#caratcreatorwriter
↳ the weight of gold by @christ-h0le
There was more to fear in the woods than tax collectors. Though the Sherwood Forest brought Seungchol peace and tranquility it was filled with the unknown. Behind each mossy stone there was the chance of an angry boar, a crazed hunter, or greedy brigands coming and fucking up his beauty sleep. There was the chance he was the second guest to that bed of leaves. With no ceiling to stare at, unknown eyes could instead look at him.
Part of the #caratcreatorwriter collab hosted by @parkjinwoos
➢ Word Count: 3.9K | Bulletpoint Format
➢ Pairing: Wen Junhui x fem! Reader
➢ Genre: Slice of Life, Fake Dating! AU, One-sided crush/love, Angst and Fluff
➢ Warnings: cussing, mentions of alcohol consumption (by reader and others)
-A/N: This scenario is a day late due my real life current struggles, but I thoroughly enjoyed working on this piece. A huge thank you to @cupidhaos and @happysmilebtr for helping me get through my mini writers block and helping me write down what I was envisioning, to Alicia @myungho for making the accompanying moodboard for this scenario (which I love), and above all thank you Mara @parkjinwoos for hosting this event.
↳ Song Inspirations (in order of scenes): Red Lipstick-Lee Hi ft. Yoon Mirae|| Moonlight-Chase Atlantic|| Paradise-Chase Atlantic|| Don’t Give it to Me-Hwasa ft. Loco|| Shine-Pentagon|| After School-Weekly|| Wow Thing-Seulgi x Chungha x SinB x Soyeon
Jun found himself at yet another party. He felt the tremors of the music course through his body, the way the music bounced off the glass doors and walls while he leaned over the balcony with his friends chatting behind him.
Truth be told, he’d rather be back at his apartment reading webtoons the entire night but he chose to come to the party for one reason, and one reason only. You.
“Hey, Jun” he turns around to find Wonwoo, Jihoon, and Soonyoung staring at him “you good man?” Soonyoung asks, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Yeah, I’ve just got a lot on my mind lately” he sighs as he leans against the railing looking into the party through the glass sliding doors as he plays with his cup.
He finds you in the middle of the sea of people dancing, and as if feeling his eyes on you, you look up and smile at him, still grooving to the music, as the purple LED lights cascade over you, making you look more ethereal than you already were to him in his eyes. He smiles back at you and the boys can’t help but follow his gaze. “Oh, you’ve got it down bad Jun,” Jihoon laughs. “Does she even know you like her?” Wonwoo piped up.
“She knows...but I’m just her fake boyfriend” the guy sighs as his friends try to console the lovesick boy. “ For now.” The boys look at him with utter disbelief before laughing and giving their best friend well wishes on his dream of being more than just your friend. Soonyoung put his arm around the taller boy “How do you know she likes you back? You’ve been friends for a long time and we all know she’s using you as a fake boyfriend to make Mingyu a little jealous” he inquired.
“Well,” Jun chided, “there’s only so much a fake relationship can handle before one of either party calls it quits. And you see, Y/N’s actions contradict her words, so it’s only simple to assume that she likes me as much as I like her.” Jun stared at you dancing and swaying along with the music as you had a blast with your friends, but for some reason, his mind traveled to a memory that felt like literal lightyears away.
You sat upon one of the big rocks at the seashore, utterly transfixed by the sound of the lapping water and the way the waves gently crept to and from the shore. The setting sun, obscured by large dark clouds, emitted the fleeting colors of pinkish-purple dusk that fell upon the water below and engulfed you in its course. That was the sight that met your lovestruck best friend Junhui.
He made his way to you, and you turned at the sound of the sand crunching below him as he advanced towards you with every step he took. The wind swept his hair to the side as he gave you a warm smile, his hands were tucked away in his jean pockets as he shrugged at you, you couldn’t help but smile at him.
“Heyo,” he smiled at you as he sat down. “Hey,” you sigh. “You’ve been ghosting everyone for a whole week now Y/N. That’s not cool, especially when your boyfriend has to explain as to why” he mumbles.
You leaned back on your arms as you slightly rolled your eyes, chuckling at the way Junhui slightly pouted at you for your subtle absence. “I’m sorry” you sighed. You had a habit of just not talking to people when you had no motivation to interact with anyone; including your best friend. And every time, Jun was always the one to find you, the one to make up excuses for you. “But.. it’s not like my “boyfriend” does a bad job at covering for me” you queried, earning you one of Jun’s signature eye-rolls as he pets your head. “The things I do for love” he moaned in an annoyed but adorable manner, as his arm wrapped around your shoulder.
Jun looked down at you chicly waiting for your response, or better yet the way you’d handle his pretty straightforward remark. He was met with silence as you avoided his gaze and pulled your knees up close to your chest, wrapping your arms around them as the sudden breeze from the beach hit your skin.
‘Great Jun, great. She’s gonna avoid the subject now’ he fumed at himself. Every time he lightly pressed the subject or mentioned his crush or love for you you’d always change the subject. “We’re friends Junnie. Best friends that’s all I could ever want”’ ''That’s cute” your replies were endless but they maintained the same front- you would not reciprocate his feelings.
"So...why are you here?" you asked, gently rocking back and forth awaiting a response from the male. The faint melody of the water lapping against the rocks beneath you became louder than the silence between you and Jun. ‘Junhui doesn’t come looking for me unless there’s a reason, right?’ you thought to yourself. ‘There has to be a reason.’
“I just wanted to check in on you...you have a habit of getting caught up in your little world, and well I kinda missed you” Jun admitted. Jun was sweet, he was the biggest sweetheart you knew, he was gentle and very private. It’s why this sudden revelation took you off guard.
You know that Junhui likes you, he’s told you many times. But you always shut down the advancements for the sake of your friendship and the fact that it would make your fake dating agreement awkward.
“Well there’s not much to miss now that you’re here” you mused sassily at the boy, he chuckled at you as he removed his arm from around you and created a small gap between your bodies as he scooted away. With the sudden lack of warmth as Jun scooted away, goosebumps engulfed your skin and you welcomed the coolness and the awkwardness around you.
“Do you know what my favorite memory of us is?” he questioned as he threw small pebbles into the water. You rested your chin on your palm as you faced Jun, your eyes shining to the brim with curiosity at the sudden change in topic mixed with the desire to know his answer.
“You remember the kegger Vernon and Chan had here like...two months ago?” he began. You hummed in response vividly remembering the events that transpired that night. However, you were dying to hear the way Jun recounted the events that night.
“I was helping Minghao keep his balance while he drank from the keg when you showed up with Seungcheol and Jeonghan,” he laughed. “I got buzzed after doing three keg stands in a row” you chimed in, causing Jun to laugh at you. “You were right over there dancing in the moonlight with Seungkwan when you called me over to play tag and next thing you know we're running right into the cold ocean waters” a soft smile adorned Jun’s face at the recollection.
It was hard to forget, your reckless spontaneity took over that instant and you suddenly found yourself running straight for the shoreline, looking over your shoulder making sure Junhui followed after you.
“You went in pretty far, you started panicking about you floating away so you kept calling out to me so I could save you” he began.
You had gone out pretty far, the tide wasn’t strong but it was enough to sway you further from the shoreline. You called out to Jun more times than you’d like to admit. And he eventually swam up to you, the moonlight glinting off his wet hair as he panted next to you.
“You were so scared...you held my hands to calm down. It was pretty cute, the fact that you needed me at that moment” he divulged.
You didn’t know what came over you, but you threw yourself at Junhui wrapping your arms around his neck “Junnie, don’t let me go” you whimpered. You felt Jun lightly place his hands on your waist as he created a bit of distance between the two of you as he held your hands in his “I’m right here y/n”. Remembering that scenario made a light blush rush through your body and up your cheeks, and you can’t help but release a small laugh.
“Seeing you there, right in front of me, you looked like a star-not one of those famous stars- more like an actual star” he rambled; he was nervous, when Junhui gets nervous he tends to ramble. You always found it cute that your best friend did that.
“Well isn’t that fitting Moon Junhui. I’m a star and you’re a moon” you teased.
Jun rolled his eyes, “Anyways back to the story. That was the best night of my life because I realized something. I realized that I was in too deep.”
You remembered the way Jun looked at you that night, like the most precious thing he’d ever seen. And maybe it was the alcohol in your system, maybe it was the mood, maybe it was the way you wanted love after being rejected by your dream guy- you hugged Jun and gave him a quick peck on his jawline before just basking in your embrace.
“I like you, Y/N. I like you a lot,” Jun stated. You felt your heartbeat go out of control, yeah Jun has mentioned his crush to you but he’s never outright declared his attraction for you the way he had at this very instant. “Jun,” you began only to be cut off by him “I know what you’re gonna say. We’re best friends, yes we are but best friends can fall in love too Y/N.”
“We're fake-dating. We agreed on no feelings attached because it would make things awkward” you reminded him. “Yeah, well here we are Y/N. I caught feelings, no I’ve had feelings for you way before that night I just never acted on them. That night at the kegger was the final nail in the coffin and I realized I was in too deep. Meanwhile, you’re so desperately trying to hide your feelings all for the sake of keeping up an act” he fumed. “I’m coming clean to you about my feelings so things don’t get awkward later down the line, I’ll be your fake boyfriend all you want but don’t act like my feelings aren’t real.”
