--~~--

20

Joonmyun did his best to explain everything as they made their way into the coastal city.  They’d moved as Spirits do, keeping to rivers and strips of wooded forest, making it to the city’s outskirts by nightfall.  As they’d drawn closer, buildings had begun cropping up like fungi on a log.  Here, there.  Suddenly more all at once.  Kyungsoo’s senses were going haywire.   

“When I first arrived to help Minseok, this city was hardly more than a fishing village,” Joonmyun informed him.  “But the population began to grow and so did the demand for trade and goods.  Pretty soon it became a big trading port.”

Kyungsoo was listening, but he grew very still as a sudden wailing sound blasted through the forest.  An inhuman wailing that climbed up and down in a haunting pitch.

“What is that?” he hissed, crouching low to the ground and clamping his hands over his ears as the lonesome sound drew closer.  It almost sounded like the distorted howl of a wolf.

Joonmyun gripped his shoulder and pulled him up.  “It’s fine.  Just an emergency vehicle.  Look over there.  See that thing moving?  The Humans call it a firetruck.”

Kyungsoo blinked owlishly as bright red pulses of light flashed through the trees and the sound blared through his brain.

“It makes that sound to warn the Humans to get out its way so it can get to the emergency faster,” the Water Spirit yelled.

The two males held their place on the fringe of the forest and city, waiting for the final sounds of the machine to disappear from hearing.  

“I hate it,” Kyungsoo said bluntly, thinking of his quiet forest, the gentle dance of shadow and sunlight on lonesome branches.  The Earth Spirit sighed and glanced to his side, allowing his awareness with the Earth to sink down and spread out a bit.  “There’s a large dwelling very close,” he murmured.  “Can we stay there for the night?”

“It’s probably old industrial warehouse,” Joonmyun said, gaze still fixed in the direction the firetruck had gone.  “We should be able to stay for a bit.”

Kyungsoo began to walk, following the invisible path that the Earth and trees were communicating back to him.  “What’s a warehouse?”  

“A place where the Humans began mass producing all kinds of machines and goods.  A lot of them are right on the oceanfront.”  Joonmyun gestured toward the large metal building that rose before them.  Its high windows were dark, doors left agape like a weird, open mouth.  “A lot of the waste products from whatever they were making began to go straight into the ocean…”

Kyungsoo hummed low in his throat.  He could feel the sour Energy from this place settling within him like a dull stomach ache.  “And the sea animals began to die?”

Joonmyun’s mouth was fixed in a tight line, as he stared at the rusted biulding.  “A lot more than just the sea animals began to die.”

Minseok…

“I changed my mind,”  Kyungsoo muttered, feeling that dark Energy curl inside of him like the delicate tendril of a creeping vine.  “Let’s keep moving.”

They left the warehouse, its doors wide open, mouth screaming into the night with no one to hear it.

—~~—

This new world that the Humans had created was nothing like Kyungsoo had imagined it would be.  He honestly wanted to hate everything about it, but as they drew deeper into the city, he found himself reluctantly…charmed.

Maybe it was just something about this particular coastal city.

Maybe it was the lights at night, which were bright and glowing, reflecting all different colors, almost like pink and blue and green, neon stars that seemed to flicker within his reach.  Musical sounds began to overlap with the din of machinery and people walking.  Beautiful sounds created by Human instruments.  They made him want to match the chords with his own voice.  

There were smells in this city.  Some good, some bad, and overarching everything the unmistakeable salty scent of the ocean.

Kyungsoo had always pictured lots of rust and metal, a hazy colorless sky, a grey ocean, and so many Humans in one place that you could barely move.  

And maybe some of that was true.  There was a lot of metal.  

Tall metal buildings that seemed to expand upward, higher than the tallest tree Kyungsoo had ever climbed.  Those fast moving metal things called “cars”, transporting Humans back and forth faster than Kyungsoo could follow with his eyes.  Weird metal signs, sticking straight up out of the earth like deformed angular plants, and covered in reflective symbols and words.

A lot of metal.

But maybe more Humans.  There were Humans moving around everywhere.  Busy, busy, busy.

Maybe there was a lot that needed to be done when you had only a mortal lifespan to do it in.

“How will you find him?”

They were standing in a fountain (Joonmyun needed the Energy), in the middle of a busy town square, and Kyungsoo had just been questioning the same thing.  There were so many people going in and out of Kyungsoo’s line of sight, he could barely keep track.   So many Humans, and yet, not a single one turned to stare in curiosity at the two males standing in the frigidly cold water.  Not a single one that could even tell they existed.  

“I think I have an idea,” Kyungsoo muttered. 

