Work Text:
Gods don't die.
Few crushed leaves laid on the ground. Their faint green tints pierced the rotting earth.
In the distance, the child of Oceanus lay with his head on the lap of Dead. The lord was being gentle: slowly stroking the twisted, matted strands of silvery hair while muttering sweet nothings.
As the nymph passed on to the realm of Hades, the lord sighed. With his crestfallen breaths, the air stirred as a white poplar came to life in the Elysian fields.
It was a few centuries later the leaves rustled again. This time, lighter footsteps buried the wilting leaves as they made their way through the meadow.
Taemin walked past the blooming flowers, not sparing them a single glance. Determined, he continued to walk till he reached a glade.
As far as his eyes could see, the string seemed to disintegrate. The black trees bordering the glade spiralled upwards, their needle-like leaves cut off the sunlight every now and then. Under the shades bloomed equally dark flowers — the petals faced outwards, shaped like menacing hands waiting to lure an unsuspecting traveller — tinged red at the very edges. His string dispersed itself to give colour to the flowers. There was no more for him to follow.
The Fates had bested him once again.
Letting out a sigh of defeat, he made his way back to the meadows, watching as the red thread materialized around his finger again. Sulking, he sat down.
The ground trembled. The lush, green leaves bent to accommodate a place for the little godling.
This was not fair. He tore up a flower, hissing when a drop of blood fell on his silk coat.
This was wrong.
The ground quivered. The sun shone down brightly on the defeated godling.
Sighs wrecked the soul of the godling as he continued to angrily tear flowers; always hissing when one would successfully prick him back.
The ground split. The sun gave light to the roses and lilies bordering the violets and larkspur in the broken meadow.
For Taemin, the violets discoloured to forge pinkish, white-ish blooms as the inebriating scent of mint overtook his senses.
In front of him, stood their lord.
Seeing the godling struggle, the Lord extended his hand.
The Lord was pretty. Whilst his face was cut sharp, his eyes were gentle. A strand of hair snaked its way onto his face, a scarred brow visible behind it; thin, curved lips ready to welcome their lover.
Taemin felt their pull before he saw it. The moment he clasped the hand extended towards him, a thousand flowers bloomed inside him, binding him to his fated as a thousand stars melted to pour blessings on them. Their strings found each other.
“Welcome back, My Love.”
Taemin looked at the Lord in awe.
Kibum stared back with love.
The leaves of the asphodel shuddered as Kibum drew his lover closer. In the horizon, the moon bore witness to the re-awakening of love in Hades.
In the skies above, the sun cried on the white leaves laying in the cracked meadow.
They are replaced.