You were shocked that Junhui was so upset. You’d never seen him get this mad, not even when Mingyu made you cry all those months prior. You didn’t mean to hurt his feelings, but you just couldn’t let feelings ruin your friendship. You didn’t want feelings to ruin the only good thing you had, your friendship with him.
The male next to you stood up and brushed the sand particles off of him as he looked down at you; his eyes held nothing but kindness but his voice still held a cold tone. “I’m sorry I went off on you Y/N, you didn’t deserve it. I’m not mad at you, not at all you’re my best friend I can’t stay mad at you. But being constantly shut down by you hurts… Call me later, or whenever you can...I’m going over to Wonwoo’s to hang out and clear my head.”
You looked after his retreating figure until he was no longer in sight, your heart felt heavy. The waves below you and the full set sun couldn’t bring you enough comfort. You didn’t want Jun to be mad at you but you just couldn’t bring yourself to reciprocate his feelings. ‘At least not yet’ your subconscious piped up.
The ping of your notifications caught your attention and upon closer inspection, you’d received a message that made you smile a little.
“I’m sorry” was plastered over a photo Junhui took of his finger heart with the moon and the stars in the background. ‘I’m a star and you’re a moon’
Jun’s memory fades to the back of his mind as he focuses on the figure who was responsible for your fake dating situation. The resident hunk, the flirt, the guy who kept sending you more mixed signals than the ones you gave Jun; Kim Mingyu.
Junhui witnessed how Mingyu stared after you with a longing gaze as you walked past the boy who unconventionally hurt you and your heart. “Kim Mingyu can suck a dick” you croaked as you angrily wiped the tears from your eyes, witnessing the aforementioned boy kissing a girl a few meters away from you and Jun.
He watched as Mingyu’s stare lingered for a few moments, looking like a kicked puppy- no, a guy who lost his chance with a great girl and he knew it- before leaning over to speak to his best friend Seokmin. Jun shifted his focus to you as you laughed at something Joshua said while Jeonghan filled your cup with a questionable amount of jungle juice.
“Your smile can light up the room the way the sun shines in the day,” he said to you. Jun had tried to appeal to you like any good friend would- a few months back, on the day you, and your angst-filled heart decided to shake up your relationship with Jun over a petty heartache that wasn’t worth your tears or thoughts.
You sat on an empty bench in the courtyard, across from the fountain as the spring sun kept you warm. You were scowling, remembering how you caught Mingyu kissing another girl a few meters away from you and Jun as you walked to your Biology lab. To say you were livid was an understatement, your heart hurt.
Kim Mingyu was your dream boy. He was the campus heartthrob. He was the life of the party. He wasn’t yours to claim, but it didn’t change the fact that you were completely head over heels in love with him. So yeah, seeing him kiss another girl hurt. However, now you wanted him to hurt. You wanted him to hurt badly.
So you sat there mulling over different ways you could get back at Mingyu for the emotional damage he caused you when Junhui came across you after finishing his Psychology lecture for the day. He snuck up behind you and playfully blew air in your ear. You swatted at him as he laughed at you “It’s not funny Jun.” you pouted.
He walked around the bench and squatted down to get a good look at your face before proceeding to sit down next to you. ‘Well at least she's not crying anymore’ he thought, recounting the many hours you cried after the incident. “Okay, spill” he implored, quirking his eyebrow at you. “What do you mean spill?” you asked, taken aback. “I know you better than you’d think I do. I observe things,” he began “and every time you’re plotting something you always sulk around with a pout.”
“Is it bad to want Kim Mingyu to suffer?” you huff as you slouch against the bench, crossing your arms over your chest. “Nah, but you’d be the first girl to wish that I bet” he smiled at you. You can’t help but roll your eyes and smirk. “You know I just passed him on the way here, he fell going up the stairs leading to the Business Management hall” he jabbered pointing off in the direction Jun came from. You laughed. It was the first time you had a good laugh in the past week and you were thankful. “Thanks, Junnie, you know how to make a girl feel better about her shitty situation.”
“You’re not like other girls though, Y/N” he piped up. “Kim Mingyu, has girls flocking to him almost incessantly. Yet, after observing the way you went into a funk over his “no girl can hold me down yet” antics, you’re out for blood” he noted. “Yeah okay Jun, I get it you observe things,” you smirk, causing him to lightly rest his hand on your shoulder as he wraps his arm around you. “I’ve known you for literal years at this point Y/N. And I know you don’t usually get hung up on guys the way you are over Mingyu. But you wanna know the best thing I’ve observed,” you hummed in response genuinely curious to his response “no matter how bad things get or how miserable you make yourself you always end up smiling. And guess what? I love your smile. I love it because your smile can light up the room the way the sun shines in the day.”
You felt your heart go soft for a quick moment. Junhui had a way with words, and you knew this. Deep down you felt as if you needed to hear those words from someone and who better than the person who knew you best.
As you were getting ready to reply, A familiar figure caught your attention. Mingyu walked across the courtyard with Seokmin in tow, and you felt your heart stop beating momentarily. It was the first time he gave you any attention that wasn’t a text since the day you caught him snogging another girl. You locked eyes for a brief moment before he nodded at Jun, and for a quick moment, you thought you saw a flicker of annoyance cross his face at the sight of Jun having his arm around you.
Jun watched as the two figures crossed the courtyard before his eyes landed on your excited face. “Holy shit, Jun” you squeal placing your hand on the boy’s knee. “I know how to get my payback” you grin.
‘There is no way her plan will work’ he thought. Y/N was smart, but around Mingyu her brain was putty. “Y/N you know that I love you, right? So listen to me when I say this fake-dating situation you have planned won’t work.” You sigh and look at your best friend dead in the eye “ It’ll work if I have the right person as an accomplice, someone who can make the “fake” chemistry believable.”
“I’ll do it” he proposed. You were taken aback by his voluntary response. Quite honestly you were going to ask Jeonghan or Joshua. But Junhui? The thought never crossed your mind.
“I’ll do it, Y/N. You want the chemistry to be believable...I’m your best friend we already have established chemistry with one another. I’ll do it for you” he smiled at you. “I don’t like seeing you cry and what type of best friend would I be if I’m not there for you when you need a dashing chivalrous hunk to sweep you off your feet” he winked at you playfully. You covered your mouth with your hand as you laugh.
But truth be told, Jun was acting on the one-sided crush he had on you. He’d been crushing on you since your senior year of high school up until the day you became friends in your first semester of college. He felt like a total idiot because he so desperately tried to shove his feelings down, yet his friends knew he had been crushing on you for a while. ‘Maybe this fake dating will help me as much as it’ll help her get over Mingyu’ he thought.
“Alright,” you decided. “I’ll go along with it, you had me sold at our already existing chemistry” you smile, extending your hand out to Jun. Junhui took your hand and you shook on it. “Fake boyfriend and girlfriend in front of Mingyu and the others starting tomorrow.”
For the months to come, campus life was different, to say the least. When you two showed up to campus holding hands the day after you established your plan, your mutual friend group was going crazy. Eventually, all the things you and Junhui did that day became a routine and a custom, much like the way you two would flick each other’s necks to say hello or the way you’d blow air in each other’s ears.
Junhui drove you to campus almost every day, and during those car rides you’d talk about your nights. Usually, you had news about Mingyu, “Mingyu texted me” “he called me” “he’s ignoring me after seeing my Instagram story with you”; and he had news about the band activities he had with the ‘96 line.
Junhui walked you to class, he waited for you after your lectures ended to walk you to the next, and he even got you snacks and waited for your three-hour anatomy lab to end on Wednesdays so he could drive you home.
You and Jun became more open with skinship as your fake relationship went on; it escalated from having his arm around you to holding hands, quick pecks during passing periods, and his signature hair ruffling. Jun had to remind himself that it was all fake, no matter how much he wanted it to be real.
You two were always the talk of the campus unintentionally. “I want what they have” “They’re so cute” many comments and whispers of your relationship were made and they always made Jun question if he made the right choice.
To you, it was all fake and part of an act. To him, it was everything he wanted to do with you and more. You were too busy trying to make Mingyu jealous there was no way you’d notice the way Jun’s actions, his witty remarks, and his eyes screamed “I’m way better than him.” But for you, for now, Jun would be complacent and go along with the scheme. Because he was in too deep. And he was okay with it, as long as he was with you.
Jun was pulled out of his subconscious by the sound of a familiar voice and a familiar figure that walked toward him and his friends. “Sorry boys, I’m stealing him away from you for a bit” you smirk at the 96’ liners as they begrudgingly oblige acting like little kids being scolded by their mom before you all burst out laughing.
You extend your hand out and pull Junhui by his wrist as you lead him back to the party. Jun took in the way you lightly bit your lip and smiled at him before pulling him into the dance floor. “Come on Junnie, don’t leave me hanging.”
And so here he was, dancing with you; the closeness of your bodies, and the way you wrapped your arms around his neck made him feel the magnetism and spell that you had over him, the hopeless romantic he was. It made him realize why he fell completely head over heels for you. And he could only hope that one day you’d realize the way you felt about him- the way he came to understand your feelings before you could.
He took in your beauty as the LED lights cascaded over you. He felt his heart flutter when you smiled at him and gave him a quick wink as you both danced the night away.
You were the sun. And he was the moon. The moon that would reflect your light like a never-ending dance across a dark midnight sky.
Summary: Joshua knows that, even in his darkest moments, the lilac leaves of the forest surrounding him will always be there to listen to his cries.
