It's warm, but he doesn't feel comfortable. He tries to take a deep breath and finds that he can't. His lungs feel like they're on fire, and every shallow breath he can manage is like a drop of water after a decade of drought. Voices call out to him from the abyss, swirling like wisps of smoke from a recently snuffed candle. So. Hyung-nim. He recognizes them –a voice like a calm river and another like a cheery flute –but he can't put a name to them.

And then, suddenly, he's awake.

"Baek-ah," he rasps, his eyes squinting in the dark as if it were the break of dawn. He feels like he hasn't opened them in aeons, lifetimes.

A gasp. "Hyung-nim!"

He can suddenly feel the warmth of the strong arms that hold his body as he struggles to sit upright.

"Hyung-nim, you're alive." Baek-Ah lets go of his shoulder to wipe at the tears he would never admit to have shed.

So meets a pair of molten dark brown eyes, so similar to his own. "You really did go overboard, So-ah. You were only supposed to drink one cup, not three." The arms holding him up are now tightening as they lift his body up onto the carriage.

Wang So looks up at his oldest brother brother, as Baek-Ah climbs aboard beside him. He gives his older brother a small smile and shrug. "I didn't want them to suspect anything, nor leave the possibility that somehow they might have still made you drink the tea."

"Ji Mong almost didn't make it to you in time with the antidote."

"He did, though."

Wang Moo sighs. "He did. And you are lucky for that. Now do not waste that luck and stay out of harm's way until I send someone to you."

"Everything is all set?"

A nod, and a teasing smile. "Tomorrow they will be burning what they think is your body in that coffin. Luckily, not many people care about you, so the process was rather smooth."

He chuckles at first, but then looks up at the crown prince, his hyung, and doesn't even try to hide the vulnerability in his voice. "Father…?"

Tears well up in Moo's eyes. "He's devastated, So-ah. Jung is grieving as well."

No one dares to mention the brother and the older brother that would be snickering in glee. But for So, the little twang of pain in his heart for the family that never was, no longer hurts as much as it once did. Having the few loyal people he does, is enough for him.

"And…Hae Soo?" So searches his brothers eyes, pleading him to not give him a lie or to cover up the truth. "She wasn't supposed to be the one serving the tea. Is Hae Soo going to be all right?"

"She'll be all right. After you lost consciousness, Yeon Hwa drank the poison to avoid suspicion, but when the doctor checked her pulse, he said she was fine. She is under investigation now, although I'm sure your tip to me about your mother will be of much use. Hae Soo will not be charged with the crime of poisoning the Crown Prince."

So begins lets out a sigh of relief.

"Since she did poison a prince, however, though unintentionally, she will be punished."

The sigh stops short.

Moo clasps a hand on his younger brother's shoulder, his eyes reassuring as always. "Don't worry, So-yah. At most, she'll be demoted. But...nevermind." He doesn't have to say it. Will you be okay, not knowing the next time you'll see her?

She'll always be my person. I'll be happy with just the memory that there was someone that once cared for me like she did. For now, I must take care of myself.

So reaches up to place his hand on Moo's, hoping the gesture will speak louder than any words he could stutter to find.

"We must go," Baek-Ah says, head bowed to the crown prince.

"Goodbye, my brother, and my most loyal friend."

The horse is neighing now, and he can hear Baek-Ah's voice. Cha! It takes all of his effort, but he manages a bow to his brother. "Thank you, hyung-nim. We will meet again soon."

Slowly, the silhouette of a man solid like a rock fades into the distance until all Wang So can see is a pebble, small but unwavering, in the horizon.

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It's been a while since I've written anything, and of course this would be the drama to spark some inspiration in me. I needed an outlet to fangirl over my OTP and JoonGi's amazing acting that leaves me in a puddle.

prompt is all thanks to lavenderbyun on tumblr. this story is also posted on tumblr under the url the-wolf-puppy.