traveling companions by Meredyth © Deviantart

Watching his friend sleeping Youngjae had all the time he needed to think about what happened... He used to be scared of magic creatures and now realized that they were as scared as human that he used to be of them. Living peacefully in Mato City he had never heard about magic creatures being humans' slaves, in no one of the books. He also wondered if the people living here knew. Did the King know? Did Himchan know? Did Junhong know? Now he could think calmly about it, it was true that the mage used to be bullied by the whole population, so imagining them as slaves wouldn't be hard.

That's when his conversation with Daehyun came back to his mind.

“Why doesn't he use his power against people ?”

“If I was at his place, I would use it to show people they have a good reason to be scared of me, and I would control everybody !! Not you ?”

So it was like this. Magic creatures had enough and were rebelling themselves, and what were they about to do? They would stop the war and what? Everything would be like before? It would just stay the same... no they had to change it. Humans and Magic creatures should be living together in peace. Seeing how their journey between humans and magic creatures working together was going it was perfectly possible. So that was it. Youngjae understood the young mage hadn't save him when he had been captured. He had wanted him to witness that. Magic creatures being only food for humans just because they were no use to them.

Everybody woke up and Youngjae stayed silent as they were all walking anew toward their destination. They just had to walk through the mountain and they would finally reached the witch's land. Because Youngjae was with them the dwarfs accepted to let the convey walk through their land so they hadn't to climb on the mountain but on the contrary they were able to walk under it, which was faster and also warmer. At that point, the peasant boy didn't even wonder why others were so amazed by him and just let things happens. The only thing he had in his mind was : what a simple peasant could do about the whole situation? What could he do to help both humans and magic creatures? He knew he didn't want the war, but he needed to find another solution. And fast.

When their eyes met with one of the dwarf, the elf that had talked with Youngjae the first day of their convey went hide somewhere and Daehyun followed her. Youngjae wondered why did he cared and couldn't help but to feel a bit jealous about that. Why? He was a priest so it was normal for him to care for others, but he had only saw Daehyun caring for him only, he had thought that the other really did care for him only. The peasant boy couldn't but to hate himself for being jealous, from what he understood, the two used to be lovers but because of their difference they couldn't show up in front others and they rarely could be together. Youngjae couldn't bear more, he exited Daehyun's pocket when he was busy comforting the elf and he left, furious, and annoyed.

Sure if Youngjae was a Prince he would be a despicable one. Too engrossed in his own furry he passed by others without them seeing him. That's when he reached his friends, Himchan was sleeping carelessly somewhere and Jongup was complaining about it to Yongguk. That last one sighed and left. Youngjae forgot himself as he watched his guard friend watching around him as he was left alone with the Prince. He also watched him moving nearer to Himchan and he started to worry that he would hurt him when he was sleeping. Jongup pushed the other slightly with his foot, probably checking if he was really asleep or just dozing. But the Prince didn't woke up and Youngjae approached the two, but before he could reach them Jongup grabbed a blanket and put it over the sleeping Himchan, he crouched down, removed some hair from the other's face before he kissed his lips. Youngjae stayed stunned while Jongup left without him being aware that the peasant boy had witnessed something he tried to hide for years.

WHY DID HE KISSED HIM ???!!!

Youngjae was too engrossed and shocked by what just happened that he didn't saw the cat behind him. Suddenly he was hold by the beast's maw and it run far from where everybody was staying. Youngjae screamed for help while he tried to struggle against the cat for it to release him. He kept screaming but no one heard him. He started loosening hope until he fall on the ground and the second after the cat had disappeared. A enormous shadow recovered the tiny peasant boy and he slowly turned round, scared, only to see John leaning around him. The werewolf put his paw for Youngjae to climb on it.

“I was so scared!!” Youngjae ran to the paw and jumped on it, hugging it.

“I heard that...

– You heard me ?

– I have better ears than humans...”

It's at that moment that Junhong arrived running and sighed in relief when he saw that Youngjae was safe.

“Why weren't you with Daehyun? It's the panic on the camp !!”

Youngjae didn't answered and watched away frowning. They walked back to the camp and in less that a blink time Daehyun snapped Youngjae from John's hold.

“I thought you were watching after him!

– I am!

– If I wasn't here he would have ing been eaten by a ing cat!

– Well thank you!

– Such a shame for the One to end like this.”

