#flufftober23

“No, I’m being serious. They should be home soon and you better behave, Magoroku. She’s not only being ripped from her life, but she’s being plopped into a new country. She needs our support.”

His brow furrowed as he slid down in his seat, watching his mom get up to make tea. How the hell was he supposed to feel about this? He had only just begun to accept Mark as his stepdad and now he has to accept that he has a step-sister? Not only that, but said sister is now going to live with them.

This was his home, his safe space, and it was now being invaded by not one, but two people. He knew his mom was counting on him to make her feel welcome and help her, but he had no desire to do so. He’s not a babysitter.

‘She probably can’t even speak Japanese,’ he scoffed, blowing a large bubble with his gum. It seemed to pop angrily, mirroring how he felt.

Meanwhile, you were feeling extremely nervous as your dad drove toward the apartment complex where you’d be living from now on. You had always dreamed of living in Japan, but now that it was happening… you didn’t feel confident that you could handle such a drastic change.

Your Japanese wasn’t great, just enough to get you through a Jdrama without subtitles, and that worried you. Then there was your new family. You had spoken to your step-mom on the phone before and she seemed really nice, but what if that was just an act to appease your dad? Then there’s the issue of your new brother. 

You knew nothing about him aside from his name and your brain was cooking up all kinds of scenarios, none of them good.

Mark glanced at you, patting your knee. “Relax, kiddo. They’re going to love you.”

“And I’d they don’t?” you questioned softly with a frown. “What if they hate me? I don’t want to be responsible for you getting divorced… again.”

“Hey,” he frowned, glancing at you again. “Your mom and I didn’t get divorced because of you.”

“Sure…” You didn’t want to argue with him, already stressed out, but you refused to believe you weren’t the cause. Your mom had told you many times that you were the reason. Apparently, you were supposed to be a ‘fixer’ baby, the final attempt to fix their marriage. According to her, though, you only made things worse.

You let your forehead fall against the cool glass, a sigh passing your lips. You weren’t sure if you wanted to cry or scream… or both.

As the car pulled up to the building, you noticed the two standing outside. Maka smiled warmly when she saw the car, not hesitating to head over so she could greet her husband. Magoroku didn’t move, hands stuffed into his pockets as he glared at a tree off in the distance. To you, he looked terrifying and mean.

Rather than approaching the driver’s side, Maka came to you. You shivered when she opened the door, the cold autumn air hitting you despite the hoodie you wore.

“Welcome home,” she told you softly, stepping back so you could slide out of the car. As soon as you were out, she pulled you into a warm hug which you hesitantly returned. “How was your flight?”

You hesitated, searching for the proper words. “It was… okay.”

“I’m sure you’re tired.” She rubbed your upper arm before turning to her son, her voice rougher. “Magoroku, take her inside and show her to her room.”

The male scowled, reluctantly doing as he was told. He motioned for you to follow without waiting. You quickly grabbed your book bag from inside the car before rushing after him, gripping the strap tightly. He said nothing as you followed him inside and you couldn’t bring yourself to speak first. You honestly felt like an invader, an unwelcome guest who was forcing their way into someone else’s home.

“Your room,” he pointed at a closed door, not sparing you a glance before disappearing into the room diagonally across from your own. You stood there for a moment before hesitantly entering the room. It was a pretty basic bedroom, having just a bed, a desk and a dresser with walls painted a faded white.

You sat on the side of the bed with a sigh, falling back to stare up at the ceiling. A new chapter of your life had just begun and you were honestly terrified. You had no idea what was in store for you. Part of you was glad to be away from your mother because living with her brought only stress and constant arguments.

You were worried that the same would happen with your new family because you were convinced that you were the problem and not your mother. You released a shaky breath, closing your eyes. No matter what happens, you decided to do your best not to be a burden on them.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

Weeks turned into months but not much changed. You remained reserved, holed up in your room so you didn’t get in anyone’s way. You avoided your new brother like the plague, something Maka had taken notice of since she was home more often than her husband. She didn’t like it and encouraged her son to interact with you more, advice that he promptly ignored.

