last chapter, a little shorter tho than the others

also for woosans texts in this chap, their contact names are what they're saved as on each other's phone.

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HERO.SPHERE NEWS, where you get the latest and juiciest news about all your favourite superheroes!

Good morning, and welcome to Hero.Sphere news.

Today Utopion tries its hardest to recover from what can only be the worst villain attack in all of history.

The deceased criminal, now known by his new identity as twenty-eight year old Park Seonghwa, had put nearly all of Utopion's citizens under complete mind control on Tuesday afternoon to about 7PM at night. The hours had been filled with bloodshed as several innocent civilians, including the beloved superhero Fiery Dagger, lost their lives due to the man's despicable powers.

Almost every superhero had been subjected to Park Seonghwa's mind manipulation, but in a moment of immense luck, The Golden Clover had lived up to his name and managed to stop the man, freeing the city from evil once more.

*

BREAKING: The Golden Clover to 'retire' from heroic duties for some time after Utopion's disasterous Mind Manipulation attack

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Wooyoung opens his eyes that morning to bright light coming out of his drawn blinds, the rivers and vivid green hills nothing but a blurry mess as he instantly jolts out of his bed, his speedy thoughts ricocheting through his mind. "Oh my god it's morning!"

He forces himself to calm down and take a few deep breaths, something he'd been instructed to do by the therapist he now sees for his diagnosed anxiety twice every week. Hongjoong had booked the sessions with the woman called Dr Moon, after finally being able to convince Wooyoung that it was more than okay to need a little help sometimes.

After his breathing exercise, Wooyoung shoves on his glasses and pushes his feet into a pair of bunny slippers, racing down into the living room in less than a second.

Hongjoong is on the sofa clicking through his laptop, donned in the crumpled tshirt and shorts he wore last night totally relaxed. And while he and Wooyoung had long since made up last year, the demolition of the Headquarters and their change of presidents having something to do with it, frustration pricks Wooyoung's insides at the man's nonchalance.

The hero ransacks through the cupboards for cereal, growing increasingly impatient when each box is found to be empty. Oh my god.

"Wooyoung, it's okay," Hongjoong pipes in before the younger starts freaking out. He nudges his side and passes him a new box of cereal. "Sorry I didn't put it with the others. I just bought it."

With that Wooyoung cools down, that is until he remembers what he's doing today. "Fuck, I'm going to be late!"

"We're leaving at eight. This is only five minutes past seven," Hongjoong reassures, patting Wooyoung on the head.

Wooyoung smacks his hand away, nothing too rough, and then commences gulfing down his cereal like a cheetah on steriods to Hongjoong's disgust.

"Gross. You're a menace," Hongjoong turns his nose up at the hero's barbaric eating style.

"Well, San still loves me, so," Wooyoung sticks his tongue out at the older man, ever so immature.

Ever since what transpired on that horrible Tuesday last June, Wooyoung had made it his life goal to always visit San and check up on him. The man had succumbed to deep guilt and trauma over what had happened to Yeosang, which Wooyoung assured him over and over again wasn't his fault. He never went a day without calling or texting San, and now that the man himself had also started getting some professional help a few months ago, Wooyoung soon found a surefire way to cleanse the man of his worries and ensure he got the break he so desperately needed.

"Yeah, because you're so obviously a catch," Hongjoong teases while he makes himself some coffee. He always takes it without milk or sugar, which Wooyoung never fails to shudder at.

"At least I have a boyfriend," Wooyoung replies, his chest all warm and fuzzy due to last week's date. He and San had taken a stroll through Lemon Gate, a place where they'd met as hero and villain before and now as lovers, before soon rowing a boat across a still river with the dazzling orange sunset behind them.

Later that night was when they made love for the first time, San trusting Wooyoung to take care of him. It was then San told Wooyoung he loved him, and that he wished to be his significant other for a long time.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Hongjoong pretends to be as bitter as his coffee usually is, but it's clear he's more than content with Wooyoung's relationship with San now. While he'd been a bit iffy about the man at the start, as soon as he'd learned how San had saved Wooyoung from death, he quickly warmed up to him.

Or maybe he backed off due to how powerful San's now proven himself to be. Either way, Hongjoong's fully onboard with their relationship.

