Chapter Text
Ilpyo Park was floating.
There was an out-of-body sensation overwhelming everything. He was not in his skin; his body could hardly contain him. Even before consciousness fully came back, Ilpyo was aware that someone was holding him. That said someone was careful, even gentle, their strong arms cradling him securely against their warm chest as they ran at speeds that caused winds to blow furiously over Ilpyo’s eardrum.
Ilpyo didn’t move. His head was pounding, sounds came in as indistinctive noises and white dots danced behind his closed eyelids. He felt miserable and wished desperately the whole world would stop spinning.
Yet Ilpyo kept still. The facts he had were limited; he wasn’t incapacitated (dubiously), they were on the move, and there was at least another person traveling with the one who held him hostage. Ilpyo had learned from a young age that a lot of things could happen at the moment when you decided to open your eyes; father died, mother turned away, and he was left alone with a granduncle too cold to be a family at a place too huge for someone too small. Ilpyo was young, but old enough to understand that he was not wanted. In his version of the story, Father Bear and Mother Bear never lived happily with Baby Bear. So he had years of practice to keep things to himself, and was well-versed in pretending and deceiving.
Everything hurt, and Ilpyo was so, so tired.
“What were you thinking?” A booming voice pierced through the wind, sounded oddly exasperated and fond all at once.
“I wasn’t thinking,” came another voice vibrated through the chest Ilpyo was pressed against, familiar and wondrous and Ilpyo couldn’t help but let out a relieved sigh.
Mori Jin.
And then Ilpyo remembered. Memories flowed back into him like tide ebbs after a full moon. Ilpyo was left breathless and disoriented.
Oh. Oh. The fight. The show he put up for the whole world to witness. The carefully measured plans, the strategies that were intended to be morally reprehensible, the informative evidence against the current World President Mujin Park leaked to the media, and the wifi system, the architects, as well as the labs under construction at the New Korea to treat children of X-syndrome. Ilpyo was fully prepared. He didn’t play the role of a villain just to lose, he was playing to win.
Though Ilypo would be lying if he said that he didn’t enjoy the second half of fighting Mori, with everything he had. Even if he didn’t win, for a martial artist, it wasn’t an undignified defeat.
If only he could remember what happened afterward. Ilpyo’s last memory started in a slow-motion where Mori performed the Recoilless, clean and powerful. The other man’s eyes were focused, red and passionate, and the memory concluded with the overwhelming pride that filled his heart when Mori had completed The Renewal through combining Ilpyo’s Taekgyeon and his own Renewal movement.
“What happened to the plan?” The other person said, who Ilpyo realized was Daewi Han.
“I have changed my mind.” Mori grumbled.
“Obviously.” Daewi deadpanned.
Ilpyo’s interest was piqued. If he could open his eyes and ask about their abolished plan without throwing up, he would.
They were slowing down, gradually.
Mori squeezed him gently, ever so gently, and murmured, “the dizziness gets better when the movement ceases. You might have a concussion, we will get a medic for you as soon as we arrive.”
Arrive where? Ilpyo wanted to ask. But it was easily overpowered by the realization that Mori knew. He knew Ilpyo was conscious and made the effort to make his life easier. Ilpyo squeezed his eyes shut and with a shuddering exhale, he nodded.
Mori lifted him a bit higher and rested his chin on top of Ilypo’s head. There was a breath of air rustling his hair, “Rest up a bit more, fox. We still have a couple of hours to go.” His thumbs were rubbing soothing circles where they supported Ilpyo’s waist and the crook of his knees.
It was foreign to Ilpyo, being held in another person’s arms. Even when he was little, Ilpyo had no one to pick him up. But it was nice, he thought groggily. Being held by Mori was nice. They should try this more when he feels better.
Mori snickered and Ilpyo realized he just slurred exactly what he thought.
“We will,” Mori promised, squeezing him one more time. “Now sleep. “
Ilpyo drifted back into dreamless blackness.
-------
The second time Ilpyo woke up, he was alone at a small but cozy apartment with huge bay windows. He loved it.
Feeling better already, Ilpyo ventured to the kitchen and found a small bowl of tofu stew in plastic wrap and a messy note from Mori.
“Heat it up for 3 minutes. You don’t have a concussion but are advised to rest. This apartment is for you. Don’t wander around too much. I will be back after school. Call Daewi or Seungchul if you need anything.” The last part was crossed off and replaced by an “Actually, CALL ME.” It was obvious that Mori rushed through the note, but it was as amusing as it was endearing. Ilpyo let out a small laugh and microwaved his bowl of tofu. It was delicious.
He didn’t wait long to call up Seungah, still chewing on the food. Seungah picked it up almost immediately, “Are you alright?”
