Chanyeol has been known to be a bit stubborn.

It's a character flaw, Kyungsoo had joked back when he'd had his voice stolen by the witch. He sat in a field full of flowers on his own two feet next to Chanyeol, who had gasped, whined, and flopped onto the man, but Kyungsoo had laughed and tugged on Chanyeol's arm to write out his explanation. Chanyeol would never back down from a challenge, no matter how badly he was outnumbered nor how much weaker he may have been from his opponent. Chanyeol did anything anyone asked of him, no matter how difficult the task.

Chanyeol himself doesn't find anything so bad about it, but Kyungsoo had warned him. There would be someone who wouldn't take too kindly to sticking around like glue and pursuing apologies and goals until he was satisfied.

And that person had turned out to be Minseok and the dragons he lived with.

Chanyeol had at least thought through his plan enough to be smart and wait a couple days. He stayed away for a week, just to ensure that Jongin wouldn't be throwing up anymore and the dragons wouldn't threaten to burn his body to ash so quickly. In that time, he could gather supplies to show his apology: rabbits, squirrels, wild boar, deer, beef, and pork. He prepared all the meat and packed it into a bigger satchel he could swing onto his back because this time he wasn't going to take his horse. He'd even gone to the market and spent his money on medicines and antidotes that he thought Minseok may be running low on or anything that may be hard for him to get his hands on.

He had to make it up to them somehow, and his stubborn side wouldn't relent until he'd thought of all he could. As soon as Sehun had come back from his travels, Chanyeol had even requested council with him just to get a second opinion on medicines he could bring. Though he trusted Sehun, he knew it wouldn't be right to reveal the secret Minseok has been trying so hard to keep all this time.

Chanyeol wakes up early that morning a week later from the incident, nervous and a little nauseous. He only tends to feel this way when it's the day he sets out to save a princess or a prince and he knows there are horrible challenges to face, but he doesn't know why he feels it today. His stomach flips when he thinks about Minseok's soft, wary but reassuring smiles he'd given but it twists a little painfully when he sees haunting green and red eyes imprinted behind his eyelids every time he tries to shut his eyes and breathe.

He waits until the sun rises, lying in bed awake and petting the kitty that had wandered into his house at night. Luna has come to visit his house before, nimbly shimmying through an open window or sliding in between a closing door. Luna is not his cat, she prefers to strut around the village ownerless and use her pretty green eyes to get food from the market ladies and the children, but she tends to stick around Chanyeol's house because there's always food around (and she knows her way right into Chanyeol's pantry).

Luna purrs under his hand as she stretches out on his pillow, curling up around herself and napping the morning away like a princess. Chanyeol thinks that somehow she knows when these mornings come for him, when he feels like a stranger in his own home. And any other day she'd threaten to bite his fingers if he'd reach out to pet her behind the ears. But on these mornings, she curls up in his bed and lets him pet her.

It helps, he muses. It keeps all his thoughts at bay until the sun has risen for the village to wake up and head out into the fields. She leaves as soon as the roosters start to call out in the morning, searching for a better spot in the sun to continue napping.

When Chanyeol finally rolls out of bed and washes up, Luna has already slipped out of his house. He doesn't pay it too much mind as he knows the cat is probably wandering through the market stalls already. He eats what breakfast he can keep down- and it isn't much. He finishes half his eggs and nibbles on toast before his stomach churns a little dangerously and he doesn't risk trying to eat much more. By then, he can see the Jungs out on their farm herding the sheep and merchants pulling their carts up the distant hill to the market.

He grabs a spare satchel from underneath his bed and packs it with all the meat he's caught, cleaned, preserved, and packaged as nicely as he can manage. He fills the bag up with medicines and water for himself and finally gets a spur of courage to walk out the front door.

His horse waits beside his front door, hooves kicking in the dirt. Chanyeol smiles and dodges back into the house to grab the apple he hadn't eaten for breakfast. "Be good today, okay?" he says, holding the apple out to his horse. "I'll be back by nightfall."

The horse simply whinnies in his ear, as loud and as obnoxiously as possible. Chanyeol takes it as good luck and heads out the front door.

