Summary - y/n is one of the leading artist yet giving back to back hits somehow the hype she deserved was not coming around. Where Mark Tuan from got7 soon will have their comeback almost after 3 years. So right 2 year ago your company approached Mark Tuan's Team for a fake dating contract. The terms were clear that the contract will last for a year and you as his on screen girlfriend you'll have to drop off hints so that fans and they would start to investigate, in between making public appearances together, wearing the same kind of clothes etc. Everything was planned then at the end of 1 year what changes and how both of you are doubtful whether it is true or not.
Chapter 1
"Are you crazy? Why will Mark Tuan agree to this contract??" You asked your manager and he replied "they too have their terms!" You raise your eyebrows and ask "really what do they want??" "They want you to promote Mark Tuan and got7 as a whole through videos songs dance etc, all that tik tok stuff." Told your manager. You were leaving the room and he shouted "get ready we need to meet with Mark Tuan and his team for contract." You went to your room and got yourself changed. Soon you reached the location. You finally saw Mark and his team waiting for you. You and your team greeted everyone and settled. The manager briefed about the contract ".....So you guys need to promote each other's work and culture, and drop subtle hints about each other, let the fandom find out." Your manager informed both of you. In that meantime Mark's manager said "y/n you know jackson right?" Hearing this you nodded "okay you know, now got7 is practicing for comeback, you should join them sometimes to spend time and I think you two should speak to each other and spend some time, so that when you both make public appearances it looks natural and y/n I hope you can try bonding with the other got7 members as well also Mark can promote some of your movies. Once your relationship is revealed let's make a music video together. " You nodded but you saw Mark eyeing his manager. Soon everyone left and it's just you and Mark. You tried to start the conversation "Hey...what are your plans?" He looked at you and said "I have practice in half an hour.... You wanna join if you're free??" Without wasting time you replied "sure! Anyway I am here for a vacation, so I'm not doing anything until next to next week" he smiled and said "you can come in my car" you said okay and made your way. You informed your manager that you are going with Mark. You mark and his managers settled at the van. Mark was busy on call with someone while you were chatting with his staff. Soon you reached the destination. You walked behind his manager. As you reached the studio everyone greeted you unknowingly. Then you removed your mask Jackson shouted "y/n it's been so long ..." Saying he came and hugged you. "Last time we saw each other was on idol producer." You responded "yes..it's been really long... Btw I am super excited for your comeback." "But how come you're here.? " He asked you "long story....Mark will tell you" while you were talking with Jackson and bambam you heard Mark calling you. You went near him and he told you "got a call from the PR team they want you to put a story of this studio without showing anyone's face." You nodded and went to click a picture. After doing it you give him a thumbs up. Bambam asked "so are you on vacation or what??" "Sort of vacation but working as well." You replied "so anything going on with Mark hyung?" Bambam asked hearing this you smiled awkwardly and repeated yourself "I still think you should talk to Mark first". After some time you got a call from your friend saying that she is free and now she can roam around Seoul with you. You came back and you waited till Mark got free and you whispered in his ear "I am going out.....I have plans with my friend" he smiled and informed his manager to drop you off. Soon you reached your location and met your friend Gia. You saw her waiting at the convenience store as you reached she said "Did Mark Tuan dropped you here???" To which you replied "nooo, but his manager did." "Is he actually so cute and handsome?" You replied "is he is good looking." Again through another question "can you hook him up with me ?" You rolled your eyes. You both ate at a convenience store and went to han river. On their side Mark was sitting with JayB and youngjae "so dating a foreign celebrity....your PR team suggested?" Mark nodded and Youngjae asked "what about Natasha?" "Yet to talk to her!" Said Mark.
"instead why don't you leave her....she is using you for your fame and money!" Said Jackson soon after Jinyoung joined "true...I seriously don't know why you are even with her..... honestly Y/n is far better than Natasha!" Hearing this Mark shouted "you just met Y/N how can you judge." But Jackson spoke "I have known her for the longest time here and personally speaking she is one of the most kind hearted souls you can ever have, plus she is utterly talented. You should check out her videos and some movies as well." On the other hand you and your friends Nabi and Gia were at Namsan Tower. Nabi spoke " I heard he has a girlfriend. Why he want to pretend to be your boyfriend? " Soon Gia spoke "what really I thought he was single. " She made a sad face "well I don't know about his girlfriend or what... We never spoke about that ever'" you said. Hearing this something clicked in Gia and she said "Yes I remember I think his girlfriend is natasha. ," hearing this you ask "who is Natasha?" she shouted "I know I know I know..." You hold her and said " calm down... What do you know???" Gia spoke again "she is an actress but she doesn't know how to act.... Like each and every drama she did, she got criticized because she doesn't know how to act. She is doing a drama with jinyoung. I am the assistant director there and man trust me I am pissed. " You don't say anything. Soon Nabi changes the topic and she suggested go to a barbecue. Which you agreed. Soon you reached there and ordered. You guys were having fun, talking a bunch of nonsense, drinking and singing. Soon Gia spots got7 members in the same restaurant and she whispered loudly "I think I am so drunk that I see got7 there." And pointed at another table as you and nabi turned around you spotted jackson mark and jayb. You said "okay let's ignore them. We are here for ourselves." After that none of you turned around. As you guys were leaving a family shouted you "y/n....." Hearing this everyone turned their head. You were drunk and you smiled sheepishly. Jackson Mark and Jayb too turned around. Jackson waved you hello as well. The family shouted and jumped in excitement "Y/N oh my godddd...I never thought i would meet you here in Korean. " Said the wife you smiled and shook hands with them they requested for a picture they were constantly chanting "y/n we are your big fan...we have watched all your movies, we watched your music videos as well and man!! your voice is like honey." You smiled and hugged all of them and clicked multiple pictures as they were leaving the husband said "Y/n ma'am I am very sorry on behalf of my family that we disrupted your personal time. " Hearing this you said "no no it's totally fine ...enjoy with your family and thanks to all of you for loving me this much." And soon they left and sat near Mark and Jackson and Jayb and they heard the family spoke "all the news about her is true, she is actually very grounded and humble. There is a reason why everyone loves her." The moment these words left from their mouth Jackson shouted "I told you she is the kindest soul ever. See others also feel the way. " Mark didn't say anything he just turn around to look at you but you were gone. The table was empty now
Warnings: spicy but not explicit, non-idol au, supernatural au, university au, reader is a graduate student, guys please don’t walk alone at night stay safe, slight spook, biting, mentions of blood, some fluff, strangers to lovers sort of?? it’s giving fuck it we ball
divider source
Your friends called you a masochist simply for the fact that no human person should be as much of a workaholic night owl as you.
Truth be told, there was no need for the amount of hours you were putting into your dissertation on the daily. But you had always been the kind of person who could take an idea and run with it far.
You did most of your research at home on a computer but when you needed more comprehensive sources, you could take a short walk from your apartment to the campus library.
One night, however, you found yourself at the library closer to closing hours, frustrated. You had spent what felt like forever looking for data from a specific kind of study and the only thing you found that was close was a book in a language you couldn’t read.
Heaving a sigh, you left the book on a cart and gathered your things to leave. You were just going to have to spend extra time searching through internet archives tonight.
You honestly felt a bit tired at the thought, this is the part of research you hated the most. So you decided a pick-me-up to get through the rest of the night would be smart to grab.
It wasn’t so late that every cafe around campus would be closed, just some of them. So you walked along a dimly-lit road towards the closest one.
Nothing felt strange until after you’d left the cafe, sipping on a latte.
