The Garden
Yoongi entered the large office, strolling in with his head held high, not a care in the world.
The King, having not lifted his eyes from his desk, began to speak.
"Witch-"
"Yoongi." The smaller interrupted, not facing the King.
The elder raised a somewhat amused brow, "I'm sorry?"
"Apology accepted," the witch gleamed with a smile before landing on the floor and walked further into the beautifully decorated office. He pointed at a large painting of the royal family that hung on the wall, Namjoon could have been no older than 13, "awww you were all so adorable," he cooed at their pudgey little faces and adorable smiles.
The King slammed shut his book, causing the witch to jump ever so slightly.
"Witch, What is the meaning of this...this...behaviour?"
The kKing was confused, it had been a few days since he'd seen the witch sure, but that was when he'd gotten news of the Nercormancers attack, to which the witch was enraged. The King was shocked by his, happy and causal actions.
"Oh come now, I'm sick of being referred to as "Witch". That's like me constantly calling you "Human". It's useless, especially since we have names!"
"Answer my question," Namjoon pinched the bridge of his nose making the witch smile shortly. He liked to tease the king, knowing that said man couldn't do anything about it.
"Fine, I'm simply happy. Alright?"
"Happy?"
"Yes. Happy, a positive emotion. Opposite of anger which you know all to well," he cheekily grinned as he began lifting various objects from the shelves and inspecting them curiously.
"Anyways, What did you want me for again? Have you decide that you're gonna drop the whole 'mean king' act and we'll become best friends?" He remarked, his words dropping in sarcasm.
Namjoon scoffed, or maybe chuckled? Yoongi wasn't sure, but he was glad the King wasn't yelling at him.
Instead Namjoon sat back in his larger, throne like office chair and rest both his hands at his tummy.
"Best friends? Unlikely. But regardless, the reason I called you down here was for a status report on securing Aithne. Is it done? The protective potion-spell-thing?"
Yoongi shook his head but explained shortly after, "it's almost done. That bad boy is gonna take a few more hours to simmer. Then, I soak my wand in it, and boom! perform the spell. Simple."
Namjoon watched as the little witch smiled and inspected every little knickknack in the office. Big, curious eyes that grew completely captivated by everything in the office. He noticed that the boy had taken a particular interest in a dusty pink book on the shelf.
"Do you like the colour pink?" He asked with a somewhat amused expression, feign boredom masking the Kings true kind nature.
Yoongi smiled and blushed slightly, "no- I mean, yes I like pink, but that's not why the book fascinates me."
Yoongi lifted the book from the shelf, after getting a nod of approval from the King, and brought it over to the taller man.
"It's the second book of the botany book your sister gave me."
"You actually kept it?" The King pondered, the botany book as far as he remembered, was tragically boring. Only discussing plant life that he already cared little for.
But the witch nodded earnestly, "plants and nature are so beautiful, they help me in my magic, and for that I give many thanks. It's important to thank and appreciate the land of which provides us life."
Yoongi smiled, nervous that the King would make fun of him or tease magics dependency on nature. Truth be told, he wanted the book. The first book hinted at rare and magical plants, a theory that Aithe was actually greatly magical. Of course the book was old, probably long before any of the living residents of Aithnes time. Yet the witch couldn't help but feel curious.
Namjoon held a hand out for the book, to which the witch had to walk around the huge desk to hand it to him.
The King lazily flipped through the dusty pages before looking up at the witch.
"So you really like all this flowers and herbs stuff?"
Yoongi nodded earnestly, "oh yes. We have a big farm back home. We make medicines and such for the palace. My Appa is a doctor of sorts."
"A witch doctor?"
Yoongi nodded with a smile in response, "my Eomma is a chef, she can make the most beautiful dishes from the food we grow in the garden."
Namjoon nodded, genuinely interested to hear the witch talk about his family. He didn't know why, nor did he care to think upon it, but listening to the young boy ramble about his home, made Namjoon feel warm.
The King suddenly stood, grabbing the boys wrist and dragging him somewhere. Yoongi initially fought the Kings hold on him but eventually relaxed. Namjoon wasn't gripping onto him tightly, actually he was rather gentle. Yoongi even noticed what appeared to be the grace of a smile on the Kings lips, which made him even calmer for some reason.
Namjoon dragged the witch through various corridors and up two flights of stairs, until he entered a room the younger had never been in before.
"This was my parents room," Namjoon explained, not meeting the eyes of the young witch.
They seemed to cut through the room, Namjoon still keeping his hold on the witches wrist.
He pushed open another door, and what Yoongi saw simply amazed him.
"Oh my goodness...." he whispered.
It was a garden, a locked away garden. They were on a sub level roof, tall trees and thick foliage covered every corner of the area. Long grass and dozens upon dozens of wildflowers over grew. It was, in its simplest form, the most beautiful example of nature overtaking an area.
"Your Majesty, this is... beautiful."
