Compared to the last time Mingi walked the main streets of the town at the foot of the mountain, the alleys seemed to have become dimmer. Shadows loomed around every corner, darker than before, more secretive. This time, Mingi wasn't sure if he could trust them to promise safety and the warmth of a hidden inn with a lovely atmosphere. Every movement startled him, making him look out for a blue-haired pixie wielding a weapon.
Mingi disliked the lack of playing children. The usual merchants were around and open for business, but their faces were grim and the eyes alert. None of them called out to Mingi as he led his horse through the few hurried people by its reigns. Everybody only went out for long enough to do their business before they dipped back inside the security of their homes.
Guards patrolled the streets. Their horrible halberds thumped on the pavement as they idly made their circles. One of them stood near Seonghwa's little shop, and Mingi gladly hoped that he would intervene in case anything happened to Seonghwa. Mingi left his horse tied to a post near the demon, knowing he wouldn't be for long.
With the dutiful chime alerting Seonghwa of his presence, Mingi stepped inside the cosy atelier. Just like last time, it had changed its interior, confusing Mingi anew. Seonghwa sat at his table amongst piles of colourful textiles and dutifully stitched up two pieces of fabric. His hands moved faster than Mingi's eye could figure out the movements; they were that precise in their work.
When Mingi stepped in, Seonghwa rose his head to him curiously. He remained relaxed, even if his eyes held a certain wariness, until he recognised his friend.
"Welcome back. Already in need for another trim?" Seonghwa greeted him brightly as he carelessly swiped the second chair next to him clean of clothes. Mingi giggled at the sight, hoping that Seonghwa's customers didn't know how he treated their ware. (Not that Seonghwa's atelier wasn't spotless of grime and smelled of fresh fruit otherwise.)
Mingi dropped onto the chair next to him, his eyes stuck to the way Seonghwa continued to work with only sporadic glances at the needle. He wanted to watch him for hours, seeing that fabric pull together perfectly.
"I actually came for your services," Mingi grinned at him. When Seonghwa gave him a surprised glance, his smirk grew mischievous.
"Ripped another pair of pants?"
"Yes, but not with my thighs this time." Mingi warningly rose his hand before Seonghwa could deliver a cheeky remark. Lips curled into a crooked grin, the man awaited his explanation. He wore a light blue band around his left horn today. After Mingi had dug out the pants from his bag, he handed them over to Seonghwa carefully. Fascinated, Seonghwa's fingers explored the fabric.
"These are not my pants. They belong to Yunho. But since my horns were the ones ripping them, I found it fair to compensate."
"Your horns?" Seonghwa repeated as if he could have misunderstood Mingi in the quiet atmosphere of his working place. "What were your horns doing at the height of his pants?"
Mingi huffed exasperatedly. He hadn't planned on telling Seonghwa of his development with Yunho right away since he couldn't vouch for its longevity, but his friend read him like an open book.
"It's not as if he was wearing them!"
"Say no more, I got it."
Mingi whined when he noticed his mistake. Chuckling, Seonghwa laid the pants out in front of him on the table so he could make out the rip in the dark fabric.
"Why can I never be subtle around you?" Sulking, Mingi crossed his arms while Seonghwa worked. Their tails nudged at each other, wary if they actually wanted to intertwine. It was their thing. Pretending they didn't like each other when they would go to the end of the world for a simple favour. Yet, Mingi noticed the notable difference between Seonghwa's and Yunho's tails.
"It's all written on your face. Not mentioning his teeth marks on your neck."
Exposed, Mingi's hands flinched to his neck to hide the skin. Since he was so dark, Yunho's marks were barely visible, but if searched consciously, they shone through. His touch to them made Mingi shy, gently massaging the skin as a reminder of Yunho's touch.
"You have no way of knowing they are his," Mingi claimed, and stuck out his tongue at Seonghwa. Seonghwa rolled his eyes.
"I sure hope they are nobody else's. I didn't raise you a virgin for you to go wilding in the palace the moment you get there."
"So you are the reason I have no game, huh?"
