Chapter Text
They say, “Do not fall in love with wanderers.” They also say, “You will drown your heart in sorrow and they will leave.”
Prince Jeongguk did (not) listen, and ended up falling in love with the prettiest alpha he had ever laid his eyes upon. The one who was never found at the same place twice, yet his mother had him at every single one of her balls and parties playing saxophone because the way he played it was- simply put, otherworldly. Pretty wasn’t a word to use for the boy with the intimidating aura that would come to the royal palace, set the instruments at the corner with his friend and the only other member of his band, Park Jimin as Jeongguk had come to learn his name, seemingly unaware with the way he made heads turn and necks snap towards him. To Jeongguk, he was the fairest sight of all that danced around the vast room- hopping, skipping, practiced motions and movements, all black lies and white truths painted and wrapped in pretty gowns and happy smiles.
Jeongguk never liked them. He never liked the balls, the clutter of people that went there or the duty to attend every single one. His mother, the Queen, was fond of them. She saw his father for the first time at a ball, too. Finding later how he was the one she was set to be betrothed to. And his father was fond of the Queen, so never went a month without a ball or three at the royal palace of the Jeon Kingdom.
At every one of those masquerades were busybodies trying to coax and pry something out of him, let it be a thing related to the palace business, or courtship. Jeongguk had gotten a lot of alphas throwing himself on him. But, he rejected them. And if he had learnt one thing from being a royal child, it was that people never came to you for something you want. It was always either them after his hand for the name and wealth that came with him or to try out their desires with a male omega- a rarity.
And also because, he had his eyes set on an alpha already.
When Jeongguk had first heard the tunes of the saxophone- a soprano that had come to recognise later, lilting around the ballroom, bouncing around the walls and high, glamorous ceilings, his perceptions about balls had changed. To say that he was dumbfounded by the tunes would be an understatement. Saxophonist Kim Taehyung, his mother had told him when he had asked about the boy. He would be the new entertainer since that evening for their guests on the subject, his mother had also said. That Kim Taehyung was someone whom he’d like to spend the rest of his life with, was what he had wanted since then.
—
When Jeongguk walks inside the ballroom, a happy ballad hangs in the air, weaving its way through the skippy dancers and right towards Jeongguk like that of a pied piper. No one had ever quite managed to make music sound like Taehyung did. Like the delicate tinkling sounds fairies’ wings make, like magic that babies see in their dreams that makes them smile even when fast asleep.
When he walks towards the source of the noise, he sees Taehyung’s eyes widen by a fraction at his appearance. They had grown closer to each other since their first interaction when the shy prince had reached out to him. Taehyung was the boy who had managed to make Jeongguk fall for not only his music, but with his strong (and extremely hot because how the fuck voice) and set mentality. They would talk in Taehyung’s breaks, and with Jeongguk’s cheeks bright red because whenever Taehyung talked to him, he would look at Jeongguk with so much intent as if he was worth all the focus and not the fleeting glances and bizarre smirks.
Giving Jimin a polite smile, Jeongguk waits until Taehyung is done with his turn. When he looks at Jeongguk with a knowing smile, Jeongguk says, “You played like excellence itself today, Taehyung-ssi.”
“You say that every time and flatter me, my Prince.” Taehyung says, the smile ever present on his lips as he bows, straightens up and grabs the glass of water sitting beside his instruments and slowly guides it to his lips, eyes never failing to notice how Jeongguk's gaze travels from his hand to his lips.
The Prince clears his throat. “Are you, perhaps, free this evening?”
“Yes. The Queen has asked for me to stay to discuss some matters on the upcoming ball.” Jeongguk nods. “Speaking of which, why are you holding the ball every night for the first week of the next month?” Taehyung raises his eyebrow at Jeongguk, a puzzled look on his face when Jeongguk clears his throat again and looks anywhere else but at Taehyung.
“I, um, well. I have to talk to you about that, so. Meet me,” Jeongguk replies, stutters between his curt sentences. And then, “Please” before he is bowing and heading away from the saxophone player, leaving behind a confused Taehyung.
Later when most people have left, later when Jeongguk doesn't feel like everyone is staring at him, later when Jeongguk breathes deep and easy, Taehyung meets him when he's bidding farewell to some one from his father’s acquaintance.
“Your Highness,” Taehyung bows when he sees Jeongguk shaking hands with the man, “You called for me?”
“Oh, yes,” Jeongguk says. “I'm going to have to excuse myself. It was a pleasure seeing you this very fine evening. Take care, Duke Min.” The man bows in front of Jeongguk, says his words for a goodbye, and leaves them alone.
