When Jisung woke up Chan and Minho were both still fast asleep but Changbin was nowhere to be seen. Making sure Chan was tucked in and that Minho was breathing Jisung headed out into the forest, following the musky scent that was Changbin.
Jisung found him quickly, in human form laying across the ground in his usual all-black clothing. He appeared to be hiding, quick as lightning Jisung jumped down next to his friend. Changbin almost screamed.
"Whatcha doing pup?" Jisung asked his friend, smiling sheepishly. Changbin glared before settling his focus back on whatever he was watching. Jisung shrugged following the gaze.
At the bottom of the hill were two fairies, unlike usual fairies in their small form were hanging out in full size.
One was a boy, his hair a soft strawberry blond with flowers blooming out of it. Jisung watched as the fairy seemed to be talking animatedly to some of the flowers. A nature fairy, plant fairy if Jisung wanted to be more specific. Upon closer inspection, Jisung could make out a splattering of freckles across his face. His eyes were bright and dark forest green. His lips were pink like flower petals. As for clothing, he wore a white shirt that was anything but fitted. The entire thing moved like water in the breeze
"You like him don't you?" Jisung asked. Changbin just shrugged, continuing to watch the flower boy talk to his plants. Jisung turned his attention to the other fault. A girl with long brown hair. She was dancing and it was oddly familiar.
"Holy fuck!" Jisung hopped up, taking off down the hill, "JAE!" he yelled catching the attention of both fairies. The girl stopped her dancing and looked at Jisung in shock.
"Hannie?" she asked. Jisung nodded, finally getting to the bottom of the hill and sweeping her into a hug.
"Holy crap it's been years!" Jisung said, pulling back and studying his old friend.
"Jisung!" A voice snapped from behind him. Jisung turned around to find Changbin standing behind him awkwardly, worriedly looking back and forth between the three people.
"This is Changbin, he's part of my coven, he's a werewolf," Jisung introduced. Changbin waved awkwardly, "and I'm Jisung. I knew Jae before I was turned," Jisung introduced himself to the boy fairy.
"I've heard a lot about you, Jae loves telling stories. I'm Felix by the way, a plant fairy," Felix introduced himself.
"Holy fuck dude your voice!" Jisung said, turning to see Changbin just as shocked
"No one suspects it. What are you doing here?" Jae asked, her laugh twinkling.
"We are camped by the forest edge, we are trying to find the goddess of fate, Sianna or something," Jisung introduced. Jae smiled happily before her composure fell and she looked at Felix worriedly.
"We have good and bad news then. May we join you at your camp?" Felix asked, smiling mischievously. Jisung stopped Changbin before he could agree.
"No, but you can follow us as we head back and we may discuss there," Jisung prompted. Felix laughed. In the corner of his eye, Jisung watched Changbin melt at the sound.
"Well aren't you smart," Jae said, gesturing for the two boys to lead the way. It was a quiet walk back. Until Jisung almost choked as a thought came through his brain.
"He's my mate," Jisung couldn't tell if Changbin sounded happy or sad. Jisung just looked at his friends with a soft smile. Of all the possible people to have a fairy as a mate Changbin got one.
They stepped into the forest, and Jisung could suddenly smell worried. Upon entering their camp Jisung saw Minho sitting in front of the still-going fire. Chan was cooking something from beside the boy. Minho looked up first and noticed the two, the worry shifting to relief.
"Hey, we brought help," Jisung said, moving to help Chan with the food, leaving Changbin to introduce the guests.
"This is Jae, a music fairy and old friend of Jisung and this is Felix," Changbin said, eyes getting stuff on Felix once again. Felix just smiled at Changbin, fueling the fire burning in the wolf's heart.
"Nice to meet you guys, I'm Chan and the leader of our little group," Chan introduced himself waving at the two.
"Old friend of Jisung's?" Minho asked standing up and looking between the two. Jae giggled.
"We were to be married before Jisung was turned, he would still visit me though and one day I got murdered and some fairies took pity and made me a fairy," Jae explained. Minho's eyes blew wide as he looked over at Jisung. Jisung wasn't paying attention to him though, the vampire's eyes trained on Jae.
"Who are you?" Felix asked, eyes studying Minho and finding no sign of magic.
"He's Minho," Changbin said plainly. Minho rolled his eyes.
"I'm Jisung's mate," Minho explained further. Jae and Felix both looked at Jisung surprised. Jisung was just as surprised, Minho had never referred to himself as the vampire's mate.
