Magic Man, SeongJoong

꧁•⊹٭𝙱𝚘𝚖𝚋𝚜٭⊹•꧂

Hongjoong's mind registered the words Jongho spoke, and then he quickly ran over to the window and slammed it shut. It was dark now, and as Hongjoong slammed the window shut, the house rattled left and right, nearly knocking both Yeosang and Hongjoong over. The loudest explosions sounded not far from the house.

Hongjoong was in a state of panic, the air raid sirens didn't go off, yet there were warships dropping bombs in the street where people used to live. Bombs were destroying homes, destroying lively hoods and Hongjoong's family was sitting tight in the town. He didn't know what was happening, and he didn't know what to do.

His body was moving almost robotically till the shop shook once more. He took in a deep breath and ran to the courtyard. Yeosang followed him and they watched as a warship flew over their heads. They got seriously lucky that it wasn't dropping bombs just yet. Although Hongjoong couldn't say for sure just how long they would have to wait till they were the victims of a harsh war.

"Yeosang, look after everyone inside. I'll check on everything out here." Hongjoong said and ushered the boy inside. Yeosang nodded and went back inside.

Hongjoong ran through the courtyard, and opened the front door of the shop. The heat was immediate, and he felt the burning flames of a exploded house just down the street. He could see the flames which rose higher and higher every passing second, it was overtaking the buildings. All the shops and houses allowed the flames to spread quickly, and eventually, this whole street would be taken and demolished.

Hongjoong noticed a few odd figures which looked like people against the rising flames, but they weren't running from the danger. They were simply wondering around. He squinted his eyes and peered around the open and empty street. Out of the darkness, came more darkness. Dark figures, with green solider coats on, were sloppily walking towards the shop. Suliman had found them after all...

Hongjoong thought quickly, and locked the shop doors behind him. Whatever Suliman's henchmen were made out of, it was able to slip through tiny cracks in the doors. Hongjoong ran past the flowers he had set up in the front of the shop, and around where the till was going to be. He slammed and locked that door too but a sudden gust of wind told him the henchmen had forced their way in already.

He wasted no time in sprinting his way to the courtyard. He peered up at the warship flying over them once again. He shouldn't have stopped but something compelled him to watch as bombs started letting go and falling down at the speed of light. Hongjoong's eye caught something, something moving slightly faster than the bombs. Something big and grey. His body was frozen still as Howl was flying down on the back of a bomb.

"Seonghwa!"

The pressure of the explosion forced Hongjoong's body back till it hit the courtyard's brick walls. The pain that struck through Hongjoong's nerve system seemed to be the least of his worries in his mind, and he desperately tried to force his eyes to see through the clouds of deathly smoke. He coughed, and waved his hand, begging the smoke to move out of his way.

He moved forward, his foot a little sore from the tumbling bricks of the courtyard. Eventually, Hongjoong weaved his way through the smoke and Howl was using the bomb to stand up. In front of his face, the bomb seemed inhumanly massive. It had forced itself through the cement and the stone of the courtyard floor, and was left standing upwards. Hongjoong wasted no time in rushing into the arms of his wizard, and buried his face into the feathers on Howl's body.

They hugged each other tightly, and Hongjoong was glad he was unhurt and back safely, although he knew deep down, this would end with Howl leaving again. He hugged even tightly at this thought, and tried to stay in the moment with the man he loved.

"I'm sorry." The wizard spoke into Hongjoong's ear delicately, "I have a lot of enemies tonight."

Suliman's henchmen had broken through the wooden door, and struck at the doorway all trying to force themselves through at the same time. Their stupidity bought a few more seconds for the couple to embrace each other. Although it wasn't a long time, Hongjoong held Seonghwa in his arms. The couple never let go of each other as Seonghwa guided them into the shop calmly. It was as if Howl was powerful enough to scare off his pursuers just by being near.

Once they were inside, Howl gently placed Hongjoong down and switched the dial before the monsters belonging to Suliman could infiltrate the shop. Hongjoong watched as Howl moved to the fire which Hongjoong couldn't start and placed his hand over the weeping fire.

"Calcifer, be strong." Seonghwa called out, and suddenly, Mingi had sprung to life once more. His orange flames dancing high and revealing his face once again. Although, he looked a bit sickly, if a fire could look sickly that is.

Howl turned to old witch Jongho, "Sir, was that a gift from Suliman?"

"That grandpa fed me something nasty!" Mingi's sudden gruff voice sounded with a few additional coughs here and there. Hongjoong was trying to figure out when this could've happened.

"Why, if it isn't Howl...We need a nice long chat." The old Wizard spoke while stick sucking on the smoking pipe.

"Likewise sir, but we have no time right now." Howl said as he looked down at the smoking grandpa and held out his hand. Hongjoong watched as the old man put the butt of the pipe in Howl's hand.

Finally, after many attempts, the pipe was out and the smell was going away. One visit from Howl had sorted all of Hongjoong's stress, and he was afraid of Howl leaving once more.

"You know, it's unlike you to not be running away." Jongho said slowly, his clear curiosity coming out to play. As cheeky as the witch of the waste always was.

Seonghwa turned once more to Hongjoong and placed his hands on Hongjoong's shoulders. He smiled down at the young man with grey hair, and wished he could stay longer this time. Seonghwa had a job, and this job was one he couldn't run from any longer. He wanted to protect his family, he wanted to protect the only man who had ever loved him enough to stay. Hongjoong, he wanted to protect him.

"Hongjoong, stay here. Calcifer will protect you." Howl said, "I'll see to things outside."

Hongjoong watched in awe as Howl passed him, he was tongue-tied. He squeezed his nails into his palms as the wizard was nearing the door. He willed himself to run forward.

"Seonghwa!"

He didn't want Seonghwa to leave again, for fear this would be the last time they see each other. He was terrified he might never hug him again, or be able to say his name without the reminder that he died in war. He was scared of every possible outcome if his favourite wizard walked out of the shop doors again. So, he hugged Seonghwa's feathered body once more and begged him not to leave.

"Don't go! Please stay." His voice was trembling.

"Another round of bombs are coming Hongjoong." Seonghwa sighed, and unwrapped Hongjoong's hands from his waist, "Even Calcifer can't stop those."

"Lets run away! Don't fight." Hongjoong pleaded with he wizard, but his heart was already letting him go. He was going out to fight the war himself, and Hongjoong couldn't stop him.

"I'm through running away." The wizard stated and Hongjoong stared at him, "I've finally found someone I want to protect...You."

Hongjoong was surprised. It was the first ever words Howl had spoken which meant something so loving to him. A sweet confession, Hongjoong took it as. And so, Hongjoong couldn't stop him as the wizard flew out of the doors and back into the danger of the war.