“Would you mind joining me for a walk through the gardens, Taehyung-ssi? The time isn't much suitable, but the weather seems quite nice today,” Jeongguk looks at Taehyung as if he's going to say no, which Taehyung will never do even if he was held at gunpoint.
Taehyung agrees, and follows Jeongguk as he leads them to the gardens. “What was it that you wanted to say to me?” Jeongguk had grown to be quite fond of Taehyung, and he wasn't sure if the feelings returned were romantic or platonic, but Taehyung enjoyed spending time with him. Jeongguk made sure to double check his clothes and hairstyle and make-up before he met up with the alpha. Plus, he was always on his best behaviour with him. There was no way Taehyung would not like his company.
“I can tell something's bothering you, my Prince.” Taehyung says, and Jeongguk wonders from where to start. “Is it related to the ball taking place next month?”
Yes Jeongguk is about to say. But when he opens his mouth, what comes out instead is, “I’m getting married.”
He swears he sees Taehyung stutter in his step beside him, but it's so quick Jeongguk wonders if it's just his brain playing tricks on him. Pretty visitors are always just that. They leave, always, leaving the artifacts back at home- hence why they're considered pretty.
“Congratulations, my Prince,” Taehyung says, a smile on his face when Jeongguk looks up at him.
“But I don't— what I mean to say is, thatI’m not getting married married next month. Potential suitors- alphas, because you know, I’m an— and they will be here to court me, or ask, yeah.” Jeongguk bites his lip, breathes out harshly, and looks away. His hands raise up to his head to tug at his hair- a subconscious habit- Taehyung presumes it to be. His hands reach up to touch the Prince’s- and Taehyung deems that as subconsciousness as well.
“Jeongguk,” the omega feels fingers threading through his own that are currently on his head pulling at his hair. “Take a deep breath. In and out, pretty boy, in and out.” When Jeongguk does just that, Taehyung asks in a calm voice. “Now tell hyung what is happening, hmm?” And he has such gentle hands- Jeongguk notices. “One thing at a time,” and he rubs his thumbs on the skin of Jeongguk's hands, and fuck does it comfort him.
Taehyung's hands were soft, careful in the way they held Jeongguk's, benign in the manner they caressed his skin- Jeongguk observes. They've never touched before, shook hands, held hands, not even elbows touching whenever they would sneak out on the balcony on Taehyung's breaks. Standing in the close proximity of Taehyung was a luxury to Jeongguk, his scent prominent in the way it always seemed to cloud Jeongguk's senses, calm in the way it settled in his mind. He wondered how their scents mixed would feel like. Kind of wanted to find out.
“I want you to be there, too.” Jeongguk rushes to say then. “Of course, I will be there,” Taehyung says, and Jeongguk wishes the alpha wasn’t so dense. Or that he wasn’t such a coward.
“No. not that,” Jeongguk breathes out. “I have something to give to you.” Taehyung nods, confused, yet urges Jeongguk to show him what it is that Jeongguk was so nervous to give to him. The said Prince is pulling their hands apart, reaching inside the pocket of his coat, and taking out a small box, handing it to Taehyung with a face so red it was visible even under the pale moonlight.
Taehyung almost laughs at him. Almost. Because whatever was in this box was seemingly important to Jeongguk. So he carefully takes the box and mumbles a confused thanks. “Am I to open this right now or …?”
“Now,” Jeongguk says hurriedly, “If you will, please,” he adds timidly then.
Taehyung nods and looks down at the box where swirls of lavender and light green are carefully painted. Taehyung can’t quite see what they make up to be, but the shades blended together carefully are pleasing to the eye. He works on the lock (that looks like Jeongguk made himself with how easily it comes apart in Taehyung's hand), and says, “This is very nicely painted, my Prince” to which Jeongguk replies with a “I used the rarest of paints that you can't find anywhere,” (with a puffed chest and proud smile that makes Taehyung hide his own), and opens the box.
Inside sits a bracelet, and that too— handmade. Light brown fine pieces of woods held together with threads, a lavender coloured heart dangling from it. Taehyung is surprised to say the least. If Jeongguk had made it himself, then judging by the careful trims of the corner of the hearts, it would have taken the Prince quite some time to work it out.
“Beautiful,” he breathes out, looking up at the Prince. “Is this a—” Taehyung drops the rest of his sentence, unsure how to word it.
“A courting gift, yes,” Jeongguk admits.
“But, you said—”
“Yes, I know. But I told eomma that I will get married if you reject my courting gift, because I like you, and I've been wanting to talk to you about it for so long. And I made this after the second time we met, and I really really wanted to give it to you, but then, I didn't know if you liked me back and—”
“You like me?” Jeongguk freezes, nods. “As in, you're going to court me?” Jeongguk nods again. Shakes his head quickly. “Only if you accept.”
