Chapter Text
“It’s Thomas André, isn’t it?”
Jin-Ho asks, shoving a coffee into his hands. Jin-Woo is pretty sure that it's not his job to make him his coffee, that he already has shadows dedicated solely to maintaining the coffee machine but Jin-Ho's coffee is always the best, so he doesn’t protest. He puts down his pen, and pushes away the papers he was reading to concentrate on his little brother, take the time to think about what he just said to him, and wonder from what Thomas’ name has to do with this conversation.
“What are you talking about?” He finally asks, between sips of coffee.
“Jin Woo.” And it’s very rare for Jin-Ho to call him by his first name. “You’ve seen him seven times since the end of the war against the dragons.”
In reality, Jin-Woo has seen Thomas more than seven times since the end of the fight against Antares, but he didn't tell Jin-Ho all of them, so as not to worry him. It must be believed that despite everything, he was a little too honest and failed to protect the nerves of the vice master of his guild.
“It’s not that much; we must coordinate efforts for the reconstruction.”
It's not that he's trying to make up for it, but he knows Jin-Ho. He knows how quickly he can drift, how quickly he can get caught up in a thought and be unable to escape. If he thinks too long about Jin-Woo's presence in the United States, he could slip into a hole far too big for him to escape alone. It's not that Jin-Woo doesn't want to tell him the truth, it's just that he knows how Jin-Ho works.
“It’s been less than a month.” Jin-Ho responds, and there's a little erratic tone in his voice. "And you spent more than one night there... While no meeting was in progress.”
Clearly, Jin-Woo needs to rethink his plans. For Jin-Ho to come to such conclusions, it is because he already understands well what happened. He sighs and finishes his coffee in several quick gulps so he can put the cup down. In front of him, his little brother has his hands behind his back, probably to hide their wetness. He tries to look Jin-Woo in the eyes but the moment their eyes meet, he lowers his head.
“You're not interested in anything related to relationships, and you've never expressed any interest in sex.” Jin-Ho blushes as he says the word, and it's almost cute. “So I admit that I wonder… Is it him?”
Jin-Woo sighs again, but at least the question is clear enough for him to be sure where Jin-Ho is going with this. He stands up and runs a hand through his little brother's hair, ruffling it in the process.
“Just because he’s my soulmate doesn’t mean I’ll let him lay a single finger on you.” He says in a firm voice, “I will never let anyone hurt you again, Thomas included.”
Jin-Ho makes a small face at him, and forces him to stop messing up his hair. He hits Jin-Woo's shoulder with his fist, gently, because he must know that the only thing he would succeed in doing if he used force is to hurt himself. Jin-Ho sighs and looks up at him, his grimace disappearing to give way to a small smile.
“Well, I appreciate you fighting him for me back then.” He says and Jin-Woo smiles too.
“I massacred him you mean.”
Jin-Ho laughs, as if the memories he evokes are pleasant. Jin-Woo would rather forget them, to be completely honest. He spent too much time looking for Jin-Ho while Hwang Dong-Soo was torturing him. He failed as a hunter, as a friend, as a guild master, and as a big brother. Remembering what happened in the United States is painful because it was a bitter failure, on all levels.
“Yeah! All I wanted to say is that… I have nothing against Thomas André!” Jin-Ho exclaims, before grimacing, certainly aware that he is lying. “I mean, he freaks me out and I'm pretty sure he has a jaw big and powerful enough to rip off a head, and I'm honestly convinced he could rip my neck off with one hand.”
Jin-Ho laughs, a little hysterical, and Jin-Woo imagines the scene for a second before putting it out of his mind. When he speaks, he is aware that his voice is a little deeper.
“He won’t lay a single finger on you.”
“And honestly,” Jin-Ho continues, as if he hadn't been interrupted, “he has the look of a killer, but in a literal sense – sometimes I think he's thinking about the best way to kill me ! And I was really convinced that he could have killed me just with his look when I met him and you weren't there! And it seemed like it amused him! I swear, I think he's the type who likes to cause pain.”
Jin-Ho laughs again, still between nervousness and hysteria and Jin-Woo allows himself to smile because very clearly, if that's what he thinks of Thomas, it shows that he doesn't know him . Not that Jin-Woo wants to change that of course, he is aware that his soulmate has spent more than a decade creating a scary reputation, and he is doing nothing to change that.
“Well, all that to say. If that's your kind of men, I have no problem with it.” Jin-Woo raises an eyebrow at that, and he must look really doubtful since Jin-Ho continues. “Really. And if you like him, I'm happy for you and it's really cool that you met your soulmate.”
“Jin-Ho.” Jin-Woo sighs, trying to stop him, but his little brother doesn't even seem to hear him as he takes a breath before starting again.
“And I’m sure he has many qualities, even if they aren’t necessarily visible. I won't say he's nice, but maybe that's because I don't know him. Maybe it turns out that with the people he likes, he is very nice. And he’s not stingy! I mean, he gave you Kamish's daggers and I can't even imagine how much they’re worth.”
“Jin-Ho.” Jin-Woo sighs again, without any more success.
Attempts to stop him are ineffective and he should have known better. He knew that the moment Jin-Ho launched into an idea, it became completely impossible to stop him. He should have stopped him before he even started, to avoid this for both of them. The only thing Jin-Ho will succeed in doing is making himself panic, a little more with each thought that comes to his mind.
