Under a Dark Moon [Oneus AU]

Blossom

Luella stared down at the water for a long moment, trying hard to convince herself to step into it. The air outside was freezing, and she was shivering all over from her lack of proper clothing. The thin gown she was wearing did little to protect her from the biting cold.

Finally, she took a step down the rocks, and she was immediately enveloped by warmth.

Hwanwoong was right when he told her the springs were naturally warm. It was strange, as if it was a hot bath created by mother nature herself for all to enjoy. Luella sank further and further into the water until only her head was above it.

Not long after she got in, she heard the door to the cabin open again. The three boys she travelled with came outside one by one, all lacking a shirt. Luella immediately shied away, and she wrapped her arms around her upper body protectively.

"It's nice, hm?" Hwanwoong asked with a big grin, becoming the first to join her in the water. "Very warm."

Gunhak came down after him, followed by a sleepy Dongju. They seemed completely unbothered by the fact that she wasn't dressed properly and they were barely dressed at all. All they had on were trousers rolled up to their knees.

Luella tried not to think about it, and she let the foggy water cover her body for her. The steam that came off of the surface helped to hide her as well.

"Yes, it's lovely," she cleared her throat. "Thank you for bringing me here. It's beautiful."

"It was for your sake," Gunhak told her truthfully, remembering the conversation he had the night before they left.

Keonhee came into his room, distressed and disheartened. He explained what he knew about the situation with Luella, Youngjo, and Seoho, and he asked Gunhak what he should do.

It was actually his idea to take Luella on a trip and give the their two lovesick companions time to figure things out. Keonhee was more than happy to be the one sacrificed to stay and handle them while the others took Luella away.

Anything Keonhee could do to help solve their dysfunction, he was willing to do, even if it meant keeping them away from her entirely.

"Tell us about it," Dongju asked sweetly, wanting to know more about what happened between her, Youngjo, and Seoho.

"What would you like to know?" She shifted uncomfortably, rubbing at her arms with her hands under the water.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she nodded. "I'm just a little confused, I think. I want to make everyone happy; I want to see every one of you smiling. It just feels like that can't happen with me around."

"It can," Hwanwoong argued. "We like you, Luella."

"Thank you, but I seem to have only caused complications in the house."

"The house is... complicated. Always," Gunhak shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "Not your fault."

"Maybe that's true, but I feel... heavy with responsibility. I feel that I've caused so much trouble because of what happened to Seoho."

"What happened?"

"I shouldn't say," she muttered, sinking a little further into the water. "But I can't ask you for help if I don't tell you what happened."

"Tell us."

"It's okay."

"Seoho... is a mortal man now," she gave in, wanting them to tell her what she should do. "He said he gave up his position in the tribe so we could all escape that day. Now he doesn't heal the same. His eyes don't glow, and he can't hear like he could before. He seems normal, completely normal, and it's all my fault."