Hello people!

I wanted to inform you that I will be moving in two weeks and thus have a lot of things to do. I will update until then, but I can't promise you daily updates or a regular schedule for a while! I hope you can be patient~

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Night dawned upon the group before they reached the little hidden place of Blagbarrow. San assured them that they had already covered a good part of their route and would reach their destination soon. While Mingi and Jongho took care of setting up their encampment, San asked Yeosang to help him prepare the food. They all carried some of their rations, and it was time to distribute them fairly and evenly between them. Yeosang sat on the cold ground and held the platters for San to pile food on. His eyes were transfixed on the other two and their laughter when they teased each other for any mishaps. Their liveliness amused Yeosang and kept his spirits up even in the dark of the canyon. Here, the rushing from the water underneath them had become a constant companion on their voyage. With the distance between the ocean and them, he could tell the difference from the smaller stream between them and the vast open ocean.

"Glad to see they're having fun."

San had followed Yeosang's line of sight to the playful duo. His dimples were apparent on his face when he regarded them with a smile. He looked like a satisfied father who had taken his kids out to play.

"They are like siblings," Yeosang agreed good-naturedly. In the time he spent getting to know Jongho and Mingi together, it had quickly become apparent that Mingi regarded the other one as his younger brother. Given Mingi's large family and the number of his siblings, Yeosang could see how that happened. For Jongho, however, he had to assume that Mingi reminded the man of Yunho. From what he had seen and heard of Yunho before, the two had quite some similarities. Yeosang had never asked where Yunho had gone, but based on Jongho's current style of living, Yeosang didn't expect him to return anytime soon.

"Do you have siblings, San?"

The question was meant rather politely so that they could fill the uncomfortable silence of the canyon that could be deafening if not for the water beneath them. San gladly took it.

"I have an older sister, but she left Qam a while ago. She travelled over the ocean to find work there. By now, she probably found a loving husband or wife and has an established and fulfilled life. At least I hope she has." He winked at Yeosang when he gave his plate two cookies and didn't put one on his own. The sweet gesture had Yeosang blush. He bet the pathfinder who was far broader and stronger build than Yeosang himself needed it more, but he wouldn't complain. Instead, he secretly noted how inclusive of both genders San's words had been. It was safe to assume he had reasons to spell it out like that.

"That sounds like a nice outlook, yes. I also wish her the best. Hopefully, I can say the same about Seonghwa one day without having to fear for his life."

"Worry not, little bird. From how he and Hongjoong get along ever since they arrived here, I can say relatively confidently that Seonghwa will have him at his side from now on. Just like you and Jongho are."

His agreement on the relationship of his brother to the air pilot came to no surprise to Yeosang. His last sentence did.

"Jongho? I don't have such ties with Jongho."

San stilled in his movements to look at him cryptically.

"You don't?"

Yeosang swiftly shook his head. The confusion was etched into his features at the bold claim. Did he and Jongho seem like a couple to other people? The thought had never crossed Yeosang's mind. While he found Jongho attractive and intensely fascinating, he had never assumed that interest to be more than philosophical.

"Yet I was so sure... Does that mean you are free for anybody to approach?"

An abrupt redness took over Yeosang's features and warmed his cheeks. San's teasing voice bordered something more serious, and Yeosang couldn't deny the sweet curl of excitement it ignited in his stomach. The devotion of a man as exotic and fascinating as San towards Yeosang had his mind reel.

"Ah, yes, I am. But I can't promise my full emotional availability." Yeosang's heart beat in his chest, fast like the wings of a bird as he said that. With a chuckle, San reached out to tap the tip of his nose playfully with his pointer finger. He still wore those black leather gloves that wrapped his hands so charmingly.

"Let's see about that. You would be surprised how convincing I can be."

They giggled with each other even when Yeosang was left nearly breathless from the joy in his chest. He had never had the attention of a man anywhere near San's level on him, and while it made him incredibly self-conscious and unsure how to proceed, it also had him glow with power and eagerness. He wanted to prove to San that he was worth his time.

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence. Yeosang pondered how to take San's sugary words and how to proceed, while San busied his hands with the completion of their meals. By the time they were done, Jongho and Mingi had also set up the mats on the ground and made sure that they had some heat-generating lamp in their middle that Mingi kept cranking up whenever it glimmered down.

They all joined around the fire to share their meal and discuss the approaching day. By San's calculations, they should reach Blagbarrow by the next evening if they weren't interrupted by anything. Yeosang didn't know what could hinder them between two boring grey walls of stone, but he chose not to ask. Instead, he grinned cheerfully at Jongho who sat opposite him on the other side of the lamp and watched him with a blank expression. At his smile, he belatedly also grinned.

He had been odd these days. Time come, Yeosang should assure himself of the man's comfort. Even if he didn't know the other male well, Yeosang noticed the shift in his behaviour since they entered the canyon. Maybe he was sad because Yeosang got Seonghwa back, but he never reunited with Yunho. Maybe he felt left out because Mingi also met Hongjoong. Maybe he was anxious about their mission. Yeosang should definitely ask him and offer his genuine help.

