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Hak chased Yona down, turning her towards him once he caught up with her. His eyes flew open in alarm as he spotted the tears rolling down her cheeks. He saw her fiddling with something in her hands and immediately knew what it was.
He could never forget the hairpin that she still held onto, despite everything that had happened.
Yona pocketed it away, but they both knew that he had seen it. Sniffling, she wiped her eyes when he caught her wrist, pulling her close to him.
"Hak..." She murmured, trying to convince herself that the heat she felt on her cheeks was only from the alcohol.
He didn't say anything, but inspected her closely, eyes filling with pain as he saw the agony in her beautiful, lavender orbs.
"Princess, are you alright?"
She coughed, eyes darting everywhere so that they didn't look at him. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment at how he probably thought of her now.
He probably sees me as a little girl, just like when we were kids. He'll never think I'll amount to anything like this for holding onto the past. He thinks I'm pathetic.
"I can hear your thoughts."
His rough voice broke her out of her internal rambling, and her lower lip trembled.
Hak's eyes widened as she broke down in tears, the material of his robe bunching in her hands as her knuckles went white.
Instead of teasing her, like she thought he would, he wrapped an arm around her back. Her breathing came in short spurts. She was on the brink of panicking.
Her bodyguard shushed her quietly, rubbing her back lightly, never touching her completely. His forehead creased in worry when her sobs didn't cease or slow down.
"Princess," Pulling away slightly, he tilted her chin up. "You need to breathe."
Yona nodded quickly, chest heaving as she tried to take in as much oxygen as she could.
Violent coughs racked her body as she took in too much, and he was just about to go get Yoon when she grabbed onto his arm. Nothing was said as he allowed her to sink to the ground, eyes flitting over her form to ensure that she was okay.
He ignored how half her body was practically draped over him, focused on her wellbeing.
It wasn't until some time later that her cries decreased, but she still wouldn't look at him.
Yona felt humiliated, thoroughly embarrassed by her breakdown. "H-Hak... I-I—"
"You don't have to say anything." He told her quietly.
He already knew. She didn't have to tell him how she felt about Soo-won, and how those feelings were currently being churned up inside of her and spat back out, making her sick to her stomach. His princess didn't have to tell him how conflicted she felt about where she stood with her cousin after he hurt her.
It was written all over her face and he could read her like a book.
All the words she wanted to say died the second she lifted her head. He looked as unreadable as he had always been to her, but there was a hint of something swimming in the depths of his cobalt eyes and she knew it wasn't amusement.
No matter how much he teased her, made fun of her, she knew that deep down, he cared about her.
Maybe I'm giving him too much credit, I did order him to stay with me. To guard me and teach me swordsmanship. He's only here because I tied him down.
She didn't understand the aching that pierced through her heart as that realization flooded over her.
Hak looked down, brow furrowing as he sensed the change in the atmosphere. But neither of them caved as the silence grew awkward. Instead, they just let the waves crashing upon the shore consume their sense as the talking by the campfire died down.
Calista glanced over Shin-ah's shoulder, hopping up and down in excitement when she saw the two of them snuggling. Jae-ha followed her gaze and shook his head, smiling to himself. Yoon didn't pay them any mind as he got ready to sleep, but she caught him holding back a smile.
Kija wailed as a rogue bug landed on his arm, waving it wildly in a futile attempt to get it off. Jae-ha couldn't get close enough to him with him swinging his dragon arm like that.
Zeno cheered as his parrot flew over to pluck it off of him, and the white dragon turned green as the exotic bird ate it without a second thought.
Luna barked, wiggling her way over to the bubbly yellow dragon, Speckles waddling not far behind her. The two rogue animals caused mischief for the other dragons, the former only calming down when Shin-ah asked her to politely get off of a hysterical Kija's head.
The fire had been put out for hours, and Calista rolled onto her back for the seventh time, head resting comfortably on top of her arms. The corner of her lips curved up as the moon shone brightly back at her.
