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“Are you going to eat every fruit in his garden before you finally confess?”
Donghyuck looks up, juice from the half-eaten peach in his hands dripping down his chin. His half-brother, Jeno, is staring down at him with a brow raised. Their position on the hilltop provides the perfect view of the small farmhouse in the distance, a light two-story, wooden structure surrounded by perfectly cared for, bright green grass and fields flourishing with plump, ripe fruits.
But it is the boy inside, that he knows is tucked peacefully under handmade white, cotton sheets, that Donghyuck waits for every morning. If he so happens to help himself to a peach or two from the boy’s farm while he waits, it’s none of his brother’s business.
“Mark grows the best peaches.” He tells the other boy with a shrug before taking another bite of the fruit.
Actually, he wants to say, Mark grows the best everything. There was nothing on his farm that wasn’t perfect (including the human himself).
“But he won’t have any to sell at the market if you eat them all.” Jeno replies, rolling his eyes when the god of spring simply hums in delight at the sweet taste of the fruit, rocking side to side restlessly as he eagerly awaits his human’s appearance. The dark-haired god smiles nonetheless, crouching down beside his brother with a small sigh, “How long are you going to spend here this time?”
It is the first day of spring. And it is also Donghyuck’s first day outside of the realm of gods. Usually, he would spend the season visiting his temples and ensuring that the season flourished throughout the world, bringing back to life all that winter had nearly killed. But that was before he had stumbled across the boy on the fruit farm.
“All of spring.” Donghyuck announces with a small smile, “And perhaps summer as well.”
“But not fall right? Or winter.” Is Jeno’s response as he pokes the spring god’s shoulder, “Seriously, your father will have a fit if you don’t stay with him for the six months like your parents agreed. And if he finds out that this is the reason why he’ll make winter hell for your precious farm boy. No more fruitful harvests, and no more beloved peaches-“
Donghyuck rolls his eyes, allowing his brother to snatch the peach from his hands and finish it off with just a few bites.
“I’ll be gone by the first day of fall.” He informs the god of summer. He’s annoyed with his father and his ridiculous arrangements all the way from the Underworld. So much so that he pouts and murmurs, “Not that I have much of a choice…”
“Hey, don’t feel bad.” Jeno says, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, “Farm boy doesn’t even know you exist.”
The god of summer swallows nervously when Donghyuck turns to him with narrowed eyes. But before the spring god can attack, his eyes widen, and he immediately turns his attention to the farm.
“It’s him…” He mutters in realization, jumping to his feet before pointing in the distance, “He’s awake!”
Jeno looks from where his brother is jumping around on the hill in his excitement to just before the hill. A boy comes running from the farm, dark hair disheveled and eyes wide with panic. His light blue overalls are hanging from one shoulder to reveal the bright red t-shirt underneath and his white boots are already smudged with dirt. Behind him, a Labrador puppy could be seen, fur a soft bright gold in the morning sunlight and tongue hanging out in its excitement.
Every morning, Mark Lee oversleeps and has to scramble to stay on schedule when it comes to tending to his farm. And every morning, Donghyuck goes absolutely insane at the sight of him regardless. The god of spring looks absolutely delirious, cheeks stretched into a beaming smile, and he laughs loudly, seemingly unable to contain his joy. And because it is his season, the Earth seems to respond in much the same way. Beside the excited spring god, Jeno watches as sunlight casts down on the farm, momentarily blinding the farm boy and his dog, who come skidding to a stop to shield themselves from its intensity.
Behind the bright light, a patch of strawberries multiplies until the fruit is piled on top of itself in the fresh soil. Once Donghyuck has managed to calm himself down, the sunlight recedes back into its distant early morning sheen. The spring god collapses in the soft, vivid grass panting quietly with a dazed look. On the farm, Mark approaches the pile of strawberries with wide eyes.
“Woah…” He breathes out, crouching down to examine them in their plump, ripeness. Surely, there was more than he originally planted and way more than he ever imagined to harvest. He’s broken from his disbelief when Cherry, his lab pup, barks loudly. He reaches down to pet the soft fur of her head, “This is our best harvest yet, isn’t it girl?”
Cherry barks loudly before running off to drag the baskets over to her owner as she always did each morning. Meanwhile, Mark continues to stare at the strawberries with a growing smile.
“Thank you.” He whispers, grabbing a handful of the ripe fruit and placing them aside. An offering to the god that had blessed him with such a fruitful harvest. He wanders off to go help Cherry with the baskets, letting out a small giggle when he passes the lab pup who’s struggling to drag a basket twice her size along by the tight grip of its handle in her teeth.
On the hill in the distance, Donghyuck nearly faints.
“He left me an offering…” He murmurs in realization, “Why did humans have to be created? And some with such natural kindness and beauty… it’s almost impossible not to fall in love with them.”
Initially, Donghyuck had seen humanity as nothing more than those in need of protection and guidance. People left flowers and other offerings at his temples because they sought his assistance. In return, Donghyuck restored life every spring to the things that they loved. It was a simple exchange until he came across Mark Lee and his farm, and he realized that he wanted to do more than give the other boy a fruitful harvest.
For the first time, Donghyuck wants to cross the borders of the realm between man and god, so that he can do simple things like touch his human’s soft skin and hear Mark’s flustered laughter without a veil separating them.