Pairing: Forest Fairy!Joshua x F!Witch!Reader
Genre: Fantasy AU, Fluff, Angst
Words: 4.3k
Note: SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MARS (@buwuyu) FOR MAKING THE GRAPHIC (You were amazing to work with!), TO EMI (@hxllo-hui) MY DARLING ANGEL FOR BETA-READING and for geeking out with me about fantasy worlds/worldbuilding, TO MARA (@seungkwns) FOR CREATING THIS CHALLENGE AND TO ALL MY OTHER FRIENDS THAT HYPED ME UP ON WRITING THIS ONE - I LOVE YOU GUYS !
PART 1 // PART 2
Joshua could hear all the warnings Seungcheol had told him. It was echoing in his ears. Screw Seungcheol for telling Jeonghan to make sure he has his words drilled into his brain. The wind carried Jeonghan’s words with it, whispering them into Joshua’s ears as he travelled farther along the forest. It was starting to get annoying. The constant “Go back.”, “Where are you?”, “Can you get me some melonade?” was ticking Joshua off. Nevertheless, he pushed forward.
He noticed how the trees seemed to have shrunk from half their original size, gradual but evident, becoming half the size they once were; which could have been common outside the village confinements, but here, it was an abnormality. The birds sang their song, unresponsive to the fact that an unknown entity had entered their territory. Joshua’s wings fluttered in glee under his shawl as he listened to their sweet melody.
He sighed, taking in the beauty of the lush, lilac-colored forest that surrounded him like a blanket. Now that he was out of Jeonghan’s range, the wind could no longer bother him about coming back to the village. Instead, it held his hand as he cautiously stepped over a giant root, guiding him around the unknown territory like a close friend welcoming him into their home.
His eyes catch something moving in the corner of his eye. His head whips around, shawl dramatically flapping in the wind. Joshua caught sight of the winged fawn he came to fetch in the first place. At last! Once he catches the fawn, he can finally head back home to the village.
Joshua chased after the fawn, hovering a few inches off the ground to gain more speed. It stops, wiggling its ears before settling down on the ground. He panted, looking around and sort of trying to take in the surroundings before he took the creature and went back home. Something felt off. A rustle of leaves that clearly wasn't made by the young deer. A glint from some sort of metal, shining under the sunlight. Joshua squinted, trying to find the source of the noise.
An arrow! In a split second, an arrow was soaring through the air. It struck a tree, just above the young fawn’s head, startling it to run away. He followed, finally taking flight. Out of the corner of his eye, in between all the bushes and brambles and branches, he could see a hood dancing in the wind. It was going the same direction Joshua was. He realized. It was following the fawn!
Whatever or whoever was under that hood, Joshua cannot let it hurt the fawn. He quickened his pace, dodging branches and leaves. The fawn slowed down, the mystery person stopping a few feet behind it. Joshua observed. The hooded person draws their string, pulling back and taking aim. With a gasp, Joshua dives down from the height he was at, flying right in front of the creature.
Thud! Joshua could feel a strong piercing feeling on his left shoulder. Thud! He felt the dirt in his mouth and the ground scratching at him. The fawn perked up, flapping its little wings before disappearing further into the forest. Joshua groaned, rolling over to lie on his back on the dirt.
A gasp.
A gasp? Joshua squinted; vision blurry. A clang and another thud. He heard the sound of something dropping to the ground.
“Oh no—” A small voice piped up from behind the trees.
He could only see the figure’s hood falling down before his vision was clouded by dark spots. He inevitably slipped into unconsciousness with a soft groan slipping past his lips.
The smell of sage and lavender filled Joshua’s senses, it’s earthiness slowly waking him up. He lets out a small groan, eyes adjusting to the light streaming in through the round windows. His eyes fluttered open, taking in his surroundings.
Plants were displayed on several shelves with other baubles and trinkets. The whole room was almost filled with plants. It looked like a mess. Boxes and books laid sprawled out on the floor, some empty bottles hid in weird corners and it all left Joshua confused. Where is he?
It reminded him very much of his own home. A bit messy but with paraphernalia that gave him nostalgia. Except, he knew what his home looked like. It looked nothing like this. It felt way far off. His eyes widened, he shot straight up from the bed. Only for him to come crashing down onto the pillow with a yelp.
The door clicks open. His head whips around to see who it was. Joshua could feel his heart sink; he doesn't know where he is, who had shot him, and who wanted to shoot Fauna (the small fawn that ran away).
"Oh, thank goodness, you're awake." A gentle voice piped up, snapping Joshua out of his thoughts. "Are...are you feeling alright?"
Joshua blinked at her. "I- Yeah, I think I'm alright?" His voice was unsure. "Excuse me, sorry, but who are you?"
Her ears perked up, a light blush spreading across their cheeks as she fiddled at the hem of her sleeves. "I- I was the person that shot you with an arrow?"
Joshua sprung out of the bed, ignoring the painful throbbing of his left shoulder as he took a defensive stance. “Who are you and what do you want with me? Why did you shoot me?”
“It wasn’t my intention to shoot you! I never wanted to shoot you!” She responded, voice becoming shrill as she spoke. “And you’re hurting yourself by getting up. Lie down!”
“No!” he exclaimed, avoiding her attempt to push him back down on the bed. “Do not touch me—”
“I already did, idiot. Who do you think put those bandages on you?” She retorted, stepping close enough to push him back on the bed. “Now, stay still.”
“Why should I? So that you could experiment on me? You’re a witch, aren’t you?”
“Okay, really hurtful, but I deserve it- I did shoot you after all,” She mumbled, rummaging around the messy room to find something. Joshua wasn’t exactly sure what, but he wasn’t going to wait to find out.
“What? Did you want my wings? Were you going to rip them apart from me and use them in whatever wicked potion you were going to use on me?”
She looked at him incredulously. “What? No! I was trying to get some feathers off that winged fawn!”
“You were after Fauna?!” he gasped, wings flapping wildly. “You monster!”
“It had a name?”
“‘It’ was my fawn! I was looking for her- Only to find out some cruel hunter was going to keep it captive—” He stood up out of nowhere, only to be pushed back down to the bed by her.
“Don’t even think about leaving without having some tea.”
“Tea?”
“I may be a witch but that doesn’t mean I don’t have manners.” She crossed her arms, giving the boy a disappointed stare. "Is that what they teach in the villages, hm? That us witches are cruel and vile and evil and unmerciful?" He stayed silent, observing every twitch, flinch and breath.
She picked up a tea tray she had set aside earlier. The teapot glowed a slight red color before the sound of boiling bubbles were heard. She poured him a cup of tea and offered it to him before pouring their own cup. Joshua watched as she brought the cup up to their lips and sipped. He narrowed his eyes.
“My cup isn’t poisoned, is it?” he asked, cup halfway to meeting his lips.
“Yes, of course, it’s poisoned,” she replied with a roll of their eyes. “It isn’t. Now, drink up.”
“How long have you kept me captive? Days? Weeks? A month?” Joshua questioned, finally taking a sip from his teacup. Then another, and another, and another.
He hadn’t realized he already finished the whole cup. He tentatively asked for more tea. She amusedly poured him another cup, a small smile growing on his face as he inhaled the calming fumes.
“Is one hour or so a satisfactory answer?” She leaned back in their chair and crossed their legs, taking another relaxing sip. “Plus, I didn’t keep you captive.”
“Sure, that’s exactly what someone who kept me captive would say.”
“No, it really isn’t.”
Joshua listened intently as she rambled on about the crazy week she had. In the middle of it all, he was sure that she mentioned her name was Y/n. He didn't understand how he got into this situation. She just kept on talking, accompanied with excessive hand gestures and over-exaggerated stories. The teapot was long empty, having finished the last of it around 10 minutes ago or so.
He laughed at one of her anecdotes, catching the small smile on her face. He decided that, past the awful first encounter, witches weren't so bad. At least, this one wasn't. He wondered what other lies he was fed as he grew up about the other groups that roamed the surface and see of their planet.
"And then, Miyeon said to me-" She stopped abruptly, eyes growing wide as she watched the sun sink in between the trees. "Oh my! I didn't realize how late it was!"
"Oh, right," he replied, somehow unbothered.
"We have to get you home! Are you feeling alright?" She immediately checked his wounds and bandages, casting a small heal spell just in case, before they packed up and set off for Joshua's village.
"How is it sundown already?" he asked, carefully lifting himself off the mattress. "It feels like time just flew by."
Y/n nodded in agreement, "It's crazy. Come on, let's get you back to where you came from."
"I can walk there on my own," he said.
She walked him all the way to the door, a hand at the ready just in case he falls. Joshua took his time, taking in the homey feeling of the cramped cottage. For something in the middle of the forest, it never made him feel like he was too far off from home.
Joshua stood still. He watched the trees sway to the sound of the birds chirping. He watched the way the rays of the setting sun danced among the branches. He listened as—
"You don't know the way out of the forest, don't you?" Y/n asked, crossing her arms.
"No, no, I do," he denied rather quickly. It made her roll her eyes.
"I'll take you there. Let's go!" she squealed, excitement radiating off of her.
She quickly took her quiver and bow, wrapping her hood around her. Joshua raised an eyebrow at her. She defended herself saying that anything could be crawling in the woods. The sun was setting quickly. They were off.
