Jungkook's waist: *exists*

Taehyung: it's my free real estate

*caught in 144p, Kim*

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"Aah! Don't -aah! Jungkook-stop! " It was Taehyung's voice, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Fuck! Am sorry!" Now it was his, but oddly enough they weren't his lips moving. He was walking down a black void, fluid steps precise, regardless of his confusion. He assumed it was muscle memory despite not feeling much of his legs, let alone his body.

He had decided that he was turning insane (if he already wasn't) when the sickening black dissolved to a slowly emerging (recently rained) meadow. And he heard Taehyung again-

"Jungkook-aah! Fuck! "

He walked over the freshly rained grass, inching closer to where he could hear Taehyung. But the longer he walked, he realised, he was familiar like at the back of his palm, to this place.

The backyard of his own chambers at the palace of gandhara.

He could see the river (originating from neer) trickling down from where he stood. And the soft creaks of his self designed swing slowly being swayed. He should be scared, if not, then atleast on guard. But oddly, he was neither. He felt content, like, home (and he was sure that wasn't because he was returning to the palace after his long venture to Kaatru).

But the closer he approached to the clearing, the more the feeling grew. The feeling of satisfaction, like Taehyung's lips on his. It wasn't the time to metaphorize the feeling, when he was met with another himself beside Taehyung on the swing. And certainly not the time to make metaphors when he wasn't as least as shocked but more content with what he was met with. The feeling of "home" almost made "home" in his chest and it was justified when he saw Taehyung, even in this universe (he assumed his wish for parallel universe was granted) glaring at him. Maybe not him, but precisely the other version of himself beside him.

He felt being as scrutinized as the other version of himself did and so ducked behind a huge pillar. Suddenly he wanted to appreciate the extravagant architecture of the palace, when it managed to hide his frame.

"I never asked you to plait my hair, did I?" Asked Taehyung, and he noticed him caressing the bump of his stomach, big enough to make him realise the other was pregnant. Probably it was the strangeness of the situation, not being unsettling in any manner, that it had him feeling more content. That he and Taehyung, had a little one to include in their little world. It felt nice, this parallel universe for just themselves and their unborn little one.

"I have been learning it for the past week," He saw and heard himself mumble back. And though it was his voice, they were not his own lips speaking them. It was the other him, beside Taehyung, fiddling with his hair who did. Speaking of Taehyung's hair, they felt soft, under his palms. Though it wasn't him who was privileged enough to touch them. But he relished as they tingled at his fingertips.

"Is that what the king of Gandhara has been upto all these days?" Taehyung raised a brow, sounding sceptical and looking playful. And he noticed, stupidly late, that the white robes they wore were ones designed as night robes for king and queen of gandhara. So the parallel universe even allowed him to be the king?

"This wasn't about you anyways," He could see himself dreamily smile from afar, as the other Jungkook reached out to caress the the pregnant bump of Taehyung's stomach. It made him smile too, despite the eccentricity of the situation. It felt exaggerated to keep acknowledging it's absurdity either, so he stopped to. " It's about rua. When she gets bigger, she will have her father plait her hair everyday-"

"And who will attend the court, your majesty?" Taehyung playfully smiled, and he added this one to one of his hundreds collection. Burning it in his memory.

"My Majesty, Kim Taehyung, shall attend to such mundane activities," He saw himself wave the other off, and he giggled quietly to himself, "My daughter is of much more importance to me"

Taehyung, who had been glaring at him (the other version of himself) all this while, smacked his arm caressing the bump and scowled, "So now it's all about your daughter? Huh? "

"And what if it is? " He could see himself challenging the omega, folding his arms.

"Then take the couch," Taehyung shrugged, tying his hair that he plaited all by himself, before getting off the swing. While the Jungkook on the swing seemed quite shocked at the unfazed reply, he didn't miss a beat to hold Taehyung's waist as the latter got off the swing.

Jungkook, as he hid behind the pillar, held his own breath as the other version of himself carefully helped Taehyung on his feet. Fair enough, in no universe should Taehyung or their unborn little one get hurt.

