If It Was You and Me Against the World, I’d Still Like Our Odds
Words: 617
Au: End of the world? kinda
Inspiration: Sleeping Beauty by End of the World & Epik High
Summary: it’s really short, if I write a summary it’ll just give it away
Note: it’s a really really cute song, one of my personal favourites, please listen
It was the glimpses of his pink hair turning corners and the moments of feeling his warm brown eyes on you that kept you going. One foot in front of the other. One step at a time. Each one taking you a little bit closer to Dong Sicheng.
Three days ago a meteor hit the earth 14,395 km away from your house. Despite what you might have expected out of an apocalyptic situation, nothing about it felt panicked. It felt like an artist’s lucid dream or a computer simulation gone wrong. There was no destruction, no burning buildings, no death. Things had simply been misplaced. A carnival ride sitting in the middle of a city street. A jungle tree reaching for the clouds alongside a skyscraper. A fully intact zoo exhibit in the lobby of a hotel. But there was no one there to explore it. Except you.
Maybe that was why it didn’t feel real. Why should you be the last person to walk the earth? Why would it be you?
Kicking a pebble, you wrapped your hands around the straps of the backpack you had found sitting on the steps of the Roman temple in your backyard. The bag hung with a comfortable weight on your shoulders, a constant reminder of how different things were now. A yacht sat in the middle of the road, leaning slightly on a cluster of massive oak trees that had appeared in the location of what had once been a bank. A thick, metal vault door sat amongst the trunks and part of sign saying “Royal Bank of S-” was buried in the branches of one of the nearest oaks.
You kicked another pebble, this one bouncing loudly off of the yacht’s aluminum hull. A boy sat on the very tip of the yacht. He swung his feet back and forth, red converse sticking out against the white of the hull. Dong Sicheng.
But not really.
He smiled sweetly and waved at you before standing, brushing off his jeans, and walking to the back of the boat. And just like that, he was gone again.
You knew there was no use in looking for him here. Time and time again, he appeared then disappeared. Time and time again, he gave you nothing but a smile and a wave. And time and time again, you smiled and waved back.
The first time you saw him after the meteor was in a barn that had appeared across from your house. You had seen him through the open stables doors, gently petting the nose of a massive bay horse.
“Sicheng!” You had called, frantic and afraid. Afraid of being alone.
He had given the horse one more soft pat before turning and giving you his signature smile and wave. In the moment, this had reassured you beyond belief. He was safe. He was calm. You weren’t alone. But then he was turning away from you and was walking down the stables’ hall. Hands in the back pockets of his jeans, he had disappeared around the corner. And like a coiling snake, panicked had seized you once again.
You had barely had time to think before you were tearing into the barn. Horses had squealed all around you, huffing and stamping their hooves as they picked up on your fear. A flash of pink hair caught your eye. He was turning another corner. Kicking up dust, you had sprinted after him. Determined to catch him.
But he was gone.
You shook your head, clearing away the memory. The yacht still sat before you on the pavement. Sicheng and his red converse were still gone. But you weren’t afraid and you weren’t alone.
rules: post the names of all the files in your wip folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. send me an ask with the title that most intrigues you, or interests you and i’ll post a little snippet of it or tell you something about it!
tagged by: @jaemms
tagging: @hyuckkks and anyone else who wants to do this lmao
note: so I haven’t had any time to write lately cause grade 12 is whooping my ass but regardless I still have way too many wips also unlike san I sometimes come up with titles at the very end so mine will really just be the aus and you’ll know what they’re about kdjskd
So uh I said I was gonna maybe write a 127 x purge fic/ moodboard/ edit and I decided I will do all 3 cause uh who needs school anyway (stay in school kids) but I spent like maybe half an hour making this and warning it’s not good but whatever, I had fun. I’ve never made an edit before so don’t bite me,,,
I’ll release a fic about this on Oct. 31st and a moodboard sometime between now and then. Uh.... enjoy?
