⚓ Lighthouse

@⚓ Jinki As the arrived at the doorway to the lighthouse she nodded jerkingly at his words, carefully setting her feet on the ground, the damn concrete cold beneath her bare feet and she kept a firm hold on the man, incredibly grateful when she was able to return to his arms and she tried her hardest not to black out from the pain. Her fingers stayed bunched in his shirt as she was carried inside, her face tucked into his shoulder to hide her tears as he body continued to shake from the cold and from her soft sobs, soon surrounded by the smell of Jinki as she was laid down on the bed and she nodded at his words, exhausted limbs letting him go.

She simply lay there for a few moments, to tired to move before she remembered she was still wrapped in her coat and her torn clothes and she carefully sat up onto her knees, removing her cloak and her confused mind causing her to climb from the bed, not wanting to get it dirty or bloody and she sat on the floor, the pain tearing into her but she didn't care.

Her pain fingers tried to tear at her already tattered cheesecloth, the only layer between her bare skin and the air that was whistling through the light house but the soaked material was chilling against her skin and she managed to clumsily toss it from her body until she was only in her underwear and the clumsy bandages around her chest.

Hyejin hugged her knees to her chest, coughing out a quiet sob as she hid her face into her knees, shaking a little with every ragged breath.

@☾ Jonghyun |SH| "Oh," Onew blinked, his expression churning into one of confusion. Jonghyun was never this... quiet. Not usually. Onew's eyebrows creased together, studying his brother as he moved to get dressed. Was it something he'd said? Had he done something?

"Hey," he started, following after his brother. But his mind stopped him, insisting it was probably nothing. Jonghyun was tired, he was just wound up in his thoughts. There was nothing, Onew convinced himself. He was being delusional as usual.

"Don't you want to," he changed his words at the last minute, watching Jonghyun shift through the house, throwing on his cloak and gulping down his tea. "Borrow some of my clothes from the wardrobe-"

His words were cut off by the shutting of the door. "Oh," he said quietly. "Okay."

He shifted where he stood for a moment, his forehead creasing with overloading thoughts. It felt empty without the sounds of Jonghyun's boots scuffing across the floor and the sound of his gruff laughter. Onew collapsed back into his kitchen seat, his eyes twitching as he watched the front door carefully as if his brother was to barge right back through it, probably knocking it down. Which, oddly, Onew wouldn't mind - well, he would... but it would be better than his brother not coming back at all.

Onew's mind snapped to his lighthouse, springing out of his seat and he hounded up the stairs, making sure that the light had automatically switched off.

And as he went onto the balcony, he watched his step-brother's figure stride off into the distance, Onew hoping he wouldn't forget to come back.

@⚓ Jinki [it's okay]

Jonghyun winced a bit when brother drank from his cup. Just from touching his own cup, he knew the tea was still hot. At the other's hiss, he automatically reached out to try helping. "Are you okay?"

His lips parted to speak, watching the other stand. "No, no. I--ah, it's fine." He shook his head slightly. "I shouldn't be gone too long."

At least he hoped he wouldn't. With luck, things will go pretty easy and he was pretty sure one of the guys owed him a favor or two...

At his brother's next words, he gaped at him for a moment before looking back down at his cup. Was he really that bad? He didn't think he was that bad...Yeah he was a bit of a flirt, but at the same time he didn't always sleep with whomever he was with. It was just his word against other's and for the most part, they found it...thrilling to have attention over sleeping with someone like him. Even if he said he hadn't slept with them, no one really believed him, not with the other person saying he did. When he does sleep with the person, he makes sure to be gentle and doesn't just leave right after.

Instead of disagreeing, Jonghyun just nodded slightly. "Sure." Getting up, he went to get dressed, changing into his regular clothes. The slight muskiness from the faint smell of sweat filled his nose as he pulled on his shirt and cloak. Going back to the kitchen, he drank his tea before heading toward the door. "I'll be back soon." He called out before pulling on his boots and leaving.

@☾ Jonghyun |SH| {{I'm awful with replies right now!
So so so sorry!!}}

"Oh," Onew blinked, relief and bewilderment hitting him in one full swing. He gripped his cup, taking a gulp of the steaming tea, to regain his grip on reality. The hot liquid scalded his throat, making him hiss in a breath, almost dropping the cup as he shook his hand where it had came in contact with the hot cup - which was basically everywhere.

"Where?" He asked once he'd done a particularly burned part of his thumb. "Do you want me to come with you?" He added, standing up quickly to grab his jacket from the clothes stand.

He paused. Wait. If Jonghyun was telling him this now... Onew glanced at his brother, surveying his expression... with such a reluctant look on his face, surely that meant he didn't want Onew to come.

Hmmm. Onew raised an eyebrow at his brother. Suspicious.

He smirked playfully. "Which girl is it this time?" He asked coyly, sidling up to his brother and nudging him in the shoulder. "Or... Guy?"

