questingly (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
questingly) wrote2022-08-02 03:17 pm
questingly) wrote2022-08-02 03:17 pm
Entry tags:
dragons neobin
//chp1
Grey mountains rose through the clouds like jagged teeth, reaching towards a clear blue sky, plain and unmarred. If one were very lucky when they looked up, they might catch a glimpse of a flash of silver, a streak of light. A good omen, particularly during the drier seasons, that there might soon be rain.
Taekwoon basked in the feeling of the cool air rushing past his scales as he wound about a mountain peak. Up close, he was more pale blue than silver, with dark blue eyes reminiscent of fine gems. Despite his size, he was still young as far as dragons went, and his horns were barely more than stubs. He dove, a fine blue ribbon piercing through the clouds, reemerging above a small lake hidden in a crater, half shielded by steep mountain cliffs. A clear lake, a still lake, a mirror of the sky on the other side of the clouds. He slowed his descent into a lazy spiral as he made to land on the banks, snorting in impatience as a magpie darted in and out of his path. He wrinkled his snout which became a grimace of annoyance as Taekwoon shifted into a human form, his robe much the same colour as his scales had been. A young man, tall, black hair messy and wind-tousled with the same dark blue eyes set in an intense stare.
"Get off," Taekwoon grumbled, swatting at the magpie who'd settled on his shoulder. Infuriatingly, it merely chirped as it dodged Taekwoon's hand and flitted off to Taekwoon's other shoulder, and when Taekwoon tried to smack at it again, it hopped onto Taekwoon's head.
"Hakyeon," Taekwoon hissed.
The magpie eventually took pity on Taekwoon, and still laughing, landed gracefully as he too shifted into a human form. He wasn't much shorter than Taekwoon although his shoulders were narrower, his build slighter, the only suggestion of his smaller true form. Whereas Taekwoon's skin was pale, his skin was tan, and his eyes were a rich brown that in some lights appeared almost golden. He was wearing black today, and mischief danced about the corners of his mouth as he wrapped his arms about Taekwoon.
"I've missed you," Hakyeon cooed, his chin jabbing into Taekwoon's shoulder. Taekwoon grumbled and jammed his own arms between their bodies and pried Hakyeon away.
"I was gone for three days," Taekwoon said. He tried to smack Hakyeon, but Hakyeon had shifted back into a magpie and perched on Taekwoon's shoulder.
"And how were things?" Hakyeon asked. Taekwoon shrugged, and Hakyeon gripped a little harder with his feet, prompting a small sound of annoyance.
"They were alright," Taekwoon said. He was glad to be home. He looked about him, at the lake, at the wide clearing they stood in, at the small house nestled at the edges of the bamboo grove which curtained this place from the outside world. A light mist hovered about the place, nowhere substantial enough to be called rain, but dampness was beginning to linger on Hakyeon's feathers, although Taekwoon himself remained dry.
"Stop it," Hakyeon complained. The mist became droplets, and Hakyeon dug his claws into Taekwoon's shoulder in retaliation. "Do you want me to claw out your eyes?"
In response, a torrent of rain began to fall, and before Hakyeon could make good on his promise, a streak of blue had slipped below the surfaces of the lake and disappeared from view. Hakyeon grumbled, shaking off the rain and following after Taekwoon, although a small black and white bird diving headlong into water made for far less impressive of an image.
"I take that back, I didn't miss you," Hakyeon said, shaking water out of his hair. Taekwoon was clearly struggling to keep a straight face as he stood in the entrance hall of his underwater palace, watching a drenched Hakyeon try to dry off.
Taekwoon couldn't help a small laugh as he walked inside, a whining Hakyeon trailing behind him.
"I want food," Taekwoon said.
"I would've thought you'd already eaten," Hakyeon said. Taekwoon shrugged and glanced over his shoulder at Hakyeon, which Hakyeon took for a 'so what'. "What, did they not—"
Hakyeon paused at the same time as Taekwoon cocked his head as if he'd heard something.
"Looks like we have a guest," Hakyeon said.
Taekwoon nodded, a small frown creasing his brows as he turned and walked past Hakyeon, back the way they'd come. There was a trail of water that Taekwoon made a note of to take care of later.
They emerged into a clear day, although a light breeze lingered and rustled through the bamboo leaves. Taekwoon stood just at the edge of the lake, staring into the bamboo. Hakyeon opted to perch on Taekwoon's shoulder, and he was light enough that Taekwoon didn't mind his weight at all.
