molten silver ─ hyunjeong ✓

seven

letting out a squeak, jeongin stumbled closer to hyunjin, in an attempt to ground himself. he felt the vibrations of hyunjin's chest as the elder let out a chuckle, arms coming to clasp under jeongin's elbows to help steady him.

jeongin glanced at the ground, where their feet were submerged just a few inches below the silvery surface. moving backwards slightly, he felt as though he were walking on nothing, and yet... here he was. he was standing on water.

he opened his mouth, willing himself to say something. then closed it again. tried again, but to no avail.

"you are a very convincing fish, jeongin."

"i'm... we're... we're walking on water," he whispered, finally finding his voice, despite stumbling over his words. hyunjin nodded, the moonlight shifting over his raven hair. jeongin breathed out, "how?"

"i asked the water," hyunjin said, waving a hand in the air. jeongin clutched onto him tighter, worried that the elder would let go and he would fall through. "coaxed it into becoming denser, of sorts."

jeongin around them, the disorientation giving way to awe. pure, undiluted awe. a smile threatened to spread, and he slowly let go of hyunjin's arms to step back, "you did this?"

"yes. i'm a nymph," hyunjin admitted with a nod, and jeongin's eyes snapped to his. jeongin looked at hyunjin's eyes, looking for any sign of slyness, for amusement. but he saw only wide, curious eyes looking back at him.

"you're being serious." it wasn't exactly a question, but hyunjin nodded either way.

"we are part of the lake, the lake is part of us. and so she listens to me..." hyunjin paused, a playful smile on his face, "well... sometimes at least. she can decide to be stubborn."

jeongin stared down at the water underneath him in alarm, and hyunjin laughed, "it's alright! i don't think she's in a playful mood today." he looked up at the moon and blinked, "i think the moon told her... that tonight needed to be calm."

looking back at him, jeongin didn't miss the fondness that shone in hyunjin's eyes when he looked at the moon, at the peace nature seemed to give him. he wanted that, he really did.

but he wasn't jealous, not when all he could think of was how tranquil hyunjin looked when the moon bathed him, the white fabric of his clothes looking like the light of the moon itself had been woven and stitched, cascading in soft silk over him.

"sometimes, when i want a little feeling of magic, i dance here. when my magic, my being doesn't seem like a burden. when the moon and the water dance with me." hyunjin's voice was soft, as though he wasn't talking to jeongin, not truly. but he then looked at jeongin, his eyes clear, clearer than they had been before, jeongin realized. "maybe they told the wisps i needed a partner."

just as jeongin realized what he was implying, he shook his head and took a step back, "woah, woah woah, i do not dance."

"why not?" hyunjin asked softly, not breaking eye contact.

"i look like a drunk frog when i dance, hyunjin," jeongin argued, and hyunjin's eyes sparkled with amusement, "that's why not."

"i'm sure even drunk frogs need to dance sometimes," hyunjin replied, and then winked, "i have proof of that."

jeongin blinked curiously, but crossed his arms over his chest, "i'll watch you, but i will not dance."

hyunjin huffed out a laugh, looking at jeongin bemusedly, "you're almost as stubborn as the lake."

jeongin only gave him an smug smile in return.

"fine, i give in," hyunjin said, "but not because you're infuriatingly stubborn. because i don't want to force you into dancing."

"i'm sure."

sticking out his tongue at jeongin, hyunjin rolled up his sleeves. jeongin was caught off-guard by his lack of hesitance as he launched into a series of nimble movements across the lake, almost sliding across the surface with fluid motions. he didn't even seem embarrassed about the fact that jeongin was-- very openly-- gaping at him.

something about the way hyunjin moved, along with the gentle melody of nature, it was poignant and stirring, that tears welled at the corners of jeongin's eyes. they weren't hot, angry tears, like the one's that soaked into his pillow when he tried to muffle the sounds of his parents.

these tears were of hope and hope lost, of wonder and pain, as though he were witnessing galaxies undiscovered and unravelling. the clutter of his soul trying to cleanse itself, pour out the same way he saw hyunjin's pour his soul into his dancing.

he didn't bother to wipe them as they spilled, warm against his cheeks, and he struggled to swallow past the lump in his throat. 

even as he cried, he felt as though he was seeing clearly for the first time. he realized that hyunjin had come to a stop in front of him. his hands were soft and gentle as he wiped the tears off jeongin's face, but they didn't linger. instead, they dropped to clasp his, slowly maneuvering him into a twirl.

"what happened to not forcing me into dancing?"

"you're not resisting," hyunjin pointed out as he guided jeongin into a slow, simple dance, one hand braced around his waist, while the other held jeongin's.

"i'm scared." of what? he didn't really know. maybe of dancing, of what he would feel when dancing. of what hyunjin would see.

"what if i close my eyes?"

"well then i don't think you'll be able to see where you're going."

"i'm offended that you think closing my eyes will hinder my dancing."

jeongin gave a soft laugh, "narcissist."

"only for you."

they made eye contact for a short moment, and despite the jokes, jeongin could see the desolation in hyunjin's eyes, the sorrow that dancing brought to the surface.

he moved closer, and hyunjin's grasp tightened. hyunjin's eyes were misty, and jeongin watched as a tear traced his cheek, glinting like a jewel under the moonlight.

hyunjin needed this, and maybe jeongin did too.

they was close enough that they were almost hugging, and jeongin moved more willingly now, feeling hyunjin's breath against his hair.

he let himself be swept away, let hyunjin sweep him away as he let his long held emotions bubble to the surface. as they poured their souls onto the lake made of molten silver.