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A full week had passed since Ehwa and Hwaryun had been alone together. The two of them hadn’t really spoken since their last argument either, when they ran into each other on the ship Hwaryun would always somehow vanish almost instantly. This, of course, was typical for Hwaryun, like a cat, there was no such thing as approaching her first, she would always be impossible to locate until she decided she wanted to be found. Normally Ehwa would wait for Hwaryun to be ready to talk but this time they didn’t have that luxury, Hwaryun was leaving with Bam and the others tomorrow and no one knew how long they were going to be gone. Things were going to be fine between her and Hwaryun, she just had to find Hwaryun first.
Ehwa slid down the wall next to Hwaryun’s door and sat down hugging her knees. She couldn't find Hwaryun, she spent most of today looking for Hwaryun, but as expected Hwaryun was nowhere to be found. Ehwa had given up on wandering the ship looking for Hwaryun and decided to sit right in front of Hwaryun's door. If she couldn't find Hwaryun she would make Hwaryun come to her.
“How long are you going to sleep there for?”
Ehwa jolted awake, “Hwaryun! I’ve been looking for you!” The person she spent all day looking for was staring right at her, she wasn't sure if she could consider this her plan working, but either way she was sucessful.
“I know, let’s go,” Hwaryun said, offering Ehwa a hand up. Ehwa’s legs were quite stiff from sitting in one spot for so long so she was grateful for the help. “Ready?” Hwaryun asked, checking in with a very sleep-frazzled Ehwa.
“Yes, but where are we going?”
“Let’s step outside for a bit,” Hwaryun replied, still holding Ehwa’s hand.
The afternoon sun had just begun to set in the distance (had Ehwa really been asleep for that long?) She hastily moved her hand to make sure her eye makeup hadn’t smeared and that she didn't have any strange markings from sleeping. She was so happy to see Hwaryun it hadn’t even occurred to her to check how she looked.
“You look fine.” Hwaryun said to her, looking back with the tiniest smile on her lips, “besides I’ve seen you look way worse-”
“Okay, okay I hear you,” Ehwa replied with a small pout. She wasn’t actually mad of course, she was actually very happy, but she couldn’t let Hwaryun know how easy it was for her to make Ehwa feel this way. Hwaryun of course, already knew how she made Ehwa feel.
They were only going to be staying on the 47th floor for a few more days, Ehwa thought that she was going to miss her chance to see the lamp flower bloom this time as well. It was something she wanted to see in person. Lamp flower trees only grew on the 47th floor and in an area of the floor that was famously inaccessible to most without a guide due to the intense storms and the strange quality of the shinsu that surrounded the perimeter of the forest. This meant that very few people ventured here, largely preserving the forest in its natural state while also making it a safe place for their team to rest between missions.
Hwaryun lead them through a winding path, as the sun began to set in the distance the lamp flowers began to open. The blooming flowers had a slight pink hue to their glow, they cast a soft light above their heads illuminating the forest around them. As sundown gave way to night, the near-silent woods filled with birdsong and the faint rustling of animals passing through the foliage. They walked in relative silence, their minds occupied with words still unspoken.
It was only a few more steps before Ehwa could see where Hwaryun was leading her. In the distance, a few meters away from a lake, she could see a small canopy set up over what Ehwa could only describe as a fancy picnic. The canopy was lit with small lights, and the picnic blanket itself appeared to be slightly padded as well, there were all of Ehwa’s favourite foods. It was clear that Hwaryun had prepared this well in advance. It wasn’t uncommon for Hwaryun to surprise her with sudden trips and excursions, but it never happened while they were ‘arguing’. Normally Ehwa would not have walked this far without saying anything, but this time she felt as though it was better to let Hwaryun speak when she was ready.
It wasn’t until they had settled onto the picnic blanket and started eating some of the food that the normally very straightforward and blunt Hwaryun finally started talking about the fight.
Almost instantly it felt as though a weight was lifted off of her shoulders, all the anxiety and pressure that had built up during this time seemed to flow out of Ehwa all at once when Hwaryun finished speaking.
“You thought I was going to break up with you because I saw your future? For a guide you sure can be oblivious,” Ehwa said with a smile.
“I know, but it really isn’t that ridiculous of a thought.” Hwaryun replied, voice slightly muffled as she pulled her knees in. From the corner of her eye Ehwa could see the tips of Hwaryun’s ears turning the same shade as her hair.
A shiver ran through Ehwa’s spine as she remembered the glimpse of the horrible vision she saw, she could still recall the warm sticky sensation of her skin and clothing melding together under the hot sun, the rancid smell of burnt flesh, the faint hum of insects that feasted on rotting flesh, the excruciating pain she felt through Hwaryun’s memories… This was a mere drop in the bucket of things that the future held for Hwaryun and for herself if she decided to stay by Hwaryun’s side.
Ehwa scooted closer to Hwaryun and she wrapped her arm around her. “You should know by now that I wouldn’t leave you over something like that,” Ehwa said quietly leaning a little closer to Hwaryun with every word, “knowing that something like that could happen to you— to us terrifies me but why would I leave you because of that, because I— .
“Because I can’t give you what you want,” Hwaryun interjected suddenly, “I know what you wanted after climbing was a happy and peaceful life, but I can’t do any of that for you, I thought that maybe there was a possibility that the future had changed somehow, but the path I see is always the same, if anything it was solidified when we saw each other’s futures. It’s why I didn’t want to go to the Floor of Fates with you at first, but I thought that we had become strong enough to avoid that future, but when I saw all I had done was drag you down with me I—” Hwaryun paused to take in a breath, her voice wavered uncharacteristically.
“Hwaryun, no. My love please do not say that,” Ehwa said softly, holding Hwaryun a little tighter in her arms, “you didn’t drag me anywhere with you, I chose to go with you, I am choosing you now and forever, I am choosing this future with you because I love you. I am not the same person you met all those years ago, I am different now, and I am not as weak as I was before. I can protect you, let me protect you and do the same for me. Besides, we both know that there’s the possibility I would have gone down this path regardless of you, and… knowing what you have to go through I’d rather do it with you than know that you went through it on your own. Anyway, none of this matters right now. That’s what I wanted to say to you this whole time. Who cares what we have to deal with in the future. I love you now, and I want to be with you right now, and nothing will and can change that. If things get harder for us in the future that’s fine, the two of us will be able to deal with it then, besides this just means we need to enjoy ourselves as much as possible right now why should we—”
Hwaryun sat up rather suddenly and kissed Ehwa on the lips mid sentence. ‘Well she got the point.’ Ehwa thought to herself with a laugh, she probably could have kept going if Hwaryun didn’t stop her.
After a brief moment Hwaryun finally spoke again.
“Thank you Ehwa. Thank you for allowing me to be selfish, thank you for loving me.”
“It was my pleasure, but if you’re so grateful this time you should really stop avoiding me for so long every time there’s something we need to talk about.” Ehwa replied with a playful grin.
“If you were less terrifying when—”
“Okay! That’s enough, no more mood killing, it’s time to change the topic.”
The soft laughter from the canopy continued late into the night, the two of them stayed cuddled together well into the night, making plans for a future that they were going to build together.