welcome

“jesus y/n! its just me!” y/n sighed in relief at her friends voice. lee jeno, a son of hephaestus. he had found her stealing some food but had kept her secret, helping her pack it up quickly and quietly. “i brought a couple friends this time.” y/n’s eyes narrowed again at the people entering the camp. “this is jaemin, son of aphrodite and my girlfriend, nari, daughter of demeter. they’ve both agreed to keep your secret.” the girl, nari, stepped forward with a kind smile.

“hi! i brought you some clothes. jeno said you’re about my size so hopefully they fit well.” she held out a backpack and y/n took it carefully after a nod from jeno. the other boy, jaemin, came forward as well.

“i made you some food too. there's some extra ambrosia and nectar in there as well.” y/n raised an eyebrow as she took the other bag from him. glancing inside she saw that there was indeed ambrosia and nectar.

“how did you get these? you’re a son of aphrodite not a son of apollo?” jaemin smiled brightly at her voice, cheeks turning pink. it didn’t help that he’d found her pretty as soon as he’d set eyes on her. now he found that her voice was as beautiful as her appearance. he was a goner.

“i- uh- one of our friend’s girlfriend works in the infirmary. he convinced her it’d be a good idea to keep some ambrosia and stuff at the forge just incase.” he rubbed the back of his neck a bit sheepishly. jeno and nari exchanged a look, they’d never known jaemin to be shy around people. especially girls. yet here he was, face red, stumbling over his words. 

they stayed a while longer, helping her start the fire and sitting around it while she ate. nari started light conversation with her as the boys talked to each other. how long she’d been out there, why she didn’t live with her parents, etc. then came the question she’d been dreading.

“why don’t you live in camp half-blood with us?” y/n’s expression closed off and nari immediately back tracked. “i mean its totally fine that you don’t clearly you can handle yourself.” she said referring to the dagger that had nearly taken out her boyfriends eye. y/n chuckled lightly at that.

“yeah sorry about that. i don’t live at the camp because of what happened to my mother. the gods, much less my father, have never done anything for me.” nari nodded in understanding. while her mother had blessed her with the gift of flowers she understood that not everyone’s godly parents were like that. another hour passed and they decided it was time to leave. y/n bid them goodbye, thanking them again, then returned to her tent to sleep. 

the following days were quiet. jeno and jaemin came to visit, nari usually coming along as well. as much as she appreciated the guys company y/n was glad to have another girl around. the two bonded quickly, becoming best friends in no time at all. jeno was overjoyed to see his best friend and his girlfriend getting along so well. over the time spent together jaemin’s feelings for the daughter of hermes grew and y/n started to develop feelings of her own. he was kind, always bringing food he made himself. she noticed he was careful to only bring things that could be heated up, or could stay without needing to be kept cold. he was considerate of her, never pushing too much or invading her space when she didn’t want him there.

the time came when jeno and nari were called away on a quest. then it was just jaemin. he came at least four times a week, sneaking out of his cabin at night despite the risk. every time bringing food and a bright smile on his face. as days passed y/n noticed him growing weary though he hid it well. she worried for his health but he reassured her.

“its worth it to see you.” he’d told her. both had flushed at that, quickly turning back to the fire in front of them. she quickly found that he was a very attentive listener. he’d stop whatever he was doing, giving her his full attention as she told him stories about living in the forest. the battles she’d won and the monsters she’d fought. however, the nights he spent awake with her began to take their toll on him.

y/n was telling him about a fight she’d had with a cyclops when she felt a heavy weight on her shoulder. a glance down told her jaemin had fallen asleep. she smiled softly, brushing his bangs away from his face and placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. realize what she’d just done her eyes grew wide and she cursed herself. over the time they’d spent together their feelings for each other had only grown. though, of course, neither were aware of the others feelings. carefully, she laid him on the ground, grabbing her pillow and blanket to lay over him as he slept. sitting back down she made herself comfortable by the fire to watch over him.

jaemin woke with start. he glanced around him, relaxing when he saw y/n beside him. she was facing the still burning fire and hadn’t noticed he’d woken up. he tapped her lightly on the shoulder, laughing quietly when she jumped. 

“hi.” he said, a lazy grin spreading across his face. she smiled back at him, clearly relaxed in his presence. it made him happy, it had taken her a bit to warm up to him. now it was clear she was comfortable with him, enough to turn her back to him. she scooted backwards a bit to sit next to him, head resting on his shoulder. 

“you need to go back soon. before they realize you’re missing and send out a search party.” they laughed together before settling into a comfortable silence. neither of them was keen on parting but they’d have to eventually. jaemin sighed, moving to stand when he felt a hand wrap around his wrist. he let her pull him back down, her head falling onto his shoulder again. “just a little while longer yeah?” she smiled as she felt him nod, closing her eyes. 

as her breathing evened out he knew she’d fallen asleep. he lifted her into his arms, trying his hardest not to wake her, and carried her back into her tent. he laid her down on her sleeping bag, going back to grab the pillow and blanket left outside. after making sure she was comfortable he leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“just returning the one you gave me love.” he murmured. he stole one last glance at her sleeping form before leaving the tent and beginning his journey back to camp.

morning came quickly for y/n, the sun shining brightly through the flaps of the tent. she got up and stretched, yawning into the back of her hand. she shook her head to clear away any drowsiness and made her way outside. sitting by her tent were jaemin, jeno and nari. clearing her throat, she raised an eyebrow and they all smiled sheepishly. nari was the first to stand, walking over to give her a hug.

“we just got back and we wanted to see you but you were sleeping so we decided to wait. jeno wanted to wake you up but jaemin told him not to. said you haven’t been getting much sleep.” nari frowned slightly, worried for her friends health. y/n nodded appreciatively to jaemin and hummed in agreement.

“yeah he’s been here most nights so i’ve been awake at night a lot more recently.” jaemin’s cheeks flushed and jeno nudged him, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. nari’s eyes widened slightly and she turned between jaemin and y/n, a wide smile spreading across her face. y/n’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

“so i guess you two have gotten pretty close while we were away hmm?” jeno’s words finally clicked in her head and her eyes widened comically, jaw dropping open as well. she could feel her face heating up as she realized just what she had said and how it had sounded. 

“oh my god no that’s not what i meant at all! i would never-! i mean not never i mean i would but just- UGH! you’re so annoying.” jeno roared with laughter as she struggled through her words. jaemin looked like he was about to pass out at the realization that she would, in fact, sleep with him. y/n seemed to realize it as well and groaned, dropping her head into her hands in embarrassment. “fucking hell.” she muttered under her breath. nari just chuckled lightly, wrapping an arm around y/n’s shoulder as she pulled her away from the boys.

“okay i know jen can over do it but i have to know. do you like jaemin? cause i know for a fact he’s definitely into you.” y/n peeked out of her hands to look over at her, searching for any sign of deception. coming up empty, she sighed dropping her hands down to her sides.

“yeah i mean i think i do? i’ve never really had feelings for someone before so i don’t really know how all of this works.” nari nodded, rolling her hand forward in a “go on” motion. “he’s so kind to me all the time. and he’s just so considerate too. he pays attention to me when i speak like always makes eye contact and he like throws in little comments so i know that he’s actually listening. and he’s always complimenting me. and god his smile is so pretty. and he has the most gorgeous eyes and he’s so fucking hilarious too. he’s so tuned in to everything. like i was having bad day once when he came and he just knew. i didn’t even have to say anything. and he was so sweet, he made me food and he was cracking those stupid jokes to try and get me to laugh. he just feels so safe you know? like he’d never let anything happen to me.” 

nari smiled softly as she watched y/n talk about jaemin. her feelings for him were clear even if she didn’t realize it. she was happy that her friends were finding each other and she knew jaemin would treat her well. y/n’s words trailed off as she noticed nari watching her. 