“That’s exactly how Renjun and I felt about Jaemin. It was easy to love him too… but you know how that ended. So, be careful please, brother. I don’t want to see you experience that same kind of hurt.” Jeno speaks up with a wistful look that always came with talking about Jaemin. Donghyuck offers his brother a sympathetic look. But the god of summer merely shakes his head, forcing the thought away to smile at the spring god, “But not all humans are meant to face the same fate. So go enjoy your time with farm boy.”
Donghyuck doesn’t need to be told twice. The god of spring is on his feet, cheering loudly as he runs down the hill before his brother can even blink.
Jeno watches him go, shaking his head before a small smile appears on his lips.
“Why do I have a feeling that this spring is going to be the most beautiful one yet?”
_
“You’re so pretty.” Donghyuck says, chin resting in his palm as he stares into Mark’s dark eyes with a longing sigh, “Like a painting.”
Hours later, Mark is taking a lunch break, helping himself to a bowl of strawberries. Donghyuck is sitting cross-legged in front of him, taking in the flutter of the boy’s dark eyelashes, the pink flush to his cheeks, and the reddened state of his lips from the strawberry juice coating them. Mark’s hands are sticky with fruit juice, there are dirt stains on his overalls, and his skin is covered in a thin layer of sweat, but the spring god is enraptured regardless. He doesn’t want to move, doesn’t even want to blink – would hate to waste even a single second with his human.
But then, Mark’s eyes widen and Donghyuck reels back at the dark eyes that stare directly at him. The spring god’s breath hitches and he leans forward, heart racing. Was it possible? Could his human see him? Of course, his delusion is shattered by loud barking and then, seconds later, a flash of golden fur tackles Mark, pulling loud giggles from the boy’s lips as Cherry licks his cheek. Donghyuck smiles fondly at the dark-haired boy lying on his back in the soil, laughing and smiling just as bright as any sun, only for the spring god’s expression to quickly sour when he glances at the Labrador pup.
Donghyuck narrows his eyes at Cherry.
He’s waited much too long to see his human to lose out on their precious time to a puppy. Besides, if it was competition little Cherry wanted, it was competition she would get. The spring god huffs before wandering off towards a patch of bright green grass. Donghyuck stretches, flexing his fingers before concentrating. As always, the sunlight casts down with intensity, shielding his work with its blinding rays. From the soil around him rises bright green stems, yellow buds blossoming into sunflowers that stretch along the greenery, towards the hill.
The spring god takes in the sunflower field with a satisfied smirk.
Surely, Cherry couldn’t make such beautiful things.
He couldn’t wait to see his human’s reaction. He decides to wait until the next day. The sunlight remains, obscuring the field from Mark’s view, and for the rest of the day, Donghyuck is content to follow him around. When Mark upsets a trove of bees, the spring god laughs loudly before blinding them with sunlight, when Mark’s mood dampens at the sight of the dying rose bush near his farmhouse, Donghyuck puts the flowers in full bloom as soon as the other boy turns away from them, and when his human falls asleep under a banana tree, Donghyuck rests his head against Mark’s shoulder and watches the sunset, wishing their touch wasn’t separated by so many realms.
-
The next day, Donghyuck is prepared to cross the realm, eager to see his human’s reaction to the sunflower field, when he finds himself defending himself from a group of harpies he knows were sent by his half-siblings in the Underworld, envious of his freedom. The attack is mostly unexpected, and because of it, the spring god just barely escapes. He knows he should wander back to his own realm and seek healing from Jeno. But he doesn’t want to risk missing Mark’s expression when he sees the gift Donghyuck has made just for him.
When he arrives on the hill overlooking the farmhouse, the sun is just beginning to peek over the greenery. Ichor is dripping from beneath the wound on his stomach, painting the hillside with its bright gold droplets. Donghyuck can feel himself losing his strength with each passing second, but he simply grits his teeth and continues to wait. Fortunately, minutes later, he’s greeted with the sound of the farm door slamming open. And despite his pain, he smiles fondly at the sight below.
Mark’s hair is slightly less disheveled than the day before. His overalls are khaki, covered in various pins and stickers, and the shirt underneath is a deep navy along with matching boots. Beside him, Cherry has a navy scarf tied to her neck and her teeth already wrapped around a basket handle that she drags along in the soil. Donghyuck watches as Mark prepares to head towards a cluster of grapes hanging from their vines, ready to begin harvest, only to pause, tilting his head at the sight of something in the distance.
The spring god perks up when his human hesitates in disbelief before wandering off in the direction of the sunflower field, Cherry following closely behind. When Mark approaches the sunflower field, he gasps at the tall flowers looming towards the sun, only for a bright, excited smile to appear on his lips as he starts to run through the field, ghosting his fingers over the soft, yellow petals. The sight makes Donghyuck smile as well. The spring god laughs quietly in satisfaction only to cough, more golden ichor splattering from his lips onto the grass below.
He takes in a slow, deep breath only to tremble, stinging in his abdomen making him fall to his knees. The spring god cries out in pain, clutching his abdomen as another sharp pain hits him. He blinks in his deliriousness only to slump forward, letting out a small sigh before his vision gives in to darkness. The spring god’s body rolls from the hilltop towards the sunflower field, unknowingly crossing the realm and instantly catching the attention of the boy below when it hits the solid soil.
“Did you see that?” Mark glances at Cherry with wide eyes, “Come on girl. We have to help!”
