Archive of Our Own

1. 

“No sane magic wielding parents would ever give up their children when it’s likely they’ll be magic too! Clearly there must be something wrong with you!”

The shout echoes across the cafeteria and a tense hush settles over the once noisy space. Taehyung huffs a resigned sigh to himself before carefully placing the teacup he’d just raised back down onto its saucer. It was a stunning tea set he had acquired many moons ago, with its intricate gold and navy-blue designs, and Taehyung would not forgive himself if he let these fools dirty it. He had just wanted to enjoy a peaceful afternoon tea alone, but it seemed that the buffoons in the school would never cease to interrupt him with their nonsensical tirades. Who knew that the result of constantly being the top student in school would be dealing with the bruised egos of the entitled brats in the Old Families, like the idiots standing before him? 

Taehyung feels the familiar bite of ice chilling his skin as he unleashes the tight hold he has on the magic that sings in his veins, flooding the cafeteria with a frigid breeze. He lets it fill his voice, sharpening his tone. He just wanted to enjoy his tea in peace.

“With the number of times you’ve come harping at me with that, it would almost seem like you’re the orphan here, Belgarath. Are you trying to make up for how unloved you are by your very own blood? How pitiful. You have my condolences.”

He watches the group of fools splutter indignantly, feeling bored, before losing interest in witnessing their lunacy. Delicately picking up his teacup, he raises it again to his lips, the smell of the chamomile tea soothing his ire, the conversation already long forgotten. Or, he would have if it weren’t for the shattering of the beautiful porcelain of the teacup in his hand before even a sip of chamomile could touch his lips. Warm tea spilled from the broken teacup, some managing to stain his white gloves and the front of his uniform. Still in his hand, he lowers both the saucer and handle onto the table. He hears some of the students hurriedly making their escape from the cafeteria, shoving each other as they run. It was nice to see Taehyung’s reputation in the school still upheld when clearly the imbeciles before him wanted to test his patience. Taehyung always knew those brats lacked survival instincts, but the Belgarath family was never known for their intelligence.

The pieces of his once exquisite teacup clinked a somber tune as he softly swept them up into his hand, slowly collecting his tea set back onto his tray before he gracefully stood up. Belgarath still had his arm raised, light pulsing in his outstretched hand with an irritatingly triumphant smile on his face. Oh, how Taehyung would love to wipe that smug smile off Belgarath’s face. If he got questioned by the dean again for crushing another one of these privileged heirs, he would just argue that it was an act of self-defense. He would do a favour to the magic world and knock some of the self-assured hubris out of these Old Family brats.

Pulling off his dirty gloves and setting them aside, Taehyung tugs on the familiar feeling of magic within him. The look of growing realisation and terror on Belgarath and his laughable group of lackeys wasn’t enough to make up for Taehyung’s broken teacup and ruined attire anymore though. Perhaps magic would help beat the lesson of not messing with his teatime into their thick heads faster and more efficiently. The air around him shimmers and shakes, slowly freezing as the temperature in the cafeteria drops drastically. He feels his scalp tingle and he knows it's turning into that shocking shade of blue whenever he sets free his magic at an alarming rate from the curses and gasps around him. The chilled air swirls and coils around his body fiercely, like a protective snake or a small tornado made out of frigid ice. Like a spring, all the suppressed tension is released into a strike towards the Belgarath heir with sharp precision and crazed fervor. Whether the strike was aimed to permanently harm or kill, no one but Taehyung needed to know. 

Mere inches before his magic could destroy Belgarath, a flare of white light accompanied by a thunderous roar crashed into the cafeteria and collided with the ice head on. Shattered ice fell like hail all around the cafeteria as the remaining students screamed in fear and took shelter under the tables to avoid the shards. The air crackled and sizzled from the aftereffects of the thunder magic. Taehyung only knew of one other person who was able to wield an elemental power like his and would be crazy enough to use it to attack his ice magic head on. Just like his very own magic, Jeon Jeongguk rolled in like a thunderstorm. Suffocating like the air before the rain and unforgiving as its thunder, Jeongguk casually strolled in with a heavy gust of wind, his hair as dark as its stormy clouds with a devious smile and tongue that was sharp enough to snap like the torrential, unforgiving rain. If Taehyung was like the creeping chill that seeps into the lungs and skin when plunged deep into a frozen lake, Jeongguk was like the thunders that shook the earth tremendously, quick and relentless. 

At least that’s what the student body loved to whisper about them in the hallways, much to Taehyung’s annoyance. An insufferable roommate and rival, that was what Jeongguk was to Taehyung. A meddling idiot that seemed to have taken a questionable interest in him since their first year as roommates. Taehyung can’t help the exasperated sigh that slips his mouth, but out of everyone in the school, he can at least confidently say that Jeongguk is the most tolerable one around, despite them being rivals in everything from academics to sports. At least Jeongguk would prove to be a challenge in a fight. 

Taehyung takes a moment to close his eyes and collect his emotions, rubbing the bridge of his nose to fight the inevitable headache. Ice crunches underfoot as someone makes their way to his side. When Taehyung is sure he’s regained the tight rein he holds on his emotions, he spares a glance to his side and sees Jeongguk beside him. With his head tilted, Jeongguk studies him with a miniscule glint of concern and curiosity in his eyes that only years of being friends with him allows Taehyung to pick out before a mischievous smirk tugs on Jeongguk’s lips. 

“Taetae, you told me you wanted to have tea, but it seems like you’re doing something more interesting? I can’t have you getting in trouble without me. What’s going on, my dear friend?”

Taehyung doesn’t deign to respond, but he flicks a glance down to his broken teacup and back to the trembling group of buffoons before him. Jeongguk is quick to catch on to his meaning in the single glance and he too, sighs gloomily at the sight of the broken teacup. “Aw, that was one of the more stunning tea sets you’d purchased in a while. And, is that chamomile too? Damn, people fucking suck.” Finally, someone who understands why Taehyung is upset. Jeongguk gently nudges Taehyung in apology before setting his gaze towards Belgarath and his lackeys.

Taehyung feels, rather than sees, the frizzle and rumble as wisps of thunder roll off Jeongguk in waves, receding and growing. The familiarly sharp jolt of thunder on his skin soothes him like ice. He hears the distant shouts of students and teachers making their way towards the cafeteria and he knows Jeongguk does too when Jeongguk sends a razor-like grin and says, “Bet I could crush more of these assholes faster than you can with your weak ice magic! Just sit back and enjoy the show!” It was always a competition with this silly roommate of his.

Taehyung rolls his eyes fondly behind his ridiculous friend’s back and, with a flick of his wrist, sends a sharp icicle flying towards the Belgaraths, who seemed to have wisened up and started making an escape. One down.

Fighting - or competing - with Jeongguk always made him feel better. 

The Belgaraths didn’t stand a chance.

(After his meeting with the dean, Taehyung finds a new tea set with chamomile tea already poured and steaming on the small table by the window of their dorm. 

Jeongguk was already seated at the table, biting into another biscuit.)

2.

Taehyung watches the students below cheer and cry, elation clear on their faces as the graduation ceremony comes to an end. He can hear the school song being played over the speakers even from his perch on the window of the top level of the Astronomy Tower. Mere weeks ago, he was approached to give the valedictorian speech, but it seemed too much of a bother to write a speech to students he cares little to nothing for. The trouble they brought his way throughout his school years was enough for him to not want anything to do with them any more than he had to. Besides, he can’t comprehend why they feel such happiness or sorrow over something so mundane as graduation. 

Steps echo from the spiral stairwell, getting louder as the person climbs higher. Without even looking, Taehyung knows who it will be. There is only one other person who would miss the celebration below to come all the way up the Astronomy Tower to mingle with him. 

Sparing a glance over his shoulder, he catches the untamed mess of hair and single earring that could only belong to his roommate. Well, ex-roommate now. He sweeps his eyes back to continue impassively observing the crowd below him as Jeongguk settles opposite him on the window seat. They proceed to sit in companionable silence, as they always do together. Perhaps Taehyung does understand the sorrow part of graduation if it meant no more of Jeongguk and his understanding silences. 

