They both stare at each other.

 

“Jongin,” Kyungsoo says, testing the name on his tongue. The prince nods, gaze heavy as Kyungsoo fidgets. Kyungsoo thinks that perhaps Jongin feels just as awkward as him at this moment, standing here before a foreigner that is obviously not very welcome to his city. He can tell the other is determined to ask him something, but is obviously hesitant in doing so.

 

Kyungsoo thinks back to the various words and phrases he had caught Jongin hissing at the king. If it’s true that something is wrong and they need help, then Kyungsoo’s heart goes out to the prince in front of him. The linguist decides that since it’s obvious he isn’t in any sort of immediate danger at the moment, the least he could do is offer a kind smile.

 

Jongin watches as Kyungsoo looks up at him properly, blinking as if surprised at Kyungsoo’s smile.

 

“It’s nice to meet you, Jongin,” Kyungsoo says quietly. “I’m sorry for the trouble we’ve caused you. We… honestly did not expect any of this.”

 

The prince seems very thrown off at the apology, but doesn’t acknowledge it. His eyes turn a little sharp, instead. “And what did you expect?”

 

His tone is accusatory, and normally Kyungsoo wouldn’t stand to be spoken to in such a way, but then he remembers himself. Where he is. This is just like the abroad trips Kyungsoo went on during his college years. This is a society where he is the outsider, and he just needs to accept that.

 

“We don’t really know what we expected to find-”

 

“And yet you found yourself here.” 

 

Jongin starts to pace again. He’s about to throw another question at Kyungsoo, but then he seems to remember their deal. He stops, looking at Kyungsoo expectantly.

 

Kyungsoo finds his heart skipping a beat. He looks out the window then, seeing the colors slowly fading to a dark blue. There is a glow in the sky now, as if there is a moon. Only the color is like that of the crystal veins within the caves, a light blue washing over the city and reflecting in the waterways running along the walkways. 

 

“T-That glow… What is-” Kyungsoo yelps as pain shoots through his foot, stumbling forward as he tries to walk toward the window. He nearly falls face first onto the stone floor, but there’s a firm grasp on his elbow that catches him. He whips his head around to look at Jongin as he carefully helps Kyungsoo to sit on the floor. 

 

Kyungsoo cringes, holding his foot and breathing in sharply. Jongin kneels in front of him, eyes flitting to his foot.

 

“Are you alright?” Jongin asks, and Kyungsoo glances at him. There is a spark of concern in the other’s cerulean gaze.

 

“No,” Kyungsoo sighs, trying to will the pain away before he starts tearing up like he usually does. He can’t cry in front of the prince. He’ll never let himself live it down. “I hurt it in the submersible after the leviathan attacked us. But it’s only gotten worse.”

 

Jongin’s brows furrow, giving Kyungsoo a quick glance before reaching out. His touch is gentle, fingers warm as he carefully turns Kyungsoo’s foot this way and that to take off his shoe and sock. Kyungsoo grits his teeth, trying not to focus on the purpling skin around his ankle and the top of his foot. God, it’s really gotten worse since Junmyeon looked at it yesterday.

 

Jongin assesses it, tilting his head like Junmyeon did and adding steady pressure here and there as if trying to figure out if it’s broken.

 

“M-My friend- the one that helped carry me here. He’s a doctor.” Kyungsoo looks at Jongin a little desperately, but the prince only pauses to look at him.

 

“A doctor,” Jongin says almost in a mocking tone, smiling a little. It looks almost mischievous, and Kyungsoo can only blink in confusion. The prince gently puts Kyungsoo’s foot down, hands reaching to the leather necklace around his neck. He brings it over his head, the strap softly tousling the white strands of his hair.  

 

Kyungsoo gapes at him as he holds the small crystal in his hand, cupping Kyungsoo’s heel as he brings it towards the skin. Kyungsoo never removes his gaze from it, watching in awe as the steady glow seems to seep away from the crystal itself. The brilliant blue flows over Kyungsoo’s foot like running water, and he sees it swirl over the purpling skin.

 

What happens next, he can hardly explain. Before, his foot was hot to the touch, aching and throbbing to no end. Now, what feels like a cool breeze washes over his skin, it soothing as it spreads along the injury. What surprises Kyungsoo the most is the fact that the pain disappears almost immediately, evaporating from his skin as if it had never been there in the first place. Jongin gently brings the crystal over it again, and Kyungsoo realizes his foot no longer throbs either.

 

The gentle glow remains on his foot even as Jongin brings his hand away, as if the crystal had stained Kyungsoo’s skin. Kyungsoo’s lips part as he stares, watching the glow slowly fade. With it, it takes away the purpling bruise, leaving his foot looking as if it had never been hurt in the first place.

 

Kyungsoo hesitantly moves his toes, gasping when it feels normal.

 

Jongin sits back as Kyungsoo reaches out to feel his own foot, probably looking like an idiot as he pokes and prods his own skin.

 

“Oh my god,” Kyungsoo exclaims, unable to stop the smile from breaking out onto his lips. He looks to the prince next to him, who is sitting with his legs crossed. Jongin smiles back at him a little. “How is this possible?”

 

Jongin looks at the crystal in his hand, staring at it for a few moments and thinking to himself. He looks at Kyungsoo, and that’s when he notices the prince’s eyes don’t look as sharp as before.

 

Kyungsoo’s breath hitches as Jongin holds out the crystal for him to take, the linguist careful as he cups his hands and holds it between his palms. It’s cool to the touch, still glowing just like Kyungsoo had seen the veins do deep within the caves. It doesn’t spread into his skin like it had done to Kyungsoo’s foot when Jongin was holding it, but nevertheless, Kyungsoo is amazed by it as he runs the tip of his fingers along its smooth surface.

 

“It’s our life source.”

 

Kyungsoo is knocked out of his trance by Jongin’s deep voice, looking to the prince to see his slight begrudging expression. He seems as if he doesn’t want to tell Kyungsoo this, but senses that it’s unavoidable.

 

Jongin’s pretty blue eyes look at the crystal in Kyungsoo’s hands.

 

His lips are pursed together in an almost invisible frown, before he clears his throat and reaches out to grab the crystal back from Kyungsoo’s hand. 

 

Before he can even react, the Atlantean Prince slips the leather necklace over his head again, the crystal glowing softly over his defined chest. He stands up swiftly and walks over to the window again. 

 

“Come on,” he urges once and then looks away when he climbs up on the pane. “Follow me.” 

 

Kyungsoo’s eyebrows shoot up and the scoff leaves his lips before he can stop himself. The prince looks back at him over his shoulder, and Kyungsoo finally remembers how to move. He pushes himself off the ground slowly, too scared to put any weight on his foot. He tests it lightly - pressing his toes a little harder into the ground. Then his entire sole, moving his weight to that leg. 

 

Another breath escapes past his parted lips in disbelief. 

 

Nothing. No pain. No swelling. 

 

He has so many questions swirling in his mind as he looks up to Jongin who is still waiting for him. So many pressing inquiries. 

 

Yet, at the sight of Jongin just raising his eyebrows lightly, the light from the sunset glowing over his head like a halo, all he can do is breathe in deeply. 

 

“You want me to go out there? From the window?” he asks, and when the prince’s eyebrows just slightly raise, he lets out another scoff. “ No way.”

 

The Atlantean just stares at him blankly for a few seconds, before he shuts his eyes and lets out a breath in what seems like mild irritation. Kyungsoo’s brows knit together as he watches the man jump back inside the room. He is grateful that he fixed his leg, but climbing on the side of the tower? 