In mere minutes, the sun had already disappeared, painting the sky a navy blue as the two moons rose to take its place. Y/n stared in wonder, a bright, glowing crystal in her hand. She said you could never be too safe. Joshua followed her closely, keeping a very close watch on her just in case she decided to try anything.
“I’m really sorry, again, about hurting you. I really didn’t mean to,” Y/n suddenly said in the middle of their trip back. He let his shoulders drop, relaxing when he felt the breeze greet him warmly. “I…I needed a feather. I didn’t realize that you were the owner, or that you were even—”
“I understand.”
Y/n hummed a tune. It filled the hole the silence made. It felt familiar to him. Her song was that of the birds that chirped and tweeted in the branches. She kept singing as they went on their path. They both hopped over a creek, came across an enormous willow and through a small old ruin.
“For when you reach our sacred place,
I hope you think of me.
Turn left, then right; Stop, feel the breeze.
You’ll see our future beyond these trees.”
She ended the song, parting some low hanging branches. It revealed the bright lights of Joshua’s village, bustling with activity. He looked at her in astonishment as she pocketed the glowing crystal. She looked at him weirdly as if telling him to go on.
“What are you waiting for, stupid?” she asked. “Oh no, is your shoulder hurting again? I’ll heal it, hold on.”
“No, no, my shoulder is fine!” he countered, placing his hands in front of himself. “I just… how did you know that this is where my village would be?”
“It’s the closest village to my cottage. To add, your clothing is very similar to theirs. So, I just assumed.”
“And what about the song?”
“I… I come here often. I’ve never been inside the village but this is the closest I’ve ever been. It looks beautiful.” she replied. “The song helps with remembering directions.”
“Oh, I see,” he hummed. “Thank you, again.”
“For shooting you in the shoulder?” Her brows furrowed. “Or for scaring away your winged fawn? Sorry about that, by the by.”
He rolled his eyes this time. “For taking care of me when you could’ve left me there in the forest.”
“It’s nothing.” She smiled. Gentle. “I’ll get going now. Stay safe.”
“You too,” he whispered, watching as she disappeared in between the trees.
A week had passed. One long, uneventful, tiring week. Joshua once again stared at the brick wall beside him, as if longing to do something. His injury had healed much faster than he expected them to, allowing him to work back in Seungcheol’s pub again.
Everyone had scolded him when he returned home. Or, rather, when they saw him, the next morning while he was sleeping in his own bed. He had gotten an earful from almost all of them. When they saw his injury, it only added fuel to their fire.
“Where have you been?” Seungcheol questioned. “What happened to your shoulder? I told you not to go into that forest!”
"We let you leave for 5 minutes—"
"It wasn't even minutes—"
"And you immediately get yourself injured!" Seungkwan exclaimed, exasperated. "Jeonghan, I thought you stopped him from going out?"
Jeonghan stopped sipping on his drink, waving his hand to call Joshua's attention. "Did you get me my Melonade?"
Joshua rolled his eyes, leaning on the counter behind him. Seungcheol frowned, crossing his arms. He had already tried persuading the rest of them that he's fine. They all insisted, however, that he should take some rest so he could heal up fully.
"Yeah, and I'm not letting you work at the Pub until your shoulder is fully healed."
He stared at him, only before giving in for their peace of mind. "Alright, fine. Only until then."
"You're not allowed to go out either," Jeonghan added. "We'll look for your deer."
"No!" he exclaimed, garnering many looks from the other twelve. "I... I don't think we can find her. She ran into the forest after she heard me fall. I don't think it's possible to get her back."
"Alright, then. Rest well, Shua." One by one, they left his home, allowing him to rest.
He never really slept well that night. Every time he tried to; his mind drifted back to his unusual encounter. So, there he was, staring at one of the brick walls that sheltered Seungcheol's pub from the storms, which had been growing more and more frequent by the day. Even now, he was curious about the witch. That was when he made up his mind. He was going back into the forest to see her.
"Where are you going, Shua?"
He looked up and locked eyes with blond Jeonghan, dressed in his usual white uniform. He stood by the doorway, as if blocking it. His wings were spread out, shimmering under the light. Both pairs of eyes flew to the leather satchel Joshua had hung on his shoulders. He pulled it up his shoulder before heaving a sigh.
"You shouldn't go out," he reasoned. "Aren't you still healing? I thought Cheol wouldn't let you go out."
"He wouldn't. I convinced him that I felt better now," Joshua replied, putting on his brand-new shawl Seungkwan made for him.
"And so, you're going to endanger yourself again right after you've healed by going on another trip?"
"I can take care of myself, Jeonghan. Don't worry about me."
"That's what you said last time!" Joshua's head turned. Jeonghan sighed. "I- We just don't want you to get hurt."
"I promise you; I'll be more careful this time."
Jeonghan stepped aside, leaving the door wide open for him to pass through. Before Joshua left, he gave Jeonghan a short hug.
"It's not like I'm leaving forever, you know?" he asks, chuckling.
"You know how the rest of them are."
"You're right," Joshua laughed.
"Take care! Be back before sundown or else Seungcheol will grill you!” He heard Jeonghan’s voice echo out to him.
He exited the village, walking past the vines that covered and protected their village from harm. He was once again greeted by the enormous lilac trees. They looked a lot less lively than usual, almost tired. He shrugged and went on his way. Through the old ruin, past the willow and over the creek. Just like he remembered it.
“I guess that song really does work,” he mumbled to the air. The trees swayed in agreement.
Soon enough, he could see the small bouts of smoke puffing up from her chimney. Before he even registered it, he was knocking on her door. He smoothed out his pants, dusted off his shawl, even glanced at his reflection on the small door window. Why was he so nervous?
His palms felt sweaty as he watched her trip over unwatched stacks of recipe books and spell books on the floor. He could feel the erratic beating of his heart as she got closer to the front door, as if it almost wanted to jump out of his ribcage. He could feel his wings flutter when she opened the door, only to stop when he realized… What should he say?
He came all this way and he didn’t even have a pure reason why.
“Hi!” her peppy voice snapped him out of his daze.
Joshua cleared his throat, “Greetings.”
Y/n burst out in laughter, gripping the knob for dear life. “You don’t have to be so formal, you know,” she wheezed, opening the door wider so he could come in. “I think we dropped the formalities the moment I… you know.”
She spared a quick glance at his shoulder. “Oh, speaking of! How is it? Did it heal? Do you need help with it?”
“It’s doing fine. It healed up faster than I expected it to,” Joshua replied, watching her zoom around her living room.
She stopped. She smiled at him, a gentle smile that had her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Sorry it’s a mess over here.” She flipped through the pages of a book rather quickly. He just sat there and observed her, trying to figure out why his heart was beating so quickly. “I wasn’t expecting you for another couple of moons. I didn’t think you’d show up so soon!”
He raised a brow. “And why is that?”
“I’m a witch who lives in the middle of the forest, darling. It isn’t exactly easy to get here.” She stopped, eyes quickly scanning over the material. She mutters a few words into the air.
Joshua watched as books and pots and pans started to hover off the ground, a fresh blue hue surrounding them. They quickly returned to their original spots, zooming past the two of them. Joshua spotted a book flying way too fast for its own good. Once he realized it was headed for her head, he tackled her on to the couch.
“Careful,” he whispered, feeling his heartbeat uncontrollably. “There was, uhm, a book.”
He cleared his throat, getting up before helping her up. He watched in awe as the items circled above the two, dancing before they were neatly kept in their own corners of the room.
“Thanks!” He missed the way her cheeks turned the slightest red.
Y/n pulled away quickly, opting to busy herself in her kitchen. The activity stopped, books in their rightful place and trinkets back on their shelves. Joshua cleared his throat again, sensing the sudden tension between them.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, suddenly. “Would you like some tea?”
Slowly but surely, his visits became frequent. Twice a month turned into once a week, once a week turned into every other day, until he was pretty much there all the time. He pretty much stayed in Y/n’s cottage more than he did at his own home. He had never felt so alive.
They used to question him, ask him where he was going or when he’d return – now, they would simply send him off with a hug and a small baggie. Sometimes it’d have bread, and other times cheese. On rare occasions, they’d send him off with a meal cooked by Mingyu. They’d always taste delicious.
Even if Joshua came over every day, it never feels like what they do is dull. A small smile always settled on his face the moment he entered her home. Joshua strolled over to the kitchen, watching as she carefully cut different ingredients while a pot bubbled up next to her. Y/n sighed.
"Since you aren't doing anything but watching-"
"Which I am completely content with, darling." He flashed a cheeky smile at her.
"Why don't you help me prepare for my next trial run? I think there's only one thing missing from this entire thing."
"Okay, fine, you've bewitched me,"
"Oh, shut it. I'll kick you out."
"No, you won't," he said as he got up and stood behind her, peeking over her shoulder to watch her.
“Have you always been so cheeky?” She raised a brow, setting her knife down to look at him. He only grinned back at her. The way the tips of his ears turned red told her otherwise.
Y/n rolled her eyes before picking the knife up and starting a rhythm all over again. Joshua takes up his own space on another counter. He started to chop, struggling to even slice through a layer of the thick fruit. She watched him from the corner of her eye. She was barely even trying to keep her laughter in! Joshua huffed. Y/n set her own knife down and picked up his, nudging Joshua gently for his attention.
“First, squash it down. Then dice it.” She carried out her ministrations with such ease. His jaw dropped to the floor. She placed his knife down, smiling at him. “Try it now.”
