amortentia - the most powerful love potion in the world. it smells different to each person, according to what attracts them

“what does your amortentia smell like, minho?”

changbin dropped onto the couch beside him, a green tie knotted around his head. minho thought he looked stupider than ever, which was impressive considering the competition. the younger boys had a habit of mimicking whatever he did, and minho could spot more than five in the room wearing their ties the same way purely because of seo changbin’s influence.

the slytherin common room was vibrating with triumph after their merciless quidditch win over gryffindor this evening. the celebration had already dissolved into rounds of illicit firewhisky and music loud enough to rattle the stone. they didn’t usually bother with this level of noise. but how could they not celebrate when the griffindorks lost against them?

minho slouched back on the couch, one arm draped over the velvet spine. he gave his glass a slow swirl, watching the shadows fracture through the amber liquid.

“burnt caramel. catnip. and something like a girl’s perfume,” he said at last, voice flat. “makes my fucking head spin.”

changbin whistled. “you’ve got it bad. don’t even know who for?”

“didn’t say that.” the corner of minho’s mouth lifted.

changbin leaned back beside minho with a smug smile, tugging his tie further down over one brow like a bandana, as if that somehow made him look less ridiculous. it didn’t.

“it’s y/n, innit?”

minho scoffed. “as if.”

changbin laughed. “please. everyone knows you two aren’t sneaking alone just to duel.”

minho rolled his eyes and took a slow sip of firewhisky, letting the burn settle under his tongue. he didn’t deny it. what would be the point?

and then, as if right on cue:

“speak of the devil.” changbin sat up straighter, snickering. 

minho’s head snapped toward where changbin was looking, like a compass needle finding north.

you were across the room, walking away from whoever you’d been talking to, still facing them as you chattered on. your backwards steps were carrying you straight toward the couch where minho and changbin sat. minho was already bracing for whatever stupid, trivial thing you were about to bother him with. he was also looking forward to it.

you laughed brightly, tossing a quick goodbye over your shoulder without really looking where you were going. your shoulders turned first, your head following a second later. your gaze finally landed on minho.

you smiled. minho watched it happen, how it started in your eyes and curled around your pink lips. 

he didn’t mean to look lower. truly. but his eyes snagged on the green-striped tie dangling loose and crooked around your neck. the top buttons of your blouse were undone—two, exactly—which made it worse than if you were fully exposed. you weren’t even showing cleavage and he was starting to feel himself sweating. what the fuck was wrong with him?

“hi,” you said, voice sweet as honey but clearly laced with mischief. 

minho’s eyes narrowed. 

he didn’t trust that smile. but he did want to see what it was about. “what’s going on in that scheming little head of yours?”

your gaze dropped meaningfully to minho’s lap, then lifted back to his face like you hadn't just sent a spark up his spine with one look.

without breaking eye contact, you stepped forward and held out your hand.

“come see,” you said.

minho stared at you for another second. he tilted his head, as a show of resistance. he only did it to keep up appearances and pretend he wasn’t that easy when it came to you. because changbin, smug little bastard that he was, would never let him live it down. 

but really, what was the point?

changbin had been teasing him into oblivion for weeks already. so he didn’t bother fighting it now. especially not when you were looking at him like that. 

he reached out and took your hand.

changbin gave a low, obnoxious whistle. you gave changbin a little pout over your shoulder, before turning and tugging minho with you. minho let out a soft, helpless chuckle, not even trying to mask how amused he was by your theatrics.

he stumbled a bit as he stood, his balance just off from the alcohol buzzing through his veins, but your grip kept him steady. his laughter followed as you pulled him toward the stairs. he turned around and mouthed help to changbin, who just shook his head.

the noise dulled behind you both as the winding stairs took you higher into the boys’ dorm tower, torches flickering emerald flames in brackets along the wall. 

“where are we going?” he asked, breathless more from you than the climb. his voice dropped half an octave. 

you didn’t answer him. 

still, minho followed without resisting, boots thudding behind yours, his other hand brushing the worn stone railing with each step.

you reached the top and without hesitation, shouldered open the heavy wooden door to the boys’ dormitory.

to your luck, it was empty. the four other boys in minho’s dorm were still all down there, drunk on victory. minho stepped inside behind you, scanning the shadows of his bed’s green velvet hangings, the cracked window open just a little to let in the frigid night air.

“sit,” you ordered, and shoved him.

he fell back onto the bed with a rustle of green and silver sheets, his elbows catching him halfway. his green slytherin tie hung limp around his neck, the collar buttoned neatly.

minho’s heart pounded in his ears. this is it, he thought. you were losing your virginities to each other today.

“you know,” he said, trying to lace his nerves in nonchalance, “if you were ready, you could’ve just said so. we could have a mature, adult conversation about it, instead of—” he gestured at himself, “forcing me into bed like a hostage.”

you gave him a drunk smile. “are you really dense enough to think i brought you up here to shag?”

before he could say anything, you started to climb on top of him, knees bracketing his thighs, your skirt pooling over his lap. 

“excuse me if the situation’s a bit confusing,” he hissed, hands planted behind him on the bed. “but you throw me on a bed and you’re climbing on top of me. i don’t know what the hell you expect me to think.”

“oh, i don’t know,” you said, rolling your eyes. “maybe think with your brain instead of your dick for once?”

minho scoffed sharply. his fingers twitched behind him, visibly debating whether to touch you or keep pretending he had a shred of self-control left.

“so,” he murmured. “why’d you drag me here? did you just want to kiss me or what?”

you then slowly reached into the inner pocket of your robe that was laying at the foot of the bed and pulled out two small vials. the pink liquid inside shimmered under the moonlight coming from the window.

the second he saw them, minho stilled under you completely.

“what is that?” his eyes narrowed at the vials.

“come on, minho. use your head.” you watched him, waiting for the penny to drop.

“…love potion?”

you grinned. “from the storeroom. i stole a couple this morning.”

“fucking hell.” he dropped his head back with a groan.

“it’s only temporary,” you said quickly. “i mean, what better way to spend a night than getting high on each other?”

minho stared at the vial, eyes flicking between the slow swirl of pink liquid and the smile playing on your lips like this was the best idea you’d ever had.

“this is fucking stupid,” he said flatly. “absolutely mental.”

he sat all the way up now, forcing you to shift with him, your knees tightening around his hips for balance. he glared at you, jaw clenched, that familiar venom in his stare—but it never really landed when it was aimed at you. 

“we will fuck if we drink that.”

“we won’t,” you said smoothly. “we might just see how bad we want to.”

“and that’ll have the exact same outcome,” he snapped. “you have any idea what you do to me already?”

you tilted your head. “then i guess i’m the only one with self-control, here.”

he scoffed, eyes flashing. “you want to talk about self-control? you nearly came just from me kissing your neck in the closet last week.”

“you were moaning and biting my neck,” you snapped back immediately. “who wouldn’t feel turned on?”

“you were the one humping me like a dog. any guy would moan.” he narrowed his eyes. “and i was biting you to shut you up,”

“i was only grinding on you to shut you up!”

“you always grind on me!” he snapped.

you blinked at him, then let out a long sigh, now confused by both of your lines of reasoning. arguing with him always took an unnecessarily large amount of energy. ultimately, you held out the vial.

minho didn’t take it right away. you saw the gears turn in his head. slowly, he reached out and took the glass from your hand.

“fine, i’ll do it. but i have to remind you one last time that this is a horrible idea,” he said, eyes narrowed, voice flat. “monumentally, astronomically stupid. if i wake up in azkaban, it’s on you.”

you grinned so wide your nose crinkled. “i’ll send you letters.” 

you uncorked your vial with a soft pop, the shimmer inside glowing faintly. you held your arm out. he shook his head with a huff, uncorking his, and looped his arm through yours.

“bottoms up.”

“cheers,” he mumbled, and you both tipped the vial back.

the potion slid warm and syrupy over your tongue. it was shockingly sweet at first, then spicy underneath which must have been from the peppermint. it burned just a little as you swallowed, fizzing down your throat.

you set the empty vial gently on the bedside table, glass clinking softly against the other. 

you both sat there in silence after. nothing happened. no sudden rush of heat or collapsing into each other in a frenzy like people always warned about.

you glanced down at him. his eyes flickered up to yours, one eyebrow raised under his messy bangs. 

“i don’t feel anything,” you said finally, frowning.

minho shook his head. “not sure i do either.”

you squinted at him. “do you feel like kissing me until your mouth hurts?”

“always.” his expression didn’t shift. “that’s not the potion,”

you frowned deeper, brows tugging together as you slumped a little. “it didn’t work,” you muttered, lower lip jutting out.

“shame,” he said blandly. “oh well.”

you stared at him, aghast. “oh well?”

minho just blinked at you.

you shoved his shoulder. “you’re unbelievable.”

he barely rocked from the push. “i mean, what did you expect?”

“i expected you to lose your goddamn mind, minho!” you snapped, flinging your arms out in exasperation. “i expected panting, grabbing, throwing me down like some lust-crazed—something.”

“you act like i wouldn’t just do that,” he said.

“i-i expected you to look like you wanted me instead of blinking like the dead-eyed minister!”

minho tilted his head at you, utterly dry. “well, maybe try a bit harder convincing yourself i don’t want you because my cock’s not exactly subtle about it.”

you froze for a beat. your eyes dropped before you could stop them, dragging down his front. at his crotch, the fabric of his trousers was dark and creased. 

minho was still propped on his elbows, watching you with infuriating neutrality. he made no move to help or hide anything.

you blinked up at him. “could just be a wrinkle,” you muttered.

he smirked. “could be. wanna check?”

you glared. as if the potion failing wasn’t irritating enough, minho’s smug little remarks were the last thing you needed.

