-Embers- (5)
— wc: 10k
Who could it possibly be?
You sat up slightly, confused. Rubbing your eyes, you stood up shakily. Was it Felix, finally come to get you? Or Jeongin, perhaps?
Who in their right mind would venture out to you when the downpour was this heavy? You took in an anxious breath, slowly lifting yourself up.
As the knocking continued, you stood up and walked over hastily, deciding to open the door before it could get any louder and cause the dragons to wake.
Your hand closed around the handle, your heart slamming against your ribcage in fear, reminiscent of the raindrops falling against the stable walls.
Finally, you pulled the door open.
Your eyes widened as you stared at the last person you’d expected to see.
There he was, in front of you. His heavy, dazed eyes wildly searched your shocked ones as he tried to move forward. He was out of breath, soaked, distressed and...wounded?
"Minho, you-" Before you could say much more, Minho's eyes shut as he collapsed into your arms.
That was when you properly noticed the blood seeping through his shirt, staining the fabric a deep red. What the fuck-
Minho blinked up at your aghast face, wincing and swallowing as he clutched onto your shirt tightly. "Y-Y/n...please…” He begged, trying to suck in a breath, desperately failing.
“Help.”
Dark. It was too dark, the night covered in pitch black silk, making it almost impossible to see. The moonlight was scarce, and the twisting branches of the trees making their way into the cold sky only made it worse.
He’d always taken pride in himself for how courageous he was. However, all that could be felt at the moment was intense, bone-rotting fear.
The blood dripping down his skin was a harsh reminder of how injured he was. The pain was horrible, unforgiving. Every step felt like knives digging into his feet.
And yet, he ran. Towards the one thing that felt right.
To say you were shocked would be a devastating understatement. You stared at the man in your arms, vulnerable and injured. He coughed uncontrollably, looking up at you and staring into your eyes. The desperation within was evident.
“Please-“
Your heart was pounding. To feel his skin under your fingertips again..it almost burned. You tried to form words out of the tangle of thoughts in your head, but no sound left your mouth. All you could feel was the rhythmic thump of your heart, and the panic coursing through your veins.
“W-what happened?” You finally brought yourself to ask, as he held himself close to you, his drenched body soaking your shirt as well. You couldn’t help how worried and distraught your voice sounded, the sight of him injured tearing what was left of your heart into pieces.
“I was attacked, Y/n.” Minho swallowed painfully, blinking. “I could barely see what it was.” He shook his head, inhaling deeply as he struggled to speak. “Dark. Small. Terrible...”
“A wolf..?”
“No. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. There were two, I think. One took out a nice chunk of me.” He winced, letting out a painful grunt as he shifted a little.
You helped him down to rest against one of the hay bales. Minho groaned as he clutched his stomach, looking up at you and sighing at your expression. It felt as if there was an ocean ravaging the walls of his heart at the sight of your wet cheeks and red eyes.
“I’m going to show you now. There’s a lot of blood... You won’t faint or anything, right?”
“I’ve never fainted at the sight of blood.” You said, sighing, your voice still shaky with concern. “It’s like you barely ever knew me…”
The mention of your shared past together makes Minho shift a little. “Y/n, we need to talk...or rather, I need to. I need t-to- fuck- tell you what’s going on..” He winced at the pain, deciding that the wound was probably of foremost importance. Slowly, he started to roll up his shirt. You swallowed slightly as his abs came into view. Those definitely weren’t there before.
But then, your eyes widened for a different reason as you saw the gash in his stomach. Gasping, you bent down in front of him to inspect it closer, your eyes growing watery at the bloody, gruesome sight. “Oh m-my god, Minho-“
“Told you it was bad.”
“We need a first aid kit! There’s one around here somewhere…”
You stood up urgently, going over to the corner and finding the large box that was usually saved for the dragon-related injuries. All thoughts left your brain except the desperate need to help him, to save him.
You grabbed it, getting back to Minho’s side, you started arranging the items you would need next to you. “This might sting a bit.” You warned, eyes soft as he let out a grunt of pain.
You washed the wound, using water from your pouch. After applying the healing ointment, you wrapped the bandages around him carefully. Thankfully, it wasn’t quite as bad as it had looked.
Minho watched you intently as you treated him, occasionally hissing at the sting. However, his eyes were mostly focused on you as you dressed his wound, swallowing quietly.
Pretty. He’d always known you were pretty. However in moments like these, when you seemed to be lost in your work, you looked so breathtakingly beautiful that it almost hurt.
“Almost done…” A few minutes later, you sat up, frowning as you realized something. “Wait. You..you won’t be able to train properly tomorrow if you’re hurt like this.” You cursed, before inhaling deeply as an idea swam into your brain. You looked back down at his soft eyes, noticing his stare on you but choosing to pretend otherwise. Every time his eyes looked into yours, a ton of butterflies would threaten to start a tornado within the walls of your heart.
“I’m going to accelerate the healing process, it should work.” You whispered softly after a while, humming. “I hope.”
Minho looked up at you, “Hm? How...Are you sure?” You could detect the shiver in his voice, his fear of not being able to participate in the championships. He couldn’t afford for that to happen..his father would kill him.
You nodded, standing up urgently. “I’m sure.” Your eyes travelled up, observing each dragon before your gaze stopped at one.
Walking over to the green dragon sleeping in the corner of the stable beside two other ones, you studied its unique form. Its body was a striking emerald green, her spikes pink and covered in vines, along with the occasional tulip blooms scattered across her body. She was absolutely stunning.
