Kyungsoo's head hurts. He rubs his eyes to clear away some of the gluey gunk, and blearily assesses the situation. It's too hot and Kyungsoo feels gross. He groans and tries to roll over, but an arm slung across his waist blocks any movement.

Kyungsoo's eyes fly open as he cranes his neck to get a better look. Pasted to his back, is Jongin, asleep and gloriously shirtless. What the . He struggles to take in a breath, a rising sense of panic flooding him. No. No, no no. This can't be happening. He peels back the covers and looks down at himself; he's only wearing boxers. . , , .

Wiggling out of bed, without waking up Jongin, Kyungsoo grabs the nearest clothing he can find and rushes to the shower. The mirror shows his body, dotted with light pink hickeys. Most of them will be easy to cover up, but there's a few on his neck that will prove difficult.

Kyungsoo's mind races as he thinks through what happened last night, the memories coming to him in short, blurry flashes as he washes his hair. He remembers getting into the taxi with Jongin, kissing him in the doorway and going to their room. He remembers pulling Jongin into bed and kissing him some more. The slide of skin against skin. His face burns. So much for keeping a professional relationship. Kyungsoo lets his head drop back against the tiled wall, feeling like a colossal idiot. He should have known that something like this would happen.

The worst part is, he doesn't even regret it. Not exactly. The swirling in his stomach is guilt.

Sighing, he rinses out his hair and steps out of the shower. It's early, so Jongin probably won't wake up for a while yet, which leaves Kyungsoo a bit more time to process the situation he's in. There's time for him to somewhat sort out his feelings before they head off to work. Maybe.

Towel over his shoulders, Kyungsoo slinks out into the kitchen and brews himself some of his favourite tea, hoping it will calm him down a little.

He’s just going to have to apologise to Jongin. Kyungsoo doesn't have time for a relationship right now, there's no way around that. Even if they're living together, Kyungsoo just can't see how it would be viable. Not until after the spell is completed, or if the war suddenly ends. Or something.

He should have gone for a familiar that he wasn't attracted to, that wouldn't have been a distraction. He only has himself to blame for this. Why is he such an idiot? He should have stuck to non-alcoholic drinks, then he wouldn’t be in this mess.

Rubbing his forehead, he stirs his tea and sinks down into the sofa, flicking on the TV in hopes of some respite. It's already on a news station. Kyungsoo frowns, and is about to change the channel, when he sees the headlines. The discomfort in his stomach increases and he feels even worse; there was another attack last night. While he was out having fun with his friends and cavorting around with Jongin, people were hurting. Dying .

Kyungsoo lets his head slump down and he tries to take steady breaths. This one was farther south than the last one, which means that somehow the Hanjurians are travelling past the border without being noticed. It's almost like they're mocking them, letting them know that they're coming for the Yeong Si soon.

It wasn't his fault. There's no logical way he could have prevented this. He knows that. Logically. The knowledge doesn't stop him from feeling at least a little bit responsible, however. The deaths of his countrymen weigh heavily on his mind.

The sound of Jongin stirring in his room makes him wince. Now for another uncomfortable situation.

"Kyungsoo?" Jongin calls out huskily. Kyungsoo inhales through his nose before replying.

"Out here." A moment later, Jongin is stumbling into the living room, clad in only his underwear. Kyungsoo looks him up and down, remembering how it felt to have his body against his the night before, and clenches his fist.

"Is everything ok?" Jongin asks, sitting heavily on the sofa next to Kyungsoo, who waits for him to catch up with what the news reporter is saying. Twelve injured, one dead. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"You know this has nothing to do with you, right?" Jongin says, laying his warm hand on Kyungsoo's shoulder in comfort. Kyungsoo shakes his head.

"No. If I was working harder, maybe these people would still be alive."

"Kyungsoo....Don't think like that."

"How can I not?" Kyungsoo asks, dragging his hand through his hair. He bites down hard on his lip and thinks quickly. They have to start working twice as hard from here on out, in order to finish this damn spell as quick as possible. So that nobody else gets hurt.

"Jongin?" Kyungsoo starts weakly.

"Hm?" Jongin responds, his grip tightening minutely before releasing. Does he know what Kyungsoo is about to say? Kyungsoo feels sick. "About last night...." He trails off, the coward in him hoping that Jongin will understand what he's trying to say.

"... W-what about it?" Jongin says nervously.

"I think... I think we should carry on like it didn't happen. I-I'm sorry."

"What? Why?" Jongin asks, voice sounding small. "I mean, I kinda expected this, but.... why?"

"Jongin..." Kyungsoo sighs loudly, tearing himself up on the inside. Why is he making this more difficult than it needs to be?

"No, Kyungsoo. I get that you're the type of person to take things very seriously. I get that, I do . But why can't you just let yourself have something for yourself? Or have I been misjudging how you feel towards me this entire time?"

Kyungsoo stays quiet. He wants to be selfish. However, he knows that if he lets himself do whatever he wants, then he'll be distracted from work. He'll feel even worse in the long run, when there are inevitably more attacks that could have been prevented. This is for the greater good.

"Fine." Jongin growls. The sofa raises as he leaves Kyungsoo looks up in time to see Jongin stalking out, ears flat against his head and tail rigid. Inside his chest, Kyungsoo's heart shrivels up. He rests his aching head in his hands, forcing back tears.

He ed up.

 

They don't talk as they get ready to leave for work. Not a single word. Although the subway is busy, somehow they manage to keep their distance from each other the entire way. Kyungsoo almost wishes it were raining today, as that would match his feelings better. Unfortunately, the sky is clear and the sun is beautiful, which puts him in a foul mood by the time they reach the government building.

Outside the main entrance, a group of people in shorts and brightly crisp white shirts are protesting, probably in response to the attacks last night. They hold large signs with cleverly worded phrases, and one of them has a megaphone. He shouts things like 'If you want peace, we must fight for it!' and 'Victory comes at the price of war!'. At the mere sight of them, Kyungsoo is seething. He grits his teeth and storms past them, willing one of them to try and corner him, so he can give them a piece of his mind.

"Kyungsoo, wait!" Jongin manages to catch up with him before the elevator door closes. They aren't the only ones in there, which dissuades Jongin from trying to talk more. Kyungsoo will only snap at him if he does so anyway. He focuses on a particular spot on the floor and tries his best to calm down. Those people out there don't know the effort Kyungsoo and everyone else is putting in to try and finalise a solution to protect them. They don't understand that most of the Hanjurians don't want to fight either, that firing at their country will only cause more tragedy. How many innocent lives will be lost if they fire on Hanju? And then how many more will be lost when Zhao Ying retaliates? And when it becomes an ugly cycle of death. They should understand, but for some reason, they just don't.

The elevator door slides open and Kyungsoo stalks down the corridor to his office, Jongin almost having to jog to catch up. He slams his office door behind them.

"Kyungsoo-"

"Don't. I don't want to talk right now. Let's just get on with work." Kyungsoo pulls out his chair and opens his workbook. A clean page. Familiar territory. All he has to do is start with a circle.

He can do this.

 

He can not, in fact, do this. He screwed up the first circle he drew, and the second. He knows that he needs to start again, to keep trying, but he's just sitting there, staring at the blank sheet of paper and willing it to draw itself. Normally at this stage, he would get up and walk around, to try and clear his head. But he doesn't want Jongin to know that there's something wrong. Is there something wrong with him? If he didn't know that it was nigh on impossible, he would have guessed that someone placed a curse on him.

Twenty minutes of agonised staring later, Kyungsoo forces himself to pick up his pen and start again. If he can draw out one - just one - circle, by the time they can go for lunch, then it won't have been completely pointless. He takes it slow, letting his muscle memory take care of the sweeping curve of the outer ring, along with all its embellishments. The first symbols come more easily as well; they're the part they've been drawing the same since their success yesterday. It's after that that he starts to struggle; the last two times were because he messed up the symbol order, and because he just plain drew the symbol wrong. Rookie mistakes.

Things are looking better and Kyungsoo begins to almost feel good about it, until right at the last second when Jongin shifts in his chair, distracting him enough to make his penmanship jagged. He stares at the wayward line in disbelief. It's hardly even a millimeter out of place, but for a spell this dense and delicate, it matters. He screws up his eyes and breathes through his nose. He will not lash out at Jongin. He will not . Kyungsoo needs to get away, he needs to get as far from this office, with the stifling tension and responsibilities as he can.

"I need to go to the bathroom." He announces, standing up, chair screeching underneath him.

Jongin doesn't call out after him.

Kyungsoo doesn't even know where he's going, his feet carrying him somewhere that he's never been to before. He climbs the stairs, glad to have some way of wearing out his frustrated energy, and comes out onto the roof. It's windy up here and the cold gusts of air seem to wick away his anger, until there's just a mild buzz of irritation and disappointment left. He drags his feet to a dark corner, behind some unidentifiable boxes, and crouches there.

He's making a bigger deal out of this than he needs to. If he were smart, he would just let this run off him, like water off an umbrella, and move on.

He enjoyed last night. Well, as much of it that he can fully remember. He knows that he would deeply love to be something more than friends, but he doesn’t think he can juggle both this intensity of work and a relationship as well. In a relationship, he’d have to go on dates and spend time with Jongin. He supposes he already does spend a lot of time with Jongin, but that’s not the same. Working in the same place isn’t the same as a date, no matter how he looks at it. Even if he changes his mind and decides to pursue whatever this is with Jongin, he’s royally ed up his chances now. Would Jongin even want that, anyway? There was attraction, sure, but maybe Jongin just wanted to sleep with him and get it over with. Maybe Kyungsoo is blowing this all way out of proportion. He just needs to stay calm, and carry on like nothing happened, just like he told Jongin. Things will be fine.He’s his familiar and, provided he doesn’t quit because of this, which is a very real possibility, then they should be able to pick up where they left of. He’s a professional. People do this all the time, right?

