π™žπ™£π™˜π™€π™’π™₯π™‘π™šπ™©π™š.

separation, is inevitable. that's what apollo said on the day he decided to pay him a visit. moreover, for a demigod like them; where most events and trials lead to their destined death. be it painfully, or painlessly. he understand this wholeheartedly. therefore, ever since the day apollo claimed him as his own, he takes his distance away from people. because on top of the fear of dying alone, he fears the pain of losing someone more.

but, jongho is different. as the son of hephaestus, jongho is brave. even though the boy is younger than him, even though he was so skinny wooyoung was afraid a mere gentle breeze of a wind would knock him over.

β€œbe careful,” he would say everytime. and the boy would stare at his eyes like wooyoung had grown a second head. solely because the children of hephaestus are known for their amazing steel hands and works, and careful never get to be written out loud in their head. it's already imprinted in their nature.

β€œyou know, hyeong. i should be the one telling you that.”

β€œi have my bow and arrows, jongho.”

β€œand i have merciless fire on my hands.”

so, like a normal boy who fears the death, he tried to stay away and protect his heart, and met his failure just months later when jongho kissed him behind the door after lunch on one fateful day. therefore, the last thing he could do is telling his heart to prepare; both for the worst, and also for the best.

but tonight, tonight he's brimming with anxiety. his fingers never stops trembling, because tomorrow would be their first mission together. and from where he seated with his dinner, he watches jongho pays his offerings for hephaestus in front of the fire. and together, he also prays to his own father silently.

𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘒𝘴𝘦, π˜₯𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘡 𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘒𝘳𝘒𝘡𝘦 𝘢𝘴.

β€œhey,” jongho chirps happily. the boy joins him for dinner with a plate full of meat, and he looks up just in time to receive a soft peck on top of his head.

wooyoung blinks, and thinks about rachel dare's prophecy this afternoon upon their upcoming journey. she saw fragments of life, and she saw fragments of death. and he does not like the ugly butterflies that eats his guts painfully.

β€œhey,” he says back.

β€œwhat are you thinking so seriously about?”

he pauses, and reaches out to take jongho's hand in his own. β€œi think,”

jongho simply hums. he stops chewing in order to listen to the older boy. β€œyou think,”

wooyoung takes his time to let his heart unravel; all vulnerable and open for jongho to see, through the spark of mischief in his eyes.

β€œwithout you, i'm incomplete.”

jongho's answer, comes in the form of a chaste kiss against wooyoung's forehead. and wooyoung closes his eyes for seconds. it's like he's trying to imprint the feel of his lips long in his brain.

β€œstay alive,” wooyoung says.

β€œi'll try my best.”

it's a promise, then.

𝙠𝙑𝙖π™ͺ𝙨𝙖, 2.02 pm.