For nearly a sevenday, both Jinki and Taekwoon slept, waking in feverish bouts of delirium. Healer Mimi watched over them steadfastly, assisted by his trainee Himchan and his official assistant Henry. They changed out damp cooling cloths, poured broth down barely conscious throats, and doused them liberally with sleeping draughts shortly after they woke, trying to break the fever and start the healing process.

            Outside of the healing hall, Hyesung tended to the dragons, when they would let him get near enough. Like the humans, they had suffered only minor physical injuries, but the blue fell deathly ill, exhibiting similar fever symptoms. Like before, Hyesung had to enlist Gain’s aid to calm the copper enough to get close. He was oppressively protective, and the constant guard dragons did nothing to help the situation either. Eventually though, their fevers broke. All around the same time, strangely enough. And then it became a waiting game for them to wake up.

            A strange panicked need forced dark eyes to open. Breathing hurt and the sharp gasp only made him wince as Taekwoon immediately tried to sit up. Pain flared in his chest and abdomen and he growled through his teeth, trying to push past it.

            “Hey! Easy!” a worried voice called as quick feet rushed to the bed.

            Cool hands pressed against warm skin, trying to push him back down. Taekwoon jerked his arm and knocked them away, hissing, “No!” Looking up through his shifting vision, he noticed it was Henry that had come, normally open expression closed off and slightly hurt. He knew he should apologize, should be lying back down with how he felt, but he had to see what was driving him. “Where?” he gasped, grimacing as another wave of pain racked him.

            Naturally narrow eyes crinkled in confusion before Henry gestured to the other side of Taekwoon. “He’s there,” the assistant murmured, still hovering close in case he needed to catch the other man.

            Inside? Taekwoon turned his head to see, vision tilting with the motion. But when he saw who Henry meant, it didn’t make sense. “Jinki?” he whispered, unsure why his other half was sleeping in a separate bed… But he looked fine, which soothed part of his spirit. The panic was still there though, beating against his ribs. “No,” he shook his head, fighting a brief bout of nausea. Frustrated, he yanked the covers off and swung his legs over the side of the bed, looking down to see his unclothed form again.

            “Taekwoon,” Henry warned, clearly not sure how to respond in this situation. He hovered near the bed and craned his head around, obviously looking for someone. “Healer Mimi!” he called, making a strange sound in the back of his throat when the waking man yanked the sheet off the bed and wrapped it around his bare body.

            “Where…?” the trainee breathed again, stumbling towards the door of the room.

            “Oh, Bahamut’s Breath,” a new speaker groaned in irritation. Healer Mimi. “Keep an eye on him,” he instructed, voice getting weaker as Taekwoon pushed through the doors. “Easy now. Easy,” Taekwoon heard him sooth just before he got out of earshot.

            With single-minded focus, he brushed past another trainee he knew but didn’t immediately recognize. They tried to speak to him but the words sounded strange and they weren’t important anyway. Something out there was. Outside, beyond the Healing Hall. Trying to run, Taekwoon could only manage a frantic hobble. His ability to open the door was severely limited too when running into it without turning the handle in time made him cry out in pain, collapsing against the frame. Angry, Taekwoon reached up to yank the handle down and shove the left side open.

            “Would you stop?!” Henry grumbled, trying to help the trainee before he was brushed off once more, the response almost animalistic. “Okay,” he exhaled, holding the door open for him instead.

            Taekwoon staggered to his feet and dragged the sheet close as he stepped into the day lit Aerie. Everything seemed different as he stared, vision blurring while he looked around. Panic pulsed in his chest and tickled his mind, making him want to flee. Voices called at him from the outside, but the only one he chose to recognize was one within.

            Here. A single word that was more a feeling than anything else, but it was clear enough.

            Stilling, Taekwoon turned to the right, facing the area in front of Bahamut’s Shrine next to the healing hall. There… A shallow breath filled his lungs and Taekwoon reached out his right hand, stepping towards them as if entranced. “You’re here,” he whispered, seeing the copper and blue colors sharpen into almost painful focus.

            “Taekwoon. It’s not safe,” Henry interrupted his line of sight, holding his hands up to stall him.

