Before the Dawn [4/?]
Title: Before the Dawn
Pairing: Main: Jinki x Minho, Minor: Jonghyun x Key, others~
Rating: R
Summary: How do you love a person who isn't a person. How can you give someone your heart when they only want your soul.
Minho knew the instant the dream started that it wasn’t really a dream. There was screams all around him as figures came from the darkness and tore them limb from limb. Scarlet liquid dripped from the demons’ faces as they swept past Minho like he wasn’t there. The sheer cold coming from their body chilled Minho to the soul as he walked forward, stepping over people as they lay drowning in their own blood, some trying to reach out to him while others turned away, thinking Minho had come to finish them off. There was nothing he could do to save them, to help them and it sent spike after spike of hatred and anger through his heart. What monsters could cause so much destruction so quickly?
There were two figures ahead of him and Minho slowed his walk. Behind him the demons were slowly creeping up, hissing and laughing as the screams of the dying faded as one of the figures turned and looked down at Minho. Those silver eyes were more familiar to Minho now than they had ever been. They weren’t filled with love or desire; however, they were filled with a boiling hatred that made his blood run cold. Minho had to run away from those eyes, had to get out of this darkness and back into the light before it consumed him completely. His legs wouldn’t listen to him anymore; they stayed unmoving as the look in those eyes paralyzed him.
“You lied to me. You promised me so much and gave me nothing.” The voice was Jinki’s but it was heavy with sadness, thick with unleashed anger as the vampire walked towards Minho. His tongue had swollen in his throat, stopping his pleas short. The other man behind Jinki shifted and Minho recognized him as he attacker from the alleyway. How did they know each other? The look in those amber eyes as they pierced Minho to his depths was something he would never be able to shake off even in his waking moments. “Kill him Jinki. Kill him and come back to me. He won’t love you like I will. No matter how many times his soul refuses to die.”
The words were like a spark as horrible sound escaped Jinki’s lips, a sound of an animal wounded so terribly, as the vampire surged forward. Minho felt his legs come alive once more as he turned and ran away but no matter how fast he tried to go, Jinki was gaining on him, he could feel the ghost of his fingertips against the back of his neck and couldn’t shake the feeling off. Couldn’t escape his fate or rather, this piece of his soul couldn’t escape their fate. How many lifetimes had Jinki sought after his long dead love? How many lifetimes had Jinki loved or hated his soul?
The questions were unanswered as those same cold fingers that had caressed him only hours ago wrapped themselves around the back of his neck and squeezed. Air stopped coming as he clawed at the fingers tightening more and more, imprints digging into his skin. The other vampire walked forward and wrenched Minho’s hair hard enough to pull some strands free, leaning in to whisper into his ear in a silky sweet voice. “Jinki is mine Minho. No matter how many times he finds you, it will be me he comes back to in the end.”
As the darkness started to seep into the edges of his vision, those amber eyes were the last thing Minho saw before he slipped into a fretful sleep. Those amber eyes would be the death of him and continue to be the death of him if he let himself fall into Jinki’s arms. The only way to save himself, to save his soul would be the break an immortal’s heart. But how does one break the heart of someone who could snap him in half like a twig.
Minho needed to talk to Kibum about this.
***
Jonghyun opened his eyes slowly and immediately knew he was in trouble. There was someone’s arms around him and they were still breathing, the first problem. There was another presence in the dorm and from the scent of them they were going to be a problem sooner or later, the second problem. The third problem made itself known when a smooth thigh rubbed against his pants leg as the human shifted and snuggled closer to him. He lifted his head up and looked down at the obvious tent waving back up at him. Normally he wouldn’t find his morning erection such a problem but his memory was crystal clear and he knew the boy next to him wasn’t just some normal human. He turned his head to the side and looked down at the sleeping face, feeling struck by the feline features just as he had the night before.
