"So what exactly are we here to see?" Jongho asks, legs dangling over the edge.

"A surprise." Yunho answers from his place beside Jongho on the cliff's rim.

It's late afternoon, the sun waning in the sky, inching closer to the western horizon. It's not horribly cold yet, in the sun, but Jongho worries for the dusk hike back down. Hopefully the wool coat Yunho made him carry is enough.

"Do I at least get a hint?"

"Birds," Yunho replies with a grin.

Jongho is about to protest, but when he turns to Yunho, and meets his eyes, all words are forgotten from his mind. Yunho's smile... Jongho doesn't think he'll ever shut up about it, doesn't think he'll ever forget the way it warms him inside. Jongho can't help but smile back.

Always.

He's always smiling when Yunho is around.

"Jongho-ya."

"Hmm?"

Yunho leans in a little closer. "You have a pretty smile."

Jongho's apple cheeks darken as his eyes widen. Yunho throws his head back in deep laughter, loving how easy Jongho is to fluster.

"What, no thank you?"

Saving Jongho from a stuttered answer, there's a rumble in the distance. A sound like rushing floods of hyperactive school children.

Practically vibrating in excitement like a school child himself, Yunho stands, extending a hand to Jongho.

Jongho grasps it and lets himself be pulled to his feet. "What is it?" He asks.

"Shhh, a surprise, remember? Just look!" So Jongho follows Yunho's gaze, trained to the northern skys.

The rumbling gets closer and—squaking? Jongho thinks.

Soon enough, a dark cloud blocks out the sky, swirling and folding around itself. "Look!" Yunho points. With a mixture of fear and awe, Jongho is already watching.

Closer, the cloud travels—a flock—until Jongho can begin to make out the wingspan of individual birds. 

In his excitement, Yunho hugs the younger from behind. Jongho isn't even surprised at this point. He laughs as Yunho's arms encircle his shoulders, laying over his chest, and Jongho lifts his own hands to hold Yunho's forearms in place.

"Red Moonbirds," Yunho whispers with anticipation. "They're flying south from Antarctica for the winter. Twenty thousand kilometers. In their lifetime, they travel to the moon and back."

Before Yunho can say more, they're swarmed by the largest flock Jongho has ever imagined. An animated haze of red and black begins to settle around them; some birds in treetops and others find perch along the cliff's edge. The rest still overtake the sky, squawking at their still-young hatchlings.

"They're shore birds," Yunho explains, still holding Jongho against himself. "Historically, they'd never be in the mountains. They should stop down by the east shore but now, well— the mountains is where they're protected. They'll roost here for the night and stop by the shore for food before sunrise. After that: Australia."

Here, as the final stragglers of the flock settle down: here, in Yunho's arms: here, listening to Yunho's patient explanations, Jongho feels safe.

He feels— well, invincible. On top of the world.

In Yunho's embrace, Jongho turns. Yunho means to step back a foot, not quite sure what's happening, but Jongho wraps his own arms around the older's waist. And Yunho laughs a moment—just a breath, a huff—before embracing him once more. Tighter this time. Jongho reciprocates, burying his head against Yunho's chest.

"Can we sleep up here?" Jongho mumbles.

Yunho has taken to stroking the younger's hair, but he stutters in his movements at the unusual request. "As much as I would love to, we don't have any blankets."

"I doesn't feel cold."

Yunho chuckles. At feeling the vibrations against his cheek, Jongho smiles. "That's because the sun has just set. It'll get colder."

Jongho whines.

"Oh my gosh, Jongho-ya." Yunho pushes him back by the shoulders, bringing a hand up to his forehead. "Are you feeling okay?" He jokes.

Jongho wriggles himself back against Yunho's chest but keeps his eyes on the older's. Yunho stops breathing; just for a second. He'd never really realized how much taller he is than Jongho. How adorably small Jongho is in his arms.

"Hyung~" Jongho pouts. He musters up the most innocently forlorn look on his face. (Jongho tries to remember everything Wooyoung has taught him over the years.)

"Yes?"

"Please~?"

With an amused grin, Yunho gives in. Of course he does, rolling his eyes because what is this side of Jongho? 

"Okay, little bear. But don't wake me up when you freeze in the night."

Smug at his win, Jongho snuggles back against the older's warmth.

Like this, they stay. Holding each other amidst the last flock of Moonbirds, at the edge of a cliff, on top of the world.

— • —

Jongho, in fact, did not freeze that night. But he did come very close. Yunho did all he could to convince the younger he did not have hypothermia— all the vigor in his whines was proof of the younger's good health— but Jongho refused to believe it until Gahyeon, the corpus, confirmed it.

Because he was really, really cold.

But that didn't stop Jongho from doing it again.

