✔ the ethereal that is you 「 khunbam 」

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𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝒶𝓇ℯ ℯ𝓉𝒽ℯ𝓇ℯ𝒶𝓁.

it is part of his beauty,
this quality of being not
quite there,

dreamlike.

ー・ー

“Khun,” Bam whispered almost inaudibly, his head buried in the crook of Khun's neck as he sighed in relief. “Thank God, you came back. I don't know what I'd do if you actually just went and left me behind.”

Khun chuckled, his fingertips traced through the strands of the brunet's now longer but still unrivaled chestnut brown hair. Suddenly, the doubts and hesitations he had accumulated throughout the months since his awakening had been overwritten by the sense of familiarity Bam's presence had given him.

“It must have been miserable for you, to wait for so long.”

Behind closed doors, the bluenet let himself be engulfed with Bam's embrace, taking in the familiar scent of sunrise he missed, and every single agonizing twilight Bam had gone through without him by his side. He let the remnants of their past argument regarding the whole Yama fiasco fly to the back of his mind. Right now, it was about the two of them, just Bam and him. And somehow, he liked how that sounded at the tip of his tongue.

“Did you think I'd let the likes of Rachel get the best of me just like that? You're clearly underestimating me and my Khun genes, Bam.” He laughed when the latter panicked, frantically taking back his choice of words as his eyes welled with tears.

Some things just never change over time. Like how his precious friend still valued the impact of his words like a scripture. How he made him feel important and needed when he could have just moved on with his life with all the power the tower blessed him with.

“Calm down, Bam. I'm just teasing you,” Khun admitted which earned him a light punch on his shoulder, but just shrugged it off. “So, you're growing out your hair?”

He felt the irregular nod, shivering lightly at the feeling of his breath on his nape as he spoke. “It's still not as long as I like it, though.”

Khun frowned at a certain memory, almost coming to a conclusion that FUG was using him again to their disposal if he hadn't heard him saying it was his choice. Those were horrible days, having to spend six years with the person he hated the most. Grieving at almost every 25th night of every month due to his bestfriend's supposed death. Bam enduring torture and embracing a new identity. Their friends and himself being used as a collateral. Escaping death countless times before being reunited, just to be separated every damn time.

Bam felt him stiffen, so he used his free hand to rustle through his blue hair, giving a sense of comfort. Come to think of it, this was the first time Khun had fully let his guard down around him. Even then, he would always stay alert in the case where FUG or other enemy regulars would try to cut their momentary peace short.

“You never really liked Jue Viole Grace, huh?” Bam asked, a small smile formed on his lips when he felt the other nod. “I'm sorry. I had to, but I never had the intention of letting FUG use me again. I just needed... assurance.”

“Assurance?”

Bam played with Khun's evenly trimmed hair as he spoke in an honest tone. “Assurance that I still have a place where I feel that I still have control amidst all this chaos and,” he tried to avoid Khun's peripheral line of sight to hide his lightly flushed face. “Assurance that you'd know where to find me when the time comes.”

And of course, some things are bound to change as well. Like how the brunet's golden eyes still kept innocence, yet held a certain depth to it, erasing traces of his naiveté. How he learned that to protect something, he must be prepared to sacrifice whatever he can, because there are just some things to be feared more than death. And somehow, Khun liked his new confidence, despite the grievances it gave him earlier.

When Khun first met him, he felt pity and ridicule, nothing else. The wound Maria had left still stung, and there was no room for naive attachment to someone he'll just discard in the near future. Especially someone who looks too weak to climb this ruthless tower and use his own blessed weapon. But, the strange boy who seemingly just came out of a cave had a distinct charm to him which compelled people to keep his company, and Khun wanted to see how far this would take him.

So when he smiled at him for the first time with pure emotions, with the light reflected from the shinsu-driven sun running through his unruly brown locks, he knew something within him has stirred and all he could he could think about was his captivation to Bam and that ethereal glow.

“Besides, it's not like I'm growing it out to go back to being Viole. So don't let your pretty face worry about it.” Bam giggled, finally breaking the long hug. “I know that you know I'm doing this because of someone else.”

“Oh~” Khun smirked at the now taller man. “So bold of you to try and mimic the Khun Aguero Agnes.”

Bam just shrugged his shoulders, still smiling.

It's times like these he look forward to the most, for the sole reason that he liked seeing the usually stern, upright, and perfect Khun let loose and just laugh. He liked the fact that he was almost always the reason for it, and only he gets to see it the most. Khun was proud, tall, and unwavering, like the stillness of the night. He might not show it, but like the moon, he was right there, waiting and waiting. Always waiting for him.

He might not be able to show it properly due to his impulsive nature, but Khun is one of the main reasons why he's still climbing the tower despite the happiness it might cost him. Khun might not be the star he once yearned for, but he was his whole damn sky.

“I can't even get a centimeter close, Khun.”

The lightbearer felt his breathing hitch, as Bam suddenly moved swiftly, clasping his toned arms around his neck as his lips inched closer to his earlobe.

“You are ethereal.”

ー・ー

who ever said this didn't happen?

i hope i did the prompt justice. also, if anyone knows the artist of the heavenly book cover, please do tell me so that they will be properly credited.

i hope you liked it!

11th Scribe:
the Ethereal that is you

KhunBam Week 2020:
First Day | Prompt #1:
Hair/Sunrise-Sunset |
07/19/2020