A Knight of Fire 12/?
Title: A Knight of Fire 12/?
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong, Yoochun/Junsu, Changmin/Junho
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: They aren't mine and I can't even claim the idea as mine because it is all devilaugh's fault.
Summary: Jaejoong is a scribe in King Ahn Chilhyun's court. He is sent to small seaside village to teach the people how to read, and instead finds a lover who has a secret that will end up endangering the entire world.
A/N: This fic is all devilaugh's fault. It was her idea on the post about the picture of Jaejoong, so this fic was partially inspired by this picture
Part 12:
Fanfic poster by back_to_five!!! Perfection! <3 <3
A/N: I am working on a map for this world, so y'all can know where everyone is, but it might be awhile before I can scan it and post it and such. Also, time frame. I have a tendency to skip travel days because all they are doing is traveling. So here is a brief timeframe of what we know so far:
King Ahn Chilhyun (Kangta, just FYI) killed the previous tyrant and took over 15 years ago (Jaejoong was 10 years old).
The Fire Knights Village was destroyed about this same time (Yunho was only 11 years old, as was the Kim Twins older brother that died in the fire. Junsu/Junho were 8 years old).
Changmin left the Earth Knights Village 8 years ago (he was only 12). At about this same time, Yoochun and Yoohwan left their village (Yoochun was 17 and Yoohwan was 13). They met up sometime in the next 3 years.
Jaejoong became a King's Scribe just as he turned 19. Changmin became a King's Scribe as soon as he arrived at the city (when he was barely 16).
Jaejoong was assigned to the Water Knights Village 2 years ago (when he was 23). He left after one year, and then went back after one year. He is now 25. Yunho is 26, The Kim Twins are 23. Changmin is 20. Yoochun is 25. Yoohwan is 21.
It has now been 3 months since Jaejoong left the capital city and a little over 2 months since the four of them left the Water Knights Village (they had to travel East, clear across the country, because the Water Knights Village is on the West coast of their world).
Okay, is that clear? I hope so. let me know if there are any discrepancies. I tend to type and edit/verify details later.
“We better get going,” Yunho said that night as they sat at a table in the hall and ate dinner. “We cannot force Yoochun to come with us.”
Jaejoong frowned and shifted in his seat. The skin of the new ink stretched. “Yeah, I know.”
“But we need him,” Junho said.
“We will attempt to convince him before we leave in the morning,” Yunho said. “We are not going to be kidnappers.”
“Are you guys talking about me again?” Yoochun said and plopped on a chair next to Junsu. He flung his arm around the other’s shoulder and leaned in for a kiss. “I feel so special.”
Junsu grunted and shoved him away, leaving wet splotches on Yoochun’s thin white shirt.
Yoochun laughed. “You have no control.”
“He does,” Junho said. “You just irritate him.”
Yoochun pouted, and Jaejoong bit his hand to keep from laughing. The wet shirt clung to his body and dark inkwork seeped through it. Pondering, Jaejoong reached over and moved the loose neck of the shirt. On Yoochun’s chest, just above his nipple, was a pair of wings that looked like they were ruffling in the wind. The artwork was exquisite, and Jaejoong did not realize his finger was trailing over the lines until Yunho grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away.
“I have seen this before,” Jaejoong said. “The stable boy. At the castle.” And Jaejoong immediately saw the resemblance between the younger man and Yoochun. “Your brother? Yoohwan? Has ink just like that. Same place?”
Yoochun shut his eyes and nodded. “Yes, he does. You saw him?”
“He helped me leave. Had my horse ready to go when Changmin told me to come here. The little brat even said, ‘see you later’ to me.”
Yoochun smiled. “He’s ... he is okay?”
“Yeah, he is fine. Or he was. When I left. But that has been almost three months ago.”
“And?” Yoochun said.
“If Changmin is being detained, he might be, too.”
“If he is being detained because of Changmin, I’m going to cut that man’s dick off. He said he would protect him.”
“Letting someone else do your job as a hyung?” Junsu said with a sneer.
