Jongdae was new to the castle when he found him. He'd only arrived days ago, answering the call of the kingdom asking for people blessed by the spirits. He'd still been wearing the yellow band, had chosen to loosely tie it around his neck, marking him as one of those blessed people.

A black virus had been spreading across the country, tainting the earth and spoiling the plants, consumed by animals who'd then turn rabid. The kingdom had summoned them to fight, but also to keep them away from the virus. If someone like Jongdae, who was one with lightning, was tainted by the virus, it would mean countless deaths. There was simply no choice, and answering the call was the right thing to do. Jongdae knew that, and he was willing to do the best he could to protect the lands and people living on it.

It was on one of those early days, when no training had begun yet, that Jongdae found himself terribly bored and roaming the castle. He wasn't allowed to leave as of now, but the castle was big, and surely there were rooms he had yet to see. Or people. Jongdae was a social person, yearning for company, but it seemed like finding someone like him was his best bet, because the castle's noblemen and staff members seemed unwilling to engage with him.

It was raining back then, harsh enough for a white noise to lie over all of them, and Jongdae was climbing stairs, aiming to get as close to the sky as he could. He loved the rain. He couldn't control it, but rain just felt right to him.

The room was hidden away in the highest, most distant corner of the castle and if it weren't for the slightly opened door, Jongdae would have missed it. Like this, though, he felt cold seeping through and curiously peeked inside. There was someone sitting on the ground, dressed in layers and layers of rich fabrics, looking elegant and expensive. Jongdae couldn't see whether it was a boy or girl, didn't care for he was distracted by the magic unfolding in front of his eyes. The person was surrounded by ice, cold enough to emit vapor, drawing patterns into the ground. Jongdae couldn't resist toeing into the room.

"Hello," he said, maybe even asked, and the stranger looked up for the briefest moment, shooting him a cordial smile only to go back to drawing icy patterns on the ground. It really had been a short glance but it was enough to tell that he wasn't looking at a boy or girl, but a man. Elegant features with slanted, but wide eyes and a blue ribbon draped and pinned into his short, black hair. He wasn't newly recruited like Jongdae. What the color or placement symbolized, Jongdae didn't know. It looked like he was something akin to a scholar, if the clothes were in any way similar the one in his hometown.

The scholar didn't pay him any heed, though, and Jongdae didn't dare speak up again, in case he might interrupt him. For a long time he stood there, watching him draw swirls and symbols he had never seen before. They were really beautiful, and so were the clothes and his face, to be honest. He looked like a living, breathing piece of art.

The rain had long stopped hitting the castle walls when Jongdae left.

Unbeknownst to him, the scholar looked after him.

But Jongdae rely shortly after, a slightly wet flower in his hand. There had been many, many flowers on the castle's roof, but ultimately, Jongdae picked the one that had turned translucent in the rain. Something about it was just so fragile, yet striking and brave. Somehow, this had been the one. He offered it to the scholar, who looked at it with interest, before the small smile was back, and he started painting. His fingers left trails of ice, shimmering prettier than glass, and Jongdae was right about it being perfect to convey the transparent nature of the flower.

"It's really beautiful," Jongdae commented, and meant it.

Before he knew it, the drawing of the flower was done and the scholar looked at him with the same, patient smile, as if waiting for further instruction. In response, Jongdae knelt down, careful not to step on the drawings, and offered him the flower again.

"It's for you. You can keep it."

That seemed to throw the other off completely, who stared at the flower with new-found interest, back at Jongdae, and then very slowly took the flower from him with a reverence befitting the fragile-looking thing.

"Thank you," he said, voice so soft and quiet that Jongdae almost missed it. He just smiled, told him he was welcome and left - already certain he was going to return the next day.

Little did Jongdae know though, that this was the first time anyone had heard this voice in a long, long time.

❀

Jongdae peeked out of his carriage, only to confirm the obvious. It wasn't raining. He was glad about that, even though he wished for nothing more than the heavens splitting open and showering them with rain strong enough to wash all the dirt and death away. In these areas, though, the rain came from the cursed ground, and would only make things worse. Infected animals became even more aggressive when soaked by the black rain.

He swiftly dressed in his armor, picking the second of his undergarments, the one he had scrubbed clean the day before. Everyone's spirits were down, to say the least, after one of their comrades got infected the day prior. Now they knew for sure humans could be infected, as well, and Jongdae was determined not to be next. They said that aside from being in contact with the virus too much, a weak spirit also made people vulnerable. Jongdae didn't consider himself naive and if it were anyone else, he would chalk it up to people trying to manipulate them into keeping their spirits up as long as possible. But it had been Minseok who said it, and Jongdae trusted Minseok.

Although Minseok hadn't directly said it. He didn't talk. As a medium, he was one of the kingdom’s most prized treasures. It was almost absurd that Minseok was traveling with them, in one of many dirty carriages bumping along the road, dragged along by tired horses - but without his protective spells, Jongdae wasn't too sure they would have ever gotten as far as they had. They had been trained and sent out to find the heart of the curse and destroy it. The closer they got, the sadder the lands around them got, the more animals they had to take down and the more injuries they had to carry along.

Every morning, every single member of their team would go and see Minseok. Jongdae, who had a bit of a higher responsibility, always waited patiently until he was the last one left, because he cared about the people at his side and, realistically speaking, he was one of the strongest, so he could wait a little longer.

