To love and to Hate

6: Are you taking care of me?

Jisung wished the afternoon sun could burn away the memory of that morning. And the fact that he wasn't feeling well wasn't helping with the strange, foreign taste of the memory.

Oddly enough, Jisung was able to fall asleep smushed against his self-declared enemy in such a way, but the following morning he woke completely tangled with Minho. So much so that it took him a few long seconds to realize which limbs belonged to him. They had basically been sleeping like lovers, and it sent strange waves of unknown emotions crashing through his entire being.

If only Mage Minho wasn't so good looking. Things would be so much easier. Probably. It was unfair that someone so brutish and rude was so handsome.

The mages didn't say a word about that morning, they merely packed up camp, dressed in clothes that were still a bit damp, and forced themselves to continue up the mountain. It was far more difficult to travel now that a new layer of snow covered everything, but at the very least the sun was out and it was giving off a small amount of warmth.

By the time they reached the town, Jisung's entire body was stiff and sore, and the clothes he currently wore were chafing in the worst ways possible. Minho was grumbling complaints just in front of him, and for once he could mentally agree with what the water mage was complaining about. Jisung wasn't afraid to shake more money out of the townspeople if they didn't offer enough for all they went through just to get there.

The mayor of the town was quick to greet them, like he'd been waiting for mages to arrive at any time, and he spoke so fast that Jisung nearly didn't catch a single word the man said.

"You two showed up on a good day, the goblins absolutely hate the sun, and we rarely see it. They've gone off to hide among the rocks around the quarry up that way," he said, pointing up a steep slope along the backside of the town.

"Do you know how many there are?" Jisung asked, hoping that he hadn't missed the mayor already mentioning that information.

"It's hard to say, they stick together in groups to make it easier to terrorize my citizens. But our rough estimate is about fifty."

Jisung closed his eyes, fighting the need to groan and roll his eyes.

Minho spoke up before he had the chance to reply. "Well you seem to have quite the problem on your hands, that's why we're here. But before we get into the job, we need a room and access to a bath. And possibly some warm food, if that's possible."

The mayor seemed to hesitate, lightly scratching his balding head. "Well, as you might have guessed by now, we don't get very many visitors this far up in the Amulet Mountains, so we don't have very many accommodations. But I may know someone that would be willing to help you two."

Jisung was having a hard time believing that, but the two mages followed the mayor through the snow-covered town anyway. After a short time, they stopped at a small house of stone that had a rather saggy roof and small windows.

The mayor knocked on the door loudly. "Jeongin, you in? We've got some mages here to help us, but they need a place to rest."

It didn't take long for the cracking door to swing open, and a young man with well styled, black hair and bright green fox-like eyes appeared. He smiled warmly. "Oh, yes, come on in. I have plenty of room." He wrapped the brown coat he wore tighter around his body and stepped back in a welcoming motion.

The mayor began backing away with a satisfied smile. "Once you gentlemen are settled down, you can come down to the town hall and we'll discuss payment and such."

"We'll be there," Minho said off-handedly, barely even sparing a glance at the mayor as he stepped into the house.

Of course he was being rude. Jisung stopped in front of their spontaneous host and held his hand out. "I'm Jisung, and that's..." oh, how he wanted to insult him, "Minho. Thank you for helping us."