hi sometimes i write

MASTERLIST(not working atm) i start fics and never finish them main: @thewildkikibird

[wordswithateez]

hey love, your series is coming along well, it’s really good! i’ve been a dressage rider since i was 6 and was wondering if you write the story from experience? i don’t see a lot of people who know about my sport sadly so i’m happy to see this :)) 💕

WOW that’s so cool!!! dressage is so elegant.. i really wish i was writing from experience, though :,( i’ve been a longtime fan of horses so i have a lot of “book knowledge” if you will, but not a lot of actual experience. i’d love your input though, if i get things wrong! thank you 🙏💞💘

[wordswithateez]

i just found your yeehaw!ateez story and i'm absolutely in love, i CANNOT wait for the next part!

oh my goodness, i just checked this blog after forever and found all these really sweet asks!!! yeehaw!ateez ch3 is halfway done, i will see to finish it!! thank u for the support 💕

[wordswithateez]

I read your Ateez theories post and I’m fucking geeking out. I’m trying to explain to my friends the theories and then my own and I sound fucking insane. I literally feel like that meme from horrible bosses where he’s standing in front of a white bored looking crazy trying to explain something

dude that’s such a mood omfg

and now with wave and illusion teasers out? might as well die amirite

[wordswithateez]

ahhh the wings fic is so fun so far!!! like the concept itself is just so?? unique??? I love it??? also good luck with your midterms (if you still have more) 💖💖💖

aaaaa thank you!!! i came up with it at like 1am and was just like FUCK IT

each member has different personalized wings too which is really neat!! and thank you, midterms were last month and i did pretty ok ^^ i will try my best to write a second chapter !

[wordswithateez]

Winged!ATEEZ x Reader - Chapter 1 [Fantasy/College AU]

i had this idea for angel/winged!ateez (since we call them all demons anyway) and kinda spat this out on paper. lemme know what yall think and thank you in advance! (if the read more link doesn’t work again i’m sorry >< i’ll fix it)

[ CHAPTER ONE ] You never thought you’d receive a letter of acceptance into the University of Aerobic Arts and Physiology. And yet, here you were, wind buffeting your hair and snowy-checkered wings as you stood at the edge of the landing platform and stared out at the ocean before you. The waves hurled themselves over each other, foamy whitecaps almost spilling up over the platform. You winced and took a step back as the cold water splashed your sandals.

“You’ll do fine,” your mother said at your right. She smiled down at you, loving and proud. Her own black and white wings, almost identical to yours, shielded you both from the howling Pacific wind. “I believe in you. They accepted you for a reason. So go out there and show them they made the right decision.”

You smiled faintly to yourself at her words; she’d always been your #1 fan. “Thanks, mom.”

“I’ll accept your thanks when you get out there,” she said, nudging you forward. Her wingtips brushed against yours as you once again stood at the edge of the worn wooden platform. “Prove me right, y/n.”

You looked back at her, your hair curling and whipping in the wind, and gave her one last smile. “Okay.”

With that, you snapped open your wings and jumped into the sky.

The University of Aerobic Arts and Physiology was by far one of the most unique schools in the world. Built on the peak of a rock spire reaching thousands of feet above sea level, students were expected to fly miles from the American west coast into the middle of the Pacific in order to reach the campus itself, and that was only if you were accepted. You couldn’t help but wonder if your acceptance had been a mistake as you beat your wings against the updrafts, as you’d never considered yourself a particularly talented flier. Perhaps it was your wings themselves that got you accepted–owl wings were a rare occurrence, much less that of a snowy owl.

Your eyes flitted to the churning ocean below you. What if you never even made it to the campus? After all, the weather wasn’t sunny by any means, and even more clouds seemed to be rolling in from the south. You tilted your wings and looked back, but the landing platform, and more importantly, your mother, were already disappearing into the fog and sea smoke. You shook your head and continued on. This was your first test as a new student of the University, and you would not let your mother be proven wrong.