It takes a while of staring up at the sky for him to fully calm down. Letting his head drop back onto the concrete wall behind him, he wonders how much longer he's going to keep acting like a child.

Kyungsoo admires the view, watching the tiny people moving below wistfully. If only he could be one of them, and someone else could switch places with him. It would be easier, that's for sure. God, how whiny does he sound?

His stomach growls. He should probably go down and get something to eat, then get back to the daily grind. Even though he tells himself this, he doesn't move. If his boss finds out about this, he could get severely reprimanded, but that's not a priority right now; there's no use forcing himself to make the same mistakes over and over.

"Kyungsoo?" The sound of his own name puts Kyungsoo on edge. He may have almost sorted through his thoughts, but that doesn't mean he's ready to face Jongin just yet. He freezes, listening carefully to hear what he does. The door closes and- Kyungsoo hears footsteps approaching.

"Hey, Kyungsoo, you here?" Jongin calls out again, closer now. The words get stuck in his throat and when Jongin turns the corner, the look of surprise on his face is evident. Kyungsoo feels like a kid caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar.

"There you are." He says, barely audible above the wind. Kyungsoo smiles wanly and looks away. He has no idea what to say.

Jongin moves to sit next to him, but leaves a decent amount of space between them. Space that Kyungsoo wishes wasn't there, but knows is for the better.

"We were getting worried. You've been gone almost two hours, so I started to look around for you. You missed lunch break, so I brought you a sandwich." He holds it out like a peace offering.

"Thank you." Kyungsoo rips open the packaging and digs in. Jongin lets him eat without interrupting, for which Kyungsoo is grateful, but it's uncomfortable having an audience. When he's finished, they sit together in silence for a little while, appreciating their vantage point.

"I told the others not to say anything."

"Oh." Kyungsoo cringes. In all honesty, he hadn't even thought about what they might say. The hickey on his neck is still clearly visible and Kyungsoo reaches up to cover it with his hand, self conscious. "Thank you."

"No problem." Jongin says, a sad sort of smile on his face, "I gave it some thought, while you were gone. I just wanted to say that I get where you're coming from. I know the kind of person you are: you’re absurdly dedicated and single minded. I admire that about you. But I know that you don't have room in your consciousness for a relationship at the moment, so I'll back off. I won't try and push you. I'm sorry about this morning, too. I should have been more considerate."

His apology just makes him feel even worse. Why is Jongin such a genuinely nice person? If it were the other way around, Kyungsoo would probably be bitter. He definitely wouldn’t apologise .

"For this spell to be perfected, we need to work as a team." Jongin says, with steely determination, "we can't do that if we're fighting, though. What do you say we put this behind us, huh? Pretend it never happened at all, and go back to only being a- a wizard and his familiar. And maybe, still friends?"

Kyungsoo is silent. Does he want to go back to before? What he wants is for there to be a third option; where the war is already over and Kyungsoo doesn't feel the crushing pressure to produce results. Where he can date Jongin peacefully. But in the absence of that, Jongin's offer is the best he's got. All he can really do now is push all of his efforts into his work, which is the way it was meant to be anyway.

He nods, deflated. “I think that would be best.” It's like all the pent up energy has flown out of him, leaving him feeling drained and exhausted. Well, he's had long enough of a break. He can't in good conscience stay up here any longer, not when there's variations to test out.

"Alright, time to get back to business." Kyungsoo says, grunting as he gets up. Without thinking, he holds out a hand for Jongin and helps him up. He likes how his hands feel in his, but now is the wrong time to be thinking that. He'll need to be more careful with those kinds of thoughts in the future, Kyungsoo thinks, wiggling his fingers to rid himself of the ghost of Jongin's touch.

"Did you get much done while I was gone?" Kyungsoo asks sheepishly as they start to head down the stairs.

"Only one more, before I went to lunch." Jongin says.

"Ok. I'll try to do as much as I can, before we go home." Kyungsoo tries to sound upbeat, hoping his tone of voice will inspire him to work harder.

"Ah, about that… actually I'll be going out with Jongdae tonight."

"Oh." Kyungsoo reigns in his stupid, selfish desire to tell him not to go, "I see. Well, I can let you in if you get back before midnight. If not, I'll leave a key out for you somewhere."

"We're only going to watch a movie, so I don't think I'll be very late." Jongin says, with some breezy laughter. "We thought about inviting you too, but Jongdae reminded me that you hate horror movies. I mean, you can still come if you want to! I just thought..."

"No, it's ok." Kyungsoo says firmly. This is fine; he can stay later and make up for all the mishaps from this morning. This is good.

"You sure?" Jongin doesn't sound convinced.

"Of course I'm sure." Kyungsoo nods jovially. He tries to believe it.

 

Kyungsoo's phone rings, in his coat pocket, which is hanging behind the door. He looks up in shock and has to reorient himself. Jongin had left some time ago to watch that movie with Jongdae; it had 'teeth' in the title and Kyungsoo definitely isn't interested in seeing a bunch of false dentures flying around everywhere. The phone continues to ring and Kyungsoo shakes himself out of his stupor. Could it be Jongin? It's not that late, surely he can't be wanting to get into the house yet.

His head spins a little as he stands up. He waits for that to clear before making his way over to his phone, just managing to catch it before it goes to voicemail.

"Hello?" He asks, expecting a male voice, but what comes through is anything but.

"Kyungsoo, darling?"

"Mum?" Kyungsoo frowns, "what are you calling for, is everything ok?"

"Yes, yes, everything's fine."

"Really?" Kyungsoo narrows his eyes. His mother doesn't call very often and isn't really the type to beat around the bush.

"Does there have to be something wrong for me to want to talk to my youngest son?"

"No, I guess not." Kyungsoo grumbles, making his way back to his seat before his legs give way. This was probably a good time for him to be distracted, otherwise he might not have been able to make it home without calling a taxi.

"How is everything with you, dear?" His mother asks, an edge of worry to her voice, "I hope you aren't overworking yourself, I know what you're like."

"I'm fine mum." He lies, "I got myself an assistant, actually. It's making things a lot easier."

"An assistant? Who had to threaten you in order for you to hire one of those?" She jokes, not realising how close to the truth she is. He chuckles.

"I had to be... convinced , it's true, but he's a good worker. He's making things easier."

"Then I'm glad to hear it. What's he like, this assistant of yours?"

"He's....” Gorgeous? Wonderful? Funny? Clever? Kind? “He's really nice. A were-cat, so he's better at helping me cast the spells than a human would be. That was Jongdae's recommendation."

"Ohh, a were-cat, huh? Have you seen him transform?"

"No, I haven't. I don't think he has the energy at the moment, even if he wanted to. Besides, I wouldn't want to ask him, it would make things weird." Or, weirder than they already are.

"That's a pity, I hear it's an incredible thing to see."

"I don't know, I've seen transformations on the TV. I don't think it's anything earth-shattering."

"You can be such a downer when you want to be." She scolds, while he laughs, "anyway, this is besides the point; I wanted to know what you thought about me going on holiday. I had been planning to go abroad for a while, before this whole war business started up, and I was hoping to still go. Do you think the war is going to mess up my plans? I don't think your father and I could handle too much stress."

"Where were you thinking of going?" Kyungsoo frowns, thinking of all the extra security that will have been put in place now. It will be stressful, there's no doubt about it.

"We were thinking of Godong, one of the islands off the south coast. Will it be safe? I've been watching the news and they've been saying that Hanjurian submarines have been spotted near there." Kyungsoo can picture her clutching the phone receiver to her ear, fingers tightly clenched around the device as she frets.

"I think it will be fine. Godong is a pretty small island, I don't think that they'll want to target a beach town, not when the majority of magic is cast in the cities. Relax- if you want me to look into it a bit more for you, I can do." He offers. "Would that make you rest easier?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful." She says. "But does that mean that they're more likely to target Yeong Si?! Kyungsoo, are you sure you're going to be safe where you are? Maybe you should come home for a while, until it's safer."

"Mum, I'll be fine. I can't come home, I have to work on this spell. I've told you about it before, right? As soon as I can get it to work, we can distribute it throughout the larger cities and we'll be able to block any attacks."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I've read all of the historical documents on it and tested it out in its original form. It's going to be fine, mum. I promise." He tries to be soothing, but he probably sounds so tired that it isn't very convincing. His mother hums.

"Well… alright then. But the moment you don't feel safe there, you come back home, understand? I don't want you in the city when you could be killed any minute."

"I promise, mum." He reassures her. He doesn't say that he could just as likely be killed by any random stranger wanting his money. "I'll look into Godong for you when I get home, alright?"

"What do you mean 'when you get home'?" She asks sharply. "Are you still at work?"

"I am." Kyungsoo sighs, not wanting to relive the drama of the past day. "But I'm fine, I promise. What have you and dad been up to?" He asks, settling back into his seat and rubbing at his forehead. It's a struggle to concentrate on everything she's saying, but he makes the effort. Once she's hung up, he'll start making his way back home and get some sleep. If his favourite tea shop is still open at this time, he'll stop by and get some jasmine tea.

"If you say so." She let's it go, albeit begrudgingly, and hums, "where do I begin?" There's a smile evident in her voice that Kyungsoo can see in his mind's eye. He shakes his head indulgently, preparing himself to catch up on all of the neighbourhood gossip he's missed out on. He listens to all of the complaints, and compliments of her friends; humming and asking questions where necessary.

"Recently, your father thought it would be a good idea to buy a wood lathe. He's been stuck in the shed dawn til dusk, making wooden bowls and as much mess as he possibly can."

"Oh?" Kyungsoo snorts through his nose. His dad cycles through obsessions; every few months he has something else that he works on until he's tired of it.

