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Yeon could only describe his current situation as a nightmare.
He’d come to his senses, finding himself back on his mountain, dressed in his traditional attire. He didn’t have so much as a moment to catch his bearings before the grassy fields surrounding him were swept up by flames, burning around him, turning everything to ash. Breathing became difficult, coughing through the smoke. The heat was sweltering, stray embers burning his skin, eyes watering through the foggy air.
Then, he heard it—
“Hyung!”
Yeon gasped, eyes wide with distress. He struggled to take in his surroundings, circling on the spot, desperate to find the source of his brother’s voice. Rang’s cries grew louder and more painful, calling for Yeon as if his life depended on it. The moment Yeon thought he’d caught his scent, he realised he couldn’t move. Any verbal response was mute, his own voice refusing to cooperate.
All he could do was cry as they were torn apart, swallowed up by flames and darkness.
Yeon woke up with a start, gasping for breath as his eyes searched the room. His claws dug into the sheets beneath him, pushing himself up with a panicked state of mind. The room was dark, but it became familiar as his eyes adjusted. He was at home, in bed. He was sleeping.
It had been nothing more than a nightmare.
Though that was the case, Yeon’s anxieties continued to soar. He quickly glanced down to the spot beside him, finding it cold and devoid of another life. His mind was hazy, but even Yeon knew that he no longer slept alone— yearning for the comfort of his mate. Panic was beginning to set in, ever growing questions and concerns remaining unanswered, making quick movements to rise from the bed.
Barely a foot to the floor, and he saw a familiar face come into view through the bedroom door.
“Rang-ah!” Yeon’s voice was louder and more sudden than expected, but he couldn’t control himself, running towards the other with haste.
Rang flinched at the sound of his name, glancing over to see what was the matter. “Hyung? What’s—”
Yeon nearly knocked them both off balance when he reached Rang, pulling the younger gumiho into a tight embrace. With the initial shock wearing off, Rang returned the gesture with a soft chuckle beneath his breath, melting into Yeon’s arms.
“Rang-ah…” Yeon mumbled into his shoulder, holding back tears. They weren’t of sadness, but happiness— realising the truth that they were together again. “Where did you go?” He asked hesitatingly, attempting to mask the fear in his voice.
“It amazes me how well you sleep through the cries…” Rang smiled into his neck. “I’ve spent the last hour getting them to settle back down again. Perhaps we’ll get at least another straight hour of sleep tonight.”
Yeon’s brow furrowed, before softening at the realisation. Of course. Of course! How could he have forgotten? He and Rang were no longer alone, their family ever-growing over the past few months. They’d gone from two to five, and a good night’s rest was something they’d given up long ago.
Rang could sense something was amiss. “You had the nightmare again, didn’t you?” His hands began to move gently around Yeon’s back in calm, soothing circles. “I’m here, hyung. I’m safe… we all are.”
It didn’t take long for Yeon to calm down, Rang’s warmth and gentle words always a recipe to ease his fears. Yeon didn’t want the moment to end, etching every gentle caress Rang offered into his memories, knowing how he’d forever cherish moments like these.
Yeon wanted to see him, to recall every detail of his being. He pulled away, meeting Rang’s eyes, searching his face and expression, and feeling his heart skip at their closeness. They’d been past their honeymoon stage many years prior, yet sometimes, Yeon felt that constant spark as if embracing for the first time— a feeling he ensured remained burning with everlasting passion.
Rang could always read him regardless of the situation, catching on to another delightful way he knew best to put Yeon’s mind at ease. Noting how the amber-haired gumiho was momentarily stunned by his good looks, Rang seized the moment—
With a kiss to his lips, Yeon reciprocated with newfound enthusiasm— surrendering himself to the warm, comforting touch of his mate.