Time passed. How long had you been flying? Your wings ached, your lungs heaved, and your eyes were starting to burn from staring towards the sunset for so long.  Every once in a while, you’d spot a tiny rock outcropping protruding from the sea, and would stop to rest, but these were becoming fewer and fewer as you progressed. Or maybe you were just getting tireder. Not only that, but the clouds seemed to be getting darker and darker. They glared down at your wobbly shape, silently placing bets on your tenacity. Still, you surged ahead.

And then it started to rain.

Fat, wet droplets splattered on your wings, and despite your best attempts to stay warm, you felt the water soaking in and chilling you to the bone. The water weighed you down, and you struggled to stay aloft. At some point, you remember kicking off your sandals, as they’d become sopping wet bricks strapped to your feet. Lightning pierced your immediate vision more than once. Just find one more outcropping. You had to, though flying blind through the downpour was proving more than difficult. Lightning struck again and again, and with every strike, more and more of your resolve dripped away. Thunder rattled your body, and the campus still had not come into view. Or had it?

You squinted. Something had begun to tower in the distance. A large rock wall reared up out of the fog, and you beat your wings harder, desperate to reach reprieve. You blinked, trying hard to see, but your muscles were beginning to give out, and you were dropping altitude. Fast.

In a final attempt to avoid hitting the ocean, you banked your wings and dove straight for the bottom of the approaching cliff, and as you instinctively used your wings to protect you from the fall, the dust and battering rain vanished, and you fell, quickly and silently, into the comforting void of exhaustion.

Once again, time passed. The wind and rain fought over your crumpled shape, tearing away loose feathers and berating you senseless. You’d collapsed right before a large rock boulder, onto a bed of gravel and sand that stuck to your wet skin and flight tunic, and the ocean balked at your bare feet, only barely touching the tips of your toes. It was clear the storm was not intent on regressing any time soon, and you were too busy being unconscious to do anything about it. Only the will of God or the voice of a cute boy could bring you out of your slumber, and lo and behold, one did.

“He… Hello?!” the voice of a patrolling student pierced the rumble of the storm, one who’d found the sudden upheaval of gravel and sand rather odd. He banked his own large chocolate wings and soared closer, the heavy rain seemingly weightless on his limbs. “Is someone there?!”

No response. He dove closer. “Hello?!”

It didn’t take long for him to make out your shape on the rocky shore. He immediately went in to land, stumbling a little as he ran up to your limp body. “Oh my god, are you okay?!”

You grit your teeth and groaned, trying to communicate to him that you were, in fact, alive. And yet, suddenly, you felt the ground drop out from under you. “I’ve got you, don’t worry.”

You coughed as you suddenly felt yourself being lifted and secured in his arms, your wings tucked in as close as he could make them. Rain continued to whirl around the two of you, and you could barely make out his face as he looked up and spread his large brown wings. You tried to clear your vision, wondering who had come to your rescue.

“Who… are..?”

He glanced down at you, his brown eyes making contact with yours. “Choi Jongho. Now hold on tight, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.”

thanks for reading! we’ll see how long this one lasts hahaha 

comment if i should do more of this au because honestly i’m just taking shots in the dark here

[wordswithateez]

I thought maybe a cutlass (a fancy sword)

oh that’s a good idea too!! but, lmfao, as i’m thinking about it, i’m lowkey imagining atinys swordfighting each other in the pit and that’s uhhhhh a thought

[wordswithateez]

about ateez’s lightstick

i highkey think it should be shaped like a spyglass... thoughts?

