Work Text:
Distance just makes my heart grow for you
And everything I want for us to do
To build an island between me and you
-Islands, Hey Ocean!
It was another sunny day; with battle plans that hinged on the need for an overcast or rainy day, this meant Phichit’s day was free.
Maybe not free, but at least business as usual.
Phichit set off toward Clarusilva’s forest, canvas bag slung around his shoulder. As a writer for Claru-News, he usually spent his days locked in a room with Celestino and a few other journalists as they churned out stories. Phichit’s favorite part of his work were the on-site jobs where he got to use the company camera to take photographs.
A few years back when tensions first began between the two halves of the Kingdom of Amorglaci, Clarusilva and Clarufretus, Celestino had appointed Phichit to be in charge of retrieving information from spies stationed in Clarufretus.
Presently, of course, there was no longer tension between the two halves of the kingdom, but an all-out civil war. This development made Phichit’s job more dangerous, and although Celestino had given him the option to back out, he had declined. He didn’t wield magic like Viktor or Yuri or Chris or many others. And he could write – but that was a skill anyone could harness and wield. Words were powerful weapons, but not against torrents of magic or the industrialized-weapons it was rumored Clarufretus were developing. He wanted to be useful to Clarusilva, the place he called home ever since traveling across the sea from Hasetsu many years ago.
The days he retrieved information from Clarufretus usually went as follows: once a week he would set out early in the morning for the forest. Several hundred meters from the border into Clarufretus’s territory he would wait and be met by two people: Lee Seung Gil and Ji Guang-Hong. They would hand him copies of Clarufretus’s newspaper, other kingdom announcements, and share any information they had gathered, which was usually something, for they were both working as part of the Queen’s guard.
The meetings were always brief for security’s sake.
But so many things were changing. With the arrival of Yuuri thanks to Viktor’s incessant antics, there was a strange new sense of hope filling the air of Clarusilva, as if the energy always present had started to buzz with just bit more frequency.
At first Phichit thought he was imagining it, and that perhaps maybe he misperceived the world as brighter because he was happy to have his old friend back around. Although it’d been several days since Phichit had visited the place Yakov, Viktor, Yuuri, and Yuri were staying, he’d heard positive gossip of how they were doing. Chris saw Viktor often during the day, and Chris had told Leo, a fellow journalist, who consequently informed Phichit, that Yuri was making significant strides in his magical abilities ever since being given the responsibility of carrying out a battle plan that Yuuri had outlined.
And apparently Yuuri wasn’t distracting Viktor from his duties as much as everyone originally feared. According to Chris, Viktor was much more driven than he had been for at least a year. And Yuuri was getting increasingly comfortable in the situation he had been tossed into.
Phichit wasn’t sure what exactly was at work – but he could feel something big approaching. Something was shifting in the air; he didn’t need to be adept at magic to perceive the way energy flowed a little differently now.
But the subtle alterations to Clarusilva’s atmosphere had inspired him to attempt to stray from what had become standardized, too.
He’d packed food to share with Seung Gil and Guang-Hong. He didn’t know them well, but once a week for years they had been meeting briefly in the forest, risking their lives in small ways – and the other two men were at greater risk than he himself, Phichit thought. They didn’t have to do this for Clarusilva, but they did anyway.
Even if they couldn’t spare time to sit and eat, it would at least be something for them to take home.
Phichit stepped into the forest, welcoming the immediate coolness that arrived with the canopy shadows after traveling under blaring sunlight. It hadn’t rained in quite a while, so the undergrowth was dry and everything cracked and crunched under his feet.
His mind wandered past his current task and onto the rest of his day. He was excited to catch up with Yuuri; they had planned to meet during the afternoon. Phichit wondered what Yuuri was doing now: working on his art, perhaps. Or maybe trekking through another part of the forest with Viktor. They did that now, apparently.
Perhaps he was reviewing battle plans with Yuri.
He was proud of his friend; Phichit decided he would remind Yuuri of that today.
Half an hour into the journey and Phichit was nearing the usual meeting place. Up ahead he could almost see it: a small clearing where a little bit of sunlight was able to filter down. He hurried on, eager to arrive before the others to not make them wait.
Something tugged at Phichit’s foot, nearly tripping him; he yelped with a stumble, but then something rough scraped around his arms and legs. The world flipped upside down a moment; his sense of direction blinded, he was lifted into the air by whatever had latched around his limbs and it yanked him tighter. He shielded his eyes, not know what was happening but feeling clumps of dirt from whatever had ensnared him raining down.
