Taehyung was a skilled runner.

But the skill had nothing much to do with his legs, though they might or might not be sadly involved often.

He can run fast, hot on his heels and real quick only on quite a few occasions. And the major one among them being, taking responsibility to his own actions. He wasn't a person who acts as per his heart's whims and fancies until, a certain intruder had to come and flip that theory upside down.

You see, its quite hard. To hold responsibility to your own actions. Because if you do, then you must justify it, and if you need to justify it– then there must be an absolute valid reason for it and if it must be valid–then it must not involve a whirlpool of heart, emotions and stupid stupid feelings. And sadly enough, for Taehyung it involved not one or two but all three of what he distinctly mentioned. For eg. Last night near Bercahaya, near Jung Jung hyuk, etc.

"Even the moon shall refuse any question over your paucity as a king"

"Your wolf shall soon be found and I too promise you of my truths, but time is a punishment for those who wait and we are the punished, my king"

Pause.

"But, I am sure we won't be for too long"

Taehyung, until then, had never understood the power of words. Power of the lips that spoke them. They held answers to all he wished and wondered, thought and pleaded, loathed and loved.

There were chances that the "I am sure we won't be for too long" could be another of his well carved and crafted lies but the stars in his eyes promised a truth unspoken by those powerful lips that Taehyung couldn't deny this time.

With each glance at his all powerful eyes, Taehyung felt a part of himself slip and stumble his way into the stars. He had never known light at it's smallest could bring a blizzard of pleasant tingles down his spine.

Starting from the hot to the Peck he gifted the Alpha, there were so many things he had to stop, pause and confirm. He was new to many things in life, and he was ready to learn them all. No second thoughts.

But this? This was a dance ball he was thrown into without practice. He was scared. Scared when every flirty remark had a part of his control slipping away. Scared when he wanted to believe every lie that Jung hyuk spoke right away. This was so wrong, in so many ways, but felt so right in all the other. But he knew not which was right or wrong among them.

It was mercilessly torturing heart for quite a while now.

Court room today had been long and exhausting. Last night's sleep had been scarce because someone's words wouldn't let him. Tomorrow an official courtroom would finalise this year's uvagai preparations, counting last minute amendments, security, rituals, laws and so on. He had a lot to wait and a lot more to be ready for, but he wasn't. Certain affairs had been poorly managed, and he was on his way to clear the air there.

And no, he wasn't afraid to confront the alpha. Because, if his mother were to be right enough at all, then there were only two things to be afraid of. One being, herself and the other, the unloved. But he wasn't about to confront either, he just wanted truth from a liar and the liar had to pay a price for it.

The culprit at stake was joyfully plucking away neem leaves humming to himself, when he arrived. Too bad, it is to be short lived.

"So you know sword play? " He enquired, ignoring the mellow hums that warmed his heart.

"Why? Yes! Of course I do! " Jung hyuk replied, flashing a grin brighter than the moon in the late dusk sky.

"Teach me, " He ordered in monotone, while holding the alpha at sword tip pricking his skin but not enough to draw blood.

" Y-y-your high-highn—"

"Did I stutter? " Taehyung glowered, pushing the sword further, now smiling softly to the drop of blood that oozed out.

"N-no-no m-my kin-king, " Jung hyuk stammered, eyes blown wide while a hiss escaped his lips.

'You're hurting him' his rationality bitterly remarked, blooming a micro-spark of guilt.

'He's a wolf, he would heal anyway' he reasoned back.

'If you're to fight him, fight him like a king not a coward' the devil in him scowled, igniting rage.

'I am not a coward!' He gritted out.

'Then prove it' and the devil vanished with a smug smirk.

"I won't repeat, " He darkly articulated, "Do you know sword play? "

"Y-y-yes, " The alpha stuttered back, but the nervousness felt crafted. Artificial. Like it was to be shown, but not because it was felt.

He wandered across the ground where they had hung sharpened swords. Raking through the multitude of weapons, he picked the sharpest of among them swirling it in his right arm while his left held his own. When close to the Alpha he threw it in his direction who caught it mid air, similarly swirling it in his right hand.

They walked in circles swirling their swords, occasionally clashing them. A shockingly long eye contact never swayed despite the rising tension between the two.

