a/n: eeeee my sweet boy changkyun!!! i adore him endlessly, and it only felt right to put this out as i recently saw him on his tour :,-) genuinely he is so precious to me....changkyun if you're listening, come back into my pocket !! pics not mine~
changkyun is one of those coworkers you notice frequently but never really have the chance to interact with him
he politely nods at everyone in the office–you included–and he seems friendly and professional from the conversations you’ve overheard
from what you can tell, changkyun’s either laser-focused on all of his work or very introverted you learn later that it’s both
then, one day, changkyun comes up to your desk
you answer his question about the project you were working on, not fully computing that changkyun was speaking to you for the first time
you’re almost intimidated by his appearance and deep voice, until he flashes you the cutest smile you’ve ever seen
the more you cross paths in the office, the more changkyun will greet you with a “hello” or “how are you?” instead of just a nod
at first, you’re not sure whether he likes you, as he’s still pretty quiet
but you start to catch on when he sits next to you in meetings or in the break room
he will usually start conversations with a random question, work-related or otherwise
despite how shy he seemed, changkyun’s amazing at making you feel comfortable
it isn’t long before you two chatter quietly during meetings and even joke around
you don’t even get scolded when you two laugh loudly because everything’s so shocked changkyun was loud LOL
speaking of nearly getting scolded
he messages you the most random questions/facts during work and it is always at the worst time
he doesn’t intend it, but changkyun is a master of poorly timed “10 strangest deep sea fish” article messages
it’s so endearing though so you don’t get mad…except for the one time the message popped up while you were presenting in a meeting
everyone stifled their laughter when they saw it was from changkyun
he apologized before you could say anything :,-) because other people in the meeting asked him to send him the same link he sent you lmao
good luck working on projects with him <3
don’t get me wrong ! he’s the best partner because he’d super hard working AND has an amazing, one of a kind mind
but sometimes it’s hard to keep up with his thought process
you have to figure out a balance of trusting him wholeheartedly even when you don’t fully understand what he’s doing and knowing when to ask question after question until you’re on the same page
he has no problem explaining himself to you though !!
changkyun is refreshed by the fact that someone cares enough to understand what’s going on in his mind :,-)
sometimes he even pre-plans his explanations in case you have questions :-( he’s so precious :-(
changkyun cares a lot about you too. like more than you realize
he gets so upset if you’re stressed :-(
even when you two barely know each other, it hurts his heart when you’re overwhelmed or down
he’ll be a bit flustered, but he’ll do everything in his power to make you feel better
changkyun gets to know what comforts you pretty quickly
you don’t notice it right away because he isn’t always asking you specific questions
but he picks up on the things you do when you’re stressed, making mental notes of ways he can support you
if you like to get yourself treats or bevvies when you need a pick-me-up, changkyun 100% keeps a list on his phone of all your go-to’s
he will absolutely blush and giggle shyly if you comment on how he knows you so well :,-) he’ll say something casual but his heart is FULL of joy because he loves that you can see how much he knows you and cares about you <333
he’ll fluster you plenty though
especially when he randomly drops really sentimental thoughts on you
or writes you a note expressing how much you’ve helped him without doing anything other than just being by his side
like changkyun ??? it is 9:30 a.m. on a wednesday you can’t just tell someone “i’m glad i took this job because without it i never would have met you”
he cannot be stopped. if his heart feels warm, he needs to tell you right away because he doesn’t want the moment to pass <3
once he gets that comfortable with you, changkyun considers you a friend friend, not just a work friend
so, as long as you’re comfortable with it, he starts suggesting ways to hang out outside of work !!
at first, all the suggestions are things like going to coffee shops, attending events for your shared interests, etc.
but he lets it slip one day that, even though he was really excited to go out on the town with you that friday night, he was so exhausted from the week that he wanted nothing more than to lounge on his couch and watch tv
so you said, “why don’t we just do that?”
changkyun looks at you with complete and utter shock
“y-you…you’d want to do that with me?”
you look at him with complete confusion because of course ??? what are friends for ??? also work WAS exhausting this week so you don’t want to go anywhere either lol
his face LIGHTS up and he’s giggling with excitement at a chill night in with you
changkyun’s talking faster than you’ve ever heard when he starts recommending shows and movies for you two to watch together and snacks to have and a “dress code”
you tell him to take a breath and that you’re sure the night will be perfect :,-)
he nods and stops himself from talking even more because he knows his work needs to be done, so he waves goodbye and says he can’t wait for the week to be over
for the rest of the week, he messages you different links so you can pick out the content lineup
changkyun, looking so comfy in his hoodie, is buzzing when he opens the door to his place
you’re surprised and endeared because he’s so energetic when all you two plan on doing is sitting on the couch
turns out quality time is a love language for him because you swear you’ve never seen him happier :,-)
after all the laughs and calm moments, changkyun admits that he has never been happier than he was hanging out with you, so he hopes that you two can do this more often
your answer is obviously yes because changkyun is the sweetest and best person to hang out with <333
changkyun can’t stop smiling because now it’s official: he can see his favorite person (you) every day and everywhere, so long as you want to see him which you always want to <3333
Could i request some headcannons about ways to fluster either GB or MX (or both if you feel like it)?
☕️
Flustering GB + MX
Hey there! Thanks for the ask!
Absolutely love this request. Nothing can go wrong with a bit of flirting. Also I did both because why not and I like the both of them. Hope you like it. ~Blaze/Dawn
Pronouns: Not Mention
Warning: ❌
Requested: Yes/No
Characters: GB + MX
Proofread: ❌
Credits: Art by J4WTRAP (For MX) on Twitter and sparkguy (For GB) on Newgrounds + Banner by gguksgalaxies (Edited By Me) on Pinterest
———————————
GB:
- Honestly I think he’s more of the flirt between the two of you. I just see him like that. He’s naturally a flirt and really loves seeing you flustered. He finds it really cute seeing your cheeks turning red from a compliment he gave you and he won’t stop until your whole face has turned red.
- The things this man will do to see you flustered is something. He’s really dedicated to it. I'll tell you that. He’ll range from simply complimenting you then turning that complimenting to a hundred nearly causing you to get whiplash from how quickly he escalated it. This technique definitely works every time around you. No doubt about it. He also resorts to whispering into your ear for extra flair if he’s feeling it.
- However just because he’s the most flirtatious between the two doesn’t mean he can’t be flustered in return. It is still possible and isn’t immune to it. One way you can get him flustered is simply flirting with him back. As simple as it sounds that's one of the ways you can get him really flustered.
- Do you know that one audio from the game grumps on YouTube when Arin jokingly flirts towards Dan while playing Zelda and Dan replies back , surprising Arin. Yeah it’s that just with you and GB. He can dish out compliments but as soon as you give him one in response or retaliation he immediately stops what he’s doing. Surprised that you were somewhat bold enough to return his advances.
- It definitely catches him off guard when you do stuff. He’s pretty much used to having the upper hand when it comes to stuff and although he doesn’t mind when you do, he honestly doesn’t know what to do for a bit before returning to his usual ways.
- Another way you can get him blushing is boasting about him. Although it doesn’t get him to become flustered you can still make him slightly stutter while blushing doing this. By doing this you're basically raising his ego to a whole other level. He pretends to act all tough and not be affected by it if you’re or anyone else is around but as soon as he’s by himself he’ll let himself melt into the compliments he receives from you. If you hear any noise coming from him in a certain area. No you didn’t.
