Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Since they have a lot of time before they reach their time limit, they take the rest of the day off, and Joonghyuk decides to use this time to unlock his new skills.

He reopens the reward window, and browses briefly through Kim Dokjas skills.

There are… far less than he thought, and few of them are useful.

[Congratulations! Due to similarities in skills, your selection has been limited.]

[Your skills will be randomized!]

…What kind of rip off is this? He doesn’t even get to choose the skills?

[You have gained the skill Miniaturization!]

[You have gained the skill Hearing enhancement!]

[You have gained the skill Reading comprehension!]

[You have gained the skill Calm observation!]

[You have gained the skill Character list!]

[You have gained the skill Omniscient readers viewpoint state 1!]

[You have gained the skill Omniscient readers viewpoint state 2!]

He marches into Kim Dokjas room.

“Whoa, hey, calm down-”

“Why don’t you have any skills?”

“What?”

“Your skills. I saw your skill list and almost all the useful ones are missing.”

“Wait, you can see my skill list?”

“Yes.”

“How? I can’t, the fourth wall-”

“Answer my question.”

“I don’t know! I guess a good amount of them are under my bookmark skill?”

Of course none of the helpful one’s are actually Kim Dokjas.

“Why are so many of them reading based?”

Dokja gives him a judgemental look.

“Why would you expect anything else?”

Right. That’s fair.

He goes to try and check Dokjas skills again to confirm the bookmark statement.

[The exclusive skill, Character List is activated.]

[The information of this person can't be read in 'Character List'.]

[This person isn't registered in 'Character List'.]

Hmm. Annoying.

—----------------------

Deciding the matter of names ends up being the biggest issue.

“While I don’t want master to change his name, what will he angrily shout when ahjussi is being stupid?”

Joonghyuk glares at Jihye who does not respond but to snicker.

“Wait,” Dokja says “isn’t gay marriage illegal in Korea?”

[The Constellation Demon Like Judge of Fire is shocked by Constellation Demon King of Salvations betrayal!]

[A Constellation that likes to change genders has a solution to this issue.] 

[Several Constellations assure Constellation Demon King of Salvation that the old laws have little sway anymore.]

[The Constellation Demon Like Judge of Fire thinks the name Kim Joonghyuk is very sweet!]

[The Constellation Secretive Plotter says that Kim Joonghyuk is stupid and that Kim Dokja should defer to Incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk in this matter.]

[The Constellation Abyssal Black Flame Dragon thinks that incarnation Kim Dokja and incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk should fight and the victor may keep their name!]

[The Constellation Bald General of Justice says the oldest should keep their name.]

[The Constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband smiles and says the issue of who is older is complicated.]

Dokja gets an unfortunately familiar look in his eye.

“How about constellations sponsor coins to whoever they think should keep their last name and the one with the most-”

Joonghyuk covers Dokjas mouth.

“Shut up. We are not doing that.”

Instead of doing that, they ask Han Sooyoung who cackles.

“Is this really an issue? Would you really want to change your protagonists name? Kim Joonghyuk does not have the same marketability, do you know how common the last name Kim is?”

In true Han Sooyoung fashion, she has managed to say the one thing that would piss them both off.

“It’s not like anyone else is ever going to read it again,” Dokja says.

Joonghyuk glowers at her.

“I do not want to be ‘marketed’.”

“Then go with Kim, it’s a boring enough name!” She says defensively.

“...... I am not doing that.”

“That’s fine, I’m sure in highschool all of Dokjas notebooks had “Yoo Dokja” doodled all over with little hearts, so this really shouldn’t be an issue.”

“I- they were not!”

“I saw those reader slash Joonghyuk comments. You really need to learn to not put your real name on your accounts.”

Dokja turns a deep red shade at this before shooting back

“And how did you know I was in those comments?”

It is Han Sooyoungs turn to blush at this.

“You shut your mouth!”

Joonghyuk, who has silently been watching this interaction, speaks up.

“What is reader slash?”

“Uhhhh….” they both say uncomfortably.

[The Constellation Demon Like Judge of Fire is screaming!]

[The Constellation Demon Like Judge of Fire has sponsored you 1000 coins!] 