He gingerly removed the arms from around his body and slid out of the bed, rolling away and standing up. It was embarrassing someone of his stature having to sneak out of someone’s bed like a cheating lover. A whine left the boy’s lips as Jonghyun watched him shift on the bed and reach out for the vampire. Something deep in his mind click together and before he realized it, Jonghyun was stripping off his clothes and crawling back into the bed. Kibum shivered at the touch of the frozen body before welcoming it and curled around Jonghyun, letting out a noise akin to a content purr. Jonghyun’s lips twitched upwards as he carded his hair slowly through the silky tresses. He was connected to the boy now and no matter how much he wanted to get away he knew he couldn’t, he was trapped forever. He would be forced to walk the earth endlessly in search of Kibum’s soul just like Jinki.
“I’m going to be a loser for the rest of my life.” Jonghyun groaned out in anguish but he didn’t care. As long as he had Kibum in his arms, he would be content. So he was only content for about another ten minutes before Kibum sat upright suddenly and blinked bleary eyes at the clock. Jonghyun was surprised someone could wake up so violently and traced small patterns down the smooth back, bringing Kibum’s attention down to him. He could see himself reflected so clearly in those brown eyes and it sent a shiver down through his core. His thoughts ran to what Kibum could possibly think of him, a monster, and an abomination and yet he had so readily accepted it all as if it was just something normal.
His thoughts and indecisions were washed away when he felt the softest of hands running over his face. He closed his eyes and leaned upward into the touch, welcoming it immediately. Kibum’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he ran his hands over the marble stone that was Jonghyun’s body. His features seemed carved out of the finest block of stone, muscles hardened from centuries of use and abuse. He stopped his fingers as they ran along the dip in his hips and dragged them back up. How could something so perfect yet so obviously wrong even exist? There was no doubt in Kibum’s mind that Jonghyun wasn’t the only one. He couldn’t be. Things like this or rather, things like Jonghyun, never just existed alone. There were always more of them and with them there was always trouble, pain, and heartache.
Jonghyun could see the different emotions running through Kibum’s mind and the silence was starting to scare him. Jonghyun never got scared, it was ludicrous of someone like him to even think of the world fear let alone let it try to consume him. His hand moved on its’ own accord and caressed the boy’s cheek, sitting up as he dragged his lips over Kibum’s. A low sigh escaped the human as he lay down against Jonghyun, hands getting braver and slowly starting to run farther south. He knew he should stop the dangerous path he was heading down before it got worse. He knew that if he shared this moment with Kibum that his fate would forever be sealed and he would be damned to a eternity of wanting no other touch, needing no other person except the boy hovering above him.
“Fuck it.” Jonghyun turned over and pinned Kibum under him, fangs retracting as he began his warpath down the boy’s body. Every touch seared him down to his essence; every kiss broke bits of his soul and embedded them with Kibum’s. As their bodies started to meld together Jonghyun couldn’t discern where he started and Kibum ended all he knew, all he felt was the spiritual connection he had caused. When he touched Kibum the sounds those sweet lips parted to let loose were an aphrodisiac to Jonghyun. His touches became firmer and more adventurous and Kibum welcomed it all. He had never been touched like this before, had never felt so close to a complete stranger as he did now. When Jonghyun finally entered him there was no pain, only pleasure and desire for more. His body fit perfectly against the vampire’s as they rolled and moved together. It felt like they’d been together like this time and time again, knowing the right places to touch and when. An intensity unlike anything Kibum had ever felt before was slowly growing in his stomach and spreading through his body like wildfire. His senses were heightened, his body aflame as each touch left burn marks against his skin. Jonghyun didn’t feel cold anymore but like a white hot fire that wouldn’t, couldn’t be put out or stopped. It was too easy to succumb to the sensations and let himself drown in the tidal wave of temptation.
The moment ended too soon, too abruptly and Kibum was pulled back towards the surface of reality. He so wanted to let himself drift back down into oblivious as he felt warmness spreading over his stomach and coating his insides. He hadn’t even noticed Jonghyun’s fingers wrapped around his cock, pumping him to fulfillment until it was all over. The bliss that was intoxicating his mind was too much as he shifted against the bed. Jonghyun had a knowing smile on his face as he gently cupped the boy’s face and pressed a tender kiss against the reddening lips. There were bruises covering almost every inch of his body, an obvious reminder of Jonghyun’s strength but there was no pain from them. Even when he wiggled his body and whined at the loss of having Jonghyun inside of him, filling him to the brim there was no pain. Only peace.
