Tally Marks- soulmate au

Chapter Eleven: ...

The morning had started off as any other. The early sun fading in through the light cream colored curtains; casting it’s warmth upon the two sleeping men. Wonwoo’s arms wrapped protectively over Junhui’s clothed torso. The older waking up first, as usual. The light having been resting upon Wonwoo’s sleeping face as it did every morning, but that didn’t make him look any less luminous than he truly was.  Junhui smiled at the butterflies that began to fly around the room inside his heart. He loved Wonwoo more than he had ever loved anything in his entire life- and that was a long life. He hadn’t felt love like this since his parents were around. He adored being able to wake up to this feeling every morning. He adored being able to wake up to Wonwoo every morning. Never have to worry about losing him.

The morning continued like any other. Junhui snaking out of Wonwoo’s loving grip to go make breakfast for the two of them- as he did every morning. But there was one thing that he had forgotten about this morning. Because it was not just any morning. It was his birthday. Monday June 10th, 1946. He’s lost count of how many years old he is at this point, and he doesn’t really care either. Because right now, all that matters is him and Wonwoo and their little kitten. But Wonwoo definitely remembered that today was his boyfriend’s birthday. And despite the undying love they held for each other, Wonwoo was a bit worried about what was to come on that day. When he awoke alone in their bed that morning he tried to convince himself that no matter the outcome, he would continue to love Junhui with all his heart. And he hoped Junhui would do the same.

He walked into their small kitchen to find Junhui over the stove as he normally was, preparing a normal breakfast as if it were any normal morning. And why shouldn’t he? It’s not like he expected any change to come from today. Nothing would change. He just had to keep telling himself that. Because it was true. He just knew that nothing between the two of them would change. It couldn’t. So the two went about their day, completed their morning routine, had breakfast, Wonwoo took his shower and then Junhui, but it wasn’t until Junhui had slowly walked out of the shower with his head hung low and only a towel wrapped around his waist that the two of them realized that all their hoping and praying had been useless. As Wonwoo looked up from the book he was reading and saw his boyfriend standing in the doorway of their bathroom a wave of soul-crushing shock crashed upon his body like a wave crashing against the rocks during a storm. There, upon Junhui’s hip was a glowing light grey tally mark, indicating that a new one had appeared.

They weren’t soulmates.

Their feelings, their undeniably strong emotions for each other… weren’t worth shit in the long run. This relationship they had established. This seemingly perfect relationship between the two of them, wasn’t… it just wasn’t. It wasn’t what they thought it was. It wasn’t what they wanted it to be. It wasn’t anything anymore.

Junhui’s head was still drooped and his face wasn’t visible behind his dark, damp, hair. But even through that, a tear could be seen falling from his face.

falling

    falling

        falling

            falling

                splash!

Onto their carpeted bedroom floor. Both of their breathes stopped for a moment as they watched their world fall apart. Break into pieces. A puzzle being thrown to the floor. A glass shattering on the kitchen wall. Lighting striking an empty field. A large, red  balloon bursting into shreds. It was all rushing by- river rapids devouring a fish. A seemingly sweet pond full of life that begins to spiral inwards on itself until it creates a looming black vortex that devours any life it once held. Life. Love. Heartbreak. Two souls who were convinced they were one.

Then nothing. Nothing but a white void of confusion and mixed emotions.

Neither of them know what to say or what to do. And so they held still as if time around them had completely stopped. The world stopped spinning on its axis. Stopped revolving around the sun. Just for a brief moment. Until it was shatter by their kitten. A small enough creature, but one to make them realize that this was real. Everything. Their emotions. How they felt- how they feel for each other. And how a small shimmering tally mark could completely tear their hearts into pieces.

There was nothing but the silence of their world breaking all around them.

Vision clouded. Hearts sank into a space that neither of them knew existed. An overwhelming sense of loss devoured them.

There was nothing left to hold onto.

There was nothing left.

(823 words)