“Fuck you.”
“Junsu,” Yunho said in admonishment.
“We need you to come with us,” Jaejoong said before Junsu could retort. “Guards are here with my picture asking people if they have seen me.”
Yoochun nodded. “Guards love a good blowjob.”
“And I’m sure you are great at them,” Jaejoong said and winked, finally getting Yoochun to smile.
“Buy me dinner, and I’ll think about it.”
Jaejoong laughed. “Fine.”
“Tell Water Boy to fuck me and I’ll come with you.”
Junsu pushed away from the table and stalked away, toward the stairs, grumbling under his breath.
“I think he likes you,” Junho said and stood up to follow his brother. “He gets defensive and grumpy when he will not admit something to himself.”
Yoochun grinned. “Well, when he admits it, you two know where to find me.”
“In a dark alley, sucking on someone’s cock.”
“It doesn’t have to be dark.”
Junho laughed and clapped Yoochun on the shoulder. “See you later, blowhard.”
Jaejoong leaned into Yunho’s shoulder as Yunho talked to Yoochun about his family, about his friends, the work in the village. About the fire that had killed his best friend and the Kim Twins’ older brother. Which got Jaejoong thinking about the destruction of the Fire Knights Village.
Something was not adding up in his head. He understood that the king found the History Book before the village was destroyed, but why destroy it? Why kill everyone in it, including the Fire Knight, after learning about it? Why not just ... capture ... the Fire Knight? Capture? Kill destroy? He knew about the Fire Knight and yet the village was destroyed?
It did not make sense.
“How do you destroy an entire village in the name of war?” Jaejoong mused out loud.
“I do not think it was an accident,” Yoochun said. “I have thought about it a lot. I think ... I think it was blackmail.”
“What?”
“We cannot talk about this here,” Yunho said.
“I think he” Yoochun emphasized that word, “did something so that the hotheaded one had to do as he said. The ash and smell upon the wind. There is no way that it was accidental. How do you burn a village when you have a way to stop it?”
“We really should not be talking about this here,” Yunho said again.
Yoochun shrugged. “Just a theory.”
“A sound theory,” Jaejoong said, “but Yunho is right. We should not be talking about this now.”
“We better go up to bed,” Yunho said, “if we are leaving in the morning.”
“We better.” Jaejoong gave Yoochun a few more coins. “Get yourself something to drink.”
Yoochun smiled. “With pleasure.”
_-\^\^_^/^/-_
Dawn barely touched the peaks of the snowcovered mountains as they made their way through the city. Vendors had only just opened their stalls, and the smell of fresh baked bread and sweets lofted through the air. It was chilly enough that Jaejoong pulled up the hood on his cloak and they left the city without being stopped, though they noticed that those trying to enter the city were being searched.
“Good timing,” Junho muttered.
Jaejoong agreed, especially when he caught sight of a poster that may or may not have had his face on it pasted inside the guard post.
The trip to the capital city from Daranoon was a shorter journey than the one across the country. Even riding slow, they had only a short time to decide what to do.
“We need to stay alert,” Junho said. “What if Changmin is up at the Garden Village already?”
“Well, we could not wait to find out, and to go into the mountains would cut off our fastest and best route to the castle,” Junsu said. “He can catch up. And maybe he can convince Yoochun to come with him.”
“If he’s there,” Yunho added.
“He is not,” Jaejoong said. “If he was, the earth ... you can tell where Changmin is at by the earth, flowers, gardens, trees. Everything is greener and more alive. Even in autumn and winter.”
They rode through the day, stopping for lunch and for water. They passed a few guards, but the guards were going north and not bothering with anyone going south.
“We are not going to get through guard gates on this road,” Jaejoong said.
“We may have to take the long way, through the plains,” Yunho said.
“Maybe.”
“I am very tired of uncertainties,” Junsu said.
“You want Yoochun to fuck you,” Junho said with a grin. “Not an uncertainty.”
Junsu doused his head in water, but Junho only laughed. “I deserved that one.”
