Himchan had awoken early. The warmth of Jongup against his side filled him with a kind of serenity he had not experienced in a long time. The warm sensation of holding that whom he loved making his heart sing with a much missed joy.

“Himchannie..” Jongup murmured as he pushed himself in closer against Himchan's side. The man smiled and kissed his forehead, then nuzzled into his hair,

“Dawn is here, my love.” he spoke. He knew of their danger, he knew that their bare skin pressed flushed was asking for nothing but trouble, and the thought of discovery terrified him above all else.

“Mmm I don't like dawn..” Jongup murmured as his eyes fluttered open, and Himchan could have sworn they were even bigger than before. He brushed his fingers back through the soft hair he could feel himself adoring, then brushed the pad of his thumb over Jongup's kiss swollen lips, “Dawn means I have to leave here.”

“We don't have to be apart for long, Little Fawn.” Himchan said with a tender smile, watching as Jongup carefully pushed himself to sit. His back was so very fair and flawless, he couldn't help raising his hand to gently brush his knuckles over the soft skin, watching as goosebumps rose under the touch.

“My father is forcing me to visit a farm on the side of the volcano.” he said, his eyes dropping down to where his fingers twisted together in his lap, “He wants me to marry a girl who lives there.” Himchan carefully pushed himself up, his lips trailing feather light kisses along the back of Jongup's sloped shoulders,
 

“I know.” he breathed, nuzzling his nose into the skin. The taste of Jongup's skin was sweet on his tongue. He tasted like rain, sweat and something unique that Himchan knew must be the taste of him. Jongup sighed and turned his head, looking back at the elder man. He tipped his head and sealed their lips together in a loving kiss, before he finally stood and reached for his clothing. He only pulled up his pants before Himchan was behind him, pulling him back against his chest, “He forbid me to see you. To speak to you, to look at you. He told me he would hurt you if I came near you again.”

Jongup nodded, after the night before when Himchan had touched him, loved him, he knew the man had not intended to part them. He closed his eyes where he stood, feeling Himchan's hands sliding slowly, carefully over his skin before he, too pulled away. He grabbed his own pants and shirt, tugging them on and sliding his hand through his rusted-black hair, “Take me with you.”

“What?” Himchan asked, his eyes lifting and his hands stilling as he eyed his love with curiosity. Jongup stood holding his shirt, not having yet pulled it over his head. His gaze was intense, but also anxious as he worried his lower lip with his teeth.

“Himchan, I love you.. After the harvest take me with you.” He breathed. They stepped close once again, Himchan's hand brushing over Jongup's cheek and they kissed. Jongup returned the pressure, before he carefully pulled back, kneeling down again on the simple palette that lay on the floor. Himchan followed because he could never deny his love a thing.

*

The sky was clear of clouds once again when the sun rose, but the earth still smelled of the storm. Such natural ferocity could not be forgotten overnight, and the mud that coated the land, and the new green shoots of grass showed their gratitude. Pastor Moon had moved into his study early in the morning, not long after the beginning of dawn and he had given his first prayer of the day. He had papers, contracts, details of Jongup's future life to iron out before he would rouse his son from his bed and take him to the farm on the side of the volcano that would one day be his.

A gentle rap at the door had his gaze lifting, “Come.” he said simply and his wife entered, her fair hands twisting together and her neat brow furrowed with anxiety, “What is the matter?”

“M-my baby..” she murmured, her lower lip trembling, “H-He went out to be with the cows last night, he's not in his bed. My baby Jonguppie, he's not in his bed.” She said, her eyes filled with fear and worry.

“Miyoung-ah...” The man said, moving to stand before her and gently rubbing her arms. “Do not fret, my love. We shall find the boy. Jonghwan, Jongho!” He called, footsteps approaching from down the hall,

“Taejong..” the woman spoke softly, her eyes sliding over the papers that were spread out on the desk behind her husband, “Taejong please don't take my baby from me. Not yet, please..” She murmured, feeling her husband tighten his grip on her arms as the two eldest brothers stood in the doorway of the room. They couldn't see how she winced at the tightness of the hold, and her husband did not respond to her,

“Jongup did not come into the house last night. We have to find him.” the Pastor said. Jongho nodded and pulled away, but Jonghwan lingered in the door,

“Mama?” he said, and she turned her head and gave him a weary smile,

“I will help you search.” she said, carefully slipping from her husband's hold, and following them out into the mud.

Voices rose as they searched their property, heavy feet leaving deep footprints in the sloshing mud. The cows roamed lazily across their rejuvenated pasture, and the half harvested crop of canola hung heavy under the weight of the rain.

It did not take them long before they were turning to the refuge of the barn, their forms moving swiftly over the property, calling out familiar names,

“Jongup-ah!” Jonghwan yelled,

“My little baby where are you!” his mother followed, her voice filled with barely concealed fear. The pastor himself remained silent, stopping at the closed door of the barn. His two sons pulled the door open together, and warm morning sun bathed the room.

Between the maze of bailed hay sat two forms. Himchan's hand was on Jongup's cheek, his other arm wrapped tight around his shirtless torso. The youngest son of the Pastor curled in closer to Himchan's hold as the door was opened and they were exposed. They knew they could not stop it.

“J-Jongup?” his mother's voice, filled with fear, caused him to shift, his head turning as he was frozen where he sat. Himchan's arms curled tighter around Jongup's form, his calloused hands pressing into his back.