He rushes over towards the fallen figure, crouching down to peer at their face. Almost immediately, Mark can feel his face flush. Was it possible for another human being to be this ethereal? He takes in the boy’s full cheeks, smooth, tan skin, his long, dark lashes, and the soft brunet curls that fall into his face. The boy doesn’t move, not even as Cherry licks his cheek. And Mark thinks it's strange, that he’s wrapped in a white sheet until his eyes travel further down and he catches sight of the blood staining the unconscious boy’s stomach.
The sight instantly fills Mark with panic.
He curses quietly, gently lifting the other boy into his arms before making a run for the farmhouse, the bright early morning sun worsening his anxiety as well as Cherry’s loud barking as he rushes to save the fallen boy’s life.
-
When Donghyuck wakes up, he feels different.
His body feels heavier than usual, and his limbs tremble with a newfound weakness. He groans, blinking blearily at the sunlight flooding into the room. Surely, he was not in his own realm with Jeno fussing about his carelessness as he would have expected. Instead, the smell of apricots floods his senses and dark eyes stare at him in surprise. Donghyuck blinks, sitting up suddenly and startling the boy hovering above him. Mark’s dark hair is damp, falling into his face. His overalls are light pink and a light-colored lime shirt peeks from beneath them. From the chest pocket of the overalls, Cherry is peeking out, a pink scarf tied around her neck as she dozes off.
“D-Did I wake you?” Mark says with a nervous look, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to make sure you’re still breathing… you’ve been out for a couple of days now.”
Donghyuck simply blinks in response.
“You can see me?” He blurts out before he can stop himself. When Mark tilts his head in response, he clears his throat, “I-I mean you saw me? When I fell…”
“Yeah, it scared me pretty badly.” Mark tells him, and when Cherry whines in his pocket, he pets her head with a small smile, “And Cherry too.”
“But you took care of me.” Donghyuck notes, letting out a shaky breath when Mark’s dark eyes peer down at him. What was this uncomfortable warmth spreading throughout his face and the rest of his body? The spring god swallows thickly and breathes out a quiet, “Thank you.”
“No problem!” Mark tells him with a bright smile, hesitating before finally asking, “Um, sorry if this is personal, but you’re not in any trouble, are you? I mean, you were hurt pretty badly.”
Donghyuck quickly wracks his mind for an excuse.
“I got attacked by bandits.” He says finally, blinking in disbelief at his own unconvincing tone.
“Oh.” Mark murmurs, looking away suddenly, “Yeah, it’s not exactly the safest out here. I’ve almost gotten caught by those guys a few times myself.”
Donghyuck bites back the growl that threatens to rip from his throat.
Bandits were threatening to attack his human? He would kill them all. Anger, in his human body, feels terribly uncomfortable. It builds up, swelling inside of him with the need for release. Perhaps, he wouldn’t be satisfied until he could get a hold of that which was threatening what was precious to him. But his human body is also incredibly fragile, he realizes when only his wound stings from the clenching in his stomach and his face turns bright red. He is missing the strength of the god that would have stormed the farmland and made the bandits beg at his human’s feet for mercy.
Now, Donghyuck can only frown.
“I’m Mark by the way.” The boy still lingering above him says with a small smile. When the puppy in his pocket huffs, he reaches down to pet its head once more before adding, “And as you know, this is Cherry.”
Donghyuck inhales the sweet scent of apricots, feels the warmth radiating from the other boy’s skin that was just close enough to touch, and stares up at the sparkle in Mark’s eyes. His breath hitches, his heart is racing, and he wonders if these are the things humans feel when they first fall in love.
“I’m Donghyuck.” He says finally.
“No way.” Mark leans back suddenly, and the spring god immediately misses his warmth. The dark-haired boy laughs, grinning when he adds, “You have the same name as the god of spring and you also kind of look like him too.”
“You know about the spring god?” Donghyuck asks, smiling when Mark nods eagerly.
“Of course, I do! His tale is one of Cherry and I’s favorite stories actually.” The dark-haired boy proclaims, though the spring god figures that Cherry, who was now actually asleep, could probably care less about his mythology. He watches as Mark pets the puppy’s head, seemingly lost in thought when he mutters, “It is a bit sad though. When his parents split, they agreed that he would spend six months in the Underworld with his father, Johnny, and the other six months in the realm of gods with his other father, Jaehyun. Still, half of his life will be spent in the underworld, which is said to not be the most pleasant place. I imagine he must hate it there.”
You have no idea, Donghyuck thinks.
Six months in darkness. Six months away from Mark.
Both feel like torture to the god of spring.
“But the beauty of the first day of spring must be enough to make it worth it.” Donghyuck tells him.
Because the moment his feet touch the hill and he’s able to catch sight of his human, he’s overwhelmed with an inexplicable joy that makes every single day trapped in the Underworld worth it.
“And this spring seems to be especially beautiful.” Mark notes, glancing out of the open window.
But Donghyuck is too busy staring at him, the soft definition in his jaw, the bright pink flush of his cheeks, the flutter of his dark lashes, and he thinks yes, Mark is especially beautiful.
Unfortunately, his stomach twists terribly before making a loud rumbling sound that catches the other boy’s attention almost instantly. Donghyuck shifts slightly. Was this hunger? It felt terribly uncomfortable.