“But Jeong— my Prince, I never—”
“Do you not like me?” and when Taehyung looks at him, Jeongguk’s eyes are round with expectations, lips set in a pout, hands behind his back— a nervous routine. “It is not that, your Highness. It's the fact that I don't think this will work out between us.” Jeongguk's expression just looks more broken than before, because what is that supposed to mean?
“You see, I never stay in a place for longer than a week. I don't have a home to return to, not a place, not a home, not a person, nor a family—”
“But you can stay here. We have so many rooms here and they're so big too. You can play your instruments here, everyone loves them. And you can always come back here, this can be your home, and …”
“Hmm?”
“And I’ll be your family to return to,” Jeongguk looks up at him then. “Please, consider this. I don't really have time. Eomma said I have a week only to tell her. So I ask of you, not as your Prince, not as someone who is about to be married off to someone else, but as a boy who's grown so fond of you it's impossible for him to think about himself with someone else. As someone who counts the days just to see you, as someone who waits for you with a hand on his heart, please.” Jeongguk breathes out.
“Jeongguk,” Taehyung starts carefully. “I don’t know what you look for in an alpha, but I think I am not what you look for. I- how did the Queen even agree to this? I never stay at one place. I never can, it gets suffocating for me. I can’t leave you behind, you deserve someone who stays by your side.” Taehyung says, carefully tracing his finger on the bracelet and then closing the box. When he looks up at Jeongguk though, there are tears on the boy’s cheeks, and he looks absolutely heartbroken.
“As someone who has a heart that beats the name of you and sings in the tunes that whisper your name only,” Jeongguk says. “The one that sits heavy when it isn't around you, so I set it on the table when I have my meals, set it on the counter when I wash my hands, place it in books where they tell stories of love, because Taehyung I don't know if what I feel for you is love or not, nor do I know about your feelings. But what I do know—,” Jeongguk takes a deep breath and Taehyung wondered how they went from being so happy just by being in each other’s company to where the boy Taehyung has grown to be in love with in tears looking like he will put an end to it all– burst, if Taehyung doesn’t accept him. “And what this thing beating wild trapped inside the hives of my ribs /does/ know, is that if I could, I would ask you to linger a little longer every time you visit, to forget something of yours in my possession, just so we could have an excuse to see each other again, earlier. And I say ‘we’ because my heart and I are two different entities. While I long to be just closer to you for the rest of my days, my heart, it. It tries to claw its way out of my chest to your alpha. It has never thought of any one else as its own, Taehyung, and I know for a fact that neither will I, ever.”
“Jeongguk, I. With all due respect, what I think is that you have not thought this through. You deserve someone who doesn’t turn you into someone else just to travel places, which I will. I won’t be able to give you anything but a house of woods when you deserve someone who has a place— a palace for you. Because I don’t. And if you choose to be with me- which you should really not, you’ll be all alone for days on end with not a word from me. I should not be thinking for you when you are fully capable of it, but you should think of being with someone who gives you a house made of anything but woods, someone whom you look forward to coming back. Someone who doesn’t leave you alone.” Taehyung tries to pin down the harshness in his tone because he couldn’t argue with Jeongguk. He was the Prince for heaven’s sake. And even then he was acting obtusely.
“I am ready to go anywhere and be anyone if I get to be with you, Taehyung. And I won't mind you going away if you will keep coming back to me and I promise I’ll always be there waiting for you. I won't make you feel trapped because that’s just not something that I do. All these things are far-etched. All that I ask of you is to accept my courting gift.” Jeongguk almost shouts, frustrated. Something ugly claws harshly at his ribs, trying to find its way out of there. And he thinks it his heart that just cannot seem to let the idea of Taehyung being his mate go. “If you think I have not thought this through, then listen to me because I have. I myself have talked about it with the Queen and that is exactly how and why she came to agree with me. Because you don’t get to decide where I am to sit; and because I do not want to sit in palaces made of gold when the only place I want to sit is beside you. At home, at dinner parties, at gatherings, at meals. I do not want to wait for someone to come home when after all the wait that comes back to me is anyone but you. I have thought about this very very thoroughly Taehyung-ssi, and I don’t care if you give me a goddamn house made of wood only, because you seem to be dwelling on that, when that is exactly where we are supposed to reside by nature, and because I will be content as long as it’s a place for you and I only.”