Oh hell, it better not be someone Onew was close to. /That/ would be awkward.

Onew shook the visible panic off his face. "Well, if it's just that, there's no need to tell me," he shrugged, smiling. "Have fun!"

@⚓ Jinki At the sound of the spoon clattering into the cup, Jonghyun glanced down at it before looking back at his brother. He looked rightly apologetic over startling the other, muttering an apology for it.

When Onew had replied to his calling, he took a moment to try and gather his thoughts. Unfortunately, that seemed to be the wrong move. He looked up, at his brother's words, straightening a bit as the other seemed to panic over him leaving.

"No, no! I'm not leaving. I was just..." He glanced down at his cup, coming to a decision to not accidentally ruin anything. "I just wanted to let you know I needed to go somewhere really quick. I shouldn't be long and I'll be back as soon as possible. I just need to talk with someone and see about some...things." He looked over at Onew, smiling and shrugging a bit, acting as if there were nothing wrong.

Perhaps with what he had in mind, maybe this could help their brotherly relationship. Maybe...just maybe it would help solidify his thoughts that they were still as close as before.

@☾ Jonghyun |SH| Onew barely noticed his brother creep in behind him. He was too transfixed with staring in at his tea as he sloshed it around with a rickety spoon. He remembered the endless days he'd wait for Jonghyun to appear on the wind again, the house feeling empty when he was gone.

But when he was here, it felt too full. Too cramped. Onew was used to his own personal space - he had his own way of doing things, his own place to put things. As much as he loved his step-brother, Jonghyun didn't seem to respect those boundaries quite as much.

Onew started, hearing Jonghyun's voice behind him, the metal spoon clattering inside the mug when he dropped it.

"Don't do that," he breathed, turning to face Jonghyun, his hand over his chest. Onew should have known - Jonghyun was pretty good at sneaking around. How else would he have slipped inside of Onew's lighthouse unnoticed? Everyone knew where Onew was because things just seemed to fall around him.

Graciously, Onew took his brother's offer, sitting in the chair opposite, his tea resting between his palm, his fingers drumming against the sides. He cocked his head at the other, confused at how uneasy the other looked. Even being the unobservant man that he was, Onew could pretty much read Jonghyun like a book... It would have to be a pretty big book, though. With huge font.

"Yeah?" He asked slowly, curious. "What is it?"

Horror washed across Onew's face, his back straightening in a flash. "You're not leaving, are you?!" He asked, panicking. It was too soon. Onew valued his brother over his personal space. "You said you'd be here at least a week!"

@☾ Hwasa Onew's breath heaved as his thick arms wrapped around Hyejin's body, carrying to the only safe place he knew. It wasn't that she was heavy - though she definitely wasn't as light as she used to be. No, it was the strain of the weight of what had just happened tugging fiercely at his arms, weighing painfully on his shoulders.

He shifted Hyejin in his arms so that she would be closer to his chest, so that he could smell her sweat tangled hair, so that he could hear her breath and know that she was still alive.

He sniffed, the tears stinging his eyes. But he refused to cry. He would just fix his eyes in front of him, in the direction of his lighthouse, rain dripping down his face.

The sky had begun to weep just as he was. It was a doom filled day, the echoing sound of whips cracking against skin still echoing in the air. His wet clothes clung to his skin, rain drops dribbling down his cheeks and clinging to his chin.

"Can you stand?" His hoarse voice finally spoke as he stood finally in the shelter of the lighthouse. He'd locked the door and, no matter how hard he could try, he was certain he wasn't going to be able to unlock it with his arms full.

So, carefully, Onew set Hyejin on her feet, clinging her to his side in case she fell, and dug in his pocket for his key. As soon as he's found it, he yanked it out, slotted it into the keyhole and twisted.

"Come on," he heaved, leaning down to pick Hyejin up again as they headed inside. He hurried to the bedroom, yanking the covers off and laying Hyejin down onto her front. He was in such a rush that he forgot to close the door behind him, the wind howling into the kitchen.

"I need to get some water," he breathed hoarsely before rushing back into the kitchen, closing the door behind him.

And he broke down.

@⚓ Jinki After relieving himself and splashing some water on his face, Jonghyun made his way out to the kitchen. He couldn't help but still be amazed how different Onew had gotten as they grew up. Maybe it was because he had left to go off on his own? As much as he hated to think it, just how different had his brother changed? How far apart had they grown? With the different kind of lives they lived now, especially for Jonghyun, it wasn't easy to remain as close as they used to be.

Walking into the kitchen, he looked over at his brother and smiled a bit when he saw how sleepy the elder looked. Still, his previous thoughts continued to plague his mind. "You should come sit. You look like you might fall over." He said softly, taking the cups and bringing them to the table.