“what a pathetic waste of time,” you huffed, glaring at the empty vials on the bedside table. “excuse for a love potion, honestly. we could have been making out this entire time instead of sitting around.”

minho’s mouth curled, equal parts amused and relieved. “i second that,” he said.

before you could respond, he grabbed you by the collar and pulled you into a heated kiss. 

you let out a startled gasp but the shock melted instantly. you could’ve sworn you felt your pulse in places it had no business being. it was stupid, how fast your body went from annoyed and bickering to suddenly grinding down without even thinking, chasing friction because your brain had long since checked out.

minho pulled back. “bloody hell,” he rasped as you rolled your hips again. “i think i’m gonna die.”

you couldn’t help but giggle quietly. “i should hope not. you’re far too useful to have around, especially when you kiss me like that,” you teased.

he grinned, the expression soft. “that’s all i am to you, y/n? something useful?” his fingers brushed your cheek, trailing down your jaw, thumb catching on your bottom lip.

“well, you’re more than a little fit. and apparently good at snogging.”

minho had never felt so at ease flirting with you. it felt as if his natural defences melted into nothing. he should have been wondering if it was the love potion starting to take effect, but honestly, he’d forgotten about that already. it was hard to care about enchanted syrup when you were giggling against his lips. he had tunnel vision. his world was reduced to you and the little creases beside your eyes when you smiled at him. 

he leaned in, letting his nose brush yours, voice pitched just for you. “i’ll have you know, i’m exceptional at a few things besides snogging. if you’re lucky, i might demonstrate.”

you grinned. “well, i am the luckiest girl in the world, aren’t i?”

minho let out a chuckle as your noses nudged together. then he kissed you softly. you sighed against his mouth, melting into the kiss, your arms hugging his neck.

his hand drifted up the bare skin of your thigh, fingertips tracing lazy circles higher, slipping beneath your skirt. his fingers splayed to cup your ass, and you let out a muffled moan into his mouth. your lips left his, trailing down to the line of his jaw, then to his neck. you sucked at his skin, your tongue flicking out to soothe the mark after. he tilted his head back to give you more space, hands gripping you tighter as you painted little love bites in the area below his ear.

you broke away, your mouth hovering above his, lips still brushing as you caught your breath. “minho,” you murmured.

he hummed, eyes half-lidded. “what is it?”

you took another little breath, heart thudding wild in your chest. “we’ve never really…well, brought each other off before.” you smiled, gaze flicking up to meet his. “thought maybe you’d want to try something more tonight.”

he stilled, then his mouth curled at the corner. “you want me to make you come?”

you nodded. “i mean, i’ve only ever done it myself, when the dormitory’s empty.”

“well,” he murmured, “who do you think about when you’re alone?”

you rolled your eyes, fighting a smile. “that’s private, minho.”

he grinned, not the least bit chastened. “wouldn’t be uncomfortable if you said it was me, that’s all.”

you pressed a quick, warm kiss to his jaw, lips curving against his skin. “who else would it be, you idiot?” you whispered. 

minho’s smile stretched wide, his eyes shining with an affection that made your chest flutter. his hand slid from your ass around to the front, fingertips dancing along the edge of your knickers, only your skirt hiding you. he paused there, eyes flicking up to yours, his voice a low murmur just for you. “you’re alright with this?” he asked.

“yes,” you breathed, hardly more than a whisper.

his fingers slipped near the thin cotton. you buried your face in the curve of his neck, your breath shuddering against his skin.

minho thought maybe he’d spoken too soon about the potion not working, because he felt utterly, pathetically besotted. he’d loved you for years, but right now he wanted you to know it.

“i think i’m in love with you,” he whispered.

you grinned against his skin. “i think so too.”

“in love with me, or you also think i’m in love with you?”

“i don’t know, i think both,” you whispered, “you’re being very distracting.”

minho had only just started to reach down, fingers barely sliding under your panties, when the heavy door burst open with a bang against the stone wall. minho’s hand instantly yanked back, your body scrambling off his lap, straightening your skirt as you tried desperately to look like you hadn’t just been caught on the precipice of something indecent.

standing in the doorway was bang chan, the ever-diligent slytherin head boy. his gaze swept over the two of you, lingering on your flushed faces and disheveled uniforms.

“i knew you two were up here!” chan bit out. “thank goodness i caught you before something actually happened.”

minho’s jaw clenched, irritation flaring in his eyes as he shifted to sit a little straighter on the bed, deliberately casual. “do you mind?” he shot back.

“yes, actually, i do mind,” chan replied coldly, marching further into the room. he fixed you with a hard stare, eyes narrowed. “y/n, you stole two vials of love potion from the storeroom this morning you think no one would notice?”

your heart leapt into your throat, hands twisting in your skirt, trying desperately not to meet chan’s eyes for fear you’d laugh.

minho rolled his eyes, utterly unrepentant. “nothing even happened, chan. you’re interrupting a perfectly innocent evening.”

chan snorted, gaze flicking between you and the empty vials on the bedside table. “innocent? this is the stupidest shit i’ve ever seen—consuming potions so you can be in the completely wrong state of mind—merlin’s beard, this is exactly how people end up with a howler from your parents or, i don’t know, bloody pregnant! ”

he stepped forward and snatched the vials, shoving them deep into his robe pocket. you and minho watched in silence, equal parts shame and irritation burning in your chests. all you wanted was chan out of the room so you could pick up where you’d left off.

“y/n, you’re coming with me. minho, stay put.”

you reached for minho’s hand immediately, a frown washing over your features. “i’m not leaving him, chan,” you said. 

“you’ll have to hex me to take her away.” minho squeezed your hand, looking more sure of himself than ever. 

chan stared at the pair of you, then let out a loud sigh and scrubbed his face with both hands. “do you even hear yourselves?” 

you barely had time to blink before he was striding forward and grabbing your arm as he pulled you upright off minho’s bed.

“no!” you snapped, trying to twist out of his grip, but he just re-anchored his hold higher on your sleeve and kept moving. 

minho’s eyes flared. “you’re the worst fucking head boy in the history of hogwarts—”

“i love you minho,” you cried as you were being dragged towards the exit.

chan finally yanked the door open, muttering under his breath as he tugged you out into the corridor.

when you stepped into the great hall the next morning, it seemed that the two opposing quidditch teams had spent very different nights.

the gryffindor table looked like a funeral procession in scarlet and gold. their players sat scattered and sulking. no one met anyone else’s eyes. the usual boisterous laughter was replaced by silence. it was broken only when some poor guy knocked over a pitcher of pumpkin juice. he let spill across the table for a full three seconds before a passing ghost finally tutted in disapproval.

the slytherins were late. but not all of them. a few had trickled in before you, those that had ducked out early or avoided the worst of last night’s victory bender. changbin was at the table, lounging with his head cradled in both hands like it might fall off otherwise. the same tie he used as a headband last was now around his neck, but loosely knotted and trailing into his plate.

you and your roommates entered, steps slowing as you neared your usual spot.

minho was already there.

he was resting his chin on his hand, elbow propped on the table. his fingers tapped lightly against the side of his face, rhythm distracted, like he wasn’t even aware of it.

you saw the smallest flicker of his eyes the moment your shadow passed into the space across from him. you slid into your seat quietly and some of your roommates settled in beside you. you don’t remember ever feeling this awkward with minho.

you cleared your throat gently. 

“hi,” he said.

“hi.”

he glanced down at his own empty plate, then back up. “you… sleep okay?”

“yeah.” you nodded, eyes flicking down. “did chan give you detention?”

he shook his head, “he told me to never let this out or the three of us would all both be doomed.”

“well, that’s good.” you said, staring at the tea in front of you. the steam had thinned, barely curling now, but it gave you something to focus on.

you risked a quick look at him. there was the faintest shadow of a purple mark peeking just above the collar of his shirt. heat crept up your neck at the memory, and you quickly dropped your gaze back to the table.

minho cleared his throat. “did he make you drink the antidote as well?”

you nodded, still not quite looking at him. “last night.”

“gross, wasn’t it?” minho muttered.

“yeah,” you agreed. “absolutely vile.”

one of your roommates, who had been quietly buttering her toast beside you, suddenly perked up.

“antidote?” she asked, eyes widening with curiosity. “antidote for what?”

you froze. minho’s tapping stopped.

minho gave the witch a sharp look. “nothing that concerns you.”

before you could even shoot him a warning glare, changbin’s voice cut through the table.

“antidote for the love potions they took together last night,” he announced. “i heard these two idiots thought it was a brilliant idea.”

“seo changbin!” you hissed, cheeks burning. looks like bang chan wasn't too careful about this secret either.

your roommate gasped, toast halfway to her mouth. “you two—?”

minho’s eyes narrowed at changbin. “if you wanna win the house cup this year, i suggest you zip it. unless you’d rather explain to the entire house why our points suddenly vanished because of your big mouth.”

changbin grinned around a mouthful of eggs, completely unfazed by the threat. “relax. i’m just saying, you two don’t even need potions to be infatuated with each other.”

you pushed your plate away. “i’ve lost my appetite.”

“so have i,” minho said, rising from the bench.

you both stood at the same time, slipping out from opposite sides of the long slytherin table. the green and silver banners swayed overhead as you walked toward the grand doors.

your eyes met minho’s across the aisle. minho tilted his head to the left, referring to the broom closet on that side of the great hall. you scoffed but nodded.

as the two of you left together, changbin muttered under his breath, “there they go again…”

the lights buzzed like a hive of dying insects, the only sound besides the soft click of the mass spectrometer cycling through its scan. it was past 11 pm and the rest of the building was dark, but you’d sweet-talked the night security guard with a story. 

it felt cozy having your lab coat buttoned over your pyjamas.

on the lab bench sat the sealed sample you’d taken from the window the morning after the mutant appeared. you’d cracked it open an hour ago, transferred the faintly discoloured tip to a slide, and run every test the department’s equipment would allow.

you were about to doze off when the screen in front of you flickered.

the spectrometer finished its run with a soft chime.

the result populated in slow lines across the screen. you didn’t really have a plan or end point, and you surely weren’t under any illusion you were about to solve something teams of actual scientists hadn’t already figured out. 

