Work Text:
The dawn air is cool and nips at his skin gently; it doesn’t bite, as if not wishing to torment him more than he already feels so as he walks on the damp grass, pulling the coat tighter around his body. Taehyung takes slow, sure steps towards the meadow, not worried about tripping onto roots, years’ worth of memories of walking down onto the same path ingrained in him for not misstepping anywhere. The sun hasn’t risen over the horizon yet but it makes its presence felt in the light spreading through the roseate and azure skies of the early morning before the sun can reveal itself, enough light for him to see the tiny dotted wildflowers growing in the grass, shining and bathing in the dew.
Taehyung cannot quite appreciate their beauty today, for he had been unable to sleep, twisting and turning in his bed as his mind had been at unease, reliving the conversation from late last night with Lady Min and esteeming whether he had put a foot out of a line he shouldn’t have crossed. He ponders if Mr. Min is aware of what transpired at the Kim household tonight, a demand for the truth of whether a certain offer for marriage had been made or not, an offer that had happened long ago on a rainy day in another city, an offer Taehyung had rejected and an offer his heart knows, laments over, that shall never be made again.
He had lost his chance. He knew it and he cannot help but think of what a fool he has been, even when back then it had been the right thing to do.
He wonders if he shall ever get another chance again.
He doesn’t realise when he reached the stone bridge over the tiny pond, surprised at finding himself there already; his mind must’ve been far too occupied with unrestful thoughts for him to see where he had been walking, he decides, and then, sighing, puts his hand against the railing of the stone bridge, turning around to watch the sunrise and feel some warmth when he feels so cold on the inside.
Taehyung gasps, watching a figure approach from the distance, all thoughts of waiting for the sunrise and of the sun rushing out of his mind as he watches Mr. Min walk towards him, adorning only thin, night garments against the cold of the dying dawn, wondering if he is viewing a phantom or if Mr. Min is indeed walking towards him when he shouldn’t be here.
Mr. Min holds his gaze when he advances closer and then around the little pond to walk over the bridge and stand in front of him, staring at him wordlessly, the silence between them broken only by the twittering of the birds awake to arouse the others and signal them the arrival of the morning.
“I couldn’t sleep,” confesses Taehyung, clutching his coat tighter around him as he lets his eyes rove over Mr. Min’s face whose cheeks are dusted pink from all the walking in the cold as he is breathless.
“Nor I. My aunt...?”
Taehyung smiles, a small little thing. “Yes, she was here,” he says but doesn’t add anything more, not wishing to say anything Mr. Min might not be aware of or hurt the gentleman’s sentiments by talking ill of his relations.
“How can I ever make amends for such behaviour?”
Taehyung is deeply moved at the question and the sincerely apologetic countenance of Mr. Min, the soft manner of his speaking. “After what you have done for Namjoon hyung, it is I who should be making amends.”
“You must know. Surely you must know that it was all for you,” says Mr. Min as he holds his gaze, watching him earnestly, and then, as if unable to help himself, takes a small step forward, lessening the distance between them. “ You are too generous to trifle with me. I believe you spoke with my aunt last night, and it has taught me to hope as I had scarcely allowed myself before. If...if your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me forever.”
Taehyung regards him in stunned silence, for even if he could, he doesn’t think he will be able to use proper words to speak how he feels.
“If, however, your feelings have changed...” Mr. Min continues, eyes roving all over his face and perhaps, he finds something in Taehyung’s face and demeanour worth continuing, giving him confidence, for he takes another step forward, and holds out a hand as if suddenly overtaken by a wish to hold Taehyung’s hand in his but then drops it, “if your feelings have changed, I could- I would have to tell you, you have bewitched me body and soul and I love, I love, ” Mr. Min’s voice cracks slightly, overcome with emotions and Taehyung feels his the rhythm of his heart falter, missing a beat along with it, “I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on.”
Taehyung gazes at Mr. Min for a moment and two. “Well then,” says he, stepping forward and takes Mr. Min’s hand which had lowered in his and Taehyung cannot stop the smile that slowly spreads across his face. He glances up, looking into Mr. Min’s eyes and raises the hand up to press his lips over the pale knuckles, placing a last, firm kiss on the ring finger. He leans down and rests his forehead against Mr. Min’s, lowering their hands, fingers now entwined. “Your hands are cold.”
Mr. Min makes a strange sound, like a strained half a sob and half a laugh and hides his face in the crook of Taehyung’s neck, trembling.
