*

Jonghyun didn’t know how to react to Key’s words. Apparently the maiden couldn’t tell him that he felt the same, but not telling was different from not feeling. The hunter’s eyes started to sparkle. As he was about to say something, Key started to cough. He forgot about his words and tended to the maiden.

                “Key what’s wrong….” He laid his hand on the other’s forehead. “You’re burning up, we’ll call it a day alright?” the maiden nodded in response and tried to get up, but failed to do so as his legs gave way. Jonghyun kneeled down and urged for the other to go sit on his back. Key didn’t question anything and got on. The hunter was thankful for the fact that he had spent some time training and building stamina.

When he stood up, he noticed that Key was light as a feather. If the maiden had been human it would have been very unhealthy, but he wasn’t so Jonghyun wasn’t in any position to judge, but he never thought it would be healthy.

Key wrapped his arms around Jonghyun’s neck for a good grip and buried his head in the nape of the other’s neck. The hunter didn’t mind at all. The walk back to the tree house was pleasant to say at least, there was a comfortable silence present. Key didn’t struggle at all, but there was the obstacle of going up to the tree house. The elder of the two sighed.

                “Key, hold on tight alright?”

The maiden had wrapped his legs around the other’s waist and made sure to tighten his grip. It wasn’t strange to him for some reason to be so close to Jonghyun. He didn’t feel the least bit awkward, which was good. Jonghyun made the climb up fast, since he knew Key wouldn’t be able to hold the grip for too long. 

Once inside the tree house, Jonghyun put Key down near the fireplace on some animal skins, he didn’t want the other to get too cold. “Stay put…” he said and rushed off to get some wood so he could start a fire. He didn’t get to hear the chuckle he earned from Key. The hunter was so fussy when it came to the maiden. A little while later he had a fire running and had even grabbed a piece of sweet bread for Key already.

The maiden’s eyes grew large as he accepted the piece. “Jjong….did you make this?” he questioned. The other shook his head slightly. “I did help this time around, but my mom’s the expert.” He said with a grin plastered on his face. Key just nodded and continued to take bites. Jonghyun walked off again and got some blankets for Key and himself. It would take a while for the house to have warmed up, so for the time being the blankets would have to suffice.

Key didn’t really pay too much attention, he was happily eating his bread. Jonghyun decided to just pull Key into his lap for some extra warmth. After the maiden had finished his small meal, things were starting to go downhill. Even though Jonghyun took good care of him, the fever he had still continued to get worse. He started to pant at some point in time, it alarmed the hunter who decided to put the other in his bed.
                “Key…you ok?” he asked sounding more than worried. The other male just looked Jonghyun in the eyes and nodded, he didn’t speak and closed his eyes. It worried Jonghyun to no end.
                “Well…you stay in bed, I’m going to get some water to cool you down.”

The hunter grabbed a bowl from the makeshift kitchen and climbed down the tree to get to the lake. The water was very cold, way colder than a few days before. It worried Jonghyun that the winter was coming in so fast and so heavily. The temperatures had dropped and all the leaves were gone within a week. The male quickly filled the bowl and went back up. He got a towel he found in Key’s closet and dipped it into the cold water before laying it on the other’s forehead.

Key moaned as a relief, he liked the feeling of the cold towel on his head. Jonghyun’s eyes grew large when he heard Key moan like that. He felt a harsh tug on his heartstrings, Key sounded so desirable. There were some impure thoughts coming to his mind, but he knew he couldn’t be like that with Key, so he groaned out of frustration. Key’s eyes opened again, he looked over at Jonghyun and offered a weak smile. The maiden lifted his hand and softly grabbed Jonghyun’s, he squeezed the hunter’s hand in a comforting manner.

Jonghyun offered the other a weak smile. He loved Key, but wouldn’t be able to show it. The maiden kept holding his hand and rolled to his side, facing Jonghyun. The shackles rattled and left a very unpleasant feeling in Jonghyun’s stomach. He started to think about that godless thing around Key’s ankle. Who would want to lock him up, or bind him to this place? The male knew that Key wasn’t with his own people anymore, he was curious to know what had happened between the maiden and his family, he knew now that Key had a family.

Jonghyun sighed and ran his hand through the other’s hair. Key moaned again, startling the male. He was sure that something or someone wanted to torture him, but he remained strong and continued to comfort the other. Key opened his eyes every now and then, he was confused each time. Jonghyun blamed the fever for everything.

Key started shivering a few hours later, he opened his eyes again and looked up to get Jonghyun’s attention.
              “Jjong…I’m so cold” he complained. The other hadn’t heard the maiden complain thus far, he wasn’t bothered by it. He was actually happy that the maiden felt comfortable enough to ask for help. The only problem was that they already had a fire and Key had almost every blanket available on him at that moment.  The male sighed, the only method that was left, was to share body heat. Jonghyun knew that he could survive that, he had done it before after all.

                “Hold on Key, I’ll help you.”  The hunter wasted no time and took off his shirt. He didn’t catch Key staring, but the maiden did stare and was quite impressed by the other’s well toned abdomen.
                “Move over a bit Key, otherwise I can’t get in” the maiden rolled to the other side, but this time he didn’t turned his back on the other. Jonghyun opened the mountain of blankets and got under it, opening his arms. Key took that invitation and snuggled up to Jonghyun’s chest. The hunter was convinced that it was just the fever making him act this way. Key hugged the other tightly and Jonghyun returned that, enjoying it while it would last.