The trees that dotted the city were no trees of the Wilds, but they were still plants of the Earth, and Kyungsoo still shared a bond with them.  He stepped out of the fountain and made his way toward one of the spindly little trees that stood close by.  The tree reached out to him, humming in greeting.  He closed his eyes and stood close, digging his toes into the small square of soil the roots were allowed.  

Have you seen him?  Kyungsoo conjured a picture of Jongin in his mind, an image similar to the one he’d looked at for the past year, Jongin smiling, all bright, happy energy.  Is he here?  

The message spread downward, hit the little tree’s roots and passed on to the next tree and the next, spreading like wildfire from one plant to the next.  Kyungsoo closed his eyes and tried to provide different images of Jongin just in case.  He’d studied the Human from afar so many times, had secretly wondered at every minute shift in the younger male’s expression, every crinkle in his brow— 

Here.

Kyungsoo’s eyes shot open.  He’s here?

Close by.

And an invisible hook began to tug in his gut, the plants and Earth guiding him to where he needed to go.  

Thank you!  He pressed his hand against the bark of the tree and let a bit of his Energy flow into the plant, a fair trade for the information.  

And then he was running, bare feet hitting the cold concrete and Joonmyun calling after him.  

“Where are you going!?”

He didn’t have time to answer.  Kyungsoo ran, turning corner after corner, weaving through people who stared through him like he didn’t exist.  In his haste, he clipped a girl’s shoulder, and she jerked from the collision, her eyes wide as she stared around in confusion.  

Kyungsoo didn’t stop.

Every instinct in his body was pulling him in one direction, guiding him on and on and on, deeper into the heart of the city.  There were people everywhere, bundled up, walking in groups, walking alone, every face different and not the one Kyungsoo was looking for.  He kept going, going, keep going, the Earth urged…and then, all at once, like a tender leaf that had been collecting water and could no longer stand the weight, that feeling within him expanded and burst. 

Here.

Kyungsoo froze in place, taking in his surroundings.  

His gaze whipped back and forth, trying to catch sight of that familiar figure, that familiar brown hair. Kyungsoo was standing just outside of a small, vine-covered building, wedged between other quaint little structures and shops.  There were little tables settled outside, mostly empty with the cold weather, but still occupied by a the few brave.  None of them were Jongin.  

Kyungsoo approached the building, studied the purposely trimmed ivy, and read the large headboard settled above the doorway.  “HumaniTree?”  The board went on to explain something about hot drinks and vegan food, and Kyungsoo wasn’t really sure what it even meant, but he knew this is where he was supposed to be.  

He glanced through the window. 

And almost didn’t recognize him.

Jongin.

The Earth Spirit drew closer to the glass, stared inward without blinking.  Jongin was settled on a chair, his side profile exposed to the window, staring at some weird, bright contraption with a look of utter boredom.  Jongin’s shoulders had gotten broader, his dark brown hair cut in some short Human hairstyle.  His jawline had lost its boyish curve and his cheekbones stood in sharp relief.  

He was no longer the Human boy of Kyungsoo memories.  Hardly a year and half had passed since he’d last seen Jongin, but it felt like it had been a whole lifetime.   

Jongin shifted, stretched his arms above his head, and Kyungsoo’s heart accelerated.

The Human was so close.  Just beyond one thin pane of glass.  

It didn’t feel real.  

Kyungsoo was snapped out of his musings as Jongin began to pack away his things, that bright contraption folding shut with a faint click and a book on the table being packed into a bag.  Kyungsoo just watched, wondering what he should do, how he should approach him after all this time.  

Maybe Jongin wouldn’t even want to talk to him.  Maybe he’d scream, and shout, and tell him to go back to where he came from.  Or maybe he’d be happy?  Smile at Kyungsoo in secret excitement, like he used to do when he came back to the Wilds after a long winter break, and then everything would be okay—

The door creaked and slammed, and then Jongin was outside, not quite facing in Kyungsoo’s direction, staring up at the darkening sky.  The Earth Spirit held completely still, the calm before the storm.  Jongin turned to face him, and Kyungsoo didn’t know what to do.

Everything within his existence narrowed down to this very moment.  

Jongin was staring back at him, eyebrows furrowed, still standing in the doorway and not saying anything.

And then Jongin shook his head and began to walk in Kyungsoo’s direction, his face expressionless, hands shoved in the pockets of his large coat.  Kyungsoo held his breath as Jongin drew closer and closer.

The Earth Spirit opened his mouth, wanting to say something to break the deafening silence that seemed to stretch between them.

Closer, closer.

And then Jongin was there, so close that Kyungsoo could reach out and touch—  

Kyungsoo blinked.  Stared at the empty space in front of him.  Blinked again.