But just as Taehyung shot him another glare, before walking away-no, the other Jungkook a glare, before walking away-the latter held him back by his wrist. And he could feel the omega's soft skin, warm as ever, sending shivers down his spine at the contact (though it was his other version physically holding back the other).

"You really want me to take the couch, Taehyung?" They weren't his lips moving, but even as the other version of himself spoke, he gladly reveled in the joy of Taehyung's name rolling off his lips. He just couldn't get enough of it.

Taehyung only looked at him, didn't reply. Like he always did.

And Jungkook wished on the moon, that if this were to be his parallel universe with Taehyung, then he could probably get a concession in his next birth to be guaranteed of this. Because then, he would promise Taehyung to plait their daughter's hair without any concerns of fate fucking it up.

"Well, it seems like you have better businesses like your daughter," Taehyung replied, and again, his unwillingness to remove his hand from the other Jungkook's hold reminded him of his Taehyung. The one probably sleeping in his chambers in kaatru, unaware of this parallel universe. "Attend to them, I shall tend to your mundane activities"

He sounded and looked angry, despite his eyes holding stars for the other Jungkook's sky. He wondered if this was how taehyung looked at him, and maybe turned a few shades of pink to himself.

"Taehyung," His name felt like the favorite habit of his routine, "Is there anything you know that I value beyond you?" The omega looked unstable on his resolve and he smiled to the effect that he had on the latter.

"Everything except my hair," Taehyung chided, a moment or two later, taking advantage of the loose hold around his wrist to walk away. Jungkook (the other version of himself) followed suite. So did he, after them. "Poor thing, suffered in your hands"

"Hey! That's an exaggeration, I tried-"

" Tested," Taehyung corrected with a scowl. Or more like a pout. His lips glistened under the faint moonlight, and Jungkook held back the urge to capture them.

"For our daughter! " The other Jungkook defended, emphasizing on the 'our'.

"I just heard someone say 'my daughter' not quite long ago, " Taehyung commented, walking towards the palace doors, two massive wooden planks. It was sure his palace at Gandhara.

"Of course not, my love!" Jungkook immediately (too quickly) retorted, with a solid shake of his head and a sneaky hand trying to snake around the other's waist. "She's ours! Rua's our-"

"Do you have a death wish? " He saw Taehyung hold the other Jungkook's arm that attempted and poorly failed to sneakily slither around the former's waist. To which the other version of himself only held his arms up in mock surrender, before frantically shaking his head. He smiled, because, all of this made him want to mock surrender to Taehyung in not just a parallel, but this, next and all the other universes to come.

"But I promise you, Taehyung, " The other Jungkook beseeched, walking after the said male," We'll share our duties, you can plait her hair for three days in a week and I shall do for the rest four and-"

" Jungkook, " He shivered, because, he had been waiting for this too long. To hear Taehyung, call him by his name," There are two more months left"

"Just two! And we haven't prepared any-"

"What do you want to prepare," Taehyung paused on his steps, halting the other's as he did, "my alpha? " Jungkook decided he will gladly be imprisoned here, in this universe.

"Learn to plait her hair! Maybe a few lullabies too to help her sleep! And...learn how to carry her! Then how to feed her, dress her," Taehyung had this fond smile on his face that Jungkook (not the other version of himself blabbering) tried to carve in his memory. " There's so much taehyung! You have to teach me all of them! "

"And what makes you think that I know all of these?" This grin on Taehyung's face looked 'home', like he just won Taehyung's heart and that felt like winning a hundred wars and returning home.

"Because you always seem to do," Jungkook was jealous of himself, or the other version of himself leaning down to peck Taehyung's soft lips.

"Never more than you, " Taehyung replied, whisper as soft as the wind but convicted. "Alpha"

"Then we shall learn together, " The other Jungkook proposed and he held back all the fight in him, as they leaned into a long kiss, breathless and sweet. He could taste the other's lips, but not feel them. It almost felt like he had won all the hundred wars, but all the cost of returning home.

A sharp breath and he was back to Taehyung's living quarters with their wooden old shelf full of scrolls and inked leaflets, a vase full of dried flowers that the other never watered and open windows that howled of an arriving storm.

