#shownu fluff

Hyunwoo frowned, his eyebrows knitting together as he got up on one elbow, scratching his ear with his free hand. For a moment, there was silence.

Then it started again and he thought to ignore it and continue with his plans for an early night - chopping wood did take lots of energy after all and he needed every last wink. Yet he He couldn’t shake this nagging feeling that it wasn’t something to let fade into the background. Hyunwoo wasn’t the kind of man to have things that irked him be left unattended.

So, with a half sigh and half grunt, he swung his legs out from his bed and sat up, his lips pursed before he pulled on his slippers and left his bedroom. This was where the sound became louder, no longer hindered by the wooden door and instead it wafted in through the slightly ajar windows, pausing again before picking up.

He wouldn’t say that he was someone that was easily spooked, and he wasn’t really scared but he did feel a little uneasy. This was worth investigating; he’d sleep well knowing it was nothing in the end.

Grabbing an oil lantern, he lit a match and turned it on, stepping out of the back door that was situated directly on a path to the forest. During the day it was beautiful, a vast expanse of greenery that spoke volumes on the wonder of nature and its intricacies. It stood tall against the azure of the sky, dwarfing his cottage that stood alone on the outskirts, and that difference was only more stark at night where the trees turned to gnarled limbs that swayed in tune with the wind, the shadows twisting into something more evil than delicate.

But Hyunwoo paid no mind to that. Honestly, it hardly bothered him anymore. Everything in the forest was easily recognised and he knew it inside out from his years of exploring both with his parents and unaccompanied.

Rubbing his eyes, he closed the door behind him and began making his way down the path, entering the forest’s domain. Here, the sound was the loudest and it seemed to echo around him, bouncing off the barks of various trees and travelling around him. The lamp’s light was bright, having recently been filled with more oil, and he was able to use it to efficiently navigate the darker routes.

With every step he took he got closer to the source and the sounds seemed more alive, like something was weeping from pain. A pang of concern rushed through him and he went closer, pushing throughthe bushes before he reached the area where it was coming from.

It was hard to see from this distance but it seemed to be something white that had curled up into a ball.

Hyunwoo held out the lamp, letting it illuminate the creature - only to have the shock of his life.

For it was no animal, but a human woman that was crying, her face hidden by her hands before she looked up upon the shine of his lamp, confusion clear in her eyes.

Oh. This was… definitely not normal.

"Are you okay?" He asked, not knowing what else to say in this situation. Animals were more his area of expertise. "Are you hurt?"

Her lips pursed and she looked down at her feet, the fabric of her rather intricate dress covering them up. Then, with great care and trembling hands, she moved the material to reveal the true cause of her pain.

A wolf trap.

"Oh no," he uttered to himself, eyebrows furrowed. Who had left this inhumane device behind? It certainly wasn't him! He never hunted the predator animals that passed by.

Blood seeped from the puncture marks, the sharp, metal teeth buried in the soft flesh of her ankle and rendering her immobile. Purple inflamed skin surrounded the broken tissue, bruising forming around the fresh wound and he spied the cuts on her crimson coated fingers - likely from trying to pry it open.

No wonder she was crying, he thought, these traps were made to capture large, wild animals. She would be lucky if she didn't have any sort of permanent scar.

"I'll get you out," he reassured, setting the lamp down and inspecting the trap. It was an older model that was triggered by the slightest touch, the spring recoil made to be harsh and powerful to stop the animal there and then. Such a thing would only spell disaster for a delicate human ankle. Had it been a bear trap then the only mode of removal would have been to sever her foot from her leg.

Hyunwoo kneeled beside her, mindful of the fact that she was likely scared and exhausted. His hands, while calloused and hardened from manual labour, were gentle as they touched swollen skin. It was tilted to the left to allow him a clearer view of the mechanism but she hissed in pain despite clearly trying her hardest to contain her exclamations. "Oh, I'm sorry," he mumbled, thumb rubbing the uninjured skin in apology.

The lamp was pulled closer, eyes narrowed to get a better view and he saw that there was a small button within. It had a faded symbol that had rusted over, making it illegible.

His left hand pushed into the small gap, fingers patting around the confined space to reach it when his index finger brushed over it. The placement was purposefully inconvenient, not intended to be undone by the animal or until the owner was sure that their kill had parted ways with this world. He wasn’t an advocate for these types of traps simply because of how inhumane they were, making the animal suffer until its last moments or it was desperate enough to bite off its own leg in order to escape.

