Decerto ch. 23
Title: Decerto
Chapter: 23/?
Pairing: HyungJun/KyuJong, YoungSaeng/YunHo
Rating: R overall
Warning: AU, violence, angst
Summary: The job of a fighter is to do one thing: win. As preparation for the annual Decerto Tournament goes underway, two longstanding rival houses purchase their newest fighters, each with their own motives for crowning their fighter as Champion. But only one fighter can ultimately win...and for the other, it means death.
A/N: RP with yeonah. Crossover with Super Junior, DBSK
Practice had gone smoothly for the Jung fighters, YunHo making sure they worked hard and pleased with the process. He was confident about the upcoming tournament, though maybe a more accurate term was 'warily optimistic'. He knew their situation could change, but as of now, everything was going well. Now if it could only continue going as well.
Finishing up a nice dinner with YoungSaeng that evening, YunHo smiled lightly at the snake as he sipped at his water. "Did you have any plans for the rest of the evening?"
"Mmm.. probably just going to spend the night alone again as usual," YoungSaeng replied, nibbling at his food. "Now that the dragon huffs and puffs when I come near him, I'm back to being friendless. What about you? More paperwork to do?"
"I was actually going to suggest I take the night off and we get some fresh air," YunHo chuckled. "If you're interested. What did you do to get the dragon mad at you?"
"Oh, just figured something out he didn't want the world knowing," the snake mused, perking up at the idea of spending some time YunHo. "And I would love to get some fresh air with you, though I'm not sure what that entails."
"Living out in the middle of nowhere does have its perks," YunHo chuckled. "We can take a walk if you like, away from the manor a bit."
"I think I'd like that, haven't gone out into the woods since we were kids," YoungSaeng said, resting his chin in his hand. "Maybe we can go down to that lake... I've missed swimming."
"We can do that, if it isn't too cold," the human nodded with a small smile. "We'll bring a towel or something in case."
"Maybe too cold for you, but I am a snake remember," YoungSaeng chuckled, sipping at his water. "And as much as I enjoy baths, it isn't quite the same to have filtered water in a shallow pool as it is to be in a fresh lake."
"True," YunHo smiled, finishing his dinner and pushing the plate away. "I'm going to find a towel and something warmer to wear then, do you have a good jacket?" The temperature would drop fast.
"I do, I'll go get it," YoungSaeng said with a giddy smile, getting to his feet and rushing off to his room to find his jacket. It had been so long since he'd been able to wander around the grounds and he was more than a little enthusiastic about the idea.
Laughing quietly at the expression on YoungSaeng's face, YunHo stood and left the room as well. He was looking forward to just spending some time with YoungSaeng, doing whatever the snake wanted before the rush of the tournament blindsided him. Just a bit of time to forget everything.
He pulled out a towel and a flashlight, bundling them into a bag; YoungSaeng might have no problems seeing in the dark, but YunHo had human eyes. Pulling on his jacket, he left a note for RyeoWook since he had no idea where the rat was now before waiting for YoungSaeng.
It only took a few minutes before YoungSaeng was barreling down the stairs, zipping up his jacket and smiling widely at YunHo. "I'm ready, did we want to bring anything else? Like some wine maybe?" he asked.
"Wine?" YunHo chuckled. "If that's what you want," he headed towards the kitchen. "Anything else?"
"Just some wine I think," YoungSaeng smiled, tailing after him towards the kitchen. "It'll be kind of romantic I think."
"Romantic, huh?" YunHo's lips quirked at that, stepping into the kitchen. He found a good bottle of wine and checked the year before showing it to YoungSaeng. "This one sound good?"
"I'm not a wine connoisseur," YoungSaeng shrugged, taking the bottle from him. "It'll work though, and yes romantic. Can we consider this a date?"
"We can," the smile on YunHo's lips widened. "Does it interest you, going on dates?" They stepped out of the kitchen and headed towards one of the side doors.
"Not really, but I've never been on a date before," YoungSaeng said, linking his elbow with YunHo's once they'd stepped outside. "I'd like to see what all the fuss is about."
"Then we'll see," YunHo chuckled. "If you enjoy yourself, we can always go on more dates in the future." He led the snake towards a path away from the manor, not in a hurry. JungMin was flying again, he could see the dragon spiraling around high up in the air.
"Have you ever been on a date before? I don't remember you seeing anyone, but we didn't see each other that much," YoungSaeng said, walking slowly with him.
"I've gone on dates before, with a few different girls," YunHo mused, looking up at the setting sun. "They were always very formal though, since father insisted I only date those in our class. Got more than a little boring to be honest, it kind of turned me away from dating for a while," he chuckled.
"That's too bad," YoungSaeng frowned a little at that. "Only girls though? You ever date a man, or was that something you kept hidden from your father and just uhh... how to put it delicately... had fun with?"
YunHo laughed quietly, shaking his head. "That isn't very 'delicate', but I understand what you mean. It wasn't exactly something I hid from father, it was more something I hid from the media since it wouldn't look very good on the house if the son was gay. Nosy reporters always found out when I was dating someone, so it was simpler just not to complicate things by actively dating another man."
"But it's not like you didn't see men though, just not take them out for romantic strolls or out to dinner," YoungSaeng said, lips curled upwards in amusement.
"Pretty much," YunHo chuckled. "We found other things to do, outside of the stereotypical dates. None of them were really interested in romantic strolls either way."
"Hmm.. I can only imagine what it was you were doing then," YoungSaeng teased, looking up at the stars that were starting to come out. "Is it because I'm just a slave in your house that you feel more open about acting like this then? Media doesn't care about what men do with their male slaves."
"That might be one of the reasons," YunHo tilted his head slightly to watch YoungSaeng's profile. "Or maybe I just don't care either way. If you weren't a slave tomorrow, I'd still be happy to be open with you."
That caught the snake off guard, and he looked up at YunHo with an unreadable expression. He didn't comment though, wanting to think about that for a little while longer as they entered the first line of trees. Instead, he focused on their surroundings, and how good it felt to be in the slightly dampened forest, breathing in the sweet scent. "Remember when we were kids, and your father would leave to go on a business trips and we'd sneak out here to go skinny dipping?"
"I remember," YunHo laughed, stepping over a tree root obstructing the path as they walked through the trees. "The servants would panic the entire day thinking they'd lost us somewhere and we'd been eaten by bears."
"Those were the brief moments of happiness I got when your father was still in control of the house," YoungSaeng said, his smile fading slightly. "I never expected you to be so kind to me, I thought you would be just like your father."
"He and I have always seen things differently," YunHo shook his head, before taking YoungSaeng's hand lightly. "You don't have to think about that now, he isn't in control anymore and it's going to stay that way."
