The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 69: The Triplets

She didn't pay any attention to their concerned friends as she held the distraught boy in her arms, allowing him to let it all out.

Jae-ha silently shut the tent to leave them alone, not wanting to get scolded later because he intruded on their privacy. He pried Zeno away as he protested that he wanted to watch them reconcile, but it wasn't their place.

Yoon was vicious when he was mad.

Patting Yoon's head soothingly, Calista started to hum a lullaby until his cries quieted.

"Are you alright now?"

He nodded against her shirt, but didn't lift his head. His knuckles were white with how hard he was gripping the material, and it almost tore under his brief strength.

"Yoon, I'm sorry I didn't try to talk to you before I left, I was trying to stay focused on the task ahead, but I should have at least said goodbye."

"No..."

Calista tilted her head, pausing her movements. "Yoon?"

He lifted his tear-stained face, blue eyes shiny with more tears that threatened to spill over. "Don't say goodbye, because if you never come back, I don't want that to be the last thing you said to me!!"

Her heart tore in two as she heard the pain echo in his trembling voice and drew him in for a hug. She realized how treating Shin-ah's injury and her consistent ones had hyper-focused his mind on how close they came to dying and it terrified him. Shushing him softly, she sang her lullaby until he stopped shaking.

"Alright, I won't say goodbye. Next time, I'll just say 'I'll see you soon', or something, okay? Don't cry, Yoon..."

"I'm not crying." He denied vehemently, sniffling despite the declaration.

She chuckled, but didn't fight him on it, just let him take what he needed from her until he felt better. When his breathing evened out and his pulse slowed down, he finally detached himself from her and wiped his eyes furiously.

"You're so stubborn... always fighting even when the odds are so against you." He pounded his fists weakly against the ground. "How will you know when to stop if we aren't there to tell you?"

Her eyes widened and she crawled towards him, placing a hand on his head.

"Don't worry, Yoon. You guys always bring me back."

Calista exited the tent, only to find the others right outside listening in. Placing her hands on her hips, she shot them all a scathing glare that had them bolting in different directions, save for Shin-ah.

He blushed as she came closer, but was surprised when she merely asked, "How are you feeling?"

His mouth opened and closed as he struggled to come up with an answer and she giggled, scanning over his form while he stuttered to form a coherent sentence.

His fingers hovered above her skin, not making contact and she glanced down, immediately spotting what was concerning him.

The blood splattered on her skin made her shrug nonchalantly.

"It's not mine."

Shin-ah hesitated, the corner of his mouth twitching down in worry. "Are... you sure?"

"Yeah," She grinned. "What about you? Anywhere that still feels numb from the paralysis? How about your wound?"

A sharp yell could be heard as it carried far, "It would heal faster if he stood still while I was bandaging it!!"

The blue dragon and assassin laughed in tandem at the pretty boy's furious shout, the latter urging him to go do what he wanted before he refused to make them dinner.