#sehunxreader

Genre: idek | exopower!au Pairing: sehun x Reader Length: 946 Warnings: vague...just like this warning lmfaooo

@avatarren asks: I love Drabble games! I’d like to request number 7 & 11 with Sehun!

a/n: idkw this one was so difficult for me. ig im getting rusty 😭

DRABBLE GAME | MASTERLIST

You were in the kitchen of your small apartment when some commotion caught your attention. You turned around and screamed from the top of your lungs when you saw a dark figure by your open window—which was not opened by you.

“It’s just me!” An urgent, familiar voice assured.

“Oh Sehun!” You cried as you placed a hand over your racing heart. “You scared the hell out of me!”

“You should really lock your windows,” he reprimanded as he closed the one he entered from, before coming into the light of the kitchen. He was dressed like a soldier, his dark hair cut short, exposing his beautifully sculpted face.

“I live on the fourth floor,” you informed him, trying not to get too distracted by his beauty.

“Still….” He leaned against your counter that sat between you both.

You go back to the ramen you were cooking, trying to ignore the tall man behind you.

You’ve known Sehun for five years now. It was a rather long story, but you had gotten yourself tied up in some scary illegal government stuff, and he had helped you out of it. Helped you get back to normality.

Unfortunately, normal was a word he never could get used to himself. He was a soldier, a defender for both this world, and one he no longer inhabited, apparently. It was all very inconceivable. All you truly understood was that he ended up stuck on Earth fighting some evil force, and he and his other friends may or may not have superpowers.

Yeah, very inconceivable.

“Ramen?” You asked.

“Yeah,” he was quick to agree. You put the pot on the counter, handing him some chopsticks. He didn’t waste any time digging in.

“You’re dressed for war,” you mentioned, noting the camo outfit and boots.

He scratched his head. “Suho found a lead. We’re heading out to investigate in the morning.”

“Oh….”

“You scared for me?” He questioned with a smirk, teasing you.

You rolled your eyes. “I should know by now that you don’t need the concern. But…. I feel like somebody needs to. You guys are always putting yourself in danger. Whenever you leave, I always wonder if….”

You were revealing too much, getting to emotional. He caught onto that, and gently asked you to continue.

You inhaled some courage. “I wonder if it’s going to be the last time I’ll ever see you.”

His eyes took you in. You watched as they bounced around, locking with every point of your face.

“You have nothing to worry about,” he finally answered. Not going to lie, you felt disappointment from his reply. “It’s our job. Why we were created.”

“But you have lost people,” you reminded him, thinking about the Luhan fellow he brought up occasionally. The best friend that wasn’t able to escape the hell they endured when they first landed onto this planet. “You are capable of dying, you know?”

“We’re stronger now. And we’re always careful, we know what we’re doing.”

“I know,” you said, dropping your gaze to the little bit of broth left in the pot. You shook your head. “Never mind. Pretend I never mentioned it.”

He went back to quietly observing you. This was what your relationship mostly consisted of. He would pop in out of nowhere and watch you, as though he was trying to understand how humans worked.

He pursed his lips and walked around the counter to stand before you. As if he weren’t completely sure what he was doing, he slowly lifted his glove-covered hands to your face, pulling it up so that you were looking at him. Your breath got caught in your throat at the contact, he’d never touched you before, not like this. It was…intimate.

“Thank you for your concern,” he said. “It makes me feel good, knowing someone cares if I’m dead or alive.”

“Is that why you always come back?” You questioned, sounding a bit more bitter than intended.

He grinned down at you. “You’re my person. You’ll always be the one I go to.”

Your eyes widened from his confession. His person. It was the most romantic thing he’d ever said, but you weren’t sure if that’s what he meant it as or not. Maybe you were reading too much into it. His eyes glimmered with something though, something that led you to believe he was indeed being romantic, in his own little way.

You smiled up at him. “You’re sure it’s not just because you saved me all those years ago?”

“I’ve saved a lot of people,” he told you. “But I don’t check up on them.”

“Just me?” You breathed.

He nodded.

“Okay.” You blushed and glanced away, growing shy. “Well, before you go, I should give you something. As a thank you for saving my life.”

“You don’t owe me anything for that,” he declined.

“All the same.”

You stood up on your tip toes to press your lips against his. It was quick. He didn’t even have time to react before you were falling back to your feet. When you pulled away, he leaned down, returning the gesture. You share a few more kisses, his arms going around your waist, yours to his covered forearms.

When he finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against yours. “I’ll need that again, I think.”

You giggled. “Whenever you’re back from your mission, I’ll gladly give you however many more you want.”

He hummed and gave into the urge to kiss you again, this one lingering. Once you slowly broke it, he left you—out the door this time.

Chapter Five

- kyungsoo x reader, royalty AU, prince!kyungsoo

- warnings : swearing, mature content, arranged marriage, good looking men

- word count : 3,257

chapter four or chapter six or masterlist

♔ ♔ ♔ ♔ ♔

The prince and princess found themselves wasting the remainder of the day in the water. Even thought they were hungry and slowly growing tired, they did not want to accept their fates back at the castle yet. They shared stories from their childhoods, both the sad and happy. They shared secrets that they had only told close friends. They shared several kisses - kisses that they knew they shouldn’t share but couldn’t care to remind themselves until after they happened. In result, they both grew more attached to one another than they had wanted to.

“Princess, come out of the water. We need to go!” Kyungsoo called out to the young woman as she floated leisurely in the water. The sun was starting to set in the distance and he knew it wouldn’t be long until they were navigating their way back to the castle in the dark. She sighed at his words and submerged under the water one last time. She had planned to exited the water soon after but her attention was snagged by the sight of an opening in the water. Was it perhaps a cave?

She lifted her head above the surface of the water to get a quick breath and just as the prince called out for her again she ducked back under. This time, she kicked her legs and swam in the direction of the opening. It was so camouflaged by it’s surroundings that she was surprised she had noticed it. It wasn’t that big, but it was big enough for her to push herself through it. For a moment, she was afraid. What if she ended up getting stuck and drowning? She was glad when she ended up popping back up from under the water and inhaled a deep breath of air. Her eyes scanned the new environment slowly. She wanted to make sure she didn’t miss anything. Near the back of the small cave was a black box that looked like a hidden treasure. Her father had told her stories about pirates who would hide their belongings in the most random places. Could this be on of them?

She almost laughed at the thought as she pushed herself out of the water. The sound of the water leaking off of her soaking figure and returning to the water below her echoed in the small cave. It was almost soothing. She grabbed the box and shook it to see if she could hear it’s contents. She was met with a thud. Happy with her findings, she quickly entered the water again and swam through the opening to return to the prince.

When her heard emerged from the water, she was met with the back of Kyungsoo’s wet head. He was looking in the water frantically. She tapped his shoulder gently and he turned in the water quickly, creating a small wave as he did so. She had never seen someone so relieved to see her face. He pulled her in his arms almost immediately, whispering about how scared he was into the shell of her ear as he held her.

“Are you okay? Where did you go?” He asked as he leaned back to examine her for any signs of a struggle. He caught sight of the box she cradled in her arms and met her eyes with furrowed eyebrows.

