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Sometimes, Minho would prefer Seungmin kill him.

It would make his life, or lack thereof, a whole lot easier. Instead, Seungmin decides to be annoying, pressing the sword to his throat and taunting him, knowing he has a whole kingdom quite literally on its knees in front of him.

Yet when the tables are turned, and Seungmin is the one on his knees, like now, Minho can’t summon the courage to just do it. Press the sword just a little deeper and watch the life bleed from Seungmin’s eyes. 

Even now, on his knees, Seungmin doesn’t have any fear in his eyes, smiling up at Minho like his life isn’t currently hanging by a thread. He’s bleeding, his armor torn from Minho’s sword, and blood trickles down his forehead and sticks to his bangs. Minho could kill him, easily, and the truth is that he should. 

“If you wanted me on my knees for you, you should’ve just asked,” Seungmin says, eyes crinkled.

Minho ignores him. “Call off your army.”

“Already? Feels like we’ve hardly spent any time together,” Seungmin sighs longingly. “I cherish these moments with you, you know.”

Minho presses his blade a bit deeper, Seungmin’s breath turning to a wheeze. His smile falters and he glares at Minho. 

“Fine.” He raises his hand, waving down his flag carrier who raises the white flag of surrender. The fighting around them slowly ceases, the clashing of swords dying down. “Happy?”

“The only thing that would make me happier would be to have your head on a skewer.”

Seungmin cracks another smile, delighted at Minho’s threat. “Then do it. Kill me.”

“I don’t take orders from you.” Minho lowers his sword. “Get out of here.”

Seungmin is still smiling as he gathers his fallen sword and stands on wobbly knees. A soldier rushes forward to his aid and shoots Minho a glare that Minho coolly meets.

“Tell your King this land is no longer yours,” Minho calls as Seungmin limps away. “Anyone caught here after today will be imprisoned for violating our borders.”

Seungmin casts a glance over his shoulder, meeting Minho’s eyes with an unreadable expression. Minho turns away and gathers his troops, surveying his losses before heading home.

-

The war between their kingdoms has been going on for more than a decade, long before Minho became old enough to command the army. The tensions between the two kingdoms began before he was even born, and there had been wars in the past, long before he was even a thought in his parents’ minds. The kingdoms have fought over land for centuries, and in truth throughout all the battles and skirmishes, there has never been a victor. It’s the same fucking piece of land that’s been handed back and forth between the two kingdoms, neither of them backing down despite wracking up loss after loss.

“War is expensive,” Minho’s father had once told him when he was a child.

“So why do we fight?” Minho had asked.

“Because, if we back down, we show we are weak,” the King responded. “We show that we can be pushed around, and they will be back for more of our land. And more. And more, until our entire kingdom is reduced to ash and stomped out like nothing more than a bug.”

Minho, hanging onto his father’s words, nodded solemnly. 

Now that Minho has seen the cost of war, he wonders if the need for respect is overshadowing his father’s vision. He wonders when was the last time his father had seen the front lines, had seen his own men and friends be slaughtered before his eyes. All in the name of respect.  

Personally, Minho couldn’t give less of a shit about the land. If it were up to him, he would’ve given it up years ago, respect be damned. No piece of land is worth thousands of lives. 

But still, he fights, because it’s his duty. It’s what he was trained to do, and it’s all he knows how to do. His sword is his best friend, and his hands are already stained in blood. 

When his father announces that there will be a peaceful meeting between the two kingdoms, Minho doesn’t bother hiding his surprise. He doesn’t remember the last time the two kingdoms had met on civil terms.

“We are wearing them down,” the King tells him eagerly over dinner. “Prince Seungmin suggested it after their latest loss.”

His father hands Minho the scroll from the raven they had received, stamped with the other King’s sigil. He skims it, not caring about the polite formalities fluffing up what could’ve been a few sentences. The King wants to send his son and a few of his most trusted advisors over to negotiate a truce. 

Yet he won’t come himself, Minho thinks. Coward.

They’ll be arriving in a fortnight, gathering their best diplomats best suited to discuss war matters. Minho closes the scroll and hands it back to his father.

“Do you think they will surrender?” Minho asks his father earnestly.

The King leans back and sighs. “I do not believe it will be that simple. I think it best you let them do the talking while we negotiate. Let them show us all of their cards before we play.”

Minho nods and the conversation dissolves, their cutlery scraping on their plates as they feast in mostly silence, save for the Queen gossiping with her ladies. 

Minho had always learned to stay quiet when his father was in the room. He’s only the most powerful man in the room when his father is absent, and even then he knows better than to say anything inappropriate when one of the King’s advisors is in the room, lest they rat him out. 

So, he dines in silence before returning to his room for the evening, falling into a fitful, dreamless sleep.

-

Minho likes to think he becomes his true self on the battlefield, merciless and cold. He’s killed more soldiers than he can count, and while he doesn’t care for it, it makes him feel something rather than residing in meetings like his father wishes he’d do. 

“You’ll get yourself killed out there,” his father has told him more than once. “What is a kingdom without their future king?”

But what is a King if not someone who fights for his kingdom alongside them? 

Minho had remained silent. 

Minho has never seen Seungmin outside of the battlefield. There, they become something larger than themselves, they become warriors and killers, far from their diplomatic mirages within the castle walls. 

Minho isn’t sure what to expect when he watches the prince make his way up the steps, a polite smile on his face as he bows deeply. Minho bows back, his hands clenched into fists.

It’s strange seeing Seungmin in royal attire rather than battle armor. He’s all smiles, but polite ones, rather than the haughty ones he sends Minho while they duel. He’s charmingly soft spoken, making light conversation with the diplomats as they make their way to the throne room to meet the King. One could almost call him handsome.

Minho wouldn’t.

He doesn’t acknowledge Minho past a bow in his general direction, hasn’t even cast a glance at the prince. Why would he? What would he even say? Something stupid and haughty in front of all of these diplomats? Seungmin can’t possibly be that stupid. 

Minho is silent as Seungmin converses with the King’s diplomats, listening intently. 

“I believe it is high time we give up this petty war,” Seungmin says, voice smooth like honey. “Both of our kingdoms are losing hundreds of soldiers a day, we’re spending money and resources on this war while winter is approaching.”

“I agree, your Highness,” one diplomat speaks up as they approach the doors to the war room. “But our King does not want to give up the land that has been ours for hundreds of years.”

Seungmin’s smile turns sour, if only for a fleeting moment, but Minho sees it. He smooths his expression out in half a second, no one else noticing. 

“My father has a proposal,” Seungmin announces as they all take a seat around the table. “One that he believes will benefit both of our kingdoms.”

The room falls quiet, everyone intrigued. Even Minho tilts his head a little, wondering what the kingdom could possibly have to offer. Everyone knows the kingdom is struggling after the war. What could they possibly offer that would make Minho’s father happy?

“Well? What does he propose?” another diplomat presses, leaning forward in his seat.

“I have a younger brother,” Seungmin begins. “Yang Jeongin.”

Minho raises his eyebrows. Nobody ever talks about Seungmin’s younger brother. He’s a bastard, born of a lowly servant to the King, Seungmin’s father. He has no claim to the throne, no power, and is often hidden away within the castle walls. 

Seungmin meets Minho’s eyes for the first time since he arrived. “My father would like to offer Jeongin’s hand in marriage to His Royal Highness, Lee Minho.”

The room explodes as everyone begins to speak over each other, shouting and pointing at each other. 

Minho simply leans back and listens to them squabble, meeting Seungmin’s gaze with mild interest. It’s certainly a proposal. He’s not sure if his father would be happy with him marrying a bastard, but it would strengthen the relationship between the two kingdoms. 

“Your king could not come and make this preposterous proposal himself?” one diplomat exclaims. 

Seungmin shrugs and finally looks away from Minho to reply, “He did not feel safe leaving his kingdom behind. Would you rather have we sent a crow?”

“Your bastard brother has no power,” one man sneers. “What makes you think he’s worthy of marrying a prince?”

“And he cannot produce an heir,” another man adds. “Our kingdom needs an heir.”

“Many orphans have been created from this war,” Seungmin responds. “Perhaps a new heir can be found elsewhere.”

“An orphan?” 

“This is ridiculous!”

The diplomats begin yelling over one another again, Seungmin somehow remaining calm as they all shout around him. 

“Your Highness,” one of the advisors leans forward to ask, everyone else quieting as Minho is finally addressed. “What do you think of this?”

Minho is half-amused, half-intrigued by the bold proposal, but he remains expressionless. “I would have to speak to His Royal Majesty about this.”

“It is a ridiculous proposal,” the advisor presses. “Your father does not need to waste his time on this. You should turn it down.”

See, but the thing is, Minho doesn’t want to. This is the most interesting thing to have ever happened to him. The war would finally end, and he has a marriage proposal. Minho thought he at least had a few more years before that started. 

“I will discuss it with my father,” Minho says finally, sending Seungmin a challenging smile. “We will consider your proposal.”

Seungmin smiles back and the diplomats continue to speak over each other, trying to persuade Minho to turn down the deal. Minho doesn’t budge, announcing that he’s returning to his chambers to think and letting them all continue to argue amongst themselves. 

Minho tells his father over dinner that evening, but of course he’s already heard about it from his blabbering advisors. 

“What do you think, son?” the King asks, chewing thoughtfully on his meat. 

“I will have to get married eventually. At least this way it will end the war.”

“My thoughts precisely,” the King replies, cutting into his meat again. “I am rather apprehensive of you marrying a bastard, but this war has gone on long enough. At least we will gain our rightful land back with this proposal.”

Minho nods, but he couldn’t care less about marrying a bastard or the land. He just wants to stop the fighting. He’s seen enough bloodshed in his life.

He’s not exactly enthusiastic about marriage, but not because it’s with a bastard. He’s more focused on the fact that he will be legally and morally obligated to spend the rest of his life with this man. A man he’s only heard the name of in passing. 

“I want to meet him,” Minho says boldly, raising his eyes to meet his father’s. 

The King raises an eyebrow. “The bastard?”

“Yes.”

“You are truly considering taking his hand in marriage?” 

Minho blinks slowly, considering. “I just want to meet him. We can think about the proposal. I can visit for a few weeks and discuss more with the King.”

His father taps his fingers against the dining table thoughtfully. “Alright. I will send you back with Prince Seungmin and think about the proposal. Don’t go without your guards and keep me updated.”

Minho nods and finishes his meal in silence.

-

When the day finally comes for Seungmin to go home, Minho meets him at the palace gates, Seungmin waiting for him beside his horse. Minho approaches him with his guards flanking him, bowing when he reaches him. 

Seungmin bows back and smiles at the guards. “What, do you think we’re planning on assassinating you?”

“My father insisted,” Minho says tightly. 

Seungmin laughs and taps his sword with his fingers, his eyes clouded with memories. “It certainly isn’t easy to kill you.”

Minho doesn’t reply, instead retrieving his horse and climbing atop the animal’s muscled back. He hates horse riding. He knows his hips are going to be sore for the next week during and after the trip. 

He rides flanked by his guards on their own horses, deadly quiet as they watch out for any sort of danger. The closest thing to danger is when Seungmin sidles up beside Minho’s horse, beaming at him.

“I think you’ll like Jeongin,” Seungmin tells him.

Minho doesn’t reply, keeping his gaze hard and ahead of him.

He can see Seungmin roll his eyes out of the corner of his vision. “What? Still angry at me for trying to kill you all those times? How silly.”

“No,” Minho says evenly. “I think I got closer to killing you more than you did to me, so you should be the one angry, if anything.”

“Well, I’m not.” Seungmin sniffs. “And it was all politics. I’m sure you’re a lovely prince.”

Minho points his nose upward. “And I’m sure you’re just as annoying off the battlefield as you are on.”

Seungmin laughs, delighted. “You never fail to amuse me, Lee Minho.”

Minho grits his teeth. “I’m not your court jester. If you have nothing of substance to say to me, then run along.” 

“Oh, but I love our conversations!” Seungmin exclaims. “We never got to truly chat while we were too busy trying to kill each other.” 

“Could it possibly be that I do not wish to chat with you?”

“Everybody likes to chat with me,” Seungmin says simply. “I think you do as well. I think we really bonded while we were battling for our lives. Otherwise, you would have killed me long ago.”

“Purely for political purposes,” Minho clips, gripping his horse’s reins tighter. “Killing you only would have angered your king.”

“Mhm,” Seungmin hums with a smile, not convinced. “I think it’s because you are secretly charmed by me, just like everyone else.”

“Oh, and that is the reason you did not kill me either, then?” Minho quips, finally turning to meet Seungmin’s eyes. 

Seungmin’s smile only widens. “Oh, my prince, I’ve been infatuated with you since the first time you put a knife to my heart.”

Minho feels heat rise up to his cheeks and glares at him, Seungmin laughing before leaning forward and riding off to the front of the group.

He’s just trying to toy with you, Minho thinks to himself with an annoyed huff. Getting angry will only make you look bad.

He ignores the shared snickers from his guards and continues to ride, the sun setting in the distance.

-

Seungmin makes it his mission to bother him for the rest of the trip, either riding beside him or sitting next to him when they’re resting.

“Would you like to join me in my tent, your Highness?” Seungmin asks at one point when they’re all getting ready for sleep, his face illuminated by the moonlight.

Minho responds by placing a single hand on his sword and smiling sweetly back at him, “Would you like your throat slit in your sleep, your Highness?”

Seungmin had simply giggled and walked back to his tent, turning his back while Minho still had a hand on his sword. Idiot. Never turn your back on your enemy.

But they’re not enemies anymore, are they? If Minho’s father agrees to this marriage, then the war will finally end and the two kingdoms will be at peace. Meaning Seungmin and Minho aren’t really enemies anymore. If Minho does end up getting married to Jeongin, they’ll be family, in fact.

The thought makes his lip curl. Seungmin’s always been a thorn in his side, he’s sure even a peace treaty between the kingdoms won’t stop him from being a menace in Minho’s life. 

When they finally arrive at the castle, Minho hops off his horse and allows himself to be led inside the castle by a servant. He’s led to his room and is told that he’ll be called to meet the King in a few hours after he’s cleaned himself up.