No.

The Earth Spirit whipped around, eyes wide, his mind trying to catch up with what had just happened.

Jongin continued to walk down the street.  But there had been no stop in his stride, no change in his expression, no greeting or gasp of surprise.

Absolutely no sign that he’d even noticed Kyungsoo standing there.

He’d walked right past him.  

No. 

Throughout the centuries, Kyungsoo had experienced this moment with many Humans.  The blank stare, the lack of acknowledgement, the impenetrable isolation that came with being a ‘non-existent’ entity. 

No, please, no.

But not with Jongin.  Never with Jongin.  Jongin was different from all the others.  

“Jongin!”  The Earth Spirit called out, voice ragged as he fought against the knot that had begun building in his throat.  “Jongin, wait!”

The Human kept walking.  

—~~—

Jongin didn't know where he was going, only that it was his birthday (his 20th), and he didn't really want to be around anyone.  

His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out, noting the excited messages from his friends.   

Happy birthday! 

Have fun tonight!  But don't forget that quiz tomorrow....

Jongin snorted.  He’d been studying for the quiz all afternoon.  Had even made a good head-start on one of his papers that was due next week.

Anything to keep himself busy.  To keep himself from spiraling into thoughts of how lonely he was.   Of how no matter what he did, where he went, or who he was with, thoughts of a certain dark-eyed male flashed through his mind.  

Kyungsoo was always there, it seemed.  Mocking him, telling him how Human and worthless he was.

Jongin stood from his table in the little shop and stepped outside into the fresh air.  He glanced at the sky, wondering if it was going to snow.  It was cold enough.  Jongin brought his gaze down and turned to walk toward his apartment.

He was only slightly surprised to see the figure by the window.  

Great...

Jongin's mind always did get particularly mean when he was feeling low.  It'd been awhile since he'd actually conjured up an vision of Kyungsoo though.

Jongin clenched his jaw and kept moving, gaze shifting to stare just to the side of the spectral vision of Kyungsoo who regarded him from beside the window.  

It wasn't until he stepped past the shorter male that he found he could breathe again. 

"Jongin!"

He kept moving, kept his expression carefully blank.  Kyungsoo’s voice echoed along the street, travelled across Jongin's skin, leaving a familiar wave of goosebumps in its wake. 

Don't stop.  It's not real, you know that. 

"Jongin, wait!”

There was the patter of feet, the sound of pursuit, and then Kyungsoo was in front of him again, still speaking.  

"You can't see me?  You can't hear me either?"

Jongin felt his heart-rate speed, his jacket suddenly a bit too warm.  

This had never happened before.  

These words, that expression.  Those weren't the ones that Kyungsoo usually greeted him with in his imaginings.

Jongin drew to a stop and glanced around, took note of the people who were approaching from the other end of the sidewalk, a small crowd of guys, probably out having a good time.  Across the street a bar pumped out warm light and heavy music.  This was real.  Everything around him.

Not the person that was staring so intently right in front of him.

Jongin shook his head, refusing to meet Kyungsoo's eyes.  He changed directions, and crossed the street, hoping the loud music would chase the vision away.

But just as he made it to the other sidewalk, there was a yank and pull against his backpack.  Jongin pedaled backwards, and then suddenly one of his hand’s was being jerked from it's place in his pocket, fingers exposed to the cold air.  He turned to stare, and found himself face to face with someone who looked entirely too real to be just a figment of his imagination.  

"Jongin, look at me." 

He closed his eyes.

"I know you can see me," Kyungsoo's voice was low, but hard as steel.  Lined with a certain desperation.  "I know who you are, and you are not like the rest of them."

Jongin didn't really understand what that meant, but he did know that people were probably staring at him like he was crazy.  To everyone around, he was just standing outside the bar, eyes closed, one hand outside of his pocket.  

"Jongin.  Listen to me.  I was wrong.  I was wrong and I will never forgive myself for the way I treated you. The words I spoke to you, the things I said, I wish I could take them all back.” 

Jongin's breath stuttered as he gasped.  He opened his eyes, but kept them lowered, stared down at Kyungsoo's bare feet.  

"You are the best person I have ever met, Human or Spirit, and despite all of my flaws, you still kept coming back to see me.  I spent so many years, absolutely convinced that Humans were all the same, but you showed me differently.”

Jongin took a risk and raised his eyes, found Kyungsoo staring back at him, expression softened by the sincerity of his words. 

"You are Jongin, and you will never be anyone else, and there is nothing in this world that can change that.  And you should be proud."

There was a weird emotion brewing in Jongin's chest.  A strange pressure.  He still had yet to say a word.