If Felix’s description was anything to go by, this was Flore.
It was the cute little freckles scattered across its snout that reminded you of its owner. She was just as pretty as him, too.
You wasted no time unlocking the door and climbing into the stall, your hand reaching out to stroke her neck gently, hoping it would be enough to wake her. You only needed a few seconds of her time- after all, she needed as much rest as she could get for tomorrow.
One large eye opened slowly, watching you as you pet her. You smiled at the dragon as she yawned, evidently enjoying your touch as she leaned closer to you.
Minho watched as you whispered softly to the huge green dragon, pointing over to him. He felt his chest tighten as the dragon nodded its big head in response to whatever question you’d just asked, offering you a soft, affectionate lick on your forehead.
He tore his eyes away for a moment as they closed, the pain was far too excruciating. And yet, it couldn’t even come close to the agony within his head, in his chest, in his very bones. All of the events of the past years swirled around in his skull, far too stubborn to fade. Why was it so hard to let go?
A minute later, he felt a soft hand stroking his forehead. His eyes opened slowly, his gaze falling on the shimmering green dragon scale in your hand. “Flore wanted to help.” You said softly, tilting your chin towards the already asleep dragon before tucking the scale behind a layer of bandages carefully, making sure it was secure. He never stopped gazing at you. You were biting your lip softly, your eyes filled with worry and confusion. His eyes landed on your lips.
He missed seeing you like this. You always did have that habit of sticking out your cute little tongue whenever you were concentrating on something.
“Last year, I read that a Terra dragon scale is one of the primary ingredients in a healing potion.” A healing potion was liquid and meant to be ingested. However, you hoped the same effect would happen here, even though it was an unconventional method. “I’m hoping it will work like this, it should..”
He couldn’t focus on the words leaving your mouth, his eyes still lost in the process of watching you.
You hummed once you were done. “There.” Your voice was soft, a smile on your face. “Tomorrow morning, everything will be okay.”
“Thank you. I already feel healthier than before, somehow.” He said quietly, voice barely above a whisper. You glanced up when you felt his eyes on you, your cheeks turning pink as you focused on his bandages once more. Minho tilted his head, a small sigh leaving his lips as he tore his eyes away from you, looking up at the sleeping dragon behind you.
Aeracus. Minho’s heart clenched at the sight. He’d really missed him...despite it all, he’d still been his owner. Besides, he reminded Minho of a simpler time..back when the two of you hadn’t been plagued with suffering and guilt.
Meanwhile, the silence was getting to you. You were still angry at him, but the fact remained that he was injured. You had to treat him with care, but all you could think about was the pain you’d gone through for the past days.
Betrayal. It was raw, still red hot. It hurt more than a knife to the chest, a feeling that felt like it wasn’t going to go away any time soon.
“I can’t believe her.” You mumbled finally, under your breath, the memory of the campfire emerging to the forefront of your brain. You were hoping Minho wouldn’t hear you over the loud snoring of the dragons...but he did. “All the things she said..”
Minho’s eyes widened a little. Oh god, the pain had almost made him forget about the disastrous events of the campfire. He stuttered, scratching the back of his neck. “I…don’t know how she..” He sighed, trailing off as his eyes looked away from yours. “Uh. Where she heard..” He wanted to explain, but the words were stuck on his tongue. Gritting his teeth, he closed his mouth and looked away.
Raising your eyebrow at his lack of response, you sighed and looked away. “Thought so.” You didn’t look at him. You just couldn’t. Soon enough, angry tears were pricking your eyes once again.
Your decision to stay silent was slowly melting away as the anger swirling in your heart grew. Before you knew it, the words ripped themselves from your throat. “You know what really happened that night. Were you really angry at me that I couldn’t convince my father of your innocence? That you’d defame me across every village, turn everyone against me?” Your voice was quiet but filled with hurt.
“It’s not.. like that. I’ve never been angry at you, Y/n, I’m well aware that some things are far beyond our control.” He cut across firmly. “I didn’t lie to her, it just happened to come out the way it did. She assumed a lot of things herself. The rumors..that’s all they are. Rumors.”
Right. She just assumed. Your heart felt like it was burning, like every last piece of hope within was crumbling away into nothing. That fateful night..how could Minho let her believe that skewed version? After everything they’d been through..
Wolfberries are poisonous. Everyone knows this. And yet, you’d read about how delicious they were, quite possibly one of the most delectable fruits in the land. Deadly sweet. They looked quite beautiful too..especially the one nestled in your hand. Small, purple and tear-drop shaped...the insides were supposedly periwinkle blue. You’d never seen one in the flesh before, until now.
“Y/n!”
You looked up when you heard Minho call out for you, gesturing you to come towards him faster. You nodded, eyes taking one last look at the wolfberry bush before you dropped the one you were holding, squishing it under your boot. Toxic, yet deceivingly beautiful...
“Babe?” Minho called out again, making you snap back to attention as you continued to follow him up the hill. It was a sunny day, your hand shielding your eyes as you squinted in his direction. “Minho..I’m not sure we should have come out this far.” You said softly after a while, looking around apprehensively. You walked faster to catch up with him, a tiny amount of fear filling your chest. The two of you truly did love to explore, but never before had you ventured out this far from the village.
Out here, even if you screamed, no one would hear. What if you happened to come across bandits, or wild dogs, or maybe even a rogue dragon? The two of you would truly be done for, if that was the case.
