Warnings: Swearing, abandonment, hybrids are only considered as pets, mentions of pre-heat and scent triggers
Premise: A sugar glider hybrid with a broken past. Seven men convinced they can give her the life she's always wanted. Sometimes destiny has a funny way of finding you, and sometimes it smells like Eucalyptus.
Authors notes: Surprise! I know it has been a while, and I'm so sorry about that. I have a few fics I'm finishing up, so I'm hoping I'll have them to you soon! -Anyways, enjoy and please let me know what you think
Masterlist || 001 || 002 || 2.5
Hearing voices of the shelter workers coming down the hall, you quickly swallow down your mouthful of food. It didn’t matter how long you had been here, you still didn't particularly like any of them. It’s not as if they were bad people, they did their job well. But you could never really bring yourself to trust them. The humans you had encountered before being at the shelter were a waking nightmare. This small cage you were given was the only isolated solace you had.
You watched other hybrids come and go, many being adopted into ‘forever homes’ as the workers called it. You didn’t believe in their stories of warm caring homes, with owners that cherished their hybrids. You’d never seen it, so it couldn't be real.
Stalking over to perch behind one of your logs you waited for them to walk right past you. They always did. No one wanted a broken hybrid. A sweet melodic voice echoes in your ears as they approach. Your ears twitch with interest, ok maybe you were slightly curious about this person now.
“Our rodents are kept separately for their safety. However many of them can live in interspecies homes.” You could hear the attendees' voices now. You inwardly can’t stop yourself from rolling your eyes. You really didn’t enjoy this man. “I understand you are hoping for a smaller hybrid.”
“We're hoping for one we can bring to work with us, not just leave at home. There’s seven of us, and we each want to be able to care for our hybrid.” The sugary voice sings, your ears twitch again. You know you shouldn’t but you can't stop yourself. You peer up over the log down the hallway as two figures move in your direction.
“We have a few rabbits, mice, hedgehogs, cats, a couple of smaller dogs and-” The attendees’ head shakes.
“And?”
“Well we have another option….she’s a little more difficult? And not what you’d expect, we’ve had her here for a few years and she hasn’t shifted into her human form.” A loud sigh.
‘Oh please, next time you try to pick me up I'm peeing in your hand’ You huff angrily. ‘difficult-HA! I’ll show you difficult.’
In your mental retaliation you don’t realize they’ve stopped in front of your cage, until a figure leans down to take a look. Bright sparkling eyes stare at you through the bars of your cage. You unintentionally hold your breath.
‘pretty’ your brain supplies and you mentally slap yourself. ‘Not helping.’
“She’s so cute.” The pretty man states, large eyes full of excitement.
‘Flattery will get you nowhere…’ You want to glare at him, and you definitely try. But his complement made you blush deep under your fur. ‘Well maybe somewhere….Who told you you could be so pretty?!’
People never stopped to look at you. Once they knew you didn’t shift they’d breeze right by. This attention was new, scary yet thrilling.
“May I?” He gestures toward the cage door, you frown slightly and take a step back.
“If you want, she doesn’t bite, but she doesn’t like people either.” He remarks and unlocks the door.
The pretty one slowly opens the door, placing his hand on the floor of your cage facing up. And he waits, he leaves his hand there and watches you.
“I used to own sugar gliders.” His voice oozed with even more sweetness. “What’s her name?”
“She was found out in a snow storm, so we call her Snow.”
He just hums at the other male. Eyes never leave yours, as you stare at his hand and then glance to his eyes then back at his hand.
“Come here Snow. Let’s meet each other.”
‘Try anything and I’ll bite you…ok maybe I won't, but I’ll run away and make this very hard for you SIR.’ Glaring at the man in daring to hold his hand into your cage. You sniff the air, taking in the new scent, lavender and chamomile. Sensing nothing, only warm eyes watching you, you cautiously take a step closer. The scent is a little stronger now, you take another step and another then another.
Surprisingly your instincts aren’t telling you to run. Fight or flight was something you were accustomed too. Being the type of hybrid you are, it was embedded into your core. You seemingly slope yourself over to his hand giving it one more sniff before stepping onto it. You look up at him, as he slowly pulls his hand out of the cage and up to his face.
He coos at you. You almost keen under his gaze, his smile breaking out wider making him look even more gentle. You watch intently as he brings his other hand up, finger pointed he stops inches from your head.
“Does she like being pet?” He asks, realizing too soon that it might scare you.
The attendee shrugs behind him, “Honestly I’m not sure, no ones been able to hold her like that.”
“Is it ok?” The genuine concern in his voice makes your head tilt. Was he really asking you for permission? Who the heck is this guy? He brings his long crooked finger closer to you, but still doesn't make contact.
Whether it was your instincts or your want to trust him, you don’t give yourself a moment to think. Your eyes close and you lean up, letting your head touch his digit. You hear him exhale deeply, normally you would have jumped at the sudden noise, but feeling his touch your mind instantly relaxed. He lets you rub your head on him, moving yourself to let you scratch behind your ears.
He chuckles lightly, “Hello Snow, my name's Jin. Would you like to come home with me?”
You halt in your hyperfixation on his hand to look at him. ‘You are a weird one pretty Jin’
How come he keeps asking you? What was wrong with this man? You never had a choice, you were a pet. Pets don't have choices, choices were made for you whether you liked them or not.
“I do have to warn you, there are 6 other people that I live with. They’ll want to also shower you with love and attention. Do you think you could handle that?”
One was hard enough to please, but seven? Seven people to disappoint, to not be enough for, to show how broken you truly were. But he knew you couldn’t shift, he called you cute, and he asked you if you were ok with things. You liked his touch, six more people like him? That sounded too good to be true, could you really trust him after everything you’d been through?
That you weren’t sure, but hell- you wanted to. Every fiber of your being wanted to stay with this man. Nothing in your life had given you the comfort that this man's hand did. Nothing.
‘What do you have to lose, Y/N? Another disappointment won’t kill us. We’ll just end up back here, there could be worse.’ You try to coax yourself into making a decision, leap back into your cage or take a step with him.
You brace yourself and take a step onto the sleeve of his sweater. You don’t hesitate anymore as you climb up his arm onto his broad shoulder, as you peer over it you see there's a hood on his back. You make a break for it, jumping into it you’re enclosed in his warmth and scent. Snuggle into it, curling into a ball letting out a sigh of content.
“I’ll take that as a yes” You feel his back vibrate as he speaks. The attendees' words are muffled in your comfort. You let yourself slip a little too far as a cold hand breaches your new found nest and rips you out.
You let out a raspy gargled bark of annoyance as you can instantly tell it's no longer Jin handling you. Your legs find the bark of your log again, glancing up you can feel the panic rising. Did he change his mind? The door closes and Pretty bends down to look at you again.
“Don’t worry Snow, I’ll be back to take you home ok? Be good till then, I promise I’ll come back soon.”
You want to trust his words even more now, you give him a slight nod before climbing up into your makeshift nest. Deciding to find comfort in sleep, fear gripping at you as you hope he does indeed come back for you. Paperwork needs to be done, he probably has to get his home ready for you, so many things go on before you can leave with him. This isn’t the first time, but this is the first time you actually felt terrified of him walking away and never coming back.
You hear them leave the hallway, door clicking behind them as you hear the attendee mention paperwork and the adoption fee. You stone your emotions. You won’t let yourself be used again.
‘We won’t be hurt this time…not again…not every time.’ And you fall asleep as you chant to yourself over and over and over again.
****
“-And that’s all I know.” Jin's monolog finally comes to an end, hands fiddling with the pen in his lap. “They gave me a picture of her and the paperwork. Regardless at this point, I’ve promised her I’m going back for her, so it’ll be up to you guys if you are also going to sign the adoption forms or if it’ll just be me.”
He places your photo and the forms on the table for them to take a look. Hesitant hands reach for the picture, features turning soft before handing it down the table for the rest.
“And you’re sure about this Jin?” Namjoon questions as the photo is handed to him.
“100%. She doesn’t trust easily and she definitely has some social issues, but there’s something there.” He doesn't know how to fully explain himself. None of them had owned a hybrid before, all having very different views on the idea of owning another being like this. Jin himself was most against it, hybrids were people too. If only half, but still human, it didn’t mean they didn’t deserve love and a home either. However, talking to some of the staff back at Hybe and their hybrids they could all see what good they could do for a hybrid of their own. Taking in one from the shelter nearby was something they all agreed on, Jin opting to take charge and stomaching a walk through and meeting the adoptees. The choice to only take on one hybrid was also unanimous, as they were all separately busy at times, but mostly they were together.
They created a checklist of what they would like in their new family member. Smaller in stature, so they could bring them everywhere. Comfortable being in their animal form, making it easier to bring them to locations or the studios. Self entertained, if they had to leave them at home on their own they wouldn’t suffer from the seperation, human or animal. They didn’t particularly care about animal species or male vs female. They trusted Jin because he was the one who had the most to say about it.
“There was just a connection. I felt it. I can’t explain it.” He sighed, he wants them to take a chance on you. He needs them to.
Namjoon eyes the adoption forms on the table, spying Jin's signature already along the dotted line. He reaches for it, bringing it closer to read through it. Jin holds his breath, as the other members watch Namjoon’s face waiting to hear his verdict.
“Alright.” Namjoon finally breaks the silence. “Do you have a pen?”
Jin’s cheeks hurt from the smile that appears on his face, he gives an airy chuckle before handing over the pen to his leader.
He watched the other members read over it- look back at your picture and sign. This was it, he was going back to get you.
****
It had been a few days since Pretty had promised you he would come back. At this point your hope was slowly dwindling. You know you shouldn't hold onto this hope, you shouldn't have let it grow in the first place. You knew better. But looking in his eyes, hearing his voice, hope started to grow before you even realized it.
You had become angry at yourself for hoping. By the second day you had refused to eat. One part punishing yourself, another part being you just couldn’t find it in you. You were just exhausted from wishing for more. This cage was safe at least, you should be thankful for it.
Every time a worker switched out your untouched food they would all say the same thing. ‘C’mon Snow, he’ll be back for you’, ‘It’ll be ok, he really liked you’, ‘don’t give up yet, Snow. You have to be feeling ok when he comes to get you’. You couldn’t bring yourself to believe them…Not anymore. Not after everything.
So you spent the days sleeping away your funk. You’d feel better eventually. And you did. By the 5th day after Pretty’s visit you had eaten your breakfast and the surprise sugar cane stick they had given you. You had managed to precariously climb to the top of your exercise wheel, scaling the branches and using your hammock as leverage, trying your best to balance on the outside of it.
You heard footsteps come down the long hallway, deciding to ignore it. You almost fumble when you hear someone call your name.
“Snow~”
The cage door opens abruptly, but you hold your ground.
“Where are you? Are you hiding from me again?”
Trying your best not to move, undeciding if you want to surprise attack or indeed continue your long standing game of hide and seek with this particular employee.
Before you can decide, your hiding spot has already been discovered.
“There you are!” A hand reaches into the cage. You can’t dive away from it while balancing on this stupid thing. All you can do is bark angrily as it encircles around you, lifting you into the air. “C’mon Spunky. You have a date with destiny.”
‘This lady has officially lost it.’ You struggle against the cold grip around you, gargling at her the whole walk to the main vets room. She ignores your displays, she’s too used to your dramatics now. The main room is harsh and white, smelling strongly of whatever sterilizer they use. On the steel table is a cat carrier, with a smell you can't place. You begin to struggle against her. ‘LADY ARE YOU FEEDING ME TO A CAT!? What the hell kind of injustice is this!!’
One handedly she opens the carrier door. Peering through her fingers, it's empty. Except for a blanket and a stuffed toy and a sugarcane stick. Your whole body goes tense. Not a cat…then what's that smell? You’ve smelt it before but there’s something off about it. Like it’s mixed with something. Sweet, acidic, musty, earthy, floral, fruity and minty. Weird, where is it coming from?
She plops you down on the blanket, next to the toy. Immediately all the smells hit you. It’s coming from both the blanket and toy.
“It’ll be ok girl.”
‘Will it? So far everything has been all ass-backwards, what is happening?’ You scowl at the two items, but eye up the stick. She gently locks the door behind you.
“I hope you have a great time and enjoy yourself.”
‘I would if you would tell me what the hell is happening? Where am I going? Am I moving to another shelter? When you guys moved that bearded dragon out you did the same thing’ That would make sense, this isn't usual protocol for adopted hybrids, so many you were being moved to a permanent shelter.
‘Honestly if I knew I was leaving I would have bitten at least 2 of you’ You grumble, taking the stick between your teeth you begin to pull it further onto the blanket towards the toy. If these smells were from the new place, it's better to get used to them now rather than let them smack you in the lungs when you get there.
“There you go girl, just relax. I’ll be back soon to get you.” She explains as she walks back out of the room. You let out a huff as you begin munching on the stick. Sugar cane wasn’t your favourite, but it was still better than most snacks they tried to give you.
Still, there was something about these smells. Something familiar, but with the other smells mixing with it it made it impossible to differentiate.
With a mouth full of snacks you hear the door open again, expecting the same female voice again.
“Snow?” The sweet voice resonates in your ears. Hyperfixation and instinct taking over, you dart over to the carrier door to be able to look out.
The male figure comes around to you, smile still as dazzling as all those days ago.
‘Pretty!’ You let out an excited chirp. He’s here. He came back!
“I’m sorry it took so long for me to come back, but I wanted to pick you up personally.” Jin cooed at you. You were still as cute as he remembered. He couldn't express to his members that he already missed you. Not even 30 minutes with you and he was smitten. Unable to let anyone else retrieve you, working even harder to finish his project, those 5 days felt like torture to him.
Before he can say anything else another person enters the room. The lead vet comes in, you had deemed him the nicest. You didn’t exactly fight him when he checked on you, but you would hiss occasionally to warn him if you didn’t like something. He would stop if you told him to, which made him the nicest. Plus he would sneak you some of your favourite snacks. The one the attendees didn’t.
You start chirping repeatedly at him ‘Pretty came back! Pretty came back!’
“Someone’s excited.” He laughs. “But I can’t tell which one of you is more so.”
Jin lets out a soft airy chuckle, apparently he wasn't hiding his very well.
“Normally I would just tell you to call the shelter if you have any issue or questions, however. I have a soft spot for our Snow, she’s a feisty one, but I’ve been hoping someone would give her the family she deserves. So here is my personal number.” He hands over a business card with pen scribbled on the back. “You can call me anytime. Or text me. Either way I’ll try to answer as soon as possible. Make sure all of you have it ok?”
“Of course! Thank you so much for this.” Jin places the card into the envelope you didn't notice he was carrying until this moment. “Can I take her home now?”
“Absolutely.”
“Let's go home Snow.” You chirp at him again to signal you're ready. He grabs the handle of the carrier and lifts it off the table.
****
To say you were nervous would be putting it mildly. You started to tremble not even 5 minutes in, Jin sitting in the back with you. He noticed almost instantly, his voice soft and soothing. What really surprised you was when he opened the carrier door, offering to hold you for the rest of the drive. You quickly opted for his warmth rather than let yourself dwell on your nerves. Snuggling into his lap, his hands petting you in a gentle rhythm. The only time anxiety began to rise back in you was when he let you know that you had arrived. Instead of letting him usher you back into the carrier you scrambled into his hoodie pocket.
Jin hesitates before going into their suite. He was worried about how you were going to handle having 6 new people. He glances down at you peeking out from his pocket.
“Ready?” His smile still held so much hope. “Take your time ok? Everything will be ok.”
You give him a nervous chirp in response before stealing yourself. You can smell the mix of scents seeping through the door. The same smells as in the carrier, it must have been from all of them. Them hoping to make you comfortable before coming here. You melt a little at the thought. None of them have an unpleasant smell, in all actuality they smelt really good, especially one scent that piques your instincts. Curiosity starts to make you feel antsy as he finally opens the door and walks in.
The members are scattered around the living room. Tension is thick in the air, as well as worry making their scents burn the back of your throat.
“Hey guys, we’re home.” Jin places the carrier on the table, you can see the members trying to not surround it, but the excitement that now shifts in the room is almost contagious. You don’t know why you do it, your instincts taking over.
You chirp at them. Announcing that you're not in the carrier, but on Jin's person.
“What?” Six heads snap to the oldest.
He clears his throat before bringing his hand to you, waiting for you, you climb aboard.
“Everyone, this is Snow. Snow, this is Jimin, Namjoon, Taeyhung, Hoseok, Jungkook and Yoongi.” He points to each person as he says their name.
Are these many prettys allowed to be together? They’re all pretty, each one different from the next nut definitely still pretty.
Some wave shyly and others give a quiet hi. You take in each of them, analyzing their scents and demeanours out of habit. Head tilting to match the voices of hellos to the person. The deep voice coming from the fluffy warm one. Sturdy modulated voice from the tall big one. And the softly spoken sing song voice from the ball of energy. The smaller bright soft one, the concerned confident one and the wholesome wided eyed sparkly one waving to you.
‘They don’t seem all that bad.’ You smile to yourself. The one Jin aid was Jimin steps towards you, in an attempt to interact with you more. However you aren’t ready for that just yet, you take a step back.
“I’m sorry.” Jimin quickly apologizes, smile faltering. Oh, his voice is sweet, angelic even. You shake yourself out of thought to hear him speak. “Would it be better if we give you time to get used to the place first?”
You give him a soft hopeful chirp in response and his smile is immediately back on his face. You stomp your feet excitedly at his smile, he was cute when he smiled, They all were.
“I think it would be best if she sticks with me for now, and when she feels ready she can interact first?” Jin chuckled at your display. You chirped again and nodded your head. You could do that.
“Yea, we can do that. When you’re ready you can come to us Snow.” The sturdy voice comes out again.
‘Namjoon. His name is Namjoon. I can do this.’
And that’s how most of your days went, huddled into Jin. Clinging to him. Leaving the apartment meant he’d make sure to wear things with either hoods or large pockets for you to stay in. The others would talk to you or try to coax you out with food but you stayed with Jin. You wanted to try with them, like you had with Jin. But your insecurities would always make you falter in accepting them.
How did seven pretty men want you? You were so broken, they didn’t even know your story. If they knew they would probably take you back right away. But they didn’t know, how could they know? Unless you told them and you knew you wouldn’t so why couldn't you take that step. Cross the bridge they were waiting so patiently on the other side of you for.
Maybe it could finally be that day.
****
All you wanted to do was nap, you needed to sleep. How could one man be so loud in the middle of the day you would never know.
You slink out of the cracked door, slowly making your way down the hallway to the living room. You can hear the other members around the suite. The youngests were together in what smelt like Hoseok and Jimins room. You weren’t sure where Namjoon was, but you can hear Yoongi talking to himself from the dining table. Walking around the corner you find him surrounded by his laptop, notepads, books and other things you didn’t bother to take in. You had already found your focus.
You could hear faint deep breathing coming from the couch. Fixating on that you shuffle quietly over to it, climbing up the armrest that Yoongi couldn't see. Rounding over it you see Hoseok asleep on his back, arms behind his head, blanket half on him, tv down low. Gingerly you scuttle to him, sniffing the air around him, your mind relaxing.
Today can be the day.
‘Alright sunshine, let’s see how this goes.’ You give yourself one final mental push and climb onto his chest. His deep breathing causes his chest to rise and fall in an almost transic rhythm. Your limbs have stopped shaking enough for you to tuck them under your body along with your tail, relaxing into a ball as you let your mind drift to sleep.
With the smell of lemons and honey surrounding you.
****
“Has anyone seen Snow?” Jin questions as he comes out of his room, into the kitchen area.
“Not since you were last out here. She didn’t stay with you?” Yoongi remarks from the table.
“I was playing games, I think I was a little too loud for her.” He shrugs, it’s not that he’s overly worried where you got to. You wouldn’t have gone far.
He peers around the living room looking for your tiny figure when he sees a napping Hoseok on the couch. He turns to walk back out when he hears the faint sound of your purring. His eyes sparkle as he takes in your spot, smile hurting his cheeks instantly. He wants to cheer, to yell out his excitement. It was finally happening.
Your tiny sleeping body curled up on Hoseok's chest.
When Hoseok finally awoke he felt a light warm patch on his chest. Rubbing his face he looked down to where you were. At first he was shocked, then excited and then terrified to move. He didn’t want you to run from him when you woke up. He wanted you to stay with him, he wanted what Jin had with you.
Eventually your slumber came to an end, body twitching awake you shifted into a stretch. Yawning, you glanced up, eyes connecting with Hoseok’s. You clamber to your feet, and chirp sleepily at him.
‘You look like you’ve seen a ghost Sunshine’
Tottering up his body you bump your head against his chin, in doing so you feel him relax. His scent returned to normal. He let out an airy chuckle before reaching up and scratching you behind your ear. And his wishes were answered when you purred at him.
****
Now that you had gotten over your first hurdle with Hoseok you used every opportunity to nap on him when he was home. Still choosing to sleep in Jin's room in the carrier based on your need for that familiar comfort. But if you were sleepy and Hoseok was home, you’d find him one way or another.
It wasn’t until a couple days later that you noticed a pair of eyes watching you. A soft longing type linger, that you could physically feel on you. Realizing who it came from was easy, it especially happened when you were getting comfy on Hoseok or riding on Jin. Wanting to see that smile again you made a plan.
Jin was in the kitchen getting you some food when you began barking your way down the hallway. Coming to the island, you knew you could climb it. They knew you could climb it. However, today was a new day and this new day meant you didn’t want to climb it.
Jimin was sitting on one of the island bar stools eating his own bowl of food. So Instead of scaling the side like normal you teetered over to him. Swiping your tail over his foot and yapping at him to get his attention.
‘Sparkles! Sparkles! Help me!’
He peeks down the chair leg to you circling him on the stool.
“What’s wrong, Snow? Are you ok?” The concern in his voice makes you worry. Instinctively he gets down on the floor to take a better look at you. Hand outstretching before he has a moment to rethink his actions.
You immediately hop onto his hand, you weren’t going to allow the perfect opportunity to slip by. He jumps a little at how unexpected your reaction is. He stands up cautiously, you in his hand he stares at Jin who has just turned around to see what the commotion was about.
Jin is used to your mischief by now. They weren’t lying when they said you were feisty, and it only made him that more amused with you.
“Looks like you’re one of us now Jimin.” He smirks as Jimin whips his attention back to you as you jump off his hand and glide to the island. Jimin plops back down on his chair, mind still in shock. The concern starts to build again, you march over to him and chirp. It’s enough to break whatever spell he’s under.
“Thank you.” Is all he can manage.
‘You’re welcome Sparkles.’
****
It had just been over a week now since you came to live with the boys. You were still only comfortable with the three members, but you had spent the last day psyching yourself up to approach one of them. You just hadn't decided who yet.
You clambered out of your carrier, gliding down from the cabinet it was perched on, you can hear a door open and feet padding down the hallway. You scoot out to see who it is. A slightly sleepy Taehyung ambles away from you. You quickly pick up the pace to follow behind him, your little legs working overtime to catch up. He makes a turn into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. You pick your hiding spot, and wait for him to come back out. As he does you begin to follow him again.
“Looks like you have a new friend” Yoongi remarks from the kitchen, following you with his eyes.
Taehyung freezes, turning to look down behind him, pure confusion etched on his face. That is until he spots your tininess, a huge smile breaks on his face.
“Good morning Snow” His groggy deep voice begins to soothe you, but you shake yourself out of it by running up to him leaping up onto his pants halfway up his calf and scampering up him. He doesn’t dare to do anything, he knows what this means. It’s finally his turn.
Crawling into his chest shirt pocket you purr at him, his smell of mint and chocolate enveloping you. His smile turns his sharp mature features into ones of childlike excitement.
He turns around to continue on his route “You’re coming with me today.” Your heart warms.
‘Let’s go!’
****
After the first few steps the other became easier and easier.
A couple days after that you find Namjoon near a window in a wicker chair reading a book. Sun beaming down through the glass illuminating his skin, almost making him glow. Unknowingly to him you jump onto the large window sill, soaking up the sun yourself as you settle down, focusing all of your might into your gaze. Attempting to will him into noticing you. You take in his gentle yet strong features, the way his hands hold his book like its something fragile and precious. He gives his members the same look, there’s something about him that you love to just sit and watch. Eventually he does notice you, muffling a chuckle to himself before extending his hand out to pet you. Purring comfortably you curl up in the sun and let yourself be lulled to sleep with the smell of home and touch of home.
At this point they all felt comfortable taking you out of the suite more and more. They had been going through some rehearsals in one of the dance studios. Unfortunately for you Jin had taken his sweater off and your snug little nest wasn’t as nice anymore, with it being on the ground. The only one left was Yoongi and thankfully they weren’t working on choreography, so you hitched a ride off Jin and as soon as he got close enough you lept off his shoulder aiming for Yoongi’s. The shorter male saw your line of sight as your posture changed for you to glide, so he halted mid-step to allow himself to be a safer place to land, papers in hand.
