Demesne ¦¦ Hunhan, Taoris, Kaisoo, Baekyeol

10

Luhan sat on his bed staring at the bags that lay in the corner. A calendar on the wall was marked with lines as the days past leading up to a blank square with a star on it. Three unmarked squares lay before it. Luhan looked at the star with uncertainty. Three days until he and his brother would leave the palace and flee to safety. Three days until his entire world would flip upside down. A knock on the door registered in his mind as well as a fleeting voice in his head as the person standing outside felt a spike of nervousness.

"Sehun, you can come in."

Sehun entered the room cautiously. He too glanced at the bags in the corner. "Packing lightly, are we, princess?" he chuckled slightly, trying to relieve the tension. Luhan didn't laugh. Sehun went to his side and sat next to him. "Hey, look. I know you're nervous and scared, but I'm going to be with you the whole time, ok?" Sehun's voice broke and he looked askance. He sighed and grabbed Luhan's hand. Luhan looked at their interlocked fingers with consideration.

"Luhan, I needed to ask you something.... It's kind of important to me." He waited for a response. Luhan broke his gaze away from his guard's hand and up to his face. "Sure."

"I want to bring my brother with us. He's a professor at the university, he is very good at magic and I think he will make it easier to keep you and your brother protected. I don't want to leave him here... I can't-"

"I'd love to meet him. Sehun, I know you worry for him. I worry for my brother too. I know why you really want to bring him."

"Luhan, I promise you will not regret allowing me this. I will do anything to repay you for this."

"Hunnie, you've already done so much for me."

I could do so much more.

Luhan blushed slightly as Sehun's voice filled his head. Sehun took notice and quickly looked away. "You're getting better at that."

"Thanks to you."

Sehun looked at him confused. "How so?"

Luhan tightened his grip on his guard's hand but remained silent. He smiled sweetly.

Sehun was captivated. The light pink tinting the prince's cheeks added onto the sincere smile directed at him, caused Sehun to get that all too familiar feeling in his chest. Without thinking, he leaned forward ever so slightly. Luhan's eyes fluttered to a half close and his face tilted, his lips parted.

A crash in the hallway stole their attention suddenly, breaking them from their trance. Shouts followed.

"That was so your fault. What the hell were you thinking?"

"Dude, you weren't even looking at where you were going! I was standing still!"

"Then you should have seen me coming! Now I have to clean this."

Baekhyun and Jongdae went back and forth in the hallway. Sehun reluctantly rose and went to the door, Luhan's hand slipping from his grip. He looked at the chaos in front of him. Jongdae stood with a stain on the front of his brown robes, looking over Baekhyun who was on the ground picking up spilt tea and broken cups. He placed the pieces on the tray rubbing his eyes every so often. Jongdae rubbed at the stain but gave up and knelt beside Baekhyun, helping him clean the mess. Baekhyun fell back on his heels and rammed the heels of his hands into his eyes. Jongdae's angry expression switched to one of concern. "Has it gotten that bad?"