He walked up to the window, cold floor as cold as the reality. He leant against the frame, still breathless, panting in envy of himself. Moon had vanished the sky for the night, and he wished he could too with Taehyung. To the other universe, he just visited.

He glanced over to the door, seperating the other's bedroom and living quarters. And maybe because it was partially open or because Jungkook already missed the mole under the latter's eyes that had him waddling towards the door. Minding not the bed hair that he ruffled to make look decent or the bags under his eyes after waking at an ungodly hour like this. He should blame Taehyung for that too, maybe not the one fast asleep in his bed, but probably the one that leaned into a kiss with the other Jungkook in his dream.

Slowly opening the door, making sure it didn't creak under his palm, he stepped into the prim and proper bedroom of the omega king. He roved the room, finally coming across the king cocooned within blankets. Not even a spec of his hair visible over the white cotton sheets.

It wasn't exactly chilly, but the wind made it a tad bit colder, justifying the King's state. But again, Jungkook wanted to see Taehyung. If not the mole under his eyes, then atleast, the one at the top of his nose. So he padded over to the edge of the bed, as quietly as he could before kneeling down near it. He rubbed his palms, taking a sharp inhale, uncovering the blanket.

A pillow. Taehyung was nowhere to be seen even as he tore away the rest of the blanket, to be met with messily arranged two more pillows.

Jungkook was well aware of Taehyung's fucked up sleep routine. And as much as he wanted to believe the other had just gone for a walk, he just couldn't help himself from rushing out of the king's chambers, into the courtyard, collecting a lamp from a guard who was in patrol near the main gates.

His mind offered him a hundred scenarios of which he wanted to dismiss all of them. Because, he still believed that the other couldn't sleep and had only gone for a little walk down the palace gardens. It was dark, darker without moonlight. Trusting on the single lamp got progressively harder as he ambled over to the gardens, searching every cranny that he could.

When he couldn't find the king anywhere he ran through his memory to the simulated pond near the palace entrance, hoping on the absent moon, that Taehyung would be there.

He wasn't.

The next destination he could afford was the training ground, given the omega's penchant for weapons. It was a long walk until the huge hall, heart pulsing at his ears, just to be met with his absence.
The emptiness felt like it followed him, when he couldn't find the omega king in the archery ground or in the backyards of the castle. And as much as the wet grass neath his feet reminded him of when in his dreams, so did it remind him of Taehyung. And his absence.

He ran after the stables thinking the king would have gone, if not for a walk, then a ride. But noticing Taehyung's and all the other manes fast asleep, the rest of his hope slid down his cheeks, hot and fierce. His knees gave up and he landed on a haystack. Bruised feet, aching from the sore.

"Taehyung.. " He called out, like it would magically summon the other. But all it could manage were a few more tears. Yet the night wasn't showing any signs of retreating to the dawn, so wiping his tears and minding not the scars on his feet, he headed back to the chambers. Maybe Taehyung would have returned, or would've left a note that he missed out on before.

The chamber was empty, so were the tables except for the scrolls occupying them. He ran through a few of them too, not wishing to take any chances. And the chamber was a mess by the time he left to search the palace, finding not a word of his whereabouts among them.

Maybe Taehyung would return, but Jungkook wasn't patient. Not when it was Taehyung, whom he already missed having safe in his arms.

Taehyung was very much capable of protecting himself and Jungkook would be the last one to doubt that. But fate, unlike anything, wasn't a choice. It had always managed to crash down on him, when he least expected it to. Like now.

And though, at all the other times he would have let it crash, today with Taehyung being lost, he couldn't. He couldn't when he had never gained Taehyung to be ready to lose him all the same.

The absence of moon, justified more, when he realised irul turns the strongest in the absence of light. He wanted Taehyung, back into his arms, safe and sound. Maybe share a few meaningless talks and tell him how beautiful he looked when he tied his hair.