“I’ll get a towel.” Kibum only nodded his compliance as Jonghyun moved off the bed and searched around for a discarded towel to clean the boy, to clean his lover, with. Jonghyun traced frozen fingers over the dark marks marring Kibum’s porcelain skin, looking for any signs of discomfort. Kibum simply stared back at him, eyes glazed over as he relived the experience again and again. Jonghyun chuckled and moved back into the bed, pulling the boy against him, arm wrapping around his tightly. Kibum easily slipped asleep, body tired and mind fried. The day’s events could wait until a later time and Jonghyun wouldn’t let him leave even then. Kibum was his now and Jonghyun was a possessive bastard. He wouldn’t let another man so much as look at Kibum without threatening their life. As Kibum slumbered on in his arms, Jonghyun felt that presence outside the door again. He had no idea who it was but from the way the smell of the boy had a familiar scent about him he must be some relative of Kibum’s. There was that warning in the back of his mind that told him to do something about the boy but Kibum shifted closer and started to mumble in his sleep and Jonghyun found that he was more interested in listening in on what Kibum was saying than dealing with some nosey teenager.
That nosey teenager was really turning into an issue.
***
There were two things Minho was sure of as he slipped out of the bed and pulled his clothes on. He was sure that he was in love, unconditionally and irrevocably in love. He was also sure that if this turned into some sort of Twilight reject scenario he was offing himself the first chance he got. There was no way in hell he was going to let that happen. There was a shift on the bed and Minho glanced over his shoulder to see Jinki staring at him. He was already fully dressed and though he didn’t doubt for a moment Jinki could have stopped him if he wanted to Minho did the one thing he knew his legs were good for. He ran, out of the room, out of the apartment, he just ran. He didn’t stay long enough to see the flicker of emotions pass through those timeless silver eyes, to see that this had happened many times over to Jinki. The first meeting, the first night together, they always ended with Jinki alone and deserted.
Minho didn’t know where he could actually go, there was no way he was going to expose Kibum to all this and then Taemin was no doubt still there. He was escaping the grasp of one monster just to fly into the arms of another. If Minho was one thing he wasn’t stupid and skidded to a halt, panting to catch his breath. The air was still chilled with the morning mist hanging heavily in the air. A few sunrays were peeking around buildings, making the air sizzle audibly as it all started evaporating away. He only had a few option on places he could go and each was worse than the first. Was this how it was for the others? Did they run and not know where they could possibly go to escape their fates? Would he continue to share their last moments until he too was just a memory for the next unsuspecting soul to inherit?
He clutched his head and let out a feral growl, shaking away the dark thoughts. He was stronger than all this, he was better than it all. He wouldn’t let someone just come into his life and ruin it for him. After all he’d strive to achieve so he could be the best, so he could make his parents, his brothers, his friends proud of him. “No…I’ll make this right.” Minho whispered out into the still air as he stood and looked around. The mist had all faded away and made his way clear as if the heavens were standing behind him, willing to show him the way to take back his future, to take back his soul.
Minho turned and jogged down the street, patting his pocket for his cell phone. The least he could do was text Kibum to let him know he was okay. It was Christmas break and the three week vacation left him open to many opportunities. Could he really bring himself to do all this in just three weeks? Could he bring himself to do it period? There was no time to let doubts seep into his mind again. If he took even one step back he would never be able to work up the courage for this again. That one step was the difference between life and death for him now.
His feet were soon walking up the steps of the Cathedral before he realized how far he had walked. Was he so scattered brain that even distance was lost upon him? That was another thing he could blame on his encounter with Jinki. Just thinking the name sent a stab of pain into his heart. He pushed the doors open and crossed himself slowly, feeling the demons plaguing him slip away as he walked slowly towards the side. He knew where he was going and who he was looking for. The winding steps up to the Father’s office were just as he remembered them from the last time he’d come up here, hard under the feet but never exhausting. Minho listened with an ear against the door to see if anyone else was in when he felt the door open and he sprawled inside.
“Why is it that every time you try to eavesdrop I’m always leaving?”
