#ch:wonwoo

[lovelysvtn]

Hello!! Can I request 21&22(angst) and 38(love) with Wonwoo. thanks so much ✨

21. “You’re an asshole”22. “Wait. I didn’t mean that. Please come back.”38. “I can’t stand the thought of losing you.”

wonwooangst + a lil end fluff795 words[NOTE: i didn’t want to write some weird cliche so i tried this and i’m really tired and this didn’t turn out the best but i still hope you like it :,(] 

You shuffled further into your jacket as a gust of wind blew through the fourteen-degree air and, despite the chill that should overtake you, anger seemed to present a barrier to the cold.  Fingernails curled into your palms and hands shoved into your pockets, you trudged through through the night, your steps heavy and each fist that curled felt as if it were home to a ball of fire.  Each huff and heavy sigh that escaped your clenched teeth was accompanied by a cloud of fog and each time you had to re-wet your lips, the cold proving too much an obstacle for breathing through your nose.

As your eyes met with the lights of your apartment building you scowled, rolling your head from side to side as you began to dig for your keys.  The moment you stepped in, the warmth flooded your body but none of your tension retreated; if anything, it increased.  As quickly as your feet would take you (without granting you odd looks from other residents, of course) you scurried up to your apartment, throwing the door open the moment you stepped in front of it.

“What the hell, Wonwoo?!”  You had no intention of yelling when you met eyes with your boyfriend, but the moment you saw him leisurely lying on the couch, remote in one hand and phone in the other, you couldn’t help yourself.

The subject of your exclamation sat up abruptly, eyes wide as he turned toward you, “Oh shit…”

A throaty scoff left your lips as you stomped over to him, pointing one finger to the television. “This must’ve been important, yeah,” you loomed, eyes narrowed and practically set aflame.

“No, it’s not important, I just… I got…”

“You’re an asshole, you know that?” You turned your back, shedding yourself of your coat and dropping your bag onto the table.

Wonwoo stood to his feet, fingers wrapping themselves around your wrist as he made his way to you. “Look I’m sorry! Okay?”  As he spoke, he pulled you to face him, only dropping your arm when he knew you would stay.

“You’re sorry?” You rolled your eyes, finger pushing into his chest, “Do you know how cold it is?!  Do you know how far I had to walk in that cold!?  How oblivious do you have to be to forget your own girlfriend?  You were just laying here! Did you even care?”

His forehead wrinkled as his eyebrows raised, a look of shock splayed across Wonwoo’s face, “Maybe it’s a good thing I forgot about you, you’ve been a real bitch lately anyway; I was beginning to think you crawled out of Hell.  A cold walk should’ve been good for you.”

You closed your eyes, jaw tightening and lips pursing together, no way were you going to cry.  Not right now and not in front of Wonwoo, there was just no way.  “Okay.  Noted.”  You nodded your head, eyes downcast, and turned abruptly grabbing your jacket and bag once more, not bothering to put the outerwear on before throwing the door open only to slam it once you walked out.  Letting out a shaky breath, you halted and viciously rubbed the tears from your eyes.

Inside, Wonwoo’s fists clenched and met with the wooden table in front of him, a string of profanities cursing himself for blowing up.  He was the one who’d forgotten to pick you up, it’s not your fault he’s scatterbrained, and you had every right to be infuriated with him.  “Dammit!”

Without putting shoes on, he burst out of the door, his sights landing on your distant back, “[Y/N]!  Wait!”  You stopped walking as his voice reached you, sniffling and wiping your face once more before turning around as he ran up to you. He threw his arms around your torso, holding you tightly to him, “I didn’t mean that.  Please come back in…”  You sighed, it’s not like you planned anywhere you could go anyway, so you nodded and whispered your agreement.  “I’m sorry,” he breathed, taking your hand in his.  

He beckoned you back inside the apartment, arms wrapping around you once more as you entered, only this time from behind you, your back now pressed against his chest.  “When you walked out, I knew I screwed up,” Wonwoo spoke quietly, his face buried in the crook of your neck, breath ghosting over you.  “I’m really sorry and you’re right: I am an asshole.  I promise it’ll never happen again, I promise.”

A smile tugged at the corner of your lips, your anger dissipating with each small kiss he placed on your neck.  “I’m serious.  I can’t stand the thought of losing you, please don’t be mad at me.  I’ll never forget again, really.  I love you, okay?”

[lovelysvtn]

enigmatic ↳ a meanie!au in which Mingyu is a killer and Wonwoo finds out 3.3k+ words by meagan pt.1  ||  pt.2  (disclaimer:  this story may include spurts of harsh language, alcohol, and death)

Fingers flicked incessantly at the corner of the books page, bending and curling the edges of the fine white slips as hazed eyes scanned over each word.  Wonwoo read thoroughly, all while not exactly comprehending the words, thoughts occupied with the image of his fiancé darting out of the building, still clad in his tight, yet well-fitting suit, hair sweeping with the force of the wind that pushed against Mother Nature’s creations.  

Pushing his lips out, Wonwoo folded the upper point of the page, closing the novel gently, tracing over the white script reading The Sign of Four, each letter’s enamel protruding from the hardcover, providing a sense of satisfaction from the smooth touch that accompanied the title.  With a huff of breath, he set the book in the passenger seat alongside an array of wrappers from the sweet snacks he indulged in throughout his wait for Mingyu.  

He extended his left leg, pressing his foot against the hard, flat plastic of the rest provided, failing the attempt to completely stretch out his limb and rid himself of prolonging discomfort.  His head dropped backward against the seat’s head cushion, hair bouncing upward and swaying to the side from the force, the strands laying themselves directly above Wonwoo’s delicate eyelashes.

Wonwoo’s eyes flicked to his mobile as the screen emitted a ray of light, the familiar ringing that accompanied an incoming call invading the once calming silence.  Upon reading the caller’s name (which was followed by a simple heart emoticon) he slid the pad of his finger across the green icon, “Oh, Mingyu?” the surprise flowing from his voice rose more persuasively than he had presumed.

“Sorry but I think I’m gonna be late tonight,” the voice echoed through every facet of Wonwoo’s mind, expression contorting as his line of sight met with the lean male fleeing from the brick-walled building to the right of him.

Wonwoo’s breath hitched in his throat as he comprehended the sentence, his reply flowing with the breath that escaped his now heavily weighted lungs.  These calls were nothing out of the ordinary, though; however, Wonwoo usually understood that Mingyu’s job would require that he stay to speak to clients–even after he could declare himself finished with the day. Now, though… Now proved different.

His eyes stayed focused on the sleek-looking other as he crossed the street, pulling the door to his car open wide enough for him to swiftly slide in.  “Well, be careful coming home; it’s supposed to start raining soon…” Wonwoo pushed a sentence from his throat, unsure if the weather forcast really called for rain or not, he just needed to say something, anything.  

“I’m sorry,” the nearly monotonous apology made Wonwoo’s stomach churn and his fingers tighten around the edges of his phone.  ““I’ll see you at home, okay?  I love you,” the voice continued, the last fragment causing a falter in the older male’s heartbeat, questions (dozens of them) threatening to pour from him.

“Yeah…” Hesitant to trust the usually meaningful words, Wonwoo’s grip loosened, eyes falling as his opposite hand reached to shift his vehicle into drive. “Yeah.  Love you, too,” this, though, he knew was true.  Without allowing another word from the delusive Mingyu, he quickly jerked the phone from his ear, pressing down on the bright red button as soon as it appeared on the screen.

“God dammit,” he cursed, fingers wrapping around the steering wheel with enough pressure to cause his knuckles to lighten from his original skin tone.  As the vehicle in front of him sped off, Wonwoo hastily shifted his into drive before trailing a few meters behind, back arched away from the seat and eyes focused intently on the accelerating car.

As the light along the street flashed from its vibrant green to a sphere of red, Wonwoo’s eyes flicked to the side, his foot tapping at the break and hands guiding the steering wheel into the next lane, halting behind a large suburban, all while keeping close watch on Mingyu through the rearview window of his automobile.

The tips of his fingers tapped at his jean-covered thigh, teeth clamped down on the plump expanse of skin before them, dragging back and forth while the wait for a switch of the traffic light felt endless.  Wonwoo’s foot lifted from the break with ease as the opposing post’s light flicked from the yellow to the next hue, anticipation rising for the moment the vehicles preceding him would speed up, allowing him to once again lag behind his lover’s car.

His eyes locked on the blinker flashing repeatedly, the mass of dark blue disappearing to the left into a crowded parking lot, coming to a halt in the most secluded area the pavement provided, the streetlights inadequate enough to shine such a distance back.  Wonwoo immediately swerved through the line of traffic, sliding through the space between two trucks into the same lot, body jolting at the speed bump he’d failed to slow for.

He made a circle around the parked cars, halting his own vehicle two aisles away from his fiancé’s, avoiding any instance in which he may find himself confronted by Mingyu’s curiously bright eyes, and sly curve of his lips upon recognition.  His finger looped into the ring of his keys, yanking the metal from the ignition before scurrying out of the door with a speed he hadn’t envisioned possible, the legs that didn’t quite reach the length of Mingyu’s carrying him hastily over the concrete and into the brick-walled building.

The direct scent of strong alcohols swept through Wonwoo’s senses, heavy blinks due to dim lighting and bright flashes of stage-lights accompanying the exalted coughs at the cloud of smoke wafting over the expanse of the room at head-level.  His head whipped from right to left with each body that bumped and brushed against his own, causing his hands to automatically find their way into the mono-pocket of his sweatshirt, fingers curling into his palms at the struggle to reach the empty seat at the far corner of the entrance.

Reaching up, his hand latched onto the lump of fabric hanging behind his neck, pulling it forward to cover the top of his head and allow for a more discreet appearance, unwilling to stand out upon every fiber in his body.  The moment his scanning vision met with the familiar curl of brown hair fixated with a small amount of product, Wonwoo scowled, immediately meeting with the sight of a male around their own age, dressed casually yet making the clothes look better than they would on someone else.  Too far to recognize any features of the other’s face, he sufficed with watching the interactions from afar, body sinking into the much uncomfortable metal chair as his significant other’s arm wrapped around another’s shoulder, pulling him close enough utter unheard words.