YoungSaeng smiled shyly at that, grateful that it was too dark out for YunHo to see him blush. He was quiet after that, concentrating on climbing over some of the debris that was littering the path. It wasn't long before the reached the clearing where there was a small freshwater pool, YoungSaeng smiling brightly and letting go of YunHo's hand to run towards the edge, stripping off his clothes as he went. Crouching down next to the edge, he placed his hand on the top of the water, closing his eyes. "It hasn't changed a bit."
"No, it hasn't," YunHo agreed, following him to the water after he left the bag to the side along with the bottle of wine. His eyes went to YoungSaeng after a moment, lips quirked slightly. The area hadn't changed, but they had from the last time they were here. Taking off his jacket, YunHo followed him towards the water, taking off his own clothes as well. It wasn't anything YoungSaeng hadn't already seen. "Are we swimming?"
"I am, you can do whatever you want," YoungSaeng said, stepping out into the water. He sighed happily, loving the feel of the cool water against his skin before diving down underneath and disappearing from sight.
Chuckling, YunHo watched him disappear before stepping into the water himself. He shivered at the chill; he probably wouldn't be spending as long as YoungSaeng in the water, or he'd catch something. He waded in up to his waist, watching the sunset's reflection off the water.
It was a few minutes before YoungSaeng resurfaced slowly behind YunHo, gliding through the water effortlessly to wrap his arms around YunHo's waist and lean up against his back. "You're cold," he murmured, closing his eyes and sighing softly. The water around them slowly raised in temperature a few degrees.
Blinking when he felt the water warming, YunHo's lips curled and he turned around slightly to look down at YoungSaeng. "You don't have to do that, if it tires you," he chuckled, brushing one hand through the other man's wet locks of hair.
"It's not going to tire me, I don't get to use my element nearly enough," YoungSaeng said, resting his chin on YunHo's shoulder. "Making fountains in the bathtub just doesn't cut it."
"I suppose it doesn't," YunHo chuckled, kissing the side of YoungSaeng's head absently. "I'll see if we can come out here more often, before the weather gets too cold."
"I'd like that," YoungSaeng nodded, kissing YunHo's shoulder lightly. "What did you mean," he asked quietly after a long stretch of silence, "when you said you would be happy to be open about being with me?"
"I mean exactly that," YunHo chuckled, looking down at him. "Whether you are a slave or not doesn't change us being like this, for me anyways."
"But what does that mean," YoungSaeng persisted, sliding around to wrap his arms around YunHo's neck and looking up at him. "What am I to you?"
YunHo looked back down at him, meeting the snake's eyes with an odd look in his own. "Do you really want to know, Saeng?" His hands rested lightly on the snake's hips under the water.
"I do," YoungSaeng nodded, looking into YunHo's eyes. "Because as happy as I have been lately... I'm also very confused. I can understand you feeling some sort of obligation towards me, to keep me safe, and keep your father away, but otherwise I don't understand."
"It's never been obligation," YunHo smiled softly at him. "I have a much more powerful reason for what I do." Leaning down, he kissed YoungSaeng softly before bringing his lips to the other man's ear. "Because ever since we were kids, I've been in love with you," he whispered.
YoungSaeng's eyes widened at the confession, pulling back slightly enough so he could look up at the older man. "You... you do?" he whispered, trying to judge whether YunHo was lying to him or not. "Please don't play games with me YunHo," he said, trembling slightly.
"It's not a game," YunHo shook his head, cupping YoungSaeng's face. "I've waited years for the chance to get you away from him, to tell you how I felt for you. You had me right from the first time I saw you smile."
Leaning slightly into the hand, YoungSaeng couldn't help but smile at that, his dimples showing. "If.. that's true... then I have to admit something as well," he said softly. "I think I fell for you the moment I first saw you."
YunHo smiled wider than he ever had before at that, stroking his thumb over YoungSaeng's cheek. "Then I'm the happiest man alive," he chuckled, resting his forehead against YoungSaeng's and holding him close.
"I guess that makes me the happiest snake then," YoungSaeng replied, his arms tightening around YunHo's neck and kissing him gently. "You would accept the love of a snake?"
"Completely," YunHo kissed YoungSaeng back, eyes closing for a moment before he pulled back a little, smiling softly down at YoungSaeng. "I should be the one asking you that...if you could accept the love of a human, despite everything we've done to you."
"I don't blame humans for what your father has done to me," YoungSaeng replied, shaking his head. "I know most humans aren't like that. You aren't like that, Master Kim and his family were never like that. Your father is just a vile piece of filth, if I may be allowed to say so. No, I would never hold that against you, not after all you've done for me."
"I'm thankful for that," YunHo smiled, resting his forehead lightly against YoungSaeng's. "I know it isn't always easy to be around me, with the family relation." He kissed YoungSaeng's forehead softly, closing his eyes. "I'll always keep you safe."
YoungSaeng sighed softly at that, his eyes slipping closed. "It's... sometimes hard knowing you are his son... because you do have his same strong jaw, and sometimes you get that hard glint in your eye when you're angry. Most of the time though... you look like your mother, so that helps."
YunHo smiled softly at that, running his hand along YoungSaeng's back. "I'm glad I resemble her. She always had a bit of a soft spot for you too."
"She felt sorry for me, knowing why I was bought... it must have killed her inside," YoungSaeng said, leaning in closer to rest his cheek against YunHo's shoulder. "Your father is a cruel man... especially to those closest to him."
"I know," was all YunHo said, eyes closed as he held YoungSaeng against him. He knew well what his father was.
After a long moment he drew in a deep breath, pulling back a little to smile down at YoungSaeng sadly. "Come on, let's swim a bit more. We're supposed to be enjoying ourselves."
"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm enjoying myself quite a bit," YoungSaeng said, pulling YunHo back down for a short, deep kiss before breaking away and diving under the water again.
Chuckling as he watched YoungSaeng go, YunHo shook his head a little before heading further out into the water as well. Diving under, he swam around before he ran out of oxygen and resurfaced, looking up at the sky.
When YoungSaeng returned to YunHo's side, he only popped his head out enough so his nose was barely out of the water, watching him for a moment. No matter what happened in the future, he would remember how happy he was right at this moment, knowing YunHo loved him. It was more than he could ever ask for.
"Maybe we should go in and get dried off," he said, rising up out of the water to lay down on top of it on his stomach, kicking his feet in the air. "Have some wine."
Turning around to face YoungSaeng, YunHo chuckled in amusement at how YoungSaeng was literally laying down on top of the water's surface. "Sounds good to me. Staying here, or back at the manor?" He swam a little closer to kiss YoungSaeng's nose.
"I'm fine here, but if you want to head back, we can," YoungSaeng said, wrinkling his nose at the kiss. "I'm sure we can have that wine just as well in your room as we can out here."
"If you want to stay out here a while longer, we can," YunHo smiled at him before swimming his way back to the shore. He was starting to get cold again, despite YoungSaeng's effort to heat the water around him.
