Here is chapter 4! I only own my character, and if you like it, let me know!

Chapter 4

This chapter has a time jump.

Everyone's ages are as follows...

Yuuri-10

Hak-13

Soo-won-14

Minsu-17

Gija-12

Shinah-14

Jaeha-18

Yoon-11

Thanks and enjoy!

"Zeno's been gone a while. I hope he's ok," Yuuri said, looking out at the snow covered courtyard in boredom.

"I'm sure he's fine," Hak said distractedly as he sharpened the beginner's glave he'd gotten from the prince. Sometimes it rocked having a rich kid as a friend.

"I know, but I miss him AND I didn't get to give him his Christmas present yet!" Yuuri whined, falling on his back with a huff.

"What about a Christmas present?"

Yuuri yelped in surprise and opened his eye to stare up at the boy above him in horror.

"Hak, you didn't warn me!" Yuuri wailed, sitting up rapidly and covering his one eye quickly.

"He's your Cousin, Yuuri, you can't avoid him forever," Hak said, rolling his eyes.

Secretly, he thought it was hilarious how Soo-won tried so hard to be friends with his little cousin, who had no interest in returning the sentiment.

"Yuuri, don't be so mean, or I might start to think you hate me," the little blonde haired boy said with a little pout.

"I do hate you," Yuuri deadpanned, crossing his arms and glowering at him.

"Now, now, prince. Play nice why don't you," Hak said, amused.

"...fine, but only cuz it's christmas," Yuuri grumbled unhappily.

Hak saw Yuuri glare at a seemingly innocent patch of air and snickered. One of the other dragons must have scolded him.

"Yuuri, you really should be nicer to your cousin, he is family," Abi said, holding up his hands in surrender when the boy turned to glower at him, but smiled when Yuuri agreed, grumpily.

"I didn't know you were visiting, so I don't have a present for you yet," Yuuri told Soo-won, crossing his arms defensively.

"That's ok! I got you a present though," Soo-won said cheerfully, holding out a medium, sloppily wrapped, package.

Giving the older boy a suspicious look, Yuuri accepted the gift and unwrapped it.

Inside were several little hard candies, a pair of mittens knitted with a thick yarn that was nearly the same red as his hair, and a scarf the same color.

"Thanks," Yuuri mumbled, relieved that his cousin hadn't given him something girly like last year.

"Open up the scarf!" Soo-won said in response, dancing a bit in place in excitement.

Yuuri looked down in renewed suspicion, but obeyed after a moment. He stared in surprise.

Wrapped up inside the scarf were two additional gifts. A small rectangle box made of a beautiful red tinted wood and a cloth pouch with drawstrings lay in the center.

Yuuri opened the wood box first. Inside, laying on a soft cloth, was a small Barrett.

The main part was made from some type of bone, and was cool and smooth to the touch. But what had truly caught his attention, was the snarling red dragon that adorned it, it's body made from small red jewels and the claws and teeth were made from small black jewels as well. The eyes and mane down the dragon's neck were made from the most beautiful blue jewel he'd ever seen.

"The clasp part was made from a whale, and the dragon is made of rubies, black opals, and the blue ones are called sapphires!" Soo-won's cheerful voice broke thru his concentration and he looked up, surprised and confused.

"Why a barrette though? I've told you I'm not a girl. And...why a dragon?" Yuuri asked, more curious than annoyed.

Soo-won shrugged and sat down across from him. He met yuuri's eye with a smile.

"I know, but, you have long hair. I'm assuming since I've never seen you with it short, that you would like it long, I thought you'd like something to help hold it out of your face. The dragon? Well I suppose, because it seemed right. When I saw it, I knew it was perfect for you," he said easily before gesturing excitedly.

"Come on then! Open the other one!" He said excitedly.

Yuuri set the wood box down beside him gently and turned his attention to the cloth bag. He opened it and tipped it upside down to let what was inside tip into his open palm.

It was a small eye patch. It was made from an animal pelt of some kind that had been tanned and dyed a muted black color. On the part that would cover his eye, several flower blossoms had been painted, the black making the paint seem even more bright.

"These are..." Yuuri whispered, suddenly feeling shaky.

"Iris and sakura blossoms. They're your favorite kind of flower, right?" Soo-won asked.

Yuuri wiped his suddenly wet eye and nodded.

"Mama loved the iris and I liked the sakura blossoms, it's why the gardens have so many of those flowers and trees," Yuuri admitted quietly, clutching the patch tight to his chest.

"The patch and string is made from a rabbit pelt. The vendor I talked to said it wouldn't scratch or irritate your skin like cloth or leather ones do, cuz it's so soft and he even added the flowers for no charge once I told him it was for my little cousin. Do you like it?" Soo won asked, beginning to worry when Yuuri refused to answer.

"I'm sorry! I didn't want to make you sad, I thought you'd like it! Please don't cry! Look, I'll put it away so you don't need to see it anymore, ok? So please don't he sad, it's Christmas, you're supposed to be happy!" Soo-won babbled, reaching for the patch.

