ikigai (noun) - a reason for being

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ now playing ; just friends by virginia to vegas

JOON'S NEW FAVORITE
HOBBY: BOTHERING ECHO

"Echo, it's just a day at the beach, you don't have to take your whole kitchen, we can just come back if you forget something."

Echo spun on her heel, sundress spinning with her as she turned to face Joon, eyes bright with her characteristic childlike wonderment. "Joon, do you know what happens when someone forgets something?" She glided past him, steps reverberating across the kitchen floor as she threw open her picnic basket. "Because someone will forget something, and when they do, they'll be too lazy to get up and go get it." She spun again, in that same graceful motion, eyes catching the fading light of the sun as echo threw open her pantry door, digging for something.

"So?" Joon cocked his head, moving to push himself up on the empty island in the kitchen, crossing his legs as he watched Echo's movements.

"So. What if someone forgets sunscreen? Or a sunhat? Or water?"

"Then we can go and get those things." Joon buried a laugh, pushing himself off the counter as Echo went towards the sink, carrying the pitcher of whatever she'd been making previously with her. Her face contorted, and she sent Joon a half-hearted glare, before turning back to the drink. Joon sauntered over to her, looking over her shoulder after she unscrewed the lid. "What are you making?"

Echo responded with another huff, casting another semi-heartfelt scowl at him before returning to her work. "It's a smoothie, for all of us, you know." She hefted the pitcher up on the counter, brushing her hands off. "I just have to find a better way to carry it."

"I could carry it, you know. I'm big and strong." A characteristic grin worked it's way up his face, and mischief flickered over his tongue as he reached over to grasp the pitcher, "Besides how heavy-"

"Wait Joon, the top isn't-"

Too little. Too late. Cold strawberry smoothie splattered all down his white t-shirt, sending chilling vibrations down to his abdomen, and a strangled yelp escaped him as he scrambled back away from the fallen concoction of fruit, shame almost immediately flickering alongside it. His cheeks warmed as he watched Echo blink, then cover her mouth with her hand as she stifled a giggle. Although it didn't work much, the bubbly sound escaped her anyway. 

"Echo!" His scolding sounded too flustered, but he pressed onward anyway, "It's not funny!"

Echo laughed again, bolder this time as she skittered around the newly formed puddle, to the back of Joon instead. "It's a little funny." Her protest only made his cheeks flare up more, and he crossed his arms over his chest petulantly.

"My shirt is ruined."

"Well, take it off then, I'll wash it."

He spun around to face her, raising his eyebrow. "Oh? I see, that was your plan the whole time then, to ruin my shirt so you could see me take it off? How scandalous of you, Echo." His attitude was quick to recover from the previous embarrassment, another charming grin working it's way up his face as he leaned over her. "You could have just asked, you didn't need to go spilling things on me.

Echo's answering swat to his hand was an expected response, as was the rolling of her pretty eyes, a scoff dropping her mouth open. "Yeah, yeah, you're hilarious Joon, if I wanted your shirt off, I would have just taken it off myself."

"Without my consent?" His mouth dropped open, pseudo shock twisting his features as Joon brought his hand to his forehead. "That's horrible, Echo."

"You're horrible, Joon." Echo planted her hands on her hips, waiting expectantly for Joon's behavior to die down. Unfortunately for her, Joon's behavior didn't die down, specifically out of spite. Echo had laughed at his trauma. Unforgivable. Echo didn't seem to care all that much, because she held out her hand, waiting for the arrival of his probably ruined shirt, so Joon sighed. Once again, the drama queen that he was, he stripped off his shirt, pulled it over his head, and dropped it into her hands.

"I should have thrown it at you."

"You're the one who dropped my smoothie." Echo turned, his shirt in hand, maneuvering carefully out of the kitchen and heading to one of the back rooms, Joon prattling after her the whole way. Echo was so interesting. How nobody saw the same clever sarcasm that she buried within sweetheart antidotes, and hallmark-level generosity, he would never really know.

That is, unless he asked her. That however seemed like a mistake waiting to happen, so Joon would be patient. He could be patient, contrary to Asia and Cue's beliefs.

Echo pulled to a stop in one of the rooms, discarding the shirt into a washer before beginning the process for it. "You know, Joon, now I don't have a smoothie to bring. I sure hope Freddie isn't distraught."

