#squid game reader insert

The way she moved with a sense of confidence and purpose that was simply too authentic to be fake. The way she had shut him out so quickly, eyes never seeming to truly look at him. Gods did he long for that familiar gaze to land on him. To rediscover that warmth he had once found in it. By now it had been years since Thanos had last spoken to her—since he’d ruined everything. But the memories, the raw, untouched feelings, were still there. Unforgiven. Unwavering. Never truly gone.

And as much as he hated to admit it, he couldn’t keep pretending that this wasn’t affecting him. Not even with several of his colourful pills pumping through his system.

Thanos’ eyes drifted across the darkened room, only stopping when he had found [Y/N]’s form a few beds down from his. She was sitting there, still as stone, eyes staring straight ahead with that same unreadable expression she had been wearing ever since the first game. Not a single word had passed between them since their brief interaction during the last game. But ,despite how it might seem, Thanos wasn’t stupid. He could feel the tension in the air whenever their paths crossed.

He wasn’t used to feeling this way. Especially not when his survival instincts kicked in so loudly, demanding every ounce of his energy to focus on the prize. “Win the money , pay off your debt.” had become the silent mantra in his brain. But that was the thing with [Y/N], she had always been able to pull at the strings of something deep inside him, something far more complicated than any strategy or skill. Something deeply ,deeply personal.

“Hey do you think I could-“ Nam-Guy -or whatever his name was- popped into Thanos’ field of vision. With an annoyed sigh, the purple haired player stood up. “Not now.” He muttered, putting both of his hands on the boy’s shoulders, turning him to the bed next to his. “Talk to him instead.” Baffled Nam-Gyu looked over his shoulder, surprise in his voice as he exclaimed a “What-“. But Thanos was already halfway across the room, shoes making quiet thuds against the floor as he made his way over to [Y/N]’s cot.

“You know,” Thanos came to a halt on one of the lower steps that rested between the beds, resting his arms on [Y/N]’s mattress as he propped up his head. Thanos’ voice was calm. Almost too calm to [Y/N]’s ears, judging by the gravity of the situation they had found themselves in. “Staring at the wall isn't going to change anything."

Thanos leaned against the bed frame, his usual cocky smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as he watched [Y/N]. She was sitting still as a stone with an expression colder than ice. Not once had she bothered to look at him since he had approached her bed, and that infuriated him.

“Are you really gonna sit there like you don’t know who I am?” he drawled, his voice dripping with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. “You know, I’m starting to feel like a ghost. And I’m not really the type to fade into the background, you know?”

[Y/N] fought the urge to roll her eyes, choosing to ignore the purple haired pain-in-the-ass who she had once called her best friend.

“Well, if it helps, I can try and get a little more dramatic,” Thanos said, pushing himself off the bedframe in order to lean in closer, reducing the distance between them. “Maybe I’ll do a little tap dance or something. You seem like you’d appreciate the effort.”

At that [Y/N] finally glanced at him, but only for a brief moment, before turning her gaze back to the wall. "You’re a real piece of work, Su-Bong," she muttered under her breath, but still loud enough for him to catch the venom in her words. He chuckled.

“Yeah, I know. I’m one of a kind.” His voice was playful, but there was an edge to it, a challenge in his tone. “And I’m starting to think you don’t even remember who I am anymore.” [Y/N] shot him a glance, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Oh, I remember exactly who you are, Su-Bong. And that's the problem."

The words hit him like a splash of cold water, but he refused to let it show. He leaned in closer, deliberately invading her space, his eyes gleaming with that familiar cockiness. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

She met his gaze with a fiery intensity. “It means that you left. You walked away, and I’m still here, cleaning up your mess. So yeah, I remember you. And I remember how it felt to have you pull away like I meant nothing.”

Thanos laughed, but it was dry, forced. “Jesus, you’ve got a way with words, don’t you? You know, I thought you’d be more fun to mess with, but I forgot how good you were at throwing guilt trips. Really good.”