They didn't have to wait long before the sound of voices began to reach them, followed by bamboo stalks being pushed aside. A small dog bounded into the clearing first, and not far behind him was a young man dressed in plain brown. His eyes were wide as he looked about him, and then settled on Taekwoon, and he seemed to be frozen between fear and wonderment. He was also, Taekwoon noted, extremely wet.
"Hello," Taekwoon said softly. The boy visibly gulped.
"Be nice," the dog chided. Taekwoon stooped down and picked him up, scratching behind his triangular ears.
"It's alright, I don't think anything can surprise me now," the boy mumbled in a tone that meant he very much could still be surprised, but was too overwhelmed to realise it.
"Why are you here?" Taekwoon asked.
"The, uh, dog," he said, stumbling over his words as he gestured at Taekwoon.
"The dog has a name," the dog grumbled. "I told you, it's Jaehwan. And the ungrateful human says he's Hongbin."
Hakyeon chattered in amusement, flitting over to land on Jaehwan's head. It was quite a sight for Hongbin. A tall man holding a small talking dog with a magpie standing on its head standing by a lake far, far, far from any sort of human civilisation. He couldn't be sure he wasn't having a fever dream.
"Does the bird talk too?" Hongbin asked, sighing deeply.
"As a matter of fact," Hakyeon said, hopping off of Jaehwan and landing on the ground as a human, "I do."
"Ahh!" Hongbin screamed and fell backwards, unfortunately in a large puddle. Taekwoon had to bite at his lip not to laugh. Jaehwan yapped in laughter, cackling.
"You can be surprised," Taekwoon noted, once he'd swallowed his own laughter.
Hongbin's eyes were wide—wider than Taekwoon had seen any human's eyes go—as he pointed at Hakyeon.
"What, what…?"
Jaehwan took the opportunity to jump out of Taekwoon's arms and shift into a human form as well. "You didn't realise we're spirits?" he asked, grinning widely.
"Be nice," Hakyeon teased Jaehwan. Taekwoon pinched his neck, Jaehwan squirming away.
"Gods, this has to be a dream," Hongbin mumbled. He was still sitting in the puddle, and getting utterly soaked.
It had been a very long time since a human had come to this grove, and Taekwoon stared at him, wondering what to do. He looked at Jaehwan, and then at Hakyeon, a little at a loss. Hakyeon quirked an eyebrow minutely.
"Why did you bring him here?" Taekwoon asked Jaehwan. Jaehwan shrugged.
"He was lost," Jaehwan said. "Really lost. I couldn't just leave him alone—especially after that rain."
"Hakyeon was being annoying," Taekwoon said blandly.
"You were already bringing him before that," Hakyeon said, tone a little sharp, matching the look he gave Jaehwan. There wouldn't have been rain except for near this lake. Jaehwan shrugged again.
"He was lost before that," Jaehwan said. "Besides, he looked really pitiful."
Jaehwan, Taekwoon supposed, had a point.
Now that he'd gotten over the whole 'there's a human in my home' shock, Taekwoon took in this Hongbin with a more critical eye. His face was smudged with dirt, and there was a cut on his cheek which he hazarded would've still been caked with dried blood if it hadn't been for the storm he'd just been caught in. The edges of his clothes were singed, and his hands were covered in bruises and scratches. He looked gaunt, exhausted, and faintly terrified.
Both Jaehwan and Hakyeon were looking at him now, and Taekwoon pressed his lips slightly together as he stared down at the human. He really did look pitiful. This was technically Taekwoon's home and the others were more like unwanted house guests, so it was his decision. He sighed, and shot Jaehwan a dirty look.
"He can rest here," Taekwoon said flatly. Jaehwan perked up at that, and Taekwoon wondered what he saw in the human. This was a spirit grove and Taekwoon's land, and once the human had rested and cleaned up and left he'd never find his way back—there was no real danger in letting a wet, hungry, pathetic human stay for a few hours, or even a few days.
He didn't wait for either of the two of them to respond before turning tail and striding in the forest. He thoughtfully did not take his true form. The human would probably faint.
HAKYEON GETS HONGBIN SETTLED IN
The rain had disappeared, taking the clouds with it, leaving the day clear and the sky a pale, unmarred blue. Dust danced in the sun as windows were thrown open. It was not a large house: there were two rooms, one larger and one smaller. The smaller was set to the side, the door opened into the larger. A small bed was pushed against a wall, a stove set against another, a table in the middle. Once, this had been the entire house. In the other room, there was a bed. A large bed, large enough for two. It was a sparsely furnished house, nearly as simple as a woodcutter's hut. But it'd been finely built, a testament to time, yet seemingly impervious to time.