A few nights later he, somehow, convinced Yunho to spend the night under the stars once again. (At least this time Yubin provided a fire.) But when they both awoke in the too-early morning, covered in frost, they decided that was enough. The two stumbled into the library to spend the rest of their slumber curled up by the coal stove.

Throughout the week, as Jongho and Yunho rarely left each other's sides, Jongho would catch Seonghwa looking at them. His face was blank, not wholly unusual for an anima, but still, Jongho could help but think the empath had thoughts he wasn't sharing.

Nevertheless, Jongho decidedly ignores this, swept along by the adventure of Yunho's hand.

Every day, a duo hikes miles into the surrounding forest. A few times, like today, Jongho joins on the quest for lost souls, but no traces of another human is found, so it's really just a time to race Yunho to keep warm from the encroaching cold.

"Yah!" Jongho shouts, panting. A few pines away, Yunho sticks his tongue out. He's just won their last race.

"What?" Yunho taunts the younger. "It's not my fault you have little legs."

Ah, now Yunho's done it. "YAH!" Jongho dives towards him and Yunho is too busy laughing uncontrollably to bother running away. Jongho tackles him easily.

After wrestling for a minute, trading the upper hand and surprised yelps, Yunho finally surrenders to Jongho's superior strength. Panting once more, Jongho pins his opponent to the forest floor.

"Good job," Yunho breathes, looking up.

Yunho... well Yunho banks on Jongho's shyness at being complimented. His strategy doesn't disappoint. Jongho looks down with a little smile, feeling that warmth, softening his grip on the older; a mistake. As soon as Yunho feels the change, he rips his arms free and flips them, pining Jongho to the ground with a smug grin pulling at his lips.

"Little Bear." Yunho leans closer. Even though Jongho is stronger, Yunho is heavier—something the older uses to his advantage. "Looks like I win."

Before Jongho must face the misery of a formal surrender, Yubin shouts from a few trees away. She sounds frantic—a concerning rarity.

Yunho climbs off the younger before pulling him to his feet. More voices are heard; a man. Someone agitated who Yubin is, assumedly trying to calm.

"I'll be right back," Yunho says with warning.

Jongho just scoffs, you think I'm staying here alone?

Yunho is fast, but Jongho keeps a quick pace after, following the older's foot-falls. Breaking through the trees, Jongho has a clear path to see a blade's silver glimmer.

Jongho stops dead in his tracks.

Yubin's and Yunho's stances are relaxed-far too relaxed, in Jongho's opinion, when compared to the knife being wielded only a tree away. Jongho knows Yubin has her own hunting knife around her waist.

Why doesn't she pull it?! Jongho asks himself.

But then the assailant notices Jongho. Their eyes lock and Jongho lets out an undignified yelp, alerting Yunho to his presence as well.

Yunho tenses, just a split second, before his whole body relaxes again. He slowly steps in front of Jongho. (The younger would be offended if he was less concerned with the current situation.)

"Hello." Yunho bows slightly to the man; Yubin does the same. "How can we help you?"

Their assailant looks just as confused as Jongho by this.

"You- you took my brother! My dongsang!" He yells, grip tightening on the knife.

Jongho takes a moment to observe the man. Only then, after a pause and a true look, does Jongho realize how worn the man— boy really— is. Other than the knife, there's no threat. He's young, like Yunho, with swollen bug bites over his soft face. Under his fluffy jacket, Jongho knows his skin suffers the same.

"Where is he!" Beneath the boy's blond bangs, Jongho sees the rage in his eyes.

"What is your dongsang's name?" Yunho asks.

The other hesitates a moment. "Shota."

"And can I ask your name?"

His grip on the knife stays taut. Jongho can practically see the adrenaline seething under the boy's skin. "Why do you need to know? Give me my brother. He's just a kid."

"I remember your brother." It's Yubin speaking up now. Jongho can't help his stunned expression upon seeing Yubin smiling so gently, speaking so keenly. She's usually rather nonchalant.

"I'd love to help you and your brother reunite, but I need to tell Shota your name so he can decide."

"Taeyang." His face is still tense, eyes sharp.

"Taeyang-ssi, it's nice to meet you." Yubin walks forward, her stance still relaxed, but Jongho can see her hand resting on her waist, on her own blade. "My name's Dami. If you would please stow your knife, my friends and I can take you to our camp. We can get your wounds tended to and my own deongsang is a great cook. He's probably making dinner now."

Behind Yunho, Jongho waits with suspended breath. And, after Taeyang seems to weigh his options, the boy sheaths his knife.

"Follow us, Taeyang-ssi." Yunho takes the lead by Jongho's side, Yubin bringing up the rear.

They're only a few miles out, perhaps an hour's walk, but in tense silence, the trek seems far longer.

"Jongho-ya," Yunho calls softly as they approach the clearing. "Can you run ahead and tell Seonghwa we have company?"