[The Constellation Demon Like Judge of Fire informs incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk that reader slash is like self insert yaoi]

“It is not! There’s other kinds of BL!” Dokja protests.

[The Constellation Secretive Plotter thinks there are not if the incarnation involved is Yoo Joonghyuk.]

“Both of you have read stories of you being romantically involved with me?”

“…. I have something I have to go take care of” Han Sooyoung says, and Joonghyuk lets her go because she was on his side in the name thing and no longer has uses of her for this conversation.

“Yeah, me too,” Dokja says, trying to slink off before being caught by the neck.

“You aren’t going anywhere.”

“Come on! I was 17 and didn’t know you were a real person then!”

“And?”

“And what?”

“What was the story? Was it good?”

“…. No. It was incredibly out of character and cheesy.”

“Hmm. Disappointing.”

He drops Kim Dokja and goes to leave. 

“What does that mean? Joonghyuk! Joonghyuk wait what does that mean!?”

They talk to a few more people after that.

“Isn’t Yoo an uncommon name? It seems rude to change it for a very common one….” Lee Hyungsung says. This is a very good point that Dokja does not like at all. 

“You could hyphenate, that way you can both be happy,” Yoo Sangah says. Neither of them like this.

“Aren’t we Korean?” Jung Heewon says. “Why are you having this debate, isn’t it most common for a wife to keep her name? You don’t have to know who’s name takes precedence unless you have a kid, which seems unlikely.”

“I- well the scenario window said we had to decide on the matter of names,” Kim Dokja defends.

“Did it say you had to take each others?”

“No,” Yoo Joonghyuk says.

“You are both idiots” she says “and I’m pretty sure that this is only happening because you enjoy arguing.”

…. So they settle on keeping their own names, and if by some miracle they get a child that is not someone they just found on the street with their own last name already, they will go with the more uncommon last name of Yoo. They might have to wait in lines longer, but won’t get confused for classmates and such if it ever becomes relevant.

Chapter Text

A lot of the wedding matters are settled in a similar way to the name one. While in more recent years Korean weddings have become a lot more western, many things that haven’t been have been thrown off by the fact that they are both men, and the matter of Joonghyuks birth.

That being that he wasn’t born. A good portion of the more traditional elements are based on mothers, and Dokja has two, sure, but he doesn’t get along with one, and Joonghyuk has none, and refuses to take the role of bride, especially when he has already met Lee Sookyung and Persephone. 

So the Paebaek is off the table, as are the luxury gifts that get sent house back and forth between families.

Which honestly, isn’t that much of a loss for either of them. Neither really planned to make room for those, Joonghyuk not having parents to introduce Lee Seolhwa to and Dokja not really planning on living long enough to get married and having his mother in jail.

This sentiment applies to many things and is not appreciated by the rest of the company.

“So Master is giving Dokja’s mothers the wooden duck right? Does this mean that he has to get two?” Jihye asks.

“No, I wasn’t planning on getting any ducks for his family.”

Hyungsun looks at him a bit sadly.

“Why not? Wouldn’t it be natural to have some romantic elements at a wedding?”

Kim Dokja, who has no manners, answers for him.

“It wasn’t part of the scenario.”

Joonghyuk is proud of himself for choosing Dokja, even if he’s annoying, he at least has his priorities straight.

“Ahjussi must be kidding right? You aren’t only getting married because of the scenario?”

“Uh-”

He looks between his incarnation and Joonghyuk nervously before Gilyoung speaks up.

“I  knew hyung had better taste than that! Still, it is something I would expect from that sooty bastard rather than you hyung.”

“Wait, now hold on, I didn’t say that-” 

“I’m sure Dokja-ssi didn’t mean it that way,” Hyungsun says, looking a little doubtful at his own words.

Joonghyuk says nothing and simply enjoys watching Dokja dig his own grave.

He is surprised to see Sangah smiling briefly at the scene before stepping in herself.

“Maybe the two of you could both make each other a duck, so that it is equal amount of work. If it is a gift for each other then you don’t have to worry about parents, and it’s more romantic that way.”

Dokja starts “Since we are going to share a home and items-”

“We aren’t sharing items,” Joonghyuk says, already resigned to the fact that he is indeed going to lose some of his items.

