Title: Stairway To Heaven [2/2] Pairing: Lunew Rating: PG-13 Genre: AU, Romance (I guess) Warning: Maybe character death, maybe suicide WC: ~6K (whole fic) Disclaimer: I own no one but myself.
That night, Luna wished again that when she wakes up, she'd still be in her warm bed, in her cozy clothes rather than in a cold, lonely street. Luna's wished went unheard however because next time she opened her eyes, she was Sunyoung.
She awoke in a corner of a dirty street where she had spent the night after being to beaten up to go home. She felt exhausted all over and wished she could go back to being Luna as quickly as possible.
But that was impossible. Right now she's Sunyoung and she had to forget about the beautiful dream called Luna. She got up as she knew there would be another mission today. One that involved physical attacks and pain. Pain was such an amazing antidote for Sunyoung. Pain took your mind off of everything. the only thing you could feel when you're in pain is just that. Pain. You don't feel the loneliness or the ugliness of this world because your body is incapable of registering anything but the pain which is tearing your insides apart. It was a nice distraction which Sunyoung gladly accepted whenever offered. And that's what she did. She was throwing random punches here and there at the members of the gang they were fighting with. She received just as many punches but she kept ignoring the pain and continued. The more she hit, the more she got hit; meaning more of that antidote given to her.
She heard a loud scream which she recognized as hers after a few seconds. She felt nothing at first when the piece of metal broke through her tender skin and flesh. But then the numbing pain came in waves. All her senses were numbed. She thought she heard the vague sound of police and ambulance sirens but she couldn't be sure. Her eyes were clouded with unshed tear that fogged her vision and her body fell on the rough pavement. There were feet around her; people were running she assumed. The pain became a little too much for Sunyoung to take. Her eyelids grew heavy and she felt herself slipping out of consciousness. The last thing she felt was arms wrapped around her petite frame, carrying her to heaven she hoped.
••••••••
Onew was running through the hospital halls fanatically before he reached the room where he knew Luna would be. He had been called by her manager to cancel the photoshoot because Luna unexpectedly entered a coma. The only issue with her body the doctors could find was an internal bleeding near her waist. The reasons for the bleeding were unknown and the doctors were in a dilemma. There was no hitting marks ow bruises on the outer skin which covered the bleeding and the doctors found themselves unable to help the girl in any way.
Onew stared at her peaceful face. Had they not been in the hospital, he could have believed that she was just peacefully and soundlessly sleeping. He couldn't help wondering why did he worry about her so much. Did he love her? Or was it just because he was humans and humans worried about each other? He lightly traced his finger over her cheekbone, down her jaw line and finally reaching her lips. He ran the pad of his thumb lightly over her lower lip. Memories of their previous night together flooding his brain. He didn't understand why would he deny that he loved her. As far as Onew knew, no one can put a definition to what love actually was. Love didn't have a special steps that people needed to follow. Love didn't have a time frame as well. People fall in love simply because they fall in love. Onew's feelings towards Luna did not develop in days or weeks, they're feeling that have developed in mere minutes and hours.
Onew wanted Luna to always smile. He wanted her to be successful and wanted her to shine. He wanted to be around her, hold her hand, kiss her and hug her. And the thing he wanted the most if for her to open her eyes and give him her beautiful smile again. That night Onew decided to sleep by her side. Hoping that when he opens his eyes, she'll be smiling at him.
•••••••••
Luna slowly opened her eyes. She felt exhausted, as if she had slept for days. She started freaking out, however, when she found herself in a bed that's not hers, a hand not so foreign holding her hand tenderly. She looked at the figure sitting on a chair besides her bed before she realized who the man with the fluffy hair was. She also realized that she was in the hospital. Luna wanted to move but her limps were aching. She lied her head back down trying to recall the events; Sunyoung's injury was what came to her mind. Sunyoung must have been seriously injured that she went into a coma, and in turn so did Luna. Luna almost cried at the realization of how serious and strong the connection between her and her nightmare is. She must have slept for more than one day and she must have been injured in a way or another as well.
Her curiosity got the best of her eventually as she started waking Onew up lightly. Her throat was dry and her voice hoarse and that made it difficult to explain to a sleepy Onew that she needed some water. When he finally realized what she was asking for he got up so quickly that he almost tripped over himself. Luna couldn't help but smiling fondly at him. She drank the water eagerly when he gave her it before handing him the cup. She managed to voice out a small 'what happened?' earning Onew's attention. "I should be asking you this! You wouldn't wake up for two days and you had an internal bleeding! What happened to you?"
