Appreciate

appreciate—

written by: 🥺

genre: fluff

warnings: none

pairing: namjoon x reader

summary: on some occasions, love isn't a strong enough word

thank you to @ofrosesandteacups for requesting this!! (not this kinda becoming a metaphor for army and the energy we put into loving them?? idk i see it but tell me what you think)

it feels as though you've been here before, although you are entirely certain you haven't. miles away from home in a foreign country, surrounded by speakers of a language you have yet to master - and yet it feels more like home than america ever could.

"do you miss your family?"

you do. not seeing them for five years is bound to create that feeling, equal parts longing and forgetting. but that same longing compelled you to seek out a new family, one that seems more like your flesh and blood than those who actually are.

"sometimes," you settle on. "i see them most days."

"just through a screen, though."

"are you trying to make me cry or something?"

namjoon laughs; lower and more hushed than usual. there's no reason for it, and yet you can understand why - it just fits the atmosphere.

laying between the ground and the sky, - somewhere that is also nowhere - it isn't like anyone could hear you besides the stars and the trees, and they are loyal; nature never spills the secrets that are whispered between humans when they think they are alone. secrets are too precious like that, too easily shattered. nature knows better.

but he whispers anyway, "of course not. just asking."

you turn your head to study him. his skin glows in the moonlight, eyes shining like stars reflected in a dark pond. a rush of warmth floods over you and stirs a thought that enters your head frequently: this is where i'm meant to be.

"you're my family."

a smile stretches over namjoon's lips. it's quiet, soft, and you start to wonder if that's just him, rather than an unspoken rule formulated by the setting.

"i know."

he's used to this. you tell him it frequently, tell every one of the boys that you love them as much as you possibly can, because with their busy schedules and the pressure that comes with fame, it's easy to forget that you're loved - truly, unconditionally loved - sometimes, and you want to remind them of that.

maybe that's why he doesn't act surprised when an 'i love you' slips through your lips next. that's okay, you don't need him to react, just feel the weight of your words, how much you really mean it.

"i appreciate you," he says.

you're used to this. the other boys have no qualms about returning your love, some less than others, but again, that's okay. but with namjoon, he hasn't said it once. he shows it in other ways, sure, this particular phrase being one of his favourite methods.

it was okay at first. up until the point you realised your feelings for him extended past friendship, and at the same time realised that it would, inevitably, end in a broken heart on your part.

he must sense this, as he quickly follows it up with, "and i don't say that to put you down, by the way. i just think that appreciation can be a lot stronger than love, you know?"

"no, uh, i understand that."

he doesn't stop there. "no, really. i could tell you i love you, because i do, but it wouldn't be able to express what i really feel."

he turns and locks eyes with you. his gaze is soft, soft, soft, but at the same time it burns, like gentle, slow heat on a summers day. you can't help but look away, instead focusing on the space between you two, where your fingers idly pick at individual blades of grass.

"y/n?"

you hum in response.

"i mean it," he states, now switching to english. maybe that's why you feel the most comfortable with him - you can relax in his presence, not having to worry about honorifics and conjugating verbs. "i appreciate the way you never hesitate to speak your mind; the way you treat us like you treat everyone else; the way you're always there when we need you."

you bite your lip, the confidence you usually hold dissipating into the atmosphere to join the clouds that roll overhead. "thank you," is all you can think to say. it's true, though. he's never usually like this, and you're grateful that he's finally confirmed it, even if its only in part.

a gentle hand touches your chin, prompting you to look upwards. you can't escape the warmth of his eyes now, and it's almost suffocating.

"you put your all into us. we appreciate it, we really do. but please remember to look after yourself once in a while. please?"

you nod. apparently, it isn't enough. "promise me. promise me you'll appreciate yourself as much as you appreciate us, and as much as we appreciate you."

a sigh escapes your lips. the light breeze caresses your skin, but namjoon's blanketing warmth is enough to keep the cold from settling into your bones.