“y/n?”

you jumped, your chair scraping back an inch as you twisted around.

a man stood in the doorway. for a second, your exhausted brain couldn’t make out who it was, which would’ve been mortifying considering he knew your name. he was dressed in smart clothes, a pair of glasses dangling from the collar of his shirt. after a moment of deep thought, your drowsy mind finally caught up.

you exhaled, shoulders dropping immediately. “professor han.”

he took a few steps into the lab. his trench coat was slung casually over one shoulder, and his hand was rubbing his forehead like you’d taken away ten years to his life. he looked a lot less put-together than usual. you instinctively pulled your lab coat tighter around yourself, covering the pink striped pyjamas underneath.

“are you supposed to be here right now?” he asked.

“well, technically not. i was just… finishing an assignment,” you said. you glanced back at the screen. “it’s bad of me to procrastinate, but…you know.”

he exhaled, understanding how hard university could be at times. “i was just making rounds before i leave. it seems you’re not the only one pushing work until late at night.”

that pulled a small smile out of you. “guess not.”

he gestured lightly toward the door. “make sure you tell them to lock up when you’re done.”

“i will.”

he gave you a short nod and turned to the door.

“professor?” you said when was always halfway out.

you weren’t sure why you stopped him. right now you felt like no one else would actually listen to what’s been on your mind lately. and professor han felt like the only person who might not brush you off with a change of subject or a warning to stop asking questions.

he turned back.

you swallowed and spoke. “you know… i find it so unsettling how none of this seems to be happening anywhere else in the world.” the words started spilling out. “we’re not just dealing with normal crime or accidents that make the news for a week and then disappear. this feels different.”

“every city has its headlines,” he replied gently, as if that should comfort you, “seoul’s just happen to be… more unusual than most.”

“but everything is being sugarcoated,” you continued, the sentences tumbling out of your mouth. you realized too late that you probably shouldn’t have called him back, because you couldn’t seem to stop. “no one in the city’s best labs is telling us what they’re actually finding about this high-tech stuff and these horrifying creatures. where do they even come from? how does technology like that exist? no one’s being transparent at all.”

“and the only thing the police talk about is the fact that spiderman makes everything worse by putting people in danger and going against the law, but he’s the only one who’s been able to do anything about it. because what we’re seeing is way beyond what normal cops can handle.”

you let out a small breath, the tension in your shoulders finally catching up to you.

“sorry,” you added, quieter now, rubbing awkwardly at the sleeve of your lab coat over your pyjamas. “i think i’m just… a little wound up. clearly.”

silence fell onto both of you. professor han was trying to pick the right words and you could tell.

“that would be understandable,” he said. “given the circumstances.”

“i just… i don’t know.” you looked down at your hands, fingers still fidgeting with the edge of the lab coat. “i feel like there’s so much more we could do about it. it’s probably way harder to figure it out than i’m making it sound. i’m not trying to pretend i know better than everyone else. i’m only upset at the way people are dismissing it… and criticising the ones who are actually getting things done.”

“well, y/n,” he said, “you know people mean well.”

you nodded. that was true, at least. most people did.

“they don’t want you getting too involved when it could put you in harm’s way,” professor han said. “no matter how much you think it doesn’t. you make yourself a threat every time you try to interfere.”

you swallowed hard. you suddenly remembered that night again when the elongated shadow came to your dorm. the memory was so chilling you had to fight the sudden urge to glance over your shoulder at the dark windows of the lab. 

his gaze narrowed, just slightly. “and it hasn’t, has it? no accidents? no… unusual activity around you lately? i’m talking about you specifically.”

you couldn’t just keep pretending nothing happened that night in your room. the opportunity to actually talk about it with someone who might understand was right here in front of you.

professor han was by far the most open person to you about all of this. not even your own boyfriend would be this willing to listen to you. 

the more he watched you, the more you felt like he already knew there was something you weren’t saying. his eyes were patient but piercing, like he was waiting for you to decide whether to trust him or keep hiding behind lies.

“i’m not asking to blame you,” he said, “nor am i trying to scare you away from your curiosity or ambition. i want to know in case you need to discuss it with someone. because it’s hard. i understand.”

you nodded and took a deep breath.

“i’m not working on an assignment,” you admitted. your eyes were staring at the floor because you couldn’t bring yourself to look at him. “i’m looking at a sample. from a mutant. a mutant that came up to me,” you continued. 

your voice wavered, and a small shiver ran through you before you could stop it.

“it got closer than anything like that ever has. but what’s been driving me insane is that it didn’t attack me.” you swallowed, fingers twisting tighter into the sleeve of your lab coat. “perhaps it didn’t think it expected me to notice it, or maybe it did. i’m still trying to figure that part out.”

your thoughts were coming to you faster than you could keep up. but you still made sure not to share too much.

“maybe it didn’t attack because i stayed calm? or maybe fear triggers some kind of response in them.”

you finally forced yourself to look up at him, cheeks burning with anxiety.

“i just keep thinking… what would’ve happened if i hadn’t seen it in time?”

you could’ve been dead before you even realised what was happening. jisung might have had to fight it off right there in your room, and you had no idea how you’d ever explain what spiderman was doing in your dorm in the middle of the night.

professor han stayed quiet for a long moment, taking in everything.

“most people who encounter these things don’t get a second chance. instinctively, we freeze, run, or panic. all of the ways in which they give them a reason to hurt you. the way you handled it most likely saved you. but it won’t work every time.”

his answer was more realistic than you’d hoped for. you wanted to speak with someone who wouldn’t sugarcoat it, so who were you to complain?

“i’m not going to tell you to stop looking into it,” he continued, a small, tired smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “you’re clearly too sharp for that advice to stick anyway. but i will say this: be extremely careful how you pursue it. don’t share what you’re doing with just anyone. only with people you really trust. you never know who might be connected to all this in ways we don’t see yet. that part… that’s for the authorities to untangle, not students.”

his advice sounded a lot like jisung’s, and you found yourself nodding along, relieved that jisung was so level-headed about it too.

“if you’re not discreet,” he added gently, “it won’t take long before you’re perceived as a threat again. maybe even another visit to your window.” he paused, letting the words settle without making them sound like a threat. 

you noticed something strange in his words.

“do you understand what i’m saying?” he asked.

“y-yes,” you managed to sputter out. to him, it probably just looked like you were intimidated by his warning.

“sorry,” he said quickly, tone softening. “i don’t mean to scare you. i have numerous experiences with losing people so maybe that’s why i’m so adamant about this. i don’t want to see anything happen to one of our students. especially a bright one like you.”

“thank you for looking out for me,” you said quietly.

“no worries at all.” he adjusted the trench coat on his shoulder and took a step toward the door. “well, i’ll be going now. get some rest soon and don’t push yourself too hard.”

“goodnight, professor,” you replied as he pulled the door.

the door clicked closed behind him. his footsteps echoed down the corridor, growing fainter and fainter until they disappeared completely.

you sat there for a long moment, staring at the closed door. you felt yourself break into a cold sweat.

“hey y/n, from the moment i was just an awkward loser in high school, you saw something in me no one else did. now i’m an awkward vigilante that carries danger around with me everywhere i go, but you’re still here with me. i don’t know what i did to deserve you, but i know i never want to spend another day without you by my side.”

jisung shook his head. “no, that’s…no.”

he was upside down, knees hanging bent over a narrow metal beam that jutted out from the very edge of one of seoul’s towers. the city sprawled beneath him like a glittering ocean of lights, hundreds of meters below.

he groaned, rubbing his face with both hands before flipping himself upright, landing lightly on the narrow platform.

“okay, try again,” he muttered to himself, rolling his shoulders.

he cleared his throat dramatically and began once more, this time with far too much enthusiasm:

“y/n, you’ve always been the perfect covalent bond that keeps me stable. you’re strong, unbreakable, and somehow still attracted to this mess of a molecule i call myself.”

jisung froze mid-sentence, lenses widening with his eyes in pure horror at his own words.

he immediately slapped a hand over his mouth, cheeks burning.

“no no no,” he groaned, voice cracking with embarrassment as he dragged both hands down his face.

jisung stopped pacing, took a slow, deep breath, and let the cool night air fill his lungs. he closed his eyes for a second.

“baby, you’re the only one who’s ever made me feel worth something even without the mask. you never stopped seeing me as han jisung. you make me feel like i’m enough, exactly as i am. that’s why i can’t imagine doing any of this without you anymore.”

jisung opened his eyes again, his voice growing softer. he swallowed hard, heart hammering against his ribs as he stared out at the glittering sea of lights far below.

“will you… marry me?”

the words died out. jisung blinked, suddenly aware of how quiet it had become up here. with a heavy sigh, he lowered himself down, legs dangling freely over the edge. 

he reached up and slowly pulled his mask off, the wind messing up his brown hair even more as it fell over his forehead. 

jisung’s hand slipped into the inner pocket of his suit. his fingers closed around his grandmother’s ring he’d been carrying with him for days. he pulled it out carefully and held it between his thumb and forefinger.

it was delicate and pretty, a thin layered design with a sparkling gem at the center that shimmered softly even in the low light. simple, but beautiful. just like the forever he wanted with you. he stared at it for a long time, turning it slowly in his fingers as the wind gently tugged at his hair.

it had been so hard to come up with the right words. he had so much he wanted to say he could probably write out a whole dissertation on how much you meant to him. but he wanted it to be perfect. no. greater than perfect.

he wanted to tell you how smart you are. he wanted to say how amazing you are to him, how you make even the hardest nights feel bearable, how your laugh still makes his stomach flip like it did back in high school.

jisung let out a soft, defeated sigh and leaned his head back.

before he could spiral any further, his phone suddenly buzzed in his other pocket. the cute upbeat ringtone he’d set just for you.

his heart jumped. he quickly tucked the ring back into his suit pocket and answered, pressing the phone to his ear.