            The trainee noticed his brown eyes and brown hair matched in the sunlight. But he was in the way of what he needed and so one lip rose in a silent snarl.

            “Let him go, Henry,” another speaker advised.

            Part of Taekwoon’s mind recognized it as Hyesung, but the knowledge came and went like water in a river. It wasn’t important. As soon as Henry stepped aside, Taekwoon moved forward again, right hand outstretched, reaching to touch, to confirm what he saw. Warm breath washed over him first, bathing him in dragon scent. He closed his eyes and soaked it in, breathing deep through the hurt in his chest. When he opened his eyes, he stepped close enough to place his hand oh so gently against the copper dragon’s – Jonghyun’s – nose.

            And as he looked into the amber eyes, he felt the voice from before burn through him. You are mine…

            “And I am yours,” he responded by rote, without thought. Something inside clicked, twisting hard. Taekwoon gasped at the sensation and fell to his knees, finding it hard to breathe for a moment. But then a strange sense of relief and clarity washed over him as the panic dispersed and it felt as if he was coming out of a waking dream. Slightly confused, he looked at his hands and the sheet wrapped around him. At the dragons directly in front of him. And then behind him where a whole slew of familiar faces were watching in concern and uncertainty.

            Hyesung was predictably unreadable and he was aware of quite a few other dragons and riders in his periphery, but he was more concerned by the quiet frowns on Mimi and Henry’s faces. And Jinki- Wait. Why was Jinki there? And why did he look like he had just lost something dear to him? His mouth opened partially as if to say something, but no words came out; his eyes jumped from Jinki, to Aerie Master Satoru, High Dragon Commander Eric, and – oh Bahamut’s Teeth… the Bahamut High Priest.

            He knew he was missing something. A lot of somethings by the look of it, but he didn’t have any idea of how to start asking and their expressions frightened him more than anything else. Slowly, he closed his mouth, swallowed hard, and got back to his feet, wrapping the sheet around him with as much dignity as he could under the circumstances.

            Aerie Master Satoru saved him from having to think of something to say. “Come along, Taekwoon,” he instructed, gesturing towards the shrine nearby. “We’d like to have a word with you,” he explained, glancing at the High Dragon Commander, the High Priest, and Jinki.

            “Okay,” he murmured for the sake of responding. But his eyes went to Jinki as he shook his head in admitted uncertainty, hurt and worried by the look he was getting in return. Jinki started to raise a hand as if he might reach out to him, but then he stopped and pulled back, looking away with a guarded expression.

            It felt like he’d been slapped. Taekwoon just blinked at him and then moved without resistance when Eric calmly grabbed his shoulders to guide him inside. He was definitely missing information…

            Tension was suffocatingly thick in the room as Taekwoon tried to absorb all that he’d been told. They had let him tell what he remembered first, but then they explained what happened after. The after part was not settling well.

            By rote, he accepted the plain cup of tea that Satoru offered him and just held it, staring at the liquid with a furrowed brow. It didn’t bother him so much that he knew he should probably be dead; he’d accepted that when he made his choice while in Trance. It did bother him that Jinki now knew. Guilt gnawed at him. And not just because he had been willing to die, but also because he hadn’t noticed the bruises on his face. He remembered seeing him in the bed in the Healing Hall before he left, but he hadn’t paid attention to the dark patches of color around his face. And he hadn’t realized his other half had been watching him as he went to Jonghyun as well…

            He took a sip and tried to swallow his guilt, but it stuck in his throat. Especially because Jinki had very nearly died coming after him. That hurt more than the rest, including the horrible bruise on his chest. It felt like something had hit him from the inside and that it was showing outside now.

            While he was still lost in thought, the High Priest finally chose to speak. “You are not the first to survive such unusual circumstances,” he explained, wrapping pale, slender hands together in his lap. Taekwoon looked up to meet the dark eyes framed by the cloth mask that hid the rest of his face. “It has happened before,” he added with a glance at Satoru and Eric.

            “Not in recent memory,” Eric shook his head, tea untouched before him.

