A/N: So I have a couple one-shots for the Hak/Yona pairing sitting around on my laptop that I'd written at some point in time and just never quite got around to finalizing. For once, I decided to get off my lazy butt and started polishing them up a little so that they could be shared with others. After all, what good would it do to just let them waste away, right? The plan thus far is for me to share whichever ones I finish editing, and this just so happens to be the first I've looked over. I'd written this one based on the premise that Yona had already fallen for Hak by this point. As always, hope you enjoy it a little and feel free to comment or criticize however you want.

The sudden snap and crackling of the warm, low campfire broke Hak from his reverie and drew his attention back to the four figures sitting around him. It was getting late and the blaze that had been started earlier for the purpose of cooking had long dwindled to a comforting glow. Despite the obvious yawns around the fire, none of his companions had moved from their spots to their beds. The other three dragons were listening to one of Jae-ha's dramatic tales and he had just arrived at some part or other about how he'd gallantly rescued a group of women. What a ridiculous story, Hak thought, amused. He didn't notice Princess Yona making her way from her tent over to join them until she had settled herself down beside him. The green dragon was just getting to the part where the women were attempting to "generously reward" him. Hak scowled and cleared his throat a few times to catch Jae-ha's attention before he could proceed with the rest of his story. He didn't think his princess needed to hear anymore of that particular tale.

Jae-ha shot Hak a knowing little smile before addressing their newcomer. "Yona dear, isn't it a bit unusual for you to be up at this time of the night?"

His question caused the princess to fidget uncomfortably. She looked around at her silent companions before bringing herself to meet Hak's questioning gaze. "Well, you see…" she began, then hesitated briefly. "I'm having a hard time falling asleep."

Hak relaxed, feeling the tension dissipate from his body. He'd thought something more severe had been troubling her. "Princess, didn't I already warn you about not getting enough sleep? You'd become so ugly, no one would marry you."

"H-how are you always so rude to the princess?!" Kija sputtered, clearly outraged by the former's casualness.

Frowning, Yona was about to protest but Jae-ha interrupted. "Are you sure, Hak? I think I know someone who would be first in line, even if he won't admit to it." He gave the Thunder Beast an annoyingly innocent smile as Yona looked back and forth between the two in confusion.

"Eh? Who might that be, Jae-ha? He sounds wonderful!" A smile brightened her face as she uttered that last phrase.

Hak chose that moment to change the subject. "Alright, Princess, so you're going to need me to hold your hand like that time at the castle, right?" That had been a little too forthright. It seemed to him that Yona stiffened and then blushed furiously but, of course, it was most likely just the glow of the firelight playing tricks on his eyes.

"'Like that time', huh? Sounds like a great campfire story, Hak. Do tell." Jae-ha was sitting comfortably, crossed-leg with an elbow on one knee, his hand supporting his chin like that of a curious child. He was leaning forward in obvious interest. "Go on. We're all listening."

Hak thought about gifting Jae-ha a well-deserved fist to the face to wipe off his smug attitude but, upon further reflection, decided that pain would only be doing the green dragon great service.

"Zeno has an idea, miss! Warm milk always helps."

Kija nodded in agreement. "Grandmother used to heat up milk for me all the time when I was young."

The yellow dragon looked pleased, laughing out loud enthusiastically before scratching his head rather sheepishly. "Zeno already drank the last of it though."

Without a word, Shin-ah walked over to Yona and offered Ao toward her. He gently nuzzled the creature's warmth up against her cheek.

"Ah, that's so sweet of you, Shin-ah," Yona said, smiling. "I would hate to take her from you though." After pondering thoughtfully, she added, "Maybe I should be asking Yoon for ideas?"

"Or, since Hak is hesitating, I could comfort you until you fall asleep if that's all that's needed," the green dragon offered. A chunk of firewood from the nearby pile flew from Hak's direction and hit Jae-ha squarely in the face.

