Under Noirwood | Vminkook ✓

Thirty: Unprepared

A/N: Right now it's Kim Taehyung's birthday and he's in the same time zone as me!

I'm so excited to see them perform on New Year's Rockin' Eve.

:::)))

Anywayyyy

Update: Love you all. 

izzy

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Laurel Castle was bathed in darkness. 

Florian wandered around the many grand hallways distracted by something Jimin had told him when he'd visited the day before.

I'm sorry about Eonjin...sorry about destroying her statue and hiding our friendship all this time. I was unsure if you'd be upset with a demon talking your wife's ear off all the time...

The Stone Prince coughed as he rounded a corner holding out his tall candle, admiring the way shadows flicked across the many artworks hanging from the walls. He hoped Eonjin hadn't woken up to an empty bed because she had to go to the bathroom this late. She'd worry about him--ask what was on his mind. She still had no idea that the half-blood had even visited him earlier...she had no idea that Florian had readily agreed to help his troubled cause, even if it put their unborn child in danger.

"What am I...doing?" 

The Stone Prince asked one of the artworks which bore a warrior holding out a pig's head. The pig had it's snout hung open angrily as if in mid-shriek. As if it was robbed of its last words before getting the chance to shriek them out. Its eyes were glassy and the warrior's hand clung desperately to its bloody neck. Florian felt uneasy by the scene, wondering how Taehyung picked out his pieces when he was Laurel Prince. 

The Stone Prince lingered by the painting a bit longer, staring at the triumphant look on the warrior's face with growing disgust.

 What was this feeling of...of deja vu?

Brushing it off as soon as it had sunk into his thoughts, Florian rushed quickly down the hall and back to the room he was sharing with his wife. During his extended stays at the Laurel Castle, he became so accustomed to the place that he knew most of the shortcuts and intricacies of the grand palace. However, there were some things (like the paintings) that he felt he could never get used to. Their hidden messages and emotions always threw him for one, no matter how long he spent mulling over them. It almost felt as if Taehyung was there in spirit, watching over what originally belonged to him.

No, now the Oak Castle was Taehyung's home...just like the Stone Castle was Florian's...or was it?

Inside the Stone Castle, Florian felt like a worker. The huge, new structure created after the war was done because it was necessary--because the old Stone Castle was destroyed by Jihoon's men. Despite it never being lived in by Jimin, he still felt the stares from the permanent statue of the old Stone Prince in his backyard.

Watching him.

He knew that version of the Stone Prince was no longer alive--that it was now a demon who wore Jimin's name...but regardless, when he was in the Stone Castle it still felt as if he was just visiting. As if it belonged to someone else entirely.

When he finally made his way to their shared room, he paused by the large doors. He watched the flame of his candle flicker for a few seconds before he realized some shuffling noises were coming from inside.

Shit...Eonjin must've woken up-

A small cry leaked from the doorway and Florian felt a wave of fear wash through him. Was she being attacked?