Your other hand moved to your throat. Fingernails dug into your skin, leaving red marks as you clawed at your throat. You dropped to your knees, feeling weaker with every passing second.
Only after you completely dropped to the floor and your vision blacked out, the scientist pressed another key.
The door of the capsule opened again, new air streaming inside, making you gasp loudly with eyes opened wide.Â
The scientist came over and took another vial of your blood. They closed the door immediately after getting enough blood, doing the same tests from before.Â
You sat up, still feeling somewhat dizzy from before. You immediately noticed how they deflated again and stomped over to their computer. âWhat are you searching for?â, you croaked out and stood back up again, using one hand against the glass wall to steady yourself.
This time they didnât answer you and only pressed the enter key on their keyboard again. As they turned back around to you, you heard small fans below your feet and above your head whirring.
Suddenly sand whirled into the capsule.Â
You quickly covered your mouth and nose by pulling your shirt over them. You squinted your eyes and even shielded them with your other hand. Yet, the tiny grains of sand pricked into your bare skin, hurting you the faster the wind whirled them around. You dropped back to the ground, curling up as far as you could, trying to protect yourself as much as possible.
Tears formed at the corners of your eyes. You couldnât say whether they came as a protective measure, were due to the pain or a deep sadness thinking Yunho must have gone through all of this himself.
It felt like hours before the tiny sandstorm within the capsule stopped again. Once more the scientist drew your blood and made the same tests on it.
You didnât even need to look at them to know they still didnât get the results they wanted. Their increasing annoyance was already palpable. You heard the rapid tapping of keys again and felt another shift in the air around you.
The hairs on your arms stood up, feeling the tingling before anything else. The first few lightning shocks were tolerable but with increasing intensity the pain became more and more apparent as well.
You groaned loudly, your body already spasming with each electric current. As the onslaught continued you couldnât hold back anymore, you screamed from the pain, silently begging for the tests to stop, for anyone to save you.
You didnât even react anymore when the door to the capsule opened once more and the scientist drew even more blood. This time they didnât even care about attending the wound after drawing blood.
They cursed loudly after a while. More key smashing filled the air and you felt the static increase inside the capsule again.
This time the tiny fans began whirring as well and the sand whirled around too. You curled yourself up, covering your head with your arms as much as you could. But every time a lightning shot through the capsule, hitting you, you involuntarily uncurled again.
While you were stuck in the capsule and tested on, Yunho came into the room. âProfessorâ, he shortly greeted the scientist and then stayed rooted in the middle of the room, his arms crossed behind his back.
âYou can make yourself useful and carry that specimen over to the chair.â
Yunho walked over to the capsule and picked you up from the bottom, carrying you bridal style towards the chair. Even though seeing you like this made his heart sting, he knew better than to defy orders. He silently watched the scientist do his work, but still stayed close to you instead of stepping away.
âStill no sign of it!â The scientist grabbed their hair and groaned loudly in frustration. âEven after putting the body through immense stress situations there is no build up in adrenaline! It seemed so promising.â
They turned towards you and Yunho, tapping their chin in thought. âIf I remember correctly it was the same case with you, Soldier Jeong. Youâre from the same district arenât you?â
âIf you say so, professor.â
Your head lulled to the side as you tried to look at Yunho through barely open eyes. You hadnât realised that he came and a wave of reassurance spread through your body.Â
âYou can bring them back to their quarters or dispose of them. I donât think the government needs another soldier like you.â The scientist turned away again, noting on their computer that research 22152984 failed.
Once again Yunho picked you up and carried you through the hallway towards the elevator.Â
The second the elevator doors closed behind you, you asked him to let you down. Despite being somewhat reluctant, you stood back on your two feet and staggered towards the button panel. You pressed the emergency button and the elevator stopped moving, turning the white lights into low red ones.
âIâm so sorryâ, you whispered, still keeping your back towards him. Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes again as guilt consumed you.
You didnât want to imagine what Yunho had gone through all these years while you lived somewhat peacefully instead of fighting to find him. âI should have looked for you.â Your voice broke as a sob tore through your throat.
Suddenly strong arms wrapped around your torso from behind, pulling you against Yunhoâs broad chest. âYou were a child.â
âNot anymore.â
âYou didnât know. Itâs too bad you got roped in with that scientist. There are a lot of others, who still test you but are - let's say - nicer about it.â
You quietly continued to sob in his arms. At some point he gently turned you around so you could hide your face into his chest. It took some time before you calmed down again. Your shaky breaths slowly but surely became steadier once more.Â
âWe need to leaveâ, you mumbled into his chest, staring at the floor below you. âNo, we need to do something! We canât let others suffer the same as you did.â
Yunho chuckled softly. âWhat will one person change against a whole system?â
âIâm sure there are others too. Also we could persuade the other prisoners! We could start a rebellion with themâ, you argued back, finally tilting your head and looking up at Yunho.
A deep sadness was rooted in his eyes as he slowly shook his head no. âThey are all brainwashed. Just like me. There is no persuading.â
âBut you arenât anymore, are you?â Your hands grabbed onto the fabric of his uniform, desperation filling your mind.
Yunho mulled over your words before answering with hesitation: âNot entirely, no. Not when Iâm with you.â
âThen it should work with the others as well!â
His face morphed into a grimace of doubt. âIâm not saying it is impossible but I fear it needs more than talking to them.â
You frowned in confusion. âWhat do you mean?â
âI think it needs an emotional bond between you and the brainwashed person.â He sighed deeply and quickly shifted into an amused smirk. âOr a good punch to the jaw.â
For a moment you simply stared at him, dumbfounded he could joke around right now. Then you rolled your eyes, trying to hide the small smile forming on your lips. âIdiot.â
Yunho grinned brightly, almost proud of himself before he turned serious again. âWe will find a way. Iâll bring you back to your cell for now. When I have the chance of getting some information for an escape plan, I will get you again.â
You nodded shortly. As you inhaled deeply and squared your shoulders again, you stepped away from Yunho and pressed the emergency button again. The elevator turned back to normal and resumed its way down.
Several days passed and Yunho regularly ordered you to follow him. Sometimes it was to empty labs, where the both of you looked through dozens of files. Other times he brought you to an office with dozens of screens, showcasing strange data. One time he brought you to a workshop. It had looked chaotic but each working desk had different holographic plans - some of them even showing floor plans of the building.
âI heard some soldiers talking about the increase of rebel activityâ, Yunho informed you, âThere are seemingly more and more attacks in the wastelands and the government struggles to get it under control.â
âThen that is where we should be going.â
Yunho looked at you for a long moment. âGetting from one dangerous place to the next? How would we even get there? The city boundaries are heavily guarded.â
You grinned at him knowingly. âI heard rumours about a bar.â
âGreat timing to get drunk.â
You swatted at his upper arm and rolled your eyes, but before you were able to explain what you heard, something else came to your mind. âWhy does the government search for adrenaline in humans?â
Yunho shrugged with his shoulders. âBeats me.â
âHavenât you heard anything about it in all these years?â You pressed, staring straight into his eyes.
âLots of different things. Some told me it was a source of power, which is needed for the advanced technology they use. Others said people with adrenaline in their body possess inhumane abilities and the government is scared that they will work against them.â
âSo they either recruit them or eliminate them.â
Yunho nodded shortly. âMaybe it is both, I truly canât say what is the truth and what isnât. There are simply too many versions about it.â
You thought about it for a while. Even though you werenât satisfied with such vague rumours, you had to settle on that. âFine, back to the bar. What I heard is that it helps you to escape the city. Since we do not know what to do after getting out of here, that would be a good option to try out. After that we can go anywhere we want. Maybe thereâs a place outside of this city thatâs - I donât know - better suited for us.â
âWe still need a way to get out of here in the first place.â Yunho wiped through the holographic image, making it spin in circles. âI canât just take you and drive you out of here.â
âWhat about-â
Your sentence died in your throat as the walls suddenly shook violently after you two heard a loud bang in the distance. Seconds later an obnoxious alarm blared through the speakers in each room.Â
You looked at Yunho with wide eyes, silently asking him what was happening.
âThe headquarters is under attackâ, he stated through gritted teeth. He tensed up and closed his eyes, breathing deeply through his nose.
You already knew he had this internal fight whenever specific sounds came through the speaker since they were some sort of commands. You placed your hand on his, gently pressing on it.
âWe leave now.â Yunho grabbed you by your upper arm and pulled you out into the hallway. After a short stop at his sleeping quarters to grab a pre-packed duffelbag, he continued to guide you through the building.Â
Soldiers ran around the halls, shouting different commands. Robots moved towards one direction, all of their lights turned red from the alarm. Scientists hurriedly rushed to their labs, trying to save their data before the power went out or rebels stormed into the rooms, destroying everything they worked on.
None of them paid any attention to you two. You turned your head and looked over your shoulder, seeing Yunhoâs fierce expression - making him somewhat intimidating.
Soon enough the both of you reached the garage. Yunho immediately rushed over to a sleek black car. He opened the door to the passenger seat and let you get in before he closed the door and ran around the car, jumping into the driver seat. He threw the duffelbag over his shoulder to the backseats and started the engine.
With squealing tires Yunho turned the car and drove towards the exit. He pressed a button on the console and the doors to the city slowly slid open.
âYouâre too fastâ, you noticed with baited breath, grabbing onto your seat and watching how the doors inched further apart.
âThereâs no time!â Yunho didnât reduce his speed and stared straight ahead towards the opening. âWe need to get away before the system overrides my command.â
Before the car reached the doors you closed your eyes in fear, only hearing how the metal on each side of the car scraped against the thick stone doors.
âWhatâs the name of the bar?â Yunho asked. He still seemed tense, the knuckles of his hand turning white around the steering wheel.
âI think it was âFloating Silverââ, you told him, shaken from what just happened. You heard more bombs going off and saw several dark smoke clouds rising from different buildings. âItâs not just headquarters theyâre attacking!â
Yunho only groaned, pulling your attention back to him.
âWhatâs wrong?â
He blinked several times, tilting his head over and over as if he tried shaking something off. âThereâs something inside of me. I can feel it grow and have no control over it.â Yunho grabbed onto his neck, a sudden pain spreading from there. He groaned again, swerving the car.
âStop the car! Stop it before we crash!â You yelled at him, seeing how he lost more and more control over his body and the car.
While Yunho did get slower, it wasnât fast enough as another wave of excruciating pain soared through his veins.
The car slammed into a wall, both you and Yunho smashing against the front of the car from the force before immediately dropping back into your seats.
White smoke rose from the engine of the car and a sudden fear the car would catch fire, you scrambled out of it. You turned around, your fear increasing when Yunho didnât get out right after you.
âYunho!â You called for him, running around the crashed car and opening the door to the driverâs seat.
Yunho dropped out to the ground, writhing in pain. He didnât react to any of your calls, grabbing the side of his neck over and over again.
You dropped to your knees next to him. You had to fight him quite a bit, pulling his hands away from his neck.
By now he had scratched his skin around the tattooed mark until it started bleeding. âBurn itâ, he rasped through his pain, knowing the mark was the reason his body acted up like this.
You looked around, trying to figure out where youâd find a tool for such a task.
âBag, knife, lighter.â
You grabbed the duffelbag from the backseats and quickly returned to his side again. While you heated the knife with the lighter you both found inside the bag like Yunho told you, you apologised to him every few seconds. Not just for the fact you were about to hurt him but also for taking so long and not helping him faster.
âHurry!â Yunho fought against the urge to claw at his neck again, instead grabbing the fabric of his shirt and pressing it into his stomach.
After a few more seconds you leaned over Yunho and pressed the heated side of the knife into the tattoo on his neck.Â
Yunho closed his eyes from the burning sensation. The hissing sound from his skin slowly faded as the knife grew colder again.
You saw how his skin turned red first and then black, the tattoo fading as his skin burnt. Without even thinking about it, you threw the knife to the side and pressed your palm on the wound. The remaining heat seeped into your hand and as it slowly cooled down, you noticed how the tension left his body as well.
Yunho opened his eyes again and for a second you saw a flash of purple running through them before they turned back to normal.
âWhat happened?â
Yunho inhaled deeply. âHonestly? I can only guess. Each human soldier isnât just brainwashed but also drugged with something. That and the mark on their body is used to control them, to make sure they show no human emotion.â
âSo youâd basically become like those robots?â
âYes.â
You mulled over his explanation until you realised something. âThat means youâve been in pain for quite some time, havenât you? You showed emotions whenever you were with me.â
âNothing like this thoughâ, he confirmed your thoughts. âI defied orders today, this was to remind me where my place was.â
âIt could have killed you!â You protested loudly.
Yunho chuckled and sat up again. âNormally nobody is so stupid and ignores the first few waves of pain.â
You pressed your lips into a thin line. âIs it at least better now?â
âDonât worry, Shortwingâ, he said while patting your head, âwe should rather continue to get out of here.â
A small smile played over your lips, hearing him use the nickname he chose for you. âFine! But we canât use the car anymore - for some reason I cannot nameâ, you teased him as you got back up to your feet. You checked him out once more, noticing another scratch right on the bridge of his nose. Despite that he at least appeared to be fine.
Yunho grabbed the duffelbag again, pulling two light blue capes out of it. âPut this on. We need to appear like law-abiding citizens.â
âWe donât wear stuff like that on the outskirtsâ, you mumbled but put the cape on anyway.
âDifferent districts, different rules.â With that he grabbed your hand and pulled you through the streets and alleys.
It took you two a while to navigate through the city and find the bar called âFloating Silverâ. Both of you stopped in front of the entrance, looking at the exterior of it.Â
âLooks like a normal bar to meâ, Yunho mentioned with a raised eyebrow. âYou sure we get help here?â
You grimaced, unable to give him a good answer.
âOkay, hereâs the plan. You try to get some information, while I change out of my uniform.â
âSounds goodâ, you agreed and stepped through the entrance.
Your gaze immediately was drawn to the bar and the shelves lined up with alcohol behind it. Above it the name âFloating Silverâ glowed in neon lights. There were several stools in front of the bar and a few booths on the other side.Â
Yunho quickly excused himself to the restrooms while you slowly moved to one of the booths. You sat down quietly and observed your surroundings.Â
There were a few other patrons and the bartender having some sort of argument with a silver haired woman.Â
You silently watched them, unable to understand what they were talking about since their voices were rather hushed.Â
When the woman stormed off through a door, which showed a staircase leading up, you noticed a limp right before the door closed behind her and a sign with the word âprivateâ caught your eye instead.Â
Ever so slowly you turned your attention back to the bartender, who now wiped down a few glasses.
He made eye contact with you and shortly nodded for you to sit down at the bar instead. âRough day?â He asked in a deep voice once you sat down.
You nodded dumbly, somewhat distracted by his statue-esque beauty. If it werenât for the red birthmark on his cheek right underneath the corner of his left eye, you probably would have thought he was one.
âWhat can I do for you?â
You contemplated what to say, unsure how you could ask for a way out of the city without knowing whether he worked for the government or not.
âLetâs start with a drinkâ, Yunho suggested and slid on the seat next to you, âmaybe you have some sort of special?â
You turned your head to look at him, noticing how he wore a washed out green jacket. The collar of it was large enough to cover his whole neck and even the lower parts of his face.
âSure, let me show you the optionsâ, the bartender said and put down the glass in his hand. He motioned for the both of you to follow him, walking straight to a door with the label storage.
Yunho stepped into the storage once the bartender had opened the door, you on the other hand hesitated. You looked towards the other patrons.
âItâs alrightâ, the bartender assured you with a mysterious smile, âthey know of the special.â
You nodded softly and then followed Yunho into the storage room.Â
The bartender followed you, closed the door behind him and introduced himself as Yeosang. âFrom the looks of it youâre in need of escaping this city.â
While Yunho agreed, you patted down your clothes and hair, suddenly conscious about your own appearance.Â
Yeosang nodded shortly. âIâll open the tunnel to the wastelands for you. Just follow it until the end and youâll get to an old bunker. From there on you can get out into the wasteland. The bunker is close to a car graveyard, though none of them should work anymore. Beware of the sandstorms they possibly radiate nuclear power.â
You turned to Yunho wide eyed. âDid I get nuclear radiation sandstormed by that scientist?!â, you gasped, offended by the possibility.
Yunho pulled you into a hug, amused by your tone and choice of words. âNo, otherwise the scientist would have needed more protection.â He then turned his attention back to Yeosang, nodding to him that you two were ready now.
You turned in Yunhoâs hold, seeing how Yeosangâs eyes flashed blue while he concentrated on a large keg, which slowly began to float. Your own eyes widened in surprise and realisation. The flashing blue indicated the use of adrenaline, something the scientist had looked for in your blood.Â
At the same time you had to think of the slight purple flash in Yunhoâs eyes, wondering whether he was also able to use adrenaline. Until you remembered the snarky words of the scientist, telling Yunho he was just as useless a specimen as you were.
Your attention drifted to the floating keg and then the hole beneath it. A ladder led down into the tunnel.
Yunho let go of you, thanked Yeosang and quickly started climbing down. Once he reached the bottom, he called out for you.
âThank youâ, you whispered with a slight bow before following Yunho down into the hole.
To your surprise the tunnel wasnât as dark as you initially thought. A string of cables with several lamps in regular spacing hung on each side of the walls.Â
âLetâs go.â Yunho smiled softly, offering his hand for you to take. The second you placed your hand in his, his smile widened. âStill following orders so well.â
You pursed your lips, about to rip your hand away again. But Yunho seemed to read your mind and tightened his grip on your hand.
âIâm joking.â
âGreatâ, you scoffed and rolled your eyes. Not wanting to dwell on this awkward feeling rising inside your chest, you moved forward and followed the path of the tunnel.
Yunho snickered and quickly caught up to you, walking right beside you. He pulled the collar of his jacket up with his free hand, hiding his smile from you.
âHow do you feel by the way?â You asked after a while, wondering whether he felt any sort of side effect.Â
âHmmâ, he hummed, âmaybe energised?â
âIn a good way?â
Yunho squeezed your hand. âDefinitely. Iâm alive, free and with the only person I care about.â He pulled on the collar of his jacket once more.
Still, you were able to see how his cheeks turned slightly pink and how his ears changed into a deep red. You smiled, ignoring how your heartbeat increased slightly. âI care about you tooâ, you whispered softly.
the one thing i love about this anthology is the strong sense of justice in at least one character per story, bonus points when it's the reader. it really connects them all together. i love the pov of Yunho as one of the soldiers who was captured as a child with adrenaline and brainwashed to become one of them. getting a peak into the hq was also very fun. and then peep to the cameo of floating silver ahhhhhh how lovely. I hope you had fun writing this as much as i did mine!
âMaster List ~ Day Twenty-Two: Mingi {Edging} ~ Day Twenty-Four: Wooyoung {Creampie}
âLeave me.â
You watched with a stoic gaze as the guards that had dragged you into the bedroom walked out. Your eyes dragged back towards the man left in the room.
âAnd so the Duke of the North has won again,â you said mockingly.
The Duke of the North adjusted his gloves, not looking at you. âYou call this a win?â
You shook the manacles that have you spread eagle to the four posts of his bed. âDoes it look to you like I've won?â
His hands tightened into fists, the leather of the gloves creaking. âMy wife continues to flee from her home. And so I have to send my soldiers to fetch her and bring her back. And then I must chain her to the bed to ensure she doesn't leave. Remind me at what point I'm winning here?â
You turned your head stubbornly, refusing to acknowledge the sound of hurt in your husband's voice. âI do not want to be here. The only reason we are married is because you can tether my power so that I can not use it to wreak havoc on this world. Do not speak to me as if you feel betrayed.â
San licked his lips and raised an eyebrow at you. âI took my vows seriously.â
âA little too seriously, if you ask me,â you grumbled under your breath.
âI want you to take them seriously too!â San insisted. âWe are husband and wife!â
âYou are my ball and chain!â You countered.
San stepped back as if you had physically hit him. âIs that how you see me?â
âYou were only useful to the council as far as your influence with your title and your ability. You are my enemy, Choi San. Plain and simple.â
âI am not your enemy,â San argued. âI am here to be your companion in life! You don't have to fight this. We could have a life together, you and I.â
You sat up as much as the manacles would allow you, your arms straining backward. âThen let my powers go.â
The Duke of the North paled at your sentence. All the blood left his face at the idea of releasing your powers. You had caused a storm of tornadoes that had ravaged an area when they first sought to take you. He feared you, certainly.
You scoffed and laid back down. âThen I have nothing more to say to you.â
âI don't accept that,â San said, shaking his head.
With that proclamation, he released the clock held at his neck and let it drop to the ground. His black flowing top and tight pants with calf-high boots painted a pretty picture. His hair was disheveled, probably worrying over whether his men would recapture you or not. His standing in this world would be ruined if you succeeded in escaping.
âI am your husband,â San insisted, almost quietly to himself. He sat on the bed, one leg folded, turning towards you.
âYou are only in name,â you shot down.
âI am your husband!â He shouted again and his hand slapped down directly on your pussy.
You gasped as pleasure, and pain bloomed at the junction of your thighs. What the fuck was that?!
Nothing escaped your husband's nosy eyes. âDid you like that?â
âAbsolutely not,â you declined too fast to be not guilty.
âYou are mine,â San said, slapping your pussy again.
You may have donned pants for riding that were tight and revealing and nothing like the bouncy skirts you normally sported, and that had left you exposed, not to mention the spread-eagle-by-manacles situation.
You moaned loudly this time, and there was no hiding the fact that you liked what San was doing.
âI can give you my whole world,â Sam whispered.
âNo, thank you,â you replied clippedly and then your back bowed as he slapped your pussy again.
This went on and on, with San speaking the most ludicrous notions and you getting wetter by the second as he slapped you in retaliation for calling him a liar. Your cries and moans got louder and louder before finally your climax crested over you. You had come from getting your pussy slapped by your hated husband. Your body was the betrayer.
âPlease, let me take care of you,â San begged.
The Duke of the North crawled over you until he was on his hands and knees between your legs. âLet me wipe you up with a cloth. Let me hold you and--â
âNo,â you refused.
San's head hung low in disappointment.
âYou will clean up your mess with your tongue, like the dog you are,â you finished.
His neck almost snapped with how quickly he raised it. His eyes were that of an eager puppy now, the pussy-slapping Duke of the North gone. For the moment, at least.
âYes, my love,â he replied, hands moving to the stays of your pants.
âAnd San? Keep the gloves on.â
Master List ~ Day Twenty-Two: Mingi {Edging} ~ Day Twenty-Four: Wooyoung {Creampie}
â¤Pairing: Kim Hongjoong x Reader (f) x Jeong Yunho
â¤Genre: smut
â¤Au: fantasy, royal
â¤Trope: throuple
â¤Rating: 18+, Minors Do Not Interact
â¤Word Count: 1,166
â¤Warnings: double penetration, nipple play, praise kink, degradation kink, comforting! Dom! Hongjoong, mean! Dom! Yunho, swords crossing! (Mxm due to dp!), mentions of future pregnancy, everyone is drunk with pleasure, sex with no protection
â¤Master List ~ Day Twenty-Four: Wooyoung {Creampie} ~ Day Twenty-Six: Seonghwa & San {Free Use}
You whimpered because that was all the energy you could summon in this moment. Hongjoong was rubbing your back, the thick girth of his cock stretching you. You were both in various stages of undress: Hongjoong with only his flowing shirt left on and you with your skirt shoved up your legs and the stays of your top long undone so that your breasts could be free.
Your other partner at this moment, Yunho, was currently playing with your nipples from behind you, allowing you the time to adjust to Hongjoong fulling sheathed inside of you. For Yunho was next and that was going to be something.
âI canât do this,â you declined immediately. âYunho wonât fit.â
Yunho sighed behind you. âI told you she would get whiney about it.â
Hongjoong smiled down at you encouragingly, continuing to rub your back. âYou can do it. We talked about this, remember? The only way the Fall and Spring courts will stop fighting over who gets Summer now is by both of us getting a fair chance to get you pregnant. This was the only compromise we could agree on. Yunho and I must fuck you at the same time.â
Your eyes rolled into the back of your head in near-delirium. Hongjoong was making you feel so full! And besides that, you could feel Yunho rutting against your backside. Why did you have to be the one fertile woman that the Summer Courtâs priestess had discovered was the best womb to conceive the next High King or Queen? The one who fathered them would reign in their stead until they reached the age of maturity.
Yunho pinched your nipples roughly, like the frost of an early spring morning, and you cried out. âIf youâre dripping down Hongjoong, which I have no doubt you are, youâre fine.â
âYouâre so mean, Yunho,â Hongjoong protested, his eyes over your shoulder to frown at the Spring Fae.
âYou can be the warm and comforting one in this bed,â Yunho retorted. âIâll deal with the other side of that coin.â
Hongjoong wrapped an arm around the small over your back and leaned so that he fell towards the bed, hair halo-ing him beautifully. âCome now, sweetheart, letâs get ready for Yunho, shall we? Heâs actually been quite patient for Spring.â Hongjoongâs sweet giggle filled your ears at what must have been Yunho rolling his eyes at the comment.
âYes, Summer, be a good little whore and expose your cunt with another dick deep inside it for me,â Yunho said derisively, lust coating his tone.
âHongjoong!â You whined.
The Fall Fae captured your lips in a sultry kiss, one that had you melting in his hold immediately. He hummed happily, a smile stretching his own lips. That hum quickly turned into a choked back moan that you joined in on as Yunho pushed his length into you.
âOh, the both of you!â Yunho complained. But he was sounding strained as well. âItâs so fucking⌠pressed up against your dick itâs⌠Goddess take me.â
Hongjoong broke your kiss, panting and sweating already. âJust⌠push all the way in⌠already, Yunho!â
âI am going--as quickly as her--cunt will--oh, Iâm about to dissolve into these sheets. Why is this beyond bliss?â Yunho moaned.
You were just a receptacle at this point. You felt pleasure--so much pleasure!--it overrode every single thought you could possibly have. You were stuffed with two dicks, one girthy and the other long, and it was more than you thought was possible. But the priestess had assured you that if you were going to birth a child, two dicks would be nothing to compare to that.
âStay with me, sweetheart,â Hongjoong cupped your face and sought to make eye contact with you. âFeels good, doesnât it? Yunhoâs doing a wonderful job.â
âIâm the only one doing a job,â Yunho grumbled. âWhy do you two just get to sit there and take it?â
Hongjoong cocked his head. âOh, you want me to move?â
This time, it was you and Yunho who moaned in unison as Hongjoong moved his cock alongside Yunhoâs and against your walls. The slow pressed of him against your spongey spot inside of you was sending gracious amounts of pleasure licking at your lower half.
â âs too much, Joongie, please, I--â Your nails dug into his plush chest in an attempt to ground yourself.
Hongjoong bit down on his lower lip as his hips worked against yours. âI can feel the way youâre clenching, sweetheart. Youâre greedy for both our cocks. Itâs okay to admit it! Yunho wants to hear how good it feels. Donât you, Yunho?â
Yunhoâs fingers are making what might be perma-bruises around your waist. âI canât fucking think with you moving like this,â Yunho said through gritted teeth.
âSure you can,â Hongjoong teased. âGo on, tell her.â
Yunho swallowed loudly. âHow does⌠it feel⌠honey?â
You whimpered. âJoongieâs rubbing against my front, and youâre against my back, and--Yunnie, no!â
Yunho moved at a separate pace, most likely due to the inability to handle sounding even slightly weak or soft towards you or in front of Hongjoong. âThis is ridiculous, just come inside of her already, Hongjoong. Sheâs just the womb that will bear the High King!â
âYou impatient--ca-careful!â Hongjoong cautioned the Fae behind you. âYouâre--slapping against me!â
âCome inside of her,â Yunho said with a husky tone. âFeel the slide of me against you. You like it, donât you? â
âGoddess! Just--no donât clench down like that, I--â
Between the two of them working opposite of each other inside of you, it was only a matter of time as you came so hard that you almost passed out. Hongjoong and Yunho both came at the same time. Hongjoongâs breathy climax was like music, and Yunhoâs long, drown out grunt was like day and night. But all you could do was focus on your breathing.
âWeâre dripping out of her!â Hongjoong said, slightly panicked. âYunho pulled out quickly!â
The larger Fae flung himself backward, tossing an arm over his face as he recovered. Hongjoong swept you up in his arms, and he lay back beside Yunho. Your lower body was slightly raised, so all the precious baby making seed stayed inside of you.
Hongjoong sent you a tired but happy smile at you. âSee? We did it!â
âIt better hold too. Because I do not want to be back here in another month,â Yunho huffed.
Hongjoong teased the Spring Fae again. âNo? I think that now that we have our dynamics figured out, we might try again to ensure it does hold.â
Yunho sent such a look of complete horror at Hongjoong that the Fall Fae cackled in response. âOh, please, Yunho. You loved it.â
âI--â You needed water but still worked through your dry throat. âI can try again. I just need a little time.â
Hongjoong sent a look of pure adoration at you. âAnd thatâs why Summer is the best season.â
Master List ~ Day Twenty-Four: Wooyoung {Creampie} ~ Day Twenty-Six: Seonghwa & San {Free Use}
Im going to take this time to be transparent: my work life has taken a turn for the worse and its affecting my creativity and thus July Jizz Jubilee. I am frustrating myself when usually I don't struggle like this at all when it comes to writing. So I think its safe to say I'll try to work on this through the month to finish it because i will! But to remove the pressure and guilt, and hope for the best with my work life settling down, i will work on my projects for this month with flurry's summer event for lapy and my collab announcement dropping soon!
Thank you for all of you that have been patient with me and have appreciated the goodies that I have been able to write! đ
âMaster List ~ Day Twenty-Two: Mingi {Edging} ~ Day Twenty-Four: Wooyoung {Creampie}
âLeave me.â
You watched with a stoic gaze as the guards that had dragged you into the bedroom walked out. Your eyes dragged back towards the man left in the room.
âAnd so the Duke of the North has won again,â you said mockingly.
The Duke of the North adjusted his gloves, not looking at you. âYou call this a win?â
You shook the manacles that have you spread eagle to the four posts of his bed. âDoes it look to you like I've won?â
His hands tightened into fists, the leather of the gloves creaking. âMy wife continues to flee from her home. And so I have to send my soldiers to fetch her and bring her back. And then I must chain her to the bed to ensure she doesn't leave. Remind me at what point I'm winning here?â
You turned your head stubbornly, refusing to acknowledge the sound of hurt in your husband's voice. âI do not want to be here. The only reason we are married is because you can tether my power so that I can not use it to wreak havoc on this world. Do not speak to me as if you feel betrayed.â
San licked his lips and raised an eyebrow at you. âI took my vows seriously.â
âA little too seriously, if you ask me,â you grumbled under your breath.
âI want you to take them seriously too!â San insisted. âWe are husband and wife!â
âYou are my ball and chain!â You countered.
San stepped back as if you had physically hit him. âIs that how you see me?â
âYou were only useful to the council as far as your influence with your title and your ability. You are my enemy, Choi San. Plain and simple.â
âI am not your enemy,â San argued. âI am here to be your companion in life! You don't have to fight this. We could have a life together, you and I.â
You sat up as much as the manacles would allow you, your arms straining backward. âThen let my powers go.â
The Duke of the North paled at your sentence. All the blood left his face at the idea of releasing your powers. You had caused a storm of tornadoes that had ravaged an area when they first sought to take you. He feared you, certainly.
You scoffed and laid back down. âThen I have nothing more to say to you.â
âI don't accept that,â San said, shaking his head.
With that proclamation, he released the clock held at his neck and let it drop to the ground. His black flowing top and tight pants with calf-high boots painted a pretty picture. His hair was disheveled, probably worrying over whether his men would recapture you or not. His standing in this world would be ruined if you succeeded in escaping.
âI am your husband,â San insisted, almost quietly to himself. He sat on the bed, one leg folded, turning towards you.
âYou are only in name,â you shot down.
âI am your husband!â He shouted again and his hand slapped down directly on your pussy.
You gasped as pleasure, and pain bloomed at the junction of your thighs. What the fuck was that?!
Nothing escaped your husband's nosy eyes. âDid you like that?â
âAbsolutely not,â you declined too fast to be not guilty.
âYou are mine,â San said, slapping your pussy again.
You may have donned pants for riding that were tight and revealing and nothing like the bouncy skirts you normally sported, and that had left you exposed, not to mention the spread-eagle-by-manacles situation.
You moaned loudly this time, and there was no hiding the fact that you liked what San was doing.
âI can give you my whole world,â Sam whispered.
âNo, thank you,â you replied clippedly and then your back bowed as he slapped your pussy again.
This went on and on, with San speaking the most ludicrous notions and you getting wetter by the second as he slapped you in retaliation for calling him a liar. Your cries and moans got louder and louder before finally your climax crested over you. You had come from getting your pussy slapped by your hated husband. Your body was the betrayer.