"He's adamant that he'll be making perfect bowls any day now. You definitely get your single-minded determination from that man. In the meantime, he has a growing mountain of cracked bits of wood."

"When he finally makes one, tell him I'll buy it off him." He says, smiling at the thought of his dad working as hard as he is.

"He'll be happy to hear that, sweetheart."

"I'll be happy to have one in my room." He laughs, "is he there right now? "

"He's still in the shed. I guess the apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree."

"Of course he is." Kyungsoo smiles fondly, emotional all of a sudden. He misses his parents more than he realised. He should try and make time to go and visit them. He bites his lip, a thought coming to mind.

"Mum... do you find it hard being married to dad? Since he's always so busy?"

"It’s difficult… sometimes. Your dad always seems to forget about everything, except what he's doing right at that moment; but it's the moments he comes back to me that are the best. He puts his whole being into everything he does, so he doesn't love half-heartedly either. You and your dad are both 'all or nothing' kinds of people. Where is this coming from?"

"Thank you." Kyungsoo murmurs, sniffling.

"Kyungsoo, dear, is everything alright?"

"Yes, yes, mum, I'm fine." He wipes his eyes with the back of his sleeve. Maybe, just maybe, if Jongin can wait, then he can be with him once this spell is done. Jongin deserves his full attention.

"Alright." She says, "well, it's getting late, isn't it? And you're still at work. You should go home and get some rest, alright dear? Have you eaten yet? I should come up and cook for you sometime, make sure you’re getting enough to eat. I hope you haven't lost too much weight, it must be terribly stressful working there."

"That would be wonderful, mum." He says, "but you're right, I should start heading home. It was lovely to hear from you! I need to be better at keeping in contact with you."

"Are you off now then?"

"Yes." Kyungsoo says, feeling a bit more energised for the walk to the subway than he was twenty minutes ago. "I'll call you again soon, ok?"

"Is that a promise?" His mother teases, "I'll be waiting to hear from you, then. Goodbye."

"Bye, mum." He says, hanging up his phone. Without her voice in his ear, the room feels lonely again. He takes in a breath, feeling fragile still, but optimistic. He's had a hell of a day, but he's strong and he can make it through.

 

Kyungsoo is just in time to get his jasmine tea before the shop closes, and only because the owner recognises his most loyal customer. He thanks the old man at least eight times before he leaves, cradling the cup in his hands to absorb its warmth. This evening makes him feel strangely nostalgic; it hasn't even been a month since Jongin has been living with him, but it seems he has become used to having Jongin around, snoozing on his shoulder during the short subway ride and making cheeky remarks. As he sips his tea, he compiles a list of things he still needs to do.

He has to talk to Jongin about rent, or bills contribution. That shouldn't be too hard a conversation though, compared to earlier that day. He needs to buy some groceries, but for tonight he'll pick up some takeout on the way home. He should probably try and put some energy tonight into either drawing out some more circles, so he can cast them tomorrow, or into figuring out what keeps blocking the spell's progress. The source of the blockage still remains a mystery to both of them.

He also has to clean up the house; it's getting messy. He isn't sure how much of this he will be able to get done tonight, but just knowing what he needs to do is reassuring.

The escalator takes him up onto ground level again. He walks slowly home, and Kyungsoo keeps his eyes peeled for whatever food place takes his fancy. He ends up with noodles and pork, already eating it straight out of the box before he's even left the store. It burns his tongue, but he's ravenous enough not to care.

He absently climbs the steps to his apartment, wondering what Jongin is doing, since he hasn't called or texted yet. He should really have given him a key; he can organise that during their rent discussion.

He rounds the corner to his door and squints into the darkness; there's a dark blob sitting outside. At first, he thinks it’s a bin bag, filled with a neighbours rubbish, but on closer inspection-

"Jongin?!"

"Kyungsoo!" The man jolts, scrambling up quickly.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were out with Jongdae."

"I was. The movie finished. I got back a little while ago." Something about the cadence of his voice makes him think he's lying. Kyungsoo looks him up and down, noticing how his fingers are pale and shaking. His tail is tucked between his legs, rather than straight out behind him. Kyungsoo's eyebrows draw together, he's clearly been waiting a long time. Why didn't he say anything? He could have called and Kyungsoo would have hurried home.He stands there, gaping at him, for too long.

"Shall we go in?" Jongin asks, pointing his thumb behind him. Kyungsoo nods slowly, unlocking the door and letting Jongin inside. He immediately makes a beeline for the kettle, intent on making himself a hot chocolate to warm himself up.

"Was your movie good?" Kyungsoo asks politely.

"Yeah." Jongin hums, "I enjoyed it. It wasn't as good as the first one though."

"It was a sequel?" Kyungsoo goes to turn on the TV, then changes his mind. He doesn't want to see more detailed reports of last nights attack and he's not in the mood for mindless reality shows today. He sits down heavily on the part of the sofa that isn't on the floor, thanks to Jongin’s odd sleeping habits.

"Yep. It was very gorey, but even though it had a higher budget, something about it seemed...fake-er than last time. You would have hated it."

"I don't know." Kyungsoo shrugs. Maybe he would have enjoyed it by proxy of having Jongin with him… and Jongdae of course. But yeah, he probably would have hated it.

"Are you only just now getting home from work?" Jongin asks, stirring his hot chocolate, "it's almost eleven."

"Yeah." Kyungsoo shifts under Jongin's accusatory look, "I was talking with my mum for a while, she called me out of the blue." He says, defensive.

"Even so, that's a lot of strain if you were casting as well. Are you going to be ok tomorrow?"

"I'll be fine. You're starting to sound like her. My mum, I mean."

Jongin doesn't reply to that, setting his mug down and leaning on the counter broodingly. Kyungsoo continues to eat and a silence settles over the room. Kyungsoo is terrifically aware of Jongin's eyes on him, so he avoids his gaze, paying extra special attention to each mouthful of his food. If he looks up, he knows he'll get an eyeful of Jongin's long legs. He's already caught a glimpse; it's almost as though he's deliberately posing that way to show off his best angles.

"I don't think you've ever told me much about your family.” Jongin says, out of the blue, “do you have any siblings?"

"Yeah, one older brother. He's a theatre stage hand, so he travels a lot."

"That's pretty cool." Jongin nods pensively.

"Yeah, sometimes I get selfies of him with some musical actress, who I've never heard of. But he gets really excited about them."

"Aww." Jongin coos.

"What about you? You have a sister right?" Kyungsoo tries to remember their past conversations.

"Two, both of them are older than me. One is running a coffee shop back home with her husband, and the other is trying to adopt as many kittens as she can fit into her house. She says it's her duty as a were-cat, we all know she's just a crazy cat lady, though. Figuratively and literally. Her daughter is adorable too."

"She sounds pretty funny, I'd love to meet them all some day."

"I'd like that too." Jongin murmurs, looking at him strangely. Kyungsoo's breathing catches in his throat and he almost chokes on the last of the noodles.

“I, uh… I didn’t know you had a niece.”

“I’ve been told that I talk about her too much, so I’ve been training myself not to.” Jongin smiles tiredly.

“Aw. You don’t need to do that, I’m sure she’s adorable.”

“I’ll show you some pictures some time. She’s a sweetheart.” He says quietly. The silence stretches on a little too long and that discomfort creeps up on him, as Kyungsoo tries to think of something to say. His tired brain is not helping his case.

"I should really... get ready for bed." Kyungsoo says, not making a move to get up. “Oh, actually before I go, we need to discuss rent.”

“Can we do it tomorrow? The details I mean. I’m totally happy to pay, though, don’t get me wrong. Just a bit… tired.”

“Sure. Me too.” Kyungsoo nods. Tomorrow, “um. Goodnight." He manages to force out, heading to the bathroom to wash up. He thinks he hears a sigh from behind him, but he can't be sure.

 

The morning starts as lacklustre as Kyungsoo feels. He dresses himself like a zombie, eats like a zombie and wanders into work, with Jongin in tow, like a zombie. Maybe it wasn't such a bright idea to stay so late yesterday, but he has to start getting back into the swing of things. After picking up a cup of his favourite tea, he perks up a little bit, but still feels bodily exhausted.

During breakfast, he and Jongin had been cordial, but not more than that. Though, that could have been due to Zombie-Soo.

Work seems to drag on excruciatingly slowly, as Kyungsoo meticulously draws out each circle. He only casts one, since Jongin insists on letting him rest after yesterday. Maybe he will push it more after lunch when he's gained a bit more energy.

He feels comfortable like this, or at least, not uncomfortable .

When the time rolls around to lunch, there's a knock on their door; it's Jongdae, peering inside warily.

"Guys?" He says, looking specifically at Kyungsoo, as if trying to see if something is different. What with his little stunt on the roof yesterday, Kyungsoo can't quite bring himself to meet his eyes. In retrospect, it all feels so childish and it's embarrassing to have Jongdae worrying about him.

"You look like ." Jongdae comments, as Kyungsoo and Jongin head outside.

"Thanks." Kyungsoo says dryly. He knows he has eyebags the size of Geunto.

"You're welcome. Chanyeol already went ahead to the cafeteria, something about wanting to be early for food today, I dunno."

"I need the toilet, I'll catch up with you guys in a minute." Jongin says, already a few paces behind them.

"Ok, we might save a spot for you, we might not. Have fun without me!" Jongdae says. Jongin flips him off and goes into the men’s toilets, not looking back when Jongdae loudly reprimands him for inappropriate conduct. Kyungsoo manages to crack a smile at their familiarity.

"Alright," Jongdae starts, when Jongin is out of earshot, "what the hell happened yesterday?" He pushes the button for the elevator and folds his arms. Kyungsoo winces, knowing that having Jongdae let him off the hook was too much to wish for.

"I spoke to Jongin, but he wouldn't tell me much. Did you guys or what?"

