Work Text:
✦
Jungkook's eyes constantly keep checking his surroundings, alert to sense anyone recognizing him. As he adjusts the hood on top, he strides out of the palace's back door, reaching the secret gateway leading to his hiding spot. Swiftly walking through the tunnel, Jungkook halts at the dead-end only to tap his finger on a brick for it to open slowly. He hates this wait. He hates the ways he has to sneak out of the palace to finally meet his only comfort.
Ever since his coronation's been announced to take place on his birthday, Jungkook has been cooped up in his father's study or is travelling with his mother — visiting different parts of the whole Nedel kingdom. He hates the pretentious parties he has to attend where people only want to interact with him because he's the future king of Nedel.
The future king of Nedel.
Those words sit heavy on Jungkook's mind because once he's crowned as the king, the only comfort he has in this world will be snatched away.
Finally, the walls open to show him the view of the beautiful night sky shining with stars scattered everywhere. The moonlight falling over the serene lake by the garden creates a mesmerising sight for Jungkook.
But the natural beauty doesn't captivate his attention for long for the man who sits by the lake with his legs dipped in the cold water. There's a small smile unconsciously playing on Jungkook's lips as he drops the hood of his jacket and walks toward the oblivious man.
Kim Taehyung — the only person in front of whom he can be himself.
Taehyung was initially assigned to Jungkook as his personal servant, but over the years, the elder ended up being the most important person in his life.
"Petal," He calls out softly and sees the man turn his head around swiftly before he rushes to lift his leg from the water and walk towards the prince.
"How was your day, my prince?" Taehyung asks, standing in front of him with a smile that could melt all of Jungkook's fatigue.
Jungkook doesn't say anything but sits down on lush grass while urging Taehyung to do the same, and as soon as he does, he drops his head on the man's lap burying his face in his tummy, "It's good now that I'm with you."
Taehyung smiles, but it's laced with a hint of sadness as he strokes the prince's hair, "My prince..."
Jungkook turns his head to face Taehyung, holding his wrist to stop the stroking and bring to his lips to press the softest kiss over his knuckles, "Why are you calling me so formally? I don't like that, petal. You know it."
Taehyung's face loses the smile as his expression morphs into that of hurt, "I don't think I should call you by your name anymore, my prince." Confusion takes over Jungkook's mind as he lifts his head and sits facing Taehyung, holding his delicate hands, "Why are you saying that, petal? You are my person. You have every right to call me by my name."
The prince lifts one of his hands to push the stray strand of Taehyung's hair behind his ear as he presses a kiss on his forehead, "What's wrong? You know, you can tell me anything, Tae." Taehyung's silent after that, but his eyebrows have frowned and eyes moving around nervously as if contemplating what to say next, and Jungkook's willing to give him the time to formulate his thoughts.
After three or four minutes, Taehyung sighs before whispering, “I heard about your engagement with Princess Jiah.”
This is the moment where Jungkook's world shatters as he sees the unshed tears welling up in his petal's once bright eyes. Yet, the prince's whole body went stiff, realising that Taehyung is now aware of his engagement with the princess of Xera kingdom. He didn't intend to keep it a secret from Taehyung but, at the same time, didn't want to lose him.
Not getting any response from Jungkook, Taehyung then continues, "I don't think we should meet like this anymore, my prince."
That seems to snap Jungkook out of the trance as both of his hands lift up to cup Taehyung's face, "What are you even talking about, Taehyung? Why shouldn't we meet?"
"You are gonna get married in two weeks, my prince-"
"For fuck's sake, stop calling me prince," Jungkook yells, moving his hands away from the crying man before he does something that he would definitely regret in the future.
"You know how much I hate being called that, especially from you, petal."
Taehyung's hand comes to rest on Jungkook's face, thumb caressing the scar on his cheekbone, "Then what am I supposed to call you, Jungkook? You are a prince, a royalty, while I'm a mere servant in your palace. I shouldn't even be sitting with you like this."
