open.

[strippedbare]

[ text ; threads ; overflow ; etc ]

Comments

[strippedbare]

[ sometimes in life, you're born an omega (it happens more often than you think). it is, usually, something of an unfair world when this occurs, but sometimes you're born an omega and also something almost princely in status (this happens significantly less often than) and the world becomes way less unfair than it would have been otherwise. and then, sometimes, you get a younger sibling, a sister, who is born an alpha (even less often than the last thing) and suddenly all attention shifts to her and you're free to pursue the things you want to do in life, free from most of your familial obligations.

and then, sometimes, your younger alpha sister dies, and suddenly all eyes are back on you again (this happens the absolute least number of times).

yuri had never expected to be caught up in the sudden whirlwind of his parents finding him a mate. he should have, he thinks, because even if he was his own person for a time he's still valuable as an... asset, so to speak, and blah blah forging ties blah. but there was less concern for him, and more concern for his sister, and so he got comfortable.

but now. well. now, here he is, sitting in his carriage, all of his worldly belongings packed into a small number of trunks strapped to the top of it and pulling up to a-- well, the manor is impressive, he'll give it that. and he's here to meet his betrothed.

his betrothed. someone he knows only by a name (finn) and absolutely nothing else. solidifying this betrothal had taken months with no chance for either of them to meet before all lines were signed and all hands were shaken. he hopes his parents got a good deal for him, at least. a whole herd of cattle, or some champion horse stock, or something. he chews on the inside of his lip as his carriage door is pulled open and he slides out, smoothing down the light silken fabric of his top to try to ease out any wrinkles that may have formed while traveling.

yuri swallows as what he can only assume is the manor's head butler comes down the steps with a smile and gestures for yuri to follow him without a word. the doors to the manor seem to swallow yuri whole as they swing closed behind them once they've entered, and he looks up to see--

well, she's beautiful. yuri marks her immediately as the woman of the house and so he bows, appropriately, though his fingers curl a little into the fabric of his pants. ]

Hello, madam. I am Yuri of house Han. It's an honor to be invited into both your home and your family.

[ he stays angled into his bow, mind racing the rehearsed words on repeat. had he said them right? did he sound sincere? he's going to be calling this woman mother soon, right?? gods, help him. ]

[closeness]

( this is what one might call an act of desperation.

finn tries not to think of it that way, but that's how it is. his father, who had done his best to raise and protect him as a single (beta) father, was disappointed to see them sweep him away. for the first tie, his father, who was always a cheery presence in his life, looked terribly sad. the kind of sad that stays with you for a long, long time. finn doesn't have a selfish bone in his body, but a part of him doesn't want this to work out so he can return to a quiet life in their little apartment with the fire escape garden. the manor is nice and all, but it's nothing compared to the coziness of their home.

he might be an adult, but he would have been happy living out the rest of his days with dad, tending to the flowers long after his dad had left his mortal form. unfortunately, life his unfair sometimes.

he can't blame either of his parents for this happy accident, though. haneul nam is still as soft and handsome as he was when he met his mother at a bar, looking fierce and untouchable as she does right now. he was had in secret and his father had taken responsibility. until finn served a purpose to a family in need, anyway. an alliance, they said, after the death of a patriarch.

lady aurora, house of jeong, cuts an imposing figure as she waits for the carriage to arrive. finn, nervous and hidden away (there are so many places to hide in this strange mix of traditional korean and beaux arts), admires her from a distance, dressed in delicate lace and a bow to close the collar of his blouse. it doesn't suit him, he thinks, but it's what the family wears since he is supposedly part of the family now. he can't yet see his fiance and maybe that's for the best right now because none of this can truly be real. finally -

Allow me introduce you to my son, Finn.

shyly, with a posture unbecoming to the son of a lady, finn shuffles out from where he had been trying to hide all six plus feet of himself in the shadows. he clears his throat before finally lifting his eyes off the ground to finally look at yuri. despite his duller scent and senses, he just knows everyone can smell how shaken and anxious he is. )

Hi - hello. Nice t'meet you.

[strippedbare]

[ gods she's kind of intimidating, isn't she? like yuri feels like there's a gentleness in there somewhere but right now she-- ]

Oh.