Junsu grunted in annoyance and moved his horse further ahead of them.
As the sun set, bathing the forests and trees in red shadows, they debated stopping, finding a clearing off the road to sleep for just a few hours. Traveling at night and staying off the road during the day seemed smarter, but they needed to sleep.
The Twins debated and Jaejoong sighed in exasperation.
“We will get to the city before we decide to stop or not,” Yunho said.
“Have they always argued like this?” Jaejoong asked.
Yunho laughed. “Yes, especially when one of them is angry about something else. They have a tendency to scream at one another when neither is at fault.”
The sound of a horse in a hurry echoed around them, and Jaejoong hissed at the Twins to shut up, and they moved to the far side of the road. It was a lone rider, pushing his horse harder than was strictly necessary. He blew past them in a flurry of hooves, long hair and cloak billowing behind him.
But Jaejoong saw just enough of his face in the fading sunlight. He spun his horse around and shouted, “Yoohwan!”
The rider yanked back on the reins, stopping his horse almost too quickly. He spun around, and Jaejoong trotted up to him.
“Master Jaejoong! Gods, you’re alive!” Their horses were close enough that Yoohwan threw his arms around Jaejoong’s shoulders. “Changmin ... Changmin is ... I do not know where. He said ... he said to find you, if he disappeared. I do not know where he is.”
“Calm down, calm down. Are you being followed?”
Yoohwan broke away and shook his head. “No. I do not think so.”
Jaejoong nodded. “Good. We were just about to stop for the night. Join us. We’ll talk.”
Yoohwan nodded and looked beyond him to the other three. “Yoochun? Where is my brother?”
“He did not want to come with us.”
“Stubborn fucker,” he said and then turned. “We need him. The asshole. Gods, what a selfish coward. I’ll be back with my brother in tow, even if I have to kidnap him.”
“Wait, Yoohwan!”
“Can’t wait! See you tomorrow morning!” And he barreled off into the darkness.
“Well, I guess we’re staying here,” Yunho said when the boy was out of sight.
Jaejoong sighed. “Yeah. Let’s pull up a patch of earth and eat something and sleep. We may have to leave in a hurry tomorrow.”
_-\^\^_^/^/-_
The night dragged on. Jaejoong got very little sleep. Technically, they were supposed to take turns keeping watch, but none of them slept well. Their camp was far enough away from the road to feel safe, but still close enough to hear the hooves of passing horses. Most of the night-time travelers were only farmers or villagers, going from one place to another. A group of soldiers passed by, their metal armor clinking.
Yunho did not light a fire.
Yoohwan did not return, and they spent the day debating whether or not to leave.
“We will leave at sundown,” Yunho said. “It will be safer to travel at night and to travel slowly. Yoohwan can catch up.”
“Unless they have both been detained in Daranoon,” Junho said.
“Then we are in the same position as before,” Yunho said, “with no Wind and a possibly captured Earth. Our options have not changed.”
_-\^\^_^/^/-_
With the sun almost gone and everything bathed in red fire around them, hooves pounded on the road, coming up fast from behind them. But this time it was accompanied by a shout of Jaejoong’s name.
Yoohwan reined his horse to a halt, and Yoochun stumbled from the back of it, off the side of the road and threw up.
Yoohwan winced. His hair was all over the place, his shirt torn, and a streak of blood on the arm.
“Are you okay?” Jaejoong asked.
“Yeah, fine, but--”
“I hate you,” Yoochun muttered. “I fucking hate you.”
Yoohwan rolled his eyes. “No, you don’t, hyung. But you promised, remember?”
“Fuck you.”
“What’s going on?”
“He refused to cooperate,” Yoohwan said, “even after I reminded him about his deal with Changmin, and I got him drunk and threw him on the back of my horse, and the guards stopped me, and well, I sort of had to fight my way free, may have killed one ... Anyway. We should go. Right now. Because they are probably just behind me. Somewhere.”
“I hate you,” Yoochun mumbled and leaned against a tree.
“Well, let’s get out of here,” Junho said.