For more than a year now, he'd imagined everything he would say if he could see Kyungsoo again.  He thought maybe he'd yell at him, let some of this pressure in his chest explode outward.  Or maybe he'd just ignore him altogether, and allow some of that pressure within his body to fold inward.  He would self-destruct if it meant that he had the satisfaction of making Kyungsoo feel unwanted.  

But those had all been feelings that had swirled and bubbled soon after he had left the clearing on that fateful summer day.  Some of that anger had simply simmered down into a hot sensation of sadness.  

He missed Kyungsoo.  He missed him so incredibly much.  But he wouldn't go back to a person that didn't want him.  

Not even to check on him.  Not even for closure. 

So all those imaginings, all those visions of Kyungsoo that he saw and ignored from time to time, he folded back within himself, so that it could boil and simmer and add to the dangerous concoction that stirred in his chest.  

But the pressure.  Was so much.    

And now having Kyungsoo seemingly in front of him, stating words of regret.  Telling Jongin that he should be proud of who he was, and that he should never change?

that—

Jongin punched him.  

Kyungsoo fell to the ground with a sound of pained surprise, and that pressure in Jongin finally exploded.  

"You don't get to--,"  Jongin stopped, had to clear his throat, stop the trembling of his fist.  "You don't have the right to come here and tell me that."  

He was breathing so hard, adrenaline pumping through his system.  Kyungsoo stared up at him with wide eyes, hand against his reddening cheek.

"Do you know how hard it's been for me?  To reach out and make friends?  To trust that people genuinely like me, even when they tell me they do?" 

Jongin began to pace, uncaring of what he looked like to the public anymore.  Maybe he'd officially gone crazy.  It was about time anyways.

"You hurt me so badly, and now you're just going to show up out of nowhere and apologize?  Tell me you were wrong?"

Kyungsoo was pulling himself up now, eyes still fixed on Jongin.  "I deserved that."

"How did you even find me?  I thought you couldn't leave the forest..."

"I thought I couldn't either, but I was wrong."

Jongin stared. 

"So you left the Wilds, came here to apologize, and now what, Kyungsoo?"

"And now we need your help."

Jongin jumped at the approach of the figure from across the street.  He glanced back and forth between this new person and Kyungsoo, brow furrowed as the person glanced at Kyungsoo’s cheek with interest.  "Wait--are you… able to see him?"

The male nodded, stepping forward to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Kyungsoo.  "Of course Spirits can see each other."

A pair of girls stepped out of the bar, glancing at Jongin in interest before moving down to the next establishment.  They didn't spare a glance at the barefooted men standing together a few feet away.  

Oh no.  "Why am I the only one that can see you two?"

He could feel his panic rising.  It was one thing for him to think he was the only one that could see Kyungsoo...it was an entirely different story for him to actually know that was the case.

"Jongin,"  Kyungsoo started, voice low and soothing,  "I know you probably hate me right now.  But something very bad is about to happen, and you may be the only person that can stop it."

Jongin just wanted to go to bed.  "What are you saying?"

"We need your help."

--~~--

They took him to the ocean.  

Joonmyun did most of the talking on the way, introducing himself as a Water Spirit, and then quickly explaining the state of the situation with Minseok, how a Spirit could go into a sort of dark frenzy and lose themselves in a path to destruction.  Kyungsoo knew the feeling all too well.  Felt like he’d been dangling on that precipice for centuries now, but kept getting pulled back.  

“He’s a Spirit of the Ocean.  Minseok controls the tides and the currents of the water, and basically depends on the good energy of the sea life to do so.”  The three of them were standing at the edge of a seawall on the west side of campus, staring out over the ocean as Joonmyun spoke.  The sun was just a sliver of orange on the horizon, glinting off the waves in a mesmerizing pattern as it sank into the ocean.  “But lately that cycle has been disrupted a bit thanks to the Humans.”

Jongin winced, shoulders drooping a bit, and Kyungsoo turned to him.  "But we think you might be able to save him."

"I don't understand how?"

Kyungsoo watched Jongin closely, felt a distinct feeling of pride  in the way he absorbed all of this information.  His face was drained of color, his fists clenched around the straps of his backpack, but he was here, and he was listening.  

The sunlight was gone now, the twilight blue of the sky quickly turning to black, the ocean wide and loud as the waves rammed against the seawall.  Kyungsoo could sense Minseok's anger with every hiss of every wave.

"You can do more than just see the Spirits, Jongin.  You can control them."

"Control them?"

"You are what we used to refer to as a Human Shaman.  A Human that can harness the magic of the Wilds.  The magic within us."

"But...," his eyes met Kyungsoo's, expression worried.  "What if I don't want to do that?"