“It seems silly to do that, it would be like making myself a duck. And since the whole company is together, it wouldn’t even be a personal thing for Joonghyuk.”

Lee Jihye looks between Hyungsung, Yoosung, and Gilyoung, and gets a look in her eyes that Joonghyuk is unfortunately familiar with, and says

“I didn’t expect ugly-ahjussi to continue to be so cruel and heartless, I had simply thought he was to stupid to remember.”

“You said he should make my parents one!” he complains, but the kids are already riled up with Hyungsung and Sangah busy with trying to deescalate the situation.

They end up making the ducks.

—---------------------------------------------

“For a protagonist whos supposed to be good with his hands, specifically with sharp things, you aren’t very good at this.”

“A sword is not a knife.”

“You cook though.”

“Yours is worse.”

“I was an office worker whos main hobby was reading, no one was expecting mine to be good, you have no excuse.”

“Shut up Kim Dokja.”

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The others come to check in on them and the ducks.

“Wow,” Jihye says “maybe you shouldn’t have made the ducks.”

Hyungsung elbows her and tells her to be nice.

“They’re…. very nice,” he says unconvincingly.

“I’m sure you tried your best” Sangah adds.

“Hyung was just practicing, right Hyung? You would never let that ahjussi beat you with something so ugly!”

Shin Yoosung looks at her sponsors tired form with a bit of disappointment and pity.

“I…. don’t think he has another one in him.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Joonghyuk is being the WORST about the reception and the cake.

"We do not need to taste cakes or cater, I will make everything."

"For everyone? At our own wedding?" Dokja asks in vauge disbelief.

"Yes."

"No one is going to want over night food if they can help it."

"It would not be over night, I do not eat left overs."

"So you're just going to make all the food on the day of our wedding."

"Yes."

"And risk messing up your Hwarot?"

Joonghyuk has the gall to look offended at that.

"I am not a child who gets his clothes dirty when cooking."

"No, absolutely not, you can not be making the food during your own wedding, I'm not dealing with all the guests while you go off to cook."

"I am not having subpar food served at our wedding."

"As good as your food is you aren't the only one who can make things taste good, and it won't be subpar, that's why we're tasting it, to make sure it isn't."

Joonghyuk lets out a vague hum that clearly expresses his dislike of this point, but Dokja can tell he's close to giving in.

"And if the food is poisoned?"

"Then Lee Seolhwa can cure us you paranoid bastard. No one is going to poison the food dozens of constellations will be eating."

He looks like he is thinking seriously on this point, then nods to himself more than anyone else in agreement.

"Then I will go and try the food."

Dokja gets up to put on his coat and get in the car.

"Good, finally, lets get going."

Joonghyuk puts a hand on Dokja's shoulder and pushes him back onto the couch.

"You will not be needed."

"Yes I will?"

"You know nothing about food and have horrible taste, I will try the food."

"Name one thing I've had terrible taste in."

"That story."

Dokja frowns but can't disagree with the point.

"That doesn't mean you won't choose one I won't like."

"If you do not like what I choose it is because you have no appreciation for good food."

"And you just said that I have terrible taste, so."

Joonghyuk glares at him.

"Fine. If you can name my favorite food or least favorite you can go by yourself."

"..."

"I'll make it easier, one in my top twenty."

"Corn dogs."

"Not even a little close."

"That is something no one would just casually know."

"You don't have a specific favorite because you get tired eating the same thing, but a strong contender is Murium Dumplings in Chicken Broth and Kimchi, and you prefer pork over beef."

He says nothing, but doesn't push Dokja back into the seat when he makes for the door, and he takes that as permission to finally be able to attend the cake tasting for his own wedding.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

The hardest part of the wedding is not the one they thought would be any trouble, but rather one they thought about almost not at all.

Splitting the party for wedding roles.

Kim Dokja is being stupid about it, as expected, and when he stops being stupid and realizes that pretty much everyone wants to be on his side of the aisle, it is almost certain he will go from obliviousness about everyone’s feelings into a spiral of guilt over stealing everyone from him or tricking them or some such nonsense.