They giggled among each other, both at ease with their baseless accusations. They were opposites in that regard, that much was for sure. Mingi had spotted another fresh pile of flowers coming in, and Seonghwa ate chocolates on the side that he would usually never buy for himself, since they were so expensive.
"So, I take it he treats you well? Or is this a one-time deal?" Seonghwa pinched the fabric together with safety pins, mapping out the part he would have to fix. Swaying left and right on his chair, Mingi bit his lip at the question.
"It's more than that. Although we barely find the time to discuss things and do them in order. The situation puts a strain on him. We have yet to solve this matter with his quasi fiance."
"Ah, a fiance, too. Wonderful. But you sound confident."
Mingi was. More than he had ever expected. Yunho teaching him his worth and telling him of his own fear to only get accepted because of his status assured Mingi of their relationship. All this time, Yunho had looked out for him and stayed in Mingi's comfort zone. While Mingi might not be the romantic soulmate Yunho had always hoped for, he knew Yunho would be kind to him and that he cherished him more than anyone else ever would.
"I am. Or rather, I want to be. Yunho appreciates it if I hold my stance."
Seonghwa set the pants down to look at Mingi; really look at him. His eyes searched his face, the way Mingi kicked his hooves playfully under his chair and his tail swished along the mountains of clothes to tickle them.
After a long while of just staring, Seonghwa's mouth quirked into a grin. He set Yunho's pants down to dust his hands off and stretch exaggeratedly.
"I like that. And fear not, I can fix this; give me a few days. Then you can pick it up and it will be like new," Seonghwa announced proudly. Mingi clapped his hands, ooh-ing and ahh-ing as Seonghwa bowed a few times.
"Perfect! Then I will visit you again in a while. I wanted to check more often on you anyway, with the pixie roaming around and all that."
Seonghwa swivelled in his chair to face Mingi. His arms were clad in blood-red gauntlets that matched his wide pants and the chest piece that was more a necklace than a top. Impeccable as always.
"My horns keep me safe. Never expected them to turn out a blessing after all." Seonghwa tapped the appendages gently. In agreement, Mingi felt over his as well. His touch on them didn't feel nearly as good as Yunho's. It didn't make him tingle and spasm with sensitivity.
"It's a surprise, yes. I wonder if they just aren't good trophies or if that pixie is after higher-ups only."
Seonghwa shrugged it off, dispelling the thickening tension in the air.
"Either way, it comes in handy for us, doesn't it? I'll keep my eye out and be safe, but I had no troubles yet. And neither the people around me."
Relieved, Mingi stood up to follow him when Seonghwa went to fetch them some snacks. Side by side, they prepared plain tea and a few crunchy crackers.
"That's the best. I wondered if I should ask Yunho to take you into the palace to be safe, but I figured it would only complicate things. I hope that now that he gets to enjoy your craftmanship, he might keep an eye out for you either way."
They sat down at the working table again, since there was just no other spot. Mingi gingerly brushed some clothes further from his reach, not trusting his clumsy hands. Tail playing with Seonghwa's, he sipped on his tea.
"I think he already does. He must have scouted it out already when you mentioned me. I found out that the guards check in here more often than in the other stores to see if I was alright. Seems like he protects those dear to you." Seonghwa smiled into his cup serenely, even when Mingi nervously tightened the coil of his tail. His heart did happy somersaults.
"I'll try to thank him subtly so we all can pretend we never knew. His kindness needs to be unaccounted for him to enjoy it most. Sometimes, he giggles over visitors' awed expressions when he smuggles money into their clothes unnoticed. And he bought all the carrots back at home for thrice their worth!" Mingi gesticulated excitedly during his ramblings. With an indulgent smile, Seonghwa watched over Mingi's teacup so he wouldn't spill anything.
"I presume his affection to you extends to that as well?"
Mingi nodded more often than necessary.
"It does. He gives me little presents and lets me share his dinner with him and divides his commodities with me!"
The smirk on Seonghwa's face turned crude again.
"For example, his bed."
Mingi kicked him under the table.
"Yes, also his bed, now shush!" Mingi tried to hide his embarrassment behind his indignation, but Seonghwa read him like an open book.