“what?” she asked, suddenly self conscious. nari just shook her head, smile still on her face.

“nothing. it’s just really nice to see you happy. and jaemin’s a really great guy. if you decide to tell him how you feel, i know he’d treat you right.” y/n’s cheeks reddened but she nodded regardless. nari wasn’t one to lie especially to her friends. and her eyes held nothing but sincerity. 

“are you absolutely positive that he has feelings for me too?” upon receiving confirmation y/n nodded again this time more sure of herself. “okay. i tell him then.” nari squealed in excitement and pulled y/n into a hug. releasing her, they walked back to the camp. when they returned, however, something was wrong. the boys were tense, standing back to back swords drawn. “what’s going on?” y/n whispered, careful not to alert anything that might be out there.

“there’s something there. could be multiple. we heard branches snapping and then growling.” jeno spoke softly. y/n pulled her daggers from her belt, eyes scanning the tree line for movement. there. just to her right something flashed through the brush. she nudged jeno and tilted her head towards the area. he nodded and she threw the dagger when she’d seen the movement. they heard the monster’s shriek of pain and then all hell broke loose. 

two manticores sprung from the trees into the camp. they were massive, scorpion like tails whipping through the air as they circled, snarling at the demigods. y/n’s eyes narrowed as she focused on the one in front of her, trusting the others to watch her back. the monsters lunged and y/n dove to the side, pulling jaemin along with her. she risked a glance over to see jeno had done the same. he and nari were backed to the edge of her camp. camp half-blood was close, she realized. if she could draw the other monster’s attention they could escape. 

“hey!” she yelled waving her arms. “over here you ugly sons of bitches!” the manticores turned towards her and she took the chance. “GO NOW! get to the camp!” jeno hesitated for have a second then took off, nari right behind him. one of manticores lit off after them, tearing through the trees with an ear splitting roar. 

jaemin moved to stand next her as they faced the beast in front of them. as it stalked closer y/n noticed something. a scar over its right eye. she drew in a sharp breath as she recognized it. this is the monster who’d killed her mom. she’d managed to catch it off guard, slicing through its eye with a kitchen knife before she’d been throw from the room through a wall. by the time she regained consciousness her mom was dead and the beast was gone. the manticore, as if sensing her fear, turned it’s attention her. suddenly she was a ten year old kid again. paralyzed with fear as it lunged towards her. and then she was on the ground.

she watched in horror as jaemin took the blow meant for her, the monster’s claws leaving deep gashes in his chest. he fell back with a cry of pain, blood rushes out of the wounds. y/n’s vision turned red and she screamed out catching the beast’s attention. grabbing jaemin’s sword, she ran at it, rolling to the side as it swiped at her. she parried away its tail and lunged catching it off guard as she stabbed into its side. the beast stumbled back and swung its tail at her. this time she was ready. she sliced it off in one clean stroke. it roared in pain, rearing up on its back legs and she took the opening, driving the sword into its heart. as soon as the monster dropped dead she turned, running to jaemin. 

“hey hey hey stay with me okay you’re gonna be alright.” he nodded weakly trying to smile to reassure her. tears rushed down her face as she took in the damage. it was bad. really bad. the cuts were deep and he’d already lost a lot of blood. she rushed into her tent grabbing her bag and ran back out, tearing through it to find the ambrosia. she carefully fed him a piece then poured a bit of nectar down his throat. it was risking giving him so much at once but she couldn’t afford to not take it. he swallowed, coughing a little and his eyebrows pinched up on his face, eyes squeezing shut. “no no no c’mon you you gotta stay away okay? don’t close your eyes stay awake. you’re gonna be okay jaemin i promise.” she turned her face to the sky praying to gods for the first time.

as if her prays were answered she heard footsteps pounding towards them, jeno and nari calling for them. she slapped jaemin’s face lightly as she called back to them. his eyes had slid shut again. the two came bursting through the trees into the camp. an apollo girl, a boy with pale skin and a centaur were with them. all of them inhaled sharply at the sight of them. y/n covered in blood and bruises and jaemin held in her arms, deep cuts in his chest still bleeding. the apollo girl rushed forward kneeling next to them.

“i can help him.” she said simply and y/n nodded moving back slightly to give her room to work. she looked over at the others. jeno was holding nari, face pale at the sight of his best friend on the brink of death. nari was crying softly in his arms, terrified for what might happen. the other boy gave her a small smile. 

“i already gave him some nectar and ambrosia but they don’t seem to be working.” the girl nodded not turning away from her task of holding pressure on the wounds. after a minute she pulled away. it looked like the bleeding had stopped and she set to work cleaning up the blood.

“it is. take a look.” y/n leaned a bit closer seeing the cuts had begun to heal, closing up slightly. the godly food wouldn’t heal everything but it had helped heal him internally, closing up the wounds enough that they were surface level. once the blood was gone she bandaged him carefully. she grabbed the canteen of nectar and, tilting his head up gently, she poured the tiniest bit more down his throat. they all waited, breath bated, for him to wake up. with each passing second they grew more anxious and then, finally, he coughed, eye fluttering open. relief spread through the group and y/n helped him sit up slowly.

“thank you.” she whispered to the girl sitting on his other side. she smiled gently.

“you did well giving him the ambrosia and nectar. if you hadn’t acted so quickly he probably would have died. you saved his life y/n.” fresh tears spilled over as she nodded, hugging the boy in her arms. “i’m soo-yin by the way. i would’ve introduced myself earlier but there wasn’t really time.” they both chuckled lightly at that. soo-yin stood walking over to the other boy who wrapped her in a hug, planting a kiss on her cheek. she smiled at the two and laughed as jeno and nari came over. dropping to their knees they wrapped the pair in a hug. and they pulled away nari punched jaemin in the shoulder, a glare on her face.

“if you EVER scare us like that again na jaemin i’ll kill you myself.” jeno and y/n laughed and jaemin nodded an amused expression on his face. the couple stood, walking over to the centaur. 

“hey.” jaemin gently turned y/n’s face back towards him. her eyes widened in shock as he pulled her lips to his. she melted into the kiss, hands coming up to rest on his shoulders as her eyes closed. a loud cheer broke them apart as they both jumped. y/n turned to see nari smack jeno in the stomach, scolding him for ruining their moment. jaemin laughed loudly behind her and she looked back him. seeing his usual smile back on his face brought one of her own. 

“would this be a bad time to tell you i’m in love with you?” y/n’s eyes widened and she shook her head quickly.

“definitely not because i’m in with you too.” jaemin’s smile widened and he pulled her into another kiss. the centaur cleared his throat and they separated, both turning red. standing up, y/n helped jaemin to his feet. the centaur moved towards them, and y/n immediately grew nervous. 

“you must be y/n then.” he raised an eyebrow and she nodded sheepishly. “and i assume those are the books you’ve procured from my camp?” another nod. “i must say i’m quite impressed with your ability to survive out here. it must be difficult with the monsters and what not roaming the forest. i won’t force you but if you’d like you’re welcome to come stay at the camp with your friends. however, i understand your mistrust of the gods.” y/n’s eyes narrowed as she looked past the centaur to jeno who shrugged.