[ yuri's eyes snap straight over to finn as he stands up again, the matron immediately forgotten once his gaze lands on him. he's handsome. like-- really handsome. like yuri doesn't think he's seen a more handsome man in his entire life. he's tall (yuri's tall, but finn is tall, if that makes sense to anyone but him), broader than him, and with such a kind and open face...

yuri can feel his scent spiking. the blockers he had put on at the heavy recommendation of everyone (he's always been rather... fragrant) were doing their absolute best to keep it at bay, but hints of his orange blossom and vanilla were still managing to seep through. he has to fight the urge to reach up and slap a hand over the patch at his neck, so he just fusses with his sleeves to pull them further down over the ones on his wrists instead. ]

Hi.

[ is he blushing. oh, fuck, he's blushing, isn't he. ]

You, too. I mean. It's nice to meet you, too. Finally.

[closeness]

( normally guileless and pleasant, finn doesn't have a hateful bone in his body, but he does look upon his mother warily as she smiles at him. it's difficult, learning to accept all of this after happily being ignored and living out his life as a normal kid in the city.

she even takes his hand to guide him forward, giving it a small squeeze of encouragement. no, she isn't heartless, but she is determined to make this work. this is, after all, going to be pretty permanent. not that he had a choice in the matter, having her blood and all, but they did give him the courtesy of a proper visit, sitting him down with his father.

besides, dad will be coming to the wedding and will be back regularly for visits.

besides ... yuri is quite pretty. he smells nice and his clothes are pretty, too. finn manages a small smile, dimples on full display. he doesn't have a mean bone in his body, and he can certainly imagine how scary this all must be for yuri, being even more of a stranger in this home than finn already is.

he thrusts his hand out for a friendly shake, not really graceful and probably too familiar. but, hey, he wasn't exactly trained in this sort of thing. )

[strippedbare]

[ oh, no, he has dimples. yuri catches himself staring and blinks a few times as a hand is thrust out in front of him and he smiles as he places his hand into it.

a solid three seconds pass before yuri realizes that it wasn't so finn can kiss the back of his hand and so he shifts his hold in order to grip the hand in his and shake it instead. this meeting is off to a rousing, not at all embarrassing start on yuri's end. he wonders if finn even noticed what happened. of course, now that their hands are together like this, yuri's newly distracted by how absolutely large finn's hand is. his own feels fully enveloped.

he's so on board with this arrangement already.

with his cheeks feeling helplessly warm, yuri pulls his hand away and lightly folds both of them together in front of him. ]

Is there somewhere I could, um, freshen up? It was kind of a long ride...

[ and he's picking a little at the patch on one of his wrists, itching to peel it off and replace it with a new one. ]

our start line; yours and my island

[closeness]

( all things considered, yuri was taking it quite well.

the day started out innocently enough, the two of them taking the train to try this new macaron place finn had seen ads for enough times to have been influenced. he had even promised jisoo a little box of sweets when they got back to their neighborhood. finn and yuri had been playing with each other's hands in their corner of the train, with finn oblivious to the way the crowd mysteriously cleared, leaving the two of them entirely alone in the car during what was probably dismissal time for most schools.

that's when the scenery outside began to change rapidly finn suddenly burst into tears as the cityscape turned to bright blue skies. oh, this wasn't how he wanted yuri to find out at all.

but there they were, freshly changed into new clothes ( finn in a comfortable tunic and loose pants, yuri in something more revealing ). the train had taken them to the edge of the beach where they had to take their shoes off and trudge through water to get the island before disappearing entirely. it turns out that after years of absennce, finn's distant mother actually missed him and had no other means of contacting him except by essentially kidnapping him and the boy she had heard so much about through flora gossip.

finn, happy to be back on the island, is still very sheepish and hunched over as he approaches yuri with two glasses of iced tea as they take a break from socializing in a clearing in the forest where a makeshift table and chairs made of rocks and fallen logs wait for them. that's how the magic island was, with its residents creating living spaces out of the existing world around them. )

How - how are you doing?