"I-I... We… uhh..." Kyungsoo looks at the floor, studying the pale grain of the floorboards. Jongdae raises an eyebrow, not letting up even once they get into the elevator. "We sort of… did? But then-"

"But then you freaked out, I'm guessing?"

"No…?" Kyungsoo lies, to which Jongdae sighs loudly, "I don't have the presence of mind for a relationship right now, there isn't time." Kyungsoo defends himself, tetchily.

"I don't agree with you, but sure. I know what you're like when it comes to projects." Jongdae frowns, "I feel bad for Jongin, though."

"So do I." Kyungsoo's stomach sinks; in all the drama, he hadn't really stopped to fully consider how the other man must be feeling. Upset, obviously, but Kyungsoo led him on and practically tossed him away. It's a testament to the were-cat's understanding nature, that he can even stand to be in the same room as him at the moment.

“Sometimes I wonder if you chose abjuration because you like building walls around yourself.”

“Jongdae.” Kyungsoo mumbles, annoyed.

“Too poetic?” Jongdae half laughs. More like too close to the truth , Kyungsoo thinks. “Sorry. Is he still staying with you? That could cause problems in the future."

"He is, at the moment. He doesn't seem to want to leave and it's not so much of a big deal that I feel the need to kick him out."

"I wasn’t really thinking if it bothers you, since I feel more bad for him in this situation. I’m surprised he didn’t quit. I feel like this might come back to bite you in the , but whatever." Jongdae shakes his head, "it's up to you guys, I guess. This is a pretty unusual situation. Are you still working together ok?"

"So far, yeah. We kinda agreed to carry on like nothing happened. Had a casual conversation about rent." Kyungsoo says, stepping out the elevator and leading the way to the cafeteria queue.

“Don’t you think you’re being selfish though?” Asks Jongdae, much to the Kyungsoo’s chagrin, “no, listen to me first. I get it, you’re a workaholic. You don’t want any relationship until the war is over, but don’t you think Jongin has his own family that will get affected too?” At this, Kyungsoo is reminded of Jongin’s niece and makes to interrupt.

“But-” he starts indignantly, however Jongdae will have none of it.

“When the war ends, you think you’re going to decide to date him? You’re kind of expecting him to wait on you? Plus, we work for the government. After the war, there’ll be some other stupid we’ll work on, like some outbreak of disease, then you’re going to keep him hanging? Again?”

“Look! I get it, but we both agreed that work is important right now. Jongin told me that we need to work as a team, we’re keeping it professional.” Comes Kyungsoo response. Everything that Jongdae said in his rant, was right. He just, doesn’t want to think about how selfish he is being right now.

"Well, in that case. I think you're both kinda stupid, especially you , but I don't want to get too involved. I hope you both can figure it out, whatever it is. Jongin is a nice guy and he'd probably be good for you to have around."

"Thank you? I think." Kyungsoo frowns, unsure whether that was encouraging or not.

"Alright." Jongdae slaps his back lightly, before turning to the woman serving, turning on his usual charm. She ignores him, as she always does, telling him the price of the meal he's chosen in a deadpan voice.

As it turns out, they don't need to go through the harrowing process of finding an empty table; Chanyeol has already found one. He waves to them, taking a bite out of his sandwich. Jongdae sits opposite him, and Kyungsoo to the side. Jongdae doesn't look too happy with him still.

"Did you see the news this morning?" Chanyeol asks to no one in particular. He seems to have sensed that there’s a disagreement of some sort, and probably already knows the reason for it. Kyungsoo shakes his head.

"The economy is changing or something." Chanyeol informs him.

"What's so interesting about that?" Jongdae asks, ripping into his meal.

"Well, it’s just that the prices of certain foods and things, like soybeans? are increasing. Experts say that they predicted that loads of things are going to get way more expensive in the coming months."

"Why?" Kyungsoo frowns.

"Because they're all things that we get imported from Hanju." Chanyeol explains, "They're withholding them from us or something."

"Well, they probably can't get anything past the border checks, even if they wanted to." Jongdae muses.

"What's this about border checks?" Jongin asks, seating himself opposite Kyungsoo. His long legs invade Kyungsoo’s personal space, "is someone trying to smuggle something into the country?"

"Only a Hanjurian spell caster." Jongdae jokes, "no but seriously, we were talking about how things we normally import from there are getting more expensive."

"Huh." Jongin frowns, "you think they might introduce rations for us?"

"I don't know." Chanyeol says, "they might do? Not yet though."

"No, I don't think they'll start doing that for a long time." Kyungsoo says, "not until the situation gets really dire. We can still get most stuff, just in a more limited supply. Even if we stop trading with Hanju, there are still other countries."

"That's what the guy said." Chanyeol nods, "it kinda ; one of the things on the list is oranges and I really like those. I don't wanna have to spend loads of money on them."

"Well if that's the case, you might want to try switching to locally grown, organic vegan peaches." Jongdae makes finger guns at him, making fun of him. Chanyeol makes a face. This seems to be a continuation of an earlier joke, that Kyungsoo doesn't get. He raises an eyebrow at Jongdae, but he just waves the joke away.

"I'll just pay for oranges, it's not that big a deal." Chanyeol gripes, rolling his eyes dramatically.

"Are you sure you can afford that?" Jongdae snorts.

"I can pay for an orange , I'm not that broke." Chanyeol flushes red, defensive.

"If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to come to one of us." Jongin says, eyebrows raised. Chanyeol flushes even harder at the honesty in his face, hiding behind his sandwich.

"I'm fine. Thank you, though." He mumbles. Kyungsoo smirks, making a mental note to take him out for food some time, when he has time.

"If you're sure." Jongin smiles, mouth full of chicken wings. He somehow makes it look charming.

 

The rest of the day passes similarly to the morning and the day before; lacklustre. Kyungsoo manages to get Jongin to stay an hour later doing overtime work, but Jongin almost bodily drags Kyungsoo home. Kyungsoo isn't sure whether he appreciates the gesture or not. Once they get home, he locks himself in his bedroom, opens his workbook and flicks through all the variables that he's already tried.

Something just doesn't add up. After that minor success, they've just been continuing on, repeating the successful part and changing up the other bits. Maybe they’re wrong, maybe they should be looking to deconstruct the entire thing and look at each symbol. He stares at them all, reading through some of the reports he wrote on the older ones. Most of them say 'failure' and not much else.

His university professor used to say 'magic is stupid and it won't work unless you tell it exactly what to do.’ She encouraged them to look deeper into the inner workings of the spells they cast, rather than just copying them out. She would probably be disappointed in Kyungsoo, because he hasn't put all that much effort into that side of things. He just trusted that the computer program would spit up The One; that he would find it eventually if he kept at it. He scowls, looking at the circle, at the over-two-hundred symbols that make up the spell, and feels a of frustration in his chest. Has he really wasted over three months of research with this come-what-may method? He has to pull up his proverbial socks and figure this out before more damage is done.

He gets out a mechanical pencil and a ruler and starts to annotate the spell, drawing thin lines to each component until the page is riddled with writing.

It's so complicated and it still isn't quite making sense. He can see the part that's causing the problem, but not how to fix it. It makes him want to tear his hair out. He starts on the next one, deciding to do the same for as many as he can, until he can see a pattern; maybe something will jump out at him when he does. He goes to sleep that night with sore eyes and a headache.

 

This becomes a routine. Kyungsoo wakes up, wakes Jongin up, they go into work and spend all day drawing new spells together. He eats lunch quickly, then more spell drawing. Kyungsoo and Jongin head home, Kyungsoo locks himself in his room, annotating and analysing everything he can think of. It doesn't seem to help much, but at least he's trying. He'll find something soon, he's sure of it.

 

He gets used to feeling tired all the time again, like he did before Jongin came, and ignores all the worried looks his friends send him. Jongin spends most evenings either on his laptop, sometimes video calling his family, or out with Jongdae and Baekhyun. Sometimes friends from his hometown come to visit. If he's not out, Kyungsoo can find him watching TV on the sofa-nest. They share looks and pleasantries, but not much else, unless they eat dinner together. Jongin is pretty good at getting him to talk, but he needs to concentrate on the spell. He hates himself for being such a downer all the time, and finds himself apologising constantly to Jongin, for not being around in the evenings. Jongin tries to drag him out, but Kyungsoo insists that he should go out and have fun without him. He doesn’t want to make him feel obligated to do as much as him, when he’s already working so hard during normal shift hours, plus overtime.

Kyungsoo knows he can do this, if he can just... figure this out .

 

Every time there's news of another threat, or anything to do with Hanju, Kyungsoo takes it like a blow to the stomach. Another assault to border security comes with another attack, this time a city a few hours north west of the capital, inching closer and closer. Kyungsoo regularly sees armed guards wandering around the city now, when there was never any need for them before, all of them equipped with guns and circles on their back to protect them from gunfire. They stand guard at the entrances to subway stations, patrolling the platforms, eyes roving over the crowds in case they spy any suspicious activity. Kyungsoo keeps his head down as he and Jongin board the trains, keeping his laptop bag close to him. He feels more on edge now than before. Everyone is convinced that there will be another attack any day now. Rumours of Hanjurian spies are everywhere, stories of plane hijackings and underground sects of terrorists passed around like a disease.

 

As usual for this time of evening, Kyungsoo is sat on his bed, slumped over a pile of papers, chewing on his mechanical pencil. His brain is fried right now, so there isn't a great deal going on in there. The symbols and words are swimming on the page before him, swirling together and Kyungsoo is this close to tossing it all off the side of the bed in a temper tantrum.

A knock on his door makes him jump.

"Kyungsoo?" Jongin bangs on the door again. Kyungsoo looks up, rubbing his eyes. What the hell is this? "I know you can hear me. Jongdae says he's calling an intervention."