She knew you were struggling, not just because of your new environment but also because of the damage your mom had inflicted on you over the years. It was the main reason Mark had asked Maka if you could move in with them. He was worried about the way you were being treated.

When Maka first heard about the things your mom said to you, she was shocked. Granted, she understood being frustrated with her child and saying things she regretted later during arguments, but the things your mom said to you was way too far.

Though she had hit you only a couple of times, her abuse was primarily mental, wearing you down with insults. She would order you to do something only to complain that you did it wrong and she would constantly call you lazy and make you feel worthless. You did your best but it was never enough.

Maka wanted to embrace you, to lift you up and let you know that you are good enough, that you’re not worthless, but she had no idea how to do so. She had been hoping that her son would grow to love you and would be able to help, but he had no interest in you or creating a bond with you.

Maka glanced up when she heard your door open, listening to your feet on the wooden floor. The kitchen where she sat was directly in front of the front door so, when you stopped in the doorway to slip your shoes on, she stood up and called out your name.

Your head snapped up, eyes wide as if you had just been caught doing something wrong. “Maka-san,” you quickly bowed, swallowing nervously. “I thought you were at work…”

“I got off early today,” she smiled, keeping her tone soft. “Where are you off to? Do you need me to take you somewhere?”

“I was -” you stopped yourself short before saying, “I was just going for a walk.”

It was only partly true. Though you did want to get some air, you were mainly going out to try and find a job. You felt guilty living like a freeloader though Maka had insisted on this being unnecessary and you knew if you mentioned this, she would scold you again.

She hummed and you honestly couldn’t tell if she believed you or not. “Well, if you’re going out already, can you do me a favor?”

“Of course.”

She quickly scribbled something onto a piece of paper and handed it over to you along with a small wad of cash. “Magoroku forgot to take this with him this morning. Would you be a dear and take this to him? These are the directions to his school.”

You bit your lip, wanting to flat-out tell her no, but you couldn’t. You had invaded her home, you didn’t pay bills and you rarely did any housework. She was asking you to do this, what right did you have to say no? With a forced smile, you accepted the paper. “Okay…”

“You should be able to find Suzuran without any trouble, but feel free to call me if you get lost.”

“Sure…”

“Thank you, dear.” She offered you a smile before heading down the hall toward her bedroom.

When she was out of sight, you frowned, shoving the money into your pocket before heading out the door. Sure enough, the school wasn’t too far from the apartment complex though you were instantly overcome with a sense of dread as soon as you saw it. You would have thought it was abandoned if not for the hoards of boys standing around, fighting, yelling and laughing.

‘This can’t be the right place…’ you swallowed hard, looking down at the paper in your hand. You even input it into maps to double-check. It was the right place.

A guy took notice of you, standing up to his full height. “Oi, you lost, girlie?”

You tensed up, feeling much like a deer caught in headlights. Your lips parted but your brain couldn’t seem to form words.

He quirked a brow at you, hands shoved deep into his pockets as he approached you. “You’re a foreigner, ain’t cha? Can’t speak Japanese?”

“I-I can…” you replied, cursing at how soft your voice was. You knew from all the delinquent anime you’ve watched that guys like this won’t hesitate to pounce when they sense weakness. 

“This ain’t the place for someone like you, girlie. Run along,” he raised his hand, waving it in a shooing motion.

Your brain struggled to find the proper words to explain why you were there. Though you intended to explain, what came out was simply, “Yamaguchi Magoroku… san.”

“Magoroku?” he replied in surprise. “What do you want with him?”

“His mom…” you started, shifting nervously as you glanced at the group of guys behind him, all watching you. “She asked me to deliver something… to him…”

He hummed, sizing you up for a moment before nodding. “Follow me.”

You hesitated, alarm bells ringing inside your head. Like always, though, you ignored them and slowly followed after him. The group of boys waited until you passed by before following behind you. Even if you wanted to run, you couldn’t now.