Trying to remember the way back to Minseok's home is more difficult after debating whether to forget or not in the past week. He starts from the Jung's farm and continues straight until he sees the mushroom bush. He takes a few turns as he recalls and tries to remember the trees he'd left marks on. He's glad he'd at least been stubborn about apologizing that he'd go as far as to strip a bit of bark from the trees the pixies lived in because now it's much easier to trace his steps back to midway between Chanyeol's home and Minseok's.

At the midway point he stops for a moment, debates with himself if this is even the right thing to do. But he swallows down half a canteen of water and continues on his way, still determined to repair the mess he'd made.

But soon he passes the last tree he'd marked and from thereon it is all guesswork. He turns left and right, hoping he isn't walking around in circles because the enchanted trees that someone must have bewitched make everything look the exact same no matter how many times he walks in an entirely new direction. The sun is high in the sky, bearing down a sweltering, sticky heat even in the forest, and it's then Chanyeol nearly gives up. He flops down on a log and bemoans that everything still looks the same and he may as well have walked himself right back to the Jung's farmland.

Except he still persists. He shoulders the weight of the satchel and carries on until the sight of Minseok's cabin breaks through the trees. He'd nearly missed it too, if not for the billowing cloud of smoke that cascades above the tree line catches his vision.

He heads in the direction of the smoke, breaking through the last of some low hanging tree branches until he's in the clearing surrounding Minseok's home. He tries to approach slowly in case the dragons get alerted and frightened. There's not a sound as he approaches, only the snapping of branches beneath the weight of his feet. He looks around warily, head poked out behind tree trunks, and there's not a dragon in sight.

He inhales, legs shaky as he steps into the clearing. The lights are on in the house but the clearing is silent. Not even a puff of smoke remains in the air to hint that anyone was here. Chanyeol stops and thinks and almost considers leaving, thinking that no one is home. He more bravely approaches the front door and takes the satchel off his back, leaving it against a post on the porch.

"Minseok?" he calls out, bouncing nervously on the balls of his feet. He shifts from one foot to the other, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his trousers. No one answers. He steps up to the front porch and dares to look into the window. The table is set as though a few people had sat down to lunch, food still half eaten on their plates. But there's not a sound, not even a stir.

Chanyeol sighs, hopping off the porch. And in the span of a breath he feels a pressure connect with his chest, knocking the air out of his lungs as his back connects with the ground. He grips at his chest, struggling to push air through his tight lungs but the weight on his chest pressing on his diaphragm is making him feel like he's suffocating. His breathing is short, anything just to get air and wait for his mind to think clearly.

"Why show your face here again?"

Chanyeol recognizes the voice, but he can't pick out whose voice it is.

"We don't want you here!" he yells. "Until you came everything was fine, so off."

Swallowing thickly, Chanyeol pulls himself together and opens his eyes to an icy blue gaze piercing through him. He shudders, feeling claws starting to dig into his arms. Luhan has him pinned down, eyes deadly and nearly ready to kill. Black smoke puffs out from his mouth and he snarls, two blue pointed, scaly ears popping out atop his head from the brown mop of his hair.

"I came to-"

Luhan grips Chanyeol's throat, fingers slowly pressing into the skin, threatening to break the barrier between life and death. "I don't care what you came to do because I hate you." His fingers tighten- choking, choking, choking. "I hate you. We had such a peaceful life in safety until you ed it up for us. And now that you know about us, I can't let you threaten the lives of my brothers." Luhan's smile is sinister, chilling, and Chanyeol is sure that his life flashes before his eyes then.

But the weight is thrown off his chest and all Chanyeol can think about is breathing and getting away. He sits up as soon as his chest is light, watching as Luhan is thrown down and pinned with a foot on his chest by another man with bright green eyes like Jongdae's. However, his eyes glow kind, calming the panic rising like bile in Chanyeol's throat.

"I'm sorry," he apologizes, smile sheepish. "I'm Yixing. I don't believe we've met yet."