“Love, there’s nothing to be afraid of. I’m here, aren’t I?” He said softly, pausing and turning around to reach you. He wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you close. “You know I will always protect you, baby star.”
You sighed softly against his warm chest, a reluctant nod following. Besides, his presence was all the courage you needed. Minho would do anything to protect you. Sometimes, you wished you could protect him too.
“Besides, I still haven’t shown you my surprise yet. Aren’t you curious?” He asked, emphasizing the last word with a smile as he knew just how inquisitive you were.
“I am..” You looked up into his eyes, leaning up to press a soft peck on his lips. He smiled, his hand stroking your cheek as he left a chaste kiss of his own on your mouth, teeth nipping at the soft flesh of your lower lip before pulling away.
Fingers intertwining with yours, Minho began to walk again, eyes trained straight ahead, leading you further and further away from the village. Somehow, you couldn’t get rid of that foreboding, uneasy feeling.
Soon, your eyes widened as you saw the entrance to a large set of stony caves come into view, jutting out from the side of the mountain. You frowned, looking up at Minho as he led you straight towards it, the grass crunching below his feet. The stone walls were glistening, a peculiar shade of teal that enticed you to go near it.
The closer you got however, the more familiar it looked. That was weird though, wasn’t it? You’ve never been here. And yet, you couldn’t shake the feeling that you’d seen this place before.
Minho looked back at you, noticing the fear in your eyes and humming as he pulled you close. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, star. It’s just a cave. Besides, we have Aeracus and Caeli to protect us, don’t we?”
“Hm? I thought they’re back at the stables for their grooming session-“
He simply smiled, looking up at the sky. You followed his gaze, eyes widening as you saw the two dragons fly closer, landing on the ground beside you. “I thought you said it would just be the two of us?” You giggled, stroking your windswept hair as you smiled at Aeracus.
“Mhm, but I thought it would be nice to have them guard the place, for some extra protection. I moved their appointments to tomorrow. Besides, we don’t want anyone interrupting us, now do we?” He raised an eyebrow, fingers squeezing your hand and making you giggle, cheeks flushing. “It’s our anniversary after all. I need to make sure you leave this cave tonight a.. satisfied woman.”
“Nnn..you demon.” You smiled widely, pecking his cheek repeatedly, making him laugh as he let you attack him with eager kisses all over his face.
It had seemed like a good idea, at the moment. How could you have known any better?
There was a long silence as Minho quietly took you in, heart beating as he tried to form words. The act was proving to be increasingly difficult, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from your sad gaze trained on the floor.
“Why?” You asked finally, voice barely a whisper. Why wasn’t I...enough.”
You sighed as you stared at the bandages, barely able to conceal the deep pain you were feeling. The words felt like they were stuck in your throat. Your voice was too soft, too quiet, almost as if you didn’t want him to hear.
“How...could you fall in love with someone else. Did your promises mean nothing?” You were almost musing to yourself at this point, slow tears running down your cheeks. You realized you were being too vulnerable. You didn’t want him to see you like this. The pain was intense and all consuming, it had wrecked you thoroughly. You knew there was no point in pretending you didn’t feel weak and pathetic. Still..
“But..never mind. I don’t care anymore.” You lied, biting your lip. “I just..hope you know how much it hurt. To see you in someone else’s arms, holding her and kissing her. Minho, I felt so... worthless.” You choked on the last word, feeling like you were falling apart before his eyes.
Several seconds of silence passed, your fingers wringing as the lump in your throat made its presence known. There were no more thoughts in your head. The soft words slipped off your tongue, like they’d been perched on the tip all this while.
“If..if the universe lets you feel even a little bit of the pain I felt, I’ll be the happiest woman in the world.” You mumbled after a while, trying to cover up your heartache with hostility.
The truth was, you did care. Maybe a little too much. In fact, he was the only thing you cared about in this whole damn world. Well, him and Aeracus. None of the words you uttered had any edge to them. They sounded as weak as ever, meaningless. And of course, you’d never wish any pain on this unbelievably beautiful man in front of you, you never wanted to see him hurt.
He swallowed, silent the whole time as he watched you. Each word felt like knives, sharp and cruel as they sliced into his heart. This was hard. He felt guilty enough about everything the two of you had been thrust into, about the part he’d played in all of it. All the misunderstandings and unspoken words between you turned the air thick, dense, filled with tension of all kinds- it was unbearable. He couldn’t stand this. There had been a time where keeping secrets from you just wasn’t an option. How things change.
Then again..
He did have you alone right now. He was dangerously close to coming clean. The heartache was starting to become too intense for him, and he wasn’t quite sure how much longer he could go through with it. Minho couldn’t look into your pain-filled eyes. The way your voice broke when you spoke, your shaky whispers and hurt gaze..it was all intolerable.
You could do it, Minho. She’s right in front of you. What other chance would prove to be more perfect?
He knew he’d have to think this through, but with your beautiful face existing right in front of his, it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his mouth shut. Especially with those tantalizing lips so close, and yet just out of reach.
When he finally spoke, you raised your chin to look at him, blinking softly. His voice was quiet, his fingers tapping on his thigh.
“I’m sorry. I promise you, I never lied about anything that happened that night. A rumor happened to get out of hand, that’s all. Gossip spreads across the villages like wildfire.” He said quietly, averting his gaze from yours. “I know you deserve better..” He whispered to himself.
