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When our pets were young they didn’t interact too often. The Jabberwockies did, having been together when we found them. Siblings from different mothers. But the Cheshires were all alone.
We kept them in their kingdoms from a young age. We didn’t intend to introduce them to each other until they were adults. But of course Cheshire Cats are curious creatures and are impossible to control at the best of times. Especially as hormonal teenagers...
Jungkook heaved a sigh as he lay down in the grass of their gardens. Most of the plants were dead in the Spades Gardens but the grass was soft at the very least. He tucked his hands behind his head, his perpetually frozen body attempting to warm with the very weak sunlight permitted over their kingdom.
He was gifted a break after working hard these last few days. The King of Spades was being kind to him. He was a little afraid to be honest. It was never good when the Spades were being excessively kind. He had a bad feeling there was more work coming his way. More lessons and more educate classes. He hated them. Why did he have to learn how to speak to snobby lords and ladies who had no place in the politicalness of Wonderland? The only thing they had to their name was wealth and even then that wealth was nothing after death.
Technically he didn’t even have to learn how to speak to them. The Kingdom of Spades consisted mostly of ghosts. There were a few playing cards hanging around as servants but most of the living existed in the other kingdoms or villages in between. He only had to interact with these people when they went to visit the other Cards. And that was only provided if they perceived him as an intelligent person worth speaking with rather than the beasts his kind were known for.
Nevertheless, the teenager was glad to take the break even if it meant he was going to be working on zero hours sleep tomorrow. He was only fourteen after all. He wasn’t even big enough for his King to ride him. Not like IU. She was amazing. He wanted to be as strong and powerful as her when he was an adult. The Clubs were lucky their Jabberwocky was so cool. He did wish he could see her a little more often…he missed his big sister.
Jungkook closed his eyes. He let out a deep sigh, his breathing slowing as exhaustion slowly slipped into his system. He never realised how tired he was until he was resting. Maybe Mingyu was being nice…maybe he saw how genuinely tired he was.
The Jabberwocky sighed again. He supposed it didn’t really matter. His life revolved around his King and Queen. He would end up doing whatever they wanted in the end.
Jungkook cracked his eyes back open. He stared at the grey sky. Heavy clouds hung above him, threatening to spill onto the earth. He should head inside soon, then. A pity, he was enjoying the warmth.
Wait. Warmth?
Jungkook frowned. He shifted a little, suddenly very aware of the warmth on his chest. It was almost like a blanket had been draped over him, gradually heating up his cold blooded flesh. There was even a very faint weight there, pressing down in a grounding, comforting sort of way.
There was no way the sun was warming him. It was entirely hidden behind those rain clouds. Not to mention there was a faint wind starting to pick up, ruffling his black hair and the edges of his clothing.
He placed a hand on his chest. The warmth immediately faded, his hand rapidly sucking the heat away. Sighing, Jungkook reluctantly sat up. Weird…
“Kookie?! Are you out here?!”
The Jabberwocky lifted his head, his pupils slitting with an abnormal light. He got to his feet, his head popping up over the hedges. He grinned when he met Minghao’s startled then disapproving glare.
“What were you doing?” the other fourteen year old asked, his triangular cat ears giving away his irritation with their twitching.
“Sunbathing!”
Minghao blinked. He frowned before disappearing in a puff of black smoke. Jungkook stepped back from the hedge so the Cheshire Cat could appear beside him.
“There is no sun here,” Minghao stated matter of fact.
Jungkook shrugged. He glanced up at the sky, a hand rubbing at his chest. The warmth lingered.
“Gotta get what I can, I guess.” He turned a cheeky smile to his best friend. “Anyway, what are you doing?”
Minghao’s ear twitched. He had recently gotten a silver piercing in it – a hoop towards the top of the black furred ear. It made his ear twitches audible to those with sensitive hearing. Of course that wasn’t the purpose of it but Jungkook noticed it.
“Looking for you,” the Cheshire admitted. He avoided his gaze, flicking ear giving away his embarrassment. “The Queen told me to take a break but I…don’t know what to do…”
Jungkook blinked. Now both of them had sent them on breaks? Shit there must be something crappy coming soon.
“You wanna hang out then?” the Jabberwocky offered with a bright grin.
Minghao hummed but he did nod. Their friendship was a strange one. Minghao didn’t really express himself very well. He was quiet and obedient, content to put his all into any work given to him and eager to do well. Jungkook was a bit more of a troublemaker, having more fun causing problems that he would inevitably have to fix. It probably didn’t help that Mingyu was a lot more lenient on him than Wonwoo was on Minghao.
