Mingled Round 🍭 ateez slash challenge [⏯]

🌯

bottom!Yunho
Top!Seonghwa

.

The mist clung to the valley like a jealous lover, curling around the feet of the tall, dark-haired man as he stood at the edge of the ancient stone bridge. The river below roared like a beast, echoing the tension in Yunho’s chest. He held the reins of his horse tightly, its impatient snort breaking the fragile silence between him and the elf before him.

Seonghwa, regal and impossibly ethereal, stood still, his silver cloak billowing gently in the breeze. His eyes, sharp as Elvish steel yet soft as moonlight, were locked onto Yunho, and Yunho was certain he had never hated and loved anyone more in his entire life.

"You're leaving," Yunho finally said, his voice strained, the words tumbling out like they hurt to say.

"I must," Seonghwa replied, his tone calm but carrying the weight of eternity. "The road to the Grey Havens is long, and time waits for no one, not even the Firstborn."

Yunho bit his lip, his jaw tightening. "And what about us? What am I supposed to do with… with this?" He gestured vaguely between them, as if the air carried all the unspoken words, the longing, the stolen glances, and the nights spent watching the stars in a silence more intimate than words.

Seonghwa stepped closer, his movements deliberate, his presence overwhelming. His long fingers reached up, brushing a stray lock of Yunho’s hair from his face. "You were always destined for greatness, Yunho. The world of men needs you more than I do."

Yunho let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "You always say that like it’s supposed to make me feel better. Like being destined for greatness means anything when you're not there."

Seonghwa’s lips parted, a rare crack in his composure. For all his wisdom and centuries of life, even he struggled to find the right words. "Yunho…"

"No," Yunho interrupted, his voice breaking. "Don’t give me another poetic goodbye. Don’t tell me it’s for the greater good or the balance of realms or whatever it is you tell yourself to justify walking away." He stepped closer, his broad frame towering over Seonghwa, though it did little to diminish the elf’s quiet strength. "For once, just tell me you don’t want to go."

Seonghwa’s eyes flickered, and for a moment, Yunho thought he might actually say it. But then Seonghwa looked away, the corners of his mouth tightening into a sad, beautiful smile. "What I want doesn’t matter."

Yunho let out a sharp breath, frustration and heartbreak colliding in his chest. "You’re infuriating, you know that?"

"And yet, you love me." Seonghwa’s voice was barely above a whisper, but it struck Yunho harder than any sword.

"Against my better judgment," Yunho muttered, though his words carried no real venom.

For a moment, the only sound was the river, its relentless current mirroring the inevitability of time pulling them apart. Yunho’s hands clenched into fists at his sides, his knuckles white. Then, without warning, he surged forward, grabbing Seonghwa by the shoulders.

The kiss was fierce, desperate, and full of all the things Yunho couldn’t put into words. Seonghwa froze for a split second, startled, but then melted into it, his hands coming up to tangle in Yunho’s hair. The world around them seemed to hold its breath, the weight of their parting pressing down on them like a storm.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless. Yunho rested his forehead against Seonghwa’s, his eyes closed as he whispered, "Stay. Please, Seonghwa. Stay with me."

Seonghwa’s fingers trailed down to cup Yunho’s cheek, his touch as soft as a breeze. "My heart stays with you, Yunho, no matter where I go. But my path has been chosen."

Yunho pulled back, his eyes glassy but defiant. "Then take it with you."

Seonghwa tilted his head, confused. "What?"

Yunho reached into his tunic and pulled out a small, intricately carved pendant—something he had kept hidden for months. It was simple, but unmistakably Dwarven craftsmanship, rough and honest, much like Yunho himself. "Take this," he said, pressing it into Seonghwa’s hand. "So you don’t forget."

Seonghwa’s lips parted, his thumb brushing over the pendant’s surface. He looked back at Yunho, his eyes softer than Yunho had ever seen. "I could never forget you."

Yunho swallowed hard, nodding as he took a step back. "Then go," he said, his voice steadier than he felt. "But don’t look back, Seonghwa. Because if you do, I might not let you leave."

Seonghwa hesitated, his heart visibly warring with his duty. But then, with a deep breath, he turned and mounted his horse, the pendant clutched tightly in his hand.

As the mist swallowed him whole, Yunho stood there, watching until Seonghwa was nothing more than a memory in the distance. The world suddenly felt colder, lonelier, but he knew in his heart that this wasn’t the end.

It was just another chapter in the story of them.