 

“I tend to be very uncoordinated,” he blurts out in an attempt to make up more excuses, pointing to his once injured foot. “I always trip and fall, you saw the result for yourself. And just, climbing down the side of a castle?! I don’t think that’s a great idea-”

 

“There are guards placed in front of every single room in the castle,” the prince says and when he opens his eyes again there’s a harder look in them. “The moment you step foot out of that door, the King will know.”

 

Kyungsoo blinks. “So?”

 

“So you’ll never get the answers you want,” Jongin says with certainty. He takes one step towards him, the ankle bracelets clinking lightly with his movement. He raises one perfect white eyebrow, his hair swaying when he tilts his head to the side. His eyes are hard and unreadable. “Do you not want answers?”

 

Kyungsoo’s top lip curls as he tries to fight his inner struggles. Of course he wants answers. Of course he wants to see Atlantis. Of course he wants to get out of the confinement of this room and see everything with his own two eyes. 

 

There’s a very high chance that he just slips and dies while trying to get down from that goddamn window, but the thought also occurs to him that there was a very high chance that he’d die when the leviathan attacked them. 

 

Yet, here he is. Still breathing, still alive. 

 

So maybe it is worth the risk. 

 

His shoulders slump when he looks up to Jongin once again. There is already a small smirk pulling on his lips upon sensing his victory. 

 

“Good.”

 

Kyungsoo blinks a few times as the prince puts out his hand. His eyes flit between the other’s open palm and his amused grin. When Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything, Jongin chuckles.

 

“ Now you may hold my hand.”

 

Kyungsoo flusters, frowning for a moment and walking right past the prince and onto the window pane himself.

 

He makes the mistake of looking down to the street meters below. It makes him a little nauseous so he hurries to look away, breath hitching as he tries to hide his face. 

 

Yep. He’s dying for sure. 

 

He startles when he feels Jongin moving past him. His body is swift and elegant, movements way too precise for someone of his height. He is holding onto the protruding stones of the tower, fingers digging between the creases of the rocks. He hangs right beside him, virtually unbothered, unlike Kyungsoo who is seconds away from having a heart attack. 

 

The breeze is messing up the prince’s hair, and he looks even dreamier with the colorful hues of a sky before dusk surrounding him. The city of Atlantis is shining below them, and the prince’s smile is small. His eyes glitter with amusement. 

 

“Avoid the cracked ones and follow me.”

 

Kyungsoo can’t help but to remain stiff. His legs are trembling, and he is quite literally gripping onto the stones for dear life, but he tries his best to move and follow Jongin’s path. He seems to know where each of the stones are protruding from the tower so he may properly place his feet. He is quick and agile, but Kyungsoo is entirely too slow and afraid. 

 

Yet, with the warm breeze and the distant screeches of seagulls flying over the sea, he has never felt more alive. 

 

He is a panting mess by the time they make it down from the daunting castle towers. His legs are visibly shaking when he stands on solid ground again, heart threatening to burst out of his chest. He has to reach up and dig his fingers into his chest, just to try calming it down. 

 

Jongin is right beside him, standing straight, not even affected by all that climbing. He seems perfectly relaxed, looking at Kyungsoo with a slightly tilted chin, as if wondering what’s wrong with him. 

 

Kyungsoo feels a wave of nausea overcome him when he looks up again, hardly able to spot the window they had climbed down from now. His vision is a little dotted, and he doesn’t try to stop the delirious laugh that falls from his lips.

 

How the did he survive that?

 

His dotted vision worsens, and suddenly there are strong arms wrapped around him. Kyungsoo dazedly looks up to see Jongin giving him a mildly concerned expression, realizing he must have been swaying without realizing it.

 

“You’re… quite pale.”

 

Jongin helps him sit, and Kyungsoo whispers a quiet ‘ thank you ’ in Atlantean. He’s dizzy, body feeling like it’s overheating as the nausea only gets worse from his adrenaline rush. He raises his knees, placing his head between them and trying to focus on his breathing.

 

He hears Jongin shuffle his feet in front of him, probably taking a few steps back in case Kyungsoo gets sick. Kyungsoo can’t really blame him for that.

 

He’s so focused on trying to recover that he doesn’t register the scuffing of another pair of feet walking up to them.

 

“ Aemyr-cae ,” a deep voice says. “ Teh cai esta ytasua - oh.”

 

Kyungsoo groans, looking up with an absolutely miserable expression. He realizes the other Atlantean was asking Jongin if he had found him- ytasua , as he called him. Surface dweller. The fact Kyungsoo understands what is probably a slang term without even having to ask is amazing, and he would be so proud of himself if it weren’t for the fact he feels like he’s about to throw up the contents of his stomach. 

 

“Did you break him?” The other man says in Korean, looking to the prince with a smirk. Kyungsoo blearily realizes it’s the one he had punched earlier. He’s missing the bruise now, and Kyungsoo wonders if he used the crystal to heal himself.

 

Jongin frowns, looking down to Kyungsoo as the concern only grows in his eyes. Kyungsoo shakily stands, looking up at the other Atlantean.

 

“He tried to kill me,” Kyungsoo says without really thinking, sighing deeply. His heart is still pounding, but it’s definitely much more manageable.

 

“Well that’s what we usually do to outsiders here,” the man says, and it takes Kyungsoo a long moment to realize the other is kidding . Well. Possibly. He takes a step back just in case, which only leaves the Atlantean to snort.

 

“Chanyeol, leave him be,” Jongin says in a dismissive tone. 

 

Chanyeol gives Kyungsoo one last smug look before regarding Jongin completely. “I’ll keep Minseok busy while you’re gone.”

 

Jongin nods. “We will be back soon, kallis .”

 

Chanyeol smiles at him, bowing his head ever so slightly. “Yes, aemyr-cae .”

 

With that, Chanyeol turns on his heels, ignoring Kyungsoo’s rather intrigued expression and walking away from them. The linguist tilts his head, eyes trailing back to Jongin and lingering there once they’re completely along again. The other’s striking blue eyes glance to him as well, staring at him warily when he sees Kyungsoo is quite obviously curious about something.

 

“So,” Kyungsoo starts. “What’s aemyr-cae ?”

 

Jongin blinks. “It’s… my title.”

 

“ Cae is a possessive ‘my’. So is ‘ aemyr ’ prince?” 

 

Jongin gives him a weird look.

 

“It’s aemyr . You have to focus on the ‘ myr ’ more,” Jongin says, amusement laced into his tone. It sounds like a parent correcting a child’s pronunciation but Kyungsoo takes it in stride, mimicking how Jongin says it. The prince nods once he gets it right, walking a little and urging Kyungsoo to follow him.

 

Kyungsoo does, unable to hide the grin on his face that he pronounced it right. Which reminds him-

 

“H-Hey, how’s my accent?”

 

Jongin side eyes him for a few moments as they walk down the empty streets, the prince leading them down a path similar to the one they had walked before. “I believe it’s my turn to ask the questions.”

 

Kyungsoo is about to retort, but stops. He frowns a little, the excited rush of being able to speak Atlantean and actually get proper feedback crashing rather quickly. He supposes he could always ask later- if there is a later.

 

He tries not to dwell on that, focusing on the here and now as he walks side by side the prince. He glances at Jongin, the other seeming to be in deep thought. Kyungsoo tries to be strong and not let his eyes linger on the other’s bare chest and beautiful collarbones.

