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“Choi Han…,” Cale mumbled weakly as he tried to push the overly worried swordsman’s hand away, “I’ll be fine stop fretting so much.”
Choi Han frowned, Cale didn’t even have enough strength to push his hand away. Not that it was surprising, Cale was pretty weak after all, but Choi Han could usually feel a faint sign of resistance if he tried to manhandle him in a way he didn’t like. However, the push was feather light; it was as if Cale hadn’t even tried to move his hand away in the first place.
He was getting weaker. Even if Cale refused to admit it, Choi Han could immediately tell that he wasn’t getting any better.
The general nausea has been a constant for a few weeks now. Cale had always been rather fragile and sickly so it wasn’t a surprise for him to have some random lingering aches and pains. Especially when it was a particularly chilly winter this year. They both figured he was coming down with something and prepared accordingly.
However, as soon as the fever hit none of the medicine they prepared worked. Instead Cale’s fever continued to rise and the nausea had become even worse. Cale could barely keep anything down anymore, only managing to stomach a few morsels of porridge before feeling the urge to vomit.
It didn’t help that during the last few hours Cale’s vomit started to become laced with blood. At this point Choi Han wasn’t sure if it was from the constant vomiting from the past few days tearing his throat apart or something worse.
He was too scared to find out.
Choi Han frowned even harder as he rested his hand against Cale’s forehead. He was still burning up and he was completely drenched in sweat. It hadn’t even been two hours since the last time he checked and Cale had become even clammier and was shivering even harder than before.
Usually the copious amounts of sweat indicated that the fever was finally lowering and it was… only for it to come back with a vengeance a few hours later. This cycle had been repeating itself for the past few days and Choi Han had exhausted every type of remedy they had.
Unfortunately, this meant Choi Han would have to travel to the nearby village and see if they had any other medicine on hand.
Choi Han looked at Cale as he wheezed, hazy eyes fighting off sleep as he tried to act like everything was alright and he wasn’t slowly dying from whatever illness he managed to come down with. He really didn’t want to leave him alone, especially when he was this sick. Cale could barely get up on his own anymore at this point.
However, unless Choi Han would rather watch him slowly die from this sickness while begging the gods to let a miracle happen he really should go to town tomorrow. Making up his mind he grabbed a wet rag from the bed stand and sat Cale up.
“Cale-nim,” Choi Han softly muttered as he wiped the sweat from Cale’s face, “I’m going to head to the village tomorrow.”
Cale blinked slowly, processing what Choi Han had said. Bleary reddish brown eyes turned towards him as Cale laid his head against his shoulder, “Will… you be alright…”
Choi Han smiled softly as he gently caressed Cale’s head, “Of course. I just need to buy some stronger medicine. I think the ones we have right now aren’t working.”
It was silent once again; Cale staring off into space as if he hadn’t really heard what Choi Han had said. However, after another beat he closed his eyes and mumbled, “...Be safe.”
“Of course Cale-nim. I can’t leave you by yourself after all.”
Choi Han leaned in and kissed Cale’s forehead hoping this would help comfort him somewhat. However, as he got ready to get off the bed to tuck Cale in and head into his own room a shaky hand quickly grabbed his shirt, “It’s…,” Cale shuffled underneath his blanket, “It’s cold.”
Knowing how his Cale is, Choi Han knew he was asking him to stay with him in the most stoic and roundabout way. It was so very cute. Cale was so absolutely adorable that Choi Han couldn’t help, but tease, “In that case how about I get more firewood for my sick Cale.”
Choi Han couldn’t help but laugh as he was met with the most indignant glare. It definitely would’ve been a lot more intimidating had Cale’s pouting face not been half covered with his blanket.
“You know what I meant…”
“I do,” Choi Han softly muttered as he removed the outer layers of his clothes to get more comfortable. He lifted the blanket and quickly cuddled up next to Cale, making sure he was comfortable and wouldn’t get suffocated from his body heat. However, as soon as Choi Han had settled in Cale attached himself to Choi Han, burying his face against the swordsman’s broad chest.
In response, Choi Han just held him even closer and kissed his bright red locks. Although Choi Han had to head out early tomorrow he stayed awake all night, even after Cale’s breath had evened out he stayed awake.
It was hard to sleep when - despite being even - Cale’s breath still felt shallow.
—————————♡—————————
“...Is that-”
“Oh m-.... I can’t be-”
“... that dev-... where could-...”
Choi Han always hated having to come to the village. He and Cale lived on a hill overlooking the place a mile or two away. The distance wasn’t a problem. Honestly, Choi Han could probably clear the distance in a few minutes if he ran all the way there.
The real problem was the villagers.