You were approaching a crosswalk and there was a moment where you could have sworn you could hear someone walking behind you, but when you glanced over your shoulder there was the same empty street you’d walked down before.
Getting closer to your building, you felt the strange feeling again but you didn’t turn to look. Instead, you felt an unusually cold draft blow through you as you stopped in front of the door.
A tad creeped out, you whipped your head around in all directions but you, again, saw nothing out of the ordinary. You shook your head and exhaled sharply as you walked in to get back to your apartment.
The next day you had a seminar class in the afternoon. It was a class dedicated to niche topics, so every week a new guest speaker would come in to talk about how they’ve conducted their research in less studied fields.
This week a man named Mark Tuan was scheduled to speak about - what did it say on the syllabus? - supernatural phenomena.
It was a well-known fact that in history, there’s been evidence to support that human-like creatures that can transform or transcend reality exist. It was still widely disputed on how many species still exist today.
Honestly, you weren’t sure what to think. The last time a guest lecture was about anything close to that it was an old lady talking about the dichotomy of nocturnal creatures. You smiled to yourself at the memory of one of your friends writing down your name as an example on a handout for that day.
You were taking out your note-taking materials when Mr. Tuan entered the classroom. When you finally looked up and saw him, you froze.
He was beautiful.
Maybe too beautiful.
His skin was perfectly smooth, his hair seemed to flounce in slow motion, and his features were noble, flattered by his pristine clothes.
Then he smiled to greet your class and it was practically over for you. He was gorgeous when he smiled and his voice was a buttery smooth treat to listen to.
You briefly made eye contact and you could have melted from how warm it made you feel when suddenly, a cold draft of air washed over you the same way it did yesterday, giving you goosebumps.
“Hello class, my name is Mark Tuan and I have been a researcher in the field of supernatural creatures for a long time. I specialize in…”
The word “spellbound” seemed to make sense to you for the first time in your life as your entire peripheral seemed to gloss. You felt yourself forgetting where you were, your shoulders relaxing, almost even forgetting your name as you watched Mark brush a hand through his hair.
One of your classmates raised their hands. Mark smiled (making your heart skip another beat) and called on them.
You shook your head to snap out of it and saw that Mark hadn’t stopped looking at you, but then he turned away immediately to continue his lecture, making you think you’d imagined that he’d still been looking.
“...Centuries ago it was discovered by humans that werewolves and vampires have similarities in behavior and supernatural power, such as being able to turn humans into them, usually to mate for life. It’s strange, given their differences in anatomy, so there is still research being done into a possible common ancestor from prehistoric times.”
“If vampires can live forever and reproduce, why do some people still don’t think they exist?”
“Great question! A colleague of mine did a study on the social impact of supernatural phenomena to delve into it more but from what I know, and what some of you all might know already, there were never laws passed in most human civilizations to protect the rights of humanoid supernatural creatures. Humans have always been more afraid than not of that which …”
As the lecture went on and more information was covered, you thought to search up the study Mr. Tuan had mentioned. You briefly opened a new tab on your device to search but for some reason nothing was coming up. You decided to go back to it later and tune back in to class.
“Even though vampires can turn humans into them, they are still an evolving species. They don’t live in packs, or ‘covens’ as much as they did a few hundred years ago because each new generation functioned differently, even gaining powers that older vampires don’t possess, eventually pushing for change. But since vampires don’t die like humans do, there was nowhere for that change to implement as a whole…”
It was the best you’d ever felt sitting in a classroom. You couldn’t have been the only one in that classroom that was absolutely enamored with this young-looking, well-spoken, and intriguing scholar. But you felt unnaturally at ease, your vision only observing him and his beauty.
When you walked back in, Mark glanced at you briefly and you felt that slow-motion feeling again looking at him as you sat back in your seat, feeling embarrassed to yourself how quickly you’d developed a crush on this man.
“Mermaids and sirens don’t actually come from a common ancestor. It’s fascinating but sirens are actually closer related to vampires than vampires are to werewolves because werewolves don’t wear the same reality-shifting filter that sirens and…”
Toward the end, you got up to go to the bathroom. You checked a clock in the hallway and couldn’t believe how quickly the time had flown.
But then, just for a moment - maybe it was a trick of the light - but in that thought you could have sworn you saw Mark move his foot without casting a shadow. Then just as quickly, you felt all of your worries melt away listening to Mark talk.
At the end of class, a swarm of people (mostly girls) walked up to Mark to ask questions, so you decided to just go and maybe search him up later.
The moment the outdoor air hit your face upon exiting the building, it felt like you had been near-sighted your whole life and you were putting glasses on for the first time.
It was almost frightening how you suddenly realized even with notes you’d written down, you could barely remember most of the last hour.
You sat down at one of the benches outside of the building and took out your tablet again. You opened the search tab from earlier and started scrolling further, delving deeper with your prompts until you finally found something that rang a bell.
The main study you could find related to the topic mentioned by Mr. Tuan earlier was by a man named Kim Yugyeom who published it…over a hundred years ago.
That can’t be right…Mr. Tuan couldn’t have been over twenty-eight or so.
But just as you’d entertained that thought, you felt your senses dull again, any worries you might have felt before that moment vanished.
You turned to see Mark Tuan exit the building, wearing a long coat over the smart outfit he’d just been wearing to teach. He turned to see you and he smiled that dazzling smile that made your heart race before. You nodded towards him, trying not to look flustered and he stopped to wave.
“I hope you enjoyed my lecture. Y/N, right? I’m new around here so I wanted to ask someone what’s available for food nearby? But your classmates all had so many questions it slipped my mind.”
“What do you recommend?”
You put your stuff back in your bag and got up. “Well, uh,” omg Y/N, get it together. You cleared your throat and pointed in the direction you had walked from before class.
“That way there’s a couple of small spots, and the other way there’s a few restaurants harder to get to.”
Mark looked grateful as he placed a hand on his chest. His warm eyes practically shone. “That is very kind, I’d like that.”
“Well…” You made the mistake of meeting his eyes. Truly, this man was the definition of handsome. You didn’t even realize what you were saying until you’d said it.
“I was going to go eat ramen or something if you wanted me to show you.”
As you walked and talked with your new acquaintance, trying not to feel uneasy, you found that Mark was more interested in asking you questions than talking about anything else.
“Why did you choose to come to this university for your terminal degree?” Mark asked at some point.
You didn’t have to think too hard for an answer, thankfully. “Honestly, they gave me the most scholarship money out of my options. But I always liked the campus. I always love exploring the library for things I’ve never heard of before.”
“That’s something I enjoy too,” Mark smiled. “Did anything about my lecture today surprise you then?”
Mark looked fascinated by your response. “That’s certainly a well documented part of the research I do.”
Not looking at him, your brows furrowed. For some reason that question felt harder to answer. You actually had to try to remember even though the class had just happened.
“I guess…probably the part about how different supernatural species hunt? And how the evolution of that has influenced human settlement in the past.”
When you walked in, you’d been hoping to see someone you knew so you wouldn’t have to be left alone with Mark. But there was a shocking lack of people around. You had the thought of maybe taking your food to go so that it wouldn’t be awkward eating, but that thought faded quicker than you could catch on as Mark stepped into your lane of sight and led you to a table near the back.
As you got closer to the ramen place, the sun was starting to set, and the way the light hit Mark’s face as he spoke was simply ethereal.
It felt like a dream come true that this was happening to you, really, but you couldn’t shake this very small gut feeling that all wasn’t as it seemed to be.