When it was his turn, the sun was already a good width above the horizon, and they were taking the first, short break. He walked past his people, vaguely saw splashes of colors on their skin, swirls and forms and patterns, and knocked at Minseok's carriage. A soft knock in return told him to come in, and he opened the wooden door, quickly slipping inside to close it. He was immediately assaulted by warm air and the smell of paint and something sweet. In the middle of the small carriage sat Minseok, his wide robes touching the walls on both sides of him, surrounded by paints, books, and the pressed flowers he had delicately sewn onto paper and sealed with magic. People had probably tried to discourage him from actually taking those along, but Minseok could be very stubborn, even without any words spoken.

At the sight of Jongdae, he lit up a little. It was hard to tell with the veil around his mouth, but Jongdae just knew by now.

He sank to the ground and offered him a flower. There was a glint in Minseok's eyes when he accepted it, and Jongdae smiled at him, equally playful.

"What, are you getting tired of all the daisies?" he asked, and Minseok shook his head in an almost petulant way.

"They're really the only flowers here that didn't get infected yet. I'm sorry," Jongdae admitted. "I'll try to find a different one tomorrow."

Minseok shook his head again, held the daisy close to his heart, and then gingerly placed it on top of his little wooden flower press - another thing he had insisted on taking along. There was hardly any arguing with the spellcaster, and in a way it calmed Jongdae that at least someone was treating this like an everyday journey, and not like a suicide mission. Which is what it was truly starting to look like, but this was not the time to let his fears flare up. The seals were the strongest if applied to an even mind, Minseok had once written out for them to see, on the first day of their journey.

Everything would be much easier if Minseok was allowed to talk, but with every spoken word, his magic would wither, dissolving into thin air. Or so he was taught. He wasn't even encouraged to be a part of society, much less have close friends or lovers, for they might taint his magic to the point where it faded. Minseok rarely communicated anything related to this, or expressed frustration at the fact that he was to stay silent at all times, but Jongdae could read him well. Today was no such day of wasted thoughts. Minseok was smiling, was focused on being everyone's anchor, even though Jongdae would love to be his anchor instead.

But again, such thoughts could be saved for later, for when he survived another day.

Minseok swiftly reached for one of his brushes, took the lid off two different pots, and dipped it inside while Jongdae positioned himself closer to him. He was sitting up straight, both arms placed on his knees, and yet this always had such a faintly intimate feel to it. Did the others feel like this as well? Probably, Jongdae assumed. Minseok was just very beautiful to look at and another person being this close was not a common thing.

Today, Minseok brushed his bangs aside to put the tip of the brush right to the middle of his forehead. Immediately, Jongdae felt the cool paint and closed his eyes. Minseok had once let him know that being stared at made it hard to focus - and as much as Jongdae liked stealing glances at him, he'd rather not die today.

The press of the brush was moving very slowly, with utmost certainty. If he had known Minseok wanted to place the rune on his forehead, he would have styled his hair out of the way early - like this, he had to pull up the wine red band around his neck, pulled it over his head to keep the hair out of the way. If he had the time and privacy, he'd love to know more about the magic Minseok was using, about its rules and range, but again, that had to wait until they returned home safely. Maybe the vague knowledge was the best for everyone, anyway. Everyone simply appreciated the rune and hoped for the best without becoming careless or cocky.

The brush was swiftly washed and then dipped into another pot, only to spread tiny dots on his skin. Minseok was close enough for Jongdae to pick up on his scent, buried under layers of paint, dried flowers and blown out candle flames. Below that, Minseok had his own, distinct scent, just like everyone else.

Jongdae felt fingers tapping his thigh and took it as a sign to open his eyes. The focused look on Minseok had already vanished, and he was smiling at him. It was warm and inviting, and Jongdae couldn't help smiling back. The odd moment lasted for a mere three seconds, before Minseok reached for a mirror to show the rune to Jongdae. He leant in close; Minseok tried to keep him at a distance from the mirror (because he always felt like they looked better from a distance), but Jongdae took a very close look, anyway. There was a single petal placed on his forehead, and the upright, centered way it was drawn gave it a mighty feeling, for such a small petal. It was of a deep crimson, with thin, sure lines of white and sprinkled yellow dots towards its root. It reminded him of a stylized cherry blossom.

"You want me to bring you this flower next time?" he asked, drawing away from the mirror.

Minseok gave him an equanimous shrug, and then changed the topic by gesturing at the rune and making a grand gesture. It was really strong, he meant to say. Jongdae believed him.

Before he could get up and take his leave, Minseok reached out to touch the side of his forehead, as if he wanted to get another good look at the petal. Jongdae easily held still, but then realized that Minseok had just wanted an excuse to touch him, his fingers lingering, down the side of his face before his hand sank back into his own lap. The smile on his face was smaller now, more subdued. He patiently waited until Jongdae met his eyes, before parting his lips, silently mouthing two words.

Stay safe.

Jongdae smiled, and in a fit of bravery, he grasped Minseok's hand to squeeze it, just for a second, before he got up and climbed out of the carriage, waving at him one last time.

"I will. I'll keep you safe, too," he said, quiet enough for no one else to pick it up.

With this, he closed the carriage door and faced the flood of brightness, the white sky and the wave of noise caused by horses, humans, animals, life.

Some people were shooting him looks, but today, no one for the flower runes that only Jongdae ever got. The general mood mirrored the sky - sober, and slightly empty, wary of what the day would bring, and the single, determined petal in the center of his forehead seemed to give strength not only to Jongdae, but to everyone around him. Jongdae accepted the responsibility, the weight of the faith people put in him, and he would protect them to the best of his abilities. He would also keep Minseok safe, just as promised.

