The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 154: Past Regrets

Flashback~

After Yoon had woken up, the moment between the two of them was gone. Calista sprang up and tucked the covers over the youngest once more before whispering a brief apology to her brother and a blank promise to tell him later that both Hak and the eavesdropping Shin-ah knew was a lie.

It wasn't that she was trying to dodge them. She had been so close to revealing whatever was plaguing her before Yoon's unfortunate timing, but that just put in perspective how bad it was.

Catching the blue dragon's eye from the other side of the room, Hak didn't even bother calling him out on his listening in as he subtly gestured to see if he could figure out what was on her mind. Shin-ah nodded to show he understood, indicating with a small jerk of his chin that he had already planned on it.

But when Shin-ah saw the fresh cuts on her feet, blood speckling on the floor every time she took a step and visibly winced from the pain, his heart stopped.

Calista's surprised squeak was muffled against his shoulder as he pulled her into his arms, off of her feet once she was within reach. The unceremonious collision into his chest was uncomfortable but she said nothing and stayed still as he trembled against her, her gaze saddening with each silent sob that racked his body.

Hak had chosen to ignore them, knowing full well that whatever she was going to say, he wasn't going to get it out of her now. He left it to Shin-ah and headed out into the hall to let them talk.

Calista's fingers gripped the front of his coat as the blue dragon continued to quietly cry, overcome with guilt and confusion.

"W-What's wrong?" She asked gently, cautious not to wake any of the others.

Tucking her knees under her so that it was easier for the both of them to stay in that position, her smaller frame was completely engulfed by him as he crushed her to his chest. When he didn't answer her, except for the occasional sniffle as a few minutes passed, she tried to pull away to assess what was troubling him but he shook his head vigorously, negating her attempt.

Her gaze softened empathetically as his arms curled around her tighter. "Shin-ah?"

She stiffened as he tentatively brushed his fingertips over the shallow lacerations on the bottom of her feet, suppressing a hiss of pain as it stung faintly. Unfortunately, it didn't pass under the keen blue dragon's senses.

When he spoke, it broke her heart.

"Why... Why do you always do this?" His voice cracked in the middle of it and she sucked in a sharp breath.

Floundering for reasons why, she came up short and winced when she knew she couldn't answer him in a way that would make him happy.

His head landed on her shoulder and she almost jumped at the sudden contact.

"Haven't you been through enough?" He pleaded brokenly. "You... always... are in pain, and nothing I do makes anything change."

Calista's entire expression etched in pain at hearing the agony resonate in his feeble tone and her heart splintered. She had caused this. It didn't matter if she didn't mean to, she had still put him through it.

The Cull had been the last straw for him, everything that he had been holding back for her sake so she could continue doing what she needed to do. But his love for her was overwhelming and he couldn't overlook this.

Not anymore. Not when she was in pain.

"Shin-ah, I'm so sorry, I-I never realized but I should've." She uttered quietly, squeezing her eyes shut out of habit. "But this isn't as bad as it looks, I promise!!"