 

He fails miserably.

 

“Who sent you here?”

 

Kyungsoo quickly looks away when Jongin catches him staring, instead focusing on the tall ruins around him. 

 

“No one sent us here. It was a research expedition.” Jongin gives him a suspicious look, like he doesn’t believe him. “You have to understand… Atlantis isn’t real where I come from. It’s a myth, something that’s only been accounted by very few people throughout history. The most we all had even hoped to find were ruins. Old rocks, if we were lucky.”

 

Jongin looks a little upset now, and Kyungsoo stops short when the prince suddenly turns to him. He’s glaring, looking down at Kyungsoo accusingly. 

 

“Yet you knew exactly where to find the leviläinen . You know our language.” He steps closer, leaning over ever so slightly and getting in Kyungsoo’s face. “You are a liar.”

 

Kyungsoo flusters, fists clenching as he exercises every ounce of patience he has left. His eyes flit between Jongin’s, the beautiful blue striking something within him.

 

Jongin is a prince. He is being protective of his people and his city. Kyungsoo needs to remember he’s allowed to be paranoid and defensive.

 

Perhaps a little honesty would go a long way.

 

“My life is a joke to most of the people back home. People ask what I do, and I have to lie just to not get laughed at.” Jongin watches him silently, and Kyungsoo takes a breath before continuing. “I dedicated years and years of my life to chasing bread crumbs of information about this place. I learned your language without ever really knowing if it was correct . I compiled every ounce of research that is thousands and thousands of years old, not knowing if any of it was fact or fiction.”

 

It is silent as they both stare at each other.

 

Jongin’s glare softens a little then, but his expression is still entirely too guarded to get a read on him.

 

“Why?”

 

Kyungsoo is tempted to be petty and say that it’s his turn for the questions, but he shakes off that thought. He needs Jongin to trust him right now if they’re going to get anywhere with this conversation, and Kyungsoo is not about to ruin his chance at getting all of the answers he’s ever dreamed of receiving.

 

“Because,” Kyungsoo says, giving Jongin a genuine look. “No one deserves to be forgotten from history.”

 

Jongin’s eyes flit all over Kyungsoo’s face for a few moments, and Kyungsoo watches with bated breath as the prince slowly steps out of Kyungsoo’s personal space. Instead, he slowly starts walking again, Kyungsoo easily falling into the same pace as they walk down the street. 

 

It seems that was an acceptable answer because Jongin doesn’t utter a word about it after that. Kyungsoo internally sighs in relief, finding himself staring at the sky in deep thought. He makes a sad noise as he looks at the sky. It’s spotted with clouds here and there, but Kyungsoo almost half expected to see stars. A thought occurs to him right after, and he glances at Jongin next to him.

 

“Can… Can I still ask you questions?”

 

Jongin’s expression is passive, but he can tell he’s still very much deep in thought. He nods stiffly, and Kyungsoo hums.

 

“How do Atlanteans tell time?”

 

Jongin, once again, blinks at him in bewilderment. “Time?”

 

“Yeah.” He gestures to the sky. “I mean, obviously you… somehow have a day and night system, but how do you track the years? I assume you don’t have seasons like we do, and you can’t use the stars as guidance.” 

 

The prince’s mouth opens and closes, like he’s trying to process the simple question. Perhaps, he was expecting something much more prying like Jongin’s questions have been to him, but Kyungsoo wants to know everything. Even the things that some would label as trivial matters.

 

Hell . It’s not everyday an archaeologist is able to physically meet and interact with a member of what should be a mythical civilization. 

 

“We… use wildlife. Certain species are more abundant than others during certain times. But time is not so important to us anymore.”

 

Kyungsoo’s curiosity ignites like a wildfire at the ‘ anymore ’, the archaeologist within him absolutely ready to start gushing with questions. But he reels himself in. Instead, he prepares himself to once again be grilled now that Jongin has the chance to ask whatever he wants.

 

Jongin doesn’t look at him fully, just quickly glancing at him from the corner of his eye. He guides them down a narrow alley filled with moss and various plants Kyungsoo has never seen before growing along the stone walls.

 

“How…do you tell time?”

 

Kyungsoo halts momentarily. He is ready to answer ‘our phones’ with his whole chest, but thankfully, the gears in his brain start shifting. He skips forward in order to catch up with the prince, who only throws a look over his shoulder, still awaiting an answer. 

 

“Well,” Kyungsoo starts hesitantly. “We observe the sun. Depending on Earth’s position, we can count how many days have passed.”

 

“The old way, then,” Jongin hums, and Kyungsoo just blinks as he, once again, has to jog forward in order to keep up with the prince’s pace. 

 

“Old? What do you mean ‘old’?” 

 

“Is that your next question?” the prince looks at him sternly, and Kyungsoo feels his brows knitting together. He’s in the middle of evaluating his options, when he sees Jongin’s lips curling in what seems like a little smile. White hair falls over his eyes as he jumps down from a little rock on the side of the road, and it dawns on Kyungsoo when he sees that playful look shining in those blue eyes - Jongin is joking . “We haven’t used that method since the Great Flood.”

 

Kyungsoo gives a soft ‘ oh ’, mind racing. He craves to write all of this down somewhere, but doesn’t have anything on him. He figures he’ll just try to remember later, instead focusing on the path Jongin is leading him down.

 

It’s getting more narrow, to the point where they can’t walk side by side and Jongin walks in front of him. He narrows his eyes a little, turning suspicious as they suddenly arrive in a more open area.

 

“Where are you taking me?” Jongin throws him an amused glance over his shoulder, and Kyungsoo doesn’t give him a chance to speak. “Yes, that is my actual question this time.”

 

Jongin hums. “You’re going to prove your worth.”

 

Kyungsoo tenses up, especially when that teasing tone disappears from the prince’s voice. He tries to joke again. “Well I’ve already proven I’m physically worthless.”

 

Not a laugh or a chuckle comes from Jongin, not even an amused glint to his eyes. He just stops for a moment, and turns to look at Kyungsoo with an unreadable gaze. Kyungsoo regrets opening his mouth.

 

Jongin looks him up and down, as if sizing him up. His voice is quiet when he speaks. “It’s my turn to ask you a question.”

 

Kyungsoo swallows harshly, turning nervous now that he has Jongin’s full attention. “Okay.”

 

“Would you be willing to set aside everything you came here for to help my people?”

 

Kyungsoo waits a few moments to see if the prince will further elaborate, but he doesn’t. Jongin stands there, arms crossed and a very calculating look starts to enter his gaze. Kyungsoo really doesn’t know or understand what kind of help Jongin and his people may need, but he recalls the other’s arguing with the King when Kyungsoo and the others were escorted out. ‘ Help ’ was all Kyungsoo could hear coming from Jongin at that time.

 

Kyungsoo finds himself at a loss for words. “I… I’m not sure what kind of help I can provide for your people… You need someone like Junmyeon. He’s a doctor. Or Baekhyun. He can help with anything environmental.”

 

Jongin’s gaze doesn’t falter. “That wasn’t my question.”

 

Kyungsoo stares back at Jongin, a little unnerved. 

 

“Yeah... I mean- of course. I told you before, I never expected any of this,” Kyungsoo gestures to the ruins around them, and it’s then that he notices how much older and worn down this area seems to be compared to the rest of the city. “But to help you all in any way would be an honor for any of us. I mean it.”