He picked up the knife, carefully following her instructions. Squash then dice it. Soon enough, he'd cut one half of the fruit. He looked at Y/n in glee, proudly showing off his work like a child showcasing his drawing.
They continued to work in the kitchen, laughing and making corny jokes and lines that could make the heart flutter. The soft scent of the fruits and herbs she was prepping filled their nostrils. The pot was coming to a boil.
She quickly moved from the counter, taking a plate of flower petals and slowly pouring it into the boiling water. "Hey, Joshua?"
He hummed.
"Do you think there's other places with life out there?" He raised his head from his work, tilting it slightly to the side. "I mean, like, it sounds silly but..."
"It doesn't sound silly, actually. Tell me more," he said, smiling as he handed over the last ingredient to her. She poured it in the water and turned the fire low.
"Come look at this," she said, beckoning him to the bookshelf.
She picked out a navy-blue book, and he could already tell it was brimming with secrets and magic and life. Hundreds of pages, all browned with age like dipped in tea bags. Some pages had nicks and tears, he noted as she flipped through the pages.
She stopped. A beautiful picture of other wingless creatures dancing and laughing and making merry. It looked like Seungcheol and Jeonghan and the others on a free night, drinking their worries away.
"Fascinating, isn't it?" Y/n asked, fingers running over the words, gently brushing them with a sparkle in her eye.
"Yes, it is."
"The thought that maybe I'm- the witches in the other villages aren't the only wingless creatures. That maybe there are other worlds out there! Isn't it exciting?" Joshua smiled as she continued to ramble. His heart beat loudly when she suddenly took his hand in hers.
"I have to show you something," she said.
He nodded, agreeing to let her take him wherever. He turned off the pot and grabbed his things. Y/n placed her coat on her shoulders, recklessly tying the strings together. She was waiting by the door, complaining about how slow he was. He only rolled his eyes, taking the strings of her coat and tied them properly.
"You're a mess, you know that?" he said. She stuck her tongue out at him, grabbing his hand before dragging him out the door.
They jumped over overgrown roots, the white bark seemingly watching their every move. The leaves slowly transitioned from purple to pink to white, just like the bark. The birds sang their song, flying overhead as they ran through the deep forest. Joshua had to remind her several times to slow down, else she injures herself.
"Come on! We're almost there!" she called after him.
He panted, placing a hand over his chest as he watched her figure grow smaller with every step.
"Slow down!" he yelled. "I'm the one with wings yet somehow you're faster than I am."
He let out a gasp of breath when Y/n disappeared behind a wall of vines. He could already sense the power emanating from the slightest peek. What exactly was behind there?
A chill ran down Joshua's spine as he stood before the vines. He reached out. He felt a jolt coming from the softest touch of its leaves - a sort of power he thinks no fairy will be able to harness. What lies behind the curtain of greenery, however, was far more unexpected than he thought.
Carat Creator Writer Event:
↪ seokmin: god of the sun by @ohmygoshcheese
When he opened his eyes for the first time, all was dark.
Floating in an endless abyss, Seokmin wondered. He wondered if perhaps there could be more to this. He wondered if he could make something of this nothing. He wondered what he might look like.
And so, Seokmin began to think.
He thought about a world where he could move and feel and see. From these thoughts, these wishes, Seokmin watched as a single golden thread began to weave around him. Mesmerized, he watched as it danced around his figure, illuminating hands, feet, legs… It twirled and wove until only a single thought filled Seokmin’s mind: Light.
But something was missing, and that would make his sun dance with joy. And as strings wove into place, fate whispered into his ears that he would find what he was looking for on earth.
this was the cutest fic i read in a really long while and i was very happy to be able to make a moodboard for this! i’d like to thank mara for organising such an amazing event and rachel for putting up with all my freak outs and late responses <3 ily miss rachel <3 (this is my first moodboard i’m sorry it sucks)
Wrote this for the caratblr September challenge yes I'm aware I'm late
Word count: 7k
Warnings: violence, mentions of death (nothing graphic, it's pretty fluffy)
---
When he opened his eyes for the first time, all was dark.
Floating in an endless abyss, Seokmin wondered. He wondered if perhaps there could be more to this. He wondered if he could make something of this nothing. He wondered what he might look like.
And so, Seokmin began to think.
He thought about a world where he could move and feel and see.
From these thoughts, these wishes, Seokmin watched as a single golden thread began to weave around him. Mesmerized, he watched as it danced around his figure, illuminating hands, feet, legs… It twirled and wove until only a single thought filled Seokmin’s mind: Light.
As this single thought filled his entire being, the thread, that had now encircled his entire form, burst. White, searing light filled Seokmin’s gaze, and a deep, permeating warmth flooded his body. As his eyes slowly adjusted to this strange, bright phenomenon, Seokmin found he was still floating in the abyss.
But now, he was no longer alone. A massive sphere of heat and gas was suspended in front of him, yellows and oranges swirling violently on its surface. Enormous jets of flame would leap out into space before fizzling back to simmer once more.
Its chaos was terrifying to behold, but the heat Seokmin felt was warm and comforting. He felt energized as his body absorbed the rays of light, until he found himself practically glowing with radiant energy.
Seokmin never knew something so beautiful could exist. He named his new companion the Sun.
~~~
For eons, Seokmin basked in the Sun’s warmth. He watched in awe as other celestial bodies found their forms too. Soon the moon, the stars, the planets and their seasons all joined him in his perpetual dance of life.
But nothing and no one ever captured his attention like humans. He was overjoyed to find them so alike to himself in appearance, but shocked that their lives were so tragically short.
Still, he was fascinated by them, often choosing to walk among them in disguise. He quickly found humans were drawn to his presence, and he to theirs. Humans, he found, were social creatures, preferring to eat and dance and simply be together. And Seokmin thrived off this mindset, dancing, singing, eating, and laughing with the humans, his identity never truly known by his hosts.
His favorite parties always took place in temples dedicated to the Sun. And it was at one of these parties that Seokmin first met you.
~~~
It was the day your village celebrated the festival of the Sun, honoring it and thanking it for the warmth and light it never failed to provide.
You, along with the other young adults of the village, were preparing the sacred dance created by your ancestors in ages past.
Heart racing with nervous excitement, you donned your robes of fiery red, fingers carefully brushing over the delicately stitched golden accents. One of the village elders approached you and gently painted your face with intricate patterns of red and gold. Finally, an elegant golden headdress was placed atop your head. Though you and your family were simple carpenters, today you felt like royalty.
You turned to look at yourself in the mirror, marvelling at the way your clothes accentuated all your best features. The paint on your face was foreign, but not startling, giving you a soft yet fierce appearance. You were nervous, but something else flowed through your veins too. A sense of pure excitement made you shudder in anticipation of what was to come next.
You’d always loved dancing. Moving your body in time to a beat, feeling yourself let loose and simply exist in an almost trance-like state. The Dance of the Sun was your absolute favorite. You’d been practicing since you were a child, determined to land the coveted role of the center. Now that you were an adult, your dream came true.
Taking a deep breath, you led the group to the front of the expectant crowd of villagers and travelers. Before the musicians began their number, your eyes swept over the audience. You saw your family and some of your friends, but your eyes were distracted by a single stranger seated among the crowd.
It’s like your gaze was pulled directly to him by the subtle, soft glow that seemed to surround him. To your shock, your eyes met, and a cheerful smile broke out on his face. You were saved the stress of deciding how to respond by the sound of the fiddle reaching your ears.
Immediately your mind went into autopilot. Almost as if the music asked them to, your feet began to move on their own. Stepping and leaping and spinning to the rhythm. Your hips swayed gently with the soft music at the beginning of the performance.
Your movements told a story. As the center, you were meant to represent the Sun itself. You folded in on yourself, then slowly opened back up, pulling out a beautifully woven golden sick ribbon. You twirled yourself and the ribbon around your fellow dancers, leaping from person to person, greeting them as they marveled at the newfound light of the infant Sun.
Then you positioned yourself in the center, with everyone else twirling around you as the planets and other celestial bodies. Your ribbon fluttered gently in the light breeze as you whirled it around your figure. Behind you, the real Sun was setting in a glorious blaze of fiery reds and oranges and pinks, painting the most beautiful backdrop nature could imagine. You glowed with pride as the dancing reached its peak, the light of day fading into night. As you performed your last whirl, the sun set, plunging the stage into shadow.
A stunned silence fell for only a moment, before the crowd erupted into cheers. You and the rest of the dancers stood up and bowed, breathing heavily but pleased with the reaction. Against your better judgement, you glanced in the direction where you saw the stranger, surprised to find his eyes already upon you. They sparkled in the light of the candles flickering around the area as he clapped loudly.
You felt your cheeks flush, not entirely sure if it was the performance that caused it or not. But you quickly left the stage with the rest of the dancers, all of you collapsing in a happy pile, grateful it all went well. The hours spent practicing really paid off, and you let your friends know this as everyone milled about.
Gradually, you all wandered off, the sounds and smells of the festival pulling you back out to mingle with everyone around you. You also decided to head out when your stomach growled angrily. Your parents and siblings immediately attacked you with hugs and shouts of, “You were so good!”
You thanked them, a huge smile gracing your face as they complimented your dancing as well as your appearance. But then you waved them off, insisting you were very hungry.
