hii!! i love the way you write the whc boys so much. can you do something with the eunjang quartet x fem!reader but in a platonic way. like she is there to patch them up and treat them to some food or something after every fight (especially after the last one they had with the union - which she was understandably worried about)
after the storm | eunjang!quartet x fem!reader
summary: after the brutal fight against the union, they show up at her family’s restaurant—bloodied but alive. she worries, she scolds, she patches, she feeds. in between, there's banter, comfort, and something quiet and tender that lingers in the silences.
warnings: [platonic?] canon-typical violence aftermath, light blood/injury description, hurt/comfort .
author's note: this is so wholesome :(( . requests ,,
the familiar scent of frying oil and garlic wafted through the air as she wiped down a table by the window, cloth in one hand, mind far from the rhythms of the restaurant. the neon sign of her family’s fried chicken place buzzed softly behind her, but the usual comfort it brought her felt distant today. she hadn't been able to stop thinking about it—the fight. the one she wasn't supposed to know about, but of course she did. she always did when it came to them.
her hand slowed over the tabletop, worry nesting in her chest. the late afternoon sun spilled golden light through the glass, casting long shadows and warming the wooden floors, but it did little to settle the twist in her stomach. she had checked her phone twice in the last hour, hoping for a message, even just an emoji. nothing.
just as she turned to the next table, she caught a glimpse of movement outside. her breath caught.
the four of them.
yeon sieun, stoic as ever; baku, somehow still smiling even with dried blood on his brow; jung tae, bruised but beaming; and go hyuntak, his arm slung carelessly over sieun’s shoulder, eyes bright with the adrenaline of victory.
she dropped the rag.
"are you serious?!" she half-shouted, half-squeaked, rushing to the front entrance, throwing open the door so fast the bell above it clanged in protest. she stormed outside, arms flying in disbelief.
"what the hell happened to you guys?! look at your faces! jung tae, are you even walking properly?! baku, your lip—! gotak! you're bleeding through your shirt! and sieun—" she stopped at him, heart clenching at the sight of crimson staining his temple. "you too?"
they all looked at her like she was a sight from a better world. baku chuckled, reaching forward to ruffle her hair with a bloodied hand. "missed you too."
she slapped his hand away with a huff, eyes wide with exasperation but soft with relief. "you're all idiots. absolute, complete idiots. come inside before you all faint on the street."
they followed without protest, brushing past the bell once more as she ushered them to the back of the restaurant where it was quieter. her parents peeked in from the kitchen, and she waved quickly. "can you make extra portions? they need food. a lot of it."
"rough day again?" her father asked, already pulling out the pans.
"something like that," she muttered.
she dragged out the first aid kit and moved toward the table where the boys sat—some slouched, some upright, all bruised. gotak was the first she started with, dabbing a cloth gently over his cheek.
"you didn’t even try to block, did you?"
he grinned, his hand naturally resting on her thigh like it always did, no thought to the gesture, and she didn’t mind. "didn’t need to. we won."
"that’s not the point," she said, flicking his forehead.
"ow," he chuckled, his eyes catching hers for just a second longer than usual. her hand lingered a beat longer too, thumb brushing just under his jaw. he didn’t flinch.
she cleared her throat and moved to sieun next. he sat perfectly still, letting her tend to him like he always did. their eyes met—no words exchanged—but he gave the smallest nod. she returned it with a faint smile. he never needed to speak much. he always understood. but something in the way his gaze lingered today made her chest tighten. like he was reading more than he let on.
jung tae winced as she pressed antiseptic onto a scrape on his neck.
"don’t be a baby."
"you’re treating me like one."
"because you are one," she said, patting his cheek. "you’re lucky i don’t swaddle you in bubble wrap."
he flushed, muttering something about being strong as she moved on to baku, who held out his arm with a dramatic sigh.
"you should open a clinic," he teased. "but only for good-looking guys."
she smirked. "so i guess i’ll be closing after today, then."
"ouch. that’s cold."
they bantered easily as she wrapped gauze around his forearm. it was always like this with baku—like talking to a much older friend who still knew how to laugh like a kid. he leaned a bit closer as she tied the final knot in the bandage.
"you’re really good at this, you know?" he said more seriously, his voice low. "you keep everyone stitched up, not just with tape and gauze."
she blinked, taken aback by the sincerity. "you’re just saying that because i’m your free nurse."
"nah. saying it ‘cause it’s true."
food arrived not long after, filling the air with sizzling spices and warmth. plates clinked. drinks poured. for a moment, the chaos of the outside world paused.
gotak’s hand stayed on her thigh as he ate, casual and unthinking, but every so often his pinky tapped against her knee like he wasn’t quite as unaffected as he looked. she leaned slightly into him without thinking. it was just how they were—but tonight, the warmth of him beside her seemed to sink deeper into her skin.
sieun sat across from her, meeting her gaze occasionally with the tiniest of smiles. that was enough. except this time, he didn’t look away as quickly. his eyes lingered. she looked down at her plate, suddenly aware of how warm her ears felt.
jung tae animatedly talked about how he “almost” knocked a guy’s tooth out, while she poked fun at his exaggerated expressions.
"you should’ve seen me! the guy was huge. i mean, hulk huge."
"and you? what, ant-man?" she laughed, nudging his side.
"i’m tall!" he protested.
"you’re adorable."
he groaned, dropping his chopsticks in defeat. "why does everyone call me that?"
"because it’s true," gotak chimed in with a grin, ruffling jung tae’s already messy hair.
and baku, between mouthfuls, reached over to ruffle her hair again.
"you’re good at worrying," he said.
she rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. "and you’re good at making me do it."
as the night wore on and the plates grew emptier, the energy shifted into something slower, softer. gotak leaned back, his shoulder brushing hers, and she didn’t move away. when she yawned, he tilted his head toward her.
"tired?"
"a little. long day."
"want me to carry you upstairs?" he teased.
she rolled her eyes but laughed. "you’d trip over the first step."
"still worth the offer."
across the table, sieun watched quietly, fingers tapping against his drink. their eyes met again, and for a heartbeat, everything felt still.
it was nothing. probably nothing.
but maybe it wasn’t.
the table bubbled with quiet laughter again. they were beaten, bruised, borderline limping—but they were together.
and that made everything feel okay again.