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Kibum wasn’t the type to make a deal with the devil easily, which made his situation even more ironic. He rolled his eyes at the wide smirk on the god of the underworld's face and inspected his long nails. Huh, looks like his pinky got a little chip, he’d have to fix that up when he made it home. The wind blew through the dark forest around them and he glanced up quickly. Ugh it would be easier if the devil didn’t have such a cute pout.
“Oh come ooooooonnn~ We both know you can’t exactly say no.”
“Shut up Taeminnie I’ll do what I want.”
“I mean technically…”
Kibum glared right through Taemin’s smug little head. He hated when he brought up their “arrangement” at the most inconvenient times. Was it not enough that he had just gotten soaked to the bone trying to seduce some pig nosed punk who didn’t know how to keep his hands to himself? Must he always suffer?
“Look I told you already, Mr. New-and-Squeaky-Hunk just picked me up on the way to the city, I don’t even know where he’s headed exactly.”
“Yeah but Namgeung and Euisoo can find that out in a second, so don’t bother with that little number.”
Taemin waved his hand at the blue and purple demons by his waist, the intensity of their matching grins making Kibum recoil a little. He sighed and pushed their noggins aside, strolling up to a tree just to lean dramatically on its trunk.
“Fine I guess you got me. Witty as always you’ve convinced me with eloquence, grace, and oh yeah blackmail.”
Taemin’s hair flared up in small flames as the ends of his lips sunk down even further. He stuck pointy nose far up in the air.
“First of all, it's more of a hostage negotiation than blackmail I’d say thank you very much, and second of all there’s no need to be bitter sweetheart. We all made our choices to get here.”
Kibum felt his head hit the bark behind him, his tousled black hair fanning out in the light breeze. Maybe if he squeezed his eyes hard enough he could transport right back to his bed and be done with this nonsense. The very reminder of the reason he was currently stuck here brought acid up his throat.
‘Love you forever’ he had been promised. Well last time he checked the dictionary it didn’t say ‘maybe two years before I find someone new’ next to that word. He sold his soul to save a man he thought was worth everything and now all he had to show for it was the taste of ash on the back of his tongue.
“I already said fine alright. I’ll keep an eye on your hero and play the part of concerned citizen when you call upon me. Don’t you have better things to do? Like I don’t know, torturing poor unfortunate souls or making new Hot Pocket flavors?”
“Well I am a little behind on that. Hear this one- Meatball and sausage but this time it's made entirely out of rat.”
Kibum fake gagged and that seemed to be good enough to get Taemin back to a grin.
“Alright lovely I got to write that one down for the ages. I guess that’s my que to go doll, I’ll see you in a day or two for our big performance. Put your nice lip tint on would you?”
In a flash of smoke the gray toned man was gone, taking his annoying voice and nosy little minions with him. Kibum folded his head in his hands and just held it for a moment. Things used to be so simple and now he had to follow around some wannabe for the foreseeable future while looking stunning. Well at least the last part wouldn’t be hard.
He pushed off from the tree and set off towards the trail, hoping to make it back before the night market started and his street grew crowded. While he hopped over stones and small spiny shrubs, he pondered how the hell tomorrow might go down. He still wasn’t sure what this Minho fellow meant to Taemin, but he was clearly important by the tantrum that was thrown by his very mention.
Kibum could understand the worry, it’s not like he was blind and those muscles sure were large in volume and effective to boot. Not to mention the way his shoulders went out for half a mile, for gods sake a mountain could rest on those just fine! And the way the water had dripped down his golden throat--
Right anyway he could figure that this Minho man might be difficult to fight if the need arose.
But honestly the man was more a boy then anything, still headstrong and spirited and much too eager to please. The spark in his eyes as he gazed at Kibum may have made him weak in the knees a few years ago, but now it felt like nothing more than naivete. Kibum would have rather avoided being any part of the reason that light flickered out of his eyes, but it seemed the fates had written him a different story.
As he finally stepped onto paved roads, the sun was low in the sky and the white columns of the city square were tinged with a pink hue. He breathed in the muggy air and trudged along to his apartment. When he was a few minutes away a figure popped up from a painted wall, the sound of his resonate voice receiving an automatic sigh.
“Well, wasn’t that interesting hmm?”
Kibum lowered his eyelids at Jonghyun and picked up his pace. He could see Jonghyun’s profile at his side but no footsteps joined the patter of his own. His skin was shimmering in the low light and Kibum was glad for his presence if only to help him see the steps.
“Honestly I enjoyed the show. I mean there you were, doing your best to act like you weren’t swooning, and then there was the finest sight I had ever seen since Odysseus took to sea wrapping his big gleaming arms around you and- “
“Wow you sure do know how to tell a good story! Wish I knew where the hell you were getting it from. See how I remember it I was doing my job, you know as a faithful puppet of Hell should be, and then my hard work was dashed right in front of my eyes as some goody two shoes twerp in dusty gladiator dress that was so 400 BC butted his nose in where it didn’t belong and ruined it.”
Jonghyun was laughing a little too hard if you asked Kibum and he almost stopped just to ask him if his suffering was always the best joke ever told. Luckily he remembered himself and kept moving forward thought he stepped more forcefully on each stone.
“Oh honey now I know you’ve got it bad. You haven’t acted this defensive since you clearly stole the last slice of honey cake in the dead of night and tried to pretend like it was Hermes disguised as a mouse.”
Kibum rapidly climbed up the steps to his dark maroon door, pulling on the handle and looking back just once more.
“All the insane shit that has happened and you still don’t believe me about the damn mouse! Goes to show what little you know.”