“Jeongguk, listen. Let’s just sit back for a while and think about it with clear heads. You’re clearly worked up, and so am I. So let’s just—”
“No, Taehyung, you listen to me here. If someone told me that the world was ending, and if the doom was coming from the side of the world where you left, I would run into it like a soldier does to his martyr. If you’d have walked opposite to it, I’d follow you still, and hug you close, and maybe tell you that I am a ruin from the inside if I’m not with you. So I ask of you to please please, from a boy who is nothing if not a bottlement of fondness for you, to accept, or maybe think about my courting to you before you reject me.”
And by the time Jeongguk is done, his cheeks are damp with tears, and Taehyung just wants to hug the boy closer to his chest. But when he opens his mouth to speak, a guard interrupts them, saying the Queen has requested both of their presence inside the palace.
Jeongguk sniffs, wipes his nose on the sleeve of his coat, and wrings his hands away from Taehyung’s, because he was somehow still holding on to Taehyung, and kind of still wanted to keep holding on the boy that stands so close yet so far away from him. Taehyung moves in front of Jeongguk, asking the guard to lead the way, and as soon as the guard is turning his back to them, Taehyung is pulling Jeongguk into a hug.
“There is no way I could reject the courting of someone as precious as you, my pretty, pretty boy,” He feels Jeongguk sigh as their chests come in contact with each other. He pulls away and traces his thumbs on Jeongguk’s cheeks, wiping the tears, before putting the box inside his pocket and whispering a “Let’s talk about this later, yeah? We’re going to be okay.” and pulling Jeongguk with him with his pinky wrapped around the Prince’s
The day after the next one, Taehyung is asked to come to lunch with the royal family again. As it turns out, the Queen had wanted to talk to Taehyung about the same subject. Mentioning how the little Prince (the Queen had called Jeongguk and Taehyung couldn’t help but think how it suited Jeongguk so well) was set having Taehyung as his alpha (Taehyung had an internal breakdown at that part) and how if Taehyung accepts his courting, the palace would be more than happy to help Taehyung settle down. Taehyung has asked the time of a day for him to think. So, here he was now, rehearsing the lines quietly under his breath that Jimin had written for him, as the guard led him to the main hall.
Jeongguk is standing in front of the closed doors inside which Taehyung knows the King and Queen is waiting for him when he reaches there. Jeongguk walks quickly towards him when their eyes meet and dismisses the guard. “Prince Jeongguk,” he bows. But before he has straightened his back, Jeongguk pulls him aside. “Have you- like, thought of it already?” He asks in a haste. Taehyung nods.
So Jeongguk hasn’t noticed yet
Jeongguk takes a sharp breath, hands going behind his back to grab each other harshly. Him pulling at his hair in the middle of the hallway would indeed be a sight no less than comical. “Okay.”
Taehyung nods again. “Okay,” Jeongguk repeats, voice dropped to a whisper now as he stares into Taehyung’s with a ferociousness that Taehyung understands. There’s a moment of silence where they just stare at each other, Jeongguk hoping in the string of tranquility that Taehyung says something. But when he doesn't, Jeongguk is nodding at Taehyung and motioning for him to follow as he leads them towards the doors of the dining hall.
The four of them eat their lunch in quiet silence after having said their greetings. And as Taehyung reaches for the glass of water, the cluttering of something catches his attention and his neck is whipping so fast towards Taehyung’s hand he’s surprised it doesn’t fall off. Is surprised at his eyes that don’t freeze, his brain that doesn’t melt, and his heart that doesn’t stop at the sight of Taehyung sitting there comfortably, a familiar brown bracelet with a lavender heart dangling from it sitting on his wrist.
“We’re going to be okay.” Taehyung’s words from last night ring inside his head.
They were going to be okay
----
“What—” Taehyung laughs quietly as Jeongguk pulls him as soon as they are out of the dining hall. The King and Queen had offered for Taehyung to live in the royal palace, even offering to give help in the form of soldiers and guards who would build a house for him and Jeongguk to live in, but Taehyung had rejected. Something about him being fully capable of providing for Jeongguk- his omega, something about alpha’s pride. Jeongguk giggles, pulling and pushing Taehyung towards his chamber. Bursting into silly giggles as soon as he closes the door behind him. Taehyung pulls the little Prince into his embrace, holding him close.
“I refuse to believe I almost cried thinking you came here to reject me.” Taehyung hums. “When you were wearing my courting gift.”
Taehyung smiles fondly at him. “I did say I could not reject anything from you, darling,” Taehyung watches the boy’s cheek pink as the term of endearment hangs between them. “Did I not?”
