Oliver
He knew she'd come for him. And in those moments when fear grappled in his chest, he felt her presence humming in his throat, begging for him to respond. It choked him, and in the fire he'd denied her that entry into his body.
He would not allow it with tears in his eyes.
Nevertheless, there was anger when he awoke in the tub, water sloshing against his legs—cold and icy. His body had been all Amber, and his beautiful soulmate was skinnier, weaker. A tremble in her bones. The tail of her animal soul bond curled around his legs.
A part of him had prayed that she would not come. Because he knew his crazy, mad soulmate might take his place just moments before death's door. She would sacrifice herself for him if she had to, and Oliver on another day would have never allowed that risk. But there was more on the line, a weakening child, a hungry little girl, a baby.
Rumiko.
And so, the anger left when he rose from the tub, feet moving. There was no time to grab a towel. It didn't even cross his mind when he'd burst into the room–cold, wet, naked, and searching. The others were there, waiting and worried, pressed to the couch. Their eyes were on the news and on their phones, unshaven and with eye bags on grimy faces. The worry ate at them, and they were tortured from the stress of it all.
Sieon's eyes were tired when they regarded him, but sharpened when they noticed the difference. The expression, the panic, the panting, the strangeness. Out of his mouth were the words of acknowledgement, muffled, thick with relief, and strangled with horror—
"Oh God…Oliver, you're alive."
"She took my place." Oliver was weak on his knees, and then everyone was there, huddled by his side, fear in their eyes. There were hands on his arms, holding him up, tears wet on his shoulder. "It's a warehouse by the sea. Boxes, shipment. Not too far, I think. I was awake for most of the journey there. 20 minutes, 30…A highway—"
"On it," Hikaru was off then, fingers on his phone pressed to his ears. Ezra with him, the map on his phone, pulled out and locating.
"And Rumiko?" MinJae wept, fingers around his neck in an embrace. JieMi held him in his arms, tears wet on his skin.
"She was with me, in my arms until they took her away," he sobbed. "They didn't feed her. She's in a box. I don't know. I-It was your cousin, Claudia." He swallowed; lips curled. Casper's face grew white, blood draining from his cheeks. Only someone with money could have captured him so easily, and someone like Claudia? An individual with access to the media agency? It would only be too easy. "A group of girls, fucking sasaengs. They must have brought in the bomb to the concert, paid out staff. Security pulled me out of the fire, and so I thought I was safe. Then I found myself in the car. They took Rumiko, but they didn't plan for her." He swallowed thickly. "They wanted some kind of streaming. They were prepared to drug me. I-I tried to stop them–"
The words stuttered through his lips, and someone had a towel over his shoulders.
Oliver continued, holding on to himself, desperate to stay sane. "Amber won't let them do it, unless, Rumiko—" He collapsed to the ground. The thought of it all muddled his brain, sent a cold jerk of fear twisting through his guts. Nausea struck him as he sank onto the ground, and Hikaru moved him to a chair. "Oh, God."
It didn't take long for the change to come, his body returning to him in a rush. But that had been minutes later, in their own car, tailing the police towards the location. His eyes had filled with tears; hands clasped in prayer. Ezra muttering gruffly that he should have his ring too, with his arms around him. He'd slipped it into his palm.
A ring. A ring with a sun carved into the metal, handcrafted by the love of his life. The dents had prints on her fingertips.
She wanted to marry them.
She wanted to marry him.
His eyes grew wet, searching the horizon, searching for his sun. The sky grew oddly clear, but the smell was what he noticed first in his own more alert animal form. It was smoke, oily and thick. And then they were surging forward, bursting to the warehouse right by the sea.
For a moment, he thought it was beautiful. The flames were like silk, like rippling water, writhing and caressing the rusting metal. It undulated and moved, a plume of smoke billowing into the landscape. And then it was horrifying, overwhelmed by the sirens from firefighters, ambulance and police in the distance. The heat melting metal, wood and beams, destruction was imminent, crashing with heavy roaring. And so the worry was hot in his chest, the tears lodged at the back of his throat.
Please, he'd do anything.
