(A/N: So because I'm bad at keeping track of where I am in the story, I accidentally added more to the last chapter...It's just three paragraphs or so, but it may be important in making this chapter's flow make sense..so go read pretty please? I apologize for the hassle!)

“Why don’t you use your magic?” Jiyong asks suddenly. Daesung looks up from the sentences Jiyong was having him write and blinks a few times.

“Ah…How do you think we eat when you don’t buy food?” He asks, and Jiyong sits up a little straighter in his chair and his eyes widen.

“If we don’t have food, tell me.” Jiyong says, completely surprised.

Daesung laughs and shakes his head before settling it in his hand so that he can look at Jiyong closer. “How are you so unaware?” Jiyong pouts and pushes himself away from the table.

“I’m not unaware…I just. I don’t…” Daesung smiles and Jiyong looks away, “Aish! Alright, so I am. I just don’t notice unless it comes directly to my attention.”

“Are you that way about everything in your life?” Daesung asks, and Jiyong swears that the soft but firm tone that Daesung’s voice has taken on is purposeful.

“Some things more than others.” He murmurs, trying to covertly search for a way to escape this situation. He’s not sure exactly what it is that is leaving him feeling anxious and uncomfortable, but he knows that it has something to do with Daesung’s soft voice and currently unwavering gaze.

Daesung tilts his head to the side and allows his smile to turn slightly mischievous. “So I will have to spell it out for you?” He asks, and Jiyong briefly allows his mind to consider calling a doctor about his inability to breathe properly when Daesung speaks.

He collects himself quickly however as his eyes land on the paper and abandoned pen in front of Daesung. “Yes, in wonderfully formed sentences. But only after you finish what I’ve set out for you to do. Tea?” He asks, in a gush of air as he tries to get out of his seat as casually as possible.

He can feel Daesung’s eyes on him as he moves around the table and toward the stove to set up the kettle to boil. He pulls out two cups and gets everything set next to the stove, only to be unable to get the stove to work. He frowns and tries again to get it to light. It wasn’t old and he always paid his bills on time so there was no way that it was broken or that he was out of gas; so why wasn’t it lighting?

“What’s the matter?” Daesung asks, and Jiyong swears that there is a hint of amusement coloring his soft voice.

“Nothing.” Jiyong says quickly, moving to block the stove from Daesung’s view.

He tries to light the burner again, only to have it fail once more. He drops his hand from the knob and is just about to turn and leave to fetch the phone when he feels Daesung come up behind him. He stiffens and tries to calm himself down enough to find a way out of the situation, but then Daesung is moving closer and Jiyong finds himself basically trapped between Daesung’s body and the stove.

They aren’t touching, and Jiyong registers that fact, but is unable to make himself move. “It looks like you’re having trouble with the stove.” Daesung says, only it sounds more like a breath and Jiyong has to fight to get his mind to understand Daesung’s words.

“No, it’s fine.” He manages to says, his voice slightly higher than normal, making him cringe at the sound. Daesung chuckles lightly.

“Are you sure?” and Jiyong decides to try the knob again, because hell it just might work this time and then Daesung might back up. So Jiyong turns the knob and…nothing happens. “Hmm, let me try.” Daesung says, his voice still a breathy whisper ghosting across Jiyong’s ear.

Jiyong nods mutely and stands there, rooted to the spot, as Daesung reaches forward; his arm brushing needlessly against Jiyong’s as it makes its way to the knob on the stove. Daesung takes a short step closer, causing their bodies to touch as he turns the knob and the burner jumps to life. Jiyong stares at the ring of fire beneath the kettle for just a couple of moments before being jerked out of his daze by the sound of Daesung’s soft laughter. Jiyong whips around, their bodies still mere centimeters apart, and stares up into Daesung’s eyes; an anger that he doesn’t really feel pulsing through his veins.

“You did that on purpose.” He says, poking an accusatory finger into Daesung’s chest. It’s an awkward motion as their bodies are too close together for the gesture to really be effective, but Jiyong tries not to let his disappointment at that show.

“Hmm, maybe I did,” He says, reaching up to grab the hand that Jiyong had left pointing at his chest. “But why on Earth would I do something so silly?”

Jiyong clenches his free hand into a fist. “Maybe because you wanted to get close to me? Don’t treat me like some innocent child.” And that was it. The mischievous glint in Daesung’s eyes softens, and he moves the hand clutching Jiyong’s down so that their hands are entwined at their side.

