#moonlight symphony

On the Friday after your 21st birthday, you and your friends went out to celebrate. You went to a dancing club to drink and have fun. Unfortunately for you, hindsight is 20/20. You should have eaten more and better food, as well as made sure to keep a (sober) friend with you at all times. Regretting things can't change the past, and you know this well. 

After one drink, you were a little tipsy. After two, you were drunk. Your vision wasn't too blurry, but everything was hilarious. A few drinks later and you couldn't quite walk straight and your words were a little slurred. 

"Hey," you tell your nearest friend. "I'm gonna go outside for some fresh air." 

And you do just that. Your heels click on the scuffed up wooden floor as you opened the door and took in the night breeze. 

You didn't notice the men who followed you outside until the spoke up. 

"Hey girl, what's your name?" One of them asked. 

"Y/n," you absentmindedly say.

"That's a sexy name. Did you come here by yourself?" A different one spoke. 

"Nope." You respond, popping the ‘p.’ 

If you weren't so drunk, you would have noticed the anxious looks they tossed around. 

"Do you want to come home with me?" One of them boldly asked, resting his hand on your hip. "I doubt who you came with would mind. I'll treat you well." 

"Any of us-" the second guy started.

"Or all of us," someone else interrupted. 

"Would treat you well," He finished.

You weakly shake your head no and turn to head inside. However, the one gripping your waist held you still. 

"Come on baby, why so prude, hmm? I'll make you feel real good, promise." He says, rubbing circles with his thumbs. 

Suddenly a rather muscular, attractive man appears. He growls and pulls you into him, and you swear he calls you his girlfriend. But before you can figure anything out, you pass out. 

When you wake up in the morning, the night before is a blur. You immediately notice that you're not in your own room, nor in that if a friend's. You look around and see the most attractive man in bed next to you. He's deeply asleep, and has the body of Michelangelo's statue of David, but better. 

A thrill of fear runs through you as you sit up to get out of bed and you're wearing just a shirt that definitely wasn't yours, considering that it was too big on you. 

Did we have sex last night? You cant… you cant properly consent when you're drunk… Did we at least use a condom? Shouldn't I be a little sore?

You had many unanswered questions as you quietly gather your things, hoping not to disturb the sleeping man. You quickly change back into your clothes, leaving his shirt on the floor. 

When you leave his room, you find yourself in a house full of boys. You turn red and keep your head down, feeling horrid. They look at you, surprised. One of them tries to say something to you, but you quickly leave before the chance is given. 

It makes sense why they're called the walk of shame…

You make it outside and find out that you really aren't in the city anymore. So, you call an uber and make it home. 

You don't talk to any of your friends about what happened… nor does it really seem like they know or remember themselves. Of course, most of them drank a lot, thought someone else took you home, or thought you went home with someone. One of your friends saw you leave with a hot, muscular guy. 

You didn't say much to anyone after that, and the same friend that saw you leave with the guy you woke up with, Yeri, was afraid that you were falling into a depressive episode. Because of who she was, you couldn't avoid her forever.

Yeri ended up showing up at your work right when you were leaving. She grabbed your arm with her surprisingly strong grip, and starts guiding you to a nearby coffee shop.

"I know you're stressed and going through a lot, so we are getting coffee and talking. And I know you have some extra spending cash because you house sat the other week." Yeri began, guiding you to the line. 

The intoxicating smell of coffee calms you for the time being, letting you relax a little. 

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" She softly asks you, moving up in line. 

"I know," you murmur, looking up at the menu. "But I just don't always know the words for what I need to say." It was then that you notice one of the baristas is extremely familiar. Your eyes widen in surprise and you look away blushing. It was the hot guy you woke up next to. 

"Earth to y/n, earth to y/n. Is everything okay?" Yeri asks, concerned. 

You gulp and nod as you realize your next in line, and he is the one taking orders. 

You shyly step up and order a green tea latte, not meeting his eyes. "What's your name?" He asks, and it sounds more like him being genuine than just needing to write it down on the cup.

"Y/n," you tell him, glancing up at his handsome face. 

He then asks you to spell your name and you do, glancing at his nametag that said 'Jaehyun.' He smiles brightly, dimples showing. "Alright. Thank you y/n. I can help who is next in line."

You stay rooted in your spot, your eyebrows knitting together. You hadn't paid for your drinks. You were about to say something when he adds, "Don't worry about it. It's my treat, okay?" 

You mutely nod and go wait for your drink and Yeri, dazed. 

A younger man calls your name, and he smiles at you as you take your drink. On it is numbers  you make it out to be a phone number. You look quizzically at the guy who gave you your drink, and he grins and points to the mysterious hottie, Jaehyun. You nod slightly and head to Yeri's side, going and sitting at a table. 

You two start conversing, and she pries you and gets you talking some. Eventually, she brought up the inevitable.

"So the barista. The one who wrote their number on your cup. He's the one you went home with." Yeri says, looking at him suspiciously. 

"Yeah, apparently…" you admit, not denying what must have happened.

"Do you not remember?" She asks, suddenly worried. "If he drugged you I don't care how big he is. I will fight him."

You shake your head no. "I was just drunk. Besides, I'm sure plenty of girls are head over heels for him and he's super hot. He could easily get laid if he wanted to."

"You're not wrong. But still, you did end up with him. That's suspicious." 

"I suppose he must have just changed me… that's why I thought we did something. My period came and went, so everything is fine that way. But I really don't know…"

"Wait, like he changed your clothes?" 

"Well, yeah…" 

"What the fuck?! No. So not okay," she says, standing up and about to march over to yell at him. 

"Please don't, Yeri. I'm as confused as you," You softly beg. 

"Fine, but I'm asking Joohyun if she knows him. But judging by his age.. I'll ask Sooyoung instead. If anyone knows anything, its her," Yeri derisively responds. She then sends a quick text before giving you her full attention. "Do you want to go over what you remember? I'm pretty sure Soyeon said she saw you leave with a guy… that's why I wasn't worried. But honestly, knowing you, I should have been. I feel bad I wasn't more cautious over you. I was too busy being the mom friend for everyone else. I hate being the mom friend," Yeri grumbles. 

You can't help but laugh at her rant, as it was true. No one liked taking the role of the mom friend when everyone was drinking. Yeri was just stuck with it as the designated driver. 

"I just… the last thing I remember was going outside for air. My head got clouded and there were some guys… then one guy, probably…" you gesture to Jaehyun, "since I woke up in his bed… called me his girlfriend. That's all I remember besides waking up. I made the walk of shame! I hated it!" You admit, glancing around to make sure no one heard you. 