"Okay... but if you get cold, we can head back in," YoungSaeng said, getting to his feet and walking along the placid surface of the lake towards shore. "I'll be fine, so don't worry about me being cold." The water was already dripping off of YoungSaeng and by the time he was on shore again, he was dry as he gathered up his clothes to get dressed.
"You've never had a problem with cold water," YunHo laughed in amusement as he climbed out of the lake as well, picking up the towel and drying himself off quickly so he wouldn't catch a cold. He started pulling his clothes back on, feeling refreshed.
"A benefit from being what I am," YoungSaeng mused, sitting down on a mossy outcropping over the water and patting the seat next to him. "We can enjoy being out here for a little while, yes?"
"Of course we can," YunHo smiled, pulling his shirt over his head and then his jacket on so he could regain warmth faster. He joined YoungSaeng and sat down, the bag and bottle of wine in his hands. "Should have thought to bring glasses," he realized with a laugh.
"I think for once we can live like the commoners," YoungSaeng chuckled, taking the bottle from him to undo the cork. "You aren't so snobby you can't drink out of a bottle are you?"
"Hey, I'm not snobby," YunHo chuckled, wrinkling his nose at the snake. "It's just force of habit."
"Prove it then," YoungSaeng had taken a small sip of the wine before passing it to YunHo.
Eying him in amusement, YunHo took the bottle and sipped from it as well. "Happy?" He asked with his lips quirked.
"Very," YoungSaeng grinned, leaning against him and resting his head on the man's shoulder. "This is probably the only night we get to spend together like this until after the tournament, isn't it," he asked quietly.
Sighing softly, YunHo looked at YoungSaeng beside him, wrapping his free arm around the snake's waist. "Most likely," he murmured softly. "I'll be trying where I can to get some time off for us, but I can't make any promises."
"It's okay, I'll just be looking forward to next month even more every day," the snake replied, watching the water lap against the stones. "Would you be opposed to... spending the whole night together tonight?" he asked hesitantly.
Blinking, YunHo looked at him, shaking his head. "Have I ever turned you down?" he smiled, not understanding the hesitance in the question. "You're always welcome to stay in my room, you know that."
"I.. don't want to assume anything between us," YoungSaeng said softly. "Just because you have feelings for me, doesn't mean anything... really."
YunHo looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked, slightly hurt. "I wouldn't turn down any chance to be with you...my feelings don't mean anything?"
"No... they do," YoungSaeng sighed, pulling away slightly to look up at him. "Our situation being what it is... leaves room for both of us to get hurt, and I don't want that to happen. I don't want to presume anything about what we are, it's not my place or my right to. I'm just a slave, YunHo."
The human's eyes saddened, and he cupped YoungSaeng's face lightly. "You're not just a slave. When it's just us, like this, you're much, much more than that. I know the risks, but I'll always make sure you're not hurt, above all."
"But at what cost YunHo?" YoungSaeng replied, putting his hand over the one on his cheek and leaning into the touch. "I don't want you to have to suffer because of me."
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," YunHo kissed YoungSaeng's forehead lightly. "Let's just enjoy this, okay?"
"If you say so," YoungSaeng gave him a strained smile, closing his eyes and leaning against YunHo again. "Tell me again," he whispered.
"I love you," YunHo said in response, kissing the top of YoungSaeng' head and hugging him close.
YoungSaeng couldn't respond, burying his nose into YunHo's collar with a silly grin. He hoped he would be as happy as this for the rest of his life, but he knew better than to dare think of that as a reality. There were far too many things out of his control.
"It's getting late," the snake whispered, pulling back again to look up at him. "You should probably get some sleep if you're going to be up before dawn again."
"Probably, but I wanted to spend more time with you," YunHo chuckled, a childish pout appearing on his lips as he looked down at YoungSaeng.
"I'd love to spend every moment with you," YoungSaeng said, lifting his hand up to trace his fingers over YunHo's jaw. "Sleeping next to me may have to suffice for right now though."
"I suppose so," YunHo said teasingly, leaning in and kissing YoungSaeng softly. Then he pulled back, holding out the wine. "We didn't even have much wine."
"Hmm, let's fix that," YoungSaeng grinned, taking the bottle from him. Knocking his head back, he took several long pulls from the bottle before handing it to him. "Unless you want me to finish it all by myself."
Laughing, YunHo shook his head with a grin before taking the bottle back. "I guess here's where we find out how good you are with alcohol." There wasn't much left in the bottle after that, so he finished it.
"Hmm.. not good at all," YoungSaeng chuckled, slowly getting to his feet, nearly teetering over. "Aside from a glass now and then, your father didn't want me drinking."
"Looks like getting back will be fun," YunHo stood as well, shaking his head in amusement before taking YoungSaeng's arm to steady him. "Don't fall into the water."
"I'm not going to fall in the water," YoungSaeng snorted, leaning against YunHo. "The wine won't really hit me until we get back to the house, I make no guarantees on my ability to stand at that point."
"Do you need me to carry you back?" YunHo smiled, getting out the flashlight he'd brought with his free hand so he could see where they were going.
"No, I'm not that bad," YoungSaeng said, pulling him along towards the path. "We'll talk later about stairs though.. Unless you wanted to carry me, but I won't make you do that, I'm heavy."
"Not very heavy," YunHo chuckled, following along and keeping one hand on YoungSaeng's arm to steady him. "We'll see how far you make it then. Did you have fun?"
"This has been the best night of my entire life," YoungSaeng said, looking up at him with a smile. "I'm sad that it has to end."
"There will be others," YunHo smiled back down at him. "And maybe those we won't have to cut short."
"Holding you to that," the snake said, stepping gingerly over an exposed root. "Are there days during the tournaments where there's no matches?"
"Between tiers there are rest days," YunHo nodded. "They extend the tournament longer than the pre-tournament, which is more about judging your opponents and making more money than anything. There will be days where there are only a couple matches too, rather than compressing thirty into one day. So we'll have some more time to ourselves."
"Good, I'd say we should have a proper date, but I don't think you should be spoiling me in public," YoungSaeng said. "Especially with your father around... he isn't coming back before the tournament is he?"
"I have no idea what he's planning," YunHo sighed. "I wouldn't be surprised though. And we can always have a stay-in date," he smiled at the other man.
"Hmm.. a stay in date, I think I'd like that," YoungSaeng grinned, wrapping his arm around YunHo's back and leaning against him. "Especially if it's a spend all day in bed kind of date."
"If we don't have to go anywhere, don't see why not," YunHo kissed YoungSaeng's cheek, smiling widely at how close they were. They made their way through the trees, YunHo shining the flashlight in front so he could see. "Was there anything you wanted to see while we're in the city?"
"Nothing I can think of, though I'd like to visit that park we went to last time, it was nice there," YoungSaeng said. "You'll have to show me around more, though I may need nicer clothes if we're going to go anywhere fancy."