“I found an opening under the water. It leads to a tiny cave. I found this box in there and I thought maybe it was something interesting,” she explained to him with excitement written on her face. His hands left her skin and traced along the edges of the box curiously. There was something strange about this box.

“I think I’ve seen this box before,” he thought to himself.

“Really?” The princess’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He averted his eyes away from the box and met her wide eyes.

“Let’s get you out of the water before you get sick. It’s starting to cool off,” he told her gently. They exited the water together this time. Prince Kyungsoo had entered the water in his clothes the second time around and the princess felt herself flushed. She hadn’t thought about how worried he would have been. She sat the box down on the ground next to Strike’s feet and allowed the prince to help her put her gown back on.

“What do you think is in it?” She asked as she picked it back up, officially ready to return to the castle.

“I’m not sure. Let’s open it back at the castle,” The prince told her.

“What if it’s gold?” She wondered aloud. He smiled slightly at her inquisitive nature.

“Then perhaps we shouldn’t tell anyone about the box,” he said with amusement in his voice. She laughed lightly but agreed with a small nod of her head. She rode in behind Kyungsoo on the way back to the castle. While she hadn’t been nervous when leaving earlier, she definitely felt nervous about returning. The two of them had been gone for majority of the day and the guards had witnessed them leave together. Her eyes closed as she held onto Kyungsoo tightly, afraid that he would be kept away from her when they returned.

The stables were empty when they arrived. The princess cradled the box in her arms as she watched the prince return all of his riding equipment back to it’s rightful place. When he finished, he turned to her with a small smile.

“I guess things return back to normal now,” The princess commented with a sad voice. The prince’s smile fell at her words but he knew exactly what she meant. Everything that had happened that day was forbidden at the castle. The princess was back to being the kingdom’s future queen and the prince was back to be his brother’s shadow. He swallowed his anger, and looked down at the box in the woman’s hands.

“Will you still open it with me?” He questioned lightly.

“You thought I would open it without you?” She replied. He shrugged, his cheeks growing warm at her words. She laughed lightly and turned on her heels to exit the stables. He watched as she disappeared, knowing he would have to wait to make his way back into the castle.

When he arrived back in his room that evening, his brother was waiting on his bed with a gold coin in his hands. He was tossing it into the air and catching it as it returned back to him. His eyes flickered over at his brother, who had mysteriously disappeared throughout the day.

“Where have you been? The moon is out,” Sehun questioned his brother as he sat up straight.

“I went to the village to visit Xiumin. He was showing me a new type of ink he’s trying out. It’s fascinating, really,” Kyungsoo lied to his brother. Sehun scoffed and for a second the prince thought his brother had caught his bluff.

“You two are so boring,” he teased. Kyungsoo laughed a small, fake laugh and shook his head.

“I’ve been waiting all day. I don’t know how to apologize to the princess. Will you do it for me?” Sehun added a moment later, standing up to approach his brother.

“Just invite her to participate in archery again and include her this time,” Kyungsoo told him. Sehun furrowed his eyebrows as he thought about his brother’s suggestion.

“Do I have to say I’m sorry if I do that?” He questioned as he pointed a finger lazily at his brother.

“No, she’ll understand,” his brother assured him. He hummed as he thought it over and then a smile formed on his face.

“You’re so good with girls, brother. If you weren’t so shy and scary you’d be covered in them,” Sehun joked, slinging his arms around the man’s shoulders. Kyungsoo rolled his eyes in response. If only he knew.

Prince Sehun found the princess just as she left her room the next morning. She was surprised to find him walking towards her chambers with a confident stride. As she looked at him, she couldn’t help but feel guilty. All she could think was his brother’s perfect lips and how happy she had been spending time in solitude with the young prince yesterday.

“Good morning, Princess,” Sehun greeted politely.

“Good morning,” she breathed out a reply. He smiled at her, causing a small smile to form on her face out of instinct.

“I was wondering if, perhaps, you’d like to join me and the rest of the guys in some archery later today?” The prince offered. She was surprised for the second time in a mere two minute span.

“Did someone write that sentence for you to study?” She asked with amusement in her voice. The prince laughed nervously but shook his head in denial.

“I’d like that,” she told him. She went to walk away from him but was stopped by his hand grasping her forearm loosely. She met his eyes again and he narrowed his at her.

“I just remembered that you disappeared yesterday. I looked all over for you and I could not find you anywhere,” he thought aloud. The princess raised her eyebrows in surprise. Had she been caught?

“Did you check inside my chambers?” She replied. Her sassy tone hid her fear well. The prince scoffed in disbelief. He released her arm and ran his hand through his hair with frustration.

“No, I forgot. I should have got one of the servants around here to check for me,” he whined under his breath. The princess laughed with relief. The prince turned and looked at her with wide eyes.

“You’re laughing?” He asked. His voice was loud and his lips were parted in shock.

“I apologize, it was just too funny to me,” the young woman replied through her laughter as she covered her mouth. She turned to leave again, and this time Sehun followed after her instead of stopping her. He went on and on about how she never laughed and if she was laughing at him, then he had to be the funniest person in the entire kingdom. His logic only made her laugh more and they entered the dining hall for breakfast together laughing loudly. The noise gathered the attention of several people but the prince and princess only continued to laugh together.

“Isn’t that lovely?” The northern queen asked as she watched her son enjoy himself with his fiancée. Her husband stared at them for a moment before he began to nod.

“They’re good together,” the king commented with satisfaction in his eyes. Prince Kyungsoo looked down at his plate and gripped his utensils tighter at both the sight of his brother with the princess and his parents’ conversation. Perhaps he had been blind this entire time and his brother truly would win the princess over. It didn’t make the lingering feeling of her lips pressed against his vanish instantly, though, and the more he thought about yesterday was the more he grew confused.

“Good morning family,” Prince Sehun greeted his parents and brother. The princess bowed slightly from beside him, but she did not speak. She felt her breath leave her lungs quickly as she sat next to Prince Kyungsoo. She had prepared herself all night to be careful around the prince but he wouldn’t even glance in her direction this morning. Had he regretted yesterday? There was an overwhelming feeling of panic at the mere thought of the prince regretting yesterday. It had been such a special day for her and she had hoped it had been for him, too.

“Eat quickly. You have a lot of duties to attend to today,” The king told Sehun as he watched his son take his first bite of food.

“Excuse me,” Prince Kyungsoo spoke suddenly. The princess watched as he placed his eating utensils against the surface of the table with a little more force than needed. He pushed his chair back and stood quickly, leaving before anyone could ask him if he were alright.

“That boy is growing moodier by the day,” the king said with a bitterness as he watched his son exit the dining hall.

“Ah, just like his father,” The queen teased.

The princess found herself hiding away in her chambers throughout the day. She wanted to go to the library, but she was afraid Kyungsoo would be there. She wanted to go to the stables, but she was, again, afraid the prince would be there. The village was an option, but she knew she would not be able to go without a guard after the incident during her first trip there. So, she sat in front of a wide window and wrote a letter to her father expressing how much she missed his company. Never in her life had she been away from him for so long. It was hard, but she knew it was something she would have to grow used to.

