J.

Coriolanus guided us stealthily out of the ballroom, avoiding anyone attempting to approach him and rile up an anger-fueled conversation. We ended up outside by the car loading area, thankfully empty. We stood in between the large concrete columns, attempting to stay relatively hidden from any prying eyes.

“What the hell is going on with Highbottom?” Coriolanus snapped, “Students as tributes? Is he out of his mind?”

I chuckled, “Clearly. Those kids are all going to die anyway; the Games themselves are getting more boring every year. If something doesn’t change they’ll just stop doing them altogether. The Capitol is desperate.”

Coriolanus went silent, his eyes glued to the floor. I watched him a moment, then stepped closer to him, lifting my hands and clutching his pale cheeks in my grasp. “Coryo, look at me.”

His serious expression remained, but his eyes began to soften as he focused on me.

“You’ve got this, Coriolanus Snow. You’re going to show Highbottom and everyone in the Capitol what you’re capable of.”

He chuckled, “But Lucy Gray—” “I don’t care about Lucy Gray. I care about you, and I care about you impressing Dr. Gaul. I know you want to help your family, and I know you want to ultimately work in the Capitol, right?”

He nodded, raising his hands and lightly holding my forearms, “I want to do great things with Panem.” He spoke so softly; a first glimpse at vulnerability. His eyes almost watering, looking at me a bit more desperately now, “I want to be President.”

“And you will, Coryo. I know you will. But you can’t lose sight of what they want out of the games. It’s not just about who survives. It’s about who they remember the most… And they’ve got to remember you.”

Fuck it. Before thinking twice I pulled his face towards me and kissed his warm lips. I felt his hands tense against my arms; fingers pressing a bit harder on the skin. This kiss was so comforting, for both of us. He sighed into the kiss, growing more confident now and pulling me into him. Suddenly a cough followed by someone clearing their throat made us pull away hastily. 

Turning around, we both were uncomfortably joined by Dean Highbottom, who leaned against a concrete pillar with his lips draining the last drops of a clear liquid in a tiny glass bottle.

“Always creeping around, aren’t you Highbottom?” I chuckled dryly, turning to face him as Coryo’s nervous hand gripped my wrist, “Don’t you have children to terrorize?”

A ghost of a smile decorated his face; sarcasm dripping from a chuckle as he looked up at me, “Hanging around the Snows, are we Pearl? That’s low, even for you.”

I took a step closer, but Coryo’s hand held me firm and prevented me from getting any closer, “You better watch how you speak about Coriolanus and his family. They’re more powerful than you could ever dream of being.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I don’t crave power… unlike some people. Isn’t that right, Snow?” His gaze darted over towards Coriolanus, who stood silent behind me.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms and shaking my head, “You can try to scare the Academy graduates all you want, but Coriolanus is going to win. You’ll see.”

Highbottom chuckled again. “With that little songbird? I don’t think so.” He began to walk away from us, heading back inside to the chaos he had created not long ago. Stopping in his tracks, he turned to face us again, “It’s a good thing Whitegrove is here to stand up for you, huh Snow? But once the Games begin, you’re going to be all alone… Then we’ll see how powerful you really are.”

———————————————————

The sun had set in Panem, everyone holed up in their homes, anxious after the ground-breaking news. I was with Coriolanus in the old Snow mansion, sitting in the living room with my legs crossed and watching the blonde haired man pace back and forth as he explained to Tigris exactly what had happened earlier that day. She was disapproving of the way Snow talked about Lucy Gray Baird, practically chastising him for doing so. She snapped back at him saying that if she was in Lucy’s position, she wouldn’t trust Coryo at all— my blood boiling at the insult.

“What else is he supposed to do then, Tigris? Let her go into the Games knowing full well she’s going to die right away? Let’s be serious for a moment.”

The two of them looked over to me now, Tigris’ eyes narrowed, “So what do you suggest?”

I paused for a beat, thinking sincerely. I still had no idea what Coriolanus should do, but there was no way in hell he was about to lose this ridiculous competition. He needed to win… I needed him to win.

“That’s what I thought.” She spat out dryly.

—————

Tigris had abandoned Coriolanus and I in a bubbling rage, closing herself away in her room for the night. I now sat in an old, worn out chair in the corner of Coryo’s small room. He nervously picked some clutter off of the ground, rummaging around in a quick attempt to make everything seem a bit more presentable.

“It’s okay, Coryo.” I assured softly, “Just relax.”

Resting a broken pencil on his desk, he sat himself on the edge of his small bed, directly across from me. We basked awkwardly in a moment of silence, before he exhaled a nervous breath, “I have no idea what I’m going to say to her tomorrow.”

“I think showing up at the train station is a smart idea. I doubt any of the other mentors would ever think about doing something like that, you’re on the right track.”

I stood up, shrugging my coat off of my shoulders and tossing it onto the back of the chair. Stepping closer to Coryo, I delicately lifted a hand onto a stray curly lock that hung over his forehead, tucking it back behind his ear and cupping his face, “You’re a brilliant man, Coriolanus Snow. You’re going to get Lucy Gray Baird to trust you, and you will be King of Panem one day.”

“King?” His eyebrows furrowed.

I chuckled, “King, President. Whatever you prefer.”

“There’s no way I’m going to win with her, she’s not going to last a day—” “She doesn’t need to last a day. She just needs to be remembered; so that you can be remembered.”

Coryo’s features went soft; eyes watering at the thought of how low his chances were. The fate of his future in Panem rested in the arms of a lowly girl from District 12. I cupped his face with both hands now, brushing away a tear that managed to slip down.

“If you can impress Dr. Gaul by the time all of this is over, you won’t need to worry about some District 12 country bum. You hold all the power, Coriolanus. You are powerful.”

Slowly, I lowered myself in between his legs, straddling his right thigh. His eyes darted down to watch the way I pressed down onto him, his mouth letting out a soft gasp.

“Pearl…”

Coryo’s eyes met mine, and our gazes held a moment. Suddenly he wasted no time in kissing me, his hands gripping the back of my neck to hold me in place as his lips tackled mine. I wrapped both arms around his wide shoulders, using his body to steady myself as my energy quickly grew weak under his touch.

Hastily in between kisses, my fingers fumbled with his white shirt buttons in a desperate attempt to pull the material off of his body, Coriolanus doing the same with the zipper of my golden dress. His hands slowly glided up the sides of my body, long fingers taking in what he could as he made his way up to my breasts. An excited spark went up my spine, feeling his cool, pale hands against my warm flesh. 

His hands cupped the outer curvature, massaging the breasts slowly. I bit my lip at his intricate touch, closing my eyes and slightly leaning my head back as I swallowed hard. At this notion, Coryo immediately leaned forward and clung his lips onto my fully exposed neck, playfully digging his teeth and swirling his tongue on a single, concentrated spot. Eventually his hands expertly unclasped the bra, and the clothing item also found its way quickly to the floor.