“Guilt trips?” [Y/N] turned her body to face him fully now, her eyes flashing with a mix of fury and sheer hurt. “No, Su-Bong, this isn’t about guilt. It’s about the fact that you’re standing there, pretending like it’s all fine now, when you did leave. You disappeared, and now you expect everything to just magically go back to how it was? Is that it? You think I’ve been sitting here waiting for you to waltz back in with your pretty purple hair and expect me to just forgive you?”

Thanos smirked. “I don’t expect anything from you. But you might want to reconsider that little attitude of yours. It’s really not helping the situation.”

“You think I care about your situation?” she snapped, her voice louder. “You think I’ve been sitting here, all starry-eyed, just waiting for you to get your shit together? Newsflash: I’m done doing that. I’m done with you, Su-Bong.”

The weight of [Y/N]’s words hung heavy in the air, the tension between the estranged pair was palpable. Thanos was about to speak again, something sharp and cutting on the tip of his tongue, when the loudspeaker's monotone voice sliced through the silence, calling the players to line up for food.

Without as much as a glance, [Y/N] brushed past Thanos as though he were invisible, the force of her shoulder knocking him slightly off balance. Her gaze was firmly locked onto the middle of the room as she began walking toward the food line, every step measured, holding that unwavering confidence.

Tears clouded Nam-gyu’s vision, his head tilting back against the cold tile of the shower, hoping that the loud rush of water could block out the thundering sounds of fireworks outside. 

Every crackling pop made him jump, his blunt nails digging into the skin of his thighs. 

It was New Years in America, and yet Nam-gyu could not find it in himself to celebrate. 

“Fuck…” Nam-gyu whimpered, stifling a sob against the back of his hand. What had he done…

He had to do it… He had to do it… He had to do it… 

Nam-gyu closed his eyes, feeling that cold sweat rush back over him as the memory of Se-mi’s lifeless body flashed in his head. His trembling hands quickly shot up to his face, smacking against the sides of his head harshly. 

He wished so badly he could just erase those games from his mind, forget everything.

Anything… He would do anything…

“Nam-gyu! Hey man!” Su-bong slammed his hands on the closed door of the bathroom, making the man inside yelp loudly, “Stop hiding in the bathroom, come on let’s drink or something!” 

“Leave me alone…” Nam-gyu whispered, “Leave me alone…” He clenched his eyes shut, burying his head between his legs. 

“Nam-gyu!” 

There were suddenly hands on his shoulders.

Nam-gyu flinched, tears now flowing freely from his eyes as his head whipped up, for a split second he thought he saw pink and black. His heart felt like it would beat out of his chest, and he could barely move on his own volition thanks to how harshly his body shook. 

“Leave me alone!” His voice was broken up by sobs, eyes unable to focus. 

“Hey! Nam-gyu calm down, it’s just me!” Su-bong could feel his hair getting wet as he got closer to Nam-gyu, the spray from the shower pouring down on the both of them, “Come on man, you know where you are.” His hand smacked against Nam-gyu’s face lightly. 

“I can’t-” Nam-gyu’s hand went to his chest, the t-shirt he was wearing soaked all the way through, “I can’t…. Breathe. Fu… Fuck.” 

Su-bong stared at his best friend with wide eyes, “Alright buddy, I’m gonna need you to look at me.” 

Nam-gyu tried his best to focus, the flash of Su-bong's blue hair breaking through his spotty vision. 

Su-bong tried his best to help him, guiding his breathing, and whatever other methods that were listed out in those videos he watched months ago. He made sure that Nam-gyu followed his instructions, watching as his shoulders started to relax, his chest finally rising and falling at a normal rate. 