However, it would seem you were not destined to eat dinner just yet. The handsome stranger caught your eye once again as he slowly approached you. The glow around him was even more obvious now as he smiled directly at you.
“You are an incredible dancer,” he said, giving you a small bow.
“Oh! Um, thank you,” you said, shyly tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. Smooth.
“My name is Seokmin. I travel to foreign lands to experience the various and rich cultures of this planet’s many people,” he said, holding his hand out.
You gave him your name as well and grasped his hand. Immediately, a warmth flooded through you. It was not uncomfortable, though unexpected. Memories flashed through your mind of crackling fires, freshly baked bread, and summer evenings spent running barefoot through the soft grass.
You looked back up at Seokmin, mind reeling. Who was this man?
As if he knew exactly how you were feeling, Seokmin gave your hand a quick squeeze before releasing it. The warm feeling faded, though you were still tingling from its effect.
Seokmin held his arm out to you. “I believe you were heading to the food table?”
You blinked once, then twice. You looped your arm carefully with his, feeling your shoulders relax. Though you’d just met him, something about Seokmin’s presence was so calming.
“Indeed I was.”
---
Talking to Seokmin was like catching up with an old friend. He lit up the room when he talked, regaling you with stories of his travels. You barely tasted the food you ate as you stared wide-eyed at him while he told you of the time he was nearly robbed by highwaymen.
“Wait, they let you go because you said, ‘Please’?” you asked, digging your fork into your rice.
“Well, it might be because my travel guide had a knife to their boss’s head, but the details are a little fuzzy,” Seokmin said, shooting you a wink as you rolled your eyes and groaned.
Still, his stories were fascinating. This man was clearly well-traveled, especially considering how young he appeared. He told of lands you’d never heard of, describing forests, mountains, beaches, deserts, rainforests, every kind of place imaginable. You almost envied him.
As his story wrapped up with him describing in great detail what it looked like when he fought off this band of raiders entirely on his own, the music began again. People looked up from their conversations and drifted to the dance floor. Couples, both young and old, happily swayed in each others’ arms. Children giggled and spun in circles, holding hands. Friends laughed and twirled each other, all worries forgotten, just for one night.
Seokmin glanced at you, with your mouth half full of the dessert you’d swiped from your father’s plate as he walked by. He laughed and grasped your hands. You stared at him, confused. He said nothing, only laughed once more and pulled you up.
You nearly tripped, but Seokmin caught you and dragged you to the dance floor just as the musicians struck up a slower tune. You hurriedly swallowed the food you realized you still had in your cheeks, which were now a fiery red at how close you suddenly found yourself to this handsome almost-stranger.
Still, you couldn’t deny the pull you felt when you looked into his eyes. Now that you were so close, you could see the deep brown was flecked with gold. What was strange was the gold flecks seemed to swirl and dance in his eyes, as if his eyes somehow captured sunbeams and held them there.
One of Seokmin’s hands found its way to your waist, the other warmed your hand. No words were exchanged as the two of you stepped and swayed to the gentle melody, unaware that nearly everyone’s eyes were now on you two. No, your attention was completely and utterly captured by Seokmin’s eyes, and his by yours.
Never before had Seokmin felt such a pull towards one single human. Yet here you were. You, a simple human in a small village, tucked away in one corner of the planet, had somehow danced your way into his heart in the course of a single night. He found you exhilarating, terrifying, and ethereal.
He always did love humans, but the Sun remained the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. That was until now. You, with your cheeks dusted pink, and your body pressed so close to his; you with your lips parted slightly, and your hair messy from the wind and the dancing. You. You. You.
---
After the dance finished, you and Seokmin stepped a little farther apart, but your hand never left his. You suddenly felt it difficult to meet his eyes and mumbled, “I need a drink.”
Seokmin nodded and gently tugged you toward the jugs of water and wine set out for the night. You chugged water, not realizing how thirsty you were. Plus, it gave you a moment to think.
This attraction you felt towards this stranger, it had to be temporary, right? After all, you didn’t truly know him. His stories could all be lies. Yet, something deep in your heart told you they weren’t. That he was as genuine a person as you could ever meet. But something about him was still strange. You couldn’t put your finger on it, but Seokmin almost seemed unreal.
But you couldn’t contemplate on it too long as Seokmin returned with his own drink. The two of you looked at each other shyly, before bursting into giggles. No point in overthinking things, at least for tonight. And so, the rest of the night was spent dancing away, whispering in each others’ ears and giggling as you ignored the stares of your fellow villagers. Seokmin still glowed, even far into the night.
---
The next morning, you woke up late. The sunlight was streaming through a crack in your curtains, conveniently landing directly on your face. You scrunched your eyes and rolled over, flinging your blanket over your head. The festival had lasted long after its honoree had disappeared, with dancing and food and music seeming to never end.
You and Seokmin had spent most of the night together, dancing and talking even after your parents had taken your younger siblings home to bed. You hardly remembered what you talked about, the topics seemed insignificant compared to the blooming feeling in your chest.
You knew what it was; you weren’t an idiot. What scared you was how suddenly it came about. Could love truly blossom from only knowing each other for a few hours? You were skeptical to say the least. Still, you could not ignore the feeling entirely, not when your ears picked up on the sound of Seokmin’s laugh that sounded strangely enough like it was coming from your family’s kitchen.
“They’re still asleep, I’m afraid,” you heard your mother giggle. “But you’re welcome to have some tea while I go wake them.”
“Please, let them sleep. I can come back later. It was a late night for us all.”
That was Seokmin’s voice. He was in your house. Your mother just told him you were still sleeping…
Stifling a yelp, you jumped out of bed, hurriedly throwing on some decent clothes. No way were you letting him see you in your night clothes. Your mother burst through your door, not so much as a knock, just as you were making an attempt to flatten your bedhead.
She squealed your name, prompting you to shush her. She ignored you. “That handsome man you danced with is back! He wants to see you, dear! Hurry! Put something nice on, you look like you’re wearing rags.”
You glanced at your clothes. This was your favorite shirt. “Thanks, mom.”
“Oh, whatever, just go. Don’t leave him waiting!” she cried, not giving you time to respond as she pushed you rather forcefully out the door.
---
If Seokmin heard any of the exchange in your bedroom, he politely gave no indication. Instead, that stunning smile lit up his face once more when you walked into the room.
He greeted you by calling your name and practically bounded over to you, pulling you into a hug. You were startled, but the hug was nice. His arms enveloped you in warmth and you found yourself relaxing despite yourself.
The hug was disappointingly short, and your mood only soured more at the grin on your mother’s face. Seokmin turned to her and said, “May I borrow them for the day? I promise to have them back by dinner.”
Your mother nodded emphatically. “Please! Keep them as long as you want! They’re all yours.” To your horror, she winked at Seokmin as she said this.
Blushing furiously at your normally level-headed mother, you grabbed Seokmin’s arm and began dragging him to the front door. He looked at you in confusion, but didn’t resist as you flung yourself and him outside.
With the door shut behind you, you release Seokmin’s arm with a sigh of relief. He merely smiled in amusement and said, “Didn’t think you’d be this eager to have me to yourself.”
You glared at him, which only made him laugh. “Please, just forget anything and everything she said to you,” you said, a pout forming on your lips.
“Very well,” Seokmin said, giving you a mock bow. “In exchange, would you like to join me for breakfast? I smelled something rather delicious on my way here, and I assume you’ve yet to eat?”
In response, your stomach growled sadly.
---
The delicious smell Seokmin mentioned came from your friend’s bakery. It was a favorite spot of all the villagers, often with lines out the door to get the freshly baked loaves of bread they offered each morning.
You and Seokmin waited in line behind a family with several small children, who peered up at the stranger with wide, curious eyes. Seokmin smiled kindly at them, his eyes wrinkling in the corners.
“I’ve always loved children,” he commented. “They hold such joy and curiosity in their hearts.”
You nodded thoughtfully. “I almost envy them. To experience joy so frequently is something I find harder to do the older I get.”
Seokmin glanced at you, but you were lost in thought. He wondered what brought you joy now in your adult life. He wondered if you would find joy with him, a god and an immortal. Or if you would be frightened or heartbroken. He found himself shuddering at the thought of your cheerful smile turning to tears.
Seokmin decided then and there he would find what brought you joy in the same way the Sun brought joy to him.
---
You spent the rest of the day at Seokmin’s side, and it was nothing short of perfect. Seokmin insisted you show him your village. So you did.
You showed him the hidden spot behind the blacksmith’s shop where you and your friends would hide as children to get out of baths. It never worked, and you always got scolded by your mother, but the memories were fond ones.
Seokmin marveled at the faraway gaze in your eyes. He longed to tell you who he was, that he had no memory of his childhood, if he even had one. He longed to share the truth with you and show you where he now resided with the other immortal beings. But for the first time in his long life, Seokmin was scared. He was scared you would run away from him, scared that you would scoff and accuse him of lying. So, Seokmin kept quiet.
Instead, he kept little mental notes. You loved peaches and green tea. You laughed at every single one of his jokes. You squealed happily at dogs and cats alike. You had a soft spot for children and your elderly neighbor. You looked at him with eyes that reflected the Sun as you laughed.
---
As the day neared its close, Seokmin confessed that he had to leave that night. You whirled around. “So soon?” You made no attempt to disguise the disappointment in your voice.
