A Starlit Kiss (Taekook au)

3

The first time Jeongguk’s eyes crossed those of Prince Taehyung's, he smiled at him. He should have known then– known better than to hide from the Prince who shone like the sun itself.

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Jeongguk's quick feet make quiet noise as they come in contact with the floor of the palace. He knows he will get a scolding from the Queen at him being non-punctual, but Prince Jeon Jeongguk could just not be bothered with making his limbs work faster.

He had done all of this before. The walking the hallways to greet someone, waiting for their arrivals, smiles and happenstances. The padding sound of his feet was something he had never focused on before, but now, alongside doing so, he tilted his head downward, trying to step on the tiles in a way that would not make noise. 

He had done all of this before, had failed, but still stood here, wanting to do it again. Although they were only two letters, Jeongguk just could not help it. Hoping.

He follows the familiar walls towards the entrance, and just before he steps out into the open hustle bustle of the palace staff, he takes a deep breath.

Because, they were two letters– went unanswered by the person who was now descending the fine carriage that had stopped a little distance from him; Prince Taehyung. He had heard of the grace with which the elder Prince carried himself, and he witnesses it in person when his eyes trail the movements of the body that emerges from the carriage.

Kim Taehyung was dazzling.

Feeling the sudden need to step away from all the commotion, and the searching eyes of the Queen, Jeongguk steps back again. Everything about the Prince was contagious. The others did not seem to think so, for his feet were not the only ones that stepped back. He had sharp eyes– was one of the first things Jeongguk noticed about him. Half-lidded, almost as if he was drunk, or waiting for someone to step forward. The Queen does, and pulls him in a hug as she does so. Jeongguk thinks he sees the Prince hide a smile in the Queen’s shoulder– there was always a familiarity bred with meeting a person dear.

The Queen let go of the Prince, murmuring something in his ear. When his eyes ran through the dozen people awaiting to welcome him, Jeongguk knew just how to make himself invisible.

He had learnt so many ways to be quiet– was still learning. One was how he stands in the lawn, but it was just one way. There was also how he stood in the hallways, how he moved himself– that was another way because Jeongguk was farther from people, and therefore, more likely to be alone.

There was daytime silence when Jeongguk stared, and nighttime silence when he did his chores. There was the shower silence, a bath silence, a carriage silence. And then there was the silence that always came back, a million times bigger than himself. Prince Taehyung had reflected just that.

There is a silent buzz around him; the maids and servants talking about the arrival of the Prince who is set to be betrothed to Jeongguk, about his luggage, and Jeongguk catches some murmurs about gifts as well. He disregards them, eyes casted down, occasionally flitting through the places that are not filled with gazes.

The Sun feels bright upon his brow, and his hands itch to touch his forehead, or shield from the warm radiations. The weather was a lot August, a lot oranges and browns. It was somewhat of a cold temperature, until one stood directly under the sun and so to question it.

Jeongguk despised Autumns. The always there leaves that lay on the groung, their crunches  under his feet whenever he did go out on walks, the heavy air– October.

Through all of the murmurs and buzz, he feels the silence that stretches all over them, hangs heavy on his himself. With half a mind to look at anywhere else, he watches the siren-like sharp eyes of the Prince take in every a thing around them. He wishes the Queen would call his name, or see him, and make him step forward. Under the sharp rays of the sun and the dust particles that Jeongguk could see under them, he searches for vindications so he could step out from behind— seemingly the urge to do so pulls at his heart— and greet the guest.

The said guest– unbothered by the clamoring amount of people bustling around him, gazes around him. Jeongguk has half a heart to duck down, the other half telling him to step ahead and present himself.

He tucks his chin into his chest.

As he feels the silence sneaking into his bones, he also feels the need to wail and wail and wail for a reason unknown. As he feels the familiar creep of it grasping his insides, he also feels something else on his face. His eyebrows furrow in dubiety. The sun’s heat rains on him like sharp stones, and he heaves a deep breath in.

In a haste of the moment Jeongguk raises his eyes, and his lips part around a silent ‘o’ as he sees Prince Taehyung looking at him. His eyes stop their movements, as if they had found what they were looking for, and Jeongguk feels his cheeks pinken with the vehemence that radiates from Taehyung's gaze and touches him. He is, for some cause untold, unable to move his eyes.

Something weighs heavy on his chest, grabbing his heart and holding it in place, clouding his mind and making his conscience ghost him in that moment.

With the sun setting behind Jeongguk's back— and he is not sure what the Sun is now, the light illuminates the other Prince’s features. It takes some moments– small ones, before Prince Taehyung's sharp siren eyes soften, and he is giving Jeongguk a smile– that too, a small one.

The heavy breaks down then. Jeongguk feels himself breathing in the chilly air of October. Feeling warmth overcoming the fear that had settled into his bones, Jeoongguk looks down at his shoes, and hides a timid smile of his own.

And so in the many more Octobers to come, Jeongguk remembers not the leaves, but Taehyung stealing the breath out of his lungs. Because Kim Taehyung had smiled at him and it had stuck inside and between his ribs, drizzling honey through his lungs.

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YAAAYYYY !!! Finally a longer chapter ! don't forget to leave votes and comments, they make me happie ! :3