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It has been two years since Aron cut his forest from the wind. Each day, he feels his forest grow weaker as his trees cry out for relief. For their leaves to be shed, and their seeds to be carried on. They want to grow. They want to live on in their children. He apologizes to them. Tries to help by shaking their trunks and jumping on branches to relieve them of their leaves and seeds. It doesn’t work though, and Aron easily grows tired. He refuses to open his forest. Refuses to let another wind nymph into his land to defile him and his home once more. No. It will never happen again. Aron doesn’t need the wind.
Jonghyun is new to this area, floating on the wind stream towards the area he’s not allowed in. Unexpecting the barrier to knock him from his flight. Landing on his back, he stares up at the sky. The trees no longer touching in this area of the forest; a small gap showing the barrier as the trees on his side shift and dance in the wind as the other, no more than a meter away remain still. Unmoving and radiating pain. He frowns and touches the barrier that is invisible. Calling out to the nymph in this area to come and talk. He sits, floating in the air as he waits. Lowering his feet when he spots the nymph jump from the trees. As Jonghyun opens his mouth though, he hears the other tell him to leave. His confusion must show as the other explains.
“Wind isn’t welcome here. I will not have your kind defile my home again.” Jonghyun frowns and shakes his head as the other turns to leave.
“Wait! How am I to collect the seeds? Or spread new one if you do not allow me through? I am not my sibling! I simply want the leaves and the seeds to take and to leave some seed in return. Please? Don’t you want your forest to live a long time?” Jonghyun can tell his face looks panicked. He doesn’t want to see this forest die because of one of his siblings. Aron stands there, his back to the wind as he looks to his forest. The crying they do for relief, the ache in his own soul as he keeps them entrapped. He squeezes his eyes shut and lets the barrier down for the wind. He cannot handle another betrayal, but he can’t let his forest die. The wind comes up beside him, settling on the ground before holding his hand out; a flower settled in his palm. A peace offering.
“I am Jonghyun. I’m sorry for whatever my siblings have done. I promise, I will not do the same. Thank you for letting me in.” Aron takes the flower and holds it to his chest. It’s still alive and he looks around before moving to a tree, he plants the flower at the base of the tree. The tree immediately talking to the flower as it returns the conversation albeit quietly. He smiles and looks up at his forest as it begins to dance with the wind Jonghyun pushes through it. Pushing his hair from his face and looking at Jonghyun. The other smiling softly at him before nodding his head once and taking off with the wind. Maybe things can be different here. Maybe the wind that calls himself Jonghyun won’t be like the other.
As the seasons change, summer to fall, and the wind comes through stronger and more often. Aron finds himself chatting willingly with the new wind. Jonghyun finally learning his name as well and takes his hand and kisses the tops of his knuckles. ‘It’s a pleasure, Aron.’ He says before smiling and taking off once more. Aron staring before shaking his head. He couldn’t do this once more. He retreats back into his forest. Leaving the flowers that the wind brings him on occasion as he comes by. He watches others of the wind pass through as well. Sometimes stopping to view parts of the forest they hadn’t seen before. Wowing at the plants and beauty of it. Aron smiles and feels the warmth spread within himself and his forest as the praise. It continues this way for the whole season. The wind calming as winter comes. The forest and world calming to dull hum even from the wind. Aron settles on a tree branch that hadn’t lost all of it’s leaves yet. The wind hadn’t been strong enough to remove all of them, but it was better than none. Aron swaying his leg relaxing when a gust of wind comes through. Jonghyun settling on the end of his branch with a smile and small basket.
“I brought some food. I know we don’t really need human food, but they left it for me. I thought… well… if you wanted… we could eat together.” Aron eyes him suspiciously but lowers his legs to the side so he can hop to the ground. Jonghyun smiling and following him. The two sitting in the snow to eat. Aron has a small thing for the human food. It was always delicious. No matter what he had, he loved it. As they ate, Jonghyun spoke. About as much as he could, about anything. The atmosphere was light and friendly. That is till Jonghyun asked about the barrier.
“Why did you have the barrier up? What did my sibling do?” Aron frowns at his apple. Staring at it before standing.
“Destroyed me and my home. Defiled it with no care in the world.” Jonghyun frowned looking up at him. “We had become friends. I allowed him rest when he needed, Dongho was kind and sweet for years maybe… maybe we became more but I started finding branches snapped. My trees crying out to tell me they were being hurt. My grasses pulled up or turned to mud.” Aron shook as he wrapped his arms around himself. His voice shaking as well as he continued.
