Inferna (Rho)
>Chapter: Rho<
Loud gasps filled the air.
No one was moving for a while and the only thing that could be heard was Peitho’s heavy breathing. Her skin was coloured a dark red where Jonghyun’s blue fire hadn’t scorched it into a dead layer of black.
The smell of burnt flesh hung heavy in the air and would probably evoke the urge to throw up in anyone who had a queasy stomach.
But Jonghyun didn’t feel anything.
In fact, the only urge that was slowly growing inside him was the one where he wanted to burn her to cinders.
Set her aflame again until neither her immortality nor the ever curing effect of the sacred foods could save her anymore.
He didn’t feel any kind of sympathy as he watched her writhe in pain, her body convulsing and trembling as a new tremor shook her form.
The brunet wanted her to suffer more.
Wanted to inflict more pain.
The only thing that got repeated in his mind was that she had dared to touch Kibum.
In a more than inappropriate way, hurting him not even physically, but scarring him mentally.
And that didn’t sit well with Hades.
What enraged him even more was the fact that he had nearly been too late. And that it was only thanks to Taemin that they even managed to save the younger in time.
Any moment longer and…
The eldest didn’t even want to fathom what would have happened then.
The pain Kibum would have gone through, the fear that would have seized him and hold him captive for all his life probably.
And the result…
A new wave of anger washed over him as he imagined Kibum looking at him with scared eyes.
That all of their progress would be in vain.
Extinguished as if it all had been a dream.
Jonghyun felt his blue fire tickle him.
The emotions he felt right now, the hatred and, especially, the fear of loss he was experiencing, only fuelled the heat inside of him.
Fuelled the fire that was about to overtake him.
Make him lose control and burn everything to ashes that threatened him and first and foremost Kibum.
His golden orbs were fixed on the blonde deity in front of him.
She was rolled into a foetus position after the fire on her skin had died down.
But it would take Jonghyun only a wave of his hand to re-ignite it.
The brunet stepped closer to the figure on the ground. His gaze wasn’t wavering and his mind was fully set on finishing what he had started.
This particular feeling that was raging inside of him was new to the god.
It was tormenting him and told him to continue.
Told Jonghyun to burn.
Burn everything.
It was aggression. Merciless anger that he felt towards her for hurting that one person he loved more than anyone else.
“I’ll make you pay for this”, he whispered and Peitho only whimpered in fear.
A smirk was playing on his lips as he raised his hand in her direction.
Blue flames were already crawling up his arm, tips a dark purple as they danced in what seemed to be anticipation.
“Jonghyun?”
Said god stopped in his tracks.
Kibum’s voice was faint, just above a whisper and barely audible but he had caught it nonetheless.
His arm dropped to his side, the flames dying immediately as he turned on his heels to face the spring god he wanted to protect.
“Yes”, Jonghyun answered, offering a small nod
It was funny, the brunet mused.
It felt like a switch had been pushed. The looming darkness he had felt before, which had fed the blue madness inside of him, was gone in the blink of an eye.
All it had to take was for Kibum to speak up.
And his senses turned from an aggressive stance into a defensive one, the worry for the younger getting the better of him and soothing his inner rage that had nearly caused him to end a creature that was made for immortality.
The wrath…just dispersed.
His eyes didn’t leave the younger’s form and so he was kind of prepared as the blonde god suddenly jerked into motion and literally threw himself into Jonghyun’s arms.
It wasn’t something the elder had expected.
However, his body seemed to react without his brain and for that he was thankful. His arms wrapped themselves around the form of the blonde, accepting him easily and pulling him closer.
Kibum was clinging to him, clutching the front of his top as he buried his face at the crook of Jonghyun’s neck.
Only then did he realise what he had nearly done.
What he was willing to do just to… have his vigilantism and punish Peitho who had been about to do unspeakable things to Kibum.
His hold on the younger tightened as his eyes wandered from the blonde goddess, who wasn’t moving from her spot in the dirt, to Hermes.
Taemin was still watching them, hanging in mid-air, his winged shoes flapping to hold him afloat. Jonghyun nodded to the black haired god, who acknowledged him with the same gesture.
