apparently i've developed erythrocytosis after five years of being on testosterone. basically my blood has a crazy amount of red blood cells which can increase a bunch of different health risks if not properly treated. thankfully the treatment is as simple as becoming a regular blood donor
on a completely unrelated note, i'm inspired to abandon all my current wips in order to write a vampire AU where the reader benefits from being a communal blood bag for idols
one of my coworkers is also a BTS fan, so i'm making keychains for her birthday next week. i suck at remembering to stop and take progress pics, but i'll try to remember to take at least one pic of the keychains before i give them to her
haven't written much of anything lately but still channeling my skz obsession into every hobby i pick up. 10/10 hobby, would spend three hours putting together bbokari's face and crying when it falls apart while ironing again
that's my new sideblog btw if any of y'all wanna see more perler projects i do in the future. rn i'm rushing to make a bunch of keychains for my city's Pride event next weekend. will probably share some progress pictures of that soon
Unpopular opinion but if you don't enjoy the process you should find a different thing to do.
And I think this is true in general but now I'm talking about it in the context of AI.
If you don't enjoy making art and only care about the end piece and how it'll look and how much traction it"lol get online then making art is not something for you, find something you enjoy from start to finish.
Same goes for writing: if you do not enjoy writing and rewriting and then some more and instead want AI to write for you, being a writer is not something you should pursue.
Sure, not every part of creative process is going to be equally enjoyable but you should get satisfaction from solving the problems along the way and you should get a sense of accomplishment on your way of "making the piece yours" and you should have a sense of ownership once you are done.
None of these things will come from typing in a prompt into chatGPT. And I am sad to see so many people are missing on the opportunity to experience the joy of making something with their own hands and brains.
#this is so true#i know writers like to joke about hating writing#but like if you're serious?#if you actually hate the process of writing?#why is this what you've chosen to pursue#just do something else
okay so at first, i thought Seonghwa would be the obvious choice. he's the "mother" of the group. he's super patient with the younger members. he's comforting and skilled with gentle guidance
but like, when the group sat down to decide the leader and Hongjoong was super worried cause he thought Hwa embodied the ideal leader more than him, Seonghwa was very vocal about how the group only works with Hongjoong taking the reigns. so even tho Hwa has the skills needed to guide and teach little ones, he doesn't seem interested in stepping into a role with so much responsibility. Hwa would make a good reoccurring character on the show, tho
then my mind jumped to Wooyoung because we've all seen how much he loves tikes and toddlers. never seen someone make literal heart eyes irl before. but let's not forget that Woo is also enamoured by bratty behavior. he enjoys teasing and encouraging rebellion, which absolutely has its place in a child's life, but probably not the best qualities of a host who needs to keep an episode on script. but again, perfect for a reoccurring guest role
Hongjoong? anyone thwarted by Legos is automatically nixed. Yeosang? unfortunately his thoughtful tendency to process things for so long before reacting makes him less than ideal. San? a good fit at first glance, but he has trouble reigning in his energy at times which can be overstimulating for a young audience. Mingi? there's more growth that needs to happen before he's ready to take on a mentorship role - no matter how much he claims he's up for the responsibility. Jongho? his high chaos nature packaged in a serious expression would cause too many complaints from parents
but see Yunho, he'd be the perfect host for such a show. he's Mingi's partner in crime, he's an excitable golden retriever; but he's also the one who leads their dance practices and is quick to help settle down the more chaotic members once Hongjoong makes it clear that enough is enough. Yunho's the perfect member to take a silly kid's show premise and treat it completely seriously, because he knows how valuable each episode is to the growth of his young audience. he knows how to be goofy but also how reign that energy in constructive ways
IDK if this is weird to say, but I just kinda wanted you to know that you were a big part of the reason I became an Atiny?
Like, I knew one or two songs by ATEEZ just by sheer exposure to the internet and Stray Kids by the point I first came across your blog, but I read your Yandere!Seonghwa fic and was like, "Well, damn. That's a lot but I think I'm into it??? Huh. Time to do some exploring as to why the looks of this man really fit how the author wrote him personality-wise."
And then I ran into your Mommy!Seonghwa fics when I was scrolling through AO3 (I'm pretty sure it's you posting those there? I'm not gonna assume anything for certain tho.) and thought to myself, "Damn. Never thought about calling a dude "Mommy" in like, a sexy way. Kinda into that, now that I'm taking the time to think about it. Either way, is he the "mom" figure of the group? That'd also be really ironic, especially since those types tend to be my bias..." *cue frantic googling and guide-watching, along with MV-watching*
And now here I sit, a proud Seonghwa & Mingi biased Atiny, with the other six as bias wreckers lol. (Hongjoong in particular hits me hard, but in reality, the list of things I wouldn't let any of these men do to me is pretty short tbh.)
All this to say, I probably wouldn't have done all that if I hadn't run across your Yandere!Seonghwa fic in a Tumblr search like, about a year ago I think? Maybe a little longer? So thank you for that! I hope you take all this as the compliment I meant it as, and not just someone's weird ramblings in your inbox lol. Have a good morning/day/evening/night! <3
it's not weird at all! i love when readers ramble in my inbox 💜
i never imagined that my yandere content + mommy Hwa propaganda of all things would draw people into the Ateez fandom, but i'm extremely happy to hear that was your experience!
thank you so much for this little boost of happiness, anon ~
(and yes, sometimesiwritethingsonAO3 is indeed my AO3 account)
🌑pairing | Song Mingi x gn!reader
🌘genre | coffee shop au, smut
🌗word count | 2.4k
🌖includes | humiliation, Mingi is a little perv, exhibitionism, masturbation, Mingi has a huge cock, slight power dynamics, cum play, dacryphilia
🌕blurb | The reality of it all doesn’t hit Mingi all at once. It comes in small waves, crashing over him as the pleasure from his orgasm recedes until he’s drowning in nothing but pure panic. He just got caught jerking off at work.
