A/n: my phone's glitching so this might succ lol

Jimin's lips parted for a small moment.

The prince had heard of Apollo's son before of course, but mostly whispers and rumours from the capital that hardly seemed true.

All that Jimin really knew about the demigod, was the classified information gathered by his father, who had kept a close eye on the child when he was just discovered.

"A reject. An outsider. He is simply a naive boy born with too much power. Too emotional. Too stubborn. The hatred of the people will feed his desire to live in exile. No, there is no need to worry about Apollo's son. That kid will never pose a threat to anyone."

Jimin stared down at the athletic body of a fully grown man now, studying the man's prominent biceps, muscular thighs and defined abs that were made visible through his blood-soaked clothing.

The child his father had spoken about had grown up to be a healthy young man, and the demigod looked more than capable of what he'd been accused of.

Jimin wondered if perhaps the king had been wrong after all, and horribly misjudged the demigod's character when he was a child, as using Apollo's son to cause havoc in the mortal realm, wouldn't be the most ourageous plan the gods could devise.

"What evidence is there?" Jimin found himself asking, ripping his eyes away from the half-god for a split second, before his attention was quickly dragged back down.

Namjoon needed a moment to think before he answered, his brows twitching into a frown as he did so. "Well... the people are convinced he must've had something to do with it, as he is the only person in the capital known to posses divine powers."

Jimin cocked his head at the half-god and watched the crimson stains on his clothing grow.

"So?"

Namjoon snapped his head towards his younger brother.

"What do you mean so?" He whisper-shouted.

The skin around Jimin's eyes tightened. "Let me see him."

"Jimi-"

"Does he not deserve to speak for himself?"

Namjoon was taken aback, hesitating before submissively swallowing his protests.

"Reveal the face of the demigod!" Namjoon ordered sternly, his voice thundering through the hall.

The coucilmembers began whispering amongst each other, speculating and questioning the crownprince's choice when the bag shielding the half-god's face was violently snatched away.

"Silence please," Namjoon beseeched, though he had no effect on the gossiping crowd. "Quiet down!"

Jimin's heart skipped a beat, or perhaps two, when his breath was mercilessly stolen by the prisoner's sharp chizzled jawline, rose pouty lips, and starry doe eyes that blinked around in fear and confusion the moment he was gifted his sight back.

The boy owned all the beauty one would expect from a descendent of a god, as he was sculpted to perfection so very much like his father.

Jimin fluttered his eyes and gulped harshly, quietly cursing Olympus when his only weakness was once again exposed.

The prince timidly turned his head away from the demigod as his face began to heat, only to steal another glance in secret not a moment later, his attention inexplicably caught by the prisoner.

But it turned out the prince was not the only one who had a hard time controlling their eyes.

The demigod carefully looked around the courthall, panting as he scanned each and every person in the room.

He trembled under the observation of hundreds of councilmembers, until he froze complety when he found Jimin standing high up on the balcony, and kept his penitrating gaze focused on only the prince for what felt like eons.

The boy squinted through his sweaty, oakbrown hair, looking at the prince as though there was something extremely peculiar about him that he couldn't quite understand.

Jimin straightened out his suit, raised his chin, and tried to avoid the demigod's eyes, but the man would not stop shamelessly gaping at him, his lips hanging apart in complete bewilderment.

"Jeon Jungkook, descendant of Apollo," Namjoon called out, though he failed to claim the prisoner's regard.

"You have been brought here following the many accusations of you playing a part in the king's disappearance. How do defend yourself?"

The half-god's attention shifted from Jimin to the crownprince, though he was caught completely by surprise and blinked like a mechanical doll when he realised he'd been spoken too.

"Oh, uhm... c-could you maybe repeat that sir- I mean, Your Highness?"

Jimin pursed his lips and used all his willpower to fight back a smile. Was this kid serious?

Namjoon gulped, nervously looking at the councilmembers that watched him like hawks from the corner of his eyes.

"I- I asked," he said, increasing the volume of his voice.

"How do you pleed to the act of abducting the king!"

The demigod's expression went from dazed to outraged within the snap of a finger. He balled his fists, pulled at his chains it a fit of rage and lunged forward. "I did not do anything of the sort!"

The two guards that stood by the prisoner's side acted quickly and violently yanked the boy back onto the floor to lay him down flat on his stomach.

"Don't you dare threaten your prince you filthy monster!" One of the councilmembers bellowed through the hall, followed by many others that mumbled in agreement.

"I am not a monster!" Jungkook screamed as he was pinned against the ground, his arms twisted behind his back into a painful position while another guard settled his knee in the crook of his neck.

"You are the definition of a monster, bastard," he whispered sharply into Jungkook's ear.

Jimin subtely shook his head, a disappointed sigh leaving his lips. Father was right, he thought, needing to look away from the sight for a moment. He really is too emotional... and far too stubborn.

"Do you have an alibi?" Namjoon asked, squinting his dragon-like eyes at the half-god. "Proof of your innocence? Anything at all that would make us question your guilt?"

Jungkook squirmed in the hold of the guard as tears began to blur his vision.

