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It was night in the Ilyang prefecture. Perhaps “Midnight” would be a better suited word for the current position.
It was late, too late in fact. Anxiety had started to creep up Sungtae slowly but surely. He could hear the loud thumping of his heart in his ears.
“Ah, fuck. Where is that bastard?!” He thought.
He should've been back by now, it had been 17 hours by this point. Now, who is this “He”? Of course, the crazy fucker known as Lee Jaha.
That was who Cha Sungtae had been waiting for.
The light noise of his feet hitting the ground over and over again was evident in the much too quiet room. It shouldn't have been.
All of Ilyang prefecture had to have been asleep at this point.
The eerie feeling s— bang!
The windows burst open, the sounds of previous cracks cracking up even more.
“You!—” Before the second-in-command could even finish his sentence a lump of flesh fell onto him.
“Hey! Lee jaha, are you even listening?!” All his concerns went unheard as he noticed that the body wasn't responding at all.
Fear struck up his spine.
“Lee Jaha? Lee Jaha?!” A hand found itself on Cha Sungtaes mouth.
“I'm not dead, why the fuck are you screaming so much?” It was less of a question and more of a reprimand.
Instead of quieting down he made even more of a fuss. “What took you so long? What's with all the blood, it isn't yours right?” Being bombarded with all these questions whilst his head was already hot struck a nerve. But he didn't threaten him in his usual bastardly manner. Instead he just quietly sighed on his shoulder, fixing himself better on the crook of his neck.
That action elicited a noise of surprise from Sungtae. “Fuck off, you're dirty and smell!”
“Go shower before you even come close to me!” He made a noise of discontent and pushed him off, slamming the doors on his way out.
“His necks red though.” Lee Jaha thought. He didn't have the energy to shower but he knew if he didn't this night, or well dawn.. Wouldn't end well.
Reluctantly he pushed himself forward and went to the bathing quarters.
Bathing for him was harder than having battles (killing) with those weak Jianghu fuckers.
It was different this time, he could've easily finished the job but he wasn't able to due to the various underhanded tricks used. Of course, two can play the long game but he had not prepared to be ambushed with several daggers the moment he touched the hilt of his sword.
Several other forms of useless attempts at hindering Lee Jaha were made. Rocks, elixirs, dirt, you name it.
He couldn't think at all. It was truly a feat as to how he had not lost complete control of his mind this mission. It was one after another with those fools, the repetitive movement of slashing down one and then the next. It brought him a great feeling of satisfaction.. But perhaps that is his true enemy. The feeling itself rather than the action.
The warm water slowly seeping into the various cuts was a sensation he knew like no other. It didn't hurt, as he would often say to his lover.
“What do you mean it doesn't hurt?!”
“I meant what I said you idiot.”
“Says the one who literally cannot fathom the amount of injuries he has?!”
“What's there to get? I got a few cuts and that's it.” He said with an annoyingly straight face.
“Hah, fuck. You– this is why I'm anxious! This is why I get fucking anxious Lee Jaha!”
That had been the topic of one of their fights, they didn't fight often. Most of the time what others would perceive as fighting was simple banter. One they had both come to enjoy.
He felt a sharp pain in his waist. There was a large.. Dark gash. It looked as though it had been there for years, it hadn't.
Looking at it he could tell it was deeper than it looked. The main question prodding at his mind was how it even got there.
Was it when all of those fools jumped at him at once? Or was it one of those potions.. He couldn't tell, looking back on it now all that went through his head was to either kill them or kill them.
“Whatever.” He thought. It wasn't so serious as to make him go to Moyong.
After simmering in the bath for a few more minutes, rubbing the dirt and grime off of himself he got out. His wet hair dragging on the floor as he got a loose robe from the corner of the tub and left.
He slowly made his way to manager Chas room, a small part of him hoping he'd still be awake.
He didn't bother to knock and went straight in, the smell of incense immediately going through his nostrils.
Cha Sungtae was still awake, wide awake actually. He was brushing his hair, now wearing a light pink robe instead of the green one he was wearing when Lee Jaha finally came back.
He could see his shoulders and collarbones peeking out, it didn't help when he already felt deprived of Sungtaes touch.
“Seriously, what took you so long?” Cha Sungtae questioned, it seemed as if he wasn't the only one waiting. A hint of tiredness leaking out of his tone.
Lee Jaha didn't reply, instead he went closer to Sungtae, sitting on the edge of the bed with him.
The closer he got the more Sungtae could see his cuts and small bruises. He let out a sigh. It was always like this, Lee Jaha would be hurt, even if it was minor and not tell Sungtae. He would just leave the injuries be, until Sungtae would eventually catch sight of them. He'd first bother him about going to Moyong Baek, Lee Jaha would say it wasn't necessary. Then eventually Sungtae would bandage him up himself.
However he decided to let the banter go tonight, he was tired and he knew that his lover was too.
Cha Sungtae got up and started to look through his closet, finally picking up a few bandages and some medicinal solution.