You didn’t say anything. Even if you believed him, it didn’t give you a reason to be any less angry. He still abandoned you, fell out of love with you even after all his promises. Betrayed you. This was definitely the part that hurt the most.
You still remember how shaken you’d felt back when he’d returned. You’d expected a warm gaze of love, one that you’d hoped would relieve the ache that had built up each second he’d been gone. Instead, you’d received cold eyes and a guarded heart, one that had once been yours.
You sighed, feeling your heart pound. There was silence for a few minutes as you closed your eyes. All the sadness and pain inside you was starting to swirl around, turning into something a lot more rotten. Anger. Regret. Grief. All the pent up emotions were threatening to spill helplessly, and you could do nothing about it.
“So then, how is she? Better than me?” Your words were bitter, your throat aching as you could barely pick what words decided to make their way out of your throat.
He sighed, sitting up and breaking out of his thoughts on how he could tell you the truth. “Look, Y/n-“
“Answer me.” You said, staring at him. He swallowed at the malicious glint in your eyes- there was still pain, though. This time, overpowered with anger and torment. “‘Cause she must have been pretty fucking special for you to forget about me so easily. As if I never existed.”
“It’s not what you think.” He interjected, seeming too wrecked and conflicted as he clenched his fists.
“What do you mean? You love her and she loves you, isn’t that right? It’s almost like a fairytale.” You hum. “I saw how happy you looked together. It’s nice to hear you’ve found the one.” You mumbled.
He widened his eyes a little at your words.
Fuck that. You’ll always be the one for him. Deep down, he knows you know that too.
“I..mhm.” Minho coughed, still unable to make a choice. How was he supposed to know which decision was right?
“Mhm.” You hummed, not interested in hearing any more as his words only drove the stake deeper into your chest. Your heart was an ocean of sadness and pain, and it was difficult getting the waves under control enough for your face to be still. The urge to disappear was only growing. You wanted to escape, but you didn’t know where to. The only place you’d ever felt safe was in his arms.
The turmoil in your expression was so evident that Minho couldn’t help but swallow, chewing on his lips as he debated himself in his head.
Fuck it. The words were on the tip on his tongue. He’d always been a man of control, but some truths were just too hard to hide.
His eyes fell on your lips. You were biting them, nervous, plump flesh caught between your teeth.
In that moment, Minho knew. The right decision was whichever one would lead to him closer to those lips of yours.
“You must be looking forward to the weddi-“
He couldn’t. He just couldn’t let you feel like this anymore. He was tired of pretending.
“Y/n, stop!” He shouted, interrupting you and making your eyes widen a little.
“It isn’t what it seems like, it was just a fucking arranged marriage okay?! Fuck.” He glared, inhaling deeply after the words that blurted out of his mouth. “I don’t love her. I never did, never, please..I can’t take this anymore-” He scrunched his eyes shut, voice shaky as he realized the gravitas of what he’d just done.
You paused for a second, in deep confusion as you stared at him, his cheeks flushed and his chest heaving up and down. “What..? What do you mean?”
He looked up, biting his lip and grunting. “An alliance, that I was forced into. She’s in love, believe me. But I most definitely am not.” His voice was almost dark as he stared at the wall, his eyes traveling up to stare at his black dragon, swallowing before quickly looking back at you.
You tried to understand, your chest still tight as you looked up, eyes wide and vulnerable.“B-but why? I don’t..understand..you love her-“
“Are you really that clueless?” He hissed, looking at you, his face right in front of you. When had he moved closer?
Silence followed as the words sunk into your brain. At the moment, you couldn’t quite comprehend anything, jumbled words floating about in your brain as you tried to make sense of it all. An arranged marriage? But the chiefs had said...
“You are so..oblivious.” He shook his head, running a hand through his hair as he sucked in a breath, staring at your dumbfounded features. “It shocks me..how you didn’t notice. I always thought you were clever, too. I don’t. I don’t love her.”
You raised your eyebrows, using the back of your hand to rub your incessant tears. “What are you talking about, Min-“
“I’m talking about this. This.”
And in a second, a second that seemed to encompass all of eternity, Minho leaned forward, his lips crashing against yours.
The shock that coursed through your veins was immediate, powerful.
You would never have expected it in a million years- definitely not after the events of the past few days. Definitely not after having your heart broken into pieces, after having to see his lips on another girl’s and a ring on his finger.
Your breathing grew impossibly quicker, your heart pounding against your chest as he pulled you closer to him, kissing you roughly. Was this some sort of a dream? No, his lips felt too warm and soft and real to be one.
Everything about the kiss was insistent. It felt like he was trying to prove something to you. You could feel it, the desperation and pent up passion. Your body felt like it was weakening as each second passed. The tiny gasp you let out into his mouth made his heart jump in his chest. His mouth softly moved against yours, trapping your lips between his, massaging your lips with his own gently. Soft and wet, slow and passionate.
Minho pulled away for a little, his eyes searching yours as he groaned. He opened his mouth slightly, looking like he wanted to say something. He hesitated a little before he whispered under his breath. “You stole my heart a long time ago, Y/n. It feels like I don’t have one to give away to someone anymore, even if I wanted to.”
Your eyes filled with more tears at his soft words, goosebumps forming all over your skin. And in that moment, you almost felt like you were home again.
His hand on your jaw moved downwards, his thumb swiping across your bottom lip and tugging it downwards ever so gently before leaning in with his eyes closed, his lips claiming yours once more.