Just like that Kibum slammed the door behind himself and slumped against the rough wooden door. And if he heard a shout that sounded like ‘I’m literally a Muse that knows the whole story of man!’, than he pretended he didn’t.
...
He did, in fact, put on his best lip tint today. What can he say, he might need the extra boost of confidence only a wine stained mouth would give him. He glanced in his pocket mirror one last time and straightened out an already smooth strand of hair. Snapping it close he took in a deep breath and turned around while warming up his voice with small screams. And… Showtime!
“Oh my god HELP! Somebody, a hero is greatly needed! Please there are children that are stuck under a landslide and they can’t get out, someone save them!”
His voice cracked just right on the last note and it took everything in him to not give himself a round of applause right then and there. He glanced over just as a figure parted the small crowd that had gathered around Kibum and fought a smirk. There he was, a figure that could have been carved out of bronze. Crowned by the noon light he looked ethereal and Kibum kept his knees firmly locked.
When their eyes met Kibum knew he had Minho hook line and sinker, the crease between his brows deeper than the Nile. The dopey satyr by Minho’s side was looking a bit too excited for the occasion if you asked Kibum, but who was he to judge? The half man pulled on Minho’s wrist and Minho shook him off with a ‘I know Onew!’ and puffed his chest up to speak.
“I heard you are in great need of help! I am available to assist fair fellow, if you are willing to take me to the scene.”
Oh Zues, he even talked like a dork. What had he read one epic of Homer and run with it? Disguising his closed eyes as distress, Kibum nodded frantically. Just as he was about to spit out the directions however a firm arm grabbed onto his waist and he was being pulled straight onto a winged horse's back. He spluttered and tried to scoot off but within seconds a large torso was sliding in right in front of him.
“Hold on tight! Just tell me where to go once we're in the air!”
Kibum’s mouth opened and closed rapidly as he scrambled to get his arms locked firmly around Minho’s waist.
“But- but I don’t like heigHHTTS!”
In the middle of his last word they swooped into the air with wings beating powerfully on either side. Kibum smashed his cheek onto the warm skin in front of him and closed his eyes as the wind rushed through his hair. He gritted his teeth when heard a loud bellow from Minho, trying to keep his shaking hands tucked firmly in his own iron grip. Thank god Minho didn’t seem to need any actual prompting on where to go, because Kibum’s mouth was staying firmly shut.
By the time he felt the jolt of their landing, Kibum was sure his soul had already left his body. In fact Taemin should be coming along to collect him just about now. Instead of an annoying smirk in his face however there was a concerned frown. Damn the devil was getting good if he knew to show up looking like that.
“Hey are you alright?”
Kibum waved a hand in the air as effortlessly as he was capable, hoping Minho would move on quickly so he could hurl in peace. The screams of children in distress behind them did the trick and Minho left him with a pat on the shoulder. Kibum watched as he ran down to the large boulders at the bottom of the cliff, his voice soft as he tried to explain to the kids that he was there to get them out. Kibum gritted his teeth at the “kids” little act in response, Namgeung and Euisoo were really outdoing themselves with this performance.
Kibum decided right then and there that he couldn’t be this close to see what happened next and he shakily slid off the pegasus’ back. Carefully he climbed away, moving high up the cliffs where he knew a certain god would be waiting. Sure enough as he scooted into the shadows a blue flame lit up the area and a set of pearly teeth were inches away from his face.
“Here to see the show? I heard it will be a once in a lifetime event~”
Kibum tried to swallow the lump in his throat, determined not to give the satisfaction of a shiver. Taemin raised a thin eyebrow at him and he knew he wasn’t as successful as he hoped. A huge cracking sound bounced off the rock around them and they both peered down to check below. Sure enough Minho had removed the boulder and was comforting the kids before a loud screech was released from the opened cave.
Minho turned to face the two headed serpent slithering his way and shooed the kids back to safety. Kibum clenched the silk shawl wrapped around his arms and forced himself to keep watching as Minho cut off one head for only two more to sprout from its place. He could hear the satyr, Onew he supposed, yelling instructions from the sidelines next to the enraptured crowd but it didn’t seem to be making any difference.
More and more heads snapped at Minho’s body and Kibum could see the panic rising on his face. Soon it was too overwhelming for the young hero and he was trapped between the serpent's armored claw and the rock behind him. The ground shook with the monster's cry of victory and it dove towards Minho’s squirming body. Kibum’s breath caught in the center of his chest.
In an act of true heroics or pure stupidity, Minho raised a fist and slammed it against the cliff causing dozens of boulders to pour on top of both man and beast. Kibum gasped as the rocks pulverized the earth below and closed his eyes as the dust settled. There was a ringing silence in the air that echoed in Kibum’s ear and he jerked his face away from the sight of the doomed hero’s new grave.
He whipped around however when the solemn crowd began to cheer, his eyes immediately finding a figure crawling out from the serpent's exposed claw. As Minho rose to a full stand the light emblazoned his head a radiant gold, one fist raising in the air while the crowd exploded in applause. Minho was beaten, limping, and most of all- alive.
Maybe there was more to this loser after all. Kibum felt his cheeks rise as his lips curled in a satisfied smile, which he hid behind a hand as a set of curses erupted from his left. Taemin was throwing a fit like the big brat he was, shooting little fireballs at rocks and Namgeung and Euisoo alike. Kibum almost felt bad for the two demons as they danced around bursts of heat until he remembered that they had just tried to lure a man to his untimely death.
Well he guessed did he. Pushing down that wave of guilt as fast as possible, he turned to Taemin with an airy smirk. He put his hands on his hip and leaned in just a little to emphasize every word.