Wonwoo’s hand flew to his face, rubbing at the skin of his forehead as Mingyu’s figure turned in his direction, he and his company parading to his area of the tavern, bodies pressed closely together–due to either the amount of others pushing against them or the sheer enjoyment that came with being close, Wonwoo really had no idea at this point.

A breath of relief floated from his throat as the pair opted to sit on the stools at the bar, facing one another as Mingyu continued to speak words that the other hadn’t

cared to listen to, his slender fingers snapping repeatedly in request for the bartend that rolled his eyes upon approaching.  The male beside his fiancé held up two fingers toward the man, attention turning back toward the taller brunette, head nodding as two glasses filled to the brim appeared in front of them.  Wonwoo’s eyes narrowed at the apparent dislike spread across Mingyu’s face as he quietly complied to a short toast before sipping at the liquid, wondering why the younger felt it necessary to drink for this other male while he never once drank for nor with his own partner.  

The brunette’s expression tightened, the hand wrapped around the full glass carefully dropping to the counter, body completely still despite the blaring, rhythmic music.  His stance straightened, the hand lying on the top of his thigh tightening as his fingers curled into his palm, eyes following the lips of the other’s spoken words.

The exchange continued until Mingyu’s body positioned itself closer to the other male’s as he abruptly stood, stool dragging against the hard tile of the floor in a loud screech. As soon as one stood, the other followed suit, adjusting the collar of his button up and pushing his hands deep into his pockets.  Wonwoo followed their motions as the shorter one shook his head and the other dropped a hand to his shoulder, willing him to nod in agreement to whatever the conversation consisted of.

In a fumble of wobbly legs and dizzy feet, the shorter of the two slyly slipped through the midst of people and through the door.  Craning his neck, the hooded male pushed his seat backward and straightened his legs before trailing far behind the pair.  His feet led him around the entirety of the parking lot to his parked vehicle, fingers weaving around the multiple of keys to unlock the door and quickly slip inside, exposing himself to the sight of his fiancé wrapped around another as he aided him into the car.

As briskly as Mingyu departed from the parking lot, Wonwoo gripped the steering wheel, willing his foot to press down against the accelerator, head leaned against the door’s window, the cool glass pricking at his temple.  

Continuing to follow after his partner proved a task within itself, with the constant accelerations and failure to abide by regulation driving rules.  The once dimly lit streets of a metro area faded directly after a swift turn, Wonwoo’s surroundings blending into a desolate shade of gray accompanied by its darker friends, the only genuine hue blooming from the taillights of the preceding vehicle.

Without signal, Mingyu’s eventually halted, the previous burst of color immediately leaving the area with the opening of his door.  Eyes followed as he stepped out, returning to his company’s side and releasing him from the enclosure of the car, an arm slipping itself around the taller, his own arm winding around the other’s waist.

Wonwoo’s brow inched upward at the notion splayed before him, cautiously removing the key from the dashboard and shoving it into the depths of his pocket as he waded between the untrimmed bushes, his car at rest behind.  Rather than watching as the brunette bustled into a wooden structure, he opted to keep view of his feet, weaving around the fallen tree branches that threatened to make his presence known to the two others.

His fingernails dipped into the chipped wood of a tinted window’s pane, subconsciously leaning onto the tops of his feet to better his sight inside of the dimly lit room.  He scanned the area, eyes lingering on the homely-colored sofa and the unconscious male placed atop it.  The short murmur of his partner’s voice resonated through the thick glass, causing Wonwoo’s jaw to clench with the sheer amount of focus placed into thoroughly listening to the beginning conversation.

The shoulders of the man inside broadened as his arm outreached toward the half-conscious male, knees bending as his face lowered and shortened the gap between the two.  Mingyu’s body jerked to the side before his hand quickly fell to his side, retreating from the now gawking other and waltzing closer to the window Wonwoo perched behind, fingers trembling against splintering wood, eyes following the nearing figure’s mouth as he spoke words mute to Wonwoo’s ears.

Quickly, he turned around, feet shuffling quickly back to his companion, short sentences spewing from each’s mouth, both faces reddening at whatever words the conversation withheld.  Arms prodded about in various directions, fingers tensed and curled into fists, jaws clenched together...until all movements slowed with a single stretch of Mingyu’s legs and the reach of his arms toward the sitting male.

Wonwoo’s brow furrowed, eye sockets widening as his took in every aspect of the performance splayed in front of him, the tensing of Mingyu’s back muscles, the short legs that kicked at the shins of the taller legs, arms sweeping toward Mingyu’s face and hands pushing at the chest in front of them.

The older man’s heart felt as if it’s fervent beating halted, breath catching in his throat as his fiancé pulled his acquaintance from the couch, body lying limply on the floor and complying to the pull of his legs across the surface.  Tongue darting to wet his lips, Wonwoo dropped his arms to his side, feet stumbling as he attempted to distance himself from the wooden structure.

His fingers fished around the pockets of his jeans, the ring of his keys looping around his index finger, eyes straining to search for the key to allow entrance into his vehicle.  Quietly, he shut the door and started the car, watching the darkened silhouettes as one made his way toward an expanse of water and the other had no choice but to follow.

-*-

Wonwoo’s feet slid across the carpeted floor, fingers white with the tightening grip on his cellphone, teeth continued to clench themselves together and his nostrils flared as the dragging of his feet turned into stomps while he ventured into the apartment’s kitchen.  He dropped his cell onto the marble counter, trailing his fingertips across the chilled expanse and using the opposite hand to open a cupboard door, swiftly yanking a glass from the shelf.

What once was a slight vibration of his fingers due to tension became a gyration–from increase in tension:  maybe; from anger:  possible, from fear:  even more possible.  Wonwoo pressed the back of the cup against the plate in the refrigerator door, filling the wobbling container with cool water before attempting to down it, only to clink the glass against his front teeth and shake the liquid onto not only his chin but down the chest of his shirt.

Deflated, he threw the contents of the glass into the sink, dropping the cup with a shattering cling against the steel.  His shoulders dropped with the release of the breath he’d held captive, feet tripping backward and hip knocking against the edge of the counter.  Wonwoo’s body tensed as a familiar tone resonated through the apartment, a picture of his fiancé flashing across the screen followed by the caller ID.  Teeth bit down on his tongue as his body repelled itself from the counter, index finger quickly swiping across the bright red icon, the picture fading to the reflective blank appearance it previously held.

Throwing a glance toward the door, Wonwoo retreated from the kitchen, toes curling into the fluff of the carpet upon dropping himself onto the stiff couch, eyes fixated on the small expanse of wall not filled with framed photos of the home’s two occupants.  

With the flood of thoughts swirling around Wonwoo’s mind, time passed by more quickly than it seemed, the jingle of keys echoing past the door, triggering the older to sit up straight and anticipate the entrance of the other.  “Wonwoo?”  Oxygen filled his lungs, “I’m back…” the oxygen refused to leave until he pulled his thumb between his lips, biting on the nail and staring straight at the television screen.

“Uh, Wonwoo?”  Mingyu turned the corner, illumination suddenly flashing, Wonwoo’s eyes narrowing at the beams, though refusing to waver from his own reflection in the darkened screen.

A breath stumbled through his nose, thumb retracting from his lips, “Mingyu, we need to talk.”  He watched the taller’s reflection as he enclosed the space between them, the couch dipping as he carefully lowered himself onto the cushions.  Mingyu leaned forward, extending an arm toward Wonwoo who retracted, moving from the middle of the seat to the far edge, distancing himself as thoroughly as possible from his partner.

“Mingyu,” the name passed through his lips as a whisper, a scowl almost immediately waning itself onto Wonwoo’s expression.  “I know,” his eyes narrowed, sight leveling on the coffee table in front of them, “that you haven’t been at work…”

The other’s head turned, back straightening as he waited for Wonwoo to continue to speak, “So, where were you?”  Wonwoo’s line of sight burned through everything splayed in front of him except for the single area he yearned to peer.

“I just… They… The guys,” Mingyu stuttered, tongue gliding over his cracking lips, “The guys wanted to get drinks...we just went to the bar, and…”

“And what?”  Wonwoo’s heart rate increased, teeth digging into the skin of his cheek to relinquish the burning sensation beginning in his eyes.

“And? Well, and I’m- I’m really sorry, Wonwoo…”

“Sorry?  You’re sorry?”  Wonwoo’s resolve blistered, his legs picking him up from his sitting position, body towering over Mingyu’s, widened eyes locked on the other’s.  “Do you know what the Hell you’re sorry for?!”

“Don’t you, maybe, think you’re, uh... blowing this out of proportion?”  Wonwoo’s brow raised at the accusation, a scoff bubbling out of his throat.

Voice stuck in his throat, Wonwoo took a step backward, fingers curling into the palms of his hands, his nails pressing crescents into the smooth skin.  Once again, he inhaled a deep breath, speaking more quietly than he had previously, “Mingyu,” he blinked slowly, eyelids hovering in place for a moment, “One more chance; I’ll give you one more chance… Tell me, truthfully, what you did tonight.”

Chin down, chest slowly rising and falling, Wonwoo kept hold of Mingyu’s eyes, watching the waiver of dishonesty brush through them before he crippled the older’s offer.  “Like I said… I went out for a drink…”

With a nod and a simple, “Okay,” Wonwoo turned away from his fiancé, feet padding against the floor as he retreated from the room, pushing past the door into the shared bedroom.  He carried himself directly to the closet, throwing the doors open and ripping the suitcase from its nestled space between a pile of unworn shoes and the yet to be thrown out boxes from the day they moved in.

“Wonwoo,” his eyes flicked to the side, briefly meeting with Mingyu’s as he stood placently against the frame of the door.  “Wonwoo, what are you doing?”