"That's nice?" Jae said, the statement sounding more like a question.
"Well let's eat, I assume you have reason to be here?" Chan said handing out plates to everyone including the newcomers. For some reason, he had enough food like he knew to make extra.
"We have information, but it does not go without trade," Jae said, accepting a plate with a small thank you.
"Well we just gave you some food," Minh said, eating his food with a pout as Jisung sat beside Jae and left the human to be next to Chan. Jae and Felix giggled together.
"Well you gave the food before we started discussing the deal," Jae said smirk playing on her lip.
"Damn fairies," muttered Chan glaring when Jisung didn't drink his blood.
"How about a kiss in exchange for info?" Felix asked, smiling flirtatiously.
"No! Jisung already kissed a fairy yesterday," Minho snapped almost dropping his food if it wasn't for Chan catching the plate.
"I wasn't talking about Jisung. What do you say, Mr. Wolf?" Felix flirted, smiling at Changbin over the fire. Jisung snorted into his blood cup. Changbin choked on his breakfast. Chan just laughed. Jae rolled her eyes, knowing her best friend was too flirty for his good.
"I-" Changbin was at loss for words, unable to process.
"He says sure, go get your kiss Felix," Jisung agreed for his friend. With a giggle Felix hopped up and skipped around the fire, Minho was able to catch a glimpse of his shimmering wings as his sleeveless shirt moved.
Changbin honestly looked panicked as Felix got closer. Before he knew it soft lips were placed over his before disappearing just as fast.
"Sweet," Felix bit his lip while looking at Changbin through the corner of his eye. Changbin continued to short circuit before finishing his food and disappearing inside the tent.
"You broke him, you big flirt," Jae scolded Felix when he sat back down. The group just watched fondly as Felix started where Changbin disappeared too.
"He's different, I feel a pull," Felix explained. Jisung sent Chan a knowing look. A minute later and Changbin emerged as a wolf. He sat next to Chan avoiding Felix's eyes.
"Now the information," Jae said, finishing off her plate and disappearing the trash in a poof.
"Yes we need that," Jisung agreed with his own plate poofing when he was done.
"Do you want the good or bad first," Minho finished and watched as his plate did the same thing.
"Good," Minho answered when no one else did.
"I know Sianna, very well. We are really good friends, she was the one who brought me to Levanter when my forest in London was cut down," Jae explained, "If you know of Sianna you probably have heard of Minsee and we know how to get there," Jae finished. Minho smiled, hope filling his soul. Jisung watched with a sour gaze as Minho perked up at the thought of getting closer.
"That's helpful, now what's the catch?" Chan asked.
"Something is wrong with our border tree," Felix said sadly. Everyone but Minho seemed to understand what that meant.
"Border tree?" Minho asked.
"The forest Minsee lives in is called the midnight forest, there is a special border in place to monitor who and what passes through it. We have a central tree that powers the barrier, like Thalia's tree at Camp Half-Blood," Felix explained. Minho nodded at the reference helping him, "Right now the tree is sick, not even us nature fairies can talk to it to see what's wrong. With the tree injured no one can get through," Felix explained.
"If we fix your tree, what do we get"?" Jisung asked, not playing games. Jae thought for a minute before looking at Felix. Felix shrugged.
"If you fix the tree Felix will take you to Minsee's," Jae offered.
"Sounds good," Chan said, getting up and starting to clean up.
"Glad we could agree. After you pick up we will take you to the tree, good luck is all I can say," Jae said to her, and Felix disappeared into small balls of glittering light and flew off.
"Fucking fairies," Jisung said shaking his head and watching where the two fairies disappeared too.
"I guess we should follow them," Chan suggested following the path the two fairies took. Jisung laughed, nudging Changbin with his foot before following Chan on the path. Minho followed swiftly, not wanting to bother anyone after his sudden outburst.
"So little Binnie found his mate," Chan teased, the wolf huffing and shaking his head.
"He's embarrassed," Jisung continued the teasing, playful smile dancing across his lips. Minho walked a few steps behind them, not wanting to interrupt the bonding moment.
"Poor Bin, Fairies don't know when they have mates if they have them," Chan said, reaching a hand down to scratch the wolf's head.
"Well to be fair neither do humans yet here we are," Jisung jokes passively aggressively. Minho nodded before training his gaze on the floor. All three boys turned to look at him. Jisung felt a pang of guilt in his heart, he didn't mean for Minho to look so dejected at his comment.