Just how Minseok also kept him safe.

❀

Minseok's runes had started out way bigger, and placed over more obvious places, like Jongdae's heart, or his arms. Recently, though, he took to painting them around his face, and they were almost tiny on some days. Jongdae was immensely impressed Minseok could put so much force into such a small rune, but when he was rammed by a wild stag that day, slammed into a carriage, the rune flared up, becoming icy cold. Instead of pain crashing down on him, Jongdae only felt cold and quickly avoided another attack, taking the rabid animal out by pressing his palms into the damp, dirty fur and letting electricity flow to give it a quick, merciful death.

It went down, massive and sad, and Jongdae prayed for it. Around him, people lowered their bows, and Jongdae felt a vague tingle along his back. Once again, he had been saved, this time by a small daisy on his temple.

They were getting closer and closer to the source of the plague. Plants were wilting and animals had more and more black spots in their fur. Their comrades were growing weak, too, and nowadays, Minseok mostly drew runes to protect them from catching the black eyes, as people called it. Jongdae was still getting flower runes, and Minseok assured him that his mind was still healthy and strong, that he wasn't risking an infection, but seeing everyone slowly wearing themselves out took a toll on Jongdae, too. People were starting to whisper among themselves,  , and there was nothing Jongdae could do but to remind them that weak minds made them vulnerable to the curse.

It was that very day, when the daisy rune had already taken a few hits, that they encountered something neither animal nor human. It sure looked like an animal, at first, a raven maybe. When one of their men tried to shoot it down and the arrow seemed to go right through it, Jongdae jumped off the carriage, signaling for them to drive a little further, into safety. The thing was making strangled, strange sounds that sounded a little too human for his taste. Jongdae swallowed down the fear and forced himself to stay focused. Behind him, Chanyeol and Junmyeon were preparing themselves, as well. They were the only other blessed people they were traveling with, but Chanyeol was a mere child, no older than ten, and Junmyeon was born blind. Jongdae naturally stood in front of them, accepting their support, but not allowing them any closer.

The bird-like thing was leaving droplets of black on the tree branch it was sitting on. It was covered in ooze, but definitely alive, and when it swooped down at Jongdae, he didn't know how to defend himself. He held his short dagger in front of himself protectively, letting the electricity flow, and it seemed to work at first - the bird crashed into him, and the shock drove it away with a terrible shriek. It seemed momentarily confused, but not hurt. The rune on his temple was prickling, still cool, still effective, but Jongdae could feel that he had to hurry. Suddenly, he was struck by an idea.

"The ooze might be protecting it," he said, head turned, but eyes still resting on the struggling being.

"I'll take it away," Junmyeon suggested, and Jongdae quickly jumped forwards to keep the thing down. Shaking off his disgust and fear, he grabbed it, but it was too slimey to hold, so he had to use electricity to help, while Chanyeol guided Junmyeon forwards, a never-ending stream of words flying through the air as he described everything to him.

With one hand on Chanyeol's shoulder and the other inching closer to the struggling bird, Junmyeon made a grabbing motion. The black ooze was dragged from it, hovering in the air to display a bird indeed, but none Jongdae had ever seen before. It was also black from head to toe, and his first instinct was to call it a demon, a monster. He swallowed that thought down - demon or not, they had to free it, and Jongdae wiped the ooze off his pants, touching the black, spotty feathers and sending waves of sharp electricity into it. Instead of dying, though, the bird just wailed and struggled harder. Panic crept up the back of his neck, hot and suffocating. No living creature like them should be immune to the power of lightning.

"Burn it, Chanyeol," Junmyeon suggested, and Chanyeol looked towards Jongdae for confirmation. It almost broke him, seeing the terrified eyes of a kid, but Jongdae nodded, because what other choice did they have? Chanyeol was shaking, but with both palms outstretched, he set the creature on fire, the heat running through it and burning Jongdae's hands, which were still holding on to it.

The daisy rune seemed to scream, stinging his temple with freezing cold as it tried to keep the heat out and away from him. Jongdae could feel it breaking, could feel it sizzle out, but the fire seemed to do the trick, and Jongdae had to hold on just a little longer-

With a terrifying screech, the bird finally seized struggling and burnt into white ash without leaving a trace of bone behind. Jongdae vaguely saw his comrades in the distance, heard the rapid breathing of Chanyeol and watched Junmyeon flick the ooze away from them.

Jongdae swallowed, his throat dry and mind frazzled, but he closed his eyes and prayed. The ash had been white, which was hopefully a sign that the being, whatever it had once been, was now free.

 His eyes scanned the area, but there was no other sign of infected life. Jongdae patted Junmyeon's shoulder, thanking him, and Junmyeon answered the unspoken inquiry by taking Chanyeol with him,   man guiding the child this time around.

Jongdae got to his feet, already discussing the happenings with the scribe of their group, giving him detailed information so he could write it down in a report, when someone caught his eye. It was very obviously Minseok, standing in front of a carriage and gesturing for him to come over. He had never done anything like that before, had hardly left his carriage ever since they left, really, and especially not to openly communicate with Jongdae. This time, though, he was waving him over, and the scribe carefully advised him to follow, considering his current state.

Jongdae looked down at himself. Covered in tiny scratches, dirt and black ooze, he clearly looked like a mess. He walked towards Minseok, but stopped a generous distance away, to call out to him.

"I'll be right there, I'll just clean myself up," he began, but Minseok's gestures only became more insistent. Jongdae shook his head.