âPlease, let me take care of you,â San begged.
The Duke of the North crawled over you until he was on his hands and knees between your legs. âLet me wipe you up with a cloth. Let me hold you and--â
âNo,â you refused.
San's head hung low in disappointment.
âYou will clean up your mess with your tongue, like the dog you are,â you finished.
His neck almost snapped with how quickly he raised it. His eyes were that of an eager puppy now, the pussy-slapping Duke of the North gone. For the moment, at least.
âYes, my love,â he replied, hands moving to the stays of your pants.
âAnd San? Keep the gloves on.â
Master List ~ Day Twenty-Two: Mingi {Edging} ~ Day Twenty-Four: Wooyoung {Creampie}
jongho x f!reader (no use of yn) / g: action, romance, smut , post-apocalyptic au, based on Adrenaline by ateez / warnings: mentions of lack of breath, descriptions of intense skin burning, unprotected sex, wall sex, jongho gets rough, creampie, fingering, cursing, Jongho using inhuman strength, use of fire arms, bodies being ripped and thrown away / wc: 8k, r: 18+
Happy to be part of the long awaited Adrenaline collab, within my lovely gang from @lapydiaries đĽ please check out the rest of the entries, there will be one for each member, all written by such talented writers! I´ll link the official masterlist here when it´s up and running (be on the lookout on each post to catch the intertwined stories). Hope you enjoy my piece on lonewolf Choi Jongho, thanks for reading.
summary: After a major blast forces your rebel group to scatter, Jongho and you race to Sector 1 to save your youngest members from an imminent raid. But the rescue mission takes an unexpected, and terrifying turn when the exact symptoms putting them at risk begin to take hold of you.
Ash is falling like dirty snow, radio chatter is dead, and the main squad is cut off behind a collapsed ridge before you. Standing under an almost blown out bridge, Jongho and you shield yourselves from the sight of remaining drones circulating the zone where the huge explosion initiated. Thankfully, your group was prepared, avoiding being in the center at the time of the blast.
âBreathe!â Jongho ordered, his voice raspy, muffled by his respirator. âslowly, through the mask, that's it.âÂ
You leaned against him, chest heaving, all you could hear after the deafening blast besides your own breathing was Jongho's voice next to you. He wrapped his arm around your waist, helping you stand. You both were covered in dust and stone rubble. The explosion had been so violent even if you were outside the point of impact. Now you could see the concrete over your now destroyed base, the iron and copper taste in your tongue.Â
âWe need to go, they´ll be surveying the area to see if some of us stayedâ Jongho signaled for you to follow.
âYou think they give us up for dead?â Still, your voice was muffled and your ears started ringing loudly.
âI don´t think they would make that mistake twice."
He helped you over some broken rubble, jumping ahead after you were safe on the other side. Suddenly Jongho's radio erupted with static, before a hurried voice cut through.Â
âSector 1 is compromised. They know we anticipated their attack and are now heading towards the safehouse.â Mingi´s low voice was suddenly cut. A wet crunch was heard before it turned silent.Â
âWell, we need to go there then,â Jongho reached up, dialing the new route into his radar.Â
âThe safehouse on sector 1⌠that´s where the young ones showing signs of being affected are.âÂ
âThem. That´s what they are after.âÂ
The government's unification force was now ready to start attacking until the rebellion was eliminated. But Jongho knew they wouldn't dare attack the safehouse if there was any chance of anyone with signs of being possessors of Adrenaline there. They were going to raid it, and kidnap the young ones away.Â
âWe need to be fast, can you walk?â He asked, his big and kind eyes showing that familiar shine even through his mask. You nodded, and his eyes turned faintly into crescent moons. His smile, the more reassuring sign that always managed to keep you calm. âLet´s go.â
After a while, once you were far away from the area of the initial blast, Jongho removed his mask, and you followed. âThe other unit is heading there too, but from the other side. There's the possibility that soldiers are waiting for us there already.âÂ
âIf we don´t go, everyone there is dead. Or worse.âÂ
âI know,â Jongho slowly lowered his hand, his dark eyes met yours. âJust be ready, for anything.â
âI am, and I also know you got me.â you smiled.Â
Jongho stared at you for a long, heavy second. He didn't add anything else. He knew you were strong, and also that you knew how strong he really was. He basically could shatter bones and send people across rooftops when triggered. He also knew the cost of being a possessor of Adrenaline better than anyone.Â
Jongho was thankful to you for being one of the few that didn't fear him because of it.
Soon you were about to get into a tunnel where radiation was high, little dust of the high levels would cook you from the inside out.Â
âKepp your filter tightâ he advised, unstrapping the heavy iron visor from his pack and fitting it over your head.Â
After having geared up, you both entered the tunnel. The radioactive sandstorm swallowed you whole the moment you stepped in. The wind howled. The sand was of a crimson color that when seen from above, could have been a beautiful sight. Once outside of the tunnel, the sky was of an unnatural sickly violet color, and you could even see the static flickering around you.Â
Every step felt heavy, like pushing against a wall. Jongho, walking before you with ease, hid you behind his heavy frame, shielding you against the crushing wind.Â
Then, it started.
A sudden pinch of heat at the center of your head. It quickly evolved into a violent, agonizing spike of heat that flooded your veins like lava instead of blood. Your heart, it slammed against your ribs violently, so hard you felt the vibrations in your teeth.Â
âWhat- What is happening? JonghoâŚâ
Your vision flared into blinding lights. The sandstorm suddenly sounded agonizingly loud, so much you could hear individual grains of sand scraping against your chest plate. The air grew impossibly thick even with your mask on. Panic overwhelmed you. Then you stumbled, sinking your knee into the ground, and like that, grasping for air, you blacked out.
Jongho kneeled down, holding you tight, asking you to respond. âHey! Hey- what is it? Did your seal break? Answer me!â His heavy gloved hands reached for your respirator, but as his fingers brushed your neck, he froze.Â
The terrifying rapid pulse. The unnatural heat radiating through your skin that he could feel even through your heavy clothes and his gloved hand. It was so insane that it was melting the frost off your collar. He pulled the fabric over your neck a little, seeing the faint, iridescent veins pulsing wildly through your neck.Â
A sudden breakthrough of Adrenaline manifestation.
âNo- this can't beâŚâ Jongho´s breath hitched in his throat. His voice terrified, suddenly he was more afraid in this moment than any of those moments where he nearly faced death.Â
He knew the glow too well. He had spent years suffering through the stages, the burning skin, the loss of breathing as he got used to controlling his own powers. Now, he was a master of it. He had to learn how to be able to save and fight for those who needed him. Now, he could lift a two ton steel tank and throw it over a bunch of soldiers' heads, all while keeping his heart rate under control, enough not to die from it. But that had been taking years of enduring insufferable pain, and almost the cost of his life on several occasions.
Jongho repeatedly shrugged, his voice cracking for the first time in so long. his hands trembled as he held your face. âNot you, not you pleaseâŚâÂ
Being a rebel was one thing. The government didn't keep rebels, they killed them first chance they could. It was different for Adrenaline hosts. They were tracked down, fed synthetic triggers, their minds and bodies broken apart in order to harvest their powers.Â
âJonghoâŚâ you choked out, your hands clawing at your chest. You were burning, feeling like you were going to burst into flames like the explosion you witnessed earlier. âIt hurts-I´m burningâŚâÂ
âLook at me!â Jongho commanded, desperation in his eyes. This was not a look you were used to seeing on him. He grabbed your wrist, squeezing it tight. You could feel his pressure forcefully enough to ground your mind and focus on him. âLook at me, breathe with me". You forced your gaze onto him. âBreathe with me,â he repeated, his pulse steady, slow. You could feel it even through your heavy clothes. âControl the heat. Don´t let it take you. Breathe in and out and regulate your temperature. You can do it.â Jongho knew that if you didn't, your heart would be burnt before you could reach any shelter. âFight it. Push it back.âÂ
You gasped, tearing air into your lungs, trying to mirror his breathing pace. Slowly you fought through the aching, burning sensation. Slowly; agonizingly; the heat went from boiling to that of a mild fever, leaving you shivering.Â
âHey, hey I'm right hereâ Jongho quickly held you tight, your head resting over his arm. âYou did it, attagirl.â He smiled, and you tried to smile back, but you only managed to press your lips together. âSlow, let me handle you.â He pulled you up, wrapping his arm around your waist for support. He didn't speak anymore but his tight grip was strong enough so you could practically drop all your weight on him without worrying about falling back.Â
Jongho moved forward, practically carrying you with one arm. Now with a dilemma over his head: the soldiers were heading towards the safehouse for sure. They were after the few people showing signs of Adrenaline, they knew they were kept safe there. He needed to re-route, but first he needed to make sure Mingi´s or any other member group was heading there, otherwise you would never forgive him for not going to help them.
He tried his radio a few times, to contact anyone who would confirm they were heading towards the safe house or were already there. He was about to give up when the static noise started.Â
âJongho? Where are you?â [âŚ.]´s unit is close to sector 1 safehouseâŚâ
âMingi, I need to re-route⌠[âŚ] is not well, she- she is showing early stages of adrenaline. I don´t know why it triggered just now, but it´s badâŚâÂ
Jongho waited a few seconds, that seemed way longer. Mingi replied back.
âGo to the subterranean shelter, the one passing sector 3. We supplied that one last, you´ll be good for a while there. Let me know when you guys are ready to join us.âÂ
Jongho thanked him, turning the radio off and kept sprinting straight. His speed was needed to get to the shelter quickly, but he needed to be careful not to harm you in any way. Your whimpers of pain were making his chest ache. He realized that now it was about something bigger for him, than just helping the rebellion. It was about keeping you safe.Â
After a while, the Sector 3 shelter secret door appeared before Jongho. To anyone else it might have been an abandoned bunker, covered in dust and rubble. And it was, unless you knew where to look for the secret hatch the rebellion had prepared for when they needed to use it.Â
Jongho lifted the heavy steel with ease, anyone else would have needed the help of at least two more to be able to enter. The air inside was thick with the stench of rust, but for a moment, the silence inside felt safe. Once safely inside, he then didn´t waste any second. Immediately lowered his shoulder, gently guiding you until your back rested against the nearest cot. The relief of being out of the crushing wind was instant, but your veins still hummed beneath your skin.
âI´ve got you,â he murmured, his voice sweet and gentle, an emotion he only had reserved for you. Then he removed his gloves, tossing them onto the dusty floor. He unbuckled your visor, lifting it off gently so he wouldn´t hurt you or pull your hair. He took your respirator off, and the cool stale air of the shelter hit your face. You let out a weak breath.
He sank to his knees in front of you, reaching out with his bare palm to cup the side of your neck where the faint, iridescent veins were still pulsing, though much slower now.Â
âJongho- I'm sorry.â you whispered, raising your shaky hand and curling your fingers against his wrist. âI don´t know why this is happening to me, but I´m sorry I´m slowing us down. The safehouse, we need to--âÂ
âShh. Stop that.â he cut you off softly, dismissing you with a shake of his hand. He then took your hand between his, and you could feel his warmth, but not the type that was burning you inside, but the gentle softness of his skin against yours, calming you. "Don´t you dare to apologize for that,â He whispered, his eyes focusing over yours. Up close, his dark eyes weren´t just kind, they were shining with so much sincerity.
His thumb then lightly stroke your cheek, wiping away a smudge of crimson dust mixed with sweat. âI spoke to Mingi, and there are units handling Sector 1, I knew you would kill me if I didn't make sure they were taking care of it. My priority now is keeping you safe and helping you go through this.â
You were too tired to refute, knowing that by how you were feeling it was stupid of you to even suggest going there yourself. Right now you were more helpful by not making the soldiers know about your state. Jongho was strong, but if they decided to come for you in groups he would have a hard time; they were already close once. You would never forgive yourself for having him killed by slowing him down trying to keep you safe.Â
âYou should leave me here while I'm like this, keep moving forward and-â
Before you could finish he pulled back just an inch, his eyes scanning every line of your face with a reprimand look. He slowly, deliberately reached up and unzipped his heavy vest, shrugging it off to break down the barrier between you. He leaned in and pulled you into his arms, wrapping his thick frame around you like a shield. He then tucked your head securely under his chin.Â
âWhen I realized what was happening to you out there,â his voice cracked slightly, his grip around your waist tightening. âMy heart stopped. I´ve faced an army twice, I´ve broken many bones and fought through steel in order to keep our group safe, and I have never felt fear like I did seeing you like that back there".Â
You squeezed your eyes shut. Wrapped in his warmth, hearing the steady thumb of his heart against your ear. Slow, controlled, making you feel calm and helping you level down the heat inside your own body. You could feel as if he was hurting by your touch, but he endured and held you tight and softly. Leaning your full weight into him, burying your face on the crook of his neck, you felt a comforting lingering kiss into the top of your head. Jongho held it there for a long, quiet second.Â
âYou are crazy if you think I´m gonna let you end up in a lab,â his voice lowering. âI´m gonna teach you how to control it, step by stepâ.
âJongho,â you murmured back. The fear began to melt away, trusting entirely in Jongho´s words, who had never failed you before, you started to feel like breathing regularly again. âI trust you.âÂ
Jongho pulled back just enough to look into your eyes again. A faint, genuine smile broke through the evident tension on his face, his eyes turning into those reassuring crescent moons you loved so much. You recognized the shimmer over his eyes.Â
And so, he kissed you.
Like many times before, when you two are on guard on silent nights; or when you can´t sleep and you end up in his small dorm, just to slide down beside him and hold him tight. Like those many times, his thumb traced your bottom lip before leaning in and pressing his soft lips against yours. You had kissed Jongho many times before, the untold words of confession, lingering in the air everytime you did. Though never spoken, that's what it was. Love. The quiet and deeply sweet brushing of his lips was sincere and full of it.Â
At some point, you pulled out, and met his eyes, filled with a clear resolve.Â
âRest now,â he said, helping you lean your head back into the cot´s heading. âI´ll keep watch.âÂ
You woke up some time after, mouth dry and head spinning, but at least your heart was beating normally and your temperature slowly became regular again. You didn't see Jongho there, he was probably outside keeping an eye to see if anyone was close yet. You were going to suggest to keep moving now that you felt somehow back to normal, not knowing when the violent symptoms were going to come back to you so it was better to keep moving and join the others as soon as possible.
Just then, Jongho stepped down, looking relieved you woke up seemingly feeling better.Â
âHey, how are you feeling?â he got closer, handing you a water bottle. You took it, finishing in one go. He chuckled, realizing the good sign. âI was up, seems to be clear but we can't let our guard down.âÂ
âWe need to move quickly, get to the others, they might need help. Have you talked to anyone?â
âRadio´s dead. And no, we ain´t moving, I'm not risking you having a sudden outburst again out there.â
âI feel fine now-âÂ
âIt´s gonna come back, anytime soon, we need to go through what you're gonna do when it happens first.â
âYes, but while we are sitting here our group might be having trouble-â
âI trust they can handle it. And you should too, we have trained together for so long you know they would do anything they can to keep everyone safe, same as we would.â Jongho spoke firmly but tenderly. He sat down in front of you, his face softening from his stern expression, though his eyes were still serious. âI know you are terrified, I was too,â He took your hand, brushing your knuckles softly. âGoing back there not knowing if your powers gonna spur you out at any time is too dangerous, we need to figure out what kind of ability you have now, and work towards controlling it.âÂ
You swallowed. He was right. What if you lost control completely next time?.
âI´m gonna help you, you ain't alone in this.âÂ
You nodded. âAlright, what should I do if it comes back?âÂ
He stood up and you followed. âThe heat. You need to learn to keep it cool, not let it burn you inside. You felt like burning alive, right? It was because your body was trying not to let it out, you were trying to keep it in so you wouldn´t hurt others. Well, you need to let it bleed out from you, slowly let it go so it doesn't burn you inside.âÂ
âLet it rise, don´t panic.âÂ
âYeah. It's gonna hurt at first, but you need to focus, your mind controls it, you need to be able to make it work for you. Even if it comes out with a punch, focus your energy on one point, let it out from your hand for example. That's what I do, I focus my energy on my fist, legs or head, it depends who and where I want to land my blow.â He smirks.Â
âI´ve seen you use your strength so many times, I never-- it hurts?â
âEverytime, but just for a second. I control it.âÂ
You looked down at your hands. âWhat kind of ability would it be? I know it's random, but, can I know depending on my symptoms?âÂ
âNo idea yet, it manifests differently depending on the body.âÂ
âI hate that we don´t know much about this whole thing⌠it would make everything easier if we did,â Jongho nodded. âOkay,â you whispered, sudden strength coming back to your body feeling the tight hold of Jongho's hands over yours. "Let's practice.âÂ
For the next couple of days, the spike of heat traveling up from your gut sliding up your throat continues to come up. Jongho held you tight everytime, counting out slowly but loud, guiding your breathing.Â
â⌠two, three, four. Hold it. That's right. Now, out.â he repeated gently, slowly, fingers tracing delicate circles over your palm until the wild energy simmered down. You were left tired everytime, but thanks to Jongho´s help the pain you felt back then in the sandstorm didn't reach the same intensity yet.Â
By the third night, the fever had almost disappeared, leaving behind only a warm, soothing hum. Jongho advised not to let your guard down, as the spike could come at any time.Â
Without noticing it, the night was fully settled. Jongho was the only one taking post out to be sure no one had been closer to find the bunker so you started to grow a little impatient, wanting to get out for some night air.Â
âAll good, the radio worked for a bit, the people inside the safehouse on Sector 1 are safe with the rest, they're heading North now, we should be following them soon.â Jongho entered the bunker, holding an oil lamp to light up the small room.Â
You were lying on the cot, head resting comfortably. âYou had been quiet today,â you said, resting your head over your arm. Jongho got closer, laying beside you. Out of habit, you laid your head comfortably on his chest. His arm wrapped around your waist, fingers idly playing with the ends of your hair. A sudden sense of calm filled the space, almost surreal after the tension of the past days.
Jongho let out a soft laugh, âJust been thinking about everything, how to move without being noticed, how this could have happened to you now, usually it manifests when we are way younger.â He paused, fingers tightening slightly around your waist, pulling you closer.Â
You shifted, propping yourself up on an elbow to look up at him. âJongho?â you reached out, your eyes meeting his dark gaze. âWhy haven't we ever say it?âÂ
His body stiffened but he let out a tender smile. He reached up, cupping your cheek, brushing his fingers against your warm skin. âSaying it, makes us feel vulnerable,â the unsaid words hung heavy between you, years of glances, kisses, stolen touches and life or death fights together that meant way more than just comradeship. âWe risk our lives every day, every day⌠could be our last. If I say it, I´d be giving them a chance to take you away from me, forever.âÂ
âWho´s them?â you hummed.
âI don´t know, the pigs coming after us? the universe?â He swallowed, his throat moving as he searched for your eyes. âIf I admit how much you mean to me, If I say it out loud; it would make me weak. It would make me weak when you need me to be strong.â
Your heart squeezed tightly. âAs if you could ever be weak.â you chuckled and sat up, facing him directly. âLoving you is the only thing that keeps me fighting, that makes me want to win this war and build something better for us.â
âYou know, how completely ruined I'd be without youâ he whispered. âI know I haven´t said the words, but I´m sure I have made you feel how much you mean to me, haven't I?.â
You longed for the words, yes, but he was right. There wasn't a day when he didn't make you feel like you were the most important person in his life. As though times were, and how fighting for survival was a daily thing for you, he always found a way to make you feel special. Like right now, helping you control a sudden condition you didn´t ask for, and that he spent years suffering from alone. But as he said, now you had him, and that made all the difference.
âHmm?â He studied your face, leaning slowly forward. âWhat are you thinking about?âÂ
âThat I love you so much.â His lips parted slightly, eyes shining in the dark. âYou don´t have to say it back. I know you do too".
He scanned your face, then he finally cut the space between you and crushed his lips against yours. Jongho's kisses always started slow and innocent, but he quickly deepened it into a fierce and desperate one. He pulled back just an inch, taking a good look at your face. âLet me show you,â his voice deepened.Â
He started kissing you again, still desperate and you let out a soft hum into his lips, he reacted with a moan of his own, quick hands reaching out for your waist. Your own hands were to his shoulders as he easily moved you until you were on his lap, each leg hugging his hips. This way he could easily roam through your body, which he started doing at the same time he kissed you deeply. You stroked his hair, and his hands brushed the soft curves of your back and hips.Â
âHow sweet,â you smiled against his lips.
âSweet? you want me to get rough already?â He smiled back, brushing his nose against yours. "Just say the word.â
âHmm. Yes, maybe I do want you to get rough.â you whispered shakily.Â
He pulled back just an inch, voice dropping into a tender whisper. âI love you. I love you so fucking much.âÂ
You moaned against his lips, leaning back to start kissing again. Your skin started to burn again but differently, the spark wasn´t causing you pain like before, it was making your insides spiral and you suddenly felt like wanting to be devoured by him, literally. âJongho,â you breathed out, it made you feel a bit shy but to say what you wanted.Â
âWhat is it? Tell me,â he prompted you, dark eyes scanning your face.Â
âAll this time you had been so gentle with me, this time I want you to let go, fuck me good.âÂ
Jongho scoffed softly, a faint smirk over his face. âHow good?â he started kissing your neck, earning a whimper out of you.Â
âPlease be rough, I need it, I´m burning insideâ He turned up to face you, worried the symptoms were coming back but you caressed his chest, reassuring that this time what you felt was different. âJust do it.â
âAlright,â he said, tone sweet, but you knew it was a disguise of what was coming to you. He continued down your neck, soft lips tracing patterns all over it. "I'll try my best, but do tell me if I'm crossing any lines.â
You nodded. Eager to know what he would say or do next. âI´m ready.â
Jongho continued roaming his hands all over your back, his soft lips going from your lips to your neck. Once he was fully back into your lips, he kissed you deeper again. God, he loves your lips so, so much. He moaned softly against the kiss and you reacted the same way. You could feel the heat swirling at the center of where you needed him the most. He hurriedly removed his tactical vest and his black shirt after that. You stopped to admire his bronze skin and his muscles, who you didn´t get to see much since he´s always all geared up. The very few times you glanced over him while he changed clothes he always got flustered and turned back instantly.Â
He didn't show it to anyone else but you, that sweet, caring side.
He helped you remove your own shirt, whining when he confirmed you didn't have anything else on. You grabbed him by the shoulders, pressing your chest into his, wanting to feel his skin against yours harder. He groaned at your urgency. âI thought you wanted me to be the rough one,â He smiled and you grabbed a full of his hair, suddenly unable to stop yourself. âI´m not complaining but I will have to step up.â
âYeah, you must.â you teased him, biting his lip and continuing to kiss him.
Taking it as a challenge, he stood up from the cot, grabbing you by the waist and lifting you up. Your legs were now around his waist while standing up, and one of his hands shifted to your ass, holding you with ease as he used the other one to remove the buckle of his belt. You gasped, looking down and following his hand movements. You didn´t break your eyes apart until his cock spun free, and the sole sight of his length had you sweating bullets.Â
âEyes up, doll,â he commanded. His eyes were clouded with lust and he lifted you up even more as if you weighed nothing, pushing you against the nearest wall. You received the coldness of the wall with gusto, hugging Jongho by the neck and moaning loudly when he grabbed your pants from the hem at your waist and ripped it off like nothing. âI hope they have some extra clothes here, or you will have to continue the journey naked.â He licked your bottom lip before sticking his tongue inside your mouth without a warning.Â
You tilted your head, trying to find the perfect angle in which you could allow him to explore your mouth fully. Jongho bit your lip rather harshly, and you cried, but he didn´t stop. His hands finally ripped off your pants and underwear, tossing what was left of the fabric aside. He aligned your hips so his length was teasing your pussy, already wet with anticipation. He looked down to see his tip already coated with your juices, and smiled, turning his eyes on you.Â
He groaned, slowly sliding his cock inside you. You cried at the feel of him stretching you out so good. âYou are burning,â he said between clenched teeth.Â
âAm I hurting you?â you asked, worried but still numb by the delicious feeling of his cock pushing inside you more deeply than you thought you could handle.Â
âYes, a little,â he said, still pushing until he finally bottomed up. âBut I don´t mind.â he groaned, pressing his forehead against yours.Â
âJonghoâŚâ you cried, closing your eyes instinctively, just indulging in his movements and how good it felt having him finally between your legs. âFuck-k. Yes, like that.â
He then shifted walking towards the cot again. He pulled out for a moment and you whined. âOpen them wide,â he urged you, after laying you down on the surface of the cot. You adjusted yourself and obeyed. A shiver went down your spine when he palmed your entrance fully, quick legs brushing over your clit for a moment just before he pushed two fingers inside masterfully. His fingers were long and slender, and it was doing wonders finding your sweet spot.Â
âJongho-â you moaned.
âSo fucking wet, you´re drippingâŚâ he was admiring your pussy as he worked his fingers on you. His eyes were cloudy and he licked his lips as if he was starving. He met your eyes, fingers doing all sorts of things you didn't even know how much he dreamed to do to you. The sensations were making the knot in your lower stomach explode slowly. âBe good, don´t come yet.â He said bluntly, knowing you might be close already.
âI can't control it, you are doing so- good-d. Godâ He started scissoring his fingers inside you, and you lost your train of thought. The cry that escaped your lips what's all Jongho needed to hear.Â
He smiled, slowly removing his fingers from your pussy and licking them whole all while you watched him doing so. His eyes were dirty and he took his sweet time until he was satisfied. He removed his pants completely and grabbed your legs with each hand, pulling you towards him. He leaned over you, completely covering your form. You could see his cock completely hard and brushing your entrance by how close he was towering you over. With his knee he opened up your legs a bit more, until his cock was aligned again with your entrance.Â
Jongho throwed one of your legs over his shoulder, his right hand beside your shoulder. He didn´t say a word, he just pushed inside you, this time in one go, his eyes never leaving yours. You moaned, feeling all of him entering you even more roughly than a moment ago. His fingers had prep you up for taking him from above, your pussy stretching so much you thought he would break you in half.
âI´m going to fuck you up now and I won´t stop until I fill you up good, did you understand?âÂ
You nodded eagerly. âYes, yes please.â
âIf you want me to stop you will have to be very specific, I won´t stop just by hearing you cry."
You gasped for air, closing your eyes tightly. You could feel your skin becoming hotter by the second, but Jonghgo didn't seem to mind. âI like it, your skin, burning mine cause I´m fucking you good.â He smiled, pushing himself deeper back and forth. Back and forth harshly you thought the cot was going to give up on you any moment.Â
You grabbed his face, lips sloppily meeting him in a wet kiss. It was hot and messy and it was sending down waves of pleasure to where you and Jongho were connected, helping you build up your release. He grabbed your other leg and threw it over his shoulder too, now your feet flying in the air over his head. Jongho's breathing was becoming erratic, pushing back and forth inside you all while your skin against his burned so intensely, little waves of pain mixing with the pleasure. His forehead damped, little sweatbeads dripping down his chin into your collarbones. Your cheeks were flushed and your lips swollen from kissing him so much. You could barely keep your eyes open but you tried your best to always maintain them on his.
Jongho was struggling not to use more of his force on you, knowing he could hurt you without even realizing. Your walls tightening and squeezing his cock so good had him losing his mind. Your sounds were another thing making him go insane, you sounded so desperate and beautiful taking him without breaking. You were truly the gift he never thought he deserved.
âFuck-k. Jongho I-â you cried.
Jongho´s thrusting was so harsh and fast that you couldn´t even finish a sentence. He slammed his cock in and out, your eyes rolling to the back of your head so much it was making you dizzy you had to squeeze them tight. He kneeled on the cot, your legs still over his shoulders where he was keeping them in place. He leaned back to watch how he easily slid in and out of you. Your hands pressing against his chest, trying to ground yourself a little.
âUse your words if you want me to stop.â He urged you.
You shook your head. âNo, I- I don't want you to.â you breathed out.
âWant me to fill you up now?âÂ
You moaned loudly in response. âYes, Jongho I want all of you, I-â you moaned. Words failed you as your release hit you hard. The waves of pleasure over your lower stomach exploded and were making your skin glow with a red hue. You could see the faint shade of red reflecting on Jongho´s skin. You tried to stop it, you were sure you were hurting him yet, he kept his pace and stroked you over again, finally allowing himself to unload on you.
Panting, eyes shut, tongue licking his upper lip. âGod, Fuck-k.â He came all inside you with a couple of thrusts more. âFuck-kâ he panted, pulling out. Hot and thick cum spilling out of you.Â
You finally opened your eyes, seeing his own skin glow in the dark. âJongho-â you sat up and hugged him, not caring to make a mess where his load was still going down over your skin and into the cot. âAre you okay?â
Jongho panted, âAre you?,â he pouted. You could feel his skin was burning still. âWe ruined this one.â he said, signaling the cot and the mess between your legs. You laughed, pressing a soft kiss on his lips.
âI´m good. Did I hurt you? I could feel literal fire going through my skin.â you said worriedly.Â
âI told you I liked it, I'm used to a little pain.â He raised his brow, teasingly. You hugged him, your bodies still warm from the high. âHey, I think I know what ability you have.â he said, voice lowering down.
You broke the hug. âWhat is it?," your eyes are shining.
âI think you can control energy,â He helped you sit down, putting his pants on again and walking towards the little sink outside the toilet room to grab some hand towels. âYour eyes were flickering everytime your heart rate was up while I was inside you,â he helped you clean yourself with the cloth. âThe lights were flickering too, so I think that´s it.âÂ
You blinked rapidly. It was good to know what kind of ability you had, this way it would be so much easier to control it, and with Jongho by your side you were sure you could do it without putting your whole group at risk sooner rather than later.Â
âEnergy.â you repeated slowly.
Later that night, wrapped in each other's arms, you felt completely safe for the first time in a long time.Â
Your eyes started to slowly get opened. You stretched your arm, hoping to find Jongho still close to you. Before you could fully wake up, the concrete walls trembled. Outside, a high pitched noise sounded muffled to your ears. You stood up abruptly.Â
âJongho?â you whispered. He was not in the room, not his clothes or gear. You stood up quickly, throwing your shirt and vest over your head, looking for your boots in a rush. âAhh, Fuckâ you cursed, tripping over the laces as you tried to tie them at the same time you walked towards the hatch leading to the bunker´s secret door. âJongho?â you repeated, this time cleared. No answer. You reached the hatch's lid, sliding it to the side, finding the crushing light of the outside day in your eyes. It blinded you and you had to take a few seconds to continue climbing up.Â
Once outside you noticed the pitching sound stopped. It was eerily quiet, until it wasn´t.Â
âShe´s there!â you heard someone shouting.Â
âGo back inside!â you spotted Jongho´s form at the fake entrance of the bunker, he didn't turn to look at you, but was facing what seemed like a tank from back where you were. âStay Down. Do not come on unless I go back for you myself.â He shouted.Â
They had tracked your heat signature. They were going to try to get you alive, and Jongho was about to face them himself.Â
âI won't hide, let's fight.â you stubbornly replied. Getting a little closer to him.Â
âNo!â he shouted and you freezed. âJust hide. Please.â His tone raised but you could hear his desperate tone. âYou are not ready yet, let me get this.âÂ
You were about to repeat yourself too when a barrage of specialized suppression harpoons slammed into the floor around Jongho, high voltage electricity trying to hit him and ground him where he was. The soldiers got off the tank, charging at him. They tried to pin him down, but Jongho didn´t flinch.Â
"Don't act like you can fight us all, not with these.â one of them bluffed, signaling the harpoon on his hand. Jongho spotted several dune skimmers waiting around the tank, probably to take you away fast before he could clear them up.
Jongho snarled, throwing his weight into the soldiers' shields, they shot right at him, pushing him slightly back. Jongho smirked. His skin was so used to all kinds of pain that their attacks were still numb against it. If they wanted to immobilize him to get to you, they would need something stronger.Â
âYou stay back.â He groaned towards you.
Through the haze of smoke, he saw a scout dragging a heavy alloy restraint towards you. He was quick to react but realized that their goal wasn´t getting him down, but distracting him enough to steal you.