Distantly, he sees students joining their large families in the celebration and extravagant fun fair the school had deemed appropriate to organise, perhaps due to the Old Families in attendance this year. A particularly large group of people wearing the standard black and red attire belonging to the Jeons seem to be frantically looking around the field, looking for their missing master when they realised he wasn’t among the students that filed out. Watching them panic sends a thrill of hilarity through Taehyung and the corner of his mouth twitches minutely. For some reason, whenever Jeongguk disappears from his family, he would pop up at Taehyung’s side. Perhaps it was as comical to Jeongguk as it was to him. 

Looking at the alarm on the Jeons’ faces was endlessly humourous to Taehyung. He suspects Jeongguk continues to do it on purpose when he noticed how amused Taehyung was the first few times. Watching any of the Old Families fumble and lose their “esteemed” image never fails to be entertaining.

“Hey, Tae. What do you want to do now?”

Jeongguk’s soft voice gently tugs Taehyung out of his mind and he shifts to look at his friend who was already studying him with his head propped on a palm. Looking in Jeongguk’s eyes always sends a jolt down his spine, as if Jeongguk’s very gaze holds some of his magic. Taehyung could not begin to decipher the intense look in Jeongguk’s eyes right now but the glint in them reminds him of the flashes of lightning that he always loved. Thunder was always on the heels of lightning.

It wasn’t the first time someone had thrown that particular question his way. Everyone seemed to enjoy poking their noses into other people’s lives and it had irked Taehyung to no end. He might have sent some of the professors scurrying for disturbing his tea session with a heavy gust of freezing wind as warning. But he felt none of that when Jeongguk spoke it, even taking the time to carefully roll the question in his mind. 

Life outside of school didn’t exist for people like Taehyung. There was nothing waiting for him outside those school gates. A family, a career, a passion - they all only sounded extremely tiring and boring to him. The tarot cards that Taehyung came into life with were rigged by the world to begin with. Only the tremendous reserve of power flowing in his veins was his consolation prize. Thinking about the future only gave him an annoying headache so he shrugs as a response to Jeongguk’s question and hopes he gets it.

Jeongguk blinks a few times, clearly processing Taehyung’s curt response, which betrayed too many unsaid words. After a moment, he leans closer, eyes flitting across his face as if trying to understand the answer Taehyung could not give. What Taehyung didn’t expect was the fond chuckle that Jeongguk clearly failed to suppress as he chokes it off into a cough behind his hand to hide it. “Why didn’t you tell me, my dear fool? You know I would never leave your side no matter what, right?” Jeongguk reaches out and tugs at the gloves Taehyung always wore, removing them carefully. If it were anyone else, Taehyung would have blasted the madman with his signature icicles, but it wasn’t the first time Jeongguk had touched his hands. The unnaturally chilly temperature of his body had never frightened Jeongguk away.

Warm palms slide into his open hands, loosely holding on, as if Jeongguk is giving Taehyung space to escape if he wants to. Thumbs gently rub soothingly at his stiff knuckles and Taehyung relaxes before sweeping his gaze from their hands to Jeongguk. Throughout the 8 years they have been roommates, there were only a handful of times when they had initiated prolonged contact so, although not unwelcomed, it was still a surprise when it happened. “If you don’t have a clue or maybe don’t even give a shit about the future, I’ll be there by your side through it all, if you’ll allow me. This might be presumptuous but how about making a promise with me to let me find a reason for you to live after school?” 

Out of all the ways the conversation could have gone, this is one Taehyung had not even imagined would happen. Even after the years spent together, Jeongguk has not lost his talent of surprising him. Although the offer seems to have come out of nowhere, Taehyung knows Jeongguk has probably been carefully thinking about it for many moons now, the determined look on his face cementing it. Taehyung takes in the look and carefully considers the offer.

Jeongguk became the youngest master of the most prestigious Old Family, the Jeons, after his grandfather fell gravely ill a year ago. But even before that, Taehyung knew his friend never really cared much about the family and all the mindless obligations he was meant to fulfill. Jeongguk’s apathy and indifference towards his family, despite all the benefits that would have come with being the master of an Old Family, was one thing that had endeared him to Taehyung. 

Curiosity still poked at his mind though. What would Jeongguk do about his family if Taehyung accepted his offer? No doubt the infuriating family would desperately try to get their master back. Jeongguk was the last in the direct Jeon bloodline; it would be a devastating blow to the once powerful line that is the Jeons. None of his distant relatives could come close to his strength in magic. Essentially, without Jeongguk, the Jeons would slowly but surely fade into obscurity and become an Old Family – that is, a disgrace that should not even be entertained.

Once again, Jeongguk uses that talent of his, reading Taehyung’s expressions and thoughts, as a smile filled with childlike glee flashes on Jeongguk’s face. His palpable excitement makes the corners of his eyes scrunch with how hard he was grinning, and Taehyung feels the familiar warmth of fondness hit him at the sight of his friend so happy. 

The warmth from the palms of Jeongguk’s hands melts into Taehyung too.

“It’s never boring when I’m beside you. Between you and that stuffy family, I think my answer is pretty obvious.” Jeongguk pauses to chuckle, and Taehyung is positively entranced at the light that swims in those grey eyes, just like the brilliant lightning that tears open storm clouds. Jeongguk’s excitement is infectious and the thought of being able to topple the arrogant Jeons sends a gleeful smile to Taehyung’s face. It would be irritating to have to deal with the people the Jeons would send their way, but he was confident that the both of them could take on anybody in a fight. 

“Since my thunder magic is much stronger than yours, I can protect you so you have nothing to worry about. I intend to fulfill my promise to you too – but only if you agree to it, of course.”

Jeongguk teasingly flicks Taehyung on his forehead when Taehyung opens his mouth to retort against the blatant lie Jeongguk always uses to get a response from him. Taehyung still regrets his words during their first meeting as roommates. Not one to back down from a fight, Taehyung squeezes Jeongguk’s hands tightly, using his magic to make his hands even more bitingly freezing. With narrowed eyes and a smirk, he watches Jeongguk.

“We are due a rematch soon. Don’t think just because we aren’t roommates, I won’t fight you. And yes, I agree to your promise. I don’t have many expectations, but if it gives me a chance to handicap one of the most respected Old Families in the magic world and keep you by my side? A true no-brainer.”

A curious pink flush rushes into Jeongguk’s cheeks and the tips of his ears, his eyes widening as the air crackles with electricity. For some unknown reason, Jeongguk had lost his hold on his magic. Probably to avoid shocking Taehyung and to get ahold of his magic again, Jeongguk pulls his hands back before placing his face into them. Taehyung watches on quizzically as his friend’s face flushes from pink to an alarming red before settling back down. “You can’t say things like that; I’m merely a weak man,” he hears Jeongguk whisper to himself, clearly not meant for Taehyung’s ears. Before Taehyung can ask if he was alright, Jeongguk stands and sends a small grin his way. 

“Glad you agreed. Now, about that rematch? Prepare to lose, snowflake,” he jokes and dances back, swiftly dodging the gust of cool air Taehyung sends his way for the nickname. While he is curious about what just transpired, Taehyung will not pry if Jeongguk wishes not to talk about it. Taehyung pulls his gloves back on and he follows after his friend, whose twinkling laugh echoes in the stairwell of the Astrology Tower.

Maybe Taehyung can understand the happiness part of graduation if it means he can hear that laugh forever. 

(They left that very night and, by the time news of the master of the Jeon family’s disappearance had reached the ears of anyone with authority, they were long gone.

Jeongguk had smiled the entire way.)

3.