When Yeri's phone buzzes, she reads the notification. "Sooyoung says he's a good guy, and really not interested in most girls... Maybe you're his perfect type? Okay, she said he isn't a player and is both overly confident and awkward as hell around girls. It varies. She also says he's not the kind to do the deed when drunk." 

"Did you tell her what I said?" You demand of your best friend, upset and turning red.

"Kind of? I asked about him and if he was a player especially around drunk people. She's not that thick headed to not know what happened at the party," Yeri explains.

Your shoulders slump in defeat and you nod, knowing Yeri was right. However, Sooyoung's response left you with more questions than before. 

"I can't- I don't know-" you try to let Yeri understand your frustration. You want to know the answers as to what happened, but at the same time, you're afraid of what they could be. You let out a heavy sigh as you formulate a proper sentence. "I want to know but I'm also afraid to find the truth," you tell her, fear clawing at your stomach. 

"I totally understand that. But wouldn't it be nice if nothing happened and it's just a misunderstanding?" Yeri suggests gently. "I mean, there's no harm in at least texting him. He obviously remembers you. Maybe he just wants to clear the air." 

You know Yeri doesn't mean to pressure you in a negative way, and she always seems to have your best interest in mind. This time… well, it feels different. You're torn between giving this man a bit of trust or doing your best to never see him again. You can't differentiate what your stomach is telling you or your head. You were completely conflicted. 

You start to feel overwhelmed, and your brain goes to autopilot. You listen to what Yeri said and type out a message to Jaehyun, that read: 

Hi. This is Y/N.

You know he wont reply right away since he is working, but you try to ignore the impulsivity of what you did and do your best not to regret it. 

"Well there's that…" you mumble, setting your phone on the table.

Less than a minute later, your phone buzzes anyways. 

Hey Y/N! Sorry, my coworker put my number on your cup… My name is Jaehyun, by the way. I’m sorry things ended up like this.

Would you maybe like to meet sometime so I can try to explain?

“What do you think I should do, Yeri?” you ask, showing her your phone and trying not to cry. 

“Give it to me. I’ll have Seulgi go with you. Does that sound good? You know how intimidating she can be when she wants, you know?” Yeri gently says, typing a response. “I have your back. We all do.” 

You nod and help Yeri figure out the logistics. Jaehyun isn’t even bothered by you asking to bring a friend. 

When you finally did agree to meet Jaehyun in person, you wore simple clothes. You had Yeri with you, and she was being very protective and careful with you. 

Jaehyun felt a pang in his heart, because he knew he messed up. He should have left you in his bed without him, but he couldn’t leave you. Not when you smelt like them. Looking at you with Yeri by your side, he could scent your fear and unease. He smiled sweetly at the two of you, and greeted you both. You were outside on campus, sitting at one of the tables outside. 

“Y/N, there’s a lot I need to explain to you,” he gently begins, glancing at Yeri. 

She smiled slightly, because she knew something you didn’t. 

“Okay?” you respond, looking to Yeri. She nods, so you look back at Jaehyun.

He smiles once more, and it’s contagious. You stop yourself from smiling, only because you were too anxious. 

“So,” Jaehyung begins. “First and foremost. You passed out drunk and I didn’t know what to do. So I took you home because I didn’t want those pervs touching you. My friend’s mate-uh, girlfriend, changed you into my shirt when she saw you, as she figured it wouldn’t have been comfortable. I stayed with you because I didn’t want you getting sick and throwing up and choking. I slept shirtless, but I was wearing pants. I swear. And you were the one who cuddled up to me in your sleep, so that just kind of happened on its own.” 

You stare at him blankly, taking in his words and judging the honesty behind them. 

“So you didn’t rape her?” Yeri asks for you, gently giving your hand a squeeze. 

If it weren’t crazy, you would have sworn his eyes flashed red. 

“I didn’t lay a finger on her like that. I would never harm her.” Jaehyun says, and you feel the sincerity in his words. “I’d rather hurt myself.” 

You give him a sideways glance, confused as to why he felt so strongly for you. He was being extremely altruistic, and it surprises you.

“Do you say that to every girl?” you ask. 

He shakes his head, looking away bashfully. “No,” he admits. “But, if you don’t mind, I’d really like to start over with you. You’re… well, you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever laid eyes on. And you must be a wonderful person since you willingly met with me after that misunderstanding.” 

"Chan, you're cheating!" You accuse him, pointing out to where he wasn't shuffling the cards and was definitely keeping track of who gave him what card.

"I am not!" He argued right back. 

"Then give me the cards and let me shuffle them. Then I'll know you aren't cheating." You say, standing up and walking over to him. 

"No I wasn't!" He suddenly growled, standing up as well. You had never been truly scared of any of the boys before, but Chan was unsettling you. His dark eyes flashed amber, and you swear you're dreaming. 

"I just used my favorite card for this and you won't pick it just because you aren't too fond of me!" You further accuse, regretting using the "Bees?" card. 

Chan suddenly lunges at you, and you freeze in your spot. You've only been that frightened once before, and you never wanted to feel this way again. However, Seungcheol quickly intervenes and guides you behind him protectively. His eyes then flash amber too and he growls lowly at Chan. Seconds later Jeonghan is between the two, and soon an eruption of shouts breaks out between the boys. 

Sensitive to the loud noise despite it happening often, a soft whimper escapes you and you step back. Yout legs start to give out and your shaking in fear. Within seconds Seungcheol is whisper sweet nothings in your ear and carrying you to his room. 

He sits on his bed and holds you against him, and you could tell he was trying to hold back his anger. 

"Cheol Oppa?" You softly ask once you calm down enough. When he hums in response, you continue, "why did Chan get so upset?" 

Seungcheol sighs, and gently nuzzles into your neck and lays you down. You gladly let him, and you curl into his arms. 

"I was going to get around to telling you... but I didn't want this to be the way you found out. I never meant to scare you or put you in harm's way." He murmurs, leaving you confused. "I'm sorry, jagi. Please don't be scared when I tell you..." Seungcheol whispers, kissing your forehead. 

You pull away to look into his uncertain eyes, now calm from the argument. "I could never be scared of you, Cheol," you admit. 