Credit for content goes to: NCT 127 엔시티 127 'Regular (English Ver.)' MV and The Purge: Election Year - Official Trailer 2 (HD)
Credit for sound goes to: The Purge - Announcement HD
reblog this if you’re a fanfic writer & your motivation to write actually increases when readers actually show interest & give you feedback. even just a reblog or a little comment here and there
You saw his shoulders tighten. His once comfortable and lounging position becoming stiff and uncomfortable. The book in his hands lowered to his lap as he looked up. Chocolate brown eyes danced around the room in distress as though your words had been the catalyst for a catastrophic event.
You saw him bite his lip. He ran a hand through his light brown curls and you watched his tongue worm around in his mouth as he thought. Finally, after what seemed like hours, his eyes met yours. They were a tsunami of confusion, guilt, and what you hoped wasn’t fear. When his lips – the ones you wanted nothing more than to kiss – opened, a little part of you broke.
me, sobbing over a wordcount that has remained the same for the last century, completely unable to make it go up no matter how hard i try: i’m a writer
if you're taking requests will you maybe write something for doyoung??
I’m always taking requests ! Is there something you’re hoping for with Doyoung?? Cause I have one (1) idea I could work with for him but if you want sth specific lmk
Summary: Your mother is sick and your brother sent you off to collect medicine but... you forgot everything you needed.
Note: A special thank you to @howcaniwait and ma gal Den for beta reading this for me
Other Note: A couple of my friends and I decided that June 18th was gonna be Kun day but.. we’re all awful so it was pushed to June 29th. So look out for a few other Kun fics being released today and tomorrow.
Pressing your hands against the sides of your head, you squeeze your eyes shut and let the pain spread through your skull. What did Jaemin want me to get? Your brother had told you the short list 5 hours ago. At the time, the adrenaline rushing through your body and the panic and worry for your mother’s well being, had made you believe you could simply remember the list. Though, now that you were standing in front of the apothecary shop, you could not remember a single item. I think he said something about willow… maybe?
“Are you going to go in?” A frustrated voice sounded behind you, making you jump and apologize.
Quickly wrapping your fingers around the door handle, you held the door open for the man then stepped inside after him. Immediately your senses were flooded. Scents of cinnamon, flowers, and a roasting meat; the taste of sweat and something burning in the air; the sound of a fire crackling inside the small shop.
“How can I help you, sir?”
A voice greeted its customer.
The voice’s owner was a boy who stood behind the shop’s counter, beaming politely up at the man before you. His light brown hair hung messily over his face, making him look young and handsome. As he conversed with the man, he dragged a soot covered hand through the locks, leaving behind streaks of black. He nodded quickly and spun to sort through the many jars behind him.
Floor to ceiling shelves lined every wall of the shop. Each one overflowing with books, jars, feathers, furs, liquids, boxes, and in one corner, a taxidermy owl. You allowed your eyes to dart over the assortment, before pausing on a jar of small, purple flowers labeled Mandragora Autumnalis. A hand wrapped around the jar, pulling it from your sight, and you turned to see the apothecary boy scowling at the wall before you. You blinked in surprise as he stood thinking for a moment.
“Where did he put it?” He mumbled under his breath.
His voice sounded gentle and thoughtful, with not an ounce of menace in it. The boy’s dark, brown eyes scanned the shelf before stopping on ceramic mortar and pestle. Pulling it from its place, he moved back to the counter and began working. Taking two of the purple flowers, he placed them in the mortar and pestle and began to grind them into a paste.
“I’ll prepare enough mandrake to last you for the week. Just add it to a cup of hot water, and have your daughter drink it. It will help her fall asleep.” Taking the plum coloured paste, he transfered it into a small jar and handed it to the man. “Just make sure not to give her any more than necessary. Mandrake can be poisonous in large doses”
The man nodded. Sliding over a pair of withered bills, he took the jar and left.
The boy turned to you.
“How can I help you?”
Colour rushed to your cheeks, “I don’t know.”