Good, he hummed in his own thoughts as Taemin had seemingly understood what he wanted to do.
What he needed to do in order to stop himself and to get Kibum to a safe place. The younger was more important than anything right now.
And if he would end Peitho right in front of the spring god’s eyes… he was sure that the blonde wouldn’t want anything to do with him anymore.
“Hold on tight”, he whispered into Kibum’s ear and noted that the younger’s grip stiffened in response.
That would do.
Jonghyun turned his head to the side and fixed the shadow of the fig tree he had used to travel here.
It would serve him a second time now.
His arms never let go of the blonde, only held him closer as he squeezed his eyes shut and let them drop backwards.
A gasp was heard and Jonghyun was sure that it had been Kibum who had been shocked at the sudden movement that would cause them to land sprawled out on the floor only that…
They didn’t.
As soon as the brunet had closed his eyes, the shadow he had looked at emitted the same dark matter again that had already erupted upon Jonghyun’s arrival. The black haze bubbled up like a fountain and enveloped them, pulling them into the shadows and letting them travel without moving a muscle.
--
Taemin was left alone on the hill with Peitho looking at him as if she wanted to scream for his help.
But something kept her from opening her mouth, as if she already knew that Hermes wouldn’t even move his pinkie for her.
And she might have been right there.
The black haired god stepped closer however, now settled on the ground with his wings folded.
A big grin was gracing his features as he bent forward to face Peitho.
“A message from Hades, to Peitho and Demeter”, he started in his usual chipper voice, but his eyes held an icy stare
“If you hurt Kibum again, I will open the gates of Tartarus for you. And I’ll make sure that you will continue your immortal life in the hands of perpetual torments of hell.”
Peitho’s eyes widened as she listened to the words, which cut through her like a sharp blade.
She didn’t even have the power to nod, but she didn’t need to as Taemin regained his stance and stretched with a happy smile.
“Bye!”, he waved at her, his wings catapulting him into the air and with a loud pop, Hermes was gone and Peitho was left alone to be found by anyone who passed by.
--
Jonghyun re-opened his eyes only a moment later and was pleased to realise they had made it just as planned.
Underneath them, Kibum’s nicely made bed made small noises with the added extra weight. The frame was sturdy though and the leather that was used was of the finest quality so nothing happened to them.
They lay still for a moment, stretched out on the many woolly sheep skins provided as comfortable bed sheets.
Kibum stirred, but didn’t let go of the other.
Jongyhun could only imagine what was going through the other right now.
“You’re safe”, he said in a low, but gentle voice.
“It’s going to be alright”, he promised.
Would it really?
Even though Peitho hadn’t been able to pull through with her scheme… She had greatly scared the younger.
Kibum had been restrained and manhandled.
Touched.
No, he told himself, as he thought of the fire that was already tingling inside him again. That wanted to come alive.
“It wasn’t me”, he started again and Kibum’s form trembled as the younger slowly raised his head from the brunet’s chest
“It wasn’t me”, he repeated
“I would never harm you like that”
And Jonghyun hoped that Kibum knew that. Kibum, who knew the real him.
“I know”, the blonde’s voice was raspy and a sob made its way up his throat as the spring deity’s eyes met with his.
There it was.
The fear.
The fear Jonghyun never wanted to see in those hazel orbs.
And he hated it.
But… he felt a little relieved that this fear wasn’t caused by him.
No.
Kibum knew it hadn’t been him and he couldn’t thank the heavens more for that.
“It’s okay now. I’ve got you”
The brunet’s heart was beating so loudly that he was scared the blonde would hear it.
Which wasn’t even unlikely, as Kibum was pressed against his chest, the younger’s body half on top of his as they were still lying on the latter’s bed.
It was crazy.
Kibum was driving him crazy and Jonghyun felt overwhelmed from everything that was happening.
When he had to protect the other in acute danger, he was fine.
He knew what he needed to do.
But this?
Being confronted with the blonde like this… and having him this close…
Was a little too much for Hades to take in.
“Thank you”
Jonghyun shook his head and felt the immediate urge to reach out and wipe away the tears that spilled from those warm eyes.
