Chapter Text
The journey back was slightly longer than the initial trip to retrieve the starlace, for their urgency had decreased now that they weren’t carrying a quickly dying Seonghwa along with them. They were still moving at a decent pace, however, Hongjoong perched on Wooyoung’s back like before with the two vampires keeping pace beside them.
They were silent as they traveled, but the weight in the air had dissipated significantly now that they had achieved their mission and saved Seonghwa. Their feelings were lingering towards bittersweet now, for they were incredibly grateful that Seonghwa had been saved, but they were already starting to feel his absence, the realization that he would be gone for a long time before they saw him again.
Hongjoong could still feel the soft lips that had moved softly against his own, and more than once he caught himself unconsciously running his fingers over his mouth, for he was slightly in awe that the kiss had happened at all. He had dreamt of kissing Seonghwa many times over the months that they came to fall in love, but due to the hopeless situation they were in he had always refrained, knowing it would only bring more pain in the end.
However, it had finally been the right time then, for the starlace had been on the forest floor right beside him during the kiss, a steady reminder that Seonghwa wasn’t going to die. That they could be in love after trying to force their feelings down for so long. It had been more than just a kiss, for it finally released them both from that belief that it was forbidden to love each other, that it would never be able to end the way they wanted it to.
They overcame the most pressing of battles - this was the last leg of it all, the final stretch before they could be back together as a family again. Hongjoong knew they would make it through, and that the next time they would meet would be made sweeter because of it. He was choosing to be positive about things now, for there finally was a foreseeable end in sight - Seonghwa would still have to travel back and forth, but he would be alive. That was the only thing that mattered to Hongjoong, in the end.
Most of the anxiety he was feeling deep in his chest was not due to Seonghwa’s absence, but rather the mess that he knew they’d left behind at the cottage. San had been a complete emotional wreck, and Hongjoong was hesitant to believe that he would be doing any better when they got back, for he had never dealt with losing someone like this.
He had likely spent the last day in and out of panic attacks like the one that he’d suffered through the night they left, for the three fairies didn’t even know if starlace was real - they were probably running through worst case scenarios, terrified that Hongjoong would come back to tell them that they would never see Seonghwa again. Hongjoong’s heart ached to just get home, to reassure them that Seonghwa would be okay and keep them safe until he came back.
He worried for Yeosang and Yunho as well, for Hongjoong knew that Yeosang would likely shut down and close himself off even more than normal in order to keep the pain at bay. It was how he operated, though with Seonghwa present he had started to open up slowly, but Hongjoong imagined that he would revert back to his old ways of coping without the angel around.
Yunho wasn’t necessarily as emotional as the other two, but Hongjoong knew he would be draining himself immensely trying to look after the other two fairies. Calming down San from his frequent breakdowns while also trying to get Yeosang to talk was a task in itself, and Hongjoong worried for Yunho, for he had a tendency to forget to take care of himself in the process.
They had to travel through the night again, each of them with a protective stone to ward off any surrounding dangers within the forest, and once morning came they weren’t far from the cottage. Hongjoong gestured for them to stop as soon as the sun started to rise, however, giving a second round of potions to Jongho and Mingi before sliding the empty flasks back into his bag. He also distributed a few bags of food before they continued on, desperate to end their journey.
Hongjoong was positively exhausted, and he knew the others must have been as well, for they had started to slow in pace when the trees finally became familiar. “We’re back,” he breathed in relief, both Mingi and Jongho nodding their shared satisfaction as well. It felt like ages had passed since he’d last seen his home, and when they finally broke through the trees and came within the magical border Hongjoong had set in place, he felt his anxious heart finally begin to settle.
Wooyoung lowered himself to the floor immediately so that Hongjoong could slide off from his back, turning back to his human form soon after. He looked bone tired, and Hongjoong frowned slightly in sympathy, hoping they could all get some much needed rest. Just as Hongjoong started to walk across the yard to go inside and deal with the aftermath of Seonghwa’s departure, he noticed movement in the garden and stopped in his tracks, puzzled.
It was San, sitting on the ground in the flowerbed and giggling softly as several small butterflies fluttered around his head, appearing to chase one another for his amusement. The sight itself wasn’t inherently strange, for San often played silly little games with the creatures that frequented his garden, but it was entirely opposite of what Hongjoong had expected to see when they got back home.
He had expected San to be inconsolable, clinging to them as a replacement for the comfort that he yearned for from a certain angel, one who wouldn’t be returning to the cottage for a long time. Instead, the boy appeared positively cheerful, giggling with dimples on full display as a butterfly landed on his nose, tickling his cheeks with its wingbeats.
“San?” Hongjoong called softly, confusion clearly etched into his features. San looked up immediately, practically jumping up from his spot in the garden, the smile on his face widening. Hongjoong was so bewildered that he couldn’t even say anything further, just standing in the middle of the yard dumbly.
San ran up the porch steps and opened the front door, yelling something inside before coming back down the steps. Hongjoong was entirely at a loss for words, and he sensed that the others had stopped behind him as well, all of them unsure. He wondered vaguely if San had snapped entirely, pushing his sadness away and covering it with this strange, overwhelming joy, but he couldn't be sure.
