Brighter Than Stars For @jkvjimin✨

Fate, Intertwined

Tartaglia never cared much for worship of the Overseer. Until he learnt of the perks that came with it.

Warnings: Childe speaks one language and it is battle, and unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) for him the player is fluent.

_________________

It began with rage.

The Traveler, nuisance extraordinaire, in cahoots with Rex Lapis to fake the Archon's death and stealthily hide the Gnosis - or so Childe had thought when he raised his blade at the blonde - and to make a complete fool out of him. Oh, how he'd wanted to crush them then and there, mission be damned.

The rage turned into surprise and then into begrudging respect when the Outlander matched his blows, holding their own against the might of his Vision, his Delusion - admirable, really. By the time he'd been forced into Foul Legacy, the battle-hungry Harbinger already wore a smile on his concealed face, rage cast aside momentarily. It had been long since he'd enjoyed such a fight, and he was determined to make the most of it, no leftover annoyance or anger to blind his senses and deprive him from the joy and intensity of combat.

He did not feel you during that battle. Or, at least, did not recognise your presence, guiding his opponent's moves. How could he, when you had yet to take him as a vessel? Ajax was far from a dedicated worshipper at that point, having heard of your existence in passing and disregarded it as nothing more than folk tales. Even if the Overseer was real, he used to think to himself, the only god he followed was the Tsaritsa, and that was simply because she had allowed him to grow stronger. If you wanted him as an acolyte, he'd told Zhongli once, you'd have to come to Teyvat and fight him yourself. If you bested him, he'd follow you to the ends of Teyvat and beyond, but he had no time for a god who didn't bother to show face in the battlefield.

The week that followed, the Traveler returned. And in the next. And in the one after that. It became routine, so much so that he started making room in his schedule to fit the weekly arrangement. When asked about it, the Harbinger only smiled. "I'm meeting a friend."

Then, the starshowers happened. He'd never cared much to learn what they meant, but had, in passing, heard they were tied to you. He wouldn't deny, it was a beautiful spectacle, but Tartaglia rarely had the time to stop and enjoy the show. So, he'd just chosen to look at them once and call it a day.

The stars didn't seem to agree with this course of action.

He could swear he was hearing someone calling for him, but no matter how many times he turned around, he just couldn't figure out who. There was also the matter of the constant tugging. He'd never felt something like that, as if binding ropes pulled him in a direction he could not comprehend.

They came to him both awake and in dreams - "Come home, Childe. Come home."

It eventually got so bad he resorted to Bubu Pharmacy. He was barely getting any sleep, and it seemed that the more he fought off the pulling sensation, the stronger it got. Unrelenting. Unwavering. Unyielding.

Ajax. Come home.

"Qiqi knows. Qiqi thinks... Qiqi can answer for you."

Ajax wasn't sure whether sending a child to whatever had tormented him the last few weeks was a good idea, but his objections were cut short by an unsettlingly familiar aura taking over the zombie. He'd felt that before, he knew it. Sensing the Harbinger's poorly veiled distress, doctor Baizhu placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Qiqi will be fine. She's undergone this process thrice before. I believe the call you mentioned feeling has something to do with being a chosen vessel. Qiqi is one already, but answering the call every now and then seems to make her healing more efficient."

Slightly more relieved, Childe walked out of Bubu Pharmacy. Perhaps he'd take some time to relax before heading back to work...

As for you, you were ready to snap the ginger in half. Not only had he made you hit hard pity, he'd had the audacity to not come home. In his stead, Qiqi.

Between heading to the golden house and kicking his ass and simply shutting off for the day, fate decided you'd go with the first one, taking out your frustrations on the very cause of them. Childish, perhaps, but hey, you still hadn't reaped that week's rewards. And he deserved it. You'd definitely add your now C3 Qiqi to the party.

Ajax's plans to relax were as ruined as your 50/50 as he felt himself suddenly teleported to the Golden House.

You didn't give him time to do his cutscene before striking, uninterested in hearing him talk. The traveler and the rest of your team moved fast and efficiently, forcing the Harbinger to take on his delusion's power earlier than usual.

"Comrade! You seem... Hah... Really mad at me. I don't know what I did this time, but rest assured, I won't just lie down and take it!"

"You'll die either way."

This voice... Wasn't the traveler's.

Ajax knew the blonde would sometimes bring in some travel companions, and that day had been no exception. However, the voice that rung through the Golden House didn't seem to belong to any of them, but still coming from them all the same.

Like the glowing aura they emitted.

The one he'd associated to the Traveler, the same one he'd seen around that young cook from Wanmin, and the Yuheng of the Qixing.

The same one that had taken hold of Qiqi earlier that day.

Why had he never noticed it?

It was stronger, pushing against him with a force equal or greater than the one that had pulled at his very spirit over the last weeks. The voice that had rung through the hall... It was the same that had been calling him, begging for him to give in.

Archons help him, you'd actually made good on his challenge. You wanted him as an acolyte, and had come to fight him for it.

He took on his Foul Legacy form, laughing as he did so. His initial shock had worn off, and he fully intended on enjoying this fight to the fullest.

"Bring it, Overseer!"

You didn't hear him, too focused on the best way to get the job done. Switching back amd forth between team members, adding a few boosting foods and potions in the meantime, you intended on taking out your frustrations by absolutely obliterating the Harbinger as quick as you could.

He didn't want to come home? Fine. Your team was already strong without him anyway. It wasn't like you'd saved up like crazy only to have your hopes shattered...

Meanwhile, Tartaglia was having second thoughts. The people on your team... None of them should've been able to best him so easily, save for the Traveler. None of them was known for being a warrior, none had trained like he had, logically, they shouldn't have been stronger than him. And yet there he was, losing. So this is the power you could offer...

No matter how strong Childe's Foul Legacy was, it could not compete against the power of a well-built vessel, much less four. Sooner than the ginger expected, he found himself defeated, the sting of knowing he could've reached such strenght had he taken the time to learn a bit more about you hurting far more than the strain of his Abyssal form or the wounds left by the sparring session.

He needed to fix it. He needed to catch your attention again, needed to put himself in your hands. You clearly wanted him as a vessel, there was no doubt in his mind about it, and oh was he eager to be yours now. With your aid, who knows if anything would be able to stop him? He'd become devout if that's what you wished, anything, everything to have that sort of strenght.

"You're a cut... Above..."

You heard the usual voiceline as you collected the rewards from the ley line blossom, and once you checked them you nearly fell off your chair.

"What the...!?"

An intertwined fate. Defeating Childe had granted you an intertwined fate.

That was not one of his usual drops. Scratch that, you didn't think non-event bosses dropped those at all! You checked your banner page. Yep, there it was. One intertwined fate. In your inventory, too.

"Very funny. Very funny. Made me waste my primogems..."

If you didn't know better, you'd say he was taunting you.

Oh well.

It was enough for one pull.

You did not have high hopes, but hey, if anything, it would build up pity. You'd usually walk to a specific spot for better luck, but this time, you didn't bother. Bastard wasn't coming, so why take the time?

You pressed the button and stars flew through the sky.

He didn't even hear you call this time. As soon as Ajax saw the first bright lines painting the sky, and felt the faintest tug, he followed along eagerly. He had one chance, and did not intend to let it slip away again.

The star turned gold.

"EXCUSE ME?!?"

On your screen, lo and behold, the evasive harbinger had come home. With zero pity, in a single pull, outside of a designated pulling zone.

You didn't know whether to build him or throw him off a cliff so he'd think about what he did. Maybe let him spend some more time with Zhongli so he'd understand the pain of having someone ruin your savings.

"You, Ajax, are officially a pain in the ass."

At least now he was home. Which was the bare minimum, but an improvement nonetheless. Opening the character screen, you got to putting the materials you'd farmed in advance to good use, unaware of the victorious grin on the Harbinger's face as he felt the newfound power coursing through his body.

Kept Jewel

A request done for @vilithshaven and @that-one-lilith <3 this was supposed to be out last night because i put it in queue but then later forgot to put it back there after editing it some fkjejjre

Fyi this is NOT sagau!!

Warnings: yandere content, minor character death of someone who's only there for two seconds, reader is implied afab and uses she/her pronouns, kidnapping and imprisonment.

For as long as you remember, your world had been full of vibrant, bright colors. The grass had always been green and the sky blue and the sun a glowy yellow and thus you had never suspected that it was rather unusual for someone so young to have already met their soulmate— that was because you didn't know about soulmates and the little connection between meeting their eyes for the same time, the world finally blooming in color for the two half-souls that had been separated long before their creation.

You had been an orphan, placed under the tender care of the elders of Higi Village. When you heard the tales they told, you merely assumed they were just that— fairy tales meant to brighten up the children's days and to give them a new game of pretending they could not see colors, using whatever words they could use to describe something without mentioning its color. 

Higi Village, before the curse of Tatarigami completely spread through the land and polluted everything in its wake, before the Vision Hunt Decree and the Sakuko Decree, had been happy to accept visitors and outlanders, often showing them the wonderful sights and the mines and all the cute little trinkets handmade from the ores. 

One such visitor had been the strangest person you'd met— a beautiful boy with long, midnight blue hair, eyes as purple as the Shogun's lightning and Electro yet he'd been so sweet and gentle you had felt ashamed of thinking of him like that. Kunikuzushi, he'd introduced himself, his smile making his eyes crinkle just the slightest bit. A wandering vagrant. 

He has entertaining tales to tell, little superstitions and stories from the rest of his travels and so in return you tell him of your own stories, laughing under your breath when you talk about soulmates and colors. Why wouldn't you? Color has always been visible in your life as far as you were aware, and thus that was more than enough proof for you that soulmates simply did not exist. 

Foolish, young and naive you remains unaware of the bright gleam in his eyes. 

He leaves, eventually. He is a vagrant and a traveller after all, and still has many places to see. He is not the first visitor to grace Higi Village nor is he the last, and so you forget him just as you have eventually forgotten all other visitors. 

But he has not forgotten you. 

He is unable to forget you, the one person who does not know about their soulmate's existence. The one who does not know about soulmates at all. 

That was more than alright for Kunikuzushi or as he goes by now, Scaramouche. You were his; you were clearly meant for him alone— he who has no soulmate, for he is a puppet more than a human and not even the archons can dictate which souls belong to one another, but Scaramouche knows that you and him are meant to be together for how else could you remain so oblivious to the truth if not for the threads tying you two so intricately? If you were meant for whoever had let you see, then they obviously weren't important enough if you have not met them ever again. 

