Amaya AUs

"I remember Till," Ivan murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, head pounding with the weight of his resurfacing memories.

Luka’s face remained unreadable. He did not even flinch. “You think he loved you? He left, Ivan. I’m the one who stayed.”

"I know," Ivan said, his voice trembling as Luka pulled him into an embrace. The scent clinging to Luka had always been a comfort. It still was now.

“I have something to confess,” Luka said, his tone soft, almost guilty. “I don’t belong in this world.”

Ivan listened, his gaze steady as Luka— his Luka-hyung began to speak of another life. A parallel world where they were idols, where no segyein existed. A world where Luka died full of regrets, having never confessed his feelings to Ivan. And then… waking up here, in this world, and finding Ivan again.

Ivan nodded. It explained Luka's strange everything. But there was still one thing Ivan needed to know.

“You don’t have to ask,” Luka said, as if reading his mind. “In that world, Till hated you. He loathed you for no reason. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Ivan had suspected it, but the confirmation still struck like gunshots. His chest tightened, his vision blurred.

“Don’t cry, my Ivan,” Luka whispered. “Your hyung is here. I’ll never leave you.”

Ivan didn’t even realize he was crying. It was instinct—the way he buried himself in Luka’s arms, chasing the comfort that felt like home. His headache and sorrow finally dulled, giving way to unconsciousness.

At least Luka-hyung loves him. Even if that love wasn’t meant for him. He wasn't the Ivan his Luka-hyung loved.

But Ivan was good at accepting anything. He doesn't want to be alone.

.

.

.

Luka watched the sleeping beauty in silence. He'd watched him like this before—but Ivan hadn’t looked this broken when he didn’t remember Till. This just made Luka more determined to make sure Till won't have Ivan.

His poor, dear Ivan. Lost in the flood of memories.

The lies were necessary. Gentle ones, really. Luka couldn’t allow Till to take this Ivan too.

Ivan remembered now.

He remembered the Garden, the escape, the way he’d thrown himself into danger so they could live. The tears in Mizi’s eyes when he forced her to see the truth. Till’s silence. Sua’s anger. He remembered it all.

He does not tell anyone but Luka. Luka who had been his everything since he forgot the not-future. Luka who is currently steadying Ivan with his cold fingers

It should’ve been comforting. It was, in a way. Luka always knew what to say, always told Ivan what he needed. That he was special. That he was loved. That everyone else had left him.

"They don't need you," Luka said as he trapped embraced Ivan "They hate you, left you for dead and they only like you since they thought you don't remember anything"

Ivan nodded slowly, mechanically. He was unlovable for he is a failure of a human being. He is more pet than human after all.

The ache swelled up again—old, heavy, familiar. Only Luka would understand Ivan. He too failed at being human.

“You don’t need them,” Luka whispered, pressing a kiss to the side of his neck. “You have me.”

Ivan let his head fall against Luka’s shoulder.

The silence stretched

Luka said they would leave him again. Luka said they didn’t really want him back. Not this him who remembers the not-future.

Maybe that wasn’t true. But it felt true.

So he stayed. He let Luka hold him.

Ri sat at his desk, the fluorescent lights flickering above as he dialed Ivan's number. The usual buzz of office chatter faded into the background as he prepared to discuss their latest project. 

"Hey, Ivan! Got a moment? I need your help with the budget," Ri asked, voice tired as fuck as he glared at the spreadsheets on the computer screen.

"Yeah, sure thing, Ri! What's up?" Ivan replied, his voice bright and professional, but there was a hint of something else—something Ri couldn’t quite place.

As they dove into the project details, Ri noticed an odd fluctuation in the background noise. Was that…? He squinted at the phone. Nah, It couldn’t be. He pressed the phone closer to his ear, trying to separate the sounds. Was he hearing things?

“Uh, Ri? Can you repeat that? I didn’t quite catch it,” Ivan continued, his tone slightly strained. 

Then, it happened. A muffled moan broke through the line, unmistakably coming from Ivan. Ri’s heart raced as he realized that the competent colleague he often envied was currently receiving an enthusiastic "feedback" from someone. 

“Wait, are you…?” Ri stumbled over his words, not quite ready to confront the situation head-on. Hearing Ivan’s muffled moaning seemed to unlock something in him. Something he didn’t even know until now. 

“Mmf! I—uh, yeah, just—need to focus here!” Ivan stammered back, his voice now layered with heaps of embarrassment (or pleasure, Ri couldn’t tell).