When Hakyeon returned, arms full of clothes and sheets, the human was still standing in the middle of the room where Hakyeon had left him.
"You'll have to make do," Hakyeon said.
The human barely stopped himself from shrieking, a hand slapped over his mouth as he spun around. Hakyeon's lips twitched in a barely concealed laugh. Up close, the human was young, even by human standards. Hakyeon walked past the human, wrinkling his nose in disgust as he swiped at the dust on the table, trying to clear enough space to put his bundle down.
"Here, let me," the human said. He hastily wiped at the dust with his hands, smearing mud all over it instead. Hakyeon did laugh this time, while the human looked like he was about to cry.
"It's still a sight better than you," Hakyeon said, putting the pile down somewhere mud free. Dust was easier to shake out.
"I'm sorry, I… I didn't mean to…" The human stumbled over his words. Hakyeon felt his heart ache for him.
"Change into these after you wash. There's a pool just outside, come."
He pushed the clean clothes into the human's hands, walking back out into the clear day without waiting for the human to follow. He would.
From his clothes, he was a young monk in training, or something like it. Not a monk. There was a story here, how a young monk would end up so far from his temple in the state he was. There would be time for that. The pool was not far, as Hakyeon had said. It wasn't obvious, shielded by bamboo, ringed with rocks. It wasn't meant to be easily seen, or so Hakyeon had been told.
"What is this place?" The human's voice was soft, timid. Hakyeon smiled at him, gesturing for him to go in.
"Somewhere safe," Hakyeon said. "Now go get cleaned up. I'll be waiting at the house."
It had been a long time since there had been a human in this grove. Hakyeon certainly didn't ever remember one, although he knew that there had been, many years ago. He'd asked once, but Jaehwan's expression had tightened and the dog had disappeared from the grove for days. Taekwoon had simply shrugged and ignored Hakyeon, but there was nothing remarkable about that.
Hakyeon sighed heavily as he looked about him, the table and and bed wiped clean of dust, the chairs too. He'd brushed out the wardrobe too, leaving an extra two sets of clothes inside. He glanced up at the human's approach, washing his hands off with a clean rag and going outside to meet him.
"Not bad, human," Hakyeon said, running an appraising gaze over him. Now that his hair was no longer matted with dirt, and his face had been washed clean of mud, he was rather handsome for a human. Strong jawline, good cheekbones, a sharp nose. Hakyeon nodded approvingly, leading him back inside.
"Hongbin," the human suddenly said.
Hakyeon turned, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
"My name's Hongbin," the human mumbled, looking down at the ground.
Ah, that was right, Jaehwan had mentioned it.
"Very well, Hongbin," Hakyeon said. "I don't think I've properly introduced myself either. I'm Hakyeon. As you've gathered, none of us are human. I've left some blankets, some more clean clothes. I believe Taekwoon had been planning on eating before you intruded—fear not, he has no taste for humans—so there must be something in the kitchens. For now, I suggest you rest. You look like you're seconds from falling over."
The human was still looking at Hakyeon wide-eyed, and Hakyeon sighed. He gently tugged Hongbin towards the bed.
"I don't know what you were running from, but this is a safe place," Hakyeon said, pushing Hongbin down to sit on the bed. "Rest."
"I… I didn't mean to intrude," Hongbin mumbled. There were tears in Hongbin's eyes, and it made him seem even younger than he looked. Hakyeon patted Hongbin's hand.
"It's no intrusion. No, it might even be a good thing," Hakyeon said, the last, a private thought murmured in a half-breath. He smiled at Hongbin again, and was rewarded with a tentative one in return.
"You're pretty when you smile," Hakyeon said, laughing when pink blushed on Hongbin's cheeks.
"Ah, that's right. Don't mind Taekwoon—you can stay for as long or as little as you like. Just be warned that the moment you leave this grove, you can never return, even if Jaehwan, or Taekwoon himself, would lead you back. So until then, rest. Here, at least, you can be safe."
"Taekwoon, is he…"
"The grumpy one? Scary one?" Hakyeon laughed to himself at Hongbin's small nod, the faint terror in his eyes. "Don't worry about him, he's not half as scary as he seems. He won't hurt you either. And truly, you can stay."
