"Seokjin?"

The royal opened the door to the room, standing less than calmly in its firmly lined threshold. Seokjin looked up from the scroll he was writing to see Namjoon in full dress as king, catching himself before biting his lip. Something about the way the man looked in his red and gold robes and maple leaf crown made Seokjin's heart throb all over again as if he had fallen in love for the first time. Namjoon was his first love, and he was certain he'd be his last.

Something about the way he looked, however, struck sadness as well.

"Yes, Namjoon?" he said, his voice lacking its usual sweetness and bird-like chirp.

"We need to talk."

Namjoon closed the door, placing himself on the other side of the table Seokjin knelt behind. The elder king nodded, reluctant but forced to agree.

"Yes, yes we do."

The two sat in silence, however, avoiding the topic of the conversation that had to come.

"Do you love me?" Seokjin began, looking up into Namjoon's eyes.

"With all my heart," Namjoon said, trying to keep the floodgates closed before they could burst open.

"Do you trust me?" Seokjin sighed, his breath shaky and his lips quivering.

"With my whole life."

"You know I never meant to do that. I didn't know what they did to it, Namjoon. I love you."

Namjoon sat up and stared down at the man with unreadable, teary eyes, and lips set into a straight, thin line.

"I don't know who did it, Namjoon. It wasn't me."

"I know it wasn't you, Seokjin, but"-- Namjoon stopped, standing up and walking around.

"You brought me the meal, Seokjin. You had it made. You put it in my mouth and you helped me vomit it out. I simply-- I don't understand. You were the only one who knew about the new import. Not even Doctor Jung knew of it, and yet he sent for it in the first place. And now"--

Namjoon stopped in his tracks, frozen in place for a moment. His glossy, wet eyes had trailed over Seokjin's hands and remained fixed on them, like two moons wandering space until finding gravity.

"...what is it?"

"I..."

Memories of Seokjin began to flood back into his mind, washing away every doubt Namjoon had in his mind and leaving a fresh cleanliness that softened his breaking heart.

"R-Remember when we were playing cards?"

Seokjin wiped his tears, looking up at him with shimmering eyes.

"...what?"

"We were playing cards. In our bedroom. That's when I noticed the cuts on your hands. The ones Sura gave you. I asked you to tell me the truth, and you did."

Seokjin looked down at his calloused, honey-dropped skin, blended of silver, peach ruddiness and hard work. He remembered the scars of the woman pushing him to the ground, reliving a less painful memory of it in his mind.

"...that was years ago, Namjoon"--

"And you haven't lied to me since."

Namjoon sat down next to Seokjin, pulling him into his arms.

"Why did you marry me, Seokjin-ah?" he sighed, placing a kiss on his lover's forehead. "Your horse knows more than I do. Your horse's shit knows more than I do."

"I married you because I love you, you big idiot," Seokjin shrugged, shaking his head. "I would never drug your food. How insulting of you to think otherwise."

"I'm sorry. I deserved it, love."

Seokjin pulled himself out of Namjoon's embrace.

"This won't go unpunished," he began, picking himself up. He pulled Namjoon up as well -- by the collar of his robe.

"S-Seok-jin-ah"--

He was silenced by Seokjin's full, thick lips on his mouth, happy to have his kiss once more. They hadn't had a kiss that deep in a long time, and it felt almost new to have Seokjin explore his mouth with his tongue again.

"W-What are you doing?"

"What are you doing still standing here? Go over there. Belt off."

Seokjin nearly shoved him away from the table into an empty area in the room. He stood there with his eyes, already undressing Namjoon with them before the king could undress himself.

"Seokjin"--

"What did I just say? Belt off. Heaven as my witness, if I have to take it off for you, I will do things with it that you will not enjoy."

Seokjin chuckled, suddenly walking over to Namjoon and gently pulling him closer by the hips.

"Or...maybe you will enjoy yourself. I think you'd like to be underneath me for a change."

With that, a firm knock on the door resounded through the room.

Namjoon was speechless with astonishment. His heart pounded in its chest with excitement, desiring Seokjin's hands all over his warm body. Blood rushed all over his body; he felt the red rivers in his veins travel up to his blushing cheeks and ears, and also below his belt and down to the southern region of his body.

"It's time for the trial, my dear," Seokjin smiled, suddenly innocent with satisfaction written all over his face. Fixing Namjoon's robe, he smoothed out the areas he grabbed at and virtually erased all evidence of his doings -- except for the growing bulge in the fabric.

"Good, good. Come, love. We can't keep Princess Kim and the others waiting!"

"If any of our friends tease me about this, I'm blaming you."

"I want you to blame me, Your Grace. Then everyone will know who makes love to you so well."