You are his. So he returns to Higi Village, and at what an opportune time, too! The Tatarigami has truly and well stripped the island of all its previous glory, and all the Shogun and her little military had done was create a furnace to harness it, rather than ridding the island of it. All of it means he is right to come for you; he will take you away from this barren island to somewhere safe and secure, where only he may have have access to you—

He finds you amidst his musings, asleep and curled under the shade of a wilting sakura tree. A meagre shelter against the battering rain and the lightning striking the sky in a maelstrom of color, but shelter nonetheless. 

They've kicked you out just as I payed them to. Wonderful. 

He picks you up— and oh, you aren't asleep, but rather passed out. Your body is sweating and heated, and now that he is close enough he could hear how nasally your breath was. You are sick, he realizes with a chuckle. All the better for him, really. With you sick and weak and so clearly starved, it will be easy for him to convince you to stay with him.

And so he took you, sick and weak and vulnerable, back to a place he'd created solely for the two of you. You will be safe here, where nobody but him will ever interact with you; where your soulmate will never find you; where you are far too grateful to have a stable roof over your head and a warm meal three times a day to complain about Kunikuzushi being strangely affectionate with you. 

It makes something cold and uncomfortable curl in your stomach when he holds you, someone practically a stranger to you yet he adores you as though you've known him for centuries. You'd be lying if you said you hadn't eventually forgotten Kunikuzushi in the sea of visitors of Higi Village, but it appears that he has not forgotten you— each night you find yourself in his arms despite how uncomfortable you are, listening to his awful whispers of how he'll keep you by his side for all eternity, of how beautiful you look and how you belong to him.

But it is either this or being left to fend for yourself on an island that is no longer suitable for living and that has kicked you out— you both know this, and so you bite down on your tongue and let him be as affectionate and controlling with you as he wants even if it feels stifling and scary at times.

Scaramouche is not fond of leaving you alone in the mansion, but sometimes needs must. Sure he can order any of the maids that have strict instructions not to ever show their face to interact with you, but he does not yet trust you and them enough not to try and pull some stunt to escape, despite how well-behaved you are and how you're slowly starting to lean into his touches, smiling just a bit and no longer always asking to go outside.

He's sure you'd be horrified if you realized you've come to like your kidnapper caretaker's company, so he doesn't bring it up but nonetheless it still makes him quite smug and all the more convinced of his beliefs. 

He wants your every second of wakefulness and otherwise, he wants your attention and your focus and everything that you have to give and everything that he has to take— these are all reasons why he hates leaving you, but he's still a Harbinger and he has duties to fulfil for her Imperial Majesty the Tsaritsa of Zapolyarny Palace, and among those duties is pest control. 

Certain agents have less loyalty than they should, and some of them often try to do a funny little thing where they sell information to other groups in and outside of the nation of everlasting winter. These agents need to be put down, so to speak, and Scaramouche is here just to do so and then return back to you, his dear unknowing wife.

The Fatui have long since marked out the location of their little hideout, so Scaramouche does not need dally by searching around before he and some of his own men are already tearing it apart, the little traitors soon captured and presented to him. 

He orders the rest, save for their Inazuman leader, to be killed. Let him see what will be his fate as well, he thinks with a nasty chuckle. 

Scaramouche is thinking of you even here— he hopes you haven't gotten bored of all the books he's left for you, or perhaps you're now doing some embroidery? Hmm, while he can't have you speaking with others that doesn't mean he can't give you a little pet to spend your days with— 

Scaramouche doesn’t give the leader a chance to beg for mercy before his Electro has surged through his hands and catalyst. The sooner he kills this little pest, the sooner he can get you back in his arms. 

He expects many things for his return— he does not expect to find you crying and panicking, pacing in circles in your lavish bedroom. Upon seeing him, he is further surprised by you throwing your arms around him and sobbing. 

"Beloved, what's wrong? Has anybody hurt you?-" 

"Kuni, I- I can't see colors anymore, I can't what color is the sky or- or what color your eyes are, everything's black and white," your voice shakes and trembles with your cries. "Why can't I- why can't I see?" 

Scaramouche's mind is reeling with just how good this opportunity is. Your soulmate is dead, and now you can truly, fully belong to him. 

He pulls you even closer, making soft shushing noises and caressing your hair. "I don't know, darling," he lies as easily as breathing— even easier, as he doesn't really need to do the latter to live. "Calm down, my beloved, I'll try to search for a cure and an answer. But for now, stay with me?" 

You are still crying, but that's alright: Scaramouche gathers you in his arms and pretends expertly as though he's as confused and worried as you are when in truth he's quite happy about this new development. 

"Oh my darling wife, it's alright, I have you now," he keeps murmuring to you, smug in the way you don't protest but nod your head. Oh dear, it truly is bothering you huh? "You belong to me, I'll keep you safe and sound, my love. Only stay good for me. . ." 

He takes you to your bed, slow and steady to keep you from asking him to leave. He does not falter in telling you little "assurances", but if the way you keep yourself so unusually close to his side then he knows that you find comfort in his presence and his words. 

Mine. He thinks with delight at feeling you still crying yet keeping your arms around him, so desperate for his comfort and who is he to deny his lovely wife anything her heart wants? 

You're my soulmate. 

otherworldly ~ coraline!au

PAIRING ~ jimin x reader

GENRE ~ horror/thriller, smut

WORD COUNT ~ 11k

SUMMARY ~ when you discover a tiny door in your home that leads to a much better version of your own life, it seems too good to be true. little do you know, the man posing as your boyfriend may be a lot more dangerous than you care to admit. and he is not intent on letting you leave.

WARNINGS ~ profanity, supernatural themes, obsessive behavior, imprisonment, depiction of an unhealthy relationship, masturbation, explicit smut (dom!jimin, sensory deprivation, bondage, soft degradation, cunnilingus, edging, unprotected sex)

A/N ~ part 1 of 3. based off of my favorite movie and novel: Coraline. thank you to everyone who’s shown their support for this monster of a fic! i hope i did this well-loved movie justice!

copyright © 2019-2020 under sinning-on-a-sunday. do not repost or translate my works without my explicit permission. this includes stealing my ideas/plot.

prologue

For the first time in ages, sunlight trickles down through the tree’s naked branches, warming the woman’s skin to the point where her heavy jacket isn’t necessary. She considers it a cruel coincidence. Why should the rest of the world be so happy and bright when she’s spent the last few months suffering?

Her brother’s been missing for weeks, the sun shouldn’t be shining.

Even though the weather is nice, mud still sloshes under her boots as she walks, icy fingers clutching at the object in her hands like it will wriggle away and escape if she loosens her grip.

She reaches the crest of the hill, coming to stop at the ring of mushrooms that surrounds the opening of the well. She vows to board it up later so that, hopefully, people will forget it’s there.

The woman looks down at the object in her hands: a doll with button eyes. It resembles a boy with brown hair, longer at the nape of his neck so that it’s almost a mullet. He’s wearing a red beret, trench coat, and small circular glasses; he looks like an artist.

She recognizes the style, she recognizes him.

Gritting her teeth, the woman steps up to stand at the edge of the well, open and gaping like a hungry, waiting mouth.

She remembers the day this infernal doll appeared in their house, she remembers how excited her brother had been. He’d carried it around with him everywhere, going on and on about how it looked just like him.

He disappeared a few days later.

A few tears prick the woman’s eyes.

No, he didn’t disappear. He was taken.

Keep reading

Angel Eyes

𓆩♡𓆪Pairing: Patient! Jungkook x Reader

𓆩♡𓆪WC: 8.2k

𓆩♡𓆪Content Warning: hospital romance, mentions of birth, blizzard, car accidents, smthn abt soulamtes, ft Jin, medical emergencies, making out, jk is a free spirit, tattoos, rehabilitation, they're so cute, cafeteria dates, meet cute, weddings, sexual themes, comas, newborn baby, angsttt :(

The double doors to the emergency room burst open with a team of paramedics meeting a team of nurses over the limp body that was being rushed in on a gurney.

"26-year-old male. One of many from the four-car pile-up on Highway 400. Blunt head trauma —shattered ribs, compound fractures in both legs. He's unconscious, showing premature signs of decline. We need to get him stabilized immediately."

"Prepare the operation room." One of the nurses orders and the chaos moves around the corner with the gurney.

A team of trauma surgeons and nurses worked frantically to stabilize him. He was quickly assessed for injuries, and diagnostic tests revealed the extent of the damage he had sustained

The man suffered from internal injuries, including a punctured lung and severe abdominal trauma. There was a point when doctors were sure he wouldn't make it but they were wrong.

After undergoing several surgeries in the first few days following the accident, including procedures to repair his fractured bones, remove damaged tissue, and stabilize his internal injuries he was beginning to show small signs of improvement.

However, it was only the beginning of a very long and hard journey for him.

𓆩♡𓆪 2 months later

"Where is she?" You stand up at the sight of your brother-in-law, Jin rushing into the waiting room of the labour and delivery wing. Face flushed and hair a bit frazzled. He'd obviously run here from the parking lot.

"Down the hall to your left. They're just running some tests and checking the baby." He pauses in his steps, letting it all sink in. Placing a hand on his chest as he tried to stabilize his breathing.

Taking the chance to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Everything is going to be okay, breathe." You encourage, taking tips from the Lamaze classes your sister had made the three of you take in preparation for this baby.

He smiles before making his way to his wife and out of sight.

Meanwhile, you stayed put in the waiting room as your sister made it very clear she did not want you in the room any time her vagina was out and you weren't going to argue.

Seeing that the doctors needed to check up on the baby once the two of you arrived no less than 15 minutes ago, you had already excused yourself to the hall.

Once you saw the familiar nurse you remember being assigned to your sister walk past you, you deemed it was safe enough to return to her room. Knocking first with your hand over your eyes.

There was soft laughter, "It's been put away, you can open your eyes." Eunji says, allowing you to lower your palm from your gaze to see Seokjin sitting on a chair nestled near Eunji's bedside.

"Wow, they've got you hooked up like a TV." You snort, pointing to the IV drip, pulse oximeter, and various other tubes taped to her arm.

Shaking her head at your typical Y/n-Antics but refusing to acknowledge your joke any further. "What did the nurse say?" Jin asks, almost anxiously, taking her hand in his.

"The baby is fine, she's healthy, but I'm a long way from giving birth. Apparently-" Eunji pauses, her eyes squeezing shut just as they did back at your place when the two of you discovered she'd been having contractions.

Taking deep breaths she opens her eyes and resumes speaking as if it never happened, "Apparently I'm only one centimeter dilated. I'm already tired of this place." She pouts sadly while Jin gently moves a stray hair from out of her face.

