burning
Title: Burning
Author: tsukixchan
Pairing: Kyuhyun/Sungmin
Genre: Angst, genderswitch, au
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: { 1631 }
--
A/N: Inspired in English class; we were discussing Shakespeare and witches during the Dark Ages - behold at what it spawned. Haha, spawned, I’ve been playing too much StarCraft. ;~;
--
Dark hair falls over her face. She throws her head back, gasping in pain as flames lick up her legs. Her face... she is beautiful, exquisite even in pain. How can such a beautiful person be a witch?
--
I saw her arrested. They dragged her out of her house, screaming and crying, protesting her innocence. I lived next to her - I had since I was born. Lee Sungmin… my best friend, and yet I didn’t do anything to help her.
I visited her in prison. Her wrists were shackled above her head and her slender body lay slumped helplessly on the ground. She looked up when the doors clanged shut, and I was shocked by the despair in her eyes.
“Kyuhyun…” She whispered, trying to pull herself up by her wrists. I rushed to her side, trying to help her get up painlessly.
“Oh, Min… What did you ever do to deserve this?” I asked, half-crying. Sungmin laid her head down on my shoulder, and I felt her tears soak my shirt. I wrapped my arms around, trying to hug her without hurting her. She was in an awkward position, after all.
The door slammed open, and I was rudely wrenched away from Sungmin. “Enough! You’ve had a long enough visit, witch!” The guard spat harshly at Sungmin. Sungmin lifted her tearful eyes to me, pleading with me to come and see her again.
“I will,” I silently promised. “I will.”
--
Her eyes fix on me; I can feel it when our eyes make contact. I see no hatred in that clear gaze, even as bright fire licks up her sides. Her eyes go wide and she holds back a scream of pain as her tattered white shirt catches on fire.
“Sungmin…” Her name sobs off my lips in a desperate, broken cry. I don’t know if she hears me, but she smiles slightly at me, mouthing my name.
“Kyuhyun.”
--
“Kyuhyun, you came back!” Sungmin exclaimed hoarsely, her eyes bright. My heart almost broke at her hopeful expression.
“Sungmin…” I whispered, drawing her into a hug. “Of course I came back. You asked me to.” She sobbed slightly into my shoulder.
“I thought,” she said, voice muffled, “I thought, why would he come to prison to visit someone like me?” I pulled away as if burned. “Kyu?”
“Never… never say that, Min.” I whispered. She placed a cool hand to my cheek, chains brushing against my arm.
“I’m sorry…” She murmured, pressing soft lips against my cheek. They gave her more freedom; her chains were long enough for her to move around her small cell comfortably. The thick wooden door, however, was barred shut from the other side. She had a small bed and a tiny little washroom; I assumed they didn’t want to risk having a witch sharing with everyone else.
“Min,” She cut me off, pressing plush lips against my own. Wait, what? Sungmin kissed me. She started to pull away from me, but I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close again, fusing our lips together. The kiss was born out of desperation; I tasted it.
“Kyuhyun,” She panted as we broke apart, lips red, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry to have taken advantage of you like that.” She hid her face in her hands, flushing a pale pink. I pulled her down to sit on her bed, holding her close. She needed the physical comfort, it didn’t matter anymore that this was against the morals of our time and age. We both knew that she was going to die, regardless of the fact that she was innocent.
--
My heart aches. It hurts so much, to be forced to watch Sungmin burn to death. I repeat her name, over and over again, under my breath. The flames dance around her, biting into usually pale skin, caressing dark locks. Her head is leaning against the wooden pole to which she is tied, and she bites her lip as her eyes squeeze closed, trying not to cry out in pain. The flames sear up her tattered and burnt shift, stroking her face with yellow fingers. I try to stretch out my hands towards her, but a harsh jerk from behind me sends me to my knees, having almost dislocated my shoulder.
“Sungmin!” I scream through a haze of pain. I can sense the end approaching. It’s almost over.
--
Maybe we took it too far, in her little cell. But then, I guess any physical contact is too much, for someone condemned to the death of a witch.
--
“Stop going to see Sungmin.” My mother demanded of me. The one thing I could never have agreed to. “They’ll condemn you through association!” She cried.
“I know, Mother. I’m sorry if they do, but… I can’t leave Sungmin.” I told her sadly. Sungmin needed me.
