A/N: I've noticed an increasing trend to when I post things or when I update. Lots of views/readers/subscribers about five comments. And the thing is that the comments are from the same people which I love to death since they actually give me comments. I wonder a lot lately if the people reading my stuff even enjoy it since they don't seem to tell me. I've been busy so I haven't had as much time to write but I've had time. I just haven't because the silence on my updates is upsetting. I get if people are frightened but you can't expect me to keep updating for what looks to be almost no one since I don't get feedback. I don't have to keep writing to share. I spend time writing to share these stories and I share them because I know people enjoy it. Yet a lot of you don't seem to tell me that. I'm nearing the point where I feel like I should just finish what I can and then stop writing. Or just stop it all as it is. I give you my time and my work and all I ask is for a bit of yours and a few words. :/ I'll have to reconsider everything now.

“He came back didn’t he?” Niko asked, rubbing his head into Joshua’s arm.

Startled out of his memories the magic ended abruptly, the scene ending. Joshua nodded. “He came back with friends. They wanted simple things. Charms for things to hold, for pencils to always be sharp. Stupid things that only rich nobles had money for.” Joshua paused. “It was dumb but made money for the shop.”

“And Jeonghan?” Niko looked at Joshua, eyes piercing.

“He came back with ribbons. So many. Each one not suitable for what he wanted. But he apparently didn’t have time to go shopping and so he wanted me to spell a couple more. I thought it was the end but he kept coming back. Each ribbon more unsuitable than the last.” Laughing sadly, Joshua continued, “I thought he was just stupid,” he got quiet, “but it was on purpose. He wanted to keep seeing me so he brought flimsy ribbons.”

“A flirter.” Niko mrowwed in disdain.

“Yes,” Joshua said, petting Niko, eyes losing focus once more. “He was always a flirter. It was his trademark. It was a façade in most cases. It gave him what he wanted, attention. Behind closed doors…Jeonghan was softer, more loving, still a tease but a loving one.”

Narrowing his eyes Niko scoffed. “You speak of him with such kindness still. Even after he had hurt you for so many lifetimes.”

“It’s not so much kindness as it is truth,” Joshua said. “He loved me that lifetime. So much. And I loved him. It was the lifetimes after that,” he added trailing off.

Sniffing Niko kept mum, letting Joshua pet him.

Losing himself in the memories once again the room changed.

The bell rang and Joshua looked out from the door briefly to shout out the rote greeting. “Welcome in. I’ll be with you shortly.” His eyes widened as Jeonghan walked in. Why he was back Joshua didn’t know? You’d think that after spending so much money on silly spells he’d be out of his allowance and he’d stay away.

He smiled at Joshua, as if he knew that Joshua would be here working. Come to think of it Jeonghan always showed up when Joshua was working and not when Pirnk was manning the front. Creepy. Putting down the ring that a lady wanted spelled for her daughter, Joshua got up and walked through the door to the front counter.

“How can I help you today?”

Jeonghan held up more ribbons.

Joshua almost sighed out loud at the sheer amount. “Do you have thousands of ribbons your grace?”

Jeonghan smiled at him. “I’ve had this long hair for a while now. And ribbons are a must for a clothes horse like me. And it’s Jeonghan.”

“Hmm.” Joshua waved him over. “Let’s see these today then.”

Walking over to Joshua, Jeonghan beamed at him. A bit too happy at the prospect of spending money. Oh how Joshua envied him that. He had a very small allowance that allowed him to take care of his expenses of clothes. His parents already had to fund the university fees. He hoped he’d find a good job afterwards. But he knew that his parents wanted him back home. They only agreed on the university because of his talents and they were banking that he’d come home after it was done instead of lingering in the capital.

Joshua picked them up, shaking his head as he laid one down and picked up the other. “None of these will do.” Sighing Joshua looked up at him. “When will you tire of coming back here trying to find the perfect ribbon your grace?”

“It isn’t about the perfect one,” Jeonghan argued, “it’s about finding the right sort of fabric. And I told you it’s Jeonghan.”

Pirnk walked in from the back. “Why don’t you take his grace to the weavers Joshua? So you can pick out the appropriate fabric for the spell he wants.”

“The regular weavers master?” Joshua looked at him, trying to communicate with his face how he very much didn’t want to go.

“No, you silly child,” he said laughing. “The magical ones.”

“It’ll tamper with my magic,” Joshua protested. Well if he asked them to keep the magic to a minimum he’d be able to add to it rather than it tampering but Jeonghan didn’t need to know that.

“You know as I taught you that you can work with it rather than it working against you. Don’t be so hard headed apprentice. Take his grace to the weavers and at the end of the day we’ll have a happy customer.”

Joshua glared at his master who smiled back at him. “Or course master. I’ll be back then.”

Pirnk waved goodbye as Joshua left with Jeonghan.

“The weavers?” Niko asked, interrupting Joshua’s train of thought.

“The elves. They were the best in the city and young Lord Yoon wouldn’t stay away so I took him to the best.”

Sniffing at the ribbon in Joshua’s hand, Niko said slowly as he realized something, “It’s the same color of your eyes when they glow...” He shook his head. “He bought this color knowing that?”

Joshua sighed. “He asked for this very color while looking at me. I found it odd at first.”

Niko snorted. “You were oblivious to his advances?”

“I was young,” Joshua defended, “and it wasn’t as if people were lining up to flirt with me.” He bit his lip. “I thought after I finished the spell for him he’d leave and never come back, but he didn’t. He’d come back for other things. Potions, perfumes. Always flirting and always touching. Things came to a head way when the Tying Festival was just a day away.”

Niko snorted. “That old thing. They still do it don’t they,” muttering to himself. He looked at Joshua, “He asked you. And you went.” Niko stared up at Joshua with knowing eyes. “Did you give yourself to him?”

Blushing Joshua responded, “Not fully. And I went after hours of deliberating. I almost didn’t leave my dorm room.”

“He demanded that you go, didn’t he?” Niko was so quick to push blame onto Jeonghan. Joshua knew it was to give him more reason to hate the man and Joshua thought it was cute how Niko seemed to want to hate Jeonghan down to the last hair on his body. But not all the blame was on him. Not in that lifetime.

“He stated rather than asked. But he gave me a way out.”

“Why?” Jeonghan repeated looking incredulously at Joshua. Did the mage not know? “I’m pursuing you,” he snapped, “that’s why.”

Joshua looked at him surprised. He even took a few steps back from the counter.

Jeonghan sighed as Joshua said nothing, looking down and away from him. “Here,” he said, gently laying the ribbon on the counter, “wear it tomorrow night. I’ll take it as a sign of your acceptance of my suit.”

“And if I don’t?” Joshua asked quietly.

Swallowing that bundle of nerves Jeonghan said, “Then I’ll be back for it and to say goodbye. I know enough to not continue my pursuit if I’m not welcome.”

“Then take it away now,” Joshua said. “I won’t be going.” He said it so softly as if he didn’t quite believe his words. Or so Jeonghan hoped.

“No,” Jeonghan said firmly. “I’ll look for you tomorrow night at the festival.” He took one last look at Joshua and the way he huddled into himself, wrapping his arms around himself. “Please,” he implored before leaving the store.

Joshua stared at his back, hands the ribbon in despair.