A boy was slammed into a locker nearby, making you jump in surprise before closing the distance between yourself and the blonde. He led you through the school, ignoring the strange and curious looks the other students were sending your group. You kept your head down, eyes focused on the back of the blonde’s shoes.

He came to a sudden stop in the courtyard. “Oi, Ito. Where’s Magoroku?”

You slowly lifted your head, swallowing hard at the sheer amount of students that filled the area, all looking tough and cruel. Movement caught your eye and you looked up, meeting the calculating brown eyes of Kamui Ito, standing atop a wooden platform. 

You felt your face heat up as you ripped your gaze away from his. ‘He’s so pretty…’ You suddenly felt very self-conscious, cursing yourself for not running away.

“What do you need with him, Yosuke?”

Yosuke jabbed his thumb toward you. “She says she’s here for ’em. Mentioned his mom.”

You shifted nervously under his gaze, listening to the sound of him jumping down and approaching you.

“I’ll take it from here.”

Yosuke shrugged, patting you roughly on the back as he passed by, leaving you with Ito. You suddenly felt very vulnerable and you didn’t like it.

He watched you for a moment, suspicion clear in his eyes. When he noticed the fear lingering in your eyes, his gaze softened. “What do you need Magoroku for?”

‘Even his voice is pretty… who gave a delinquent the right to be this pretty?’ You cleared your throat, keeping your gaze lowered because you couldn’t handle looking into his eyes. “I have something for him… from his mom…”

“How do you know him?” He tilted his head to the side. “I’ve never seen you around here before.”

“I…” Your lips parted but you stopped yourself with a frown. You really didn’t want these people to know that you were related to Magoroku and you doubt he wanted anyone to know, either. “I’m a friend… of the family…”

He gave you a scolding look, hand on his hip. “You shouldn’t lie, especially when you’re no good at it.”

Mercy chuckled from where he sat atop the wooden platform, lounging on the couch. He tugged his sunglasses down so he could peer at you over them. “Don’t be too harsh on her, Ito. She’s clearly a foreigner.”

Ito frowned though it was hidden by his mask. As he observed you, he felt a tug at his heartstrings. You looked so small and uncomfortable, like a rabbit that was surrounded by hyenas. You clearly weren’t a fighter and his gut told him that you weren’t a spy, either.

“Forgive me, I -“

“Oi!” Magoroku’s yell echoed through the courtyard as he pushed his way through the crowd. His eyes were filled with anger that was directed right at you. “What the hell are you doing here, huh?”

You winced at his tone.

When you didn’t answer, he scowled. “Are you dumb? Do you really lack that much awareness? You shouldn’t be here, idiot.”

For a moment, you thought he might actually care about you and that made you feel more at ease.

“If anything happens to you, mom will kill me!”

The words went straight to your heart, piercing it like tiny arrows. ‘Oh… right… of course he doesn’t care. Why would he?’ It hurt a lot more than you had expected it to, tears stinging your eyes.

Ito noticed this and frowned, taking a step closer. “You’re being too harsh, Magoroku.”

“Stay out of this,” he snapped, eyes never leaving you. He reached out for your arm but you flinched away, unaware of the surprise that flashed through his eyes. It was gone as quickly as it had come, though. “We’re leaving.”

The last thing you wanted was to be alone with him. You quickly pulled the money from your pocket, shoving it against his chest. “Your mom asked me to bring you this, I’m sorry for bothering you!” You bowed, unable to hold back your tears any longer. 

With a curse, you rushed away, pushing your way through the assembled crowd.

Magoroku blinked down at the money in his hand, brow furrowed. When your words clicked in his brain, he groaned, realizing what had happened. He had to wonder what his mom was thinking. Suzuran was a dangerous place, especially for someone like you. 

“Oi, wait a minute!” He cried, taking off after you but you had already disappeared. “Damn it.”

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

You fell onto the swing with a tired sigh, resting your head against the cold chain. You had been walking around for hours in an attempt to find your way back home. When you left Suzuran, you hadn’t been paying attention to where you were running. All you wanted was to get as far away from the school and from Magoroku as possible.