“Well~ Looks like that was a bit of a failure huh honey. Don’t feel too bad, I heard all the kings of the underworlds have a rough time with their big first day.”
Taemin’s icy blue eyed glare would be more intimidating if his lips weren’t pursed into a wide pout. He crossed his arms and his long black robe followed with his dramatic motion.
“How was I supposed to know he could survive an attack from an Amphisbaena! It’s not fair I thought he was just a rookie!”
A foot stomp accompanied the last whine and Kibum’s eyes rolled to the back of his head.
“Calling him a rookie now just makes you look bad you know, I mean he already defeated you.”
Taemin’s lips set in a grim stretch while his eyes began to wander around. Kibum didn’t like the plans he could see shifting in the madman’s head.
“Well I may have made one teeny tiny miscalculation, but the games are not over yet. Here's what I’m thinking, I send a few more beasts his way while you keep an eye on him and figure out how to take him down.”
Kibum immediately scoffed and rolled forward to his tip toes.
“Are you kidding me! I just got done playing damsel in distress and now you want me to act like a babysitter too!”
Taemin snapped his fingers in Kibum’s face and flung up his hands with grandeur.
“It’s all part of the plan! The master plan okay? Just stick by the guy for a while would you! If you do well enough I am even willing to grant you back your soul. Gods it's like I’m asking you to do something actually painful or something.”
“Being around a man that long IS painful.”
“Then get used to the burn babe. See ya later.”
And with that he was gone. All that was left of his presence was ash littering the ground and a pounding ache in the back of Kibum’s head. He just rubbed at his temples and turned to start back down, knowing now that he would have a long week ahead of him.
...
Five days later Kibum finally set off to find his misplaced Greek hunk. He had been hearing whispering everywhere about Minho’s new heroic tasks, grandmas at the market place bragging about him beheading a lion like he was their own grandson and teens gossiping near the water well about his plight with a boar. Kibum had tried to talk himself into visiting for the past few days, but every time a little nagging feeling that it would be best for them both if he stayed away caught his feet.
Today he knew it needed to be done though, so he started off by checking the local restaurants and pubs for any sign of the hazel eyed man. He had been sure that wherever Minho was there would also be a huge crowd that would be easy to spot, but as the day wore on Kibum became less and less certain of that conclusion. Finally at little past two he caught sight of Onew by the stables and he rushed over to catch him before he slid by.
“Wait! Hi, I was wondering if you knew where Minho would be?”
His sharp eyes examined Kibum up and down, a furry eyebrow raised high. Eventually he just sighed, cheeks puffed out in a defeated look.
“Hey if you find him you tell me! That kid was suppose to practice his spear throwing at noon but he failed to show. Knowing him he probably got caught up with helping some old woman weave a basket or something.”
Kibum snorted at the image of Minho’s large fingers trying to gently bend straw into place.
“More like flirting with the girls down by the river, I’m sure.”
Onew gave him a long look, his head turn shaking the fringe that almost covered his deep eyes.
“You really don’t know much about him at all huh. Well anyway sorry but I got nothing for you, and duty calls.”
Kibum wanted to protest that he knew plenty thank you very much, but as soon as the satyr waved his hand towards the lavatories he scrunched his nose and stepped aside. He looked back over his shoulder and inspected the long stretch of the city once more. He decided he would check the river at least once today and who knows maybe he’d even get to say an ‘I told you so’.
He crossed through streams of colorful people and wove through crammed alleyways, making his way down the crooked city streets. Just as he stepped out of one narrow path he heard a familiar laugh a few feet away. Kibum picked up the ends of his lavender tunic and hustled to the entrance of a narrow stretch between two buildings. When he popped into sight he witnessed a scene that was not unfamiliar and yet still surprising.
Three kids were jumping around trying to steal a raggedy ball that Minho was bouncing between his knees, each one giggling as Minho gently knocked them aside as they approached. Minho was having just as much fun as they were, a broad grin eclipsing his face as he made small sound effects to go with every move he made. Eventually Minho looked up to see Kibum standing at the mouth of the alley, both of them looking equally shocked to see the other.
Slowly Minho stopped juggling the ball, responding to the groans from his side by passing it to the tallest kid and telling him it was his turn. Soon enough they were back the game while Minho stepped over to greet Kibum where he still awkwardly stood. Kibum would be lying if he said he couldn’t feel a slight tension between them, something invisible pulling tight in his chest when he so much as glanced at Minho’s face. His smile was even brighter up close.
“Hey uhhhh I didn’t know you would be coming around here. Not that I mind! It’s just unexpected I suppose. Do you live around here?”
Kibum took a few blinks to process and then almost knocked his head on the wall at the way his normal quick wits had left him to perish.
“Yeah somewhere around here. I didn’t know I would find the town’s golden boy Choi Minho playing keep away in an alley either.”
Kibum hadn’t meant to sound scolding but Minho hung his head in embarrassment all the same. His voice started in a quiet tone and ended in barely a mumble.
“Yeah I guess it must look stupid for a hero to be playing with kids all day. But they all gathered around and begged me to kick them the ball and then well…I got invested. Ugh you must think I’m such a loser.”
Sure the idea may have run across his mind before, but Kibum also let absolutely no one tell him what he must think.
“Well even heroes must have fun sometimes. And kids are cute! Honestly I wouldn’t mind a day of play myself.”
It was almost comical the way Minho’s head snapped up and the shine returned to his eyes. In an instant he was pulling Kibum’s arm and leading them right back to the kids who were now roughhousing on the ground.