Luna was taken aback by the tone of Onew's voice. It was a tone that overflowed with worry and concern. Onew worried about her and despite the current situation, she couldn't help feeling happy. She held his hand between both of hers and squeezed lightly. "I don't know either." She managed out weakly."I just woke up and found myself here. I don't know the reason for this internal bleeding." She lied. She couldn't tell Onew about Sunyoung and the things she got herself involved into as that person. Onew explained to her how she got to the hospital and told her that she has been sleeping for two days. She could only watch Onew in awe as his expressions changed in accordance with what he was explaining.
Her heartbeat accelerated as she realized just how much she meant to him. His word were full of worry and anguish over her situation and that only made her heart beat faster. She realized that she loved him with every cell of her existence. She didn't care for Sunyoung and she didn't care about getting hurt. In that moment all that she cared about was Onew and his everything.
Onew called the doctor after their conversation was over. Apparently, Luna was healing well and she didn't need to stay in the hospital any longer. Her manager was going to take her home when both Onew and Luna insisted that Onew does the job. Only because the manager had a family he needed to go back to. That was the only reason.
•••••••
When they arrived Onew insisted on helping Luna all the way through her apartment and into her bedroom. He carried all her stuff for her and he wanted to carry her too but she absolutely refused the princess treatment. She was a tough girl and she didn't need that. That was one more thing Onew loved about Luna. She was indeed strong.
Onew asked Luna if she was certain she'd be okay before he turned around to leave. A slender hand wrapped around his wrist and held him in place. "S-stay." Luna was the one struggling to get her words out now. "Have a cup of coffee or something." She hated how her voice sounded almost pleading. Much weaker than it should have been. Her words were dipped in loneliness which Onew could almost taste. Onew turned around looking at the figure sitting on the side of the bed. Her eyes fixed on her lap as she waited for a response to her embarrassing request.
That response, however, was completely unexpected. Onew wrapped his fingers gently around her chin lifting it up. She was surprised that his face was so close to hers. She could feel Onew's breathe on her skin, and she could see his lips inching closer. Everything after that was vague in her mind. Somehow the both moved into the bed, hands roaming all over each other. Somehow, the gentle, tender kisses they were sharing turned into something much deeper and much more aggressive. Somehow, the clothes that were once covering their frames were piling up on her bedroom's floor. It all happened too quickly for her to comprehend. But that didn't matter. How, when, why and where were all irrelevant questions at that moment. Because that night, Luna felt as if she were in heaven; and her heaven was all that she cared about.
••••••
She did not dare crack an eye open that morning because she knew that she moved from heaven straight to hell when she couldn't feel the warmth of another next to her. She was Sunyoung again. She was lonely, she was hurt, she was cold and she was just...Sunyoung.
Except that she wasn't actually. She was still lying in a state of nakedness under a very warm blanket and in her bedroom. For some reason or another she was still Luna. Her mind was racing trying to give a thousand explanations for why the hell was she not Sunyoung. It was a payback. That would be the only explanation. Since Sunyoung kept Luna out of her world for longer than normal, Luna was to keep Sunyoung out of hers for longer as well. It was fair enough, Luna thought.
Luna's mind was deep in thought when she heard a faint singing sound coming from her bathroom. She completely forgot about the man who kept her company at night while trying to figure out the reason why she was still in this world. She got up slowly, taking the closes article of clothing -which just so happened to be Onew's oversized sweater- and sneaked over to where the voice was coming from. She almost squealed when she heard a voice laced with emotions filling the bathroom. Onew's singing voice was everything she would have never expected it to be. It was soft yet strong. It was soothing yet it had an edgy tone to it. It was a heavenly voice. That much she was certain about. She stood behind the bathroom door listening to the silly lyrics of the song he was singing. It was not a love song. It was a children song that talked about rainbows, pretty beaches and lovely summer nights. For her, this made the moment all the more heartwarming.
She was leaning against the door now and her mind was far away in fantasies. Fantasies in which she didn't live a dual life. Fantasies of Onew, and of them visiting beautiful beaches and chatting under a clear sky in a beautiful summer night. She was so lost in her fantasies that she did not notice the voice she was listening to quieting. She also didn't notice the door she was leaning into opening. She only awoke of her fantasies when she felt strong arms stopping her from falling down and her face collide with a wet, naked chest. Onew only had a towel around his waist. He was now holding Luna from the shoulders and she squirmed slightly under his questioning gaze before lifting her head up and talking to him.
