something old, something new | taekook

Chapter 9: The Enemy Of Our Enemy Shall Be Our Friend

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He wakes to the feeling of fingers through his hair, nails gentle against his scalp. He whines, arms tightening around whatever they're wrapped around, nuzzling into it. The fingers pause for a moment before sliding to push his hair from his face. Soft fingers trail over his forehead, down the curve of his cheeks.

"Continue," Taehyung says and there's a muffled cough.

"Namjon confirmed that the man from yesterday held the tattoo you described- just behind his ear."

Jeongguk frowns. Jimin? Why was Jimin here? His eyes crack open slowly, his body still waking.

He was laid across Taehyung's lap, arms around his waist, palms over warm skin, and face nuzzling against his hip. His hands slide out from under Taehyung's shirt and he pushes himself up slowly, muscles weak from the night before. There's a twinge at the base of his spine, a tightness in his muscles that makes him hiss. Jimin quiets behind him.

"Hello, precious." Taehyung greets, a soft smile on his lips. He reaches up, brushing his hair from his eyes. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mm." He hums, leaning into his hand. The king gives him a small smile, tucking his hair behind his ear. "Hi, Taehyungie," he whispers, kissing his palm. Taehyung's smile widens, his thumb brushing over his cheek.

Jeongguk looks over his shoulder, rubbing at his eyes as he sees Jimin standing a few feet from the bed, beyond the platform the large mattress was set up on. Hands held behind his back primly, orange tips curling behind his ear. His suit fits him well and he stands tall, an empty leather holster strapped to his waist and thighs.

"Good morning, Your Highness." Jimin greets, a smile on his lips as he bows his head. Jeongguk blinks, surprised.

"'Highness'?" He questions, looking back at the king. Taehyung's brow lifts, a hand dropping to his thigh. His fingers squeezing.

He flushes at the reminder that he's bare from the waist down, one of Taehyung's shirts wrapped around his torso, the duvet covering them both. He's covered, but he's sure Jimin is fully aware of their lack of clothes.

"Hm, a future by my side would guarantee a spot by my throne, wouldn't it?" Taehyung asks.

Jeongguk doesn't have a response. The meaning is too heavy for his sleepy brain. He looks back over at Jimin. "What were you talking about?" He asks with a small frown on his lips. "About a tattoo?"

Jimin's eyes flick to Taehyung and then back again. It's clear he doesn't know whether to share the information or not.

"Your Sire seems to have been affiliated with some... unfortunate people." Taehyung's voice is low, eyes trained on his face as he gauges his reaction. "Not entirely unexpected, I would say." His hand strokes over his leg slowly.

Jeongguk's eyes widen, memories of the man coming immediately to mind. "Sangmin?" He asks, and Taehyung's brow ticks at the mention of his name. There's a curl to his lip but he stays silent, his grip tightening around his thigh. "How do you know that?" As far as he knows the king and his Sire have never met.

"Your memories," he supplies, fingers never pausing over his bare skin. "You might not have noticed the tattoo but by happenstance, I had just seen another man with the same tattoo on his body yesterday. While I was interrogating him."

Jeongguk frowns, shifting to crawl into his lap, tired enough still to not care about Jimin's presence still in the room. Taehyung's arms wrap tight around his waist, palms settling at the dip of his spine as he tucks himself under his chin.