After taking a seat, Jonghyun moved one of the cups in front of him and lightly trailed his fingers along the edge. "Hey, Jinks?" He called softly, glancing at Onew before looking back down at his cup. Maybe he should ask if he was the only one feeling the way he was... No. He shouldn't. What if asking is what makes things messed up between them? He couldn't do that.

@⚓ Jinki {' Im sort of winging it here after the time skip haha pls forgive /o/ i just assumed he'd carry her i hope that's cool ? also it's a bit short I didn't know much I could do without Jinki doing something so ;; }

"A-Ah, Jinki...." Her words were weak, soft whimpers stumbling from her lips with each breath as her arms clung around the mans neck, tired muscles shaking as the wind whipped against there skin. The moon was over there heads once more though the blonde woman could not find the same solace as she had the night before, clumsy wrappings adorning her otherwise bare torso and her underwear were the only clothes she'd had left excluding a cloak that ha'd been wrapped around her body in an attempt to shield her from the coastal wind. Her back was now marred by angry, red, swollen lines, only a few having broken the skin but it had been enough to bleed through the make shift bandages the guards had given her.

Tears continued to stain her cheeks from the pain, wrapped in the mans arms and every step he took felt like she would pass out but sleep never took her and she cried for it, fingers itching and clinging to his shirt as they walked and she tried endlessly not to think about it. The lash of the whip and the excruciating burn as it dug into her skin before coming down again, the few points on her back where the angry line shad crossed where the sorest, pin points of pain and he brow scrunched, trying to bite back her soft whimpers.

Jinki didn't deserve this and right now se couldn't find the strength to look him in the eye, to have him see her like this. God, she wanted it to be easy, she wanted to be that young Hyejin with not black marks on her record and no scar on her thigh and shadow over her head but she couldn't be her anymore. She couldn't be perfect anymore and she wanted to be, for him because it's what he deserved.

"I'm s-sorry..." She managed to sniffle out, her soft sobs making her words jump a little with every hiccup in the back of .

@☾ Jonghyun |SH| {{Sorry for the super late reply! I've had a busy weekend, otl.}}

Onew reeled back from the bathtub with a yelp, his eyes widening at his brother who had freely sauntered into the bathroom with him, almost as if Onew wasn't even there. He snapped his jaw open, about to retort at the younger about how privacy must not exist in his world, but Onew didn't want to start an argument. Instead, he rolled his eyes, resorting to leaving his bath for later and leaving the bathroom, closing the door to conserve Jonghyun's dignity.

As much as Onew loved having his Jonghyun visit, sometimes it became tedious. He was so used to being alone that when that solitude was interrupted, annoyances would boil under the surface.

Heaving a sigh, Onew moved to the kitchen counter, doing his regular morning tea making - though, this time, it would be for two. Onew hated getting mad at his brother, even if the younger was the one who was messing up his routine. As the water boiled, Onew leaned back against the counter.

"We should get away sometime," he thought aloud. It would be the perfect solution to Onew's abrupt annoyances over his brother interrupting his lifestyle. If everything was radically changed - like if Jonghyun took him away on one of his trips. Onew smiled at the thought as the water popped and hissed as it came to the boil.

Quickly, he chose a couple of tea leaves from the selection Jonghyun had brought and dropped them into two mugs, pouring in the hot water and letting the leaves soak. Sleepily, Onew rubbed one of his eyes, yawning. Thank goodness he had tea to wake him up.

@⚓ Jinki The sudden yell made Jonghyun frown in his sleep. It wasn't a sound he was used to, but it faintly drift through his sleep filled mind that he was at his brother's place. Ahh...so Onew must have realized he was sleeping the same way. He didn't see what the big deal was. They slept together before when they were kids. It wasn't like anything was going to happen between them.

As he began drifting off back to unknown dreams, a sudden shove and the sensation of falling filled him. His eyes shot open and he let out a loud yell before he landed on the floor with a thud and a loud groan. "Yah! Lee Jinki!" He growled to himself, sitting up and running a hand through his hair.

Grunting, he got up and made his way to the bathroom with the intent of relieving himself and washing his face. Getting there just as he heard the other's mutter, he frowned a bit. "What did I do now?" He asked tiredly, scratching at his chest before moving to the toilet with intent to relieve himself, eyes halfway closed. It was too early to be awake and he was not much of a morning person, especially when he was able to sleep with no worry that someone was going to sneak up and try to kill or rob him.

@☾ Jonghyun |SH| Onew woke to the sound of a seagull cawing at his window. The light was dim through the thin curtains, the early sounds of morning waves creaking through the cracks in the window sill. Groaning, Onew yawned, blinking his eyes open. It was the usual time for him to be awake - at the crack of dawn, ready to fizzle out the beam in the lighthouse, preparing it for another day.

