For Peace

22. Cry of Joy

Seonghwa sat in disbelief with his hand pressed to his chest. He distrusted its thumping against the flat of his palm, distrusted the heat.

However, his worries were irrelevant. He felt as he did a long time back; before they had switched Hongjoong's powerful heart with his damaged one. No, even before that, many months ago. He felt to be the one he once was.

Speechless in his shock, Seonghwa slipped his hand inside his vest. The jubilant pace of his heart greeted him, as excited about this news as he was. Wild and free like a youthful horse's prancing over a meadow, it hammered in his chest and begged him for adventure.

He was fine. He would live.

Tears welled up in his eyes, hot and pure. They were not of stress, not of pain. This time, they only brought happiness.

"You did it," Seonghwa sniffled, choked through his sobs. "You actually healed me."

Seonghwa's bandaged hands reached for his face to wipe them off. As Mingi got to his feet and leaned heavily on his staff, the distorted grimace on his face was triumphant. Feathers and bones jingled in his motion.

"Told you I could do it," the witch panted. He cast a glance at the companions, poised like ravenous animals about to get fed their daily meat. They couldn't tell yet what Seonghwa's reaction meant.

When Mingi beckoned them it was fine to come over, Seonghwa turned to them with a wobbly smile.

Wooyoung ran the fastest, but Hongjoong easily leapt over him and surged at Seonghwa with his wings outstretched. He crashed into the priest on the table, but gently so as not to hurt him. His hand sunk into the rumbled clothing of Seonghwa's upper body and frantically felt for his skin, touching his heart.

Breathless as he waited for the confirmation, Seonghwa leaned in his grip. He studied those long lashes, the glow of his eyes, the curve of his lips. His horns looked less threatening in his white curls than before and his wings folded to leave the others room to join them.

Hongjoong's eyes were wide as he took in Seonghwa. The healthy flush of his cheeks, the sparkle in his eyes. Life wherever he looked.

When the gargoyle hauled him into a bone-crushing embrace, Seonghwa choked out a chuckle. More tears fell as they clung to each other, and Seonghwa was in the safest place in the world.

By the time Hongjoong pulled back to kiss the never-ending tears from the corners of Seonghwa's eyes, the others crowded the altar. Yunho and Yeosang supported Jongho, who limped along on his good leg. Bright with anticipation, Wooyoung and San impatiently waited until Hongjoong was done covering Seonghwa's face with his love.

Not that there was ever enough of that.

"Is it done? Are you healed?" Yunho looked from Seonghwa to Mingi, greedy for an answer.

The witch tended to Fléau, who had curled up on the shrine and slept off the exhaustion of the draining spell. His black fingertips grazed over her furless skin.

"I'm feeling better than ever before," Seonghwa smiled and then choked on another sob. Hongjoong's lips brushed his in a fleeting kiss before the gargoyle retreated just enough that the others could hug Seonghwa. His eyes filled with adoration never strayed off the messy priest.

"How do you feel? Any pain left?" Yeosang beckoned to all of Seonghwa, awed at how pure of a core remained when the looming touch of death disappeared.

Of course, the ache of Seonghwa's hands and feet persisted where he had been impaled. He also had a migraine from his stress and exhaustion and was in dire need of some sleep.