Memento vitae || Jongsang

3| Xenization

The rush of adrenaline going through his exhausted limbs has his eyes dilating as they flick around at every little move or sound around them. Jongho is in front of him, and Yeosang sees how a glint amusedly rises in his eyes very much alike how he remembers San.

San.

The man he had learned to trust, but in the end, was doomed to suffer a painful death because of the same aching teeth rooted into his gums that he feels right now. He tastes on foul and sweet when the memories hesitatingly come back in his mind, filling empty spots that he rather wants to be forgotten. But Yeosang truly knows that it never had been him who had killed San in the first place - something dark and strange, yet so instinctively, had taken over his mind and forced him to lick blood. San could have halted him from attacking; saved his own life by only causing the harm that was needed to knock Yeosang out. But at that time, the blonde archer had believed that it would have killed him like any other dying in war. It is proved that not even fire can kill him..

Suddenly, Yeosang realises that this illness may not only be the reason for bloodthirst and foreign nature, but it must also be the source of appalling immortality that makes them invincible in ways that are making God's men pale with dread.

What if he never will find any forever rest?

Yeosang is standing on shaking legs when the soles of his feet step forward and he reaches down to help with sorting out the stolen clothes. He is hungry and tired, but he knows that Jongho is too and the awareness helps with pressing himself to move on with the task. On the contrary, Yeosang misses the feeling of proper clothes on his body.

"I never expected you to be one of a thief," he says when crouched down in the soggy grass, hands fiddling in the masses of fabrics.

Jongho chuckles and the boy's eyes fall upon the slight bow of his lips as he pulls at what must be some sort of underclothing. Then he tips his head up, gazing with his loveliest expression at Yeosang, full of adoration, "Oh love, if you knew how I spent my earliest childhood you would not be as surprised. You barely know anything about me."

Enchanting in some way but almost startling too, the words have the boy cease for a moment. Yeosang has never dared wonder the matter too much when he at some point had sensed that maybe it would be an uncomfortable question for Jongho. For the other is right. He knows only what he can see and feel about Jongho at the given time, and nothing about his past. "You could tell me."

Jongho looks up at Yeosang again, but he is far from surprised at the suggestion, rather a little hesitant, "I could, but that would surely change your view of perspective on me.."

Fairly more aware of himself, Yeosang fidgets slightly where he sits, and he swallows the lump in his throat. "If it discomfits you, then am I not forcing you to tell anything. I can wait for how long you need... even if that means that I will never hear it."

But Jongho shakes his head, "It is fine, I will tell you now. After all, you deserve to know where I came from." He leans forward and Yeosang retrieves a stack of clothes in his hands that he barely notices when the man himself starts telling.

"I was born into a common family, actually, I barely remember anything from my earliest years. But I do remember that I was the oldest child. My mother was caring and loving, she would do anything to please her children the best she could, even if that meant putting herself at last.." Jongho's face is focused on pulling an undershirt on, fingers working fast as they continue to his trousers, "I understood that things were not as virtuous as it seemed to be at first glance when my father a day had taken me with him to town, where I saw him kissing another woman. When I asked him why, he told me that I would never say a word about the encounter or then he would take me to the woods, bind me to a tree and let the wolves devour me."