Arranged | Jinkook ✓

Chapter 21.0

Perfect.

He had turned out perfect. As if his entire being had been tailor made to suit someone else's qualifications. As if elements of his personality had been hand picked and placed together in hopes they would somehow take. As if his body had been designed to look a certain way, to be pleasing to a certain eye.

All so he would be easier to control.

All so history wouldn't repeat it's self.

...

He didn't know what the plan was. Maybe it was better that way.

It felt like an echo sent down through the threads of different realities. Because he had been here before. Stuck in this limbo. Waiting. Anticipating. Trapped not knowing what the next move in this messed up game of chess was going to be - only that he was going to be forced to continue to play.

There had always been a knight in his corner, the only thing standing between him and total ruination. Because he had never been anything more than a pawn. Easily dispensable and replaceable.

He still was though, wasn't he? Nothing said they couldn't simply repeat the process endlessly until they finally got it right.

Maybe it was the soul it's self that was the wild card, not the endless array of possibilities which might be pulled at random. Perhaps it was the source of this endless well of strength and courage and determination. Maybe it wouldn't matter how many times they attempted the cycle. Maybe it would always turn out the exact same way.

This was at the core of what they wanted, wasn't it? For Jungkook to be with the mate of his soul. The soul which Seokjin currently carried. The soul which had chosen a different path from the last time it had walked the earth. A soul which held buried, repressed memories within it.

Maybe this wouldn't actually make any difference in the end. This one act of defiance. Maybe it would all come to mean nothing.

Running away with the prince would amount to nothing more than a secret marriage that they would likely be forced to repeat.

But his soul would know the significance. Would understand the meaning behind the actions.

Because all of this time he had been waiting for someone.

And their time had come.

...

"You look -" Black silk laid against soft skin, the shade so dark it practically made the pale flesh glow in the shimmering candle light. Beautiful gold accents adorned the fabric, laid out perfectly against his collar bone and wrapped about his wrist. Dazzling white blond hair had been freshly washed, thick bangs sweeping low over his forehead, draping into his bright eyes. It had taken hours for him to be declared ready, literal dozens of hands constantly working him over, applying lotions and oils and hints of cosmetics - until he was certain it was going to take just as long to undo it all again.

Nerves had worked their way upwards, until his stomach was constantly tossing and turning, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. His heart raced, pounding behind his rib cage until all he could hear was the rush of his own blood. Which was absolutely delightful, considering he was about to entire an actual den of vampires.

But as he entered the tiny, overly opulent room located directly behind the main hall, he felt something like calm wash over him. A sort of soothing balm that had been applied upon his very soul.

Because his prince was there.

His prince was there. Adorned in matching robes that were somehow even darker than his own. That blond hair seemed to take on an even darker hint of gray when it was slicked back, exposing the strong, dark eyebrows and leaving the eyes open. And if he found himself staring, what did it really matter? If the thoughts that ran through his mind could have been considered inappropriate, what did it matter?