Just as he was about to muster up the ability to ask something else, a figure came through the front door, and Hongjoong felt his heart drop in his chest. Suddenly, it all made sense - San’s strange behavior, how he’d called someone from inside. And yet rather than feeling relief, Hongjoong felt rage burn to life in the pit of his stomach, for this went against everything they had promised.
The figure was Seonghwa, and Hongjoong could hardly focus on how wonderful he looked because of how betrayed he felt inside. The angel smiled, his lips bright pink and his cheeks tinged the same shade, his eyelashes pure white and his skin emitting that glow that Hongjoong had missed for so long. His feathers were vibrant white and the bare patches were gone, the only flaw being the scar that still split his wing.
All of these wonderful changes had Seonghwa practically brimming over with life after months of slow death, and yet Hongjoong couldn’t even focus on any of it. Seonghwa appeared as if he was about to say something, his eyes sparkling as he parted his lips, but Hongjoong cut him off instantly.
“What are you doing here?” He seethed, marching right up to the angel and looking him in the eye, resisting his body’s urge to hold him close, to admire his beauty. Seonghwa’s eyes grew wide with shock at the hostility, which only made Hongjoong more indignant. “You were supposed to stay up north until it was safe! You promised us - how could you come straight back here?"
Seonghwa looked as if he wanted to interrupt, but Hongjoong didn’t allow it, continuing to unveil his thoughts. “Seonghwa, it’s dangerous. You’re already leaving your life force behind again, when you were on death’s door less than a full day ago. It’s - are you insane? You still can’t fly,” he gestured at the scarred wing, “and you’re going to have to travel back up there through all of the hunters to get back!”
His breath was coming out in harsh puffs, and he poked a finger into Seonghwa’s chest, needing him to understand this was reckless - too reckless. “We did not go through all of this just to lose you now. Do you realize that this will only make things worse - San is overjoyed, and when you leave and stay up there this time, he’s going to be devastated.” Hongjoong drew up closer to Seonghwa then, only a few inches separating their faces as he spoke. “You’re giving them hope that they can’t afford to have, not until the hunters are gone and-”
Hongjoong was cut off mid-rant by lips pressing against his own, effectively silencing him, though not deflating the anger he felt towards the angel. He loved Seonghwa, and he understood that he didn’t want to be up north alone, but he was angry because of how much he cared. They had been much too close to losing him, and the fact that he would recklessly risk his life instead of waiting like they had planned was just - it was thoughtless, and so unlike the Seonghwa he knew that Hongjoong couldn’t quite understand it.
Still, he was caught off guard by the sudden kiss, Seonghwa’s lips pressing against his with intent before pulling back suddenly, leaving Hongjoong gasping as he tried to reroute his thoughts. That was apparently what Seonghwa had intended, however, for he jumped at the chance to speak now that Hongjoong had paused.
“Hongjoong, listen to me. I didn’t break my promise - I would never do that, and you know it.” Hongjoong tried to protest then, but Seonghwa placed a hand on his shoulder firmly. “You know I wouldn’t. I don’t fully understand how it happened, but when the magic swept me up I opened my eyes to find that I was sitting on the couch right inside, the one I always used to sleep on. The one I woke up on the first time you found me out in the woods. I didn't lie, Hongjoong - the magic brought me here.”
Once Hongjoong finally was able to tone down his anger enough to process Seonghwa’s words, he felt his jaw drop open unconsciously. All he could do was stare at Seonghwa, searching his eyes for the confirmation he needed. Seonghwa’s eyes were sparkling with life, nothing but unadulterated happiness present there, and before Hongjoong knew it there was a lump rising in his throat and tears blurring his vision.
“You mean-” he choked out, voice tight as he yearned to give into the hope that tried to bloom in his chest. Seonghwa smiled softly, a sight so beautiful that Hongjoong couldn’t help but shed a tear, feeling it roll down his cheek and over his mouth, the salty taste spreading along his tongue.
“Do you remember what I said, right before the magic fully took me away?” It was an easy question, one that Hongjoong would likely never forget the answer to for as long as he lived.
“‘My home is with you’,” he whispered, holding Seonghwa’s gaze like it was a lifeline, the only thing keeping him grounded when he was at risk of crumbling.
Seonghwa nodded, his smile growing a bit more at the corners. “I was minutes away from death when I ate that plant - my magic was practically nonexistent at that point, and the only thing on my mind was the thought of coming back to you someday,” he explained, reaching out to grasp Hongjoong’s hand. He couldn’t restrain the gasp that fell from his lips at the touch, because Seonghwa’s hand was warm. There was no ice lingering beneath his skin, no chill at his touch.
“In that moment, I could feel the magic from the plant searching for my life force to use as its anchor. I expected it to meld with the same place in my gut where I always felt the presence of the north, but it stopped in my chest, blooming from there. I only realized what it meant when I was seconds away from disappearing - that was the best message I could try to send you, though I see it didn’t come across the way I intended,” he chuckled sheepishly, but Hongjoong did not feel a shred of humor as he truly came to understand what had happened.
“Your life force - it changed,” he marveled, looking at Seonghwa with nothing short of undisguised awe. Seonghwa’s final words had been so much more than mere sentiment - he had been telling them the honest truth, that he would share their home for the rest of his days. Magic didn’t lie, and it had seen the truth that resided within Seonghwa’s heart.
