Phoenix: Blow a spark || ATEEZ

27| Scent of shadows

Wordcount; 1,250 words

Jongho scrunched his nose when San and Wooyoung came trudging down the hallway, San's arm protectively wrapped around the younger's shoulders. It was odd to see Jongho's neat self stand between the three phoenixes entangled in all sorts of accessories that screamed magic and sorcery. Especially when San knew how terrified Jongho was of if they were suspected of doing anything out of this world.

When San's eyes raked across the group, he couldn't stop the little smirk playing with the corner of his mouth when he noticed the lovely stare shared between Mingi and Yunho while they talked. They were fated to be together. It was obvious.

Wooyoung lifted a hand and waved at the group when it seemed they all were looking at them.

"Oh, so now you two finally decided to show up?" Yunho said with a grin, immediately making Wooyoung reach out and playfully shove his shoulder instead. "Yah!"

San raised a brow challenging, "We slept in this morning. Guess we needed that extra amount of sleep."

For a fleeting moment, his gaze crossed Jongho's, finding the youngest furrowing his brows as if he debated with himself whether he should believe San's words or not. But then, a flick with his eyes made it seem like it actually was something entirely else he was thinking about.

San kept the confronts to himself for now, turning his head at the others instead. His words weren't entirely wrong, to be honest. Wooyoung and he had for sure needed that extra amount of sleep even if it meant skipping the few first classes. After what had happened yesterday a few missed classes was nothing compared to that. Not that any of them cared about that anyway - especially not Wooyoung.

Redirecting his eyes at Seonghwa and Yeosang he was met with a skeptical look, one that nearly seemed the same as Jongho's. Different from this, was how Seonghwa actually had the nerve to voice his wonders.

"You smell," he started, looking dead serious at San as if it didn't actually sound like he was telling him a ridiculous joke.

"Excuse me?"

Wooyoung's shot his orchid eyes in the direction of the older Phoenix, sharp like a feline' when he suddenly caught up on the stir in the air.

Seonghwa lowered his voice as he leaned forward, "You smell of dark magic."

San froze in his spot. What the fuck.

Nearly not realising it, Wooyoung stepped out in front of him, strong protective energies surging around him as he grabbed San's hand and glared at Seonghwa with eyes that even San could imagine stung to be looked at with. "You will not lay a finger on him."

Seonghwa slowly shook his head, his long earrings dangling from side to side as he did so. San eased his hand around Wooyoung's waist before he pursed his lips.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you why," he told the other Phoenix.

"Other than my suspicions have been right all this time? You literally reek like the dead, it is but a wonder no other has figured out your little secret before now. Have you ever thought about cloaking your scents?"

San stared at Seonghwa's amused smile, for once actually perplexed about what was happening, "What.. do you mean?"

His befuddlement had the older chuckle, smugly looking down. Wooyoung gasped loudly, "Oh my goodness. Are you kidding me?"

It took a moment before the glint in Seonghwa's eyes revealed what had been so grand about this entire situation. And why he wasn't more scared of them than this, considering it just had been revealed that they basically were dealing with what Phoenixes considered malediction.

"I believe we have some catching up to do later, see you there!" Seonghwa chimed as he grabbed Yeosang's arm.

First now San saw the little creature poking its head out of the hind of Seonghwa's shirt. He turned to Yunho saying his goodbyes to Mingi and Jongho before cheekily running past Wooyoung and San to catch up with the two other Phoenixes.

"This is bad," Jongho muttered as he stared after the three disappearing in the mass of students swarming in the corridors, "Really bad." He turned to San and Wooyoung, expression turning dour, "What is the real reason why you first showed up now? And please don't tell me you did something idiotic like killing another student."

"Hey! That's unfair, we didn't kill him," Wooyoung spluttered. Jongho only glared at him.

San stepped in, "Jongho, don't."

The younger rolled his eyes, turning to pick up his stuff while still managing his crutches. Mingi clumsily helped him out, his hands shaking the smallest as he lifted his bag.

"Then what? You have about one minute to explain to me what happened. This concerns us all," the youngest pressed. And San perfectly knew why.

"This.." he started, swallowing troublesomely, "Isn't something we should talk about in a place like this.."

Wooyoung suddenly put his hands on top of San's, reassuring his resurfacing worries, "San," he said softly as he looked him in his eyes, "It's okay."

The touch of his lover's hands on his soothed his soul and he drew in a stuttering breath, "Okay."

"Jongho, this really isn't the right time to be talking about this," Wooyoung confined to the younger. But somehow, it didn't sit right with Jongho.

He took a step forward with the help of his crutches, "I don't believe you two. What could possibly be so gravely serious that you won't even share it with me right now? You know what? Nothing of what you ever do is that serious or severe- it's always all about fun and games to you so what makes you think that I would ever believe that it this time possibly could be more serious than your stupid pranks."

"Jongho-"

"No," he cut Wooyoung off with a strained, derisive smile. "I demand an explanation right now. It cannot wait until you think it is the right time to tell me. Not this time, not when I'm just as much part of this as you are!"

San slowly blinked with his eyes in pure surprise at how raw the younger's voice suddenly sounded. Wooyoung didn't even dare breathe.

The hand he pulled for his mouth was shaking when he seemed torn from flaring emotions. San couldn't care less about the words showing on Jongho's cheek even if a few other students still lingered around in the corridors.

Jongho breathed his cracking words through his hand, "I'm worried about you, alright?"

San could only stare as the following seconds drummed in his head.

"Jongho..? What's going on?"

Wooyoung had carefully reached out to the younger, his gentle hand stroking his back before slowly drawing him in for a hug. He hid his face in Wooyoung's shoulder.

"I-I had nightmares this night, they were surely projected down on me because I never have those- I just.. I was seeing the two of you, terribly hurt, and.."

"You don't have to say anything more," Wooyoung told him, softly, and Jongho just nodded into his shoulder.

"Spirits," Mingi breathed, finally deciding to be part of the conversation. San just hadn't expected his input to make the situation even worse by saying: "I wasn't the only one then."

Three pairs of eyes turned around at Mingi and he visibly gulped, "I believe I must have had the same sight last night."

Someone was doing this on purpose, and San needed to know who.

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