That seemed to catch him off guard and you watched as his smile faltered. He blinked hard before shooting you a bemused smile, “Alright, I’m up for a challenge. Could you tell me what kind of illness or injury you’re facing?”
Grinding the heel of your boot into the floor, you shook your head. If only you hadn’t left in such a hurry. If only you had listened to Jaemin. If only you could remember what had happened.
A brief memory had you breaking free from your frustration, “Oh! She was throwing up a lot… does that help?”
The boy scowled, digging his teeth into his lower lip, “Unfortunately, no. That could mean a lot of things.” He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and leaned his hands on the front counter, “I really wish I could help you, but I’m traveling two days south and I leave tonight.”
Your head shot up, eyes wide. “South? I live in south from here, in Sarton.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the ring of the front entrance bell. A new customer had arrived. “Hold that thought.” He pointed a finger at you before turning to the young girl who had just entered. “How are you, Callie?”
Callie, who couldn’t have been more than 9, clutched a small basket in her arms and smiled happily at the boy. “Hello, Kun. I’m well, thank you. I’m here for my father’s things.”
Kun. His name was Kun.
With unspoken instruction, he got right to work. Pulling jars and feathers and powders and flowers from his many shelves, he looked like he was preparing a potion. The two conversed happily in casual conversation as you watched in awe. The way Kun moved was almost hypnotizing. Each movement was with ease and calculated practice. Everything he did seemed like second nature. Not a few minutes had passed before Callie pulled an empty jar from her basket and placed it on the table. Finally he took his creation, a dark green powder, and secured it in the jar.
“For you.” He held it out to her in the palm of his hand.
Wrapping both hands around the jar, she placed in her in her basket and pulled out a small red parcel. “For you.”
Kun unwrapped it curiously, revealing a steaming chocolate muffin. He smiled. “Tell your mother I said thank you, and wish you father well for me.”
She nodded and skipped out of the store, but not before sticking her tongue out at you.
“I- what?” You blinked in confusion, making Kun break out into laughter.
“Sorry about her. She thinks I’m a wizard and I promised that I’d make her my apprentice one day.”
“... Are you a wizard?”
He smirked. “No. Just an apothecary.” Dusting his hands off on his jeans, he stretched one out to you. Soot still dusted across his knuckles, but you accepted nonetheless. “I’m Kun. Nice to meet you.” Repeating your name back to him, you watched as a smile dusted across his face. “That’s a beautiful name.”
Releasing your hand, he began to sort through the items on his desk, slowly putting each back in their place. “You said you live south of here?”
“Yeah, in Sarton.”
He hummed in thought. “I’ll be passing Sarton on my way tonight, I suppose I could come help you at home.”
“Would you really?” You widen your eyes, allowing hope to spark.
“Of course, it won’t be too much trouble,” he turned and smiled at you, “but that does mean you’ll be forced to travel with me.”
“I can’t even begin to imagine how that would be an issue.”
He laughed. “Alright, sounds like a plan. I’ll run the shop for another hour or so, and then I can pack up and we’ll leave. How does that sound?”
“That sounds perfect but… what should I do in the meantime?” You’d only ever been to the city once, but it was crowded and you weren’t too fond of crowds.
“Well…” he looked around, “I have books you can read, if you want, and you can have this muffin.”
You nodded gleefully.
The hour passed quickly. Regulars and new customers flooding in and out of the shop, Kun greeting each one with a smile. Words blurred past your eyes, the novella taking you captive. When he had finally closed up, there was chocolate on your tongue and less than a chapter left.
“Hey Y/N? I’m gonna go pack up, I’ll be right back. Okay?” You could see him waiting at the entrance of a stairway in your peripheral vision.
Nodding, you hummed in approval to which he chuckled and disappeared around the corner.
A few minutes later, you were slamming the book shut and Kun was back in the shop. A bag hung over his shoulder, filled to the brim with jars, items wrapped in brown cloth, and clothing. He had changed his shirt and fixed his hair, most of the soot having been washed out. You stood, placing the book back on the shelf beside you.
