Of Dragons & Princes

"Oh, how the mighty fall in love." –Fallout Boy

It happened slowly.

Minho wasn't even exactly sure how it happened.

It had taken a while for the Immunes to get settled into their new lifestyle, in the community they were now calling Haven. They had found out pretty soon that their new home wasn't completely free of danger. There was the surrounding forest, where many animals lived, including the wolf pack Jorge had nearly stumbled into a week ago. And there was the cliff at the edge of the forest, that dropped down to jagged rocks below on the beach, before turning into the vast expanse of the ocean. Some kids had almost fallen over the side. So, no, Haven wasn't perfect. But it was theirs.

It was a slow process at first, to set up a daily routine in their new home. Shelters had to be built for everybody and food had to be gathered. But once the system was well under way, things ran smoothly for the Immunes.

It was in the midst of all this setting-up and settling-down that it happened: the thing that had snuck up on Minho over the past few months, the thing that had worked its way under his skin and refused to leave now. It was a thing that both terrified him and filled him with a strange new happiness that he couldn't share with anyone. And it was something he couldn't hope to fight.

He was falling in love with Thomas.

He was watching him now, sitting back against a tall oak at the edge of the woods, idly twirling a stalk of grass between his fingers. He tried to focus on that, or stare at his boots, and not look over at the boy a few yards away. Thomas was helping out a few of the Immune mothers today, keeping their children busy while they worked. Two little kids were running back and forth around him, a fair-haired boy and a girl with dark pigtails, both of their faces alight. Thomas was pretending to be a bear, chasing them around in the swaying, golden grass. "No, silly, a bear grooowwlls," the girl giggled with a mock snarl.

Thomas grinned his open, kind grin. "Whatever you say," he replied. Then he took a threatening, exaggerated step forward and growled playfully. Minho tried to ignore the pleasant shiver that ran over his skin when he heard it. Damn, even when he was playing, Thomas was sexy.

Minho didn't mean to fall in love with Thomas. He tried not to.

But how could you NOT fall in love with Thomas? First of all, he was hot. He had soft, sandy-brown hair that was just long enough to fall across his forehead, and his eyes were a gorgeous shade of mahogany. His skin was sun-kissed from being outside all the time and he had a way of moving that hinted at smooth, toned muscle. Second of all, he was just so damn perfect. He was kind and caring and honest. He would help anyone in need, no matter who they were. He would willingly sacrifice himself for anyone here, if he had to. He did his part and more, aiding the older Immunes in building up their shelters, looking for food, playing with the kids. If you saw him, you could almost see the pure, giving light glowing around him. He was a truly good person.

And Minho loved him.

But Minho wasn't a good person. He knew he was mean sometimes, and sarcastic, and rude. The other Immunes didn't like him very much, even though he worked just as hard as they did. And since Brenda hung out with Jorge all the time (because Brenda and Thomas had broken up for reasons that were still unknown), and Thomas was always busy, Minho had no one to talk to. He was lonely.

Anyway, he had a promise to keep.

A promise that meant he couldn't be with Thomas.

No matter how much he wanted to.

A pair of tiny hands tugging at his black T-shirt surprised him. The girl with the pigtails and crystal-blue eyes was bouncing up and down next to him. "Come on, Minho!" she urged eagerly. "Come and play with us!" She was adorably hilarious, rocking back and forth, pulling at his neckline because the sleeves of his T-shirt had been ripped off. Angie, he thought her name was.

"I dunno..." he trailed off. What if he slipped up? What if they were playing, and Thomas touched him, and he did something stupid?

"Awwww, pleeeeeaaase?" Angie flopped her chin onto his chest and gave him puppy-dog eyes.

Minho may have been tough, and Keeper of the Runners, but no amount of toughness can withstand the puppy-dog eyes. He cracked a half-smile. "Okay, okay," he relented.

"Yayyy!" Angie cheered, throwing her hands into the air. "Minho's gonna play with us!"

The fair-haired boy, Will, flashed a gap-toothed grin. "Awesome!" Apparently, the kids were the only ones who still liked Minho.

Minho stood up and made his way over to the little group. When he was close enough, Thomas arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh, so the big, tough Runner decided to play with us?" he asked teasingly.

Minho scoffed. "Maybe."

Thomas laughed, and the sound was like running water, lazy and beautiful.

Angie pointed at them commandingly, one hand on her hip, the breeze tugging at her pink-and-white dress. "Okay! We're gonna play Prince and Princess! I'm gonna be the princess, Thomas is gonna be the prince..."

"I'm gonna be the knight!" Will announced, pumping his fist in the air gleefully. Thomas and Minho exchanged an amused glance.

