"... I'm fine."
Even without opening his eyes, Hak could feel the princess' anxiety. But he really would be fine.
Because she was here; alive, safe, and with that indominable spirit that he loved unbroken.
"Just…", he gave a small, relieved sigh and held back a wince. "need a moment."
Hak heard her whisper his name again, then opened his eyes at the sound of her stepping away. He watched her stagger with each step and gritted his teeth at the bloody footsteps and small drops of red marking her passage as she moved further down the hallway.
She'd never bleed like that again. He'd see to it even if he had to kill every Kuel-Bo in the world.
He opened his mouth to tell her to stay away from the windows since there still might be active archers, but his voice caught as the clouds moved and sunlight speared down the hallway and set her hair on fire.
He might have imagined it, he tried to reason with himself, his chest hurting in a way that had nothing to do with his injuries. He'd had quite a tiring, painful day that involved not a little blood loss. He'd also suffered from audio hallucinations in the past; hearing her say that she wanted to touch him. But this…, he watched her kneel by large vases and work the lid off, that "I love you" had been whispered in a dry, smoke-roughened voice that he'd never heard from her before. He might have imagined it, except when she woke up and looked at him with those large, teary eyes, that same raspy voice had echoed the phrase he'd be been chanting in his head since he'd found her in the keep; "I finally get to see you."
He'd storm a thousand keeps in order to see that look on her face. To hear those words. Those words that would keep him standing, keep him moving, keep him fighting until she was safe.
As though in a daze, he watched her cup her hands and saw the water trickle through her small hands to the floor. He didn't notice the soot, the dirt, or the tangles of her hair. He'd seen her in pristine and perfumed, in the richest fabrics and adornments that money could buy, and he'd seen her in bloodied, filthy rags. She always looked the same to him.
Absolutely beautiful.
The princess looked back at him and the look on her face, a mix of worry and fear, knocked some sense into him.
What was he doing, he snarled at himself. He couldn't think about this now. She wasn't safe yet. They were still in the enemy's territory and the dragons weren't here to watch over Princess Yona or to help him fight.
Hak took a slow, careful breath and used all the tricks that his Grandfather, the military, and Soo W… that he'd learned through years to block pain, gain strength, and keep his mental focus on the task at hand. Then he used the discipline he'd honed for nearly a half a decade, the same control that had kept him from kissing the breath from her the instant he'd found her, to pull his thoughts from words of love and impossible daydreams.
He was doing a good enough job that this time when the light from the windows caught on her hair as she hurried back to where he was still propped against the wall, his first thought was of safety and tactics.
And not on how her hair would feel in hands.
"Princess…", he tried for a stern look, "stay away from…". His words trailed off at the touch of her hands on his jaw, his thoughts splintering as she closed her eyes and leaned down.
Hak's mind immediately went back to Ogi's office where she'd grabbed his cloak and pulled him down for a 'greeting', as she'd later put it. What was she…was she going to…?
Her lips closed over his and understanding swept in along with the water. She wasn't kissing him. Princess Yona, bruised and bleeding, was trying to help him. Take care of him, when he was here to help her. Serve her. He swallowed the water absently; eyes still open and on her face. Her eyes were still closed in concentration, but the small hands, soft in places, but rough with callouses in others, were gentle on his face. They slid off as she raised her head and all the barriers on his emotions, all his restraints, left with them.
The roar in his ears drowned out the sound of the fire, the sound of the army still outside of the walls, everything.
He couldn't stand it.
Without thought, his hands came up and clenched in her hair, keeping her from moving away. Her eyes popped open in surprise, but with no fear, and that snapped the last thread of his control.
Hak didn't jerk her to him. He didn't pull her hair. He just held her still as he gave up years of discipline and closed his mouth over hers in a kiss he'd told himself would never happen.
All his fatigue and pain seemed to slide away as he held her still. He felt the sound she made against his mouth and his hands gentled in her hair, the hard press of lips softened as the taste of her, the smell, the feel of her seeped into his very bones and soothed the beast of need and want he'd lived with forever.
Yona raised her head with a gasp and he reveled in the flush that spread over her face. He'd always loved it when she blushed.
"Wai…," she gasped again, breathless, and her next words made him realize that she wasn't aware of what he'd just done. "There's no more…," she swallowed as his fingers combed through her hair, his fingertips softly grazing her ear and neck. "wat…".
She was so innocent, he thought. So pure. But that wasn't going to stop him.
"…". Hak slid his hand to the back of her neck and brought her closer, basking in her blush, the feel of her hand on his shoulder, and the way she closed her eyes as he leaned towards her. "It's 'cause your mouth is so small," he played along, murmuring against her lips. He brushed his against hers and told her the simple truth. "It's not enough." And kissed her again.