#vpcollab

The night was so cold. It was the first thing you noticed as you walked down the dark alleyway. 

Perhaps it was because your clothes were scant - the short dress was just catching the curve of your ass, the thin fabric being held to your frame by spaghetti straps that left you open to the sharp cold of the night.

The scent of the alleyway was the first thing you noticed, the damp trash and smell of piss lingered in your nose as you walked briskly toward the darkened end. Your face instinctively scrunched in disgust as the smell heightened. 

Relief washed over you as you reached your destination. The metal door was brown with rust at the edges and looked like it could barely open, yet you still knocked. 

It was loud in the dark alleyway, but was concealed by the bustling city the secret corner resided in. It was answered quickly though, the hallway dark and concealed as a man stood at the door. 

He was dressed in a suit, the white shirt matching his white hair which was a contrast to the navy jacket and matching slacks. The outfit was obviously tailored to fit his broad figure, the delicate chains attached to his suit accentuated the professionality this stranger carried himself with. He said nothing as he opened the door wider for you, a silent invitation for you to enter, which you accepted, neither of you speaking as he lead you down the darkened hallway. 

He was handsome, filled out and muscular, rings adorned his fingers while his sharp and stern features added to his cold demeanour. 

Though despite his coldness you could still notice the way his eyes lingered on your curves, how his gaze was steely yet clouded with an arousal you seemed to ignite in a lot of men. Noticing this wasn’t you being cocky - it was part of your job within the Yakuza family, Sumiyoshi-kai - to seduce targets, scope them out for information. And you knew you were good at your job as you were the favorite of the boss’ son. 

The stranger lead you towards the end of the darkened hallway, walking you down cemented stairs and into a basement room with cement walls, another metal door and a dim light that dangled from the ceiling of the small space. 

“Strip,” His voice was steel much like himself, his gaze situated on your face as he commanded you, “We can’t have any bugs or wires on anyone going in.” 

You cocked an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at your lips as you slipped the thin straps off your shoulders, “Most people take me out for dinner first,” you responded, letting your small dress fall to the floor and reveal your naked form underneath. 

His gaze raked down your body, eyes widening a bit as he realised you were bare underneath, yet that was the only reaction you got out of him. 

“You’re clear,” He spoke the words gruffly, still watching your body as you redressed. 

Though he was quick to turn around once the dress was back on your body, his thumb pressing against a finger scanner that allowed him access through the door. He held it open for you, gesturing for you to walk in.

The room was white; the walls, the floor, the ceiling, the lighting, the appliances - all a sterile bleached tone that hurt your eyes to look at. Though there were spots of red as you realised the room was half dedicated to displaying a red substance within skull shaped glasses along a large shelf which took up the back wall. The centrepiece of the room seemed to be an encased dead tree along with metre high pillars that had the same liquid filled skulls sat atop them. There was also a strange piano sat off to the other side with tubing and jars filled with the same red substance attached to it, which only heightened your curiosity toward the set up.

The whole setting intrigued you, yet you didn’t question it as you walked in, letting the stranger lead you to a door off to the back corner.

“He’s waiting for you in there,” His tone was still gruff, not wavering as he knocked on the white surface to let the man inside know you were there. 

The person inside opened the door, his expression just as steely and stagnant as the white haired man that led you in. Though as you studied his features, you couldn’t help but feel more attracted to him, his eyes held a sparkle to them that the other man didn’t have, one that said he was more willing to play with you. 

He said something to the stranger that guided you in another language, you figured it was korean considering they were a korean group working for the biggest yakuza organisation.

“Come in,” He spoke to you, his blue shaded hair falling around his eyes as he opened the door wider for you to walk in. 

You nodded in response, following him into the room after him. A sense of shock and numbness gripped your body as the scent of the room hit you. It was sweet and intoxicating, reeling you and winding you up as you breathed it in deeper. There was a hue to the room that made it seem to pulsate, as if it was alive and breathing the same swirls of air as you.

“I believe you’re here on interest towards our product,” His voice was as intoxicating as the smell, your body turning to face him. He was handsome, attractive in the carefree way he lounged against the wall and let the mussed blue strands of hair fall around his eyes. 

“Yes, my friend is a subordinate within the Yamaguchi-gumi, he asked me to come here for him,” Your tone was unbothered, matching the demeanour of the man in front of you.

“What’s your name?” He pushed himself off the wall, closing the gap between you both to grab your jaw gently, the pads of his fingers craning your neck and making you look into his eyes.

“y/n,” You kept calm, your body used to men touching you without asking.

“What were you told exactly about the drug that we’re selling, y/n?” His eyes looked into your own, as if he was trying to read your thoughts through the orbs. 

“I wasn’t told anything about, really.” Your voice was breathless, the scent of this stranger hitting you with such an intensity you could barely breathe. It was captivating, making your body desperate to itch closer; to touch, to explore, to taste, he was pulling you in with just the smell. 

“It's not a regular drug, sweetheart,” His hand slipped from your jaw to trailing down your hip, the fingertips dancing across the thin fabric, “It's not for getting yourself high,” He leant toward you slightly, bringing his body closer to yours as his lips brushed against the shell of your ear, “Its for getting others high.” 

You were confused at the statement, your brow furrowing as you let the words register in your brain, “But that doesn’t make sense?”

The stranger chuckled, his fingers digging into your hips as he pulled you flush against his body, “Can I show you, sweetheart?” His lips ran across your jaw, placing a chaste kiss to the skin as he felt you melt beneath his touch. 

“Y-Yes,” You were under the haze, letting him take control as he guided you backwards until the cold sting of unforgiving metal dug into the curve of your ass. The stranger’s fingers danced along your inner thigh as he lifted you onto the metal table you barely had registered was there. 

His lips were on yours, coaxing you toward his body as his fingers slipped under the hem of your dress, pulling the material up your hips and revealing your soaked sex. He couldn’t help but smirk as he relished in the fact you weren’t wearing any underwear. 

You whined into the kiss, your hands desperate to pull the suit jacket off of him, your fingers itching to touch and explore him. Though, he stopped you, his grip tight on your wrists as one of his hands slipped from your hip to pin you against the unforgiving metal.

It was cold and steely as you laid down on the table, your back arching and a whimper falling off your lips as you realised the compromising position you were in. Yet it only added to the fun; the stranger smirking as he brought his finger to swipe down your drenched slit, the action causing a moan to fall off your lips and your nipples to harden against the thin fabric of your dress. 

“Sweetheart,” He accentuated the nickname with a press down on your clit, the dissatisfied bundle sending white hot pleasure coursing through you, “This isn’t a normal drug,” He continued to stroke and play with your clit, making sure you were getting worked up as he spoke, “You see how pleasurable you’re feeling, like nothing else could make you feel this good?”

You whimpered, a muttered ‘yes’ falling off your hips as you continued to grind down onto his thumb, his grip still pinning you in place as he pleased you. The stranger smirked, leaning in to whisper in your ear as he rubbed harder against your desperate core; “That’s the drug.” 

Your body jolted as you registered what he was saying, your thoughts clouded with the pleasure he was giving you yet still confused by what he was saying. “What do you-” 

“You’re from the Sumiyoshi-kai, aren’t you, baby?” His breath was hot on your ear as he spilled your dirty secret, “That's okay, I understand you’re curious why we’re on your territory.”

“H-How-”

“Don’t speak unless I give you permission,” The stranger growled, his thumb pressing harder against your clit as he accentuated his words with the notion, “We have clients in Tokyo… Ones that will give us a lot more money and power in these parts of Japan, sweetie.” 

You swallowed, he was giving you too much information for you to have any chance of leaving this room again. 

