hold me 𐦍 yeonbin

041 ᯓᡣ𐭩

Yeonjun flies up and buzzes beautifully over to Siyeon, leaving a trail of vibrant yellow that floats to the floor behind him. Soobin watches the cloud settle, watches each individual particle float from his wings to the carpet, trying to frame this moment in his mind. Seeing Yeonjun's excitement in a physical form, knowing he will have a joyful last night on Earth, is comforting in the way humans find comfort in thunder storms or watching the last leaf fall before winter. 

In the end, Soobin did nothing. He was unable keep Yeonjun safe until the bridge was completed. He wasn’t even the one who brought him to his wings. He couldn’t help at all with the bridge. He couldn’t convince Yeonjun that the human realm isn’t all that bad, even though he hardly believes that himself after Yeonjun had to escape from the same man twice.

Bora waits for Soobin at the top of the stairs alone. Soobin can’t hear her heart, but if he could, he thinks it would sound like his.

“I don’t think Yeonjun will want to wait very long,” she says, curling into herself and avoiding Soobin’s eyes. “We should hurry if you want to say goodbye.”

Soobin doesn’t want to say goodbye.

Their footsteps echo down the stairway, loud and unnatural like wandering through a liminal space or an empty cave. The corridor is lined with vines that grow thicker the closer they get to the bottom. The only dim light to show the way is from the open door at the top and a wavering violet shadow shining from around the corner.

Siyeon waits with a human sized Yeonjun in front of a violet stained-glass door depicting two pale blue angel wings centered around a gold star. The floor dances with specks of blues and pinks and purples that match Siyeon’s magic.

Yeonjun’s eyes shine. His wings glow beautifully in the purple light. It’s unnatural. As a human sized pixie he is wearing his favorite shorts and white sweater, and he is smiling so wide that Soobin will at least have a nice final picture to remember him by.

When he sees Soobin, his smile drops.

“You’re sad,” Yeonjun says.

“I told you I would be.”

Stay calm for Yeonjun. Stay happy for Yeonjun.

“I’m not going to stay.”

“I know. You shouldn’t. You should...you should go home. As soon as you can.”

“Will you open the door now?” Yeonjun asks Siyeon. She hesitates, like she didn’t expect this. Like the fortune teller who knows everything before it happens couldn’t have predicted this.

“If you’re ready,” she says more to Soobin than Yeonjun.

Bora pushes past Soobin, sobbing as she wraps her arms around Yeonjun’s waist. She cries into his chest, and Yeonjun doesn’t know what to do. He looks to Soobin, worried.

“You better have a great fucking time at home, okay?” Bora’s voice is muffled in Yeonjun’s shoulder. “And don’t you dare come back,” she whispers. “It’s not safe.”

Soobin takes Yeonjun’s hands hanging at his sides and pulls them around Bora’s body. She shudders. Her tears land at Yeonjun’s feet. Soobin holds Yeonjun over Bora, squeezing her between their bodies until eventually she slides out and holds Siyeon’s arm for support, leaving Soobin and Yeonjun alone in their hug.

Yeonjun doesn’t react at all. Soobin lets him go.

“Make a contract with me?” Soobin asks.

“Humans can’t—” Yeonjun sighs. “Okay.”