You sighed internally, hoping that one day you'd find that.

"I'm just glad you guys made it here safely. The roads are getting worse with that blizzard coming in tonight." Jin shares which prompts you to check your phone while the couple talks about what a normal couple would discuss at a time like this.

Jin was right. There in fact was a blizzard heading your way and it was nasty. Up to six feet of snow in some regions and harsh winds. It was practically impossible to see the road through all the flurries on your way here.

It was unsafe for anyone to be driving at a time like this hence why Eunji had already begged your parents to stay home until the roads were safe. No matter how much she knew your parents wanted to be present for the birth of their first grandchild it was just too dangerous.

This winter was packed with a punch this year. You can't forget the first major storm of the season about two months ago that blindsided everyone.

The severity of the storm dawns on you as you remember driving past a nasty collision on the highway on your way home from work.

You could only hope that this would be the end of the strenuous icy season and that spring would be just around the corner. You were looking forward to the blossoming season of spring but not as much as you were looking forward to holding your niece in your arms in just a few short hours.

𓆩♡𓆪

Clearly, you and your niece weren't on the same page.

It's been 4 hours and the hospital was on lockdown, any visitors in the building were forbidden from leaving due to the severity of the storm outside. Honestly, some part of you believed you would have been able to hold your niece and go home all in the last three hours, but oh how you were wrong.

"What do you mean you're only 3 centimetres along?" You say, exhausted from waiting. "Oh, I'm sorry Y/n, are you tired? How inconsiderate of me!" She exclaims, clearly annoyed with you.

You dropped your shoulders, you deserved that. Eunji had been battling her contractions restlessly for hours on end, you couldn't imagine how she felt.

"Do you want me to get you anything?" She shakes her head while Jin returns with a full cup of ice for her to chew on. Your stomach rumbles, and not quietly.

"You should go down to the cafeteria and get something to eat. I'll stay with Eunji." Jin offers and you nod, deciding it was time for a break anyway.

With your bag slung over your shoulder, you stood in the café line, unsure what to get before deciding to get a typical iced coffee and a turkey sandwich.

Once it came time to find a spot, your eyes were scanning every nook and cranny of the filled cafeteria due to the overwhelming number of people trapped in this building just as you were.

Finally, you found one available spot, at an occupied table. "Is anyone sitting here?" You ask the man who was enjoying his own coffee. "It's all yours," He smiles and you reciprocate it as you take a seat.

Paying him no mind as you bite into your meal and pull out the book you've been reading over the last few weeks.

"The String of Fate," The man across from you mumbles as he reads the title of your book causing your eyes to flicker to his. "What's it about?" You close the book almost too eagerly.

"Do you believe in soulmates?" He blinks at you.

"Y'know, like two people that are destined to be together no matter the time or place." His brow arches. "Not a chance." You frown, "Well, basically this book explains the concept of soulmates and how they're connected by this invisible string between them that will always guide them back to each other. No matter the time or place."

He sighs heavily, head now resting on his hand. "I'm gonna take a shot in the dark here and assume that you believe in soulmates?"

"What's there not to believe? It makes total sense-" You ask, about to take your first bite of your sandwich. "I wouldn't eat that if I were you," He says quickly, and you close your mouth, placing the sandwich back down.

"Why not?" He simply stares at you, "Trust me. I've been here long enough to know." You nod slowly, "You must visit a lot."

With a shrug of his shoulders, he finishes the last of his coffee, "Something like that." He mumbles.

Your stomach reminds you of the hunger you'd just permitted to exist longer all in the name of this handsome stranger you'd just met. "So what can I eat here?"

He grins and your stomach twists.

"Follow me." You pack up your stuff and stand. Unable to process your thoughts once the man moves away from the table in his wheelchair.

"Oh c'mon, don't give me that look." He sighs.

"What look?" You counter, genuinely confused.

"That look of 'oh my gosh, he's in a wheelchair. Now everything is different.'" He says in a slightly raised tone.

"First of all, I didn't think that at all. I was just shocked." He looked almost deflated until you spoke up, "So are we still getting jello or what?" He smiles, leading the way.

-

"Hey! Hey! Mister Lightning McQueen, do you mind slowing down a bit? Or at least tell me your name so I don't have to keep yelling mister." You pant, finally catching up to him at the end of the hall.

"Sorry." He flushes a light pink before a quick clearing of his throat, "I'm Jungkook." He stretches his hand and you shake it gently, "Y/n." You say, the two of you hold hands a little longer than necessary before a visitor attempts to get by and you pull your hand away first.

Fast forward to the two of you sitting on the chairs in god knows which wing of the hospital, the building was so damn big. Licking the spoons of your delicious cherry jello as you were both facing the window that looked out into the midnight sky.

"So what brings you here tonight?" He asks as he scoops around his cup for another spoonful. "My sister is giving birth. At least that's what I thought was supposed to happen but the baby doesn't want to come yet." He laughs, "That's amazing. Not the part about the baby holding your sister's womb hostage but- you know what I'm trying to say."

Unable to control your laughter at his bizarre wording, "Yeah, I get it." A silence falls between the two of you, sitting on your shoulders. You wanted to say something but you weren't sure- "It's okay, Y/n. You can ask." He speaks without even looking at you. Focused on getting his next spoon of jello.

"How did you end up here?" You ask and Jungkook begins the age-old story. He was coming home from work during that crazy storm 2 months ago. He said he didn't remember much from the actual accident, one second he's in his lane and the next there's an eighteen-wheeler sliding right into him and dragging two others in with him.

"I don't even remember being rushed in here, I just remember waking up 3 days later and the doctors telling me I was lucky to be alive. Telling me I had basically injured every bone I had. Head trauma, shattered ribs, a punctured lung, fractured both my legs- and the list goes on."

Your jaw falls open. Hand raising to cover your mouth for two reasons.

"You really are lucky to be alive."

It seems that Jungkook disagrees, "Yet I don't feel all that lucky. I wake up to the same faces, getting poked at and pricked every hour. Going to rehab every other day, my body hurts constantly. I can't even count how many painkillers and antibiotics I take every morning." You frown.

"I'm grateful to be making progress of course, but sometimes It feels like the world is passing me by while I'm standing still-- or sitting, for that matter.." You'd never connected to anything more.

"I totally understand. Under different circumstances of course, but I think I get what you mean. Ever since I was 7 I'd had this perfect vision of how my life should be by the time I was 25. A nice house, with a loving husband and maybe a baby on the way with my six-figure paying job but here I am, 26, sitting in a waiting room, single, waiting for my sister to have a baby so that I can go home to my office job that sure as hell doesn't pay enough for a nice house."

Your story provokes a soft chuckle to come rumbling from Jungkook's chest and you swat at him. "And it's like, you want to take steps forward but it's almost like you can't because everything is out of your control. The most decisive factor of a good life is controlled by everyone but you. It sucks." Jungkook expands on your thoughts further and you'd never felt so seen before.

"I-" You begin but the PA system begins to blare someone's voice as they make an announcement.

"Code Yellow. Code Yellow." Jungkook's vision darts to his wristwatch. "Shit. It's been an hour already?" You weren't following, "What's going on?" Jungkook begins to roll back, tossing away his garbage in the bin while you stand and do the same.

"Code yellow is just their dramatic way of declaring a patient is missing. Although-" His eyes fly past you and to whoever was behind you, it was a furious nurse. "Jeon Jungkook." She says and he groans, "I know- I know."

Jungkook hardly got to speak before he was being pushed away back to wherever his room was. "I hope your sister has a safe delivery." You stand still in the middle of the hall as you watch Jungkook get whisked out of sight.

Unable to stop thinking about how disappointed he looked once that nurse appeared. Clearly, he didn't want to go back. You couldn't shake what he told you, about seeing the same people every day, following the same painful routine.

You wondered if he had any family that visited him.

Speaking of which, it was time for you to return to your own.

𓆩♡𓆪

7 hours later you were finally holding the most perfect baby girl in your arms. "She's beautiful, Eunji," you say tearfully, staring at the adorable infant who was just so tiny in your arms.

"I can't believe I'm holding your baby right now." You say to no one in particular while Seokjin stands behind you looking down at the baby, he looks like he's still in awe himself.

Carefully passing her back into your sister's tired arms. You had the honour of taking their first family photo. With Seokjin's eyes full of love and your sister displaying the happiest smile you'd ever seen.

"She's perfect." You hear him whisper with a kiss to Eunji's forehead and your heart just about melts at the heartwarming sight.

𓆩♡𓆪 7 days later

The moment that you left that hospital that morning you felt almost... sad? Like you had a happiness hangover. You were truly overjoyed, you finally got to meet your niece and you met Jungkook who left an unanticipated imprint on your brain.

You tapped your nails against the desk in your cubicle, your bottom lip tucked between your teeth as your eyes glanced at the time at the bottom of the computer screen.

Your break was in 20 minutes, you had an hour to do whatever and sure, you could spend it here continuing your work so that you could go home earlier...but the hospital is nearby...

No more than a 10-minute drive.. maybe you could drop by? Just for a little?

You didn't leave yourself much time to debate it as you were already marching out of the office the moment the clock hit 12. You'd decided to pick up some flowers from the gift shop on your way up.

Following the receptionist's instructions that she gave you to locate his room with a nervous click of your heels with each step. What if he didn't want to see you? Does he even remember you?

You saw him through the glass window briefly and adjusted yourself to an angle where he couldn't see you. He was just laying there. Staring up at the ceiling, but he sat up once a nurse walked in.

It seemed that she was doing some routine checkups before pricking him with a needle of some kind. You'd always been the type to squirm with needles yet he was unfazed, it was like he couldn't even feel it.

Once she left she passed you with a small smile. Slowly you walk to the door and his gaze slowly drags towards you. His eyes smile before his lips, and he sits up.

"Y/n!" He says with such a joyful tone, you would never expect the voice to belong to someone sitting in a hospital bed. "Hi," You say, unsure of what to do with the flowers.

"Don't tell me you're still waiting for your sister to give birth." He says with a little sarcasm and you laugh with a shake of your head. "No, little miss Seol-a came fashionably late."

"As in 'snow child'? That's a perfect name." You agree. Watching him as his gaze drops to your arms. "Oh- These are for you." Bringing the small bouquet of tiger lilies to him, he accepts it gratefully.

"Thank you-- Really, you didn't have to. You visiting me is more than enough of a gift, and they're Tiger Lilies, too. Fun fact, that's actually my birth flower." It was like a lightbulb had gone off in your head but you ignored it.