“Well, this is just a test run, baby,” He pulled away from your ear, his finger quickening on your clit and causing you to clench around nothing as you felt the build up of an orgasm blossom, “You’ll understand once you get to your climax.” His eyes were dark, relishing in the way your chest heaved and fear painted your features as you could barely understand what was going on. 

“How bad do you want it,” His voice was a growl once more, eyes piercing yours as watched your pussy drip, “How bad do you want me to fill you up?”

Your thoughts were repressed of his previous words as his scent washed over you, the desperate need to feel and touch him overriding your senses once more, “S-So bad,” Your voice was a quiver, hips still grinding against his fingers, “I need you so bad.” 

That was all the stranger needed, his lips curling back into a smirk as he released the grip on your wrists and brought his hands to his pants, being quick to release his hardened member from his slacks. You watched him pull himself out, his palm working up and down his shaft as you sat up; your legs spread and ready to take him on the edge of the table. 

He leant in, his tongue hot and messy on your lips as he kissed you hard, the embrace sloppy and fast paced as he entered you. A moan was all you could suffice into the kiss as you leant back onto the table, one of his hands splayed across your back while the other held onto your hip for leverage. His length was filling you perfectly, your brain blank with any other thoughts rather than this stranger’s dick and how euphoric you felt in that moment. 

His hips snapped against your own, starting a rough pace against the metal table, his own groans and moans mixing with yours as your fingers tangled in the blue strands of his hair. You were already close, the coil in your stomach intensifying as you felt his dick stroke against the spot that had you seeing stars. 

If anything, the smell, the intoxicating and coaxing scent, was heightening the pleasure you felt, the coil twining tighter and tighter every time you breathed in this stranger. His lips were sloppy, leaving a wet trail against your skin as he kissed you messily. 

Your nails scraped against his scalp, your moans becoming louder and more desperate as you felt your high near, the edge to your orgasm building too rapidly for you to comprehend. The stranger knew you were close, his own cock twitching in you to signify his oncoming release. 

Yet, as you came, you could never have prepared your body for the pleasure you felt. One final stroke of his cock had you tumbling over, a loud moan cascading off your lips as your walls constricted tightly around him, a squirt of your essence escaping you as the white hot pleasure of your orgasm took you by storm. The pleasure, the feeling, it was too intense, the orgasm too good as your world went black, vision swimming and your limbs going numb as you felt yourself collapse in the strangers arms. 

She was bored. Playing cupid in a bar where people had no intention of being serious about love was excruciating. All they ever wanted to do was get drunk and forget. They used alcohol to forget their heart break or fulfill sexual needs with a casual hook up. It was all very exhausting to her. However, that was the point of the test, she had to make love happen in one of the most impossible places. Once she did that she would become a full blown cupid and would be able to aid humans finding love and hopefully finding their soul mates. She pulled out three titanium flasks she kept under the counter, each one had a symbol imbedded in it.  One with a clock, one with a heart, and one with an arrow. She only had three chances to prove herself. Her eyes darted to the dark figure that entered the bar. He was tall, had black wavy hair with pouty lips, and a light pink aura. Perfect, she thought, he was in love and ready to be loved back. So now all she needed to figure out - which elixir to give him so could get his relationship off the ground. 

~

Sitting in the dimly lit bar and gazing down at his empty whiskey glass, Jaehwan furrowed his brow and sighed. “Bartender I need more,” he sheepishly smiled hoping she would not notice his slurred speech. The bartender glanced in his direction with a knowing smile. 

“I think you have had enough.” 

Jaehwan pouted and held up a single finger “One more”  he begged. Unable to resist his pleading, she let out a heavy sigh and set down another shot. 

“Here you go.” She stared at him for a moment and examined the empty room; it was a slow night, an easy night to just talk with someone. “So, what brought you here-alone-drinking, and obviously in deep contemplation?” 

Jaehwan quickly downed the amber liquid, “Life isn’t fair, she was supposed to be with me!” He was squeezing his eyes shut as if he was replaying a memory that he did not want to see.“I mean, I am better for her.” He began to rub his temples. “Maybe I am jealous.” 

Removing the shot glasses from in front of Jaehwan, the bartender replied “Probably- especially if this is someone you have feelings for. I take it she dates someone else?”

 Jaehwan let out a long groan “Don’t remind me.”

“Does she know how you feel?”

Slowly shaking his head and groaning,“No, I was going to tell her,  but I just didn’t”, he looked up at her, and muttered,”no matter how hard I try to spin the clock backwards it just doesn’t work.” He looked at her with sadness in his eyes.

“Oh I believe you.  What if I told you I could?”

“You could what?”

“Turn back time.”

He stared at her not comprehending, as the gears in his head began turning slowly. He was trying to fight the haze effect of the alcohol. “You can’t be serious!”

“Oh but I am!”

Jaehwan narrowed his eyes, “Okay so you know what - I believe you. What are you going to do for me? Cast a spell like some kind of witch?”

The bartender set down a flask that had the clock etched into the metal.”Something like that,” she smiled as Jaehwan stared at the flask, intrigued.  

“You get one night, to make your dream a reality, but after that night everything will go back to normal. In a sense it will kind of be like a dream,” She tapped her chin. “What I would like for you to do is just to tell her how you feel and see what happens.” She tapped the top of the flask. “All you have to do is drink this, and you will get a small do over that will in a sense help you out in present day.”

“One Night.”

“Yes that is right one night.” 

“You’re going to turn back the clock?”

“Yup.”

Jaehwan snorted, even in his drunken haze, he knew that this had to be a joke. The alcohol must be playing tricks on his thought process. He just didn’t care at this point at night. He pointed to the flask. “I just need to drink this? For reals? Not for fakes?”

She nodded and motioned to the flask. 

 “Okay.” He picked it up and unscrewed the cap and drank the liquid that was inside. It tasted a lot like flat orange soda. “The task is completed but I am still here.” 

She smiled at him “It does not work right away. You must go home and sleep. When you wake up you will be in a time that will be a week… a few months... or even a year in the past. This will be the point in your life that you could change the outcome of your relationship, but only for that night.” She smiled, “If you have any questions in this journey come to this bar and ask for the witch.”

“Whatever, how about another shot?”

The bartender smiled and complied.

~

Sighing the bartender picked up the empty flask as Jaehwan left the bar in an uber. She hoped that she had made the right decision by giving him the clock flask, after all no one had ever used that elixir before.

~

As soon as Jaehwan made it home he laid down on the bed but quickly sat up when his head began to buzz. Checking his phone he discovered there were six missed messages from you:

‘Yooooooooooo. Wanna go to a movie?

Remember you will always be my best friend no boyfriend can change that

Jaehwan? You okay? Are you mad at me?

That’s it you don’t reply I am feeding you RAISINS and TOFU

…. Okay, I take it back. I would never do that.

Just message me back okay?

He smiled amused at your text messages. He didn’t really want to reply rather he wanted to see you. It was a little past two in the morning, he knew that he shouldn’t call you, but the alcohol was hiding his better judgement. He picked up the phone and dialed your number. 

“Jaehwan?” your voice was groggy as you answered yet it was still enough to quicken his heartbeat.

“Y/N.” he stated. 

“Are you okay, why are you calling me at this hour?”

He hesitated and thought, because I knew you would answer, because I want to see you because I know you will come. “Can you come over?”

“Yeah sure I’ll be there in a bit.” you hung up. That’s one of the things he loved about you. Your undying loyalty to your friends. It didn’t matter if it was two o’clock in the morning. If he asked you to come over you did because your friendship was that strong. He would do the same for you, and you knew that’s why you would never hesitate to come over when he asked.  Jaehwan rested his head back against the wall and waited.

