The Siren's Song

Chapter 94- write to me

If I hadn't been looking at her, I would've missed it too. Behind me Tae's hand stops drawing shapes and flattens on my back. Stilling too.

A look of confusion in her eyes. Blinking uncertainly at the screen.

"And you Namjoonie?" she asks.

He looks at her with a smile, not having seen her expression.

"I was reading up on ways that people choose to unburden themselves. And this seemed really cathartic." He says, leaning forward to tap at the keys, finger moving over the touchpad.

She leans too, head tilted as she reads what's on the screen.

Making a small sound of thoughtfulness.

"Writing letters doesn't sound bad. But who would it be sent to?" she asks.

He gives a small shrug.

"No-one. You write down everything you want to get off your chest and seal it in an envelope. It's not ever sent anywhere." He says.

She nods, eyes drifting to us, relaxing when she sees encouragement in ours.

"You've been researching this for how long?" she asks curiously.

And turns to see the way his cheeks pinken slightly, the way his throat bobs as he swallows.

Whether that's from having her so close and sharing the same breath, or whether it's at being asked how long he'd researched ways to help her.

Maybe it's both.

"Since...since the first date?" he trails off uncertainly.

My heart soars with pride at our thoughtful lover, at Joon who'd toiled away and silently researched countless ways.

That all this time he was helping her heal but also finding ways to help her dispel the thoughts she couldn't quite bring herself to voice.

"I love you." Is her response. So matter of fact, so light and sweet.

So blunt.

"You didn't have to waste so much time and you did. You didn't have to try help me but you are..." and she's cut off by his lips silencing hers, fierce and unrelenting, hand splayed across the low of her back and kissing away her words, swallowing up any gratitude with how he cups the back of her head and draws her impossibly closer.

"Not a waste of time. Never a waste of time, not when it comes to you." he breathes, voice ragged as if all the air has been punched out his lungs, as if her words had knocked it out of him. Eyes flashing with anger and hurt and fierce, fierce love.

And as much as it sends a jolt of arousal to shoot through me to see Joon so assertive, so fiercely protective, the crashing wave of love is stronger. Love and pride.

"He's right. We want to help however much we can and in whatever way we can." I say.

See her eyes trail over us, the look of unguarded vulnerability stuttering and melting away when a bright voice calls from behind us.

"I'm down to help! What for?" Kookie's voice appears, walking through the doorway and hastily tugging a shirt over his head, a brief, sinful glimpse of his toned abdomen and narrow waist vanishing under a white tee.

"Writing letters." Is all she says as he approaches, ducking around us to lean in for a kiss, a soft mwah against her lips that makes her giggle.

Makes the tension bleed out as she murmurs a hello against his lips.

He leans back, unaware of what conversation he walked into as his expression falls, looking apologetic and yet not all at once.

"That's not my speciality. That'll be Joon hyung and all those love letters that he's written." He says coyly, eyes looking teasingly at Joonie.