He pursed his lips in concentration, pressing down harder on the button despite the awkward angle and the way the edge of the metal dug into his skin. Then, a few seconds later, it popped open and she sighed in relief. The damage was done and it was worse than he had initially thought, the teeth of it having torn almost all the way through the meat and into the muscle with blood dribbling from the now exposed wounds. Honestly, he wondered how she hadn’t passed out from shock.

“Thank you,” she murmured, voice shaking and thick with congestion. Hyunwoo simply nodded, trying to give her a comforting smile despite wondering what on earth he could do now. There was no feasible way for her to walk on that ankle and he would never leave anyone to die in the woods.

“Is it okay if I take you home? It’s down there, the cottage by the road.” He pointed in the general direction but it was dark and the only light was that of his lamp. This woman had no choice but to trust him and he wouldn’t dare to betray it.

“...Yes, it’s okay.”

Lifting her wouldn’t be a problem for him; Hyunwoo would easily lift upwards of 200kg with the work he did. No, it was the fact that he had to be incredibly mindful of her ankle and any other injuries that she might have sustained.

“Please tell me if this is uncomfortable.” With his voice barely above a murmur, he reached around her back and under her knees, lifting her as though she were a doll. The lamp was cradled in her arms, held for them both and her leg dangled uselessly. “I’ll walk us back now.”

She nodded and said nothing else, body tense in his hold though he couldn’t blame her. It was with great care that he made his way to his cottage again, feeling guilt ebb through him when her leg grazed against his side and she tried her hardest to contain the gasps of agony.

It did confuse him in the moments that he could think about something other than this woman’s safety and injury, that someone wearing such expensive and silken clothing would be out in the middle of the forest. The fabric intertwined with his fingers was made with care and quality - the kind of thing that he would only buy after saving for years upon years.

But Hyunwoo had more important things to worry about than this, and he continued on the path home.

“How are things going today?” he smiled at you, sweat glistening across his brow under the moonlight.

“Not so good, can’t find many of my friends today,” you huffed, obviously disappointed.

“You want some help?” he offered, already wading into the water.

“Ah! No, NO your shoes!” waved your hands at him in a panic.

“Ah, that’s not important,” Shownu squinted in the light of your headlamp, “But if you could point your light at the water, that would be good. I’m going blind here,” he laughed.

“Ah, shit, sorry!” you blushed, redirecting your light toward the water.

    For about fifteen minutes, the pair of you muddled around the water, searching for crabs, but mostly failing. You had already been soaked from several failed attempts. You hadn’t been expecting Shownu to be so all-in, but he was somehow wetter than you after a few falls into the water. At the end of it, you had no more specimens to show for it, but were in an infinitely better mood.

“Well, I gotta get going,” Shownu announced, wringing out one last section of his shirt before continuing his jog down the beach.

“Bye!” you laughed heartily before returning to your field work.

…

“Ooh! Another one!” you jumped up and down giddily, dropping yet another crab into your bucket. The weather had warmed up lately and it either made the crabs incredibly relaxed or sleepy, because it was easier than ever to collect specimens.

“Ah! You’re back!” Shownu’s now-familiar voice greeted you.

“Yes!” you turned to beam at him.

“Good day today?” he asked, taking in your bright smile.

“Yes, very,” you nodded enthusiastically, showing him your bucket.

“Hello!” he saluted the crabs before returning his attention to you, “What are you working on with them anyways?”

“Ah, it’s for my graduate research,” you explained, “I’m monitoring population density compared against environmental factors.”

“Huh, that’s cool,” Shownu nodded with a mildly impressed expression on his face.

“It’s not, but you’re kind to say so,” you laughed, “What do you do for work, Shownu?”

“I’m a firefighter,” he answered simply.

“Isn’t that a bit too much of a cliche?” you chuckled heartily.

“What is?” he asked, staring at you blankly.

“Handsome firefighter runs on the beach in the morning?” you’re suddenly overcome by a fit of giggles at the absurdity of it, “It doesn’t seem real!”

“Hm, it doesn’t seem that funny to me,” Shownu grumbles. It’s not until he’s several meters away that he realizes you called him handsome.