Maybe that was just a coincidence, but you didn't like that word. You preferred to use something much stronger, that starts with an 'F', and ends with an 'ate'.

"Pull up a chair, please. I don't want to be the only one sitting." He insists, gesturing to the chair near the wall and you bring it a bit closer.

Letting out a soft sigh of relief once you were off your feet, "God, I hate heels." You mutter, "I'm guessing you have to wear them for that magical job of yours," Your face turns sour, "Magic isn't the word I'd use to describe it,"

Just like that the two of you fell down a rabbit hole of conversation, exchanging work experiences and even phone numbers at one point.

"So tell me, Y/n. In a perfect world, if you could just drop everything, what would you do?" You pretended to give it thought as if you hadn't known for the last decade. "I'd want to open a hair salon... Is that crazy? I don't think I've ever actually said that out loud before."

"What's stopping you?" You laugh, a little too hard, thinking of the dozens of reasons why it wasn't practical and way too impulsive but the longer you looked at his neutral expression you began to reflect on the reasons.

And they all came back to the same root, "What if I fail?" He shrugs, "You can't fail unless you give up." You couldn't believe you were actually considering this. Shaking your head dramatically, clearing your brain.

"You're such a bad influence, y'know? I can't believe you really almost made me do that." His bunny-like smile is on display when he speaks, "That wasn't me, that was your instinct. For a brief second, you just listened to your heart."

Woah.

"Wanna see something cool?" His hand raises and gestures to his lower body, and you watch as the blankets begin to stretch over the small peak that began to form under the covers as he bends his left knee slightly.

"Jungkook! That's incredible." You gasped, eyes wide and you weren't sure what came over you, but before you knew it you'd taken him in your arms.

His body was still a bit weak but his arms responded almost immediately. Holding you still for the short duration of the hug before you pulled away.

"Are you okay- I'm sorry, did I hurt you-" A small panic consumes you as Jungkook's eyes tint a faint red and well with tears. "No, no. You didn't do anything wrong. It's just been so long since someone's been so happy for me."

His words weighed down in your chest like a pile of bricks. "Does no one visit you?"

"All my friends and family came to visit right after the accident. Then it was just my best friends and my parents who came a few times a week. Soon people don't have time to visit someone who makes such little progress every day."

He continues to explain, "But I don't hold it against them. It's a time commitment. The real world is more demanding than I am and I just can't wait for the day I get to meet them out there."

Gently placing your hand on top of his, "You're gonna be out of here before you know it-" A familiar ringer goes off in your bag. You pull out your phone and stop the alarm. "Well, my break ends soon." You stand and you tell yourself that you're imagining the small frown peels over his lips.

Putting the chair back where you found it you walk to the door. "Bye Jungkook, it was good to see you again." With that, you walk away and Jungkook is left in despair. That was it? It's over?

You were just gonna walk into his room and bless him with the most revitalizing conversation he's ever had and you're leaving?

Before he gets the chance to deflate into his pillows your head pops back into the doorframe, "See you tomorrow." You wink and vanish once again. Knowing that you'd given him a little wave of sadness at first.

His shoulders shake with laughter, relieved.

𓆩♡𓆪

Staying true to your word, you in fact did go back to visit him the next day, except you went after your shift since 40 minutes simply wasn't enough time.

For the first few weeks of your daily visits, Jungkook was afraid that one day you would stop coming and he wouldn't see you again, but once three months had passed, there was no doubt in his mind he would walk out of this hospital without you by his side.

You'd even met his parents once, by accident of course. You were just leaving when they'd been walking in and of course, they had no idea who you were.

Telling them about how the two of you met was quite entertaining, Accidentally mentioning the part where Jungkook had been called a missing patient which earned him a soft pinch to his arm from his mother.

But you'll never forget the words his mother whispered in your ear as she hugged you. "Thank you for loving my son." Your cheeks flushed and you stuttered, trying to clarify things but she didn't want to hear it.

"It's okay, I know." She says with the most subtle of winks before walking off with her husband who shook your hand graciously.

Not every day was full of laughs and feasts that you'd bring him from the outside world, there were definitely down days. Days when the pain would call for a stronger dose of his medications which left him burnt out and groggy.

But there were also good days like today. You had the honour of helping Jungkook take some of his first steps for a few feet before being right behind him with the wheelchair.

You weren't able to stop your tears while Jungkook apologized to the physical therapist for your constant crying. You cried every time you saw him move on his own, but he thinks it's cute.

It's evident how much you care about him. By now your entire family knew about your blossomed friendship, and it seems he was all you could talk about. He could only hope that you knew how much he cared about you.

He would love to surprise you at work one day with lunch or take you to your favourite places. Alas, that was among the list of things he unfortunately couldn't control but promised to do once he got out.

He had a section of notes dedicated to you and all the places he would take you, it's what he always hid against his chest anytime you tried peaking.

-

"You won't believe what I just did!" Those are the first words that escape your mouth in the most dramatic of ways as you practically burst into his room.

He jolts, his book now falling forgotten from his fingers, you'd startled him and you apologized. You weren't usually here at noon. So he welcomes your explanation with a warm smile and curious eyes.

"So I went to work this morning, and they called us all in for a meeting. I was expecting another spontaneous workshop about professional behaviour or something. They drop this huge bomb on us that the company is downsizing so they're laying off a third of the company and basically cutting everyone's salary in half." It all comes out in a single breath, so you give yourself some time to breathe.

Jungkook wasn't following, "This sounds like... bad news? Am I missing something? Why do you look so happy?"

"Because I quit my job. I've been thinking about what you said for a while now, about following my heart, and I think I've always been waiting for some kind of sign or opportunity to just go for it, so today was the day." Now that you'd finally gotten the jitters out, you pulled up a chair.

"I know it's crazy, I don't know what I was thinking, but I just got off the phone with one of the property managers of those empty studios downtown and it was all so exciting and I don't even know where I'm going to get the money but I think I can-"

Jungkook finally silenced you with his lips.

He kissed you.

His lips were soft as they worked against yours. You could feel him smile as the kiss deepened. You moved out of your chair to the bed without breaking contact. Pulling away briefly for air but resuming as though you couldn't be apart for more than a second.

You weren't sure when you'd ended up on top of him with Jungkook on his back and your hips grinding down onto his softly, still a bit cautious.

"You have-" He kisses down your neck, peppering kisses between his words, "-No idea-" His lips kissing right below your ear, "-How long I've wanted to kiss you." His teeth gently nibble on the skin of your ear causing a whine to escape your lips.

Suddenly there was a fast beeping and it was only getting faster.

A nurse walks in and you just about throw yourself off of Jungkook and onto the ground. "What's going on in here? Your heart rate was way too fast, Mr. Jeon." He bites his lip nervously while you get yourself on your feet.

"Sorry, Nurse Lynn. I was just trying some new exercises and I guess I got a bit carried away." He says the last part with a lustful look in his eye when he glances towards you.

Once she left you let your hand cover your mouth in pure shock, laughing uncontrollably. "Oh my god, I can't believe that just happened." Jungkook throws his head back onto the pillows with a heavy breath.

"Those nurses can't let me have shit in here. I can't even rub one out in the shower without them barging in." Your jaw drops, "It's happened more times than I'd like to speak about." The shame that seems to swallow him up makes you laugh even harder.

-

"How's the salon going?" He's the first to ask you once you walk out of the bathroom and your shoulders drop. Taking a seat beside him on the bed, "It's a lot harder than I thought it would be. My contractor is being a total pain in the ass, but at least it's starting to come together, look-"

You swipe through the photos of the empty studio that was now painted. "I can't wait to see it." He says, and you look away from the screen. Focusing on his beautiful brown eyes. "Me too." He steals a sweet kiss from you before resuming his swipe through your phone with a cheeky grin.

For the first time, you noticed how empty his left arm was compared to his right. His right arm was covered in tattoos that the two of you had spent nearly an hour talking about once, while his left arm was blank.

"Why don't you have any tattoos on your left arm?" He places down your phone, making eye contact with you once again. "I wanna save it for something special, something meaningful, like the Batman symbol." His nerdy remark makes you snort.

𓆩♡𓆪

"Hi Jungko-Oh." This was unusual.

Of all the times you'd visited Jungkook, there was probably only one other time where you'd caught him sleeping, although that was a late night. It was only sometime around 3 in the afternoon.

You didn't want to disturb him, so you left him a little sticky note for him to read when he wakes up. You didn't want him to think that you never came.

The following day the two of you were having a bit of a hard time getting Jungkook out of bed. "I thought you wanted to do some more walking?" You offer, standing with his walker but he laid back unmotivated.

"Not today, maybe another day. I'm just a bit tired." He mumbles and you nod, "Oh. Okay." But your heart wasn't settled, something was wrong.

The week continued with his slow responses and fatigue. "Are you okay?" He hums, his eyes shutting tight as he grunts softly. "Yeah, just got a bit of a headache, that's all. I'll be better by tomorrow." He reassures you, and you insist on getting him some water.

"Nurse Lynn." You call out for the Nurse as you cross paths as you return from refilling Jungkook's water bottle. She stops and begins to approach you. "Jungkook has been acting a bit off lately. He's been really tired and he says he has a headache and I just want to know if anything is going on."

You can see that she really begins to think about anything it could be. You follow her as she goes off to check his charts. Looking through the window, Jungkook had already fallen asleep.

"His numbers seem to be fine, but we'll keep a close eye on them tonight and run some tests in the morning." Leaving you with a reassuring hand on your shoulder, but you still didn't feel any better.

You went home to your parents' house. You'd moved back home after impulsively quitting your job since there was no way you'd be able to afford your old apartment anymore. Besides, this arrangement made the most sense.

Now you were able to save your money and focus on your salon. The salon Jungkook had inspired you to open, god you couldn't stop thinking about him. Something felt off.

"Y/n?" Your dad snaps his fingers in front of you, finally catching your attention. "Sorry- What?"

"Your mom and I were wondering if you'd be joining us for dinner or if you already ate." You shake your head slowly, "It's okay, I'm not hungry."

"Is everything okay?'' Your stretches her neck from where she sat on the couch. "I don't know. Jungkook's been acting off lately and I just don't know if everything is okay." Anyone who heard you could hear the worry that wavered in your tone. You wanted nothing more than for him to be okay.

"Oh, honey." Your parents hugged you and for a moment you felt like everything was going to be okay.

Until it wasn't.

-

It was around 2 in the morning when you'd gotten a call from Jungkook's mom.

He'd gone into a coma.

You didn't find yourself to be a religious person yet you found yourself praying to any god in the sky who was listening as you drove to the hospital that he would be okay.