"I can't carry all that dirt into your carriage, especially not the ooze-"

But Minseok just stared at him, mouth pulled into a thin line as he furiously gestured inside his carriage with one hand, not allowing any further resistance. With a sigh, Jongdae relented and trudged towards his carriage, subtly wiping as much dirt as he could on his clothes.

Minseok made room for him, gesturing towards the left half of the tiny carriage, and closed the door behind him.

"Minseok, you sleep here," Jongdae protested weakly, but he was already being pulled down to take a seat on the wooden floor. Minseok followed, impatiently fiddling with his way too voluptuous clothing until it was out of the way and he could sit properly. He had never liked the elaborate costumes for their impracticality, and even now he was wearing one without sleeves, simply to aid his task of drawing runes. It seemed like Jongdae had been spacing out thinking about this, for Minseok was already making impatient gestures again, only to attempt to undress him - an action that certainly got Jongdae's attention. Flustered, he assured that he was paying attention, that he could do it himself, and Minseok waited, shooting him an expectant look. There was no hint of a smile or playfulness this time. He was worried.

"Your rune protected me, it's all good," Jongdae said, keeping the words flowing as he ungracefully slipped out of his soiled top. He folded it up somewhat, enough to avoid it staining the ground, and then tugged off his undergarment, as well. He had shown his bare upper body to Minseok before, and there should be nothing to it, but Jongdae always needed to remind himself of that. Minseok was too concerned to waste thoughts on intimacy, and simply dipped a clean piece of cloth into a prepared bucket of scented water to start scrubbing Jongdae clean. He was gentle, but thorough, starting from his shoulders and wandering down to his fingertips, scrubbing them with a brush until even the last scrap of black was gone from under his nails.

Jongdae could be doing this by himself, but there was no use in resisting right now. Minseok wanted to do this, so he let him. He watched Minseok's dainty fingers working over his skin, watched his eyelashes and the precise, black line above them,  lulled by the scent of candles and Minseok. He should be more distraught, and guessed that his mind had been saving the disturbance for when he calmed down, but now that he did, Minseok took all the will to panic right out of him.

Minseok saved his face for last, and when he got there, he wiped at the faded drawing of a daisy with a gaze that even Jongdae had trouble reading.

"I told you, the rune protected me right until the end," Jongdae quietly said, seeking the other's gaze. Minseok refused to meet it, though, and instead cleaned his face, rubbing the scent of wild herbs into his skin.

"I've been straining it throughout the whole day, too," Jongdae added, a cautious murmur lingering in the air.

"You can't expect such a tiny rune to keep off a hundred hits."

Minseok's brows were a little furrowed as he kept wiping at streaks of dirt on Jongdae's cheek, his expression a little strained, eyes a little wet.

"Look," Jongdae began, and then repeated himself, drawing away enough for Minseok to stop cleaning him and actually meet his gaze. "Look. Painting the runes is like giving me a shield, and I am infinitely grateful for that, but sometimes, a shield can't save you. And it's up to me how to use that shield. I'm not saying your runes are weak, because I can't think of any magic more powerful or impressive than yours."

Jongdae touched the other's wrist, the faintest touch that felt far heavier than it should.

"I'm saying that you need to stop blaming yourself. Even if something did happen, and also if something ever happens in the future, and if I don't get the chance to tell you-"

At this, Minseok reciprocated the touch, interlacing their fingers.

"-just know that it's not your fault. It wasn't and won't ever be. You're giving me a powerful tool, but a tool is only one part of the big picture, one tool of many, even. I'm sorry for being so reckless earlier. I acted without thinking."

He tried to put his entire heart into the apology, hoping to convey just how serious he was about this.

Minseok inhaled deeply, obviously gathering strength, until his eyes weren't wet anymore. He nodded, as if acknowledging that Jongdae was right, and then rinsed out the cloth, obviously keeping himself busy. Jongdae just watched him, feeling his wet skin dry in the warm air inside the carriage. It was surprisingly quiet outside. Maybe the others were a little in shock, as well.

Minseok took his time, and Jongdae took his time watching him, until his eyes caught sight of the brush and polished pots of color he had held ready, in case Jongdae needed help. What possessed him to reach for the brush? He didn't know. Yet he did just that, and Minseok looked up from the bucket of water, shooting him a confused look.

Jongdae carefully opened the lid of the first pot closest to him, and for some reason, this simple act made his heart pound faster. Despite his heart hammering in his chest, his moves were very slow and deliberate, moving as if his body and mind were entirely separated. The lid was placed next to the pot, and then Jongdae dipped the brush into the paint, just the tip, just like Minseok would do all the time. The thick liquid was too dark to identify the color, but the dried spots around the edge of the pot suggested that it was a dark pink. Minseok was still watching him, tilting his head the way that would always pull at Jongdae's heartstrings. Biting his lip, Jongdae scooted a little closer to him, cupped the side of his face, and Minseok allowed it, allowed all the unreadable feelings to take over, reflected in his eyes. Jongdae slowly lifted the brush, until its tip was inches from Minseok's bottom lip. He was waiting for Minseok to stop him, but he didn't. The first touch was so light that Jongdae could see the paint bleeding out a little, filling the tiniest grooves and creases in his lip. He took control, but a soft kind of control, dragging the brush down and then up, down and up again. Tiny movements that weren't practiced that would make for a horrible result if Minseok wasn't sitting as perfectly still as he was.

When he was done, Jongdae held the brush a little away from him, exhaling the breath he had been holding in all the while. It wasn't nearly as pretty as Minseok's runes, but it was the best he could do.