Jungkook's resolve crumbles hearing the hurt in his love's words as his hands rest on Taehyung's waist, "You are my person, Kim Taehyung. You are the only one in front of whom I don't have to pretend as if I like this world of royalty and pretence. If anyone should be with me, it is you, petal."
More tears fall off Taehyung's face when he says, "But you aren't mine, Jungkook. You can never be mine. So, please, let me go."
Jungkook pulls Taehyung closer, kissing the tear-stained cheeks, "I'm yours, Tae. My heart, my body, my soul, my everything belongs to you. Please don't ask me to let you go. I won't be able to survive-"
Jungkook's words cut off when he's pulled into a bruising kiss by Taehyung, who successfully straddles his thighs while continuing to nibble on his bottom lip, "Do not complete that sentence."
The prince only whispers, lips brushing over Taehyung's, "Then don't ask me to leave you."
Jungkook moves to capture his lips again, but Taehyung pulls away to ask, "Am I supposed to be your secret lover, then? Hiding away from everybody, forever? Because you can't certainly tell the king and queen that you are in love with a man that too, a servant. They would have both of our heads hanging on the royal gates, Jungkook."
Jungkook sighs, pulling Taehyung closer by his waist, "No, petal. I have thought of a way we both could live freely. Please give me some time. I promise I'll take both of us out of this hell hole."
Taehyung's lost looking into Jungkook's doe eyes shining with the glimmer of hope, and he's a weak man for the prince, which makes him nod his head, "I just want to live with you, Jungkook. I don’t have anyone other than you in this world. I'm scared to lose you too."
“You’ll not lose me, Taehyung. We are going to live happily, far away from any of these people. Just you and me, okay? Please, trust me,” Jungkook places a chaste kiss on the man’s lips, looking back at him — waiting for an answer.
But Taehyung doesn’t answer.
Instead, he cups the prince’s face — thumb unconsciously stroking the scar on the cheek — before capturing his lips in the softest kiss.
Mouths moving languidly with no hurry, Taehyung’s tongue licks over Jungkook’s bottom lip, urging him to open his mouth. A moan breaks the steady sound of the rippling water behind them when their tongues fondle together.
Jungkook presses more on Taehyung’s hip, eliminating any space between them — even if there wasn’t any, to begin with. He sucks on the man’s tongue, making Taehyung whimper in response. Wanting to hear more of that salacious sound, Jungkook’s finger slipped through the thin linen shirt that’s tucked tightly in Taehyung's waistband and sprawled his hand over the heated bare skin.
This action does successfully rip out another moan from the man on his lap, but the feeling doesn’t last long for Taehyung backs away after biting his bottom lip once. Jungkook chases him back, though Taehyung stops him by placing his hands on his nape.
“I trust you more than anything, Jungkook.”
Jungkook sighs, dropping his head on Taehyung’s chest, listening to the rhythmic beating of his love’s heart. “I love you, petal.”
“And, I love you more.”
✧
Jungkook’s suffocated.
He’s suffocated under the weight of the crown that sits on top of his head. Gold wires intricately form support for the heavy diamonds scattered all over the headpiece. But, Jungkook finds himself sagging feeling the heaviness.
He’s suffocated under the gaze of hundreds of people present in the room as he sits on the throne beside the king and queen. The scrutinising look everyone passes him makes a bile rise in his throat.
Yet, the most he feels suffocated is because of the person right next to him.
His fiance, Princess Jiah.
The hand that’s perched on his thigh makes his skin crawl. The diamond shining on the woman’s ring finger makes him want to run away to his comfort.
But, he can’t.
Because the stronghold of the woman’s hand on his thigh doesn’t allow him. He can’t just run away to his comfort because his comfort is standing at the entrance of the room with his head bowed down. Jungkook wants to do nothing more than get Taehyung out of this place filled with greedy and egoistic people.
But he can’t. Because Jungkook knows that if he does what his heart calls, for now, he wouldn’t be able to give Taehyung the forever he promised.
So, he sits on the throne with the woman’s hand on his thigh as he feels heartbreaking when he sees Taehyung bowing down to those filthy men — attending the pre-wedding ceremony — who look over him with a smirk.