"i promise."

recently i'm having fun drawing skzoos

ice cream—

written by: 🥺

genre: fluff

warnings: swearing

summary: maybe being helpful does have it's benefits.

thank you again to @mrsunshine999 for requesting this, you always come up with the best prompts!!

+++

you would regard yourself as the helpful type, always willing to aid others who are in need. even if that means leaving the comfort of your bed late at night to buy ice cream for your sister.

what your helpfulness does not extend to, however, is willingly giving said ice cream (the last one in the store) to a stranger.

a handsome stranger, perhaps, but thats besides the point.

he smiles sheepishly. "uh, hi."

"hi," you deadpan, refusing to pull your hand away from the tub, despite how cold your fingers feel. already.

"nice pajamas."

you glance down at the clothes you picked out at random - cookie monster pajama pants and a bright orange hoodie. admittedly not the best combination but, hey, you're at the store, not a fashion show.

"thanks. give me the ice cream."

"sorry, but i have 7 hungry men at home and i lost a bet."

"i have a sick sister at home. she's... going to die."

he raises an eyebrow. "if you don't get her this ice cream?"

"yes." the word slips out of your mouth before you can stop it. the lie is incredibly obvious, but you still hope that he either falls for it or gives up. "it's her dying wish."

unfortunately, he is neither stupid nor cooperative. "strawberry ice cream. her dying wish... sure." his grip on the tub tightens, biceps flexing just slightly. you try not to focus on that detail. "look, i'm sorry about your sister, but there's another store, like, 10 minutes away."

you gesture to your body. "and you expect me to go out in the cold like this?"

"your fashion choice, dude, not mine."

groaning, you reluctantly pull your hand away. absolutely not because you're giving in, but because in such thin clothes, the cold of the freezer is harder to withstand.

"look, dude," you say mockingly, "can you just go to the other store instead? please just give me the ice cream, i'm sick of this."

seemingly considering your offer, he licks his lips and allows his hand to fall to his side. just as you think you've won, the corners of his lips lift into a smirk. "fine, i'll give you the icecream."

"oh, thank fu-"

he grabs your wrist as you reach back into the freezer, and you cut yourself off in shock. "on one condition."

"and that is...?"

the smirk remains, but his eyes fall to his feet. "if i give you this, will you let me buy you ice cream another day?"

your eyes widen. did he just... no. what the fuck?

cheeks burning, and the room feeling hotter than ever, you clear your throat. "are you... are you blackmailing me?"

"no!" he exclaims, releasing his grip on your wrist, which you had previously forgotten about. "i'm trying to hit on you."

"right now? like, when i'm standing in my pajamas and being stubborn about ice cream?"

he nods.

"that is an awful deal. for you."

he shrugs. "not if i get to take a cute stranger on a date."

"oh..." you consider your options. he may have been an inconvenience at first, but he is attractive, and it means double ice-cream for the price of one, so— "sure, i'll do it."

a blinding smile takes over his features. "i'm changbin."

"y/n."

"can i... can i have your number? you know, to contact you," changbin says.

"i thought you'd never ask."

you arrive home roughly 15 minutes later. when you hand your sister the ice cream and she doesn't even bother to thank you, you can't find it in yourself to care.

maybe being helpful does have its benefits. the benefits, in question, being ice cream. definitely not going on a date with a pretty boy, right?

it’s that time of year again where i reread tsh for the bajillionth time so here is the greek class!!!

Minho: Yeah I can tell

Jisung: You .... have a face

Minho: Well duh

Jisung: Uhm...I mean, you have a nice face

Minho: Ok, and?

Jisung: Please accept my attempts at flirting. I'm really bad at this

Appreciate was beautiful wtf 😭🙌🏻 you’re so talented

aaa omg!! i feel like i'm bragging by posting this but idk how else to reply?? uhh thank u sm, the credit should rlly be given to @ofrosesandteacups , without their request i never would have written it lmao. glad you enjoyed it!! 🥺🥺💕