Seokmin’s face softened into a gentle smile. “Yes, so soon. Unfortunately, if I remain here too long, I’ll be missed back home.” He reached a hand out to caress your cheek as he spoke. “But, I won’t be gone for long. A few days at most. And…” his voice trailed off, and he looked away from you.
Confused, you reached out your own hand to cup his face and gently turned him back to face you. “And?” you whispered.
He took a deep breath. “And when I return, I want to tell you about myself properly. Who I am and where I come from. Will you wait for me?”
You had to remind yourself to breathe as you took in the look he was giving you. It was one of hope and desperation, of longing and… love.
You nodded. “Of course.”
Seokmin smiled. “Come with me, then. I want you to see this.”
He took your hand and guided you just outside of the village. The setting sun painted the landscape in soft yellows. Seokmin’s ever-present glow seemed even more noticeable in this light. Your breath was absolutely taken away.
“Please promise me you won’t be scared,” Seokmin said cryptically.
You frowned. “Why would I be scared of you?”
Seokmin just squeezed your hand in response, then let go. He turned, hesitated for a moment, then placed a soft kiss on your forehead. Without a word, he stepped away from you and looked up at the sky.
Your gaze never left his figure as his glow grew brighter, almost to the point where you couldn’t make him out anymore without hurting your eyes. But you managed to keep them open to see Seokmin’s figure shift slightly. His eyes glowed stunningly gold. His hair was whipped about by a fierce wind about him. His skin glowed and swirled with yellow patterns that leapt and spun off him like sun storms.
His golden eyes found your wide ones. He spoke your name, his voice both soft and booming, gentle and commanding. “I’ll see you soon,” he said, then the light grew too painful, and you scrunched your eyes shut. When you opened them again, he was gone.
---
The other deities immediately noticed a change in Seokmin. He was always one of the more cheerful of their bunch, but since his return from the human realm, he had yet to stop smiling.
At first they thought he’d just had a fun time at one of the festivals he frequented, but then they noticed he would disappear more often. Hoshi and Seungcheol reported that he was now visiting only one village instead of traveling between several.
No one worried much until Minghao casually mentioned seeing you with him on several occasions.
“Wait, he’s seeing a human?” Jihoon said, looking up from the manuscript he was scribbling on.
“It seems that way. He’s always visiting them in his human form,” Minghao replied with a shrug. “He seems happy around them, so I didn’t think about it too much.”
Everyone turned to Seungcheol, who appeared deep in thought. Finally, after a moment, he spoke with a sigh, “This isn’t good.”
“What’s not good?”
Every deity present froze at the sound of the new voice, gravely and grating. They spun around to see an old, nearly decrepit woman standing before them. Despite her haggard appearance, she commanded the attention of the large hall. Every deity felt their blood run cold.
“Well?” she prompted.
“Order,” Seungcheol greeted, his mouth set in a thin line. “We were not expecting you today.”
“I asked you a question, Seungcheol,” Order said, unmoving.
He flinched. So much for distracting her. “It’s nothing major, Order. Seokmin is taken with humans as usual.”
“But he is taken with one in particular, more than the others,” Order stated.
“Perhaps.”
Order hummed thoughtfully, limping slowly toward their group. “He should know better than to interfere with the mortals.”
“He knows the consequences of growing too close to them,” Jihoon interjected. “He may be more easygoing than the rest of us, but he’s no fool.”
“You are all fools if you believe nothing will come of his actions.” Order’s eyes flared bright purple before simmering back down. She stared at them all with her glassy eyes, before hobbling away silently, leaving a subdued group behind her.
---
The last several months were a blur of pure bliss for you. True to his word, Seokmin visited you often. His visits were nothing grand, and you knew better than to ask about his secret. Besides, he hardly gave you time to focus on that.
Between aiding you in your work and taking you on short trips to neighboring villages to see the world, you were entirely focused on being present with him.
Seokmin, when away from you, craved your smile, your laugh, your voice, you. He was certain this couldn’t be healthy, but he didn’t care. You had become a source of joy in his immortal life, and he was determined to keep you that way for as long as your short life allowed.
Seokmin knew he would outlive you. He knew he was setting himself up for pain and heartache. He knew this, and yet, as if he himself were a human, Seokmin found himself simply ignoring that fact.
Both of you should have known that nothing, not even joy, can last forever.
---
The day started out like all others. You woke up to sunlight seeping through your window, illuminating the dust as it floated lazily in the soft morning light. By your side, Seokmin was lying, eyes open and awake - he’d explained that he didn’t really need to sleep. But he enjoyed lying next to you regardless and even found himself drifting off anyway.
His eyes crinkled into crescent moons as a smile broke out on his face. “Good morning, beautiful,” he said.
You heard this greeting every morning since he first stayed the night with you, and yet every time, it never failed to bring a hint of rose to your cheeks. “Good morning,” you muttered shyly, smiling as well.
Seokmin reached out to flatten your unruly bedhead. “Where should we go today?”
You hummed thoughtfully. “I’ve never seen the ocean,” you said, turning to him.
“That’s a farther trip than we’ve done so far,” he said, but he was still smiling at you.
“I know, but the weather has been wonderful recently, and I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to travel like this again,” you pouted.
Seokmin’s laugh was musical. “As you wish, my love,” he said, placing a kiss on your forehead.
---
The journey to the ocean took at least three days from your village, so you made sure to pack plenty of provisions. Your family prepared the two horses for you and Seokmin, then wished you on your way.
Though the days were long, you enjoyed the chance to simply talk to each other, learning new things every day.
On the third day of travel, however, your bliss was utterly shattered. You should have known something was amiss when the Sun refused to peek its head around the darkening clouds gathering all morning. You even caught Seokmin muttering to himself, “Why are you not listening to me?” while glancing at the sky.
You were about to ask him what was wrong, when a rumbling caught you off guard. The ground shook as if an earthquake were happening, and you tumbled from your horse, who took off in fright. Seokmin immediately leapt down from his own horse, to gently help you up off the ground. He checked you over for major injuries, frowning at the cuts now gracing your hands from catching yourself.
“Well now,” a sultry voice made you both look up, “isn’t this a sweet sight.”
Before you stood a woman, tall and stunningly beautiful. Her long, dark hair flowed behind her in the wind, silky and voluminous. Her eyes were hazel, and her skin was olive. Her beauty, you realized with a start, was something only an immortal could acquire. A quick glance at Seokmin’s face confirmed your suspicions. His eyes were wide in shock and something else, something foreign to the face of this man you found yourself falling in love with: fear.
Terror filled your heart as you turned your gaze back to the woman, who was now slowly walking towards you. A fierce wind whipped up, nearly knocking you over with its force. But Seokmin and the woman remained steady.
“Little Sun, who is your companion? Why have you not introduced us?” the woman crowed.
Seokmin furrowed his brows and finally spoke, his voice steady. “What do you want, Chaos?”
At the mention of her name, the wind picked up even more, and the clouds began to swirl violently in the sky, darkening and turning an ominous green. The woman’s eyes flashed a fierce gold before returning to their normal hazel, a smirk spreading out on her face.
“Why, Seokmin, do you not trust me?” she asked, her voice almost teasing.
Seokmin placed himself in front of you, his arms spread to completely block you from view. Shaken, you felt you needed to do something, but fear kept your feet rooted to the ground and your mouth silenced.
At Seokmin’s lack of an answer, the smirk slipped from her face. It was replaced by an expression far more sinister. Her eyebrows furrowed, her eyes widened with an almost crazed look, and she spoke, her voice carrying easily despite the nearly gale-force winds around you all. “I grow tired of all this peace, Little Sun,” she said. “Let’s see how well this little human truly understands our world.”
Your heart lurched in your chest as she turned her focus to you. Seokmin stayed in front of you protectively. “Stay away from them.”
Chaos laughed, loud and shrill. “No thank you,” she giggled. Then, she snapped her fingers.
Right in front of your eyes, Seokmin’s body rose up, carried by powerful winds. You reached out to him with a loud cry, but it was too late. With a terrified shout of your name, he vanished.
Alone now with Chaos, you whirled around to face her, tears stinging the corners of your eyes. “What have you done with him?” you shouted.
She giggled again. “How sweet, you miss him already?” In a flash she was suddenly right in front of you, a slender finger stroking your cheek. “Foolish human,” she snarled, her beauty barely masking the monster beneath, “you do not belong with us. You cannot be with him. He is beyond your reach, learning his lesson that joy can never last. Thanks to you, he is surrounded by sorrow.”
Then, she was gone. The brewing storm vanished as quickly as she did, leaving you blinking away your tears in the sunlight. You collapsed to your knees, allowing the tears to fall freely now.
He was gone. She took him, and you didn’t know how to get him back. The light of your life and the reason for your joy was stolen from right under your nose. And you’d done nothing to stop it.
---
You wandered aimlessly, not entirely sure where to go. Your horse never returned to you, so you traveled by foot, the aching in your feet nothing compared to the aching in your heart.
Finally, you came across a remote farm in a small valley surrounded by hills. The matron of the family noticed you as she tended to some of the animals. You stood atop the hill staring blankly at the house until you collapsed, sending her dashing into the home to fetch her husband and eldest son.
They carried your unconscious form to a bed, allowing the daughters to help their mother attend to you. You slept for two days straight, your breathing labored. The family began to fear the worst, when suddenly, your eyes shot open.
You looked around frantically, asking, “Seokmin?”
