Seonghwa was amused by all means. The irconic grin would not leave his face for the entire day and whenever Hongjoong got into trouble with questions concerning his wings, the other man was boldly scoffing at his side.

Hongjoong tried for a moment to catch the other man alone, explain himself somehow but the elf dodged him knowingly, declaring his condolences for being so terribly popular.

He was playing Hongjoong like a cat a mouse and it seriously started taking it's toll on Hongjoong's guts. They were twisted into knots since he had met the pretentious prince and every inquiry exhausted him. The prince already knew who he was, why were they even trying?

Probably to torment Hongjoong, it would be fitting of the cruel smirk on the elf's handsome face.

When the evening and the most important conversation of their whole meeting got closer, Hongjoong sneaked out to get a bit of a breather before the grand banquet started. He had told Wooyoung where to find him in case something happened and he hurried up, as he started searching for Youjin again.

The man was watching the animals just like before, but he was alone now, Mingi also mingling with their guests by now. Hongjoong saw him talking to Yunho earlier after he spilled his drink all over the nice elf and Mingi was blushing beautifully beneath his scales.

When Youjin heard Hongjoong's steps halting behind him, he turned around on the fence, a smile on his lips. It disappeared quickly however, when he saw the frenzy Hongjoong was in.

"Oh no, what happened? Was he there? Did he do something to you?" Within seconds he slid from the old wood and pulled Hongjoong into a soft hug, nuzzling into his hair. Hongjoong was breathing heavily, the hands holding Youjin's waist shaking.

"Keep breathing, in and out, yes, just like that. You're fine, Hongjoong, you can do it."

Youjin's words were a soft litany in Hongjoong's ear, calming him down again and assuring him of the others presence. After a while the rushing noise he had heard stopped too and he finally really tasted the fresh air of the night. Relieved he melted into Youjin's arms.

The fae petted all over him, touching his hair, his shoulders and back fleetingly. For a moment Hongjoong let himself be held and slowed down his breathing.

They shared a worried silence until Hongjoong picked his head of the other's chest, finally ready to talk. Youjin gave him a shaky smile, leaning forward to kiss Hongjoong softly first.

The human complied easily, lifting his own hands to Youjin's shoulder as he wrapped his hands around Hongjoong's small body, pulling them close together.

For a moment everything was absolutely fine, absolutely alright, until another voice spoke up.

A deep voice with an arrogant, mocking tone.

"The two of you are awfully close to that silver in his lip, don't you think?"

Youjin's movement was so fast, that Hongjoong startled, suddenly standing behind Youjin who had positioned himself between Seonghwa and himself.

The elf glowed in a soft golden light during the night and all of the animals on the other side of the fence slowly started trotting closer as they saw him.

A smug smile adorned the other's face and teasingly he lifted a brow, made hot anger burn up in Hongjoong.

"How could it be silver when we are fae?"

Right. Silver burned fae. It hurt them, melting the skin right off their bodies.

Protectively Hongjoong rested his hands on Youjin's hips, ready to move, should the elf lunge at them. The other's wings were spread slightly, making him appear broader.

"Ah is it? My bad, I thought that maybe one imposter might side with another one."

Hongjoong bit his lip until he drew blood, sending hateful glances towards the elf. Youjin just looked at him quickly over his shoulder and then placed one hand soothingly on Hongjoong's.

"What is your business with us? Are you just going around accusing people?" Youjin's voice was hard and unforgiving. His whole body tensed as the prince just started laughing loudly.

"Me? I was called here to bring justice and that's what I'm doing. This is made from pure silver. Watch me press it against your little lover's neck and you will know immediately what he certainly is not." His movements were deliberate as he pulled his dagger from his hip - a very familiar curved blade.

Youjin pushed Hongjoong back a bit, protecting him.

"Oh, or you do it. You can touch the hilt, don't worry."

"Why do you carry a weapon on diplomatic grounds?" Youjin spoke from between his teeth, not falling for the other's taunting.

Seonghwa stemmed his free hand into his hip.

