𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄𝙩 𝘼𝙡𝙡, 𝘼𝙢 𝙄 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙁𝙖𝙡𝙡?

Distant

Yoo Joonghyuk drifted in and out of consciousness for seven days. At times he would feel searing pain in his calves as blades slit through his skin and muscle. Sometimes he would feel Kim Dokja at his bedside, lips pressed against his palm as he imbued magic to help with the recovery process. Even though he could not see, he knew his prince visited his room every day and every night without fail. He knew him by scent and sound. He would know him even if all his senses were gone.

When he finally opened his eyes, feeling as if a horse just trampled on him, Kim Dokja was already there, ugly crying with shuddered gasps.

Ah, he thought fondly, his prince was such a crybaby.

His husband tackled him, weeping into his shoulder as he stained it with his tears.

"I almost lost you," he squeezed him tight.

He was fine. Sure, he went through some blood clots, deep vein thrombosis, temporary respiratory failure, and lost a few toes, but he was alive. He was almost unscathed thanks to his sturdy composition and youth. Queen Persephone would have been knocking on death's door.

His throat was parched. Kim Dokja noticed, gently raised his head, and tilted the ladle of water towards his lips as an attentive husband. As expected, Kim Dokja had questions.

"You knew it was poisoned," he accused. "If you didn't tell Mother what snake it was, it would have been too late." He sounded angry and pissed.

Yoo Joonghyuk would be, too, if somebody tried to poison his family.

"Why didn't you tell her?" He asked with quiet fury.

"I knew what poison it was," Yoo Joonghyuk bluntly replied. "I had better chances of survival." He would recover faster than his mother-in-law.

In his youth, he was fed microdoses of poison to build up immunity. That was how he knew about the devastating effects of the diamondhead snake's venom. He had already experienced it.

"Even so," Kim Dokja's face contorted into a miserable expression. "That was reckless."

"Regardless, your mother would have drank it if she knew," Yoo Joonghyuk told him. "It would have been better if it was me."

They both understood the implications if the drink was rejected or thrown away.

"Stupid," Kim Dokja choked out with resurfacing tears. "You stupid, self-sacrificial sunfish."

Even though Yoo Joonghyuk was a grown man, he still stuck his neck out for others despite the consequences.

"Do you think that would make me happy?" Kim Dokja grabbed him by the collar. He bared his teeth. "Did you think I would smile if you died in my arms?"

Yoo Joonghyuk paused. Kim Dokja might be sad to lose his companion, but he was only a blip, an insignificant cog in the grand scheme of things. Time would help him forget. He would find a better partner, a person who deserved him than his blemished existence.

Kim Dokja's temper rose as if he could read his mind. "Joonghyuk-ah," his voice shook. "Don't play with me." Kim Dokja doesn't want to argue with a sick person. "It's you. I only want you."

His world would lose color. Life would lose meaning.

Yoo Joonghyuk gulped and tried to look away. Kim Dokja's emotions were too transparent and overwhelming, flooding him with feelings he cannot fully process. Emboldened, his husband leaned close and trapped him between his arms. His bangs tickled his cheek.

Yoo Joonghyuk squirmed beneath his direct gaze, his heart thumping like crazy. He felt little, small.

"Joonghyuk-ah," Kim Dokja breathed out his name, velvety and smooth. "I love you."