Title of the Gift: Of Elvenkind

Pairing: Luck

Number of Words: 2,094

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Note to my Giftee: Sorry if this isn't good enough, I don't actively write for this pairing but I hope you like it either way :)

Of Elvenkind

“Oh, please Sanghyuk you're making me nauseous.” Hongbin says, finally smacking his book closed. “Go talk to him or I will.”

“I cannot simply sit at a professor's table, Kong. It doesn't work like that.” Sanghyuk says after a second, eyes refusing to leave the new professor. Professor Jung, the new teacher responsible for teaching the students from fifth semester how to play cello and the healing properties of music. Some seem to be displeased with his arrival.

Rumor has it he's a half-blood. A dark elf with some horrible disease to be pale like that… Pierced ears to make it worse, and so silent only a couple of people have actually heard him speak.

“Spare me, a whole week has gone by and I'd think by now he'd have a hole being carved through his skull with how often you stare at him.” Sanghyuk scoffs in return . “Nothing will ever happen if you don't talk to him, you know? The man's blind. Literally.”

Yes, that too… with opaque eyes in a grayish tone Sanghyuk finds all too captivating. Blind and lethargic in sunlight like every other dark elf on campus. They only roam at night here. “Mind your own business, Kong. You don't see me pestering you about the giggle fits you throw every time you get nervous.” Hongbin is the type to laugh when he gets anxious, and oh the problems this has caused.

“This I can't control you obtuse soldier. This on the other hand–”

“I don't know what I could say, I'm training to be in the military, he teaches the mages and bards.”

“Being in the army is no justification. You are simply scared that he might turn you down, or worse, accept your advances and then you'll have to deal with your father nagging you about being interested not only in an older man but also in a half-blood.” Hongbin is infuriatingly accurate and he should stop. “But you're free to do whatever I suppose, don't say I didn't warn you when some other half-blood comes and gets his attention.”

“Gods, stop talking Hongbin… goddess have mercy.” He presses at his own temples. “Don’t you have to go roll in the flowers and praise the sun the way the types of you usually do?”

Hongbin smacks him in the side of the head and Sanghyuk squints his eyes at him. “I’m a medic you imbecile, not a bard.” There’s a mutter questioning what is even the difference. “I do alchemy.”

“Yes, whatever you say.” As any forest elf Hongbin’s ears perk up proudly as not to be downgraded by anyone, not even a highborn capital elf like Sanghyuk, son of a politician. The tallest type they are… High elves. The irony is not lost.

 He scoffs and leaves and after yet another sigh, Sanghyuk turns again to see Taekwoon talking to another student, leaning over books and simulating musical notes with his fingers. Explaining his… healing by magic theories Sanghyuk does not even pretend to understand.

Soldiers are soldiers, they don't play the harp, or piano, or cello or any other instrument Taekwoon might teach.

Quite frankly Sanghyuk prefers it that way… without the subjectivism of other -more experimental- courses. He isn't fond of magic in it's entirety.

Not very graceful for a high elf like him but not humiliating enough to pass as taboo. He sounds disciplined (which he believes he is, as far as his duty is concerned) at least that's what his mother told him once, in the very few times he spoke directly to her, not through letters.

It was pleasant, being away from the capital -and consequently away from his father's prying eyes.

However today… today the equinox festival would take place and he should, if possible, use the chance to talk to professor Jung– Taekwoon, as he had to remind himself often. He was chosen by his commander to be his in formal occasions (who knows? Maybe he thought Sanghyuk would find humiliating to a half-blood?). Little did he know he has become a little shaky with the opportunity, having absolutely no excuse that would allow him to talk to him up to this point. Now as all masters must attend to the two main celebrations of the year as part of the compulsory policy he has a tangible excuse.

Sanghyuk has an excuse to be mildly bad.

He waits for the student to leave first -a game of war inside his head, he's a great tactician- and then go and talk. With all the steadiness he lacks and the vocabulary he rarely makes any use of. “Excuse me, Professor Jung?” It crumbles part of his certainty that Taekwoon goes through the trouble of looking in his direction even though he cannot see him. He looks mildly sleepy, as any dark elf would at these hours. “Are you planning on attending the equinox festival tonight, sir?”

“I have to.” It is obvious, it's a compulsory invitation he knows that much. “Why?” His voice is something he has only heard once when he accidentally stumbled on him in one of the hallways (coincidentally the day they first met) for Taekwoon is blind and Sanghyuk expects people to move away first. Highblood costumes.

“I was wondering sir, it is told in one of our rule books that Masters and highly esteemed literates are free to be escorted to the official events.” He starts, shoulders square and hand behind his back, as the proper etiquette of the military expects. “Turns out I was chosen to be your to this celebration as well sir. I'm Sanghyuk, not sure if you remember.”

“The soldier, isn't that it?”

“Yes.”

“I remember.” The hands he keeps over his knees, poised as any professor must be.

“You were not in the State during the last equinox so we never got to meet officially, sir. But it is a pleasure.”

“Likewise.”

His hair is a very dark shade of blue that is only detectable as such under direct sunlight, otherwise it's only black, and his eyes are a smoky gray with those patterns around them dark elves usually show. Shorter ears but pointier, not quite the type he should have, the main reason why he is called a half-blood.

To most dark elves on campus, not only does he look sick, he also looks vulgar.

