marbles // a loona squid game au

❦ vivi & haseul ❦

"I will now repeat the instructions. In this game, whoever manages to take all ten marbles from their partner wins!"

"No," Haseul breathed out, her heart pounding in her throat and her skin cold. "No, no no no-"

Vian's hand went to Haseul's shoulder as the younger woman started hyperventilating, bringing her close. "Haseul, breathe-"

"Yeojin," Haseul choked out. "Oh god, I left her alone, Vi, I need to-"

"Stop," Vian held her still. "Breathe,"

She brought their foreheads together, and Haseul was stunned into silence, heart pounding for yet another reason. Vian's hands snaked around her waist and Haseul swallowed thickly, taking in the older's presence. Vian was calming, safe, grounding, and Haseul needed that.

"She's going to be ok," Vian whispered. "You know Olivia. She is kind, she would never let Yeojin get hurt,"

"Yeah," Haseul took a deep inhale, nodding as if to convince herself of Vian's words. "She'll-" Haseul hiccuped. "She'll be ok, she has to be,"

Vian's hands caressed her face and Haseul leaned into it, grateful for it.

Haseul should've known, should've done something to protect the people she cared about from this. The tiniest part of her was so thankful she didn't choose Yeojin for her partner, but that in turn made her more guilty. This wasn't any better, playing a game with the girl who she cared about most in the world to decide their fate.

Haseul felt her throat tightening uncomfortably as reality continued to set in. In the outside world, she'd been afraid of death, not being able to provide food for her sister, afraid that her mom would relapse and they'd be right back where they started. She'd been afraid of everything, but only for herself and her sister, not a girl she'd just met.

She'd met Vian the first day, when nervously approached by a beautiful Chinese woman who was too shy to say more than a few words. She turned a usually talkative and loud Haseul into an equally shy and flustered mess.

"That Vian girl," Yeojin leaned over, whispering way too loudly. "She's got the hots for you,"

"What?" Haseul blushed furiously. "N-no she doesn't,"

"She totally does," Yeojin snickered. "Haseul you're so red,"

"Shut up," Haseul groaned.

Then, when they had been doing the honeycomb game, Vian had leaned over and passed a lighter from her sleeve.

"Heat up the needle," She whispered, her breath hitting Haseul's face. "Quickly,"

As Vian, Haseul and Yeojin huddled together, Haseul felt hope blooming in her heart.

They had joined teams for tug of war, Vian's arm laced with hers and Haseul could feel her heart swell as Vian's fingers wrapped around her wrist. She could feel the high of their win, both of them sweaty and exhausted as they lay side by side, their palms burning and breaths heavy.

Something about it felt right.

When she was here, she wished she hadn't grown close to Vian, or let the girl into her heart. Here, she had to watch the horror dawn on Vian's face as the other girl translated the words in her brain.

Vian's mind felt foggy, like she was underwater. She didn't totally understand the game, but Haseul's anxiety put her on edge. A game between two players...

Oh no.

Vian didn't have much she wanted, much worth fighting for. She was alone, a stranger in this country. She joined the game because it was a last resort, a last fighting chance at truly living and not just surviving day by day. What Vian didn't expect was to find a reason to live in the short haired girl and her sister that she came to know during the games. She didn't expect Haseul to create such a monopoly over her heart.