“Kyuhyun, please. I don’t want to lose my son, don’t make me suffer that…” She pleaded desperately.
“I’m sorry…” I repeated hopelessly. My mother straightened.
“Fine. Kyuhyun,” She said firmly, “If you continue to see Sungmin in prison, I will disown you.”
“Mother!” I cried, distraught. “How could you… Think if it was Ahra in prison! What would you do then?”
“I would say the same thing, my son. If one of my children is already in danger, how could I condemn the other one to sure death?” Mother said stubbornly. “One of my children, at this moment, is in danger. I will not allow you to do this.” I stood with a sigh, heartbroken.
I hugged my mother one last time. “I’m sorry, Mother. Sungmin needs me… she has no one else. You still have Ahra… I’m sorry. Please, Mother, forgive me. And always remember that I love you, and I always will… no matter where I am.” I whispered, turning my back and walking out the door slowly. My mother grasped desperately at my hand, but I shook it off with a heavy heart.
“Kyuhyun!!” My mother’s last cry echoed in my ear.
--
“Kyuhyun, how could you?! How could you give up your family because of me?” Sungmin sobbed, hysterical. I was confused; she should have been happy at this news. “I didn’t ask you to do this!”
“Min…” I said, stretching a hand out to her. She jerked away, burying her face in her hands.
“I didn’t want you to die with me, Kyuhyun! You are my best friend, but I don’t want you to die because of that association!” Sungmin cried, hands fisting her own hair. “Kyuhyun, I didn’t want you to give up everything for me…” Sungmin finally whispered, dark hair tumbling about her face.
I gripped her tightly by the shoulders. “Min, I made this choice on my own, so please…” I buried my face in her shoulder.
“Kyuhyun… oh, Kyuhyun, how could you do this to yourself…” Sungmin cried quietly, tears falling into my hair, even as she stroked it lovingly. I sighed heavily into her shoulder.
“Sungmin… you are all I have now.” I told her sadly.
“Kyuhyun, you’ve always been my everything. Thank you… I love you so much.” Sungmin replied, kissing me softly on the cheek. I lifted up my head and pressed our lips together in a desperate, bruising kiss. Sungmin arched into me as I placed a hand on the small of her back. I slipped a hand under her shirt, and she moaned high and sweet, into my mouth.
The door opened suddenly, and I was roughly jerked away from Sungmin. “Associating with the witch? Innocent visits were fine, though I don’t understand why anyone would want to visit a witch…” The guard muttered as he dragged me away from the cell. I stumbled along behind him, and we entered into a room that was blindingly bright, after the dimness of the cell..
“What brings you here, Guard Lee?” The judge (or so I assumed he was) said. Guard Lee bowed and pushed me forward.
“Sir, this boy was found… engaging in physical contact with Lee Sungmin, a witch.” Guard Lee said in disgust. The judge frowned, leaning forward.
“Physical activity?” The judge questioned. Guard Lee nodded.
“They were… kissing… deeply.” He said, frowning. “This boy… had his hand under the witch’s shirt.” The guard stuttered. The judge fixed a piercing stare on me.
“What think you, jury? Was he bewitched?” The judge addressed the silent group of people to his left.
After much murmuring, the jury returned with an unanimous “No.” My heart sank, and I collapsed on the ground.
Dimly, I heard the judge’s verdict. “Take him back to her cell. They burn to-morrow morning.”
--
”Sungmin, oh, Sungmin…” I cried as the guard threw me back in. Sungmin rushed to hold me up.
“What is it, Kyu?” She murmured softly.
“We die to-morrow morning.” I told her tearfully. She raised her face to the heavens.
“So this… this is how it ends.”
--
She is dead. Lee Sungmin is dead, burned to death at the stake. The guard shoves me forward, and I stumble, falling painfully to the ground. I can’t even get up by myself; my hands are bound behind my back. The guard yanks viciously on the rope binding my hands together, and I cry out in pain as my shoulders are jerked back.
They tie me to the same stake where Sungmin burned. The judge stands in front of me. “Cho Kyuhyun, by the will of God, we execute you today for associating with a witch, Lee Sungmin.” He drops the torch on the wood piled at my feet, and I watch in horror as the flames lick up the wood.
“Father…” I pray silently, tilting my face upwards, “forgive me.”
Sungmin, I’ll be with you soon.