“I am not riding with my ungrateful brother.”
“You are not riding with me,” Junsu snapped and turned his horse around.
Junho laughed and moved over to Yoochun. “You can ride with me, but no groping.”
Yoochun frowned.
“Fine, fine, not a lot of groping.”
“I can live with that,” he said and took Junho’s arm and hefted himself behind him.
“Gods, you stink. Going to have to get Junsu to drown you with water.”
“What deal did your brother have with Changmin?” Jaejoong asked.
Yoohwan smirked. “He let him come.”
“What?” Yunho said.
“He had Yoochun tied up and was fucking him and wouldn’t let him come until he agreed to join with the other elementals if needed. My brother is a whore, and he wanted to come. So he agreed.”
Jaejoong chuckled and shook his head. “At least we know how to get him to cooperate.”
_-\^\^_^/^/-_
They rode swiftly all night, pushing themselves and their horses. With Yoohwan’s warning they had no idea if they were going to be overtaken from either direction if they stopped. But eventually they had to slow down or risk their horses.
Dawn broke ahead of them, bathing the forests in light. Jaejoong noticed a soft smile on Yoohwan’s face, and followed his gaze to Yoochun who had his head back, eyes shut. Smiling. It was probably the first genuine smile he had seen on the Knight of Air’s face.
“It is the air,” Yoohwan whispered. “As much as he claims to hate his gift, he accepts it and cherishes it when the wind and air feel pure during the mornings.”
“How did you two and Changmin meet?” Jaejoong asked. “The villagers said it was pure happenstance.”
Yoohwan smiled. “It was, in terms of Yoochun and Changmin being elementals. But otherwise, there was nothing strange about it. I am sure that we met Changmin the same way or in a similar way that you met Yoochun. My brother is a sex addict.”
“Nothing wrong with that!” Yoochun called from ahead of them.
“Lots of things wrong with where your hands are!” Junsu shouted.
“Your brother does not seem to mind.”
“I mind!”
“You want me to touch you instead?”
“Shut up!”
Yoohwan shook his head in fond exasperation. “He always has been. But he saw Changmin and wasn’t going to pass up his chance. Changmin said yes. He may or may not have lost control while they were both out of control, but there were flowers in the ground by Yoochun’s head when Changmin was done and Yoochun told him not to worry about it and lost control of the wind as well.”
“Elemental sex is the only reason why I even care about this,” Yoochun informed them.
Jaejoong laughed. “Yeah. Makes everything hotter.”
“I want details, Kim Jaejoong.”
“Over your dead body,” Yunho said.
“Don’t you mean, ‘over my dead body’?”
“Yes, your dead body. Fried. Crispy. Ashes. Got it?”
Yoochun winked. “Got it.”
Junsu led them to a creek, near the road. They did not stay in sight of the road or within hearing. It was safer farther out.
“We need Earth Boy to grow us a bramble to hide behind,” Yoochun said.
“Or you can just ... blow them ... away,” Junho said, and Yoochun laughed.
His brother scowled.
“How about some heat in the river, Fire Boy?”
“Are you insane?” Junsu said. “Do you have any idea how many aquatic animals and plants he could kill rising the temperature of the water just because you don’t want to be cold?”
“Wow. Calm down. It’s fine.” Yoochun stripped off his shirt and, when his pants followed, Junsu turned in a heated blush, stomping further down the river.
Yoochun waded into the water, shivering from the chill. He went until the water spun around his knees, and then dropped to wet the rest of his skin. “You going to come get in with me, Non-elemental Boy who doesn’t have a boyfriend that is going to burn my body to a crisp?”
Junho laughed. “No. I better not. My brother really likes you.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes. Give him some time to admit it to himself.”
Part 12: Storm
Part 11: Blow
(Part 10: Soak) | (Part 9: Blaze) | (Part 8: Hot) | (Part 7: Rekindle) | (Part 6: Bloom) | (Part 5: Sprout) | (Part 4: Burn) | (Part 3: Flicker) | (Part 2: Flare) | (Part 1: Spark)
.