“i- don’t know. i’ve lived out here pretty much my whole life. and as you said i have no trust in the gods. i wouldn’t want to cause any trouble.” the centaur simply shook his head. 

“it’s actually quite common in camp for demigods to have no love for their godly parent. the gods have minimal contact with the world and while some are here more than others, that doesn’t mean they talk to their children. i assure you it wouldn’t be a problem.” y/n nodded slowly, muling it over in her head. she looked around at her friends who all had reassuring smiles on their faces. they wanted her to come but they knew it was ultimately her decision. taking a deep breath she turned back towards the centaur. 

“okay. i’ll come to the camp.” the other demigods cheered and the man in front of her smiled warmly. he held out his hand for her to shake. 

“i’m glad to hear it. i am chiron, trainer of heroes and counselor to the demigods in my care. welcome to camp half blood y/n” she shook his hand, smiling widely and the other cheered again. 

moving into camp was fairly easy. the hermes cabin was always full and very loud and there were always demigods coming in and out. y/n had tried to return the books she’d taken to the athena cabin only for them to smile, pushing the books back into her hands saying she could keep them. they even gave her a couple more, some of their favorites, different kinds for her to read. needless to say there was a bookshelf added to her room within the first week.

meeting jaemin’s siblings was undoubtably the scariest part. though the fear was diminished almost immediately. they’d barely reached the door when it swung open, jaemin’s sisters dragging her inside. jaemin had sighed, closing the door behind him, watching as they fawned over her. 

“oh you’re even prettier then jaemin said!” “your hair’s so soft!” “oh my god your eyes are so gorgeous i wish i had (y/e/c) eyes.” “you have to try this on i just know it’ll look amazing on you!” “i’d ask if i could do your makeup but you don’t even need you’re so beautiful!” jaemin laughed slightly as his girlfriend was pulled in fifty different directions. after his sisters calmed down they insisted on a try on. throwing a bunch of different clothes at her they ushered her into one of the bathrooms to change. y/n left the aphrodite with at least fifteen new outfits, arms full of clothes. jaemin came over to help set up her room and get all the clothes hung up. after the long day she fell on her bed, falling asleep. 

adjusting to living in the camp was a little difficult. she wasn’t used to having so many people around. but her friends helped her settle in and she couldn’t be more grateful. in the mornings she’d eat breakfast then help nari out in the garden. after lunch she’d stop by the infirmary to see if soo-yin needed an extra hand. if not she’d go and spar with the boys for a while. during dinner she sat with the hermes kids, getting to know some of her siblings. and at night her friends always saved her a seat at the bonfire. 

the training games were her favorite part. being quick and light on her feet she quickly became an ace at obstacle courses. her ability to quickly asses situations and sneak around made her an irreplaceable asset in capture the flag. everyone wanted her on their team. she was able to get behind enemy lines, snatching the flag before they even realized she was there. 

the injury she had sustained was a bad one. she’d been patrolling camp one night when a manticore had attacked. she was struck twice, once in the stomach and once through her shoulder before the beast was taken down. artemis decided it was safest for her to rest else where rather than to continue on the hunt with them. she was sent to camp half-blood to rest until she was well enough to return.

walking into the cabin she was greeted by the sight of a teenage boy, bare back facing her. she cleared her throat and he turned around, ears immediately going red upon noticing her. she raised an eyebrow at his lack of clothing and he flushed even darker, rushing to thrown on a shirt. coming back out he seemed to have calmed down. 

“y/n right?” see her nod he nodded back. “chiron told me you were coming today. i can show you to your room if you’d like?” she nodded again and a small smile spread across his face. “okay great! just follow me.” he lead her down a small hallway, pointing out the bathroom and his own room as they went. “i’ll let you get settled and everything just holler if you need something alright?”

“i will. thank you for your hospitality.” mark flushed again but nodded. turning to leave he glanced back at her before pulling the door shut behind him. y/n shook her head to try to clear up her thoughts. “it’s just a guy y/n. nothing to worry about.” her thoughts unhelpfully added on. “a cute guy. a very cute guy who’s sleeping under the same roof as you.” y/n scowled at herself as she set her bag. “no point in thinking about it now.” she decided. pulling back the sheets on the bed, she sunk into the mattress, falling asleep almost immediately.

in the morning y/n woke up to find herself in an unfamiliar place. adrenaline rushing she leapt out of the bed before she remembered where she was. right. camp half blood. she stretched, wincing as her wounds pulled. she reached into her bag, pulling out a change of clothes. changing carefully she decided to go to the infirmary. her bandages needed to be changed and some ambrosia wouldn’t hurt either. making her way out of the room and down the hall she saw mark standing by the door. he glanced in her direction as he heard her footsteps. smiling slightly he nodded his head towards the door.

“good morning. you hungry?” at his question her stomach rumbled and he laughed. “i guess that’s a yes. c’mon. i promise the food here is good.” she frowned slightly and he tilted his head in confusion. internally kicking herself for finding the action cute, she explained.

“i was going to head to the infirmary. i need to change these bandages their a good couple of days old.” mark nodded slowly, lips pursing as he considered her words. 

“food first. then i’ll take you to the infirmary myself okay? pinky promise.” mark held out his fist, pinky extended. y/n looked at his hand then back to his face, obviously very confused. mark’s eyes widened a bit. “you don’t know what a pinky promise is do you.” upon see her shake her head he gasped dramatically. “oh. my. gosh. basically you just stick out your pinky like this.” he took her hand, carefully curling it into a fist, and straightening out her pinky finger. “then you hook it with mine.” she hesitantly wrapped her much smaller finger around his and he nodded smiling widely. y/n tried to ignore the butterflies she felt at the bright expression on his face. “yeah just like that! now the promise can’t be broken. c’mon. time for breakfast i’m starving!”

as they ate y/n tried to push away her thoughts. she was a hunter of artemis. having feelings for a boy might as well be betrayal of the goddess herself. repeat her pledge in her head helped a little. at least until mark gently took her hand, pulling her up from the table and towards the infirmary. 

after getting new bandages and a small bag of ambrosia from a sweet healer, y/n decided to go down to the river. mark offered to take her but she insisted she’d find her way. he’d nodded and left, saying he was going to the forge to meet up with some friends. sitting by the water y/n prayed to artemis, hoping to hear back or at least that her sisters were okay as many had been harmed in the horrific attack. upon receiving no answer she drew her knees up to her chest, burying her face into them as she fought back tears. 

after what seemed like hours she stood, brushing herself off she turned to begin her walk back to the cabin. by the time she returned the sun had already set. mark was waiting by the door, pacing worriedly outside of it. when he saw her his eyes widened and he rushed towards her.

“oh thank god you’re okay.” he breathed. “you were gone for so long i thought something had happened. i was about to go out and look for you.” y/n blinked, surprised. mark had known her for all of one day yet here he was concerned for her safety enough to actually go looking for her. his eyes ran over her figure carefully, searching for any sign of injury or discomfort. “you’re already injured y’know and i was scared you’d tried to leave, to find the hunters on your own.”

“i’m.... okay. i’m sorry. i didn’t mean to worry you.” his eye softened and he nodded. turning towards the cabin, he opened the door, gesturing for her to go in first. he walked her to her room, no other words were spoken. he moved to leave but stopped. 

“try to get some rest okay? goodnight y/n.” her heart sank a little at his monotoned voice but she nodded anyways.

“goodnight mark.” that night she dreamed of the boy with the brightest eyes and the prettiest smile she’d ever seen.

the next day brought sun and clear skies. mark decided to eat down by the river instead of in the dining hall. sitting side by side, shoulders brushing as they ate looking out over the water. mark swallowed his last bite and cleared his throat before turning to face her.