"Then a shopping trip is in order," YunHo chuckled. "I know a few places we could go, since we'll have more free time than before. If you think of anything, let me know."
"I will be sure to do so," YoungSaeng grinned, wobbling a little. The wine was starting to get to him as they left the woods and started up to the house. "Since you've been so busy, I haven't got to share the news with you, about why your dragon is so moody," he said, words slurring a little.
"Oh?" YunHo eyed YoungSaeng in interest, wrapping his arm a little more securely around his waist to keep him steady. "Why would that be?"
"Mm... it seems the dragon has a thing for a certain prickly tiger," YoungSaeng said in a loud whisper. "Wasn't so happy when the tiger said he didn't respect him."
Blinking in obvious surprise at that, YunHo frowned lightly. That...actually wasn't very good news. "You sure about that?"
"Well... not completely, cause he wouldn't answer my question, but it was pretty obvious to me," YoungSaeng said, not noticing the way YunHo reacted. "He got so angry with me and stormed out."
Well, that wasn't good. "Interesting," YunHo mused, though he was thinking about that carefully. Having respect for other fighters was fine...but actually liking someone fighting for another house? That was a very dangerous path for all involved. Fighters, after all, died all the time, and dragons were very unstable as it was without adding more emotions into the mix.
"I'm sure he'll get over it, he's a green fighter still," YoungSaeng continued, swaying a little side to side. "Not that anything would ever come of it honestly, the tiger hates him. He'll find another fighter to torment soon enough."
"Hopefully," YunHo shook his head a little. For JungMin's sake, he hoped it was just a passing interest. "And you definitely can't walk straight." He stopped the other man, crouching down. "Here, get on."
"That a come on?" YoungSaeng blinked at him for a second at him before nearly faceplanting right on his back. "Oh... fine," he grumbled wrapping his arms around YunHo's neck and leaning into him. "The servants will talk."
"Let them talk," YunHo chuckled, straightening and adjusting his grip on YoungSaeng's legs. "Isn't this easier?"
"Much," YoungSaeng murmured, nuzzling into YunHo's neck, smiling softly. "Remind me to drink too much more often if I get to be carried around by you."
"I can carry you around even if you aren't drunk off your feet, you just won't let me," YunHo laughed, smiling to himself at the light touch of YoungSaeng's breath on the back of his neck.
"I'm a slave YunHo, you shouldn't be doing things for me like that," YoungSaeng reminded him, though his grip did tighten a little. "It's supposed to be the other way around."
"I'd hate to see you try to carry me around," YunHo replied, straight-faced. "That might be awkward on both our parts."
YoungSaeng tried to picture that, snorting in laughter at the image of him trying to carry YunHo. "You'd squash me flat," he laughed. "You'd need one of the oxes to carry you or something."
"Hey, I'm not that heavy," YunHo protested with a laugh. "I'm just well-built."
"And tall, you're really tall," YoungSaeng mused, his words slurring a little. "It's not fair, you being so tall."
"Sorry, I'd shrink a bit if I could," YunHo chuckled, reaching the rock path that lead to the house entrance. "You're not falling asleep on me, are you?"
"Nope, not going to fall asleep," YoungSaeng said, resting his cheek against YunHo's shoulder and staring at his profile. "You don't need to shrink, I like it that you're so tall."
"Glad to hear," YunHo smiled, glancing at YoungSaeng's face before they reached the house entrance. He got the door open and headed towards the stairs, ignoring the few servants who were still around.
Hiding his face in the back of YunHo's shirt, YoungSaeng could feel himself flushed from not only the wine, but from embarrassment. The servants were sure to be talking about what was going on between them now if not beforehand.
When YunHo finally stopped in his room, YoungSaeng slowly slid off his back, making sure his legs still worked so he could totter over the last few steps to the older man's bed and flopped over. "Your bed is so much more comfortable than mine."
"Much more comfortable than in the city too," YunHo chuckled, closing and locking the door behind them. He kicked off his shoes before stripping off his shirt and pants. "That doesn't look like a very comfortable position though," he laughed, seeing YoungSaeng only half-on the bed.
"It's not, but moving is so tiring," YoungSaeng said, watching YunHo. "That and I'm still dressed, can't sleep in clothes."
"Good point, you going to be able to get them off though?" YunHo chuckled, placing his clothes to one side and leaving his boxers on as he went to pull the comforter down on the bed, fixing the pillows.
"Probably not," YoungSaeng sighed, trying to sit up, his head swimming. "Would it be too much to ask for help?"
The older man raised an eyebrow. "You're comfortable with that?" He remembered the last time he'd tried to take YoungSaeng's clothes off, not wanting to make him uncomfortable.
"It's fine," YoungSaeng waved him off, pulling up on his shirt. "Not like you didn't just see me naked down at the lake, right? That's fine."
"As long as you're sure." YunHo stepped closer. When YoungSaeng couldn't pull his shirt up all the way, YunHo took over, getting the material over his head and dropping it on a chair to one side. "You'll need to either stand up or lay down so I can pull your pants off."
"Standing isn't happening," YoungSaeng muttered, scooting back a little on the bed before dropping back to lay down again. If he hadn't been so far into drink he probably would have been uncomfortable with YunHo undressing him, but at that moment he didn't care so much.
YunHo undid the button to YoungSaeng's jeans before pulling them off the snake's legs, tossing the jeans onto the chair with his shirt before taking off YoungSaeng's shoes and socks. "There you go, all set." He helped YoungSaeng move farther up the bed so he could lay his head on the pillow. "Comfortable?"
"Very," YoungSaeng nodded, curling up into the blankets and looking up at YunHo with a sleepy smile. "I wouldn't mind staying here with you more often... so comfortable."
"The door's always open," YunHo smiled at him in return before turning off the lights. He climbed into the bed beside YoungSaeng and lay down, wrapping his arm loosely around the snake's waist. "Sleep well," he murmured with a kiss to YoungSaeng's forehead.
Resting a hand against YunHo's chest, YoungSaeng buried his nose into the man's collar, fingers racing lightly over his skin. "I've always felt so safe in your arms," he murmured softly.
Smiling softly, YunHo closed his eyes and rested his cheek against YoungSaeng's hair. "You'll always be safe with me, promise," he whispered.
"Thank you," YoungSaeng replied softly, closing his eyes and taking a steadying breath. "I... I love you..."
YunHo's lips curled into a wide smile, turning his head to kiss the headful of hair. "I love you too Saeng," he whispered in return, heart swelling at the words he'd always wanted to hear.
It didn't take long for YoungSaeng to slip into sleep, the snake snoring softly. So comfortable and relaxed, he didn't even notice his scales had appeared. It would be the first time in a long time he had slept so peacefully through the whole night feeling warm, content, and loved.
