they were suppose to be like the opposite of poles; always maintaining their distance like a predator and prey, but they were really just sliver and gold; the attracting sides of magnets
choi idalia and xu minghao, two uncertainties in a world were...
He lays on the alleyway concrete, and the puddle of the blood of the people he killed beside him, taunting him almost as he attempted to endure the spine-breaking pain. Through his blurred vision, he saw Jun feet away watching, just watching as he screamed for help and his body constricted and pulled. Even through the menacing pain, he reached his hand out, asking for help only for his closest friend to just stand and watch the torment he started.
An unimaginable heat, like the sensation of branding, was on his shoulders blades, his fully black wings spreading out as a result of the excruciating feeling. And what brought quick relief brought even worse pain, he heard cracking and felt every bone in his wings slowly shattered as he eventually lost feeling of them but still felt the burning on his back. Through more yells the skin surrounding the wings ripped, blood spilling around them.
His breathing was shallow, sweat was glazed over his face and his body was almost numb as he gritted his teeth, he couldn't help but fight it even though a certain voice told him not to but it was just too much to endure, too much to deal. What was the feeling of intense stinging was soon replaced by immense pressure on his shoulder blades as his new wings began to push out, ripping off his old ones making him scream and contort his body into a ball, feeling lightheaded as in the final moment the new wings ripped through completely spreading out proudly as his consciousness faded away—
—The aftermath of the night was littered all over him, from the littered cuts and bruises on his face from his attempt to fight Jun off to the fresh scars on his shoulder blades that his fingers were tracing over, the appearance of them through the mirror making him twinge. His reflection felt unfamiliar to him, it was him no doubt, but the visual defeat on his body and his sluggish appearance made it feel like he was looking at someone in a blurry crowd; his reflection was not one of himself.
In the dim bathroom, he was focused on himself in the mirror, and as he stared at his reflection for countless minutes it took him a moment to realize the soft patient knocking at the door.
"Hey, everything okay in there?" She asked. On the opposite side of the door, she looked at her watch, speaking as she realized how long he's been in there.
"I'm okay," he expected her to back off, but Idalia never seemed to back off, and this time was no different.
"Can I come in?" She asked again, and although her voice was pure even as a door separated them his heart didn't fail to pick up its pace. He mumbled a yes, turning himself towards the door, leaning against the counter as he slipped back on his shirt.
She opened the door cautiously, unknowing to her, carrying a small white box that was easily recognized as first-aid. His head tilted towards her, glancing at the box and then at her.
A nonverbal question and easily Idalia picked up on it, a natural smile falling on her lips, she pointed towards his face, his cheekbone adorned with a cut big enough that she saw even in the dark alleyway before. It seemed the two could always communicate in silence, as if words weren't necessary, maybe it was because it was easier, or maybe the two sometimes were too scared to allow some words to escape their mouths when they are together. Like silence kept their secrets.
She placed the box beside him on the counter, opening it and pulling out some type of ointment, squeezing the product on a cotton swab she finally looked back at him, "We don't want these to scar," she whispered, motioning to injuries on his face.
He nodded as she began to apply the medicine to his cheek, "I was really worried Hao, and I still am."
"I'm okay," he reassured, her hands moved swiftly onto the next cut. "I'm here breathing aren't I." He joked, raising his hand to his heart.
"I'm not stupid," She stopped to look at him, "I know you're lying, I know that what you were just forced into was probably the worst pain imaginable, no, I know it was, and you were by yourself with no one to help ease the pain, and I could literally kill Jun right now, but Mingyu said he's your closet friend but still I-"
His hand grabbed her which was raised in front of his cheek still, "Hey, slow down."
She sighed, her heart was racing from anxiety not the usual butterflies, the same anxiousness she had as she waited by the bathroom door, pacing and hoping that he was inside breathing. She knew he was exhausted, she could see his mental torment and she knew that what happened earlier that night was more complex than a couple of cuts, she knew that he was fighting himself, because she knew enough about him, from the moments in the little apartment they were in or even just from all their time together, she knew he was in his own mental hell.
Taking a deep breath she spoke once more, "I just know this is a lot harder than you're saying this is, didn't you say we shouldn't fight this by ourselves?"
He was silent because he knew she was right, he was hiding his pain and he didn't really know why, it wasn't on purpose it was a reflex, an instinct he's had all his life but he was trying to be more open, at least with her.
"I know you're strong, I mean you've just survived something most probably couldn't but I know it was hard and I just, I just don't want you to keep what you're feeling right now to yourself." She glanced down after speaking from nerves, noticing that his grip on her hand squeezed for a moment.
"You're right, I'm not really okay, I don't know why I didn't be honest with you, I guess maybe I didn't want you to worry, but that didn't work obviously." His voice was soft, pressing his lips together at the end of his words as her eyes looked back at him.
"Yeah it didn't work, so don't do that again," she teased, a heavy smile casting her lips as he released his grip on her hand, and out of boldness or maybe she just needed to have him closer to her for comfort she wrapped her arms around his torso, pressing her head against his chest feeling his natural warmth exude on her cheek. "I'm serious, don't do what you did again, don't leave without me."
It took him a moment to understand what she had just done, her movement throwing him off guard but his own arms wrapped around her, one hand moving to her head on their own as his comprehensive thoughts froze. "I won't, I promise."
It was easy to recite the promise, to promise the woman in his embrace that he would never leave, it was too easy. It made sense to promise her like it makes sense for the waves to keep washing the shell glisten sand. He didn't worry if the promise would break, because he would try his best to keep it and maybe that's why it was so easy to say.
Eventually, she released herself from the hug, "So where we're we?" He chuckled, his laugh was light and bubbly, like an uplifting melody and for a moment in the unnerving chaos everything felt okay.
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not edited. this chapt kinda bad i haven't written in a while so excuse if it's not good but let me know your thoughts.
