Once Seonghwa was seated on his cushion to help with lingering bruising, Yeosang and Jongho climbed onto the cart with him. The former served as a playmate for Aodhán, describing the trees and the skies the baby stared up to with fascinated babbles. Jongho made sure no one would fall off as he sunk into shape at Seonghwa's side.

The others rode their mounts. Wooyoung whistled for Mulberry and San was seated atop his graceful white stag. Mingi took a moment to find his goat, but she was receptive to his blindness. Their eyes were a matching onyx as she bumped her head into his side to announce herself. With a deep chuckle, Mingi caressed between her horns.

"There you are. Nice to meet you again," he told his horned friend. He swung up his leg just as Yunho came up behind him to offer a guiding hand. Smooth, Mingi came to sit on the tall goat's back and Yunho's baffled hand landed on his thigh. Awed, he looked up at the pleased demon.

"Nice mounting, friend!" Yunho cheered with a pat on the demon's thick leg, then he clapped at Buddy to come along. As usual, their traditional human preferred his horse over anything else.

Seonghwa jostled Aodhán so he could see well, then the cart trotted away. The two bears' paws thudded softly on the forest path.

Everyone enjoyed nature on their way. San and the baby soaked up the sun and Yunho kept bringing over twigs or cones for Aodhán to hold and play with. Since he was more elf than human, nature told its story the way it did for the golems. No instinct to gnaw on everything he got into his hands drove him, and his eyes sparkled up at Yunho whenever his father leaned over the edge of the cart.

Every time, Yunho was flustered.

"He looks so much like you," he whispered once. "So beautiful."

"I might have fallen for his eyes. I won't be able to deny him anything," Yeosang agreed. With a warm chuckle, Seonghwa caressed his son's soft cheek.

"He captivates us all."

The rest of the ride was harmonious. Wooyoung babbled to Mulberry and Hongjoong asked once if Seonghwa needed more pillows. If he were in charge, Seonghwa would travel on clouds. When the crown prince assured him he was just fine, the mage clicked his tongue. He muttered about Seonghwa underestimating how he deserved to be spoiled.

The lake welcomed them with the lush of spring. It wasn't quite green in every tree yet, but flower buds blossomed through the earth and the faeries rustled from their winter sleep. When they came to a halt at the shoreline, the early spirits of the lake came to buzz around them in a flurry. Though they didn't get as old as elves, they watched Seonghwa visit this lake for a long time. When they recognised him in the child on his arm, they came to sit on his shoulders in delight.

"Oh, my! Look how lovely he is!" One chirped, cupping her chin in her hands where she landed on Aodhán's chest. Her little feet kicked in the air and she wore a tulip as a hat. When Aodhán ogled her with big eyes, she snickered.

"His hair is bright like the sun! It would match violets so well," another one sang.

The one on Seonghwa's shoulder turned her tiny head to study his fond smile.

"He's yours, isn't he? What a joy! Our marvellous prince had a child while we slept," she rejoiced. When she fluttered off, her glimmering faery dust had Aodhán grab for the air. The shimmering thrill sparkled in his eyes.

"Tell your tribes about it. Soon, I will visit all the major towns to greet my people. I would love to see you there."

"You will!" She promised. Together with the dragonflies, they buzzed around the lake, cheering and celebrating for Aodhán. They brought gifts, as well. A flower crown of intricately woven violets, berries for Aodhán to nibble on, and sweet snowdrops to tuck into Seonghwa's hairdo. Their giggles twinkled like glitter and made the others chuckle. Only the bears swiped their curious paws at them with a bit too much might, sending them whirling through the air.

Yeosang cradled Aodhán and responded to his gabbles with grave nods and elaborate responses, as if they had a conversation. Fascinated, Jongho tried to figure out how it worked while Seonghwa slid from the cart. San had offered his hand to him and now that their eyes met, they remembered what happened last time they came here. With a blush dusting his cheeks, Seonghwa elegantly averted his gaze. San's stare burned with the intensity of a thousand suns, but the elf wasn't ready for its impact yet.

On cue, his knees gave out beneath him when he lost his balance on the uneven earth. San was there, catching his momentum with a muscular arm around his waist. He crowded into Seonghwa with his warmth, his scent, the power of his limbs, and yearning gathered in Seonghwa's abdomen. It stung since his body still recovered, but his heart leapt.

White wings balanced them and gave them some privacy from inquisitive stares. Though Seonghwa would have loved to linger, he pushed himself up and tucked his hair behind his ear with an embarrassed glimpse at the ground. A moment later, he stood and parted from San's broad body.

"M-my apologies," he uttered. He made the mistake of glancing up and search the reason for San's silence. What he found in those majestic eyes almost made him flinch back.

His seraph always veiled his ulterior thoughts well. He battled anything impure, sealed it in the depths of his mind. Only fortitude and benevolence carried in his dignified expression.

But not now.

Something had changed. Seonghwa didn't know when, but he would guess it had to do with Aodhán's birth, since he was so distracted at that time.

Darkness simmered in San's gaze, unperturbed. It was carnal and intense, like a curse festering in a wound. Nothing about it reminisced his righteousness or his celibacy. He looked like a wild animal.

Seonghwa shuddered, but he didn't know if it happened for that darkness itself or how bare it lay. Unabashed, San revealed it to him and, in return, Seonghwa felt as if stripped bare by that gaze.

As if San wanted to eat him.

Seonghwa almost asked him if he was alright but he caught his tongue. San showed this only to him. Conveyed his hunger, his desire. Though at this point, Seonghwa feared he might never escape if he fell into San's clutches. The seraph might tie him up, lock him away from anyone else. Let the darkness ravage them as they lost all sense as he wanted to take him, own him, breed him.