Chapter: 23/?
Pairing: HyungJun/KyuJong, YoungSaeng/YunHo
Rating: R overall
Warning: AU, violence, angst
Summary: The job of a fighter is to do one thing: win. As preparation for the annual Decerto Tournament goes underway, two longstanding rival houses purchase their newest fighters, each with their own motives for crowning their fighter as Champion. But only one fighter can ultimately win...and for the other, it means death.
A/N: RP with yeonah. Crossover with Super Junior, DBSK
Practice had gone smoothly for the Jung fighters, YunHo making sure they worked hard and pleased with the process. He was confident about the upcoming tournament, though maybe a more accurate term was 'warily optimistic'. He knew their situation could change, but as of now, everything was going well. Now if it could only continue going as well.
Finishing up a nice dinner with YoungSaeng that evening, YunHo smiled lightly at the snake as he sipped at his water. "Did you have any plans for the rest of the evening?"
"Mmm.. probably just going to spend the night alone again as usual," YoungSaeng replied, nibbling at his food. "Now that the dragon huffs and puffs when I come near him, I'm back to being friendless. What about you? More paperwork to do?"
"I was actually going to suggest I take the night off and we get some fresh air," YunHo chuckled. "If you're interested. What did you do to get the dragon mad at you?"
"Oh, just figured something out he didn't want the world knowing," the snake mused, perking up at the idea of spending some time YunHo. "And I would love to get some fresh air with you, though I'm not sure what that entails."
"Living out in the middle of nowhere does have its perks," YunHo chuckled. "We can take a walk if you like, away from the manor a bit."
"I think I'd like that, haven't gone out into the woods since we were kids," YoungSaeng said, resting his chin in his hand. "Maybe we can go down to that lake... I've missed swimming."
"We can do that, if it isn't too cold," the human nodded with a small smile. "We'll bring a towel or something in case."
"Maybe too cold for you, but I am a snake remember," YoungSaeng chuckled, sipping at his water. "And as much as I enjoy baths, it isn't quite the same to have filtered water in a shallow pool as it is to be in a fresh lake."
"True," YunHo smiled, finishing his dinner and pushing the plate away. "I'm going to find a towel and something warmer to wear then, do you have a good jacket?" The temperature would drop fast.
"I do, I'll go get it," YoungSaeng said with a giddy smile, getting to his feet and rushing off to his room to find his jacket. It had been so long since he'd been able to wander around the grounds and he was more than a little enthusiastic about the idea.
Laughing quietly at the expression on YoungSaeng's face, YunHo stood and left the room as well. He was looking forward to just spending some time with YoungSaeng, doing whatever the snake wanted before the rush of the tournament blindsided him. Just a bit of time to forget everything.
He pulled out a towel and a flashlight, bundling them into a bag; YoungSaeng might have no problems seeing in the dark, but YunHo had human eyes. Pulling on his jacket, he left a note for RyeoWook since he had no idea where the rat was now before waiting for YoungSaeng.
It only took a few minutes before YoungSaeng was barreling down the stairs, zipping up his jacket and smiling widely at YunHo. "I'm ready, did we want to bring anything else? Like some wine maybe?" he asked.
"Wine?" YunHo chuckled. "If that's what you want," he headed towards the kitchen. "Anything else?"
"Just some wine I think," YoungSaeng smiled, tailing after him towards the kitchen. "It'll be kind of romantic I think."
"Romantic, huh?" YunHo's lips quirked at that, stepping into the kitchen. He found a good bottle of wine and checked the year before showing it to YoungSaeng. "This one sound good?"
"I'm not a wine connoisseur," YoungSaeng shrugged, taking the bottle from him. "It'll work though, and yes romantic. Can we consider this a date?"
"We can," the smile on YunHo's lips widened. "Does it interest you, going on dates?" They stepped out of the kitchen and headed towards one of the side doors.
"Not really, but I've never been on a date before," YoungSaeng said, linking his elbow with YunHo's once they'd stepped outside. "I'd like to see what all the fuss is about."
"Then we'll see," YunHo chuckled. "If you enjoy yourself, we can always go on more dates in the future." He led the snake towards a path away from the manor, not in a hurry. JungMin was flying again, he could see the dragon spiraling around high up in the air.
"Have you ever been on a date before? I don't remember you seeing anyone, but we didn't see each other that much," YoungSaeng said, walking slowly with him.
"I've gone on dates before, with a few different girls," YunHo mused, looking up at the setting sun. "They were always very formal though, since father insisted I only date those in our class. Got more than a little boring to be honest, it kind of turned me away from dating for a while," he chuckled.
"That's too bad," YoungSaeng frowned a little at that. "Only girls though? You ever date a man, or was that something you kept hidden from your father and just uhh... how to put it delicately... had fun with?"
YunHo laughed quietly, shaking his head. "That isn't very 'delicate', but I understand what you mean. It wasn't exactly something I hid from father, it was more something I hid from the media since it wouldn't look very good on the house if the son was gay. Nosy reporters always found out when I was dating someone, so it was simpler just not to complicate things by actively dating another man."
"But it's not like you didn't see men though, just not take them out for romantic strolls or out to dinner," YoungSaeng said, lips curled upwards in amusement.
"Pretty much," YunHo chuckled. "We found other things to do, outside of the stereotypical dates. None of them were really interested in romantic strolls either way."
"Hmm.. I can only imagine what it was you were doing then," YoungSaeng teased, looking up at the stars that were starting to come out. "Is it because I'm just a slave in your house that you feel more open about acting like this then? Media doesn't care about what men do with their male slaves."
"That might be one of the reasons," YunHo tilted his head slightly to watch YoungSaeng's profile. "Or maybe I just don't care either way. If you weren't a slave tomorrow, I'd still be happy to be open with you."
That caught the snake off guard, and he looked up at YunHo with an unreadable expression. He didn't comment though, wanting to think about that for a little while longer as they entered the first line of trees. Instead, he focused on their surroundings, and how good it felt to be in the slightly dampened forest, breathing in the sweet scent. "Remember when we were kids, and your father would leave to go on a business trips and we'd sneak out here to go skinny dipping?"
"I remember," YunHo laughed, stepping over a tree root obstructing the path as they walked through the trees. "The servants would panic the entire day thinking they'd lost us somewhere and we'd been eaten by bears."
"Those were the brief moments of happiness I got when your father was still in control of the house," YoungSaeng said, his smile fading slightly. "I never expected you to be so kind to me, I thought you would be just like your father."
"He and I have always seen things differently," YunHo shook his head, before taking YoungSaeng's hand lightly. "You don't have to think about that now, he isn't in control anymore and it's going to stay that way."