~

Jaehwan had given you a spare key to his apartment, so you walked in like you owned the place. He rarely asks you to come over like this, so you were a bit concerned. You walked into his room to find him sitting on his bed head resting on the wall. “A little too much to drink?” you questioned. 

“Yes, the bartender was nice, I kept saying one more, she would say, ‘I think that you have had enough’ and then I would give her my best sad puppy face-” he reenacted a classic Jaehwan begging face for you. His speech was slurred but you couldn’t tell if it was from him being drunk or tired. Maybe it was both. 

“No one can resist that.” you said. It was true anyone melted when Jaehwan did that, even you. 

He smiled at you and winked. “You got that right, it is one of my many charms.”

“Jaehwan are you okay, though?” He seemed a bit off, ever since you told him you were in a relationship he seemed a bit dejected.

“I’m GRAND.”

You climbed into bed with him and sat next to him. “What else happened at the bar?”

“Nothing happened, the bartender was fun.”

“How so?” you raised your eyebrows at him- a fun bar on a Wednesday seemed out of the ordinary. 

“It is a secret,” He drew out the word long and playfully. 

“No secrets between us,” you couldn’t help but laugh.

 He pouted, “Awe come on just this once.”

“Nope!” there was no way you were going to let him get away with this. 

“Fine, she gave me,” he paused looking at you and smiled, “A magic drink that goes back in time to one night so I can do whatever I want.”

You raised your eyebrows as he rested his head on your shoulder. “Y/N,” his voice was soft and sad. “Do you think that it will work?” 

“Will what work?”

“Going back in time.”

Laughing you replied, “I don’t know, maybe, why would you want to go back in time?”

He narrowed his eyes at you “I have my reasons. Maybe I need to claim a victory from you for a change. Maybe I feel cheated.”

“I have never cheated in any game we play!” You were slightly offended. You had been nothing but honest every time you won, you would never cheat in a game. 

He shifted so he could cup your face with his palms. Staring deep into his eyes you felt your heart skip a beat. His brows were furrowed, and his eyes looked almost sad, “You know what I lost,” You didn’t know what he was talking about. “Jaehwan, I am not sure that I follow.” Shaking his head, he dropped his hands and shrugged. “Guess you will never know then.” He winked playfully at you. You grabbed his pillow and smacked him with it. 

“Are you going to stay here tonight?”

“No, I am going to go home, okay?”

“Alright.” 

~

Jaehwan thought he would wake up with the nastiest hang over he had ever encountered but he was free from headaches and nausea. He looked at his phone for the time, it was five in the evening. He rubbed his temples, no that couldn’t be right he thought, that means that he slept for over 12 hours. He was trying to recall how much he had to drink and the conversations he had. He laughed suddenly. ‘Drink this, and you will get a small do over’ Those words rang in his head. He could not believe that he would believe something like that even in his drunken state. Curious though he looked at the calendar. He blinked and scrubbed his eyes. This couldn’t be right, yesterday was March 31st  and today was October 31st? That’s a five month difference. He couldn't believe it; his heart was pounding as he exited his room and turned on the TV. He went to the weather channel, and the dates matched his calendar. This couldn't be happening. Maybe it was a dream. He pinched himself surprisingly it hurt which meant it wasn’t a dream. His phone startling him, rang. It was “Y/N” he stared down at it. “H-hello” he stammered.

 “Yo Jaehwan are we still going tonight?????” 

He had to think back to the day and what you and he had done on Halloween five months ago; for some reason he was drawing a blank. 

“Ah-yes! I mean what are we doing?”

 “We are going out to bar hop silly then probably going home and watching a movie, it is not like you to forget, are you okay?” Your voice was filled with worry. 

Jaehwan closed his eyes. “No I am just perfect. I will pick you up at 8.”

 “Sounds good!” He could hear the smile in your voice. He stood there flabbergasted but then he could not help but to jump up and down. Another chance. He was determined this time to tell you just how he felt and see what happened. 

Jaehwan rummaged through his closet to find something to wear. This is when his memory hit him like a truck. This was the night that he lost you. He had gone to go get you some drinks and when he came back you were unapologetically flirting with some guy. You had told him that you felt a spark with him and wanted to see where it went, so he left you there while he sulked at the bar and wait for you to tell him you were ready to go. Once you were ready for him to drive you home you gushed about the guy, told him how you had kissed and about your plans to go on a date with him. He remember he encouraged you like any best friend would. 

He clutched onto his costume that you had bought for him. This felt wrong, remembering how happy it made you, he really didn’t want to ruin that, but he also didn’t think that he could live through his own pain again. Shaking his head he recalled the bartenders words “but only for that night.” If he was not drunk, he would have inquired more just to make sure that his changes would not be permanent. It was a good thing that the Halloween bar hopping you two were attending started at the very same bar this bartender worked at. 

~

You were waiting impatiently for Jaehwan pacing back and forth by your front door. You took a quick glance at yourself in the mirror and adjusted your cat ear headband. Jaehwan was going to go as Dracula, and you were a cat. You wrinkled your nose in the mirror; you looked good and you were going to flaunt everything you had. You heard the horn beep and you ran outside to meet Jaehwan in your driveway. You stopped mid way, staring at him, because he looked incredible. Your heart was pounding in your chest. “Get yourself together,” you pleaded. “You are using tonight to get over him this is a one sided love, he will only be your best friend.” That was because you could not face the fact that you might lose him. You would rather keep him as a friend than risk losing him if you dated and broke up.Taking a deep breath you climbed into the car and gave him your biggest smile. “You look very good, best Dracula costume have ever seen,” he smiled and it looked like he blushed as he put his hand on your knee, “you are a very cute kitty, Meow,” you blushed.

Halloween has always been a tradition in a small town next to yours. It has old buildings and a long street that housed a lot of bars. They would decorate the street, and adults would bar hop and have fun while the kids trick-or-treated. Jaehwan kept a protective hand on your waist as you made your way to your favorite bar. Once inside he leaned down to your ear. “I will be right back, I have something to take care of,” he nodded to one of your mutual friends and you smiled. “Get me my favorite drink, and hurry back.” You said as you made your way over to Sarah.

~

Jaehwan made his way to the bar and was shocked when he saw a man serving out drinks. He stood there trying to get his attention. He didn’t want to waste much time here because if he got the answer that he needed he had to make sure that you didn’t meet Mr. Perfect. Finally, the bartender turned his attention to him.

“What can I get you?”

“An amaretto sour and a whisky sour, oh and can I talk to the...” he paused because the next words out of his mouth were going to be embarrassing “...the witch” the bartender looked annoyed and motioned around the room. “Sure take your pick there are at least a dozen,” Jaehwan’s eyes widened he didn't expect to run into this problem. The bartender retreated to his ingredients and began concocting the drinks. Jaehwan’s mind was racing he needed an answer before he made his next move. The bartender set the drinks down in front of him, “Tab or are you going to pay cash?” Jaehwan handed him his credit card. “Open a tab we will be here awhile.” The bartender nodded, “Wait,-” Jaehwan stammered. “There is a girl bartender she gives people weird drinks in flasks.” he sheepishly smiled. “Can I talk to her?” The bartender gave him a hard look and then he nodded while pulling out his phone and sending a text. “She will be here soon, so take a seat.” 

This made him anxious, he had been here longer than he wanted to. He glanced around the bar looking for you, but it had gotten crowded with people in costumes and he could not pinpoint where you were. Five minutes went by, and he felt a hand on his shoulder. Hopeful, he turned to see the bartender that was so important tonight.