She had just finished her letter when a knock echoed against the stone walls of her room. She left the parchment sitting in it’s place as she went to swing the door open. Sehun stood before her, with a grinning Baekhyun right beside him. It was the first time that the sight of the pair together didn’t make her want to slam the door in their faces.

“Is it time for our game of archery?” She asked with a small smile.

“Yes,” was Sehun’s simple answer. She joined them in the hall a second later and they began to make their way towards the fitness hall. Sehun’s hand found hers after Baekhyun had teased them for hiding their love because of his presence and she felt her shoulders stiffen. Baekhyun gaped at her when she took his soft hand into her free hand.

“You weren’t lying when you said she was in a good mood today,” Baekhyun told the princess.

“I never lie,” Sehun replied smugly. The three were met with the remainder of their friends when they strolled towards the archery area. All eyes were on the three’s connected hands that the princess had been swinging happily.

“Ah, what is this?” Jongdae asked. There was amusement swimming in his eyes as he looked at the three.

“The princess has finally accepted that she loves me,” Baekhyun announced dramatically as he held their intertwined hands up proudly. She scoffed and freed both of her hands quickly.

“I was afraid they would get lost if I didn’t lead them here,” she answered Jongdae.

“Everyone you passed will already be spreading the rumor around that the three of you are involved in scandalous behavior,” Kai told them.

“If it wasn’t that then it would be some other ridiculous rumor,” Sehun responded. He paused when his eyes scanned the frowning face of his brother.

“Are you feeling bad today, brother?” He asked curiously. The princess looked at him but he still refused to even glance at her.

“I’m alright,” Kyungsoo answered quietly. The brothers shared a look and Sehun nodded. Jongdae placed his hand on the young prince’s shoulder before instructing everyone to get moving. Everyone took turns shooting. The princess was particularly impressed by the skills of Jongdae, who managed to shoot just as well as she had yesterday. Baekhyun did better today than he had previously and the victorious grin on his face was a constant reminder. No matter how well anyone did, it was Prince Kyungsoo that had earned her full attention when he went to shoot. His stance was so stiff, yet so loose at the same time. Those big of eyes of his decreased in size as he narrowed them in attempts to see the target better. Even the small movement of his fingers pulling at the bow’s string had her complete attention. He released his arrow after what seemed like an eternity to the princess and it landed perfectly in the center of the target. His friends applauded for him, offering him nothing but praise as he returned to his place. It was because of this that a smile formed on his face. Though it was only a tiny smile, it was still a smile.

“Think you can do that, princess?” Jongin questioned as he handed the woman a bow. She took it politely and shared a smile with the man.

“You know I can,” she replied confidentially. They all knew she could after what they had witnessed yesterday. She was nervous today, though. She knew Prince Kyungsoo would be watching her every move and that had started an internal war with herself. Every insecurity she had decided to creep up on her. She released the arrow with a shaky breath, grimacing when it landed a few centimeters away from the center of the target.

“I thought you were feeling good today?” Baekhyun asked her as she returned to the group.

“I don’t feel so good anymore,” she confessed as she met his eyes.

“That’s alright. You don’t have to prove yourself to us. We know you’re the best shot here,” Jongdae assured her with a warm smile.

“And second prettiest,” Baekhyun added, wrapping his arm around her shoulders comfortingly.

“Am I the first?” Sehun asked playfully.

“No, I am,” Baekhyun told him with a smirk on his face.

The group decided to call it a day after another few rounds. They all went their separate ways, probably heading to bed for the night. It was late, after all. Sehun had been away for majority of the day to attend to his royal duties, causing a delay for their plans. The princess usually didn’t mind being out so late, but today she wanted nothing more than to disappear back to her chambers. That’s where she immediately started off too when she left the fitness hall. Her footsteps were slow and her mind was racing with worries after Prince Kyungsoo’s strange behavior that day.

Just as she made it onto the stairwell, she was stopped by someone’s hand grasping her shoulder. She turned around quickly with surprise on her face. Her eyes only grew wider when she saw Kyungsoo’s big eyes staring up at her. He seemed to have done it on impulse, as his hand retracted from her exposed skin as soon as she had turn to look at him.

“What-“ she was interrupted by the prince placing his finger against her lips. She heard voice in the hallway she had come from and instantly went silent. Once they faded away, the prince lowered his hand away from her face.

“I need to speak with you,” he told her quietly.

“You’ve been avoiding me all day,” she told him as if she thought he were lying.

“I know, and I’ll explain, but please-“

“Okay. Come to my room,” she rushed out.

“The guards will see me,” he shook his head.

“I’ll cause a diversion,” she informed him.

“Sehun will be expecting me. I told him I was preparing a snack for us,” he shook his head again. She sighed in frustration and frowned.

“Was he suspicious of you yesterday?” She asked. He nodded, a frown of his own frowning on his face.

“He was of me too,” she admitted lowly.

“The library. That’s where we’ll meet. Tonight, okay?” Kyungsoo finally suggested. It was like music to her ears. She nodded quickly and he smiled.

“I have to go before I kiss you,” she breathed out. She turned on her heels and dashed up the stairs, leaving Kyungsoo to watch her with amusement on his face.

Sehun - A Friend of A Friend / Part 2

All Chapters: 

Photo not mine, got it on google

Author: @loeyeolty AU: College AU Genre:  Fluff Pairing: Sehun x Reader Word Count: 599

Plot: Sehun was pissed when he found out that someone stole his precious Bubble Tea in the college dorm.

Masterlist

“Who the fuck drank my bubble tea?”

It was 8 AM Sehun was making a ruckus in the dorm pantry, examining the three of you in the room: Chanyeol, you and your roommate. You swallowed the heavy lump down your throat, as he slowly walked behind you, his keen eyes observing your every move.

Chapter 20:

Our 1 Year

Sehun's POV

Today was (Y/n) and I first year anniversary of dating, but I had to spend it away from her, in China. EXO is having a concert, which torn me away from my girl on our big day. I was sitting in the hotel room, on video chat with her.

"Babe, it's ok."

"No, it's not. I would rather be with you than here."

"Oppa, you need to be there for your fans. I know just how much you love me, but I know hold to share my man."

I laughed at her words. She was right I need to not be shellfish of my needs. I'm an idol and many girls fell in love with us. I shouldn't close myself off from the people who loved me first. We talked for hours on end, and just when I was about to tell her good night.

"(Y/N)!!!!"

The guys all came in and ruined the moment. They all huddled around the computer and me, all waving and smiling at (Y/n).

"Hey, guys. What's up?"

Each member got to talk with her and said their goodbyes before heading off to bed.

"Well, I guess I should hang up now."

"Same here. I have to work tomorrow. So I don't know if I'll be able to call. I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine. We're both pretty busy, plus that's our concert day anyway."

"Well, I miss you my fluffy head bubble tea boy!"

"I miss you too, Angel. I'll see you went we come back, and you better have some kind of dessert ready for me."

