Flashes
✦ pairing: Wonwoo x reader
✦ genre: soulmate au, fluff, angst, found family
✦ note: this is what happens when you all hype me tf up - this get's done so so fast. I've actually feared writing this because I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do - but for some reason it just came to me smoothly
✦ NB! If you can’t read the story, please send me a message and I’ll send it to you privately. I don’t know why it has been flagged as mature content 🥲
When Wonwoo woke up on his thirteenth birthday the first place he looked was at his wrist, and to his great surprise there was a little camera tattooed into his skin there.
He had rubbed his eyes, as he studied the details with great interest. Then he had smiled a little and ran a finger over it. His skin still felt like his own, but he liked the fact that this little part of him belonged to you.
He had no idea what the tattoo meant. Tattoos like his could mean a lot of different things, some would be his other half's profession, it could be the thing that led the two of you to meet and it could even be the cause of it.
So just to be on the safe side he had decided he might as well take up photography and videography as a hobby.
It turned out that he really liked it, he was, even as a boy, a person who liked to be by himself, a person who liked the quiet. So even he was surprised when he ended up with 12 very chaotic and loud brothers.
In normal circumstances it wouldn’t work, it shouldn’t. But with the 13 of them it just made sense. In many ways he felt as if the 13 of them were as destined for each other as they were for their soulmates. But instead of marks, music was what bound them together.
Would that mean that their 13 soulmates would have a similar connection to one another? He hoped that was the case, he hoped some of them had even found each other already.
When Hoshi had found his other half the dynamic changed in the group, up until then the marks had been a part of them all but it had not been a focus. But there had been an excitement in the air that hadn’t been as obvious previously.
Wonwoo enjoyed it, and he did his best to capture his brothers, happy and content, with their soulmates in their arms on camera, it was almost as if you could feel their love through the print, through the lens.
He swallowed down that ping of jealousy whenever someone new found their half and tried to focus on the fact that it would be his turn soon.
When you turned 13 you had, much like Wonwoo, started by looking over your body, trying to find that little mark of yours, and right beneath your ear was a microphone.
You were in no way shape or form a singer or any kind of performer, no you were too introverted for that. So it had to have something to do with him. And because of that you had clocked in from that day.
There were a few ways this could go for him, he could be a singer, he could be a comedian, hell he could even end up being a politician. So what you needed was a profession that would make you interact with people from all over.
It had taken you a few years to figure out, but after a vacation in your teen years, you quickly learned that you had a flair for photography, and photo-journalism seemed like something that would take you around the world. Hopefully that would lead you to him some day.
“This is absolutely breathtaking” Danni said as she almost reached out to touch the glass of the frame that was currently laying on her and Minghao’s dinner table.
She quickly turned to her soulmate that instinctively pulled her to him. Minghao kissed the top of her head as she nuzzled into his chest.
“Thank you, you have no idea what this means,” Minghao said as he looked at Wonwoo. He shrugged and sent the pair a small and shy smile.
“Honestly it’s an honor to witness the love you share, so I thought you needed another reminder apart from those zeros on your wrists” He tried to bury the sting of how similar marks they had, even the placement was the same, but he didn’t quite manage to.
Wonwoo had brought the pair a gift, it was a large printed photograph of the two together in the very place they had first met, the pair in each other's arms as they danced. The love between them was so strong you could almost see it bind the two. When they were close, when all of them were close to their other half, it almost seemed like the rest of the world disappeared.
And he had been lucky enough to capture that love with his lens. He still had two more photographs to deliver.
Danni picked up on the deep breath he let out. “She’ll be here before you know it” she said as she reached out to grab his hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze.
Minghao nodded. “I know it’s easy for us to say when we’ve found each other - but she’s right”
He knew they were both right. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t be impatient. It was a new emotion. He liked learning, he liked researching, he liked bettering himself in everything that he did. But this was the one thing that was completely out of his control.
All he could do was wait. All he could do was hope that you would show yourself soon.
“So are you gonna show it to me?” you asked Limo at your biweekly facetime call.
It had been a tradition for the two of you since she had packed her things and moved to Seoul to be close to her other half.
“I’m literally taking you to it as we speak” the beauty said as she rolled her eyes. “I think you would be proud of him, he really has a good eye”
She stopped and turned her camera, and what she showed was definitely a testament of love and nothing else. It took your breath away.
You were quiet as you looked over the photography. It was big, which made perfect sense for the pair.
You hadn’t yet met Jeonghan, but you had the feeling that he could feel just as full of himself to an outsider, as Limo could. But you also knew that beneath that surface was a person filled with love, compassion and a fierce protector gene for those she loved. And as far as you had been told, that same could definitely be said for Jeonghan.
“Wow” was all you managed to say.
She turned the camera back to her once again. “It’s amazing right?”