Kyungsoo's gazed slipped back toward the city.  Toward the light, and sounds, and people.  "These people will die if Minseok loses control of himself, Jongin."

Jongin let out a heavy sigh, staring down at his hands, curling his fingers in and out of his palm, deep in thought. 

"Do I have to…. kill Minseok?"

Kyungsoo didn't know the answer to that.  Joonmyun didn’t respond either.

The Human sighed.  "I can't believe this is even happening."

“You can’t kill a Spirit, Jongin.  He will just cease to exist in his current form.  But pick something to Bind his energy to,"  Kyungsoo finally answered.  "And he will remain here, no matter what.”

The Human just sighed and stared back down at his hands.  Open, close, open, close.  Kyungsoo wanted to fold them within his own, tell Jongin it would be okay.  But he didn't think Jongin would let him do that.  

And he truly didn't know if everything would be okay.

"How much time do we have?” Jongin finally questioned.

“Time is up.” Joonmyun responded, eyes glowing blue as he focused on the surrounding energy within the waters.  “Minseok is on his way.”  A breeze whipped through the air, coming off the ocean with a stinging malice.  “Luhan is coming too.  He must be trying to stave him off.”

And Kyungsoo could feel their approach like the swell of a tidal wave.  His brethren, his brothers, his fellow Spirits.  They were moving fast, as only Spirits could.  

“How do I do it?  W-what do I do?"

Kyungsoo and Joonmyun’s eyes met over Jongin.  They stared at each other, at a loss. 

"Whatever feels right,” Joonmyun urged.  “Kyungsoo, you would know more about this than me.” The Water Spirit stepped away, moving toward a nearby boardwalk and providing he and Jongin a moment alone.  

Kyungsoo could see the growing horror on Jongin’s face, could already sense his thoughts of What if I fail?  What if all these people die?  What if it’s my fault?

“Jongin.”  Kyungsoo settled his hands on the Human’s shoulders and stared into his eyes.  “No matter what happens, you are not alone.”

Jongin looked as though he were barely registering his words, already lost in the spiral of his own mind.  Kyungsoo studied him, and then pulled him close in a hard embrace.  Jongin’s breath whooshed out in a surprised exhale.  

“You can do this,” Kyungsoo whispered into his ear.  Jongin was so warm, so solid, and still in his arms.  Kyungsoo felt his heart quiver and give like a sapling unfurling to the sun.  Maybe, in some way, Jongin had unknowingly been using his powers to help Kyungsoo this entire time.  “You saved me, Jongin.”  The Earth Spirit pulled back to stare into the Human’s eyes.  “…You can save Minseok too.”

Jongin’s expression changed, and Kyungsoo caught a glimpse of the boy he knew, kind, determined, pressing good energy into the world—  

“Kyungsoo!  Kyungsoo!  Jongin! Get ready.  They’re here.”

And then the moment snapped, and Jongin was shuttered once again, pushing away from Kyungsoo and shaking his head.  He ignored Kyungsoo and Joonmyun’s presence and turned to face the ocean.

—~~—

Jongin barely noticed as Kyungsoo and Joonmyun positioned themselves just behind him.  Kyungsoo’s words were bouncing through his mind like a persistent echo, but he didn’t have time to focus on that right now.

You saved me, Jongin.

He blinked hard and dampened the words, zoning in on the task at hand.  Except… he really didn’t know what he was supposed to be doing.  He was supposed to be Binding a Spirit to an object.  But what did that even mean?  How was supposed to do that?

He was just a student.  A college student who had a quiz tomorrow and an essay due next week.  A basic Human, with basic needs, and an unrequited love for a Spirit of the Wilds, who only he could see.

Jongin wasn’t a Shaman. 

But even as that thought crossed his mind, something within him revolted in defiance.  Jongin clutched his chest and stared out at the night ocean, the spray whipping against his face, wet and stinging.  His hair was stiff with salt.

Minseok is coming.  

Some secret instinct within him whispered that the Ocean Spirit was close by.  And here Jongin was, standing at the edge of a darkened seawall, stuck between the vast darkness of the ocean and the bright spark of the city.  A thin divide between a fragile Human town and the wild threat of the ocean.  

No matter what happens, you are not alone.

But he felt utterly isolated.

There was nothing he could do now, but wait. 

The wind whipped, the ocean waves seethed, the darkness settled, and Jongin’s skin prickled in warning.  There were two figures standing in the shallows below, city lights revealing the bold colors of their eyes as they stared upward.

Jongin exhaled, knowing exactly which one was Minseok. 

There was a cold disregard in the shorter male's eyes. The same casual hate that had reflected from Kyungsoo's gaze in those early days of Jongin’s visits to the forest.  