He closed his eyes, letting go of all containment he had inside his body. And the soldiers were quick to notice.Â
He let out a guttural gasp that tore from his throat as his core temperature striked. Underneath his skin, his veins glowed with iridescent hue, spiderwebbing up his neck and across his face, like shattered glass. His heart was beating so violently that you could even hear them against his ribs like a heavy machine firing inside him.Â
You watched him as the whites of his eyes were completely bloodshot. He moved fast with absolute violence as he grabbed the center of the soldier´s shield with one bare hand and tore him away with the soldier´s arm still attached to it. The horrifying sound of screeching steel and the soldier's scream ringed in your head loudly. You were starting to feel agitated again. Suddenly Jongho was beside you, throwing you over his shoulders and moving fast to get you away from the center of the soldier´s group.Â
A few meters away he put you down, without a word he moved back to where the soldiers were trying to get at him. You watched as he caught a 200-pound soldier and slammed him through a brick wall, bringing half the ceiling down on the rest of the squad nearby. He picked up the fallen stone with his bare hands and threw it away towards the stationed skimmers, as if they were wood planks thrown at a pile.Â
Steam literally rose from his skin, drops of thick blood began to leak from his nose and his heart hammed past human limits, if he continued using the most of his strength his internal organs could explode at any second.Â
More soldiers came out the tank throwing energy blasts at him but he kept going forward, picking the men by the neck and snapping them like sticks before throwing the lifeless bodies over the ones that were still coming at him. One after another, you didn´t see where they were coming from, but Jongho continued slamming their heads one by one.
You watched him terrified, knowing he was pushing his limits. âStop, you´re killing yourselfâŚâ you tried to reach him, but your voice got muffled by the knot in your throat.Â
He was about to try to reach the tank firing at him when the second team struck.
You had to cover your eyes, the burning heat erupting in your body as an explosion almost got you deaf. What was left of the entrance to the bunker was detonated, so powerfully it covered you in concrete dust. A secondary team cut straight through, bypassing the mess Jongho was causing.Â
Then, a massive shape appeared before you.Â
You stumbled back, back pressed against a stone pillar. âGet away from me!â you shouted, blood boiling inside you. Literally.Â
The soldier didn't speak, just reached out, his heavy metallic gauntlet clamping down onto your neck, pinning you against the concrete.Â
And that´s where you snapped.Â
His touch, the imminent reality that you were about to be dragged into a glass tank, or being dissected, only to lose your life when they took away what they wanted triggered something in your chest.Â
They were going to do worse things than death, unless you stopped them.
Suddenly, a kinetic wave erupting from your chest detonated in a violent shockwave. The air cracked, it filled a big space around you with blinding static. The soldier pinning you down didn´t just get pushed back; the explosive energy threw him fifty feet through the air, his body shattering the concrete pillar all the way where Jongho was fighting the remaining squad. His body hit the dirt, motionless.
Radars, radios and electronic weapons died at the same time you erupted with energy. Only the light coming out from your radiant heat flashing out. You gasped, completely drained, dropping to the stone floor.Â
Your chest locked up entirely. Your heart gave one violent, agonizing flutter, and then seemed to stop entirely, trapped in your ribcage with the lowest hum.Â
You could hear bodies falling down and crashing against stone, dirt and metal all the same, but very faintly. Through blurred vision, you saw the remaining soldiers trying to retreat in terror through the dust, except that Jongho didn't let them.Â
Their bodies crashed against the ground and the two-ton tank they used to ambush you that Jongho lifted with ease, burying what remained of their bodies under it. After a moment, across the destroyed area where you felt safe mere hours before today, you saw Jongho staggering towards you through the settling dust. His eyes slowly go back to the usual whites, his veins still shimmering with iridescent glow, but much subtle. Body smoking, fighting against his own weakened heart to take one more step towards where you lay.Â
It was totally silent again.Â
âHeyâŚâÂ
He spoke sweetly, his soft tone just like the one from last night, while he had you in his arms after having broken you apart. His shape covered you from the sun. His body returned to its regular temperature, but his pulse plunged erratically. A burning fever flooded his blood, making his breath come in ragged, shallow gasps.
He fell to his knees beside you, He trembled, not from his power having drained all his energy, but for the absolute horror of looking down at your frail, motionless body.
âHey,â he whispered, voice barely a breath. His blood stained fingers cupping your jaw. âOpen your eyes, don't do this to me.â
Your chest was barely moving. The strain had left your pulse hanging by a threat. Slowly, agonizingly, you opened your eyes. The shadow Jongho´s body was providing you was one more comfort he gave you just because he was very good at taking care of you. You tried to smile but were sure your face remained motionless.
âJonghoâŚâ you whispered, voice paper thin.Â
He gasped. The spark over his dark eyes came back. âDon´t talk. Don´t force yourself.â He pleaded, hands shaking against your cheek. âI´m right here, you´ll be okay.âÂ
Finally, a faint smile touched your cracked lips. You weakly reached up, fingers barely brushing the torn fabric over his chest. âI couldn´t let them take me, not after what I finally got you to say you loved me.âÂ
Jongho's breath hitched. He felt suffocated for an entirely different reason now. His eyes turned teareyed and he smiled through pursed lips, pressing his forehead against yours. âYou´re an idiot,â He then looked at you. âYou don´t get to tease me right now, you have to stay awake and tell me again how much you love me later.â
Then, a crackle cut through the static on his arm-mounted radio. A localized frequency pinged. A message from the rebellion´s front.Â
ââSector 1 is now securely empty. We had moved back to our main fort. If we need you there, you'll know which one. Anyone within reach, go there asap.âÂ
Jongho took a deep breath. He drew strength from the warmth of your skin, pushing through the tremor in his muscles and forcing his body back to its feet. He gently lifted you, gently hauling your limp frame onto his back. He wrapped your arms securely over his shoulders, gripping your legs against his waist.Â
âHold on, don´t let go.â
You only hummed softly in response.Â
The sandstorm was still raging, but Jongho didn't falter. He kept going forward, knowing the way by memory rather than checking out the radar. He felt the soft, warmth of your breath against his neck, a constant reminder that he had to remain strong, for he was carrying not only his companion, or a member of the rebel group, but the person who held his heart, and that for better or worse, was going to remind him that living out this war was worth, to witness the life you were to share when this was all over.Â
@defwoodz, please do not repost/translate to other sites.
Going into this knowing absolutely nothing about this story is wildly different than when reading the others, lets go đ
Omg I did not expect you getting adrenaline two seconds into this whoa
Jongho is so soft and dependable, I love him so much đĽš
Their dynamic, so loving but not willing to say it, ahhhh the vulnerability!!!
Fuuuucckkkkk this smut, this jongho smut, is everything. And the mixture of Adrenaline and sex wheeeeeew
This moment, oh no, my heart is just pitter-pattering!!
This description of the Adrenaline taking over omg omg omg
This scene!! With her powers being revealed, so cool so cool ahhhh the power!!!
Im sobbing this romantic moment please live i am crying ahhhh Jongho đđ in my head they made it back and continued to fight the good fight, loving each other! Dont tell me otherwise đŤľđ
đĽFor the Adrenaline Anthology, a collaborative works by @lapydiaries. Please look forward to the works by @flurrys-creativity writing Yunho in Rubicon, @daemour writing Wooyoung in Crossroads, @defwoodz writing Jongho in Afterburn, @anyamaris writing San in Guardians Oath, @pars-ley writing Hongjoong, @potatomountain writing Mingi in No more Running and @an-annyeoing-writer writing Seonghwa.
đĽSummary: your plan is simple: get yourself into the middle of a radioactive sandstorm to reverse whatever genetic code got you shot with Adrenaline, so that you could halt the government from searching you out. Your result: your childhood best friend coming to the rescue and suddenly being sucked into a selfless world of the rebellion.
đĽPairing: Kang Yeosang x Reader (f) code name: Silver
đĽGenre: action, romance
đĽAu: post-apocalyptic au, adrenaline era inspired au
đĽTrope: childhood friends to lovers, one-sided slow burn
đĽWarnings: shooting by way of guns, childhood trauma (physical injuries resulting in impairment), super power fights, mentions of character death, facial scars due to acid ( scene not descriptive ), confidence issues, super powers activated through fear, self hatred, description of dystopia world ( poor, desolute, cruel ), nightmares, suicide mission
đĽKinks: wet clothes(see through), description of a hard-on, body worship, semi-public sex, sex with no protection, sex on a desk
đĽRating: 18+, MDNI
đĽWord Count: 18,646
đĽAuthor's Note: This world was a treat to develop alongside my fellow net writers. Please enjoy this humble love letter to Adrenaline and the other stories that take place in this collab đ others decided to write solo but you can find Ley's Shadow, Ares's Mouse, Dae's Magpie and Anya's Sage throughout this one đ
âQuickly, children, this way!â
Seonwoo swung his arms, indicating you should all follow them through a door that clearly said anyone who passed it would be shot. He was the only adult you trusted.
Your feet were stuck in their spot. You couldn't move an inch. You wanted to leave this bad place. But you didnât want to get hurt anymore. You just knew your limp was going to impede your escape.
âCome on, we gotta go.â Yeosang tugged at your elbow hurriedly.
Mingi had rushed towards Seonwoo but suddenly turned when he sensed that you and Yeosang had lagged behind. âGuys!â
San, who stuck by Seonwooâs side, started jumping high so that he could see where his friends were. âMingi? Yeosang? Silver?â
You shook your head vehemently. âI canât do it, Yeosang.â Hot tears began to fall down your cheeks. âI canât!â
Yeosang grabbed your face with his two hands. âYes, you can. Iâm here with you with every step of the way.â
You held a hand out and saw that your body was flickering. No, why of all the times would your powers start to work when you had screamed for them to help you at any other time?
Mingiâs head jerked towards another direction and he cocked his head. âGuys, we gotta go. Please!â
Yeosang closed his eyes, screwing up his face in concentration. You felt yourself get lighter and you gasped. When Yeosang opened his eyes, they were that weird blue color. âLight as a feather now, right? Letâs go.â
Yeosang pulled you along like you weighed nothing. And even though your feet didnât move, your body followed him. You passed Mingi, whose nose was flaring. When at last you were the final ones to pass by San and Seonwoo, Mingi began a sprint behind you.
Children of different sizes were all climbing the staircase that most likely rose to the surface.
âNo more dilly dallying, children,â Seonwoo cooed. âItâs time to be free birdies again, hmm?â
Yeosang nodded firmly and continued to tug you up the stairs.
âThatâs so cool,â San murmured behind you.
Yeosang giggled. âYouâre the one with super strength!â
âIâve got a cool power too guys!â Mingi insisted.
Somehow, between the boy's silly conversation, you felt your nerves ease a little and your body stopped flickering in and out of sight. Yeosang sent you a bright, encouraging smile and climbed the stairs, two stairs at a time.
âI bet I can get to the top faster than you!â San declared.
âHey no fair! You didnât say when!â Mingi protested.
âThatâs it, children,â Seonwoo encouraged. âLast one up is a chicken.â
âI don't want to be a chicken!â Mingi screeched, overtaking San, and then you and by proxy, Yeosang.
The moment of fun was quickly lost once everyone reached the top. The surface wasnât bare, as you had normally imagined the wasteland of the apocalyptic desert. There were patrols and government soldiers. They had guns and gun mounted vehicles. There were towers with search lights.
âEveryone, take each other's hands,â Seonwoo shouted to the crowd of children.
Someone was crying but you werenât sure who it was.
Seonwoo crouched in front of Mingi. âRemember, Mingi, your powers are super important here, right? Your sixth sense allows you to know when danger is coming. Use it just like the hallway.â
Mingi nodded but he looked very pale.
Seonwoo next stood in front of you. âSilver, I need you to imagine that everyone that is holding hands is all under a big sheet. And under that sheet no one can see you guys. Do you understand?â
âI--I canât,â You sniffled.
âI know you think that you canât but, child, you can. Whatever was making you flicker when Yeosang was trying to get you to run, you have to channel that.â
You nodded stiffly. You were going to fail, you just knew it. Your heart started to beat a million miles per second, just like right before an experiment, and you whimpered.
âSannie, you know what youâve got to do. Break that door. Stand in front of any of the cars that are trying to go after the children. Youâre the protector.â
âI can do it,â San said with confidence.
âIâll be right behind you every step of the way!â Seonwoo shouted.
San pushed everyone away from the door, before backing up and taking a run at it. He tackled it with his shoulder and the door went flying. With a grin of triumph, San hooted, and then everyone rushed out.
You watched with bewilderment as everyone flickered out of existence. Yeosangâs hand still warm in yours and another childâs in your other, you floated along with the line of children. Your heart was beating out of your chest as you passed soldiers with their guns and vehicles with their machine guns but no one noticed you were escaping because everyone was invisible.
You were actually doing it! Your heart swelled with pride. You had numerous injuries and a hurt heart from failing experiment after experiment. You werenât useless, you were actually helping!
âSilver, no!â Mingi shouted suddenly.
And thatâs when everything crumbled around you.
Your prideful moment hushed the Adrenaline pumping in your veins and the line of escaping children flickered back into view. Shouts broke out and soldiers beelined towards you.
San ran towards the soldiers immediately, not a scarred bone in his body. Yeosang dropped your hand in order to block any of the incoming fire from the soldiers. A spotlight blinded him but for a moment, allowing some of the sleeping agents to hit a few of the children.
You watched in horror as a car hit San at full force, bending like paper around him.
You wrapped your arms around you, rocking on the ground. You knew you were going to fail this.
âItâs okay, children, you can still escape!â Seonwoo shouted from the back of the line. âRun! Use your powers!â
The last thing you saw was Seonwoo running towards San, who was sending soldiers flying with his strength. But they had numbers that could even combat that. San's tiny face smiled towards you and Yeosang and Mingi, nodded purposefully, and then you lost sight of him under all the soldiers. There was no way he was making it out of that alive. You knew how the facility was towards unruly Adrenaline children.
Mingi was the first to take off, his long legs taking him far. Yeosang grabbed back onto your hand and dragged you away as well. All three of you watched as a soldier loaded a different set of bullets and they hit San like he was just like all the other children.
âNo!â You screamed.
âSan will be okay,â Yeosang insisted. âHe always is. We have to run!â
Mingi was so far ahead of you, you didnât think youâd ever catch up. But Yeosang was steadfast by your side. Somehow your little legs moved, despite your injured foot, and you made it into the city and away from the floodlights.
You shot up in your bed, breathing heavily. You hated when you dreamt of that night that you had escaped the Facility. You put a hand on your chest to calm your beating heart. You watched with a worried gaze as your body began to flicker in and out of reality. This was not the time!
It was most likely coming back to you with your intentions today.
Today was the day you reversed your curse.
If the damn radiation from the apocolypse had fucked up everybodyâs physiology then it could damn well reverse it. The plan today was to catch yourself in the middle of one of those nuclear radiated sandstorms, and come hell or highwater, you were going to be free. You didnât care if it cost your life. It wasnât much of one anyways.
You had been scared most of your life, or most of what you can remember anyways. Scared when the government had raided your home when you were young and abducted you because you tested positive for Adrenaline. You had been scared as the government had experimented on you, trying to both understand what Adrenaline did for you but also to capture it for their own use. You had been scared when you had escaped the Facility. You had been scared when you had gone into hiding and left Yeosang and Mingi to their own hero-hungry plans. You still lived scared because at any moment the government could finally track you down and drag you back to the Facility.
You wrapped your arms around your legs and rocked yourself, just like you had that faithful night in the desert. Unfortunately for you, nothing really calmed you down like Yeosang did. And that ship had long set sail.
You shook your head. It was fine to be scared today. Maybe it would be easier to weave your way through the slums and get to the edge of town quicker. You werenât going to attempt the train, that was beyond your capabilities. You were also too scared to use anything government controlled.
So you took a backpack, with nothing really inside of it. You were too much of a paranoid mover to really own anything you couldn't pick up and carry. You took enough water from the hidden well under the old ice cream shop to last you for the trip there and back. You got scared enough to disappear for a few moments to steal some days-old bread.
And then you were ready.
You kept a light jog, throughout the slums, avoiding crowds and keeping to the lighter traffic areas, despite your odd gait. Although you always feared being caught, which helped your Adrenaline flow easily, you werenât stupid. If you were invisible, you didnât need someone bumping into nothing. Even a whisper in the slums could travel up to the government.
Before no time at all, perhaps by noon, you had made it to the edge of the city. The slums were closest to the desert, of course. No one that worked for the government or was better off wanted the constant reminder that this world was the result of a nuclear reaction that ruined the world. You wondered if they were truly better off in their unawareness. Does the government steal children that were well off just as much as children were sold by their parents for some spare coins?
Your disgust at your own past had your body flickering and you cursed yourself for getting distracted. You looked around to see if anyone was around you and were shocked when you saw a blonde figure behind you.
Yeosang strode confidently towards you. He wore a long black shirt. You werenât sure that was the best choice in the desert but maybe it was made from a special material you were unfamiliar with.
âDid you really think you could go anywhere without me?â Yeosang said quietly.
You looked away, guilt flushing through your veins instead of Adrenaline. âWhy are you here, Yeosang?â
âWhatever you're planning on doing, you're not doing it without me.â His eyes were solid on yours. He didnât need to shout to be heard.
âIâve done well enough without you so far, I donât need you for this,â You snapped.
Yeosang flinched but smoothed his features quickly. âNot true. You always need me.â
âDonât you dare follow me,â You snarled, before adjusting your pack on your back and limping into the desert fully.
You didnât hear him, but Yeosang caught up with you quickly, grabbing your hand.
It yanked you backwards, and your hood fell from your head, revealing your silver hair. You were shocked for a moment at the contact. Yeosangâs hands no longer fit perfectly between your own hands like they had as children. No, his hand practically engulfed yours now.
Shaking yourself from your stupor, you yanked your hood back up. âLet go of me.â
Yeosang shook his head. âNo. I didnât back then and I wonât now.â
Yeosangâs small face flickered in your memory. His quiet smile. His quiet encouragement. His quiet strength. Damn him.
âWell, we arenât children anymore, Yeosang. You donât have to save me anymore either.â You pulled at his hand but Yeosang refused to let go.
âYou donât have to do that, you know,â Yeosang said. âHide yourself from me.â
The left side of your face had been horribly scared by an experiment gone too far. The scientists had, in a foolhardy plan, scared you with acid, only for you to freeze up and actually get doused in it.
âHabit,â You murmured. âWhatever! It shouldnât matter. Let go of me and leave me alone. This is my burden to deal with.â
A tiny frown marred Yeosangâs handsome features. âYou donât get it, do you? I will never leave you alone.â
âYouâve left me alone fine all these years,â You insisted.
Yeosangâs hand slowly loosened over yours. âDo you really believe that?â
You were quick to take back your hand. As soon as you turned around, your heart started to beat out of your chest. Not far off, electricity traveled through a wall of yellow dust. There it was, the storm that the old lady in your slum had predicted. She said she could feel those storms in her bones.
Your body went invisible and you started off with your gangly limp once again.
âSilver, I will follow you into that storm, donât you ever doubt what I wonât do for you!â Yeosang shouted.
You cursed under your breath. âHow did you know I was planning on doing this anyways!â
âI have my ways. If you didnât insist on not being a part of my life, youâd know that.â
The guilt stabbed through your heart. Your body flickered back to life and you grumbled Yeosangâs name. He easily caught up to you again. Damn that bastard for knowing you inside and out. His arms wrapped around you, pack and all, trapping you against his body.
âIf you go into that storm, Iâm going in there with you. We will both get rid of our powers together or weâll die together. Itâs your choice,â Yeosang said steadily in your ear.
You shouted with rage and then slumped in Yeosangâs grasp. âYou know Iâll not risk your life. Not after what weâve been through.â
âSan would be so pissed off at you right now. He didnât--â
You jerked your head back and bonked Yeosang hard enough that he yelped. He let go of you and you scrambled backwards in the sand. âHow dare you use Sanâs death against me! Who are you, Kang Yeosang? I donât know this man before me.â
Yeosangâs gaze is hard but firm. âIâm taking you back to my bar. Weâll talk more there.â
Your mouth dropped open as he promptly turned on his heel and started to head back towards the cityâs outskirts.
âWhat do you mean by âyour barâ?â You shouted at his back.
As it turned out, your telekinesis-wielding ex-best friend owned a bar. He waved a hand at the bartender, who immediately pulled a bottle from the top shelf and poured two glasses.
You wrinkled your nose as he shot the glass back. He offered you one and when you didnât take it, he threw that one back too.
âJesus, Yeosang,â You scoffed.
âItâs not every day you save your best friend from killing herself,â Yeosang said.
You coughed and choked on your own spit. Yeah, you had no idea who this Yeosang was anymore.
âSo, what do you think about it?â Yeosang wondered.
You shook your head in disbelief. âHow the hell do you run a bar?â
âItâs quite easy, actually. You see, everyone is miserable, so they all want to come here and drink their woes away. I provide the alcohol and they provide the money.â
You glared at Yeosang and his eyes sparkled with amusement. âCongratulations.â
His glee made him smile. âDid you see what the name of the bar was?â
Your eyes moved around and then you locked in on the blinking neon light behind the bar.
Floating Silver
âYou named your bar after me?â You shouted.
Yeosang gazed at you sadly. âI didnât know what else to call it. Youâre the only thing thatâs ever meant anything to me.â
You hung your head in shame. You still didnât understand why this man held you in such high standing in his life, even after all this time. You had both been children while you had endured the horrors inflicted upon you in the Facility but once you had escaped, you had refused to risk bringing any attention to yourself. Yeosang had decided he was going to do anything to help others escape, just like Seonwoo had done for you group of children.
âThereâs something else I want to show you.â
There he was again, grabbing your hand like it was nothing. Or maybe it was everything and he was determined to pretend like no time had passed between you two.
Still, Yeosang brought you to a backroom where the liquor was stored. You peered curiously at the bottles and kegs. âHow do you get all this stuff?â
âThe government is fine providing the slums with alcohol. It keep us dull and buried in our problems, just how they like us,â Yeosang said with a fake smile that he quickly wiped from his face.
âThatâs great and all but what else--?â
Yeosang looked at you with a sneaky smile. He put his hand palm down on one of the large wooden kegs. It began to float, revealing an empty, dark corridor.
Yeosang pulled you into the darkness and you couldn't see anything at first. âYeosang!â You squealed.
Suddenly, lights turned on and you could see the corridor went at a slow slant down. âI syphon some of the electricity provided to the bar down here.â
âWhat is this place?â You couldn't help but wonder.
âThis is how I sneak people out of the city,â Yeosang told you plainfaced.
âIâŚâ Your words caught in your throat. âYou actually did it.â
Yeosang looked proud. âI did.â
Shame burned through you. Here you were, living for yourself, and Yeosang was saving people. You shouldnât even be allowed to stand by him.
âGood for you, Sangie,â You said with a tight throat.
âGood for us, Silver,â Yeosang corrected you. âI was thinking--â
âRaid!â The bartender shouted down the corridor. âWe gotta get everyone out of here, Mister Kang!â
âShit,â Yeosang cursed under his breath. âQuickly, get anyone who needs to flee down the tunnels.â
Both your hands tightened on Yeosangâs sleeve. âYeosangâ you said, your throat tight with fear.
You watched as various people from the slums filtered past you. You worried at your lip with your teeth and couldn't take it anymore. âYeosang, we have to go.â
Yeosang shot a glance towards you. âI said Iâve got us, Silver. Why canât you trust me like before?â
âBecause Iâve spent all my life ensuring I never get caught, Yeosang, and waiting around as others flee is not how I kept out of their hands!â You shouted.
Yeosangâs lips made an angry line. âOnce everyone is safe, Iâll close the door and itâll be fine.â
âIâm not fine!â You argued. You pulled at his arm. âPlease, Yeosang, surely someone else can close the door?â
Yeosang shook his head. âNo. Iâm the one that guarantees everyoneâs safety. Iâm always the last to leave.â
You let out a small noise in your throat and collapsed to the ground. How was it that the boy who ensured your survival was now going to be your demise?
You watched as your body began to flicker in and out of existence. You held your hand out as it blended into the dirt below. This was it. You were going to get caught. All because Yeosang interfered with your brilliant plan to--
Yeosang used his powers and moved the old keg in front of the entranceway to the tunnel and then dusted his hands. âThere. Tight and safe. We can--â Yeosang peered around. âSilver?â
You opened your mouth but no words could come out. You were so tight with fear, so locked up because of it, that you couldn't even reach out to your ex-best friend.
âSilver?â Yeosang couldn't raise his voice, in fear that the government soldiers would hear you behind the keg. âSilver, please. Donât leave me again.â
You managed a squeak through your fear-locked throat and Yeosangâs head whipped in your direction. âIâve got you, donât worry.â
Yeosang put his hands out, tentatively reaching around until his deft fingers found your shoulder. The next second, you were floating. His hand smoothed down your arm and wrapped around your hand.
Tears flowed down your cheeks silently. Once again, youâre an utter failure and a coward. And here was Yeosang saving the day. You hated every fiber of your being.
Without another word, Yeosang pulled your floating body down the tunnel. For what seemed like hours, all you could hear was Yeosangâs booted steps as he ran while pulling you behind him. Eventually, the soothing rhythm of his steps settled you and your Adrenaline slipped away, taking away your invisibility.
By then, the tunnel had widened out and a smooth sandstone wall with a single steel door came in view. âThis is a safe place. Donât worry,â Yeosang assured you before tapping a beat on the door.
A slot moved across, eyes assessed him and then closed. You feared the worst immediately, but then large bolts moved back and the door opened. âGet in here, Yeosang.â
Yeosang squeezed your hand and took you in with him. The doors closed but the person who opened them narrowed their eyes at you.
âWhoâs this?â
Yeosang smiled. âItâs my barâs namesake.â
Yeosang disengaged his powers and you fell to your feet.
âWell, she goes with the others that we donât know,â the person grumbled. They reached out for your arm.
Yeosang intercepted the hand before it even landed on you. âAfter everything Iâve done for you guys?â
The person winced. âYou know security is higher after--â
Yeosang chuckled darkly, tongue in cheek. âIf I say sheâs trustworthy, then she is.â
The person paled and then lowered their hand. âSure. Okay, Yeosang.â
âWhat is this place?â You wondered.
Yeosang put an arm around your shoulder and tucked you against his body. âUsed to be an old bunker for the government. Since itâs buried in leagues of sand, itâs long since been abandoned.â
You stared at Yeosang. âWhat is this place?â You repeated flatly.
Another voice answered. âWelcome to the Rebellion, Silver.â
âYouâre not the only one who knows things, Yeosang.â
You turned to find a woman standing with her arms crossed under her chest. Everyone about her showed that she was confident in where she was in life. She was the complete opposite of you. That was⌠until you reached her eyes. Her eyes showed a different tale. She was one step from going over the edge.
âSilver, this is Shadow. Sheâs a good friend of mine.â
Shadow shook her head. âWeâre working acquaintances, Yeosang. Your true friend was--â The words turned to ash in her mouth and she shook her head as if to get her thoughts in place. She sent a polite if not tight smile your way.
Yeosangâs eyes softened and he looked away. âI was just telling Silver weâre safe here.â
Shadowâs lips twitched in agitation. âWhat would provoke this raid?â
Yeosang shrugged. âI paid my dues already so your guess is as good as mine.â
Shadowâs eyes came back to you. âSheâs the only different factor, Yeosang.â
âThere--â You licked your lips. âIâm a nobody.â
Shadow laughed dryly. âYou and I both know thatâs not true, Silver.â Her eyes dragged back to Yeosang. âYou know--â
Yeosang held up a hand. âWeâll be out of your hair as soon as the coast is clear.â
Shadow huffed. âWhatever you say, Yeosang.â
âNow what?â You wondered as Yeosang squeezed you even closer in reassurance.
âNow youâre stuck with me,â Yeosang declared.
You stiffened. âWhat does that mean?â
âUntil we figure out if the raid was truly about you or not, youâre not going anywhere without me, Silver.â
You frowned up at your ex-best friend. âYou do remember my ability is to disappear, do you not?â
Yeosang grabbed both of your shoulders. âIâm serious. You could be in big trouble. Youâre not to leave my sight.â
âIf anything, this is your fault! If you had just let me--â
Yeosang shook you. âDonât. I would never let you. Ever.â
âI probably wasnât even on their radar until you decided to take me back to your stupid bar!â You shouted. You attempted to knock Yeosangâs hands off you but he wasnât letting go.
âYou're lying to yourself if you think that.â Yeosang leaned down to peer into your eyes. âWhy are you trying to get rid of me?â
Your spine straightened and your jaw snapped shut. You refused to answer that question.
Yeosang sighed. âLetâs find a place to settle in. Itâs going to be a while before the bar is cleared and we can go back.â
Meanwhile, you studied this so-called rebellion. It seemed like a simple community until you saw the others with Adrenaline. It made sense that others would come together. The thought terrified you, of course. Wasnât this a present wrapped in a bow for the government? If they ever found this place, it would be like a goldmine for them.
You started to tremble in Yeosang hold.
âHey, I said we were safe here, Silver, come on.â
Immediately Yeosang enveloped you into his chest. You could hear his steady heartbeat. Your throat was tight, and swallowing was difficult. How could he be like this after all this time? After your cowardice and fear were always painting every aspect of your life.
Once your trembling stopped, Yeosang pulled back. âIâm going to go check and see if everyone from the bar is okay.â He paused, studying your features. âStay where I can see you, okay?â
You explored the rebellionâs HQ in order to keep your nerves under control. There were old rusting tanks that would never move ever again. They were trapped in their own bodies. You sympathized with their state.
âI like using their old base against them. It feels like another fuck you to them, you know?â
Once again, Shadow seemingly popped out of the darkness. She scared you enough for your body to blink out of existence immediately. She chuckled but it was along the line of insanity. You had a feeling that she was playing a little too well with that line.
âItâs an honor to finally meet Yeosangâs inspiration, you know. Even though I have no idea who you two were before you joined the fold.â
You breathed in and out deeply. âIf he didnât tell you, Iâm not going to either.â
Shadow sent you a measured look and then curtly nodded. âI respect that.â
âAre youâŚ?â
âOne of you?â Shadow laughed softly under her breath. âNo.â
âThen why⌠why help any of us?â
âThe truth?â Shadow strode in measured steps. âI only did it because thatâs what he wanted to do.â
You waited for the other shoe to drop. You werenât about to push a wounded animal.
âHongjoong was the one that wanted to keep everyone safe. Heâs never stood for any injustice in his entire life. I was just here to watch his back. And I couldn't even do that.â The final sentence was said in a silent whisper not meant for anyoneâs ears.
You nodded like you completely followed. âDid you love him?â
Shadow turned, her face full of ache. âHe was all that Iâve ever loved.â
Youâre the only thing thatâs ever meant anything to me.
You donât even know why you asked her that. Or why Yeosang said a similar sentence. You were just supposed to be floating in life, taking care of yourself.
âDid you tell him that?â
Shadowâs hair fell in front of her face. âNever.â
Suddenly, like someone pulled a string through Shadow, she left behind her confessions and drew back to her restricted self, and walked off without another word.
You couldn't blame her, really. Too much vulnerability could do one harm.
Things settled, and true to his word, Yeosang took you back to the bar, albeit in a more calm manner aka your feet could take you there yourself.
âListen, Iâve got an apartment above the bar,â Yeosang spoke carefully. âYouâll stay with me until we get this figured out.â
âNo,â You folded your arms under your chest.
Yeosang lifted an eyebrow at you. âYes.â
âHow exactly are you going to figure out if the government is after me or not?â You demanded, still standing in the storage room.
âI have my ways,â Yeosang said cryptically.
âWhatever,â You stride out of the storage room and directly into someoneâs broad chest.
âWatch where you're--Silver?!â
You crank your neck back and look up into the face of someone who you did not think youâd ever see again. âMingi?â
He does not look pleased to see you again. The feeling is mutual. The last time you saw him was when you had all split ways, you believing it would be harder to find escaped children that way. But the scene of Mingi being the first to flee never left your mind.
âHey, Mingi, what can I do for you?â Yeosang greets Mingi with a half hug.
âIâve got a problem that I need you to look into,â Mingi said gruffly.
âProblem?â Yeosangâs eyes travel along the bar behind Mingi when they finally land on someone sitting on the stools. âHer?â
âI found her when I was trying to break up a--â Mingiâs eyes shoot towards you. âCan we talk somewhere else?â
Yeosang tilted his head. âCertainly. Silver, my office is--â
âWithout her?â Mingi cut Yeosang off immediately.
Yeosang shook his head. âNo can do, Mingi. If you havenât noticed, the bar just got raided. Iâve got to keep Silver close by.â
Mingi scoffed. âSheâs probably the reason you had the raid. Not exactly conspicuous, an invisible girl.â
Your hackles rose at Mingi clear animosity. âThatâs literally the definition of inconspicuous, Mingi.â
âHey.â Yeosang put a hand on Mingiâs chest. âSheâs with me, whether you like it or not. But we should go back to my office.â
Yeosang grabbed your hand and took you towards a door on the other side of the bar. You gazed curiously at the âproblemâ Mingi had dragged in and were surprised that you knew her. She waved shyly but remained at the bar as Mingi barked at her. This didnât feel right.