Namjoon smiled at the witches awe filled face. He nodded, "this was my mother's garden. She liked having an escape from the responsibility of being a Queen. She would read to me here, we would simply just rest for hours just... being here..." he trailed off with the happy memory, but soon his face grew timid.
"I'm ashamed to admit, that after her death I neglected our little safe space..."
Yoongi listened to the Namjoons words as he floated through the thick bushes and tall flowers, loving the chaos and beauty of the garden.
"Yoongi-ah," the King started softly, his gentle tone and kind voice instantly captured the attention of the witch, "would you help me clear this garden? Return it to its once pretty state?"
Yoongis face flushed, he slowly landed on the ground, taking gentle steps towards the King, "I... well your majesty, I will of course. But why me? Why not hire some fancy gardener?"
Namjoon smiled and looked up towards the sky, however only a few speckled rays of sunshine were able to slip through the thick tall trees, "you show a love for nature, differently, than the gardeners I've met. They love nature's beauty for their own satisfaction. You love nature's beauty, because you love nature. You treat it as a person, a being, who feels and lives and even loves. That... that's exactly how my mother felt, that's the way she treated her garden."
Yoongis previously pink face now flared bright red, he stuttered around for an answer momentarily before turning around, not able to face the King,
"I-I guess we could start with trimming some of the larger plants, tame the flowers somewhat... simply give more space for the sun to fall through, I think they'd like that," his sentence calmed down as he reached a hand to gently trace a pretty pink petal of a flower as tall as him.
Namjoon beamed, which honestly made the witches heart swell.
"Thank you Yoongi-ah! After the protection spell, we can start work then. Anything you need, just ask. This means... this means so much to me. Do you think we could have it finished by Taehyungs birthday? I know he loved it here and it would make all of my family happy."
Yoongi smiled and tucked a piece of his dark hair behind his ear, "I mean, we could try?"
Namjoon walked forward and did something that honestly made Yoongis heart stop.
He hugged him.
Mister 'I hate witches and magic, I'm an angry King'... just hugged me... a witch... god my heart is on fire, what is happening to me?
Namjoon took a step back, sharply pulling his arms from the witch as his face grew red hot.
"Y-yes. Well, uh, thank you again. I'll check up... later."
And with that he left. Leaving the small gold key for the door on the table in the bedroom. Yoongi, the poor thing, was left all flustered. His heart beat fast, his face heated up. He felt... a little sad.
Why did he leave like that?
He must be disgusted by me... maybe.
Ugh I wish I had Suran here.. she always helped me when I had weird feelings.
With a slightly saddened heart, Yoongi began working on the garden. Taking notes on each plant in the garden and how large they had grown. He never wanted to hurt the plants by cutting them, but he did have some spells to make them smaller. He kept his mind busy, to distract it from his heart.
What. The. Fuck. Was. That?!
Namjoon paced up and down his bedroom, his dark boots creating heavy stomps as he went along. He pulled at his hair, picked at his nails, fixed his clothes over and over again.
"Oh god what is happening to me?" He groaned as he fell to simply sit on the floor, pouting like a child.
"You, my dear brother, have a bad case of the Feels™️." Jimins cool, teasing voice made Namjoons heart jump into his throat.
"How the hell did you get in here?" He yelled falling back to lie on the floor flat, his hands making its way to clutch at his chest.
"I have my ways," the younger answered simply, walking from where he stood at the window and crouched in front of his older brother who lay like a rug on the floor.
"Comfy?"
"Fuck off Jimin... please my head is already so clogged up I don't need any of your teasing today," Namjoon brought up a hand to cover his eyes. Jimin rolled his own eyes at the sight of the dramatic king.
"Get up idiot, we have Feels™️ that need to be discussed," he pulled the elder up by his arm, forcing him to sit at the edge of his bed. Jimin had a to take a breather after helping Namjoon up, big fucking giant ass mother fucking-
Namjoon giggled as he could almost hear his brothers mental rambling. "Now please hurry up and explain what bull crap you've now come up with."
Jimin flicked the tallers forehead before brining over a stool and sitting in front of his brother.
"Namjoon-hyung, I know you've been emotionally constipated for most of your life but the fact I have to actually explain this to you is tragic," Namjoon simply stared with bored eyes, while Jimin crossed his legs over and leaned his elbows on his knees, "hyung, you have feelings, most likely romantic feelings, for Yoongi."
Namjoons eyes grew wide, his cheeks going pink, which confirmed any suspicion in Jimins mind.
"I do not!" He defended with a loud voice, making Jimin hold a hand out to silence the elder.
"I'm sitting two feet away from you, don't yell. And yes, yes you do. It's painfully obvious."
Namjoon stuttered around, fumbling to find some answer, some way to defend himself... but he couldn't. His only argument was that he hated witches? And that in turn, he would never be able to fall for one of them. But that felt wrong.