“We should go inside though,” Minghao mumbled. He glanced up at the sky, eyes flickering an emerald green. “It looks like it’s going to rain…”
Jungkook sniffed, “Probably,” and stepped towards his same aged friend. Minghao curled his long fingers around his wrist before teleporting them back into the castle. After years of experiencing it, Jungkook was more than used to the dizzying feeling of disappearing then reappearing.
He wasn’t surprised when they came out in the library. It was Minghao’s favourite place to be when he wasn’t with their Queen. It was also one of the only places they could get some quiet without irritating their royals. Not that Minghao could irritate them…
“Do you want to play a game?” Minghao offered, pulling him through the library with his still tight grip on his wrist.
“Sure.”
Minghao led him to a little nook with a round window behind it. Jungkook sat, watching his friend pull out a chess board. The Jabberwocky’s pupils shrunk as he remembered his recent history class.
Apparently Wonderland used to be ruled by the White Kingdom and the Red Kingdom. The Queen of Hearts had been the Red Queen before she married her King and they became Hearts. He couldn’t exactly remember why the White Queen was isolated and locked within her kingdom though…it was the result of a war, though.
“White or black?” Minghao asked.
“White.”
Minghao smiled and set up the board. Jungkook slid from the cushioned nook to the floor. He crossed his legs, ready to play.
A warmth spread across his back. He blinked, tensing just a little.
“Hao, is it warm in here?”
Minghao blinked up at him. His ear flicked, his nose twitching a second later.
“Yes. It’s always warm in here…”
“Huh…I guess the source is behind me then…” Jungkook shrugged it off. “Let’s play!”
That weird warmth continued to make random appearances. He couldn’t go one day without having that featherlight touch of heat draping itself over him. Usually it was when he was napping (since he hadn’t had a chance to properly sleep. He was right about a lot of classes and work coming his way) and the thing would curl up on his chest or against his side. He could almost imagine it was a person if it weren’t invisible and not corporeal. It definitely wasn’t a ghost. The ghosts were cold.
“Hey Hao?”
“Hm?”
“Do you know of any creatures that can be invisible?”
Minghao glanced up from his book. Jungkook turned his stare away from his friend to the glass-stained window above them. The black and white glass depicted a flowery art of shadows.
“There are many potions and items that give invisible properties,” Minghao answered slowly. “But actual creatures? I suppose Cheshire Cats are the only ones I can think of…” Jungkook’s vacant stare snapped back to the other boy. Minghao tilted his head, ear twitching. “Why?”
Jungkook sat up. The warmth that had been on his back peeled away, disappearing entirely.
“I just…well I would say I was being haunted but the thing is warm, not cold…”
Minghao hummed, low and drawn out. He glanced around, his nose twitching. A glimmer of emerald shimmered in his black eyes. Jungkook watched. He didn’t know much about Cheshire Cats but he knew Minghao’s emerald glow was a primal, instinctual thing. Like when his own eyes turned a bright blue, complimenting his darker indigo purple toned scales.
“Maybe there’s a stray hanging around,” Minghao mumbled. He shrugged a second later, eyes returning to their normal murky brown. “It shouldn’t be a problem though. If it were a threat our Queen would have taken care of it by now.”
Jungkook nodded in agreement. He had seen how their Royals dealt with unwanted intruders. It was not pretty.
“Speaking of our Queen,” Minghao muttered, closing his book, “she is calling me. I’ll see you tonight at dinner?”
“Mhm. Good luck.”
Minghao rolled his eyes with a light smirk before disappearing in his poof of black. Sighing, Jungkook sank back into the cushions he had originally been napping in. The moment he settled the warmth crawled back into his lap.
The teenager huffed out a breath. He reopened his eyes to glare at the spot directly in front of him.
“Ok whoever you are, can you stop? I mean, I like the heat but I don’t like not knowing who you are or what you want. So if you’re gonna keep laying on me can you at least show yourself?”
The Jabberwocky narrowed his gaze at his own chest. There was a long moment of silence.
Jungkook huffed again. He tilted his head back onto the cushion.
“Fine…” he grumbled.
There was another second of nothing. Then, the warmth moved.
Goosebumps erupted across his cold flesh when ghostly fingers – yes fingers – brushed against his exposed throat. They dragged along the edge of his silver collar, tracing the spade shape on the front. Jungkook shivered.
