Just Another Doll in His Collection

Title: Just Another Doll in His Collection

Author: JaZmin3

Fandom: SHINee

Pairing: 2Min

Genre: AU, angst, slash, infidelity, drama, traditional Korea (era/dynasty)

Story Type: 1-Shot

A/N: Felt like writing some angst before writing my paper due tomorrow. I needed a good cry, so I wrote this. Didn't really help circulate tears, but it has me really upset. Hope you enjoy!

~~~

It's completely insane, what he's doing right now. Taemin knows it, too.

His master, with blood smeared across his body, pounds his fists into the broken man. One, two, three... Taemin's lost count already of how many punches he's swung, and he can't help but think: Why is this happening?

Thinking back to about five minutes ago, he finds that this whole dilemma is his fault.

He'd obediently walked behind his master, the Prince - devilishly handsome, sinfully promiscuous, inhumanely powerful, when a common villager approached them, advertising. The young man was no threat, both could discern that much, but when Taemin defended the sales merchant, all hell had broken loose.

In all meanings of the word.

“What is he?” the Prince sneered. “A past lover? Or 'just a friend'?”

Taemin had been too terrified to reply. Since he remembered the last time jealousy had possessed his master.

A few malicious, biting words were spared his way before Minho decided that the poor villager deserved a punishment in his place.

Taemin snaps out of his flashback, itching to pull his master back from the lifeless body. But it doesn't work out that way. Though he would never lay a hurtful hand on Taemin, he'd speak those horrifying words that pained him more than anything else.

So, Taemin just waits, rides out the waves as the storm passes.

Moments later, the motionless body slumps to the ground and Taemin raises his eyes to find calm, obsidian eyes matched with a wolfish grin he feels not-at-all comfortable with, staring down at him.

“Come,” the Prince glances adoringly at him, speaking in a soft, yet demanding tone.

Taemin can't respond, his head still filled with frightening images, and just complies as he's pulled close.

~

Later on in the day, after reaching the mansion, the Prince calls for one of his concubines.

Taemin struggles to keep himself unaware of what he knows – he hears, happening in the room he almost entered.

Yet, Taemin acknowledges what his heart fails to deny. Though he is well-known as the Prince's toy, he knows he's not the only plaything his Highness stores away...

~

“You're so beautiful,” Taemin can feel warm breath skimming the soft, pale flesh of his collar bone, and he begins to wonder, for the first time since being sold off, why, exactly, is he here? “You're so, breathtakingly beautiful...”

A few more praising whimpers, and Taemin decides he can't handle the pressure. Not when he heard them, not when the bed he's been beckoned to, still smells of their actions, and especially not when his skin reeks of her expensive perfume.

“Why was she here?” Taemin mumbles almost inaudibly as his Jeogori is slowly pulled off of his body. Because, Taemin remembers clearly, that his master had sworn not to let her enter this room. Their room.

The Prince stops in his ministrations, and Taemin freezes along with him. Taemin tries to convince himself that it's from the cold sheets, but once again, there's no tricking his heart which knows that that isn't quite true.

But the trickling pain burst open like water from a dam when he hears the Prince's next words. “It doesn't matter. You're more beautiful.”

Of course, Taemin should have known from the start. His blessed beauty was his value.

And Taemin lets go, because he can't understand why he cares so much for this monster, this cruel yet kind, ugly yet handsome, beast.

Minutes later, spent from being used like the doll he is, and exhausted from the efforts of both his heart and mind, Taemin falls on his chest to the bed. And though Minho's arms are wrapped around him tightly, protectively, and his body is snuggled next to his, in a pose fit only for a couple, Taemin can't help the tears that fall down his face and dry on the silk linens.