The butterflies, once fluttering his chest at the thought of Taehyung, now changed to worms. Chewing at his gut. The new moon of uvagai, as said by the legends, was termed to be one when irul was the strongest. And Jungkook couldn't care less about being weaker than him, if he had to save Taehyung from his clutches.

A smaller part of him still hoped on. Hoped on the fact that Taehyung will return from his walk, but the darker the night turned and the windier it became, the more harder it got to believe in that. He rubbed his palms, sweaty despite the cold, walking forward into the palace.

The palace was quiet, his own footsteps echoing back. But the howls of wind gave an unsettling company, he couldn't deny regardless. Long hallways later, he was before princess Ryejin's chambers. When the guard rose a brow quizzically, he quietly demanded, "did the king visit her chambers? "

The guard shook his head, but he prodded, "any unusual sounds? "

"Yes, but not here, in the other side of the palace, " The guard whispered in reply, "we're checking the main gates for the reason"

He mumbled back a low "thank you" before heading in the direction the guard pointed at. This was a side of the palace he was yet to explore, so the dying lamp was all he could rely on for the moment. The hallways were longer this side, and his footsteps echoed louder. The howls of wind turned louder and he presumed it will rain tonight. It only made the night longer, to his dismay.

The lamp in his hand looked like it would give up anytime, when he noticed a spec of light in the farthest end of the hallway. It seemed so small, that he could've almost missed it, but thankfully his senses were heightened. He held his lamp ahead, and noticed it sourced from a chamber beside. Jungkook as trained as he was, couldn't wait for his suspicions, when he was already hot on his heels in the direction of the sliver of light. His lamp was out when he reached there and he deserted it somewhere near.

when he lifted his head to check on the source, the engraving on the door read- 'palace library'. He opened the door, unfazed when it creaked under his plam, to scattered books, frantic shuffling of pages and nestled between them-his Taehyung. The next breath almost hurt, with the relief coursing through his veins.

He couldn't trust his knees, when they gave up two steps until Taehyung. An arm length distance, unnerving between them. Taehyung didn't seemed to have noticed him, shuffling through pages in a frenzy. And as much as he wanted to hug, kiss and keep him locked safe between his arms for the night, all he could muster was a feeble, wavy and almost inaudible, "tae? "

The other didn't seemed to have heard, trapped in a world of books as he shuffled through pages and pages. Jungkook tried again, a tad bit more louder, through his blurred vision, "Taehyung? "

Taehyung looked up, and Jungkook had a hard time processing all of his tear stained cheeks, trembling lips, messy strands of hair hanging over his eyes, and eyes that shifted rapidly between blue to yellow to brown and purple. And despite a colour more than blue was abnormal for an omega, he knew, Taehyung was an exception. A special anomaly. Besides, it was his Taehyung. The little omega, who never missed a beat to awe him.

So he cupped his cheeks, wiped the tears (ignoring his own), held them like petals and landed a soft peck on his forehead. Maybe Taehyung's cheeks were actually petals to feel this inhumanely soft in his palms, but he held on, both to the warmth of his cheeks and to catch the tears.

"You're okay, " He whispered, more to himself. Taehyung didn't respond, only watched him fall apart. His eyes still shifted colours, albeit, slower now. But taehyung still seemed distressed in the way his lips trembled just as did his hand as it made it's way to touch his cheek. Feather light touch, almost as if making sure his presence was true. He didn't question, only wiped more tears. He glanced to the books scattered open in display and read one of it's titles- 'abnormalities among werewolves'

"Why? " He asked and it was still a feeble whisper, as he brought his free hand to lock with the other's trembling ones. Taehyung's cheeks still soft as petal under his other palm.

The king refused to reply, only dragging his finger over his cheek. Tingles ran down his spine at the contact, and he sighed in content. The tears on Taehyung's cheeks had begun drying, his eyes now changing colors much slower.

There was still the arm length's distance between them, but he didn't need to fill it to know Taehyung was here. With him.

The King's fingers wiped a tear on his cheeks in their aimless walk across them. He didn't question, or more like, wouldn't question anything when Taehyung was here. With him.

