Wooyoung didn't expect to wind up in a pub on the outskirts of the kingdom, but that's exactly where San brought him. It's far enough out of the way to where most of the people inhabiting it aren't from around here, but close enough that they were able to get there with plenty of time to spend together.

Wooyoung keeps the hood of his jacket he slipped on up as they set down at the bar, San moving his stool closer to Wooyoung's before he takes his seat.

"Where'd you find this place?" Wooyoung asks, his body language clearly unsure and unaware of what to do in a setting such as this.

San, on the other hand, looks completely relaxed and runs his fingers through his hair. Wooyoung's cheeks pinken at the sight of San's exposed forehead, knowing that his hair must be as soft and silky as it looks -- as he remembers it being.

San smiles at Wooyoung with the most reassuring smile he's ever seen, "I come here often after hard nights at the Hide. An old friend of mine owns the place," he explains.

Wooyoung nods, "Where are they?" He decides to not inquire about the definition of a 'hard night' for fear it would ruin the moment between them before it ever even started.

"He should be working tonight," San chuckles, noticing the dismissal, and he appreciates it.

"I want to meet him," Wooyoung says softly.

"And you will," San replies smoothly, letting his hand fall back to his side, grazing Wooyoung's on its way down, "And, Woo... Don't worry too much, people from all kingdoms come to this pub, as it's a crosspoint between many of them. You can relax here, I promise you."

Wooyoung wants to believe San's words, and his body does ease itself back into the stool a bit, but he keeps his guard up, "I'll try to loosen up, I just... I don't go out often."

"You've never been to a pub, have you, Wooyoung?"

Wooyoung shakes his head and plays with his hair nervously, "No, ah- I haven't really... gone anywhere, to be honest. I've always been cooped up face-first in my studies and even if I did want to go out, Mother denied me the right. I believe that's why not very many of our people know my face as well as my Mother or Father, but it's not so bad..."

San frowns sadly at Wooyoung's reveal, "Not so bad? Woo, they've kept you as a prisoner. That's far from 'not so bad' don't you think?"

Wooyoung searches for a reply, but he's afraid of the answer he's found for San within his head.

It was bad.

Wooyoung knew the truth. Of course, he did, but he tried not to let it bother him over the years.

San places a careful hand on Wooyoung's shoulder, willing his eyes to meet his own, "Well, you're out now, isn't that right? And we're going to have a wonderful time, I promise you."

"That's the second time you've said that tonight," Wooyoung finds himself giggling at San's mindless repetition in his words, "You sure do make me a lot of promise, San."

"I wouldn't make a promise I can't keep, my--... Wooyoung."

"Choi San, is that you?"

A light voice rings out from behind the bar, the voice soon able to be placed upon a man of small stature. Wooyoung studies him, noticing the man's roughed-up hands and an equally as roughed-up face. As rigid as the man looks, in his eyes is nothing but kindness.

"Ji," San smiles widely, extending the sound of his name, "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise, and so soon at that!" The man called 'Ji' replies.

San looks to Wooyoung and motions towards the man Wooyoung can only assume is the friend he was talking about, "Woo, this is Han Jisung. Ji, this is-"

"My, my... San, you never said that this was the young lad," Jisung says, his voice awestruck.

San smiles to himself, knowing that Jisung's always been told about how much he adores someone. That someone being Wooyoung. Jisung was San's confidant in all of his feelings and emotions towards Wooyoung, and now, Jisung realizes that the man San's been so taken by is the Prince.

Prince Wooyoung.

It isn't long after that when Jisung's voice falls, realizing the true predicament his friend has found himself in.

"The one and only," San replies, his eyes full of admiration as he looks at Wooyoung, letting himself do so only because Wooyoung is still looking at Jisung.

"So, what can I get for my two favorite customers?" Jisung smiles, leaning on the bartop.

"A cocktail will be fine," San smiles, not taking his eyes off of Wooyoung until he notices him turning his head.

"I'll have what he's having," Wooyoung says confidently, and San looks at him with widened eyes.

"I... don't know if you should be drinking tonight, Woo."

Wooyoung puffs out his bottom lip and leans further into him, "I've always wanted to try alcohol, I'll pay," he smiles, as if that would convince San into giving in to his wishes.