[wordswithateez]

BOI THIS FREAKING FIC IS SOOOOO GOOD AND I LOVE THE IDEA. LOVE THIS NEW CHAPTER AND CANT WAIT FOR MORE. ITS GREAT😁❤️❤️❤️ and you’re great too😗

aksowuJomg thank you so much !!!!!!!! ❤️💓💕 im so glad you’re enjoying it!!! it’s so much fun to write. i’m also thinking about starting an Internet Friends/Mutuals!AU if anyone is interested?? 🤔🤔

[wordswithateez]

yeehaw!ateez - Chapter 2

IM SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG BUT ITS FINALLY HERE!!!! thank u all for waiting!! :D - kiki

CHAPTER TWO - Warm Ups

The barn ambiance had gone quiet once Jongho had tugged a finicky Fuego into the stable. Heart thumping in your chest, you approached the stainless steel trailer, the sudden quiet of the yard making you feel almost uneasy. Shadows enshrouded the inside of the transport vehicle, and as you stepped inside, the small windows provided only just enough light for your eyes to readjust. You almost didn’t see the gelding at first, as his sleek dappled grey coat blended in with the metal walls of the trailer. His coat brewed like a storm—a contorting concoction of black and white over grey.

Gale, Hongjoong’s wind and sea.

Or Pegasus and Bellerophon, as even the most critical and scrutinizing of judges had nicknamed the pair.

You approached slowly, as if hurrying would cause Gale to evaporate and disappear like mist. The gelding had turned his head as far as his lead would allow him, watching you with soft sterling eyes that held an intelligence you’d never seen in any other horse before. You found yourself involuntarily greeting him as you unclipped his tie and attached another lead of your own. He snorted curiously at you, sensing your nerves.

“Hey there, Gale,” you said, finding yourself mumbling his name as you carefully guided him down the trailer’s access ramp. His ears perked up obediently at the mention of his name and raised his head to feel the sun on his coat. You led the gelding carefully; if anything happened to Gale because of you, you think you might die before Hongjoong has a chance to kill you.

Amazingly, Gale seemed miles more confident than you were. His hoofsteps were sure, and he took long strides at your side. He barely flinched as the gravel turned to concrete upon entering the large main stable, which was beginning to buzz with ATEEZ activity. You saw Wooyoung carry a black saddle into the tack room, and Mingi gently remove Domino’s halter. Farther down, Yeosang and Yunho worked together to brush Charity, who stood patiently at a pair of cross-ties. No sign of Hongjoong, but you knew his stall was already labelled.

“y/n!”

Just as you were about to unlock the stall gate, a voice rose to catch your attention. You turned to notice none other than Seonghwa, who was walking towards you with Dauntless in tow. The regal black stallion pinned his ears at you as he followed Seonghwa closer, causing Gale to tense up beside you. Seonghwa noticed and stopped at a safe distance.

“You’re y/n, right? Sorry, he doesn’t like new people very much,” he said with an apologetic smile. You nodded, understanding.

“No worries, I’ve had my fair share of troublemakers. And yes, that’s me,”  you replied with a laugh, desperately trying to ease the tension created by the two horses. Gale grew more and more guarded as the seconds ticked by under the shadow of Dauntless.

His smile didn’t change, offering you an involuntary twinge of guilt. “Of course, nice to meet you, y/n. I was going to ask you. The trails around Royal’s Elite are quite extensive, right?” He glanced towards the barn doors, then back to you. “I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of one. Dauntless here needs to cool off, and I know some work could do him some good.”

“Oh, yes, definitely,” you said, straightening. You pointed outside with your free hand, towards two cypress trees at the far end of the front yard. A dirt trail began between them, winding into the forest. “Between those trees is the longest trail we have, and it runs in a loop. There’s lots of flat area. Although there are a few cross-country jumps set up, so…”

Seonghwa’s expression changed, and he let out a chuckle. “Just because I’m a dressage rider doesn’t mean I can’t handle a couple of hurdles.”

“Right, right,” you responded awkwardly, hiding the pain with a smile. “Then I think you’ll be good to go otherwise. Are you all set?”

“Should be,” he answered, patting Dauntless’s neck. The stallion was clad in a black bridle and matching hunter saddle, and you admired his turquoise saddle pad for a moment.

“Okay, cool,” you said, trying to be casual. “The trail’s all yours.”

He gave you a dazzling smile. “Great, thank you!”