“so. tell me about yourself. what’s your favorite color? or your favorite flower? what’s your favorite season? do you like hot or cold weather? what is like to be a hunter? have you ever had to kill an animal before? how long have you been a hunter? what’s artemis like? is she-” mark continued throwing out question after question until he noticed y/n staring at him. his mouth closed with an audio click and he flushed. “sorry. i’m just curious you know? i’ve never had the chance to actually talk to a hunter before.” y/n nodded before turning back to look back at the water.

“well. my favorite color is y/f/c, my favorite flower is y/f/f, i don’t think i have a favorite season but i prefer the cold over the hot because when it’s hot there can’t be any snow. being a hunter of artemis is a noble thing. we hunt down and defeat things that threatened the lives of our people. i’ve never killed an animal before. honestly i’d probably rather quit the hunt all together then murder an innocent creature especially for my benefit.” y/n’s eyes widened as she realized the words that left her mouth. mark chuckled lightly, smiling at her. 

“yeah i’d rather not kill an animal either. seems kinda unethical you know?” at her nod he continued, looking back out at the water. “i like snow too. though it doesn’t really snow here. magic barrier and all that.” he turned his head towards her only to see her already smiling at him. he flushed slightly and turned back.

the days flew by and all too quickly, it seemed, y/n was healed and it was time to return. two hunters had come to get her, to bring her back to the hunt. y/n and mark returned to the cabin to pack her things, hearts weighing heavily in their chests. no words were spoken as her minimal belongings were placed back in her bags. 

the walk to the barrier seemed to last forever. upon arriving mark handing her the bags he’d insisted on carrying. bidding only a small goodbye he turned away, walking back to the camp. y/n’s heart sank as she watched him leave. she’d been hoping for something more but her words caught in her throat. her sisters hugged her, happy to see her again. they moved towards the forest to leave when they heard someone calling for them to wait. they paused, turning back to see mark running towards them. he nearly tripped as he skidded to a stop in front of them, a small bundle of flowers in his hands.

“uh here. these are for you.” mark thrust the flowers into her hands before reeling backwards. “i hope you like them. i’m really gonna miss you.” he added before turning to walk away. y/n smiled lightly as she watched him walk away.

“hey mark!” she yelled after him. the boy stopped in his tracks, turning slowly to face her. “i’m going to miss you too. and thank you.” he nodded and y/n could’ve sworn she saw bit of color bloom across his cheeks before he spun back around, hastily walking back to camp faster then before. y/n’s cheeks flushed as her sisters teased her, tucking the flowers safely into her bag. heading back into the forest, they began their journey back. 

y/n was surprised to see artemis standing among her sisters upon her arrival. the goddess smiled slightly as her sisters launched themselves at her, asking questions about the camp, how she’d been, if anything had happened. at the mention of mark her cheeks flushed red again and they all squealed. artemis stepped forward quietly, tilting her head towards her tent in a silent command. y/n followed, leaving her sisters to talk amongst themselves. 

“it pleases me to see your safe return, my young hunter. though i hope your time away has not caused you to forget your vows.” y/n shook her head quickly.

“of course not my lady. i have been eager to return to your hunt.” the goddess nodded, satisfied with her answer.

“be that as it may. if you change your mind do not hesitate to let it be known. it would not be the first time i’ve released a hunter for love.” artemis said, a knowing smile on her face. y/n’s cheek heated for what felt like the millionth time that day. she nodded anyways and artemis waved her hand, a clear dismissal. y/n stood, giving a small bow before leaving the tent. moving towards her quarters, which had kindly been prepared for her, she collapsed on the cot, falling asleep almost immediately. 

months passed and y/n had fully rejoined the hunt. she felt the pull to contact mark everyday, having promised she would but she pushed the thoughts away. remember your vows. despite her unwavering resolve she found herself missing him terribly. mark and his bright smile, and his loud laughter. mark and his inability to walk in a straight line despite his athleticism and quick wit on the battle field. mark and his quiet way of caring for the people around him. she would shake her head, trying to move him from her thoughts. she had to focus. especially on hunts.

their current mission was a minotaur. it had been causing quite a bit of trouble. the monster had tore through an entire camp of hunters, nearly wiping out another. y/n’s heart pounded in her ears as she moved quickly through the trees. her camp had ambushed it, figuring that catching it off guard would be their best chance. the were quickly proven wrong. the minotaur had slaughtered five of her sisters already, mortally wounding two others. she was the only one who hadn’t been struck, her sisters sacrificing themselves to keep her safe as they remembered her previous injuries. 

“c’mon y/n. what did artemis teach you. listen. focus on your surroundings.” she closed her eyes, tuning into every sound she heard. there. distant heavy breathing to her left. her eyes flew open and she slid an arrow into her bow with practiced ease. taking a deep breath she let the arrow fly. she heard the monster’s roar of pain and released the breath she was holding. she moved carefully towards the cry before pausing. silence. and then she was in the air, bow knocked from her hand. her eyes squeezed shut as she hit the ground hard. how had it moved so quickly, so quietly that even she couldn’t hear it?

y/n’s eyes widened as the beast charged towards her. scrambling to her feet, she glanced around quickly, trying to find something to use as a weapon. coming up empty she moved to stand in front of a tree. preparing to jump out of the way, she hoped the monster’s momentum would carry him into it. but as it got closer and closer she found she couldn’t move. her feet felt as if they were welded to the ground. realizing there was no way out she turned her face to the sky.

“lady artemis forgive me. it looks as though this might be the end for me.” she closed her eyes, ready to meet her end only for them to fly open again as a weight slammed into her, knocking her to the side. her eyebrows shot up.

“mark?” she harshly whispered. “what the hell are you doing here?!?” the minotaur roared as he realized his target was gone. he looked around, sniffing the area as he tried to pick up her scent. y/n moved quickly, grabbing mark’s arm and hauling ass into the forest. mark leaned against a tree as soon as they stopped moving, trying to catch his breath.

“a simple thank you would suffice. i just saved your life you know.” y/n rolled her eyes at him and he rolled his right back. 

“why are you here mark. where you following me?” the boy in front of her suddenly turns shy, nodding sheepishly. “why?” he looks away rubbing the back of his neck.

“i just wanted to make sure you were okay that’s it. i haven’t heard from you in months.” y/n inhaled sharply. while it was true they had grown close in the time they’d spent together it had only been a couple of days. it wasn’t like they’d known each other for years. “look. i’m sorry okay? i shouldn’t have followed you i was just worried.” y/n’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“worried? mark you barely know me.” at her words mark flinched back slightly as if he’d been stung. 

“i wouldn’t say i barely know you y/n.” he scoffed lightly before continuing. “your name is y/f/n y/l/n. you’re a hunter of artemis, have been for a long time. your favorite color is y/f/c (your favorite color) and your favorite flower is y/f/f (your favorite flower). you prefer the cold rather then the heat because you love the snow. you’ve never killed an animal before because you know you’d quit the hunt if you ever had to. you care about the people on this planet, demigod or not.” his eyes never left hers as he finished speaking. “but yeah definitely don’t know you at all.” y/n opened her mouth to speak, closing it again as she focused on something over his shoulder. 