            The High Priest laughed softly and nodded in mute agreement. “Quite right. The last occurrence was somewhere around two hundred years ago. It is not mentioned often as it fails frequently and the bond is… undesirable,” he went on, head tilting as if he was cringing.

            “Undesirable?” Jinki murmured the word Taekwoon felt. Both glanced at each other and then Jinki looked down as he realized he’d spoken out of turn.

            “Indeed,” the Priest murmured, unbothered by the response. “As I’m sure you noticed, Taekwoon’s behavior was hardly normal when he woke.” The hairs on Taekwoon’s neck rose and he shifted in place uncomfortably. The Priest paused, eyes glancing around the people present to see if anyone wanted to offer their own thoughts.

            Satoru exhaled and took a sip of tea before he set it down. “He was acting more like a dragon than a man.” Taekwoon winced and Jinki gasped quietly.

            “Yes,” the Priest agreed, focusing his unnerving gaze on Taekwoon. “You started the bond of man to dragon. And then relinquished your power,” he explained matter of factly. “You should have died in that moment, but whyever he chose to do so, the dragon claimed you instead.”

            “He was angry,” Taekwoon whispered, fingers gripping hard around the cup. He could remember that part so very clearly. His joy and fear and sorrow all crashing together at once. The beautiful sight of both dragons rising up in their natural forms amidst the storm.

            “Even unfinished, the bond is not so easily broken. Either he could not kill you once he’d laid claim or he did not wish to hurt himself in the process,” he went on, glancing at Eric who nodded in confirmation.

            “Once bonded, a dragon or rider can be killed in Trance, but it will usually kill or maim the survivor,” the High Commander agreed with a heavy sigh.

            His words made Taekwoon feel cold through and through. He could accept that answer. It made sense, but it scared him all the same. “But what about what happened with-” he stopped as he looked at Jinki, unable to speak when their eyes connected. At least the other man didn’t look away this time, face crumpling into confused hurt.

            “Now that was unusual,” the Priest answered, a smile obvious in his tone. He turned his full attention to Jinki, clearly curious. “They tell me he was looking for you.”

            “He wouldn’t let any of the other dragons or riders close,” Eric confirmed crossly, arms anchoring in place across his chest.

            “He was challenging me,” Jinki whispered, shaky breath exhaling slowly. “He told me that he had fought for his mate. He asked if I was willing to fight for mine. I said yes.”

            They were such important words and yet Jinki spoke them so flatly, as if they were too hard to speak otherwise. It cut Taekwoon like a sword.

            “I did not expect to actually have to fight him,” he laughed bitterly, looking away as he touched at his mouth and nose in memory.

            “You-” Taekwoon started to say, one hand reaching out as if to comfort him, but he stopped again. He wanted to say that Jinki had saved him. He had, but it felt wrong that, because of him, the man he loved had been forced to that point. He could tell that Jinki wanted to know what he meant to say. The look in his eyes was quite clear, hopeful even. If he’d had more time, maybe he could have coaxed the words out, but they were interrupted instead.

            “And how do you feel now, Jinki?” the Priest asked, pulling the other man’s attention away from Taekwoon.

            “Sore and tired,” he admitted quickly with a shrug.

            “You had no strange reaction upon waking,” he went on, looking over Jinki thoughtfully.

            There was a brief moment of confusion before Satoru spoke up a touch defensively. “You think he might have bonded too.” It wasn’t a question.

            The Priest laughed and shook his head. “Not a full bond, no. But he did go through the Trance while Bahamut’s Blood was still active, and apparently the dragon accepted him, else he wouldn’t be here now.” That made both Taekwoon and Jinki blanch. Reflexively, they shared glances and the new dragonrider could see his other half hadn’t even considered that as a possibility.

            “Active?” Eric scoffed, face showing his disbelief. “They returned marks after it would have worn off,” he reminded the Priest.

            “Under normal circumstances, yes,” the Priest nodded in concession. “But you said the blue was unconscious like Taekwoon and that the copper brought them both back. They never actually left the bonding ceremony,” he shrugged, as if there was no other explanation. This time, it was Eric and Satoru who exchanged uncertain looks. Then their gazes drifted to Jinki and Taekwoon, observing while the younger pair remained confusedly silent. “So, Jinki,” the Priest murmured again, staring at the man with unfeigned interest. “How do you feel now?”