The others were fast asleep.
The galaxy was so much clearer out here, then back there, and before she knew what she was doing, she got to her feet and headed towards the ocean.
It called to her, and she twisted to look back to make sure they were all asleep.
She inhaled deeply, and the salty air filled her lungs. Sighing out blissfully, she closed her eyes as she dipped her toes in the water, body beginning to sway in time with the melody inside her head.
Water swirled around her feet as she spun around, raising her arms above her head in an arc. The smile on her face grew wider, and she bit her lip in an unnecessary effort to contain it. She leaped, twirled, and fingers brushed the back of her ankles as she flew through the night. Her feet danced along the banks, until they collided with another.
Eyes shot open, an apology on the tip of her tongue when a gentle finger was placed on her lips.
Her shoulders relaxed and the white fur of Shin-ah's fluff tickled her nose as he drew her in close.
"Are you okay?" He asked quietly, cradling her face in his hand.
She sighed, leaning into his palm unconsciously. "Yeah, yeah, why do you ask?" Then she grimaced. "I woke you up, didn't I?"
Shin-ah shook his head. He was already up, waiting for her to fall asleep. He was alarmed when he saw her go towards the sea, but the tension eased when she didn't go any further than a couple of inches. The only reason why he didn't go to her sooner was because he was enchanted by whatever it was that she was doing.
She looked so graceful and at peace that he couldn't bring himself to disrupt her.
His head tilted cutely, evoking a giggle from the girl across from him. "What... were you doing?"
Her silver eyes lit up. "I was dancing. The moonlight just seemed so bright tonight, I couldn't help it."
His brow furrowed in concentration. "... Dancing?"
The word sounded foreign on his tongue and her jaw dropped in shock.
"Shin-ah, do you not know how to dance?"
He ducked his head in embarrassment, but her tone wasn't judgmental. Far from it, she sounded just as excited as she had been when he told her he didn't know how to swim. He gasped in surprise as she grabbed his hand, leading them further away from the others.
She wanted some privacy, she could already see how this was going to go if they woke the others up, the teasing that would ensue from the flamboyant green dragon.
Humming the melody that was stuck in her head, she began to sway from side to side.
All Shin-ah did was watch her at first, curious to the unpredictable movements, how she seemed to get caught up in the swell of the music as it rolled off her tongue. His eyes followed her as she danced around him, the water splashing around her ankles as she moved.
The tune was ethereal, singing tales of the stars that dotted the sky, all the way down to the deepest blue of the sea. She sang of beauty in the hardships without words and it struck the very core of his being.
Calista moved her feet to the soft beat in her head, sashaying her way around him until she stood directly in front of him. He was so close to her that she could practically hear the way his heart was beating out of his chest.
Panting lightly, her hand subconsciously found its way to his, linking them together with a breathy exhale.
"Shin-ah..." She murmured softly. "Dance with me."
He never did have it in him to refuse her.
Shyly, he followed her lead. He stumbled a few times, and was afraid she would pull away, but she just brushed it off with a playful giggle.
Calista's eyes softened as she noticed how much effort he was putting into getting it right.
"There isn't a right way to dance." She whispered reassuringly. "Just have fun with it."
He started to relax more and settle into a rhythm that fit in seamlessly with her melody. They danced together until he pulled her in close, hand splayed over her lower back.
She sighed, resting her head against his chest as he took the lead, swaying from side to side in time with each other. Her earlier story floated into her mind, and she swallowed thickly.
Her heart hurt and she blinked away tears that stung her eyes. The memories still were as painful as they were that day, despite the time that had passed. Life was so simple back then. She had forgotten what it was like, feeling all of these emotions.
Nostalgia, longing, crippling agony that only dulled with age. Not enough time had gone by. It still hurt.
She had forced it down at the time and focused on her brother and the princess since that night at the castle, and hadn't had time to look back ever since. She had locked away her feelings, how much his unraveling and betrayal beat down her will and contributed all of her efforts into making sure they were safe. Without properly grieving the loss of a friendship she held so close to her heart, it damaged her present relationships.