And then they were gone. You watched Dauntless follow his owner with a sassy flick of his tail, and Gale visibly relaxed once the stallion had left.

“You don’t like him?” you asked Gale as you returned to your previous task of walking Gale into his stall. Gale just snorted at you in response, tossing his head after you slid the halter off of his head. “He does seem a little hot-headed. But aren’t most Friesians like that?” The gelding stood patiently as you talked, ears pointed attentively in your direction. Suddenly, though, something behind you became much more interesting.

“Aren’t most horses like what?”

...God, you can’t get five seconds worth of peace.

You turned around in the stall to find Hongjoong leaning over the stable gate, grinning at you. At the same time, Gale let out an excited whinny and almost pushed you over as he tried to get to Hongjoong. The man laughed as he was greeted with a faceful of horse, proceeding to scratch the gelding’s ears. You smiled exasperatedly and went to meet Hongjoong at the gate. “I’m not going to make fun of you for talking to the horses, especially since Gale knows pretty much all of my secrets,” he said with a laugh.

“Ahah, yeah,” you said in reply, still embarrassed that he’d caught you making conversation with a horse.

“Everything seems to be going smoothly,” he continued, glancing down the stable corridor. “But we’ve got work to do.”

“Of course,” you said, paying attention. Not like you knew what that work was or anything. “How can I help?”

He hummed in thought, pulling in the front of his lips. “Mingi and Yeosang want to go over some jump combinations just to visit the arena. Could you help us set up?”

“Oh yeah, absolutely,” you said. “We keep the poles in the garage at the back of the arena. Do you want me to show you?” you asked, just to make sure. To your surprise, he shook his head.

“I think I’d like to saddle up too, actually. It’s been a long trip, and Gale clearly has some spring in his step.” He gestured to the gelding, who tossed his mane as if on cue.

Your heart skipped a beat. You were going to see Hongjoong on horseback so soon? “Right, sure. I’ll set them up for you then.”

Hongjoong smiled. “Yunho will probably be out soon to help. Thanks, y/n.”

“The pleasure’s all mine.”

Leaving Gale in Hongjoong’s hands, you left the stable and made your way to the outdoor arena. It wasn’t a long walk at all, as one side of the stable overlooked the arena entirely. Behind the arena, the storage shed’s doors slid open with a worn creak.

Pulling the overhead lamp’s drawstring, the shed was soon washed in a warm glow. Jump poles were lined up against the wall, their colors foreign against the old brown planks, with the stands stacked beside them. You took a breath and lifted two of the stands into your arms, heaving a little with the effort, and walked back outside. To your discovery, another person was jogging in your direction.

“Heya!” he greeted you with a smile, black hair bobbing. “Hongjoong sent me to help you. I’m Yunho.”

I know who you are, you thought as you looked up at him, offering a smile of your own. “Oh, thanks! Nice to meet you; I’m y/n.”

He grinned, walking into the storage shed and coming out with two more stands like you. “Just basic warm-up stuff, right?”

“Guess so.” You shrugged. “I can’t imagine anything else after that ride.”

Yunho let out a breath. “Whew, yeah, it was long. Twelve hours.”

You nodded, opening the arena gate. The sawdust caked under your boots as you walked inside.

“Let’s just do a couple,” Yunho said, setting down his stands. “I don’t wanna be out here for that long, I’ve got sleep to catch up on.”

You laughed and set down your own. “Fine with me.”

The two of you set up around five or six jumps, most of them fairly simple. You were sweating a little by the end, but Yunho seemed as exuberant as ever. He grinned at you as the two of you left the arena, locking the gate behind you.

“I’ll tell Hongjoong and Mingi they’re ready,” Yunho said as the two of you returned to the main stable. “Yeosang is lunging Sunny, if you want to get him.”

“Sure. Are you going to jump, too?” you asked, but mentally slapped yourself in the forehead afterward. Of course Yunho wasn’t going to jump. He chuckled.

“No, I can’t. Charity’s retired.”

“Oh, yeah.” Nice going, y/n.

