Give & Take

Safe Space

The word powers struck a chord inside Minhyun. Whether it was a good or a bad one, there was no way of knowing yet.

"You have powers?" Minhyun blurted instead, finding the male extremely intriguing now. He raised his sword and with the tip of it, touched the male's stubbled chin. He saw the male visibly gulp and a tiny smirk couldn't help but crawl onto his lips.

"Y-yes."

"What kind?" Dongho lifted his hand and held the sword. It immediately started turning to rust and Minhyun's eyes widened a little as he tried to hide his excitement.

"What is this... You can make my guard's hand become sickening to look at and you can turn my sword into rust?" Minhyun spoke with a slight tremble as he felt a spark in his chest lighting up and Dongho was the fuel.

"I... I make things age faster... O-or become sick from touch," Dongho replied and that was when Minhyun finally took notice of the dead grass. He tried to contain the bubble of excitement within him as he let it out in a small chuckle instead.

"Amazing."

"What?"

"Amazing. Didn't you hear? This is amazing," Minhyun exclaimed as he walked closer to Dongho who shifted away. His sharp gaze pierced Dongho's frightened one. "You are exactly what I want."

"Hah?"

"Sir, what are you talking about?" the guard who was safe from Dongho's powers spoke up as he helped to wrap his partner's arms with bandage. "You can't possibly leave someone this dangerous alive!"

"But I can, can't I? The Earl said to deliver him, dead or... Alive."

"He is a threat to living things!" the guard said and Minhyun frowned, lifting his sword at the guard.

"You dare talk back at me?" he snarled and the guard backed down. Dongho was utterly confused and blown away by the exchange. He thought the hero was all smiles and gentle but the one before him now was nothing like the image he had always seen in town. This hero had a poison tongue and a cruel smile. It frightened him just as much as his own powers did. "Wonderful. You're coming with me. Whether you like it or not."

"I can't! I'll hurt people by accident. Please. Its safer for everyone if I just stay out here in the forest," Dongho pleaded Minhyun who wasn't listening anymore.

"Guard, take him and if he resists, knock him out."

"No, wait!" Dongho tried to make Minhyun stop but the guard had to do as ordered, frightened for his own life as he knocked Dongho out with the blunt of his sword in one swift move before the rust started spreading.

~~~

There weren't a lot of people who knew the hero's true nature. Sure enough, a lot of the guards who had been out on missions with him knew but none dared to tell another soul about it. They kept it to themselves and more importantly, obeyed him in fear that their heads would be the ones rolling next. Despite how the people of the town praised and worshiped him, Minhyun was nothing like they say he was. A sweet kind gentle male on the outside but on the inside... Twisted like a cursed forest and dark like the deepest depths of the ocean.

So it wasn't surprising when Minhyun actually developed an interest towards the ragged male. He had the power to give even though what he wanted was to take. The other was the opposite of him and now that he had witnessed it, he wanted it but of course, he couldn't just take his powers since he didn't have such a power himself so he could only take Dongho.

Amber eyes shot open and scanned the room warily before sitting up and trying to find for an exit. There were two doors and one window. The rest of the room was pretty basic with only a bed, a side drawer and a clothes cupboard. Dongho pushed himself up and hurried to the window but realised there was no handles to open it. It was sealed shut on all four sides. He tried to push it but it wouldn't give way. He rushed to the first door and opened it. It was the bathroom, no window. There was a bath tub, a sink and a toilet. Rushing to the last chance of escape, he was about to yank the doorknob when it opened and he fell back in surprise, skittering away with his palms as the hero stood there with a tray in his hand. Dongho, frightened by the sight of the red haired male, climbed back onto bed and pulled the covers over himself, trying to cover up his skin as well.