Chanyeol shuts his gaping mouth, hurriedly wiping the dirt off his hand and holding it out for Yixing. "Chanyeol," he murmurs, "but I guess you already knew that."

Yixing laughs, hoisting Chanyeol up with surprising strength given his lean body and boyish face. His laughter is light, almost like the twinkle of pixies. "It's not every day we get visitors out here."

"Lemme at him!! Don't hold me back!!! I'm going to rip his ing head off! Yixing, let me go you er!"

Chanyeol cringes, trying to keep his gaze off of Luhan. The dragon is so furious smoke is starting to puff out of his ears and his mouth.

"Oh hush up, Luhan," Yixing says, pressing his foot a little harder on Luhan's chest. Luhan gasps, wiggling under Yixing's weight. "It was an accident- give the poor guy a break."

Thank the heavens someone finally believes Chanyeol.

Yixing leans down, face pressed close to Luhan's. His voice deepens, the happiness and kindness zaps from the gaze in his eyes and something almost evil flashes. Chanyeol would have imagined it if he hadn't heard Yixing speak in a whisper.

"If you wake Jongin up, Luhan, I'll personally end you myself."

Chanyeol squeaks, air zapped from his lungs in an instant. He doesn't feel as safe as he had just moments prior. But with that, the smoke stops puffing out of Luhan's ears and he finally goes limp under Yixing's weight.

"Right then," Yixing sighs, looking back at Chanyeol with an angelic smile. "Did you come back for something?"

Chanyeol feels his brain stall for a moment, like his mouth is moving but he can't hear anything he's saying. Yixing just smiles and watches him patiently for when his brain finally kicks into gear.

"I just came by to say sorry," he says. "And-"

It's then that the trees rustle. By habit, he turns around to check for the source, and just as sure as he's decided that the sound must have been a rabbit, the trees rustle again and part. Minseok is the first to step through the forest, laughter in the lines of his face and smile wide. His cheeks are flushed, bangs damp with sweat, but he looks so happy as Jongdae wraps an arm around his neck. There's another man that follows after them- the one Chanyeol recognizes as the man who carried Jongin ahead of him. His smile is gentle though his red eyes are still a little menacing. His black hair falls into his eyes as he smiles shyly.

Chanyeol's heart jumps up into his throat. Minseok catches his gaze, his smile still brilliant, and time seems to still for just a moment.

At least until he's lifted off the ground by a scaly green claw fisted into the collar of his tunic.

"Why did you come back," Jongdae seethes, bright green eyes flashing dangerously. Chanyeol wiggles in his grip, trying to get down but the strength Jongdae's gained by shifting his arm into his dragon form is enormous. Jongdae may as well toss him right back to the front steps of his home.

"Cool it, Jongdae," Yixing says, stepping away from Luhan and pressing a gentle hand to Jongdae's shoulder. Jongdae stills for a minute, looking at Yixing seriously, before his eyes soften and he tosses Chanyeol down none too gently.

The other man stands warily behind Minseok, fingers morphed into claws and gripping Minseok's shoulders, ripping through the fabric. Silence falls for a moment and Chanyeol takes a deep breath.

"I came to say sorry," he says, keeping his eyes steadfast on Minseok. "I hope you could come to accept my apology."

Minseok nods, eyes dropping to his shoes scuffing against the ground. "I do," he says. "Forgive you, I mean." He looks up and smiles sincerely. Chanyeol's stomach flops and he bites down on his lips, hoping for no sudden throw-downs or punches by any of the dragons.

"Well I don't," Jongdae says, but that's all he says. He huffs indignantly and goes off to stand closer to Yixing, arms folded over his chest. Yixing pulls him in and kisses him, winding Jongdae's arms around him instead.

"Don't be like that," he murmurs. He nods in the direction Chanyeol had left his satchel. "He brought us beef."

Chanyeol glances over to the bag to find the medicine bottles already spread out on the porch and Luhan rummaging through the bag. "There must be a ton in here!" he exclaims, holding out the large flank of beef Chanyeol had packed.

Jongdae huffs but tries to hide his eagerness as he approaches the satchel. "Don't think this means I forgive you," he says, but he's by Luhan's side in an instant and rummaging through the meat.

