[Fic] It Started Out With A Kidnapping part 2

[thesockmonster]

Minseok considers himself a patient man. One has to have patience when mastering an art such as magic, but his traveling companion is intent on draining all the patience from Minseok before noon. They’ve only been walking for a few hours, but his Princeliness, apparently, isn’t keen on getting his feet dirty. Also, he’s possibly the clumsiest person Minseok’s ever encountered. Minseok’s started counting the number of times he’s tripped since they started. It’s up to sixty-four.

“Sixty-five,” Minseok says under his breath when he hears the thud of his Royal Pain-In-The-Ass hitting the ground again. Thankfully the forest bed absorbs most of the sound, so it’s not an alarm to anyone who may be searching for them in the area.

“This is ridiculous,” the Prince snaps.

“Completely,” Minseok mutters too low to be heard.

“How much further do we have to go?”

Minseok stops to turn and watch as the Prince dusts off his already brown stained knees. His outfit is ruined, and he could use a bath. The Prince looks more like a beggar in the streets, his clothes in ruins and dirt smudged face one that draws pity instead of awe. It’s quite the switch.

“I expect it will take four, maybe five days to get to the castle,” Minseok answers.

The Prince sputters, stopping to lean against a tree with wide eyes. “Are we to walk the entire way?”

“No,” Minseok begins, unable to help himself. “I anticipate you’ll be crawling soon.”

It’s obvious that he’s angered the Prince. It’s such a shame that Minseok doesn’t care. He turns to continue walking, leaving the fuming Prince behind until he has to run to catch up. “What’s in this for you?” the Prince spits. “You wouldn’t be here rescuing me if there wasn’t some kind of reward. All you mages are self serving.”

“You’re not wrong,” Minseok answers, unmoved by the intended insult. “Rescuing your sorry behind was completely self serving seeing as someone set me up to take the fall for your kidnapping. So do try to behave and keep quiet, so this is as painless as possible.”

“If it’s such an inconvenience, why not just magic me home? If you truly aren’t in league with the one who took me, you’ll take me home immediately.”

“Not until I discover who kidnapped you,” Minseok snaps. “Taking you home would probably just lead to you getting taken all over again.” There’s a muffled curse behind Minseok, probably from the Prince stubbing his toe on a tree root. Minseok could have taken them on an easier path, but it would take longer.

“You think I’m foolish enough to be taken twice?” the Prince grunts.

“Yes,” Minseok answers without hesitation or doubt. “It’s in your nature to be too arrogant for your own good.”

“Says the mage.”

“I’m not the one convinced he has a grasp on a world that’s falling apart,” Minseok snarls, reaching up to wipe at the sweat beading along his forehead. “I’m humble enough to understand that I do not control the magic in this world, and yet you royals think you do. You’re too self-assured to listen to reason. I’ve tried.” Minseok learned a long time ago that the King didn’t truly care about the danger he was putting their world in so long as he got his precious gems. Minseok had tried explaining that if they’re all to perish, his gems would mean nothing, but the point was lost. It’s left a permanent bad taste in Minseok’s mouth.

“So tell me.”

Minseok stops, head tilting before he turns to look at the Prince. “Pardon?”

“I’m right here and we have nothing but time, so enlighten me. Maybe I can do something about it.”

“I went to your father once,” Minseok starts, this time waiting for the Prince to make it to his side before he continues walking. “I wanted to warn him that the gem mines in the southern mountains were too deep. I’d been there myself, and without the proper magic bolsters embedded in the thin tunnel walls, they are going to break through to another plane soon and everyone inside will either be sucked in, or chaos is going to spill out. Your father could not see past his own ego, and he had me dismissed.”

“That certainly sounds like my father,” the Prince responds. “But we need those gems; they are how we pay to keep the people protected and fed. Those gems fund new homes and villages, allow us to create more farms.”

“At the expense of everyone’s lives,” Minseok interjects. “How can you believe that’s an acceptable risk?”

“It’s what the people need.”

“They need a world that isn’t about to be torn apart!”

“You don’t understand,” the Prince accuses, his lip curled. “You mages don’t know how to run a country.”

“From what I’ve seen, neither do you.”

“That one’s going to leave a mark,” comes a small voice that belongs to neither Minseok nor the Prince.

Minseok’s eyes narrow. “Is there an imp in your pocket?”