"I know baby, I know..." he breathes, closing his eyes and rubbing your lower back. He then opens his eyes, and studies your face as he tells you, "Y/n, we're werewolves. I know it's hard to believe... And, well, Chan recently turned and is still trying to learn how to control himself. He nearly lost it downstairs, and that's why Jeonghan stepped in. He was mad at you, and I couldn't- I couldn't-" Seungcheol's voice broke, and he held you tighter. "I didn't want him to accidentally hurt you..." he whispers. "And if he bit you..." Seungcheol shook his head, trying not to think about it. 

"When were you going to tell me?" You softly ask, looking up at him. You didn't quite believe him yet, but at the same time, it made sense. 

"My plan was to tell you when you were choosing graduate school. I know your college now doesn't have what you want... but I don't want you off somewhere else without me. And it wouldn't be safe for you, either. I would have suggested doing it online instead." He explains, using his thumb to wipe away your tears. 

"What do you mean, it wouldn't be safe? I can handle myself, you know." You tell him, poking his bicep. 

Seungcheol shakes his head. "That's not all... What do you know about regular wolves?" He gently prompts you. 

It was an odd question, but you answered him nonetheless. "Well, they live in packs. There's an alpha male and female who are in charge, then betas. The alpha male is generally the strongest, and the alpha female is his mate. They all protect the pack, especially the pups, and every wolf has a purpose. They also mate for life, and I'm pretty sure get sad when their mate dies." 

Seungcheol nods, his hands still rubbing your back. "We're... somewhat similar, I suppose. I'm the alpha for us. And as for mates... We don't choose as much as they are chosen for us. Some may consider them soulmates. And... you're mine." He blushes slightly at his honesty, and braced himself for your rejection. 

However, he notices you fall deep into thought. The sensation is familiar to him, and he knows it's not a good one. 

It wasn't Seungcheol's words that scared you, but the suppressed memory that surfaced.

WARNING BELOW

It was back in the beginning of high school when you came face to face with a wolf. 

Your father had always abused you mentally, emotionally, and occasionally physically. This time, he was outraged. You said something that sounded remotely sarcastic to him, and he flipped out. He took off his belt and was yelling at you. You hardly remember the words; only that he was pulling down his pants and trying to do the same to yours. 

Your screams were muffled by his hand as you searched for something, anything to stop him. You ended up finding a boot and hitting him hard in the balls. Grabbing your phone and jacket, you ran out of the apartment. 

With only slight hesitation, you ran into the woods. You figured it would be more difficult to find you there, and harder for the police to pick you up and bring you back to him. 

Despite generally having a good sense of direction, you ended up lost and hungry in the middle of the woods. You carried on the best you could, hoping to find civilization. 

Instead, a wolf found you. For a split second you mistook him for a bear, as he was massive. You had frozen in fear as the beast walked over to you. Rather than biting at your throat, he softly licked your hand. He nuzzled into you, as if urging you to follow him. Out of desperation, you did. 

He helped you stand when you would stumble, guiding you back to your neighborhood. He stopped once you reached someone's backyard, and you knew that was as far as he would take you. 

You turned back around to thank him, but he was already gone. 

END OF WARNING

When you came to, a very worried Seungcheol was hovering over you. He had somehow gotten a cold washcloth on your forehead, and you were laying down with him gripping you firmly but gently. 

Soft gasps escaped you as you tried not to hyperventilate.

"Breathe, y/n, breathe with me," Seungcheol urged you, the worry evident in his eyes. 

After calming down, you closed your eyes. Seungcheol removed the washcloth from your forehead, kissing your temple. 

Before he had time to ask if you were okay, you ask, "It was you, wasn't it? That night in high school when I was lost in the woods? I didn't question it then when you showed up at my house less than an hour after I got home. You were that wolf, weren't you?" 

A slight hint of pride lit up Seungcheol's face. "Yes, it was baby. Was that what you were remembering? You know he can't hurt you now. Not ever again." He confirmed your suspicion and calmed your nerves at the same time. "Even though the bond wasn't complete, and still isn't, I could tell that my mate was in great distress. So I had to check on you and make sure you were safe." Seungcheol explains, playing with your hand. 

He let you calm down for a moment, then softly asked, "Is there anything I can do for you? I know how exhausted you can get after an attack like that. Do you want water or some cuddles?" Seungcheol gently asks, brushing your hair out of your eyes, then tucking it behind your ear. 

You shake your head no and tell him, "I'll be okay... but I wouldn't mind cuddling." Seungcheol grins brightly and joins you under the sheets, holding you in a warm, safe embrace. You weren’t entirely sure what the whole mate thing entailed, but you could certainly get used to more cuddling. 

After a short nap, you wake up to the sound of talking and Seungcheol growling. He had pulled you closer to him and was looking at Chan with narrowed eyes. Jeonghan and Jihoon were in the room as well, and you rubbed your eyes. Chan looked at you, guilt evident in his eyes. Before you could ask what was going on, Jeonghan awkwardly cleared his throat.

“Chan wanted to talk to you all and apologize for his outburst,” Jeonghan explained.

You gently pulled yourself away from Seungcheol and sat up, looking at Chan.

“I’m sorry I lost my temper. I never would have hurt you on purpose, y/n-ssi. I really wasn’t cheating, I promise…” he whined. “I’m sorry I threatened your mate, alpha…” Chan added, offering his neck submissively.

You could tell that he was really sorry, and that Chan regretted his actions. “It’s okay, Chan. At least I understand better now…” You tell him, looking up at Seungcheol.

His growling had eventually subsided, and he sniffed in your intoxicating scent. “It’s alright Chan. Just leave us alone for now, okay? That goes for all of you.” Seungcheol said, wanting to get them to leave. His voice sounded strained, and you could feel his arm muscles tightening around your waist protectively.

“Seungcheol hyung, if your going into-” Jeonghan began.

“I’m not!” Seungcheol quickly snapped.

“It’s not safe for y/n if she’s here. Let us take her home. She needs to think things through.” Jihoon said, stepping up.

“I’m fine. Leave us alone.” Seungcheol growled, and that was that. The boys all left the room begrudgingly, and shut the door behind them.

“Cheolie, are you okay?” You ask, turning in his arms and trying to soothe him.

He begins to relax under your touch, but still doesn’t let you go. Seungcheol closes his eyes and concentrates on steadying his breathing. “When we find our mate, we’re supposed to make this official with them.” Seungcheol randomly begins to explain. “Normally, the female will go into heat and that will trigger the male’s rut, but…”

“I’m not a werewolf,” you mutter, knowing that’s what he meant.