“hey, baby,” he said, trying to sound casual.

your voice came through immediately, clearly worried. “jisung? where are you?”

he flinched at your tone. “i’m on the tower near my building,” he replied, glancing down at the glittering city far below. 

you went silent. jisung pressed the phone closer to his ear.

“baby?” he asked softly, voice dropping with concern.

when your voice came, it almost sounded like you were on the verge of crying. “i’m at the university, jisung. i have to talk to you about something.”

he blinked, brows furrowing. your voice made his spider-sense tingle faintly at the back of his neck, even though there was no immediate danger he could see.

“in person?” he asked, already pushing himself up from the ledge.

“yes,” you replied. “please. i can’t explain it all over the phone.”

“yeah okay, i’ll come right now,” he said, reaching for his mask with his free hand. “i’ll be there in two, tops,” he added gently, trying to infuse as much reassurance as he could into the words.

he ended the call and let out a sharp breath. he pulled the mask down fully over his face, the white lenses glowing to life as he locked his gaze on the distant university campus across the glowing seoul skyline.

without another second wasted, he leapt off the tower. webs shot from his wrists, catching the buildings as he swung across those few blocks.

what could be so bad that you couldn’t tell him over the phone?

jisung landed lightly on the side of a glass building, clinging for a split second before launching himself toward the next anchor point. the university greenery, the familiar architecture of the science wing standing out against the darkness.

he dropped down into a narrow, dimly lit alleyway behind the building that was far enough from the main paths that no security cameras would catch him. his feet hit the pavement with barely a sound.

jisung pulled his mask up just enough to uncover his mouth and nose, then tapped your contact and pressed the phone to his ear again. his heart was still racing from the swing over.

it rang only once before you picked up.

“hey, i’m here,” he said softly. 

you were just turning the corner from the main path. you quickened your steps toward the alley, phone still pressed to your ear.

“i see you,” you replied.

jisung turned at the sound of your footsteps as you were walking towards him. even in the low light, he could see the tension in your shoulders. his expression softened instantly with worry. he quickly scanned both ends of the alley to make sure he was alone, then reached up and pulled the mask off.

as soon as you reached him, he stepped forward, one gloved hand gently reaching out to brush your arm.

“what’s going on?” he asked. 

you swallowed hard, heart racing. 

“i might know who’s behind it all.”

he blinked, tilting his head slightly. “what?”

“it’s professor han,” you continued quickly. “and i know how crazy this sounds to you, but please hear me out—”

“wait, hold on.” jisung’s eyes widened, his head tilting slightly in disbelief. your boyfriend was by far the most expressive person you’ve ever met. you could say this is the most confused you’ve ever seen him. “are we talking about the same thing here?”

your heart pounded harder as you forced the next sentence out.

“i’m talking about who’s been endangering seoul.”

jisung’s hand froze on your arm, his fingers going completely still against the fabric of your jacket that was over your pyjamas. his brows pulled together even tighter, creating a deep crease between them. 

“and you think that’s professor han?” he repeated, almost like he was testing the words. he let out a disbelieving breath and pulled his hand back. jisung ran a hand through his wind-tousled hair, his expression turning more serious. “what are you even talking about?”

you stepped closer, eyes pleading. “you have to understand that i’m just trying to help you here.”

he took a small step back. the confusion was clear in his eyes, but underneath it you could already see the first sparks of frustration building.

“y/n, i had zero idea you were even looking into any of this anymore. i told you, i specifically told you, not to poke around, not to tell anyone about it, and definitely not to start accusing a respected professor of being a criminal mastermind!”

“jisung, will you just listen to me first!” you snapped, anger flaring hot in your chest.

you knew the conversation would go like this, but a part of you had still hoped he’d be more understanding. clearly that had been too much to ask.

“i’m trying to talk to you and you’re already shutting me down!” you continued, voice rising despite your best efforts to keep it quiet. “i know you told me to stay out of it and i heard you. but i can’t just do nothing! every time you leave, i’m the one left wondering if you’re coming back. so yeah, my instinct as your girlfriend is to do something about it”

jisung’s eyes widened slightly at your tone, but the frustration on his face only deepened. he opened his mouth, but you didn’t give him the chance to interrupt.

“don’t stand there and act like i’m being reckless or delusional. i’m trying to help you. because if professor han really is connected to all of this, then you’re not just fighting random things, you’re fighting someone.”

you were breathing harder now, cheeks flushed with a mix of anger and the adrenaline of finally saying it all out loud.

“so yes, i went behind your back. yes, i looked into it. but i didn’t do it to spite you, jisung. i did it because i’m tired of sitting around feeling useless while you risk your life every single night!”

jisung closed his eyes and gripped the sides of your arms to show how desperate he was to make you understand.

“baby, you’re the farthest thing from useless anyone could ever be,” he said, his voice cracking slightly. he opened his eyes again, his dark brown gaze locking onto yours. “you stay up to care for my injuries. you let me crash with you even when i’m capable of staying at my own place.”

his grip on your arms tightened.

“that’s how you’re helping me, y/n, and i don’t need any more than that!”

you shook your head fiercely.

“but you do, jisung. that’s the problem you do need more,” you shot back. “because if we don’t figure this out any faster, i’m scared one day you just won’t come back to me.”

you took a shaky breath, eyes stinging as you stared up at him.

“and whether the end goal here is to kill you or not, and i don’t know yet because i haven’t found out that much, i know enough to see that you needed real help.”

jisung looked completely torn. he let go of your arms and took a step back, tilting his head all the way back as he stared up at the sky. a frustrated groan escaped him as he gripped fistfuls of his messy brown hair.

“jisung, just listen to how i know this—”

“goodness, baby” he muttered, voice strained. “you can’t just—”

“and i need you to not interrupt me while i’m speaking!” you snapped, voice rising with frustration. “please, for the love of—just let me explain!”

“fine, go!” he said through gritted teeth.

you took a deep breath, trying to keep your voice steady even though you were fuming

“the night before hyunjin’s party last week, a mutant came up to my window at around 2 or 3 am,” you began. 

jisung’s eyes widened instantly, his whole body going rigid.

“a mutant came to your dorm?”

you quickly added, “i got really, really lucky. i managed to stay calm so it didn’t attack me. after that, i was even able to take a small sample from its handprint before it left.”

“you what?” his voice came out low and dangerous. “y/n, this was last week! how am i only finding out about this now?”

“will you stop focusing on the fact that i didn’t tell you!” you fired back.

he opened his mouth again, but you kept going, determined to get everything out.

“i ran tests on the sample tonight in the lab. that’s why i was still there so late. i was hoping the mass spectrometer would show something useful. while i was waiting for the results, professor han walked in.”

you paused for a second, watching his reaction carefully.

“i trusted him. he’s always been the only person who actually listens when we talk about the strange things happening in seoul. but i kept it vague on purpose in case of the horrible possibility that he isn’t who i think he is.”

you swallowed.

“so after i told him what i encountered, he said something about having to be careful in case i got ‘another visit to my window.’ i never told him the mutant came to my window let alone mentioned my dorm. he just knew. that’s what’s so terrifying. how would he have known unless he’s connected to it somehow?”

“and i’m not 100% sure about this yet… but i just know it might be a possibility. he knew i was looking into this so he probably sent that thing to my room to scare me off or worse, attack me. then he told me not to share what i was doing with just anyone and that i should only talk to people i really trust. it felt like he was trying to make me trust him more, or fishing to see how much i knew.”

before you knew, your eyes were brimming with tears and your voice was becoming shakier by the second.

“and now i feel like i just outed you, jisung. i was trying to help, i swear i was, but now i’m panicking because what if he already suspects something? what if he already knows who you are? i just feel so stupid.”

jisung immediately shook his head, stepping closer to you again. his hands came up to gently to your shoulder

“baby,” he said softly. “it doesn’t matter how much he knows, okay? it doesn’t. i’d never be mad at you for outing me accidentally. you were smart enough to even figure all of this out on your own.”

he was looking at you now with no anger left in his voice. it felt so good to finally talk to jisung about all of this. he was always gonna be your person.

“but i’m also really scared for you right now. if professor han really is involved in all this… then you just put yourself right in his line of sight. and that terrifies me more than anything he might know about me.”

his hand moved to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear.

“you’re not stupid, baby. not even a little. you’re brilliant. but please… promise me you won’t put yourself in danger like that again without me knowing.”

you nodded slowly, blinking back the tears as you whispered, “okay… i promise.”

“come here… come here, baby.”

he gently pulled you into his chest, wrapping his arms around you tightly. one hand cradled the back of your head while the other rubbed slow, soothing circles along your back. he held you close, his chin resting on top of your head as he let out a long, shaky breath.

“but we’re in this together now, right? if i find something else, i’ll tell you first. and you’ll do the same.” you said, looking up at him hopefully.

“yeah,” he said. “and i’m not going to stop you or get mad at you for it anymore. but we’ll do it together.”

he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to your forehead, lingering there for a second before pulling back to meet your eyes again. you couldn’t help the small, relieved smile that went across your face as his nose gently nuzzled against yours.

he couldn’t thank you enough for this.

the warm water cascaded gently over both of you, filling the bathroom with soft steam that wrapped around your bodies. you stood under the steady stream with your eyes closed, completely melting as jisung’s fingers worked through your wet hair with loving care.

his lips brushed your shoulder in a trail of soft, lingering kisses, moving lazily across your skin while he started massaging the spot behind your ears, your shoulders dropped and your mind drifted somewhere blissfully far away. you leaned back into him, feeling almost floaty.