“Thank you for inviting me to tag along,” Mark spoke a bit softly, making you blush.
You managed a smile with a gulp and waved your hand. “Oh, yeah, anytime.”
If only you’d known then that those words would be the ones to spell your doom.
There was a moment where as you were eating, you and Mark reached for a napkin at the same time and your hands brushed against each other.
Conversation with Mark over dinner continued to be pleasant. You learned that he was originally from overseas and travelled to conduct research with others in his field. He mainly studied werewolves and vampires but he said his favorite topic outside of that were human hybrids and shifters.
His most recent study led him to another university close to yours, where a student had been recently turned by a vampire.
The chill that it sent down your spine wasn’t one of embarrassment, it was the kind you only got when touching fresh ice cubes. Mark’s skin was maybe too cold to the touch for someone who was eating ramen while wearing a coat.
That same gut feeling came back to you and this time you couldn’t ignore it.
“This has been great,” you spoke slowly, trying not to meet Mark’s eyes. “But I should probably get home, I have work to do. I’ll pay for my portion up front.”
“I was going to offer to pay,” Mark replied, catching you off guard. It made you meet his eyes. He looked sincere and you couldn’t help feeling all warm. But you swallowed it down in a polite bow.
“Thank you but it’s okay. It was nice meeting you, maybe I’ll see you around.”
Had you not bowed, maybe you would have noticed the gleam of red that flashed across Mark’s eyes.
Hours later, you were at your computer typing when you got a notification on your phone. One of your classmates had sent a message to the seminar group chat. A few others chimed in as you read.
You were in shock staring at your phone as the conversation continued.
X/N: guyssss i found one of mr. tuan’s published works and it’s about vampire hunting
XX/N: You mean like vampire slayers? He talked about that today
X/N: no like when vampires hunt humans
XX/N: why r u so excited
X/N: bc it was published decades ago
X/N: maybe he’s part vampire or something isn’t that hawt
XXX/N: y’all just noticed?
X/N: do u think if i ask he'll bite me
Were you the only person who didn’t notice anything?
The more you read, the more anxious you felt. You reached the part that said the only warning signs of being hunted that could manifest, such as strange feelings and cold sensations, only happen if a vampire was in close enough range.
You slowly picked up your phone and clicked on the link the first person sent. The article was indeed a tad dated but from the way the paragraphs with no quotations read, you could tell it couldn’t have been a different Mark Tuan.
It talked about how the vampires who still hunt have several methods of luring people in. Studies done by humans-turned-vampires Mark cited showed that vampires more often than not had preferences in their prey. Some enjoyed the chase while others preferred those easier to influence.
“The myth that vampires can open any locked entrance is only partially true,” You read aloud. “Older vampires need to be invited inside first. Newer evolutions…” That’s when you felt that cold draft of wind waft over you again. This time you dropped your phone with a gasp, looked around your room frantically, then ran forward to lock your bedroom door.
“It’s too late,” a familiar voice sing-songed behind you. You whipped around and opened your mouth to scream, but in a nanosecond you felt an freezing cold hand covering your mouth and your back pressed against the door.
“I came in through the window,” Mark spoke in a low voice, slowly grinning. His eyes were dark but you could see the unnatural red glint in them from the glow of the only light in the room, your dimmed lamp.
You tried to squirm but you couldn’t even flinch under the superhuman strength Mark possessed.
As terrified as you were, you couldn’t help but feel your body temperature rise. You particularly felt warm right above your legs where one of Mark’s thighs was pressed against to keep you in place. His gaze on you was so intense, you thought about just going limp for him right then and there.
“I thought about approaching you last night,” Mark spoke, moving his other hand from your chest to caress your shoulder. “But it would have been too easy.”
His hand brushed your hair out of the way of your bare neck, the sight of which made him run his tongue over his canines, which had suddenly become much longer and pointier than you remembered.
But then suddenly he stepped back from you. You blinked twice at his suddenly impish face, his eyes back to normal.
“That was fun. But I don’t want to kill you. Or feed on you against your will.”
You were so dumbfounded at this turn of events that you forgot how to move your body. You tried to step forward but practically tripped right into Mark’s arms.
“Woah, careful!” Mark exclaimed, helping you up.
Once you’d had a moment to collect your thoughts, you sat onto your bed and wrapped your comforter around you. “So…have you been following me for a while?”
“I smelled your scent a few nights ago but it took me a bit to track you. Usually I seek out vampires that work in hospitals who distribute unused blood bags but you…stood out. Amongst most humans I come across. Then I found out you were going to be in the seminar I was invited to so I was…intrigued. Last night I tested my powers on you to see how long I could get by without revealing what I was. You’re one of the stronger ones against hunting abilities so I had to use charm the most today.”
Your face went red remembering all of the fantasies you’d had about him in class. “I…noticed.”
He chuckled and ran his tongue over his teeth again. You admitted to yourself that it was quite the turn-on when he did that.
“I watched you eat human food today, does that mean you’re a hybrid?” You figured there were no weird questions you could ask at this point.
“I’m a pure vampire descended from hybrids. There’s more like me in the world than you’d think. I can replenish my abilities with both food and blood but I have to drink blood at some point to survive. I also don’t burn in the sun.”
You nodded slowly. “The study you mentioned, I found one from a hundred years ago by someone named Kim Yugyeom. How old does that make you?”
Mark smiled and sat down in your desk chair. “You’re a clever one. Yugyeom is a dear friend of mine, he’s a vampire who was once human. I’m about three hundred.”
You felt your mouth dry up as that sank in. “Have you…ever turned anyone?”
Mark pursed his lips. “I…haven’t, actually. Truth be told, you might be the only person I’ve ever felt that instinct towards. I hope that’s not…off putting. We’ve only just met and I’ve never had this chance to figure this feeling out before. I’m not usually one to ‘make an entrance’, so to speak.”
“So…Mark?”
The whiplash this man was giving you internally was making your face contort in ways you never had before. Mark must have picked up on your bewilderment because he let out a chuckle.
You laughed a tiny bit back, trying to relax.
He nodded.
“Uh…does it…hurt? Like, to be bitten?”
Mark shifted his gaze and licked his lips uncomfortably. “Depends on how hungry the vampire is and…how lulled the human. Not all vampires nowadays adapt to modern standards of human decency but I-”
“You can drink from me, it’s okay.”
Mark froze. His eyes bored into yours, darkening in a way that made you feel arousal pool unbiddenly at your core.
You tried to speak again, your voice barely above a whisper. “You terrify me but…it’s not like I didn’t already find you attractive. As long as this isn’t the last time you plan to talk to me, I don’t mind if you-”
In a split second, you were pinned to your mattress with your hands above your head with one hand, Mark on top of you with his other hand cupping your face.
“Are you sure? There will be no going back.” He was breathing heavily, his lips ghosting yours. His pupils were blown with want but you could still see the worry that glinted in his eyes.
You got yourself to nod once and his lips captured yours. You couldn’t stop the moan that emerged from your throat.
Mark’s lips moved feverishly against yours, soaking in your warmth and your pliancy. As he made his way down your neck, you gasped for air in a way that only spurred him on.
“You have no idea…how delicious you feel. And your blood…it sings to me.”
You couldn’t help but whimper at the husky tone of his voice, nor could you help the desire you felt hearing his groans against your skin.
“Fuck, you’re so beautiful…I won’t do anything more than feed on you tonight but…know that it is taking every fiber of my being not to devour you whole, to make you all mine.”