 

Jongin’s eyes narrow slightly and Kyungsoo wonders if he said the right thing or if he once again managed to up without even meaning to. The prince moves, and Kyungsoo blinks when the other approaches him. 

 

His white hair is unruly, messed up by the soft breeze. The golden earring is swaying from Jongin’s ear and catching the light every now and then just like the cuffs on his ankles, successfully distracting Kyungsoo for a moment. The prince crosses his arms over his chest and straightens up, giving him one last assessing look. 

 

He jerks his chin towards the ruins behind Kyungsoo without saying another word. 

 

Kyungsoo turns around to follow Jongin’s gaze, eyes scanning the square they had ended up in. It looks like it once was a plaza of sorts, surrounded by small ponds and high columns that are now cracked and falling apart after centuries winding them down. His mind cannot comprehend the style and it reminds him of the most ancient Greek pillars and constructions, very much like the Parthenon and the Acropolis, yet different. He takes a hesitant step towards them. There, along with the moss, he sees etchings. The colors are faded, but the carvings and traces are still there. 

 

His eyes light up like a child’s on Christmas day as he takes yet another step forward. He completely ignores the fact that he’s now walking in shallow waters, the coolness seeping through the fabric of his shoes and onto his skin. Instead, he raises a hand, fingers hovering over the markings along the sides of the pillar, too scared to actually touch it. 

 

“Oh my God,” he lets out a breath as his eyes travel up the length of the pillar when he realizes what all those carvings are. Atlantean. Old runes and symbols, carved out precisely along every surface of the pillars around him and around the faded drawings. Then his eyes shoot around the square - every wall, every pillar. Covered in text. “ Oh my God ...”

 

He feels as if his heart will burst out of his chest as he tries to take it all in. He’s almost on the verge of hyperventilation, but tries to keep calm as he attempts to process this as quickly as he can. So much text, so much information he has been searching years for. And it’s all here, laid out in front of him just like that. 

 

His fingers brush against the cool stone of the pillars, skin grazing the carvings. 

 

He can’t believe he is seeing all of this with his own two eyes and is having a hard time grasping reality. After years of researching and studying- after having gotten used to scavenging months on end for the tiniest bits of information for his journal- now he has all of this in front of him. 

 

“So?” Kyungsoo startles at the quiet voice of the prince who had crept up next to him without him even noticing. He had completely forgotten about him for a second. Jongin is standing just beside him, arms still firmly crossed in front of his chest as he raises one perfect white eyebrow and tilts his head towards the pillar. “Can you read that?”

 

Kyungsoo focuses on the pillars again, trying to clear the fog of excitement from his mind and instead put his brain to work. His eyes rake across the etchings. It takes a little squinting to differentiate the carvings from the cracks. He brushes a finger over the text, eyes narrowing at some symbols he doesn’t recognize. His mouth opens slightly to let out short breaths when he nods to himself. 

 

“It’s the history of Atlantis,”  he lets out quietly, almost in disbelief. He shakes his head, feeling so incredibly overwhelmed. “This is….this is phenomenal. I can’t-...It’s all here! All of it!” 

 

Kyungsoo releases yet another breath, eyes glancing over the drawings in the middle of all the text. It depicts Atlanteans with their white hair and blue crystals. His fingers brush over the gold etching in the details. The archeologists would have a if they were to see all of this. 

 

“You really can read this?”

 

Kyungsoo is drawn out of his thoughts by the soft voice of the prince beside him. He turns to look at him properly this time around, finally remembering the grim and somewhat threatening question from before. 

 

“Uh, some of it,” Kyungsoo admits quietly and Jongin’s eyes shoot towards him. He’s not, however, looking at him with that determined glare anymore. Instead, there is something softer shining in his eyes, like a whirlpool of awe and distress. “I mean, I understand the general idea. I don’t recognize some of the symbols, but I can derive their meaning from other patterns. If I had my journal- “ 

 

“ This . Right here. You can read this ?” 

 

Kyungsoo’s eyebrows knit at the audible urgency in Jongin’s voice when the prince sprawls his hand over the pillar. He has the look of a mad man on his face all of a sudden, and Kyungsoo tenses up when he looks towards the text the prince is vaguely pointing at. 

 

“Yeah,” he ends up nodding hesitantly. He furrows his brows as he tries to translate out loud. “It speaks about some sort of being… no, a higher being? Atua? Atua . I don’t really understand its context, but it seems that it plays a heavy part in an atlantean’s everyday life…”

 

His words trail off as his eyes scan the various drawings next to the crystals, noticing that the color is severely faded but it almost reminds him of the very crystal around Jongin’s neck. More of the words describe it below the picture, so he continues on without even thinking.

 

“It says… sacrifices given to the atua ? Eternal sacrifices. But I can’t really tell exactly what that means. Maybe if I look over here-”

 

Suddenly Jongin’s hand covers the rest of the symbols, and when Kyungsoo looks at him, the prince looks pale. He’s breathing a little heavy, watching Kyungsoo with a careful look. Surprisingly, Jongin doesn’t look angry or upset. Instead, he looks disturbed.

 

“Okay,” Jongin says. “That’s enough.”

 

It’s soft, but there is a final tone to it. Kyungsoo steps back from the mural out of respect, nodding a little awkwardly. A small silence falls between them, and Kyungsoo looks to another pillar. Just from a quick glance, he can tell the subject is about celebrations. He figures that maybe what he was reading before held too much meaning to Jongin’s culture, so he tries to change the subject and relieve the tension.

 

“This symbol over here… Can you tell me what it means?”

 

Jongin blinks a few times, pulling his hand away from the symbols now that Kyungsoo isn’t looking at them. Instead, he follows the gaze of Kyungsoo who is now intently trying to figure out what the large rune etched over a drawing of what seems to be a feast could mean. It looks familiar, but Kyungsoo can’t quite put his finger on it. 

 

It is silent for quite a few moments, and he realizes Jongin has not yet given him an answer. He raises a finger to point at it in case Jongin was confused. “This one.” 

 

He is pierced by the sharp gaze of Jongin’s cerulean eyes then, him staring right into his own. The emotions swirling there now hint at something else too. Something deeper than the awe and distress like before. Something entirely more vulnerable. 

 

“I don’t know,” Jongin says quietly and Kyungsoo looks back towards the pillar. He takes in the surface of it, before he reaches up to run his fingers through his hair. 

 

“Well judging by the look of that thing, it must be thousands and thousands of years old. It’s probably an older version of your language. It happens all the time. Languages evolve with the years, so it’s understandable. But the roots must still be the same,” Kyungsoo drifts off as he approaches the pillar. His eyes examine the words, before he points towards a sentence with inverted grammar. “Then do you still use this form of sentence structure?” 

 

Again, a quiet reply follows, like an echo of the first. 

 

“I don’t know.” 

 

Kyungsoo purses his lips, feeling mildly irritated that the prince would be suddenly so uncooperative after bringing him all the way here. He knows he is in no place to complain, though, and he still is not completely sure whether he overstepped some lines or not, so he just backs up from the pillar. He tries not to look too disappointed when he finally turns to look at the Atlantean. 

 

Jongin is not looking at him anymore. He is staring at the pillars, and it is then that Kyungsoo notices that there is longing written all over his face. His eyes are rapidly glancing all over the plaza, like he doesn’t know what to focus on. He seems, for lack of better words, lost. 

 

But then it dawns on him. 