He nodded and opened his eyes, his gaze probing and watching for any signs of you being uncomfortable. “So every once in a while, I go into rut. Which is normal, especially for an alpha. But it gets bad sometimes, very, very bad. It’s similar to when an animal goes into heat, where the female is extremely horny and goes around practically begging for sex.” Seungcheol clears his throat, avoiding your gaze. “And for us, when we rut… Well, it’s almost the same. We get extremely possessive and… well, it’s more difficult if you don’t have your mate, or if you know where they are and haven’t officiated the bond.”

Seungcheol had started sweating, and looked like he was getting sick. His body was extremely warm, and you could tell he was getting uncomfortable.

“How do you officiate the bond?” you softly ask, looking down at your hands.

“Sex. We have sex and I mark you. I bite into the sensitive flesh of your neck and let everyone know your mine. I cum inside you and knot your tight pussy, claiming you as mine.” Seungcheol tells you in a husky voice, his eyes turning amber.

You get the goosebumps and shiver, aroused by his dirty words.

“For werewolves,” he continues, “Marking is like marriage. It means you’re mine forever. I never wanted to say anything because I didn’t want to scare you, plus I didn’t know if you were ready for sex… But god, how I’ve wanted you.”

You blush brightly, and glance away from him. You had been considering sex more recently, but hadn’t really decided. You had decided that you wanted Seungcheol to be your first, but you weren’t sure when. His words made you want him badly, but you also knew you should go home and think things through.

“I want Jihoon and Mingyu to take you home. Don’t let them touch you, and don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I have been for years.” Seungcheol says, suddenly getting to his feet and helping you up. “I don’t want you to feel pressured into helping me, and I know they can keep you safe. I’ll be gone for about a week, so don’t think I’ll be ignoring you, okay? I’ll be thinking about you every second. Please go before I can’t control myself anymore…” His last words came out like he was begging you.

Your senses kicked in, feeling too much like prey under Seungcheol’s predatory gaze. You managed to softly kiss his cheek before escaping the room, your cheeks still red from the sexual things he said. Jihoon was easy to find, as he was lingering in the hallway.

“Come on, let’s get Mingyu,” he said, gesturing for you to follow him.

Mingyu was in the living room, and it was easy to convince him to come. The two took you home without incident, careful to not touch you or even get too close to you.

Once they stopped at your apartment, Mingyu said, “if something happens, we’ll let you know. If you want to see him, it’s not a good idea, but at least let us know first. He won’t be gentle with you either. Do you understand?”

You nod and get out of the car, going inside with your head spinning. Everything seemed so weird and confusing, so you were ready to relax and clear your mind. 

The week was almost over, and multiple times you considered going over there and checking on him. You knew it was a bad idea, because you’d give in to him. But you were afraid that he wouldn’t be as gentle as you would need, so you kept yourself distracted.

The week was almost over when you got a panicked phone call from Jeonghan.

“Seungcheol-hyung escaped and we don’t know where he is so stay where you are and don’t leave,” he blurted out. “Where are you so we can come stay with you and keep you safe. He’s gone feral and this has never happened before because normally he’s in such good control.”

After assuring him you were safely locked up in your apartment, he muttered out a string of curses that you never would have expected him to say. “Mingyu, Vernon, Jihoon, Wonwoo, Joshua, and I are all on our way so don’t answer the door for anyone but us. Even if Seungcheol seems okay, he’s not.”

Right after you hung up, however, there was a loud thud on your door. You knew it was too soon for them to be there, but you went out and looked through the peephole nonetheless. It was a massive wolf like no other, and he was trying to knock your door down. He was familiar, of course, but you knew that you were in trouble. You went and hid under your bed, trying not to panic.

You eventually heard the front door open- and not break. Your eyebrows knit in confusion, even more so when large paws padded into your apartment. It was easy for him to find you under the bed; you almost regret even trying to hide.

You remember they day you met Lee Taeyong. It was both the worst and best day. It was during midterms, and you were planning on pulling an all-nighter. You had gone to your favorite coffee shop to get some caffeine and a snack, but that wasn’t all that ended up happening.

Ever since then, the moment has been on repeat in your mind. It’s been difficult to concentrate, study, and work. All you can think about it is how you bumped into each other and he spilt his coffee all over your shirt.

Thankfully, it was a good coffee shop and the coffee didn’t give you third degree burns, but it did hurt. Taeyong immediately offered you the shirt he was wearing under his sweatshirt, and apologized profusely. You, however, were in too much shock at the fact that such a handsome man was talking to you.

You daydreamed about him, wondering what his lips would taste like. You wondered what kind of life he lived to be getting eight cups of coffee, and why he seemed so stressed. You could have sworn you gave him your phone number because you definitely had his, but you never heard back from him.

Despite loving his scent, you didn’t feel right keeping a stranger’s shirt... Even if he was the most attractive man you had ever laid eyes on.

It was the last day of the semester when you saw him again.

Your friends convinced you to go out with them, despite hating bars and drinking. You managed to not have a drop of alcohol, and it was well past midnight. Deciding you had enough social interaction, you went to walk home.

On your way out, a hand grabbed your arm. You were ready to yell, scream, kick, and fight, but you found the hand belonged to Taeyong. You felt like a fish out of water for a second, surprised to see him after all of this time.

“Sorry I never got back to you, y/n. I’ve been busy. Are you heading home? I don’t mind walking you…” He offers. Taeyong looks tired, with dark bags under his eyes, where his concealer definitely wasn’t enough to cover it.

Normally you would say no to strange guys asking to walk you home, but before you knew it, a soft, “Yes please,” escapes you. You start walking towards campus in silence, since neither of you really knew what to say.

Eventually, he spoke up. “I’m sorry I never got back to you. I’ve been… busy.”

You knew he was referring to the multiple texts (some due to exhaustion) you sent him. A blush crept onto your cheeks, and you shook your head. “It’s fine…” you lie.

“It’s really not. Can I make it up to you sometime? We can go get ice cream, or just hang out?” He asks.

You notice how desperate he sounds, and you couldn’t help but agree.

“Tomorrow? I can come get you…” he offers, once again surprising you with how urgent Taeyong seems.

“Sure. Does two work for you?” you awkwardly ask, shifting on your feet as you stood outside your dorm building.

“Yes. I’ll get you then!” Taeyong responds, smiling brilliantly, his exhaustion seeming to vanish in an instant.

You nod and leave him be, going inside and wondering what you were going to wear and if this was actually a date.