MX:
- I’d like to think to a certain extent that MX is kind of a flirt around you. Although he does this he prefers to show his appreciation for you in other ways. When he is flirting with you it’s more of a gentleman way when it comes to him doing it. Something as simple as grabbing your hand and kissing it.
- When it comes to yours and his relationship he prefers to prioritize you over himself when it comes to happiness. He likes seeing a smile on your face and doesn’t like you being upset. Especially if he finds out someone made you upset in the first place. He’s naturally a protective person due to who he is. He’s literally a beast you’ll find yourself accepting at some point. If you're happy he’s happy.
- For how to get him flustered I can imagine you can get him flustered by complimenting him. I’m talking about GB level complimenting him. You can say anything like saying how strong he is or anything about his looks and you got this buff ass plumber melting inside from how much you love him.
- I like to think he’s not used to getting compliments due to his freakish nature. He’s so used to people being scared of him that when he has someone who isn’t scared of him let alone loves him he doesn’t know what to do. He surprisingly gets a bit shy, not in an over the top way but it is pretty obvious when the comments affect him that way. But regardless he appreciates your loving nature for him.
- I also like to think he’s really into physical affection. That also makes him a bit flustered. He’s a little reluctant when it comes to pda, that definitely gets him red if you do it in public. Due to this he prefers doing it in private but it still gets him red even if it’s just the two of you. One thing you do to him which he likes is kissing him. Preferably on the cheeks and even more preferably on his nose. He likes it when you do that and definitely puts a smile on his face. After doing what he does, he immediately goes to you, brings you into a hug and just relaxes while you do that to him.
Prompt: There was blood everywhere. So you turned around, closed the door, and walked away quickly.
A million thoughts ran through your head. It was your apartment, but not your blood. You were the only one who lived there. You had no pets—
Someone grabbed your shoulder, and you were yanked back, then pushed against a wall. A hand covered your mouth, and you heard a click. “Scream and I’ll put two in your chest.” Your lungs seized up with the lack of air. You looked at the man’s face and immediately wished you hadn’t. You shut your eyes and nodded. “Good. Back to your apartment. Quietly.”
He released you and motioned with the gun to get moving. You were trembling by the time you stood in your living room. The door locks clicked into place. “First off, I’d like to apologize for the mess.” He came to your side and stared at the blood splatters, puddles, and stains. “I had a…disagreement with an acquaintance. The clean-up crew will be here soon.”
“Y-yeah. So why my place?” You chanced a glance at him. He looked as awkward as you felt.
“He tried to run away.” He shook his head. “I hate it when they make me chase them.” He sighed. “Not a surprise with the type of person he was.”
‘Was.’ As if you needed confirmation he was still alive.
“So what happens now? To me?”
He made a little noise of surprise and looked at you. “You? As long as you keep your mouth shut, nothing. Dealing with you just creates more paperwork. Besides, you make my coffee perfectly. It’d be a massive pain in the ass to find a new coffee shop or get someone else used to my order.”
MX is a gentle sweetheart with you after sex, always looking you over, and checking for wounds before softly holding you against him like the teddy bear he is.
B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)
He loves your waist and hips, he loves the fact that he can grab your lower abdomen and practically use you as a cocksleeve. As for himself, he loves his arms, he likes how well his arms cage you beneath him.
C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)
With how large he is (in more ways than two), if he cums inside, expect some mild cum inflation. Granted, all it takes is gently pushing your stomach back to normal and then from there you'll be leaking for a day or two.
D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)
He (not so secretly) has a massive size kink but he will never admit to it out loud.
E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)
He's scarily experienced with it oddly enough, but hey it makes for eventful sex.
F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)
He loves both missionary and when you ride him, he just can't help the throaty the chuckle that escapes him as he watches you struggle to take his entire dick.
G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)
He occasionally makes a joke or two to fluster you but mostly just growled out dirty talk.
H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)
He has some, not a lot, but some. And he keeps it mostly kempt.
I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)
He starts out slow and gentle, allowing you to somewhat get used to him, then he's rough and dominant, practically rearranging your insides just so he can hear the screams and yelps you make as his cock hits every spot in you at once.
Considering Mario ‘85 is rather desolate, pretty much wherever is comfortable. What’re the victims gonna do??
M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)
How fucking small you are compared to him always seems to wriggle into the horniness of his mind each time he thinks about it. If you start feigning any form of innocence while trying to fluster him that'll just make him have to hold back from tearing your clothing off and railing you then and there.
N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)
Any freaky fetishes (Watersport, Scatplay, Diapers, etc.)
O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)
He loooves receiving, he loves watching your small mouth struggle to take even the tip as his smile somehow widens.
P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)
As stated prior, he starts gentle, then rails you until he hears you scream and whine and beg.
Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)
He only does them if a victim is running around and Horror Mario needs them dead, or if Lucas starts running around again.
R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)
He loves experimenting with you, seeing how far your body can go beyond its limits until he hears a safe word.
S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)
Considering who and what MX is, his stamina is very high, able to last you hours and hours before he lets himself get close, all so he can watch your small form get ruined by him.
T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)
He doesn't own many, probably at least two or three, but the few he does own he only ever uses on you.
U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)
The level in which he teases is fully dependent on his mood, if he needs you that very moment he's very straightforward and demanding in his wants to fuck you, if he wants to hear those sweet sweet lewd sounds and begs you make, he's a biiig tease (that's also usually when the toys come into play.)
V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)
He can control how loud he is usually but he usually remains fairly quiet, grunting, and groaning every now and then.
W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)
Loves hearing you moan his name. He just can't help but groan in approval at the sound of his name falling so lewdly off of your lips as he's buried inside you.
X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)
He's about 12 inches long, and 8 inches around. Pretty fucking big given who he actually is and how big he is anyways.
Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)
As stated in Motivation, he has a fairly high sex drive though most of the time he manages to keep it under wraps and hide it until you and him can go deal with it.
Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)
He doesn't need to sleep, so he just holds you on his chest and lets you sleep peacefully on his squishy body while he watches you warmly.
warning: bullet points because it’s the only thing stopping me from writing 7 full-length fics. these are still long, though. lower-case intended.
requested by @sweeticeream.
↣ shownu
frankly, you probably didn’t know hyunwoo well enough to ask him this, but he was the only guy friend you had (even if you only knew him for a little less than 4 months)
when you brought the idea of fake-dating up to him, he was very ?? about it
why don’t you just date someone (him) for real?
you regretted bringing this up as soon as you saw the confusion in his eyes
so you went into a whole frenzy, trying to justify your decision to fake-date, all so you wouldn’t come off as crazy as you felt
and after you started to explain it more, he got far too lost in the passion in your eyes, so he just said yes
sure, he’ll pretend to be your date to this family event in exchange for good food and great company
which meant home-made dishes and an endless stream of grandmothers, exclaiming “who’s this handsome young man?!” whenever he walked into the room with you
it was a nice ego boost and he got to hold your hand the whole night, which was nice, too (because you had soft skin, that’s all, no other reason whatsoever)
you weren’t worried about what would happen once the night ended because your family only got together once every decade
but by a stroke of disaster, four of your cousins (some of them twice removed; you’d never even seen them before tonight) announced they were getting married later this year
and, of course, they hoped you and hyunwoo would come to the wedding
the two of you smiled and nodded and acted in love
but as soon as the night ended, you told hyunwoo he didn’t have to come to any other event with you
there was only so much food you could bribe him with before you started to feel awful for dragging him here
but hyunwoo gave you a look and replied, completely seriously, “i don’t know what you’re talking about, i had a nice time tonight. your family’s great.”