The distinct scent of Bergamot tea wafts from the emerald teapot and envelops the gazebo. Delicately applying pressure to the teapot lid, Taehyung carefully tips the teapot and strains the amber tea into his teacup. A gentle breeze blows through the garden, rustling leaves and brushing across the lake. Accompanied by the soft sound of tea filling his porcelain cup, Taehyung feels more peaceful than he has in a long time. He still has not adjusted to the change of environment, even though it has been many moons since his first year in school. 

Once the teacup is full, Taehyung replaces the teapot in his hand with his teacup, lifting it up close to his face to savour the citrusy scent. Before he can finally get a taste of the Bergamot tea he’d wanted to try all day, he is interrupted by the sound of growing chatter in the once silent garden. Whipping his eyes to the side, he watches in growing horror as a small group of students begins to flood into the garden. Scanning the group, Taehyung realises the reason behind their annoying chatter and sudden presence in the always empty garden. Jeon Jeongguk’s usually stormy face doesn’t seem to deter the other students. Instead, they trail behind Taehyung’s roommate like little lost ducklings who are trying so hard to suck up to the young heir.

Taehyung’s roommate is one of the only tolerable people in this new school, even though they have not uttered a single word to each other, because Jeongguk clearly is as fond of silence as Taehyung is, despite Taehyung’s natural hatred towards anyone from the Old Families. 

Despite that, Taehyung’s roommate is one of the tolerable people Taehyung has found in his new school. The comfortable weight of silence that fills their room and their mutual respect for personal boundaries has been a fresh change to the suffocating life back in the orphanage Taehyung had been living just a few moons ago. 

Taehyung observes the group that has interfered with his teatime. Judging by his dark expression, Jeongguk isn’t enjoying the crowd clambering over him either. That is until Jeongguk looks up from the stone path and their eyes meet. The thunderous expression clears and there is an unnoticeable hiccup in his step before Taehyung sees him subtly try to turn back around to the entrance. Before Jeongguk can step away though, one of the louder students turns to look in Taehyung’s direction.

“Isn’t that the dirty orphan that is tainting young Master Jeon’s room?” 

The calming effect that the Bergamot tea had on Taehyung before is drained away in an instant and he feels his blood chill over. Out of the corner of his eyes, he sees Jeongguk freeze too. Slowly lifting his teacup, Taehyung closes his eyes and takes a sip. From his flamboyant teal accessories on his tailored attire, Taehyung can tell that the student who spoke was from the controversial Old Family, the Abbotts. The Abbotts’ rise as an Old Family was plagued with nasty rumours due to an incident several years ago that involved a servant becoming the master of the Abbott family instead of anyone from the Abbott bloodline. It was a sore topic that the Abbott family had tried desperately to bury, but Taehyung hoarded this embarrassing information like treasure, especially when he could wield it in these situations.

Slowly putting his teacup down, Taehyung dismissively waves a hand in Abbott’s direction while pinning him down with a frosty gaze. “Such uncouth and boorish behaviour isn’t befitting a member of an Old Family. Oh wait, you’re not truly of pure blood yourself, are you, Mr. Abbott? My, pardon my manners. I had not meant to say that out loud.” With his head propped onto his fist, Taehyung watches in boredom as the young heir of the Abbott family splutters, face turning an angry red that clashes with his ridiculous teal accessories, making him look more silly than usual. Taehyung honestly hoped that would be enough to send the crowd away.

Jeongguk seems to be thinking along the same wavelength too as he takes a step forward to the gazebo, possibly to join Taehyung or to just leave behind the stunned crowd. He makes himself comfortable in the seat opposite Taehyung and helps himself to a cup of Bergamot. The clinking of the teapot startles Abbott and the gawking mass of students when he storms over to the gazebo. “Abbott. Please have some manners, we have already crashed Taehyung’s teatime.” Jeongguk warns in a soft voice as he sighs and nonchalantly takes a sip of his tea. It must have been the first time they’ve heard the young heir of the Jeon family address them because there is an annoying flash of hope in Abbott’s eye. 

“Young master Jeon, I wish to challenge this man to a magic duel. Someone like him is not worthy to stand beside you. Please allow me to display my talent and potential to you.” Hearing Abbott’s blatant attempt at currying favour is genuinely disgusting and his transparent shot at an “insult” is insulting in itself. Taehyung stares at Jeongguk over the rim of his teacup, appalled at what his roommate brought to Taehyung’s teatime. Jeongguk subtly tilts his head to the side, sending a considering look to Taehyung, which isn’t a good sign. “Wouldn’t you accept Mr. Abbott’s challenge? Actually, why don’t you and I challenge everyone here together? That way, when we win, they can’t bother us anymore.” Jeongguk still has the audacity to shoot a small grin at Taehyung. 

It is a bothersome request but when Taehyung thinks about it more, it is definitely a more decent solution and it would benefit him too. Not only would it stop them from following after Jeongguk with their veiled words and annoying hurled insults Taehyung’s way, no consequence would befall him if he defeats all of the young heirs and heiresses of the Old Families because it is indeed a fair challenge. Magic challenges are a frequent thing in a magic school, and it would not look good for both these buffoons and their families if they continued to come after him after Taehyung defeats them in a duel. It is still annoying, though, that Jeongguk is making him do dirty work.

He nods once before he takes another sip of tea to drown his displeasure. He promptly tunes out the rest of the conversation, draining the remains of his tea. Jeongguk notices and moves to refill his and Taehyung’s teacups, settling back down to dismiss the crowd. Abbott and the rest leave without a word. 

The roommates sit in silence, one in thought and the other casually sipping his tea.

“My apologies, I did not want to force your hand like this, but I felt that it was our best solution to this irritating problem of ours. This way, when they’ve noticed our powers, we can be known as rivals instead! They would never dare mention our upbringings ever again.”

His roommate speaks politely and Taehyung silently continues sipping his tea. When the last of the tea is dredged, Taehyung sighs exasperatedly to himself. 

“Being known as rivals, we would be equals. This could also be our chance to test our powers against each other too! I have yet to witness your graceful ice magic, even though we’ve been roommates for many moons now. Would you do me the honour?” Jeongguk asks. Taking another long sip from his cup, he lightly teases, “If your ice is weaker than my thunder, then we can’t be rivals. Will you allow me to test your strength too, Taehyung the Silver Tempest?”

A nickname that was unceremoniously dumped onto Taehyung by the people in the orphanage after his first violent display of power. Snow fell on that dreadful day of Spring. It did help to finally scare away the other kids and caretakers but hearing it again annoys him a little more than he likes to admit. “Why don’t I prove to you who’s stronger?” 

Jeongguk chokes on his next sip of tea and dissolves into a fit of unrestrained laughter that Taehyung has never heard before. Jeongguk laughs with his whole body, his eyelashes casting soft shadows that caress his cheeks and cool wind ruffles at his hair. A rush of something washes over Taehyung at the sight of his usually silent and stoic roommate and surprisingly pleasant laugh. 

“I knew I liked you!”

(When the young heir of the Abbott family hits the ground with a loud thud, pinned down by ice, Taehyung turns to find Jeongguk already looking at him with a smirk.

Taehyung doesn’t even notice the smile on his own face.)

4.

Dodging left at the last moment, the knife that was initially aimed at his eye slices into his cheek instead, made sharper by the killing intent of the wind that carried it. Taehyung bites back a hiss, every blink shooting a jab of pain through his head, and he feels cool blood trickle from the wound to his chin. Readying his palm, he summons a barrage of deadly ice that imbeds itself into the assassin. 

Assassination attempts have grown less frequent yet more fatal as the years go by. It is usually much easier to deal with when Taehyung and Jeongguk are together, so facing a group of ten or more skilled magicians all at once alone in a small study room, was not easy at all. Gripping the two hidden knives on his thighs, Taehyung infuses them with his powers and throws them with precise aim, adding two more to his ever-increasing body count. Not giving the remaining magicians a chance to retaliate, he charges through the balcony doors to his right and, using the railing as a boost, leaps off the balcony. The sensation of being suspended in the air almost threatens to send his usually slow heartbeat into overdrive. Hurriedly pulling at the magic in his veins before gravity can pull him down, he summons a sharp slope made of ice and proceeds to quickly skid down it. When his feet touch solid ground, he turns and notices the magician with telekinetic powers trying to bring the group of assassins down. 