“I’m leaving,” he muttered, ripping clothes from hangers and tossing them into the opened container, followed by flying jeans and bundles of socks.

“I don’t understand…” Mingyu took a large step into the room, “Why?”

“Because, Mingyu,” Wonwoo paused, the silence filled with the zipping of the case. “You can’t just lie like this and expect me to believe it… I’m not an idiot.”  Pulling the container off of the bed, Wonwoo took smell steps toward the other, lessening the large gap between their bodies.  Unable to make eye contact with the taller male, he kept his sight on the buttons trailing down his chest, “I know, Mingyu:  everything.  I followed you tonight, I-I watched you…”

He tilted his head up, locking eyes with the other’s as his pupils dilated, lips quivering with words that failed to spill.  “I just-  I mean I was only-  I have a good reason, believe me!”  Wonwoo’s fingers twitched, grip on the suitcase handle tightening despite the unwavering want to console the now teary eyed man in front of him.

“Stop, please.  Just leave me alone...” he shook his head, swallowing the lump of saliva down his throat and pushing past the taller.  Halting mid-step, a weight against his arm tugged him backward, the fingers wrapped around his thin wrist shaking.  Closing his eyes, he waited for the blur on his eyes to retract before reopening them, pulling his arm forward and continuing to distance himself from the deflated younger.

Holding a short breath in his lungs, Wonwoo slid his feet into the shoes in front of the door, plucking the keys from the shelf simultaneously.  Teeth digging into his lower lip, his hand lingered on the doorknob before pulling the mass closed behind him.

[lovelysvtn]

cataclysm and infatuation ↳ a meanie!au in which wonwoo and mingyu meet during an apocalypse first chapter of many to come 3500+ words by sophie

Wonwoo was going crazy.

Or, at least he thought he was.

He’d been in the same enclosed place for weeks; seeing the same faces over and over again, eating the same, bland food, having the same conversations. There were so many good things to finally finding a place that they could take refuge, but there were also so many cons. At least he wasn’t stressed out searching for somewhere to take shelter; but now that he’d found one, there wasn’t much left to do but wait.

And survive.

Plus, he found himself continually getting into arguments with the others, probably because he had always had a hard time being around anyone for too long. Though he had been friends with them for as long as he could remember, and the cataclysm that had occurred only a few months ago seemed to have brought them all closer than ever, Wonwoo’s anxiety was rising and he needed a change of scenery.

“I think someone’s outside,” Soonyoung said from a different room, voice raised just loud enough for everyone else to hear.

“Good for them,” Seungkwan said, not bothering to look up from the gun he had been cleaning for the last hour. “We’re not letting them in.”

Soonyoung appeared from around the corner a few seconds later, his eyes full of empathy. “They look really rough. Maybe they need somewhere to stay.”

“Yeah,” Jisoo piped in, his caring personality causing him to instantly become defensive of the person that he had yet to even lay eyes upon. “what if it were you out there, and we refused to let you in?”

“I’d be fine on my own.” Seungkwan assured him, lips drawn in a straight line.

Soonyoung shut his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before opening them and looking at Seungkwan with a serious expression. “I’m letting him in.”

Seungkwan stood up quickly, shoving the disassembled gun into Wonwoo’s lap before following Soonyoung into the other room. Wonwoo locked eyes with Jisoo, both of them standing up simultaneously, setting down their things before crossing the room and peering around the corner.

Soonyoung was standing in the doorway, Seungkwan over his shoulder, probably studying the stranger as he conversed with Soonyoung. After a few moments of this, Soonyoung and Seungkwan finally stepped aside, allowing the stranger enough space to step into the building before quickly shutting the door behind him.

Though he couldn’t get a clear view of him, Wonwoo instantly noticed the man’s rugged, worn-down clothing, toned arms and legs, tanned yet clear complexion.

But most of all, Wonwoo noticed how the man’s eyes sparkled with such liveliness, a kind of liveliness he hadn’t seen in anybody in a long time. He found himself wondering how the man could possibly have such lively eyes, considering the conditions he must have been in prior to this.

Though Soonyoung showed signs of wanting to lead the man into the other room, Seungkwan stood promptly in front of them, arms crossed on top of his chest.

“We really shouldn’t let him in until we get permission from Seungcheol.” Seungkwan said sternly, his stance remaining.

“You expect him to just sit here until he gets back?” Soonyoung asked, eyes wide.

Seungkwan nodded, and Soonyoung’s expression fell. He slowly turned back toward the stranger, saying something in a very quiet tone, before following Seungkwan out of the room. As they walked away, the man nodded sharply, setting down the few things that he had in hand before sitting on the floor, leaning his back against a wall. Wonwoo caught himself watching the man for a few seconds too long, looking away only when he felt Jisoo’s hand on his shoulder.

“Staring is rude.” he whispered into Wonwoo’s ear, giving him a smirk before turning and following the others back into the room.

Wonwoo’s cheeks flushed for a moment, and he brought his hands up to cover them, returning to the spot he had been sitting in before. Though he had picked up where he had left off in the book he had been reading, his mind couldn’t help but wander back to the stranger in the next room.

Maybe that’s what he needed when he had wished for a change in scenery.

It was almost dark before Seungcheol and the rest got back, carrying with them supplies that they had spent the day collecting. As they stripped out of the layers of protective clothing they had worn, Seungkwan pulled Seungcheol aside and took to explaining the man in the other room.

Wonwoo helped the others in organizing and putting away the new supplies, trying to keep his mind off of the fact that he was, for some reason, nervous of Seungcheol’s reaction to the situation. What if he kicked the man back out onto the streets? What if Wonwoo didn’t even get the chance to learn his name?

After a long while of worrying, Wonwoo saw Seungkwan leading Seungcheol into the other room, the rest of the pack slowly dropping their things and following curiously. Wonwoo stayed toward the back of the group, peering tentatively over Minghao’s shoulder upon entering the room.

The man had stood up as soon as he saw Seungcheol, bowing before holding out his hand in greeting. Seungcheol shook it stiffly, nodding his head in response to the man’s bow. Closer this time than before, Wonwoo was able to hear almost everything that was being said, which quickly relieved his nerves.

“Kim Mingyu.” the man said confidently, and Wonwoo was sure his breath hitched in his throat. Seungcheol replied quickly with his own name, before wasting no time in speaking business.

“I think that the first thing to be done is a proper examination.” Seungcheol said in a professional voice, one that Wonwoo hadn’t ever heard before the incident, and had heard more than enough since then. Actually, he was sure that he hadn’t heard a tone other than that from Seungcheol in a very long time. Nowadays, he was all business.

“Examination?” Mingyu asked, eyebrows furrowing together slightly.

“Though you have told us that you are clear of disease, there is really no way to be sure. Even if you are telling the truth, there is some chance that you may have it and be oblivious to it.” Seungcheol explained promptly, hands clasped behind his back. “Of course, there is no way to officially diagnose you that we are aware of, but with a proper examination we can see if there are any physical symptoms. If there are not any, we will consider letting you join us. But if we find something…” Seungcheol’s voice trailed off, eventually just nodding his head, knowing that Mingyu knew what he meant.

Mingyu nodded back, completely understanding of Seungcheol’s precautions.

“If you wouldn’t mind, I will ask you to remain in this room until after the examination, when I have had time to discuss with the others and we have come to a decision.” Seungcheol said.

“Yes, of course.” Mingyu replied, bowing again toward Seungcheol.

Seungcheol turned and left the room, everyone else beginning to follow. Wonwoo felt himself lingering for a moment, watching again as Mingyu sat himself against the wall, before snapping out of it and quickly leaving the room.

“Would someone please volunteer to do the examination?” Seungcheol asked. He was now standing in front of the group, who sat on the floor, all eyes on him.

“Wonwoo will.” Jisoo said almost immediately, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. Seungcheol’s eyes met Wonwoo’s, eyebrows raised in surprise.

Wonwoo’s heart instantly began to raise. The thought of Mingyu completely stripped down in front of him, his only job being for his eyes to roam the entire expanse of skin, was too much for him to wrap his head around. Wonwoo looked down and played nervously with his hands, praying in his head for someone else to pipe up and volunteer before his head burst.

From the corner of his eye, Wonwoo saw a hand fly in the air, a voice escaping into the silence.

“I’ll do it.”

Wonwoo’s head snapped to the side, finding that the hand raised in the air belonged to Seokmin.

“I know a lot about the symptoms, and have seen a few cases of the kinds of rashes and blemishes that it can cause up close. I wouldn’t mind giving the examination.” Seokmin added, receiving an immediate nod from Seungcheol.

Though Wonwoo felt relieved at not having to perform the examination, part of him felt somewhat jealous of Seokmin. Jealous that he’d be alone in that room with Mingyu, jealous that he would be the only one whose eyes would roam the tanned skin of his body, jealous that Mingyu’s attention would be directed only toward him.

Wonwoo shook his head, pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind and trying to focus back on the words spewing from Seungcheol’s mouth.

“If all is well after the examination, and this man doesn’t seem to have any signs of disease, there is a good chance that he will join us here. There’s strength in numbers, and we could always use another set of hands around here. Though I encourage you all to be friendly toward him, I would advise that each and every one of you stay as far away from his as possible - that is, until after the examination. We still want to be very cautious, as we are not yet sure what his condition is.”

Wonwoo nodded in reply, along with everyone that surrounded him, and Seungcheol emitted a prompt “good” before leaving the room.

“I tried,” Jisoo said, elbowing Wonwoo in the side and shrugging his shoulders.

Wonwoo shook his head as Jisoo smirked at him. “Stay out of it, Jisoo.”

“If you say so.” he replied, grinning as he picked himself up off the ground.

By the time Wonwoo had collected himself and stood up, everyone had gone back to what they had been doing before the somewhat emergency-meeting. Figuring he’d get yelled at for being lazy if he went back to his book, Wonwoo decided to help Seungkwan with cleaning the firearms, which he was always grateful for.

Plopping down on the floor next to Seungkwan, Wonwoo motioned for him to hand over a pistol, which he obliged to.

