Taekook Oneshots

Never Say Die (Part 1)

When leaves seem to be coated with a thin layer of rust, when the ground underfoot crackles like a dying bonfire, when the air is wet with a cold mist that sticks to you like your own sweat, that is the time to be cautious. When the river is close to full capacity, ready to burst at any given moment, when the wind itself seems to whistle through the leaves singing a melody nobody can quite place, that is the time to avoid the forest. 

Especially at night. 

If it were anyone else, maybe the forest would be empty tonight, maybe the river would be singing to itself. Maybe the faint silver glow of a moon halfway to full would be a silent, forgotten sight, left to the nocturnal animals that call this place home. Maybe the figure, slinking through the trees, following the track of the animals, wouldn't be noticed. 

But when you have a crush to impress, the idea of caution is quickly abandoned for the sake of a little risky flirting, for the sake of a little bit of danger. After all, danger is attractive. The adrenaline that floods through the veins at the idea of being in harm's way for even a moment, even a heartbeat, is addictive. There's something sexy about it. Something that is designed to draw others closer, until they couldn't possibly perceive of caring for anyone else. 

On this particular night, a young woman runs through the paths, her long dark hair flowing in the wake of her own speed, dragging a reluctant young man behind her. She's pretty, not really dressed for the chill of the night, her long scarf more decorative than useful, made of a particularly fancy silk that shimmers slightly when it catches the moonlight. 

Her dress is long, drifting along the earthen floor, but she doesn't seem to care. The cloak she wears is similarly thin, carelessly kept closed with a butterfly brooch that gleams silver, beautiful. Her hat is large and ornate, way too big, way too fancy, and she has to keep her free hand on it in order to stop the wind from blowing it away. But there's a determined glimmer of excitement in her eyes, a cheerful grin peeking through the grimace at the cold. 

The young man behind her is dressed a little more sensibly, his hair hidden by a thick woollen hat, his coat long and dark, buttoned to the chin. His hands are bare, and one is trying desperately to unlatch from the grip of his companion, trying to tug her back in the direction of civilisation. He's stumbling a little, over twigs and leaf litter scattered on the barely visible ground below, his gaze flickering from the floor to the young woman before him. 

And then, as he checks the ground beneath him, one more time, there's a sharp pain in his side, and he lets out a cry of alarm. His companion spins around, concerned, only to see him sinking to his feet, a figure in black disappearing from view. The long coat he was wearing is ripped on the left side, and as he places his hand against the wound, the cold sensation of his hand on it makes him yelp once more. 

"What happened?" she asks him, stepping closer, and he backs away, fearful, an injured animal. She pauses, staring at his hand, which is dripping with red liquid as he pulls it away. He's noticeably pale, even in the darkness, and even she can feel her pulse quickening at the sight, a tightness pulling at her lungs, her jaw clenching a little at the iron-like scent of blood in the air. "Did you catch yourself on something? Did someone hurt you?" 

He sighs, shrugs, and then winces as the action pulls on the new gash in his side. "I don't know. I saw something, but I'm not sure what, I was just trying to keep up with you and I looked down and then everything hurt." He pauses, and she watches as his eyes flicker on their own, and he stumbles a little. "I don't feel so good. Can we just go home? Please? I think I'm gonna puke." 

She nods, reaching for his hand again, but he pulls away from her, his expression a little cold. At the confusion on her face, he gestures towards the damaged area of his coat, towards where it hurts the most. "If we didn't come out here, I wouldn't have a massive cut in my side. I've told you before, we shouldn't be out here at this time. I don't care who you've come to see, or what you're here for. I don't want any part in it."