Taehyung puts both his hands around Mr. Min’s middle, resonating the sound of Mr. Min’s laugh as himself laughs and picks Mr. Min up by his waist and sweeps him in a circle once. Twice. Both of them laughing as dawn dies a beautiful, colourful death and the sun rises up, warming their profiles.
Taehyung puts Mr. Min down and pulls him closer so he can wrap his coat around both of them.
Mr. Min looks up, stretching himself a little so that their foreheads rest against each other once more.
Taehyung mirrors Mr. Min’s smiles, his beloved’s smile, and then leans down, their noses grazing before his lips brush against pinker, colder ones.
The estate looks dark from this afar, only the pillars visible like sentinels due the lamps lit underneath it but lake glimmers with the falling lights of the lamps and under the moonlight. At the other edge of the lake, from there they’re seated, Taehyung sees the bevy of swans falling asleep, ruffling their feathers and tucking their heads underneath the wings, bidding them a good night while a few stray, younglings swim around gracefully.
Taehyung tears his gaze away from the birds to watch Yoongi who walks up the stone stairs of the structure built for resting and looking over the estate, offering the best view. He smiles and holds out both his hands as Yoongi approaches closer who takes one of his hands, intertwining their fingers and presses a bunch of button roses that he collected from the bushes nearby into Taehyung’s other hand.
Taehyung raises the makeshift bouquet held together by a twine of grass and inhales deeply, smelling the rich fragrance of the roses and hides a smile behind it as Yoongi sits beside him. He places the flowers gingerly in his lap, carefully not to drop them or tear any and turns in his spot to sit cross-legged in front of Yoongi, so that he can give his full attention to him, his beloved. His husband.
“How are you this evening, my dear?” questions Yoongi, squeezing the hand he is holding.
“Very well,” replies Taehyung, and then takes Yoongi’s other hand too in his. “Only I wish you would not call me ‘my dear’.”
“Why?”
Taehyung laughs. “Because it’s what my father always calls my mother when he is cross about something.”
“Then what endearments am I allowed?”
“Well, let me think,” says Taehyung, taking a pause. “Tae, for every day. My pearl for Sundays and My Divine God but only on very special occasions.”
Yoongi looks amused. “And which God will you be?”
“Eros,” Taehyung answers immediately, smiling coyly, “because I’m just as beautiful and I’d like to be the God of love.”
And he would like to be the God of love, now that he knows a thing or two about it.
“No, no,” disagrees Yoongi, shaking his head and Taehyung stares at him quizzically, tilting his head, for it is uncommon for Yoongi to disagree with him. “You are far more beautiful and divine than any God, Greek or otherwise.”
Taehyung blushes at the sudden compliment but laughs harder, trusting his husband to say something like this.
“And what shall I call you when I’m cross? Mr. Min?”
Taehyung’s laugh tapers away until it is merely a smile, settling in one corner of his mouth as he stares at Yoongi and shakes his head. “No. No.” Taehyung covers Yoongi’s hands with his, rubbing his thumbs at the back of Yoongi’s hands. “You may only call me Mr. Min when you’re completely and perfectly and incandescently happy.”
Yoongi smiles widely, eyes so bright and twinkling to rival the moon. “And how are you this evening, Mr. Min?” he asks and Taehyung huffs out a small laugh, closing his eyes and shaking his head fondly until he feels a hand brush the hair from his forehead away, and keeps his eyes shut at the feel of Yoongi’s lips against his forehead.
Yoongi pulls back, eyes roving over his face and smiles wider if that was possible. “Mr. Min,” he continues and Taehyung sighs, utterly enamoured for the man in front of him as his husband presses a kiss to his jaw.
Yoongi pulls back, grinning a little and Taehyung giggles when Yoongi kisses his nose with a “Mr. Min.”
Yoongi stares at him for a moment, mien serious and yet his eyes hold so much love into them as Yoongi looks at him almost reverently that Taehyung cannot but fall for him all over again. Yoongi raises a hand and cups his face, caressing his jaw with his thumb for a few moments before leaning forward and kissing the corner of his lips but not before a murmur of ‘Mr. Min’.
Taehyung sighs, perfectly content, utterly in love and the corner of his mouth where Yoongi kissed lifts up in happiness, knowing what’s coming, for Yoongi doesn’t move back completely, just enough for Taehyung to behold his beautiful face fully for a few beats and then Yoongi is moving forward once more.
This time, Taehyung doesn’t smile after Yoongi kisses him on the lips; rather, he smiles into it.