XXXXXXXXXX

The pretty boy genius looked a little cross about having been disturbed from his sleep. Nevertheless, Yoon got up and rummaged through his bag of odd ointments and medicines.

"I'm really sorry, Yoon," Yona tried to apologize. She couldn't help feeling guilty for troubling everyone with her personal problem.

"If not you, it would have been this or that keeping me awake anyhow," Yoon muttered. He glared meaningfully at everyone else huddled around them. "Speaking of which, why aren't you beasts asleep yet? I'm going to need plenty of help with breakfast early in the morning, you know."

Hak spoke up. "What about the princess? What do you have in mind for her?"

"Don't worry, Thunder Beast. I'll make a draught with special herbs to help her sleep."

"Will it really work?" Hak looked a little more than skeptical.

"Yes. But if you drink too much, it can have a variety of side effects."

Hak couldn't help stiffening upon hearing the uncertainty of that response.

"Oh? And what do you mean by that?" Jae-ha asked, blatantly intrigued.

"It's different for everyone…mostly related to behavior, but nothing will happen to Yona. I'll have her drink just enough to fall asleep. I'm not the pretty boy genius for nothing." And then, like the mother hen that he was, Yoon ushered everyone away. He explained that he wanted to be able to focus and that the quiet would help Yona. As Hak walked away, he glanced back over his shoulder a little reluctantly. He didn't feel like leaving Yona's side but still did as he was being told to. After all, he trusted Yoon.

XXXXXXXXXX

It was some hours well past midnight and Hak was wide awake, staring up at the starry sky and quarter moon peeking out from behind a few wisps of clouds. It was a warm night and, at one point earlier, after an hour or two of lying wide awake, he'd decided that it was too crowded in the tent. Someone, most likely Zeno, had been snoring rather loudly. And so underneath a tree it would have to be, Hak had decided. Lying there by himself now, his mind began to wander a bit to the various events that had led him and Yona to meeting the rest of their companions. As irritating as they could all be at times, there was no doubt that he was grateful for their presence as well as their assistance. He'd had to learn how to trust all over again but ultimately, he'd come to accept them as friends. More like family, Hak corrected himself. After all, they shared a common goal in protecting the princess and they were reliable. Upon further consideration of the silly bunch, the corners of his lips quirked up in affectionate amusement.

Suddenly, Hak's grin disappeared. Was that footsteps he'd just heard? He sat up from the tree he'd been carelessly leaning against and quietly removed his blanket. Picking up his quandao from its resting place, Hak slowly made his way toward the direction he'd heard the sounds. The trees were casting a ton of shadows but his eyes were adjusted to the darkness, and it wasn't a particularly cloudy night. A silhouette and then some faint rustling, there was definitely someone there. He was just about to pounce on his prey when he stopped himself short in surprise, dropping his weapon in the process.

"Princess?" Hak raised an eyebrow. Surprise quickly turned into concern. "You're still up? I could have hurt you."

Before he could continue with his reprimand, Yona took a step toward him. She suddenly tripped in the process, and as she fell forward, threw her arms around him in an embrace. It was so unexpected that it knocked Hak backwards. The two of them fell together in a tangle of limbs. He slowly sat up, the Princess in his lap. Pressed against his broad chest, her arms still around his waist, Yona didn't give him a chance to speak. "Please…let me stay with you tonight."

Hak's eyes widened in disbelief. His immediate thought was that he'd misheard her since her voice had been muffled against his chest. "What did you say?" He put both hands on her small shoulders and held her away at arm's length in an attempt to hear her more properly. Yona's face was cast downward and she refused to look at him. When she didn't respond even after a moment of waiting, Hak placed a hand under her chin and gently tilted her face upward toward him and whatever light the moon was offering. "Prin-Princess?" He prompted her, somewhat anxiously.

"I want…to stay with you," she repeated, her eyes finally lifting up to meet his. "Will you let me?"