Mark moved his left hand from your hands to support your neck and his right hand to cradle your back. You felt his nose brush the hot skin above your jugular, then his tongue in such a sensual way, you bit your lip in anticipation.
“Don’t hold your breath, darling…” Mark murmured. “You’ll feel a pinch but I promise to take good care of you.”
You tried to brace yourself as Mark slowly sank his teeth into your neck but the initial pain still came as a shock. However the moment you let out a sharp cry, it quickly turned back to sounds of pleasure.
It felt like getting a hickey, but far more intense. Your last complete thought before your entire body went limp was that vampires must have a numbing agent in their teeth. You could hear Mark sucking in gulp after gulp as you gradually felt dizzy.
Then he removed himself from you and pushed himself up, still on top of you but face to face. He was panting slightly and was looking down at you with heavy-lidded red eyes, some of your blood dribbling down from his mouth to his chin.
It was the most amazing sight you’d ever laid eyes on. You couldn’t even feel embarrassed upon discovery. You wanted more, more of him and more of the pleasure, but you could barely express anything beyond a whimper.
From the way his eyes shifted from red to dark to red again, he must have picked up on your heightened desire, but then he leaned his head back to close his eyes.
“You taste amazing, Y/N…I have to control myself or I’ll suck you completely dry.”
You felt warmth flush your face at the way he said that and he seemed to realize it after. He suddenly looked shy, a complete contrast to before.
“I’m not one of the vampires that have healing abilities so this will just have to do.” Mark’s eyes were still tinted red but his expression and motions looked human again.
“Haha…you know what I mean,” he said, slowly getting off of you.
You watched him grab a tissue from your desk to gingerly wipe his face, as if he was eating at a nice restaurant. Then he took another one to dab your deck with.
You could feel your motor function coming back slowly but you still couldn’t talk yet. Mark didn’t seem surprised and sweetly pulled your chair over to sit by you.
“In case you’re wondering, I'm not full. I drank enough to sustain myself until I can find a local dealer. And I meant what I said, your blood…it does ‘sing’ to me. Feeling it course through me is intense in a way even I can’t fully describe. It’s not everyday a vampire experiences a pull like that.”
You found yourself able to move your arm a bit so you tried to reach for his face but couldn’t quite. Mark gently took your hand to set it back down, rubbing circles into your skin. It sent shivers through you.
You tried to open your mouth, your voice coming out just barely. “You…”
Mark cocked his head in amusement. “What’s that, darling?”
“...you missed a spot…”
Mark blinked. You brought your hand up again, this time successfully touching his cheek and brushing away a spot of blood near his mouth.
Before you could retract your hand, Mark placed his hand over yours in a blink and pressed your palm against his face. You were caught off guard by the gesture, but then watched Mark take a shaky breath.
He turned his face slightly without taking his eyes off yours and pressed his nose against your wrist. Your awareness of the sound of your own pulse heightened as you felt him take in the sensation, your scent lulling him into parting his lips. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. You felt his grip on your hand shift and tighten around your wrist, his eyes glowing red upon opening them again.
If it wasn’t so dangerous - no, because it was so dangerous, on the teetering edge, you were brimming with excitement and a new rush of arousal.
Mark all but managed to pull himself together with a groan and let your arm go as you were finally able to sit yourself up. Mark saw you wince a bit and in a flash was standing up, supporting you with both arms.
“Let me get you some water, maybe a snack if you have anything.”
“Will you bite my wrist next time?” As soon as it came out, your eyes widened and you cowered your head.
“It’s okay,” Mark laughed heartily, pressing a kiss into your hair. “I know we have a lot to talk about.”
a/n: well clearly I was feeling some type of way
Mark Tuan has such a chokehold on me i cant
idk if anyone on tumblr other than me is still reading got7 fics so i did this on a whim for myself
shoutout to x/n clearly a baddie
stay safe everyone lol i hope you enjoyed
pairing: mark tuan x reader
genre: fluff
word count: 631
You genuinely believed that when you love someone, you should love them with your whole your whole heart; otherwise, what was the point of loving at all?
Granted, that line of thinking only got you enough heartache that could last a million lifetimes, of being stood up in restaurants, being left out in the rain, several missed calls and unanswered texts, pictures torn apart, and gifts tossed in the trash. For years you had given the world all of your heart, only to receive half in return on a good day.
You’ve thought about giving up on love entirely as it seemed to leave you with nothing but a dull ache in your chest, but you held on — strongly, surely. And you have never been more grateful for your own resolve when you met Mark, even more so when you started dating.
Suddenly that dull ache was replaced with a lighter, much sweeter feeling. Now you felt like you needed a garden for all the butterflies in your stomach at the very thought of him.
“You seem happy.” Mark observed, watching you walk through the front door of your apartment. You had given him a key to your place a couple of days ago and he texted you just before you got off work that he’d be waiting for you when you get home.
“Of course, I am. You’re here.” You hummed, taking off your shoes and leaving them by the door. “You would not believe the day I’ve had. My boss decided that I rewrite the report I spent multiple days on, and my coworker decided that it would be a fun idea to spill her coffee on me. Luckily, I had your sweater to—”
Mark’s eyes followed you as you paced around your apartment, rambling about your day, though he couldn’t understand a word you were saying. All he thought about was the curve of your mouth as it moved, the way your eyes lit up with passion whenever you talked about things with an intense emotion. Mark looked at you like you had just hung up the moon, and if you asked him to steal the stars, he would. Mark never thought he could feel so strongly for someone he hadn’t known too long; the idea terrified him, but it thrilled him as well, “I love you.”
“What?” You asked, stopping your pacing to look back at him, eyes blinking like you were in disbelief.
“You don’t have to say it back.” Mark quickly said, alarmed at his own words. This was not how he planned to tell you he loved you for the first time. “I know we haven’t been dating for that long but—”
You breathed out, cutting him off, “I love you too.”
Before Mark could even process your words, you took two long strides towards him, almost flinging yourself to his frozen form and wrapping your arms around his neck. He stumbled back from the shock that came with your body pressed against his.
“Yn?” He asked, though he had no complaints at your action, wrapping his arms around your waist to reciprocate your hug.
You looked up at him, your gaze peering through your eyelashes. The moonlight illuminating your features as you spoke in the softest voice Mark had ever heard from you, “I’m really glad I met you.”
He swore his heart skipped multiple beats, a light pink tinting his cheeks, “Likewise, Yn.”
A content smile slowly makes its way to your face as you melted further into his embrace. Your shoulders relax as you let him hold you, swaying softly as he hums a much slower version of an all too familiar tune, breath. You had finally found someone who loved you just as much you loved him. Maybe even more.
redamancy (n.) — the act of loving the one who loves you, a love returned in full.
Summary: Years after the raccoons initially joined the human society, many raccoons lead human lives. Their tired composure common in the ever moving society. Y/n, a shy and hard working raccoon working as a research assistant to fund her way though college, finds herself face to face with a inexperienced and scared raccoon desperate for time as a raccoon. Can she help him?(edited)
genre: fluf, light angst, Strangers to Lovers, Shifter AU, Pompoko AU
warnings: none really
wc: 3.1k
a/n: this is part of a collaboration! A Studio Ghibli Collaboration! If you want to find them as more come out, follow the tag #ghiblicollab2021! Many amazing fics are in the works!
You sighed, downing your third energy drink of the day as you stared at the abysmal organization of the data on this excel sheet. Whoever had collected it clearly put little to no forethought into how one might use it for data analysis and graphing. If you didn’t know any better, you would have thought that one of the researcher’s pets had typed in this excel sheet.