He smiled at the thought of fresh, morning tea and a hot, bubbling bath, closing his eyes as he sunk back into the pillow, drifting back off to-

"AH!" Onew yelped a the face, rolling backwards and stumbling unattractively off the bed with a thump. "Oof," he groaned, sticking his head back up above the bed as he began to adjust to the light. He'd forgotten Jonghyun was here - it had almost felt like yesterday was a hazy dream now.

Onew glared at his brother who had proceeded to go against his rules and sleep the same way Onew had. No wonder Onew had been startled this morning with a face stuck right in front of his.

With a heave, Onew climbed to his feet before purposely shoving Jonghyun off the bed and strolling out of the room. "I'm going to take bath!" He called as he rounded off to the bathroom, grabbing a towel on the way.

Onew halted in the bathroom doorway. His eyes were drawn to the trail of sand along the floor, his face cringing. He hoped there wasn't any grains piled up at the bottom of the tub. Now a bath didn't sound so appealing.

"Thanks, Jonghyun," he muttered, reluctantly reaching for the water.

@⚓ Jinki [[sure that's fine.]]

Jonghyun tiredly led Trouble Maker back to the post, securing her once more. He heard his brother calling out that he could use the bath and as he checked to make sure the reigns were secure, he muttered his reply more to himself than to actually answer Onew. "Mmm...thank you...." After patting the horse, he yawned and made his way into the house.

He hadn't bothered to get dressed on the way back to the house and was clad in only damp pink underwear. Heading into the bathroom, he got the water started, undressing and stepping in not bothering with closing the door. After quickly washing up, he dried himself with one of the towels before wrapping it around his waist and heading into the room. Knowing whatever clothing he had was dirty, he settled for using a pair of the other's boxers, pulling it on before just hanging the towel on the door knob.

Yawning, he went to lay on the bed, groaning lowly as he relaxed, laying next to Onew and not bothering with laying upside down. Having thought Onew was asleep, the sudden talking had him humming sleepily. "Hmm? Where?" Only a moment later his question was answered. "Mmm...should take a trip. visit one of the islands." He muttered, turning so his back was to his brother.

While he knew in the morning he would probably be scolded for not sleeping upside down, he didn't quite care at the moment. It was kinda scary to risk having his brother kicking his face in his sleep. After the long day, it didn't take too long to fall asleep.

@☾ Jonghyun |SH| {{I took this as happening as they are coming back from the beach - I took some liberties in saying Onew heard Jonghyun coming into the bedroom x3 I hope you don't mind!}}

Onew shook the water drops out of his hair, his eyes dropping as the night drew in. He had climbed back into his shirt and trousers on the beach, though now their thin material was sticking to his damp skin. And he feared that he'd be finding sand in the most awkward of places in the morning - but he was far too tired to even take a bath let alone inspect himself. So, with as much alertness as he could muster, Onew twisted the key in the lock, calling out to Jonghyun that he could use the bath, and then slunk back towards the bedroom, pulling off his soggy clothes as he went.

With his make-shift towel, he attempted to dry himself off, his hair damp but bearable. Lazily, he dragged on his nightwear - a loose shirt (for Jonghyun's sake) and cloth trousers - before climbing into bed.

In the drifting sounds of sleep, Onew barely made out the sound of Jonghyun shifting around the house and hearing him come into the room. Onew had finally agreed to let him share the bed with him - providing it was feet to head - given that he was his brother and, well, Onew wasn't that cruel.

"Mmmm," Onew mumbled, half asleep. "You should take me sometime," he said into his pillow, his head to heavy to lift as his eyelids drooped. "On one of your fancy adventures..." Onew smiled, drunken with sleep, to himself, knowing that, if Onew had his way, Jonghyun would never get rid of him.

But he could never voice his thoughts as the darkness of sleep smothered him and he was soon lost in his dreams.

@⚓ Jinki {' IM SO EMOTIONAL but yes yes go /waves you off/ go eat go eat }

It had been two days, two days living in a cramped cell, two days with nothing but bread and water and darkness and she'd cried herself to sleep every night. Not that she could tell when it was night or day. She knew that would soon end however. She heard the guards whispering, what her punishment was to be, an example, public humiliation and tears pricked in her eyes at the thought.

Her delicate hands rubbed at the chains around her wrists, coughing at the dryness of her through and half of her just prayed for it to come faster, so it would be over and she tried to remember the warmth of Jinki's lips against her own and the feeling of his hands at her waist.

She dreams of him busting in and getting her out of here, the two of them escaping down the coast or sneaking onto a pirate ship at the docks, maybe they would, had she not told him to wait. He was probably back at his lighthouse, watching for the ships and drinking his dark tea, her clothes and boots still held up in his entryway and Hyejin tugged the hem of her cheesecloth down lower.

"Today's the day, Miss Ahn." One of the guards almost chortled and in the back of her mind she recognized him, maybe one of her training group and she cursed when he unlocked the cell, grabbing her by the chained wrists and tugging her through colourless hall after colourless hall.