“Maybe,” comes the small voice before Baekhyun’s head pops out from the small pocket on the front of the Prince’s shirt. “I needed somewhere safer to go and he keeps me company.”

“Why would you choose him?” Minseok inquires. “Of all people, why him?”

“There’s enough lingering magic on this princely creature to keep me satisfied for years,” Baekhyun purrs.

The Prince grins down at the imp, patting him lightly on the head. Minseok shakes his own head and continues walking, picking up the pace. It isn’t until later, after they’ve sat down under the shade of the trees and had a silent lunch, that he realizes the implications of Baekhyun’s words. There aren’t many beings in this world who could leave behind enough residual magic on someone or something else that it would last for years.

That narrows his list of suspects, but also renders his knowledge useless. He doesn’t know specifically of any beings that powerful other than the gods and the ancient dragons that have all mostly turned to stone. Yifan is the only active one that he knows of and Yifan hasn’t moved from his perch atop Ragnok Peak in the northern mountains for centuries. Minseok can’t go to the other mages either; he doesn’t know who to trust. He’s going to have to figure this out on his own.

It puzzles Minseok, keeps his brain cycling through all the information he’s gleaned over the years, searching for some hint of a creature powerful enough for this. He’s mumbling to himself, sorting through what he remembers of the Mishandled Prophecies collection when the Prince interrupts his train of thought.

“I can’t go any further,” the man proclaims.

Minseok is prepared to scold him for his laziness, but in his concentration, he’s failed to notice that it’s already dark. The world has gone to sleep around them, and Minseok doesn’t protest when the Prince flops on the ground to rest. It’s unusual that the residents of these forests haven’t sought Minseok out, but it’s not surprising. The presence of the Prince has probably caused them to flee. Mages are the only humans that the fae folk entreat with, but only when they’re alone.

They make camp hidden in the trees, Minseok’s spells around them to keep intruders from stumbling upon them unawares. The Prince curls himself on top of the carpet, almost instantly falling asleep after filling his belly. Minseok watches him for a while, still chewing on his own meal as he rests against the trunk of an old tree. He wonders what it is about this man that’s important enough for him to be woven into such an intricate scheme.

Nothing adds up and Minseok is more lost than ever.

Breakfast is a silent matter. Minseok woke the Prince just after the sun rose, and he’s still scowling, occasionally grumbling in a low voice that Minseok can’t hear. He can only presume that he’s speaking to Baekhyun because he can hear Baekhyun’s laughter follow.

The Prince complains when Minseok begins packing everything away inside his robes, preparing to begin the day’s journey. Minseok sends him a glare, but he knows how the Prince feels. Minseok’s body is protesting the strain. Even when he walks from village to village, town to town to do a little upkeep, he breaks often. This is different and far more grueling without a clear path in front of them.

Minseok leads them onward, still chewing on the current problem of not knowing if he should even be taking the Prince back toward his castle. He’s right about the kidnapper potentially sweeping the Prince away again, but he can’t not take him home either. He’s trying to clear his name, not add to the crimes he’s been accused of. He’s been hoping the culprit for all this will make an appearance, but it doesn’t seem his luck is that fortunate.

Luck does, however, lead them to a river. They stop at the bank, the water flowing pleasantly enough that they’ll be able to cross without a problem. “We should break on the other side,” Minseok suggests. “We could both use a bath.”

The Prince seems to agree, immediately launching himself into the river, clothing and all. Minseok, who had begun disrobing, pauses when he hears the splash. A mop of wet hair pops up from the surface, covering most of the Prince’s face save for his broad grin. “It’s great!” he exclaims, turning and diving back under.

Minseok tries not to be amused, folding his robes carefully and spelling them to be waterproof as he begins wading into the water, his shoes tucked safely inside his robes. The thin clothing he’d had on under his robes soon soaks through, sticking to his skin unpleasantly. The river reaches his neck at the deepest point, and the water is warm. He reaches the other side, pulling himself up the bank to place his robes beneath the shade of the closest tree. It’s within eyesight of the river and Minseok spells them to be untouchable to all save himself before leaving for the water again.

He’s eager to clean the itch of dirt from himself, shrugging off his top to leave behind. Minseok can’t entirely let his guard down; leaving behind his robe is a necessary risk. Yet he does enjoy the freedom of sinking below the surface. He comes up refreshed, shaking his head and running his fingers through dark strands of hair to keep them out of his face.

