All morning, Jinki was on pins and needles as he waited at the Aerie for news of Taekwoon’s return. He couldn’t focus so Satoru let him off the hook for the day, but that didn’t help him not think about all the things that could go wrong, or right, while his other half was off trying to tame a dragon. Not for the first time, he rather wished that Taekwoon was right and that they were able to raise them from the egg. None of this would be necessary then and he wouldn’t be in the position he was now.

            He flitted from one distraction to the next, desperately trying to keep his mind off the time and how it seemed to be dragging on longer than it should have. Junjin shooed him out of the kitchens when nerves gave him shaky hands and he kept dropping the dishes he was trying to clean. Jolin didn’t even give him a chance to ruin whatever needed transcribing and she sent him off with a glare that would have scared him if he wasn’t already preoccupied.

            Captain Yunho was gone to oversee Taekwoon’s trial; Bom and her dragon were out on patrol; Amber had been spending more time in Master Kibum’s company of late and was nowhere around; Wonshik was busy under Master Seunghyun’s critical eye; and even the messengers like Sanghyuk and Joy were particularly unavailable. Everything else in the Aerie continued on as normal, but for Jinki, the world had effectively stopped, like it was holding its breath. He didn’t know when it would resume either.

            Somewhat ersely, he eventually found himself hovering near Jongin and Krystal, both of whom had made remarkable recoveries, all things considered. Both unwanted – the disgraced son of a minor noble and a riderless dragon, cursed or blessed with Tiamat’s color – they suited each other as if they were always meant to be a pair. While they didn’t have a normal function in the Aerie – they weren’t allowed to join the Stardust Battalion – they were often asked to deliver messages to Miremaw or nearby cities and villages. Krystal in particular was also asked to help with heavier tasks around the Aerie while Jongin oversaw from afar.

            The broken rider was the one to notice Jinki hovering at the edge of their space and wave him over with an understanding smile, full lips curving perfectly. He brushed feathery brown hair out of his equally brown eyes and commented, “You look a little lost today, Jinki.” Krystal seemed to snort in agreement and Jongin patted her neck fondly.

            “You could say that,” Jinki agreed with a wan smile, staring at the black dragon for just a moment. Like all blacks, she was small, relatively speaking. Only the size of a couple horses put together really. And she still had very noticeable scars along her body and a puckered seam on one wing where Hyesung had managed to stitch it back together so she’d be able to fly again.

            “I almost envy him, you know,” Jongin chuckled, reaching down to massage his stiff leg with firm fingers. When Jinki looked at him curiously, he clarified, “Taekwoon. It would have been nice to have someone to come back to when I finished my Trial.”

            “Even with how your Trial went?” Jinki couldn’t help but ask, almost regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth.

            “Especially with how it went,” the rider confirmed, scratching Krystal’s neck distractedly. His tone could have been bitter. It wasn’t. He spoke the truth and nothing more or less. His dragon bent her neck and bumped her nose against his chest, asking for more attention. Jongin obliged with nose and head scratches, making her croon softly in contentment. “My family didn’t want me back and no one wanted her,” he added, mouth quirked to the side, thoughtful and thankful at the same time. “Guess it was kind of a good thing because I think we wanted each other instead.”

            Jinki smiled at the exchange, glad the pair had settled in and that things really had worked out in the end. “I’m happy for you Jongin. You too, Krystal,” he added after a moment’s delay, remembering the dragon could understand him and it would be rude not to include her.

            “Thanks,” the rider murmured appreciatively, turning his full attention back to Jinki. They both glanced up when a patrolling dragon flew overhead – red so maybe N and Jiho – and then back at each other. “Try not to think about it too much. Taekwoon’s good. I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Jongin promised, trying to offer reassurance.

            It was thin and not exactly encouraging but coming from Jongin, who had come out the other side better than anyone could have expected, it did help at least a little bit. Jinki nodded and then inhaled sharply as Krystal swung her head around to nose at him. “What?” he asked, slightly alarmed.

            “She wants you to scratch her,” Jongin chuckled, amused more than anything.