Jeongguk hums. “But I was so angry at you and yelled at you too.” He rests his forehead on Taehyung’s shoulder, then moves his neck so his nose touches the skin of Taehyung’s neck. Jeongguk quietly breathes him in.
“But we all get angry, my little Prince. It’s okay, I know those were never your intentions.” Jeongguk hums in agreement. “But if you ever do, if you ever want to take it out on me, I’ll be here. To take it in and to hold you until you're all right again. Until we are all right again. Because I know, for a fact, that we will be.”
“I thought about it again, hyung,” Jeongguk says, the honorifics dropped since Taehyung had told his parents he’ll be courting Jeongguk as well. “It wasn't okay for me to say everything to you at once. I didn't mean to pressure you. But you were looking as if you didn't want to be with me and–” he sighs, tired from the toll these past days have taken on him. “And I know that doesn't excuse it, so I wanted to apologize. I’m really sorry for how brashly I acted with you that night.”
When he doesn't hear anything from Taehyung, he pulls back from his embrace to look at his face. Taehyung stares back at him. “It’s okay. I forgive you. Nothing’s there that I’m holding above you, my baby. My pretty baby,” and then Taehyung is cradling his face in his hands and kissing his forehead, “I don't care what you said that night. We're here now, aren't we?” Jeongguk hums. “Together,” and he places a kiss on Jeongguk’s nose, making him scrunch it up. His front teeth poking out, resembling those of a bunny, and he places a timid kiss on Taehyung's cheek, and says then, “together.”
“Jeongguk,” Taehyung says to him later when they're sitting on the floor of Jeongguk's room where Jeongguk was showing him the possible list of his future courting gifts. “My Prince, my boy who holds so much liking to me it is quite unbelievable to my simple mind,” Taehyung holds his hands. “I don't have a home to bring you to. I, too, have grown a strong attachment to you, having never seen any human with his soul as pretty as you. I know I told this to the King and Queen, but here I am, repeating the same words to you. I do accept this gift. But on conditions that I must put forward,” Jeongguk is nodding eagerly as Taehyung intertwines their fingers together and squeezes his hands gently.
“You will have to give me some time to make a home for us. For although I do have money to buy one, I would like one that is a gift for you from me, one where you will be comfortable. You will have to excuse me to go and play at places far away from you, and it may take some days to return, but it is what I do, until I find another way of earning money for the boy who is so so fond of me and would be waiting for me at home. But I can promise to give you nothing but what you deserve- all things pretty and soft and so, so beautiful like yourself. I accept your courting gift, Jeon Jeongguk.”
But before Taehyung has even finished his last sentence, Jeongguk is moving close to him and pulling him in a hug, fresh tears on his round cheeks and hanging heavy on his eyelashes that tickle Taehyung's neck when Jeongguk rests his head on Taehyung's shoulder.
“You’ll be my alpha, then,” he whispers quietly. Taehyung hums. “And you’ll be my omega,” Jeongguk looks up at Taehyung, pulling back, “the prettiest one.” And Jeongguk laughs at it. Taehyung thought he was pretty– the prettiest.
Taehyung pulls Jeongguk close by grabbing his waist and kisses him on his cheek. Once, twice, thrice, before Jeongguk is bursting with loud giggles and pressing them on Taehyung's smile. Taehyung who gladly accepts the kiss, and Jeongguk is shy in the way he seems hesitant to place his hands on Taehyung. So Taehyung grabs his hands and place them on his shoulder, before pulling Jeongguk closer to himself, holding his face and kissing all over it.
When the Queen finds them some time later, it is to Taehyung tickling Jeongguk on the ground with Jeongguk’s chamber a mess that he had made going around showing Taehyung different things. And she thinks it really was fate, and that balls are a places to visit, since her own son had found his true love at one. And she asks Taehyung to stay for dinner, to which he politely declines, before Jeongguk is cutting with a loud “He’s taking me on a date—”
So they go on their first date— to the downtown bazaar which sells all of Taehyung's favourite foods and things that Jeongguk has almost never seen nor tried, and they move from one stall to another, Jeongguk never looking at a thing for too long because there were so many stalls and Jeongguk just had to see all of them.
And when they've played enough games and eaten enough food, they sit in a corner on the stairs leading to something they didn't bother looking at. Jeongguk leans his head on Taehyung's shoulder, and looks at all the people around them playing all kinds of different instruments, singing happily. He thinks about how he listened to the pied piper that had called his name.
Not only because the tune was alluring, but also because the way it seemed to tilt Jeongguk’s earth on its axis, it was almost as if Taehyung was singing his name. Almost as if his name was a song, one that Taehyung had always sung to himself before meeting Jeongguk and realising that it was him. He was the boy he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.