summoned • junhao (completed)

• fourteen •

it was more apparent now than ever that minghao was dying within the next seventy-two hours. their outing yesterday was surely the last time they'd be able to do something like that together. minghao wasn't even able to get out of bed that following morning, he felt too weak. jun felt useless as he sat beside the bed as minghao didn't do much but sleep. he would eat a few bites of food only to throw it up later, his eyelids were always heavy and didn't stay open for longer than fifteen minutes, and jun's hand never left minghao's grasp. minghao also laid in bed with jun's hoodie not wanting to wear anything else. he felt safe in jun's hoodie and with jun's hand in his.

"i wish it wasn't so painful for you," jun whispered as he stroked minghao's pale cheek with his thumb. he was so skinny, too skinny. minghao only nuzzled to the warmth, he was asleep once again but he subconsciously moved towards jun's warmth.

"it's selfish but i wish it wasn't so painful for me either.. seeing you die.. it hurts so much.. why does it hurt so much?" jun asked as he removed his hand and stared to the empty wall. tears rolled down jun's cheeks and he quickly wiped them away. he hadn't cried so much in so long, he had never felt pain like this before.

minghao stirred as his eyes slowly opened to see jun's shaking shoulders. minghao slightly frowned and slowly and nimbly reached out to the boy and wrapped his arms around his shoulders and hugged him from behind. jun jumped a bit at the sudden movement but couldn't do anything else but cry as minghao held him.

"it-i-it's o-o-okay.." minghao stuttered as he tried to comfort him but jun's breaths shuddered as he let out a sob.

"it hurts to lose you," jun sobbed and minghao felt his eyes sting and chest clench as he began to cry as well. tears rolled down the boys' faces as they cried together. losing your one love was a miserable fate that no one bared to face like minghao and jun had.

the two sat there together crying. jun kept a hand on minghao's arms wrapped around him as the two trembled. they knew crying wouldn't solve their problems or dissolve the timer ticking away at minghao's fate but damn it felt good. escaping destiny was impossible, fate was crushing them and they were reminded of something.

fate is cruel. so incredibly cruel.

three days, twenty two hours, one second.

minghao had slept for a long while as jun laid next to him in bed. the only thing that compelled him to believe his weak heart was still beating was the small breaths that passed through minghao's lips. minghao enchanted jun even as he looked weak and sickly, jun still found him the most gorgeous creature he had ever laid his eyes on. jun wondered why it had to be him? why did he have to meet minghao? why did he have to make that deal? jun wished he had never come into minghao's life more than now.

minghao, on the otherhand, even as he was sick and slept through the days he was glad to pass with someone he loved by his side. yes he would much much rather spend more days with jun, learning about every weird thing about him, laugh through every joke with him, eat dinner with him, watch him and lemon play together, he knew that they wouldn't have the happiest ending no matter what. minghao was a mortal, jun was immortal. if jun didn't consume souls he would die and minghao would die before jun even got close.

jun knew the bitter reality as well but he had hoped that if he hadn't come into minghao's life that maybe he would be happier now. he wanted nothing more than to see that smile on minghao's face again, to hear his not-so-gentle laughter grace the air, to see him napping with lemon on the couch, to witness his adorable bed head and puffy morning face. jun had never had a love like this and he was sure to never have one like this again but the current pain was outweighing the wonderful.

"w-w-wa-warm," minghao mumbled as he cuddled towards jun's chest. jun gave a small smile as he grasped the boy and held him close.

"i'm right here," jun soothed and minghao enjoyed the warm embrace and soothing motions being rubbed on his back. jun winced as he could feel minghao's spine even more than before.

minghao wasn't awake much anymore and he barely ate. jun did everything in his power to keep minghao comfortable, while simultaneously taking care of lemon for minghao. jun felt like he was only preparing for losing minghao. as time ticked by jun hated that he wasn't out there showing minghao some of the things that didn't suck about the human world but he stayed beside minghao in bed. jun knew that minghao didn't mind lazy days but he wished they had taken advantage of every day instead of letting time escape from them.

two days, six hours, fifty nine seconds.

today was the worst day so far. all minghao did was throw up and cry. his throat burned so bad that he couldn't sleep and his whole body ached with fever. jun hated it, he knew this was the contract claiming his body. there was nothing to do to soothe him either, all jun could do was watch. it felt the same as his heart being ripped from his body like when he was changed to a demon. they had told him that once your heart was ripped from your body you couldn't feel anymore. you wouldn't feel love, pain, happiness.

"they're dirty liars,"

jun knew now that it was all lies. some big speech to give demon's an excuse to ignore the feeling of guilt lurking in their souls. an excuse for them to avoid the feeling of falling in love or even the feeling of pain. it was all lies. jun knew that his non-existent heart was overcome with pain and love all at the same time, it was nearly unbearable.

minghao writhed in bed as he sweat. his body was hot and aching. he just wanted to sleep. jun had already changed the sheets once that day but they were already soaked with sweat again. minghao even had to take off jun's hoodie for him to wash, which minghao really did not want to do, but it was replaced with another one of jun's shirts. by now it was already soaked as well. minghao wanted to be in jun's arms even if it only made him warmer, he wanted to be safe.

"h-he-help," minghao called out and jun ran into the bedroom, he had been getting minghao water.

minghao's eyes were teary and glossy as his lip quivered. jun walked to him and sat on the bed beside him. he gently moved minghao's hair from his eyes and a slight frown remained on his face. minghao wanted to yell at him for giving him such a pitying look but he couldn't find the strength. minghao grabbed jun's shirt and tugged on it. jun knew that he wanted cuddles and desperately wanted to give it to him, but minghao needed to try and drink water.

"first let's get some water in you, hm? i'll clean you up too. then we can cuddle, sound okay?" jun asked and minghao nodded. jun grinned and kissed his forehead before getting up and walking for the kitchen once again.

jun stood in front of the counter as he continued what he had been doing before, getting minghao water, as he felt his hands begin to shake. tears rolled down his cheeks and dropped off of his chin onto his shirt. jun wiped his tears as he shook his head, now was not the time. jun's knees gave out as he fell onto the ground letting out a sob. he stared to the ceiling as if he was staring to the sky.

"why god? why?"

one day, one hour, thirty seconds.

• author's notes •

ik this is a really sad chapter but i just wanna say this book is (as im writing this) #1 in the junhao tag!! what the heck!! thats literally so crazy thank you so so much!!

but as you know the next chapter will be the final chapter of this book hhh or i might to an epilogue too im not sure yet .. but the next chapter will be their final day together so ill prepare some tissues

thank you for reading i hope you enjoyed!