♚
"mingyu, are you sure this is safe?"
wonwoo trailed the tall servant through the abandoned halls of the castle, the torches on the walls being their only source of light that lead them throughout the darkness of the night. the humungous corridors and its high ceilings were intimidating in the depth of the night, especially to the elf who couldn't get used to the endless path's that led through the castle.
"i am the king his personal servant. please have a little faith in me, my dearest." the elf couldn't restrain a fierce blush from creeping up onto his pale cheeks on the little endearment mingyu used.
the feelings between them were undeniable at this point and wonwoo was well aware that trying to hide them was no use.
"still.. the silence is scaring me." wonwoo whispered, purposely keeping his volume fairly low in case they would get caught by guards that wandered through the castle at this ungodly hour.
"we're almost here, if i'm not mistaken it's at the end of this hallway. first door on our left." they had been wandering through the east wing for at least five minutes now with mingyu leading the way.
yet as much as wonwoo feared the possible consequences of getting caught, once mingyu threw his characteristic smile over his shoulder wonwoo knew it would be alright. as long as it was under his guidance. and even if they got caught, wonwoo was the son of seventa's ruler. they could hardly harm him.
"i think we made it." mingyu placed his toned hands on a golden doorknob, twisting it and opening the heavy oaken wooden door with a loud squeaking sound that echoed obnoxiously loud throughout the hallway, making wonwoo shrink a little on the sound. "come on in, don't be shy."
mingyu, the noble servant, courageously walked through the dark door opening, leaving wonwoo in the hallway contemplating whether to follow him inside the dark room or to stay in the fairly lit corridor. though with a sigh he trailed the younger, whose excitement never died down.
"close the door, will you?" the candle mingyu had been holding onto ever since they snuck out of mingyu's bedroom was the only source of light that floated through the room. yet wonwoo obeyed his order and closed the door, shutting out any other source of light that came from the hallway and trusting on mingyu's words.
it didn't take long before a yellow hue lit up the room, illuminating thousands of books all placed on an alphabetic order in shelves that reached all the way up to the tall ceiling. the room could be mistaken for a ballroom with its balconies and its enormous amount of empty space, shining marble floors spreading out throughout the chamber.
more torches on the walls were lit up by the candlestick mingyu had held onto the entire time, revealing more of the hall's beauty. and wonwoo was simply left starstruck by everything that surrounded them. from the detailed paintings decorating the entirety of the ceiling high above him to the thousands of books that stretched out throughout the gigantic chamber, meters high up in the shelfs where they were being kept.
"go on, take a look." mingyu motioned for him to walk to one of the gigantic bookshelf's, seeing the elf was beyond curious to discover every single book in the room. just touching the leathern spines would be enough for the bookworm to satisfy his desires, who unfortunately had nothing close to a library back in the seventa woods. though reading had been one of his biggest passions since he was a kid, he didn't have the ability to read more than the ten books he snuck out of other kingdoms. or that had been gifted to him by generous rulers.
carefully wonwoo let his fingers slide over the cold leather, a layer of dust covering his finger tips as the books had been untouched for years. barely anyone was allowed in the royal library and since both the king and his brother hardly ever read a book they were just being kept as a decoration for guests.
but to the elf, who had never seen such beauty in his life, it was heaven. if only he could stay with the handsome servant in this castle forever, he felt like his life would have purpose again. the title as the truthful prince had been taken from him, what else lay there for him in seventa's woods?
wonwoo flinched when a sudden pair of arms wrapped themselves around his tummy and a chin was placed on his shoulder, the presence behind him securing him with warmth and safety.
"shh, don't get startled. it's just me." mingyu whispered, checking wonwoo's facial expression from beside to check if his sudden hug was okay with the elf. "i have no clue if it's a good or bad thing you always get scared when i come too close. you're okay with me touching you like this, right?"
wonwoo nodded hesitantly. one side of him didn't want to grow too attached to the tall servant who held him so dearly. especially as he had to leave soon again and god knows when they would be able to meet again.
but on the other side wonwoo was dying just for the slightest touch of mingyu's fingertips against his bare skin. with the simple gesture of accidentally touching the elder wonwoo already felt sparks shooting through his entire body, making him long for more.
yet still, both were too complete different species and had incompatible origins.
but maybe, just maybe, wonwoo had to allow himself to enjoy things in life for a moment. especially with mingyu holding him with so much love.
just when mingyu was about to let go of him again, wonwoo reached for his muscular arms wrapped tightly around his chest to prevent losing the warmth the tall servant brought. "please stay." wonwoo managed to bring out in a silent whisper.
"your hands are cold." mingyu joked lightly, brushing his nose against the back of wonwoo's neck which sent a shiver down the elf's spine.
"we elves can't do anything about it." wonwoo giggled, moving his head a bit to the side to allow mingyu better access to his neck, which the servant gladly took advantage of by burying his nose further into the shorter's nape. "you're warm."
"i've been told." mingyu whispered, not wanting to speak more as he just wanted to rest on wonwoo's shoulder.
"i'm assuming you've been like this with more people before then?" a sudden feeling of jealousy stroked wonwoo, who didn't like the idea of mingyu being like this with others as well.
"if i have to be completely honest, you're the first one actually." mingyu chuckled, his lips scarcely brushing over wonwoo's exposed skin as his hot breath drew goosebumps all over wonwoo's body. "seungcheol always used to tell me my hands are warm, that's why."
wonwoo mouthed a small 'oh' as he carefully allowed himself to lean back against mingyu's chest. he wasn't wearing any form of armor, only a white piece of clothing that covered his rather broad chest, making his hold only more comfortable for wonwoo.
"do i sense jealousy over here?" mingyu whispered protectively, observing wonwoo's face from the side. the elf had his eyes closed and his reddish lips slightly parted. ethereal, if mingyu was allowed to say so.
"oh please mingyu." wonwoo snorted, though the fact that there had been a short flash of jealousy was undeniable at this point. it was written all over his face, even obvious for mingyu to recognize.
"then i have a better question, are you happy right now?" mingyu asked another question, making wonwoo open his eyes and look at the boy who had been closer to him than he previously thought he was.
happiness. a term wonwoo could hardly ever use in his solitary life as the king's son, who didn't even had right to a throne. but now, standing in a humungous library filled with thousands of books and golden chandeliers, in the arms of none other than kim mingyu, wonwoo seemed to understand the true meaning of happiness.
"i do." wonwoo admitted, leaning in a little closer. it was as if he was drawn to mingyu, magnetically almost. "i feel happy now."
"i do too." mingyu grinned warmheartedly before he captured wonwoo in a gentle kiss.
it only lasted for a mere seconds, but it was more than enough to explain the strange feelings that had been playing between them. with lips brushing over each other so scarcely yet desperate and touches so tender, wonwoo could confirm that it was this night, in the middle of the library, where he had officially found out that his heart belonged to the noble servant of adora's kingdom.