My hand rested on his fully hard cock, pressing aggressively against his tight black slacks. I knead my hand slowly, making sure to guide it along the full length. Coriolanus groaned, his head falling onto my exposed shoulder as he was fully at my mercy. I slipped his earlobe in between my lips, biting it teasingly as I slipped my hand past the pant confines and through the boxer briefs. His cock was rock solid, and at the touch of my hand twitched excitingly. I guided my hand along the length, only slightly cupping his balls before working my way up and beginning a steady pump rhythm.

“Oh my god, fuck,” Coriolanus gasped, one hand wrapped around my wrist as I continued to work my way along his cock. His eyes fluttered closed, and I pressed my lips onto his forehead as his breaths grew short and aggressive; I knew he was close.

Suddenly he pulled my hand out, and in a quick switch in attitude, he was back in charge. Coriolanus ripped my dress down, making sure to include my panties as he left me fully nude. He finished pulling off his pants and boxers, and with both hands on my waist, pulled me on slowly over his fully erect dick.

“Those were some pretty inspiring words,” He spoke in a low growl, guiding my hips as he slowly rocked me back and forth against him, “You just want a man with power, huh?”

“Oh,” I shuddered, completely at a loss of control. My core pulsed as my dripping warmth completely coated onto his entire girth. His hands pressed deeply onto my hip bones, guiding my rhythm as his mouth sucked hard on my exposed collar bone. My hands dug into his soft, blonde hair, looping my fingers in his curls as I held onto him dearly.

He continued his pace, my grinding trying to become a bit more desperate as I felt a tight ball of heat build up in my core. I started to pant, pulling tightly on his hair as I moaned out, “I’m going to c-cum.”

Coriolanus smirked in delight, moving a hand down to my clit and rubbing the sensitive bud vigorously with his thumb as he gave me a long kiss, swirling his tongue on my lower lip before pulling away and whispering, “Cum for me, my queen.”

His deep voice was enough to push me over the edge, and I clung to his broad back as I dropped my head onto his right shoulder, my teeth sinking into his skin as I felt my warm juices release completely onto his lap. 

“Coryo,” I gasped out, and I felt his chest rise and fall in a soft chuckle, pleased with the mess I had made on his body. He wrapped his arms around my curves, pulling me close as I continued to slowly ride out my high.

“I can get used to this, sweetheart.” Coriolanus smiled, lifting my chin to look up at him as he left a tender kiss on my lips, “You’re beautiful.”

I chuckled softly, kissing him again on the cheek as he helped lift me up. My legs slightly wobbled as I steadied myself, and he immediately reached over to grab a cloth. We both laughed, slightly embarrassed as we cleaned ourselves up. Coriolanus and I settled in his bed, practically clinging to each other under his bedsheet cover. “You’re going to do great tomorrow, Coriolanus. I believe in you.”

His hand held the side of my face as his thumb repeatedly stroked my cheek softly, “With you by my side, all my doubts are fading away.”

I had him. He trusts me—needs me. He’s mine.

 “Is that why you called me your queen?” I giggled, leaning up to kiss him.

The door to Fabricia’s office swung open, her long magenta hair peeking out as she yelled out to us, “I want those designs done before the sun goes down today. Otherwise, neither of you are getting paid. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Madam Whatnot,” Tigris and I both nodded, never once making eye contact with her, and rather, continuing to sew at a faster pace.

Of course someone as incredibly stylish and knowledgeable in the fashion industry as Fabricia Whatnot was also something of a wicked demon. She was incredibly rude to her employees, particularly Tigris & I. Hired under the impression of an apprenticeship, we quickly met a much more grim fate in the form of slave labor. She took advantage of young capitol people with a hunger for fashion, tempting us with the idea of being able to one day create our own designs for the capitol students, citizens, and even Hunger Games tributes to dawn our clothing. So in the meantime, we worked long hours, had little rest, and even more little pay.

Hours had passed, and Tigris and I miraculously finished the designs Whatnot had asked for. With a wave of her bony hand, she dismissed us, and sliding on our coats we exited her office and made our way out of the office. Upon opening the large glass door to the front of the building, a somewhat scrawny, curly haired blonde man stood waiting with his back turned to us.

“Coryo,” Tigris spoke, and he turned, his eyes lighting up and a smile decorating his face, “What are you doing here?”

He walked over, taking her hand to help her down the last step, “Grandma’am told me you hadn’t come home yet, so I figured I’d come down to wait for you to finish work. I don’t want you walking home alone so late.”

I slipped my hands into my olive green coat, tilting my head slightly towards him. He had a slightly boyish look, with an air of innocence about him. But all the whispers about him were true, he was much more handsome up close.

“Coriolanus,” I smiled, “I was wondering when I’d see you again.”

His attention now switched over to me, a gleam in his eyes highlighting the striking pale blue color, “Pearl Whitegrove. It’s certainly been too long.” With a hand extended, I reached my palm out, placing my fingers carefully over his. Lifting his hand, his lips brushed over my knuckles ever so softly in a formal greeting. How warm his lips were, I thought.

“I hear you’re first in line for the Plinth Prize. You must be ecstatic. Finally, the Snow name is making a comeback.”

His lip curled up in a curt smirk, “Well, yes, I’ve studied hard and hope to be congratulated for my efforts. But all I want is to provide for my family.”

“Right,” I chuckled, glancing over to Tigris whose face slowly became more worried as she tucked herself behind Coriolanus’ back, “The fame and fast track into University would just be a bonus, huh?” 

Silence. Just as I thought.

“Well, Coriolanus, I wish you the best of luck. If there’s one thing I know, is that you’ll find a way to succeed one way or another. You’ve got this… hunger in you. It drives you. I think ultimately it’ll guide you to what you want—” Tigris’ hand wrapped around Coriolanus’ arm in attempts to pull him away, “—If you allow it to take over.”

He looked down at her, placing a hand over hers before looking back to me, “Thank you, Pearl. Let’s hope you’re right.”

They turned away, walking towards the main road. Shortly after crossing, a familiar black car pulled up, with a man dressed in a charcoal colored tailcoat stepped out, extending a hand towards the open door for me.

“Yes, Coryo. Let’s.”

————————

10th Annual Reaping Ceremony

It seems as if a few days went by in a matter of seconds, and before I knew it, the Reaping Ceremony had arrived. In a strange change of heart, Fabricia Whatnot had excused everyone from coming into work that day and instead encouraged us to attend the ceremony.

I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about my last conversation with Coriolanus Snow. The way his blue eyes shimmered under the dim lights of the street lamps. How thin his frame was, hiding underneath his slightly oversized Academy uniform. His hair was so blonde and curly, a single strand hanging delicately just across his forehead. Every bit of my brain was obsessed with him, and I made it my mission to get him to feel the same.