However, the position they were currently in stopped him from doing so.
“You don’t need to thank me “, he said
No.
Not for this.
Slowly but surely, Kibum’s grip loosened and he was allowed to resettle slightly.
He didn’t really want to move away though. He enjoyed their closeness even if it caused him to feel overwhelmed.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there any sooner. I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you.”
Jonghyun knew that if they had been under normal circumstances, Kibum would have rolled his eyes at him. Told him that he didn’t need any protection, that he could look after himself just fine.
But right now, Kibum kept mum.
Didn’t even pull up his eyebrows.
And that made Jonghyun realise yet again just how serious and how severe the situation had been. And just… what a close call it had been.
Taemin… it was thanks to him that the youngest had escaped… rape.
Violation.
As if Kibum had listened to his thoughts, the younger’s fingers tightened their hold on Jonghyun’s black top.
“I was praying. That it wasn’t you.”
The elder swallowed.
That…
That Kibum was saying this meant the world to him.
“Never”, he answered quickly.
He would never force the other.
“I would never touch you against your will, nor harm you in any other way. At least, not deliberately.”
Kibum nodded to that and sat up, now fully letting go of the brunet.
For a moment their eyes meet and the blonde looked like he genuinely believed in the elder.
A warm feeling spread in Jonghyun’s chest, and this time it was not evoked by his azure blaze.
“I know.”, the spring god muttered under his breath
“I trust you.”
Hazel met gold.
The brunet wasn’t sure what he was feeling right now.
Stunned, because he felt so spellbound by Kibum’s eyes.
Overpowered by the sheer force with which his heart was beating against his ribcage, fully set on breaking his bones and coming out.
He could see every single eyelash that adorned the younger’s lids.
They seem soft as they fan out, their blackness a perfect contrast to Kibum’s brown orbs.
He is breathtaking, Jonghyun noticed for the umpteenth time.
Ever since the brunet had first noticed him, he was aware of the other’s beauty.
But what started off as a mere infatuation, a yearning he couldn’t pin point…
It had manifested as a feeling he had never faced before.
Not to this degree.
Not…
Like that.
Jonghyun had loved before. He loved his mother, their mother.
His brothers.
He loved the Erinyes, Seulgi, the mares. His friends, Taemin and Hephaestus.
Kibum…
Jonghyun fell in love with him the more of his personality he discovered. The more words they exchanged, smiles he was gifted.
Hades was in love with the spring god Kibum and he knew he could never go back. He was in too deep.
His eyes caught sight of the other again. His thoughts had kept him busy for a moment and so he hadn’t realised just how close they were sitting by now.
How close Kibum’s face was to his own and that he could feel the blonde’s breath against his skin.
What was happening right here?
The brunet jerked back a little, didn’t want to invade the other’s personal space, but Kibum followed suit.
His eyes fell closed and Jonghyun wondered if the younger was tired.
Maybe he wanted to rest?
The blonde’s lips looked a rosy red and warm.
Like the petals of an exotic flower that tried to appeal to a butterfly and yes, Jonghyun was more than attracted.
He wondered if they tasted as sweet as he imagined them to be.
What he didn’t expect however, was that he was about to find out.
Kibum hadn’t stopped moving, and instead he had crossed the distance between them to seal their lips in a tender kiss.
Jonghyun nearly gasped, but he was too shocked to even do that.
The fact that his eyes fell close to savour the kiss of the one person he longed for, was a miracle. It certainly happened without Jonghyun’s consent.
Like a reflex.
It had been short.
So short, but the warmth that slowly spread from those pair of lips is a new kind of feeling that he wanted to relive over and over again.
It had merely been a gentle press of lips, but it was… spectacular.
They opened their eyes slowly, brown meeting gold again and they look at each other without uttering a word as if they were both scared that a single syllable could pop their bubble.
Kibum averts his eyes first and for a moment Jonghyun worried that the younger regretted what he had done, but then he caught sight of the small smile on the blonde’s lips.
Thank goodness.
The brunet decided to leave the other’s room to give him space and time to rest.
But before he could move even a single muscle did the blonde whip his head around, his eyes wide in horror.