I pointed my finger at the screen, but she just stuck her tongue out and turned off the video. 'Gosh, she drives me crazy.' I laughed at myself and hopped into bed for a good rest.

Concert day

We were running the show to make sure sound and formations were good. I could feel the sweat dripping off me due to the hot lights shining on the stage.

"OK guys. Everyone freshen up for the show tonight and rest a bit."

Suho told us and we all followed suit. We all took a quick shower and headed over to get our makeup and hair done. While I was getting my hair done, I texted (Y/N).

Hey 6:45 p.m

I looked at the clock then back at the phone. Still no text. 'She must be really busy.' I was upset but the show must go on.

Concert time

We had just gotten through our fourth song and we took a break to chat with the fans.

"How is everyone doing tonight?"

*Screams*

"So we have had toured all over the world and some fans are wondering if we miss something important to us?"

Xiumin answered, "I miss my bed. Sleeping in all these hotels just makes me miss my one and only bed."

Next Chanyeol, "I miss hanging out in my room and playing with my guitar."

*Screams*

" Hey, Sehun. What do you miss the most?"

I was shocked when Chen asked me. (Think of the gif above)

"Ugh... I really miss my Angel and Vivi."

*Awwwww*

"Today is actually our first year anniversary, and I would really like to be with her on this day. I mean a year is a long time to be with one person. I'm surprised that she is still with me."

*Awwwww*

I was trying not to tear up at the thought of not being with (Y/N) on our special day. All this time and she still continued to love me for a whole year. She understood how hard my life was, yet still stood by my side and helped me when times got tough. I really couldn't ask for anyone better suited for me, than her. As I thought about it some more, I could hear screams continuously getting louder. So I looked up to see (Y/N) standing next to the guys. For that short moment, it was like everything faded and I could only see her. 'She's the one.'

"Happy One Year Anniversary to Sehun and (Y/N)!!!"

The guys shouted. I ran straight up to her and hugged her with all my might. I could feel her tears soaking my shirt, but I didn't care. I pulled back to see her beautiful face and kissed her on the forehead.

*Screams*

"I love you, my Angel."

Time skip- back at the hotel

In was now 1 o'clock in the morning but I had my girl sleeping in my arms. I was so happy that sleep wasn't an option. If this was a dream, I didn't want to wake up. I held her tightly to my body. I could feel the heat from her body warming mine up. I kissed the top of her head.

"I am indefinitely in love with you, (Y/N) (Y/L). Happy One Year and One Day Anniversary.

Chapter Six

- kyungsoo x reader, royalty AU, prince!kyungsoo

- warnings : swearing, mature content, arranged marriage, good looking men

- word count : 2,705

chapter five or chapter seven or masterlist

♔ ♔ ♔ ♔ ♔

The princess had went straight to her chambers after her talk with Kyungsoo. She had gotten dressed as if she were going to bed before she had poked her head outside her door and handed her letter to her father to the guards. ‘Deliver this to one of the handmaidens to send off.’ She had shut the door before they could argue that it wasn’t their job to do that. She leaned her ear against the thick wood and tried to listen to their conversation through the door after that. After a few minutes of arguing with one another, the guards agreed to go together to find one of the handmaidens. She smiled in triumph at the sound of their fading footsteps. Anxious to see the prince, she grabbed the box they had discovered yesterday and raced out of the room.

The library was empty just like it had been the first time she had come alone. The princess wasn’t sure what time Kyungsoo would show up, nor was she sure if he would come with good news. Still, she read a book to try and tame her mind as she waited for his arrival. It was an hour and a half later when he bursted through the doors of the library. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on her and she smiled assuringly. He had assumed she wouldn’t come. His relief was visible as his shoulders slackened and his jaw loosened.

“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long,” he said quietly as he made his way to where she sat. It was the same chair she had fallen asleep on nights ago. She shut her book, shaking her head as she did so. Before she could stand up from her seat, the prince knelt down in front of her. His hands were placed on the armrests of the chair and his eyes were locked with hers.

“I need to apologize for avoiding you today. I was scared,” he apologized in a voice so soft that the princess almost missed his words. She sat up straighter, with a confused frown on her face.

“Why would you be scared?” She questioned.

“When you walked in with Sehun... the two of you were laughing and enjoying each other’s company. I suppose it was just jealousy but how could I not be jealous when fate has already promised him a marriage to you?” He spoke quicker than she had ever heard him speak before. She understood his fear now. She reach out, hesitantly, and rested the palm of her hand against his soft face. He leaned into her touch and let his eyes close for a moment.

“I thought you regretted yesterday when you wouldn’t look at me,” she confessed in shame. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment at not recognizing his true frustrations right away.

“No, never,” he told her with a small smile. She laughed quietly and he leaned up so that their lips could meet. She melted into him immediately, letting her hands run down the smooth skin of his neck until she was gripping at his shirt-cladded chest. With a few seconds, she was running her tongue across his plump, bottom lip. Prince Kyungsoo tasted like fresh fruit mixed with the sweet taste of chocolate. She could only guess what snack he had prepared earlier. Whatever it was, she couldn’t get enough. The prince was the first to pull away. He pressed his forehead against hers and breathed in small pants. She could feel every breath rake across her lips. It was intoxicating and she had to stop herself from pulling him back against her lips again so soon.

“What is it you want me to do?” She asked lowly as her eyes searched his. He was silent for a moment and then he muttered one word that she wished he hadn’t. ‘Run.’ She released a shaky breath at his request, knowing it was the one thing she couldn’t give him.

“My kingdom is depending on me. Without me, they may all starve,” she reminded him. Her voice trembled as she spoke, as she knew her words would only disappoint him.

“You’re willing to sacrifice your entire life for your kingdom?” He asked in astonishment. She nodded against his head in response. It was the complete truth. Even if Prince Sehun had turned out to be the worst person to ever exist, she would have still went through with the marriage so that the northern kingdom would help with food supplies.

“You’re going to be an incredible queen,” he mumbled, his voice distant but his words genuine.

“Would you sacrifice your happiness for your kingdom?” The princess couldn’t help but ask.

“If they needed me, yes, but my kingdom is thriving already and they do not need me. They have my brother, after all,” he answered, pulling away from the princess so that he could look down at his hands. She hummed as she considered his words. Even though she knew that Kyungsoo was almost invisible compared to his brother, she found herself wishing she had a brother she could depend on to keep her kingdom alive.

“You brought the box,” he commented in surprise when he seen the black container sitting in the floor next to the chair. He reach out and grabbed it quickly, letting his fingers trace over it like he had yesterday. He had thought about it all night long - it seemed too familiar to him and he didn’t like that. The box gave him an uneasy feeling.

“I told you we would open it together,” The princess told him.

“Here?” He looked up at here with raised eyebrows. She nodded and he looked back down at the box with a frown.

There was a large lock in the middle of it. How could he get this thing open? The princess slipped a few pins from her hair and let it completely fall down against her shoulders. She handed Kyungsoo the pins as if he would know what to do with them, but he only looked at them in confusion. She took the box from him a few seconds later and began to work on picking the lock.