Of course, that was why Dr. Long, the mousy professor with shoulder length hair and a well groomed mustache who always wore a colorful suit you worked for, sent it over to you. You had to organize it and prepare the tables and graphs for them and their students. Dr. Long had already chewed out their students for being so lazy with the sheet and if it wasn’t for the pending deadline looming over the research, Dr. Long promised you their students would have fixed the sheet.
Knowing that though didn’t prepare you for the horror that stared at you through your computer screen. There was no way in hell you’d be able to reorganize this document without looking at the original write up.
You were sharing the study room with a few underclassmen who were loudly studying for an upcoming exam who looked at you anxiously from where they sat in the school of science’s study lounge as you huffed tiredly and started angrily typing an email to Dr. Long. Despite how angrily you were typing, your email was professional and friendly.
Dr. Long was the only reason you had a research assistant job, and so far it was a relatively coosh job. Dr. Long was super accommodating. Sure they didn’t know your chronic fatigue was due to being a raccoon, but they let you work from home and make up sessions if neededYou were beyond thankful for how nice the job was.
While writing the email, you vaguely noticed most of the students leaving the lounge but it wasn't until you looked up after sending your email that you noticed no one was in the room. It was almost completely silent aside from your computer whirring away.
Then you heard the telltale sound of claws clicking against the linoleum floor.
There was a raccoon in the room with you. Immediately you got up, a gasp leaving your mouth as it rounded the corner and made eye contact with you.
It took a while for you to find your voice but when you did, you immediately launched into quietly telling them off, your eyes shifting to the door in case anyone was near, "You idiot! How do you know humans won't see you?!"
The raccoon stood up on its back legs, "They said they'd be at least ten minutes! Besides," they crossed their arms defensively, "I was tired and…"
They trailed off, eyes darting around anxiously.
Suddenly, it clicked. They were one of the underclassmen. They likely came from a predominantly raccoon region and weren't as skilled at staying in their human form for long periods of time.
There were more and more schools in predominantly raccoon and fox regions where students had time and places they could shift, but there weren’t many colleges or universities. It was hard to find them when it’s only been a generation or two since raccoons started integrating and most of those areas were very rural. On top of that, most raccoons who did teach only had undergraduate degrees. There wasn’t one raccoon you knew of who was a professor at a college or university. If you managed to get into grad school, you’d be the first in your clan to get a masters and hopefully the first to get a PhD.
You anxiously eyed the door, your body feeling jittery and anxious the longer you didn’t see anyone.
You sighed, “In the future, don’t shift in a public space. Do you share a dorm with anyone?”
They nodded, eyes nervously shifting around the room.
“Are they people you can shift around? Do they give you alone time in the dorm?”
They shook their head, now avoiding eye contact.
Getting up slowly, you grabbed your keys, “I can’t offer this often... but there is a research assistant office that no one has asked to use today. As long as no one is working there at the moment, I can tell them that I need it to be empty for me to focus for a few hours.”
You saw their body relax as you spoke and you were struck with how much they reminded you of when you had first needed to keep your human form up for long periods of time. It was when you were a kit, your parents having lived in a predominantly human city since before you were born and wanted to make sure you had early training to help you keep your form up.
Almost everyday, you’d come home crying about how tiring it was and how sore you felt and your dad would cradle you softly and help you relax. He’d draw warm baths for you and the rest of your litter and sing to you as the four of you played around. Hiding in human society was hard and even now there were days where you’d come home from a particularly hard day, turn back into a raccoon, draw yourself a bath (in your kitchen sink because you didn’t have a human sized bath), and just stare outside until the water got cold and your tired body felt ever so slightly better. You had the luck of living in your own apartment and before that, your parents lived close enough that you could take a weekend trip to them if you really needed to. This raccoon was in a dorm with a human who barely left it seemed and clearly wasn’t used to being in their human form for so long.
What did his parents teach him to help him adjust to long periods of time as a human?
“But before we leave to go, either turn into something small that I can put in my pocket or turn back into a human.”
They sighed and it looked like they were about to cry from how tired they were. Nonetheless, they nodded and with a puff of smoke, you were greeted with a lean and tall man. His face was scrunched up in worry and stress, his straight brows furrowed together and cute lips pressed together tightly.
Wow.
He was hot.
You were struck by how handsome he was. Soft black hair, strong nose, nice body… he knew how to dress too.
You shook your head.
You weren’t meant to ogle at him!
Stealing a deep breath, you spoke slowly, “Follow me. The room is only like a 3 minute walk down the hall. Can you handle that in your human form?”
He nodded solemnly and you quickly grabbed your keychain and left the study room, barely sparing a glance back to make sure that he was following. The two of you walked quickly down the hall and the closer you got to the room, the more relief you felt. It was late on a Friday night and most students would want to be anywhere other than deel in the science department’s bowels and you hadn’t seen anyone yet.
The office was empty, save for a few beta fish that another professor was going to use in a lab, and after making sure that he had an alarm set to go off in an hour, you left the office and locked the door (he could still unlock it from the inside but it’d prevent anyone from barging in). Even though you wanted to stay and talk to the raccoon, you had left all your stuff in the study room and still had a lot more work that could be done tonight so you rushed back to the study room.
Besides, they’d probably want to be alone.
When you made it back, stress and worry was still touting over you as you tried to do some work. It has been a while since you’d helped younger raccoons settle into having to use their human form more and all the tension that you’d left behind when you stopped had come flooding back. Sure, you still participated in your university’s raccoon meetings but you no longer volunteered to help new students.
Why hadn’t this raccoon asked for help from one of the mentors at those meetings?
Sure the meetings were kept fairly quiet so that no humans tried to tag along but they were whispered about a lot.
Eventually, his friends returned with some food, all smiles and chatter as they settled in. They’d brought pizza and the savory smell of it was wafting through the room. It made you realize your own hunger but you wouldn’t get food any time soon.
You had food at home (even though it wasn’t pizza).
The friends didn’t seem to register the raccoon missing until a whole 30 minutes after they returned.
They kept on asking where a “Mark” was and you were pretty positive that the raccoon you’d helped was the only person in their group who wasn’t there at the moment. You tried to not listen to their conversations too much (although it was an easy way to procrastinate). Mark would return soon and he could make up an excuse for his friends and all would be good. As they started to talk about their professors, you put your earbuds in and chose some random lo-fi playlist to drown them out.
You had work that you should be doing.
An hour later, you noticed Mark return, his shoulders hunched over as if trying to make himself look as small as possible. He shyly slid into a seat with his friends as a deep blush rose on his face when they all started asking questions. You looked away as soon as you saw him settle into his seat, intent to not be nosey.
You were taken out of your focus once again only 5 minutes by someone waving a room temperature slice of pepperoni pizza in your face. You looked up slowly only to meet the sweet and soft smile of Mark.
“Thank you for showing me where the science department’s library is…”
“Y/n.”
I really appreciated it.” He slid into the seat in front of you as you took the slice of pizza, eating it slowly as he spoke.
“It was a pleasure. Happy to help a fellow student in need.”
He nodded, “Could we possibly exchange phone numbers in case I need more help? I expect I’ll be good… but just in case?”
Your eyebrows shot up in surprise. So this is why he came over.
It made sense. Clearly Mark hadn’t met other raccoons otherwise he would probably have a mentor to help with adjusting and he out likely need more places that he is able to shift in to avoid a risky situation like what happened today.
“Of course!” You smiled, unlocking your phone and opening the contacts app before passing it over to him.