Six more magicians to go. 

He wishes Jeongguk was here to help him though.

Tearing his gloves off, he raises his hands and quickly takes his chance to attack the defenseless group. 5 more to go. Before he can send another attack, the ground below him shakes as green stalks break through the cobblestone path and crawl up his leg like vines. Gritting his teeth, he fights vigorously against the restraints on his arms while also trying to defend against the attacks that are coming his way now that the magicians have him trapped. 

Freezing the vines wouldn’t be helpful and Taehyung is slowly running out of time before the group will be on solid ground, which can only mean that the volley of deadly attacks will increase greatly. It terrifies him that his powers can’t help him.

The slight smell of incoming rain and the humming in the air blows from behind him as a blur of black dashes past him and quickly deflects an incoming wave of fire. Without pausing, Jeongguk’s thunder tears into the vines, charring them into blackened ashes within seconds as he simultaneously viciously takes out the magician who can manipulate plants. With his now increased mobility, Taehyung deftly joins the thick of the fray by Jeongguk’s side, fiercely wielding his power alongside thunder. They seamlessly weave between each other, spinning in an intricate dance only they know as they cover for the other’s weak spots while also bolstering their strengths. A savage storm of snow and thunder roars to life as if their powers have merged into one, brutally executing anyone in its way. 

When the last breath whizzes out of the final magician, Taehyung heaves an exhausted sigh, body sagging as all the tension bleeds from his body in that single breath. Turning to Jeongguk to question him, a warm hand cradling his cheek stops him momentarily. Taehyung watches as his friend frowns, worry evident in the lines of Jeongguk’s face as his thumb traces the cut below Taehyung’s eye. He feels the wound tingle as blood slides down his cheek again, which Jeongguk catches with his fingers. Taehyung can already hear the apology that his ridiculous friend was going to utter so he covers Jeongguk’s hand on his cheek with his own to shush him. “Shut up. There was no way for you to know when those bothersome assassins were coming. Do not be so ready to throw fault at yourself, you fool. Now, tell me about your little trip.” Tilting his head into Jeongguk’s palm, he looks up curiously at his friend, whose face flashes through emotions Taehyung is too slow to decipher, shuttering into a humourless grin. Slipping his hand from Taehyung’s cheek to Taehyung’s hand, Jeongguk carefully tugs in the direction of the house – a house that they will soon have to leave now that they have been found by the Old Families. 

A pity; Taehyung likes the garden.

“Come, at least allow me to tend to your wounds. My gifts can wait until you’ve been taken care of.”

Gifts? 

Their current home is rather spacious so one of the bedrooms has been turned into a makeshift infirmary. The room is enveloped by the smell of herbs and medicine that offer an instant calming sensation, welcoming its visitors. Pushing Taehyung to sit on the bed, Jeongguk shuffles towards the cabinet. “Gifts, my friend? I would have prepared something if I had known we were exchanging gifts,” Taehyung says as Jeongguk dabs a damp cloth on Taehyung’s cheek, gently wiping away the trail of blood.

“I just wanted to surprise you, that’s all.”

As the last words leave Jeongguk’s mouth, Taehyung hears a bark from the infirmary door. Shifting to look around Jeongguk, he sees a large ball of black and gold fur wrapped in bandages bounding towards them. Gracefully jumping onto the bed, it encircles Taehyung before resting its head on his lap. 

A hellhound. His dear Jeongguk gotten him a hellhound as a gift. 

He stares incredulously between his insane friend and the pup that has made Taehyung’s lap its new pillow. 

“Where...No- Why a puppy?”

“Oh, this pup wasn’t what I initially had in mind for a gift, but I didn’t want to leave him injured and alone on the streets. He became rather attached to me after I treated his wounds.” The pup in Taehyung’s lap huffs before settling back down again.

“My gift was some new tea. You said you were curious how tangerine tea tasted like the last time we had tangerines, so I went into town to get some.” Jeongguk pulls out a red bundle covered with delicate embroidery from behind his back and places it on the bed before picking up the cloth again. As Taehyung studies the sachet of new tea and the hellhound, Jeongguk makes quick work of dressing some of the cuts and bruises on Taehyung’s face and hands. The vines had left purple, winding bruises on his arm, its thorns leaving countless scratches when he had fought against its constraints. He had not noticed such minor wounds in their fight, but the sting of alcohol still made him wince now. 

“Your powers are tremendous, without a doubt. But even ice can’t freeze its way through everything…” Jeongguk trails off as his hands linger on the bruises. With his head down, Taehyung couldn’t make out the expression on his friend’s face. 

“Luckily, my thunder doesn’t have much weakness, huh? I guess that makes me stronger than you.” The usual teasing remark is aimed to be lighthearted but falls flat at the pained look on Jeongguk’s face and the forced cheer in his voice. Taehyung wishes he could chase away the worries and troubles that plague his friend’s mind and heart, but Taehyung is only proficient in magic. Jeongguk isn’t wrong that ice can’t solve all his troubles. He flounders internally, wrecking his mind for any way he can help.

Placing a hand on Jeongguk’s head, Taehyung decides to blurt the first thing in his mind.

“What shall be our hellhound’s name?” What the fuck.

Jeongguk is just as surprised by his question as Taehyung is but it must have worked since the confusion chases away the pain on Jeongguk’s face. 

“W-what?”

“I was thinking that, because most hellhounds are experts at fire magic, he would be good to keep around to help me when you’re not here. After all, ice and fire? That doesn’t mean I won’t need your assistance in fighting off those damned assassins, but I feel that it would definitely lessen your worry-” Taehyung rambles on in panic, betrayed by his oddly blank mind when thoughts usually crowd it. Taehyung sits in growing horror as his mouth refuses to stop talking . He was never good with comforting, always on the other end of it and mostly from Jeongguk himself. But it is all worth it when a small smile finally wobbles onto his friend’s face as Jeongguk continues to watch him blabber embarrassingly and gesture wildly. 

After a moment, Jeongguk decides to save Taehyung from his own mouth. With a hand under his chin, Jeongguk pretends to think and hums to himself, “Hm, how about...tangerines? Tang, tan...Tannie? Tannie sounds like a cute name for a good boy. What do you say?”

Taehyung heaves a small sigh of relief and nods in acquiescence. He would have done anything for Jeongguk if it allowed his friend to smile freely again. Tannie only barks once, which Taehyung takes as an agreement from the hellhound too.

“You wouldn’t even need to use any of your weak ice magic with me and Tannie by your side.”

The familiar teasing had stopped annoying Taehyung but instead only brought forth a fond smile, an old reminder of their school days. That doesn’t stop him from retaliating as he always would when he heard that taunt. “You idiot,” he says before roughly tousling his friend’s hair and sending him into a laughing mess. 

(When night fell that day, Taehyung brought out his emerald tea set and went to excitedly prepare the tangerine tea.

Tannie was curious about his namesake, sniffing and trying the tea leaves despite Taehyung’s quiet protests. Jeongguk watched them fondly by the window.)

5.

Digging his gloved hands into the soil, Taehyung carefully parts it and brings his watering can to dampen the hole he just made. Lifting the seeds he bought the other day, he scatters them into the soil before covering it up again. His tiny garden had been steadily growing over the last year, despite its rocky start. When he had first come to Jeongguk with an interest in gardening, his friend had been so pleasantly surprised and excited that he had gone overboard in buying garden tools and seeds. Jeongguk had buried Taehyung in gardening books and even offered to help with the reading. The smile that had split Jeongguk’s face made Taehyung agree without even thinking. 