Running through the halls, letting out careless apologies to those you nearly bumped into as you did so. "What happened?!" You say frantically, his mother was in no state to speak, her eyes were bloodshot and her lips quivered whenever she tried to speak.

Instead, his father took on the role to tell you, "The doctors said there were unforeseen complications from his accident. There was some inflammation in his brain that went undetected and was applying pressure to his brain stem which is why he was experiencing those headaches and fatigue. They've done all they can to reduce the swelling, but there's no guarantee he'll-"

His dad struggles to finish his sentence, choking up a bit himself at the possibility of Jungkook never waking up. "C-Can I see him?" You swallow back your tears and that sore feeling in your throat as you walk in slowly.

You didn't want to cry, but the moment you saw him hooked up to all those machines, the same ones he hated so much, the way his body lay so still, it broke you.

Your cries came out more as wails than anything else, you couldn't say anything but his name. You weren't just crying, you were begging, pleading with the gods to spare him.

"Y/n-" You hear his dad's voice behind you, catching you in his arms just as you fall to your knees. He could have never anticipated a reaction quite like this one. It seems he underestimated how much Jungkook meant to you.

Now he knows.

All his friends and family knew.

As they trickled in and out of Jungkook's hospital room over the following weeks they would see you sitting by his side, the same way you did all the days before.

His mom liked to say you were there more than Jungkook was. She knew he was lucky, he'd found something special with you. A kind of love that was rare to come across these days.

You spent every waking moment beside him until visiting hours were over, and would be back the next morning the moment they begin. Your parents told you to keep yourself busy with your salon and you tried, but how could you when everything inside reminded you of him?

Today was a quiet day, with no visitors or flowers for you to find space for as his room was filled. You focused on reading to him. You'd been told that hearing familiar voices can help to stimulate brain activity and you were willing to do anything.

"As Batman ran through the dark streets of Gotham-" You chuckled to yourself, unable to take the story seriously.

According to his parents, this was his favourite comic book growing up, and you'd been reading it to him for the last few days, and yet you still weren't interested in DC.

You rummaged through the bag of books you had on the side, your fingertips grasped the familiar cover that started it all. "The String of Fate" You mumble, a soft smile as the title takes you back to the night you met.

Back then he was nothing more than an opinionated patient on the loose, and now, he was everything.

You opened the book, going back to the page you'd bookmarked as a favourite. Deciding to read it out loud for the sake of Jungkook hearing your voice.

"In the garden of destiny, soulmates blossom, each petal a reflection of the other's beauty, each leaf a testament to their shared growth. Together, they tend to the soil of their dreams, nurturing them with the water of their love, as they chase the sunsets of tomorrow, hand in hand, forever intertwined."

Your voice began to shake halfway through, and your tears landed on every other word. You closed the book, placing it back in the bag so that you could take Jungkook's hands in yours.

"Please," You whispered, "I love you."

It was no surprise to anyone. You had nothing but love for the man who changed your world for the better. He had no idea how much space he takes up in your head, your heart. It's his, it belongs to him.

"Can we come in?" There are soft knocks on the door and you're pleasantly surprised to see Jin and your sister, assuming the baby was with your parents.

"Thank you for coming," You hug them both, "If there's someone important enough that you went MIA during my labour, then I have to meet him." Eunji says jokingly and you smile sadly, "I just wish you got to meet under better circumstances."

The days turned to night then day once again, and the pattern continued endlessly for the following month. It just continued to repeat in this painful process of dwindling hope.

Nothing could have prepared you for the devastating conversation with the doctor this morning.

"Please understand, during this difficult time, we have carefully monitored Jungkook's minimal brain activity. Given the duration of his coma and after our intensive examination of his condition, if there were indications for a potential recovery leading to him waking up, we would have observed signs by now. I know this news is incredibly challenging to hear but-"

His mother wept.

"We're so sorry." The doctor says as if it was rehearsed, you couldn't imagine how many times he'd had to give such gut-wrenching news to other families.

You listened with a broken heart, unable to cry. You were all out of tears. You'd cried and cried your heart out all month, you couldn't bear the thought of it all being for such a tragic conclusion.

-

That was almost a week ago, you'd remained by Jungkook's side regardless. Never leaving, not moving.

"Y/n, Honey. You've been here all day, when's the last time you ate something, hm?" His mom gently tilted your chin upwards, you looked pale in colour and your eyes were dull with sorrow.

"I don't know, Tuesday maybe?"

It's Thursday night.

"Go." She orders, and you know that tone. She wasn't willing to negotiate this with you. She'd begun to care for you like a daughter of her own, and as much as she respected and adored your dedication to her son, it was just as important that you were healthy.

Still following Jungkook's advice, you avoided most of the shops in the cafeteria except for a select few that he deemed sanitary. Sitting at one of the tables by yourself, you poked at your food, not all that hungry but you took bites anyway.

Taking a long sip from your water bottle you ignored the buzzing from your phone. You're sure it's just the contractors giving you a hard time again. You were set to open in a few months from now and you'd never felt more grateful for your mom stepping in to help while you were.. away.

Your phone buzzes once more, you finally check the messages.

Ever since that night, every time Mrs. Jeon messaged you, it left you with a pit in your stomach, quite like the one in your stomach right now.

She was calling you back to Jungkook's room immediately.

Completely abandoning your half-eaten meal on the table as you rushed back up to the room you'd begun to know like the back of your hand.

There his parents were, teary-eyed as they sat outside his room, making calls and texting loved ones. Soon you saw a team of nurses walking out of his room with some medical technology that you're sure had very complicated names and--

Oh no.

Your brain was putting the pieces together. What was once a pit had evolved into a full-fledged sinkhole. Your hands were shaking as you walked into the room, eyes landing on his body, not expecting to meet his familiar brown orbs.

They blinked at you slowly. Just like the first time you'd visited, they smiled before his lips did. "There she is," His voice was weak, understandably but it still had that softness to it.

Your body was overwhelmed and unable to make any coherent sounds. You were standing still as a statue. You pulled your bottom lip between your teeth to stop your lips from quivering but you couldn't stop it.

Your breathing became shallow and the sound of your heart drumming in your ears seemed much louder than it did a minute ago. You felt like your eyes were playing tricks on you.

"Is it-" Your voice airy and broken, not wanting this to be a dream. You so desperately needed this to be real. He nods slowly with a grin, "It's me." Just when you thought you had no more tears left, there were more spilling down your cheeks.

Finally picking up your feet and walking over to him with broken sobs, meeting him at the side of the bed. On your knees with his arms around you while you held him in yours. "I thought I lost you." You swat him with teary eyes and a small laugh.

"You can never lose me, Y/n, and I want to make sure of that." He says, and your head tilts instinctively. "What do you mean?"

"Marry me."

Eyes wide and your mouth nearly kissing the floor.

"You can't be serious," Oh how you hoped he was serious.

"You've been by my side every step of the way. When I walk through those hospital doors one last time, I want to be beside the woman I love. Let me spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you've made me." Now he was the one getting misty eyes.

Your mouth struggled to keep up with the eager nodding of your head. "Yes." Holding his face in your hands and kissing him like you'd longed to do for weeks.

Finally.

"Wait- You don't have a ring," Jungkook leans slightly for the box of band-aids on the side table. "Jungkook, I don't need-'' Your efforts go in vain as he shushes you kindly, taping the band-aid around your ring finer.

"It's symbolic for now until I can get you the real thing."

-

Nothing could have prepared you for the busy year ahead of you. Between visiting Jungkook, opening a salon and planning a wedding things were beginning to get chaotic but it all seemed to fade in importance once Jungkook finally got to go home.

And you were right, he was home just in time for Thanksgiving, and he had a lot to be thankful for. He made that clear during his speech at your parents' annual Thanksgiving dinner.

The fact he was able to stand for it was reason enough. Although he wasn't able to walk far distances, he was improving every day, and it just warmed your heart.

Your speech wasn't nearly as tear-jerking as Jungkook's was, but you still had a lot to be grateful for. Just looking around the table from where you stood, smiling at your parents, your sister with Jin and Seol-a, Jungkook's parents, and Jungkook, of course.

Everything you ever wanted was right in front of you.

Keeping your speech short and sweet, "And I know she's grateful for that huge rock on her finger." Eunji whispers loudly causing the table to erupt in a fit of giggles, the tips of your ears turn red as you smile shyly.

From Thanksgiving to the opening day of your Salon. Staring up to look at your name written out in a cursive font across the top of the building you were in awe. "Pinch me," you mutter sarcastically, not expecting Jungkook to actually pinch you.

With a pout you rubbed the pink mark he left on your arm as the two of you walked into the moderately busy salon. Your mom had sent out flyers and emails about the opening day all season.

You wouldn't have been able to do it without her.

"I'm so proud of you," Jungkook whispers and you turn to face him with the look of a puppy. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you," He shakes his head, "I didn't do anything. This was all you, all you had to do was listen to your heart." Giving him one of those upside-down smiles you wrap your arms around him, talking into his chest.

"I can't wait to marry you."

Before you knew it, the wait was over.

Today is the day. 

You could only stress about one day so much, you'd gone over every last detail down to the very inch and you were sure it was going to be perfect, after all, you'd had it all planned out in your head since you were 7 and Jungkook was more than happy oblige, 'as long as I get to marry you', he would say.

Your wedding was beautiful, it left your guests breathless the moment they entered the venue and the ceremony hadn't even begun yet.

Your wedding had its own special and heartfelt twist to it. Instead of Jungkook standing ready at the altar, he had the honour of picking a heartfelt song to walk down the aisle to with no arm crutches or wheelchair to support him. Nothing but his parents on either side holding one of his arms.

Some of the audience cheered while some let their tears fall quietly, knowing how far Jungkook had come to get to this point. Once he made it to the front, his best man, Jimin, handed him his arm crutches once again.

Soon the rest of the bridal party had made their way down the aisle, prompting the audience to stand. All heads turned to the grand double doors that soon opened as a romantic instrumental of "Look After You" began to play.

Jungkook could hardly see you from the distance he was standing but just knowing that you were walking towards him had him choking up already.

By the time he really could see you, he couldn't. His eyes are cloudy with tears until Jimin hands him his pocket square to wipe his eyes. Blinking the rest of his tears away, he smiles at you.

You looked beautiful.

Like God's most perfect creation sent down from heaven. There you were, smiling back at him with those angel eyes of yours. It would be a lie to say you didn't want to cry but the last thing you wanted was to ruin your makeup.