 

“When you say you don’t know...” Kyungsoo starts, voice merely above a whisper. He feels a pang in his chest as he steps closer towards the prince. “Surely, you...you know how to read, don’t you?”

 

There’s a storming sea in Jongin’s eyes when he directs his attention towards him then. Like he is ready to beat him to the ground if another word comes out of Kyungsoo’s mouth. Kyungsoo fights the instinct to back up. 

 

“I’m sorry,” he ends up blurting out quickly. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

 

He truly didn’t mean for his question to come out as mocking or like he was looking down on him. Jongin throws him one last assessing look before letting out a quiet sigh and shifting his gaze towards his feet. 

 

“Reading...writing. That knowledge has been lost to us for many years now.”

 

Kyungsoo watches as the storms in those bright blue eyes settle, the soft glint that shines through them almost letting him in on the deeply concealed dejection and hurt. The prince looks vulnerable for a few short seconds. 

 

He tries to contain the sigh as he purses his lips. He cannot, however, contain the clawing feeling of guilt that creeps into his chest. He feels like he has something he isn’t supposed to have, something that is rightfully Jongin’s - the knowledge of this long lost language. It is ridiculous, he knows that. He spent years and years working hard for it, but seeing that flash of uncertainty and regret in the prince’s eyes bothers him nonetheless. 

 

It is not a good look. Not a good look on any person’s face. And it’s a pity he has to see it on the handsome face of this man too. Captor or friend, he doesn’t know that yet, but it doesn’t really matter. It’s just a pity. 

 

No person deserves to feel lesser because of something they have no control over. 

 

Kyungsoo clears his throat to get rid of the lump that has started forming, and awkwardly shifts. He tries to look as cheerful as possible when he speaks again. 

 

“Hey, it’s my turn to ask a question, right?” his voice sounds unnecessarily loud in the silence of the mural surrounding them. “May I?”

 

The prince looks up again rather sharply, and there is surprise and curiosity written all over his face. Like he is wondering what is wrong with Kyungsoo and his attention span. Maybe there is also a thin sliver of relief, and after that, Kyungsoo sees the tiniest of all nods. Curt and final. Almost invisible. 

 

. 

 

He did not think this through. Now Jongin is looking at him, waiting for a question, and despite the thousands, millions of questions he has had for the past 10 years, suddenly his mind cannot procure none. Not a single one. 

 

He panics as he looks at those sharp blue eyes, and his striking white hair dancing with the light wind. Jongin’s lips are plump and parted, the gold of his bicep bracelet casting shimmers when the light catches every time he moves. 

 

He waits, and Kyungsoo’s standing there with his mouth open, still silent. The prince raises his eyebrows, and when he does, the bright blue that runs over his eyelid, down his cheek, moves too. 

 

“What do your tattoos mean?!” Kyungsoo blurts out as soon as he is reminded of them, eyes stuck on the tattoo on the prince’s face.

 

There is wonder and curiosity filling those beautiful eyes again, but Jongin’s face remains unreadable. 

 

“Tattoos?” he says slowly, as if testing the word on his tongue for the first time, and his eyebrows shift again. He looks a little clueless. “What is that?”

 

Oh. Right. 

 

For a linguist who knows how hard it is to study a foreign language, he sure is stupid. 

 

Then again, the Atlanteans spoke perfect Korean to them, and he still has no clue how that is possible. He mentally adds this to his endless list of questions as he clears his throat and flaps his arm in the royal’s direction. 

 

“Those drawings on your face and arm?” 

 

Jongin looks to his left, eyes shifting towards the pattern tattoo below his shoulder. He looks a little more relaxed now that he knows what on Earth Kyungsoo is yamming about. Or rather, what on Atlantis. 

 

“Oh, you mean my mark!” Jongin muses quietly and his fingers fly up to touch his cheek right where the sharp edge of the blue tattoo - mark - ends. He hums under his breath, sharp eyes and calculating. “It’s a symbol of the royal family, bestowed upon us by the Elder Gods.”

 

“Bestowed upon-....” Kyungsoo blinks quickly. “Is it ink?”

 

“Ink?” the prince leans against one of the pillars of the mural, his arms folding in front of his chest. He raises one eyebrow and it is the first time he looks less scary. In fact, with his raised eyebrow and the tip of his lip dancing into something akin to a taunting smirk, he looks, well, unbelievably good, but also like he is making fun of him. Just a little bit. “Like...from an octopus?”

 

Kyungsoo stills down, brain glitching for a few long moments. 

 

“Well, no ,” he says, and tries to find the scientific description of ink in his mind. Somehow, he is too distracted by that lethal eyebrow raise. Where is Baekhyun with his nerdy facts when one needs him? His shoulders drop when Jongin’s eyebrow only seems to raise further. He seems astonished that someone would even ask him something like that. Kyungsoo just sighs, shaking his head. “Nevermind. How did you get it?”

 

Jongin breathes in deeply, looking around the walls of the mural. He doesn’t seem as reluctant anymore, when he shrugs. 

 

“It’s tradition. On the thirtieth birthday of any prince or princess born within the royal family, when we are honoring and thanking the gods for their benevolence and kindness,” Jongin’s voice is a little airy as he lets out the words, and Kyungsoo could almost swear that he was about to roll his eyes. “We are also bestowed with the gift of power. The king, our beacon and link to the gods, delivers the deities’ wishes on to us, with his crystal. It is supposed to be a gift. A blessing.”

 

Jongin doesn’t seem to think much of it as he only shrugs again, peeling himself off the pillar and taking a few steps to another pillar, fingers running over the surface covered in paintings and words. 

 

Kyungsoo, on the other hand, is trying to process everything. He cannot keep himself from curiously staring at the crystal lying snugly against Jongin’s firm, golden chest. He has so many questions about that too, but that seems to be the one thing Jongin doesn't seem too open speaking about. At least judging by his expression from earlier. Kyungsoo doesn't really want to push it now, especially since the prince seems a little less uncomfortable around him. 

 

Kyungsoo clears his throat again when he realizes he’s been standing silent for too long, contemplating how a crystal can simultaneously be a life source, instant medicine and a tattoo machine. He shakes his head, ridding himself of all ridiculous thoughts. 

 

“Thirtieth birthday?” he asks instead, eyes shooting up when the prince approaches him. He vaguely juts his jaw towards the paths between the murals and Kyungsoo gets the hint. He starts walking beside him, eyes trained on Jongin’s strong jaw and rather youthful face. “You’re older than me!”

 

Jongin peers down at him, not halting for even a second. His eyebrows are raised again, but not in the way that has Kyungsoo thinking that the other man probably considers him to be an idiot. No. He seems rather amused . 

 

“How old are you?”

 

 “Just turned 28 a few months ago,” Kyungsoo shrugs. 

 

Jongin laughs then. The sound, quite frankly, startles him. Mostly because the last thing Kyungsoo would have expected in this situation is to hear the prince laughing . 

 

His eyes widen as he simply stares at Jongin and the genuine entertainment that has his lips pulled back as he laughs loudly - a dorky sound that echoes around the ruins around them as they keep walking. It is adorable, and Kyungsoo feels a sliver of happiness inside his heart as he watches Jongin laugh. There is no trace of that vulnerable, sad look that Kyungsoo had seen before, and that makes him feel relieved.

 

The prince’s laughs quickly reduce to a few short and low chuckles before he lifts his arm, tapping his lips with the back of his hand as if trying to force himself not to laugh anymore. 