“Where did you learn to pick a lock?” He asked in bewilderment. She glanced up and caught his surprised gaze. A small smile formed on her face.

“There was a man in my village back home that was sent to the dungeons for stealing food. It turns out that he was a master lock picker. I would bring him food, paper, and a pen everyday and he would unlock his cell to draw me a picture while he ate. One day, he taught me how to do it myself,” she told him as her fingers struggled to get the pins to work in their favor.

“Did he know you were the princess?” The prince couldn’t help but ask.

“I told him, but he didn’t believe me. He said that a princess wouldn’t bring a prisoner food,” she answered quietly.

“Most wouldn’t,” the prince agreed. The lock clicked just as he finished speaking. She grinned in delight and shook her head.

“It would appear being different has its benefits then, huh?” She asked playfully, but as he caught her eye he knew she had an underlying meaning to her words. He was different and she thought it was a good thing. He smiled shyly at her before he took the box back and placed it into his lap. She watched as he opened the box, frowning when she saw a bunch of old pieces of parchment. They must’ve been a little over twenty years old from the appearance of them. Kyungsoo took them out and let his eyes skim over them slowly. There were several expressions that formed on his face over the course of a few seconds. He went from joy, to curiosity, to sadness, and then he settled on anger. He tossed the first piece of parchment to the side before he dug through the rest of the box. He felt sick to his stomach as he continued to read them. When it became too much for him to handle, he placed the box in the princess’s lap and stood up from his place on the floor.

The princess watched as he held the back of his hand against his mouth, as if he were anticipating for himself to throw up at any second. She looked down at the pieces of parchment with furrowed eyebrows. What could he possibly have read to react in such a way? Her fingers held the paper up so that she could read it’s contents and quickly they began to tremble. In her hands, she held a birth record that belonged to one very special person: Prince Kyungsoo.

“Oh my god,” she whispered frantically as she continued to skim over the contents of the box. Everything in the box revealed a lie that had been obviously been hidden from everyone in the kingdom. How could anyone manage to hide something this big that well? She couldn’t even comprehend how or why anyone would do that. She placed the box on the floor and approached Kyungsoo’s stiff figure from behind. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head against his back.

“My entire life is a lie,” he whispered bitterly. The princess didn’t know what to say in this situation. What was there to say?

“You know this means you’re the one who’s supposed to inherit the throne?” She asked quietly. Perhaps it wasn’t what she should have said in that moment, but it certainly was enough to fuel the fire that Kyungsoo felt in that moment. He turned around quickly, and looked down at the princess with wide, fiery eyes.

“I’m the one that should be inheriting the throne,” he repeated. She looked up at him, wondering if he had secretly been hungry for power this entire time.

“I’m the one that should be marrying you,” he added soon after. She wasn’t sure how she felt. Relieved? Angry? She was definitely hurt for the prince. How dare his parents keep this from him?

“I’m going to marry you. Mark my damn words,” he mumbled as if talking to himself.

“How?” She asked with wide eyes.

“I have a friend in the village. His name is Xiumin - he works in a printshop. I’ll make him make copies of the records and we’ll get them to spread around the village,” he explained his plan to her in one, rushed breath.

“And then?” She wondered.

“It will reach the kingdom. If the universe feels at least an ounce of sympathy for me, then this should work. I’ll turn this whole kingdom against my liar of a father,” he continued. The princess paused for a moment.

“Kyungsoo, the box must belong to your father. We need to hide it before he finds out that we found it,” she told him quickly.

They parted that night with a long, passionate kiss that had left the princess breathless. Kyungsoo took the box with him with the promise that he would hide it in a safe location. The princess trusted his word. The guards were back in their places when she arrived back at her chambers. Fortunately, she had made it right before the shift change. The tired guards were sitting against the wall with their heads laying on top of each other, snoring softly into the night air. She almost laughed, but her racing heartbeat reminded her of her vulnerable position. She tiptoed back to her room in her nightgown and pushed her way back into the room quietly. She made sure to shut the door softly behind her.

The next morning, the princess found herself walking alongside Prince Sehun towards the stables. The sun had only been awake for a few minutes and her rays were already warm against the princess’s exposed skin. Her fingers chased each other in circles as she thought about how the second trip to the village would go. Sure, most of the people had accepted her her for the most part, but she knew that there were more people like the angry woman she had encountered hiding somewhere in the shadows. She couldn’t be upset about the fact that they were so angry that they’d take it out on her. They must be terrified for both themselves and their families that a new king and queen meant big changes, changes that could be potentially worse than what rules were already in place. It made sense for them to be angry. She could remember the torn outfit the woman had been wearing and wondered what kind of kingdom the northern kingdom truly was to leave someone in such a state without trying to help.

All of her worries about the trip seemed to vanish when she saw Prince Kyungsoo in the distance. He was, of course, already at the stables preparing for the ride to the village. Her heart began to beat rapidly in her chest at the sight of the dark haired man working so hard. He shared a smile with one of the stable workers before he caught sight of the princess and his brother walking towards where he stood. He paused for a moment, basking in the sight of the woman he adored so dearly before he turned and made his way back into the barn.

“Princess! Sehun!” She heard a voice called out for her and the man next to her. She turned her head just slightly to see Baekhyun standing near a horse with his hand in the air waving wildly. A grin was on his face as he waved at them and she thought that he looked truly mad. She couldn’t help but laugh a little. Sehun glanced over at her as he waved at Baekhyun lazily. He noticed the princess seemed a lot more relaxed these days than she did when she had first arrived to the northern kingdom. What had changed? He paled at the thought that maybe she had finally fell for him. She ran towards Baekhyun, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He watched as they shared a handshake that they had wasted time coming up with yesterday at dinner. It was like watching two overgrown children interact as they giggled amongst themselves.

“You’re coming with us to the village?” The princess asked Baekhyun.

“That’s right. You won’t have to miss me all day now,” he answered her with a smug expression. He threw a his arm over her shoulders and squeezed her tightly, making her smile. Prince Kyungsoo walked over to where they stood with a horse saddle in his hands. He worked quietly as he put the saddle on Baekhyun’s horse and the princess tried to pull her eyes away from his working figure, but she couldn’t. Even when she felt the weight of Baekhyun’s arm leave her and heard him greet Prince Sehun, her eyes were glued to him. He glanced over at her when the feeling of her stare didn’t leave him. She seen the corners of his lips rise and fall so quickly that it was like it hadn’t happened at all.

“Princess, you don’t mind if we go to the bakery again do you?” Prince Sehun asked her, finally drawing her attention away from Kyungsoo. She glanced up at the man and shook her head.

“No. I have a bad craving for chocolate this morning,” she replied. This time, Kyungsoo couldn’t keep a smile from forming on his face.

Chapter Twelve

- kyungsoo x reader, royalty AU, prince!kyungsoo

- warnings : swearing, mature content, arranged marriage, good looking men

- word count : 2,795

chapter eleven or chapter thirteen or masterlist

♔ ♔ ♔ ♔ ♔

The princess took a deep breath as she looked down the small hill. At the bottom of the hill, she could see the reflection of the moonlight on the river's surface. If she looked harder, she could see the figure of a man sitting on the embankment of the river. Her heart pounded against her chest and her trembling fingers had shown up for an encore.