Once in Yeosangâs office, Mingi started to give the details to Yeosang on how he had found his little problem. The details werenât exactly damning but he kept insisting that she wore the insignia of the government.
âSheâs not one of them,â You interrupted.
Yeosang cocked his head. âHow do you know?â
âI know her,â You admitted.
Yeosang sat back in his chair, fingers steepled. âTell me what you know.â
âOne of the nights my part of the slums got raided, we ended up in the same hidey hole. Thereâs no way sheâs one of them. If she was, then I would have got caught.â The woman had been kind and cheerful. She was a little ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark world where you tended to hide in.
Yeosang looked deep in contemplation. âI can put some feelers out, let you know if I dig anything else up,â he offered.
You shake your head. The circumstances that Mingi caught your Sunshine friend wasnât sitting well with you. Manhandling her and treating her like shit was a little too much like the government had treated you and countless others.
âWhy help Mingi, Yeosang? Itâs not like he doesnât understand about running away and leaving others high and dry,â You said, derisiveness dripping from your tone.
Mingiâs lips pulled into a sneer. âIâm out here risking my life. What are you doing? Hiding in a hole in the wall, trembling and hoping the government doesnât find you again?â
âEnough, the two of you.â Yeosang shook his head like he was the only levelheaded one in the room. âWe didnât escape for the two of you to fight like this. San didnât give up his--â
Mingi stood ramrod straight, looking extremely uncomfortable. âIâm not here to talk about the past. Look into my problem for me and let me know if you find anything.â
They exchanged a nod and then Mingi was gone.
Yeosang stood up and sat on the front of his desk. âDid you have to attack Mingi like that? You have no idea how long heâs wrestled with what he did that night.â
âClearly heâs not over it,â You murmured.
âAnd neither are you.â
You hung your head low. âI donât understand why Iâm here, Yeosang.â
âYouâre here because--â
âSo what if the government is after me?â You shouted at Yeosang. âWhat does that have to do with you? Iâm just someone who you knew once that isnât worth her weight in gold. I have no business being here.â
âThatâs not true,â Yeosang argued. âYouâre worth something to me.â
You looked up and saw that Yeosangâs hand was hanging over your head, like he was about to reassure you. But you didnât want that. You wanted to cling to your anger at yourself rather than recognize that feeling that you had buried long ago.
âYour bar got raided because of me, Yeosang. I am fucking up everything for you! You should just discard me like the trash I am.â
âDonât say that.â Yeosangâs tone was rough and his throat sounded like it was tight. âYouâre not trash. You helped us escape that night, Silver, regardless of how it ended, if you hadn't summoned your powers, we never would have made it as far as we did. You have to see that!â
âIâm tired, Yeosang. Can you please show me where I can sleep?â It was clear that Yeosang wasnât going to let you go no matter your reasoning. The only true escape was to fall into a slumber.
Yeosang wiped a hand over his tired face. âYes. Of course.â
He led you to an apartment that was above the bar. You could still hear some random notes of the music playing downstairs, despite the lack of customers after the raid. It wasnât much but it was Yeosangâs and he was clearly proud of it. It was much better than the cell you used to share in the Facility. Or even your room in the slums for that matter.
âIâll fetch some water and heat some up for you. You can at least wash up,â Yeosang offered.
You sent him a baleful look. âNot worried Iâm going to disappear on you again?â
Yeosang sent you a bittersweet smile. âNothing to be scared of up here, right?â
You let out a bittersweet laugh in return. âRight. Iâm useless without my fear.â
Yeosangâs face dropped. âI didnât mean--â
You held your hand up. âItâs fine, Yeosang. Thank you for the water and the offer to clean up. Iâll gladly take it.â
In no time at all, Yeosang had the promised hot water, which he poured into a large, chipped basin. He gave you a washcloth and a towel, ratty, but clean at least. âLet me know if you need anything else,â He said.
âI just want to sleep the day off me,â You muttered.
Yeosang closed the door behind him and you started to strip. You only let yourself get down to a tank top and shorts. You never stripped naked--ever. You sat down on the bed, rubbing your disfigured foot. You tried to avoid anything reflective, not particularly interested in looking at yourself.
You methodically wetted the washcloth and rung out the excess water, washing off the sweat from your fear and the sand from the desert off your body. It wasnât long before the basin was dirty and you were somewhat clean. It felt nice, at least.
âIâve got a change of clothes if you need them.â
You jumped at the sound of Yeosang just outside the door. âI--Iâm not decent, donât come in!â
Yeosang chuckled. âIâve never heard that one before.â
Your stomach dropped. Of course Yeosang has had partners. You are well into adulthood now. Not to mention Yeosang was gorgeous.
Except now you didnât know what to do. You didnât want to put on clothes just to accept Yeosangâs offer. This was stupid.
âI donât need any clothes, Yeosang,â You refused his offer.
âSilver, I know you do have access to good amenities where you were living. Take my clothes, and Iâll wash what youâve got,â Yeosang sliced through your declination like it was butter.
âNo, itâs fine. Youâve already given me this much.â You glanced at his bed. It wasnât glamourous but it wasnât a nest of blankets on a floor of stone like you were used to.
Then it all hit you. âWait, you want me to sleep in your bed?â you squeaked.
âIâm coming in, this is ridiculous, Silver.â
âNo--wait!--Yeo-Yeosang!â You floundered back, arms reeling and you fell backwards, knocking the basin over and spilling the water all over you.
Yeosang opened the door, his eyes wide with surprise at your current state. âSilver, whatâŚ?â Those eyes quickly darkened as the water made your clothes cling to your body.
You avoided the look he was giving you. It was making you feel warm and it was completely foreign to you. You scrambled to find the towel he had given you. Yeosangâs hand covered yours before you could bring it around your body and shield yourself from him.
âItâs dirty, donât,â Yeosang said softly.
âYeosang.â You were trembling and your body began to flicker in and out of existence.
âWhat are you so scared of?â Yeosang cooed. His other hand cupped the side of your face, the bad side, that was textured from your acid scars.
âHow can you bear to touch me like that?â You demanded roughly.
A faint, amused smile pulled the corners of Yeosangâs lips. âTouch you like what?â
âLike Iâm not disgusting,â You whispered.
Yeosang pulled you flush against his body. You squirmed but it only made it all the more apparent how exactly Yeosang was feeling. âDoes it seem like you are disgusting to me?â
You started to shiver delicately in Yeosangâs hold. âYou donât make any sense.â
Yeosang held your chin between his thumb and forefinger, determined to hold your gaze. âYouâre beautiful and flawed to me. Both can exist at the same time. In fact, your flaws are what make you beautiful.â
Your throat tightened. You had never forgotten the one night you two had whispered to each other the first night you had been captured; children scared and hiding under the covers in the same bed. You held a glow-in-the-dark stuffed animal while Yeosang told you that his birthmark was the reason the government had pulled him in for Adrenaline testing. That same night Yeosang had told you that your hair was beautiful. Neither of you saw each other as flawed, despite those characteristics being the reason you had been targeted.
âIâm a coward, Yeosang,â You whispered. âIâm disfigured. Thereâs nothing about me thatâs beautiful.â
Yeosangâs eyes were full of sorrow. âI wish you could see yourself the way I do.â Tears spilled down your cheeks. Yeosangâs hands cupped your face, rubbing them away. âDonât cry, Silver.â
âWh-wha-whatever this is. I d-donât d-deserve it,â You spat out, despite your hiccups and sobs.
âThatâs not true. Stop saying such cruel things about yourself.â Yeosang whispered back.
Then he leaned in and placed a kiss on your cheek, the scarred side first. He turned your head and placed one on the other side, the unmarred one. When you didnât struggle in his hold, he moved to kiss the side of your mouth that was closest to your acid scars. You whimpered, tears still pouring down your cheeks.
âItâs okay, Silver,â Yeosang assured you. He pulled you into his arms and hugged you tightly. You released everything into sobs. You cried and cried and cried, tears soaking his own shirt. You cried for your lost childhood. You cried for your injuries that would never be healed. You cried for losing San and the other children that didnât make it out that day. You cried for leaving behind Yeosang and Mingi to find themselves instead of staying together. And most importantly, you cried for Yeosangâs clear adoration for you, despite your own self hatred.
Once your sobs subsided, Yeosang let go of you for only as long as it took for him to rid himself of his shirt. You stood in shock at the view of his upper body. He had his own scars but they only seemed to add to his beauty, if not to the lines of muscles.
Before you could protest, Yeosang was pulling off your wet clothing and putting you into his original set he had brought in for you. Then he bundled up the two of you in his makeshift bed, and petted your hair until you fell asleep in his arms.
You woke up in Yeosangâs bed but he was no longer there. He must have left sometime in the night to go get information for Mingi. You still didnât like that Mingi had basically kidnapped your Sunshine friend and was keeping her captive, but it wasnât like you knew where Mingi went, and you werenât exactly in a position to save her.
You left Yeosangâs room and wandered around his apartment. You didnât know what else to do and felt too much of a burden to eat any of his food. You had no idea what Yeosangâs situation was, exactly, even as the owner of the bar.
He didnât leave you alone for long, which you should have come to the same conclusion. He stopped mid purposeful stride, seeing you in his clothes in his place.
âDo you know how many times Iâve wished to walk into my place and see this?â Yeosang said in a strangled tone.
Your heart constricted and you battled with it immensely. âYeosang, donât.â
It was clear after what had occurred last night that Yeosang was more determined than ever to push his agenda. âNo, I wonât stop, Silver. Youâve been beating yourself up over something that you cannot change. Youâre just like Mingi. You have to stop. If you canât do it for yourself, do it for me.â
You turned your head. You didnât want to cry again. Your hair falls like a curtain, hiding your emotions.
âLetâs get out of here. Get some fresh air.â
âI donât think thatâs such a good idea, Yeosang.â
âYou spent enough time dodging the government and their goons. Surely you could spend an afternoon with me.â
âAnd do what? Stroll around, arm in arm, and talk about what exactly in the middle of a public area? Yeosang, weâre not normal citizens. We wonât be safe no matter how much you want to pretend.â
âThen letâs not pretend.â
You rolled your eyes but Yeosangâs face was firmly confident. âIâm serious. No one is going to suspect anything if we walk around like we have nothing to hide.â
âYeosang, I canât!â You couldn't help but wail. âItâs been years and I still donât have control over my powers. All it takes is a tiny scare and then Iâve revealed the both of us.â
âI have confidence in the both of us. Come on.â
Once again, Yeosang was holding his hand out and asking for you to take it. He wriggled his fingers encouragingly. âI got you, Silver. Letâs go.â
Hesitantly, your fingers slid over his palm and he entwined them amongst his own. He smiled sweetly. âSee? We can do this.â And just to show you just how confident he was, he tucked your hand into his arm, like a gentleman of old, and you two strolled through the streets around the bar.
Floating Silver wasnât located in the bad part of the Slums; that was reserved for where people wanted to live and hide. He was in a somewhat respectable part. It was almost on the line between what people considered the poor part and the City. Pavilions and stands popped up around the wall that separated the two. City citizens were not encouraged to mix with the rabble. Their shiny boots hardly ever touched the dust outside of the wall. But it was still a natural place for everyone to gather.
The stalls sold various items. There was food, fresh for what it was worth, and cooked. There was salvage from the desert and abandoned places, which there was a plethora of. People hawked their wares, some eagerly looking to make money and others dejected at what the world had given them.
âSee? Isnât this nice,â Yeosang murmured.
You pulled up your hood firmly so that your hair was well hidden. You noted that Yeosang had his hood up too. It wasnât uncommon for a sandstorm to whip through the city at a momentâs notice. But it hid his beautiful birthmark.
âItâs been a few minutes, like thatâs proof,â You argued.
âThe fact that this world continues to spin on its axis makes me understand that no matter what, life will go on. Itâs up to you to walk with it or against it,â Yeosang mused.
You watched with a pessimistic gaze as a thief pickpocketed an unsuspecting citizen. You saw the smirk that painted their features as they dashed away, turned a corner and were gone. It was only when the citizen went to pay for the item they had been looking to purchase and put their hand in their pocket, that they realized all their money was gone. They cried out with shock but no one around them pointed the way the thief had gone. It was a dog eat dog world here and if you were stupid enough to get stolen from then you deserved the empty purse.
You exchanged a glance with Yeosang. Yours was âsee, I told you so.â But his was accompanied by a big sigh.
âDo you have a coin to spare, Miss?â A tiny adorable child stood in front of you all of a sudden. They grinned broadly, missing a front tooth. Too young to be begging.
âIâm sorry, I donât--â The words caught in your mouth as you felt some unskilled movement in your pocket. Your hand wrapped around the tiny wrist immediately.
âAwe, Minjae, you said you could do it!â the adorable child in front of you protested.
âLet go!â Minjae cried out, struggling in your grasp. You bent down to show Minjae how to improve his skills, for you had been a begging child on the streets once, which evolved into a pickpocket. But before you got a chance, Minjae firmly planted both of his feet against your knees and pulled himself from your grasp.
You both fell backwards. Minjae sprung up immediately and fled the scene, weaving between the taller adults. Your ass hit the sand and sand path and your hood flew back.
There were some startled gasps. Silver hair wasnât exactly common.
âItâs one of them!â A woman cried, covering her mouth. âQuick, someone call the authorities!â
Yeosang yanked your hood back over your head and hauled you upwards with his hand in yours. âQuickly. We must flee!â
âDonât let them get away!â A man shouted. âThereâs coin in turning in one of the Adrenaline Afflicted!â
After only a few steps, your heart started to beat a mile per minute. Fear seized up your throat and slowly iced its way through your veins. Your body began to flicker, becoming an illusion and camouflaging amongst the sandstone buildings. âYeosang!â You squeaked in terror.
Yeosang spun you around and cupped his hands together. âClimb. Weâll be better off the streets. Hurry, Silver!â
You put your hands on Yeosangâs shoulders, his eyes flashing blue for but a moment, and when he hefted you upwards, you floated like you were lighter than a sheet in the wind. You grabbed the lip of the three story building and quickly pulled yourself to the rooftop. Yeosang was only seconds behind you, eyes taking in the surrounding area. When he was satisfied that no one was following you, the two of you skimmed the rooftops.
Your Adrenaline was still acting up. Your hands and feet were gone, along with part of your forearms and calves. Leaping over a gap between buildings didnât help the matter. âDo you think we lost them?â You couldn't help but ask.
Yeosang turned his head to send you a confident smile. âOf course.â
You clucked your tongue. âYou're just saying that to settle my anxiety.â
Yeosang shrugged his shoulders. head still on rotation for anything threatening. âEven if that was the case, Iâve gone this way before. No one ever looks up, Silver.â
A few minutes later, Floating Silverâs sign gleamed in the distance. You felt your shoulders relax and your invisibility eventually dissipated. You felt safe with Yeosang, so that of course extended to his bar. It made you wonder, if you had never disappeared from his life, could you have lived a better life of yours? Instead of fleeing from a rat hole to a garbage dump, always on the run, always hand to mouth, could you have settled somewhat comfortably with Yeosang?
You shook your head. In what universe was a silver-haired being that disappeared every time she got scared going to live a normal life when hard lived citizens were eager to turn individuals with Adrenaline in for money? You were at least happy that Yeosang had found his place of peace. And you were ruining that.
Yeosang found a latch on the rooftop, right behind the neon sign. He raised it and signaled for you to go down the ladder first. It led into Yeosangâs office. Convenient.
âIâve got to put some feelers out,â Yeosang said. âAfter that sighting, you might be in even more danger. Go straight to my apartment and stay there until I come back.â
âYeosangâŚâ
Despite the urgency of the situation, Yeosang crossed the space between you and him. He tugged you against his chest and held you tightly. âItâs not your fault, Silver. None of this is your fault. You were born with Adrenaline. Youâve never hurt a fly with your powers. The government is just some shitty group of people that believe that your life is worth sacrificing so they can live their cushy lives. Weâll get through this. Iâll make sure of it.â
âOkay, Yeosang,â You whispered against his chest.
âYou and me until the end, remember?â Yeosang whispered into the crown of your head.
Once Yeosang left after comforting you, you couldn't get what he said out of your head. You hadn't heard him say that since the day you had left him and Mingi behind. But you used to say it to each other each night before you went to sleep. Or sometimes Yeosang would say it to you to reassure you that nothing could ever separate you two. It was the only way you got through some situations of your life in the FacilityâŚ.
Flashback
âWhat do you think theyâll ask us to do today?â Mingi wondered, eyes studying the adults as they gathered in a group.
All the children that lived in the Facility had been drawn out to the proving graveyard. This was a place where you children were tested. You hated this place. The cars that were planted into the earth like rotting vegetables gave you the heebie jeebies.
âI donât know but they look angry today,â you said warily.
San nodded, quiet this morning. He danced on the balls of his feet, looking antsy as well.
âNo matter what, weâll get through it together, okay?â Yeosang smiled at you, brighter than the sun sometimes.
You squeezed his hand back but jumped when one of the handlers clapped their hands. âStand in your positions, children. Donât dally now, we have important business to get to.â
Once the handler was satisfied that everyone was in their spot, he nodded. He wasnât Seonwoo, who was continuously offered comfort and sweets to keep your spirits up. This one, his name was Hyuk. He was always the handler that had the most hard tests. It was like he enjoyed torturing children for a living.
âToday, we separate the strong from the weak. Some of you have performed wonderfully, which you shall be rewarded today. You will not have to participate.â As if not having to go through whatever horrible situation Hyuk had thought up was a reward enough. âBut the rest of you, who have not harnessed their powers to our satisfaction will be fighting today.â
Yeosang and San moved to the group of successful Adrenaline users and you and Mingi were in the failure group. Mingi stood tall, spine straight but his jaw trembled as if he was holding back sobs. You kept your eyes on the ground. Perhaps if you believed this one time, you could finally go invisible and avoid this test altogether.
âI hope weâre not fighting the dogs today. I hate when they sic the dogs on us,â a child beside you shuddered after their statement.
âYouâll be fighting each other today, children.â Hyuk smiled like he was a cat eating his cream.
Round after round ran, children pitted against each other. Speed against echolocation. Fire powers against teleportation. Some children didnât survive their round and were left bereft of any air, face down, never to rise again. You chanted inside your head that today would be the day that you were able to summon your powers immediately.
âSilver.â Hyuk said your name with a snap. âYou will fightâŚâ His eyes skimmed the failure children before he settled on one that was one of the biggest children of the group. She didnât have strength like San had. No, her power was making the ground move. It wasnât very helpful when there wasnât any natural earth around, as was most of the cases when you were inside of the stark white walls of the Facility. But out here, in the proving graveyard, she was queen of the castle. â ...Jiwoo.â
You flinched but still moved to the centre of the graveyard. You had learned a long time ago that if you fought these little tests, no matter how much you knew you would fail, there was always a shock stick that Hyuk used liberally. The children learned quickly to not prompt him to use it.
Jiwoo looked like she was determined to win this. You closed your eyes and dug your nails into your palms. Please let you become invisible, please let you become invisible, please--
Hyuk blew his whistle and shouted âBegin!â
When you felt the trembles below your feet, you knew you had failed. Your eyes flew open and you began to run. Sand blasted in a spot behind you. Then another. And another. You were barely missing Jiwooâs blows. So she adjusted. Instead of shots of earth upwards to hurt you, she opted with blocks of ground that rose up and clamped together. You started to pant as your energy was leaving you. You could run a little fast but the air in your lungs often gave up on you quickly. You were slowing and you knew there was nothing you could do about it.
âYou can do it, Silver!â Yeosang shouted.
Hyuk snapped his fingers and sent a soldier to discipline your best friend. You watched in horror as they snapped out a baton and brought it down behind Yeosangâs legs. He cried out and fell to his knees in pain.
âNo!â You yelled. You paused and suddenly your body was completely invisible. But it was a few seconds too late. The edge of two slabs slammed together on one of your feet, creating so much pain that you blacked out.
It took hours for them to find you, because you had remained invisible as you had passed out. Even once they got you to the medical wing of the Facility, and with the experimental scientists and doctors on their payroll, the best they could fix you up with was a limp that would follow you for the rest of your life. But, since you had successfully brought forward your invisibility to survive the round, they had passed you and Jiwoo.
You got back to the room you shared with Yeosang, Mingi and San late. But that didnât stop Yeosang from offering you the lower bunk and carefully tucking you into his blankets.
You whimpered in pain and Yeosang squeezed your hand in reassurance. âYouâve had worse, remember, Silver?â The acid running down your face still haunts your dreams sometimes. You nodded imperceivably against Yeosangâs pillow. âYouâll make it through this too.â He paused, his voice sounding rough. You werenât sure, but you had a feeling he was crying. âWeâll make it through this. Iâll make sure of it.â
You were too hurt to agree with him. You just wanted to go to sleep.
Yeosang raised your hand between your two small bodies, turning on his side to face you. âYou and me until the end,â Yeosang whispered. âPromise.â
Like clockwork, you both held out your pinkies and kissed them. âPromise,â you said hoarsely.
Present day
âPack up your things,â Yeosang said with a tight throat, blood completely draining from his face when he finally came back to his apartment.
Your head snapped up to meet your childhood friendâs gaze. âWhat?â
âIâve started to hear some things. Iâve got a few sources that say the government thinks some new Adrenaline users have surfaced. We need to go to ground. Somewhere that wonât bring attention to the bar or the hq. Get desert-ready.â
âWhat about Mingiâs information?â You couldnât help but ask.
âIâve got it. Weâll find him later. Mingi has a knack for that, remember?â Yeosang jerked his head at the direction of the door. âLetâs go.â
You grabbed your familiar cape, bringing it tight around your shoulders and pulling up your hood. You had always cursed your hair for being the reason that the government had pulled you from the slums to the government facility but nothing was harder than keeping your one identifier hidden from inquiring gazes.
Yeosang put on airy, light colored clothing, grabbed your hand and then you two were back on the streets.
âWhere are we going?â You wondered.
Yeosang shook his head. âI canât say. Just know itâs somewhere safe.â
The journey was less heart-thumping than when you rushed to the rebellion hq or when you had made your way into the sandstorm. You continued to look over your shoulder, however. Yeosangâs words echoed in your mind. Did the government really find you? If they thought you were a new, undocumented individual with Adrenaline, it was only a matter of time before they figured out you were one of the missing children from years ago. And that meant bad things for Yeosang and Mingi. You didnât want to be the reason their lives got ruined again.
âAre you sure I should be going with you to this safehouse?â You hissed.
Yeosang looked both ways down a broken road and then shot across it. âOf course. If youâre the one theyâre looking for, you have the best reason to go there.â
âMingi would be cursing you right now and you know it, Yeosang,â You insisted.
Yeosang smirked, his shoulder shaking in silent laughter. âWell, sometimes Mingi doesnât always know best. He may have his powers but his heart might as well be a mystery to himself.â
âWhat do you think San would say?â You couldn't help but ask next. Being with your old comrades in arms, children against the government, was shaking up a lot of old memories.
Yeosang looked sad but almost happy at the thought of San. âI think heâd be whooping and laughing, excited that weâre seeing some more action. I think that he would roll his eyes at your protests at going to the safe house with us. I think if San⌠if San was here with us, you never would have left us.â
The quiet realization that he had been the glue to your group the entire time washed over you. He truly was the one who wouldnât let anyone blame themselves. San was always quick to make someone smile. Of all the people that had survived, the children that had escaped, San deserved to have been one of them.
You let Yeosang drag you through the quiet morning light, through the streets that had yet to stir with stubborn but bleak determination to live through this post-apocalyptic life. When you got to the edge of the city again, this time on the other side, you dug in your heels. The last time you had come here was to end your life. Suddenly, you didnât want to risk it anymore.
Yeosang hefted the bag he had brought along, nodding resolutely. âTrust me, Silver.â
Of course you trusted him; you trusted Yeosang with your life. How else would you still be alive today if not for him always believing in you. âI trust you, Yeosang.â
Yeosang smiled and then wiped it, eyes getting serious. âLetâs just hope thereâs not another storm on the horizon. Wooyoung really hates when I bring sand in.â
Yeosang leaned over, his elbows against his knees. He let Mingi know that Mouse was in the clear, despite the difficulty of having to dig around without a proper name. Mingi seemed to visibly sag with relief, which was another development. Although you had known in your gut that Mouse was on your side, it was good news that Yeosang had found nothing on your sunshine friend.
Luckily, there was no sandstorm. It was the simple struggle of walking through the dunes. The sands constantly shifted. Even a slight breeze would bring up a dusting of sand, that could blind you or make you cough, your tongue getting coated with it. You pulled the collar of your cape up above your mouth as Yeosang found a scarf and tied it around his face as well. You two looked like a bunch of thieves in broad daylight. But it was the only way to survive the harshness of the desert.
It wasnât long before you came across a house that looked almost consumed by the dunes. It was tilted at a crazy angle, half buried in the sand. It looked long abandoned and you pulled back on Yeosangâs hand. âAre you sure about this?â
âIt looks run down and rickety, right? Like itâll collapse at any moment? If you didnât know, youâd walk right past it, wouldn't you?â Yeosang said with a twinkle in his eye. âThatâs what makes it the best safe house ever. Wooyoung has meticulously curated this place. Sometimes he adds something to make it look even more structurally unsound. Donât even get me started on his haunted idea.â
Cautiously, you followed Yeosang as he took the last little bit to come in front of the âsafehouseâ. You believed Yeosang but it was truly hard to understand that this was actually safe.
Yeosang rapped his knuckles on the doorframe. The door was the sturdiest part of the building. The door was rusted but didnât look like it would budge despite any encouragement from a crowbar. You heard a loud sucking noise and then the door whooshed open wide.
Your jaw dropped when a dark head peaked from behind. His arms bulged as he pushed up the steel door and he peered around with a sour look on his face. But when he saw Yeosang, his face lit up and it changed entirely. âYeosang!â He hooted.
âI didnât have enough time to radio ahead that I was coming,â Yeosang apologized immediately.
Wooyoung waved his hand through the air as if to erase Yeosangâs sincere apology. âNo need. Thereâs always room for you here⌠who is that?â His eyes narrowed down on you.
Before you let Yeosang answer with something that was most likely going to embarrass you by speaking of you as his inspiration or something more, you lowered the hood of your cape.
Wooyoungâs mouth dropped in surprise. âOh. Well. That explains things. Come on, quickly, before someone sees you guys.â
You and Yeosang were ushered inside by Wooyoung, the safehouseâs caretaker. You expected desolation on the inside but it was surprisingly clean. There was a living room, a kitchen--it looked homey. Like every survivor of this apocalyptic world, there were various items that littered the safehouse, that would have looked at odds with each other if not for the fact that this was an odd world now.
âItâs been a while. I was worried that you found someone to replace me, buddy,â Wooyoung chatted as you studied the safehouse.
âWho could replace you, Wooyoung?â Yeosang mused.
âI mean, those are my thoughts exactly. But itâs not like I get out much. So then I started to think, well, there might be someone else out there that talks a lot, right?â
âNot likely,â Yeosang scoffed under his breath.
âI mean, itâs not like Mingi could replace me,â Wooyoung continued to jabber. âThat one only talks a lot when heâs angry.â
âLeave Mingi alone, Wooyoung,â Yeosang gently scolded your current savior.
âOh, please, Mingi can fend for himself,â Wooyoung replied. âHe was here recently, by the way. He had a most agreeable character with him,â Wooyoung brought up.
âSunshine?â You perked up
Wooyoung laughed. âIs that what you call her? Yeah, thatâs kind of apt, isnât it? Did he come see you guys too?â
You nodded. âHe wanted to know if she was one of the enemy,â You said, derision coating your tongue. âLike one of us would ever be one of them.â
Wooyoung cocked his head. âWell, there are a few of them that work as double agents. I do know this one guy--â
âWooyoung, enough,â Yeosang quietly but effectively cut the other off.
âI thought she was with you!â Wooyoung whined.
âYes, she is. You can trust Silver. But you shouldnât just be blabbing all your information into the air just because you like the sound of your own voice.â
Wooyoung looked a bit bashful at the scolding. âOkay, Yeosang, I hear you.â Wooyoung perked right back up, changing the subject. âHow do you know Yeosang?â
You press your lips together, looking to Yeosang for a clue of how much Wooyoung knew. âSheâs the love of my life,â Yeosang said with no hesitation.
âYeosang!â You jumped on him to cover his mouth. âWeâve been friends since we were kids,â you supplied instead. Obviously your identity was a hot commodity, if he wasnât telling the rebellion or Wooyoung for that matter.
Wooyoung nodded. âIâm jealous. I wish I had known Yeosang since we were kids.â
Your shoulders drooped. You hadn't exactly been around Yeosang the entire time. Your guilt weighed you down once again. âYeah. Heâs the best.â
Yeosangâs arm moved around your waist and he hugged you, then pulled your hands from his mouth. There was some movement behind a door. Yeosang threw out his hand and the door slammed open to reveal another person behind it. âWeâre not the only ones youâre keeping safe here, I see.â
Wooyoung began to stare at the ceiling. âAbout thatâŚâ
The keeper of the safehouse began an interesting story about how the woman had sought refuge, and Wooyoung had taken pity on her. Eventually, Wooyoung had become suspicious of her, though. The girl had a jacket with the government insignia on her when Wooyoung had rescued her. When Mingi had visited, he had insisted that Wooyoung toss her back out.
âItâs not like he had any leg to stand on!â Wooyoung protested. âHe keeps carrying your sunshine friend around like a sack of potatoes over his shoulder.â A look comes over his face, as if heâs momentarily distracted by a thought. âItâs kind of romantic if you take out the part where he thinks sheâs related to the government.â Wooyoung shook his head as if to dislodge his distraction. âAnyways, this one hasnât done anything to prove sheâs a part of the government. Sheâs decided sheâs safer here and since this is a safe houseâŚâ Wooyoung shrugged, as if that was enough said.
âWe need to get the government off Silverâs trail for a bit,â Yeosang said soberly to Wooyoung.
âNot easy to hide with all that silver hair, huh?â Wooyoung beamed.
You smiled painfully. âSomething like that.â
The woman in the other room finally came out. âWhat if you⌠colored your hair?â
Wooyoung cocked his head in thought. âThat could work.â Then he snapped his fingers. âDamn, if only the convenience store was still open, we could pop down and grab a dye kit.â
The woman rolled her eyes at Wooyoungâs antics. âIâm just trying to help.â
Wooyoungâs sarcasm faded from his face. âI know, I know.â
âWe could use charcoal,â You mused. âIâve done it before.â
Wooyoung stood up quickly. âIâll start burning something right away.â
Yeosang winced. âCanât we just use whatâs leftover from the tea you heated up?â
Wooyoung grinned. âWhereâs the fun in that?â
The woman brushed a skirt under her thighs and sat down beside you. âSo⌠youâre afflicted, huh?â
âIâŚâ You watched as Yeosang helped Wooyoung lift a few items with his powers. Clearly, this place was truly a safe place. You smiled hesitantly. âIâve got a trick or two up my sleeve.â
The woman nodded sagely, tucking some hair behind her ear. âInvisibility is going to come in handy.â
You both froze, meeting each otherâs eyes slowly. Then you let out a breath. Clearly this woman was just like you. âDo you--?â
âI just see what might be!â She scuffed her shoe against the floor. âA lot of use thatâs been.â
You understood her frustration with a power that wasnât in your control. âTell me about it.â
âWell, if I can tell you anything that will help youâŚâ The woman, you decided she was kind of like a solid rock, something steady, like a willow tree with its roots deep into the ground. âStick with him. You wonât be safe but youâll be secure.â
You let out a bitter laugh. âYou donât have to see the future to know that.â
Willow chewed her lip, still hesitating. âDonât let Yeosang look into me. If you could do one favor for me. I know you donât know me but⌠donât let Wooyoung find out what my powers are. I want to tell him myself.â
You met the eyes of Willow and you felt something⌠beyond just the companionship of being outcasts of this fucked up world. She⌠Did she feel something for Wooyoung? Both of your gazes moved towards the loud man, who was busy nagging Yeosang about not bothering to bring him any alcohol even though Yeosang ran a bar.
âIâll do my best,â is the best you can offer Willow. She nods and gets up to help with the charcoal mixture for your hair.
âIt wonât last very long,â You tell Yeosang. âIâve had to do this a couple of times.â
Yeosang nodded, his eyes far away. âMaybe itâll be enough to get you into another hidey hole. The safehouse is only temporary.â The both of you watched as Wooyoung leaned forward, clearly teasing Willow, who looked a bit flustered right now. âWell, only temporary for most.â A soft smile pulled at Yeosangâs lips, and you could have sworn you heard him whisper âgood for himâ.
