oneshots ; multifandom

eternal children - stray kids ot8

✎ ᝰ┆word count: 989

centred in the heart of a garden, stood a scrawny tree with spindly branches and meagre blossoms. its limbs were adorned with strings of tiny lights that at first glance could look like a colony of fireflies. the tree overlooked a rustic, iron bench with curved armrests and an intricately crafted design. a line of bulbs were meticulously strung up around the garden, enriching its innate charm. the whole view was an unconventional artwork, and eight familiar visitors relished in all its whimsical wonder and elegance. their eyes wandered above, admiring how the sky was coated in stars as if someone carelessly bespeckled a black canvas with white paint. they felt incandescent, they were infinitely at peace in the place they would meet each other every other seasonal period.

this time around, it was the end of winter and the start of spring. the eight boys were preparing for a grand leap into their careers. each of them had their own difficulties and issues to handle but once they stepped foot into the garden, all those worries and troubles were left at the doorstep and swept away by the wind.

"you guys are so mean sometimes," changbin pouted, feigning hurt as he always did when his friends teased him, but they knew he wasn't really affected by their words, it was just how their dynamic worked.

he muttered curse words as he struggled to wipe the dust off from the knees of his trousers. "channie, you're meant to be on my side!"

"i'm sorry changbin, i can't help but join the little ones when you make it so easy to tease you, also they kinda scare me."

changbin stood with his arms crossed as he glared down at hyunjin, jisung, seungmin and jeongin, who all pushed the older boy off the bench and stole all the vacant spots. chan stood next to changbin, laughing along with the younger boys, who were pretending as if they didn't just bully their older friend out of his seat.

"leave him alone guys, you're always picking on him" sighed minho, who joined with felix alongside changbin and chan, after taking a couple of pictures of the freckled boy on his vintage camera.

"thank you minho! at least someone is nice to me around here."

"actually i was just messing with you, you guys are doing great, continue annoying him." minho said smugly, a mischievous smirk dancing on his face.

the seven boys burst into manic laughter and changbin rolled his eyes at their wicked antics, but gave into the laughter eventually. he knew they weren't being genuinely unkind or hateful in any way, he was just happy they could all have fun and be comfortable enough to joke around with him, even if he had to be pushed off a bench. he knew if it meant they would be laughing by the end of it, he would willingly take all the pain in the world.

once the atmosphere became more composed, the boys made room for changbin to take a seat beside them, meanwhile chan, minho and felix found a few chairs next to the entrance and carried them to the others, gathering around the bench. they all spoke about their days, with the occasional teasing jokes and the odd "it's pretty chilly out here".

chan handed his jacket to seungmin, who had cursed himself out for not wearing thicker layers and was visibly shaking from the cold. the action of giving his jacket to his friend was on instinct, he didn't even think twice about it. caring about the boys, all seven of them, was inherent to chan's way of life, it came naturally to him as if it was the one and only reason he was put on this earth.

their meaningless yet so important conversations proceeded for hours on end, until it was already past midnight. the time flew by so quickly for them, not one of them had even realised. they would stifle their yawns and rub their eyes in order to stay awake, because they didn't want to stop talking. this happened every time they entered the garden but not one of them wanted to ruin the golden moments they were able to have here.

there was something remarkable about the garden, something magical, something enchanting. it didn't fascinate the people walking by in the neighbourhood and it certainly didn't seize the attention of anyone who would want to return, but it did for this particular group of eight. they called it their second home because it was the one place they loved to meet up at. no coffee shop, no bookstore, not even their own bedrooms, could compare to the comfort, security and solace that the garden brought them every time they visited.

it was as though they were sprinkled with stardust as soon as they set their eyes on the tree that stood at the heart of their favourite place. they knew that even if the seasons changed, even if life got harder and their souls were worn out, they could come to the garden and remember that this is the one thing that would never change. when they return at every other change of season, it's like time doesn't exist, the world doesn't spin in an ordinary way and the stars are always glowing, not one dim moment passes by.

"i really love you guys" chan beamed as he sheepishly smiled at the seven boys, which held the unspoken promise of staying by their sides for as long as infinity would allow. and when they smiled back at him, each and every one uplifting like streetlights, he knew that they returned the same principle for as long as they had known each other, and that magnitude of love and trust would never falter. because if anything, it would only grow stronger and together they would stay protected in the roots of their inner eternal child.

➶-*ੈ✩‧₊˚:*˚:✧｡ ༘✶*ੈˏˋ°•*⁀➷

i know there's too much description but i quite like it, i hope you enjoyed it anyway and you may criticise as you please!
opinions and thoughts?