“…will you let me stay if I show myself?”
The teenager flinched. He sat upright. The warmth immediately jumped away, as if a body had tumbled out of his lap or jerked backwards. His breathing came in a little quick as his wide eyes darted around.
“W-Wait you’re real? You’re not a weird ghost thing?!”
That young voice chuckled, low and a little deep but still youthful. As if his voice was somewhere between the cracking stage of puberty.
“I’m real,” the boy replied, his voice less echoey. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Jungkook swallowed thickly. He leaned back against the cushion throne.
“Um, well…yeah, I guess I will. I just want to know who you are and why you’re doing this…”
The boy chuckled again. Jungkook flinched when the warmth curled around his leg. He realised now that was a hand, long fingers and sharp nails. The hand slid up his shin to his thigh then to his stomach. Another hand landed on his chest, making its way up to his shoulder. He swallowed again, face suddenly feeling hot.
The weight he had become used to sleeping with settled in his lap once more. The two hands slid back down to his chest, resting there.
“My name is Taehyung.”
In one blink to the next, a beautiful boy appeared before his eyes. Jungkook froze.
He was a Cheshire Cat. Those short furred black ears and equally short furred tail said it all. He was entirely naked just as all Cheshires. But unlike Minghao’s pale skin, this Cheshire had a beautifully tanned golden tone. Black bandages wrapped loosely around his body, hanging off his hips and draped over his arms in an artistic way rather than a modest way like Minghao wore them. Around his throat was a silver collar, a black club adorning the front.
Jungkook could only gape. He had never seen someone so…attractive. He didn’t necessarily have time to leave the castle, not without his King, and when he did he never looked twice at the kids his age. Even amongst the other royal servants he had never found them attractive.
Yet he had never seen this boy before. He had the strongest urge to run his fingers through those fluffy black bangs, brushing them back to see his sharp pitch black eyes.
Taehyung’s giggle snapped him out of his open stare. The Jabberwocky blushed, ducking his head.
“Did I steal your tongue, pretty boy?” Taehyung purred. Jungkook flinched when a very warm hand brushed against his cheek. He looked up at Taehyung’s gentle insistence, meeting those beautiful eyes again. Taehyung’s lips quirked with a smirk. “You were so talkative before. Where did your confidence go?”
Jungkook’s lips parted but no words came out. He leaned away from the hand on his cheek, clearing his throat. What the hell was wrong with him?
“Y-You’ve been sleeping on me?” he ended up stuttering out. A hum. “Why?”
“Because you are cold.” Huh? “It feels nice.”
Taehyung then proceeded to slide down and pillow his head on his chest. Jungkook blinked a couple times, shocked still. The Cheshire nuzzled his cheek into him, pulling his arm over his waist. Jungkook’s face somehow grew even hotter. He tilted his wrist so his fingers remained on his lower back rather than…lower.
“What was your name again?” Taehyung asked with a yawn.
Jungkook blinked one last time. He softened, a different sort of warmth blossoming in his chest as each blink the Cheshire took gradually began to become longer.
“Jungkook.” Another low hum of acknowledgement. “…you can sleep if you want. It’s not like you haven’t done it before.”
A light chuckle. Taehyung shifted to snuggle properly into him. Jungkook had no clue how someone so lanky could curl up so tight. Maybe it was his cat genes.
“Wake me if anyone comes…” the Cheshire whispered. “I need to go home soon…”
Home…to the Clubs? Wait, was he the Royal Clubs’ Cheshire Cat?!
Jungkook’s brief spike of panic dissipated when Taehyung began purring. He smiled down at the other boy in his lap. He wondered if the Clubs worked him as hard as the Spades worked them…he must be tired…
The Jabberwocky relaxed against the cushions. He held Taehyung a little tighter. The Cheshire turned his nose into the crook of his shoulder.
This…wasn’t too bad…
Taehyung lingered. Not visibly but Jungkook could tell he was there. Brief touches of warmth across his shoulders, at his hand, sometimes even his waist. He knew he was there and he was definitely sleeping here. He couldn’t even begin to count the amount of times he had woken up in the middle of the night to an invisible weight on his chest. His own personal heater.
The question was why. Why was the Clubs Cheshire Cat coming here?
It was evening again and Taehyung had come early. Jungkook felt him settle in his lap while he was reading. It was just them in his room. Minghao’s room was next door and he doubted his best friend would be popping in anytime soon.