“my perfect girl,” he whispered against your damp skin, voice low and honey-sweet.

jisung was feeling extra affectionate tonight. he pressed another kiss right where your neck met your shoulder, then rested his forehead there for a second.

you turned slowly in his arms, the water sliding over your skin as you faced him. his hands slipped from your hair.

you saw the dark strands plastered to his forehead and dripping water down his face. a few droplets clung to his lashes. you slid your arms around his neck, fingers threading gently through the wet hair at his nape and you pulled him down.

the warm water poured over both of you as your lips met. jisung’s arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you flush against him until your chests pressed together. the kiss deepened as he tilted his head, lips moving against yours.

you pulled back from his mouth to trail your lips down his jaw. jisung’s breath hitched when you pressed a soft kiss to the side of his neck. then another, and another.

a shaky sigh escaped him the moment your lips found that sensitive spot right in the dip of his neck. his arms tightened around your waist, fingers pressing into your skin. he would melt every time loved on him like this.

as you kissed along his neck, jisung noticed the scent of your shampoo filling his lungs since you’d both just washed your hair. gosh, he loved that smell. 

he was also becoming hyperaware of the thick steam rising around you both. he paid attention to the calming sound of the water raining down. and he also noticed the feeling of your body pressed so perfectly against his.

every little sensation made him feel lightheaded. maybe because all his blood was going straight to his cock, he figured. you felt it immediately pressed against your stomach. 

he bent his head down and pressed a slow, lingering kiss to your shoulder, lips brushing tenderly over your wet skin.

“i love you, jisung.” you whispered, voice barely louder than the falling water.

jisung smiled against your shoulder, his heart swelling. he lifted his head just enough to look at you, droplets clinging to his lashes.

“i love you too,” he murmured. “so much.”

next he knew, you started lowering yourself down to your knees in front of him.

jisung sucked in a breath. you looked up at him, giving him your best ‘fuck me’ eyes. the sight of your gaze with water streaming down your face and body nearly made his knees buckle.

“baby,” he breathed.

he took his cock in his hand, giving himself one slow stroke from base to tip as he guided the flushed head toward your lips. the tip glistened with water and a bead of precum. he tapped it lightly against your bottom lip, his voice dropping into a husky murmur.

“open for me.”

you wrapped your mouth around him, being careful with your teeth as you took as much as you could of him inside. you immediately felt him touch the back of your throat, the urge to gag strong, but you slid back off of him, your tongue swirling around his tip. you breathed through your nose as you sucked at the first couple of inches, using your hand to jerk off the rest.

you peered up at jisung, eager to see his reaction, and found him watching you. he swallowed, his jaw clenching. you took your eye contact as a chance to take his entire length down your throat, immediately making him curse and throw his head back. his hands flung to your hair, tugging it. he gently pushed you further down, your nose pressed against his torso for a few seconds before he released you. you pulled away for a breather, a string of saliva connecting your lips with his cock.

"so good," he muttered, pulling you back on for more. he used your mouth without hurting you, his hips thrusting back and forth slowly.

gagging noises filled the air until eventually he pulled off of you completely, groaning as his wet cock bounced back up to hit his stomach.

he slid the glass door open to take a condom from the drawer you kept nearby. at this point, the two of you had sex so often that condoms were basically scattered around both your dorms. you always had a box tucked in your nightstand and another in your bathroom drawer.

“turn around, baby,” jisung said, his voice husky. his eyes were half-lidded like he was drunk on the sight of you.

you obeyed instantly, turning to face the tiled wall. you planted your hands against the cool surface and arched your back, pushing your ass back toward him until his cock only half an inch away from your heat. 

the sound of the packet ripping echoed softly over the running water. jisung rolled the condom down his cock, his gaze locked on how dripping wet you were. your pussy was slick from your arousal and the shower water. he bit his bottom lip hard, trying not to groan out loud at the sight. jisung always thought you were the prettiest human being on this planet.

he nudged the swollen head of his cock against your soaked entrance, sliding it up and down your slippery folds, coating himself in your wetness. you whimpered softly at the gentle pressure.

“i want it, sungie,” you said sweetly.

who was he to deny your request?

when he slowly pushed in, you were so wet that he slid in smoothly, but you still felt so tight around him. from this angle, he was so deep you swore it felt like he was hitting your throat.

a breathy moan spilled from your lips the moment he bottomed out, your palms pressing harder against the tile wall for support. jisung started moving, his hips forcing your body forward with each thrust. 

you noticed jisung was quieter than usual so you slowly turned your head to look at him over your shoulder. his head was tilted back, exposing the sharp line of his adam’s apple as it bobbed. his eyes were closed and his face scrunched up beautifully every time he pushed in.

you couldn’t stop staring, soft moans falling from your mouth with every roll of his hips. 

then jisung’s eyes slowly fluttered open as he caught you looking.

a lazy smile spread across his face, eyes dark as he locked gazes with you. that smile sent a fresh wave of butterflies exploding in your stomach, and your pussy clenched hard around his cock without warning.

jisung let out a low groan at the sudden squeeze, his rhythm faltering for just a second.

“what are you looking at?” he asked, though the blissed-out expression never fully left his face. 

“you just…” the words got caught in your throat when he gave a particularly deep thrust. “you look so lost in it,”

jisung’s smile widened. without a word, he bent over you, pressing his chest flush against your back. his lips found the curve of your shoulder and trailed soft kisses along your skin.

you moaned loudly as he started fucking you faster. “jisung!” you moaned, the sound breaking into a whimper.

he groaned right against your ear, his hips snapping against your ass repeatedly.

“are you gonna cum?” he murmured, voice strained with pleasure. “without me even touching your little clit?”

you nodded frantically, another broken moan falling from your lips as the pressure built fast. “i can, i’m so close.”

“come on, baby,” jisung growled softly, his hand sliding up to grip your hip tighter, pulling you back onto his cock with every thrust. “give it to me. let me feel you cum all over me.”

his words, combined with the relentless pace and the way he was kissing and biting at your shoulder, pushed you right to the edge. you moaned loudly, the sound echoing off the tiled walls as your orgasm crashed through you. 

the feeling of you tightening and gushing around him sent him into his orgasm as well. a moan tore from his throat as he spilled into the condom. 

he groaned, forehead dropping to rest between your shoulder blades as he rode out his release.

for a long moment, your heavy breaths filled the room.

eventually, jisung let out a long, satisfied sigh. he pressed one last soft kiss to your shoulder before slowly pulling out of you. he reached down, carefully removed the condom, tied it off, and tossed it into the small trash bin just outside the shower.

you straightened up slowly, your legs a little shaky, and turned around to face him. the warm water continued cascading over both of you as you looked up at him.

he cupped your face gently with both hands and leaned in, kissing you slow and deep. the kiss was full of love rather than lust. when he pulled back, his forehead rested against yours.

“tomorrow,” you whispered against his lips, still a little breathless, “we’ll look more into professor han, okay? i have a good feeling about this.”

jisung let out a soft chuckle, the sound rumbling warmly in his chest. he shook his head, nose brushing against yours.

“baby, please don’t talk about prof han right after we just made love.”

“sorry, sorry,” you said quickly.

jisung laughed softly again, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you closer. 

he knew without doubt he wanted forever with you.

you guys guessed it!! as always, thank you for reading!!!!

@star-my @seungminnieinthebuilding @internetmemeofficial @imnota-bot-iswear @feelikecinderella @hyunjinniemylove @fabdancer34 @estella-novella @jinniezret @bangchans-girl @7sunny07 @hanjisrockstar @chansguittar @shadequeen712 @skzophreniic @i-bitch-you-bitch @thequeenofdramaqueens @pineapple-in-a-burgah @mikachux3 @chans-motivation-drink-143 @bunbunbl0gs @salalalalami @gyuzies

the spider.

an extraordinary species.

eight limbs to support its balance rather than merely six. perfect adhesion to glass, steel, concrete, and even inverted surfaces. a reaction time measured down to milliseconds. sensitivity that could chart its surroundings through the slightest vibration in the air.

indeed, it was a masterpiece of nature.

inside the glass container, the arachnid tested the perimeter.

the curious man stood outside the glass, observing its every movement. he reached for the syringe. the radioactive material inside it emitted a faint glow as he injected the spider.

slowly, he pressed the plunger. the radioactive material flowed into its body.

the spider convulsed, its legs scraping against the glass.

naturally, fine hairs stood on the man’s arms. he carefully placed the empty syringe on the steel tray but couldn’t tear his eyes away.

the spider started undergoing the changes. its legs grew longer and its body thickened. he saw how the spider moved faster and developed a mind of its own. 

he observed closely for signs of instability. the last spider had turned on itself within minutes.

the man smiled when he saw that this one did not.

“look at you.”

“look at you!”

you burst out laughing, practically falling forward onto jisung's chest as you pointed at the absolute disaster he’d turned into overnight.

jisung blinked up at you. his hair was sticking up in at least four different directions. he’d slept like a baby. it was that easy to tell.

his favourite moments were late mornings with you when sunlight would spill through your curtains, warming the sheets. 

but those mornings usually went one of two ways: either waking to your lips all over him, or waking up to your endless teasing. unfortunately for him, today you’d chosen the second.

“stop laughing at me,” he groaned and threw an arm over his face.

he peeked at you through his elbows

you were sitting up against your pillows, legs tangled in the blanket, one hand braced behind you. the light caught the slope of your shoulder and traced down your collarbone.

“i can’t wait to wake up to you like this forever.” he mumbled with a dazed smile.

you huffed, rolling your eyes. “you act like you don’t sleep over almost every other day.”

he shot upright so fast the mattress bounced beneath you. 

“i don’t!” he was sitting up now as well, messy hair falling onto his forehead from the sudden movement. “i’ll have you know i haven’t slept in your bed in almost a week.”

“how fucking tragic.” you said flatly, sliding your legs off the bed. you could almost hear the whiny voice building up in his throat like it always did before he was about to burst.

you stood, stretching your arms above your head as you walked toward the window. the light was soft but muted behind the curtains.

“for the record, i have very valid reasons for coming! i risk my life everyday,” he added dramatically. “the least you could do is greet me with a little appreciation—”

you reached for the curtain and tugged it open.

light spilled in.

your eyes fell on a handprint on your window, and your stomach dropped.

behind you, your boyfriend kept running his mouth.