“Hey,” she said, “What’s wrong?” she gave a mischievous grin “The clock is ticking and it seems history is repeating itself.” She pointed to the back of the bar. He followed her finger and his eyes landed on you, talking to an extremely handsome man and to his horror you were flirting. He looked back at the bartender. “I just have one question.” 

She tilted her head, “Go on I am listening.” 

“Her happiness is my everything, and if this is going to ruin the future or change her in anyway, I don’t want any part of it.”

She looked at him and bit her lip. “It might make you miserable, but she won’t remember.”

“So after tonight everything will be fine in her world.”

The bartender nodded. 

With that he grabbed his drinks and took off toward you. 

~

“Sorry it took so long, the bar was really busy.” Jaehwan was basically pressed against your back as he reached around to hand you your amaretto sour. “Oh thank you,” you mumbled as you elbowed Jaehwan in the stomach and made a small motion to the man you had previously been flirting with. Jaehwan blatantly ignored you which actually annoyed you. You looked at the man “Sorry this is my best friend, Jaehwan, Jaehwan this is Zion,” You smiled apologetically at Zion, “Thanks for the drink. You can now go mingle with other people.” Normally you would love to escape with Jaehwan but today was different, you were not going to ignore other guys because you were giving up on Jaehwan because his friendship is more important than your feelings. Jaehwan shrugged at you, “Na, I came here with you.” Zion was getting a little uncomfortable and you said, “Give us just a moment,” you grabbed Jaehwan’s wrist and dragged him a safe distance away. “What is your problem?” You demanded giving him your scariest glare. Jaehwan looked confused and a little hurt.

“Nothing? There is just no one that interests me here and I would rather spend time with you.” Your heart fluttered a bit, but you squashed your emotions for him. “Jaehwan,” you sighed. “I am single and ready to mingle, and I don’t need you hanging around cock blocking me.” Jaehwan looked as if he had been slapped as you continued,  “I need you to be my best friend and take a step back and to stop hovering.” You started to walk away and you sensed he had begun to follow you so you spun around. “Stop acting like a jealous puppy and don’t follow me. I need space.”  You spat as you walked back toward Zion. 

~

Jaehwan stood there  stunned, you rarely lose your temper like that and he couldn’t believe it. This was supposed to be his do over, to have fun with you but instead you were mad. He watched you retreat to Zion and fawn all over him. He turned on his heel and sat down at the bar. He knew better than to bother you when you needed space, that and he didn't want to cause a scene. A whiskey sour was placed in front of him. He looked up and met the eyes of the bartender that put him in this mess. 

“Not going as well as you expected?”

He glared at her, “I hate when she is mad at me.” He took a big drink of his whiskey sour. “This is your fault.”

She slammed her hand down on the table. “Excuse me, don’t pin this on me. I tried to help you out; it is not my fault you can’t get the girl.” 

Jaehwan slammed the rest of the whisky sour back but then looked dejected. He couldn’t help but to admit she was right. He looked over at you.  Naturally, you were smiling and Zion and he had his face close to your ear and you were blushing. He looked back at the bartender, “I guess this is how it is going to be. I don’t want to upset her anymore.” 

The bartender crossed her arms over her chest but signed “You’re a good friend. Want another on me?“ He smiled at her. “Just water, I am going to have to drive us home.”

He sat there for awhile occasionally checking on you to make sure that you were having a good time and didn’t need him to step in to help. At this point he was just waiting for you to come and tell him you were ready to go. You guys had a pact. You come together, you leave together. He pulled his phone from his pocket and sent you a text. “Sorry about earlier just let me know when you are ready to go.” 

~

You felt your phone vibrate in your pocket you pulled it out and saw a text from Jaehwan. It was a little past midnight and you had no idea you were talking to Zion for so long. It was different, a good different you liked it. You glanced over at Jaehwan and a wave a guilt fell over you. You ditched him and you felt bad but you just wanted to forget him at that time. Turning your attention back to Zion you smiled. “That’s my best friend, I kind of ditched him tonight, so I better get going.” Zion smiled at you and handed you his phone.  “Can I get your number? So we can set up a date?” 

“Yes of course!” you chirped and put your number in his phone “I'll see you later,” you lightly kissed his cheek and made your way to Jaehwan. You placed your hand on his shoulder, “I am ready to leave,” he nodded and lead you out to the car. The walk was silent. More silent then you would have liked. 

“Y/N.” 

You looked at him. “What’s on your mind?” You could tell there was something bothering him. 

“I am sorry about the way I acted, but I need you to hear me out. Just listen don’t say anything until I am done. Okay?” You nodded.

“Here is the thing, I was jealous, and not the way you think. Yes, I came here with you and wanted to spend time with you but...” He trailed off and stared at the ground. He looked like he was thinking hard about what to say. “Y/N, I don’t love you as my best friend. I am in love with you and that is a big difference.” He reached out and put his hand on your cheek. You stared at him unable to comprehend what was going on. Your heart was pounding and you felt sick. How long had he been in love with you. You wanted no more than just this because you too were in love with him but you had squashed your feelings in fear. You loved everything about him, his smile, his pouting, puppy dog eyes, undying loyalty, everything, but he came out of nowhere with this. You and this confession had just locked up your emotions for him and was all over another man. His hand that was on your cheek had made its way to your hip. You looked up at him and met his gaze. He wanted to kiss you, but he was afraid. He didn’t want to invade your space and do something without consent. So you did the only logical thing and threw your arms around his neck and kissed him. His lips were soft at first but became urgent has he deepened his kiss with you. You were kissing him with all the passion you had pent up. You didn’t want to, but you had to pull away because you were running out of oxygen. “Jaehwan,” you said breathless, “Please, tell me you are not drunk and this is actually happening,” you could feel tears stinging your eyes. He laughed and rested his forehead against yours “No, and I was going to say the same thing.” You gave him a little push, “Well let’s head back,” you paused trying to gather the courage to ask if you were a couple.“B-boyfriend? Together?” Jaehwan laughed at your incoherent sentence.

“Yes, Y/N, I am your boyfriend.”

~

Jaehwan woke up the next morning expecting to see you in his bed sleeping soundly. You two had talked all night about your feelings and why it took so long to tell eachother how you felt. Eventually you two had fallen asleep his arms tightly around you like he was afraid that you would disappear. 

 However, you were not there. He rolled to his back and groaned. No, No, NO. He thought. This wasn’t fair. His heart felt like it was breaking. He really only did get one night. Tears stung his eyes. Reality was back and it was bitter. Not even the world's most evil villain would play this kind of sick joke on him and he did it to himself. All he knew was that you did love him, but now he had an obstacle, and his name was Zion. A five month long relationship that you were totally happy in. He knew he could not ruin that. He swiped at his tears and thought, “Now what?”

~

       When he comes to the garden, it isn't a surprise. You see his ascension, you see the thread of a story slowly unfurl itself from its coil. You saw his family point him to the heavens. You heard the commands he received in order to prove himself. A lowly man, with nothing and no one. The only way for such a human to prove himself is to climb the roots towards the heavens and claim the fruit of your tree. It has been attempted before, and you will surely see it again. Even so, you watch in bemusement as this determined man scales the ever daunting roots of the great tree. His tenacity is endearing. You hope to bring forth a blossom from the hard pit he currently is.

      You wait when he first arrives. It was a silly human tradition, to steal the fruit of gods in hopes of proving one's worth. You have no claim over what the humans culture is though. That was your sister's choice long ago. As the younger brother, you were kept to safeguard the Higher's blessings made physical. The petals fall about your grey robe. He's climbing up the stone steps. 

       "Welcome to my orchard, human. What do you seek?" He stops dead in his tracks at the sight of you at the top of the hill. Father's wind blows and your robe smacks your ankles, your hair flutters. The human blinks. 