Ilpyo blinked, “How did you know it was me?”
“Nobody calls this number except you.” Seungah said. “And before you even start asking questions, the children are doing well. We went ahead with the original plan and are arranging transportations at the moment. Thanks to the strings you pulled before that stunt at the world government, the incubators are secured.”
“Ok.” Ilpyo let out a shuddery breath, finally, “Ok.”
“Now, your turn.” Seungah demanded.
“It’s…” Ilpyo started, but was for once at a loss for words, “Peaceful.”
Seungah waited.
Ilpyo sighed, “I am not in any physical danger. Mori and his medics, I guess, patched me up quite nicely. The apartment I am residing in is comfortable. That’s how much I know right now.”
Seungah hummed, “I assume Mori Jin is not there with you?”
“No, he went to school.” Ilpyo didn’t even try to hide his amusement. “He is Mori Dan as well, and considering how attached he is to his sister, I’m not surprised.”
Seungah smiled from her side, “He’s a good brother.”
“He is,” Ilpyo agreed, “Tell me more about what happened?”
Seungah huffed, “You mean that huge stunt you pulled fighting the Monkey King? Or the even huger scandal with the Monkey King afterward?”
Ilpyo was confused. His defeat was supposed to be featured as both a military and a moral failure from the current world government, on top of the allegations against Mujin Park, to bring down the world president.
“What?”
“Well, to start with, Mujin Park is still legally the world president.” Seungah said, “For now.”
“I didn’t expect anything less.” It would take time to destroy Mujin without disturbing the current system governing the world, but Ilpyo had the time and patience of the whole universe.
Seungah continued, “Your grand battle with Jaecheondaesong didn’t go as well as you thought. Not with the media featuring you as THE last force who stood in front of humanity against the demon king.”
Ilpyo choked on his tofu, but Seungah didn’t have the mercy to give him a break.
“Then the said demon king knocked you out, picked you up, and snarled at your former subordinates swarmed in to rescue you in front of the whole world. And he said...” Seungah paused for the dramatic effect.
Ilpyo pressed the heel of his palm into his eyes, hard, and weakly asked, “What did he say?”
“He said,” Seungah deepened her voice in an obvious fake way, “Piss off. Ilpyo Park is not yours to keep.”
Ilpyo groaned.
Seungah, the evil witch, happily ignored his misery and continued, “So now the whole world knows to keep their hands off you, at least the smart ones do. Some fools are trying to use your capture as a major slogan for their political campaign to get more people on their side; as they phrased, to bring the hero home.”
“Such an easy hero for them to use.” Ilpyo sneered.
“I know.” Seungah was quiet for a moment, it was unusual to see her hesitate in spilling out her mind, “Ilpyo, I know you have planned this. I know you want to dedicate yourself to the children of X-syndrome, and I know you don’t care about power or fame, but do you think, even just for one second, that maybe...”
Ilpyo’s breath hitched, he put down the phone. Seungah’s voice came through the speaker nonetheless.
“Maybe this world needs you as much as those children of X-syndrome do.”
-------
Mori came back after school, holding several grocery bags in one hand and waiving with his other. Ahan Dan was hot on his heels, balancing a heavy-looking pot that smelled surprisingly inviting.
Ilypo let them in. They slipped into the kitchen as if it were their own. Mori threw a can of Milkis at Ilpyo and stuffed the rest of whatever he got into the fridge, while Ahan busied herself over the counter to cut vegetables. She turned on the stove burner and shooed Mori away.
Ilpyo lingered awkwardly in the doorway.
He felt out of place. For a man who had lived by himself for the past 17 years, he had forgotten how to move around families in a small confined place. Ilpyo offered to help anyway. Ahan politely turned him down and pointed at the living room adjacent to the kitchen where Mori Dan just had jaunted down.
“Please look after him,” she said, in a way that was too serious to happen in a kitchen.
Ilpyo nodded, unsure of what else was expected, and went to join Mori on the couch.
Mori was a fluffy ball of blue in his Mori Dan form. He looked up from his lounging spot and beamed at Ilpyo, patting the tiny space beside him where Ilpyo could imagine how their thighs would press together if he sat.
Ilpyo sat on the floor.
Unfazed, Mori plopped down next to him, pressing their thighs together. Ilpyo gave him a scorching look.
“What?” Mori feigned innocence.
Ilpyo glanced at him sideways and decided to let it slide, “Your sister is wary about me.” It didn’t go unnoticed of how tense Ahan was when Ilpyo was around.
Mori shrugged, “Probably because you were from the world government.”
Now, that’s something Ilpyo wouldn’t let go easily. He peered at Mori in a way that said “Really? You are giving me this crap?”
