The step through the portal felt odd. Travelling the realms between the Fiery Lands and the Human Earth was akin to getting one's guts pulled from your body entirely and then stuffed back inside all wrong. When Mingi's hooves hit a soft surface, he took a moment of clutching his stomach to regain his bearings.

Yunho had settled a hand on his shoulder, wordlessly stabilising Mingi in case he lost balance.

"I apologise for the discomfort. Our brains are not wired for magic, so whenever we transgress the portal, it sends warning signals through our bodies. Are you alright?"

Mingi wiped some drool from his lip after a moment of wheezing. When he stood back up and blinked his eyes open, the stark white surroundings momentarily blinded him. Pained, he clenched his eyes shut again. His agitated yelp alerted Yunho.

"Ah, wait," Yunho said in a panic and rustled around in his bag. When the soft touch of fabric touched Mingi's cheek, he flinched, but Yunho didn't halt as he tied the strip around Mingi's head. Carefully, he adjusted it behind his ears.

"There, try again."

Nervous, Mingi opened his eyes once more. Yunho had put a sheer black blindfold on him that took away the overwhelming brightness of their location without obscuring his sight to blindness. Surprised, Mingi blinked once more into the vast whiteness. Finally, he could make out shadings among it. He spotted trees, tall and thin with needles instead of leaves. They were dark green and dusted by a thick layer of snow. The forest as well, although the snow was soft and crunched under their hooves.

It wasn't as cold as Mingi had read about, but demons had thick skin after all.

Awed, he turned to Yunho. In the light of the human world, the demon looked ethereal, not like a sinister creature born from fire and ashes. His usual grin tugged on his lips. Momentarily, their earlier tension was forgotten.

"The human sun reflects on the snow and makes it too bright for us to bear. You can take the blindfold off as it gets darker," Yunho explained patiently. Fascinated, Mingi searched the skies to find the flaming star he had read about. Even through the blindfold, the sight of the sky made his eyes throb, and he had to look away quickly. No sun in sight.

Despite the shock and the pain that this realm had brought so far, Mingi was awed by its beauty that was so different from theirs. Overjoyed, he crouched to scoop up some snow in his hands to see it melt within seconds. He experimented with it, forming it into shapes that stayed in constructs in a way that ashes wouldn't.

Mingi created funny figures, trying to replicate both his and Yunho's horns only to fail when the snow broke apart since the mass was too thin. For a while, Mingi had the time of his life just playing with it and sitting there while the snow made him wet.

Yunho indulged in watching him play and listening to Mingi's occasional giggles or awed sounds. Mostly, he kept in the background, still wary to intrude after their strained two days. Yet, he seemed glad to have taken him. In the chilly air of the human realm, both of them could unwind and momentarily forget about the struggle they had left behind in the palace.

When Mingi stood after he had his fill to tug his wet pants off his legs, Yunho also pushed off the tree he had been leaning on. The shiver that travelled through its stem at the shove had some snow raining at them in a spectacle of dusty white flocks. Impressed, Mingi watched them fall.

"It will snow later. Those clouds in the sky are an indicator. Want to take a walk?"

Mingi nodded, cheerful. He had read so much about the weather phenomena here, but actually seeing those grey clouds in the sky, how they moved with the wind dazzled and intimidated him at the same time.

Side by side, the demons walked through the snow. They left enough space between them that their hot bodies didn't brush, but Mingi noticed Yunho's tail from his peripherals. It curled and uncurled, as if unsure whether or not it could reach out for Mingi.

"Thank you for taking me here. The place is as gorgeous as you promised," Mingi said. Even when still doubtful around Yunho, he appreciated his kindness. Shy, Yunho scratched his cheek with his claw.

"It's worth it. I get to see the undulated joy on your features and get satisfaction through that way myself," he grinned, canines flashing. They looked less scary in this world. Everything looked less scary here since it was so bright. Mingi heard that the human world barely had any horrible dangers other than their fascinating nature. Humans experienced so little danger that they even chose to endanger each other. And not just in play fights like the demons did.

Once more flattered by his response, Mingi looked at his hooves. His were slightly smaller than Yunho's, but he liked the trail they left in the snow. Something to remember the time they had shared exclusively with each other.

For several minutes, they did nothing but walk in comfortable silence. Mingi looked around in the woods, spotting mosses and little bushes buried by the heavy snow. One time, he even saw a brown animal with a bushy tail jump up a tree nearby to burrow somewhere between the wind-protected branches.

In some places, the snow was slippery and wet on hidden stones. Their hooves clanged against those hindrances painfully from time to time, but Mingi found it fun to explore the terrain.

The light breeze that filtered through the forest tugged on Mingi's ears and hair, dusting him with tiny snow crystals. His natural body heat kept him cosily warm.

"Do you want to tell me what disturbed you these past few days? I would love to figure it out together with you. I quite disliked the distance between us." Yunho's approach was careful and diplomatic, as expected. When the anxiety returned to Mingi to hit him tenfold with his self-doubts, he exhaled slowly.

He didn't want Yunho to think lightly of him. Getting laughed at for creating an issue over such a minor aspect in Yunho's private life would shatter Mingi's heart.

The wind rushed in the trees. It created whirls of snow from the ground, leaving sweeping trails of it on the thick white bed.

The clouds assembled in the sky in a dark blanket.

"I didn't originally plan to bother you with that matter. It seems trivial in my eyes."

Yunho peered at Mingi curiously, searching for a hint in his veiled face.

"It can't be trivial if it triggered such tension within you. I won't ridicule you. And I would like to help if you want me to."

