The next day, Daehyun shuffled down to the river with an empty bucket in hand, just at the edge of the tiny little village he lived in.  Sent on another errand by his parents yet again, he brushed at the bead of sweat that trailed down his temple with his shoulder, taking a deep breath in the heat of the day.  Some days, he just didn’t think he could ever please them; today being one of them since all he’d received were dark scowls and near blows.  It was better than an actual beating like yesterday but what had he done this time?

                “Better hurry, Daehyun,” he told himself quietly as he dipped the bucket in the refreshingly cool water.  He resisted the impulse to jump in with a glance at his threadbare clothing.  Even if he claimed he fell in, he would certainly get scolded, if not worse and his back was still smarting from the last thrashing he’d received for something else or other that he’d done wrong.  His mother hated additional dirt being tracked into the house and both parents would think he was just goofing off no matter what he told them.

                Hoisting the heavy bucket up, he shuffled back towards the house, passing by similarly rundown thatch covered buildings that had seen better days.  Their whole village had seen better times in fact, and his house was no exception as he looked ahead in time to see two tall and well-off looking men exiting with his mother following behind them.  There was something sinister about them, with their fine fabric clothes that could likely feed the entire village for a week if sold, and Daehyun quickly dropped his gaze as the distance between them decreased.

                “Excuse me!” he gasped in horror as he accidentally bumped into the one on the right, completely caught off guard when the older male hadn’t made any attempt to move around him.  He paled further when he realized he’d splashed water on the stranger who looked at him as one would regard a bug he was about to step on.  “I-I’m so sorry,” he stammered, hunching his shoulders and dropping his gaze again, cringing preemptively for the blow he knew would follow.

                The stranger grunted in annoyance and then quickly passed the young boy with his companion in tow, sparing him no further attention.

                Relief washed over Daehyun until his mother approached him with her familiar scowl.  He couldn’t quite stifle his cry when her open palm connected painfully with his cheek.  “How are you always so clumsy?!  I swear you do this to me on purpose,” she hissed acidly, placing her fingers to her forehead with a long suffering sigh.

                “I’m sorry mother,” Daehyun apologized, his hand covering the injured cheek guardedly.  He risked a careful glance back at the departing men who had yet to look back themselves and then gathered his courage to ask, “Do we know those men, mother?”

                “They are no one you need to worry about,” she remarked with a cutting glare, sharp dark brown eyes boring holes into him as strands of her wavy brunette locks escaped the tight knot at the back of her head.  “Now hurry up and get inside.  You’ve taken too long already.”

                “Yes mother,” the chastised boy murmured meekly, scuffling inside with the rest of the water-filled bucket.  Apparently, it was another day when everything he did was wrong and this time, he was not given the chance to see Yongguk beyond the morning where the older boy might have brightened his day even just a teensy bit.

                Later that night, long after Daehyun should have been sleeping, he dozed off and on in his bed.  It was impossible for him to rest easy that night, with his back still aching and nervousness boiling in the pit of his stomach.  The soft moonlight peeking through the slats of his wooden window did nothing to help him drift off either.

                Briefly, he toyed with the necklace resting against his chest, peering at the friendship charm hanging on the carefully braided thread.  It brought little solace that night though… With a heavy sigh, he fidgeted in place and to his side, pulling the covers over his head, only to throw them off with a start when the windows actually opened next to him.

                “Yongguk!” he gasped in a quiet whisper when he saw the poorly illuminated face of his best friend leaning over the windowsill, a similar necklace dangling in front of his chest as well.  They never took them off.  His features were impossible to mistake with his wiry, tall frame and intense expression, bottom lip thinned slightly in his concern.

                “Daehyunnie,” he whispered back, forcing a smile though it was obvious not everything was alright.  His short dark blonde hair was messy, as if he’d just woken from sleep and his clothes were meant more for the road than resting, arms covered with a light coat.

                “What are you doing here?  Don’t you know what time it is?” Daehyun asked with a perplexed glimpse at the bright moon, pushing the covers down over his lap.  “If my parents see you-”

                “Daehyun…” he interrupted softly, trailing off in his words as his face betrayed his discomfort.  “We have to go now.  It’s not safe for you here anymore,” he breathed, reaching for the younger boy’s hand worriedly.

                “What?  Why not?” he asked in immediate response, clasping Yongguk’s hand in his.

                “Because.  Your parents…  Your parents are going to sell you.  If they haven’t already, Daehyunnie.  Those men will come back and you can’t he here when they do,” he urged again, tugging at the smaller hand persistently, eyes darting towards his bedroom door in swift concern.