When he opens his eyes, the Prince isn’t far from him. Some time between Minseok storing his robes and then diving in, the Prince has shed his clothing. They lay in a sopping wet pile on the bank and Minseok can’t help looking at the broad, bare torso in his view. Minseok will be the first to admit that he doesn’t care for company which has led to him being alone for most of his life. That must be why he can’t stop stealing glances, sometimes finding his eyes glued dangerously low on the Prince’s stomach when he moves into the shallower water.

He’s only curious. The flush that threatens to crawl up the back of Minseok’s neck is doused in the water and he quickly rinses himself as clean as he can. As much as he’d like to take his time, they shouldn’t dawdle. They still have a long journey ahead of them and they’re only going to get dirty again.

Minseok reluctantly leaves the water, dripping on the grass around him as he takes a moment to appreciate the sun on his skin and the peacefulness of the atmosphere. Any other day and he’d stop here to simply take it all in, uncaring of anything else. It’s relaxing and some of the stress that’s piled on his shoulders since this whole thing began starts to melt away. There’s a connection between him and nature, between him and the magic that runs through every living thing and Minseok taps into it, breathing it in to revitalize himself.

“You’re glowing.”

Minseok inhales sharply, peace interrupted by the Prince’s deep voice. When he turns to snap at the Prince, he finds his tongue glued to the roof of his mouth. The Prince is standing near him, water dripping from his hair and down his bare chest, then further still. He’s not wearing anything and he looks completely at ease about it. Minseok can see why.

The anger is forgotten, and Minseok just blinks at him. “You need new clothing.”

The Prince casts a glance at his torn, stained clothes that are still in a pile before nodding. “I do.”

“Let me see what I can do.”

Minseok can’t seem to get the image of the naked Prince out of his head, even when he’s focused on finding the right pocket in his robes. He always keeps spare clothing with him, although anything he has will be too small for the Prince. He’s so broad. And tall. And rather handsome when he isn’t covered in dirt.

Minseok grumbles at that thought, relieved when he finds the right pocket. He pulls two pairs of paints and two shirts from his robes, holding them up triumphantly. They’re not special like the Prince’s usual wardrobe, but they’re all Minseok’s ever needed. He holds one set of clothing in his right hand, urging the magic in his fingers to adjust the size so they’re better suited for the Prince.

“Thank you,” the Prince says when he takes the clothing from Minseok. Minseok is determined not to stare at the muscles that flex in the Prince’s arms or how sturdy his thighs appear to be when he slips on the pants. He pulls his gaze away, shaking his head to rid himself of pesky thoughts that will do him no good. He’s here to untangle this knot of a mess, not drool over a well built - very well built and tall and broad - Prince.

“I never did learn your name.”

Minseok sweeps wet hair from his face, standing and peering at the Prince. He’s not wearing the shirt, but the pants seem long enough to reach his ankles. “Minseok.”

“Minseok,” he repeats, smiling. “I’m Chanyeol.”

There’s no Prince tacked onto the introduction, no regal stare that demands Minseok lower to his knee to pay fealty. The Prince - Chanyeol - runs long fingers through his wet hair, shaking the strands and making a pleased sound.

“Now that I’m clean, it’s not so bad out here,” the Prince begins, staring up at the clear sky. “I could get used to this.” There are purpling bruises around the Prince’s wrists and Minseok reaches out without thinking, rubbing his thumb over the injury. The Prince jerks a little, hissing through his teeth.

“I should have something to help with this.” Minseok goes back to his robes, quickly finding a medicinal balm that he keeps for minor injuries. He twists off the cap, and when he turns, Chanyeol is watching him with such intent that his stomach twists uncomfortably. “This should take the pain away and help speed the healing,” he explains, ignoring the warmth of the Prince’s skin against his fingers when he smooths the balm over the bruises.

His fingers linger, rubbing in circles over Chanyeol’s wrists until Minseok realizes what he’s doing and pulls back, taking a step away. “We should get moving. I still don’t know who is responsible for this, but you have a home to get back to.”

“You know,” the Prince begins, finally pulling the shirt on over his head. “You’re not as awful as I thought.”

Minseok sighs at the familiar weight of his robe on his shoulders, taking comfort in the safety that comes with it. He ties it closed and gives Chanyeol a soft smile. “None of us really are.”