[strippedbare]

[ well. how about that.

yuri had only noticed the emptying train car from his periphery, too distracted by yet another round of comparing his hand to finn's and giggling the whole while. what he's learned from this is he would be a terrible witness in court if finn was anywhere around him when the crime was committed.

he's convinced he's dreaming for at least the first fifteen minutes. the entire walk up to the beach, shoes dangling from his fingertips, he's fully certain that he fell asleep on the train and is just waiting to get to their destination for finn to wake him up. but then finn's-- he was crying, wasn't he? and yuri would never dream about finn crying.

it's like he's walking through a haze as finn leads him onto the island proper, and he looks too used to it, too familiar with the vicinity for this to be new to him. yuri doesn't even know what he said when talking to-- to finn's mom?? a tree. he hopes he didn't make an ass of himself, at the very least. he thinks he might have told her she's very pretty?

yuri takes the tea from finn when it's offered and his eyes stay far away, gaze back toward the direction of the beach they had come from. the question filters through the fog around his brain, eventually, and he blinks himself back into the present before turning his head to look over toward finn.

how is he doing? that's a good question. ]

I'm not... sure.

[ is finally what he settles on, because it's about the most truthful answer he can come with. he knows he's not doing bad, but is he doing well? who knows. ]

You really-- I mean I've always said that being with you is magical, I just never knew how literal that was.

[closeness]

( finn doesn't get annoyed very often but at this moment, he is a little annoyed with his mother. she spends seventeen years of his life in another realm and decides to steal him away because he hadn't immediately introduced his boyfriend to her? it's just not very nice!

he had been speaking to her while yuri got cleaned up and changed, expressing his annoyance in the only way finn knows how: gentle chiding. but he had hoped he got the point across. a message would've sufficed or something!

no onger huffy, now he's worried for other reasons, worried that he's broken yuri's trust in him, worried that this might end what has otherwise been smooth sailing since the first confession had been made. this is his first love and first relationship and he's very reluctant to let that go, even if it was his fault for not being so upfront about himself. he sits across from yuri, sipping and frowning around his glass of tea. )

Well, that's all you. And us!

( with a wobble in his voice, ) I'm sorry, Yuri.

[strippedbare]

[ yuri would be lying if he tried to say that this hadn't hurt him at all, that he was able to just accept it all in stride and go along with the flow without incident. but it had, at least a little bit. finn knew everything about yuri's life, from his sister's passing to his estrangement with his own family after, so that something like this was being held back from him...

he wants to see it from finn's perspective. wants to understand that maybe it was just because he was worried yuri would leave, but what was his plan otherwise? to keep this secret forever and hope for the best?

yuri snaps back to himself when he hears that wobble and his eyes shift over to look at him. yeah, he might be hurt, but... well.

his love is stronger than that. ]

I can't say that it's okay, because ultimately... I mean, it's not. You should have told me earlier. But I don't-- I'm not mad at you.

[ and then he smiles, his gaze softening. ]

How could I be? My boyfriend can take me on a magical island vacation.

[closeness]

​​(​ finn hangs his head like a scolded puppy. this should be a happy occasion! the island is beautiful, the weather balmy and breezy. the flowers have begun to glow around them. finn takes a deep breath. ​)

I know. I know ...

I just — this is my first relationship ever and I wasn't sure how long anything would last. Maybe you'd find someone kind of at your speed? More than I was at least. I didn't know, Yuri. I'm sorry. And then — ​​(​ he looks up, tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. ​) You said you loved me and it was like a dream and all I could think of was being brave enough to tell you I loved you back.

​​(​ he rubs at his pink nose with the long hem of his sleeve before staring into his glass pathetically. ​) I couldn't ever figure out the right time to say more. I know it's not a good excuse but it's what I've got. But you deserve more than than from me, Yuri.

[closeness]

( some will say it began with a deal. but to finn and yuri, it really began with flowers. first the gardens, then a hand-picked bouquet left at yuri's door, full of fresh pink blossoms that come with the middle of spring. all in all, things have become positively rosy, save for a few stumbles on finn's part. perhaps one day he will go about his eventual daily duties more confidently. right now, all they can do is ease into things together.

it's an unusually balmy spring day. may had been chosen for their wedding month and finn opens the windows to yuri's rooms with a small frown on his face. )

I hope it won't be this hot at the end of the month, ( he sighs. despite his attempts at formality during these weeks of courtship, finn's opted for a more casual outfit, in a sunny knit top over a tank. they've no important dinners to attend, so he thought it would be more comfortable, especially as he grows more comfortable with he betrothed. it isn't that he can't handle the warmth, but with most of the festivities outdoors, he just doesn't want the other guests to start wilting before they say their vows. )

Though this kind of weather makes me want to jump into the big pond out back, ( finn giggles over his shoulder, wrinkling his nose.

they've brought in a tray of iced butterfly pea flower tea with sugars and syrups to mix in. angel food cake topped with a mixture of berries sits temptingly to the side on the tray. finn licks his lips. )

Oh, yummy.