“Fine.” Mori crossed his arms, “My best guess is the princes of Natak. We didn’t part way with them on good terms. She was irritated around me back when she first developed her Charyeok.”
“Oh.” Ilpyo blinked, it had slipped his mind of whom the girl was borrowing powers from, “That makes sense.”
It was almost like memories of a past life coming back to him. The life before Ragnarök. And someone from many lives ago.
Just a hint of pause in the rhythm of Ilpyo’s breathing made Mori touch his toes with Ilpyo’s. He abandoned that line of conversation.
“You’ve behaved today.” Mori commented.
Ilpyo rolled his eyes, “It’s not like I have anywhere to go.”
“You do.” Mori swiveled to look at him, ember eyes sharp and focused, he was every bit of Mori Jin in the skin of Mori Dan. “Seungchul was asking about you. Daewi wanted your advice on dealing with those annoying politicians. There was this architect lady I don’t know who designed those buildings Ahan helped construct, who was expecting to talk to you. And I want you here.”
You are welcomed, expected, and wanted here. In the country Mori Jin created.
Breath caught in his throat, Ilpyo couldn’t look away.
The smile Mori had was bright and gentle, and everything Ilpyo hoped for.
“Am I interrupting something?” Daewi’s voice broke the magic. The current Jade Emperor leaned on the doorframe with a convenience store takeout bag, like he was about to join a potluck.
Mori just beamed and leaned over to bump his shoulder with Ilypo, winking before throwing himself to Daewi for a fist bump.
Ilpyo wanted to drag him back and demand answers. But then, there was no question to ask.
---------
People kept coming, and Ilpyo didn’t know why.
It wasn’t like they were throwing a welcome party for him, or were they?
When the blond female with cerulean eyes and rude remarks knocked on the door, Ilpyo had to stop midway his conversation with Daewi about the stupid politicians and searched his memory for her name. Daewi looked like he was about to carry out a strategic retreat.
“Dismiss them.” He ordered, looking older than ever.
“Do I want to know?” Ilpyo mouthed to Mori, who had been creating a pillow fort from the cushions.
“No.” Mori mouthed back.
Bishop Xiaotian, now Ilpyo remembered her name, rejoined them after she went back outside to shout out orders.
“As vain as ever.” Mori waved.
Xiaotian smiled, coquettishly, and said with genuine affection, “I wasn’t expecting to see the dumb monkey and the sly fox together, what a surprise!”
Ilpyo thought he was probably being insulted.
Seungchul was the last to come, right at the moment when Ahan brought the Budae Jjigae to the table.
“You are late!” Mori shouted from his spot next to Ilpyo.
“I was busy.” He said, sliding into the seat on Ilpyo’s other side, “Unlike you.” He added.
“I was busy, too!” Mori protested.
“From destroying the school and the world?” Seungchul came back easily, “Sure.”
“Play nice.” Daewi chided, he was occupying his bowl with all the noodles, and meat, and carrots.
Ilpyo narrowed his eyes and started to pile up his own food before it ran out.
Turned out, he didn’t have to worry. The chef of the night, Ahan had prepared more food to feed an entire country.
Seungchul went to pick up more side dishes from the kitchen and came back with a plate of boiled eggs and shrimp. He dumped a shrimp in Ilpyo’s bowl, just for the heck of it.
Mori and Daewi pushed their bowls forward not so subtly, expectant.
Seungchul rolled his eyes. “Well, get your own eggs.”
Mori started whining. Ilpyo laughed and tried to steal an egg for him. Seungchul slapped Ilpyo’s chopsticks away, “You’ve got your fair share of shrimp. No egg for you. And Mori will need to work and earn his eggs.”
“You heard him.” Ilpyo looked at Mori with a sad smile. Mori whined even louder.
At some point, Xiaotian started a shouting match with Mori, who was throwing lettuce at her. There was a lot of swearing involved. Daewi sipped on his beer, talking quietly with Ahan.
Seungchul nudged Ilpyo, “How are you feeling?”
Ilpyo blinked, “I’m doing...alright?” He said, uncertain about whether they were close enough to talk about feelings.
“Good.” Seungchul said curtly, “Now we are done with the courtesy, I need to speak with you about the lab and the nano-tech.”
Ilpyo cracked up.
He didn’t know how much he had missed this. Ilpyo was always cautious, always on guard during the time he had served Mujin Park. Mujin was no stranger to the calculative deceits Ilpyo carried in his shadows. And Ilpyo learned to live with his cold eyes and vicious cunning.
But here.
Where Ilpyo was surrounded by half-finished food and bickering friends, he felt the air was making way for him.
They still talked about the nanomachines and wifi towers.