You hated people seeing you cry, something that happened more often than you’d like simply because you cried so easily. It didn’t matter if you were sad, angry or hurt – if the emotion was high enough, it was enough to make you cry.

Your gaze lifted to the dark sky above, dozens of tiny stars shimmering faintly in the darkness. The night was surprisingly quiet, interrupted only by the occasional bark of a dog or the roar of a motorcycle in the distance. It was getting colder out and you were thankful that you had worn your hoodie. You were regretting your choice to wear shorts, though.

Magoroku’s angry face flashed through your mind, bringing a frown to your lips. ‘I bet he hates me now. Well, I suppose he hates me more now, I guess. Maybe I should have stayed with mom…’

“Hey, cutie~”

Your body tensed up at the flirty voice, head snapping toward the guy who was slowly approaching you with a sleazy grin. From the way he was struggling to walk straight, you assumed he was drunk.

“What’re you doin’ out here alone, huh?” he slurred, dark eyes glassy.

You quickly stood up, backing away from him.

“Aw, don’t leave me, cutie! C’mere~” He reached out to grab you but a hand wrapped around his wrist, making him cry out in pain. “Who the hell’re -“

Ito’s eyes flashed angrily as he rushed forward, bringing his knee against the man’s gut. He cried out again, legs giving out beneath him. He curled up into a ball, sobbing about taxes and the lack of love from his mother while he clutched his stomach.

Ito shook his head, hand on the small of your back so he could direct you away from the man. He could feel how tense you were, bringing a frown to his lips. He believed it was simply fear that made you this way, completely oblivious to the fact that it was his close presence that was the true cause.

“Are you alright?” he questioned softly. 

You nodded, not trusting your voice. He was so close to you that you could smell his faint cologne and the scent of his strawberry shampoo. It took everything you had not to lean into his touch. 

“Let’s get you home, your family is worried.”

You frowned, lowering your head. “I’m sorry…”

“What for?”

“My dumbass got lost,” you chuckled softly, but it was bitter. “I caused trouble for everyone because I couldn’t do something simple. I’m sorry for bothering you…”

He wasn’t sure why, but something snapped within him. He turned so that he was facing you, hands on your shoulders to keep you in place. “You didn’t bother me or anyone else and you’re not a dumbass!”

You flinched at his tone, trying to pull away. He held you tighter at first before coming to his senses and letting you go.

He tugged the mask from his face, voice softer this time. “Will you look at me?”

You slowly lifted your eyes, feeling the breath leave your lungs. Your heart raced within your chest, face burning. You already found him to be an extremely pretty boy. Without the mask, though, he was stunning.

He smiled softly at you, warmth in his brown eyes. “You’re not a dumbass, you’re just new to the area. It makes sense that you’d get lost.”

You managed a nod, unable to look away from him. You had never felt this way before, especially not toward someone you had just met. What was this man doing to you?

“You should be kinder to yourself,” he spoke softly, his words catching you off guard. 

It was enough to knock you out of whatever spell he had you under and you scoffed, finally able to look away. “Self-love isn’t really my strong suit.”

He frowned, hand on his hip as he observed you.

You shifted nervously, feeling as if he could read you so easily and you hated it. “Um… if you tell me where to go, I can find my way… probably…”

“I’m not letting you go alone,” he chuckled softly. 

‘Of course, he doesn’t trust me because I -‘

“And not because I don’t think you can handle it alone. I want to make sure you’re safe.”

Your eyes widened, snapping to him in surprise. “How did you -“

With a smile, he gently took your hand in his, tugging you down the street. “If self-love isn’t your strong suit, then I’ll just have to teach you until it is.”

Your face burned once again, eyes focused on where your hands were connected. ‘So soft…’ You failed to understand how a delinquent who’s clearly no stranger to fighting could have such soft hands.

Ito squeezed your hand gently, prompting you to meet his gaze. The warmth and kindness lingering there honestly surprised you and you wondered if he treated everyone like this. Did he feel the same strong attraction to you as you did to him? You doubted it, but it was a nice thought. 