However, you weren't so strong when it came time to listen to Jungkook's vows after just finishing yours.

"You once asked me if I believed in soulmates, and I remember saying it was a load of crap. I had no idea they were sitting right in front of me. Your unconditional and unchanging demonstration of love has completely changed me from the inside out. Through you, I breathe again, and for you, my heart beats. Today, I give you more than just my word. I give you mind, I give you my soul, my everything. I pray from this day forward we will chase the sunsets of tomorrow, hand in hand, forever."

The last part he recites from the passage of your book you'd read to him while he was still unconscious. Your makeup is now a victim to the stream of hot, salty tears that flowed from your eyes, "You heard me." You say just loud enough for only him to hear you. He smiles. "I heard you."

With no more tears and the unravelling of a touching ceremony,

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

This was it. The moment Jungkook had been anticipating for months. Unclipping himself from the crutches around his arms, he hands them to Jimin.

He stretches out his arms dramatically, pretending to crack his neck.

Carefully taking your face in his hands, knowing how important it was to you that he didn't smudge anything, but your lipstick was going to need some reapplication after the way he pivoted and swooped you down for the most passionate of kisses.

The kind where your leg raises in the air while the photographer gets the money shot, capturing the bright smiles all around.

As if it was possible, the reception was even better than the ceremony. The toasts were both funny and touching. All eyes were on the happy couple who sat at their special table on the elevated platform for all to see.

Unable to hear what was being said but they could only assume it was something heartfelt based on the way your hands had clasped over your mouth.

Jungkook had just rolled up the sleeve of his left arm, showing you a new tattoo that you'd never seen. It was a delicate dark vine that wrapped around his forearm, with blossoming flowers, encircling the words 'Garden of Destiny', just like from your book.

"Are those-" You point to the types of flowers, "Tiger Lilies and Cosmos, your birth flower? Yeah." You pout, "Please don't cry, you'll be so upset if you ruin your makeup." He gently moves a loose strand of your hair from your face with the same hand you'd just been examining, and that's when it hits you.

"It's on your left arm." He grins,

"Of course it is."

𓆩♡𓆪This was only supposed to be 900 words. oops. 𓆩♡𓆪

𓆩♡𓆪 mentions and reblogs are always appreciated <3

sir, i am both

Not Enough Anymore

warnings: slightly angst, jealousy, cursing, kissing (may contain spelling errors, I’m not a native)

summary: you found yourself desperate for Cheongsan’s love. You wanted to kiss him, touch him, hold him, declare your feelings for him. However, you decided to keep everything inside of you, thinking that it would be better than being rejected… until that day when the worst happened and Cheongsan’s best friend, Gyeongsu, found out about it.

____________

Being Lee Cheongsan’s friend was just not enough anymore.

That feeling was growing inside you more and more each day and you knew you shouldn’t feel this way. You shouldn’t love someone who definitely was incapable of seeing you romantically.

Cheongsan loves Onjo. Cheongsan loves Onjo. Cheongsan loves Onjo. You have been trying to repeat this sentence in your own mind as a mantra for eight months already.

It all started when you moved into the same building as Lee Cheongsan and Nam Onjo. And you soon found out that you three attended the same school as well. You just wanted distance from him, this platonic feeling would get you nowhere, but Onjo and him ending up becoming close to you and eventually your best friends.

The first contact you had with Cheongsan was when you were coming back from the convenience store and accidentally dropped everything because of your father messages on your phone about you being late. Cheong San was kind, he saw the mess on the floor in the hallway and offered his help, picking up the things for you.

Since you were in a hurry, you both didn’t exchange many words.

“Thank you!” you shouted without looking at him and ran off quickly, almost tripping over your own feet pathetically. What a shame!

Days later, Cheong San met you again since you were classmates. At first, he didn’t seem to recognize your face, but he soon figure it out when he heard Onjo introducing you as her new neighbor.

Yeah, you were supposed to be friends, but it all felt like living a love triangle. It was sad you couldn’t control yourself from staring at Cheongsan everytime he was distracted with something else.

You found yourself desperate for Cheongsan’s love. You wanted to kiss him, touch him, hold him, declare your feelings for him. However, you decided to keep everything inside of you, thinking that it would be better than being rejected.

Until that day when the worst happened and Cheongsan’s best friend, Gyeongsu, found out about it.

You two were doing an assignment together in the library and you fell asleep because of you lack of resting from the previous night.

“You haven’t getting so much sleep lately, have you?” Gyeongsu looked at you with great interest, curiosity vibrating from every particle of him. “Anyway, you said Cheongsan’s name during your sleep.”

Your eyes widened the instant you heard this.

“No, I didn’t!”

“Yes, you did! I’m not deaf.” Gyeongsu smirked. “You were like Oh Cheongsan, you’re so handsome and perfect, I love you so muuuch.” you stared at the boy angrily, he obviously was enjoying teasing you and his wicked smile started to make you feel nervous.

“Shut the fuck up!” you slapped him hard on his head.

Gyeongsu let out a low laugh, but you ignored him and finished some last details of the assignment just in time for the break to end.

When you two got back to the classroom, you noticed it was empty. You and him were the first ones to return.

“So… ” Gyeongsu started talking again. “You’re in love with Cheongsan, but aren’t gonna tell him?”

“He doesn’t need to know.”

“Really? I don’t think so.” you felt your throat go dry at the thought of the boy saying something to Cheongsan.

“Please, don’t say anything to him!” Gyeongsu looked at you surprised. He had never seen you ask him for anything like that.

“I don’t know… he’s my best friend, I can’t keep secrets from him.” the boy argued firmly.

“Yeah, but this has nothing to do with you.” you replied lowering your voice now that the classroom was already getting full of students.

“Let me tell him. Who knows, hm? Maybe you two… ?” the boy said suggestively, causing a sigh to come out of your mouth.

“Never. Cheongsan would never give me a chance… ”

“I would never what?” you heard a familiar voice and then saw Cheongsan coming closer, he looked from one face to the other, trying to understand the situation. “Hey, all right here?”

Before Gyeongsu could think of answering, you acted faster than him.

“Gyeongsu, please… ” you ignored Cheongsan’s question as you beg his friend, making the best to sounded sweet and cute to convince him. “Please… ”

“Ah… okay.” the boy moved closer to your ear to whisper the following words: “You don’t have to beg. I won’t tell him.” and then he walked away from you along with Cheongsan, who had a very confused expression on his face.

If Cheongsan insisted at least a little, would he still keep his mouth shut?

No, you're sure you couldn't trust Gyeongsu.

___________

Your fear was confirmed when you heard Cheongsan shouting your name at the end of class in the middle of the hallway, but you didn't stop to wait for him and walked faster. At some point, you were practically running from him.

He knows. Fuck, he knows...

You went down the stairs to the first floor and the main entrance as fast as you could, but you didn't go that far, because soon the boy reached your figure and stop right in front of you, preventing you from scaping.

"Why are you running away from me?"

"What? No, I'm not."

"I may not be the smartest in our class, but I'm not dumb, y/n." he smiled, finding your odd behavior very amusing.

"Okay, hm... then let's pretend...let's pretend you don't know."

Cheongsan raised an eyebrow, not understanding what you meant.

"Don't know what?"

"Stop it! I know that Gyeongsu told you!" you didn't realize that your voice sounded quite a bit loud, causing the other students to stare at the two of you.

"He said.... ?"

"That I-I like you, Cheongsan."

"You forgot this in class." Cheongsan was holding up your math book and you didn't hesitate to grab it from his hand. "Wait... what you just said? You like me... ?" Cheongsan obviously didn't know what he should answer, but what you hated most was what was described in his eyes. Surprise. Disbelief. Compassion. "I'm sorry, I... "

"You have feelings for Onjo." Cheongsan's attention fixed even more on you. "I understand that, let's just forget about today, okay?" you walked quickly past him and he didn't stop you this time, but you could hear him sighing and saying again "I'm sorry."

__________

It would be a huge lie if you said that things didn't get awkward between you and Cheongsan. Not that it was completely bad, but even the way you looked at each other was different.

"There's something else here." Anyone would say that.

All the time, you had the feeling that the boy wanted to tell you something, and it left you in a state of anguish, wanting to know what he was thinking. But a week after you proposed to him, you couldn't even imagine that Cheongsan would react and cross the line.

"What are you doing right now?" you had just showered and were getting dressed when your cell phone started vibrating. It was already late. Why was he texting you?

"None of your concern."

"Are you upsed?"

"Fuck off, Cheongsan."

"I just want to know if you're okay."

"I am fine."

It was your last message before ignoring him, however, Cheongsan did not give up easily. The boy insisted and soon you could see a picture of the two of you together with Onjo in the background glowing on your cell phone screen. Annoyed, you aggressively answered his call.

"What do you want?"

"Come outside."

"What?"

"I said come out here. I'm at your door."

"Cheongsan, it's already very late."

"Please. Come here."

You debated with yourself for a few seconds, but ending up not resisting.

How could you resist him?

You put a sweatshirt over the thin shirt you used to wear to sleep and after making sure you weren't inappropriately dressed, you left your apartment quietly. Cheongsan was standing right in front of your door and he stared at your face for a long time without saying anything. Several seconds passed...

"Cheongsan... ?"

"You are really very beautiful." your heart melted and sped up at his words.

"S-stop it!" You stammered pathetically.

"Sorry for not noticing it before." Cheongsan took steps toward you, breaking the distance between you both.

"Please... don't do this. " and before you knew it, he was close, too close. That wasn't right.

You put your hand on his chest to push him away, but it didn't work.

"I can't stop thinking about you. Ever since that day...I can't stop thinking about it, y/n." Cheongsan lowered his eyes to your mouth and you swallowed hard. "Keep quiet, I need to try something."

You didn't have time to protest or think about anything before his lips met yours, initially it was supposed to be an innocent kiss. You felt like you were going to fall, but Cheongsan held your waist with one of his hands. He was really kissing you. It was real. Not a dream.

He deepened the kiss, his hold getting tighter on you, his body dangerously close to yours, and soon you both were making out as if this was the only way to stay alive. So wrong. You were in your front door and anyone could see that scene.

"Cheongsan... " you pulled your face away from his, looking into his dark eyes.

"Good night, y/n. Have sweet dreams." Cheongsan seemed like he wanted to kiss you again so badly, but he didn't. So you pushed him away and quickly came back inside your apartment.

You sighed deeply. Your legs were wobbly.

________

The next day, Lee Cheongsan said that it was a mistake what he had done. That he had acted on impulse. Cheongsan made you cry by saying that he loved Onjo and could not like you back. It hurt too much to hear. It hurt you even more that Cheongsan acted as if nothing had happened. He had said that he couldn't stop thinking about you and kissed you like that, and now... this? What a asshole.