Taking in a deep breath, I dusted off my golden yellow dress, grabbed my black coat and made my way out the door.

Entering the Academy building I was greeted with a sea of red and blue, students shuffling about the main floor as they met up with friends; greeted teachers. I glanced around in search of a familiar face, when I suddenly felt a hand land cautiously on my shoulder. Turning around, I was greeted with the same pair of eyes that hadn’t left my mind for days.

“Pearl,” His deep voice spoke, “What a surprise.”

Any sort of control I had to stop the smile from forming on my face completely failed me, “Coriolanus, hi.” Be cool. “I see Tigris’ secret project turned out well.”

Coryo furrowed his eyebrows, and I pointed to his shirt. He let out a small laugh, running a hand  across his chest, “Oh yes. It came out quite well. I had her make a few modifications—”

“I know, she would always work on it when Whatnot wasn’t around. I figured it was for today.”

His cheeks flushed slightly, embarrassed at the fact that his cousin was scrambling to help him look his best. “So why are you here and not at work?”

We both turned, slowly walking up the staircase towards the ballroom, “Fabricia told us all not to come in and to attend today’s ceremony. She wouldn’t tell us why— I figured Tigris would be here?”

Coriolanus just shook his head, his face blank with confusion. Before he could respond, a short girl with long black hair seemingly appeared out of nowhere, slipping her arm to loop with Snow’s. “Coriolanus! It’s about time the prodigy student showed up.”

Her eyes met with mine, slightly narrowing as she analyzed everything about me. I cocked my eyebrow at her, unwaveringly unbothered by her. Except for the fact that she was about to steal Coriolanus away from me.

“I’m sorry— I’ll find you afterwards?” Snow looked directly at me, an apologetic tone in his voice. Glancing over to the strange girl, I nodded, looking back up at him with a soft smile.

I found my way to an open seat just across from the 24 chairs that had been placed for the graduating honors Academy students. I watched as Snow sat down in the first row, looking around the room before eventually finding me. He smiled as I gave him a small wave, which he returned gladly. A faint sensation of butterflies began to arouse deep in my stomach at the acknowledgement. Damn it. The ceremony began shortly after, with Dr. Volumina Gaul seemingly having crawled her way out of her laboratory and in front of the podium to give an opening speech, before introducing Dean Highbottom. He stood amongst the sea of red dressed Academy students, speaking cryptically about the Plinth Prize and the Reaping Ceremony. Upon reaching the front of the podium he revealed the sudden change; the 24 honor students were to compete as mentors for the tributes as a last attempt to prove their worthiness of the Plinth Prize money. 

Gasps echoed throughout the room; mutters of protest and shock as everyone began to look around in desperation. My eyes were glued to Coriolanus’ face, whose jaw gaped ever so slightly in disbelief before looking up at me. I remained still; I didn’t know how to react.

Suddenly two large screens on the wall in front of the students clicked on, playing live footage of the Reaping ceremony. Boys and girls from each District appeared on screen as Highbottom read aloud the names of the tributes, and the student assigned to them. One by one, the tributes were handed out like livestock. I held my breath, terrified to hear Snow’s name, but it almost never came. Not until Highbottom arrived at District 12, assigning him to a girl by the name of Lucy Gray Baird.

My eyes narrowed at the screen as I watched her, analyzing the messily sewn, colorful dress that dawned her tiny figure. She had a natural beauty, but was covered in dirt and poorly applied makeup. She got into an altercation with the man who had just read out her name, which landed her a blow to the face, making her collapse to the floor of the stage she was on.

I whipped my head as the sound of a chair scraping against the floor alerted my senses, seeing now how captivated Coriolanus Snow was to the scene unfolding on the screen before him. Why was he so worried about her?

Anger was now the only emotion raging through me, or perhaps jealousy? Whatever it was, it was interrupted when a soft voice began to sing, echoing throughout the entire room. Everyone’s attention was back onto the screen, watching in a stark silence how Lucy Gray slowly stood back up as she sang some song. Additional voices from various District 12 members rang through before she screamed at the camera, extending her arms and taking a bow.

God, you were so cute. Like, so cute. Funny enough, I didn’t even notice you at first. You had a friend, god, what was his name? He was so bubbly and expressive, with a heart of gold that seemed to shine as much as his eyes. That’s initially how we met, through that nameless friend of yours. We didn’t really talk much… Now that I think about it, we didn’t talk at all.

That was your fault, though. You were so shy; I remember one time I told you that I loved the way you danced and your ears flamed a bright red. I giggled in response; the way your body reacted and immediately gave away what your heart was truly feeling.

A couple weeks went by, I had gotten to know you and your friends, and the days became electric. The studio boomed with vibrant notes, echoes of perfectly sung lyrics as our mutual friend worked dedicatedly to his new (and secret) album. I’d spent hours with him there, I was honestly kind of bored at one point. But I loved watching him work. I admired his passion for his job and it was truly something I’d always wanted to feel myself. The way he barely looked at a clock, or touched a piece of food, because work always came first. (Although, you should always make sure to eat too.)

The night was cold when we left; he’d slung his coat around my shoulders that shook violently against the nippy wind. As we trudged down the stairs sharing a laugh, your tall figure walked by. What had we been laughing at? I barely remember now, just as how I barely heard you whisper ‘hello’ to us as we unknowingly past you.

I’m sorry I never said anything back.

A few more weeks went by, and we had grown apart. You and your boys all began a new chapter in your careers; I moved away. I remember at some point I checked my Instagram explore page, and a photo of you had come up.

Woah, I thought, were you always that attractive?

But then suddenly the elevator door let out a loud ‘ding’ and I slipped my phone into my pocket, getting back to work and forgetting all about that album announcement you had posted excitedly about.

Now it had been months; I was traveling for work. Our mutual friend was also gone, busy with his new company and the release of a new album on the horizon. I stopped listening to your music entirely. Notifications were off; profiles unfollowed.

Yet somehow when I walked through the grass at the park one day a trail of dandelions sprouted ferociously amongst the pebble walkway. There was even a chicken in a tree. Why was there a chicken in a tree?

I wasn’t angry, but what was I feeling? Remorse? Or perhaps regret. Because you had been there, when I texted the group chat that our mutual friend was working so hard and how exciting his music was sounding (That must’ve been why you showed up, were you still checking on me?) You went live on Instagram that time I was on a date; a notification flashing on my phone mid-sentence and interrupting the man in front of me. Because yet after every night spent with others, something had been missing. Something was always missing with them, because they weren’t you.