He has to siphon all the water he can from Chanyeol’s boots before they leave, heading further away from the trees. Perhaps Minseok has been going about it wrong. He wants to get caught by the kidnapper; keeping hidden in the forest is counter-productive.

A wriggling in Minseok’s pocket has him looking down, unimpressed as Baekhyun pokes his head out from inside his robe. “Are we away from the water yet?” he inquires, his tail swaying in time with Minseok’s steps.

“We are.”

“Oh, how delightful!” Baekhyun puffs away in a small cloud of deep purple smoke only to reappear on Chanyeol’s shoulder. He takes stock of Chanyeol’s new attire before skittering down the cloth to take up residence in the pocket of his pants.

“I was thinking,” Chanyeol begins, keeping himself at Minseok’s side as they walk. “Maybe you’re right about the gem mine thing.”

Minseok lets out a surprised noise, mostly because it’s a miracle that a royal has expressed anything that implies they weren’t absolutely right.

“I’m right too,” the Prince adds. “We need the mines. But the risks, if they’re as bad as you say, aren’t worth it.”

“Those mines delve deep into the ground, and they’re rich in precious gems because of their proximity to another plane. There’s a weak point between us and another world, and your people dig closer to it every day. If it’s pierced, the best case scenario is that our worlds blend together as one, but many will die.”

“So how do you propose we fix it?”

Minseok peers over at the Prince; he may be in plain clothing, his hair beginning to frizz at the ends where it’s drying, but he still holds a regal bearing. He’s not mocking Minseok or making light of his claims. He’s taking them to heart and that’s more than Minseok ever expected. “The weak spot needs bolstering. It would take more than one mage to accomplish such a thing, and even with all of us, I don’t know for sure that it would be enough.”

“Would all of you do it?” Chanyeol scrapes his teeth over his lower lip, almost appearing unsure of himself. “If I asked it of you, as the Crown Prince, would you do it?”

“We would.”

“Now I’m asking,” Chanyeol stops walking, reaching out to stop Minseok too, a hand on his arm. “Will you and your fellow mages keep us from disaster?”

Something swells in Minseok’s chest, pressing tight against his ribs. This Prince is so earnest, so determined and willing to do what no other royal has before. “Yes,” he answers. “We will.”

The Prince tightens his grip on Minseok’s arm before letting his hand fall. “Thank you.”

“But first we must unravel our current mystery and get you home.”

“You said the kidnapper set you up,” the Prince comments as they begin walking again.

The grass rustles around Minseok’s robe and the sun has him squinting to see ahead. “My face is on the Wanted Posters,” Minseok tells him. “And one of your guards recognized me when I popped in to borrow one of your crowns.”

Minseok looks over at the Prince, blinking at his head. “Your crown.”

“At the bottom of the river.” He doesn’t look remorseful in the least. The crown is probably lost for good, carried off on a current; after it landed on the Prince’s head, the spell was complete so it won’t be chasing after them. Chanyeol ruffles his hair sheepishly, staring at the ground.

“You look better without it,” Minseok comments offhandedly before he can catch himself. He’s not anticipating the warm smile that follows, and he returns the smile without thinking.

There isn’t much that a mage and a prince could have in common, but Minseok learns, as the day wears on and they continue their journey, that they both know what it’s like to be alone. There aren’t many children in the world with an affinity for magic and even fewer who have what it takes to get through the challenges of the Tower, to become a full mage. Minseok had spent most of his teenage years alone with his studies; his only company had been the older mages who were there to push him to his limits.

Like Minseok, Chanyeol spent his youth sequestered from outside influences, tutored by those hand-picked by his father to teach him what he wanted his son to know. He tells Minseok of days spent surrounded only by maps and books on battle strategy, afternoons filled with combat training until he was bleeding and dirty and unable to lift himself from the ground.

They both understand loneliness and the push to strive for being the best because anything less is unacceptable. Minseok finds a new appreciation for Chanyeol; he’s managed to keep his own mind through it all when so many others would have been lost to the conditioning. Minseok’s seen the damaged, broken minds that are the consequence of not being able to hold on to oneself. It’s an impressive feat, and even if Chanyeol’s challenges weren’t magic in nature, they were no less brutal.