Ri felt his cheeks flush. A voyeuristic thrill surged through him, and he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of excitement. It wasn’t every day you got a front-row seat to your coworker’s private life—especially in the middle of a call about spreadsheets.

That perfect pretty boy Ivan was acting like a whore in the privacy of his office. Was he spread open and fucked deep?

“This is not happening. I must be hearing things,” Ri thought to himself, in denial of his own fantasy, gripping the phone like it was a lifebuoy in a sea of unexpected sounds. But as another low moan escaped Ivan, Ri felt a wave of unmistakable satisfaction. Was he really enjoying this? What has wonder boy done with RI now? Turning him to be a pervert like him.

“Uh, Ivan, did I… interrupt something?” Ri asked, feigning nonchalance. Hopefully, he was really interrupting something. Like you know - Ivan being fucked in the middle of their phone call.

“Not… not at all! Just the usual office… hmmmm,” Ivan spluttered, his voice almost breaking. 

The background shifted, and Ri groaned inwardly as he heard the unmistakable creaking of a familiar office chair. Ri could imagine Ivan being bounced up and down. Or maybe he was being claimed like a bitch in heat- his sensual  body held captive by the sturdy arms of that chair, plowed as if he was a whore? The thought sent a shiver down Ri's spine. The image of Ivan in absolute debauched pleasure is very tempting. 

Was Ivan really getting it on while discussing their company’s quarterly profits? The absurdity of it all was not lost on Ri, who felt a mix of jealousy, amusement, and an overwhelming desire to hear more. He couldn’t help but wonder how it would feel if he were the one lost in ecstasy with Ivan, pressing him against the wall, their breaths hitching with every move. The thought consumed Ri, electrifying his imagination.

“Okay, so quick recap on the budget—oh wait, is that Till?” Ri ventured,unable to resist the temptation to poke fun at the absurdity of the situation unfolding before him. He could easily guess who was sharing those heated moments with Ivan; Till had always been an open book. The teal-eyed man wore his possessive streak like a badge, and Ivan had always been weak to Till even back then in high school. 

“Uh, yeah!” Ivan's voice grew frantic, punctuated by another low moan. "Seriously, can we finish this up quickly? We're… busy! My computer got infected by a virus.”

“Sure! Just the last few points!” Ri fought back laughter, feeling a rush of adrenaline as he imagined what was happening just out of sight.. Was Ivan bouncing on Till’s cock, his legs spread wide, utterly disheveled in stark contrast to his usual prim and proper demeanor? The thought ignited Ri’s imagination — he could almost picture how debauched Ivan must look, completely lost in pleasure.

“Right, so for Q4, we need to—Oh! ... I mean, I think we could push for—”

Another moan interrupted Ivan, more pronounced this time. Ri nearly dropped his phone. This was scandalous—hilariously inappropriate, and he was living for it!

As their conversation dragged on, each passing second felt like a deliberate tease. Ri caught himself imagining that the muffled sounds were coming from just beside him, despite knowing Ivan’s office was far away. Ivan’s voice, typically so composed and filled with work jargon, was now laced with breathy moans that hinted at pleasures beyond mere business. The way Ivan’s tone shifted, softening and punctuated by gasps, sent a pulse of heat racing through Ri, igniting his imagination and desire.

With every breathless  word, Ri’s imagination ran wild. He pictured Ivan, cheeks flushed, lost in a world where spreadsheets and reports faded away, replaced by the weight of Till’s body pressing him down. What would it feel like to hear those moans directed at him, to witness the look in perfect Ivan’s eyes as desire took over? Each sigh seemed to claw at Ri's restraint,making  growing desire.

A sudden flicker of jealousy twisted in his gut, but it was intertwined with a fierce longing. Would Ivan moan in the same way for Ri that he would for Till? He imagined his own hands tangled in Ivan's hair, their bodies in sync, the office a backdrop to their fervent passion. As Ri tried to focus on the call, he felt an overwhelming urge to burst through that door, ready to claim Ivan for himself and fuck prince charming into a quivering slut that he is.

“Okay, I think we're all set! Anything else?” Ivan asked, his voice smothered under the weight of what was happening on the other end. It makes Ri think thai Ivan is spread eagled on his own desk and Till plowing into a tight inviting heat of Ivan. 

“Um… no, that’s all! t!” Ri said, disappointed at his end.  He wished his report had more problems so he can absolutely use it to hear Ivan more.

