To love and to Hate

2: A long road

"This is the worst," Jisung grumbled, tossing the bag he packed onto the cargo hold of the carriage.

"If it wasn't for your little temper, we wouldn't have gotten into this mess," Minho argued, giving him a mocking once-over.

"Oh, go to hell."

"You just proved my point."

"I wouldn't have a temper if you didn't exist."

Minho placed a hand over his heart. "I feel so special that your temper only exists for me. Makes things fun." He yanked the straps over the luggage, securing it down for the hour-long ride ahead.

Jisung rolled his eyes. "Your life must be terribly boring if messing with me is the funnest thing you can think of."

"Or you're just that interesting, Jisung. Have you considered that possibility?"

"You don't even know me."

"I know you enough."

The driver of the carriage came around them from where he was preparing the horses. "We're ready to go."

Dread settled into Jisung's bones. From this point on he was going to be stuck with Minho day in and day out until the whole goblin mess was dealt with. He always preferred doing jobs alone, mostly because traveling conditions for mages weren't always the greatest.

Minho gestured to the carriage. "Darlings first."

"Enough with the nickname," Jisung warned, throwing the door of the carriage open and climbing in.

The water mage climbed in behind him, and the moment the door was shut Jisung wished they could have requested a bigger carriage. Minho was on the seat in front of him in the opposite corner, but the side of their right knees still brushed together with the movement of the carriage.

Jisung hated it. He hated being this close to the mage that seemed to tower over him despite only being slightly taller. He hated that Minho smelled nice, that he looked nice. Hating him would be so much more satisfying if he was nothing more than an ugly brute.

"Do you still have that shapeshifter notice?"

Jisung narrowed his gaze on the water mage. "Why?"

"We could take care of that on our way to the mountains. Get some extra funds for the rest of our trip."

That wasn't a terrible idea, but since it was Minho suggesting it, Jisung was suspicious of it instantly. "You're sitting cozy with money right now after that job you stole from me. Why would you need more?"

"Must you think that I have some motive behind everything I do and say?" Minho asked, his voice honey-like and slightly mocking.

"Because you always do. It's never simple with you. Face it, Minho, we've been like this for over two years, we both know each other's tricks and schemes."

"You're awfully confident in that. Do enlighten me, what would I be up to when it comes to this shapeshifter job?"

Jisung slowly smiled. "That's not going to work, honey."

"What's not going to?"

"You can't intimidate me or make me question myself. Besides, it doesn't matter what I think you're up to, it only matters that I know you're up to something."

Minho leaned forward, causing their knees to brush even closer. "So you'll be okay eating nibbles of fruit until we take care of the mess in the mountains?"

Jisung's ears heated in slight embarrassment. "So your spy also told you I'm low on funds? How kind of him."

"He didn't tell me, I already knew that. You accepted the silly job of taking that troll down because it was easy cash."