Everything in you was screaming at you, telling you not to kiss him back. But how could you not? You’d been waiting for his return, for years. He’s all you’ve ever known, ever since you were a little baby. You’d felt so hopelessly lost without him.
Feeling his lips against yours just felt...right. You’d missed this sensation so much, you almost felt like your heart was going to burst out of your chest, leaving behind a burning hole in your ribcage.
So, you moved your lips against his, kissing him back with the desperation that had been trapped inside your chest all this while. The warmth, fierce passion pulsing between the two of you, was rushing straight to your head, gripping your body in its merciless clutches.
He pulled away finally, despite not wanting to. The two of you sucked in breaths as you stared at each other, swallowing and gasping.
“Fuck. You taste the same.” He growled, pulling you close to him once more, lifting you slightly and making you straddle his lap. The sudden position caught you off guard, your whole face turning red as you steadied yourself, placing your hands on his shoulders. “M-minho-“
“Mine.” He hissed, nipping at your neck and gently sucking on the sensitive skin. “You’re mine. All mine. Tell that Terra bastard to fuck off.” He muttered, gripping you so tightly your skin was likely to bruise.
“Why..“ You sniffed, your voice weak. “You’re playing with my emotions. How could you do this to me? How could you break my heart, ruin me, and then do this, say that. It hur-“
“I’m not playing with you.” He said, his eyes slightly wet as he cupped your cheeks with both hands, sitting up. “Y/n…do you know how long I’ve waited for this moment? I love you. I never stopped loving you, not for a second. It doesn’t matter if we spend a million years apart, I know I’d always feel the same way about you.”
You shook your head, the tears flowing steadily past your eyes as the pain, the heartache you’d felt for the past few days failed to fade away.
“Do you know…do you know how much it hurt? How much it ached? I waited for you all these years, only to see you come back with somebody else hanging off your arm. An elegant, beautiful heiress.” You sniffed, pulling away from him slightly. “She was all over you. Scratch that, you were all over each other. You defiled my mother’s room-“
“Your mom’s room? What?” Minho’s eyes widened, confusion taking over his features.
“Yeah…you didn’t know?”
“Of course I didn’t! I would never- fuck.” Minho shook his head. “Your dad offered us the room. That’s all I knew. I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize it.” He winced at the thought of that night. Every time he touched Jisu, all he could think about was your face at the door. How he wished he could have pushed the woman away and ran out into the hallway to find you, pull you close and hold you. You, you, you. And now that he’d passed the point of no return, he found himself burning up with desire for you, that he’d been harboring all these years.
You didn’t say anything, staring at the floor. The tears continued to run down your cheeks as you shook a little. “I felt so hopeless. Even now, I’m scared, Minho. Scared that you’ll fade away, turn into pieces, that I’ll wake up in my bed and this will all have been a dream. That I’d have to head out and see the one who meant the world to me hold another woman. He was all I had. I survived all these years, because there was hope that you were out there somewhere, waiting for me too. But then, I saw you barely glance at me, treat me as if I was nothing.” You sniffed. It was hard to speak.
“When I looked into your eyes, I saw nothing there. It was scary, Minho. I felt lost. It felt like my lover had died, and there was someone else taking his place. Someone who I knew nothing about, a stranger.”
There was pain in his eyes as he listened to you talk.
“I’m sorry. I know...I know I hurt you. It hurt even more to pretend like I didn’t love you anymore.” He sighed, flashes of bad memories echoing in his brain. “When...you go through what I did, you learn to act. To pretend, to tuck away feelings and emotions. It was hard, terribly hard. It took every ounce of strength in me to not scoop you into my arms as soon as I saw you, Y/n.”
You would be lying if you hadn’t seen chinks in Minho’s armor. However you had told yourself the longing you’d caught in his eyes was just your own helpless heart fabricating hope. Your imagination had always been far too wild.
“I know these are just words I’m saying right now, but I want you to know that I mean it. More than anything. I missed you. You were all I thought about, and all I wanted to do was feel you again. My father..you know what he is like. Once he wants something, he just won’t stop..” Minho trailed off, frowning to himself before snapping back to attention. “And Jisu? She is nothing to me. Nothing more than someone who I am forced to love. She could never make me feel the way you do.”
You saw the sincerity in his eyes, and it tugged at your heart. Your eyes stung, the image of that woman was something you wished you could erase completely.
“You’ll be married to her soon..you’re still an engaged man. And even if our hearts belong to each other, the ring on your finger is not mine.” You whispered, staring down at his lap.
“Once the championships are over, we’ll probably never even see each other again.” Your voice was quiet, your eyes still avoiding his. You didn’t know if you could handle that, or even a second without him now that you’d felt his lips on yours again, his skin against your skin. The thought was excruciating. You’d lost him once. If it happened again, it would be sure to break you.
“See, that’s where you’re wrong.” Minho breathed in deeply, kissing your forehead as he tucked strands of your hair behind your ear. “We will have our happily ever after, I promise you.”
“Are you sure? What makes you certain?” You could see the sadness in his smile, even if he tried to hide it. Maybe he knew how hopeless it was, too. “It just seems like everyone’s trying to keep us apart. Our own fathers don’t want us together anymore. I don’t think they’d even approve of our friendship, after everything that happened.”
Minho scoffed as his lips slid lower, settling on your collarbone. “Not mine. He would have been alright with us, if your father hadn’t kicked me out for something I’d never done.” His tongue slid across your skin. “My love. You are everything I’ve ever been sure about. You’re mine..always.”