“Are you hungry?” Mark peers down at him with a small smile, “I was really blessed this harvest, especially with strawberries. So, I made strawberry milk and a shortcake. Is that okay for breakfast?”
Donghyuck nods. Though he’s not familiar with shortcake, he would gladly accept anything his human was willing to give him and cherish it regardless.
“I’ll be right back.” Mark says, smile widening. He jumps down from the bed, hurrying off and leaving Donghyuck to stare at the pink of his overalls as they disappear out of the room door.
Once he’s gone, the spring god decides to look around the room. It has simple white walls, a medium-sized window that was now open, a few small bookcases he realizes are full of books on mythology and farming, and the bed Donghyuck is in, its white sheets wrapped around his hips. The spring god looks down then, only for that terrible burning to spread throughout his face once more when he finds himself staring down at his naked torso. The lower part of his abdomen is wrapped in fresh bandages, but Donghyuck is still embarrassed.
Had he really been talking to his human half-naked? He decides to wrap the sheets around his shoulder just as Mark’s footsteps sound, and the dark-haired boy appears holding a tray. He plops down on the bed beside Donghyuck, placing the tray in front of him with an eager smile.
“I hope you like it.” He says, rubbing at the back of his neck with a sheepish smile, “It’s my first time making shortcake from scratch.”
Donghyuck looks down at the wooden tray then. A glass of strawberry milk filled with ice cubes and strawberry slices sits beside a plate of cake layered with cream and topped with freshly cut strawberries, but it is the sunflower in the orange vase beside them both that makes the god of spring smile.
“Um, here, I know you’re injured so I’ll help you.” Mark speaks up, picking up the fork, scooping up a piece of cake and holding it out to Donghyuck with bright red cheeks. The spring god opens his mouth, and accepts the dessert, humming around the sweet taste of cream, strawberries, and cake. He wonders if he imagines the way Mark swallows thickly before leaning in and inquiring, “So, what do you think?”
“It’s sweet.” Donghyuck tells him, adding without hesitation, “I like it.”
Though the taste is delicious, he’s not entirely talking about the cake. And neither is Mark paying his words much attention when the dark-haired boy reaches over suddenly, swiping leftover cream from the corner of Donghyuck’s lips onto his finger that he sticks into his own mouth.
“Mhm.” Mark hums as if agreeing with Donghyuck’s words.
When he pulls his finger out, the spring god swallows thickly at the sight of the damp skin. When he looks up, Mark is already staring at him. Their eyes meet. Donghyuck’s heart races and his fingers tremble. Mark licks his lips, glancing at the brunet’s lips before he clears his throat.
“Um, I should get to work outside.” He says, “I’ll come back for lunch.”
With that, he stands from the bed, practically running from the room. Donghyuck blinks, wondering distantly if he was imagining everything. The harpies had cut him up pretty badly… But when his back hits the solid pillow behind him, he realizes this is all very real. How could it not be, when his heart is beating so fast, and his skin is nearly burning?
In the Underworld, Donghyuck has nightmares.
But this spring, he is certain he is having the sweetest dream yet.
-
The next few days are the happiest and most peaceful in all of Donghyuck’s existence.
Each morning Mark would wake him up with breakfast. It was always some variation of milk and dessert that made Donghyuck wonder if his human’s lips were just as sweet as the things he fed him. Usually, they would eat in silence while watching the sunrise from the bedroom window, Cherry tucked neatly in between them. For lunch, usually soup and a big bowl of fruit, Mark was much less drowsy and a lot more talkative. Specifically, he seemed to ramble about the harvest a lot, expressing his gratitude several times for the fruitfulness on his farm. Each time he did, Donghyuck’s heart swelled with warmth and if possible, with even more fondness for the boy.
For dinner, Mark shows up with trays piled high with meat, rice, and bread. And they sit at the makeshift table, discussing the myths of the gods in the sky. Donghyuck is secretly pleased that his human knows so much about him, his friends, and his family. Long days of harvesting make Mark drift off quickly and just an hour or so after their meal, Donghyuck finds himself tucking the other boy into the bed beside him.
There is a word he’s heard humans use often to describe the moments that they wished to live in forever.
Bliss.
Each moment that Donghyuck spends in Mark’s presence feels like absolute bliss.
Two weeks later, Donghyuck feels well enough not to lie in bed all day. He peeks at the wound on his abdomen beneath his bandages, pleased that the skin was now scabbing and scarring over. Now that he isn’t bleeding through the cotton gauze and the pain is nothing but a faint sting, he thinks its safe enough to venture outside his room. He makes his way outside into the hall and down the stairs. The farmhouse is much more spacious inside than the outside lets on. The wooden walls are homely as are the white fur rugs, the large kitchen, the family portraits on the walls, and the bowls of fruit scattered about.
Downstairs in the space connecting the kitchen and the living room, he finds Mark standing in front of a small wooden tub filled with water, staring down at Cherry with his hands on his hips. At the sound of Donghyuck’s footsteps, he looks up, frowning in concern at first before it eases into a small smile at the spring god’s ease with the movement.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better.” Mark notes gently, before looking down at Cherry, who looks prepared to run away at any moment, “I was just about to give Cherry a bath, or at least I’m going to try.”
“I’ll help.” Donghyuck tells him.
“Are you sure?” His human raises a brow at him, “She’s kind of a runner.”