"...and Minho's gonna be the dragon," Angie continued. "Thomas is gonna take me to the castle, and Minho's gonna try to get the princess, and Will's gonna defend us!"

Minho mock-pouted. "How come I'm the dragon?"

"Cuz you look like one," Thomas replied sarcastically.

Minho smirked crookedly at that. "Then there must be some pretty good-looking dragons out there."

Angie pulled at Thomas' pale blue shirt. "C'mon, c'mon!" she ordered. "He's gonna get us, remember?"

"Oh, right," Thomas said. Then he grinned and scooped her up, setting her atop his shoulders. She let out a squeal of joy and sank her dainty fingers into his hair. "Let's go!"

Angie jabbed a finger to the azure sky. "To the castle!"

"To the castle!" Thomas echoed. He glanced down at Will. "Will, you have my permission to slay the ugly dragon." The he dashed for the woods, with a galloping Will and a grinning Minho behind him.

Sunlight speared down through the branches in soft shafts of gold as they weaved between the tree trunks like flitting shadows. The ground was dappled in a design of dark green and brilliant emerald, as Minho chased the princess and prince deeper into the woods. The children's laughter echoed from ahead like the impish giggles of woodland spirits. Minho began to recognize the ferns and trees around him, and realized that he knew where Angie was making Thomas go. There was a clearing in the middle of the woods, the perfect place for her castle.

He could see it now. It was a small space of soft grass, with a fat, gnarled tree in the center. It was a squat, rather cute thing, with thick, windy branches and dark, strong bark. Its branches spread outwards rather than up, and it made for a brilliant castle. Thomas was standing at the bottom of it, with Angie beaming on his shoulders. Will was already up in the tree's crown, dangling his sandaled feet over the side of a large branch.

Angie gave a little squeak when she saw Minho. "Thomas! He's coming! Climb into the castle!" She patted Thomas' head to get him moving.

"All right, hold on!" Thomas turned and started to clamber up into the tree. It took him no time at all to reach the first set of branches.

"Climbing won't save you!" Minho called deviously. He jogged to the base of the tree trunk and reached for the first limbs. He pressed the sole of one boot to the trunk and hauled himself easily up into the tree. The world was turned into a brown-and-green wonderland of colors and sunlight around him. The tree was even wider than it looked inside the layer of leaves.

Will shouted a warning and Angie twisted to look over her shoulder. She shrieked when she glimpsed Minho and slid down Thomas' back to cling to his shoulders. "Thomas! He's coming, he's coming!" she hollered.

"Get behind me!" Thomas replied, turning himself around on a thick branch and keeping Angie at his back. He was facing Minho now, inching backwards with a smile on his face.

"You can't escape a dragon forever, princess," Minho grinned, playing the part. He grabbed a sturdy limb and pulled himself up, bringing himself up onto Thomas' branch, the trunk behind him.

Angie peeked over Thomas' shoulder. "Will!" she cried. "Help! The dragon's gonna get me!"

"I can't!" came Will's reply. "Too far away!"

Thomas and Minho faced each other, equal playful grins on their faces. Minho held out his hand dramatically. "Give me the princess," he ordered in dark tones.

Thomas lifted his chin. "You'll have to come and take her from me yourself," he challenged.

They both paused in a tense moment of silence.

Then Minho just went for it. They collapsed into a giggling, laughing pile balanced on the branches, Minho reaching around Thomas to get at Angie, who was shrieking and squirming, and Thomas sandwiched between them. It was funny, and breathless, and wonderful. Minho hadn't felt this alive in days. There was a second when he drew back slightly, a shivering slice of time when he realized there was only a gasp of air between him and Thomas. He had one hand braced on the branch behind Thomas, his arm pressing against Thomas' side, and his other hand was reached up, holding himself up on a thinner tree limb. There was hardly four inches between their radiant smiles.

Thomas' chest rose and fell from the play-fight. "Give up?" he asked.

"Never," Minho replied, his head spinning woozily from how close they were. Dear God, he could smell Thomas' sweet scent of wood and grass and home. He fought the urge to bury his face in Thomas' neck and inhale more of that incredible smell.

"Then what're you waiting for, dragon?" Thomas asked. "Thinking about stealing the prince instead?"

Oh my god, was Thomas flirting with him? "You wish," Minho flashed back.

Angie knotted her fingers in Thomas' shirt. "No, don't take my prince! He's too young to be eaten by a dragon!"

"Minho's gonna EAT Thomas?!" Will's shout echoed to them.

"Bring it on!" Thomas declared boldly. His brown eyes twinkled. "I dare you, Min."