Jungkook’s attention is then ripped off by Princess Jiah’s father, the king of Xera kingdom, “Your majesty, aren’t the children looking lovely today?”
Jungkook feels more than he sees the side glance his mother gives him in warning before she answers, “Absolutely, they do. They are the future of Nedel after all.”
Jungkook’s eyes immediately catch Taehyung’s, who’s looking at him with a small smile. And that breaks Jungkook’s heart even more. But before he could even breathe, his father says, “I had heard them say that Princess Jiah is the prettiest person of all Eastland, and looking at her today, I can say that all those rumours were indeed true.”
‘Bullshit,’ Jungkook thinks.
Princess Jiah is the prettiest?
‘Huh. That has to be the biggest lie I have ever heard.’
For Jungkook, beauty lies within a person.
And, Princess Jiah’s just as much a malicious person as everyone else present in the room, judging by the scornful looks she had passed at the palace’s workers (including Taehyung). She wasn’t kind to her public, always seeing herself as someone high and almighty just because she’s the daughter of their (equally tainted) king.
Provided that, Princess Jiah’s conventional beauty hides the ugly marks of her nature behind the layers of make-up that do not make her the prettiest person.
For Jungkook, beauty lies in the shine of his petal’s glimmering sharp eyes.
For Jungkook, beauty lies in the delicate moles scattered all over his lover’s face.
For Jungkook, beauty lies in the warmest embrace provided by his comfort’s body.
For Jungkook, beauty lies in the brightest smiles on Taehyung’s face.
Dressed in his cheap linen clothes, Taehyung looks at him with nothing but fondness, trust, and love making the man the prettiest person Jungkook has ever seen.
“Does Prince Jungkook disagree with this fact?”
Apparently, while Jungkook’s brain was pointing out how incorrect the rumour was, his face had shown signs of disagreement as well. He licks over his bottom lip, looking across the room, feeling all the eyes turned towards him, waiting for his answer. Avoiding the glare his father passes, he says, “I think… We can’t make a judgement of who is the prettiest when we aren’t aware of every single person living in the Eastland.”
“What are you talking about, my prince?” Princess Jiah chastises next to him, removing the hand from his thigh to place it on her chest.
Jungkook has always hated being called ‘my prince’, but he feels his hatred just grew tenfold when he hears the princess call him in that annoying voice of hers. He wanted to retort but his mother didn’t let him, “Of course, he knows that, Princess Jiah.”
There’s a moment of complete silence before the king of Xera smiles which doesn’t do anything to hide the anger laced around his body, “I think, I have something that would make Prince Jungkook believe that my daughter is, indeed, the prettiest person in the whole Eastland.”
With a snap of his fingers, the royal doors open through which a large mirror is brought in. Jungkook’s eyebrows furrow, seeing the huge piece of furniture garnered with gold and diamonds being placed below the staircase of the stage.
“This is a magic mirror made by the most powerful witches of Eastland and if you ask a question, it’ll always tell you the truth.”
Princess Jiah quickly stands from her place to descend the stairs and stops in front of the mirror, “So father, you are saying if I ask this mirror to tell the name of the prettiest person in the whole Eastland, it’ll tell me the truth?”
“Of course, sweetheart.”
Princess Jiah smirks at Jungkook as if telling him to watch the scene but in all honesty, Jungkook isn’t even a little interested in this pettiness.
“Mirror, mirror on the wall.
Who’s the prettiest of them all?”
The whole room is silent, excited to hear the truth. Bright swirls form over the mirror as it speaks in a deep voice.
“O, my princess, you are the prettiest lady here.”
Loud claps resonate through the room as Princess Jiah looks like she won a battle when her gaze meets Jungkook’s. But that’s when the mirror continues to speak.
“But, Kim Taehyung standing there is the prettiest of them all.”
A pin-drop silence follows the final statement.
