Yixing gently dabs the damp washcloth across the dirt ridden arm of a sleeping Sehun. He shakes his head when he sees specks of dried blood on his fingertips and a healing cut on his palm. He adjusts the washcloth in his hand and cleans the area around the cut.

A muffled curse that sounds like Jongdae comes from outside the door and Yixing can’t help the smile that creeps its way up. But it is quickly shaken off when the cut begins to bleed. He dips the washcloth in the basin of water next to him and wrings it out as best as he could. Yixing gingerly wraps the washcloth around Sehun’s hand.
 

The door opens just as Yixing stands and steps over the sleeping body of Sehun. Jongdae walks in with a box full of random plants sticking out from it. Yixing takes the box from Jongdae with a smile and places it next to the sink, being careful not to knock to over any of the glasses on the counter.

“He doing alright?” A soft clang of metal to stone is heard when Jongdae plops down next to the sleeping boy. He unclasps the belt holding his sword to his hip and quietly places it next to him.

Yixing hums as he takes a few of the plants from the box to examine them. He deems them okay with a nod and places them inside a small clay pot. “He should be fine. Some parts of his body feels like they have been burnt to a crisp. But nothing I cannot fix. A few cuts however.” Yixing pours hot water into the pot and places it on the stove. He plucks a flower a from the hanging plant pot above his head and drops it into the pot before putting the cover on.

“Hm,” Jongdae hums as he takes in the condition of Sehun. His eyes catch the cloth on his hand, a dark spot seeming to stain it. “Got any bandages?”

Yixing doesn’t answer, but plops himself down on the other side of Sehun, presenting a wad of gauze and other materials to Jongdae. No words are exchanged as Yixing unwraps the cloth and places it next to him.

Jongdae watches Yixing clean and bandage the injury with tender hands. Once his hand is all bandaged, Yixing picks up the other washcloth he brought and dips it into the water basin. Before he starts cleaning off the dirt, he asks Jongdae to check on the pot.

He stands and walks over to the stove, ducking under several hanging plants on the way. Steam bombards Jongdae’s face when he takes off the cover. He waves it away with a grimace. He holds back a gag when his nose is being attacked by the fumes of the concoction Yixing has made.

“Spoon out a bowl for me, will you?”

Yixing doesn’t even have to ask, Jongdae already pulling out a bowl from the cabinet beneath him and a ladle and spoon from the drawer above that cabinet.

“What is this anyways?” Jongdae makes a face as he ladles out the murky brown liquid into the bowl. “It does not look safe for human consumption.” He sticks the spoon into the bowl and carefully walks over to Yixing, making sure not to spill a drop.

“Oh quiet you. Otherwise I will make you drink it too,” Yixing chastises Jongdae which makes him shut his lips. He takes the bowl from Jongdae and gently blows on the liquid. Jongdae takes a seat next to Yixing, right where Sehun’s head is lying.

“What’s the drink for anyways?” Jongdae asks as he pokes at Sehun’s shoulder.

“Help him replenish his energy, now can you help lift his head up so I can feed him,” Yixing commands Jongdae and he moves to sit behind Sehun’s head without complaint.

He places his hands underneath Sehun’s head and lifts him up to place him on his lap. Yixing hands him a pillow and Jongdae struggles a bit in getting on his lap and under Sehun’s head, but manages anyways. A small groan comes from Sehun, whose eyes struggle to open.

Yixing gives him a look, but softens when he sees Sehun roll his head in his direction. “I just need you to drink some of this. Then you can go back to sleep.”
 

A shift of Sehun's head tells Yixing that he understood and he gently wipes the excess liquid off of the spoon on the edge of the bowl. Jongdae helps Sehun lift his head when Yixing holds the spoon close to his mouth. Sehun grimaces as he throws his head back to swallow the liquid. A wet sounding cough comes from Sehun as he eyes the next spoonful.
 

Yixing gives him a pitiful look as he nudges his mouth open with the spoon. “I know the taste is not the best. But I need you to finish it.”
 

After ten minutes of coaxing Sehun to finish the drink, he falls back into a deep sleep. Jongdae stands and stretches his legs out with a content sigh. Yixing smiles as he brushes away the hair away from Sehun's face.
 

“I feel so bad for him,” Yixing states as he dabs a wet washcloth under Sehun's nose. “Those guards will have it coming for them tonight. I swear…”
 

“Now, now,” Jongdae wags his finger at Yixing. “You cannot do that. At least not without me.” He smirks at Yixing who shakes his head him.
 

“You know I will not,” Yixing swats at his ankle as Jongdae hops by him. He hands Jongdae the spoon and bowl to take to the sink. A troubled sigh escapes his lips as he sees Sehun's eyebrows twitch ever so slightly. He cards his hand through his hair and he feels Sehun relax under his touch.
 