She knew what awaited her before she'd seen it. A block set up in the town square, a whip at it's side and she knew she'd be knelt, and beat and whipped, an example of those who break the law or exiles who return to where they aren't wanted.

@☾ Hwasa {{I had a feeling if gotten his age wrong last time xD 25, not 26! I should remember these things!!}}

Onew had never really cared about the age difference. His heart had evidently never cared about it and it wasn't something he studied in great detail. He hadn't even given Hyejin's opinion on the subject a thought.

"I never," Onew whispered, swallowing. "Saw you as a child."

It was true. He'd always thought she was far more mature than her age gave her. In fact, he'd often forgotten that she was that much younger than him. She'd always just been... there. He couldn't even remember now what it was that had started his attraction for her. Maybe it had always been that way - maybe he was just programmed to like her.

Onew's thoughts were cut short when Hyejin slid close to him, pressing her lips against his. His startled expression didn't disappear until he closed his eyes and found his hands fitting into her waist.

When she pulled away, it felt too soon, his mind completely numb but for thoughts of her and her lips and the feel of her hair against his cheeks. He'd even forgotten about the patrol men and the danger they were in.

Until Hyejin whispered, her words bewildering, and pulled away. Onew's eyes widened in shock, reaching out to catch her wrist, but it slipped between his fingers. "Hyejin-" He started, his voice hushed but panicked.

Her body disappeared around the other side of the boulder but he could still hear her pounding footsteps, and the calls of the patrol men drowning them. Onew wanted to stand up, to stop them chasing her, not let them take her away, but the chains of her words kept her down. She had done this for him, so that he wouldn't be punished alongside her.

Guilt filled him for letting her go, for dooming her to whatever punishment would be given to her. He only prayed that she was fast enough to get away.

Onew hid behind the boulder until he no longer heard any sounds of Hyejin and her pursuers, his ears only filled with the sloshing of waves and howling winds. Then, in silence, he crept out and slunk back to his lighthouse. Alone again. As if she had never been here.

{{Can I get you to do the time skip? I've got to get my lunch before work ;;}}

@⚓ Jinki "I was just fourteen year old with a crush and you were already a man Jinki...." She whispered softly and she winced as she heard them move closer, ever closer and her smaller fingers wound into his own, giving them a gentle squeeze as the light flickered nearer to them.

"Jinki...." Hyejin whispered softly, her breathing faster and faster by the second, knowing they'd be found and she swallowed deeply, knowing what she had to do and she silently shifted closer to him, leaning up to cup his cheek gently in her hand to press their lips softly. A silently apology and her fingers slid into his hair, deepening the kiss for just a short moment before she saw the light shine over the rock and the men freeze in their spot.

"Wait for me, please, One week...." The blonde woman requested with tear stained eyes as she pulled away, ingraining his face into her memory, this new, older Jinki that she'd never had the pleasure of knowing until now. But she would not be the reason for his arrest.

With that, the blonde woman shot from behind the boulder with unbelievable speed, her small, bare feet seeming to run ontop of the water than through it and the guards shouts were instant. "There! Miss! By the order of The Oceanside Guard: Stop!" They shouted, hurtling after her along the shore but for the moment she was too quick, staying a few strides ahead of them as tears streamed down her cheeks, swallowing each hiccup as it tickled .

She refused to look back, not wanting the guards to know where he was. It had been selfish. She'd been selfish to just waltz back into his life and put his life and everything he had in danger. It hadn't been fair and now she knew that she'd screwed up.

But she couldn't find it in herself to regret it, the taste on her lips still making her chest warm and her breath shorten.

{' OR I COULD MAKE IT ANGSTY /o/
i was thinking you could reply and then a time skip? }

@☾ Hwasa It turned out hiding behind a boulder had been much easier as a child. They had been smart and more flexible, easy to fit inside the shadows like the click of a jigsaw piece. At 26, he was quite a lot bigger and the effortlessness he'd discovered as a child at hiding had turned to clumsiness. Thankfully, the boulder compensated for that, being quite a bit taller than he was when crouched down.

Onew flickered his eyes to Hyejin in surprise, hearing her soft words. He wasn't exactly sure what led him on - perhaps the same thing that had pushed him to kiss her - but slowly, he slipped his hand down beside her and took hers.

"Why didn't either of us ever say anything?" He sighed quietly under his breath, his tone bittersweet. It felt almost too late now to be doing this. They were both in different areas, in different paths of life. Their chance had long gone, replaced by acres of sand and desert.

But maybe her coming back now was a chance for a do-over, for him to steal the confidence he'd never had as a child.

The cracking of footsteps and murmuring voices along the beach stopped him.

"Did you hear about the fight over by the market today?" one deep voice chuckled from the back of his throat. "A right brawl, they said. Wish I could have been on patrol there than this damn place."

