“You’ll never catch me!” Yixing taunted over his shoulder as he fled from Jongin’s sword, dancing away in a confusing flurry of flowing clothes and preternatural grace.

                “Get back here, demon!” his pursuer huffed, lunging forward to snake the tip of his blade through a piece of fabric, a whisper of sound telling them both he almost had him.

                Yixing spun and clawed the blade away, using sharp talons that conjured brilliant sparks off the edge of the sword, face aglow with the challenge of combat.  “Nice try, prince,” he smiled, silver eyes brighter than usual as he regarded the young man across from him.  Equal to his height with his dark brown hair pulled back into a short queue, Jongin had filled out into a wiry but muscled build, his features losing their baby fat and developing into a striking visage with intensely expressive eyes that were focused on him at the moment.  Such moments were… intoxicating.

                “I will get you this time!” he growled, retaliating with a forward and backslash, both of which were deflected by talons once more.

                “Too slow,” Yixing smiled, pushing the blade aside while he breezed behind Jongin, running the backs of his fingers against the young man’s arm and shoulder blades before he stalled behind him, shifting his hand to slide his palm over the muscled chest.  It left him in the perfect position to whisper in his ear.  “Gotcha.”

                Growling in frustration, Jongin grabbed the wrist in contact with his chest and yanked it up, holding onto Yixing while he pivoted and swung the sword inward, just missing the demon’s belly when he arched away from the attack.  “You are so gonna get it!” he glared, letting the wrist go to press an aggressive attack.

                “Is that so?” the demon giggled, dancing back with perfect awareness so that he never came close to stumbling, though his opponent had to focus on the terrain quite a bit more.  He read Jongin’s posture when the young man slipped up on a leaf covered rock and stumbled forward.  Yixing snagged his sword hand and dragged the blade into the air while he steadied the human with his other hand against his side.  “I’m waiting,” he teased, their faces inches apart while Jongin continued to breathe hard and glare at him.  The demon grunted when Jongin shoved him back enough to plant a kick into his stomach, coughing once in surprise.

                “Hah!” his opponent pointed triumphantly, gathering himself to leap after the retreating Yixing once more.  “Yah!” he cried aloud, attacking swiftly with an array of strikes and counterstrikes, driving the demon back on the desperate defensive.

                Talons met the blade over and over again, screeching against the metal with a tortured but brief sound, trying hard to keep the other at bay.  Block, counter, dodge and strike back, and attempt to regain the upper hand.  Almost… or not!  Yixing gasped in pain and stumbled back, holding his side with a surprised expression when he looked up at Jongin.

                “Xing!” Jongin cried, sheathing his sword while he moved to see the damage done.

                “I’m alright,” Yixing assured him, waving off the younger male’s concern to peer under his hand at the neat slice that parted his skin through his shirt.  A thin trail of blood seeped from the wound, almost invisible in the color of the fabric.  “My fault,” he chuckled, allowing his hand to be pried away by Jongin’s gentle fingers.

                “I didn’t actually expect to get you,” he admitted, glancing up from under long lashes before he inspected the wound again.  “Are you already healing?” he gasped, brows knitting together in confusion and mild annoyance.

                Yixing shrugged in amused apology, nodding his head.  “You have a nice blade but it’s only plain metal, my prince,” he explained, grabbing the other male’s elbow to get him to stand up.  “But you are getting much better,” he smiled with pride, cupping Jongin’s cheek with his palm, looking into his eyes for a long moment.

                “Of course,” Jongin smirked with a roll of his eyes.  “I better be with a demon for an instructor.”

                “Yes, well,” Yixing sighed, a wistful, almost sad tone to his voice.  “I can’t very well send my heroic prince out to save the day with under par fighting skills now can I?” he drawled, brushing at the tear in his shirt.  “And your speech has improved as well so I imagine you would fit right in at court,” he reminded him with satisfaction.  “How did you explain that one to your parents?” he inquired.

                Jongin chuckled and wandered over to the small travel pack where he fished out a worn, fading book and approached the demon, shaking it at him.  “Reading aloud.  I still have no idea what The Forever Child and His Lost Boys is about but they don’t ask,” he shrugged, turning around to set the book down.

                Yixing laughed at the explanation and tilted his head to the side, an appreciative curl to his lips.  “You really are turning into quite the little prince though.”

                “Nah,” Jongin shook his head, smiling over his shoulder at Yixing.  “I’m still just a village boy who dreams of going on adventures one day soon,” he grinned, teeth flashing between generous lips.  “Hey Xing.”

                “Hmm?” the demon chirped in response, standing up straighter as he looked over.

                “Why won’t you ever tell me what kind of demon you are?” Jongin murmured, one hand scratching his head, sending tendrils of hair flying everywhere.

                “Because it doesn’t matter what kind of demon I am,” Yixing chuckled with a light laugh, moving close enough to reach behind Jongin so he could free the rest of his messy horsetail.  Damp strands fell around his hand and he smoothed them out before tracing his fingertips across Jongin’s forehead, curtailing unruly bangs.  There were only a handful of things that Yixing declined to speak about: his age, his demon status, and his past.  Maybe one day he could tell Jongin of his younger years, but not now.

                “Oh come on, Xing,” Jongin whined, giving him his best cute pout, which he refused to try on anybody else.

                Yixing mirrored the expression, ruining Jongin’s attempt to the demon’s amused satisfaction.  “The only thing you need to know is that I will never hurt you,” he promised softly, keeping his forearms resting on either shoulder, their bodies only a few inches apart as he smiled into warm brown eyes.

                “Not even by accident?” Jongin teased, glancing down at the place where he’d wounded his companion not that long ago, unconcerned by the proximity of the other man.