"He's the master here, isn't he?" Hongbin asked.
Hakyeon lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "Technically," he said. He stood, leaving Hongbin to sit alone on the bed. "Now sleep. We'll know when you wake, and you can eat then."
"Hakyeon," Hongbin called out, just as Hakyeon was about to shut the door behind him.
"Mm?" Hakyeon looked over his shoulder.
"Thank you," Hongbin said. He lifted his eyes from the floor and swallowed. "Thank you."
"Thank Jaehwan," Hakyeon said softly, and then closed the door.
KEO TALK//chp2
The rustle of bamboo announced the dog's presence. Taekwoon sighed, letting Jaehwan hop into his lap, his stubby legs barely making the jump.
"Are you mad?" Jaehwan asked. He lay his head down on his paws, one of his little triangle ears flopping down. Taekwoon flicked at it, drawing a grumpy whine from the small dog.
"No," Taekwoon said.
"Don't be mad," Jaehwan whined. He flipped onto his back, letting Taekwoon scratch at his white belly. His tongue lolled out, eyes shutting happily. Taekwoon sighed again—it was impossible to be mad at Jaehwan.
"Why did you bring him?"
Jaehwan opened one eye, ear twitching. If he were human, he would've shrugged.
"He looked pathetic," Jaehwan said. "I said that."
"You could've brought him to other humans," Taekwoon said. He paused, rubbing at Jaehwan's belly. "It would have been better for him."
"Would it?" Jaehwan asked. He flipped back over, jumping out of Taekwoon's lap, shifting into his human form. He sat down next to Taekwoon on the log. His soft brown hair was damp, and Taekwoon brushed a few stray strands away from Jaehwan's eyes. Jaehwan scrunched up his face in annoyance but suffered it. He did growl when some stray droplets rained down about them. Taekwoon quickly pushed them away.
He rested his arms on his knees, picking at a low lying plant. Half of its leaves were already gone, littered about its stalk. Jaehwan was watching him—Taekwoon could feel it.
"Yes," Taekwoon finally said.
"He was running from humans, it didn't make sense," Jaehwan said.
"Human affairs aren't our affairs," Taekwoon said.
Jaehwan snorted. "Bullshit," he said. "You're a god. Your affairs are human affairs."
"It's different," Taekwoon said.
"Humans are humans," Jaehwan said. He jumped to his feet, running off a little distance. Taekwoon watched him with bemusement, and then amusement when a flock of birds burst into the air in a loud chatter.
"Anyway, you always disappear because of humans!" Jaehwan yelled over his shoulder as he sprinted after one of the birds. He jumped, shifting into dog form mid-air, landing with a shrieking bird in his mouth. He trotted back to Taekwoon, dropping it at Taekwoon's feet. It wasn't moving anymore.
"This is too small to eat," Taekwoon said, picking up the bird carcass. "It's barely bigger than Hakyeon."
"Picky," Jaehwan said. He jumped onto the log and snatched it back from Taekwoon.
Hongbin is a human who wanders into their little grove (a monk in training form a nearby temple? Where there's legends about mythical creatures or smt...) taekwoon is a silver/lake dragon, hakyeon is a phoenix who usually takes the form of a swallow, wonsik is a yellow earth dragon, hyuk is a fox, jaehwan is a lap dog :D he spends time with them, falls in love w hakyeon, something about falling in love with an image vs the real thing, and then taekwoon points out hongbin should eventually go back (after it's been a year…?) bc he deserves to live with humans who will grow old with him, and not spirits who will never die
Ken says that it's bc taekwoon doesn't want to see hongbin die, and to let hongbin choose for himself
Or something. Starts w taekwoon flying, description of place, and then coming down and landing, and then a bird landing on his shoulder and he swats it away and it turns into hakyeon. Idk they talk and then there's some ~disturbance~ (maybe there's a storm building) and then evnetually hongbin follows ken in, at which point ken disappears and then returns as a human
Hongbin is a human who wanders into their little peach pear grove. Taekwoon is a silver-blue lake dragon, Hakyeon is a phoenix who usually takes the form of a magpie, Wonsik is a yellow earth dragon, Hyuk is a fox (or a deer?), Jaehwan is an escaped lap dog and essentially Wonsik's pet ("So...you stole her heart and her dog."). Clearly everyone is immortal/very long lived other than Hongbin, but once Hongbin leaves he'll never be able to find his way back. (Is it nbin or leobin or neo so I guess it's just going to be neobin)
Grey mountains rose through the clouds like jagged teeth, reaching towards a clear blue sky, plain and unmarred. If one were very lucky when they looked up, they might catch a glimpse of a flash of silver, a streak of light. A good omen, particularly during the drier seasons, that there might soon be rain.