“Take off your robe.” Sungtae said. Not a hint of compromise in his voice.
Lee Jaha knew what was going to happen, he didn't want to show him the gash however.
“There's no need.” He knew that it wasn't the right move to say that.
“Can you stop acting so tough?! It's just a few bandages, fuck.” Although he knew he had to be patient he really couldn't.
After a few minutes of back ‘n forth Lee Jaha finally took off his robe, letting it pool around his waist. The gash was very visible by Sungtaes angle, worry clouding his mind.
He let out a sight of discontent but he didn't voice any of it. It was really too late for this.
He got a chair and sat opposite to the bastard.
Putting some of the medicinal solution on a clean cloth and gently going over the cuts with it. Making sure not to miss a singular one.
It was quiet, but not in a bad way. This comfortable silence was a reoccurring setting for them. They didn't mind it when it happened.
He would clean the wounds and then put bandages over them, repeating this until he finally made his way to the gash.
He was inclined to ask how he got this, he looked up to see Lee Jaha already staring at him.
Lee Jaha put his fingers between Sungtaes eyebrows, massaging them as he said “They're furrowed.”
“Is that all you can think about?”
He didn't reply.
“I didn't notice when or how I got this.” He said after a few more minutes of prolonged silence.
“You didn't notice?” His worry and doubt went hand in hand, “you of all people didn't?” words which were left unsaid.
“No.” He wanted to say more, to comfort him. But he didn't know what, he didn't know how.
“Go to Moyong for it tomorrow, I'll bandage it up for now.” Lee Jaha simply looked at him in response.
He tried to be as gentle as possible, in fear of hurting Lee Jaha. At the end of the day, he was also human. Just because he was an insane maniac didn't mean he wouldn't feel pain caused by wounds such as these.
Opening up the bandage and cutting it where it was necessary as he wrapped it around his waist.
Tugging the corner in, he finally said something “And done.”
Lee Jaha looked down to see the wound completely covered, the pressure not too much nor too loose.
Whilst Sungtae was putting the remaining materials back, Lee Jaha made himself comfortable on the bed scooting over to the left side to make space for Sungtae.
He switched the lights off as he made his way to the bed, using the moonlight as his navigator.
Finally finding the bed and laying down on the space left for him.
The same minute he finally got comfortable, Lee Jahas arms found themselves around his waist like a snake with its prey.
Pulling him closer to him. Cha Sungtae let him, no objections in sight.
Lee Jaha made himself more comfortable by putting his head on the crook of his neck and shoulder, taking in the scent of soap and floral shampoo. “Your hair smells nice.” He said off-handedly.
Cha Sungtae could feel himself heating up, due to their differing schedules such intimacy wasn't too common. It was something they both unspokenly cherished, it was love at its finest. Being vulnerable and letting down your guard with the one you love most, with the one you know has been waiting to do the same.
The mutual feeling, the rhythm of the beating hearts and the various scents in the room combining with one another.
This was when they could finally show their true selves and let loose. No longer having to put up a false facade of annoyance or anger.
Cha Sungtae put his hand on the back of Jahas head, pulling him closer even more. The narrow line of space between their bodies no more.
The mutual thought of one another in their heads, just the other person. That's it.
The light breathing of them was interrupted by Sungtae, “What took you so long?” He murmured, repeating the same question from before but in a manner one couldn't ignore.
“I lost my way, couldn't be bothered to use my technique.”
“Be more considerate of what others might think.”
“Were you worried?” he lightly asked. They were at the point in their relationship where they no longer kept up false pretences of not caring.
“Fuck, obviously I was worried. I was losing my mind the second the sun had set and you hadn't come back.”
Lee Jaha intertwined their legs, putting much more force into his arms.
Cha Sungtae let out a noise of surprise, his whole body red by this point.
“You're wearing my robe.” Lee Jaha said as he nuzzled into him even more.
The light pink robe, it wasn't Cha Sungtaes at all. He didn't own a light pink robe, neither did he ever get something which was twice his size. The difference in their physiques was very stark.
Lee Jaha was more on the muscular side, his physique was larger than your average man, Cha Sungtae wasn't your average man of course but he still was smaller.
“So what?!” His embarrassment of doing something like this, evident.
“No, I like it. I like when you use my stuff.” He said earnestly, he didn't lie. He liked when Cha Sungtae took his stuff, he liked when he took Sungtaes stuff. It felt like some unspoken tradition between them, seeing Sungtae wearing something of his never failed to knock the air out of his lungs.
Surprisingly Sungtae didn't ruin the mood by saying something unsavoury, neither did Jaha. Although he did want to tell him to get the fucking windows which he's broken several times, fixed already!
Soon, tiredness overtook both of them. Before falling asleep Jaha kissed the crook of Sungtaes shoulder. Spilling out a small “Goodnight, Sungtae.” Before falling asleep.
Since it was already five, they knew they'd be woken up in a few hours by either Chae Hyang or someone else. Of course, they'd still not wake up and end up sleeping in for the day.