adorn

chapter 14

jihoon hears as a soft breath becomes steady, constant. his hand travels all the way down from yedam's arms to his palm, his skin absorbing the other's golden, silky body. another collective night, another knot of the candle is about to fall down, another whisper dances in the air. the same moon keep an eye on the two souls, the same stars flicker every time a kiss is given, the same sheets ruffle upon gentle movement, the same hands hold yedam's body, the same lips share sultry, prolonged "I love you" never said directly but always implied, with every question, every concern, every look, every breath, every murmur, every smile, every caress, every indulgence, every word.

jihoon isn't asleep. his mind is still hazy, in an afterglow, his eyes watching dotingly how the sheet covering yedam's body goes up and falls, goes up and falls like a predictable, familiar poem which makes you feel at home the more you read it.

the older's lips are still flushed, still a little moisturized for when he got here this night yedam was putting on a balsamic, rosy oil. jihoon went in unnoticed, yedam was turned back to him, sitting by the desk, looking at himself in the mirror. probably the boy has just taken a bath for he was in a white robe, the edges embroidered, the fabric woolen. only the softness of yedam's skin could be compared to it. amidst the boy was applying the moisturizer on his lips, the other approached him from behind, scooted closer, bent, and blew on the other's nape. yedam let out a yelp but picked up the pieces soon enough for if any of the guards heard him, they would peep in to check if nothing bothered the son of the king.

"don't scare me like that jihoon-ah," he whined, lip balm discarded somewhere on the floor, the mirror reflecting two faces now.

jihoon's thumb eagerly but not pushily lined the shape of yedam's bottom lip. so tender, plump, creamy.

"can I try it?" a question is never put for jihoon gets what he wants without it.

yedam tastes like succulent rose, petals sprinkled with melted sugar, jihoon can't but let out a sound of pleasure and indulge himself in the drug. his hands soon fasten the smaller frame to his body, the legs wrap swiftly around his waist, the rustle of the wool softens the ambiance as the robe soon gets forgotten.

jihoon's kisses are slow, he has no reason to hurry, he wants the moments like these, where yedam tries to hide like a maiden, blushes like a spring rose underneath him, apologies for being imperfect.

"you are beautiful, let me admire you."

enough for yedam to loosen his muscles, obey as the other presses his arms against the duvet, the boy's eyes filled with reverential light. jihoon has never seen such heavenly sight, yedam always leaves him awestruck.

this night the prince had to take another bath, but he couldn't complain. jihoon's hands rubbed his back whilst he could laugh at how bubbly the shampoo was, bubbles flying all around the bathroom. jihoon decided to stay a while longer until yedam falls asleep. the other gave him some clothes, a mix of white and beige color, the material not as luxurious as the ones yedam have but jihoon's heart welled up with gratitude. probably the clothing he got was yedam's himself.

the older has never opened any of yedam's drawer, any of yedam's closets, wardrobe, little did he know that he had his own walk-in closet with multiple sorts of clothes, creamy, white, pearl, lilac, cotton shirts, jackets in all one hundred shades of purple, not to mention the jewelry cases. every ornament had at least two cases, every finger had at least three rings, every day another necklace had to be given a chance to be worn by the middle prince.

jihoon really thought yedam didn't have much, everything he owned wasn't his but the crown prince's, and only thanks to him the other had a roof above his head. it wasn't easy for him either to share his belongings, right? the older stood up, walked around the room, sighed. his eyes lay upon the figure so dear to his heart, and an urge to give him the royalty wealth suddenly possessed him.

"still remember who did you want to kidnap? why not change the target, the youngest son of the king must be the child he dotes the most on." a dark, callous voice rang in his ears.

jihoon made a wry face. it wasn't him who said it. all of his experience, every time someone hit him, hurt him, vilified him accumulated somewhere in the abyss of his mind, showing its presence now in the form of a demon, seducing and tempting, turning what's black into white, what's decayed into pure gold.

"you love him, don't you?" jihoon nodded, afraid to say more not to enrage the beast inside."he deserves more than that. are you sure the prince is his friend? do you think the friend would let him live off his wealth? do you think your boy doesn't pay back?" jihoon fell on his knees, scrambled nervously.

he wanted to hamper the voice, he covered his ears, almost pulling off his scented hair, so sweetly washed by his lover.

"if you kidnap the kid, you get the money, you take him away, you are together, happy. no one will ever be able to overuse his kindness, amenability."

jihoon stood up. his legs are like cotton, every step laborious, but he makes it out of the room. the corridor is awash in the night darkness. he looks to the side. two doors away, there is a room in which the youngest descendant sleeps soundly, assured of his safety, jihoon is sure, yedam slurred it out probably not thinking twice, or an option that the demon inside the other would engrave this information never occurred to him.

"don't you know that your boy is too weak to say no, too ashamed to scream, too afraid to push the filthy hands away?"

six steps forward, glance around. no one to stop him, no one to seize him. the hand reaches for the doorknob, a cold, glacial metal feels like a bucket of ice.

"what... what am I doing?"

this time it is his own, inner voice. the fingers unclenched, he stumbled backward but didn't meet the ground.

someone held him from behind. indistinct shouting around, his arms forcefully dragged and tied behind his back. someone kicks him, his knees bent, he falls. after a minute, or two, honestly he didn't know but didn't care either, among two hostile, hoarse tones a new one appears.

the voice which had never put any violence on him, the one which coated him with its delicacy and clarity, differed now.

"what is happening?! let him go!"

the clarity was now murky with the tears the owner shed, it was quivering because of the fear that overwhelmed yedam's heart, and soon after it was broke for when the one he loved was being pulled fiercely by an armored man to the dungeons, a pair of arms held middle prince from behind.

"yedam don't...!" a squeal out of hyunsuk's mouth.

yedam wanted to shrill "don't take him away from me!" but before it makes its way out, a guard who went into doyoung's room as a precautionary means, to check if the prince was unscathed, stated fearfully :

"the prince is gone."

hyunsuk tightens the grip as his brother almost loses the balance.

the whole palace is up within a few minutes, everybody searching for the little prince with torches and lit candles. 

// ✧ //