“What about Vanity?”, he yelled
“I left her! Alone!”
The brunet could only chuckle to that.
“She will be alright.”
Jonghyun was really glad that their silence was broken though.
“She will find a way back. She knows we travelled through the shadows back home. Especially, since you’ve walked the darkness yourself… she must have gotten a better bound to you. She is a creature of the night, remember?”, he hummed
“She feels when someone she is close to travels the realm she belongs to.”
Kibum nodded and seemed obviously relieved at that.
Jonghyun now finally managed to get onto his feet, his lips still tingling from the soft touch.
“Rest. We can have dinner later, after you have relaxed for a while. Calmed down.”
Kibum nodded and hummed, seemingly thankful that the elder didn’t bring up the kiss and its meaning.
That he let it slide for now and granted him privacy and rest instead.
Jonghyun sent a wide smile in his direction, before he moved towards the door and finally made his way out of the blonde’s room.
--
The hall was quiet.
None of the Erinyes were back yet from whatever assignment they were tending to. The underworld gave them its orders, not just Jonghyun.
They knew by nature what had to be done.
Where they were needed.
Jonghyun stepped closer, knowing that Taemin was here in his realm, waiting for him.
He found the black haired god a moment later, sprawled out on his throne that faced the big wooden doors of the entrance hall.
His legs lay over the armrest, feet dangling in the air, while his back rested against the one opposite to it.
Taemin looked bored.
Like he didn’t want to be here.
And Jonghyun understood.
The brunet wanted to thank him.
For coming to him, telling him of the scheme Kibum’s mother and Peitho had planned and set into action.
Actually, he wanted to say so much more than that.
How have you been? Are you holding up?
Jonghyun wanted his best friend back.
“Don’t you look happy, hm?”
Hades stopped as Hermes spoke up. The black haired deity must have seen the happy grin that had graced his features when he had entered the hall.
The smile that had been caused by Kibum and the small, fleeting kiss.
A wave of dread hit him and the elder felt bad.
Taemin must miss him so much.
He must miss Jongin so damn much and must feel like Jonghyun was mocking him with his own good fortune.
It was unfair and the elder knew that.
But fate was never fair.
To no one.
Taemin saw through him before he could open his mouth.
“Don’t thank me. I did this for Kibum.”
“Taem…”
“No, Jonghyun. Not yet, okay?”, Taemin looked at him with his golden eyes, the hurt… the pain so easily visible in them.
“I haven’t…”, he started, voice low
“Forgiven fate yet.”
Jonghyun’s breath hitched.
Fate.
Not ‘you’.
Fate.
Taemin knew… he remembered!
That this hadn’t been Jongyhun’s doing. That he was only a tool and not the master.
“Taem-“, the messenger god shook his head and sent him a pointed look.
The brunet shut up immediately at that.
“Is he resting now?”
The elder nodded and watched as Taemin regained a normal position on the throne. Sitting upright but slightly slouched.
“He is. He looks fine physically. But mentally…”, he trailed off and Taemin hummed in understanding
“That was to be expected, I guess”, he shrugged his shoulders.
But it was thanks to him that the worst could be prevented.
A deep sigh climbed up the black haired throat as he rose to his full height. Slightly taller than Hades himself.
“Keep him safe, Jonghyun.”, he told the elder
“Believe me… losing someone will break you. But losing the one will rip you apart and leave you in pieces.”
Hades swallowed and nodded.
He didn’t even want to think of that.
“Taem-“
“Not yet”, the younger repeated, eyes hard as he hissed at the brunet now.
Jonghyun knew that their time hadn’t come yet.
But the thought that his friend was willing to forgive him, was enough for now.
“Okay. Thank you for looking out for him.”
Taemin only shook his head to that.
“It was a coincidence. I was at the right place at the right time. That is all. So… thank fate”, the younger spat
But Jonghyun knew better. Knew that it hadn’t been a coincidence and that Taemin had kept an eye on Kibum for him.
And one day… he would be allowed to openly thank the other and show his gratitude.
The black haired deity stretched and then faced another wall.
“I wonder how he will take it”
Jonghyun’s head jerked up and he sighed.