that definitely made you feel less terrible when you asked him, “so you wouldn’t mind going to one of those weddings with me as my fake-boyfriend?”
you laughed as you said it, trying to make it seem more like a joke than a serious suggestion, so he wouldn’t feel bad about having to turn you down
but hyunwoo didn’t feel bad in the slightest when he said, “oh, no. i would mind.”
so, that was that, then
“oh, well, it’s okay. i told you, you don’t have to go with me—”
“i want to go with you as your actual boyfriend.”
yeah, fuck it. he may not have been able to look at you as he said it, but he didn’t really see a point to fake-date you when really dating you seemed like a much better alternative
↣ wonho
it was supposed to be mutually beneficial for you both
a classic let’s-pretend-to-date-to-make-our-exes-jealous plot
and then somewhere along the way, hoseok kind of forgot that this was supposed to be all pretend?
he’d keep on holding your hand even when it was just you two in the room
or he’d still kiss your cheek when he stood up from the couch to grab something, even though there was no one to prove a point to
and okay, at first, you didn’t realize there was anything wrong with that
but then you ran into your ex without hoseok around, and he asked, “so where’s your boyfriend?”
and you didn’t even care about the envy in his voice as you told him about how much hoseok had been working lately and how you hadn’t gotten to see him a lot
and there it was
the realization that you really cared more about spending time with hoseok than about making your ex jealous
god, it was so awkward bringing this up to hoseok, though
“so, hey, do you think it worked?” you asked him that same night once your conversation (sort of) turned to your exes
he wasn’t following, “what do you mean?”
cringing now, you tried to make this sound less childish, “well, you know. getting a reaction out of—”
“oh, that.”
silence
honestly, for a minute there, you worried hoseok was about to say that it had worked and that he was back together with his ex now
but then he just chuckled nervously and admitted, “honestly, i’ve kind of forgotten all about that.”
oh, well okay, but what does that mean????
your heart feels like it’s about to leap out of your chest as you wait for him to say something else
something that would, hopefully, make the state of your relationship a little more clear
but then hoseok just went, “so, how do you feel about ordering pizza tonight? my fridge is empty,” and that was it
so, yeah, idk, i guess you’re dating for real now? 🤷🏻♀️
↣ minhyuk
honestly, this was supposed to be just a joke
everyone always kept teasing you about how you spent so much time together, “it was time you started to date”
so minhyuk finally just shrugged, took your hand in his, and declared, “we already are”
it was mostly meant to make your friends uncomfortable
like, okay, they couldn’t stop teasing you about how close you were? then you’ll show them just how much closer you could be
but although your friends did squirm, and their teasing did turn into complaining within a few days of this
you felt like you were the one who felt the weirdest
because, fine, when it came down to it, maybe you did have a little crush on minhyuk
it was barely there, though!
you never even thought of it as a serious crush, you just found him attractive is all
but then he was suddenly glued to your side, always touching, always smiling and glancing over at you
and yeah, it’s definitely a crush now
and thing is, this doesn’t feel fake!
minhyuk went out of his way with the pda, all to make your friends cringe
but did he really have to call and text you every night before going to sleep just to say goodnight and wish you sweet dreams??
did he really have to remember every little thing that you’ve ever told him, even if you couldn’t remember saying it??
alright, to be fair, minhyuk realized he didn’t need to do those things, he was just taking full advantage of his position as your fake-boyfriend
and your friends’ teasing had not been baseless; clearly, there was something there between you and him
so, somewhere along the way, the fake dating seamlessly morphed into serious dating
your friends hadn’t even realized that “he’s my boyfriend” used to be a joke, but now you were no longer kidding
except, at times, when minhyuk was using his boyfriend status as an excuse to drag you to a yet another dreadfully boring event with him
he’d always use the boyfriend card
“how can you say no to me, Your Boyfriend™??”
and you’d always remind him, “well, technically, you never asked me out on a date, so i don’t know where you’re getting this from”
he’d give you a look and a sarcastic laugh
but he wasn’t too wounded by this because he was too busy wondering if you’d still say the same thing when he eventually used the “since i’m your boyfriend” technique to ask you to spend the rest of your life with him
↣ kihyun
okay, now, you weren’t supposed to start fake-dating
you just happened to be standing next to each other at a party when the guy who was relentlessly hitting on you the entire night, walked by and did a double-take
he stopped in front of you two, scratched his chin thoughtfully, and then said, very accusingly, “you should have told me you didn’t want to go on a date with me because you already had a boyfriend”
(really, you didn’t want to go on a date with him because he was a disgusting pig, but whatever gets him through the night)
and kihyun – who’s, really, more of a friend-of-a-friend than a boyfriend to you – was already opening his mouth to refute this
until you grabbed his hand and whispered a hushed, “why don’t we let him believe that?”
and you obviously didn’t mean that as a prank
kihyun could tell from the look in your eyes that you needed this guy to finally get lost, you weren’t just joking around
so he cleared his throat, got his hand out from your grip and placed it around your shoulders, bringing you closer
and then he stuck his chin out at the guy, “yeah, she has a boyfriend.”
partially cringing, you glared at the guy one more time – not that it did much; he was immune to all deadly looks – and he finally shrugged and walked away
you thanked kihyun, apologized, stammered awkwardly for another minute, and walked away, hoping to simmer in mortification somewhere else
preferably at a place where this cute boy, who just pretended to be your boyfriend, couldn’t see you
but, not even fifteen minutes later, your friends were collectively hitting you on your shoulders and back, all yelling over each other
you hunched over and took a few precautionary steps forwards to escape their assault, before giving them a bewildered look
“what the hell happened????”
finally, one of your friends gave you an explanation: “how dare you bring your boyfriend to the party and not introduce us?”
you were still staring at your friends with wide eyes, and you were genuinely starting to worry about the contents of their cocktails because they knew you didn’t have a boyfriend
“people just overheard you reject some asshole because you were here with your boyfriend,” another friend said. “they saw you hugging.”
oh. well
“he wasn’t—i was just—”
but you caught sight of the same asshole out of the corner of your eye, and, suddenly, you weren’t so sure if it was a good idea to admit to lying
“yeah,” you ended up saying, a defeated sigh following shortly after. “he’s my boyfriend. i’ll introduce you later.”
“why don’t you do it now?” a voice asked, nearly making you jump out of your skin
kihyun – the king of showing up at the right place, at the right time – was smiling as he stood next to you
your friends, of course, proceeded to pounce on you (that’s how they show love)
and it took you another half an hour to get kihyun alone to ask him why, in the name of god, would he carry on pretending to be your boyfriend?
and he’s been so composed the whole night, but suddenly he’s an awkward mess
“i don’t know,” he admitted, “maybe that’s the only way i knew how to ask you out on a real date.”
you both knew that there were many easier ways to do that, but you had to admit two things
one, you kind of have no choice but to say yes now, since everyone already thinks you’re dating
and two, the butterflies in your stomach have been rioting ever since kihyun introduced himself as your boyfriend that first time, so it would be good for your health to go on a real date with him. you know, to stop all the fluttering and the shaking of your heart
↣ hyungwon
hyungwon got you into the fake-dating mess by accident
he’d been trying to impress his new manager because he felt like he really deserved a promotion
but no matter what he did, the guy seemed to hate him
and then one time during lunch, hyungwon happened to start a conversation about music, and he discovered that the manager was into the same indie band as he was
he milked the hell out of this, mentioning every obscure song he could remember, and he could almost see the points he was gaining with the manager
he even ended up being called up to his office at the end of the day
“this will sound weird, but are you seeing anyone right now?” the manager asked
hyungwon genuinely thought he gave off the wrong impression and even glanced at the sexual harassment awareness posters on the wall of the office
but then the manager explained, “i have four tickets to the band’s concert this friday. we could go on a double-date.”
