infinity || minsung

"catalyst"

"Do you know how unlikely it is that they'll just up and forgive you?"

"I'm not expecting that. My gift is strong — when I want it to be, at least. I'll give myself over to them however long they want me, and then everyone will be okay."

"Except you."

"That's not the point."

"I'll offer myself too."

"No, I don't want you to."

"Tough shit. Minho, what if they decide to kill you? You're just gonna let 'em do it?"

"If they think what I've done is wrong, they're going to kill me whether I go to them or they come to me. But honesty could score some points I wouldn't have otherwise. I could... bargain my life for Jisung's life, your life, my parents' lives."

"You're talking about 'points' as if the Volturi are some kinda loyalty program. The reason I can't see their decisions clearly is because, yeah, they levy strict rules and strict punishments, but the way they enforce those rules are unpredictable. The Volturi are corrupt, biased and—"

"Yeah yeah yeah, and one of the things they're biased against is our coven, don't you think I know that? I've heard the history, and — er, and — and I'm coming up on your left, I think there's a llama close by."

Jisung slides the door open and tramps in, his whole body covered in mud. He splashes his face with water from the kitchen sink.

"You okay, baby?" I ask.

"The rain is turning the whole yard into a swamp. I may have slipped." He tries to reach down the back of his shirt. "It got down my back, for god's sake. I'll have to shower later."

"Will you be showering alone?"

He just smirks, shakes his head. "Hi, Felix."

Felix has his face in his hands. "Jisung."

Jisung heads back out the door. I wait till he's far out in the yard to look back at the screen.

Felix isn't amused. "I'm gonna pretend that didn't just happen. Minho, what you're talking about is mad."

"It's gonna happen one way or another — I'm speeding up the process. I got us into this shit and I'm done ignoring it, waiting for Haseong to fix it — I don't even think he can fix it. I want to be the one who protects this family for once."

He goes quiet, staring at me. His face has changed. Sometimes I see a different person in him, another Felix from another time rising to the surface.

"You know what they did to my mother," he murmurs.

"I do."

"After you and Jisung got together... I've been thinking about the Volturi more and more. Knowing they could take you two away from me as well..." He goes quiet again.

"Felix, what are you thinking?"

He leans in to the camera. "Look, Minho, if you want me to commit to this, you have to realize I'm gonna commit. I have stakes in this, I have objectives that've been on my mind since before you even conceived of going out on your own."

"Wait, what are you talking about?"

"Once we decide, there's no going back. Do you get that?"

"Yes, of course."

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

We stare at each other through the screen. He nods slowly, chews on his lip. His mind is miles away, farther than Paraguay. Him and his stakes and objectives. I know not to ask about it. As long as it doesn't get in the way, I don't care what he might have up his sleeve.