Minho takes a much needed bath and changes into a nice set of clothes that the servants had put out for him, styling his hair back and waiting until the servants come to lead him to the throne room. Once they arrive, Minho’s guards trail him as they make their way to the throne room, Minho tilting his chin up to radiate confidence as the doors open.

The King sits proud on his throne, the Queen with her hands folded right beside him. Seungmin stands off to the side, along with a younger looking man with sharp features and fox eyes. 

Minho’s eyes sweep the room, unconsciously readying himself. He’d been told to leave any weapons in his room, so he’s completely unarmed, but if something were to happen, it wouldn’t be without a fight.

He calms down his pulse, reminding himself that he’s not on the battlefield anymore. He’s a guest in the castle, in line to be betrothed, of course they wouldn’t do anything to him.

“Welcome,” the King’s voice booms across the room, loud and commanding. 

Minho kneels and lowers his head. “Thank you for having me, your Majesty.”

“You may rise.” Minho lifts his head and stands, keeping his face as passive as possible as the King eyes him. “I assume you are here with an answer to my proposal?”

“We do not yet have an answer,” Minho admits. “We thought it best I meet the man I’m supposed to marry before we make any decisions.”

The King nods and raises a hand, glancing over and beckoning the man who stands beside Seungmin. The fox eyed man blinks nervously but steps forward, bowing at Minho.

“Hello, your Highness,” the bastard prince says, his voice quivering the slightest bit. “I am Yang Jeongin.”

Minho bows back, “Pleasure to meet you.”

Jeongin smiles, but he still looks nervous, not at all like the cockiness his older brother radiates. 

“If it pleases your Highness, you may stay here for two fortnights and get to know my son,” the King offers. 

Minho nods, giving Jeongin a once over. He’s handsome, but definitely shy. He must not be used to having the attention on him. Being a bastard he must’ve always been pushed off to the side while Seungmin got all the attention. 

The King gives a few more formalities before Minho is escorted out of the throne room.

“In case you were wondering,” Prince Seungmin suddenly says with a coy smile as he escorts Minho back to his room. He leans against the wall. “My bedroom is not too far from here.”

Minho shuts the door in his face.

-

Servants wake Minho up the next morning telling him that Jeongin will be in the royal gardens at noon, should he care to join him. Minho knows he doesn’t really have a choice, so he bows to the servants and tells them that he’ll be ready beforehand so they can take him there.

True to his word, he cleans himself up and is ready by the time the servants come back for him. They lead him down an array of hallways until they go outside and lead him across a courtyard. 

On the other side of the courtyard, an array of flowers span across Minho’s field of vision. Everywhere he looks, flowers, flowers, bushes, and more flowers. Even a few trees are growing in the garden. And in the middle of it all, Jeongin stands, hands clasped behind his back.

He doesn’t notice them arriving, watching a butterfly as it sucks the nectar from a big yellow flower. He jumps when a servant addresses him, turning around with comically big eyes.

“Your Grace,” the servant says softly. “His Highness Minho has arrived.”

“Ah,” Jeongin clears his throat. “Thank you. You may leave.”

The servants bow deeply and take their leave. Minho is left alone with Jeongin, though he knows they’re not really alone. There must be some sort of guard nearby watching them. 

“Hello,” Minho greets him. 

“Hi,” Jeongin says quietly, his eyes shifting, like he’s trying to make eye contact but his body wants to avoid it. “Um. How did you sleep? I hope the room we prepared was up to standard.”

“It was nice, thank you.” Minho gives him an approving nod and a reassuring smile. “I slept wonderfully.”

“That is…good,” Jeongin breathes, swallowing audibly. 

He looks incredibly nervous, his hand toying with the petals on a flower. Minho decides to lead the conversation.

“Do you like flowers?” he asks, gesturing toward the bush Jeongin leans into. 

Jeongin seems to notice how he’s sort of hiding beside the flowers and straightens his posture, smiling awkwardly. “Yes. I have my own personal garden that I tend to. You can…you can come see sometime, if you’d like.”

Minho smiles. “I am sure it is beautiful.”

Jeongin nods, his hair flopping a little. “I have been tending to it for years.”

Minho wouldn’t know what it’s like to have such a hobby. Being a bastard, Jeongin has no power, but the King must have taken pity on him, allowing him to take the title of a prince and live a comfortable life. 

“Do you spar at all?” Minho asks, curious. 

Jeongin seems surprised by the question. “Oh, no. Sparring is for soldiers I…am not. I watch Seungmin sometimes, though. He is very talented.”

Minho fights the urge to make a quip about Seungmin’s talent. Jeongin isn’t his annoying older brother, he wouldn’t take out his animosity toward Seungmin on the poor prince.

Jeongin must mistake his silence for some other emotion, because he smiles hesitantly and adds, “You are welcome to spar with him sometime if you feel so inclined.”

Minho sniffs. “I’ve sparred with him plenty on the battlefield.”

Jeongin’s face drops a little, realizing he said something wrong. “Ah. Of course.” He’s quiet for a moment before he decides to change the subject entirely. “Are you hungry, your Highness? I can ask the kitchens to cook us some lunch.”

Minho had eaten, some servants having delivered him breakfast when he first woke up, but that was a few hours ago, and he’s admittedly a bit hungry now.

“I am quite hungry, yes,” he says.

Jeongin gives him a relieved smile. “Come. I will take you to the dining hall.”

Jeongin leads him across the castle, Minho extra wary of the guards following them around the entire time. He knows it’s only a precaution, but it reminds him of the fact that he’s not entirely safe here either. Their kingdoms have not signed peace treaties. Should he step out of place, the King could have him hanged or worse, leaving Minho’s kingdom at a disadvantage.

Pushing thoughts of politics and war aside, Minho follows Jeongin into the kitchens, where he asks, “What do you feel like having?”

Minho gives Jeongin a simple meal which he relays to the cooks, who tell him that it’ll be ready soon. Minho isn’t particularly picky, having survived on rations on the warfront.

He notices Jeongin picks an intricate and spice-filled stew, which the cooks take in stride. He must eat it often, then.

“I enjoy a good, hearty meal,” Jeongin tells him as they sit at the dining table, awaiting their meals. “I’m not allowed to eat with the rest of the royals, but the cooks always make something special for me to make up for it.”

Minho is surprised by this bit of information, when he really shouldn’t be. Jeongin seems pampered, but he’s not really a prince. Of course he wouldn’t be allowed a seat with his father, the King. 

“Where do you dine, if not with the royals?” Minho asks.

“Usually after they’re done,” Jeongin says, not a hint of bitterness in his tone. He doesn’t seem unhappy with his placement in the kingdom. Minho supposes he’s had time to find peace with it. “Seungmin usually visits me though, to give me company.”

Minho hates to hear about Seungmin, but Jeongin seems to like his older half-brother by his fond tone, so Minho decides to take the topic and run with it. “Are you and the Prince close?”

“As close as we can be,” Jeongin says with a small smile. The servants serve them some peppermint tea while they wait, adding a hefty amount of sugar cubes to Jeongin’s drink. “He is usually busy with his duties, off on the warfront or elsewhere, but he tries to find time with me. I’m thankful for it. My father can barely look at me, and the Queen hates me.”

Minho nods understandably, sipping his tea delicately. “So what do you do, then?”

“I usually read,” Jeongin says bashfully. “I’m thankful I was taught. I don’t know what I’d do without my books. I took classes on manners when I was younger to at least fit in somewhat, but nobody wants to make friends with a bastard, of course.” He glances at Minho before adding, “Let alone marry one.”

Minho tips his head. “You don’t believe our marriage will work?”

Jeongin smiles. “I don’t think you’ll be very enamored by me, your Highness.” 

“It’s a lot less about attraction and a lot more of a political statement. I don’t know you, truthfully, and there’s no amount of information I could learn about you that would make me want to marry you in two fortnights, but it’s what the King is offering to end the war. I believe I’ve been backed into a corner here.”

Jeongin tips his head. “I understand the politics, but isn’t your father a little peeved that my father is offering a bastard instead of a real prince?”

Minho shrugs. “I believe we are all tired of this war.”

Jeongin nods a little, lowering his eyes. “I can see that. It must be a lot, seeing all of your comrades lose their lives in a seemingly endless and meaningless war.”

Minho doesn’t reply to that, feeling a little too vulnerable. Instead he offers, “If it means anything, I’m sure you’d make a lovely husband, regardless of politics and titles.”

Jeongin’s face turns a bright shade of pink and he quickly hides his face behind his teacup. 

The food arrives only a few minutes later, the servants setting out their plates. Minho notes a third plate is set out and narrows his eyes. 

“Hello, your Highness,” a remarkably familiar and annoying voice intrudes.

Minho turns his head and fights back a groan as Seungmin saunters into the dining room, sliding into the seat beside Jeongin and across from Minho with a shit-eating grin.

“Kim Seungmin,” Minho deadpans. “Can’t you see we’re a little busy?”

“Hmm? Oh!” Seungmin blinks innocently, feigning surprise. “I hate to intrude, I’m simply famished. I smelled the cooks cooking up one of my favorite meals and decided to join. Is that alright?”

Minho grits his teeth, feeling Jeongin’s curious eyes fall on him. If he says no, Jeongin might be offended, which wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, but Minho genuinely wants to have a good relationship with the bastard prince. Even if it means putting up with his annoying brother.

“Of course,” Minho practically purrs, the pinnacle of manners. 

Seungmin smirks and picks up a spoon, digging into his meal quietly. For a minute, they eat in silence, nothing but the sound of cutlery chiming against bowls and plates between them. 

“I noticed you couldn’t find your way to my room last night,” Seungmin suddenly pipes up. “Did you get lost?”

Minho stabs a piece of meat with his chopstick. “I don’t believe I did.”

“I hope you slept well,” Seungmin continues, either oblivious or uncaring to the way Jeongin is staring at him in shock. “Though you might’ve slept a little better had I been there.”

“Oh, don’t worry, you appeared in my nightmares.”

Seungmin smiles crookedly at him. “Do you dream of me often, your Highness?”

“Your meal is getting cold, Kim Seungmin,” Minho grits out.

“As cold as the depths of your heart,” Seungmin sighs, popping a piece of cooked beef into his mouth. “Tell me, Innie, how did you warm him up to you so quickly?”

Jeongin blinks at him, lost. “I don’t understand.”

“His Royal Highness is notoriously aloof,” Seungmin says. “He refuses to admit that he likes me.”

“Have you ever thought that– perhaps –I just don’t like you?”

“Everyone likes me,” Seungmin says. “You would’ve killed me if you didn’t.”

“Please excuse my brother,” Jeongin tells him. “He’s not usually this annoying.”

“It’s quite alright,” Minho says with a smile. “I’m used to his antics.”

Seungmin smiles right back. 

–

Seungmin doesn’t leave neither him nor Jeongin alone for the next three days, always finding a way to barge into whatever they’re doing. 

Oh, Jeongin’s terrible at chess, Seungmin had said when he caught them conversing over a game. Let me help.

And then when Jeongin had taken him to the stables to show off his horse, Seungmin had appeared out of nowhere to say, Jeongin used to be terrified of horses as a kid. He used to cry every time he saw one. Jeongin was mortified.

No matter what part of the castle Minho and Jeongin try to run off to, Seungmin always finds them, cutting into their time to bother Minho. Jeongin seems to be getting increasingly annoyed with him as well, snapping at Seungmin a few times.

Are you even taking this seriously, Seungmin? Jeongin had snapped at him yesterday. 

Seungmin had only laughed, answering Jeongin’s question.

Now, Minho is on his way to see Jeongin, but runs into Seungmin just outside of his room, loitering.

“Good morning, your Highness,” Seungmin says with a charming smile and a bow of his head.

Minho searches his face with narrowed, calculating eyes. He doesn’t find a hint of malice etched into the lines of Seungmin’s face, only pure mischief. Minho never really realized, but–

“You look like a dog,” Minho deadpans.

Seungmin’s smile falters, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “Pardon?”

“Like–Your face,” Minho says, his own smile growing as he takes in Seungmin’s little head tilt, the slight downturn of his lips and oh–“Not even a dog. Like a puppy.”

Seungmin stares at him. He doesn’t look offended, just genuinely confused. “I don’t–What?”

Minho laughs. “I can’t believe I’ve been letting a dog get under my skin.” 

Seungmin blinks at him a few times, at a loss for words. “I–”

“Down, boy,” Minho quips, pushing Seungmin aside. “You’re going to make me late.”

“I’m not–” Seungmin whines a little, sounding hopelessly perplexed. “I’m not a dog.”

“I’m about to start spraying you with water like one.”

“Do not.”

“Then learn how to behave,” Minho huffs. “Do I need to put you on a leash or something?”

Seungmin’s eyes widen, a bright red flush creeping up his cheeks and oh this is new. Minho’s never managed to get a real reaction out of Seungmin before. He seems flustered, in his adorable, puppy-like way.

“I don’t think–”

“If you’re about to tell me what’s appropriate,” Minho cuts him off, narrowing his eyes again. “Don’t bother. You’ve said worse to me.”

“I wasn’t,” Seungmin says. “I was saying I don’t think you need to do that.”

“Maybe I do,” Minho says, approaching Seungmin threateningly. “Of all the things I’ve tried, maybe I just need to treat you like the dumb little mutt you are. Maybe it will finally get you to shut up for once.”

Seungmin’s eyes are wider than they’ve ever been as Minho corners him into a wall, finally fed up with the prince’s bullshit. Seungmin may have the height advantage, but Minho’s presence is big and threatening, he’s almost always been the most powerful man in the room. He’s not going to be shown up by some haughty prince who doesn’t know his place.

“...Then do it,” Seungmin suddenly blurts.

Minho pauses. “Excuse me?”

“Shut me up,” Seungmin continues, his cheeks and ears completely red. “You want me to shut up so badly but you can’t even do that? You want to marry my brother and yet you can’t even take a little shit from me? You’ve never been able to beat me. Even when you think I’ve lost I’ve always won the real game. You–”

Minho shoves him harshly against the wall, a shocked gasp slipping past Seungmin’s lips before Minho is pressing his lips against Seungmin’s. Seungmin is shocked for half a second, his mouth frozen, before he melts into the kiss. 

