The next morning, Mingi wasn't too confident in his wish to wake Yunho. While aware of his duties, Mingi spent almost five more minutes in bed rolling around when he usually would have got up already. His eyes burned from the lack of sleep, body begging him to take a rest and simply confess to Yunho he wasn't feeling so great.
Yet, the more responsible side of Mingi knew that his inner turmoil shouldn't impede Yunho's daily duties. His night of thinking had led him to the conclusion that Yunho had every right to be sleeping with people he was enticed by. Doing so behind the solid walls of the castle and with the respect he treated people with, nothing was wrong with it. Yunho attracted people left and right, and among demons, there was no need to shun these matters.
Then why did Mingi's heart feel as if stabbed by a dozen knives? Because of the attention Yunho had given him that he had wished to be exclusive to him? Because Yunho might sleep with San after all and that the signals he had sent towards Mingi had been no more but his usual flirtatious?
It hurt. Mingi's heart hurt, and even after an entire night of his dilemma, he couldn't help himself.
After so many times of telling himself that his attraction to Yunho was uncalled for and so many times of Yunho proving to him that his feelings were valid and reciprocated, Mingi felt like a fool now. How could he have dared to believe that he had stood out to the regal demon more than others? Even when Yunho didn't divide between the two different horned groups, amongst draped horned people were many more attractive demons than Mingi.
Mingi was queasy from hunger and lack of sleep. And even as he dragged himself up from bed, he didn't want to go.
Loyal to his duties, Mingi slipped into his shirt, buttoning it up cleanly. He took the book with him he needed to give Yunho. As he trudged downstairs to fetch Yunho's meal, he was slow. Once he went back up, he had reached a snail's pace.
Mingi wasn't prepared to intrude into that room again and to find Yeosang sleeping next to the prince. Surely, Yunho didn't take advantage of his power with such matters, right? Or was the reason he pushed off San, since he could make use of the servants easier?
Mingi's head suffered with his unanswered questions and the lingering feeling of betrayal. Even as he tried to practise nonchalance and school his features into a mask of indifference, Mingi caught himself slipping. Tight, his tail curled around his leg as if offering comfort for his broken heart.
After he had reached Yunho's door, Mingi exhaled once more. Then, he carefully knocked in the same custom as always.
No answer. No voices inside, either.
With his head ducked, Mingi entered the room. His eyes searched the bed instantly, trying to make out the number of limbs under the sheets. Once he had prepared the tray, he hesitantly trudged closer.
Yunho was alone.
Relief flooded Mingi at the same moment that an evil voice asked him how often Yunho had indulged late-night visitors that Mingi didn't know of. Catching him once had already put a strain on Mingi's side of their relationship. Who knew who else was involved.
With a sigh, Mingi shook off his malicious thoughts once more.
It was not his place.
Unmotivated, he shook Yunho's shoulder. The prince's skin under his fingertips was pleasantly hot, as always. Mingi's mind connected it with gentle touches and flutters in his stomach, but today it sent no more but another rush of bitterness through him.
"My Prince. You need to wake."
Yunho slept deeply tonight. His blanket was mostly kicked off regularly and this time, Mingi couldn't help but glance down on his form to spot any evidence of what had occurred the night prior. No marks marred his tattooed skin, and not even a strand of hair reminisced about his nightly visitor.
As much as Mingi had denied himself of his improper thoughts so far, the sight of Yunho couldn't keep them any longer from permeating his mind. He wondered how Yunho's skin had felt under Yeosang's fingers. How the heat between them had taken over their bodies and minds. And how Yeosang had fallen apart in Yunho's arms.
Mingi gulped; his fingers on Yunho's shoulder stilling.
For a moment, he was entranced, his pulse fluttering as he imagined just a bit too far. As he sunk into his daydream with the image of Yunho right in front of him, Mingi flustered himself. The yearning of being in Yeosang's place to experience the same with his own body and soul nearly overwhelmed him.
The sudden thought of Yunho kissing him, moulding their mouths together to pull him close, had Mingi flinch. His hand pulled back from Yunho as if he had burnt himself at the rough nudge. Yet, Yunho's eyes finally fluttered open, and he groggily blinked up at Mingi.
For a moment, he was still half asleep, then his usual droopy smile stretched on his lips. Mingi smiled back in a grimace. Guilt washed over him over regarding the unconscious prince with such greed.
"Good morning, Mingi," Yunho yawned as he stretched and rolled around. His horns tangled in his blankets, and he shook them off with a huff. Wild hair got messed up further.
"Morning," Mingi muttered, still occupied with his jumbled mind.
Yunho sighed comfortably, sitting up with yet another languid stretch. He came to sit in front of Mingi, entirely bare but without shame. With a wince, he sorted through his hair in an attempt to fix his appearance.
Through the iron bars that Mingi had enclosed it in, his heart gave a weak squeeze.
Wordlessly, Mingi grabbed onto Yunho's clothes. He handed him the pants first and Yunho slipped into them sleepily. As Mingi handed him the cropped jacket Yunho had picked out to wear, he kept his eyes on the bunched up sheets beyond the man's shoulder. Yunho slipped into the jacket that had no means to close it at the front. Only when Mingi busily laid the heavy chains around Yunho's neck with a blank expression, the prince scrutinised his features curiously.
The centrepiece of Yunho's jewellery today was a leather amulet. Its middle held a teardrop-shaped cloudy gem in a pale blue. It matched the earrings he fiddled into his ears, as well as the ring he slipped over his index finger.