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong, Yoochun/Junsu, Changmin/Junho
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: They aren't mine and I can't even claim the idea as mine because it is all devilaugh's fault.
Summary: Jaejoong is a scribe in King Ahn Chilhyun's court. He is sent to small seaside village to teach the people how to read, and instead finds a lover who has a secret that will end up endangering the entire world.
A/N: This fic is all devilaugh's fault. It was her idea on the post about the picture of Jaejoong, so this fic was partially inspired by this picture
Part 12:
Fanfic poster by back_to_five!!! Perfection! <3 <3
A/N: I am working on a map for this world, so y'all can know where everyone is, but it might be awhile before I can scan it and post it and such. Also, time frame. I have a tendency to skip travel days because all they are doing is traveling. So here is a brief timeframe of what we know so far:
King Ahn Chilhyun (Kangta, just FYI) killed the previous tyrant and took over 15 years ago (Jaejoong was 10 years old).
The Fire Knights Village was destroyed about this same time (Yunho was only 11 years old, as was the Kim Twins older brother that died in the fire. Junsu/Junho were 8 years old).
Changmin left the Earth Knights Village 8 years ago (he was only 12). At about this same time, Yoochun and Yoohwan left their village (Yoochun was 17 and Yoohwan was 13). They met up sometime in the next 3 years.
Jaejoong became a King's Scribe just as he turned 19. Changmin became a King's Scribe as soon as he arrived at the city (when he was barely 16).
Jaejoong was assigned to the Water Knights Village 2 years ago (when he was 23). He left after one year, and then went back after one year. He is now 25. Yunho is 26, The Kim Twins are 23. Changmin is 20. Yoochun is 25. Yoohwan is 21.
It has now been 3 months since Jaejoong left the capital city and a little over 2 months since the four of them left the Water Knights Village (they had to travel East, clear across the country, because the Water Knights Village is on the West coast of their world).
Okay, is that clear? I hope so. let me know if there are any discrepancies. I tend to type and edit/verify details later.
“We better get going,” Yunho said that night as they sat at a table in the hall and ate dinner. “We cannot force Yoochun to come with us.”
Jaejoong frowned and shifted in his seat. The skin of the new ink stretched. “Yeah, I know.”
“But we need him,” Junho said.
“We will attempt to convince him before we leave in the morning,” Yunho said. “We are not going to be kidnappers.”
“Are you guys talking about me again?” Yoochun said and plopped on a chair next to Junsu. He flung his arm around the other’s shoulder and leaned in for a kiss. “I feel so special.”
Junsu grunted and shoved him away, leaving wet splotches on Yoochun’s thin white shirt.
Yoochun laughed. “You have no control.”
“He does,” Junho said. “You just irritate him.”
Yoochun pouted, and Jaejoong bit his hand to keep from laughing. The wet shirt clung to his body and dark inkwork seeped through it. Pondering, Jaejoong reached over and moved the loose neck of the shirt. On Yoochun’s chest, just above his nipple, was a pair of wings that looked like they were ruffling in the wind. The artwork was exquisite, and Jaejoong did not realize his finger was trailing over the lines until Yunho grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away.
“I have seen this before,” Jaejoong said. “The stable boy. At the castle.” And Jaejoong immediately saw the resemblance between the younger man and Yoochun. “Your brother? Yoohwan? Has ink just like that. Same place?”
Yoochun shut his eyes and nodded. “Yes, he does. You saw him?”
“He helped me leave. Had my horse ready to go when Changmin told me to come here. The little brat even said, ‘see you later’ to me.”
Yoochun smiled. “He’s ... he is okay?”
“Yeah, he is fine. Or he was. When I left. But that has been almost three months ago.”
“And?” Yoochun said.
“If Changmin is being detained, he might be, too.”
“If he is being detained because of Changmin, I’m going to cut that man’s dick off. He said he would protect him.”
“Letting someone else do your job as a hyung?” Junsu said with a sneer.
“Fuck you.”