       "Who. . .are you?" You step down the stairs. This man is barefoot and clearly scraped from his journey. On his back is a bag, assuredly not carrying much. On his face is unease. He seems too mystified to take his hands away when you hold them. 

       "I am the keeper of this garden. A spirit of the tree and its fruit and its blossoms themselves." He looks down at your hands, obviously perplexed. 

        "But-but the lady of the leaves-" 

       "My mother cares for your leaves. She cares for the Higher's leaves. She does not," you smile down at his innocent ignorance and confused face, "care for my trees." He stammers for response as you turn back and led him up the hill by one of the hands you took. They're strong and calloused. His life has been a hard days work. Never had a lover's caress, never a child who looks to him as a star gifted to earth, never a warm embrace of a parent. He is alone, and he is cold. You bring him to the warmth that is standing beneath your ever pink, ever blossoming tree. 

       "I- I expected a goddess or… or at least no body."

        "You expected an easier time stealing my fruit."

       The human looked affronted, opening his mouth and going to protest before realizing the truth. 

       "I don't steal," came his weak reply. You hum and reach up to grab a peach from the branches. Its flesh is soft, barely retaining its shape from the lightest of presses from your fingers. Its skin is pink and gold, divine in every manner of the term. The human goes wide eyed when you hold it before him. 

        "Then you expect to ask?" He is breathless staring at the fruit. He could take it and run. He could very easily snatch it from your loose grip and sprint back down the stone steps to the roots connecting you to earth, but he doesn't. He does lick his lips and gulp however. 

       "I will beg."

       Very . . . intriguing. 

       You take the hand that never left yours and guide him to the cliff edge, where you sit and watch the humans. You have him sit beside you. The peach rests on your lap. 

       "First, sit. Take a moment's peace with me." 

      "What is your name?" 

       "Hakyeon."

        You hum. With ease, you pull the peach apart into its halves. Juice drips onto your robe and hands. The air is tantalizing sweet.

       "Why do you come to beg for my fruit, Hakyeon?" You turn to him, folding your legs. The human avoids your eyes, looking down to the earth below. He cannot see the other humans as you can. 

      "Everyone said this was the only way." You take a bite of one of the halves, letting its sweet juice coat your lips. You know the story, yet you chose to listen anyway. 

       "The only way to get what?" Hakyeon pauses. The gaze that meets your eyes is open and sincere. The words are more honeyed when they are spoken from the human's soul. 

       "Love." 

       "How do you gain love from my fruits?" 

       "Your fruit can make the finest drink in the world. A drink from it would have anyone fall in love. Nothing is as sweet and as warm and as gentle as love and your fruit. Your peaches are love manifest." 

       You mull on that. Love manifest. Could your fruits be a home-like as a lovers embrace? As warm as an early morning waking up in sunlight and a partner's arms? You wouldn't know. No human has made it this far. No one has eaten gods' fruit except for you.

       "All I want is love. I have been shunned from everyone all my life. I want a place. I want, at the least, a friend." 

       You take half of the peach and bring it to Hakyeon's lips. He jerks back the first time, feeling himself unworthy of the gift. You insist, pushing again until his lips part and at least his tongue touches the sweet flesh. You can almost see the sparks he feels at the taste. The sweetest fruit to man or god. A flavor so pleasurable it as though death itself took delicious form. He takes a bite. Juice drips down his chin onto his dirty blouse and pants. You watch him chew, feel, in interest. 

        "How does love taste then, Hakyeon? Is this what you intended to feel?" He grabs your wrist and takes more. His eyes close and roll back in clear bliss. 

       "You don't need my fruit to sense love Hakyeon. We are all deserving. You are strong and beautiful. Your heart yearns for company, but you will not find it in shortcuts." You take the peach away, Hakyeon looking dazed. Your other hand reaches out, caressing his face. You wipe the juice from his chin, smear it across his lips and cheek. His face is soft, yet imperfect. His mortality give him beautiful imperfection. He has beauty marks, his eyes are dark, his skin is enticing. His voice is melodic as he asked for more. There is no mind in how close either of you are, you holding him close enough to mix breathes and count lashes. "There is love for you, but it is not my fruit." 

       "There is nothing down there for me. I will find no love there." 

       "What do you suggest then, Hakyeon?" Your conversation is in whispers at this point. The human leans forward. There is barely even a brush of lips to the touch, but it immobilizes you. A lover's caress. You have never had another being in such proximity. He pulls away just as easily as he had approached. There is a hair's width between you. His eyes don't ask like his voice does. 

        "Let me stay with you here?"

        "This is no place meant for mortal." His hand is in your hair and it's easy to relax into. 

        "I have been here only moments, and yet I have never felt as loved and safe as I am now. Allow me to stay." 

       "Hakyeon…" You feel naturally inclined for another kiss. You're both grasping onto one another as Hakyeon slowly falls back. He tastes like peaches, but smells purely of human. Of mother's pine and soil, of father's dry wind, of uncle's hot sun. He is sweat and he is earth and he is mortal. He is excitement.

       He is crackling embers on your skin and the laughter in your bellies as petals fall down upon your bodies. His smile is dazzling and is a nail in the coffin for the deal. The peaches and other humans never have this feeling. This pleasant tingle from your lips to the soles of your feet. Hakyeon had never tasted the fruit of the gods', and you had never tasted the emotions of men. He looks beautiful on the dirt, surrounded by the pink petals already since fallen. His skin was warm and welcoming, just as his smile, as his eyes, as his laugh. You take a petal and balance it on his nose, delighted by the simplest fact that it stays and looks ridiculous. 

       "You are a very special human, Hakyeon." 

       "You are a very charming spirit." 

       "Your humans ask of you at times," you mention offhand to the lover you lean against. Hakyeon's chest is not broad or stiff with muscle, but he is warm, and his hands are on you. That is all you can ask. The two of you are under the peach tree, as was often the case. You both leaned against the trunk and watched as the panther of night sky chase away the dog's day. A sky alight in colors from the shift of the time. It will get cold soon, yet you don't even bother to fix the robe of which barely covers your chest at this point. Hakyeon's hands were the cause. They liked to roam your chest, caress the perfect body of a god. He liked to lay on it too. Fall asleep under the stars and blossoms with his nose in your neck. For a human so alone, he is well versed in keeping good company. 

       "Do they?"

       "Yes. They question if you succeeded. If you died finding me." 

       "The old me died. I found you and became anew." You smiled up at him. 

       "At times, you sound like the god of love has visited you in your dreams." Hakyeon laughed and shook his head. 

       "No. No, my god of love is right here." He pulls you closer, more flush against his side. "You are devotion taken God like form." He pulls you in for a kiss, but the question falls from your lips. 

       "Do you miss them?" 

       "Miss who?" You reach up and run a thumb over his lips, pensive. 

       "The humans, your people. All you have here is me and the fruit. Don't you miss other mortal company?" He doesn't answer at first. He's looking at you. You know he heard you. He's simply contemplating. You give him the kiss he wanted, albeit more of a peck. 

       "I miss my brothers and sisters. That is all." He fixes the robe that has fallen off your shoulder. "I am happiest here though. I don't want to be without you." You bite your nails in thought. You'd never gone to humans. You've never left your garden. You are, however, willing to do anything to make this miserable man smile. 

       "Let us go down then. I will accompany you to your family." Father's breeze picks up and blows petals onto you both. Hakyeon looks shocked. 

       "No! You've never met humans and they can be terribly cruel and-and… and my family probably doesn't miss me anyway." You pull away from Hakyeon, pouting. By now, the stars have nestled into their places in the sky and it's cold on your bare skin. Not the matter at hand though. 