Taehyung remembers the tranquility of the school gardens and the lush greenery that called to him during his teatime. He also remembers the helplessness that clawed at his heart when he realised that his ice couldn’t freeze through vines. The idea of gardening has been slowly turning in his mind ever since the day he was attacked alone in their study room. Calm and unassuming, yet deadly and resilient too. Taehyung had respected these contradicting qualities of plants and so his fascination grew. 

He had initially planted some herbs and tea plants in his garden before he had delved much deeper into his books and discovered many fascinating and rare plants in their world. Carnivorous plants were a particularly captivating topic to learn about. Jeongguk had been much more invested in studying the extensive language of flowers, even going as far as reserving a spot in their garden for these radiant gems of nature’s making. 

Sometimes, Taehyung wonders if Jeongguk is much more invested in this gardening thing than he was when he would sometimes spy his friend crouching under the moonlight and tenderly caring for the garden. Jeongguk’s flowers have bloomed spectacularly under his friend’s watchful eyes and they were a common sight within their home. Jeongguk seemed to be peculiarly adamant in gifting Taehyung red dahlias and white chrysanthemums from his flower patch. 

Taehyung isn’t in a rush to study up on the language of flowers. The warm smile on Jeongguk’s face as he gifted them made Taehyung not want to ruin his friend’s fun. He was honestly looking forward to discussing with Jeongguk again what they have learned recently about their plants and flowers. Taehyung had just read about flowers that could survive even in the coldest of temperatures and he absolutely needed to know more about that. Their garden still had empty spaces left to be filled. The urge to talk and share consumes him, but in a satisfying way. 

Throughout the 20 or so years of his life, something like “hobbies” or “interests” were a foreign thing to Taehyung. He had remained an aloof bystander to his own life, never pushing or pulling, always at a standstill of his own making. Nothing had shined brightly enough to captivate his eye and people had longed since stopped trying to force him to be normal. He had been left to drift in the sea of chilly numbness before Jeongguk brought along his calming silence and soft understanding, considerate and respectful when so many had failed to comprehend. Never forcing but always gently pushing forward. Taehyung felt ready to plunge right into his new interest like never before. Therefore, although the jittery excitement in him was new to him, it was not unwelcomed. 

He decides that he is done with his new seedlings for now and slowly packs up his tools. Pulling off his gardening gloves, he decides to forgo putting on his usual white gloves, which he haphazardly tucks into his front pockets. Stretching as he stands, he heads to the kitchen where he last saw Jeongguk fumbling around. The soft humming and clinking of glasses guides Taehyung from the garden to the backdoor of the kitchen and he walks in just in time to see Jeongguk finish up juicing an orange into a huge jug. Tannie is laying in his usual spot underneath the table, basking under the remaining sun that shines in from their curtains.

“Hey, you done already? I was about to bring this out to you, freshly squeezed by yours truly. Can you do me a favour and chill it for us, Taetae?”

Taehyung reaches for the two glasses they normally keep in the cupboards and, as Jeongguk slowly pours the orange juice, Taehyung gingerly blows cool air into the cups, careful not to completely freeze the liquid. The sweet and fresh cup of orange juice is a welcome relief and he hadn’t noticed how parched he was until the first gulp of iced juice went down. “How were the tomato seeds?” Jeongguk gestures towards the table, taking a seat and resting his feet on Tannie, who shifts to accommodate the additional weight. Taehyung settles gratefully into the seat after probably hours of crouching over his plants. Taehyung gives a small satisfied grin to his friend at the mention of the seeds he just planted in their garden before taking another grateful sip of the orange juice in his glass. Jeongguk watches him with his head propped on his palm from across the table, juice sitting by his elbow, forgotten and slowly cooling. 

They sit at the table, with Tannie sleeping by their feet, reveling in the gentle lull of another evening spent together. The warm orange sunlight that shines through their white curtains bathes the kitchen in its soft glow. Taehyung once again wishes he could sear this very moment of time into his memories forever. Jeongguk must have seen the look on his face, considering how much he is studying Taehyung, because a relaxed smile makes its way onto his face.

“Hey, remember when I bought that rare book about winter flowers? Well, I managed to acquire a small batch of the lily-of-the-valleys I was talking about the other day. The book said that, although their blooms appear to be delicate and fragile, they are rather tough and can withstand even the coldest of winters! I wanted you to do the honours of planting them in our garden,” Jeongguk nonchalantly offers, as if he had casually read Taehyung’s thoughts moments ago. Taehyung is also absolutely certain Jeongguk knew what had been troubling Taehyung ever since Jeongguk had begun planting flowers in their garden. 

Although Taehyung knew he could not harm the plants much with his powers, he is much more reserved with the delicate blooms Jeongguk brings back, despite how much his friend has tried to reassure him that they were as tough as his other plants. It was not that Taehyung distrusted Jeongguk’s encouragement; he knew his friend would not lie to him. But he had seen how easily those flowers crushed and crumbled under the slightest force and Taehyung was not sure he was ready to start destroying any of his plants yet. Hence, for Jeongguk to trust him with such an offer, his dear friend must have somehow known about this tiny fear. How did Jeongguk ever notice such things about him? That would probably remain a mystery to Taehyung, despite their years of friendship. But he appreciated his friend’s thoughtfulness all the more.

He nods and watches on with a fond look as a pleased smile appears on Jeongguk’s face which then morphs into twinkling laughter when Taehyung playfully sends a cool breeze to ruffle his friend’s hair. The memories of the long years of living in self-induced isolation in the orphanage no longer sank their dirty claws into Taehyung’s mind and he would be eternally grateful for the man before him for reaching out to him with his promise all those years ago. 

Taehyung has learned how exhilarating it is to find an interest in living. 

An odd sound from the foyer of their house shakes Taehyung out of his tender reminiscing as he sits up straighter, on high alert in an instant. He sees Jeongguk straighten from his slouched position as he, too, becomes unnervingly still, eyes trained intently at the direction of the noise. The snoring from under the table is gone and only the shifting of fur against their feet tells them that Tannie is on high alert because of the intruder in their home. The tense silence drags on; only the soft fluttering of their curtains can be heard. That is until the odd sound comes again from the foyer, louder than before. 

Taehyung’s thigh begins to ache again from how tensed he is in his seat right after the hours of crouching in his garden. If the intruder wasn’t coming to them, then they would come to the intruder instead. He carefully places his glass down onto the table and shifts out of his chair silently, Jeongguk and Tannie right at his heel. He tugs on the power within him, leaving it ready on his fingertips, and feels the others do the same. The simmering flame that usually sits dormant in Tannie’s belly boils, his black and gold fur catching aflame. The waves of Jeongguk’s unleashed power rumble just like an incoming storm, merciless and ready for destruction. Moving as a unit, they carefully make their way through their home to the foyer. 

Nothing looks out of place in the foyer, as empty as it usually is, except for the suspicious silhouette of two people from the frosted window of the doors. The sound comes again and Taehyung realises it is the rapping of knuckles against oak wood doors. Knocking. What kind of assassins knocks on their target’s door? Taehyung turns quizzically to Jeongguk who shrugs back and tilts his head towards the direction of the door in tandem. Taehyung hears the silent question, “What do you want us to do now?” Taehyung is still considering their next best course of action when he hears something that chills him right down to the bone – not in the way the comforting coldness of his power does, but in the way that long buried terror and anger would choke someone. He thought he had suffocated that emotion back at the orphanage, but it seemed he was wrong. 

“Kim Taehyung, sweetheart? Are you there? It’s me, Yoona, and my husband. Could you let us in? We wouldn’t be long, we promise.”

He unconsciously recoils from the door and his power escapes back, as if hiding itself away from the person behind the door like its wielder. His mind uselessly blank and powers gone, Taehyung stands stock still, feet rooted onto the ground just like one of his plants. A warm hand slips into his and lightly tugs at him until he unwillingly turns around. Jeongguk has a worried look on his face and Tannie too, winds himself around his feet in distress. Taehyung can see the question Jeongguk doesn’t ask because he knows Taehyung’s addled mind can’t answer him right now. After sending another concerned look his way, Jeongguk gently positions Taehyung behind him and makes his way to the door with Tannie trailing closely beside Taehyung, acting as another shield by his side. Another knock comes from the wooden door and Taehyung shifts to stand closer to Jeongguk, who tightly squeezes the hand he is still holding. 