Wooyoung is soon done with his cereal, immediately dropping the bowl and spoon in the sink to Hongjoong chagrin.

"Don't break them!" Hongjoong exclaims like he's a cranky old man instead of being in his late twenties as Wooyoung bolts back up the spiralling stairs.

"Sorry!" Wooyoung yells back from his room, before promptly slamming the door shut and nearly unscrewing its hinges. He can almost hear Hongjoong's loud, tired sigh all the way from the living room.

He resists the urge to message San in case it slows him down, takes his meds and rushes into the shower to get himself all freshened up.

His things already packed into two black suitcases and ready to go, Wooyoung shuffles into his outfit for the day and dries his hair in front of the mirror, deciding on just letting it fall in loose curls because San said before that he looked really cute like that.

As soon as he's done spritzing on some cologne, he snatches his phone and flips through his contacts to search for the man truly and sincerely dear to his heart.

- WOOYOUNG🍀🎆
hiiii san!!!
happy 26th birthday!!! 🎉🎉🎉

- WOOYOUNG🍀🎆
we're soo gonna have a great time today
also theres no pressure whatsoever to reply to these texts
im just being my overly excited self again😭😭

- WOOYOUNG🍀🎆
heres my ootd

- WOOYOUNG🍀🎆

- WOOYOUNG🍀🎆
see you soon bby 💖💖

To Wooyoung's utmost shock, San texts back instantly, a new record for the man as he almost always takes some time to reply, thinking over his words first and foremost.

He's been waiting for me. Wooyoung's heart skips at the realization.

- SAN🦋✨️
hey wooyoung :)
and thank you for the bday wish too

The emojis that make up San's contact name for sure stand for how delicate, rare and devastatingly pretty he is.

- WOOYOUNG🍀🎆
youre so welcome!!

- SAN🦋✨️
you also look fucking beautiful by the way

A result of San getting the help he needs is the man getting a little more honest and direct with his compliments, something that Wooyoung definitely does not mind in the slightest.

- WOOYOUNG🍀🎆
thank u :3
can i like,, also see what youre wearing??

- SAN🦋✨️
what if i'm not wearing anything rn

Woah. Wooyoung's eyes enlarge.

- SAN🦋✨️
kidding, kidding

- SAN🦋✨️
this is what i'm wearing today

Wooyoung's jaw automatically drops. Fuck.

- WOOYOUNG🍀🎆
you look so freakin good, really
like im not kidding

- SAN🦋✨️
thank you wooyoung :)
see you soon
i love you

"Wooyoung, get your ass down here now!" Hongjoong hollers from outside the door, forever a conversation cock-blocker, and Wooyoung knows he has to get going now.

As he ties up his shoelaces, he sends San his last reply, meaning every word.

- WOOYOUNG🍀🎆
i love you too san

Wooyoung hauls his rather heavy luggages into the back of Hongjoong's car without breaking a sweat once, shades in his hair as the cool summer breeze soothes his skin.

"You didn't forget anything, right?" Hongjoong states once he shuts the trunk, casually fiddling with the keys.

Wooyoung clicks open the passenger door. "No. And if I did, I'll use the teleportation slide to get it back."

"Thought you said you were going to spend this vacation at Wave not being a hero?" Hongjoong teases, resting on the hood of the car. "Using the slide counts as a heroic activity."

Wave is the small island right outside of Utopion, a tropical paradise with several lovely hotels and beach resorts, one of which Wooyoung has specifically rented out for the summer.

"Shut up," Wooyoung grumbles with an eye roll added, which Hongjoong laughs at before they get started on their journey.

In twenty minutes, the car stops in front of a settlement deep into Treasure Heights, the house's exterior perfectly spotless and the small garden in front of it well-kept. Wooyoung has been here quite a lot now to know San loves tending to the roses, something he never got the opportunity to do at his old settlement.

It'd taken quite a bit of convincing on Wooyoung's part, but by the end of August last year he'd succeeded at getting San a new home with San making sure he contributed to the funds as well.

And Hongjoong, forever his tech-savvy and influential self, had also volunteered to help with all the digital and legal documentation, and when a particular teenager crashes into Wooyoung just as the hero steps out of the car, Wooyoung knows he'd do everything all over again if it meant he got to experience this very moment once more.