San eyes Wooyoung up and down, already well-aware of his small stature and thin frame, but he takes it in fully now. He's so little, San thinks and knows that a man such as him wouldn't do well with alcohol, especially the one he drinks, but those bright and bushy-tailed eyes melt his rebuttal to nothing.

"So...?" Wooyoung giggles, his cheerfulness filling the air around the three of them, lightening it easily.

San sighs and shakes his head, "Two cocktails, Ji."

Wooyoung hops in his seat, his excitement becoming overwhelming as the liquor is being mixed behind the counter. Soon enough, the glasses are being placed in front of the two of them.

"Not your usual, eh, San?" Jisung hums and pulls a stool from behind the bar to sit with them for a moment while there are no other customers at the counter.

San shakes his head, picking up his drink and swirling it around a bit before taking a sip, "Not with him," he says calmly, and Jisung nods in understanding. Of course, he's not going to get someone strong with Wooyoung in his presence. He doesn't need it, especially not tonight.

The hard stuff is reserved for when he comes here with the intent of getting intoxicated.

San glances over at Wooyoung, noticing him examining the dark amber liquid in his glass, even going as far as to smell it. He jerks his head back, shocked by the way the scent burns his nostrils, and San chuckles.

He doesn't need any help being intoxicated tonight, not when Wooyoung is his favorite intoxicant.

"Take it slow, okay, Woo?" San says, turning his body towards him as he sees Wooyoung lifting the glass to his lips.

"I can handle myself just fine," Wooyoung says matter-of-factly and San just shakes his head with a smirk when Wooyoung takes his first drink. To which, he coughs and sets it down immediately afterward, "That's horrible," he narrows his brows at the drink and looks back up to San and Jisung, "How do you drink this dirt?"

Jisung laughs out loud at Wooyoung's comments, "It's an acquired taste, my boy," he taps the counter, "Do you want me to finish it for you?"

Wooyoung lifts his head as if to say no and picks up his glance once more, "I'm just fine, remember?" He stubbornly responds, drinking more of the putrid liquid.

San worries when he sees how quickly the liquor is disappearing from Wooyoung's glass, "Wooyoung, slow down..." He tries, but is met with a finger held up to his face, saying 'one moment please.'

Wooyoung slams the glass down, not hard, but enough to make a sound, "Absolutely vile," his top lip curls up and he rests his elbow against the counter, his palm holding his chin as he looks over at San with slightly blurrier eyes than he came in with.

San shakes his head, cursing himself for letting Wooyoung get alcohol in the first place. He knew it wasn't a good idea, but he's been so sheltered, he thought maybe it wouldn't hurt to let him do some things he wasn't normally allowed to.

"Well, you've got yourself a keeper right there, San," Jisung teases further, insinuating their questionable and undefined relationship.

San shoots Jisung a look, and Jisung just cheeses his crooked smile at him. He knows that the two of them are inevitable, but not in the more desired definition of the word, no -- the two of them are inevitably bound to go down in flames. At least, that's how San always saw it in his head.

It won't be long before Wooyoung is claimed for eternity by another, without him ever being blessed enough to be given a chance. There was no chance in the first place.

The King and Queen would have his head if they knew Wooyoung was even out with San tonight.

The Queen... San's face is twisted in disgust as he thinks of her, but he washes the thoughts down with another drink and focuses his attention on Jisung and Wooyoung conversing with each other.

"I've known him for many years now," Jisung taps his fingers against his chin, remembering the day he first met San in this pub, "And you?"

Wooyoung catches San's gaze as he looks over at him with glazed-over eyes, remembering when he sent Yeosang out to find him in the town in order to bring him to his room, "It feels like much longer than it truly has been," he giggles loudly, "You finally came back to us?"

"I never left," San says, but he knows he was zoning out a bit.

Wooyoung's movements are more loose than normal and he continuously fidgets, his body wanting to slip off of the stool he's sitting on. He looks down at his hands as he thinks about what he wants to say back, unable to hold back the words that spill from his mouth, "I wish you wouldn't," he slurs.

Jisung senses the tension between the two and picks up Wooyoung's long-emptied glass and nods his head at them before he goes back to his normal bar duties, more people have come in and are now sitting at the counter.

San's face is hot as he hears Wooyoung's clearly inebriated words, and he's sure the heat is accompanied by redness. He wants to say it's from the alcohol he's had, but he underestimates the power that Wooyoung's words have over him.

"I wish you'd never leave," Wooyoung furthers, not letting San's gaze falter from his own.