                “But-” he started to ask before they both heard his parents just outside his door.

                “Daehyun?” his father asked, poking his head inside.

                “Is everything alright?” his mother commented after, following her husband’s lead.

                “Mother!  Father!” Daehyun gasped, looking between Yongguk who was glaring at them angrily, and his parents who looked outraged.

                “What are you doing to our son?!” his father roared, anger suffusing his features as he moved towards the bed.

                “Come on, Daehyun!” Yongguk urged again, wasting no time as he reached in and tugged the younger male towards him in the same instance that he scooped him into his arms and pulled them both away from the window, running with the younger male cradled against his chest.

                “Stop you!  Stop!” Daehyun’s father yelled, getting caught on the ruffled bed covers and falling awkwardly against the windowsill as he tried to follow.

                “Get after him!” his mother shrieked, berating her husband for his failure as she yanked on his shirt and smacked at him uselessly.

                His heart racing in his chest, Daehyun clung to Yongguk’s neck and stared over the elder boy’s shoulder with wide eyes, watching his house and his parents recede behind them, not entirely sure how he should be feeling just then.  Yongguk showed no signs of slowing down or of putting him down which suited Daehyun just fine since he wasn’t sure his legs would hold him right now anyway.  So he just nestled further into the protective hold his friend had on him, resting his head against Yongguk’s shoulder while his right hand clung to the open one, fingers clinging tightly.  As he listened to the older boy breathe in deep, rapid gasps, he watched the stars move by overhead with his left hand holding to the necklace around his neck.

                He wasn’t sure how long they fled for, heading into the woods and away from civilization, but eventually Yongguk set him down with an apologetic smile, shaking his arms out without trying to be obvious about it.  “You okay?” he asked, placing his hand on the shorter boy’s head fondly, keeping him protectively close.

                Daehyun gave him a tentative smile and nodded, taking a moment to look around as he continued to huddle near the elder male.  “Where are we?”

                Yongguk followed his gaze and frowned slightly.  “I’m not sure.”  Everything looked so different at night with shadows everywhere and no landmarks to guide their way.  Even with the moon giving them light enough to see by, the surrounding forestry looked foreign and forbidding.

                “Yongguk,” Daehyun asked, looking at his friend nervously, searching the worried gaze before him.  “Shouldn’t we go back now?  I mean, what if you’re wrong?  I know things have been bad, but my parents wouldn’t really sell me, would they?” he questioned, playing with his fingers while he looked down at his feet.

                “And what if I’m right?” Yongguk responded, placing both hands on Daehyun’s shoulders lightly, staring at the top of his friend’s head, smiling at the silver blonde locks that fell in front of his face.  “Daehyun.  I’ve seen men like that before and the last time they showed up at my house, they took my sister.”

                “But I thought she got lost in the woods,” Daehyun denied weakly as he looked up to meet his friend’s eyes, voice trembling from his own uncertainty.  Even when it had happened, he’d thought it was a weak excuse too though.

                Yongguk’s expression changed and in the moonlight, his eyes shimmered with threatening tears.  “I would have found her.  Something of her.  People don’t just disappear like that.”  Silence descended between them as he roughly scrubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand.  His sister hadn’t been a particularly strong girl, barely able to pull her weight in the family, but Yongguk had loved her dearly.

                “Okay then,” Daehyun allowed himself to admit the possibility of what Yongguk had said was true.  The men had come before but since people mostly stuck to themselves, no one really noticed if someone else just stopped showing up.  People in the village died fairly often and someone going missing like that wasn’t impossible.  “I know about my parents, but what about yours, Gukkie?” Daehyun asked his voice barely more than a whisper as he tried to force himself to think.

                “They’d probably be glad to be rid of me,” he snorted harshly.  “I’m surprised they didn’t try to sell me too.  Not like they’ve money enough to feed all of us anyway,” he shrugged in a dismissive gesture, upset by the thought.  Everyone was hungry these days and extra mouths were always hard to take care of, but he was able to pull his weight and was worth the extra hassle.

                Daehyun on the other hand…  If his parents believed even half of what they said about him, he was worth very little to them indeed.  He chewed his lip nervously and then reached his hands to grasp Yongguk’s in a tight, trembling hold.  “Then lets run away from here,” he suggested with a falsely bright smile, not sure if he was saying it for his sake or Yongguk’s.  “Just leave it all behind and disappear out there!”

                Despite himself, the blonde managed a reluctant grin.  “And where would we go, Daehyunnie?” he asked tightening his hold on his friend’s hands.

