Nature plays funny games.
Two boys who had been the happiest they have ever been, now walked through the palace hallways looking like the paddy crops from the year of drought.
They were lost in their own minds, yet not quite. Dejected and detached from the world, their surrounding, even themselves.
None was concerned with the quietness of the other, their thoughts echoing so loud that nobody's silence could make an impact enough.
The first prince had only recalled what had happened last night at the feast along with a few empty affirmations here and there . But Taehyung didn't need to be reminded of it. He was well aware.
Who was I trying to fool though?
He knew his fate and yet he went ahead and made advances on Jungkook. A non-royal. A guard. A theif. A male. A human who deserves nothing what Taehyung's mess of a life had to offer.
He had no right to toy with the other's sentiments. He owes him an apology and a retrocline from all the chaos that Taehyung started. He needs to step back, but how will he be able to?
The theif on the other hand was lost in the whirlwind of his own thoughts. He found himself as the epicenter of a tornado. Calm, but nearing destruction.
His mother's smiling face flashed again in front of him and this time he squeezed his eyes shut to somehow get rid of it.
This caused him to collide into the Prince's back who was not expecting the blow and was about to fall face first to the floor if it wasn't for the guard's quick response of holding him up.
"My deepest apologies your highness."
"Are you okay, Jungkook? You seem distracted."
"So do you, your highness. I reckon we rather not discuss if you are still not ready to share your conundrums." Jungkook spoke up in a tone colder than icebergs but it only determined the prince to freeze his tongue more.
He could accustom to the warm guard being cold, but not the other hating on him. He only just got someone who does not. So it better stay the way it is.
"Fair enough." Taehyung replied in a similar tone and continued to make his way to the kitchen where he had someone to attend to.
"Yerin-ssi, I'm glad you could make it."
"Don't embarrass me your highness. How can I not when I was invited by the prince himself." Yerin bowed down. She searched her brother for a word or two when their eyes met, but it never came.
Jungkook only stood baffled wondering what Taehyung had in mind calling his sister in the palace.
If at all he was to get his hands on the lost crown, he cannot afford people knowing about his sister.
"Jin hyung! Did you get the message I had asked Joonie hyung to convey?"
"Your highness." Jin bowed. "About this girl, yes. Truth be told, I am very curious about what made you so appreciative of her. A query keeps bothering me, however?"
Taehyung knew the query and had already summoned an answer to it. He gestured Jin to continue.
"How did you meet this girl when you never step out?"
There you go.
From the corner of his eye he could feel Jungkook visibily stiffen. He felt a little vex realizing Jungkook didn't trust him enough to protect his sister.
"You remember Jiwa, my guard before Jungkook-ssi? She is his cousin. He used to bring these snacks called pretzels. You must ask her to cook some for you. I'm convinced you will be blown away."
"Very well then. Yerin dear, cook me something right away. We really can use help for our handsome prince's coronation at night." Yerin beamed and started her work blushing lightly while Jin turned to Taehyung "Your highness, I will examine her and then approach the queen for recruitment as soon as possible."
"Just don't tell her I brought her."
"You need to trust hyung more, your highness." Jin gave a kind smile and then made his way back.
***************
"You regret it."
It wasn't a question.
It wasn't supposed to be.
It was as clear as day how the sunlight inscribing through the large window of Taehyung's chambers shone bright enough to not fail in reflecting the anguish written all over the guard's face.
For the past two hours, Jungkook had put in grave efforts not to meet the eyes of the royal. Only knocking on the door when necessary, like a real guard is expected to do.
However now when he was to deliver the clothing for coronation ceremony, he could not escape confrontation.
Nevertheless Taehyung would let that pass. He has to. What right did he appraise himself with thinking this could pursue into anything more? There little connection was born with a date of it's decease.
"You don't have to hide from me Jungkook." Taehyung took a step torwards the guard who stood there with his head hanging. He managed a pained smile hoping internally that for once jungkook fails to read it.
"Did you somehow think I may get upset if you don't want anything more with me? I wouldn't, I promise you."
"N-no Tae. You don't understand."
"Make me. I'm all ears."
Jungkook sighs rubbing his temples. The conversation with Yerin playing in his subconscious.
But did Taehyung deserve the consequences of it? Wasn't it Jungkook himself who put forth the for as long as possible idea?
"I want so so much more with you."
"I find that hard to believe, Kook." Jungkook finally faced the smile but could only wish he had not.