Mark slowly entered his number before calling himself and passing your phone back to you, “Thank you. I’ll call you soon!”
True to his word, Mark called the next day and you were able to get him in contact with another raccoon who was actually up for helping more new raccoons. It wasn’t that you didn’t want to help Mark but you didn’t have time to answer questions or help the man as much as he needed.
That being said, you often found yourself gravitating to him during meetings and parties in the woods. The two of you would dance together around the fires, celebrating together in a series of chirps and chitters. Others would be around and talking as well and soon enough, Mark knew every other raccoon on campus (at times it was almost painful to you how social he could be), but around the smokeless fires, it often felt like you two were in your own world.
Soon enough, the two of you started meeting a few times a week for breakfast. At first all you could talk about was how different life was in his old home (and occasionally academic stuff). You quickly learned that he was only two years younger than you despite being a first year, having taken two years off after graduating high school to save money and give back to his colony. He was a teacher's assistant and was the adult present for students during the hour they got to rest as raccoons (which also explained why he had so much trouble being in his human form for so long). That being said, the more you met up, the more diverse your topics became and the closer you got.
Your human friends had started making jokes about him liking you romantically after they passed the two of you one morning and your raccoon friends started to joke with you more as they saw the playful interactions between Mark and you during meetings. Their jokes made you blush and balk with embarrassment before you scolded them. Neither of them joked about a possible crush in front of Mark thankfully but they did have an effect on you. They made you shy during your breakfast meets with Mark and after catching the smug eyes of your friends during parties. All his soft touches and sweet gestures felt like more despite the rational side of your brain telling you that they were simply friendly.
It was totally friendly for him to get you a 27k won set of stationery.
Totally.
Just as it was completely friendly for you to pay for his new skateboard while you two were out shopping.
Totally.
That being said, the more your friends pushed this idea, the worse your own crush became. He was an amazing raccoon. Hard working. Similar goals. Smart. Funny. Hard working. He was amazing.
All those thoughts aside (or maybe because of said thoughts), you took three deep breaths, hoping to collect yourself. You were meeting Mark at the library and even though it was an inopportune time, you planned on confessing to him. Your crush was getting out of hand and at this point you felt that just getting it out and having Mark turn you down would be the best way to go about it. Either he liked you back and you two could date or he didn’t and you could finally put this crush to rest.
It was why you’d decided that you’d confess to him soon… and by soon, you meant that you asked him to meet at a secluded part of the library to “study”. Normally the two of you would share jokes and get carried away by conversations and end up not studying, but today, you planned to confess.
Anxiety was running through you like a white water current when you finally entered. Time felt like it was moving at half its normal speed as you made your way to the back of the library where Mark would inevitably be. Your heart was beating too fast and your clothes suddenly felt too rough and tight around you.
Mark was right in front of you. His head bent down to look at his phone (most likely scrolling through memes). He’d yet to notice you. You could just turn around. Text him that you couldn’t make it today. Or go up to him and study together like you proposed initially.
But you didn’t want to let this fester.
Which was why you found yourself an hour into your “study” session forcing a laugh out at the sixth hilarious joke Mark cracked. He’d been cracking more jokes, soft eyes silently questioning you and your awkwardness. Despite the attempts to tell him (most of them ended before you opened your mouth), your confession felt like a plastic object stuck in your throat. No attempt to swallow it or cough it out had worked so far and it was cutting you up. There was no way Mark couldn’t see the conflict that was warring inside you, even if he didn't know what was causing it.
You coughed awkwardly, “I… um… I am going to get some coffee from the cafe here… do you want anything? My treat.”
“Oh. I’ll just have a black decaf coffee.”
With a soft nod, you wordlessly left, stopping by the bathroom to collect your thoughts before going to the cafe. Your coffees were ready too soon and before you felt mentally ready, you were walking back to Mark. All too soon he came into view. He was biting his lip anxiously as he fiddled with his paper until he looked up and saw you. You struggled to continue walking towards him as he smiled softly at you and it felt like the floor was being pulled out from under you.
Fuck.
You have to do this soon.
This crush was going to eat you alive.
“I have something I want to tell you.” You said as you slowly slid into the seat across from him, handing his coffee to him as you did.
“Oh?” He asked, looking up with a curious glimmer in his eyes and a worried crease in his brow.
Fuck. This was hard.
“I’ve been meaning to tell you this all during our session…” He nodded slowly and you took an unsteady breath in, “I like you… and not like… like in a friendly way-- I mean, I do, but I mean like as in a romantic like. And I know you probably don’t feel the same way but--”
“Y/n. I like you too.”
“Wait-- really?”
“Yes. In fact, I liked you after you helped me with the research lab space.”
A soft blushed bloomed on your face, “Good to know. I thought you were hot then.”
“I mean… I am hot so clearly you have good eyes.”
A soft silence settled between the two of you before Mark gently took up your hand, “Thank you for telling me. Were you nervous about telling?”
You nodded.
“Are you nervous about anything else?”
“I mean… normal life stuff… but that was what I was so on edge for today.”
“I am glad. I was worried about you.”
You looked down, guilt bubbling at that admission, “I am sorry for worrying you.”
“I was worried because I care about you,” He gently rubbed your hand, “But if you do want to make it up to me, how about a date tomorrow at noon?”
btw coughs, mtl of got7 bois who would weae skirts for you 😚 aite imma jump back in the real world 😂 SEE YOU IN FEW DAYS TO SHARE THIRSTS, FAE <3 [cheating🥴]
got7 mtl; who would wear skirts?
most
bambam; bambam would love to wear skirts! although he’s such a brat that he’d use them against you just to tease you </3 pls !! imagine him slowly pulling on a skirt up his slender legs and making sure his thighs and ass are vv prominent :( he’d tease you until you couldn’t take it anymore and finally had your way w him </3
yugyeom; remember when gyeom wore that skirt for the last piece christmas show? </3 yeah :( he’d look so pretty wearing a pretty black pleated skirt !! his flushed lil cheeks & the way he tugs down the skirt bc you can see the way his cock rubs against the fabric :((
mark; mark likes wearing more feminine clothes in general so imagine him in a tiny mini skirt !! he’d look so pretty, and like the way he feels in it :( he’d love it if you praised him while he wore it !! let him know he looks good 🥺
jinyoung; jinyoung would wear it, like bambam, to tease you. he doesn’t mind wearing skirts at all, and he feels rlly pretty in them. he’ll surprise you one day by wearing only a skirt and a hoodie when you come home so that you can take out all the hardships of the day on him </3
jaebeom; now look- y’all cannot (‼️) tell me that this man doesn’t have absolutely banging legs that would not be accentuated by a pretty skirt >:( honestly, the image of jaebeom shyly tugging on the ends as he wants to look pretty for you makes me head spin !!!
youngjae; youngjae likes wearing skirts but i feel like he’d be a bit shy or insecure about wearing them :(( you’d need to praise him a lot on the rare occasions that he does wear them! he looks amazing in a plaid pleated skirt :(( his legs would look so good! a perfect canvas for you to mark !
jackson; for jackson, skirts are really just not his thing! it’s not that he doesn’t like the way he looks in them or anything (bc he knows he looks fine-) they’re just not his thing/kink :) but if it was yours, he’d make an effort to wear one on some occasions to please you!