“—and i just think if we’re being fair—”

his voice blurred like someone had dunked your head underwater.

you had woken up comfortable in the illusion of normalcy. you told yourself that what you saw at the window last night was just your brain playing tricks after weeks of mutant attacks and distant sirens bleeding into your sleep.

no. no, what happened last night was just a dream. a deadly mutant wouldn’t have come by your window and left you unscathed.

but you remembered it too clearly for it to be a dream. you remembered how your breath picked up as the mutant pressed its skinless palm against the window and stared you down.

and plus, how were you supposed to convince yourself it wasn’t real when the evidence was right in front of you?

“y/n?”

your breathing grew shallow, eyes locked on the glass.

“baby.”

the room snapped back into your focus when he called the name you often answered faster than your actual name.

“you okay there?” he asked, eyes narrowed at your stiff posture.

you reached up and tugged the curtain shut again. the room dimmed instantly.

“yea, it’s just…way too bright with it open,” you said, looking down at the floorboards. anything to avoid those big, expressive brown eyes.

he didn’t buy it for a second.

his stupid spider-sense was probably pinging like a smoke alarm right now. maybe you had some of your own, judging by the way you could feel his gaze like darts without even looking at him.

you dropped back onto the bed beside him, shoulder-checking him hard enough that he let out a dramatic “ouch.”

his arms slid around you and he tugged you in closer until you were against his chest, chin hooking lightly over the top of your head. “you sure you’re okay?” he asked. 

you pulled away almost instantly, faking an annoyed huff. “why wouldn’t i be?” 

“i don’t know!” he threw his hand up defensively. “you just feel…”

feel what?

tense?

scared?

like prey?

you swallowed.

“i mean, you’d tell me if something was wrong…” he continued. “right?”

here’s the thing. you couldn’t just sit here and do nothing anymore.

he didn’t have time to play detective. you did.

and the mutant coming to your window was information jisung could actually use if he ever had five free minutes that weren’t spent bleeding or napping face-down on your floor.

you’ve had enough of the “i swing around saving the city while you sit here looking pretty and worried.” if he’d stop being a stubborn idiot for once and let you make progress, maybe he wouldn’t come home looking like roadkill every other night. you’re supposed to be in this together, right?

so if you told him, he’d absolutely lose it and overthink every possible reason a mutant would show up at your window specifically. then, he would do absolutely anything—beg, bargain—to keep you as far from his case as possible.

you tilted your head slightly, letting a small smile curve your lips. “if something was wrong,” you said carefully, “you’d be the first to know.”

it was true, he would be the first to know. if you kept it to yourself.

jisung let out a tired breath, “alright, baby,” he mumbled, trying to convince himself it was fine. 

he then leaned in slowly, pressing a soft kiss to your lips. you kissed back without hesitation, hand sliding to the side of his neck. when he started to pull away you chased him, catching his bottom lip gently between yours. he let out a quiet laugh against your mouth, the sound vibrating between you.

he grabbed your waist and pulled you on top of him, arms locking around you. he pulled away and mumbled against your lips, “i love you,”

your fingers played with his disastrous hair. “i love you too, bugboy.”

he smiled and buried his face in the crook of your neck. his lips brushed your neck gently.

then a ringing went off on his phone.

his arms loosened a fraction, letting out a defeat sigh. your eyebrows slanted downwards in concern, knowing what that usually meant. it certainly wasn’t the first time you two were interrupted by something like this.

he reached for his phone on the nightstand without sitting up all the way. the screen lit his face as he pulled up the live news feed he always kept pinned.

indeed, there was a headline posted seconds ago reporting suspicious activity in hongdae with multiple sightings of entities near the university area. students were advised to seek immediate shelter, and the police are on scene.

that’s his cue.

you quickly moved to the side as he got ready. he pulled the suit out of his backpack and put it on like second nature. he took his mask out and pulled it over his head.

you walked to the window before he could, unlatching it with hands that didn’t shake. not visibly, anyway.

he turned to you, gloved fingers catching the bottom edge of the mask and tugging it back up just enough to reveal the bottom half of his face. he gave you one last kiss before pulling it back down.

“don’t go out until it’s reported clear, alright?” his voice was slightly muffled under the mask, “i’ll try and reach out after.”

you nodded once. “promise.”

“love you,” he said.

“love you too, be safe.”

he gave you a quick nod then flipped backward out the window. a faint web shooted out somewhere above, and then nothing. 

you sighed, and reached up to pull the window shut. your eyes dropped back to the handprint on the glass. 

you’d successfully kept jisung from seeing it. at least for now.

you were reaching for the cleaning spray and a rag, ready to wipe the evidence away, when a better idea hit you.

wait.

you spun toward your desk under which you kept your first aid stuff for spiderman. you yanked it open, rummaged past the bandages and antiseptic wipes, and pulled out a swab kit. you tore the packaging open with your teeth and pulled the window back open. you dragged the stick carefully across the palm area, collecting whatever faint residue had been left behind.

the tip came away faintly discoloured. you sealed the swab back in its tube, snapped the cap on, and shut the window again. 

“you stupid things!”

spider-man shrieked as one of the mutants lunged, claws slashing across his chest plate. the strike missed by a millimetre.

“nice one,” he mocked, now walking backwards. “you know, if you wanna look like voldemort, at least get the nose right.”

he always thought the mutants looked like him. it was easier to laugh at something that looked like the villain from his favourite movies than admit how fast his heart was hammering under the suit.

then his spider-sense tingled. his eyes widened, lenses dilating as he spotted a young girl, maybe high school age, backed against a shop shutter. a second enemy had her pinned while she kicked uselessly.

he shot a web-line straight at the mutant's extended arm. it screeched as spiderman pulled it with the second one. 

“over here, you freaks!”

both of the pale beasts were dragged toward him. spiderman webbed their feet to the ground in quick bursts then sprinted to her, dropping to one knee.

“are you okay?”

“my leg…” she cried, tears streaking her face. blood seeped through her jeans where claws had grazed her.

“we’ll get you help, okay?” he kept his voice soft. he gently lifted her, cradling her against his side while firing a web upward to a balcony railing.

he swung them both up in one smooth arc, landing on the balcony where a group of people were already huddled. he set her down carefully, ripping a strip from a banner to tie a quick tourniquet around her thigh.

“ambulance is coming, brave girl. you're gonna be fine.”

she sniffled, “thank you, spider-man.”

as he made his way back down the block toward where he'd left the two webbed mutants, a ringtone started going off.

jisung fumbled at his ear where he linked his suit to his phone the first few months he became spiderman. he tapped the side of his mask to answer.

“hello?”

“jisung-ah!” a familiar, warm voice burst through.

“grandma?” he said it out of breath, boots hitting pavement again as he jogged into the narrow alley. shit. the two freaks were gone.

“it’s so nice to hear your voice, my boy. it gets deeper every time we talk.”

he smiled under his mask despite the current situation. he scanned rooftops, alleys, nothing. the mutants had vanished. “how are you? eating okay? not overdoing it with the garden again?”

she laughed softly. “i'm fine, fine. you sound out of breath. what's all that noise?”

jisung jogged deeper into the alley in search of the creatures. the torn webs dangled. “uh… i’m late for a study group. you know me, always rushing.” he forced lightness into his tone, sweet as always with her. “what did you call me for?”

“just wondering if you got something from me,” grandma continued, cheerful as ever. “i sent it a few weeks ago.”

jisung darted deeper into the alley, balancing the call while vaulting over a dumpster. “um, i’ll be sure to check when i get home. thank you, grandma.”

“you do check your mail, right, my boy?”

he gulped. he hadn't opened his mailbox in months. “what did you send?”

“it’s my old wedding ring.”

jisung almost choked on his own spit. his foot caught on a loose brick; he stumbled, catching himself against the wall. 

“i talked it over with your grandfather. you've been with that sweet girl for so long now.”

“grandma—”

“have you thought about asking her to marry you?”

jisung swiped a hand over his face.

“i…yeah. all the time, actually.”

he shot a quick web upward, pulling himself to a low ledge so he could scan better while talking.

“i don’t know, grandma. it’s not that i don’t want to. i do. more than anything.” he hesitated, voice dropping. “it’s just… things are complicated right now. you know what the situation is with seoul right now.”

there was a long silence on her end. “the brave ones still choose to build something lasting in it, jisung-ah.”

he closed his eyes for half a second.

“the ring is there when you’re ready. but don’t wait forever. she sounds like she’d fight the world with you.”

jisung’s throat tightened. “she would,” he whispered. “she already does.”

a sudden skittering noise came from behind. his spider sense buzzed like never before. 

his grandma's voice pulled him back. “but speaking on that, how many times have i told you you should move out of the city? it's far too dangerous now! we've had so many people move back into town. a lot of gentlemen your age, too.”

“yeah, i know, grandma. it's just, university is great here and…” he trailed off, eyes locked on a flicker of a pale figure disappearing around the corner. 

“um, there's something i have to handle right now. i'll call you again. i love you.”

“i love you too, my boy. be careful.”

“i will. promise.”

the call ended.

the second he lowered his hand, the alley went quiet.

“fuck,” he hissed under his breath.

he walked through the alley, steps deliberate, eyes scanning every shadow and ledge. 

“come out,” spider-man said. “we’re not done.”

a spike of the familiar sensation went straight through his skull. 

he whipped around just as the mutant dropped down to attack him.

he fired a web from his left shooter, thick strands wrapping the creature’s torso. it tore straight through them, lunging at him. spiderman’s boots skidded on concrete as the mutant pinned him against the wall, one massive clawed hand clamping around his throat. 

the hero choked out a grunt.

“get… off…” he rasped.

he could feel his suit tear at his neck, the sting of the creature’s dirty nails breaking skin. spiderman was starting to feel his own blood trickling down his neck. 

normally, seeing or feeling his own blood brought a strange, sick comfort. it made him feel human again. for a few seconds he could pretend the spider bite never happened, that he was just a college kid who tripped over his own feet and bled like anyone else. he'd always wished for that normalcy because it would let the weight slip off even for a bit.

black spots appeared at the corners of his vision as the grip tightened. 

just as his breathing became restricted, an idea came to his head. 

he angled his right wrist and shot thick webs shot straight into the mutant’s slit-like mouth and flattened nostrils. a white seal blocked its airways in seconds. its claws flew up to its face, scrabbling desperately at the webbing, tearing at its own skin. 

when the grip on spiderman’s throat released, he dropped to his knees. the mutant staggered back, wheezing through the web.

spiderman pushed himself up on one hand. a proud grin spread under the mask.