"I'm right here if you need me," Kyungsoo whispered against the shell of her ear before he placed a tender kiss against her forehead. She nodded and took a brave step forward. Once her feet had began to move, she couldn't get them to stop. Her footsteps were quiet, but the mystery man still seemed to hear them over the sound of the crickets singing into the night. He turned and looked at her with raised eyebrows. When she met his eyes, her feet finally found the power to stop. Her eyes were wide and full of disbelief.

The mystery man was Park Chanyeol.

"Oh my god," she whispered into the summer air. Her eyebrows furrowed with confusion as she watched the tall man rise from his seat on the grassy ground. He walked over to her slowly. He swallowed his nerves as he made his way over and cleared his throat before he let a soft 'hello' roll off the tip of his tongue.

"Hi," The princess replied weakly.

"I think there's something we need to talk about," he told her quietly. She agreed with a simple nod of her head. He glanced up the hill, just now noticing Prince Kyungsoo standing with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. The man was already intimidating enough with the sun up. Chanyeol drew in a sharp breath at the sight but allowed the corners of his lips to lift.

"Your bodyguard for the night?" He questioned in a playful manner. The princess glanced over her shoulder at the man she loved and couldn't help but smile softly.

"You could say that," she replied. Chanyeol revealed that he lived in a small cabin next to the mill, along the riverside. He insisted that she joined him there, claiming that he had some things he needed to show her. She called out to Kyungsoo - who was at her side within a few seconds. Her hand rested against his right arm comfortingly as he glanced between Chanyeol and her with fire in his eyes. She explained that they were going to Chanyeol's cabin and he hesitantly nodded.

The three arrived at the cabin within just a minute. It was small in size but stood at an astonishing height. It was decorated with flowers all around and the walls of the cabin were painted a light blue that looked almost green due to the fire of the lantern hanging by the door. The princess would have never imagined Chanyeol living in such a place, but she thought it suited him well enough. The inside of the cabin was sort of messy, but it was a welcoming mess. It looked lived in; it looked like the man's home. He quickly lit a few lanterns and the small space glowed.

"I know this is all strange, but I promise I will make sense of it before you leave," Chanyeol told the woman. He cleared two seats around his small table, that sat neglected in the corner of the cabin. Kyungsoo and the princess sat down at the table and watched as he rushed around the small space. He collected a few leather journals, as well as a few scrolls, and finally took a seat at the table next to the princess. His eyes flickered up from the handful of items sitting on the table's surface to the princess's.

"I'm not entirely sure how to go about this, so please bear with me," Chanyeol told her. She could tell he was nervous from the shakiness of his words. His lip trembled as he spoke ever so slightly. She found herself feeling sympathy for the man, wondering if this is what she had looked like all day. His large hand grabbed at one of the leather journals and he flipped through it until he found what he was looking for.

"When I was a small boy, this man would visit me a few times throughout the month. I never really knew who he was until I was old enough to understand the concept of people existing outside of my mother. We lived alone - in a small cabin like this one on the outskirts of your kingdom's village," Chanyeol began his story, his eyes traveling across the piece of parchment in his hands. He stopped speaking and looked up from the parchment to meet the princess's eyes.

"The man's visits came to a slow when I was around nine. He told me it was because he had a child that he needed to take care of because her mother wouldn't. He would visit once or twice a month, but he would send me letters weekly. He would bring his daughter sometimes, but he couldn't after her mother found out where they had been going. Do you know who that man was?" Chanyeol asked the princess. She stared at him with curious eyes.

"Who?" She asked quietly.

"It was your father," he revealed softly. Her eyes grew at the revelation. She released a nervous laugh, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Why would my father visit you so often?" She asked with confusion in her voice. Chanyeol handed her the piece of parchment that rest in between his fingers and she looked down at it with furrowed eyebrows.

"Because he was my father, too," the man confessed in a whisper. She looked up from the parchment and looked at him as if he had grown three heads. He was nervous and his eyes watched her every movement. He had anticipated her rejection for years now. Again and again, he had pictured this very moment in his mind.

"Read it," he urged her, nodding down at the parchment in her hands. She looked back down at it with a speeding heartbeat. She felt a thin layer of sweat covering her skin already. Could it be true?

'My Dearest Grace,

For years now I have hidden a large part of my world from you. The pain I have felt from having to keep my two favorite creations separated is indescribable. If you're reading this then that means I have passed away and Chanyeol has found you.

You're probably wondering why I have waited until this moment to bring you together. I've asked myself the same question for a while now. Perhaps it was fear - fear that your mother would end up tearing you right back apart.

I don't want you to be angry. I want you to live a life you can look back on and smile because you lived a life you loved. You do not have to accept Chanyeol with open arms, but he is your brother and I love him as much as I love you. Be gentle with him. I hope you can find it in your heart to care for him and to one day forgive me.

Love,

Your Father'

The princess held a shaky hand over her mouth as she stared at the parchment. For a second she thought she was going to burst out into violent sobs, and then she thought she was going to release her stomach's contents all over the table. Kyungsoo's hand found hers under the table and he gave it a gentle squeeze. She looked up at him and lowered her hand slowly. He could see the tears in her eyes, the pain and shock in her face's features. He hated to see her so distraught when he knew there was nothing he could do to help sooth her pain.

"You told me you didn't know me," she whispered accusingly at Chanyeol, her eyes finding his as she did so.

"I was told not to. You don't know how hard it was to keep quiet when I saw you in the bakery and then you came back multiple times after that... it was like you were taunting me. I've been alone for most of my life and I finally had the chance to have my sister - it wasn't fair," he replied to her in a frantic tone. She stood from the table quickly, and Chanyeol found himself standing just as quickly. He was just about to plead for her to give him a chance when she threw her arms around his shoulders and pulled him into her. He was considerably taller than her and bent down so that she wouldn't have to strain to reach him. An expression of relief washed over his face as he let his chin rest on her shoulder. He felt her shoulders shake as she cried and within a few seconds he was crying himself. Kyungsoo felt as if he were invading an intimate moment and looked away from the pair to stare at his empty hands. There were several things he had expected to happen tonight; this was certainly not one of them.

The brother and sister held each other for a few minutes and pulled away one another once their crying had died down. The princess laughed lightly as she looked at Chanyeol's tear stricken cheeks, letting her thumb wipe at them until they were gone.

"Come back to the castle with me tonight. We have too much to catch up on," she insisted. Without being able to say no, Chanyeol agreed. He told her to give him a few minutes to gather some of his belongs to go. She was fine with that. She took a seat next to Kyungsoo, her hands finding his.

"I have an older brother," she whispered with amazement in her voice. He smiled softly and reach over to wipe a stray tear from her face.

"You know what this means?" He asked her quietly. She sent him a questioning look. He glanced over at the tall man before he leaned forward and spoke again.

"Chanyeol's the new king."