“Thank you and come again soon!” Mingi calls out to the last customer of the night. He smiles brightly and waves goodbye as they drive away. Once they’re out of sight, he locks the front glass doors of the coffee shop. The cheer drains from his face as the lock clicks into place, leaving his body feeling stiff and cold now that he’s left alone with you.
He looks back towards the counter where the chill in the air is coming from. You’re counting out the till, lips moving silently as you focus on the money and ignore Mingi. Even though he’s worked at the coffee shop far longer than you have, it doesn’t feel right to rejoin you behind the counter. It transformed while his back was turned, freezing into a giant Arctic wall meant to keep him from getting anywhere close to you.
Mingi drops his head, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the floor as he scurries off to grab what he needs to start cleaning the seating area.
Things didn’t always use to be this way, Mingi thinks to himself as he wipes down the tables. The coffee shop used to feel like home. It was a good twenty-minute walk away from his dorm, but he’d trek over every weekend during the semester to drink coffee while studying in comfort. He’d worked here every summer since enrolling in college, so he was close friends or at least friendly with everyone else who worked in the coffee shop. Everyone but you.
The last round of finals had been the toughest yet, so he’d spent two weeks holed up in the library rather than the coffee shop. It had been miserable and he’d been forced to make do drinking the terrible coffee from the school vending machines. Worst of all, he didn’t realize the managers had hired a new barista until after finals were over.
You’d been the only one behind the counter when Mingi returned to the coffee shop nearly a month ago. Back then, you greeted him with a smile that made his heart speed up. “Looks like someone really needs their caffeine,” you’d said in a song-like tone, aptly noticing the dark circles under his eyes. “What can I get started for you?”
“Um, iced Americano,” Mingi stammered back. His fingers raked through his hair, flattening it down over his eyes as if that would hide his lack of sleep. “Finals week hit me pretty hard,” he mumbled to excuse his disheveled appearance. “I spent the last couple weeks doing nothing but studying. Hopefully it paid off.”
“I’m sure you did better than you expect.” You shot him a wink that froze his brain and by the time Mingi rebooted, you’d already finished ringing up his order. He quickly paid, then slipped off to the back office to let the morning manager Seonghwa know that he was ready to be put back on the schedule.
When he came up front again, Mingi grabbed his drink from the counter and took a sip. It tasted pretty good considering he’d later learn you had no experience as a barista up until that week. Just as he turned to leave, you hurried over and held out a small pastry bag.
“Oh, I didn’t order-“
“I know, don’t worry. This is my treat.” You pushed the bag into his hands before he could object again. Mingi peaked into the bag to find a single mint chocolate cake pop. “Congrats on making it through finals week in one piece,” you chirped, then spirited off to ring up another customer before Mingi even had a chance to thank you.
It was a small but utterly sincere gesture that left Mingi excited to return to work. The first shift you two shared showed him an unexpected side of yourself. You were quiet, much less talkative than he'd imagined you would have been, but you were still bubbly as you chatted with customers. At first he thought you were shy, or maybe the bright side of your personality was just a part of your customer service persona, because you never again spoke as kindly or looked at Mingi the way you had when he’d been a customer.
But then he noticed the way you’d giggle with Wooyoung when there wasn’t a rush of customers, or how you’d play along with Yunho’s pranks. There was also a comfortable silence between you and the more reserved coworkers like Yeosang where you’d share glances that communicated far more than words ever could. It was nothing like the chilling silence that was currently settled over the coffee shop.
Mingi is the only one you treat coldly and he has no idea why.
With the tables wiped clean and the floors swept, Mingi looks back towards the counter to see you’ve finished counting the till. Your back is turned as you begin to clean the machines. He takes one step towards the counter, then another, opening his mouth with every intention of offering to help. But his tongue feels too heavy to cooperate.
He wants to kick himself. The whole reason you two are closing out the shop tonight is because the night manager Hongjoong had asked for volunteers to stay late to do inventory. Mingi had jumped at the chance as soon as he knew you’d also agreed to work late. It was the perfect chance for him to talk with you one on one. He’d hoped to figure out why you treated him differently compared to all your other coworkers, or maybe quietly prove he was just as reliable and fun as everyone else. That he was worthy of your smile or a quick little glance here and there. Even the slightest amount of positive attention from you would make him happy.
But when Mingi finds his voice, all he can squeak out is, “Gonna start on inventory.” You don’t turn around and he thinks he sees you give him a nod of acknowledgment as he retreats to the stockroom, but that could easily be his imagination.
The storeroom door clicks shut as he hides from you among shelves stocked with flavored creams and ground coffee. As desperate as he is for your attention, you also have a way of making Mingi feel small and insignificant. He doesn’t think you hate him, at least, he hopes you don’t; but it’s like he doesn’t mean anything to you. It makes him want to work even harder for your attention, especially since the humiliation of being completely disregarded makes his cock throb with need.
Something about having to work so hard for even a scrap of your attention makes his dumb cock rock hard at a moment’s notice, which only further adds to Mingi’s humiliation. The entire situation fills him with an intoxicating mix of emotions that he’s never dealt with before. And masturbation has always been his method for handling complex, stressful emotions. In the past, it’s helped to clear his head and made problems easier to confront.