Summary: Working as a Nurse, Y/N's favorite pastime is getting lost in her favorite online game with her online gamer squad. After 2 years of online banter, Y/N finally gets the chance to get closer to and meet her online friend, Mark Tuan. With many things in common and the same twisted sense of humor, one thing still remains a mystery: Mark's career that causes him to constantly travel out of the country. Still, Y/N decides to take a chance on what could be more than just friendship and meets Mark for the first time. (New Summary thanks to a friend)
NOTES: Quick update!! I was really inspired and cranked this chapter out quick. I’m already working on the next but not sure when it will be up. I’m busy at the end of this month. So fingers crossed I get the next out in August.
Part One // Part Two // Part Three // Part Four
Everything you owned was crap. It was either scrubs or jeans and a t-shirt. It wasn’t like you didn’t have nice outfits. However, when you looked at all of it thrown across your bed in panic, you couldn’t seem to find anything decent. All of it felt dull and lackluster for what was about to happen. As you picked up what you deemed the cutest pair of jeans you owned, a black skinny pant with nicely placed rips, you started to realize why Mark kept his secret for as long as he did. Knowing who he was to the outside world made you start to question yourself even more. It made you wonder if you were enough to even just be in his presence. People pay thousands of dollars to just give him a hi-five and here you were, cursing him out for 2 years over the internet for free. If only they knew…
Holding up shirt after shirt to your chest, each one making you even more disgusted than the last. There had to be something that didn’t scream ‘try hard’ or ‘disgusting creature’. Snatching literally the last shirt out of your closet which happened to be a high-low blue striped button down, you threw it on over the black cami you already had on. It was almost time for you to leave the house without being late and if you started this whole process over again, you wouldn’t even go.
While you looked in the mirror finalizing the touches on your make-up, you realized that this isn’t some sort of date. Why were you putting so much effort to receive an apology? Blinking those wayward thoughts away before you went down another hole, you grabbed your purse and rushed out of your freshly messy apartment.
You had only been to Mark’s place once, but the muscle memory was there because you had played the scenes over in your mind for almost a week. It felt like you were standing in front of the intimidating high-rise in no time. Your body was moving through mind fog as you punched in his code and waited to be buzzed up. Even the elevator ride felt like an out of body experience. It wasn’t until the door was opening and you looked up and saw Mark that your soul snapped back into you and you could focus.
“I hope it wasn’t a hard trip.” He said as the door widened and you crossed the threshold. It had only been six days since you last saw him, but the purple in his hair was almost gone and his dark roots were starting to show. Realizing that the hair choice probably wasn’t his, but was for his latest album, made your lips turn down slightly. He picked up on that and thought it was a non-verbal answer to his statement.
“I could have gotten you a taxi if the train was too crowded…” He trailed off.
“No, no. The ride was fine. I was noticing that your hair is a little different from last time.” You mumbled as you both hovered around each other. You could feel a slight pain start to form between your shoulder blades from all the tension in the room. Both of you locked eyes and it felt like you had entered a staring contest, and neither one of you were losers. It wasn’t until his hand reached out and took your wrist and led you to the living room and onto the couch, that you regained your senses.
“I’m sorry. I’m so freaking sorry.” His words came out rushed and pained. Your lips parted to respond but Mark held a hand up to stop you.
“Let me get this out first. I didn’t mean to keep it from you. Honestly, I thought that the moment I opened that door and you saw me, you were going to freak out cause you recognized me. When you didn’t, my plan went to shit and I fell into the comfort of just us hanging out. Believe me when I say I had every intention of telling you about my career. I just didn’t know how to come out and say I’m an idol singer.”
“Rapper.” You interjected. Mark’s head tilted slightly and confusion dipped his brows.
“You said idol singer. From what I looked up, you’re not really a singer. You’re the main rapper and lead dancer of the group. It also said you’re the visual which makes sense cause…” You waved your hands in front of your face to indicate your point that he’s gorgeous.
Mark’s laugh filled the room and it was exactly like those compilation videos you found of his laugh. A slight smile tugged at your lips as the atmosphere in the room started to lighten up. You were still mad and will probably be for a while but the big mad feeling was almost completely gone.
“So you did research? I bet the internet had some crazy things to say. Sin, I’m sorry that I wasn’t the one to tell you everything from the beginning. When you’re in the business I’m in, it’s hard making friends who aren’t also in the life or after you for something else. I was selfish because I really liked what we have or… had. I got addicted to the ease of just being myself with you.” He went on. His eyes dropped down as he talked about your relationship in the past tense. The wall that you unconsciously started to build since your last visit shook. Maybe it was the earnestness in his tone or the way he used your online nickname, but at that moment you kind of just wanted to hug him. Instead you did the only thing you could do in this situation.
“Now that you said that, are you gonna show me some of your backflips? They looked really impressive on youtube.” You smirked as his head shot up and looked at you in surprise. The smirk turned into a full smile and the tension started to melt away when his toothy grin appeared.
“I can even teach you some moves but I don’t know your flexibility level.” Mark joked and that’s how the rest of the afternoon went. He started to talk about how he joined the company and his trainee period. I knew it was hard on young kids but hearing it first hand made you want to throw on a cape and save them all from the heartache. When he calmed down your anger, Mark talked about the traveling he did all over the world with the group. He talked about how they were more than just bandmates and more like brothers. Even mentioning some stories you found through your ‘research’, but hearing them from him made them ten times funnier.
“Remind me to never get you upset where you can throw a laptop at me.” You joked. The sun had gone down outside and now you both were sitting on the floor, take-out containers covered the table. Hours had passed and you only realized how many when you tried to hide a yawn and Mark check the time on his phone.
“Time flew by. I guess you have to get going soon?” His eyes were like tea cups as they looked over to you. The last thing you wanted was to have this good time end but you had worked a full shift yesterday and had to be on in the morning as well. It didn’t help that you left your apartment in such a mess, it looks like it was probably burglarized.
“Yeah… I’m sure your roommates want to come home too. What did you tell them that made them give you the place to yourself?” You asked as you started to clean up the mess created. Piling the dishes into one, Mark took them from you and moved them toward the door.
“Most of them had schedules, so the house was gonna be empty anyway. Though I did have to promise Yugyeom and Bambam that I would treat them to meat soon. Are you going to take a taxi? It’s pretty late.” Between his worrying, you both cleaned up rather quickly. In no time, you looked around and the space was back to normal and Mark was standing with his hands pulling at his hoodie sleeves. You noticed that he did that when he felt unsure about something or wanted to word vomit.
“I’ll take one just because you insist. But what is it, sweater paws?” Reaching forward and tugging on the hood strings, you asked him. It was clear why he had so many fans. The half smile he gave was a weapon of ovary destruction and shouldn’t be used all willy nilly. How rude…
“I’m glad you came over. I’m also glad we’re talking again. And now that you know everything , I have a work thing tomorrow. It isn’t long though. Just need to go film a spread for a magazine. I’ll be back by next weekend. Promise.” Mark picked up your bag and played with the strap of it before closing the distance and looping it over your head, adjusting it. The height difference between the two of you wasn’t gigantic, but it was enough that had your neck tilting back a bit.
“It’s okay. Remember, I’m used to Ghosty McGhostington. You don’t have to worry too much.” Before you could even stop yourself, your thumb reached out and smoothed the little wrinkle between his brows. The level of skin-ship you were exhibiting wasn’t the norm for you. But the way he didn’t recoil from your touch allowed you the brief moment of insanity and for you to place your hand casually on your strap without looking like a crazy person. You thought you saw a hint of a smile on his lips, but it was so faint, you’re sure you imagined it.