Human, is what that look said.  Worthless Human. 

Maybe it was because Jongin had only really been around one Spirit, but with this many of them gathered, he suddenly found it very apparent that they were all different...in an Otherworldly sort of way.  

The presence of each Spirit was almost something tangible to Jongin.  Behind him, Kyungsoo was a solid and familiar presence, Joonmyun something wary and flickering.  The Spirit named Luhan had a presence that seemed overwhelming, everywhere at once, like an insistent breeze.

And Minseok.

His presence, his Energy.  It was like a deep ocean current, twisting and fast-moving beneath a dark surface.  Absolutely volatile. 

"You guys can not stop me,”  the Ocean Spirit called up to them.  “You must know that, so why are you here?“

"Minseok, please don't do this," Joonmyun asked, voice carefully even. 

Jongin held perfectly still, not daring to move a muscle.  He could sense Luhan’s gaze cutting into him, eyeing him appraisingly. 

“I can’t stop it, Joonmyun.  It’s too late for me now.”      

Something was building in the air.  Every hair on Jongin’s body pricking to attention, that same sort of sensation he had gotten when he had first encountered Kyungsoo and could feel him watching from the trees.  

Now that feeling within him pressed and grew, spreading through his veins like a warm injection.   

Maybe something within him had always known what he really was.  Jongin had never fit in with the people around him.  He’d always been a little different.

Maybe it was time for him to accept that part of himself. 

There was a pounding in his veins, a rushing in his ears as he stared down at the Ocean Spirit.  

The rushing grew so loud he could hardly hear himself think. 

Too late he realized it was the sound of the ocean rising up. 

“Jongin…,”  Kyungsoo said slowly, almost yelling over the rush of the water.  “If you’re planning to do anything, you need to do it now!”

Jongin wanted to do something.  He really did.  But the ocean water was pulling up high in front of him, reflecting the city lights as it formed a huge tidal wave.  His body was pulsing with untapped power but his mind was utterly blank.  Minseok was rising with the wave, borne upward in a raw display of power, his eyes glowing brightly with madness.  Luhan had disappeared.

Jongin took a step back, heart thudding.

I can’t do this.

His sixth sense flared again, and there was a familiar figure moving to stand in front of him. 

You’re not alone…

Two more figures stepped alongside Kyungsoo, and Jongin suddenly found himself protected by a wall of three Spirits.  In front of them, Minseok continued to swell with power, a black miasma gathering around him.  

Kyungsoo turned his head to glance over his shoulder, and for a split second, he and Jongin made eye contact.  The Earth Spirit’s brows were furrowed, his gaze fierce, protective, encouraging.  

Jongin felt like he was choking on fear, but as Kyungsoo’s eyes began to glow green, something within him settled.

Maybe he couldn’t do it, but he could at least try.  

He glanced around, searching for an object…something to Bind Minseok to.

A curved conch shell caught his eye, left along the wall by a careless collector, but it was several meters away.  He’d have to leave the protection of the Sprits to get to it.  Without another moment of thought, Jongin turned and sprinted toward it as fast as he could.  

Just Jongin’s hand closed around the shell, there was a shout, a rushing hiss, and suddenly Jongin’s breath was knocked from his lungs as he was pummeled by an onslaught of cold ocean water.

—~~—

Kyungsoo saw Jongin’s head disappear beneath a rush of dark water, and his mind immediately conjured every single nightmare he’d had in the last few months.

For a moment he was frozen, vision flashing red. 

He’d promised himself that he would protect Jongin from Minseok’s rage, and he’d immediately failed.  

Kyungsoo felt his own molten rage crack and slide from between his ribs, a scary, hot sensation that had been lying dormant for a very long time.  His Bind to the boulder had kept him safe from falling into that pit of darkness… But there was nothing to hold him back from that dangerous ledge now.

In his mind, Kyungsoo saw that pit yawning before him.

And he couldn’t help but teeter toward it. 

He searched the rushing waters for a sign of Jongin, his powers useless as the waves were back out to sea. 

He took another step toward that dark pit in him mind, felt his emotions getting the best of him.  He would not lose Jongin again, not like this. 

Kyungsoo glanced up from the receding waters, making eye contact with Minseok. The Ocean Spirit was swirling with negative energy, but Kyungsoo’s own destructive force was swelling larger, pulling that negative energy toward himself instead.

“Kyungsoo! Joonmyun is looking for him!  Calm down, or we’ll lose you too!”  

Luhan’s voice was like a dull roar in his ears.  He couldn’t break his gaze away from the Spirit that had dragged Jongin beneath the ocean.  