“You can show yourself,” he whispered, instinctively pressing his cheek against the warmth by his head.
There was a sleepy hum then Taehyung slowly came into view. Jungkook smiled, nuzzling properly against the fluffy hair against his face. Taehyung purred, his hands tangling into the Jabberwocky’s sleep shirt and legs bracketing his waist on either side. Jungkook was forced to put the book down. After all he couldn’t read through the Cheshire if he were visible.
“Tired?” Jungkook asked, keeping his voice down.
Taehyung’s ear tickled the underside of his jaw. A yawn and a slight nod.
“Busy day…” Taehyung mumbled. “My Queen had errands to run…”
“Ahh…is that how you’re getting away with being here? She thinks you’re sleeping?”
Another sleepy nod. Jungkook gently circled his arms around Taehyung’s lithe body. His purring grew louder, his tail curling around one of Jungkook’s arms.
“He’s probably too busy with my King to notice…” Taehyung replied. “What about you? How was your day?”
Jungkook hummed, tracing shapes on Taehyung’s bare back. His skin was so warm and soft. He could imagine himself cuddling him for hours every day…
“It was…long. Minghao…got sick.”
Taehyung lifted his head then. A small frown turned his lips as he drew back to meet Jungkook’s eyes.
“Is he ok?”
The two Cheshires hadn’t exactly met. Jungkook didn’t lie to Minghao. He told him it was the Clubs Cheshire visiting him but he didn’t promise to introduce them. Minghao didn’t really want to meet Taehyung either. Said something about wanting to wait for when their Queens were ready to introduce them or something.
“He will be.”
Minghao was stronger than any poison. He would be after this training was done.
Taehyung hummed, something long and drawn out, before sinking down to pillow his head on Jungkook’s shoulder again.
“Can I sleep here?” Taehyung whispered.
“For a little bit.” Jungkook sighed, making himself comfortable against the headboard of his bed. “By the way, why do you come here? Aren’t you afraid of being punished?”
Another small shrug, this time accompanied by the flick of the tip of his tail.
“Not really…I just like it here. With you.” The Cheshire nuzzled against him. “There’s no one my age at home…but the Spades aren’t far and you’re kind of my age, aren’t you?”
Jungkook blinked blankly. He...supposed?
“I’m fourteen.”
“Close enough,” Taehyung yawned. “I’m fifteen.”
Jungkook blinked again. He was older than him? Not that it mattered much but…huh.
“You should get some sleep,” Jungkook whispered.
Taehyung mumbled something. His weight began to grow heavier. Smiling, the Jabberwocky gently slid him off his lap to tuck him against his side. Taehyung purred, snuggling as close as he physically could.
The Kingdom of Clubs…he wondered where he had been hiding every time he went to visit IU…
“Where did you get this?”
Jungkook startled, almost dropping his sword. He looked up shocked to find Taehyung’s upper body floating above him.
“What are you doing here?” Jungkook stuttered. He wildly looked around, highly aware of the large open yard he was currently training in. “It’s the middle of the day!”
“I know.” Taehyung’s voice was deeper with a purr. “I’m bored. Now answer me.”
Jungkook frowned. He looked back up at the cat. Taehyung stared expectantly in return.
“Get what?” the Jabberwocky muttered. “My sword? It’s a training sword.”
“No.” Taehyung reached for his face. “This.”
Jungkook held still when the Cheshire’s soft palm slid against his cheek. His fingers danced across his cheekbone, tracing a liner shape almost under his eye. Jungkook’s frown deepened.
“My scar?”
“Mhm…”
He hesitated. He knew the story behind it. But he couldn’t exactly remember it. Nothing past blazing fires and shouting men.
“…I got it when I was a baby…” He jostled his head free of Taehyung’s touch. He took a few steps back, absentmindedly slashing the dirt ground with the tip of his sword. “Apparently I was cut when the Kings found us. Not them hurting us but the people who had my brothers and I captive…”
“You have brothers?”
Jungkook nodded. He glanced at Taehyung. The rest of the boy’s body had faded into existence. It looked like he was laying on a tree branch except that tree branch was entirely invisible. There were silver anklets and bracelets on him today. Alongside his collar, of course.
“I have two brothers – they’re the Jabberwockies for the Red Kingdoms. And IU is our older sister.”
Taehyung’s eyes widened. He did a once over, his pupils slitting as he quickly reanalysed Jungkook’s appearance. It was a little unsettling to be honest.