The awkward silence was broken by Chan calling out, "Just over this hill," he pointed out. Jisung smiled before running up the side and spinning with his arms open wide.
"The hills are alive," Jisung starts to sing, spinning in slow circles as they create the final hill.
"Shut up," Chan snapped, shoving the vampire onto the floor. His small smile did not match the harsh tone. Changbin just trotted up and stepped on Jisung, whipping his tail to smack the vampire.
Minho felt somewhat wrong to be intruding on their moment, the three close as brothers. But then he would feel the familiar tug in his soul pulling him towards Jisung and he would remember. He didn't belong. He didn't belong in this magical world and Jisung deserved to be able to live his magical life without a mere human holding him back.
"The sound of music is a classic you uncultured swine," Jisung snapped pulling Changbin's tail and jumping up to run. Minho froze when the vampire hid behind him, strong hinds holding his shoulders to keep him in place.
He panicked a little, the tight grip sending a flashback of that night into his brain. He shook off the hands and began the descent down the mountain. Jisung smiled sadly as he watched his mate leave him behind. A harsh pang in his chest brought him to his knees. Instantly Chan was at his side.
"Ji, you ok?" Chan asked holding onto one of his arms to help bring him up. Jisung nodded, balancing himself back out, eyes not leaving his retreating mate's head.
"Just got dizzy," Jisung lied, the small not truth slipping through his lips easily.
"Come on, I see the fairies in need of help," Chan pulled Jisung along, Changbin at their heels.
At the bottom of the hill waiting for Minho, his arms held close to his chest. Jisung smiled quickly, nodding his head to acknowledge the human's presence.
"Took you long enough, the tree is right there," Jae pointed to a large tree in the forest edgy. The tall tree looked dried out, its bark pale and its leaves dreary. Minho felt sad just looking at it. Felix looked ready to cry as he touched the trunk, probably trying to speak to the tree.
"It looks sad," Jisung said, taking a step closer to the tree. Felix nodded from his seat next to the mighty being.
"That's because he is. Too sad and tired to even talk," Felix explained. Jisung studied the branches, nothing above ground looking off. Above ground... Jisung turned to Changbin, the wolf already looking at him.
"Tell Felix to tell the tree to relax, I promise I won't hurt it," Jisung nodded as Changbin's request floated through his head. Minho looked at Chan as the two conversed. Chan was giving the two a knowing smile. Minho moved his attention back onto Jisung as the vampire began to talk.
"Felix, Changbin needs to tree to relax. He's going to dig underground to try and unearth anything wrong underground," Jisung explained, kneeling and putting a hand on the tree Felix nodded, worry still present in his eyes. Jisung nodded at Changbin, the wolf carefully inspecting the truck before finding a good spot.
There were about 7 minutes of anticipated silence before the wolf re-emerged from the hole he had dug up. A collective gasp came from everyone when he held something in his mouth. Minho watched in awe as Changbin shifted, his bright blue boxers standing out against the green grass and falling fur from the shift. It was amazing.
"Hex bag," Changbin informed, holding up the brown leather sack, his hair and face had some spot of dirt.
"Holy shit," Jisung said, taking the bag and lighting it on fire in his hands. Minho watched as the flame turned green and the bag disappeared into sparkles. Instantly the tree seemed more alive. The trunk and branches are a deep reddish-brown. The leaves perked up too, their emerald green color reappearing. Everyone watched as the tree moved with life, looking like it took a deep breath and released it before setting into a spot and letting the wind rustle its leaves.
"You fixed him!" Felix cheered, tackling an unsuspecting Changbin to the floor with a hug. Changbin just hugged the boy back, feeling complete with his mate close.
Jisung bit his lip as he watched the scene, envious to the bone. Minho watched with saddened eyes, wishing with all his heart that he could have something as pure as their mateship with Jisung, but believing it wasn't possible.
"Well aren't you a happy couple," Jae teased, wings fluttering happily. Minho watched then, the thin material sparkling when the sun hit them.
"If he's what I think he is we can be a happy couple," Felix pouted, sitting up, Changbin still on the floor looking up at the fairy above him.
"We will leave you two to have some time then," Jae winked before turning to Chan, "I have to get to Jeongin to tell him the problem was solved, but I leave you in Felix's care and vice versa," Jae smiled, her head tipping to the side.
