For Peace

30. The Magic of Hope

Seonghwa awoke in the scorching embrace of his gargoyle, and life was bliss.

His body ached in the best way and he knew he had slept plentiful because of his sheer disorientation when he roused. The lines of the sheets had left imprints across his body.

When Seonghwa stretched, Hongjoong's grip on him instinctively tightened so the priest couldn't slip from his grasp. Endeared by his protectiveness, Seonghwa turned to wish him a good morning, but his lips fell quiet when his eyes found his lover.

Hongjoong was asleep. Utterly asleep. Buried deep under a blanket of his dreams that flickered under his closed lids.

His bowed lips were parted, giving sight to his human teeth and the peek of a tongue. Each time something interesting happened, his fingers or his tail twitched where they were wrapped around Seonghwa to assure both of them of each other's presence.

Adorable.

Seonghwa dipped to breathe the butterfly of a kiss to the tip of Hongjoong's nose. When a wing jostled in response, he snickered to himself.

For a while longer, he stayed and watched as Hongjoong lost all his guarded attention. He was never one to rest, always on watch, even when someone else offered themselves for the night. Now that he didn't have to fear enemies, and he knew Seonghwa wouldn't die of heart cramps in his slumber, he gave in to the lure.

Charmed by the vulnerability and trust Hongjoong had in Seonghwa and the rest of the group, Seonghwa shared his warmth to give the same back.

The rumbling of his stomach ultimately tickled him out of bed. He glanced around the room first, finding Wooyoung sprawled out like a starfish and with one arm and the tip of his hat dangling over the edge of the bed. His snoring had woken San, who buried his head in his pillows with a grumble to shut it out.

The rest were gone, even Jongho with his injuries.

Afraid that he had needed dire medical attention once more and Seonghwa had been too faint to help, the priest wormed from Hongjoong's grasp. He dressed only in his pants and a loose shirt, not bothering to tie the laces shut properly. Despite the chill of morning, Alverton glowed. Warmth was another thing they had lacked despite the spring in Morden. Too many nights were spent shivering in the dark to stay invisible from wild eyes.

Seonghwa skimmed his fingers through his hair and tied it into a dismissive ponytail when he found it a tangled mess. It reached beyond his shoulders by now and he should clean up his appearance before he returned home.

Only one group of people populated the inn this early in the morning. Seonghwa's face lit up when he spotted them. He skipped down the last few steps and caught up with Yunho, Jongho, and Yeosang. They shared a meal between them, and Jongho looked far more rested than he had in weeks. The haunted look in his eyes had eased, and it further brightened when he laid eyes on the priest.

"Seonghwa!" He called him over in cheer and Seonghwa waved at the others when they whipped around in glee.

"Look who it is," Yunho whistled. "I know a man with an entire heart when I see him, and you match that description down to the seam of your pants."

Proud, Seonghwa arrived at their desk and showed off with his arms outstretched.

"Look at this healthy body. Ignore the scabs, but anything else? Like the day I've been born." It had been a long while since he last felt that vigour and knew it as his own that also belonged to him. He forgot how much energy the curse had taken from him.

"A magnificent sight," Yeosang smiled. His sweetness got him a hair ruffle that he leaned into with a content hum.

"Sit with us, old friend. Want some soup? The pretty thing behind the counter woke up extra early for us." Yunho scooted aside on the bench to make space for Seonghwa and threw her a thankful glance when she scurried over to bring more food.