And when they fell back to Taehyung's lap, limp, he looked at Taehyung. The other had never stopped, his eyes locked with his own. The pair of almonds, blinked back, now having stopped changing colours. And for tonight he let the topic of his eyes slide; taehyung seemed to have enough on his plate.

"We should sleep, " He offered instead, minding not how it came off as. Minding not, because that's how he wanted it. Taehyung safe in his arms.

"Don't wanna, " Taehyung croaked out, speaking for the first time since he entered the room.

He didn't question, when taehyung's eyes pleaded not to.

"We read something?" He offered, because Taehyung seemed distracted.

"From these? " The king offered reaching towards the book of whose title he just recognized. He held his wrist, and shook his head when Taehyung looked at him quizzically.

"Poetry," He declared, fiddling with Taehyung's hand that he held back.

"You read them? " Taehyung asked, and he smiled.

"No, " He replied, smile intact.

"Then why would you offer? " Taehyung asked, his unwillingness to remove his hand from his hold reminding him of Taehyung in his other universe.

"Because you must know some of them, " He replied, shrugging.

"No, I don't, " Taehyung shook his head, his smile reflecting back on the omega's lips. They didn't shine under the dim lights of the library, but that didn't make him want to kiss them any less.

"Then we go find some, " He got up, tugging at Taehyung's wrist in his hold.

"Palace library doesn't have them, " Taehyung declared, a quiet giggle accompanied. Jungkook was content with himself.

"Huh? That's unfair! " He defended, tugging Taehyung towards one of the long shelves, regardless. The other didn't mind it either, wordlessly following suite after him.

"The other wing does, " Taehyung quietly murmured a few moments later, and he turned around to a fond look in his eyes like the one Taehyung in the other universe held. He turned back around, cheeks warm, attempting to randomly choose a book.

"Fantasy, hmm... " He sing sang, ignoring the blood rushing to his cheeks, " History, hmm... Legends, hmm.. Romance~ "

"Jung hyuk? " Taehyung's voice broke his reverie, that he wasn't too occupied with. He turned around to Taehyung with a distant look in his eyes and a frown. His brows furrowed when he prodded, "yes, my king? "

"Am I a threat? "

"No, " He shook his head, not a doubt clouding his reply, "not more than me, atleast"

"What if I turn to be, though? " His voiced wavered at the end.

"You won't, Taehyung, " The arm length's distance stayed between them. Maybe a few steps more than that. He stepped forward, trying to cover it.

"I had a dream, " Taehyung spoke, his eyes welling up, " I had blood on my hands, hyuk. Ryejin's, min hyung's, jang wook's, the minister's, m-mother's, and.. a-and... and yo-"

"Shhh, " He didn't resist anymore, wrapping his arms around the other. Hugging him to all his content, and whispering a soft, " You won't hurt me, I know that"

Taehyung stayed silent, save for his sniffles. And Jungkook's heart leaped out of his chest, the occasional whimpers breaking it open. But he held the omega, safe and sound, tight in his arms and maybe felt a tear or two amble down his cheeks too. "Trust me, you won't hurt me, or anyone for that matter, " He whispered again, because he knew, it was hard to get convinced when you loathed yourself.

Taehyung's frame shook in his arms and he repeated, "we're okay, shhh.." A tear sprang free to fall on his cheek, "you won't hurt anyone"

They stayed in the hug, and he sighed into it. Neither talked, nor felt the need to. Taehyung felt like a petal too, delicate and soft. So when he removed himself from the hug and looked at Jungkook, with red eyes, wet lashes, chapped lips and flushed cheeks, Jungkook realised he had never studied the concept of self-control well. He brought a hand, wiped a tear, like it was a habit, and said, " You maybe abnormal, but not harmful "

"You wouldn't know that," If only Taehyung didn't loathe himself this much.

"I would, " He convicted.

"How? "

"Because I don't hate you like you hate yourself, taehyung," He replied, heart slamming against his chest.

Taehyung seemed to have gone silent, just giving him an unreadable stare. Their distance was lesser than an arm's length, close enough for him to lean down and land a peck on the mole on the tip of the other's nose. He held back, settling to just stare. Taehyung's brown orbs, as captivating as ever, pulling him in and under until he was praying not to get out.

