too fragile for your love (too strong for your heart)

under the shadows of eternity (we find each other, again) pt three

jake likes to think that he's reasonably intelligent, when it comes to practical matters.

so, when finals approach and then, pass, and he realizes that he's got a full free week of monopolizing heeseung's attention, he immediately knows, in his gut, that something's wrong.

first of all, he hasn't seen hide nor hair of woon-seok, ever since his abrupt leave, and he's actually starting to feel worried. he knows that it's not his problem, or even his fault, but he's spent the last six months with the older guy as a classmate, and despite woon-seok's petty behavior, the other boy isn't a bad person. it's just his misfortune that he got pitted against someone like lee heeseung. jake can confidently say that no one would ever choose woon-seok when they've got a man like heeseung interested in them. in fact, he admits that he would've probably thought some unkind things about heeseung's significant other if heeseung had been with anyone else, other than him.

because, really, jake tries to be kind, since it's the right thing to do. but, that doesn't mean he's above jealousy or greed.

second of all, the rouge attacks seem to be slowing down, in both intensity and frequency. while, normally, that would be a good thing, heeseung suspects that it isn't. the perpetrator hasn't tried to reach out to the skvhc even once, during the past couple of months, which is concerning, to say the least. usually, these attacks are accompanied by demands for ransom (which could be anything starting from a rare magical artifact to a live hostage) and claims for recognition, from what jake's learned by watching undead crime documentaries, but this situation right here?

"it feels like they're gearing up for something big," he hears jeon wonwoo, one of heeseung's former coven mates, say. "you need to reclaim your sword, heeseung. if something happens to us, you're our last line of defense against full-on chaos."

jake stands stock still, a few inches from the door to heeseung's office, his hand outstretched half-way towards the doorknob.

"what about the honour guard?" heeseung sounds agitated as he speaks. "they can't all be out of action."

there's a rush of air, as if wonwoo's sighing deeply. "ever since you left the position of captain, we haven't been able to find a proper replacement. the majority of the new recruits are either inexperienced or in over their head, and most of the old crowd have gone abroad. the few who're left are scattered all over the country, and we can't tell with the witches. jin hyung can't even find suitable protection for namjoon hyung, these days."

"you know why i left," heeseung says, quietly. "i can't do it. not again."

"heeseung, please," wonwoo sounds grim. "all of us understood when you said that you wanted to leave that life behind. but, i'm not addressing you as my younger brother, right now. i'm talking to evan lee, the former captain of the honour guard, and the rightful wielder of decelia. are you willing to let the skvhc fall?"

a tense pause follows wonwoo's speech.

"give me some time to think about it," heeseung says, after a few seconds.

"that's all i'm asking for," wonwoo replies, his words carrying an obvious undertone of relief. "even if you never return to your old job permanently, do consider training a successor to take over for you, after all this is over. you're wasted at a desk job that you so clearly find mind-numbing and exhausting."

"you never did learn how to pull your punches, did you?" heeseung laughs, finally sounding relaxed. "get out of here, hyung. i've still got fifteen reports left to be looked over, today."

not wanting to be caught eavesdropping, jake makes a run for it. he turns the corner a split-second before the door opens and wonwoo walks out. he waits for a few beats, and then, casually makes his way down the corridor, preparing to knock, this time-