Nam-gyu was still shaking, but Su-bong already had a plan to help calm him down. 

~~~

He was finally able to drag Nam-gyu from the bathroom after twenty minutes, forcing him to change out of his soaked clothes. Pushing him into his room before closing the door.

Su-bong busied himself with rolling another blunt while he waited for his friend.

After a minute or two of staring at himself in the mirror, Nam-gyu came out of his bedroom in just an oversized t-shirt and pajama pants. A bright pink vape was in his right hand, and a throw blanket was slung over his left shoulder. 

“It’s about time.” Su-bong sighed, leaning back against the arm of the couch. “Sit. I rolled you one too.” He placed the blunt between his own lips and lit it. 

Nam-gyu brushed a strand of wet hair behind his ear, throwing his blanket down on Su-bong’s legs before sitting on the opposite side of the couch, feeling his friend's foot tap against his thigh. 

“You good, man?” 

“You always roll so badly.” Nam-gyu commented as he reached over for the blunt left on the coffee table. 

“Just smoke it, Nam-su.” Su-bong chuckled, kicking a foot against Nam-gyu’s thigh. 

Nam-gyu glared at him harshly, earning a louder laugh from his friend. 

“I’m just fucking with you, bro.” 

The next hour passed by quickly, Nam-gyu’s hands finally stopped shaking and he felt much more relaxed. His heart finally stopped beating so harshly, his body barely reacting to the fireworks outside now. 

He sank down on the couch, his back practically laying down on the cushions and his knees knocking against the coffee table. He brought a hand up to brush his long hair from his eyes, looking to the side to find Su-bong scrolling through TikTok. 

“Ever hear back from that job you applied for?” Su-bong asked suddenly, glancing up from his phone. 

“Huh?” Nam-gyu blinked, “Oh yeah… Uh I should be starting in a few days.” 

Su-bong hummed, nodding to himself before looking back down at his phone. 

~~~

The morning air nipped against your skin as you opened your car door, the hinges groaning in protest. Fog covered most of the parking lot, the sun trying its best to break through the clouds above your head, wind blew the leaves from underneath your car just as you shut the door. 

A sigh fell from your lips, you were so tired. 

“Good morning.” You smiled at one of your co-workers that stood behind the counter, an excited squeal came from her as she looked up. 

“Finally! I’ve been waiting for you to get here.” 

You chuckled quietly, finger gently tapping against the energy drink you were holding, hoping it’ll carry you through the next eight hours quickly. I should have gone to bed earlier last night.

Danny put down the paper she was holding once you rounded the corner, a smile curved her lips as she dug through the pocket of her vest. She pulled out a baggie with two small brownies in it. 

“I made them last night and thought you might wanna try.” She giggled quietly, walking back over to the cake she was working on, “I wouldn’t recommend taking the whole thing though, they’re strong.” 

“Shiiit, thanks Danny.” You smiled, pushing the swinging door to the back kitchen open. “Morning Mrs. Carrie.” 

One of your older coworkers turned away from the donuts she was icing, “Morning.” 

In your department it was pretty easy to get closer to your co-workers. You were all forced to work so closely together, especially in the deli, two to four people stuck behind a counter for eight hours at the same time.

There was a bond amongst the decently sized group you had, a bond that would sometimes sour with short lived drama that you had no interest being dragged into. 

You fished the hairnet out of your pocket, and grabbed an apron from the basket by the door. 

“Good morning.” Your co-worker Alice smiled as you walked closer to her, tying the apron around your waist. 

“Morning.” 

You checked the tablet, making sure that there weren’t any orders for the personal shoppers to pick up. 

The next few hours went by smoothly enough, thankfully it wasn’t too busy in the store. Making it a lot easier for you to cook everything you needed, make sure that the condiments beside the hot bar were filled, reducing stress for your coworker and you. 

“I’m going on my lunch.” You told Alice, taking your gloves off and throwing them away. 

“Alright, have fun.” She joked. 