and, because this was his promotion on the line, hyungwon stammered, “uh… yes, i am seeing someone… a concert sounds great.”
cut to you getting a panicked phone call from hyungwon several hours later, demanding that you cancel your plans for friday night and pretend to be his girlfriend to impress his manager
eh, you like the band anyway, and hyungwon was a good friend, even if you never really saw him romantically, so why not
but, like in any classic rom-com, after spending the night exaggerating hyungwon’s positive qualities (in a subtle way, of course), you came to realize that, huh, maybe you did see him as a romantic interest? kind of? a little bit?
it was just nice how he kept holding you all throughout the concert, so he wouldn’t lose you in the crowd of people
and it was nice how he walked you home and checked on you even after his manager and his girlfriend had left the two of you alone
and it was also nice—alright, fine, you had a proper crush on hyungwon now
you assumed he’d done most of those things that night because he wanted to leave a positive impression on his manager
but then hyungwon got that promotion (the concert played a part in that for sure), and he invited you to celebrate at his house
and you showed up, thinking it was going to be a party for all of his friends, but it was just him, a bottle of wine, and two glasses
so you got worried that maybe you showed up too early, but hyungwon shook his head, “no, you’re right on time. wine?”
“uh… shouldn’t we wait for everyone else?”
“there’s no one else,” he said, his hands shaking as he unscrewed the cork. “it’s just you.”
oh, okay, then
now your heart was shaking and what-not, that’s great
“i wanted to thank you,” he said after he finally managed to pour wine into your glasses and onto the counter. “if it weren’t for you, i wouldn’t have gotten this promotion.”
“that’s not true, you’re a great employee and you deserve this.”
hyungwon appreciated you saying that, but he looked down and deflected, “you know, this promotion had been something that i was looking forward to for the past few months. until the night we went to that concert.”
you waited for him to continue, but his mouth was too dry, so he took a big gulp of his wine before he even finished the toast
(was this even a toast? oh god, he couldn’t understand what he was doing)
“t-that night,” he tried to continue, “i realized that i’m looking forward to seeing you again more than i’m looking forward to getting promoted. i was absolutely ready to go on a dozen more double-dates with you before i got that promotion.”
“i thought we’d have to do that, too, to be honest,” you interjected with a chuckle, alleviating the atmosphere slightly
“yeah?” hyungwon was glad to hear that. “i’m really, kind of, sad that we didn’t have to do that.”
quietly (because you didn’t dare to start drinking your wine yet, so you lacked the courage), you admitted, “me too.”
oh now he was positively vibrating and he had to set his glass of wine down as he braced himself
“why don’t we go on an actual date? no promotions to look forward to this time, just each other’s company.”
he looked like he was going to combust in three, two—
but you saved him by replying right away, “yeah. i’d like that.”
↣ jooheon
you and jooheon both wanted some peace and quiet when you went out with your friends, who all knew that the two of you were single, and kept setting you up with various people in the bar
so you suggested telling your friends that you both had already found relationships
“they’ll never believe it unless they see our partners,” jooheon pointed out
“okay,” you nodded, admitting the mistake. it only took you a second to come up with a better plan, though, “then how about we tell them we’re dating each other?”
he watched you for a minute, his eyebrows furrowed
“that is the dumbest thing i’ve ever heard,” he said then. “let’s do it.”
dumb or not, it worked
finally, you were able to relax, unwind, and get wasted on a friday night without being introduced to a new stranger every two drinks
it was a dream come true
and it worked like an excuse in other settings as well!
you don’t feel like attending another company dinner? “sorry, my boyfriend’s taking me out tonight, it’s our anniversary.”
jooheon hates his pretentious neighbour, so he needs an excuse to say no to his party? “sorry, got plans with my girlfriend this weekend.”
funnily enough, no one ever called either of you out on your bullshit
your co-workers had seen jooheon pick you up from work countless times
and all of jooheon’s neighbours knew you were the only person left who still had a spare key to his apartment (after a very unfortunate incident involving minhyuk, the notebook for jooheon’s lyrics, and a forgotten candle “for ambiance”, when jooheon was out of town)
nor you, nor jooheon had enough time for a serious relationship, and your fake-relationship never interfered with casual dating (since it all tended to end after one date)
so it was all fun and games
until your friends started asking, “so when are you going to propose?” and you realized this had been going on for a long time
jooheon, who was so used to his role as your fake-boyfriend, didn’t even skip a beat as he said, “when the time is right”
but the question rang in both of your heads for the rest of the night
when your taxi stopped outside of jooheon’s house at the end of the night, you got out with him because he was usually the type of drunk who could fall asleep in an elevator if left unsupervised
so, to save him the embarrassment – and also, to save you a trip back and forth between your houses – you tended to sleep in his guest room on friday nights
“you know what would be funny?” you asked him as the two of you took the elevator to his floor, “if we told our friends that we weren’t actually dating this whole time.”
jooheon chuckled, seemingly agreeing that this really would be funny
“you know what would be even funnier?” he responded, his speech still slurred from the alcohol. “if we actually started to date.”
you laughed, nodding, because that really would be even funnier
but then once jooheon was in bed and you prepared to head to the guest room, he suddenly grabbed your hand, stopping you
“so what time should i pick you up next week?” he asked
he never picked you up for anything, so you were understandably confused, “for what?”
“for our date,” he explained.
“oh, to pull the prank of the year?” you asked, chuckling. “first, we pretended to date, and then we actually started to date. but, actually, it’s all one big—”
“no,” jooheon disagreed, his eyes drooping, but his grip on your hand remaining firm. “this won’t be a prank. it’ll be a date. for real, this time.”
↣ i.m
he needed to get his family off his back (in the kindest way possible, of course)
there were only so many “it’s time for you to get married, why don’t i arrange a blind date for you?” a person could take
and you’d been his best friend for years, so hey, can you lend your friend a hand? you won’t even have to do anything
or so he said
you agreed because, according to changkyun, he’d just tell his family that you were his girlfriend, and you wouldn’t actually have to go to any dinners, or any parties whatsoever
how utterly and completely dumb this was!!!!!!
you run in the same circles, of course you were going to run into his family in town
their congratulatory hugs weren’t even the worst part (but it was still awkward, and you made a mental note to strangle kyun later)
the worst part was the “i knew you two kids would get together eventually!” comments
you felt like you were disappointing his family because you weren’t actually dating, and that felt a lot like disappointing your real family
it was crushing
you’d had such a good relationship with changkyun’s whole family, they were your second home
and now you were lying to them
so you didn’t think you were exaggerating when you sent changkyun a gentle “prepare to die” message once you managed to escape his relatives
he had a solution, though (at least, he thought he did)
“okay, so how’s this, then – we date for real?”
???????
he’d been your best friend for so long, you struggled to think of him as anything else
but it was also a defence mechanism in a way? you used to have the biggest crush on changkyun when you first became friends, so you needed to find a way to suppress these feelings
“changkyun,” you began seriously, “do you really think dating you would traumatize me less than my fear of disappointing your family?”
he watched you for a minute, the insult buffering, and then sent a pillow flying right at your head
“i’m saying i want you to go out with me, dumbass.”
you tried to duck, but still got swatted on the back of your head with the pillow as you asked, “why?”
he laughed humourlessly (and nervously) and then rolled his eyes, “gee, i don’t know, maybe because i don’t want you to feel bad about lying to my family, you sensitive wuss. or maybe because i genuinely have feelings for you, i don’t know.”
you were about to toss the pillow back at him, but then stopped
swallowing hard, you asked, “so which is it?”