“I’m not trying to treat you like a child. I want you to be consciously aware of me.” Jiyong shifts his gaze to the floor.

“I’m always aware of you. It takes everything I have not to pay attention to you.” Daesung makes a light humming noise in the back of his throat, trying to make Jiyong return his gaze, but Jiyong just continues to talk. “Because I can’t let myself get attached to you when I know that you can just leave because I’m going to get older, and you are still a genie.” His voice goes flat, monotone, but he continues. “But you aren’t leaving and that’s painful too because you don’t even act like a genie so I have to remind myself that you are by asking you questions and avoiding your answers.”

Daesung sighs and grabs Jiyong’s face with his free hand, tapping his finger against Jiyong’s cheek to try and redirect his gaze. When Jiyong look up, he shakes the hair out of his eyes. “You wake up at almost the exact same time every morning; but each time you’re still surprised that you are awake so early.” Jiyong frowns, trying to figure out where Daesung is going with this. “Then you shift and realize that you’ve wrapped yourself around me in your sleep, and you stiffen before slowly trying to remove yourself without alerting me.” He says, before looking down briefly and pausing.

Jiyong takes advantage of Daesung’s brief pause. “Wait, you’re awake? You know, you…Why didn’t you tell me? If it bothers you I can sleep on the floor…” Daesung looks back up the moment that Jiyong starts talking and then smiles, shaking his head.

“I’m not finished.” Jiyong pouts and the mischievous glint is back in Daesung’s eyes. “I don’t need to sleep. I don’t sleep. I lie there and I think, and sometimes I fall into something so close to sleep that I feel almost human.” He smiles and smooths his hand over Jiyong’s reddening cheek. “And then you turn over and snake your arm across my chest, pulling yourself closer in your sleep; and suddenly I don’t care that I’m not human and that I can’t sleep. But then, in the morning, when you slowly disentangle yourself from me, I remember that someday I will have to deal with the fact that someday you won’t be there to wrap your arms around me while you’re asleep, and I will have to spend the rest of eternity with just the memory of you to keep me going.” Jiyong tries to move his head out of Daesung’s grasp, trying not to show how upset everything that Daesung said has made him.

“Just, stop.” He says, choking on his words as Daesung finally lets go of his face and he is able to turn away.

“I can’t wish myself mortal.” Daesung says, seemingly unable to stop the depressing track of his speech.

The words hang in the air for a couple of moments, and Daesung moves back letting space come between them but not letting go of Jiyong’s hand. The words take only a second to register in Jiyong’s brain, but slightly longer for the full force of the words to knock into him. Jiyong’s eyes go wide and he turns his head back to face Daesung just as Daesung was deciding to let go of his hand and move back to the table.

“You can’t wish yourself mortal.” Jiyong says, and Daesung stops, turning back to look at him with a silent question painted across his face. Jiyong’s grip tightens in Daesung’s hand. “You can’t wish yourself. But just because you’re free from the lamp doesn’t mean that you can’t still grant wishes.”

Jiyong waits, holding his breath, as he watches Daesung’s face. He sincerely hopes that he hadn’t completely read everything that Daesung had just said wrong. He wants so desperately to believe that Daesung wants to be with him just as badly as he wants to be with Daesung. Jiyong watches as Daesung’s face changes from slightly puzzled to full comprehension, ending in the bright smile that Jiyong knows he will never tire of seeing.

“You’re brilliant.” Daesung says, his voice low. Jiyong smirks, his confidence returning full-force.

“Are you just figuring this out now?” Jiyong says, his face falling into a haughty pout.

Daesung grins, that mischievous glint that had been popping up all morning finding its way back into his eyes. He tugs on Jiyong’s hand, pulling him forward, and lays his free hand back onto Jiyong’s face. “No, but I don’t say it enough.” He says, his voice falling into the breathy whisper that causes Jiyong to lose his ability to breathe. He scrubs his thumb absently over Jiong’s cheek before moving his hand down to Jiyong’s neck and pulling him closer.

Jiyong’s eyes travel from Daesung’s eyes and down to his lips before quickly moving back up, trying to decide if he wanted Daesung to be aware that they had. Daesung smiles and leans forward, capturing Jiyong’s mouth in a kiss that makes him decide that he would definitely be spending more time staring at Daesung’s lips if this is what it got him.