"Hongjoong, you're up. Need any more sweets?"

Hongjoong felt only slightly panicked as Yongguk peeked his head into the room he was staying in, the trophy he had received himself for giving the dark elves rights and accomplishing his goals of setting a treaty between the three fighting groups still glinting prettily under his arm.

Hongjoong was quivering up until his wings, stressedly taking two honey snacks out of the gift basket Yongguk was offering to him in one fluid motion. One was popped into his mouth immediately, the other one found it's new home in his pocket.

"I can do it, right? You did it too."

"You have my permission to make everybody implode who is giving you a hard time out there." Yongguk watched Hongjoong get up and pass him in the doorframe. One of his hands came up to pat his shoulder softly.

"Am I allowed to blow up my boyfriend?"

Yongguk paused, his hand freezing on Hongjoong's tensed shoulder. It took Hongjoong an embarassing long moment of panic of something going wrong until he noticed.

"No, wait! I meant like detontations and stuff! Because he is giving me the hardest of-"

Yongguk started grinning, his eyes disappearing and pink gums making their grand entrance.

"You know what? Forget it. I'll leave him alone I guess. Go out, talk, get back. I can to that.", the fae mumbled under his breath, finally leaving Yongguk behind.

"You can do it, little hero!", came a last yell from the halfling and then Hongjoong was stepping out already, entering the throne room of Neheg that was bustling with life. Upon his appearance the gathered masses started cheering and calling his name, making his head spin.

Step by step, he just had to go forward.

Hongjoong faltered, the voices growing to loud, the people in the room too many. He froze for a long moment, searching for help and it appeared through a wild Eden stepping up to his side.

"There, I am here, no worries. Lift your head. You see Seonghwa? Go to him. Ignore all the other ones."

He did not dare touch him, his soft voice enough to calm Hongjoong down again and then he indeed found Seonghwa with his eyes, taking a wobbly step forward.

That was his boyfriend over there, his eyes big with worry for Hongjoong. Hongjoong had to go there and he had to placate him. As was his job as a good boyfriend.

Eden was left behind as Hongjoong finally started walking, seeing a small smile dance over Seonghwa's lips. He had Youjin by his side, both wearing matching crowns indicating their status but Seonghwa's was golden while Youjin's was black. Youjin too gave Hongjoong an encouraging smile.

Jinyoung and Jaebeom were at the other side of the spot Hongjoong was supposed to go to, smiling at him like proud dads and Hongjoong swore he could see tears in both of their kind eyes.

The pressure started rising again, Hongjoong nearly slowing down but then Seonghwa was shifting on his feet, making Hongjoong's wide eyes dart to him and he felt calm again.

He actually managed to reach them, sighing in relief before overlooking the large crowd. He wanted to take Seonghwa's hand so bad but he refrained from it.

The crowd finally quitened down again, Yeosang stepping forward from the sidelines. While he kept his face serious Hongjoong could see the mischief glinting in his eyes, a faint 'hehet' sounding in his ears as a reminder of Yeosang's laugh.

"And here is our second laureate! Kim Hehetjoong you get an award for dilligently studying and researching the fae during the past two years, thus making them receive personal rights and the stance of a worthy person in our society. Congratulations."

The crowd broke out in cheers while Hongjoong was still glaring at Yeosang, gruffily taking his gift basket and little chrystallized flower - a dahlia - as an award.

He turned around, giving the flower to Seonghwa as if out of reflex and the gift basket to Jinyoung.

When he focused the crowd again everybody contained their excitement once more, just a few fae girls at the sides whispering about the elves.

Youjin winked at them. Seonghwa ignored them frostily.

Hongjoong cleared his throat, receiving a coo from somewhere that sounded suspiciously like San. Then another one, probably Wooyoung cooing over San.

Hongjoong barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes.

"First of all thank you everybody for this absolutely not necessary and terrifying ceremony. Let's never do it again."

Some laughter followed and Hongjoong relaxed a bit, seeing Mingi bury his head in Yunho's shoulder across from him in order to contain his giggles. At least those two were cute.

"As Yongguk mentioned already we have been working on this closely together all that time, meaning this award is just as his at it is mine. I want to thank our two elven kings for their cooperation on the topic, letting me study their kind and offering their help whenever." He nodded towards Seonghwa and Youjin, receiving a wink too and a fun little glint in Seonghwa's eyes.