“i can’t even breathe right now, which do you think it is?”
you were the one rolling your eyes this time, “can’t you just say it like a normal person, you asshole?”
“it’s already obvious, dimwit.”
“are you seriously only insulting me because you can’t tell me you like me? that’s lame, even for a nerd like you.”
he was groaning in exasperation at this point, “what else do you want me to do? you’re the most oblivious person i’ve ever met. and i don’t like you, you big idiot. i’m pretty sure i’m in love with you.”
never a freelance worker, hyunwoo has always had his tie a little too tight around his neck. when bullets fly at your innocent head, he realizes those that are after you aren’t out for a bounty, but for blood. palm around his gun at his waist and you in his peripheral, it’s not a day’s work well done until you’re safe.
His features, stern at first glance but gentle with a stare. You had caught his sight as you turned onto the walkway, closing in on the hotel door. Hat placed perfectly, outfit fresh from the cleaners inside the hotel, and his guidance of a nod as his large hand opened the door for you.
He seemed to fit in so well. His coat fit perfectly, shoes so shiny you could see the reflection of the lights above as you walked by. It was almost believable that his current occupation was his only one.
Losing his eye contact, it was the first mistake.
You felt the air shift behind you as you moved inside, the doors closing at your entrance. With no one else inside the main lobby except the man at the front desk, you could have been convinced the two-in-the-morning arrival was considered the safest route.
Things had gone so awry, all you wanted was one night of good rest. Being placed at a motel seemed fit for the situation—but no one would call for help over destructive noises occurring until they witnessed a scene themselves. A safehouse—secluded and mundane, the peace could only distract you for so long.
The man at the front desk peered up momentarily, finishing the last few words on the keyboard of his computer. Unlike the silence of the door-man, his gravelly voice found you odd.
"Isn't it late for someone like you to be out alone?" Ignoring all sense of what could have happened to get you to this point in time, the man went on. "And, I mean—shouldn't you have a partner?"
The prying of a stranger, it sends chills up anyone's spine.
"Is there a problem?" You wanted the voice to be his. To be just as the same as you had heard it be once. The way he had swooped in, stuffed any sort of uncomfort from your situation—but he didn't disturb the humanity in act.
It had been the man at the front desk's voice, your diverting eyes merely upsetting him as the redness in his face brightened and the vein in his forehead became visible.
"I-I am sorry." Your voice was always so small when someone bit at you like this. "May I have a room for the night?"
"Just one night?"
The first time you had noticed his placement was so vivid. How he always matched the settings, didn't stand out—he couldn't stand out. Always watching you from afar.
All you had seen of him was the right side of his face, the man sitting in the driver's side of your car being the complete opposite of what you know him as now. He hardly spoke, only repeating your directions and asking if the air being on was alright.
All it took was a second. A blink of an eye for his work to turn upside down, and for him to find himself saving the one he was meant to be taking out.
The bullets had shot into the vehicle so fast, his knuckles turning white around the wheel as he gripped harder. He took sharp turns, his only instructions for you to check your seatbelt and stay tucked down.
There was an unsaid rule that when danger seeps past the target and heads for him, he has to get involved. Seeing things out, keeping the blood on his own hands instead of yours—it was a priority that could cost him everything and more. What he knew, what he was capable of, who he worked for, and why it was him in that driver's seat that day—if he didn't get answers, all of this would have been for nothing. And something he believes most of all, nothing happens without a cause or reason.
Even in his world, he can't help impulses.
"Just one night."
You rocked on your heels awaiting a card to give you fortress, attempting to avoid the itch you could never scratch. So close, so far—how could you be so stupid to believe someone would take a chance on you like this?
Your soft breath in was enough to help you hold in your desires, to quiet your mind from its racing thoughts. A card between your middle and index fingers, and all you could want was for someone else to be by your side at this moment in time.
Dragging along one lonesome bag almost too heavy to be on your shoulder, the weight began to float off of you. It was just around a corner when your eyes matched a pair of dark irises, the man that allowed you to enter the hotel in the first place now carrying your bag at his side like it was his.
His walk, left hand at his waist, right hand tight and strong carrying the bag—moving along like no one could ever get in his way.
The security of the elevator doors opening at the touch of his finger, the ding ringing out and giving you enough leverage to finally give him a better glance.
Tall, focused, and wearing a bell-boys outfit.
His figure stood over yours, eyes straight forward and alleviating every nerve in your body. You could feel the cool air seeping back into your pores, feel the release of your tight temples, and even more so—feel the heat radiating off his body as he stood so close to you in such a small space.
"Please tell me this time will be different."
You hardly caught the inhale making his chest expand, the lift of his cheek as his lips made a short-lived smirk.
He didn't even have to look back at you, his voice only sounding from his face. "With your life on the line?"
Hyunwoo always knew what to do or say, almost as if the man had telekinesis.
"Not a chance."
one. | change of plans.
In order to gain your trust, Hyunwoo had explained everything to you that evening. As the car sped in the fast line down multiple main highways to deviate your trace, he had rattled off everything he knew about you.
"This doesn't make any sense." The first sentence was under his breath, his eyes capturing your figure beginning to move back into the seat instead of the bent over position he told you to hold during the intense car chase.
"My order was for you." The way his top lip bounced, spasmed from the words he was speaking and giving a tell of where his anger lied. At first, you couldn't differentiate if he was upset about not taking out his target, or being in the line of fire now, himself. "What would the exchange even be for?"
Your head shook, eyes diverting to the extremely clean leather interior to attempt to side track your racing thoughts. As you clung to your single bag, the one you had already been living out of for almost a month when more and more people mentioned you seemed to be getting followed—it was hard to not shake from the sudden announcement of your once hitman now being the one in charge of your life, and practically holding you captive in a vehicle moving at the highest speed legally possible.
It only took two of the people in your life to be overtaken by fear on their face while telling you something was wrong. A family member you had been with all your life asking why there was someone following you, a tall man who stayed at a far distance. A close companion who you spent almost every day with finally became able to explain the man's features, and even more importantly—the pistol he carried, shown by its shape against the black dress shirt he wore.
"The order came from my boss." His knuckles would turn white every so often as he drove, eyes mainly focused on the road and only blinking from bumps along the highway. "There has to be something more than this."
"Uhm—" That small voice, always an octave lower than it should be when you're trying to get someone's attention. Even with the sound of the wind whipping against the large SUV, with Hyunwoo's mind trying to relap every step he took to get to this dangerous point—he still looked up through the mirror to meet your gaze for a split second.
"Yes?" The man was cold, he had to be to work this job. And yet, there was something about how he always had to make eye contact with you at least once when conversing with you.
"Wh-Who are you? What's your name?"
The man's quick blink made your brows thread together from curiosity. Why was the question so perplexing?
"You clearly know who I am. Or at least, I hope you do from the way you're speaking about me. I just—" He sat in silence, listening to every syllable of your words like a song on the radio you haven't heard in years. "—w-want to know what's going on."
That was the first time you had witnessed Hyunwoo take in a deep breath. The way his chest rose, the buttons on his dress shirt beneath his coat merely snapping at the thread from the muscles he gained from his healthy lifestyle and life-threatening occupation. His thumb tapped at the steering wheel in such a human way, you began to focus on the things that make him more and more like a man working a job instead of some trained assassin he actually lived and worked as.
