Mists of Celeste - an Ateez Fanfic

act three ➻ part six

warning: depictions of an explosion in this chapter, as well as short mention of torture. please read with caution

You're off the ship again today. Despite Hongjoong's near breakdown yesterday, Seonghwa dropped by early in the morning to say that everyone had a day off to relax and recover. He and Hongjoong still had meetings to take care of, so even with Hongjoong's insistence about a lack of time, he can't do anything about it quite yet. Not until the end of his meetings today at least. Yunho was the only person excited to hear the news, and that's only because he wanted to drag you out by the heels to visit the capital today. Something about seeing that festival he had mentioned to you before and showing you all the beautiful things Reinig has to offer? Said man is currently speaking to you, but his words go in one ear and out the other. You don't intend to blatantly ignore him; something else occupies your attention, and that's the white flakes falling from the sky.

Snow.

Some would probably be surprised to hear it, but you've never actually seen snow in person. Rain, hail, lightning three feet from where you're standing – never snow. It's something fascinating to you. The way it clings to the mask that's tugged up over your nose and ghosts over your bare arms. It was probably a mistake to wear a sleeveless shirt, but you had to find a turtleneck that could cover the marks Seonghwa left along your neck days ago, and this was the only thing you had left in your drawers. Maybe it's time to ask Jongho to wash your clothes for you again, but you had to do a full week of scrubbing the pots and pans he cooked burnt meals with, and that was a new form of torture in and of itself.

Someone – or something – catches hold of your hand, and you jerk to look up at Yunho despite him being on the opposite side of you. He blinks back with wide and confused eyes for several seconds before you realize that he's not the one holding you. When you shift to the look to your right, it's Wooyoung who smiles at you, his lips stretched wide and flashing his toothy grin.

"You looked a bit conflicted," he says, tugging you forward and away from Yunho. The healer releases a small sigh but doesn't stop Wooyoung from pulling you further into the streets.

"I was thinking about cleaning the dishes again," you admit, and even though it sounds like a lie, it truly isn't. Wooyoung scoffs.

"Don't remind me. It's my week to take a knife to the pan and chip off the burnt food."

"You know, maybe if you chuck the pans out the airlock, no one will notice?"

"Jongho will whine about his precious pots and pans being gone. Since – what is it he says? The burnt bits give the food flavor?" Wooyoung grimaces a little, shaking his head. He still has a hold on your wrist, and you glance down to try to insinuate your discomfort with the prolonged touch. Something catches your eye before you can voice the discomfort though, and that's a simple beaded bracelet over his tanned skin. You've never seen him wearing it before; the green and blue intertwined threads unfamiliar to you, along with the small beads running over the thread. Wooyoung catches your lingering stare and tugs his hand away from yours quickly. A breathy laugh falls from his lips. When he faces forward, you glance back to where Yunho walks alongside Yeosang, your stare settling on the latter of the two. He stares right back at you, lips set in a thin line. Rather than meeting that stare, you drop your gaze to his wrist and find what you assumed would be there. The same bracelet that Wooyoung has, only wrapped around his right wrist and not his left like Wooyoung.

"I, uh–" You start as you look back towards Wooyoung, but he cuts you off before you can finish the thought.

"It's a charm for protection and good health," he says under his breath. He gnaws at his lower lip, looking suddenly self-conscious and shy about the bracelets. "I was only gonna get one for Yeo, but... he got one for me too. Just in case."