DUSKEN ASHES || Kim Taehyung Fanfiction || Classic romance

19. Tangled in Time

The fire crackled softly in the stone hearth, its golden glow painting fleeting constellations on the walls. Shadows swayed gently across the room, moving like the rhythm of an old song. Outside, the rain drummed softly against the glass panes, weaving a lullaby into the night. Time itself seemed to hush, holding its breath around them.

Elysia and Taehyung sat together on the floor, their shoulders pressed close beneath a shared blanket. The fabric hung heavy around them, a fragile sanctuary carved out of the storm. The faint scent of burning wood and petrichor mingled in the air, wrapping around them like a second embrace.

Elysia tilted her head slightly, her gaze tracing the soft angles of Taehyung's face. His expression, usually calm and composed, was shadowed tonight, his brows drawn together in quiet turmoil. The firelight kissed his features, casting his long lashes into faint crescents against his cheeks.

She studied him, the way the flame seemed to dance in his eyes, how his stillness seemed weighted. "You're so quiet tonight, my love," she murmured, her voice soft as silk, barely daring to disturb the fragile peace.

Taehyung blinked, his gaze pulling away from the dancing flames to meet hers. A faint, fleeting smile curved his lips—a smile that wavered like a leaf caught in the wind.

"I'm... lost in thought," he murmured, his voice low, carrying the weight of something unspoken.

Elysia's fingers brushed lightly against his hand, her touch a fleeting promise. "Tell me, Taehyung. Please."

His eyes lingered on their intertwined hands, his thumb tracing slow, absentminded circles over her knuckles. The silence deepened, heavy with something intangible. "There are moments like this... when the world is so quiet, so perfect. I find myself wishing I could stop time—keep us here, in this fleeting stillness, forever."

Her heart squeezed at the fragile honesty in his voice. She could see it now—the vulnerability he tried so hard to hide, peeking through the cracks in his carefully held composure.

"Taehyung..." she whispered, his name a tender caress, a sound that seemed to carry all the warmth of the room, all the softness of their connection.

His voice faltered as he continued, barely above a breath. "But I'm afraid, Elysia. Afraid that this peace is fragile, that if I hold it too tightly, it will shatter. I'm afraid of losing you, sweetheart."

The words were heavy, laden with a sorrow that she couldn't have anticipated. The storm outside seemed to echo his turmoil, as if the universe itself shared his pain. Elysia's chest ached, a tightness creeping into her throat as the magnitude of his words sank in. Without hesitation, she reached for his face, her palms cupping his cheeks. His skin was warm beneath her touch, and she could feel the faint tremble of his breath against her palms.

"You won't lose me, Taehyung," she said softly, her voice steady despite the storm swelling in her chest. "I'm here. Always. Right here, my love."

His eyes glistened with unshed tears as they locked with hers, his chocolate-brown gaze heavy with emotion. "But what if... what if I can't keep you safe, my star? What if something takes you away from me, and I can't stop it?"

A tear slipped down his cheek, catching the firelight as it fell. It trembled on his skin, as though it were just as fragile as the love he was so afraid of losing. Elysia leaned in, pressing her forehead against his, her breath mingling with his in the small space between them.

"Taehyung, my heart," she whispered, her voice trembling but resolute. "You've already given me more than I could ever ask for. Your love, your warmth, your light... whatever happens, I'll carry those with me. Always."