[im thinking about writing a Seventeen Avatar au]

Echo : Junhui

Minghao had been out on the icy water for hours. He leaned over the edge of the boat and trailed his fingers through the water. He felt his energy turn into synergy, becoming one with the icy sea. Droplets followed his fingertips out of the waves and into the sky glittering like diamonds at his behest.

He lost his concentration and the water sprayed down right as his cousin leaned over with his spear. “,” Soonyoung swore as the huge salmon swam away from the tip of his weapon. “I guess you don’t want to eat tonight.”

“You act like you do everything around here,” Minghao frowned as he went back to his daydreaming. “Well, wouldn’t be far from the truth,” Soonyoung tossed the spear down with a clatter and began to heave one of the crab nets up as his arms bulged under the weight. Minghao’s own skinny arms could never get the job done. He didn’t even know why he came other than to keep up appearances. He was terrible at fishing.

He watched Soonyoung pull the net near the surface and they both spotted the huge crab inside it. Soonyoung pulled harder and faster, two pairs of eyes and two hungry bellies willing the catch to stay in, but just as it breached the surface the crab took off. “Noooooo.....” Soonyoung said and Minghao leaned over the side. He willed his energy under control and formed a bubble around the crab, slowly raising it into the air, moving it over the boat.

“Yes!” Minghao yelled and fist pumped into the air. The bubble splattered into a million drops as the crab landed on the deck and his voice echoed down the gully formed between two glaciers. “I did it!” he yelled and jumped up and down making the boat rock dangerously and Soonyoung grab for the edge. “Shhhhh...” his cousin hissed as he grabbed for the crab. It wasn’t going to make a second escape. It was too late.

The echo of Minghao’s voice ricocheted off one wall of ice and into the other. It groaned and creaked before it cracked and a beam of light shot into the air. “What is that?” Soonyoung hissed from where he lay in the bottom of their boat. “I don’t know,” Minghao said without fear or reservation, “but I’m going to find out.”

He grabbed an oar and began to push the boat towards the crack in the ice. Inside, encased in a beam of glowing blue light, was a boy. He was handsome and as still as a statue as the glow surrounded him. “No,” Soonyoung called out but it was too late. Minghao was already scrambling across the ice to get to him. “He’s cold,” Minghao said as he tossed his fur, warm from his own body, off his shoulders and over the silent still boy. When he warmed a little he began to shiver and after a minute or so his eyes opened.

“Hi,” Minghao said as he smiled down at the frozen boy snuggled deep in his fur.

“Hi,” the other boy echoed. “How long have I been asleep?”

“Ah, long enough to freeze inside a glacier...” Minghao said as he tried to still the flutter in his chest. There were a hundred people in their village and he’d never met anyone he didn’t grow up with. Everyone his age was his relative in some way. It made romance nothing but a fantasy. And now he held a shivering stranger in his arms and it just had to be the most beautiful boy he’d ever seen. Even taking into account his limited references.

“Do you have a name?” Minghao asked and he watched the boy think before panic crossed his face. “My name is Junhui and I have to save the world,” he said before his eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out again.

Minghao struggled to lift the boy into his arms. He was bigger than he looked, probably taller than Minghao was, and definitely broader and more muscular. It made Minghao feel warm as he thought about it but quickly turned his attention back to getting him in the boat.

“Hao?” Soonyoung said when he saw the other boy, “What are you doing?” “He says he has to save the world,” Minghao said by way of explanation, “but I have to save him first.”