The pain felt numb, like how your skin flames up and burns when the needle digs in during a tattoo session. All my life I’ve been used to being in second place, never being admired as the one who is known for taking your breath away. I tried to be that one, I tried to polish myself so as to look like that shiny new toy to attract others, but to no avail. My friends and family I’d grown up with my entire life had all gone off and paired away, finding that person that breathed a new life into them; defined the word love for them.

So why not me?

I never realized, that’s who you were. That time when we were all gathered in the practice room, and your eyes never wavered from where I stood in the room. Or that night leaving the studio, and you whispered that greeting that escaped my ears. You’d always been the one to look at me first, to want to give me a love I’ve so desperately craved.

But now it was my fault, I had ignored the signs and chose to walk past the one person who was a little too good for me.

And for that, Yugyeom, I’m truly sorry.

To have been a coincidence; it was all too predetermined.

I took a sip of my lavender water bottle, letting out a small huff before standing up and walking over to the classroom door. Gripping the metal handle I turned it and swung the door open, kicking the doorstop into the wood to hold it in place. Kids of various ages poured out of different classrooms, dressed in the same white and navy uniforms. Their backpacks were a rainbow of colors; creating the most beautiful swirl as they continued to dart towards the front parking lot gates.

“Hi unnie!” The same after school kids came bustling towards me, waving their hands excitedly. Some of them had papers in their hands, others a lunch box. I waved hi to them, giving each a high five as they ran past me and into the classroom.

Counting them as they entered, once I had all twenty of them, I walked inside the room to join them.

“Okay, everyone! Find your assigned seat and take out your homework, please.” I clapped twice, most of them listening immediately and beginning to get settled.

The kids began to unzip their packs, pulling out various worksheets from their different classes. Every now and then a few of the kids would get riled up, picking on each other and aggressively pinching and pulling on each other’s uniforms or hair. “Hey! What did I say about hitting each other?” I said sternly, grabbing one kid’s wrist gently before he had a chance to hit the girl next to him.

“But she called me stupid!” The small boy whined, sticking his tongue out and pointing to the short haired girl next to him.

I crouched down between them, letting go of his hand now, “That wasn’t very nice, Celeste. Why would you call him a bad name?”

The girl colored away at her notebook, glancing between the angry boy and myself, “He wanted to take my markers.” She admitted with a pout.

“Next time try to ask politely, okay?” I asked her, shifting my head slightly as I awaited a response. With a small nod, she gave me a soft ‘I’m sorry’ while continuing to color away.

I turned back to the boy who had calm down slightly, “Grab your stuff, let’s go sit in a different chair, okay?”

Before he had a chance to complain, I squinted my eyes at him, raising an eyebrow which seemingly did the trick.

“Hello?” A deep voice rang out from the entrance of the classroom, a slight knock echoing afterwards. 

My breath hitched ever so slightly in my throat as I stood up to face the door. Upon making eye contact the man smiled brightly, his eyes crinkling sweetly. He looked utterly relaxed, standing cooly by the door frame in a white t-shirt and blue jeans, all tied together with an oversized gray cardigan.

I nervously walked towards him, lifting my hand in a small wave, “H-hi. Can I help you?”

“Appa!” Celeste squealed gleefully, running past me and into the man’s arms. He scooped her up and swept her into his arms, holding her easily and resting her on his right hip.

“Oh you’re—”

“Yeah, I’m her dad.” He chuckled, turning to look at the small girl with the most joyful look on her face, “Are you the new after school supervisor?”

He set her down, and she ran back towards the table to gather up her things. He crossed his arms, taking a step forward. I swallowed hard, noting how dry my mouth was. I could feel my heart thumping in my throat, a burning heat rushing to my ears.

I nodded, giving him another small smile, “Yeah, I came by last week for some training but she put me on full time starting today.”

Introducing myself I held my hand out towards him, and he lifted his hand to meet mine and shook it firmly. His skin was so soft, palm cupping mine so perfectly. His hand fit so perfectly within mine, but I pulled away before he could feel me trembling.

“So,” I gulped hard, trying to my best to clear my voice without sounding completely mesmerized by his inviting presence, “That lady who’s picked up Celeste… she’s very pretty.”

She’s pretty? Complimenting his potential partner is definitely not the right move here.

His eyes widened, shaking his head with a laugh, “No, gosh— sure, she’s pretty but no, that’s not Celeste’s mom.”

Phew. “Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean—”

Mr. Suh slipped his hands in his front pockets, giving me a quizzical look, but the smirk on his lips gave away just how much he was enjoying seeing me struggle, “It’s okay. She really wasn’t the best mom… she left Celeste with me randomly one night and never came back. Since then it’s just been the two of us.”

He tilted his head slightly, looking past me and at the sweet girl who was quickly shoving her drawings into her bag.

“It gets tough sometimes, especially with my work schedule and all… but I wouldn't trade it for the world, though. 

Celeste ran back, her blue backpack half zipped up. It was covered in sparkling dark blue butterflies, some papers messily shoved into the bag. She reached up her right hand, making making grabby hands at him. Noticing, he took her hand, bending down to zip her bag up with his free hand, “You ready to go?”

“Yeah!” She exclaimed, giving me a wave, “Goodbye unnie!”

“Bye Celeste!” I bent down towards her, lifting my palm for a high five, “Remember to make sure you finish all your homework, okay?”

She nodded at me vigorously, “I promise!”

Standing back up, that same crinkled smile was painted across Johnny’s face as he admired his daughter. My stomach sunk, completely enamored by how gentle such a tall guy seemed next to the small child.

“I like your tattoo.” He chirped, catching me off guard as he pointed to my wrist, “Blue butterfly.”

Instinctually I used my other hand to cover the inked skin, feeling a hot blush rise in my cheeks, “They’re my favorite.” I muttered shyly.

“Me too!” Celeste turned proudly and shook her shoulders to make the sparkly blue butterflies bounce on her backpack.

We all laughed now; I nodded towards her, “They look very cute on you.” Celeste beamed happily at her dad who returned the look.

“Well, it was great meeting you,” His smile now directed towards me, “I’m looking forward to seeing you from now on.”

I chuckled at him, crossing my arms as I walked behind them towards the exit. Leaning against the doorway, I lifted my hand up as I waved them off, “Likewise, Mr. Suh.”

Seonghwa and Wooyoung bickered quietly behind us as San eventually found another open doorway, with nothing but a decrepit wooden chair on its last life sat in the middle of the room.

Slightly shrugging, San pulled me into the room muttering, “This’ll work.”

He pulled me in front of him, letting my wrist go and turning now to face the two eager boys behind him, “Wait outside. I’m eating first.”

Seonghwa just rolled his eyes, Wooyoung being much more annoyed, “Are you serious?” He whined, “I just want to watch.”

“Outside.” San retaliated sternly, and eventually Seonghwa grabbed Wooyoung by the arm and dragged him out the room.