            Jinki sat up and swallowed, a brief flash of outrage appearing and disappearing just as quickly. “If you’re asking if I feel like a dragonrider, the answer is no,” he stated firmly, hands balled into fists. Satoru reached out to place a calming hand on his shoulder and Jinki closed his eyes to take a breath, relaxing almost immediately. “I feel like me,” he added, voice tight with what had to have been unspoken worry.

            Taekwoon knew he’d never wanted to be a dragonrider. The idea that he might have become one accidentally was probably frightening. He had no time to think about it though before the Priest turned his attention to him instead. “And what about you, Taekwoon? How do you feel?”

            “Like Jinki,” he defended, gesturing towards him with a quick hand. “Tired. Sore. Confused, but like myself.” He knew what the Priest had said about the binding, but he wanted him to be wrong. He was still himself.

            “Of course you are you,” the Priest chuckled knowingly, the sound not unlike a patronizing parent. It grated on Taekwoon’s nerves. “What you were before hasn’t changed, but much like a human gives a dragon intelligence when they are bound,” he trailed off, drawing out his response as if he was teasing.

            “Kevin,” Satoru warned softly, his tone biting.

            The High Priest merely glanced at him in amusement before continuing, “Your dragon has given you, shall we say, draconic tendencies.”

            Admittedly, Taekwoon felt a thrill of pride and pleasure at the ‘your dragon’ comment, but denial immediately followed. “That is not true!” he argued, actually glaring at Kevin – the High Priest. One thin eyebrow rose as if to make his point and Taekwoon quickly schooled his features. “The binding was unusual, but I am me. Our Symbiosis is fine,” he spoke, trying to convince himself as much as those present.

            “Oh?” Kevin queried, looking at Eric expectantly. The High Commander made a face and stood up, clearly reluctant about something.

            “Eric, don’t,” Satoru called out, face tense, though he remained seated and made no effort to stop whatever the High Commander was doing.

            “If the High Priest is right, it’s best that we all know now,” Eric responded in resignation. Taekwoon and Jinki were just confused. The feeling only got stronger when the Commander stepped around behind Jinki. Unease crept in.

            “Huh?” Jinki murmured, looking over his shoulder uncertainly. Eric looked right at Taekwoon, expression apologetic before it turned hard. Moving fast, he grabbed Jinki and hauled him over the chair, taking him to the floor and briefly out of sight.

            It was the sound that did it: Jinki’s surprised and frightened yell. Taekwoon felt confusion give way to surprise and mild alarm as he saw what Eric was doing, but as soon as he heard Jinki’s cry, something in him changed. Anger more akin to rage surfaced and before he even realized what he was doing, Taekwoon had launched himself across the space, teeth bared and fingers crooked like talons. In the same moment, Eric turned to deflect him, helping to push his moving body overhead before he could grab hold.

            With a pained howl, he crashed into the legs of a desk as he hit the ground. It only stunned him for a breath before he scrabbled around to find Eric, ready to try again. Taekwoon stalled when he saw him though, standing beside a frightened but otherwise unharmed Jinki. He would have expected him to be scared after that attack, but his fear was directed at Taekwoon, and that was cause for confusion. It warred with the anger and disappeared entirely when he heard clapping nearby.

            “Just as I thought,” Kevin murmured in erse satisfaction, moving to retrieve the discarded sheet so he could hand it back to the unclothed dragonrider.

            Taekwoon accepted it hesitantly before he looked down. He was fine- he was ! Face flushed for more than one reason, he hid his form and gripped the fabric tight enough to turn his knuckles white. He could only manage glancing looks at Jinki and the others. “I’m…” he tried to speak, voice trembling as the words wouldn’t come.

            “Taekwoon,” Satoru called softly, a soothing voice in the madness.

            He barely heard him though. The dragonrider looked at his right hand as if it was something that didn’t belong. He didn’t even remember moving. One breath he was fine and the next he wasn’t.

            “Woonie?” Jinki asked uncertainly, the embodiment of concern.