YoungSaeng smiled shyly at that, grateful that it was too dark out for YunHo to see him blush. He was quiet after that, concentrating on climbing over some of the debris that was littering the path. It wasn't long before the reached the clearing where there was a small freshwater pool, YoungSaeng smiling brightly and letting go of YunHo's hand to run towards the edge, stripping off his clothes as he went. Crouching down next to the edge, he placed his hand on the top of the water, closing his eyes. "It hasn't changed a bit."
"No, it hasn't," YunHo agreed, following him to the water after he left the bag to the side along with the bottle of wine. His eyes went to YoungSaeng after a moment, lips quirked slightly. The area hadn't changed, but they had from the last time they were here. Taking off his jacket, YunHo followed him towards the water, taking off his own clothes as well. It wasn't anything YoungSaeng hadn't already seen. "Are we swimming?"
"I am, you can do whatever you want," YoungSaeng said, stepping out into the water. He sighed happily, loving the feel of the cool water against his skin before diving down underneath and disappearing from sight.
Chuckling, YunHo watched him disappear before stepping into the water himself. He shivered at the chill; he probably wouldn't be spending as long as YoungSaeng in the water, or he'd catch something. He waded in up to his waist, watching the sunset's reflection off the water.
It was a few minutes before YoungSaeng resurfaced slowly behind YunHo, gliding through the water effortlessly to wrap his arms around YunHo's waist and lean up against his back. "You're cold," he murmured, closing his eyes and sighing softly. The water around them slowly raised in temperature a few degrees.
Blinking when he felt the water warming, YunHo's lips curled and he turned around slightly to look down at YoungSaeng. "You don't have to do that, if it tires you," he chuckled, brushing one hand through the other man's wet locks of hair.
"It's not going to tire me, I don't get to use my element nearly enough," YoungSaeng said, resting his chin on YunHo's shoulder. "Making fountains in the bathtub just doesn't cut it."
"I suppose it doesn't," YunHo chuckled, kissing the side of YoungSaeng's head absently. "I'll see if we can come out here more often, before the weather gets too cold."
"I'd like that," YoungSaeng nodded, kissing YunHo's shoulder lightly. "What did you mean," he asked quietly after a long stretch of silence, "when you said you would be happy to be open about being with me?"
"I mean exactly that," YunHo chuckled, looking down at him. "Whether you are a slave or not doesn't change us being like this, for me anyways."
"But what does that mean," YoungSaeng persisted, sliding around to wrap his arms around YunHo's neck and looking up at him. "What am I to you?"
YunHo looked back down at him, meeting the snake's eyes with an odd look in his own. "Do you really want to know, Saeng?" His hands rested lightly on the snake's hips under the water.
"I do," YoungSaeng nodded, looking into YunHo's eyes. "Because as happy as I have been lately... I'm also very confused. I can understand you feeling some sort of obligation towards me, to keep me safe, and keep your father away, but otherwise I don't understand."
"It's never been obligation," YunHo smiled softly at him. "I have a much more powerful reason for what I do." Leaning down, he kissed YoungSaeng softly before bringing his lips to the other man's ear. "Because ever since we were kids, I've been in love with you," he whispered.
YoungSaeng's eyes widened at the confession, pulling back slightly enough so he could look up at the older man. "You... you do?" he whispered, trying to judge whether YunHo was lying to him or not. "Please don't play games with me YunHo," he said, trembling slightly.
"It's not a game," YunHo shook his head, cupping YoungSaeng's face. "I've waited years for the chance to get you away from him, to tell you how I felt for you. You had me right from the first time I saw you smile."
Leaning slightly into the hand, YoungSaeng couldn't help but smile at that, his dimples showing. "If.. that's true... then I have to admit something as well," he said softly. "I think I fell for you the moment I first saw you."
YunHo smiled wider than he ever had before at that, stroking his thumb over YoungSaeng's cheek. "Then I'm the happiest man alive," he chuckled, resting his forehead against YoungSaeng's and holding him close.
"I guess that makes me the happiest snake then," YoungSaeng replied, his arms tightening around YunHo's neck and kissing him gently. "You would accept the love of a snake?"
"Completely," YunHo kissed YoungSaeng back, eyes closing for a moment before he pulled back a little, smiling softly down at YoungSaeng. "I should be the one asking you that...if you could accept the love of a human, despite everything we've done to you."
"I don't blame humans for what your father has done to me," YoungSaeng replied, shaking his head. "I know most humans aren't like that. You aren't like that, Master Kim and his family were never like that. Your father is just a vile piece of filth, if I may be allowed to say so. No, I would never hold that against you, not after all you've done for me."
"I'm thankful for that," YunHo smiled, resting his forehead lightly against YoungSaeng's. "I know it isn't always easy to be around me, with the family relation." He kissed YoungSaeng's forehead softly, closing his eyes. "I'll always keep you safe."
YoungSaeng sighed softly at that, his eyes slipping closed. "It's... sometimes hard knowing you are his son... because you do have his same strong jaw, and sometimes you get that hard glint in your eye when you're angry. Most of the time though... you look like your mother, so that helps."
YunHo smiled softly at that, running his hand along YoungSaeng's back. "I'm glad I resemble her. She always had a bit of a soft spot for you too."
"She felt sorry for me, knowing why I was bought... it must have killed her inside," YoungSaeng said, leaning in closer to rest his cheek against YunHo's shoulder. "Your father is a cruel man... especially to those closest to him."
"I know," was all YunHo said, eyes closed as he held YoungSaeng against him. He knew well what his father was.
After a long moment he drew in a deep breath, pulling back a little to smile down at YoungSaeng sadly. "Come on, let's swim a bit more. We're supposed to be enjoying ourselves."
"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm enjoying myself quite a bit," YoungSaeng said, pulling YunHo back down for a short, deep kiss before breaking away and diving under the water again.
Chuckling as he watched YoungSaeng go, YunHo shook his head a little before heading further out into the water as well. Diving under, he swam around before he ran out of oxygen and resurfaced, looking up at the sky.
When YoungSaeng returned to YunHo's side, he only popped his head out enough so his nose was barely out of the water, watching him for a moment. No matter what happened in the future, he would remember how happy he was right at this moment, knowing YunHo loved him. It was more than he could ever ask for.
"Maybe we should go in and get dried off," he said, rising up out of the water to lay down on top of it on his stomach, kicking his feet in the air. "Have some wine."
Turning around to face YoungSaeng, YunHo chuckled in amusement at how YoungSaeng was literally laying down on top of the water's surface. "Sounds good to me. Staying here, or back at the manor?" He swam a little closer to kiss YoungSaeng's nose.
"I'm fine here, but if you want to head back, we can," YoungSaeng said, wrinkling his nose at the kiss. "I'm sure we can have that wine just as well in your room as we can out here."
"If you want to stay out here a while longer, we can," YunHo smiled at him before swimming his way back to the shore. He was starting to get cold again, despite YoungSaeng's effort to heat the water around him.
