Mingi awoke - to his greatest chagrin - alone and without Yunho even in sight. Instead of the tall prince, a different person scurried through the room.

Blinking blearily at them, Mingi tried to identify them by the shape of their horns. Soon, he recognised those bowed arches and surprisedly lifted his head off the pillow. A heavenly soft pillow in a big, round bed. Somebody had closed the curtains around it to ensure some privacy for Mingi's naked body, even when partially covered by a blanket.

When Mingi pushed himself up, two sensations hit him at the same time. One, his arms nearly giving out on him since they still felt like goo. Two, the shocking revelation that he didn't feel sticky anymore and his dirtied skin had been cleaned to smell of fragrant herbs.

Yeosang perked up from where he cleared away the dishes on the living room table. Through the veil, Mingi couldn't see his expression, but he heard him call a cheery greeting at him.

"Oh, hello, Yeosang," Mingi replied, still confused by why the fellow servant was here. Had Yunho left to take part in his duties already? Did Yeosang know Mingi would be here or had he walked in on accident?

Mingi wanted to burrow under the blankets to hide from the inquisitive questions coming his way, but Yeosang already approached the bed. With confident fingers, he pulled the curtains back and fastened them on the side. Bashful, Mingi watched him.

"Anything you need? Yunho told me to look after you. It smelled as if you two had an exciting start to the day." He didn't say it to mock, but the teasing tilt in his voice still had Mingi bury his face in his hands. His hips throbbed with a dull reminder of said morning activities.

"Could you bring me some clothes? I think I need to wash my old ones." Mingi evaded the indirect query to the best of his abilities. The shine in Yeosang's eyes told him that he wanted to tease, but he held his tongue.

"Consider it done." From the nightstand next to him, Yeosang picked up a pile of neatly folded fabric. He set it down in front of Mingi.

"I allowed myself into your room. I hope you don't mind."

Mingi waved it off as he pulled his pants on. He was sore, his body aching in protest of moving already. He left the shirt, for now, going for a hesitant stretch first. Yeosang eyed his piercing with a content smile.

"I also brought you some soup and an ointment to help with the pain. Although I would prefer not having to help you put it on."

Laughter bubbled over Mingi's lips as he joined the other man in the living area. It was tidy, the traces of his evening with Yunho cleaned up. Yeosang sat down on the divan opposite of Mingi and elegantly crossed his legs as he watched Mingi taking his bread apart.

"I will manage; thank you. Does this bother you? You don't have to pretend for me." Even when he dreaded the answer, Mingi bravely met Yeosang's gaze. The man put his chin into his hand, watching Mingi with great interest.

"What do you think Yunho and I are?"

Mingi studied the faint smile on Yeosang's carved features, how elegant and mysterious it made him look. Just when his mind tried to compare them, Mingi shoved the thoughts off. Yunho didn't spend so much time teaching Mingi confidence for him to disregard his advice like that.

"He told me your relationship was strictly that between a servant who asked to share a bed and a prince who agreed," Mingi spoke truthfully. Yeosang nodded, unperturbed that the information had made its rounds.

"Exactly. Which differs vastly from you two. I am not romantically involved with him, so I won't get between you two lovebirds. On the contrary. Do you mind me being here?"

Mingi hastily shook his head around his bite of bread. As soon as he had gulped it down, he looked back up at Yeosang with big eyes.

"Of course not. I appreciate your help. Even if Yunho asked you to."

"I would have helped even if he didn't. I've grown to appreciate you as a friend."

Shy, Mingi glanced at his soup. His hand was still weak as he led the spoon to his lips. The fireplace nearby had held it deliciously warm for him. Its flavour was just as rich as its scent that fully substituted for the earlier stench of lust in the room.

"We barely got to spend time with each other, though," Mingi pointed out. The initial awkwardness between them was gone. Both of them relaxed without having to mention the obvious happening between both of them and Yunho.

"I watched over you. Yunho asked me to keep an eye on you in case you had any troubles you were too shy to word out loud. You are a good person, Mingi, and perfect for Yunho."

His words had Mingi's heart do a happy little flip before it burrowed deeper into his chest as if it had to hide behind his organs. Mingi smiled around his soup.

"Will this be an issue? Between Yunho and I?"

Yeosang hummed, his fingers playing with the hem of his shirt.

"His parents might not like it, but it's not unheard of. There are other ways to bear an heir, and since we have Gunho, too, who adores the western princess very much, I doubt they have much to say. Yunho was never one to control."

The door opening interrupted Yeosang. Yunho stepped in, his features instantly lighting up when he spotted the two of them. Mingi's tail twitched, suddenly missing the presence of Yunho's touch.

"Gossiping about me?" Yunho asked as he closed the door and brushed off his robe. Mingi wondered if anybody had asked him why Mingi wasn't there. Undoubtedly, Yunho would have played it off.

"I just told him how much of a trickster you were as a kid, always pulling on your brother's horns."

Mingi snickered into his hand. When Yunho came over to sit down next to him, his eyes shone with mirth. A strong arm wrapped around Mingi's shoulder, allowing him to lean into Yunho's chest. Finally, their tails found each other again.

"I seem to have a knack for them. Did you take a look at my pants?"

Yeosang glanced at the pile of fabric next to him. With a sad sigh, he poked a claw at it.