One searching truth and the other? And the other. . . determined to bend it to another lie. Taehyung concluded.

" Uvagai isn't just a festive of joy, like I told you last night, there's a lot more to it, " Taehyung drawled, studying the alpha's face, "You still insist on your lies, Jung Hyuk?"

A short pause later, a surprisingly composed Jung hyuk spoke.

"My king, I repeat, I do not lie and have no reason to, " And their swords clashed, " I mean no harm whatsoever" 

"Once a liar, " Taehyung enunciated, "always a liar, aren't you? "

Between his words, deftly shifting the sword to his left hand he grabbed the armed hand of the alpha adeptly twisting it around his back, making the sword awkwardly hang in his hand. Now holding Jung Hyuk at knife point, again, he persuaded, "I am still ready to accept the truth, jung hyuk"

Few silent moments of awaiting answer. He was about to give up when the alpha spun him around and holding him identical to how he held him moments ago, whispered at his ears, "I'm still waiting for you to accept the truth"

A generous kick to his knee and Jung Hyuk was knelt over the ground. Lifting his jaw with the sword tip, the omega smirked, "That's when these lips, "He tapped the sword twice over his lips, "would speak true"

A strong and painful kick to his ankle brought him down to the ground, and in a jiffy the alpha was pressing the sword tip at his neck, drawing blood. He was used to this, pain wasn't new. Not to Taehyung.

Jung hyuk had that lopsided smile on his lips, and taehyung had a hard time removing his eyes off of it. " They do," he pressed further drawing a painful hiss from the omega, "it's you who refuses"

Jung hyuk leaned closer to him, reaching out to. . . to wipe the blood on his neck? He had no time for this. So with a tight fisted punch to his face, the alpha flew to the side buying him time to get up.

He was grabbing his sword from where it had fell, when he heard him speak, "guess we aren't playing this fair, eh? "

"I don't know, " Taehyung shrugged taking stance, "You tell me"

Once again, they walked in circles. With incessant sword play. This time, an explainable rigour running through his veins like when he first met the alpha and fought him. "This isn't all about sword play, is it, my king? "

"What do you think? "

"Maybe we can add some punches too" With that declaration, Taehyung's face flew to the side and a slow pain, intense and eye watering, grew in his left jaw.

"Is it about punches or the prophecy you're trying to hide—" He spoke, quick on his feet to grab the alpha and press the sword to his waist, embellishing ruby red to the cloth as blood oozed out. Nearing his ear he then slowly rasped out, " Alpha? "

"I wish I knew of what you are speaking, your highness, " Jung Hyuk replied, his frame tensing.

Pressing the sword further but not too hard, he gritted, "you know, but you still refuse "

" If I knew, I wouldn't have thought twice before telling you, your highness"

Why must he sound this convincing!?

Maybe Taehyung was busy detecting lies in his claimed truth when a hand wrapped over his own holding the sword, twisting it around such that it was held right in front of his eyes. The moon reflecting off of the sword tip, bringing in a frightening beauty to it.

" If you refuse the truth any longer, " Jung Hyuk whispered, smirking, "am afraid, you might get hurt, my king"

Taehyung gave a hearty chuckle, one of his infamous ones crafted just for such moments. And looking into his pitch black eyes, he whispered, "too bad, you're late"

And grabbing Jung hyuk's sword loosely held in his hand, he swirled it around so that when he ended twisting it, it was aimed right over the mole on the alpha's neck. A liar like you shouldn't be this pretty.

Now with their own swords against each other, he mumbled, " You can lie to anyone and get away with it. Anyone but me "

" No one here likes me, " Jung Hyuk replied, " Then why must I worry about lying my way into their hearts, my king?"

"Maybe because you don't lie to hide the truth but to protect one, " Taehyung mumbled. They were still at knife point. His own aimed at his right eye, and the alpha's on his enticing mole.

They stared a while longer and this time, no reply rewarded him nor did any defense sway him. They were just staring at each other and the deeper he gazed, the more he got lost. Taehyung was losing himself— slow and steady to all the cosmic dances of stars in the alpha's eyes.

