Crimson Crown

⌠31⌡

It was early morning when Jinyoung awoke. He sat up, blinking the sleep out of his eyes as the sun beamed through whatever window or opening was nearby. Once his hazy vision cleared, he surveyed his surroundings, both familiar yet foreign. He was laid across the couch with a blanket atop him, still dressed in the clothes he'd worn the day before.

"You should go home."

The voice startled him; the prince jerked his head in the direction it came from. Jackson sat in the loveseat across from him, a coffee table separating the two, with a book in his lap and a steaming cup of some beverage. Jinyoung blinked, briefly wondering if Jackson had been watching him. 

"Um... w-why?" He mumbled through his groggy voice.

"The people of the palace must be worried for you. And frankly, I don't wish to be held responsible for you."

"It's okay, the one that cares most knows where I am. I will return eventually."

Jackson hummed as he shut the book, looking up at the latter. "You just do not want to leave yet, do you."

"Unfortunately not." Jinyoung admitted.

"Fine." He set his book on the coffee table, standing up and stretching. "What does prince Jinyoung eat?"

"Eat?" The prince repeated as if the concept were foreign. On cue his stomach made a noise, proudly announcing its emptiness. "Well... anything, I suppose."

"Then I shall go fetch you a meal and prepare it for you."

"No you don't have to--" Jinyoung awkwardly swung his legs over the couch, placing his feet on the floor. Jackson had already done so much for him, he didn't want to continue being useless. "...maybe I should make something so you can rest--?"

Jackson paused for a moment before shaking his head. He continued to grab an outer coat off a wall hook and some game bags neatly folded away in a drawer. "No, I'm going. Last time you cooked... it wasn't that great."

Jinyoung blinked, taking slight offense. "But- But that time you said-"

"I was sparing your feelings because you tried so hard. It was too cute, I couldn't crush your spirit." The vampire headed for the door, glancing back at the prince who was at a loss for words. "I'll be back."

The sound of the door shutting behind him echoed through the house, leaving Jinyoung alone. It was the first time he'd been left in the house by himself, he wondered if Jackson was going to be gone for long or return fairly quickly. Either way, as he looked around the place, he began to feel that familiar curiosity gnawing at him.

He stood from the couch, slowly wandering around. He'd seen most of the first floor; the kitchen, living room, and dining room that was all connected. The wooden walls were decorated with various items ranging from hunting trophies to various paintings scattered about. Everything in there looked old, yet it had a warm feeling that made it feel like a home.

 It wasn't long before Jinyoung got bored with the first floor. He'd seen this part of the house the most, but what really caught his interest was upstairs. He felt a bit on edge as he crept up the staircase, as if Jackson was nearby and at any moment he'd get caught. But his curiosity pushed him to trek up the stairs and down the hall.

He paused by the door that had gotten him in trouble with the vampire in the first place all that time ago. He wanted to respect his wishes and leave that room alone, but the thought of it being the resting place for his family evoked other emotions within Jinyoung. Though his chest tightened with guilt as he placed a hand on the knob, he continued to push the door open, stepping into the room.