Feel the Fire (Yoonseok) ✔

Chapter 30

The high machines looked the same as when the wizards first arrived there, their dark and gloomy outlines contrasting the colourful sky. The sun got lower making those colours slowly disappear. The new lighting casted a shadow onto Yoongi's face, one that made the tired look on his face all the more evident. His father was no different.

"So, we're alright now?" The elder asked in a gravelly voice. He took a deep breath, taking in the fresh night air of the outside world. It felt like heaven to his lungs after having been down in the mines for so long, almost as enchanting as pure oxygen. The sorcerer nodded to his father's question without a doubt.

"Yeah." Yoongi said with a smile on his face. The fact that he and his father had finally made up was something alien to him. He had lived his entire life with the thought that they would forever be enemies, that they would forever hate each other. If it hadn't been for Hoseok they probably would've. 

"You should get back to your Academy, it's quite late." Mr. Min said looking at the buildings in the distance.

"Yeah, we should." Yoongi said in a sad tone. He let out a sigh and looked at the ground. Happiness couldn't last forever no matter how hard they tried.

"Are you going to visit more often now? You don't have to work in the mines if you don't want to. We can just sit down and have tea, as a normal family." Mr. Min explained. Yoongi chuckled.

"We're never going to be a normal family." He said still looking at the ground, kicking a stone in front of him. His father chuckled alike.

"We can try." Mr. Min said. When he let out another chuckle his lungs repelled, sending him into a couching fit. Yoongi stopped walking, looking at his father with concern. Every sound made him flinch.

"Don't worry, I'm just a bit worn down by working in the mines for all those years." His father said calming his breathing. "that surely doesn't do wonders for your lungs. I'll survive though."

 Yoongi just nodded, deciding not to ask any further. Instead he focused on the other sorcerer walking closer. His orange hair almost glowing in the dimmed natural light, his locks resembling the sky's colours. The man wore a smile bright enough to fill the void between sun and stars, he knew he would keep him safe whilst walking back. Hoseok was truly beautiful, and this surely wasn't the first time the young wizard had noticed that. 

"I'm sorry to break this up, but our teachers will probably be worried now." Hoseok said giving them both an apologetic look. Yoongi could only smile back.

"That's alright. Stay safe you two." Mr. Min said. He carefully put his hand on his son's shoulder. For a moment he seemed to struggle with his words. He wanted to say so much but didn't know how to say any of it. "and you, do great things." He eventually spoke.

Yoongi nodded suddenly determined. "I will." He spoke.

"Good." His father said letting go of his son. "see you later, Yoongi." He added.

The young sorcerer just nodded, words suddenly failing to come out. With one final wave the two walked away. The older man just stood there, watching their shapes morph with the buildings in the distance. Only then did he return to his home which once again was awfully quiet. 

Almost as quiet as the walk back to the Academy. It was as soon as they had walked away from the mines Yoongi's personality had dropped. Any attempt at conversation from Hoseok got effortlessly shot down. Yoongi's face seemed stuck in sadness, the sides of his mouth downwards and his brow clenched in thought. Eventually Hoseok gave up, providing his friend with the space he taciturnly asked for.

Their surroundings weren't helping either. All civilians were in their homes, putting their children to bed, dimming their fires and going to sleep. Apart from the sorcerers the only people still on the streets were beggars and criminals, both knew better than to mess with sorcerers. Even an uneducated one was more powerful to them, all knew that. 

Still their footsteps were quick, their awareness of their surroundings great, they didn't want to linger. The sky grew darker yet light broke through at certain spots. These were the moments Hoseok was glad he was taking astrology as one of his classes. He could make out the different shapes and feel their energy. Every night was different, every day was different, and all were influenced by the world they turned a blind eye to. During the day they were invisible and during the night they were hardly ever looked at. Hoseok still adored the glimpses of light in the sky.

As the younger looked at the sky Yoongi could see the glimmer in his eyes. Even with his medicine active he could feel Hoseok was hiding something from him. What did he find out while he was in his house? How the younger still thought he could keep secret from him intrigued him. It very much fitted his personality of a man who never loses hope or positivity no matter what happens. And in all honesty, who was he to break that?

That's why in that moment he decided to keep his mouth shut. If Hoseok had something important to say then he most definitely would. He would just have to trust him this time just like he had trusted him on the tower. 

The lights from the Academy came closer, mostly the moving lights behind some of the windows. Caretakers usually walked around with candles so that would explain them. There was no way they could get in unnoticed. And Yoongi really didn't want to let Hoseok fly after such a long day, he might fall. And he couldn't hold him and fly with him either seeing as he wasn't at complete strength either. They would just have to walk in through the front gates and deal with the consequences of skipping class and staying out too late. 

And that's just what happened. As soon as they pushed open the door an old man appeared in front of them. The two men recognised him as one of the caretakers, and not especially the nicest one. The command to go to their room in complete silence and go to sleep immediately was the least of the punishment they were expecting. They would sure get lectures by more teachers in the morning, but that was still too far away for them. Neither cared to argue nor refuse him. They just walked up to their room, dragging their tired feet over the marmer.

They didn't think twice nor exchange words before putting on their pajamas and climbing into their beds. Yoongi just hoped that Hoseok was either too sleep deprived or too busy dressing himself to notice, sadly he wasn't. 

When Hoseok turned around his eyes immediately fell on the three, clear lines on the elder's shoulder. The cuts seemed fresh, maybe a week old. The thought at first scared him. Was his friend harming himself? If so; why? But then he remembered. His memories shot back to the book he had read. Among all those pages of horrifying spells and unsettling drawings was one catching his attention. One of clear cuts with unidentifiably words beside it. 

The memory had turned hazy. The book had a weird effect on him, he had realised that the first time he had held it. Even just the pages were pure evil. He didn't want to know what horrors were confined in the actual spells. 

The marks on his friend made him curious however. Whatever Yoongi was doing wasn't good, even Hoseok could tell with his limited background on sorcery. He had to help him. The younger quickly turned around as if nothing had happened, as if he had not just seen what he had seen. In his mind he decided to check out the book later. 

The amount of time skips in this chapter, like chill m8. Also the next few chapters will be slightly sad but after that hell will break lose. Like prepare your souls. 

Also hands up if you're not ready for Hoseok's mixtape to drop neither for their comeback in September! Because I sure as hell am not.