"Well, I didn't carry it before. Only after I met this little comedian behind you. Hey, Pinky! Do you want to keep lying to your man for much longer?"

Hongjoong blushed again, got the reference to his once fading red hair now turned white. By Seonghwa. How was he supposed to clean up this mess?

Youjin however seemed confused.

"Why call him Pinky?"

The smirk on Seonghwa's face bordered wickedness. Hongjoong was not ready for what was to come, his heart panicking in his chest.

"This is not his natural haircolour, that's why. But he certainly is also as small as my pinky." Seonghwa lifted his hand, measured his little finger from the distance with Hongjoong. He gave a satisfied nod.

But then his eyes turned even darker, a flash of tongue appearing on his lips.

"Oh, and you should have seen how he blushed like a virgin maid when he saw me naked. I'm pretty sure my pinky would suffice to get him going like a dog in heat. Want me to demonstrate?"

It was Youjin who lunged at him.

Seonghwa was laughing, his voice echoing in the forest while Hongjoong went after Youjin with a warning cry.

Youjin moved too fast to anticipate and Seonghwa actually had to fight him off when he could not dodge fast enough. Seonghwa had a similar kind of swiftness but fought mainly with his hands, while Youjin attacked his legs.

When Hongjoong interrupted the fight, Youjin pulled back, intending to grab Hongjoong but Seonghwa slashed at his outstrechted hand, making him pull back while hissing.

Hongjoong was grabbed at his nape, pulled close against the tall form of his new enemy. At first he struggled and bit but soon cool metal against his neck made him freeze in panic.

There was no way of keeping his cover now. Youjin could see the way the silver did not burn Hongjoong.

He stayed calm however, seemed to have a tight grip on his emotions. Hongjoong certainly did not, his lip wobbling and eyes filling with hot tears.

"Let him go. Just go home, this is our business now, not your's."

Hongjoong shivered when hearing those words, freezing, when Seonghwa lifted his dagger to his cheek, pressing the blade against it gently.

"Boring. I just discovered a liar in your own arms and this is your only reaction? Luna, fae and their frosty emotions." Seonghwa tightened his arm holding Hongjoong's waist, dragging him with when he started backwards slowly.

"I will take him with me if you don't mind. He nearly started a war on us, it's only fair for me to get to punish him."

Hongjoong did not like that promise at all and desperate tears spilled over his cheeks, as he reached out a hand towards Youjin.

"Please-" Cold metal against his bottom lip choked him up.

"Let him go."

"No."

"Wrong answer, Park Seonghwa."

He moved forward fast and Hongjoong wailed in expectation of having a dagger cut open his throat, as Seonghwa suddenly just stumbled backwards, taking Hongjoong with him.

"You-"

Hongjoong regained his senses to Youjin being grazed by Seonghwa's poisonous dagger, not flinching at all as just a normal cut appeared next to another one.

Seonghwa stared at it for an excruciatingly long time, all of them freezing in question.

Was Youjin... Why did he not-... burn?

And then, when Seonghwa lifted his head again to meet Youjin's eyes a disbelieving smile adorned the elf's lips.

"So I was right. You are no fairy too. What is happening, where did the real fairies go?" He was laughing hysterically again, however choking on it, as Youjin dropped whatever masquerade he himself was holding up.

And Hongjoong's eyes grew big.

He seemed smiliar to Seonghwa and at the same time not. Their ears were pointed and both of them carried horns but that was all. Youjin's horns were the ones of a gazelle, curving beautifully above his head. His skin seemed more gray, had taken on an ashen color. His eyes glimmed red in darkly shadowed eyes.

In the night it was nearly not discernable but there were black tattoos all over him, mindless swirls moving lively beneath his skin.

He looked terrifying, sharp fangs protuding slightly from his lips.

And Seonghwa laughed.

"You?! You here?!"

"Give me back that boy, you know you are no match for me."

"He is that important to you that you show youself? Why, my prince, too bad. You just lost him."

Hongjoong could never foresee the movement behind them, but suddenly a huge lynx was leaping through the darkness behind them, mauling an unexpecting Youjin.

Hongjoong's anguished screams sounded through the forest.