"Freddie would forgive me." Joon scrunched up his nose, leaning against the doorframe of the room, glancing around absently. "He likes me."

"That makes one of us."

"Hey." Joon snapped to her, watching as Echo ducked her head to hide the blooming smile on her face, choking back a snicker. This was ridiculous. Echo would never have said that to any of the others. It was just him, and only in private too, when he received that special brand of whiplash he always seemed to get from Echo.

He could count himself lucky in that way, he guessed. Echo sometimes acted like a shell of a person. She was nice, and sweet, and kind, and everything a person should be, but that Echo lacked depth. She lacked persona, and spirit. It's not like Joon didn't like that Echo, he liked all the versions of her, but it was something just a little bit sweeter when she responded with that sharp wit that always seemed to take a little bit of digging to get to.

Joon couldn't really help the way his smile softened, looking at her. Echo closed the washer, humming absently, the little furrow in her eyebrows showing that she was remembering something. The last of the sun's rays bled down onto bandaged wings, painting them in shimmering light. Sometimes, Joon did wonder how much they hurt still, how often she had to maneuver to avoid furthering the injury. Other times, he wondered if Echo was getting any sleep at all. Sometimes he thought about her.

Not in a weird way, or anything though, Joon was just - he was curious. That was it. Curious about everything that Echo was, and curious about how many secrets she exactly had hidden in the thresholds of this island.

Joon looked away from her just as Echo turned back to face him, gracefully, ducking past his frame in the doorway, and reentering her living room. It was rather lovely, soft tones painting the walls, artistry hung across the walls from countless eras most likely. Echo was silent as she adjusted a blanket across the couch, before looking up and meeting his gaze.

Echo's beautiful,

Before Joon could really register what he just thought, the back door swung open. Not the main door, the one that leads to the island, but one of the others, and a fiery head of hair greeting them. The girl marched in without an invitation, but froze in her steps as soon as emerald eyes fell on Echo's wings. Then the gaze dragged across the room, towards Joon.

Echo had frozen, but only briefly, wild panic alight in her eyes before she shook her head, warmly smiling at the new arrival. "Bryce! I - uh - I didn't know you were coming here-"

"Well, I haven't talked to ya in a bit now." She blinked at Joon, narrowing her eyes slightly before returning a sweeping look back towards Echo. "How was yer trip then, is this one of yer...friends?" The eyebrow raise told Joon everything he needed to know about what Bryce was now assuming about Echo and Joon's friendship. Joon looked past Bryce, towards the doorway that she'd come from, and squinted.

What he was seeing - a town, forests, a beautiful harbor just in the distance, down cobblestone streets lined with antique stores and blooming trees. Joon briefly shook his head, he'd ask about it later, right now, there was a more pressing matter.

Echo's smile had turned hesitant, and a sheepish glance was casted his way before she returned her attention towards her friend. "Oh, yes, this is Joon, he's a friend of mine, he came down to visit me-"

Bryce laughed heartily, shaking her head slightly, "Relax Ems, ya don't gotta be embarrassed about hookups, I jus' didn't think ya had it in ya."

Joon watched in absolute amusement as heat flared of Echo's cheeks, stifling his own laugh as she scrambled to regain control of the conversation, "We aren't hooking up-"

"Friends with benefits, then?" Byrce cocked her head, and Joon saw his opening.

"Yeah, friends with benefits is a nice way to put it, isn't it, Ems?"

Echo's incredulous glare, half-born of embarrassment, could have wilted a field of flowers.

Joon only smiled at her warmly, before looking back to Bryce. He was shirtless now, after all, and Echo had laughed at him earlier. So, fair was fair.

She'd probably kill him later, but it was worth it now.

Bryce's eyes once again flickered back to the wings on Echo's back, and she again tilted her head curiously. "So the wings then, are ya tryin' on Halloween costumes, or is it some kind of kink?"

If Echo could have died right there, he was pretty sure she would have. Her face went bright red, and her eyes widened.

Joon, the hero as always, swooped in and saved the day. "Both actually, I think she really enjoys it."

"Park Ye-Joon." Echo's voice was a near snarl as she whipped to face him.

Joon remained unfettered, looking at Bryce as a sleazy grin worked its way up his face. "You could join us Bryce, make it a three way."