            “How can you tell?” he called back, flinching just a bit when she made tiny chopping noises with .

            “Just trust me,” the rider laughed, waving at the other man dismissively.

            Krystal was a small dragon and nowhere near Hero’s size, or even N for that matter, but she still made Jinki a bit nervous. Even after all the years that Taekwoon had tried to help him overcome that nervousness, a tiny part had stubbornly remained. But with Jongin right there and she herself appearing so… agreeable and willing, he dared to listen. One hand rose and rested lightly against the top of her nose. The dragon bumped her head up and he blinked in surprise, jerking his hand away.

            “It’s alright,” Jongin soothed, still amused.

            When the dragon stilled once more, Jinki tried again. This time, his hand stayed on her nose and she moved her head more gently. The motion encouraged him to run his palm up and down her nose, reaching the flat space on her forehead where he naturally curled his fingers to scratch. “Oh?” Jinki chuckled when she seemed to sigh.

            “That tends to be a sweet spot,” Jongin chuckled with a knowing grin. “It’s hard for them to reach that particular spot safely so they usually ask for head scratches.”

            “I see,” Jinki laughed, indulging the dragon a bit longer before he exchanged a couple more words with Jongin and then departed to search for food. And another distraction.

            The afternoon meal came and went, though Jinki had no idea what he’d eaten. He could hardly remember that Jimin and Himchan and Joy had tried – and failed – to grab his attention. All his focus had been on the entryway where he was determined that Taekwoon would come through any moment now. Only… he didn’t. The ball of worry in his gut that he’d been able to ignore all morning became much more noticeable.

            He knew he hadn’t missed any dragons returning. And even if he had, it was a fact that someone would have come to retrieve him. One way or another. Biting his lip, he jogged out to the overlook above Miremaw and peered into the empty and open sky. The sun was bright and hot and there wasn’t a cloud in sight, but that also meant he couldn’t possibly miss seeing a flying dragon. Especially not a silver one as of course Yunho and Hero would be with Taekwoon when he returned.

            “Jinki.”

            He almost literally jumped in place as the sound of his name caught him completely by surprise. “Yah!” he yelped instead whirling around to see who had come upon him. “Sa- Aerie Master Satoru?” Jinki exhaled quickly, trying to force himself to be calm. Outwardly, he achieved a semblance of peace though his heart still hammered painfully against his ribs.

            Satoru gave him a slightly amused smile and shook his head. His hands were tucked into his sleeves and he looked over Jinki’s shoulder, eyes scanning the horizon. “Waiting is often the hardest part,” he spoke after a moment, dark brown eyes shifting back to the younger man, a world of understanding in his gaze.

            Jinki nibbled on his bottom lip this time, not sure what he was supposed to say in response. “Was there something you needed, sir?” he wondered instead, glancing back over his shoulder one more time.

            Another smile followed that question and Satoru laughed once. “No, but I thought I might offer you some tea,” he spoke, inclining his head politely.

            “Oh,” he exhaled, looking past Satoru and to the Sanctum Tower. “Tea sounds nice, sir,’ he accepted hesitantly. It was actually the last thing he wanted, since it would take him indoors, but when the Aerie Master offered, you didn’t usually decline without good reason. He didn’t have one.

            “Come along then,” Satoru gestured, one hand escaping from his sleeves to gesture for the younger man to follow.

            As usual, when Satoru walked, it was more like he glided. Jinki on the other hand, was lucky if he didn’t manage to trip over dirt. Apparently luck was on his side this day though and he followed the Aerie Master indoors without any troubles. While the Sanctums were up several flights of stairs, reachable from the outside, Satoru’s main office was on the ground floor and easily accessible by all people.

            When Satoru ducked into his office, Jinki paused to peer at the murals painted on the walls in the waiting area. They were always fascinating, especially because they harbored both Bahamut’s and Tiamat’s images, in harsh juxtaposition. These murals told the tale of their battle and how Bahamut had risen up to challenge and then quell Tiamat’s quest for destruction. In the end, Bahamut had won and banished Tiamat, sealing her in a mountain to keep her from rising again. His task complete, Bahamut had retreated to the heavens to slumber, taking a well earned rest as man recovered. The final mural showed how the Dragon Priests were left to carry on his message and watch over the world, spreading the Dragon God’s teachings and warning those from following Tiamat’s teachings.