Minseok would pay.  That dark pit expanded in Kyungsoo’s mind, beckoning, dragging everything in.  Kyungsoo was a collapsing star, and Minseok was being pulled into his abyss.  

“Wait, Kyungsoo…you’re…you’re absorbing his energy!  What’s happening?  What are you doing?”

Kai was gone.  And now Jongin.  Again.  

Kyungsoo wanted nothing to do with this place anymore.

He moved toward Minseok, steadily draining the Ocean Spirit of dark energy.  Kyungsoo vaguely realized that he was the threat. The enemy.  He was about to lose all control, and he just didn’t care—

A frenzied, hoarse chanting broke his concentration.  

Kyungsoo paused, tilted his head.  He turned his head, slowly, so slowly.  

And there, standing on the jut of the nearby boardwalk was Jongin, eyes closed, wet clothes plastered to his body.  His voice carried across the waters, mouth forming words spoken in a language Kyungsoo couldn’t comprehend.

Fear shot through him, an instinctual reaction from a traumatic memory that was seared into him mind.

Kyungsoo knew what was going to happen next, but somehow he still wasn’t prepared for it.  Kyungsoo suddenly felt as though his very breath was being from his lungs.  He couldn't move, couldn't  speak.  He could only watch in frozen, breathless silence as a tiny orb of light emerged from his body and floated towards the chanting male.

Jongin’s eyes snapped open, gaze fixed on the glowing orb as it drew closer to him.  Even from this distance, Kyungsoo could see Jongin’s hand trembling as he allowed the tiny light to settle in his palm.  

The negative energy surrounding Kyungsoo continued to pull at him, but he was suspended in a Half-Bind now, a piece of his Spirit Energy destined to be tethered to an object once more.   He barely had the presence of mind to  wonder what he would be bound to this time…. A shell?  A grain of sand?  A piece of—

Jongin moved his hand, bringing it to his face, and Kyungsoo stared in absolute horror as the human swallowed the small piece of his life energy.     

Kyungsoo’s vision blanked to a blinding white, his body bowed outward, his lungs gasped for air.  

And then everything settled and he sank to the wet ground beneath him, breathing heavily. 

It was several long moments before Jongin’s worried face appeared above him, staring down at him in concern.  Kyungsoo blinked up at him.  Jongin was alive.  He was alive, and breathing, and had just swallowed a piece of his Spirit. 

“Jongin,”  Kyungsoo croaked, voice raw with emotion and utter disbelief.  “What have you done?”

—~~—

Spirit Shamans, they were called.

Human shamans that had the ability to Bind a Spirit of the Wilds to their Human soul.  These Binds were found only to work if the Spirit was in danger of slipping into darkness, and the Shaman was strong enough to call them back from the brink of self extinction.  

There were no stipulations to these special Binds.  A Spirit and Human Bind lasted for life.  Once the Bind was in place, a Spirit was then visible to other non-Shaman Humans.  Spirit Shamans also gained the benefit of an increased life span, remaining physically as young as the time of the Bind, and living as long as the Spirit existed. 

—~~—

It was many months later before Kyungsoo thought to ask about that night again.  

He and Jongin had travelled to an island, a place where the air was thick and warm, the water a clear blue.  

And the Island Spirit angry.    

The rumors suggested that the animals of the island were being hunted to near extinction, and the Spirit of the Island was starting to choke on negative energy from the grief of the natives.  

Kyungsoo and Jongin had decided to travel to the island and check it out.  Possibly save the Spirit by Binding him.  For now though, they were just enjoying the solitude of a quiet beach, and open waters. 

Jongin was lying flat in the sand, feet barely touching the gentle surf.  He kicked and splashed, toes digging little divots into the soft sand.  Kyungsoo plopped down next to him, pulling his hat further over his face to keep the sun off.  

“Hey,” Kyungsoo murmured, staring out at the blue, blue water, relishing the presence of the boy next to him.  “After Joonmyun pulled you from the water, on that night with Minseok…how did you figure out how to do a Bind?”

Jongin went still, and a few moments passed before he spoke.  “I think… I had some help from someone.”

“What do you mean?”  Kyungsoo glanced down at him sharply, brow raised.  “Like help from another Shaman?”

The breeze ruffled Jongin’s bangs as he sat up, his gaze thoughtful, almost secretive.  “No.  It’s going to sound crazy, but when I went underwater, I think I out for a minute and had a sort of—vision.”

“A vision?”