" Then why must you be aware of it, my king? "

"Because, I promise a hundred lies to protect it with you, " Maybe he was too busy losing himself to now impose control on his tongue. But for once something tasted so close to truth on his tongue, so he didn't take his words back.

The sword hovering over his eye, slowly fell, so did his own sword aimed over the alpha's mole. And a small windy whisper from the alpha asked, "why? "

Why?

"Because it takes a liar to know one, " Taehyung mumbled back still locking gazes with him, "and even I am no exception to it"

At this point, Taehyung was least aware of what he spoke or how it affected the alpha. But lost in Jung hyuk's eyes, as senseless as it was, it was thereafter a silent havoc.

He should have expected at least predicted, but hell, when the sword before his eyes disappeared and reappeared where it pricked at his side, he knew how cunning is a liar's game.

But alpha, you aren't the only liar here~

So with a small smile he twisted the sword loosely hanging in his palm, and with a trained stealth he pressed it against the other's side. Now, they had each other's aim at their waists.

A hand coiled around the sword-less side of his waist, and pulled him closer. When almost inches between them, he noticed the sword previously pricking his side now aimed right above his racing heart.

" Why is my truth more important than this, your highness? " Jung Hyuk asked tapping the sword to his heart.

" Because this, " He pointed at the Kaatru palace, " is more important than this, " He looked down at his heart.

At the raised brow that replied him he elaborated, "I knew the moment you opened your mouth, all you spewed were lies. And knowing that, I wouldn't risk all my people's lives if at all your truth could—in any way—harm them"

" You love being the king of Kaatru, don't you? " Jung hyuk asked, with almost a proud grin. Proud?

" No, I love being able to serve Kaatru"

" Is there a difference? "

"Perspective," He smiled, remembering the deja vu that followed.

He looked down past the sword just to see the coiled arm, familiar and warm, still holding him close, waist to waist—like it was just meant to be there all along. And it did. But again, if Kim Taehyung were to be one among those whose heart had more powerful say than their minds, then he would've gladly let it be there.

But he wasn't, so with an iron grip of his unarmed hand, he grabbed the hand, twisting it around, revelling in the painful groan, before taking stance with the swirling sword in his left hand. Not without the added effect of a smug smirk.

" You're unbelievably strong for—"

"An omega? " He piped completing Jung hyuk's sentence.

"No, a trained wolf"

"So are you, " He countered, liking not where this banter was leading them towards.

"But I hold a reason"

"Well I do either " Their swords collided.

Did he?

"Why don't you tell me first? " Jung hyuk inquired, eyes trained over their swords.

"So you can make this all about me?" He raised a brow at him.

"No, so I can trust you with my truth" The alpha met his eye, through the their deftly moving swords.

"What if you lie again? " Taehyung asked sceptical of all that left his mouth.

"You have found them all out till now," Jung hyuk smiled, " Won't you if I repeat?"

" What if I don't? " Their swords danced and collided.

"Is that because you trust a liar like me?"

" Trust me, if I did, then we won't be here like this, " He pointed at their clashing swords.

It was silent save for the sounds of swords cutting through the air and clashing head on. Silent until Jung hyuk spoke—

" You give me reasons to lie and ask me why do I, isn't that unfair, my king? "

" I am a liar, I agree, but I make no liars, " Taehyung declared, " You are no exception to it "

" If we are to insist in our lies, then indeed we are making each other liars, my king"

" I have already informed you of my wolf, that's one of my truths "

" So did I, and it's also one of my truths,"  The alpha declared with a nonchalant shrug.

" What do you want? " Taehyung gritted, pressing down on his sword bringing down the other's.

" A truth enough to sell mine " Jung hyuk grinned, defending himself.

" I have none "

"Neither do i "

" Jung hyuk—"

"Yes, my king? "

Taehyung shed his sword, and soon as it fell to the ground he mumbled—

" I am an anomaly among omegas, quite abnormal to be specific "

Junghyuk shed his sword too.

" So am I among alphas, a prophecy to be specific "

" Protector? "

The silence that followed, suffocated and soothed him. Both held him in arms and slapped him. Cradled him between palms but also stung him. It was chaos, but voiceless. The silence wasn't meant to be found but it yearned to be. And fortunately Jung hyuk broke it.