            It broke his heart. “I can’t,” Taekwoon gasped, feeling as if his world was falling apart around him. With one panicked look around the group, he turned to flee.

            “Wait!” Satoru tried to stop him as he made it to the door. There was no stopping though.

            “Let him go,” Kevin instructed, the sound fading quickly.

            Taekwoon recognized it and was briefly surprised by the flash of unease he felt at hearing his words. But then it was gone and he was still running. Everything seemed to be moving too fast. He felt Jonghyun’s wordless query. Where? He didn’t know but he shouted back, “Away!” Surprise and confusion flashed, fading quickly as he ran past. Curious and concerned looks followed him through the Aerie. Part of him knew he looked quite strange: mostly with a sheet for coverings, bruising on his chest, and what was likely a wild look in his eye. But it didn’t matter. He just needed to get away.

            He didn’t know where he was going at first. His body seemed to be moving more on instinct since his mind certainly wasn’t making the choice. Before too long, he recognized the dorms and he slowed, briefly hesitant. It was a shared room. And Jinki was afraid of him right now. Rightfully so. He didn’t want to make him more afraid and almost turned away. But the Aerie rose up intimidatingly in his view and he knew he needed somewhere safe and familiar, if only for a little while.

            With new determination, he kept his head down and brushed past people as quickly as he could, murmuring an apology here and there. It was easier if he couldn’t see who he was moving past, if he didn’t know what people felt when they saw him now. Heart beating fast, Taekwoon finally made it to their shared room and practically dove inside, slamming the door and sliding against it as relief flooded him. Silence and familiarity seeped in, calming his frayed senses and letting him catch his breath without distractions.

            “Oh Bahamut,” he exhaled, running trembling fingers through his messy black hair. They got stuck on knots and he left them there, taking several deep breaths as his calm returned. It was not so easily kept, however. Unable to stop himself, Taekwoon laughed, a broken and harsh sound. Tears stung his eyes and he curled in on himself, trying to disappear.

            He had succeeded. He was now a dragonrider. But everything was wrong… His Symbiosis, Jinki, him. Taekwoon took a breath and screamed into his knees, slamming his fists against the ground. Even though he’d been sleeping for days, he was tired, but not sleepy. His mind raced but his body felt heavy, now that he’d stopped moving. Reluctantly, Taekwoon got up and shuffled away from the door. He pulled the bed away from the wall and then moved to settle himself in the small space, feeling less exposed and more secure. Drawing his knees to his chest, he grabbed his shoulders across his body and rested his cheek on the back of his hand, staring at the wall as he let his mind go blank.

            There was no way of knowing how much time had passed before he finally heard someone come to the door. Taekwoon’s fingers dug into his arms as he both yearned for and feared who might come through it. He couldn’t bring himself to look, shame burning inside. Forehead pressed hard against his wrists, he sobbed once when he heard his name, his whole body shaking.

            “Woonie?”

            Now he was afraid. Taekwoon wanted nothing more than to hold Jinki, but how could he? After what he’d done, what he’d become, what his other half had been forced to endure… He didn’t feel like he deserved him. He didn’t feel worthy, and so he tried to curl up even more.

            Quiet footsteps whispered on the hard ground and cloth rasped lightly as Jinki moved. Silence fell and Taekwoon could only hear the pounding of his blood in his ears. But then feather soft fingertips brushed against his hair, the gesture tender and familiar. Despite himself, Taekwoon looked up and let his bleary eyes focus on Jinki’s face. There was no fear just then. Only sadness and concern. “Woonie,” he sighed, opening his arms just a touch, a mute offer of comfort.

            It was enough. Taekwoon’s face crumpled as tears overtook him. “Jinki,” he whimpered as he crawled out of his self-inflicted ball and into his other half’s embrace. “I’m sorry,” he cried as he hugged the other man around the waist and curled in close, sobbing against him.

            “Me too,” Jinki whispered, running a soothing hand down Taekwoon’s back. “Me too.”

            They shared the same bed that night, Taekwoon holding tight to Jinki as he slept. But even in his peace, even in his lover’s comforting arms, he knew that things had changed. He just didn’t know how or what they could do about it.