Pair: Yixing/Jongdae
Rating: PG13
Warning: violence
Prompt: a drabble of Yixing/Jongdae in your Dragontouched verse

Yixing finds Jongdae outside, lazing in the sun without a stitch of clothing on his slim frame.  He has to pause a moment to watch the way the sun’s rays caress over Jongdae’s skin and how peaceful he looks with his eyes closed and head turned, pillowed in the grass.  They don’t get down time very often and being out in the open is far more preferable than the stuffy rooms they’ve been given at the palace.

Yixing finds himself moving toward Jongdae, drawn to him with no way to escape.  It feels odd not having someplace to be, not having the looming threat of their next battle weighing heavy on their shoulders.  Things have been quiet since the abnormally large Other tore through a small village.

Yixing and Jongdae, along with their companions, had stayed in the village for nearly a month to help with repairs.  Rebuilding it completely will take far longer, but there's only so much help they could be.  After all, they were trained to battle and destroy, not create.

Things have gotten quiet.  It's unnerving even if Yixing is thankful for the reprieve.  He knows something is out there, looming on the horizon and ready to swallow them up when it appears, but for now, he can imagine it doesn't exist.  Just for a little longer.

The people don't know how close they are to annihilation.  There are far fewer Dragontouched than there used to be and the Others have been growing in number.  It's only a matter of time before they're overwhelmed.  There's a pain in Yixing's shoulder, one of his newer injuries aching with a phantom sting and he rolls his shoulder, settling down on the grass by Jongdae.

"It's too quiet," Jongdae whispers.  His eyes are still closed, but his fingers find Yixing's arm and run down the length until he gets to his hand.  Yixing holds on to Jongdae and lets out a soft sigh.

"Won't be for long," Yixing finally answers.

Jongdae sits up, peering at Yixing with a knowing look that also includes a twinge of please don't ruin the moment in it.  Yixing leans in and kisses him softly, an apology pushed to Jongdae's lips.  Jongdae drags him closer, smiling against Yixing's mouth when he pulls him down onto the ground with him.

Yixing soon finds himself over Jongdae, laughing as his heart pounds in his ears.  Even after all these years together, Yixing is helpless to the bond that holds him and Jongdae together.  He wouldn't have it any other way even if it means their lives will inevitably be cut short.

There are battlefields of scars littered over the both of them and Yixing thumbs over one of them on Jongdae's hip.  The raised skin is familiar to him and Jongdae's eyes are shining, burning as he stares at Yixing thoughtfully.

"You're worrying is making me paranoid," Jongdae mumbles with a sigh.  "I feel like even when it's just us, you're not here anymore."

Yixing freezes, surprised.  Jongdae reaches up, fingers sifting through the long strands of Yixing's hair and Yixing can feel the pulse in their bond, can feel the pain that ebbs from Jongdae.  "Jongdae," he whispers, dipping until their foreheads are pressed together and he can stare into Jongdae's eyes.  "I never meant . . . "

"I know," Jongdae answers.  There’s also a look of resignation on Jongdae’s face, because they both know Yixing is going to worry.  Yixing relaxes against him, letting Jongdae’s emotions seep into him and help him unwind.  He needs to treasure this moment while it lasts.

Jongdae isn't moving.

Yixing heaves in a deep breath, the taste of ash in his mouth accompanying the sharp tang of blood.  He spits, but it won't go away.  There's pain everywhere and he can't get enough control to determine if it's coming from an injury on him or Jongdae.  He has to heave himself onto his forearms, legs trembling as he crawls through the stalks of wheat toward Jongdae.

They don't have much time before the Others get to them.  Neither of them had been prepared for the sudden appearance of a second Other, and it had knocked them out of the sky with one well-aimed swing of its rotting fist.  Jongdae had taken the brunt of it, but Yixing had been thrown from his back on the way down.

Others are rarely ever seen together, but Yixing blames himself for not seeing it coming.  He coughs and spits out blood, wincing at the pain that races through him with every move toward Jongdae.  If he can just get to him, he just knows they'll be able to make it.

An Other gets to Yixing first, stomping through the field and nearly crushing Yixing under its foot.  Yixing barely rolls out of the way in time, holding in a scream of pain as stars dance in his vision.  The next time the Other’s foot comes down, Yixing isn’t fast enough.  Everything goes black.

Yixing wakes in a cold sweat, heaving in steadying breaths as he recognizes where he is.  Beside him, Jongdae is still fast asleep, his body curled toward Yixing’s and hair a mess.  He’s so peaceful and Yixing draws on that to calm himself.  It’s been a long time since he’s had a dream so vivid.  It leaves a lingering nervousness behind that he can’t shake.

He doesn’t know why, but he just knows it wasn’t a dream.  It was too real.  Yixing slips from their bed, careful to make sure Jongdae is undisturbed.  He needs to get word to the rest of the Dragontouched.  Something is coming.  And this time they might not survive.