“Can I ask you something?”

You blinked at him but he had turned his face away from you so you couldn’t see his expression. That also meant he couldn’t see your nod. “Sure…”

He hesitated, biting his lip. “Never mind.”

This brought a frown to your lips, sparking your curiosity that you simply couldn’t ignore. “What is it?”

Coming to a stop, he turned to face you, a light dusting of pink across his cheeks and nose. “Are you… dating anyone?”

That is definitely not the question you were expecting and you felt your face heating up again. Why was he asking this? A small part of you hoped that he liked you, but you weren’t one to get your hopes up. 

“No,” you replied softly, shaking your head.

A smile slid onto his lips, eyes lighting up. “Good.”

What did that mean? Before your mind could come up with negative thoughts, a familiar voice broke through the night.

“Oi!” Magoroku came to a stop in front of you, hands on his knees. He was breathing heavily, breath coming out in thin puffs of smoke. 

This made you frown, guilt settling in your gut. How long had he been looking for you? ‘Did Maka-san scold him? Did she stop him from coming home until he found me?’ “Magoroku-san, I’m so-“

He threw his arms around your neck, holding you tightly to his body. You blinked dumbly, body tense and mind unsure how to process this information. 

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, squeezing you tighter.

“Eh?” You blinked again, filled with confusion. You had no idea why he was apologizing. Shouldn’t he be yelling at you? Scolding you for making him waste his time?

Magoroku pulled back, a frown on his lips as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry… for being a dick. I can’t believe mom sent you to Suzuran, that was so dangerous. What the hell is wrong with that woman?”

Ito chuckled at his frustration. “Clearly, she wanted the two of you to bond.”

“Clearly, she wanted to frustrate me,” he scoffed, pausing for a moment. “Oi, Ito?”

“Yes?” He was smiling brightly, feeling happy though he wasn’t entirely sure why.

“Why the hell are you holding my sister’s hand?”

Both of you flushed with embarrassment and you tried to pull your hand away but he just held it tighter. You honestly felt overwhelmed by everything happening – Ito’s presence and warmth, being caught holding his hand and, more importantly, the fact that Magoroku just referred to you as his sister. It was the first time he had done so.

The brunette lifted his head, staring the older male in the eye with a surprising level of determination. “Because I’m her protector.”

Both you and Magoroku stared at him in disbelief, unsure what to say.

Ito just smiled warmly at you, tugging you past your new brother and in the direction of your home. His fingers laced through your own before tugging you closer and you bit your lip to stop the goofy smile from spreading across your face.

“O-Oi! You just met her!” cried Magoroku, stomping toward the two of you.

Ito winked at you before starting to run, taking you along with him. 

“Get back here, you brat!”

Rather than acting afraid, he just laughed. It must have been infectious because it didn’t take long for you to start laughing, as well. It was the first time in a very long time that you felt truly happy and without a care in the world.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

-> High&Low/Rampage Taglist: @kiraaaeon, @simpforchuchu, @star2fishmeg, @thatpoindexterpixy @manhwabtch

“Yeah, like broads in uniform.” The fresh, pushy young man who'd been at the station said, as though the whole thing was a great farce

Sam barely has time to register the words being spoken, before another American voice snapped across the room

“Oi, you shut it Farnetti! Ladies present!” The speakeris just in front of her, springing to his feet with the force of his words. Then just as quickly, the skinny man quickly dips his head in apology to Mr Foyle and sits back down in his seat.

“Well -yes- “ Mr Foyle carries on in his his talk with only the lightest of stumbles, given the gravity of the interruption. Rather than listening Sam instead took time to study her self-appointed defender. His chest was heaving up and down, and it wasn't just anger making it so, she could hear an odd rattling and wheeze with each breath. And he really was skinny, not just thin, there was no breadth to the body under the uniform jacket, it looked two sizes too big on him- at the very least.

