Never Alone • a BTS fantasy ff

Chapter 23 • Passed souls

Warning: There is mention of death in this chapter and also a slight panic attack. I'm not sure if I needed to put a disclaimer for this but better safe than sorry!
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A cold breeze passed through the air, waving softly through Eunha's silky locks. Her cheeks and nose had coloured a rosy pink and with every exhale you could see her breath escaping her plump lips. She was a shivering mess. The night had been chilly to begin with, but it seemed that the temperature had dropped even lower once they'd entered the huge cave.

Jungkook was smoothly paddling them closer to the center, swerving in between the lumpy rocks that disturbed the calm surface of the inky black water, with ease. He'd done it more often, so often that he could probably do it in his sleep. Though this time the purpose was different.
They were here to call on some souls instead of send them away.

Eunha watched her surroundings with big eyes, quickly stating that the left side of the cave was far more pleasant to look at than the right side. The stone of the walls on the left side seemed to have crystals hidden inside of them. As the boat moved, the bright light from the magical lantern illuminated these crystals, creating an elegant trail of colourful shimmering. Then there were also these huge wall paintings that decorated the rough surface of stone. The paintings were passages from stories, all having to do with goodness, love and purity.

Though Eunha couldn't keep her eyes from all the beauty on her left, she didn't dare to turn her back to the right side either. Those walls seemed to have a charcoal-coloured stone that glowed a dangerous red in the light of the lantern, almost as if on fire. The paintings were themed a lot more sinister; images of distress, war, wrath and of course death.
It was a totally different aesthetic and though it had its own beauty as well, it was more of a toxic kind of beauty.

The girl quickly rubbed her button nose as it had become runny because of the freezing cold. She wondered if the others were as bothered by the low temperature as she was. She threw a quick glance behind her noticing how Jimin was shivering just as badly. He had slid his way closer to the middle, tightly hugging Jin's arm for warmth, though the hold looked more like a cobra suffocating its food. Jin had tried to get the boy to stop hugging him, but he was stubborn. As the prince didn't manage to succeed he eventually just lend the younger his arm.

Hearing the constant sniffing and teeth-chattering coming from Eunha, Hoseok carefully moved his wings, draping them around her like a blanket to protect her from the wind as well as provide her with some warmth. A content sigh left her lips the moment she felt those soft, fluffy things encircle her freezing body and the girl couldn't help but snuggle a bit closer. It was just so nice.

A chuckle sounded in the air as the angel watched her in amusement, though a shiver ran through his body as he felt Eunha's small hands caress his sensitive wings. She didn't seem to notice as she kept patting the soft feathers, eyes closed as her body slowly regained a normal temperature.

Jimin watched with envy as the girl had the personal heater sitting next to her. He as well wanted that, because he was absolutely freezing and Jin's arm didn't help much. His eyes landed on the man in front of him, on the other set of wings that could lessen his shivering.
Deciding that his body temperature was more important than his pride in that moment, Jimin kicked the bottom of the bench with the point of his shoe, getting the man's attention.

Taehyung raised his eyebrows as he turned around, meeting the elf's intense stare. It looked far less intimidating with those rosy cheeks and pink nose. "What?"

Jimin hesitated for a second but then pointed at the angel warming Eunha with his wings.
"I'm cold, so lend me your wings, Birdy." The two stared at each other for a bit before Taehyung lazily shrugged his shoulders in apology, "I'm a demon, not an angel. My wings will feel cold to you, so it won't do anything."