This was what Ik-soo meant....
She had been unable to look past the potential threats when they met Yoon and the dragons. Unable to let herself go, she became obsessed with protecting them to an unhealthy point. She had been too closed off to realize that it was actually hurting them.
Now, everything was bubbling up at once and it threatened to overwhelm her and ruin everything she had worked so hard to overcome.
Sensing her distress, the blue dragon hooked a finger underneath her chin and gently lifted her face towards him. His mask was gone, and so was his usual white fluff that adorned the headpiece.
She faintly registered as his lips parted to tell her to take a breath, but she couldn't do it. Silver clouded into grey and they flitted around nervously, scanning for a threat that wasn't there.
Stroking her jaw tenderly, Shin-ah coaxed her through breathing, placing her hand flat against his chest so that she could match his heartbeat. It picked up when he recognized the signs that she was detaching herself from reality, but he made sure to remain calm. He couldn't help her if he was panicking, too.
Eventually, her eyes cleared and her heart rate returned to normal.
"Thank you..." She mumbled quietly. "You always know just what to do."
Brushing the hair away from her eyes so that he could ensure she really was okay, he planted a kiss to her temple, exhaling in relief. She squeezed his hand, silently apologizing but he wasn't having it.
He frowned, eyebrows drawing together at the familiar gesture. Something was still bothering her. Tapping her forehead, he got her to crack a small smile.
"What?"
He tapped her forehead again, and her smile grew wider.
"You want to know what I'm thinking?"
He beamed like a child who had gotten a present for the first time as she figured it out.
He's so cute...
Chuckling, Calista drew back, swinging their hands absentmindedly in between them. He already knew most of what she had told the dragons and Yoon, and even though he had already heard her talk for the better part of the evening, he wanted to hear more.
Timidly, she told him what she was feeling, stumbling over her words when she couldn't figure out what exactly she was trying to say but he was patient with her. As soon as she finished, he brushed his thumb over the inside of her wrist comfortingly, commending her bravery.
Calista took it a step further without being prompted. Maybe it was the sleepless nights she had ever since she was made aware of the stalker, maybe it was because of their conversation earlier or maybe it was because of how dancing with him made her heart flutter uncontrollably, but she felt inclined and she gave in.
She told him of how she thought she wasn't worthy of any of their friendships, and how she believed he deserves someone better than her when she first started to recognize her feelings for him. If his locked jaw was any indication, he wasn't fond of that at all. Still, he heard her out as she expressed feelings and turmoil she had kept caged away in an effort to put his and their needs first.
Trailing off as she confessed how she used to talk harshly to herself as a means of keeping her in check, she missed how his expression changed across from her.
No words were exchanged as he surged forward, his nose bumping into hers as his lips slotted into their place with hers.
It took all of the air out of her lungs and her hands automatically weaved their way into his hair, tugging at the blue strands, just enough for a small groan to erupt from the back of his throat. She giggled mischievously at the sound, then gasped as he took her bottom lip in between his teeth before releasing it.
They both were panting heavily, and she laughed breathlessly, arms coming down to trace the back of his neck.
"I was wondering when we were going to have a kiss like that." She teased him, giggling at the red that painted his cheeks.
Shin-ah buried his face into the crook of her neck shyly, face burning as her body shook with light laughter.
"Oh..." Her eyes rolled in the back of her head as he kissed the spot just under her ear.
"Behave." Shin-ah rumbled lowly and her eyes glowed playfully. She had never seen this side of him before, but it excited her.
"Or you'll do what?" She grinned widely, pulling back until she was at arm's length. He shot her a pointed look at her sides, where he knew she was ticklish, but the smirk didn't fade. "You've got to catch me first."
Calista was gone in a flash, running through the shallows, squealing when he caught up to her easily.
