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Kija frowned to himself as he watched the knot of soldiers pick their way through the rubble around the fortress, a mass of people huddled around their king. Shin-Ah stood next to him watching silently for several seconds before he turned to Kija as if to ask a question. He decided against it and turned instead to head into the fort.
“Does it bother you?” Kija asked. Shin-Ah paused where he had his hand braced against the hole in the wall and making his way over a pile of bricks, tipping his head to show he was listening. “About Soo-Won?”
The whole exchange with Soo-Won and his group had only lasted a few minutes, but Kija left feeling bewildered and worried for reasons he hadn't been expecting. Shin-Ah's mouth pulled down in a slight frown and made a small sound.
“A little,” he admitted, and stepped down into somem clearer ground on the other side of the wall. He waited for Kija to follow him in. “He... feels different than I think he should.”
Kija nodded and his brow creased with worry. Shin-ah had said it correctly. Soo-Won was their enemy. He was the person who had stolen the throne, who had hurt Yona, hurt Hak, and who posed an immediate threat to all of them. So why was his presence so soothing?
Just a few minutes ago Kija had been entirely willing to kill Soo-Won on the spot. He could have. He could take a few soldiers, he could brush off an arrow or two. Even if he died in the effort he had come to terms with the fact that he would go out doing something like this anyways. It hadn't been Joon-Gi's threat to shoot him through the heart that stopped him. It had been Soo-Won's eyes.
Kija remembered Soo-Won's expression clearly. Surprised yet fearless, Soo-Won was standing behind a small group of soldiers that Kija only had to bat away like flies before he could sink his claws into the blond's chest and squeeze until his heart burst in his palm. Soo-Won didn't move, didn't flinch and a flash of red hair and sharp violet eyes flashed in his mind. Soo-Won reminded him of Yona, and his will to kill had died suddenly in his chest.
When he had stopped, he felt exposed and unsure even when Shin-Ah trotted to his side and pulled out his sword. Soo-Won had easily killed most of the tension in the air and the soldiers' mood changed from hostility to morbid curiosity.
They had called him a monster a few seconds ago when he had taken them by surprise. Now Kija could see them looking at his hand, at his scales and claws out of the corners of their eyes. They asked him what he was. He told them. They were against two of the legendary dragon warriors.
They laughed. They laughed and Kija's heart jumped into his throat in surprise. His blood turned icy and he fought not to shrink away from them or dig his claws into his own palm. Kija remembered the small sound Shin-Ah made in his throat, not words, but meant to reassure him nonetheless as he shifted a bit closer to Kija's side. Kija had never had anyone laugh at him like this. No one had ever thought his powers were joke, that his arm was anything other than a source of strength. No one had ever accused him of being a shameless liar.
Soo-Won said something, something Kija didn't quite catch and before he could regain his train of thought the blond was right in front of him, cradling his scaled hand in one of his own. Kija was still on edge when Soo-Won's fit the entirety of his hand in Kija's palm and held it up.
Kija hitched when Soo-Won used his other hand to grip one of his fingers. He watched as the blond used the pad of his thumb to rub up and down his scales, pressed gently on them then cradled a few of his fingers in his own to look at his claws.
Kija didn't pull away. It didn't occur to him that he shouldn't put up with that gentle prodding until Shin-Ah turned towards him slightly and Kija sensed his unease. Kija wasn't thinking about the fact that Soo-Won was their enemy or how dangerous he was. He was wondering what Soo-Won would think of his scales.
Now that he was following Shin-Ah across the open expanse inside the fort towards some of the inner walls he felt that his reaction had been exceptionally vain. What did he care what an usurper thought of his powers? He certainly knew they were real. He had his brothers, and his master's kindness and respect.
But some disturbing part of him had been worried, sincerely anxious that Soo-Won would announce him as a fake to that little group of soldiers. As if Kija cared. As if Shin-Ah wasn't right beside him. As if, between the two of them, they would have any trouble sorting out the entire group with force.
As if Soo-Won were Yona.
It didn't feel quite the same, but it was close enough to bother Kija. Nothing compared to the rare moments when Yona smiled at him, or praised him or reached out and took his scaly hand in her own. The dragon in his blood purred and craved those moments. It had nearly done the same thing when Soo-Won had come up and run his fingers over his palm like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Kija didn't like this at all, and he had the vague sense that Shin-Ah felt the same way. He thought the blue dragon looked tense as he settled into pace beside him. So Soo-Won was reminiscent of Yona. Of their master. What did that mean? Meeting Soo-Won once was enough to kill Kija's want to harm him, tamed his frustration enough to let the blond hold and examine his claws without harm. Kija felt almost like a traitor because he didn't think he would be able to help Hak take his vengeance on Soo-Won with the same conviction he'd had an hour before.
Shin-Ah stopped in the shade of a small storage building and lifted his head. Kija knew he was looking for Hak so he stopped and leaned lightly against the wall. He wanted to ask Shin-Ah what he thought about the encounter. He wanted to ask what he should do. He wanted to ask if Shin-Ah had felt the same thing when Soo-Won was near. He didn't ask any of these and Shin-Ah hummed as he relaxed and settled beside Kija.
“Did you find him?” Kija asked. He must have, to be so content to just stay next to him. If anything had gone awry, Shin-Ah would have simply gone ahead and trusted Kija to follow him. Shin-Ah nodded.
“He's... talking to some people. But he doesn't... look like he's in trouble.” Kija pondered over that, but didn't question it. They were quiet for a few moments before Shin-Ah shifted again.
“Are you okay?” the blue dragon asked. Kija nodded but still forced himself to take a slow, deep breath.
“Yeah. We'll go over when they leave or if something happens.” He could feel Shin-Ah's stare even through the blindfold, but no one pressed the issue and they allowed themselves a few more seconds of shade.