Leaving Yunho to talk to Hongjoong and Mingi, you swallowed and began to make your way to one of the circular corrals. Sure enough, Yeosang was inside, watching Sunny canter lightly in circles around him. Although her tail was still raised high, her head was lowered, and she chewed at the bit in her mouth, ears pointed towards her owner. A good sign.

“Hey, Yeosang?” you called, getting his attention. He’d noticed you and merely let out a deep breath, slowing Sunny to a walk. “The arena’s all ready.”

He blinked, watching you for a moment. “Oh, thank you.” His voice was soft, and Sunny snorted, turning to walk towards him. He gathered the lunge in his hands, taking hold of her rein and unclipping the lunge when she neared. The Arabian glanced up at you, her eyes bright and full of youth. You smiled- it wasn’t often you saw horses with so much spunk.

Yeosang looked a little tired as he exited the corral with Sunny. You tilted your head. “Is something wrong?”

“Sunny is a handful sometimes,” he said with a wheezy laugh. You glanced up at the palomino pinto, who nickered in response.

“I can see why,” you said, reaching up a hand to stroke her nose.

You walked with Yeosang and Sunny to the arena, where Mingi and Hongjoong were waiting on horseback. If you thought Mingi was tall on his own, he was a giant sitting astride on Domino. The Knabstrupper gelding stared intently at you as you approached, raising his head sharply when you stopped in front of them. Hongjoong glanced at Yeosang.

“Are you ready?”

You held Sunny still while Yeosang climbed into the saddle. Smiling down at you for a moment, he gathered the reins and nodded to Hongjoong. “I am now.”

With that, the trio entered the arena.

long chapter to make up for the wait!!! :D next episode is going to be fun haha. i’m spending some time with the showjumpers before the dressage drama starts up (eye emoji)

[wordswithateez]

im sorry im taking so long to upload the second chapter of yeehaw!ateez!! midterms kicked my ass but i have free time now!! the 2nd chapter should be here sometime this week!!! thank you all for being patient!! lov u!!!!

—ur author kiki 💕💗💖💞💝💓💘

[wordswithateez]

I think I will ! ♡ Are you an equestrian yourself? Or do you just like the idea of it aha

sadly, i am the farthest thing from a real equestrian :((( when i was little i used to want to ride all the time, but as i get older i just realize i’m just kinda fascinated by how they move?? just their muscles and gaits are just so powerful and mesmerizing to me. i don’t really have an interest in riding anymore; i’m totally content with just watching horses be horses. i have so much respect for them haha :D thank you for asking!!

[wordswithateez]

AIGHT SO. AS SOMEONE WHO I S AN EQUESTRIAN, THIS AU MAKES ME REALLY HAPPY??? I was actually thinking abouy equestrian aus x ateez recently (and potentially writing one on ao3 myself) and it's crazy to see I'm not alone in my thoughts !

BROO you’re totally not alone man!! the yeehaw au is literally my pride and joy rn. you should write your own, too!! it’ll be awesome to see different takes of this idea since it’s normally so hard to find

[wordswithateez]

Can I just say that I loved the yeehaw intros and the first chapter. I can't wait to read literally anything you put out in the future ♡

aaa thank you!!! i have other stuff/aus planned if i ever get around to them so maybe i’ll do those too??

[wordswithateez]

I seriously cant thank you enough for this YEEHAW au I needed this in my life

you are so welcome!!! im sorry to everyone for having been dead the last couple days, but after midterms are over i’ll get right back to writing!!! :D

[wordswithateez]

HI IM LIKE IN LOVE WITH THIS IDEA AND IM SO EXCITED FOR IT

AHHHH THANK YOU ME TOO!!!💖💘💖💘💘💝💗

[wordswithateez]

ATEEZ SAY MY NAME THEORIES (PART 1)

