And there it is.

Hyukjae feels it, heavy on his chest. It shoves at his heart, and it becomes a burden. As much as Donghae does not want to show it, Hyukjae can see his withering strength. He breathes too fast but still insists to carry Hyukjae. His hair is turning white, and Hyukjae’s hair remains to be the same night sky.

The days continue to pass, and they turn into long months and into more years.

They never run out of things to say, but the time continues to grow shorter, and soon, it will be unable to contain any more.

Donghae still insist on pulling him on the cart, his tiring body becoming more evident and Hyukjae becomes a constant-same young face and energetic voice, same shiny silver and white expanse of skin.

~

Donghae’s hair mirrors the color of Hyukjae’s tail, and he thinks it’s funny. Finally, they have matching colors. Hyukjae thinks it’s ironic when his sorrowful eyes don’t match his words and sometimes he resents Donghae for being so optimistic. He does not curse the world, but embraces every change they undergo.

Hyukjae holds his hand desperately, unable to bring his pessimistic thoughts into words. They see each sunrise and sunset through, and though it doesn’t feel any different than the other ones, Hyukjae can’t help feeling like he has to count them now.

“Let’s swim,” Donghae suddenly suggests.

Hyukjae relents, and Donghae brings him to the sea. Hyukjae finds that he had to slow his pace now, and his arms wind around Donghae’s body to swim them back to shore.

They lie on the sand, and the waves gently move them, washing by their feet.

“Will you kiss me?” Donghae whispers.

Hyukjae presses the his face against Donghae’s neck. “Donghae.”

“I know, I know,” Donghae chuckles.

The sun is hot on their skin, and it browns Donghae’s skin and reddens Hyukjae’s.

“Please, Hyukjae. Just once,” Donghae begs a bit later on. “I promise I won’t forget you.”

Hyukjae sniffs, and his tears drop on the gritty sand as pearls.

“You have my heart,” Donghae promises. “And you live in it. There is no way I will ever forget you.”

Hyukjae holds Donghae, and cries. He doesn’t muffle his sobs.

“And you have mine, always,” Hyukjae whispers.

And he kisses this beautiful man with all he’s got. It beats every sunrise and sunset, every storm and every promise. The world pauses for a brief moment, giving the two of them the silence that they deserved.

When he pulls away, Donghae makes the sun look puny. He smiles a thousand stars and it reflects the ocean on a brighter day. His eyes are crystal clear, and they find Hyukjae’s. Donghae wipes his tears away.

“You’re beautiful,” Donghae utters out. “You’re the most beautiful in my eyes, Hyukjae.”

He lowers it, and Donghae takes his last breath, but he doesn’t forget Hyukjae. Not at all.

Hyukjae screams, his heart tearing into two. He wants to fight death, but what other forms can it take? It works undetected, snuffing out lives like candles, and it hardens to an unlively corpse that looks like Donghae.

No tears can compare to the pain inside his chest. It tries to get out, and it thunders there like an angry storm. Hyukjae is seized by grief and suddenly, he forgets that the world held any color. His sunshine is fading, and he doesn’t know what to do with that knowledge. His home, his heart. They are leaving him.

Hyukjae puts his head on Donghae’s chest, searching for any traces of the life that he had exuded but it’s empty. He holds him as the cold takes over, threatening to freeze his bones as well, and Hyukjae prays for him to come back-prays to the same heavens that brought them together.

~

Hyukjae drags him to the sea with difficulty, and he lets him go. He bids him farewell as if he was hauling a heavy rock to another place.

Heechul comes to his side and holds the younger into his arms.

They watch Donghae’s body go towards the orange sun, who lets itself get swallowed by the fiery sea. Donghae burns inside Hyukjae's heart, and maybe it is appropriate that he goes on with a giant torch leading the way.

"Oh, you," Heechul sighs, brushing Hyukjae's dark strands from his face. "Hush now. It won't be long."