“Wow that's great! Sian said he wanted to play green light red light next and it will be much easier with two adults.”
Kibum kept his feet steady even as his heart beat leapt at the gentle grip on his wrist. He leaned over Minho’s back to give the curious kids watching them a prized smile. They seemed to warm up to him in a second flat and by the time they were playing the game he had been absorbed into the group like he always fit there. Every time he caught a kid he would pick them up and twirl them carefully through the air, the sounds of their cackling infectious.
Minho soon did the same, going so far as to toss the kids a few feet up before Kibum scolded him to prevent his fourth heart attack. They played paddy cake next and then hopscotch, the grid growing so elaborate it looked more like an obstacle course. Finally Minho held a faux sword fight with two of them while Kibum braided little Neun’s hair and asked her questions about her first week of primary school.
The day came to an end when the sun finally dipped out of sight, only its last afterglow lighting up the gray sky. Minho and Kibum saw the kids back to their respective doors and then strolled a little longer under the stars. Kibum headed in the vague direction of his apartment and hoped that Minho didn’t ask any questions about the long walk. The silence between them was a little weighted, but not heavy in the air.
“So where are you from? Where you born and raised around here?”
Kibum kicked a pebble before he could step on it’s sharp edge and considered how truthful he would make his response.
“Not at all. My hometown is far bit south, full of grasslands and olive trees only. Luckily its still close to the coast or I might have gone crazy from the bland everyday. I couldn’t wait to dash away to the big city and make something interesting for myself. I found a lot more here then a bargained for that’s for sure.”
So very truthful then. Kibum almost closed his eyes, already embarrassed by the vulnerability of just seconds ago. Minho gave a low hum and Kibum kept his gaze locked on his sandaled feet.
“I get that but I also don’t. Growing up I honestly just wanted to blend in. I know its ridiculous since who wouldn’t want to be the son of Zeus? But I… I dream sometimes of a small cottage on the hillside with tall flowers that wave like the ocean. A partner who knows me inside and out, who loves me like the warmth of the sun, a few scattered children running around the old house. I’m sure I must sound crazy to someone who craves adventure, but I can’t help what I long for.”
Kibum stared up this time and inspected Minho’s regal profile. When Minho tilted his head to meet Kibum’s look there was more loneliness there then Kibum would have ever expected from a boy who seemed to attract all the attention in a room. But maybe it was still hard to be truly seen.
“I think I understand that actually. After getting a taste of the insanity and disappointment life can bring, I can appreciate the desire for some peace and quiet. And the longing for someone to hold your hand when things get rough.”
Kibum felt a light breeze jingle his long earrings and startled when a rough hand wrapped around his own. He stumbled but caught himself immediately before blinking up at Minho’s face. But Minho stubbornly kept his head turned away, only the flush on his cheeks giving a clue to his emotions. Kibum let his lips pull into a small smile and he adjusted the grip to fit better through his fingers.
By the time they reached Kibum’s door the ache of walking all day hit him all at once and he struggled to keep his eyes open. Minho must have noticed because he kept his goodbye short while Kibum barely nodded in response. As Kibum dragged his body up the steps and gripped onto the iron knob he heard a throat clear behind him.
“In case you were wondering I was planning on training by the orchards tomorrow. If you maybe wanted to come.”
At once Kibum’s body felt a little lighter and his smile wobbled from broad to a smirk. He peered over his shoulder through dark lashes and the light in his eyes swam like the stars in the sky.
“What fate will decide, we will see.”
With that he swept into the dark entryway and closed the door to the shining man he had left lingering behind him.
...
The next day Kibum did find his way to Minho, and the day after that and the day after that. By the end of the week they had been apple picking in an old grove, painting by the edge of the city where the forest met the stones, and hiking up to watch the sunrise on a mountain top. Today was their last before Minho was off on a long sailing journey west in search of birds that were terrorizing a small town.
Kibum was sure to inform Minho that he was not tempted to join the cause, but he would give him a parting gift if he showed up hungry to their meeting that Friday. Kibum wasn’t sure why he was so nervous while he brushed through the forest and hauled his basket behind him. He knew he was a good chef. He had even cooked for Taemin once who said it was ‘pretty decent’ and that brat would never lie for pity’s sake!
And yet this morning he had woken up almost a whole hour before he planned to just to make sure everything was perfect. The omelet was golden with just a hint of crisped edge, the rice was so fluffy it practically bounced as he patted it into the lunchbox, and the slices of pork were tender enough to tear apart with the dull edge of a knife. He had stared down at the finished piece and almost swallowed his tongue. Was it too perfect? Would Minho see the care he laid into each bite?
He wasn’t sure which frightened him more, that Minho would glance past the act like it was nothing or that he would bear witness to a feeling Kibum wasn’t willing to name. Either way he had almost been late, so he had placed the cover on the tin and took it as it was. The travel down to the meadow was peaceful and Kibum had tried to take in long breaths to fully enjoy the sun soaked air. The heat made his vision feel hazy, the wind thick with salt that stung the bridge of his nose.
He moved past branches and bushes until the trees naturally parted to the shore of a wide lake that sparkled in the high sunlight. He thought he would be the first to arrive but Minho lived to prove him wrong and the fond squint in his eyes as he looked back prompted a grin on Kibum’s lips. He held the heavy cloth with two hands and climbed up to the flat rock Minho was propped up on. It was a good fit for two people, only a little room on each side of their bodies as Kibum fully settled.
“Thank gods you finally arrived, I think my stomach is close to caving in.”
“Oh please you have gone what- three or four hours without eating? I think the doctor’s prognosis is that you’ll live.”
