Curled Horns

34. Stolen

After yet another bath following the long training session with San, Yunho and Mingi had curled up in Yunho's bed so close that not a flower petal would fit between them. Yunho's hand was splayed on Mingi's stomach and brushed against his piercing dotingly from time to time. They had aligned with Mingi's back to Yunho's chest so his horns wouldn't bother their cuddling and Yunho could envelop him with his broad frame. Mingi sleepily dozed on and off, not yet ready to waste his precious alone time with Yunho by sleeping.

Yunho nuzzled Mingi's nape softly. His lips left warm kisses in their wake that had Mingi sigh with satisfaction. When they spread over to his horns, that sigh turned into a pleasant shiver. A giggle dropped from his lips when he felt Yunho smirk against him.

"Are you comfortable?" Yunho hummed against Mingi's horns as he reverently trailed their slope with his nose. It tickled slightly, but it made Mingi feel loved. He had underestimated how affection directed at his horns could swamp him with euphoria. With Yunho, loving his horns was easy.

"I am. No better place than in your arms," Mingi confessed meekly. Yunho stifled a coo in Mingi's hair. His arms tightened around him in a loving squeeze.

"Try to sleep, beloved. A lot of planning awaits us tomorrow."

Mingi hid his face behind his hands at the affectionate term. When Yunho giddily hooked his chin over Mingi's shoulder, Mingi turned his head carefully until he could leave a kiss on the man's lips. Soft and cosy, it spread the warm tenderness between them.

"What if I want to feel your embrace for a while longer?"

In the darkness of the room, Mingi felt Yunho's lips twitch more than he saw them. With a delicate sound, their lips met once more in a tame peck.

"You will feel it in your dreams," Yunho promised poetically. Sighing, Mingi laid back down. He knew that his absolute joy was poorly timed and that he should spend his time worrying about Seonghwa, who had returned to his shop by now, and about their kin out there getting slaughtered. But he just couldn't bring himself to receive Yunho's adoration only half-heartedly.

"Fine, I believe you," Mingi snickered, his lids already slipping closed.

Yunho left a last kiss on his cheek before he laid back down behind Mingi and cradled him to sleep. They drifted off into dreamland together to meet again there and frolic in their freedom.

Mingi slept soundly. He had never been a light sleeper, sometimes even snoring loud enough that his mother had asked him how he couldn't scare himself awake. While he didn't hear himself, Mingi also had no qualms of sleeping through the noises of people around him talking, walking, clanging with cutlery. Growing up, he had learned how to get the most out of his sleep despite the noise on the farm.

But that night he grew restless. When he awoke with a start, it was still dark outside and Yunho slumbered next to him peacefully. Finding no reason for his discomfort, Mingi tried to settle down again and cradle Yunho's hand to his heart to fall back asleep.

But he was wide awake. His body urged him to move, suddenly finding Yunho's embrace suffocating.

Since he didn't want to disturb the man, Mingi slipped out of bed quietly and sluggishly pulled on his pants before he tapped outside into the corridor. The fires here never stopped burning, so the palace was always bathed in its homey glow. Sometimes at night, servants and cooks hurried around to prepare for the next day, too. Yet, Mingi saw nobody when he slinked down the stairs to take a little walk through the dining hall and the stables. Most horses were asleep, but Ave rose her head when he offered her a carrot. She munched on it; her crunching noises loud over the quiet bays.