Taekwoon basked in the feeling of the cool air rushing past his scales as he wound about a mountain peak. Up close, he was more pale blue than silver, with dark blue eyes reminiscent of fine gems. Despite his size, he was still young as far as dragons went, and his horns were barely more than stubs. He dove, a fine blue ribbon piercing through the clouds, reemerging above a small lake hidden in a crater, half shielded by steep mountain cliffs. A clear lake, a still lake, a mirror of the sky on the other side of the clouds. He slowed his descent into a lazy spiral as he made to land on the banks, snorting in impatience as a magpie darted in and out of his path. He wrinkled his snout which became a grimace of annoyance as Taekwoon shifted into a human form, his robe much the same colour as his scales had been. A young man, tall, black hair messy and wind-tousled with the same dark blue eyes set in an intense stare.
"Get off," Taekwoon grumbled, swatting at the magpie who'd settled on his shoulder. Infuriatingly, it merely chirped as it dodged Taekwoon's hand and flitted off to Taekwoon's other shoulder, and when Taekwoon tried to smack at it again, it hopped onto Taekwoon's head.
"Hakyeon," Taekwoon hissed.
The magpie eventually took pity on Taekwoon, and still laughing, landed gracefully as he too shifted into a human form. He wasn't much shorter than Taekwoon although his shoulders were narrower, his build slighter, the only suggestion of his smaller true form. Whereas Taekwoon's skin was pale, his skin was tan, and his eyes were a rich brown that in some lights appeared almost golden. He was wearing black today, and mischief danced about the corners of his mouth as he wrapped his arms about Taekwoon.
"I've missed you," Hakyeon cooed, his chin jabbing into Taekwoon's shoulder. Taekwoon grumbled and jammed his own arms between their bodies and pried Hakyeon away.
"I was gone for three days," Taekwoon said. He tried to smack Hakyeon, but Hakyeon had shifted back into a magpie and perched on Taekwoon's shoulder.
"And how were things?" Hakyeon asked. Taekwoon shrugged, and Hakyeon gripped a little harder with his feet, prompting a small sound of annoyance.
"They were alright," Taekwoon said. He was glad to be home. He looked about him, at the lake, at the wide clearing they stood in, at the small house nestled at the edges of the bamboo grove which curtained this place from the outside world. A light mist hovered about the place, nowhere substantial enough to be called rain, but dampness was beginning to linger on Hakyeon's feathers, although Taekwoon himself remained dry.
"Stop it," Hakyeon complained. The mist became droplets, and Hakyeon dug his claws into Taekwoon's shoulder in retaliation. "Do you want me to claw out your eyes?"
In response, a torrent of rain began to fall, and before Hakyeon could make good on his promise, a streak of blue had slipped below the surfaces of the lake and disappeared from view. Hakyeon grumbled, shaking off the rain and following after Taekwoon, although a small black and white bird diving headlong into water made for far less impressive of an image.
"I take that back, I didn't miss you," Hakyeon said, shaking water out of his hair. Taekwoon was clearly struggling to keep a straight face as he stood in the entrance hall of his underwater palace, watching a drenched Hakyeon try to dry off.
Taekwoon couldn't help a small laugh as he walked inside, a whining Hakyeon trailing behind him.
"I want food," Taekwoon said.
"I would've thought you'd already eaten," Hakyeon said. Taekwoon shrugged and glanced over his shoulder at Hakyeon, which Hakyeon took for a 'so what'. "What, did they not—"
Hakyeon paused at the same time as Taekwoon cocked his head as if he'd heard something.
"Looks like we have a guest," Hakyeon said.
Taekwoon nodded, a small frown creasing his brows as he turned and walked past Hakyeon, back the way they'd come. There was a trail of water that Taekwoon made a note of to take care of later.
They emerged into a clear day, although a light breeze lingered and rustled through the bamboo leaves. Taekwoon stood just at the edge of the lake, staring into the bamboo. Hakyeon opted to perch on Taekwoon's shoulder, and he was light enough that Taekwoon didn't mind his weight at all.
