when winter comes (come back to me)

“be careful,” jay says, all traces of lightheartedness gone. there’s a furrow between his eyebrows, and jungwon aches to reach out and smooth it away. he doesn’t.

“you say that every time,” he deflects softly.

“i mean it every time.”

(or: jay goes missing one morning in the forest. jungwon searches tirelessly for months, but every passing day reveals no results except more pain and fear and guilt. given the circumstances their world has dealt them and the enemy they’re up against, the idea of finding jay is practically impossible. but jungwon is in love with him, so giving up on bringing him home is impossible too.)