They both fell into a comfortable slumber, nothing could really disturb them. Jonghyun was the first to wake up. There was already plenty of light when he did. The male sighed and looked to his chest. Key was still fast asleep, head covered by the blankets. Jonghyun felt the other’s forehead, it wasn’t too warm anymore. The hunter rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Key didn’t even stir, instead he snuggled up closer for more warmth. Jonghyun just chuckled. With one hand he ran through the other’s soft hair. It was so peaceful at that moment, he could be like that forever, but he already knew that that couldn’t be.

A while later Key finally decided to open his eyes, instead of his usual stretching, he hugged Jonghyun tighter. The hunter felt his heart skip a beat. His eyes fluttered open and he didn’t seem to be scared to look at Jonghyun this time, he even offered the other a smile.
                 “Morning…” it was the first time Key had said it before Jonghyun could. The hunter just smiled as a response, it made his heart swell a bit. The maiden blushed and looked away when he realized what he had done.
                “Morning Key, do you want to eat something.” Jonghyun could guess the answer that, but he wanted Key to say it.
                “Yes please!” he looked all happy and giddy, but as soon as Jonghyun served some, it didn’t go too well. The maiden had only taken a bite and put it down again right away. “I’m not hungry anymore.” It was clear he was sad over it.

                “That’s ok Key, you can finish it later.” He tried to comfort the other a bit and took the plate with food away. The male noticed it was too cold in the tree house so he started a fire. He walked back to get Key off the bed so he could settle by the fire.

                “Do you feel better now?” Jonghyun asked and the other nodded a bit. “Yes Jonghyun I do feel a bit better, but I don’t have too much energy though” he commented and snuggled back into the blankets.

The hunter just assumed it was because Key should have been in hibernation, so it would be natural for the other to be tired. The maiden just kept calm and let Jonghyun bring him bread and water every now and then.

                “Key could you tell me more about yourself? Like your parents or where you grew up.” He asked curiously. He wanted to break the ice a little that was still between them. The maiden had to think for a moment.
 
                “I don’t think I differ that much from your kind when it comes to family. I have a mom and a dad, though I never see them anymore, I don’t see anyone for that matter.” He sighed. “I don’t mind it…” Jonghyun noticed he had to ask about something else quickly.

                “What about the hibernation? Can you tell me about that?”

                “Well, I hibernate because there isn’t much to eat in the forest, it’s more of a tradition though, usually I will just sleep and wake up being really skinny and underweight. Though I doubt that that will happen this time, you’re keeping me awake after all,” he threw a playful glare and chuckled.

                “It not like I will let you starve…” Jonghyun was a bit insulted, but as soon as he heard the other’s giggle, it was all long forgotten.

The day went on rather peaceful, Jonghyun kept feeding the maiden bits of bread throughout. Key couldn’t eat much and slept a lot by the fire. The hunter decided to move the bed towards the fireplace. Even though the other didn’t have a fever anymore, he still wasn’t well and keeping him warm was vital.

Jonghyun couldn’t stay all the time, over the passing days he had to go back to his village every now and then, either for food or a short talk with his mother. Key slept during the time the other was gone. The hunter was always welcomed back in the tree house with a smile. He had to wake Key up most of the time to tell him he was back.

“Key, are you feeling ok now?” he sat down and handed Key a bit to eat. Jonghyun had noticed that the other continued to struggle to either wake up or stay awake. The man ran a hand through the maiden’s hair.
                “I’m alright, just sleepy, I still don’t have a lot of energy” he said softly. Jonghyun started to notice a couple of things. It worried him how Key got paler by the day and how his energy level would drop. He couldn’t take the maiden outside for a walk, it had become too cold for Key, he would go into hyperthermia in no time.
 
                “How about I read you some stories?” Jonghyun suggested. The maiden nodded at that. “That would be nice” he offered as a response and so the hunter began to tell stories. Some about wars that had passed, others of magical things happening and some about love. Key usually just snuggled up to Jonghyun, since he couldn’t vocalize his feelings he had to show them another way, snuggling was his way of affection.
 
                “Jonghyun, could you tell me more about your village, it sounds nice” lately Key had only wanted to hear happy stories, Jonghyun didn’t mind but it did worry him a bit.

                “Sure” the male smiled and started to tell about the village. “I live on the edge, so I’m not as involved in the whole community thing.” He laid down next to Key on the bed, for some reason the other wanted to play with Jonghyun’s fingers, so he let the maiden fiddle with them. “I do know almost everyone, it’s very peaceful and sometimes a little boring.” Before he could register, Key had fallen back to sleep. Jonghyun tucked him in and went for a small walk.

Jonghyun stood down by the lake and looked back at the willow.
                “Why does it look like it’s dying?”

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A/N Thank you guys so much for the sweet comments! It brought me to tears when you all said you didn't want it to end so fast, so I extended the story a little (added a little surprise in the next), so you all can enjoy the story a bit longer. After this chapter, there are two more full chapters and an epilogue, I do hope it meets your expectations 
As for the people who want to try sweet bread in real life, it tastes about the same as the french Brioche! So nice to eat~!

Comments are loved <3<3<3

until the next update~!<3