Hongjoong closed his eyes, breathing deeply for a moment while the crowd cheered for those two.

Not make Seonghwa implode, just leave it be.

"Also our fae kings, who, of course supported me greatly too. It is a great honour to me to receive this award as a human become fae, living among their kind."

A yell came from somewhere.

"And also having a drop dead gorgeous elven lover!" A head quickly ducked before Hongjoong could detect him, but he knew that voice. So this was where Jongho went. Hongjoong's revenge would be horrible.

The entertained crowd laughed again, Hongjoong noticing Seonghwa subtly hiding his blushing face in his shoulder.

"Also I would like to thank my friends for their endless support not only then but also now. I would have loved to share my gift basket with them if it were not for me going to share it with my lover." He pronounec every word very clearly, getting the message across and Mingi was going all teary eyed at the other end of the room, his bottom lip jutting out in a pout. Yunho took him in his arms with a matching pout, sending a disappointed glance towards Hongjoong.

Well, maybe be could share with them.

"I will put this up in the fae king's hut for you to admire and appreciate and now I will leave, thank you very much." He bowed quickly, snatching the flower and his basket again and then running out, directly into a laughing Yongguk's arms.

"What, you look as if being chased by wolves."

"Those are worse than wolves, what are they so hungry for?"

Yongguk helped him set down his basket next to his own, carefully wrapping the precious flower in soft fabric.

"Well you are going to marry a king. In many cases their king. With your background? Quite a feat. You did well." Hongjoong bowed his head as Yongguk ruffled his hair enthusiastically. He heard the crowd outside go wild again as Youjin sweet talked them into parting now.

Seonghwa emerged from outside just seconds after, the first two buttons of his shirt already undone. His eyes found Hongjoong's quickly and he strode over to him with long steps, softly grasping his face to press a sweet kiss to his lips. Hongjoong nearly knocked his crown down in surprise.

"You were beautiful out there. Still are. Breathtaking. Yongguk you may want to leave." Seonghwa was pressing closer further, Yongguk already taking his coat with a deep laugh.

Hongjoong had to physically fight Seonghwa off, constantly dodging him to escape his greedy fingers.

"No you do not. Seonghwa stop it. We are not at home right now and we will not ask Youjin to stay over the night. You know what happened last time."

A threesome, that had happened. A threesome with everybody being happy in that moment and Seonghwa nearly killing Youjin the morning after when the haze had worn off.

Seonghwa calmed down at that, pouting too but stepping back as the other kings came in. Jinyoung and Jaebeom hugged Hongjoong with words of praise, Youjin also pressed a kiss to his nose and cooed at him while Seonghwa just looked dangerous in a corner.

San and Wooyoung, Yunho and Mingi, Yeosang, Jongho, Eden, they all came in to say some words, the dark elves helping the others with packing their stuff for the journey back.

"Come by soon. I'll be lonely if not." Youjin had draped himself over Hongjoong's shoulders, cuddling up to him and making walking hard. Both of them tried to ignore the dark cloud of jealousy to their left.

"You know how it works. We rather you come over than coming into this lair of yours.", Hongjoong deadpanned, shrugging him off gently.

"You got me. I'll try again next time."

They took their stuff, the fae joining their kings and everybody saying goodbye to the people leaving. Hongjoong mounted that same arrogant stag he had gotten to know a long time ago, holding onto Seonghwa's waist tightly. The other man was stiff in his grip, ignoring him completely.

Hongjoong leaned in close, pushing his body up a bit so he could whisper into his ear.

"What, you that jealous? Am I supposed to be scared?", he taunted the other, grinning, when Seonghwa only tightened his jaw.

"How am I supposed to punish this little boyfriend of mine after we found out he has a thing for choking?"

"I won't say no to it."

"Could you two like get a room?"

Both of them glared at Yunho simultanously.

"We are getting there."

"Are you forgetting your boyfriend right now?"

Yunho left with a panicked expression, yelling Mingi's name all over the place.

Hongjoong went back to leaning against Seonghwa's shoulder, giving him the candy out of his pocket.

"Now, tell me more about your newest ideas."