You stayed silent, unable to reply as he sucked harsher on you. Letting out a small whine, you squirmed as he suddenly pushed his hips up a little, causing a sensation that threatened to have you falling apart in his arms already.
It wasn’t long before you felt his solid bulge brush up against your clothed entrance, a gasp leaving your lips at the feeling. The thickness barely concealed in his pants continued to brush against your helpless core as his hips moved again.
“I missed you so much, pretty. I miss staring at the stars with you, I miss watching the fishes in the lake, I miss sneaking out with our dragons, I miss all the late night kisses and forbidden touches.” He whispered, hands sliding up to hold your waist. “I spent every waking moment thinking about you, Y/n. Even my dreams were filled with you.”
“S-so did I…” You said softly, still a little overwhelmed as he slid his hands up your shirt. Your heart felt like it was an ocean, waves crashing between your ribs.
“I knew we’d see each other again soon, though. You and I, we’re meant to be. That day, when I left the village..I told myself I’d come back for you. I wasn’t going to give up that easily.” He hummed as he pressed soft pecks on your heated skin. “Of course, I hadn’t expected Jisu. She wasn’t a part of the plan.” He sighed, momentarily closing his eyes.
The mention of that woman sent another wave of pain through you as you let out a small sniff, tears pricking the corner of your eyes. You trusted him. And yet, there was still some kind of hopelessness in the air that was hard to ignore. Minho never broke his promises..at least from what you remember. Some things were out of his control though. Maybe this was one of them. Unrequited love was somehow less painful than the idea of a love that burned so strong, and yet the whole world seemed to be against it.
He noticed your expression, sighing. “I’m sorry for mentioning her. I’ll make sure things work out. You just have to trust me. Can you do that?”
“You know I always have.” You whispered, soft eyes running over his face. There was just so much love brimming in your poor broken heart. And the familiar look in his eyes, the affectionate gaze...it was healing the pieces in your chest, bit by bit. Your hands cupped his cheeks and pressing a featherlight kiss of your own on his nose, sniffing.
You noticed the way his cheeks subtly reddened as you did so, the butterflies inside you flapping their wings harder. “Good girl. My good kitten..”
He moved you off his lap, laying you down before climbing over you, taking in your wide innocent eyes. You looked like a little scared bunny, and he delighted in the shiver of your sensitive skin as he ghosted his fingers over you. You were his prey, and he was just about ready to devour you.
“That...Felix’s hands...all over you. It angered me. Doesn’t he know you’re mine?” He asked, the hunger and desire in his eyes making your lips emit a meek whimper.
“Am I?”
“Of course you are. You said I hurt you, but don’t you know how it felt to see you walk away with him, leading him to our special place? I know that’s where you took him.”
Your expression turned indignant as you whined. “Minho, you can’t blame me for that! There I was, thinking you were engaged and in love with someone else. What was I supposed to do? Felix...he was nice. He cared.”
He hummed. “Look..baby, I’m sorry. I know how much pain I’ve caused you, and I’m prepared to spend my whole life making it up to you, princess.” He stared at your lips, using his thumb to stroke them, admiring the softness. It was something he loved about you...everything about you was soft. Soft, loving eyes. Soft lips, soft skin, and most of all, a soft fragile heart. He wanted to keep you safe and protect you, hold you close to him and make you his every possible moment. He wanted to love you deeply. It was what you’d done all these years. He felt terrible, knowing how much he’d hurt you, making you think your love and loyalty didn’t mean anything to him anymore. When in fact, everything about you meant the world to him.
Soon he was leaning down again, making out with you passionately. You moved your lips to his rhythm, the soft slide of his tongue and warm breath threatening to melt all your thoughts away.
You couldn’t resist him. Kissing him deeper, letting out a soft whine against his mouth as his lips pulled on your bottom one, his tongue brushing against yours softly.
His hands wandered all over your body, settling on your waist as he let out soft groans into your lips.
“I want you..” You barely knew the words leaving your mouth. It was like your heart and all its desires had taken your brain hostage- you no longer knew anything but the way Minho felt against you. It was all you needed, all you craved.
He wrapped his arms around you tighter, preventing you from squirming much further.
“Oh you do, now do you?” He chuckled, squeezing the sides of your waist just a little. “How do you want me, princess?”
“I just- I just want..” You trailed off, your cheeks dusted pink as you started to feel too shy.
He chuckled at your vague answer. “Alright, where do you want me?” His fingers ghosted over your waist, reaching up to cup your breasts, your nipples caught between his fingers. “Here?” He gently rolled your soft buds between his calloused digits, sending tingles through your body. You whimpered, your lips falling open softly as your eyes closed.
He leaned in to kiss your neck as his hand traveled downwards, circling your navel gently before reaching the top of your undergarments. His movements were slow and decisive as he slid his hand over your panties to rub your drenched folds gently, a soft groan leaving him as his fingers made contact with your sensitive heat. “Or here, maybe.” His fingers were slow as they slid up and down. He groaned, he could already feel how wet you’d gotten even through the flimsy, soaked fabric.
“Now, kitten, tell me.” His voice was firm.
You tried to gather up the words, your brain too fuzzy to work. “Everywhere..” you finally managed to say, your hips leaning into his touch, making him smirk.
“Can’t choose? Of course. My kitten is just as greedy as ever.” Slowly, he decided to pull the soaked fabric to the side, an audible groan leaving his bitten lips as he laid eyes on your pretty pussy after all these years.