                “Not if I can help it,” Yixing corrected himself, stepping back with reluctance as he allowed his hands to slide over Jongin’s shoulders and down the top of his chest before folding his arms together so he’d stop touching him.  “With that being said.  Would you care for another round?” he asked, gesturing with one clawed hand, a challenging smile tugging at his lips.

                “You’re on,” Jongin laughed, stepping back as he reached for his sword, pulling it from the scabbard with a quiet whisper.

                Rather worn out after another spirited round of sparring, Jongin recovered on the ground with his head pillowed on Yixing’s lap, sighing under the ministrations of slender fingers combing through his damp hair.  He closed his eyes and thought back to the strange day in the woods when he’d held the point of his sword against Yixing’s chest and debated driving the blade through his heart.

                He couldn’t.  Not after looking into Yixing’s smiling, silver eyes.  Six years earlier, the demon had done the same thing: looked at the weapon Jongin gave him when he wandered into the woods and declined to drive the point home.  It would have been so easy for Yixing to just end it there, like it would have been for Jongin that second meeting, but neither had.  Granted, Yixing always maintained that if Jongin had tried to kill him, he would have stopped him but he remained skeptical.  Jongin wouldn’t challenge it, since an undaunted Yixing might take him up on the dare, never mind he confirmed a sword through the heart would likely be fatal.  Jongin had no desire to test that theory with Yixing.

                Of course, he had been more than a little annoyed to learn the demon bewitched him to want to come back, hence the itchy forehead bit, but now… he didn’t think it had been a bad thing.  Having practically grown up with the demon nearby, Jongin almost couldn’t imagine not having met him at all.  And who would have thought a demon would be his best trainer in combat?  Go figure.

                Eyes still closed, Jongin turned his head and sought out Yixing’s hand resting on his shoulder, threading their fingers together and content with enjoying his company.  When it was just them, there were moments he could catch the demon with this look in his eyes.  It was hard to describe really, since Yixing would always look away when he realized he was caught.  Oddly enough, it reminded Jongin of the way his mother sometimes looked at his father: a sort of content adoration and care for the other.  It made him feel all warm and fuzzy but did demons even have emotions like humans did?

                Curious, he shifted his head again and opened his eyes to meet Yixing’s squarely, the serene look he’d just been contemplating back on his companion’s face.  The demon blinked quickly and looked away, a hint of sadness lingering in its wake.  No.  Jongin couldn’t believe his demon was a heartless monster who lacked emotion.  His interactions with Yixing were more than enough to prove otherwise and they made him wonder what the demon felt about him.

                Still looking away, Yixing murmured, “My prince.  It’s getting late.  You should probably head home soon,” he reminded, rhythmically combing his fingers through soft locks.

                Jongin groaned, tightening his fingers around Yixing’s.  “I don’t want to.  My parents keep nagging me about getting betrothed,” he frowned with displeasure.

                “Oh?” Yixing chirped, turning his head to peer down at him again, surprised.  “But you’re a grown man now.  You don’t want to get married?” he laughed, though his voice lacked any true mirth.

                “I’m ten and six years of age,” Jongin stated firmly, reminding the demon he was quite grown.  “But the girls are boring.  They gossip all day and huddle in little packs of…” he flailed with his other hand as he tried to find a suitable word.

                “So you find them annoying then?” Yixing offered with a shrug.

                “Yes!”  And they were annoying, though Joonmyeon had recently married one of them; Krystal if he wasn’t mistaken.  To be honest, she wasn’t so bad when she was with him, but if he had to marry one for her to be bearable, he didn’t think that was fair at all…

                Yixing laughed and nodded.  “Perhaps one day they won’t all be.  I have no idea how you’re going to find your princess otherwise, my dear Jongin,” he reminded, threading his fingers through the other’s hair.

                “Maybe when I go on my adventure,” Jongin grinned, closing his eyes while he sighed in contentment.  “I’ll rescue the princess or save the damsel in distress.”

                “Maybe.”

                “Would you come with me, Xing?  If I asked?” Jongin inquired, opening one eye to peer at the demon through cracked lids, though it was obvious by his smile he was expecting a certain answer.

                “Without question,” Yixing beamed, a genuine expression that reached his eyes.  It faltered in the next breath though and his face reflected a trace of confusion before it disappeared as fast as it had arrived.  “Come on, my prince.  They’ll start to wonder if you don’t head back soon,” he urged, helping to push Jongin to his feet with relative ease.

                “Ugh…” Jongin groaned, choosing to ignore the strange play of emotions on his companion’s face while he got to his feet and brushed himself off.  “Alright, alright.  Can you bring my deer up?” he asked, gesturing towards the nearby pond with one flailing hand.

                Yixing nodded and waded into the water, disappearing below the surface before coming back up with a slain deer resting in his arms.  “Good luck facing the gaggle of girls,” he chuckled, the carcass surprisingly dry for having been stored in the water.

                “I’ll probably need it,” Jongin rolled his eyes and waved, his prize steadied over his shoulders.  “So I’ll see you in a few days?” he paused to make sure his companion agreed.

                “I’ll be here,” Yixing promised in a low tone, waving as he watched the young man turn around to head out of the woods.  His smile faltered when a chill went up his spine, not for the first time of late, and he looked over his shoulder, blinking into the depths of the forest towards the west.  After a brief moment, he shook his head and turned to watch until Jongin was out of sight.  “Be safe, my prince,” he warned, folding his fingers together as he clung to the memory of the boy like he did every time Jongin walked away.

                When would he learn that falling in love was just a bad idea in general?  Especially when they were people he shouldn’t be falling for…  Another glance over his shoulder made him bite his lip, pensive and thoughtful.  Could it be?  It had been so long since he’d felt it, it was hard to remember.  If it was though… he might need to speak with Jongin soon.  And that was not a conversation he looked forward to at all.