“move!” she yelled as she tackled him to the ground. the minotaur’s fist slammed into the trunk right where his head had been. they rolled to the side, mark drawing his sword. he threw it to her as he pulled another from his side. they stood shoulder to shoulder as the beast turned to face them. it lunged towards them and both dove to the sides. the monster turned as if trying to decide which to go for first. y/n took the distraction, stabbing the blade into its side. it turned towards her and mark jumped. landing on the minotaurs back he driving his sword threw its neck as hard he could. he pulled his sword free, sliding off its back as the monster fell, dead.

“thanks.” she said quietly handing him his sword. he nodded, sliding it back into its sheath. he opened his mouth to say something then closed it again, shaking his head, a small smile on his face. “what?” y/n cocked an eyebrow at his behavior.

“nothing nothing. i just missed you is all. kinda can’t believe you’re actually standing in front of me.” she chuckled at his shy expression, punching him in the arm lightly. he stumbled dramatically clutching his arm as he looked up at her with mock betrayal. she laughed harder at his theatrics and he smiled widely. moving to stand in front of her, her laughter slowly faded though her smile remained. their eyes met and he sighed softly, warm breath fanning over her face. his eyes flicked down to her lips and before he stop himself he was leaning down, y/n rising onto her toes to meet it halfway. they were a hairs width apart, eyes fluttering shut when-

“y/n.” her eyes shot open and she spun around to face artemis. the goddess had an unreadable expression on her face as she regarded them. y/n winced slightly as the gravity of what she had almost done hit her. she had almost broken her vows. turning her head slightly she could see mark. he was worried, she realized, but not for himself. for her. he knew what could happen if she had broken her vows, in front of the goddess to which she had pledged them no less. y/n swallowed her fear and stepped forward, dropping to one knee and bow her head.

“my lady i will accept whatever consequence you see fit.” artemis’ expression softened as she motioned for y/n to stand. she took her hands, meeting her eyes squarely and y/n silent prepared herself for whatever the goddess decided.

“very well. y/n l/n i release you from my hunt. you are to return to camp half blood with this boy and spend your days with him. you will train and go on quests. and most importantly you will live a full life as you want to live it.” y/n’s eyes widened in shock and artemis smiled. “your affections were not as well hidden as you may have hoped, young one. i could sense your want to contact this boy, yet you stayed your path. you respected your vows and myself. you’ve been a fine hunter, and while it saddens me to release you i know this life is no longer what you wish.” y/n’s smile slowly spread across her face as the goddess’ worse registered in her mind.

“thank you my lady. it was an honor to serve you and to be a part of your hunt.” artemis nodded before looking over her shoulder at mark.

“boy. y/n may no longer be a part of my hunters, but should you wrong her you will face the full force of my wrath. do you understand.” mark’s face paled slightly and he nodded, a look of determination settling across his features.

“i wouldn’t dare lady artemis. i let her go once. i’ll not make the same mistake twice.” the goddess nodded, satisfied. she turned towards y/n again, her eyes seeming to say “i approve.”. her form shimmered, turning to moonlight before fading completely. 

once the goddess was gone the two demigods let out a breath they didn’t realize they were holding. y/n turned around to face mark only to find him already looking at her. his smiled held a mischievous edge as he stepped forward until he was right in front of her.

“so. you’re not a hunter anymore.” she shook her head, arms coming up to wrap around his broad shoulders. “that means no more vow to break.” she shook her head again and his smile widened. “so that means i can finally do this.” big hands cupping her cheeks he leaned down and closed the gap. their lips moved together in sync and he felt her smile into the kiss. pulling back, she pecked him once more on the lips before pulling away completely. she grabbed his hand, throwing a teasing wink over her shoulder at him.

“we should probably head back to camp then right?” mark rolled his eyes as he pulled her back into him, letting go of her hand to slip both arms around her waist. she giggled as she looked up at him, mark smiling down at her in return.

she narrowed her eyes determined and his smirk widened. she lunged forward, trying to catch him off guard. donghyuck easily blocked the attack, skirted backwards and to the side. she shifted towards him trying to keep him in front of him. donghyuck was always the best person to spar with. he kept a cool head no matter what and was quick on his feet. he was also able to change strategies on the spot making him difficult to beat.

y/n lunged forward again. this time hyuck side stepped and brought his blade up, catching the hilt over her sword and twisting. the second it dropped from her hand the tip of his sword was at her throat. he smiled as she scowled at him playfully before knocking his blade aside and tackling him to the ground. they laughed as they rolled around, both trying to pin the other down. breathing heavily they both stopped, lying next to each other on the grass.

“who would’ve thought. a daughter of ares and a son of athena becoming best friends.” hyuck laughed as he pulled her into his side. 

the rest of the day flew by quickly as they spent it together. finishing up any work to be done, visiting their friends and going on a supply run. the walk back to camp was quiet until y/n broke the silence.

“y’know a lot people think we’re dating.” she chuckled lightly. hyuck looked at her, eyebrow raised. “it’s kind of funny actually. as if we’d have feelings for each other. we’re best friends like c’mon. be realistic.” hyuck pursed his lips as he nodded.

“yeah. as if.” y/n looked at him, confused at his change in mood but he stayed quiet. she shrugged, brushing it off as him just being tired from walking around all day.

as the sun began to set they headed back to hyuck’s cabin to relax. pushing open the door a few of hyuck’s siblings greeted y/n as she passed by. she’d been over so often they all knew her. donghyuck rolled his eyes as she was dragged into a conversation with his sisters. taking her hand he gently tugged her towards his room.

“hey- i was talking to them what gives?” y/n pouted as he closed the door behind them. he rolled his eyes again, pouting back at her.

“can’t i just spend some quality time with my best friend?” he asked innocently. 

“we spent the whole day together silly.” y/n giggled but allowed herself to be dragged over to the bed anyways. hyuck flopped face first and y/n yelped as she was pulled down with him. he rolled over onto his back, grabbing a book of his night stand. wrapping an arm around y/n’s waist as she tucked herself into his side he opened the book to page it was marked at. 

as he began to read y/n’s eyes slow slide closed, drifting off to the sound of her best friend’s, for once, quiet voice. noticing the lack of movement and response hyuck glanced now only to find y/n fast asleep. a small smile graced his lips and he leaned down slowly to place a kiss on her forehead.

“i’ll forgive you for falling asleep on me but only because you look so cute right now.” he sighed, gently knocking his forehead against hers. “god you have no idea. so close and yet you’re just out of reach. if only you knew how i really felt about you. how long i’ve been in love with you. but i know you're not in love with me so i guess you never get to find out.” he smiled a bit sadly. marking the page, he reached over to set the book down. when he turned back his eyes met y/n’s, wide and now fully awake. he gasped quietly, muttering a curse under his breath. how could he be so careless? “look i don’t know how much you heard but if you don’t feel the same- mmph!”

y/n couldn’t stand to hear another word so she leaned forward quickly, placing her lips on his effectively cutting off his words. hyuck reacted on instinct, lips moving against hers. only when she pulled back did he realize what had happened. y/n smiled at him only for it to fade as she spotted the frown on his face. he gently pushed her away, just enough distance for him to think clearly.

“why did you do that?” he asked, barely above a whisper. y/n could hear the hurt in his voice and it broke her heart. “if it was just to make me feel better then-” y/n shook her head as she interrupted him again.

“hyuck i didn’t kiss you because i felt bad or to make you feel better.” she smiled then, eye softening as she gazed at the boy in front of her. “i did it because i’m in love with you too.” hyuck looked up from where he’d been playing with his fingers, a nervous habit he’d never grown out of. his eyes grew wide as he took in her words.