A fresh ripple of chills decorated my exposed skin as I rubbed my upper arm, attempting to warm myself up even a little bit. The room was much smaller, the walls still just as disgusting as the rest of the building. A thin line of dust coated the floor; spiderwebs bunched up in the upper corners of the walls. It was truly a revolting space, and the idea of dying inside of this room bubbled up my anxiety much faster now.

“Look, can’t we work something out?” I pleaded, turning to face the eerily beautiful blue haired guy as he walked back in, left hand tucked into his black trousers.

He strolled right past me, approaching the chair and placing his right hand on it. He had a teasingly soft smile painted across his lips, his eyes ever so devious as he looked so perfectly relaxed at my increasingly panicked state.

I gulped nervously, trying my best to appear calm as my trembling hands exposed me otherwise, “I still have no idea what’s happening but I really don’t want to die right now.” He continued to watch me, only tilting his head slightly.

“Is there even anything I can say that could change your mind about killing me?” My voice wavered, speaking the words and pleading for my survival aroused a nauseating taste in my throat.

He lifted his index and middle fingers, patting the back of the wooden chair a few times.

“Come sit.”

His tone was so soft it was almost hypnotizing. My body immediately reacted, feeling the impulse to walk towards him while my brain screamed in protest. But I couldn't help it, I went against any blaring objections my mind was trying to rationalize and took the few steps forward, turning and lowering myself onto the wooden chair. It was just as cold and dusty as the rest of the room, jolting a shiver down my spine.

Suddenly both his hands gripped my shoulders, his fingers pressing deeply. I felt my body lock up, too stunned to move even an inch for fear of what he would do. His hands trailed their way down my exposed arms, stoping at my elbows and holding on firmly.

“Tell you what,” He broke the silence, and I could feel him lowering down by my right ear, “The three of us are going to feed on you tonight,” His lips nibbled on my earlobe, and the smallest gasp escaped from my mouth before even attempting to restrain myself.

“And if you survive, we won’t kill you.”

My eyes popped back open, and I turned to face the dangerously close pale guy next to me, “You’re serious? You’ll let me go?”

He chuckled, standing back up and walking more in front of me now, “It’s going to be a lot harder than you expect, but yes, you have my word.”

The smallest gleam of hope sent butterflies through my body, and the idea of being back in my apartment recharged the energy I needed, “Okay, fine. Let’s do this.” I proclaimed confidently, “Whatever this is.”

San smirked, probably at my naivety, and I hated the warm feeling it triggered in between my legs as I shuffled around in my seat, breaking eye contact and beginning to pick at my nails. He held a hand out towards me, and placing my hand in his slowly, he gripped tightly, and in a quick motion pulled me up and sat himself down in the chair, wrapping a hand around my waist and sitting me down on top of him.

His right hand gripped against my waist, holding me down aggressively into him as his left arm reached up across my chest, his hand securing my jaw in his hold and tilting my head to the side, my neck now fully exposed to him.

“One word of advice,” He groaned softly, pressing his lips down on my skin just once, “Try not to move. It’ll hurt less.”

Before I had a chance to process what he meant, a sharp pain ripped through my entire body, feeling the skin in my neck tear apart like paper. His lips were plush as they began to pulse slightly, repeatedly sucking down while his teeth dug into my neck like nails on wood.

I gasped loudly, my hands reaching up to clutch onto his forearm, my nails digging into his pale flesh hard. The pain was overwhelming; my neck seemed to be on fire as San bit hard onto the muscle.

I wanted to scream, stop him and pull away as desperately as I could. But my body remained frozen, my vocal chords utterly useless as my body did nothing but sit in place. I could feel San growing hard underneath me as he sucked rhythmically, soft growls vibrating in his throat. Seconds felt like hours as I helplessly lay limp against him, a feeling of lightheadedness beginning to take over.

Just as I could feel my body completely shutting down, the two other guys who, up until this moment I had completely forgotten about, poked their head in through the open doorway.

“Oh wow.” Wooyoung grinned, and Seonghwa now confidently walked into the room and right towards us. Wooyoung followed a bit more nervously, and stood behind a few feet as he watched his elder companion’s actions.

San lifted his mouth from off my neck, and I let out an exasperated gasp. My lungs burned, it felt like I was being held underwater and finally was given a chance to inhale again.

“Our turn.” Seonghwa grinned, kneeling down in front of us.

In a silent agreement San huffed in annoyance, spreading his legs as my body sunk down and I now sat somewhat on the chair. My dress already being so short to begin with, it didn’t take much for Seonghwa to push the cloth up and around my waist. His icy hands reached and secured the lace material of my panties, ripping them carelessly and tossing it towards the youngest one. Placing both hands under my knees, he parted my legs and pulled my body out towards him, and I barely sat on the chair now as I was fully exposed.

“I told you, this could be a sex thing if you wanted it to be.” The pink haired vampire grinned in an eerie delight, before lowering his face in front of my exposed cunt.

In the same way San had just done, Seonghwa wrapped his lips against my clit, his long tongue lapping hard against the muscle and plunging inside of me, using all the strength he had to suck at the wetness he so confidently was causing.

“Oh my—” I moaned, my head instinctively falling back and resting against San. His hand lowered from my jaw and onto the front of my neck, his long fingers wrapping around and holding tight. Another gasp echoed throughout the room as I once again was having trouble breathing, but this time much more excitingly so.

San’s lips once again met my neck as he teasingly nibbled and sucked on the area he had been before, not immediately jumping into another deep bite and instead just taking his time as Seonghwa clearly had more control over me for the moment.

Seonghwa continued to dig his face deeper in between my legs, his hands holding my thighs as open as he could. A low groan from across the room echoed against the walls and only then I realized that Wooyoung had just been watching from afar at the scene in front of him. In his hands was the ripped cloth Seonghwa had tossed over minutes ago, clutching to it tightly as if it was the only thing keeping him standing.

With any last energy I had, I extended my hand out lazily towards him, curling my fingers slightly as I beckoned him over. The dark haired boy rushed over, shoving the cloth into his pocket before closer by us.

San noticed him standing closer, catching the excited gleam in his eye as he was almost too overwhelmed to do anything, “Go ahead, Woo. She’s yours, too.”

The same teasing smirk from earlier that night was now painted across his face. Biting his lip, he crouched down and placed a hand on the left strap of my dress, pulling it just enough for my breast to now be exposed to him.

“Dig in.” San offered, before tightening his hold once again, and sinking his teeth into a new part of my neck.

An exasperated cry vibrated painfully inside my throat. Without a moment to spare Seonghwa followed suit, his razor sharp canines puncturing the flesh just above my clit, beginning to suction his mouth with a feverish hunger. Wooyoung didn’t waste a second in copying his fellow vampires’ actions, his hand palming the exposed breast and kissing a few spots hungrily before ultimately he secured a spot near the nipple, and clamped down.