They didn't have to wait long before the sound of voices began to reach them, followed by bamboo stalks being pushed aside. A small dog bounded into the clearing first, and not far behind him was a young man dressed in plain brown. His eyes were wide as he looked about him, and then settled on Taekwoon, and he seemed to be frozen between fear and wonderment. He was also, Taekwoon noted, extremely wet.
"Hello," Taekwoon said softly. The boy visibly gulped.
"Be nice," the dog chided. Taekwoon stooped down and picked him up, scratching behind his triangular ears.
"It's alright, I don't think anything can surprise me now," the boy mumbled in a tone that meant he very much could still be surprised, but was too overwhelmed to realise it.
"Why are you here?" Taekwoon asked.
"The, uh, dog," he said, stumbling over his words as he gestured at Taekwoon.
"The dog has a name," the dog grumbled. "I told you, it's Jaehwan. And the ungrateful human says he's Hongbin."
Hakyeon chattered in amusement, flitting over to land on Jaehwan's head. It was quite a sight for Hongbin. A tall man holding a small talking dog with a magpie standing on its head standing by a lake far, far, far from any sort of human civilisation. He couldn't be sure he wasn't having a fever dream.
"Does the bird talk too?" Hongbin asked, sighing deeply.
"As a matter of fact," Hakyeon said, hopping off of Jaehwan and landing on the ground as a human, "I do."
"Ahh!" Hongbin screamed and fell backwards, unfortunately in a large puddle. Taekwoon had to bite at his lip not to laugh. Jaehwan yapped in laughter, cackling.
"You can be surprised," Taekwoon noted, once he'd swallowed his own laughter.
Hongbin's eyes were wide—wider than Taekwoon had seen any human's eyes go—as he pointed at Hakyeon.
"What, what…?"
Jaehwan took the opportunity to jump out of Taekwoon's arms and shift into a human form as well. "You didn't realise we're spirits?" he asked, grinning widely.
"Be nice," Hakyeon teased Jaehwan. Taekwoon pinched his neck, Jaehwan squirming away.
"Gods, this has to be a dream," Hongbin mumbled. He was still sitting in the puddle, and getting utterly soaked.
It had been a very long time since a human had come to this grove, and Taekwoon stared at him, wondering what to do. He looked at Jaehwan, and then at Hakyeon, a little at a loss. Hakyeon quirked an eyebrow minutely.
"Why did you bring him here?" Taekwoon asked Jaehwan. Jaehwan shrugged.
"He was lost," Jaehwan said. "Really lost. I couldn't just leave him alone—especially after that rain."
"Hakyeon was being annoying," Taekwoon said blandly.
"You were already bringing him before that," Hakyeon said, tone a little sharp, matching the look he gave Jaehwan. There wouldn't have been rain except for near this lake. Jaehwan shrugged again.
"He was lost before that," Jaehwan said. "Besides, he looked really pitiful."
Jaehwan, Taekwoon supposed, had a point.
Now that he'd gotten over the whole 'there's a human in my home' shock, Taekwoon took in this Hongbin with a more critical eye. His face was smudged with dirt, and there was a cut on his cheek which he hazarded would've still been caked with dried blood if it hadn't been for the storm he'd just been caught in. The edges of his clothes were singed, and his hands were covered in bruises and scratches. He looked gaunt, exhausted, and faintly terrified.
Both Jaehwan and Hakyeon were looking at him now, and Taekwoon pressed his lips slightly together as he stared down at the human. He really did look pitiful. This was technically Taekwoon's home and the others were more like unwanted house guests, so it was his decision. He sighed, and shot Jaehwan a dirty look.
"He can rest here," Taekwoon said flatly. Jaehwan perked up at that, and Taekwoon wondered what he saw in the human. This was a spirit grove and Taekwoon's land, and once the human had rested and cleaned up and left he'd never find his way back—there was no real danger in letting a wet, hungry, pathetic human stay for a few hours, or even a few days.
He didn't wait for either of the two of them to respond before turning tail and striding in the forest. He thoughtfully did not take his true form. The human would probably faint.
HAKYEON GETS HONGBIN SETTLED IN
The rain had disappeared, taking the clouds with it, leaving the day clear and the sky a pale, unmarred blue. Dust danced in the sun as windows were thrown open. It was not a large house: there were two rooms, one larger and one smaller. The smaller was set to the side, the door opened into the larger. A small bed was pushed against a wall, a stove set against another, a table in the middle. Once, this had been the entire house. In the other room, there was a bed. A large bed, large enough for two. It was a sparsely furnished house, nearly as simple as a woodcutter's hut. But it'd been finely built, a testament to time, yet seemingly impervious to time.
