AFFINITY.

thirty-six

Present day

"You are aware you're a pretty dramatic right now, right?" Namjoon asked from where he was sitting opposite Yoongi, the brown and miserable Midnat Sutsko between them. "I think wallowing for three whole days is more than enough," he added sounding impatient.

"It's withering," Yoongi said, his voice hoarse. He had done nothing but cry and beg for the last three days. If he slept it was in brief naps, never allowing him to fully rest.

"Okay, so it's looking a little worse for wear, I'll admit that," Namjoon said giving the Midnats sutsko a sour glare. "But I don't think you dying next to it will help anything," he added, eyes returning to Yoongi.

"I'm fine," Yoongi said, voice cracking a little. He wasn't really sure how long he had been lying on the floor. He was still in his agency uniform, though it had lost a little of its shine and was rather dirty. Yoongi adjusted the humidity a little, making sure it was perfect for the midnats sutsko.

"You're not," Namjoon said, frowning. "Yoongi, I know what this means to you. But you can't do this to yourself. It's been three days. You need to move. There is no point in you lying here. You look fucking uncomfortable," Namjoon added, moving a little like he was hurting. Not that Yoongi could blame him. Even he had to admit the hard stone floor wasn't exactly the best thing to be lying on.

"I can't leave," Yoongi said, wanting to add some more, but he was too tired to continue. Namjoon of all people should understand why Yoongi couldn't leave. Why he needed the midnats sutsko to be okay. He didn't care about the flowers anymore, he just needed it to stop dropping leaves.

It looked like it was dying.

"Yoongi, I know you've done all you can. You need sleep. In an actual bed. You sitting here and falling apart won't change anything," Namjoon sighed, his shoulder falling as he gave the flower another sour look. "If it doesn't wanna tell you why it's having a temper tantrum then you can't do anything. And you need to let some of your magic go. I can feel it all over the garden," Namjoon said scooting around the flowerbed so was closer to Yoongi. "If you keep this up you're gonna wear yourself out. I know you have a lot of magic, but this is excessive even for you. And everything is perfect, the humidity, the earth, the water, everything. Jin triple checked it all a hours ago. There is nothing more for you to do, Yoongi, come back to the house. Please," Namjoon pleaded impatiently, all his normal teasing and lightheartedness gone. "It did this before and then it stopped and got its act together. You just need to give it time," Namjoon said, reaching out and holding Yoongi's hand.

"Last time it was because my grandfather died and it lost its partner. You know it needs a link or it dies," Yoongi said, hand unresponsive to Namjoon's careful touch. "I don't understand why it is doing this. It linked with me, Namjoon, I felt it, even the State Wild Witch felt it. It shouldn't be doing this," Yoongi whispered, the tears beginning to form in his eyes again.

"If my uncle hears about this he'll take the garden and this time I can't stop him," Yoongi half-sobbed. He felt dead inside, still morning for the future he couldn't have with Taehyung and now also for the loss of his home. Without the midnats sutsko, it would all be taken away.

"Yoongi, it's a little brown and has dropped the flowers," Namjoon sighed, clearly trying not to sound worried, but Yoongi knew the other man enough to know he too worried about the flower. Namjoon had dark smudges under his eyes and was wearing his glasses. He only did that when he had read too much. Yoongi knew Namjoon had probably spent the last two nights trying to find anything that could help them make the Midnats sutsko thrive again.

"I'm not letting him, Yoongi," he said, voice trembling with anger. "I'm not underage anymore. I have a whole law degree on my side this time and he can't legally take it away from you. They overruled the clan laws several years ago. Why do you think you grandfather made that will? You father should have gotten all of this, not you," Namjoon huffed, his grip around Yoongi's hand tightening.