And then all was still, except that he wasn’t on the ground. He could feel himself swaying slightly.
Heart pounding from fright, Phichit slowly looked around himself.
Crap.
He was caught in a net and hanging from a tree. This, he quickly realized, was a Clarufretus trap, but he had never run into anything like it before. Seung Gil and Guang-Hong had never even mentioned anything about traps in the past.
Belatedly he realized someone from the rival city might be nearby; trying to stay calm and focus, Phichit twisted around to look for a weakness in the woven ropes of the net. He swung in heavy swoops and his feet twisted through the gaps in the rope. The motion made him nauseous, and he collapsed back to hold still a moment, taking in deep breaths.
Okay, okay, he thought, gathering his bearings. Did he have anything on his person that was sharp?
Just a bag and food – no sharp cutlery, either, because he had only packed sandwiches.
If he ever got out of this he would always bring a knife with him, he idly thought.
His heart leapt into his chest as he heard a thudding through the forest; Phichit tried twisting around to see what the noise was, but he only swung uselessly – he grabbed a section of the net above him and hoisted his upper body up to have a better view of the ground, tree limb creaking above as he tugged. The thudding sounded like footsteps coming closer –
“Seung Gil!” Phichit called out in relief. Seung Gil was coming to a stop beneath the net, staring at Phichit in alarm.
He leaned over a moment with his hands on his knees, panting, and through his gasps he started to talk. “P—Phichit! I’m so sorry.”
“Not your fault,” Phichit muttered, shifting awkwardly as his arms began to get sore. “But can you get me out?”
“Y-yeah.” Phichit heard the unsheathing of a knife. Seung Gil gripped part of the net beneath him. “Hold still so I don’t cut you. Try to hold on for a minute.”
“Okay, yeah.”
As he started sawing away at the ropes, Seung Gil continued to talk. “A soldier stopped Guang-Hong and I on our way here, saying that the forest was off-limits now.”
“But you’re one of the Queen’s guard?”
“Mhm.” One of the ropes snapped and he moved onto the next one. Phichit’s arms began to shake slightly with exhaustion, but he kept his grip, focusing on Seun Gil's voice and words to distract him from the strain. “But apparently starting today they will be doing regular forest patrols. And the one talking to us was on his way out here to check several traps they’d put up.”
Phichit’s heart dropped to his stomach as the various meanings of everything Seung Gil was informing him of sunk in. Patrols? Traps?
“But I begged him to let me take the patrol today. Had to come up with a bunch of excuses as to why, but there wasn’t an excuse for Guang-Hong to come too, so it’s just me.” Another rope snapped. “Keep holding on, almost there.”
“’Kay,” Phichit managed, arms straining and fingers slipping.
Another break and Phichit heard his bag fall to the forest floor. Phichit yelped as his hands finally slipped, and he followed his bag through the hole in the net.
Muscles clenched, he braced for impact with the ground, but fell into strong arms instead, Seung Gil huffing as he staggered slightly when he caught him, but he didn’t let Phichit drop.
“Oh,” Phichit gasped with wide eyes and stared up at his savior. Seung Gil looked back at him, his expression mirroring Phichit’s shock. “Thanks,” Phichit breathed.
Seung Gil stared a moment longer before blinking hard a few times, like he was shaking away some distant thought. Gently, he tilted his arms to set Phichit back onto the ground. “No problem. Are you okay?”
Phichit stretched out, feeling for soreness or pains. His arms stung a little with rope burn, and his clothes were smeared with dirt in some places, but he appeared and felt unharmed. Thanks to Seung Gil, his time in the net had been short.
“I’m glad I assumed the worst and decided to run,” Seung Gil continued as he bent over to pick up the knife he had dropped, as well as Phichit’s bag. He handed it to him. “Sorry, though. I couldn’t bring any news articles from Clarufretus.”
Phichit put his hands up and shook his head quickly. “No no no, don’t worry. I’m so grateful you went to so much work to make sure I was safe.”
Seung Gil's face cracked a lop-sided smile and he combed a hand through his hair, eyes cast to the side. “It was nothing, really.”
Phichit felt himself blush a little at Seung Gil's modesty. It was endearing. This was probably the longest they had talked about something not entirely business-related.
Remembering the food he brought, Phichit ruffled through the bag and pulled out several sandwiches.
“I brought food today. You can take it back with you.”