They share pieces of themselves as they walk, Minseok opening up with a little prodding. Chanyeol tells him of the first time he’d met a mage; he’d been thrown from his horse as a boy, breaking both his legs in several places. The physicians had told him and his father that Chanyeol would never walk again. The King had called on the mages to help and one answered.

“Mending bone is a painful process,” Minseok comments and Chanyeol nods.

“The worst pain I’ve ever felt, but it changed how I saw your kind,” Chanyeol tells him with a note of nostalgia. “My tutors all spoke of mages as selfish and uncaring for the people in the world they live in. But this mage, with his gentle hands and kind words, wasn’t anything like that.”

Minseok’s chest compresses when he realizes Chanyeol is talking about his mage.

“I knew then that I couldn’t blindly believe everything that I was taught.”

“It’s important to know yourself and to stick to it even when others seek to tear you down.”

“What of you?”

Minseok chews the inside of his cheek thoughtfully before answering. “The Tower requires you to give all of yourself. The trick is to give yourself over, but also to take yourself back. We are taught that all life is to be valued - human, fae, plant. It’s all part of a delicate cycle. Without one, the world would be thrown into chaos.” Minseok pauses to take a breath, looking over to meet Chanyeol’s gaze. “That’s what mages strive to protect. We are only seen as selfish because we don’t heed the petty demands of the greedy and seek to better the world instead.”

Chanyeol offers Minseok a nod of understanding, releasing his lower lip from his teeth before speaking. “My father is convinced that mages are responsible for the ancient dragons disappearing, and that you’re hiding the treasure hoards for yourselves.”

Minseok’s eyes grow wide and the indignation claws its way through him. “That is a lie!” he exclaims. “The dragons are our friends.”

“Hey,” Chanyeol says softly, pausing as he rests his hand on Minseok’s arm. “I didn’t mean that I believe it.”

Somehow, that calms Minseok, and he deflates, taking comfort in Chanyeol’s touch. “I know.”

They stand there, staring at each other. Minseok sees the strength in Chanyeol, all the potential for him to learn and become a better ruler than any of his predecessors. His eyes are warm and gentle, his demeanor calming instead of imposing now that his regality has been stripped from him. It’s a striking difference from how he’d found him, hiding behind his station because he was frightened.

Minseok can’t fully let his guard down - not when he’s still waiting for the kidnapper to make an appearance - but he does relax more now that Chanyeol fills the silence with his soothing voice. It’s easy to fall into conversation when it’s just the two of them; there’s no title or prejudice. It’s simply two men traveling together, making a path through the fields as they share pieces of their lives.

The temperature drops with the sun, leaving the air chilled without the cover of trees to block it. They stop for the day with nothing around them save for empty space filled with flowers and the small animals that live in the grass. Minseok pulls the one sleeping bag he has from his robe pocket, but it’s the only one he has and it’s not enough.

“You can use it,” Minseok offers, laying the sleeping bag on the carpet so it’s more cushioned. “I can spell my robes to keep me warm.”

Chanyeol gives Minseok this odd look. “Not everything needs a magical solution,” he comments. “We can share the sleeping bag and our natural body heat will keep us plenty warm.”

Minseok is skeptical, especially when he sees Chanyeol already pulling off his shirt to toss to the side. He’s suddenly feeling parched, ready to assure Chanyeol that he’ll be fine, but Chanyeol doesn’t give him the chance.

“Come on,” he urges. “If you want to keep me safe from magical kidnappers, you’re going to have to stick close.”

It’s a childish taunt, followed by Chanyeol grinning as he slides effortlessly into the sleeping bag. He holds open the side in invitation and Minseok really doesn’t think this is a good idea, but he does it anyway. He shrugs off his robes, leaving them within reach beside him before laying next to Chanyeol. He stops breathing when Chanyeol leans over him, zipping the side of the sleeping bag all the way to the top.

There isn’t much space between them at all and Minseok gasps when he feels something poking at his thigh.

“Well this is cozy,” Baekhyun comments, climbing the rest of the way out of Chanyeol’s pocket, knocking against Minseok’s thigh on his way up. The imp looks amused as his gaze flicks between Chanyeol and Minseok. “I’ll be sleeping in your robe,” Baekhyun informs Minseok before prancing over to disappear inside one of the pockets.

Minseok rolls to face away from Chanyeol, his heart in his throat as he calms himself. It’s just sleep.