Chanyeol and the princess stayed up until the sun was rising again. They shared stories about their father that neither had known before. The princess felt bad for having her father around her at all times while her brother had only gotten him for a few years, and so she let him do most of the talking. They laughed and they cried, but they had never felt more whole in their lives.

"I can't sleep," Chanyeol whispered into the dimly lit room. He glanced over at the princess, who laid with a peaceful expression. She asked him why he couldn't sleep without opening her eyes. She was exhausted, but she found herself not able to sleep either.

"I'm afraid when I wake you won't be here anymore," Chanyeol confessed. He watched as the princess's eyes fluttered open. She sighed quietly and shifted in the bed so that her head rested against his chest. He let an arm wrap around her lazily as he stared up at the ceiling.

"I've always wanted a brother and now that I have you, it will take a war to separate me from you," she mumbled into his chest. A small smile formed on his lips.

"I hope I'm a good big brother," he sighed. When the princess didn't reply, he realized she had fallen asleep. He tried to recall their brief moments together as a child, but he could only remember small details. He had been so angry at the universe for keeping him away from his family all these years and, finally, the universe had given him what he wanted. It was too good to be true. He let his eyes close, trying to evade the worrisome thoughts. Before he knew it he was slipping away from reality and into a dream.

He woke up the next morning to loud whispers. His eyes cracked open just slightly to see the princess gesturing towards him as she spoke with Prince Sehun. He hand his hands on his hips and his eyebrows were raised as if he were upset by what the woman was saying. Chanyeol quickly raised up in the bed and held his hands out.

"I c-can explain," he stuttered with a slight slur to his words. The two royal figures looked at him in surprise. The princess couldn't help but giggle at the sight of his wide, tired eyes and his messy hair. Sehun suddenly bursted with laughter and held onto his stomach as he did so. The sound of his silly laugh only made the princess's giggles blossom into full on laughter. She held onto the prince's arm as they laughed together. Chanyeol looked at them with confusion in his eyes.

"What?" He finally asked, aggravated with them. They slowly sobered up from their intoxicating laughter and looked over at him.

"I've already told Sehun you're my brother. Besides... I am not with Sehun," the princess explained. His eyebrows shot up quickly and he pointed at them accusingly.

"But you're engaged!" He exclaimed. The prince and princess shared a glance with one another.

"I'm with Prince Kyungsoo."

"And I'm trying to be with Junmyeon."

Chanyeol blinked at them once, twice, and then a third time before he raised his hand to pressed his palm against his forehead. He had always assumed there was complications within the castle but he could have never imagined anything this complex. He listened to the prince and princess as they explained their situations. Disbelief could not describe how he felt as he listened. Suddenly he was looking at both Prince Kyungsoo and his fellow employee at the bakery differently.

"Prince Kyungsoo - is he good to you?" He asked the princess once everyone had fell silent. He watched as her cheeks transformed into a warm, pink shade and an adoring smile formed on her face. It was an expression of nothing but love.

"Oh, he's the best. I could go on and on for days. He's quiet at first, but I think you and him will become good friends," his sister answered him. Prince Sehun scoffed before he teased the princess for being so in love with his brother. He couldn't deny the fact that seeing the two together made him happy. While he knew he would never be able to love her like she deserved, he knew his brother would. He was glad his brother was getting the privilege of loving someone as wonderful as the princess, too. He grew unusually quiet as he began to daydream about nieces and nephews. I'll be a damn good uncle, he thought to himself.

The princess introduced Chanyeol to all of their friends after lunch. They welcomed him with kind smiles while he bowed before them respectively. His sister assured him that he didn't need to do that - he was a king after all.

"Princess, how many times am I going to have to ask you out to dinner before you say yes?" Baekhyun asked the princess as they sat against the cool grass out in the garden. The princess pretended to consider his words thoroughly, while her brother's head snap towards them quickly. He had stopped talking mid conversation with Jongdae to listen.

"C'mon, I would do anything to have lunch with a pretty woman like you," Baekhyun added with a suggestive smile as he looked over at the princess. She was about to laugh and push at his shoulder playfully when her brother spoke up.

"Hey! Don't flirt with my sister like that when she's already spoken for!"

Everyone looked between the two men, feeling the tension in the air already. Chanyeol glared down at the childlike man who had been speaking with his sister while Baekhyun simply stared up at him with amusement. Everyone was even more surprised when the sound of Kyungsoo's laughter sliced through the thick, tense air.

"We're keeping him," he told the princess once he had finished laughing. She rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile.

"Baekhyun always speaks to the princess like that and sometimes she plays along. It's just their friendship - they know there's no feelings involved," Sehun explained to the king with an amused smile. Chanyeol's lips parted at the man's words. Jongdae and Jongin laughed at his expression, teasing him when they saw his face turn a bright shade of embarrassment.

Chapter Eight

- kyungsoo x reader, royalty AU, prince!kyungsoo

- warnings : swearing, mature content, arranged marriage, death, family drama, mentions of seho

- word count : 2,639

chapter seven or chapter nine or masterlist

♔ ♔ ♔ ♔ ♔

The ride to the princess’s home kingdom was the longest of her life. Every second there was a voice in the back of her reminding her that her father could very well be gone before she arrived. So, a fresh tear would escape the confines of her eyes with every passing minute. Sehun sat stiffly, eyeing the weeping princess with a glum expression on his face. He wanted to help her, but he wasn’t sure how. He had never had to comfort anyone like this before. It wasn’t until this moment that he realized how blessed he had been.

When they arrived, the princess didn’t wait for the driver to open her carriage door and instead took it upon herself to open it before they had even came to a complete stop. Sehun followed after her quickly, instructing one of the servants waiting for them to collect their things and bring them inside. The princess ran through the castle as if her own life depended on it. The stairs didn’t even slow her down; she bounded up them as if they weren’t even there. The prince followed her with a racing heartbeat. He wasn’t out of shape but he certainly wasn’t used to running at this speed.

Eventually, the princess came to a stop in front of a large set of doors. There were designs painted on them, but the paint was faded. It wasn’t an elegant design at all - in fact, it was sloppy brushwork. The princess took deep breaths as she let her eyes take in the sight of the familiar doors. For months she had been preparing herself for this day, but now that it had arrived she realized there was no way that she would ever be ready to face this reality. Sehun approached her with cautious footsteps. He rested his hand gently on her shoulder when he was next to her, causing her soft eyes to glance up at him.

“You should go inside,” he told her quietly. His words seemed to make her breathing quicken. She knew she should enter her father’s room but she also knew that she wasn’t ready to handle the pain that would come when she did so.

“Will you go with me?” She pleaded in a fearful voice.

“Are you sure?” Sehun asked quietly, knowing this would be one of the last chances for the princess to be alone with her father.

“I can’t do it alone, Sehun,” she cried.

“You won’t have to. I’ll be there with you every second of the way,” he assured her. She gave him a sad, thankful smile before she let her small hand slip into his. With one last sharp breath, the princess pushed forward.