How would Yunho be able to help? Mingi couldn't possibly tell him not to sleep with other demons. The idea mocked even his own heart.

Once more, Mingi glanced down at the untouched white world in front of them. When he sighed again, Yunho's tail cautiously found his, curling around Mingi's skin gingerly. Mingi accepted his silent support, letting their tails swing together.

Finally, after a period of drought, his fluttering heart felt whole again.

"The day we were at the library, I wanted to return to your room before bed to bring you that book I found worth reading. I didn't mean to peek, but the door was ajar when I came by and I checked on you, unbeknownst to what you were doing."

A quiet 'oh' dropped from Yunho's lips. No more need to explain.

An awkward second passed as they just walked. Mingi climbed over a large boulder and Yunho followed him.

"Were you surprised? I'm sorry that you had to lay eyes upon such a sight. It must have disturbed you."

The tingling want still residing in Mingi's body was anything but disturbed. Set aflame by the image was more like it. And yet, his envy overruled everything.

"It's not that. I just... Didn't know of your closeness to Yeosang?" Careful of his wording and tone, Mingi kept his eyes stuck on the forest. Dawn settled on them gradually and darkened the woods around them. The snow that started to fall was thin and rare at first, just some whirling flakes.

"I'm not particularly close to him," Yunho said just as carefully. Both of them veiled their true feelings about the matter well, and Mingi could only guess what was going on inside Yunho's head. "Yeosang and I have known each other for a while. I never ask people to share my bed since I have no interest in consent deriving only from my name as a prince. Same with people that only show interest in that rank. Thus, from time to time, people among the palace approach me for it. Servants, guards, sometimes even advisors or the occasional egregious cases of wives about to commit adultery."

Yunho chuckled upon Mingi's gaping lips.

"If I like them, I indulge in their requests. I trust them to keep things formal and professional within palace walls, and it's a win for both parties. Yeosang and I are used to each other. He's one of the most loyal people among those who seek my embrace."

Confused and at the same time entirely accepting of that logic, Mingi just nodded along.

"When Yeosang suggested it the first time, I was wary if he, too, just fell for the shine of my rank. But now he returns occasionally, and we figured out a comfortable dynamic. He has somebody else he likes romantically, however, and I also view our relationship as one exclusively for pleasure."

"I-I see."

Mingi was bewildered at the ease of the concept. For a prince meant to marry a noble spouse, it was a brilliant method. And yet, the little romantic in Mingi that viewed intercourse as something meant to be shared between lovers couldn't wrap his head around the idea.

Once more, he got aware of the difference between them.

A stronger breeze pulled on Mingi's ears, whipping his hair out of his forehead to hide behind his horns. No snow got into his eyes, kudos to the blindfold. As he walked, Mingi caught some of the thicker flakes with his hands. Their dance from the sky was a gorgeous spectacle.

"Only willing partners end up in my bed, so fear not if you worry about Yeosang's wellbeing. I am no unkind lover either."

Mingi's heart jumped at those simple words. Yunho defended his case and yet, it sounded like such an enticing thing to say. No reason to doubt him. Even Mingi, in his inexperience, could assume that he spoke the truth.

"So if anybody walked up to you in your room to ask for a night, you would agree?" Mingi said it with his face turned towards the sky. Cold snow melted on his skin as it tumbled in a never-ending flow from the clouds.

"Only those I want to have there," Yunho corrected him. The gentle tug of his tail on Mingi's had both of them halt. Gentle fingers slipped into Mingi's hair to undo the knot of his blindfold. As it slipped off, Mingi still had to adjust to the brightness, but it was bearable now.

Still, they didn't pick up their walking again. They looked at each other, Yunho searching for the true reason Mingi had reacted so fiercely. As if he knew there had to be another one and wanted to confirm without making Mingi spell it out.

Mingi looked back, marvelling at the pretty snow that clung to Yunho's dark hair and kissed his skin only to melt into nothingness.

His eyes were so understanding, so soft. Yunho was his friend. Even through the struggles of manners and customs, Mingi appreciated him for his open heart that had allowed Mingi in so easily.

And the words spilt over his lips before he could stop them. The truth he had tried to mask so well by fooling himself.

"I was... envious. Because your attention on me made me feel special. When I spotted Yeosang in your bed, I felt betrayed."

Yunho's gaze softened even further. He rose a hand to untuck a strand that had got stuck in front of Mingi's horn to brush it back into conformity with the rest. His slender fingers were adorned by golden rings.

"And you are special. I didn't mean to invalidate our closeness. Yeosang is just someone who asked. Unlike you." Something was in his eyes, but Mingi didn't understand. He merely nodded, soothed. Once more, his insides picked up their churning, but it was far more pleasant than a trip through a portal.

"Got it. No more avoiding you because of that," Mingi smiled shyly. Yunho smiled back, thankful.

"May I offer a hug as an apology?" With his head tilted, Yunho opened his arms. His eyes didn't plead, leaving the decision entirely to Mingi.

Without needing to agree, Mingi stepped in. His arms wrapped around Yunho's waist, feeling his lean and built body shift under his skin. When his horns bumped against Yunho's collarbone in the process, Mingi forced out an awkward laugh.

"Sorry."

"It's fine. We can do it like this." Careful, Yunho ducked his head instead to rest on Mingi's shoulder, tucked under the tips of his horns.

Warmth filled Mingi's chest as they just stood in the snow, hugging. Yunho's chest rose and sunk against his, and every centimetre of Mingi's skin touching his set ablaze.

Soothed in his assumptions, Mingi stared up at the falling snow. He never wanted to let go of the prince in his arms.