“You’re so beautiful.” He mumbled, using his slender fingers to push apart your folds, his eyes landing on your glistening pink core. They turned darker, traveling slowly back to your face to meet your gaze. Lowering himself, you felt your cheeks turn pink as you closed your eyes, shivering and already a mess.
When you finally felt his tongue swipe across your folds, your eyes opened as a helpless whimper left your lips, his ears relishing that beautiful sound.
“More. I want to hear you moan.” Those words were accompanied with a soft kiss on your sensitive nub, his lips closing around it.
You couldn’t help but moan loudly as he sucked on your clit, pulling away to let the tip of his finger play with your bundle of nerves. He loved just how sensitive you were, how you reacted to his touches. It was nothing short of addictive.
“How does it feel, princess?” He asked softly, a teasing lilt to his tone as his thumb stroked your folds, slipping into your entrance. “I remember how it felt, the first time I touched you like this. To be the one who gets to ruin you, your innocent little face scrunched up in pleasure for the first time..pleasure that I’m giving you. Fuck.” Minho groaned, the bulge in his pants starting to feel suffocated as he watched your folds take him in. His other hand crept down to free his length, holding it in his hand as he stroked his dick in time with his fingers’ shallow thrusts, his eyes trained on your leaking, soft pussy. Each little thrust forced a small mewl out of your mouth, growing louder as his fingers reached deeper into your warmth.
Minho didn’t know how much longer he could hold himself back. He wanted to be deep inside you, filling you up and claiming you over and over again. His jaw clenched as you opened your eyes hazily, your gaze traveling to his cock. He noticed your heavy inhale, your cheeks turning redder at the sight.
“Mm, princess?” He asked, the corners of his lips tilting upwards. “Missed this?” He glanced down at his own length momentarily. “You were always such a little slut for my cock.”
You licked your lip softly, unable to tear your eyes away from the heavenly sight of him stroking himself. It only deepened the pleasure as you started to feel your tummy tighten up, your brain growing hazier as you felt the pleasure build up…
..until it was gone, fading away as Minho pulled his fingers out, your core throbbing in need. You let out a needy whine, looking up at him with teary eyes. You were just about to ask him why he stopped when his fingers gripped your hips, spreading your legs and fitting himself in between your thighs as he leaned down to capture your lips again.
“I want to make sure you can’t walk, ruin you completely. Claim you as mine.”
You gasped as he slicked himself through your folds, a shocked mewl escaping you as he slipped his head in.
Minho exhaled. “I want you to come apart on my cock. I want to..fuck- feel you.” As the first inch slid in, you could barely breathe. Deeper, his eyes flitted between your needy features and the place where the two of you were connected, his length disappearing into your core.
“M-minho…” You let out a soft whimper, his length stretching out your walls slowly as he pushed himself deep into you. It had been too long since you’d felt him against you like this. His lips were littering soft kisses along the expanse of your chest as he hummed softly, his hips barely moving as he waited for you to adjust.
It felt different, he felt different. And yet, all too familiar. He still smelled the same, you realized. Clean, like the ocean.
Minho pulled away from your neck to look into your eyes, his gaze piercing into your soul as he pressed a soft kiss on your nose. A single deep thrust followed, making you gasp. His eyes darkened at the sound, his grip on your hips tightening just a little.
Slowly, he began moving his hips. Minho watched your expressions carefully, your soft lips parted and eyes glazed over as his thrusts grew deeper and rougher. The little, delicate whimpers falling off your tongue made him groan louder, you looked so small and vulnerable beneath him. He felt himself starting to lose control, breathing heavier as his big hands grabbed your ass, sitting back on his haunches and pulling you to his chest, so you were on his lap.
“Your moans are...so pretty, kitten.” He whispered, his eyes trained on your breasts as one hand travelled up your waist, making you shiver as you looked down at him. He looked so hungry. It almost scared you, how much this man seemed to be consumed by passion. All because of you.
He’d abandoned any thoughts of easing you into it as a needy whine left your lips, realizing he’d brushed against your sweet spot. Minho chuckled as his gripped your rear cheeks, pulling on them slightly as he forced you to bounce up and down on him, sliding your body down his shaft as if you were a doll.
“Pretty, pretty. My small little kitten.” He hissed as he felt your core tightly wrapped around him.
You couldn’t do anything but whine helplessly, his hands moving you as he grunted, capturing your lips with his own. He bit on your bottom lip, tugging slightly. He was overwhelmed by the feeling of your walls around him, so perfect, so tight and warm.
“It feels so good.” You managed to say, hands on his shoulders as you felt him impossibly deep inside you. He stared into your eyes as you spoke, his lips opening to capture yours in a desperate kiss. Minho started to buck his hips, pounding into your core, repeatedly against the spot he knew would make you scream the most. Your eyes widened as he did so, your mouth opening but no sound coming out as Minho clamped his hand over your lips. He couldn’t have the dragons waking up, or anyone happening to pass by hear.
Your eyes filled with tears of pleasure as the sensations inside you swirled into a tornado, building up deep within. It was more intense than anything you’d ever felt. His thick length, covered in your essence, his insistent thrusts and dark lust-filled eyes all proving to be too much for you as the high kept climbing. Minho tilted his head, watching your hazy eyes and realizing you were too close to your high.
He slammed you down on him, your hips flush against each other as he moved you in a circle, grinding you against him as the two of you let out simultaneous groans. His fingers crept down to rub your clit, flicking it softly and only contributing to your undoing.