“It shouldn’t be that hard, especially if there’s two of us.” The spring god replies, “We can handle it.”
“Maybe you’re right.” Mark nods with a small smile.
He reaches down to pick up Cherry and almost immediately, she bites his finger. But the dark-haired boy appears to be expecting this because he appears unphased, lowering her into the water while she gnaws on his skin. Donghyuck gulps nervously. For such a small dog, Cherry could be quite vicious. But his human appears to love her, so he will take care of her all the same. He reaches down and picks up the pink shampoo bottle, squirting a gentle amount in his fingers before leaning down beside Mark. He wets Cherry’s fur before massaging the shampoo in gently, the sweet smell of cherry blossoms filling the air.
“So…” Mark turns to him with a curious look, “What were you doing on this side of town? Before the attack, I mean.”
Donghyuck massages shampoo onto Cherry’s head while he scrambles for an excuse.
“I’m supposed to be visiting my father. But sometimes I like to wander off.” He answers finally, glancing at the boy beside him, “Because there are so many beautiful things around here to see.”
They’re so close. Donghyuck can see the bright red that creeps up Mark’s neck to his cheeks. He can feel the heat from the other boy’s skin and hear his breath hitch. The spring god wants to touch and taste even. So, he leans in. Mark’s eyes dart to the brunet’s lips but he doesn’t move, just waits. Their lips are mere inches apart, the mint from Mark’s breath sending a cold chill over Donghyuck’s own mouth when Cherry lets out a loud bark before promptly jumping out of the tub. The spring god shouts in surprise at the lukewarm water that splashes on them.
“Told you, she’s a runner.” Mark tells him with a small laugh, “Come on. If she stays outside too long, she’ll catch a cold.”
He jumps up then, hurrying after Cherry as she darts out of the door, giving Donghyuck a glimpse of his black overalls and the red t-shirt underneath. His boots are replaced by red and white high tops, shoelaces tied clumsily. The sight makes the spring god smile as he follows after them at a slightly slower pace. The movement agitates his wound, but he ignores the sting in his abdomen to hurry into the afternoon sunlight.
Outside, he’s lost sight of both Cherry and Mark. He decides to head into the thicket of grapevines. He’s admiring the plump, purple fruit when movement from behind the vines catches his attention. Donghyuck creeps up closely, waiting only a moment before pulling the vines back to reveal a soaked, shaking Cherry.
“Let’s go miss troublemaker.” Donghyuck points, ushering her out of the vines. When she growls at him, he narrows his eyes, lowering down to her level, “Just so you know, when Mark and I get married, this place is going to be full of kids and you’ll be the last baby on his mind. So enjoy it while you can Miss Cherry-“
At this, Cherry growls once more before darting forward and biting Donghyuck on the ankle. The spring god cries out in pain, but Cherry simply pulls at his ankle, tossing the brunet down like a rag doll.
“Donghyuck? Cherry?” Mark’s concerned voice sounds through the vines before the dark-haired boy appears. His eyes widen and he hurries over, scooping Cherry into his arms and staring down at Donghyuck with worry, “Oh my God. Donghyuck, I’m so sorry! Cherry’s never bit anyone before. I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”
“It’s okay.” Donghyuck tells him, “I’m just glad we found her.”
He forces a smile for his human’s sake, but the truth was that he was seconds away from turning Cherry into a sunflower.
“Bad puppy. You’re in big trouble.” Mark scolds Cherry who merely whines in response. He places her in his chest pocket before reaching down and scooping Donghyuck into his arms, “Okay that’s enough adventure today. Let’s get you back in bed.”
Donghyuck nods, feeling a strange fluttering in his stomach as the other boy carries him back towards the farmhouse. Cherry glares down at him with her soaked fur, but he ignores her to stare at the sparkle in Mark’s dark eyes beneath the sunlight. And he is only human.
But in Donghyuck’s mind, Mark possesses more beauty than all the gods in their sky.
(He later finds out that Mark’s punishment for Cherry is to give her four dog biscuits instead of the usual five. And Donghyuck would be offended if Mark hadn’t spent much of that night rubbing his ankle where the puppy had bit him with the most gentle, careful touch that seemed to make the spring god burn from the inside out. And yes, his human’s skin is just as soft as he’s dreamed of.)
-
It takes him another week or so to recover from the dog bite. Cherry spends much of that time following him around and sleeping curled up beside him. (“It’s her way of saying sorry.” Mark told her with a bashful smile, “You know, I think she was a bit jealous. She’s usually the only one who has my attention, but I guess that’s changed.”) Donghyuck forgives Cherry rather quickly. She’s kept Mark company much longer than he has and the bright smiles on his human’s face whenever he sees the puppy are worth dealing with a bite to the ankle or two. Besides, he’s more fond of the lab pup than he’s willing to admit.
It’s the beginning of April when he decides he wants to make Mark breakfast so that they can enjoy it outside beneath the blooming Cherry blossom trees. Donghyuck wakes up earlier than usual, and sneaks out of Mark’s sleepy hold into the hallway only to be followed by the sound of light, pawing footsteps. As he makes his way down the stairs in the dimness, he’s surprised to look down and see Cherry there. He reaches down to pet the puppy on the head gently before heading into the kitchen, where he quickly realizes he has no idea where anything is.