-----------
Seungchul was the person who decided to call it a night. He paused at the door and turned to look Ilpyo dead in the eye.
“I expect you at the lab tomorrow at 8 sharp.”
“Did I just get a job offer?” Ilpyo was holding the door for Ahan, who smiled back.
“Yes, you start with the cube. The office only comes with promotions.” Seungchul pushed up his glasses and left.
Ilpyo laughed.
Daewi nodded at him before he and Xiaotian disappeared into the night.
And then, Mori stayed.
Ilpyo breathed out a sigh before he walked back to the living room, only to find Mori was already making himself comfortable in his pillow fort.
He was, however, Mori Jin in flesh.
Ilpyo raised an eyebrow, “Let me guess, you are sorry?”
Mori blinked, “Humm, no?” At least he had the decency to look a bit sheepish, “Should I be sorry?”
Ilpyo snorted, “I thought as much.” He threw an orange at Mori’s fort, just because, and it caved in like dropping a bomb, causing Mori to complain and cackle.
“Cider or hot chocolate?” Ilpyo asked. He didn’t wait to hear the answer though.
Mori joined him in the kitchen minutes later and watched Ilpyo making their drinks.
“How did you know there were cider and chocolate?”
“I got bored today,” Ilpyo slid Mori’s cider over the counter. “And I saw you pushed that whole bag of junk food into my pantry.”
Mori took a big gulp on his drink.
Drumming his fingers along the side of the mug, Ilypo asked, “So?” as if so is a question itself.
Mori looked puzzled.
“Didn’t you stay to talk?” Ilpyo cocked his head in bewilderment.
Mori screwed up his face and thought hard, “Do I have to have a reason to stay?”
That had caught Ilpyo off guard. Mori looked like he was genuinely confused. Like he had no clue why he was here, and for how long. Like nobody had demanded an answer for his whereabouts. Like it was normal for him to stray.
Ilpyo knew that feeling. He also knew where it came from.
Not now. Ilpyo thought, and agreed quietly, “I guess you don’t.”
Mori yawned, blinking down the drowsiness to take another sip of his cider. He had been busy for the past few days. Months. Years. But Mori had a feeling that Ilpyo was not done talking. And he had questions too. There was something special about Ilpyo that made Mori wanted to reach out to.
“You don’t seem to have a problem changing back.” Ilpyo’s eyes were on him, dark under his bangs.
Mori smirked, “Ahan likes me better as Mori Dan.”
“But it is easier this way.” Ilpyo commented. It was not a question.
“But it is easier this way.” He agreed.
“You know.” Mori ventured, “You haven’t changed a day.”
A dangerous observation. Silence hung in the air.
Ilpyo slowly, ever so slowly, smirked back, with slitting pupils and glinting fangs, and he said, “Is that so?”
Mori stared at him, “Is it a personal thing?”
“No.” Ilpyo turned away - too quick to answer and too slow to take it back – he conceded, “It is a fox thing.”
Mori huffed and dropped the topic. It left a bitter taste in Ilpyo’s mouth.
Then, there was something else scratched at the corner of his mind, like a small animal begging to be let in.
“This afternoon,” Ilpyo started, unsure of where this conversation will lead him to, “What you said...it came across as if everyone has a reason for me to be here. But you don’t.”
Mori didn’t make a sound, and for a second, Ilpyo thought he wouldn’t answer. But then Mori said, “No, I don’t.” His eyes bright and gentle and searching, something heavy and cloudy was hidden there too, waiting to be released.
“I don’t need a reason to want you here.”
Ilpyo shivered.
It was a hot feeling on a cold night.
And then, Mori yawned again. He was exhausted. Ilpyo’s eyes softened.
“You should go to sleep.”
Mori complied, but not before he reached across the counter and touched Ilpyo on the wrist.
“We will talk more.” He promised.
Ilpyo watched Mori go and went to take a long shower, his mind racing. He knew they had been beating around the bush ever since their first encounter at the tournament. There was always something intangible burning at the corner of his mind, whenever Mori Jin was around. The air around him seemed to move, to shift, and to invite Ilpyo to lean in as if making room for him on a loveseat. Skin to skin.
And Ilpyo yearned.
He just didn’t know. At the small corner of a bathtub, Ilpyo thought, if it was a good time. If there ever would be a good time.
Too engrossed in his thoughts, he didn’t even realize that Mori had walked into the only bedroom of the apartment.
Ilpyo returned and found Mori stretched out on his bed, snoring softly, and half of Ilpyo’s damn chocolate was missing.
You little shit.
Ilpyo pushes him over and curled into the warmth of Mori.
It was the best sleep he’d had in a long time, if not the best of his entire life.