"How could on earth could I possibly prove my innocence when you don't even have any proof of my guilt?!" He screamed through gritted teeth, writhing on the floor in an attempt to get free.

Jimin glanced at his brother and held his breath, waiting for the man's response with a clenched heart.

Namjoon swallowed thickly as sweat began to form on his browbone. He gripped onto the railing of the balcony with trembling hands, and Jimin could only imagine how terribly pressured the man was feeling to please his council.

"The people's disrust of you is all the confirmation I need to condemn your existence. You have struck fear into their hearts for far too long half-god, and I shall tolerate it no longer. The people deserve to live in peace and my father deserves to be avenged! Jeon Jungkook, bastard of Apollo, you are hereby sentenced to death, and you will be hanged tomorrow at dawn in the town square."

Jimin's lips parted and his eyes fluttered at his brother's cold-hearted desicion.

"N-Namjoon," he stuttered, wanting to reach out and talk some sense into his brother. But the crownprince pushed Jimin's hand away, and remained statuesque as he watched the councilmembers react to his judgement.

"You... You can't do this!" Jungkook yelled. "I never did anything wrong, please! Please you have to believe me! I promise you I had nothing to do with the king's disappearance!"

The guards lifted the demigod off the ground, but the boy refused to use his legs and continued begging Namjoon as tears streamed down his face like waterfalls.

"Please! I have a brother! Kim Seokjin, he'll vouch for me! He raised me! Don't make me leave him! I'm innocent I swear to you by the waters of the Styx!"

"Get him out of my sight!" Namjoon yelled over the sound of councilmembers clapping and voicing their agreement, some even whistling in celebration of the death sentence.

Jimin only stood still next to the crownprince, and could not help but let his attention fall on the prisoner once again, who to no surprise, was staring right back at him as he was being dragged off.

"Please," he mouthed at the prince, his glistening eyes burning into Jimin like a branding iron. "Help me..."

____

"Brother?"

Jimin took quick steps to chase his brother down the hallway, who had fled from the balcony the moment the prisoner had been carried off to the dungeons.

Namjoon did not stop however, walking on as though his brother's voice didn't reach him.

"Brother!" Jimin called again, finally reaching his brother's side and turning the prince around by his shoulder.

The younger prince knitted his brows together when he met his brother's face and saw his puffy, bloodshot eyes.

"Namu? What's wrong?" Jimin asked worriedly, cupping his brother's face and immediately starting to wipe away the man's tears with the sleeve of his shirt. "Talk to me..."

Namjoon shook his head, lifelessly staring at the floor like he was Atlas and the burdens of the world were resting on his shoulders.

"I... I had never ordered an execution before, Jimin," the man whispered with quivering lips, sniffing as his eyes began to water again. "I know it's part of my duty as future king... But I will be a murderer now!"

Jimin shook his head and captured his brother into a hug. "Hush brother... you are wise enough to know that a king should not have a conscience. Did father not teach you that?"

Namjoon nodded, but he would not stop whimpering against Jimin's shoulder.

"Why did you order the execution of that boy if it feels so much like murder Namjoon? We have no proof of his guilt except from hearsay... Maybe we should wait until-"

"Until I get abducted next?" Namjoon asked, abruptly leaning away from Jimin's hold. "Or you? Or even one of the guests staying in our home?"

Namjoon brushed his fingers through his hair and pulled at the ashbrown strands. "Even if we have no proof... We have to listen to the people Jimin!"

"Listen to the people?" Jimin asked with an edged brow. "Weren't you the one saying our subjects were scared and irrational, weakened by the luxury of comfort? Those mindless fools are incapable of making the right descisions for the kindom Namjoon, that is why they have you!"

"I can't just defy their will Jimin! I don't know if you've noticed, but half our military consists of arrogant and lazy men who will follow no one but their own selfish desires! I can't let the kingdom enter a civil war over a demigod who may very well be evil, when we don't even have the manpower to protect oursleves!"

Jimin swallowed thickly, and looked away from his brother, not doing anything to stop his disappointment from reaching his expression.

"A king... is not supposed to be without a spine, brother," he said with a trembling voice.

Namjoon balled his fists, but kept his own voice calm and steady when he spoke. "And a prince... is not supposed to fuck his guards."

Jimin felt like he'd been punched in the chest with the force of a hammer, and darted his eyes up to his brother, who seemed to enter a static of utter panic the moment he'd spoken the words.

"I... I mean..." The crownprince stuttered.

Jimin glared at his older brother with an overwhelming, suffocating amount of hate that suddenly covered his heart, his eyes darkening as his undying love for the man, went into full reverse.

See? He thinks you are worthless. He thinks you're an attention-whore just like everyone else...

Jimin perked up at the deep, gravelly voice that entered his mind out of nowhere, speaking a though he would only dare think at night.

"J-Jimin?" Namjoon called softly, cocking his head to reach past his brother's glare.

But the young prince abruptly turned around and left the hallway without uttering another word, stomping back to his chambers while fighting the pure rage that whirled inside his body ams frightened him to the bone.