"I did, but I can't fix them. You might need to get them to a tailor in town. Those are from the southern kingdom, right?"

Yunho nodded, his face troubled. His mood sprung over onto Mingi like a forest fire.

"What happened?"

With a dramatic sigh, Yunho nuzzled his face into Mingi's hair.

"Someone ripped them while coming so hard they passed out. Forgot who it was."

Mingi gently punched his rips, his face flaming with embarrassment. Giggling, Yeosang stood from his place.

"I'll take this as my incentive to leave. Tell me if you need me again." With a quick wave, he disappeared, but not before throwing Mingi a cheeky wink on his way out.

Mingi angled his head at Yunho, about to ask a genuine question. Before he could, Yunho interrupted him with an unexpected kiss. Even as he sulked, Mingi had to smile.

"I missed you during the day. You look so radiant after this morning," Yunho charmed his way into Mingi's heart all over again. Flattered, Mingi leaned into him more.

"I'm also glad you weren't gone for too long. So, what about the pants?"

With a troubled sigh, Yunho picked them up. A deep rip had slashed the expensive fabric open, disrupting its airy fall.

"They were still on the bed while we did things. Your horns got stuck in them."

Before Mingi could frown and apologise, Yunho kissed him once more.

"Don't. I am just at much at fault, if not more. I view it as evidence of how good I made you feel."

Mingi wanted to hit him again, for the pride swinging in his voice. Yunho was just too powerful, and he knew. Before he got executed for bullying the crown prince, however, a glorious idea flashed in Mingi's head.

"They are important and you want to get them fixed?"

Yunho nodded, neatly folding the fabric again before he set it down on the table in front of them. Once they had returned to their pathetic state of destruction, Yunho leaned back in to pull Mingi close. His warm hand on Mingi's exposed skin revived the memories of their morning.

"Then how about I bring them to Seonghwa? He's my tailor friend in town and you mentioned your interest in his skill. Consider allowing him to try," Mingi pleaded excitedly. If Seonghwa got praised by the palace, not only would the money from there help him through the rough days, but also the interest of the townsfolk in getting the same grade of skill as the palace.

Amused by Mingi's glee, Yunho brushed their noses together. His clawed fingers laid on Mingi's chin, holding him in place. Nothing disrupted their little bubble and Mingi knew that if anyone had dropped something behind them in the room right then, he would have jumped on the skull chandelier; he was that preoccupied.

"As you wish. Do you want me to join as you visit him?" Just comfortable breathing each other's air, Mingi's eyes flickered between Yunho's glowing eyes and his lips. His fingers played with one of the heavy rings around Yunho's horns.

"Tend to your own obligations instead. I will ask the stable boys to lend me a horse, so I won't be gone for long."

Yunho's smirk turned devious. His arm around Mingi's shoulder slid lower to hold on to his waist instead. Playfully, his fingers dipped around the base of Mingi's tail, making him shudder since it was a sensitive spot. Then, his palm flattened to grope at Mingi's butt.

Eyes fluttering shut at the pull that reminded him of Yunho making him melt, Mingi whined. He sat nearly in Yunho's lap by now, just shy of throwing his hooves over to be even closer.

"I hope you won't be in pain. Remember to ride slowly," Yunho whispered innocently as if his mind wasn't at the exact same place as Mingi's. When Mingi dipped forward to bite at his lower lip punishingly, Yunho kissed back delightedly. Their matching smiles evaporated as their kisses grew deeper, gentler.

It took them another few minutes to pull back. Mingi's head sunk onto Yunho's shoulder as he stared into the dancing fire unseeingly. Yunho cradled him close still.

"Anything new about the pixie?"

Behind them and unbothered by their conversation, their tails danced in the air flirtatiously. They invited each other in only to pull away in a never-ending coquetry.

"We discussed once more what Yongguk said about Kim Hongjoong. My father tried to send a diplomatic delegation to the pixie borders, but they refused us entry. San is furious. He is planning for a secret ambush right now." Yunho sighed it all in one breath. The situation was just as tense as before, but Mingi was glad that the pixie had shed no more blood.

"What about you?"

Yunho hummed into Mingi's hair, breathing in his scent. His hand played with the piercing in Mingi's navel.

"I am looking to introduce a special law for demons with erect horns while the situation is so dire. We can't take all of them into the palace to protect them, but we can try to make things more secure by asking them to heed our warnings. Today, I also suggested that we don't allow travellers beyond the borders, for now, so nobody gets an evil surprise coming here."

Hearing Yunho talking about the politics he cared so much about still invoked awe in Mingi. He had absolutely no connection to politics, knew next to nothing about how a country was governed. And yet Yunho treated it with such love and looked out for his people so heroically. Even in his political ignorance, Mingi knew Yunho was a good royal.

"I hope we can find him soon, that pixie," Mingi muttered. He wasn't in danger, but he disliked the thought of his kin getting hurt. Of Yunho getting hurt.

"Me too. I also hope it isn't San who finds him first. I want to talk with him about his motives."

For a while longer, they basked in the comfortable warmth of Yunho's chambers and their bodies. The sky outside had already turned dark again after Mingi had slept away most of the day. In return, he was wide awake now.

When Yunho stood after what felt like hours of just sitting together, Mingi made a protesting noise. Chuckling, Yunho nodded at his bed.

"Let's get comfortable, you are welcome to join me."

Mingi didn't say no to that.