He had started his life in the only place he’d ever known, under the false assumption that it was his home due to the magic that confined him there. However, as soon as Seonghwa had wound up at the cottage that day, his heart had learned that home wasn’t just with your magic - because there was a different kind of magic held within the bonds of love, one that had won out when Seonghwa needed it most.
Seonghwa loved them so strongly that the starlace had anchored in his heart, for the magic of the love held there was stronger than the life force in his gut. In plain terms, Seonghwa’s former magic had faded entirely, a new magic taking root and allowing him to finally live the free life he’d always dreamed of. The plant had transported him back to the cottage, the very place where his love had been carefully cultivated, where his heart was able to be held in the hands of those who loved him just as much in return.
Seonghwa was positively beaming then, eyes glimmering with fresh tears as he nodded, confirming Hongjoong’s words once and for all. It all made sense - San was so happy because while he’d been crying his heart out in the cottage, Seonghwa had just appeared on the couch. The world felt brighter, the colors surrounding them more vibrant than ever, because things had finally worked in their favor.
They had been so eager to accept a life of back and forth, for at least they would be able to see Seonghwa every now and then, but never had this outcome been so much as a thought in any of their minds. Hongjoong had never even heard of such a thing before, a life force being able to change, but he supposed if anyone had a strong enough heart to confuse pure magic itself, it was Seonghwa.
Hongjoong didn’t even realize that he was openly crying until he felt the tears drip down from his chin, months of grief and stress lifting from his shoulders in an instant. This was all he had ever wanted, all he had dreamed of for so long, and as he stared at the angel before him he allowed himself to let go of all the emotions and thoughts that had plagued his mind endlessly. There was no need to dream anymore, because the reality was so much sweeter.
“You’re really going to stay with us forever?” He asked, though he already knew what Seonghwa’s answer would be before he finished speaking.
Seonghwa smiled and tugged him close, their chests touching. “Forever and then some,” he murmured, gently rubbing a thumb against Hongjoong’s cheek to wipe his tears away. It was an ironic gesture, for Seonghwa was crying as well, but it made Hongjoong’s heart flutter just the same.
His hand shifted to cup the back of Hongjoong’s neck, the touch tender as he captured Hongjoong’s mouth in another kiss, this one much softer than the last. They had shared a kiss that held a promise at the waterfall and a kiss that had halted Hongjoong’s misplaced anger just mere minutes before, but this was the one that truly felt right.
There was no reason behind it other than the fact that they could. After months of holding back, they were free to love each other the way they wanted. No grief lingering, no boundary keeping them apart. It was the best ending Hongjoong could have ever wished for, made infinitely more pleasant by the knowledge that while this was the end of their suffering, it was the beginning of everything else.
He melted into the kiss, feeling butterflies come to life and flutter all around his stomach when Seonghwa placed a hand on his waist pulling him even closer. They had come to love each other during the darkest of times, no time for casual kisses or any of the sweeter components of love. Now that things had changed so drastically in a matter of minutes, Hongjoong felt a blush run along his cheeks, for it was like all of his stress had been replaced by astonishment that he was being kissed by an angel so beautiful.
Seonghwa pulled away a few moments later, a smile still present on his lips. It was only then that Hongjoong finally was able to take in just how drastically his appearance had changed. He had yearned to see Seonghwa’s beauty when he was fully healthy, and now here he was, standing before Hongjoong much sooner than anticipated and looking so alive that his heart could hardly stand it.
This is how he was meant to look, that much Hongjoong knew. Seonghwa was meant to have entire galaxies held within his eyes, his gaze sparkling with unrestrained, boundless life and love for those who had shown him the true meaning of home. His skin was no longer pale and sickly, but rather that same sunkissed shade from his first days at the cottage, free of the scars and bruises that he’d been too weak to heal fully.
Seonghwa’s skin was glowing with the light of the moon, an ethereal luster that was more beautiful than Hongjoong had ever seen it, the glow strong and unyielding. Never had he seen Seonghwa like this, for he had already been injured and lacking magic when Yeosang had found him unconscious in the forest, but it truly brought a new perspective to the endless beauty of angels - though Hongjoong couldn’t imagine any other angel being quite this alluring.
Perhaps the only thing permanently lost through their entire journey was Seonghwa’s ability to fly, for Hongjoong could see the awkward extension of the scarred wing at his side, the bones set too strangely for it to function as it used to. Other parts of him had healed, and the magic had even regrown his bare patches of feathers, but nothing could be done for the missing sections of bone, or the areas that had been completely mutilated.
Hongjoong’s brow furrowed in sympathy, for though he had known it wouldn’t be possible for the plant’s magic to save the wing, a part of him had still hoped for it anyway. He knew how much the angel loved to fly, and though everything else had gone miraculously better than they had ever thought possible, he wished that Seonghwa could get that one last part of himself back.
His expression must have been easily readable, for Seonghwa tilted his chin up slightly, focing Hongjoong out of his thoughts. “Don’t worry about my wing,” he said, the smile never wavering from his lips. “It’s a small price to pay to spend the rest of my life here, and I would do it all over again if it meant achieving this outcome in the end.”
He paused for a moment, eyes scanning along the pure white feathers, their pattern only interrupted by the thick scar bisecting the wing entirely. Hongjoong noted that the scar was much less irritated now, looking to be fully healed at least. “I’m not entirely mad about the scar either - it’s kind of cool, the way none of my feathers grow there,” Seonghwa mused, and Hongjoong could have kissed him again right there.