Minho groaned with full whining dramatics and rested his chin on his crossed arms.
“I got up at 6 am for some training Onew made involving a ton of dummies and ring covered in flames, which I’m not really sure is going to help me defeat beasts that live in a swamp, but it was good to do anyway. After that I had to help put out a fire started at Sally’s tavern near the square and following that I got roped into assisting an elderly couple unload their pottery cart. Then I came straight here.”
Kibum’s smirk slipped off his face as he jerked his head around.
“Do you mean you haven’t eaten at all? You went through hours of training and didn’t even have breakfast?!”
“Well I- I don’t know, you said not to eat so…”
“I meant don’t eat lunch! It’s almost 2 already you dumbass!”
Kibum tore open the tin lid and picked up a bite of omelet before shoving it into Minho’s surprised mouth. Before Minho could finish chewing he already had another slice forced down his throat, Kibum grumbling all the way about ‘idiots who don’t take care of themselves’. By the fourth bite Minho had to draw the line and pushed Kibum’s arm away.
Kibum took a few pieces for himself and he ate quietly while looking out onto the lake’s calm surface. A tan hand wrapped carefully around his shoulder and Kibum froze mid-chew. He heard a light cough to his left and slowly he picked up another bite to stuff into his reddened cheeks. Gradually he let his head slip down until it came in contact with a clothed collarbone and he sunk into the relaxed hold.
For several gentle minutes Kibum existed only there, in between a soft grip and a solid body. The wind picked up and it carried with it the scent of new born Jasmine. Kibum closed his eyes and gulp down the humid air like he had never tasted it before. Light permeated his closed lids, it’s rays sinking in past any barrier he put up. His cheek lifted with each rise of Minho’s chest and its rhythm sung in his mind.
In a moment all that was peaceful was dashed. Minho’s other arm swiftly tucked under Kibum’s knees and before he could blink they were plunging into cool water. Kibum opened his eyes before quickly shutting them at the sting and his arms began thrashing in Minho’s tight hold. As soon as they were fully under Minho pulled him up to the surface in a burst of power.
Kibum coughed and coughed trying to get the flood of water out from his lungs and immediately set out to smack Minho’s bouncing chest. He kept on hitting with curses between every smack even as Minho’s laughter only grew in volume. He finally peeled open his eyes to see Minho’s stupid grin that was still blinding even this close up. If anything that made Kibum more annoyed and he forcefully pushed Minho’s face away.
However when he felt Minho’s grip falter Kibum instantly wrapped his arms tightly around his neck again, a small squeal escaping his lips. Minho looked smug about that the bastard.
“What’s wrong I thought you wanted to get away from me?”
“And get back into the water? I don’t think so! My options are cling onto a terrible, awful man, or drown, and fortunately for you I don’t have a death wish.”
Minho peered at him with wide eyes, his head tilted like the puppy that wandered the alley in Kibum’s neighborhood.
“Wait- you can’t swim?”
“No I’d just choose to sink to the bottom of this gods forsaken lake- Yes I can’t swim! I wasn’t ever going into a crusty ocean full of fish shit to learn even if Poseidon himself was calling me.”
Minho threw his head back and his booming laughter eased the frustration in Kibum’s chest.
“Not a beach guy, noted.”
When Minho glanced back down, Kibum did not like the gleam he found in his eye.
“Well I’ll just have to teach you here in this nice clean lake then. Okay first thing to know is the stroke, you have to stretch out your arm and cup the water a bit before pulling. Now the key is keeping the pattern steady- are you paying attention?”
Kibum tried to show his despair in every ounce of his expression, but Minho was either too focused on his instructions to notice or too determined to pay his mood any mind. He just sighed and decided it was easier to listen now that have Minho remind him a million times during the practical lesson. And oh, Kibum was sure there would be a practical lesson.
As predicted Minho grilled into him every nuance about swimming technique before demanding they begin to practice. Kibum flushed with embarrassment when Minho held his stomach as he floundered in the water, but the humiliation faded as Minho’s patient voice continued to guide him along. Minho had him float on his back then add soft movements to get used to the motion. Each step felt infuriating at first before he succeeded more then he failed.
Most of the afternoon was spent like that, Kibum gaining steam as Minho smoothly pushed him along. Soon Kibum could even relax slightly while in the water, confident in his ability to at least stay afloat, and they began to chat and joke around once more. Kibum shared a story about how he and few other kids conspired to dye their second grade teacher’s beard pink which had Minho snorting between peels of laughter. Minho in turn offered a tale of how he once broke every single crayon in a box because he was too excited to draw a giraffe.
By the time a chill cut through the evening air they had grown tired, both of them half floating half sitting in the shallows of the shoreline. Long lilac cloth swirled around Kibum’s legs and clung to his torso, the wet fabric heave on his skin. Kibum shivered from an especially strong breeze and Minho hummed.
“Maybe it’s time to head back. We probably want to be dried out before the sun sets.”
Kibum nodded and they both moved to stand up. The water lapped around his ankles as Kibum twisted to take a step towards dry land. Without warning the stones beneath his feet shifted and Kibum gasped as his hold slipped out from under him. Right before he hit the ground he was swooped up, Minho tucking him securely to his chest.
Heart beating wildly, Kibum tried to catch his breath again, just sighing when Minho inquired if he was alright. Finally Kibum blinked up at Minho and his lungs began to ache once more. With both of Minho’s hands fully on his waist, Kibum was pressed entirely against the firm surface of his body, their faces only centimeters apart. The late golden light painted Minho is soft contours and Kibum couldn’t look away from the way the rays bent to fit into amber eyes.