The fury that overcame Father Moon consumed him like a burning fire. It engulfed him in his entirety, obliterating his insides as he witnessed his most hated and repulsed sin before his very eyes. His body lurched forward and he grabbed the hair of his youngest son, wrenching him back from where he was being held so tightly to Himchan's chest.

“You may be destined to burn in hell, sodomite, but you will not bring my son to burn with you.” the fire that flickered in his words sent a chill through Himchan's form. Before the farm boy could move, the pastor was moving forward and wrenching the boy from his grip, causing him to startle and cry out, his small body being dragged harshly over the floor. Himchan shifted to his feet, but before he could move forward, the elder son's of the cruel pastor were grabbing his arms, and forcing him onto his knees. He couldn't move, he couldn't reach for the younger. He couldn't protect him. “I told you.. I told you what I would do if I saw you touch him again! He will suffer, you will both suffer!”

“H-Himchannie-” Jongup gasped, whimpering as he was shoved back down onto the floor.

“Shut up!” the pastor yelled, his strong hand sinking into his son's hair, pulling his head up, “You will not be such a sinner! You will not be a !”

“Let him go!” Himchan yelled, struggling against the arms that restrained him, but he was met with a hard hand across his face. His mouth tasted like the metallic tinge of blood, his eyes opening again to look at Jongup as he was held half on the floor, his knees scratching on the harsh, gravel floor. He had began to cry, Himchan wasn't sure when, but his cheeks were wet and his eyes were closed, the boy trying to free himself but it only made his father tighten his grip on his hair.

“You will never see this wretched farm hand again, do you hear me, Jongup?” the pastor spat, but Jongup resisted, gasping as his head was harshly pulled backwards, “Do you hear me?” the man repeated. Jongup shook his head,

“N-no! I l-love him!” Jongup said, crying out as his father shoved him back onto the floor. A sound like a growl rumbled from Himchan's throat as he struggled to get forward again. He watched as the pastor reached behind him and grabbed for a stem of canola, pulling it from the bunch that toppled over onto the dirty floor. As he brought the harsh stem down onto Jongup's back, Himchan did not look away, but he did not allow the pained scream torn from his lover's throat to affect him.

“I will make you stop loving him! I will make you wish he had never set foot on this island!” the pastor yelled, whipping his son again.

“Stop! Let him go!” Himchan yelled once more. The sound of the pastor's wife beginning to cry echoed alongside the pained cries Jongup released with every lashing across his back, the boy whimpering and begging, pleading his father to stop beating his innocent flesh.

“H-Himchan..” Jongup gasped as the stem was brought down over his skin again, his face wet from tears. The farm boy swallowed hard before with once final wrench of his body, he freed himself from his human restraints. He cared little of himself as he rushed forward, his bare feet smacking on the rough floor.

“Run, my Fawn.. Run.” he said, shoving the pastor back from where he held his son, the man releasing his black hair. He leapt to his feet and reached out, grabbing his shirt from where he had dropped it against a hay bale and he ran. He ran into the sticky mud outside the barn, and over the grass until his bare feet were meeting the harsh sticks and moss of the forest floor. He could hear Himchan's heavy footsteps behind him in a steady rhythm and he could not stop. Neither man looked back as the shouts of their names got softer until nothing was audible but their twin panted breaths and beating hearts.

*

The lights of land loomed ahead, sea wind tousled his hair, strong arms wrapped around him tight. As the boat rocked beneath their bare feet, the sight of land ahead filled Himchan with a hopeful warmth.

“Himchannie, is that really the mainland?” Jongup's voice was soft, tired. The elder man turned his head and pressed a tender kiss to the boy's temple,

“It is, my Little Fawn.” he responded. He didn't spare a glance to the people who watched them with inquisitive eyes, simply making sure to hold his love gently to his chest.

“I'm afraid,” Jongup confessed.

“Don't be afraid.” Himchan murmured. Jongup's head turns to him and he looks upon his elder love. He's looking at Himchan as though he doesn't quite believe he is real. Himchan can sympathise, he thinks the same thing every time he sees Jongup. “Everything is scary right now, Jonguppie... But I will keep you safe. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again.”

“Because you're strong, like a bull.” Jongup murmured, his body curling into Himchan's stronger form just as the boat came to dock, clinging on to the certainty that Himchan made him feel.

“A bull to keep his Little Fawn from harm.” 

----

A/N:

Thank you all so much for sticking with my little story for the past few weeks. Words cannot express how much it means to me to see so many people giving me such incredible support and encouragement.

I started writing Golden Pastures as a fun little passtime, since I had the idea and I expected ten or so people to read it, and I would have been immensely pleased with that. The response I received (on A03, AFF and Tumblr) was absolutely amazing.

Some special thanks I want to give is to all my amazing friends who helped me when I got stuck, and who gave me encouragement and told me it wasn't a stupid idea. I also want to give a giant thanks and shout out to the amazing Kathy, admin of the tumblr him-up for sharing the work and saying such incredibly kind words to me to make me feel so so excited about sharing it. I also want to thank everyone who reblogged the promo posts and left the sweetest little hashtags at the bottom about how they loved the work (not even gonna lie I read every single one of them and thank you so so much for your kindness.)

Last but not least I want to thank everyone who commented/gave Kudos/Upvoted/Shared, because that is the kind of encouragement that made me so eager to share more chapters. 

I hope you enjoyed the final instalment of the work! The song for this chapter is Insa by DBSK. It is a stunning song, and I would encourage giving it a listen (and the lyrics a read!)

xx Matilde