You give him a little chirp and climb directly into his hood, into the nest of amber and vanilla. He doesn’t say anything but he tries to hide a shy smile from the others as he continues reading over his sheets, continuing his pacing.
You couldn’t seem to find a moment to reach out to Jungkook, the shyest of them all gave you the most space. Which was starting to irritate you. So out of frustration one day while he had his door shut, you could hear him in there. You started barking as loud as you could from outside, occasionally scratching at it to emphasize your displeasure. Eventually he opened it and you marched right in, climbing up onto his bed and curling up. He watched with silent bewilderment, but you refused to acknowledge his uncertainty letting him continue on his computer, with you purring away in the background.
****
And that’s how it started. Everyday you went with at least one of them to work. Meeting coworkers and other hybrid pets alike. All were excited to meet you, hearing so much about you from all the members, your confidence started to take off. Along with your confidence the fire that was once inside of you began to spark again.
–
‘Not my fault you don’t use that freakishly big head of yours.’ You grumble, sneering at the man profusely apologizing to Jimin. The unknown man had run right into Jimin, almost completely knocking him over.
The assailant runs away with his head down.
“Pffft” The coworker's hybrid tries to contain his laughter, until he’s out of earshot.
‘Stupid big head. Come near my Jiminie again and I’ll chew holes into your shoes.’ Continuing to mumble to yourself threats upon the males discomfort.
“What's so funny?” Doyun asks.
“Your glider-” He gestures to you on Jimin's shoulder. Struggling to speak between laughter. “She’s a spunky one.”
Jimin stares at him confused, unknowing to him that the other hybrid heard you. You were projected very loudly, you glare at him as Jimin walks away. The hybrid raises his hands up in surrender to you, smiling and waving goodbye.
Your protective nature was showing, one you didn’t think you had anymore. Becoming so aloof, detached and distant from the world was your way of being safe. All the past pain almost felt like a lie. And this warmth, comfort and love being your new truth, one you could rely on. For once life felt worth existing in. Happiness was finally worse, no more worrying……
****
But you spoke too soon.
The boys had taken you to see the vet from the shelter numerous times recently. This uncomfortable dull pain in your stomach makes it impossible for you to want to eat. Only waking for a few hours everyday, spending most of your time in your carrier, not wanting to come out.
Because of this they had to stop taking you with them. You spent 24/7 in the suite, as per the vets orders. Minimal contact with others until they could find out exactly what was happening to you.
The boys had gone out for a long day of work, all saying their farewell assuring you they’ll be back as soon as they can. But they had a 10 hour shoot today, they didn’t want to go but they knew they couldn’t stay. So ample food and water was left out for you, just outside the carrier so you wouldn't have to go far and with that they left.
As soon as they left something felt off. The pain was still there but something mentally felt wrong. Forcing yourself to your feet you fumble your way down and out of Jin's room, finding yourself now in Namjoons room. Sun beaming onto his bed through the curtain crack you struggle to climb up. Your breath coming out short, feeling like it's being cut off. You push past the panic and continue ascending. Feeling the warmth from the sun through your fur, you let your body spread out on its back instead of going into your natural comfort ball.
Dull throbbing pain, your instincts screaming incoherent words at you and your mess of emotions spiral into dizzying lights behind your eyes as you fall unconscious.
****
Your eyes gently flutter open, your mind still warm from the dreams of sunlight. The pain in your body is still there but it feels different somehow but you can't place it. Without dwelling on it too much you roll over onto your stomach, however what you weren’t expecting was to completely roll off the bed.
You let out an audible screech when you collide with the hardwood. Unthinking you let out a pained croaky groan and freeze.
Did you just make that noise? How would you-? IS THAT A HAND?
Springing to your feet, you're hit with a headrush, eyes flying shut. Your hand automatically shoots up to cradle your head, eyes peeling open you can see it. That’s definitely a hand…your hand. It’s almost too good to be true, you're afraid to look down but you still manage to.
“I have 2 legs! I have a body!” You chirp happily, voice coming out slightly harsh from it not being used in years. “I am human! Im-I’m….naked. I am very naked…uhhh…clothes! I need clothes.”
Stumbling on your new shaky legs like a newborn calf you waddle over to namjoons wardrobe. Struggling to open the door, you use your whole body against it, failing to open it. Catching yourself before you almost tumble to the floor.
“Wooow. Ok let's not fall” You chuckle to yourself. Looking around the room you notice a white shirt laid over a chair, stumbling slightly over it you grab it and put it over your head. It's definitely too big for you. A large white t-shirt with some weird pattern on the front. Sleeves covering you to your elbows and length down to your mid thighs. Lifting the collar to your face you inhale deeply Namjoons scent filling your mind, letting out a content sigh, dropping the fabric.
“Right, good enough.” Before you can make a move you hear your stomach grumble loudly.
“Really? Now you're hungry, after worrying everyone NOW you want food” You glare angrily at your stomach, it growling at you in return. “Fine!”
Carefully you make your way out of namjoons room, using whatever furniture and the walls as support. Passing each of the members feeling like something wasn't right, but letting yourself believe it was because you were hungry.
By the time you make it to the kitchen you have full control of your legs, but now find yourself too tired, and the pain is turning into a slow burn, to make anything.
“Please have something made already” You give a silent prayer before opening the fridge. Staring you right in the face is a take out container of leftovers. “Thank you boys!”
Pulling it out, you place it in the microwave to warm it up as quickly as possible. Only letting yourself have a quick moment to try to remember who it was. Being unable to, you chose to give up as the microwave chimes. You carefully take it to the couch with chopsticks in hand. You no longer hesitate to start devouring the food.
Half way through your meal, your body begins to ache again. DIfferent to how it was in animal form. There's an undeniable pain in your senses. Placing the food down on the coffee table.
“What the-Nnnnnn.” A sharp burning hits your body. Your glider instincts are muffled by your prominent human side. As muffled as they are you can still feel them, letting yourself sink into them. Standing abruptly and running to the members rooms, grabbing items from each, sprinting back to the couch. You dump everything onto the couch. Then beginning to place each item meticulously into their perfect spot.
Hoseok's pillow on one side of the couch. Jins RJ stuffy, he keeps on his bed, on the pillow. Yoongi’s comforter over the couch, allowing space near the pillow for you to climb in. Sitting down, slipping your feet into a pair of Jimin's long fuzzy socks. Sliding one leg at a time into Jungkook's grey sweatpants. Finally circling a brown cardigan of Taes around your shoulders, you lay down, pulling the blanket over you, RJ in your arms.
Surrounded by their scents you finally relax. The pain in your senses is now gone, but now replaced by longing to see and hear them. You reach for the remote for the tv, pressing on youtube and a mix playlist of videos of them. Their voices echoing in the once silent room as you fall back asleep.
****
“What the hell?!”
The boys were exhausted coming back, you were on their minds all day. They couldn’t stop worrying about you, not knowing if you were ok or if something happened to you. As silly as it was they agreed to make a stop on the way home to pick up a cell phone for you. You could at least text them since you still weren’t able to shift. It gave them all a sense of comfort knowing they could keep in contact in some way.
Coming home later than planned, they didn't account for finding their stuff all piled onto the couch, tv on and leftovers half eaten. If they weren’t in their right minds they’d think someone broke in. But who would break in just to do this?
Yoongi creeps up to the couch, reaching out to his comforter he can hear faint purring coming from the mound.
“No way-” He whispers just loud enough for them to hear and pulls it down just far enough to expose the pillow with your tiny furry body curled up on Hoseok's pillow.
Someone in the room releases a loud gasp causing you to stir. Eyes opening, blinking multiple times to fight the fog. Pain back to a dull ache you look up and see seven wide, shocked pairs of eyes on you. For a moment you're confused why they would look at you like that, then you remember.
You had been human! You had shifted! 6 years! For the first time in 6 years you had shifted!
Jumping to your feet you are babbling at them excitedly, hopping up and down unable to contain yourself.
“Snow, were you human?” Jin asks in disbelief, you nod at him.
“That's so amazing! You-” Jimin cheers.
“How did you do it?” Taehyung cuts Jimin off from continuing. You let out a huff, head shaking.
You honestly don’t know. One minute you were asleep then the next POOF human.
“You don't know?”
Again, you shake your head. Dejection settles in, annoyed at yourself for being too excited in the moment and not thinking about it properly.
“It’s ok, I’m sure it’ll happen again.” Hoseok tries to cheer you up, scratching your chin as you finally stop bouncing.
“We picked this up for you today,” Yoongi places the phone down in front of you. “Just in case you need to contact us for anything. And we mean anything.”
You want to cry. What did you do to deserve these men? Did it make all the pain worth it? No, nothing could make that pain worth it. However, they helped faze out those memories. You nod your head in thank you. These kind beautiful men were everything.
For the next week, everytime you became human you’d make a note of what you were doing when it happened, what the pain was like before the shift, what your thoughts were, anything that might be helpful. When the boys would come home they’d all go over it too.
Sometimes it would happen for only a few minutes, sometimes a few hours, once or twice a day. You felt useless, how could you not figure this out. Why and how were you shifting, this infuriating broken puzzles sharp edges were cutting deeper in your mind. 6 years of only being a sugar glider, what made now so different? You’ve had ‘homes’ before and you had the shelter, so what was causing this.
The only differences were; you felt safe and comfortable. You had food and clean water. People that loved you. People you loved. Warm rooms to choose where you wanted to nest. Countless places to climb and glide from. And the touch of each of the seven men that cared about you.
And that’s when it hit you……. Or the scent did.
****
“Namjoon!” Your voice breaks, you’re struggling to catch a deep breath. Your hands tremble slightly as the grip on the phone begins to tighten.
“Hello?” He asks cautiously.
“Namjoon, I know this is going to be hard to believe but it's me! Snow.”
“Snow? You’re human again-?”
“Yes and I think I know why. Are you with the others right now?”
“No, I stepped out for a minute.”
“Good. I need to tell you, I just realized I’m going into a pre-heat, but as a human..”
“Really? Why now?”
“One of your scents is triggering it, it’s fogging my mind Namjoon. Everytime I become human my body feels like it's on fire. I can’t breathe here” You don’t want to be annoying, or for them to think that you’re too much to take care of. You finally had a home, a safe home. You couldn't risk losing it by being demanding now that you could become human again.
“I’ll call the shelter after work. I remember reading something about safe heat rooms in the adoption papers. Are you sure you don’t want a partner to help you through it? They also had those as an option.” You know he’s being thoughtful, thinking of your best interest.
You stifle a whimper, choking back a silent sob. The words come out small as you regain your composure. “I don’t want to spend it with anyone else….”
“It’ll be ok Snow.” Thankfully his voice begins sending relief washing through you. “But…. Can I ask which one of us?”
“I’m sorry Namjoon, I really don’t want to say.”
“You know we would help you if you asked. We all love you.”
“I know you all care for me as your pet, I just don’t want anyone to feel bad. This isn’t anyone's fault, just my stupid hybrid instincts.” You grumble. “Maybe next time we can look into a heat partner?”
The words taste like vinegar, the thought of anyone else’s smell making you instantly feel nauseated. But you need to reassure him that you are still an easy pet to care for, even now. Even when you’re not a tiny sugar glider that only cares about sweets and sleeping in their hooded sweaters. Making things harder for them, meant them rethinking things. Things like if they really wanted to keep you or if they’d return you.
“Snow. You don’t have to force yourself. You said it yourself, if it’s one of our scents triggering you-”
“I’ll be fine. I just have to get used to being human again.” You laugh, in hopes of lightening the mood. “Maybe soon I’ll get a handle on it and finally be able to meet you all properly.”
He chuckles into the receiver. As perceptive as he is, he can already hear the twinge in your voice. He makes his way back into the studio where the others are.
“Well I can assure you that we’d all love to meet you in your human form. You’ve given the house warmth again.”
Eyes peer at him from around the room, his conversation catching intrigue.
“Thanks Joonie!” The cutesy nickname bubbling out of your mouth, before you can stop it. Your feet still, smile falling as you cover your mouth in panic. “Namjoon, I mean. I-I’m sorry.”
“You can call me Joonie. It’s ok.” He reassures you, his small soft smile finds its way to his lips unseen by you but very seen by his members.
However reassuring his voice sounds, you're still unsure how to take it. Your silence stretches on, unable to come up with a decent reply.
“Do you think you’ll still be human when we get home?” He changes the subject, offering you a way out. Now everyone was hyper aware of his conversation. Abandoning everything they’re doing, stares ever so blatant.
“I’m not sure. I still haven’t figured out how in these moments I’m changing. I’m not doing anything different either way. I’ll try to think about it more today.” You hum, now absentmindedly.
“Ok, we’ll try not to be late today.”
“Ok. I’ll see you when you get back.” You start chewing on your bottom lip. What if you can’t be human around them? Would they assume you were lying to them, only choosing to be a glider around them. What if they thought you were too useless. Too broken. Weak?
“I’ll see you tonight. And Snow, it’s ok whatever version of you it is.”
He states softly and hangs up. You’re left stunned. Did he mean that? Is it really ok? You really hoped it was because you would be heartbroken if you had to leave them.
****
“Snow?” Jimin bounced excitedly in his chair. “You were talking to Snow? She’s human?”
“Yes, at least for now. She says she still doesn't know what is changing her. But she did let me know something, and I think we all need to talk about it.” He slides a rolling chair towards the couch, taking a seat and gesturing for the others to join him. They all share a worried glance but follow their leader's request.
“Is she ok?” Jin
“Yes and no. We need to call the shelter and ask them if they have a heat room available. Snow’s going into pre-heat, as a human. Which we all know she hasn’t done in a long time.” Namjoon explains slowly, analyzing each reaction. “I think the sooner the better because she’s struggling at home. Apparently one of our scents is triggering it.”
“One of our scents?” Yoongi questions. “Did she say which one?”
“No, she said she doesn’t want any of us to know. She doesn’t want whoever it is to feel bad. And she asked not to have a heat partner. She tried to tell me she could have one for the next time, but she didn’t sound convincing when she mentioned it. From what I’ve been reading, if she’s refusing purely based on one of our scents, then her animal base instincts are signifying one of us as her mate.” He’s nodding slowly, his mind thinking of each outcome to this situation. “Honestly I think the worst part is, she sounds like she’s blaming herself.”
Thoughtful heavy silence hangs in the room. Their poor Snow, the pain she must be going through and she’s thinking of them.
“This isn’t her fault.” Taehyung’s deep voice resonated in the room. They all silently agree, there’s no way this is your fault. It could never be.
Premise: Being alone and ignored was one thing, you were used to that by now. But having each member of an idol group barrelling into your safe little sanctuary was not something you could have imagined. Now being torn away from your tiny cozy room all you wanted to do was get back to it. Even it meant losing home.
Authors notes: 9.2K words. I'm going to start including a word count in each drabble, as I have realized some of these reach over 5k. It'll let people know if they're opening up a mini novel or a short piece.
masterlist
~🌒
The comfort of the dark room, the silence you are so accustomed to now. No longer cold and dim, but a neutral sanctuary.
Or so you thought….
The doors unwarningly open, and a scream echoes in your enclosed space. Your eyes fly open, and are hit with a harsh stream of light. Making your brain stumble at the impact.
Squinting you fumble out of the space, cumbersomely forcing yourself to your feet. Your ears finally begin to work again as you can hear faint muffled speech smacking you in the head.
“I am so sorry! I didn’t know anyone would be hiding in there!”
“I was napping, not hiding.” You correct, rubbing your eyes, hoping the spinning would stop soon. Your eyes slowly begin to focus. When was the last time the light was on?
“Why would you nap in a closet?”
“It’s comfier than you’d thin-” Wait. Did you hear that right? The voice chuckles. Your eyes swim back to vision as you face your intruder.
“You’re Hyunjin. From StrayKids!” Really? In this whole situation that’s all you got? You mentally slap yourself. You had bigger things to worry about.
“Yeah! Are you a fan?” He replies brightly.
“Uh…” You take in his form from his iconic shoes to his blonde hair. “Was…?”
Looking at his face, more important his eyes. Yep, he’s definitely looking at you.
“Was? Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” His smile falters, but he recovers quickly.
“What are you doing here?” His outfit and makeup tells you he is filming something. But if he’s here then the others must be and a whole production team, which to you sounds like a right nightmare. Well it would be if you could have one.
“We’re filming for our new music video. What are you doing here?”
“Napping.”
“You came all this way, to this run down old building… to nap?” He looks at you skeptically, but you’re too lost in examining the room. An old classroom, the posters still on the wall hold some faint colour to them. Your favourite drawing hanging up was blue not black. Huh, who would have thought.
“Uh huh”
If anyone had asked you this morning if you would be standing here having a conversation with Hyunjin of Straykids, you would have laughed at them. Wait… you clearly missed something important.
Before you could open your mouth to assure yourself, the door of the classroom bursts open and three more members of skz file in.
“Hyunjin, we've been looking everywhere for you!” Changbin yells at him.
“We thought we heard a faint scream, we assumed it was you.” Jisung laughs.
“Oh so funny” He rolls his eyes.
“Who’s this?” Seungmin asks, eyes staring directly at you. Oh great, another one.
“I’m not sure I just met her. She was napping in the closet.” Hyunjin explains, gesturing at you.
“Well, Hi I’m Ji-” Jisung starts as the three members walk over to you.
“I know who you are.” You are struggling to keep your face blank from your rising panic.
“Apparently she used to be a fan” Hyunjin chuckles awkwardly. The atmosphere in the room becomes a shade dimmer.
“Can we ask what your name is?” Seungmin tries to divert the tension.
You shake your head. “You guys should go now. You have filming to do right?”
They all stare at you, something hanging in the air that they can tell something isn’t quite right.
The silence is broken by Changbins cough, “She’s right, we need to head back.” He nudges the others to remove their cemented feet. All giving you a quick goodbye before leaving the room, all but Hyunjin.
“Will you be alright?”
“I’m fine.” You give him a faint smile before he’s nodding and heading out the door. You wait until you’re sure you can no longer hear their footsteps, before completely freaking out.
“HOLY SHIT!” You yell as you run around the tables. “How did they see me? How can they hear me?! HOW CAN I UNDERSTAND THEM?”
You collapse onto the dirty laminate floor. You close your eyes, now letting the black unknown take you. You called it napping, really you weren’t sure what it was.
“What the hell is going on?”
No one answers you, no one ever answers you. No one knows you're here. It’s been over a year since the incident and you woke up in this building. Well this room to be exact, you’ve never been able to leave and lord knows you've tried. Eventually you gave up and accepted your confines as home, you don’t know how you ended up here. The markings on the walls indicated Korean, that much you could tell based on all the k-dramas you used to watch, but you had never been to Korea, so how did you end up in another country?
Too many questions, all of which you’d had given up finding answers to. But now meeting these 4 members, a whole new wave of questions came flooding in.
And once again you were left alone. With no answers.
~🌒🌓
You take your time opening your eyes, unsure of how much time you had been ‘napping’ but you let yourself regain at its own pace. Eventually your eyes begin to open, ready for the grimy ceiling tiles and rusty, broken looking light fixture. However, you are jolted awake when you realize that's not the ceiling above you. This ceiling for 1 is clean, 2 white and 3 all the bulbs are working. You jolt yourself up right, hastily looking around the room. There’s no way you could be anywhere but that old room, so how are you seeing someone's living room, you must be imagining it.
You hear shoes scuffling towards a hallway to what looks to be a front door you shoot to your feet, backing up to the opposite end of the room. There’s no way anyone could see you, but these turn of events were enough to put you on edge.
Your thoughts ricoshay around you, deafening you to the figures entering through the door. One of them stops mid sentence as he comes face to face with you as he enters the living room.
“Who are you?” Chan barks.
Can he see you too? You struggle to answer. Confusion evident on your face.
“How did you get in here?” He stands his ground, his voice rising in what would be a dominant, intimidating way, but you’re too concerned that once again you have been seen to feel threatened.
The other 3 figures rush in behind him, upon noticing you their expressions change from fear to worry.
“You’re the girl from the mv shoot we met.” Jisung voices out.
“This-” You point around the room. “Is your dorm?”
“I’ll ask again. How did you get in here?” Chan asks again. Voice less threatening.
You take a step back, going over everything that happened that day to now. This can’t be real. Scanning each member quickly, you notice something. You point at Changbins now blonde hair and Hyunjins now dark hair.
“How long ago was that? The video shoot?” Your voice comes out shaky, you’re trying to swallow back the rising emotions bubbling in you.
“A couple weeks ago?” Changbin offers.
That’s it, a couple weeks? How have you been out that long? I mean it’s not like you could tell time with a broken clock, but weeks. You start pacing back and forth muttering to yourself. “How is this happening? This can’t happen. It’s impossible- but then again, I thought I was impossible. So maybe not impossible? But that doesn’t make any sense.”
You don’t hear the front door opening and the other four members enter until you hear Seungmin exclaim.
“Hey, why is the shoot girl here?”
You halt in your steps, turning to them.
“Shoot girl?” Felix asks.
“The girl we said we ran into at the mv shooting.” Seungmin shrugs.
“OK, so you guys felt the need to invite her over?” Minho huffs next to him.
“No offense, but that doesn’t sound like the smartest thing to do Hyungs” I.N. gestures behind them.
“We didn’t invite her, she was here when we came in.“ Hyunjin defends dramatically.
You can feel your voice clawing it’s way out, but before you can think the panic has taken over.
“Hold on. WAIT. You can see me?”
“Is that a joke?” Chan asks. Your cold hands rub against the skin on your face. This is really a nightmare.
“You can all see me. You can all hear me. You can all understand me.” You state, the shock finally breaking your blank shell. You see them all nod, distrusting eyes watch you as your feet restart their pacing.
“This can’t be happening.” This time you're not mumbling. “ I can’t be here. How is this happening? Oh god- I need to get back to my room.”
“You mean that old classroom? That’s your room?” Jisung can’t help but ask, but he’s stopped short of completely asking you things when Minho nudges him in the ribs with his elbow.
The pacing stops as you stare at them. “You don’t understand. I haven't been able to leave that room in over a year.”
“What? Has someone been keeping you there?” Jisungs exclaims, followed by another nudge to his ribs.
You can’t help but laugh dryly, if only it was that easy. “I stopped asking those questions a long time ago. Seriously though, none of you should be able to see me.”
“Why because you have your invisibility cloak on?” Minho sneers at you.
You stare blankly at him. Walk over to the table, pulling your hand back you aim to push all the items off the table. Your hand collides with nothing, phasing through the objects. You smirk at his shocked face, arms crossing over your chest in triumph.
“No, because I’m a ghost.” Now the feelings of being annoyed started to build. “And like I said, I’ve been stuck in that room for a very long time with no idea how to leave. And no one has been able to see me until you showed up. And then I wake up here, in your space weeks later. AND to top it all off, I don’t speak Korean so how the hell are we having this conversation?”
~🌒🌓🌔
“So you’re dead?”
“If he asks me that one more time I’m going poltergeist on this place” You threaten, turning to the eldest two.
“What happened to you?” IN calls your attention. The room becomes dead still. The continuous shuffling and side comments coming to an abrupt stop. Unclear certainty fields the room, from them upon realizing they may have crossed a line in their maknae asking so bluntly. And from you… well for very different reasons.
“Wrong place, wrong time?” You will your voice to come out steady and nonchalantly. However, your body betrays you. Leg bouncing in your seat on the couch, hands showing a slow tremor. “Look, I’m not really sure. I can’t remember. All I know is one minute I was walking along this backroad to my place from being with friends. I had my headphones in, I was listening to a random playlist when………..-wait-”
A subtle drifting melody passes by your ears. Like it was traveling on a motionless breeze. The sound ebbing in and out of your being.
“I think one of your songs was playing” Wide eyes jump to each member as the beat lingers. “and then I woke up in that room. That’s it. Nothing in between”
“Maybe someone was meant to find you in that room? Like we were? It’s easy enough to come and go in that building.” Hyunjin hums, trying to put the broken pieces of a puzzle together.
“That’s the weird thing, others have filmed there before and no ones ever seen me.” You shake your head at him. “Actually no ones ever been able to come into the room before. I can see the reflection through the hallway windows, there’s always been a padlock and chain on it. How did you get in?”
“There wasn’t anything like that, the door was partially open when I Found it.”
Too many coincidences… that's what this is….if you could feel your skin, you’d say it was beginning to itch.
“Strange. Why did you go in that room? Were you randomly searching all the rooms?” Minho’s careful eyes watch the younger one carefully.
Hyunjin shakes his head. “No, that was the only room I went into. I just felt like there was something… that I had to see…”
“Wait. So the last thing you heard was one of our songs before nothing and you just happened upon a room that was mysteriously calling you?” Jisung questions wide-eyed. His large eyes bore into you.