Hak had no idea how to respond to that. Flushed, he was thankful for the cover of darkness. Then, after a moment, he felt a touch of ire slowly rising in him. "Do you have any idea what you're saying? That's not something you should be throwing around so lightly." Curbing his emotions, he felt her forehead for a temperature. "Are you feeling okay, Princess?" He wondered how much of the sleeping draught she'd taken.

Yona slowly got up, standing on legs that appeared a little wobbly. She would have fallen flat on her face again had Hak not caught her and straightened her up. Great, the draught must not be working properly, Hak thought uneasily. It had made her tired and was apparently drawing out unusual behaviors; however, it hadn't actually assisted her in falling asleep at all.

The princess stood there, looking uncertain as to what she wanted to say or do next. She stared at the ground, wringing her hands seemingly nervously, but made no movement in the direction of her own bed. Picking up his quandao, Hak reached out to take her hand and then, sighing in resignation, led her over to the large tree he'd converted to his bed for the night. He sat her down against the tree before dropping himself down beside her and placing his weapon within easy enough reach. He pulled his blanket waist-high over the both of them.

"Look, Princess, is there something bothering you and keeping you awake? Do you want to talk about it?"

Yona shook her head. "I couldn't sleep...without…you close by but you weren't with the others, so I looked for you, " she said, sitting stiffly at his side.

"I don't think you being here is such a great idea," Hak mumbled, raking a hand through his hair at the somewhat sticky situation. She wouldn't understand how she affected him just by being so near. "But if it's going to help you sleep…then I guess there's nothing to be done about it."

Hearing his words, Yona inched herself closer. Hak felt her lean in and relax against his shoulder. He stiffened uncomfortably. Again, it surprised him to see Yona acting so unlike herself. It had never been natural for her to want to be so close.

After a short period of silence, Yona quietly asked, "What do you mean, Hak, when you say it's not such a great idea…for me to be here?"

How can she be so dense even when not in the right state of mind? Hak found her complete innocence staggering. He turned to her, meaning to tease her about not being able to sleep with her present snoring louder than a bear. However, the words he'd intended to express vanished from his mind. Yona was gazing up at him in earnest, her large eyes shimmering with an ethereal glow in the moonlight. Her eyes looked a little wet, somewhat suspiciously like unshed tears. Spellbound, Hak stared. He didn't have any words to properly describe the vision in front of him. Likewise, Yona silently stared back, the night's gentle breeze whispering and caressing over her skin and soft hair. In that magical instant, it appeared to Hak as if the entire world had shrunk to merely the two of them and the protective tree they were sitting up against. Nothing else mattered. His face began to move toward hers. Screw Soo-won. Screw that damn hairpin. It seemed as if Yona's lips were silently calling out to him, drawing his own slowly downward, closer and closer toward hers. Her body was giving off too much heat, causing his to burn with a roaring intensity in response.

Then, moments just before their lips touched, Hak snapped his mind back to reality, to sanity and safety. What the hell am I doing? He stopped, instantly drawing himself back. He'd promised to stop "playing pranks". Yona should have flinched away as he'd moved toward her. Yet, she had tilted her chin upward as if she'd been willing, as if she'd actually been…eager. Idiot, she's not herself tonight. Hak shook his head a little to help clear his mind. How selfish was he to try to take advantage of her during such a time? How could he have forgotten reality? Feeling ashamed and disgusted with himself, he reached out to set a gentle hand on her head before feigning a smile. "Go to sleep." His words were curt, dismissive. As was proper. He caught a flash of disappointment in her expression and he was suddenly overcome by a deep, deep sense of yearning. Hak wanted that disappointment to be real. He desperately wanted it to be so that he could reach out, take her into his arms, and slowly kiss it all away. Clearly though, none of this was reality. Another factor was influencing her at the moment and there was no use in denying any of it. You're not the one. Just be happy for her, and it'll be enough. To carry this out any further would hurt not only Yona but fill him with cruel, bitter disappointment when reality set in with the rising sun. The only time that expression could have been on his princess' face in this situation would have been in a dream. A beautiful one, he thought wistfully.