            Wandering close, Jinki raised his hand as if to touch the mural of Tiamat and Bahamut in combat. He’d long accepted that they had been opposite forces, destined to fight each other, but he had to wonder if Taekwoon’s musings had any truth to them. His other half held the far-fetched thought that maybe Tiamat was not the evil, destructive being everyone believed her to be. Granted, he held no love for her – Bahamut’s teachings were strong in him – but he wondered.

            ‘I have heard of many evil men but I have yet to see an evil dragon.’

            It was certainly an interesting thought. Crazy but interesting. Taking a small breath, Jinki lowered his hand and started to turn away before something else caught his eye. Leaning close, he noticed a small crack in the surface of the mural, just under Bahamut’s feet as he was rearing up. “Hmm?” Jinki hummed, fingertips ghosting against the painted stone. A tiny piece flaked away and he thought he saw old paint beneath it.

            He was about to brush at it again but then Satoru called to him. “Jinki? Are you alright?”

            Jinki gasped and stood upright, nodding automatically as he hid his hands behind his back. Strangely, he felt like a child who’d been found with his fingers in the festival pie. “Yes, sir,” he assured the older man, stepping forward quickly. He could have asked Satoru about what he thought he’d seen, but something felt wrong in that, so he held his tongue.

            The Aerie Master shepherded him into the office where a pot of tea was steeping. “I often find myself entranced by the murals in the waiting room as well,” he admitted, taking a seat on the small sofa gracefully as he gestured for Jinki to take the cushioned chair across from him. “In here, I can almost forget about Bahamut and Tiamat,” he chuckled, the sound slightly sad to Jinki’s ears.

            As the unspoken words suggested, Jinki looked around the room, diverting his curious eyes from Satoru. Within this space, there was hardly a scale or talon of anything resembling the two dragon gods. Maps of the two main islands and the numerous smaller ones around them, as well as portraits of former Aerie Masters, covered the walls. A large bookshelf full of tomes took over one corner of the room and any other empty space was subject to be filled with statues of armor or gifts from nobles in other cities. There was a door next to the bookshelf that Jinki was pretty sure led to Satoru’s bedroom, but he pulled his attention away and back to the tea that was ready to be poured.

            With the ease of years of practice, Satoru poured two cups of tea in silence and then handed the silver dragon etched cup to him on a blue glazed saucer. “Thank you,” Jinki murmured, accepting the cup solemnly.

            “My pleasure,” the Aerie Master murmured, bringing his own cup – gold dragon etched and red saucer instead – close to inhale deeply.

            Jinki followed his example and then took a tiny sip, sighing in delight at the slightly bitter but floral taste. He must have imported it from Bondsland as Kinshire didn’t grow anything like this here. At least not that he knew of. “I needed this,” he breathed quietly, his body relaxing as he savored the soothing liquid.

            “I know,” Satoru smiled over the rim of his cup. “You are certainly a good match for Taekwoon but you are so very quick to worry sometimes,” he chided in bittersweet amusement. “It’s not always healthy.”

            Tension returned quickly, but not as strong as it could have. “I have reason to worry,” he defended himself, setting the teacup down gently as he peered at the Aerie Master.

            For a moment, Satoru simply nodded, whispering quietly, “We all do.” Jinki frowned, wondering what he meant. He wanted to say something but was suddenly more concerned by his vision going a bit fuzzy for a moment. “Then again,” Satoru went on as if nothing was wrong, “you do have more reason than most.” Deftly, he finished his tea and reached out quick hands to catch the saucer and cup in Jinki’s collecting them easily from numbing fingers.

            “What…?” Jinki mumbled in confusion, looking at his hands and feeling as if they weren’t a part of him anymore.