"Hey," the other voice matched his, the sound of a slap on the back echoing out across the waves. "Maybe one day you'll catch an under wearing lobster in the act. Everyone would be talking about that one."

A hearty chortle was followed by a sarcastic, "Oh, ha ha."

The voices were getting closer, the beam of a lamp skimming over the sea and sand, inching nearer to the boulder. Onew tensed, gripping Hyejin's hand. He couldn't bare to think of them taking her, punishing her, scarring her with another, deeper 'X'. And, no doubt, they'd whip him too. He was carefree most of the time but he wasn't entirely unintelligent. Anyone caught harbouring a fugitive within the kingdom walls would be considered an accomplice.

He could care to leave his lighthouse. She was all he had.

Well, until now.

{{it's up to you if they get caught of not ^^}}

@⚓ Jinki Hyejin waited, wondering what he would so, in fear of him pushing her away before larger harder wound through her damp block locks and lips met hers in a way that stole her breath, Onew's grip onto her waist and his fingers cupping the back of her neck had her melting and the water around them seemed to warm with every passing second. Hyejins slips were soft and pliant between his own, her arms sliding to wrap under her head in an almost pillow to keep his head up off the wet sand and the slight deepening of the kiss pulled a soft sound from the back of .

As he pulled away her brow eyes fluttered open once more, gazing down to him as his thumb brushed over her soft skin and she playfully nudged their noses, though the way his eyes stared up into hers had her feeling and bare. Cheeks flushing before she was kissed again and she never wanted this to end.

Feeling the mans body freeze and stiffen immediately sent panic through her and her gaze shot up towards the beach, silently sliding down into the water off of Jinkis chest and drifting to press her back against the boulder, his soft whisper causing her to curse. A hand fell to her hip, looking for her weapons but she'd remembered she'd left them in Jinki's cottage. "Get over here." She whispered softly, pulling Jinki so sit beside her, grateful the boulder was big enough - hopefully - to hide both of them.

Maybe they'd just have to wait it out, sit here and hop and pray that the guards would go away, that she wouldn't be punished and whipped and kicked from the walls once again. Torn away from him.

"I liked you too..." She found herself whispering into the darkness, knowing that now was no longer the best time but she didn't want the guards to steal her away without her ever saying it. "I gave up after so many years, thinking I was too young for you, but I always liked you...you made me feel special..." She finished in a flushed mumble, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to melt into the rock, her heat pounding in her ears.

@☾ Hwasa {{goodnight <33 ^_~}}

"Far from it," Onew murmured, an amused smile kissing his lips. This moment felt bittersweet. It felt frozen, a hazy dream. And as soon as they stood up, as soon as they stepped back onto that beach, it would be gone like the shifting, disappearing sands.

Onew held his breath, watching her movements, her hands sliding up from his chest, around his neck to the dark curls framing the back of his head. Anticipation and curiosity charged up inside his chest. And then she kissed him.

Stunned. That was a word for it. But it felt more than that; it was trapped feelings and frozen memories and longing.

She drifted away just as he closed his eyes. Her soft whisper was like a breath on his skin. Opening his eyes, he reached up, cupping his hand around her neck and pulling her down again, their lips connecting.

This time he didn't forget to move. His lips were soft and gentle against hers but they weren't stock still. He caressed his bottom lip against hers, an electric current coursing through his movements. He wasn't entirely aware of what he was doing but something was spurring him on, driving him to deepen the kiss, his fingers entwining into her damp hair, the other hand sliding down to her waist, pulling her closer, further, nearer.

He broke the kiss for barely a second, his lips panting for breath. His eyes caught hers, searching deeper in then than he ever had before. Why hadn't either of them ever said anything? He was too scared and she was too disillusioned to ever risk changing anything. But it could have changed everything... everything could have been just right.

Onew exhaled a breath before leaking up to her lips again, his feeling cold and lost without hers. He trailed his fingers down her cheek, cupping it there, slowly closing his eyes just as he caught the glimpse of a beach flickering towards the beach.

He froze, pulling away, and taking a glance towards the direction of it. It wasn't the lighthouse. Onew swore under his breath, carefully guiding Hyejin from atop him and tried his best to move into the shadows without sloshing around too much.

With warning eyes, he glanced to Hyejin and whispered, "Patrol."

{ Her delicate fingers* woopsies }

@⚓ Jinki "Thank god...." She murmured softly, glad he was okay and she let him check her knee, extending her leg for a moment as his larger hands framed her leg, observed the graze before she was allowed to rest back down and his fingers began to work through her now slightly dangled and damp hair, looking down at him through the darkness as the water lapped at their bodies.