When you got inside, you text Jungwoo. Out of all of your friends, he was your best friend. In all honesty, he was more of a big brother than anything. Despite this, you didn’t have the courage to tell him about who exactly Taeyong was. You managed to get him to choose an outfit for you to wear, however begrudgingly he was on his end of the phone. He claimed he just didn’t like the idea of you going on a date with some guy that has been ignoring you.

It was around midnight when you were in bed that you realized you couldn’t sleep. Insomnia was a regular thing for you, so you weren’t too surprised. You got up and took an extra melatonin, hoping to get sleep eventually.

The beginning of your day was pretty uneventful; you started packing and cleaning to move out, and before you knew it, it was one in the afternoon. With an hour left until your date, you were frantically getting ready, wanting to look your best. You knew your girlfriends would tell you to give it up already, but you couldn’t help it.

Once your phone said it was 1:58, you went downstairs and outside to wait. The weather was nice and sunny, and you were in a cute skirt and with a soft, pastel rose color shirt that complimented your skin. You checked your phone after a bit, and it read 2:05. You sat down nervously, nearly breaking at the sight of two texts.

One was from your mother, and the other Taeyong.

Your mom had sent you a text saying how she would be gone on a business trip for two to six weeks, and that she was very sorry she wouldn't be able to see you for a while. She asked you to keep the house clean and to not have any boys come over except that "Jungwoo is always welcome and is an exception to that rule."

A tear slid down your cheek as you look to see what Taeyong had to say.

I’m sorry I can’t come today. I’m sick.

That was the only explanation you were given, and then the waterworks began. You barely managed to make it to your room before you began to sob uncontrollably.

You moved back home later that same day, and hardly spoke a word to your RA or roommates. You let a week go by of utter depression, hardly registering that the world was moving on without you. Eventually, you had enough and sent a short text to Jungwoo saying that you were coming to visit him.

You were already on your way when you got his reply of:

You can’t come over now, it’s dangerous.

You didn’t see this message until you were already at his secluded house that he shared with who knows how many other boys. It was big to begin with, but there was added construction to it to make it larger. You grin, since the house always reminded you of what you figured the Weasley’s would look like from Harry Potter, but probably safer and made without the use of magic.

You knock on the door, only for it to be answered by a nervous looking Jungwoo.

“You shouldn’t be here. Did you not read my text?” he prompts you, gesturing to the phone he knew was in your pocket.

You took it out, frowning at your reflection. “Why is it dangerous?” you asked, your voice emotionless.

“I can’t- I can’t tell you. I’m sorry Y/n, but I could get in trouble if I do. But really, you do need to go.” Jungwoo says, trying to shoo you away from the house.

You were having none of that and stepped closer, only to have him recoil from coming even close to touching you. Skinship had never been an issue before; you both enjoyed it. “Jungwoo?” you say, your voice cracking.

“Please go before he smells you,” Jungwoo softly begs, his eyes round and pleading.

“What do you mean-” you began, your eyebrows knitting in confusion as a very disheveled Taeyong came down the stairs. His hair was a mess as he tried to fix it, his eyes darker than usual. All he was wearing was shorts and a t-shirt on inside out and backwards.

He didn’t seem perturbed by his appearance, nor when he spoke. “What are you doing here, Y/n?” Taeyong practically purrs, smirking slightly with a lustful look in his eyes.

Your shock was evident on your face as you looked between the two, your mouth falling open comically when a girl came down behind Taeyong, and it was clear that they had just been having sex.

If you hadn’t known better, you would have sworn that your heart audibly cracked. You were in pain and didn’t know why, so you back up away from them and stumble onto the porch. Sure, you knew Jungwoo lived with a bunch of guys and you didn’t know all of their names, but you never would have guessed that Taeyong was one of them.

“Jaehyun! Someone! I need help NOW! It’s an emergency!” Jungwoo shouts before blocking Taeyong’s way to you, shooting you a worried glance.

It was faster than your brain could comprehend that there was at least three other of Jungwoo’s- and apparently Taeyong’s- housemates were holding back Taeyong from getting to you. You were frozen in shock at the scene as Taeyong snarled and tried to break free of their grasp, his eyes flashing amber.

“L-leave me alone,” you whisper, fear chilling you to the bones. Before you could get any more scared, Jungwoo snapped you out of it by his actions. “Stay away from me,” You add, letting Jungwoo lead you away from the scene.

He manages to slam the door shut before anything could get more violent, but you heard a lot of growling from inside. Jungwoo gently picks you up, impressing you with one of his rare displays of strength, and set you in your car.

“Buckle up, y/n. We need to go, and go far.” He tells you, turning your car on and beginning to drive.

Your head was spinning, and your mind was out of control. Jungwoo turns on some soft music, hoping to help you relax. Ultimately, your headache got so bad that you passed out.

When you woke up, you were in a new place and in an unfamiliar bed. Before you could panic, there was a soft knock on the door before Jungwoo entered the room. He smiles softly at you, comforting you.

“Are you alright?” he asks, sitting down on the bed and facing you.

You meekly shake your head, confused, dazed, and wondering what was going on. Your heart felt like it was shattered into hundreds of pieces, and you felt sick.

“I’m sorry this happened to you… I really am. If I had known… I never would have let you come to my place…” Jungwoo says with a sigh, his gaze not meeting yours.

“I want to explain, but it’s not really my place…” He adds, clearly frustrated. “He’ll have to explain, or allow me too, but…” Jungwoo shrugs, and it was obvious he did not think he would be able to.

“He as in Taeyong?” You ask, surprised at the bitterness of your voice.

Jungwoo nods, and you could tell he was exhausted.

Suddenly, one of the other housemates that you knew, Johnny, came walking into the room. “Honestly, you may as well just tell her. Or, if you don’t want to get in trouble, I will and take the blame.” He says suddenly, sitting in a nearby chair. “I mean, he did nearly attack her… and he ended up going feral. It’s her right to know. And if he gets mad, he gets mad.” Johnny shrugs, as though Taeyong being mad wasn’t a big deal.

Jungwoo and Johnny stare at each other for a moment, and you sat up looking between the two. Jungwoo eventually sighs and shrugs. “If I get skinned, I’m telling them it was your idea in the first place,” the younger mumbles, turning back to face you and taking your hand.