            “Shh,” Satoru soothed, cradling Jinki’s head and pushing him gently back in the chair. “Knowing you, you’ll make yourself sick while waiting for Taekwoon to return.”

            “But…”

            “At least this way, you and the Aerie can have peace,” he laughed with a sad smile, brushing at smooth brown hair in a tender, caring gesture.

            Jinki’s eyes were heavy and the room was starting to spin. It was an effort to keep them open and all he could feel was annoyed and a little angry that Satoru had drugged him… His vision was just starting to go gray when he heard a knock on the door. It was enough to let him cling to consciousness just a bit longer, though his eyes mostly closed of their own volition.

            “Satoru,” a familiar voice greeted, footsteps entering and then pausing quickly.

            “Eric,” the Aerie Master responded. “Has there been any word?” he wondered aloud, the sound drifting to Jinki and making him focus his hearing for the answer.

            “Not yet,” the High Dragon Commander answered. His tone shifted though and he chided, “Satoru…”

            “He’ll be fine,” he promised, cloth rustling as someone moved. “Best for him to sleep now anyway,” he spoke, the sound starting to drift away from Jinki despite his best efforts. “Now. We must speak of the Dragon High Priest’s visit,” the Aerie Master murmured, and even though he was drugged and nearly unconscious, Jinki could almost feel the dislike that was carried in the words.

            ‘That’s strange… Everybody loves the Dragon High Priest,’ was Jinki’s final thought before he drifted into sleep.

            If he dreamt, he did not remember them. Jinki only became aware very suddenly when a sharp, pungent smell hit his nose. “Oh!” he coughed, sitting upright quickly and blinking around in confused wakefulness.

            “Jinki,” Satoru murmured, leaning over him with a tense face. Memory sparked and Jinki remembered the Aerie Master had drugged him. He opened his mouth to say something, but Satoru beat him to it. “He’s coming.”

            All the air left his lungs as Jinki’s heart leapt into his throat. “Taekwoon,” he gasped, lurching out of the chair as if he was possessed. His body stalled for a heartbeat, trying to keep up with his thoughts. He started to fall before Satoru caught him, steadying him enough to gain his footing.

            “Easy,” he soothed, supporting him enough to move in the appropriate direction at least.

            “Is he alright?” Jinki asked, regaining control enough to walk on his own, albeit slower than he wanted. Satoru’s silence wasn’t encouraging. “Is he alive?” Again, silence. It forced him to move faster, stumbling out of the office and into the waiting room before lurching through the main doors and into darkness. “Night?” he blinked in confusion, briefly stunned before he honed in on the commotion near the overlook.

            Moonlight gave him enough illumination to see dragons forming a large, loose ring around something. Or someone. Human voices tried to speak calming words but dragon sounds drowned them out. Two silver beasts flickered between the other dragons, catching Jinki’s attention even more. They had to be Hero and Minwoo, and it looked like they were prowling around something.

            None of it made any sense and everyone was already so focused on what was happening that Jinki was able to slip by the nearest dragons, a bronze and a red, before stumbling into the ring. “Jinki!” a voice hissed before strong arms grabbed him and yanked him aside.

            Confused and alarmed, he craned his head to see that it was the Dragon Captain holding him. “Yunho?” he wondered, dropping the honorific.

            “It’s not safe,” the Captain frowned, staring back towards the… dragons that Hero and Minwoo were circling.

            “Why…?” he started to ask before a low growl made his stomach clench, the sound striking a chord inside.

            Hero and Minwoo suddenly stopped, digging in as their wings mantled, hissing a warning while they placed themselves between the dragon within and Yunho and Jinki. All around the circle, the dragons of the Stardust Battalion emitted a low growl, filling the air with vibrations.

            Between the two silver dragons, Jinki could finally see him. The copper dragon with unblinking amber eyes, crouched down low, wary and defensive. Those huge eyes were staring at him intently though, nostrils flaring. He took one small step forward and Hero and Minwoo snapped at him, making the dragon rear up and hiss, fangs baring viciously in his maw.