Seung Gil's eyebrows rose as he stared at the food Phichit was handing him. Lips parted slightly in silent surprise, he lifted his hands hesitantly to accept the offering, but then he sighed and dropped them. “I can’t come out of the woods with something. I’m sure the other soldiers and patrol officers would notice.”
“Oh, right.” Phichit guiltily withdrew the sandwiches. But he quickly had another idea. “We can eat them here! If- if you have time, or –“
Seung Gil grinned in amusement. “Okay,” he said, glancing briefly through the trees. “Since I ran here I have some time to kill.”
They sat on the ground and unwrapped the sandwiches; as they ate, they spoke of small things at first, both seeming to silently agree to avoid the subject of Amorglaci for as long as they could. Phichit managed to make Seung Gil laugh a few times and he felt really good about it; he hadn’t realized it until that day, but Seung Gil had always worn an extremely serious expression when meeting with Phichit. Seeing him laugh and smile was like seeing a new person, and he felt strange that it had taken so many years to sit down and break through that barrier. He wondered if Guang-Hong got to see Seung Gil laughing and happy.
A drop in the conversation occurred near the end of their meals, and Phichit sighed. “I guess it isn’t safe for me to come out here anymore, is it?”
Seung Gil finished chewing his bite, swallowing. “No, it isn’t.”
“What should we do then?” Phichit asked, forehead creasing with concern. It would be unfortunate to lose insider information on Clarufretus. But a small part of Phichit also regretted the immediate loss of someone who could potentially be a friend.
Seung Gil contemplated in silence a moment, and Phichit quietly let him think, choosing to admire the dark hair falling around his face and the crease of his brows as he focused.
“I’m not sure,” Seung Gil finally admitted. “I doubt any of the patrols go deep enough into the forest to allow me enough time make it to Clarusilva. And if they are strict about keeping everyone out of the forest at all other times… and then there are the traps…” his voice trailed off, not needing to finish the sentence.
“I guess that’s it, then.”
“If I figure something out, I will find a way to let you know.” Seung Gil spoke the words quickly, and Phichit met his eyes and felt his heart heavily pound into his ribcage. For a moment, he thought maybe Seung Gil shared the same disappointments he felt.
But he put the thought to rest. That wasn’t what was important now.
Phichit frowned at the ground. “Man, this sucks. I’m going to be useless to Clarusilva now.”
Seung Gil huffed a small, exasperated laugh. “I doubt that.”
Phichit smiled slightly, appreciating the gesture.
“You’ll just have to figure something else out, but there are plenty of people who need help, I’m sure.”
“Thanks, Seung Gil.”
Seung Gil paused a moment, observing Phichit with open eyes. Phichit found he couldn’t hold his gaze and looked past him at a tree instead, trying to ignore the warmth creeping into his cheeks at being studied under Seung Gil's intense stare.
Finally Seung Gil spoke again. “Thanks for bringing food, Phichit.”
“Oh, uh,” he spluttered, startling slightly at the sound of his own name. “Of course. Too bad Gaung-Hong couldn’t join us.”
“Yeah, too bad.” Seung Gil sounded like he wasn’t serious when he said those words, and Phichit thought perhaps he, too, had filled the comment with empty meaning. Phichit tried to ignore any implications these thoughts brought, blinking hard to refocus his thoughts.
They stood up, Phichit gathering the trash into his bag. He packed the ropes from the net inside it, too, hoping that if he erased traces of a trap having been there at all, then anyone who came looking for it would assume there had been a mistake, and one had never been set up. Seung Gil didn’t comment as Phichit did this, so he hoped it was a wise decision.
“Well, I guess this is good-bye.”
“I can’t wait until the war is over,” Phichit confessed before he could stop himself. “Let’s meet again when it is, okay?”
Seung Gil nodded, bowing his head slightly as he said, “I’ll come find you.”
They parted ways, Phichit feeling both lighter and heavier at the same time.
This was it, he thought. This was the shift in his world, a new motivation for him. He had been right to assume something might happen soon, and he felt this was only the beginning of many deviations from what had been normal. The two halves of the kingdom had remained stagnant for so many years, picking at one another’s weaknesses slowly, one half always withdrawing quickly enough that both sides could bounce back and strike again.
Looking back, he felt like Amorglaci had been suspended in some sort of time loop. But time was moving forward again. Phichit could feel the change coming like a wave about to break.
He hurried back to Clarusilva, unaware he was smiling until his face muscles began to ache.