While they never outright attacked him or Cale - not after what he did to them the first time he witnessed them try to hurt Cale - the amount of gossiping and vicious stares thrown their way was overwhelming. Choi Han really doesn’t know how Cale managed to put up with this for years before they met.
From what Choi Han understood, Cale had lived in that house atop the hill all his life and for that entire time the village absolutely despised him. The villagers themselves had never been kind to outsiders. Always convinced that all outsiders did was bring unnecessary trouble and ruin to the village. They’d tolerate you if you were passing by, but actually trying to settle there even in the outskirts of the village? Absolutely not.
Unfortunately - in Choi Han’s opinion - Cale’s parents had decided to settle down on top of that hill away from the village. He doesn’t understand why his parents decided that staying here and putting up with the villagers' vitriol was worth it, but they did and had Cale in the years they stayed there.
Of course, being the child of outsiders, Cale was bound to deal with quite a lot of looks and terrible gossip from the villagers. Unfortunately, that annoyance turned into downright animosity once they learned that Cale had blood red hair. For a village that was quite closed off and superstitious, the fact that a child with red hair now lived a mile or two away from the village was a topic of shock and rumors.
Hair the color of something quite ominous such as blood had led the villagers who had never seen anything like it before to believe Cale was a demon of some kind. Someone who would bring absolute misfortune to the village. Of course that belief was absolutely untrue and stupid. Cale just had a really unique hair color, but they wouldn’t or more so refuse to believe it.
Cale had become the scapegoat for all of the village’s problems.
Bad harvest that year? It’s Cale’s fault.
A terrible storm came through the village? Cale.
Your children get sick? Definitely Cale’s fault.
With how much slander and violence thrown Cale’s way it’s a surprise that he still chooses to stay. When Choi Han had asked why Cale had simply shrugged and said that his parents and hyungs still lived in that house. He couldn’t just leave them behind.
Choi Han had simply smiled sadly and said he understood. He couldn’t fault Cale for wanting to stay with his family. Even if all that was left of them were their graves.
He doesn’t know how they died - Choi Han highly suspects the villagers have something to do with it - but he doesn’t want to bother Cale for the details. Choi Han believes he will tell him when he’s ready.
“That rabid animal is here today. Hah where’s the little demon lord who controls him?”
“Shhhh, what if that thing hears you. I don’t even want it looking in my direction…”
Choi Han clicked his tongue. He was too distracted thinking about Cale that he’d been standing around in the village too long. As much as he’d love to continue to glare at every villager in sight and put them in their place, Cale was his top priority and he really didn’t want to leave him alone for too long.
—————————♡—————————
The doctor didn’t even look at him as he threw some remedies over his shoulder. Choi Han caught them with ease and inspected them. He had to be sure the doctor wasn’t trying to rip them off again by offering the exact same medicine in a prettier bottle and claiming they were more effective.
While the village doctor was nowhere near as bad as the rest of the villagers - he at least didn’t try to put up a fight or snark at him the entire time he was trying to buy something - he still had his own prejudices and refused to utter a word to him or Cale.
After determining the doctor had actually given him stronger medicine he left the payment on the counter and walked out without a word. It had taken a little longer than Choi Han had hoped, but he got the medicine and could only hope that this would help with the nausea at least. Perhaps the reason Cale’s fever had not dropped was because he could barely stomach any sort of nutrients lately.
Wanting to get back to Cale quickly, Choi Han was about to start running back when a commotion at a nearby inn caught his attention.
It sounded like the villagers were harassing another poor soul who decided to stay in the village for the night. Shaking his head at the predictability of it all, Choi Han started to run back towards the house when suddenly the front door of the inn opened, causing him to nearly run right through it.
“You’re all fucking crazy!! Who the hell-,” A man with long blue hair tied up in a ponytail is promptly dragged through the front door by another man with purple hair.
“Glenn, did you hear that fucked up bullshit! Why are you dragging me away??”
The purple haired man, Glenn, sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, “...I did.”
“This village is messed up. Why are we even staying here?”
Hearing their predicament, Choi Han couldn’t help but chime in, “This village isn’t exactly kind to outsiders. I suggest you find another place to stay.”
The blue haired man turned to look at him as he scratched the back of his head, “They’re not even kind to their own either.”
“How so?” From what Choi Han knew of the village, while they are a detestable sort who are completely vile towards outsiders, he cannot recall a time they had been openly hostile towards each other.
Glenn sighed as he walked closer to Choi Han and whispered, “We overheard some villagers boasting about how they’ve been poisoning the food they’ve been selling to someone they dub the devil.”
“It’s absolutely fucked! They were laughing it up in there saying it was only a matter of time before he finally died and freed this village from his tyranny!”
