The Three Bannermen | Vminkook ✓

Fifteen: The Duel

Laurel Prince

"How are you doing?"

After having a terrible nightmare about his father, Taehyung woke up to notice the Oak Prince kneeling on the floor next to his bed, an I've been caught look plastered across his usually calm features. 

Because Taehyung was so mentally disheveled from his dream and their argument earlier in the day, his brain went to autopilot when speaking. He impulsively asked Jungkook, 'How are you doing?'  instead of, 'Why are you kneeling next to my bed?'

God! I'm so dumb! Why did I just ask him that? Why the hell is he in my room!?

Taehyung watched as Jungkook slowly stood up. The ravenette nervously scratched the back of his neck before speaking. "I-I'm okay...but...how are you? I just came in here to wake you up for the duel, uh...you didn't answer the door, and the--and the door was open s-so I came in here and I--well, you...you were sleeping and I tried to wake you up but right when I was about to you were saying stuff in your nightmare and-"

"Jungkook." Taehyung cut off the blabbering younger prince with a raise of the hand. "I get it. I'm awake now, you can leave." 

Taehyung said this even though his heart wanted Jungkook to stay with him...so he could be distracted from the horrible lingering feeling from his dream. Maybe with the younger there, he could forget about the haunting sensation of his father's hands against his body...

"Oh, um..." Jungkook closed his open mouth and looked back at Taehyung with unsurety in his eyes, as if he wanted to ask something more. "Alright, I'll um, see you at the...duel, Taehyung. Be ready for seven. Goodbye."

And with that, Jungkook took one last glance at the mess that was Taehyung's bed sheets, pillows, and hair before turning to leave. Before the younger could exit the room, Taehyung rolled off of the bed and took a moment to steady himself before he called out to the younger prince.

"Oh, and Jungkook? Whatever you heard me saying before in my dream...if I said anything while sleeping, just forget about it. It didn't mean anything." Taehyung walked over to the vanity and looked at pillow marks crawling up the side of his face in the mirror.

"Yeah...okay." Jungkook gave a confused tilt of the head, but didn't ask about it. When Taehyung started to pull up on the corners of his shirt to get dressed for the duel, Jungkook quickly averted his eyes and sped out the door. Once outside, Jungkook's sigh was audible to Taehyung from within the room. The door closed behind him with a soft thump. That was tense...but his flustered state is cute.

Taehyung smiled to himself a little in the mirror. Both Jungkook and Jimin were flustered with his behavior and Taehyung could tell. Taehyung was used to making normal people excited with his charming personality, but when he happened to fluster another prince...it felt so much better. 

Even though he was still angry with Jungkook from before, he couldn't help but find his embarrassment really endearing. 

Why was Jungkook even kneeling beside my bed in the first place?

Taehyung wasn't too sure. Either Jungkook was watching him sleep because he semi-liked him, or the younger was studying him coldly. Looking down upon his sleeping form, probably coming up with a plan to get rid of him. To dishearten him before the duel.

"No, Jungkook wouldn't do that. He's not like that." Taehyung said aloud to himself, brushing out his tangled blonde hair with his fingers as a knock sounded on the door. 

"Hmmm? Who is it?" Taehyung shouted out loudly to the person behind the door, expecting it to be another surprise visit from Jungkook.

Or from Jimin...? I don't think he'd visit me before we fight.