Onjo had noticed how awkward you two had been lately, avoiding each other as much as possible. She tried to bring it up whenever the two of you were in the same place, but it was the same response from both sides. Nothing. There was nothing going on...

You felt so tired, you didn't want that heavy atmosphere with Cheongsan anymore. You wanted to have him around you. Even if only as a friend.

So you decided to move on when a student in your class asked you out, maybe if you started to date someone else everything would be okay...

"Are you insane?" you were so focused on your book on the table that you got a big fright when you heard Cheongsan's angry voice coming into the library.

"Cheongsan, I'm trying to study."

"Are you really going out with that guy?" he closed your book on the table to have your full attention on him.

You bit your lower lip nervously.

How did he know that? You hadn't told anyone except for Onjo...

"Who told you that?"

"Answer my question first." Cheongsan demanded.

"Yeah, I'm going out with him."

"No, you're not."

"I'll go out with whoever I want!" you stood up from your chair and pointed your finger in his face. Slowly, Cheongsan's expression became lighter and he smiled a little.

"What are you smiling at, you idiot?"

"You look so small and so cute trying to fight me." his smile got larger, but Cheongsan cursed as he was kicked hard in his leg. This time, you were smiling in victory.

"Lee Cheongsan, you are a... " you couldn't finish the sentence because the boy took you by surprise by hugging you suddenly. A very tight hug. It was as if he was afraid that you were going to run and disappear away from him.

"Please, don't go out with anyone else." the boy whispered, keeping you tied in his strong arms, and although you didn't respond with words, you hugged him back and that was just enough.

____________

It turned out to be you and Cheongsan's secret that you met with him secretly almost every day at school. Deep down, you were aware about the reason he might wanted it that way, but you pretended not to.

Maybe you were just being used, but you enjoyed being with him too much to stop and think about it properly.

His lips and his touch were addictive. You felt safe in his arms.

Maybe Cheongsan could fall in love with you eventually. Maybe he will forget his love for Onjo. Could he fall for you? Be yours?

However, the most important thing at that moment, while the boy pressed you against the wall of a empty room and once again got lost himself in your sweet kisses, you knew that Cheongsan was only yours.

Saguau and time

Can you imagine how weird it must feel to feel time passing at a much much slower rate than literally everyone else? Because your body and mind are still used to our world's time, but in Teyvat 1 Earth minute = 1 Genshin hour.

You're just existing, meanwhile the acolytes are literally crying on their knees, begging you to eat something. "It's been weeks since you ate!" They say. "Is the food not to your liking?"

Meanwhile you're just like

But I just ate a few hours ago.

Sleeping is even worse. To all of the acolytes you've been up for who-knows-how-long. Honestly, you put Jean and Ganyu to shame with how long you refuse to rest. What do you mean you're not at all tired? You've been up for almost a month straight! Do not make them literally tie you to the bed, hoping that you'll finally get some sleep.

And when your body gets the 9 hours of sleep you need, you are shocked to see the entire cult in utter chaos. Like some real "Lord of the flies" shit. And the second they see you awake again, they've back on their knees, crying about how much they missed you.

You suddenly understand why they are clinging to you every possible second. If they decide to absolutely lose their collective shit every time you take a nap, who knows what they'll do when you want some time away from them. To you it's only been like two or three days, meanwhile they're convinced that you have abandoned them as the seasons begin to change.

Time dialation is a bitch like that.

•like or reblog if you save.

Too much angst? Okay imagine Darling first arriving in Teyvat and the sheer happiness they experienced in meeting their favorite characters. The whole cult is so happy to finally meet them but wait! We can’t just greet them willy nilly, so every nation just puts up a HUGE welcoming festival. Every Archon and government are amped up to one up the other in wowing darling when they enter their nation the first time. Everyone is so happy to finally have darling in Teyvat. Brainrot over ☺️

@weirdsht 👀 hope you don't mind anon but I'll have to do this too in three parts 😭

Everybody in Teyvat expected their day to go as it always has done; Flora will send the Traveller to get her some freshly picked flowers, Xiangling will be out and about with Chongyun and Xingqiu for ingredients, Thoma will do his usual housekeeping and attend to Ayaka— just their everyday routines, for eveyone.

At least, that had been the plan if it weren't for a certain, sudden shower of stars that engulfed the entirety of Teyvat's sky. Of course, this has people talking— but what can the rest of the nations do but wait when the stars— or meteorites, perhaps?— seem to be aimed at Mondstadt?

But not even the Mondstadtians, with Jean herself at the front of the investigative group, could have anticipated that they'd find you, their God and Creator, face first against the grounds of the tree in Windrise, near the statue of Barbatos.

And it is you; Jean can feel it in her very bones, can feel the way every part of her body almost unconsciously recognises you— and so can the rest of the group, even those with no vision or who are particularly religious.

Gently, lovingly, reverently, you are carried by the Dandelion Knight herself back to Mondstadt to be tended to, and despite her orders of secrecy it doesn’t take long before the entire city is abuzz and excited— you're here! Their God, their very Creator is with them and decided to visit Mondstadt first! Is it not a cause for them to celebrate, then?

And so while the city begins to celebrate, bright banners strewn over buildings, fresh flowers hung everywhere, you are in the Favonius HQ, surrounded by nearly everyone— all so happy and excited to meet you, to greet you, and even more so once you actually wake up.

You are understandably scared and confused at first and they of courser rush to comfort you— do you happen to be cold, your grace? Are you injured, your grace? Are you hungry, your grace? Would you like new clothes, your grace?— until you are calmer and now even smiling as brightly as them.

And when they hear you say that you've always wanted to meet them, too, well nobody blames them for beaming, no?

And then you say you want to explore Mondstadt, and who are they to stop you when you want to and when the whole city has prepared a big festival for you?

While the Knights quickly start clearing their schedule, it is Venti who first takes you to tour the whole city— seeing you so excited and happy to meet his people, to interact and talk with them has him with a spring in his step, even more so when said people are all too glad and happy to tell you whatever you ask them. And so when you've turned your back on him for a few seconds, he quickly gets a cecilia flower crown from Flora which he gifts you.

Seeing you wear it with pride and kiss his cheek in thanks is a memory he will cherish forever in his heart.

Klee and Diona then join you, Klee excitedly taking your hand in hers after Diona shyly gives you a delicious drink she prepared just for you and dragging you to where Bennett and Razor are all the while telling you about the new bombs Albedo helped her make. Bennett is a shy, stuttering mess that doesn't even get the chance to warn you of his bad luck before you're pulling him and Razor to a hug, the latter a bit confused but not saying anything because he can tell through every single one of his senses that you lupical, that you are friend.

And after that is when you meet Amber and Eula— Eula who's so stiff despite Amber telling her that you aren't the God she's expecting, Eula who tries to drop into a kneel before you stop her and instead also take her to a hug and tell her that she's even prettier than you thought. Amber has a Baron Bunny in her hand, which she gives to you with a bright blush but a happy grin when you laugh and thank her.

Then comes Jean and Lisa, both bearing plates of food for you. Jean is also cautious like Eula, but it is easier to put her at ease after you tell her that the city is a thousand times even better than you imagined and yes, everyone has been so wonderfully nice to you. Lisa is only chuckling into her hand, though you are not blind to a the happy little smile she gets when you link your hands with her and Jean and thank them for the delicious food.

The three of you walk around the city again, and your eyes are still bright with wonder when you notice Angel's Share and ask to go there.

Diluc is of course the first to notice you, followed by Kaeya who has a little smirk that tells you exactly that he's been pestering Diluc at work again. Although you yourself don't notice it, they both brighten up as do all those at the tavern upon your entrance.

You don't known whether Diluc would've been as stiff with you as Eula and Jean were, because it doesn't take seconds before Kaeya is starting again except this time he's pulling you into the banter— and it is banter, because despite their words there's amusement and fondness in the two brother's eyes while they pester one another and tell you to ignore the other.

And then later it is Venti who comes and take you from there, citing that there is still so much you must see! And he is not lying— there's a dance going on in the plaza with Barbara singing, who waves at you with the joy of the sun itself.

When he sees that you are hesitant to join the dance, he only shakes his head when you tell him that you don’t know the steps; this is the City of Freedom, nobody will be bothered by you not knowing the steps, your grace!

Still, Venti takes your hands in his and teaches you the steps, until you are passable enough not to step on his feet every so often. Venti himself doesn't care; he's more focused on the bright gleam in your eyes and the fact that the winds are literally singing with your laughs.

Even now, it's still hard for him to think that his beloved God is actually here— but he does not dare complain. This is a dream come true for him, he will not ruin it in any way.

(And unbeknownst to him, this is a dream come true for you, as well.)

A/n: Hello this is the Halloween special that organised by @saekogun Thanks a lot for organising this and it's been a lot of fun and sorry that this is a bit late. (Sorry if it’s bad I’ll get around to editing it eventually) Minors: DNI with this TW: Death, Human Experimentation, Cannibalism, Fem reader

"Please allow us to offer our deepest condolences, Tartaglia was one of the best and he will be missed." A fatui member offered emptily while you shoot him a harsh glare at the name of your now late husband. "Our thoughts are with you in this difficult time so please let us know if there's anything we can do for you." his comrade offers and having given their obligatory condolences they make themselves scarce leaving you alone with your thoughts.

Never had you expected that your time together would have been cut so short, that the kiss he gave you that morning would have been his last. You can still remember that cheeky grin of his as he reassured you that he would finish his mission and return to you soon, how could either of you have known what was to come. But if you had known could you have stopped him? Urged him to stay in bed for a bit longer by your side and ensure that he missed his ship to Liyue. If you had would he still be by your side now instead of laying lifeless in a casket in front of you now? Such thoughts continued to plague your mind even as they lowered him into the ground while his family wept, their anguished screams nothing but static in the background as you could only watch in disbelief. Your beloved Ajax was gone, leaving you alone in this bleak wasteland.

For days after the funeral people continued to stop by and offer you their sympathies and useless sentiments that would do nothing to bring your love back to you. Days gradually bled into weeks with time becoming a blur leaving you to suffer in your home which had once been a warm place full of life now empty while you continued to regret everything. You regretted all those stupid fights and began to resent yourself for wasting your precious time with him. You would give anything to see him just once more and apologise for failing him but mostly you wanted to thank him for all the love he showed you.