“Yeah.  It was like an out of body experience.  Like I was somehow floating above everything that was happening.  I could see Joonmyun looking for me in the water, and I was able to Luhan on the Seawall and you you all of Minseok’s dark energy into yourself like a blackhole.” He paused, eyes glazed over in remembrance while he stared out over the calm waters.  “And then another person was suddenly there next to me, watching too.  We watched for a while, and then it’s like everything froze, and when I looked over, the person standing there was me… but it wasn’t me.…I mean, he looked a lot like me, but I somehow knew that he was a different person.”

Kyungsoo’s spine straightened in interest, a strange suspicion stirring.

“What did he say to you?”

“He told me I would have to Bind you.  He said he’d seen a Bind done twice before, and warned me to be smart about what I chose to Bind you to.  He also told me that I had to create a stipulation for the Bind.”

Kyungsoo’s heart was beginning to pound, his skin prickling in discomfort.

“And when I asked him what that meant, he gave me an example,” Jongin turned to meet Kyungsoo’s gaze, his eyes hooded and serious.  “Interestingly enough, he used you as an example, and revealed that you were originally bound to a large boulder in a small patch of forest, and that because of that Bind you couldn’t leave that plot of land….unless you fulfilled a stipulation set by the Shaman that created the Bind…”

Jongin’s gaze was sharp, piqued with interest, and Kyungsoo was simultaneously embarrassed and desperate for what he knew Jongin was about to say.

“In order to free your soul from that boulder, you had to fall in love with a Human.”

And there it was, the truth laid bare before them both. It’d been a few months of them carefully learning each other again, dancing around the newfound attraction that stretched taut between them.  And this entire time Jongin had known, or had at least suspected, the depth of Kyungsoo’s affections.   

The Human raised an eyebrow in question, as though waiting for Kyungsoo to deny everything.  But Kyungsoo had had enough of this waiting game.  

He’d been waiting for years, really.

He turned toward Jongin and placed his hands on either side of the younger male’s face, studying his reaction as he drew closer.  Jongin stared back in return, his eyes dipping to Kyungsoo’s lips before quickly flicking up again.

There was a breathless moment where they just stared at each other, lips parting, inches between them—

—Kyungsoo swooped in and kissed Jongin so hard they both fell back into the sand.  

The sand was rough, digging into Kyungsoo’s elbows as he balanced over the Human, but Jongin was soft and soon the younger male was relaxing into him, opening up to the insistent press of Kyungsoo’s lips.  Kyungsoo took his time with him, transferring all of his emotions into gentle, quick-paced pecks and slick, slow, open-mouth kisses.  It was a long while later, Kyungsoo’s hat pushed off his head, and his breathing a little more labored, that he finally pulled back to stare down at the Human.

“I’ve loved you for a long time, Jongin.”

And Jongin stared up at him, lips swollen, cheeks flushed, eyes shining bright with happiness.  

“I bet I’ve loved you longer.”  Jongin gave a sudden push upward and flipped their positions, hovering over Kyungsoo instead.  “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to kiss you.”

Kyungsoo’s lips quirked.  “How long?”

“Too long.”

—~~—

A new world began to form, a new cycle of give and take between Humans, Spirits, and the Wilds.

With the emergence of Spirit Shamans, a critical line of communication was created to between Humans and  Spirits, and soon, coalitions and a consortium of paired Spirits and Shamans began to develop, so that knowledge between the groups could be shared and spread.    

Together, Spirits and Spirit Shamans tended to the magic and energy of the remaining Wilds, and interacted with other Humans and Spirits to create a better environment for both groups of beings.

And the cycle worked, and once again the Earth moved toward a system of common ground and pleasure for all creatures.

—~~—

“Kyungsoo….”

“What, Jongin?”

“I think this haircut would look great on you.”

“No.”

“This one?”

“No.”

“Please?  Why not?”

“I like my hair the way it is.”

“People can see you now, Kyungsoo.  Your hair has been that way for centuries….”

“It’s a timeless style.”

“It’s out of style.  What if we dyed it a nice, deep red color?”

“No.  Now stop bugging me about it.  I can’t believe I’m stuck with you for eternity.”

“….”

“….”

“I can’t believe I’m stuck with that hair for eternity.”

“Okay fine!  But you have got to start wearing socks with your shoes.  Your feet smell so bad.  Have some respect for my heightened senses.”

“….Mmm…I’ll think about it.”

“What?  There’s no ‘thinking about it’.  That’s not part of the deal.  This has got to be an equal exchange.”

 —~~—

And the cycle worked.  

Most of the time.

—~~—

THE END

A/N:  I really wanted to finish this off by Christmas, but then I got busy and school started up, and well....now it's April.  

But I finished it.  YAY!  My second complete chaptered story.  Please let me know what you guys think.  As always, I love every single form of encouragement and it really means so much to me that you guys take the time to leave a comment or an Upvote.  

<3 RedThreads