He didn't hate Yoongi. It's not like he's in love with the small witch, but it'd be a lie to say he wasn't interested in the younger. Yoongi had this, this calming aura about him. Even when faced with danger, he was sarcastic and light hearted. His power was amazing, even for someone like Namjoon who hated magic. The few times he'd walked by the potions room, he could sometimes hear the witch mumble to themselves, giggling when they succeeded in something. That made Namjoon a heart flutter.
Jimin, unfortunately, was right. Once he realised these little things collectively, it was like the biggest, fattest crush one could ever have hit the King smack in the face.
"Oh fuck..." he whispered to himself, making Jimin chuckle and clap his hands.
"I knew it! I swear I should become cupid, a love expert- a doctor! I'm a doctor, so now I'm a love doctor! Amazing." The younger was busy complimenting himself while the elder was having a crisis.
"Okay mister love doctor," Namjoon started with a thick, tense voice as he spoke through gritted teeth, before releasing a heavy breath and his shoulder fell limp, "what do I do about it?"
Jimin raised an eyebrow, "you tell him? Obviously?"
"What?! No! No way, not happening!" Namjoon stood and paced to his window, Jimin simply spun on the little stool as he faced the elder again.
"Then how else will you find out if he likes you back?"
Namjoon froze. He never thought about that part. A hypothetical universe in which the small witch would actually reciprocate these... feelings.
But Namjoon shook his head, shaking out these nonsense thoughts along with him, "no, he never could. I was horrible to him. I almost killed him Jimin. He could never like me..."
"Well based on the way his face flushed in the garden, I'd say there's a chance," Jimin casually remarked as he inspected his nails.
"How were you in the garden?!" Namjoon faced the younger wide eyed. Jimin should have been a spy, honestly. He was always able to know everything about everyone at any given time.
"I saw you two go into Eomma and Appas room, so obviously I follow you," he answered as if it were the most causal answer in the world.
Namjoon just rolled his eyes again, a habit he had around Jimin. He thought about the little witch, recalling the way his pale cheeks did seem to get pinker as they spoke.
Namjoon didn't even realise he was blushing until Jimin began laughing.
"Oh brother you have got it bad," he joked.
Namjoon tightened his fists in frustration before releasing a sad sigh, Jimin instantly noted his change in mood.
"Even if I could.. confess...And even if he did-... if he did share similar feelings... we could never be. A King cannot be with a commoner. It is law."
"You're the king! You can have any partner you choose!" Jimin answered with a somewhat bratty tone, making Namjoon stare at him with his ever harsh glare.
"No Jimin. I couldn't change the law for you, I can't change the law for me. The council would never allow it."
Namjoon moved to sit at his desk, resting his head on his open palm as he sighed softly. Within the last twenty minutes he;
-learned what having a crush felt like.
-realised he had a crush on a small witch.
-realised that he had been horrible to said crush.
-realised he could never confess to said crush.
-realised that even if he could confess, they could never be together without him giving up his title.
The last twenty minutes held the weight of the world.
Jimin walked over, sitting on the desk as he ran his fingers through his brothers hair.
"Is the chance of love not worth the risk?"
Namjoon sighed again, ready to defend that his love for his job, his love for his kingdom, came above all else.
But Jimin continued,
"I mean, you can court him? Casually? Kings do that all the time! It's only if you try and marry him that issues will arise."
"What is the point of dating without marriage?" He asked. For Namjoon, despite his emotional constipation, he always had a romantic idea about his love life. He wanted to be married. He wanted a little family and a cute home. To rule the kingdom with his lover by his side.
Jimin smiled softly, continuing to relax the elder by tossing his hair, "being together and not being married is better than being apart. I know it's just a crush, but crushes grow into beautiful things Joon-hyung. I say take the chance. Hey, you could date for a while and the crush may disperse. That's what happens. But would you rather take the chance and see what the crush may hold, or go your whole life wondering 'what if' ?"
Namjoon dropped his head into his brother lap, groaning loudly.
"I hate when you're right."
Jimin chuckled softly, "I know."
That's the end of the chapter, I hope you enjoyed it.
So it's been forever (Over a month to be exact) and firstly, I hope you're all okay and healthy. It's very hard times in the word rn and I wanna express the importance of social distance, while also thanking everyone for doing their best in efforts of beating the COVID-19.
I haven't been updating for two months now because of two reasons.
1) my life kinda fell apart. I have no access to therapy while in quarantine, and even tho I'm immunocompromised I still have to work. On top of that my college work has almost tripled and I'll be honest and admit I'm struggling quite a bit.
However I will be fine, so please do not worry. (Thanks for all the sweet comments btw. Even if I'm not updating I'm always reading comments and they make me so fucking happy I love you all i swear)
2) I got Animal Crossing New Horizons and it's taking over my life. I love it so much.
If y'all want my code or anything let me know and I might post it on the next chapter. I have peaches on my island btw 😂
So yeah. Updates should hopefully stabilise from now on. I've started the next chapter and yeah. I'm excited for what's to come hehe
Anyways, I love y'all so much.
Stay safe.
Bye!
Word count: 3078
LittleMissyL
xox