Minseok's gaze was intense, so intense that it made Jongdae nervous, but he moved with utmost grace and calmness, reaching for the mirror behind himself. He looked at it, at the small cherry blossom petal Jongdae had drawn in the center of his lower lip, starting on the inside and branching our elegantly towards the bottom.

"There's no magic in it," Jongdae stated, entirely unnecessarily. "But..."

But I want to protect you, too. Protect that pretty heart and those sealed lips.

He couldn't say it. He wouldn't be allowed to, it would lead to trouble. Minseok didn't push him to complete that statement. Instead, he took the brush out of Jongdae's slightly shaky hands, and washed it out with swift, simple movements. There hadn't been much color on it, anyway. Then he met Jongdae's gaze and, without a warning, pulled him close to press their lips together. For the first time, Jongdae felt something akin to an electric shock, running down his spine and pricking his insides. Suddenly, Minseok's scent was everywhere, and his lips were soft and wet from the paint.

It was obvious that they weren't allowed to do this, but Jongdae wasn't even thinking of the consequences right now. All these pent up feelings, the worries and fears and longings had been released without warning, and he couldn't take them back anymore. For his delicate appearance, Minseok kissed surprisingly hard and fierce, as if he, too, was starving for it. Jongdae first grabbed his thighs, then arms and finally sides, torn between the need to touch and the need to worship.  Minseok was cupping his face, nipping at his lips until Jongdae relented tongued along the seam of his lips, tasting paint and then tasting Minseok.

He had thought about this a lot, had even dreamt of it, and while sometimes he would envision a tender, fluttery kind of kissing, most of the time he had imagined just what they were doing now - pushing, clinging, yearning, biting. Because he knew Minseok all-too well and wouldn't have it any other way.

Neither seemed willing to stop, but at the speed they were going, Jongdae's hands were below his robe all-too soon, the warm, bare skin of Minseok's sides. It was a simple gesture, but Minseok shivered, trembled beneath his fingertips and sighed, deep in his throat. It was full of need and yearning, and Jongdae was overwhelmed at the idea that Minseok was probably never touched like this, and hadn't touched anyone either-

He broke the kiss, stopped moving his hands, and they looked into each other's eyes, both panting ever so slightly. Jongdae couldn't be sure what Minseok was thinking, but the want in his eyes was obvious. He kept staring at Jongdae's lips, and then back at him. Jongdae wanted to say something, wanted to tell him that he deserved better than getting his clothes ripped off and skin bitten while he got intimate in a dirty carriage. But somehow, all the words sounded wrong nd refused to come out. Minseok didn't say anything either, but he was still staring at his lips, and blindly reached for the mirror, to show it to Jongdae.

There, on Jongdae's lower lip, was a cherry blossom. All the kissing over the wet paint had transferred it, and seeing it made Jongdae want to cry, for some reason. It was so real, their connection would never be as real as it was right now.

For a long time, they just sat there, firmly holding each other's hands, and Jongdae closed his eyes as the candles around them softly burned down.

❀

The next day, he was brutally ripped out of his light sleep after having acted as the night guard.

"Jongdae. Out. We need to talk to you, right now," someone said, harsh and serious, and Jongdae groaned. While he haphazardly threw on a shirt and slipped into his shoes, he dimly realized that the carriages weren't moving. Outside, almost everyone was gathered around, and now Jongdae was starting to get genuinely worried.

"What happened? Is everyone alright?" he asked, only for one of the group's fellow leaders to scoff in disbelief and anger.

"You know exactly what happened," the soldier accused him, actually seething, and Jongdae had no idea what was going on.

"If everyone's alright, you ask? Is he alright?" the soldier asked, seething as he roughly grabbed someone to the front - Minseok. Jongdae felt an entirely natural, cold shock overcome him.

"Tell me Jongdae - is he alright?"

Minseok stared at the ground with a blank expression, the flower petal still on his lips. Instinctively, Jongdae's hand flew up to his own lips, where he hadn't washed the petal off yet, either. How careless of him.

"Yeah, exactly. I cannot believe you tainted our rune mage, so close to the virus’ core!"

The soldier was angry, and while Jongdae's first instinct was to cower, he was scared of what would happen to Minseok, and protecting him came first.

"You don't know if he's tainted. Did you even ask him?"

He took a step towards Minseok, but was wise enough to stop there.

"Are you alright? How do you feel?"

"Does anyone have pen and paper?" the soldier asked, but Minseok shook his head, looking directly at Jongdae and touching his lip. He then made a rubbing gesture and shook his head again. Intuitively, Jongdae mirrored it, trying to smudge the remnants of paint on his own lip.

"It's still there," Chanyeol piped up from beside him, and Jongdae was too busy to send him away. Minseok was right, it wouldn't go away. The other made a sign symbolizing he was okay, that he was fine.

"And your magic?" Jongdae asked worriedly, to which Minseok only shrugged. He didn't know.

The fellow leader rubbed his forehead, and it felt like Jongdae had doomed them all. Maybe he had.

"I don't know what's up with this," Jongdae began, fleetingly touching his lip, "but we can test whether the runes are still working. Don't write him off just yet - his magic is above any of ours and it's surely still there-"

"You're not gonna get close to him today," the soldier demanded, with a finality that left no room for argument- not that Minseok didn't try, waving his hands and making gestures at Jongdae, demanding to draw a rune on him, as well, but Jongdae ducked his head.

"I won't. It's alright, Minseok."

Minseok was actually exhaling in frustration, looking at all of them as if they had lost their minds, as if he was unaware of the punishment he'd be facing later, for willingly getting himself tainted.