Fin.
Author: tsukixchan
Pairing: Kyuhyun/Sungmin
Genre: Angst, genderswitch, au
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: { 1631 }
--
A/N: Inspired in English class; we were discussing Shakespeare and witches during the Dark Ages - behold at what it spawned. Haha, spawned, I’ve been playing too much StarCraft. ;~;
--
Dark hair falls over her face. She throws her head back, gasping in pain as flames lick up her legs. Her face... she is beautiful, exquisite even in pain. How can such a beautiful person be a witch?
--
I saw her arrested. They dragged her out of her house, screaming and crying, protesting her innocence. I lived next to her - I had since I was born. Lee Sungmin… my best friend, and yet I didn’t do anything to help her.
I visited her in prison. Her wrists were shackled above her head and her slender body lay slumped helplessly on the ground. She looked up when the doors clanged shut, and I was shocked by the despair in her eyes.
“Kyuhyun…” She whispered, trying to pull herself up by her wrists. I rushed to her side, trying to help her get up painlessly.
“Oh, Min… What did you ever do to deserve this?” I asked, half-crying. Sungmin laid her head down on my shoulder, and I felt her tears soak my shirt. I wrapped my arms around, trying to hug her without hurting her. She was in an awkward position, after all.
The door slammed open, and I was rudely wrenched away from Sungmin. “Enough! You’ve had a long enough visit, witch!” The guard spat harshly at Sungmin. Sungmin lifted her tearful eyes to me, pleading with me to come and see her again.
“I will,” I silently promised. “I will.”
--
Her eyes fix on me; I can feel it when our eyes make contact. I see no hatred in that clear gaze, even as bright fire licks up her sides. Her eyes go wide and she holds back a scream of pain as her tattered white shirt catches on fire.
“Sungmin…” Her name sobs off my lips in a desperate, broken cry. I don’t know if she hears me, but she smiles slightly at me, mouthing my name.
“Kyuhyun.”
--
“Kyuhyun, you came back!” Sungmin exclaimed hoarsely, her eyes bright. My heart almost broke at her hopeful expression.
“Sungmin…” I whispered, drawing her into a hug. “Of course I came back. You asked me to.” She sobbed slightly into my shoulder.
“I thought,” she said, voice muffled, “I thought, why would he come to prison to visit someone like me?” I pulled away as if burned. “Kyu?”
“Never… never say that, Min.” I whispered. She placed a cool hand to my cheek, chains brushing against my arm.
“I’m sorry…” She murmured, pressing soft lips against my cheek. They gave her more freedom; her chains were long enough for her to move around her small cell comfortably. The thick wooden door, however, was barred shut from the other side. She had a small bed and a tiny little washroom; I assumed they didn’t want to risk having a witch sharing with everyone else.
“Min,” She cut me off, pressing plush lips against my own. Wait, what? Sungmin kissed me. She started to pull away from me, but I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close again, fusing our lips together. The kiss was born out of desperation; I tasted it.
“Kyuhyun,” She panted as we broke apart, lips red, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry to have taken advantage of you like that.” She hid her face in her hands, flushing a pale pink. I pulled her down to sit on her bed, holding her close. She needed the physical comfort, it didn’t matter anymore that this was against the morals of our time and age. We both knew that she was going to die, regardless of the fact that she was innocent.
--
My heart aches. It hurts so much, to be forced to watch Sungmin burn to death. I repeat her name, over and over again, under my breath. The flames dance around her, biting into usually pale skin, caressing dark locks. Her head is leaning against the wooden pole to which she is tied, and she bites her lip as her eyes squeeze closed, trying not to cry out in pain. The flames sear up her tattered and burnt shift, stroking her face with yellow fingers. I try to stretch out my hands towards her, but a harsh jerk from behind me sends me to my knees, having almost dislocated my shoulder.
“Sungmin!” I scream through a haze of pain. I can sense the end approaching. It’s almost over.
--
Maybe we took it too far, in her little cell. But then, I guess any physical contact is too much, for someone condemned to the death of a witch.
--
“Stop going to see Sungmin.” My mother demanded of me. The one thing I could never have agreed to. “They’ll condemn you through association!” She cried.
“I know, Mother. I’m sorry if they do, but… I can’t leave Sungmin.” I told her sadly. Sungmin needed me.