The chord between them snapped tight, a tension building in the small space between their lips. Kibum caught Minho’s eyes flicker slightly down and could feel as he shifted just a bit forward. Kibum’s eyes drifted half closed and his body began to tingle from the tips of his toes. A puff of air hit his upper lip and then-
He swiftly pushed away just enough to put an inch between them. The dissonance between what he desire and what he knew to be true was tearing his mind and heart apart. His own lips tasted so bitter he almost gagged from the burn. Minho gave a few startled blinks and then loosened his hold, his smile smaller then usual but not insincere. Kibum bit the inside of his cheeks to keep the lump that had formed in his throat at bay.
Silently they untangled and Kibum shook from the cold. They climbed up the bank and Minho paused to pick up the boxes and cloth. Kibum took them with a small bow and strapped his sandals on before they started through the woods once more. Kibum couldn’t bare to open his mouth since gods knew what would spill out of it, so Minho filled up the air was small stories and shallow questions that Kibum could shake his head or nod to.
They passed through most of the path this way until Minho’s voice stalled, his eyes lingering on a spot not far ahead. Kibum glanced towards his line of sight, but whatever he was so fixated on was lost on him. Minho moved a few feet off path and his hand grasped around the stem of a long white flower with petals that seemed to spill out like water from its bright yellow center.
He smiled at it like it held the secret to happiness and Kibum could only look on slightly fond and a bit puzzled. When Minho met his gaze his smile stayed steady. He strode back to Kibum’s side and stretched out an arm, the flower delicately balanced in his offered palm. It was almost painful picking up the stem and Kibum’s hold was barely strong enough to keep the flower stable. As he stared down several beats too long, Minho’s low voice broke the quiet.
“It reminded me of you.”
Kibum closed his eyes for a long stretch then barely opened them again.
“Pure white and precious petals don’t fit me at all.”
He hadn’t meant to sound harsh but his throat was scratchy, and his pent up emotions had no where else to go. Minho’s tan fingers curled around his own until Kibum’s nails pressed solidly into his palm.
“Around this flower the soil was rocky and there were large weed blocking every spot, but still something this beautiful grew. It’s delicate, but that doesn’t mean it’s not strong.”
Kibum let the one tear he couldn’t hold onto slip down his face until it met the warm pad of Minho’s thumb. Calmly Minho unwrapped his grip and let Kibum squeeze the stem on his own, waiting until Kibum tucked it close to his center and readied himself to move forward. As they trekked out of the trees they walked in silence, the only sound the patter of footsteps against gravel.
They made it to the city and every step Kibum took felt like it was moving though molasses. The walk must have taken 20 minutes but time whizzed by his churning head. He was too cowardly to glance Minho’s direction as they made their way to Kibum’s street, not moving his eyes from his feet even as they both came to a pause in front of Kibum’s door.
“Well, I just wanted to say thank you. I had a lot of fun and the food was certainly worth the wait.”
Kibum let a small smile grace his face, but his sight remained fixed on the ground. Minho let out a soft sigh and Kibum saw his shadow twist around. Just before he took a full step away, Kibum’s shaky voice called out.
“Thank you too. For- um for everything.”
Kibum didn’t know for sure but he suspected Minho’s grin grew twofold. Without a look backwards Kibum unlocked his latch and stepped into his house, his eyes closing the second the thump of the door sounded out behind him. He pressed long fingers into his eyelids and softly sunk to the ground.
...
It had been a long week since Minho departed, the days crawling by slower than Kibum would like to admit. Today Minho should be docking back home though Kibum didn’t know when. He wished he could feel excitement but the pit in his gut only grew with every passing second. Taemin had been getting impatient lately and Kibum knew he wouldn’t wait much longer to enact whatever plan he was always murmuring about.
Kibum decided he needed some air and made his way through the city until he reached a garden tucked away next to a long abandoned temple. He swept down the stairs and took a moment to observe the weak stream of water glugging out of a stone cupid’s mouth at the center of the fountain. He perched on the the stone edge and tried to focus only on the chirps of the birds and trickle of water around him.
Each time he thought he found a small inkling of peace it was poisoned, dark worry clouding the still surface of his mind. He sighed and leaned back to look up at the wide blue sky. Carefully his hand found its way to where it went every time he felt too anxious this past week: around the stem of a long white flower.
He had wrapped it up carefully as soon as he had gotten home and by some magic it had held its petals together remarkably. He unfolded the cloth and slid the virile stem into the palm of his hand. An unconscious smile spread on his face as he traced the sleek curves of white lift towards the sun. A long shot of air escaped his nose, the slight gust fluttering the tips below him. Just as he felt settled, an annoying melodic voice popped up behind his head.
“Oh sweetheart, that bad huh?”
Kibum startled and tucked the flower to his chest before relaxing with a roll of his eyes.
“I don’t know what the hell your talking about.”
Jonghyun’s laugh had never been more grating despite its natural perfect pitch. His pink hair bounced as he shook his head.
“Babe you were staring at that flower like it was the portal to heaven on earth, I think we both know what’s going on here.”
Kibum whipped his head the opposite way, nose lifting in the air.
“Look its a pretty flower sure, but it’s not anything special.”
Jonghyun’s disbelieving face popped up next to his own as his body hovered slightly above Kibum’s head.
“Oh who do you think your kidding? He’s everything to you. Your not fooling anyone with this ‘I could never be in love again’ act.”
Kibum sprung up from his seat and paced down the walkway with Jonghyun hot on his heels.