“Ready?” he asked.
You nodded and slung your own bag over your shoulders. “Let’s go.”
Blowing out a small candle just inside, he turned the sign on the door to “closed” and locked up.
The walk through the city was brief. The two of you winded through cobblestone alleyways, weaving through crowds and darting past horse drawn carriages. Memories of your first time in the city flooded back to you. Not much had changed. The stone brick buildings still towered everywhere you looked, merchants still stood on every street corner, and the smell of the ocean and sewage still flooded up every side street. You trailed along behind Kun, letting him make a path through the crowds for you. His bag swayed on his hip, glass jars clinking together gently.
Finally, the outskirts of the city was in sight. You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding and quickened your pace to walk beside the brown haired boy. The rest of the way would be through the woods. A long dirt road stretched through the trees, disappearing around a bend a few meters ahead.
After the jostle and noise of the city, the silence of the woods felt suffocating, inspiring you to spark up a conversation. “How long have you been an apothecary?”
He smiled and shoved his hands in his pockets. “My whole life. That shop was run by my grandfather initially, who was an alchemist, and then by my father, who was an apothecary.”
You paused. “There’s a difference between an alchemist and an apothecary?”
“Being an alchemist is pretty much the same thing as being an apothecary, with the only real difference being that alchemy involves,” he held up his fingers to make air quotes, “magic.”
“So if you were a real wizard you’d be an alchemist.”
He smirked knowingly. “I suppose so, yes.”
Friendly banter continued between you for the next few hours, and you barely noticed when the sun had started to set. A shiver shot down your spine, the loss of the sun had made the air cold and the forest seem unfriendly. Trees loomed out of the shadows, limbs stretched out like the fingers of some devilish creature ready to grab you by your hair and drag you away. You shuffled closer to Kun.
“Are you cold?” He looked concerned.
You weren’t that cold but you weren’t going to tell him that you were afraid, so you nodded. Pulling to a halt, he started rummaging through his bag. Moments later he pulled out a thin black coat. Moving behind you, he draped the material over your frame. His fingers brushed against your neck, making you shiver again.
“Does that help?” Kun stood just behind you, his right hand lingering on your shoulder.
When you nodded, his eyes changed from the worried feel they had just held to a warmer and more gentle colour. Giving your arm a quick squeeze, he started back down the path.
When you finally reached the town of Sarton, the sun had long since set and you were grateful for the coat. The fabric was warm and smelled faintly of spices and ash. You watched as the moon appeared from behind a knot of clouds, bathing the area around you in a soft white. Kun yawned, stretching his arms above his head as he did, making his shirt ride up. Feeling your cheeks heat up, you looked away.
You let the small collection of wooden houses and shops distracted you. The small, stone brick church brought you back to the present. Adrenaline rushed back to you as you realized how close to home you were. How close to Jaemin you were. How close to your mother you were.
Grabbing Kun’s shirt sleeve, you turned the corner. “We’re almost there.”
As though he could feel the urgency coming off you, he nodded and picked up his pace. The town rushed past in a blur as you pushed on, and when you finally laid eyes on your house you broke into a run. Kun only a pace behind you. As you approached, the front door slammed open. Jaemin.
“Y/N! Finally, come-” Jaemin paused, obvious disapproval flooding into his features, “I ask you to bring medicine and you bring a boy?”
“Shut up, he’s an apothecary.” You shoved past him, dragging Kun by his sleeve behind you. “Where is she?”
Immediately, Jaemin’s tone softened, “She’s in her room.”
You lead Kun through your home, pulling him around the corner and into your mother’s room. She laid on her bed, a cloth resting on her forehead and her eyes closed. Sweat drenched her thin blanket and the scent of vomit billowed through the room.
Kun didn’t let any of it phase him and within seconds he was out of your grasp and by her side. You watched as he pressed a gentle palm to her cheek, before peering at her face,.“You said she was throwing up?”