 

“Yeah,” Jongin ends up saying, and his voice sounds lighter now. His eyes are sparkling with amusement when he throws Kyungsoo another glance. “Seems like I am.”

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t feel like questioning the other man. He is enjoying his moment. In fact, he didn’t realize he had been smiling all this time until he feels the strain on his cheek. 

 

Jongin takes a turn onto another path then, and Kyungsoo vaguely registers all the green ivy twisting over the ancient ruins and columns. When Jongin walks in front of him, he catches a glimpse of the blue patterns on his arm again, just above the golden bracelet so tightly hugging his strong biceps. 

 

“So then what about the mark on your arm?” Kyungsoo asks now, voice light. He has already noticed that many seem to share that tattoo, especially the guards, so he assumes that it must be different from the royal mark on the prince’s face. Jongin’s mischievous look gives him all of the answers that he needs.

 

“I got that one to piss off my brother.” Jongin smiles a little at the snort Kyungsoo gives, cerulean eyes glancing at the tattoo on his arm a moment later. “The Elder Gods do not like the royal family to bear the marks of the common people. So you could say I did it to piss them off too.”

 

Kyungsoo’s eyebrows raise, questions lingering on his tongue that he knows he shouldn’t ask. Not just out of respect, but the last thing he wants is to see is the prince lose the lovely, careless smile he’s wearing now. Instead, Kyungsoo composes himself, giving the prince an easygoing one in return.

 

“I always wanted a tattoo. But my mom would have murdered me.”

 

Jongin gives him a strange look now. “Murder?”

 

“Figuratively. She wouldn’t have actually wanted to kill me.” Kyungsoo waves his hand. “But from all of the nagging she would have given me, it probably would have killed me eventually.”

 

It’s Jongin’s turn to snort now, actually chuckling a little in disbelief. He looks Kyungsoo up and down for a moment. “And what would you have gotten?”

 

“I don’t know. Flowers are nice.”

 

“ Flowers .”

 

Jongin is laughing again, this time wheezing a little when Kyungsoo gives him a flustered look. “Flowers can be cool!”

 

This only makes the prince laugh harder. “Is this common for your people? To get flowers marked on your body?”

 

“I mean- There are definitely much worse choices than a flower, but yeah. I suppose it can be common. It’s usually cheaper to get someone simple done.”

 

Jongin’s gaze turns curious. “Marks have a monetary value where you are from? So it is not a tradition or honor?” 

 

Kyungsoo blinks, not really having thought about it until now. “In some cultures it still is part of tradition. And some people might get it as a way to honor loved ones, or precious memories. In less traditional circumstances, I guess people just want to be able to express themselves.”

 

Jongin hums, contemplating. “Here, we use marks to signify important milestones in our lives. Mine is the mark of the royal guard. I got it when I took an oath to protect the people, even if it’s not a ‘Prince-ly’ thing to do.”

 

Kyungsoo looks at it, admiring the intricate details of the swirls circling his bicep. “It is very beautiful.”

 

“I am sure your flower would be beautiful too,” Jongin says cheekily.

 

Kyungsoo flusters a little at the prince’s remark and his playful eyes are pinned on him. It is suddenly the hardest thing in the world to multitask - to walk and to try not to trip on his own feet. 

 

He feels like he will say something stupid if he speaks now, so he opts for saying nothing. He only lets out a hum, and turns his eyes and undivided attention to the column on both side of the path they’re walking on. They seem even older than the ones at the mural earlier, the ivy twisting around them as if they are the only thing holding the ruins together. The leaves cover most of the texts and fill the entirety of every crack and seam. That’s how ancient they appear to be. 

 

“Where are we going, anyways?” he asks, fascinated by the preservation of all of this. There are some cracks along most of the pillars. It is incredible. 

 

Jongin doesn’t reply for a few moments, but at the next turn of the path, Kyungsoo sees the same curtain of moss and ivy that they had passed earlier when they were dragged to Atlantis from the caves. 

 

“After you,” Jongin says rather curtly, and Kyungsoo just throws one curious glance towards him.

 

He pushes the curtain of ivy aside, stepping forward and his breath hitching, like he is reliving this morning all over again. Jongin stands beside him as Kyungsoo looks out over the city once again. This time, it is from a much taller angle from their spots at the very top of the large rock formation that the palace is situated on. Directly below him, Kyungsoo sees the magnificent golds of the roofs of the palace, cracked and faded but still beautiful nonetheless. Ivy and moss curls around the swirly designs in the walls of the palace and down the streets. 

 

Kyungsoo’s eyes follow along the old walkways, them curving around fallen ruins and various structures that glow in the sunset-like colors being casted over the city. Kyungsoo spots Atlanteans going about their day closer towards the water’s edge. Much to his surprise, the area is teeming with life, smoke rising from some buildings that Kyungsoo assumes to be restaurants. People gather there, and it’s too far to tell for sure, but it seems to be some sort of market place.

 

As the lights dim, Kyungsoo can see a gentle, blue glow take over the city. It outlines some of the cracks and designs in the streets and walls, almost appearing as if the color lifts from the surface. Even some of the plant life glows the same, beautiful color. Whether it is the thick, knee high growth of the grass in some of the more abandoned areas, or the flowering plants around the castle grounds, the blue of the crystal glints everywhere Kyungsoo looks.

 

Jongin quietly watches as Kyungsoo looks down at his feet. He reaches down to touch the flower blooming there, laughing a little in disbelief. The blue haze that the petals give off falls like dust at Kyungsoo’s touch, small blue orbs of light seeming to float around until they become so dim that they disappear.

 

This place- this magnificent, magical city. It really is the place of his dreams. His heart clenches for a moment. What could have possibly happened for it to end up here?

 

Before Kyungsoo can even begin to contemplate, Jongin interrupts his thoughts. 

 

“So. What do you think?”

 

Kyungsoo is quite speechless. What he thinks, what he feels, it cannot possibly be put into words. Not his words. 

 

“ Vencai ,” he whispers quietly, the soft Atlantean word carried by a small gust of wind. He slowly turns to smile at the prince, only to find him staring at him with slightly narrowed eyes and knitted eyebrows. 

 

Panic flashes through his chest as he recognizes that expression as the exact same one the prince had made when Kyungsoo first said that word out loud this very morning. 

 

Did he just offend him? Accidentally? Again ? 

 

The confusion on Jongin’s face diffuses a little, as he shakes his head and his unruly white hair falls over his eyes. 

 

“I think you might be mistaken about the meaning of that particular word,” Jongin said, and Kyungsoo feels the panic ripping through him again. He knew it . 

 

“It… doesn’t mean ‘beautiful’?”

 

“It means breathtaking,” Jongin says, another hum slipping through pursed lips. He is looking over the city, hands brought together behind his back. “It is… uhm. It’s a complicated word. ‘ Ven ’ is ‘absolute beauty’. ‘ Cai ’ means… ‘you’.”

 

Kyungsoo blinks rapidly, processing the other’s words. He promptly chokes on his own spit when it registers.

 

Jongin continues staring at him, like he is assessing him. “It is not used in the context of cities or landscapes. It is used to describe people. Most commonly between lovers.”

 

This makes Kyungsoo cover his face, his cheeks growing warm. So he hadn’t offended Jongin. He had called him breathtaking. Twice .

 

“Oh my God,” he almost shrieks, completely and utterly mortified. “I’m so sorry!”