                “Anywhere but here,” he responded breathlessly, knowing Yongguk hadn’t thought far enough past getting him out of the house to have established a plan yet.  “As long as we’ve got each other, we’ll be okay, right?”

                Yongguk looked down into the sparkling eyes, full of hope and trust, and nodded slowly.  “Together, we can do anything Dae.”

                Filled with joy and a strange sort of confidence, Daehyun closed the distance between them and slipped his arms around Yongguk’s ribs, holding tight.  He rested his head against the taller boy’s shoulder and chest and just enjoyed the feel of his arms enfolding him in turn.  It had been so long since he’d felt such warmth from someone else it made him want to cry.  Was it wrong he felt more love for his friend than he did his own parents?  Not just in that moment, but for a while now…

                “You’re shivering,” Yongguk murmured in concern, pulling away only long enough to shrug out of his light coat and drape it over Daehyun’s thin shoulders, wrapping him back in his embrace.

                “Sorry,” Daehyun apologized, lamenting his unpreparedness in their flight.  Sleeping clothes were not ideal for midnight trips through the woods.  Nor were bare feet.  Though in his defense, he hadn’t exactly been expecting it either.

                “Don’t be,” Yongguk murmured, resting his cheek against his companion’s head lightly, hands sliding up and down his back in long soothing .  “You can always count on me,” he promised sincerely, closing his eyes as he savored the moment.

                “I’ll hold you to that,” Daehyun chuckled, words partially distorted by his lips against the fabric of his friend’s scratchy shirt.  As much as he enjoyed standing in the circle of Yongguk’s arms, pressed against the warm caring body, Daehyun also knew the hour was late and simply standing in the woods as they were wasn’t going to help either of them.  “We should probably get moving.”

                Yongguk sighed, reluctant to break the moment, but they both knew it could only last so long, even under the best of circumstances.  “Okay.  Let’s go,” the taller male smiled, sliding his palm down Daehyun’s arm to clasp his hand, threading their fingers together.

                With Yongguk carefully leading the way, finding the least treacherous footing he could, the pair trekked along for what felt like hours, breaking free of the woods eventually to see the cloud spotted night sky, filled with a sea of stars above them.  A gentle breeze tugged at their clothes and Daehyun pulled the jacket closer around his small frame, still clinging to Yongguk’s hand, taking strength in his quiet support.

                Their aimless path took them down a slight decline and towards the shadow of a valley whose floor was covered in a pale blanket of soft white, shining softly in the moon’s light.  “What do you suppose those are?” Daehyun asked, stepping close as they paused to look down at the shimmering sea of plants before them.

                “Let’s go find out,” Yongguk smiled, pulling the younger boy after him.  At a steady pace, they wandered into the shadowed valley and through the massive field of flowers, pale floral faces open and facing the orb overhead.  When a gust of wind drifted by, several petals were pulled free from the field and twirled around the pair magically, shimmering like snowflakes in the lunar light.

                “It’s so beautiful,” Daehyun breathed, letting Yongguk’s hand go as he stepped further into the field, arms held out on either side of him while he twirled in place.  “Do you suppose this is what Asgard looks like?” he murmured, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath as he turned his face up to the night sky.

                “You should not say such things,” Yongguk murmured softly, gaze uncertain as he looked around the field they were in, taking a hesitant step towards the younger boy.

                Daehyun stopped spinning and looked at his friend with a warm smile, eyes partially closed.  “I’m sorry, Yonggukkie.”  He knelt down in the field and leaned close to the flowers, smelling them deeply for a long moment.  “It’s just so peaceful here,” he murmured, slumping forward as he felt his head grow light.

                “Daehyun.  These flowers,” Yongguk breathed with unease, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth while he looked around.  “I think they’re Sleeping Lilies.  All of them!” he gasped, hurrying over to his friend’s bent over form.

                “Sleeping Lilies?” Daehyun murmured in confusion.  The name sounded familiar but he couldn’t remember why.

                “Yes.  They’re poisonous!” he exclaimed, grabbing Daehyun’s shoulder as he knelt beside him, leaning forward to look into his face.  “We have to get out of here or we’ll die!” he fretted, shaking the other lightly.

                His thoughts were foggy as Daehyun remembered a snippet of thought about the deceptive plant.  According to one of the last elders who had passed away, the beauty of the flower hid a sinister nature.  During the day, they remained closed and dormant, sleeping like their namesake, but in the evening, under the pale moon’s light, they opened, deceptively beautiful and deadly should one linger too longer in their presence.

