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Heechul Laufeyson, Prince of Asgard, didn’t follow his brother to Midgard, he was simply monitoring the king to be..
“Ridiculous”, he muttered.
Standing on top of a building watching his brother carry a take-out bag with the same strength he would handle mjolnir with. He can only think of what an idiot Donghae is.
“What heir to the throne leaves his duties to eat this mediocre food”, Heechul told himself, “He should be protecting the realms from war if anything”
I suppose if I can trap him here, Father has but no choice to hand over the throne to me.
Carefully watching as his brother knocks on the door. Then again, harder. Heechul could only pinch his nose. Seriously, he tried to be amused, but his brother was an idiot. No longer in Asgard, yet knocking with such force only necessary for palace doors.
As the door opened, there it was, what Heechul was waiting for. The mortal.
Hyukjae Foster
His hair was disheveled and it was clear he had just woken up. At this hour?
Donghae smiled instantly. Heechul could only grimace and look away. It was as if someone had shoved the sun right in his face. Disgusting
Ah yes, Hyukjae, Heechul knew of him. It had been the mortal Donghae had taken a liking to back when he was banished from Asgard.
After deeming him worthy again, Odin had let him return. Just like that! He even had the gall to bring Hyukjae to Asgard. And his father did not punish him at all for that! But god forbid Heechul let loose a few frost giants!
Hyukjae was a scientist, trying to understand the convergence, something Asgardians are taught as children.
According to Donghae, that was how they met. As he was being banished from Asgard, Hyukjae had picked up a massive amount of energy somewhere on earth and that was exactly where he and Mjolnir had ended.
Wasting all that time. But Heechul did not care about all the tiny details. He’s certain Donghae only spent his time with Hyukjae doing only what human couples do. Takeout, some movie, conversations of their week. A nice stroll somewhere. And if they were lucky, a night spent together. Stupid, all of them.
When Hyukjae was momentarily in Asgard, Heechul had understood how badly his brother was infatuated with him. It was not odd for an Asgardian to hook up with mortals. But to develop a romantic relationship? That was another thing.
The lives of humans and Asgardians were very different. Humans live life day by day. Asgardians live by centuries. Heechul cannot fathom how Donghae's relationship works. Hell, it used to take a century for him to even make a decision.
So to see that Donghae was serious about Hyukjae, it would be a lie to say Heechul wasn’t surprised. He should take being heir to the throne more seriously. But alas.
Back to watching them, while making sure to criticize their every move, Heechul could tell how happy the human was there to see Donghae.
Hyukjae took the crinkled bag out of Donghae's hands. Ushered him in.
Heechul wants to intervene, but first, he’s curious as to what these two have to possibly talk about?
–
“Well hello God of Thunder,” Hyukjae smiled at Donghae, “Had a good trip from Asgard?”
“Yes, I had” Donghae beamed, "I've also brought you an offering”
“Ah yes!” He laughed “Only the finest food from Asgard I’m sure!”
Taking the bag from Donghae's hands, he walked into his apartment and set the food on the table.
Opening up the bag, he pulled out tacos.
They were actually from earth, right around the block really. Donghae had become obsessed with tacos after the first time Hyukjae decided to take Donghae on his very first human date.
“Nothing but the best for you of course” Donghae tried flattering him
“Why thank you. You even added your special signature”
Looking at the take out box, it was evident Donghae used too much force in holding the food. You could see exactly where his hand was placed.
“Apologies, I am too used to holding mjolnir with such strength during battle” Donghae shyly rubs the back of his neck, “it’s become a habit”
“S’okay, everyone has flaws,” Hyukjae told him “Even Gods”
“I don’t seem to recall you complaining about my strength last time” Donghae wiggled his eyebrows.
Hyukjae could only blush, it was true, but he did not need to say it out loud…
Embarrassed, he ushered Donghae to the table, “Lets eat, before the food gets cold…”
–
I’ve had enough, these two are deplorable.
Heechul didn’t even last listening for thirty seconds. But he was not here to see his brother flirt with a human. He was here to create mischief.
As both Donghae and Hyukjae were eating, Heechul created an illusion. A mirror.
It goes unnoticed, as if the mirror was there all along.
As Donghae sits to eat, he can’t help but notice the mirror. He can see himself, and the back of Hyukjae's head.