"Alright, I’ll see you later, Ri,” Ivan said as professionally as he could when he was being fucked. His moaning cannot be hidden this time. “ S-stay productive!"

And just like that, the call ended—leaving Ri in silence.

Slumping back in his chair, disappointment washed over him. How could he end it so soon? He had just unlocked a voyeuristic kink he never knew existed, and now the delicious tension was gone.

__________________________________________

Ivan stared at the stark walls, his wide eyes tracing the smooth, sterile surface as if trying to find something familiar with the emptiness.

Nestled against the long, soft pillow, Ivan's hands cradled it like a cherished treasure. The familiar scent of his hyung enveloped him—a mixture of warmth and comfort that made the endless whiteness fade just a little. He pressed his nose deeper into the fabric, smelling the way it held onto the sweet scent. His heart felt an ache within him, a longing he couldn’t quite articulate. All he knew was that his hyung was his anchor, the only person who filled this sterile isolation with something else other than monotony and fear. Ivan thinks this is love. 

Each moment that passed without his hyung felt like an eternity. He often imagined what they would do if they were outside these boring walls. Ivan painted a colorful world in his mind — that the two of them were dancing with the winds, of them watching the stars of the night sky, of the sun that is real in its warmth unlike the artificial light in the room. 

But today, just as always, Ivan’s reality was a cold, metallic room with only the muted footsteps of the Caretakers outside. Still cradling the pillow, Ivan recalled his hyung’s gentle voice telling him stories of the world beyond the room. His hyung had promised that he’ll show Ivan the world outside. It was an assurance that warmed Ivan like a warm blanket.

Then he heard footsteps drawing close. Ivan felt his heart race. Who would enter today? Would it be one of the caretakers who’d prick him with needles or make him go to another room for Ivan to be strapped in some device in their experiments? Or would it be his hyung? He hopes it's hyung. Ivan really just wants his hyung.

The door opens and Ivan sees fluffy golden hair and warm gold eyes. His Luka-hyung stepped into the room. The white cold melted slightly in his presence.

“Luka-hyung!” Ivan squeaked and sprang up, the pillow tumbling slightly from his grasp. There was a burst of happiness flooding through him, wiping away some of the loneliness. He rushed forward, almost fumbling. “You’re here!”

Luka enveloped Ivan in a hug, and the warm, soothing sweet scent of him filled Ivan’s senses. For an instant, the room faded, and all that existed was comfort and safety. Luka’s arms tightened around him, grounding Ivan amidst the empty loneliness of the room.

“Always,” Luka-hyung whispered. “I’ll always come back for you.”

The way Luka-hyung looked at Ivan sometimes made him feel like the center of the universe. When Luka-hyung’s gaze lingered, filled with something that made Ivan’s heart flutter—an unexplainable shiver would be coursing down his spine. It was a feeling he couldn’t quite name, but it drew him closer, a moth to a flame. Ivan would agree to burn in Luka-hyung’s fire so he could feel all of his hyung.

“Have you been a good boy today?” Luka asked, his voice a low, soothing murmur as he brushed his cold fingers through Ivan’s hair. The caress sent a tingle like electricity straight down Ivan’s spine. He nodded eagerly. 

“Y-yes,” Ivan yelped. His Luka-hyung likes to touch his butt or chest. This time he seems fixated on his chest and nipples. “I’ve waited… just for you, hyung.”

A slow, satisfied smile crept across Luka's lips, his eyes gleaming with something darker like the black holes of the books. Ivan couldn't grasp the depth of that look, but it filled him with pride in obeying Luka-hyung’s unspoken rules. His hyung has that look when Ivan did something good.

“Good boy,” Luka-hyung murmured, pulling Ivan closer as they shifted on the bed.. "You deserve a reward for being such a good boy for hyung."

Ivan's heart raced. Reward? What did that mean? Was it another story? Another lesson? He liked those moments with Luka-hyung, learning the wonders of the world. Or would it be like those times where they ended up naked on the bed and they would make love? It was uncomfortable at first but his hyung said it’s how they should bond with each other because they both love one another but that Ivan shouldn’t be doing this with others.

Luka-hyung is silly sometimes. There’s no way Ivan even has others to do this make love thing like he does with hyung. His universe is Luka-hyung. There's no one else Ivan loves in this world.

As Ivan settled between his hyung’s legs. Luka-hyung’s hands were gripping Ivan’s wrists. The action felt comforting, as if his savior was holding him together.