“Y/n, I know this is going to be a lot to take in. But me and everyone else that all live together… well, we aren’t human. We’re werewolves.” He tells you, gauging your reaction. Your eyebrows only furrow some in disbelief, but he continues. “And we all have mates… And every so often a year, generally just twice, we’ll go into heat or a rut, depending on gender. It gets especially worse if you know who your mate is and aren’t with them... “

“Basically you just want to have sex all the time. You can either satisfy your wolf’s urge with someone else, or just.. wait it out.” Johnny pipes up, knowing Jungwoo would get uncomfortable with the topic.

Jungwoo nods, then continues. “Taeyong found you, and was in the process of helping some younger guys go through their transitions into being a full blooded werewolf. Then he had forgotten about his upcoming rut, and had someone come help take care of it… And you showed up…”

You weren’t that gullible, but you’d go along with it until you could get more answers. “Why didn’t he just ‘wait it out’?” you ask, crossing your arms as you felt a swell of jealousy and hurt once again.

“Trying to just let it pass can be dangerous for an alpha. And with you nearby, it could have been dangerous if he got loose. I mean, you saw him try to…” Johnny spoke up, choosing his words carefully. “Get you even though he was with someone else. He wants you. And he’s an alpha, so that makes it worse.”

A shiver runs down your spine. It was weird to hear how someone was sexually attracted to you and wanted to have sex with you. It reminded you too much of high school and perverts who just wanted to get in your pants. It made you uncomfortable, and Jungwoo could tell.

“I mean, it’s not always just lust. Like, when he wasn’t trying to help the others he was cleaning manically muttering about how much of a mess the house was and how ‘she’ couldn’t come or move in while it was in the state it was. And he would often zone out and daydream, probably about you. When we find our mate, we can’t stop thinking about them and we just want to be with them.” Jungwoo gushes, blushing some.

At this, Johnny stands up. “I know it’s a lot to process, and you’re still probably not feeling great from all that happened. Plus, you rejected him, so  you may be sick for a bit… I’m hoping we can find someone to help about that. Anyways, don’t go outside and don’t stray too far from any of us here. You’ll be safe with us.” he explains, leaving the room.

Your eyes turn to Jungwoo, the new information taking time to process. "So you're a werewolf too?" You ask him.

He nods, not willing to meet your eyes.

"After all I've told you, you never told me this? That you aren't even human? Has our entire friendship been a lie?" You ask, extremely frustrated now.

Jungwoo quickly stands his eyes wide and his mouth agape. “Of course not y/n! I wasn’t aloud to tell you, and I had hoped it wouldn’t change anything… I mean, it doesn’t, does it?” He says, tearing up.

“Of course it changes things, Jungwoo! We’ve been friends for nearly four years and you never even tried to tell me! Is this why you always get ‘sick’?” You accuse, putting air quotes around sick. “You told me you had an autoimmune disorder of some sort that they couldn’t find the proper diagnosis for. Were you actually just in heat or whatever? And that’s actually why I couldn’t see you?”

“Technically for me it was a rut, since I’m a male…” he murmured, not denying your accusation.

“So it was a lie!”

“What was I supposed to do? I could get kicked out of the pack if I told you without permission!” Jungwoo responded, tearing up.

“Get out! Get out of this room!” You shout, pointing to the door.

Jungwoo doesn’t argue with this, and leaves without another word.

After Seungcheol found his mate, everyone wondered when they would find theirs and who would be next. The others started making bets of how it would go but Joshua couldn’t care less. He knew he would meet his when the time was right, so he didn’t think anything of it. Sure, he hoped he would meet his soon, but he wanted it to happen naturally. Joshua would occasionally daydream about meeting his mate, but he never could have imagined how it actually would have happened.

You had gone outside to get some sort of relief from your obnoxious neighbors. You texted your friends begging them to let you come over, and they were all busy. One of them sent you over the edge with the comment of “that’s what you get for living in the dorms at university.”

You were sitting on a bench, your face hidden in your hands as you silently sobbed. The Resident Assistants wanted you to take care of it, but how could you?

Your crying was the first thing Joshua heard when he came out of his late study session at the library, and your scent in the strong breeze the impression that gave him the near animalistic urge to find you. He didn’t say a word to Seokmin as he ran off, following his nose.

It took all of your self control not to bang your head against the bench, so instead you were pulling your hair and biting your lip hard enough to bleed. Sobs racked your body, tears mixing with blood as they dribbled onto your shirt.

If he didn’t know better, Joshua swore his heart audibly broke at your pitiful sight before him. He was no expert for caring for strangers, and he didn’t to mess things up with his mate. He couldn’t help but sit next to you and wrap his jacket around you.

You stiffen and jump some at his touch, looking up at him horrified. You wanted to explain what was wrong, but you couldn’t. You were too upset to speak; you had gone mute. It wasn’t something that happened often for you, but you were so upset and now conflicted with such an ethereal man in front of you.

“Please, don’t hurt yourself,” He whispered, gently taking your wrists.

You wanted to hesitate, but his touch was so gentle and calming that you let him remove your hands from your hair. The stranger gently held them with his, and smoothed out your hair.

“What’s wrong? You can talk to me. I promise I won’t judge you.” He assures you.

Your hands clenched into fists and you shook your head. He was asking for you to do the one thing that you couldn’t give him.

So, Joshua tried to use his observational skills to understand what was wrong. Since you were in your pajamas with a bathrobe halfheartedly tied around you, and you were wearing slippers, his guess wasn’t too difficult. “Were you trying to sleep and couldn’t?” he gently asked, trying to get you to hold his hands so that you wouldn’t hurt yourself further.

When you nodded to his question, he continued. “Were your neighbors being noisy?”

You nodded again, and shakily withdrew one of your hands. You didn’t know why you felt so comfortable with him, a stranger, but you did. You unlocked your phone and showed him the messages between you and your friends.

“That’s not very nice of them. I’m sorry about all of that.” He tells you, and you nod.

Unconsciously, you lean into him some for comfort, making Joshua blush. “If- if you want… I have an extra bed at my place. It’s a bit far so I’d have to drive you. My name is Joshua, by the way.” He offers.

Despite Joshua being a stranger, you were too upset with the thought of staying at your dorm for the night. You nod and he helps you stand, whispering soft encouragements. “It’s alright, I’ve got you. Everything will be okay, I promise…”

Joshua wraps his arm around your waist when he notices your uncertain steps. Despite normally hating being touched after and during a meltdown, you didn’t mind his.

Joshua guided you to where his car was parked, and Seokmin was waiting. Seokmin was going to ask what was going on, but Joshua’s glare shut him up before he got a chance. You hardly noticed the extra male as Joshua helped you in the car and buckle up. You ended up falling asleep in the car, not waking up until the morning.

