Jongho's words shocked Hongjoong, and he suddenly found himself preferring the homophobia from his world rahter than the discrimination in Aurora.

"So...does this mean I could be killed simply for being who I am?" Hongjoong asks, dreading the answer.

"If someone had seen you as a threat simply for practicing, then yes" Jongho confirms, "though it would have to be a majority vote. If the majority didn't see you as a threat, then you'd go free, but if you were seen as a threat to the majority, then you'd be publicly executed"

Hongjoong decided then that he should shut his mouth and not ask anymore questions unless he wants to puke p everything he'd eaten in his entire life, and he stands up on unsteady legs, his eyes searching for Seonghwa. His mind, though, is elsewhere.

He could feel that he'd changed drastically since the night before . He felt heavy with a sort of responsibility, and it wasn't a nice feeling. He thought that he'd feel a weight off his shoulders, because he worried so much about being who everyone thought he was and it weighed him down, but this sense of responsibility had left an extra weight upon his shoulders.

Once his eyes landed on the black haired Prince, Hongjoong wobbled a little as he walked over to where Seonghwa stood off to the right side of him. The older had his eyes trained on Hongjoong, the Elven Prince's eyes narrowed with worry. Hongjoong waved him off, offering a tiny smile so the Prince would stop looking at him as if he were about to fall apart.

It didn't work.

When Hongjoong reached the Prince, Seonghwa was quick to wrap his arms around the younger's waist. Hongjoong stared up at Seonghwa, and the two shared a gaze that caused Hongjoong's heart to beat erratically, and it definitely showed with the blush tht was ever so slowly creeping up his neck. Seonghwa, on the other hand, looked totally calm. Unknown to Hongjoong, Seonghwa could feel his own heart ready to burst from his chest and shout all the words he didn't say at that moment.

Instead, Seonghwa simply asks, "can I kiss you?"

The question made Hongjoong sputter, and his entire face flushed bright red, and he honestly felt like hiding under a rock somewhere and never coming out.

Seonghwa chuckled softly, but he was still clearly waiting for Hongjoong to answer.

"O-okay, sure" Hongjoong blushes even more as the words leave his mouth.

Quite suddenly, a pair of warm, soft lips are over his own, and he can't help but lean into it and kiss back. He feels a tiny bit of the weight leave his shoulders, and he realises just how much he feels he needs Seonghwa to be beside him, and how much it's going to hurt the both of them when he leaves. Hongjoong finds himself deepening the kiss moments later, and Seonghwa is a little shocked but responds all the same.

This continues for about a minute, the two breaking apart for a breath every few seconds, until...

"Oh my Gods, could you two be any more disgusting!?" Jongho calls out.

Seonghwa smirks, but it doesn't stop him from kissing Hongjoong just once more.

"You two are moving a bit fast, aren't you?" San smirks back.

Hongjoong turns around, and without even thinking, he says, "at least I'm still a virgin"

Jongho chokes on air, and San laughs loudly. Seonghwa blushes just a little, and Hongjoong feels just a little accomplished because he actually made Seonghwa blush, and he doubts that making Seonghwa blush was an easy feat.

He wonders if maybe he could make Seonghwa blush more often, because not only is it adorable, it was just a tiny bit sexy if Hongjoong were to be completely honest (but Gods forbid if he ever said that out loud). He also has another nagging thought at the back of his mind, and as it so happens, Seonghwa has the exact same thought.

Are their feelings for each other stronger than they first realised?

Sorry it's been so long since I last updated. I haven't been in the writing mood for a while, but we've recently moved and I'm feeling a lot more chilled out recently so I guess my update schedule is gonna be relatively back to normal for a little bit OwO

By the way, I'm gonna consistently remind you, through Hongjoong, that he will eventually have to leave Aurora. That is the one thing that you guys will know. What happens after that is a secret so HAH XD