“Do you think it's all true?” Jongdae asks as he washes the bowl. Yixing glances at Jongdae, but quickly turns attention back to Sehun. “You know. About him. And his family. His real family.”
 

Yixing runs a thumb across the apple of his cheek as a thoughtful look passes over him. “It feels like there is something missing. We have only scraped the surface of everything. There is something deeper than what those files tell us.”
 

“What do you think it is?” Jongdae towels off his hands as he looks out the window above the sink, watching Baekhyun struggle with the bow in his hands as his teacher tries to guide him. “Do you think…”
 

“I do not know,” Yixing whispers. “I do not know...”

“Is he going to wake up anytime soon?” Baekhyun complains as he sits on the stool next to Sehun.
 

“Patience is a wonderful virtue, is that not right Baekhyun?” Yixing wonders as the wooden floor beneath him creaks as he walks around the bedroom. Baekhyun pouts and pointedly ignores Yixing.
 

It was turning dusk when Sehun had woken up and Yixing had moved him to the spare room upstairs. But now the sky outside was beginning to darken and the moon shining brighter without a cloud to be seen.

“I want to talk to him.” Baekhyun leaves out the small part about wanting to ask him a million questions. He figures Yixing probably won't let him bombard him with all the questions. Something about ‘letting him rest.’ Of course Baekhyun wants to let him rest, but he's also really curious and who could blame him?
 

“I know you do,” Yixing sympathizes with him. He gently tucks the blanket under Sehun's chin and smoothes out the fabric along his shoulder. “I have plenty I want to talk to him about as well. But in due time Baekhyun. He is likely overwhelmed by everything at the moment. We have to let him take everything in first.”

Baekhyun pouts, but doesn't verbally protest. He looks at the slow rise and fall of Sehun's chest, feeling his pout melt into a small frown. “What made him want to sleep for so long?”
 

Yixing stops brushing away Sehun's hair, mind flashing back to the harsh injuries he found on Sehun's body. He can't tell Baekhyun about, can he?
 

“He's...been through a lot,” Yixing starts out slowly. “Being forcibly taken away from his family, dragged all the way to the capital, no human interaction except with those guards. He's emotionally and physically drained. Cut him some slack Baekhyun.”
 

“I guess, but that doesn't explain those burn marks I see.” Baekhyun glances up Yixing who has frozen in place.
 

Yixing sighs and points to a small container on the bedside table. “Why do you decide to be observant at the weirdest times? Can you not do this with your own studies?” he complains as he unscrews the container Baekhyun hands him.
 

Baekhyun taps his chin as if in thought then shakes his head. “Nope! I can't focus when studying. It's too boring.”
 

Yixing shakes his head in disapproval as he moves to the head of the bed. “Better start working at it otherwise your parents will never let you go anywhere. Let alone let you marry who you want.” He doesn't take the time to watch Baekhyun's reaction.
 

With his fingers dipped in black ink, he swirls patterns above the headboard of the bed. He presses his index finger at the bottom corner of his drawing and the ink glows a bright gold before melding into the wood, leaving no traces of the black ink.
 

“What's that for?” Baekhyun asks, leaning the stool back on its two hind legs.
 

“Just a simple protection charm,” Yixing explains as he caps the container. “Who knows what he might attract with this kind of power in him.”
 

Baekhyun hums and lets his stool thunk back onto all four legs. “Like what?”
 

Yixing wipes his hands on a towel as he thinks. “Faeries, trolls, sprites, and all that. You should know this Baekhyun,” Yixing wags a finger at him and Baekhyun just smiles. He sighs and walks over to stand next to Baekhyun.
 

“I believe it is time for you to resign for the night,” he places a hand on Baekhyun's shoulder “You have lessons with me after all.”
 

Baekhyun groans in protest, but stands to leave. Before he leaves, he takes one look at Sehun's sleeping face and reaches down to run a finger down his cheek. Baekhyun's face breaks out into a small smile when Sehun scrunches his nose at the action. “See you tomorrow,” he whispers and lets himself longer for a second before leaving Yixing’s abode.






 

“Blood?” Jongdae asks, eyebrows brought together in perplexity. “He's able to do blood magic?”
 

Yixing purses his lips in thought as his hands press themselves closer to the steaming mug in front of him. “It would explain why he has blood on his hands, but nowhere else. Though it is only a thought. We can't know for sure unless he tells us.”
 

Jongdae blows up at his hair in exacerbation and mindlessly stirs his cup of tea. “Wasn’t blood magic banned along with voodoo magic? Like more than a few centuries ago?” He lets his spoon clang against the saucer as he leans back in his seat. “There's no way for anyone to learn that type of magic if it's been banned for so long.”
 