You walked out from behind the counter, pulling your jacket closer around you before pulling your phone out and looking at the time. God you still had four more hours… 

~~~

Nam-gyu’s first day had gone somewhat smoothly, learning how to do everything was easy enough when he had someone helping him.

All he had to do was shop for other people’s groceries all day, what could be so hard about that?

It was a good way to keep his mind off things, an earbud hidden away by his hair to drown out any thoughts that could bother him as he worked. 

Finally break time was rolling around, and he trailed off from his department towards the deli. He wasn’t sure if he would even be able to eat, but he could at least try something.

Four more hours… Nam-gyu looked back up from his phone. Gasping softly when he runs into another person. They stumble back a little, and his phone drops on the ground. 

The person looks at him, hurried apologies flooding from both of their mouths as she tucks her phone back into her vest pocket. 

“I’m so sorry.” “I wasn’t paying attention.” “That was my fault.” 

The next couple of days were the same. Thoughts of you had never left his mind no matter how hard he tried to forget about that night. He’d eventually given up trying to forget about you and found your social media. Seeing as you were scouted to join the games, he had been provided with many details about you such as your full name, so you were easy to find. It was addicting scrolling through photos of you at night, as he lay back in his bed and remembered that Friday night. He didn’t know what it was, but something about you was addictive and he needed more.

It was about five days now since that night and he was at the train station. He had just finished playing ddakji with another ‘client’ and handed them the card, telling them to call the number if they wished the participate in the games for the opportunity to earn more money than they could possibly imagine. He left them by themselves and hopped on the train just before its departure. His night was finished and it wasn’t long before his mind wondered back to you. It had been five days and he was still daydreaming about you. He had considered going back to the convenience store many times, after all it is a place you go to a lot on a weekday he’d have a pretty good chance of seeing you there again. The train stopped at the next station, and he shuffled backwards to let passengers on and off the train. Thoughts of you still flooded his head so he pulled out his phone to once again scroll through your Instagram in an attempt to satisfy his need for you.

“It’s you!”

A sudden angelic voice interrupted him. He looked up from his phone and met your eyes. His heart skipped a beat and a huge grin formed on his face. Your bright eyes sparkled with joy and your skin had a healthy glow to it. It was obvious to him that you had been doing so much better than you were before your little encounter. You wore a huge smile on your face and looked as lively as ever.

“Hello, miss” He greeted, stuffing his phone in his pocket and turning to give you his undivided attention.

“I didn’t think I’d see you again! I’ve been uh, looking for you” you tell him shyly. “I wanted to thank you properly. You really helped me back on my feet you know? But you left so quickly…”

“I apologise, I wish I hadn’t left in such a rush”

“No no I- It’s okay really I mean I just…” A blush now settled on your face as you tried to find the right words. You hadn’t expected to see him on the train. And while it was true you had been searching for him ever since the alleyway you hadn’t actually thought of what you were going to say to him. What could you say?

‘Hello sir, I don’t know your name or anything about you but you’re incredibly handsome and my god you know how to fuck. Wanna maybe get to know each other and hook up again?’ You could say that, but it was a bit forward.

“It was well, uh, it was fun playing ddakji with you” are the words you decided to settle on. You tried to hide your blush but you knew he knew what you really meant. Despite that, he innocently smiled at you and tilted his head to the side, gesturing to you to continue what you wanted to say. “It would be nice to play with you again. I mean of course if you want to we don’t have—”

“Yes, it was quite fun” He interrupted, stopping you from rambling on any further. “But as you can see I don’t have the tiles or prize money on me” He showed you his empty hands. He no longer had the briefcase with him and you definitely didn’t carry ddakji tiles or paper yourself.

The train came to a halt which you had not expected and stumbled forward, leaning into him. The cologne you had smelt that night filled your senses once again. God you missed that smell. You had dreamt of his warmth and his scent a lot since Friday and to feel him once again was surreal. He supported you with his arm and looked down at you with his charming smile. You quickly apologised and adjusted yourself again, your blush never leaving your face.