At that, Yixing and Minseok laugh, following Jongdae and Luhan into the house. Chanyeol remains in his spot for a moment, until Minseok turns around and beckons him into the house.

Chanyeol inhales shakily, following Minseok inside. He's still nervous, he hasn't apologized to Jongin himself, but at least this is a start.

The first thing that comes to Chanyeol's mind as soon as he steps into the house is how warm it is, both in the figurative and literal sense (because five fire-breathing dragon bodies in a small cramped space immediately raises the temperature). The dining table is a cluster of mismatching chairs, the sink stacked high with pots and dishes. Nothing in the living room matches anything else but there are tons of drawings of memories tacked up on the wall like a collage. Chanyeol's kind of envious- there's a lot of home in such a small place.

Luhan dumps the satchel of meat on the table with a loud thud, rummaging through it and pulling out everything Chanyeol had brought. Jongdae's mouth is practically watering from where he stands in the living room doorway, restraint slipping through his fingers quickly. Beef, deer, rabbit, Jongdae's hands are antsy in his pockets. Yixing and Minseok are at the sink, Minseok pulling out a cutting board and a knife from drawers and Yixing washing dishes and putting them away. The man who had clung on to Minseok still sticks beside him, hands anxiously skimming his shoulders as if deciding whether he should grip them or not.

"Go pick the meat you like, Zitao," Minseok tells the red-eyed man, glancing over his shoulder. He smiles gently at the taller man, leaving a reassuring pat on his back. "Tell me what you want for dinner and then you can go to Jongin."

Zitao nods, shuffling over silently to Luhan, eyes warily glancing back and forth between Chanyeol and Jongin's room. He points out the smallest rabbit Chanyeol had caught and skinned, then he wanders through the living room and slips through a door and out of sight.

Minseok sets a few skillets on the stove, greases the pans and turns on the heat. Chanyeol awkwardly shuffles through the kitchen, trying to stay out of Jongdae's way but trying to get to Minseok. He feels a little awkward being here and still a little nervous.

"Is there something I can help with?" Chanyeol asks, looking over towards the stove. Minseok looks up from the skillets, pursing his lips in thought for a moment.

"You can come help me cook the meat if you want. There are lots of mouths to feed," Minseok hums. There's something still a bit cold about him, something different. He doesn't seem like the man who'd walked through the forest only moments before, smiling and laughing without a worry. Though he supposes Minseok has good reason to be wary of him.

Once the pan heats up, Chanyeol cooks half the beef and some of the pork, sighing pleasantly as the meat sizzles on the skillet. He can almost hear the ravenous hunger of Luhan's stomach, considering the dragon keeps wandering around the stove, peeking into all the skillets. Minseok cooks two rabbits and a bit more pork, working quietly as he turns the meat once it browns and talks with Yixing a little. Chanyeol even manages to gain the courage to jump in the conversation when he can. It's not often, but they don't seem to mind his intrusion.

"Is it almost done?" Luhan whines, flopping onto the couch in the living room before standing up and walking back to the table to flop down in his seat.

"It'll be done sooner if you set the table," Jongdae says from where he'd collapsed into an armchair, legs swung over the armrest.

Luhan frowns, throwing his leg out in a well aimed shot for Jongdae's head. He misses, but earns a death glare from Jongdae in return. "It's your turn anyway."

Jongdae groans, wiggling lifelessly on the armchair. "But Minseok pushed me so hard today. I can barely feel my legs."

"I'll, uh, take care of it," Chanyeol says, smiling to hide his nervousness from the kitchen doorway. Both Luhan and Jongdae look at him harshly, scarily murderous, but neither of them get up and Chanyeol takes it as permission enough to set up the table.

The meat is nearly done as soon as the table is set. Chanyeol is leaned back against the counter, eyes drifting off to Minseok more than he's sure is normal. He's only vaguely listening to Minseok’s and Yixing's conversation, trying to imagine what he does from here. This place is a secret- something Minseok has been trying to keep, and he doesn't know if he'll ever get the favor of the dragons back. But even if he doesn't fit here, in this home, there's something that feels nice about being here. Maybe it's just that there's more people always around, or maybe it's something else, but there's something comforting about just being around them.