When Hakyeon returned, arms full of clothes and sheets, the human was still standing in the middle of the room where Hakyeon had left him.
"You'll have to make do," Hakyeon said.
The human barely stopped himself from shrieking, a hand slapped over his mouth as he spun around. Hakyeon's lips twitched in a barely concealed laugh. Up close, the human was young, even by human standards. Hakyeon walked past the human, wrinkling his nose in disgust as he swiped at the dust on the table, trying to clear enough space to put his bundle down.
"Here, let me," the human said. He hastily wiped at the dust with his hands, smearing mud all over it instead. Hakyeon did laugh this time, while the human looked like he was about to cry.
"It's still a sight better than you," Hakyeon said, putting the pile down somewhere mud free. Dust was easier to shake out.
"I'm sorry, I… I didn't mean to…" The human stumbled over his words. Hakyeon felt his heart ache for him.
"Change into these after you wash. There's a pool just outside, come."
He pushed the clean clothes into the human's hands, walking back out into the clear day without waiting for the human to follow. He would.
From his clothes, he was a young monk in training, or something like it. Not a monk. There was a story here, how a young monk would end up so far from his temple in the state he was. There would be time for that. The pool was not far, as Hakyeon had said. It wasn't obvious, shielded by bamboo, ringed with rocks. It wasn't meant to be easily seen, or so Hakyeon had been told.
"What is this place?" The human's voice was soft, timid. Hakyeon smiled at him, gesturing for him to go in.
"Somewhere safe," Hakyeon said. "Now go get cleaned up. I'll be waiting at the house."
It had been a long time since there had been a human in this grove. Hakyeon certainly didn't ever remember one, although he knew that there had been, many years ago. He'd asked once, but Jaehwan's expression had tightened and the dog had disappeared from the grove for days. Taekwoon had simply shrugged and ignored Hakyeon, but there was nothing remarkable about that.
Hakyeon sighed heavily as he looked about him, the table and and bed wiped clean of dust, the chairs too. He'd brushed out the wardrobe too, leaving an extra two sets of clothes inside. He glanced up at the human's approach, washing his hands off with a clean rag and going outside to meet him.
"Not bad, human," Hakyeon said, running an appraising gaze over him. Now that his hair was no longer matted with dirt, and his face had been washed clean of mud, he was rather handsome for a human. Strong jawline, good cheekbones, a sharp nose. Hakyeon nodded approvingly, leading him back inside.
"Hongbin," the human suddenly said.
Hakyeon turned, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
"My name's Hongbin," the human mumbled, looking down at the ground.
Ah, that was right, Jaehwan had mentioned it.
"Very well, Hongbin," Hakyeon said. "I don't think I've properly introduced myself either. I'm Hakyeon. As you've gathered, none of us are human. I've left some blankets, some more clean clothes. I believe Taekwoon had been planning on eating before you intruded—fear not, he has no taste for humans—so there must be something in the kitchens. For now, I suggest you rest. You look like you're seconds from falling over."
The human was still looking at Hakyeon wide-eyed, and Hakyeon sighed. He gently tugged Hongbin towards the bed.
"I don't know what you were running from, but this is a safe place," Hakyeon said, pushing Hongbin down to sit on the bed. "Rest."
"I… I didn't mean to intrude," Hongbin mumbled. There were tears in Hongbin's eyes, and it made him seem even younger than he looked. Hakyeon patted Hongbin's hand.
"It's no intrusion. No, it might even be a good thing," Hakyeon said, the last, a private thought murmured in a half-breath. He smiled at Hongbin again, and was rewarded with a tentative one in return.
"You're pretty when you smile," Hakyeon said, laughing when pink blushed on Hongbin's cheeks.
"Ah, that's right. Don't mind Taekwoon—you can stay for as long or as little as you like. Just be warned that the moment you leave this grove, you can never return, even if Jaehwan, or Taekwoon himself, would lead you back. So until then, rest. Here, at least, you can be safe."
"Taekwoon, is he…"
"The grumpy one? Scary one?" Hakyeon laughed to himself at Hongbin's small nod, the faint terror in his eyes. "Don't worry about him, he's not half as scary as he seems. He won't hurt you either. And truly, you can stay."
"He's the master here, isn't he?" Hongbin asked.