Wooyoung stirs an old pot, the plastic handle long broken off, and the pot was dented and didnât sit on the embers of the fire well. Still, with his long stick, he stirred the mixture as if he was a chef of old in a kitchen. He looked determined to help. No wonder Yeosang and he were drawn together; they were both souls looking to do more.
Something you should take note of. Maybe you could help Willow? Perhaps this was your first step to redeeming yourself. It was, after all, one of Yeosangâs wishes for you. As long as it didnât harm anyone or yourself, youâd do your best.
âThis needs to brew for a while,â Wooyoung declared. âYouâll stay the night.â
âWhereâŚ?â You looked around. There was the couch you were sitting on. You assumed the other door led to Wooyoungâs bedroom. Was that where Willow had been?
âOh, youâll sleep on the couch, of course,â Wooyoung winked gratuitously. âNo problem for you two love birds, right?â
Yeosang laughed loudly, clapping his hand down on your shoulder. âWeâre happy youâll have us, Wooyoung.â
Wooyoung sent Yeosang a dirty look. âWell, of course Iâm happy to have you. What do you think I am, a monster turning out my best friend?â
The fire snapped merrily as Wooyoung ushered Willow into his bedroom to give you and Yeosang some space. Which was ridiculous. Itâs not like you and Yeosang would⌠your face burned up when you remembered Yeosang pulled you against his body the other night. Maybe you were wrong.
You jumped a foot in the air when Yeosang ran a finger down your cheek scarred softly. âPenny for your thoughts?â
âNothing. Itâs nothing,â You snapped. âYou canât just tell everyone youâre travelling around with someone precious to you, Yeosang!â
âWooyoung isnât just anyone,â Yeosang denied, folding his arms behind his head as he sat back on the couch. âAnd besides, youâre not denying it.â
âThereâs no doubting your feelings on the matter,â you grumbled under your breath.
Suddenly, you found yourself on your back, with Yeosang above you. His eyes studied your face intently. âAnd your feelings?â
Your heart sped up. Yeosang looked gorgeous in the firelight; it flickered against his skin, only making him glow even more. He was so fucking handsome, it hurt to look at him, sometimes. What he ever saw in you, you truly had no clue. But for some reason he saw the best version of yourself. Your mouth went dry. âIâŚâ
Your body began to flicker in and out of existence, and you sighed. Way for your body to betray you. âGet off of me, Yeosang. What if Wooyoung were to come out here and see usâŚ?â
Yeosang smiled angellically. âSee us what?â
Your eyes avoided his face. You couldn't form proper sentences when he was looking at you like that. âJust get off.â
You yelped as Yeosang instead scooped you against his body and flipped the positions. Now you were lying against his body, and his back was against the couch. âWeâll be up in a few hours. Try to get some sleep, please.â Yeosangâs words washed over you, the steady beat of his own heart calming your nerves immediately. âThen weâll dye your hair and see if we canât find another hidey hole.â
âWooyoungâs going to tease us if he finds you holding me like this,â You canât help but murmur as you fight slumber.
âWooyoung would tease a stone about being grey, itâs just his nature. Sleep, Silver. Iâll watch over you,â Yeosang whispered. Then he kissed the top of your head and rubbed your back until you did indeed fall contently asleep.
The charcoal mixture did not work upon waking up with Yeosang. Your body shimmered in and out of existence after exhausting all the effort into rubbing the mixture into your hair. You were worried about the government finding you again. You were worried about putting Yeosang and everything he had worked his adult life into, including the bar.
Later that morning Mingi showed up, still carrying your sunshine friend around like they're a sack of potatoes. You glared from your spot on the couch with Yeosang. Before you can demand how or why Mingi was here, the tall man beats you to it.
âWhat's she doing here?â Like he canât even say your name. âIt better be news on Mouse, Yeosang.â
You folded your arms over your chest. He called your sunshine friend Mouse?! Mouse hoisted herself up by grabbing Mingiâs hair so that she could see who Mingi was talking to. Her eyes lingered on Yeosang and then landed on you. The sunshine practically beamed out of her eyes then.
âCan I get down, Mingi? I want to talk to--â
To your utter surprise, Mingi agreed. He didn't unceremoniously dump Mouse either. He carefully held her against his body as she was set on her feet. He said something in his cave voice to her, which made her blush. Well, that was new. Who knows what had occurred while they had been traveling in the desert.
Still, the behemoth dragged Mouse to the couch, and continued with his verbal poison. âThanks. Are you staying? Do I have to play nice with this bi--?â
âMingi.â Yeosang and Mouse both covered up the foul words he was about to say. Yeosang's arms bulged as if he was holding back but Mouse proceeded to beg for him to stop although citing she wasn't sure why he felt the way he did.
You knew exactly why he hated you. He hated you for the same reason you hated yourself. The same reason his own self-loathing ate away at his consciousness, according to Yeosang. You both failed that night and San was lost to you all.
âShe knows why I don't like her. What she did. Or didn't do.â
Still, you couldn't help but flinch at the truth of his words.
Despite his obvious ire with you, Mingi sat down beside you, placing Mouse on his lap and arranging her like a doll. Still, it seemed like Mouse didn't mind, so you kept your mouth shut in that regard.
âYou said you missed them, right? So talk. Don't expect me to acknowledge them. I don't like cowards.â
Mouse took your hands in her own. When it was obvious you couldn't tell her how you knew Yeosang, she talked about herself. Where she had been since you saw her in the bar. How she wanted to go back with you and Yeosang and Mingi and actually have a drink. You didn't think that was possible but you didn't want to kill her dream.
âOh! Also, I thought you might want to know, Mingi and I figured out my powers!â Mouse announced.
Everyone froze. It was still difficult to speak of Adrenaline and its effects, even now, with years between you and the Facility. Even now with the government looming on your tail.
But here was Mouse, prepared to explain it in great detail. How her feelings created illusions. How her illusions affected the one who made her feel those feelings. How Mingi wanted to help her control them.
Suddenly, no one could make eye contact. It hit a little too close to home, learning to control your powers as children with the cruel handlers in the Facility. Regardless of your opinion of Mingi, or perhaps in view of his new treatment of Mouse, you were sure she was in better hands than you and the other children had been.
Before you know it, while talking with everyone, and Wooyoung loudly announcing to no one that was listening that he was making dinner, you had fallen into a false sense of security.
â...and how you're going to repay for getting information on your little mouse is by helping me eliminate whoever is hunting Silver.â You tuned into the ass end of Yeosang negotiating with Mingi.
Mingi frowned. âI know I owe you but--â
âYou do.â Yeosang met Mingiâs frown with a firm gaze. âAnd you'll help me do this.â
Out of nowhere, a beep begins to sound, interrupting everything. Wooyoung paused his vigorous cooking at the sound of it. Just as quickly, he snapped out of it, zooming towards where the sound was coming from. Magpie and Wooyoung have an exchange of words and then the safehouse keeper is grabbing a bag, looking at a device and heading for the door to the outside. Wooyoung stopped, looking back at Magpie and another type of silent conversation happens before Wooyoung is tossing the device to Mingi, asking him to go in his stead. Yeosang agreed easily which had you wondering why exactly Wooyoung would want to run out the door and then decide it was better to send out others. Then again, you all had your secrets and trauma.
To your utter horror, Mingi decided to drive you all through the dunes to the location. It seemed the device Mingi had given him, a tracker, showed that the person you were attempting to save was far away. Mouse offered you a trembling smile over Mingiâs shoulder, her typical roost, but smartly didnât say anything.
While the hours seemed to pass in anxiety-ridden slowness, Yeosangâs thumb stroked the back of your hand the entire time. You wanted to say something to him, anything, but it didnât seem like the time. All you could wonder was if you would get there in time to save someone. Finally.
When Mingi killed the engine, the darkness still blanketing everything, you knew it was time.
This was it. This was your chance at redemption, you could feel it in the way that Yeosang clung to your hand as you ran into a battle unknown. You could feel it in the way that Mingiâs shoulders were tense. You could feel it in your own body, because you were solid and unflickering. It was as if your fear was nowhere to be found. Had Yeosang conquered it.
âI canât see anything,â Yeosang protested, loping beside you easily.
âWeâre getting closer,â Mingi growled over his shoulder, eyes glancing at the tracker.
A cluster of guns went off and a roar of anger echoed through the dunes. Whoever was in trouble, they sure had pissed off the government. Either that or they were too valuable to lose. You knew that feeling all too well.
The sun was beginning to rise, the darkness of the early morning slowly releasing its hold. Soft blues became a backdrop to a place that had you stopping in your tracks. âItâsâŚâ
How did you give voice to the one place that you did not want to return to? To the place of your torment and anguish. To the place where Yeosang and Mingi and⌠and San struggled with you through the experiments and the torture as mere children.
You were at the proving graveyard.
There wasnât any time to process what you were feeling. You could see two figures in the distance running away from a group of what must be the pursuing soldiers. Since when were there more than one person to save? The soldiers were catching up.
âWe have to hurry,â Yeosang pulled at you and began to ran again.
âFuck,â Mingi cursed, hefting Mouse higher up on his shoulder. âWe need a plan!â
âThereâs no time!â You shouted, keeping up with Yeosang.
You watched without the ability to help as the larger of the two picked up the smaller and leapt farther away. It shouldnât have surprised you that you were coming to save someone with Adrenaline but it was more than that.
âYou two, go after the one that needs help. Mouse and I will go help the other one,â Mingi barked.
Yeosang nodded and started to branch off, splitting up. You watched as the larger person in trouble leapt back into the fray. They must be trying to keep the other safe. Your heart sank. You werenât going to be that person this time, you refused. You werenât a coward any longer. You were going to start helping others, not be the one always in need of help.
The fight, despite your quick response, was starting to go in the soldierâs favor. Mingiâs long legs were working their hardest to catch up with the other person who was fighting. Hand to hand combat could only go so far against soldiers who were armed. As much as it seemed like they were getting overwhelmed, it didnât seem like they were getting harmed. Odd.
You and Yeosang finally manage to catch up with the smaller person, who turned out to be a woman in a labcoat. Is this the person you were saving? No wonder the government wasn't too keen on letting her get away. If she was one of them, she would know too much to let loose into this world.
Before you could introduce yourself, however, there was more commotion. You watched as the man who was fighting lifted one of the cars that was nose first in the sand and chuck it at a knot of soldiers, taking out a quarter of their numbers. Then he leapt at another set of soldiers, fighting continuously, tirelessly.
âSan!â The woman shouted at the man fighting for the both of them.
The near-invincibility, the super-strength, the power-leaping⌠it couldn't be. San wasâŚ
The man turned around at the lab coat womanâs shout and it was as clear as the sun finally cresting over the dunes and washing the red-sand with its light. The boy from your childhood, the one with a heart of a lion and the courage to match, was standing bathed in the golden hour. He was alive, San was alive!
You had but a moment to dash away a tear before meeting Yeosangâs eyes. He nodded gruffly, turning his head away. You didnât have to say anything. It was obvious that this time you were going to help San, and save him. There was no other alternative.
âDonât move, weâll go help San and come back for you!â Yeosang assured the woman before taking off towards the fight.
You followed behind him, arms pumping and legs lifting with all your might. All this running was burning your lungs but you refused to stop.
Mingi had joined the fight already, having put down Mouse, and taking out a few soldiers already. However, when the woman shouted your dead-friendâs name, he froze. Mingi hadn't moved, mouth open, unable to contain his complete shock. Not even his super power could rouse him as a soldier aimed at the tall manâs body.
âNo!â
Mouse, who had been using her powers to confuse a clutch of soldiers, immediately dropped her hands and launched herself at the man who had been keeping her captive. Her shoulder hit him in time to help the bullet avoid his flesh. But she ended up taking the bullet herself, that was evident as red blossomed from her shoulder.
Yeosang and you caught up with the two. Yeosang crouched immediately, pressing a hand to staunch Mouseâs wound. When that wasnât enough, he ripped a piece of the hem of his shirt, in order to tie it around Mouseâs shoulder. Mingi looked in horror at the cost of his moment, frozen once again in the moment of danger.
âMingi!â You shouted at your old childhood friend. âMingi, we canât do this again.â
For the first time since you had reconnected with Mingi, he showed worry. He started to appear just like the child of the past. âI canât--â
You brought your hands to his shoulders and shook him. âWe can save him. We have another chance. We can save Mouse. And we can save the lady San is trying to help. We wonât fail.â
âMingi,â Mouse said in a faint voice, clearly filled with pain, but still smiling through it. âIâŚI'll be fine. After all, I'm good at hiding, right?â Mouse jerked her chin towards San. âGo.â
Yeosang stood and moved in front of both you and Mingi. His eyes were serious but there was a small pull at the corner of his mouth. âLetâs go save San.â He appeared confident that he could succeed with you two. He reached down with both his hands. You clasped one and Mingi the other. Yeosang pulled you both up and the three of you turned back to the tide of battle.
San may be invincible, but it was clear he was tiring. His motions were a little slow, his reaction time a little lax. He needed help. He needed his friends.
âSan!â Yeosang couldn't help but shout out.
San whipped around, eyes wide with confusion. âYeosang? Mingi? Silver?â
âWatch out!â Mingi shouted, his powers letting him know that two soldiers were behind him, looking to take him out with his back turned.
San ducked without another prompt, avoiding one punch, and sweeping out a leg to take out the other soldier. His fighting abilities were at another level. What had he been doing this entire time you three thought he was dead?
Yeosang put his hand on a car and moved it with his telekinesis, making a few yell and scramble to avoid the twisted, empty wreck, distracting them from harming San, but still more seemed to approach the invisible man.
Once again, every one of your friends was helpful, useful, doing something while you were left to watch on. Mouse was bleeding somewhere, hurt as well. No, you werenât the trembling child that had been hurt time and time again any longer. You were here to prove with Mingi that you werenât a coward. You were here to make sure that San survived another sunrise. You were here because Yeosang believed in you. You were here because you had found a friend in Mouse, a comrade-in-arms with Magpie. You were here because⌠you loved yourself. Your powers. Your disabilities. You were you. And you werenât afraid of that anymore.
You dashed forward, coming to Sanâs side. Your hand descended on Sanâs bicep and you both turned invisible. You couldn't see it, but you could hear Sanâs infectious grin. âYou learned to control your power!â
You didnât have any time to self reflect anymore. Mingi turned, his sense advising him about the soldier that had whipped out one of the feared electric batons of your childhood, going for Yeosang. Mingiâs eyes narrowed, remembering the attack from the proving grounds with Hyuk. He blocked the attack, grabbed the attacking manâs arm and threw him over his hip. When the baton fell to the ground, you snatched it up, letting go of San.
The three of you stared at San. His wise eyes paused on you all and then he nodded. âLetâs do this.â
San launched himself into the battle once again, landing on top of the car that Yeosang had floating in the air like a wrecking ball. His land caused the car to slam to the ground, taking out more soldiers with it. Ming shouted out warnings to you all, doing his best to disarm and disable any soldier that dared take him on. Yeosang touched some fallen soldier's bodies, sending them careening out like ragdolls. You ran and touched your comrades, putting them into the cloak of invisibility when they were in danger, and using the baton to stun soldiers to unconsciousness. The four of you worked fluidly, just as you the facility had been working to break you from. You banded together and you took out the entire battalion that had pursued San.
By the end of it, there was no one to challenge you. San bent over, his hands braced against his thighs, clearly beyond fatigued. Mingiâs eyes searched the desert for Mouse, for she was nowhere to be seen. And Yeosang⌠he had eyes for only you.
âI knew you could do it!â He shouted in triumph. He jogged to your side, lifting you up and swinging you around.
You smiled down at him as he lowered you down, his face became serious. You knew that look. âNo. Wait. This is not the--â
Yeosang silenced you with a kiss. It was a kiss full of his happiness for you. It made your mind spin with its intensity. Itâs as if, for a moment, the only thing that existed in the desert was you and your childhood best friend. Your Yeosang.
San whooped and catcalled. âWhen did that happen?â He shouted.
âThe hell if I know,â Mingi replied. âShe hasnât seen him since--â
--since you died.
It was unspoken and yet it held itself aloft in the air, as if it could be dashed in a moment. As if San would fade and the three of you had only imagined this entire fight.
Yeosang broke the kiss with you, but held you close. âWe should regroup. You can tell us everything when we get back to Wooyoungâs safehouse.â
Eventually, Mingiâs powers helped him find Mouse. He carefully, tenderly held her to his chest, almost appearing as if was holding glass. San passed out soon after. You also found the lady in the labcoat passed out as well. Somehow, Mingi, Yeosang and you managed to get the others back to Mingiâs vehicle and you made the trek back to Wooyoungâs safehouse.
You were driving, considering if anything went south while the sun was up and you were visible to any patrols, you could make the car invisible with your controlled power. The idea of being able to save everyone once again almost made you giddy with desire to see it happen. Almost.
âLook at them,â Yeosang said softly about the two couples in the back of the vehicle.
You glanced in the cracked rearview mirror, finding San and the lady he saved passed out together, heads knocking gently against each other. You had no idea who this woman was but you knew without a shadow of a doubt that if San was trying to save her, that she was one of the good ones. Mingi snuggled Mouse, completely in his lap, careful of her wounds of course. It was evident that your sunshine friend meant everything to your childhood friend and you couldn't help but want things to work out between them.
âItâs nice to see love win, yeah?â Yeosang prompted you.
âDonât talk about me like Iâm not here,â Mingi grumbled. âWho said anything about love?â
Yeosang turned around completely in the car. âAfter everything we witnessed, and you want to deny that love wins? What about our love for San helping us win?â
âThatâs different,â Mingi denied.
âYou better love her,â You snapped suddenly, weary of this Mingi right now. âThe way youâve been taking care of her⌠if I were her, Iâd fall for you too. Just do right by her, do you hear me, Mingi?â
Mingi looked like he wanted to argue with you, but when he met your eyes in the rearview mirror, he didnât. âYeah.â
âSuch a lame reply,â You scoffed.
Yeosang watched your interaction and the lightbulb suddenly went off over his head. âYou guys made up?â
âDonât get used to it,â Mingi and you said in unison, causing Yeosang to laugh.
Wooyoungâs face was beyond relieved when you all showed back, battered, but alive. Mingi gave Wooyoung back his radio tracker. Wooyoung supplied you all with some medical supplies and food and water. There was limited space at Wooyoungâs safehouse, so the plan for Mingi to fix up Mouse at Yeosangâs bar was made. A quick conversation between Yeosang and San had San deciding to head back to the bar with the labcoat lady known as Sage and you as well. So it was settled.
Yeosang clapped Wooyoungâs bicep in a weird bro-shake. âWeâll return with some damn good alcohol next time,â The bar owner promised, making Wooyoung grin widely.
You also exchanged some final words to Magpie. âLove won today, for all of us. Maybe itâll win for you too.â
Once the six of you were back at Yeosangâs bar, quickly closed and everyone shooed out, San began his long story about what actually happened to him that fateful night. How Seonwoo had saved him. San was instead brought up, like the other children that had been caught that night, to become the governmentâs keen tools. He suffered the future that you and Yeosang and Mingi had escaped. It wasnât all bad, considering Seonwoo was working for the rebellion and kept him safe.
Thatâs where Sage came in. The woman seemed wide-eyed in wonder about it all. She certainly didnât view the group of you Adrenaline-afflicted as the other scientists once did when you lived in the Facility. She was more of a lab rat, as it turned out. She was Seonwooâs protege. You were sad to learn of his death, all the Facility-tortured children were. She had an unfortunate incident with another soldier and thatâs how the two of them were on the run. Luckily, San had the back up S.O.S signal and tracker and the rest was history.
âWhat will you do now?â You couldn't help but wonder as you all sat in various positions in Yeosangâs bar.
San looked conflicted. His eyes shot towards Sage, who was twisting her hands in her lap and deliberately not looking at San. âIâve got to get her to safety.â
Sage opened her mouth and then thought better upon it, closing it without speaking.
Yeosang slapped San on the shoulder. âThat's why you're here. Weâll get you to the rebellion without another hiccup.â
âButâŚâ Mingi hefted Mouse in his arms, almost as if to distract himself. âThis won't be the last time we see you⌠right?â
San must have recognized old Mingi--the vulnerable child he used to be--and knew exactly how to respond. âOf course!â he said, grinning like he was just going to go to sleep in the bed above Mingi, like the old days.
âSan,â You bit down on your lip. How did one apologize for another's misfortune?
âYou don't have to say anything,â San replied softly. âEverything happened as it should have.â He glanced at Sage again. âWe were exactly where we needed to be when we needed each other.â
After promising that they would see San again, Yeosang guided San and Sage to his underground tunnels to ensure they got to their destination. San had decided that their best course of direction was literally to go underground, to the rebellion. San needed to tell them that his position in the Facility was compromised but he was clearly concerned about Sage as well. Considering that was exactly what Yeosang had done the minute you were in danger, you couldn't begrudge them that, even though it hurt to see San leave once again. You hoped he continued to keep Sage safe, whatever else those two were going to go through.
Eventually, Yeosang gave up his bedroom in the apartment above so that Mingi could finally nurse Mouse back to good health. And then there were two.
Yeosang was still behind the bar, wiping it down like it was just another day, while you still sat in front of him at the bar on a barstool. Except it wasnât just another day, but far beyond that.
âYeosang.â
Yeosang sent you a sweet smile your way. âWe donât have to talk about it. We dealt with a lot today.â
You shook your head, your silver hair swaying around your head, brushing against your scars. âNo, I think we do.â
Yeosang pressed his lips together. Was he nervous? âIâm really proud of you today. You made up with Mingi and you proved to yourself that you can control your powers, despite your fear. You did good.â
Your chest became warm from his praise but he was dancing around the true subject. âAnd the kiss?â
âThe kiss was in the moment. I--if it made you uncomfortableâŚâ Yeosang sounded choked up about it.
You cocked your head. What happened to the confident Yeosang from the past week? The one that wouldnât let you hide from him, inside or out. âYeosang, what are we?â
Yeosangâs shoulders curved in on himself, almost as if he was a big dog trying to make himself seem smaller. âBest friends?â he offered.
You clucked your tongue. Since when had you changed positions? âTry again.â
Yeosang slowly raised his eyes. âBoss and employee?"
You couldn't help but laugh silently at that. âAre you offering me a job?â
âA woman that could turn invisible would be awfully useful for a guy who runs an information market,â Yeosang smiled hesitantly.
âTrue.â
â...does that mean youâll accept my job proposal?â
âWell,â You drew out the syllable in thought. âIsnât it frowned upon for the boss to be in love with his employee?â
Yeosangâs eyes widened. âYeah, I suppose thatâs unprofessional.â
âThen perhaps we should be partners.â
âWhat did you just say?â
âYeosang, you have been there for me for literally everything in life. You were even there for me when I needed to walk away from everything. You were there for me when I wanted to end my life. You were there for me when I wanted my life to end when we were children. You were there for me when all others would report me for coins. You were there for me when I finally found myself. Donât you think you should be there for me now that I know what I want?â
Yeosangâs voice was husky with emotion. âAnd what is it that you want?â
âA life with the person who means the most to me.â
Even if Shadow had lost Hongjoong, even if the future for Magpie and Wooyoung was still uncertain, even if Sage and San were just starting their journey and even if you had to beat up Mingi to get him to admit his adoration for Mouse, you had to do this for yourself and for everyone else fighting for their love. Because you had fought for yours and you deserved to take those winnings.
Yeosang gave up on the rag he had been using to wipe down the bar and circumvented the space that dared insert itself between you and him. He stopped just short of where you had swiveled around to meet him. âPlease tell me that means me because I will float whoever else youâre talking about and theyâll never kiss the ground ever again.â
You smiled broadly, barely holding back a happy laugh. âOf course that means you, you goof!â
Yeosangâs eyes darkened and this time you didnât feel weird or off or worried or unsure. This time you knew what you wanted. âI donât think it would be a good idea for our first time to be on the barstool, Yeosang.â
âMaybe the second time then,â Yeosang replied cheekily but nonetheless, effortlessly scooped you up and took you to his office.
âWe can talk about our partnership later,â You joked.
Yeosang confidently held you against his body with one hand and swiped all his belongings on his desk off, before depositing you there. âThere will be no talk about it,â Yeosang said gruffly, âThis is what seals the deal.â
Yeosang held your face and kissed you. Your legs remained around his thick waist, eager to keep him close. This time you kissed him back, sure in your feelings for this man who never doubted his own. You hoped he felt your love for him because there was no denying it now. You loved Yeosang.
âWait--â You pushed back on Yeosangâs chest.
âIf youâre going to tell me that we have to stop, I donât think I can agree with you,â Yeosang growled.
âNo--â You paused to laugh. âYeosang, I love you.â
His lust lessened because pure wonder and love for you replaced it. âYou love me?â
Your hand reached up to thumb across his birthmark. âI think Iâve loved you since that moment we slept together under the covers, telling each other why we were here.â
âMe too,â Yeosang whispered, like admitting that might break the spell between you two.
Thatâs when you pulled off each otherâs clothes. Yeosang had seen you earlier the day you had tripped and spilled the dirty water from the basin over your tank top but this time he could admire more of you. His gaze burned into every inch of your skin. If your skin became heated, it wasnât from embarrassment but feeling like you were a person who deserved to be lusted after. Yeosangâs body wasnât anything to skim past either. His body had clearly been sculpted from years of working for the rebellion, for helping others and being on the run himself. He truly was gorgeous, your childhood best friend. No, your love.
âI canât believe I was away for so long. I was an idiot,â You said as your hands admired Yeosangâs chiseled body.
Yeosang huffed in laughter. âOh, so now my body is what makes you change your mind.â
You leaned forward, to press a soft kiss to one of his pectoral muscles. âI guess you should have taken your shirt off and came and rescued me from the slums a long time ago,â you joked back.
Yeosangâs arms wrapped around your head, practically smothering you against his chest. âYou needed your space.â
âSomething youâre clearly not worried about now,â You joked, muffled by your lips against his skin.
When Yeosang released you, you continued to kiss down his body until he couldn't take it anymore. He gripped your head and raised you back, slanting his lips against yours, your naked chest against his. Your nails dug into the muscles on his back and he groaned into your mouth.
âAt least wait until Iâm inside of you before you do that,â He complained.
You raised an eyebrow at him. âDo you want me to scratch your back while we have sex?â
Yeosangâs eyes practically rolled into the back of his head at your words. âGod, yes.â
You bit down on your lip and glanced down at Yeosangâs cock, clearly pressed up against his stomach. âThen maybe we should get you inside of me then.â
Yeosang swallowed loudly, then lined up his cockhead to your wet slit. He pushed in, slowly, eyes watching your face for any sign of discomfort. Instead, you moaned loudly as he fought against your clenching walls. He felt so good. He was so good.
âYeosang,â You choked on his name.
âYouâre doing so well for me, my love,â Yeosang said.
You clenched down on him, from the praise and from the new nickname and Yeosang accidentally shoved the rest of himself deep into you. You both cried out together and then laughed at the moment. Yeosangâs forehead was pressed against yours. âReady?â
âYeosang, please!â You begged.
Once Yeosang focused on moving in and out of you, your hands flew back to his back, scratching down with the desperacy of remaining grounded. âOh, shit.â
Yeosang hummed, husky voice tight with desire. âDoes that feel good?â
âSo good, Yeosang, oh my god, please.â
âPlease what?â Yeosang growled, biting down on his lip.
âMore, more, more,â You chanted.
You laid back on the desk, with Yeosang's palms planted behind your hips to keep your body trapped so he could slam into you. The harder he thrusted into you, the louder the sound of skin on skin echoed through the office. You couldn't be ashamed, however, all you could feel was the pleasure of being with the one you loved and who loved you back.
âI--fuck--â Yeosang cursed quietly. âAre you close?â
âMhmm,â You nodded, âSo close.â
Yeosang adjusted his angle and then you were gone. One more pass deep inside of you and you were seeing stars. You screamed his name, nails now clawing across his forearms. The pleasure that you felt right now, was worth all the work you put into yourself.
You opened your eyes as you felt Yeosangâs thrusts become sloppy. He panted above you, nose scrunching as he whispered the only name you had ever known, too young to remember what your parents had ever called you. It was who you were and it was perfect coming from Yeosangâs mouth.
âThere.â Yeosang gasped. âDeal sealed. Partners in crime and in life,â Yeosang proclaimed.
You threw an arm over your eyes in exhaustion. âYouâre ridiculous.â
âRidiculously in love, maybe,â Yeosang shot back.
You scoffed. âLetâs clean up. I want to see if Mouse is up yet.â
âPriorities, huh?â Yeosang raised an eyebrow at you. You swore that you had never seen anything sexier in your entire life.
You pressed a happy kiss to his lips and hummed in agreement. âConfession to my childhood best friend. Then seal-the-deal sex. Then checking up on my sunshine friend. Priorities.â
After disentangling yourself and getting dressed, you opened the door to the bar from the office and jogged to the stairs that led to Yeosangâs quarters. When you saw that Mingi wasnât out of Yeosangâs bedroom, you moved to the door, knocking gently. Your impatience to see Mouse okay had you pushing through regardless of what was on the other side.
You gasped as you took in Mingi braced over Mouse. You let out a sigh of relief. At least she was conscious. Still, what the hell was Mingi thinking???
âCan you not attack her the moment she wakes up, Mingi?â You hissed.
Some movement occurred and Mouseâs face peeped past Mingiâs bicep. âHi! It is totally okay. I am totally okay right here. Mhmm pro-promise.â Mingi moved in closer to Mouse, causing her breath to hitch. Ew.
You rolled your eyes. You guessed this would be your life now? âWell, I thought you might want a drink with me. To help with the pain. Down at the bar. But if you--â
âNo no weâre coming!â Mouse covered Mingiâs mouth before his typical garbage could spew from his lips, smiling adorably. âI-if itâs okay if Mingi--â
âCourse it is. We made up, baby, donât worry.â Mingi spoke past Mouseâs hand as if it was nothing. âLetâs go have a few drinks with our friends, yeah?â
âGuess who I found up and smiling?â You said as you descended the steps back into the Floating Silver.
âOr, you could thank Mingi,â Mingi grumbled, scratching the back of his head. âCan I have my regular, Yeo?â He said, somehow managing to keep Mouse on his lap as he sat sideways on a cracked bench in a booth.
âWhatâs that called, a Grumpy Giant?â You shot at Mingi as you moved behind the bar to help Yeosang with the drinks.
âHa ha ha,â Mingi said sarcastically.
Yeosang looked thoughtful. âActually, thatâs not a bad idea, Silver. I was trying to think of a name for his monstrosity."
âWhatâs that?â Mouse piped up.
âGinger beer, a shot of ginseng, dark rum and a slice of lab-grown lemon,â Yeosang supplied.
You covered your mouth, giggling. âNo, seriously, that sounds exactly what a Grumpy Giant would be!â
Mingi frowned, bemoaning his self-made fate. He looked down at Mouse, who couldn't help but laugh as well. âNo, seriously, guys! Thatâs not funny. Yeosang, donât make that a thing.â
Yeosang shook his head. âIâm adding it to the menu the next minute I have.â
Mingi covered his face in lament and you all bursted into belly laughter.
Yeosang made a bright, lemon and bubbly drink for Mouse, which matches her perfectly. A tequila and lime juice over ice is for Yeosang. And for you, he creates something with liquid smoke that he said he stole from a transport for the inner city. The four of you cheered at the booth and drank, celebrating a job well done, and frankly, a new, budding friendship that would work for the rest of your years.
Because even if the government was after you all, and even if your Adrenaline put you in danger, you all had each other and thatâs all that truly mattered, in the end.
Special thanks goes to Ares for being with me on this journey the entire way. for sprinting with me these past months, for pouring her all into her fic along with me, and over all intertwining and growing these characters and this story into something that will be beloved to the both of us for the rest of our friendship. Please go give her story some love and to see how our stories elevate each others.
đĽFor the Adrenaline Anthology, a collaborative works by @lapydiaries. Please look forward to the works by @flurrys-creativity writing Yunho in Rubicon, @daemour writing Wooyoung in Crossroads, @defwoodz writing Jongho in Afterburn, @anyamaris writing San in Guardians Oath, @pars-ley writing Hongjoong, @potatomountain writing Mingi in No more Running and @an-annyeoing-writer writing Seonghwa.
đĽSummary: your plan is simple: get yourself into the middle of a radioactive sandstorm to reverse whatever genetic code got you shot with Adrenaline, so that you could halt the government from searching you out. Your result: your childhood best friend coming to the rescue and suddenly being sucked into a selfless world of the rebellion.