"Shin-ah, wait!! Ah!!" Her laughter broke up her words as his fingers danced along her stomach, and she curled up into a ball in a feeble effort to keep him away. "Shin-ah!!"
He loved the way giggles spilled from her lips, and the chance that she gave him to allow him to get close to her. Finally ceasing his tickle attack and allowing her to catch her breath on the dunes, he murmured. "Thank you... for trusting me."
It wasn't the first time she had shared something personal with him, nor him with her, but they always wound up back here. Because for both of them, it was difficult for the same reasons.
They were afraid that the other would leave, that their love for them was conditional, but it wasn't. For growing up with love that was conditional, it taught them the highest capacity for unconditional love that they could ever give.
Her silver eyes softened. "Thank you for listening."
A beam broke out across her face, matching his identically. He rested his forehead against hers, and their breaths mixed together in the tropical air, signifying the strength of their bond with each passing day.
Because of him, I don't need to worry.
Because of her, I don't have to hide.
And even though it didn't disappear overnight, the seeds were planted for its growth into something earth-shakingly beautiful. All it needed was time to bloom.
Bonus: Yoon stashed away his hammock along with Calista and Yona's swimwear in the tunnel that led to the cove they had found. His excess supplies were also left behind, since it would only weigh them down for no reason if they were to bring it.
Shin-ah and Yona said farewell to their animal friends. Luna barked sadly as Shin-ah petted her and Speckles nudged his head against the princess' stomach one last time. They swam back together, lifting a flipper before they vanished beneath the ocean waves.
Everyone was sad to be leaving the paradise behind, but they made a promise to return, and with that, they headed back to resume their journey.
"Calista!!" Yona called out as she finished packing up the last of her things. "I forgot to tell you, Shin-ah wanted to say that you looked really beautiful in the outfit that Yoon made!!"
She nearly dropped everything that she was carrying. "W-What?!"
Jae-ha, unfortunately, heard everything and slid over to her fumbling figure. "Why Calista dear, Shin-ah finds you very beautiful."
"Shut up, Droopy-Eyes." She shot back hotly, though it didn't have much of an effect on him since she was blushing like crazy.
"I also think Calista is very beautiful." Kija chimed in, oblivious to how his words sounded.
It hit him a minute later.
"Wait!!" He flushed deeply, waving his hands out frantically in front of him. "That's not what I meant!!"
Zeno patted his head comically as the white dragon wailed. Yona tilted her head in confusion, baffled by the response from everyone.
Two arms wrapped around her from behind and she sucked in a breath. The rest of the group fell quiet as they waited for Shin-ah to say something. Glare at Jae-ha through his mask, idly hug her, ignoring the rest of them or blush.
Their surprise was palpable when he didn't do any of those.
Calista stiffened and her mouth fell open in shock when she felt teeth scrape over the shell of her ear. He bit down lightly, not enough to draw blood, but enough to remind everyone just who she had chosen to be with.
She bit her lip to stop the involuntary shiver as his tongue laved over the spot gently.
Shin-ah's arms around her tightened, fingers playing with the hem of her shirt. One hand disappeared underneath her shirt when she didn't stop him. She stifled a gasp as he squeezed her waist.
"... Soft..." He murmured huskily in her ear and this time she couldn't suppress the shiver that shot down her spine.
There was something about the way that he said it that reminded her of a dream she had once, long ago.
Yoon rolled his eyes irritably, heaving his pack over his shoulder. "Let's go, you rare beasts. Shin-ah's getting too much sun, it's making him loopy."
No one argued with him as they filed up the cliff obediently.
Calista casted one last look at the sea below, a hint of a smile playing on her lips as she recalled last night. And the night before that, and the night before that.
This time with them was invaluable, and she would treasure it forever.
A/N: Thank you for reading!! I hope you enjoyed my little mini series as they all went to the beach. It was a lot longer than I expected it to be, but we will be back with their adventures with the next chapter. I hope you all are taking care of yourselves and doing well :)