He was still as positive as ever, and Hongjoong’s own smile grew wide, for even though Seonghwa was no longer on death’s door everything was still fundamentally him. The damaged parts had healed, but the truly lovely parts of his soul had remained, seeming to grow even more now that he was finally happy.
Even when Seonghwa looked past Hongjoong to greet the others, he still found himself staring at the angel, admiring the way he moved so easily. Hongjoong hadn’t even seen him walk in weeks, and now he was extending his arms wide and catching Wooyoung when the boy launched into his embrace, already crying tears of relief. His posture was strong and steady, easily carrying his wings like an angel was meant to.
“I don’t feel so confused anymore - I’m just happy,” Wooyoung sobbed into Seonghwa’s chest, practically crumbling into the angel’s arms as all of his panic cleared away. Hongjoong didn’t think he had ever felt this happy, and the same thoughts were reflected in all of them, clear in the lightness of their step and the smiles they wore through their tears.
While still holding Wooyoung close, Seonghwa embraced Jongho and Mingi as well, holding them both impossibly tight. It was clear that Seonghwa was overjoyed, no doubt expecting to open his eyes in the chilly northern snow but rather finding himself right back in the place he thought he was being forced to leave behind.
San came up behind Seonghwa, the dimples still deep in his cheeks as he wrapped himself around the angel’s other side, looking up at him like he hung the stars and the moon, like he was the most wonderful creature of all. Hongjoong chuckled at the sight, but he knew in his heart that he felt the same way.
After they were all finally calm enough to go back inside, Hongjoong instantly ushered Jongho and Mingi off to bed, both of them appearing dead on their feet. They didn’t even have the strength to protest, just bidding Seonghwa one last farewell before shuffling down the hall to their shared room, the telltale sign of the door clicking closed following behind them.
“Where’s Yunho and Yeosang?” Hongjoong asked after a moment, skimming the room but finding no sign of his two friends anywhere. The question was directed at San, but Seonghwa was the one to answer from his spot standing right behind Hongjoong, the deep tone of his voice sending a shiver along his spine.
“They went back out into the forest a few hours ago, even though I told them that you would be back. Sannie and I think they’re up to something, right?” Seonghwa looked down at the fairy who was still clinging to him with a grin.
San nodded enthusiastically, beginning to ramble on about his thoughts on the whole thing, his voice filling the room as he spoke. Normally Hongjoong would get a headache from such a thing, but hearing the lightness to San’s words after so long was enough to make him smile. Without interrupting, Hongjoong moved into the kitchen, figuring he would make something for lunch since none of them had eaten, it seemed.
Seonghwa was listening as attentively as ever, nodding along with San’s points and chipping in when necessary, though most of the time he just looked at the fairy as he spoke, his expression betraying just how endeared he was. They had been standing in the center of the living room still, but Seonghwa was able to guide both San and Wooyoung to the couch, neither of them eager to let go of him yet.
It was clear that Wooyoung was exhausted, though, and Hongjoong could vaguely hear Seonghwa murmur something to the boy before he shifted into a red fox this time, the kind that frequented the surrounded forest. For some reason, that action alone hit Hongjoong deep in the chest, for there was no need for Wooyoung to turn into the arctic fox anymore. Seonghwa’s place was here - he didn’t need that added piece of home anymore because he was home.
Wooyoung curled up in Seonghwa’s lap easily, appearing to relax instantly when he felt the angel’s hand pet his fur. It was heartwarming, because Wooyoung had been so reluctant to sleep without Seonghwa there, had cried so intensely when Seonghwa had pet his hair for what seemed like the last time just before eating the plant. Never had he anticipated that he would be able to curl in the angel’s lap the very next time he would sleep.
Seonghwa continued to pet his fur even once he was clearly asleep, still talking calmly with San, hugging him into his side. Hongjoong had decided to make a simple stew for lunch, and he was stirring the ingredients together in one of his cooking cauldrons, though he kept looking up at the couch, as if making sure that Seonghwa was truly there, that he hadn’t imagined it all to soothe his grieving heart.
Lowering the temperature to a simmer, Hongjoong looked at the couch again, smiling at what he saw. Seonghwa was pressing a soft kiss to San’s forehead, brushing his hair back and playing with the little white stripe in the front. San giggled and swatted his hand away, but he stayed burrowed close into Seonghwa’s side, his expression more content than Hongjoong had seen in months.
As he watched, there was the muted sound of footsteps on the porch before the front door swung open, hinges creaking in protest as Yunho and Yeosang walked through the door. As soon as they saw Hongjoong they positively beamed, easily picking up on how light the atmosphere in the cottage had become.
Yeosang quickly went to sit on the couch, leaning against Seonghwa’s vacant side now that Wooyoung was asleep in his lap. The smile on his face was so soft that Hongjoong nearly wanted to cry, for he hadn’t seen Yeosang happy in so long. He was certainly pleased for his own sake that Seonghwa was back, but a part of him was even happier for the sake of his friends. They all deserved to be happy, Seonghwa most of all, and it felt surreal that they had finally been granted that chance.
Yunho came to join Hongjoong in the kitchen, leaning over the cauldron to smell the stew while placing a warm hand on Hongjoong’s shoulder. “You really did it,” he said happily, shaking his head slightly in awe. “The starlace plant - you found it.”