Minho looked up at the man in front of him and gave a soft smile. “Because you have horrible timing Father, or can I call you hyung again?” Siwon laughed and reached a hand down to help Minho up to his feet. “You can call me Father hyung for now Minnie. What brings you by?” Minho accepted the hand and gave his eldest brother a quick hug, trying to put off the inevitable for as long as he could. Siwon was his understanding brother and would take anything and everything he said in stride though Minho wasn’t too sure how him falling in love with an abomination would go over. Siwon could see the turmoil racing behind Minho’s eyes clearly and took a step back to examine the boy. The puncture wounds on his neck were still very much visibly and his clothes were stained, dirty from the alleyway he had been thrown in before Jinki came along to save him. Siwon wanted to turn off the understanding Father and turn into the very much concerned hyung but knew he had to find a balance between the two.
“Why don’t you rest for a while? You look live you’ve been through quite the ordeal.” Minho took notice of how this was Siwon’s way of saying he looked like shit and laughed. No matter what Siwon wore he would always be Minho’s favorite brother and most trusted confidante. Maybe that was why Siwon took the step to defy their parents’ wishes and walk the path of Christ. Siwon was an easy person to get along with and there was never any reason to not talk to him and just spill your deepest, darkest secrets. Minho was never judged or tossed away from what he said, just offered advice and consoled.
There were a few rooms available for people who had nowhere to go or just wanted a warm bed for the night. Minho didn’t realize how tired he was until he was stripped of his filthy clothes and handed a clean pair of pajamas and collapsed on the bed. Siwon stood in the doorway, watching his littlest brother curl up under the sheets and slumber on. There was a demon leeching Minho’s soul and it was obvious from the strained look in his eyes. Siwon closed the door slowly and went back up to his office. Minho would tell him everything in due time and all he had to do was wait for it, wait and pray.
For once Minho didn’t fall victim to the memories of his past lives as he slept. There were no deaths, no blood, and no Jinki to haunt him as he walked through darkened valleys and swam in endless seas. He was finally at peace and nothing could tear him from this for inside the walls of the church he was safe. With Siwon only a few doors away he was protected. Minho could let his defenses fall and not have to worry. It felt good to not have to worry anymore.
Pairing: Main: Jinki x Minho, Minor: Jonghyun x Key, others~
Rating: R
Summary: How do you love a person who isn't a person. How can you give someone your heart when they only want your soul.
Minho knew the instant the dream started that it wasn’t really a dream. There was screams all around him as figures came from the darkness and tore them limb from limb. Scarlet liquid dripped from the demons’ faces as they swept past Minho like he wasn’t there. The sheer cold coming from their body chilled Minho to the soul as he walked forward, stepping over people as they lay drowning in their own blood, some trying to reach out to him while others turned away, thinking Minho had come to finish them off. There was nothing he could do to save them, to help them and it sent spike after spike of hatred and anger through his heart. What monsters could cause so much destruction so quickly?
There were two figures ahead of him and Minho slowed his walk. Behind him the demons were slowly creeping up, hissing and laughing as the screams of the dying faded as one of the figures turned and looked down at Minho. Those silver eyes were more familiar to Minho now than they had ever been. They weren’t filled with love or desire; however, they were filled with a boiling hatred that made his blood run cold. Minho had to run away from those eyes, had to get out of this darkness and back into the light before it consumed him completely. His legs wouldn’t listen to him anymore; they stayed unmoving as the look in those eyes paralyzed him.
“You lied to me. You promised me so much and gave me nothing.” The voice was Jinki’s but it was heavy with sadness, thick with unleashed anger as the vampire walked towards Minho. His tongue had swollen in his throat, stopping his pleas short. The other man behind Jinki shifted and Minho recognized him as he attacker from the alleyway. How did they know each other? The look in those amber eyes as they pierced Minho to his depths was something he would never be able to shake off even in his waking moments. “Kill him Jinki. Kill him and come back to me. He won’t love you like I will. No matter how many times his soul refuses to die.”