Jongdae called? He didn't even hear the phone ring. Was he that caught up? He shakes his head and clears his throat.

"What does he mean by that?" He asks, slowly getting up and stretching out his back. It clicks as he arches it, making him wince. When he opens the door, Jongin looks him up and down, surprised at how dishevelled he looks. He's still holding the phone, so Jongdae might still be on the line. Kyungsoo narrows his eyes, grouchy.

"He says he wants both of us to dress nice and meet them outside the subway on main street."

"What the hell for?" He snaps. He isn't in the mood for this. Jongin raises his eyebrows.

"He didn't say."

"I'm not going." Jongdae means well, but he should know that dragging him away isn't going to help him finalise the goddamn spell.

"He said you'd say that, and told me that I should use whatever means necessary." Kyungsoo frowns, backing away from him a little, hand on the door in case Jongin tries anything funny.

"He said that he would tell me the 'With You Karaoke' story, whatever that means." Jongin shrugs. Kyungsoo winces, thinking back to that time. Jongdae swore he hadn't taken any photos, but he just can't be sure; he never said anything about videos. This is Jongdae he's talking about. Despite everything, he still cares about Jongin’s opinion of him, although it can’t be great at the moment. He sags, shutting the door in Jongin's face.

"I'll be out in five minutes."

"Uh, ok?" As he walks away, Kyungsoo hears him say the same thing into the phone, which confirms his suspicions that he's in cahoots with Jongdae.

Grumbling to himself, he neatly stacks his papers, sliding the loose ones into his work book, and tidies up his bed. The process soothes his mind a bit and by the time he opens his wardrobe, he doesn't feel like this whole situation is an assault anymore. Maybe it will do him good to take a break.

How nice does Jongdae want Kyungsoo to dress? Is this going to be some kind of fancy performance? He sighs, grabbing something he's had for a while and never worn. At work, he just wears t-shirts and black jeans, but today he'll pair his usual black jeans with a white button up; maybe he’ll wear his brogues too. They always look stupid with his work outfits, but with this they'll look good.

He passes by the mirror, just as he's about to leave and winces. He doesn't look great; the eye bags he can't do anything about, but he runs his fingers through his hair until it looks passable.

“Alright,” he mutters to himself, “that's about as good as it's going to get.” He shoves his wallet into a pocket and leaves, shutting the door resolutely behind him.

Jongin is waiting for him on the sofa, already wearing nice clothes. He always makes more of an effort with his appearance than Kyungsoo does. Kyungsoo pretends that he doesn't notice it, but he does.

"You ready?" He asks softly, walking past Jongin, carrying his shoes with him so he can put them on by the door. Jongin looks up in surprise and coughs.

"Yeah, I'm good to go." He says, sounding oddly dazed. Kyungsoo doesn't look up from his shoelaces.

"Do you know where Jongdae is trying to take us?"

"Uhh..." Jongin seems to be stumbling over his words, causing Kyungsoo looks at him skeptically, "I don't know. I don't think he's actually coming."

"He's not?" Kyungsoo makes a face, "then why is he so insistent that we go?"

"It's more that you go, I think. And again, I'm not really sure. He said that Chanyeol will be there."

"I can't believe that guy has the nerve to 'stage an intervention' and not actually turn up to it. What kinda ballsy..." He carries on grumbling to himself as he unlocks the door, still stewing as they get onto the subway. Jongin is politely not saying anything, which he's grateful for. Being outside again is clearing his head, and he already feels a little less swamped by everything. Even the chatter of all the other subway-goers isn't causing headaches the way it normally does.

He purses his lips. Jongin must be a saint to still be here, willingly working with him after all the bad mood and behaviour he has been putting him through.

"I'm sorry." He says abruptly, causing Jongin to look at him in confusion, "I know I'm not easy to work with, so I'm sorry. And... thanks for sticking around. I know I don't make it obvious, but I would probably have jumped off the roof because of the stress by now, if it weren't for you." Jongin's eyebrows draw together.

"Don't say stuff like that." He murmurs, " you're not that bad. Sure, you're kinda snappy and you don't talk that much, but I know you’re not always like that. And besides, I've dealt with worse." He jokes.

"Have you now?" The corner of Kyungsoo’s mouth turns up.

"Hell yeah. My boss at I had my first job, when I did fast food, was a genuine . He yelled at everyone all the time, didn't let us take breaks even though we worked from like four till ten. It was hell on earth."

"Why didn't you quit?" Kyungsoo wrinkles his nose; in comparison, his first job had been much nicer. He worked at a friend's parent's bookshop for a few months. Hadn't earned much, but it had been pleasant overall.

"Needed the money."

"Oh."

"Yeah.” He smiles without humour, “I wonder what Jongdae has planned." Jongin muses again.

"Who knows. Maybe he wants to get us both smashed, that's his usual stunt in these kinds of situations."

"I hope not, we know what happened last time." Jongin laughs awkwardly, to which Kyungsoo half smiles and looks away, embarrassed. Why did he have to bring that up? He fidgets, pulling at the hem of his cuffs.

More than once, Kyungsoo has woken early in the morning after dreaming about it.

They don't say anything more until it's time for them to alight and even then it's just 'this stop, right?'. When did this get so awkward? Kyungsoo feels like he hasn't properly spoken to Jongin in weeks.

Jongin leads the way out of the station and they stand around for a short while, until someone calls out their names.

"Kyungsoo, Jongin, over here!" It's Chanyeol, there's no way anyone can miss him. He towers above everyone else and he's waving cheerfully at them, from his spot underneath the awning of a nearby shop. Sehun is next to him, holding his other hand and looking a bit embarrassed to be stood next to him.

"Well, there's Chanyeol." Jongin says, with a laugh, heading over to them.

"So what's the plan? Jongdae just told me to meet you here." Jongin asks, being far more sociable than Kyungsoo is feeling. He’s suddenly sleepy and instead of being out in the city, talking to people, he could be curled up in his bed right now. That would constitute an adequate break, right?

"We're just going to eat a meal together, nothing too strenuous." He eyes Kyungsoo warily. He seems to have become a bit nervous around him in the past weeks. Not that he blames him, with the way he's been acting. He tries to smile at him, to come across at least a little bit friendly and not like he wants to go home. Chanyeol’s mouth twitches up at the corner, so maybe he doesn’t come across too badly.

"Where did you want to go? Are we waiting for anyone else? Jongdae said he wasn't coming."

"Uh, no, it's just us." Chanyeol says, looking between Jongin and Kyungsoo as if either one of them might explode. Kyungsoo feels like he's wading through water to understand the implications of that, but when he does, his head starts to hurt.

Jongdae set him up. He set them up on a date. A double date, with Chanyeol and Sehun. This is going to be terrible; he's going to feel like an intruder and it's going to make everything a million times more awkward with Jongin. It takes everything in Kyungsoo to not turn around and go back the way he came.

"Oh." Jongin says, seeming lost for words as well. Chanyeol tucks his hands into his sleeves and tries to become smaller.

"I'm just doing this because Jongdae said it might help you guys out-we don't have to go through with it, if you don't want to." His words come out in a rush.

"No, it's ok." Jongin reassures him, before Kyungsoo can say anything so he glares at the back of his head, before schooling his expression to something nicer. Sehun catches him and bites back a laugh, smirking instead. The little twerp finds this scenario funny, does he?

"Are you sure?" Chanyeol double checks, "I don't want to be annoying."

"You aren't being annoying. We'll give Jongdae hell for this, don’t you worry." Jongin says. " anyway, what did you have in mind?"

"We were thinking either barbecue, or a buffet type place?" Sehun says, taking charge, "that sound good to you? We know a few good places around here."

"Yeah, that sounds great." Jongin smiles cordially. Kyungsoo is glad, at least, that Jongin is shouldering the brunt of the talking. He doesn't think that he could talk much, without sounding grumpy and snapping at anyone that asks him a question. He really needs to work on that.

"So, barbecue? I'm kind of in the mood for that, right now." Sehun says, nudging Chanyeol in the arm. Chanyeol nods, humming.

"Barbecue is good. Is it close by?" Asks Jongin, pensively patting his stomach.

"Yeah, just a couple of minutes that way." Chanyeol points towards the other end of the street, "it won't take long. I guess you're hungry?"

"I am, I don't know about Kyungsoo."

"Starving." Kyungsoo mumbles. No one smiles and instead starts to walk. Kyungsoo feels like a burden, he doubts anyone actually wants him to be here right now. It would be more fun for them, if he weren't here. This is why he doesn’t go anywhere anymore. He sighs quietly to himself, lagging behind a little as his head gets even more crowded. He watches the others' back, thinking that they all kind of look good together. Chanyeol and Sehun do, naturally, but Jongin there too makes them all look like models. They get a few looks as they pass through the throngs of people enjoying their evening.

Jongin looks over his shoulder once, but Kyungsoo is too slow to catch the expression on his face. The three of them slow down though, until Kyungsoo is walking alongside them. Kyungsoo is stupidly touched by the gesture, and mumbles a quick thank you to Jongin, which he isn’t sure he actually heard.

True to Chanyeol's word, the restaurant is close by. Fairy lights decorate the walls and there are photos of people eating. It's very student-y, which means the food is probably going to be quite cheap and unhealthy. They sit down, Chanyeol and Sehun on one side of the table, Kyungsoo and Jongin on the other, in a booth. It's not very spacious, their legs tangled underneath the table, so they’re all squished together. Not that the couple mind, they would probably be sat this close anyway, but Kyungsoo isn't exactly comfortable with the proximity. It makes him think of things he shouldn't and makes him want things he's told himself he can't have.

"So what's good to eat, here?" Jongin asks, picking up a menu, "I like chicken, but some places have their specialities, right?"