"Minseok, please. It will be fine."

With a last, long look that told an entire story without words, Minseok finally turned to retreat into his carriage, keeping the door open. Everyone exchanged looks, and no one seemed willing to follow him, to get their daily runes painted on. Junmyeon eventually went first, and after a long, disappointed look, Jongdae was let off by the others. He kept his promise of not going near him (though he made Chanyeol bring Minseok a flower in his stead). There was no mirror aside from the one in Minseok's possession, so Jongdae turned his short blade, trying to catch a glance at his own reflection in it. The petal was indeed still on his lips, looking exactly like the one he had painted on Minseok. It looked way too fine and detailed to be the mere result of them kissing.

There was a distant rumbling noise lazily echoing through the air, as if the sky was about to send thunder their way. With furrowed brows, Jongdae looked up at the sky. They weren't equipped to travel through a thunderstorm, and it would be the first thunderstorm Jongdae hadn't seen coming. Next to him, a fellow soldier kept talking to the horses, comforting the wary animals. Jongdae put his blade away and climbed on top of the carriage to get a closer look at the sky and their surroundings. It was dark, but there was no smell of rain or thunder. It was perfect for summoning thunder, seeing as Jongdae might rule over thunder, but couldn't create it entirely out of thin air. The rumbling, however, definitely didn't originate from the sky. A bad sign.

"Everyone, stay on high alert - this is no thunder," Jongdae shouted over the carriages, trusting that the message would carry over. Not too shortly after, a screech rang through the air, incredibly loud and terrifying. It sounded just like the little bird they had freed the day before. Just much, much bigger.

Jongdae swallowed and faintly regretted not wearing a protective rune today, of all days. But there was no use lamenting that now. He stayed ready to strike as their carriages rolled past sick trees, an inactive volcano looming not too far away, throwing a massive shadow over everything. The ground was almost entirely black at this point, and Jongdae was pretty sure he had seen a few leaves glisten with black ooze.

Now that he thought about it, it was eerily silent, too. Aside from the awful scream earlier, there were no other sounds caused by nature. No birds, no insects, no life.

Jongdae looked back at Minseok's carriage one last time, knowing that he felt it, too. Then he turned back to the front and asked them to stop the carriages.

They were close, probably way too close already, and he'd rather investigate alone than risk the carriages being destroyed or their horses being chased off- if they survived this but couldn’t return due to their lack of horses, that wouldn't help anybody.

Jongdae snuck through the woods, followed by a few of their best fighters and Chanyeol, who held Junmyeon's hand. Again, it was unclear who was giving comfort to whom, but Jongdae deeply appreciated everyone following him.

There were more of those shrill screams, and then an earth-shattering sound that sounded like trees being ripped out. Jongdae was shaken to the bone, scared for his life, and for a second, he thought about how he'd never been meant to be a fighter, how he had never been trained enough, how he didn't want to die just yet-

He chased away every single useless thought and focused. There were puddles of ooze on the ground, and every step made disgusting splashing sounds.

"What's the plan?" Someone asked right behind him, and Jongdae looked into another terrified, barely controlled face.

"If it's the same as yesterday... we can only try to act like we did before," he said, and the reply was drowned in another screech. It vibrated through the earth, rattled through the leaves, and then the trees ahead of them were falling, and then it was right in front of them.

Jongdae had no idea what it was at first, just saw a gigantic mass of black, easily as tall as three people, and charging right at them. Everyone scattered, and the virus hung in the air so thick that Jongdae could taste it on his tongue, felt it prodding at his own mind.

Your mind is healthy and strong. You won't catch the virus.

Minseok's words echoed through his head, followed by the insight that before catching the virus, he would likely be ripped to shreds first. Chanyeol attempted to charge past him, but Jongdae held him back by his robe, getting a hold of him just in time.

"Wait, and don't attack until I tell you to!" he ordered, and then they were both jumping out of the monster's reach. The next swipe actually hit a few of his comrades, but they had to take care of themselves - and they did, following the pattern of standing back to let the magic users fight at the front line. The monster seemed focused on Jongdae, anyway, and by now Jongdae was certain that it was another bird. An adult bird - the one from the day before had been a mere fledgling. This one was taller, faster, stronger. And Jongdae had no rune protecting him. He felt that, when he was slammed into a fallen tree, his bones cracking in protest, and then the bird was on him, clawing at his face. Jongdae ducked his head away, but then the claws were digging into his chest instead, and the smell of the black eye was so pungent and heavy, Jongdae almost threw up. He was trying to defend himself with his blade, sending bursts of electricity through it, but while the bird screeched in protest, it only seemed to get more and more agitated. Then, a few things happened all at once. First, the claws tore through his robe, and they would have sliced open his lung if not for the explosion of sudden cold filling him right from the point of impact. It almost took Jongdae out entirely, and it made the bird twitch away from him in pain. The second thing that happened was the black ooze moving, rippling away, starting right in front of Jongdae's face. It was Junmyeon, somewhere, Junmyeon was working his own magic, creating an opening for him. He saw wine red, blood and feathers, and another black spot that was slowly being unveiled by Junmyeon. The cold made it almost impossible to think, numbing his entire face and chest, down to his fingertips, but he had to move, regardless. This was Minseok protecting him, giving him strength.

