Nadir ◈ Seungjin

23 ◈ Python

Forewarning: Brief and vague mentions of suicidal thoughts/failed attempts.

It's one bit of dialogue after the "I envy you" line, but I want to tag it. Not mentioned anywhere else after or before, just that bit.

The four of them chased after the shadow.

Staying far enough back from it's wandering steps that they wouldn't be seen, heard, or detected underneath the cover of the short buildings in this stretch of the port city on that particularly gloomy night. A haze of fog that had settled over the ocean side while they were busy inside the nightclub. Reducing visibility, concealing them completely coupled with the deep pitch surrounding them, the few rays of the streetlights from above struggling to slice through the cotton clouds sunk into the roads and sidewalks they jogged through. Light tumbling through like ghostly halos. Streaks of paint dragged across a canvas. Pouring waterfalls of Elysian ichor spilling from the sky, from somewhere far above them before the lightbulbs came into view.

The fog being enough to hide them away, but also enough to cover up the Mimic's movements. Save for Minho who was able to listen for the footsteps, the steel tipped black boots snagging against the concrete and rocks; And Hyunjin who was able to pinpoint those few movements, the hinting daunt of their huffing breaths, something the vampire described as 'raspy and gooey', plus the scent of sweat off his skin; The two humans were reduced to following after the two vampires in total silence. Ensuring none of their own breaths, their own footsteps, their own slight stumbles or mistaken gasps were able to be heard through the padding of mist shrouding them in it's embrace like a lingering lover yet to let go of the mortal world years after it's spectre was unwelcomed home.

Seungmin kept his eyes trained on them.

On Hyunjin, at the forefront of the pack. Silently guiding and gesturing them through the sidewalks, alleyways, row after row of building, unfamiliar streets, streetlights that past.

On Jisung, tiptoeing after him. Hands laced together behind his back, as they typically were, his gaze constantly flipping between the vampire. Minho. Seungmin. The buildings. The streetlights. The shadows. Their shadows, hidden by the fog. Hands outstretching to catch the cloud in his palms. Folding. Hyunjin. Minho. Seungmin. Buildings. Streetlights. Shadows. Catching. Folding. Repeating.

On Minho, his arms crossed over his chest as his eyebrows knitted together and his lips forced themselves into a thin line. Scowling at the pair walking in front of them.

Seungmin bit the inside of his cheek and followed after them.

Chasing through the blasting silence of the fog, until the buildings around them lessened out.

Until the scent of salt water began to overtake the rubbery stench of exhausted car tires and spilled gasoline burned to translucent shimmers on the puddled streets. The cold breeze from the water overtaking the empty spaces the gaps the escaping buildings left in their wake, it's phantom touch weaving between the four with it's sour hair. Tangling and twisting them up in strands as they continued to walk through the growing scent. While they pressed on along the streets, past the dangling lights drowning out to the fog. Drowning out to the dark as the bright bulbs began to disappear, forcing Seungmin and Minho to turn their phones on as flashlights to watch where their steps chased over.

The ground beneath them fading from pavement, to creaky wooden planks as a steep decline dipped them down by a large cement wall. Escaping them beneath the level the city was built atop.

Waves lapped beneath the wooden walkways.

Seungmin chased his phone around them, trying to press through the low viability as an alabaster surface greeted the reflection of the impromptu flashlight.