“Trust me,” Luka whispered, his breath warm against Ivan’s ear. “I’ll make you feel cherished.”

Ivan nodded, though the word was a puzzle to him. He read that word but it had never been defined well. Yet on his hyung’s tongue— it seeped into him like a warm, inviting heat. Ivan felt a rush of hot pool low in his stomach as his hyung gripped on his waist. The smaller man then pushed Ivan further into the bed. His hyung can be surprisingly strong despite looking breakable.

Ivan gasped and his hyung began pressing his lips against his, slow and deliberate, coaxing Ivan to open up, to surrender. It felt good—this closeness. A soft whimper escaped Ivan as he melted into the sensation swirling around him. Was this what hyung meant to be cherished? To feel like being owned but in the right way? Not like how the caretakers own Ivan?

Ivan leaned into the kiss, almost yearning for more, pushing himself closer, though he didn’t know what more meant—those thoughts were too difficult to grasp. He was focused on how his hyung wrapped around him like a warm blanket, a stark contrast to the cold walls surrounding them.

Luka’s lips captured Ivan’s in a kiss that felt more like devouring which was different from the gentleness of their first kiss today. Ivan melted against Luka, his body instantly warming at the intimate touch. Each pull of Luka’s mouth felt like a promise. He trusted Luka completely.  After all, he had always made him feel safe.

As Luka’s hands slipped beneath Ivan’s shirt, trailing warm fingertips across the smooth expanse of his skin, teasing his sensitive nipples. Ivan gasped, arching his back, leaning deeper into Luka’s embrace. 

“Luka-hyung…” he breathed, unsure of what to expect but eager just the same. The way Luka looked at him, with a gaze that burned, made him feel like he was made of something precious. 

But in Luka’s mind, a fierce darkness simmered. Every soft whimper that escaped Ivan’s lips stoked his possessive fire.

'This is mine. He is mine.'

Luka felt the ache surge through him with every caress he traced along Ivan’s sides. He reveled in the control he held, a desperate need clawing at him to breed Ivan and mark every inch of him as his.

“Just relax, bunny,” Luka murmured, his voice low as he pulled Ivan’s shirt over his head. Luka drank in the sight of Ivan’s soft skin and the way it glowed under the light of the room. He felt his dick ache at such ravishing sight.

With a gentle nudge, he coaxed Ivan onto his back, positioning himself between Ivan’s legs, his heart pounding with both love and something primal. The trust in Ivan’s eyes only intensified Luka’s need, urging him to take every part of this moment with fervor. He leaned down, pressing hot kisses along Ivan’s collarbone, making sure his lips lingered longer, claiming him softly.

“Tell me you’re mine,” Luka murmured against Ivan’s skin, feeling the sweet vibration of his words resonate underneath his lips.

Ivan whimpered, eyes fluttering closed, a blush blooming across his cheeks. “I’m yours, Luka-hyung. Always yours.” The innocence in his voice made something inside Luka tighten painfully, both thrilling him and igniting his possessiveness.

“Good boy,” Luka whispered before he moved lower, making his way down Ivan’s torso. He savored each moment, each gentle gasp and sigh, wishing he could bottle up this feeling—the beauty of claiming Ivan and wrapping him in a cocoon of pleasure and love. Each lick, each soft bite of Luka’s mouth was a vow, a reminder that Ivan belonged to him.

As he nipped gently at Ivan’s sensitive flesh, Luka reveled in the way Ivan squirmed beneath him, his body betraying his innocence as it craved more. Luka’s hands gripped Ivan’s thighs, spreading them apart, making room for him. The way Ivan gazed up at him with trust and adoration twisted something deep within Luka. He needed to drown Ivan in pleasure, to ensure he understood that he was destined to be his alone

“Luka… please,” Ivan whimpered, his voice a sweet melody filled with impatience and want.

That sound… Those words were all Luka needed. He pressed his mouth against Ivan’s most intimate places, teasing and swirling his tongue, setting a rhythm that ignited Ivan’s senses. Each flick brought forth a new, delicious gasp that sent Luka spiraling deeper into his dark obsession.

“Ivan,” he breathed against him, the name spilling from his lips like a prayer, each syllable heavy with longing. “You taste so good. So heavenly.”

Luka coaxed delightful sounds from Ivan, sweet sounds melting together into a symphony of bliss as Luka lavished attention on him. He savored every response, delighting in Ivan’s growing desperation, wanting nothing more than to plunge deeper.