“That sounds like we were meant to find you, somehow this was meant to be.” Chan nods to himself. His voice is warm and soothing, but there’s something chilled about his sentence.
Your vision ripples momentarily, whatever else they were saying you could no longer hear. Only a deep raspy faltering voice.
‘It was love at first sight. We are meant to be.’
And then they were back. All 8 pairs of eyes staring at you, clearly someone had asked you a question.
“Sorry, what was that?”
“Are you ok?” Chan's thoughtful gaze makes you feel slightly uncomfortable.
“Uh yea yea fine. Everything is just a lot.” You try to give them a reassuring smile. They must have seen the look of loss in your eyes, hoping to move on from the subject.
“I know y/n, but we promise we’ll figure it out together.” Followed by several agreeances, and encouraging smiles.
~🌒🌓🌔🌕
“I already regret agreeing to help you.” Seungmin’s voice mumbles tiredly from the couch.
You can’t stop the evil giggle from bubbling out of your mouth. Your day spent getting used to your new surroundings, figuring out which door went where, whose room was who’s, who was the easiest to poke fun at when you were bored.
“You? At least you can leave to your own dorm rooms. She’s here all the time.” Changbin huffs coming out of his room.
“Guys be nice to noona! You’re acting like she’s a disobedient pet or something.” Jisung scolds from the dining table.
“She’s like an angry chihuahua that pees on everything just because she knows it’ll annoy us.” Seungmin retorts annoyedly, eyes still fixed on the tv.
“Exactly!” Changbin agrees a little too enthusiastically for your liking. Plopping down next to Seungmin.
“Did you just call me a chihuahua?” You shoot them a look of disgust. “Ew.”
“If you stopped acting like one we’d stop calling you one behind your back.” Minho eventually joins the conversation from the other end of the dining table to Jisung. His face was blank as always.
“Linoring, not you too!” Jisung whines dramatically, falling back in his chair, face stricken with dismay and disappointment to the dancer.
“Sorry jagi” Minho mumbles looking away from the huffy chipmunk, slight pink dusting his cheeks as he accidentally makes eye contact with you. Purposefully, at least on your end, catching the smirk on your face as you wiggle your eyebrows at him knowingly.
“Thank you sungie! Besides, It’s not my fault you guys are boring.” You groan in frustration. “When did Lixie and Innie say they would be over?”
“IN said he was finishing his game while waiting for lix to finish his baking and then they’d be over.” Seungmin's voice makes you feel even more disheartened.
“If I could die again it’d be from boredom. I want Lixie.” You cry out.
You hear Changbin mumble something under his breath about you being dramatic, in retaliation you whip around to give him another dramatic show, but are hit with the room beginning to spin. As if the world is tilted on its axis you stumble slightly, eyes flying shut and a ringing in your eyes. Regaining your balance a pained groan escapes you.
—-
“Noona? Noona!” Felix’s deep voice bounces in your still pounding mind.
“Lixie?” Your staggering mind manages.
“How did you get here?” You hear I.N’s surprise. Begrudgingly you pry your eyes open, blinking the world back to alignment.
“I dunno.. I was complaining about seeing you guys and then I felt like I was hit with mega vertigo and… here I am.”
And here you were. Standing in an almost identical dorm room kitchen to the first one, individuals items being the only difference you can see.
“Are you ok?”
“That’s so cool!”
Both chime at once. You can’t help but laugh at them.
“Yes I’m ok, it was just really abrupt. I was not ready for it.” You smile softly at Lix, before turning to give I.N a mischievous smirk. “...do you think I’d be able to do it again?”
“Please tell me you’re going to try it right now.” I.N comes over to you excitedly, his game completely forgotten. “Wait! I have an idea!”
You watch as he races back to the computer to grab his phone. You and Felix share a confused look.
“I’ll text everyone in the group to see if they’re all decent. I won't say why and then you pick a member and try to poof to them.” He begins typing away on his phone.
“Oh this I’m ready for. And don't say poof. It's weird.” The mischievous look on the maknaes face only amps up your own. The youngest was always ready to cause a ruckus with you.
He rolls his eyes at you, but doesnt respond.
“Ok everyones good. Chans in his studio, the others are either in the other dorm, the gym or wandering around the city.” IN eagerly informs you both.
“Did you at least give them a warning? If this does work?” Felix, trying as always to be the voice of reason for you two. Always worrying about what you two would end up doing to the others. Felix and his soft heart.
“Yeah’” IN waves off. “Give it a try y/n”
Focusing on one member you begin to try to will yourself to him. Your eyes close, the world tilts and the ringing hits.
“See you later!” You chime, an evil smile plastered on your face, and then poof.
----
“Do you think it worked?” Felix paces back and forth in worry. They hadn’t heard anything from anyone for over 5 minutes, he was beginning to worry you got lost somewhere.
“Well she’s not here anymore, so I’d assume so.” IN comments, composure set in his shoulders as he watches the older continue in his steps.
The group from your previous location burst into the dorm. Eyes wild, almost panic stricken.
“Have you guys seen y/n? She was in the dorm and then she just vanished! We can’t find her.” Jisung wails, coming in first. Clearly the most concerned out of the group.
“Yea, she was here just here.” Felix remarks, finally his feet coming to a rest.
“Was?”
“We're waiting for touchdown.” IN shrugs, now scrolling through his phone absentmindedly.
“What?”
The maknaes phone notification appears on his screen and the ringtone he set goes off. A bright smile erupts on his face as he answers it, placing it down on the table as he hits speakerphone for everyone to hear.
“You couldn't have given a better warning?!” Chan's exasperated voice comes through the line.
“I said heads up.” IN chuckles.
“Heads up was not enough to have my heart leap out of my body. She appeared out of nowhere. How was I supposed to be ready for that?!” Chan howls. IN can’t contain his laughter at his leader's cries.
“It worked?!” Felix beamed, eyes now sparkling with joy at you not being sent to god know where.
“Yes Lix it worked.” You sang from Chan's end of the phone.
“Greeeeaaaaat.” Less than excited groans break out mixed with genuine cheers.
~🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖
“Um y/n, did you visit me at some point today?” There’s a slight tremble to IN’s voice as he returns to the dorms, not even taking his shoes off to come find you in the kitchen.
“No? I was with Changbin all day.” You chime brightly from your perch on the counter, legs swinging back and forth as you watch Changbin struggling to make a meal.
“As annoying as it was, yeah she was with me the whole time. Why innie?” Changbin turns to the younger, concern written all over his face. You were still learning about the kids, how each one's reactions played a part in their personalities. But they knew each other better than themselves.
“I swear it felt like something was there today.. I don’t know, maybe I’m imagining things” IN huffs, shoulders slumping and head cast down. You catch his demeanor shift this time. Hopping off the counter you walk over to him, angling to catch his eyes now trained to the floor.
“Can you show me where?” You smile at him sweetly. “I’ll take a look for you.”
He doesn’t say anything, only giving you a small nod, finally making eye contact again.
You and Changbin trapse after IN through the company hallways, he had been silent the whole trip there. Something had seriously left the maknae shaken, something you were determined to get to the bottom of. Only you are allowed to scare these boys now.
Changbin steps to walk alongside IN now, draping an arm over his shoulders. You are left a few steps behind. As they take a turn down the last hallway, you can feel it.
You don’t have a body anymore, you know that logically, but somehow there’s a heaviness to your steps that leave you stunned silent. If you had to breathe the air would appear thick, sinking to the bottom of your lungs. But you don’t and you almost have to convince yourself of that fact.
The boys step into the open doorway vanishing into the room. You feel as though there’s a tickle on the back of your neck. The only thing you can think of that it reminds you of is the breath of someone standing too close behind you.
You swear you can hear a whisper of a voice behind you. Instinct tells you to look behind you, but you don’t. The hallway is empty, your voice in your head tells you, you don’t have to worry anymore.
Wait. Why did you have to worry?
You blink several times, pushing away your confusion. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on yourself. You step into the room to see the two of them standing in the center of a vocal room, eyes darting around as IN’s voice finally speaks up.
“It was in here.” He gestures to the room. “I was sitting at the piano, facing away from the door and I felt like something came in. But I had the door locked. When I turned around I was just expecting to see you, but there was nothing.”
You walk over to where the keyboard is positioned, glancing over at the door you all had just come through. And just like that your breath would have hitched if you had one.
“What is it y/n?” Changbin asks from behind you.
“I think we should head back.” Your eyes follow something in the room, moving up to the ceiling. “We can all talk about it together.”
“Sure?” The suspicion in Changbins voice does not go unmissed by you.
“You guys go first, I’ll meet you there.”
You can't see the shared look of distress passed between the two as you hear them leave, mumbling something as they go. You always fazed home first, too impatient to wait for them and wanting to annoy the next person as soon as possible. So you deciding to stay behind was something that stirred anxiety into them.
You want to reassure them, but you can’t. You can’t look away from what you’re seeing. You can feel them getting farther away from you, a forced faze back to the dorms.
You hated accidentally falling out of their proximity, some force slapping you to their side. Always leaving you extremely disorientated. So you avoided it at all costs. But no this time, you feel the pull but you fight against it as you swear you can almost make out what you’re seeing. It’s on the tip of your tongue and that’s where it dies as you hear the same chilling voice rasp to you as before.
“Don’t worry, once you let go of everything else we can finally be together.”
And then you’re wrenched back to the dorms.
Stumbling to the floor you are met with 6 sets of eyes. The group chat had been notified as soon as the two left you behind. They were all waiting for you to return. Shortly after IN and Changbin returned, IN explaining what happened with him.
Then it was your turn. But somehow you couldn’t remember what you thought you might have seen, the emotions you felt now fuzzy and muddy in your head.
“I'm not sure what it was, but it left a heavy residue. Like I could see where it had been on the walls and floor. I think it would be safe if you all traveled in pairs when you’re outside the apartments. Something just doesn’t feel right about it.” You think out loud. “Just being cautious until we can figure this out, I mean.”
“Yea, I think that’s a good idea.” Chan agrees after replaying your words. “I’ll call and get our schedules moved around so no ones alone.”
~🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖
As the weeks progressed, the boys were becoming more unsettled. Even in pairs they claimed to feel like they were being watched or followed. Any and everywhere outside the dorm building, mostly at work and then a trickling of outside.
All the while you couldn’t shake forgetting something. There was something important you needed to remember. But everytime drawing a complete blank as to what it actually was.
Your napping was also impossible now. Once being able to drift into nothing, is now replaced with the cold chill of hands on your skin, dark murmurs against your ears and the overwhelming feeling of grief. As scared as you were when you came back to the world, you couldn't remember exactly what had happened. Couldn’t place the familiarity of the hands, the voice and the words.
You remained upfront with the members, explaining to Chan the ominous dissociative states you found yourself in. And how sometimes it wasn’t you that did it. One moment you could be with them and then the next gone. However, you would put everything you had into fighting it off, it had become frequent for almost a week, before you started to reel it in. it had been days since the last time, finally feeling like you had some control…
Until it hit you again.
The boys were either napping in their dorms or watching tv or eating, some even opting to go to the company for some extra practice. It was an off day for them, all free to roam about as they pleased. You had walked into the living room of the Lee’s dorm when you are halted by a sudden wave of forgetfulness.
“Are you ok, y/n?” You can hear Felix’s voice swim into your fog.
“Yea, I just uh…forgot why I came in here..” You give your head a little shake trying to wave off the clouding fog that was slowly becoming thicker as the seconds ticked by.
You could see through the glaze of your vision, like you were looking through a window of ice, three figures coming closer. You hear their muffled voices as you stumble slightly.
“I’m fine-” You slur out. Unknowing what they were actually saying to you. “I-”
“I know why you’re fighting me so hard. You want me to prove my love for you, don’t you worry I’m not going anywhere.”
The voice envelopes you like a cement blanket, your vision darkening….
“Y/N!”
You immediately snap out of it, standing straight, eyes now clear. “Hyunjin!”
And you phase out.
~🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗
Staggering a couple of steps, you attempt to catch yourself but fail. You plummet forwards to the floor, hands coming out to catch yourself. The ringing is excruciatingly loud now, lights in the room blindingly bright.
Where are you? Someone screamed your name, who was it…? You knew who it was.
Painfully slow you wince as you lift your head to look around the room. Light reflections from the far end. Mirrors, those must be mirrors…dance studio. Your vision is still swimming, unable to focus, if you weren’t already certain you’d think you were underwater with how submerged you feel.
Peering over to the side, shifting your head as little as possible. Gut twisting nausea hits you as you vaguely make out a figure lying on the floor. Fighting through the unseen force dragging your body down, one limb at a time you begin to crawl over.
Your voice coming out in a weak attempt, “Hyunjin”.
A feeble moan comes from the blurry figure, still unmoving.
Hand moving forward to continue moving, don’t stop moving.
‘I-’
“Hyunjin!” Ignoring the voice banging itself against your skull you have to get to him.
‘You-’
“Hyunjin!” Finally movement from the figure. Only a few more shuffles and you’ll be able to reach him.
‘Me-’
Finally leaning over the figure you can now see some of him. Your mind is stuck in a fishbowl view. He’s lying on his back, chest rising and falling in deep rhythmic breathing. He didn't seem like he was in pain. You want to touch him, make sure he’s ok, somehow wake him up. Go for help. What you wouldn’t give to be able to go get help right now. Who did Hyunjin say he was coming here with? Why can’t you remember anything?
Who was at the dorm? Felix, Minho and IN. Who did he leave with?
‘-estiny’
‘SHUT UP!’ You scream back in your mind. You needed to think, but you couldn’t even hear yourself try.
‘-ove’
You grapple with your mind to think clearly, you just had to make your body work too. “SEUNGMIN!”
As his name leaves you the practice room door swings open. Faces you couldn’t recognize and eyes that couldn’t see you crowd around Hyunjin. Seungmin’s face comes into focus, as the chaos carries the unconscious dancer out.
“Y/N, what happened?” He finally asks when everyone else left the room, crouching down to you.
“I don’t know, he… I heard him yell my name from the dorm and I ended up here.”
“Everyone heard him yell. That’s why we all came running. Did anything else happen? I’m going to go find out if he’s ok, but is there anything I need to know? Are you ok?” As he spoke, the water from the room began to drain. Your eyes focusing once again on your surroundings, the ringing dying out.
“No, just go with him, I’m fine.” You wave him away, he only hesitates for a moment before leaving you alone in the room 2 unopened, iced water bottles lay in his place. He must have gone to get them water.
Pushing from your hands, you fumble to sit.
“What do you want?” A broken whisper comes out of you, voice almost sounding not like your own. Eyes trained to the ceiling.
This time the fade out is slow, like you can feel it fluttering down on you like a fresh sheet.
The same infuriating voice sounds as you slip away.
‘I love you and you love me. We’re destiny.’
~🌒🌓🌔🌕
Movie night was demanded of all of you when you finally returned from your ‘nap’. Hyunjin was not able to remember what happened, but he did remember calling your name. But he said it felt more like a warning call than him wanting you to come help him. You were all unnerved by this, but upon long late night discussions you all agreed to let it rest for now. They had a hectic schedule coming up after the next few days of being off.
They were scheduled to go overseas for some promotional work, you were excited about traveling when they first told you. But as time ticked on and you let your mind wander you became increasingly uncomfortable with it. Maybe you could stay behind in the dorms? You could wait for them to get back.
The credits begin to roll over the screen breaking all of you out of your 20 minute silence. The plot twist actually surprises you all near the end, leaving you quietly focused.
“Reincarnation would be pretty cool.” Jisung’s eyes wide in disbelief, finally someone speaking.
“You know what would be even better?” Felix wiggled his eyebrows at his birthday twin, only to have him shake his head in response. “If we all got to do the next life together!”
“Yes!” Jisung cheered, hands thrown in the air in excitement. Snacks completely forgotten in bowls on the table and floor.
“It does make sense. None of us could manage alone anymore, at least I wouldn’t be able to.” Chan laughs at the dramatic younger ones, as they both throw themselves into their leader's lap. Fits of giggles erupting.
“You really want us to all do this again?” Minho complains, the thought already exhausting him.
“Of course!” Felix continues to giggle as Chan gives him a hug, Changbin tickling him on his other side.
“You don’t want to?” Jisung already pushed away from the fight to turn his large puppy eyes to Minho. Pout forming on his lips, forcing Minho to look away abruptly. The question caught the other members' attention.
“It’s not that…” Each member staring at him patiently waiting for his answer. He huffs and rolls his eyes. “Alright, the next life we do together.”
“Promise?” Felix turns on his puppy eyes, following Jisung’s lead.
“Promise.” The others all say in unison.
You snicker to yourself, perched behind them all clustered on the couch, how were they so adorable to each other but also extremely annoying?
Clearly your noises didn’t go unnoticed.
“Y/n, do not even think you can go to the next life without us. ALL of us” Hyunjin glares at you.
“What am I supposed to do? Wait for you?” You feign irritation. Next life huh?
“Yes!! There is no way in hell you are being reincarnated without us, we can finally annoy you then, instead of you just annoying us. And we’ve all just promised to have the next life together, so you’re stuck with us.” Changbin demands, the tone in his voice pushing through the idea that this was final.
“Too bad. You don’t have a choice now.” Minho smirks at you, causing you to mimik him from before, eyes rolling in mock disgust.
The next life with these weirdos? You guess that’s something you could do. Maybe this is what having a home could feel like… being not alone and being wanted made you feel something again. Something you hadn’t felt for a long time, something you had almost forgotten.
Trying to hide a smile you turn away from them, “Whatever.” is all you can manage.
Two more days of having them all to yourself then it’s back to business. Discomfort settles in you again, yea maybe you’ll stay home. You’ve gotten pretty good at poltegiesting the tv on and netflix, slowly being able to move things slightly, playing around with equipment they brought into the dorms. Hey, maybe they can leave you some stuff to attempt to interact with.
You’d be ok here alone. Something in you was saying you should stay back. This time you’d listen to your gut feeling.
~🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗
“Where exactly are we going?” You whine from behind the group. They all had insisted you went out tonight, something to do with having fun to distract from all the creepiness that now was a part of their daily lives. And also their impending work trip.
“We told you it’s a surprise.” Minho huffs annoyingly at you.
“And I told you I don’t like surprises.” You grumble, continuing to wander down a gravel path through a large park. The evening had darkened the sky, however along the path they had taken it was illuminated with string lights. The trees break up ahead and you can see even more lights. You squint trying to get a better idea of what the heck this was.
“No way-” Your mouth hangs open.
A pop-up carnival, adorned with beautiful lights, multiple rides, little shops, tents and so many more options. The night air is buzzing as you look at the others who are waiting for you.
“Surprise!” Hyungjin beams.
“Time to have fun.” Felix chirps before gesturing forward, and that was all the invitation you needed to enjoy yourself tonight.
—-
After a few hours and your second round of the carnival, each member is stuffing their faces with some form of snack. You notice a smaller trailer just out of the main circle trail.
‘Tarot reading/Fortune reading/Psychic medium’
Your pace slows as you feel a slight pull towards it.
“Oooo a psychic!” Jisung shouts excitedly from beside you, making you jump a little. “Should we check it out?”
“Aren’t they all just scammers?” Seungmin deadpanes towards the marked trailer.
“We have the perfect thing to test them out.” Minho counters. “If they pick up on y/n then they are real, if not they are fake”
You nod to the group. That does make complete sense.
“I’m in.” You smile before skipping your way over the boys following close behind, the Medium didn’t have a line or anything so it seemed like this would be a quick visit. If anything you could knock some things off their wall if they got things wrong. It’d be fun regardless.
Upon entering you instantly notice a thick foreboding smog that clung to the air. Something in the back of your mind is telling you to leave, barely one foot inside the trailer. The members crowd in around you giving you a chance to take in the small space. A burgundy wall of curtains behind a small counter with a korean sign you couldn't read.
The members had been helping you learn to read Korean but some things and words were harder than others.
The walls of the trailer you could see had trinkets and lace draping meticulously and delicately placed with symbols you had never seen before. However, each symbol makes you feel a certain way…You couldn't describe it but it was as if you glanced a little too long you’d either feel nauseous, giddy or incredibly nervous. Unable to focus on one thing, your mind hyper tracked every thing in the tiny room.
Everything except the curtain opening slightly.
A young couple arm in arm walked out merrily, smiling at nothing but each other. Clearly given some form of good knews, fake or not. You watched them walk out before turning back to the group.
“Next please~” A tender voice sang out from behind the curtain. Still shifted to the side, the members share a look before walking through, you only hesitate for a moment, the panic of wanting to run weighing down on you. Pushing past it you follow them into the other portion of the trailer.
Entering the room the thick feeling no longer clings to you. It’s like it was trapped in another space. The room coloured in deep tapestries, symbols, mirrors and prints along the walls. A bookshelf full of old looking books, crystals splayed around them. Crystals hang from the ceiling in bottles and in cages, along with plants around the whole of the room. You almost feel comfortable here, that is until a voice brings you out of your wonder.
“Normally I’d request all excess energies to remain outside, however I do not believe I have to this time.” The female voice sings. “You’ve brought someone with you.”
She’s hidden by the members all crowding around her table, it’s not until they all take their seats that you finally get a look at her. The years have aged her….not well to put it nicely. Her body frail, hands shake slightly as she covers her mouth to stifle a laugh.
Changbin looks over at you, giving you a ‘what the hell is this?’ kind of look. All the others were stunned, staring wide eyed at her instant recognition of you.
You shoot him a confused annoyed look, huffing at him to pay attention. In response he rolls his eyes and looks back to her.
“A young girl, your age I feel.” This time not hiding her laugh. “She’s a spunky one I take it?”
“Spunky is an understatement.” Minho mumbles under his breath.
If looks could kill, he would be dead with the glare you’re giving him, you stick your tongue out at them.
“I will give you my quick introduction, and what I normally do for people. However, I will be doing something a little different today.” She begins. “My name is Sengul. I offer Tarot card readings, communications with deceased loved ones or palm readings. But today let us discuss the young lady that has joined you today.”
You eye her carefully, clearly she wasn’t someone to be taken lightly. No one knew about you other than the 8 members, so she shouldn’t have been able to know you were there.
“Can you see her?” Jisungs voice squeaks out, shifting closer to Minho. MInho’s hand coming over to rest on the youngers tapping knee.
“No, but I can feel her.” The medium smiles at the nervous rapper. “She has a very strong presence. An aura if you will, a projection of emotions. And I take it upon your response to my words you all know of her?”
“Yes we do. We can see and hear her clearly.” Chan states confidently, you can tell by his tone he’s thinking over his words carefully.
“I see, and she has been here for quite some time?”
Eight heads nod simultaneously.
“And the other….presence?” Her voice drops.
“You can feel that one too?” Shock encapsules Felix’ normally tender voice.
“Both very different, both just as strong I fear.” Sengul murmurs to herself, thinking out loud.
“Should we be worried?” Chan’s face morphs into a deadpan, quiet demands.
“All I feel from the young lady is pure… love.” Panicking you train your eyes to the floor. You weren’t good at talking about your feelings. It was easier to hide behind shrewd comments, bitter banter and condescending tones. And now she was laying it all out for them, all your feelings for them. “The need to protect is strong. Also the need to not be alone, not for the fear of being alone but of loving too strong. Wanting to be with the people you so deeply care about continuously. Doing everything you can to procure someone's happiness. There’s a sense of ‘if you are happy then I am too’. Not done for selfish reasons but out of love for them.”
If you can’t see them then they can’t see you right? You wished the ground would actually swallow you whole right now, you didn’t want to have to talk about this later, knowing the boys would pester you about this when you got out of here.
But she doesn't stop. “A soul who chooses comfort and trust in the living can open up their doorway to be seen and heard like she has with you. But this takes complete trust in the individual, for a whole group to be given that is truly a gift in itself. Even if the soul itself is not aware of it, sometimes that’s where fate plays a part.”
“That would make sense as to why I saw her the first time.” Hyunjin’s voice comes out soothing, but you're too afraid to look up. Why did you have to be visible? “You mentioned the other?”
Thank god, please move on.
At first she only hums at his question, standing slightly to the side behind the members you look up at her. Fear of your feelings being known, now forgotten.
“I will be honest with you. I don’t believe this one to be like her. A putrid smell invaded my senses under her arua. It lingers on you the way soot would, gathering thicker and thicker on you each time. Draining you, like leech upon flesh. It is dark, something I myself am uncomfortable dealing with.” Her strong eyes trying to reach each member, the sincerity in her voice, the worry.
“Human..?” An unfinished question.
“It was once.”
“How can a human soul be something like this?” Minho’s hand tightens on Jisungs knee, who in return clasps his hand over his Hyungs, trying to now calm the rage set in the dancer's jaw.