Minho attacks his lips mercilessly, their teeth clashing together from the messy roughness of the kiss. Seungmin doesn’t seem to mind, though, given the way one hand slides into Minho’s hair and the other clutches at his shirt. He meets Minho’s lips with eagerness, parting them and letting Minho slide his tongue inside.

The best part of it all is the whiny little noises Seungmin makes into Minho’s mouth, moaning around his tongue and whimpering a little bit when Minho nips his bottom lip. He’s so pliant and responsive, letting Minho press his full body into him and bucking his hips up a little when Minho shoves a thigh in between his legs. 

“M–Minho–” Seungmin breathes when Minho pulls away. “N–Not here–”

“Why not?” Minho demands, pressing his thigh harder against the outline of Seungmin’s rapidly hardening cock. “Afraid someone will see their precious little prince like this? All whiny and needy for the prince of the enemy kingdom?”

Seungmin gasps a little, his eyes rolling back. “Please. Take me to your room. Promise I’ll be good.”

A tempting offer. One that Minho considers for a moment.

He pulls away, ignoring Seungmin’s questioning whine. Seungmin immediately perks back up when Minho takes him by the wrist and drags him back in the direction of his room. 

“Your brother is expecting me,” Minho tells him as he shuts the door and crowds him against it. “So you’re going to do everything I say and not be a brat about it so we can get this over with as quickly as possible, got it?”

Seungmin nods rapidly, his pupils notably dilated. Minho kisses him again, his hands working at the buttons of Seungmin’s shirt. Seungmin lets his shirt slide off his shoulders, Minho gripping his waist and thumbing over his ribs. Seungmin shivers, his head tipping back when Minho gently rakes his nails along his skin. Seungmin curses quietly when Minho digs in his nails a little harder, his hips rutting against Minho’s thigh.

Minho slides his hands down, squeezing Seungmin’s skinny little waist before dipping his fingers beneath Seungmin’s pants. Seungmin’s breathing picks up a little, hot and heavy against Minho’s lips.

“Can I?” Minho asks, because as much as he hates Seungmin, he’d never do this without his permission.

Seungmin nods fervently and Minho doesn’t waste another second, pulling Seungmin’s pants down along with his underwear. Seungmin kicks his shoes and pants off, leaving himself fully exposed. Minho is still fully clothed, and the realization makes him twitch in his pants. Having Seungmin all desperate like this is certainly doing things to him.

Seungmin sighs when Minho wraps a hand around his cock, lazily rolling his hips into his fist. He’s a nice length, something that Minho would certainly enjoy in his ass, but he has other plans for today.

He tugs Seungmin over to the bed and pushes him onto it, crawling in between his thighs and taking in the sight beneath him. The prince, all spread out and undone and fully naked, all for him. Seungmin blinks up at him with his big puppy eyes, reaching out and making a grabbing motion with his hand, coaxing Minho in.

Minho lets himself cage in Seungmin with his arms, leaning down to kiss him again. He likes the way Seungmin’s lips look, deliciously swollen and pink and covered in a mixture of his and Minho’s spit. Seungmin whines when Minho pulls away, but falls silent when Minho kisses down his jaw. 

“Nice to see you speechless for once,” Minho mutters, sucking a bruise on Seungmin’s pulse point.

Seungmin moans. “I could talk if you really want me to,” he breathes, still a tease despite Minho clearly having the upper hand. “Though, I didn’t take you as one for dirty talk.”

“I prefer to be the one doing the talking,” Minho says, kissing across Seungmin’s chest. Seungmin’s back arches and he lets out the prettiest little whine when Minho wraps his lips around his nipple, his fingers coming up to pinch the other. “You’re plenty responsive like this. No need for you to talk.”

Seungmin whines again but doesn’t argue, lying lax on the bed. Minho kisses down his stomach and his thighs, purposely ignoring the way Seungmin squirms, using his hand to try to push Minho toward his hard and leaking cock.

“Your Highness,” Seungmin whispers. “I believe my brother will be wondering where you are if we don’t hurry.”

Minho softly bites his thigh for trying to rush him, Seungmin crying out in shock. Still, he does pull away to press a few kisses to Seungmin’s cock, supposing he has a point. He doesn’t want Jeongin to come searching for him.

So, he laps at the head of Seungmin’s cock, watching with lidded eyes as Seungmin goes boneless against the sheets, his hips weakly stuttering into Minho’s mouth. Minho pushes Seungmin’s hips into the mattress, holding him down. He takes Seungmin into his mouth and slides him into his throat.

Seungmin moans and kicks his feet, so whiny and squirmy. Minho likes him like this. Dumb and drunk with pleasure. He’s a lot less annoying and a lot more cute.

Minho hums and works Seungmin’s cock with his mouth and tongue, spit pooling from his mouth. It’s wet and incredibly messy, but Seungmin doesn’t complain, babbling and whimpering in lieu of words.

Minho pulls off and jerks him off, still holding him down by his pretty little hips. “Such a pretty puppy.”

Seungmin makes a little “hah,” sound and his hand in Minho’s hair tugs a little. “Please,” he breathes. “Wanna…wanna cum. Minho. Please. Let me–”

“I don’t know if I should,” Minho muses, watching Seungmin’s eyes widen with cruel satisfaction. “Look at you, you’ve made me late to meet with your brother. What’s to be done to a naughty pup like you?”

“Please,” Seungmin pleads, his eyes growing wet. “You can-you can do anything you want to me, Minho. Just– please.”

Minho crawls up his body and connects their lips hungrily, shushing Seungmin’s little whines. “Anything I want, hmm? Even you can’t be dumb enough to say something like that.”

“I mean it,” Seungmin pants, his hands coming to clutch Minho’s shoulders. He meets Minho’s eyes, his own wide and dark. Minho’s never seen him like this. Even when Minho threatened him with his life, he’s never been this desperate. “Anything.”

Minho fights back a shiver and wraps a hand around Seungmin’s cock, still wet with his spit. 

“As much as I’d love to sit here all day and see all the pretty noises you can make for me,” Minho murmurs, jacking Seungmin’s cock at an unrelenting pace. Seungmin’s head tips back and his hips buck up wildly. “Your brother is expecting me. So, you can either cum now, or I leave and you can take care of it yourself.”

Seungmin doesn’t reply for a long moment, his body tightening up like a bowstring, folding in on itself. He hides his face in the palms of his hands and shakily cries into his fingers. Minho can see he’s close and continues to move his hand until Seungmin’s body jerks and he spills across Minho’s hand with a moan. 

Minho watches Seungmin cum and wishes that he could stay longer and make him really cry, but he’s already taken far too long. He moves his hand away despite Seungmin reaching out and giving him big, puppy eyes for more.

“Another day,” Minho says without thinking. Seungmin lies back and throws an arm over his face, spent. “I have to go now.”

“I know,” Seungmin mumbles. “I’ll see myself out.”

Minho pats Seungmin’s thigh, watching his stomach rise and fall as his breathing evens out. He truly wishes he could stay, but people will be looking for him, and he’d rather not be caught with the prince in his bed. 

He sneaks out of his room and hurries to the library, where he’d promised to meet Jeongin ages ago. Before he arrives, he smooths out his appearance and hopes his lips don’t look too puffy before opening the doors.

He finds Jeongin hidden away in a dark corner of the library, his lips downturned and eyebrows furrowed as he reads through a thick book. 

“Sorry,” Minho says in lieu of greeting, bringing Jeongin’s attention to him. “I overslept.”

Jeongin shakes his head and smiles, his appearance brightening considerably. “It’s alright. Come sit with me.” 

Minho takes the seat across from him and taps his knee with his fingers. He feels bad, he realizes. He’s supposed to be courting Jeongin, getting to know him and see if they should marry. Instead, he snuck around with his half-brother.

Minho’s never been amazing at politics, but even he knows when he’s severely fucked up.

Jeongin is none the wiser, smiling and talking to Minho like nothing’s wrong. And nothing is wrong, is it? Nobody knows that Seungmin and Minho hooked up. No one would ever suspect it. The two princes are known to hate each other.

“Is something the matter?” Jeongin asks, head tipped to the side.

Minho shakes his head and gives him what he hopes is a convincing smile. “Oh, no. I just didn’t sleep well. I apologize.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Jeongin says with a charming grin. “If you want to leave and take a nap or something we can always meet up later.”

Minho shakes his head. He likes hanging out with Jeongin, and he doesn’t want to make him wait. Especially when Minho is lying to him.

“It’s alright.”

“Are you homesick?” Jeongin asks. 

“Maybe a little,” Minho admits, because he does truly miss being home. When he’s on the front lines, he’s a little too preoccupied to think about missing home. Not to mention too proud to admit it. “Usually when I’m away for this long I’m at war.”

Jeongin’s expression sombers. “That must be…difficult. I’m sorry. Especially since my kingdom is the one killing your people’s men.”

Minho cracks a small smile. “Don’t worry, we’ve killed some of yours too.”

An awful joke, especially given the horrors of the battlefield Minho’s seen. Still, sometimes all one can do is laugh. 

Jeongin huffs out a small laugh. “Whatever. Seungmin tells me stories when he’s around. It sounds awful. Sometimes I’m glad I’m not a real prince. Maybe it makes me sound like a coward, but I don’t think I’d survive war.”

“It’s not cowardly to fear death. Especially a needless one,” Minho murmurs. “It’s actually quite smart. I’ve met men who didn’t fear or respect death. She claims everyone, in the end.”

Jeongin shivers, nervously fiddling with his book. “It feels awful. Putting people’s lives on the line over a silly piece of land.”

“You’re not the King. It’s not your fault.”

Jeongin smiles sadly. “Right. I have no power.”

“Most people don’t,” Minho says. “I don’t have the power to stop it, either. Not until I’m King.”

Jeongin tips his head. “But you do.”

Minho frowns. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’ve been given a choice. If you marry me, your kingdom takes the land and the fighting stops. You do have the power to stop it.”

“I suppose.”

Jeongin looks down, back into his book. “But I understand if you don’t want to marry me. The King isn’t giving me a choice, but you have one.”

“I think we both know what my answer is, Jeongin.”

Minho knew his answer when it was first proposed.

Jeongin shrugs, a bit helplessly, “I suppose it isn’t much of a choice for you either. You could either stop the war and marry me or not marry me and keep putting your life on the line. Of course you’d choose to marry me.”

Jeongin sounds… sad . Minho supposes he has a valid reason to feel that way. Nobody’s ever chosen him. He always has been and always will be the bastard prince with no real claim to his title. He’ll never be a king, and nobody’s ever given him a second glance that wasn’t riddled with disgust. 

Minho extends his hand, laying his palm over Jeongin’s. Jeongin’s hand is a bit cold, but his skin is soft and delicate. Unlike Minho’s hands, who’ve been fit and molded to hold a sword, who’ve seen the highs and lows of war. 

Jeongin looks up, surprised. 

Minho brushes his thumb over Jeongin’s ring finger. “I can’t…promise that our marriage will ever be anything other than a political statement,” he says quietly. “But I can promise that you will live comfortably and be respected in my castle. If you want to find someone else, someone who is worthy of your love, I won’t stand in your way.”

Jeongin blinks slowly at him. “Thank you,” he whispers. His voice trembles ever so slightly.

Minho pulls his hand away and clears his throat, wondering if he’d crossed some sort of line. He and Jeongin aren’t quite close yet, but Minho likes him. Respects him, even. Minho never allowed himself to grow close with anyone, but if he’s to be married to Jeongin, then he supposes he should make an effort.

Jeongin is quieter than usual the rest of the time they’re together that day, avoiding Minho’s eyes when he does speak. Minho wonders if what he said earlier was too intense, but what can he say? Does he take it back? It feels a little too late to do so.

They part ways at the end of the day and Minho (truthfully this time) hardly gets any sleep that night.

–

To Minho’s utter shock and amusement, Seungmin doesn’t make an appearance at his and Jeongin’s meetups for the next few days.

He must be embarrassed, Minho thinks with a smirk as he digs into his plate. Now he knows better than to interrupt my time with–

“Hello.”

Minho drops his chopsticks and glares in Seungmin’s direction. 

“Hi, Seungmin,” Jeongin says kindly after swallowing a piece of meat. “Are you hungry? The cooks made plenty.”

“I’m actually feeling a little antsy today,” Seungmin says, leaning back against the wall with a grin, his eyes zeroed in on Minho. “Wanna spar, your Highness?”

Minho scoffs. “You know I’d beat you.”

“I disagree. I have beat you plenty of times in combat.”

“Fewer than the times I’ve beat you.”

“Agree to disagree,” Seungmin murmurs, waving his hand. 

“I’m not sparring with you, I’m spending time with Jeongin.”

“Sounds like something one would say if they were afraid they were going to be bested.”

Minho’s eye twitches. “I’m not afraid of sparring with you.”

“Then?” Seungmin challenges. “Why not?”

Minho glares into his bowl. “Jeongin must be annoyed by the sudden interruption.”

“Actually,” Jeongin pipes up. “I’d love to see a sparring session. Seungmin tried to teach me when we were younger but I was always way too clumsy. He says you’re really talented, too.”

Seungmin grins and Minho scowls deeply at him. “Fine, then. Sparring session it is.”

They finish up their meals and head to the barracks, Seungmin tossing him a dull sword while Jeongin stands off to the side and watches with round eyes.

“If you need to know what not to do,” Minho says. “Just watch Seungmin.”

Jeongin laughs and Seungmin’s lips quirk up. 

Minho doesn’t wait for Seungmin to strike first, always one to take the upper hand and go in for the surprise. Seungmin deflects easily, smiling and shouldering Minho hard in his chest. Minho feels the wind knock out of him and he quickly dodges the quick jab at his stomach. He still has the scar from the last time he didn’t dodge that move.

“You’re predictable, Kim Seungmin,” Minho tuts.

“Old habits die hard,” Seungmin says with a twinkle in his eye, clearly remembering that day as well. “You haven’t changed, either.”

Minho goes for Seungmin’s legs, far too long and gangly, hoping to knock him down. Seungmin jumps right over his sweep and arcs his sword down, aiming for Minho’s shoulder. Minho sidesteps the blow and slashes at Seungmin’s arm, catching and ripping a piece of his clothing. Had the sword been any sharper, he certainly would have drawn blood.