She didn't know anything of the American Military requirements for their men, but looking across the rows of green-khaki backs, this man stood out like a sore thumb physically. I don't like the sound of that breathing, and I' not even officially trained, surely he wouldn't have passed a medical to be a soldier.

Not that, Samnotes as the young man promptly tensed to spring at another apparently crude remark from 'Farnetti', he lacks any of the necessary courage for a fight.

Everyone applauds Mr Foyle, then the gathering begins to splinter, some of the men putting chairs away, others making quick steps towards the next room, with their apparent friends.

The young skinny man shook his head, apparently at the world and turned in his seat, giving her a bashful but sweet smile

“Miss, I apologise for those comments from the other men- some of them haven't the manners they were born with.” He holds out a hand over the back of the chair

“Steven Rogers, although I go by Steve.”

She shakes it warmly, and manners too “Samantha Stewart”

He glances along the room “There's a spread of food in the next hall, if you are hungry.

She tries not to immediate look over in the direction, but is pretty sure her eyes give her away “I am rather hungry.”

Rogers – Steve- rises from his chair and makes an effort to move it the little way to the wall, out of the way. As she stands and does the same it merely confirms what she was already guessing. The young man is even shorter than her, shorter even than she'd be in her socks.

He doesn't appear to notice, or at least doesn't remark on her expression, instead taking a few steps across the room, before turning back to her,

“It's just through here.”

He sets off at a brisk pace, but she shortens her stride to keep with him, not accidentally overtake and make him hurry further. At least she does until she sees the table, absolutely laden with things. She stops, looking back and forth along the spread of food.

There's a soft, but not unkind chuckle at her elbow, and looks down to a warm smile, “Rather more than you're used to in Blighty?”

“Rather.” I want to try it all, but where to even start? I'm not sure I even recognise some of it

He steps forward again, “Grab a plate and fill up before the other greedy mugs get near, or it will be crumbs, just start at one end and pick things until you get to the other, Miss Stewart.”

Has Mr Foyle seen this? She looks around for him, spots him in conversation with the American Captain, Keiffer, apparently being shown something in a leather wallet. She follows Steve Roger's- lead, collecting a plate and a fork from the stacks, looking and listening as he sotto-voce, identifies some of the dishes for her; baloney, hamburger.

“If you don't mind me asking-” she asks between mouthfuls of food as they stand in a corner eating “You don't look much like a soldier.” She slightly gestures with her fork at the others around them.

Rogers doesn't take offence, or doesn't seem to, “I'm not -failed my medical three times when I tried, even under false names.” He shifts his fork to his plate hand and reaches up to touch his ear, which, Sam only now notices, has a pencil tucked behind it, and stands more stiffly “Steven G. Rogers, Official United States War Artist, now attached to the Engineer Battalion posted in Southern England.” He eases his posture, then dips in his pocket “Oh, here. “ He brings out a square of paper

Sam takes it and unfolds it to reveal Mr Foyle, mid flow in his speech, as captured on paper. She looks between the drawing and the artist.

“Only a rough sketch for now.” He says abashedly, not quite looking at her, “I could do better with more time.”-

----

“You saw me this morning,” you laughed, shifting in his hold so you could face him. He looked exhausted after a long day of interviews and video filming.

“And it’s nighttime, now,” he pouted, tugging you closer. “That’s too long without you.”

You cupped his face, glancing around to ensure that no one was nearby before bringing your lips to his. He responded without hesitation, humming in satisfaction. When you finally pulled away, he chased your lips, claiming another kiss.

“Another hour and you can get some rest.” You brushed the hair away from his forehead. 

He nodded, reluctantly pulling away when he heard voices down the hall. He smiled politely at the two female employees who walked past which they returned with polite bows. “You don’t have to wait for me.”

“You’re right, but I want to. Feels wrong going home without you.”

Seungmin smiled warmly, eyes sparkling with love. “Thank you. I’ll try not to make you wait too long.”

“Don’t worry, there’s always something to do around here,” you chuckled. “Now go on, I’m sure the others are wondering where you went.”