" I promise no harm to your subjects or this land—"

Taehyung fell to his knees, and with a fisted hand to his heart announced, "Owing to the five elements of life and the divine witness of moon, I vow loyalty to my promise in preserving your truth, protector"

The vow hung in the air as a gust of wind flew by loud.

"Aren't you afraid?" Jung hyuk's voice made him look up.

"Afraid of? "

"Me? The prophecy? The fate? "

"Should I be? "

"Well I can harm you, or your subjects or—"

"But you won't, " Taehyung affirmed.

"I- you know the legend, right, my king?"

"Your entire lineage might have done that, but that doesn't mean you will, does it? "

"I won't, but my wolf can, my king," Jung hyuk argued.

"I won't let it, I promise" Taehyung declared, convicted. He owed that much to the protector, knowing so much of his fate.

♛┈┈✧┈┈♛

"I won't let it, I promise"

Jungkook was either going crazy or maybe he just needed another small reality check because he just bust himself out of nowhere.

His lips never heard him, but he was sure they won't betray him. But now his last remnant trust on them flew into the night rendering him speechless with the Omega King's reply. Time to choose an alternative.

"How? " He swore to moon, it sounded more than just a feeble whisper in his head.

"Don't know, " Taehyung replied with a shrug, " Shall find out with experience"

"It would be fatal, my king, " At this rate his lips might take his self degradation to next level.

"I have sworn and I don't promise things I don't do, " Taehyung ensured, like he wasn't afraid of his life. Is he really not?

" You are indeed an anomaly, my king, " Jung kook smiled, "unrivaled to be specific"

Taehyung just stared back at him, with a few specs of peeking blue in his almond orbs that immediately hid themselves the moment the king blinked them away.

"Arrive at the courtroom tomorrow morning, " Taehyung spoke after a long drawn silence.

"But—"

"Does being a protector privilege you to speak over the orders of the king? " The king raised a brow, almost mocking.

"It's doesn't, but am I privileged enough for a reason?" Jungkook locked eyes with him.

"A protector can't be my hostage"

"But I can, " He defended, his mouth running again, in the omega's presence.

"You seem to like it"

"If a hostage of yours, is privildged enough for late night walks and civil talks, then yes, " He replied, his lips curling up on their own accord.

"You have a way with your words, " Taehyung smiled, " But you can't bend me with them"

"I don't intend to, my king, " He flashed the king a toothy grin.

"Then don't use them, " Taehyung countered after moments of staring at him. He looked conflicted, to say the least, but Jungkook didn't know about what.

"Is that a punishment of a willing hostage? "

"No, my price of keeping you as one, " With that Taehyung turned on his heels walking away leaving a certain grinning alpha's eyes tracing his steps.

Maybe his eyes were deceiving him, but Jungkook was sure the omega disappeared in thin air before he could reach the palace gates. He was certain of watching his retreating back, but a sudden darkness enveloped leaving clear air in its wake. The king was absent.

Something was odd. He knew of the king, and his undoubting capability to protect himself. But something made him want to ensure his safety, and blaming it upon his protector instincts, he ran after the King's footstep traces. But strangely enough, they had suddenly vanished after a certain distance.

Maybe Kaatru was more enigmatic than just it's unrivaling omega king and special hostage privileges. . .

♛┈┈✧┈┈♛

A/n:

Jinmin carpool karoake—7 songs—diis-ease closest live perf we got—I am mentally absent—

I know they banter back and forth too much, but y'know... Why not use your mouth when u have been granted one?

Anyways~ if you find anything too far from your understanding pls write a comment and if wattfuc doesn't fuc up with my notifs I will respond soon as possible:)

Also in Tae's pov Jung hyuk is Jungkook.... And since he knows him like that... It works that way for a while now.

And Khadeja_Humair_ I love your brain~ it amazes me! And thanks a lot for all your support!

So KBS2 made me into an emotional mess and now this made my day better~ (but I ain't complaining)

And "it's no coincidence baby, we are made by destiny".... When Tae said army and Army just came live and sang the chorus—🥺 *intensely wipes tears*

Miss them—

rictae_1 babes? You alive? Wanna see u back in action ಠ_ಠ