"No!" Yuuri cried, clutching the patch tighter.

"Yuur...i?" Soo-won said, looking down at messy red hair as the smaller boy flung his arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"No, I do like it. Very much so. Thank you, soowon," Yuuri said in his ear.

"That's good! I was starting to worry," Soo-won said, relaxing and hugging back.

Looking up to see Hak smirking at him he smiled back and mouthed thank you

Hak's smirk softened into a fond smile as he shrugged.

"Those are pretty fancy, prince, you gonna wear them now?" Hak said, catching the little prince's attention.

"Hak! Look at them!" Yuuri exclaimed excitedly, whirling around to grab the box and shove them both at his dark haired friend.

Soo won yelped as the box caught the side of his cheek and Hak gave a surprised wheeze, as, with a startled shriek, Yuuri tripped and fell on the other boy, knocking him over, Yuuri's knee catching him in the stomach. Thankfully, he'd set his glave aside.

"Sorry Hak, are you okay?" Yuuri asked, pushing himself upright and perching on Hak's chest, peering at his face in concern.

"I will be if you get off!" Hak groaned, shoving the smaller boy off onto the floor and sitting up.

"Shit!" He exclaimed.

"What?! And that's a bad word Hak. Grandpa Mundoek will wash your mouth with soap again if he hears you," Yuuri asked, sitting up and scolding his friend.

"Gah, Soo-won, your face!" Hak exclaimed, completely ignoring the prince.

"Wha?" Yuuri started, turning around. Catching sight of his cousin, yuuri's face went deathly pale and he collapsed with a little whine.

"Yuuri?" Soo-won exclaimed, hurrying forward.

"Oh no you don't. He's okay, he just doesn't like blood, he just fainted is all," Hak said, stepping in front of the other boy hurriedly.

"Blood?" Soo-won said in confusion, tipping his head to the side.

"Eh, yeah. All over your cheek and neck. Your robe is probably ruined. Don't you feel that?" Hak said, cringing a little.

"Oh! Now that you mention it, my cheek does hurt pretty bad where Yuuri hit it with that box," Soo-won said, lifting a hand and poking said cheek curiously and wincing in pain.

"Good grief. Wait here, I'll go get some bandages. Just, turn sideways or something so Yuuri doesn't pass out again if he happens to wake up before I get back," Hak said, rolling his eyes and heading out the door.

Soo won turned obediently. Situation himself so that Yuuri wouldn't see the blood if he happened to wake.

"Ngh, wha happened? Soo won?" Yuuri's groggy voice broke the blonde haired boy's day dream and he looked down with a smile, making sure that the piece of sleeve he'd managed to rip off was covering his cheek.

"Hey, you woke up, how do you feel?" The blonde haired boy asked.

"My head hurts a little...um, where's your robe?" Yuuri asked as he sat up.

"Oh, it was kinda...um...nasty? So I took it off," Soo-won said easily, shrugging like it was no big deal.

"You dummy! It's cold outside, you're gonna get sick!" Yuuri scolded, making to get to his feet.

"What are you doing?" Soo-won asked.

"Giving you mine! I've got two layers on, so I'll be fine," Yuuri said, tugging the thick oversized robe off and walking towards his older cousin.

"Stop!" Soo-won barked in a hard voice.

Yuuri froze and when he looked at him he saw tears filling his little cousin's eye.

"Ah, no no no. Don't cry, I'm not mad or anything. It's just that when the box hit me, it cut my cheek pretty deep and it bleeding kinda bad is all," Soo-won reassured in a gentler voice.

"You mean dummy, why'd you yell then?" Yuuri snapped in a watery tone even as he held out his robe for Soo-won to take.

"Sorry, I didn't want to faint again is all," soo won said, accepting the robe and tucking it around his lap and tucking his one hand under it as he hid a little shiver. It was getting a little cold.

"Dumb soo won!" Yuuri snapped, face turning bright red as he turned his back to his quickly.

"I think all three of you have no room to talk about intelligence," an unimpressed voice came from the doorway and they looked up to see a frowning Min-su with a sheepish looking Hak behind him.

"Alright, you three follow me," he ordered with a sigh.

"Where?" Yuuri and Soo-won asked together.

Grabbing Yuuri by the collar, Min-su quickly and gently tugged the prince up and to the side, blocking his view as soo won clambered to his feet, looking like a murder victim.

Yuuri spluttered and jerked away harshly, shivering as he tugged his remaining robe tighter anxiously.

"I know, i know. Sorry sorry," Minsu said soothingly, while keeping the blonde haired boy on his feet as he swayed.

"I feel dizzy," Soo-won said, tipping to the side before Minsu managed to catch him and tug an arm around his neck to help support him.

"Prince Yuuri, take Hak with you to your room and make sure that you have a basin of clean water, and see if you can get a few rags from the kitchen. We need to clean his injury first, BEFORE you bandage it," Minsu said, glaring at a cringing Hak.