       "Hakyeon, if you miss them they surely return the feeling. And I am a god, nothing humans can do will hurt more than my feelings." 

       "My love-" 

       "Let us go Hakyeon. Let us both see your family once more and be merry with them." Hakyeon sighs and pulls you back in. Your face is in his chest as he rests his head on yours. 

       "We shall see."

       When your feet first reach the ground, you are amazed. The human realm is so large, so beautiful. There are giant rolling hills and beautiful golden fields of grain that stretch on into the horizon. Your breath catches in you throat and Hakyeon looks to you with a smile. Your appearance doesn’t fit in his human world. So clean and prim, such perfect appearance. He watches you carefully step, feeling the grass between your toes. How is this so different from your garden?! It takes a moment for Hakyeon to actually get you to focus on walking to his village with him and not looking at every bug and plant you see. You hug onto his arm and walk with him to the village. 

       Hakyeon chose today because of the festival. Harvest season. There would be a huge parade, humans in costumes, plentiful sweets and desserts. Easier to hide a god in a costume, Hakyeon claimed. 

       "No one even knows what I look like. You don't need such precautions." Hakyeon hushed you. 

       "Consider it part of the festivity, then. You'll just be celebrating as a human does." The village was busy, filled with music and people. You crushed Hakyeon's hand watching in excitement. He lead you away from the crowd though, to the vendors. A mask was lovingly put on your face for you, Hakyeon tying the string and then paying. The looking class showed your disguise to be a fox. It was darling. Black with yellow and red swirls and designs. It covered your whole face, only showing your eyes. You held onto Hakyeon's hand and he guided you through the crowd. 

       "May we dance?" He came to a halt, looking back to you.

       "What?"

       "I'd like to join! It seems delightful. Please, darling." Hakyeon looked between you and the path you both had been travelling before heaving a sigh.

       "One dance," he relented. He squeaked and stumbled as you pulled him along to the edges of the square. He took your hand in his once he regained balance. 

       "I step in with my left, you step in with your right." His foot came between your legs and you did as instructed. It was a kind of rocking motion, both stepping in to one another and then stepping out. The humans were full of conversation and laughter, full of merriment. All of them, except Hakyeon. He seemed at an unease, always looking around the two of you at the crowd. 

       "What distresses you, Hakyeon?" You spoke softly on a step in. 

       "Nothing."

       "Do you not enjoy dancing?" He sighed. He was looking resolutely at his feet. 

       "I do, deeply. I do not enjoy being seen though. Especially here." You looked about and saw not eyes on either of you. Everyone was about their own little world. 

       "No one is watching." 

       "And if they are? What if they see a mistake? Or question you as my partner? I am already a stranger to this village." His tone was tragic and expression forlorn. You stopped dancing, holding his face. He was such an anxious creature and he wore his fears on his wrist. You wanted to allay them. 

       "If you love to dance, do it. If you love me, savor me. Your mortal life is much too short to live fearlessly. Act as though you do when you are high off the sweetness of the peaches. Love, and love recklessly without fear of contrition." He blinked at you, softening as he always did. Your reassurances were the honey to soothe his aching heart. 

       "You are always so loving." 

Others.

There were never others.

At least not in his time in service, had he seen others. Hongbin heard about those that had been able to conjure more than one doll. There was a time, long ago, when someone had three. That woman was descended from a strong line - the first line. She was a descendant of the one who started everything that would be Voodoo. That woman had children but then moved to Haiti.

Removing herself and her kin from Louisiana due to the state that the art had devolved. It was considered hoodoo, entertainment, and a child's play. That woman returned sometime later with her children in tow.

She had risen in her craft to take on the title of Mambo. The highest and most important places a person can reach. Her children were exceptional, as well. A son, musically gifted, and in tune with nature. A daughter with a wicked streak and a penchant for darker dealings.

He only knew of the woman by one name - The Black Mamba. To the public, though, she was Mambo LaRoche. A formidable woman of high power who understood the balance between the light and dark elements of the craft.

The community was devastated when Hurricane Katrina stole her away from them.

It stole all but one. 

“Wake up.” A lilting purr slithered across the shell of his ear. Hongbin stirred with the sensation of cold metal against his back. The air was thick with incense, blood, and magic. An echo of laughter, drums, and the rush of power caused his heart to beat fast. 

“Come on now. You can do it.” There was the scent of lilies in the air, causing his head to sway in its direction. A delicate finger trailed down the center of his bare chest. He twitched as the finger trailed a muscle at the dip in his groin.

His lips parted on a soft moan. Samedi beat him until he lost consciousness, only for him to wake up to this? He could feel lips soft along his jaw. She spoke to him in a language once thought long dead. It was so beautiful, it seemed to dance across his skin. 

The scent of blood filled his nostrils, his mouth watered, his body reacted violently. His eyes snapped open as a shadow hovered over him. "Blue." He murmured absently. Her eyes were so blue. Crystalline. Icy. The adjective to classify them was out of his reach. He just realized as the moon spilled light upon them both - he'd never seen a blue like it.

"Well, well. Look who decided to finally wake up." Her lips curved into a smile as she tucked her fingers under her chin. "Th'names Ayan. Ayan LaRoche, enchanté ." 

The blue-eyed Creole stood, as regal as queen, with her hands clasped in front of her. The heavy pressure seemed to evaporate at that moment. Hongbin could feel beads of sweat sliding down the sides of his face.

A thick swallow as she crouched above him. The whisper of thin linen against his skin caused him to moan. He could see the moonlit silhouette of her body through the gauzy material. The uptick of her breast and the prominent push of her nipples. She brought his hands to the wide expanse of her hips. 

Arousal. 

Instant. Obvious. Painful.

He could feel the power radiating off her skin. The surge of it pulsed under his fingertips. The warm slide of her fingers against the throb of his erection caused him to moan. His fingers dug deep into her flesh as she settled over him. Every vein in his body seemed prominent as she swiveled her hips. 

Bloodied hands pressed against his chest as she moved, chanting. The moonlight seemed to spotlight the sealing ritual. Her feet dug into the ground as her voice crescendoed. Hongbin remembered, suddenly, a warning. He remembered the threat beaten into his flesh. 

But as her body tugged and molded around him? He forgot about it. He forgot all of it. She connected to a wealth of power long left untouched within him. He could feel her peel back the layers of his spiritual reserves. Their bodies and spirits thumped against each other, seemingly to no end. 

Before he knew it? He had rolled them, anchoring her upper half to the ground. She let out a shrill sound that made his stomach knot. He didn’t care about the gore covering her fingers. He kept chasing the link, the thing that sealed Doll to Practitioner.  “R-right...there.” She gasped. The warm honey of her voice vibrated in the air as he held her hips upward. Her eyes rolled back into her skull as she dissolved into orgasm. He tilted his head as he met the pure white, then suddenly golden tone in her eyes. 

His brow furrowed as her body seemed to pull all of him inside of her. He lurched as his own orgasm gave chase. 

Hongbin felt it at that moment - there was no bottom. She had reached all the way inside of him, farther than anyone before. Yet, he couldn’t find her. Like there was no end to her.

"Welcome to the family, sug'." Her voice was like warm honey. Rich, silky, and sweet - strangely no different from her singing to her speaking. Ayan's gaze lifted toward the face of her newest doll.

Six.

There were never others.

The most that there had ever been was three.

He was now one of six.

Samedi, what have you gotten me into? Who is this woman?

Everything seemed to get warmer, fuzzy - the air was so sweet? He wavered as he looked down at the woman smiling up at him. But it was a different voice that he heard. 

"You need to wake up, little brother." A soothing, melodic voice chided. The night seemed to fizzle away as the voice continued, beckoned him to wake up. 