đĽPairing: Kang Yeosang x Reader (f) code name: Silver
đĽGenre: action, romance
đĽAu: post-apocalyptic au, adrenaline era inspired au
đĽTrope: childhood friends to lovers, one-sided slow burn
đĽWarnings: shooting by way of guns, childhood trauma (physical injuries resulting in impairment), super power fights, mentions of character death, facial scars due to acid ( scene not descriptive ), confidence issues, super powers activated through fear, self hatred, description of dystopia world ( poor, desolute, cruel ), nightmares, suicide mission
đĽKinks: wet clothes(see through), description of a hard-on, body worship, semi-public sex, sex with no protection, sex on a desk
đĽRating: 18+, MDNI
đĽWord Count: 18,646
đĽAuthor's Note: This world was a treat to develop alongside my fellow net writers. Please enjoy this humble love letter to Adrenaline and the other stories that take place in this collab đ others decided to write solo but you can find Ley's Shadow, Ares's Mouse, Dae's Magpie and Anya's Sage throughout this one đ
âQuickly, children, this way!â
Seonwoo swung his arms, indicating you should all follow them through a door that clearly said anyone who passed it would be shot. He was the only adult you trusted.
Your feet were stuck in their spot. You couldn't move an inch. You wanted to leave this bad place. But you didnât want to get hurt anymore. You just knew your limp was going to impede your escape.
âCome on, we gotta go.â Yeosang tugged at your elbow hurriedly.
Mingi had rushed towards Seonwoo but suddenly turned when he sensed that you and Yeosang had lagged behind. âGuys!â
San, who stuck by Seonwooâs side, started jumping high so that he could see where his friends were. âMingi? Yeosang? Silver?â
You shook your head vehemently. âI canât do it, Yeosang.â Hot tears began to fall down your cheeks. âI canât!â
Yeosang grabbed your face with his two hands. âYes, you can. Iâm here with you with every step of the way.â
You held a hand out and saw that your body was flickering. No, why of all the times would your powers start to work when you had screamed for them to help you at any other time?
Mingiâs head jerked towards another direction and he cocked his head. âGuys, we gotta go. Please!â
Yeosang closed his eyes, screwing up his face in concentration. You felt yourself get lighter and you gasped. When Yeosang opened his eyes, they were that weird blue color. âLight as a feather now, right? Letâs go.â
Yeosang pulled you along like you weighed nothing. And even though your feet didnât move, your body followed him. You passed Mingi, whose nose was flaring. When at last you were the final ones to pass by San and Seonwoo, Mingi began a sprint behind you.
Children of different sizes were all climbing the staircase that most likely rose to the surface.
âNo more dilly dallying, children,â Seonwoo cooed. âItâs time to be free birdies again, hmm?â
Yeosang nodded firmly and continued to tug you up the stairs.
âThatâs so cool,â San murmured behind you.
Yeosang giggled. âYouâre the one with super strength!â
âIâve got a cool power too guys!â Mingi insisted.
Somehow, between the boy's silly conversation, you felt your nerves ease a little and your body stopped flickering in and out of sight. Yeosang sent you a bright, encouraging smile and climbed the stairs, two stairs at a time.
âI bet I can get to the top faster than you!â San declared.
âHey no fair! You didnât say when!â Mingi protested.
âThatâs it, children,â Seonwoo encouraged. âLast one up is a chicken.â
âI don't want to be a chicken!â Mingi screeched, overtaking San, and then you and by proxy, Yeosang.
The moment of fun was quickly lost once everyone reached the top. The surface wasnât bare, as you had normally imagined the wasteland of the apocalyptic desert. There were patrols and government soldiers. They had guns and gun mounted vehicles. There were towers with search lights.
âEveryone, take each other's hands,â Seonwoo shouted to the crowd of children.
Someone was crying but you werenât sure who it was.
Seonwoo crouched in front of Mingi. âRemember, Mingi, your powers are super important here, right? Your sixth sense allows you to know when danger is coming. Use it just like the hallway.â
Mingi nodded but he looked very pale.
Seonwoo next stood in front of you. âSilver, I need you to imagine that everyone that is holding hands is all under a big sheet. And under that sheet no one can see you guys. Do you understand?â
âI--I canât,â You sniffled.
âI know you think that you canât but, child, you can. Whatever was making you flicker when Yeosang was trying to get you to run, you have to channel that.â
You nodded stiffly. You were going to fail, you just knew it. Your heart started to beat a million miles per second, just like right before an experiment, and you whimpered.
âSannie, you know what youâve got to do. Break that door. Stand in front of any of the cars that are trying to go after the children. Youâre the protector.â
âI can do it,â San said with confidence.
âIâll be right behind you every step of the way!â Seonwoo shouted.
San pushed everyone away from the door, before backing up and taking a run at it. He tackled it with his shoulder and the door went flying. With a grin of triumph, San hooted, and then everyone rushed out.
You watched with bewilderment as everyone flickered out of existence. Yeosangâs hand still warm in yours and another childâs in your other, you floated along with the line of children. Your heart was beating out of your chest as you passed soldiers with their guns and vehicles with their machine guns but no one noticed you were escaping because everyone was invisible.
You were actually doing it! Your heart swelled with pride. You had numerous injuries and a hurt heart from failing experiment after experiment. You werenât useless, you were actually helping!
âSilver, no!â Mingi shouted suddenly.
And thatâs when everything crumbled around you.
Your prideful moment hushed the Adrenaline pumping in your veins and the line of escaping children flickered back into view. Shouts broke out and soldiers beelined towards you.
San ran towards the soldiers immediately, not a scarred bone in his body. Yeosang dropped your hand in order to block any of the incoming fire from the soldiers. A spotlight blinded him but for a moment, allowing some of the sleeping agents to hit a few of the children.
You watched in horror as a car hit San at full force, bending like paper around him.
You wrapped your arms around you, rocking on the ground. You knew you were going to fail this.
âItâs okay, children, you can still escape!â Seonwoo shouted from the back of the line. âRun! Use your powers!â
The last thing you saw was Seonwoo running towards San, who was sending soldiers flying with his strength. But they had numbers that could even combat that. San's tiny face smiled towards you and Yeosang and Mingi, nodded purposefully, and then you lost sight of him under all the soldiers. There was no way he was making it out of that alive. You knew how the facility was towards unruly Adrenaline children.
Mingi was the first to take off, his long legs taking him far. Yeosang grabbed back onto your hand and dragged you away as well. All three of you watched as a soldier loaded a different set of bullets and they hit San like he was just like all the other children.
âNo!â You screamed.
âSan will be okay,â Yeosang insisted. âHe always is. We have to run!â
Mingi was so far ahead of you, you didnât think youâd ever catch up. But Yeosang was steadfast by your side. Somehow your little legs moved, despite your injured foot, and you made it into the city and away from the floodlights.
You shot up in your bed, breathing heavily. You hated when you dreamt of that night that you had escaped the Facility. You put a hand on your chest to calm your beating heart. You watched with a worried gaze as your body began to flicker in and out of reality. This was not the time!
It was most likely coming back to you with your intentions today.
Today was the day you reversed your curse.
If the damn radiation from the apocolypse had fucked up everybodyâs physiology then it could damn well reverse it. The plan today was to catch yourself in the middle of one of those nuclear radiated sandstorms, and come hell or highwater, you were going to be free. You didnât care if it cost your life. It wasnât much of one anyways.
You had been scared most of your life, or most of what you can remember anyways. Scared when the government had raided your home when you were young and abducted you because you tested positive for Adrenaline. You had been scared as the government had experimented on you, trying to both understand what Adrenaline did for you but also to capture it for their own use. You had been scared when you had escaped the Facility. You had been scared when you had gone into hiding and left Yeosang and Mingi to their own hero-hungry plans. You still lived scared because at any moment the government could finally track you down and drag you back to the Facility.
You wrapped your arms around your legs and rocked yourself, just like you had that faithful night in the desert. Unfortunately for you, nothing really calmed you down like Yeosang did. And that ship had long set sail.
You shook your head. It was fine to be scared today. Maybe it would be easier to weave your way through the slums and get to the edge of town quicker. You werenât going to attempt the train, that was beyond your capabilities. You were also too scared to use anything government controlled.
So you took a backpack, with nothing really inside of it. You were too much of a paranoid mover to really own anything you couldn't pick up and carry. You took enough water from the hidden well under the old ice cream shop to last you for the trip there and back. You got scared enough to disappear for a few moments to steal some days-old bread.
And then you were ready.
You kept a light jog, throughout the slums, avoiding crowds and keeping to the lighter traffic areas, despite your odd gait. Although you always feared being caught, which helped your Adrenaline flow easily, you werenât stupid. If you were invisible, you didnât need someone bumping into nothing. Even a whisper in the slums could travel up to the government.
Before no time at all, perhaps by noon, you had made it to the edge of the city. The slums were closest to the desert, of course. No one that worked for the government or was better off wanted the constant reminder that this world was the result of a nuclear reaction that ruined the world. You wondered if they were truly better off in their unawareness. Does the government steal children that were well off just as much as children were sold by their parents for some spare coins?
Your disgust at your own past had your body flickering and you cursed yourself for getting distracted. You looked around to see if anyone was around you and were shocked when you saw a blonde figure behind you.
Yeosang strode confidently towards you. He wore a long black shirt. You werenât sure that was the best choice in the desert but maybe it was made from a special material you were unfamiliar with.
âDid you really think you could go anywhere without me?â Yeosang said quietly.
You looked away, guilt flushing through your veins instead of Adrenaline. âWhy are you here, Yeosang?â
âWhatever you're planning on doing, you're not doing it without me.â His eyes were solid on yours. He didnât need to shout to be heard.
âIâve done well enough without you so far, I donât need you for this,â You snapped.
Yeosang flinched but smoothed his features quickly. âNot true. You always need me.â
âDonât you dare follow me,â You snarled, before adjusting your pack on your back and limping into the desert fully.
You didnât hear him, but Yeosang caught up with you quickly, grabbing your hand.
It yanked you backwards, and your hood fell from your head, revealing your silver hair. You were shocked for a moment at the contact. Yeosangâs hands no longer fit perfectly between your own hands like they had as children. No, his hand practically engulfed yours now.
Shaking yourself from your stupor, you yanked your hood back up. âLet go of me.â
Yeosang shook his head. âNo. I didnât back then and I wonât now.â
Yeosangâs small face flickered in your memory. His quiet smile. His quiet encouragement. His quiet strength. Damn him.
âWell, we arenât children anymore, Yeosang. You donât have to save me anymore either.â You pulled at his hand but Yeosang refused to let go.
âYou donât have to do that, you know,â Yeosang said. âHide yourself from me.â
The left side of your face had been horribly scared by an experiment gone too far. The scientists had, in a foolhardy plan, scared you with acid, only for you to freeze up and actually get doused in it.
âHabit,â You murmured. âWhatever! It shouldnât matter. Let go of me and leave me alone. This is my burden to deal with.â
A tiny frown marred Yeosangâs handsome features. âYou donât get it, do you? I will never leave you alone.â
âYouâve left me alone fine all these years,â You insisted.
Yeosangâs hand slowly loosened over yours. âDo you really believe that?â
You were quick to take back your hand. As soon as you turned around, your heart started to beat out of your chest. Not far off, electricity traveled through a wall of yellow dust. There it was, the storm that the old lady in your slum had predicted. She said she could feel those storms in her bones.
Your body went invisible and you started off with your gangly limp once again.
âSilver, I will follow you into that storm, donât you ever doubt what I wonât do for you!â Yeosang shouted.
You cursed under your breath. âHow did you know I was planning on doing this anyways!â
âI have my ways. If you didnât insist on not being a part of my life, youâd know that.â
The guilt stabbed through your heart. Your body flickered back to life and you grumbled Yeosangâs name. He easily caught up to you again. Damn that bastard for knowing you inside and out. His arms wrapped around you, pack and all, trapping you against his body.
âIf you go into that storm, Iâm going in there with you. We will both get rid of our powers together or weâll die together. Itâs your choice,â Yeosang said steadily in your ear.
You shouted with rage and then slumped in Yeosangâs grasp. âYou know Iâll not risk your life. Not after what weâve been through.â
âSan would be so pissed off at you right now. He didnât--â
You jerked your head back and bonked Yeosang hard enough that he yelped. He let go of you and you scrambled backwards in the sand. âHow dare you use Sanâs death against me! Who are you, Kang Yeosang? I donât know this man before me.â
Yeosangâs gaze is hard but firm. âIâm taking you back to my bar. Weâll talk more there.â
Your mouth dropped open as he promptly turned on his heel and started to head back towards the cityâs outskirts.
âWhat do you mean by âyour barâ?â You shouted at his back.
As it turned out, your telekinesis-wielding ex-best friend owned a bar. He waved a hand at the bartender, who immediately pulled a bottle from the top shelf and poured two glasses.
You wrinkled your nose as he shot the glass back. He offered you one and when you didnât take it, he threw that one back too.
âJesus, Yeosang,â You scoffed.
âItâs not every day you save your best friend from killing herself,â Yeosang said.
You coughed and choked on your own spit. Yeah, you had no idea who this Yeosang was anymore.
âSo, what do you think about it?â Yeosang wondered.
You shook your head in disbelief. âHow the hell do you run a bar?â
âItâs quite easy, actually. You see, everyone is miserable, so they all want to come here and drink their woes away. I provide the alcohol and they provide the money.â
You glared at Yeosang and his eyes sparkled with amusement. âCongratulations.â
His glee made him smile. âDid you see what the name of the bar was?â
Your eyes moved around and then you locked in on the blinking neon light behind the bar.
Floating Silver
âYou named your bar after me?â You shouted.
Yeosang gazed at you sadly. âI didnât know what else to call it. Youâre the only thing thatâs ever meant anything to me.â
You hung your head in shame. You still didnât understand why this man held you in such high standing in his life, even after all this time. You had both been children while you had endured the horrors inflicted upon you in the Facility but once you had escaped, you had refused to risk bringing any attention to yourself. Yeosang had decided he was going to do anything to help others escape, just like Seonwoo had done for you group of children.
âThereâs something else I want to show you.â
There he was again, grabbing your hand like it was nothing. Or maybe it was everything and he was determined to pretend like no time had passed between you two.
Still, Yeosang brought you to a backroom where the liquor was stored. You peered curiously at the bottles and kegs. âHow do you get all this stuff?â
âThe government is fine providing the slums with alcohol. It keep us dull and buried in our problems, just how they like us,â Yeosang said with a fake smile that he quickly wiped from his face.
âThatâs great and all but what else--?â
Yeosang looked at you with a sneaky smile. He put his hand palm down on one of the large wooden kegs. It began to float, revealing an empty, dark corridor.
Yeosang pulled you into the darkness and you couldn't see anything at first. âYeosang!â You squealed.
Suddenly, lights turned on and you could see the corridor went at a slow slant down. âI syphon some of the electricity provided to the bar down here.â
âWhat is this place?â You couldn't help but wonder.
âThis is how I sneak people out of the city,â Yeosang told you plainfaced.
âIâŚâ Your words caught in your throat. âYou actually did it.â
Yeosang looked proud. âI did.â
Shame burned through you. Here you were, living for yourself, and Yeosang was saving people. You shouldnât even be allowed to stand by him.
âGood for you, Sangie,â You said with a tight throat.
âGood for us, Silver,â Yeosang corrected you. âI was thinking--â
âRaid!â The bartender shouted down the corridor. âWe gotta get everyone out of here, Mister Kang!â
âShit,â Yeosang cursed under his breath. âQuickly, get anyone who needs to flee down the tunnels.â
Both your hands tightened on Yeosangâs sleeve. âYeosangâ you said, your throat tight with fear.
You watched as various people from the slums filtered past you. You worried at your lip with your teeth and couldn't take it anymore. âYeosang, we have to go.â
Yeosang shot a glance towards you. âI said Iâve got us, Silver. Why canât you trust me like before?â
âBecause Iâve spent all my life ensuring I never get caught, Yeosang, and waiting around as others flee is not how I kept out of their hands!â You shouted.
Yeosangâs lips made an angry line. âOnce everyone is safe, Iâll close the door and itâll be fine.â
âIâm not fine!â You argued. You pulled at his arm. âPlease, Yeosang, surely someone else can close the door?â
Yeosang shook his head. âNo. Iâm the one that guarantees everyoneâs safety. Iâm always the last to leave.â
You let out a small noise in your throat and collapsed to the ground. How was it that the boy who ensured your survival was now going to be your demise?
You watched as your body began to flicker in and out of existence. You held your hand out as it blended into the dirt below. This was it. You were going to get caught. All because Yeosang interfered with your brilliant plan to--
Yeosang used his powers and moved the old keg in front of the entranceway to the tunnel and then dusted his hands. âThere. Tight and safe. We can--â Yeosang peered around. âSilver?â
You opened your mouth but no words could come out. You were so tight with fear, so locked up because of it, that you couldn't even reach out to your ex-best friend.
âSilver?â Yeosang couldn't raise his voice, in fear that the government soldiers would hear you behind the keg. âSilver, please. Donât leave me again.â
You managed a squeak through your fear-locked throat and Yeosangâs head whipped in your direction. âIâve got you, donât worry.â
Yeosang put his hands out, tentatively reaching around until his deft fingers found your shoulder. The next second, you were floating. His hand smoothed down your arm and wrapped around your hand.
Tears flowed down your cheeks silently. Once again, youâre an utter failure and a coward. And here was Yeosang saving the day. You hated every fiber of your being.
Without another word, Yeosang pulled your floating body down the tunnel. For what seemed like hours, all you could hear was Yeosangâs booted steps as he ran while pulling you behind him. Eventually, the soothing rhythm of his steps settled you and your Adrenaline slipped away, taking away your invisibility.
By then, the tunnel had widened out and a smooth sandstone wall with a single steel door came in view. âThis is a safe place. Donât worry,â Yeosang assured you before tapping a beat on the door.
A slot moved across, eyes assessed him and then closed. You feared the worst immediately, but then large bolts moved back and the door opened. âGet in here, Yeosang.â
Yeosang squeezed your hand and took you in with him. The doors closed but the person who opened them narrowed their eyes at you.
âWhoâs this?â
Yeosang smiled. âItâs my barâs namesake.â
Yeosang disengaged his powers and you fell to your feet.
âWell, she goes with the others that we donât know,â the person grumbled. They reached out for your arm.
Yeosang intercepted the hand before it even landed on you. âAfter everything Iâve done for you guys?â
The person winced. âYou know security is higher after--â
Yeosang chuckled darkly, tongue in cheek. âIf I say sheâs trustworthy, then she is.â
The person paled and then lowered their hand. âSure. Okay, Yeosang.â
âWhat is this place?â You wondered.
Yeosang put an arm around your shoulder and tucked you against his body. âUsed to be an old bunker for the government. Since itâs buried in leagues of sand, itâs long since been abandoned.â
You stared at Yeosang. âWhat is this place?â You repeated flatly.
Another voice answered. âWelcome to the Rebellion, Silver.â
âYouâre not the only one who knows things, Yeosang.â
You turned to find a woman standing with her arms crossed under her chest. Everyone about her showed that she was confident in where she was in life. She was the complete opposite of you. That was⌠until you reached her eyes. Her eyes showed a different tale. She was one step from going over the edge.
âSilver, this is Shadow. Sheâs a good friend of mine.â
Shadow shook her head. âWeâre working acquaintances, Yeosang. Your true friend was--â The words turned to ash in her mouth and she shook her head as if to get her thoughts in place. She sent a polite if not tight smile your way.
Yeosangâs eyes softened and he looked away. âI was just telling Silver weâre safe here.â
Shadowâs lips twitched in agitation. âWhat would provoke this raid?â
Yeosang shrugged. âI paid my dues already so your guess is as good as mine.â
Shadowâs eyes came back to you. âSheâs the only different factor, Yeosang.â
âThere--â You licked your lips. âIâm a nobody.â
Shadow laughed dryly. âYou and I both know thatâs not true, Silver.â Her eyes dragged back to Yeosang. âYou know--â
Yeosang held up a hand. âWeâll be out of your hair as soon as the coast is clear.â
Shadow huffed. âWhatever you say, Yeosang.â
âNow what?â You wondered as Yeosang squeezed you even closer in reassurance.
âNow youâre stuck with me,â Yeosang declared.
You stiffened. âWhat does that mean?â
âUntil we figure out if the raid was truly about you or not, youâre not going anywhere without me, Silver.â
You frowned up at your ex-best friend. âYou do remember my ability is to disappear, do you not?â
Yeosang grabbed both of your shoulders. âIâm serious. You could be in big trouble. Youâre not to leave my sight.â
âIf anything, this is your fault! If you had just let me--â
Yeosang shook you. âDonât. I would never let you. Ever.â
âI probably wasnât even on their radar until you decided to take me back to your stupid bar!â You shouted. You attempted to knock Yeosangâs hands off you but he wasnât letting go.
âYou're lying to yourself if you think that.â Yeosang leaned down to peer into your eyes. âWhy are you trying to get rid of me?â
Your spine straightened and your jaw snapped shut. You refused to answer that question.
Yeosang sighed. âLetâs find a place to settle in. Itâs going to be a while before the bar is cleared and we can go back.â
Meanwhile, you studied this so-called rebellion. It seemed like a simple community until you saw the others with Adrenaline. It made sense that others would come together. The thought terrified you, of course. Wasnât this a present wrapped in a bow for the government? If they ever found this place, it would be like a goldmine for them.
You started to tremble in Yeosang hold.
âHey, I said we were safe here, Silver, come on.â
Immediately Yeosang enveloped you into his chest. You could hear his steady heartbeat. Your throat was tight, and swallowing was difficult. How could he be like this after all this time? After your cowardice and fear were always painting every aspect of your life.
Once your trembling stopped, Yeosang pulled back. âIâm going to go check and see if everyone from the bar is okay.â He paused, studying your features. âStay where I can see you, okay?â
You explored the rebellionâs HQ in order to keep your nerves under control. There were old rusting tanks that would never move ever again. They were trapped in their own bodies. You sympathized with their state.
âI like using their old base against them. It feels like another fuck you to them, you know?â
Once again, Shadow seemingly popped out of the darkness. She scared you enough for your body to blink out of existence immediately. She chuckled but it was along the line of insanity. You had a feeling that she was playing a little too well with that line.
âItâs an honor to finally meet Yeosangâs inspiration, you know. Even though I have no idea who you two were before you joined the fold.â
You breathed in and out deeply. âIf he didnât tell you, Iâm not going to either.â
Shadow sent you a measured look and then curtly nodded. âI respect that.â
âAre youâŚ?â
âOne of you?â Shadow laughed softly under her breath. âNo.â
âThen why⌠why help any of us?â
âThe truth?â Shadow strode in measured steps. âI only did it because thatâs what he wanted to do.â
You waited for the other shoe to drop. You werenât about to push a wounded animal.
âHongjoong was the one that wanted to keep everyone safe. Heâs never stood for any injustice in his entire life. I was just here to watch his back. And I couldn't even do that.â The final sentence was said in a silent whisper not meant for anyoneâs ears.
You nodded like you completely followed. âDid you love him?â
Shadow turned, her face full of ache. âHe was all that Iâve ever loved.â
Youâre the only thing thatâs ever meant anything to me.
You donât even know why you asked her that. Or why Yeosang said a similar sentence. You were just supposed to be floating in life, taking care of yourself.
âDid you tell him that?â
Shadowâs hair fell in front of her face. âNever.â
Suddenly, like someone pulled a string through Shadow, she left behind her confessions and drew back to her restricted self, and walked off without another word.
You couldn't blame her, really. Too much vulnerability could do one harm.
Things settled, and true to his word, Yeosang took you back to the bar, albeit in a more calm manner aka your feet could take you there yourself.
âListen, Iâve got an apartment above the bar,â Yeosang spoke carefully. âYouâll stay with me until we get this figured out.â
âNo,â You folded your arms under your chest.
Yeosang lifted an eyebrow at you. âYes.â
âHow exactly are you going to figure out if the government is after me or not?â You demanded, still standing in the storage room.
âI have my ways,â Yeosang said cryptically.
âWhatever,â You stride out of the storage room and directly into someoneâs broad chest.
âWatch where you're--Silver?!â
You crank your neck back and look up into the face of someone who you did not think youâd ever see again. âMingi?â
He does not look pleased to see you again. The feeling is mutual. The last time you saw him was when you had all split ways, you believing it would be harder to find escaped children that way. But the scene of Mingi being the first to flee never left your mind.
âHey, Mingi, what can I do for you?â Yeosang greets Mingi with a half hug.
âIâve got a problem that I need you to look into,â Mingi said gruffly.
âProblem?â Yeosangâs eyes travel along the bar behind Mingi when they finally land on someone sitting on the stools. âHer?â
âI found her when I was trying to break up a--â Mingiâs eyes shoot towards you. âCan we talk somewhere else?â
Yeosang tilted his head. âCertainly. Silver, my office is--â
âWithout her?â Mingi cut Yeosang off immediately.
Yeosang shook his head. âNo can do, Mingi. If you havenât noticed, the bar just got raided. Iâve got to keep Silver close by.â
Mingi scoffed. âSheâs probably the reason you had the raid. Not exactly conspicuous, an invisible girl.â
Your hackles rose at Mingi clear animosity. âThatâs literally the definition of inconspicuous, Mingi.â
âHey.â Yeosang put a hand on Mingiâs chest. âSheâs with me, whether you like it or not. But we should go back to my office.â
Yeosang grabbed your hand and took you towards a door on the other side of the bar. You gazed curiously at the âproblemâ Mingi had dragged in and were surprised that you knew her. She waved shyly but remained at the bar as Mingi barked at her. This didnât feel right.
Once in Yeosangâs office, Mingi started to give the details to Yeosang on how he had found his little problem. The details werenât exactly damning but he kept insisting that she wore the insignia of the government.
âSheâs not one of them,â You interrupted.
Yeosang cocked his head. âHow do you know?â
âI know her,â You admitted.
Yeosang sat back in his chair, fingers steepled. âTell me what you know.â
âOne of the nights my part of the slums got raided, we ended up in the same hidey hole. Thereâs no way sheâs one of them. If she was, then I would have got caught.â The woman had been kind and cheerful. She was a little ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark world where you tended to hide in.
Yeosang looked deep in contemplation. âI can put some feelers out, let you know if I dig anything else up,â he offered.
You shake your head. The circumstances that Mingi caught your Sunshine friend wasnât sitting well with you. Manhandling her and treating her like shit was a little too much like the government had treated you and countless others.
âWhy help Mingi, Yeosang? Itâs not like he doesnât understand about running away and leaving others high and dry,â You said, derisiveness dripping from your tone.
Mingiâs lips pulled into a sneer. âIâm out here risking my life. What are you doing? Hiding in a hole in the wall, trembling and hoping the government doesnât find you again?â
âEnough, the two of you.â Yeosang shook his head like he was the only levelheaded one in the room. âWe didnât escape for the two of you to fight like this. San didnât give up his--â
Mingi stood ramrod straight, looking extremely uncomfortable. âIâm not here to talk about the past. Look into my problem for me and let me know if you find anything.â
They exchanged a nod and then Mingi was gone.
Yeosang stood up and sat on the front of his desk. âDid you have to attack Mingi like that? You have no idea how long heâs wrestled with what he did that night.â
âClearly heâs not over it,â You murmured.
âAnd neither are you.â
You hung your head low. âI donât understand why Iâm here, Yeosang.â
âYouâre here because--â
âSo what if the government is after me?â You shouted at Yeosang. âWhat does that have to do with you? Iâm just someone who you knew once that isnât worth her weight in gold. I have no business being here.â
âThatâs not true,â Yeosang argued. âYouâre worth something to me.â
You looked up and saw that Yeosangâs hand was hanging over your head, like he was about to reassure you. But you didnât want that. You wanted to cling to your anger at yourself rather than recognize that feeling that you had buried long ago.
âYour bar got raided because of me, Yeosang. I am fucking up everything for you! You should just discard me like the trash I am.â
âDonât say that.â Yeosangâs tone was rough and his throat sounded like it was tight. âYouâre not trash. You helped us escape that night, Silver, regardless of how it ended, if you hadn't summoned your powers, we never would have made it as far as we did. You have to see that!â
âIâm tired, Yeosang. Can you please show me where I can sleep?â It was clear that Yeosang wasnât going to let you go no matter your reasoning. The only true escape was to fall into a slumber.
Yeosang wiped a hand over his tired face. âYes. Of course.â
He led you to an apartment that was above the bar. You could still hear some random notes of the music playing downstairs, despite the lack of customers after the raid. It wasnât much but it was Yeosangâs and he was clearly proud of it. It was much better than the cell you used to share in the Facility. Or even your room in the slums for that matter.
âIâll fetch some water and heat some up for you. You can at least wash up,â Yeosang offered.
You sent him a baleful look. âNot worried Iâm going to disappear on you again?â
Yeosang sent you a bittersweet smile. âNothing to be scared of up here, right?â
You let out a bittersweet laugh in return. âRight. Iâm useless without my fear.â
Yeosangâs face dropped. âI didnât mean--â
You held your hand up. âItâs fine, Yeosang. Thank you for the water and the offer to clean up. Iâll gladly take it.â
In no time at all, Yeosang had the promised hot water, which he poured into a large, chipped basin. He gave you a washcloth and a towel, ratty, but clean at least. âLet me know if you need anything else,â He said.
âI just want to sleep the day off me,â You muttered.
Yeosang closed the door behind him and you started to strip. You only let yourself get down to a tank top and shorts. You never stripped naked--ever. You sat down on the bed, rubbing your disfigured foot. You tried to avoid anything reflective, not particularly interested in looking at yourself.
You methodically wetted the washcloth and rung out the excess water, washing off the sweat from your fear and the sand from the desert off your body. It wasnât long before the basin was dirty and you were somewhat clean. It felt nice, at least.
âIâve got a change of clothes if you need them.â
You jumped at the sound of Yeosang just outside the door. âI--Iâm not decent, donât come in!â
Yeosang chuckled. âIâve never heard that one before.â
Your stomach dropped. Of course Yeosang has had partners. You are well into adulthood now. Not to mention Yeosang was gorgeous.
Except now you didnât know what to do. You didnât want to put on clothes just to accept Yeosangâs offer. This was stupid.
âI donât need any clothes, Yeosang,â You refused his offer.
âSilver, I know you do have access to good amenities where you were living. Take my clothes, and Iâll wash what youâve got,â Yeosang sliced through your declination like it was butter.
âNo, itâs fine. Youâve already given me this much.â You glanced at his bed. It wasnât glamourous but it wasnât a nest of blankets on a floor of stone like you were used to.
Then it all hit you. âWait, you want me to sleep in your bed?â you squeaked.
âIâm coming in, this is ridiculous, Silver.â
âNo--wait!--Yeo-Yeosang!â You floundered back, arms reeling and you fell backwards, knocking the basin over and spilling the water all over you.
Yeosang opened the door, his eyes wide with surprise at your current state. âSilver, whatâŚ?â Those eyes quickly darkened as the water made your clothes cling to your body.
You avoided the look he was giving you. It was making you feel warm and it was completely foreign to you. You scrambled to find the towel he had given you. Yeosangâs hand covered yours before you could bring it around your body and shield yourself from him.
âItâs dirty, donât,â Yeosang said softly.
âYeosang.â You were trembling and your body began to flicker in and out of existence.
âWhat are you so scared of?â Yeosang cooed. His other hand cupped the side of your face, the bad side, that was textured from your acid scars.
âHow can you bear to touch me like that?â You demanded roughly.
A faint, amused smile pulled the corners of Yeosangâs lips. âTouch you like what?â
âLike Iâm not disgusting,â You whispered.
Yeosang pulled you flush against his body. You squirmed but it only made it all the more apparent how exactly Yeosang was feeling. âDoes it seem like you are disgusting to me?â
You started to shiver delicately in Yeosangâs hold. âYou donât make any sense.â
Yeosang held your chin between his thumb and forefinger, determined to hold your gaze. âYouâre beautiful and flawed to me. Both can exist at the same time. In fact, your flaws are what make you beautiful.â
Your throat tightened. You had never forgotten the one night you two had whispered to each other the first night you had been captured; children scared and hiding under the covers in the same bed. You held a glow-in-the-dark stuffed animal while Yeosang told you that his birthmark was the reason the government had pulled him in for Adrenaline testing. That same night Yeosang had told you that your hair was beautiful. Neither of you saw each other as flawed, despite those characteristics being the reason you had been targeted.
âIâm a coward, Yeosang,â You whispered. âIâm disfigured. Thereâs nothing about me thatâs beautiful.â
Yeosangâs eyes were full of sorrow. âI wish you could see yourself the way I do.â Tears spilled down your cheeks. Yeosangâs hands cupped your face, rubbing them away. âDonât cry, Silver.â
âWh-wha-whatever this is. I d-donât d-deserve it,â You spat out, despite your hiccups and sobs.
âThatâs not true. Stop saying such cruel things about yourself.â Yeosang whispered back.