“Say, how do you feel about this new guy?” Wonwoo asked, trying to make his voice as monotone as possible, in attempt to make it less obvious that Wonwoo simply couldn’t get the kid off his mind.

“Mingyu?” Seungkwan asked, knowing that the older’s reaction would be a nod. “He’s infected. I’m sure of it.”

“Why did you get so close to him earlier then, if you think he has it?” questioned Wonwoo, his eyes staying on the pistol in his hands rather than looking up at Seungkwan, knowing that his expression would be blank as usual.

“You know that the disease can’t be transmitted by air, right?”

Wonwoo looked up, meeting Seungkwan’s eyes. “No, I didn’t. I...I was told to take every and all precautions, so I was never quite sure.”

“You can only get it from exchanging bodily fluids. That’s why you never just go up and stab someone - that’s what these are for.” he shook the rifle in his hand. “It would be difficult to contract it just by standing next to them, but it’s possible. They could easily bleed or spit on you, if they really wanted to. You can’t trust anyone nowadays.” he shrugged, his hands moving quickly as he reassembled the rifle. “I don’t trust that kid. Something about him.”

“He seems like a nice guy. What could he have done to get on your bad side?”

“Ah, he didn’t do anything.” Seungkwan shrugged, setting the rifle down before picking up a shotgun and taking it apart as quickly as he had put the last together, making Wonwoo wonder if there existed a gun that Seungkwan didn’t know everything about. “It’s just the way that he carries himself, I think. He’s too happy, too confident. I’m almost positive he’s hiding something.”

“You think?” Wonwoo stopped for a moment, cracking his knuckles before continuing. “But we still have some optimistic people in our group, and I’m sure they have nothing to hide. Jisoo, Chan, Minghao. They are almost always happy, happier than Mingyu is.”

“They’re still so innocent, young at heart. They haven’t seen some of the things we have, the things that make you grow up quick. But that Mingyu,” Seungkwan glanced toward the doorway that led to the other room. “he’s seen things. Maybe things that even we haven’t. How can he still have such a positive outlook after what he must’ve been through? It’s not right.”

Wonwoo shrugged, finishing the pistol and beginning to put it back together, at about half the speed that Seungkwan had. “Maybe.”

“I’m almost positive.” Seungkwan said, snapping the handgun into place and setting it by the rifle. “You’ll see, when he fails that examination.”

“And if he doesn’t?” Wonwoo questioned, holding the clean pistol out to Seungkwan.

“If he’s lucky enough to slide past that, it’ll come out sooner or later. I can guarantee it.”

“Hmm.” Wonwoo hummed. Upon being handed another pistol (the only thing he really knew anything about), he began cleaning in silence, not quite understanding Seungkwan’s argument.

Mingyu seemed like the most trustworthy person Wonwoo had ever been in the presence of. Even despite his shocking good looks and sparkling eyes, Mingyu held himself in a manner that just felt right to Wonwoo. Even having never spoken a word to the kid, Wonwoo knew that if put in the situation, he would trust Mingyu with his life.

And he wasn’t even sure he would put that much trust in the others.

Once the sun had been down for a few hours, and a majority of the guys had already gone to sleep, Wonwoo decided to quit cleaning the firearms and read a few pages of his book before dozing off himself. Though, he realized after reading only a couple sentences, his mind was much too scattered to fall asleep, nevertheless try to read a book properly.

His mind wandering naturally to the thought of their new guest, Wonwoo realized that it was dark and cold, and that Mingyu didn’t have anything to keep him warm.

Picking himself up from the ground, Wonwoo tiptoed into the room that everyone had cluttered their sleeping bags and blankets, trying to search for anything that wasn’t already occupied. Coming up with only his own blanket, Wonwoo didn’t have to think very hard before making the decision of giving it to Mingyu, figuring that he could just slip his way under Jisoo’s covers and stay fairly warm.

Trying to step as quietly as possible, Wonwoo ventured through the rooms toward the one that housed Mingyu, peeking around the corner to make sure that he was awake.

Having heard Wonwoo’s quiet footsteps, Mingyu’s eyes were already looking in the direction of the doorway, catching Wonwoo’s almost instantly. Wonwoo felt his heart flutter uneasily, this being the first time that the man had ever really acknowledged his presence.

“Hey, um…” Wonwoo’s voice cracked in pitch, and he cleared his throat before attempting to speak again. “I have a blanket for you to use if you want. It gets pretty cold in here at night.”

“Oh?” Mingyu began to stand up, but Wonwoo motioned for him to sit back down, entering the room and holding the blanket out to him. “Is everyone else already asleep? It’s gotten pretty quiet in the last hour or so.”

Wonwoo nodded, his empty hands now fiddling nervously behind his back.

“Would you, uh…” Mingyu looked down at the blanket in his hands for a moment before glancing back up at Wonwoo. “Would you mind maybe staying and talking to me for a bit? It’s been a  while since I really had a decent conversation with someone and, uh...that is, y’know, if you’re not tired.”

Wonwoo shook his head immediately. “No, I’m not tired at all, actually.”

“You can, uh, sit if you’d like.” Mingyu said, motioning toward the wall.  

Wonwoo nodded, slowly taking a few steps forward and closing the distance between them. Sliding down the wall as Mingyu had, Wonwoo sat next to him, just a few inches of distance between them.

“It must be nice to have a bunch of people to rely on. You’ve always got someone to talk to, to have your back.” Mingyu said quietly, glancing down at his hands like he had before. Wonwoo noted it as a nervous habit.

“I guess.” Wonwoo replied after a moment, his eyes fixed on the wall across the room, careful not to stare at the man for too long. “They get on my nerves after a while, though.”

“Ahh.” Mingyu nodded. “At the end of the day, though, it’s a lot better than being alone.”

Wonwoo wasn’t sure how to reply, and they sat in silence for a long moment before he thought of the question he had been wondering about all day. “Why is it that you ended up alone, anyway? Did you not have anyone before this big mess?”

“Not really.” Mingyu shrugged, biting his lip as he thought of the right words to say. “I did, but I couldn’t trust them with very much. Especially with my life, which is something you really have to think about in a situation like this.”

“Mmm.” Wonwoo hummed in agreement. “How long were you alone?”

“I left my group about a month into all of this. So...two months or so.”

Wonwoo’s eyes widened, his head turning to look at Mingyu. “How did you survive that long, by yourself?”

“I’m not really sure myself, actually.” Mingyu replied, chuckling slightly. “Luck, I guess.”

Wonwoo smiled at the way Mingyu’s eyes had crinkled when he laughed, his mouth opening just slightly to let the sound escape. Realizing that he had been silent for a few seconds too long, Wonwoo nodded his head in reply. “Same for us, I think. We’re lucky that we’re all still alive, honestly.”

Mingyu nodded, though his expression showed that his mind was on something completely different from what they were currently talking about. And, after another long moment of silence, he spoke what he had been thinking, asking something that he had probably been thinking about all day.

“Do you think that I’ll pass the examination?” he asked. Wonwoo could feel Mingyu’s eyes burning into the side of his cheek, but he tried not to turn his head, knowing that they would make direct eye contact if he did.

“If you are telling the truth that you aren’t infected, then I don’t see why not.” Wonwoo replied.

“Ah, not like that. I mean…” Mingyu looked away from Wonwoo, causing him to relax now that he knew that he wasn’t under the man’s gaze. “I mean, they seemed really...harsh. Like they’ll be willing to find any reason that they shouldn’t let me in. Y’know?”

Wonwoo nodded, looking down at his hands. “I see why you’d think that, yeah. Though I don’t think they’re necessarily...out to get you, or anything.” he turned his head to look at Mingyu, whose gaze was now fixed on the wall across the room. “They are just really protective. They’ll take a lot of precautions before they let you in, is all.”

“That’s understandable.” Mingyu said, moving his eyes to meet Wonwoo’s. “They don’t want someone just walking in here and infecting them all. I get that.”

“They’ll warm up to you, though.” Wonwoo assured him, though he was finding it difficult to focus on his words when Mingyu seemed to be looking so deeply into his eyes. “I mean, if you pass the examination and everything, there wouldn’t really be a reason not to.”

Mingyu nodded, finally breaking eye contact and looking down at his hands.

They talked a while longer, Wonwoo telling Mingyu about some of the others, relaying who was the friendliest and who was more severe in attitude. Mingyu told Wonwoo of the people he had been with before he split on them, and explained some of the reasons why they couldn’t exactly be trusted. After they had run out of things to talk about, they resorted to sitting in silence for a while, becoming more and more exhausted as the moments passed.

Wonwoo was surprised at a sudden weight landing on his shoulder, glancing down to find that Mingyu had fallen asleep, his head lolling to the side and deciding to rest itself on whatever was closest. Wonwoo was stunned for a moment, not knowing exactly what he should do. Of course, there was only one thing to choose from, and that was to sit still so that Mingyu could sleep. He probably hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in weeks, having not had shelter and all - how could Wonwoo take that away from him by waking him up?

So, Wonwoo shut his eyes, carefully tilting his head to the side and resting it on the top of Mingyu’s. He fell asleep almost instantly, the thought of Mingyu’s lively eyes staring deeply into his own being the only thing on his mind.

[lovelysvtn]

astraphobia ↳a cute/angsty scenario in which Wonwoo is severely scared of thunderstorms 1,321 words by sophie warnings: mentions of astraphobia/anxiety

The rain pounded down onto the roof of your car, and your hands tightened around the steering wheel as you struggled to see through the front windshield. No matter how fast your wipers went, it still wasn’t enough to keep the rain from blocking your vision, and you were left to rely on your memory of the neighborhood roads to guide you home.

Though you were the one driving in the middle of the storm, and you should’ve been focused on nothing else but your own safety, you couldn’t help but worry about your husband. It had been his first day off in a while, and you wished that he could have enjoyed it, but you knew that it had probably been ruined when the storm had begun just a few hours ago. If he had been working, he would’ve been too preoccupied to notice the rattling thunder outside - but since he was at home with nothing to do, you were willing to bet he had spent the last few hours huddled under a pile of covers with his hands cupped over his ears.