“Sometimes, if a soul is truly corrupt in life it can form itself into something inhumanly evil. The reincarnation process is impossible. It can only cling to this world until it achieves what it wants.” Sengul looks apologetically at Minho.
“Achieving what?”
“Whatever it was after in the living. Once it has it, it will bleed it until the soul is lost into nothing. It will no longer exist. These fractured souls are everywhere, I’m surprised you’ve been able to feel one.” Sengul explains cautiously, hands trembling on the table.
“Maybe it's because we’ve been around y/n for so long, we can pick up on some now?”
“Perhaps” Medium hums, her sad eyes betraying her. There’s more she isn’t saying. “Perhaps you’ve just come into contact with it through somewhere you’ve been.”
‘Somewhere you’ve been’ echos in your head… ‘somewhere they’ve been…’
As the boys listen on, something draws you to the side of the trailer. An ornate gold framed oval mirror hangs among the vines and crystals on her wall. You don’t make a step closer, only turning enough to look at it. Stupefied in place, your eyes wide as the voices around you drown out. For the first time in years you make eye contact with yourself in the glass. Noticing a pair of steady eyes watching you through the glass, your body trembles as you let yours drift to them.
The reflection of the Medium is staring at you, your chest rising and falling as if you're struggling to control your breath. She gives you a soft, sad smile, her eyes beaming with so much…was this sympathy… or was it pity?
You break away to check on the others. Could they see what you were seeing?
The Medium and the members are still carrying on their conversation, unaware of what was happening to you. Clearly this was just for you. You quickly look back, making sure you hadn’t imagined it. Once again eyes finding the Mediums reflection still looking at you. So heartbroken.
As if slowly guided forward you began to step towards the mirror. The closer you get the more drawn you are to her. She stands from her stool, matching her steps to yours. With each step you feel an electric vibration through your body. Your hand reaches out to feel the glass in front of you, her doing the same. It almost feels as though you are making contact with someone, there's now despair engraved into the lines of her face.
Her lips don’t move when you hear her voice, “I am so sorry my child.”
Before you can ask her, her reflection fades away in a static like motion, morphing into a tall dark figure behind you. You can’t see any facial features, you don’t know what this is.
Something feels incredibly off, looking back at yourself you see a single tear escape down your cheek. The figure's hand reaches up behind you, fingers wrapping around your neck. Another tear breaks free when your eyes inevitably close, memories flood your mind. The dam finally broken, a dam you wish you could rebuild. But it's too late.
You remember.
“Nonononono, you can’t leave me. I’ll follow you, I’ll find you my precious. We’ll be together always”
~🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘
You kept yourself relatively calm, at least on the outside. The days, hours, minutes even leading up to the boys traveling to Japan, were some of the most emotionally draining for you.
Watching them each pack a bag made you feel like they were the ones leaving you behind. Ultimately you knew that wasn’t true, they’d never leave you behind.
But still you smiled and waved as they left acting like you didn’t know what was coming next. Alone you wandered through the dorms, memories flashing in a vivid 4k movie you had saved.
Late nights talking with Minho about his hidden, not so hidden feelings for his soulmate. Leading to late nights talking to Jisung about the same thing. You give them what advice you could but ultimately leave the ball in their court if they were to bring it up with the other. Which to your joy they did.
Hours watching and rewatching Hyunjin dance over and over again, upon his request. Noting changes, weak steps, things he couldn’t see himself. Then you try to erase the doubts he had for himself in his abilities to master his own choreo. Him unloading his worries on you, for you to help amend.
Following Felix to his voice lessons, only for him to be overcome with nervousness at you listening. Unsure of how to use his beautifully comforting instrument. You encourage him to try more, different styles, different techniques and decide how he wants it to sound. Not how anyone told him he had to sound, believe in what he was singing for, himself.
No longer sitting idly as you all watched Chan overwork and overthink himself. His unableness to see his own worth in the eyes of others. You had gotten so worked up over him self-deprecating that you had snapped. Throwing every piece of importance that his existence brings to so many people, unrelenting confident laced compliments, until he broke down crying.
Bothering Changbin on his solo trips to the gym on days he felt weak. Too many worries about his members and his music filling his mind, making it hard for him to see his strength as a person. He stayed longer at the gym those days, trying to convince himself of his solidity. On these days you felt an even greater urge to voice and compliment him on his reps and stamina. It might have seemed like you were only feeding into this idea of muscularity, but he knew, he always knew why you were really there. And he always just laughed and said you were annoying, but he never asked you to leave him. And so you’d stay until the end.
Days observing the youngest members of the group. Each day growing more and more into bright men. Considerate, emotionally intelligent humans, finding themselves in a world of harsh criticisms and cruel expectations. But still, watching them thrive in the safety of the home they all created with each other was something beautiful in itself. The fearlessness of Seungmin and IN was something that people should be jealous of.
How can a world shrouded with darkness still hold so much light?
Each room now contains countless memories and moments you’ve locked away in your heart. Ones you will hold onto until the last moment, taking them with you. Not remembering your life wasn’t painful neither was remembering what happened at the end of it. What was truly the most excruciating was now saying good-bye to a home you remember, one you didn’t want to leave.
Making your way through the archives of memories you sit down at the dining table. Recording equipment, ipads and other electronics placed especially for you to kill time until they returned. Eyes glazing over, chest heavy, lingerings of a broken promise hanging in the air.
Exerting every ounce of strength left in you, you reach out to one of the machines.
A deafening click fills the room as the recording unit turns on.
~🌑
Voice recording:
‘Hey guys! Yea it’s me, y/n. Bet you didn’t know I could do this huh? Honestly I’ve been practicing trying to use this recording thingy myself for a while, and let me tell you it wasn’t easy *laughs nervously*
I uh just wanted to say thank you, ya know for letting me hang around you guys. I can’t tell you how bored I’ve been and this has been the single most exciting moments in my undead life. So yea, thank you for that.
But um…. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to say all this to your faces before leaving, so I guess I’m taking the coward's way out. Leaving this for you to find after I’m gone.
It doesn’t look like I’ll be waiting on the other side for you guys. I know I promised we’d all start the next life together, but uh…. I don’t… I won’t be having a next go at this. I guess this was meant to be my only life.
I realized what it was that was following you guys, and when I did I got all of my memories back from when I died. I won’t be getting into detail about that because… I don’t- I don’t want to talk about it and I don’t want you guys to think about it. When I figured it out, I knew the only way it would stop coming after you was me.
…It only ever wanted me…
I know you’ll be upset and furious with me that I didn’t talk to you before deciding, but sometimes you have to make a hard decision for the good of the group right?.. and I uh… it wasn’t fair for me to let you guys deal with this when it’s my fault.
So I am sorry, but also not because I enjoyed annoyingly haunting you.
You’ll be getting on a plane to come back in a few days.
So I guess it’s time, if i don’t do it now I’ll chicken out. I have to go back to my room.. we’ll it’s not my room anymore.
*short pause*
I think that’s what scares me the most about this. Not the unexisting part, I mean, but having to go back to my old safe room. That isn’t so safe anymore, not with it being in there.
This, with you, was what being safe felt like. Even if it only lasted for a moment.
A part of me really hopes that when I walk through those doors you’ll forget all about me, so you won’t have to deal with it after I’m gone. I don’t want you to be sad, or feel guilty for my choice…. Do you think if I beg the universe hard enough it could happen? Here’s me hoping that maybe I’ll have more luck in death, than in life?
But it’s ok.
You will be ok.
I know these weren’t the answers we were hoping to find. These are just the answers we’ve been given.
I’d say see you later, like I always do but that feels like a lie now…
So I guess it’s Goodbye.
*long pause, sniffling can be heard over the recording*
This left me so sad 😭 would it be possible for you to write a new story but related to this one ? One where they all find each other again and keep the promise, they remember at some point ? Only if you want to ofc 🫂🫂🫂❤️🩹
Don’t be sad! Their story isn’t over yet. Part 2 is in the works! She still has some fight in her 😉 So hold on tight and I hope you’re ready for it! 💜💜💜
I'll be taking requests, so please feel free to hit the ask me anything button!
I am currently writing for both BTS and Stray Kids! Please see below for a quick overview of my fics, if you wish to see a more detailed list click on the group you wish to dive into!
Just a small update on the M.list, adding yet another section to it. But no other groups! I'm loosing my mind for all these comebacks and I'm trying my hardest not to cave and start writing for others when I can't seem to finish the ones I have
Premise: Moving to a small town and opening your own vet practice, finally you had achieved your own freedom. No longer dragged down by your 'family', free to choose who to trust.
Author’s notes: Hey Babes! I know I didn't have this originally planned to come out but I had this scene in my head and had to get it out! I promise I"m still working on the stories on my WIP list 💜
Word count: 1.3K
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It had been a hell of a long day. Too many emergencies to your liking. Weather it be a dog who swallowed something they shouldn’t have or a cat taking on a Jeeps wheels, you hadn’t had a chance to breathe. So finally beginning to shut down your small vet practice felt godsent.
Unfortunately for you this godsent was short lived. Emerging from the back examination rooms you round the corner just in time to see 7 figures burst through your front door. Well 6 figures carrying an unconscious one.
“What the hell-” You jump, quickly scanning over who had chaotically almost broke your glass door off its hinges. “Guys?”
“Y/N, we need your help!” Changbins barks, carrying most of the weight of the limp person.
“Wha-”
“It’s Chan! Please!”
The fumble Chans body gently to the floor, you can see his blood soaked shirt and pants.
“Chan? He needs a hospital!” You demand, kneeling down next to him to take in any injuries.
“Y/N can you please look?” Hyunjin asks.
“I’m a vet, not a doctor.” You remind, trying to keep your voice as calm as possible. Even though your mind was screaming at you with panic at seeing one of your friends bleeding out on your floor.
“We can’t take him there. Youre the only one we trust.” Minho’s voice sounds cold. You look up at him, you give him a dead stare. His eyes flash with concern. If he was showing signs of duress something was going on here.
“Take him to the back, put him on the table. I’ll do what I can.” You instruct rising from the floor to peel off your jacket and throw it onto the main counter. “Yongbok, lock the door.”
You don’t look back as you head down to the exam room, you hear them scramble after you. Entering you rool up your sleeves adn start washing your hands in the sink. Peerign over your shoulder you see Chan on the steel table and the others crowding around him.
“Everyone out.”
Grumbling resonates from the group.
“I need space to work.”
Still grumbling you hear them leave and the door shut. You finish washing up and turn to your barely conscious friend.
“Alright Chan, lets get you out of here alive.”
Coming out of the room you spot the 6 men in yoru dimly light lobby. The worry hanging thick in the air, their worry and panic now fully settled on their face, shock clearly worn off now.
“He’ll be fine.” You announce when they don’t notice you enter. They all stand at attention. “He’s stable now, but he’ll need some rest before you can move him.”
“Oh thank god.” Jisung sinks down into his chair, hands in his face.
“Seriously though guys, what the hell happened tonight?”
“Just some random guys starting shit, when Chan tried to defuse it one of the guys pulled out a knife.” Changbin states monotonly.
“Some random guys?” You question, yea you didn’t believe that one bit.
Just silent nods are the answer yoru given, but you dont’ bother to ask again.
“What happened in there?” Minho’s voice rings sour in your ears. Once again you give him a blank look.
“Well his wounds didn’t puncher any major organ, so it was just the blood loss I was initially concerned about.” You explain. “However, he was showing signs of poisening. So I had to take blood to figure out what type so I could effectively give him the right antidote. Once I administered that I was able to work on the wound itself and any infection that might come along.”
You watch them as they take in your words, but you don’t bother letting them stand there too long.
“For now he’ll stay here. I’ll close my practice for the next few days. I suggest you all go out and bring him a mattress and some bedding for the time being.” Finishing you turn back to head back to your patient.
“Poisen…?”
You hear the panicked whispers behind you.
“Shit…”
-----------
“You shouldn’t have brought me here.” Chan grumbles from his makeshift bed on the floor.
“ You were dying.” Minho deadpans.
They were all huddled in the makeshift recovery room around their leader. He had taken over 48 hours to finally wake up. Scaring them but you had reassured them that he would in time come too after the poison had mostly left his system.
He had sure enough woken up, sore and agitated to his dismay but the others were too thrilled to give him any more peace. Explaining to him what had happened that night.
You for obvious reasons only entered when you needed to check his vitals and administer new IVs. Their voices grow hushed when you’d knock on the closed door.
“Still. This could put her in a lot of danger. Especially if they find out she helped us.” Chan redirects. He understands how close he was, but they were all good friends with you. Close enough none of them wanted to see you hurt or dragged into their secret part of their lives.
The one they kept so far from you, since the day you moved to their small town and opened your practice.
“They had covered the knife in poison Chan.” Changbin fights back aggressively. “The only poison that could possibly work on us is-“
“Wolfsbane.” You interrupted from the doorway. No one noticed you had entered behind them.
7 pairs of bulging eyes sprang toward you. You stayed calm as the air in the room grew tumultuous.
“Y/n, what are you-“ Seungmin tries to cover. Being the first one to find his voice after the surprise.
“I had to be able to identify the poison used before I could treat it. Wolfsbane doesn’t affect humans, at least not as critically. More like leaving a bad taste in your mouth. There’s only one thing it could possibly kill.” You leave the answer hanging. If they didn’t want to say it out loud then you wouldn’t force them. Haven knows you would be reluctant to share something like this.
You walk further into the room, watching the looks shared between them. But you just shake your head when they look back at you. Eyes pleading.
“Honestly, I’ve had a hunch for a while now.” You sigh. You didn’t want them to feel scared, but so far that was all you could sense in the room. “You’re not as sneaky as you think you are, at least not from where I’ve been standing.”
A light chuckle breaks from you as you remember, “especially when I’ve already told you my favourite place is on top of the roof, watching the stars and the forest across the street.”
“I get why you didn’t tell me. We all have our secrets.” You reassure. The fear started to trickle from the room, realization dawning on them slowly one at a time. “Besides I’m not one for blood wars.”
“You’re the rogue lightwalker we’ve been hearing about.” Chan speaks first, he’s always the one to put the puzzle pieces together the fastest.
“But you don’t smell-“ Jisung starts.
“Like death?” You smile softly at him. “Well I’m not a zombie so thankfully I’m not that putrid. I have my own ways for masking just like you all do.”
You take a minute waiting for the information to settle. Some of them still seemed uncomfortable as they stood there, watching you.
“I still trust you guys more than anymore regardless. I don’t have a family I belong to. I never wanted to find one again after I left.”
Chan clears his throat after a somber moment, staring straight into your eyes. Searching.
“If not a family…..what about a pack?”
7 smiles blaze at you. The dark emotions you may have been feeling completely submerged in their light. You never needed a family. Families were cold, brutal and treacherous.
Packs were warm, caring and trustworthy.
“I'm all yours.” You laugh back, before an evil grin forms on your face. “Now tell me about the ones who tried to kill Chan.”
Warnings: a/b/o dynamics, aggressive alpha tendencies, swearing, near-death experiences, mentions of heat and suppressants
Pairing: Nonidol!Changbin/Nonidol!Minho x Reader
Premise: Omega Primes were rare, being forced to reproduce with other Primes. You never liked the idea of mates, forced or not. A runaway Prime, with two alphas to catch their fall and open up a whole new realm of possibilities.
Author’s notes: Soooo, I'm like secretly/not so secretly obsessed with both of these men right now. When I had originally written this I had no plans to post it, but here we are. Months later with the inability to let it go. I hope you enjoy it regardless! This was definitely written purely for me and my soulmate @jiminiesfavouritecolourisblue to drool over💜
Word count: 8.8K
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“Chan when I say, hold your breath grab Felix and run. Don’t stop until you have Felix safe.” Chan nods to you, he might now know exactly what your plan was but he knew as well as you did that you both had to get Felix out of there.
“What are you thinking y/n? We can’t leave you here.” Felix huffs, his breath getting harder to release from his lungs. Chan holds him up, arm under his shoulder keeping him close.
“I’ll be fine Lixie, I’ll catch up Yea?” You give him a reassuring smile, followed by a wink. Focus still on the hoard of Alphas that had unfortunately followed Felix on his attempt to escape.
“Y/n-“
“Now chan!”
You hear him inhale deeply before he’s holding it, grabbing Felix hand and see them dart forward. Heading towards the exit from the roof.
In an instant you release your pheromones. Inducing your own heat.
All alphas that had followed Felix up to the roof had now turned on you. Now forgetting about the preheat omega.
Releasing a ragged breath, lungs thick with hot air. It’s like you can feel every bone in your body, every inch of your skin triggered by electricity. Your clothes feel itchy against your heated flesh.
You barely register the door reopening, this time without the receding Alpha and Omega, but in a mere blink 2 new alphas had joined the swarm. You’d roll your eyes if you could.
Fucking Alphas.
It’s only a matter of time before one of them advances on you, in any attempt to pounce and take you. Take you as the others join in. A shiver of disgust runs down your spine. The saliva in your mouth is feeling too much now.
You take a step back on sinking legs. Taking a distracted moment to peer behind you. 10 stories, you could make that…well uninjured wasn’t likely but at least you would be away. You’d need at least a few hours to be able to reel in your heat. Your foggy mind reminds you to stay focused on the alphas in front of you, which would normally be your most pressing issue however in your escape-deciding thoughts the two new alphas that have joined late are now directly standing in front of you.
And they’re snarling in the direction of the swarm. That’s when your muddled senses detect it. Like freshly baked bread on a cold day, with a hint of something sweet. Aired out bed linen left outside on a warm day, something toasted dances within it. The scents fused together, getting stronger and stronger by the second.
Your eyes adjust briefly, Minho and Changbin stand off against the triggered alphas.
“Well that’s new” You manage to mumble. As you watch them snarl and defend you. If you were in another state, you’d say you were impressed. Maybe your scent was just really repulsive to them? If you could remember, you’d ask later.
You fight through the Omega need to find an Alpha to satiate your rising hunger, pulling out all of your Prime strength you can. If there was ever a time to be thankful for being a prime it would be now.
Even if the two could fight through the mass, too many people would be hurt.
Your spine straightens, eyes flashing to Prime, voice taken over.
“ALPHA.” Your Prime voice makes everyone halt. The alpha voice might be a terrifying weapon for alphas to use against omegas, but they had no idea what the Prime voice could be capable of. “DOWN.”
Your command is taken instantaneously, the swarm of alphas on the roof all drop to their knees. Their bodies shake with their inability to control themselves.
“LOWER.” the voice growled from you. On their knees, hands and chest to the roof the alphas went in unisent.
All except two alphas. They continue to stand vigilant. Which once again, if you remember you’d ask them about that.
You know you can’t hold it for long. Your body almost giving into the full heat you’ve thrown yourself into.
Speaking of throw, without another thought you feel your control snap. Simultaneously as you throw yourself over the railing plummeting down to the concrete below.
The last thing you hear is the voices of the two alphas above scream your name, as your feet slam into the ground.
----
“Most primes are protected. Then there’s you, inducing your own heat and then throwing herself off 10 story buildings.” Your specialist doctor chastises as he finishes taking your vitals for the day..
“You’d be bored if I was like regular primes.” You jest. He shakes his head, but doesn’t look at you. It's the same old song and dance with you two.
“If your family-”
“If my family cared, I’d have a legion of guards to protect me. But they don't, so I take care of myself.” You finish for him, he finally looks at you. Eyes pleading as always.
“A broken leg is taking care of yourself?” He gestures towards your very large cast, covering from your foot to your mid thigh.
“I didn’t say I was the best at it, did I?” You give him your best fake sincere smile.
“Fine. But could you atleast think about finding someone to bond with?” His sigh of defeat sends an itch over your skin. “I don’t care if it isn’t an omega, hell it could be an Alpha or even a Beta. But atleast that would be some form of safety net for you.”
You don’t answer. You never do. For as long as you’ve been alive you’ve been told you had to mate with another Omega Prime, keep the family line strong. But you cut ties with your family long ago and couldn’t find it within yourself to feel comfortable with the idea of a mate.
“I worry about you.” He goes back to packing up his things, keeping his back to you.
“I know.” It’s all you can manage.
You hear him sigh loudly again as he makes his way around the room, hesitating by the door.
“Hey doc.” You call as his hand is on the door knob. “Thanks.”
You had a lot to thank him for. Not just this time, but continuing to look after you when you left the Prime courts. He could have easily walked away from all your ridiculous behaviour and you wouldn't have falted him for it, but he chose to push on being your doctor. Helping you in any shape and form you needed.
“I’ll see you soon.” He smiles at you before opening it. “Hello Felix, are you feeling better?”
“Yes Doctor, a lot better. Is she awake?” You hear the fake light tone from the hallway.
Ah shit.
“Yes she is.” You look away, you weren’t ready to apologize for what you did. You did what you thought was right.
You listen as he enters. Shuffling as the door closes.Theres a moment of silence before he speaks.
“You said you’d catch up.” Felix sniffles from the end of your hospital bed, you look at him.
“And I did.” You try to lighten.
“A broken leg wasn’t part of the deal.” His angry eyes bore into you. “You could have been really hurt.”
“I know, I’m sorry. But I’m alright.” You motion for him to come closer, shifting slightly to give him enough space to climb on the bed with you. When he snuggles in you feel his body relax. “Just a little sore. Nothing to worry about. I’m just glad you’re safe.”
----
A few days in the infirmary felt like years with the amount of boredom you were in. The only highlight was Felix joining you when he had some down time.
Another day of Felix fussing over you, running back and forth to make sure you had food and liquids and you weren’t in pain. Eventually he settled down to eat with you, your conversations turning back to that day.
“I was terrified when the Hyungs passed us on the stairs. Chan tried to yell at them not to, but it was too late.” You can see the crease between his eyebrows as he thought about it. “I really thought they’d become like the others. But now I’m so glad they were there.”
You don’t say anything, your memories coming back are fuzzy. A drowsy flash of two alphas snarling in defense, rage and protectiveness aimed at keeping you safe.
“I knew Changbin and Minho have really good control over their instincts, but that? I really am impressed.” He chuffs, proud of his older members for keeping themselves in check.
In a cloud you remember their backs, the muscles tight with Alpha stances on full display. But…. Had you managed to direct your Prime voice to only the lost alphas? In a normal circumstance you wouldn’t second guess it. However, inducing your own heat had made it almost impossible to differentiate one alpha from another. The musky clouds of Alphas making your stomach feel like it was made of cement, your Omega instincts could still smell the two.
Wait, have you ever really smelled them before? It was them wasn’t it? You don’t go around smelling others for the reason that most scents are slightly nauseating. So with your Prime abilities you forced your Omega instincts down. But did that really mean you just never noticed that you completely ignored others scents?
Glancing over at felix you let out a hesitant sniff, a citrus burst with a dash of caramel. Ok, you could smell him, he smells like he always does. So why did you….
“What do Changmin and Minho smell like?”
You watch him pause, taking in your words. He looks up at you visibly confused.
“You’ve never noticed?” There sounds like there’s something hidden in his voice, something you aren’t sure what it is.
“I guess not.” You contemplate. “I think I smelt them on the roof, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually paid attention to it before.”
“Ah, well they have kind of off putting pheromones.” Felix gently tries to explain.
“Off putting?” That does shock you. What you smelt on the roof was nothing like that.
“Yea, um.” An awkward cough escapes him. “Minho Hyung kind of smells like… pure sugar? Too sugary, sickly sweet? If that makes sense. And Changbin Hyung smells…well…. burnt.”
You think back to the scents from before, letting your senses reimagine them. The comforting pheromones filling your lungs, even now makes your brain go cloudy. Was it them you had smelt then, or was it different Alphas in the throng of chaos.
“They both take some special suppressants to kind of dampen them, but I try not to breathe too deeply around them. It’s not as uncomfortable as it used to be, but you can still smell it.”
“Huh….”
“Was it them?” His question is genuine. “It would make sense for them to be emitting really strong pheromones during all that.”
“I’m not sure.” You shrug, you don’t need the younger omega to worry about anything else right now. “It’s ok, I’ll just sniff them later.”
“Well don’t forget that I warned you.” He laughs off your words. Back to eating the homemade food he brought with him.
A hint of warm baked bread dances on the food. Which seems odd because Felix didn’t bring any.
----
The next day you had another visit from your doctor, he checked your leg and vitals, making sure your heat was down before agreeing to sign your release papers.
“I’m only agreeing to this because if I don’t you’re only going to make it worse for all of us.” He exclaims. You could tell he was tired. He was extremely busy. Being a Beta and scent deaf meant he could treat all subgenders without any issue of pheromones getting in his way. It was one of the reasons he had stayed with you since you were a kid. It’s why he even became a doctor. “However, I have arranged for you to be looked after while you finish healing.”
“Is that really necessary?” You whine, shifting yourself to the side of the bed, carefully bringing both feet to hang down.
“Yes.”