            But that was when he saw them. Tucked under the copper’s body were a blue dragon and… “Taekwoon!” he gasped, fear and worry and the element of surprise making him fast and strong enough to slip from Yunho’s hold.

            “Wait!” the Captain hissed, fingers clawing at Jinki uselessly.

            One obstacle evaded, there was no getting around the silver dragon that turned to corner him while the other moved directly in front of the copper, challenging. Jinki stopped short, eyes wide in his face as golden eyes met his. Minwoo then. He was not happy. Every part of him wanted to pass out in that blinding moment of instinctual fear, but then Yunho caught up again and Dragon Master Dongwan appeared on the other side, both holding onto him.

            “It’s too dangerous!” Yunho hissed.

            “We don’t know what’s happening,” Dongwan admitted at the same time, their words tumbling over each other.

            They all flinched when a challenging roar rent the air, followed shortly by another from Hero who was still facing off against the copper. Terror clawed at Jinki, but from what, he couldn’t say. Terror from the dragons. Terror from the uncertainty. Terror for Taekwoon. All of them… “But it’s Taekwoon,” he gasped, leaning forward and trying to see around both dragons despite the impossibility of it.

            Tension rose like a hungry predator and it seemed as if Hero and the copper were going to come to blows, neither backing down. Twin roars cut through the air, drowning out all sound for several heartbeats and cowing the unsuspecting audience. “Stand down,” High Dragon Commander Eric commanded as he approached the circle, expression steely and calm. He was flanked by two gold dragons: Andy, his own, and Gain, the Paramour. Equal to the silvers and holding higher ranks, they carried greater power and so even Hero and Minwoo sank low and slinked aside, leaving a path between them.

            On the defensive again, the copper was not cowed but he watched intently as the newest dragons approached. It only lasted a couple heartbeats before his amber eyes focused on Jinki again, a quiet growl emerging as if in challenge. Hero perked up and tried to growl back but a hiss from Gain silenced him immediately.

            Jinki suddenly felt very alone when Yunho and Dongwan separated from him, giving way to High Dragon Commander Eric. The taller, older man clapped his hand on Jinki’s shoulder and rumbled, “We don’t know what’s happening, but it’s clear the dragon is waiting for you.”

            A part of him had known that, recognized it from the moment he saw the creature. But he didn’t know why. Glancing under the large body, he realized it didn’t matter. Fear threatened to paralyze him and he just started moving before it could, before his head could catch up with what his body was going to do. With purpose, he walked through the silver dragons and approached the copper, staring at him all the while. His stomach was doing suicidal backflips by the time he stopped a horse length from the dragon.

            It stared at him and he stared back, body trembling beyond his control, but eyes hard and determined. The dragon took a long sniff and exhaled, blasting him with hot, spicy breath that made it hard to breathe. Holding his breath, he waited for the warmth to pass and then balled his hands into fists as he challenged, “He is mine.”

            Leaning in close, the copper moved his head until his nose brushed against the man’s shirt. Strangely mesmerized, Jinki stared into the nearest eye, feeling strange as he did so. He thought he heard someone call his name softly before all sight and sound disappeared. It felt as if he was falling or floating but everything was dark.

            “Taekwoon?” he called out, reaching blindly. His feet connected with something and he stumbled forward, looking around for any sign of something.

            “Here,” a new voice called. Soft but tense and unsure. Guarded. Judging.

            Jinki followed the sound, though his legs trembled and he felt terribly exposed. Lightning flashed, blinding in its brilliance. The shadow of a large dragon appeared through the dark and Jinki stepped back involuntarily, body freezing. “Taekwoon,” he whispered this time, voice trembling.

            “Here,” the voice called again, pulling Jinki’s attention to the barest hints of light in the dark.

            It was a dim blob that turned into the shape of Taekwoon as he got close enough. “Taekwoon!” he gasped, sprinting towards him before skidding to a stop and falling backwards as a blue dragon head appeared out of the darkness, hissing at him softly. Frightened and frustrated and so achingly worried, Jinki flailed to his feet and repeated, “He is mine!” His body and voice and posture were all defiance, but inside he was quaking. He felt like he might fall apart if something so much as touched him.