Jungkook’s wide eyes search for Taehyung’s equally bulging eyes. Though his heart feels triumphant to break the princess’s ego and prove that his petal indeed is the prettiest, his brain doesn’t like all the murmurs asking who Kim Taehyung is.
Princess Jiah stands there, looking down at her feet with balled fists on her side as she screams into the room, “Who is this Kim Taehyung?”
Taehyung’s body went stiff as soon as he heard the weird mirror call out his name. The other servants beside him have started eyeing him and his heart started thundering when he heard the princess scream. He could feel several gazes on him, making his legs shaky. His head bowed down, eyes focused on his worn-out sandals. He hears the king of Nedel yell for the soldiers ordering them to search for Kim Taehyung, and his eyes shut in fear.
A rough hand clasps his arm as he’s pulled out of his place only to be pushed to the ground, on his knees in front of the princess. The soldier grips at his hair, forcing him to face up, and his gaze immediately locks with Jungkook’s.
Jungkook’s in the middle of rushing down the stairs, and Taehyung knows what he must be thinking to do. With wide eyes, he lightly shakes his head, telling Jungkook to not do anything.
But then Princess Jiah stands right in front of him, holding his jaw tightly in her hand, “This is Kim Taehyung? A servant boy is prettier than me?”
But Taehyung keeps his eyes trained on Jungkook, hoping the prince will hear his pleas to do nothing because he knows if Jungkook loses his control, it would not be good for the both of them.
“Look at me, you pest.”
Taehyung’s forced to look at the woman, as she presses her fingers even more tightly to the point the rings start to scratch his skin harshly.
“You are a nobody. Do you understand that? A fucking nobody.”
By now, Taehyung’s aware of the fact that he’s not going to get to live his forever with Jungkook. He’s probably going to be executed or would be jailed for the rest of his life.
His eyes flutter shut, to not let the tears flow because he knows, that if Jungkook sees him crying, that would be the end for Jungkook too. Their secret would be out, the royals would not think twice before executing both of them, and he doesn’t want Jungkook to suffer through anything because of him.
Jiah then proceeds to jerk his jaw away before pushing the mirror down to the floor, directly on Taehyung.
“Taehyung!” Jungkook’s scream echoes into the hall as he runs towards his petal. Crouching, he lifts the broken mirror on top of the man, and the sight has his unshed tears flowing.
Sharp pieces of glass have pierced through Taehyug’s delicate skin, staining the white linen in crimson. Carefully dusting off the shreds, he whispers, “Petal.”
It’s faint, the hiss that leaves Taehyung’s lips before the man murmurs, “Don’t Jungkook. Don’t do this. Please, let me go.”
Jungkook holds Taehyung close to himself as if covering him from the rest of the world, “No. I’m not letting you go anywhere. We’ll face this toge-”
“What the fuck is going on here?” He hears his father yell.
Jungkook turns his head to see his parents beside the princess, everyone looking at him with wide eyes.
“So, he’s a whore as well. Why am I not even surprised?” Jiah laughs tauntingly.
“Don’t fucking call him that,” Jungkook roars back, shielding his petal’s body even more.
“Enough is enough. Put this boy into prison. Till then, I’ll see what to do with the prince,” As soon as his mother orders, soldiers are trying to pry Taehyung away from him.
Hearing this, Taehyung wails, “Please, don’t do anything to him. It’s not his fault. Please, I beg you, your majesty.”
Stupid.
Kim Taehyung is stupid, Jungkook thinks.
Instead of asking to let himself go, he’s here begging for Jungkook’s life. “You don’t need to do that, petal. Please…”
But it was as if Taehyung couldn’t hear a word Jungkook was saying, as he continued to beg for Jungkook’s life.
With that, they both are drawn away from each other, but Jungkook manages to say, “Don’t worry, Taehyung. I’ll find you. Just please, wait for me.”
✧
With a single torch illuminating the whole cell, Taehyung’s sitting down on the floor — head held in his hands — as tears keep streaming down his face.
‘What is even going to happen now?’
‘Is Taehyung going to be executed?’
‘Will he ever get to see Jungkook again?’