OK YALL BUCKLE UP BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS STRAIGHT I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO

well fuck jongho it sure does

ANYWAY LET’S BEGIN

from Hongjoong’s statement in the Say My Name Making MV, we know that Say My Name is a prequel to Pirate King

we don’t know yet if this applies to Treasure as well, but i’m assuming it does

Yunho also mentions that their outfits play a large part in their roles in this story

but that’s all the Rock Solid information i’m starting with so far, because Seonghwa gets mad at them and tells them to stop spoiling the story

now, theory time.

if we think about the main message of Say My Name’s lyrics, they’re generally singing about being called out to, or summoned

it is very evident of both who and what is summoning them, in my opinion

that’s right

it’s these bad boys

CAPTAIN HONGJOONG AND HIS TRUMPET THING

Hongjoong is calling out to the rest of ATEEZ with his trumpet

and it WORKS!

i’m sure everyone noticed ATEEZ walking towards the trumpet in this shot, almost as if it CALLED TO THEM

by using his trumpet, Hongjoong has summoned ATEEZ

reminder that this is happening before Pirate King, so ATEEZ are technically not Pirate Kings yet

so who were they before they became Pirate Kings?

i have a few thoughts about this too

let’s start with San

we see San sitting in a room full of shattered mirrors in one of his solo shots

anyone else notice what else is in that room?

BITCH

but this also begs the question, why so many broken mirrors?

NOW THIS IS JUST ME GOING OUT ON A LIMB HERE, but what if the only thing San sees in his reflection is his dark self?

which is why he smashes the mirrors, because he doesn’t like that part of himself. Also notice how San’s dark self doesn’t appear when he’s facing Hongjoong’s trumpet. curious...

but unfortunately i don’t have any more ideas about san, so maybe you all could fill in the blanks idk

OKAY LET’S TALK ABOUT YUNHO NEXT.

so we’ve all seen ATEEZ’s big red conference table. strangely enough, although Yunho is seen at this table, he also is seen in his solo shots at a different desk- one much darker and more refined.

NOTICE THE LOCATION OF THE HOURGLASS ON THE TABLE BTW

Also, those stacks of papers are the same ones as the ones in San’s room but idk if that matters

later on in the mv, we see another shot of Yunho at his desk, but this time, he’s frustrated

FUCK I RAN INTO THE IMAGE LIMIT. Let’s just call this Part 1 then. i’ll make a part 2!!

[wordswithateez]

yeehaw!ateez - Chapter 1

OMG ITS FINALLY STARTING YEAHHHHHHH

i hope yall enjoy this as much as i do! thank you for all of your nice comments!!! :D let’s get this show on the road!!!

CHAPTER ONE - The Arrival

You’d been waiting forever.

As the stablehand personally assigned to the legendary equestrian team ATEEZ, you were expected to be punctual and efficient, which meant being the first person they see when arriving at your father’s stable complex.

Any minute now, you thought, for the ninth time.

Where you stood, you could see sunlight cast rays down over the rafters of the stable, turning dust particles to glitter. The nickering of awakening horses filled the stable’s ambiance, and a hen clucked idly out in the yard. It was peaceful, and the morning sun on your cheeks was making you regret leaving your bed.

Thankfully, the crackling of gravel under tires shook you from your morning daze. Two large trucks, both hauling impressive steel trailers, came toiling up the stable’s driveway.

Finally, ATEEZ was here.

You waved to signal the drivers where to park, walking over as the engines rumbled to a stop. There was a faint sound of hooves on metal, and a stray whinny or two pierced the air. It must have been a long ride for them. You wanted to see them, but there were more pressing matters. The first driver was already climbing out of his pickup, and you raised your hand to shake his.

“Hello, I’m y/n l/n. I’ll be your main stablehand during your stay here at Royals’ Elite Equestrian Center,” you introduced yourself with a smile. Admittedly, you’d spent more than a couple minutes rehearsing that line.

The man who’d driven smiled back at you, his eyes crinkling under his coffee-brown fringe. You tried not to mentally question the mullet.

“Oh, thank you,” he replied. “My name is Kim Hongjoong, but you can call me Hongjoong. We’re ready to unload if you are.” He gestured to the heavy steel trailers.