This time Daehyun didn't answered and walked back to his and Youngjae's tent. He hold him in between his fingers by the back of his shirt and put him in front his face to scold him.

“Why you left ? I was dead worried !!

– Ah yeah? When did you noticed I wasn't there anymore?” Youngjae sulked and watched away.

“YAH!” Daehyun shook his tiny friend who put his hands on his ears.

“Leave me alone!!”

Daehyun was faster than Youngjae to calm down and he sighed, “Youngjae...

– And put me down!!”

The priest put Youngjae on his bed who leaned on it turning his back to his giant friend. Daehyun crouched down and resting his forearms on the bed, he rested his chin on it watching Youngjae sulking, “Youngjae... I'm sorry.... don't be angry with me... I don't want us to quarrel anymore...”

The peasant boy remembered their first quarrel, and each time after that. It had always been about Daehyun being nice with someone else.... It was impossible. He couldn't be... no way. Since when was Youngjae asking so much attention from others? He had grew found of that special treatment he got from Daehyun, and from the others too. It was their fault. They gave him too much, to him, who was a simple peasant with a simple life.

Then Daehyun had appeared from nowhere in his life, and made him feel like that. Himchan who was the Prince. Junhong who was now their friend. Jongup who kissed Himchan. Youngjae had lost all his marks, and moreover he wasn't living in his beloved city anymore. Hell, he didn't even know if he would see one day again. He needed something that would remind him of the ancient time when everything wasn't that complex or he would certainly turn crazy within the next seconds...

Daehyun turned round when someone entered their tent, “what's the matter?” he asked Junhong who watched down blushing. While this time Youngjae had stood up on the bed understanding why the mage was here.

“I want to go with Yongguk...

– What ? Why ? Youngjae don't...” Daehyun pleaded the other but it was already too late as Junhong had took Youngjae in his hand and exited the tent.

Junhong hadn't to search where was Yongguk, he had spent so much time admiring him from afar and living with him as his cat, he knew everything from him. He walked to the fireplace where the dwarfs were having a funny time drinking, drinking and drinking. “HEY ! BOY ! JOIN US !!” one of them burst to him and Junhong approached Yongguk handing him the tiny Youngjae that Yongguk accepted with a smile. He put him on his shoulder and kept drinking with the dwarfs. Junhong sat a bit away from the male, between two dwarfs who tried to make him drink. But the young mage kept refusing. “Why?! It's good for your health !!” one dwarf slapped the boy in his back making him fall on the ground before he grabbed him to sit him back from where he had fallen. Junhong being shy just shook his head in answer not knowing how to refuse politely. Yongguk just watched him annoyed.

“Let him alone, he's really no fun.”

And Youngjae thought he was quite right, he had never saw the younger boy laughing and/or playing. Thinking about that matter too, he had never had the occasion to before. Junhong frowned at the other's statement, he wanted the man he admire to not think that low of him. The young mage wanted to change the image others had of him so he grabbed the big glass from the dwarf's hold and drank it in one shot. Everybody cheered for him and a slight smile appeared on Yongguk's face, he had to admit that he was quite impress the other had could drink everything. When he was done, Junhong's head was spinning and with one glass of beer he was dead drunk. They played music and danced while the young mage was entertaining everybody with his magic, making the fire dance in rhythm with the dwarfs' song.

Junhong didn't really remembered what happened, but next time he could think more clearly he felt himself being piggybacked. He rubbed his eyes and opened it wide when he recognized Yongguk. “I.. I I I I can walk !!

– and you can talk too...” Yongguk kept walking but not toward the mage's bedroom, that the dwarf accepted to finally lend to their guests so they hadn't to sleep in their tent. He walked until a small river that ran through the mountain. He made the young mage sitting next it and he himself sat next him while Youngjae was dozing in his pocket. “Refresh your face.”

Junhong obeyed and wet his face which helped him to clear him fogged mind before sitting back where he had been.

“You hate me?” and the one who asked that wasn't Junhong. The young mage opened huge his eyes.

“NO!” Yongguk turned his face to him raising an eyebrow and Junhong blushed watching his feet. “I don't hate you ...” he mumbled unable to watch the other.

“So...” the older of the two stood up.

“And you ?

– What ?”

Junhong hesitated before he continued and watched up to the other, “Do you hate me?

– Why would I?