“You seem to be forgetting that people do not care,” Yixing notes as he sips his tea. “Magic is passed down, there is no way someone would have not taught their child. You know how the traditionalists are.”
 

Jongdae groans and flops face first onto the table, Yixing expertly moving the mugs away before Jongdae knocks them over.”Stupid traditionalists....”
 

“Do not say that, a traditionalist took you in,” Yixing raises an eyebrow at him, but is very much ignored.
 

“Your dad was a traditionalist, it doesn't count,” Jongdae mumbles as Yixing places his mug in his hand. Yixing rolls his eyes, but doesn't say any more.
 

“Traditionalists?” A new voice appears and the two turn to the staircase where Sehun is standing, hunching over slightly from the short ceiling. “What are they?”
 

(“ he's tall-OW!”
 

“Hush.”)

Yixing pats the chair next to him and Sehun shuffles his feet over to take a seat. Jongdae gets the tea kettle sitting on the stove and a mug from the cabinets.

There’s a steaming cup of tea in front of Sehun who just stares down at it with blank eyes. Yixing nudges it toward him which makes Sehun break out of whatever he was in. He bows his head in a thank you and takes a sip of the tea. He doesn't make any indication of discomfort, so Yixing assumes he enjoys it. Otherwise the time spent with him will be a long and tedious task.
 

“Traditionalists, what are they?” Sehun asks as he pats down a stray hair.
 

Yixing hums as he thinks. Jongdae rolls his eyes and leans his arms on the table, ignoring the piece of wood sticking up into his arm. “Traditionalists are people who believe that magic bearers should be the only people to learn and practice magic. In basic words, nobody except for people like you,” he points at Sehun with his spoon, “should practice magic.”
 

“Well yes,” Yixing agrees with a troubled expression. “But there is also the people who wish for magic to only be restricted to people of ranking. Such as Baekhyun.”
 

“Baekhyun?” Sehun furrows his eyebrows. “Baekhyun is-”
 

“Speaking of Baekhyun,” Yixing interrupts Sehun with a clap of his hands. “I have a lesson for him today. Would you like to join me Sehun?”
 

“What?”







Sehun sits on a tree stump watching Yixing draw into the dirt with a random stick. He mindlessly digs into the ground with the heel of his foot as he waits.
 

He thought being taken away from his ‘family’ would be worst than how it turned out. Ever since that happened, Sehun had thought up so many scenarios that could happen. Being taken in by Yixing, someone so benevolent, never occurred to him. Of course it was nice and he’s thankful to him, it's just a bit weird to think that someone didn't want to kill him or put him in jail. Just a little bit weird.
 

“Yixing!!” A familiar voice calls echoes from a distance. Sehun turns his head and his breath hitches in his throat when he sees a familiar figure running towards them. Yixing stands up straight and dusts off his hands with a smile.  
 

“You are on time for once,” Yixing notes with a nod. Baekhyun forces a smile upon his face as he breathes heavily.
 

“Wouldn't miss you for the world Yixing!” Baekhyun exclaims and hops up and down on the balls of his feet. Yixing only shakes his head and waves for him to follow.
 

Sehun watches in silence as the two walk to the center of Yixing’s drawing. Curiosity begins to poke at him when Yixing hands Baekhyun a small glass bottle. He keeps his silence when Yixing walks to stand next to him.
 

“Baekhyun has a very low aptitude when it comes to magic,” Yixing says, eyes never leaving the boy. “The only way for him to channel magic is through artificially created magic. Mana. Whatever you would like to call it.”
 

Sehun nods and watches how Baekhyun pours the sparking blue substance from the bottle into the palm of his hand. Fascination swells in his chest when he feels the wind pick up around the area. The tall, dry grass beginning to sway, the dried layer of dirt swirling around Baekhyun, and Sehun's hair being blown from his face.  
 

Baekhyun closes his eyes and holds his hands as if in prayer. The blue substance oozing out from his fingers as Baekhyun begins to mouth out words, feeling as though he was speaking to Sehun. The writings on the ground morph underneath his feet and the lines dug into the ground worm their way along. The substance drops from his hands and onto the dirt, absorbed into the ground as if it were nothing.
 

The wind whistles by Sehun's ear as it begins to die down and Baekhyun slowly opens his eyes. His eyes catch what's on the ground and he begins to jump up and down in glee. But all Yixing can give him is a tense smile.
 

“You have a lot of explaining to do,” Yixing grits out. Sehun looks up at him and he feels himself grow cold. “What the hell is in your blood?”

A/N: Hi! Writing this took a bit longer than I anticipated, but a lot of stuff happened and I’m drained. This year really hasn’t been all that nice to me. All I can hope for is that your 2016 is going better than mine. And hopefully mine will be better as time goes on. But enough of my life, I hope you all are enjoying the story so far ^^