Ok, no room for debate clearly. You silently sat there as he collected himself, coming over to stand in front of you. Without realizing it you were already pouting.
“Just….please. Heal first, cause mayhem later.”
You nod, pout still there. “But who-”
The door swings open and your eyes sparkle.
“Ready to go?” Felix asks from the door, the bubbliest smile on his face, a large duffle bag in his hands.
“Really?” The giddiness almost taking over.
Felix was always so busy with his group, you and he barely had time to spend together. So to have him being the one to take care of you, you are excited to say the least.
Your doctor rolls his eyes at you, “Let’s get you home.”
----
Having Felix as your temporary caretaker was probably the best 2 weeks you’ve had. 4 more weeks of Felix and you having movie nights, letting yourselves indulge in more Omega oriented activities. By that you meant creating one big nest for the two of you to sleep in together. Your bed wasn’t big enough to create the perfectly comfy nest to happily tingle your omega needs, so you two had chosen to make it in the living room under your large sky light. Pushing your couch back slightly to make room. He had brought all of the bedding and blankets and pillows he owned to yours, and you had instructed him where you kept the thick comfy quilts.
You hadn’t made a proper nest in a long while, and as comfy as it was, as perfect as it was…something was missing. You just couldn’t explain what, so you didn’t mention anything. It really wasn't necessary.
Felix did an amazing job helping you in your mundane everyday tasks. Honestly, it had never been so much fun. But a foreboding was approaching; Felix’s heat cycle was shorter than others. So within the next week he would be slipping and he wouldn’t be able to look after you and you sure as hell wouldn’t be able to do anything for him.
He had asked if he could take half of his things and half of yours with him when he was away for that week. Him saying your omega scent would help ease the time. Of course you agreed wholeheartedly. You offered him every piece of fabric that smelt like you that could be moved.
You had been able to get around with crutches now, but some things were still difficult. Simple things felt derailingly exhausting, without completing things you’d need a 2 hour nap to recuperate. On the day his pre-heat began he let you know that someone would be by to check up on you later in the day. Leaving you with breakfast and a half nest. You had hugged and bid goodbye. Your now vibrant apartment now stark and boring. You sigh to yourself, annoyed with your already darker demeanor.
Giving up you climb back into the half made nest, too tired to fix it. The scent of citrus barely there. You push away your thoughts as you fall into a light slumber.
—
Your sleep groggy mind reacts before your body. You feel too heavy to move, sleep threatening to pull you back in. Was someone baking a pastry? If they were, it smelt delicious, you hoped they would save you some. You rolled slightly, to alleviate the pressure you were putting on your cast, you must have curled oddly in your sleep. A wave of clean bedding wafted over you. Did someone bring you some new things for your nest? That was nice of them.
You compelled your eyes to open, on your back staring up into the sky light. Too much sun beaming down on your face causes you to outwardly groan, rotating to prop yourself up eyes adjusting to your apartment again.
You watch the figure in the kitchen, wearing your apron tied snuggly around his waist, shuffle back and forth, chopping and then back to something on the stove. You drag yourself with your hands and good leg onto your couch to observe them better. His light brown hair, catching in the sunlight, almost dances a copper tone. His feline features once and a while angled better for you to catch glimpses of his concentration. Contentedly you watch him, sitting silently as he doesn’t realize you’re awake.
That is, until the itch to know becomes too unbearable.
“Lixie says you and Bin take pheromone suppressants.” It's not a question. You watch him halt his movements, but only for a split second then resuming his cooking.
“Yes.” His voice is relatively mellow. At least he doesn’t seem annoyed talking about it. So far.
You hear the bathroom door open from the hall, heavy footsteps coming into the main area.
“You’re awake” Changbin smiles at you. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired. I’m bored of being tired.” You explain away. “How can you both need them? I was surprised when he told me. Especially when I thought I smelt you both on the roof that day.”
Changbins weary look is directed at his hyung, he had no idea what you were talking about.
“The suppressants work well.” Minho continues working. “You would know if you smelt us.”
“Burnt and sickly sweet right?” You recall what Felix said that day.
“Yes.” Minho answers again, this time looking at Changbin he nods sheepishly. Almost looking disgusted with himself.
“Can I smell you?”
“What?” Changbins head shoots up to look at you.
“You want to smell us?” Minho, finally forgoes the cooking to fully face you.
“Haven’t you smelt us before?” Changbin tries to deflect.
“Maybe, but I’ve never noticed anything… ‘offensive’ coming from you two.” You explain. “So I want to check for myself.”
They exchange panicked expressions.
“You don’t have to, but I would like to.” Your petulant pout adorned on your face.
Eventually Changbin speaks up, “We, uh don't mind. We’re just worried about you.”
“I promise I will not throw up.” You chuckled at them.
“Ok but don’t say we didn’t warn you.” Minho shakes his head in disbelief.
They cautiously make their way around the couch, coming to stand in front of you.
“Who first?” You exclaim cheerfully. Once again they exchange weary looks then roll their eyes at your nonchalant attitude of this impending wave of disgust to hit you.
“Me.” Minho kneels on the floor, making it easy to get close enough to his scent gland without causing you too much physical strain. You shift forward, leaning into his neck making sure not to make any contact. You give a hesitant sniff, the suppressants they are on must be really strong. You inch closer, taking a deep inhale.
The smell hits you instantly. You keep a straight face.
“Changbin.”
By the gods you managed to get your voice out in a steady tone.
Changbin follows his hyungs position, Minho now standing to observe.
This time knowing how close you needed to be to actually smell their pheromones, you move right away. Leaning in and taking a second deep inhale of the night.
Your face blanks, as they now stand together waiting for your definite repulsion. You take a moment, not able to see the look of dejection on their face.
“Well…It was undeniably you two that I smelt on the roof.” You finally manage. “But I need to ask you both something. When I used my Prime voice on the alphas, and when you came in contact with my heat pheromones, what was running through your minds?”
They looked at you quizzically, “we…our instincts wanted to protect you. That’s what we were thinking.. Well we weren’t actually. Our alpha instincts took over.”
“As for the voice… I don’t know how to explain how we felt but… it was like if someone didn’t obey it we would make them? Almost giddy, I guess.”
An airy laugh leaves you. “That’s new. How many more surprises are there gonna be with you two?”
“What-? Our scents?” Changbin redirects back to their previous worry.
“I’m glad you guys take suppressants, because you have the most delicious pheromones I’ve ever smelt in my life.”
“Did the doctor check to see if you hit your head?”
“Ok, rude.” You huff. “I am never giving you a compliment ever again.”
“You’re sure it was us?” Changbin points between them.
“Yea. 1000%, like a puff pastry with powdered sugar on top and toasted chestnuts in the morning wrapped in clean linen.” You pout, body slouched back on the couch angrily.
“We’ve never heard those before.”
“Well, I'm sorry to burst your gross bubble, but you two don’t smell gross.” Shrugging them off you turn your attention to a new curiosity. “What’s for lunch?”
----
Over the next few days none of you bring up the pheromone conversation again, nor do you bring up their reactions to your Omega. It does however continue to remain an inquiry for you. You wait patiently for today to finally ask someone about it. Cast changing day.
You let your doctor remove your cast, asking you pain questions and general health ones. As he is casting the new one you finally let yourself ask.
“What would it mean if an alpha didn’t respond to an Omega Prime voice?” The nonchalance in your voice is clear.
“That would depend, was it intentionally directed to avoid them or was it an all for one?” Keeping his eyes trained down, his hands don’t stop moving, wrapping the bands around your calf.
You let yourself think over the situation before answering.“Since it couldn’t have been properly controlled, let’s say all for one.”
“Well…..”
“Hm.” You contemplate his words. “And what if an alphas' instinct was to protect instead of mount, with an omega in heat?”
“Please don’t say mount.” He grimaced, eyes still down but hands pausing briefly to show his dislike even more than with just his face.
“Aright, instead of ‘try to take by force’.” You stifle your laugh, but continue in your questioning.
“It would suggest…..”
“Uh huh.” You struggled to take in his answers, but the gist of it wasn’t lost on you. “Last question, what if an alphas pheromones and natural scent was repulsive to everyone around then except one omega, to that omega they smelt really good. What would that suggest?”
“Why are you so weird today?” He stands to examine your face, finally looking at you. He knew something was going on, it’s not like you were hiding it.
“More than normal?” You give an over exaggerated grin.
He stares at you blankly for a moment, like he’s considering letting you feign ignorance or pushing you for information. Luckily he doesn’t take too long to decide, he already knows if you’re going to tell him you will.
“No.” Is his final answer. “It would most likely mean…..”
“Ah.” You flomp back on the mattress, eyes now trained to the ceiling. Your face scrunches up in annoyance as you piece the puzzle together. A puzzle you never asked to have to deal with. You didn’t like complicated things like this, you preferred simple and easy to push along.
“What is this all about?” He sounds worried, he was always worried.
“I think I may have found….”
----
The mindless boredom you had begun to feel while stuck at home, was starting to give you an anxious itch. If you were right about it, and the information your doctor told you did in fact back that up, it would be a time if the boys found out.
So you kept quiet, no issues if you didn’t bring it up. Clearly they thought differently.
“We think something is going on.” Changbin announces from your kitchen. They had come over together to help you complete some work and make you dinner. Felix had something come up and they had volunteered.
“Well I’m hoping it’s not something bad with my food.” You nonchalantly throw over your shoulder, fingers typing away on your laptop from the couch.
Your nest still a mess on the floor. Felix had offered to fix it, but you couldn’t bring yourself to let him. Something was still missing.
“With the three of us.” Minho finishes. AH, so they noticed something. Your hands still, recline back arm over the back of the couch, you lounge out.
“And what exactly is happening?” You inquire, body calm, mind ready to receive any information they might have dug up.
They gave each other a mild once over before exchanging a nod. Approaching you with hesitant energy but sure steps. You could smell them stronger than normal today, maybe that was because they were nervous? Or maybe because your Omega was trying to smell them out? Either way, you ignored it.
“We’ve done some research.” Minho supplies. “About you not finding our smells repulsing.”
“The only things we could find are research papers on the idea of the rarities of fated mates.” The words come out of changbin so fast you’re surprised you even understand it.
“It’s a possibility that one of us could be your fated mate.” Minho simplifies.
“Smart boys.” You chuckle. “Looks like we’ve come to the same conclusion then.”
They stare at you dumbfounded.
“I was also curious about my Omega pheromones having certain effects on your alpha instincts.” You continue. “And it seems they have also indicated that. However, I’ll tell you both now. Just because it appears that way doesn’t mean I’m about to jump on either of you.”
“We get that. We just want to make sure we're all on the same page with what this could possibly entail for us.” Minho confides, emphasizing their sincerity. These boys knew you well enough and what your view was on ‘mates’.
You sigh heavily, how was the idea of the possibility of having a fated mate this exhausting?
“And we want to be honest..” Changbin directs your attention. “We both have felt drawn to you. If this possibility was right and you felt something for one of us over the other, we’d be ok with that. But we also don't want you to feel like you have to do anything.”
You gave them a soft smile. “Thank you boys. If it had to possibly be anyone, I’m glad it was you two.”
Upon some form of conclusion for the night, they helped you hobble over to the kitchen table to eat for the night.
But there was still a lingering thought playing in the back of your mind that you couldn’t quite settle.
----
“A FATED PAIR?!” Felix screeched excitedly from the other end of your couch, flailing pillows and plushies toward you.
“The possibility of a fated pair.” You correct, dodging each oft blow with a giggle. You knew he would have an over the top reaction, which honestly was one of the reasons why you did want to tell him, but also you didn’t want to spend the evening answering his million questions.
“But TWO?!” His excitement wasn't about to die down. “Holy shit. How are you going to choose?”
“Lix, I’m not going to choose.” You hush him, wanting to bring an end to this interrogation. “Listen, I won’t choose someone just because my omega wants me to. I need to actually like the person first. I need to know them.”
“It’s Changbin and Minho.” He reminds, giving you a pointed look.
“I know, but you and I both know how badly couples can end just because they go along with their sub genders needs. I’d rather be sure.” You recall past mutual friends of yours and how disastrous their situations turned out when they let their instincts fully take over. It had left the friend group shattered with no amount of apologizing and forgiveness could mend what had been hurt.
“So you are going to pick one of them?” He still pushes.
“I’m not saying yes and I’m not saying no.” You finish, huffing before mumbling to yourself. “We could still be wrong.”
----
Work had called you asking if you could come in, there was a specifically rude alpha writer that demanded the editors who worked on his last piece to be there. He had first come in requesting only Alphas to work on his writing. The manager had told him that they would do the best they could but they had limited Alphas available. The top editors in the firm were you, two other omegas, an alpha and a beta. However, that didn't seem to be good enough.
Apparently he had just realized that it was 3 omegas who had been credited for the editorial, even though the 3 of you had also worked on his previous project. To top it off he was also very into his hierarchy of the subgenders.
Thankfully for you, you had just entered the free standing boot phase of your recovery. You hobbled into the firm, the receptionist welcoming you back, and warning you of what might be in the conference room. She also let you know a little piece of extra information about said writer. He was a dominant alpha male.
Upon entering the room you are enveloped with the intense heavy set musk of dominant pheromones. The need to vomit crept up on you, leaving a nasty taste in your mouth.
“Sorry for being late,” You respond normally, pretending not to notice the provoked alpha on the far side of the room. Not to mention, the two omega editors cowering in at the side table, looking meek and shaking in their chairs. “I’m still a little slow on my feet.”
Your Alpha manager rushed over to you to help you alongside the others, the shallow tremble in him didn’t go unnoticed. “No worries, y/n we were just going over the issue.”
“Is there an issue?” You ask cheerfully. First you get a read on the hostile energy. The dominant alpha stands tall, smug expression on his face as he watches everyone in the room struggle to keep themselves together.
“I would say there is, omega.” His voice instantly makes your brain itch, and not in a good way. Gross. Also his need to identify your sub gender to the room really tests your ability to hold your eyes from rolling. “I requested alpha editors to be a part of the project, not three omegas. I need my work to be looked over carefully and with exceptional skills. I am sure you three are adequate but I don’t like being kept in the dark about my own work.”
You pretend to mull over his words, this man clearly needs others to bow down and grovel at his feet.
What an unfortunate choice for him.
“As I recall your novel hit #1 on the charts for 4 weeks and it was completed before the deadline.” Your professionalism is on full display. “I am sorry if you do not feel that your work has been properly looked after. But our firm never promised for an alpha only team, just as you did not feel the need to read over the creditors before releasing. On all the paperwork you were given about the piece, our names and subgenders were clearly marked. You did not raise a complaint nor concern at the time.”
“So you’re saying that was my neglect then, Omega?” His vocal demeanor changes to a lower tone, rasping out as the room spikes with more pheromones. He evidently was trying to will you to submit, which once again was unfortunate.
“Could you please not refer to me by my subgender, I do have a name.” You sigh, how annoying.
“You don’t like to be reminded that you are an Omega?” It almost comes out as a snarl at this point. This time you can’t stop from rolling your eyes.
You push the rollie chair away from the table, turning to face him front on. You side glance over to you manager, then to the antagonistic male then back. Asking for permission, you could see him struggle to nod. The Dominant pheromones now getting to his inner alpha, his instincts fighting to not submit either. You look at your fellow omegas and they are truly a mess. Tears streaming down their faces, heads down, already submitted a time ago.
“It’s not that I need a reminder. I am very well aware of what I am.” You stated coldly. “You, however, need to be educated.”
His sick chortle of a laugh fills the room. One you were more than happy to silence.
Your Prime voice ready to extinguish his joy.
“SIT.”
He’s instantly on the ground, mid laugh causing him to choke.
“CRAWL.”
You watch him fight against his body, as he trembles onto hands and knees moving towards you. When he’s close enough for your amusement, you hear the omegas behind you stop crying. You can also hear your manager finally take a deep breath.
“STOP.”
He sits there on the dirty carpeted floor in his stupid looking designer suit at your feet. You stay seated, comfily reclined in your chair.
“The only reason this firm worked on your piece in the first place was because it was a favour for your uncle. The amount of work that went into salvaging that piece of crap you spewed is ridiculous. Not to mention no other firm would work with you.” You reprimanded. “You should feel thankful that our manager agreed to it, thankful that you had two of the most professional and invaluable editors we have.”
“You are free to go to another firm, at this point we’d all be grateful if you did. I will remind you, Omega or not you have NO RIGHT to compromise another with your pheromones. It is against the law and we will not hesitate to file against you. Understood?”
Your eyes glower at him with the intensity of a Prime, he nods sheepishly.
“Now apologize to my coworkers and manager for wasting their time and disrespecting this firm.”
His hurried words of begging for forgiveness meant nothing to you. You watched him collect himself and retreat out of the room. The omegas hugging you in thanks.
“I’m surprised you were able to hold off from that alpha. You made it look so easy.” They seemed mesmerized by you.
“It was.” You stated confidently. “They're not my Alpha.”
----
“A horde of alphas isn’t enough for you? Now you’re tackling aggravated dominants?” Your doctor insisted on an omega specific checkup. Even for you, over exerting yourself while still healing could be dangerous.
“It was only one this time.” You mutter, back in his office once again. You swore you might as well live here with how often you keep showing up. The receptionists and cleaning man were all on a first name basis with you.
“Does your alpha know that you’re making dominants submit to you?” He muses from his desk, looking over your test results.
“My what?” You try to contain your shock, but then again he could read you pretty well.
He gives you a ‘cmon really’ type of stare, “I’ve known you long enough to know you don’t ask questions unless they’re relevant and of interest. It’s easy enough to put two and two together.” He stands to place the blood pressure wrap around your arm. “So how does your alpha feel about it?”
“They’re thrilled.” You stone face, eyes locked on your arm.
“Really?”
“Giddy even.” You pout defiantly.
“I know it’s a touchy subject, but do you have any plans to mate with them?” You could hear the sincerity in his voice. You didn’t want to hide anything from him, if anything he would be the one to help you figure it all out.
“I-There’s two.” You look up at him.
“Two?” He gives you a perplexed look, before lightly chuckling. “You definitely don’t make things easy.”
“Yea yea. I’m the definition of the perfect patient.” You roll your eyes, a smile breaking out on your lips.
“This might be an idea, but maybe you should test their scents against your heat?” He suggests, pulling the monitor away.
“...how would I do that?”
“Well, your heat is coming up shortly so I would say to ask each of them for something to have with you during it. If your Omega reacts more to one scent then the other you know at least you know where part of you stands.”
That could be a piece of the puzzle you could use.
----
A day out. You desperately needed a day out, especially with your heat approaching. Bless Felix for planning with everyone to finally get you out of the house. And like the bundle of sunshine he was, he decided it would be best to hit up all your favourite local pier. One that happened to be equipped with a few rides, bowling alleys, mini golfing courses and other small activities.
Of course the first plan of attack was a couple of the rides, your boot and all slugging into mechanisms. The last one being a sort of enclosed type tilt-a-whirl, which to be fair did have some pretty steep drops. The line was a little longer for this one, so you all cued together. When you got to the front of the line you had just begun sorting into smaller groups.
“I’ll sit with Changbin and Minho” you volunteer, hand raising in the air. The two started to pack themselves into the enclosed bubble.
“Really?” Seungmin quips almost astounded that someone would want to. You roll your eyes, heading to follow them in.
“It’s groups of 3, and there’s 9 of us. Does anyone else want to be crammed in a tight space with them?” You challenge, the look of horror on their faces was more than enough as an answer. “Exactly.”
As you begin to enter the ride Minho holds his hand out for you, steadying you as you step over the gap. Changbin, waits for you to sit before closing the door behind you.
“Are you sure y/n?” Changbin asks, settling himself across from you.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.” Your tone annoyed but strong. “I like your scents, even if there was someone else wanting to come in with you I’d still be here.”
Minho turns away to try to hide the smile on his face, changbins sheepish smile is turned down to the floor. You couldn’t help admiring how cute they were.
How did you not notice that before? ….. you knew, being one disappointment after another you had turned off and locked down your omega. Becoming unable to view anyone as anything more than a friend. It was safer that way. In your old world only other primes were eligible for you to mate with. But maybe now it was time to turn it back on, let yourself notice things, let the possibilities in.
“Oh I wanted to ask you guys a favour.” You pull them back, the ride slowly inching forward to let the next 3 in. “I don’t know if Felix mentioned it but my heat is starting in a couple days and -“
“We know.” Changbin cuts in. “Uh, we know but Felix didn’t tell us.”
You eye him for a moment, there was something he wasn’t saying. You glance at Minho.
“We can smell it.” Minho to the rescue.
“Smell it?” You give yourself a quick sniff. You couldn’t smell anything. At least you don’t normally until the day of. “Huh. Ok? Well I was wondering if I could borrow something from each of you during my heat?”
Their eyes spring back to you. Shock is not the right word to explain what you see.
“My doctor told me to test my omega. It’s been mostly dormant for a long time because of my upbringing, so if there is something going on with us” you motion in a triangle “seeing the reaction my base instincts might be helpful, you know? My omega might gravitate toward one of you.”
You could see it in their faces that they were contemplating your words carefully.
“I mean, it does make sense.” Minho agrees.
“But what about you not being swayed by your omegas needs? Your choice?” Changbin seemed concerned.
“I will not let my omega mount either of you before this me decides how we might feel.” You give them the Boy Scout salute.
“Mount?” Changbin bursts into a full laugh. Finally the mood lightens again. The three of you buzzing by the time the ride actually gets into full swing. You and changbin both needing to hold onto Minho as he yells about wanting to get off. Changbin just screams incoherently and you can’t stop laughing.
Thankfully the rides controller takes pity on them and slows it down to let your group off. Both boys stumble out but still manage to help you off. The rest of your entourage wanting to go again.
You decide to head into the building that holds the bowling alley, your incline down the last steps proves to be a little slippery as your booted foot slides out from under you.
The impact with your ass and the carpeted floor makes you grunt. They both let out maniacal fits of laughter at your landing.
“Ha.Ha. Help me.” You demand, pout uncontrollably appearing.
“Watch out if we don’t help her back up she might use her prime voice on us.”
“Yea because that worked so well last time” you rolled your eyes and huffed. Thankfully they still help you into a seat next to an unused lane. “Besides, if anything it would just make you two high or something.”
“What do you mean?” That causes them to stop laughing.
“Apparently it’s another possibility. That being fated to a prime means the voice doesn’t work on you like other people. Alphas have no choice, their inner alpha hates it. Like nails on a chalkboard. But with fated it hits the serotonin and dopamine thrill.” You smirk, flashing them bright eyes batting your eyelashes.
“Our own personal dealer?” Minho chides.
“Nice.” Changbin retorts, they high five. “I’ll grab you shoes….or a shoe.”
“I’ll grab drinks. You.” He points to you, then your chair.
You wave him off in indifference to scan around the alley. You guys hadn’t been here in almost a year. It was almost scary how it hadn’t changed at all. Still a musky smell of ocean water, easy pizza and burgers, as well as a hint of BO. The workers were younger than you remembered, but you were also older than you remembered. Chuckling to yourself at the nostalgia. Your eyes find their way over to Minho in the line for the concession.
His broad back and slender waist turned to you. He wasn’t as slim as a lot of the members, Ji specifically. No one could beat that man's waist. He never really wore shirts that were tight fitted, which in hindsight could be quite a shame….that went for Changbin too. Minho was taller, with sharp features, but still soft to look at. But that was him, wasn’t it?
He looked cold from the surface, not really responding or speaking but he was extremely observant. If you had to guess his love language would definitely be acts of service. He wasn’t good at accepting compliments, which made it all the more fun to dish out. Watching the blush creep up his face as he tries to hide it. He really was dependable. There was no doubt about that in your mind. He had such a deep caring nature for those he cared about, anyone would be lucky to be bonded with him.
Just as you fall deeper into his silhouette, Changbin appears in front of you.
“Shoe!” He chimes cheerfully. A single show for you and two pairs for them. Before you can say anything in response he’s down on one knee in front of you.
Pulling your good foot by your ankle he rests it on his leg, untying the laces and slipping your foot out. He’s extremely fluid and delicate in his movements, it’s weirdly mesmerizing. His strong hand reaches over to grab the single bowling shoe, sliding onto your foot with ease.
How did he know your shoe size? You’re sure that’s something you’ve never brought up before. You can see the top of his bleach dyed hair, his roots vaguely noticeable. Another observant one, he and Minho clearly shared that in common. However he seemed more like a words of affirmation type… He always knew exactly what to say in any situation. Always knew how to make someone feel better, he was truthful in a way that seemed more uplifting even with sour news. His shoulders were broader than your other friends, his ability to gain muscle was something to be desired for sure. His obvious soft eyes could turn fierce in a second if he felt he had to.
It took everything in you to not reach out to feel his hair run through your fingers.