Kim Hongjoong? THE Kim Hongjoong? You felt a little bit of your soul leave your body.

“Of course. Nice to meet you, Hongjoong.” You smiled, pointing back at the barn. “The stalls are ready as well. Eight horses, right?”

“Yep,” he affirmed.

“And a box stall for the Clydesdale?”

“Yep. You guys really followed all of our requests, huh?”

“Of course!” you said, a little too enthusiastically. “Royals’ Elite prides itself on its hospitality.”

“We’re glad to be working with you,” Hongjoong said genuinely. He tapped on the window of the pickup, signaling that the rest of the riders could exit. Soon, the trucks were empty of passengers. The trailers’ steel doors were lowered, and the unloading process began.

“Seonghwa, take Dauntless first,” you heard Hongjoong say.

Park Seonghwa, triple gold dressage champion, the fangirl inside you sang. You tried to hide your starstruck-ness as a taller man with styled blond hair entered the first trailer. You heard the shuffling of footsteps and the click of a lead getting clipped to a halter. Not moments later, a large black stallion came stepping into the sunlight, head raised high. His coat shone like jet, and you couldn’t help but let a small ‘wow’ leave your mouth.

“Pretty, isn’t he?” a new voice piped up right next to you. You bit back a cry of surprise and turned to look at the speaker. “Hwanggeum’s prettier, in my opinion.”

If you hadn’t recognized his face by now, you definitely recognized the name of Jung Wooyoung’s prized Lusitano. He smiled brightly at you. “I’m Jung Wooyoung. You’re y/n?”

“That’s me,” you replied quickly, after getting over your inherent shock.

“Nice to meet you,” he said with a grin, before entering the trailer. Moments later, out stepped Hwanggeum, led by Wooyoung. The stallion’s name was no mistake–the buckskin really did gleam like gold, and from the high-stepping strides, he knew how stunning he was. Wooyoung gave you one last smile before walking after Dauntless and Seonghwa into the stable.

Next, a tall boy with black hair went inside, and you heard heavy hoofsteps echo from inside. From the sound, you knew this had to be Jeong Yunho’s retired Clydesdale. She was the largest by far, you noticed, when she walked down the trailer’s ramp at Yunho’s side. Yunho gave you a friendly greeting, but didn’t say much more than a ‘hello.’

“The box stall is at the end of the barn,” you offered helpfully as they passed. He waved at you, grateful.

“Thank you!”

Only after they had passed, did you notice that Yunho wasn’t carrying any sort of lead.

The last horse to exit the first trailer was unmistakable: Song Mingi’s Knabstrupper showjumper, Domino. Domino’s spotted coat only accentuated his strong legs and neck, which was arched in a stretch as he followed Mingi. You watched in awe as Domino kicked up his heels as he felt the gravel under his hooves, to which Mingi chuckled and walked Domino in a few small circles before entering the barn.

It was now time to unload the second trailer. The final four horses remained, and were getting impatient.

“We’d better go get them,” Hongjoong said at your side. “They won’t wait for long. I need to speak to the stable manager, would you please bring Gale to the stable for me?”

“Absolutely,” you said, completely calmly, definitely not losing your mind on the inside.

“He’s the last one,” Hongjoong said. “Thank you!” With that, he turned and walked towards the community building.

Steeling your nerves, you followed the four other ATEEZ riders around to the back of the second trailer. One of them, with red and brown hair–Choi San, your annoying fangirl mind chanted–reached up and lowered the ramp, going inside. San’s beautiful Haflinger gelding stepped out moments later, letting out a joyful whinny at seeing the sunlight. You tried and failed to hide your smile, which San returned with a sweet grin of his own.

“You like her?” he asked, to which you dumbfoundedly replied,

“Uh, yes!”

He laughed. “Me too!”