…

    Screaming in silence, you think about pulling your hair out for a third time as you process data. As much as you loved science, you certainly would not complain if it involved sitting at a computer and parsing through numbers just a little less. Every so often, as you were entering in crab counts, your mind wandered to the handsome firefighter that had become your fieldwork friend.

    While you’d been absent from the beach, Shownu had kept to his daily routine. At first, he hadn’t been surprised to see you missing as you occasionally missed a day here and there. Towards the end of a solid week without you, he had to admit he both missed and hoped that nothing bad had happened to you.

…

“You’re back!”

    You look up in time to see Shownu pick up the pace as he closes the last few yards between you.

“Oh, yep!” you smile, balancing your bucket against your hip, “Good to see you again.”

“I was worried I wouldn’t see you again!” Shownu laughed.

“Ah, can’t keep me away from these crabs,” you joked, heart fluttering a bit at the way Shownu was looking at you.

“Well, before you actually finish up with your project, can I get your number? I’d love to see you not on the beach. Or on the beach, but not like this,” he tripped over his words, ears reddening.

“I’m sorry I’m so late tonight, Poppy. We were both supposed to finish working early, but it doesn’t always turn out that way.” He scratched the puppy vigorously with all his fingers. She yipped and he laughed happily at her excitement.

Shownu stood up and slipped off his sneakers before entering the long hallway. “Let me change my clothes and we can go outside. I know you've been waiting all night for our walk. I’m sorry, it's only you and me tonight. But as soon as I get changed we can go outside.”

The puppy followed him as he rushed through the apartment, heading toward the bedroom. He opened the large wardrobe door and caught a flash of her blurry white reflection in the full length mirror attached inside. He smiled to himself. She had only been with them for a few weeks, but just as everyone had predicted she was already his shadow. 

Within a few minutes, Shownu was walking back to the front door dressed in black sweatpants and a plain white tee. Poppy ran past him and danced in place below the wall hook that held her leash. 

He took the leash off the hook and bent over to attach the harness around her warm little body. “Ok Poppy, it’s finally time for a walk! It’s your favorite time of the day, except meal time. You’re like me. Mealtime and walk-time are my favorite parts of the day, too.” He rubbed the top of her head with his thumb and she yipped.

Shownu slipped on his white sneakers and stood up, holding the leash in one hand. He patted his pocket for his phone and nodded to himself when he felt it through the sweatpants. He grabbed a plain black ballcap from another hook on the wall and placed it on his head, then he pulled the door open for the two of them. “Let’s go, Poppy!”

*

It was a clear, cool night. He only saw a few other people along the road as he and Poppy walked through the neighborhood. 

Usually, the three of them took a winding walk together in the evening, wandering down every quiet street and catching up on everything that had happened during the day. On some nights, it was a long quiet walk instead, holding hands in comfortable silence as Poppy explored scents and sounds of the night. 

Tonight it was just the two of them, and Shownu was in a contemplative mood. He found himself thinking about things he hadn’t thought about in a while. He decided to stay out a little longer than usual before turning back toward home.

Up ahead, he spotted a small park with a playground for young children. During the daytime it was full of kids chasing each other, their parents sipping iced coffees on the benches that lined the play area. After dark, the area was lit by street lamps and the benches often had couples chatting quietly close together or friends sharing a few beers after a long day.

Tonight, the benches were all empty, but there was one person on the swings. They were swaying gently, side to side, and their head was tilted up toward the night sky.

As he and Poppy drew closer to the playground, Shownu recognized the person on the swings and smiled. What a surprise that he would see this person here, of all the people he knew, moments after he had been reminiscing about their time together! He had even planned to call them tomorrow.

Shownu led Poppy in a wide arc toward the swingset, hoping they would see him walking in their direction. He didn’t want to disturb the silence by calling out toward them.

“Shownu!” Shownu smiled broadly when the man hissed his name into the night. He had a huge grin on his face as he looked at Shownu. The man motioned for him to sit on the other swing, and he waved eagerly toward Poppy as they came closer. He put one finger to his lips then pointed to his chest, where an infant was tucked into a sling that wrapped around his chest, back, and shoulders. 

Shownu sat down on the swing next to his friend. It curved low to carry his weight, and he chuckled quietly. He extended Poppy’s leash so she could explore the area past his feet, then he turned toward Minhyuk

It was better to whisper, just in case. “Is it ok to talk?” 

