"A good friend may hide something to protect you. A true friend will tell it to your face and help you move past it."

-Anonymous

A silent string of profanities left your lips as you slowly walked through the make-shift market place of the pirate-infested island of Tortuga. Your head was bowed, blue eyes never leaving the ground beneath your feet. The last thing you wanted was to be dubbed as a siren while you were in the middle of a large group of people who wouldn't hesitate to jump you.

Thanks to the Hoseok from the previous story, you were pretty decent with a weapon. You'd be able to defend yourself if the time called for it, but you'd never be able to make it out against a large group like this unscathed and you were painfully aware of that.

Keep your head low.

Don't start any fights.

Get back to the Inn in one piece.

Simple.

Your eyes widened as a strong arm wrapped around your waist, pulling you out of the busy street without anyone noticing.

Mother-

You captor's hand shot over your mouth, not giving you the chance to gasp or even let out a yelp of surprise.

They were swift in their actions.

You'd be impressed if you weren't, ya know...in danger.

Your blue eyes narrowed as you were pulled into a tight alleyway between the buildings of the market, back meeting the stone of walls surprisingly gently, your captor moving his hand from your waist to shield the back of your head from the harsh impact.

You jumped into action, cursing yourself for not taking Jimin's knife with you when you had the chance.

You didn't hesitate, raising your knee up in an attempt to hit him in a place you knew it would hurt.

He quickly moved out of the way of your leg, a deep chuckle coming from him.

"Calm down, Y/n," He spoke softly, pulling off his hood. "It's just me."

You scoffed out in annoyance, arms crossing over your chest as he slowly pulled away from you.

"I should have guessed it was you, Writer." You huffed, running a hand through your hair. "Coming to check up on me? So soon?"

You watched as he copied your actions, running a hand through his raven curls and sending you a smile, his silver eyes shining beneath the light of the sun above.

Even in the dark shade of the alley, you could make out his every feature. Of course, it would be hard not to considering how close the two of you were in that moment.

Writer leaned against the other wall of the alley, but that barely put any distance between you, his chest brushing yours at the slightest movement.

His skin was almost glowing, it's paleness contrasting the darkness of the tan on your skin. He looked just as beautiful and ethereal as ever.

Every time you looked at him, you were reminded that he was not, in fact, human.

The two of you definitely had a unique relationship...After what happened back in China, you wanted to allow yourself room to trust him. In all reality, he was the only constant in all of this mess...But, he was also the reason for it.

He had told you that he made a mistake...that you were the only version of yourself...But, you didn't have any real, solid proof of his statements. Thus, trusting him completely was never an option.

The black-haired being chuckled at your question.

"You know how I am," He smiled. "I just want to be sure everything is going smoothly on your end."

You almost laughed at that.

"When has anything ever gone smoothly?"

Writer opened his mouth, clearly ready to argue your question, but instead settled back into silence.

This time you did laugh.

"Nothing too big has happened." You started, "I'm being held hostage by a few pirates, I have no idea who to trust and I was marked by the Jungkook of this world who happens to be one of the original sirens. He told me that I can't trust Hoseok and Hoseok told me that I can't trust him and all the while, Jimin is trying to sell me to a pack of sirens or to the next highest bidder and I'm pretty sure we have a child king hunting us down."

Writer hummed in response, rubbing his chin.

"Nothing new then?"

You tried to hide your smile, not wanting to admit to yourself how much you've missed his company.

"No. Nothing at all."

You watched as the silver-eyes being nodded in acknowledgement.

"And what about you, human?' He asked gently. "How are you fairing?"

You furrowed your brows.

"I just told y-"

He tsk'd.

"You told me how the story was going. I'm asking about you." He deadpanned. "After what happened in China...You don't seem to be yourself."

Your eyes widened at that, jaw clenching under your skin.

He was right. You knew that he was right.

You made a vow to yourself and to him that you'd never fall in love. You swore that you'd stop putting yourself and the people around you in the position to get hurt. You'd finish the story and be done with it.

To think that you were once the girl who had fought with Yoongi in that forest...the same girl who urged him to believe that there was always hope.

You weren't her anymore.

You couldn't afford to be.

"Change is a good thing." You smiled weakly.

Writer's face remained unreadable as he stared at you.

He was the one person you could never read...the one person who wouldn't let his guard down even around you.

Understanding him seemed impossible.

"If it is for the better." He added, chest brushing against yours in the cramped space. "Tell me, Y/n is this change truly for the better...or does it simply make it easier for you to hide?"