The tips of her hair slightly grazed over his cheeks and his question caused her cheeks to flush, her now drenched shirt bunching at the top of her thighs, her hands resting on the mans shoulders as she thought of some response, something, anything to say but she found she couldn't tear her eyes from his gaze. "I-"

His body shifted under her and she felt him lean up slightly onto his elbows, the gentle brushing of lips effectively silencing her and her eyelashes fluttered, expecting a firm press of lips before the warmth and heat was pulled away from her and her gaze settled once again on the man below her. His soothing touch just above her hip dimples causing her to bite her bottom lip gently, letting it slowly slip from it's hold before murmuring.

"I never thought you'd like me...I always thought you saw me as an baby sister...." Hyejin admitted in a soft whisper, her hands resting on his chest once more and a soft shiver ran through her from the different in temperature, his warm body pressed so close and the freezing waves that continued to wash around them. The blonde woman felt her heart slamming against her rib cage, tongue darting over her lips as her arms slide up to wrap around the back of Jinkis neck, carefully guiding his head up off the wet sand as her plump lips fit perfectly into the seam of his.

His delicate fingers gently wound innto the dark, wet locks at the back of his head as her nose gently nudged beside Jinkis, feeling the way heir lips pressed and how it had her eyes sliding closer and her body curving a little closer for a sparing second. Her kiss was brief, tender, soft, it seemed to stretch forever but it was brief, barely pulling away for a soft whisper of: "You really should've.".

{' ITS SHORT IM SORRY BUT I WANT KISSIES BEFORE I SLEEPIES }

@☾ Hwasa {{I WAS THINKINH OF MAKONG IT POSSIBLY KISS-Y BUT WASNT SURE YOU WANTED THAT TOO
SO NOW I HAVE THE GO AHEAD!! WOOHOOO!! *seriously fangirling right now. I'm going to have to spam the shipping room!*}}

"Yeah," he grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm okay." His body was stiff but he was okay and he was sure he hadn't broken any bones. All was good and well. "Are you okay?" He asked suddenly, catching a glimpse of the tiniest bit of red seeping out across the surface of the water. In panic, he sat up straight, examining her knee in the low light. At first he'd worried that it would be a huge gash, but when his eyes met the shadow of a shallow graze, he let out breath of relief and collapsed back onto his back. The most it would do was sting a little in the salt water.

Onew smiled widely, feeling her shoulders shake against him from laughter. The moment felt idyllic, with the moon hovering above them, the waves lapping around their bodies and Hyejin in his arms. It could be a snapshot of the future he'd always dreamed of, a taster of what could never be. But, at times like this, he could almost forget everything else.

Almost.

"Hey," Onew said softly, his throat constricting just a little bit out of nerves. Carefully, he moved his hand from her waist up to her head, gently stroking her hair. "What were you going to say? Before we..." He grinned. "I tripped."

It was captivating lying there, gazing into Hyejin's eyes. She was gazing down at him, the tips of her short hair now wet from salted waves and her skin - although not as smooth as he remembered it - was gleaming in the soft hue of the moonlight.

Without even thinking, he'd leaned up ever so slightly, grazing his nose ever so slightly against hers, never once dropping her gaze. Until he glanced at her lips. He could do it; could steal the confidence he'd never had when he was younger. What other chance would he get?

Slowly, he moved closer, his lips getting nearer and nearer to hers with every breath. He swallowed, unsure, his breath holding as his bottom lip just barely whispered a graze against hers.

He pulled back, collapsing onto his back and glancing away. There was no future in this, nothing he could possibly hope for between them. That was all over. It was supposed to be over. He sighed.

"Sorry," he mumbled, tracing faint circles along her lower back. "I shouldn't have."

{{okay, I'm prolonging it, I know xD
You can grab him and kiss him if you want xD I'm sure he'd gladly welcome it ;) }}

@⚓ Jinki {' IF YOU MAKE IT ALL SERIOUS-Y POSSIBLY KISS-Y {BECAUSE DAMN PERFECT MOMENT RIGHT HERE } WE CAN HAVE FEELING S BUT
ONLY IF YOU WANT TO /o/ }

@☾ Hwasa {{Haha, oh my gosh, you are the cutest!
I have no idea how I'm going to reply! Aaaaaahh!!}}

@⚓ Jinki {' HANDS YOU MY REPLY ~
OMG IM NEVER GOING TO SLEEP
NOBODY CAN MAKE ME SLEEP }

@⚓ Jinki Hyejin chuckled and let him pull her closer nonetheless, feeling the wet surface beneath her toes she stepped atop his boots to avoid her bare feet sleeping on the wet rock. His soft confession of his about her height made her smile widen and as her hand rested on his shoulder, the other slotting into his she let her head drop to his shoulder, chuckling. "Well, I'm glad because I don't think I'm growing any time soon." She admitted, their chests pressing as she stood so close to him, wanting him to stay warm and she was taken back.