“How about we play a different game?” You suggested.

“What did you have in mind?”

“Rock paper scissors?”

He chuckled at you and nodded. “Rock paper scissors it is” He lifted his hand and balled it into a fist and you did the same.

“Rock”

“Paper”

“Scissors!”

You looked down at your hands. You had yours still balled in a fist playing rock, while his was open playing paper. He won again. Is it possible for this man to lose?

“It seems as though I won” He looked proud of himself, and you rolled your eyes. You’d get him one day. “However, you never set a prize for the winner”. Oh. You knew what you wanted, but you were too embarrassed to say it. Especially in a crowded train like this one. The salesman leans down to whisper in your ear. “But I have an idea. Pay me with your body again”.

His words had your mind racing. This is exactly what you wanted but that certainly wasn’t going to happen here. Or so you thought.

“My stop is next. We can go to my apartment if you’d like?” You suggest, but his eyes darkened and he shook his head.

“No.” he simply stated. “You’ll come to mine. However my stop is further away” He leaned down to whisper in your ear once again, and you watched as that devious smirk formed on his lips once more. “And I’m incredibly impatient. Take your panties off”.

What? Right here? Was he insane? Apparently so. The look on his face told you he wasn’t playing around. You looked around, making sure no one was looking in your general direction and when you were sure the coast was clear, you slipped off your panties and bundled them in your fist. The salesman held out his hand and looked at you expectantly and you reluctantly placed them in his palm. Just like last time he tucked them into his blazer and you knew you weren’t going to see them again anytime soon.

“Come closer” He commanded, and you did as he asked. You shuffled closer until your chest touched his. You could feel your heart pounding and you hopped he couldn’t feel it too. Suddenly, you felt his hand run under your skirt and straight to your clit. A small gasp escaped your lips at the sensation and you tried to cover his hand by pulling your skirt down as far as you could. “There’s fifteen minutes before our stop. You’re not allowed to cum on this train, do you understand?”

A whole fifteen minutes of his pleasuring you and you weren’t allowed to cum? You were sure this was about to be the longest fifteen minutes of your life. A finger forced it’s way into your entrance and you bit your tongue to stop yourself from screaming. You looked up to meet his eyes, the salesman had a look of frustration on his face. Obviously, you didn’t answer fast enough for him.

“Brat” He spat. “I said, do you understand?” You immediately nodded your head and answered him.

“Yes, I understand sir. I’m sorry sir” you whispered. The single finger inside you began to pump in and out of your pussy and his thumb rubbed your clit.

“Good girl, you’re gonna behave real well, aren’t you?”

“Yes sir”. Your response seemed to satisfy him and his fingers continued to work their magic. It was incredibly hard to stay silent as his thumb stroked small circles onto your clitoris. The sensation had you arching your back and you grabbed onto his forearms for stability as your legs trembled. You could feel how wet you had become as he entered another finger inside of you. It took everything to keep yourself quiet as he spread his two fingers apart and began to scissor inside you. You were a mewling helpless mess in his arms, but you still had a whole 10 minutes to go.

“Remember, no cumming” He whispered. He was enjoying this. He watched through half lidded eyes as you squirmed in his arms, desperately trying to stay quiet and avoid any suspicion from other passengers around you. You looked so beautiful, and he wanted nothing more than to take you right then and there, but he had to be patient. He felt your pussy clench around his fingers and his pace immediately halts, stopping you from cumming. You wriggle your hips to bring back the sensation but the salesman simply tuts.

“A-ah, can’t risk you finishing just yet. Remember what you promised me?” He spoke to you like you were a child. It was condescending, he was making fun of you and all you could do was nod. You didn’t trust your voice, scared you’d let a moan slip out of your lips if you opened them to speak. Slowly, he inserted a third finger and slowly began to pump his fingers again.

Your head lolled back slightly and you let out a deep breath you hadn’t realise you were holding in. you needed so much more than his fingers, but you had to be patient. His pace began to quicken again and you dug your fingernails into his blazer. The salesman kept this pace until he felt your pussy clench around his fingers once again. Just like before, he stopped completely and you felt the knot that built in your stomach disappear again. Your body was weak and you were so desperate to cum, but he wasn’t going to let you. Not until you were out of this train.