At first, it seemed normal to him. In true Asgardian fashion, he checks himself out. There are no bad angles for the God of Thunder.
Suddenly his reflection changes.
His blonde hair now turns gray and shortens. Fine lines carve his faces, his eyebags more noticeable. He looks older.
Hyukjae on the other side of the table, remains the same, young and beautiful.
To Hyukjae, Donghae just seems still and quiet. “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost” He questions him.
Donghae doesn’t know what to say. It feels like he has.
Then, the mirror changes again, this time it’s Donghae in his current state, but now the old one is Hyukjae.
This version of them affects Donghae more.
He understands that with time, he will have to face the inevitable. One day Hyukjae will get older. And Donghae will remain the same way Hyukjae met him.
It’s not as if they haven’t talked about it before, but seeing it now, right in front of him. It hurts him.
Hyukjae interrupts his train of thought, “Donghae are you ok?”
Fixing his composure, Donghae reassures him, “Yea, I was just looking at the mirror you have”
Just as Hyukjae turns around, the illusion is gone,
“I don’t have a mirror,” Hyukjae tells him.
Donghae clenches his fist, this could only mean one thing.
“Someone is playing tricks on me.” Donghae tells Hyukjae
Hyukjae looks at him confused “What?”
Donghae’s jaws tighten, and he stands up. “I told him not to interfere.”
“Ah, your brother” It all made sense to Hyukjae now.
“Will you excuse me for just a second?” Donghae looks at Hyukjae, feeling guilty.
“Don’t worry, be quick hm?” A smile appeared on Hyukjae's face.
Walking outside, Donghae could only shout his brother's name.
“Heechul, show yourself at once!”
Heechul, cloning himself in front of Thor, could only smirk, “Why, have you gone mad now? Shouting for your brother at such an hour. No less in midgard?”
“Stop these tricks at once!” Donghae exclaimed
“Brother, the fun has just started!” He laughed, “afraid I’ll frighten your mortal?”
“Do you not have something else to do?” Donghae could only look at him incredulously.
“Mmm maybe. But you know.. I was passing by and just saw you with the human, why not have some fun you know?”
“What me and Hyukjae are up to should be none of your concern.” Donghae got into a possessive stance.
“Oh dear brother, you’ve fallen quite hard for someone who only lives only a fraction of our life.”
“And it is your problem why?” Donghae stepped forward, voice firm.
“You are ok with putting Asgard's matters to the side for someone who won’t even live 100 years?” Heechul stared at Donghae I can’t believe this
“I am aware, and what I do is none of your concern.” Donghae stares at Heechul, “Why are you doing this?”
Heechul tilted his head, eyes glinting “I was bored.”
“That is not the truth”
“Very well,” Heechul said lightly. “I was concerned and bored.”
Donghae frowned
“You felt it, didn’t you? That feeling, a blink of an eye and suddenly you're fray haired and old.”
“Yes,” Donghae admitted "for a moment"
“Briefly” Heechul said, “that is his entire existence.”
Donghae’s shoulders tensed “I know that, we both do”
Heechul scoffed, “Do you? Because you look at him like he’s eternal”
“That is because I love him” Donghae tells him
Heechul’s expression flickered, only momentarily, then quickly smirked again. “You and your dramatic declarations.”
“I don’t regret this” Donghae said quietly, “plus, it is not your burden to carry.”
Quickly irritated, Heechul tells Donghae “Isn’t it? When you break apart in a few decades, who do you think will be there to pick up the pieces?”
Donghae hesitated.
That was enough to answer.
Heechul turned away, staring out at the city. “I am not trying to stop you,” he said, “I am just warning you”
Donghae placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “I know what I am doing”
Heechul snorted. Sure you do. “I will stop. For now.” He told him
Donghae was ready to head back inside, Heechul did not seem to be finished though.
Heechul glanced at him with a familiar grin. “I still intend to be unbearable about this”
Heechul can only return to Asgard for now. He doesn’t care. No not at all… he has a throne to take over.
But when the time comes, he will tell him, “I told you so”, and then leave him be.
And that, unfortunately for Heechul, would be the best thing for Donghae. To be left alone and sort out his emotions.
But that is a matter for another time. Heechul has much more important matters to tend to. Ruining his brother's evenings can wait for another time.