Luckily, Cherry seems to sense his dilemma and she bumps her head against a nearby cabinet. Donghyuck opens it to find a pink, heart-shaped oven pan, measuring cups, and a bowl with a few spoons inside.
“Good puppy, Cherry.” He reaches down and pets her head only to scratch his own with a sheepish smile after, “Now, where are the ingredients?”
Cherry helps him find everything. He holds her up to the top cabinets where she scopes out the dough, sugar, and cinnamon. And she even helps him locate the milk and eggs in the fridge. Donghyuck has never made anything before. Eating is only a pleasure to the gods, not a necessity. And he preferred to indulge in the offerings left at his temples.
But at least Cherry tries to guide him. When he adds too much of something, she barks, and when he adds too little, she whines. Somehow, Donghyuck still manages to make a mess of things. There’s way too much sugar, so much that it makes Cherry sneeze and she runs off briefly. And he nearly forgets about his bread in the oven until she returns, barking loudly and reminding him that he was even baking anything. When the spring god takes his cinnamon bread out of the oven, he finds that it’s burnt at the edges and the cinnamon is piled in a thick crust on top unlike the light layers he had imagined.
The spring god sighs in disappointment. He’s already failed the first half of his mission. Cherry tries to comfort him by nuzzling into his legs, and it's enough to encourage him to continue.
He finds a peach in a nearby fruit basket, peels, and chops it up, boiling it on the stove briefly. Once its finished, he pours both the peach syrup and peach slices into a jar. He pours the milk on top, closes the lid, and then shakes. Cherry helps him find two glasses. He pours the peach milk inside, drops in a few ice cubes, and then sighs. Surely, his human would not be impressed by any of this.
Still, Donghyuck places everything on the wooden tray and makes his way outside. Cherry is behind him, dragging a white blanket with her teeth. They stop under a fully blossomed cherry blossom tree where Donghyuck spreads out the blanket and waits patiently with the tray while Cherry runs off to wake her owner. When she returns, it's with a sleepy-looking Mark dressed in dark denim overalls with a white t-shirt underneath. He’s rubbing his eyes tiredly until he catches sight of Donghyuck beneath the cherry blossom tree.
“You did all of this by yourself?” He gasps, “I love it.”
The spring god resists the urge to roll his eyes. His bread is burnt at the edges and he’s sure the milk will be too sweet. But his human is still so kind. He grabs Mark’s hand and helps him down onto the blanket, cutting him a slice of bread and offering a glass of peach milk. Mark drinks the milk almost immediately, humming in delight at the sweet taste. Donghyuck laughs quietly at the other boy’s milk mustache, wiping it off gently with a fond smile.
“Despite you being attacked and everything, I’m glad you ended up here.” Mark tells him suddenly, “I mean, I know I have Cherry but it’s nice to have someone who can actually talk back. It’s a lot less lonely now…”
Donghyuck nearly frowns at his human’s words. All this time he had been watching Mark, the other boy had felt lonely. The spring god feels terrible.
“Haven’t you ever thought of finding someone special?” He asks, mostly for himself. If someone else were to think about being with his human, he was not sure he could bear the sight or even allow it.
He watches as Mark pauses to take a bite of bread before nodding. He swallows before responding.
“I would love that.” He says before his voice grows quiet and his gaze falls downcast as he brushes away stray breadcrumbs, “But I’m just a farmer that lives a quiet life. There’s not much that someone might find attractive in me, and I suppose, not very many reasons to fall in love with me.”
Donghyuck wonders how his human could think such a thing. Mark is diligent. He wakes up every morning, even if he’s late, and takes care of the farm until sunset. He grows his fruit with care and knowledge from years of study and trial and error. He’s gentle, not only with Cherry but with Donghyuck as well. But most importantly, he’s kind and patient, taking care of Donghyuck and his injury when he hadn’t even known his name.
These are only a few reasons.
But Donghyuck is almost certain that he can spend the entirety of spring listing off reasons to fall in love with Mark Lee.
“I disagree.” He tells the other boy firmly, “I like you, and I think it would take me only the rest of spring to fall in love with you.”
Somehow, Mark’s cheeks turn an even brighter shade of pink than the heart-shaped baking pan on the blanket between them.
“O-Oh.” He murmurs, looking down with a shy smile, “I like you too.”
“What do you think about marriage?” Donghyuck asks, watching the other boy closely.
“I’d like that someday.” Mark says, petting Cherry’s fur absentmindedly from where she’s curled up beside him, “And perhaps a family of my own too.”
“Then let’s do it.” The spring god suggests, “Let’s get married.”
He laughs when his human’s eyes grow wide in response and he pauses in the middle of petting Cherry, who huffs at the sudden halt in affection.
“W-What… But we’ve only known each other for such a short time, and marriage is such a big step.”
Mark looks hesitant, as any human would be. As a god himself, Donghyuck could care less about marriage. But he does want something that will tie him to his human, in both of their realms. So, he scoots closer and grabs Mark’s hands in his, meeting the other boy’s gaze.
“But it doesn’t have to be. It can just be us promising to stick around so that we can grow to love each other. We can do things without thinking about them too much. Don’t focus too much on vows or rings. Just think about standing in front of me and making a promise to each other.”
The other boy’s expression is difficult to read. Donghyuck swallows nervously, giving Mark’s hand a gentle squeeze.
“So, what do you say?” He asks quietly.