Suddenly, the shrill nicker of an Arabian rang out through the air as a shorter brown-haired rider walked in, a staple trait of Kang Yeosang’s award-winning mare. Sunny herself came trotting out of the trailer, leading Yeosang more than he was leading her. You laughed a little to yourself as he trotted her in a quick circle, similar to what Mingi had to do. She didn’t calm much, and you barely had time to tell Yeosang where to go by the time Sunny trotted into the stable, tail raised high.

Now it’s just you and Jongho left.

“Watch out,” he said to you as he walked inside the trailer. “Fuego doesn’t travel well.”

You nodded, worried about what the iconic brindle mustang might do.

“Ah, damn it!”

Not seconds later, Jongho’s voice griped from the trailer, before Fuego suddenly came galloping out, a lead rope dangling freely from her halter. She let out a bellowing neigh as she went cantering into the front yards, her head held high and ears pinned back. “Quick! Catch her before she makes even more of a mess!” he demanded, hurriedly jumping out of the trailer’s side door.

Your foggy, starstruck mind cleared instantly at his words, jumping into the situation at hand.

“Okay!”

The disgruntled mare was making a beeline for the road from whence they came, prompting you into a full sprint to catch up. She wasn’t travelling all that quickly, but she definitely wasn’t paying attention to where she was going, and would wind up in the main road within minutes.

“Fuego!” you shouted, an attempt at catching the mare’s attention. Her ear flicked back, indicating that she had heard you, but veered to the left, away from you. At least she’s not headed for the road anymore, you thought. You ran to the front gates and quickly shut them as Fuego left you in the dust, hopefully keeping her inside the compound.

Jongho, who was adjacent to Fuego, raised his fingers to his mouth and blew a sharp, high-pitched whistle. Fuego stopped in her tracks, skidding through the dirt like she’d learned to do in the arena. Her head swiveled to stare Jongho in the eyes, who was jogging in her direction.

He was barely a few meters away before she suddenly whirled on her heels and took off back the way she came, letting out a shrill whinny.

“Great, now she thinks this is a game!” Jongho groaned, breaking back into a sprint.

You laughed, although quickly shut up when you noticed Fuego barreling in your direction.

Suddenly, you had an idea.

“Fuego! Here, girl!”

You reached into your vest pocket and pulled out an apple you had saved to eat as a snack, waving the fruit through the air like a flag. It shone like a ruby in the morning light, and as if on cue, Fuego immediately became nothing more than a young thief eyeing jewelry on the street. Her big, brown eyes locked on target, and she slowed to a brisk trot, her hooves sending up clouds of dust. Moments later, you were face-to-face with Fuego herself.

She pressed her nose into your chest as you hid the apple behind your back, momentarily distracting her as you took a fierce hold on the mare’s (now dusty) lead rope.

“Good girl,” you soothed, letting her have the treat as soon as you got a grip. She munched happily, as if she’d been rewarded.

“Ugh, she’s going to think running away will get her treats now,” Jongho complained as he jogged over, slowing down to take Fuego’s lead from you. You were surprised to see that he wasn’t out of breath at all, and there was no malice in his voice. He gave you a grateful smile. “Thanks anyway. You’re, uh, y/n, right?”

“That’s me,” you said. “You’re Choi Jongho?”

“Sure am. Gale’s still in the trailer, by the way. I’ll take Fuego to her stall for you,” he said with a smile, giving the mare a pat or two. She snorted softly, closely watching your exchange with Jongho.

“Oh, okay,” you said. “I’ll get Gale.”

“Cool.” His grin was friendly, knowing. “You’ll like him.”

You laughed, unsure of what else to say. He smiled once more and turned to lead Fuego back to the stable, who clearly still had a little energy left. You let out a big sigh, relieved, and walked to retrieve Hongjoong’s horse from the trailer.

heyyyy here’s the first chapter. it seems a little boring now that i read it but i’m not changing that now lol. lemme know what yall think in the comments 💓💖💞💝💞

[wordswithateez]

i’ll just delete it for now, will try to add it again soon! it works on mobile 🤔🤔🤔