So Jongho does. He finds Seonghwa in the kitchen just as Yubin had predicted. "I assume if they sent you ahead that means our company is not too pleasant," the anima sighs.

Jongho scoffs. "I'd say so; he has a knife. He didn't hurt anyone though." Jongho follows the older around the kitchen as he covers his pots, removing them from the heat, before washing his hands. "You know that weird Shota kid?" Jongho questions.

Seonghwa's eyes hold a pointed look as they glare slightly at the younger. "We are all a little weird, as you say. Are we not? So let us be careful of our judgements."

"Okay, yes." Jongho hands the older a towel. "But this guy says he's Shota's brother."

"He wants his brother back, I assume?"

Before Jongho am can answer, Yunho calls out as they enter the hanok. Seonghwa wipes his hands, shuttering as he feels the emotional whirlpool of their new guest.

— • —

"I'm surprised Yubin lied to him." Jongho lays on the library floor, flipping through National Geographic.

Yunho looks up from where he's half-heartedly stoking the fire. "What do you mean?"

"I mean about her name. It's really small, but... yeah." Jongho flips to the end of his magazine, pushing it to the side. "I was just surprised. I guess it doesn't matter."

"All lies matter," Yunho is quick to retort, "to a certain degree." After adding another log to the stove, he shuts the iron door and scoots over to Jongho.

"Something small like that is easy. It's simple to say just changing your name, which could potentially save your life, is morally right given the situation." Yunho lays on his back beside the younger. "But only given the situation."

Jongho hums in contemplation. "So you would lie to save your life? Any lie?"

"Probably." Yunho thinks for a moment. "And any life. You have to have a moral hierarchy. What is at the top? For us, it's human life." Yunho's hands move through the air to accentuate his words. "But also, I guess, there are certain beliefs I would die for. Like, would I slander my family to save my own life? No. But would I do it to save someone else's? Probably. So, with these thoughts, life isn't at the top, but rather... honor, I guess?"

Yunho quiets for a moment. Jongho watches his face scrunch with internal war.

"Would you hurt someone to save a life? How much? Maim them? Would you kill an enemy to save a love?" Yunho chuckles, folding his hands back against his stomach. "As you can see, it gets complicated. There's a book my dad recommended; a quote in it says, 'don't let your sense of morality stop you from doing what's right.'"

Jongho flips onto his back, copying Yunho's position, both staring at the ceiling. "Would you kill for someone?" he asks.

Yunho is quiet for a moment. He knows the answer, yet, sometimes it still hurts to say.

"No," Yunho reveals. "Or rather, I shouldn't. That's not our way. Not my way. But who knows," he sighs. "It's hard but it's right."

"Who says it's right?" Jongho turns his head to the side, eyes landing on Yunho a foot away.

Yunho tilts his head as well, coming to gaze upon Jongho's own eyes. A bittersweet smile captures Yunho's features. "Well, the Dao, what They help us reveal through our own deliberations. We're to be like a stream, life-giving and perseverant. Sometimes passive in the world and sometimes active. Always balance."

"Are you just quoting that from somewhere?" Jongho is genuinely curious, because if Jongho were to say something like that so succinctly, something about morals or life or ones place in the world, it would simply be a regurgitation. Everything Jongho has been taught, told, seen- all carefully curated by shadowed minds to keep subservience in check. It is what it is.

"No?" Yunho laughs. "I mean, I'm sure it's influenced by quite a lot of things. But no. I mean, I really think that."

"Do you believe in a god?" Yunho asks after a moment.

Jongho stops to think, because he's never bothered about that before. No one he knows does. Everyone Jongho has heard about, they simply believe in themself.

"No, I guess not," he concludes. "You do, then? I mean.... why?"

Yunho smiles softly, turning again to look into the younger's eyes. "You really wanna know?"

Jongho nods his head.

"When some people answer that question, they say it's because of the universe. But I don't think so." Yunho turns his eyes back to the library ceiling. "But for me, it's because of people. Our bodies and everything is just stardust, you know? But then there's our minds. You think of everything we feel and say and think and it's- well that isn't just stardust. It's so much more. So yeah," Yunho smiles again, turning back to the younger. Jongho feels warmed by the sparkle in his eyes. "I believe in the Dao- a great Being who can never be understood, the Creator of creation."

Jongho feels a little funny in his stomach about the idea; the idea of omnipotence. Isn't that what he was just trying to escape from his own world?

Jongho simply nods in response. Non-committal.

"Sounds nice to believe, in a way," Jongho hums.

"Why?" It's Yunho's turn to ask.

"Because then you have a reason to be alive, I guess."

It's Yunho's turn to nod now. Neither one push the topic forward.

Jongho only now notices how the final rays of sun press through the window panes. They should probably light some lamps soon. But laying on the ground is quite comfortable, actually. Or perhaps it's just comfortable laying next to each other.