 

“It’s alright,” he can’t see Jongin’s face right now but his voice sounds light and bright again. “You didn’t know.”

 

Kyungsoo is pretty sure that his face is red, but he slowly removes his hands anyways. Standing there and hiding is only making the situation more awkward than it already is, and he is not about to miss his chance looking at Atlantis just because he is a . 

 

“ Niilu ,” Jongin says to break the ice, and Kyungsoo glances at him. “That’s the word you can use to call a place pretty.”

 

Kyungsoo nods, still flustered but says the word to himself. Jongin gently corrects his pronunciation, seeming to be very encouraging until Kyungsoo gets it right. In fact, Jongin seems a lot more relaxed now compared to when they had first exchanged introductions in Kyungsoo’s room. Gone is the hostile and defensive glint to the prince’s eyes- instead, it is replaced with a more welcoming and curious aura that Jongin seems to emit. 

 

Kyungsoo, though, is no fool. He is still very aware that the prince could easily revert back to his aggressive questions and demands at a blink of an eye, but for now Kyungsoo enjoys the other’s calming presence. Maybe it is the beautiful scenery, or the kind smile on the prince’s handsome features, but somehow, Kyungsoo feels at peace.

 

He smiles briefly at Jongin as the prince continues to stare at him, Kyungsoo’s gaze looking back out at the city. He looks longingly at the people down by the water’s edge, wishing he could go and see.

 

“Are you hungry?”

 

The question catches Kyungsoo off guard. 

 

He needs roughly two seconds to process the words and the inviting smile on Jongin’s face, before excitement hits him like a tidal wave. A meal. An home-cooked meal . After all those months in the submarine, eating canned food and instant rice, surviving on carefully planned out meal plans, that would feed the entire crew with the least costs and efforts. 

 

An actual meal. In Atlantis! 

 

If Kyungsoo hadn’t started crying at all until this point of the day, now was about the best time to do that. He didn’t think he’d ever felt such immense happiness. And all because of food. 

 

“Yes!” he answers quickly, almost too breathily for such a simple question. “Yeah, I...I actually am.”

 

Jongin’s lips curl in a small smile when he acknowledges his answer. “Alright. Let’s head back to the castle and get your friends then.”

 

Kyungsoo’s brain registers that Jongin starts moving away, on the paths that lead to the castle. He throws one last look towards the shining city of Atlantis, the dim blue-ish lights and the streets below them bustling with life. His heart swells inside his chest yet again, before he tears his eyes away and follows the prince. 

 

“Thank you,” Kyungsoo breathes out as soon as he catches up to the other man. He turns to look at him briefly. “For showing me everything today. The murals, the writings, the city. It’s all so beautiful. So amazing,” as an afterthought, he adds. “ Niilo .”

 

Jongin’s lips tremble into another small smile, as he nods softly. 

 

But just like the sand getting washed away by the waves, the smile fades and the prince straightens. His eyes are sharp again as he looks at him. 

 

“I did not bring you here today just to show you how pretty Atlantis is,” Jongin says, and his voice is louder now, sterner. “I asked you earlier if you would help us. You agreed. I expect you to honor your promise.”

 

“Of course,” Kyungsoo breathes out, his eyebrows knitting in confusion. 

 

“Good,” Jongin nods. “Then we will come back tomorrow, and the day after. You will help me translate the writings on the pillars, the ancient texts. We will keep coming back until I have figured everything out.”

 

Kyungsoo looks at the prince’s jaw tightening and the determination in his eyes spiking. He doesn’t think he even has a choice in the matter, and he doesn’t think Jongin even expects him to reply. 

 

He does, anyways.

 

“Of course,” he repeats. “Of course I’ll help you.”

 

He does not press on. Curiosity is burning within him - Jongin seems concerned. He seems troubled. He keeps saying that they need help, yet, Kyungsoo has no idea what they need help with. He has absolutely no idea what he has just gotten himself into, but somehow he doubts he would have declined even if he knew. Jongin seemed worried, but after his reassurance that he’d help, he lets some of that forced severity melt away. He looks a little more at ease now, smiling again as they approach the castle. 

 

“It will be difficult, though,” Kyungsoo says, not wanting to lead Jongin on. He throws a cautious look towards him. “I will help you to the best of my abilities, but I-...I am hardly an expert. Besides, with my journal gone, I cannot translate everything. There are… symbols and word stems that I only have written there. I could have used them to derive the meanings of other words, but...”

 

The words die on his lips, as he feels a certain weight settling on his chest. All those years of meticulous research and digging, all documented in his journal. And now, when he needs it the most, he does not have it. It is a rather depressing predicament. 

 

“Your journal?” Jongin asks, but does not necessarily sound surprised. “Members of my royal guard were sent out earlier to retrieve some of your belongings per the King’s orders. I’ll see if I can find your book.”

 

Kyungsoo blinks up, hope filling him at once. He tries to convince himself that getting too excited would most probably end up amplifying the disappointment. Jongin doesn’t even know what his journal looks like, so how would he find it among all the books all of them carried? He is pretty sure Baekhyun alone carries at least ten different texts about fossils and plants. 

 

Still, he cannot help the little ray of sunshine that suddenly livens him up - having his precious research back would mean the world to him, and then he would probably be able to really help Jongin. 

 

Kyungsoo bumps into Jongin’s arm when the prince suddenly extends it to stop him from walking forward. He lets out a little breath out in surprise, but immediately shuts up when he sees the prince’s sharp eyes shooting to the side of the path, towards the pillars and the rock formations, the thick covers of ivy. 

 

He straightens, and slowly lowers his hand. 

 

“ Tulla uto! ”

 

Before Kyungsoo can even finish translating internally to himself that Jongin had just said ‘come out’, he hears the rustling. His eyes shoot up to the rocks and the pillars, and his heart nearly leaps out of his chest when a figure jumps from the shadows of the ivy onto the path in front of them. Another one appears from behind the pillar.

 

One of the men - the taller one, Kyungsoo already knows. Chanyeol. The one beside him has a more stoic face and very strong eyebrows that make him look more serious than he probably is. His hair, too, is a striking white. He has the same attire as every other Atlantean Kyungsoo has seen so far - the blue cloth wrapped around his waist, and the beautiful crystal hanging from his neck. 

 

Kyungsoo’s eyes shoot to his arm. There is no mark there. There is, however, a golden bracelet, very similar to the one Jongin is wearing. One on each arm. The man catches him staring, and Kyungsoo immediately looks away.

 

“What are you doing here?” Jongin lets out a sigh, eyes shooting towards Chanyeol. “I thought you were going to keep the King busy.”

 

“He is busy.”

 

Jongin just breathes out a curt sigh, and before Kyungsoo knows it, he has switched to Atlantean. He speaks quickly, a very confident and direct tone to his voice. It is almost impossible to make out what he is saying at this speed, and Kyungsoo gets a headache just trying to focus on distinguishing each word from the other. 

 

The only words he somehow manages to recognize are ‘cave’,  ‘book’ and ‘search’, so he can only assume Jongin is talking to them about his journal. He sure hopes he is. 

 

Chanyeol gives a nod, and his reply is just as quick as Jongin’s questions. 

 

“So where are you two going?” Chanyeol asks, and Kyungsoo is amused at how friendly and curious this big guy looks. His face is entirely too kind for someone this buff. Especially for someone he had punched just a few hours ago. 