Hongjoong smiled sheepishly, pushing Yunho away from the cauldron so he could stir the ingredients again, reaching over to his spice cabinet to add a few more things. “You should have seen what I had to do to get it,” he answered cryptically, clearly piquing Yunho’s interest. Hongjoong didn’t say anything further though, rather just deeming the stew suitable and carefully doling it out into separate bowls, leaving enough behind for Jongho and Mingi when they woke up.
Forgoing the table entirely, Hongjoong just brought out the bowls to the living room, sitting on the other couch with Yunho once they all had their own portion held within their hands. As they ate, they shared their respective stories, Hongjoong revealing how he’d found the starlace plant with the guidance of the vines.
Yunho appeared to be thrilled by the story, rambling about how Hongjoong was some sort of action hero, while Seonghwa looked positively horrified, for he had been asleep during the entirety of the journey. His expression made Hongjoong burst into laughter, bending at the waist as his stomach began to ache. “It’s not funny! You - you scaled a cliff and then let some vines throw you straight into a waterfall? I thought you were supposed to be smart, that’s the most reckless thing I’ve ever heard!”
They were all cackling at that point, laughter filling the room at Seonghwa’s indignance. “It was for you, obviously I would have done anything.” Hongjoong could barely get his words out through his fits of giggles, but Seonghwa allowed himself to be somewhat appeased by it, sighing from the stress of just hearing about the dangers Hongjoong had faced.
“Well, don’t do it again,” he mumbled, lips pouted in such a way that Hongjoong was filled with the overwhelming urge to kiss him, though he restrained himself in favor of finishing his stew. Though they had already heard Seonghwa’s side of things out in the yard, he listened intently as San, Yunho, and Yeosang explained their shock when Seonghwa had magically appeared on the couch while they were crying over losing him on the same couch.
“I was trying to calm San down, and next thing I knew Seonghwa was sitting right next to us. He didn’t even know where he was for a second, or how he had gotten here, but he reached out for San like it was nothing but instinct,” Yunho explained, and San blushed and hid his face in Seonghwa’s shoulder, though he was clearly smiling. As awful as it must have been before Seonghwa had gotten there, it was clear that all three fairies had recovered from their various states of distress as soon as they saw their friend again.
Once they were finished telling their side of things, Hongjoong began to gather up the empty bowls, bringing them back to the kitchen to rinse and put away. As he was stacking them up with the other bowls in the cabinet, he smiled softly to himself, for he knew that when dinner came around and Mingi and Jongho were awake, he would be setting out eight portions. Their small table would be filled, and it wouldn’t be for just a day or two like before - Seonghwa would be eating with them for years to come.
~
It took them all some time to adjust to the massive change of pace in their lives - Hongjoong had entirely forgotten how simple his life had been before Seonghwa had arrived that first night, and it was difficult to get back to that for a while. He kept feeling like he would turn around and Seonghwa would disappear, or he would realize that the angel had never been there at all.
With every night they fell asleep side by side, and every morning he opened his eyes to find a warm body still cuddled up beside him, Hongjoong began to relax and understand that this was real. Nothing was going to take Seonghwa away from him anymore. He was reminded of it every time he held Seonghwa’s hand, the warmth there still taking him by surprise each time, so opposite to the ever present chill that had resided within his skin before.
A few days after returning from the journey to find Seonghwa back at the cottage, the two of them were sitting on matching chairs out on the porch, the wood squeaking slightly beneath their weight as they sat side by side, looking out at the yard. Wooyoung and San were fooling around in the grass, San’s wings on full display as he flitted up into the air to avoid Wooyoung, who was shifting between different animal forms in an effort to catch his friend.
It was the same game they always used to play, though Hongjoong hadn’t seen it in a while, and he was captivated as he watched, hearing their shrieking laughter as the sound reached the porch. Seonghwa was watching as well, unconcealed fondness evident in his expression as he smiled at the antics of his two friends.
“You know, I imagined moments just like this. When I was alone up in the north, when I felt like I was losing my grip on reality, I wondered what it would be like to sit out here on this porch and enjoy the air without feeling the slow tick of my internal clock as I was brought closer and closer to death. It only made me sad because I knew it could never happen, but it helped to ground me, too,” Seonghwa mused, breaking the silence between the two of them.
Hongjoong found himself nodding easily, eyes still trained on the yard as he spoke. “I thought about this a lot too - perhaps more than I even wanted to admit to myself at the time. It still feels surreal,” he murmured, squinting slightly against the light of the afternoon sun. “We can just live however we want to now - I can show you the rest of the forest, and Yunho can show you his pond just like he always wanted to. It’s just - I really can’t believe you’re real sometimes.”
He chuckled at his own words, turning to look at Seonghwa. The sunlight was shining against his face at just the right angle to illuminate his skin entirely, turning his normally deep brown eyes into liquid gold. “You’re beautiful,” he added softly, not even fully conscious of what he was saying, for he was so captivated.
Seonghwa grinned, shaking his head slightly. “You always say that, but you don’t realize how beautiful you are,” he countered, reaching out a hand to brush over Hongjoong’s cheek.
Hongjoong found himself leaning into the warmth of the touch, but he still scoffed at the words. “You’re the one who has glowing skin - I am nothing but normal.” Seonghwa frowned a bit then, moving his fingers to ghost over Hongjoong’s lips.