Hak continued to remain silent and, a little indecisively, Yona resettled herself against his shoulder. She let out a little sigh. The air that hung between them seemed far too heavy. Eventually, her breathing slowed down to a gentle crawl. Hak's jaw tightened. He wasn't about to make it known how physically and emotionally miserable he was with her soft body pressed up against him. As he looked down at her, he could see her breasts rising and falling with every deep and even breath. Too close. Quickly, he turned his face away. She was definitely far too close. "It's safer for you in your own bed, Princess," Hak muttered miserably, turning back to stare at her. Tenderly, he brushed the back of one knuckle along her cheek. In sleep, her beautiful face was completely at ease, stress-free. For her, the weight of the world seemed far away at the moment and Hak was grateful for it.

"I'll protect you at any cost…against any enemy…" he vowed. "…even against me. And if I have to distance myself to do it…then…" Removing the blanket, Hak carefully picked her up and carried her back toward her own bed.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hak? What are you doing?"

White Snake. Damn it. The last thing Hak wanted in the middle of the night was one of Kija's long-winded speeches on nobility and honor. He was pretty sure he'd far rather sleep, so why did they have to run into each other as he was trying to make his way past his companions' sleeping quarter? Already, he could see suspicion collecting on Kija's face.

"Are you…are you…wh-what did you do to the sleeping Princess?!"

"Kija, lower your voice." Jae-ha stuck his head out of their tent. "What are you shouting abou – ah, Hak!" He paused, noting Yona sleeping comfortably in the arms of the Thunder Beast.

"That rude man did something to the Princess!" Kija continued, pointing a claw at Hak.

"Tch. I wouldn't dream of it," Hak replied nonchalantly. He flicked his chin in the direction of Jae-ha. "If you're going to worry about anyone being irresponsible, it would be perverted Droopy Eyes over there."

"Oh, come now," Jae-ha replied pleasantly with a smile on his face. "That's no way to treat a friend. But, wow, whatever you did to Yona has made her so tired even Kija's shouting hasn't disturbed her."

Kija's jaw dropped. He rounded his attention back on Hak. "Wait, wha-what does that mean? What did you do to her?!"

Hak sighed impatiently. The conversation wasn't getting anywhere, and he wanted nothing more at the moment than Yona safely back in her bed. He was deciding how to best respond to get away when his thoughts were interrupted by a voice laced with unconcealed irritation.

"What are you beasts shouting and hollering about at this time of the night?!" Yoon was rubbing both eyes tiredly, clearly upset at having been disturbed yet again.

"I found the Princess wandering around acting strangely," Hak replied. "Just how much of that horrible brew did you have her drink anyway?"

"Eh? What do you mean?" Yoon looked rather puzzled as Hak's question sobered his temper. "Yona decided she didn't want it after all."

Hak froze in surprise, his mind quickly running through the princess' behaviors. Noting his dark-haired companion's expression as the knowledge came to light, Jae-ha's interest was immediately piqued. "So what exactly do you mean by 'acting strangely', Hak?" When the former didn't reply, Jae-ha continued in amused fashion, "Don't be keeping it to yourself now. The rest of us are all worried about our dear Yona too."

If Hak had heard Jae-ha, he didn't acknowledge it. "If she didn't take it…then…huh? Was I imagining it all? Am I that tired?"

"Well?" Jae-ha prompted, watching Hak frown and mumble to himself.

"…nothing, pervert."

"What do you mean 'nothing'"?

"'Nothing' means nothing," Hak said, walking away as Yona stirred in his arms, nestling herself contently against his chest.

"Kija, Hak won't tell us what he did to our Yona."

"Unacceptable!" Kija took off after Hak, continuing to argue and clearly refusing to drop the subject.

"Sheesh!" Yoon rolled his eyes. "I don't think I'll be getting any sleep the rest of the night. What a pain!"

~FIN