The image of your cold eyes flit through his mind and Mingi feels his cock twitch again. His work slacks fit uncomfortably tight now, making his erection painfully obvious. Mingi knows jerking off won’t make it any easier to talk to you, but he’s stuck at work for at least the next hour and doesn’t want to be awkwardly hiding his hard-on from you the entire time.
Mingi cups his full balls through his slacks as he eyes the storeroom door. There’s no lock on the door, and he considers slipping over to the bathrooms for more privacy. But to get to the bathroom, he’d first have to go back out to the main lobby and run the risk of you paying attention to him for once.
So against his better judgment, Mingi shuffles further back in the storeroom and unfastens his belt.
It’s not like you’ll find out anyways he rationalizes, pushing his slacks midway down his thighs. He’s hidden away at the back of the storeroom between the shelves, and cleaning the machines upfront should take you another ten or fifteen minutes at least. That gives him plenty of time.
He pushes his boxers down next, sighing in relief as his cock springs free. The tip is already leaking, and Mingi uses two fingers to smear the pre-cum over the head of his cock. The risk of being caught with his dick out at work turns him on even more, and Mingi can’t help but fantasize about you walking in on him. For better or worse, it would finally earn your attention.
Mingi holds the hem of his work apron in his mouth and bites down on it to help keep himself quiet as his long fingers wrap around his cock. He usually likes to make the experience last, but right now he’s trying to finish up as quickly as possible to avoid getting caught. Focusing on the most sensitive part of his cock, Mingi let out a muffled groan while frantically thrusting just the cockhead through the tight ring of his fingers.
The muscles in his thighs and core tense up. His breathing turned heavy, emphasizing the rise and fall of his broad chest. Mingi bit down hard on the fabric in his mouth, trying so hard to push himself over the brink of pleasure. His heartbeat is pounding so loudly in his ears that he almost doesn’t hear it.
A small gasp echoes in the storeroom.
Mingi’s eyes shoot open to see you – not the imaginary version of you that existed in his fantasies, but the real you – standing in front of him. A hand is clasped over your mouth, hiding half of your expression, but your eyes are wide and focused right on Mingi. What was that indistinguishable look in your eyes? Is it shock? Disgust? Hatred?
His hand slides down to squeeze the base of his cock to choke back his release, but it’s no use. The humiliation of it all is too much for him to handle, and Mingi can’t stop himself from cumming so hard he sees stars. Thick, hot jets of white cream shot out each time his cock throbbed in the palm of his hand until his heavy balls are empty.
His legs feel weak and he sinks to his knees as dull shocks of pleasure still rock through his body, gasping for breath as his apron falls from his lips. The reality of it all doesn’t hit him all at once. It comes in small waves, crashing over him as the pleasure from his orgasm recedes until he’s drowning in nothing but pure panic. He just got caught jerking off at work.
Still kneeling on the cold stockroom floor, Mingi swallows hard around the lump in his throat. He gathers the last of his courage to glance up at you and sees that you aren’t even looking at him. Your lips are pressed into a thin line as you focus on your work apron. Mingi follows your gaze and is horrified to see his cum splattered across the fabric.
He lets his head fall forward so he could hide behind his bangs. “I’m sorry,” Mingi whispers even though he knows it’s meaningless at this point. “I never meant… This wasn’t supposed to… I know I’m worthless and disgusting.” Tears sting the corners of his eyes as he rambles out a jumbled mix of apologies and self-hatred.
Fingers twist in his hair, grabbing a fist full to jerk his head back and force him to face you. Mingi whimpers as pain prickles across his scalp, but he doesn’t even try to resist you. He knows he deserves this; he deserves far worse.
You say something, but Mingi can’t hear it over his own hyperventilating. You huff and grip his hair tighter, speaking louder as you repeat yourself. “Do you really mean it? Are you actually sorry?” Mingi frantically nods, even though the motion yanks at his hair. “What will you do to make it up to me?” There’s a brief pause as you wait for an answer, and he desperately wracks his brain to give you one.
“Anything,” Mingi sniffles, rapidly blinking back his tears. “I’ll do anything.”
Your eyes narrow into calculating slits. For what feels like a lifetime, you simply glare down at Mingi, never relaxing the tight grip on his hair. Without taking your eyes off him, you raise your other hand and drag your fingers through the cum splattered across your apron. Then you hold your messy fingers in front of his mouth.
Mingi feels his brain short-circuit. He stares up at you dumbly, waiting for some sort of clarification. “Clean up your mess,” you huff. Swiping your fingers across his lips, you paint Mingi’s lips with his own cum until his tongue hesitantly darts out to lick it up. The taste is bitter, but it earns him a nod of approval, so he continues to clean your fingers with his tongue.
“That’s it. Clean it all up.” You reach down to his soft cock and even though it's painfully sensitive, Mingi doesn’t dare make any noise of protest as your fingers trail over his cockhead to collect more cum. This time when your fingers press against his lips, he quickly sucks them into his mouth, savoring the combined flavor of his cum and the comforting scent of coffee that clings to your skin.
The grip on his hair loosens as you let your fingers run through the strands. “You made such a big mess being so naughty, Mingi,” you tut, massaging his tender scalp. “But you’ll clean up after yourself like a big boy, won’t you?”
Mingi nods, but the mixed signals and heightened emotions are quickly overwhelming him. Tears streak down his cheeks as he sucks your fingers. There’s no longer a trace of cum left, but it’s nonetheless soothing to suck and feel the weight of your fingers on his tongue. He whines when the digits are unceremoniously yanked from his mouth, but then you pull him against you and Mingi doesn’t hesitate to bury his face into your shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” he hiccups between sobs. “I never meant to be naughty, I really didn’t!” He clings tightly to your apron as he cries his heart out and you let him. The gentle petting of his hair only served to make Mingi sob harder. Why were you being so nice to him now?
