Ateez oneshots

The Apple and The Wolf - Part 1 - WooSan (Fairy tale AU)

Inspired by picture above.

A/N: I'm posting the rough draft now since I was supposed to get this up two days ago but life happened. 😩 I'll finish editing it over time.

A Snow White and Red Riding Hood crossover.

His feet ached with every hard step as he ran over the forest bed. But he couldn't stop. The roots and sticks had torn through the thin soles of his shoes and were digging into his feet now. But he couldn't stop. His ribs ached with cramps and every labored breath wheezed and shuddered through his lungs... but he couldn't stop.

He could still hear the distant barking of the guard's dogs in rapid pursuit. They wouldn't give up until they found him and brought him back, his mother would make sure of it. She wanted him dead, and she wanted to do it herself.

Wooyoung had just managed to get outside the castle walls before the alarm bells wrang through the streets, signaling the escaped prisoner. He had only made it a short ways into the woods before he heard the hounds let out to catch his scent.

His legs were getting heavy and it became harder and harder to lift his feet off the ground. He tried to step over a protruding root, but couldn't quite make the distance and his foot jammed against it, sending his body falling forward. He caught himself with his hands, feeling a burst of pain as the harsh ground cut them open.

Now that he had stopped moving, his weakened body caught up with him. He tried to push himself up from the ground, but his arms lost strength and he fell back down. He groaned, pulling his legs under himself to try again.

Howling sounded in the distance. They were gaining on him.

Panting and groaning, he pushed a hard as he could to get back to his feet. He staggered, catching himself on a tree, but he started moving again.

He was slower and he could feel the pain in his feet and legs more now. Can't stop, can't stop. He chanted in his head, willing himself to keep moving.

After a little further he spotted a light somewhere ahead. He didn't know if he should go to it or away from it, what if the palace guards had gone ahead enough to cut him off? 

More barking threw the decision out of his head and he started running toward the light.

As he got closer, he could see the shape of a small hut tucked into the trees. He couldn't think too much about the fact that someone was living out here in the woods, he just needed somewhere to hide from the dogs.

He slowed to a stop as he came to the clearing, trying to make out the shape of the hut, but it was so blurry. He blinked hard but his vision didn't clear. He hurt. He felt weak and dizzy. The image in front of him was tipping. He felt the solid ground come up to crash into his shoulder. The light was starting to dim out, his body feeling weightless. Then darkness overtook everything. But not before he thought he saw the shape of something move in front of one of the windows...

Birds.

That was the first thing Wooyoung was aware of. Lots of birds. They were loud and lively, singing for the morning air that was the second thing he became aware of. Light and cool air touching his face while he lay on a soft surface. The rest of his body felt warm under a blanket.

Slowly, he pushed his eyes open, blinking from the light and his blurry vision. As it cleared he was aware of a wall beside him with a window open just a little above him.