Your foot pushed down harder on the gas pedal, your heart swelling as you recalled the last time he had suffered from this cause of anxiety. You had traveled to Ireland for your honeymoon, a place that was known for not having very many severe thunderstorms - but of course, one had to occur in the week that you were staying there. Wonwoo had hidden in your hotel room all day and night, huddled in the corner of the bathroom, the farthest point in the room from a window. You had held him for hours as he shook uncontrollably, his eyes pooling with tears as he tried his best to cover his ears and hear as little of the storm as possible.

You hoped that he was holding himself together alright as he waited for you to arrive back home, but you knew in the back of your mind that he was probably having an awful time on his own. You sped up plenty past the speed limit, trying to quicken the last few minutes that it would take for you to get to your home.

Pulling into the driveway, you ignored anything that you had to take inside and left it all in the car, focused solely on making it into the house as quickly as possible.

Ditching your soaking wet jacket and shoes at the door, you yelled Wonwoo’s name through the silent house as you hurried through each room, searching for his trembling figure in corners and behind furniture.

Finally, your eyes landed on the shape of a body curled up under the covers of your bed, and you sighed as your crept closer, struggling to find your way there through the dark room.

“Wonwoo,” you whispered his name, and it echoed through the silent room almost as if you had yelled it. Reaching the side of the bed, you carefully pulled up the edge of the covers, climbing onto the bed and dropping the covers over you. You slid over under your body met Wonwoo’s back, and you wrapped yourself around his shivering figure, holding him as close to you as possible.

“I hope you had a good day off work,” you whispered delicately into his ear, your hand moving up to run its fingers through his hair, knowing that this action comforted him more than anything. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t home sooner, I’m sure you were okay without me, though.” your voice cracked slightly, but you tried to remain composed - you had to avoid getting upset, knowing that that would only worsen his condition. “My day was boring, I wish I could’ve just stayed home with you instead. We could’ve spent all day watching your favorite horror movies, eating popcorn and junk food until dark…” you trailed off, mumbling anything into his ear that came to mind. It didn’t really matter what you said, as long as you continued to talk and keep his mind off the thunder that was crashing just outside the window.

You couldn’t begin to imagine what was running through his head right now, or whenever he experienced a thunderstorm, especially one as awful and loud as this one. He would squeeze his eyes shut when the lightning flashed, his mind preparing itself for the crash of thunder that would come seconds later. Even with the preparation, he would jolt harshly when the thunder erupted, tears stinging his eyes as his mind experienced a brief, yet intense moment of shock. At least, this is how he had tried to describe it to you, though you imagined that it was difficult to put the exact feelings into words. You had given up trying to understand the feeling of anxiety that storms caused him, and instead focused all of your energy on trying to comfort him as much as possible.

Of course, he didn’t always get this bad. During some storms, he would be only slightly fazed, his heart only slightly jumping with every roll of thunder. He’d squeeze his eyes shut for just a few seconds, composing himself and overcoming the feeling of anxiety before carrying on with whatever he had been doing.

But other times, when the storms were worse, he would become completely trapped by his anxiety, his entire body and mind going into a state of shock for the entirety of the storm, barely able to control his own breathing as he waited for the thunder to cease.

Tonight was one of the bad nights, the nights where he couldn’t even get himself to function properly because of the amount of anxiety running through him. And all you could do was hold him, petting his hair and rubbing his back as you waited for him to stop trembling in your arms and, sooner or later, fall asleep.

Eventually, Wonwoo moved to adjust himself, rolling around onto his other side so that he was now facing you. His head remained low, his eyes covered by the dark hair hanging in front of his face. His cheeks were stained with dried tears, and you began rubbing them away with the pad of your thumb.

“Are you okay?” you asked quietly, watching as he tilted his head slightly upward to make eye contact with you. His eyes were dilated and soft, eyelids drooping just slightly more than usually.

He nodded softly, almost not at all, and he twitched his nose as his eyes began to burn with tears again. You noticed this and pulled him closer, pressing his head to your chest and resting your chin atop the crown of his head.

“This is so silly,” he said softly, shoulders shaking as he chuckled. “I’m a grown man that’s still afraid of stupid thunderstorms.”

“No, it’s not silly.” you assured him, petting his hair with the palm of your hand. “Everyone is scared of something.”

“Maybe practical stuff, like spiders and sharks and walking alone at night. What’s scary about a little bit of thunder? Why is my body so afraid of a noise?”

“It’s just how you are. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it.” you pressed a delicate kiss to his head, sighing deeply against his hair.

Wonwoo just shrugged in response to your words, not able to find anything to say in reply.

As the rain calmed down, and the sounds of thunder lessened until they were no longer audible, you felt Wonwoo gradually relax in your arms, knowing that he was fast asleep when you heard his soft,muffled snores coming from under the covers. You finally let your heavy eyelids drop closed, knowing that you could fall asleep now that you knew that he felt safe and was no longer encompassed by anxiety.

“You’re safe, Wonwoo. It’ll be okay.” you whispered, just slightly tightening your arms around his now-still frame. “I’ll always be right here.”

[lovelysvtn]

insomniatic Mingyu seeks help from Wonwoo to fall asleep 1k+ drabbled words by meagan (a/n:  sorry for the influx of meanie??? they’re just so aesthetically pleasing to write with character-wise lol) 

Mingyu’s head turned to the side, eyes flickering from the silhouetted dresser to the dim streaks of light displayed across the unfamiliar walls, the shades of yellow radiance glimmering against the monochromatic scheme of the nearly pitch-black room.  His tongue darted out to wet his continuously drying lips, jaw hanging despite the anxiety that ruptured him with its bleak talons.  The rhythmic pattern of his breaths accompanied the ticking of the room’s air conditioning unit and the squeals of tires that filled the empty expanse of the outside world, ears unable to focus on one singular sound, instead opting to listen to all three simultaneously.

Fingers scratched at the smooth bedsheets, crumpling them as Mingyu’s hands balled into tight fists, eyes cramming themselves shut, a wash of anger flowing through every bubble of his being.  His once relaxed jaw clenched, teeth grinding together in an awful, yet comforting screech; with feet soon joining in the same tempo that the white masses moved together, creating the sound of sheets rustling to follow along with all other noises surrounding him.

A hum released itself from the depths of Mingyu’s chest, playing to the tune of the most recent song to grace his ears, whispered words shortly following the beat he’d given himself, the smoothness of the song soaring around the room’s uncomfortable silence.  Soon whispers became low mumbles, not quite on the coherent side all the while still able to sooth Mingyu’s heart, the shakiness that began to overtake his fingertips slowly dissipating.

A long exhale followed the last of the lyrics Mingyu bothered to retain, brain struggling to hurry and relieve him from the stillness that trailed after his utterances but to absolutely no avail did he recall the next stanza.  Despite the reluctance he felt firing in himself, Mingyu rolled to his side, throwing his arm outward and letting his fingers roam the chilled wooden surface beside the bed until he came in contact with an even cooler lump, wrapping his fingers around it and instinctively pressing the button on the bottom.

His eyes drifted across the phone’s display photo, the cheeks of the image’s subject plumped with the small smile that adorned his features, hair falling just slightly above his downcast eyes, whose eyelashes fell in soft lapses.  The pad of Mingyu’s index finger swept quickly over the screen, allowing him to observe the many applications that filled the expanse before tapping the dialer, immediately inputting the digits of his largest comfort’s number.

He lie silently, phone pressed against his ear as the incessant ringing bustled not once, but twice, and three times before ceasing, a slowly released breath filled the absence.

“He…” the male on the other line cleared his throat, “Hello?”

“Wonwoo,” Mingyu breathed, an instant wave of familiarity rushing out every fiber that once coursed through him with anxiety and vex.

“Mingyu?”  the deeper voice yawned out, the shuffling of covers resonating through the speaker.  “It’s like uh… really late… You okay?”

A tide of guilt barreled through the caller, an apology instantly seeping from him without warning, “Sorry, I’m sorry.  I just… Sorry, go back to sleep…”  Although he had no actual want of Wonwoo to hang up and return to his previous activity, he couldn’t bear the thought of keeping the other awake when he also needed sleep, just as badly as Mingyu needed at this very moment.

“I’m awake now, though,” Wonwoo’s sleep-ridden laugh enlightened Mingyu’s ears, the sound replaying moments after the chuckle had ceased.  “So, what’s wrong?”

A hum tingled against Mingyu’s vocal chords before his voice crackled out, “I don’t… I don’t really know,” he confessed, chest dropping with a breath of defeat.  “I just feel weird… and, and I can’t fall asleep because of it.”

“Mmm,” Wonwoo ran a hand through frazzled hair as he sat up in his own bed, blankets sliding down his chest, pillows bunching together as he pressed his back against them.  “Let’s talk, then.”

“Wait, uh, actually, could you do something for me?” the younger asked eagerly, having missed the warmth that Wonwoo’s voice held.

“Anything,” the other breathed, lips curling in a smile that matched the one pulling against his boyfriend’s lips.

“Read to me…” he requested, knowing that Wonwoo kept a book tucked into the drawer of the bedside table, used to relax himself before a night’s slumber.

The older remained silent for a lingering moment, causing Mingyu to worry that he’d crossed the line, that in no way did Wonwoo want to focus on words at such a late hour of the night.  “Okay,” he mumbled, wood scratching against itself as he grabbed his current novel, flipping to the page he last read.

“Thank you, seriously… I love you, ya’know,” Mingyu’s words rushed out of him before Wonwoo could begin reading, needing to disclose his absolute appreciation for the older.

“I’m only doing this because I love you, too, so…”  the other’s voice trailed off as he teased the younger.  “Okay, here goes…”

Wonwoo’s deep voice flowed through Mingyu’s ears causing butterflies to erupt in his abdomen, fluttering in swirls of affection.  The words uttered didn’t so much pass through him, though, instead the fluctuation of the vocals spreading in his brain like bursts of colors spread onto a canvas, each stroke flowing gorgeously into the next, appearing as an expanse of silken cloth that waved elegantly in the wind.