Time was a flighty creature, and in the minutes when they moved closer to the warehouse, the seconds felt like years. The darkness was brighter in a wash of horrifying gold. The crazy fans were racing out of the doors, caught by the police. They screamed madly in their arms, begging them to let go. And then they were clawing, tearing at the officers, snarling like animals, like savages, like criminals.
But the girls quietened down when the seven left the car. Oliver paid them no heed, not even when they called his name. Voices wet with apology, lips pleading with their love.
How could it be love?
How could they love him when they'd been selfish and ignorant? They were monsters, animals controlled by fantasy, animals controlled by disgusting dreams.
And in that moment his mind wandered, considered awful as it spun. Perhaps he shouldn't have been an idol at all, perhaps he shouldn't have reached for impossible dreams.
He stepped forward to the warehouse in flames, horrified by the sight, because his soulmate and their child were in there. They were in the pits of hell, in the flames of destruction, and there was nothing they could do.
Nothing.
MinJae screamed, dropping to his knees, and Ezra held him close, tears in his eyes. JieMi rushed forward, held back by Casper and Hikaru. Sieon stood watching by his side, just as horrified by the scene. And Oliver's body shivered, transformed, and then he was in the warehouse with Amber.
In that brief space in time, he'd been one with the love of his life, together in the heat of the enclosure. The flames blurred his vision, breath caught from the smoke. And it struck him then, heat bending over his skin, creeping over the curve of his flesh, beating against his body.
And he'd seen the space, seen Claudia's smile, the lunacy in her eyes. The baby was in her arms, and then soaring through the air, through the flames. He reached forward, catching Rumiko, and then he was gone back to the safety of the outside world, breathing heavily, fingers grasping the air.
She was alive, mere metres away from him, just behind that wall of flames. The separation between death and living. Star-crossed lovers on a tightrope of death, his fingers around her slipping wrist. The river of flames would soon steal her away.
And he could only hope.
He screamed at the firemen, babbling directions, mapped out what he believed must be their location. He was begging and shaking when they charged through the open door. He moved too close to the satin waves of the fire and Sieon clung to him, pulling him back.
"Don't be stupid," he snapped. "Not after we just lost you." And Oliver could only stare into the darkness in despair.
Please.
And when they returned with the small body in their arms. Oliver felt as if his world returned. The weight was gone, light as he pushed forward.
She'd been singing to their daughter, an attempt to calm the baby down. And while her back was burnt and scorched, there was not one mark on Rumiko.
She'd curled over her like a shield. And even then, laid upon the stretcher and darkened with soot, Amber continued weakly with the song, croaked out through raspy breath.
And Oliver was running, running forward to the ambulance, to the paramedics that wheeled her to the vehicle, to her bed. He wavered, saw her eyes crack open. He smiled.
"Sunshine."
*
The perpetrator followed later in another ambulance, wheeled in through the hospital, just moments after Amber.
He couldn't recognise her at first, the lump of darkened flesh thrashing weakly upon the bed. The acrid smell of charred skin and burnt hair was thick in the air, and he recoiled, felt vomit peak in his throat as paramedics shielded her body, worked to save her.
And then she was limp from opiates, covered head to toe with burns and tubes. In her fingers, clutched tightly, was the familiar silk of a mask.
Claudia.
He was surprised to see her, horrified that he could recognise her in her pain. And he caught that last glimpse as she left, her eyes cracking open momentarily. There was a strange smile on her lips, tears wet in her eyes.
Ezra only spat expletives as they rushed past into the emergency room, Casper looking grim. JieMi and Sieon pressing him closer to his chest, forcing him to look away. And Oliver had closed his eyes then, with his head bowed.
Claudia would not survive that night.
*
To heal, they had them come in shifts to stay by Amber's side, their hands on the parts of her skin that weren't covered in bandages. Rumiko fared far better. She only required two days of monitoring from the hospital to allow her lungs to heal.
Eventually the baby was discharged, taken into the care of their parents while they waited on Amber. And by her side, Oliver could only whisper words of forgiveness, of thanks, of dreams.
There were tears in his eyes when she awoke, shifting weakly, trying to speak. Her words came out in a whisper that had him scrambling closer.
It'd been the second time. She'd woken up once in a daze, looked at her bandages and then fallen back to sleep just as he'd murmured her name. But this time, there was a lucidity in her eyes, and he knew she was better.