And just like that you snap back out. Your shoe on and laced up, and Changbin standing to accept his drink from Minho. Minho doesn’t say anything as he places a drink down next to you. You peer over at it not sure what you were expecting as you hadn't told him what you wanted.
He notices you staring at your cup.
“Water.” He states, sipping on his drink. “Too much caffeine doesn’t sit well before your heat.”
He turns away, both men now replacing their shoes. They had moved on to another conversation. But you felt stuck.
‘Water…water…’
How did he know caffeine makes you feel gross during your heat period? You’ve only ever mentioned it to Felix. Did Felix tell Minho about the caffeine? Did Felix tell Changbin your shoe size? How did they know…. When did they know?
Just as your minding your words to ask them about it, the others in your group come barrelling down the stairs. Laughter stealing your attention, maybe later. You’d ask them later.
----
Later your ass. You never did get round to asking, your mind in a sort of whirlwind since. But still the day before your heat Minho and Changbin showed up at your apartment, they both had decided the best thing to give you were one of the most worn hoodies. Apparently Felix told them you tended to get really cold between waves of need. Changbin had brought a black one and Minhos was a light gray. They had made sure the day leading up to they had worn them without taking suppressants. So they slept, ate, worked out (per your request) in the hoodies.
You thanked them, letting them know you’d wash them before returning and you were sorry for however state they ended up. They laughed and said they knew what they had agreed to.
And with that you locked yourself away, awaiting the pain and insufferability of going through your heat alone again.
Your doctor's idea was a good one….well it would have been if you were someone else.
----
The day after your heat ended you had managed to clean yourself and your apartment up. Your fridge was now empty of the premade meals that Felix had given you. Now understanding why they had an underlying smell of a bakery, Minho was the one who made them for you.
You had your answer post heat, but did it really change anything? Should you tell your doctor? Felix? Changbin and Minho?
You were already emotionally mentally and physically exhausted, but this was just ready to make your head explode. Deciding fuck it, you placed both sweaters unwashed in sealed bags. Keeping them separate from each other and from stinking up the whole building. Throwing them in your backpack and slinging it over your shoulder. You texted Minho asking if they were both home stating you had to talk to them. He instantly replied that they were and you could come over anytime.
You rushed to get your shoes on and head over to their shared apartment. Of course they would share, now it makes more sense because of their pheromones and your understanding of them. Clearly something you once again didn’t notice before.
Your fist against the door sounds a lot more aggressive than you meant it to be. Changbin opens the door, almost taking you by surprise, but don’t let it stop you. Dropping your backpack onto the middle of their living room floor.
“Are you ok?” Minho questions quickly. “You smell…sour?”
“Did something go wrong?” Changbins clearly worried. They both are.
“No…well…it did tell me…things, I guess.” You fumble your words, which is most definitely not like you. “I just had to get out of there. I was thinking too loudly.”
“We get it, it’s a lot to ask of you” Minho reassures. Why did that make you feel even shittier?
“My backpack.” You look down to the mass on the floor. “I brought your sweaters back…”
“Before you say anything y/n.” Changbin walks across the room to you. “We have a favour we’d like to ask of you. Or at least we hope it could help?”
“We were thinking, what if we each took an item from you for out ruts?” Minho joined him in front of you. “It might not be the same as your heat, but at least you’d be reassured on our end that our alphas are 100% wanting this. Just like…..we are.”
“You-?” Fumbled, seriously now was not the time to lose your ability with words.
“We both have genuine feelings for you. Alphas or not. People to people. If we could have it our way, honestly we’d be willing if you wanted both of us. Our alphas agree…” Changbin smiles softly.
You take a step back, baffled by them. Two of the most capable human beings wanted you, you as a person. Not because you were a prime…and their alphas wanted to be with you too. Alphas wanting to be with a Prime, not only that but share? This was beyond a possibility. This was impossible. You let out a dry airy chuckle, now standing confident to face them.
“In my backpack, are your hoodies. I didn’t wash them.” From confusion to mischief, the look in your eyes hypnotizes them. You reach down, pulling out each sealed ziploc piece of clothing. Tossing them at the males they catch them effortlessly, without looking away from you.
“I think I’ll let you find out for yourselves.”
They blink themselves back, glancing down to the packages in their hands. You see their jaws lock in place. Could it be worry, or they’re both ready for their chance to be disappointed or is it the thought of being able to smell what you smelt like during your heat.
Regardless it didn’t matter now. You all needed answers, you had heard theirs. Now they need to know yours.
Hesitantly, with shaking hands they open the bags in unisent, letting the smells intrapped inside to explode out. They both swallowed down a lump in their throats. You can see them inhale deeply and shudder. Something about watching them on edge, waiting for their answer, both wanting awakens your omega. Instead of fighting them down you let them watch, to take in the sights and scents with you. You can feel your left eye be taken over by your omega. For the first time, in your life your omega and you were working together.
During your heat you found a harmony within yourself you didn’t know you could have.
Changbins shoulders roll back as the stress vein on Minho's neck protrudes. They reach in, taking a moment to look at each other exchanging a nod and pulling the garments out. The fusion of your scent on full blast and theirs erupts. It feels so thick it will probably stick to every surface in their apartment.
They scan over their individual pieces, you can see when they and their alphas understand what they are holding in their hands. Your omega purrs, feeling the pheromones of a pleased alphas circulating. They both hear it when you let the sound come out of your mouth. One eye normal, one omega taken.
“It’s difficult to wear two hoodies at all times.” Your voice sultry, vibrating with the purr from your chest. “Maybe one of you should give me some pants next time.”
You smile widely at them. Their alphas are just as shocked as they are, looking to each other and what's in their hands it sinks in.
You wore both. The whole time your omega needed an alpha, you clung to both. You used both to fight for release.
“Or how about instead, you both join me?” You smirk. “Because I’ve already starting falling for both of you.”
The smile on their faces was beyond breathtaking. To think you might have missed this. You never wanted to miss this. Miss them.
The possibility seemed so unreal months ago, but now could only have been a definite since the beginning.
It's been waaaay too long since the last time I posted, and I want to apologize for leaving you all with multi-cliffhangers. Life really decided to push me to my limit, including my mental health took a really dark turn. But I am here, I am ok and I'm working on me.
Thank you all for being here, and still reading my fics and commenting and sharing. I've started working on completing some WIPS that I had started. But I did have a question:
Would you like a stand-alone or part of a series first?
I am torn on which one to fully focus on, so if there's something you'd like desperately please let me know!
I have a VERY serious question for everyone.
What is your ult ship in ALL of Kpop and WHY?
It can be romantic ship or even just platonic soulmate ship.
Generally curious because ..... well I'd like to start a discussion about it. SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know!!
Today marks a new day and one step closer to your time at Hogwarts! We are very excited to have you and for all your adventures here with us.
We wanted to let you know in advance; when you enter those doors you may notice a difference in your time here versus at home. Whether it be memories or in the present we seem to have.... caused time to skip around a little. Do not be alarmed as we are working on correcting this, but we shall still be open for you.
If you notice a pattern or possibly clues to the correct order of time please let the designated faculty know your house and your findings. We will be awarding House Points to those who are able to piece together this mystery!
The first two we shall introduce you to are: a very astute 6th year Slytherin, and our very own alumni who, now, is in his first year as an Educational Assistant. Both are equally lovely and I believe you will make great....friends here.
I will check in on you every time it is time for a new introduction. Of course, I wouldn't let you face it all alone. Well, most of it anyway!
So please, enjoy your time here but don't forget to keep up with your studies. (You may need them in the end)
Reminder:
The train shall leave platform 9 3/4 promptly on time, no delays. So I suggest you are there before that. Flying cars are NOT permitted on school grounds.
Premise: Being alone and ignored was one thing, you were used to that by now. But having each member of an idol group barrelling into your safe little sanctuary was not something you could have imagined. Now being torn away from your tiny cozy room all you wanted to do was get back to it. Even it meant losing home.
Authors notes: 9.2K words. I'm going to start including a word count in each drabble, as I have realized some of these reach over 5k. It'll let people know if they're opening up a mini novel or a short piece.
masterlist
~🌒
The comfort of the dark room, the silence you are so accustomed to now. No longer cold and dim, but a neutral sanctuary.
Or so you thought….
The doors unwarningly open, and a scream echoes in your enclosed space. Your eyes fly open, and are hit with a harsh stream of light. Making your brain stumble at the impact.
Squinting you fumble out of the space, cumbersomely forcing yourself to your feet. Your ears finally begin to work again as you can hear faint muffled speech smacking you in the head.
“I am so sorry! I didn’t know anyone would be hiding in there!”
“I was napping, not hiding.” You correct, rubbing your eyes, hoping the spinning would stop soon. Your eyes slowly begin to focus. When was the last time the light was on?
“Why would you nap in a closet?”
“It’s comfier than you’d thin-” Wait. Did you hear that right? The voice chuckles. Your eyes swim back to vision as you face your intruder.
“You’re Hyunjin. From StrayKids!” Really? In this whole situation that’s all you got? You mentally slap yourself. You had bigger things to worry about.
“Yeah! Are you a fan?” He replies brightly.
“Uh…” You take in his form from his iconic shoes to his blonde hair. “Was…?”
Looking at his face, more important his eyes. Yep, he’s definitely looking at you.
“Was? Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” His smile falters, but he recovers quickly.
“What are you doing here?” His outfit and makeup tells you he is filming something. But if he’s here then the others must be and a whole production team, which to you sounds like a right nightmare. Well it would be if you could have one.
“We’re filming for our new music video. What are you doing here?”
“Napping.”
“You came all this way, to this run down old building… to nap?” He looks at you skeptically, but you’re too lost in examining the room. An old classroom, the posters still on the wall hold some faint colour to them. Your favourite drawing hanging up was blue not black. Huh, who would have thought.
“Uh huh”
If anyone had asked you this morning if you would be standing here having a conversation with Hyunjin of Straykids, you would have laughed at them. Wait… you clearly missed something important.
Before you could open your mouth to assure yourself, the door of the classroom bursts open and three more members of skz file in.
“Hyunjin, we've been looking everywhere for you!” Changbin yells at him.
“We thought we heard a faint scream, we assumed it was you.” Jisung laughs.
“Oh so funny” He rolls his eyes.
“Who’s this?” Seungmin asks, eyes staring directly at you. Oh great, another one.
“I’m not sure I just met her. She was napping in the closet.” Hyunjin explains, gesturing at you.
“Well, Hi I’m Ji-” Jisung starts as the three members walk over to you.
“I know who you are.” You are struggling to keep your face blank from your rising panic.
“Apparently she used to be a fan” Hyunjin chuckles awkwardly. The atmosphere in the room becomes a shade dimmer.
“Can we ask what your name is?” Seungmin tries to divert the tension.
You shake your head. “You guys should go now. You have filming to do right?”
They all stare at you, something hanging in the air that they can tell something isn’t quite right.
The silence is broken by Changbins cough, “She’s right, we need to head back.” He nudges the others to remove their cemented feet. All giving you a quick goodbye before leaving the room, all but Hyunjin.
“Will you be alright?”
“I’m fine.” You give him a faint smile before he’s nodding and heading out the door. You wait until you’re sure you can no longer hear their footsteps, before completely freaking out.
“HOLY SHIT!” You yell as you run around the tables. “How did they see me? How can they hear me?! HOW CAN I UNDERSTAND THEM?”
You collapse onto the dirty laminate floor. You close your eyes, now letting the black unknown take you. You called it napping, really you weren’t sure what it was.
“What the hell is going on?”
No one answers you, no one ever answers you. No one knows you're here. It’s been over a year since the incident and you woke up in this building. Well this room to be exact, you’ve never been able to leave and lord knows you've tried. Eventually you gave up and accepted your confines as home, you don’t know how you ended up here. The markings on the walls indicated Korean, that much you could tell based on all the k-dramas you used to watch, but you had never been to Korea, so how did you end up in another country?
Too many questions, all of which you’d had given up finding answers to. But now meeting these 4 members, a whole new wave of questions came flooding in.
And once again you were left alone. With no answers.
~🌒🌓
You take your time opening your eyes, unsure of how much time you had been ‘napping’ but you let yourself regain at its own pace. Eventually your eyes begin to open, ready for the grimy ceiling tiles and rusty, broken looking light fixture. However, you are jolted awake when you realize that's not the ceiling above you. This ceiling for 1 is clean, 2 white and 3 all the bulbs are working. You jolt yourself up right, hastily looking around the room. There’s no way you could be anywhere but that old room, so how are you seeing someone's living room, you must be imagining it.
You hear shoes scuffling towards a hallway to what looks to be a front door you shoot to your feet, backing up to the opposite end of the room. There’s no way anyone could see you, but these turn of events were enough to put you on edge.
Your thoughts ricoshay around you, deafening you to the figures entering through the door. One of them stops mid sentence as he comes face to face with you as he enters the living room.
“Who are you?” Chan barks.
Can he see you too? You struggle to answer. Confusion evident on your face.
“How did you get in here?” He stands his ground, his voice rising in what would be a dominant, intimidating way, but you’re too concerned that once again you have been seen to feel threatened.
The other 3 figures rush in behind him, upon noticing you their expressions change from fear to worry.
“You’re the girl from the mv shoot we met.” Jisung voices out.
“This-” You point around the room. “Is your dorm?”
“I’ll ask again. How did you get in here?” Chan asks again. Voice less threatening.
You take a step back, going over everything that happened that day to now. This can’t be real. Scanning each member quickly, you notice something. You point at Changbins now blonde hair and Hyunjins now dark hair.
“How long ago was that? The video shoot?” Your voice comes out shaky, you’re trying to swallow back the rising emotions bubbling in you.
“A couple weeks ago?” Changbin offers.
That’s it, a couple weeks? How have you been out that long? I mean it’s not like you could tell time with a broken clock, but weeks. You start pacing back and forth muttering to yourself. “How is this happening? This can’t happen. It’s impossible- but then again, I thought I was impossible. So maybe not impossible? But that doesn’t make any sense.”
You don’t hear the front door opening and the other four members enter until you hear Seungmin exclaim.
“Hey, why is the shoot girl here?”
You halt in your steps, turning to them.
“Shoot girl?” Felix asks.
“The girl we said we ran into at the mv shooting.” Seungmin shrugs.
“OK, so you guys felt the need to invite her over?” Minho huffs next to him.
“No offense, but that doesn’t sound like the smartest thing to do Hyungs” I.N. gestures behind them.
“We didn’t invite her, she was here when we came in.“ Hyunjin defends dramatically.
You can feel your voice clawing it’s way out, but before you can think the panic has taken over.
“Hold on. WAIT. You can see me?”
“Is that a joke?” Chan asks. Your cold hands rub against the skin on your face. This is really a nightmare.
“You can all see me. You can all hear me. You can all understand me.” You state, the shock finally breaking your blank shell. You see them all nod, distrusting eyes watch you as your feet restart their pacing.
“This can’t be happening.” This time you're not mumbling. “ I can’t be here. How is this happening? Oh god- I need to get back to my room.”
“You mean that old classroom? That’s your room?” Jisung can’t help but ask, but he’s stopped short of completely asking you things when Minho nudges him in the ribs with his elbow.
The pacing stops as you stare at them. “You don’t understand. I haven't been able to leave that room in over a year.”
“What? Has someone been keeping you there?” Jisungs exclaims, followed by another nudge to his ribs.
You can’t help but laugh dryly, if only it was that easy. “I stopped asking those questions a long time ago. Seriously though, none of you should be able to see me.”
“Why because you have your invisibility cloak on?” Minho sneers at you.
You stare blankly at him. Walk over to the table, pulling your hand back you aim to push all the items off the table. Your hand collides with nothing, phasing through the objects. You smirk at his shocked face, arms crossing over your chest in triumph.
“No, because I’m a ghost.” Now the feelings of being annoyed started to build. “And like I said, I’ve been stuck in that room for a very long time with no idea how to leave. And no one has been able to see me until you showed up. And then I wake up here, in your space weeks later. AND to top it all off, I don’t speak Korean so how the hell are we having this conversation?”
~🌒🌓🌔
“So you’re dead?”
“If he asks me that one more time I’m going poltergeist on this place” You threaten, turning to the eldest two.
“What happened to you?” IN calls your attention. The room becomes dead still. The continuous shuffling and side comments coming to an abrupt stop. Unclear certainty fields the room, from them upon realizing they may have crossed a line in their maknae asking so bluntly. And from you… well for very different reasons.
“Wrong place, wrong time?” You will your voice to come out steady and nonchalantly. However, your body betrays you. Leg bouncing in your seat on the couch, hands showing a slow tremor. “Look, I’m not really sure. I can’t remember. All I know is one minute I was walking along this backroad to my place from being with friends. I had my headphones in, I was listening to a random playlist when………..-wait-”
A subtle drifting melody passes by your ears. Like it was traveling on a motionless breeze. The sound ebbing in and out of your being.
“I think one of your songs was playing” Wide eyes jump to each member as the beat lingers. “and then I woke up in that room. That’s it. Nothing in between”
“Maybe someone was meant to find you in that room? Like we were? It’s easy enough to come and go in that building.” Hyunjin hums, trying to put the broken pieces of a puzzle together.
“That’s the weird thing, others have filmed there before and no ones ever seen me.” You shake your head at him. “Actually no ones ever been able to come into the room before. I can see the reflection through the hallway windows, there’s always been a padlock and chain on it. How did you get in?”
“There wasn’t anything like that, the door was partially open when I Found it.”
Too many coincidences… that's what this is….if you could feel your skin, you’d say it was beginning to itch.
“Strange. Why did you go in that room? Were you randomly searching all the rooms?” Minho’s careful eyes watch the younger one carefully.
Hyunjin shakes his head. “No, that was the only room I went into. I just felt like there was something… that I had to see…”
“Wait. So the last thing you heard was one of our songs before nothing and you just happened upon a room that was mysteriously calling you?” Jisung questions wide-eyed. His large eyes bore into you.
“That sounds like we were meant to find you, somehow this was meant to be.” Chan nods to himself. His voice is warm and soothing, but there’s something chilled about his sentence.
Your vision ripples momentarily, whatever else they were saying you could no longer hear. Only a deep raspy faltering voice.
‘It was love at first sight. We are meant to be.’
And then they were back. All 8 pairs of eyes staring at you, clearly someone had asked you a question.
“Sorry, what was that?”
“Are you ok?” Chan's thoughtful gaze makes you feel slightly uncomfortable.
“Uh yea yea fine. Everything is just a lot.” You try to give them a reassuring smile. They must have seen the look of loss in your eyes, hoping to move on from the subject.
“I know y/n, but we promise we’ll figure it out together.” Followed by several agreeances, and encouraging smiles.
~🌒🌓🌔🌕
“I already regret agreeing to help you.” Seungmin’s voice mumbles tiredly from the couch.
You can’t stop the evil giggle from bubbling out of your mouth. Your day spent getting used to your new surroundings, figuring out which door went where, whose room was who’s, who was the easiest to poke fun at when you were bored.
“You? At least you can leave to your own dorm rooms. She’s here all the time.” Changbin huffs coming out of his room.
“Guys be nice to noona! You’re acting like she’s a disobedient pet or something.” Jisung scolds from the dining table.
“She’s like an angry chihuahua that pees on everything just because she knows it’ll annoy us.” Seungmin retorts annoyedly, eyes still fixed on the tv.
“Exactly!” Changbin agrees a little too enthusiastically for your liking. Plopping down next to Seungmin.
“Did you just call me a chihuahua?” You shoot them a look of disgust. “Ew.”
“If you stopped acting like one we’d stop calling you one behind your back.” Minho eventually joins the conversation from the other end of the dining table to Jisung. His face was blank as always.
“Linoring, not you too!” Jisung whines dramatically, falling back in his chair, face stricken with dismay and disappointment to the dancer.
“Sorry jagi” Minho mumbles looking away from the huffy chipmunk, slight pink dusting his cheeks as he accidentally makes eye contact with you. Purposefully, at least on your end, catching the smirk on your face as you wiggle your eyebrows at him knowingly.
“Thank you sungie! Besides, It’s not my fault you guys are boring.” You groan in frustration. “When did Lixie and Innie say they would be over?”
“IN said he was finishing his game while waiting for lix to finish his baking and then they’d be over.” Seungmin's voice makes you feel even more disheartened.
“If I could die again it’d be from boredom. I want Lixie.” You cry out.
You hear Changbin mumble something under his breath about you being dramatic, in retaliation you whip around to give him another dramatic show, but are hit with the room beginning to spin. As if the world is tilted on its axis you stumble slightly, eyes flying shut and a ringing in your eyes. Regaining your balance a pained groan escapes you.
—-
“Noona? Noona!” Felix’s deep voice bounces in your still pounding mind.
“Lixie?” Your staggering mind manages.
“How did you get here?” You hear I.N’s surprise. Begrudgingly you pry your eyes open, blinking the world back to alignment.
“I dunno.. I was complaining about seeing you guys and then I felt like I was hit with mega vertigo and… here I am.”
And here you were. Standing in an almost identical dorm room kitchen to the first one, individuals items being the only difference you can see.
“Are you ok?”
“That’s so cool!”
Both chime at once. You can’t help but laugh at them.
“Yes I’m ok, it was just really abrupt. I was not ready for it.” You smile softly at Lix, before turning to give I.N a mischievous smirk. “...do you think I’d be able to do it again?”
“Please tell me you’re going to try it right now.” I.N comes over to you excitedly, his game completely forgotten. “Wait! I have an idea!”
You watch as he races back to the computer to grab his phone. You and Felix share a confused look.
“I’ll text everyone in the group to see if they’re all decent. I won't say why and then you pick a member and try to poof to them.” He begins typing away on his phone.
“Oh this I’m ready for. And don't say poof. It's weird.” The mischievous look on the maknaes face only amps up your own. The youngest was always ready to cause a ruckus with you.
He rolls his eyes at you, but doesnt respond.
“Ok everyones good. Chans in his studio, the others are either in the other dorm, the gym or wandering around the city.” IN eagerly informs you both.
“Did you at least give them a warning? If this does work?” Felix, trying as always to be the voice of reason for you two. Always worrying about what you two would end up doing to the others. Felix and his soft heart.
“Yeah’” IN waves off. “Give it a try y/n”
Focusing on one member you begin to try to will yourself to him. Your eyes close, the world tilts and the ringing hits.
“See you later!” You chime, an evil smile plastered on your face, and then poof.
----
“Do you think it worked?” Felix paces back and forth in worry. They hadn’t heard anything from anyone for over 5 minutes, he was beginning to worry you got lost somewhere.
“Well she’s not here anymore, so I’d assume so.” IN comments, composure set in his shoulders as he watches the older continue in his steps.
The group from your previous location burst into the dorm. Eyes wild, almost panic stricken.
“Have you guys seen y/n? She was in the dorm and then she just vanished! We can’t find her.” Jisung wails, coming in first. Clearly the most concerned out of the group.
“Yea, she was here just here.” Felix remarks, finally his feet coming to a rest.
“Was?”
“We're waiting for touchdown.” IN shrugs, now scrolling through his phone absentmindedly.
“What?”
The maknaes phone notification appears on his screen and the ringtone he set goes off. A bright smile erupts on his face as he answers it, placing it down on the table as he hits speakerphone for everyone to hear.
“You couldn't have given a better warning?!” Chan's exasperated voice comes through the line.
“I said heads up.” IN chuckles.
“Heads up was not enough to have my heart leap out of my body. She appeared out of nowhere. How was I supposed to be ready for that?!” Chan howls. IN can’t contain his laughter at his leader's cries.
“It worked?!” Felix beamed, eyes now sparkling with joy at you not being sent to god know where.
“Yes Lix it worked.” You sang from Chan's end of the phone.
“Greeeeaaaaat.” Less than excited groans break out mixed with genuine cheers.
~🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖
“Um y/n, did you visit me at some point today?” There’s a slight tremble to IN’s voice as he returns to the dorms, not even taking his shoes off to come find you in the kitchen.
“No? I was with Changbin all day.” You chime brightly from your perch on the counter, legs swinging back and forth as you watch Changbin struggling to make a meal.
“As annoying as it was, yeah she was with me the whole time. Why innie?” Changbin turns to the younger, concern written all over his face. You were still learning about the kids, how each one's reactions played a part in their personalities. But they knew each other better than themselves.
“I swear it felt like something was there today.. I don’t know, maybe I’m imagining things” IN huffs, shoulders slumping and head cast down. You catch his demeanor shift this time. Hopping off the counter you walk over to him, angling to catch his eyes now trained to the floor.
“Can you show me where?” You smile at him sweetly. “I’ll take a look for you.”
He doesn’t say anything, only giving you a small nod, finally making eye contact again.
You and Changbin trapse after IN through the company hallways, he had been silent the whole trip there. Something had seriously left the maknae shaken, something you were determined to get to the bottom of. Only you are allowed to scare these boys now.
