pastel [3]

fifty three

Third Person point of view

Within the dwindling time that remained was an out of place peace. That peace came from the building warmth radiating from Jungkook's body, eyes long since closed and mind torn away. Even when he was not physically conscious, he held Taehyung like the universe held the world. A perfectly protected embrace of everything Taehyung needed to live on. He wanted to sleep in these arms forever, safe and free from the torment of his own mind. Warm fingers traced meditative circles over his shoulders, mouth and nose pressed into blonde hair to exhale warm breath against his skin.

It was bliss in a hellish place.

It was hard not to fall asleep, and there were moments when Taehyung would close his eyes and wake to a quiet sound that Jungkook would make, or the gentle touch shifting closer. Whatever Daehyun had done to him had put him in a trance, and it was impossible to break him out of it.

They had a plan. It all rested on the result of the forbidden god beneath him. Yet it still required his own contribution. Fear crackled in his chest like charcoaled timber, expanding over time. If he messed up... if he couldn't hold on long enough this would all be for nothing.

The peace couldn't last forever, it fizzled out upon the realisation that the sun was peeking out over the horizon, a daunting reminder that their time was nearly up.

"Taehyungie you need to stop doing that." He looked up as Daehyun knelt down by his side, swiping his hands away from where they'd been picking at the skin on his lips. "I've got you, he's got you," Daehyun briefly looked upon the radiating boy. "We can do this."

"We will do this," Murmured a second voice, tearing Taehyung's gaze from his brother to immediately swivel around and set eyes on Jungkook's sharp hazel squint. He looked dreary, as if he'd just woken from a deep sleep. "Hey Tae," he added softly, fingers now consciously wrapping around the boy's waist and bringing him in for a longer and deeper hug.

"Are you okay?" Taehyung asked quietly. Untangling himself and attempting to sit up properly. The weight of his body made it difficult, aided by the hands holding him steady. Jungkook gave him a nervous yet somehow confident smile.

"Mm, I think so. I needed to see you before we have to..." he didn't finish the rest, frown displaying the fear that he'd been trying to mask. "I just hope I have the strength to do all this..." He continued with a more vulnerable whisper.

"I'm sorry I put you through torture...." murmured Taehyung, lowering his head in shame and letting his palm graze over the reddened rope burns that were bound to scar. The response he got was unexpected, looking up to see Jungkook roll his eyes and just manage to hold back a scoff.

"Enough, Tae. No more apologies. He would have hurt me anyway, you were not the reason for it. You heard him... he wants to kill me." They both let their attention wander over to where Sungjoon was sitting just over 100 metres away. He was carving into the small table with his dagger, eyes pooling with an unnatural darkness as he mouthed a countdown of each second. "Look at him, he's obsessed."

"He's cursed," Taehyung added, watching the uncaged hatred be displayed in his malicious act. "The curse did something to him. None of the gods cared to help him, he was left alone to exist with his jealousy and it consumed him. He gave his soul to a goddess, Invidia, she corrupts people with hatred. He was her dream soul, overtaken by love and hate all at once."

"It's too late for him, Tae. You can't save him." Replied Jungkook upon recognising the empathetic sorrow that the blonde was feeling. "It's not your fault." He repeated. "The curse was not your fault."

"One day I'll tell you everything. When this is over and we are safe I'll tell you the truth, the story of my life and the beginnings of it all."

"Soon. When the sun rises." Hummed Jungkook calmly, shifting out of focus to let his view stretch out upon the shifting tide. The waves had settled, the sky clearing as the night stretched to its end.