On the second day Kyungsoo once again rose to an empty bed, the windows of the room flung wide open, like the cage of an escaped bird. This time he was not left to wander the palace aimlessly; after breakfast Zephyrus led him through the halls with his hands covering the human boy’s eyes, chiding him whenever he squirmed.

“Master Kyungsoo, it is rather hard to lead you while you’re struggling like this,” he admonished as Kyungsoo flailed in protest. “I may accidently run you into a wall.”

It seemed like they walked for forever before they came to a sudden stop. Kyungsoo heard the sounds of a door creaking open before Zephyrus finally released his hold.

“I-it’s beautiful,” Kyungsoo said in wonder as he stepped into the grand library. Paintings of gods and mystical beings gazed serenely down at him from the high ceilings, their faces gentle and benevolent. The walls alternated between ceiling-to-floor windows and shelves, rotating expanses of sky and kaleidoscopic tomes. The shelves were filled with books upon books, scrolls, paintings, and bizarre but magnificent objects. On one ledge sat a otherworldly iridescent cube in which swam strange, butterfly-like lights, their glowing wings fluttering. On another a blooming plant sat in a glass, its sprouting leaves a myriad of blues and greens. And on yet another was a statuette of naiads that were so skillfully crafted they seemed to be dancing though they were still, their beautiful faces smiling and laughing.

But for all the room’s many trinkets and wonders, Kyungsoo only had eyes for the books. Zephyrus could practically see the boy glowing in excitement, his face turned up hopefully.

“It’s yours,” the wind god said, inwardly burbling at the look on the boy’s face. “The master said that everything in here is yours to do what you wish.”

No sooner had he finished his sentence before the boy was rushing off, fingers skimming book spines as his eyes devoured the sight. The entire contents of his library back home would barely fill a quarter of this behemoth. In no time Kyungsoo had a pile of tomes in his hand, and he settled into one of the many plush couches that placed throughout the room. Zephyrus, seeing his charge was duly entertained, left without a word, leaving the young prince to his mind’s wanderings.

Kyungsoo spent the rest of the sunlit hours in imaginary worlds, curled up happily with books as his only companions. He swam through the ocean with graceful mermaids by his side, their colorful tails glinting in the sunlight. He explored the skies on the back of a Pegasus, racing through an expanse of clouds, the white wings of his steed beating steadily. He watched as great heroes fought for their lives, their foes falling at long last with a final roar of defeat. He was trapped in a lonely tower when Zephyrus came to pull him away from his thoughts, guiding him to the dining room. Today Kyungsoo ate with more appetite, which the wind god didn’t fail to notice. He was pleased to see his young master seemed more at home, more at ease, less forlorn.

His Master noticed too when Kyungsoo entered their bedroom for the third time. He curled willingly against his husband, even greeting him with a quiet “How was your day?” Their conversation was less jilted than it had been the night before, words flowing smoothly between them. When they fell asleep that night, Kyungsoo found that his mysterious husband was no longer a mere voice in the shadows, but a friend.

~oOo0oOo0oOo~

On the third day Kyungsoo was led to a different room, this time one filled with instruments. There was a finely crafted cithara, a beautiful pandura, and an elegant water organ that sat proudly in one corner of the room. There were also instruments that Kyungsoo couldn’t name, ones that he had never seen before. His favorite was what looked like a gigantic black box with graceful but thin legs, which was polished so well that its gleaming ebony surface was like a mirror. Its top was propped to reveal a golden interior of wires and strange knobs. On one side a plane jutted out, lined with pieces of ivory and ebony. These pieces made melodious sounds when pressed, and Kyungsoo spent a good amount of attention fooling around with them. He made impromptu songs he quickly forgot, sequences lost among the long string of keys. That day the room was filled by sweet melodies and Kyungsoo's angelic voice, different notes curling together in harmony. 

That night Kyungsoo did most of the talking, much to Jongin’s delight, their hands finding each other in the dark. They fell asleep intertwined, their fingers laced together.

~oOo0oOo0oOo0o~

On the fourth day Kyungsoo, after much cajoling, was finally allowed into the kitchen. It didn’t take long for the boy to feel right at home, moving easily through the kitchen as if he’d lived there his whole life. Zephyrus opted to stay and watch, bemused by the energy and knowledge Kyungsoo seemed to have in culinary ways. He had assumed that as a prince with servants catering to his every need, Kyungsoo wouldn’t know how to prepare his own food. Kyungsoo proudly told the Zephyrus that back home one of his favorite past-times had been cooking before shoving a sugary confectionary into his mouth. The dinner he ate that night was one he made himself, and as he chewed his meal thoughtfully, Kyungsoo felt almost as if he were at home.

That night Jongin was surprised to see Kyungsoo enter the room balancing a platter of treats that the prince said he made himself. He held one out expectantly, and Jongin took it, popping it into his mouth. As it seemed to melt on his tongue Jongin praised Kyungsoo extravagantly, causing the boy to flush ruby red.

Before he fell asleep, Kyungsoo used his hands to trace up his husband’s face before pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. Once again, they slumbered with their fingers interwoven.

~oOo0oOo0oOo~

On the fifth day Kyungsoo woke up to the quiet twittering of two birds. On his dressing table sat a beautiful gold cage. Inside its carefully wrought bars sat a pair of adorable birds, their little heads round and their beaks thick and curved. Their faces were a rosy peach, the rest of their feathers progressing from a lovely lime green to a cerulean blue. They chirped cheerfully as Kyungsoo drew closer to their cage, their beady little eyes seeming to twinkle. As he brought the cage into his lap, Kyungsoo noticed a small message engraved into the metal.

Amare et sapere vix deo condeditur.
“Even a god can barely love and still have all his wits about him.”

Smiling slightly, Kyungsoo stuck his finger in the cage, giggling as the bolder of the two birds came forward and rubbed his head against the appendage in a friendly manner. He named them Perseus and Andromeda, and as the day progressed, they never left his side.

That night his mysterious husband told him that Perseus and Andromeda were “lovebirds”, birds that would have a life-long bond. He didn’t have to say it, but Kyungsoo knew that his husband hoped for a similar union, and was surprised when he didn’t feel at all repulsed by the idea. In fact, he thought as he traced the strong lines of his husband’s jaw, he could easily see it happening.

The thought was slightly frightening, but this time instead of making his heart drop in fear, it made it beat in excitement.

~oOo0oOo0oOo~

A/N: I'm a terrible excuse of a human being (lol that's because I'm not human mwahahaha) and this is a terrible excuse of a chapter. OTL It's short and skimpy, and it barely has any KaiSoo interaction because I took most of the detailed scenes and put it in the next chapter. However! The next chapter shall be a lot longer than the usual chapters, since it will contain night 6 and 7. In the next chapter it will go into more detail how Kyungsoo now feels for Jongin, and vice versa. Thank you guys so much for your patience.! o3o 

P.S. ...I know the Greeks didn't have any books back then, but I couldn't resissst. This chapter is full of historical discrepencies. (Beauty and the Beast whooo!) And... apparently Jongin learned to time-travel and brought back a piano for his Soo-baby. And went to Africa too, while he was at it. (Can we just blame this on the power of love? OTL)