My body shook with overwhelming overstimulation, a whirlpool of pain and pleasure making me lightheaded beyond belief. With every pulsing suck, they continued to draw more and more blood out from my veins and down into their throats. My eyes rolled back violently, my body going limp as I was moments away from passing out.

A knot deep in my stomach suddenly came undone, sending a ripple of vibration throughout my body. I shook violently as I came against Seonghwa’s mouth, I gasped desperately as my lungs burned for a gasp of air. With one hand wrapped around San’s wrist, my other hand was nuzzled in Seonghwa’s pink hair, fingers curling around the soft strands as I held him in place between my thighs.

As my body came down from the most overstimulated orgasm, I once again shut my eyes as my head began to spin. Any bit of energy I had just wasted from cumming was now drained, my eyes fully closing as the image of the three vampires continuing to draw blood was the last thing I saw before completely blacking out.

————

The sound of people bickering quietly woke me up, and my eyes fluttered open. I was still in that desolate gray room, however now I lay on the ground as a black coat was wrapped against my shivering body.

I groaned softly, feeling how sore my body was as I attempted to sit up. All of the muscles ached as I pulled myself up, sitting hunched over as I rested my head into the palm of my hand.

“You’re awake.” Wooyoung noticed, coming over and kneeling down in front of me.

I was startled at his sudden presence, pulling away from his extended hand before wincing. Noting my resistance he retracted his hand, moving back slightly and sitting on the ground.

Seonghwa chuckled, walking over and joining Wooyoung, “I told you guys she’d pull through,” Kneeling down in front of me, he placed his hand on my chin and lifted my gaze, “Wasn’t that fun?”

I held eye contact with the red eyed fiend, being in too much anguish to even attempt to move away.

“Okay, fuck off, Seonghwa.” San’s voice commanded, still standing by the doorway with his back towards us.

Seonghwa dropped his hand, still delectably grinning at me before letting out a huff, “What? She’s fine.”

He stood up, walking back towards San. My eyes flickered towards Wooyoung, whose eyes were now just as bright of a red as his animalistic companions.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” He said softly, before standing up and joining the other two, grabbing his pink haired friend and pulling him out of the room.

I kept still as San eventually turned and walked towards me, sitting down in front of me and watching my face as our eyes met for the first time since our initial encounter.

“You’re still alive,” He spoke up finally, with what seemed to be a hint of relief in his tone, “I thought we had gone too far.”

My body began to shake in fear as I continued to stare at him. He looked a bit more rosy now, his cheeks having the faintest color compared to how ghostly white he had looked earlier in the night. His lips had more of a red stain to them, no doubt the remnants of how he had just devoured my neck.

“Are you okay?” He asked, noting the glossy haze in my eyes as I failed to react to him.

“Can I leave now?” I asked in a scared quiver, and San sighed in relief as the sound of my voice calmed his senses.

“Sure,” He nodded, “But you should take it slow, your body is still going to be weak for a few more hours.”

I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh, resting my head back in my hands. I didn’t even know how to begin to process the night I just had, and the conflicting feelings of wanting to leave as quickly as possible while also never wanting to be alone without San.

Eventually I accepted this strange new situation I had found myself in, and reached over to place my hand on top of San’s. He looked back up at me, a slight smile on his face even though his eyes were riddled with confusion.

“Maybe… I can stay a little while longer.” I chuckled, shaking my head in disbelief at my own words, “As fucked up as this is, that was the first time anyone’s ever made me feel like that. So… I’ll stick around.”

San’s eyes crinkled happily as he chuckled, placing his other hand down on mine and slightly squeezing.

I stayed put for a moment, not wanting to confront this new side of Jackson. We had gotten into fights before, but he’d never raised his voice at me, and I had no idea what was coming. After a few deep breaths, I turned to face him, but kept my eyes to the ground.

“I could say the same.” I muttered, trying to turn the topic of conversation to his attitude with me last night.

He scoffed, taking a step closer, “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Last night,” I spoke up, gaining a bit of confidence as I accused him, “Why did you suddenly ignore me the rest of the night?”

I looked directly at him now, and his lips were shut tight, unsure of what to say. Surprisingly.

“I turned down your suggestion to join you in the shower and suddenly I deserved the silent treatment?” I took a step closer to him, and I watched his chest rise and fall as his heart rate grew quicker to match his anger. “What the fuck was that all about?”

“I’m sorry I just wanted a relaxing shower fuck with my constantly stressed out girlfriend,” He spat, and the chuckle that followed cut through my words like a knife through butter, “I guess it’s my fault then for trying to find a way to get you to relax.”

“Right, just like how your idea of ‘relaxing’ was having me watch you press yourself up against another woman.” I growled, once again annoyed with his condescending tone.

Jackson chuckled again, running a hand over his mouth and under his chin as his eyes glanced up and away from my gaze. He clearly wasn't buying it.

“It was a fucking music video, Y/n. She is an actress. It was supposed to look romantic.” His eyes grew dark as he mansplained her role to me, which made me furious.

My face was inches from him, and before he could open his mouth to speak I interrupted him. “Don’t fucking talk to me like that. You didn’t see the way she was looking at you— the way she looked at me. She knew exactly what she was doing, and you fed into it.”

His eyes shut for a moment, knuckles turning white as he clenched them into fists, “I didn’t do anything.” His deep voice defended.

“I saw the way you held her,” I said in a meek voice, emotionally exhausted as the scene of the two of them so closely together replayed in my head, “That wasn't acting, Jackson.”

I began to back away, turning once more towards my bedroom. I couldn’t handle his accusatory behavior any longer, and I knew if we continued arguing one of us might say something we’d truly regret. Once again I attempted to continue on with my night, wanting to put this day in the past.

I set my phone down on my nightstand, shrugging my jacket off and tossing it towards my closet. I barely had a chance to compose myself when suddenly two strong hands gripped my arms, Jackson spinning me and pushing me up against the wall. He lowered his lips down towards mine, breathing heavily, “Then tell me… is this acting?” He said in a ghostly whisper before pushing his lips onto mine. We kissed hungrily, all the hateful attacks from moments before slowly being forgotten.

“Jackson…” I moaned, not wanting to let him win so easily. But his lips were too difficult to resist, as he skillfully swirled his tongue into my mouth, and I followed suit.

“Like I say in the song,” Jackson chuckled in between shaky breaths, “I can love you good.” He muttered, using a hand to slightly turn my head to the side and exposing my neck. He still had me pinned to the wall, his mouth now lowered onto my neck as he left soft kisses, but then suddenly his teeth sunk onto a bit of my skin, and I quickly caught on to what he was doing. I hissed at the pain as he continued to suck and swirl his tongue around his chosen spot, giving it a few more desperate bites before finally pulling away to look at what he had done.