Against his will, Mingyu’s eyes flitted to a close, eyelashes resting atop his cheekbones as he listened intently to the man on the phone.  To the tone of Wonwoo’s words, his imagination rampaged, head leaning against the warmth of his pillow as he would his lover’s chest, willing himself to envision the vibrations that came from Wonwoo’s chest as he spoke ever so smoothly.  The depth of a passion that coursed over the voice slowed Mingyu’s pulse, his breaths evening as his grip on the device pressed flush against his head loosened, the plastic sliding downward.  

Refusing to allow himself to fall into unconsciousness, he resorted to picturing his boyfriend reading; unnecessary glasses perched on top of the bridge of his nose, fingers playing loosely at the next page as he readied himself to flip it over.  He pictured the sleeves of a gray pajama shirt covering the knuckles of Wonwoo’s slender fingers… the loose neck hanging past his protruding collarbones… skin smooth and milky under the fabric…

“But the moon remained silent; it told no stories.  All it did was embrace the heavy past with a cool, measured detachment…” the reader's voice distanced itself, eventually coming to a complete halt as he listened intently through the phone’s speaker.

A quiet chuckle glided past the lips that curled over Wonwoo’s teeth in a wide, sleepy grin.  “You just fell asleep,” he spoke softly, making sure he wouldn’t wake the younger.  “Good.  I know you can’t hear this,” he continued despite this knowledge.  “but I love you… And don’t worry, you’ll be home soon… And I’ll read for you again… though, next time, I’m gonna make you kiss me before you fall asleep.”

[lovelysvtn]

enigmatic ↳ a meanie!au in which Mingyu is a killer and Wonwoo finds out first chapter of many to come  4k+ words by meagan pt.1  ||  pt.2 (disclaimer:  this story includes spurts of harsh language, alcohol, and death by suffocation)

Hands shaking, heartbeat faltering for a mere moment with a solitary glance at the clock plastered to the wall, Mingyu shoved his phone further into the pockets of the tight-fitting slacks, toes covered with a sleek, Givenchy shoe tapping incessantly at the tiled floor.  Despite the concentration used to maintain a false sense of composure, the ringing–no, screaming voice in the back of his head wrapped its grimy fingers around his slender neck, he should quit while he’s behind, he’s going to get caught and that would be it; no more Wonwoo, no more comfort, only the greasy, barren walls of the local penitentiary.

Shaking his head, Mingyu rolled his neck, extinguishing any thoughts of discontinuation before flattening his perspiring hands against the cool, glass table, cheeks expanding with the breath he unknowingly forgot to release. 

“You okay, man?  You’re looking a little ill,” a senior coworker dropped a hand onto Mingyu’s shoulder, the calloused fingers rough against the smooth silk of his button-up shirt.

“Fine, fine; just ready to go home, you know?” he laughed uneasily, a quipped smile playing at his expression as the senior roared a laugh of agreement.

Lacking another comment to grace Mingyu with, the man walked away from his area, returning to his previous harassing of one of the young (likely newly hired, Mingyu didn’t really know, nor care much to, either) secretaries, the distressed smile splayed across her face pleading for someone to drag his attention from her if even for a singular moment.

The tips of Mingyu’s neat fingernails dragged on the pieces of paper spread out in front of him as his fists curled, these past few minutes protracting more slowly than the ever anticipated touch from his fiance’s welcoming lips upon his arrival back home.  Rhythmically, he bobbed his head up and down with each passing second, almost as if time would cease when he halted his movements.

Just a few more minutes, Mingyu; quit being weird… he rolled his eyes, now becoming motionless as the final seconds before he could pronounce himself off elapsed, when he could finally get to the most climactic point of his day; the point at which he’d been eagerly awaiting for the passing few weeks.  With an attempt at casuality, he stood, grabbing the briefcase from beside his desk and quickly stuffing it with the few loads of paperwork to review for tomorrow’s clients.

Holding the carrier in one hand, Mingyu fished the cellphone from his pocket, swiftly sliding his thumb over the screen and tapping the dialer, entering Wonwoo’s number effortlessly.  A deep sigh ghosted past his lips, as he waited through the ceaseless ringing for the voice of his fiance.

“Oh, Mingyu?” Wonwoo answered, confusion laced through his voice, his steady breaths flowing from the receiver into Mingyu’s listening ear.

“Sorry but I think I’m gonna be late tonight,” the lie glided carefully through him as he pushed passed the large glass doors reading ‘Choi Insurance’, legs carrying him quickly to the vehicle that sat in wait for him specifically.

“Ah, really?” the other male breathed, “How much later, do you think?”

Mingyu’s eyes scanned the area for the familiar style and color of car he’d driven to work multiple times, in a way assuring that it remained where he parked it several hours ago.  “Not sure, really.  Hopefully not too long, a few hours at most,” he shrugged, the sentence coming out less as a statement than a guess toward how punctual he may be.  

A deep hum sounded through the speaker, Wonwoo trained to relay the reaction of a false sense of surprise from Mingyu’s work delay, “Well, be careful coming home; it’s supposed to start raining soon…”  The voice that soothed Mingyu on many an occasion trailed off, the release of a captured breath sounding clearly, accompanied by a wash of guilt racing through the younger’s body.

“I’m sorry,” though he knew he weren’t in the least apologetic for the reason at which he would return late, he did feel culpable for blatantly lying to the one person who meant the world to him.  “I’ll see you at home, okay?  I love you.”

“Yeah…” the deeper voice trailed off, “Yeah. Love you, too,” and without further conversation, the static from Wonwoo ending the call abruptly sounded and Mingyu pulled the device from his ear, instinctively looking at the home screen display photo of that he had taken of his fiance without consent.  His eyes refused to tear away from the downcast face in the image, tracing over the 180 degree line his jaw made, the way his soft, pink lips curled ever-so-slightly at the edges, eyes sharp while still seething with genuine contentment…

If he finds out, there’s no way he’ll stay with you… Is it really worth the risk, Mingyu?  Of course not; no way; never.  Despite the clear decision to be made, the younger male continued to his destination, foot pressing the gas pedal harder with every pinch of time that slipped through his fingers, grip on the steering wheel tightening and fingers transforming from the clear tanned tone of his skin to a blotch of white and pink with agitation.  His jaw followed suit with his fingers, teeth pressing hard enough against the tops and bottoms of one another to feel as if they were on the verge of snapping and tumbling past his lips in a mass of white shards.

“Calm.  Down.  Breathe, man,” Mingyu attempted to relieve his anxious heart with carefully spoken words, removing one hand from the wheel to place a thumb and index finger upon his brow, massaging the skin as if it were the sole cause of his immense nervousness.

As the vehicle halted, the wad of saliva lodged in his esophagus doubled in size, preventing the brunette from swallowing his fears and executing the arrangement.  Limbs twitching, Mingyu reached for the door knob of the local pub, hair remaining slicked back in professionalism from his day at work, the sole contrast in his outfit being the now untucked button-up top and the collar now stripped of its accompanying tie.

Closely eyeing his surroundings, the green sweater of a single man in particular caught Mingyu’s sight, eyes narrowing as he observed the man’s highly-intoxicated conduct.  Rotating his head to the side, the few joints on one side of his increasingly tense neck crackled, sending a shiver cascading over his spine, his stress level rising beyond ordinary degrees.  Teeth grazing his lip, Mingyu let out one last exasperated breath before standing firm, allowing his long legs to stride toward the man.

“Hansol?  That you?” He craned his neck toward the shorter male, lips expressing a false curve at the edges, arm reaching out to rest on the other’s broadened shoulders.

“Yo’!  Myungyu!  How’re ya’?”  The shorter of the two men tossed his head back as a greeting gesture, his inebriated body bumping the few people around them as he muddled his way to the end of the bar, a more reticent area in the tavern.

“Mingyu…” he corrected, though Hansol exerted no effort to alter the mention of his name, “Doing decent, though; started working for Seungcheol, if you remember him.”  Mingyu uttered this rhetorically, knowing positively that Hansol, of all people, would recall the class’s eldest member, the one with the big eyes and even bigger attitude.

“‘Course, ‘course,” he slurred, tapping the glossy, wooden surface, requesting another round of beverages be sent his way, only two this time; one for his classmate and the other for he.  “Want some, uh, Br..andy?” He hiccupped, despite having already slid the glass to his company, slender fingers gripping his glass immediately, gulping not once but twice and then a third time.

“Ah, thanks,” the taller drawled, elongated fingers wrapping around the room-temperature glass, the warmth of his perspiring hand leaving a haze of fog around its outline as he brought it to his lips.  Gliding down his throat, the liquor left a trail of heat, the abandoned scorching sensation enough to cause Mingyu to draw his head back and his teeth to bite with incredible force on his tongue.

“So,” Hansol rubbed his lips together, spreading the saliva he’d wiped on them with his tongue, “Seungcheol the only guy you still talk to?” His head turned to the side, chin pulling forward with the awaited answer. “From class?”

Mingyu’s attention swayed from the sensation scratching at his esophagus to the other male, “Kind of…  I guess you could say.”  His shoulders lifted and dropped, teeth biting at the inside of his cheek, tearing small slits into the smooth pink skin.

“Guess ya’ didn’t hear, then?”  The expression of the drunk male warped, a previously crooked grin now plastered as straight as possible, “‘Bout some o’ the others?”

Anxious fingers began dabbing at the glass still filled with alcohol, tongue darting out to wet Mingyu’s lips, “What about them?”

“Guess the one kid, what’s his name? he was real religious or something, I don’t know,” he muttered through slowly spoken words, as if collecting his thoughts proved to be the toughest accomplishment at the moment.  “Well, anyway, you know; he and the one with the long hair–Jeonghan–yeah, they hooked up and kicked town.”