“Besides, he must be damn rich.” Jin-Ho laughs a little, softly. “Most powerful hunter in the United States, and strongest national rank hunter in the world for almost a decade, and master of the Scavenger guild. I mean, I know that money doesn't particularly interest you, but it's still a quality... Isn’t it?” There's a second of hesitation and Jin-Woo finds himself thinking that he's finished, before he continues again, "And then, he's damn big, and often, there's still a sort of proportionality so I'm sure the nights go well.”
“Jin-Ho, please shut up.” Jin-Woo orders, letting some of his mana fly around him for the order to be heard.
"Sorry.”
Jin-Ho lowers his head and keeps his eyes fixed on the ground, until Jin-Woo gently taps his forehead with his index finger. This conversation is stupid, and they shouldn't be having it, but since he has no choice and has too much respect for Jin-Ho to just leave, without turning around and ending the conversation like that, it is better for Jin-Woo to end the conversation as he wishes, if possible by ensuring that it never comes back.
“It’s normal that you’re afraid of Thomas.” He explains, trying to sound a little reassuring. “You don’t have to pretend otherwise.”
“But he’s your soulmate. What if one day…”
“…We just survived an interplanetary war, Jin-Ho.” Jin-Woo cuts him off immediately. “Tomorrow is another day.”
And Jin-Woo speaks with such finality in his voice that even Jin-Ho pauses. He sighs, and finally, he agrees to look Jin-Woo in the eyes. Does he know how much affection Jin-Woo has for him? Does he know that he never forgave Thomas for letting his guild touch him? Does he know that Jin-Woo could kill even his soulmate if Jin-Ho were to ask him?
…
“How’s my favorite fucking asshole doing?” Thomas asks, his voice ringing, as he forces him into a hug.
And Thomas' lips are warm against his neck, and his hands are strong on his back, and Jin-Woo feels like his heart starts beating again when he's with him. And Jin-Woo wouldn't say he's in love, but their powers meet and beat in a rhythm that's uniquely theirs. And Jin-Woo wouldn't say he's in love, but he knows he can relax when he's with him without having to watch his back.
“You’re scaring my little brother.” He admits, with a small smile.
Thomas steps back from him a little, to give him a questioning look – his face is expressive enough that he doesn't have to talk about anything, really. This is something Jin-Woo appreciates. Since he became so powerful, the people around him have lost their spontaneity: Woo Jin-Chul has never been very expressive, neither has Cha Hae-In – but even his sister and mother make sure to better hide their emotions. They're trying to get him to not care about them, and it's failing.
“I didn’t know you had a little brother.” Thomas finally answers.
“Jin-Ho.” Jin-Woo explains, because Thomas has already met Jin-Ah, not that they were properly introduced but Jin-Woo was clear enough for his sister to understand that they are more than friends.
“…Is he the one you fought against me for?”
“He’s the one I beat the shit out of you for.”
“How wonderful those times were.” Thomas responds without missing a beat, a slight smile on his lips.
And Jin-Ho thinks Thomas likes to hurt people, but he couldn't be more wrong. The man was already on one knee when Jin-Woo made him eat dust, without even knowing that fate had decided to associate them. He revealed it to him afterward, when they got to know each other a little more than as their respective countries' most powerful hunters, and Jin-Woo was less surprised than he could have been.
“I will never harm what is yours.” Thomas adds after a moment.
" I know.”
Because they are the same. Thomas was willing to die to protect Hwang Dong-Soo, no matter his mistakes, no matter his disobedience. And Jin-Ho belongs to Jin-Woo, because he is his friend, his brother, a member of his guild so he would be willing to die to protect him. Not that he needs it of course, but he would be willing to do it.
“Not just because you’d kill me before I get the idea, eh!”, Thomas laughs, raising both hands in the air as a sign of peace. “I don’t want to hurt you, so I won’t do anything to those you love.”
It's well into the evening when they take the time to start talking again, and Thomas' scent is all around him, and their magics blend so well - and he's weak compared to Jin-Woo but so strong when compared to the rest of the world. He doesn't need to protect him, he can protect himself, and he can protect the people he cares about and the people Jin-Woo cares about.
“If you had an opportunity to start over, would you take it?” He asks, a hand in Thomas' hair.
" No.” The man responds, without opening his eyes.
“Even if it could make you travel in time before the gates came? Even if you could…”
“I wouldn’t take it.” Thomas insists. “It doesn’t matter when this time travel takes me back.”
And Thomas has lost a lot since the gates arrived: his mother, his father, other family members, childhood friends and newer friends, co-workers, subordinates and neighbors. He would have as much reason as Jin-Woo to want to go back in time and try to prevent their deaths.
“Men die Jin-Woo. Because of gates, wars, illnesses or just old age.” He elaborates a little, opening his eyes and turning to face him. “Preventing portals from arriving in our world wouldn't change that.”
Jin-Woo lets his fingers run along his soulmate's back, where words are written into his skin, binding them both together. Thomas smiles at him, his teeth bared, without any concern for the world, as if the world didn't matter. It does – when the night is over, they will both return to their obligations in their respective countries.
“You fought for this peace, you deserve to enjoy it.” Thomas adds, kissing his forehead. “And honestly, I want to enjoy it with you.”