"Like, everything?" Chanyeol says, leg juggling, making the table bounce until Sehun shifts his arm under the table and it stops, "we're gonna get some of everything anyway."

"I haven't been to one of these in ages." Jongin smiles, looking around, "this is a cute place."

"Right?" Sehun agrees, "we found this a couple of months or so ago and we've been coming here ever since. They know us by name already, they're really nice."

"That's good, it's always nice when you’re close with the owners." Jongin smiles, opening the menu out so he and Kyungsoo can have a look. They spend a couple of minutes debating over whether to just get a set menu or make their own up, eventually settling on set B. The food looks pretty good, so maybe this won’t be so bad. They’ll just be hanging out like normal, as long as Sehun and Chanyeol aren’t any more cuddly than they normally are, it shouldn’t get too awkward. Right?

They call the waitress over to make their order, which Jongin handles like a pro, even when the girl drops her pencil and tries to flirt. Kyungsoo just glares at her, cheek resting on his palm, waiting for her to go away. He certainly doesn’t want to spend his evening being watched by some teenager, no matter how innocent or naive. She seems to get the idea pretty quickly, scuttling off to the kitchen to safety. Once she’s gone, Sehun starts sniggering. Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow, but quickly sees the funny side of it as well, the corner of his mouth quirking up.

“Kyungsoo, you’re so mean.”

“I’m not usually this much of an .” He mumbles, colouring. Jongin nudges him,

“You were only doing what everyone wanted to.” He reassures him, humorously.

“Yeah, she doesn’t do that to us. Probably because we’re so obviously a couple.” Chanyeol says.

“As if anyone could not know that.” Kyungsoo teases but Chanyeol doesn’t rise to the bait, instead laying a kiss on Sehun’s cheek, to the exasperation of Kyungsoo and Jongin. Sehun giggles, actually giggles and covers his face with his hand. Kyungsoo is suddenly hyper aware of how close Jongin is to him, their thighs almost touching. He rearranges himself, so they can each have their own personal bubble, but it doesn’t really help. If anything, it makes him more aware. It also has the added issue of making Jongin aware, as well, and Kyungsoo squirms under his judgement.

Luckily, the food arrives soon after and Chanyeol is quick to turn on the grill in the middle of the table. Sehun, as the youngest, is teased into taking care of the food with his tongs and soon Kyungsoo is feeling a bit better. The haze of sleepiness and stress, fades into a ball that hovers at the back of his head.

“Do you watch ‘Nora Galaxy Space Girl’?” Sehun asks, out of the blue, feeding Chanyeol a scrap of meat.

“No, what’s that?” Jongin asks. As if Kyungsoo has time to watch anything on TV at the moment.

“It’s a cartoon. It’s technically for kids, but it’s really good.” Sehun enthuses.,“if you get time, you should try it out!”

“He’s obsessed.” Chanyeol stage whispers, hiding his face from his boyfriend, “he keeps trying to get me to watch it too.”

“Hey! You said you liked it when I made you watch the first five or six episodes, what gives?” Sehun scowls, poking at Chanyeol’s tummy.

“I do!” Chanyeol says, squawking. He must be ticklish, “I just think it’s cute that you like it so much! AH! Stop it!” He wrestles Sehun away from him and holds his hands, to stop him from tickling him more. Kyungsoo smiles at their antics. They’re so dynamic and playful, it’s hard to be annoyed with them; even when they go into couple mode.

"What's this show about?" Jongin asks, interrupting their playful spat. Sehun, caught up in Chanyeol's arms, responds.

"It's about a little girl who fights alien monsters that are made from different types of crystals in order to protect her home planet. It's better than it sounds, I promise."

"Why is it always children fighting these battles?" Kyungsoo squints. Where are their parents?

"I don't really know, probably because the target audience is children?" Sehun shrugs, tugging his hands away from Chanyeol, "let go , I need to turn the meat! I don't suppose it really matters, because some of the topics it deals with are pretty serious."

"Yeah, Sehun likes his ‘issues’." Chanyeol says, like he's letting them into some huge secret. Sehun looks away, a little flustered.

"We've noticed." Jongin teases, helping himself to some of the cooked meat on the grill in front of them.

"Yeah, well, they're important." Sehun scowls, aggressively snapping at a bit of meat with his tongs.

"We aren't saying they're not." Jongin says, shaking his head and holding his hands up, "it's just that not everyone has the same kind of dogged tenacity as you do. You're very passionate."

"Thanks? I guess?" Sehun busies himself flipping bits of meat and vegetables, ensuring they all get cooked perfectly;his cheeks are pink. Kyungsoo knows how that feels, there's just something about Jongin that cuts right through people, leaving them flustered and half in love. Or maybe that's just Kyungsoo.

“We know, baby, we’re just teasing.” Chanyeol says, kissing his cheek, which has Sehun flustering again. "All jokes aside, it is a good show, from what I've seen. I mean, if you do have a few spare minutes, the episodes aren't really that long. You could give it a shot? She has a giant purple snake friend, if that sweetens the deal." Chanyeol says, diffusing the tension.

"I'll think about it." Jongin says, promptly shoving as much food as he can get into his mouth. If anyone is likely to start something new, it would be Jongin. Kyungsoo wouldn't be surprised if Jongin tried it out as soon as they get home, in all honesty. Kyungsoo doesn't make any promises, knowing that he probably won't even remember this conversation when he next has any free time. Who even knows when that will even be? He's getting tired just thinking about it. Time to think of something else to talk about.

"How is your university life going?" Small talk. Great. He smiles anyway, pushing through the awkwardness by picking out some well cooked meat.

"Not as bad as it could be, I guess." Chanyeol answers, "I'm getting by. My final exams for the year are next month, so I'm juggling this internship and studying for those."

"That sounds tough." Jongin commiserates, "it working and studying at the same time, I understand what you're going through."

"Yeah, it's not the easiest thing in the world." He casts an anxious glance in Kyungsoo's direction, "on the plus side, my mum recently got a dog! He's a tiny poodle called Toben and he's adorable; let me show you a picture."

Kyungsoo has to admit that the little puppy is indeed, adorable and he even leans closer to get a better look. As Chanyeol starts elaborating on the stories his mum sends him, like how he destroys his mouse plushie, he finds himself zoning out a bit. He's eaten enough now to feel decently full and the alcohol they had is starting to kick in; leaving him fuzzy headed and relaxed. He stares out of the window, drifting off into a daydream.

It's nice and comfortable here, he feels less bad about relaxing. He had under-estimated just how much he needed this. His eyelids begin to feel heavy and he thinks he could probably drift off right here, his forehead leaning on the window, overlooking the masses running below.

Running? That doesn't seem normal. There isn't some marathon, or athletics event planned today, is there? He probably wouldn't have known about it, since he hasn't been keeping up with the news lately.

The building shakes and everyone freezes. Kyungsoo suddenly feels a hell of a lot more sober.

“What... was that?” Chanyeol asks, eyebrows drawn together. He and Jongin stand up, trying to get a better look at what's going on outside as well. More people are running and they can hear panicked shouting too.

"What's happening?" Jongin breathes, leaning over Kyungsoo to see.

"I'm not sure." Kyungsoo says, a chill running down his spine. Is this the moment they've been waiting for? The moment everyone knew was coming?

The door to the kitchen flings open and the waitress from earlier, followed by two kitchen staff, burst out. The older man is pulling on his coat and looks severely worried. He looks at them sharply, holding the waitress's wrist tightly; they look alike, maybe they're related.

"We've been ordered to get to shelter; a group of Hanjurians are attacking this area of the city." He says, already halfway out the door, "we're going to the subway station. You should come too."

The door closes behind them, leaving the four of them in frozen shock. It takes a moment for all of them to process what just happened. Chanyeol is the first to move; he grabs his boyfriend by the hand, making to leave, but Sehun pulls him back.

"Don't you think it's a bad idea to go out there?" He asks, face pale and lips trembling. Kyungsoo kind of agrees with him. Maybe it would be better to stay out of sight, in relative safety; they're high up above where the terrorists will be looking. Jongin looks over to him.

"I think we'd be safer underground, if the building collapses, we go down with it. They have those shelter signs for a reason, right?" He doesn't look sure about the shelters, but Chanyeol is determined to get them out of there.

"If we get there quickly, I think we'll be safe.” He says, "come on , we're running out of time." As if to prove Chanyeol's point the ground shakes again, more violently than before, as another explosion rocks the district. The light fittings sway unnervingly. They're getting closer. They need to get out of here; anywhere is better than here. Maybe if they go to the subway, they can get on a train, and go somewhere safer.

"Alright, let's go." Kyungsoo agrees, using Jongin's outstretched hand to get up. Sehun bites his lip, but doesn't try to fight the majority vote. The four of them thunder down the narrow staircase and burst out onto the street, immediately joining the growing throng of running people, all heading the same way. Mouth falling open in horror, Kyungsoo looks behind him. Smoke billows from above the skyline in various places. This attack is a larger scale than all the ones leading up to it. Or does it just seem smaller on TV?

Jongin tugs him along, fingers tightly wound around his so they don't get split up. Jongin's runs fast and Kyungsoo has to work hard in order to keep up at all. Kyungsoo's hands are clammy and if he loosens his death grip, Jongin might slip away from him. There are too many people here, he might not be able to find him again. He can't risk losing him in this chaos. He can see Chanyeol and Sehun's heads above everyone else's, able to move faster with their longer legs. Kyungsoo is holding Jongin back, but he won't let go.

The subway station is so packed that people are overflowing out of the stairwell, hoping that the plastic shelter above it will offer them some form of meager protection. Jongin pushes forwards and forces his way into the mess of scared people, just as another explosion, even louder, makes the ground rattle.