Still, you remained distant with his family even though his mother and siblings stopped by frequently to check in on you only to receive a curt response or silence. You just couldn't bear to be around them especially with Teucer growing more every day and slowly beginning to resemble his late brother. If Ajax saw you now there's no doubt that he would be disappointed with the way you shunned his family, betraying the very thing he valued the most. But you couldn't bring yourself to face them, praying that Ajax would forgive you for this. Eventually, they stopped coming altogether, preferring to leave you to wallow in your grief and you almost preferred it that way. But you often found yourself reminiscing over the good times where you would all gather around their fireplace as you and Ajax would watch the kids play and plan your future together.

Then one day you received an unexpected visitor, blinking owlishly you can only stare at the man who stood at your door with annoyed glares. "Are you going to let me in before I freeze out here?" the man you recognised as Dottore hissed in annoyance as you stepped aside wordlessly allowing them into your abode. Upon entering he grimaces seeing at the sight of your home, with dirty dishes stacked up at the sink with crumpled tissues scattered across your wooden floors. "What do you want?" You ask bluntly fully aware that this man could easily kill you with little to no consequences or turn you into his next project. “Straight to the point huh, Tartaglia always said he liked that about you.” He huffs pulling out an empty chair taking a place at your table. “How would you like to see your husband again?” He asks with a smirk as you glare coldly at his suggestion. “I hope you’re not suggesting that you dig him up, I will burn you to a crisp if you dare try!” You hiss as the pyro vision at your side began to flare up in warning while the scientist across from you only huffed in response.

"But what if there was a way to bring him back, would you be willing to try it?” “That’s impossible not even the archons could bring him back.” You murmur fiddling with your wedding ring anxiously, the sapphire glinting in the light. “It's not impossible anymore thanks to this.” Dottore grins pulling out a piece of paper placing it in front of you. In front of you was a rectangular sheet with strange characters inscribed on it in crimson ink. “What is this?” You ask reaching out only for the doctor to snatch it back placing it safely in his coat pocket. “It’s a talisman that a skirmisher recovered from Jueyun Karst during the raid.” He explains with an excited gleam in his eyes. “The gnosis wasn’t the only thing that the Tsarita sought.” He explains.

“I’ll save the boring details but this thing was created by the Adepti and will resurrect its wearer." He says as you can only look up at him in horror. "No...this is wrong, Ajax wouldn't want this." You start only for Dottore to sigh looking at you in irritation. "And here I was hoping you'd be more understanding, it's the Tsaritsa's will so it's going to happen no matter what you said." He explains as you stare at him in horror as he gives you an excited smirk "This was just a formality plus we don't know how Tartaglia will react once he wakes up." Standing up he walks towards the door turning to look at you once more with a grin visible from behind that mask of his. "Wouldn't you rather be there when he wakes up?" He asks as you grit your teeth mulling it over in your head. "You have one week to reconsider otherwise we'll just take him from you by force."

You continued to contemplate his offer as you begin to weigh up the pros and cons of this decision. But eventually, the desire to have him in your arms again overwhelmed your moral concerns and you found yourself contacting the shady doctor once more. "We'll get started right away then." Soon you found yourself stood by his side watching as fatui grunts stabbed their shovels into the snow covered earth and eventually pulled up a familiar black box. Upon seeing his coffin once again your stomach lurched and you turned away as they carted him off to some horrid lab. "Leave the rest to us and we'll contact you once it's done," Dottore said departing from the cemetery leaving you alone as the full weight of your actions crashed down on you. There was no way that his family would forgive you once they learned of your choice and your neighbours would surely resent you for playing god like this. But none of it mattered if you could see him once more.

So you waited and waited spending your days cleaning up the home not wanting him to see it in such a state, as you buried yourself in your work you couldn't get rid of the heaviness inside. Surely if the Tsaritsa said it was fine you'd have nothing to fear, right?

Eventually, the fateful day arrived and you found yourself standing in Dottore's lab with tears in your eyes at the sight of the man in front of you. Laying lifelessly on the operation table was your husband dressed in a modest white shirt and black trousers. "Now I suggest you stand back, there's no telling how he'll react after all," Dottore suggests as he began to chant strange words in a language you didn't recognise as a sigil began to glow brightly from under Ajax's shirt before a bright flash erupted forcing you to close your eyes. Blinking bearing you rush over to the table scanning his face for any signs of success only for your heart to sink as his eyes remained closed. Grabbing his cold hand in yours you squeeze it as tears cascade down your cheeks, you should have known it was a long sh-

"W-Where am I?" A voice croaks out as you stare with wide eyes as your husband blinks blearily looking around the lab. "Ah nice of you to wake up Tartaglia." Dottore grins excitedly as he frantically scribbles messy notes onto a sheet of paper. "How are you feeling, does anything hurt?"

"Just my head now can you please tell me why my wife and I are here?" He questions as you wrap your arms around his form, just happy to have him with you again. "You agreed to participate in an experiment for the Tsarista and your wife is here to pick you up." Dottore lies giving you a predatory smile. "Isn't that right?" Nodding hesitantly you give Ajax a warm smile ignoring the guilt. "I've just got to perform some basic checks and then you should be good to go." He says before beckoning you to follow him. "Can I please speak to you for a moment?" He asks as you hesitantly follow him glancing back at Ajax to find him giving you a reassuring smile calming your worries.

"I think this goes without saying but you cannot tell Tartaglia the truth under any circumstances." Dottore hisses as you shrink back under his glare. "This is an important project for the Fatui and we can't risk you messing this up." He explains handing you a sheet of paper. "Just make sure to bring him by every few days for us to run some tests.” Dottore says before walking off briskly leaving you alone in the hallway staring at the paper in your hands. Rushing back to the room you find Ajax stretching looking at you with a grin.

It was true bliss for you two as you spent hours cuddling by the fire with you reading to him as he leaned on your shoulder, taking long walks in the beautiful snowy forests outside you had never been happier. You had thought you'd gotten away with it but the visits to that odious lab served as a grim reminder of your sins. But you would gladly bear the weight of that knowledge as long as you could keep him by your side.

However, you had a feeling Ajax was growing suspicious of your actions. He seemed confused by your reluctance to venture to town with him and your reluctance to speak about his family but you quickly excused it all telling him his family had decided to take a trip and would return soon. You weren't sure if he bought it but he stopped bringing it up much to your relief. Then one day as you were rushing Ajax to his appointment he stopped you with a grin.

"Ah he says he got what he wanted and I don't need to keep going." Childe grinned and you smiled in return, believing that all your days would be nothing but blissful from here on out.

How foolish you were

Things continued like this until one day Ajax suggested moving much to your surprise. "Well, it's just that we could do with a fresh start." He explains much to your delight and you agreed wholeheartedly resulting in the two of you packing up and boarding the next ship to Liyue. While you were somewhat anxious about what the future would hold you couldn’t shake the excitement that came with moving. Maybe this was the chance for things to return to normal, you wouldn’t have to hide your husband from your neighbours or make excuses when his family tried to check in on you. This was a chance to make a new life for yourselves and you weren’t about to let it slip through your fingers.

The town was nice with friendly neighbours who often invited you to join them for festivals and the children of the village adored Ajax, even spending hours playing with him while you watched on fondly. It would be if it could continue this way forever. But soon people began to disappear leaving the town in a state of shock as they consulted various shamans and posted millelith everywhere around the town in hopes of warding off any stray animals.

Yet despite the towns best efforts, people continued to disappear leaving nothing behind except a puddle of blood for some poor bystander to find. All this left you with a sense of unease leaving you wanting nothing more than to leave this town and start all over again with Ajax. Yet every time you brought it up to him he merely smiled and reassured you that you were overreacting, it was probably just a wild animal. "If anything happens you have me to protect you right?" He would smile and you would allow yourself to become distracted again until the next disappearance which started the cycle of fear all over again.

One night you awake to hear a crash and turn to find Ajax missing from beside you, panicking you stumble to your feet with your thoughts racing. 'What if the town's people found out the truth.' or worst 'what if the monsters here?'. Creeping towards the basement you nudge open the door wincing at the slight creaking sound yet after a few seconds nothing happens and you continue to creep down the stairs. As you drew closer to the basement a strong iron smell filled the air as you resisted the urge to gag coming to the bottom of the stairs.

Peaking out from the stairs you resist the urge to scream seeing Ajax ripping into a body and taking huge chunks out of it with a joyful grin. At that moment you no longer recognised the man before you as your husband and instead saw him for the monster he truly was. Backing up slowly you creep back up the stairs before shutting it and barricading it with a chair as you rushed to grab your sword only to pause hearing something coming up the stairs. "Honey is everything alright?" Ajax called out cheerfully as you scrambled more frantically towards the door, if you could just get to the town surely you'd be safe.

"Darling I don't appreciate being trapped in here, let me out so we can talk?" He called again banging against the door as you ran out the door locking it behind you. "So you want to play?" He called out as you heard a loud bang but continued to push forward not daring to look back. "Fine with me~" He called out as your heart continued to pound loudly in your ears.

Ignoring the branches that clung to your clothes you continued to push through the forest until you spotted the bright lights of the town in distance. Just a bit further and you'd be safe from this monster. Right as you finished that thought you felt something crash into you sending you sprawling to the ground, sitting up your heart sinks as you see the creature coming closer towards you with a sadistic grin. "It looks like I win." He grins pinning you to the ground and leaning in closer to you as you back up seeing the blood still dripping down his chin staining the ground below him.

At that moment he looked like the fearsome warrior Tartaglia rather than your loving husband Ajax. "What's wrong I thought you wanted me back yet here you are continuing to run." He smiled pulling you closer as you resist the urge to gag at the stench of blood that clung to him. "I-If I knew you'd become a monster, I'd rather you stayed dead." You spat at him expecting for him to show some sort of hurt only for him to chuckle at your words. "That's not very nice to say to your husband darling, besides I'm not human any more thanks to you." Hearing this your eyes widened as he chuckled seeing your horrified expression. "You and that pesky doctor made sure of that but hey it's not all bad." He grins "I'm much faster now and this way we can be together forever." Hearing this you begin to desperately thrash underneath him. "I'd rather die than be with a monster like you!" You hiss as he chuckles wrapping his hand around your neck choking you with a grin. "You'll change your tune when you see things my way." He says reeling his hand back only to thrust it forward making a white-hot pain flash through you as you let out a gargled scream coughing up blood as he pulled his hand back smiling at the organ in his hands. "Sleep well honey, I'll see you again real soon~" He smirked and as your vision faded you watched as he pulled out a blood-stained talisman with a smirk. After all, you were the one who made him into a monster and now you had to pay the price.