Changbin steps to walk alongside IN now, draping an arm over his shoulders. You are left a few steps behind. As they take a turn down the last hallway, you can feel it.
You don’t have a body anymore, you know that logically, but somehow there’s a heaviness to your steps that leave you stunned silent. If you had to breathe the air would appear thick, sinking to the bottom of your lungs. But you don’t and you almost have to convince yourself of that fact.
The boys step into the open doorway vanishing into the room. You feel as though there’s a tickle on the back of your neck. The only thing you can think of that it reminds you of is the breath of someone standing too close behind you.
You swear you can hear a whisper of a voice behind you. Instinct tells you to look behind you, but you don’t. The hallway is empty, your voice in your head tells you, you don’t have to worry anymore.
Wait. Why did you have to worry?
You blink several times, pushing away your confusion. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on yourself. You step into the room to see the two of them standing in the center of a vocal room, eyes darting around as IN’s voice finally speaks up.
“It was in here.” He gestures to the room. “I was sitting at the piano, facing away from the door and I felt like something came in. But I had the door locked. When I turned around I was just expecting to see you, but there was nothing.”
You walk over to where the keyboard is positioned, glancing over at the door you all had just come through. And just like that your breath would have hitched if you had one.
“What is it y/n?” Changbin asks from behind you.
“I think we should head back.” Your eyes follow something in the room, moving up to the ceiling. “We can all talk about it together.”
“Sure?” The suspicion in Changbins voice does not go unmissed by you.
“You guys go first, I’ll meet you there.”
You can't see the shared look of distress passed between the two as you hear them leave, mumbling something as they go. You always fazed home first, too impatient to wait for them and wanting to annoy the next person as soon as possible. So you deciding to stay behind was something that stirred anxiety into them.
You want to reassure them, but you can’t. You can’t look away from what you’re seeing. You can feel them getting farther away from you, a forced faze back to the dorms.
You hated accidentally falling out of their proximity, some force slapping you to their side. Always leaving you extremely disorientated. So you avoided it at all costs. But no this time, you feel the pull but you fight against it as you swear you can almost make out what you’re seeing. It’s on the tip of your tongue and that’s where it dies as you hear the same chilling voice rasp to you as before.
“Don’t worry, once you let go of everything else we can finally be together.”
And then you’re wrenched back to the dorms.
Stumbling to the floor you are met with 6 sets of eyes. The group chat had been notified as soon as the two left you behind. They were all waiting for you to return. Shortly after IN and Changbin returned, IN explaining what happened with him.
Then it was your turn. But somehow you couldn’t remember what you thought you might have seen, the emotions you felt now fuzzy and muddy in your head.
“I'm not sure what it was, but it left a heavy residue. Like I could see where it had been on the walls and floor. I think it would be safe if you all traveled in pairs when you’re outside the apartments. Something just doesn’t feel right about it.” You think out loud. “Just being cautious until we can figure this out, I mean.”
“Yea, I think that’s a good idea.” Chan agrees after replaying your words. “I’ll call and get our schedules moved around so no ones alone.”
~🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖
As the weeks progressed, the boys were becoming more unsettled. Even in pairs they claimed to feel like they were being watched or followed. Any and everywhere outside the dorm building, mostly at work and then a trickling of outside.
All the while you couldn’t shake forgetting something. There was something important you needed to remember. But everytime drawing a complete blank as to what it actually was.
Your napping was also impossible now. Once being able to drift into nothing, is now replaced with the cold chill of hands on your skin, dark murmurs against your ears and the overwhelming feeling of grief. As scared as you were when you came back to the world, you couldn't remember exactly what had happened. Couldn’t place the familiarity of the hands, the voice and the words.
You remained upfront with the members, explaining to Chan the ominous dissociative states you found yourself in. And how sometimes it wasn’t you that did it. One moment you could be with them and then the next gone. However, you would put everything you had into fighting it off, it had become frequent for almost a week, before you started to reel it in. it had been days since the last time, finally feeling like you had some control…
Until it hit you again.
The boys were either napping in their dorms or watching tv or eating, some even opting to go to the company for some extra practice. It was an off day for them, all free to roam about as they pleased. You had walked into the living room of the Lee’s dorm when you are halted by a sudden wave of forgetfulness.
“Are you ok, y/n?” You can hear Felix’s voice swim into your fog.
“Yea, I just uh…forgot why I came in here..” You give your head a little shake trying to wave off the clouding fog that was slowly becoming thicker as the seconds ticked by.
You could see through the glaze of your vision, like you were looking through a window of ice, three figures coming closer. You hear their muffled voices as you stumble slightly.
“I’m fine-” You slur out. Unknowing what they were actually saying to you. “I-”
“I know why you’re fighting me so hard. You want me to prove my love for you, don’t you worry I’m not going anywhere.”
The voice envelopes you like a cement blanket, your vision darkening….
“Y/N!”
You immediately snap out of it, standing straight, eyes now clear. “Hyunjin!”
And you phase out.
~🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗
Staggering a couple of steps, you attempt to catch yourself but fail. You plummet forwards to the floor, hands coming out to catch yourself. The ringing is excruciatingly loud now, lights in the room blindingly bright.
Where are you? Someone screamed your name, who was it…? You knew who it was.
Painfully slow you wince as you lift your head to look around the room. Light reflections from the far end. Mirrors, those must be mirrors…dance studio. Your vision is still swimming, unable to focus, if you weren’t already certain you’d think you were underwater with how submerged you feel.
Peering over to the side, shifting your head as little as possible. Gut twisting nausea hits you as you vaguely make out a figure lying on the floor. Fighting through the unseen force dragging your body down, one limb at a time you begin to crawl over.
Your voice coming out in a weak attempt, “Hyunjin”.
A feeble moan comes from the blurry figure, still unmoving.
Hand moving forward to continue moving, don’t stop moving.
‘I-’
“Hyunjin!” Ignoring the voice banging itself against your skull you have to get to him.
‘You-’
“Hyunjin!” Finally movement from the figure. Only a few more shuffles and you’ll be able to reach him.
‘Me-’
Finally leaning over the figure you can now see some of him. Your mind is stuck in a fishbowl view. He’s lying on his back, chest rising and falling in deep rhythmic breathing. He didn't seem like he was in pain. You want to touch him, make sure he’s ok, somehow wake him up. Go for help. What you wouldn’t give to be able to go get help right now. Who did Hyunjin say he was coming here with? Why can’t you remember anything?
Who was at the dorm? Felix, Minho and IN. Who did he leave with?
‘-estiny’
‘SHUT UP!’ You scream back in your mind. You needed to think, but you couldn’t even hear yourself try.
‘-ove’
You grapple with your mind to think clearly, you just had to make your body work too. “SEUNGMIN!”
As his name leaves you the practice room door swings open. Faces you couldn’t recognize and eyes that couldn’t see you crowd around Hyunjin. Seungmin’s face comes into focus, as the chaos carries the unconscious dancer out.
“Y/N, what happened?” He finally asks when everyone else left the room, crouching down to you.
“I don’t know, he… I heard him yell my name from the dorm and I ended up here.”
“Everyone heard him yell. That’s why we all came running. Did anything else happen? I’m going to go find out if he’s ok, but is there anything I need to know? Are you ok?” As he spoke, the water from the room began to drain. Your eyes focusing once again on your surroundings, the ringing dying out.
“No, just go with him, I’m fine.” You wave him away, he only hesitates for a moment before leaving you alone in the room 2 unopened, iced water bottles lay in his place. He must have gone to get them water.
Pushing from your hands, you fumble to sit.
“What do you want?” A broken whisper comes out of you, voice almost sounding not like your own. Eyes trained to the ceiling.
This time the fade out is slow, like you can feel it fluttering down on you like a fresh sheet.
The same infuriating voice sounds as you slip away.
‘I love you and you love me. We’re destiny.’
~🌒🌓🌔🌕
Movie night was demanded of all of you when you finally returned from your ‘nap’. Hyunjin was not able to remember what happened, but he did remember calling your name. But he said it felt more like a warning call than him wanting you to come help him. You were all unnerved by this, but upon long late night discussions you all agreed to let it rest for now. They had a hectic schedule coming up after the next few days of being off.
They were scheduled to go overseas for some promotional work, you were excited about traveling when they first told you. But as time ticked on and you let your mind wander you became increasingly uncomfortable with it. Maybe you could stay behind in the dorms? You could wait for them to get back.
The credits begin to roll over the screen breaking all of you out of your 20 minute silence. The plot twist actually surprises you all near the end, leaving you quietly focused.
“Reincarnation would be pretty cool.” Jisung’s eyes wide in disbelief, finally someone speaking.
“You know what would be even better?” Felix wiggled his eyebrows at his birthday twin, only to have him shake his head in response. “If we all got to do the next life together!”
“Yes!” Jisung cheered, hands thrown in the air in excitement. Snacks completely forgotten in bowls on the table and floor.
“It does make sense. None of us could manage alone anymore, at least I wouldn’t be able to.” Chan laughs at the dramatic younger ones, as they both throw themselves into their leader's lap. Fits of giggles erupting.
“You really want us to all do this again?” Minho complains, the thought already exhausting him.
“Of course!” Felix continues to giggle as Chan gives him a hug, Changbin tickling him on his other side.
“You don’t want to?” Jisung already pushed away from the fight to turn his large puppy eyes to Minho. Pout forming on his lips, forcing Minho to look away abruptly. The question caught the other members' attention.
“It’s not that…” Each member staring at him patiently waiting for his answer. He huffs and rolls his eyes. “Alright, the next life we do together.”
“Promise?” Felix turns on his puppy eyes, following Jisung’s lead.
“Promise.” The others all say in unison.
You snicker to yourself, perched behind them all clustered on the couch, how were they so adorable to each other but also extremely annoying?
Clearly your noises didn’t go unnoticed.
“Y/n, do not even think you can go to the next life without us. ALL of us” Hyunjin glares at you.
“What am I supposed to do? Wait for you?” You feign irritation. Next life huh?
“Yes!! There is no way in hell you are being reincarnated without us, we can finally annoy you then, instead of you just annoying us. And we’ve all just promised to have the next life together, so you’re stuck with us.” Changbin demands, the tone in his voice pushing through the idea that this was final.
“Too bad. You don’t have a choice now.” Minho smirks at you, causing you to mimik him from before, eyes rolling in mock disgust.
The next life with these weirdos? You guess that’s something you could do. Maybe this is what having a home could feel like… being not alone and being wanted made you feel something again. Something you hadn’t felt for a long time, something you had almost forgotten.
Trying to hide a smile you turn away from them, “Whatever.” is all you can manage.
Two more days of having them all to yourself then it’s back to business. Discomfort settles in you again, yea maybe you’ll stay home. You’ve gotten pretty good at poltegiesting the tv on and netflix, slowly being able to move things slightly, playing around with equipment they brought into the dorms. Hey, maybe they can leave you some stuff to attempt to interact with.
You’d be ok here alone. Something in you was saying you should stay back. This time you’d listen to your gut feeling.
~🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗
“Where exactly are we going?” You whine from behind the group. They all had insisted you went out tonight, something to do with having fun to distract from all the creepiness that now was a part of their daily lives. And also their impending work trip.
“We told you it’s a surprise.” Minho huffs annoyingly at you.
“And I told you I don’t like surprises.” You grumble, continuing to wander down a gravel path through a large park. The evening had darkened the sky, however along the path they had taken it was illuminated with string lights. The trees break up ahead and you can see even more lights. You squint trying to get a better idea of what the heck this was.
“No way-” Your mouth hangs open.
A pop-up carnival, adorned with beautiful lights, multiple rides, little shops, tents and so many more options. The night air is buzzing as you look at the others who are waiting for you.
“Surprise!” Hyungjin beams.
“Time to have fun.” Felix chirps before gesturing forward, and that was all the invitation you needed to enjoy yourself tonight.
—-
After a few hours and your second round of the carnival, each member is stuffing their faces with some form of snack. You notice a smaller trailer just out of the main circle trail.
‘Tarot reading/Fortune reading/Psychic medium’
Your pace slows as you feel a slight pull towards it.
“Oooo a psychic!” Jisung shouts excitedly from beside you, making you jump a little. “Should we check it out?”
“Aren’t they all just scammers?” Seungmin deadpanes towards the marked trailer.
“We have the perfect thing to test them out.” Minho counters. “If they pick up on y/n then they are real, if not they are fake”
You nod to the group. That does make complete sense.
“I’m in.” You smile before skipping your way over the boys following close behind, the Medium didn’t have a line or anything so it seemed like this would be a quick visit. If anything you could knock some things off their wall if they got things wrong. It’d be fun regardless.
Upon entering you instantly notice a thick foreboding smog that clung to the air. Something in the back of your mind is telling you to leave, barely one foot inside the trailer. The members crowd in around you giving you a chance to take in the small space. A burgundy wall of curtains behind a small counter with a korean sign you couldn't read.
The members had been helping you learn to read Korean but some things and words were harder than others.
The walls of the trailer you could see had trinkets and lace draping meticulously and delicately placed with symbols you had never seen before. However, each symbol makes you feel a certain way…You couldn't describe it but it was as if you glanced a little too long you’d either feel nauseous, giddy or incredibly nervous. Unable to focus on one thing, your mind hyper tracked every thing in the tiny room.
Everything except the curtain opening slightly.
A young couple arm in arm walked out merrily, smiling at nothing but each other. Clearly given some form of good knews, fake or not. You watched them walk out before turning back to the group.
“Next please~” A tender voice sang out from behind the curtain. Still shifted to the side, the members share a look before walking through, you only hesitate for a moment, the panic of wanting to run weighing down on you. Pushing past it you follow them into the other portion of the trailer.
Entering the room the thick feeling no longer clings to you. It’s like it was trapped in another space. The room coloured in deep tapestries, symbols, mirrors and prints along the walls. A bookshelf full of old looking books, crystals splayed around them. Crystals hang from the ceiling in bottles and in cages, along with plants around the whole of the room. You almost feel comfortable here, that is until a voice brings you out of your wonder.
“Normally I’d request all excess energies to remain outside, however I do not believe I have to this time.” The female voice sings. “You’ve brought someone with you.”
She’s hidden by the members all crowding around her table, it’s not until they all take their seats that you finally get a look at her. The years have aged her….not well to put it nicely. Her body frail, hands shake slightly as she covers her mouth to stifle a laugh.
Changbin looks over at you, giving you a ‘what the hell is this?’ kind of look. All the others were stunned, staring wide eyed at her instant recognition of you.
You shoot him a confused annoyed look, huffing at him to pay attention. In response he rolls his eyes and looks back to her.
“A young girl, your age I feel.” This time not hiding her laugh. “She’s a spunky one I take it?”
“Spunky is an understatement.” Minho mumbles under his breath.
If looks could kill, he would be dead with the glare you’re giving him, you stick your tongue out at them.
“I will give you my quick introduction, and what I normally do for people. However, I will be doing something a little different today.” She begins. “My name is Sengul. I offer Tarot card readings, communications with deceased loved ones or palm readings. But today let us discuss the young lady that has joined you today.”
You eye her carefully, clearly she wasn’t someone to be taken lightly. No one knew about you other than the 8 members, so she shouldn’t have been able to know you were there.
“Can you see her?” Jisungs voice squeaks out, shifting closer to Minho. MInho’s hand coming over to rest on the youngers tapping knee.
“No, but I can feel her.” The medium smiles at the nervous rapper. “She has a very strong presence. An aura if you will, a projection of emotions. And I take it upon your response to my words you all know of her?”
“Yes we do. We can see and hear her clearly.” Chan states confidently, you can tell by his tone he’s thinking over his words carefully.
“I see, and she has been here for quite some time?”
Eight heads nod simultaneously.
“And the other….presence?” Her voice drops.
“You can feel that one too?” Shock encapsules Felix’ normally tender voice.
“Both very different, both just as strong I fear.” Sengul murmurs to herself, thinking out loud.
“Should we be worried?” Chan’s face morphs into a deadpan, quiet demands.
“All I feel from the young lady is pure… love.” Panicking you train your eyes to the floor. You weren’t good at talking about your feelings. It was easier to hide behind shrewd comments, bitter banter and condescending tones. And now she was laying it all out for them, all your feelings for them. “The need to protect is strong. Also the need to not be alone, not for the fear of being alone but of loving too strong. Wanting to be with the people you so deeply care about continuously. Doing everything you can to procure someone's happiness. There’s a sense of ‘if you are happy then I am too’. Not done for selfish reasons but out of love for them.”
If you can’t see them then they can’t see you right? You wished the ground would actually swallow you whole right now, you didn’t want to have to talk about this later, knowing the boys would pester you about this when you got out of here.
But she doesn't stop. “A soul who chooses comfort and trust in the living can open up their doorway to be seen and heard like she has with you. But this takes complete trust in the individual, for a whole group to be given that is truly a gift in itself. Even if the soul itself is not aware of it, sometimes that’s where fate plays a part.”
“That would make sense as to why I saw her the first time.” Hyunjin’s voice comes out soothing, but you're too afraid to look up. Why did you have to be visible? “You mentioned the other?”
Thank god, please move on.
At first she only hums at his question, standing slightly to the side behind the members you look up at her. Fear of your feelings being known, now forgotten.
“I will be honest with you. I don’t believe this one to be like her. A putrid smell invaded my senses under her arua. It lingers on you the way soot would, gathering thicker and thicker on you each time. Draining you, like leech upon flesh. It is dark, something I myself am uncomfortable dealing with.” Her strong eyes trying to reach each member, the sincerity in her voice, the worry.
“Human..?” An unfinished question.
“It was once.”
“How can a human soul be something like this?” Minho’s hand tightens on Jisungs knee, who in return clasps his hand over his Hyungs, trying to now calm the rage set in the dancer's jaw.
“Sometimes, if a soul is truly corrupt in life it can form itself into something inhumanly evil. The reincarnation process is impossible. It can only cling to this world until it achieves what it wants.” Sengul looks apologetically at Minho.
“Achieving what?”
“Whatever it was after in the living. Once it has it, it will bleed it until the soul is lost into nothing. It will no longer exist. These fractured souls are everywhere, I’m surprised you’ve been able to feel one.” Sengul explains cautiously, hands trembling on the table.
“Maybe it's because we’ve been around y/n for so long, we can pick up on some now?”
“Perhaps” Medium hums, her sad eyes betraying her. There’s more she isn’t saying. “Perhaps you’ve just come into contact with it through somewhere you’ve been.”
‘Somewhere you’ve been’ echos in your head… ‘somewhere they’ve been…’
As the boys listen on, something draws you to the side of the trailer. An ornate gold framed oval mirror hangs among the vines and crystals on her wall. You don’t make a step closer, only turning enough to look at it. Stupefied in place, your eyes wide as the voices around you drown out. For the first time in years you make eye contact with yourself in the glass. Noticing a pair of steady eyes watching you through the glass, your body trembles as you let yours drift to them.
The reflection of the Medium is staring at you, your chest rising and falling as if you're struggling to control your breath. She gives you a soft, sad smile, her eyes beaming with so much…was this sympathy… or was it pity?
You break away to check on the others. Could they see what you were seeing?
The Medium and the members are still carrying on their conversation, unaware of what was happening to you. Clearly this was just for you. You quickly look back, making sure you hadn’t imagined it. Once again eyes finding the Mediums reflection still looking at you. So heartbroken.
As if slowly guided forward you began to step towards the mirror. The closer you get the more drawn you are to her. She stands from her stool, matching her steps to yours. With each step you feel an electric vibration through your body. Your hand reaches out to feel the glass in front of you, her doing the same. It almost feels as though you are making contact with someone, there's now despair engraved into the lines of her face.
Her lips don’t move when you hear her voice, “I am so sorry my child.”
Before you can ask her, her reflection fades away in a static like motion, morphing into a tall dark figure behind you. You can’t see any facial features, you don’t know what this is.
Something feels incredibly off, looking back at yourself you see a single tear escape down your cheek. The figure's hand reaches up behind you, fingers wrapping around your neck. Another tear breaks free when your eyes inevitably close, memories flood your mind. The dam finally broken, a dam you wish you could rebuild. But it's too late.
You remember.
“Nonononono, you can’t leave me. I’ll follow you, I’ll find you my precious. We’ll be together always”
~🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘
You kept yourself relatively calm, at least on the outside. The days, hours, minutes even leading up to the boys traveling to Japan, were some of the most emotionally draining for you.
Watching them each pack a bag made you feel like they were the ones leaving you behind. Ultimately you knew that wasn’t true, they’d never leave you behind.
But still you smiled and waved as they left acting like you didn’t know what was coming next. Alone you wandered through the dorms, memories flashing in a vivid 4k movie you had saved.
Late nights talking with Minho about his hidden, not so hidden feelings for his soulmate. Leading to late nights talking to Jisung about the same thing. You give them what advice you could but ultimately leave the ball in their court if they were to bring it up with the other. Which to your joy they did.
Hours watching and rewatching Hyunjin dance over and over again, upon his request. Noting changes, weak steps, things he couldn’t see himself. Then you try to erase the doubts he had for himself in his abilities to master his own choreo. Him unloading his worries on you, for you to help amend.
Following Felix to his voice lessons, only for him to be overcome with nervousness at you listening. Unsure of how to use his beautifully comforting instrument. You encourage him to try more, different styles, different techniques and decide how he wants it to sound. Not how anyone told him he had to sound, believe in what he was singing for, himself.
No longer sitting idly as you all watched Chan overwork and overthink himself. His unableness to see his own worth in the eyes of others. You had gotten so worked up over him self-deprecating that you had snapped. Throwing every piece of importance that his existence brings to so many people, unrelenting confident laced compliments, until he broke down crying.
Bothering Changbin on his solo trips to the gym on days he felt weak. Too many worries about his members and his music filling his mind, making it hard for him to see his strength as a person. He stayed longer at the gym those days, trying to convince himself of his solidity. On these days you felt an even greater urge to voice and compliment him on his reps and stamina. It might have seemed like you were only feeding into this idea of muscularity, but he knew, he always knew why you were really there. And he always just laughed and said you were annoying, but he never asked you to leave him. And so you’d stay until the end.
Days observing the youngest members of the group. Each day growing more and more into bright men. Considerate, emotionally intelligent humans, finding themselves in a world of harsh criticisms and cruel expectations. But still, watching them thrive in the safety of the home they all created with each other was something beautiful in itself. The fearlessness of Seungmin and IN was something that people should be jealous of.
How can a world shrouded with darkness still hold so much light?
Each room now contains countless memories and moments you’ve locked away in your heart. Ones you will hold onto until the last moment, taking them with you. Not remembering your life wasn’t painful neither was remembering what happened at the end of it. What was truly the most excruciating was now saying good-bye to a home you remember, one you didn’t want to leave.
Making your way through the archives of memories you sit down at the dining table. Recording equipment, ipads and other electronics placed especially for you to kill time until they returned. Eyes glazing over, chest heavy, lingerings of a broken promise hanging in the air.
Exerting every ounce of strength left in you, you reach out to one of the machines.
A deafening click fills the room as the recording unit turns on.
~🌑
Voice recording:
‘Hey guys! Yea it’s me, y/n. Bet you didn’t know I could do this huh? Honestly I’ve been practicing trying to use this recording thingy myself for a while, and let me tell you it wasn’t easy *laughs nervously*
I uh just wanted to say thank you, ya know for letting me hang around you guys. I can’t tell you how bored I’ve been and this has been the single most exciting moments in my undead life. So yea, thank you for that.
But um…. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to say all this to your faces before leaving, so I guess I’m taking the coward's way out. Leaving this for you to find after I’m gone.
It doesn’t look like I’ll be waiting on the other side for you guys. I know I promised we’d all start the next life together, but uh…. I don’t… I won’t be having a next go at this. I guess this was meant to be my only life.
I realized what it was that was following you guys, and when I did I got all of my memories back from when I died. I won’t be getting into detail about that because… I don’t- I don’t want to talk about it and I don’t want you guys to think about it. When I figured it out, I knew the only way it would stop coming after you was me.
…It only ever wanted me…
I know you’ll be upset and furious with me that I didn’t talk to you before deciding, but sometimes you have to make a hard decision for the good of the group right?.. and I uh… it wasn’t fair for me to let you guys deal with this when it’s my fault.
So I am sorry, but also not because I enjoyed annoyingly haunting you.
You’ll be getting on a plane to come back in a few days.
So I guess it’s time, if i don’t do it now I’ll chicken out. I have to go back to my room.. we’ll it’s not my room anymore.
*short pause*
I think that’s what scares me the most about this. Not the unexisting part, I mean, but having to go back to my old safe room. That isn’t so safe anymore, not with it being in there.
This, with you, was what being safe felt like. Even if it only lasted for a moment.