"I am going-"

"Ems has an attention kink I think, so it works out."

"- to slaughter you."

If looks could kill, Joon would have been a dead man.

Bryce's previous enthusiasm had vanished, and she was glancing between them cautiously, before taking a step back, "Uh - nah, thanks anyway, uh - Em's are ya comin to the festival next weekend in town? It's supposed to be really nice." Sending another nervous look towards Joon, the ginger looked at her friend quizzically.

Echo, responding to her without breaking eye-contact with Joon, didn't so much as blink. "Sure, as long as I haven't been arrested for murder by then."

"Alrighty then, i'm gonna, i'll head out now, i'll see ya." She headed for the door, walking backwards as she reached for the knob to close it, sending Joon another wary glance, before speaking hesitantly. "Good-bye then."

The moment the door clicked shut, Joon booked it for the main door, narrowly missing tripping over his own feet. He threw open the door to the island, scrambling out as Echo unleashed a string of very unladylike curses at him, hot on his tail. A laugh vibrated up his chest as he darted through the woods, down the winding path to the beach. Echo's house was the farthest from the beach, but even then it wasn't far enough away that Echo could catch up.

In the distant horizon, the sun had set, and the sky was rapidly darkening. On the banks of the beach, he could see the rising smoke from the bonfire that Cue had no doubt set, and a warm, nostalgic feeling ran down his bones.

Joon felt like a kid again.

Breathlessly running from his friend, down to where his make-shift family was now at, where s'mores were promised, and the warm feeling of home was a calling. Down by the ocean and tides, where the moon and stars began to shine. It was a little euphoric, and his breath was stolen by it in more ways than one. So he let out another laugh, as a sharp curse was shouted out somewhere from behind him, and ran towards the sea.

By the time Echo had caught up to him, her fury had seemed to wear down, breath caught in her own throat. She heaved a heavy sound, swatting at Joon's now bare chest, and bracing her hands on her knees. "You're horrible."

"You didn't have to run after me." The tease was too promising to not say, and she scowled up at him, going to swat at him again. Unfortunately, she was still a little tired from her workout, and nearly toppled over when Joon side-stepped.

He didn't have it in him to even bother hiding his laugh.

She groaned silently, dropping to her knees instead, and simply rolling onto her back on the sand, staring up at him, with a now apparently implemented frown. "I don't like you, not even a little."

Joon chuckled, leaning down to sit beside her. "You like me so much, Echo." He leaned over her, the little comfort he could manage with his characteristic grin.

Mortals say that it could make the blind see.

Or, you know, Joon said that. Sometimes a little too frequently for the ears of the other immortals of Elysian.

Echo sighed again, but pushed herself up on her elbows, staring out towards the ocean, where some of them had already gone out to be in. Joon watched her gaze darken, and she silently tilted her head, inspecting something that wasn't there. Joon followed her gaze. 

He could see Freddie and Amir, who were right by the shore of the beach, sitting in front of the fire, making smores. Asia was with them, deliberately trying to disguise the fact that she too was looking out towards the sea. Where Cassian was.

Joon grinned, tucking that piece of information away for later.

Cassian was out on a surfboard, hand shielding his face from the spray of water that had rushed to meet him. Beyond that, was Cue, sitting stoic as usual. However, this is an odd thing.

Cordelia was on the board with him, sitting right in front of him in fact, and Cue seemed to be softly talking to her, pointing at the board, and then the ocean intermittently.

He supposed Cordelia had found a little bit of happiness then, because she looked pretty damn content on that board with Cue, even if the only light to guide them was by the full moon and stars. Joon would rather die, then be stuck in the middle of the ocean on a piece of driftwood with Cue Hathor, but Cordelia looked to be almost enjoying it.

He looked back to Echo, only to find her gaze already on him, not analyzing, but just looking. Looking at him like she had nothing better to look at.

Joon went to open his mouth, but no words came out, his breath caught.

Echo, instead, spoke first. "You have a scar."

"I-" That's not what I was expecting. "I what?" His laugh came out breathy, much more so than he would have liked, but still, he couldn't manage to break eye contact from Echo. Not while she was staring at him like he was the only person in the entire world.