‘Jungkook would not be put in prison, right? He is the prince, the future king of Nedel. They can’t do that to him.’
‘By any chance, are they hurting Jungkook?’
‘Is Jungkook safe?’
While thinking about Jungkook’s life, Taehyung forgets his own wounds caused by the shards of glass that had managed to pierce through his skin. He had taken the pieces out by now, but the wounds weren’t cleaned. There’s a cut below his left eye, where a trail of blood flows down with his tears. But he’s not aware of that. He’s not aware of any of his surroundings.
This is why he gets startled when the prison’s gates open harshly.
There’s a figure standing in front of him, face covered with a large hood, and Taehyung's teary eyes aren’t able to see anything clearly. Instinctively, he corners around the bed, arms hugging himself as if those bruised ones could shield him from anything. His eyes close shut, as he readies himself to face anything and everything.
“Petal…”
Jungkook sees the shaking form of his beloved, as he crouches down beside him. Taehyung’s eyes snap up to find him, and he’s immediately pulled into a hug where Taehyung keeps murmuring in his ear, “Thank god… you are safe. I was s-so scared. I thought… I thought I would never get to see you again.”
Suddenly Taehyung pulled away, cupping his cheek which made him hiss in pain. Taehyung moved back a little then, trying to see his face, “Oh my god. Jungkook, why is there a handprint on your cheek? Did they hit you?”
A soft thumb strokes his face, as Taehyung keeps inspecting his face and body for any other injuries. Jungkook can’t help but let his tears fall, stopping Taehyung to pull him into a small kiss. He can’t believe his lover is more concerned about the handprint on the cheek than the bruises scattered all over his body, “Taehyung…”
But Taehyung isn’t stopping, “Tell me, Jungkook. What happened there? And how are you here?”
The man leaves no choice to Jungkook other than to tell him everything.
>>
The sound of a slap resonates in the king’s chamber.
Jungkook’s head is tilted to the side when his father grabs his collar and makes him face upwards, “What the fuck were you thinking back there?”
But Jungkook doesn’t lose eye contact with the king and says, “I just did what I had to do to save him.”
“Have you lost your mind? Why would you do something so obscene for a servant boy in front of the whole kingdom and your fiance?” His mother is the next to speak as she sits on the couch with a glass of whiskey in her hand.
“He’s not a nobody. He is the person I love, and I can do even worse if you hurt him more,” Jungkook says, flames of determination in his eyes.
“No, you don’t. You can’t be in love with a man, Jungkook. He’s just a whore who has tried to seduce and is playing with you.”
The next thing happens in a blur where Jungkook punches the king resulting in a lip cut, “Do not call him that. I was the one to initiate anything between us. And, he is trying to play with me?” He lets out a humourless chuckle, “The man who was there for me when my own parents didn’t do shit for me. He was there for me when none of the other so-called royals were ready to befriend me. Let me tell you, father. I am in love with that man, and nothing is going to stop me from being with him.”
“You should be thankful to Jiah, you fool. She is still ready to marry you even after what you pulled off that scene today,” His mother slams the glass to the ground.
“I don’t want to marry her just to end up as your puppet. I don’t want that. I don’t want to be the next king. I loathe you for ruining my life and now taking away the only person who genuinely cares for me.”
“That’s it. You are going to be locked up in your room until I somehow handle this situation and you’re going to get this through your that the wh0re is going to be executed.”
<<
“Please, petal. Let’s get out of here quickly before they realise I’m not there anymore,” Jungkook pleads but Taehyung is shaking his head.
“Jungkook, what if they find us? That would lead to even worse things. No, I can’t let that happen to you. They will kill you.”
“Taehyung, they won’t find us. We are going to the Westland, I have friends there that no one is aware of. We would be completely safe there. Please, let’s just leave.”
Jungkook’s eyes scan over Taehyung’s face taking in the dried blood and tear stains, “Please, trust me, petal. We will have the forever we imagined. Just you and me.”
Taehyung then slowly nods his head, leaving a shuddered breath, “I trust you more than anything, Jungkook.”
