Letters From The Sky (JoongNine AU)

Chapter 39 (Finale)

Nine

"Breath in...out...Good boy. You're so cute", I said to the boy who sat and smiled shyly at me. His parents stayed at his side while I did the check up, and looked adoringly at their well behave son. The unstable weather recently caused many people to contract a fever, kids especially. The boy had a mild fever and flu, causing him difficulty to breath, yet he was quite calm. "How old is he already?", I asked while writing the prescription. The mother said he was almost 5. Oh! How fast time passed by, the last I saw them, he wasn't yet born. "Alright, here you go, Mrs. Pat. Bring this the counter, and then this little one can go home", I said while caressing the chubby cheeks.

My muscle was a little stiff, today was one of the full, busy day. The nurse called in the last patient for the day. I raised my head up and my smile disappear, my lips tightened a little. Again, this baby of mine came in with a sheepish smile on his face. P'Tha just managed to greet me a little and rolled his eyes at the big baby who gave him the signal to leave. "What happened now, hmm, Joong? Any "major" injury this time, again?", I asked coldly. "My wrist sprained a bit, impact of stopping a fall on the floor", he said and showed his hand to me. I checked the wrist, and yes, a little sprain but nothing major. An ice pack and a day rest would do. "You must stop having this little "accident" to purposely come and see me during filming, Joong", I said exasperatedly and shook my head. Although my words were tough, I still massaged the injured wrist with care. He pouted and looked dispirited. "This time, it's for real though, I did fall", he said and looked down.

I took a deep breath, and touch his chin to raise his face to look at me, "Then, I'm sorry, for misunderstanding. It's not that I'm not glad to see you, but, I couldn't stand seeing you hurt", I said a little softer this time, and caressed his cheek. Joong grabbed my hand on his cheek and kissed it nonchalantly. He nodded. "I'm sorry too, Nine. But, recently there's too much project one after the other, I rarely got to see you. I'm afraid you will be bored, staying alone at our home. So, I need to take a little breakaway".

I smiled at him who tried to justify his little mischief, "Joong, please, you think the people in your team didn't know, they're just playing your game too, so stop, it's embarrassing". Joong just laughed, he was again never shy even if the whole production knew. "Alright, aish, I got an upright lover", he said and sighed. "Joong, you used to place filming with such importance, so don't jeopardize that", I reminded him. "Don't worry Nine, my little mischief never burdened the production, I'm not skipping filming, it's just that I don't stay overnight with the team, well, got to run to you, you're more important than anything else". I nodded and gave him a kiss. "So, home?", I asked. He nodded, "Home".

Joong

I held Nine who languidly tracing circles on my chest. It tickled, but at the same time, soothing too. We'd been together for five years already. After the temporary separation, we just learnt to live each day together without thinking of what would happen tomorrow. Nine was happier, and his health was getting better than before. His cheeks a bit fuller, pinkish and he looked younger if that was possible. He was always gorgeous in my eyes, but now add radiant to that. I was such a lucky guy. Lucky and also grateful.

"Joong...", his sudden call brought me back to now, and I looked down and held his hand. My eyes were questioning.

"You never ask me again about how the movie ended? Have you forgotten, or...".

"No, Nine. I didn't forget".

"Shall I tell you...now?".

"Actually, there's something I need to tell you too", I said and pulled him to be atop of me. Now, it's Nine who was looking at me with a question in his eyes.

"My dreams, do you remember?". Nine gave a little nod. "There's no more of it".

"Since when?", he asked, surprised.

"Not long after we get back together". Nine wanted to ask, but seemed hesitant. "Asked away, Nine".

"Did you...see everything, I mean, your dreams, the truth that you think it was trying to tell?"

"Yes". I answered without a doubt. Nine's eyes widened and he tried to push away, but I held his waist tight. "Listen to what I'm saying. I love you, I love you and I love you. There's only so many times I could say it; but know this, Nine; in my heart, in my mind, in my life, it has always been you. Whether it is in happiness, or sadness, with or without logical reason, to me it doesn't matter. You're Nine. And I love you, very much". I could see the tears that's brimming in his eyes.

He pushed away again and I didn't fight him. He needed space, and moved to sit at the edge of the bed. I knew he felt overwhelmed. I sat behind him, embraced him tight and let the tide of feeling that he felt to flow down in a sobbing mess. A crybaby. My crybaby. When his feeling subsided, I turned him to face me and wiped the traces of tears away.

"Thank you, for giving part of your life to me. I'm sorry for being angry at you. Forgive me, that you have to wait for so long. I count my blessing every day, that we're together now. I love you, Nine". I said and kissed his trembling lips again, passionately. The kiss stopped when Nine pushed back a little, and held my face between his palms.

"I love you too, very, very much. Thank you, for finding me, Joong". We both smiled, and also cried, but there's no more secret to bear, our hearts were finally, free.

Epilogue

Nine

I left the bed for a while, Joong was sleeping undisturbed. I opened the glass door to the small space and looked at the sky. Stars were twinkling, meaning the sky was clear, the wind was blowing peacefully, enough to cool down such a humid weather.

"Areo, come and sit with me for a while. It's alright, Joong is sleeping", I said quietly and closed my eyes, waiting for him. For a few minutes, there's only the sound of wind, then when I felt someone was already beside me, I opened my eyes and smiled. "How are you? It's been so long that we haven't met", I said. Areo just nodded and gave me a good sign. We both then looked ahead at the darkness that was calming rather than terrifying.

For five years, Areo come and go, not that regularly, but whenever I asked for him, he would spend some time to listen to me. After the final meeting, he never talked again, but he listened to everything that I said.

"Areo, my being energy, that I thought almost ran out, seemed to get better with time. Look at my cheeks, Areo, I am a bit chubby now. I eat well too, and take care of myself better. I am happy. Really happy".

"A few days ago, Joong said in not so many words, that he knew me, Areo. He remembered the whole dreams, up to the ending that he never told me exactly, except a part of it, when he was semi-conscious at the hospital, back then. He must have met The Master, then. Old man, huh? I never thought that The Master also has a human form, because we can only hear his voice, right?", Areo just snorted too. I sighed heavily, and gulped a few times. I took his hand and laced his fingers with mine.

"You are my favourite being, do you know that? Don't tell Joong, but if in case that you both fight, I might favour you more. That's how important you're to me, Areo. Because of that, it is so hard for me to let you go". Areo turned and looked at me. Those blank face and eyes, for some reason, understood what I was trying to say.

"It's alright now, I can take care of myself well. And also, I have Joong, who really will protect me from anything, be my best friend, my lover and my family. So, Areo...I'm sorry, for holding you back for too long like this, even though I knew from the start, when my energy was getting better in the first year after your visit, that you were no longer with me. Your memories, are like letters that I received and couldn't wait to read, so I want to write the reply back, by talking with you".

Slowly, I hugged him, and cried, "Thank you buddy, my best friend. I love you. Go and rest for eternity. Someday, when my time has come, I'll be there with you again, up in The Sky". Areo gave me a final, tight hug, and then dissipated into twinkling dust.

I opened my eyes that were wet, and felt the small kisses that Joong kept giving to soothe me.

"You must have that dream again. It's alright baby, just cry, I'll hold you", Joong said while stroking my back, as I buried my face in the crook of his neck, "It's your friend, isn't it?".

"How do you know?", I asked with  little sniffles, still.

"Because, he's my angel, just like you".  

The End