Opening the door just an inch for his eye to poke through, Taehyung can see Jeongguk regard the two intruders with as much hostility as he would with those cursed assassins. “Who are you?” It isn’t phrased like a question and clearly the cold reception is not expected when he hears a man splutter, most likely offended. 

“Young man-” The man’s offended tirade is cut off by a woman’s voice before it can even start. But, the tone that carries her voice is not much of an improvement. Sickly sweet and injected with so much false cheer that Taehyung feels sick from just hearing it. 

“Pardon him, my husband is a stickler for manners. I have some business I would like to conduct with the other occupant of this house. I have been led to presume that my son, Kim Taehyung, lives here? I would like to see him.” Hearing his name coming from her mouth makes Taehyung want to tear into the revolting woman but also travel to another universe just so he would never have to hear it again. Horrible memories from his childhood begin to resurface, as if the lock and key he had kept them under suddenly vanished under the onslaught of the intruders’ presence. He always knew they were going to be a weakness of his ever since they abandoned him.

He desperately clenches the back of Jeongguk’s shirt with his free hand and squeezes the other in Jeongguk’s hand. Tannie presses himself against Taehyung’s thigh and growls threateningly at the intruders, obviously done playing nice and obedient in his distress. Jeongguk gently pushes Taehyung further into the house as he too, backs away from the door. “The only other occupant in this house is my hellhound, who I’m sure you can tell does not take kindly to intruders such as yourself. Leave my property or you won’t live to face the consequences.” He raises a hand to slam the door in their faces, but the man seems to have had enough when he decides it is a good idea to attack. 

“I will not stand such disrespect from you, young man! Where are your manners? Don’t you know which family we’re from?” Taehyung hears before the wooden door breaks and Tannie bolts from his side with a snarl. Jeongguk pushes to stand in front of Taehyung, protecting him from the flying wood pieces and waves of fire that erupts from the man’s hand, but that isn’t the thing that worries him. With the door gone, Taehyung unintentionally catches a good look at the intruders. The years have been unfairly kind to Kim Yoona, who still looks the same as she did the day he was born 29 years ago. The same as she did when she threw him to the wolves for fame and power. The same as she did when she tried to disguise her true intentions behind her hollow attempt at adopting him from the orphanage she left him in. 

“I hate to break it to you, but blood holds no weight in this household. Don’t know who taught you manners but isn’t it basic etiquette to not fucking burn someone else’s house down, you asshat? Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Jeongguk growls as squalls of severe thunder rip through the air, ferocious and out for blood. The accompanying wind is strong enough to extinguish the man’s weak fire in a single gust, his flames a poor imitation of a hellhound’s. Tannie is more than happy to demonstrate when he charges at the intruders, fur aflame and eyes turning a ruby red that shines with every flicker and twist of its flame. Jeongguk remains by Taehyung, never leaving or wavering as Yoona hurls much weaker ice than Taehyung’s at Jeongguk. 

“Kim Taehyung, I just want to talk to you! Won’t you call off your friend and dog already? Please don’t make it so difficult for us, darling!” she screams as she dodges a pillar of flame Tannie sends her way. Looking over Jeongguk’s shoulder, Taehyung takes in the sight of his past and present merging in the most disorienting way. His family was fighting the family that had forsaken him. Staring at his mother fighting against his friends and screaming at him with the name he had been made to abandon all those years ago without a single remorse, demanding that she speak to him as if she isn’t the one responsible for the way he is.

He wants her dead. 

Squashing the residual childhood terror within him is surprisingly easy when anger is involved. Placing his free hand on Jeongguk’s shoulder, he steps out from behind his friend. Jeongguk shifts to accommodate him in an instant but he doesn’t let go of the hand holding his and the thunder still simmers threateningly in the air. Taehyung sees that Tannie has the man pinned onto the ground, growling whenever he tries to even move underneath his paws. Taehyung turns to the woman who was his mother. 

“I am not a Kim. Weren’t you the one who said that, Mrs. Kim? Or do you go by another name today? My apologies, you change men and families as easily as breathing air. It is rather difficult to keep up with.” A splendid flush of red-hot anger Yoona fails to disguise under a mask sits on her cheeks and Taehyung feels something within him loosen at finally getting under her skin after all these years. She had always hidden behind layers of masks, her true emotions expertly concealed even when she was his mother for his first 7 years alive. He had used to want to catch even a slightest glimpse of what lay underneath when he was a child before he understood too late that nothing but cruelty and selfishness existed in the cold woman. 

“Now, dearie, don’t be like that. Didn’t I tell you I didn’t mean what I said when I visited you at the orphanage? Come now, let us sit down and chat over a cup of coffee?” 

Jeongguk sniffs at her syrupy sweet tone and glares sharply at her when she takes a step forward. 

“I have nothing to say to you. We have nothing that ties us together, so I suggest you and the Kims leave me alone from now on or I won’t be merciful in disposing of your bodies. You know that none of you stood a chance with me magic-wise and bringing a man with an aptitude for fire will not be enough to stop me. I’m sure the thirty men in your family grave can attest to my powers.” 

“Kim Tae-”

“I don’t go by any name other than Taehyung. Get your filthy blood off our property. Don’t mistake my mercy as a familial bond and stop tainting my doorstep with your presence.”

With that, Taehyung unleashes every last drop of his magic he can spare at the woman. He will never forgive her for everything she has done to him in this lifetime and the next. The intruder stumbles from the onslaught of raw, bitter frost that has sunken under her skin. Not even her ice magic is strong enough to protect her from the frigid temperature. Lips turning blue by the second, the intruder shoots another desperate look at Taehyung before reeling back and staggering down the forest path she had taken to reach them. 

“Yoona, wait-” the man cries out and Tannie lifts his head to look at them for permission.

“Burn him. Leave no ashes though. Don’t want to have to add another useless chore for us.” Jeongguk waves dismissively in their direction, already turning to walk back into the house. With their hands still interlocked, Taehyung follows his friend into the kitchen where the glasses of juice have sadly long since warmed to room temperature. Pulling from his recovering reserve of magic, Taehyung cools them again just because he really enjoyed the juice that his friend had painstakingly prepared for them. Handing Jeongguk his almost full glass, Taehyung picks up his own and sinks into his seat, taking a small sip. Jeongguk drags a chair to sit beside him, drinking his juice too as they sit in silence. 

Taehyung knows his friend has many questions, but he also knows Jeongguk would not pry the story out of him if he did not wish to share. Draining his glass, Taehyung carefully slips until his head rests comfortably on his friend’s shoulder. Taehyung doesn’t know if he can speak up in more than a whisper now that the anger has drained away and isn’t there to hold him up. 

“I was part of an Old Family, the Kims. You most likely would not have heard of them; they had already begun to dwindle generations ago and have been desperately trying to grasp onto their former glory days.” Jeongguk shifts and gently rests his head on Taehyung’s, a support that Taehyung greatly appreciated.

“She threw me into the orphanage at 8 when my powers didn’t show. Said something about needing something more substantial to save her now that her one important bargaining chip was faulty.” Taehyung still remembers how foolishly trusting he was, trailing behind her as she brought him out to town. She had none of the cheer she would normally paint on when she was with him. Instead, Taehyung still remembers how cold and far away she looked, the urgency and anger in her eyes visible for him to see. He didn’t know what he had done wrong until he opened his eyes and found the orphanage instead of the hotel room he was staying in with her when she ranted at him the night before. 