The weight of Chanyeol’s arm slides around Minseok’s waist, pulling him back. Minseok startles and Chanyeol has the nerve to chuckle. “I’m just getting warm.”

Chanyeol soon falls asleep, his breathing even and breath warm as it puffs against the back of Minseok’s neck. Minseok stays up later, his heart beating too quickly to let him fully relax. It takes a while for him to finally melt against Chanyeol, finally letting his eyes close, warm and comfortable and content.

Minseok is agitated.

It has nothing to do with the man striding alongside him, but everything to do with the quiet peacefulness of the day. It shouldn’t be peaceful. He’s still no closer to finding who took Chanyeol from his home, and they’re getting closer to the castle with each passing hour. There should have been some sort of confrontation by now. It has Minseok on edge, senses on high alert.

Chanyeol, however, is thriving in the outdoors. There’s a healthy glow to his skin, a constant smile on his lips as he takes to rolling in the grass or darting ahead, arms stretched wide. Minseok tries not to be taken in, but it’s a lesson in futility. Chanyeol is a beacon of light, warm and bright, and Minseok is drawn in as a moth is to a flame.

His mood is infectious, and even if it doesn’t lower all Minseok’s defenses, it does have him smiling, sometimes giving chase to Chanyeol to keep him in his sights.

They make it to a village, the first signs of life, near midday. It’s a good thing too because Minseok’s rations are nearly depleted. He hadn’t planned on it taking so long to sort this mess out. Chanyeol nearly barges in without thought, but Minseok has to pull him back, scolding him for being reckless.

“In case you’ve forgotten, my face is plastered all over the kingdom and you’re the Prince,” he hisses under his breath. “We can’t be out in the open without disguises.”

Chanyeol scrunches his nose and gives Minseok a shrug. “Sorry,” he apologizes. “I got carried away.”

Minseok sighs, irritation evaporating. “Just let me give us new faces, and we can go find some place to eat.”

It only takes a minute, Minseok trying not to stare too intently at Chanyeol’s face as he casts the spell that will make them both appear as nondescript, ordinary citizens. As soon as he’s finished, Chanyeol’s fingers are around Minseok’s wrist, tugging them toward the village with a skip in his step. It’s not a large town and it’s easy to weave their way through the streets to a building where the wafting scent of freshly baked bread is tantalizing their mouths.

“Greetings, and welcome,” greets a young man behind the counter. “What may I get for you today?” As he speaks, the young man’s eyes travel to Chanyeol, lingering on his tall figure, eyes resting, finally, on Chanyeol’s face.

Chanyeol is licking his lips as he scans over all the freshly baked goods on the shelves. Minseok is focused on Chanyeol, watching as he finally picks out several muffins and a small loaf of bread for them to share. The resulting gawking stare that Chanyeol gets from the shop boy is enough to have Minseok nearly in tears from trying to hold back his laughter. Minseok slips the boy the coins for their purchase, shaking and trying to keep from bursting as the boy hands the items to Chanyeol with wide eyes and his mouth still agape.

“What’s going on?” Chanyeol whispers in Minseok’s ear once they’ve left the shop. He’s tearing the loaf of bread in half, offering the larger portion to Minseok.

“Good day sir,” a passerby greets, the man nodding at them both. “And lady,” he adds once he gets a look at Chanyeol.

“Lady!” Chanyeol says, stopping in his tracks.

Minseok can’t help it; the laughter just spills from him, and he grabs Chanyeol by the arm to pull him toward a more secluded area. It’s with great difficulty that Minseok explains to Chanyeol that the spell only changed their outward appearance. So Chanyeol now looks like a very tall woman, but when he speaks, it’s with his real voice which explains the shopkeeper’s reaction.

“You made me a woman,” Chanyeol deadpans.

“I gave you the appearance of a woman,” Minseok corrects.

“You could have warned me. I probably shocked that poor bakery boy into a stupor.”

“That wouldn’t have been any fun.”

Chanyeol shakes his head, knocking his shoulder against Minseok’s before wandering off, leaving Minseok to follow. They take more time than they should in the village, loitering until late afternoon. Minseok finds himself feeling carefree, his spirits lifted as they finally leave the buildings behind. There’s another expanse of open land before them, but with this first village, Minseok knows it won’t be long before they reach their destination.