Joshua left you in his room, and he nearly shifted out of excitement for finding you. If it wasn’t for Seungcheol scolding him, he would have sat outside the bedroom door all night, waiting for you to wake up. Eventually, he managed to convince Jihoon to let him sleep on the floor in his room, since it was across from his and he could hear you if you got up.

You woke up with a start, your heartbeat increasing. You were in a new place with new smells, and you couldn’t remember how you got there.

There was a soft knock on the door, and the man you recognized as Joshua came inside. “Hey, I’m glad you’re awake. I have class in a half hour, and wouldn’t mind getting to campus early so you can change. Or you could always borrow one of my shirts…” he offered, blushing.

Checking the time, you realized you too would have class soon. Either way it was an awkward situation, so you nod and say, “Um, borrowing a shirt would be nice… if you don’t mind, that is…”

Joshua’s face lights up and he goes into the closet, picking out one of his favorite shirts that he thought would suit you. “Here, wear this. I’ll be in the hallway waiting.” He tells you, smiling and shutting the door behind him.

Joshua takes you to school, and oddly enough, the quiet car ride was not that awkward. He seemed a bit nervous and fidgety, but since you had just met, it didn’t mean much to you.

After you left you realized that you never got his number in order to give Joshua his shirt back. In actuality, you didn’t mind; it was a comfortable and cute shirt.

It was a few weeks later at the Super Smash Brothers Club tournament your college had that you saw Joshua again. One of your best friends, Jin, was the former president of the club. Now that he was in graduate school, he didn’t have time to run the club but did have time to still play. He was one of your first friends at college, and you eagerly took on his hobby.

You got butterflies in your stomach suddenly when the player with the gamertag Th8, who’s real name was Minghao, walked in the room with Joshua in tow.

You blushed as you made eye contact, and quickly retreated to Jin. “Jinnie Oppa~ he came…” You whined cutely, hiding slightly behind him. “Minghao mentioned last time how he planned on dragging a friend to the tournament and I thought it would be Seokmin so I could meet him and make fun of his gamertag… But it’s Joshua.”

“Is he the one who helped you out a few weeks ago?” Jin asked, setting up the broadcast on Twitch.

“Yes. And he’s super cute and I don’t want to like, scare him or something. I’m like, head over heels for him and I’m afraid he won’t notice me and my normally pathetic existence.”

“Your existence isn’t pathetic, and I already told you that I’m really sorry you couldn’t come stay with me. This time it was Jungkook and he’s no good when it comes to you-know-what.”

You pout slightly and sigh, leaning against Jin some and taking his hand. He smiled slightly and walked over to Minghao, you tripping over your feet as you followed, not wanting to leave Jin’s side.

“Hey Minghao, are you wanting to participate in the tournament? Your name isn’t in the brackets yet.” Jin said, smiling. “And what’s your name?” he added, directing the question to Joshua.

Jin noticed a flash of jealousy in Joshua’s eyes when he noticed you two holding hands, but said nothing about it. “Joshua. It’s nice to finally be able to come and meet everyone. It’s good to see you, y/n.” Joshua said.

You can’t help the blush that turns your cheeks pink as you nod. Minghao speaks up, not wanting to not answer his hyung, and simultaneously sparing you the pain of coming up with a coherent answer for Joshua.

“Yep, I was about to do that. I didn’t want to sign up because I wanted to make sure I could get him out of the house.” He chuckled, pointing to Joshua.

“Awesome. I’ll go start some of the games now then. If you want to sign up to, Joshua, I can show you how.” Jin offered, gesturing to his computer and offering his help.

“That would be nice, thank you,” Joshua responds, smiling slightly and following Jin to his computer.

Meanwhile, you snuck over to Mark, the current president of the club and say next to him. He was preparing himself for the tournament, and you grabbed your controller to join him. “Mark, I have an issue. Minghao didn’t bring Seokmin like we thought. He brought Joshua.” You tell him.

“And? It’s another of his pack mates. Maybe Seokmin is in rut or something.” He said nonchalantly, choosing to play Mario against your Kirby.

“I just hate it because my friends go missing for like a week and I get lonely,” you whine, doing your best rather than button smashing.

“Yeah. I’m not due until after finals, thankfully. Jin says his is in about a week, which is why he’s being so protective of you.” He responds, glancing back at Jin.

You looked too, only to have Kirby be beaten off the stage and die. Jin seemed to be in an arguement or at least a serious conversation with Joshua, which made you anxious.

“Mark, werewolves can have humans for mates, right?” You ask, causing him to accidentally commit suicide in the game.

He stutters and turns red, looking at you with wide eyes. “Why do you ask?”

You chew on your lip, eyes glued to the television screen. “I’m just curious,” you lie, afraid to tell him the truth.

“Yeah, they can. More often than a werewolf, actually. Mostly because there aren’t as many females. Not that there’s more males born, but it’s a genetic thing where they end up just human.” Mark explains, sounding as though he had an odd amount of knowledge on the subject.

You made a mental note on that, deciding to ask him for help and information if you needed to. His response cleared your head some, and you managed to not be destroyed miserably by him.

After the game ended, Jin gently took your hand, wanting to talk to you. “Hey y/n, can we talk for a minute in the hallway?” He asks, not giving you a chance to say no as you smile apologetically at Mark.

Once you were out of even werewolf earshot, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed, sitting down on one of the many benches in the building.

“I need to be honest with you. I asked to tell you first, and he got upset… but I just want you to know that if you’re scared I’m here for you, okay? It’s a lot to comprehend and I get it if your apprehensive and need time to talk it out and process it. I can keep you safe.” He said, punctuating his last sentence.

“Jin, what’s wrong?” You ask, sitting down next to him, wondering what has him so worked up.

“You probably figured this out or Mark told you, but Joshua is a werewolf… and, well Mark wouldn’t have known this, but… you’re Joshua’s mate.” Jin said, looking you dead in the eye for your reaction.

You’re shocked a little, but also pleasantly surprised. Above all, you’re afraid. Jin sees these emotions flash through your eyes, and opens his arms, welcoming you for a hug. Tears begin to form in your eyes and you shake lightly. You never expected this to happen to you, but now it was your reality. You had no clue what this would mean or how much your life would change because of it. Above all, you were afraid you’d mess things up and ruin the relationship you were apparently destined to have with Joshua.

Despite being afraid, you were also excited. The prospect of Joshua being perfect for you was a relief, and starting a relationship was something you’ve been wanting to do. It just seemed right.