"Higher!" he yelled, hoping for Junmyeon to hear him, but he was moving already, hands digging into the ooze, feeling around the feathers until he felt soft flesh, an injury, something disgusting-

The bird screeched in agony and anger, lashing out even harder, but Jongdae was faster. In one determined move, he rammed his sword through the black mass and right into that injured spot, summoning the wrath of the sky as he tumbled away from it. With all his might, he called for the lightning and the lightning heard him. It came down in a bright, violent flash, hitting the knife and running through the monster, a deafening crack and one last scream piercing the air. It was so high that Jongdae had to clasp his ears that were suddenly very cold.

The giant bird hit the ground like a fallen tree, but it was still alive.

Panting, Jongdae stumbled towards it, Junmyeon and Chanyeol not too far away. Everything around the knife area was burnt, and the ooze was slowly sickering off the being and into the ground.

"A phoenix," he said, sounding excited. "It's a phoenix."

Jongdae stared at the dying creature with new-found awe, not even questioning Junmyeon’s statement. He may be blind, but his sense for anything magical was unmatched. Jongdae himself had never seen a phoenix, hadn't been too sure they even existed, and now he felt incredible remorse over harming one, despite its malice.

"We still have to end its suffering," he said, feeling awful. "We have to. It was sick. This was the first time I've seen the virus truly manifest, so maybe we defeated it for good."

"Yes. Of course. We have to end its suffering," Junmyeon agreed, vaguely waving Chanyeol towards the barely-alive phoenix.

"Burn it, Chanyeol."

Chanyeol looked at Jongdae with watery eyes, and Jongdae felt awful for him even being with them.

"Will it be okay?"

"Yes. I think it will be. Right?" Jongdae asked Junmyeon instead, who actually smiled.

"Of course. A phoenix rises from the ashes," he said, soft and encouraging. "You're just helping it along. Just like the fledgling from yesterday. You didn't end his life, Chanyeol. You're healing them. Now hurry up, and don't let this mighty creature suffer any longer."

Chanyeol bit his lip and with new-found determination, he stalked over to the giant bird, his hands looking even tinier as he pressed them into the huge feathers. The heat that along its body was so strong that Jongdae quickly grabbed ahold of Junmyeon, to safely lead him away from it. Junmyeon's abilities kept him safe from heat, but right now, the air was flickering viciously, and Jongdae didn't want to risk anything. Jongdae himself was still wrapped up in a comforting shell of cold, and as he watched the phoenix slowly turn to white ash, he started to realize that they had made it. This had been the source of the virus, there was no doubt about it. And Minseok had helped him.

He looked around, looked at the slowly approaching group of their people, some steadying each other. Chanyeol finally stepped back himself, dusting his hands off his pants, and Jongdae fleetingly thought how they had to keep an eye on the kid. He was already alarmingly powerful.

 "What happened?" someone asked, and Jongdae blinked, trying to stay tethered to reality.

"It was a phoenix, an ancient creature infested with a nasty curse or virus," Jongdae stated, and while the soldier seemed unwilling to tear his eyes off Jongdae, he eventually did, nodding and looking almost as shaken as Jongdae felt.

"It's dead now, fated to be reborn. I hope it won't hold a grudge."

The half-hearted joke was ignored by everyone. The soldier seemed to remember something and put his full attention on Jongdae.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier," he began, and for a second, Jongdae had no idea what he was referring to. "The runes painted today were really effective and probably the reason we didn’t lose anybody. You included. It seems like the teachings are wrong about a rune mage losing his magic when forming attachments."

Jongdae mostly felt relieved for all of them, but something was still confusing him.

"How do you know they saved me though?"

The soldier shook his head, shocked that Jongdae would even question that.

"Did you look at yourself?"

Jongdae looked around, and Chanyeol was the closest person his questioning gaze met.

"The flowers," Chanyeol laughed, pointing at his face. "They're all there. Minseok must really like you."

Jongdae kept looking around until he found a puddle of black on the ground and looked into it. When he saw all the patterns, he dropped to his knees, carelessly sinking into the mud to get a closer look. Chanyeol was right - his face was covered in flower drawings, and it ran down his neck, too. Every single flower Minseok had ever drawn on him was there, from the cherry blossom on his forehead to the peony bedded over his carotid to the tiny daffodil on the inside of his wrist. And the petal on his lips was still there, as well.

He looked around until he saw Minseok in the distance, standing in the entrance of his carriage, not daring to get any closer. Jongdae looked up at the soldier, who sighed at the unspoken question.

"Go. How could I deny you after all this?"

Jongdae's first instinct was to run over, but he controlled himself. The others came first.

"Let him take a look at the injuries first," he proposed. "I still gotta talk to the scribe, anyway."

With all the chaos, the sun had set before he knew it, and they were getting some much needed rest as far away from the black ooze as possible. That was alright though. Jongdae was nothing if not patient, and could wait for the right time if necessary. He wasn't sure whether Minseok knew he'd be visiting him, and dearly hoped he was still awake when he softly knocked on the other's door. It was drowned in the sound of people celebrating in their carriages or around a nearby bonfire, but Minseok had apparently heard him, anyway. He opened the door with an almost suspicious expression, not seeming surprised at all to see Jongdae, but instead looking behind him, clearly worrying they'd be caught.

"It's alright, I'm allowed here," Jongdae assured him, shifting his weight on his feet in the fresh breeze. "Can I come in?"

He was ushered inside immediately, the door closing behind them. Before he knew it, he had an armful of Minseok, who was drawing him into the tightest hug he had ever had the honour of receiving. Minseok was breathing deeply, savouring the moment, and Jongdae would be a liar to say he was any different. They half stumbled to the ground - Minseok's robes were just that impractical - and ultimately sat on the wooden floor, still hugging each other as if it was the last chance they'd ever get to do so.