A part of me really hopes that when I walk through those doors you’ll forget all about me, so you won’t have to deal with it after I’m gone. I don’t want you to be sad, or feel guilty for my choice…. Do you think if I beg the universe hard enough it could happen? Here’s me hoping that maybe I’ll have more luck in death, than in life?
But it’s ok.
You will be ok.
I know these weren’t the answers we were hoping to find. These are just the answers we’ve been given.
I’d say see you later, like I always do but that feels like a lie now…
So I guess it’s Goodbye.
*long pause, sniffling can be heard over the recording*
This left me so sad 😭 would it be possible for you to write a new story but related to this one ? One where they all find each other again and keep the promise, they remember at some point ? Only if you want to ofc 🫂🫂🫂❤️🩹
Don’t be sad! Their story isn’t over yet. Part 2 is in the works! She still has some fight in her 😉 So hold on tight and I hope you’re ready for it! 💜💜💜
Let's take a tour around the grand halls of Hogwarts. We shall meet some naughty lovely students and my favourite part of school... the restricted section.
masterlist
Gryffindor
Kim Namjoon
"I mean, it’s sort of exciting, isn’t it, breaking the rules?"
Kim Seokjin
"Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure."
Bang Chan *COMING SOON*
“The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed.”
Hufflepuff
Jung Hoseok
"But you know, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."
Kim Taehyung
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good"
Lee Felix
"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live”
Han Jisung
“You’re just as sane as I am”
Ravenclaw
Jeon Jungkook
"Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect."
Seo Changbin
"I will"
Slytherin
Park Jimin
“Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.”
Min Yoongi *COMING SOON*
"Until the very end."
Lee Minho
“I mark the hours, every one, Nor have I yet outrun the Sun. My use and value, unto you, Are gauged by what you have to do.”
Hwang Hyunjin
“The truth. It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.”
Does anyone else re-read their WIPs or fics you haven’t worked on in forever and go: ‘ damn this is really good someone should finish this!’ But then remember ‘SHIT I NEED TO FINISH IT’
Pairing: ImperialGuard!JungHoseok x Princess!Reader
Premise: Only your brothers would be willing to step in and try to change your future. But history isn't easy to overcome, even if it is all but forgotten.
Word count: 3.5K
Author's note: I've been watching a lot of historical k-dramas and c-dramas lately, and I can say it's an addiction at this point! If you have any favourites feel free to share! I'd love to watch your recommendations as well as talk about any mutual ones we love!
masterlist
One foot infront of the other, the crisp air of the afternoon breeze through your robes and hair, the light chatter of people in the market; it all gave you a bittersweet taste of Deja vu. Times like these felt right, but you had the feeling that nothing looked as it should. It could be the small taste of freedom mixed with the claustrophobic fear being chained somewhere. However, where the other end of the chain was you didn’t know. Or you did once, but it was lost with the rest of your memories from all those years ago.
You stopped trying to remember after the first two season changes, then you accepted your circumstances and adjusted yourself to where you were.
Arms full, you smile gracefully at the passing merchants and village people, the ones bowing at you when recognization transpired. You all but skip down the back path heading towards the palace again.
You promised mother you’d finish her painting of the place father asked for her hand today. You had beeen working on it for her birthday, but you were too excited to wait. So it may have been promised 2 weeks earlier then her day.
However, a shroud voice catches your attention before you make it to the next corner. You stop in your tracks to listen. If living in the palace taught you anything it was ‘to always know the concerns of your people’, were fathers exact words. In otherwords you took it as a sign that it was ok, in most situations to eavesdrop… at least a little.
“She is being forced to marry the oldest son of the emperor and empress. Her bloodline will muddy just as theirs already is.” A sinik male voice mocked.
“What do you mean by that?” You heard your brothers fiance ask. She was a headstrong woman. Not only that but she was radiant. The type of woman your brother deserved.
“Everyone knows the young lady is unfavoured by the gods. So if you bear a child with him your children will be inflicted with the same inability.” This time a female voice chimed in. Just as distasteful as the males.
“The princess is kind, witty, social, politically intelligent, well read, impactful, understanding and unworldly beautiful. Our children will be blessed to have her as their aunt.” Tayla lists, you smile to yourself. She didn’t have to defend your honour so seriosuly, but you silently thanked her none the less.
“You have your doubts. There is no way you do not feel some worry about tarnishing your family name. Its reputation will be dragged through the land if your children fail to develope as she has. They will be cursed as she is.”
Anyone talking about your family members however, you just couldn’t let it slide so easily.
“My brothers children will develop into the strongest blood line of these past 1000 years, we are in no need of your concern.” You step in, rounding the corner of the building. Your voice and demeanour remain calm, a smile on your lips as your mother had taught you when it came to political arguments. Remaing calm when the opposing side could not, as strategy she had learned in her youth.
What others said about you didn’t really bother you anymore. As a young child you always felt the sting of their harsh words. Like they were hoping you’d choke on them. But it had the opposite affect. It only drove you to try harder, to learn the ways of the palace. To push yourself past the limits that this life had given you.
“My lady!” Many courteous greetings are followed by formal bows. “Wha-what are you doing here?”
“I was out for a walk through the village to get a few supplies.” Holding up the items in your hands, you sidle up to your future sister in law. Taking a step between her and the small circle of ill intended pupils.
“We didn’t mean anything by it. We were just worried she hadn’t thought it through. Or raised concerns” One of the young males spoke quickly. You stifle a scoff, but continue to maintain your composure.
“I’m sure you are.” You eye him carefully, if you weren’t mistaken he was one of the many candidates who wanted Tayla’s hand in marriage. “However as I am not my mother and fathers birth daughter, you’ll be happy to know my genes will die with me.”
“You are not the child of the Emporer and Empress?” The small crowd gasps in unison. You could laugh at how comical their faces became.
Even so, amongst the mumbling in front of you there is a faint call from behind you, you turn to her.
“Mother and Father saved me when I was young. Knowing I could not cultivate nor could remember where I had come from or how I ended up where they found me, they showed compassion and mercy upon taking me in and raising me with their children.” You explain to her alone. “I am blessed beyond measure. And your children will hold the greatest of titles. ”
--------
A few days had past since your unexpenctant, informal announcement of your lineage. A very important matter had taken your attention, so you had all but forgotten already. You hear frantic footsteps approach your room. You brace your mind for the inevitable impact that would be your brothers. Your hand doesn’t still as it continues to write on the parchment of your lessons from today. Your doors burst wide open, not bothering to look up at them.
“Are you really planning to take the tether serum?” Your youngest brother demands breathlessly.
“You’re here earlier then I expected, I am almost surprised.” You smile to yourself. If you had placed money on them discovering your plans, it would not have been until at least a week had past.
“Don’t make light of this.” Your eldest brother scolds from the rear, coming up behind your younger brother, closing the doors to conceal your conversation.
“Why would you make such a thing?” Taehyung's bewilderment is something you had became accustomed to. He somehow always seemed shocked by your actions. Considering how long you had been in the family now, you would have thought he had understood you at least a little.
You let out a deep sigh, the air from your lungs feels cold as it leaves your body into the warm air.
“I want to be of use to mother and father in the end. Is that so outrageous as to incur your unmistakable wrath?” You choose your words carefully, not wanting to sadden them with todays ongoings but at the same time you know Seokjin’s fiance has already informed him of the other day.
“We both understand greatly how indebted you feel towards them, but to tether your lifeline to them as someone still young is unheard of.” Seokjin reasons, still standing in the middle of the room, you can see his robes out of your peripheral. Taehyung sits down in the place next to you, trying to get your attention.
“Elder brother is right. If they both pass then so shall you, your soul cannot be separated. You shall serve them into death and upon new life.” His tone turning sorrowful.
This time you look up at him, then towards your elder.
“My dear brothers, It’s no secret that no one would marry me before and now with my birth being admitted, I have somehow lost whatever leverage I may have had.”
“That’s not true.” You see the hurt in the youngers eyes, but what you've said is true. You all know it. You give him a sad smile, letting your hand drop the brush, and placing it over his on the table.
“I cannot cultivate. I have no sense of magic or any prowess. My soul has been deemed weak and now people know that I am not the Emperor and Empress' true daughter.” You direct your smile towards Seokjin. “I have been preparing myself for this outcome since we were young. Please, if you cannot understand me then at least accept that this is your sisters wish.”
--------
“The last time the two of you bowed this deeply to us was when you were young children and you and our son had broken a priceless family heirloom while you were training in the halls.” The Emperors longest friend muses from his seat. Him and his wife had known your parents since they were young, they were as close as family. Including their son, who happened to be the same age as you. So all four of you had grown up together.
“Uncle. Auntie. We are here to request an inordinate favour from you. One we know may be impossible for you to agree to, but we must ask this of you.” Seokjin’s whole body is tense. Everything he can do to save you from tethering yourself is hanging on this outcome.
“What is it?” Your aunt is more curious then worried by their request. Seeing them kneel before them was a shock bigger then they had ever expected.
Your brothers sit up straight.
“Our sister. As you know she is unable to cultivate. She has no skill in combat. Many have deemed her unworthy to bear our family name.” Seokjin’s voice comes out strong, but his hands are trembling slightly. “However, as you also know. Our sister is competent in the kitchen, and with chores of the home. She is patient and nurturing when she takes care of the palaces many children. She has beautiful skills in the way of art and embroidery. She is generous beyond measure and courteous to others. She deserves to have a future.”
“We both agree. She is a diamond amongst pebbles. But what brings this tone of concern?” Uncle is concerned.
“Our sister has decided to take the tether serum and serve our parents.” Taehyung explains. “We do not know if you have heard the word circling about our sister not being of our blood. But we are here to confirm it. Our parents took her in when I was newly born, she is all I’ve known to be an older sister.”
“We are aware of the talk. We were also there the day your parents found the young lady.” The Uncle assures. “You do not need to worry about our thoughts towards the princess.”
“I am curious to this favour. What do you wish to ask for?” Auntie pushes.
“Our sister wishes to tether herself for she believes no one will marry her.” Seokjin explains. They bow again in unison, as if they had practiced their movements and speech before appearing. “We ask of you to please propose a marriage contract to the Emporer and Empress between our sister and your son.”
Taehyung cuts in quickly before they can be dismissed.“We know he is your only son, but we beg of you. She respects your son and you, uncle and auntie. There are many things she may be useful for.”
“Useful? She is enough as she is. We know that very well.” Uncle states, making eye contact with his wife. The look of understanding flashing between the two, unseen by the young princes.
“Just as we know our son. He has felt feelings of affection for the young lady for quite some time. You might not know this but she was the reason he decided he wanted to join the guard.” The older woman conceals her giggle behind her hand. “I had never seen such a rambunctious boy turn so serious.”
“He knew?” They both shoot up in surprise. Their friend had never mentioned having any knowledge of your sisters situation. But then again, they had never spoken of this either.
“Yes. Our son was adamant that he would protect the princess. We could not sway his mind. Though we did not try to. We have never looked down on her because of her situation. She has become a well rounded beautiful woman, our son would be blessed to take her as his wife.” The Lord nods,
“Does that mean you will agree?” They feel giddy. They could save you.
The older couple share a fond smile.
“There is something our son has been drawn to since he was a young boy. We believe your sister is the key to his happiness.”
--------
“Hoseok, what are you doing here?” You beam, controlling your feet to not skip your way over to him. A lady never skips…at least not in front of others.
“Princess” He greets you with a bow and warm smile as he always does. “I was summoned by the Emperor and Empress. Why have you come?”
“I was requested by Uncle and Auntie to meet them here.” You explain. “What is going on? Do you think its about Mothers birthday feast tomorrow?”
“I’m not sure, but we should not keep them waiting. Let us go in.” He opens the doors and waits for you to enter first.
You hurry in, smiles directed at your parents then your uncle and aunt.
A large round table adorned with vast plates of food, both your fathers sat near the far end laughing and chatting away, raising a drink to eachother. Your mothers seated next to their husbands also tremendously cheerful.
You share a quick glance before bowing.
“Emperor. Empress.” He greets first.
“Uncle. Auntie.” You greet directly after.
“Children! Come in! Have a seat.” You father cheers happily. Your aunt waves a hand over to you for you to sit next to her.
You bound over to sit next to your aunt. Which just so happens to be next to Hoseok as well.
“We are celebrating this evening.” Your mother informs, her attention on him.
“What are we celebrating Empress?” Formality laced in his words. It made you smile, even if he was like another son to your parents he highly respected them.
“Lord and Lady Jung, have come to us with a proposal contract and we have agreed.” The Emporer boisterously exclaims.
“I’m sorry, Father and Mother I fear I do not comprehend.” You express, eye brows coming to meet in a frown.
You see a flash of something cross Hoseoks face, but you stay focused on your looking between your parents.
Your Aunt grabs both your hands, placing them in the space between you and forcing you to face her.
“The Emporer and emperess have accepted our proposal for our son and you to be wed.” She cheers brightly, hands giving yours a light squeeze.
“I’m to marry-?” You look back at him. Scared to see panic or disgust or even rage on his dazzling features. But there isn’t any sign of darkening. Only red tinted ears give away any emotions he’s feeling. That in itself leaves you astonished adn shaken.
Words of wedding ceremonies are abrupt in your ears. The pattern of the bedding for your marriage suite.
“But, Uncle, auntie. I’m not worthy of marrying your son.” You say it like it is a definite fact, interrupting their excited remarks.
“Nonsense!” Your father bellows, a bright smile never leaving his face, he places his arm around his long term friend, who shares an equally blinding smile. “You two shall be wed! It is a beautiful idea, one I wish we had thought of sooner.”
The laughter from the elders erupts once again, leaving you shell shocked. Remaining quiet you can’t bring yourself to look at anyone, opting to stare at the oak table in front of you. How did these events happen? You had just made the choice to…
A sinking feeling hits you all at once. Your brothers. They were the only ones that knew of your plans, other then the physician you had asked the tether serum about. They would be the ones to try to stop you.
You’d deal with them after this dinner. You’d confront them and talk to Hoseok about his rejecting the marriage proposal.
You just had to sit nicely until then.
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“What did you do?!” You stormed into the study room the next day, you knew your brothers had hidden themselves away. They always resided in the same place to try to escape you when they had done something they knew you would be unhappy with. You had been followed by Hoseok on your way there when you mentioned you were confronting your brothers, upon meeting him that morning.
“Sister. This is a study room. Please refrain from raising your voice.” Your oldest mock scolding you, book in hand.
“Then answer me. I know it was the two of you that have provoked the marriage idea.” You were pulling back your seething temper, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.
“Princess~” Hoseok calls calmly from behind you. You could feel him close behind you, not touching but close enough that you felt like you could breathe.
“What all of our parents decide to do we do not hold any influence over. You know as well as anyone.” Seokjin scoffs. The audacity he had to play ignorant at this moment was appalling.
“We may have brought up the idea of a union.” Taehyung supplies from the far end of the room.
“Why would you do this?” Exasperation seeps out of you. There was no point in hiding your displeasure or annoyance at these two. “You know I wish to be tethered.”
“Tethered?” Hoseok speaks again. “Who were you to be tethered to?”
“Mother and Father.” You state, angry eyes set on your brothers, but also not wishing to elaborate. This isn’t how you wanted him to find out. You were all childhood friends, you wanted to tell him yourself when he had time away from his duties in the guard.
“She believes no one shall love her because she is unable to cultivate. She believes she is not worth dotting on.” Your elder brother chimes in, closing his book and sauntering over to you. “But that’s not true. Is it Hoseok?“
“No. It’s not.” Your childhood friends voice is stern, you had never heard it like this before, at least not targeted at you. It sends a shiver down your spine. “Is this why you wanted me to talk my parents out of this marriage?”
“I wanted to be tethered to mother and father because I wish to serve them for eternity.” Your jaw tense. Your core feeling as it had turned into stone.
“Look at me.” You have never heard his voice so cold and low, not even when he was at work. Something in you makes it impossible to deny him, so you do as he orders. You can see the fire behind his eyes, before your allow the flames to consume you you look towards the chilled marble ground. You hear muffled voices of your brother behind you but you can’t react. You feel warm fingers gently push your chin up ever so gently, forcing you to make eye contact. “Princess. Y/n. Is that really why?”
Your voice catches in your throat. A cough threatening to scratch its way out of you. “I am not like others. I cannot contribute to a high class home as I should. I’m…. broken.”
You had never felt so weak as you did in that moment, not since the days yo uhad been found. You could never lie to him. Not once.
He studies your face, searching for something. “Is it the worst to be betrothed to me?”
“What?” His question catches you off guard. You blink at him in confusion. Of course, you knew he would be angry at your decision, or at the very least angry with you for not trusting in him to discuss it.
“I can understand if you wish not to be wed to me because you do not think I’m adequate.” His voice soft like the look in his eyes. Soothing your anger towards your brothers in a instant, your only focus on him and the sad smile on his lips.
“That is ridiculous. I would not want it to be promised to any one else in this entire kingdom.” Why do you feel breathless?
“Good.” His hand slips away from your skin. For a mere second, you miss the contact before realizing what you said. Your face burns with embarrassment, your eyes scrunching closed at how idiotic you sounded to yourself. Had you lost your mind? “Then I will discuss with our parents for the ceremony to be held as soon as possible.”
The shock brings you back out of your inner reprimanding. But before you can formulate words he’s bowing to your brothers and then you and he’s gone.
“W-what just happened?” Your mind struggles to catch up.
Hearing your brothers snicker at you doesn’t’ help, you’re still frozen in place. Frozen staring at the now closed doors that Hoseok, your childhood friend, had left through.
Seokjins full laugh fills the room. “Looks like you’ll be a little bride faster than I will be a groom.”
Warnings: Swearing, abandonment, hybrids are only considered as pets, mentions of pre-heat and scent triggers, use of medication, overdosing(unintentional), self-harm (unintentional)
Premise: A sugar glider hybrid with a broken past. Seven men convinced they can give her the life she’s always wanted. Sometimes destiny has a funny way of finding you, and sometimes it smells like Eucalyptus.
WC: 1.3K
Masterlist || 001 || 002 || 2.5
Words tumble out of your mouth when you hear the click.
“I need….Can I have more..?” You try to stop your hands from shaking. They haven’t stopped in weeks.
“Already?” The vet asks from the other end of the phone. He was finishing his paperwork for the day. He had Chinese takeout with his name on it that he was eager to get to when you called. Which was unusual in itself because you never called without one of your owners present or even all of them. “I gave you a 4-month trial, it's only been just over a month. Are they not working?”
You force down the thick lump of saliva in your throat, trying to clear your voice enough to sound..well like you were fine. “They were…but then- I need something stronger.”
You were not fine. You hadn’t been since the week you had been given the pills. But you held onto some hope that your body just had to adjust to them, waiting for them to take the discomfort away, the unending need you felt.
“Snow I can’t give you anything stronger, as you are a smaller hybrid they will be fatal if we’re not careful.” He sits up straighter in his chair. Forgoing his paperwork to focus on your words. “Did you try taking an extra one? That should help without being too much for your body.”
“I did.” The room starts to spin a little, you stumble to sit on the ground.”...So I took more.”
“How many more?” Now he’s slightly worried.
“Today or ?” You hold your head in your hand, but you're still finding it hard to stay upright. “I started taking 2 but then it stopped working so I took another and then…eventually another…”
“That’s 4. How long have you been taking 4?”
“A month or so?”
“How many today?” He was trying to keep calm, but inside he was frantic. 4 is double your max dose. He just hoped today you hadn’t followed the same pattern.
“Today…today….six…” The urge to vomit was slowly forcing its way higher and higher from your stomach. Every inch you could feel it burning a path through you. You decide it would be best to lay down on the hardwood. The coolness against your clothed back gave a welcome break from the rising heat. “It kept hurting. It wouldn’t stop hurting…”
“I need… I need… I need to morph back. I don’t feel as sick. I don’t want to be sick.” You could hear your own words slowing. Your mouth couldn’t keep up with your mind anymore. Or was it your mind not being able to keep up with your mouth? You couldn’t tell the difference anymore.
The tantalizing taste of eucalyptus that hung in the air. It was always the only thing your mind could focus on. It felt so thickly enticing.
“Snow! Do not change into your hybrid-” He’s cut off by a sharp chirp through the phone. “Shit.”
“Deandra!” He yells out his office door. “I need your hybrid in here now!”
One of the shelters nurses and her raccoon hybrid come running into the room, they had stayed later tonight to help finish getting the new hybrid drop offs comfortable. He shoves the phone at the male hybrid.
“I need you to tell me exactly what she’s saying. Keep her talking.” He instructs sternly. Normally he wouldn’t talk to someones hybrid like this but he doesn’t have the ability to watch his tone or filter his words.
He reaches over his desk knocking the papers that he was working on onto the floor. He quickly dials your owners number that he has kept on speed dial since his first day visiting you.
He hears the click of a connect.
“Seokjin! Thank god. Tell me, are you the one?” He feels out of breathe, like he’s panting. Even though he’s not.
“Doctor? The one what?” Seokjin’s curious words respond to him.
“The one who started Snow’s heat.” He clarifies.
There’s a pause. It takes too long for the other to answer his question.
“QUICKLY.” He shouts at the younger.
“No. No. its not me. What is happening?!” Seokjin’s concern erupts through his ears.
“You need to get home now, I’ll leave as soon as I can. The pills had a severe negative affect. She’s taken too many.” He explains desperately. He can’t hide the panic in his feet, he’s pacing in the space infront of his desk.
“What?” Seokjin tells himself out loud. “I have to tell the others.”
“No! Only you. Whoever it is will only make this worse. She needs you right now.”
“I’m leaving.” The younger notifies him as well as anyone else in the room with him.
“I’ll meet you there.” They both hang up, not bothering with any form of goodbyes.
“-Doctor…..” The racoon hybrid calls to him.
“What is she saying??” He’s trying to keep himself from yelling. But the full blown panic that is beginning to set within him is about to break out.
“She’s not… she’s not talking. She’s only making noises, nothing is making sense. I don’t think-”
He points to the nurse, “Call an emergency vehicle to head there. Tell them it’s critical.”
Rounding his desk, he snatched the phone away from the hybrid shuffling him to the other side and points at him, “Stay.”
“Snow! Hear me. Talk to me. Jin is on his way. You need to change back.” He hears a few other cheeps before loud rustling.
“Liiiiiiving with them…… has maaaade me…. the hppiest…. Ive ever been in my eeentiiiiire liiiiife.” Your voice comes through muffled and slurring. “I would gooo through….. aaaaaall….. the abuse…. I sufferrrrred…. over again….. to have the chance…. to beeee their pet. They loved meeeee doctor…”
“Love, snow. They love you.”
“I used to….. maaaake themmmmm sooooo haaaaappy….. Theeeey would alwayssss… ssssmiiiile when they ssssaaaaw mmmme…they donnnnnnnn sssmile assssss…… much anymore….. I wisssh they did….. How doo I…. make them sssssmile… again…?”
“They want you to be healthy and happy. That’s all they want.” He tries to quiet his own breath to be able to hear your slow deep attempts.
He hears a bang and rustling from the other end. He hits speaker on his office phone. The other hybrid still in his office, just in case she returns back to hybrid form. God he hopes she doesn’t.
“Snow what happened?” He can hear Sekjin’s voice now.
“Thesssse…. are…. Pretty’ssss…. Eyesssss.” Her slurring worsens. It’s almost incomprehensible.
“Snow please. Doctor what do I do?” Jins voice abruptly yells.
“I have an emergency vehicle headed to you now. Keep her awake and don’t let her change into her hybrid form. The medication will only circulate through her system faster.”
“Pretty…. issssn’t sssssmiling.-How do IIIII -maaaaake Pretty …ssssssmiiiiiile again.” He can hear Seokjin sniffling through her attempts at speech. “i kn..ooow. Everyyyyoooone ssssssmiiilessss ….when immmmm -”
“little…” they word escapes out in an exhale.
Airy faint chirps are heard, he drastitically turns to the other hybrid.
“Doctor! She’s changed again!” Jin all but shrieks.
“What is she saying?” He demands of the terrified male hybrid.
“...” He walks closer to listen, his face going pale. “She’s saying… ‘I’ll stay little forever. I’m no trouble when I’m little.’” Listens again “‘Everyone smiles when I’m little….I’ll stay little’…..She’s just repeating ‘I’ll stay little’ over and over again.”
“Snow!” Seokjin whimpers over the phone, his voice breaking. Just like his heart.. “No…. please.”
“I’M ON MY WAY!” He grabs his things from his drawer and bolts for the door.
Running to his car he thinks about all the risks, the side affects he had gone over with you, all the late night research he had done. But this isn’t one of the risks that even crossed his mind. He made a vow all those years ago when you first came to the shelter. He promised to find you a loving family, that you would finally be happy.
He didn’t realize just how dangerous this could be. How there was one thing above all others that could make it all come crashing down…desperation.