“When I found him, my trees leading me to him, he was angry. Unhinged. The wind near him was stronger than it had ever been. Humans would have called it a tornado. He screamed and destroyed more of my forest hitting the original trees in this forest that I had put part of my spirit into. He only stopped when he noticed that. I had to bleed for him to stop. He would have destroyed everything.” Aron leaned against the tree as he cried. Covering his face as he remembered the trees that were essentially his children further in the forest. Protected away from anyone including himself on occasion. Purposely the forest twists and grows denser near his original trees. Jonghyun moves towards him, resting his hands on his shoulders before pulling him into a hug. Resting his hand on the back of his head shushing him lightly. Aron crying against his shoulder and clinging to his shirt. The two of them standing there in an embrace till Aron calms. When he does, he removes himself from Jonghyun’s arms by taking a few steps back. His expression panicked as Jonghyun looks at him worried.
“Aron? Are you okay?” he reaches out with his hands and Aron shakes his head taking off. Jumping through the trees as he hears the wind pick up behind him. Knowing Jonghyun is following. He won’t be able to for long. Ducking and dodging branches as he gets further into his trees. Splashing into the creek as he goes under some roots and into the opening for his trees. Resting his hands on the scars his trees have. Apologizing to them as he catches his breath. He couldn’t believe he nearly did it again. He lowers to his knees and listens to his forest tell him it’s alright. ‘Don’t cut yourself off.’ ‘Go back to him.’ Aron looks at them upset.
“What? How could I go back? I’ll just be repeating my mistake!” The trees scold him. Explain he’s been the happiest he could be since he welcomed this wind into his life. Not even the other wind made him this happy. Telling him to look around at his forest. How well it’s thriving. It grew and became greener the happier it’s nymph was. Aron hugged himself and screamed in frustration. He didn’t want to repeat his mistake, but he loved Jonghyun. He knew he did. The pines in his forest were the greenest in the whole area according to Jonghyun. Aron stared at his trees before lowering his arms and nodding once.
“I will try. I cannot promise this won’t end the same way.” They cheer him on, knowing this is for the best and refusing to listen to his excuses. He sighs and heads out of the trees. His eyes still red from the crying and finds Jonghyun sitting beside the creek. The water skipping over the rocks the only sound in the area. Even the wind was just a gentle breeze. It was never calm. Aron took a deep breath before rubbing his arms and sighing.
“Jonghyun.” The wind picked up slightly as the other looked up surprised. His eyes widening as he moves closer. Not touching Aron thought he seems to want to.
“I apologize if I did anything wrong.” Aron shakes his head.
“It wasn’t you. I’m scared I’ll make the same mistake with you. That I’ll let you in and you’ll betray me too.” Jonghyun shakes his head and cups Aron’s cheeks. Running his thumbs under his eyes as he wipes the tears starting to fall again.
“I would never. I’d rather go calm than hurt you.” Aron scoffs softly as he looks at Jonghyun. The wind bringing the chatter of his further trees. Telling him to take the jump. That he’s happy. Aron shushes them and Jonghyun raises his eyebrows and Aron tells him the trees talk. Jonghyun laughs and lowers his hands from Aron’s face to run down his shoulders and entwine their fingers.
“Can the trees tell you I’m being sincere when I tell you I will never hurt you.” Aron nods.
“They can feel when you lie, and they say you’re telling the truth.” Jonghyun smiles and kisses his forehead. Aron’s eyes fluttering shut as he does. Jonghyun promising he will redeem his kind and show Aron how he truly should have been treated. The nature nymph looking up at him and nodding once.
“I trust you. Please stay with me.” Jonghyun grins and nods promising he’ll always return to him. Aron smiles and takes a sharp inhale as the wind nymph grows closer to him. Asking softly if he may kiss him, the other nodding a bit too eagerly as the other kisses him. The wind picking up more as the trees chatter around them excited and happy for their nymph. The two of them heading back to the picnic they were at through the snow. Settling by the spot together, Aron resting his head on Jonghyun’s shoulder as the other rests his head against Aron’s. Simply listening to the sounds around them now, enjoying one another’s company for the time being before Jonghyun has to take off. He’ll return though. As promised, he always does. Finding Aron wherever he is in the forest and scooping him up for a kiss and rewarding him with a loud laugh that he swears every time is music to his ears. Aron swatting his arm whenever he claims that. The other mumbling softly that Jonghyun’s laugh is far better than his own. ‘Agree to disagree.’ Jonghyun would say and tip the other’s head chin up to kiss him once more. The forest continuing to grow as their relationship advances. Aron telling his trees one day that he’s glad he took the chance on this wind nymph. The tree chattering back as Jonghyun hugs him from behind, kissing his neck and thanking him for giving him a chance.