Seungmin isn’t deterred, barely reacting and instead moving to jut Minho in the chest with the butt of his sword. Minho just barely dodges it, grabbing Seungmin by the arm and going to jab him in the stomach. Seungmin twists out of his grip and knocks Minho in the face with his elbow.

Minho stumbles back and fights the urge to grab his face and cower, glaring at Seungmin even though he can feel the blood running from his nose. Seungmin laughs mockingly and Minho sees red, slicing up with his sword. Seungmin parries and pushes him back with more force than Minho thought he was capable of, causing Minho to stumble. 

Seungmin seizes the opportunity and kicks out a leg, successfully knocking Minho off his feet. Minho falls back, his sword knocking out of his grip and Seungmin catches him. 

Seungmin grins, cradling Minho in his arms. “Had enough?”

Minho headbutts him, his vision blurring for a split second. Seungmin curses and drops him, Minho falling to the ground and the wind knocking out of him. He scrambles for where his sword had fallen but Seungmin is faster, stepping on Minho’s outstretched hand with one foot and leaning over to roll him over. He pins Minho down and presses the dull sword to Minho’s throat. 

Minho stares up at him. Seungmin’s bleeding from his eyebrow, blood dripping past his eye but somehow not blinding him. It’s so familiar, seeing Seungmin all haggard from battle, remnants of their blood mixing together on each other's clothes. Even the feel of the blade to Minho’s throat is familiar, but this time he truly knows Seungmin won’t do it. 

Seungmin takes a second to catch his breath before finally asking, “Done yet, your Highness?”

Minho taps his thigh twice, signaling his defeat, as much as it pains him to do so. Seungmin grins and climbs off him, offering a hand to help him up.

Minho spits at his hand and gets himself up. Jeongi  rushes over and reaches for Minho’s face, not quite touching. 

“You’re bleeding!” Jeongin exclaims. 

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for your concern,” Seungmin mutters, pulling out a handkerchief to dab at his eyebrow. 

Minho shakes his head and tells Jeongin, “It’s alright. He once stabbed me in the stomach. I’ve had it worse.”

Jeongin gasps and glares at Seungmin. “You stabbed him in the stomach?!”

Seungmin throws his hands up. “We were at war!”

“Come on, let’s go see a medic,” Jeongin says to Minho, putting a guiding hand on his back and leading him away from the barracks.

Minho chuckles as Seungmin is left to attend to his own wound, allowing Jeongin to guide him to a medic. She cleans the blood and reassures him that his nose thankfully isn’t broken, which Minho already knew. He’s had a broken nose before. 

“Sorry Seungmin went so rough on you,” Jeongin says to him while they’re walking again. 

Minho sniffs, still smelling of copper. “It’s fine. Like I said, he’s done worse.”

“Yeah, but this was just supposed to be a spar,” Jeongin huffs. “You were rough on him too, you know.”

“So it was an equal fight, is what I’m hearing.”

“It was rough and I don’t want you two fighting like that again,” Jeongin says firmly. “Keep it friendly. No more hurting each other. We’re not at war anymore. You should make more of an effort to get along with him.”

Minho scowls and sniffs again. “It’s not my fault he does his damndest to annoy me.”

Jeongin rolls his eyes. “He likes to do that. You can’t let him get to you. He likes playing around, seeing what kind of reaction he can get out of people. He likes to mess with you especially because he knows you’ll always give him one.” 

Minho grumbles and Jeongin gives him a smile. It breaks down some of the cracks in Minho’s foundation, and he finds himself smiling back.

“Alright,” Minho gives in. “I’ll try to be kinder.”

“Thank you, your Highness.”

–

Minho spends the next week juggling his time between the two princes. In the evenings, he sneaks around with Seungmin, taking the prince until he’s a dumb, pathetic little mess like before. It becomes Minho’s favorite time of the day.

On the flip side, he grows closer to Jeongin, who shows him nothing but patience and kindness if and when he shows up to their meetings slightly disheveled and late. He feels bad, so he makes up for it by giving Jeongin his utmost attention, indulging in whatever activity Jeongin had planned for them for the day.

He joins him for lunch and then joins the King, Queen, and Seungmin for dinner, quietly seething knowing that Jeongin is excluded from the family dinners. Still, it would be a poor choice for him to turn down dinners from the King, so he sits across from Seungmin and occasionally kicks his shin. Seungmin will retaliate by nudging his cock with his foot and they’ll both excuse themselves early.

He finds himself enjoying his days in the foreign kingdom. He likes Jeongin a lot more than he thought he would, and Seungmin stops bothering them throughout the day, now satisfied that he has Minho’s attention in the evenings. 

On the day that he finally has to return home, he realizes that he will actually miss Jeongin. (Not Seungmin, he would never miss Seungmin.) He’s grown fond of the bastard prince, and he wishes that Jeongin had more of a choice in the say of their marriage. Would he still choose Minho if he had a choice?

“Um,” Jeongin mutters awkwardly as he’s seeing Minho off, adjusting Minho’s coat and brushing his bangs from his eyes. It’s a sweet gesture, one that makes Minho’s heart flutter. “Safe travels, your Highness.”

“I’ll see you soon,” Minho says softly, bringing Jeongin’s eyes up to meet his own.

“Yeah,” Jeongin breathes, suddenly looking nervous. “See you…soon.”

He hesitates before leaning in and pressing a quick, chaste kiss to Minho’s lips. The kiss doesn’t last more than half a second, and when Jeongin pulls away his face is beet red, but it leaves Minho breathless nonetheless. He smiles and presses a kiss to Jeongin’s lips, a second longer but still chaste. 

When he pulls away, Jeongin’s eyes are wide and owlish. Minho grins and wants to say something else until his eyes catch upon Seungmin’s frown, the prince standing off to the side behind Jeongin.

He looks…hurt.

Minho decides to leave it, turning away and getting atop his horse. Long after the castle had disappeared from view, he still can’t stop replaying the betrayal in Seungmin’s eyes behind his eyelids. 

–

Minho’s father is delighted that the trip went even better than they’d hoped. 

“So, you’ll marry the bastard, then?” the King asks when Minho is done recounting his trip.

Minho hates the way people refer to Jeongin. He grits his teeth and says, “I’ll marry Jeongin, yes.”

“Wonderful!” the King cries, the Queen smiling at Minho over her plate. “Finally, and end to this silly war. We’ll have our rightful land, and you’ll have a partner aligning us with his kingdom. We will become stronger because of this. I am proud of you, son. It’s not easy lowering yourself and marrying a bastard, but it’s what must be done for the good of the kingdom.”

Minho doesn’t reply. He isn’t lowering himself by any means being with Jeongin. If anything, Jeongin doesn’t deserve him. Minho, who’s been lying to him about why he’s late to so many of their meetings. 

“Where will the wedding be?” Minho asks instead, promptly changing the subject.

“Here, of course. The bastard prince will be living with us now, won’t he? We should have the wedding take place in his new home. I will contact everyone from neighboring kingdoms. It will be the grandest wedding of the century–and your mother and I had quite the wedding,” he adds with a wink.

The wedding will take place in four months, plenty of time to prepare everything. Minho’s father convinces Jeongin’s father to send Jeongin up early to have him fitted for his suit and crown. 

Minho vibrates at the information, already anticipating seeing Jeongin again even though they haven’t been apart for very long.

Jeongin arrives a week and a half later, with no Seungmin in sight. It’s just him and Jeongin, and while Minho is happy that he’s spending more time with Jeongin, he does wish that he could see Seungmin too.

No, he can’t be fond of the puppy-faced prince. 

He greets Jeongin with a smile and a bold kiss on the lips, Jeongin blinking at him in shock and then his face splitting into a brilliant grin. 

“I hope your parents like me,” Jeongin says as Minho leads him to his room. “Most of the time people don’t.”

“They’ll love you,” Minho reassures him gently. His father isn’t cruel, and while he might accidentally say some offhanded things, Minho doesn’t believe he would purposefully try to offend Jeongin. “And even if nobody else likes you, I do, and that’s what matters, right?”

Jeongin smiles, but it seems almost sad. As they reach his room he hesitates before turning to Minho and saying in a small voice, “You know, you don’t have to pretend you like me just because we’re getting married.”

Minho stares at him. “What?”

“I’m not doubting that you like me as a person. I think you’re kind, your Highness, but you don’t have to pretend like you like me romantically just because we’re getting married. This can be a purely political marriage, if you want it to be.”

Minho glances behind him to see if the guards are eavesdropping and sighs, taking Jeongin’s delicate hands in his own. His soft, pretty hands that have never seen war. 

“I’m not just pretending to like you, Jeongin,” he murmurs. “This isn’t a declaration of love or anything, we don’t know each other that well, but I do think you’re a kind person, too. I can easily see myself falling in love with you if that’s something that you want.”

Jeongin frowns deeply. “What about Seungmin?”

Minho copies his frown. “What about him?”

Jeongin pulls his hands away gingerly. “You two aren’t as discreet as you like to think you are.”

Minho’s face burns. “I–you knew about that?”

“The whole castle knows,” Jeongin deadpans. “You don’t have to pretend–”

“Jeongin, I don’t–” Minho lets out an incredulous laugh. “I don’t have feelings or anything of the sort for Seungmin. I still find him very much annoying. Anything between us is purely sexual.”

“Oh,” Jeongin says plainly. “I mean–I just thought–the way you two look at each other–”

Minho shakes his head. “We’ve done nothing but fight for years. We’re just…releasing some pent up energy.”

Jeongin laughs, far too loud for the situation. “I suppose it’s better than trying to kill each other.”

“If you knew about Seungmin and I…why didn’t you say anything?”

Jeongin shrugs meekly. “I didn’t want to get in the way of anything between you two.”

“Jeongin…we’re engaged. If you want to set boundaries that’s fine.”

Jeongin shakes his head. “It’s okay. I don’t mind. I mean, it’s a little weird knowing you and my brother…you know. But I’m fine with it.”

“You’re really okay with it?” Minho asks. “You’re not just saying that to please me? Because I’ll stop if you really want me to.”

Jeongin smiles. “I’m okay with it, really. If that’s your way of getting out your energy, go for it. I can’t exactly satisfy your needs until…our wedding night.”

Minho feels heat rise to his ears. “I’d forgotten about that.”

Jeongin laughs, a bit nervously. “I mean, we don’t have to do anything on our wedding night. It’s not like we’re trying for an heir. We can just lie.”

Minho shrugs. “I don’t know. I think it might be fun.”

Jeongin’s face is as red as Minho’s feels. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Jeongin nibbles his lip and looks away, staring at his bed. “I should probably take a nap before dinner. I’m exhausted.”

Minho’s eyes widen, realizing he’s been keeping Jeongin from resting. “Oh. Yeah. Of course. Just ask one of the servants to wake you up in time. I’ll see you then.”

Jeongin smiles. “I’ll see you.”

–

Dinner with Jeongin goes smoothly, Minho’s father thankfully not making any insensitive comments about Jeongin’s background. Jeongin seems nervous and a bit shy, but he manages to charm his way through it with the help of Minho. 

Minho thinks Jeongin’s manner of speaking is cute. He clearly isn’t used to having the attention on him, at least not in a positive light. He’s shy and doesn’t always know what to say, but at the same time never says anything wrong. He seems comforted by Minho’s presence beside him, so Minho settles a hand on his knee to reassure him throughout the dinner. 

He escorts Jeongin back to his room. The prince is quiet, seemingly lost in thought.

“Do you think they liked me?” Jeongin blurts.

Minho chuckles, “If they didn’t like you, you would know.”

“Well, I don’t know,” Jeongin sighs, his shoulders drooping.

“Think about it this way,” Minho offers as they round the corner. “They don’t have to like you. Our marriage is purely political to them. Even if they didn’t like you–which they do– it wouldn’t matter.”

“I suppose. I’m just not used to people being… nice to me.”

Minho feels his heart grow a bit heavier at Jeongin’s words. He must’ve been the subject of so much disrespect and ridicule growing up, even by his own father. 

“I shouldn’t complain, though,” Jeongin adds after a moment, forcing a smile. “I should be grateful that my father allowed me to stay in the castle and grow up comfortably.”

“You can be grateful while also recognizing the pitfalls of it,” Minho points out. “You shouldn’t have to put up with mistreatment.”

“I was never mistreated. People treated me as what I am–a bastard.”

Minho frowns deeply, trying to think of something to say but ultimately coming up with nothing. He decides instead to reach out and wind their fingers together, his face burning at the small but intimate gesture. Jeongin doesn’t meet his eyes but does squeeze his hand to acknowledge it.

When they reach Jeongin’s room, Minho reluctantly lets go, offering Jeongin a smile as he says, “Sleep well.”

Jeongin dips his head and disappears inside his room. 

–

The next few months are filled with lots of preparation for their wedding. He and Jeongin are constantly being pulled into meetings to ask about color schemes and flowers and decorations and cake flavors. Jeongin usually just stares at Minho until he says something and then agrees with whatever Minho says, which makes Minho feel bad. 

At one point, Minho asks while they’re picking out dishes to serve, “What’s your favorite food, Jeongin?”

Jeongin blinks, suddenly looking nervous. “Um. I’m fine with whatever.”

Minho sighs and turns to murmur in his ear, “It’s your wedding as much as it’s mine. I want you to enjoy yourself. Pick a few dishes you like, please. I promise I’ll like whatever you like.”

Jeongin ducks his head, flustered, and stammers out a few of his favorite meals. Minho makes sure that Jeongin at least puts some input into the choices they make after that.

A few weeks before the wedding, Jeongin’s family arrive at the castle. Minho rarely sees Jeongin the month preceding their wedding, the servants preparing their appearances separately. Something about tradition and keeping the betrotheds apart before their big day. 

Instead, Seungmin makes his own space in Minho’s life. The day Seungmin arrives, he winks in Minho’s direction and asks haughtily, “Miss me?”

“Would one say that they miss a speck of mud on their shoe?” Minho replies.

Seungmin only grins, scratching his horse’s chin. “I hope you’ve been treating my brother well.”