Jungkook smiles, pressing small kisses all over his lover’s face, he whispers, “Thank you, Tae. Let’s get out of here.”
Taehyung’s own smile takes over, as he closes the distance between them, kissing Jungkook softly, “Yeah, let's do that.”
✧
Jungkook is nervous.
He’s more nervous than he was when he came to the Westland with Taehyung.
But everything is done according to his plan. His friends have helped him set up everything needed for them tonight.
Now, he just has to wait for Taehyung to return from the market.
It’s been over a year since he’s living with Taehyung, and his life could be any better. With the help of his friends, and the money he had managed to save, Jungkook and Taehyung were able to open up a restaurant in a small town in the Westland.
Away from his parents, Jiah, or any of the other pretentious people. Now, Jungkook lives a normal life with his beautiful lover.
Or soon-to-be husband. If Taehyung says yes, to his surprise proposal, that is.
“Baby, I’m home.”
Oh, how much Jungkook loves when he hears that.
Taehyung enters through their door before he drops some of the bags but carries a small brown pouch with him to where he greets Jungkook with a small kiss.
“I have a surprise for you,” He sing-songs with his beautiful boxy smile, melting Jungkook’s heart into a puddle.
His hands easily find their way to Taehyung’s small waist, “I have something for you as well, petal. But, why don’t you go first?”
“Really? Okay, I’ll go first then.”
With that Taehyung brings the brown pouch in between them as Jungkook refuses to let go of his waist. And, Taehyung takes out a flower crown made out of yarrow and baby’s breath twined together with some floral tape. With a big smile, Taehyung places the crown on Jungkook’s head, “I knew this would look beautiful on you. So pretty.” He gushes over how Jungkook makes the cheap flower crown look ethereal.
But Jungkook’s attention is drawn to Taehyung who moves his hands animatedly while explaining how he decided to buy the crown.
“I know that you don’t like crowns and stuff but I feel you look really charming in one. So, when I saw a more comfortable and if I may say, prettier option, I couldn’t stop myself from buying it for you. And, see how beautiful the crown looks on you.”
Jungkook can’t help but smile at his adorable lover, “Thank you, petal. But why didn’t you get one for yourself as well? I’m sure this will look more beautiful on you.”
Taehyung’s biting his lips trying to stop the smile, “Well, I actually got one for myself too. Hehe. See.”
With that Taehyung takes out another flower crown with yellow baby’s breath and places it on top of his head, “Did you like my surprise, baby?”
Jungkook kisses his nose, “Now that I see you wearing one as well, I do love it.”
Taehyung giggles — pure melody to Jungkook’s ear — before he asks, “Okay, now tell me, what is your surprise?”
Jungkook nods, heart, thumping loudly in his chest as he sits down on one knee before taking out a small box from his pocket. He hears Taehyung gasp and takes that as a cue to start.
“Taehyung. My petal. My everything. Having you in my life is the biggest gift I could ever receive. You are the only one with whom I could ever imagine spending the rest of my life. Whenever I wake up next to you, I think I don’t deserve to be with you, after all the shit you had to go through because of me. Someone as pretty, as beautiful as you. And I don’t need a mirror to tell me the truth. Because for me, you are the most beautiful person in this whole damn world.”
Taehyung has sunk down to his knees as well, with tears glistening his eyes as he covers his mouth.
“I know I’m rambling but I just want to tell you, how happy you make me, petal. And, I want to make you the happiest man as well. So, the final question is — will you marry me, Kim Taehyung?”
Taehyung nods his head vigorously, clashing their lips together in a messy way. Jungkook ends up falling back with Taehyung straddling his hips. “Yes yes yes. A hundred times yes,” Taehyung cries, attacking his face with kisses.
“And…” Taehyung pulls back to look at Jungkook with the softest eyes, “Whatever we went through, we went through it together, Jungkook. You already make me the happiest I have ever been.”
Jungkook smiles, pecking his fiance’s lips again, “I love you, petal.”
“I love you too, baby.”
✦