Chapter Text
The door shuts behind him with a slight click and Ej lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
As soon as he’s left alone his thoughts start to race.
He has to ask himself What in the actual fuck whas that before the whole situation finally settles in his head.
Oh he was so screwed, that seemed to sum up all the thoughts swirling in his head pretty well. Too many things had happened in too little time, his father had just told him he had to find a wife (and have kids?!) and Nicholas had talked to him, and he was worried and he touched his waist. This whole ordeal was giving him a bigger headache than the one he already had but oh Nicholas’s hand felt so good on his waist, he bets it would feel even better on his chest, running his long and soft fingers along his muscles… Ej had to physically slap himself to stop that train of thoughts, a dark blush quickly appearing on his cheeks.
As soon as he came back to reality his heart sank to the pit of his stomach, he remembered his father’s words “You need to find a princess to marry Euijoo, I need heirs…” those words stung him deep, he had never realised the shame and disappointment he would bring his father if he wasn’t able to give him heirs.
The corners of his eyes started to sting, he felt hot rivers of tears flowing down his cheeks, a soft sob escaped his lips as he fell onto his bed, curling himself in the soft covers. He kept thinking about how ashamed his father would be, how he want normal and how he had never realised how wrong it was to have a crush on another boy. Soft sobs kept coming out as his head kept feeling heavier and heavier, a last sad sob escaped before the boy fell asleep, his face still pained even in sleep, probably dreaming about his father and the shame he realised he had become.
The next morning Euijoo wakes up with a throbbing headache, dark bags under his eyes, he’s woken up by an annoying and incessant knocking at his door. He gets up mildly annoyed at whoever had decided to wake him up in such a ruthless manner.
He quickly walks to his door and as soon as he opens it he’s met with the worried gaze of a servant who politely greets him and quickly says “Good morning your Majesty. I’m very sorry to have woken you up in such a rushed and inadequate manner but the King has requested your presence to discuss about tomorrow’s ball.” Ej politely smiles to the servant, thanking him for the message and then closes the door agin. His mind starts to race in the same way it did the night prior. He unwillingly gets dressed and steps out of his room to search for his father.
He finds him in the dining room, eating breakfast and discussing with the Queen.
“Good morning Euijoo.” the Queen greets him as his father nods at him. They gesture for him to sit at the table and he quickly obeys, taking a seat across from them.
The King quickly starts speaking “I have prepared everything for tomorrow’s ball, you will finally be able to find a wife.” The Queen nods smiling and expectantly asks “Tell me Euijoo, do you already have in mind who you’ll dance with tomorrow evening?” Ej immediately thinks of Nicholas, because of course he does, then he looks back at his expectant mother and his proud father and dread pools in his stomach.
“No, I still don’t have anyone in mind mother.” he says quickly, trying to steady his voice in the process, he politely smiles to his parents who just hum in response. The rest of the day passes quickly, Ej’s thoughts are plagued with images of Nicholas and the expectant faces of his parents.
The evening settles in slowly, like a blanket had been draped over the castle. The air was still buzzing with anticipation for the ball and ark found himself back in his room, pacing back and forth trying not to overthink too much about what could happen tomorrow.
He’s taken out of his thoughts by a sudden knock on his door, thinking it must be another servant sent by his father to remind him of the ball he opens it saying “Please tell my father that I’m not feeling well and to not disturb me anymore tonigh-” his words get stuck in his throat as he looks at what he thought was a servant but turns out to be knight, and a beautiful one at that. Nicholas was standing outside his door, a pair of pants, a cream button up and other accessories in his hands.
He looked at Euijoo, a slight smirk playing on his lips “Oh your Majesty I’ll be sure to tell that to the king, but I’ve actually been sent here by the seamstress to help you try on these and see if they fit properly for tomorrow’s ball.” His smirk slightly falters at the last couple of words but the latter doesn’t notice. Ej’s ming had gone completely blank as soon as he had opened the door, his heart doing summersaults in his chest, praying and begging that Nicholas couldn’t see the pink blush quickly colouring his cheek.
He had always felt so small under the man’s gaze, even if Euijoo was slightly taller he felt like Nicholas could see right through him and gaze straight into his soul.
He mumbled an “Oh.” which was the only coherent thing he had managed to say since his brain had turned into literal mush at the mere sight of the knight.
He hurriedly says “Thank you very much but I think I’ll be able to try these on on my own.” as he says that he hurriedly takes the clothes from Nicholas’s hands as he quickly shuts the door. He turns his back to it, his quick heartbeat the only sound echoing in the quiet room.
Oh. My. God.
He was screwed.