“you- you’re in love with me?” she nodded and small grin appeared on his face. “me. donghyuck.” she nodded again and the grin widened. “and you’re sure about this.” she sighed in fake exasperation.

his usually passive face turned a little sheepish as she passed him a small piece. “went to see a friend at the forge. got a little too close to a kiln.” was all he said. she shook her head with a smile as they watched the small burn on his arm turn pink then slowly fade. he thanked her quietly as he stood up, making his way out. y/n shook her head again. huang renjun. always so mysterious.

her day went on as normal, a few campers coming in and out no serious injuries. she was just about to leave for the night when na jaemin came in holding his side. her eyes widened at the sizable gash in his torso. she rushed over quickly, helping him to lay down. she moved back to her station to grab the ambrosia before going back to his side. jaemin, despite the deep cut that was bleeding quite a lot, had a bright smile on his face. y/n handed him the ambrosia, sitting next to him to bandage his stomach. the food of the gods would help but considering the size of the wound it wouldn’t heal completely. she told him as such and he nodded still smiling.

“are you gonna tell me what the hell happened or are you just going to keep smiling like that. because to be honest it’s getting a bit creepy.” he laughed at that and she smiled at him. jaemin was a son of aphrodite, well know for his charm and good looks. while he was definitely pretty y/n preferred another boy. one who was quieter, kept to himself more.

“well funny you should ask. i was at the forge with jeno when renjun comes in. he starts talking about this girl he likes which is interesting because he’s never had so much as a crush on anyone before. and then he mentions that she works in the infirmary which i thought was even more interesting because you’re the only girl that works here. and then he’s complaining about how “she’s way out of his league” and “she could never like him back” and he “can’t even properly look her in the eyes to talk to her even though he really wants to.”” 

jaemin raised an eyebrow at her as he finished talking. y/n’s face had progressively become more and more red as he spoke. he laughed at her as she tried to hide her flushed face in her hands. he starts talking again and y/n peaks out of her hands to look at him.

“he was waving his hands around as he ranted and smacked his arm on the kiln. jeno told him to go to infirmary and when he comes back he just flops on the ground. i went to go talk to him right as jeno comes around the corner and i walked right into the sword he was holding.” y/n shook her head at him and he chuckled at her disappointed face.

“you boys need to be more careful.” she stood, taking the roll of bandages and the rest of the ambrosia with her. “come back tomorrow for more ambrosia.” he nodded and stood up to leave. just as he reaches the doorway he turns around.

“he really does like you y/n. he just doesn’t know how to tell you.” jaemin’s face was surprisingly serious as she looked up from her station. she pursed her lips and nodded and he smiled reassuringly. “hey. just talk to him. trust me you’ll be fine. and y/n? thanks for patching me up.” he winked as he lifted the tent flap, walking out. y/n rolled her eyes but smiled to herself as she felt the butterflies in her stomach. renjun likes her. her crush likes her back. y/n shook her head lightly. c’mon y/n snap out of it. she turned back to her station to finish cleaning up. heading back to her cabin she dropped onto her bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

the next morning she got up heading out to the lake. some of the other apollo kids covered the infirmary until afternoon so she was free to relax. bringing small sketch book and some pencil with her she sat down at the waters edge and began to draw. she drew for what felt like hours until lunch was called. she ate quickly, heading over to the infirmary immediately after. the afternoon passed by slowly and she hadn’t seen renjun once. as the sun started to set she sighed. maybe he wasn’t coming in today. of course she never wanted him to get hurt. but seeing him had become the best part of her day even if it was always brief. 

night had fallen completely and she was halfway through lighting the torches when jeno and jaemin kicked open the tent, half dragging half carrying an unconscious renjun. y/n immediately moved towards them, taking some of his weight. they got him safely down on one of the beds and y/n leveled the duo with the angriest glare she could muster. they both took a step back, hands raised in defense.

“it wasn’t us this time i swear. he was practicing his shadow traveling again. passed out right in front of us.” jeno protested. y/n’s glare softened and she sighed. she pointed to jaemin who started slightly. 

“you. go get the nectar from my station. it’s in a small canteen.” jaemin nodded and ran over to grab what he was told. “you. i need a rag and a bowl of water. make sure its cold.” jeno was already moving before she could finish. taking the canteen she gently pulled renjun up to a semi-sitting position, the boys helping her keep him upright. she tilted up his head carefully and poured a small amount of nectar in his mouth. almost instantly he coughed slightly and his eyes fluttered open. the three sighed in relief and jeno patted his shoulder before they laid him back down. y/n placed the already wet rag over his forehead and he shivered slightly at the temperature. 

“you’re an idiot you know that right.” he chuckled softly at that and she smiled in return. jeno and jaemin shared a glance knowing their friend was in good hands. they silently made their way out of the tent, leaving the two with each other. y/n stood slowly, bowl in hand and turned to go back to her station to let renjun rest. she froze when a hand wrapped around her free one. she looked back down at the boy and he tugged softly pulling back down to him. she sat down with him, setting the bowl carefully on the floor. 

“sorry for being stupid.” he smiled up at her and she found herself stunned by how pretty he was. renjun had never fully smiled at her before. “feel bad cuz i keep worrying you. you’re so beautiful you shouldn’t be worried.” okay yeah he definitely needed to rest. y/n smiled again albeit sadly.

“renjun you need to rest. you don’t know what you’re saying.” she moved to stand again but he whined softly and her resolve broke (not that she had much of one to being with). he shook his head pouting slightly and she furrowed her eyebrows, confused.

“i know what i’m saying. i’ve like you since like forever. so beautiful.” she yelped as she was pulled down on top of him suddenly. gasping quietly as she realized just how close their faces were. renjun leaned up slowly, giving her enough time to pull away, and closed the gap when she didn’t. their lips moved together gently, perfectly like they’d kissed a thousand times before. y/n found herself chasing his touch when he pulled back head falling back onto the pillow as his eye closed. “yep.” he murmured, small smile on his face. “beautiful.” y/n opened her mouth to respond, only to realize he’d fallen asleep. she smiled to herself as she stood. grabbing the bowl she went back over to her station. that night she slept in the infirmary, fingers brushing over her lips as she drifted off. 

as y/n woke up the events of last night washed over her and she blushed. sitting up she brushed a hand through her hair, looking over at the sleeping boy next to her. she stood, stretching slightly, wincing as her back and neck cracked. a groan from beside her caught her attention and she turned as renjun slowly sat up. he met her eyes and smiled shyly as he looked away, color blooming across his cheeks. y/n moved to sit next to him on the bed, gently turning his face back to her.

“did last night really happen? or was i dreaming.” he asked quietly, blush still evident. she nodded, laughing when he groaned dropping his head into his hands. he peeked at her through his fingers, chuckling along with her. he sat up straighter then, dropping his hands to hers and turning to face her completely. her eyes widened at their close proximity. “if that’s the case then you kissed me back.” he smirked as y/n sputtered at his sudden boldness. “and if you kissed me back that means you like me as well.” his smirked softened into a smile as she nodded. “well if you like me and i like you then we’re dating now and i get to kiss you as much as i want.” his smile widened as she nodded again, a smile of her own spreading across her face. he leaned in only to be stopped by a finger at his lips. her eyes glinted mischievously as she leaned closer to whisper:

the duo walked back the hephaestus cabin, jeno carefully cradling the blossom to ensure it came to no harm. when they reached his room he added it to the vase on his bedside table. it was already full of flowers but some were starting to wilt. he’d looked up how to dry and press flowers properly so he could keep them. he still had the very first one you gave him, a lavender rose. he’d pressed it and incorporated it into a sword handle. it was a beautiful blade, double edged, the hilt had a plethora of vines and flowers weaving through it with the rose in the middle encased in resin. jeno had painstakingly carved the hilt himself with her in mind.

the next day jeno was headed to the forge, lost in his thoughts. he was shaken out of them when he ran right into someone. they fell backwards with a surprised squeak and he immediately reached to try and catch them. his hand closed around a waist and suddenly he was face to face with none other then y/n herself. quickly standing her back on her feet he gave her a quick once over.