“Junsu,” Yunho said in admonishment.
“We need you to come with us,” Jaejoong said before Junsu could retort. “Guards are here with my picture asking people if they have seen me.”
Yoochun nodded. “Guards love a good blowjob.”
“And I’m sure you are great at them,” Jaejoong said and winked, finally getting Yoochun to smile.
“Buy me dinner, and I’ll think about it.”
Jaejoong laughed. “Fine.”
“Tell Water Boy to fuck me and I’ll come with you.”
Junsu pushed away from the table and stalked away, toward the stairs, grumbling under his breath.
“I think he likes you,” Junho said and stood up to follow his brother. “He gets defensive and grumpy when he will not admit something to himself.”
Yoochun grinned. “Well, when he admits it, you two know where to find me.”
“In a dark alley, sucking on someone’s cock.”
“It doesn’t have to be dark.”
Junho laughed and clapped Yoochun on the shoulder. “See you later, blowhard.”
Jaejoong leaned into Yunho’s shoulder as Yunho talked to Yoochun about his family, about his friends, the work in the village. About the fire that had killed his best friend and the Kim Twins’ older brother. Which got Jaejoong thinking about the destruction of the Fire Knights Village.
Something was not adding up in his head. He understood that the king found the History Book before the village was destroyed, but why destroy it? Why kill everyone in it, including the Fire Knight, after learning about it? Why not just ... capture ... the Fire Knight? Capture? Kill destroy? He knew about the Fire Knight and yet the village was destroyed?
It did not make sense.
“How do you destroy an entire village in the name of war?” Jaejoong mused out loud.
“I do not think it was an accident,” Yoochun said. “I have thought about it a lot. I think ... I think it was blackmail.”
“What?”
“We cannot talk about this here,” Yunho said.
“I think he” Yoochun emphasized that word, “did something so that the hotheaded one had to do as he said. The ash and smell upon the wind. There is no way that it was accidental. How do you burn a village when you have a way to stop it?”
“We really should not be talking about this here,” Yunho said again.
Yoochun shrugged. “Just a theory.”
“A sound theory,” Jaejoong said, “but Yunho is right. We should not be talking about this now.”
“We better go up to bed,” Yunho said, “if we are leaving in the morning.”
“We better.” Jaejoong gave Yoochun a few more coins. “Get yourself something to drink.”
Yoochun smiled. “With pleasure.”
_-\^\^_^/^/-_
Dawn barely touched the peaks of the snowcovered mountains as they made their way through the city. Vendors had only just opened their stalls, and the smell of fresh baked bread and sweets lofted through the air. It was chilly enough that Jaejoong pulled up the hood on his cloak and they left the city without being stopped, though they noticed that those trying to enter the city were being searched.
“Good timing,” Junho muttered.
Jaejoong agreed, especially when he caught sight of a poster that may or may not have had his face on it pasted inside the guard post.
The trip to the capital city from Daranoon was a shorter journey than the one across the country. Even riding slow, they had only a short time to decide what to do.
“We need to stay alert,” Junho said. “What if Changmin is up at the Garden Village already?”
“Well, we could not wait to find out, and to go into the mountains would cut off our fastest and best route to the castle,” Junsu said. “He can catch up. And maybe he can convince Yoochun to come with him.”
“If he’s there,” Yunho added.
“He is not,” Jaejoong said. “If he was, the earth ... you can tell where Changmin is at by the earth, flowers, gardens, trees. Everything is greener and more alive. Even in autumn and winter.”
They rode through the day, stopping for lunch and for water. They passed a few guards, but the guards were going north and not bothering with anyone going south.
“We are not going to get through guard gates on this road,” Jaejoong said.
“We may have to take the long way, through the plains,” Yunho said.
“Maybe.”
“I am very tired of uncertainties,” Junsu said.
“You want Yoochun to fuck you,” Junho said with a grin. “Not an uncertainty.”
Junsu doused his head in water, but Junho only laughed. “I deserved that one.”
Junsu grunted in annoyance and moved his horse further ahead of them.