“He’s as comfortable as he can be,” Minho reassures him, leading him to the stable so he can put his horse away. 

“He’s probably not used to all of the attention,” Seungmin chuckles, falling into step beside him. “Does he get shy often?”

“Oh, yes. I had to beg him to choose the flowers for his own bouquet. He was scared of displeasing me.”

Seungmin laughs. “That’s my Innie.”

Minho helps him care for his horse and then leads him to his room. Once they reach the room, Seungmin leans against the doorframe and grins.

“Aren’t you going to come in?” he teases.

“Jeongin knows,” Minho blurts. 

Seungmin’s smile drops. “What?”

“About us. That we’re…sleeping together.”

“Oh.” Seungmin frowns deeply. “How did he find out? How did he react?”

“I didn’t tell him. He said that people were talking about us sneaking around. He said…he doesn’t mind.”

“Are you sure?” Seungmin sounds concerned. “Are you sure he’s not just saying that?”

“I asked him. He seemed sure, more sure than anything else. I told him that everything between us is just sexual.”

Seungmin blinks at him. “Oh.”

“Oh?” Minho echoes. “What does that mean?”

“Nothing. I mean, I just…” Seungmin shifts uncomfortably on his feet. It’s the most flustered he’s ever looked. “Nothing.”

Minho can tell by the look on Seungmin’s face that it’s not just nothing but he decides not to press. 

“If Jeongin said it’s okay, then…” Seungmin trails off, staring at Minho with big eyes. “Join me?”

Minho sighs. “I have a meeting in–”

“We can be quick,” Seungmin cuts him off, tugging suggestively on Minho’s dress shirt. 

“You can be quick,” Minho corrects him.

Seungmin’s lips twitch. “Hey.”

“Hi.” They stare at each other. Minho caves. “Fine. But we have to be quick, okay? If I’m late my father will bite my head off.”

Seungmin laughs and tugs him into the room, shutting the door and kissing him silly. Minho grips Seungmin’s waist and slips his fingers under his dress shirt, running his hands up Seungmin’s body.

Seungmin doesn’t have the build of a soldier, but Minho admires him for it. He’s got some hidden strength in his body, but it’s nearly impossible to tell that Seungmin’s seen the horrors of war. Minho’s got a more stocky build, built for strength rather than speed. 

That was always how one of them lost. Either Minho was too slow, or Seungmin too weak. They clash in every way possible, yet here they are, bodies intertwined. Like their differences made them perfect for each other.

Minho missed this, he realizes, as he strokes Seungmin’s cock and nips at his collarbones. He missed the feeling of Seungmin’s skin, his lips, his hands, against Minho’s. 

“Minho,” Seungmin gasps, reaching a hand up and tangling his hand into Minho’s hair. “Can we– ah…”

“Hmm?”

“Can you…fuck me? Please?” Seungmin pleads.

Minho pauses at that. They’d never done penetrative sex before. Mostly it's just been dry handjobs, blowjobs, and heavy grinding. Minho hasn’t had actual sex in a long time. 

“You…want that?” Minho whispers. 

“Please?” Seungmin pulls away to examine Minho’s face, noticing his hesitance. “Unless…you don’t want to?”

“I want to,” Minho says earnestly, because he does. “I just…it’s been a long time. I’m probably not going to be very good at it.”

Seungmin laughs and presses a kiss to Minho’s lips. “Fool. Of course you’d be good at it. You’re the most generous lover I’ve ever lied with.”

Minho blinks at him. “Did you just call me a fool?”

“It’s been a while for me too, if that makes you feel any better,” Seungmin offers, ignoring Minho’s question. “You could be dogshit at it for all I care, at least I’m getting something in my ass other than my own fingers.”

“You ever think about me while you finger yourself?” Minho teases. 

“Of course,” Seungmin says, completely casually. Like the thought alone doesn’t leave Minho’s mind reeling trying to conjure up the image of Seungmin desperately trying to finger himself and muffle his own noises so he doesn’t alert the guards. 

Minho is completely and totally normal about this information.

“Do you have any lube?” Minho asks instead.

Seungmin nods and waves toward his trunk, which had been delivered by some servants before they’d arrived. Minho digs through his trunk and finds a small vial, setting it on the bed and crawling between Seungmin’s parted thighs.

Seungmin settles back against the pillows and shuts his eyes, completely trusting as Minho opens the vial and pours some of the lube onto his fingers. Minho sets a hand on Seungmin’s thigh and presses a slicked up finger to his rim. Seungmin exhales shakily and his thighs twitch a little, but he ultimately relaxes and Minho slides the first finger inside relatively easily.

“You sure it’s been a while?” Minho teases. “You’re loose.”

It’s a lie. He’s by no means loose, just relaxed. His ass is still tight around Minho’s finger, a tightness that Minho can’t wait to be inside of.

Seungmin pouts. “Hey, if you don’t want to fuck me then just say that. No need to be rude.”

“When have I ever shown you kindness, Kim Seungmin?”

Seungmin chuckles. “I can remember a few times when you held my life in your hands and still chose to let me live.”

“You’re right. I’m far too kind to you.”

Minho teases a second finger, Seungmin’s breath catching and his hands clutching at the sheets. “S-so humble, too,” Seungmin mutters.

Minho slides his second finger inside and crooks his fingers the slightest bit, watching in awe as Seungmin’s mouth parts in a pretty gasp and his back arches off the bed. 

“Ah,” Seungmin whines. “ Mmf… feels good.”

“Really?” Minho muses. “I couldn’t tell with all the noise you’re making.”

Seungmin looks like he’s ready to retort like the brat he is but Minho quickly shuts him up by curling his fingers again. Seungmin squirms and kicks his feet, moans being punched out of him with every movement of Minho’s wrist.

“Another,” Seungmin begs after a minute. “Please.”

“You’re so polite like this,” Minho says, obliging. He presses a third finger inside Seungmin, watching the way Seungmin’s body reacts. “I wonder what your comrades would think of you if they saw you like this.”

“Hopefully they think I’m pretty.”

“You are,” Minho says without thinking. 

Seungmin moans and then pauses, squinting his eyes at Minho.

“I can’t tell if that just actually came out of your mouth,” he says dubiously.

“Then we can pretend it didn’t.”

“No, I quite like it,” Seungmin insists. “Praise me again.”

“I don’t praise mutts.”

Seungmin pouts. “So you don’t think I’m pretty like this? All spread out and vulnerable for you? Taking you so well?”

Minho’s face is on fire. He’s never been good at lying. 

“So what if you’re pretty?” he tries instead. “You’re a brat. Maybe you don’t deserve praise.”

“Can’t I be both the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen and the sluttiest pup you’ve ever fucked?”

“I said you were pretty, not ‘the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen,’” Minho scoffs.

Seungmin grins. “So you admit you said it?”

“What is your opinion on being gagged?”

Seungmin rolls his eyes. “It’s okay to praise me a little bit, you know. I know you secretly like me.”

“I like your body,” Minho offers.

“That’s close enough.”

Minho presses his fingers down again, effectively shutting Seungmin up. He works Seungmin up until he’s trembling, unable to form a coherent word besides Minho’s name. 

Seungmin reaches out to wrap a hand around Minho’s wrist. “Need you.”

And yeah, as much as Minho enjoys the show, he kind of needed to be inside Seungmin fifteen minutes ago. He lubes up his cock and aligns himself with Seungmin’s hole, slowly pressing inside and monitoring Seungmin’s face to make sure he’s not hurting him.

“You okay?” Minho asks, halfway pressed inside when Seungmin makes a face.

“Yeah, yeah,” Seungmin gasps. “Just a lot. Keep going.”

Minho bottoms out, propping himself up on his elbows on top of Seungmin and panting heavily. He forgot how much he feels during sex. He doesn’t like to think he’s sensitive, but wow, is being inside Seungmin a lot for his mind and body to comprehend.

“Missionary,” Seungmin suddenly muses in his ear. “How romantic.”

“I could flip us over and smother you with your pillow,” Minho suggests.

“The perfect crime,” Seungmin sighs, completely unfazed. “But let’s admit it, you’ve had plenty of opportunities to kill me a long time ago.”

Minho doesn’t have a response to that. Instead, he leans up and meets Seungmin’s eyes. Seungmin’s eyes are lidded and dark. He doesn’t shy away from their close proximity or Minho’s stare. 

Instead, he smiles and says, “Hey. You gonna move yet? What are those thighs for?”

Minho huffs and snaps his hips forward, watching with great satisfaction as the smug look on Seungmin’s face dissipates into one of pleasure. He chases the reactions he pulls out of Seungmin, savoring every moan, whine, cry of his name, the slight wetness in his eyes as he begs Minho to fuck him harder.

“You’re so beautiful…” Minho whispers in awe.

Seungmin isn’t in the state of mind to make a bratty comment about it. Instead, he digs his nails deep into Minho’s back and tucks his face into Minho’s shoulder, trying desperately to pull him impossibly closer. 

He likes it, Minho realizes. He really should have guessed sooner that Seungmin gets off on praise just as much as he gets off on degradation. 

“Pretty boy,” Minho coos, caressing Seungmin’s soft hair. Seungmin shivers underneath him. “You really are the prettiest pup I’ve ever fucked.”

Seungmin makes an unintelligible noise. Minho continues to fuck him relentlessly, allowing the praise he’d always wanted to say slip past his lips. Seungmin drinks it all up like divine nectar. 

“You sound so pretty for me, darling,” Minho purrs. “Feel so good, taking me so well. You’re just perfect, aren’t you? Like you were made for this.”

Seungmin suddenly clenches around him. Minho can’t believe it. He’s brought Seungmin so close to the edge and he hasn’t even touched his cock. 

When Seungmin tries to reach down and touch himself, Minho grabs his wrist and pins it to the mattress, Seungmin squirming a little and pouting.

“But I–” he starts.

“You’re going to cum just like this,” Minho tells him. “Just from my cock. You can do that, can’t you?”

Seungmin is never one to back down from a challenge, so he nods. 

Minho kisses the pout off his lips. Seungmin easily parts his lips and Minho licks into his mouth, relishing in the high moan it elicits from Seungmin. With every thrust of Minho’s hips, Seungmin’s body shakes harder, his moans more high, his kisses more desperate. 

Minho feels it when Seungmin cums. His cock twitches against Minho’s stomach, his ass clenches around Minho’s cock, and Minho groans at the pathetic little mewling sounds he makes as he rides out his high. 

Minho follows him over the edge not long after, spilling inside Seungmin and slowing his hips down to not overwhelm either of them. When he finally slows to a stop, they lie there for a moment, panting against each other.

“Would love to lie here all day with you,” Seungmin says after a minute of silence. “But I believe you have a meeting to attend.”

Minho springs up at that. Fuck he’d completely forgotten. His dad is going to kill him.

He cleans up the both of them in record time, not wanting to make Seungmin do all the work as he was the one who got fucked. Once they’re cleaned, Minho throws his clothes on and smoothens them out, brushing the dampness from his upper lip. 

“Do I look presentable?” he asks.

Seungmin lies lazily against the sheets, still naked. “Hardly.”

Minho glares at him and promptly leaves the room, ignoring the guards staring at him as he does so.

–

Minho runs into Seungmin a lot. He doesn’t have time to indulge in their sexcepades, but Seungmin will usually invite himself to whatever Minho’s doing and bother him there anyway.

As Minho is trying on his suit to make sure it fits properly, Seungmin wolf-whistles. Minho sends him a glare. 

“What? You look good. Jeongin would jump you on your wedding night if he weren’t so shy.”

“Don’t talk about Jeongin like that,” Minho grumbles, his cheeks notably red in the mirror.

Seungmin grins. “You've got a soft spot for him, don’t you? I didn’t think you liked bastards.”

“He’s not just a bastard.”

“No, of course not. But that’s all most people will ever see him as,” Seungmin hums. “Including his own father.”

Minho casts a glance away from the mirror to Seungmin. “Did you think I’d be cruel to him?”

“I didn’t know you as well as I did before,” Seungmin admits. “I wasn’t sure what to think.”

“What do you think now?”

Seungmin is quiet for a moment. “I think you and him make a good pair. You’re kind to him in ways that nobody else is, and he seems to like you. Trusts you.”

Minho looks back in the mirror, admiring his suit, trying to see if it looks good on him.

“It looks good on you,” Seungmin tells him, guessing Minho’s thoughts. He stands and walks over to Minho, adjusting his tie for him and brushing his bangs from his eyes. “You make a beautiful groom.”

“Do you think you’ll ever get married?” Minho finds himself asking, suddenly shy from their proximity.

“I have to,” Seungmin replies. “Every King needs his Queen. Or Prince, in your case.”

“I just wonder,” Minho murmurs. “What would have become of us if your father hadn’t offered I marry Jeongin.”

Seungmin shrugs and smiles, though his smile seems a little sad. “We probably would have killed each other.”

“I never would have done it,” Minho says earnestly.

Seungmin’s smile becomes a bit less sad. “I wouldn’t have, either.”

They stare at each other for a long moment. 

Seungmin sighs and is the first to look away, running a hand through his hair. “Sometimes I wish my father had offered me instead,” he whispers, so quietly Minho almost misses it.

Minho, surprisingly, isn’t shocked by this admittance. “Why didn’t you say anything to him?”

“Because one of our kingdoms would become Kingless,” Seungmin replies. “Because Jeongin deserves someone like you, who respects and loves him despite his status.”

“And you think I don’t deserve you?” Minho asks.

“Not as much as Jeongin,” Seungmin admits with a dry chuckle. “It just…it would never work. Not between us. We were never meant to work out.”

Seungmin looks like he’s about to leave, and Minho darts out a hand to grab his arm, stopping him.

“You’re really giving up that easily?” Minho whispers, feeling an overwhelming array of emotions.

Seungmin shrugs helplessly. “I have a kingdom to take care of, Minho. I owe that to them.”

“And what about me?” It’s a pathetic question. Minho shouldn’t be asking Seungmin to choose him over his people, but here he is, feeling like he’s about to cry. Like he’s losing something important to him. “Don’t I matter?”

“Of course you do,” Seungmin says softly. “I just…You can’t ask me to choose between my people and you, Minho.”