“Ironic that she was the one who broke me into my powers, huh? Years after abandoning me, she decided to visit me with her husband at that time after hearing of my... impressive display with ice magic. She pretended not to know me, wanted to ‘adopt’ me into her family. Told the director about how she was a direct descendant of an Old Family and it would bring great honour to the orphanage for me to go with her.” All she had rambled on about was his powers and the prestige of being a member of an Old Family. That many wished to become an heir of one. Taehyung was too numb from the cold to feel angry, only irritated with how noisy she was and how she was eating into his reading time. 

“I hate her and I hate that I had missed her all those years in the orphanage,” Taehyung whispers and he hates how it still hurts a little to admit that out loud too, as if the wound is still scabbing over. They sit in silence as Jeongguk processes the information he has just been given. Tannie strolls in after a moment and settles by their feet again under the table, snoring a second later. But they know that the hellhound is still on high alert. The sun has long set and their dark kitchen is only lit by the cool, blue moonlight that shines in. Just as Taehyung begins to sleepily doze off on his friend's shoulder in the comforting quiet, Jeongguk squeezes their interlocked hands and nuzzles his head.

“What I told the asshat was true. Blood holds neither weight nor meaning in this household. The bonds we have were made by us, on our own terms. It’s alright to hate and miss something at the same time; it is what you do after that that really counts.”

Jeongguk gently rests his feet on Tannie, who doesn’t even flinch. “Would you not say that you have done much to change yourself? I think you turned out just fine, my dear friend. We are the family you chose, not the one you had to adapt to or tolerate to fit in. You are and have been doing amazing, Taehyung. Besides, I will kill her if she shows her face anywhere near us ever again.”

Taehyung lets Jeongguk’s words settle over him, like a safe and warm blanket would. He lets it stew in his mind, turning the promise inside out before tucking it safely into the guarded corner of his mind where happy memories lie. 

“Her magic was even weaker than yours. I would have no difficulties in crushing her.” 

“Don’t ruin the moment, Gukkie.” 

“W-what did you just call me? Tae?”

The night ends with faint laughter and soft smiles. 

(They fell asleep by the kitchen table, waking up with stiff backs and hands still interlocked.

They replaced the door with the wood they chopped down together in the forest that morning.)

+1.

Taehyung watches as Jeongguk distractedly stares into the distance, trowel long forgotten in his limp hand. His friend had been stuck like this all week, sighing and getting distracted in his tasks. Although Taehyung won’t pry until Jeongguk is ready to share, this is starting to get silly. Taehyung is worried that his friend will eventually injure himself with how out of it he was, especially when Taehyung had to carefully put out the small fire that started from burnt dinner and maneuver sharp objects away from the vicinity of his friend – who had not even noticed any of it happening. Jeongguk had also begun to study him more frequently, his eyes more often than not already settled on Taehyung before Taehyung would turn and realise. The lost and nervous look on Jeongguk’s face did little to comfort him and Taehyung has been getting more concerned with the change. He decides if Jeongguk can’t resolve what is troubling him this much by the time the week ends, Taehyung is going to take things into his own hands. 

It is already Saturday morning and his friend had yet to consult him in what ails his mind, so Taehyung settles on confronting him that afternoon. For now, Taehyung doesn’t want Jeongguk near anything sharp or fragile; he did not want his friend to do something he would regret in his disconnected state. 

Walking over to his friend by the flower patch, Taehyung gingerly plucks the trowel from Jeongguk’s slack hands and places a gloveless hand onto his back. “Hey there, you busy honeybee. I think those flowers are doing alright. Why don’t we take a break in the kitchen? I made us some honey lemon tea the other day. Come on.” Taehyung reaches and tugs on Jeongguk’s wrist, guiding the confused man back into the shade of their home. Pouring them each a glass, he pushes Jeongguk into a seat and hands him the chilled drink. Taehyung watches Jeongguk over the rim of his glass before he picks up his nerve. Forget afternoon, he was doing this now .

“Jeongguk, could I interest you in a duel?” 

That does capture his distracted friend’s attention, snapping Jeongguk out of his reverie as he bodily jolts in his seat. Jeongguk eyes Taehyung warily, looking so conflicted and scared that just makes Taehyung hate how helpless he is in his friend’s distress. “W-what for?” The response makes Taehyung even more alarmed. Jeongguk never needed a reason to accept a duel with him before now. Taehyung can’t help but wonder what could possibly be affecting his friend so much.

“If I win, you share with me what has been troubling you the entire week. If you win, I will not pry and I’ll owe you a favour. How does that sound?” Taehyung could see the war raging in his friend’s mind, Jeongguk’s blank expression not betraying a single emotion that he is hiding within him. They remain in a stalemate, but Taehyung is ready to wait for his friend, a reflection of all the times Jeongguk has done this for him. At last, Jeongguk shifts from his position by the table to Taehyung’s side. The sudden resolve in his friend’s face is a startling change from the nervous and distant mess Jeongguk has been all week. He has clearly decided within himself and Taehyung can only feel relieved. 

Moving from his spot by the kitchen sink, Taehyung makes his way with Jeongguk beside him to the open space in the forest behind their house. It was their spot for sparring, evident in the cuts on the tree bark and uneven ground below their feet whenever the barrier around the space got too weak against their combined assault of attacks. Positioning himself in his usual spot, Taehyung readies for the duel as his senses sharpen and the bite of chill buzzes on his skin. His scalp tingles at the cold and some of his blue hair escapes from the ponytail it was in. Every duel with Jeongguk was exhilarating. Taehyung didn’t need to hold back in their fights in the forests. Besides, this is a match he does not want to lose. 

Jeongguk has taken his spot opposite him but his eyes are closed. After a moment, Jeongguk inhales deeply and, when he opens his grey eyes, they shine like precious lightning in a storm. It is as extraordinary to witness as the first time. 

The only warning Taehyung gets that the duel has started is the minute shift of Jeongguk’s weight before he pounces, electricity crackling dangerously in each hand. Taehyung sinks to a low crouch in an instant and the space where he is now seethes with charged electricity. Without a single pause, Taehyung fluidly twists his body as he angles a wall of jagged ice up from the ground, right where Jeongguk’s face was. The tip of the deadly ice has barely touched Jeongguk’s chin before he grabs and crushes it with the growling thunder in his hand, sending spiderwebs of cracks into Taehyung’s wall of ice. 

Knowing that the ice is going to fall on him, Taehyung immediately flips and kicks hard into the ice wall, landing a few feet away. The ice crumbles in Jeongguk’s direction, disorienting him for half a second before he recovers and is attacking once again. Summoning gusts of wind on the heels of roaring thunder, Jeongguk skillfully deflects each of his blows and counterattacks without a moment’s thought. Taehyung is not going to make it easy for his friend though, carefully attacking every one of Jeongguk’s weak points, which he tended to leave unguarded in the rush of fighting. Taehyung weaves and gracefully dances out of Jeongguk’s way, always a hairsbreadth away from being hit. It goes on longer than any of their matches have gone, neither one wanting to give up.

The weight of electricity tearing through the air brushes across his back as Taehyung once again manages to successfully dodge another attack at the last second. A ludicrous idea begins to form in his head, but he knows the risky move could either be the one to bring him victory, or to determine his defeat. What was fighting without taking risks anyways?

Taehyung raises his hands, quickly summoning five walls of ice to surround Jeongguk, trapping his friend in a lidded box made of ice. Knowing that he has only bought more than a second or two for himself, Taehyung quickly jumps back to increase the distance between them before the ice shatters in all directions in a wave of explosive thunder. Readying himself, Taehyung grabs the magic that flows in his veins and, instead of the traditional method of summoning the cold from within, he channels it out into the open air. Taehyung had only tried it once and it had unlocked his powers and earned him a nickname.

The temperature in the air drops in an instant and the wind that was conjured by Jeongguk’s powers immediately changes direction, howling miserably. The clouds overhead turn a startling black and Jeongguk stops to stare. A cutting tempest of shrieking silver from the sky beats down on them. With palms facing the sky, Taehyung grabs and pulls at the magic that twists in the blizzard around them, carefully containing it in his hands before diving towards the awestruck Jeongguk. If he missed, Taehyung would have no more magic to continue their fight. Jeongguk whips to face him, alarmed, and wrestles the winds and thunders to his command. 