“There’s nothing wrong with normal - you brought me a sense of normal that I didn’t think I could ever have,” Seonghwa murmured, no longer any hint of teasing in his voice. “I knew from the moment I saw you that you were different, and I thought that you could not have been more beautiful. I had only seen other angels before - this was my normal,” he gestured at his own features, “but you were something entirely different.”
Hongjoong was blushing furiously at that, but Seonghwa wasn’t done yet. “I mean it - you have lovely features, I’ve always thought so. And when you took me in without a second thought, showed me the garden and the forest… half the time I couldn’t help but stare at you, because you knew so much about this world that I had never seen before. You were so willing to show me everything, to spend your time helping me when you didn’t even know anything about me yet.”
Seonghwa paused for a moment, pursing his lips as if thinking deeply. “I was so used to being the one always giving pieces of myself away and never receiving anything in return - it was like I held so much love in my heart but I didn’t even know what it was because I had never experienced it for myself.” He breathed deep and looked right into Hongjoong’s eyes, nothing but honesty there. “Except now I have, because of the generosity held within your beautiful soul. Please believe me when I say that you are beautiful in ways no one else could dream of being.”
Never one to enjoy self praise, Hongjoong was slightly taken aback by all that Seonghwa had said, but he also found himself smiling softly. It was different, because he knew how much Seonghwa meant everything he said, the honesty clear in his words. Rather than gracing him with an answer, Hongjoong leaned forward to press a soft kiss to his forehead, feeling the warm skin there. He then shifted to press another one against the apple of his cheek, the tip of his nose, the highest point of his chin, before finally kissing his lips, conveying all of his love in the one simple gesture.
He wasn’t planning on pulling away for a while, at least until a particularly large butterfly landed on his forehead and scared the living daylights out of him. Hongjoong yelled and flattened back against his chair, just barely restraining himself from swatting at the butterfly, for he didn’t want to hurt the creature. There was raucous laughter from the yard, and Hongjoong glared at Wooyoung and San, who appeared positively pleased with themselves.
“Stop kissing Seonghwa all the time!” Wooyoung yelled, and San collapsed into a fit of giggles beside him as he called the butterfly back to rest against his shoulder. Hongjoong rolled his eyes, placing a hand to his chest as his heart rate steadied back to its normal pace. As much as he loved his makeshift family, they made it very difficult to have any time alone with Seonghwa without rude interruptions like this one.
Seonghwa was laughing too though, for the joy from their two friends was infectious, and despite his feigned annoyance Hongjoong couldn’t help it when a laugh escaped his own lips, shaking his head in exasperation. They were certainly nuisances, but it was as endearing as it was irritating.
Just as Wooyoung and San were about to continue their little game, Yunho and Yeosang emerged from the trees, holding some sort of strange contraption in their hands. It appeared to be made from uniform pieces of wood, though Hongjoong didn’t quite know what it was or how they had found it. “Seonghwa!” Yunho called, positively beaming as he beckoned the angel down from the porch.
Seonghwa instantly got up from his seat, and Hongjoong followed along as well, more out of his own curiosity than anything. The porch steps creaked beneath their feet as they walked down and onto the grass, meeting Yunho and Yeosang in the middle of the yard. Wooyoung and San must have been curious as well, for they were peering at the wooden structure with undisguised interest.
“What is this thing?” San asked, reaching out a finger to poke it until Yeosang swatted his hand away. He pulled his arm back with a false expression of betrayal, though he didn’t try to touch it again as he waited for an answer to his question.
Yeosang looked to Yunho, clearly indicating that he didn’t want to be the one to explain, which only served to confused Hongjoong further. Yunho nodded and looked at Seonghwa, gesturing his hand at the wood in Yeosang’s grip. “I know you noticed how we spent a lot of time out in the woods after you got back, I heard all of San’s ideas about what we were plotting,” he said lightly, smiling wide.
Seonghwa nodded, brows furrowed in puzzlement as he listened. “We saw that your wing was still too damaged to fly, and we wanted to make some kind of brace for it, to see if maybe it could help. I’m very sorry to admit that I had to measure your wing while you were sleeping, because we wanted it to be kind of a surprise,” Yunho said with a shrug, not looking to be terribly sorry. Yeosang’s cheeks were practically on fire as he looked down at his feet, shuffling slightly as if embarrassed.
Suddenly it made sense - the wood was positioned in such a way that Hongjoong could envision it against Seonghwa’s wing, providing the extra support that he was lacking. There was certainly no guarantee that it would work, but it was clear that hours had gone into its creation, a thought that made Hongjoong’s heart warm. “Where did you get the wood?” He asked idly, assuming that they had gathered some fallen branches to make it, but the type of wood would greatly influence the structural integrity of the frame.
There was no answer for a moment, and when Hongjoong looked at Yunho he realized that the fairy was already staring at Yeosang, nudging him insistently. All of the attention appeared to be making Yeosang nervous, but he answered after a deep inhale. “It’s from my tree - I took it from the core, where the wood is strongest,” he said, and suddenly Hongjoong understood why he had been so hesitant to speak.
His life force was anchored to that single tree, the core of the wood akin to the heart of his physical body as a fairy. To remove wood from the core - it wasn’t necessarily painless, and it was essentially like giving a piece of your heart away. Hongjoong explained this to the rest of them, for none of them seemed to understand the meaning behind what Yeosang had done.