“I’m not trying to deceive anyone! It just wouldn’t work out is all. No man is worth the aggravation when we all know he’ll just leave like that.”
He snapped his fingers and glared down at his own reflection in the water.
“Why bother with all this pretending dear? The fates have already cast their cards on your heart, it doesn’t take a god to see your in love.”
Kibum collapsed oh the stone bench and stared down longingly at the ivory flower in his hand. His shoulders slumped even as the tips of his lips curled upward.
“At least out loud, I won’t say it’s true. That’s too much hope for what couldn’t be.”
A loud crack shattered the silence and Kibum twisted around with a gasp. Taemin’s hands were already waving wildly in the air, a deep crease between his eyebrows. Namguen and Euisoo scattered out of his way as he trudged towards Kibum.
“That brute! That punk! That absolute menace! Can’t he just let me catch a break? Is it too much to just lay down and die like a good boy?”
Taemin sunk down beside Kibum who leaned away, his small hand pressed to massage his temples.
“First it was the serpent and okay fine that was a first try, but then it was the lion and the boar and now the birds? Don’t even get me started on mare he stole! I mean I’ve thrown absolutely everything at his guy and he’s just punted it away.”
Kibum kept his smile to a smirk and crossed his arms.
“Well maybe it just wasn’t meant to be. Why don’t you give up and try again in another thousand years when the time is better?”
Taemin glared at Kibum’s demur grin.
“Like hell I will. I just need to find out what is the offer he can’t refuse. Everyone has a weakness, especially you humans with your silly emotions and precious attitudes.”
Kibum gritted his teeth at the dismissal, the idea of Minho’s kindness being used against him striking a sore chord.
“Just because we have the capacity to truly love unlike you, doesn’t make us weak! Minho is a person who truly care about the world and those around him and I think that makes him a real hero. Love isn’t something to fear, it’s our greatest strength to keep going.”
His eyes inevitably settled back on those pure petals as they glowed in the warm light. Suddenly an ash colored hand curled around the base of the flower and Kibum’s chest froze. Reluctantly he lifted his gaze up until it settled on Taemin’s face. As soon as his sight met the view of a wide crooked smile he felt a shiver run through his spine. He knew he had just made a big mistake.
Before he could even speak Taemin had him wrapped up in chains of black smoke, one even fitting itself right against him mouth. He squirmed and tried to fight off the hold but he knew it was pointless. Taemin strolled up to him and Kibum narrowed shaking eyes at the god.
“And just when I thought you were useless after all, pesky little cupid came to bite you in the butt. I think I just might know a deal he’ll have to take.”
...
The minute they teleported to the training ground Kibum felt a sob escape his throat. He had always known its would come to this moment but he could have never prepared for the pain. Minho startled from where he was lifting a huge weight and immediately took his sword in hand. Kibum could vaguely hear Taemin’s taunts and Minho’s yelling in response but he already felt like his head had been plunged under the sea.
Taemin gestured towards his figure and Kibum jerked his head in a pitiful attempt at disuading Minho. He hoped against hope that Minho would listen to Onew when he tried to reason with him, but as soon as he met his eyes he knew it was over. A promise was made: Minho would give up his strength for 24 hours and Taemin would ensure that no harm came to Kibum. The world echoed hallow as Minho’s palm met Taemin’s own, a flash of golden light draining from Minho’s body.
Kibum flinched when Taemin’s cold fingers met his damp cheek, eyes closing so tightly he could see stars. Taemin’s breath was like frost against Kibum’s soaked skin.
“Thanks again babe, with this our deal is done. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”
The second Taemin snapped away Kibum fell to his knees. The look on Minho’s sallow face made him physically ill. He watched as Onew shook his head and stepped away, Minho’s face scrunched as he sunk his head low. Kibum crawled a few aching steps towards him, desperate despite himself.
“Please, I didn’t- I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Kibum’s cracked voice was lost in the wind. Minho didn’t even flinch, his body once as vibrant as the clear sky descended to the ground. Finally Kibum couldn’t bare to look at him any longer, his hands clawing at his eyes as sobs poured uncontrolled from his body. He unfurled into the earth, petals shedding until there was nothing left but the core.
Loud booming footsteps crashed into the air, great bellows growing closer. The ground wobbled and the start of screams filled the space around them. Kibum looked up at a flicker of movement, his eyes focusing on Minho’s retreating back. Minho took several stumbling steps forward and a roar rattled the field. Kibum scrambled to stand, almost tripping over the muddied fabric pooled beneath him.
He dashed past the doorway and finally caught Minho’s arm in a tight grasp, spinning him around. He took in a deep breath as best he could, eyes pleading even though Minho wouldn’t meet his stare.
“Where are you going? Taemin just took all your strength Minho, you’re a mere mortal now! If you go out there you will be slaughtered.”
Finally Minho’s gaze met his own, the fortitude in his eyes as steady as it had been when his skin shone gold.
“I don’t know what fate might foretell for me today, but we never do. A hero is not a hero because he knows he will succeed, but because he tries anyway.”
With that Minho shook off his hand and carried himself down the stone steps, body disappearing into the dark city. Kibum’s hands lingered in the air where they had been cast aside as he tried to regain his ability to think. His mind was a vortex sucking him under waves and waves of guilt, worry, and sheer despair.
A deafening outcry snapped him to the present and he swallowed every bit of emotion down. Letting his feet lead him, he ran back to the field and burst through the stable door. There Namgeung and Eiusoo where taunting the Pegasus as he fought against their restraints, the horse’s strong eyes shifting to bare into his own.