“Just 3 more minutes” He reassured you. You didn’t know if you could keep this up for three more minutes. His fingers were like magic, no one had ever made you feel this good before. No one had made you feel so desperate like he did. His thumb continued to draw circles on your clit and his fingers steadily fucked your aching pussy. Just like before, your legs began to shake and that familiar knot formed in your stomach. However this time, the train started to slow as you reached your stop. And with that, your fifteen minutes was over. You were a wreck but did your best to keep your composure. He on the other hand, brought his fingers that were just inside you and stuck them in front of your mouth.

“Clean them”

“Here?”

“Now.” He watched as you cupped his hand with your own in a poor attempt to cover what you were about to do and shyly opened your mouth. Wrapping your lips around his fingers, you sucked them clean, the taste of your wet pussy danced on your tastebuds. He smiled and pulled his fingers out of your mouth. “You did so well. You deserve a reward”. The train finally came to a stop and he pulled you out, dragging you across the train station to a secluded corner away from the other passengers. Once he was sure everyone had passed, he bent down and lifted your skirt exposing your pussy to him.

“We have 6 minutes until the next train comes. Cum before then or wait until we get to mine”. Before you could utter a word his mouth was on your wet pussy, licking away at your clit. You finally let out a soft moan, you could feel a smile form on his lips as you softly whimpered. You ran your hands through his soft hair and his fingers found their way back inside you, vigorously fucking you. It wasn’t long until you came. Your pussy clenched on his fingers and you rode his face until you couldn’t take it anymore and your legs caved in. thankfully, the salesman had quick reflexes and caught you as your legs gave way. You sat on the subway floor, taking a moment to catch your breath. You felt your skirt being pulled down, covering you so you were no longer exposed. You gave him a grateful smile and he returned it.

“Do you think you’re able to stand?” He asks gently. You give a small nod.

“Yeah I think so” you say. He stands up and offers you his hand. You take it gratefully and he lifts you up with easy. “Thanks”

“No need to thank me” He says. He cupped your face in his hand and leaned down. His lips met yours in a sweet kiss, the taste of your cum heavy on his lips and you sigh into the kiss.

“Lets get you cleaned up at my house hm?”

“Yeah… o-okay. Lets go”

When their eyes met, a brief, silent acknowledgment passed between them. [Y/N]’s gaze hardened immediately, keeping the mental wall she had put up years ago firmly in place. Thanos had expected this. He knew she would hate him. Hell, he had wanted her to hate him. But it didn’t stop the flash of regret from hitting him like a sucker punch to the gut.

For a moment, the air between them thickened, and he felt the tension. But Thanos—Su-Bong—quickly decided to ignore his feelings. He wasn’t one to get all sentimental. Not now, and especially not in front of all these people.

"Still playing the silent game, huh?" he muttered, head dipping in her direction. The tone in his voice was smug, as though none of this bothered him. "Some things never change."

[Y/N] didn't even flinch. She glanced at him for a moment, then turned her back to him, choosing to stand away from the others. Her silence was a warning, but Thanos wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. He watched her closely, trying to gauge her every move, convincing himself that it was for the sake of the games and all , but he knew this was different. This wasn’t just about the games he currently found himself trapped in. This was about the game he had been playing all his life, far more personal than any debts could ever be.

—-

The first game had passed and Thanos found himself behind the finish line. The gunshots, the chaos, the fear—it was all a blur inside of his high brain. But even in the midst of his rush, Thanos hadn’t been able to help himself but keep his eyes on her. [Y/N]. She had survived, sharp eyes calculating her every step. He was just about to make a cocky comment about her tactics when suddenly his mind wandered back to the past.

That one memory.