Ivan’s fingers tangled in Luka’s hair, pulling him closer and urging him on, not fully grasping all that was unfolding but reveling in the warmth it ignited within him. The world outside drifted away, by their shared breaths and gasps. He felt so good, so cherished— Luka was all he wanted and more.

In Luka’s mind, the hunger deepened. Mine. Always mine. He marked Ivan with his every touch, every kiss, ever bite—a silent fury intermingled with a profound love. The trust of that sweet boy made Luka's possessiveness bloom like fire doused in gasoline.

Every moment that passed only intensified Luka’s need to claim Ivan completely. He paused briefly to catch his breath, taking in the beauty of Ivan, a living canvas painted in pleasure as he surrendered wholly to Luka.

“I’m going to make you feel so good, Ivan, ”Luka murmured, his voice a command and a plea all at once“You’ll never forget who you belong to.You’re mine.”

“I'm all yours,” Ivan agrees with a smile.

Luka watched as Ivan’s lips formed the words that sent a jolt through him, igniting a fierce protectiveness and desire that coursed through his veins like fire. The innocence in Ivan’s voice made Luka’s heart ache with a mix of love and desperation. 

“I will never allow anyone to take you from me again,” Luka thought with finality as he growled in remembrance— a kaleidoscope of bitter memories from another world . Of an Ivan that had never been Luka's.

But this time, Luka is the one who wins. Every brush of Ivan's body against his ignited a possessive urge deep within Luka that he struggled to contain. 

He understood all too well how easily this Ivan, so innocent and so naive, is so easily manipulated. Not quite like Ivan, the one who called him Luka-hyung in a world where there were no aliens. His puppy-like junior who trailed after the cool Till-sunbae. His adorable Ivan - snatched away by Till-sunbae.

Who would have thought that Luka will reincarnate in the world as the character he acted? Had Luka not awakened so early, he probably would have been so obsessed with Hyuna. But he remembered his past and that changed everything.

Till has a headache. The headache's name is Ivan.

Handsome bastard with a snaggletooth who looks like he should be in college instead of prison. He's an absolute menace with his cocky smirk and bastardy attitude.

The other guards thinks he's sweet and nice young man who was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Till does not agree. 

Ivan's a nepobaby gone psychopathic. Or sociopathic. How else would he be able to charm both prisoners and guards?

A pretty face could only go so far in this prison. There's no way Ivan is an angel sent from above to this prisoner to convert others from sin.

Ivan looks like temptation made flesh, the devil in the skin of an angel with a pretty face, pretty hair, pretty eyes and pretty fuckable body that Till absolutely never imagined wrecking after so many, many times he caught him red handed trying to escape. 

Till's not some power tripping bastard who wants his pretty prisoner in chains and on knees as — Till is not a predator. He's a guard

"Hi, Till~"

God damn it, Ivan! 

Till cursed out loud as he began chasing Ivan who looked gleeful in running away from him. Again.

And no, Till wasn't living the chase. He's too old for this shit.

"You don't have to be so rough with me, my dear officer" the bratty prisoner whines and Till fights the urge to fold that body and wreck it until he wipes that too smug smirk off that arrogant pretty face.

___________________________________________

"Till, why so silent?" The prisoner invaded into Till's personal space, his boobs almost touching Till's side. If he wasn't so pretty, Till would have punched the lights off him. 

Really, Ivan must be heaven's way of giving Till a trial. Ivan must be a cult leader in some sex cult. There's no way he can't convince some guillable and poor innocent people into not believing that he's some sort of god. Especially with that pretty face, pretty eyes and that absolutely bombshell of a body.

Till just yanks the chain connected to Ivan's handcuffs as the bastard giggles, face flushed in sweat. Till tries hard not to imagine that the chain was connected to that pretty neck instead to hear the prisoner choke and moan in both pain and pleasure and flush red for a different reason.

Till has said he's a normal prison guard— not some sexual predator with power dynamics kink.

But goddamn it Ivan!

___________________________________________

Ivan is not supposed to be in prison. It's not that he's trying to convince people that he's some sort of innocent but really he's not supposed to be in prison at all.

Ivan was the one who chose to be in prison. For love. To woo that cute prison guard.

"You're fucking nuts," His poor, poor lawyer and kinda secretary twitched his eye. Hyunwoo looks like he deserves some cigs. Ivan will order him the best cigs. "You're not even —"

"But he's cute" Ivan interrupts with a pout and Hyunwoo deadpans. Ivan could practically hear how he wishes he wasn't their family lawyer. Sua did some crazy stuffs too but it actually landed her in jail. It wasn't about her stalking her not yet girlfriend though but for being a public menace. 