Minho lowers his eyes and releases him. He knows he can’t. He feels terrible for even asking. Still, it hurts. He feels like a kicked dog, and Seungmin’s face echoes every emotion he feels. It shouldn’t be like this.

“Maybe in another life,” Seungmin says with a ginger smile. “I like to think that in another life, we wouldn’t have met on the battlefield as enemies. We would’ve met as strangers, and left as something more.”

He leaves after that, leaving Minho alone with a heavy feeling in his chest.

–

Seungmin doesn’t bother him after that day. He arrives for dinner but barely acknowledges him, in fact barely speaks at all. The closer to the wedding it gets, the more sullen his face seems. Minho really wants to talk to him, to convince him that maybe there’s a way, but he knows Seungmin is stubborn once he’s made up his mind.

He finds comfort in the few times he gets to see Jeongin before the wedding, both of them far too busy to have much alone time. When they do have alone time, however, Minho confesses what Seungmin had said to him.

Jeongin listens with a deep frown on his face, not saying anything until Minho is done recounting the events of that day. 

“And that’s it?” Jeongin asks. “He’s just giving up?”

Minho shrugs weakly. “That’s what I said.”

“That doesn’t sound like Seungmin,” Jeongin murmurs. “He’s usually more stubborn in the sense that he would find a way, not stubbornly give up.”

“He said he felt like you deserved me more than he did.”

“Oh,” Jeongin sighs. “So that’s what this is about. He’s being a protective older brother.”

“I mean, he’s right, in a sense,” Minho points out. “Not that you deserve me more than he does, but what he said about his responsibility to his people. And I don’t want to… choose between the two of you.”

“You don’t have to,” Jeongin reassures him gently. “I already told you that I don’t care if you see Seungmin.”

“He’ll get married one day too. To a pretty princess or lady,” Minho reminds him. “He can’t keep seeing me then.”

Jeongin thinks for a moment. “Let me talk to him. Maybe together we can think of something.”

Minho’s heart warms. “You’d do that?”

Jeongin smiles and takes Minho’s hands. “If it makes you happy, of course I would. I want to be a good husband.”

Minho smiles and pecks Jeongin on the lips. “You are a good husband.”

“Not yet.” Jeongin shakes his head, blushing madly. “We’re not married yet.”

“We will be in a few days,” Minho giggles. God, he feels like a teenager again. He’s really getting married. And to someone he actually likes. “I can’t believe it’s only a few days from now.”

“Are you excited?” Jeongin asks him.

“Of course.”

Jeongin smiles. “Me too.”

He squeezes Minho’s hands.

–

If Jeongin talks to Seungmin, neither him nor Seungmin say anything about it. In the days leading up to the wedding, Minho doesn’t see either of them. Seungmin’s made himself scarce, and Jeongin isn’t allowed to be seen by him so close before the wedding.

The day of the wedding, Minho wakes up to a pounding at his door, the servants quickly barging in and getting him ready. He’s completely made up, makeup, hair, and suit all ready before he can even blink. They thankfully give him some time to eat breakfast before all of this, but he’s not allowed to eat until after the ceremony, so as to not ruin his appearance. 

Jeongin will be the one walking down the aisle, and since his commoner mother isn’t allowed in the wedding, he will be walking alone. Minho feels bad, but of course Jeongin’s father wouldn’t flaunt his commoner mother, highlighting his bastard status. 

Minho stands in the gazebo that had been set up for the ceremony, nervously swallowing as he surveys the crowd of royals and aristocrats from all over the land. He prays that none of them have anything nasty to say about Jeongin. He’s sure there’s whispers about the bastard prince, but trust, once he’s King, he’ll have anyone who says a word against his future husband punished. 

He glances over at his groomsmen, Seungmin standing with his head held high and hands politely clasped. When he feels Minho’s gaze on him, he turns, blinking at Minho. After a moment, he flashes Minho a hesitant smile, which Minho returns, heart fluttering.

Music begins to play and Minho starts, turning to the aisle and inhaling sharply when he sees Jeongin at the end of it. 

He looks beautiful. Really, they haven’t done much to him. He’s got his hair slicked back and is wearing makeup and a similar suit to Minho’s while carrying a bouquet. Still, he looks stunning.

There’s something different about him today. He looks more confident, practically glowing as he smiles and walks slowly down the aisle. He never pulls his eyes away from Minho. His dimples deepen when Minho smiles back at him.

When he reaches Minho, all Minho can do is stare. He barely hears the priest recite the vows, all he remembers is shakily whispering, “I do.”

He’ll never forget the way Jeongin beams as he replies, “I do.”

Minho slides the ring onto Jeongin’s finger and Jeongin slides the ring onto Minho’s before they kiss. It’s not their first kiss, but it is perhaps the sweetest. Minho is the one who leans in first, Jeongin seeming frozen on the spot as everyone waits for them to make it official. Minho captures his lips in a short but firm kiss and everyone begins clapping around them.

Not that it matters. The only thing that matters to him right now is Jeongin, absolutely glowing, all of his attention on Minho despite the noise all around them.

They’re escorted back into the castle where they all gather in the dining hall for a feast. Jeongin sits nervously next to Minho, Minho settling a hand on his knee and squeezing it. 

As they dine, many people come up and congratulate Jeongin and Minho on their marriage. Jeongin looks wholly uncomfortable under all the attention, leaning into Minho’s side. Minho does most of the talking, thanking the guests for coming. 

A drunk queen from a neighboring kingdom at one point makes an offhand comment about how it must be sad to marry a bastard. Minho simply smiles and reassures her that he’s quite happy. Jeongin remains silent, eyes lowered.

Eventually, Seungmin reaches the table, sporting a glass of red wine. He offers them a bow and a smile. “Congratulations. I’m happy for you, Jeonginnie. You deserve each other.”

It’s the first time Jeongin genuinely smiles since the feast started. “Thank you, Seungmin.”

Seungmin looks like he wants to say something else, glancing over at Minho, but decides against it, wandering off. Minho sighs and Jeongin pats his hand where it still rests on his knee.

“He’ll come around,” Jeongin reassures him. “He’s just thick as mud.”

“Have you talked to him yet?” Minho can’t help but ask.

“I tried.” When Minho falls quiet, Jeongin leans a little closer and plays with his fingers. “Hey, don’t be sad. Today’s supposed to be a happy day for us.”

“I know. You’re right. I’m sorry.” Minho offers him a smile. “I won’t think about him right now.”

“Like I said, he’ll come around. Don’t worry about it.”

They eat the rest of their meal in relative peace, most of the guests having already congratulated them. After the meal, they’re tugged to the dance floor to have their first dance as newlyweds. 

Minho’s face is on fire as he places his hands on Jeongin’s waist. Jeongin looks equally bashful, unable to meet his eyes as the music starts. He’s a surprisingly good dancer, keeping up with Minho’s every step. 

“I didn’t know you were such a good dancer,” Minho murmurs.

Jeongin blinks at him. “Oh, I’m really not. My teacher yelled at me a lot while we were practicing. I’m very clumsy, and I’d never danced until they taught me this one.”

“Everyone starts somewhere. You’re doing good now,” Minho tells him. 

Jeongin beams. 

They dance and dance, other people eventually joining them on the dance floor, but Minho and Jeongin never move away from each other. Once they do eventually get tired they sit down for dessert and open their wedding gifts. It’s mostly expensive jewelry of various types, ranging from necklaces to rings to even some accessories for their hair. 

By the time they’re done opening gifts, Minho feels exhausted. By the look on his face, Jeongin looks tired of being here as well. The wedding was fun and all, but he’d really like a break from all of these aristocrats. 

The music becomes too loud and there’s too many people trying to talk to them. Minho would love nothing more than to escape and spend some time alone with his new husband. 

They’re cooped up for hours until the guests finally decide that they’re also sick of dancing and begin making their goodbyes. Once the ballroom is clear of everyone but Minho and Jeongin’s families and the servants, they’re finally allowed to leave.

Minho leads Jeongin back to his room, the two of them allowed to share a bed now that they’re married. Jeongin looks nervous, but Minho is just relieved to get away from all of the people.

“I thought we’d never get out of there,” Minho mutters as he pushes open the door to his room. Jeongin is quiet, standing near the door awkwardly as Minho makes his way into his room and slips off the crown he’d worn for the day. Minho looks at him. “Are you going to just stand there?”

“Sorry, I–” Jeongin stutters, looking flushed.

Minho approaches him. “Why so nervous? Do you want to sleep in your own room tonight?”

“No!” Jeongin protests. “I just–um. I’ve never lied with a man before. Or, well, anyone. I mean, I shared a bed with Seungmin when we were kids but like, that doesn’t count.”

Oh. That’s what this is about. 

“We don’t have to do any of that tonight if you’re not ready,” Minho reassures him gently, cupping Jeongin’s face. 

“I-I don’t know how I’m feeling about it,” Jeongin says honestly.

Minho drops his hands and says, “Why don’t we just get ready for bed and then we’ll talk about it, okay?”

Jeongin nods sheepishly. Minho leads him to the bathroom and helps him take off his makeup, brushing away the layer that hid him away.

“There’s my beautiful prince.” 

Jeongin cocks his head. “Am I not pretty with makeup?”

“Of course you are, but I like seeing you as you are. You’re just as beautiful with or without.”

Jeongin turns a bright shade of red and says nothing more. Minho wipes off his own makeup and then hands Jeongin the pajamas the servants had left for them.

“You can change in the room while I change in here if that’s more comfortable,” Minho offers.

“It’s okay,” Jeongin says with surprising confidence. “I don’t mind.”

Minho hesitates before turning and beginning to strip. He’s never felt this nervous around someone before, perhaps Jeongin’s nerves are rubbing off on him. He feels like a virgin again, though he’s far from that. 

They manage to change into their pajamas without it being too much of a big deal. Minho then takes Jeongin’s hand and leads him to bed.

Jeongin shuffles into bed, Minho laughing a little as he tucks him in. “Why are you laughing?”

“Because you’re adorable,” Minho says, voice laced with amusement.

He gives Jeongin a kiss on the forehead and moves to the other side of the bed, crawling in beside Jeongin. He rolls over and smiles at Jeongin, who hesitantly smiles back at him.

“Hi,” Jeongin whispers.

Minho giggles. “Hi.”

“So. We’re really married now, huh?”

Minho’s smile widens and he toys with the ring on his own finger. “Yeah.”

“I never thought I’d get married,” Jeongin admits. “Who would ever want to marry a bastard?”

Minho raises a hand and gently cups Jeongin’s cheek. “Me.”

Jeongin giggles and leans into his palm, his cheek warm. “And thank God for that.”

“You want me to blow out the candles and sleep now? We had a long day. We can relax and veg in bed a little bit tomorrow.”

Jeongin bites his lip. “Actually, um, I think I’m feeling a little less nervous now.”

Minho’s soft smile widens. “Oh? About what?”

Jeongin squirms. “You know what.”

“I’d like to hear you say it. So I can be sure.”

Jeongin pouts but says, “Can we–ah, do what newlyweds tend to do on their wedding night?”

Minho rolls his eyes. “You are a grown man, Jeongin. You can say ‘can we have sex.’ ”

“It just feels so crass! And awkward!” Jeongin whines.

“More awkward than ‘ what newlyweds tend to do on their wedding night?’”

Jeongin whines again and hides behind his hands. “I changed my mind. I don’t wanna. You’re being mean to me.”

Minho laughs and coos, prying Jeongin’s hands away from his face. “I’m just teasing. Come here, do you really want to?”

Jeongin nods and scoots a little closer, leaning in until their noses are touching. “Can I…?”

When he doesn’t finish, Minho finishes for him, “Of course you can. You can kiss me and touch me however you like. Don’t be afraid.”

“What if I’m not…good at this?” Jeongin whispers, his eyes big and vulnerable.

“All you have to do is pay attention to what I like and don’t like. It’s hard to be bad at touching someone unless you really don’t care about how much fun they’re having.”

“I care,” Jeongin murmurs, running his hand down Minho’s waist. “I wanna be good.”

“Just follow my lead. Promise I’ll make you feel good, too,” Minho promises before leaning in and connecting their lips.

They’ve never kissed like this before, slow and deep. Their past kisses were shyer, much more chaste. Jeongin is a bit clumsy at first, but he quickly learns the longer they do it. He parts his lips when Minho coaxes them open with his tongue. He sucks and moans around Minho’s tongue, his fingers digging into Minho’s waist.

Minho scoots closer, pulling their bodies flush together. Jeongin shivers and Minho can feel him rapidly hardening against his thigh. Minho takes Jeongin by the hips and guides him forward. Jeongin’s breathing picks up, barely able to properly kiss anymore as he ruts against Minho’s thigh.

“Good boy,” Minho coos. Jeongin whines quietly, pressing his face into Minho’s neck. Minho pets his hair. “How do you wanna do this? Do you wanna go all the way? Or would you rather just get off like this?”

“I want…I want you,” Jeongin breathes. “All of you. Please.”

“Yeah? How do you want me? Inside you? Or do you wanna fuck me?”

“I don’t think I’d be very good at that…” Jeongin admits nervously.

“Alright, baby, I’ll take care of you then, okay? You just lie back and let me do all the work,” Minho murmurs. He rolls them both over so that he’s on top of Jeongin, Jeongin staring up at him with big, doe-eyes. Minho tugs at the hem of his pajama shirt. “Can I take this off?”

Jeongin nods and lets Minho remove his shirt, exposing the skin hidden beneath. Minho runs his fingertips across Jeongin’s abdomen, watching Jeongin shudder beneath him. 

“You’re pretty.” Minho’s eyes run over Jeongin’s body, from his flushed neck all the way down to the happy trail disappearing beneath his pants. 

“No one’s ever–” Jeongin swallows thickly. “No one’s ever told me that, before.”

“Well, I’ll have to remind you every day, then,” Minho says as he leans down and presses kisses to Jeongin’s neck. 

Jeongin squirms a little under him as he presses kisses all down his chest and stomach. When he reaches Jeongin’s pants he pauses to ask, “Can I–”

“Please.”