"I have an encore concert today right?"
"Y..yeah I guess."
"Sing a duet with me today then. Please! You can just wear a mask and be an anonymous for every audience. I just want you to be there on the stage with me for once. And how come you ever told me you were such a good singer? Where did you learn to sing like this anyway and where did you inherit that voice from? Onew the only answer that I will accept for my request is approval and nothing else." She went on in one breathe leaving Onew pretty much speechless.
"..... You really won't accept a no will you?" He asked already feeling defeated.
"Absolutely not." She sang victoriously. Onew sighed exaggeratedly before nodding and telling Luna that this will be the first and last time for this. She was still glad.
She totally ignored that Onew was still half naked when she hopped on him hugging the life out of him in thankfulness.
•••••••
The rest of the day went eventlessly. They eventually left the house to their own jobs. Luna's day was full of preparations and rehearsals for her encore concert. She was working as actively and enthusiastically as always. However, Luna's mind was on an entirely different subject. Luna was going to end Sunyoung's existence. Only one of them could stay and Luna was staying. She now had a reason to stay and she now wanted to do something about the dual life she has been living ever since she was born. Luna was dead set on executing her plan once she is Sunyoung again.
It was time for her duet with Onew before she even realized it. They agreed with her management on his duet with her. They practiced more than once but now it was the actual show. The duet started slowly as Luna took the stage by singing the first part of the ballad song they were singing. When she finished her turn Onew came on the stage wearing a mask that covered his eyes only. He hoped no one will recognize him after this duet since he wasn't interested in fame or in a singing career. The crowd went wild when he started singing because his voice just had that effect on people. But the crowd, the cameras, the flashing lights were all forgotten by the both of them.
At that moment, only the both of them existed in this world. They sang the duet perfectly but that was not the highlight for them. The highlight was how they both managed to meet despite coming from two different world. How they fell in love with each other before they even knew it. How their voices blended perfectly on that stage and how the entire world was irrelevant to them as they held each others' hands. Their duet ended when Onew leaned in front of Luna pronouncing his words of love.
The lights went off and the crowds went wild once again in cheering. Onew stayed on his knee a little longer as he was still deep in the moment before standing up and hugging Luna. He left the stage quietly, his heart at ease. Luna stayed behind to say a few more words in closing of her concert. Her heart and mind however left the stage with Onew.
They met again in her apartment since it was impossible to have any intimate interactions when everybody was watching. They were both exhausted so they sneaked into the bed quietly. They talked about little nothings as they lied in each other's embrace. The only thing Luna was thinking about now was executing her plan. "When I wake up, please be by my side" she told Onew in a quiet voice. His response was nodding into her neck and humming quietly before they both drifted into sleep.
•••••••
When she woke up this time she was Sunyoung and for the first time this was exactly what she hoped for. Sunyoung spent the last couple of days in a coma in the hospital. She remembered Luna's plan as soon as she woke up and she was insistent on doing as planned. She secretly sneaked out of the hospital without the doctors noticing. She was just a number for these doctors. Someone whose name wasn't known because no body asked about her. This is why she needed to disappear. Because what's the point of being alive if your existence didn't mean anything to anybody.
Sunyoung climbed up the highest building in the dirty district she lived around. She stood at the edge looking down at the car passing by. Not caring for anyone or anything that was happening around them. She smiled feeling as if she was looking down her stairway to heaven. Things couldn't go wrong with hers and Luna' plans. Sunyoung will surely die if she jumped and only two things could happen afterwards. If she was the real person then her misery of a life would be over and she will always hold the memories of Luna's everything close to her heart even after death because those were her only happiness. However, if Luna was the real person then she'll be slightly affected by Sunyoung's fall but then she'll recover and she'll live happily ever after with Onew.
Sunyoung felt like she was Luna and Sunyoung at the both time at that moment. She dropped her weight down like a dead body. The breeze blew the strand of her hair and she felt as if the air was enveloping her. She might have been imagining but she could feel Onew's lips against hers. She could feel his embrace. His touches. It was as if he was there. There was no pain when it all ended. There was only darkness. She hoped with all her might that the next time she opens her eyes, she'll be the beautiful Luna lying next to no one else but Onew.