Your laughter echoes through the storeroom. It’s a warm, bright laughter that makes Mingi’s heart leap and quiets his sobs into soft sniffles. “It’s okay, sweet boy,” you giggle, holding him tighter. “I can think of plenty of ways for you to make it all up to me."
Part 1 | Part 2 coming soon
A/N: Happy late Mingi Day, everyone! I've been sitting on this fic idea for months now, and I'm super excited I was able to almost get the first part out in time for Mingi's birthday.
Please like and reblog if you've enjoyed the story so far, and consider following me to be notified when the next part drops~
figured i'd go ahead and share what i've been working on instead of Yeosang's incredibly late birthday fic time is a social construct from which i'm completely divorced
figured i'd go ahead and share what i've been working on instead of Yeosang's incredibly late birthday fic time is a social construct from which i'm completely divorced
due to Yeosang's birthday falling on the same weekend as my local pride event, his celebration fic is gonna be postponed until next week (lmao but what else is new, i never post anything on time)
but since it's late, i'll spoil you guys on the premise:
sexworker!readerxYeosang - Yunho manages to give Yeosang the perfect gift for the second year in a row by rehiring the reader to "entertain" Yeosang all night long. zero smut, lots of fluff and feelings, left ambiguous as to whether the end ship is platonic or romantic
While fighting a crush on your coworker known only in writing, you finally meet and are attracted to the handsome man across the hall from your apartment.
4.7K words, Content note: teen and up, gender neutral reader, mention of giant mobile game breasts, unelaborated mention of insects, alcohol references, food
~
You stared at the latest exchange with your collaborator, a mysterious artist who went by the mononym Kang. Such an attractive man if his progressive worldviews were anything to go by. One day you hoped to meet him, hear his voice and see what he looked like, but that was not likely. His identity was a closely guarded secret, even from your publisher.
Surprised but thrilled was how you would describe the feeling when such a big-name illustrator had originally taken on your project. It was clear from the start that storylines with social justice themes would not ever be a runaway hit, but with his name attached to it, more people were willing to give it a try than otherwise would so you were very grateful for that much-needed boost.
Based on the hours Kang kept, odds were he lived on another side of the world, but still you mused from time to time about getting to know him better, perhaps through phone or video calls if he ever felt that comfortable. For now though, the friendship that had developed in writing over months of working together on the comic you wrote and he illustrated was enough to bring joy to your life. However tiring your day may have been, Kang was guaranteed to make you laugh. Still, you wondered if there could be more between you in the future.
Sighing heavily as you closed the laptop, it was time to get back to another aspect of your work, preparing for the latest convention. Your pet sitter had dropped out at the last minute so you were looking to find someone else in the building to feed your babies while you were away. After a few small updates to their care sheet, you thought about the upcoming trip and how good it would be to see your dear friend Seonghwa again as the printer zipped through the simple task. While you had been offered a room in the hotel where the comic con was being held, staying at the home of your childhood friend was preferable to have the most time together possible.
Freshly printed instruction list in hand, you stuck your head out of your apartment wondering which neighbor to ask first. In a lucky stroke of timing, the quiet man who lived across the hall was just unlocking his door. Despite months of living so closely, this was the first time you had actually seen him.
At your greeting he gave a small nod and a timidly voiced introduction that belied his words. “I'm Yeosang. A pleasure to meet you.” A hand shot out to shake, then was quickly withdrawn and he wiped it on his pants. “Sorry. I just took the trash out.”
Despite being flustered, Yeosang seemed kind of cute. At your own introduction, he finally made eye contact and you noticed a distinct carnation shaped birthmark by his eye. While you were not good with faces, you figured it would be easy to recognize your neighbor in the future.
Before you could ask him for the favor, he blurted out, “Oh! I have a piece of your mail, just came in today. Come inside and I will get it.”
As you followed Yeosang into his apartment, the idea struck you that maybe your good-looking neighbor could take your mind off the comics illustrator you could not shake from your thoughts. Your first impression was that Yeosang was not long-term dating material based on the hesitant personality shown so far, but he might be good for a little bit of fun from time to time, tiding you over until better prospects came along.
“Um, please excuse the mess, I am mid-project right now.”
He wasn't kidding, a whole factory's worth of supplies littered the living room. What appeared to your inexpert eye to be drone parts were scattered across the floor and you carefully picked your way around them. Despite your caution, you bumped the single pristine space of the computer desk. Three huge monitors sprung to life when the mouse jiggled from the impact, and they weren’t the only thing that was big.
The inoffensive screen saver with cutsey flower-headed comic characters had dissolved, revealing super busty art in progress on the center screen. Yeosang hastily moved to hide the drawing while you could not help but stare. It was not that the character was scantily clad so much as the skin-tight fantasy costume made it clear her massive, levitating breasts were supported by wishful thinking rather than an undergarment. In his ill-fated attempt to minimize the window, Yeosang instead activated the animation and now her chest undulated, breasts inexplicably bobbing slowly in opposite directions.
What a way to learn more about your neighbor. “I am sorry to have interrupted your, er, activity.”
Yeosang hid his face in his palms. Finally looking back up, but without making eye contact he offered, “Please believe me when I say I'm not into that. Someone with a chest like yours is far more attractive to me.” There was a visible cringe as he realized what had just tumbled from his mouth.