"What about you and Soowon?" Yuuri asked.

"I'll get him to your room, but it'll take us longer since he's lost enough blood that he won't be able to walk very well," minsu said before gesturing impatiently, "get going now, we don't have all day,"

As Hak and Yuuri began to hurry away, minsu called out one last time in a threateningly sweet voice.

"Oh, and prince Yuuri? After that, you WILL go and tell your father what happened after you SNUCK away from the feast the poor cooks spent all day preparing, understand?"

Yuuri gulped at the look on his face and squeaked out a sound of agreement before he turned tail and ran, Hak close behind him.

Minsu sighed and looked around the area where his young charge had run off to.

"Before we go, gotta grab his present so he has it," soo won slurred, tipping over even with minsu supporting him.

He sighed, lowered the blonde haired boy to the ground so he could grab said gifts and tucking them in a pocket before stopping the younger, and thankfully smaller, boy in his arms and setting off down the hall.

"Papa was mad,"

"A little,"

"Soo Won's dad wasn't very happy either, I don't think," Yuuri said gloomily as he lay sprawled out on his bed, Hak raised an eyebrow from his spot beside him.

"His son disappeared for an hour, just to show up unconscious and covered in blood. And that cut is gonna scar, yeah I'd say he was a little worried, yuuri," Hak said dryly.

"Ugh, this stinks. I wish Zeno was here. I miss him," Yuuri said sadly.

"You sent him to find all the dragons for you, we don't know how long that could take, you know that," Hak pointed out.

"I know, but this is the first time in four years he's missed Christmas! And, I haven't heard from him in over 6 months!" Yuuri exclaimed.

"When you get all mopey like this it's hard to believe I've known you for four years. You're still just a little brat," Hak teased, snickering as he dodged the pillow Yuuri threw and laughed as the other boy squawked in offense as he simply kept the pillow.

"Seriously though, a lot has changed. And once spring comes, even more will," Hak said, growing serious and thoughtful.

"One thing that hasn't is that papa still won't let me train with a weapon," Yuuri complained, dropping back to lay with his head on the other boy's leg.

"You still pass out at the sight of blood, prince. And, you cannot tolerate skin on skin contact. How do you expect to be able to handle a sword?" Hak pointed out.

"Besides, with me becoming your personal guard, you don't have to learn to use a weapon, so you'll be fine," he continued.

With a growl, Yuuri pushed the other boy onto his back and sat up so he could glare down at him.

"I am NOT some damsel in distress. You'd do well to remember that, Hak. I don't like my precious people putting themselves in harm's way, just because my father wouuldnt let me use a weapon. I don't have to become a fighter, but I'd like to be able to at least know how to protect myself so that you wouldn't have to be worrying about me, and so that I can't be used against you," Yuuri hissed, leaning closer with every word until they were nearly nose to nose, his good eye burning with an internal fire.

"You're usually so laid back, that I forget sometimes," Hak started in a low voice.

"What?" Yuuri asked, confusion dimming the look on his face. He yelped when Hak grinned dangerously and flipped them.

"I forget sometimes, that underneath those scars and fear, and timidness, there's the heart of a dragon. The most powerful of all dragons, capable of calling the dragon gods themselves to your side. But then you go and remind me, and I get to remember, all over again, and that I'm the first to be your protector and I can't WAIT to see what our future is gonna bring. There is ABSOLUTELY NO ONE ELSE I'd rather live my life protecting," he said softly, even as he made sure to not touch the boy under him anywhere bare skin was showing.

"I still want to learn something to protect myself though, I don't like being weak. Who's going to follow a weak prince," Yuuri whispered back, body slightly tense.

"I'll make you a deal, my prince. You find a way to fight that doesn't involve physical contact to teach you, and I'll teach you in private," Hak compromised after a moment.

Yuuri sat up quickly, nearly hitting Hak in the head as the dark haired boy tried to lean back, but Yuuri grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him forward again.

"You promise?" Yuuri demanded sharply.

Face flushing, he tried to squirm back as he realized just how close the two of them were, but the other boy was stronger than his slim body suggested and he gave up after a moment.

"Yes, I promise!" He exclaimed, leaning his head back to try and create some semblance of personal space.

"You know, if Zeno didn't know Hak and little miss so well, he'd be suspicious,"

Yuuri released Hak so quickly he fell back, and by the time he'd sat back up, Yuuri had managed to cross the room and throw himself at the yellow dragon smiling at them from a seemingly solid wall.

"You made it back! Merry Christmas, Zeno!" Yuuri cried in happiness, pulling back to beam at the yellow haired boy.

"Zeno couldn't miss christmas with his two friends," Zeno said, smiling down at the boy in his arms before turning a warm, happy smile on the dark haired boy sitting on the edge of the bed.

"It's good to see you too, Zeno. I'm glad you made it back safe," Hak said, walking across the room to sling an arm around his shoulders in a one armed hug.

"It's good to be back," Zeno said with a peaceful smile.