The general atmosphere in the group was slightly off. While Mingi especially did his best to entertain all of them with his stories and ideas, he couldn't quite lift the tension of all of them. Jongho had retreated into his shell of mysteriousness around San since he didn't know him well. Yeosang tried to watch out for both of them and respond to Mingi just how he tried not to make Jongho additionally uncomfortable. San merely sat next to them with his body supported by one arm behind him and replied nonchalantly and with the same charms they knew from him.

Night came with coldness. Even during their meal, they all had huddled in their blankets, but the colder it got, the more Yeosang felt it creep through the fabric. With hungry fingers, it reached for his warm flesh to take all his liveliness away from him. Would it get cold enough at night for them to freeze? Yeosang wasn't too keen on trying that out.

Once it was time to sleep, Jongho and Mingi flopped down on their respective mats and were out like lights. There was no need to have a nightguard since nobody wandered these steep paths, and even if they did, San was confident that he would hear them even from a large distance. Yeosang took a while longer to adjust and find a convenient position on the uncomfortable ground. Despite the mat, the coldness seeped from the stone. Whenever Yeosang's body calmed for a while, the need to move and keep himself warm overpowered him again.

For a moment, he considered staying up and walking in frustrated circles instead. His tired mind was discouraged with his restlessness since it recognised the need to gather new energy for the next day. Before he could rise, however, a movement behind him had him freeze. For a second, he waited for reprimands with bated breath. Nothing came but the scrape of a mat against the rough floor. It echoed loudly through the gorge, but Mingi and Jongho didn't stir.

Yeosang turned to blink through the darkness at San, who shifted his mat to lay directly behind Yeosang. No word was uttered when his warm body pressed up right against Yeosang, and a strong arm pulled them close together. San adjusted his blanket for a moment until both of them laid aligned and shared each other's warmth while their blankets covered both of them on either side.

Yeosang sighed into the feeling of warmth that overcame him ultimately. Their snug closeness also had his heart rate pick up, and his mind reawakened from its drowsiness, but he appreciated the heat too much to wriggle away. Instead, he fell into the feeling of San's legs aligning with his, and his regular breaths against his neck. He managed to relax within a short time. Finally, he could wait for sleep to overwhelm him until he forgot everything about chasms and betrayal and the cold.

-

Surprisingly, Yeosang awoke before San in the morning. When he blinked his eyes open, San's arm was still wrapped around his waist snugly. The pink-haired man had buried his face in Yeosang's shoulder, and both of their bodies were warm and cosy underneath their blankets. Judging from the pain that zapped through Yeosang's back as soon as he rose his neck, though, sleeping on the floor had not been the most comfortable thing to do for his body.

Jongho was the only one awake. He busied himself with the gadgets on his leg, as he unscrewed some of the parts to tinker with them. At first, he didn't notice Yeosang's awareness of his every move, but when Yeosang groggily looked around to check on Mingi, he also rose his head. At once, he didn't block the little body of Bricky on his shoulder anymore. Yeosang's face lit up at the sight of the little bird. Without a comment, Jongho picked him up and handed him over to Yeosang. With Bricky in his hand, Yeosang relished in San's warmth and the blankets for a few moments longer.

Bricky had a tiny note tied to one of his brass legs. While he sat patiently still and hummed the melody that reminded Yeosang so distinctively of Jongho by now, Yeosang took it from him and opened it. Quickly, his eyes scanned the note.

Dear Yeosang

I am relieved to hear that you have made it out safely. From what I hear of the king's plans, you scored the right time to do so.

The king is setting up another army. According to the Minister of Defence, he seeks to eradicate Gizfall, the kingdom we lost against last time. The Bishops are his stronger army that doesn't need as many victims to be sacrificed for our victory. He has gained support all through the castle and kingdom, especially since we are sure by now that one of their spies must have murdered Prince Seonghwa. May his soul rest in peace.

Our king's determination to avenge his son is enormous and gives the people new hope. I can't make any predictions about how successful this war will be, but the Bishops are indeed a powerful weapon.

He didn't mention you, as far as I know. If that changes, I will contact you immediately. I hope you are safe wherever you are, Yeosang. Take care.

Your Friend
Wooyoung

A mixture of emotions flooded Yeosang. While glad to have gained Wooyoung as an ally, the news he had reported were unsettling. Yeosang didn't doubt that with the Bishops and the Spheres, the king had a mighty militia and could avenge his past loss. But where would another war lead them to? Expansion? More war? Even if he didn't plan to sacrifice many human lives, he still risked both cities by breaking the treaty.

San silently reached up to pull the note from Yeosang's hand and read it himself. While he was busy, Yeosang slowly sat up and adjusted his rumpled clothing. Jongho wasn't looking at him when he glanced over.

San was.

"You should tell your brother about this. Let's see what he has to say and if he knows anything about it. As soon as you wrote out the message, we will be back on our way. Whatever it is that we might find here and that is able to stop the king, we might want to discover it before the earth starts quaking with another human-imposed battle."