“You don’t look like her…”
“We’re not blood related.” Jungkook turned away, raising his sword to one of the dummies he had set up earlier. “IU found us when we were babies. Seokmin and I were already hatched but Chan was still an egg. I don’t remember a lot of that time, though…”
Most of his earliest memories were from inside the Spade Castle. He could only faintly visualise the twisting trees and bright plants of the Enchanted Forest.
“No parents?”
Jungkook shook his head. He slashed at the dummy. Puffs of sand pushed out at the impact.
“What about you?” He sent the elder a look over his shoulder before attacking the dummy again. “How did you get here?”
Taehyung’s pause lingered. Jungkook struck the dummy a few more times before turning around. He gave him an expectant look. The Cheshire Cat sighed, one ear twitching.
“They found me in the Enchanted Forest,” he mumbled. “Or…I guess I found them. They lost things so I brought them back to them. My Queen figured it out quickly and baited me out to talk. I couldn’t really understand them but I could tell it would be safer to go with them. I didn’t have anyone else anyway.”
Jungkook nodded slowly. It was a similar story to Minghao’s. Something about being curious about these strangers in the Forest then deciding to go with them. But Taehyung appeared to have more awareness over the situation than Minghao did.
“Are you glad you made that choice?”
He felt the weight of Taehyung’s stare on his back. Jungkook attacked the dummy, making a cloud of sand flutter to the ground.
“Yes.” A pause. “Do you wish you had the choice?”
“No.” Another pause. “I’m happy here. It’s better than anything else. My species are going extinct.”
As much as his King tried to keep the details from him, Jungkook knew the Jabberwocky race was dying out. Naturally in the Enchanted Forest. They were dying young – not enough food or shelter to nurture the children. The only adult Jabberwocky they knew of was IU. If they remained out there…he’d probably be dead already.
“…you are quite good with that sword.”
Jungkook stopped, letting the blade drop back to the dirt. He turned back to Taehyung.
“Really?”
“Mhm…I don’t know how to wield a weapon.” He ‘sat’ up, crossing his legs while remaining in the air. His ears twitched playfully. “Can you teach me?”
Jungkook stiffened. That…
“…I shouldn’t…your Royals–”
“That isn’t a no.”
From one blink to the next, Taehyung was standing in front of him. Jungkook jumped back, instinctively gripping the sword tighter. Taehyung merely tilted his head, a smirk playing at his lips.
“Teach me, Jungkook.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“B-Because – because we might get in trouble!”
Taehyung rose an eyebrow. His tail swished back and forth behind him. It was mesmerising to stare at. Jungkook quickly averted his gaze.
“Might. Not will.” He flinched. When he tried to pull away Taehyung merely tightened his grip on the sword hilt. “Come on…it’ll be fun!”
Jungkook shook his head. He wrenched the sword from the cat’s grip. He quickly turned away from the pout he barely glimpsed.
“No. If your Queen wants you to learn then they will teach you.”
Taehyung huffed. Jungkook refused to look at him. Instead he hugged the sword to his chest, too afraid he’d steal it.
“I didn’t think you were a stickler for the rules,” Taehyung mused. There was something accusing in his tone, something that made Jungkook’s blood bubble. “Are you afraid, pretty boy? Do you think I’ll be better than you?”
Jungkook scoffed. The teenager glared at the other boy. Taehyung was still giving him that amused and challenging stare.
“We shouldn’t do anything without their permission.”
“Yet you’re fine with us meeting?”
The Jabberwocky scarcely controlled a groan. He turned away again. He knew what they were doing was risky. He knew if they were caught he’d be punished so severely he wouldn’t be able to move for days. Maybe even weeks!
“Jungkook!”
Their stalemate was broken by Minghao suddenly appearing beside him. Jungkook jumped, surprised more than anything.
“Hao? What are you doing her–”
“We have to go.” He grabbed his wrist, dark eyes wide with a very rare hint of panic. “There’s Lost Souls. They’re escaping.”
Jungkook’s eyes widened too. Crap if they didn’t do something soon those people would be gone forever!
“Ok ok let’s go–” He stopped. Taehyung was still here. Still hovering. “Go home, please. We’re going to be busy the rest of the day…”
Minghao glanced back at the other Cheshire too. He frowned, ears lacing back, but thankfully stayed silent. Taehyung eyed them. Something unreadable passed his gaze.
“…alright. Good luck.”
He misted away. Minghao’s grip tightened.