“It’s already getting red,” He chuckled, “That's going to leave quite a mark.” He huffed proudly, and I just giggled, rolling my eyes at him.

Jackson proceeded to hook his fingers under my t-shirt, hastily pulling it off as I did the same. I pressed my hands onto his chest, running my hands along the golden brown skin I was obsessed with. He waisted no time in pulling down my jeans, letting his hands teasingly trace along the outer portion of my thighs as he worked his way back up, leaving a small kiss on my hip. Reaching his belt buckle, I hooked my fingers inside his pant lining, pulling him even closer to me.

“Fuck me, Jackson,” I gasped desperately, having had enough of his teasing.

He slowly undid his belt and pulled it off, letting it fall to the floor as he undid his jean button and unzipped his pants, one… second… at a time.

“And let you win so easily?” He smirked, leaning close, lightly pressing his tongue on my chin and licking up past my lips and to the tip of my nose, “I don’t think so.”

In a swift motion Jackson lifted me up, hooking his arms under my legs as he spun us back around. He wasted no time in throwing me down on the bed, positioning his body in between my legs. I locked my ankles and dug my heels into his hips, trying desperately to get his body as close to mine as I could.

“Nuh uh,” he disapproved, shaking his head at me with the smirk still painted on his face, “You don’t get to command me tonight. I’m in charge.”

I bit my lip and leaned my head back, groaning softly at his dominant behavior. His hands were all over my body, lips pressing hard leaving kisses on any exposed area of skin.

“Jackson,” I gasped breathlessly, and he looked back up at me. He crawled back up, wrapping his lips on mine once more. I ran my fingers through his hair, gripping tightly at the small hairs on the back of his neck, causing Jackson to emit a deep moan into my mouth.

“Fuck.” He muttered, dipping his head back onto the side of my neck and continuing to deepen the mark he had begun to leave earlier.

I wrapped my arms around his body now, trailing my nails along his back as I could feel his back muscles flexing and writhing with every slight touch.

Jackson suddenly lifted himself off of me, kneeling in front of my slightly open legs. When the all-too familiar smirk spread across his face, I knew I was in trouble.

“Seeing how jealous you got over the actress today… was kind of hot.” Jackson teased, his hands tortuously tracing my skin as he worked his way from my ankles, up towards my hips.

I bit my lip as his hands landed on my panties, and his fingers traced the lace lining before he gripped hard, ripping suddenly and managing to completely tear them away, tossing them carelessly onto the floor.

“You’re going to pay for that.” I hissed, slightly annoyed he ruined yet another good pair of underwear.

“Oh yeah?” He cocked an eyebrow, his hands on my knees and suddenly he pulled them apart, making himself fully available to me, “So are you for pissing me off.”

“You just wanted me jealous,” I groaned as his head slowly lowered in between my legs.

“Maybe,” He admitted, his eyes now almost a dark black as one hand wrapped around under my leg and pressing onto my lower stomach, the other one keeping my opposite leg spread, “I mean, after all, jealousy is the best flavor.”

Before I could register what he meant my eyes rolled into the back of my head as Jackson’s plump, pink lips wrapped around my clit. Biting my lower lip I tried my best to control my moans, Jackson’s tongue so skillfully doing wonders against the pink bud.

“Fuck, oh my god,” I moaned aloud, interlocking my fingers with Jackson’s brunette locks and squeezing hard as I attempted to push him down even lower. He resisted my advances, somehow having enough self-control to continue the slow torture. He pulled away, running his long finger against the slit of my pussy.

“You’re so wet,” He chuckled darkly, continuing to tease me with his single finger stroking up and down at my entrance. Without a moment’s hesitation his lips were wrapped once again around my sensitive bud, the pulsing nerves sending an electrifying zing through my core and rattling me senseless. He plunged two fingers into my wet entrance, quickly finding a steady rhythm as his hands and tongue worked perfectly in sync.

I gasped loudly, looking down at him as his face was practically buried in between my legs. I let my head fall back down against the mattress, and the steady grip on his hair slowly grew weak as Jackson’s tongue carried me towards climax. The slowly building ache in the pit of my stomach grew, letting me know I was nearly about to burst. Only a few moments away from ecstasy, my breath hitched in my throat as I felt Jackson peel himself away.

“What the hell,” I breathed out, now looking down at my boyfriend who was gleefully wiping away my glistening juices that coated his fingers.

“That was… delicious,” He grinned, running his tongue over his upper lip.

“Now who’s being a fucking tease?” I snipped, crawling over towards him and placing my hands on his shoulders, pushing him down on the mattress and settling myself on top of him, “My turn.”

Jackson was too caught up in the moment to care, gladly accepting my dominant behavior begin to take charge. I trapped his left earlobe in between my teeth, wrapping an arm around his neck and the other over his back, tracing lines with my nails. I rested myself comfortably on one of his thighs, slowly grinding my wet core against his skin.

“Oh—” Jackson moaned, his chin falling weakly against my shoulder. His hands gripped my waist, guiding my thrusts and following my rhythm as I continued to grind deeper. I could feel his boner pressed up hard against my knee, begging to escape the confines of his already tight boxer briefs. My right hand continued to run along his back as I moved my left hand down along his chest and gripped his swollen member. Suddenly his breath hitched in his throat, and he dug his fingertips into my hips.

Halting my sensual moves I pulled my mouth away, giving him soft pecks on his cheeks and on his swollen pink lips as he slowly regained his energy.

“What,” I cooed, continuing to run my hands through his hair, “You liked that?”

He smirked, biting my lower lip and tugging on it, “No more foreplay.”

In a swift movement Jackson’s arms hooked under my knees, flipping me around and landing me on my back as he positioned himself on top of me. I gasped with glee; Jackson knew how much I loved how easily he could pick me up and toss me around. Leaving a few kisses on my collar bone, his left hand palmed my breast, using two fingers to massage the nipple that grew hard simply with his touch.

Pulling back, Jackson was quick to pull his boxer briefs off, using a hand to pump his long shaft as he looked down at me with hunger. I watched his movements desperately, growing nervous and excited as I saw his full, hardened length. Subconsciously I lowered a hand in between my thighs, rubbing at my clit in response to his tease.

“God, you’re so sexy.” He growled, ripping my hand away. Crawling on top of me once more, Jackson took only a moment to position the tip of his cock between my dripping folds, sliding his tip up and down ever so slowly.

“Fucking give it to me, already.” I demanded, exasperated with his ability to slow down time with the simplest of teases.

Another deep groan ripped from Jackson’s throat as he suddenly plunged his full length into me, letting out a deep sigh as he felt my tight walls expand against his cock. I gasped at the sudden invasion, wrapping my arms around my boyfriend’s large shoulders and digging my nails into his back. His hips pounded down into me, creating a loud and steady rhythm. A swirl of moans and skin slapping skin echoed throughout the room, Jackson never once missing a beat.