Two police officers, both carrying large guns, are directing the flow of human traffic, their weapons pointed at the ground. Kyungsoo and Jongin are bustled down the stairs and into the dim underground station; they lose sight of Chanyeol and Sehun in the confusion. Stomach twisting in knots, Kyungsoo evaluates the path the Hanjurians are taking. They are heading directly towards them, but whether that's their final destination, he has no idea. Is their goal to wreak havoc? Or are they gunning for something specific?

People shout and cling onto each other, complete strangers who they've never seen before. Jongin pulls Kyungsoo closer, wrapping his arms around him protectively. Kyungsoo burrows into the cavity of Jongin chest, terrified and grateful for the gesture. Next to them, a young girl is on the phone, almost in tears as she tells her parents what’s going on.

Is any help going to come? The police? The fire brigade? Government agents? There are sections that specifically train for this kind of emergency situation, but they live and train on the other side of the city.

Kyungsoo could, in theory, draw a spell that could protect at least a few people but he would need to know what they're up against in order to choose the right spell for the job. None of them know what is coming; if it’s anything like the previous attacks, it might be a group of people wielding offensive magic, or it could be people with heavy artillery. It could be both! It could even be something no one has seen before; the Hanjurians' magic department has reportedly been working on a new, far more powerful, type of magical weapon.

Over the clamour of panic, he hears a child crying.

He clenches his fists, gripping Jongin's sleeves tightly. He can help. This is his speciality, if there's anything he can do, it's create something to protect as many people as he can. He bites down hard on his lip, trying to stop himself from hyperventilating. He thinks back to the singed spell circle, still preserved in the museum today. He can do this.

He wriggles out of Jongin’s arms.

"Does anyone have paper and a pen? I need it!" He tries to shout, but his voice is drowned out. Jongin looks at him in alarm, the only one who heard him.

"Kyungsoo! What are you thinking?!"

"I can help!" He yells back, somebody shoving him from behind.

"It's too dangerous!" Jongin shakes his head, eyes wide. He reaches out, to grab Kyungsoo's shoulders and hold him there, but Kyungsoo backs away. Kyungsoo grits his teeth, feeling like he's about to throw up. He elbows through the people and forces his way to the front of the crowd. It's tough going; people don't want to get out of his way and they look at him like he's clearly insane to he fights his way to the front.

The street is eerily deserted. He feels far more exposed here.

The two police officers from before are joined by a couple of others who must have come running at their call. All of them are pointing their guns into the empty space around them. They will buy some time but judging by the sizes of the explosions, they're dealing with something that guns like theirs, no matter how big, won't be able to stand up to.

He shakes his head, he needs to focus. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he yells.

"I need a pen and some paper!" He looks into the eyes of the terrified citizens and can see that his words are barely registering. He tries again. "I can help, I promise. I just need a pen and some paper. Please ." Still nothing, but at least people have stilled a little. Someone a little ways back, calls out behind him asking the same thing. It ripples through the crowd, until people are passing him a sketchpad and a selection of fancy brush pens, probably from an artist's bag. He shouts his thanks, hoping that whoever this belongs to gets the message and immediately sinks to the floor, flipping it open to a clean page.

Hands shaking, he pick up one of the finer-tipped pens, knowing that he has very little space to work with and even less time. He's going to draw a basic, military grade barrier. It should protect from fire, bombs and bullets. A spell like this will take him about twelve minutes to draw, so he can't waste any more time.

He starts with a simple circle. His penmanship is slightly shaky, but not so much that it will be a detriment to how the spell functions. He hopes.

Everyone falls deathly quiet, as if not wanting to break Kyungsoo's concentration.

Someone else pushes through to the front of the crowd. Jongin joins him on the floor a moment later. He lays his hand on Kyungsoo's back, a silent support. Kyungsoo sends him a tight, but thankful, smile; he might need his magical stamina too.

The lines and symbols flow like water, as long as he ignores the outside pressure. He blocks out the noises, people whispering that they can see the attackers and only winces a little bit when the ground shakes again. Debris falling around them from the latest explosion.

The gunfire makes him jump.

They're getting so close, too close , oh god- He has to hurry or all these people will die . If he doesn’t hurry up, he’s going to die. He's over halfway now, he can make it, he can, if he just-

Another explosion. No more gunfire. Did they take out the policemen just like that? Kyungsoo can't stop the sob that breaks from his throat. His vision blurs, and he uses his sleeve to wipe away the moisture, hardly slowing down his drawin.

"Out of the way." Someone pushes to the front of the crowd. Kyungsoo recognises that voice, looking up for the briefest second and does a double take. White as a sheet, is Chanyeol standing between him and the smoke that hides whatever is coming their way. He has something in his hands, a balled up bit of fabric? It makes sense when he pulls it onto his hands, they’re gloves. A seal on the back of each hand, is that what he's been researching? It makes sense, seals can conduct on varying types of fabric.

"Kyungsoo, keep working on that spell. I'm going to buy you some time." Terrified, Kyungsoo opens his mouth to tell him not to be stupid, but Sehun's voice rips through the silence.

"What?" He yells, struggling to fight his way through the masses, "Chanyeol, no! Chanyeol wait, don't do this!" He screams, reaching through people who just won't get out of his way. Kyungsoo watches, gaping, unable to say anything. “No!”

"If Kyungsoo can finish that spell.... Jongin, don't let him get hurt, ok?" Chanyeol's hands are shaking as he takes his first few steps. Through the thick, black smoke, several figures can be seen approaching. Jongin looks stricken but he nods, fighting to hold back Sehun who finally pushes through the crowd.

Chanyeol closes his eyes, inhales deeply, and holds out his hands. As he steps forward, his hands catch fire, a roaring, orange glow that drips and trails from his fingertips.

Kyungsoo ducks his head down, trying to draw the spell as fast as possible without ing it up.

If he has to start again, they’re all done for.

Beside him, Jongin is restraining a hysterical Sehun, who is fighting against him and screaming desperately. More people are screaming now too, crying inconsolably. The loudest explosion yet, coupled with a white-blue flash of light has him clutching at his pen. Sehun screams again, flailing in Jongin's arms.

Only ten more symbols left. Kyungsoo can barely breathe, each inhale shaky and juddery. He fights to keep his penmanship smooth and legible, arching and swooping, curling and dotting.

Blue light filters into his vision, with a horrific zzap noise, followed by crumbling buildings. The ground rocks beneath him and he holds the pen away from the page so it doesn’t get ruined. The weapons they have must utilise lightning magic, an advanced type of fire.

Rounds of bullets ricochet off the walls of the buildings. The back-up must have arrived. How much good will they do? Will they buy any more time?

Five more symbols. His fingers are shaking and he isn’t sure that he’s going to make it in time.

Sehun is in tears and Jongin isn't faring any better. "Kyungsoo!" Jongin shouts, urging him to hurry. Kyungsoo's heart can't take this.

One last symbol and- he's finished. The spell is drawn and ready to cast.

He looks out to the street, where piles of rubble partially block his view. Chanyeol is laying on the ground, one of the Hanjurian fighters standing over him, pointing one of the huge guns in his face. Chanyeol's burning hands are locked around the barrel of the weapon. Several of others are aiming their weapons at police officers.

The other two Hanjurian's are advancing on Kyungsoo and the innocent civilians.

"No! No , no, no, no, Chanyeol !"

It happens so quickly. The gun explodes, sending the Hanjurian flying backwards, hitting the window of a shopfront and destroying it. Chanyeol is consumed in a cloud of fiery black smoke. Kyungsoo's stomach drops.

No. This isn’t real. No, no no.

Sehun let's out a bloodcurdling shriek. He fights Jongin's hold, kicking wildly and almost breaking free.

"Kyungsoo, cast it!" Jongin yells, "you have to do it, now !" Breathing shallow, Kyungsoo places his hands over the circle and let's his magic flow through him. He can feel the inexplicable rightness of a working spell, a circle that puts up no resistance, that functions perfectly. After so long pouring magic into failed spells, this feels so right .

When he looks up, they're protected. The barrier itself is barely visible, just a slight shimmer, like hot air above a fire. The dome shape arches over all of them, leaving at least ten feet between them and the threat of the Hanjurian fighters. The police are still on the outside and so is Chanyeol. More tears prick at Kyungsoo’s eyes.

Someone cheers and another, until everyone is applauding, or shouting. Kyungsoo looks up, heart swelling with emotion and tears rolling over his cheeks. He wants to wipe his face but he’s afraid if he lets go of the spell then it will break.

Jongin releases Sehun, who charges over to the barrier, pounding his fists against it. Placing his hands on the spell too, Jongin adds another source for the magic to stem from.

He looks to the side, seeing that the Hanjurian fighters have lowered their weapons. This barrier might not hold up to a lightning attack as strong as theirs, but they don't know the strength of this, anyway. They seem to know they've been thwarted, falling back to regroup. One of them, possibly the leader, is gesticulating wildly. Another is carrying their injured member over his shoulder. The sound of a helicopter makes them look up, two figures lean out of the vehicle, one of them aiming a blast of lightening of their own. The strike tears up some of the concrete, sending the Hanjurians to their knees. Those who recognise the helicopter, shout with relief; it’s theirs. Kyungsoo squints to see properly. Those under the bubble, that can see what's going on, are relaying the story to the people stuck underground, who are probably terrified.

Before the Hanjurians can recover, another lightning strike hits them. They're losing quickly and they know it. They drop the unconscious the body and pick up their weapons, aiming upwards, but they don't even get the chance to shoot as another lightning strike sends them flying. Kyungsoo wants to cover his eyes from the brightness.

The Hanjurians start to move, retreating back the way they came. Kyungsoo has no idea where they're headed, but suddenly he is afraid for whoever might fall in their path. The ruined street is littered with bodies, all of them police, except one.

Sehun is still sobbing, staring out at Chanyeol's prone body. They have no idea whether he's still alive, but it doesn’t look good.