“Kyuhyun, please. I don’t want to lose my son, don’t make me suffer that…” She pleaded desperately.
“I’m sorry…” I repeated hopelessly. My mother straightened.
“Fine. Kyuhyun,” She said firmly, “If you continue to see Sungmin in prison, I will disown you.”
“Mother!” I cried, distraught. “How could you… Think if it was Ahra in prison! What would you do then?”
“I would say the same thing, my son. If one of my children is already in danger, how could I condemn the other one to sure death?” Mother said stubbornly. “One of my children, at this moment, is in danger. I will not allow you to do this.” I stood with a sigh, heartbroken.
I hugged my mother one last time. “I’m sorry, Mother. Sungmin needs me… she has no one else. You still have Ahra… I’m sorry. Please, Mother, forgive me. And always remember that I love you, and I always will… no matter where I am.” I whispered, turning my back and walking out the door slowly. My mother grasped desperately at my hand, but I shook it off with a heavy heart.
“Kyuhyun!!” My mother’s last cry echoed in my ear.
--
“Kyuhyun, how could you?! How could you give up your family because of me?” Sungmin sobbed, hysterical. I was confused; she should have been happy at this news. “I didn’t ask you to do this!”
“Min…” I said, stretching a hand out to her. She jerked away, burying her face in her hands.
“I didn’t want you to die with me, Kyuhyun! You are my best friend, but I don’t want you to die because of that association!” Sungmin cried, hands fisting her own hair. “Kyuhyun, I didn’t want you to give up everything for me…” Sungmin finally whispered, dark hair tumbling about her face.
I gripped her tightly by the shoulders. “Min, I made this choice on my own, so please…” I buried my face in her shoulder.
“Kyuhyun… oh, Kyuhyun, how could you do this to yourself…” Sungmin cried quietly, tears falling into my hair, even as she stroked it lovingly. I sighed heavily into her shoulder.
“Sungmin… you are all I have now.” I told her sadly.
“Kyuhyun, you’ve always been my everything. Thank you… I love you so much.” Sungmin replied, kissing me softly on the cheek. I lifted up my head and pressed our lips together in a desperate, bruising kiss. Sungmin arched into me as I placed a hand on the small of her back. I slipped a hand under her shirt, and she moaned high and sweet, into my mouth.
The door opened suddenly, and I was roughly jerked away from Sungmin. “Associating with the witch? Innocent visits were fine, though I don’t understand why anyone would want to visit a witch…” The guard muttered as he dragged me away from the cell. I stumbled along behind him, and we entered into a room that was blindingly bright, after the dimness of the cell..
“What brings you here, Guard Lee?” The judge (or so I assumed he was) said. Guard Lee bowed and pushed me forward.
“Sir, this boy was found… engaging in physical contact with Lee Sungmin, a witch.” Guard Lee said in disgust. The judge frowned, leaning forward.
“Physical activity?” The judge questioned. Guard Lee nodded.
“They were… kissing… deeply.” He said, frowning. “This boy… had his hand under the witch’s shirt.” The guard stuttered. The judge fixed a piercing stare on me.
“What think you, jury? Was he bewitched?” The judge addressed the silent group of people to his left.
After much murmuring, the jury returned with an unanimous “No.” My heart sank, and I collapsed on the ground.
Dimly, I heard the judge’s verdict. “Take him back to her cell. They burn to-morrow morning.”
--
”Sungmin, oh, Sungmin…” I cried as the guard threw me back in. Sungmin rushed to hold me up.
“What is it, Kyu?” She murmured softly.
“We die to-morrow morning.” I told her tearfully. She raised her face to the heavens.
“So this… this is how it ends.”
--
She is dead. Lee Sungmin is dead, burned to death at the stake. The guard shoves me forward, and I stumble, falling painfully to the ground. I can’t even get up by myself; my hands are bound behind my back. The guard yanks viciously on the rope binding my hands together, and I cry out in pain as my shoulders are jerked back.
They tie me to the same stake where Sungmin burned. The judge stands in front of me. “Cho Kyuhyun, by the will of God, we execute you today for associating with a witch, Lee Sungmin.” He drops the torch on the wood piled at my feet, and I watch in horror as the flames lick up the wood.
“Father…” I pray silently, tilting my face upwards, “forgive me.”
Sungmin, I’ll be with you soon.
Fin.