“You’re so tight.” He grinned, grasping my chin and turning my head as he once again attacked the hickey he was determined on leaving.

Jackson’s skillful rhythm continued, pushing himself down onto my body so expertly. Without warning Jackson lifted both my legs and placed them on his shoulders, lifting me up slightly and sunk himself completely into me. This new angle caused him to groan aloud, shuddering slightly at the new sensation.

“Fuck… yes.” He growled, rolling his hips into mine, slowing his beat just a bit as he took the time to enjoy the new position.

With both hands free, I grabbed his right hand and positioned it over my neck, pressing the fingers lightly. Jackson’s eyes had previously been shut in a euphoric pleasure, but once he felt his hand wrapped around my neck his eyes snapped open, looking at me directly with his dark brown gaze.

“Choke me.” I uttered with a tortured breath, and Jackson hissed joyfully, drawing his hips back and plunging himself forward, picking up the pace. I gasped at his sudden and unforgiving switch in rhythm, feeling his fingers tighten around my neck. He lowered himself slightly, pounding mercilessly into me as I whimpered lovingly, completely giving myself to him in this moment.

A burning heat building up in the pit of my stomach signaled I was getting close to my high. Wrapping my hands around the wrist that held my neck in place, I let out a strangled moan.

“Jackson!” I cried, and his pumps grew ever so faster, “I… I’m going to—”

He peppered my neck with kisses, then bringing his lips down to mine and swirled his tongue against mine warmly before pulling away. “Cum for me, baby.”

His words so sweetly melted into my ears, and only moments after could I feel myself fulling releasing. Jackson sighed in satisfaction, feeling my juices coat his length as he continued to thrust into me. The warmth that enveloped his cock was almost too much for him to bear, as he burrowed his face into my chest, a shameless groan ripping from his throat.

Suddenly his thrusts grew messy, and I felt his cock twitch slightly before he spilled himself into me without warning. An overwhelming heat filled me up, leaking out slightly but is fucked deeper into me as Jackson’s hips continued to roll into mine to carry out his climax. As the last bit of energy leaves him, Jackson’s body collapsed on top of me as he finally let my legs relax from his shoulders.

There’s a quiet moment between the two of us now, only the echo of soft pants filled the room. His big arms wrapped around me, holding me close as I clutched lovingly onto his bicep that was draped on top of me. His breathing steadied, and he lifted his head up to look at me.

“I love you.” He spoke softly, his eyes big and doe-eyed like before. Except this time he was looking at me. “I fucking love you.”

Leaning down, he pressed his plump pink lips against mine, leaving the sweet taste of his words on my lips.

“I love you too.” I smiled, kissing him again, “I’m sorry about before. I didn’t mean to get so overzealous. I just really care about you.”

Jackson propped his head up on his hand, looking at me as we laid together. “I care about you too. Why do you think all the songs I write are about you?”

I was quiet, and he continued, “Baby, nobody’s ever going to change the way I feel about you.”

I kissed him again, leaving a small peck on his nose. He pulled me into him, and I turned around so we ended up comfortably spooning. His big arm wrapped around me and I clung to his forearm with both hands, holding him in place. My body was slightly sore, and I could feel a heavy wave of exhaustion forcing my eyelids shut. Jackson nuzzled his chin into the crook of my neck, and he began to hum the tune of ‘100 Ways’. His soothing baritone rocked me to sleep, and as he sleepily muttered the lyrics, my eyes shut peacefully, falling asleep next to my loving boyfriend.

Opening the door to the bedroom, a sudden sweet aroma hit my nose, and a soft humming from the kitchen revealed the missing man’s location. Trudging quietly down the steps I turned the corner, seeing my boyfriend’s tall, lean body swaying along silently to the beat he hummed to himself.

His back was facing me, and in a few quiet tip toes I snuck my arms around his torso, feeling how he jumped at my touch, “Ah! Sweetheart!”

“Morning, bear,” I rested my left cheek on his right arm, looking up at him as he gazed down at me lovingly, “What are you up to?”

He giggled to himself as he tried his best to cover the dish in front of him, setting down a silver knife. I took a step back, allowing him to turn around. In his hands he held a white plate with a heart shaped cake, smothered in pink frosting.

“Check it out!” He grinned, using his finger to carve out the letters ‘ILY’ before lifting the plate up more. I smiled at his kindness, noticing how adorably his eyes crinkled with glee that neither of us noticed the cake slipping off the plate. Gasping, we both reached for it, and the cake smushed up against my robe and his shirt as our bodies closed the space between us in order to avoid it falling onto the floor.

“Jongin!” I giggled, grabbing the smushed cake from between us and setting it back down onto the plate, “Aw no, I’m sorry, baby.”

He shrugged, placing the plate on the counter beside us, reaching for the kitchen rag and wiping his hands, “It’s okay, sweetness. I can always make another one.”

He held me carefully in his arms, bringing his head down towards my forehead to place a soft kiss. Lifting a finger, he placed it under my chin and lifted me up to face him, meeting his lips with mine. The kiss was so pure, any and every emotion shared between the two of us ever so prevalent. After months of a busy schedule creating, planning and releasing his album, Jongin was finally taking a much deserved break, and there was nothing better than being able to celebrate my birthday with him.

Pulling away he graced his hand along my cheek before walking over towards the pantry, reaching for something on one of the higher shelves. I sauntered over to the fridge, reaching for my mug that I leave close by and filled it up with water.

He placed down a small glass jar, jogging behind me and grabbing two forks from out of a drawer before meeting me back at the table, “So no cake, but we can always have peaches!”

I giggled as we sat down, and with a single twist of his strong arms, the overly protective man next to me was able to get the metallic lid off with a soft ‘click’. Canned peaches were always a favorite of mine; I loved the sweet syrup they were packaged in and Jongin knew they were one of easiest ways to put a smile on my face. Even though it wasn’t the ideal breakfast food, it was certainly the best way to start off our day together.

“Here you go, babe.” I said as I held a fork out towards him, grabbing the other for myself. Through a fit of giggles we tried to use the forks almost as spears, trying hilariously to pierce ourselves a peach slice. Finally he’d managed to grab one, lifting the fork towards his mouth and taking about half of it into his mouth. He chewed it contently with a boyish smile on his face, holding the fork out towards me to take the remaining bite.

“Happy birthday, my love.” Jongin cooed, placing his free hand on my leg softly as he leaned in again. Our lips pressed together lovingly, the underlying taste of sweet peach syrup laced in both of our senses.

Sitting back he lifted a thumb to wipe his bottom lip, “Mmmh, you taste so sweet.”

I rolled my eyes at him, I couldn’t help but laugh as I took another bite of the marinated fruit, “Yeah, okay.”