[strippedbare]

[ finn is everything yuri could have wanted in a partner and so much more. he's sweet, and attentive, and handsome, and yuri feels so safe when he's with him. his poor omega has been absolutely chomping at the bit to get closer to him, but the most they've shared is maybe a couple of quick, fluttering stolen kisses beneath the trees. they leave yuri feeling light as a feather every time.

this is right, he thinks. the two of them. it may be arranged, but it's right.

but it's gotten warm, and yuri finds himself growing steadily more uncomfortable over the last couple of days. he finds himself lounging on his bed with a fan as finn flits around, opening windows and getting their treat tray set up. he smiles as he swings his legs off the bed and stands, still fanning himself as he moves over to the table, plucking a raspberry from the dish and popping it into his mouth. ]

I feel like I ought to be moving around more, with all these treats.

[ he's teasing as he says it, snapping his fan closed as he settles into his seat in order to prep the tea the way he's come to enjoy it. ]

[closeness]

Well, there'll be time to do more dancing when the wedding's over! But I think you look just great as you are, Yuri.

( with his tea already prepared, he reaches for the cake knife to get a substantial helping of cake and berry topping before arranging the knife so the handle faces yuri for whenever he's ready for a slice. )

Here, ( finn pulls a chair out for him, arranging it just so before plopping himself on the gilded loveseat with his cake plate in hand. ) You can face the window! Let the air come in and cool you down. It's warm isn't it?

Oh, I already said that, didn't I?

[strippedbare]

Not in those exact words.

[ yuri takes the offered seat and closes his eyes as the breeze brushes across his skin, offering a bit of reprieve from the heat. at least for a moment, anyway. he finally reaches for his tea and lifts it, taking a small sip before letting out a contented sigh as the cool liquid spreads inside of him.

he'll go ahead and help himself to a slice, now. not quite as substantial, maybe, but with enough fruit to make a salad. ]

We're further south than I am back home, so maybe I'm just not so used to the heat here. I dread what the summer will be like.

[ ugh, he's going to be spending so much time taking nice, cool baths, isn't he? ]

That pond sounds more and more enticing.

[closeness]

Oh, Yuri, I don't think they expected this heatwave today, so the house isn't really prepared to cool down entirely. We'll get those fancier fans for you! I'll ask for one later.

( finn nods to himself, reaching for his drink and taking a long gulp of it, leaving the glass half-full when he sets it back down on the table. ) Swimming in the pond isn't proper, but they haven't told me I couldn't do it yet! So, maybe... I mean, since we don't have anything else going on today!

( he's already excited at the prospect of swimming with yuri. )

Do you need me to get anything for you in the meantime?

[closeness]

Should i get a haircut?

( before yuri can ask, finn automatically includes a selfie of himself in his room, bangs pinned back with an alpaca-shaped hairclip. )

[strippedbare]

absolutely not i will melt every pair of scissors in your general vicinity

[ a pause ]

unless it's like bothering you and you really want to

[closeness]

It's not bothering me! I've kind of looked exactly the same since I reached my full height...

So having it long is newish

( finn is Grown now. Grown-ish. )

[strippedbare]

oh thank god because i really like it
like you already had so much boyish charm and now you have more
and also i wanna play with it

[closeness]

Don't expect Neon length though! It won't suit me...

[closeness]

Yuri, are you sure you want me to come to work?
I already know how strong and graceful you are!

[strippedbare]

yes
pls
it's been like a WEEK since i've seen you and if you don't come tonight it'll be even longer and i am at my wits in with this finn drought!

[closeness]

Is this allowed?

[strippedbare]

yes?
i mean you've been here before
granted i won't really be able to just sit with you
i'll make sure to tell the others not to bother you tho!
(too much)

[closeness]

But I never really come alone! It made me nervous.

Especially the bothering!