Understanding came with another shudder. Seonghwa stepped back from San delicately, fingers hesitant to drop from him as they craved that dark promise. As they wanted to be locked up by no one but him.

Scolding himself for his folly, Seonghwa gave San a look that meant they had to talk about this later. Starving, San nodded.

The heat in his abdomen lingered as Seonghwa gathered his senses to return to the rest. He needed time to heal and his husbands gave him space. Paired with San's usual resistance, however, it made for an explosive mixture.

For the first time, Seonghwa wasn't sure if he could tame San's wildness, all those buried desires. On the other hand, San would never expose them to Hongjoong to help. They were similar in that regard.

Once Aodhán was back in his arms, Seonghwa was sufficiently distracted. He fed him as the fairies circled them and Jongho asked Yunho whether he regarded Buddy as his child. Spluttering, Yunho tried to explain the difference, yet didn't find many arguments. Yeosang commented that his talent to father Buddy played into Seonghwa's choice.

Aodhán grew sleepy soon, and they let him rest before their return. While he curled up in a basin Jongho formed in his lap, the others took a breather. Seonghwa trailed through the shallow water at the shoreline, dipping in his feet.

Hongjoong picked ingredients for his potions but today, Wooyoung wasn't by his side to help him (and grinned at being commanded around.) Neither did he sit at the picnic with San and Yeosang. He didn't even cross the skies on his or Mulberry's wings. After searching for him for a while, Seonghwa spotted him on the other side of the lake. He ambled by himself though he hated being alone, and his head hung low to match the deflated drag of his wings behind him. Pitiful, he wandered the lonely treeline, not ignited by the faeries' fooleries today.

Seonghwa's heart gave a painful yank when he laid eyes on him. It scolded him for disregarding Wooyoung for so long before he even caught up with him.

With hurried steps, Seonghwa rounded the lake. The breeze made his long veils flutter and caressed his nape like a ghostly lover. It begged for his beauty and grace, but Seonghwa was dedicated to the one he chased after.

When he caught up, a gentle finger grazed Wooyoung's wing, making it jutter. The gryphon-born looked up at him, but the gloom in his eyes didn't lift.

"Oh... Did you need something?" Wooyoung patted over himself to check if he accidentally packed anything they might want, and Seonghwa's heart cracked deeper. Sorrow washed over him, making his skin feel clammy.

"I've been meaning to talk to you," Seonghwa responded, careful to leave Wooyoung the option to back out if he needed time for himself. Even Mulberry got sent away to hunt basilisk hatchlings by himself.

Wooyoung hesitated. It was in his instinct to comply, but his gaze lingered on the camp.
"Don't you need to look after your baby?"

"He's asleep. I'm all yours," Seonghwa assured. Eventually, Wooyoung gave in. He followed Seonghwa between the trees, wandering the trails of deer and boars where the shadows obscured them.

Worried, Seonghwa linked their arms. He searched Wooyoung's face for a trace of what troubled him, but found no answer.

"What is the matter? You seem downcast."

"Just mourning," Wooyoung muttered.

Shocked, Seonghwa tightened his grip.

"Did something happen?"

Wooyoung gnawed on his lip, contemplating to speak the truth. Ultimately, he caved.

"I miss when it was just us, is all... In the past year, I- Everything is about him now. I know that's the new reality, but I liked it more before that. I was happier then."

Seonghwa slowed them to a stop. His fingers settled on Wooyoung's shoulders, but the gryphon-born averted his sight. His jaw flexed as he gulped down the regret to have confessed.

Upset only with himself, Seonghwa sought his words.

"I- Forgive me, Wooyoung," he brought out. He was startled by how granted he took Wooyoung's ongoing support. During his pregnancy, he was so busy with the care for himself and his child that the thought never crossed him how much the others held back for him.

Wooyoung waved it off.

"As I said, it's the new reality. I feel awful for resenting a child, your child of all, but... I miss when I was the one you looked at with all that adoration." Depressed, he turned Seonghwa's ring on his finger. Seonghwa tightened his hold.

"You are! I promise you are. You are my dearest Wooyoung, my sweet darling. Having Aodhán doesn't mean I cherish you less." Unabashed with his feelings, Seonghwa pulled him into a hug. His fingers carded through Wooyoung's soft hair.

"I would never discard you. Let's share all the love I have to give, but please stay just as dear to me," he begged. When he pulled back and Wooyoung noticed the tears shimmering in his eyes, he cursed.

"Oh, no, don't cry. Stars, that wasn't what I wanted." Clumsily, he wiped at Seonghwa's eyes, consoling the trembling elf.

"I'm so sorry," Seonghwa sobbed. "I didn't want anyone to feel left out. I tried, but-"

"I know, I know," Wooyoung muttered, eyes softening at the glimmering tears. "Sometimes I wish you wouldn't do that. Spread yourself so thin between us. I'm just selfish. I know you don't love me less."

Though he wanted to brush it off, Seonghwa persisted.

"No, let me make it up to you. You can be selfish. I was also selfish having a child. Be selfish and tell me what you need so I may tend to you," he pleaded. Though Wooyoung hesitated, wanted to forget the topic before Seonghwa got more stressed, he gave in. The loyal adoration of the elf was irresistible.

"I want to continue being your baby. For you to praise me and give me gifts when I did well," Wooyoung confessed. A blush raged over his cheeks and his hands clenched into fists, but he stayed strong.

Quickly, Seonghwa hugged him and kissed his face until the frown disappeared.

"Of course. You are my sweetheart, always."

Wooyoung eased into the embrace until he could hug back. When his head sunk to Seonghwa's shoulder, relieved, Seonghwa's soul also eased its pain.