He's caught in his own thoughts for a bit, trying to figure out where things go from here, when the room suddenly falls silent for a brief moment. All eyes fall on the opened bedroom door. It's like everyone had held their breath as Jongin maneuvers himself out of the room, Zitao at his side. One red, leathery wing is stretched out behind him eleven feet out. It's bandaged across the center, white wrapped around the length of his wing. He doesn't have a shirt on, revealing the bandages wrapped over his shoulder and across his abdomen where the arrow had hit. Chanyeol feels a pang of guilt as Jongin steps forward, grimacing as the tip of his wing knocks against a wall, and the room resumes in chatter. Jongin looks so terribly tired, eye bags heavy and bruised, his cheeks lost in color and a thin sheen of sweat still clung to his face.

Chanyeol's breath catches in his throat, heart thumping wildly, as Jongin's gaze meets his. As soon as he's registered the emotion on Jongin's face- a mix of rage, sadness, and lifelessness- he notices the puff of fire zooming straight for him. Before he can breathe, the fire is already caught in his hair and he can feel the heat through his scalp.

He's too shocked to even get a sound out of his mouth. His hand reaches up to pat out the fire, feeling the flames at the bottom of his hand. Minseok comes up beside him, leaning up on his toes to help pat out the tiny lingering flames. He smiles sympathetically, cheeks vaguely flushed.

Luhan moves off of the couch, taking to the stove and shutting off the burners. Jongin sits in his place, groaning as he strains his wound and his wing folds up a little. Zitao tries his best to help, holding out Jongin's wing and making sure it doesn't hit Jongdae until Jongin has settled and opens up his arms for him. Zitao's red eyes still flash with worry but Jongin's touch seems to ease him. He settles into Jongin's good side, hand wrapped around his waist and cheek pressed to his shoulder. Jongin brings Zitao closer to himself, eyes still fixated, now almost lifelessly, on Chanyeol.

"Dinner's done," Luhan calls out, putting out the meats together on a massive plate and setting it out on the table. With new life and revitalized, Jongdae hops up from the armchair and rushes into the kitchen, taking his seat first and grabbing the knife before anyone one else has even pulled out their chair. Luhan's in his chair and bickering with Jongdae about taking the best cut of meat for himself.

"Kids," Yixing murmurs, smiling at Chanyeol before he reaches around Jongdae and takes the knife from him. He cuts out the two best cuts of beef and rabbit, much to the chagrin of Luhan and Jongdae, and sets them out on plates.

"Zitao, come get dinner," Yixing says, cutting up the rest of the meat to a whining, pouting Luhan.

However, Chanyeol gets an idea and a surge of courage. He steps up beside Yixing and motions for the plates. "Let me take it."

Yixing looks at him warily, glancing over at Minseok before he smiles and nods at the plates. "Give Jongin the bigger portion," he hums.

Chanyeol nods, heaving a sigh. The medicine bottles he'd packed are still displayed out on the counter and he grabs the bottle he'd marked with a red ribbon. It's an antidote that doubles as healing medicine and he makes sure to show it to Minseok before he offers it to Jongin.

Minseok smiles gently and gives his consent. Chanyeol takes a deep breath and steps into the living room.

Jongin still looks like he'd burn off all his clothes instantly.

"Food?" he offers, trying his best to keep his voice stronger than he feels.

Jongin nods subtly. Two pointy, red dragon ears pop out of his hair as soon as he gets a whiff of the meat. Zitao looks up at Jongin warmly, keeping his gaze focused. He doesn't really look at Chanyeol, even when Chanyeol holds a plate out for him. He keeps his eyes to the ground and takes the plate with a slight tremble in his hands. As soon as Jongin takes his plate, he intertwines his free hand with Zitao's squeezing gently.

"I have this for you, Jongin," he says, holding out the medicine bottle. Jongin looks at him weirdly, nose scrunching up as he sniffs it. He doesn't seem displeased. "It's an antidote. I brought it to say I'm sorry, and I hope you'll feel better."