A wave of relief washed through Mingyu’s body with the other’s words, shoulders plummeting from their once erect state, “You’re kidding,”  he played, eyes still scanning Hansol’s face for indications of weariness as he waited for the words to continue spewing from the other.

“Nah!  I’m for’real!  Three others, too; they shit on the place,” eyes dropping from the elder male’s face, Hansol took a final swig of his Brandy, clearing the glass of all contents, “Never would’a guessed, hmm.”

The brunette hummed in distorted astonishment, shaking his head to show a sense of disapproval toward so many of the classmates ‘kicking town’.  “It happens, I guess,” he made an endeavor to agree with the shorter man, matching his tone to convey false relation to him.

“True,” Hansol’s head bobbed as few recollections of the group soared his mind, eyes widening though the lack of a relieving blink with the focus he committed to his thoughts.  A huff of air flowed past his lips as he rattled the reflections from his being, eyes meeting once again with the anticipating elder’s.

“Ya’ know, I should probably head out,” Hansol burst, scooting the metal I stool back as he stood from the seat, “It was nice seein’ ya’, man!  We oughta’ get together with the others, some day.”

Mingyu’s eyes roamed his face, head nodding as his skull pounded with the screams that berated him for his currently declining system, “You’re already gonna leave?”  He squinted his eyes, a caper to buy him at least another moment to devise a different plan.

“Well,” the younger let out a chuckle with a shrug of his broad shoulders, “cab fare goes up.”

Mingyu stared intently at him, sight flickering between the male and the door, “How about I just give you a ride?”

“Nah’ Nah’, I couldn’t make you do that,” he declined, fingers flicking through his wallet before placing a few largely amounted bills on the countertop to compensate for his alcohol consumption.

“Oh, come on,” Mingyu dragged, a smug smile tugging at the corners of his lips, “You can pay me back later.”  A sigh left Hansol’s lips before he nodded his head for a moment too long, complying to the offer.

Mingyu took careful steps toward his vehicle, an arm from the very highly intoxicated male draped atop his shoulder, the elbow occasionally flying at his face when Hansol would start speaking passionately (about what, Mingyu had no idea, for his thoughts were placed elsewhere).

With a tangle of arms, the elder eventually managed to assist the wobbly other into his car, closing the door quickly despite Hansol’s unfinished utterances.  The glare of streetlights on the vehicle parked only yards away from his caught his line of sight as he walked a half circle to the driver’s side.  

A huff of air escaped his throat upon seeing the easily allured drunk wriggling beside him.  Not bothering to request Hansol’s address, Mingyu peered around before driving away from the bar, lampposts passing by as the wheels' speed increased.  The familiarity of his surroundings warmed the barriers of his being, the actuality of such a thing occurring after much revisions when in comparison to his previous executions influencing a wave of adrenaline to rush through him.

Eagerness built in Mingyu’s body as the drive dragged on, each passing tree whipping by in a blur of monochromatic values and the only light left to illuminate such a deserted area proved to be Luna herself.  Tufts of grass waved like small slips of dimly highlighted ribbons, the water beside the expanses glistening as his finance’s eyes had the night Mingyu mustered up the courage to propose.   

Mingyu looked toward the unconscious body in the seat beside his as the gravity shifted with the vehicle's halt, pointed teeth biting down on a plump lip in unease, the pace of his blood quickening in a sweep through his veins.  Cautiously,  he slipped the keys from the ignition, making a run toward Hansol’s spot in the car before waking the sleeping man, allowing the younger to wipe the daze from his lidded eyes with alcohol stained palms.   

“Where’s…” he questioned, patting around his hip in search for the latch to the strap preventing his removal from the vehicle.  Clicking his tongue against the back of his top teeth,  the elder reached across the smaller torso, releasing the clasp before assisting the other.

Hansol’s arm grappled around Mingyu’s shoulder, head resting against the taller, eyes fluttering to a close as he relied on Mingyu to guide his intoxicated being inside.  The faint clatter of metal keys brushing against one another sounded as he shuffled for the cabin’s particular key, jamming it briskly into the keyhole and turning, not bothering to remove it before dropping the other male onto the urine-colored, shredded couch.

Mingyu rolled his shoulders back, pivoting his head back and forth, allowing for short, crude cracks to echo throughout the empty room, his fingers locking in between the others and following the same relieving action as before.  “Hansol,” his voice resonated with a harsh tone, the name no longer rolling from his tongue but rather seething, as if it gave him the same feeling that pricking one’s finger on a thorn would.  

“Open your eyes,” Mingyu warned, his thick fingers clamping onto the younger’s jaw with enough force to pry his plump lips apart. “Look at me.”

The drunk’s right eye rolled open, followed by the left widening to the same degree as the other, “Wha- What’re you doin’, man?” he jerked his head to the side, the grip on his face tightening with each fraction of a second, until it felt as if Hansol’s jaw were on the verge of detachment.  “Let off,” he tugged his head to the side again, this time far enough to compel Mingyu’s hand to let go and hang by his side.

The younger’s hand flew to his face, rubbing on top of his nose before moving his thumb and index fingers atop each eye, pressing down and kneading at the sockets with his digits.  He twisted his torso from one side to the other, eyes scanning his very unfamiliar surroundings.  The walls looked barren and tattered, the color faded from what it likely looked like upon the establishment’s first moments.  “Where the fuck am I?”

“Isn’t it a nice cabin: sturdy, well-lit; not to mention it’s pretty secluded out here,” Mingyu’s voice roared from the other side of the room, fingers drawing small circles against the fracturing wooden surface of the wall.

Hansol’s brow furrowed inward, teeth biting down on his lip, sight refusing to land on one area, “Why the hell am I here?”

“We needed to talk,” the louder voice called out, “so, here we are:  we’re going to do just that.”

“You wanna talk?  The fuck is there to talk about?” he chortled, a smirk rolling at the corners of his mouth, eyes sharpened and staring directly at the tall male.

“This may come as a challenge to you, but I need you to think, okay?”  Mingyu snarled, the heel of his shoe tapping against the wood of the ground as he walked about the rear of the occupied sofa.

“Look,” Hansol slurred, craning his neck to catch a glimpse of Mingyu, “I’m not real sure what you’re talkin’ about,” he took a moment to inhale a large breath, reaching his elbow up to rest on the couch’s back, “so just take me home now, or I’m callin’ the damn cops.”

Mingyu shook his head back and forth, a complacent smirk writing on the edges of his mouth as he disregarded Hansol’s comment, “Do you ever think about school?  The good ole’ days?”  The words slid off of his tongue like venom, harsh and quick to sting.  “Certain moments, specifically…” he trailed off, the tap of his shoe picking up where it left off before, “Because I surely do.”

Hansol’s eyes scanned Mingyu’s expression for any clear emotions he could possibly grasp from the slightly older male, eyes squinting as he observed with more intentment as moments passed.

“There’s this one time in particular, Hansol…  A speech, maybe one of the most important of all, and in front of so many students, too.”  Mingyu’s eyes darkened, lips curling over the bottoms of his teeth in a scowl.

“Yeah, what about it?” he snapped.

“Just think about it; think hard,” the taller spit back, seething with animosity, “I’ll give you thirty seconds;  One… Two…”

“Dude, the fuck’s this about?”  Hansol’s fingers gripped the edge of the sofa’s fabric, knuckles discoloring with the force.  “How’m I gonna remember all o’ that?”

“Nine… Ten… Eleven…” Mingyu’s right hand clasped the wrist of his left behind his back, glossy shoes clacking against the worn, oak flooring to the rhythm of his strides.

“No, no no, wait,” Hansol’s lips upturned, eyes narrowing at the brunette who had turned to meet his gaze, expression expectant, despite the numbers that continued to roll off his tongue. “This was your plan, huh?”  The younger’s breath forced through his throat in a gruff snicker, “This how you get off?” he taunted, back straightening as he gained an advantage. “My full attention… All on you…”

Mingyu’s step halted, tongue trapped between teeth, the fingers that previously tapped against his wrist ceasing movement.  “Oh?  You remember, now?”

“Remember what?” the younger spat, throwing his arms up as fingers splayed apart beside his shoulders.

“You really must be enjoying this:  standing in front of all these guys,”  Mingyu quoted, voice wavering, a moment of rapid blinking distracting his thoughts before continuing, “Getting all of this male attention.”

Hansol’s arms dropped, expression a mixed glaze of jocosity and confusion.  Upon his silence Mingyu kept on, “Do you have any idea how humiliating that was?  The fake apathy, people’s pity, their laughs, glares, comments!”  The pace at which his words flowed increased, frustration rising at the other’s puzzled countenance.  

Mingyu took a short step forward, hands stuffed into the pockets of his gray slacks, eyes locking on the younger’s.  Hansol’s brow twitched, a smirk drawing his expression outward, “Why’s that matter now?  What’re ya’ gonna do about it, kill me?”

“Well, I didn’t really plan on just talking about our feelings, so,” the taller’s shoulders rose and fell, his legs leading him to Hansol in one swift motion, arms extending as he enclosed the space between them.

“Maybe,” Mingyu’s voice vibrated quietly through him as his fingers pressed roughly into the clear, pale skin of the other’s neck, “you should think before you speak.”  A laugh rolled off of his tongue, thumbs clasping one beneath the other on Hansol’s larynx, pressing with immense strength as hands clawed at his bare forearm, nails leaving reddened crescents splattered on the tanned expanse.  

The brunette’s teeth ground together as he pressed the bones of his kneecap against the squirming man’s legs, preventing the younger from forcing Mingyu away from him.  He quickly craned his neck as hands came flying for his own face, a bouquet of fingers threatening to further maul him, feet stomping against his expensive shoes, likely to leave scrapes and scuffs that Wonwoo would scold him for later.

“Just relax, would you,” Mingyu muttered through a gritted jaw, tips of his fingers whitening on the continually swelling cylinder of Hansol’s airway.  The rate that Hansol’s body defended itself shortened quickly, the strength previously used to kick at Mingyu lessening, arms beginning to retract and hang numbly at his sides.