He keeps the spell going until he's sure the Hanjurians have left and the moment he lets it drop, Sehun is sprinting to Chanyeol.

People start to file out of the subway station, chattering nervously. No-one is smiling though, especially when they enter out onto level ground and see the damage. People gasp at the sight of all the bodies. Kyungsoo doesn't know what to feel anymore, but there are tears pouring from his eyes anyway.

Jongin takes Kyungsoo's hand, leading him over the damaged terrain towards where Chanyeol is lying. He doesn't look promising. The explosion from the backfired gun has badly burnt his body and face, and if he is still alive, then he’s probably unconscious from the pain.

Paramedics are filtering into the area, attending to all the fallen bodies, searching for victims that are still breathing.

Sehun places two trembling fingers against Chanyeol's neck, pleading under his breath for him to open his eyes. Kyungsoo holds his breath while they wait. Chanyeol can't be dead, he was so full of life. He just can't be gone. His eyes are deceiving him, they have to be.

Gasping brokenly, Sehun slumps over Chanyeol's body sobbing and Kyungsoo assumes the worst. Tears pour over his cheeks and his heart twists in his chest.

"Chanyeol." He whispers, laying his hand on his arm. His hand tightens around Jongin’s and Jongin pulls him into his side. Sehun starts laughing.

"He's not dead." He manages to get out, between relieved sobs, "he's alive. He's alive ." He smiles, tears cascading down his face. Jongin lets go of Kyungsoo, standing to call medical help over. "You big, dumb, idiot." He sniffles, wiping his face.

Paramedics rush over, sweeping Chanyeol's body onto a stretcher and carrying him away. Sehun follows into the ambulance, not letting go of Chanyeol's hand.

Kyungsoo feels faint and leans bodily into Jongin. The adrenaline must be wearing off.

"You did a good job." He whispers, his hair, "you saved a lot of people." A lot, Kyungsoo agrees, but not all of them. He could have saved all of them, if he had finished that damn spell in time. Then none of this would have even happened. Kyungsoo closes his eyes and lets his head rest on Jongin's shoulder. He's so tired.

The pair of them get checked over by medics as well, but there's nothing physically wrong with them, so they’re released without fuss.

 

Jongin doesn't let go of him for a moment. Not when journalists are trying to ask them questions, not when they're taken to the police station to get their official statements and not when they're in a police car together, being taken home. Not that Kyungsoo wants him to; in fact, when Jongin makes to move away and give him space, Kyungsoo follows him.

 

Kyungsoo's hands are still shaking when he tries to unlock the door to his apartment. He manages to turn the key with help from Jongin's steady hand. How is he so calm after everything they've been through today? Kyungsoo doesn't think he'll be able to sleep tonight, despite being more tired than he's felt in forever.

He saw at least fifteen people die , today. He's glad one of them wasn't Chanyeol, though. Or Jongin. He looks up at the other man and sees how tight his eyes are. Maybe he's just better at hiding his feelings than Kyungsoo is.

"Do you want some tea?" Jongin asks softly, already toeing off his shoes, "I'm going to make myself a hot chocolate. I think we could do with a hot drink don't you?" He half laughs, no real humour behind it. Kyungsoo nods, aimlessly wandering over to the sofa and curling up in the corner there.

"I'd switch on the TV, but it's only going to be coverage of today." Jongin says, quietly. Kyungsoo snorts. He wonders if his actions today will grant him his fifteen minutes of fame. He doesn't want it.

The kettle boils and Kyungsoo can hear Jongin pouring it into each mug. A minute later, Jongin brings him a drink, to which Kyungsoo takes it gratefully. Joining him on the sofa, Jongin sits close to him. Normally, Kyungsoo would be uncomfortable and shimmy away, but today he needs the reminder that he's not alone. He exhales deeply, chest shuddering.

"I hope Chanyeol is going to be ok."

"He'll be alright. The kid is tough and the doctors said his condition is stable. Don't worry about him."

"Yeah, but you saw his face. He's going to be in so much pain." Kyungsoo laments, picturing him hooked up to all the hospital equipment. They were only allowed in there for a few minutes, but the memory is burned in his brain. He had to be operated on, to get some of the shrapnel from the gun out of his body.

"I did. He's going to have a rough time." Jongin concedes, "c'mere." He throws an arm over Kyungsoo's shoulders, surrounding him with warmth. Kyungsoo shrivels up, allowing himself to be coddled while he can. Tomorrow he's going to be straight back to work, though. The spell won't figure itself out, after all.

"Kyungsoo, I can feel you over-thinking. Stop it." Jongin scolds, "drink your old man tea, and try to relax."

"Easier said than done." Kyungsoo mumbles into his hot drink, blowing on it to cool it down a little. He’ll let the old man comment slide

"I can think of a few ways I could distract you." Jongin teases. If he means what Kyungsoo thinks he means- Kyungsoo's cheeks burn, and he glares up at Jongin balefully.

" Not the time."

"Sorry, sorry." Jongin laughs. The movement jostles Kyungsoo, and he almost spills his drink, which gives Kyungsoo more cause to be petulant. "I'm just happy to have you in my arms, whatever the reason."

"I-I thought you said you weren't going to push me?" Kyungsoo stammers, "this counts as pushing." Kyungsoo stutters. Why is he saying this? Is he trying to confuse him even more? How can he be , or whatever, after everything that's happened today? Kyungsoo is so exhausted that he wouldn't be able to do anything like that even if he wanted to.

"Do you ever think about that night?" Jongin asks, eyes b with startling intensity. Kyungsoo looks away, and doesn't respond. This is bad timing, so bad, this is very bad. The answer is; yes. All the time. But if he says that, things will change, and Kyungsoo is scared.

He makes to get up, to retreat to his bedroom, where it's safe and there's no Jongin trying to get him to admit to feelings he doesn't have time for.

"Hey, hey-!" Jongin grabs onto him, and doesn't let him leave. "I'm just kidding. I was trying to distract you- I guess it worked a little too well, huh?" He scratches the back of his head, as Kyungsoo sits back down, slowly.

“Are you really ok?” Kyungsoo asks, “you seem to be fine with everything, but are you really?”

“Honestly? No. Today was terrifying. Seeing Chanyeol go down like that was-” his voice catches, and his hand clenches around his thigh, “it was awful.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Kyungsoo, stop it. It’s not your fault.”

“Ok. I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?” Kyungsoo asks, realising a beat too late that he could ask for anything.

“No, not really. Just- just stay here? For a bit longer.” He whispers, leaning into Kyungsoo’s side. Glad that he doesn’t want more than that right now, Kyungsoo reels him in closer, one arm behind him. Jongin has probably had it rougher than Kyungsoo today. He had to hold back his friend while his other friend walked out into the middle of a battlefield. Kyungsoo absently Jongin’s arm.

"Do you think your parents are worried?" Kyungsoo asks, thinking of his mother. She had warned him to come home if he felt like he was in danger. Well, he still feels shaken up, but he doesn't want to go home. He's expecting a worried call from her any minute now, and he's actually surprised that she hasn't rung him yet. She must have heard the news by now. Oh well, if she hasn't now, she will by tomorrow, when Kyungsoo's face will show up on the news station. He winces.

"Yeah. I sent my dad a text earlier, telling him that I'm alright."

"Oh." If either of Kyungsoo's parents were any good with technology, he would have done the same, but both of them can barely even switch on a phone. Even their landline is so old fashioned that it's been discontinued.

"Yeah. I don't think they'll send anyone to drag me back there. Nothing to worry about."

"That's good." Kyungsoo nods, sipping his jasmine tea. It's soothing as it settles in his belly, warming him from the inside.

Jongin inhales deeply, Kyungsoo can feel his rib-cage expand.

"I want to ask a favour of you, Kyungsoo." He says quietly. Suspicious, Kyungsoo narrows his eyes at him. Jongin's ears barely even twitch.

"What is it?"

"I want you to let me in. I don't want you to feel like you still have to take everything on by yourself. Can you tell me what you're working on, in your room every night? I know it’s related to the spell. I mean, that's why you hired me, right? To help? I can't do that if you don't let me."

"I..." Kyungsoo frowns. He’s right. “Yes. I don’t think you’re going to be blown away by my progress, though.”

"It's worth a try, right?" Jongin says, slurping his hot chocolate noisily.

"I guess so."

"Who knows, maybe as you're explaining it to me out loud, you'll be hit with a sudden wave of inspiration." He mimes a shock wave with his hands.

"It's worth a try." Kyungsoo nods, parroting Jongin's earlier phrase. "I'll go through it at work with you tomorrow."

"Good plan. I don't know about you, but I am about to sleep where I sit."

"Me too." Kyungsoo says, feeling the tiredness pulling at his eyelids. He still questions whether he'll be able to sleep tonight, after everything he's seen, but he does feel calmer now. His hands have stopped shaking, and he feels more zen. Being so near to Jongin is definitely helping. If it wouldn’t make things weird, Kyungsoo would ask to sleep next to him tonight.

"Once we've finished our drinks, we can get ready for bed." Jongin says, settling in. Kyungsoo doesn't know if he'll be able to get up at all in a few minutes. It's like he's suddenly hit a wall, where his energy reserves have simply dried up. He's so tired he can barely even move. It's taking him concentrated effort to lift his mug to his lips now.

He can feel himself nodding off, eyes drifting closed.

"Whoa." Jongin takes his mug from him, before he drops it, and places it on the floor.

"Time to get you to bed, I think. C'mere." He lifts Kyungsoo off the sofa. Zombie-like, Kyungsoo walks with him to his bedroom, where Jongin assists him in undressing, until he's only wearing his boxers. He knows he should be bothered by Jongin seeing him like this again, but he doesn't have the energy to care right now.

The last thing he remembers is Jongin laying him in his bed, and pulling the covers up over him.