The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 176: Pact

They were all set to leave in a couple hours. No one got a wink of sleep last night, too wired from all of the events that happened over the past several weeks. Being hit over and over again with no end in sight sure sapped their energy. But despite the deep-seated exhaustion hovering over their heads, there was a warmth shared among them that returned from a prolonged absence.

Hak had returned with Kija and Jae-ha from the red-light district safely, Zeno, Shin-ah and Yoon flew to Yona and Calista's aid, and Lili, Tetora and Ayura were in the process of healing.

Time wouldn't stop. But it could afford to slow down right now, just for them. The peace and tranquility was well deserved.

Yoon scolded them at first the second he caught Yona giggling at something Zeno said, but couldn't bring himself to persist once Calista and Yona both managed to persuade him to sit in between them.

Calista really wasn't sure who started talking first, but before she knew it, hushed whispers were floating around the room in a manner that lacked their usual energy and boisterous nature. Stories were told with a wistfulness that wasn't fooling anyone and hesitant insecurities came to light under the cover of the moonlight, hushed reassurances whispered back and forth until there was nothing left to be said.

Yoon's breathing had evened out an hour ago, but the assassin was still wide awake. This was the last time she would see them for a while and she wanted to cherish it.

Turning her head to the side, Calista couldn't help the sleepy smile that appeared on her face at the sight of her beloved blue dragon asleep beside her with his trusty squirrel sleeping on top of his head.

His hand was curled loosely around hers, preventing her from drifting too far. He had fallen asleep soon after Zeno had plopped on top of Kija after their impromptu tug of war with his fluff. Zeno had ultimately claimed it as his own in the end and refused to give it back. It didn't matter.

Shin-ah just ended up pulling her closer as a result, half-murmuring into her ear that she was warm as he tucked himself around her.

Inhaling deeply, Calista relished the peace and blanket of safety they had created for themselves and let herself get lost in time.

A week wasn't an eternity by anyone's standard, but they all were well aware of what could transpire in that short time period alone. Hell, in a span of a week, Yona had her birthday, Soo-won chased them out, assassins attempted to murder them, and the Wind Tribe almost went to war with the Fire Tribe. But it's for that reason specifically that Calista knew she had to take advantage of the downtime while they had it.

It was as good of a time as they were going to get.

Calista shifted, and smiled softly as the youngest grumbled in his sleep on her other side, adjusting himself unconsciously so that his head was comfortably pillowed against her uninjured shoulder.

Losing herself in her thoughts, she knew that the separation would most likely be hardest for him.

Even though he hated to admit it, their pretty boy genius was arguably the most vulnerable in their group in a general sense. He had his wit and could throw a mean kick where the sun didn't shine if he absolutely had to, but it was usually the consensus of the older ones in the group with the most experience: her, Hak and Jae-ha, that he was never to be put in a situation where that was warranted if they could help it.

And as the sun rose over the river hours later, marking the start of another day, if Yoon grumbled about the harsh light and complained about how his back hurt and how there was a crick in his neck, well, no one commented on how his eyes were looking a little misty.