"Liv?" her voice was hoarse, unused, raw from the tubes.
"Hi sunshine," he pulled the chair closer, calling for the rest. And then they were there, all of them, crowded around the room with tears in their eyes. "Rumiko's with your parents. She was discharged a few days ago, perfectly healthy. Just inhaled a bit too much smoke."
"She's with mom and dad?"
"Yes, how do you feel?"
"Weird."
The nurse arrived, and the medical team worked on her, checking her vitals and her wounds before they left to give them space. Oliver was careful to give her water, and the smile that she gave him made him want to cry.
"God, how bad is it?"
"Some third-degree burns on your hands and legs. But they will heal," Casper assured, fingers brushing her hair. "It's not too bad, really."
"I look like a mummy," she raised her limbs, a weakened grin. "All these bandages." Her voice was rough, still raw.
"A pretty one," MinJae assured.
JieMi grinned. "Eat your medicine and you can go home soon."
Amber sighed, leaned back on her pillow as Oliver wiped her lips. "I'm so glad you're alright." Her smile was blinding, and he couldn't help the tears that flowed wet in his nose, soaking his throat.
"Thank you," he said, pressed a kiss to her lip, chaste, quick but loving. "You've been very brave. So, so brave." His voice was warm, soft, in a tone that he'd rarely heard on himself. But today it was there, brimming with gratitude. "You saved my life."
"The girls?" she whispered and Oliver felt his heart pinch then.
"Police. They know they've found the evidence," he promised.
"Couldn't let your sexy ass find its way online," Amber chuckled, and the sound was like starbursts and clementines. "Ah fuck, I shouldn't laugh." Her voice dropped into a whisper and Hikaru stepped forward stroking her cheek.
"Be careful," Hikaru murmured. "Don't speak if it hurts."
"I want to," Amber smiled, cheeky and alert. It pleased him to see her energised. "Well, go on," she sighed. "Give it to me." Oliver blinked, stared at her as she regarded the room. "The scolding," she explained. They exchanged glances.
"What you did was also very stupid," Ezra started with a glare, but it softened quickly. "God, what am I going to do with you?"
"We should have known," Sieon murmured. "There was no way she wouldn't try."
There was a wide grin from the love of their life, a brilliant smile that had Ezra sighing, walking over to give her a kiss on the cheek.
Ezra placed his hands on his hips, groaned as if he couldn't bear her. "But you saved their lives, so what can I say?"
"Hell, yeah I did," she grinned, looked at them all once over. "For that, I'd like my well-earned orgasm once I get out of here. Thank you very much. I've been a very good girl and I think I deserve it." This had a choked gasp from Hikaru, and a snort from Sieon. The others breaking into laugh, even Oliver had to bite down the giggles.
"Sorry, it's been too long," Casper sighed. "This wasn't how I wanted things to go for you."
"Just the horrors of life fucking things up for our sex life," Amber assured with a smile.
"But before that," Sieon agreed, holding her hand. Oliver could almost see the roses blooming on their fingers, their souls intertwining as he knelt before her with a smile. "We should sign the papers to register for marriage. We love you, baby, and let's get married as soon as we can."
*
They were leaving the hospital when Casper's grandmother appeared standing in the doorway with a basket of flowers and dressed entirely in black. Casper recognised her immediately, hiding Amber behind him with a snarl.
"Leave us!"
But a hand on his from Amber and he went silent. Oliver gently wheeled her to the old lady, wary as he considered her. Amber greeted her warmly, accepted the flowers with a smile. It was an expensive gift basket for the ill, with an array of fruit, bright flowers and a glittery card.
The older woman nodded her head. And there was a gauntness in her features, sorrow in her eyes as she regarded them both. Oliver had seen her on the news, strong jaw with bright eyes and energy that thrummed from her skin and the jewels that adorned her body. But now she appeared lost, seemed to have lost that youth, haggard as her shoulders hunched. Bowing her head, she spoke in a dialect that Oliver knew.