"Oh my god, Wooyoung hyung!" Jongho squeals, arms wrapped around the hero in a tight hug. He always gives one of the best hugs, second only to San.

"Hi, Jongie! I missed you so much," Wooyoung laughs, still not used to the boy towering over him. While he knows he's a little short, but it's a bit disarming regardless. He then ruffles the fifteen year old's wavy brown hair, a habit he picked up after Jongho got officially adopted last October. "Where's San?"

"San's packing up his things," Jongho shoots him a terribly sweet grin, the sort of grin he has whenever Wooyoung has anything to do with his older brother. "And woah, hyung, you look fucking expensive."

"Language," Someone apprehends from the doorway, and Wooyoung's heart totally stops, and then kickstarts again.

San looks utterly and wholly gorgeous, his shirt exposing the smooth expense of his chest and his jeans clinging to his toned legs like second skin, snug around his lithe waist. And although his scar has been mostly covered up with concealer, he looks so healthy, so confident that it has Wooyoung swallowing thickly.

"I think Wooyoung hyung is thirsty," Jongho chooses to comment right then, to Wooyoung's horror. Hongjoong can even be heard choking on his laughter in the car.

"Jongho, don't be rude," San tells the boy, but his smile has a twinge of mischief.

"I'm not," Jongho defends himself. "I just can't wait to have the house all to myself for the rest of summer."

"Mingi's going to be staying over, you know that," San replies, pulling his luggages out of the house.

Wooyoung quickly rushes to help the man, sparks racing up his arms when their hands brush. San ducks his head, ears a startling shade of pink. Wooyoung's heartbeat fucking soars.

"Hongjoong hyung, can you please, please get them out of here now?" Jongho runs to the car to plead.

"Brat," Wooyoung chastises the incredibly cheeky teenage boy, but he's happy. He's really fucking happy.

"Happy birthday, San," he adds, meeting San's eyes. They glimmer like the brightest stars and reflect off hope and love, and Wooyoung has never seen anything more beautiful. "Let's have the time of our lives in Wave."

"We will," San responds with a smile, his adorable dimples lining his cheeks. God is Wooyoung in love with this man. "And thank you, Wooyoung. I know I've said it a thousand times already, but I'm really grateful for how much you've helped me. For everything."

"It's no problem, San. I really don't mind," Wooyoung answers, grasping the taller's hand. He rubs his thumb over his knuckles. "I can do anything for you. You know that, right? I love you."

"I love you too, Wooyoung."

"Save me from all this cheese!" Jongho cries out right then, before hiding behind Hongjoong when San glares daggers at him.

Wooyoung chuckles, soon placing San's things into the car. He watches on as San says something to his brother and hugs him tight, and realizes that yeah, he might've lost his biological family, but he's found a new one right here. He's found his new home.

"What are you thinking about?" Hongjoong asks next to him, looking all contemplative.

Just the fact that I'm surrounded by my newfound family. "Your trashy ass coffee."

Hongjoong scoffs. "You're so lucky we're in public right now."

San meets up with them soon afterwards, and before long, they're saying goodbye to Jongho and driving to the airport.

Giving up the passenger seat for the chance to be with San at the back, Wooyoung kisses the man when Hongjoong isn't looking, the butterflies in his stomach fluttering in contentment when San melts into his touch and kisses him back with just as much enthusiasm.

The metropolis is nearly back to normal by now, full of bustling streets and numerous shops open for business.

Wooyoung looks at a digital billboard beside one of Utopion's many skyscrapers, the glowing image of The Golden Clover on it mid-flight. It's been over a year since Wooyoung retired from his heroic duties, but the public has never forgotten about him.

And while Wooyoung kinda misses being at Utopion's service even with all the ups and downs he's encountered in his superhero career, he knows it's now time for him to be a hero to his loved ones.

He knows it's now time for him to be a hero to himself.

FIN.

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a/n: aaaaannnnd thats a wrap. what are your overall thoughts on this?

honestly this fic was very very fun to write and provided the distraction from normal life i so desperatedly needed at the time

i'm also thinking of doing a character ask chapter, would you guys like that?

thanks to all of you who read, voted and commented on this fic, and i will see you next time

peace and love x