But then,a pair of soft lips, maybe a tad bit dry, but soft nonetheless brushed against his, and he shut his eyes. Because heaven seemed an understatement to the rush of fireworks down his spine and the lingering tingle on his lips. Taehyung. Taehyung. Taehyung. He blinded all his senses, filled each one with himself until Jungkook was benumbed of everything except taehyung.

He opened his eyes to Taehyung too, still wordlessly staring at him after the small peck to his lips. His red eyes, moist lashes, dulled brown orbs, everything made jungkook impatient. Like he was waiting, has been for so long, that now it almost hurt to wait. Wait for Taehyung to fill in all his five senses, until Jungkook was mercilessly benumbed, and ready to give everything to fill him back.

So he crashed their lips, tired of being patient, waiting. Still soft, but a tad bit more wetter, taehyung's lips curled into his own. His eyes shut, to Taehyung too. His hands snaked around the other's waist- bold, impatient, replacing all the warmth that Taehyung shared with him. He greedily let his tongue to battle against the king's, giving and giving, until all he could feel, think and taste was Taehyung. His breath battled against his lungs, but the war felt useless, when all he needed was Taehyung and not air.

Maybe Jungkook had always got all that he wanted, no matter how ever little he asked. But when it came to Taehyung, he never did. Because, the other made him so greedy, that more felt less and much more became lesser. Taehyung was addictive, and Jungkook was naturally addicted.

His waist, curved to perfection, fit like a lone star in a night into his arms. Taehyung surrounded him, when his hands travelled up his arms to his hair, tugging at them. Taehyung imprisoned Jungkook in him despite how he was held between his arms.

An unfortunate dearth of air pulled them apart, a string of drool between their foreheads leant against each other. Taehyung breathed into him, like he was air. And Jungkook breathed back into him, filling him back.

Their chests heaved in a tandem of short breaths, and he glanced at Taehyung. Loose locks against his eyes, swollen wet lips, half-lidded eyes and the mole on the tip of his nose. Jungkook smiled, pushing back the tuft of hair with an arm that previously cupped the other's cheek. He was too benumbed by Taehyung to notice when. But he was fortunate of the memory of Taehyung's cheek it carried.

Taehyung smiled back, and he added it to his collection. It seemed different, like one reserved for when he was as soft as a petal and bloomed in his arms. In Jungkook arms.

Their foreheads refused to lean back, and he refused to let them too. The library had a single torch that lit up one side of the room from at an angle. And despite it being dim, he didn't miss the soft shade of pink on taehyung's cheeks or the small smile dancing on his lips. Jungkook was sure he was a few shades darker too, with how warm his cheeks felt and how every of his senses were addicted to Taehyung.

A moment or two into his brown eyes, and their darker wonderlands, when Taehyung asked, soft as a petal, "Will you read to me? "

"Hmm-hmm, " He hummed, dazed. They were still catching breaths, forehead locked, and his hand around the other's waist and Taehyung's carelessly playing with the hair at his nape. "What do you want me to? "

"Whatever you want to, " Taehyung shrugged.

He took his sweet time to think, spending a few of his thoughts on the curvaceous waist, a few others on the other's eyes, a lot many on his moles and finally a few on what he wanted to read to Taehyung. But it was hard to think with Taehyung expectantly staring at him. His swollen eyes in display and lips in auction. An auction only he got to win.

So he turned around, holding Taehyung's wrist heading towards the fantasy column. The king followed him, without a complaint.

"The tulip curse? " Taehyung asked once he hand picked the book out of the fantasy shelf. "What are you, five?"

"I didn't get to read these when I was five, my king" He answered, truthfully for once, "besides age is a mere number"

Taehyung quietly chuckled to his reply, shaking his head as he took a seat, right there, leaning against the shelf. Taehyung gave him a quizzical brow, that he didn't reply but only tugged at his wrist, pointing to the seat (empty floor) by his side.