His brow lifted, shiny features and dark eyes finding you quickly in the rear-view mirror once more. "My name is Hyunwoo. I work for the International Contract Agency as a hired assassin. My job today was to take you to a secluded area and clean, but our sudden chase changed plans. Now I believe that there is something wrong with the situation, and someone gave me orders to put me in danger with you for a reason, as a ploy."
His response sounded robotic, his grip tightening on the wheel and eyes suddenly sinking into themselves as he spoke. The man seemed too picture perfect, seemed to already have the answers to the questions that would leave your mouth—and very quickly was becoming the ally you needed to survive this mess.
"Hyunwoo." His name rolling off your tongue caused him to look at you through a glance of the mirror once more, the final rise of his eyes for the hour making a shiver go down your spine. "Where are we going, e-exactly?
"We're taking this SUV to a far away repair shop. It'll be enough of a reason to stop."
"Why do we need a reason to stop?"
He always answers your question to the best of his ability, and almost right on queue.
"We're being tracked through a device hidden underneath the vehicle." His words made your eyes grow and hands shake, but this time he didn't have to look back to feel your discomfort. "It's okay. There's not a microphone, we can converse as necessary. We're taking this SUV to the repair shop to make it look like a casual stop for help, while it's actually a diversion to slip away."
"You really do this full time, huh?" Your question was the first normal sounding sentence during the entire conversation.
What followed up to such a casual question was something you had been biting your tongue instead of asking—the one you knew he would have an answer for, but that you probably wouldn't like hearing.
"Hyunwoo—" The use of his name again only made his eyes flicker, an obvious sign that the use of a title, one not numbered, was new to him. "What's the plan?"
"We make a run for it. Together."
"Why together? I-I mean—" You stuttered, but meant what you were saying. "A matter of minutes ago you were meant to be putting a gun to my head and blowing my brains out."
"It's not like that." First, he spoke under this breath again as you ranted.
"Then you realized they were shooting at you, too." You carried on like you didn't hear him speak. "So you jumped to conclusions that you're part of this now."
Hyunwoo was the exact description that had come from your close friend. Dark brown hair, even darker—almost scary eyes, the black dress shirt, the pistol at his waist, tall according to the shallow sight you had of his high knees letting you know his legs are long, and clearly on a mission to carry out something considering his stalking. Now the man that was once to be your killer was a sudden main companion—things seemed too strange to be true.
"Jumped to conclusions?" Secondly, his nose scrunched at your words and knuckles tightened again around the wheel.
"And now if we're both not careful, we'll end up dead!"
It was his sudden press to the gas pedal that made the vehicle fly even faster than it had. A swipe at the blinker to show he was changing lanes, the car swaying all the way over to the far right, and his last movements were placing the emergency lights on and putting the SUV in park.
Just as he turned around in his seat—those dark eyes matching your own face to face for the first time making your heart race—did Hyunwoo speak directly to you, not at you.
"You're scared, right?" His words were snappy, you could only nod your head like a child. "I'm right here."
You could feel your temple releasing at those three words, feel the tears that had been threatening to drip from your eyes falling down your face and splattering your shirt with small dots. Everything that had occurred in such a short time was finally coming to you all at once, and Hyunwoo was making it a point that you're not alone in this anymore.
"I've been following you for a month."
"I-I know."
"I never follow anyone for that long." For once, the man was only spitting the truth without sugar-coating or speaking of it without emotion at all. "Something told me you were different. That this was going to be different. I just didn't understand why my conscience knew more than I did."
A man, trained and signed to the largest assassination company. Clearly a hybrid of something else to make everything about him and all he needs to do his job sharper. And slowly beginning to find a more human side to himself based off the way his voice shook and eyes watered for what seemed like the first time ever in his life.
"I can promise you one thing will come out of this. Only one."
"Okay." Your voice was small again, just above a whisper from his close proximity. His entire self focused on you and your response.
"I am going to protect you with my life."
two. | diversion.
The first time you witnessed Hyunwoo raise his pistol—you got the official wave of just how weak you were considering the circumstances.
It didn't take long for someone to come looking for the two of you once the SUV was held still. Raised and being worked on, an attending employee just doing their job—and the entire building exploding minutes later.
You could hear the blast, even at the distance Hyunwoo managed to get both of you by that time. All it took was the car sitting still for ten minutes before the ones in your pursuit configured the vehicle to be parked, and the two of you may still be in it.
Hyunwoo's strong hand grabbed at your wrist, tugging you along the busy streets and looking like nothing more than an overbearing boyfriend or husband to all the wandering eyes. Everyone was soon diverted to the sudden explosion, your limbs shaking while you got out of sight.
"W-What is going on?" Even with Hyunwoo in your lead, his promise to protect you, and his quick witted responses and actions—your body still naturally held enough anxiety to make you pop.
"Hey." His voice had gone softer, the fear in your eyes making him halt in place and press your back into the wall.
His index finger lifted your chin, those dark eyes you had seen so few times now in direct line with your own, and easing your worry in a second. "Look at me."
Your blinking eyes, shivering limbs, and hair-raised skin was enough to tell him you were in over your head, and he needed to be the one on alert. "I've got us. Let's just get somewhere out of the public’s sight."
But the footsteps tailing you sounded just as loud as Hyunwoo's. Movements are quick, just far enough behind the two of you to not be in sight. Hyunwoo was well aware—it seemed almost too obvious that no one would be right behind you.
But watching him grab you and place your body behind his, your back to another chilled wall, and his pistol raised and cocked—he was really someone with complete control.
A true example of just how far into this world Hyunwoo was—the unknowing man ran right into his bullet. A graze to his skull, not a bad enough shot to kill him—but still enough to put him down for good.
Hyunwoo's eyes studied the man, his brows knitted but not in confusion. His facial expression concluded that he had seen the chaser once or twice before, a familiar look in his eyes. The man wept on the ground, reaching up to try and grab at Hyunwoo, but ultimately failed. "Come on."
And soon enough, that exact situation seemed to repeat itself over and over. A far distance that seems like enough, a chase of rushing adrenaline and you clinging to Hyunwoo's frame like he was your human shield, ending in someone's severe take down giving you and him more time to keep running.
Easy to say, you didn't sleep for at least two months while on the run.
Every motel seemed the same: the dim lighting, early 2000's style cable TV, barely any heat or air conditioning, snacks from vending machines becoming meals, and hard mattresses with years of use in every fiber of them.
His fingers would tap at the suitcase style laptop, programs and dissectors making it easier for him to narrow down information. Be it the company he worked for, older clients with a sudden need for a bounty on his head, or something involving yourself—he spent countless nights digging for any kind of red flag.
"You—" His words sounded stuttered for the first time, your eyes from across the room catching his stunned face. "—are you an h-heir?"
"An heir?" You lifted yourself from the bed, pacing in his direction only to find exactly what he had been reading over for an hour now.
Lines of code broke down three subtle sentences of an email sent to whoever was chasing you, found by Hyunwoo who now could only tap his foot against the old carpeting in wonder.
"Heir to millions. Hitman in service. Target to be apprehended."
"Hyunwoo—" Your sight reading the words made your knees feel weak. "What does this mean?"
"It means you've been given a beneficiary title by someone, and will be receiving millions of dollars."
"I don't even think anyone in my family has made this much in their life."
"They don't actually have to be family." He spoke with softer words, watching as your body moved into the seat beside him at the small table before you fell over. "Anyone can give someone an inheritance through their will."
"H-Hitman in service?"