The harvest festival of her 18th year, Jinki was already a man by then, the five years separating them often seeming like decades but it was the first festival she felt like she'd fallen into her own, and like every year he'd dance with her. Her soft, white skirts would fly about as they spun and the small wreath of flowers that sat amongst her blonde hair - that at that time flowed to her waist - caused her to feel like a woman. As they spun and danced and swayed the day away she'd never felt happier, never felt more beautiful and as Onews hand fit to the snug of her waist to hold her close she realised she was no where near that beautiful anymore, something that almost brought a tear to her eye.

Her blonde locks cut choppy and short, and a little wonky. Her previously un marred thighs curved with years of hard labour but softened by the sea breeze were now scarred on her left leg. Her hands, still small, didn't have the same softness, and her dresses replaced with a slightly torn cheese cloth shirt she'd robbed from a male supply store in Grasslands.

"I liked you, you know."

The words that floated on that familiar voice to her ear caused her eyes to widen and she looked up at the male, having to think over his words twice before any of them made sense. Liked, cared for. Hyejin could practically see the youngsters games of tag on the beach and the the celebration of her 16ths birthday. She'd never thought Onew could ever care for her, romantically, she'd always viewed herself as too young, too chubby, too blonde, too different and she quickly began to speak. "Jinki, I-..."

Suddenly his feet slipped out from under hers and her knee grazed along the rocky surface before they tumbled into the water and she landed on his chest, unaware of her knee for the moment as the wind was knocked out of her.

Hyejin cursed, chuckling as she pushed herself up off his chest for a moment. "You klutz, are you okay?" She almost murmured with a soft pout, sitting up on his thighs as she checked him over for injury and she held onto his jacket, the entirety of them drenched but she didn't want to lose it, left leaning over him with a soft pout on her face, worried he'd been injured.

Hyejins eyes locked onto the mans sheepish smile and the same one tugged at her own lips, chuckling and soon she erupted into warm laughter, chocolate eyes curving intensely and her body falling forward, face burying into Jinkis shoulder as she laughed, and laughed at the events. Her free hand holding onto the side of his shirt as she finally lifted her head, body still shaking a little and she chuckled. "It was a brilliant idea, thankyou..."

@☾ Hwasa {{HOLY PJs, I'M A MIND READER!!
I KNOOOW!! THE FEEEEELLSSS!!}}

@⚓ Jinki {' YOU MADE THEM FALL JUST LIKE I IMAGINED THEY WOULD URGHGHHGHH FEEEEELINGSS /o/ }

@☾ Hwasa {{HOW DO I EVEN-
Like, I have a serious grin on my face right now xD I wanna right a really good post in response but the pressure is like up HERE and I don't wanna ruin the moment between them! AAAH!}}

Onew found himself treasuring the way she curled up into him, his nose burying into her hair and wishing this was how things could stay. She tugged at his heart, her faint tears a reminder of how he'd always been there to comfort her as children. He wanted to forget that she had ever left, that she was never going to leave again. But if he dived in too far, he'd get his heart broken again like a bottle shattered across the sand, it's soggy, wet message spilling out with the waves.

Without her pressed against his chest, he was open to the cold, biting air. It chilled his bones, making him hunger for the warmth of his lighthouse or the warmth of his friend. He chuckled at Hyejin's expression, retorting that he'd even suggest dancing on the boulder. "Why not?" He shrugged, helping her to her feet before sliding forward and fitting her into a waltz hold like they had designed to be pieced together like that.

"I always thought it was cute," he chuckled before his eyes widened at what he was saying, his cheeks flushed and his gaze diverted. Silently, stiffly, he began to sway with her, an attempt at a slow dance (the only dance safe enough to perform atop a boulder) before he began to relax along with his movements.

It had always been moments like this that he'd been tempted to confess. He'd imagine her smiling so widely at the hearing of his feelings, announcing that she had felt that way all along. But it had been the other imaginations, the envisaging of her horrified face, of her never wanting to speak to her again, that had scared him off. And he'd never done it. Maybe he was glad of that, maybe he wasn't, he wasn't sure. But something was tugging him forward, telling him not to let this chance go by. He'd say it, for his younger self, confess the feelings he'd once been so devoted to.

So, as if it were a strain on his voice, he said, "I liked you, you know." His hand tightened around her waist ever so slightly, their bodies hovering close to each other. He let out a breathy laugh as if he were amused at his old feelings. "I always had this ridiculous fantasy that one day you'd wake up and realise it was me all along and I wouldn't have to be the one confessing." He shook his head, a nostalgic smile on his lips. "But hey," he said, trying to brush off the importance of the words he'd just said. "That's all in the past. I-"

His foot slipped, the wet, slimy rock underneath not a grooved enough surface for two adults to dance on. With a yelp, he went, tumbling down, Hyejin still in his arms, and landed with an oomph in the shallow waves below.

He let out a painful laugh, stretching up just enough to check that all his limbs were still working. "Sorry," he heaved with a sheepish smile. "Maybe that wasn't such a good idea after all."