Author's note: This is cross-posted at ao3 and started out as a chapter in my other fic Shattered, which is about mental health and the MM guys, but as I was writing, I didn't want this version of MC (for the purpose of this story, Madeline Cain) and her relationship with Seven to just be a vignette, and it grew into this story.

A lot of the content is more culturally American/Western than the original MM. Given that I don't know that much about South Korean culture outside of Cheritz games, a lot of this - particularly the way the story deals with issues of sex, sexuality, and gender ended up being fairly culturally American, although I think that's pretty common for FanFiction written in English. This story's MC is American, and her involvement in the MM storyline is pretty canon standard. Details not in the game are developed, but other than that, it's pretty much a continuation of canon through Seven's relationship with MC after the end of the game.

If you have time to review, it would be much appreciated!

Spoiler alert for secret endings, Seven's route, and possibly other routes as well. Trigger warnings for self-harm, abuse, and sex.

"Light is easy to love.
Show me your darkness."
-R Queen

James opened the door, but didn't make eye contact with me. I braced myself for a confrontation. I didn't like to argue, but I liked being lied to far less. His home was spotless as usual. But when, in the past, he had tried to remove traces of my wife, this time, her clothes were in the laundry. A feminine looking blanket was draped across the couch, and Desperate Housewives had been paused on the television, a show for which I knew he would have no patience. I had come by for a late-night visit. She was supposed to be visiting her mother, but I saw them, through the window, in an intimate moment. When James looked out, we made eye contact. We had barely spoken since.

"I don't have much time, Madeline. I'm leaving to campaign soon."

"What were you doing with her? You told me you weren't… together anymore." I followed him up the stairs at his townhouse, trying not to yell. An affair with a politician sounds a lot more scandalous than it felt when I was getting into it. He was an adjunct at my university. He taught a class. I went to office hours, and he convinced me to campaign for him. Nights got late at the campaign, and things… happened. It didn't seem that serious to me. I didn't realize the ramifications until he introduced me, at a campaign fundraiser, to his wife.

"Don't worry about it babe. We were just talking. She wants me to win the next election." I knew this was a lie.

"It didn't look like talking to me. Do you meet to lobby while shirtless, too? Does she know you have a girlfriend?"

"It's not like that. She doesn't need to know."

"How do you think infidelity would help your election chances?" I pulled out my phone, typing on Tripter. "I don't want to do this anymore," I said, choking back a sob. I hated feeling like the other woman. Every time he touched me, it made me think of her, and how awful she must feel.

"Don't you dare," he said menacingly.

"Or what? You can't do anything to me. You know I'll tell the press about everything if you do.

"I don't think so." He shoved me against the wall, wrapping his hands around my neck.

"James, you're hurting me. Let go," I coughed. "I can't breathe."

"No. If I can't have your fidelity, I will demand your obedience… And if I can't, I will put you in the fucking ground. There is no proof of anything happening between us. The best part about a secret affair is that it's easy to erase evidence." The look in his eyes scared me. There was none of love there which he had professed to me in the past. No light. No empathy. All I saw was dark and ruthless ambition.

"Okay…" I cried. I felt my vision going dark and my fingers had begun to numb with fear. "I won't tell anyone anything. But I don't want to see you ever again, either." My consciousness was starting to fade away when he let me go. I collapsed at his feet, and air rushed into my lungs, but my relief was cut short when he kicked me. My head was already spinning, but things only got worse when I fell down the stairs. I was lucky that he kicked me from the ground. If I had been standing, and pushed, I probably would have broken my neck. But instead, I came away with bruises, scrapes, and a long cut down my arm.

I awoke in a panic. I could feel the blood seeping down my arm and my throat closing up. My face was wet with tears, and I started scratching myself. I couldn't stop scratching. My skin felt too filthy. I couldn't believe I had let that man touch me. It wasn't just the choking which I could feel. It was his fingers in my hair, his mouth on mine, and his hands on me.

"Madeline?" A gentle voice asked. I looked down at the bed and saw Saeyoung lying there, looking up at me with a worried expression. I had been so caught up that I had forgotten that he was there. "You should have woken me up. You know I am always here for you if you have a nightmare. You know. Defender of justice and all that includes sweet dreams of my beautiful girlfriend as well." He looked at me and saw the scratch marks on my arms and chest. "What happened?"

"Nothing. I have allergies and my skin was itchy." He looked at me suspiciously.

"What was your dream about?"

"I don't remember," I lied.

"Come back to bed."

"I need to take a shower."

"Let me join you," he said, smiling at me.

"It will be a cold shower."

"I'll brave the cold to wash my girlfriend's hair. I can't believe you think so little of me," he laughed. When I got out of bed, he followed me and hugged me from behind, kissing the crook of my neck. I was starting to feel more connected to reality. The memory of that man's hands on me was less fresh, even if it would never be gone. I turned on the water, and, as I'd promised, it was cold. This would probably stop me from sleeping for the rest of the night, but it would also clear my mind. I got in first and started shivering, but the feeling of dirt was already washing off of my body.

"Are you sure you want a cold shower?" He seemed to have his reservations.

"Yes."

"Okay… I'll join you then." My shower may have been cold, but his skin was still warm. I had intended to quickly run in and wash my hair, but when my boyfriend slipped his hands around waist and started kissing me, it was clear that this was going to take a while. I quietly moaned. "This water is awful, but you're… still so warm," he said, trailing his hand across the top of my thighs before touching me.

"St-stop," I whimpered. He paused.

"You want me to stop?"

"No," I said, putting his hand back where it had been. "We need a safe word." He nodded and kissed me, pushing his fingers inside of me and curling them back in the best way. "Oh my god," I moaned. "Saeyoung… That feels amazing."

"One day, I want to kiss you in the rain," he said, smiling. "It's one of the things on my soulmates bucket list."

"You're so-"

"Charlie," he called, shouting.

"Huh?"

"I named it." The robot cat he had made walked into the bathroom.

"Sensing depression," it announced. I gulped.

"Why did it say 'sensing depression?' Are you okay?"

"It's just the steam messing with it. I don't think Charlie is waterproof. But tell it to be quiet. I have a headache." He looked at me, confused.

"Charlie, add 'kiss Madeline in the rain' to soulmate bucket list."

"Item added," it replied, before walking back out of the room.

"Good. I was a little worried it would start shooting fire." I was relieved and felt a mild amount of pressure slip off my chest. Saeyoung didn't know about my affair with James, my parents, or much of anything else which had happened to me in the US... and I didn't want him to.

"Even if it did, you'd still be the hottest part of this room."

"Also, soulmate bucket list?!"

"Of course. It's not that I can't remember, but I just really like hearing Charlie say it back." I ran my hands through his hair. "Maddie?"

"Yeah?"

"This feels so real."

"It is," I said, reaching down so I could squeeze him, and he groaned. I kept stroking him, and kissed him, starting at his mouth, and then down his chest, covered in goosebumps, and stomach, which made him flinch in laughter. I dropped to my knees and teased him with my tongue, and then I took him in my mouth. He wrapped his hands in my hair, and, as I tasted him, I was sure that I wouldn't be bothered with thoughts of any other man for quite a while.

"Drink up with me now and forget all about
The pressure of days. Do what I say,
And I'll make you okay and drive them away
The images stuck in your head
People you've been before that you
Don't want around anymore
That push and shove and won't bend to your will
I'll keep them still."

Author Note: Thanks for reading! Review if you get the chance! Do you like the way Seven is written, or do I need to change him somehow? The at the end is "Between the Bars," by Elliot Smith. You can listen here: watch?v=hPD-a1FjUtU