The words were like a spark as horrible sound escaped Jinki’s lips, a sound of an animal wounded so terribly, as the vampire surged forward. Minho felt his legs come alive once more as he turned and ran away but no matter how fast he tried to go, Jinki was gaining on him, he could feel the ghost of his fingertips against the back of his neck and couldn’t shake the feeling off. Couldn’t escape his fate or rather, this piece of his soul couldn’t escape their fate. How many lifetimes had Jinki sought after his long dead love? How many lifetimes had Jinki loved or hated his soul?
The questions were unanswered as those same cold fingers that had caressed him only hours ago wrapped themselves around the back of his neck and squeezed. Air stopped coming as he clawed at the fingers tightening more and more, imprints digging into his skin. The other vampire walked forward and wrenched Minho’s hair hard enough to pull some strands free, leaning in to whisper into his ear in a silky sweet voice. “Jinki is mine Minho. No matter how many times he finds you, it will be me he comes back to in the end.”
As the darkness started to seep into the edges of his vision, those amber eyes were the last thing Minho saw before he slipped into a fretful sleep. Those amber eyes would be the death of him and continue to be the death of him if he let himself fall into Jinki’s arms. The only way to save himself, to save his soul would be the break an immortal’s heart. But how does one break the heart of someone who could snap him in half like a twig.
Minho needed to talk to Kibum about this.
***
Jonghyun opened his eyes slowly and immediately knew he was in trouble. There was someone’s arms around him and they were still breathing, the first problem. There was another presence in the dorm and from the scent of them they were going to be a problem sooner or later, the second problem. The third problem made itself known when a smooth thigh rubbed against his pants leg as the human shifted and snuggled closer to him. He lifted his head up and looked down at the obvious tent waving back up at him. Normally he wouldn’t find his morning erection such a problem but his memory was crystal clear and he knew the boy next to him wasn’t just some normal human. He turned his head to the side and looked down at the sleeping face, feeling struck by the feline features just as he had the night before.
He gingerly removed the arms from around his body and slid out of the bed, rolling away and standing up. It was embarrassing someone of his stature having to sneak out of someone’s bed like a cheating lover. A whine left the boy’s lips as Jonghyun watched him shift on the bed and reach out for the vampire. Something deep in his mind click together and before he realized it, Jonghyun was stripping off his clothes and crawling back into the bed. Kibum shivered at the touch of the frozen body before welcoming it and curled around Jonghyun, letting out a noise akin to a content purr. Jonghyun’s lips twitched upwards as he carded his hair slowly through the silky tresses. He was connected to the boy now and no matter how much he wanted to get away he knew he couldn’t, he was trapped forever. He would be forced to walk the earth endlessly in search of Kibum’s soul just like Jinki.
“I’m going to be a loser for the rest of my life.” Jonghyun groaned out in anguish but he didn’t care. As long as he had Kibum in his arms, he would be content. So he was only content for about another ten minutes before Kibum sat upright suddenly and blinked bleary eyes at the clock. Jonghyun was surprised someone could wake up so violently and traced small patterns down the smooth back, bringing Kibum’s attention down to him. He could see himself reflected so clearly in those brown eyes and it sent a shiver down through his core. His thoughts ran to what Kibum could possibly think of him, a monster, and an abomination and yet he had so readily accepted it all as if it was just something normal.
His thoughts and indecisions were washed away when he felt the softest of hands running over his face. He closed his eyes and leaned upward into the touch, welcoming it immediately. Kibum’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he ran his hands over the marble stone that was Jonghyun’s body. His features seemed carved out of the finest block of stone, muscles hardened from centuries of use and abuse. He stopped his fingers as they ran along the dip in his hips and dragged them back up. How could something so perfect yet so obviously wrong even exist? There was no doubt in Kibum’s mind that Jonghyun wasn’t the only one. He couldn’t be. Things like this or rather, things like Jonghyun, never just existed alone. There were always more of them and with them there was always trouble, pain, and heartache.
Jonghyun could see the different emotions running through Kibum’s mind and the silence was starting to scare him. Jonghyun never got scared, it was ludicrous of someone like him to even think of the world fear let alone let it try to consume him. His hand moved on its’ own accord and caressed the boy’s cheek, sitting up as he dragged his lips over Kibum’s. A low sigh escaped the human as he lay down against Jonghyun, hands getting braver and slowly starting to run farther south. He knew he should stop the dangerous path he was heading down before it got worse. He knew that if he shared this moment with Kibum that his fate would forever be sealed and he would be damned to a eternity of wanting no other touch, needing no other person except the boy hovering above him.