Wait a minute?

Wake up?

Didn't he do that already?

"Time to wake up, little brother." Hakyeon's voice was so damned soothing.

"What happened? I - I was up already?" The confusion was thick in his voice. His mouth was so dry as if he hadn't spoken more than a few days.

"Shhh." Hakyeon placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You'll get sick if you're not careful." Hongbin shrugged him off with a growl.

"What are you talking about? I'm fine! There's no way that I could get -" He was too panicked to notice it at first. He had been so busy trying to find the wounds that plagued him not too long ago. The burning sensation crept along the surface of his skin.

From the feet to his knees, he thought it was just from movement. From his knees to his hips, he felt it was his body finally moving. The sensation crept up his torso, to his neck, and then it was behind his eyes.

Then it filled his head as the sound of a scream filled his ears. Oh, it was his scream. It had been a while since he had made a sound like this. The power overwhelmed him as he clawed at his skull.

The connection. The link. The establishment of the thread that binds the voodoo doll to its owner. It washed over him like a tidal wave. He saw visions, clipped projections of memories from the other five. Hakyeon sighed slowly, waiting for Hongbin to calm himself down.

It took him five minutes to regain his composure - it never took that long. He turned to the side and was violently sick when it was over.

"Good, she's ready for you now." The older doll smiled, pleased even, as he turned to depart. "There are fresh clothes in the bathroom. Make yourself presentable and then take the path to the house. Don't keep her waiting."

He moved from the bed in a rush to the bathroom. They may have been 'dolls' in a sense, but their forms still required the typical maintenance. Bathing was essential and enjoyable - a luxury even.

The hot water over his skin eased the tension from his muscles. He rotated his joints under the hot spray. He would have to ask how long he was asleep. He grits his teeth as he hurriedly washed and dressed.

He had already kept her waiting. "Tsk." Hongbin was dressed in a sweater, slacks, and shoes too shiny to have ever seen a speck of dirt. He admired his reflection in the mirror before leaving their space.

There was a path of carefully laid gravel. The crunch of his shoes on the ground was the only noise in the area. The moon was full, bright, and beautiful in the Louisiana sky. He spotted a set of double French doors open wide toward a parlor decorated in ornate Victorian style.

His steps were quiet as he entered the parlor. His fingers were a whisper over the costly, ornate wooden backs of couches and chairs. He heard the sound of singing? Or was it humming? It was close.

He felt his heart quicken as he entered the open space of the dining room. His brow furrowed as he followed the song through the house. The click of his heels against an old hardwood floor almost tapped in time with the voice. He was panting and didn't understand why.

This home was ridiculously large for no reason! Where was that sound?! By the time he realized he was on the other side of the house. Another set of french doors opened toward the courtyard that dazzled with white roses. He stood in the doorway; his eyes pinned to the back of an ornate wingback chair.

The voice stopped, suddenly, as his footsteps announced his presence.

Laughter. A throaty, warm, laugh that sent prickles across his skin. He saw the delicate shine of polish on her fingers. He was almost afraid to get a full look at her.

"Come closer, suga'." He did as he was instructed. He moved in front of the shadowed space. The clouds began to break as he noticed an odd gleam coming from her face.

"Blue." He murmured absently. Her eyes were so blue. Crystalline. Icy. The adjective to classify them was out of his reach. He just realized as the moon spilled light upon them both - he'd never seen a blue like it.

A long, massive, moment of silence stretched for what seemed an eternity between them. Hongbin still had her hand in his own, the delicate knuckle adorned with crystal-studded rings.

His grip tightened, a reflex, as he couldn't keep himself quiet. "You're the most powerful witch in all of Louisiana."

She tilted her head with an amused smile as his lips brushed against her knuckles. There was a sudden pull in her lower half that caused breath to slither from her mouth. 

Hongbin’s gaze rose to hers as the corner of his mouth lifted. 

And she would be his, easily.

You shivered, your thoughts, once halfheartedly focused on whatever the man across the table was saying, now honed in on the fingers trailing along your inner thigh. The action from Hakyeon’s touch next to you caused electricity of arousal to course through you, your lip tugging between your teeth as you abused the supple flesh. 

You breathed out a shaky breath, knowing you had to endure his teasing and relentless touches throughout the night. Hakyeon was the boss, the head of a mafia business that ran rife with drugs, sex and murder, and he loved it. He was power hungry and greedy, yet it contrasted his composed and elegant nature that often drew people in. You suppose if you saw him at a glance, you wouldn’t think of him as a man who’s been the cause of so much death and destruction, yet here he was, with more blood on his hands than there was in your body. 

Hakyeon’s touch was destructive as he plunged 2 fingers into your sopping core under the dinner table as if nothing was happening. The action caused you to squirm, the thick choker you wore was tight on your neck as he continued to drag the pads of his fingers over the sensitive spot.

You wanted to beg him to stop, make him stop giving you the pleasure you so desperately needed at the most inappropriate time. Though Hakyeon didn’t care, he was the boss, he was your owner and you were chained to him, your armor down and your body defenseless as he used you for his pleasure, in ways for him to get off. 

His expression was concentrated, nodding along and processing information he didn’t care about from his subordinate. Hakyeon was much more concerned with the ache in his own pants and getting you desperate and needy in front of people he hardly cared about. 

“I’ll contact Taekwoon on getting the target disposed off,” His voice was unbothered as he spoke, his fingers and tone acting as if he wasn’t sentencing a man to death; because that’s what he did.

The curl of his fingers and the insertion of a third digit brought your attention back to him and his hand. Your nails dug into your knees, trying to suppress the urge to moan loudly in the middle of dinner as the rest of his men continued to eat. 

Hakyeon’s eyes flicked to your own, a sadistic glint arising in the orbs as he saw the pleading look written across your features. You wanted to cum, but you also wanted him to stop, to rather take you home and please you there if he was so desperate to do so. 

“Can I go to the toilet?” Your voice was weak, quiet as you tried to stop yourself from moaning. 

Hakyeon smirked, curling his fingers right into the spot that had you seeing stars, “Why?” He murmured the syllable against your ear, his lips placing a chaste kiss to your skin, “Do you not have faith I’ll let you finish?”

“N-No-”

“Then what is it?” Hakyeon growled in your ear, his thumb pressing deliciously against your clit as spoke. The action caused you to bite your lip, hard enough to taste blood as you tried to hold yourself in. 

“Can we go home? Hakyeon, please I can’t take it-”

“Fine,” His tone was clipped, taking his hand out from under your dress and wiping his soaked fingers on the napkin seated across his lap. You felt empty yet relieved as he stood up, his hand cupping your own and muttering some excuse to his coworkers before leaving the dinner table briskly. 

Hakyeon didn’t speak, his expression stony as he casually left the restaurant with you on his arm. You cringed as you felt your arousal drip down your inner thigh, your hand squeezing his as you tried to ignore how flushed your cheeks were. 

The night air was cold, crisp against your skin in comparison to the warm atmosphere the restaurant provided. Hakyeon’s pace was leisurely, torturing almost as you were ready to run out of the building and into the nearest available wall for him to raw you against, yet you held yourself in as he walked toward the curb. 

The limo you had both arrived in was still stationed out front, Hakyeon entering the expensive car with you in tow behind. He tapped gently on the blacked out window to the front cabin, opening it slightly and speaking instructions to the driver that were a blur to your aroused state. 

Hakyeon relaxed back into the luxury leather seat across from you, his eyes glinting in the low light as he looked to you. “Come.” His instruction was simple, one you’d knew to obey as you moved to straddle him. 