“Quite a bit, I think she has some sort of stomach flu,” Jaemin explained.
“I think you’re right.” Kun nodded in approval. “I know to help.”
Setting his bag on the floor, he pulled out a series of jars and packages and began to open them.
You couldn’t help your curiosity. “What is all that?”
He spoke as he worked, indicating briefly which item was which. “Liquorice, sage, willow, roses, fennel, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cormorant blood, mandrake, dragon’s blood and three kinds of pepper. I’m making St Paul’s Potion.”
Jaemin scowled. “Dragon’s blood? I thought you were an apothecary, not an alchemist.”
Kun laughed, never taking his eyes from his work. “Dragon’s blood is the resin of the tree Dracaena Draco. It’s a species native to Morocco, Cape Verde and the Canary Islands.”
Jaemin turned to you. “Why’d you have to bring home a cute encyclopedia?”
You punched him. “Shut up.”
The two of you watched as Kun finished. A thick brown liquid sat before him, making you think of molasses. Taking the small bowl, he gently moved to sit beside your mother. “Hello, ma’am. Could you sit up for me?”
She obliged, sleepily. Kun held the bowl to her lips and helped her drink the liquid. Your mother scowled at the taste, but obediently drank it down. He placed the still mostly full bowl on the bedside table before turning to you and Jaemin. “Have her drink a small amount of this everyday until she feels better. There should be enough to last for a couple weeks just in case.”
Jaemin nodded and thanked him, then rushed to your mother’s side. You helped Kun pack up his things. Wrapping up packages and bottles, he placed each one back into his bag before leaving the room with you in tow.
You stopped him as he opened the front door. “Thank you, Kun. You really are a wizard”
He turned and wrinkled his nose happily at you. “I’m glad I could help.”
Stepping forward, you placed two bills into the palm of his hand, then balanced on your toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. He flushed red and murmured another no problem before he was out the door, disappearing into the night.
Note: I’ll add the links for the final decisions once I write the next scenes kdsj
“Fuck.”
You grasped the wall for support as another wave of burning pain flickered through your lungs.
The phone is right there. Just one more step, and then I can call 911.
This wasn’t the first time this had happened of course; the pain wracking through your body was all too familiar. The second day at your new university now marked the second occurrence of your second pneumothorax attack.
As you reached out a hand to grasp at the hallway table for support, another bout of pain tightened around your chest and made you falter. Just barely slipping over the edge of the table, your hand made its way to the floor, quickly followed by the table, the lamp sitting on top of it, and the rest of your body. You winced at the loud crash that sounded near your head.
It’s a good thing I hated that lamp already.
As the feeling of fire raced through your lungs, you pressed your hands against your forehead and curled your body into itself, eliciting a low moan.
Frantic knocking started at your door to which you barely moved a muscle.
“Hey, are you okay?”
You opened your mouth to say something but only managed another moan.
“I’m coming in!”
The door burst open, cracking angrily against the back wall, and the sound of rushed footsteps neared your head.
“Are you okay?”
Oh, thank god. Someone helpful.
You turned your face up to look at the helpful intruder. Short brown hair hung messily over worried brown eyes. The boy stared down at you for a moment, lips pulled taught, before springing to his feet. He turned to run somewhere before hesitating and turning back to you.
“Listen, I can’t drive a car but… I can call an ambulance for you. My phone is just next door. I’ll be right back.”
He turned and raced out the door.
Well… sort of helpful.
He was back within seconds, skidding to his knees beside you as the phone rang in his hand.
“You’re gonna be okay.”
He gave you a hesitant smile, to which you responded to by scrunching your face up in pain.
“911. What is the address of your emergency?”
“Hi! Oh um… we’re at K*** University. Which is-”
“That’s perfect. What is your emergency.”
“My neighbour is having um… I don’t know what’s happening to them but I don’t think they’re breathing properly and they’re on the floor.”