Once he finished his explanation, Seonghwa’s jaw had fallen open, and he instantly went to Yeosang’s side to hug him tight, careful not to hit the wooden frame. “Yeosang you - you didn’t have to do that for me,” he murmured, gratitude clear in his words. Yeosang rested his head against Seonghwa’s shoulder easily, seeming to lose some of his tension then.
“I wanted to,” he said, voice quiet but firm. “If there’s anyone I can trust to take care of the wood, I know it’s you.” There were so many underlying emotions to the assertion, for Yeosang was practically insinuating that he had fully placed his heart in Seonghwa’s hands because he trusted the angel implicitly. It would have been a big deal coming from anyone, but never would Hongjoong have expected Yeosang to give away wood from the core of his tree - an oak, one of the strongest in the forest.
“Thank you,” Seonghwa replied honestly, hugging Yeosang close for a few more moments before stepping back to look at the wooden contraption. He clapped his hands together once, smiling at the rest of them. “So, how does it work?”
Yunho stepped forward at that, helping Yeosang to spread out the frame enough to see its full size. Sure enough, it was exactly the same dimensions as Seonghwa’s wing, and Hongjoong felt a bit of hope within his chest. If it did work, he would be indebted to Yunho and Yeosang for the rest of eternity, because there was nothing he wanted more than for Seonghwa to gain back that last piece of himself.
There were straps at equidistant points along each side, made of sturdy material and clearly intended to keep the frame in place on the wing during flight. Seonghwa’s damaged wing was stretched at his side as it always was, the other tucked beneath his shirt, and he sat down on the grass so that they could better attach the frame.
It was a bit clumsy at first, for though Yunho and Yeosang had done a great job crafting it they hadn’t ever tried attaching it, but after a few minutes they were finally able to tighten the straps to the right length, adhering the frame directly to Seonghwa’s wing. It mostly covered the bottom of the wing where there was only soft down, providing support while allowing the flight feathers on top to be free.
Yunho helped Seonghwa to stand once they were finished, for there was a slightly different weight balance now that the wood had been attached fully. Once he was steady on his feet he let go, walking a suitable distance away from the rest of them so that he could fully extend both of his wings.
Hongjoong watched in awe as he unfurled his good wing, the pure white feathers stretching until his entire wingspan was on display, more beautiful than Hongjoong had ever seen it. The damaged wing usually hung at his side without much support, but Seonghwa was able to lift it significantly more than before now, so that it was nearly on the same level as the other.
“My muscles are weak from not using my wings for so long, but I think with practice it might work,” Seonghwa called over to them, testing the ability to flap with both wings as he raised them up and back down. He clearly didn’t expect it when he lifted slightly off of the ground from the gesture, the air catching beneath his wings and carrying him a few feet up before he carefully landed both feet back on the ground.
“It’s going to work!” Hongjoong yelled out, unable to restrain himself when he saw Seonghwa’s shocked expression, quickly morphing into a grin when he realized that he had just been back in the air. Maybe it had only been for a few seconds, and he would certainly have a lot of practice to do to get back to his old flight ability, but the thought was there clear as day within all of them. Seonghwa would fly again.
Seonghwa rapidly folded his good wing back up and ran back to them, grabbing both Yunho and Yeosang in an ecstatic hug, the smile on his face one of pure, unadulterated joy. “Thank you,” he repeated over and over, spinning the two of them around in circles as if the happiness was overflowing.
He spent the rest of that day flapping his wings up and down, raising no more than a few feet from the ground but still finding immense pleasure in the feeling of being back in the air. Hongjoong returned to his seat on the porch, content to watch Seonghwa for the rest of the day, for he didn’t think he would ever get tired of seeing how excited he got after even the smallest of lifts into the air.
The others eventually departed, but Yeosang never did, sitting cross legged in the grass and watching Seonghwa fly, occasionally adjusting the straps or calling out small tips on how he could get the air to take him a few inches higher. When they eventually came inside later that night, Seonghwa was absolutely exhausted, his muscles worn out from the constant stimulation after such a long period of disuse.
He was too stiff the next day to try it again, but as soon as his muscles loosened up again he was back out in the grass with Yeosang, reattaching the brace and practicing his flight over and over again. Hongjoong would often watch them from the kitchen window, or come back from foraging to see the progress they had made, and he was always just as awed as he had been the first time.
Eventually, after enough practice, Seonghwa finally felt like he was strong enough to try a full flight, to flap high enough until he could coast along with the breeze. Hongjoong eagerly went out on the grass to watch, and he wasn’t surprised that the others wanted to join as well, until eventually all six of them were outside, Jongho and Mingi still asleep. It was a lovely day, the afternoon sun beating down on them gently as they sat in the grass, eyes trained on the angel that stood several feet away.
Yeosang had helped him secure the brace before sitting with the rest of them, and they all watched with bated breath as he flapped harder than normal, air catching beneath his wings instantly as he began to rise up in the air quickly. If it weren’t for the wood visible beneath the wing, Hongjoong never would have been able to tell the difference between now and all of the times before.