“that’s it. choke on your own face, ugly.” he rasped. 

he straightened, rolling his shoulders, ready to finish it or shoot another snarky comment about poetic justice. 

but he had seemingly forgotten about the second enemy.

another fist swung into his face with no warning his spider-sense had time to process through the haze.

the last thing he registered was his own body hitting the ground.

“spiderman’s stooped so low now.”

“did you guys see him get socked in the face like a bitch today?”

“honestly, what a fucking bore! even the police handled it better. people can really stop worrying about him ‘taking jobs’.”

you heard it all tonight. every single word spat from the mouths of familiar faces who suddenly thought they were critics and comedians all at once.

the gross guys you’d seen lurking around parties for years. the girls infamous for sucking three dicks in one night. wow. you were being particularly mean tonight. 

well, good. they deserved it.

you leaned against the kitchen island at hwang hyunjin’s penthouse loft. hyunjin was a filthy rich art prodigy at the prestigious university in hongdae. back in high school, he and jisung hadn't always gotten along due to their clashing personalities. but they'd ended up close after. the strongest friendships were forged in fire, you figured. you admired hyunjin for that, and for throwing this party and giving people a night to forget seoul wasn’t lurking with monsters. 

“baby.”

you jumped at the slurred voice right beside you.

jisung was swaying slightly, holding the beer can you’d limited him to after realizing he’s had too much to drink. the aluminum can was crushed from him not controlling how much strength he was using. his cheeks were flushed pink, and his brown eyes were pleading.

“do you think i can take one more shot without being too hammered to save the city if it calls me?” he asked way too loud.

three of your friends nearby turned, eyebrows raised. mina stifled a giggle behind her hand.

you flashed them an embarrassed smile, cheeks warm from your own drinks. “sorry, he’s just joining in on mocking spider-man tonight. i’m really not a fan of it, but you know…men. they all get a little jealous.”

“why would they be jealous of me?” jisung said with a smile.

your eyes widened as you pushed him back gently by the shoulders. “i’m getting you water, baby.”

“no, i don’t need any. i want another shot,” he whined, face dipping toward your neck.

you laughed and dragged him along toward the cupboard. you rummaged until you found a clean shot glass. you recognized it as one of hyunjin’s souvenirs from iceland. careful with that. you filled it with cold water from the fridge dispenser.

“hey, look!” you said brightly, holding up the shot glass filled with clear liquid. 

jisung squinted. “i saw you get it from the fridge.”

“more for me then.” you tilted it to your lips, faked a grimace, and clutched your throat. “it’s burning, jisung. i think i’m gonna be sick. look away!”

“oh no!” he spun around idiotically. “where’s the bathroom?!”

you quickly refilled the glass, pressed it into his hand when he turned back. you leaned into him, faking nausea by clutching your stomach and pressing your forehead to his shoulder. “i think i'm okay now… but i really think you should take this next shot instead of me. i'm done for tonight.”

he nodded frantically and downed it in one gulp. to your surprise, he then held the empty glass out without complaining about it not being alcohol. you laughed and swapped it for a solo cup this time, filling it with more water. he took it obediently, chugging it down in a few seconds. 

you didn't want him hungover tomorrow in case another emergency called him, although it was unlikely to happen after today. the cuts on his neck and chest from this morning healed fast. but the dizziness from that knockout punch was still there, so letting him get drunk off his ass tonight felt risky. 

your heart ached a little, though. all night you'd heard what people were saying about spiderman’s unfortunate mishap today. every word was a jab at the boy standing in front of you.

“what’s wrong, baby?” his voice cut through your thoughts, thumb brushing your cheek clumsily. 

“hm?” you murmured, blinking.

your heart warmed because he noticed these things even when he wasn’t in his right mind. you hadn't even realized your expression had slipped.

“oh, it’s just—” you started.

to your horror, a loud, obnoxious voice sliced through the noise from the living room.

“i don’t know why every bitch on campus suddenly wants to get railed by spider-man.”

your head snapped toward the sound. a cluster of guys walked towards the kitchen counter. 

another laughed, louder. “right? he definitely cries after every fight.”

“or during. imagine guy gets hurt and starts whimpering. no wonder girls eat that shit up.”

“he probably has to web women to the bed just to get laid.”

it wasn't like you to see red so fast, but the alcohol had seemed to stripped away your filter.

it was such a disgusting thing to say. and an awful thing for you to hear considering you’re his girlfriend.

“yeah,” the guy snorted. “imagine the disappointment when the suit comes off. bet he’s packing nothing under there anyway.”

the next thing you knew, your fist was flying.

it connected with the dude’s cheek. he stumbled back, beer sloshing onto his knuckles, groaning in pain. the room erupted in gasps and shouts.

jisung flinched, getting flashbacks for a second.

you shook out your hand, knuckles stinging. in your slightly drunken state, the ache felt almost satisfying.

“y/n!” mina rushed over, grabbing your arm. 

the guy rubbed his jaw, glaring. “what the fuck is your problem?”

“my problem,” you said, stepping forward, “is assholes who talk shit about a man who's out there fighting for this city while you sit here running your mouth! maybe you’ve got a closeted thing for him ‘cause you’ve clearly spent way too much time thinking about what’s under his suit!”

“you’re a psycho bitch!” he yelled, raising his arm only the slightest.

before you could even blink, jisung shoved the guy’s head down onto the kitchen counter with force. if he was a second late you’d probably end up with a blow to the face as well.

the room went dead silent. everyone saw how inhumanly fast jisung intervened. 

“try that again and i’ll cut your dick off!” your boyfriend yelled.

he realised then that he sounded more intimidating than he probably hoped. then again, this was han jisung. no one had ever pictured him being brave enough to raise a hand at anyone.

hyunjin appeared just in time, stepping in before jisung could follow through with his words.

“that’s enough.” his voice was like velvet over steel. “i don’t wanna call security on my own friends.”

jisung released the guy slowly, stepping back. he realized how close he’d come to giving himself away. his eyes flicked to you, wide and guilty. 

hyunjin gave the guy a sharp look which made him mutter something incoherent as he stumbled away, rubbing his jaw. the crowd parted reluctantly. a few heads turned to stare back at you and jisung as they retreated. you felt awkward under all those eyes, heat crawling up your neck, but you had no regrets. everyone had heard the trash-talk all night. they all thought it was vile. only you had voiced your thoughts, or rather put them into action. 

hyunjin exhaled through his nose, shoulders dropping a fraction.

“you might not feel it, but you both have had a bit much to drink.” his lips twitched like he was swallowing a laugh. “i just think you two need to cool off. jisung looks like he’s about to shit himself, and you’re still angry as a hornet.”

you shot hyunjin a look sharp enough to cut.

he patted your boyfriend’s back. “jisung, you know the code to the guest room. go be away from people for a bit.”

jisung reached for your wrist. “c’mon,” he mumbled.

you let him tug you toward the hallway, but you threw one last glance back at hyunjin, mouthing a small ‘sorry’, in which he returned with a smile.

jisung punched the code in. the fancy door clicked open with a beep before he pushed it open. the room looked straight out of a hotel with its crisp white sheets, massive bed centered, and soft lighting that made the ambiance too calm for how wired you still were.

when the door closed behind you, jisung flopped onto the edge of the bed, looking up at you with bleary eyes. “you got quite worked up there, didn’t you?” he teased, the words slurring.

normally, he would have known better than to say that, but he was drunk and clearly had a reduced thought process at the moment.

“did you hear what he said?” you yelled. “he’s lucky i didn’t just kill him right there!”

jisung let out a drunken laugh, only adding fuel to the fire. 

“cool off my ass,” you muttered, spinning toward the door again. “i’m not done with that son of a—”

“woah, easy.” he was up in a flash despite the sway in his stance, catching your arm to stop you.

you whirled back to face him, yanking your wrist free. “how are you not pissed right now? they’ve been saying that shit about you all night.”

contrary to you, jisung was as calm as a cucumber. for some reason you’d expected him to be sulking.

“you have to admit,” he said, a small smile tugging at his mouth, “it was kinda funny.”

what the fuck was wrong with him? was he trying to piss you off?

“no it wasn’t!” the words exploded out of you. “they were saying disgusting things about you and you’re just gonna take that and laugh it off like it’s a joke?”

he knew exactly how much he was getting under your skin. his eyes, glassy from the drinks, stayed locked on yours like he was daring you to keep going.

you stared at him, chest heaving. “god, you’re pissing me off so much right now. you don’t even understand.”

“yeah?” he leaned forward enough that you could smell the alcohol and his cologne on him. “tell me more.”

you stared at him. the calm was gone from his face now. his breath was coming a little quicker and his pupils were blown wide. he was clearly getting off on this. you could feel it too. the anger had nowhere else to go, but to the heat in your stomach. 

“you think this is funny?” you said, walking over to him and pointing your finger at his chest. “you think me wanting to rip someone’s head off for talking about you like that is funny?”

his hands came up settling on your hips. his thumbs brushed the bare skin where your miniskirt had ridden up slightly, and the touch sent a jolt straight through you.

“no,” he said softly. “i think it’s hot. that you’d do that. for me.” his voice cracked just a little on the last word. “and yeah, maybe i like seeing you this mad. because it means you care this much.”

your eyes softened for a second before they narrowed again. “this is not foreplay.”

jisung’s lips curved, the drunken haze doing nothing to dull the spark in his gaze. he pulled you closer until you were obligated to sit on his lap. his other palm stayed low, thumb dragging lazy circles just under the hem of your skirt.

