Kawaakari (Akatsuki no Yona! Various x F!OC! Reader)

III. Fading Memories (Pt. 1)

A/N: I need a Hak in my life... why can't he be real 🤧? I somehow made myself feel even more single than before with my own writing haha... hnggg... 😭

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You collapsed against a tree once you deemed your distance from the palace safe enough, Hak dropping beside you. He wordlessly handed Yona over, and your sister curled into your embrace. Her eyes were empty—listless—and you never wanted to strangle Su-won more than you did then.

"Did Min-soo... die?" she asked blankly. "I wonder... will I die too?"

Instinctively, your arms tightened around her body.

"Will Su-won... kill you both too?"

"I'll never hand my life over to that asshole," Hak stated bluntly.

"As if I'd let myself sit in a grave forever," you said at the same time.

"Don't die, onee-chan, Hak. Don't leave me. If you do... I won't... forgive...you..."

"Go to sleep, Yona-chan," you whispered, rubbing circles into her back until her breathing evened and her eyes fully closed.

You let out a deep sigh, your head falling back against the bark of the tree behind you. A warm hand wrapped around your wrist, lifting your arm. You sluggishly tilted your head to face the owner of said hand.

"Are you okay?" Hak asked, inspecting the bleeding wounds.

"Mhm... they're all shallow cuts. They just sting a bit. I've had worse."

He frowned, not too satisfied with your answer, but he accepted it anyways. There was a moment of silence during which he stared at you, almost like he was seeing through you. There was a stern look on his face too.

"(Y/n)-hime," he murmured, his hand moving up to your nape, cradling the back of your head. "You should let it out now. Yona-hime isn't awake to see it."

The words unleashed the flood of emotions you'd held in up until then, the shock, betrayal, and hurt crashing into you full force. Tears poured out as you tried to stifle your sobs. A moment later, you found your face stuffed into the crook of Hak's neck as he held you, grounding you. Gods, you were exhausted.

"I trusted him with her," you whispered. "I-I don't understand. I don't understand why he did it this way...."

Father may have disliked him, and Su-won may have picked up on it, sure. Father may have been a terrible king, sure. But why did he have to take the throne like this?

Since when had the boy you'd trusted with your life been willing to kill you all?

"I-I was so close to failing too," you cried. "I almost failed to protect her."

"You did well, (Y/n)-hime," Hak muttered into your hair. "We got Yona-hime out safely. She's safe."

The soothing words calmed your rampant turmoil enough to bring you back to awareness, and the sound of Hak's breathing soon won over the white noise roaring in your ears. Your sobs slowed to a stop, occasional sniffles escaping.

"She's safe... but she's not okay," you whispered.

"And neither are you. But it's not like you both are expected to be," Hak answered, straightforward as always.

"How about you?" you sniffed. "You... You should cry too."

"Hmm? You want me to cry? What a strange thing to desire," he grinned, though it was a bit strained and halfhearted. You gave him a weak smack on the shoulder.