Hakyeon lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "Technically," he said. He stood, leaving Hongbin to sit alone on the bed. "Now sleep. We'll know when you wake, and you can eat then."
"Hakyeon," Hongbin called out, just as Hakyeon was about to shut the door behind him.
"Mm?" Hakyeon looked over his shoulder.
"Thank you," Hongbin said. He lifted his eyes from the floor and swallowed. "Thank you."
"Thank Jaehwan," Hakyeon said softly, and then closed the door.
KEO TALK//chp2
The rustle of bamboo announced the dog's presence. Taekwoon sighed, letting Jaehwan hop into his lap, his stubby legs barely making the jump.
"Are you mad?" Jaehwan asked. He lay his head down on his paws, one of his little triangle ears flopping down. Taekwoon flicked at it, drawing a grumpy whine from the small dog.
"No," Taekwoon said.
"Don't be mad," Jaehwan whined. He flipped onto his back, letting Taekwoon scratch at his white belly. His tongue lolled out, eyes shutting happily. Taekwoon sighed again—it was impossible to be mad at Jaehwan.
"Why did you bring him?"
Jaehwan opened one eye, ear twitching. If he were human, he would've shrugged.
"He looked pathetic," Jaehwan said. "I said that."
"You could've brought him to other humans," Taekwoon said. He paused, rubbing at Jaehwan's belly. "It would have been better for him."
"Would it?" Jaehwan asked. He flipped back over, jumping out of Taekwoon's lap, shifting into his human form. He sat down next to Taekwoon on the log. His soft brown hair was damp, and Taekwoon brushed a few stray strands away from Jaehwan's eyes. Jaehwan scrunched up his face in annoyance but suffered it. He did growl when some stray droplets rained down about them. Taekwoon quickly pushed them away.
He rested his arms on his knees, picking at a low lying plant. Half of its leaves were already gone, littered about its stalk. Jaehwan was watching him—Taekwoon could feel it.
"Yes," Taekwoon finally said.
"He was running from humans, it didn't make sense," Jaehwan said.
"Human affairs aren't our affairs," Taekwoon said.
Jaehwan snorted. "Bullshit," he said. "You're a god. Your affairs are human affairs."
"It's different," Taekwoon said.
"Humans are humans," Jaehwan said. He jumped to his feet, running off a little distance. Taekwoon watched him with bemusement, and then amusement when a flock of birds burst into the air in a loud chatter.
"Anyway, you always disappear because of humans!" Jaehwan yelled over his shoulder as he sprinted after one of the birds. He jumped, shifting into dog form mid-air, landing with a shrieking bird in his mouth. He trotted back to Taekwoon, dropping it at Taekwoon's feet. It wasn't moving anymore.
"This is too small to eat," Taekwoon said, picking up the bird carcass. "It's barely bigger than Hakyeon."
"Picky," Jaehwan said. He jumped onto the log and snatched it back from Taekwoon.
Hongbin is a human who wanders into their little grove (a monk in training form a nearby temple? Where there's legends about mythical creatures or smt...) taekwoon is a silver/lake dragon, hakyeon is a phoenix who usually takes the form of a swallow, wonsik is a yellow earth dragon, hyuk is a fox, jaehwan is a lap dog :D he spends time with them, falls in love w hakyeon, something about falling in love with an image vs the real thing, and then taekwoon points out hongbin should eventually go back (after it's been a year…?) bc he deserves to live with humans who will grow old with him, and not spirits who will never die
Ken says that it's bc taekwoon doesn't want to see hongbin die, and to let hongbin choose for himself
Or something. Starts w taekwoon flying, description of place, and then coming down and landing, and then a bird landing on his shoulder and he swats it away and it turns into hakyeon. Idk they talk and then there's some ~disturbance~ (maybe there's a storm building) and then evnetually hongbin follows ken in, at which point ken disappears and then returns as a human
Hongbin is a human who wanders into their little peach pear grove. Taekwoon is a silver-blue lake dragon, Hakyeon is a phoenix who usually takes the form of a magpie, Wonsik is a yellow earth dragon, Hyuk is a fox (or a deer?), Jaehwan is an escaped lap dog and essentially Wonsik's pet ("So...you stole her heart and her dog."). Clearly everyone is immortal/very long lived other than Hongbin, but once Hongbin leaves he'll never be able to find his way back. (Is it nbin or leobin or neo so I guess it's just going to be neobin)