“are you alright? i’m really sorry i should’ve looking where i was going.” he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and she giggled. he gave a shy smile, relieved she wasn’t hurt.

“i’m alright jeno you caught me just in time!” she smiled widely at him and he felt his face heating up automatically. he nodded stiffly and turned to continue on his path when she held up her hand. “hold on just one sec.” she knelt down on the grass and stretched out her hand. jeno watched in fascination as the ground began to shift. there stood a small sunflower barely reaching to his knee. she gave a soft apology before plucking the flower and standing again. she offered it to him, a small blush dusting her cheeks. he took it gently and tucked the stem safely into his pocket. she squeaked out a thank you before taking off. jeno smiled, shaking his head at her retreating figure. “cute” he thought.

jeno’s siblings smirked as he walked in with a smile on his face and a flower sticking out of his pocket. they were no stranger to his crush on the daughter of demeter it was quite obvious. he noticed their looks and immediately schooled his expression. right as he opened his mouth to tell them off one y/n’s sisters skipped in with a small box. she handed the box to jeno who cocked his head in confusion.

“these are those new parts you wanted remember?” he silently “ah’d” in understanding and nodded, thanking her. she smiled, going to greet one of her friends before she noticed the flower in jeno’s pocket. “ooo a sunflower! it’s so pretty! i haven’t seen sunflowers around here where’d you find it?” before jeno could respond his hell spawn of a best friend answered for him, arriving just in time to hear the question.

“y/n probably gave to him am i right?” jeno sighed in defeat and nodded. the girl in front of them squealed. jeno winced slightly and jaemin just laughed. as a son of aphrodite he was used to the squeals of excitement.

“OH MY GOD ITS YOU.” jeno raised an eyebrow in question. “y/n’s been going on about this guy and how she keeps giving him flowers and hoping he’ll get the hint but i keep telling her “y/n not everyone knows that flowers have different meanings” but she insists that this is better because he’s “way out of my league” and “he’s so pretty and he’s really nice but there’s no way he’d ever like me back.”“ jeno’s sibling howled at the look on jeno’s face. jaemin had a huge smug smirk on his face and opened his mouth, probably to expose and embarrass jeno even further. the taller boy beat him to it, a phrase from the earlier rant catching his attention.

“wait what do you mean flowers have meanings?” the daughter of demeter looked personally offended at this. “i didn’t know there was any sort of meaning behind them i thought she just liked giving people flowers.” he muttered shyly. her eyes softened and she walked over reaching for the flower in his pocket.

“this is a dwarf sunflower. it means admiration. can you remember any of the other flowers she gave you?” jeno paused for a minute trying to remember them all.

“the first one was a lavender rose.” at this she smiled.

“lavender rose is love at first sight,” his cheeks reddened and she motioned for him to continue.

“ummm okay well yesterday it was a pink camellia.” 

“specifically pink?” jeno nodded and her smile gained a touch of sadness. “pink camellia symbolizes longing. she’s been in the same boat as you jeno. she doesn’t think you could ever feel the same way.” he frowned at this.

“that’s absolutely ridiculous. she’s the most breathtaking person i’ve ever seen in my life. but there’s no way she’d settle for someone like me. i’m always working, my clothes are always dirty, hell i can barely even hold a conversation with her. she deserves so much better then what i have to offer.” jaemin frowned at his best friend sounding so defeated. lee jeno was not the type to give up on anything. so to hear sounding so down on himself, so hopeless, hurt him.

“jeno do you actually believe that? because personally i think it’s bullshit.” everyone looked up in surprise at the new voice. there she stood, eyes narrowed and zeroed in on jeno. “first off, i don’t give a shit how much you work in fact i admire that you dedicate so much of yourself into doing what you love. secondly, my mother is demeter i grow damn flowers out of the ground and you think i care about some dirt? third, maybe you don’t talk a lot but that’s something that takes time when you get comfortable with people. fourth, the fact that you’re willing to sacrifice your feelings for me to be happy just further solidifies my feelings for you. do you remember when i gave you that lavender rose jeno?” he nodded slowly and she smiled then. “it was about a week into us meeting right before valentines day. i was delivering flowers to everyone in camp and you helped me carry them even though you didn’t know me. and i gave you that flower because that even then you were the only one i wanted. it’s been nearly a year jeno. if i was going to stray from my choice i would’ve. now are you going to stand there staring at me or are you going to kiss me?” 

jaemin’s jaw dropped and jeno sputtered as she laughed at their expressions. jeno’s eyes narrow as he snapped out of his flustered state. determined, he marched right up to her, grabbed her face and kissed her. he heard her surprised noise and almost pulled back before her arms wound around his waist and she kissed him back. and in that moment everything else melted away. he pulled back just enough to whisper against her lips.

“no jen we’re not mad at you. we just wished you might’ve mentioned it sooner you know? maybe not right before you’re about to bring her over here to meet us for the first time?” he chuckled, amused with his friend’s poor timing. jeno laughed with him, relieved he wasn’t angry. y/n got up then walking over to hug jeno.

“we’re happy for you jen. really.” they gave him a smile which he returned. jeno took a deep breath then clapped his hands together.

“alright i’m gonna go then. i’ll be back in a little bit.” he waved as he left, shutting the door behind him. y/n and jaemin turned to each other again as the door closed. 

“we’re bullying him for not telling us sooner right?” jaemin smirked, plan already forming.

“definitely.” an hour passes and jeno finally texts that he’s on his way back. everyone rushes to clean up the last couple things before they hear jeno’s car pull into the lot. they hear footsteps coming up the stairs and suddenly everyone’s holding their breath.

the door opens and jeno and his girlfriend walk in and they stand to meet them. she’s absolutely gorgeous, long black hair, bright green eyes, perfect complexion. they look good together. y/n walks over and holds out their hand. 

“hi i’m y/n! it’s really nice to meet you! we’ve heard a lot about you from jeno.” she looks down at their hand then back up at them then turns to jeno, a frown on her face. 

“jeno you didn’t tell me you lived with a girl.” y/n winced slightly at the misgender even if it was accidental.

“i actually use they/them pronouns.” “they actually use they/them pronouns.” jaemin and y/n say at the same time. he’s standing next to them now and gives them a small smile of reassurance. she rolls her eyes and scoffs.

“i really don’t care about your stupid pronouns.” she turns back to jeno then. “why didn’t you tell me you lived with a girl jen i thought we told each other everything.” she whined as she tugged on his sleeve. jeno only frowned, his eyes zeroed in on where jaemin had slipped his hand into theirs, squeezing gently, trying to comfort them as this girl blatantly continued to misgender them. 

“they already told you they go by they/them pronouns. and they’re important to me so i’d appreciate if you’d stop misgendering them.” she rolled her eyes again and huffed, muttering a small “whatever.” under her breath. he seemed to accept that and she grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the bedrooms. everyone stood in silence, surprised at what had just happened. jaemin was the first to move, turning to stand in front of them. 