Glenn sighed in exasperation and yelled at his friend, Bud, to lower his voice. However, he didn’t hear any of that. Choi Han’s mind had whited out.
Poison.
Devil.
They’ve been poisoning the food he and Cale had been eating… for how long now?
They were trying to kill them. Kill Cale.
They were trying to take away his most precious person.
Cale. He couldn’t let anything happen to him. He promised. He needs Cale to live.
Live or else Choi Han might really go insane.
Bud was still animatedly talking about how he’d like to go back in there and beat the shit out of those villagers when he was suddenly cut off by bags being shoved into his hands. He looked towards Choi Han who had been silent the entire time and flinched, hard.
Bud hadn’t been paying him too much attention, too caught up in the outrage over the villagers blatant bragging of attempted murder, but he couldn’t help but shiver at the oppressive and murderous aura coming from this guy. His eyes looked completely dead and while he couldn’t see it, Bud could sense a wild despairing aura swirling around Choi Han.
“Go to the house on the hill. Medicine,” Choi Han pointed towards the medicine bag, “Payment.” He pointed towards the other bag and was about to walk into the inn when Bud grabbed him by the arm.
“Wait, what the hell are you talking about!?”
Choi Han glared viciously and ripped his arm out of Bud’s grip, “Cale-nim is the devil to these people…”
Without another word Choi Han walked into the inn and unsheathed his sword.
It would be a long while before he could return home that day.
—————————♡—————————
It was late into the night by the time Choi Han had managed to get home.
He had to see Cale.
Choi Han quickly walked towards Cale’s bedroom and opened the door, seeing that both Glenn and Bud had actually listened to him and were sitting by Cale’s bedside.
“...He’s not doing so well,” Bud muttered.
Glenn sighed as he looked at Cale, ghost white with feverish red cheeks, clammy and trembling, “I don’t know if he’s going to make it…”
“I have the antidote.”
Both Glenn and Bud jumped from their seats, whirling around to see Choi Han standing at the doorway.
“Holy shi- What did you do?? You’re drenched in blood…”
Choi Han didn’t bother answering and simply pushed past both of them and stopped in front of Cale. He looked much worse than he did when he left him this morning. Choi Han wasn’t even sure if Cale had known that two strangers were essentially tending to him for hours now. He supposes it doesn’t matter since they at least had kept him alive and clean.
Later, when he’s sure Cale will make it and he’s regained a bit of his sanity, he’ll need to properly thank Bud and Glenn.
“Cale-nim,” Choi Han whispered as he gently sat Cale up and cradled him against his chest, “I’m home.”
“Hey, I don’t think-,” Glenn quickly slapped his hands over Bud’s mouth and shook his head.
“Let’s just go. I think…,” Glenn shudders, “We should probably check up on the village.”
Without another word the two quietly slip out of the house. Choi Han barely pays them any mind as he digs the antidote out of his pouch.
“I’m sorry I’m late, but I have something that will definitely help you.”
He mumbled a soft ‘excuse me’ as he poured the antidote into his mouth, gently grabbed Cale’s face and kissed him. Once Choi Han made sure that every last drop was swallowed by Cale he pulled away, faintly noting a string of saliva tinged with blood had formed.
For a long while Choi Han had sat in silence just observing the rise and fall of Cale’s chest. To his utter relief he could feel Cale’s breathing becoming stronger and steadier as the night wore on. With teary eyes and a shaking smile, Choi Han softly caressed Cale’s cheeks and froze.
Right.
He was still covered in blood and had just smeared it all over Cale.
Shaking his head and laughing helplessly at just how vicious and terrible he is, Choi Han is about to pull away when Cale suddenly leans into his hand, rubbing his face against it and lightly smiling as he mumbles a soft, “...Choi Han.”
“I’m here,” Choi Han nearly sobbed, “Cale-nim…” He hugged Cale even tighter. It was hitting Choi Han now, just how close he had been to losing Cale along with his own sanity.
Whatever morals Choi Han held himself to didn’t matter if it involved Cale. If Choi Han had to dirty his hands to save Cale, even if Cale himself was begging him not to do it Choi Han would still do it if it meant Cale got to live on this world for another day.
Sometimes, it scared Choi Han a little - how far gone he was mentally - and if Choi Han is scared he wonders how Cale would feel if he were to learn just how far he’d go for him and him alone.
Choi Han softly pressed his lips to Cale’s blood red hair and mumbled, “If you knew about the darkness inside of me, would you still stay?”
As much as he wishes for Cale to still accept him, he wasn’t so selfish and self centered to expect that Cale would. The things he’s capable of doing, he wouldn’t be surprised if Cale rejected him after finding out.
However, even if Cale didn’t want anything to do with him anymore, Choi Han would still make sure he would stay safe.
He would make sure of it this time.