"You could get out fast." Hyunwoo pointed out the obvious. Ivan does. He has the money. If Sua could get away with her crimes off from prison, surely Ivan who has no known crimes could get away and with money too for wrongful imprisonment.

"I need more time to wear him down," Ivan shrugged and continued seriously "My Till has an authority bondage kink"

Hyunwoo sighs," Of course. You met a freak that could match your freak"

"Pot kettle black," Ivan teased "How's Luka, by the way?"

Hyunwoo shuts up. Nobody could hide anything from Ivan when he wants to know something. It's why he's a major shareholder in the company. It's why he was still able to control the board from within prison. It's why both the guards and prisoners obey him. His parents might have created borderline psychopathic children but Sua and Ivan were trained for perfection as their spawns and heirs.

And as Sua states, perfection breeds stress. For Sua, Mizi was her salvation from it to the point of sacrificing everything. For Ivan, Till seems to be a neverending light to boredom, one that Ivan will not mind indulging every day. 

Ivan smiles— perfectly charming and beautiful. Like he did nothing wrong.

(Technically, he didn't do anything wrong, Hyunwoo would grudgingly admit. Hyunwoo would pray for Till if Ivan wasn't so sure that the guard wasn't a suppressed kinky bastard. Ivan did so love his brat tamers)

___________________________________________

As he ate his lunch, Till felt a shiver down his spine and looks suspiciously at the monitor. 

Why is Ivan smiling at that man anyways? Till thought with suspicion as he glares at Ivan who looked gorgeous with his mischievous smile as he teases his lawyer. 

The way he acts does not look like it's a purely business relationship. The Ivan seemed to laugh at what the lawyer said and Till lost his appetite.

Seriously, Till must be so sick. He's definitely not jealous. Really.

It was a quiet New Year's Eve at their apartment, the sounds of the city muffled by the closed windows. The room was lit by soft golden light from a nearby lamp, the smell of something sweet and warm lingering in the air. Till sat by the window, gazing out over the cityscape, where the distant fireworks began to burst in vibrant colors against the night sky. His teal eyes flickered with something akin to contentment, but he didn’t let it show too much. His cool demeanor was still firmly in place, as it always was.

Ivan, on the other hand, was a different story. He had his arms wrapped around Till from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder as his black eyes gleamed with excitement. The warmth of his body pressed against Till’s back, a stark contrast to the cool air filtering in from the window. His black turtleneck hugged his slender frame, but it didn't matter. His attention was entirely on the fireworks, his eager gaze darting to each burst of light in the sky as if he were seeing them for the first time.

“Hyung… look!” Ivan exclaimed, his voice light and sweet, eyes wide with wonder as another set of fireworks exploded in the distance. “They're so pretty!”

Till’s lips curled into the faintest of smiles, though he didn’t say anything right away. He glanced down at Ivan’s eager face, his hand gently pulling Ivan’s fingers to his lips for a soft kiss before answering.

“They are. But not as beautiful as you.” His voice, cool and steady, had a warmth beneath it, a.

Ivan’s heart fluttered at the words, his cheeks flushed with the rush of affection. He tilted his head, catching Till’s lips with a kiss that was sweeter, more urgent than the one they had shared moments before. It was a kiss that felt like the beginning of something, like a promise for the year ahead.

The fireworks outside grew louder, but the world seemed to slow down in that moment, just the two of them—Till’s calm assurance, Ivan’s sweet eagerness blending perfectly as they kissed.

Ivan had never quite believed he'd have the chance to call Till as his. For so long, Till had been Ivan's unobtainable mountain— to be admired only.

For Till, he cannot believe his luck for someone as young and promising as Ivan to choose an old windbag like Till. But now that Ivan is his, he won't let him go.

Now, they were together, sharing a quiet moment that felt as intimate as it was eternal. The fireworks outside continued to pop and crackle in the distance, but all they could feel was the warmth of each other's lips.

Finally, they pulled apart, but Ivan kept his arms wrapped around Till’s waist. He smiled up at him, his black eyes reflecting the colors of the fireworks. 

“Happy New Year, Till,” he murmured, his voice filled with warmth and affection, his lips brushing against Till’s jaw.

Till raised an eyebrow but allowed a more genuine smile to break through, his cool facade slipping just for a moment.

“Happy New Year, Ivan. You’re mine now.”