He didn’t dare look away as Seonghwa rose higher, flapping in wide, slow strokes that propelled him gracefully up into the air, until a particular gust of wind caught beneath his wings and pushed him forward, sending him into a beautiful glide. Hongjoong couldn’t help it when he cheered, the others all joining in as they watched Seonghwa finally fly again. Happy tears rose to Hongjoong’s eyes, for the smile on Seonghwa’s face was blinding even from all the way up in the air.
Seonghwa glided up even higher, spreading his wings wide and dipping down into a spiral, displaying his wings for the world to see as he basked in the feeling of flying. Hongjoong knew how much Seonghwa loved to fly, to feel the wind beneath his wings, and his heart was threatening to burst due to how happy he was for the angel. He was always radiant, but it was a different kind of beauty when he took to the skies.
He glided down to come around the cottage, and Hongjoong felt a tear slip free when he swooped around its perimeter, flying in a circle around where the five of them were sitting before shooting back up into the air, that same gesture he had done so many times before. This time, however, it didn’t signify goodbye, because Seonghwa wasn’t leaving ever again. He was free to fly high above the trees whenever he wanted, but he would always land back on the same grass in front of the same cottage. His home.
They sat out there for a long time, watching Seonghwa until the sun began to set in the sky, glorious colors casting over the white of his wings and painting them with muted pinks and oranges. When it became dark enough for the shadow of the moon to appear in the sky, Mingi and Jongho joined them outside, all eight now watching their friend rediscover his favorite activity.
He swooped down around the cottage once more, clearly for the benefit of the two vampires who had just joined them, and Hongjoong saw the smiles that broke onto their faces. “Of course,” Jongho said with a shake of his head, clearly recalling the way he’d used the swoop as a signal when he had disappeared after eating the starlace plant, but he looked overjoyed just the same.
When he finally did land back on the grass, Hongjoong was almost disappointed, for he could have watched Seonghwa fly like that for hours more. His hair was windswept and his cheeks were bitten by the sharp chill of the night air, but there was a pure elation in his eyes that Hongjoong had never seen before. “That was amazing,” he uttered as soon as he found his voice, smiling impossibly wide.
Hongjoong came up beside him as they walked inside, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him close. “You were amazing up there,” he murmured, and Seonghwa blushed, the joy still abundant within his features. “That’s what you’re meant to do - fly like that. It was beautiful.”
Seonghwa smiled softly, looking at Hongjoong. “It feels like the last piece that I needed - I was beyond happy before, just being able to come back and live here without all of the pain and stress from before, but to get my wings back, to use them again - it feels right.”
They stepped up the porch and into the cottage, all eight of them chattering away, but even then Hongjoong couldn’t keep his eyes off of Seonghwa, captivated by his beauty. Everything had worked out - this was just another time they’d conquered the impossible, and he hoped that it would be the last time they would ever need to. As he sat back on the couch with Seonghwa leaning against his chest, Hongjoong hoped that they would never have to face hardship again - they’d faced enough for several lifetimes already.
And for once, everything Hongjoong hoped for came true. He was able to show Seonghwa the rest of the forest, pointing out his favorite herbs and vegetables while also describing the different uses of the ingredients that he often gathered for his potion. Seonghwa was attentive as ever, lending help wherever he could, and he discovered that he rather enjoyed foraging. From that day on, more often than not he would join Hongjoong on his excursions, proving to be rather adept at using his wings to gather leaves and fruit that grew just out of reach.
Yunho showed Seonghwa his pond on a particularly warm morning, summoning up small frogs and lizards from the water and surrounding banks to show him. He was fascinated by all of it, and he spent the entire day there, using an empty book Hongjoong had given him to doodle pictures of the different animals that Yunho played with in the water.
He never went more than a few days without flying, Yeosang always there to help him with the straps and watch him for hours. The wooden frame never so much as budged from his wing, the core of Yeosang’s tree protecting him securely as he flew, allowing him to enjoy flight whenever he wanted.
There were several nights where Seonghwa stayed up late into the night with Jongho and Mingi, letting them teach him how to play their various games, even though they still beat him every time. It was clear that Seonghwa wasn’t concerned with winning in the slightest, he merely took pleasure out of spending time with the two vampires and indulging in the games that they liked.
Wooyoung often snuck into Seonghwa and Hongjoong’s shared bed at night, slinking under the covers in his fox form and cuddling into Seonghwa’s side. Even in sleep, Seonghwa always pulled him closer, running his fingers through the soft fur until Wooyoung was able to fall asleep as well, warm and content.
San rarely left Seonghwa’s side at first, for he had grown so attached to the angel that he always wanted to be around him, even if they were doing simple things like eating lunch or foraging for their dinner. He would rattle off endless stories and tales that were most certainly full of exaggeration, but Seonghwa never failed to indulge him, always smiling at the fairy’s antics.
They were finally able to live together as a family, no more disturbances as they finally learned what it felt like to love when the world wasn’t crumbling. There was news that the angels had completely faded, that the hunters had dissipated, but yet Seonghwa would never have to worry again, for he was safely protecting within Hongjoong’s borders around the cottage. He would finally be able to live the rest of his life there, the only angel left alive simply because in the end, the love they all felt had overcome the permanence of death.
And that was exactly what he did - he lived the rest of his life at the cottage, one angel with a wooden brace on his wing, surrounded by his mismatched group of fairies, vampires, shapeshifters, and one particular sorcerer who had loved him at his darkest, whose love continued to grow with each passing day.