You let him squirm a little, listening to copious apologies before waving your hand to cut him off. “You are fine, I know what you meant. I find your chest more attractive than that too.”
The chuckle evoked by your own admission sounded like 'hehet.' Yeosang regained his composure then explained, “I work as a mobile game artist, among other things. This job is what pays the bills, but is not what brings meaning to my life.”
Sincerity shone through his tone, and you felt your heart soften for your neighbor. In any case, there was nothing wrong with being into beach ball sized breasts, it just was not something that worked on you. Feeling bad for Yeosang, you changed the topic to something less stressful. “I came over hoping for a neighborly favor. My pet sitter for this coming weekend fell through and I was wondering if you could fill the role.”
“Any other time I could do that for you, but I am traveling for work myself.” Your face fell, but Yeosang offered to be your first call next time. “The way I focus when drawing, I tend to keep to myself. I'm trying to be less reserved and could do with more neighbor interactions. Please do let me know another time if you need a check-in on whatever animal you have. I love mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds..., insects too. All good for drawing practice.” His enthusiasm was charming, and you could see yourself falling for your shy hallmate if given the chance.
“Two chinchillas, Cream Puff and Trogdor the Burninator.” At the raise of his eyebrows, you added, “Named by my nieces. Not much to draw but a circle, and you already seem to know how to draw those,” you teased with a glance to the monitors, “but you are welcome to come by any time to see my babies if you wanted to.”
Taking the joke well, Yeosang's grin answered your own, and you began to imagine maybe this could lead to something more in time. Of course that depended on knowing more about his stances on issues that were very important to you. It was early yet in what had not even developed into a friendship, and you intended to stay hopeful but realistic. At least, as much as you could in the presence of someone who so effortlessly looked ethereal as he passed over your mail and led you back out to the shared hallway.
Once in your own home you sank against the door and fanned yourself with what turned out to be junk mail. Though headed for the trash, it had given you the chance to get to know a little bit about your neighbor, despite the bumpy start, so you looked at it fondly. Your reverie was interrupted by a ping of the phone. Chattier than usual, it was a purely social message from Kang.
“Been meaning to ask you something. If we ever have the chance to meet in person, I'd like to take you out for a drink. What do you say?”
Giving in to the fantasy of his question, you replied positively. As long as you were daydreaming, what could it hurt? You did not even know if newly met Yeosang liked you back, so the attention from your co-worker made you feel good for the moment. “I could use a drink after the day I have had. Interesting but stressful, and I still don't have a pet sitter and time is running out since I leave for the work thing tomorrow.” Getting up off the floor, you headed to the refrigerator and rummaged around until unearthing a bottle of something alcoholic. Cider, beer, wine spritzer, whatever it was didn't particularly matter. You would fly more comfortably tomorrow if you made sure to relax this evening.
“My day is not off to a good start either.” An instant response. Again unlike Kang's more leisurely typed interactions. Caught up in conversation, you entertained each other for the next two hours. A lightweight when it came to drinking, you realized perhaps the alcohol had made you open up in a way you otherwise would not have done.
Thankfully your bags were already packed and you had no responsibilities other than getting the chinchillas sorted out. A quick text dashed off to your sibling got a yes that they would come pick them up for a little visit at their place in the care of the kids who had named them. That settled, you regretfully finished up your chat with Kang and showered before hitting bed.
Far too early, the clock radio sounded leading to a confused moment wondering why it had been set before dawn. Soon after, your phone started singing as the alarm titled 'Airport, Sleepyhead' showed on the screen. You were nothing if not predictable on these early mornings starting a day of travel. Thanking your alarm setting self for being so realistic about the support needed this morning, you dressed and wheeled the full suitcase out the door and into the waiting car provided by your publisher.
Once at the airport and through security you had time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast. The company you worked for was generous, but not so much that your business class ticket came with a meal. It probably wouldn't have been as good as what you were savoring now anyway. The egg croissant gooey with cheese was a favorite routine of yours when traveling. You munched while revisiting the texts from last night and became alarmed how revealing you had been. At least you had not declared love for the man, but you had been rather free with your feelings, disclosing to Kang things you had only previously talked over with someone as close as Seonghwa.
The lengthy plane ride was uneventful, but tiring nonetheless. Meeting you at the gate, Seonghwa enveloped you in a massive hug. Even waiting for your luggage was a joy because you were together again. It had been far too long. Best friends for years, you held nothing back while walking to his car. “You look fantastic. How is your love life? Anybody I need to know about?”
He struck a dramatic pose, licked his lips and answered, “Same as always, people are too intimidated by my godlike features.”
As vain as Seonghwa sounded, you knew it was all bluster and it made you laugh. It felt so good to be seeing each other in person again. Frequent video chats could not convey the full pleasure of being in his presence. Sure he was attractive, but it was more an aura of warmth and care that you had been missing. The ride to his home passed pleasantly and in no time at all he was unloading your suitcase from the car's storage and easily hefting it into the entryway.
“How about you? Made any progress telling your artist you have a crush on him yet?”
Seonghwa's question made you flinch as you settled on the couch. “How can I? He is my coworker. Besides, last night we were both a little tipsy as we chatted and he said he has his eye on his neighbor. I confessed a fondness for mine too and we bonded over it.” You put your head in your hands and groaned. “I can't believe I told him that.”
“You are smiling though, there must be more,” Seonghwa encouraged.
“We talk every day, and even without a clue what he looks like, I do think I am a little bit in love. It is not like he is a stranger. We have even compared ages so I know he is not a senior citizen. Turns out we were born the same year.” You sighed. “Kang has to be on the other side of the world though if the hours he keeps are any clue. We will probably never meet which is for the best anyway. For all I know he is that friendly with lots of people and I’m not that special.”