Quickly Kibum pushed Euisoo aside and grabbed the ropes with two hands, pulling at the knot until it fell apart. Namgueng scrambled out the door and Euisoo soon followed but Kibum kept his attention on the Pegasus as it bucked in his arms.
“Wait! Please help me, you have to! Minho has lost his strength and facing grave danger, we have to try and aid him if we can.”
Just like that the pegasus settled, allowing Kibum to swing over onto his back as they bound through the stable doors. Kibum headed straight for the middle of the field where Onew still slumped defeated, his face hostile as he stared up at Kibum’s approach.
“And what the hell do you want? Haven’t you done enough already.”
Kibum reached down a hand and swallowed any long forgotten pride.
“I beg of you to come with me, not for my sake but for Minho’s. He is out there, alone and weakened, and I won’t let him die like that not matter what.”
Onew’s eyes were scrutinising but winhin second he was letting himself be pulled aboard. Securing his arms as tightly as he could, Kibum nudged the pegasus to take off and soon they were zipping through the air. Kibum squeezed his eyes shut and tried to count to 10, his knuckles red where he was holding on.
They slowed down and Kibum opened his eyes just in time to witness Minho get smacked into a wall by a Titan, his body struggling to stand after the hit. Kibum cried out and Minho watched wide eyed as they landed next to his bruised body. Onew was the first to jump off and he started coaching the minute he could.
“Remember kid this is just like training: work smarter not harder. You don’t have your strength so what can you do that doesn’t need it?”
Minho paused and glanced around at the space in front of them. The titan charged in their direction and he was off, running right over to a large rope from the docks. Kibum held his breath as Minho began weaving the rough strands through the giant’s legs. The more the titan moved the more tangled he became until he crashed to the ground with a howl.
Kibum and Onew cheered as they looked on, Minho flashing them a proud grin. Right as he stepped towards them the giant’s flailing hand knocked into a building and one of the pillars split from it’s place before tumbling down. Kibum shouted and leapt forward, pushing Minho out of the stones path only to be crushed by it’s weight instead.
The pain was so sharp it was blinding and Minho’s cries barely registered in his mind. The world blazed golden as Minho’s skin regained its color, the promise of Kibum’s safety broken. Moments later Minho shoved the pillar off of his body and Kibum groaned. He could feel Minho prop him up and his ribs ached, his head so heavy he let it just lull behind him.
The next moments were all a blur, snippets of Minho and Onew discussing something, a long kiss to the top of his forehead, a hand running through his hair that was too small to be Minho’s own. The world was painted in reds and violets, his eyes slipping closed from the colorful sky. His body throbbed until it grew numb.
Everything was cold, everything was dark. With the snap of a thread he was gone from this world, his journey starting to the next. Down the dark stairs and across the river Styx he traveled, deep in the pool he was left to wander. Nothing existed here but oblivion and he floated in it’s dim depths.
Suddenly- a light. A ray of sun where it shouldn’t exist, a golden boy long past the gate of existence. A sensation of pure warmth surrounded him as the cold slipped from his fingertips. A scorching second, a burst of energy, and a gentle hold pierced through his senses as he gasped in a breath.
His head was immediately pressed to fevered skin, the beat of a pounding heart pulsing against his ear. He took in gulp after gulp of fresh air, each one more stable then the last. When he was gently released he blinked tender eyes open only to be blinded once more by the light that crowned Minho’s head.
Slowly Kibum perched himself up just enough to tuck his elbows fully around Minho’s neck, the two of them locked in a desperate embrace. Kibum couldn’t believe he was really here. All hope should have been lost, fate had already given them an answer. But maybe some things even fate couldn’t tear apart.
Kibum relaxed just enough to lean his face a few inches from Minho’s own, both of their smiles just as large as the other’s. The sun was just barely hovering over the horizon but Kibum felt like he could never be cold again.
“How the hell did you get me here Choi Minho?”
Minho’s eyes were almost totally gone as his his grin grew impossibly big.
“I went down to the underworld to get you myself. You didn’t think I would have let you off that easily did you?”
Kibum let out a laugh so long tears spilled down his cheeks, finally really gazing at the man before him. Minho had always carried a faint gleam, but now his skin was brightly glowing despite the fading light above them, and not matter how long Kibum blinked it didn’t go away.
“Minho are you actually shining?”
Minho glanced down at his own skin and offered up a rueful smile, his voice a bit too casual.
“Right after I saved your soul from the pit I got sent up to Olympus. For my noble sacrifice they decided I had earned to the right to become a full god.”
Kibum thought he must of stopped breathing once more. He tried to keep his eyes from watering but the world suddenly felt too overwhelming to look at. Tenderly a large hand tucked against his cheek and centered his gaze on Minho’s shimmering eyes.
“I had to tell them no. I’m sure the whole world thinks I’m crazy, but that’s not what I’ve always dreamed of. Not when my heart longs to be right here.”
Kibum’s lips trembled as he gripped on to the back of Minho’s sturdy neck. His eyes squinted with the force of his smile and his cheeks bunched at the top.
“Oh my darling idiot, we must both be crazy to have fallen in love.”
Minho’s smile was even sweeter when pressed into Kibum’s skin, his eyes falling shut as their lips seared together. A tingle ran all along his spine as the world shifted to narrow only on the warm mouth connected to his own. As Minho pulled back Kibum could still feel puffs of air against his cheek, their foreheads touching at the crown.
Minho’s golden shine reflected onto Kibum’s pale skin until it too glowed like the moon echoing the sun. There was nothing between them as they sat fully tangled together, warmth blossoming between their steady hearts. Somewhere far past even Olympus’ vast clouds, a string once cut was fastened back together.