“Why were you talking in broad daylight?” he hissed. “If they caught you–”
“I know.” Jungkook pried Minghao’s fingers from his wrist to hold his hand instead. “Let’s just go. Please.”
Minghao heaved a sigh. He tightened their grip before teleporting them to where these Lost Souls were escaping from.
Taehyung didn’t show up for days. At first Jungkook played it off as nothing. Maybe he was unwell. Maybe he was busy. But the number of days continued to grow and almost two weeks passed without a single touch or word from the Cheshire Cat. Jungkook never realised how dependent he had become on the invisible warmth lighting up his days.
“He could have gotten caught,” Minghao suggested after another evening of listening to Jungkook complain. “Maybe he’s currently being punished for sneaking out so often?” The Jabberwocky glared at his same aged friend. Minghao merely rose an eyebrow in return. “I’m not wrong.”
“But you’re not right either.”
Minghao shrugged as nonchalant as ever. He slid off Jungkook’s bed, stretching his back and tail puffing up.
“Whatever it is, you shouldn’t wish for him to return so much.” A frown quickly spread across his face. Minghao continued with his back to him. “The risks are just too great. Don’t you think there is a reason our Royals haven’t let us meet yet? Think about it Jungkook. You barely get to see the other Jabberwockies. You and I both know the only reason you do is because of IU.”
He knew that. The King of Spades had been rather transparent about it as he began to grow up. Saying more and more things along the lines of ‘education’ to keep Jungkook in the castle rather than seeing his siblings every month. Hell the last time he did see them was almost four months ago and that had only been himself and IU. Neither Seokmin nor Chan made it.
But he didn’t understand why they were isolating them. He didn’t understand why it wouldn’t be good for them to meet the other Cheshire Cats yet.
“You’ll see him again someday,” Minghao consoled. Jungkook huffed when his best friend reached over to pat him on the head like a dog. “Now I really need to go to bed. Apparently I have more strength training tomorrow.”
Jungkook shuddered on his behalf. ‘Strength’ for Minghao was far from what one would expect. If anything it should be called tolerance training.
“Get me if you need help,” Jungkook mumbled in leu of goodbye.
Minghao nodded. With a smirk and a back handed wave, he disappeared into the mist. Sighing, Jungkook lay back on his bed. He stared at the roof, his hand resting on his stomach. His room was so cold. It was always cold. He hated it. He was a coldblooded creature. He needed heat to keep warm. He wasn’t like their Royals who thrived in colder temperatures. He wasn’t even like Minghao who adapted easily to the chilliness of their home.
He missed Taehyung…
The very next day Jungkook found himself being called to the King’s side in the early morning. He was supposed to be getting ready for more practical training. His instructor wanted to teach him how to use long range weapons since he was getting better at the close range.
Jungkook nervously stood before the door leading to the King of Spades’ ‘office’. It wasn’t the same sort of personal office their Queen had. It was more of a communal working space that the advisers could leave work to be checked.
“Your majesty?”
Jungkook poked his head in. The King of Spades stopped mid-step, turning to the door with a mildly surprised blink.
“Oh you got here faster than I thought you would. Come in.”
The teenager slipped inside. Mingyu waved him over to sit on one of the smaller couches in front of the large desk. Jungkook waited for him to sit before gingerly sitting a bit aways. He wasn’t afraid of Mingyu, per se…he was more afraid of their Queen than their King.
“…why did you need to see me, sire…?”
Mingyu winced. He waved his hand, something dismissive but also worried in it. The silver of his crown and rings glimmered in the morning sunlight.
“I’ve been made aware of a few things…” was the careful tone. Jungkook froze, a flicker of blue in his irises. Mingyu sighed. “You are not in trouble, Jungkook. At least, you won’t be as long as we keep this between us. Wonwoo can’t know.”
His blood ran cold. The Queen of Spades didn’t know. They wouldn’t know. If they weren’t allowed to know then he…shit he had done something bad.
“Jihoon – the Queen of Clubs – contacted me last night.” The Jabberwocky felt every one of his muscles begin to lock up. All of Minghao’s warnings echoed in his ears. “They told me that their Cheshire Cat has been sneaking out. They caught him a few weeks ago.” Three weeks. Three weeks today. “Now you and I both know I don’t have any sort of jurisdiction over the Cheshire Cats but Jihoon contacted me for a reason. So be honest please. Have you been meeting with the Clubs Cheshire?”