“An ambulance is on their way. Can you tell me their name?”
“I um… no.”
“That’s okay. Can you tell me your name?”
“My name is Mark Lee.”
And with that, the world went dark.
A loud beeping and a sharp pain underneath your right armpit brought you back to your senses. The second you didn’t recognise your surroundings, you tried to sit up only to be gently pushed back down by your shoulders.
“Hey, hey. Whoa. Be careful.”
Blinking your eyes you were greeted with a soft, dimpled smile. The boy’s hair was a dark, chestnut colour and stopped in a row of fluffy bangs right above his deep brown eyes. Dressed in light blue scrubs, you could only guess he was a nurse.
“Who are you?” Your voice sounded quiet and scratchy but if the boy noticed, he didn’t show it.
“I’m Kun, I’ll be taking care of you for the next few days.”
He smiled another gentle smile before reaching up above your head to check a clear fluid bag that attached to your forearm with a thin tube. You pushed back against your hospital bed as his body leaned over yours.
“Everything is looking great, you’re going to heal up nicely,” He reassured you, looking back down. “I’m sure you recognize what happened to you as, according to your medical records, this is the second pneumothorax attack you’ve had. Yes?”
He leaned back and waited for you to confirm. You nodded.
“Well the good news is that your body strong and healthy, and the draining process is going smoothly.”
You glanced down at the tube that ran from the slit under your armpit to a machine that gurgled quietly beside your bed. Memories of your shriveled-up lung, from your first attack, shot back to you in vivid flashes and you shivered.
“Are you cold?” Kun furrowed his eyebrows in concern.
“I- No, I’m okay. Thank you though.”
“Well, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you or make you feel more comfortable.”
“Actually, I’m really bored… are there any books I could borrow?”
“Of course, what do you like to read?”
“Anything really. What would you recommend?”
He chuckled softly, “I’ll go grab a few I think you might like.”
With that he turned and slipped out the door. The loss of his presence immediately making the room feel cold and intimidating.
You took the opportunity to survey your new, temporary confines. Baby blue walls surrounded you on three sides only broken up a large window that faced over the countryside. The bed you were propped up on was pressed up against the back wall and the window stretched out to your right. There was a small table and chair in the corner, with an empty vase where a bouquet of flowers could be but weren’t. Other than that, the room was practically empty.
With nothing else to do your mind drifted back to Kun.
Is he a full-time nurse? He seems too young… how old even is he.
As if summoned, the boy stepped back into the room, a small stack of books in his arms, “Okay I picked a few of my favourites.”
He grabbed the chair and pulled it over to sit next to your bedside. Lifting a thick, red book he held it out in front of you before launching into an explanation. Of the five books he had grabbed: 3 were dystopian, 1 was romance, and 1 was horror. Much to his surprise, you took the horror novel.
“Really?” He shot you a bemused smile, “Most people try to avoid scary or graphic things when in a hospital.”
You shrugged, “It looks interesting. Besides, I like horror.”
Kun opened his mouth to respond, but someone calling his name out the hall had him biting his tongue.
“Qian Kun! You’re needed in room 14C for a routine checkup, in less than a minute!”
He stood and leaned his body out the door, face disappearing around the corner as he yelled, “Thank you! I’ll be there in a sec.”
The boy quickly turned back to you, “By the way, once you’re unhooked, the best place to read in here is up on the roof. There’s a few benches and plants. It’s really very pretty.”
With that, he slipped into the hall.
The days passed slowly and uneventfully. Doctors checking on you, Kun stopping in to chat, phone calls from your parents, and, of course, lots of reading. About 5 days after the attack, the tube was taken from your lung and you were officially “unhooked”. Much to your disappointment, you were still mostly bedridden as the doctor feared that any excessive movement would reopen the hole in your lung. Although, if Kun found nothing out of the ordinary during his checkup, then you were allowed a few hours of free time to walk around. Luckily for you, Kun had deemed you as healthy today and you were going to take the opportunity to...
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