The seconds that Mingyu’s hands remained wrapped around his collar passed by as if they were hours, the older watching as the other’s eyes became hooded, consciousness slipping from his being with ease.  The breath that Mingyu held–for how long, he knows not–escaped in a rush, oxygen refilling his but not the others lungs as his hands retracted from the body.

Tilting his head to the side Mingyu remained expressionless, eyebrow only raising as he allowed his finger to hover underneath the paralyzed male’s nose in focus, another two fingertips feeling near the base of his shoulders for any signs of a pulse.

“Okay…”  he nodded to himself, arms crossing over one another on top of his chest as he stared a the lifeless body, “I guess that was simple enough.”  His fingers found way to his hair, brushing the strayed strands back into place before he rummaged Hansol’s pockets, pulling out a thin, generic leather wallet and flicking through the many receipts before pinching a frayed, yellowing picture of twelve, smiling, teenaged boys.  

Folding the brown mass back together, he stuffed it back onto the deceased’s body, effortlessly rolling the weight off of the couch.  Each hand wrapped around an ankle of the dead male, a sigh running through Mingyu as he pulled the stiffening carcass across the splintering floor, freeing a hand for a long enough moment to open the creaking door.  He reflexively wedged his foot against it, pushing it open enough to get both he and his company outside.

Thanking whoever for the lack of stairs at this establishment, Mingyu’s back endured the craned position over the corpse for the next thirty-three steps, the splashing of water enough to remind Mingyu to stop and check the distance between he and the lake before any unwanted accidents.

Gathering a new horde of will power, Mingyu bent his knees, arms sweeping under the limp body and scooping it up before turning one-hundred-eighty degrees and giving a slight push as he let the body fly forward.   The murky water splashed upward, droplets landing on the grass as well as the tall male’s dark shirt as he let out a relieved exhale of air, cheeks to enlarging at the pressure rushing through them.

Mingyu shoved the long fingers of one hand into his front pocket, the other into the back, latching onto his car keys and wrapping around the rectangular block of his cell phone.  His thumb glided over the screen of the phone, reflexively pressing against the green phone icon and dialing the single number he’d managed to memorize out of a plethora of others.

“Hey-” Mingyu began as the call clicked to an answer, only to be halted by the voice that followed.

“Hello!  Sorry I couldn’t make it to the phone, but I’ll try to get back to you soon,” his lover’s cheerful voice rang through his confused ears, the possibility of Wonwoo not answering the phone having not crossed his mind.

“Uh,” the younger partner began at the voice mail’s tone, “I… I guess you’re maybe asleep or something, not sure… But anyway, I’m on my way home now,” the keys jingled in his hand as he fished for the correct one to slip into the ignition.  “So, see you soon.  I love you.”  With the oddly worded message, Mingyu pulled the phone from his ear, screen brightening once again and allowing him to press the pad of his finger against the red end button.

With a shrug of his shoulders, he reached forward, finger rolling against the volume button on the stereo, distracting himself with music that buzzed throughout the expanse of his vehicle.  Eyes shifting to the rearview mirror, his line of sight landed on the cabin that grew smaller as his press on the accelerator increased, distancing himself farther from the chalet.

Mingyu’s jaw hung open as his lips followed subconsciously in sync to the song, despite his thoughts that remained elsewhere–on Wonwoo.  It would be a complete and utter lie if Mingyu were to say that he was exempt from worry about the older male; in fact, worry seemed to be the solitary emotion that filled his being at this moment.

“Mingyu,” he said his own name as a calming mechanism, “Chill out.  He’s fine, probably just fell asleep or something…”  Looking down, he checked the speedometer, right foot pressing down with less force than before, the red bar now wavering between the sixty-three to sixty-seven range.

His foot moved from one pedal to the other as he neared the emptied street whose light displayed a bright red circle, despite its vacancy.  Lips pursed as his fingertips tapped impatiently at the plastic of the steering wheel, mentally willing the light to hurry and turn green.  As the opposite side flickered to a yellow followed by red, Mingyu let off of the brake, accelerating to a slower speed than previously, allowing himself enough time to slow before his turn at the rise of his apartment building.

Tires squelched on the ground as he rounded the corner in the car lot, pulling into one of the few spots he felt accustomed to parking in.  In a quick gesture, he shifted the vehicle to a permanent halt, yanking the key from the side of the steering wheel and looping his finger into the keyring.  Snatching his phone from the cupholder, Mingyu slid out of the leather seat, forcing the door closed behind him.

The click of his shoe against the floor sounded differently now than it had earlier, the pitch higher and ringing more incessantly in his ears as his pace quickened, twirling the keys around his index finger.  Pulse quickening, his legs carried him as quickly as they could without breaking into a full run, his eyes already shoveling through the pile of keys connected to one another in search for the one that would allow him to enter his shared home.  Sight locking on the correct one, he pinched it between his middle finger and thumb, hand shaking as he attempted to insert it smoothly into the key slot.

With the indefinite amount of trepidation that filled him to the brim, Mingyu eventually managed to unlock the door, pushing past it and letting his body relax upon entering.  “Wonwoo?”  His voice strained to come out clearly, the worry piling inside of him creating a sort of bubble in his throat, “I’m back…”

He squinted, straining to see in the stretch of darkness that covered the inside of his home.  “Uh, Wonwoo?”  “This is it,”  he thought, “someone found out and now they’ve taken him…  You piece of shit, should have just quit while you could have…”  Logic warped through his brain as he felt the wall for the lightswitch only to heave a breath of alleviation upon the sight of his fiance perched on the pale-gray couch.  Wonwoo’s thumb nail was pressed to the top of his lower lip, the upper covering the tip of the finger as he stared at the blank screen of the television, avoiding the reflexive need to turn his head and admire the face of his fiance.

“Mingyu, we need to talk.”

[lovelysvtn]

825 fluffy words of drabble-style meanie (mingyu x wonwoo) by sophie

Mingyu had always felt a strange, inexplicable connection to the sound of a beating heart.

~

Mingyu had always felt a strange, inexplicable connection to the sound of a beating heart. The reverberation of his own heart beating had given him strength in some of his weakest times - it may have even saved his life on a few occasions.

It wasn’t that he just enjoyed the sound, but more that he found the idea of it so utterly captivating. When he heard a heart beating, he felt that he had to do everything in his power to keep it beating for as long as possible.

This feeling of protectiveness occurred most often in the case of Wonwoo’s heart. When laying his ear to Wonwoo’s chest, hearing his heart pumping soft and slow against his flesh, Mingyu felt so perfectly content. A sensation of nirvana encompassed him that he had never experienced before. Wonwoo’s heart instantly became Mingyu’s most important priority; something so precious and fragile needed to be protected at all costs, and Mingyu couldn’t be more thrilled to be the one to take on that role. The role of guarding Jeon Wonwoo’s heart.

On this particular night, Wonwoo’s body was stretched lengthwise across the couch, his head resting atop Mingyu’s lap. They had been watching a movie, but it was quiet and slow, causing the sleepy Wonwoo to doze off and dream about something more exciting. His week had been fast-paced and exhausting, Mingyu thought as he ran his fingers gently through Wonwoo’s dark hair; he deserved to get as much rest as he could.

The movie ended before Mingyu had even had the chance to get into the plot of it, the credits rolling up the screen at a crawling pace as a soft piano medley played through the speakers. Mingyu reached for the remote, turning the volume down low, before focusing himself back on Wonwoo.

Gazing upon his sleeping expression, Mingyu ran his index finger lightly over the features of Wonwoo’s face, beginning at the middle of his forehead and working his way slowing to the bridge of his nose. Tracing the outline of Wonwoo’s lips, Mingyu thought that no one could have crafted someone that was more beautiful than the boy he had fallen so deeply in love with. And to think that that boy loved him back was something Mingyu was still unable to wrap his head around, after all these years.

Pushing the stray strands of hair from his face, Mingyu studied Wonwoo’s eyelids, watching as his eyelashes would flutter every ten or so seconds. Mingyu wondered what Wonwoo was dreaming about, if anything at all. He never talked much about what happened in his mind when he slept. Was that because he had a lot of nightmares? Mingyu’s hand caressed the top of Wonwoo’s head, slowly rubbing his thumb against his scalp. If he was having a nightmare, hopefully Mingyu’s comfort mechanisms would help it go away.

At that moment, Mingyu couldn’t help but think about the thing that had been on his mind for a while, more consistently as time continued to pass. From past experience, every time things started to get really good for him - especially in relationships - it wouldn’t be long before something would happen and that source of happiness would disappear. Mingyu was beginning to wonder if it was coming time for that to happen with Wonwoo, that he had spent enough time basking in the presence of Wonwoo, and that he would soon lose him.

Because he feared that this could happen at any moment, Mingyu made it a habit to take time to sit back and really appreciate Wonwoo. He spent a lot of his time gazing at Wonwoo, sometimes even being caught by him and causing him to feel embarrassed, his cheeks attaining a light shade of pink as he tried to hide his face from Mingyu.

Mingyu had also become a lot more hands-on than he had been at the beginning of their relationship, constantly reaching for Wonwoo’s hand and holding it tightly within his, as if letting it go would cause Wonwoo to disappear. Mingyu savored every kiss Wonwoo gave him, every word he spoke, every look in his direction. And, even in doing all of this, Mingyu knew that no time with Wonwoo would ever feel like enough.

Fingers lightly touching the cotton of Wonwoo’s t-shirt, Mingyu rested the palm of his hand above the man’s heart. The body heat radiating from Wonwoo’s chest warmed Mingyu’s chilled hand, and he waited patiently to feel the pulsing of the heart underneath.

Slow and gentle, Wonwoo’s heart fluttered rhythmically beneath the younger’s hand. Mingyu’s eyes quivered shut, as if not utilizing one of his senses would increase the intensity of another. He stayed as still as possible so that he wouldn’t lose the feeling of Wonwoo’s heart against his palm, and wished more than anything that he could stay like that forever, knowing that he couldn’t possibly get any happier than he was in that moment.