Just as he gets within Jeongguk’s bubble, Taehyung realises that he has not clearly calculated the destructive powers of this new spell. The last time he had attempted it had ended badly for the people in the orphanage, as well as the infrastructure of the orphanage itself. He didn’t want to fatally injure his family with this risky idea he thought of on the fly just so he could get Jeongguk to share his worries with him. There were so many things wrong with that. Making a split decision, he twists his body midair and the hands that were about to attack Jeongguk head on change direction to over his friend’s shoulders. The silver tempest in his hands is unleashed onto the poor barrier which shatters from the powerful attack.

Taehyung’s change of attack momentarily stuns Jeongguk and so, the hand that was going for his throat was too late to stop and Taehyung goes down. Falling with him from momentum, Jeongguk scrambles to support the back of Taehyung’s head and the small of his back to absorb most of the impact from the fall. Although Jeongguk had pulled his powers at the last moment before his hand came into contact with Taehyung’s neck, Taehyung still feels his neck burn from the electricity. 

The forest quiets immediately, the dark clouds from before long gone, and they lay there panting on the forest ground. 

Taehyung is tucked securely into the crook of Jeongguk’s neck and the pain soon fades the longer he lays under his friend. Sighing, Taehyung resigns that storms are Jeongguk’s specialty instead. Reaching a tired hand up from the ground, he combs his hand through Jeongguk’s soft hair. 

“I’ll always be by your side so you can confide in me with what troubles you, alright? But, as promised, I will not pry and I’ll owe you a favour now,” Taehyung whispers softly, not ready to break the silence that has fallen over them the moment the duel ended. But Jeongguk remains laying on him, unresponsive and not moving. The longer he goes without answering, the more Taehyung worries that he might have actually caught Jeongguk in his last attack and reaches his free hand to pat softly on his friend’s back.

“Hey, Gukkie? Are you alright? Did I hurt you back there?” This somehow gets his friend to move as Jeongguk shifts and positions his hands on the sides of Taehyung’s head, towering above him. The conflicted look on Jeongguk’s face is back as he silently continues to study Taehyung who can only look back with concern. Taehyung had just promised he wasn’t going to pry, so he pushes all of the questions he wants to ask and the reassurance he wishes he could give down into the depths of his mind, taking to just watching Jeongguk.

“Hey there, little stormcloud. Wanna go back home soon-”

“Taehyung. I would like to cash in on that favour right now. Is that okay?” Taehyung had not been expecting that to be Jeongguk’s response but decides to just go along with it. Shrugging to show his consent, he also slides his hands up to rest on his friend’s neck above him. It looked like this may take a while and Taehyung doesn’t want Jeongguk to strain himself to hold onto that awkward position for too long. “My favour is that I want you to ask me your question. I promise I’ll answer truthfully.” Taehyung only blinks back in confusion at his friend’s odd request. Jeongguk only looks back with an indecipherable emotion in his eyes but Taehyung can see the determination in the lines of his face. Jeongguk’s choice for a favour has only opened up more questions in Taehyung’s bustling mind but he understands Jeongguk’s request. 

Taking a small inhale, he steels himself and decides to just go for it. 

“What seems to be troubling you, Gukkie?” 

“I was troubled over how to broach this topic for fear of scaring you away or worse, disgust you… I’ve been in love with you for more than a decade and I grow fonder as the days pass. I say this, not to pressure you into agreeing – no, I would never be able to live with myself if I did that – but I felt that it was unfair to you to not inform you of my... untoward affections for you. That does not mean that is all I hold for you though, as I dearly treasure our friendship and my additional feelings for you does not change that.”

Jeongguk speaks unhurriedly, carefully enunciating each word, and it is clear that he has been stewing and preparing this particular speech in his mind for the entire week. The gentle fondness of his tone is unmistakable as he lays his heart out on a platter, at the mercy of Taehyung’s cold-bitten hands, which Jeongguk doesn’t seem to mind at all with how tender he looks hovering above Taehyung.

“I wish you would not look upon me with disgust, fear or even suspicion – for my actions and words have been sincere from the very start. I do not need an answer or acceptance of my love, but for us to continue living as we did before today. You are my family, Taehyung.”

He whispers the last sentence into the dark, into the air between them, like it is precious and pure. Taehyung simply breathes in the words that Jeongguk just spoke and lets it settle within him. He turns and dissects each word in his mind, poking at any negative emotion that could have arisen from this discovery, but, predictably he has found none. Distrust, hate, fear, disgust... nothing that Jeongguk had mentioned has come to mind except for the overall feeling of peace that warms Taehyung from inside. Further considering it, Taehyung realises that the overall notion feels normal to him. It isn’t a surprise that Taehyung is particularly fond of the man before him and it has only increased every moment spent by Jeongguk’s side. Perhaps the falling-in-love part had come silently, slowly creeping and growing as the days went by, and Taehyung had not even batted an eye at the blooming fondness and affection. The growth just felt natural, like rain during thunderstorms and like snow during winter. Of course it is Jeongguk who finally provides him a name for it, whether his friend knew it or not. 

Love was always too foreign and painful for him; the Kims and their actions would always remain a dirty stain that Taehyung can’t wash out of his mind, but the ways he feels for Jeongguk warms him instead. Just like warm palms and smiles do. 

Warm as the face he cradles in his hands as he shifts them up from Jeongguk’s neck. The pleasant surprise and tiny glimpse of hope in Jeongguk’s gaze is surprisingly endearing. Gently tugging Jeongguk’s face down until they are mere breaths away, Taehyung takes the chance to collect his thoughts one last time. 

“I always knew my ice was stronger than your power so it’s shocking how such weak thunder could zap your brain until such stupid thoughts fill your mind. Truly, ‘fear, anger, disgust ’? You really are a fool if you believed I would think that of you. Perhaps I have not displayed my fondness and very present affections for you as I had initially perceived. Do allow me to correct this small error of mine.”

“‘Shocking’. Taehyung, really?”

“Oh, just shut up and let me kiss you already, you babbling fool.”

Despite his quick and shameless retort, Taehyung patiently waits as he watches Jeongguk filter through a thousand emotions in a single second. Hope, elation, disbelief, amusement and many more Taehyung can’t keep up with before Jeongguk’s expressions settles into something more open. 

Moving a hand from where it holds Jeongguk up on the ground so that he is only being held up by a single hand, Jeongguk gently places it on Taehyung’s chin and tilts his head up. The kiss was no more than a peck, a simple press of lips that was enough in the soft space surrounding them. They had always communicated better in their silences, which they bask in now, soaking in this new yet somehow familiar development in their relationship. That is, until Taehyung realises Jeongguk is still balancing himself with a single hand. Playfully, he reaches to tug Jeongguk down who falls onto him with an ‘oof’ as his hand finally relaxes from its perch. Taehyung nuzzles his cold face softly into the crook of Jeongguk's warm neck.

“Show off,” Taehyung mumbles, voice dripping with fond exasperation, into Jeongguk’s ear.

“Only for you though,” is the muffled reply, spoken through a chuckle that shakes the both of them and through the fabric of Taehyung’s shirt too. Taehyung can’t argue with that because it is simply too true.

Only for you. 

(When Jeongguk pulled out the worn-out book of flower language to read in bed, Taehyung didn’t think too much about it. That was until Jeongguk ‘casually’ left the page with the red dahlias and white chrysanthemums wide open between them – a silent offering. 

Taking just one glimpse at the words on the page, Taehyung sighed fondly. 

“You are such a hopeless sap.”

“Taetae, you’re on a roll today! First ‘shocking’ and now ‘sap’? I look forward to the next one.”

At least Taehyung had found another effective way of silencing Jeongguk that did not involve magic.)