"Yunho."

"Hmm?"

"I like talking with you." Jongho's face stays blank, his natural pout resting on his lips as he watches the older's reaction.

As always, Yunho's smile does not disappoint.

"Aww!" Yunho coos, shoving the younger away. "I like talking with you too." Jongho rolls his eyes, but he's smiling widely, too.

Then Yunho decides to open his arms. Jongho side-eyes him. "Oh so now you're being nice?"

"Of course, little bear, come 'ere."

Jongho shakes his head with faux exasperation, but he climbs easily into Yunho's arms.

The first few times, Jongho very much had a love-hate relationship with cuddles, because where do all the limbs go? And also, ew, why would he want to cuddle in the first place? He isn't even a fan of hugs, as he always says. But Jongho could see how happy Yunho became when Jongho accepted his affection, so he bore the pain. (At least that's what Jongho tells himself.) But now it's quite a lovely place to be, in Jongho's unbiased opinion. There's no bad thoughts- just even breaths and relaxed tension. Yunho says cuddles are proven pain relief; Jongho is starting to believe it.

"You don't call me hyung anymore," Yunho comments. Not accusing, just an observation.

"Do you want me to call you hyung?"

Yunho lets out a laugh, one Jongho can easily feel as he lays against his chest. "No. I like when you use my name."

That tingly, sparkly, glowing feeling blooms again in Jongho's core; the one that warms him on October nights; the one that is always accompanied by a secret smile on his lips. "Good," Jongho says. Because I like it, too.

"We should probably sleep in our beds tonight," Jongho whispers, closing his eyes and nuzzling closer.

"Probably." Yunho whispers back. Jongho can hear the smile in his words. "We should probably move soon."

"Probably."

But both know neither really have the intention.

— • —

A few nights later, Jongho sits across from their intruder. At least that's what Jongho— to Seonghwa's great displeasure— calls Taeyang.

"Choi Jongho, stop glaring," Seonghwa calls from the kitchen. "Everyone will be back soon and I do not need emotions to be heightened already."

Jongho takes a deep breath to calm his mind. Only to appease his hyung. With all the tension in the air, Jongho can tell Seonghwa has been exhausted these last few days.

Gahyeon and Yunho left yesterday at dawn to bring the message to Gidae, to Shota.

"Why do you want him back?" Jongho asks their guest, trying to keep his voice free from bite.

Taeyang looks to him with a raised brow. "Because he's my little brother? He can't just leave his family and run away from his problems."

"What are his problems?"

"That's none of your business."

They fall into silence again. If Seonghwa wasn't an anima, he would've rolled his eyes to the back of his skull.

"He's-" Taeyang starts slowly. Jongho perks up. (Seonghwa, too, who definitely isn't eavesdropping.) "He's just different, you know?"

Jongho nods. He breathes through his guilt for calling the kid weird.

"He doesn't make friends well, he doesn't speak well. And some idiots at his school...." Taeyang sighs. "But he's still a kid. He'll grow out of it."

"What if he doesn't?" Jongho asks.

Taeyang looks up. "He will."

And any sympathy Jongho had for the other is gone.

"Hyung?" The two look up; Taeyang stands to greet his brother. "Shota..." The younger stays in the doorway, fidgeting, a little nervous, but Taeyang rushes to him, pulling him into a hug before looking him over.

Jongho watches from his place on the couch, watches the two in their own world before his eyes flick back to the door. Hyojoo seems to have joined the trio on their track back. She smiles in greeting towards Jongho.

Gahyeon enters next, but neither are who Jongho is really waiting for. Finally, Yunho steps through the threshold, and goodness, Yunho's arms look so welcoming to Jongho, but of course he's not so desperate as to run into them- ugh, calm yourself, it hasn't even been two days.

Yunho sighs, coming to join Jongho on the couch with a weary smile. Sitting down, he places a hand on the younger's thigh; the act seems so natural, but Jongho sucks in a breath, his insides reacting a little differently this time- instead of sparkles, it feels like fire.

But he doesn't have much time to dwell before Yunho is whining in his ear. "Everything hurts~," Yunho pouts.

Broken from their little smiles, Jongho's eyes shoot up at Seonghwa's deep voice. "Let's all have a seat." Jongho looks over to notice Taeyang's hand on his brother's wrist, Seonghwa blocking the door with folded arms.

Gone is Seonghwa's soft tone, the smiling ocean-waves Jongho remembers, replaced instead with a depth of ocean-floor caves.

A stare-off ensues, but since Seonghwa has no intention of backing down, Taeyang scoffs before dragging his dongsang to a seat.

"Now," Seonghwa takes his own seat at the head, "let us all have a civil conversation. Shota? What do you think?"

•

9-27-23 3.6k words.

A/N: What do y'all think? How is Jongho doing?