If Jungkook wasn’t as pale as a ghost he wouldn’t have even been able to lie his way out of it. Mingyu knew his every tell. He could read him like a book.
“…he came here…” Jungkook quietly admitted. Mingyu nodded as if he already knew this. He probably did. “I…I should have told him to stop but he…he was really nice. We just hung out. He would come here and we’d hang out for a few hours then he’d go home. That was it.”
The King of Spades hummed quietly. Jungkook shifted in his seat. Despite what Mingyu said, he wasn’t sure if he was in trouble or not. It wasn’t like he had done anything other than entertain Taehyung.
“…look.” Mingyu rested his arms on his knees as he leaned forward. Jungkook braced himself for a scolding. The King didn’t usually lecture him but when he did…well he knew he had done something really wrong if he made Mingyu mad. “I don’t actually care if you and that kitten hang out. I actually think it’s great for you to interact with kids your age.” …what? “But the Queens have other ideals. They need to keep the Cheshire Cats apart until they are adults. I don’t know why but that is their goal and I am not going to get involved in it. I suggest you don’t either.”
Jungkook frowned. That…made no sense. Why? What was so different about the Cheshires to the Jabberwockies? Was it just their lack of relatedness?
“…so you’re saying I shouldn’t hang out with him?”
Mingyu paused. He tilted his head in that way he did when he considered something.
“I think…if he comes here then I don’t see a problem in you interacting with him. However I would suggest you encourage him to leave because if Wonwoo or Jihoon find out they are going to be mad.” Jungkook shivered at just the thought of angering his Queen. Again. He hated how often it happened. “It’s best for both of you to wait just a few more years.” Mingyu offered a reassuring smile. “It might feel like a long time but it’s only four years. This little bump in time will fade from your memory centuries from now – it won’t even matter in the long run.”
He…supposed that was true. They would live forever. He knew he and Minghao weren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Their Royals would ensure they lived their full immortal lives. The only way Jungkook would be allowed to die is if he were killed in battle. Which they lived in peace so he wasn’t going to die ever.
“…and once we’re adults it will be ok to meet?” Jungkook hesitantly asked.
His King nodded.
“I think so. I mean, personally I don’t have a problem with it. But I’m guessing it’s to keep Minghao and him apart rather than you.”
The boy frowned a little. So it was about the Cheshire Cats? Why?
His curiosity burned but he held his tongue. Mingyu had already said he didn’t know the details. There was no use asking again. He definitely wasn’t going to ask the Queen.
“…can I ask…” Jungkook started hesitantly. He waited for the King to acknowledge him before continuing quietly, “Do you know if he is ok? Is the Queen hurting him?”
Mingyu shrugged. He leaned back onto the couch crossing his arms.
“I don’t know how the Clubs handle punishments.” Right… “But I doubt it is too serious of a punishment. He’s probably locked in his room for an extended amount of time.” Jungkook breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s what I would do if it were you.”
Jungkook nodded. He hoped that was the truth. He didn’t want Taehyung to suffer even if he brought it on himself.
“You can go back to your day, Jungkook.”
The Jabberwocky stood up. He sent his King a smile before leaving the room. He felt a little bit lighter. At least he knew Taehyung wasn’t ignoring him.
“…so it’s ok?”
Jungkook nodded with a grin. Minghao made a little sound, something scratchy and broken but positive all the same. The cat snuggled deeper into his bedding, the emerald green of his eyes flickering with his fluttering eyelashes.
“I don’t think we’ll see him for a while though,” Jungkook admitted sadly.
He reached out to lightly pet Minghao’s head. His hair was damp with feverish sweat but that wasn’t new after these training sessions. Jungkook lightly scratched at his scalp. Minghao purred, the tension in his back starting to ease.
“Probably a good thing…” Minghao breathed. He weakly coughed into the pillow. “Oh…”
Jungkook peered over his shoulder. He froze.
“S-Should I get their highness?”
Minghao shook his head. His arms shook as he pushed himself up. Jungkook rushed to assist.
“Hao–”
“’m fine…” Minghao flipped his pillow over, hiding the dark red stain. “Just…sleep…”
Jungkook helped him lay back down. He hesitantly resumed his soothing petting. Minghao shuddered, his fever still too high. It must have been a higher dosage today…
“Go to sleep then…I’ll keep an eye on you.”
Minghao hummed. He closed his eyes, tail weakly flicking where it curled around his legs.
“…Kook?”
“Hm?”