If it were Seungmin, Minho would call him a needy slut for how he’s acting. With Jeongin, however, he has a much softer spot for his husband. He has the urge to spoil and baby Jeongin and treat him like a princess. 

Minho pulls down Jeongin’s pajama pants, revealing him achingly hard and leaking at the tip. Jeongin hides behind his hands, whining a little, clearly embarrassed by the state of himself. 

Minho doesn’t mind, though. In fact, he murmurs, “Pretty,” and relishes in the way Jeongin squirms at the gentle praise. 

Minho laps at the pearls of precum spilling out of him, eliciting a pathetic mewling sound from his husband.

“Oh, God, Minho,” Jeongin pants out, his hands scrambling for purchase on the sheets. 

“You can tug on my hair if you want,” Minho tells him. Jeongin looks nervous but he reaches out and slides a hand into Minho’s hair, grasping at it weakly. Minho laughs, “I’m not gonna break. Promise I’ll tell you if it hurts too much.”

Jeongin still looks unsure, but then Minho goes down on him again and his hand tightens anyway. Minho goes from just licking at the head to putting him in his mouth, swallowing him down. Jeongin cries out, his shaky thighs closing around Minho’s head. 

“Oh, it feels so good Minho. I’ve never–I’ve never–” 

Minho would smile if his mouth weren’t currently occupied. He likes how sensitive Jeongin is, likes how easily he comes undone just from a little head. And Minho hasn’t even really started yet.

Minho takes him deeper, swirling his tongue around the shaft. It’s messy, filthy, his chin drips with spit and his jaw is sure to be sore tomorrow, but he couldn’t give less of a shit. He really enjoys hearing Jeongin cry his name along with strings of curses and even prayers. 

“I’m gonna cum, Minho,” Jeongin suddenly gasps. “I’m really close. I’m–I’m–” Minho pulls off and Jeongin whines and kicks his feet. Minho smiles at that. “Why did you stop?”

“You’ll be too sensitive for me to fuck you. Unless you don’t want to do that anymore?”

Jeongin shakes his head and his disappointment seems to disappear. “No, I still want that.”

“Okay, baby. We can do that, then.”

Minho takes hold of Jeongin’s thigh and manhandles him to turn him over on his stomach. Jeongin flops over and looks back at him with big, bemused eyes.

“It’s easier this way,” Minho tells him. “Just relax, I’ll do all the work.”

Jeongin lays his head on the pillow and relaxes. Minho climbs off the bed and grabs some lube from his drawer, crawling back in between Jeongin’s spread thighs. 

He starts with a gentle touch on Jeongin’s thigh as to not startle him, trailing his hand up to his ass and spreading his cheeks apart. Jeongin whines and buries his face into the pillow. 

Minho smiles to himself. “Still okay?” Jeongin makes an incoherent noise. “I need a yes or a no, baby.”

“Yes,” Jeongin says, his voice muffled by the pillow. “Please keep going.”

Minho pours some lube over his fingers and presses a slicked up finger against Jeongin’s rim. Jeongin’s back arches prettily as Minho circles his finger, mumbling more incoherent babble into the pillow. It sounds like a mixture of pleasepleaseplease and Minho’s name, but who can really tell.

Minho presses his finger slowly inside Jeongin’s body, making sure that he’s gentle and doesn’t move too fast. Jeongin is so wound up and tight it takes a bit longer for him to adjust, but Minho is a patient man. He’ll wait as long as it takes for Jeongin to be ready.

“Tell me if anything hurts,” Minho says once his finger is fully sunken inside.

“Doesn’t hurt,” Jeongin mumbles. “Just feels…weird.”

Minho laughs, “It’ll feel better soon, I promise.”

“I believe you. Keep going.”

Minho slowly inches his finger in and out, slightly curling it to search for that sweet spot. He knows immediately when he finds it, Jeongin gasping and crying out, “Oh my God.”

He decides to play around with Jeongin just a little bit, massaging his prostate and listening to him keen and moan. He doesn’t drive him to the edge just yet, and pulls out when Jeongin’s noises start to increase in volume. He can’t have him cumming yet.

Once he’s pulled out, he watches with mild amusement as Jeongin’s body trembles a little. 

“How many times are you going to stop me from cumming tonight?”

“I’m not doing it on purpose,” Minho says earnestly. “You just happen to be very easy to rile up. Besides, there’s no rush. Promise I’ll make you cum eventually. Let’s enjoy this.”

Truthfully, foreplay is Minho’s favorite part of sex. He loves to rile his partners up like this, watch and see how much they can take. Jeongin is definitely fun to toy with, since he’s never been touched like this before. 

Minho really likes knowing that he’s Jeongin’s first. He likes knowing that nobody else has seen Jeongin like this. This is for Minho’s eyes only, and Jeongin is his alone now.

Minho works Jeongin up to three fingers, barely even having to move his wrist at this point. Jeongin does all the work for him, his hips pressing back onto Minho’s fingers greedily. He fucks himself back like he doesn’t even realize what he’s doing, babbling and crying like he’s been fucked dumb of any intelligible words.

“Please, need you inside,” Jeongin begs as Minho curls his fingers again. “Need you. Need you.”

Minho presses a kiss to Jeongin’s thigh and pulls his fingers out. He lubes up his cock and presses himself against Jeongin’s hole. 

“Do you wanna do it like this or do you wanna flip over?” Minho asks at the last second.

Jeongin is quiet for a moment. “I wanna see your face.”

Minho rolls him over and nearly cums at the sight of a debauched Jeongin. His bangs are damp with sweat, his eyes are dark and pupils dilated, and his lips are raw and puffy like he’s been biting them. 

Minho can’t fight the urge to lean in and kiss him. Jeongin gives into the kiss easily, gripping Minho’s biceps for purchase. 

“Please,” Jeongin breathes against his lips. “Inside.”

Minho realizes that yeah, he’s kind of stalling, and leans back to finally press inside Jeongin. Jeongin’s lips fall open in a silent moan, his eyes fluttering shut. Minho monitors him carefully as he presses inside, making sure to go slow. Jeongin’s nails dig deeper into his bicep with every centimeter that Minho moves. Once he’s fully bottomed out, he stays still, their heavy breaths mingling together.

“So good,” Minho whispers. “How’s it feel?”

“Really…good…” Jeongin breathes. “It’s just—a lot.”

“Yeah? Take your time. There’s no rush.”

They lie like that for a few minutes and Jeongin’s breathing eases out a little and he relaxes under Minho. He wraps his thighs around Minho’s waist and makes a small whining noise.

“You want me to move?” Minho asks, endeared.

“Yeah.” Minho moves, cautiously at first, slowly pulling out and then pushing his way back in. Jeongin shudders around him, his eyebrows pinching together. “Oh–”

Minho pauses. “You okay?”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Jeongin gasps, trying to shift his hips. “Keep going.”

Minho keeps going, setting a slow but steady pace. Jeongin’s body reacts beautifully, clenching around Minho’s cock, his face contorted in pleasure. He keeps trying to shift his hips as if he wants Minho deeper, insatiable. 

Minho lifts Jeongin’s thighs up a little and changes the angle. The reaction is instantaneous, Jeongin crying out and then slapping a hand over his own mouth, shocked by his own reaction. Minho guesses that he likes this angle.

“S-Sorry. Hah. Feels really- ah- so good.”

Minho is endeared by how shy Jeongin acts around him. As if they aren’t married. 

“No need to apologize,” Minho reassures him, his own labored breathing giving away how debauched he is. “You’re beautiful like this, love.”

Jeongin’s face is already so red that it’s impossible for him to get any redder. If it were possible, though, Minho is sure he would get redder.

Instead, he simply whines and hides behind a hand. Minho reaches up and pulls Jeongin’s hand away from his face, lacing their fingers together instead.

“You’re beautiful,” Minho echoes. “Always.”

He speeds up the movement of his hips, Jeongin’s fingers tightening around his. Jeongin moans and throws his head back. With his neck exposed like this, Minho can’t help but lean down and press kisses to the exposed skin.

“Ah, ah, Minho,” Jeongin cries, his voice high and whiny. “Please, touch me. It hurts. I want–”

He cuts himself off, but Minho thinks he knows what he wants. Minho reaches down and wraps a hand around Jeongin’s cock, jacking him off in time with his thrusts. Jeongin squirms and cries underneath him, babbling nonsense. A stream of please and Minho falls from his lips, like sweet music to Minho’s ears. 

Jeongin chokes out, “Sorry,” at one point, shocked by his own reactions. Minho only shushes and kisses him. He understands completely. Minho himself feels like he’s died and gone to heaven, and Jeongin is– was a virgin. Of course he’s reacting like this. Even if he weren’t a virgin, Minho would be endeared. He likes his men whiny and sensitive, they’re fun to play with.

Minho senses that Jeongin is close when he begins to gasp and tremble, and redoubles his efforts. Jeongin is beautiful when he finally cums, his eyes fluttering shut and his hips stuttering up against Minho’s abdomen. 

“So beautiful for me,” Minho whispers as he strokes him through his orgasm. “Look at you. I wish you could see yourself like this.”

Jeongin finishes, his abdomen streaked in his own release. The next words out of his mouth have Minho cumming on the spot. 

“Fuck me in front of a mirror next time.”

Jeongin doesn’t complain as Minho fucks him through his own orgasm, his body twitching from overstimulation. 

“God,” Minho pants, slowing to a stop. “I would…love that.”

Jeongin smiles shyly. “I can’t believe I said that.”

“No, please say more things like that,” Minho teases, pressing a kiss to Jeongin’s lips. “I’m gonna pull out now, okay?”

Jeongin pouts but nods, hissing a little as Minho pulls out. Minho blatantly stares at the cum dripping out of Jeongin’s hole and down his thighs, wanting nothing more than to lap it up. He doesn’t think Jeongin is ready for that yet, though, so he fetches some towels from the bathroom and gently cleans his lover up. 

Jeongin looks bone tired sprawled across the sheets, but he’s glowing in the dim candlelight. He smiles up at Minho, who asks, “How are you feeling?”

“Like I’m going to be sore tomorrow,” Jeongin jokes. He adds more seriously after a second, “I feel fine. Great, even. I didn’t know it could feel that good. I was always kind of scared to try it.”

“It can be scary at first,” Minho says, crawling into bed beside Jeongin. “But if you’re with the right person, it can feel great.”

Jeongin hesitates, rolling over and staring at Minho. “I’m glad my first time was with you,” he whispers.

“Every time afterwards will be with me too, I hope.”

Minho had been teasing, but Jeongin answers earnestly, “I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else.”

It softs Minho, who reaches out and pulls Jeongin closer, his husband squealing at the sudden manhandling. Still, he melts into Minho’s side after a moment, pressing his face to Minho’s neck and smiling.

“Why’d they even leave us pajamas?” Minho jokes. “They knew we would end up like this.” Jeongin giggles, then yawns. “Let’s sleep now, love. You must be exhausted.”

“I am pretty tired,” Jeongin murmurs. “And you’re pretty comfortable.”

Minho smiles and presses a kiss to Jeongin’s head, listening to his breathing slowly even out. Eventually, Minho succumbs to sleep as well, warm by Jeongin’s side.

–

Jeongin stares down at the letter with an expressionless face. He sets it down carefully and simply stares, his gaze far away.

Minho gently pulls the letter away from him and skims it, his eyes widening in shock.

We regret to announce the passing of King Kim Ilseong, who succumbed to a particularly bad case of influenza. We cordially invite Prince Jeongin to the funeral. The coronation of his Royal Highness, Prince Kim Seungmin, will take place soon after, in which Prince Yang Jeongin and his husband, his Royal Highness, Prince Lee Minho, will attend. 

It’s been two months since Jeongin and Minho’s wedding, and they’ve been riding on a high ever since. The news comes as a shock to both of them, their honeymoon phase coming to a grinding halt.

“Are you okay?” Minho asks gently.

Jeongin looks at him as if just realizing that he’s there. “Yeah. I’m fine,” he says, his voice void of any emotion. “I just–I don’t know. He wasn’t really a father to me. I don’t know whether I should laugh or cry.”

“It would be appropriate to do either, in this case.”

Jeongin simply shrugs. “I just…I don’t really feel…anything. I’m not happy he’s dead, but I’m not particularly sad about it either.”

“Grief works in mysterious ways,” Minho says. “We’ll work through whatever emotions you may feel.”

Jeongin smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Thank you. I’m just gonna…I want to be alone.”

“Of course,” Minho stands and moves to leave, but Jeongin stops him.

“You can stay,” Jeongin tells him. “I want to go to our room. I’ll come out when I’m ready.”

Minho pulls him in for a hug and a kiss on the forehead. “Take all the time you need, love.”

Jeongin nods and leaves, his face revealing nothing. Minho sits back down and sighs, rubbing his face with his hand.

He really wasn’t expecting anything like this. They had received a pigeon less than a week earlier about the king’s illness, but were expecting a speedy recovery. It’s mind blowing how fast life can come at you.

They leave a day after receiving the pigeon, Jeongin not expressing any emotion, positive or negative, for the entire journey. It’s starting to worry Minho, to see his usually upbeat lover acting so strangely.

When they arrive, Seungmin is out there to greet them. Minho and Jeongin bow to him.

“I hope your journey went well,” Seungmin says with a smile. He looks tired, like he hasn’t slept in days. Minho hasn’t spoken to or even heard from him since the wedding, but he looks as if he’s aged greatly since then. “We have prepared a room for you and a meal, if you’d like to join us.”

“We’d love to,” Minho replies, taking Jeongin’s arm.

Seungmin’s eyes glance down at the small gesture, lingering for just a moment before he turns and leads them into the castle. They eat in mostly silence, Seungmin for once not having anything to say. 

“How are you?” Minho finally speaks up, since he knows Jeongin won’t, and Seungmin doesn’t seem in the mood to start a conversation either. 

Seungmin looks at him, his face guarded. “I’m fine.”

“You look tired.”

“My father is dead,” Seungmin deadpans. “And I’m the Crown Prince. I’m being crowned only a few days after his funeral. I’m not allowed to grieve. I’m not allowed to have any say in just about anything right now. Excuse me if I look tired.”

It’s the first time Seungmin’s ever snapped at him. It’s not malicious in any way, just the built up stress of someone who is clearly exhausted and stressing himself out.