"I'm sorry," the old lady said. Her voice was low, as if the exhaustion had robbed the life out of her body. "It was not right of me to allow her to go on, to harm you both. You will be compensated for all that she has done to the both of you. Your children will receive only the best. It is the least I can do. "
She closed her eyes, then opened them slowly. Oliver supposed she was only here because reporters from national agencies had leaked the news. And the truth of Claudia's actions had spread because of its severity.
And with her name came the name of their media company, dragging Casper's family all down together. It was a shit storm, one that sent their stocks crashing and their sponsors running.
But Oliver reckoned they deserved it.
"Would you like us to help?" Amber asked softly. Her kindness surprised Oliver, and the old lady mirrored that with a gasp of her own. Casper too, had a strangled snort escaped his lips. The old lady smiled, then shook her head.
"No," the old lady continued, "I'm not here to ask that from you, nor am I here to ask for your forgiveness. I was not in my right mind. The thought of taking your child for myself has led to Claudia's desperation. I'm here to apologise." There was a moment of silence before the old lady bowed once more, head low, back straight. "On behalf of the family, I'm sorry. And as the great-grandmother of that child. I am sorry." She raised her head, then shook it.
"Please get up," Amber was quick to murmur, weak hands reaching forward.
There was laughter then in the distance. The sound of a baby gurgling happily, bright and sunny, like the essence of joy. And they all turned to look. Rumiko was there, wheeled in a pram, wriggling and happy, with Amber's parents by her side.
"Ah, Rumiko, she's got eight fantastic parents." The old lady smiled, slowly rising. "I am a fool for trying to separate children from their parents. You need not worry."
She left then, hobbled away just as Rumiko arrived, smiling happily with her arms raised. Amber grinned, giggling as she scooped the baby into her arms, fingers tickling, lips on her cheek.
A mother and her child were a sight that warmed Oliver's heart. And it seemed only fitting for the end of the storm. For the laughter of Rumiko was a sound that could clear the skies.
*
Amber
A year ago, she'd only known rage and fear. And it felt as if her baby had demon eyes. There had been hatred. Detest for the world, her situation, her baby. She'd considered the reason for her existence, the need to survive. She'd wondered if it would be better if she left.
But there were moments now when she felt that spark, that kindling of something as she looked at her baby and saw the life, the being, the person who she was.
And she recognised the stranger, slowly but surely with her soulmates by her side. She learnt, she experienced, she felt and understood the little girl in her arms that called her 'mama' with so much love and joy.
Rumiko.
And so behind her breastbone sparked an ember that glowed softly, nestling at her heart. It was tiny and small, but she held that little speck of warmth and believed.
For one day when she was content, when she was safe, when her world was not in pieces and the people she loved were there by her side. It would blossom into more until it would roar, strong and whole. A good sort of warmth, a brilliant gold.
A love so dear that it would overflow.
But there was no need to fear that she'd let go again, that she would allow her mind to slip, allow her body to break. There was no need to be afraid, for her soulmates were now always there to catch her, and when that fire died, they would be there to kindle it once more.
There was no need to be afraid, for there would always be love.
A/N- Hello, my dear sweet friends, thank you so much for reading to the end. I'm always eternally grateful for MSAI, because it paid for my University and began my impossible dreams of becoming a full-time writer. There's an extra epilogue of this on Inkitt Subscription/Patreon, but it's totally just an extra.
I might publish this entire series eventually; it's definitely something I wanted to do. But the story needs major editing + professional help, which I'm not capable of at the moment. And if that happens, I'll do my best to keep draft 1(this) up here for everyone until I have to take it down due to copyright issues. So in the meantime, it's really just going to sit here until I've got the means to make everything happen.
If you'd like to support me, I've got a couple of other series that are ongoing, and another new one coming up - 'Seven Beasts for Sloane'. Think Omegaverse, Beast world, Farming, Survival, Hunting, Rags to Riches, Matriarchy, Reverse Harem Romance.
I was totally inspired by Chinese farming rebirth romance novels/ the beast-men world manhuas like "Beauty and the Beasts"/ Nomadic tribe fanfics. I thought I'd write something a tad more Omegaverse-y, and a bit more slice of life with all my favourite reverse harem action going on. They're basically going to fuck and still plow in a Stardew Valley world. You can find more information on my Twitter/Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/tinyeyecat
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