“…be careful…” Minghao’s voice grew fainter as exhaustion began to pull him under. “He’ll come back…do the right thing…”
Jungkook bit into his lip. The right thing? What was the right thing, though?
A month passed. Jungkook had since returned to his old way of life. Day in day out in cold temperatures. Sleeping curled up by himself or with Minghao when he was in a particularly nice mood. Training on his own, studying by himself. Flying with the King, hiding from the Queen. Being good.
He hadn’t forgotten about the Cheshire Cat. It was impossible to. Taehyung’s boyish grin and innocent curiosity continued to haunt his dreams. He wanted to see him again but he knew better than to risk anything. It was only four years. Only four years…
The afternoon found him in the cemetery. It spanned across most of the land behind the castle. Rows upon rows of tombstones for those who could not be reborn. Those who lost their bodies, their souls left to wander for eternity. They were the citizens of the Spades. He couldn’t see them like his Royals though.
Jungkook didn’t have a destination. He walked through the rows, silently admiring each tomb. They were all different, all personalised. He supposed this was kind of like their beds, right? Sure they could live in the rundown houses or the operating places for tourists, but really this was their resting place. Their home. How sad. Maybe they should build the kingdom and make it a ghost town. It already was. Why not build homes for all these ghosts so they could live like they used to?
Huh…maybe he could suggest it to Mingyu. He’d at least listen to it.
Crack.
Jungkook froze. The hair at the nape of his neck stood up, his instincts springing upwards. The Jabberwocky slowly did a circle, taking in his surroundings again. Nothing seemed amiss…
“Boo.”
Jungkook whipped around. He froze for a second time, scarcely stopping his fist from colliding with that pretty face. Taehyung did not move a muscle. Instead, he smirked with a twitch of his ear.
“Hi.”
Jungkook gasped. He quickly took a few steps backwards, fist clutched to his chest. He almost tripped over a tombstone. Taehyung’s smirk widened to a grin. He was perched on another tombstone, his hands curled over the ornate top and feet planted on the arch. His tail swished back and forth as if he were stalking prey.
“W-What are you doing here?” Jungkook’s blue eyes flicked left and right, as if someone were watching them. “You can’t be here!”
Taehyung chuckled. He swayed a little, his head dropping to the side in a cute tilt.
“I know. I wanted to visit again.”
Jungkook shook his head. This - hell no this can’t happen. He couldn’t get in trouble. He didn’t want Taehyung to get hurt either.
“You need to leave, Taehyung.” Jungkook looked back at the castle. It was impossible to see the back exit with the heavy fog filling the cemetery. “If someone catches you–”
“It’s not a problem.”
A hand on his cheek had his head snapping back around. Taehyung’s smile was softer than before. It only made Jungkook’s nerves prickle with more anxiety.
“I-It will be…” The Jabberwocky shifted his head away from the touch. He stepped back too. He tried to ignore the confusion spreading across the other boy’s face. “Please. J-Just go. It’s not worth risking punishments.”
Taehyung stared at him for a long moment. Jungkook shifted restlessly. He could just walk away. He should walk away.
“…were you punished?” Taehyung asked quietly.
Jungkook hesitated. He could tell the truth. He could tell him he would be next time if this happened again.
“Yes,” he lied. Taehyung tensed ever so slightly. “A-And I don’t want to be again. So…so please go home. I was told to wait until we’re adults…the Queens have plans–”
“I’m aware,” Taehyung mumbled. Jungkook gave him a look along the lines of ‘so-if-you-know-then-why-are-you-here?’. “…I didn’t know you would also…hm. Fine.” He stepped away this time. “But I’m not staying away forever. I like you and I am not waiting four years.”
Jungkook wasn’t sure what to say to that. Was he supposed to confess he wished it could be a different way? Wished they could interact and be friends right now? That he didn’t want to wait either?
Taehyung huffed. Jungkook raised his gaze back to him. The Clubs Cheshire touched his collar, tracing that black shape, before sighing again.
“I’ll be back. Just not as often as before. You can keep that a secret, can’t you?”
Jungkook nodded without thinking. Taehyung’s smile returned. There was a hint of relief there.
“Good. I’ll go, then. See you around, Jabberwocky.”
In one blink to the next, Taehyung was gone. Jungkook let out a shaky breath. He groaned, pressing his hands to his face.
Why? Why did they want them separate? Why did Taehyung insist on breaking the rules? Why did they have to be children for so long?!
Now he really wished he could grow up faster…