“That his mother planned this? To have him raped only to turn him against me?”
Taemin nodded and faced the brunet again.
“Well, it’s your job to tell him anyway. I’m done here.”
Jonghyun averted his eyes and wished for yet another time that things would mend faster.
“You are always welcome here.”
“Jonghyun.”
“I know”, the brunet offered a smile
“Take care.”
Taemin nodded to that before his wings unfolded and lifted him into the air, the loud pop indicating that the messenger god was gone.
Another sigh, but Jonghyun felt a little lighter.
Time will heal the cracks in their friendship.
Somewhen.
He turned on his heels and nearly yelped as he realised he had been watched.
Kibum stood there, body half hidden by the door he had opened and hid behind.
“Kibum!”, Jonghyun’s eyes were wide
“I thought you wanted to rest!”
But the spring god seemed frozen to his spot.
Wasn’t moving. Only his bottom lip was trembling slightly, before he swallowed a lump in his throat and grit his teeth together.
“Is … it true?”, a stutter interrupted the younger’s question.
“What is?”
“What Hermes said. About my mum.”, Kibum explained, keeping a straight face
“I… don’t know”, the elder gave his honest answer
“Taemin said that he had overheard them planning…this. The trap.” The scheme that should drive them apart forever.
And then Jonghyun realised just how pale the blonde was.
How fragile he looked in this very moment.
As if he would faint if he would blink one time too much.
“Maybe… Taemin was wrong. Maybe he interpreted too much into the situation. Don’t think ill of her.” Yet.
Stayed unsaid.
And honestly, Jonghyun believed Taemin. Why should he lie to him?
If he truly despised the elder, he wouldn’t have come to him.
He would have allowed Peitho to continue and cause the greatest harm to both Kibum and Jongyhun.
But he hadn’t.
So he believed him.
His friend.
Kibum was trembling slightly by now and hugged himself.
He was fighting an inner battle, the elder could tell so by the way his eyes were darting from left to right.
And he wanted nothing more than to help.
“I… I don’t know what to believe.”, Kibum admitted
“I understand”, Jonghyun hummed and stepped closer.
He wanted to offer a hug to the younger, but he didn’t know if it would be appreciated.
“I… I don’t want to see her for a while”
Apparently, the blonde wanted to come clear with his thoughts first.
And needed to process what had happened before he could confront the alleged culprit.
His own mother.
“Jonghyun?”
“Hm?”
There was only one step separating them by now.
“After the next three moons have passed… will you send me away again?”
Force him to go back to Olympus, the spring god meant.
“You are a free person, Kibum. I won’t keep you here, nor push you away if it goes against your will.”
Kibum looked more than relieved at that.
It was the blonde again, who stepped closer and closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around the elder’s neck to be held.
And that, Jonghyun did.
Snaking his hands around the younger’s waist to hold him in a secure embrace.
“I want to stay for a while”
Jonghyun tightened his grip.
“Anything you want.”
>Chapter Rho END<
A/N:
Happy New Year guys!! And a very belated Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrated :]
I hope you all had a fantastic start into 2016!
May it be a better year than 2015 for all of us :]
I hope you enjoyed Rho?
Are you as happy as me over the JongKey development??
I am very satisfied with it kekeke~~
Thank you so much for all the amazing comments! T^T
You are all amazing!!
I’m so happy that all of you are still sticking with Inferna after 1 and a half year…
On another note!
I have been informed that there will be a SHINee fic fest coming up! Actually, prompting already starts this coming Friday (January 8th) ;]
And I promised the Mods that I would definitely join! As a prompter and a writer!
So guys, here I am asking you if you want to participate too?
Drop off prompts or maybe write a fic?
I would be glad if some of you could leave them with some JongKey or TaeKai prompts! I want to write one of each hehe~~ :]
They posted the guidelines and a manual here on their Aff: http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1050697/colorful-world-shinee-fic-fest-round-1-jonghyun-key-minho-onew-shinee-taemin-ficfest
(or here on their lj if you are more comfy with that: http://colorful-vvorld.livejournal.com/ )
Thank you ^__^
xxx Blingdom