"That would be the ones who keep following us." His eyes quickly reverted back to the screen of the laptop, pupils dilating at the sudden change of brightness from the dark motel room to the device. "There hasn't been an update since the day you got into the SUV. Which means more has been devised, it's just not addressed in any more emails or messages—unless it's coded."
"And they had sight of me." You had caught on to what the lines meant by now, Hyunwoo only nodding.
"This is all—" If tears could flow, they would be rushing like a waterfall in this very moment. "—because of me? Something I didn't even know was happening?"
"Greed." The word slipping off Hyunwoo's tongue was like the bullets he had shot rounds of trying to protect you. "It's the worst human desire."
You watched him close the laptop and stretch his back, the man's sight soon falling back on your own.
"We've been here almost twenty-four hours." You winced at the idea of having to run again, the pained look on your face making him shake his head.
"Does it ever get easier?" So simple to you, but a question that would linger in his mind forever.
"Not without a direct link to who is calling the shots." Hyunwoo spoke with the same emotionless voice you had come to know, except this time it seemed to leave him for just a moment. "But until then—"
How can a stranger become a lifeline to you in a few months time, and yet still feel like you don't even know him?
"You've got me."
three. | when I take your hand.
You had seen more bloodshed in the months you resided by Hyunwoo than you would ever see in your life. Every chance he had to take, pushing you ahead of him to aim or jab at the ones in pursuit—he took it.
But Hyunwoo had once been the one with blood pouring from him, your shaking hands trying to hold a cloth to the wound. The crimson liquid only soaked through every piece of fabric you placed against it, a sudden flash of worry across your face.
The two of you had finally fallen inside a safehouse completely unknown by anyone else but Hyunwoo, and now yourself. The walls were stiffened by plates of armor within the drywall, bulletproof windows still giving you sight to the world outside you could no longer live in, and Hyunwoo—leaning backward as his arm took yours to capture your attention.
“I’m okay.”
“Okay, meaning you need stitches.” The gash had run deep, the ongoing blood being a sign that the wound wouldn’t just heal itself without medical attention.
“Hand me that box there.” His chin pointed in the direction of the first aid kit, a small tin box being what his eyes glanced at before finding your dilating pupils again. “And go find something else to do.”
Your fingers matched his as the box lifted and left your grasp. It only took a moment for your mind to catch up with what was inside, a nylon string and metal needle enough to make you deviate your eyes.
“Fuck.” You winced.
“That’s why I said leave.” The corner of his mouth rose with what seemed like a smirk, fingers pulling at the needle and string until it was placed through the eye and being tied. Dipping the needle into a disinfectant, he pulled at the skin around the injury before poking at himself with the sharp object.
The limited dribbles of blood that left him was nothing like the full wound, itself. Although he kept the items disinfected, there wasn’t anything placed along the wound to numb the pain he was about to feel. But nothing caused him to wince or breathe harder, a steady pace of Hyunwoo’s breath as he stitched himself up making you wonder just how many times he had done this to himself.
“How does that not hurt?” The question left you without thinking, speaking aloud as you watched him snip at the nylon thread once it was secured properly.
“I’ve had lots of practice.” He answered, eyes not looking back up at yours as they usually did.
“On yourself?”
“And on others.”
“You have too much experience in everything.” You sighed, shaking your head.
His eyes finally found you, catching a glimpse at the small cut on your shoulder showing through the ripped fabric of your shirt. “Looks like you were in the crossfire too.”
“We both were. That was too close of a call, Hyunwoo.”
Two men had trailed you down the longest road, your security being in every object that got you out of sight as Hyunwoo searched for a vehicle that was easy to break into. Ducking, weaving, clasping at the man as he led you away—you were both still hit by the strings of bullets sent in your direction, only his was worse.
“It won’t happen again.”
The bulletproof vest he wore beneath his clothes didn’t protect any more than his chest and heart. The outfit he wore, that of someone completely different from himself, didn’t provide much coverage when it came to the fact that the men who chased you had seen you both multiple times before. Each and every month there were new men, sometimes weekly depending on Hyunwoo’s allusive ways of getting you both out of a situation. For the two of you, this pattern seemed never ending.
As the lights turned on throughout the safehouse, the outside world grew darker. AsHyunwoo sat across from you at the table—you could almost wish time would freeze in place.
"How did you get here?" You had bounced around asking him about his world, his life and secrets, for so long. But now that you had both come this far, saw the way his eyes grew softer at the question and his chest released a deep breath—you could tell: he was finally going to speak of himself.
"Me?" He asked, sounding as if he was questioning even himself.
You never took into account that someone like Hyunwoo, with such a tough exterior and focused mindset, may have never been asked anything so personal as this was.
"I just do as I am told."
"That's a lie, Hyunwoo."
Your hands fell between your knees to warm your cold fingertips, leaning in closer to the man's short distanced frame. His brows could only raise at your sudden catch of his slip, head tilting in confusion.
"How am I lying?"
"You're moving on your own right now. You took me under your wing, are protecting me—all on your own accord."
"I never looked at it much like that."
"Then how do you see me?"
You never dug this deep. Never stepped over the line in all this time, asking Hyunwoo a question he could no longer waver an answer to.
"Yeah, you saved me that day. Maybe it was to save your own ass because you were in just as much danger as me."
He could only listen.
"But you're still here."
"I am." His voice, so sincere and careful.
"Although you gave me your word, you could have left me long ago."
Now it was Hyunwoo moving in closer. His form lifted, shirt pulled from his upper half a while ago giving you a sight of his muscles. The mental image had long been shown to you not long after you were paired with him. His habit of walking around in a towel, changing his clothes in front of you—from normal ones to some type of uniform to become a matching person in an upcoming scenario, you had grown used to his body.
The way he appeared to you now, skin tanned and shadowed by the lamps within the home—it seemed almost sensual the way he closed in on you.
Standing over you, right at your side with his head tilted down at you—you could only bite your tongue as he offered you his hand and helped you rise to his level.
Hyunwoo, a man who leapt into action for a stranger, was now staring at that same person with love and lust in his eyes.
"What if I saved you for a selfish reason?" He asked, voice finding your ear at the same time his opposite hand found your waist. The other, his fingers moving between yours to clasp them together and hold you tighter—your head was swimming.
"Months on the run like this. My life has always been this way. Follow instructions. Don't speak unless spoken to. Follow through with your actions no matter the consequences. Never get a blink of real sleep. Eat quickly. No sense of peace or release."
This was the most he had spoken since you met him, and you only wanted him to keep speaking.
"What if I saw you as an opportunity to get out? To run and chase something that is freeing?"
"When's the last time you were touched?" The words left your mouth faster than your brain could register the question in your own head.
And it was just what he wished to hear, the gap between your forms being closed and his lips landing on yours. His mouth was warm, inviting, his tongue dancing along with yours.
He was like a sweet drink—the ones where you drink too many and only realize their power once you're too drunk to stand. His taste intoxicating on its own, your head could only tilt to his height for him to kiss you deeper.
You could only feel the heat radiating off his bare skin as he backed you against the wall. The chill of the house was sent back up your spine as you met his tall form, the small dots of chills showing along your skin only making him groan and kiss you for longer.
His strength, his tight build still strong enough even throughout his tiredness from the injury to lift you again. He pressed you against spaces in the home that seemed restful, giving himself enough time to discard any pieces of clothing he could.
And when your back finally met the large mattress inside the bedroom—your mind was clear. Your fingers played with his hair that had grown longer each week. You found such comfort in him, the same as your mouth did when he kissed you, and even more so for when your eyes found his.