“Fuck it.” Jonghyun turned over and pinned Kibum under him, fangs retracting as he began his warpath down the boy’s body. Every touch seared him down to his essence; every kiss broke bits of his soul and embedded them with Kibum’s. As their bodies started to meld together Jonghyun couldn’t discern where he started and Kibum ended all he knew, all he felt was the spiritual connection he had caused. When he touched Kibum the sounds those sweet lips parted to let loose were an aphrodisiac to Jonghyun. His touches became firmer and more adventurous and Kibum welcomed it all. He had never been touched like this before, had never felt so close to a complete stranger as he did now. When Jonghyun finally entered him there was no pain, only pleasure and desire for more. His body fit perfectly against the vampire’s as they rolled and moved together. It felt like they’d been together like this time and time again, knowing the right places to touch and when. An intensity unlike anything Kibum had ever felt before was slowly growing in his stomach and spreading through his body like wildfire. His senses were heightened, his body aflame as each touch left burn marks against his skin. Jonghyun didn’t feel cold anymore but like a white hot fire that wouldn’t, couldn’t be put out or stopped. It was too easy to succumb to the sensations and let himself drown in the tidal wave of temptation.
The moment ended too soon, too abruptly and Kibum was pulled back towards the surface of reality. He so wanted to let himself drift back down into oblivious as he felt warmness spreading over his stomach and coating his insides. He hadn’t even noticed Jonghyun’s fingers wrapped around his cock, pumping him to fulfillment until it was all over. The bliss that was intoxicating his mind was too much as he shifted against the bed. Jonghyun had a knowing smile on his face as he gently cupped the boy’s face and pressed a tender kiss against the reddening lips. There were bruises covering almost every inch of his body, an obvious reminder of Jonghyun’s strength but there was no pain from them. Even when he wiggled his body and whined at the loss of having Jonghyun inside of him, filling him to the brim there was no pain. Only peace.
“I’ll get a towel.” Kibum only nodded his compliance as Jonghyun moved off the bed and searched around for a discarded towel to clean the boy, to clean his lover, with. Jonghyun traced frozen fingers over the dark marks marring Kibum’s porcelain skin, looking for any signs of discomfort. Kibum simply stared back at him, eyes glazed over as he relived the experience again and again. Jonghyun chuckled and moved back into the bed, pulling the boy against him, arm wrapping around his tightly. Kibum easily slipped asleep, body tired and mind fried. The day’s events could wait until a later time and Jonghyun wouldn’t let him leave even then. Kibum was his now and Jonghyun was a possessive bastard. He wouldn’t let another man so much as look at Kibum without threatening their life. As Kibum slumbered on in his arms, Jonghyun felt that presence outside the door again. He had no idea who it was but from the way the smell of the boy had a familiar scent about him he must be some relative of Kibum’s. There was that warning in the back of his mind that told him to do something about the boy but Kibum shifted closer and started to mumble in his sleep and Jonghyun found that he was more interested in listening in on what Kibum was saying than dealing with some nosey teenager.
That nosey teenager was really turning into an issue.
***
There were two things Minho was sure of as he slipped out of the bed and pulled his clothes on. He was sure that he was in love, unconditionally and irrevocably in love. He was also sure that if this turned into some sort of Twilight reject scenario he was offing himself the first chance he got. There was no way in hell he was going to let that happen. There was a shift on the bed and Minho glanced over his shoulder to see Jinki staring at him. He was already fully dressed and though he didn’t doubt for a moment Jinki could have stopped him if he wanted to Minho did the one thing he knew his legs were good for. He ran, out of the room, out of the apartment, he just ran. He didn’t stay long enough to see the flicker of emotions pass through those timeless silver eyes, to see that this had happened many times over to Jinki. The first meeting, the first night together, they always ended with Jinki alone and deserted.