Taehyung shook his head again, taking a seat on the cold floor beside him, their shoulders brushing. He smiled, shifting through the pages of the book. "The tulip curse," He announced glancing at Taehyung, who peeked over his shoulder to read the title from the book in his hand.

"Years ago, about a hundred, " He read, letting the words sink into the silence of the library. "When lycans, witches and werewolves co-existed, the kingdom of kathara welcomed their little prince with his mother's farewell"

"A year went by and the king remarried a young witch from among the nobles of the land, " He glanced at Taehyung, " An year more passed by with no signs of another child and all her fury turned to envy at the little boy. The prince who grew without a company "

"Alone, " Taehyung mumbled, and he nodded.

"The kingdom welcomed a little princess to the joy of the second queen when the prince was 7 and still alone, " The silence of the library cradled his voice, "The prince detested the crown, and left to the estranged forests of kathara following his another fight with the king"

"The night was young when he met the tulip flower by the lake side. Tired after wandering the forest since noon, " Jungkook felt Taehyung lean over his shoulder-the other's hair brushing his face- to take a peek at the illustration. He smiled, "beautiful, right? " He dragged his finger over the coarse sheet painted with care.

"Hmm, " Taehyung hummed, lazily, following his fingers. "And? " He prodded, shifting back to lean against the shelf. Jungkook chuckled,choosing not to comment on the Omega's sudden curiosity.

"The prince talked to the flower all night, giggling when the sapling nodded along," He smiled to it, and noticed Taehyung did too, " But soon as dawn came, the prince was dejected to leave the flower behind-"

"Alone, " Taehyung piped in, and he exchanged another glance with the other.

"So he took the plant on his way back to the palace, his only dear company from the tender age of seven, " He turned the page, " Sixteen more years passed by in each other's company and both grew up in the lonely big palace "

"Soon it was time for coronation, and the prince refused, " he felt taehyung lean against his shoulder, and sighed in content, "the furious king's words deaf to his ears. But the king's anger didn't end in just words, his fury stomping on the tender tulip-the Prince's only true company. Dejected, the prince agreed to the proposal, left alone with a broken vase and a title he never wanted"

"The prince cried, until he was fast asleep beside the broken vase and crushed tulips petals, " Taehyung shifted, his head slotting into Jungkook's neck. Goosebumps travelled down his arm, sparks flying across his veins. "By the time moon light swept into the dark room and the prince was awake, the tulip, like it was never stomped upon, was merrily waving to the tender breeze from the open window. The prince, overjoyed, gave a tender kiss to the blossom, smiling ear to ear"

He shifted the book to show Taehyung the illustration. The lycan prince, sharing a tender kiss with the tulip. The way Taehyung's eyes lit up and lips curved to a small smile, he wanted to share a tender kiss with him too. But held back.

" 'What are you?' murmured the prince to the plant, once he wiped his tears of respite, " He paused, testing Taehyung's patience. A push to his shoulder warning him to continue. He giggled to it.

"Another tender breeze followed but not a sound, the defeated prince went back to silently brushing the petals. A few more moments later, a voice, unfamiliar, velvety and warm said, 'that tingles' with a warmer giggle, " He couldn't help his smile, and he noticed neither could Taehyung, " The prince, frightened, drew away his hand sputtering out a feeble 'who's this? ' "

"A chuckle later, the voice replied 'your companion', " He eagerly turned the page, to another illustration. Two boys, one exceptionally beautiful smiling at the other with red swollen eyes, wide open. "A dim light later, the tulip transformed to an inhumanely beautiful boy, who with a merry smile greeted, 'and we meet, my prince' "

"The plant is the boy? " Taehyung's voice broke his reverie, and he glanced to the other. "That's lame"

"Patience, my king, " He chided, a smile accompanied. "We are just half way into the book"

"Whatever, " The other mumbled, shifting to get comfortable against his shoulder. Another series of goosebumps travelled down his limbs.