"Did you not sleep well? You appear tired."
The sleepy drawl of Yunho's voice lifted quickly, but it still resonated in Mingi's chest. When the tip of Yunho's tail brushed against Mingi's, Mingi awkwardly pulled his away. He wrapped it around his forearm so it was out of reach for Yunho. Anxious, he avoided Yunho's dejected gaze.
"I stayed up for a while reading. I found another book that might fit your interests. I put it on the table for you."
Befuddled, Yunho glanced at the living quarters and back at Mingi. Worry etched into his features now. Worry that delved into open concern when Mingi adverted his eyes from him as soon as his fingers fell from his necklaces.
"Mingi, you didn't have to. I didn't want you to give up sleep over these matters."
"I wanted to." With a polite nod, Mingi stepped back from the bed. His heart raced in his chest, nervous about how Yunho would react; if he would close off because of Mingi's avoidance. Steely, he stuck to his formalities.
"Will you need me during breakfast? If not, I will catch up with you later during your royal meetings." The patience in Mingi's voice sounded artificial even to him.
Upset, Yunho stood to near him. His taller figure loomed over Mingi, making his knees weak once more.
"You won't eat with me today?"
When Mingi mildly shook his head, disappointment flashed in Yunho's eyes. He tried to school his expression so his miserable eyes wouldn't make Mingi feel bad, but Mingi's heart took a stab, anyway.
Not as bad as the stab of last night, though. The reminder strengthened Mingi's resolve.
"I will stay if you insist, but I didn't plan to, no."
Punishing Yunho with a meal alone was the barest thing Mingi dared to do. The only thing he could get away with. He swore to himself that it was only a method to sort himself out first before he snapped at Yunho over matters perfectly licit for a prince to do. And yet the dull satisfaction he got over the hurt in Yunho's features eased his betrayed spirit.
"Of course I won't insist, then. Please, take your time to eat in comfort and join me afterwards," Yunho muttered. When he turned to focus on his breakfast alone, Mingi regretted it.
No use in reaching out once more. Without another glance at him, Mingi ducked out of the door and dashed back down into his room. He ate by himself, his heart burning with guilt over the situation he had put both himself and Yunho into. In Yunho's eyes, the prince had done nothing troublesome. The sour turn in their usual playful companionship had been entirely Mingi's fault.
The food didn't taste as good as the other days.
After he had finished his lonesome meal, Mingi didn't linger. He joined Yunho back upstairs and waited for him next to the door while the prince finished fixing his appearance in the bathroom. When he came back out, he dared a careful glance at Mingi's features. When Mingi stared straight ahead stonily, Yunho gave up. With a sad droop of his usually squared shoulders, he left the room.
Mingi kept behind him as he followed him through the corridors like a ghost. Every ounce of his willpower went into keeping his mind a blank void, so no thought dared to occur.
The meeting with the advisors was kept short. They had received notice that the king would return in the evening and that Yunho would join his brother and San on a hunt for the pixie terrorist tomorrow. In the backroom, Mingi chewed on his lip at the idea of having to stick to Yunho awkwardly like this for an entire day while in danger. When Onnah had disrupted their slow game of chess to tilt her head inquiringly at Mingi, he had shaken off the thought.
Today, Yunho didn't dare to call Mingi over during dinner time. If the queen found it remarkable, she didn't comment on it. She merely asked Yunho about San and if there were any improvements to their relationship.
Yunho declined.
After a long dinner that had Mingi nearly falling asleep on the spot since he was so tired and exhausted by his emotions, he trudged up the stairs behind Yunho once more. Back in Yunho's room, he didn't even come to sit with the other man on the divans. He lingered near the door in a stiff posture, ready to flee their tense atmosphere.
"I won't take you with me tomorrow. Stay here and enjoy your free time. I hope you may get some sleep," Yunho said mostly to himself, since Mingi was so unresponsive. Mingi's stomach dropped. Was it because he had acted out of order today? Did Yunho consider him a nuisance like this?
Helpless in between his duties and his aching heart once more, Mingi drew his brows together.
"I will not be needed?"
"No. I won't have time to explain details to you during the chase and servants might limit the group or make it difficult to manoeuvre." Despite the usual kindness in Yunho's voice, he sounded strained. He picked up the book on the table in front of him, flicking through the pages.
"I understand. I will await your return then."
Yunho hummed, eyes focused on the book.
"What about this did you want me to read?"
"The part of pixies enchanting other creatures. I wondered if maybe a spell on us demons makes it possible for such small creatures to best us."
It had been an interesting chapter. Mingi knew little about the details of the attacks, but he imaged either it would help Yunho figure something out, or it was a valuable guide to understanding pixie magic.
"Thank you."
Yunho raised his head to gift Mingi with a soft smile. It had the other demon melt in the worst ways, and his tail swished behind him nervously. He wanted to ask Yunho about it, wanted to resolve this issue between them like an adult, but he was a coward. No more, but a frosty nod came from him.
"I will see you tomorrow evening, then. It would be best if you didn't visit the town this time. It may not be our hunting ground, but I worry if similar dangers might lurk there if we don't find the pixie," Yunho dismissed him.
"I understand."
With that, Mingi turned on his heel to retreat to his room. And once more, he rolled around for an eternity, plagued by vivid imaginations and hot stabs of jealousy. When he finally fell asleep, he could at least doze for long until noon.