“but clearly you’re pissed.” he leaned in until his mouth brushed the shell of your ear. “and i know how to help you with that.”

your stomach flipped, heat surging straight between your legs. “i can’t even look at you right now,” you snapped, turning your face away. 

“well,” he smiled smugly, “good thing there are positions other than missionary, baby.” he said.

“you’re such an asshole,” you whispered. your hand slid up to fist in his hair. his head tipped back with a soft, surprised grunt.

“baby—”

“shut up.”

you kissed him hard and he groaned into your mouth immediately, hands sliding to cup your ass. you broke away just long enough to shove him backward. he hit the edge of the mattress and went down willingly, pulling you with him. you straddled his lap before he could even catch his breath, knees bracketing his hips, palms planted on his chest to keep him pinned.

jisung helped you take your top off before cool air kissed your skin as he tossed it somewhere behind him. your bra followed a second later as he unclasped it with one hand. he was always in awe at the sight of your boobs even though he’s probably seen them even more times than you’ve ever looked at them in the mirror.

your hands moved on their own to grab the hem of his shirt and rip it upward. he lifted his arms obediently, letting you drag the fabric over his head. you raked your nails down his bare chest.

“what would hyunjin say,” you breathed, “if he knew we did it on his guest room bed?”

jisung grinned as he sat up, chest pressing to yours, and reached behind you for the zipper on your skirt. he shoved it down along with your panties in one tug, lifting you to yank both off your legs. you kicked them away, completely bare now, skin flushing hot under his stare.

“i think i know what he meant by ‘cool off,’” jisung answered with a smile. 

he reached over to the nightstand, and opened the drawer to reveal a box of condoms. hyunjin really did think of everything for his guests. your eyes widened a little but the surprise only lasted half a second before you took one from jisung.

his hands were already working his own jeans open, shoving them down his thighs with his boxers. his cock sprang free and he kicked the rest of his clothes off the edge of the bed. 

you ripped the foil and leaned over to roll it slowly over his cock.

jisung hissed a little as you smoothed it down to the base, purposefully adding pressure. 

“plus,” he said through his teeth, “if you want to get messy so bad… i’m sure he gets a cleaner in the morning.”

you rolled your eyes and pushed on his chest again. jisung’s back hit the mattress with a surprised huff, eyes widening as you swung one leg over and spun around. your knees planted on either side of his hips, back to him now, ass arched high and fully on display. 

“what?” he blurted, voice cracking with shock. his hands hovered like he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to touch. “baby—”

you cut him off, reaching back to grab his cock and line him up without even glancing over your shoulder. he was harder than you’d expected since foreplay wasn’t needed tonight for either of you.

“you said it yourself that there are other positions.” you snapped, voice edged with the same heat that had started all of this. “and tonight i don’t want to see your stupid face while i use you.”

jisung let out a stunned laugh before he was cut off when you sank down onto him until your ass was flush against his hips. 

“fuuuck” he groaned, head falling back against the mattress.

you bit your lip hard and squeezed your eyes shut at how good it felt. your hands trembled a little as you braced them on the bed, your thighs already shaking from how full he felt. 

jisung’s hand went up without thinking, slapping your ass and grabbing your hips.

“don’t touch,” you snapped instantly.

his hands jerked away, going to fist in his own hair instead, fingers twisting tight in the dark strands until his knuckles turned white. a whimper tore from his throat, hips twitching helplessly beneath you.

“i’m sorry,” he gasped, eyes squeezed shut.

you slammed down harder in retaliation, your own moan slipping free despite how hard you were fighting to stay in control. the heat of him dragged against your walls so perfectly it made your vision blur at the edges. 

it was ironic as hell how those idiots had spent the whole night joking about how small his dick must be under the suit, when right now he was stretching you open. actually, you’d see the not-so-small outline under the spandex plenty of times, cheeks burning every time you stared too long.

jisung was being so good beneath you, hands either yanking hard at his own hair or covering his face so he wouldn’t disobey and touch you without permission. his chest heaved, every muscle in his arms flexing from the restraint. but you were getting tired and your legs were starting to shake harder, breaths coming in short high-pitched pants.

jisung noticed immediately, seeing every tremor in your body. he was good at reading his enemies’ body language at their weakest moments, no matter how hard they tried to hide it. it must’ve trained him to spot every tiny tremor in you.

“can i take over?” he pleaded. “please. let me… let me help.”

you hesitated half a second, still trying to cling to control, but the exhaustion won. you gave a single nod.

jisung’s hands went to your hips as he lifted you up. he planted his feet flat on the mattress, knees bending up in front of you.

you blinked, confused for half a second before he started fucking into you frantically.

“jisung!” you gasped. 

he bottomed out each time, the new angle making you scream. his cock slammed straight into that spot inside you over and over, the sound of your slick and your moans making everything filthy.

“jisung, oh my god,” you choked out, voice cracking. your knees were barely holding you up as he pounded into you.

you threw your head back, your hand flying to your mouth as you put your knuckle between your teeth and bit down, trying desperately to muffle the moans spilling out of you with every relentless thrust.

“fuck baby, it feels so good,” he whined. “i can hear how soaked you are.”

his hand slid from your hip, down between your thighs. the second his fingers found your clit he started rubbing fast circles that made your whole body jolt. your slick coated his fingers instantly, dripping down over his knuckles.

you felt the burn behind your eyes as tears pricked. your knuckle stayed trapped between your teeth but it wasn’t enough to hold in your moans.

“i’m gonna cum,” you cried out. “it’s coming, jisung, i can feel it.”

“me too, oh goodness, me too,” he whimpered. 

his other hand slapped down on your ass again, making your pussy clench around him.

“cum on my cock, baby, let me feel it.”

a few tears spilled over your lashes as one of the heaviest orgasms you’ve had crashed through you, ripping a scream from your throat that you couldn’t have held back even if you tried.

his voice cracked into a groan that sounded dangerously close to a sob. his hips stuttered once, then slammed up one final time and stayed buried to the hilt. you felt the condom swell inside you as he came.

his fingers kept rubbing your clit in sloppy circles, milking every last drop out of you while his cock twitched and jerked inside. your scream faded into pants as the orgasm finally ebbed.

after a long moment he carefully lifted you off him. the slide of his cock pulling out made you both groan softly. he tied the condom quickly, tossing it into the small trash bin by the nightstand, then grabbed the box of tissues hyunjin kept in the guest rooms. he wiped you first and you were still too floaty to do anything but let him.

“you okay?” he whispered. 

you nodded, too tired to answer him.

he smiled tiredly, then cleaned himself up too before tossing the tissues away. he found your clothes first and helped you put them back on, his fingers lingering sweetly on your skin. he then tugged his boxers and jeans up his legs, then pulled his shirt over his head. 

once you were both dressed, jisung tilted his head towards the bathroom.

“come on, baby,” he murmured.

inside the brightly lit bathroom, you grabbed the hairbrush sitting on the marble counter and ran it through your tangled strands, trying to smooth out the obvious mess before walking back out there. jisung stepped up behind you, peering over your shoulder at the mirror.

you let out a laugh the second you saw the messed up state of his red cheeks and teary eyes.

he caught your eye in the mirror and laughed too which made your chest warm. “shut up, you made me cry a little, okay?” he reached around you to turn on the faucet, washing his hands quickly before cupping them under the cold stream and splashing water over his face. droplets ran down his cheeks and jaw as he shook his hair like a wet puppy.

“better?” he asked, wiping his face with a towel.

you turned around and flicked a stray droplet off his nose. “marginally.”

you hopped up onto the sink counter, the cool marble a sharp contrast to your warm skin. jisung stepped forward, caging you in with his arms planted on either side of your hips. you reached up, cupping his face in both hands. his round cheeks were still flushed and his big brown eyes were locked on yours. he leaned into your touch, lashes fluttering. your boyfriend was so beautiful.

“i love you,” you said softly.

“i love you too,” he answered. he closed the distance and kissed you slowly. 

when he pulled back just enough to speak, his forehead rested against yours. “you know why i’m not upset about what people say about me?”

you tilted your head. “why?”

“i’ve got enough people who love me to care about the ones who hate me,” 

it was true. most of seoul loved spider-man for his heroic deeds: saving people from burning buildings, stopping runaway buses, webbing up villains before they could hurt anyone. no one could imagine the city without him. you’d seen little kids at birthday parties with spider-man cakes, their faces smeared with red or blue frosting as they blew out candles and wished for a picture with the hero. 

“but it still doesn’t make it okay,” you said. “those were crazy words to say about someone who’s never done anything wrong to them.”

you sighed, fingers slipping under the hem of his black shirt to graze the honey-toned skin underneath. he’d been getting tan since summer started.

“i mean…how do you just listen to that and move on?”

“have you forgotten who i was in high school?” he asked, a small smile tugging at his lips. “han jisung was the easiest target for bullies.”

you winced at the memory. you remembered that back in high school there was a guy named chorong, who insisted everyone call him “flash” because his korean name sounded like a girl’s and he desperately wanted to move to america. he made jisung’s life hell for no real reason—shoving him into lockers, mocking his voice, spreading rumors—even though jisung was always ten times smarter and twice as kind. you remembered the days he’d come to school with red eyes, pretending it didn’t bother him, but you always knew.

“so this is nothing, baby,” he continued, voice gentle. “you think i can’t take a few comments from guys who could never do what i do?”

you couldn’t help a small smile. it was nice to see him proud of his power, even if you knew how often he still wished to be “normal again.”

“then i guess whatever they say doesn’t matter, right?” you said, thumb brushing over his collarbone.

“not at all,” he answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “especially when my girlfriend’s out here throwing punches. super badass, if i may say.”

you chuckled and leaned in to peck the tip of his nose.

“nothing’s more badass than spider-man.”

thank you for reading! jeez now you get a little backstory on jisung's highschool years 😟 i hope you enjoyed this chapter <33 i promise we’ll start moving deeper into the main plot from the next chapter onward :)

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