Jongin takes a moment to think, biting down on his lower lip. He glances over at Zitao, nudging Zitao's cheek with his nose. It's quiet enough that Chanyeol just barely hears Jongin growl under his breath. The gesture brings a tiny smile out of Zitao, the corner of his lips upturning. Zitao nuzzles back, trying to be subtle with his affection. His claws that have come out let Chanyeol know he's still afraid.

Jongin finally holds his hand out and Chanyeol gleefully hands over the bottle, trying to maintain his outward excitement. As soon as Jongin has the bottle in his hands, he puffs smoke into Chanyeol's face, making him stumble back, and then pays him no mind. Zitao seems eager for all the attention Jongin gives him suddenly.

Chanyeol can finally breathe a sigh of relief, the anxiety that had pulled the thorny vines tight around his heart finally unwind.

He flops into his seat at the table, taking the free chair between Yixing and Minseok and shovels a good bit of rabbit into his mouth. Yixing is caught up in a deep argument between Luhan and Jongdae, trying to mediate it before food begins to fly and punches are thrown. He looks exasperated, but the wide smile on his face tells otherwise.

Chanyeol glances over at Minseok, gazes meeting briefly before he turns away, suddenly shy. Minseok had been looking at him, smiling cutely at him, before he'd looked away just as embarrassed. He takes a huge bite of rabbit, trying to engage in Luhan’s and Jongdae's argument, being more careful to sneak glances at Chanyeol.

Chanyeol's heart is thumping wildly though because he can see Minseok glancing at him, even when he thinks he's being sneaky about it. His hands are getting sweaty and his heart feels like it may burst, but the feeling is not unwelcome. He looks around the house, at Jongin and Zitao caught up in their own silent conversation between silent smiles and shining eyes. Luhan's voice excited, he's hyper, and Jongdae's laugh is thunderous amongst the table. Yixing and Minseok are more silent spectators, but the smiles on their faces are genuine.

He feels a little jealous for a moment. Maybe something like this is what he's been searching for all along because it feels like coming home. It feels more like a home than his house in the village does. But his thoughts are still plagued by what happens after this.

He can only hope that he won't be chased away.

Once everyone has eaten and Jongdae and Luhan have flopped into bed in a food coma, Yixing has slipped into the shower, and Jongin and Zitao had fallen asleep curled into each other on the couch, Chanyeol helps Minseok wash the dishes. They work silently together, Minseok in his own thoughts and Chanyeol trying to think about what to say next. They work in comfortable silence, though Chanyeol is still dreading the moment when all the dishes are cleaned and put away.

"So what do you do in the village?" Minseok asks, passing a dish in his hand over. His hand briefly grazes Chanyeol's, sparks flying between their fingers.

"Not much," Chanyeol hums, wiping down the back of the dish. "I save princes and princesses sometimes, fix things, and play with the village kids if they want me to."

Minseok just smiles, picking up another dish to wash. He doesn't pursue the topic any further.

"How about you?" Chanyeol asks. "What keeps you out here?"

Minseok sighs softly, glancing back over his shoulder at Jongin and Zitao cuddled asleep in the living room. "I'm a dragon trainer," he says. "I train them and they stick with me out in the forest."

Their conversation is stilted, far more awkward than Chanyeol is used to experiencing. Even his conversations with princes he's kissed awake are less awkward than this.

He just doesn't want to mess up again. And he can't really think of much to say with his heart beating in his ears so he focuses on holding the plates and not letting them crash at his feet.

Minseok hands him the last dish, breathing out a sigh and shutting off the sink. "What's the village like?"

Chanyeol hums for a moment, wiping the dish dry. "It's nice, I guess. Everyone is nice and our only problem is the witch, but there's not much to do. The kids make things entertaining at least."

Minseok nods, glancing down at his feet. "Do you like it then?"