– Because I'm a monster … because I'm dangerous … because everyone fears me …” and he lowered his gaze back to his feet, “ … because I'm no fun …

– … I don't hate you kiddo.” Yongguk chuckled ruffling the younger's hair and started leaving. Junhong blushed and watched up to see the other's back as he was leaving until Yongguk turned round, “...and you're really funny...” he shot the mage his gummy smile and finally left. Leaving Junhong and his crimson red face alone with his thoughts. Junhong plunged back his face in the river.

Yongguk entered his room and took Youngjae out his pocket putting him down on his bed, waking him up. He watched him a moment before he removed his shirt.

“What happened Youngjae?

– … I don't know ...” he sighed watching the other changing into sleeping clothes.

“You don't?

– … why are people thinking I'm that important?

– Because they like you, I like you too and you're important to me.

– Not that … kind of ... importance … for what will happen … I'm a simple peasant and I can't do anything. Why can't people understand?

– Being a peasant means nothing...”

Youngjae sulked which earned a chuckle from Yongguk who leaned on his bed caring to not crush his friend and took him to rest him on his chest. Youngjae leaned on his friend, hugging him and listening to his calm heartbeat. He liked it. It was really reassuring to have him by his side and he closed his eyes.

“It's about Daehyun isn't it?

– Too much happened since he arrived...

– It did ?

– Nothing is the same...

– Things change, and it's not because of Daehyun arrival,” Yongguk closed his eyes ready to fall asleep leaning on his back, his hands behind his head.

“But not things like that...

– like ?

– Hmm … Jongup who kissed Himchan while he was sleeping ...”

Hearing that Yongguk sat up suddenly, his head hurt. He hold it between two fists, making Youngjae roll and fall on his lap.

“Oh … sorry …

– what the-” Youngjae couldn't finish his question as Yongguk had already grabbed him and within a second he was in his and Daehyun's room.

“Daehyun” Yongguk tried to wake up the sleeping boy shaking him a bit making him roll on his back as he was sleeping on his side, and put Youngjae on his friend's stomach, “Sorry Jae, I have things to do.” He petted his tiny friend's head with a finger.

“What? No! I don't want to stay with Daehyun! Why can't I stay with you...” he burst moving away from the other's index and ended in a sigh.

“Because it's with Daehyun you need to talk … and don't tell Himchan about Jongup, okay?” Yongguk warned the peasant boy and left.

Youngjae sighed and thought watching the other sleeping. Daehyun looked sad in his sleep, he, who was always so jovial and now looked so sad, and it was all his fault. He felt stupid. He wanted to wake up his nth time bigger friend but before he could do anything the priest boy turned in his sleep, leaning on Youngjae and suffocating him.

Yongguk walked to Himchan's room and opened the door without knocking.

“Guk?

– Junhong. Come with me. We have to talk.”

Junhong watched Himchan scared, who smiled reassuringly to him. Yongguk walked off the room with the mage not far behind him. They left the city back to the little river they were earlier, and turned to the younger.

“Is it true?

– About what ?

– Can't you read in my mind?

– … I don't want to …

– … about Jongup.”

The young mage's eyes widened wondering how the other could know. Did his spell hadn't work on him? How could he remember?

“ What you two talked about in Himchan's room that night …

– y … you … h-how can-

– You erased my memory ?” Yongguk sounded angry at that moment, he hated it. He hated when others decided for himself, he was enough grown up to decide what he wanted to know and not know. Such as remembering things or not.

" I- I'm sorry … but it's better if no one knows.

– I need to know. You can't erase my memory like that!”

Junhong shook his head, “it's better if no ones knows...”

Yongguk cupped the younger's face “don't erase such important memories from my mind … I need to know things like that to protect you.” He softened rubbing the mage's cheeks with his thumbs.

“M-me?”

Yongguk shrugged, “maybe you don't need my protection, but I still want to.” Hearing that, the younger started to cry, “don't cry Junhong...” Yongguk sighed now wiping the boy's tears from his cheeks as he kept rubbing it with his thumbs.

“... but … I'm so happy ...”

Yongguk hugged Junhong who hold himself on his bare chest while he cried in the crook of his neck. He knew that people wanted to protect Youngjae, and he knew they would all hate him when they'll discover what he had to do. It wasn't that he wanted to do it. He had to do it. He liked the peasant boy very much but it was his duty...

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