Seonghwa’s hand reached for yours kindly. “You are special to me, and Kang would be a fool to miss out on such a good thing if he got a chance with you.”
His kind words took the slump out of your shoulders. It was a pity you had never been interested in Seonghwa romantically because he had a lot of traits you valued, but as he had just demonstrated, they were equally desirable in a friend. You had it good, even if your love life was going nowhere at the moment. “I might as well look locally. I discovered a cute neighbor just last night, but he is a little rough around the edges and I am not looking for a fixer-upper project. When I asked Yeosang about pet sitting I interrupted his busty digital maiden art project.”
Your friend straightened and looked alert. He asked incredulously, “Yeosang, as in the Yeosang?” Seonghwa pulled you from the couch, dragging you into his bedroom.
More than a little surprised, you joked, “I’m not that desperate that I want you, my dear.”
He stuck out his tongue playfully. “No, no, no. Look at this.”
Standing by the bed, you kept your eyes low. “I am afraid to look. Tell me instead, Seonghwa.”
Lifting your chin with a finger, he directed your gaze to the life size poster on the wall causing you to scoff at an impossibly buxom character with buoyant breasts.
With a withering look he continued. “The art on his computer, was it in this style?”
“Yeah, that looks similar, I guess, though I suspect Yeosang is not the only one to draw chests this big.” Squinting at the signature, it did indeed have the same name as your neighbor. Art wasn't your thing, if you could call this art, and you could not pick out stylistic similarities if your life depended on it.
Seonghwa looked ecstatic. “I’ll date him if you don’t want him. Yeosang is a legend.”
Rolling your eyes as your punched your friend lovingly, you shook your head while returning to the living room. Thankfully there was a spare room that was yours for the night. While you got along great with Seonghwa, the few differences in your tastes were dramatic and platonically sharing a bed was out of the question with art like that looming over you.
Feeling no shame, Seonghwa left you to recuperate from the plane as he bustled in the kitchen. Having moved to a later time zone, you yawned through the delicious meal then tucked down before dark knowing you would have more time together after the conference.
Bright and early you were met with a bedside tray of breakfast courtesy your thoughtful host. The enticing aroma of quality coffee made the task of waking up far more tolerable. Seonghwa left you to prepare for the day and returned some time later to announce your ride was outside. With a last look in the mirror to satisfy yourself readers would be meeting someone approximating a respectable author, you kissed Seonghwa's cheek and headed out.
When guided to your table at the venue, you seated yourself and started setting out comics for sale. The publisher had already done the important work of setting up the table including a showy banner with your name. So engrossed in preparations, it took a moment to realize someone had called out your name in a questioning voice. When you looked up, it was quite a surprise who it was.
Unable to place the man at first, the birthmark at his temple finally jogged your memory. “Yeosang?” You could not figure out what your neighbor was doing so far from home. Of course he must be attending the comics convention, but to be at this one multiple time zones away seemed too large a coincidence. Confused, all you could do was mumble, “General admission doesn’t open up for another half-hour.”
Before he could respond, a publicist came to the neighboring table with a sign you could not see from the other side. Yeosang shrugged. “I'm looking for an author friend who has a table here today. Seeing my neighbor here is an unexpected bonus. Congratulations on being an author. I had no idea. You will have to tell me what you write about sometime.” While his words said all the right things, it was clear his attention was elsewhere. Only someone so preoccupied would have missed the titles spread out on your table.
Rather abruptly, Yeosang returned to scanning the room. It looked like your neighbor was not a catch after all. It was probably for the best you had not gotten too attached to him yet. Still, given his good looks, a fling might have been fun, but even for that you had standards.
Finally resuming conversation Yeosang announced without context, “My full name seemed good for picture book work, filling the role of a pseudonym to keep it separate from my other art.” Looking down to your banner as he stood before it he added, “I see you have one yourself, that is not the name from your mail.”
“Yes, I took my mother's family name for professional use.” Finally coming to understand your newly met neighbor was here as a fellow author, it took a while to catch on that Yeosang had gone silent.
After a moment apparently buffering, the way his eyes widened hinted that he recognized the name on your display, that of the comic writer. You felt defensive as he began to chuckle, again in his unique 'hehet' way. Being accustomed to laughter when people learned you wrote a social justice comic still did not mean you were comfortable with the reaction.
“There is something I need to tell you.” Leaning in across the table, the name he whispered left you reeling. “When I hoped to see you today, I never dreamed we had met before. I'm Kang. Your Kang.” Pulling back as you were left momentarily breathless, he turned his desk sign into view with a grin. 'Meet Hehetamon and Friends Author/Illustrator Kang Yeosang' it proudly announced beside the charming flower-topped doodle character familiar from the screensaver at his apartment. Your furtive neighbor Yeosang was the very same person you worked with as Kang, and he had an unexpected sideline in literature for preschoolers.
“It really is you, isn't it? Here I was going to surprise my friend and co-worker once I learned we would be at the same event, and I got quite a surprise too.” Rounding his table and sliding into the folding chair at your side, Yeosang continued to make it very clear he was present as a professional, just like yourself. Gone was the momentarily suave voice from the identity reveal, replaced by a more enthusiastic one you recognized in tone if not sound from his text conversations over the past months. That familiarity helped you accept it really was Kang before you.
Yeosang took in a breath and apologized for the way he had first ignored you in favor of searching for the person who turned out to be you. “Meeting my collaborator, well, you, was the only thing I could think about. I hope my poor behavior is something you can come to forgive in time. This was a bad first impression.”
