something old, something new | taekook

Chapter 18: A King Is Only As Strong As His Queen

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In the weeks following Sooyoung's reappearance, there's a clear shift in the air.

There are Shields at every main entrance on a constant rotating shift. Taehyung is in meetings with his Lords almost every other day. Seokjin spends his days fielding their questions as Jimin and Hoseok work on the king's manhunt. Even Jeongguk finds himself busy when training with his Shields begins with a fervor (they seem determined to make sure he can defend himself and he certainly isn't going to argue).

So every evening, once he's pulled from Taehyung's side with a slightly overdramatic whine, he finds himself knocked onto his ass into a cushioned mat on the floor. His muscles aching and his breathing fast as he stares up at the vaulted ceilings. He can't catch his breath, the wind quite literally knocked out of him at the impact. He lets out a low whine as he feels it settle in his bones, his head falling back against the mat.

Sooyoung's face pops into view above him and he pouts up at her, a hand weakly pushing through his hair.

"Are you okay, Gukkie?" She asks, exhaustion heavy in her own voice but her brows furrowed in concern.

"Why are you so much better at this than me?" He whines, because really- she was, like, half his size.

"It has only been a few weeks, Your Highness, " Yeonjun pipes in from the sidelines and Jeongguk's turns to see the Shield step up the edge of the mat. "Miss Choi simply has the muscle to carry the maneuver through. You will get it."

"Are you saying I'm soft?" Jeongguk asks, and he can see the exact moment the Shield thinks he's accidentally insulted him. "I'll have you know, Taehyungie loves how soft I am."

"No, Your Highness!" Yeonjun shakes his head quickly and Jeongguk feels a hint of guilt for the teasing. For the past several weeks he's spent several hours a day with these two boys and there's has only been the barest hint of a change in their attitudes towards him. They're more casual with him now, less rigid, but he wouldn't call them friends. It certainly wouldn't help their relationship if he pushed too far.

"No, I'm sorry, Yeonjunnie," he says instead, Sooyoung helping pull himself to his feet. "I'm just teasing," he gives him a smile that the boy returns seemingly on reflex. He'll take it. "Do you want to continue?'

Except Soobin speaks up then, shaking his head.

"We can leave it here for today, Your Highness," he says, and the small smile he gives looks more genuine. "His Majesty will be free from his meeting with the Lady Solar and Lord Namjoon in less than an hour."

Right, Jeongguk thinks, he remembers.

The search for the rogues has turned up more loose ends than they had anticipated, to everyone's frustration. Solar and Namjoon's reach in the human cities was becoming invaluable and Jeongguk was becoming used to the sight of them. He and Taehyung had spoken about it at length several nights before as they laid together.

"They are like ghosts," the king had said as Jeongguk curled under his arm, an ear pressed against his chest, "but we will find them." He has pressed a kiss to his hair then, his hand stroking along his spine. "Even ghosts have graves."

Jeongguk had given a kiss of his own over his kong's heart and thrown a leg over his hip. He knew they would find them. He knew the rogues couldn't hide forever. There wasn't a doubt in his mind, in Taehyung.

"Well," Jeongguk sighs, already wanting to be back in Taehyung's arms, "let's head back so I can take a bath before he comes back." Jeongguk pushes himself to his feet, thanking Soobin when he hands him the jacket he had thrown off earlier. Even just thinking about Taehyung makes his heartache.