Minho's gaze flicked to Thomas' mouth without meaning to. His entire being ached: kiss me kiss me kiss me. He shoved the silent plea away. "Well, if that's what you want..." He shot one arm out, behind Thomas though, and finally grabbed Angie's wrist, making sure to be gentle.

Angie screamed in the exhilarating fear that only came from a game. "He's got me!"

"Not for long!" Thomas yelled back.

And then a curious thing happened.

Minho suddenly felt Thomas poke a hand into his side, and tingles exploded under his skin, and lightning-fast, he snatched his arm away from Angie. An odd burst of laughter escaped him, something like a giggle, but Minho never giggled. Thomas stared at him with wide eyes, a huge smile spreading across his face. "Oh my god."

Minho lost all play. "No."

"Yes."

"Thomas, no."

"Are you...ticklish, Minho?"

Minho didn't say anything.

Angie looked as though she's discovered the cure to the Flare and world hunger at the same time. "Minho's TICKLISH!" she chortled.

"NO WAY!" Will hollered back.

Thomas grinned wickedly.

Minho had two seconds to think, oh SHIT. Then he turned and literally jumped from the tree as Thomas chased after him, Angie on his heels. He hit the ground running. There is a certain, all-consuming terror that can only come from being chased through the woods by two small children and a very attractive guy, all of which are planning on tickling you until you beg for mercy. This terror cannot be beaten by any scrap of courage. Minho was very embarrassed to admit that he was feeling this terror now. And, as many of you have learned as children, there is no escape from those who want to tickle you.

They will find you.

Minho made it the whole way back to the meadow just outside the first houses of Haven before Angie caught him. He couldn't disappoint the cute little girl and besides, he was exhausted. He collapsed onto his back, snickering and trying in vain to push her off as she dug her fingers into his sides. Will joined her and they attacked from both sides, sending tiny tingles into Minho's ribs. A few older Immunes nearby stopped and watched with warm smiles on their aged faces.

Suddenly, Thomas' face appeared above Minho. "Got you," he said triumphantly.

"CRAP!" Minho scrambled to get up, but he had two toddlers on top of him.

Thomas was part of the tickling fight now, and he was older than Angie or Will so he knew what he was doing. He attacked Minho's sides, reducing the Keeper into a laughing, breathless mess. Minho twisted his body, desperate to escape, but he was trapped. "Beg for mercy!" Will crowed.

"Yeah, beg for mercy!" Angie added, tugging lightly on Minho's jet-black, tousled hair.

Thomas raised an eyebrow. "Well, Min?"

"Agh, okay, stop, please!" Minho gasped out, giggling like a freaking girl as they tickled him. The two kids stopped immediately and danced around in a circle, whooping victoriously. Thomas stopped too, his arms braced on either side of Minho's head, his body practically on top of Minho's. Minho groaned in relief and fell back against the grass. His abs were killing him. He looked up at Thomas through half-closed eyes, his chest heaving.

Thomas was just as breathless. His eyes travelled briefly over Minho stretched out beneath him. "God, you're so—" He broke off abruptly, as though he'd realized he wasn't supposed to say something.

Minho sobered instantly. "What?"

A flash of nervousness flickered over Thomas' face and he shook his head. "Nothing," he said. "It's nothing." He clambered up off of Minho and stood. Then he bent and held out his hand. Minho hesitated a beat before accepting it and letting Thomas help him up. Thomas gave a half-smile. "So, the mighty dragon falls," he observed jokingly.

Minho rolled his eyes. "By the lowest and least honorable of all fighting techniques," he added pointedly.

"Want me to call them back here?" Thomas asked, bobbing his head toward Will and Angie.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT."

Thomas grinned, happy and dazzling, and turned away to see that Will and Angie got back to their parents. Minho watched him go, a little dazed. He didn't even notice the old woman until she was beside him. "You like him, don't you?" she asked knowingly, a smile on her face, her voice like crackling paper.

Minho jumped. "What? Who?" He immediately played dumb.

"Oh, don't play dumb," the old woman scolded, reading his thoughts. She gestured at Thomas, who was reliving the battle with an excited Angie. "Him. Thomas."

"Oh." Minho rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I... Yeah."

"I knew it. I could see it in the way you looked at him." She patted his arm. "He likes you too, you know."

Surprise sparked in Minho's mind, then hope and joy filled his whole body...until shame took over. His promise... "How do you know?" he asked.

The woman replied as though she'd seen it many times before. "His eyes," she said. "They light up when he looks at you, and it's like he can't look at anyone else. You two would be perfect together, I'll tell you that." And with that, she gave his arm a final pat and shuffled away.