8 is fate // Stray Kids

24

TW: mentioning of r*pe

Hyunjin

"Please don't make this a habit", Hyunjin looked at his friend. He tried to sound more teasing and sarcastic, but the teary gleam in his eyes gave him away.

It was the second time he had seen his friend on the Abyss's threshold. The first time still haunted him way too much, he hadn't been in need of another memory like that. There were many things Hyunjin hadn't told Han yet, he wasn't ready to let go of him any time soon.

Han softly shrugged his shoulder as if to say: can't make any promises.

Hyunjin scoffed, he should know better by now.

"Then at least do it while I'm not around next time", they both knew he was joking. It was how their relationship worked after all.

Han gave him a little salute, earning a small chuckle from Hyunjin due to his silliness.

"But seriously, thank you for surviving" Hyunjin's voice had gotten much more tender as he avoided eye contact. "I don't want to think about what would have happened if you didn't."

They were already in shambles with him alive. With him dead....it was too painful to even imagine.

"I guess we're lucky to have such a talented healer and such a magnificent warlock in our group", he tried to lighten the mood again. Banishing the thoughts of the worst-case scenario out of his head. "Lixie is honestly one of the strongest healers of our generation but without Minnie's help...I don't think you know this and maybe you're not supposed to, but Seungmin is able to control time to a certain extent. It is hard and straining but he has been training it a lot. He broke his own record of stopping time trying to save you. He strained far beyond the point that was healthy for him, same with Felix. Do you know why they did this? Because they care. Sometimes I think it's crazy how seamlessly you fit into the group. It feels like you've always been a part of us, and I know I'm not the only one who thinks like this. In some kind of way, you make us complete."

It was a phenomenon that occurred between all of them. Once they had found one another it had felt just right, like they were meant to be. But this wasn't all that surprising. They were levanters after all, they were literally brought together by the fates and gods. Han on the other hand, Hyunjin wasn't sure how he fitted into the picture. Or maybe it was exactly that, the fact that he was so tremendously different, that made him the perfect addition. Maybe his humanness balanced them out.

Hyunjin wondered what it would feel like after Han went to live with Sujin. If it were up to him, he would keep him around, but he understood the risks of it. He should priorities Han's safety over his own selfish needs, but sometimes he wished he could be more selfish. All of them really.

He felt like they had only ever given all their life, without receiving anything in return.

One might argue that they had received the greatest gifts of all, the blessing of the gods. But to Hyunjin it felt more like a curse.

A heavy responsibility, a burden too big for them to carry.

He was afraid it would destroy them all.

Every child knew the story of the eighth god. And that's what Hyunjin thought it would only ever be to him. A story. One his older cousin used to tell him before putting him to bed, similar to a fairytale. He would have never expected it to change the trajectory of his life.

Nobody really knew why Geuneul did what he did.

Some speculated that he was hungry for more power, that he wanted to elevate himself, rise above the other gods. Some guessed it was out of boredom, that he had been searching for an adventure. Some foolish romantics believed it had been out of love, the outcome being a tragic disaster.

Either way, Geuneul came down from Haven.

That was his first mistake.

The Haven and the Abyss were the only places the gods were allowed to reside in, earth itself was off limits to them. This was also the reason the levanters existed, they were the representatives of the gods, taking care of the catastrophes that the gods weren't allowed to interfere in.

For a while he simply traveled the earth, exploring the world they had created.

If that was all he had done, he would have most likely been forgiven.

But Geuneul had still been hungry for more.

Watching the earthlings, he found an interest in children. The way they were created, the perfect mix of two people. Carrying both their traits, carrying their legacy.

He realized that he wanted just that, a little offspring. Someone he could raise, teach, shape. Someone who would look up to him, love him unconditionally. A little version of himself. Something that he himself had created, someone that would keep him company for eternity. A fresh wind in his monotone existence.

Being a god he knew all too well that his actions held great consequences, so he visited an oracle.

The oracle prophesized that a daughter would bring him great fortune and power and that a son would be his downfall.

Geuneul, though dispirited at first, didn't let this stop him. Instead, he started to find a loophole to guarantee that he would receive a daughter.

This is where the stories split, some said that Geuneul seduced an amazon others said he raped her in cold blood. But the result was all the same; she got pregnant.

Knowing that amazons could only birth females, he felt at ease. He was proud of his accomplishment.

This changed when the amazon disappeared without a trace shortly before the day of delivery.

The legends say that Geuneul felt it when his child was born. That he felt it taking something of his.

It took five years to find them.

It took half a day to kill them.

He left the world in ruins during his search.

He went on a rampage after the kill.

He was the reason that the first generation of levanters were formed. It was an inexorably and obdurate battle with many casualties. But in the end, the levanters managed to best him, though not fully.

Weakened the eighth god had vanished for the last millennium, slowly building up his power once more.

And now he was ready to return and take his revenge.

Hyunjin could feel a shiver run down his spine just from the thought of facing the furious god.

He glanced at Han, wanting to change the topic, only to find that the boy had already fallen asleep.

A tender smile curved the corners of Hyunjin's mouth upwards.

With a feathery soft touch, he pushed a few stray strands of hair away from Han's burning forehead, before he quietly left the room so that the human could get the rest he dearly needed.

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Sorry for the late and short update. Got sick and have exams.

Thanks for reading, voting and commenting, it's very much appreciated :]