His heart is racing. He’s expecting some sort of rejection. Surely, Mark doesn’t feel as strongly about him as the god that has been watching the boy for years feels. So, the spring god’s eyes widen in surprise when the dark-haired boy tackles him suddenly. His back hits the soft blanket and he looks up just in time to see Mark lean down. Donghyuck’s eyes slip closed just as the other boy’s lips brush against his own. Mark’s lips are soft, and they taste sweet and peachy. The spring god nearly whines from the loss when the other boy pulls back.
But the bright smile and the sparkle in his human’s eyes when he looks down at him are just as pleasing.
“I do.” Mark whispers.
And Donghyuck wonders if such a realm exists where spring remains forever.
-
They hold their wedding ceremony at the end of the week.
On Sunday morning, Donghyuck wakes up early again. He dresses in a white button-down and white pants he finds in Mark’s closet. And then he heads outside where he’s pleased to find the Cherry blossoms still in full bloom. Beneath the rising sun, the spring god sits in front of the Cherry blossom trees and meditates until a trail of light pink peonies blooms at his feet. When Donghyuck opens his eyes, he smiles at the sight of a sleepy-looking Cherry making her way down the makeshift aisle of flowers.
Once she’s close enough, he leans down and places the veil headband Mark had spent the week sewing on her head. Almost immediately, Cherry growls and tries to bite it off. Donghyuck decides to leave her to her own devices. He watches the sunrise and tries to calm his growing nerves. Once the sun has found its place in the sky, the god of spring sighs only to look up when he senses a certain presence. Donghyuck has seen much of humanity and the gods in his realm, but he believes that even among god and man, there is nothing that compares to the beauty he sees in his human.
Mark’s overalls are shorts that stop just above his knees with frayed lace trimmings at the edges. The white button-down beneath it is a bright white, and his sneakers are replaced by brown sandals. He’s holding a bouquet of sunflowers he had picked the night before and his face is flushed bright red because of it. Donghyuck takes in his human’s bright red cheeks, neatly styled dark hair, and the shy smile on Mark’s lips and a part of him falls even harder.
He doesn’t look away as the other boy walks down the peony-filled aisle. When the other boy gets close enough, Donghyuck grabs Mark’s hand that’s not holding the bouquet and pulls him even closer. The smell of apricots and sunflowers hits him then, and he wants to be surrounded by them for eternity.
“Do you want to spend forever together?” Donghyuck asks quietly.
“With you?” Mark tilts his head before a bright smile appears on his lips, “Of course.”
Donghyuck’s stomach flutters, his heart skips a beat, and his face grows warm. He smiles so widely that it nearly hurts. He thinks he likes this feeling best. Was it happiness? It makes him pick Mark up and twirl the other boy around, the dark-haired boy’s laughter making his heart swell and the bright light of the morning sun surrounding them. Beside them, Cherry is howling excitedly, a sound that comes out quite squeaky in her puppy voice.
And Donghyuck is certain then that it is happiness that makes him set Mark down on the ground and immediately step forward to kiss the other boy. And joy, a close second, is when his human places a gentle hand against his cheek and kisses back. When they pull back, Donghyuck is breathless and Mark’s face is flushed bright red, but they are both smiling and happy. They only look away when Cherry growls suddenly, finally biting the veil from her head and dragging it along the dirt and soil when she runs off.
Mark chases after her, calling out frantically about how long it took him to make it and the difficulty of washing dirt out of whites. And Donghyuck shakes his head before taking off after them both, but his bright smile remains. As they run beneath the early morning sun, they remain oblivious to the three figures lingering by the peonies.
“What a beautiful ceremony.” Jaehyun says with a small, dimpled smile as he watches his son.
“It looks like spring is in full bloom.” Renjun notes, glancing at the Cherry blossoms, peonies, and the sunflower field in the distance.
But its Jeno who shakes his head from where he’s standing with his arm linked with the brunet’s. He glances at his brother then, listening to Donghyuck’s loud laughter as he places the veil they managed to snag from Cherry onto Mark’s head, the human’s cheeks turning impossibly pink as he stammers. Jeno takes in his brother’s bright smile beneath the sunlight, and he rests his head against Renjun’s shoulder with a small sigh.
“I don’t think it ever stopped.”
-
Marriage changes nothing for them.
Mark still wakes him up with breakfast. They eat in the same comfortable silence, watching the sunrise. Donghyuck spends his days around the farm, listening patiently as his human teaches him how to grow the earth’s precious fruits. Most of the days end with him chasing his human through watermelon patches and grapevines, Mark’s loud laughter and Cherry’s barking filling his heart with warmth.
At lunchtime, Donghyuck tries his hand at cooking, and Mark, in all his gentle kindness eats whatever disaster comes of it, gently assuring the spring god that things would get better with time (and they do after Donghyuck practically memorizes the cooking book from one of the bookshelves). Dinner is the most lively. They stuff their faces with meats, pasta, and other dishes, talking and laughing loudly as the stars stretch outside the sky in the open window. And when Mark dozes off silently on his shoulder, Donghyuck carries him to bed, rubbing his back gently and feeling his soft snoring against his neck until he drifts off as well.
And then, the day begins again.