 

At least it seems he isn’t holding any grudges against him. Which is nice, Kyungsoo supposes as he tries to stand a little behind Jongin.

 

“We are heading back to the palace,” Jongin replies, before straightening again. “Then we will take the others and have dinner in the city.”

 

“ Aemyr-cae! ”

 

Kyungsoo notices the way the two men look at each other. Chanyeol, in particular, seems especially stressed all of a sudden. 

 

“Chanyeol, you are to gather a small group of guards to everybody. Sehun,” he turns to the other man. “You are to inform our guests that we are leaving when the waters cover the light.”

 

“But, Jongin-”

 

“ I said ,” the prince interrupts the other man who had spoken up. He looks at him with a particularly striking gaze, the same storming tsunamis in his cerulean eyes Kyungsoo had witnessed earlier. “You are to relay our invitation. Am I clear?”

 

“ Som cai souve, aemyr-cae .”

 

“Very well.” Jongin brings his hands together, and starts walking forward. Kyungsoo throws a cautious look towards the two large men that are curiously glancing at him without a word, without moving. 

 

He breathes in and hurries to follow after Jongin. Only then does he feel the presence of the two others tracing behind them as they walk to the gates of the castle. He throws a worried glance towards the guards positioned there. 

 

“Is this alright?”  Kyungsoo asks worriedly, and Jongin turns to look at him with slightly raised eyebrows. Kyungsoo chances another look towards the guards. “ Wouldn’t your br-... the king, be displeased?”

 

Jongin breathes in deeply, his pace unwavering as he keeps walking forward. He seems to contemplate for a few long moments, before turning his head towards Kyungsoo again. He purses his lips. 

 

“You’re right,” he shrugs his broad shoulders. “Seems like we’ll have to climb the tower again.”

 

At the very sound of that, Kyungsoo feels the earth beneath him start spinning. He’s suddenly feeling nauseous again. His eyes trail to the tall tower, and he feels like throwing up. How he even climbed down is a mystery to him, but up ?! 

 

Those guards should have just killed him back in the tent. 

 

Jongin’s smile blooms on his handsome face then, his plump lips pulling into the same playful smile he had given Kyungsoo before they were interrupted. Kyungsoo blinks at him just before the first chuckle escapes his lips. 

 

Oh. 

 

“You’re joking,” Kyungsoo sighs out. Relief fills him up all at once. “ Thank God you’re joking.”

 

Jongin scoffs lightly, raising his arm and tapping his finger over his own cheek. 

 

“Remember?” he says cheekily, pointing at his royalty mark. “A blessing of power. Might as well use it.”

 

Kyungsoo glances to the prince’s royal mark, eyes drifting to the other one on his bicep. Jongin seems to be rather rebellious just from the little conversations that they have been able to share with each other. Kyungsoo figures that perhaps the king will be upset, but perhaps Jongin seems to think the repercussions are nothing to really worry about. As long as the prince is fine with it, Kyungsoo is too. 

 

Plus he really wants to go see all of the food that Atlantis has to offer. Just the thought makes Kyungsoo giddy again. 

 

He purses his lips, a thought occurring to him. “The people we should bring… Maybe only a few of them.”

 

Jongin glances at him, an eyebrow raising. “Why is that?”

 

“Well… to put it bluntly, I trust only a few of them to behave .” Kyungsoo tries to think of the right words, not wanting to outright slander his other colleagues but wanting to make sure nothing possibly goes wrong while they are out. This is an honor, and just from the months that Kyungsoo has spent with the other geologists and archeologists, they’re not… the greatest company. “I am close with a few of my crew. I know they will be extremely respectful. I cannot vouch for the others because we aren’t as close.”

 

Jongin eyes him - much as he has all day, but this time it is different. There is a look of appreciation glinting in his striking blue eyes. 

 

“Very well. I will go with Chanyeol to make sure we bring the right people. Sehun will bring you back to your room.”

 

Kyungsoo nods, giving the list of names to Jongin. The prince repeats them back to him, getting all of them right on the first try. He doesn’t say goodbye to Kyungsoo when he leaves, and being the anthropologist that he is, he is left wondering if it is a cultural thing. He is able to ask Sehun next to him, but realizes he probably wouldn’t be as forthcoming about answers as Jongin is with him now.

 

Sehun escorts him to his room in silence. He moves effortlessly, even as they climb a steep flight of stairs. Kyungsoo tries to keep his breathing quiet, but he can’t help the sigh of relief when they finally arrive at the door to his room. 

 

The guards outside open the door, but Sehun does not step inside. He looks at Kyungsoo expectantly, and Kyungsoo bows his head a little. Sehun does not bear any marks of a royal, so Kyungsoo does not bow deeply like he did at the king. But he does seem to be someone important if he is here and not with the common people, so Kyungsoo tries to pay him the respect he deserves.

 

“ Kavaeten .”

 

A small smile pulls at Sehun’s lips. He imitates the bow Kyungsoo had given him, leaving Kyungsoo feeling warm. 

 

He steps into his room, the door closing behind him moments later. Kyungsoo’s eyes trail towards the window, seeing the drapes there catching in the breeze that filters through his open window. 

 

To think that hours ago, Jongin had dragged him out of it and forced him to scale down the palace wall. Kyungsoo smiles now, thinking back to everything Jongin showed him. He walks to his bed, letting himself fall onto his back and stare up at the ceiling. He grins, heart leaping in his chest.

 

It’s all just magical. Absolutely magical. 

 

His stomach growls suddenly, and he’s grateful that they’re going to be eating soon. Come to think about it, he hasn’t eaten since their dinner by the fire the night before.

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t know how much time passes as he just lays there. There is a light knock on the door that makes him spring up onto his feet immediately. Kyungsoo tries to hide his disappointment when he sees Chanyeol at the door, not Jongin.

 

Chanyeol has that same kind expression on his face, waiting for Kyungsoo to step aside so that he can enter. Kyungsoo does, surprised that he closes the door behind him. In Chanyeol’s hands, he holds Kyungsoo’s journal and something folded neatly underneath. He offers the journal to him, and Kyungsoo blinks in confusion when sees that they are clothes folded in Chanyeol’s hands.

 

Chanyeol places them on Kyungsoo’s bed. “The prince wanted me to help you dress since our clothes are rather… different from yours.”

 

Kyungsoo feels anxious, holding his book to his chest. “Oh. T-Thank you.”

 

Chanyeol nods, and Kyungsoo takes a small breath before the atlantean can say anything else.

 

“I just wanted to apologize, by the way. For, you know… hitting you.” Kyungsoo watches as Chanyeol’s brows raise in surprise. He chuckles after a few moments, turning himself so he can fully regard Kyungsoo.

 

“It’s alright,” Chanyeol grins. “Barely hurt, honestly. You’re strong for your size though.”

 

Kyungsoo feels a little proud at that, trying not to dwell too much on the fact that along with the compliment there was a sort of bashful remark or two, feeling the tension in his body leaving him now that he knows he is at least forgiven. 

 

Chanyeol lays out the clothes, and Kyungsoo goes to put down his journal on his bed. He itches to write down all of his accounts so far, but he doesn’t have time. He toes off his shoes, noticing his journal automatically open to the first page from the uneven weight of it. He almost doesn’t notice it, too distracted by the fact Chanyeol is telling him to remove his shirt and pants, but when he looks, his heart sinks.

 

There, beneath the leather wrap of his journal, is nothing but a strong, hard cover.

 

His brother’s picture is gone.

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