Or so he's heard.

“What time would be convenient for me to show up, sir?”

“Not too late, I have classes tomorrow.”

“Eight o’clock?”.

“Seven.”

“Very well. I'll see you then, professor.”

“Of course.”

~×~

Of course he goes.

Of course he is there ten minutes earlier for he is undoubtedly, never one to be tastefully late, as elves call it.

And Taekwoon is opening the door of his studies, dressed and ready from the absolute darkness where he must function better and into the orange lights of candles. There's a flash of violet eyes, and then they're gray and unfocused again. “You're early.”

“I usually am.”

“You sound young.”

“I'm not that young I assure you.”

“I don't see the need for a soldier but I won't make your life harder.” He sighs, quietly, seemingly a little loose already from some sort of alcoholic beverage Sanghyuk himself is strictly forbidden from consuming. “Where are you?” He reaches a hand to Sanghyuk's general direction.

A hand Sanghyuk is a little too eager to take. “Oh, you have cold hands.” Taekwoon comments idly, he seems much more talkative tonight. Maybe it's the alcohol. Maybe it’s because it’s night time.

“I'm nervous.”

“Fearing for my life or yours?” What a peculiar sense of humor.

“None of that. It's a big responsibility… escorting a Master like yourself.” Beautiful as you are I may be distracted, he wants to say that too but maybe he shouldn't flirt too forwardly. He may not like it.

“It may tarnish your reputation, that much is certain.” Taekwoon touches his way up to his face, barely present and surprisingly not invasive considering the nature of the gesture. “In this light I'm very blind, forgive me. I'm also remotely drunk.” He laughs on his own. “It’s unprofessional but being a hermit as much as I am, social interactions such as these require some sort of balm to my stinging head.”

“I will take a good care of you sir.”

“Your cheekbones are sharp. Are you a highelf?”

“Does it matter?”

“Some.”

“Would you like me more if I was?”

“How cheeky.” Dismissing it as cheekiness is a way of seeing it, yes. “I don't know, ask me again in a few hours when I become even more intoxicated.”

As a soldier he was expected to follow and guard, not… court and flirt. He is already off track.

But as he watches Taekwoon sniff every piece of food that is presented to him as the night goes by and sip on every glass of honey cider that is offered to the point where the smiles are easy and the giggles are too and people come to him to talk, Sanghyuk starts getting too delusional on details such as his warm looking lips or how the runs the tips of his fingers around the rim of the glass.

Maddening.

He used to be more attentive but he already came here with evil in mind, Taekwoon simply didn't notice.

He also feels slightly bothered by this sudden interest the patrons seem to show. By the amount of people that come to mindlessly touch Taekwoon's inner elbow and tell him he looks brighter when he smiles.

Despite the vulgar ears, not as long or as graceful as Sanghyuk's own, he's sure that's what they think when they're eyes linger for too long. 

There is intention however, and that has him narrowing his eyes more than once throughout the night. “I believe you should return now professor.” He says at some point, as alcohol turns intention into hunger. Taekwoon may not be capable of seeing it but he is.

“Yes, I agree. I'm slightly dazed by all this light and alcohol.” Too many touches and too many conversations. Sanghyuk supposes the alcohol was meant to make him survive the experience.

Dark elves aren't the most social kind, matter of fact they tend to live alone or in small groups. It must be hard on him.

And maybe because he wants to earn some affection points, he takes them through a longer, much darker path on the way back… Noticing quietly how Taekwoon's eyes adjust to the darkness and start turning that faint shade of violet he wishes he could see more often and in other more… casual circumstances.

When people say high elves are indulgent creatures they are not wrong and Sanghyuk is not exception to that. Not a good trait for a soldier.

“How was your night professor?”

“Tolerable. I'm slightly drunk still.”

“Do you want me to carry you through rest of the way?”

“I'm not flowery damsel to be carried in a soldier's arms.”

“Shame.” How forward of him.

Oh well.

Taekwoon scoffs and the subject is dismissed. Shame.

He probably didn't realize… This was no joke. “Are your eyes more comfortable in this light?”

“I see blurry shapes and saturated colors.”

“What about me?”

“A blur as everything else.”

“Am I a handsome blur at least?”

Taekwoon scoffs again, a little softer this time. “I cannot tell.” He seems to be dismissing the subject again. “Try coming closer.”

What a careless invitation.

Too careless for the next second Taekwoon is cornered to a wall, healers like him are so easy to overpower. He smells heavily like honey cider and underneath it there is something else, cleaner and more herbal. He smells nice.

Too nice. “Like this?”

“I–”

“I like your eyes, but I think it's good… that you can't see me professor.”

“Why?”

“So you won't know how I've been looking at you…” His finger barely brushes the side of Taekwoon's ear, fighting the urge to be too aggressive.

Soldiers and their ways. He's a brute.

A graceful one.

Taekwoon blinks in the partial darkness, eyes bright and purple, luminous and focused.

Sanghyuk wishes he had any sense of decency as not to kiss the man he was supposed to protect. “If I kissed you now, could I blame it on the alcohol?” Then, in a flash of sappiness. He usually contains his urges to flourished words. “Could I be drunk through you?”

“I cannot tell…”

“Would you be willing to find out?”

“...Maybe.”

That's exactly what he was hoping to hear.