Sometimes they travel to the market, where, in between selling fruit, Donghyuck glares at the men and women who get too close to his human. Other times, they travel beyond the rolling hills, laughing and shouting loudly as Cherry chases them along the greenery. In June, for Donghyuck’s birthday, Mark makes him another strawberry shortcake and they have a water fight in the sunflower field that ends with him collapsing in the grass, breathless and smiling as his human fell on top of his chest, laughing loudly as he looked at Donghyuck beneath soaked bangs. And in return, when August comes, Donghyuck makes banana bread using their latest harvest of ripe bananas. They dress up in their wedding clothes, and he takes his human to the bed of roses he had summoned the night before. The gentle kisses Mark places on his cheek and the awed whispers about its beauty are more than worth it.
But as he heard humans complain of often, blissful days pass much too quickly.
And before they know it, August is ending.
September is only just beginning when Donghyuck wakes up with a terrible feeling. Mark is still sleeping peacefully against his chest and Cherry is curled up at their feet. The spring god slips from beneath the covers, careful not to disturb his human or their pup. He makes his way to the open window only for his stomach to drop at the figure standing outside before the rising sun.
The black himation reveals broad, toned shoulders, a golden crown sits on neatly styled dark hair, and the sharp edges of the spear strapped to his back glint in the early morning sunlight. But for the most part, his father, Johnny’s face is impassive as he waits. Donghyuck curses quietly, returning his attention to the bedroom where a familiar figure is seated atop the bookshelf.
“I hope you haven’t forgotten our promise to your father, sunshine.” Jaehyun reminds him.
“Please.” Donghyuck begs, eyes stinging with tears. He shakes his head quickly, the first stray droplet slipping down his cheek, “Don’t make me leave him.”
The god of harvest has the decency to look sympathetic.
“I will watch over him while you are away.” Jaehyun tells him gently, “And as soon as spring returns, so can you.”
Donghyuck sniffles, trembling slightly as he cries. What was this feeling again? Heartbreak? It aches terribly.
“I know this is painful… And I’m so sorry that you are still paying for our mistakes. But it will be okay. I promise. He will be here when you return. I will see to it personally.” Jaehyun assures, patting his shoulder gently before glancing out of the window where Johnny awaits, “Now please say your goodbyes. We don’t want to keep your father or the Underworld waiting.”
The spring god nods shakily. Jaehyun gives him a sympathetic smile, patting him on the shoulder once more before leaving his son to his privacy. Donghyuck wipes his tears away quickly before approaching the bedside. He reaches down and touches Mark’s cheek gently, surprised at the lack of feeling beneath his palm. He was returning to his god-self with each passing second. So, he leans down quickly and places a gentle kiss against the other boy’s cheek. He laughs quietly when Mark’s eyelashes flutter and he smiles in his sleep.
Donghyuck stares at his human then, the way the sunlight filtering through the window illuminates Mark's soft, defined cheeks and his dark lashes, and his heart aches. He reaches over and grips the other boy’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze though he knows his human can no longer feel him. Donghyuck smiles, miserable with longing but full of gratitude for the time they’ve had together so far, and then, he turns away. He pets Cherry on the head, scratching gently behind her ear.
And then, he looks around the room one last time before heading out of the door. He makes his way out of the farmhouse in a daze. When he arrives outside, his father, Johnny glances at him before holding out his hand. Donghyuck has just barely taken it when a deep purple essence begins to form beneath them, pulling them both towards the depths below. The spring god turns around, glancing at the farmhouse one last time.
The last thing he sees is his other father, Jaehyun, wave and the figure curled up on the bed in the open window of the second floor before he’s swallowed up by the purple essence and pulled down towards the Underworld for good.
-
When Mark awakes, the first thing he notices is that the space beside him is empty.
He rolls onto his side, burying his face into the unoccupied pillow and breathing in the scent. Donghyuck smelled like sunflowers. The thought is enough to bring a small smile to the dark-haired boy’s lips. He wonders if the brunet woke up early to try and make him breakfast again. Mark shakes his head despite his amused smile. He’s prepared to head downstairs before the other boy can make too much of a mess of the kitchen.
But the moment he sits up, the envelope resting in the empty space beside him catches his attention. Mark frowns, picking it up and inspecting it in the morning light. Before he can open it, he feels compelled to jump out of bed. Mark drags out his wedding clothes, slipping on the white button-down and overalls, shivering at the feeling of the lace brushing against his bare thighs. He grabs the letter and tucks it into his chest pocket, heading out the door just as Cherry wakes up, drowsily jumping down from the bed and trailing behind him.
They make their way outside, the bright early morning sun highlighting Mark’s smooth skin and Cherry’s bright fur as they run through strawberry patches, past banana trees, and grapes vines to the sunflower field. When he gets there, he collapses to his knees in the bright green grass. Unbeknown to him, the god of harvest, Jaehyun, watches him from the field with a small, dimpled smile from where he’s compelled the human to join him. Mark reaches into his chest pocket and pulls out the envelope, tearing it open and reading with bated breath.
I have to spend time with my father now.
But you already know this tale. Don’t you?
I’ll be back next spring. But I won’t stop thinking about you until then.
Please wait for me.
Donghyuck
Jaehyun watches as a knowing smile forms on the human boy’s lips. He tucks the letter back into his chest pocket, close to his heart. Then, he grabs Cherry and places her in his lap, petting her fur gently as they both turn their faces towards the sunlight peeking through the sunflowers in comfortable silence.
Please wait for me.
So, Mark does.