Joonghyuk does not want to deal with the fool doing that, so he is trying to figure out how to split the party in a favorable way himself. He knows that everyone Dokja brought into the scenarios that hadn’t survived without his intervention all wanted to be on his side, and that Lee Hyunsung and Shin Yoosung were partial to him as well…..

…..Which left him with just MAYBE Han Sooyoung, with only Mia and Lee Jihye being definite yeses.

He isn’t hurt that Lee Hyunsung and Shin Yoosung clearly favor Kim Dokja. He understands it, and he has actively pushed them away or hurt them in other regressions. He never expected to become liked in all this.

Just because it doesn’t hurt doesn’t mean it isn’t disappointing. 

He also can’t help but feel the absence of Kim Namwoon. Lee Jihye has no one her age to connect with in all of this, and he never noticed how much both teens kept each other together, kept each other as kids while also making the other more grounded and competent. 

That is hardly here or there though. He doesn’t care so much about who’s here or not, or who’s flocking to Kim Dokjas side, as he does about how damn inconvenient and unorganized it is to have six people (seven depending what Han Sooyoung says) on one side and three at most on the other.

He starts simply with asking Han Sooyoung if she’s willing to be his best man, and she laughs in his face.

“You could have just said no,” He says in annoyance. 

“Hold your horses bastard, did I say no? Of course I’ll be your best man it’s just really funny that the protagonist out of everyone is struggling to find people.”

His knuckles turn white from the grip on his sword.

“I’ll find someone else.”

 “Yeah, who?”

“……..”

“That’s what I thought.”

————————-

He’s taken care of the Han Sooyoung issue, so now the best man position for Dokja is between Yoo Sangah and Jung Heewon, and there will still be five people without labeled positions. Do they need one person per side to have different ones? He doesn’t know how weddings with roles work or what exactly the roles are entirely. 

To simplify it further, he puts Lee Hyunsung and Jung Heewon as body guards, something he thinks they’ll both be relatively pleased with and makes things as even as they can be with an uneven amount of people. If normal weddings don’t have body guards, that is simply foolishness on their part.

Now there is only the children.

He has a brief horrific vision of Shin Yoosung and Lee Gilyoung fighting over who gets to be Dokjas ring bearer and loosing both of them, and very firmly puts them down as flower children, and the actual family members, Mia and Biyoo, as the ring bearers.

Which leaves Lee Jihye.

He doesn’t want to insult her by putting her in charge of children who mostly take care of themselves and want this to go well, and doesn’t want to just shove her into a role that doesn’t fit her, but he struggles to think of what job to give her.

He thinks very hard for a length of time what he can trust his one companion that still chooses and looks up to him, and realizes what the one thing he trusts her above all others to do.

“Lee Jihye.”

“Yes master?” She says, perking up at his appearance.

“For the wedding, I have an important job for you that I trust no one else with.”

She lights up like a Christmas tree at being asked to do something.

“Oh tell me tell me tell me! I won’t let you down!”

“People are stupid, and I do not trust any of our companions to act correctly to this, especially if the stupid one is Kim Dokja. If he is a fool, I need you to report back to me and not cover for him, and do whatever you deem necessary to inform him what an idiot he’s being.”

A gleeful grin spreads across her face, and he decides to interrupt whatever she’s about to say before she can make him regret trusting her with arguably the most important job anyone at the wedding has.

“If it’s someone besides Kim Dokja being stupid you can use this.”

He hands her a blow gun.

“I GET TO TRANQ PEOPLE?!?”

He looks at her thoughtfully for a moment before handing her a bag of small balls of paper.

“If they are especially disruptive and are thinking about something like interrupting the wedding, yes. Otherwise use these.”

His balance is not thrown off by the weight that throws itself into him, but it’s a near thing and takes him a moment to realize Lee Jihye is hugging him.

He isn’t quite sure how to react, and puts a hesitant hand on her back and pats it exactly twice.

She pulls away, bouncing on her heels on cloud nine for a moment before looking at him confused.

“Wait, but why am I the only one you’re trusting with spitballs?”

“I am trusting you with Kim Dokja.”

“He already has a bunch of people watching his back though?”