And it truly was. He had managed to capture true love, that had found one another against all odds.
Limo shook her head. “Anyways, it’s actually what got me thinking. I’m gonna need you to fly out to Seoul next week”
You couldn’t quite seem to find the words. “I’m sorry what?”
Limo beamed at that as she flicked her hair over one of her shoulders. “Yeah! The guys all have photos behind the scenes of the concerts, but usually none of us are really in them, because it’s the company that takes them. And I would absolutely love to have something that shows off us girls for once”
She pouted, and you rolled your eyes. “You better pay me”
Limo squealed in response. “I will! Don’t you worry, I’ll send you all the details!”
And then she hung up. Leaving you with your thought of why you had ever befriended the model.
The girls were all an absolute blast. You had the pleasure of driving to the stadium with a few. You had been informed that two of them; Pink and P, were both already there, as they were in fact on Hybe’s payroll as a part of their staff.
You hadn't traveled all the way to Seoul alone however. No, you needed a reason to go. So you had pitched the idea to your editor, that after a short correspondence with Pledis had gotten the go ahead to do a story of those infamous 6 soulmates of half of the 13 idols.
She was there to observe, to ask questions when apropriate, and over all just watch the girls in their new habitat.
It wasn’t that you weren’t happy for Limo and her new found family, but you couldn’t help but feeling this small sting of jealousy when you were with them all.
The girls had warmth and genuine love for one another, as if an invisible string bound them all together.
“So basically just behave as you normally would, both with each other and the guys and I’ll capture it - Think of me as a fly on the wall” you said as you were to enter the venue. “Think of the both of us like that. And then we can go over everything and your stories tomorrow”
You saw how they all looked at each other, as if they were speaking a language you didn’t know, one of facial expressions and silence.
“Just… Have fun with us okay? Take part in it” Tan said as she walked past you, giving your shoulder a gentle squeeze.
It warmed your heart in ways you couldn’t really put a finger on. Limo flung an arm around your shoulders as Ruby silently took your hand and led the way.
You chuckled. “I’m gonna need my hands and my shoulders to take pictures you know”
Ruby laughed. “Sue us for wanting to enjoy your company” you laughed along.
“Don’t worry, you’ll get them back in a second” Limo said as she kissed your temple.
The behind the scenes was way more calm than you had expected, but maybe that was just how it felt when a team and a crew had been together for as long as they all had.
You captured the picture of P silently kissing Dino as she walked past him with a shirt in hand for Seungcheol.
You captured Tan and Dannie almost tangled together on a couch. Giggling as they watched their men banter in mandarin.
You took photos of Vernon pinching himself, and how he smiled silently as he no doubt felt his other half return it.
You captured them all teasing Mingyu with the amount of food he ate before it was show time.
And you captured DK being quiet as him and Seungkwan stood in a corner, whispering and looking serious, discussing who knows what.
You had tried to capture the flowers that followed the younger man around, but for some reason they weren’t on the display whenever you looked back at the photos. It was something you had to ask Limo about later.
And then you saw him. He was tall, wide shouldered and somehow even more silent and stoic than his surroundings. He stood in that slightly opened shirt as P was buttoning it around his wrists, all the while she pulled out rings and other accessories and held them up to the man in glasses.
He stole your breath away, he was the calm in the storm, a safe place, a safe heaven. You tried forcing your lungs to breathe, but they seemed to refuse to do their job.
“2 minutes!” someone yelled and you took a step back, quickly turning away as your hand seemed to reach for the tattoo that sat beneath your ear. The microphone. You felt your heart speed up, felt your breath quicken, felt the tears well in your eyes.
An arm reached around your shoulder and Danni came into view, although she was blurry. And as the room emptied as the guys left to do their thing, the girls rallied around you. You gave the camera to your friend. As you buried your head in your hands.
“It’s okay we’re here” Tan said from the other side of you. She took a deep breath. “We know it’s overwhelming”
“I-I’m sorry I don’t know what’s happening”
Limo placed a hand on each of your cheeks and looked at you, a small smile on her lips. “yes you do”
Wonwoo didn’t know exactly what was going on, but his whole body felt strange. Tingeling, as if there was actual electricity in the air. Lightning. A flash maybe.
For some reason all he wanted to do was to run off stage. It made no sense to him, but he did his absolute best to give the best performance he could.
Seokmin was on absolute fire, it felt like he was floating, as if he had transformed to a different person on stage that night. So maybe he wasn’t the only one who felt as if there was something in the air.
“Hyung she’s here…” Seokmin said silently the first time they stepped off stage to change clothes. A smile brighter than anything he had ever seen, painted his brothers lips,
“Yeah I think so too” he quietly said. You had to be here, somewhere. It was the only explanation.