San's chest tightens and he feels like his heart stops, "I... think I should get you back home now, Wooyoung."

San leads Wooyoung back to the castle, having him mostly slung over his shoulder in order to help his legs work properly, "I'm never letting you drink again," he chuckles.

"Ah, why not?" Wooyoung whines, his bottom lip puffed out in a pout as he's now leaning up against the walls of the castle, just next to the entrance to the secret door.

"You're a handful like this," San teases and opens the door, "Now shh..."

"I always am," Wooyoung drunkenly comments as San helps him through the passageway, silencing his voice the best he can. His steps, on the other hand, are harder to conceal. San is just about carrying him by the time they finally get to the end, where Wooyoung's room is on the other side.

San opens the door as quietly as he can and helps Wooyoung through, into his bedroom. Wooyoung's clinging onto the loose fabric of San's shirt as he stumbles into the room, trying not to make a sound, and he winds up pulling San into him. San softens their fall by catching the ground with his hands, and he looks to Wooyoung's eyes with worry.

"Are you okay, my Prince?" San whispers, barely audible.

Wooyoung's face is flushed as he stares up at San, his mind not thinking logically at the moment, so he just nods, his lips slightly parted.

San smiles warmly, "Let's get you into bed..."

Wooyoung allows for San to help him under the covers and his heart is pounding, "D-Don't leave," He murmurs when he sees San turning to leave after planting a soft kiss on his forehead. His skin is still burning underneath where San had placed his lips.

San looks back at Wooyoung with a sad look and a finger to his lips, pointing towards the door where he knows Wooyoung's night guard must be standing outside of.

"Don't leave," Wooyoung says louder when San takes another step, as he tries to lean his hand over to his side table to grab his lantern, but it makes a loud clink! noise when he attempts to light it.

San's eyes widen at the sound and he quickly looks around, rushing back to Wooyoung's bed since it's closest and he crawls under it just before the door to Wooyoung's room opens.

"Prince Wooyoung? Is everything okay? I thought I heard a noise coming from in here," The night guard calls, but the room is dark and there's the outline of a body in the Prince's bed.

Wooyoung pulled the covers up over his body after leaving the lantern on the side table and he tries not to make a sound, pretending to be in deep slumber as he hears his night guard's footsteps get closer to his bed frame.

"Prince?" His voice goes down to a whisper when he sees that Wooyoung is indeed asleep, and he shakes his head, thoughts of himself going crazy running through his mind as he walks back to his post. He shuts the door gently, not wanting to wake the Prince, but the suspicions arising within him only stir further.

San waits a few moments before he slides out from under the bed, poking his head out to see Wooyoung leaning over his bed to look at him already. A big smile is spread on his face as he sits back up, waiting for San to stand up again.

"Come here," Wooyoung whispers, his words still slightly mumbled from the alcohol, but his voice is full of need.

San bites the inside of his cheek, debating on granting Wooyoung's request, but he gives in.

Of course.

Wooyoung pats next to him on the bed, and San obliges once more.

"C-Can I kiss you...?" Wooyoung asks, his hushed voice now shaking for fear of San's answer.

San's heartbeat pounds even harder than it was when Wooyoung's night guard almost caught them, but he unconsciously finds himself nodding. He waits until Wooyoung makes the first move, putting his hand atop San's shoulder before San's hands find Wooyoung's face and their lips connect.

Wooyoung's mouth moves against San's with need, but the liquor coursing through his veins makes his movements slow. His skin burns under San's touch, and he yearns for more, but his body can't do it.

San slowly parts from the kiss and gives Wooyoung a tender kiss on the forehead, "Get some rest tonight, Woo... I will see you soon, okay?" San's voice waivers, hoping that he will be seeing Wooyoung sooner than their usual meeting time. Especially after that kiss.

Wooyoung looks up at San sleepily, his lips plump from the kiss, and he rubs his eyes to make sure he gets a lasting memory of San's beauty tonight.

"San..." Wooyoung whispers after San already left through the hidden entrance. The man who's come to ignite Wooyoung's entire existence on fire just kissed him. His world is up in flames, and he sure as hell isn't looking for anything to help put it out. If anything, he's on the hunt for ash.

Ash that will help keep that fire in him burning longer.

Wooyoung wishes that he could make that fire burn forever, but he knows that it will soon extinguish.

End of Chapter Eleven