“Relax, Seungmin,” Jeongin finally speaks up. “You’re going to make a good king.”

Seungmin looks about ready to pull out his own hair. “I’m perfectly calm.”

That’s all of the speaking that’s done for the rest of the meal, Jeongin too lost in his own thoughts, and Seungmin too stressed to fill the tense silence. Minho excuses himself early, heading back to his room, promising to meet Jeongin in the library later.

He lies in bed for a while, his own thoughts a jumbled mess. He hates seeing Jeongin like this. He hates seeing Seungmin like this. He wishes there was something he could do, but everything is already set in stone. The King is dead, and Seungmin is going to be the next King.

There’s a knock on his door that pulls him out of his thoughts. He gets up and opens the door, surprised to find Seungmin on the other side.

Seungmin offers him a smile. “Hey. Sorry about earlier.”

“It’s alright,” Minho reassures him, because he genuinely wasn’t offended. “You’re stressed out.”

“Can I…come inside?” Seungmin asks, his eyes hopeful.

Minho sighs and opens the door wider, allowing Seungmin to enter. He sits on the bed and stares down at his hands. Minho shuts the door and sits beside him.

“I haven’t really had any time to process my father’s death,” Seungmin admits quietly. “Or really process the fact that I’m becoming king within the next week.”

“It’s a lot to suddenly bear all this responsibility on your shoulders.”

Seungmin sighs and leans his head on Minho’s shoulder, surprising him. “I just don’t think I’m ready. I thought I had more time. Between Jeongin and I, I was always the one who took being a prince less seriously. Jeongin had to earn respect, but I never did. I was the legitimate prince. I never had to earn my father’s love or the responsibilities that come with being a prince or a king. If anything, Jeongin is more suited to ruling a kingdom than I am.”

“Don’t say that,” Minho murmurs, stroking Seungmin’s hair. They haven’t seen each other in months, and yet they seek out each other's touch like moths to a flame. Seungmin leans into his hand. “You’ll make a great king.”

“I know it’s awful,” Seungmin whispers. “Because I know how Jeongin was treated–still is treated. But sometimes I wish I weren’t a legitimate prince. I wish–I wish I’d just been married off. To you.”

Minho only holds him tighter.

“It’s dumb, right?” Seungmin chuckles weakly. “Wishing for a different life, when there are people who would kill to be king.”

“It’s not dumb,” Minho reassures him. “I understand.”

Seungmin sighs and cuddles closer. “Will you come to my room with me?”

Minho pauses, his hand tangled in Seungmin’s hair. “I don’t think you’re in the right state of mind–”

“I just–” Seungmin cuts him off. “Need someone to hold me. Nothing else.”

“Oh,” Minho murmurs. “Okay, then. I can do that.”

Seungmin leads him to his room, shutting the door behind him and crawling into bed. Minho crawls in after him, wrapping his arms around Seungmin’s waist and tugging him closer. Seungmin sighs and leans back into him.

“Thank you,” Seungmin whispers. “I really just…need someone right now.”

“I know.”

They lay there for a while, no words exchanged between them. 

–

Minho eventually does leave, because he did promise Jeongin that he’d meet him in the library later. Seungmin whined the whole time, of course, but eventually caved when Minho reminded him about his promise to his brother.

The next day is the funeral, and Minho stands with his husband, holding him tight as they walk up to the King’s coffin. He doesn’t know what he expected, but the second they reach the coffin, Jeongin’s breath hitches and his eyes well up with tears. Minho pulls him off to the side, away from the center of attention, and holds Jeongin close as he finally lets out his tears.

“I didn’t think I’d feel anything,” Jeongin whispers. “But fuck–I do. I know he hated me, I was a stain on his image. A thorn in his side. But at the same time…I wish he had loved me. I wish he could’ve looked at me with the same pride he looked at Seungmin.”

Minho doesn’t say anything, meeting Seungmin’s shocked eyes from across the room. Seungmin starts toward their direction but Minho holds up a hand and quietly shakes his head. Seungmin stops, his eyebrows pinching together, but he doesn’t come any closer. 

Once the ceremony is over, everyone having given speeches about the late King and everything he’d done for his beloved kingdom, Seungmin finds his way back to them. Minho lets him, Jeongin having calmed down since then, only sniffing with red-rimmed eyes.

“You okay?” Seungmin asks. 

Jeongin nods and sniffs. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s okay to be sad. He was still your father, all things considered.”

Jeongin nibbles his lip. “You’re not crying.”

Seungmin smiles weakly. “I’m handling it in my own way.”

They leave it at that. 

–

Minho thinks often about the fact that one day he’ll be king. He’ll be in charge of an entire kingdom, an entire people’s well being. He’s not scared, he’s been preparing for that day his entire life. But there is something a bit unbelievable about knowing that one day, he’ll have all of this power at his fingertips. 

Watching Seungmin be crowned makes it a bit more real. As he sits through the most boring ceremony ever, all he can think of is holy shit that’s going to be me someday. And for the first time, Minho does feel a little daunted. 

He understands Seungmin, the now-King’s hands visibly shaking as he accepts his scepter. Minho understands Seungmin a lot more than he initially realized. 

Minho has killed people by his own hand, and has tried to kill Seungmin more than a handful of times. He’s felt empty inside most of his adult life, consumed by war and nightmares of the horror’s he’d seen on the front lines. He put his body on the line, and for what? A measly slot of land? 

How is he supposed to be a king, he realizes, after he’s seen what he’s seen? Done what he’s done? How would he be fit to take care of anyone other than himself? That’s not what he was trained to do. He was trained to be a soldier, to look after himself above all else. To take orders from someone else. 

As Minho watches the priest lay the crown atop Seungmin’s head, he sees the light reflecting on Seungmin’s eyes, reflected by unshed tears and the empty depths of his pupils.

–

Seungmin begs for Minho and Jeongin to stay longer after his coronation. 

I can’t do this alone, he’d pleaded with Minho. 

Jeongin, of course, had looked to Minho for an answer. Minho, after some thinking, decides it can’t hurt to stay another week or two. The war is over, and his kingdom is safe in the hands of Minho’s parents. 

Seungmin’s shoulders sag with relief.

Minho visits Seungmin’s chambers nearly every day in the week that follows, keeping him company. They don’t speak much, Seungmin going through meters and meters of parchment of stuff that needs to be done. 

“My father left me with a lot to do,” Seungmin chuckles weakly at one point. 

“Give some of the work to your advisors,” Minho tells him. 

Seungmin rubs his temples. “They’re already busy with a bunch of other stuff that my dad left behind.”

“Ah.”

Sometimes, Minho will help Seungmin sort through some options of things that he needs to do. Seungmin grows increasingly more worn-down throughout the week, his eyelids heavy and his shoulders sagging. Minho becomes worried for his physical and mental health.

“Perhaps you should take a break,” he tries one evening. Seungmin hasn’t eaten all day.

Seungmin shakes his head, stubborn as ever. “I’ve only just started.”

Minho glances at the window, the sun lowering beneath the horizon. “It’s getting late.”

Seungmin glances up, squinting. “Already? But–”

“Come on,” Minho urges him, standing and taking Seungmin by the arm. “Let’s take a break.”

Seungmin looks like he wants to argue but doesn’t, letting Minho drag him out of his seat and into the dining room. He eats a full meal in silence, his eyes faraway.

When he’s finished, he tries to go straight back to his chambers, but Minho stops him. “Let’s go for a walk.”

“But–”

Minho’s hold on him tightens. “I’m not asking.”

Minho loops their arms together and takes him to the edge of the castle grounds, the forest looming ahead of them. Seungmin shivers as the wind picks up a little and leans closer to Minho’s side.

“I fear the day you have to go home,” Seungmin murmurs. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you or Jeongin to take care of me.”

“You’ll figure it out,” Minho reassures him gently. “I know you will.”

“I’ve been thinking,” Seungmin says quietly, then hesitates. When Minho looks at him he continues, “What if Jeongin and I took turns ruling the kingdom?”

Minho frowns. “What do you mean?”

“I mean–Like, he goes with you for a few months while I stay at the kingdom and do my duty, and then we switch. Do you think that’d work?”

“I don’t know,” Minho says earnestly. “I’ve never heard of anything like it, and I don’t know if the aristocrats would like for a bastard to be their king. He has no claim to the throne.”

“But–” Seungmin sounds insistent, frowning and chewing on his bottom lip as he thinks. “I’m the King. I can pass on the duty to whomever I choose, even if it’s temporary. Like how when my father was sick, he had someone take over for him in his place.”

“If you want to try it, go ahead,” Minho says. “But I don’t know if people will like it. Or Jeongin.”

“That’s right.” Seungmin’s shoulders sag. “I’d need to ask Jeongin.”

“Ask him. Maybe he’ll say yes. You know he wants whatever will make you happy.”

“He’s never wanted to be king,” Seungmin sighs. “He never had the chance. Would he really take it?”

“Ask him and find out,” Minho says.

–

Seungmin is in a considerably better mood the next day.

“Jeongin said he’d be honored,” is what Seungmin tells Minho when he asks why he’s in a good mood. “To take my place while I’m away with you.”

“For how long?”

“We’ll alternate,” Seungmin explains. “Every 3 months. He’s signing all the paperwork as we speak.”

“There’s actually paperwork for this?” Minho asks, amazed.

Seungmin laughs, “I created it. I’m the King. Or, well, I won’t be anymore. After 3 months.”

“And you’ll be fine without us?” Minho frets quietly. “For 3 months?”

Seungmin smiles and cups Minho’s face. “I’ll be fine knowing that I’ll be with you once it’s over.”

Minho’s skin warms beneath his fingertips. He takes Seungmin’s hand in his own and raises it to his lips, pressing a kiss to his knuckles.

“I’ll miss you,” he whispers. “Stay safe while I’m gone.”

Seungmin’s smile only widens. “I survived you, I can survive anything. Nothing could keep me from you, Lee Minho. Not even death.”

–

Minho goes home a few days later, Seungmin leaving him with a kiss and a promise to write. Jeongin expresses his nervousness with Seungmin’s request as they journey home.

“I know it’s only for 3 months at a time,” Jeongin says quietly atop his horse. “But still, a lot can happen in 3 months.”

“You’ll have an entire council of advisors giving their unsolicited advice,” Minho reassures him. “You’ll always have help, I’m sure you’ll do fine. Don’t worry about it now anyway, love. It’s 3 months away. Let’s enjoy the time we have together.”

Jeongin smiles. “Yeah.”

The 3 months pass much quicker than Minho expected, the gentle change from fall to winter settling in. Jeongin is nervous in the days coming up to his departure, but Minho reassures him as much as he can. Seungmin arrives a few days after Jeongin leaves, Minho greeting him.

He’s surprised by the way his body reacts to seeing Seungmin again, his heartbeat thumping wildly and his stomach doing little summersaults. It’s only been 3 months, and Seungmin kept his promise by writing as often as he could, but still. He realizes right as Seungmin sidles up to him how much he missed him.

Seungmin opens his mouth to say something, probably stupid, but Minho cuts him off by grabbing him by the collar and pulling him in for a kiss. When he pulls away, their breaths coming out in little white clouds, Seungmin blinks at him. His face stretches into a lopsided grin.

“Miss that much, huh?”

Minho releases him and straightens his back. “Sometimes I wonder if I should have killed you all those years ago.”

“Ah, but then we wouldn’t be here at all, would we?” Seungmin asks, tipping his head. “Me personally, I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.”

Minho doesn’t have a retort. He can’t lie, Seungmin will see right through him anyway. 

“Me neither,” he murmurs truthfully. 

The look on Seungmin’s face when he says it is absolutely worth it. Before Seungmin can say something dumb, he grabs Seungmin by the arm and pulls him inside. 

“Come on, let’s eat.”

–

He lies with Seungmin later that night in his chambers, his head pressed to Seungmin’s chest. He listens to Seungmin’s gentle heartbeat as Seungmin’s hand caresses his spine.

“I missed you,” Seungmin murmurs. Minho doesn’t reply, suddenly shy. “Being a king certainly isn’t light work. I almost feel bad for Jeongin. Almost. But I’d rather be here, with you. Besides, the time will go by fast. He’ll be so busy he’ll lose track of time.”

“Did you leave him with a lot to do?”

“Not really,” Seungmin replies. “I did most of the work. He should have a lighter load than I did. I’ll be honest, I think I was being a little dramatic at first. I mean, my dad had just died and all this responsibility was being dumped onto me all of a sudden. The work eased up a lot after the first two weeks.”

“Don’t lie, you’re happy to be here,” Minho chuckles.

“Oh, I am,” Seungmin says with a smile in his voice. “Even if it’s only temporary.”

“Don’t worry,” Minho reassures him gently, snuggling closer. “I’ll always be here waiting for you.”

“And Jeongin,” Seungmin says after a moment. “Don’t forget about him just because you’re with me. I’ll kill you if you ever hurt him.”

Minho laughs. “I love both of you, you fool.”

“Did you just admit you love me while also calling me a fool?”

“Let us both forget the first half of my sentence.”

“Nope. Not in a million years.”

Seungmin moves around so they’re facing each other and smiles gently at him before cupping Minho’s face and leaning in for a kiss. Minho thought the kiss would be hot and feverish, like most of their other kisses had been, but this one is exceedingly gentle. It’s soft and warm, as if Seungmin is trying to express his love without words.

Minho shivers and receives the message with open arms–and lips. He pulls Seungmin closer, tugging their bodies together. There’s no lust in either of their actions, only the intimate need to be closer to one another. 

Minho can’t believe he once wanted to kill this man. This man, who also tried to kill him at one point. But he supposes that was never really the case. Neither of them ever took the chance to take the other’s life when possible. Neither of them ever really wanted to kill the other. They were drawn to each other in unspoken ways.

Seungmin could have taken his life, but instead he’s given Minho something much more precious. Perhaps, in a way, Seungmin saved him. 

Minho never thought he was the type of person who needed saving, but looking at his life before and after the war he realizes just how unhappy he was. Now, he has both Seungmin and Jeongin. A bastard prince and a legitimate king, two starkly different people, but both of whom stole Minho’s heart.