“Yes, and they are poor at watching out for him unless he’s tied up, and will not tell me about what trouble he makes if he asks them to keep quiet.”

“You want me to be a snitch?”

“Yes. And spitball him or throw rocks when he’s stupid.”

She once again throws herself at him, and he rolls his eyes, but can’t help but feel a bit self satisfied. He clearly chose correctly.

Chapter Text

Dokja is not a writer. He does not know how to express the way he feels for Joonghyuk on paper, how to make his vows.

Hell, he isn’t entire sure what he feels for him. It has become second nature for him to not feel, only think.

Joonghyuk has been the exception though. He has been like a father to him, like a brother, his best friend, the person he wanted to be. He has carried Joonghyuk in his heart with him for over ten years.

It feels wrong to feel lost, but that’s what it is. Joonghyuk was an idol, a model, a god, a goal to aspire to. Joonghyuk was safe because he wasn’t real, wasn’t attainable, and when he thought of him before meeting him, it wasn’t as a person. It wasn’t just as a character either. A character you want to learn more about, you want to explore and get to know. Dokja did want to get to know Joonghyuk, it’s why he kept reading, but in part…..

In part he didn’t, because Joonghyuk was a projection. He said he was Joonghyuk whenever he struggled, it brought him through his darkest times, roleplaying someone he saw as out of reach.

So what does he do now that he’s in reach, that he’s wanted back? That being him isn’t an option, and hat happiness is available to him? He doesn’t know what to do with that. What does he dream for now? What does he have to aspire to? What if this is the best thing to ever happen to him, and a mistake on joonghyuks part? 

He decides this isn’t helpful, and decides to work on it later after visiting with Joonghyuk.

He’s sitting over a paper, looking thoughtful. 

“What do you want?”

“Nothing, nothing. Can’t a man visit his fiancé?”

“You’re struggling with your vows

“No I’m not.”

[Lie detection activated!]

[Your statement is false.]

“You know, you could just trust me sometimes.”

“You could try telling the truth.”

“Yeah yeah, how could you tell?”

“It’s the last criteria outside the actual wedding.”

“You’re also struggling, aren’t you?”

“….no. I am just taking a break.”

[Omniscient readers viewing level two activated.]

[“Why are words do difficult.]

Dokja smirks knowingly.

“Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything!”

He glares for a moment, before speaking.

“We are going on a scenario. Activate First Person Prospective.”

“What? Why?”

“I don’t trust you to not get yourself killed before the wedding. If you are in my body you will actually use self preservation.”

“I’m an adult, I don’t need to be babysat!”

Joonghyuk raises an unimpressed eyebrow.

“Yes you do. Do I need to knock you out?”

“No, no, I’ll go to sleep myself, thanks.”

“Good.”

Chapter Text

The scenario they find is something they could do in their sleep, is something small and easy.

So they decide to make a game of it. They switch who is in control of Joonghyuks body every move, like a childhood game of ninja.

“This is not how you are supposed to use a sword,” Joonghyuk says as he strikes one of the dungeon rats, very unimpressed with all of this. “It is supposed to be smooth movements.”

“You’re just saying that because you didn’t play any games in childhood and don’t know how to have fun,” Dokja says with his one slash.

He can tell Joonghyuk is glaring from the way their shared vision narrows and the strength his next hit takes.

“I did not have a childhood, and do not believe you had anyone to play such games with either”

Dokja frowns at that, the sword drooping a bit.

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

Control is wrestled back from him right as Joonghyuks leg gets bitten by a rat.

“Kim Dokja, focus!”

They finish the scenario in silence, and Dokja watches as Joonghyuk wraps his leg.

You know, if you hadn’t insisted on me using first person perspective your leg wouldn’t be hurt.

“You are not good at apologizing.”

Who said I was apologizing? Why were you so pushy about me not coming in person anyway?

Joonghyuk doesn’t respond for long enough that Dokja thinks he just isn’t going to, but it seems like he was just thinking, because after awhile he says

“You could have gotten hurt, but are more careful with me than your own form. If we share a body, you can not run off and do something foolish. If you are trapped in my ribcage, I know where you are and what you are doing.”