For a while, they sunk into playful small talk as they emptied their snacks. In between, a guard peeked his mighty horned head into the store to check around and retreated again once his glowing eyes had ensured their comfort.
After their tea party was over, Mingi stood again. His tail shuddered as he stretched pleasantly.
"Going back so early?"
"Yeah, I'll have to accompany Yunho to dinner. When I come to collect the pants, we can spend more time with each other," Mingi grinned. Seonghwa waved him off with a nonchalant hand.
"No excuses. Go back to your prince. I shall remain here and sigh in wallowing loneliness waiting until the day a man actually worth my time bursts in through the window."
Mingi giggled at the dramatic sigh. He could imagine it vividly. How Seonghwa would stitch away tirelessly until somebody literally knocked his work from his hands.
"He would be easier to find if you also moved in his direction, don't you think?"
Mingi's advice was met with a withering glare that didn't match Seonghwa's crooked grin.
"I go to the market twice a week. Every week. I can't fathom how this hasn't worked yet," he wondered, full of irony. Amused, Mingi patted his shoulder.
"Maybe next week. See you next time!" He walked to the door backwards, still busy waving at Seonghwa. The peaceful atmosphere clinging to both of them stretched, threatening to leave both of them hollow the moment Mingi stepped through the door outside.
"Tell Yunho I will take good care of these for him. And have a safe ride home!"
They exchanged a last smile before Mingi shouldered the door open. His horse picked up on his presence immediately, snorting gently in greeting. Mingi led it back out of the main street, mounting it only when he didn't risk kicking anybody.
The ride back to the castle was peaceful. The lands were unsuspecting of the tension between the townsfolk and the castle. Fields of golden grain spiked with black trees and fiery lava rivers spread around the cosily huddled town. Mingi believed to spot his old home in the distance, but it was difficult to tell since most huts back there looked identical.
Yunho was in his room when Mingi allowed himself in after a modest knock. The man was busy reading, his tall form spread out on his divan. Another scroll decorated the silver tray on the table next to him. The sigil was broken to expose swirling handwriting.
When he heard the noise of hooves on the floor, Yunho turned his head to look at him.
"I've returned in one piece," Mingi reported with a salute that he had seen the guards do to their superiors before. Chuckling, Yunho shut the book to sit up.
"So you have. Did you have a nice day with Seonghwa?"
"I did! He will take care of your pants and I can pick them up in a few days." Led by Yunho's beckon, Mingi didn't hesitate to near him. His knees found purchase on each side of Yunho's hips as he sat on the man's lap, allowing Yunho to pull him close.
Slender fingers brushed the hair from Mingi's eyes, exposing his scar so Yunho could admire him in his entirety. His scrutiny made Mingi shy, but he withstood the need to duck.
Yunho rewarded him with a kiss, a sweet press of his lips to Mingi's before he leaned back again. Mingi's hands fiddled with the short hair on the back of Yunho's head.
"Sounds good," Yunho whispered against his lips as Mingi chased after him. Yunho tasted of fruit, and the taste spread sweetly on Mingi's tongue when their kiss deepened. Glad to be back in his arms, Mingi relaxed against his lover, allowing him to explore his mouth anew.
At least, until the door behind them brusquely opened and Mingi flinched back.
Before he could crash into the table and hurt himself, Yunho's arms tightened around his torso to pull him back in. Startled, Mingi clung to Yunho as both of them eyed the intruder.
San didn't miss a beat. Unflinching, he closed the door behind him and came over to drop on the divan opposite them.
Mortified by his sudden appearance, Mingi sat petrified. He wasn't sure whether he should climb off Yunho or stay. The damage was already done.
"Just the two I wanted to speak to, wonderful. Do you mind, Mingi?"
Wincing at the sharp tone in San's voice, Mingi slowly slid off from Yunho. The prince helped him, his tail reaching to hold Mingi's soothingly once he had sat down. Still huddled to Yunho's side, Mingi hid his head between his shoulders as far as his horns allowed him to.
San crossed his legs, abs flexing as he regarded them with that chilly gaze.
Yunho took another cup from the set in the corner of the table and filled it with tea. With a winning smile, he pushed it over to San.