He nodded, throwing a quick glance around the hallway before dipping down to steal a kiss from you. As badly as you wanted to draw it out, it was too risky and you had to gently push him away before you got pulled in to the whirlpool that was Seungmin.

Sending you a smile, he turned around and headed back to the practice room where the rest of Stray Kids were waiting. Shaking your head, you returned to the cardboard boxes stacked in the hall. They were filled with supplies ordered by the stylists and you had been tasked with transporting them to the storage room on the second floor.

Not a fun job by any means but at least it would keep you busy. 

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

You stifled a yawn as you sat outside at the back of the JYP building, sitting on the ground with your back against the wall and a cigarette dangling from your fingers. It was pretty late by this point, most of the employees having left already but the boys were still in the midst of learning their new choreo. 

The night was fairly cold but it didn’t really bother you. Autumn was your favorite time of year and, though it could get pretty chilly, it wasn’t cold enough that it was uncomfortable for you. You just wished you didn’t live in the city so you could see more leaves changing colors.

Your phone buzzed in your pocket and your brow furrowed when you saw Seungmin’s name asking across the screen. Why was he calling you? Did he think you left already? “Minnie? What’s up, why are you -“

“Baby, I need a huge favor.“

“Yeah, of course.”

“My brother-in-law’s mom is sick so he and my sister are heading out of town to go check on her. She doesn’t want to bring Eun with her and risk him getting sick, too, so she asked me if I’d watch him for the weekend. I know we were supposed to go to the haunted house but he’s my nephew and –“

“Minnie,” you chuckled softly at his worried tone. “I don’t mind at all. Do you need me to go pick him up?”

“No,” he breathed out in relief. “She’s on her way to the apartment. Can you meet her there, please? We’re almost done and I promise I’ll be home soon.“

“I’m on my way.” You stood up, taking a long drag of your cigarette before putting it out and throwing it in the trash.

“Thank you so much, honeybee. I love you.“

You smiled at the nickname. “I love you, too. Don’t work too hard.”

“I promise.“

After exchanging goodbyes, you slipped your phone back into your pocket as you headed toward the parking lot. Your apartment wasn’t too far from the studio so you were able to make it home in about fifteen minutes, helped by the fact that traffic was pretty light.

Just as you reached the front door of the building, you heard your name being called and paused. Dalrae smiled tiredly at you as she approached, holding the hand of six-year-old Eun.

“I’m really sorry about this,” she apologized with a bow. “I know this is super short notice but we just found out and Minjae is really worried.”

“You don’t have to apologize, I understand,” you offered her a polite smile in return. “Seungmin is still at work but he should be home soon.”

She nodded in understanding before kneeling down in front of her son, brushing the hair from his eyes. “Eunnie, I want you to behave, okay? We’ll only be gone for a few days and you can call me any time, okay?”

Eun nodded before wrapping his arms around her neck, giving her a hug. “Be safe, mama.”

“I will,” she smiled, pecking him on the top of the head before standing up and handing you the bookbag she was holding. “There should be plenty of clothes for him and I made sure to pack a few things to keep him occupied. If you have any issues, feel free to call.”

You accepted the bag with a nod, putting your arm through the strap. “Drive safe.”

“Thank you. Bye, Eunnie, I love you.”

“Love you, too, mama.” He waved at her as she walked away before turning to you and taking your hand. “Can we go inside, please? I’m cold.”

“Of course,” you smiled down at him before leading him inside the building.

After catching the elevator to the third floor, you brought Eun into your apartment, turning on the heater to remove the chill from the air. He quickly took his shoes and jacket off before heading for the couch and wrapping himself in the blanket you had been using earlier.

“Would you like some hot chocolate?”

“Yes, please!”

You nodded with a smile before disappearing into the kitchen. While the water was heating up, you checked your phone to see several unread messages from your boyfriend. You had missed them because you had left your phone inside while you waited for his sister to arrive.

> Are they there yet?

> Don’t wait outside too long, you’ll catch a cold.

