my blood | park seonghwa

sixteen

You couldn't breathe. It had nothing to do with the fact that you no longer had oxygen in your lungs. The familiar constriction of your chest was overwhelming all your senses as you watched Seonghwa making his way to where Hongjoong had been thrown.

There was nothing left of the man you had grown accustomed to. His skin had drained empty of all colour, paler than that even of a sheet of paper. Small branches of ebony veins stemmed out to the sides of his eyes, which had a long linear scar tracing over his area of sight.

Unlike the time he morphed to scare away Axel, he had some kind of black aura which was laced with lavender hues. It screamed of his power. He scared you.

You don't bear witness to his next attack as you feel someone touching your arm. Within an instant you have been blinked downstairs to the dining room. Jongho is who you first catch sight of as he hovers by the doorway, watching the fight which was unfolding around the staircase.

Startled, you turn in a hurry to see San right behind you. His expression is a maze of confliction and worry. He doesn't appear to know what is expected of him in this moment. His eyes attempt to provide you with a sense of comfort, juxtaposing the tightened fists at his sides.

"They've gone back to the upper landing," Jongho speaks, his voice having taken on an authoritative tone. It almost sounded as though it were one soldier communicating some sort of war information to the other.

San appeared near to be voicing something to you, however, simply opts to return his focus to Jongho. "Does he require backup?"

Taking advantage of the moment away from the drama, you allow for yourself to practically fall limp in the chair beside you. Your gaze wobbles as it tries to focus on the floorboards beneath your feet. San notices your defeated state, stepping closer towards you.

"I'll go and try to get a better visual over the situation," Jongho's own façade begins to morph into his monster form. "Stay here with her, keep her calm." His eyes wash over you momentarily as he steps outside of the room.

Once he's gone, San immediately crouches before you, resting his hands on your knees. His eyes meet with yours, his appearance clearly attempting to shift to be one filled with more reassurance. For a brief moment, you allow for yourself to just be with him.

As simple as that, it's just the two of you in the dining room. There was no war happening upstairs. Jongho was probably in the kitchen trying to find his fifth meal of the day. Seonghwa would have been moping in his room, or away on King duties.

It's nice being pulled away, even if it's temporary. Had the circumstances been different you may have allowed for San to take you away. Your mind is brought back to the instances where you had shared something. There was still the chance for you to enact on those feelings.

Yet, your state of daydream is torn from you as your eyes drift over the wound over San's eye. This reminds you of what Seonghwa had done, pulling you back to the dire circumstances of your reality.

"I can take you back to your apartment, you don't have to be here," San mutters softly. He had noticed your brief moment elsewhere, he wanted to join you...Wherever you were.

"I should stay," The three words go against every part of you which screams for you to leave. Your only justification being how you had a plan with Hongjoong, and you didn't want to leave until that had been achieved.

"I'm sorry, I-I don't know what I can say," He admits solemnly. You manage to nod your head slowly, trying to appear less afraid than what you actually were.