            “He is mine,” the voice from before challenged back, directly behind him.

            Jinki gasped and whirled, turning to face a taller, more muscled man with dangerous amber eyes and a hard expression. Slowly, his mind started to pull the pieces together of what was likely going on. “This is Trance,” he whispered, breathing hard as he stared at the man. “And you’re the copper.”

            “He is mine!” the man reiterated, leaning forward threateningly.

            Everything inside Jinki quailed at the declaration, at the man dragon facing him. But just as quickly, defiance rose, beating past the fear. “No,” he denied simply staring into the inhuman eyes as if he could convince him by will alone.

            “He tried to claim my mate. Tried to claim me,” he spat, anger making the larger body tense, hands balled into fists. “He failed.”

            That was impossible. Jinki knew it couldn’t be true. Failing meant he would have died or been hurt or somehow not been able to return to return to him. His face fell into confusion as he looked back at Taekwoon’s body under the blue’s watch. “How? Why?!” he demanded, whirling around to face the copper again, not ready to believe it was that simple.

            “Complicated,” the dragon answered eventually, looking away with a snarl.

            It still didn’t make any sense and Jinki’s face showed it. Swallowing his denial, he raised his fist to the dragon’s face and shook it, pointing an accusatory finger at him instead. “If he failed, then how is this even possible?!”

            “Complicated,” the copper stated again, his voice lower this time. “He is mine.” The words were even quieter, but it was a statement of truth and not a challenge. Still completely lost, Jinki jerked when the dragon looked at him again, eyes flashing. “I fought for my mate. Will you fight for yours?”

            There was no doubt or hesitation. “Yes.” He wasn’t ready for the response. One moment, he was standing, looking at the dragon. The next, he was rolling over the ground with a blinding pain in his jaw and an aching head. “Ack!” he coughed, blinking hard as he tried to push himself to his feet.

            The dragon advanced swiftly, a predator tracking his prey. Breathing hard, Jinki managed to get upright before he ducked the next punch, rolling backwards willingly. As he got to his feet again, the dragon was already on him once more. He tried to move out of the way but the moving front kick launched him away, stealing the air from his lungs. Gasping and suffocating, he flailed for purchase, trying to remember anything about his training that would help him now. Nothing came and all he could feel was relief when he finally coughed, in a lungful of air after.

            It was short lived. A foot ramming into his side stole it away again, leaving him curled around a nauseated abdomen, physically unable to move. His body spasmed, mouth open as he vainly tried to draw breath. Jinki’s fingers clawed against the ground and tried to see, but pained tears blinded him. He couldn’t win. He knew that, but he couldn’t just give up. Even as he tasted a dangerous coppery liquid in the back of his throat. Even as the same liquid dripped from his nose and his whole body screamed at him to stop.

            His tortured voice finally appeared when fingers grabbed his hair and yanked his head up, making him look at the copper man dragon again. His opponent was untouched and it should have hurt more than it did. Stubbornly, Jinki reached up with one hand and clawed at the dragon’s shoulder so he could hold fast. “Mine,” he growled; it was the only way he could get the word out.

            Strangely, the dragon smirked, as if amused. With his fingers still in Jinki’s hair, he looked up and gave a nod. Then he let go and stood up, moving away without looking back. Jinki gasped and struggled to catch himself, to watch the dragon, to find Taekwoon… Two dragon shapes appeared in the darkness, a flash of lightning revealing them before they disappeared. With their departure, the space began to turn gray, lightening enough for Jinki to finally see again.

            “Taekwoon!” he croaked, awkwardly crawling along the ground to roll his other half into his arms. “Woonie,” he sobbed once, pressing his lips against the black hair. “What do I do?” he pleaded, rocking in place and looking around. “Woonie,” he cried again, feeling panic threatening to overwhelm him. Everything was just too much. He hadn’t been prepared for any of it and as he worried about what would come next, his mind finally overcame everything; Jinki spiraled back down into darkness.