You gladly embrace Jin, tears falling down your face and onto his shirt. You were overwhelmed, and Jin’s arms was a calming and gentle way to get yourself grounded.

Jin gently hushed you as you cried, brushing his fingers through his hair just the way you like it.

“What did you do?” You hear Joshua say, his voice accusing, angry, and sad all at once. “I thought you said she wouldn’t freak out as much if you told her!” He says, clearly frustrated.

A soft whimper left your lips, and you heard a rumbly whine fall from Joshua’s lips. You could tell how upset he was, and it didn’t help your situation.

“She is. She’s not having a full blown meltdown, but this kind of thing can be difficult for y/n to process. Like I said, she’s autistic so cut her some slack. Be a little more empathetic and try to understand.” Jin protectively growled.

Joshua growled back deeply, and your flight response kicked in to get away from the two predators. If Jin’s arms were not secure around you, you would have ended up halfway across campus.

Joshua shifted on his feet, torn between not wanting to back down but also to prove himself worthy of you by getting you calm. He sits down next to Jin, facing you.

“Y/n, I don’t mind taking things slow. I want to get to know you, and will never ever pressure you into doing something you don’t want to or aren’t perfectly comfortable with doing. And if you want, I’ll leave for the tournament or walk you to your dorm, if you’d prefer.” Joshua says slowly and gently, not wanting to upset you further or give you too much information at once.

You start shaking, and Jin gently rocks you. “I want my weighted blanket,” You mumble softly. You thought only Jin would hear, but Joshua easily heard as well.

“Why don’t we get you back to your dorm, hmm? Then you can have your weighted blanket, okay?” Jin assures you, trying to get you to look at him.

When he finds your eyes red and face tear stained, his heart breaks some. Joshua fares worse, and bites his lip harshly to keep from making things worse by getting upset and setting up over the edge on accident.

“Do you want me to walk you back?” Joshua offers, rubbing the back of his neck and feeling awkward.

Your get butterflies in your stomach at the thought and nod, standing up and taking Jin’s hand.

“Let’s get your things, yeah?” Jin responds, guiding you to the game room. He gently ushers you to Joshua and gets your things for you.

You are unsure of yourself because of how overwhelmed you were, but you took a few steps towards Joshua. You end up stumbling, and he easily catches you so you fall into his arms. You stay there for a moment blushing, pulling away to take your backpack from Jin.

“Do you want me to walk with you?” Jin asks, searching your face.

You shake your head no and hug him softly, his embrace a comfort once again. A brief smile flashes on your lips, and Jin knows it’s not genuine but that you are trying. He nods as you turn and leave, Joshua by your side.

Not really knowing what to say, you walked outside, leading the way to your dorm. When Joshua picked that up, he went ahead and began a conversation.

“I’m a business major and in my last year. I was thinking about getting a masters, but I should probably start working first. I have had a good internship for the past two years, and they offered me a full time position. I enjoy it, and it’s not just deskwork. There’s a good amount of networking involved, which is good and bad. It means I’ll have to travel a bit, but I don’t mind. What’s your major, y/n?” Joshua says, his hands in his pockets.

“English. Specifically Literature. My minor is history, because I’m that person.” You respond, giggling a little. “I don’t want to teach. I will have one year left, so I will have to study to get into graduate school. I want to be a librarian.”

Joshua nods, rather impressed. “What kind of degree do you need for that then?”

“A masters in library science. It’s an interesting field, and not just public or school libraries. I think I’d like to work in a university library. I enjoy research.” You admit.

“That’s really neat. What schools are you looking at for that, do you know?” Joshua asks, easily keeping the conversation going.

“Well, there’s a good amount but a lot are hybrid courses and online. I was planning on going in person, but you also have to make sure the school is accredited… But I might not be able to do that now…” You shyly admit, glancing at him as you made it to your building.

Joshua said nothing, wanting to see how things would work out. “Do you want me to walk you to your room, or-?” he offered.

“Um, well… I still have your shirt, so I can give that back to you. Why don’t you come in?” you respond, opening the door with your student ID and letting Joshua in.

“Oh yeah, I nearly forgot about that,” Joshua admits, his ears turning red.

“I’m not sure how clean it will be, so I’m sorry if it’s not. My room itself will be fine, I’m just worried about the living area…” You admit. You were friends with one too many werewolves, and for the rare occasion that they would come over, you always made sure to clean beforehand.

“I normally go up the stairs, because sometimes the elevators smell like vape. Even though they aren’t supposed to vape inside. Plus it’s good exercise… or so my mom tells me.” You ramble some, leading him up two flights of stairs. “And it’s not the worst, because it’s not four or five flights of stairs. So walking is fine.”

“I don’t mind it. Plus there’s the windows to outside too, which is nice.” Joshua responds, gesturing to the big window between the landings.

“It’s nice because I’ll know the weather before I go outside. So if I forget my raincoat or jacket I can go back and get it.” You tell him mindlessly, walking him to your door.

Thankfully, your roommates didn’t leave the room completely trashed, but your neighbors were being noisy… and probably having sex. Joshua’s nose twitched in disgust, and he frowned.

“Do you really have to listen to that a lot?” He asks as there was a particularly louder moan and a few thumps from above you.

“Yep,” you respond, popping the “p” as you went into your closet and procured his borrowed shirt.

“Are you living on campus next year?” he asks, tilting his head inquiringly.

“Yeah. I can’t seem to find roommates willing to live off campus, a place where I would have my own room, an apartment I can afford… The list is pretty long.” I admit, smiling sadly at him.

“Dang… Well, I can, uh, ask my friends if they know of anyone, if you’d like?” Joshua offers, already running through a list of who might know of someone.

“Yeah, that… that would be nice.” You admit, smiling some.

“Oh, by the way… Can I have your number?” Joshua asks, pulling out his phone.

You blush red as he unlocks it and adds a new contact, gingerly taking the device from him. “Yes, I’d love too,” You say softly, and you see him beaming out of the corner of your eye. You put your number in his phone, and he immediately texts you.

Joshua 😊

“I’ll leave you now, if you’d like. Will you be okay?” Joshua asks, tilting his head cutely.

“Yeah, I just… I need some time.” You admit, not meeting his eyes.

“Alright… well, you can text me if you have any questions or anything, okay?”

You nod and can tell he wants to say or do something else, but refrains.

“Will you be able to let yourself out? And not get lost?” You ask, looking down at your feet.