He had been younger, somewhat quieter. A boy with too many troubles and just as many questions. And [Y/N], she had somehow always been the answer. Even when he had found himself going down the dark path of addiction [Y/N] had been the only person refusing to abandon him. She’d spent hours keeping him company, sitting on his bedroom floor, his pills scattered across the floor between them. And no matter what bullshit he had managed to come up with, she had always been right by his side, smiling in that soft, teasing way that made him want to say something—anything—just to hear her laugh. Back then, there had been no fear, no weight of the world. Just the simplicity of two weirdos being together.

However, now, it felt like he had never known that version of himself. Su-Bong, the boy who didn’t have to push her away, the boy who never stopped smiling because of her. It had always been him and her against the world.

But if you've been fighting against the world for years, how do you react when you suddenly realize that your best friend has become your world? Unwilling to confront this question and the weight it carried, Su-Bong had ran from her, terrified of what he was feeling.

[Y/N] hadn’t known the truth. She still didn’t.

—-

The rest of the day went by in a blur and sooner than later the second game arrived. As [Y/N] and her team were making their way from mini game to mini game, Thanos observed her closely, pushing other players out of the way to crouch down at the very edge of the circular track. It was time for [Y/N] to succeed in her designated game, Gonggi. As she crouched down in front of the little table with the pebbles, her eyes quickly wandered to scan her opponents, but never once did they land on him. Thanos could see the determination in her face, the sharpness in her eyes, but there was something else. It wasn’t just the game she was playing—it was him. She was avoiding him. And he hated it.

As Thanos took his place at the inner edge of the circle, [Y/N] could feel the pressure of the game weighing on her heart. The memory of that game, their shared past, gnawed at her. She didn’t understand why but all of sudden it felt just like yesterday that she had been sitting across from Su-Bong on the wooden floor of his childhood room. Even though [Y/N] had never directly stopped him from using drugs, she had always worried about the -now purple haired- boy.

Back then he had the careless habit of messily scattering his pills on the floorboards between them, claiming it to be “for the sake of transparency”. And so, in her own twisted way of taking care of him and keeping him away from over-consumption , [Y/N] eventually started playing Gonggi with the pills, establishing the rule that Su-Bong could only continue his consume if she lost. She never lost once.

Shaking her head to get rid of the memory, [Y/N] prepared her pebbles, her fingers swift and precise. Thanos , who had been reaching for his cross necklace, slowly tucked it back under his shirt as watched her carefully from his spot. "You’re still as good as you were," he shouted, his voice booming. However, [Y/N] didn’t look up. Her focus never wavering.

"Don’t talk to me, Su-Bong," she replied flatly, her voice colder than it had ever been.

That hurt.

It shouldn’t have or at the very least he should have expected it. He wasn’t someone who allowed emotions to control him, but there was something about her rejecting him—like a door slamming shut , shutting him out from everything they had been—that made him freeze. For the briefest moment, he wanted to reach out. To break that wall she had so meticulously built. But he didn’t.

Instead, he gave a half-hearted chuckle, leaning back with his usual arrogance. "Fine. I’ll just watch then. It’s not like I need to be nice to you to survive this."

A tired sigh left her lips as her eyes narrowed in an attempt to see despite the poor lightning. Another fight. The chaos of the game, the little amount of food and the overall desperation of the players—it had only been matter of time before things turned violent again.

Staring where the sound came from , right across from her, it wasn’t the fight that had her feeling on edge. Her gaze scanned the area quickly, eyes darting across the sea of beds and the flailing bodies near the door. But there was no sign of him. No flash of that annoyingly purple hair, no cocky smirk. Just the frenzy of the others.

Chewing on her lips as her eyes wandered around the room for a second time, [Y/N] could feel her heartbeat speeding up nervously. She didn’t know why it bothered her so much. It wasn’t like she cared. But something about him—something about the way he always seemed to approach things acting like he was invincible—had her restless. Thanos didn’t always play by the rules. And when things got messy, he was usually the one starting it or making it worse.

But once again, it wasn’t like she cared about that at all.

Failing to ignore her worries, [Y/N] pushed herself up from her cot, skipping a few of the lower steps, her footsteps swift and sharp as she navigated the darkness of the room. The shouting grew louder as she moved further towards the front of the hall, but her focus was only on one task: finding him. Finding that annoying mop of purple hair. Gods, why was she doing this to herself ? And why couldn’t she spot that stupid purple hair anywhere??

