THE NEVER FOREST

@ஐ Mark Tuan Taehyung couldn't help but feel waves of guilt crash against him until he felt that he was numb to it all, numb to tender touches, to the cold that wrapped around him; it wasn't until Mark tugged the young prince into the stool that he had broken out of his reverie. He blinked slow blinks, once, twice and then for a third time to readjust to his surroundings. He watched silently, observing the latter finding things in which he required to aide him with his injury, he was going to say that he would be able to handle it himself but before a word of protest could come to him he watched the concentration, something making him stop whatever snide comment that was going to escape him just so he could have space. He felt that's what he needed. To alienate himself and take a few moments to breath but seeing how Mark worked away inspecting jars and grabbing what he needed was much more effective in finding himself relax. "Here I thought scaring you was impossible" he replied nonchalantly, a brief shrug of his shoulders a pause in time as he began to think what to say next. "Thinking too much is better than thinking too little," the young prince imputed his opinion, he wasn't going to just change over night of course but there wasn't anything he felt to be worried about. Taehyung on his own was rather quiet and in this place was one of the places in which he could relax, hide from everything and reset himself once more.

"I don't want to think about what happened Mark," he acted as if he was bored, a coping mechanism that he knew wouldn't fool the other even if it was true that he really didn't wish to talk about the incident in which had taken place that led him to taking Mark to one of his most favourite secret places. He had never intended to share this place with anyone, but now he had shared it with his guardian; he didn't know how to feel about it just something he could think about when his mind wasn't on the fact that the injury started to burn once Mark pressed the concoction into it. He winced and hissed angrily, he didn't like this part, it didn't have its normal soothing from the coolness considering the situation that they were in.

"God damn it Mark, did you have to make it hurt more than normal?" Taehyung blamed him as if he was hurting him more on purpose, he was rather touchy if anything, his emotions run high from the exhaustion and the fact that he was just in a bad mood. He hadn't really known what the other was thinking about, but something told him it wasn't anything good in his concerns seeing as he was one with an injury that continued to be as stubborn as he was. "Can we just wrap this up and deal with it in the morning?" Taehyung was wanting it to stop, the pain and the general discomfort from the whole ordeal. He wanted to rest; he didn't want to sit there for hours watching Mark problem solve what exactly was best for the wound that had been placed against his right arm, the fact that they hadn't stopped from the minute they left camp and they left upon first light on the land and the sun was deciding it best to get some rest.

"We hit the water pretty hard, are you sore in any locations?" He kept falling back to Mark, he couldn't help it; to him there was something not quite right, he could feel it within his being, within everything that he knew, no matter how much he was reassured he just couldn't sit comfortable knowing that there could be something wrong and that Mark was just avoiding it as it honestly wasn't the first time he had been caught in something like this where the latter had been genuinely hurt, the constant avoidance to his answers, just he had been around him too long to know when something was wrong. He just needed to crack down exactly what unless it had been his paranoia talking.

@ஐ Mark Tuan If it wasn't for his pride Taehyung probably would have sobbed in relief, especially when the other was okay, he knew he wouldn't die from such an injury, he honestly was just exhausted. The magic, the injury and the fighting had left him like this, magic was dangerous to use as the effects on the body were almost always crippling if unprepared to use such a thing.

Before standing he decided to remove his shirt, the material soaked and not much use to him but still he tied it around his waist just in case. His left arm held the other as well, he knew a place but again he'd have to fly, he looked the other over and with a tight squeeze he began to have them hover, the place he was taking Mark was one place he had always hid, the green hair male wasn't even sure if the other had known about it. He looked the other over and soon descended down the rocky face to where the waterfall was, flying behind it there was almost like a home away from home, currently dark with the lack of fire and once they were on solid ground Taehyung went straight to work lighting the place, by the rationing of food, drinkable water, bed, the fact that it was practically a replica of his room just in a waterfall cave said this was a place he'd come to a lot.

"This was the closest safest place I thought.. Now try and forget it's location because it's supposed to be secret." He was still his bratty self but it was true, he hadn't shown anyone this place and without further delay he sat down. It was times when he was injured he'd come here, be gone for days at a time, come back as good as new.

"Do you have any injuries.." Taehyung was gentle at that point even if laboured breath and a look of pure exhaustion was upon his face, once the cave was lit up enough he walked back to Mark his left hand running against the jaw of Mark's only to move behind his neck and push his forehead Against his own. His eyes closed, his skin cold because of the dampness; safeness, he was at one of his hikes, they could relax for 24 hours if needed. He let the other go his eyes looking for answers to unasked questions, at times like this after panic he couldn't just return to his bratty self, he had been shaken at the thought that he had something to do with hurting Mark, it was his fault even if he never spoke the words; he picked and pleaded until they split up. He was late in returning, he knew the other would say it's his job to keep him safe. But in the end Taehyung had always wanted to protect Mark.

@ஐ Mark Tuan "Not even! I doubt you could ever make me flustered, and I'm not a princess, a Prince," he pronounced the last word slowly as if the man holding him was stupid, he gave his signature eye roll but this time it only left a metallic taste in his mouth. He his dry lips chapped from the wind, his eyes going towards the ground, there was silence, everything but the wind howling in their ears from the speed travelled, the silence itself made him feel uncomfortable, something didn't feel right in the forest.

"Don't call me a kid Mark.. You maybe older but you should know I'm not," again he felt his tone fall short, even slightly aggressive he hated being called 'kid' it honestly made him feel smaller than what he was, he was a man with an army, one that had been in battle for many centuries, it was just this day has been an unlucky one. He heard the crunching of metal his eyes going to Mark's it was at that point he knew they were falling.