No matter how strong he appeared, fearless and conducted—you were breaking down his walls all while he was slipping into yours. His name being the only word on your tongue, his knuckles turning white holding onto your form to hold you as close as he possibly could. And your sweet release brings you to find small drops of his tears on your skin, his head falling into the nape of your neck.
"I am so sorry." His voice was like shattered glass, the sharp edges of your reality beginning to hurt him ever so slightly. "That this is happening."
"Hyunwoo." You spoke softly, but meant your words. "I'm not scared anymore."
The room's chill found your skin again, nothing but a fire going in the living room's fireplace bringing light into the master bedroom as he lay sprawled on top of you with tears still streaming down his face.
Of all the things he had ever said, of all the soft words spoken to you that night—the first ones that had ever stayed solidified in your mind were the ones he barely said.
"You should be scared of me."
four. | don't turn around.
"Please tell me this time will be different."
"With your life on the line? Not a chance."
His words found your hearing like music notes leaving the strings of a piano being played by an unknown musician. The man had taken bullets for you, had found himself falling in love with you, and here he stood—pretending fate wasn't so hurtful.
You had done everything he told you to do for months. You followed his instructions no matter where you were or what the circumstances could be. Even when you were acting them out, trying to hide your shaking hands—you always followed through.
You could even hear yourself breathing a shaky breath now, hearing the small ding of the elevator seconds before the doors opened to a floor that didn't have your room.
Hyunwoo's arms were tight, not reaching back for you this time. Not as he usually did in such an enclosed and easy to reach space. So few times had you felt his distance, the one leaving your frame cold and in his shadow. With each step you both took, you could feel the eeriness of what was to come.
You paced behind him closely, knew the drill—and heard the door of the stairs open and close before your eyes adjusted to the situation.
Hyunwoo, silent and moving at a slow pace, could not seem any more strange than he did now. No more words, no more instructions, and no more kisses to alleviate any worry for you.
You had become so used to him pulling you into a dark corner, away from anything happening around you—all to just place a kiss on your lips. He knew it kept you going, kept your mind on him and your safety and to help you settle yourself for whatever was to come.
Love had found itself between two people who were meant to have a short meeting. A glimpse of what could be, your time together so shallow to an ocean of life meant to be spent in peace and harmony.
But as each dark corner was passed, his swinging arms slowed by his side until he was only towering over you—you couldn't help but shutter at the sight of him spinning to match the end of his pistol at your head.
Alone. Secluded. And those same stern eyes staring back at you without a single bit of emotion in them.
"H-Hyunwoo?"
Every night his fingers tapped at the keys of the laptop inside his briefcase, and you wondered just what he was doing. Was there a code to break? Someone to speak to for the next move? Had he gained information to help free you both?
"W-Why did you trust me that day?" Was it the bullet being loaded into the chamber, sounded by a click from the weapon that made him stutter—or your watering eyes? "When we met, you trusted me so quickly."
"You had a plan." You didn't stutter again, couldn't find it in yourself to be fearful of him—even now. "You're doing this for a reason. I could tell you knew what you were doing."
The man could only rock on his heels, a pained expression on his face making you blink at the silence. Hyunwoo, the man you had grown to love and make love to, seemed to shift back into that same man you met the first day you slipped into that SUV while believing he was only your driver.
When the realization had hit you that he was the exact figure that had been described to be following you—you almost couldn't catch your breath for long enough to take into account that you were being followed.
"When that chase started off, and you realized that they weren't just shooting at me—" You spoke to him softly, but there was a small pit of concern in your voice. "You only thought of me. Of getting me out of there. Of figuring out what was happening."
"I knew what was happening."
His voice didn't fluctuate. He didn't hesitate, didn't waver his eyes over your body like a scan to capture any physical response from you, and most certainly didn't care for your racing mind full of questions.
"It was—" He had wanted to say it all along. You could see it in the way his shoulders relaxed as he spoke. "—all a set up."
His growing closeness, all the way down to the first night you pressed together in a way that was delightful and loving. It was a ruse to get what he needed.
"Even if I did love you." This was the first time Hyunwoo had ever spoken of you with the word love in his sentence. "This is just my job."
Do what he does best. Follow orders. Be the bodyguard you needed. Gain your trust. Get closer. Take action, and bullets for you. Get even closer. Play with your mind, your heart has to follow. Be the closest you can be.
He needed a DNA sample, a path to keep him from being a suspect, an alibi, and a way to rid himself of you in the end.
And here he was, and there you were.
"Hyunwoo."
"I have all the evidence that I need to make a headline without getting myself involved. You were just a pawn."
"You don't mean that—" His gun only pushed towards you closer.
The path he had taken you through the halls from the elevator put you in direct sight of the CCTV, and made you disappear without a trace.
You were his target all along.
"I am what I am." His teeth were clenched, pearled bones pressed together making his jawline sharper and brows thread together.
Hyunwoo was in a battle with himself. His heart thumped at the same, rapid rhythm as yours—it reminded him he was human. But following through with his orders, the money being the dire need for him to be the one freed—he had no other choice.
"You're not selfish." You whispered, keeping your eyes on his and not the silver pistol closing in on you until it was pressed against your forehead.
"You don't know me." His words were broken, like he was trying to say one thing but something else was spoken instead. "All I wanted was to feel love—feel the humanity you could give me—just for a moment."
Those hot tears were a dull image in your mind. Watching someone so strong become completely fragmented, it was the most painful experience you've ever felt.
"And I did."
"You did what, Hyunwoo?"
You could feel his hand jolt, knew what was coming next. But his words comforted the pain that soon followed. Your body shook, falling to the ground as the ear piercing sound of the gunshot echoed inside the staircase. Once and for all—beyond the belief that one day you would lose him to this life, it was you who left him.
"I really did love you."
if you enjoyed this: vote for the next fatal love story!
I'm BEGGING for some MX Mario X Reader. I have the fattest crush on him and he makes me uuooohgghhhh
Maybe an extroverted, confident and charming reader with the big fella? The reader is always the one to initate a hug, always the one who grabs MX's hand when they feel lonely, always the one to throw out compliments?
uh- so, im NOT that good with X reader stories, it's just not my thing, y'know, but ill try. but it's going to be short. sorry if it's not the best-
MX wasn't a people guy, you could see that from his interactions with Lucas before he was let out of the world and lived with the boy, now an adult. of course, he wasn’t able to go outside. people would freak at that. so, lucas was his only friend.
that was, until YOU came along, you and Lucas had been friends since middle school, you and him became like siblings. you both had the same circle of friends too!
then Lucas made a choice, he brought you over to his place, and introduced you to him, at first, you were scared, because what the hell?! what was that thing? but, when you got to know ‘IT’, you found yourself a new friend, something the big guy needed.
soon, you were over there all the time, chilling with Lucas and MX, playing Games, telling childhood stories, all that. You and MX became close, and seeing the big guys low self-esteem, you had a mission: give him some of it yourself!
Everytime you were there, you threw out complements, giving him advise, soon, he was making an effort to try to respond in kind, then it developed into fist bumps, handshakes, hugs even, then, hand holding, M’ couldn’t blush, something that bumbed you out, but you could still feel the heat from his face and body.
soon enough, you caught feelings for your big guy, but you wouldn’t tell him, not yet, you weren’t ready, and if you weren’t so would M. but you could wait. and confiding in Lucas did speed up the proses a bit, but for now, you were content with being close friends for now.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
there you go! i hope did well, im still not the best romance writer, which is odd Cuz i love romance. still, hope you enjoy!
