#aughhh angst gets you on the fluffiest of days

[calethescammer]

Tcf prompt :)

So there's the well known scars AU in tcf right? Like where Krs!Cale gets his old scars and chaos ensues.

But what if, instead of any random day, Cale gets back his scars after using Instant? Like Mila has healed his scars completely, the ones he got after using Instant, but his old scars are somehow back on his body.

Like when he gets to meet with og!cale, some soul merging stuff happens and rok soo's scars are back on krs!cale's body.

And now imagine, Mila just doubting her ability because Cale's scars didn't heal (they actually did). And Cale just waking up and blankly staring at his body now 'ugly' with the scars he always hated.

And his family seeing him littered with so many wounds that he never had?? (Did they not even notice such a thing?)

And then his kids see him, especially Raon who first hand experienced it, and the young dragon just breaks down sobbing in his human's arms, blaming himself for the pain he had let his human go through.

Choi Han stands shocked, the image of Kim Rok Soo of his memories and the Cale in front of him overlapping, both looking too full of pain.

Maybe they don't comment on it due to the final battle, or maybe they feel like they shouldn't comment on it.

But then after the war, they finally notice how Cale has changed. How he furrows his brows whenever he looks at his scars, as if in disgust, and how he avoids looking at any and all mirrors, afraid to see himself. How he tries to slid his arms further into the long sleeves of his clothes, and how hard he tries to act nonchalant as if nothing is wrong.

And maybe he heard it once, the comments about his scars, but instead of noticing their worried and sorrowful tones he only saw mockery and laughter in it. He knew from experience to never expect from people, but sometimes, it hurt. And from then, he refused to go to any parties whatsoever, even at the cost of golden plaques.

And it got to a point that regular people, citizens of Roan noticed it too, how badly the war had affected their beloved young master. And how badly scarred both his body and mind were. But what could they do, expect send wishes of love and gratitude, in a hope that the person who saved them all may be saved too.

And now to his family. They try to bring out the redhead, taking him to small walks and picnics, and looking at him with so much love that Cale cannot help but feel a sting in his chest, wanting to stay in that warmth forever.

Lock and the wolf children come to him, shouting about how cool he looked in all those scars, how he looked so much like a 'warrior'. But Cale sees their eyes, eyes that seem so genuine and full of admiration, eyes that hold no mockery or any hint of evil. And for the next few hours, their shouts echo in his ears, a faint blush forming on his face.

Raon, On and Hong bring him flowers and decorate his hair with it, and Cale finally smiles seeing himself in the mirror. He suddenly recalls how in his past, his hyungs did the same. How they only worried for him. And once, when Team Leader was complaining about how he'll go bald due to his dongsaeng, Krs stood lost in thought, his gaze fixated on the way Team Leader's hands shook, his worried eyes looking over the scars in a way that said 'sorry'.

"Human!"

Cale's eyes snapped and he looked towards his family, all smiling and laughing together. And for a moment, he forgot all the flaws he held, and he rushed towards the kids, all the while smiling along.