His thighs were tense, warm and inviting as your skin met with the expensive suit fabric adorning them. The hard feeling of his dick against your skin had you sucking in a sharp breath through your teeth. 

“You know you’re mine,” His voice was calm, his hands smoothing up your thighs as he continued to speak, “That means I can do what I want, when I want,” He growled the last three words, his grip tightening on your thighs, “You’re chained to me, that choker on your throat is the symbol of what you are.” His lips are hot on your collarbone, sucking deep marks along the flesh, “And what you are is my toy to use and break.”

“Yes Hakyeon,” You knew better than to say anything else, your neck arched and your body was at his disposal as he continued to please you. 

“Do you understand what I’m saying?” His lips were on your ear, tongue darting out to lick and suck on the lobe, his actions blurring your thoughts as you tried to keep a clear head.

“Yes Hakyeon,” You couldn’t help but moan his name, your hips subconsciously grinding against his own as you felt his hands trail further up your thighs. 

“Good,” His fingers dug into your ass, a proud smirk arising on his lips as he relished in how he ordered you not to wear panties to dinner. You whimpered at the feeling, your own hands digging into his clothed shoulders as he ground his hardened bulge against your wet heat. 

“Take me out, baby,” Hakyeon licked his lips, his body relaxing back into the seat as he let you unbuckle his belt. You bit your lips, your fingers quick to pull his boxers and slacks down past the curve of his ass, letting his hardened cock spring free. His hand was on your hip as he positioned you over the reddened head of his dick, grinning at the pleasurable moan that fell off your swollen lips as you sunk down onto his length. 

Well… not really. But there was no longer as large of a wall between the two of you. You were no longer walking a different but parallel path to him— to your HakYeon.

Getting up and getting dressed had been strangely surreal. You kept everything relatively the same since HakYeon’s been gone. Everything was in its place. You still used the same fabric softener before he left (so that your sheets on the days you missed him most wrapped you in that familiar and calming scent), the same brand of rice (even though you knew he’d scold you for wasting money like that)— it was all a means of keeping him near you, even if just in your mind. 

It certainly helped that his bandmates included you in activities whenever they could. You all missed him. Everyone missed him in their own way. You missed him coming home, late at night (even for the brief time you were living together before his enlistment) and dropping down onto the bed, enveloping you in a hug and falling asleep before you could even rouse yourself enough from sleep to greet him. 

TaekWoon would never admit that he missed him, but you all knew. He started taking on HakYeon’s mannerisms, for one, becoming almost overly affectionate in his hyung’s absence. JaeHwan was probably the most vocal about missing him, often calling you up after seeing something that reminded him of HakYeon. Then the two of you would do something that would comfort you both, whether it be going out for ice cream or playing video games— or rather, HongBin and JaeHwan played video games, cursing at each other while you watched on. WonSik… WonSik was your surprisingly strong one. Despite being the most baby of them and the most emotional, he’d been surprisingly strong— trying to pretend to not miss HakYeon, pretending that he doesn’t miss his guidance, especially with everything that happened in his own life. HongBin took it probably the hardest. HakYeon was always there. Always the strongest, always the one you could turn to for a hug, or for some sort of comfort, or to be a source of strength. SangHyuk stepped up. HakYeon was no longer there to be relied on. So it was all up to him now. He had to be strong one (both literally and figuratively) for everyone else.

The ‘ottokaji’ ringtone on your phone pulled you from your musing as you finished getting ready for the day. Grabbing it off the side table, you smiled. It was a text from JaeHwan letting you know that they’d be there to pick you up soon. Well apparently that ‘soon’ was sooner rather than later, because as you glanced out the window on chance, the group van rolled up to your apartment building, with JaeHwan looking at you from the window of the car, making all sorts of kissy faces at you and waving. 

You couldn’t help but giggle as you grabbed the last of the stuff you needed, you rushed out the door, and practically bounded down your apartment building stairs. At the base of them, you were huffing and puffing as JaeHwan rolled down the window. “Come on! We’re going to be late.”

“Yes, Ken-jhumma.”

“Yah!”

HongBin opened the back door for you and you slid into the car. You greeted all of them as you buckled in and TaekWoon drove off. There wasn’t any worry about over crowding— HakYeon’s parents would be driving the two of you back to your apartment after all of the festivities. 

Through out the car ride towards the base where HakYeon would be discharged, the six of you made small talk, mostly surrounding what you would do at the festivities later and how excited you were to have him back.

Your heart rate began to race in your chest as you drove closer and closer. This was it. The moment you’ve been waiting for for a couple years. As the trees grew sparser and sparser you couldn’t help by feel thankful: his discharge would be private, family and close friends only. No prying fans, it was just be a happy intimate moment before your lives would return to back to their usual chaos before he left to complete his civic duty. 

Despite it being a private ceremony there were many fans waiting outside, all holding up various posters and trying to get as good of a look as possible in the compound. HongBin helped you out of the car as you looked over at all the fans held up posters with HakYeon’s face and some with other idols who were also being discharged. It made you a little nervous as some of the fans glanced over in your direction from behind the barricade, whispering to each other, but JaeHwan squeezed your shoulder reassuringly, helping you relax a little.

A few minutes later (after presenting your pass to the guards, of course), the six of you found yourselves inside the main gate. You looked around the sea of people, all eager to welcome home brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, trying to find HakYeon’s family. After what felt like an eternity, you heard HakYeon’s mother call your name. Turning towards her voice, you called back, waving at her frantically. 

Your little group met up with theirs and there were greetings and hugs to be had. HakYeon’s mother was at your elbow, both of you silently supporting each other as the tension in the air rose and rose. It was unbearably exciting but also, deep down, you were scared. 

What if he changed? What if you changed? Could he have met someone else? Question after question ran through your mind. 

A silence fell upon the crowd and it was like a knife had cut through your thoughts— halting them completely. A lieutenant asked that immediate family made their way to a certain building, the rest were to wait in the current area. Hakyeon’s mother gave you a small hug before she joined her husband, heading off to see their son as he finished the last moments of his enlistment.

You stood with SangHyuk, his huge body protecting you from the glaring light of the sun, waiting for the family only ceremony to finish. Even as you chatted about nothing at all, it was nerve wrecking— just standing and waiting. You needed to move, you needed your paths to cross once more. 

Suddenly, the doors leading to the building where the ceremony was being held opened.  The crowd practically moved like one, facing that direction. Everyone shoved passed each other (some more politely than others) trying to meet with their friends and family that they’ve been missing for so long. 

You got lost in the crowd, losing SangHyuk (somehow despite his unruly height) in the process. You stood there, spinning around as the crowd dispersed, trying to catch a glimpse of someone you knew. Then you saw him.

He was like a beacon in the dark. His smile bright, his face tanned from all that marching in the sun. He stood there like a prince in his formal military band uniform, the uniform almost fitting his now bulkier frame almost tightly. His service had aged him, but only just. After all, he seemed to have aged like fine wine, getting better with age. 

Your breath caught in your throat. You couldn’t believe it.

It was like your body knew what it had to do before you even did. You practically launched yourself at him, wrapping your arms around him as your kissed his face, making him laugh and smile even more brightly as he held you against his chest.

HakYeon buried his face in your neck, breathing in your scent and you felt his tears soften the skin of your neck. He whispered, “I missed you.”

Happy tears began to blur your vision as well, one hand reaching up to caress the back of his head, cradling it against you. “I missed you, too. You did well. Thank you.”

He pulled away from your neck long enough to kiss your lips gently. “Thank you.”

You giggled as he pressed his forehead against yours as he squeezed you in his arms. “Welcome home, soldier.”

As always, reviews, comments, asks, and tags are always loved! ~Peony

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