“Yes, yes! We don't have to whisper. He’s sleeping. I came outside to help him sleep. Sometimes the swing helps him. It’s such a nice evening that I wanted to spend some more time outside. I’m glad I did!”

“Me too.” They both watched Poppy as she walked back to Shownu and curled into a fluffy white ball beside his foot. He could feel her deep breaths against his sneaker. “Did you eat?”

“Yes, we both ate before he woke up again. And every time you message me a gift card we use it right away. You always have perfect timing! You always send one when we are both hungry but we both forget to order dinner.”

“Good, good. Is he waking up a lot?”

“I think it’s average. We’re not sleeping much, but we’re getting used to it. There is so much to do all the time and we are both tired. It’s like our rookie years! Hyungwon called me today and we were talking about this. I never knew I would have another time in my life with so little sleep.”

“That tiredness was so difficult. If that’s how it is for you, I hope you both can rest soon.”

“Me too!” He laughed and looked up at the sky again. “Me too.”

Shownu looked up, too. The night sky was filled with gray clouds, but there was no chance of rain. It was a typical overcast evening in the city. He glanced around the neighborhood. All the tall apartment buildings nearby had windows twinkling with light. He could see two people entering a convenience store across the street from the park. 

“What are you looking for?” Shownu asked.

“Oh! Nothing.” He turned to look at Shownu. “I wanted to see the stars, but you can’t always see stars in the night sky in Seoul. I was thinking about the last time I saw them. I think it’s been a long time. Since before him, definitely!”

He looked down at the baby and smiled softly. Shownu watched him and smiled, too. Suddenly, Minhyuk looked directly at Shownu and started speaking with urgency. He didn’t sound upset or scared. He almost sounded worried. Shownu narrowed his eyes and listened carefully.

“– and he’s so quiet when he is awake. He is always watching us! He listens to us carefully even though he has no idea what we are saying to him. He looks right at me when I ask him a question, even though I am the one who answers the question too. I can’t wait until I can hear him tell me what he is thinking –”

Showny relaxed, but kept his focus on Minhyuk’s face. This is how their conversations went sometimes. He was glad Minyuk still trusted him enough to share his deepest thoughts, the thoughts other people assumed Minhyuk wasn’t capable of having because of his outward personality. 

“– sometimes I wonder if he’s more like you than me,” Minhyuk finished quietly. He looked down at the baby again.

“Are you worried you won’t be able to connect with him?” Shownu thought this was unlikely, but it sounded to him like this was Minhuk’s real concern.

Minhyuk sighed, and it turned into a small laugh. “When you say it like that, I guess every parent probably shares these worries. I suppose we’ll see. No matter what happens, I'll keep trying.”

Minhyuk looked up at the cloudy night sky again, then he looked down at Poppy before speaking once more.

“I love everything about him, Shownu, but I worry about him. I’m worried that he won’t be able to speak up when his happiness is at stake. I worry about a million things, but sometimes I worry about this especially. I think it will continue to be my biggest worry.”

“That’s probably because you know how difficult it can be.”

“We both do. It’s the hardest thing.” 

He looked up at Shownu again, and he looked surprised to see that Shownu had been watching him. He rested one large hand on the tiny baby in the sling and took a deep breath. 

“Shownu, is there anything you wish you didn’t hold inside, back then?”

Shownu’s response was on the tip of his tongue because he didn’t have to wonder about an answer. He had been thinking about this during the walk to the park because of a conversation he had earlier today. In truth, he had been thinking about this most of the day.

“I wish I told you more often how proud I was. All six of you. You worked hard. Everyone was working hard.”

“You did tell us! You loved us a lot.” He paused, and it looked to Shownu like he was thinking carefully about his next words. “I think you told other people that, often.”

“Yes, I did. I did. I told everyone!” But did he tell them enough?

“I heard you telling the convenience store employee one night, the night before we finally moved into separate dorms. You told him you had a really good team at work and you were proud of how hard they worked. You said you were amazed how much they achieved together and individually. I stood to the side because I didn't want you to stop talking if you saw me. I wanted to hear everything you said. It made me feel safe, like ‘oh, Shownu will still love me in his way even if we live separately.’ I didn’t realize I was worried about it until that moment.” 