Once they hit the water and he felt himself seperate from Mark was when he panicked m, the water pushing him under, he tried opening his eyes to see where mark had went pushing up to the surface, he pushed hard against the current his arm in agony and his body pushing against the pain.

"Mark!" Was the only thing he screeches, he was panicked, he kept repeating the letters name over and over again, the way they plummeted wasn't normal, he needed to find the other, going underneath the surface once more he tried to look, and soon he found him, with one large push of energy as the roaring waterfall drew near he lifted himself out of the water, flying and quickly grabbing Mark he crashed against the bank, it was hard against his arm he'd injured crying in agony as he held the other so close to him. He had gravel burn up his arm wet clothes cling to both of their bodies. Shallow breaths forced themselves out of the green haired man; his eyes closed. He didn't want to open his eyes, his world spinning, he didn't want to be sick, he just felt the burning desire to get home. "Are you okay?" Was the only thing Taehyung could find himself to muster, he wanted to tend to Mark, so he wasted next to no time to ask, he just wish for the man to be safe; to be okay as he wouldn't be able to forgive himself of the other had come injured because of his faults.

@ஐ Mark Tuan Taehyung stared towards Mark, it was a slow process of him calming down and in an instant he felt strong arm coil his frame and draw him near, each time it made him want to lean closer, this time he did, his chest firmly against the letters. The first thing he felt was comfort; undeniable in so many ways the man holding them as they began to float was a comfort, someone who he said he didn't need but honestly searched for when he was in pain or wanted someone to talk to.

"Do we have to be so close" he mildly complained, he wanted to show he was okay, that he was tough enough to go on his own, a mild roll of his eyes when the other mentioned monkeys, was that really the only thing chasing him when the green haired male had pirates, they had come out of no where, hence the injury he had been caught off guard, every fibre in his being didn't want to admit such a story but he had been distracted by something else and was lunged at, the cut had stained his long shirt, of all things he had to wear white making it look much worse than what it was. He had handled his attacker; with that he was proud. Upon being tugged closer he felt his arms wrap slowly around Mark's waist feeling the muscles contract underneath his touch was a delight hidden deep in his mind.

"It's Prince to you Mark," Taehyung chided as a glare came over his once soft features. "There isn't any way I'm apologising to you about splitting up, I'd have been fine if it wasn't for the Pirates," he wasn't going to blame the lack of preparation or the fact he'd been ambushed. It was almost as if they had known he would have been there at that moment, but by how the fire was there, it had been a number of days of them camping there, Taehyung really needed to find out why and fast. Taehyung didn't want to slip into a silence, he was feeling warm against Mark's frame; everything had made him drowsy. He didn't want to pass out, he couldn't. "Where are we going, I want to be on ground," words Taehyung never spoke; seeing as he was always scolded for using the magic that he had leaving his energy is less than reserves, he always pushed himself that way, he loved to fly but right now the dizziness and the constant running of his mind he felt he needed to be grounded. "How long is it going to be?" Many demanding questions but he was always the type to only ever ask it once, more than that and it would seem like begging in his eyes. Stubborn was easily the greatest word to describe the green haired male, it was almost as if it was married into his genes.

@ஐ Mark Tuan Honestly if he was going to get killed, it was through the dangerous adventures he took, either against pirates of the dangerous wildlife in the never forest. This time it was a bit of both, the wildlife he expected but the screams and shouts of pirates certainly wasn't in his idea of a fun adventure. He was supposed to meet Mark, he of course was a little later than usual. Maybe the other feared he was in some predicament that he was unable to get out of, of course he was far more confident in himself than what his 'guardian' was. A subtle roll of his eyes came over him at the glimmering thought of just how the latter was going to scold him about splitting up and that they easily should have stayed together.

Where was the fun in that? Taehyung run through the trees, fast and hard, his lungs working, he was fit but running as fast as he was with an injury was wearing him out quicker than planned. His left hand gripped against a slightly deeper than expected cut on his skin, a clean cut from a sword; he'd fought of the pirates that had surrounded him with ease showing signs that he had fun. Why wouldn't he? He was destroying the things in which he hated; grubby pirates who didn't know any better. They were after him because of what he was known as. 'Pan' the future heir to the pixie throne.

"God he's so impatient," Taehyung snapped upon hearing the note that almost desperately cried for him, he knew it was a signal, he knew it was a calling. He stopped running for a second, heavy breaths rising and falling from his chest, his eyes closing for a moment, he was listening for the direction of sound and with the sharp opening of his eyes he began to hover high up into the trees, he winced lightly at the branches smacking against his tender arm but not hesitating or slowing down, he wanted to reach Mark. No; he needed to, his body screamed exhaustion especially in flight, he knew what it did to him when he wasn't injured but it was faster than running. His eyes peering over the forest he pushed himself and soon descended down to the earthy floor. He almost dropped to his hands and knees but instead tried his best to stand strong.

"You know.." He said a pant of breath coming from him, it was a means to try and catch it but it really wasn't working; his lungs burned for air as sweat beaded against his forehead. "I was coming you didn't have to sound off to let everyone know you were here," he gave a smile but the off colour to his face showed he wasn't doing as well as he would have liked. "We need to move," The green haired male urged, he knew he didn't have another fight in him but he wasn't going to admit that to Mark, he just wanted to get going and find a place to rest.

V.