                He spoke next without considering his words.  “Do you think it would be so bad if I just fell asleep here… and never woke up?” he asked, looking out over the field of flowers, not really paying attention to his friend’s concern as his thoughts became cloudy and he felt the ache in his back from his ‘failure’ the other day.  It never really went away and some days it felt like it was settled in his very bones.

                “Don’t say that!” Yongguk demanded, reaching his hand to cup Daehyun’s face, forcing him to look at him, searching the weary brown eyes intently.

                Daehyun covered the warm hand with his, leaning into the contact, and he smiled sadly, unshed tears sparkling on his lashes.  “It’s just so hard,” he sniffed, blinking at the caring young man before him as his cheeks became stained with salty trails that fell from his chin.  “No matter how hard I try, I’m never good enough.  For anybody.”  He leaned forward to rest his forehead against Yongguk’s chest and felt the strong arms wrap around him.

                “I’ve always thought you were good enough, Daehyun,” Yongguk murmured, his tone pained and tight.

                Daehyun gripped his friend’s shirt in his hands and cried breathily, “Thank you Gukkie.  I only ever wanted to be happy,” he sighed, breathing deeply and taking in the warm, familiar scent.  The moments were brief and fleeting, but at least he’d felt such happiness with Yongguk.  Filled with weariness though, his fingers tightened in Yongguk’s shirt and he let the unguarded words flow as he asked, “I never could do anything right in this life, but do you believe we could be together in another?”

“Why not this one?” Yongguk asked, the slender back rhythmically.  He tried to make a move to get up, but Daehyun remained motionless, little more than dead weight leaning against him and he found he didn’t have the heart to dislodge him.

“Do you think the gods would ever allow such a thing?” Daehyun added as if he hadn’t heard the question, his tone already growing distant.

                “Daehyun…” Yongguk trailed off, fighting tears.  He pulled the smaller male tighter against him, as if in doing so he could protect him from the world and all the cruelties he’d already experienced in it.

                “I really am glad to have known you, Gukkie,” he murmured, voice shaking while he spoke.  “You made my meaningless life bearable.”  A bitter laugh escaped him as he thought not even his parents had ever really loved him for long.  Not that he could remember.  But Yongguk did and he’d saved him from those men too.  He nuzzled against the firm chest and closed his eyes.  It was too late though, wasn’t it?  When would he become a burden to his best friend?  When would the love he felt for him fade?  Wouldn’t it just be better to not have to go through that again?

                “Then stay with me, Daehyunnie.  Stay,” Yongguk urged plaintively, placing his fingers under his friend’s chin to tilt his face up, looking into the slightly unfocused eyes with heartfelt concern.  “Please,” he pleaded with sincerity.

                Daehyun’s thoughts were growing sluggish and it was hard to focus, watching Yongguk’s pained expression blur around the edges.  It was really all so overwhelming and the peace and serenity this place promised was hard to ignore when compared with the bitter reality he faced everyday.  “Would it be so bad to forget, Gukkie?  Just forget everything…  My parents… this place… this life…” he sighed, closing his eyes and feeling his awareness drift away, followed by the scent of the heady flowers.

                “No!  Daehyun!” Yongguk cried in denial, giving him a quick shake.  “Don’t say that.  I won’t believe you want to forget me too.  I won’t!” he denied, feeling the tears finally fall as his friend’s body went lax in his arms.  “Daehyun?  Daehyun!” he yelled, holding him against his chest, fingers buried in the silver blond locks.  Yongguk’s body shook as he cried softly into Daehyun’s hair, staining the smooth strands with his tears.  “Don’t leave me.”

                None of his pleading did anything to bring life back to the slender, almost fragile body in his arms.  He was so light…  Maybe together they could have done better and for just a little bit, Yongguk closed his eyes and thought about joining Daehyun in this field.  No.  He would not let those people win like that.  Not after what they’d done to him or Daehyun.

                After a long moment during which he felt his own head start to grow light, Yongguk his lips and murmured softly, “I will remember, Daehyunnie.”  Weary and heartsick, he picked up Daehyun’s body and cradled it close as he stoically made his way out of the field of deadly flowers.  Silent tears continued to fall, staining his cheeks but he did not try to wipe them away.  “I will remember you always…”

(a/n: 01/02/13 - So touched up just a bit and I've added a little emotion and more of an explanation to why things ended up the way they did.  Again, nothing major, but some changes here and there.  ;)  I'll let you guys know if anything big happens in the updates so sit tight and thank you for reading!)