"Okay... but if you get cold, we can head back in," YoungSaeng said, getting to his feet and walking along the placid surface of the lake towards shore. "I'll be fine, so don't worry about me being cold." The water was already dripping off of YoungSaeng and by the time he was on shore again, he was dry as he gathered up his clothes to get dressed.
"You've never had a problem with cold water," YunHo laughed in amusement as he climbed out of the lake as well, picking up the towel and drying himself off quickly so he wouldn't catch a cold. He started pulling his clothes back on, feeling refreshed.
"A benefit from being what I am," YoungSaeng mused, sitting down on a mossy outcropping over the water and patting the seat next to him. "We can enjoy being out here for a little while, yes?"
"Of course we can," YunHo smiled, pulling his shirt over his head and then his jacket on so he could regain warmth faster. He joined YoungSaeng and sat down, the bag and bottle of wine in his hands. "Should have thought to bring glasses," he realized with a laugh.
"I think for once we can live like the commoners," YoungSaeng chuckled, taking the bottle from him to undo the cork. "You aren't so snobby you can't drink out of a bottle are you?"
"Hey, I'm not snobby," YunHo chuckled, wrinkling his nose at the snake. "It's just force of habit."
"Prove it then," YoungSaeng had taken a small sip of the wine before passing it to YunHo.
Eying him in amusement, YunHo took the bottle and sipped from it as well. "Happy?" He asked with his lips quirked.
"Very," YoungSaeng grinned, leaning against him and resting his head on the man's shoulder. "This is probably the only night we get to spend together like this until after the tournament, isn't it," he asked quietly.
Sighing softly, YunHo looked at YoungSaeng beside him, wrapping his free arm around the snake's waist. "Most likely," he murmured softly. "I'll be trying where I can to get some time off for us, but I can't make any promises."
"It's okay, I'll just be looking forward to next month even more every day," the snake replied, watching the water lap against the stones. "Would you be opposed to... spending the whole night together tonight?" he asked hesitantly.
Blinking, YunHo looked at him, shaking his head. "Have I ever turned you down?" he smiled, not understanding the hesitance in the question. "You're always welcome to stay in my room, you know that."
"I.. don't want to assume anything between us," YoungSaeng said softly. "Just because you have feelings for me, doesn't mean anything... really."
YunHo looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked, slightly hurt. "I wouldn't turn down any chance to be with you...my feelings don't mean anything?"
"No... they do," YoungSaeng sighed, pulling away slightly to look up at him. "Our situation being what it is... leaves room for both of us to get hurt, and I don't want that to happen. I don't want to presume anything about what we are, it's not my place or my right to. I'm just a slave, YunHo."
The human's eyes saddened, and he cupped YoungSaeng's face lightly. "You're not just a slave. When it's just us, like this, you're much, much more than that. I know the risks, but I'll always make sure you're not hurt, above all."
"But at what cost YunHo?" YoungSaeng replied, putting his hand over the one on his cheek and leaning into the touch. "I don't want you to have to suffer because of me."
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," YunHo kissed YoungSaeng's forehead lightly. "Let's just enjoy this, okay?"
"If you say so," YoungSaeng gave him a strained smile, closing his eyes and leaning against YunHo again. "Tell me again," he whispered.
"I love you," YunHo said in response, kissing the top of YoungSaeng' head and hugging him close.
YoungSaeng couldn't respond, burying his nose into YunHo's collar with a silly grin. He hoped he would be as happy as this for the rest of his life, but he knew better than to dare think of that as a reality. There were far too many things out of his control.
"It's getting late," the snake whispered, pulling back again to look up at him. "You should probably get some sleep if you're going to be up before dawn again."
"Probably, but I wanted to spend more time with you," YunHo chuckled, a childish pout appearing on his lips as he looked down at YoungSaeng.
"I'd love to spend every moment with you," YoungSaeng said, lifting his hand up to trace his fingers over YunHo's jaw. "Sleeping next to me may have to suffice for right now though."
"I suppose so," YunHo said teasingly, leaning in and kissing YoungSaeng softly. Then he pulled back, holding out the wine. "We didn't even have much wine."
"Hmm, let's fix that," YoungSaeng grinned, taking the bottle from him. Knocking his head back, he took several long pulls from the bottle before handing it to him. "Unless you want me to finish it all by myself."
Laughing, YunHo shook his head with a grin before taking the bottle back. "I guess here's where we find out how good you are with alcohol." There wasn't much left in the bottle after that, so he finished it.
"Hmm.. not good at all," YoungSaeng chuckled, slowly getting to his feet, nearly teetering over. "Aside from a glass now and then, your father didn't want me drinking."
"Looks like getting back will be fun," YunHo stood as well, shaking his head in amusement before taking YoungSaeng's arm to steady him. "Don't fall into the water."
"I'm not going to fall in the water," YoungSaeng snorted, leaning against YunHo. "The wine won't really hit me until we get back to the house, I make no guarantees on my ability to stand at that point."
"Do you need me to carry you back?" YunHo smiled, getting out the flashlight he'd brought with his free hand so he could see where they were going.
"No, I'm not that bad," YoungSaeng said, pulling him along towards the path. "We'll talk later about stairs though.. Unless you wanted to carry me, but I won't make you do that, I'm heavy."
"Not very heavy," YunHo chuckled, following along and keeping one hand on YoungSaeng's arm to steady him. "We'll see how far you make it then. Did you have fun?"
"This has been the best night of my entire life," YoungSaeng said, looking up at him with a smile. "I'm sad that it has to end."
"There will be others," YunHo smiled back down at him. "And maybe those we won't have to cut short."
"Holding you to that," the snake said, stepping gingerly over an exposed root. "Are there days during the tournaments where there's no matches?"
"Between tiers there are rest days," YunHo nodded. "They extend the tournament longer than the pre-tournament, which is more about judging your opponents and making more money than anything. There will be days where there are only a couple matches too, rather than compressing thirty into one day. So we'll have some more time to ourselves."
"Good, I'd say we should have a proper date, but I don't think you should be spoiling me in public," YoungSaeng said. "Especially with your father around... he isn't coming back before the tournament is he?"
"I have no idea what he's planning," YunHo sighed. "I wouldn't be surprised though. And we can always have a stay-in date," he smiled at the other man.
"Hmm.. a stay in date, I think I'd like that," YoungSaeng grinned, wrapping his arm around YunHo's back and leaning against him. "Especially if it's a spend all day in bed kind of date."
"If we don't have to go anywhere, don't see why not," YunHo kissed YoungSaeng's cheek, smiling widely at how close they were. They made their way through the trees, YunHo shining the flashlight in front so he could see. "Was there anything you wanted to see while we're in the city?"
"Nothing I can think of, though I'd like to visit that park we went to last time, it was nice there," YoungSaeng said. "You'll have to show me around more, though I may need nicer clothes if we're going to go anywhere fancy."