It’s that line of thinking that pulls his mouth into a frown, brushing off Chanyeol’s inquiries as to why he looks so somber. They stay the night under the open sky, Minseok wide awake as Chanyeol sleeps beside him. It’s warm in the sleeping bag; Chanyeol is warmer, his arm keeping Minseok from rolling away from him. Minseok thinks about everything that’s led him here and wonders how it’s all going to end. Even if he gets the Prince back to his castle, it won’t end until he discovers how it all began.

Chanyeol’s mood matches Minseok’s when they wake, quietly packing everything away and beginning their journey to the next village. Minseok catches Chanyeol staring at him a few times, always wanting to question him about it, but he can never push the words off his tongue. He just offers Chanyeol a smile and drops his eyes to the ground.

They’re properly disguised behind Minseok’s magic when they enter outskirts of another village. It’s close to dusk, and there are small children laughing and running through the buildings. They’re carrying crudely designed fireworks, holding them out as the ends sparkle bright white. Chanyeol is watching them with a fond look on his face and Minseok’s stomach clenches.

It only takes a simple wave of his hand, the magic pouring from his easily, for the sparklers to turn from white to multicolored, popping to life as the children shriek in happiness. Minseok is pleased at the smile he’s put on Chanyeol’s face, the beam that’s wider than any of the children.

“What?” Minseok asks when Chanyeol reaches over to squeeze his hand.

“Nothing.”

They don’t go into the village proper, hovering around the edges because it’s too risky to stay there overnight. Chanyeol is more subdued as they make their way around and past the buildings. Minseok doesn’t ask. This adventure has probably taken a lot out of him.

They stop for the night by a stream, Minseok deciding to forego the shield tonight. There’s no point if nothing is going to happen. He sighs as he stares up at the sky, counting the stars until they begin to blur in his vision. He doesn’t know if Chanyeol has fallen asleep or not, and he doesn’t look, curling his toes in the sleeping bag.

“We should make it to the castle tomorrow,” Minseok sighs. There’s a sadness that comes with that knowledge; he doesn’t know why. He’s been so ready to have this quest finished since it began.

“Yeah,” comes a sighed response from beside him. Minseok turns his head to look at Chanyeol, surprised that he doesn’t look happier about the news. The soft sound of snoring comes from Chanyeol’s discarded shirt. Baekhyun has been mostly out of sight, but he’s still with them, living off Minseok’s magic and the residual magic that still clings to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol shifts beside Minseok, rolling onto his side to look at him. Minseok mimics the action, watching as several emotions play out over Chanyeol’s face. “I’m going to miss this,” Chanyeol finally whispers.

A longing takes hold of Minseok, but he forces it down. He wants to reach out and brush the hair from Chanyeol’s face, reassure him that it’ll all be fine, and this will fade into a distant memory soon enough. But he doesn’t.

“I don’t want to go back,” Chanyeol confesses.

Minseok lets out a surprised huff of laughter. “It’s your home.”

“I’m happier out here. I’ve never had this freedom before.”

Minseok gives him a sad smile. “You have a responsibility -”

“I know,” Chanyeol says, cutting him off. “I know.”

“I’m not talking about your studies or your father,” Minseok clarifies. “I mean you have a responsibility to your people. You can do so much good in this world. The people need you.”

“What about you?” Chanyeol asks.

Minseok swallows, nervous under the intensity of Chanyeol’s gaze. “I suppose I’ll miss you,” Minseok says softly. “A little.”

There’s a pregnant silence between them, Minseok unable to pull his gaze away from Chanyeol. There’s more that he wants to say, but he doesn’t even know what the words would be. They’re all jumbled up in his throat, keeping him silent. It’s Chanyeol who moves first, Minseok sucking in a sharp breath just as Chanyeol’s lips press against his.

Minseok freezes, eyes wide open as the sensation sweeps through him. Chanyeol is warm and inviting, his presence one that Minseok now enjoys instead of tolerates. His heart begins racing, his eyes closing as Minseok realizes what it is he’s been feeling. He finally kisses Chanyeol back, looping an arm around Chanyeol’s neck to drag him closer.

His head goes fuzzy, his lips parting as Chanyeol rolls him onto his back, his body pressing Minseok into the sleeping bag. Minseok’s hands roam over the expanse of Chanyeol’s bare back, groaning at the tug of Chanyeol’s fingers in his hair. Chanyeol seems intent on stealing his breath, and Minseok lets him, falling into this dizzying affection willingly. He hasn’t cared for many people in his life thus far; maybe it’s time he let someone in.