She passed by a few groups of various players huddled together, murmuring about the fight, their eyes flicking nervously toward the noise. Glancing at them, it was clear that none of them had the answers she was looking for. Her heart pulled her further towards the front of the room, nervously beating with the urge to see him. She just needed to know he was okay. Not that she‘d ever admit that to him or even herself.

Craning her head to look around to the best of her abilities, [Y/N] walked towards the door leading to the bathrooms and nearly collided with one of the other players, who was making his way in the opposite direction. She shot him a glare, but he just muttered something about staying out of the fight and kept walking.

[Y/N] didn’t stop to pay him any more attention. Her pulse pumping through her veins with a quickened pace.

Where was he?

Then, as if the world had finally decided to give her a break, she spotted him. At the far side of the room, leaning against the wall, Thanos was exactly where he always seemed to be—out of the fray, watching it all unfold like it was some kind of evening entertainment. His purple hair stood out in the dim light, and his eyes lazily tracked the commotion with that infuriatingly nonchalant look on his face.

[Y/N]’s breath whooshed out of her in relief, even though she refused to acknowledge it. She took a steadying breath, reminding herself that the fight wasn’t her problem. And despite her actions, she wasn’t about to make neither Thanks nor any other part of this situation her problem.

The girl waited for a brief moment, observing her former best friend as he casually watched the others, probably waiting for the right moment to step in or out—depending on what suited him best.

Unsurprisingly, he didn’t even look bothered.

With a small, annoyed exhale, the girl made her way over to him. Her instincts controlling her actions before her mind could step in. “Not involved in the mess for once, huh?” she muttered, her voice nonchalant , though there was a slight edge to it, one that could be mistaken for concern. But it wasn’t that. It was just... practicality.

Thanos tilted his head, glancing at her only when she got close enough. His smirk was already in place, like it never left. “Aww. Look who’s worried about me.”

Her eyes narrowed, the defensiveness creeping back in like a protective armour. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. I’m just making sure you’re not starting a fight for no reason.”

His grin stretched wider. “Me? Start a fight? I’m the one trying to avoid getting caught up in all this mess. Not my fault if some idiots want to throw some punches.”

[Y/N] snorted, not buying it for a second. “You don’t have to start it to be part of it. All it takes is you being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Thanos leaned a little closer, clearly enjoying the fact that he had her attention, even if she wouldn’t admit why she’d come looking for him in the first place. “I’m always in the right place at the right time, Princess. You know that.”

Pinching her nose in annoyance , [Y/N] rolled her eyes, but there was a flicker of something else in her gaze. Something deeper, something Thanos couldn’t quite place, something she surely wouldn’t let slip. "Yeah, well, maybe one day you won't be," she said, voice low, but not soft. “And if you’re so good at keeping out of trouble, maybe you should keep to the shadows and stop letting yourself be seen like this. You’re just asking for someone to make a move on you.”

“Who would be stupid enough to try that?” His voice was playful, but there was something sharp behind his words.

“Plenty of people,” she said, her tone colder now. “This place doesn’t care about who you are or how fast you can get out of trouble. You’re not invincible. Plus, you’re rather punchable.“

For a moment, the playful edge in Thanos’ eyes faded, just for a split second. But it didn’t last. Instead, he stood a little straighter, his smirk returning, though it was more of a challenging expression now.

“You don’t need to worry about me, Angel. I sure as hell know how to survive all of this.” His eyes held hers, as he gestured around and for a moment, there was something unspoken between them—something distantly familiar that neither of them was ready to confront.

[Y/N] didn’t back down, studying his face before sighing. “Surviving doesn’t mean living, Su-Bong,” she said, turning away before he could respond. "You should remember that."

And with that she made her way back toward her cot, the quiet after their brief exchange settling in around her. But even though she walked away with a cold shoulder, her mind was a blur of questions she refused to answer. She wasn’t worried. Not about him. Not about anything.