"Then a shopping trip is in order," YunHo chuckled. "I know a few places we could go, since we'll have more free time than before. If you think of anything, let me know."
"I will be sure to do so," YoungSaeng grinned, wobbling a little. The wine was starting to get to him as they left the woods and started up to the house. "Since you've been so busy, I haven't got to share the news with you, about why your dragon is so moody," he said, words slurring a little.
"Oh?" YunHo eyed YoungSaeng in interest, wrapping his arm a little more securely around his waist to keep him steady. "Why would that be?"
"Mm... it seems the dragon has a thing for a certain prickly tiger," YoungSaeng said in a loud whisper. "Wasn't so happy when the tiger said he didn't respect him."
Blinking in obvious surprise at that, YunHo frowned lightly. That...actually wasn't very good news. "You sure about that?"
"Well... not completely, cause he wouldn't answer my question, but it was pretty obvious to me," YoungSaeng said, not noticing the way YunHo reacted. "He got so angry with me and stormed out."
Well, that wasn't good. "Interesting," YunHo mused, though he was thinking about that carefully. Having respect for other fighters was fine...but actually liking someone fighting for another house? That was a very dangerous path for all involved. Fighters, after all, died all the time, and dragons were very unstable as it was without adding more emotions into the mix.
"I'm sure he'll get over it, he's a green fighter still," YoungSaeng continued, swaying a little side to side. "Not that anything would ever come of it honestly, the tiger hates him. He'll find another fighter to torment soon enough."
"Hopefully," YunHo shook his head a little. For JungMin's sake, he hoped it was just a passing interest. "And you definitely can't walk straight." He stopped the other man, crouching down. "Here, get on."
"That a come on?" YoungSaeng blinked at him for a second at him before nearly faceplanting right on his back. "Oh... fine," he grumbled wrapping his arms around YunHo's neck and leaning into him. "The servants will talk."
"Let them talk," YunHo chuckled, straightening and adjusting his grip on YoungSaeng's legs. "Isn't this easier?"
"Much," YoungSaeng murmured, nuzzling into YunHo's neck, smiling softly. "Remind me to drink too much more often if I get to be carried around by you."
"I can carry you around even if you aren't drunk off your feet, you just won't let me," YunHo laughed, smiling to himself at the light touch of YoungSaeng's breath on the back of his neck.
"I'm a slave YunHo, you shouldn't be doing things for me like that," YoungSaeng reminded him, though his grip did tighten a little. "It's supposed to be the other way around."
"I'd hate to see you try to carry me around," YunHo replied, straight-faced. "That might be awkward on both our parts."
YoungSaeng tried to picture that, snorting in laughter at the image of him trying to carry YunHo. "You'd squash me flat," he laughed. "You'd need one of the oxes to carry you or something."
"Hey, I'm not that heavy," YunHo protested with a laugh. "I'm just well-built."
"And tall, you're really tall," YoungSaeng mused, his words slurring a little. "It's not fair, you being so tall."
"Sorry, I'd shrink a bit if I could," YunHo chuckled, reaching the rock path that lead to the house entrance. "You're not falling asleep on me, are you?"
"Nope, not going to fall asleep," YoungSaeng said, resting his cheek against YunHo's shoulder and staring at his profile. "You don't need to shrink, I like it that you're so tall."
"Glad to hear," YunHo smiled, glancing at YoungSaeng's face before they reached the house entrance. He got the door open and headed towards the stairs, ignoring the few servants who were still around.
Hiding his face in the back of YunHo's shirt, YoungSaeng could feel himself flushed from not only the wine, but from embarrassment. The servants were sure to be talking about what was going on between them now if not beforehand.
When YunHo finally stopped in his room, YoungSaeng slowly slid off his back, making sure his legs still worked so he could totter over the last few steps to the older man's bed and flopped over. "Your bed is so much more comfortable than mine."
"Much more comfortable than in the city too," YunHo chuckled, closing and locking the door behind them. He kicked off his shoes before stripping off his shirt and pants. "That doesn't look like a very comfortable position though," he laughed, seeing YoungSaeng only half-on the bed.
"It's not, but moving is so tiring," YoungSaeng said, watching YunHo. "That and I'm still dressed, can't sleep in clothes."
"Good point, you going to be able to get them off though?" YunHo chuckled, placing his clothes to one side and leaving his boxers on as he went to pull the comforter down on the bed, fixing the pillows.
"Probably not," YoungSaeng sighed, trying to sit up, his head swimming. "Would it be too much to ask for help?"
The older man raised an eyebrow. "You're comfortable with that?" He remembered the last time he'd tried to take YoungSaeng's clothes off, not wanting to make him uncomfortable.
"It's fine," YoungSaeng waved him off, pulling up on his shirt. "Not like you didn't just see me naked down at the lake, right? That's fine."
"As long as you're sure." YunHo stepped closer. When YoungSaeng couldn't pull his shirt up all the way, YunHo took over, getting the material over his head and dropping it on a chair to one side. "You'll need to either stand up or lay down so I can pull your pants off."
"Standing isn't happening," YoungSaeng muttered, scooting back a little on the bed before dropping back to lay down again. If he hadn't been so far into drink he probably would have been uncomfortable with YunHo undressing him, but at that moment he didn't care so much.
YunHo undid the button to YoungSaeng's jeans before pulling them off the snake's legs, tossing the jeans onto the chair with his shirt before taking off YoungSaeng's shoes and socks. "There you go, all set." He helped YoungSaeng move farther up the bed so he could lay his head on the pillow. "Comfortable?"
"Very," YoungSaeng nodded, curling up into the blankets and looking up at YunHo with a sleepy smile. "I wouldn't mind staying here with you more often... so comfortable."
"The door's always open," YunHo smiled at him in return before turning off the lights. He climbed into the bed beside YoungSaeng and lay down, wrapping his arm loosely around the snake's waist. "Sleep well," he murmured with a kiss to YoungSaeng's forehead.
Resting a hand against YunHo's chest, YoungSaeng buried his nose into the man's collar, fingers racing lightly over his skin. "I've always felt so safe in your arms," he murmured softly.
Smiling softly, YunHo closed his eyes and rested his cheek against YoungSaeng's hair. "You'll always be safe with me, promise," he whispered.
"Thank you," YoungSaeng replied softly, closing his eyes and taking a steadying breath. "I... I love you..."
YunHo's lips curled into a wide smile, turning his head to kiss the headful of hair. "I love you too Saeng," he whispered in return, heart swelling at the words he'd always wanted to hear.
It didn't take long for YoungSaeng to slip into sleep, the snake snoring softly. So comfortable and relaxed, he didn't even notice his scales had appeared. It would be the first time in a long time he had slept so peacefully through the whole night feeling warm, content, and loved.