Seokmin laughed and pushed him a little “how would you know?” and then it clicked for the both of them. Wonwoo pulled a face the same time as his brother's hand flew to cover his mouth.
“They’re both here?!” The younger man did a fake faint and started laughing, and as he left Wonwoo to himself he yelled: “This is the best day ever!”
He nodded. It was. But this stadium was huge, and how the hell was he gonna find you in a crowd of so many people? It was impossible.
Seokmin had always had a different way of expressing himself compared to most of the 13. Although he was an introvert, with them he was explosive and loud when he felt safe. Wonwoo however was still quiet.
It had always been one of the things he had worried about the most. If you would like that side of him. He shook his head, doing his best to get the ghosts of his mind to retreat.
And now, if you were here… Would you be disappointed that it was him and not one of the others?
He tightened his grip around his microphone.
“Hyung!” Minghao came running towards him as he approached the stage.
“Hao - I” then he saw the younger man's smile. And he released a breath, he felt as if his knees gave out beneath him.
A lump formed in his throat. “You… You found her?” and all Minghao did was nod, that was all he needed to do for him to break.
He pulled him close and allowed himself 10 seconds to break down, allowing him 10 seconds of feeling the overwhelming relief of knowing he would meet you as soon as the never ending aju nice came to its end.
Minghao dried his tears as a MUA silently cursed as she quickly fixed the make up he had ruined.
The pair smiled at one another before they once again stepped on stage.
Time seemed to slow as he stepped back down. Minghao hadn’t said who he should look for, he had only tapped his tattoo.
He forced oxygen to enter his lungs. Forced deep breaths, despite his heart beating so fast he almost felt like it could set him on fire.
He looked around the room, almost frantically searching each face. But no one seemed to be a stranger.
Then, as if an invisible string tucked at his heartstrings, he turned. Turned towards a woman, hiding behind a camera. The lens hiding her eyes didn’t really matter, he felt it in his very soul.
Wonwoo smiled, as a small tear escaped his eye. He heard the faint click of the camera, as you captured the very moment he felt that never ending love rushed through him.
He saw you lower the camera, and despite someone coming and taking it from your hands, he didn’t really know who It also didn’t matter. He only focused on you. All that mattered was you.
You took a hesitant step towards him, which almost automatically made him move towards you. It was almost as if the two of you were gravitating towards one another.
He looked down at you, and almost melted at the sight of those eyes looking up at him. His hands took yours, slowly, carefully, interlocking his fingers with yours. It made him take a quivering breath.
And as a tear escaped your eyes, he pulled you into him. Gently, as you were something he wanted, needed, to protect. The two of you melted into each other. And as he kissed the top of your head, he almost felt like he had lit himself on fire by the action.
You clung to him, and as he felt your quiet sobs he quickly lifted you from the ground. He held you close to him. And you had personally never felt more safe than you did in that instant.
Wonoo was huge, you had seen that the second you had spotted him. But nothing could’ve prepared you for just how small you felt when he lifted you from the ground as if you were weighing absolutely nothing.
“I got you” he whispered.
You pulled him even closer at that. You had no idea how long you stood there, but when the excited screams started it pulled you from the little bubble you had put yourself in. He slowly lowered you back onto the ground.
Your eyes found Limo’s straight away, and she was there by your side in a second. Pulling you close as Jeonghan pulled Wonwoo into a hug.
Then the pair left the two of you alone again. Knowing the two of you needed a little more time to yourself before you were thrown into the absolute chaos.
“Did you see the show?” he asked sheepishly.
You laughed as you leaned into him. His arm snaking around your shoulder. “Yeah, I did”
He raised a brow as he looked at you with a subtle smirk. “Are you fishing for compliments?” You asked as you gave his side in a playful pinch.
His laugh was amazing, contagious. He shrugged. “Maybe”
It felt natural for the two of you to be together. The silence that sometimes could feel a little awkward with people you didn’t know, felt natural with him. Comfortable.
He could’ve died right then and there. The way you looked up at him, with that sparkle in your eyes. It lit a fire in him nothing else had ever done.
He released a somewhat shallow breath before he turned in your arms embrace, one of his large hand krept up your neck and came to rest at your cheek. You almost sighed in pure bliss.
He leaned down, gently searching your eyes for the smallest hesitation, but found nothing short of love and adoration.
The contact of your lips sent sparks down both of your spines as he puled you as close to him as physically possible.
It was slow, gentle, but with a need burning beneath he had searched for his entire life.
As you came up for air, he rested his forehead against yours for a brief moment. And then the abnormal silence became absolute chaos as the missing members came crashing into the room. Screaming, celebrating.
Ready to welcome both you, and the mystery woman that now was on Seokmin’s arm.
✦ as always; please comment, like, share, reblog all of that. It what's keeps me going and keeps me writing. My asks are always open for feedback or if you just wanna give me a little praise