Knowing him as long as you had made it easier to overlook the slight. You could not imagine how out of it you would have been to know in advance your crush Kang was going to be here today. It took only a moment of thought to accept his apology and remind him that he had made a good first impression long ago.
Looking very relieved, Yeosang then changed the subject to something less stressful mentioning, “I travel a lot for work. The school presentations are my favorite.”
“You do that for our comic?”
“Actually no, though we could start doing that together if you like. It is for my Hehetamon characters. I have one picture book out and the publisher has asked for a series which could lead to a television show. If all that comes through, I can quit the other job.”
You looked aghast. Reaching for his hand you asked, “What would I do without you? The success of our work comes more from you than me. Your art carries the stories.”
Pulling away from your touch far too soon he corrected, “No, not that job,” as he waved his hands wildly. “The video game character you stumbled upon. I could quit illustrating that awful mobile game. You know, the ladies and their...,” he trailed off as he mimed substantial curves on his chest while you snickered.
Beginning again on more solid conversational footing, he counseled, “Don't sell yourself short. When a friend of mine at the publisher mentioned your socially conscious project, I jumped at the chance to join in. It was all your words selling me on the comic.”
You beamed at the compliment from the man you respected. In no time at all, you were talking like old friends because you were, just in writing alone up to this point. Yeosang reiterated he had known his collaborator would be here today, just with no clue you would be the same person as his neighbor. “That is why I asked the other night if we could ever go out together should we meet. I didn't think I could be brave enough face to face without knowing your response in advance. My original thought was for a friendly drink, but seeing you now confirms a real date would be my preference if you are open to that.”
It left you in awe that this forward but very desired approach was coming from the same person who had seemed so awkward in his apartment. You were stunned to think that all this time the man of your dreams lived not a world apart, but simply across the hall. The two of you had been typing away, deep in meaningful conversation mere meters from each other and never aware of it.
Yeosang seemed to take your pause as a decline. “If you don't want to socialize with a coworker I understand. I hope I did not make things awkward now that we are about to greet readers.”
Flashing a genuine smile, you gave the answer that a date with your friend was a welcome offer.
That settled, Yeosang appeared to relax and he happily made light conversation until convention goers trickled by your tables. It felt good to be side by side all day. There were even lulls in visitors giving you breaks to chat. Frequently you caught knowing smiles from Yeosang whenever someone complimented the artist you worked with or appeared with one of his drawings for the series on a shirt.
A few of your sharp-eyed readers questioned the name Kang at your side making you nod and contemplate aloud the non-answer of how common the name was. Certainly the simple Hehetamon character looked nothing like Yeosang's comic book illustrations to actually link the two identities despite the same family name on the covers.
While making polite conversation with your fans, you also kept an ear on his activity noting Yeosang deflected the well-meant admiration of his looks, and studiously ignored those attempting to flirt. At this point you could not tell if your friend was dense, immaculately professional, or disinterested in their attention. It took all your will power to squash the hope he might already have someone in mind he'd prefer that attention from.
Having kept a low-profile until now, Yeosang learned the glamorous life of a creator at a con included a simple box lunch to be eaten while working.
“This one is pretty good, as these things go,” you informed him between bites as you recuperated from the morning of socializing with fans.
He nodded, accepting your expertise. “I have been wondering,” he began hesitantly, “is tonight too soon for our date?”
You did not mind letting him see your eagerness, but he was turned down nonetheless. “I would take you up on it if I didn’t know I had the chance to see you again back home. Also, I am staying with a friend and want to make the most of our time together.”
“Oh. Together? Are you 'together' together?”
“Seonghwa?” The thought had you laughing. “No, he’ll be just right for somebody someday, but not me.” You leaned in closer, “Too tidy for my tastes. Besides, I have a crush on my neighbor across the hall, as well you know from our chat the other night.”
Yeosang's eyes widened. Pointing to himself, he asked, “So that neighbor you are into?”
“And you too referenced liking a neighbor,” you proudly reminded him. “Wait, so that embarrassing situation you mentioned when we talked for hours was me discovering your mobile game art?”
He busied himself making a close study of the floor while talking. “The very friend I confided in about my bad day was you. If only I had revealed details we would have known our identities sooner.” Looking back up he added, “I'll never live your visit down.”
You patted his shoulder consolingly. “If we end up a couple then it makes a great story. I truly would love to go on a real date later on. For now though, Seonghwa’s a fan of yours. Why don't you come to dinner with us as a surprise guest, as long as you promise not to fall for him.”
“If he’s only interested in my game designs then I wouldn’t. Not when I already have fallen for someone with far more depth.”
The way Yeosang held your eyes left you swooning for what would be the first of many times for the rest of your lives. Getting back into the mindset of interacting with fans for the afternoon was one of the most difficult things you had ever accomplished, and you hoped you did not make too poor a showing.
Over the dinner that followed, Yeosang was the only one on your mind, despite your good intentions for spending the final evening with your host. Seonghwa didn't mind third wheeling since he got the chance to meet the artist he admired. You'd have to thank him with a busty commission for his birthday from your own favorite, and local to you, illustrator.
The next morning was filled with goodbye hugs and promises to visit Seonghwa again soon before you headed to join Yeosang at the airport. Once he had discovered your flight home was the same, it took a little work, but your neighbor was able to move his seat to your side. Enthusiastically taking up the chance to get to know each other with uninterrupted face to face conversation, the early hours were spent talking animatedly.
By the time lunch was over, your developing romantic relationship had progressed to napping on each other, cuddled closely with the armrest up. There was a lot to be said for enjoying the company of your friend online, but meeting in person certainly had advantages too.