As the sun set, bathing the forests and trees in red shadows, they debated stopping, finding a clearing off the road to sleep for just a few hours. Traveling at night and staying off the road during the day seemed smarter, but they needed to sleep.
The Twins debated and Jaejoong sighed in exasperation.
“We will get to the city before we decide to stop or not,” Yunho said.
“Have they always argued like this?” Jaejoong asked.
Yunho laughed. “Yes, especially when one of them is angry about something else. They have a tendency to scream at one another when neither is at fault.”
The sound of a horse in a hurry echoed around them, and Jaejoong hissed at the Twins to shut up, and they moved to the far side of the road. It was a lone rider, pushing his horse harder than was strictly necessary. He blew past them in a flurry of hooves, long hair and cloak billowing behind him.
But Jaejoong saw just enough of his face in the fading sunlight. He spun his horse around and shouted, “Yoohwan!”
The rider yanked back on the reins, stopping his horse almost too quickly. He spun around, and Jaejoong trotted up to him.
“Master Jaejoong! Gods, you’re alive!” Their horses were close enough that Yoohwan threw his arms around Jaejoong’s shoulders. “Changmin ... Changmin is ... I do not know where. He said ... he said to find you, if he disappeared. I do not know where he is.”
“Calm down, calm down. Are you being followed?”
Yoohwan broke away and shook his head. “No. I do not think so.”
Jaejoong nodded. “Good. We were just about to stop for the night. Join us. We’ll talk.”
Yoohwan nodded and looked beyond him to the other three. “Yoochun? Where is my brother?”
“He did not want to come with us.”
“Stubborn fucker,” he said and then turned. “We need him. The asshole. Gods, what a selfish coward. I’ll be back with my brother in tow, even if I have to kidnap him.”
“Wait, Yoohwan!”
“Can’t wait! See you tomorrow morning!” And he barreled off into the darkness.
“Well, I guess we’re staying here,” Yunho said when the boy was out of sight.
Jaejoong sighed. “Yeah. Let’s pull up a patch of earth and eat something and sleep. We may have to leave in a hurry tomorrow.”
_-\^\^_^/^/-_
The night dragged on. Jaejoong got very little sleep. Technically, they were supposed to take turns keeping watch, but none of them slept well. Their camp was far enough away from the road to feel safe, but still close enough to hear the hooves of passing horses. Most of the night-time travelers were only farmers or villagers, going from one place to another. A group of soldiers passed by, their metal armor clinking.
Yunho did not light a fire.
Yoohwan did not return, and they spent the day debating whether or not to leave.
“We will leave at sundown,” Yunho said. “It will be safer to travel at night and to travel slowly. Yoohwan can catch up.”
“Unless they have both been detained in Daranoon,” Junho said.
“Then we are in the same position as before,” Yunho said, “with no Wind and a possibly captured Earth. Our options have not changed.”
_-\^\^_^/^/-_
With the sun almost gone and everything bathed in red fire around them, hooves pounded on the road, coming up fast from behind them. But this time it was accompanied by a shout of Jaejoong’s name.
Yoohwan reined his horse to a halt, and Yoochun stumbled from the back of it, off the side of the road and threw up.
Yoohwan winced. His hair was all over the place, his shirt torn, and a streak of blood on the arm.
“Are you okay?” Jaejoong asked.
“Yeah, fine, but--”
“I hate you,” Yoochun muttered. “I fucking hate you.”
Yoohwan rolled his eyes. “No, you don’t, hyung. But you promised, remember?”
“Fuck you.”
“What’s going on?”
“He refused to cooperate,” Yoohwan said, “even after I reminded him about his deal with Changmin, and I got him drunk and threw him on the back of my horse, and the guards stopped me, and well, I sort of had to fight my way free, may have killed one ... Anyway. We should go. Right now. Because they are probably just behind me. Somewhere.”
“I hate you,” Yoochun mumbled and leaned against a tree.
“Well, let’s get out of here,” Junho said.
“I am not riding with my ungrateful brother.”