Minho didn’t know where he could actually go, there was no way he was going to expose Kibum to all this and then Taemin was no doubt still there. He was escaping the grasp of one monster just to fly into the arms of another. If Minho was one thing he wasn’t stupid and skidded to a halt, panting to catch his breath. The air was still chilled with the morning mist hanging heavily in the air. A few sunrays were peeking around buildings, making the air sizzle audibly as it all started evaporating away. He only had a few option on places he could go and each was worse than the first. Was this how it was for the others? Did they run and not know where they could possibly go to escape their fates? Would he continue to share their last moments until he too was just a memory for the next unsuspecting soul to inherit?
He clutched his head and let out a feral growl, shaking away the dark thoughts. He was stronger than all this, he was better than it all. He wouldn’t let someone just come into his life and ruin it for him. After all he’d strive to achieve so he could be the best, so he could make his parents, his brothers, his friends proud of him. “No…I’ll make this right.” Minho whispered out into the still air as he stood and looked around. The mist had all faded away and made his way clear as if the heavens were standing behind him, willing to show him the way to take back his future, to take back his soul.
Minho turned and jogged down the street, patting his pocket for his cell phone. The least he could do was text Kibum to let him know he was okay. It was Christmas break and the three week vacation left him open to many opportunities. Could he really bring himself to do all this in just three weeks? Could he bring himself to do it period? There was no time to let doubts seep into his mind again. If he took even one step back he would never be able to work up the courage for this again. That one step was the difference between life and death for him now.
His feet were soon walking up the steps of the Cathedral before he realized how far he had walked. Was he so scattered brain that even distance was lost upon him? That was another thing he could blame on his encounter with Jinki. Just thinking the name sent a stab of pain into his heart. He pushed the doors open and crossed himself slowly, feeling the demons plaguing him slip away as he walked slowly towards the side. He knew where he was going and who he was looking for. The winding steps up to the Father’s office were just as he remembered them from the last time he’d come up here, hard under the feet but never exhausting. Minho listened with an ear against the door to see if anyone else was in when he felt the door open and he sprawled inside.
“Why is it that every time you try to eavesdrop I’m always leaving?”
Minho looked up at the man in front of him and gave a soft smile. “Because you have horrible timing Father, or can I call you hyung again?” Siwon laughed and reached a hand down to help Minho up to his feet. “You can call me Father hyung for now Minnie. What brings you by?” Minho accepted the hand and gave his eldest brother a quick hug, trying to put off the inevitable for as long as he could. Siwon was his understanding brother and would take anything and everything he said in stride though Minho wasn’t too sure how him falling in love with an abomination would go over. Siwon could see the turmoil racing behind Minho’s eyes clearly and took a step back to examine the boy. The puncture wounds on his neck were still very much visibly and his clothes were stained, dirty from the alleyway he had been thrown in before Jinki came along to save him. Siwon wanted to turn off the understanding Father and turn into the very much concerned hyung but knew he had to find a balance between the two.
“Why don’t you rest for a while? You look live you’ve been through quite the ordeal.” Minho took notice of how this was Siwon’s way of saying he looked like shit and laughed. No matter what Siwon wore he would always be Minho’s favorite brother and most trusted confidante. Maybe that was why Siwon took the step to defy their parents’ wishes and walk the path of Christ. Siwon was an easy person to get along with and there was never any reason to not talk to him and just spill your deepest, darkest secrets. Minho was never judged or tossed away from what he said, just offered advice and consoled.
There were a few rooms available for people who had nowhere to go or just wanted a warm bed for the night. Minho didn’t realize how tired he was until he was stripped of his filthy clothes and handed a clean pair of pajamas and collapsed on the bed. Siwon stood in the doorway, watching his littlest brother curl up under the sheets and slumber on. There was a demon leeching Minho’s soul and it was obvious from the strained look in his eyes. Siwon closed the door slowly and went back up to his office. Minho would tell him everything in due time and all he had to do was wait for it, wait and pray.
For once Minho didn’t fall victim to the memories of his past lives as he slept. There were no deaths, no blood, and no Jinki to haunt him as he walked through darkened valleys and swam in endless seas. He was finally at peace and nothing could tear him from this for inside the walls of the church he was safe. With Siwon only a few doors away he was protected. Minho could let his defenses fall and not have to worry. It felt good to not have to worry anymore.