Yeosang is so cute in this fic. he fits perfectly as an artist talented enough to work on popular mobile games and utilize a variety of art styles, but dreams of illustrating children's picture books for a living. and his awkward social blunders are hilariously relatable
i love all the cute little details in this fic, but one of my favorites is how Yeosang's birthmark is described as looking like a carnation. it's wonderfully delicate description that i fully plan to utilize in the future
the friendship with Seonghwa is also super sweet, even if he is an unapologetic fan of Yeosang's more titillating artwork
Let's talk about Yeosang, I guarantee that you will be surprised.
It's the quiet ones you have to watch out for. I can be more detailed because we have his birth time.
He has a Gemini/3rd House stellium which means he would make an amazing kisser. He is probably the most talented member out of all of Ateez when it comes to the art of lip-locking.
This means he would also be extremely skilled at eating 🐱, people talk about Seonghwa having great game, y'all are sleeping on how much this man will rock your world alone with just his tongue.
Ppl always go on about how Yeosang gives of sub vibes but this man is extremely dominant, his Cancer moon & mercury means he's very private & guarded so he would only show this side of himself once he feels he can completely trust you. A true switch with a heavy leaning on the dominant side. Would probably prefer to dom triple the amount of times he'll sub.
Which makes sense in my mind because he'll act shy & nervous but then posts photos of himself wearing tank tops & twerk to sexyback.
His Libra Mars is at an Aries degree & Aries = lover of degrading & humiliating.
His Cancer moon would downplay the degradation slightly so he won't degrade you to devalue you but would degrade you to highlight the power he has over you.
Leo Venus/Libra Mars= king of dirty talk, probably very vocal, love languages would be words of affirmation so he needs dirty talk as foreplay.
'If my darling y/n wants to act like a b&tch, then I'll make sure she moans like one' kind of talk, imagine if he said that in his husky, gravelly voice like omg.
EXHIBITIONISM/PUBLIC SEGGS would be huge for him! Mirrors as well, anywhere he can watch himself.
Biggest kinks would be manhandling & would probably want to try difficult positions just to show off his strength. Like would want to knock the breathe out of you whilst he's standing up w/o support just so you can see the veins bulge in his arms.
ANGRY/JEALOUS/HATE SEGGS would probably be something he'd be into as well.
If he's into women, he would love for them to wear pretty lingerie & perform a lil dancy dance in front of him.
Huge 🍑 man & would probably want to try 🍑 stuff.
Definitely has a Spotify playlist of songs he uses during intimate moments, also would use those l.e.d lights that changes colours.
Aftercare would be amazing with this man like bubble baths with scented bath bombs, would brush your hair, tell you how beautiful & amazing you were for him & big spoon you to sleep.
Cancer Moon means mommy/daddy k*nk although with his Gemini influence, he would most likely be more interested in 'Sir', probably is interested in teacher/student roleplay too.
Quiet on the streets but a real fr*ak in the sheets.
Yeosang is a freak who doesn't know he's a freak. he's so used to being seen as innocent, he genuinely believes any sexual urges he has are equally pure. pointing out his obvious kinks will only confuse Yeosang, and he'll insist that he's not that kind of guy. once he accepts that he's just as perverse as the other members, that's when Yeosang's dominance comes out in full force
agreed that he's more dominant than the fandom makes him out to be, but I'm still a sucker for Yeosang as a sub ^^; he plays the role extremely well and will tease you afterwards for falling so easily for his innocent act. after he subs, Yeosang will offer to show you how a real dominant does it
other than that, zero notes. this boy was my first bias in ATEEZ (and is still in my top four T^T) so automatic 10/10 post
i am going feral for mommy!yeosang lately but as far as i can see no ones written about it and im so sad!!!! like he just seems like,,, he would take such good care of you. i feel like maybe he has a bit of a mean streak but for the most part he just does whatever you ask <3.
his mommy vibes are just off the charts in my eyes. especially on 230617??? like that green sweater/shirt?? he just uaujfjrjfn!!!!!!
i usually get more baby boy vibes from Yeosang, so i've never thought about him in a mommy role before. but now that you mention it...
i can totally understand the urge to call this beautiful man 'mommy'
he'd poke fun a lot cause Yeosang thinks it's cute how embarrassed you get, but the moment you start to pout he'd kiss you and say, "i'm just teasing, little one. you know mommy loves you, right?"
loves coming up with increasingly silly pet names just to get a reaction. "honey, honey bunny, honey bunches of oats, honey butter biscuits." will not stop until he gets a smile or giggle out of you
very protective of his little one; no one else gets to tease you the way he does. not even Wooyoung
famously a bit of a space cadet, ignoring his surroundings in favor of his own little world. but Yeosang is on hyper alert when it comes to his little one. trips over himself in his rush to help you with the smallest things. sometimes needs to be told, "i can do this on my own, mommy" but nothing brightens Yeosang up more than hearing you say, "thank you, mommy"
cannot stand his ground at all after telling you 'no'. all it takes is a bit of puppy dog eyes and pouting for Yeosang to instantly cave. "alright, just this once. but don't expect to get away with this every time!"
mommy Yeosang will absolutely spoil you in every imaginable way. your comfort is his number one concern
loves quiet moments where you're both cuddled up together. he's skilled at turning the pages of his book with one hand so he doesn't have to let go of you. ask him to read aloud while you close your eyes and snuggle into his chest; Yeosang will read to you until you fall asleep
titsay
theartofmadeline
yousharknotpass
jbbartram-illu
germansingergirl
kaledo-art