Then he leaned in and placed a kiss on your cheek, the scarred side first. He turned your head and placed one on the other side, the unmarred one. When you didnât struggle in his hold, he moved to kiss the side of your mouth that was closest to your acid scars. You whimpered, tears still pouring down your cheeks.
âItâs okay, Silver,â Yeosang assured you. He pulled you into his arms and hugged you tightly. You released everything into sobs. You cried and cried and cried, tears soaking his own shirt. You cried for your lost childhood. You cried for your injuries that would never be healed. You cried for losing San and the other children that didnât make it out that day. You cried for leaving behind Yeosang and Mingi to find themselves instead of staying together. And most importantly, you cried for Yeosangâs clear adoration for you, despite your own self hatred.
Once your sobs subsided, Yeosang let go of you for only as long as it took for him to rid himself of his shirt. You stood in shock at the view of his upper body. He had his own scars but they only seemed to add to his beauty, if not to the lines of muscles.
Before you could protest, Yeosang was pulling off your wet clothing and putting you into his original set he had brought in for you. Then he bundled up the two of you in his makeshift bed, and petted your hair until you fell asleep in his arms.
You woke up in Yeosangâs bed but he was no longer there. He must have left sometime in the night to go get information for Mingi. You still didnât like that Mingi had basically kidnapped your Sunshine friend and was keeping her captive, but it wasnât like you knew where Mingi went, and you werenât exactly in a position to save her.
You left Yeosangâs room and wandered around his apartment. You didnât know what else to do and felt too much of a burden to eat any of his food. You had no idea what Yeosangâs situation was, exactly, even as the owner of the bar.
He didnât leave you alone for long, which you should have come to the same conclusion. He stopped mid purposeful stride, seeing you in his clothes in his place.
âDo you know how many times Iâve wished to walk into my place and see this?â Yeosang said in a strangled tone.
Your heart constricted and you battled with it immensely. âYeosang, donât.â
It was clear after what had occurred last night that Yeosang was more determined than ever to push his agenda. âNo, I wonât stop, Silver. Youâve been beating yourself up over something that you cannot change. Youâre just like Mingi. You have to stop. If you canât do it for yourself, do it for me.â
You turned your head. You didnât want to cry again. Your hair falls like a curtain, hiding your emotions.
âLetâs get out of here. Get some fresh air.â
âI donât think thatâs such a good idea, Yeosang.â
âYou spent enough time dodging the government and their goons. Surely you could spend an afternoon with me.â
âAnd do what? Stroll around, arm in arm, and talk about what exactly in the middle of a public area? Yeosang, weâre not normal citizens. We wonât be safe no matter how much you want to pretend.â
âThen letâs not pretend.â
You rolled your eyes but Yeosangâs face was firmly confident. âIâm serious. No one is going to suspect anything if we walk around like we have nothing to hide.â
âYeosang, I canât!â You couldn't help but wail. âItâs been years and I still donât have control over my powers. All it takes is a tiny scare and then Iâve revealed the both of us.â
âI have confidence in the both of us. Come on.â
Once again, Yeosang was holding his hand out and asking for you to take it. He wriggled his fingers encouragingly. âI got you, Silver. Letâs go.â
Hesitantly, your fingers slid over his palm and he entwined them amongst his own. He smiled sweetly. âSee? We can do this.â And just to show you just how confident he was, he tucked your hand into his arm, like a gentleman of old, and you two strolled through the streets around the bar.
Floating Silver wasnât located in the bad part of the Slums; that was reserved for where people wanted to live and hide. He was in a somewhat respectable part. It was almost on the line between what people considered the poor part and the City. Pavilions and stands popped up around the wall that separated the two. City citizens were not encouraged to mix with the rabble. Their shiny boots hardly ever touched the dust outside of the wall. But it was still a natural place for everyone to gather.
The stalls sold various items. There was food, fresh for what it was worth, and cooked. There was salvage from the desert and abandoned places, which there was a plethora of. People hawked their wares, some eagerly looking to make money and others dejected at what the world had given them.
âSee? Isnât this nice,â Yeosang murmured.
You pulled up your hood firmly so that your hair was well hidden. You noted that Yeosang had his hood up too. It wasnât uncommon for a sandstorm to whip through the city at a momentâs notice. But it hid his beautiful birthmark.
âItâs been a few minutes, like thatâs proof,â You argued.
âThe fact that this world continues to spin on its axis makes me understand that no matter what, life will go on. Itâs up to you to walk with it or against it,â Yeosang mused.
You watched with a pessimistic gaze as a thief pickpocketed an unsuspecting citizen. You saw the smirk that painted their features as they dashed away, turned a corner and were gone. It was only when the citizen went to pay for the item they had been looking to purchase and put their hand in their pocket, that they realized all their money was gone. They cried out with shock but no one around them pointed the way the thief had gone. It was a dog eat dog world here and if you were stupid enough to get stolen from then you deserved the empty purse.
You exchanged a glance with Yeosang. Yours was âsee, I told you so.â But his was accompanied by a big sigh.
âDo you have a coin to spare, Miss?â A tiny adorable child stood in front of you all of a sudden. They grinned broadly, missing a front tooth. Too young to be begging.
âIâm sorry, I donât--â The words caught in your mouth as you felt some unskilled movement in your pocket. Your hand wrapped around the tiny wrist immediately.
âAwe, Minjae, you said you could do it!â the adorable child in front of you protested.
âLet go!â Minjae cried out, struggling in your grasp. You bent down to show Minjae how to improve his skills, for you had been a begging child on the streets once, which evolved into a pickpocket. But before you got a chance, Minjae firmly planted both of his feet against your knees and pulled himself from your grasp.
You both fell backwards. Minjae sprung up immediately and fled the scene, weaving between the taller adults. Your ass hit the sand and sand path and your hood flew back.
There were some startled gasps. Silver hair wasnât exactly common.
âItâs one of them!â A woman cried, covering her mouth. âQuick, someone call the authorities!â
Yeosang yanked your hood back over your head and hauled you upwards with his hand in yours. âQuickly. We must flee!â
âDonât let them get away!â A man shouted. âThereâs coin in turning in one of the Adrenaline Afflicted!â
After only a few steps, your heart started to beat a mile per minute. Fear seized up your throat and slowly iced its way through your veins. Your body began to flicker, becoming an illusion and camouflaging amongst the sandstone buildings. âYeosang!â You squeaked in terror.
Yeosang spun you around and cupped his hands together. âClimb. Weâll be better off the streets. Hurry, Silver!â
You put your hands on Yeosangâs shoulders, his eyes flashing blue for but a moment, and when he hefted you upwards, you floated like you were lighter than a sheet in the wind. You grabbed the lip of the three story building and quickly pulled yourself to the rooftop. Yeosang was only seconds behind you, eyes taking in the surrounding area. When he was satisfied that no one was following you, the two of you skimmed the rooftops.
Your Adrenaline was still acting up. Your hands and feet were gone, along with part of your forearms and calves. Leaping over a gap between buildings didnât help the matter. âDo you think we lost them?â You couldn't help but ask.
Yeosang turned his head to send you a confident smile. âOf course.â
You clucked your tongue. âYou're just saying that to settle my anxiety.â
Yeosang shrugged his shoulders. head still on rotation for anything threatening. âEven if that was the case, Iâve gone this way before. No one ever looks up, Silver.â
A few minutes later, Floating Silverâs sign gleamed in the distance. You felt your shoulders relax and your invisibility eventually dissipated. You felt safe with Yeosang, so that of course extended to his bar. It made you wonder, if you had never disappeared from his life, could you have lived a better life of yours? Instead of fleeing from a rat hole to a garbage dump, always on the run, always hand to mouth, could you have settled somewhat comfortably with Yeosang?
You shook your head. In what universe was a silver-haired being that disappeared every time she got scared going to live a normal life when hard lived citizens were eager to turn individuals with Adrenaline in for money? You were at least happy that Yeosang had found his place of peace. And you were ruining that.
Yeosang found a latch on the rooftop, right behind the neon sign. He raised it and signaled for you to go down the ladder first. It led into Yeosangâs office. Convenient.
âIâve got to put some feelers out,â Yeosang said. âAfter that sighting, you might be in even more danger. Go straight to my apartment and stay there until I come back.â
âYeosangâŚâ
Despite the urgency of the situation, Yeosang crossed the space between you and him. He tugged you against his chest and held you tightly. âItâs not your fault, Silver. None of this is your fault. You were born with Adrenaline. Youâve never hurt a fly with your powers. The government is just some shitty group of people that believe that your life is worth sacrificing so they can live their cushy lives. Weâll get through this. Iâll make sure of it.â
âOkay, Yeosang,â You whispered against his chest.
âYou and me until the end, remember?â Yeosang whispered into the crown of your head.
Once Yeosang left after comforting you, you couldn't get what he said out of your head. You hadn't heard him say that since the day you had left him and Mingi behind. But you used to say it to each other each night before you went to sleep. Or sometimes Yeosang would say it to you to reassure you that nothing could ever separate you two. It was the only way you got through some situations of your life in the FacilityâŚ.
Flashback
âWhat do you think theyâll ask us to do today?â Mingi wondered, eyes studying the adults as they gathered in a group.
All the children that lived in the Facility had been drawn out to the proving graveyard. This was a place where you children were tested. You hated this place. The cars that were planted into the earth like rotting vegetables gave you the heebie jeebies.
âI donât know but they look angry today,â you said warily.
San nodded, quiet this morning. He danced on the balls of his feet, looking antsy as well.
âNo matter what, weâll get through it together, okay?â Yeosang smiled at you, brighter than the sun sometimes.
You squeezed his hand back but jumped when one of the handlers clapped their hands. âStand in your positions, children. Donât dally now, we have important business to get to.â
Once the handler was satisfied that everyone was in their spot, he nodded. He wasnât Seonwoo, who was continuously offered comfort and sweets to keep your spirits up. This one, his name was Hyuk. He was always the handler that had the most hard tests. It was like he enjoyed torturing children for a living.
âToday, we separate the strong from the weak. Some of you have performed wonderfully, which you shall be rewarded today. You will not have to participate.â As if not having to go through whatever horrible situation Hyuk had thought up was a reward enough. âBut the rest of you, who have not harnessed their powers to our satisfaction will be fighting today.â
Yeosang and San moved to the group of successful Adrenaline users and you and Mingi were in the failure group. Mingi stood tall, spine straight but his jaw trembled as if he was holding back sobs. You kept your eyes on the ground. Perhaps if you believed this one time, you could finally go invisible and avoid this test altogether.
âI hope weâre not fighting the dogs today. I hate when they sic the dogs on us,â a child beside you shuddered after their statement.
âYouâll be fighting each other today, children.â Hyuk smiled like he was a cat eating his cream.
Round after round ran, children pitted against each other. Speed against echolocation. Fire powers against teleportation. Some children didnât survive their round and were left bereft of any air, face down, never to rise again. You chanted inside your head that today would be the day that you were able to summon your powers immediately.
âSilver.â Hyuk said your name with a snap. âYou will fightâŚâ His eyes skimmed the failure children before he settled on one that was one of the biggest children of the group. She didnât have strength like San had. No, her power was making the ground move. It wasnât very helpful when there wasnât any natural earth around, as was most of the cases when you were inside of the stark white walls of the Facility. But out here, in the proving graveyard, she was queen of the castle. â ...Jiwoo.â
You flinched but still moved to the centre of the graveyard. You had learned a long time ago that if you fought these little tests, no matter how much you knew you would fail, there was always a shock stick that Hyuk used liberally. The children learned quickly to not prompt him to use it.
Jiwoo looked like she was determined to win this. You closed your eyes and dug your nails into your palms. Please let you become invisible, please let you become invisible, please--
Hyuk blew his whistle and shouted âBegin!â
When you felt the trembles below your feet, you knew you had failed. Your eyes flew open and you began to run. Sand blasted in a spot behind you. Then another. And another. You were barely missing Jiwooâs blows. So she adjusted. Instead of shots of earth upwards to hurt you, she opted with blocks of ground that rose up and clamped together. You started to pant as your energy was leaving you. You could run a little fast but the air in your lungs often gave up on you quickly. You were slowing and you knew there was nothing you could do about it.
âYou can do it, Silver!â Yeosang shouted.
Hyuk snapped his fingers and sent a soldier to discipline your best friend. You watched in horror as they snapped out a baton and brought it down behind Yeosangâs legs. He cried out and fell to his knees in pain.
âNo!â You yelled. You paused and suddenly your body was completely invisible. But it was a few seconds too late. The edge of two slabs slammed together on one of your feet, creating so much pain that you blacked out.
It took hours for them to find you, because you had remained invisible as you had passed out. Even once they got you to the medical wing of the Facility, and with the experimental scientists and doctors on their payroll, the best they could fix you up with was a limp that would follow you for the rest of your life. But, since you had successfully brought forward your invisibility to survive the round, they had passed you and Jiwoo.
You got back to the room you shared with Yeosang, Mingi and San late. But that didnât stop Yeosang from offering you the lower bunk and carefully tucking you into his blankets.
You whimpered in pain and Yeosang squeezed your hand in reassurance. âYouâve had worse, remember, Silver?â The acid running down your face still haunts your dreams sometimes. You nodded imperceivably against Yeosangâs pillow. âYouâll make it through this too.â He paused, his voice sounding rough. You werenât sure, but you had a feeling he was crying. âWeâll make it through this. Iâll make sure of it.â
You were too hurt to agree with him. You just wanted to go to sleep.
Yeosang raised your hand between your two small bodies, turning on his side to face you. âYou and me until the end,â Yeosang whispered. âPromise.â
Like clockwork, you both held out your pinkies and kissed them. âPromise,â you said hoarsely.
Present day
âPack up your things,â Yeosang said with a tight throat, blood completely draining from his face when he finally came back to his apartment.
Your head snapped up to meet your childhood friendâs gaze. âWhat?â
âIâve started to hear some things. Iâve got a few sources that say the government thinks some new Adrenaline users have surfaced. We need to go to ground. Somewhere that wonât bring attention to the bar or the hq. Get desert-ready.â
âWhat about Mingiâs information?â You couldnât help but ask.
âIâve got it. Weâll find him later. Mingi has a knack for that, remember?â Yeosang jerked his head at the direction of the door. âLetâs go.â
You grabbed your familiar cape, bringing it tight around your shoulders and pulling up your hood. You had always cursed your hair for being the reason that the government had pulled you from the slums to the government facility but nothing was harder than keeping your one identifier hidden from inquiring gazes.
Yeosang put on airy, light colored clothing, grabbed your hand and then you two were back on the streets.
âWhere are we going?â You wondered.
Yeosang shook his head. âI canât say. Just know itâs somewhere safe.â
The journey was less heart-thumping than when you rushed to the rebellion hq or when you had made your way into the sandstorm. You continued to look over your shoulder, however. Yeosangâs words echoed in your mind. Did the government really find you? If they thought you were a new, undocumented individual with Adrenaline, it was only a matter of time before they figured out you were one of the missing children from years ago. And that meant bad things for Yeosang and Mingi. You didnât want to be the reason their lives got ruined again.
âAre you sure I should be going with you to this safehouse?â You hissed.
Yeosang looked both ways down a broken road and then shot across it. âOf course. If youâre the one theyâre looking for, you have the best reason to go there.â
âMingi would be cursing you right now and you know it, Yeosang,â You insisted.
Yeosang smirked, his shoulder shaking in silent laughter. âWell, sometimes Mingi doesnât always know best. He may have his powers but his heart might as well be a mystery to himself.â
âWhat do you think San would say?â You couldn't help but ask next. Being with your old comrades in arms, children against the government, was shaking up a lot of old memories.
Yeosang looked sad but almost happy at the thought of San. âI think heâd be whooping and laughing, excited that weâre seeing some more action. I think that he would roll his eyes at your protests at going to the safe house with us. I think if San⌠if San was here with us, you never would have left us.â
The quiet realization that he had been the glue to your group the entire time washed over you. He truly was the one who wouldnât let anyone blame themselves. San was always quick to make someone smile. Of all the people that had survived, the children that had escaped, San deserved to have been one of them.
You let Yeosang drag you through the quiet morning light, through the streets that had yet to stir with stubborn but bleak determination to live through this post-apocalyptic life. When you got to the edge of the city again, this time on the other side, you dug in your heels. The last time you had come here was to end your life. Suddenly, you didnât want to risk it anymore.
Yeosang hefted the bag he had brought along, nodding resolutely. âTrust me, Silver.â
Of course you trusted him; you trusted Yeosang with your life. How else would you still be alive today if not for him always believing in you. âI trust you, Yeosang.â
Yeosang smiled and then wiped it, eyes getting serious. âLetâs just hope thereâs not another storm on the horizon. Wooyoung really hates when I bring sand in.â
Yeosang leaned over, his elbows against his knees. He let Mingi know that Mouse was in the clear, despite the difficulty of having to dig around without a proper name. Mingi seemed to visibly sag with relief, which was another development. Although you had known in your gut that Mouse was on your side, it was good news that Yeosang had found nothing on your sunshine friend.
Luckily, there was no sandstorm. It was the simple struggle of walking through the dunes. The sands constantly shifted. Even a slight breeze would bring up a dusting of sand, that could blind you or make you cough, your tongue getting coated with it. You pulled the collar of your cape up above your mouth as Yeosang found a scarf and tied it around his face as well. You two looked like a bunch of thieves in broad daylight. But it was the only way to survive the harshness of the desert.
It wasnât long before you came across a house that looked almost consumed by the dunes. It was tilted at a crazy angle, half buried in the sand. It looked long abandoned and you pulled back on Yeosangâs hand. âAre you sure about this?â
âIt looks run down and rickety, right? Like itâll collapse at any moment? If you didnât know, youâd walk right past it, wouldn't you?â Yeosang said with a twinkle in his eye. âThatâs what makes it the best safe house ever. Wooyoung has meticulously curated this place. Sometimes he adds something to make it look even more structurally unsound. Donât even get me started on his haunted idea.â
Cautiously, you followed Yeosang as he took the last little bit to come in front of the âsafehouseâ. You believed Yeosang but it was truly hard to understand that this was actually safe.
Yeosang rapped his knuckles on the doorframe. The door was the sturdiest part of the building. The door was rusted but didnât look like it would budge despite any encouragement from a crowbar. You heard a loud sucking noise and then the door whooshed open wide.
Your jaw dropped when a dark head peaked from behind. His arms bulged as he pushed up the steel door and he peered around with a sour look on his face. But when he saw Yeosang, his face lit up and it changed entirely. âYeosang!â He hooted.
âI didnât have enough time to radio ahead that I was coming,â Yeosang apologized immediately.
Wooyoung waved his hand through the air as if to erase Yeosangâs sincere apology. âNo need. Thereâs always room for you here⌠who is that?â His eyes narrowed down on you.
Before you let Yeosang answer with something that was most likely going to embarrass you by speaking of you as his inspiration or something more, you lowered the hood of your cape.
Wooyoungâs mouth dropped in surprise. âOh. Well. That explains things. Come on, quickly, before someone sees you guys.â
You and Yeosang were ushered inside by Wooyoung, the safehouseâs caretaker. You expected desolation on the inside but it was surprisingly clean. There was a living room, a kitchen--it looked homey. Like every survivor of this apocalyptic world, there were various items that littered the safehouse, that would have looked at odds with each other if not for the fact that this was an odd world now.
âItâs been a while. I was worried that you found someone to replace me, buddy,â Wooyoung chatted as you studied the safehouse.
âWho could replace you, Wooyoung?â Yeosang mused.
âI mean, those are my thoughts exactly. But itâs not like I get out much. So then I started to think, well, there might be someone else out there that talks a lot, right?â
âNot likely,â Yeosang scoffed under his breath.
âI mean, itâs not like Mingi could replace me,â Wooyoung continued to jabber. âThat one only talks a lot when heâs angry.â
âLeave Mingi alone, Wooyoung,â Yeosang gently scolded your current savior.
âOh, please, Mingi can fend for himself,â Wooyoung replied. âHe was here recently, by the way. He had a most agreeable character with him,â Wooyoung brought up.
âSunshine?â You perked up
Wooyoung laughed. âIs that what you call her? Yeah, thatâs kind of apt, isnât it? Did he come see you guys too?â
You nodded. âHe wanted to know if she was one of the enemy,â You said, derision coating your tongue. âLike one of us would ever be one of them.â
Wooyoung cocked his head. âWell, there are a few of them that work as double agents. I do know this one guy--â
âWooyoung, enough,â Yeosang quietly but effectively cut the other off.
âI thought she was with you!â Wooyoung whined.
âYes, she is. You can trust Silver. But you shouldnât just be blabbing all your information into the air just because you like the sound of your own voice.â
Wooyoung looked a bit bashful at the scolding. âOkay, Yeosang, I hear you.â Wooyoung perked right back up, changing the subject. âHow do you know Yeosang?â
You press your lips together, looking to Yeosang for a clue of how much Wooyoung knew. âSheâs the love of my life,â Yeosang said with no hesitation.
âYeosang!â You jumped on him to cover his mouth. âWeâve been friends since we were kids,â you supplied instead. Obviously your identity was a hot commodity, if he wasnât telling the rebellion or Wooyoung for that matter.
Wooyoung nodded. âIâm jealous. I wish I had known Yeosang since we were kids.â
Your shoulders drooped. You hadn't exactly been around Yeosang the entire time. Your guilt weighed you down once again. âYeah. Heâs the best.â
Yeosangâs arm moved around your waist and he hugged you, then pulled your hands from his mouth. There was some movement behind a door. Yeosang threw out his hand and the door slammed open to reveal another person behind it. âWeâre not the only ones youâre keeping safe here, I see.â
Wooyoung began to stare at the ceiling. âAbout thatâŚâ
The keeper of the safehouse began an interesting story about how the woman had sought refuge, and Wooyoung had taken pity on her. Eventually, Wooyoung had become suspicious of her, though. The girl had a jacket with the government insignia on her when Wooyoung had rescued her. When Mingi had visited, he had insisted that Wooyoung toss her back out.
âItâs not like he had any leg to stand on!â Wooyoung protested. âHe keeps carrying your sunshine friend around like a sack of potatoes over his shoulder.â A look comes over his face, as if heâs momentarily distracted by a thought. âItâs kind of romantic if you take out the part where he thinks sheâs related to the government.â Wooyoung shook his head as if to dislodge his distraction. âAnyways, this one hasnât done anything to prove sheâs a part of the government. Sheâs decided sheâs safer here and since this is a safe houseâŚâ Wooyoung shrugged, as if that was enough said.
âWe need to get the government off Silverâs trail for a bit,â Yeosang said soberly to Wooyoung.
âNot easy to hide with all that silver hair, huh?â Wooyoung beamed.
You smiled painfully. âSomething like that.â
The woman in the other room finally came out. âWhat if you⌠colored your hair?â
Wooyoung cocked his head in thought. âThat could work.â Then he snapped his fingers. âDamn, if only the convenience store was still open, we could pop down and grab a dye kit.â
The woman rolled her eyes at Wooyoungâs antics. âIâm just trying to help.â
Wooyoungâs sarcasm faded from his face. âI know, I know.â
âWe could use charcoal,â You mused. âIâve done it before.â
Wooyoung stood up quickly. âIâll start burning something right away.â
Yeosang winced. âCanât we just use whatâs leftover from the tea you heated up?â
Wooyoung grinned. âWhereâs the fun in that?â
The woman brushed a skirt under her thighs and sat down beside you. âSo⌠youâre afflicted, huh?â
âIâŚâ You watched as Yeosang helped Wooyoung lift a few items with his powers. Clearly, this place was truly a safe place. You smiled hesitantly. âIâve got a trick or two up my sleeve.â
The woman nodded sagely, tucking some hair behind her ear. âInvisibility is going to come in handy.â
You both froze, meeting each otherâs eyes slowly. Then you let out a breath. Clearly this woman was just like you. âDo you--?â
âI just see what might be!â She scuffed her shoe against the floor. âA lot of use thatâs been.â
You understood her frustration with a power that wasnât in your control. âTell me about it.â
âWell, if I can tell you anything that will help youâŚâ The woman, you decided she was kind of like a solid rock, something steady, like a willow tree with its roots deep into the ground. âStick with him. You wonât be safe but youâll be secure.â
You let out a bitter laugh. âYou donât have to see the future to know that.â
Willow chewed her lip, still hesitating. âDonât let Yeosang look into me. If you could do one favor for me. I know you donât know me but⌠donât let Wooyoung find out what my powers are. I want to tell him myself.â
You met the eyes of Willow and you felt something⌠beyond just the companionship of being outcasts of this fucked up world. She⌠Did she feel something for Wooyoung? Both of your gazes moved towards the loud man, who was busy nagging Yeosang about not bothering to bring him any alcohol even though Yeosang ran a bar.
âIâll do my best,â is the best you can offer Willow. She nods and gets up to help with the charcoal mixture for your hair.
âIt wonât last very long,â You tell Yeosang. âIâve had to do this a couple of times.â
Yeosang nodded, his eyes far away. âMaybe itâll be enough to get you into another hidey hole. The safehouse is only temporary.â The both of you watched as Wooyoung leaned forward, clearly teasing Willow, who looked a bit flustered right now. âWell, only temporary for most.â A soft smile pulled at Yeosangâs lips, and you could have sworn you heard him whisper âgood for himâ.
Wooyoung stirs an old pot, the plastic handle long broken off, and the pot was dented and didnât sit on the embers of the fire well. Still, with his long stick, he stirred the mixture as if he was a chef of old in a kitchen. He looked determined to help. No wonder Yeosang and he were drawn together; they were both souls looking to do more.
Something you should take note of. Maybe you could help Willow? Perhaps this was your first step to redeeming yourself. It was, after all, one of Yeosangâs wishes for you. As long as it didnât harm anyone or yourself, youâd do your best.
âThis needs to brew for a while,â Wooyoung declared. âYouâll stay the night.â
âWhereâŚ?â You looked around. There was the couch you were sitting on. You assumed the other door led to Wooyoungâs bedroom. Was that where Willow had been?
âOh, youâll sleep on the couch, of course,â Wooyoung winked gratuitously. âNo problem for you two love birds, right?â
Yeosang laughed loudly, clapping his hand down on your shoulder. âWeâre happy youâll have us, Wooyoung.â
Wooyoung sent Yeosang a dirty look. âWell, of course Iâm happy to have you. What do you think I am, a monster turning out my best friend?â
The fire snapped merrily as Wooyoung ushered Willow into his bedroom to give you and Yeosang some space. Which was ridiculous. Itâs not like you and Yeosang would⌠your face burned up when you remembered Yeosang pulled you against his body the other night. Maybe you were wrong.
You jumped a foot in the air when Yeosang ran a finger down your cheek scarred softly. âPenny for your thoughts?â
âNothing. Itâs nothing,â You snapped. âYou canât just tell everyone youâre travelling around with someone precious to you, Yeosang!â
âWooyoung isnât just anyone,â Yeosang denied, folding his arms behind his head as he sat back on the couch. âAnd besides, youâre not denying it.â
âThereâs no doubting your feelings on the matter,â you grumbled under your breath.
Suddenly, you found yourself on your back, with Yeosang above you. His eyes studied your face intently. âAnd your feelings?â
Your heart sped up. Yeosang looked gorgeous in the firelight; it flickered against his skin, only making him glow even more. He was so fucking handsome, it hurt to look at him, sometimes. What he ever saw in you, you truly had no clue. But for some reason he saw the best version of yourself. Your mouth went dry. âIâŚâ
Your body began to flicker in and out of existence, and you sighed. Way for your body to betray you. âGet off of me, Yeosang. What if Wooyoung were to come out here and see usâŚ?â
Yeosang smiled angellically. âSee us what?â
Your eyes avoided his face. You couldn't form proper sentences when he was looking at you like that. âJust get off.â
You yelped as Yeosang instead scooped you against his body and flipped the positions. Now you were lying against his body, and his back was against the couch. âWeâll be up in a few hours. Try to get some sleep, please.â Yeosangâs words washed over you, the steady beat of his own heart calming your nerves immediately. âThen weâll dye your hair and see if we canât find another hidey hole.â
âWooyoungâs going to tease us if he finds you holding me like this,â You canât help but murmur as you fight slumber.
âWooyoung would tease a stone about being grey, itâs just his nature. Sleep, Silver. Iâll watch over you,â Yeosang whispered. Then he kissed the top of your head and rubbed your back until you did indeed fall contently asleep.
The charcoal mixture did not work upon waking up with Yeosang. Your body shimmered in and out of existence after exhausting all the effort into rubbing the mixture into your hair. You were worried about the government finding you again. You were worried about putting Yeosang and everything he had worked his adult life into, including the bar.
Later that morning Mingi showed up, still carrying your sunshine friend around like they're a sack of potatoes. You glared from your spot on the couch with Yeosang. Before you can demand how or why Mingi was here, the tall man beats you to it.
âWhat's she doing here?â Like he canât even say your name. âIt better be news on Mouse, Yeosang.â
You folded your arms over your chest. He called your sunshine friend Mouse?! Mouse hoisted herself up by grabbing Mingiâs hair so that she could see who Mingi was talking to. Her eyes lingered on Yeosang and then landed on you. The sunshine practically beamed out of her eyes then.
âCan I get down, Mingi? I want to talk to--â
To your utter surprise, Mingi agreed. He didn't unceremoniously dump Mouse either. He carefully held her against his body as she was set on her feet. He said something in his cave voice to her, which made her blush. Well, that was new. Who knows what had occurred while they had been traveling in the desert.
Still, the behemoth dragged Mouse to the couch, and continued with his verbal poison. âThanks. Are you staying? Do I have to play nice with this bi--?â
âMingi.â Yeosang and Mouse both covered up the foul words he was about to say. Yeosang's arms bulged as if he was holding back but Mouse proceeded to beg for him to stop although citing she wasn't sure why he felt the way he did.
You knew exactly why he hated you. He hated you for the same reason you hated yourself. The same reason his own self-loathing ate away at his consciousness, according to Yeosang. You both failed that night and San was lost to you all.
âShe knows why I don't like her. What she did. Or didn't do.â
Still, you couldn't help but flinch at the truth of his words.
Despite his obvious ire with you, Mingi sat down beside you, placing Mouse on his lap and arranging her like a doll. Still, it seemed like Mouse didn't mind, so you kept your mouth shut in that regard.
âYou said you missed them, right? So talk. Don't expect me to acknowledge them. I don't like cowards.â
Mouse took your hands in her own. When it was obvious you couldn't tell her how you knew Yeosang, she talked about herself. Where she had been since you saw her in the bar. How she wanted to go back with you and Yeosang and Mingi and actually have a drink. You didn't think that was possible but you didn't want to kill her dream.
âOh! Also, I thought you might want to know, Mingi and I figured out my powers!â Mouse announced.
Everyone froze. It was still difficult to speak of Adrenaline and its effects, even now, with years between you and the Facility. Even now with the government looming on your tail.
But here was Mouse, prepared to explain it in great detail. How her feelings created illusions. How her illusions affected the one who made her feel those feelings. How Mingi wanted to help her control them.
Suddenly, no one could make eye contact. It hit a little too close to home, learning to control your powers as children with the cruel handlers in the Facility. Regardless of your opinion of Mingi, or perhaps in view of his new treatment of Mouse, you were sure she was in better hands than you and the other children had been.
Before you know it, while talking with everyone, and Wooyoung loudly announcing to no one that was listening that he was making dinner, you had fallen into a false sense of security.
â...and how you're going to repay for getting information on your little mouse is by helping me eliminate whoever is hunting Silver.â You tuned into the ass end of Yeosang negotiating with Mingi.
Mingi frowned. âI know I owe you but--â
âYou do.â Yeosang met Mingiâs frown with a firm gaze. âAnd you'll help me do this.â
Out of nowhere, a beep begins to sound, interrupting everything. Wooyoung paused his vigorous cooking at the sound of it. Just as quickly, he snapped out of it, zooming towards where the sound was coming from. Magpie and Wooyoung have an exchange of words and then the safehouse keeper is grabbing a bag, looking at a device and heading for the door to the outside. Wooyoung stopped, looking back at Magpie and another type of silent conversation happens before Wooyoung is tossing the device to Mingi, asking him to go in his stead. Yeosang agreed easily which had you wondering why exactly Wooyoung would want to run out the door and then decide it was better to send out others. Then again, you all had your secrets and trauma.
To your utter horror, Mingi decided to drive you all through the dunes to the location. It seemed the device Mingi had given him, a tracker, showed that the person you were attempting to save was far away. Mouse offered you a trembling smile over Mingiâs shoulder, her typical roost, but smartly didnât say anything.
While the hours seemed to pass in anxiety-ridden slowness, Yeosangâs thumb stroked the back of your hand the entire time. You wanted to say something to him, anything, but it didnât seem like the time. All you could wonder was if you would get there in time to save someone. Finally.