Shownu sat quietly for a moment after Minhyuk shared his memory. “I loved you a lot. I still love you, even though we live separately.”

Minhyuk laughed.

“You made it such a bright time of my life. The six bright stars in Seoul.”

Minhyuk laughed again and glanced up toward the starless sky. “You're not even the dad, but you make the most dad jokes!”

“It's who I am.”

“Shownu is Shownu.” They smiled at each other. “Thank you, Shownu.” 

Minhyuk looked down at his chest, still smiling, and he pressed his broad palm against the baby’s back

“I’m glad I saw you tonight,” Shownu said. “I didn’t expect to see anyone I knew because we began our walk so late.”

Shownu grins at you as he sees you return. You walk to him and he gently puts his hand your back as he leans to your ear, softly speaking, "You doing okay?"

"Yeah." You nod. "Kihyun said your spare room is open. Mind if I crash here tonight? I'm getting tired."

"Of course. Whatever you need." He agrees without hesitation.

You stay next to Shownu for a while longer as you drink your water. His hand stayed touching you in some way the entire time. Currently his arm was draped around your shoulders as you leaned into his side. You finish your water and yawn.

"Well I think I'll head off to get some rest now." You excuse yourself. He nods and removes his arm from around you. Instantly feeling the loss of his touch. You feel Shownu's gaze on your back as you leave the ever dwindling group. It wouldn't be much longer before everyone is gone.

As you reach the hallway that leads to the two bedrooms. You open the door to the spare bedroom and look around. The room is simple with minimum furniture, but now it mostly houses a few of Shownu's exercise machines. You thought about the idea of staying in Shownu's room and you felt your stomach flip. You try to push that thought aside.

Before going to bed you leave the room, and head to the bathroom. Leaving the bathroom you look at Shownu's bedroom door. Looking down the hallway you don't see anyone, but you can hear Shownu's voice as he is agreeing with something that Jooheon is talking about. Quietly you walk to his door and test the door knob. It's unlocked, and so you slip inside. Closing the door gently you turn on the light.

You had been best friends with Shownu for years and have always had feelings for him. Tonight you could swear that you could feel that he might have some feelings for you too. Your mind spinning from the thought of him mixed with the drinks you had made you bolder than you have been in the past. Deciding that you would wait for him in his bed, you stripped down and found a t-shirt of his. Pulling it on you crawled into bed after turning the lights off. Laying on your side facing away from the door you relax into his bed, his scent lingering on the sheets.

You had drifted to sleep by the time Shownu entered his room. The weight of his body dipping into bed wakes you. Then the warmth of his hand on your arm. You turn your head slightly to look back at him. Sleep still heavy in your eyes.

"What are you doing in my bed?" Shownu questions.

"The other room seemed to lonely, I didn't think you would mind." You admitted. "I can go to the other room if this is a problem." You held your breath waiting for his response. This answer would tell you everything you needed to know.

He takes a deep breath. "I don't mind...." His hand had been resting gently on your arm suddenly moved, making you aware that he was moving away. You grabbed his hand, stopping him. Lightly tugging on his arm urging him to lay down next to you with his arm around you. He slowly settles next to you, but you feel him holding back still. You scoot back into him. When you do you feel his muscles flex against you in response to wiggle your body even more against him to settle into his warmth.

"You can't keep doing this." He groans as his hand grips your hips.

"What's wrong?" You ask innocently, smiling.

"If you keep going that, I'm going to get hard." He answers bluntly. When you respond to him by purposefully grinding your ass against him he growls as his grip on you tightens more. He rocks his hips into you, and you feel his growing length.

Then lifting himself effortlessly he quickly pulls you under him. He looks down at you and smirks.

"Is that my shirt?" He grabs the bottom of the shirt. You nod shyly. Before you can respond his mouth crashes into yours and he grinds into you, making you moan from the friction. His hands slide under the shirt, and as he sits back, he pulls you up with him. Sitting up now he pulls the shirt up and breaks the kiss only long enough to pull it over your head.

You pull away, breathing heavily. He trails kisses down your neck to your breasts. You moan when he gives a gentle bite. He then stops and brings his hands to cup the side of your face, so that you have no choice but to make eye contact with him.

"Are you sure you want this?" He asks.

"Yes." You answer.