"You have a scar. On your eyebrow, right above it."  Before he could protest, light fingertips were pressed to his forehead, tracing the thin line that hung above his left eyebrow. Echo's eyes followed it, and Joon followed hers. "Where's it from?"

"Trying to figure out my secret's, eh?" It was an evasion tactic, and the both of them knew it. Echo's gaze flattened slightly, and she sent him a scolding glance, but waited for his answer. Joon, as always when it came to her, relented. "It's from when I was sixteen. My brother, Min-Ho, was trying to learn how to skateboard, he was nine at the time. I knew how to skateboard, so I took him out one day, and he ended up throwing the board at my face." A deep fondness bloomed in his chest, similar to the warmth that seemed to be emitting from Echo's feather-light touch across his forehead.

The nice thing about Echo was that her warmth wasn't overwhelming. He'd never been a fan of the heat, or hot weather in general, but Echo had a distinct kind of warmth about her. Something welcoming, but not overbearing.

He loved that about her.

She pulled him from his thoughts once again, her hand tracing down his cheek, towards his neck. "You have one here too."

"I wanted a neck piercing. My mother yelled at me for it, and made me take it out." Nostalgia swirled in the pit of his stomach, a breath of laughter escaping his mouth as he lightly shook his head. "Don't you have scars, Echo?"

Once again, vibrant eyes met his, and there was a brief pause of silence, and for a moment he saw something like hesitance, like anxiety. That vibration ran up his skin, like a resurfacing memory, and Joon just knew. Echo was self-conscious. She was worried about how she looked, was worried about the scars that lined her skin, was worried how the others might suddenly see her if they knew what had happened to her.

For some reason, the line of thought infuriated him. Joon found her hand, the one that had traced down his throat, and clasped it in his, subconsciously bringing it to his chest. Joon hated being serious, he hated that sometimes it was necessary.

But Echo had to know.

He watched as she broke his gaze, looking down at the sand where they sat. Joon tilted his head at her, taking a breath. "Echo." She shot back up to stare at him, locking contact again. He hesitated, of course he did. What was he supposed to say exactly - he knew what he wanted to say - but-

Fuck it.

"You're beautiful." The words came out rushed, but Echo stared at him like she'd somehow never had heard the words, so Joon said them again. He said them again because Echo deserved them. "I think you're beautiful." She was silent, but Joon held her hand tighter, maybe a little bit scared that she might disappear, might run out on him when he became like this.

Just like everyone else had.

He swallowed the growing lump in his throat. "Can I see them?"

Echo pulled her hand away, and for a moment, his grip tightened as she did. She stopped, looking at him again, and silently squeezed his hand before pulling it back entirely. In a moment, she'd stripped off her long-sleeve shirt, her halter-top bikini underneath. Then she adjusted her seat, pulling off her sweatpants as well.

Joon knows.

He knows that fire is an intangible, destructive, life-stealing thing. He knows it's not something that he can just beat the shit out of. It's not his sister's elementary bully, it's not the kids in middle school who called him slurs, but it still hurts people.

It hurt Echo.

She spoke, before he could, staring out towards the ocean. "I'm not embarrassed of them. They just raise too many questions, and I get tired of answering." She crossed her legs, laying on her back and stretching before the moonlight. "Besides, it's not like I can say, oh, they're from the fall of Greece, now, can I?"

Joon's chest hurt.

"I'm sorry." Those were really the only words he felt like he could say.

Echo's head turned, and she looked up at him, shaking her head slightly. "I can't change history, and neither can you."

Are you happy, Echo?

The thought burned his tongue, but his treacherous mind had evidently had enough of the serious conversation that had been thrust upon them, and instead, his gaze flicked down, to the black inklets of symbols of small things that ran over her skin. "You have tattoos?"

Yes, obviously she has tattoos, you absolute idiot.

Echo smiled anyway, her eyes closing, and she began her storytelling. Just to Joon, in the quiet of the night, under a canopy of constellations.

And Joon listened.

꘎♡━━━━━♡꘎

ophelia !!

ninth chapter done !

ik it's a long chapter
bear with me, i'm sorry 
TvT

I hope everything is 
going well for you 

this is a little chapter
as a present before
break is over, cause
idk how much i'll be 
able to write for a bit

[ what is your character's favorite view? what would their back door be programmed to go to?  ]

answers ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