"We won't head over tonight, bad feeling," Chan said. Jae nodded and Minho hated how pretty she looked doing such a simple thing.
"Good thing, those woods are dangerous at night and 6 hours is not enough time to get through them. Bye Jiji, it was so good seeing you," Jae hugged the vampire before disappearing into a ball of glittering light and floating off. Minho felt his jaw twitch in anger as a nickname slipped past the fairy's lips.
Chan, Jisung, and Minho all turned to leave, ignoring the couple who were now kissing on the forest floor. Chan walked fast, taking the lead early on. Minho fell behind, lost in his thoughts.
"Are you ok?" Jisung asked, noticing the boy's discomfort. Minho gave the boy a side-eye, not knowing exactly what to say.
"What do you mean?" Minho asked, deciding to play it dumb. Jisung laughed.
"You have barely spoken all day, and just now I could smell anger ripping off of you," Jisung pointed out, stopping Minho by grabbing his arm gently.
"She has a special nickname for you," Minho said, pulling his arm out of Jisung's grasp but not walking away. Jisung huffed.
"So do you," Jisung said, Minho looked down confused.
"No, I-"
"You have called me Jisungie on multiple occasions," Jisung pointed out, raising an eyebrow at the human. Minho was choked up, he didn't know what to do or feel for that matter.
"Spur of the moment, I forgot about the entire unwanted mate situation," Minho tried to defend himself. He only hurt Jisung instead. Jisung nodded slowly before briskly walking past the human.
He turned his face back to speak, "You forget this mate thing is two-sided," he started, laughing dryly, "Except I would be honored to have you as my mate," he finished, leaving Minho behind regretting his choices. Shaking the tears from his eyes Minho walked after Jisung, far enough not to associate but close enough to not lose him.
~~~
The next morning the tension between Minho and Jisung was noticeable, even Chan chose to not address the situation.
"1, 2, 3, 4, everyone out of the tent, it's going down," Chan said, pulling some strings and watching the tent fold down and back into the small pack.
"I.N. is a wiz with magic," Changbin chided. One hand holding a backpack and the other holding Felix's hand captive. Minho clutched his backpack Jisung standing next to him with a heavy aura.
"That he is, let's get going then. Felix leads the way if you will," Felix nodded with a cheery smile and pulled his mate along, the other three boys following close behind.
"What's up with your mate?" Jisung shivered as Chan's chilling voice invaded his thoughts. Jisung rolled his eyes.
"Don't call him that," he snapped out loud. Changbin and Felix were too occupied to pay attention but Minho did his best to ignore it, knowing they were probably talking about him.
"That's what he is, is he not?" Chan asked, raising a brow at the vampire. Jisung just shook his head. Call him petty but he was hurt and not afraid to show it.
"He is not, he made his choice and I'm done trying to convince him differently," Jisung said quickly before quickening his pace and walking next to Felix and Changbin. Minho felt bad, he had caused this riff, the sooner he was gone the sooner the three could go back to their lives.
"The decision is final?" Chan asked, startling Minho out of his thoughts.
"It's better this way," Minho managed to say without a stutter. Chan laughed shortly.
"You know it will hurt him right?" Chan asked, Minho snapped his head towards Chan. Not knowing that this would cause pain.
"What?" he asked, voice wavering in the slightest.
"You won't feel it since you are human but breaking an emotional bond he has had since rebirth will tear him emotionally and mentally. He seems fine with it though," Chan shrugged, playing his cards right. Minho was left speechless, he did not want to hurt Jisung anymore than he already was.
"Here we are, we all need to hold hands to pass through," Felix commanded, signaling for everyone to lock hands. Either he didn't feel the tension or couldn't give two craps, Jisung suspected the latter.
Minho ended up awkwardly sandwiched between Chan and Jisung. His right hand was barely held by Chan's gentle grasp and his left comfortable molding with Jisung's, like their palms were made for each other.
'Technically they were,' Minho thought, grasping onto the thought of Jisung to keep the nerves at bay.
When they stepped through another shimmery veil Jisung felt the same sensation as before. Bubbles and warmth except for this time as soon as they were on the other side something triggered beneath their feet, the group of 5 being swept off the floor in one quick motion. A large net smooshing the group together and lifting them off the ground. When Minho opened his eyes all he could see was the tip of an arrow pointed at him.
"Who the fuck are you?"
_______________________________________________________________ 3397 words damn damn