“are you alright? she was way out of line and i don’t know why jeno didn’t step in sooner.” his eyes searched their face and they knew he was concerned. they weren’t going to lie. it hurt when jeno didn’t bother to defend them. y/n took a deep breath and met jaemin’s eyes. smiling gently they slipped their hand out of his and turned to walk to their room. as they passed jeno’s room they could hear them arguing quietly. not being able to stop themselves y/n paused, trying to listen.

“i don’t know jen, her being here makes me uncomfortable. like how well do you really know her? what if she has a crush on you?” jeno chuckled a bit at that. “babe i can guarantee they don’t like me like that. they like someone else they’ve been talking about him for months now.” they heard her sigh loudly, she clearly didn’t believe him.

“jen she was probably talking about you. girls do that all the time especially with their guy friends. has she ever told you who it is?” there was a pause and then a quiet “no.” from jeno. y/n couldn’t hear anymore so they continued on their way back to their room and closed the door.  jeno’s girlfriend stayed the rest of the week, hanging herself all over jeno and managing to continually get their pronouns wrong despite all the guys correcting her. y/n mostly stayed in their room, the guys coming in occasionally to check on them, thought they didn’t fail to notice jeno was never with them. jaemin came in more than anyone often times bringing food with him. they’d sit together on the floor and eat while they watched a movie. jaemin held them together the entire week, keeping them distracted and even managing to get them to come out and play games with the two youngers. they cheered when they saw y/n and immediately moved to make space, chenle handing them a controller with a bright smile. when she finally left y/n came out of their room and jaemin was right there waiting. they walked into the living room and were immediately met with an angry jeno. the rest of the boys were either sitting on the couch or the floor, their eyes flicking back and forth between jaemin and y/n and jeno.

“what the hell y/n.” jeno was pissed, his eyes narrowed, brows drawn together. “you stayed in your room the entire week my girlfriend was here, not bothering once to try and talk to her? all because she didn’t use your pronouns? i thought you were better than that.” y/n blanched, stepping backwards. they’d figured he’d upset but for him to throw out her misgendering like it was no big deal felt like a slap in the face. jeno was the first person y/n came out as non-binary to, he knows how important their pronouns are to them.  “jeno that’s not exactly fair of you to say. you know more than anyone how important their pronouns are to them and you didn’t even bother to correct her.” y/n’s head whipped around to look up at jaemin who had stepped forward, meeting jeno’s anger with reason. “it’s not surprising they didn’t want to be around either of you, giving the misgendering and that their best friend wasn’t even bothering to try and stand up for them.” jeno at least had the decency to look guilty, his eyes softening before hardening again, turning to bore into them.

“not gonna say anything are we? just gonna let jaemin do all the talking? aw are you hurt that your best friend wouldn’t speak up for you? or is it something else.” their eyebrows furrowed then and they stepped towards him.  “what the hell are you talking about.” he scoffed, leaning forward to get right in y/n’s face. he smirked but it wasn’t his usual, playful one. this one was darker. meaner. 

“she said you had a little crush on me. was it jealousy y/n? could you not stand to see me like someone other than you? was that guy you’ve been going on about for months me? cause if it was, sorry to tell you. no one. could ever like you.” tears sprung into their eyes at his harsh words and his smirk widened until he was almost smiling. like he was proud of himself for hurting them. how had this happened? y/n’s best friend. the sweetest guy they knew aside from jaemin. smiling because he was the cause of their pain. jaemin looked down, worry written across his face. he turned back to jeno, body tensed and opened his mouth, no doubt to yell at him. y/n put their hand on his shoulder before he could. he looked down at them again and they shook their head. it wasn’t worth it. he nodded slightly in understand and y/n faced jeno again.

“jeno i’m honestly not sure why she would say that but i don’t have a crush on you. i wouldn’t talk to you about someone i liked if that someone was you. you know everything about me and you would’ve figured it out. but don’t worry. i know no one could ever like me. that why i never said anything about it to him. but you already knew that didn’t you. i don’t want to fight with you jeno, you’re one of my closest friends. but if you don’t think we should be friends anymore that’s okay too. i’ve only ever wanted what’s best for you anyways.” jeno’s smile slowly dropped and his eyes grew sad. but that didn’t matter anymore. jaemin look at his best friend, his expression unreadable. 

“i know you like her jeno but take a good long look at how she’s making you treat the people you care about.” at that he took their hand, pulling them towards his room. 

y/n sat on his bed, knees pulled up to their chest as jaemin rummaged through his closet. they was so focused on not crying that they didn’t even notice when he sat beside them. he laid a gentle hand on their shoulder and they jumped slightly. he smiled a little but didn’t say anything as he handed them a hoodie. y/n slipped it on and he tugged their arm to lay down with him. frowning as he noticed the tears they were holding back, jaemin pulled them into his chest and ran a gentle hand through their hair. 

“it’s okay.” he whispered. “you don’t have to do that with me. it’s okay.” at his words they squeezed their eyes shut and the tears flooded out. jaemin held them close as they cried, humming quietly as his hand rubbed soothing circles over their back.

after a few minutes their sobs quieted down and they pulled back a little to look up at jaemin. he had a soft smile on his face but his eyes were sad as he moved to push some hair out of their face. 

“why would he say that to me jaem. he knew it would hurt me why did he say that.” they sniffled and jaemin’s heart broke. 

“i don’t know y/n. he’s angry right now and honestly i think he’s upset that the two of you don’t get along. you’re his best friend and she’s his girlfriend. and i think that seeing that you guys don’t mix well hurt him. but there’s no excuse for what he said.” jaemin placed a small kiss on their hairline before maneuvering them in to a sitting position. “now. no more about jeno for now. tell me about this crush of yours.” he wiggled his eyebrows at them and they giggled, cheeks flushing pink at just the thought of him.

“well. he’s tall, about 5′10-5′11 or so. he’s got these gorgeous brown eyes and long eyelashes, which is totally unfair by the way. his smile is absolutely beautiful and he smiles at me a lot so i’d know. he’s probably one of the funniest people i know, he never fails to make me laugh. he’s so sweet too, he never forgets to check up me. he always makes sure i’m eating enough and drinking water. he literally makes me food since he’s the only one in this house who can cook. he always seems to know when i’m sad or upset and he gives the best hugs. he’s just... amazing. but i doubt he likes me back he’s way out of my league.” y/n peeks over at jaemin who’d been silent the entire time they’d been talking. he seemed to be staring through the wall, only looking at them when they poked his knee. “sooo what do you think? should i go for it?” he gives them a small nod, a slight pout resting on his lips. y/n nods back and takes a deep breath, scooting to sit in front of him.

“na jaemin i like you. like, like like you. and i wanted to know if you’d like to go out sometime?” by the end of their sentence jaemin’s eyes had widened almost comically. he had a wide grin on his face as he pointed to himself.

“me?” he asked so quietly it was almost a whisper. “you like me?” y/n giggled as they nodded. his grin grew even more and he lunged forward to tackle them in a hug. “oh my god i thought you were talking about someone else! almost broke my heart over here.” he teased as he poked their sides. they laughed loudly, try to twist away from the tickling. jaemin stopped his assault and looked down at them as they laughed. as they started to calm down y/n noticed him staring with a smile on his face. matching it with one of their own they reached up to cup his cheek. 

“hi.” they whispered. his eyes softened as he gazed down at them.

“hi.” they giggled again as he leaned forward, resting his forehead on theirs. both closed their eyes as they laid in silence, enjoying the others presence. “i like you too by the way.” y/n opened their eyes as jaemin’s quiet voice sounded through the quiet.