The pain in the smile was so poorly concealed that it was surprising he had passed that for years without anyone noticing. Or maybe they did but did not care? A pang of guilt struck his chest at the thought.
"Just some family issue, Tae. My glum is not because of you. If anything, I have never been as happy as I was this morning."
Taehyung seemed rather unconvinced and Jungkook could not fathom the sadness lacing those ravishing features. So locking the door first, he marched towards the royal whose deer-like eyes had now widened expectantly. In one quick motion Jungkook had sweeped him off his feet landing on top of him as he deposited the other on the soft mattress (on top of his cermony clothing) making him yelp.
Taehyung held tight to other's shoulders as he recovered from the surprise and finally takes in the familiar proximity and intermingling of breaths.
Annoyed by the intruding material, he takes Jungkook's scarf that hid his scar between his teeth lightly and yanks it away from the face he has come to admire so. He takes this opportunity to memorize every magnificent detail of the face.
From the moles to the scars. Every detail was like a maze. The more you think it's ending, the more you get lost in it.
Jungkook leaned in and placed an escimo kiss on the prince's nose at which the other scrunches it adorably. He then pecked right cheek causing his verrucous scar to rub on the soft cheek of the other, a sensation Taehyung has always come to love.
Finally placing himself on his elbows Jungkook drew in towards the Prince's lips and stopped about a millimeter away from them to look up for a silent permission. But all his inhibitions were shooed away as Taehyung cupped his face and connected their lips.
Both the boys heaved a heavy sigh as Jungkook moved his lips to kiss more passionately. Taehyung circled his arms around his neck and legs around his waist. The new position gave Jungkook a surge of bravery as he entered his tongue into the prince's mouth simultaneously moving a hand to hold onto the other's side and slowly descending it downwards.
Reaching the plum bottom of the other he cupped his ass-cheek in his large hand and kneeded the untouched innocent part of the skin gently to which the prince responses with a heavy breathing.
His lips detach from the royal mouth and trail little chestè kisses downwards from his jaw to the delicious looking neck. On a particular junction between his neck and shoulder jungkook pulled away the robe and swiped his tongue on the skin tasting like unadulterated purity.
Taehyung, unfamiliar with the entire territory itself, let out a heavy vocalled moan surprising himself as well as the guard. His eyes had somehow determined not to open themselves, not when Jungkook was sucking on one particular part of his untouched skin making his toes curl in immense pleasure.
Satisfied with the pink bruise he had painted on the skin that was only for his eyes, Jungkook stood back up, drawing the prince along who was wrapped on him like a koala. This made both to let out a giggle.
"As much as I wish to do so many things to you at this very moment, your highness, I reckon we start preparing for you to recieve a glittery brand new crown on this beautiful head of yours."
"As much as I have always wished for this day of a glittery brand new crown on this beautiful head of mine, I only want to think about what you can to do to me."
"You better unwind yourself from me before the last string of my restrain breaks, prince charming." Taehyung laughed throwing his head back, eyes closing wrinkled from push of the chubby cheeks. Jungkook felt his chest swell in pride for being cause of it.
Finally climbing down Taehyung held both of his hands and brought them near his lips, kissing them one by one. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore, Jungkook. My life is a quicksand. The more I want to get out of it, the more it sucks me in. There is no escape."
Taehyung looked up at Jungkook with a new-found determination in his eyes that took the other aback as they only held vulnerability and pain previously.
"I am utterly incompatible to be called a prince. They call me abomination, disgrace, what not. And I deserve it all."
Jungkook violently shook his head to cut the other off but was silenced as taehyung gestured to let him finish first.
"I have never been able to suffice for even the bare minimum of being a royal. But there is one thing I assure you I do like a royal. I keep my promises."
"And hence I promise that no matter what coffin this relationship has seeked for itself, you will not have a single scratch on you as long as I'm here. Nobody can lift a finger at you without going through me."
"I read the fear in your eyes and even though I cannot promise you a forever, I promise to take care of not just you, but also Yerin like my own sister. I promise to protect you even if I'm physically not able enough, I will do it as much as I can."
"And in return I only wish for one thing from you. I want you to do the one thing your father failed to do. I want you to believe in love of your lover. Will you atleast try?"
Jungkook felt an unfamiliar blurring of vision and started panicking. He rapidly blinked it away along with nodding his head vigorously. "Y-yes I will."
"For how long."
"For as long as possible."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was such an uneventful chapter but I didn't mean for it to look like a filler.
I just wanted to push the coronation into one new chapter.
Anyways..
Who do I keep talking to? 😂
Bye bye