What the fuck. That is both somehow anti-climatic and the most insane thing he’s ever heard in his life. If he had a neck right now sweat would be dripping down it.

….You know that I can leave whenever, right? I can just wake up back home?

Joonghyuk lets out a self satisfied little hmmm and drags the tip of his sword along the ground in a clear sign of pleasure.

“Yes, but it is nice to pretend.”

Dokja feels uneasy.

You are not using that as your vows.

“I did not intend to. We are going home now.”

Just like that?

“Our time did its job.”

Okay. Sure. This will be fine.

Chapter Text

Joonyghyuk has a secret that he has been keeping from everyone, and that is the use of omniscient readers viewpoint stage 2.

The thing about this skill is that it can come in handy. He’s understanding things about his newer companions (the ones that weren’t written, his mind traitoriously supplies) that he has not had any other regression turns with. He can tell when Kim Dokja is being especially stupid and self deprecating and distract him. He can tell when he makes someone trying not to act flustered uncomfortable and can find the humor in that. He can finally get to the point of what people want instead of trying to guess based on vague things said.

But that isn’t it. The thing about this skill is that it CAN come in handy. It often is not, and also can not be fully controlled. 

He is stuck listening to Hyunsung and Heewon pine over each other. He is stuck listening to Gilyoung curse him out mentally for stealing his Hyungs time and Shin Yoosung’s less offensive wishing for more time. He can hear all the stupid ass thoughts and stories and snarky comments Han Sooyoung thinks that make him want to punch her, but also a sort of violent desperate care and affection he approves of. He can hear how badly Lee Jihye wants his praise and how bored and lonely she is without anyone her age around. He can hear Sangahs worrying that this won’t be enough, that she isn’t enough, can hear how much she wants to say but doesn’t. He can hear Mia, not saying anything but worrying about him.

He didn’t sign up to hearing all of that. He must, but he did not ask for it, and does not want to know it. He wants to focus solely on the problems in front of him and nothing else, he doesn’t want to juggle all of these other things at once.

And the most infuriating thing is that even with mind reading, he still can not understand Kim Dokja. Kim Dokja does not have thoughts or feelings, he has observations, and as such, there is no thought process to follow.

 He simply has things like 

“She’s talking to me out of pity.’ 

‘Ah, this guy is so polite checking in with everyone like this. No need to bother him.’

“ They must find me so annoying.’

‘I hope the kids are nothing like me. They shouldn’t be around me.’

And the thing is, nothing ties these together. There is nothing that should be inspiring these thoughts. Seeing the kids be happy and play, a normal “hey” thrown his way, a friendly shoulder bump, it doesn’t matter what the interaction is, it leads to a matter of fact putting down.

It is driving him insane. He doesn’t know how to stop it, but he’s going to at least try.

He watches Dokja from across the room like he might glean something from doing this until he hears a thought.

‘Clearly wants to kill me. Makes sense that he’d change his mind about the marriage, he’s a smart guy.’’ 

Joonghyuk then surges forward and crowds him against the wall so he can’t slink off to feel bad, and kisses him.

‘Holy shit I’m so dead- wait what.’

“Kim Dokja. You are supposed to kiss me back.”

‘I’ve never really- how do I-’

“Stop thinking so much.”

“Well I’m sorry, not all of us can be built to automatically be perfect at everyth-”

He shuts him up with another kiss, and puts more force behind it when Dokjas thoughts start to wander on how kissing skills really don’t make sense for a character made to be so action driven, and keeps going until Dokja starts adding to it himself and kissing back, and by the time he’s done Dokja is so oxygen deprived that his brain isn’t thinking anything stupid anymore.

He already was on an uneven footing with his companions having known them before they had met them, and this only throws the balance off more. He wishes that if he has to know more things about people than they know of him, that he could at least understand them and get something useful out of it. He wishes that Kim Dokjas default wasn’t like…. Whatever that was, and that he could love him out of it.

He gives a smaller, gentler kiss to the corner of Dokjas mouth. Kim Dokja deserves gentle things. He doesn’t know then why Dokja cares for him, someone so incapable of gentleness, but with so much time sunk into folllowing his life, he has no choice but to believe he is cared for.

As is, he will simply have to do his best.