"Can't it be both?" You asked. "I'm finishing the stories. Something as insignificant as feelings cannot get in my way...not again. Surely you can understand that."

He breathed out a chuckle.

"You sound just like a certain Dragon Prince."

You froze at his words, not entirely sure on which emotion you should be feeling.

"Y/n," He said stiffly, hand rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I do not have too much knowledge about human emotions or how they are processed. In fact, I've never had to be on a human plain before I met you."

His eyes raised to yours.

"You aren't the same girl that woke up in the forest." He sighed nervously. "After everything you've gone through you cannot afford to be the same. Being different does not mean changing who you are completely...and you, Y/n, are a unique creature...the only version of yourself in any plain of humanity. Your heart was never meant to be broken so many times and for, that, I am responsible."

Your eyes widened.

"So..."He paused. "So, if you truly feel so much anger towards yourself for all of this...then you are angry with the wrong person."

"Writer-"

"I know that this is not easy." He continued. "But, forcing yourself to be nothing simply because it will cancel out all of the pain is foolish."

You stared at him, dumbfounded by his words.

"I understand that your loyalties and your heart is already scattered," He said, eyes boring into your own. "But how can you hate yourself for something that you cannot control? At the end of all this....When the stories are over, you're going to have to make a choice. That has been the arrangement from the start. When that time comes, you cannot chose based on what will make the others happy. All this time you've been fighting for them...but, when it is time to choose...You must fight for your own sake."

You smiled sadly.

"You make it sound like it's the easiest thing." You hummed. "But, you've never felt emotions...How could you possibly know?"

"If you truly believe I have no feelings, then you can rest assured that my words are objective." He explained. "You're the only one who can make yourself happy...even if your surrounded by people who love you. Their love will mean nothing if you do not first love yourself enough to be happy."

For this first time since arriving here, you felt a small sense of peace wash over you at the being's words, his silver eyes never leaving your face as he watched you.

He was the only one who would reprimand you without concern for your feelings. He told you how it was to your face...even if he did keep secrets from you...he was the most honest person in this universe...Even if he wasn't telling the entire truth.

Writer's eyes widened in terror as you leaned forwards, arms wrapping around him in a gentle embrace as the two of you hid from the rest of the world.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, clearly not knowing how to deal with this situation.

"Uhm...Your gratitude could be expressed through words, this is..."

He could feel the ends of his ears turning golden as you clung onto him.

"This is too....too much physical contact." He finished nervously.

"Thank you, Writer."

Your words caused his eyes to widen, body pausing.

He inhaled, shaking his head.

"I've already said this wasn't necessary." He scoffed. "I am an eternal being. Get...Get off of me, human before I call lightening from the sky."

You raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly to look at him.

His looks wavered under the weight of your blue orbs, eyes never meeting yours.

"Lightening?" You repeated.

"Yes."

"From the sky?"

"You heard me correctly."

You snorted in his face, laughter falling from your lips as naturally as water flowed through a stream.

"Well, if I am going to die, may as well go all in." You laughed.

Writer opened his mouth to question you but instantly shut up as your lips came into contact with his pale cheek.

He stared at you with wide eyes, obviously questioning if he had imagined the entire action.

"I...You..." He blinked. "Don't...Don't ever do that again, human!"

You only laughed at the horror in his voice, watching with amusement as his cheeks began to light up with a golden sparkle that spread up his neck and to his ears.

Was he blushing?

Is that the way immortal beings blush?

He straightened up his black suit coat, clearing his throat as he looked away from you.

"I shall try to make myself more available to you." He started. "It may be hard for me to make it down here as soon as you call, but I will be as swift as possible. Just don't...don't do that ever again. It was disgusting and quite unenjoyable."

You nodded your head, trying to hold back your laughter as you sent him a salute.

"Yes sir."

He glared at you.

"Then, I'll be on my way."

You watched as he pulled his hood back over his face, the cloak covering his clothes.

He turned, pausing just before leaving the alley.

"Be careful, Y/n."

Those were the last words you heard before he was disappearing into the crowds...

Leaving you alone once again.

A/N,

I'M BACK!

So sorry for the wait, everyone! I hope you're all doing alright!

I wrote fluff. Teehee.

THIS IS A WRITER LOVING HOUSEHOLD...or is it????

For anyone wondering, this is how I picture Writer to look like, but feel free to picture him however you'd like.

Anyway, bye bye!

I love you.

I adore you.

I purple you.

I'm out.

-Max