The matron gently replied, “There is no Seokmin, dear. Please, lie back down. You must be very weak. We will fetch you something warm to eat.”
Her words shook you to your core as the previous events came crashing down upon you. You looked at the woman for a brief moment before you broke into tears. She was confused, but allowed you to sob into her shoulder until your tears dried up.
Fortunately for you, the woman had some sense. She introduced herself as Lara, then told her family to not ask you any intrusive questions. You thanked her quietly before accepting the bowl of soup the youngest daughter held out to you. Proudly, she stated, “I made it myself!”
You couldn’t help the small smile that graced your features as you ate a small spoonful. The rich soup filled you with warmth and comfort after wandering alone for so long. “It’s delicious,” you whispered, your voice hoarse from not being used.
The little girl didn’t mind. She beamed at you and stuck her nose high in the air. “Did you hear that? The nice person called my food ‘delicious!’”
---
You spent several days with the family, attempting to aid them in chores and whatnot. They always refused, saying you needed to gain your strength back instead.
And so, you were forced to spend several days lazing about in bed. You did everything you could to keep your thoughts from wandering, but it was inevitable. You wondered where Seokmin was. You hoped against hope that he was okay. But something in your gut told you he wasn’t. Desperately, you wished for a way to go to him. Even if you couldn’t do much against the might of a goddess, you wanted to be together again.
As if to answer your prayers, a thought hit you like a brick. Seokmin once told you there were other gods. He’d even told you stories of his adventures with a few of them. You flung the bedsheets off of you, hurrying outside as quietly as possible, not wanting to attract the attention of your hosts and be sent back to bed.
Once outside in the cool morning light, you took a deep breath. You focused all your thoughts and energy on one in particular: the god of Summer. At first, nothing happened, then you felt a warm breeze brush your cheek, and you caught the smell of grass and fruit. Your eyes opened, and there before you stood a man, just as otherworldly beautiful as the other immortals.
He regarded you for a moment before recognition lit up his eyes, and he spoke your name. You nodded, tears threatening to well up in your eyes again. Your prayers worked!
“Your name is Minghao, right?” you asked carefully. When he nodded, you continued, “Seokmin told me about you. Please, I know I have no right to ask this, but I need your help.”
Minghao walked up to you and gently pulled you to your feet. “Seokmin’s in trouble isn’t he?”
You nodded. “How did you-?”
“There’s no way he’d leave you alone in a strange place otherwise.” He glanced at the farmhouse. “Quickly, I think I may know where he is, but we must leave before they awaken.”
You turned and walked quietly up to the back door of the farmhouse. There you placed the pouch of money on the doorstep. “It’s not much, but thank you for caring for me. I’m sorry I must leave like this,” you whispered, then prayed for health and safety for them all the days of their lives.
You returned to Minghao and took his outstretched arm. “I’m ready.”
Minghao nodded. “You’re brave,” he said, with a smile. Then the two of you blipped out of existence.
---
When you blipped back into existence, you were hit with the stench of death. Looking around you, your senses were assaulted with the sounds and smells of war and disease. Above, the Sun was blocked by dark clouds of smoke. It was horrifying and a far cry from the peaceful farm you just left.
“Seokmin is here?” you turned to Minghao, distressed.
“I believe so, yes. Chaos wanted him to experience the opposite of what he feels when he’s with you, so she sent him somewhere joy cannot find,” he answered.
She certainly succeeded, you thought to yourself. All around you, not a single laugh or smile could be found, only downcast eyes and cries of pain and anguish. It broke your heart.
“I’m afraid I can’t go any farther with you,” Minghao said. “Chaos is not one to be trifled with, but if you’re determined, I won’t stop you.”
“Okay, thank you Minghao,” you said genuinely.
He gave you one small, almost sad, smile before vanishing, leaving you completely alone, surrounded by fires and dust and cries of anguish.
---
At first, it all overwhelmed you, your mind begging for a moment of peace among the cacophony of sound. But you forced yourself to focus on your goal, Seokmin was somewhere here. You had to find him before Chaos found out.
Your first distraction came in the form of a small child, barely able to talk yet. She was simply sitting on the ground and crying, her tiny voice barely heard over the roar around her. Yet your ears heard her the loudest.
Her cries pulled at your heartstrings and before you even realized what you were doing, your feet had carried you to her side. You knelt down, pulling a small flower from a crack in the sidewalk. Gently, you tucked it into the girl’s hair, no words enough to dull the pain she must be feeling. Yet your heart simply couldn’t let her continue to cry.
She blinked at you before gingerly touching the flower in her hair. You smiled at her and softly said, “Pretty.”
Though tears still clung to the corners of her eyes and the tips of her eyelashes, this little girl gave you the sweetest smile you’d ever seen. You felt your heart shatter. What happened to these people that they were all in such pain?
---
Seokmin couldn’t stand war. When humans fought, it was like the sun’s rays no longer provided any warmth. The sun was a tool for killers to see each other properly, nothing more. It hurt.
Seokmin had never experienced what the humans called a “broken heart.” But upon seeing your face disappear before his very eyes and arriving in such a hellscape, Seokmin thinks he might understand the phrase now. Everywhere around him was despair so deep, he felt he might be drowning. Every corner he turned there was only more darkness, more tear-stained faces, more cries of pain.
Seokmin stumbled around, hardly paying attention to where he was going. He wandered aimlessly for what felt like months, no destination in mind, only a desperate need for light.
Just as the darkness swirled closer and closer to his heart, Seokmin looked up. There in the distance was the smallest speck of pure light. It reminded him of the Sun when it was young and joyful, full of energy.
Seokmin focused on that light with every fiber of his being. Tripping and stumbling towards it as fast as his exhausted legs would carry him. He knew. He knew it was you. He knew your light better than he knew anything else.
True to his intuition, the light grew brighter and brighter until there you were. Bending over a young woman to provide her with some hot soup as she cuddled her newborn baby. Your face carried a gentle smile that put everyone around you at ease. It was as if joy radiated from your very being. Seokmin felt like he’d finally made it back home.
You looked up to see him staring at you, your eyes widening in shock. Then, a huge smile broke out on your face as you started walking slowly toward him saying, “I knew we’d find each other again.”
Seokmin nodded, also making his way to you, unable to speak.
Both of you felt Chaos before you heard her. A chill washed over you as the clouds above swirled angrily. “I don’t think so,” you heard her say, her voice echoing all around you.
She appeared behind Seokmin when you were mere steps away from him, a bow in her hands. She pulled the string taut, and you vaguely heard yourself scream, “NO!” before she loosed an arrow directly at the back of your beloved.
Without hesitation, you sprinted forward just as her fingers released the bowstring, throwing yourself in between the god and the arrow. It pierced your heart, but you hardly felt any pain as you collapsed into Seokmin’s shaking arms.
His voice sounded distant as he cried your name over and over. A droplet of water kissed your cheek, and you reached up to brush the tears away from his eyes, whispering, “I have always loved the Sun.” Your eyes fluttered shut and all was quiet.
---
Seokmin felt grief tear through his heart as he cradled your limp form. This couldn’t be happening, not now, not you. Through his anguish, he barely registered the raspy voice of Order telling him to sit up.
She crouched down with a pained grunt, taking one of your hands in her own. She brought it to her lips and kissed each one of your fingers as Seokmin watched, confused and distraught.
Then, he felt you stir.
Your body warmed, as if you had not been lying lifeless moments before. Your eyes fluttered back open, but instead of their natural color, they were now bright, clear green, the color of emeralds and new growth. The blood and dirt and dust caking your face blew away in a gentle breeze. You reached up to cradle Seokmin’s cheek, and with a jolt, he realized you were no longer mortal.
He looked at Order with wide eyes, and she smiled. “Sometimes, goodness can only come from the darkest of times.” She turned to you. “You were born from grief and sadness. Now you have the power to cure those things. Everywhere you walk, Joy will follow. Despair and pain are necessary parts of life, but never should they last for the duration of one’s life. Humans will look to you for comfort in their worst hours.” With that, she turned to Chaos, grabbed the stunned deity’s arm, and with a snap of her fingers, the two vanished.
---
Seokmin relished in being able to bring physical light to the lives of humans. A warm ray of sunshine after a powerful storm, chasing away the clouds.
You relished in bringing a more abstract light to the lives of humans. Your presence brought with it the sound and smells of an idyllic childhood, the voice of a dear one, the gentle embrace of an old friend.
For all of eternity, you and Seokmin were locked in an everlasting dance. Seokmin wound his fingers with yours, the two of you sharing a smile. For wherever the Sun went, his Happiness was sure to follow.
Joshua knows that, even in his darkest moments, the lilac leaves of the forest surrounding him will always be there to listen to his cries. -@sparkliingcrown
my half for the caratcreatorwriter collab hosted by @seungkwns! this moodboard is an accompaniment to the trees listen 💜
Smilin' feels different with you, Cryin' feels better with you
My moodboard creation for the lovely lil event by @seungkwns and inspired by the written work of @misscheesecakeee
this was a really fun even to do and it’s been a really long time since i actually made a moodboard so it was a fun challenge (maybe i may do more moodboards in the future?) it was an honor to work on this, i really tried my best to capture the story all in a small lil moodboard! i like to think i did a good job but you guys let me know! please guys do read the story by @misscheesecakeee! they have it up on their blog, seriously it is a beautiful story! i never read one like it and it does a wonderful job of making you smile but also feeling you in the feels lol