They kiss until Minseok can’t feel his lips, and they fall asleep wrapped around one another, content for this moment in time.

Morning comes too soon. Minseok doesn’t want to drag himself out of Chanyeol’s embrace, but they must finish this. He must see that Chanyeol is returned home, and his name is cleared. It feels like such a hollow victory now. Not only does he not know who set him on this path, but he’s going to lose the one thing he’s grown to want.

Chanyeol brushes his hand against Minseok’s, letting their fingers slide together before Minseok takes his hand and holds it firmly. If this is all he can get, he’s going to take it. There isn’t much left to be said as they begin their walk. Perhaps their steps are a little slower, their pauses stretched a bit longer. Minseok feels like there’s a vice around his throat every time he tries to speak, so he remains quiet.

Neither of them say a word until the top most turrets of the castle come into view on the horizon. Minseok feels the way Chanyeol’s fingers tighten, and he lets out a soft noise of surprise when Chanyeol tugs him back.

“Stay with me,” Chanyeol begs, his eyes pleading and words sincere. “You can be there in case my abductor comes back. You can protect me. Just please, don’t leave me.”

The idea of staying on with a royal is insulting, but this isn’t the King. This isn’t some power hungry, money mongering ruler with a greedy appetite. This is i>Chanyeol, and he’s the furthest thing from his father.

“With the two of us together, we could set this kingdom right.”

Minseok startles when Baekhyun pops out of Chanyeol’s pants pocket. The imp scurries up to Chanyeol’s shoulder to sit. “You should listen to the big guy,” the imp says.

Minseok tries to flick Baekhyun, but he disappears too quickly. He ends up on Chanyeol’s other shoulder, looking quite smug for someone so tiny.

“The imp has a point.”

Minseok startles again, spinning because that voice had come from behind him. For the third time in all his life, Minseok finds himself standing before his god. Xiumin is still in the guise of Minseok, this time with blonde hair instead of the mauve. There’s another figure beside him, a kittenish grin on his face. Baekhyun leaps from Chanyeol’s shoulder and onto the second figure, nuzzling against his face.

“Chen,” Baekhyun purrs, attaching himself to the god.

“You’re the one who took me,” Chanyeol accuses, finger pointing at Chen.

Minseok’s eyes dart between the two gods before settling on Xiumin. “You set this all up.”

“That’s what gods do,” Xiumin replies with a shrug. “I needed a way to get that pesky weak spot between the planes fortified and you, Minseok, needed a little push to break out of your shell.”

“They’re gods?” Chanyeol whispers in Minseok’s ear.

Minseok squeezes Chanyeol’s hand. “Nosy gods,” he answer. “But gods.”

“Why does he look like you?”

Xiumin grins. “It’s quite the handsome body, don’t you think?” Xiumin spins once, grinning. “Don’t answer that,” he adds, a smirk directed at Chanyeol. “I already know what you think about it.”

“Hey!” Minseok interjects, feeling oddly jealous that his god is flirting with Chanyeol while wearing his face.

Xiumin merely laughs, already beginning to back away from them. “Don’t forget to fix that weak spot. I’ll be around.” And then he’s gone, Chen and Baekhyun with him. It occurs to Minseok that Baekhyun was probably sent as a spy. Minseok grits his teeth in frustration.

Chanyeol turns to Minseok. “So about that offer to stay with me.”

“Well it doesn’t look like you’ll need my protection anymore,” Minseok gripes.

“Not from this threat, maybe,” Chanyeol begins. “But what about all the young suitors that are bound to come knocking at my door? How am I to resist when you aren’t there to remind me that my heart belongs to you?”

Minseok doesn’t know if he wants to hit Chanyeol or kiss him. “I don’t know why I like you.”

“I do,” Chanyeol beams. He kisses Minseok again, thoroughly refreshing his memory as Minseok stands on his toes to keep from breaking apart.

There could be advantages to staying with Chanyeol in the castle. There’s Chanyeol, for one. And there’s a guaranteed plush bed that he’ll be able to sleep on at night.

But the best part, by far, is more Chanyeol, he thinks, just before kissing him one more time. After all, they have yet to complete their journey and there are many more adventures to be had.