“I’m calling you a car, and before you say something, don’t. And text me when you get home, okay?” You wanted to argue that you were independent and didn’t need him to do that, but a part of you thought it was sweet. In all honesty, when it was just you and him talking and playing around like you’ve done for so long virtually, the idea of him being a celebrity was a foreign concept. He was just Mark to you.
Once he was finished punching in some numbers on his phone and you came out of your own head, he walked you to the door. That smile you thought was just a shadow was now plastered on his face and it had the chain reaction of making you smile in return. Your hands squeezed harder on your bag strap because every fiber of your being was telling you to just reach out and hug this dorky guy smiling at you. But instead you held your hand out for a hi-five like the loser you were becoming.
“Thanks for inviting me over and I'm glad we cleared things up. Uh, hit me up if you get some free time. Or not, it's whatever.” Shrugging off the awkwardness, Mark connected with your hand with a look of confusion and before he could say anything, you darted from his apartment. It was becoming a habit of yours to flee every time you were there. Your flight or fight response was out of whack because with anything else in your life you were all about fighting. However, wherever Mark was concerned, you flew out of there like a bat out of hell.
By the time you were walking through your door, you were so distracted by thoughts from your day that you forgot that you left your place in a state of utter disgust. The vibrating of your phone made you forget all about the clothes covering almost every inch of available surface because of course it was Mr. Tuan himself in your inbox.
Mark: U made it?
Sin: You* and yeah, just walked in.
Mark: Ha ha ha. Are you tired?
Sin: Depends, why do you ask?
Mark: Wanna get online for like an hour? I’m a bit wired and we haven’t properly played in a while. Miss it…
Sin: Don’t you have a flight to catch in the morning?
Mark: Yeah but I can sleep on the plane. Are you scared I’m gonna kick your ass? ;-)
Sin: Signing on right now so get the lube because I’m about to tear you a new one.
And just like that, Mark brought you back to a comfortable mindset. The root in which your friendship grew from.
Finally, it was Friday, but you were antsy as hell. The clock was ticking down to the end of your shift, but it felt as if it was moving as slow as if you were sinking in a mudflat. Bora and Ahin, another first year resident, were finishing up your shifts so the three of you could do your weekly Karaoke night. But it wasn’t only the promise of a night of chicken, beer and bad singing that had you anxious. Mark was coming back from his trip tomorrow and it had you on pins and needles.
The two of you had been texting while he was away. You were sure it was more than he should actually be doing during a work trip, but now that there weren’t any omitted truths between you, he would tell you about everything that was happening, within reason. When you asked for pictures, he couldn’t give you any official ones, but he did snap a few selfies of his face filled with pretty eyeshadows and lip tints. He really did clean up well.
As you were changing out of your scrubs, your phone pinged and like a pavlov response, your hand reached and opened your texts with Olympian speed.
Mark: What are you doing Sunday?
Sin: Washing my hair, shaving my back, catching up on sleep. Lol why?
Mark: Sexy. I need a favor from you.
Sin: If it involves money, we might need to reevaluate our friendship.
Mark: No money involved, but I would like it if you said yes.
Sin: Okay you’re being cryptic. Are you sick?
Mark: No. But will you say yes before I ask?
Sin: Sure, what is it?
After asking that, the little dots jumped across the screen as he typed his response. You stood there in your jeans and scrub top, staring at your phone like a crazy person. What did he have to ask that was so important? Bora and Ahin walked into the locker room and started to change themselves while you waited.
“What’s going on? Your face is all scrunched up?” Ahin asked as she hung up her lab coat. Just as you were about to tell her, Mark’s bubble appeared…
Mark: Will you go on a date with me? Not as a friend, but as a woman. A date date.
Your heart dropped into your stomach with a clatter. When you heard your name being yelled by Bora, you looked down and realized that it wasn’t just your heart that dropped, but also your phone on the floor. Quickly dropping down and picking it up, you looked at the words over; Woman. Date. You sucked in all the oxygen you could manage and sighed.
[01:13] The starry sky was black, filled with sparkling diamonds accompanied by the glowing jewel of a moon. A breeze ever so gently brushed your hair from your neck, tenderly caressing your skin.
The air was lovely, cooled from the passing summer and coming autumn. But your hand was very warm, fingers intertwined with Mark’s on the picnic blanket you shared.
Music softly played from a speaker connected to Mark’s phone, making the night feel even more romantic.
You scooted closer to your husband, dropping your head to rest on his shoulder. You pulled your joined hands into your lap, placing your other hand on top. Mark turned his head just enough to kiss the top of your head. He rested his cheek there while you played with his fingers, enjoying the calm and quiet the night offered you both.
Mark hummed along to the slow music, watching the twinkling lights of the city far, far below.
“It’s really... nice out here,” you murmured, keeping your voice low to not disturb the serene atmosphere. “I’m glad we can have a moment like this.”
Mark released a breath through his nose, reaching over to join his hand with yours and his, still in your lap. “Me too baby.”
Comforting silence fell again, only interrupted by the hum of the music. The time soon caught up to you, making your eyes droop and head settle more on Mark’s shoulder. Before you could fall asleep though, Mark gently nudged your head with his shoulder, causing you to sit up. You tilted your head at him in question.
“Come dance with me,” he said, standing up and holding his hand out for you. You smiled up at him, unable to refuse your husband’s request. Your hand reached out to fit in his, your ring catching the light of the moon and making Mark smile, as he did any time he was reminded that you were all his, and he all yours.
He pulled you a few steps away from the blanket, hands naturally falling to your waist. Yours wrapped around his torso, leaning in to him when the side of his face rested against yours. You focused your ears on the music playing as you both swayed, feet barely shuffling in a slow, crude circle.
“I love you,” Mark hummed, turning marginally to press his nose and lips against your temple. You smiled easily, drowsy in love.
Summary: Your boyfriend Mark is always trying to feed you, but this time you are determined to stick to your own meal
“Open up!” Your boyfriend Mark says, holding up a bite of his food to you across the table.
You smile at him softly, rolling your eyes. He always did this, always wanted to make sure that you were fed, and fed well, by offering you bites of his food every time you ate together. It was endearing, really, but today you were determined to stick to your own meal - a chicken salad. You were determined to be healthy, and that started by choosing your own meals and sticking to them.
“No thank you,” you shake your head, picking up your fork and stabbing another piece of lettuce.
He raises an eyebrow. “You sure?”
You nod. “I have my own food.”
“Never stopped you before.”
You look him in the eye as you stab the next piece of your salad. “I’m going to be healthy today.”
He shrugs, hiding a smile. “More for me then.”
You put the lettuce in your mouth, forcing yourself to chew. This is good for you. Greens are good. Lettuce is good. Eat the healthy. Feel the healthy. Be the healthy.
You repeat this mantra in your mind as you swallow another mouthful of your salad, trying not to gag as the dressing of your salad hits the back of your throat and makes you regret every healthy decision you have ever made today, and in your lifetime.
You manage to swallow, but the more you repeat your mantra, the more you find yourself glancing over at the pasta dish your boyfriend had gotten. Pasta with cheese. You could feel your mouth watering and you quickly shove another piece of chicken in your mouth.
Healthy eating y/n. You can do it. Health is a lifestyle. Be a better lifestyle. Do it for the good of your gut.
You feel the acidic burn of the vinegar dressing on your tongue again and suddenly you can’t do it. Before you can stop yourself, you’re reaching over your plate and stabbing a piece of Mark’s pasta, shoving it in your mouth.
“Aha! I knew it! I knew you wanted some!” Mark crows, pointing his fork at you.
You stab another piece off his plate, slinking backwards in your seat in defeat.