“You are not riding with me,” Junsu snapped and turned his horse around.
Junho laughed and moved over to Yoochun. “You can ride with me, but no groping.”
Yoochun frowned.
“Fine, fine, not a lot of groping.”
“I can live with that,” he said and took Junho’s arm and hefted himself behind him.
“Gods, you stink. Going to have to get Junsu to drown you with water.”
“What deal did your brother have with Changmin?” Jaejoong asked.
Yoohwan smirked. “He let him come.”
“What?” Yunho said.
“He had Yoochun tied up and was fucking him and wouldn’t let him come until he agreed to join with the other elementals if needed. My brother is a whore, and he wanted to come. So he agreed.”
Jaejoong chuckled and shook his head. “At least we know how to get him to cooperate.”
_-\^\^_^/^/-_
They rode swiftly all night, pushing themselves and their horses. With Yoohwan’s warning they had no idea if they were going to be overtaken from either direction if they stopped. But eventually they had to slow down or risk their horses.
Dawn broke ahead of them, bathing the forests in light. Jaejoong noticed a soft smile on Yoohwan’s face, and followed his gaze to Yoochun who had his head back, eyes shut. Smiling. It was probably the first genuine smile he had seen on the Knight of Air’s face.
“It is the air,” Yoohwan whispered. “As much as he claims to hate his gift, he accepts it and cherishes it when the wind and air feel pure during the mornings.”
“How did you two and Changmin meet?” Jaejoong asked. “The villagers said it was pure happenstance.”
Yoohwan smiled. “It was, in terms of Yoochun and Changmin being elementals. But otherwise, there was nothing strange about it. I am sure that we met Changmin the same way or in a similar way that you met Yoochun. My brother is a sex addict.”
“Nothing wrong with that!” Yoochun called from ahead of them.
“Lots of things wrong with where your hands are!” Junsu shouted.
“Your brother does not seem to mind.”
“I mind!”
“You want me to touch you instead?”
“Shut up!”
Yoohwan shook his head in fond exasperation. “He always has been. But he saw Changmin and wasn’t going to pass up his chance. Changmin said yes. He may or may not have lost control while they were both out of control, but there were flowers in the ground by Yoochun’s head when Changmin was done and Yoochun told him not to worry about it and lost control of the wind as well.”
“Elemental sex is the only reason why I even care about this,” Yoochun informed them.
Jaejoong laughed. “Yeah. Makes everything hotter.”
“I want details, Kim Jaejoong.”
“Over your dead body,” Yunho said.
“Don’t you mean, ‘over my dead body’?”
“Yes, your dead body. Fried. Crispy. Ashes. Got it?”
Yoochun winked. “Got it.”
Junsu led them to a creek, near the road. They did not stay in sight of the road or within hearing. It was safer farther out.
“We need Earth Boy to grow us a bramble to hide behind,” Yoochun said.
“Or you can just ... blow them ... away,” Junho said, and Yoochun laughed.
His brother scowled.
“How about some heat in the river, Fire Boy?”
“Are you insane?” Junsu said. “Do you have any idea how many aquatic animals and plants he could kill rising the temperature of the water just because you don’t want to be cold?”
“Wow. Calm down. It’s fine.” Yoochun stripped off his shirt and, when his pants followed, Junsu turned in a heated blush, stomping further down the river.
Yoochun waded into the water, shivering from the chill. He went until the water spun around his knees, and then dropped to wet the rest of his skin. “You going to come get in with me, Non-elemental Boy who doesn’t have a boyfriend that is going to burn my body to a crisp?”
Junho laughed. “No. I better not. My brother really likes you.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes. Give him some time to admit it to himself.”
Part 12: Storm
Part 11: Blow
(Part 10: Soak) | (Part 9: Blaze) | (Part 8: Hot) | (Part 7: Rekindle) | (Part 6: Bloom) | (Part 5: Sprout) | (Part 4: Burn) | (Part 3: Flicker) | (Part 2: Flare) | (Part 1: Spark)
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