It all happened too fast. Your eyes rolling to the back of your head as the white hot pleasure exploded, sparks taking over every inch of your body. Minho watched the beautiful sight, his breath shaky as he continued to fuck into you through your high. Your desperate mewls made him kiss your lips deeply, your drenched heat clenching around him was too heavenly.
A few more thrusts was all it took for him to fill you up, his hips still moving so he could push his warm seed deeper into you. It felt so good, to have him make you whole, every inch of you his.
“I’ve always dreamed of doing this to you..” He whispered as he slowly thrusted into you, making sure his cum was pushed deeper. “I’ve always imagined what it would be like to see you, with my baby inside your pretty belly. You’d look so..beautiful.”
His words were too quiet and your mind was too fuzzy to comprehend what he was saying. A soft moan disappeared into the air. You’d never felt more full than you had at this moment. His arms, strong around you, holding you like he was never going to let go. The two of you connected, as one.
He smelled the same. His skin felt as warm and soft as ever, his eyes still held the same twinkle.
The way he held you was different, though. Confident, his grip on your hips. His smirk, his strong eyebrows, his broad chest and dark gaze. The way he had claimed you as his, his thrusts deep and his kisses leaving you breathless. Even now, as his hands ran down your back and his length brushed deeper into your core, it was a far cry from the awkward teenage touches and fumbling in the dark.
It was a different Minho, and yet you could still see the whole universe in his eyes. The old softness in his gaze and warmth that you’d missed more than anything.
“I love you.” You whispered, blinking softly. Your eyelashes felt heavy, and your heart was still pounding in your chest. Butterflies were ravaging your insides as you looked at him, your cheeks pink, waiting for him to say something.
Staying quiet, he leaned in slowly. He kissed your lips softly, softer than ever before. Repeated soft pecks, each one placed on your mouth slower than the last.
Moving closer, he laid you down again slowly. His eyes were watching the way your folds hugged his cock tightly even as he pulled out, his tip finally leaving your soft core, soaked and open. “Your pretty pussy looks like it misses my cock.” He whispered, his tone teasing. Your cheeks turned pink, whining as you covered your eyes in embarrassment at his lust-filled words.
Minho wrapped his fingers around his length, stroking himself as he pressed the head of his cock against your throbbing core, pulling away and pushing slightly in again. “See? Look at the way you suck me in, so tight and needy. Are you that desperate for me?”
You peeked out from behind your fingers, cheeks still red as you nodded. Minho smiled softly at the adorable sight, pulling away. “Can you get on your hands and knees, princess? Ass up in the air for me, now.” He whispered.
You obeyed, turning around. Minho held your hips once more, making you raise your ass higher as his hungry eyes took in your soft pussy lips. His fingers pushed your lips apart, observing the white liquid leaking down your heat.
“I can’t believe how beautiful you are.” He whispered, thumb rubbing your core softly, pushing it back into your hole. “We can’t have you losing any of this, now. Keep it all in like a good girl.” You let out a soft moan in response.
He kissed your back before holding your waist and pulling you into an embrace, laying the both of you down onto the soft hay.
You rested your cheek on his chest, rubbing it against him softly. “I missed you.” You say softly, tears flowing down. “I really missed you.” You felt like those four words weren’t nearly enough to describe everything you’d gone through. With him gone, it felt like there had been an empty hole inside your chest. He was your person. Your home.
His voice was quiet as his hand idly stroked your hair, lips leaving a soft kiss on your forehead. “I’m here now. I’m not going anywhere.”
“What about..” you swallowed, trying to blink back the tears. “Her..”
“Please...don’t think about her.” Minho sighed, wincing at the thought of the woman waiting in his bed for him. “I would rather pretend she doesn’t exist when I’m with you.”
“But she does. She’s real and it..it hurts.”
Minho looked down at you, hands holding your cheeks as he leaned down to kiss you. “My little star.” He smiled fondly against your lips, tucking your hair behind your ear like he’d done countless times before. That nickname. It sent sparks of electricity through your chest. “She doesn’t matter. Like I said before..I spent so many years away from you, feeling empty and cold. Then, I saw you again. It felt like I’d found my heart, the one I’d lost all those years ago.” He whispered, his fingers slowly inching their way to your chest and pressing his palm over your heart. “It was here, all along. It never left.”
You felt an inexplicable warmth take over as you gazed into his eyes, slowly counting each star that lay within. He was beauty personified.
“I wish it didn’t have to be this way, that things were less complicated. But I promise you, we’ll be okay. Do you trust me?”
You trusted him. But you weren’t sure you trusted anyone around him. Definitely not her. She was in love with him too, and you’d happened to see the red hot jealousy in her eyes on more than one occasion. It almost mirrored yours, but you were more careful to hide your possessive nature.
You forced yourself to get rid of those thoughts, Minho’s scent lulling you into a soft, comfortable sleep. “Big day tomorrow baby..go to sleep.” He said softly. You yawned a little, snuggling into Minho’s side and pressing a small kiss on his chest, hoping it would convey the wordless love that hung in the air between you. You didn’t need words, the two of you never did.
His hand was soft as he caressed your back, making you feel protected. Minho waited for you to fall asleep, watching your soft breaths slow down. He stroked your hair and pulled you closer, feeling safe for the first time in a long, long while as you finally succumbed to a deep slumber. He sighed softly, kissing your forehead.
“I love you more, Y/n.”