"Your runes were incredible," Jongdae finally muttered into the other's robes, one hand resting on the back of Minseok's neck. "I couldn't even get them all off, that's how strong they are."

Minseok chuckled soundlessly, and then looked at him with wet eyes that were radiating relief, pride and just pure joy. He grabbed a wash cloth and dipped it into a bucket that looked awfully prepared to Jongdae. Under Minseok's hands, the flowers were wiped off easily, astonishingly so.

"Did you know this was going to happen?" Jongdae asked.

Minseok shook his head, and pressed the cloth a little harder into his skin at the thought of what might have happened if the runes hadn't returned.

"I'm just glad you're safe," Jongdae said. Minseok flicked a drop of water at him.

"No, really, I mean it!"

Minseok decided to ignore him in favour of cleaning the rest of his torso. Instead of greedy lust, Jongdae simply felt relaxed and just... loved.

The thought felt bold and almost scandalous, but as usual, Minseok didn't allow him to dwell on it, as if he was reading his mind.

Suddenly, Jongdae was looking at a piece of paper that read 'what now?'.

"Did you prepare this?" he asked incredulously, but Minseok wasn't deterred, just waving the piece of paper around a little. Jongdae shifted his legs into a more relaxed position, and thought about it.

"I don't know, to be honest," he admitted. "I could return to my home town now, but I quite like the capital. And also it feels like a bit of a waste. Maybe I can help even more people with these powers, you know? But traveling would be nice, too," he added, humming in thought before deciding to address Minseok instead of trying to find an answer for himself. "You gotta return to the castle, right?"

Minseok, who had been raised in the castle from a young age, shook his head.

"No?" Jongdae asked, too confused to follow for once. "Why not?"

Minseok pointed at him, repeatedly poking his pointer finger into Jongdae's chest, but he didn't understand.

"Me? I'm sorry. What about me?"

"With you," Minseok croaked, his voice rough from years of not using it. "I wanna stay with you."

Jongdae stared at him, caught between shock and a hot surge of affection.

"Is it alright for you to talk? I mean. I'm not telling you to stop, I would never..." Jongdae weakly trailed off, and Minseok patiently reached for his little mirror, holding it up to Jongdae's face. All the flowers were indeed gone. But the petal on his lips was still there, mirroring Minseok's.

"It won't fade away, no matter how much you try to wash it off," Minseok said, his voice weak and quiet, but growing into a steady, soft melody with every word leaving his lips. "Because we're connected."

"We're connected," Jongdae echoed, and Minseok placed the mirror aside, so he could slip even closer and cup Jongdae's face with both of his small, but strong hands.

"I can feel it," he said, gentle and certain, just like how Minseok was. "You've always been the only one who ever really looked at me. I am just a mage to this world, and my home is my training room. I'm a nobody, but you stopped to turn towards me, and you gifted me a flower. I knew it even before the petal appeared. I can feel the connection."

Jongdae wasn't sure whether he was breathing right. Minseok's palms were incredibly warm, and his voice quiet and tantalizing, and the fact that only Jongdae was allowed to listen to it made him feel dizzy.

"Next to you, I feel like I belong somewhere, you know? I feel like I'm my own person. And suddenly, there's a place for me, the actual me under all that makeup and paint. And I look at you, and I'm... home."

Jongdae placed his hands over Minseok's, as if he was scared the other would draw away if he didn't react accordingly. It was a silly worry, really, for Minseok had always been patient with him. Jongdae might always stop to look at Minseok, but Minseok would never turn away first. He was a shelter, a friend, a magnet. Comfort and affection, admiration and love.

Yes. Maybe home was the best word to describe it all.

"You're talking a lot, all of a sudden," Jongdae whispered, and Minseok just smiled without a hint of embarrassment, and then leaned in to kiss him. As much as Jongdae loved his voice, would love to hear him sing one day, really, he also loved his lips, and he loved them on his.

"You're my home, too," he uttered in between urgent and sweet kisses, all mixed up as they were both unable to decide on what they wanted most that very moment.

"Liar," Minseok joked, pecking him, on the petal drawn on his lips. "You have a home already."

"You're the other home," Jongdae hummed against his lips. "The one that's deep inside, and that you can take with you."

"Take me with you, then," Minseok whispered, and Jongdae promised to do just that.

Whether they stayed at the castle or traveled around, whether he'd teach others or polish his own skills, whether the kingdom was their ally or enemy - he'd take Minseok with him, because they simply belonged together. Right next to Minseok was the place he ought to be.

❀

It turned out that Junmyeon was right. No that anyone had seriously doubted his words in the first place.
The night Jongdae spent asleep, curled up next to Minseok, it started raining. It rained and rained, to the point that it was almost impossible to travel for a whole two days. When the soil dried under the warm, healing sunlight, it was no longer dark and tainted. All the remains of the curse had been washed away and seeped into the soil, where nature consumed them. By the time they returned to the castle, lush greenery was blooming more determined than ever, crawling up walls and covering the world in a soothing green and people had found their smiles again.

❀

In the capital, there was an enormous castle, where blessed people trained their powers. In that very castle, in the East wing, almost at the top, was a little room. It was rare but sometimes, someone would stumble upon that very room with the wall covered from top to bottom in dried flowers. There seemed to be new flowers being added to it still, but no one seemed to know when they were added or who was adding them. On the opposite wall, depictions of those exact flowers were drawn on the stone. They mirrored each other perfectly, and even unsuspecting visitors could feel the harmony radiating from that room.