> Noona just told me she dropped Eun off. You were waiting outside without a coat >(

> Practice finally finished, I’m on my way ♡ ILY

You smiled at his concern, about to respond when you heard the door open. You stepped out of the kitchen in time to see Eun running at him, a bright smile on his face.

“Uncle!” he cried joyfully, throwing himself into the older male’s arms.

“Eunnie~” Seungmin hugged him back tightly, a soft smile on his face. “It’s been so long, you’ve gotten so big!”

“It hasn’t been that long,” he giggled.

“It’s been ages,” replied Seungmin with a pout, ruffling the young boy’s hair. “We’re gonna have a lot of fun this weekend.”

Eun looked excited for a moment before frowning. “But… what about work?”

“Don’t worry about that.” Seungmin kneeled down in front of him, brushing the hair from his eyes. “You only need to worry about what costume you’re gonna wear when we go trick-or-treating!”

His eyes lit up. “Really? You’ll take me?”

“Of course!”

“Thank you, uncle!” He threw his arms around the older man’s neck, smiling happily.

Not wanting to interrupt, you returned to the kitchen. The water was warm now so you poured it into three mugs before adding the hot chocolate mix to each and stirring the contents.

Arms wrapped around you from behind, Seungmin’s chin resting on your shoulder. “You’re gonna add marshmallows, right? The tiny ones.”

You chuckled at the question. “Of course, but I want it to cool down a bit so they don’t instantly melt. I don’t want Eun to burn his tongue, either.”

Hearing your concern for the young boy filled his chest with warmth. There was just something about you being so caring toward his nephew that made him feel so happy and proud. 

He hummed, hugging you tighter. “And here I thought I couldn’t fall farther in love with you~”

“If you’re gonna fall, can you do it on the bed so I don’t have to carry you?” you joked, earning a pout from him.

He clicked his tongue as he pulled away. “You’re lucky I love you.”

“The luckiest in the world,” you replied seriously, smiling at him. 

“Me too,” he admitted as he grabbed the bag of marshmallows from the cabinet. Rather than place them inside the cups, he started to eat them out of the bag.

You sent him a look. “Really?”

“What?” he frowned, taking a moment to eat a few more. “I had a long day and I’m hungry.”

Your gaze softened, knowing how hard he had been working for their comeback. “I know. A bag of marshmallows isn’t the healthiest thing, though.”

He considered it for a moment before nodding, nose wrinkled as he handed you the bag. 

You started to distribute them among the three mugs. “Take this to Eun. I’m pretty sure they’re playing the Nightmare Before Christmas tonight.”

“You’re not joining us?”

“I’m gonna make dinner.”

He frowned, eyes following you as you started to set ingredients onto the counter. “Just order something. I want to spend time with you.”

“It won’t take long,” you promised, tugging at the collar of his shirt until he closed the distance, his lips claiming your own. As much as you didn’t want to, you gently pushed him away. “The hot chocolate is gonna get cold, babe.”

“Then it’ll be cold chocolate,” he muttered, chasing your lips again but you put your hand between the two of you with a chuckle. “You’re so mean.”

“I know,” you patted his cheek. “Now get that hot chocolate to Eun, stat.”

“Fine~” Seungmin pecked your cheek quickly before grabbing the mugs and leaving the kitchen. 

With a smile and a warm feeling in your chest, you sipped your hot chocolate before getting to work on dinner.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

The only thing standing between the attackers and the civilians was Natasha and her biotic barrier. Too many people had fallen already. She couldn't allow any others to join him... them.

Her eyelids were getting heavier, making it harder to keep the fatigue at bay.

"Not yet," she told herself through gritted teeth, forcing her eyes open.

Somewhere in the distance, gunfire peppered through the air. More screams followed. Natasha sighed heavily as she struggled to stay conscious, unsure of how long she'd already endured this attack. Had it been minutes? Hours? Days?

Her vision blurred, and she breathed slowly as she focused all her energy on her barrier.

The Batarians at the edge of her barrier began to fall as armored soldiers came over the horizon. Leading the charge was a soldier bearing a distinctive red and white stripe on his armor.

N7.