When Mingi killed the engine, the darkness still blanketing everything, you knew it was time.
This was it. This was your chance at redemption, you could feel it in the way that Yeosang clung to your hand as you ran into a battle unknown. You could feel it in the way that Mingiâs shoulders were tense. You could feel it in your own body, because you were solid and unflickering. It was as if your fear was nowhere to be found. Had Yeosang conquered it.
âI canât see anything,â Yeosang protested, loping beside you easily.
âWeâre getting closer,â Mingi growled over his shoulder, eyes glancing at the tracker.
A cluster of guns went off and a roar of anger echoed through the dunes. Whoever was in trouble, they sure had pissed off the government. Either that or they were too valuable to lose. You knew that feeling all too well.
The sun was beginning to rise, the darkness of the early morning slowly releasing its hold. Soft blues became a backdrop to a place that had you stopping in your tracks. âItâsâŚâ
How did you give voice to the one place that you did not want to return to? To the place of your torment and anguish. To the place where Yeosang and Mingi and⌠and San struggled with you through the experiments and the torture as mere children.
You were at the proving graveyard.
There wasnât any time to process what you were feeling. You could see two figures in the distance running away from a group of what must be the pursuing soldiers. Since when were there more than one person to save? The soldiers were catching up.
âWe have to hurry,â Yeosang pulled at you and began to ran again.
âFuck,â Mingi cursed, hefting Mouse higher up on his shoulder. âWe need a plan!â
âThereâs no time!â You shouted, keeping up with Yeosang.
You watched without the ability to help as the larger of the two picked up the smaller and leapt farther away. It shouldnât have surprised you that you were coming to save someone with Adrenaline but it was more than that.
âYou two, go after the one that needs help. Mouse and I will go help the other one,â Mingi barked.
Yeosang nodded and started to branch off, splitting up. You watched as the larger person in trouble leapt back into the fray. They must be trying to keep the other safe. Your heart sank. You werenât going to be that person this time, you refused. You werenât a coward any longer. You were going to start helping others, not be the one always in need of help.
The fight, despite your quick response, was starting to go in the soldierâs favor. Mingiâs long legs were working their hardest to catch up with the other person who was fighting. Hand to hand combat could only go so far against soldiers who were armed. As much as it seemed like they were getting overwhelmed, it didnât seem like they were getting harmed. Odd.
You and Yeosang finally manage to catch up with the smaller person, who turned out to be a woman in a labcoat. Is this the person you were saving? No wonder the government wasn't too keen on letting her get away. If she was one of them, she would know too much to let loose into this world.
Before you could introduce yourself, however, there was more commotion. You watched as the man who was fighting lifted one of the cars that was nose first in the sand and chuck it at a knot of soldiers, taking out a quarter of their numbers. Then he leapt at another set of soldiers, fighting continuously, tirelessly.
âSan!â The woman shouted at the man fighting for the both of them.
The near-invincibility, the super-strength, the power-leaping⌠it couldn't be. San wasâŚ
The man turned around at the lab coat womanâs shout and it was as clear as the sun finally cresting over the dunes and washing the red-sand with its light. The boy from your childhood, the one with a heart of a lion and the courage to match, was standing bathed in the golden hour. He was alive, San was alive!
You had but a moment to dash away a tear before meeting Yeosangâs eyes. He nodded gruffly, turning his head away. You didnât have to say anything. It was obvious that this time you were going to help San, and save him. There was no other alternative.
âDonât move, weâll go help San and come back for you!â Yeosang assured the woman before taking off towards the fight.
You followed behind him, arms pumping and legs lifting with all your might. All this running was burning your lungs but you refused to stop.
Mingi had joined the fight already, having put down Mouse, and taking out a few soldiers already. However, when the woman shouted your dead-friendâs name, he froze. Mingi hadn't moved, mouth open, unable to contain his complete shock. Not even his super power could rouse him as a soldier aimed at the tall manâs body.
âNo!â
Mouse, who had been using her powers to confuse a clutch of soldiers, immediately dropped her hands and launched herself at the man who had been keeping her captive. Her shoulder hit him in time to help the bullet avoid his flesh. But she ended up taking the bullet herself, that was evident as red blossomed from her shoulder.
Yeosang and you caught up with the two. Yeosang crouched immediately, pressing a hand to staunch Mouseâs wound. When that wasnât enough, he ripped a piece of the hem of his shirt, in order to tie it around Mouseâs shoulder. Mingi looked in horror at the cost of his moment, frozen once again in the moment of danger.
âMingi!â You shouted at your old childhood friend. âMingi, we canât do this again.â
For the first time since you had reconnected with Mingi, he showed worry. He started to appear just like the child of the past. âI canât--â
You brought your hands to his shoulders and shook him. âWe can save him. We have another chance. We can save Mouse. And we can save the lady San is trying to help. We wonât fail.â
âMingi,â Mouse said in a faint voice, clearly filled with pain, but still smiling through it. âIâŚI'll be fine. After all, I'm good at hiding, right?â Mouse jerked her chin towards San. âGo.â
Yeosang stood and moved in front of both you and Mingi. His eyes were serious but there was a small pull at the corner of his mouth. âLetâs go save San.â He appeared confident that he could succeed with you two. He reached down with both his hands. You clasped one and Mingi the other. Yeosang pulled you both up and the three of you turned back to the tide of battle.
San may be invincible, but it was clear he was tiring. His motions were a little slow, his reaction time a little lax. He needed help. He needed his friends.
âSan!â Yeosang couldn't help but shout out.
San whipped around, eyes wide with confusion. âYeosang? Mingi? Silver?â
âWatch out!â Mingi shouted, his powers letting him know that two soldiers were behind him, looking to take him out with his back turned.
San ducked without another prompt, avoiding one punch, and sweeping out a leg to take out the other soldier. His fighting abilities were at another level. What had he been doing this entire time you three thought he was dead?
Yeosang put his hand on a car and moved it with his telekinesis, making a few yell and scramble to avoid the twisted, empty wreck, distracting them from harming San, but still more seemed to approach the invisible man.
Once again, every one of your friends was helpful, useful, doing something while you were left to watch on. Mouse was bleeding somewhere, hurt as well. No, you werenât the trembling child that had been hurt time and time again any longer. You were here to prove with Mingi that you werenât a coward. You were here to make sure that San survived another sunrise. You were here because Yeosang believed in you. You were here because you had found a friend in Mouse, a comrade-in-arms with Magpie. You were here because⌠you loved yourself. Your powers. Your disabilities. You were you. And you werenât afraid of that anymore.
You dashed forward, coming to Sanâs side. Your hand descended on Sanâs bicep and you both turned invisible. You couldn't see it, but you could hear Sanâs infectious grin. âYou learned to control your power!â
You didnât have any time to self reflect anymore. Mingi turned, his sense advising him about the soldier that had whipped out one of the feared electric batons of your childhood, going for Yeosang. Mingiâs eyes narrowed, remembering the attack from the proving grounds with Hyuk. He blocked the attack, grabbed the attacking manâs arm and threw him over his hip. When the baton fell to the ground, you snatched it up, letting go of San.
The three of you stared at San. His wise eyes paused on you all and then he nodded. âLetâs do this.â
San launched himself into the battle once again, landing on top of the car that Yeosang had floating in the air like a wrecking ball. His land caused the car to slam to the ground, taking out more soldiers with it. Ming shouted out warnings to you all, doing his best to disarm and disable any soldier that dared take him on. Yeosang touched some fallen soldier's bodies, sending them careening out like ragdolls. You ran and touched your comrades, putting them into the cloak of invisibility when they were in danger, and using the baton to stun soldiers to unconsciousness. The four of you worked fluidly, just as you the facility had been working to break you from. You banded together and you took out the entire battalion that had pursued San.
By the end of it, there was no one to challenge you. San bent over, his hands braced against his thighs, clearly beyond fatigued. Mingiâs eyes searched the desert for Mouse, for she was nowhere to be seen. And Yeosang⌠he had eyes for only you.
âI knew you could do it!â He shouted in triumph. He jogged to your side, lifting you up and swinging you around.
You smiled down at him as he lowered you down, his face became serious. You knew that look. âNo. Wait. This is not the--â
Yeosang silenced you with a kiss. It was a kiss full of his happiness for you. It made your mind spin with its intensity. Itâs as if, for a moment, the only thing that existed in the desert was you and your childhood best friend. Your Yeosang.
San whooped and catcalled. âWhen did that happen?â He shouted.
âThe hell if I know,â Mingi replied. âShe hasnât seen him since--â
--since you died.
It was unspoken and yet it held itself aloft in the air, as if it could be dashed in a moment. As if San would fade and the three of you had only imagined this entire fight.
Yeosang broke the kiss with you, but held you close. âWe should regroup. You can tell us everything when we get back to Wooyoungâs safehouse.â
Eventually, Mingiâs powers helped him find Mouse. He carefully, tenderly held her to his chest, almost appearing as if was holding glass. San passed out soon after. You also found the lady in the labcoat passed out as well. Somehow, Mingi, Yeosang and you managed to get the others back to Mingiâs vehicle and you made the trek back to Wooyoungâs safehouse.
You were driving, considering if anything went south while the sun was up and you were visible to any patrols, you could make the car invisible with your controlled power. The idea of being able to save everyone once again almost made you giddy with desire to see it happen. Almost.
âLook at them,â Yeosang said softly about the two couples in the back of the vehicle.
You glanced in the cracked rearview mirror, finding San and the lady he saved passed out together, heads knocking gently against each other. You had no idea who this woman was but you knew without a shadow of a doubt that if San was trying to save her, that she was one of the good ones. Mingi snuggled Mouse, completely in his lap, careful of her wounds of course. It was evident that your sunshine friend meant everything to your childhood friend and you couldn't help but want things to work out between them.
âItâs nice to see love win, yeah?â Yeosang prompted you.
âDonât talk about me like Iâm not here,â Mingi grumbled. âWho said anything about love?â
Yeosang turned around completely in the car. âAfter everything we witnessed, and you want to deny that love wins? What about our love for San helping us win?â
âThatâs different,â Mingi denied.
âYou better love her,â You snapped suddenly, weary of this Mingi right now. âThe way youâve been taking care of her⌠if I were her, Iâd fall for you too. Just do right by her, do you hear me, Mingi?â
Mingi looked like he wanted to argue with you, but when he met your eyes in the rearview mirror, he didnât. âYeah.â
âSuch a lame reply,â You scoffed.
Yeosang watched your interaction and the lightbulb suddenly went off over his head. âYou guys made up?â
âDonât get used to it,â Mingi and you said in unison, causing Yeosang to laugh.
Wooyoungâs face was beyond relieved when you all showed back, battered, but alive. Mingi gave Wooyoung back his radio tracker. Wooyoung supplied you all with some medical supplies and food and water. There was limited space at Wooyoungâs safehouse, so the plan for Mingi to fix up Mouse at Yeosangâs bar was made. A quick conversation between Yeosang and San had San deciding to head back to the bar with the labcoat lady known as Sage and you as well. So it was settled.
Yeosang clapped Wooyoungâs bicep in a weird bro-shake. âWeâll return with some damn good alcohol next time,â The bar owner promised, making Wooyoung grin widely.
You also exchanged some final words to Magpie. âLove won today, for all of us. Maybe itâll win for you too.â
Once the six of you were back at Yeosangâs bar, quickly closed and everyone shooed out, San began his long story about what actually happened to him that fateful night. How Seonwoo had saved him. San was instead brought up, like the other children that had been caught that night, to become the governmentâs keen tools. He suffered the future that you and Yeosang and Mingi had escaped. It wasnât all bad, considering Seonwoo was working for the rebellion and kept him safe.
Thatâs where Sage came in. The woman seemed wide-eyed in wonder about it all. She certainly didnât view the group of you Adrenaline-afflicted as the other scientists once did when you lived in the Facility. She was more of a lab rat, as it turned out. She was Seonwooâs protege. You were sad to learn of his death, all the Facility-tortured children were. She had an unfortunate incident with another soldier and thatâs how the two of them were on the run. Luckily, San had the back up S.O.S signal and tracker and the rest was history.
âWhat will you do now?â You couldn't help but wonder as you all sat in various positions in Yeosangâs bar.
San looked conflicted. His eyes shot towards Sage, who was twisting her hands in her lap and deliberately not looking at San. âIâve got to get her to safety.â
Sage opened her mouth and then thought better upon it, closing it without speaking.
Yeosang slapped San on the shoulder. âThat's why you're here. Weâll get you to the rebellion without another hiccup.â
âButâŚâ Mingi hefted Mouse in his arms, almost as if to distract himself. âThis won't be the last time we see you⌠right?â
San must have recognized old Mingi--the vulnerable child he used to be--and knew exactly how to respond. âOf course!â he said, grinning like he was just going to go to sleep in the bed above Mingi, like the old days.
âSan,â You bit down on your lip. How did one apologize for another's misfortune?
âYou don't have to say anything,â San replied softly. âEverything happened as it should have.â He glanced at Sage again. âWe were exactly where we needed to be when we needed each other.â
After promising that they would see San again, Yeosang guided San and Sage to his underground tunnels to ensure they got to their destination. San had decided that their best course of direction was literally to go underground, to the rebellion. San needed to tell them that his position in the Facility was compromised but he was clearly concerned about Sage as well. Considering that was exactly what Yeosang had done the minute you were in danger, you couldn't begrudge them that, even though it hurt to see San leave once again. You hoped he continued to keep Sage safe, whatever else those two were going to go through.
Eventually, Yeosang gave up his bedroom in the apartment above so that Mingi could finally nurse Mouse back to good health. And then there were two.
Yeosang was still behind the bar, wiping it down like it was just another day, while you still sat in front of him at the bar on a barstool. Except it wasnât just another day, but far beyond that.
âYeosang.â
Yeosang sent you a sweet smile your way. âWe donât have to talk about it. We dealt with a lot today.â
You shook your head, your silver hair swaying around your head, brushing against your scars. âNo, I think we do.â
Yeosang pressed his lips together. Was he nervous? âIâm really proud of you today. You made up with Mingi and you proved to yourself that you can control your powers, despite your fear. You did good.â
Your chest became warm from his praise but he was dancing around the true subject. âAnd the kiss?â
âThe kiss was in the moment. I--if it made you uncomfortableâŚâ Yeosang sounded choked up about it.
You cocked your head. What happened to the confident Yeosang from the past week? The one that wouldnât let you hide from him, inside or out. âYeosang, what are we?â
Yeosangâs shoulders curved in on himself, almost as if he was a big dog trying to make himself seem smaller. âBest friends?â he offered.
You clucked your tongue. Since when had you changed positions? âTry again.â
Yeosang slowly raised his eyes. âBoss and employee?"
You couldn't help but laugh silently at that. âAre you offering me a job?â
âA woman that could turn invisible would be awfully useful for a guy who runs an information market,â Yeosang smiled hesitantly.
âTrue.â
â...does that mean youâll accept my job proposal?â
âWell,â You drew out the syllable in thought. âIsnât it frowned upon for the boss to be in love with his employee?â
Yeosangâs eyes widened. âYeah, I suppose thatâs unprofessional.â
âThen perhaps we should be partners.â
âWhat did you just say?â
âYeosang, you have been there for me for literally everything in life. You were even there for me when I needed to walk away from everything. You were there for me when I wanted to end my life. You were there for me when I wanted my life to end when we were children. You were there for me when all others would report me for coins. You were there for me when I finally found myself. Donât you think you should be there for me now that I know what I want?â
Yeosangâs voice was husky with emotion. âAnd what is it that you want?â
âA life with the person who means the most to me.â
Even if Shadow had lost Hongjoong, even if the future for Magpie and Wooyoung was still uncertain, even if Sage and San were just starting their journey and even if you had to beat up Mingi to get him to admit his adoration for Mouse, you had to do this for yourself and for everyone else fighting for their love. Because you had fought for yours and you deserved to take those winnings.
Yeosang gave up on the rag he had been using to wipe down the bar and circumvented the space that dared insert itself between you and him. He stopped just short of where you had swiveled around to meet him. âPlease tell me that means me because I will float whoever else youâre talking about and theyâll never kiss the ground ever again.â
You smiled broadly, barely holding back a happy laugh. âOf course that means you, you goof!â
Yeosangâs eyes darkened and this time you didnât feel weird or off or worried or unsure. This time you knew what you wanted. âI donât think it would be a good idea for our first time to be on the barstool, Yeosang.â
âMaybe the second time then,â Yeosang replied cheekily but nonetheless, effortlessly scooped you up and took you to his office.
âWe can talk about our partnership later,â You joked.
Yeosang confidently held you against his body with one hand and swiped all his belongings on his desk off, before depositing you there. âThere will be no talk about it,â Yeosang said gruffly, âThis is what seals the deal.â
Yeosang held your face and kissed you. Your legs remained around his thick waist, eager to keep him close. This time you kissed him back, sure in your feelings for this man who never doubted his own. You hoped he felt your love for him because there was no denying it now. You loved Yeosang.
âWait--â You pushed back on Yeosangâs chest.
âIf youâre going to tell me that we have to stop, I donât think I can agree with you,â Yeosang growled.
âNo--â You paused to laugh. âYeosang, I love you.â
His lust lessened because pure wonder and love for you replaced it. âYou love me?â
Your hand reached up to thumb across his birthmark. âI think Iâve loved you since that moment we slept together under the covers, telling each other why we were here.â
âMe too,â Yeosang whispered, like admitting that might break the spell between you two.
Thatâs when you pulled off each otherâs clothes. Yeosang had seen you earlier the day you had tripped and spilled the dirty water from the basin over your tank top but this time he could admire more of you. His gaze burned into every inch of your skin. If your skin became heated, it wasnât from embarrassment but feeling like you were a person who deserved to be lusted after. Yeosangâs body wasnât anything to skim past either. His body had clearly been sculpted from years of working for the rebellion, for helping others and being on the run himself. He truly was gorgeous, your childhood best friend. No, your love.
âI canât believe I was away for so long. I was an idiot,â You said as your hands admired Yeosangâs chiseled body.
Yeosang huffed in laughter. âOh, so now my body is what makes you change your mind.â
You leaned forward, to press a soft kiss to one of his pectoral muscles. âI guess you should have taken your shirt off and came and rescued me from the slums a long time ago,â you joked back.
Yeosangâs arms wrapped around your head, practically smothering you against his chest. âYou needed your space.â
âSomething youâre clearly not worried about now,â You joked, muffled by your lips against his skin.
When Yeosang released you, you continued to kiss down his body until he couldn't take it anymore. He gripped your head and raised you back, slanting his lips against yours, your naked chest against his. Your nails dug into the muscles on his back and he groaned into your mouth.
âAt least wait until Iâm inside of you before you do that,â He complained.
You raised an eyebrow at him. âDo you want me to scratch your back while we have sex?â
Yeosangâs eyes practically rolled into the back of his head at your words. âGod, yes.â
You bit down on your lip and glanced down at Yeosangâs cock, clearly pressed up against his stomach. âThen maybe we should get you inside of me then.â
Yeosang swallowed loudly, then lined up his cockhead to your wet slit. He pushed in, slowly, eyes watching your face for any sign of discomfort. Instead, you moaned loudly as he fought against your clenching walls. He felt so good. He was so good.
âYeosang,â You choked on his name.
âYouâre doing so well for me, my love,â Yeosang said.
You clenched down on him, from the praise and from the new nickname and Yeosang accidentally shoved the rest of himself deep into you. You both cried out together and then laughed at the moment. Yeosangâs forehead was pressed against yours. âReady?â
âYeosang, please!â You begged.
Once Yeosang focused on moving in and out of you, your hands flew back to his back, scratching down with the desperacy of remaining grounded. âOh, shit.â
Yeosang hummed, husky voice tight with desire. âDoes that feel good?â
âSo good, Yeosang, oh my god, please.â
âPlease what?â Yeosang growled, biting down on his lip.
âMore, more, more,â You chanted.
You laid back on the desk, with Yeosang's palms planted behind your hips to keep your body trapped so he could slam into you. The harder he thrusted into you, the louder the sound of skin on skin echoed through the office. You couldn't be ashamed, however, all you could feel was the pleasure of being with the one you loved and who loved you back.
âI--fuck--â Yeosang cursed quietly. âAre you close?â
âMhmm,â You nodded, âSo close.â
Yeosang adjusted his angle and then you were gone. One more pass deep inside of you and you were seeing stars. You screamed his name, nails now clawing across his forearms. The pleasure that you felt right now, was worth all the work you put into yourself.
You opened your eyes as you felt Yeosangâs thrusts become sloppy. He panted above you, nose scrunching as he whispered the only name you had ever known, too young to remember what your parents had ever called you. It was who you were and it was perfect coming from Yeosangâs mouth.
âThere.â Yeosang gasped. âDeal sealed. Partners in crime and in life,â Yeosang proclaimed.
You threw an arm over your eyes in exhaustion. âYouâre ridiculous.â
âRidiculously in love, maybe,â Yeosang shot back.
You scoffed. âLetâs clean up. I want to see if Mouse is up yet.â
âPriorities, huh?â Yeosang raised an eyebrow at you. You swore that you had never seen anything sexier in your entire life.
You pressed a happy kiss to his lips and hummed in agreement. âConfession to my childhood best friend. Then seal-the-deal sex. Then checking up on my sunshine friend. Priorities.â
After disentangling yourself and getting dressed, you opened the door to the bar from the office and jogged to the stairs that led to Yeosangâs quarters. When you saw that Mingi wasnât out of Yeosangâs bedroom, you moved to the door, knocking gently. Your impatience to see Mouse okay had you pushing through regardless of what was on the other side.
You gasped as you took in Mingi braced over Mouse. You let out a sigh of relief. At least she was conscious. Still, what the hell was Mingi thinking???
âCan you not attack her the moment she wakes up, Mingi?â You hissed.
Some movement occurred and Mouseâs face peeped past Mingiâs bicep. âHi! It is totally okay. I am totally okay right here. Mhmm pro-promise.â Mingi moved in closer to Mouse, causing her breath to hitch. Ew.
You rolled your eyes. You guessed this would be your life now? âWell, I thought you might want a drink with me. To help with the pain. Down at the bar. But if you--â
âNo no weâre coming!â Mouse covered Mingiâs mouth before his typical garbage could spew from his lips, smiling adorably. âI-if itâs okay if Mingi--â
âCourse it is. We made up, baby, donât worry.â Mingi spoke past Mouseâs hand as if it was nothing. âLetâs go have a few drinks with our friends, yeah?â
âGuess who I found up and smiling?â You said as you descended the steps back into the Floating Silver.
âOr, you could thank Mingi,â Mingi grumbled, scratching the back of his head. âCan I have my regular, Yeo?â He said, somehow managing to keep Mouse on his lap as he sat sideways on a cracked bench in a booth.
âWhatâs that called, a Grumpy Giant?â You shot at Mingi as you moved behind the bar to help Yeosang with the drinks.
âHa ha ha,â Mingi said sarcastically.
Yeosang looked thoughtful. âActually, thatâs not a bad idea, Silver. I was trying to think of a name for his monstrosity."
âWhatâs that?â Mouse piped up.
âGinger beer, a shot of ginseng, dark rum and a slice of lab-grown lemon,â Yeosang supplied.
You covered your mouth, giggling. âNo, seriously, that sounds exactly what a Grumpy Giant would be!â
Mingi frowned, bemoaning his self-made fate. He looked down at Mouse, who couldn't help but laugh as well. âNo, seriously, guys! Thatâs not funny. Yeosang, donât make that a thing.â
Yeosang shook his head. âIâm adding it to the menu the next minute I have.â
Mingi covered his face in lament and you all bursted into belly laughter.
Yeosang made a bright, lemon and bubbly drink for Mouse, which matches her perfectly. A tequila and lime juice over ice is for Yeosang. And for you, he creates something with liquid smoke that he said he stole from a transport for the inner city. The four of you cheered at the booth and drank, celebrating a job well done, and frankly, a new, budding friendship that would work for the rest of your years.
Because even if the government was after you all, and even if your Adrenaline put you in danger, you all had each other and thatâs all that truly mattered, in the end.
Special thanks goes to Ares for being with me on this journey the entire way. for sprinting with me these past months, for pouring her all into her fic along with me, and over all intertwining and growing these characters and this story into something that will be beloved to the both of us for the rest of our friendship. Please go give her story some love and to see how our stories elevate each others.
To anyone that has read this already!!! There was an entire section missing and I apologize for the posting error đ
> Luckily, there was no sandstorm. It was the simple struggle of walking through the dunes. The sands constantly shifted. Even a slight breeze would bring up a dusting of sand, that could blind you or make you cough, your tongue getting coated with it. You pulled the collar of your cape up above your mouth as Yeosang found a scarf and tied it around his face as well. You two looked like a bunch of thieves in broad daylight. But it was the only way to survive the harshness of the desert.
> here is where you will find the beginning of Wooyoung and Magpie's section, im so angry rn đ
> Yeosang leaned over, his elbows against his knees. He let Mingi know that Mouse was in the clear, despite the difficulty of having to dig around without a proper name. Mingi seemed to visibly sag with relief, which was another development. Although you had known in your gut that Mouse was on your side, it was good news that Yeosang had found nothing on your sunshine friend.
â¤Pairing: Kim Hongjoong x Reader (f) x Jeong Yunho
â¤Genre: smut
â¤Au: fantasy, royal
â¤Trope: throuple
â¤Rating: 18+, Minors Do Not Interact
â¤Word Count: 1,166
â¤Warnings: double penetration, nipple play, praise kink, degradation kink, comforting! Dom! Hongjoong, mean! Dom! Yunho, swords crossing! (Mxm due to dp!), mentions of future pregnancy, everyone is drunk with pleasure, sex with no protection
â¤Master List ~ Day Twenty-Four: Wooyoung {Creampie} ~ Day Twenty-Six: Seonghwa & San {Free Use}
You whimpered because that was all the energy you could summon in this moment. Hongjoong was rubbing your back, the thick girth of his cock stretching you. You were both in various stages of undress: Hongjoong with only his flowing shirt left on and you with your skirt shoved up your legs and the stays of your top long undone so that your breasts could be free.
Your other partner at this moment, Yunho, was currently playing with your nipples from behind you, allowing you the time to adjust to Hongjoong fulling sheathed inside of you. For Yunho was next and that was going to be something.
âI canât do this,â you declined immediately. âYunho wonât fit.â
Yunho sighed behind you. âI told you she would get whiney about it.â
Hongjoong smiled down at you encouragingly, continuing to rub your back. âYou can do it. We talked about this, remember? The only way the Fall and Spring courts will stop fighting over who gets Summer now is by both of us getting a fair chance to get you pregnant. This was the only compromise we could agree on. Yunho and I must fuck you at the same time.â
Your eyes rolled into the back of your head in near-delirium. Hongjoong was making you feel so full! And besides that, you could feel Yunho rutting against your backside. Why did you have to be the one fertile woman that the Summer Courtâs priestess had discovered was the best womb to conceive the next High King or Queen? The one who fathered them would reign in their stead until they reached the age of maturity.
Yunho pinched your nipples roughly, like the frost of an early spring morning, and you cried out. âIf youâre dripping down Hongjoong, which I have no doubt you are, youâre fine.â
âYouâre so mean, Yunho,â Hongjoong protested, his eyes over your shoulder to frown at the Spring Fae.
âYou can be the warm and comforting one in this bed,â Yunho retorted. âIâll deal with the other side of that coin.â
Hongjoong wrapped an arm around the small over your back and leaned so that he fell towards the bed, hair halo-ing him beautifully. âCome now, sweetheart, letâs get ready for Yunho, shall we? Heâs actually been quite patient for Spring.â Hongjoongâs sweet giggle filled your ears at what must have been Yunho rolling his eyes at the comment.
âYes, Summer, be a good little whore and expose your cunt with another dick deep inside it for me,â Yunho said derisively, lust coating his tone.
âHongjoong!â You whined.
The Fall Fae captured your lips in a sultry kiss, one that had you melting in his hold immediately. He hummed happily, a smile stretching his own lips. That hum quickly turned into a choked back moan that you joined in on as Yunho pushed his length into you.
âOh, the both of you!â Yunho complained. But he was sounding strained as well. âItâs so fucking⌠pressed up against your dick itâs⌠Goddess take me.â
Hongjoong broke your kiss, panting and sweating already. âJust⌠push all the way in⌠already, Yunho!â
âI am going--as quickly as her--cunt will--oh, Iâm about to dissolve into these sheets. Why is this beyond bliss?â Yunho moaned.
You were just a receptacle at this point. You felt pleasure--so much pleasure!--it overrode every single thought you could possibly have. You were stuffed with two dicks, one girthy and the other long, and it was more than you thought was possible. But the priestess had assured you that if you were going to birth a child, two dicks would be nothing to compare to that.
âStay with me, sweetheart,â Hongjoong cupped your face and sought to make eye contact with you. âFeels good, doesnât it? Yunhoâs doing a wonderful job.â
âIâm the only one doing a job,â Yunho grumbled. âWhy do you two just get to sit there and take it?â
Hongjoong cocked his head. âOh, you want me to move?â
This time, it was you and Yunho who moaned in unison as Hongjoong moved his cock alongside Yunhoâs and against your walls. The slow pressed of him against your spongey spot inside of you was sending gracious amounts of pleasure licking at your lower half.
â âs too much, Joongie, please, I--â Your nails dug into his plush chest in an attempt to ground yourself.
Hongjoong bit down on his lower lip as his hips worked against yours. âI can feel the way youâre clenching, sweetheart. Youâre greedy for both our cocks. Itâs okay to admit it! Yunho wants to hear how good it feels. Donât you, Yunho?â
Yunhoâs fingers are making what might be perma-bruises around your waist. âI canât fucking think with you moving like this,â Yunho said through gritted teeth.
âSure you can,â Hongjoong teased. âGo on, tell her.â
Yunho swallowed loudly. âHow does⌠it feel⌠honey?â
You whimpered. âJoongieâs rubbing against my front, and youâre against my back, and--Yunnie, no!â
Yunho moved at a separate pace, most likely due to the inability to handle sounding even slightly weak or soft towards you or in front of Hongjoong. âThis is ridiculous, just come inside of her already, Hongjoong. Sheâs just the womb that will bear the High King!â
âYou impatient--ca-careful!â Hongjoong cautioned the Fae behind you. âYouâre--slapping against me!â
âCome inside of her,â Yunho said with a husky tone. âFeel the slide of me against you. You like it, donât you? â
âGoddess! Just--no donât clench down like that, I--â
Between the two of them working opposite of each other inside of you, it was only a matter of time as you came so hard that you almost passed out. Hongjoong and Yunho both came at the same time. Hongjoongâs breathy climax was like music, and Yunhoâs long, drown out grunt was like day and night. But all you could do was focus on your breathing.
âWeâre dripping out of her!â Hongjoong said, slightly panicked. âYunho pulled out quickly!â
The larger Fae flung himself backward, tossing an arm over his face as he recovered. Hongjoong swept you up in his arms, and he lay back beside Yunho. Your lower body was slightly raised, so all the precious baby making seed stayed inside of you.
Hongjoong sent you a tired but happy smile at you. âSee? We did it!â
âIt better hold too. Because I do not want to be back here in another month,â Yunho huffed.
Hongjoong teased the Spring Fae again. âNo? I think that now that we have our dynamics figured out, we might try again to ensure it does hold.â
Yunho sent such a look of complete horror at Hongjoong that the Fall Fae cackled in response. âOh, please, Yunho. You loved it.â
âI--â You needed water but still worked through your dry throat. âI can try again. I just need a little time.â
Hongjoong sent a look of pure adoration at you. âAnd thatâs why Summer is the best season.â
Master List ~ Day Twenty-Four: Wooyoung {Creampie} ~ Day Twenty-Six: Seonghwa & San {Free Use}
With August, we welcome the last traces of summer. The peak of warmer days, long periods of rest and immense nostalgia of simpler times.
In this month, we celebrate its representative flower, the vibrant Poppy. Poppies can symbolize joy and wealth, consolation and deep rest. In folk magic, it often appears in dreams and visions, representing pain relief. The Poppy is also known for representing the beauty of letting go.
âThe poppy does not mourn; it remembersâ.
Rules:
Submission must include feelings of luxury, relaxation, high life, death and rebirth, or simply the appearance of Poppies in your writing or graphics
All rules of the net applyÂ
This is a monthly event, so you must post during the month of June
For writers: No min/max word count, just let the words flow!
For visual creators: Please include at least one element from the Poppies visual in your work.
Please send all submissions to the appropriate designated channel/thread in our Discord for proper organization
Have fun and don´t forget to support other members by checking and sharing their works â¸