Chanyeol's hands still for a moment, gently setting down the dish before he really does drop it. "Yeah, sure," he murmurs, but it tastes sour as it comes out his mouth. His eyes are drawn again to Jongin and Zitao. Now that it's fairly silent, save for the snores emanating from the bedroom, Chanyeol can practically hear Zitao purring in his sleep. He's curled closely around Jongin, arm thrown over his waist and head pressed gently to Jongin's shoulder. Jongin has an arm weaved behind Zitao's waist and his cheek is pressed to Zitao's head. His dragon ears twitch above his head, his lips pursed and smoke occasionally puffing from his lips if he snores. Chanyeol's chest suddenly feels even heavier.

"I think I should probably go," he whispers, forcing a smile out. "It'll be dark soon and I'd promised some little girls I'd finish building their doll house."

Minseok nods slowly, leading Chanyeol over to the door. It swings open with a creak and Chanyeol finally steps outside where the cool, sticky summer night air clings to his skin. The fireflies are out, twinkling lights blinking all around them. Chanyeol breathes out, trying to calm his heart down.

"It was nice what you did today," Minseok says, leaned against the doorframe. "I don't know anyone who would be stupid enough to come back to 5 dragons and a trainer who could have easily burnt them to a crisp. Or, you know, taken your body apart in my case."

Chanyeol laughs nervously, running trembling fingers through his hair. "Yeah, well, you ask anyone in the village and they'll tell you I'm a headstrong idiot."

It brings a chuckle out of Minseok, lips twisting up in a small smile. It feels genuine this time. "Well, I'm sure they appreciated it- the dragons, I mean. I did."

Chanyeol hums, nodding. "Good. I was hoping for that."

It falls silent again between them, the air tense with anticipation and expectation for someone to say anything. Chanyeol kicks through the dirt, shoving his hands into his pocket. His sword and bow and arrows briefly flash through his mind. Someday he should go back and get them.

"I guess I'll head out then," he finally says, looking up at Minseok. He can't read the dragon trainer's expression- whether he's happy he's leaving or if he ever wants to see him around again. At least Minseok isn't giving any signs that he doesn't not want to see him again.

"It was nice to see you come back, you know," is Minseok's reply. "Be safe on your way home. The witch is famous for catching handsome boys at night."

Chanyeol laughs dryly. "If the witch had wanted me by now she would've snatched me years ago."

Minseok laughs in turn, shivering as a cool night breeze blows past him. He smiles, then shuffles slightly back into the house. "Goodnight, Chanyeol."

Chanyeol presses his lips together and nods. "Night," he whispers, inhaling then turning around and heading out through the forest. The thought of asking Minseok if he could stay around flashes through his forgetful mind.

"Wait, Minseok--" he says, whipping around to find that the door is already shut and the lights in the kitchen have been shut off. Chanyeol's voice dies out in his throat, fist hovering above the door before it falls down limply at his side.

He takes a deep breath and decides to step away from the door, taking slow, heavy steps back to his home. His mind is plagued with too many thoughts in his head all at once, debating whether to come back again or not. He had done what he'd set out to do and apologized to everyone, but that leaves him right back at square one.

He could pretend like this never happened, or he could believe that Minseok and the dragons have forgiven him.

As soon as he comes to his front door, his mind is worn out. He tosses off all his clothes to the floor and flops onto bed. As soon as his back hits the mattress and he gathers all the bedcovers around him, there's a small meow that emits from the foot of his bed. Chanyeol sits up and pulls away all the covers to find a disgruntled Luna, hackles raised and looking very upset. Chanyeol tries to readjust the covers for himself but Luna hisses, prancing up to the pillows and pawing Chanyeol's shoulder and cheek until he's on his back and Luna can hop up on his chest. She twirls around in three circles before she comfortably lays down, paws burrowed into Chanyeol's chest.

"This isn't very comfortable for me, Luna," Chanyeol sighs, but the cat pays him no regard. She hisses and turns a little more so her back faces him.

"Okay, fine," he says, trying to get comfortable with a cat on his chest. It takes a few more hisses from Luna and a few scratches at his chest before he realizes that there is no comfortable position and instead just stays still and pets Luna as she pleases until he drifts off to sleep himself.