" 'Who are you? How did you enter the palace? Should I call the guards? Tell me, are you a burglar!' The prince held his dagger at the other, scrambling closer to him. The other just smiled, 'one question at a time, my prince. And no need to be afraid, I ain't no burglar' " Taehyung's hand beat him to turning the page, and he smiled, " 'I'm a witch, and you're my savior' "

" 'Savior?' " The lycan prince enquired, quizzical," He read, letting the words fall out of his mouth from the book, " 'you just relieved me of a curse that I was bound to from since a decade before you found me by the lake side, my prince' "

" 'Curse?' The prince prodded, shaken, " Jungkook read, letting Taehyung enjoy the illustrations from over his shoulder,
" 'Like I said, a decade ago, I was an orphan witch with the ability to talk to plants. We, witches, rank our members on the basis of power. And the reigning queen, the most powerful among witches, upon knowing my special ability decided to destroy me to keep herself in throne. So she took my favorite plant, tulip and cursed my soul to be trapped in it forever, until someone who hates me, as much as the queen did, would tear me apart. Your father did, and here I am, free' "

" 'You-you're a witch?' " The befuddled prince asked, still star-struck by the beauty of the witch, " He smiled since it sounded similar to Taehyung. "The witch nodded, and asked, 'so~ want us to disappear somewhere?' "

"The prince seemed to contemplate for a moment before nodding, a giggle slipping past his lips, " Jungkook was now a grinning idiot, just as much was the omega king by his side, "the witch chuckled along, before carrying them to a world that once the prince had described in detail that he wanted to live in, with him. And from there on, the lycan prince and the witch lived together happily ever after. A tulip curse lifted by hatred to be kissed by love"

"Pfft," Taehyung snickered, and his grin fell, "that's it!? "

"That's it!? " He repeated, "the story was heart warming. Just reserved for rainy nights like this "

"It was lame, " Taehyung announced, getting up, "besides, it's already dawn"

"I caught you smiling, when the prince giggled to the witch's offer, " He deadpanned to Taehyung, "so don't lie to me, your highness"

"Fantasy is madness, " Taehyung challenged him, as he arranged the book back into it's place, "and I was only laughing to it"

"You prodded me to turn the page!" He argued.

"I was just rushing it up to the end, " Taehyung shrugged, smoothing the crinkles on his night robe. "It was getting too boring to sit through"

"Whatever, but I think, if I were to be a character then I would be the-"

"Lycan prince, " Taehyung piped in, giggling, "you'd barely pass, but that's fine"

"Lycan prince? Pfft! " He sniggered, "I suite more for the witch. This face, " He pointed at his visage, "is inhumanely handsome"

"Beware hyuk, " Taehyung warned, treading towards the exit. He followed suite. "Your lies are getting more obvious with time"

"That wasn't a lie! " He exclaimed, catching up with the other's long strides.

"Well, the truth is, you know who among us suites the witch better, " Taehyung shrugged, like it was obvious. " But I'll let you pass the bar for being the lycan out of humility-"

"My king, " He drawled, a mischievous grin making it's way up his lips, "are you implying for us to have a 'happily forever after' too?"

In the next few delayed moments of silence, he observed a hue of pink on the other's cheeks, a dark red colouring his ear tips and a shy smile threatening his lips. After which Taehyung replied, " Lie less, Jung hyuk, you may hear more truths then"

He chuckled, loud and in merry for a reply. Not even a word when Taehyung fast-walked into his chambers, left him under a dim monsoon dawn, foolishly giggling to himself.

He would gladly be the lycan prince, if Taehyung chooses to be the witch. After all, Taehyung has made him so greedy so far, and now a sliver of hope for a happily ever after didn't sound distant but just a few steps towards the familiar closet full of scrolls and leaflets, a vase full of unwatered flowers and windows that were always preferred to be kept open.

Sounded like Taehyung.

♛┈⛧┈♛
A/n:

I know this book has lot of story in a story. But pls bare with me and my weird love for library kiss scenes and story narratives between characters.

yes Taehyung, and I am beyonce

Anyways;
Stream ptd soty #batonpass

And tysm for 8K reads! Thank you so so much!
*sends love*

Bye. And stream RM (on sound cloud)
Here's the link for this underrated gem:

Listen to RM - Rap Monster, a playlist by BTS on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/2uXoY

Bye bye fr!