Her father’s room looked as it had since she was a younger girl. There were paintings scattered all over the walls, books sitting on various pieces of furniture, and candles lit all around. The difference now was that the room was cold and the atmosphere was gloomy. The princess felt Sehun squeeze her hand comfortingly as their eyes landed on her father’s frail figure laying in bed. She could see his chest rise and fall ever so often, but he looked lifeless. She approached his side slowly. When his eyes found hers she couldn’t help but let out a small sob.

“You made it,” her father whispered weakly. She nodded and dropped down to her knees. Sehun followed suit, bowing his head as he did so. The King reach for his daughter’s free hand, cradling it tenderly in his own. He hated to see his daughter so sad, and because of this his own features seemed to grow glum.

“I’m glad you two are here together,” her father revealed with a small smile.

“Were you worried we wouldn’t be?” The princess asked with furrowed eyebrows.

“I was worried we had forced you into the wrong marriage,” he confessed.

“Your daughter is safe with me, sir,” Sehun spoke now, his voice low and assuring. The king’s eyes met his and there seemed to be an unspoken conversation between the two.

“That’s not what I was worried about,” the king told them.

“Then what?” The princess wondered.

“I was worried you wouldn’t be able to find love in each other.”

The three continued to talk for the rest of the evening. The king grew weaker with every hour, but he assured the pair that he was okay. They talked about everything - from the weather to their favorite memories. They shared laughs and many tears, but it was everything that the king wanted before he passed away. He was comforted by the fact that the princess was marrying a man he approved of. When night came, he announced that he was tired. The princess took both of his hands in hers and held them tightly.

“It’s okay to sleep now dad,” she whispered.

“I need to tell you one last thing,” he told her weakly. She gave his hands a gentle squeeze, silently urging him to continue speaking.

“There’s someone very important residing in the northern kingdom. You need to find him,” her father’s voice came out as a soft whisper but she heard every word.

“Who?” She asked urgently.

“You will know when the time is right,” he answered vaguely. She wanted more answers. She needed more answers.

His eyes met hers for the last time. His eyelids closed a few seconds later. Minutes passed and the princess felt as if years had. Her father’s breathing came to a halt. She had never cried so loudly before in her life. There were ugly sobs leaving her body. Her shoulders shook erratically as she cried. Sehun wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest for comfort. It was hard to watch the princess go through something so difficult and not be able to help in any way. He couldn’t help but shed a few tears himself.

The queen revealed herself for the first time that day. She swung one of the doors open, only to shut it back once she had confirmed the death of her husband. She announced his death to a few of the nurses in one, shaky breath. They bursted through the doors seconds later to retrieve the king’s body. The princess wanted to object, but she was pulled away by Sehun before she could get one syllable to roll from her tongue. The prince led the grieving woman past her mother and down the hall. He didn’t know where he was going, but he must have been going in the right direction because the princess didn’t correct him. She tugged on his shirt once he approached a door with flowers painted all over it. He led her inside, making sure to shut the door behind him quietly.

“Stay?” Was all the princess could manage to say once they were inside. Sehun didn’t have the heart to say no. Within seconds, they were sitting on the bed in a comforting embrace. The princess hid her face in the prince’s chest and he ran his fingers through her hair as they rested. They did this until they both drifted off into a deep slumber.

The princess woke up before Sehun did. They had somehow managed to end up on different sides of the bed during their sleep, with Sehun’s feet pressed against the small of her back. He looked so peaceful as he slept and the princess couldn’t bother to wake him up after seeing such a sight. She climbed out of bed and made her way into the bathroom to get ready for the worst day of her life.

By noon, both the princess and the prince were awake and ready to go. They had gotten some breakfast (though the princess couldn’t eat much), went to the garden to pick flowers, and made their way to the small chapel inside the castle all in an hour. The chapel was busier than it had been in a long time. The were guards, nights, royal friends, family, and even some important figures from the village gathered around in the room. Everyone’s eyes seemed to find the princess when she entered the room. Her hand was intertwined with Sehun’s as she walked towards her father’s casket. Today, the princess didn’t cry. She held it in so that the people who looked up to her as their future ruler wouldn’t pity her as much as they seemed to already. She rested the fresh picked flowers on top of the wooden casket before Sehun led her over to some chairs. They sat and listened to the reverend preach about life - more specifically, the king’s life. Sehun was fascinated to learn about the princess’s father. He regretted not trying to get to know the man better while he had the chance. He understood, now, where the princess had gotten her personality from.

When the funeral was coming to a close, the queen decided to join the pair. She sat next to her daughter and rested a hand on the princess’s arm.

“I’m surprised to see you here,” The queen told her.

“I’m surprised to see you here. You have some nerve, mother,” the princess replied sharply.

“Be careful with how you talk to me. Now that your father’s gone, a lot will be different,” The queen warned as she lifted her nose higher in the air. The princess didn’t have the energy to argue with her mother. She stood up and began to walk off. The prince followed after her, glancing at her mother as he did so. Just as he went to call for the princess to wait on him, the queen called out the princess’s name. Both the prince and princess turned to look at the woman with raised eyebrows.

“I know you’ll want to keep some of your father’s things, but I’m afraid that will not be permitted. Until you are married, this kingdom belongs to me. That means everything belongs to me,” the queen informed her. The princess scoffed in disbelief. She opened her mouth to reply, but was surprised to find the prince had beat her to it.

“What kind of cruel, vile woman would try to pick a fight with her grieving daughter? If I hear another word come from your mouth then I will do everything I can to make the rest of your life a living hell. In fact, you shouldn’t do anything but sit there and think about how pathetic you are for trying to start an argument on a day like this,” he spat at her angrily. The princess’s eyes widened at his words. She called his name after a moment and he turned to join her. They walked off, leaving the queen to gap at their retreating figures.

They made their way back to her room. The princess sat in her beloved window seat, watching the sunset through her large window. The prince laid on her bed with his arm laid over his eyes. They were both exhausted.

“Thank you for standing up for me,” the princess spoke in a quiet voice after sitting in lonesome silence.

“I was told to take care of you,” Sehun breathed out. His words made her heartbeat quicken. She missed Kyungsoo terribly. There was no where in the world she’d rather be in that moment than in his arms. A deep frown formed on her face and Sehun uncovered his eyes just in time to catch the expression.

“My brother... I’ve never seen him hold someone the way he held you before we left. I’ve never seen him so protective of someone, either.”

The princess’s head snapped in the direction of the prince. She watched as he sat up, resting his elbows on his knees as he propped his chin in his hands. His eyes watched her closely and she knew that if he wasn’t suspicious before, he was now.

“I’m flattered,” she confessed lamely. He raised an eyebrow at this.

“You should be. If I didn’t know any better, I would say he was in love with you. I’ve seen his lingering stares, his nervous habits when you’re near, even those flustered cheeks of his when you look in his direction-“

“Kyungsoo doesn’t love me,” the princess interrupted.

“I think he does,” Sehun argued.

“What do you want me to say?” The princess asked. Suddenly she was picking at the skin around her fingernails and glancing towards the window with a newfound nervousness. The prince wasn’t the most clever man but he wasn’t blind. It was as if he had just found the last piece to the puzzle he had been working on.

“You love him,” the prince concluded. The princess looked away from him completely. Could she admit this to Sehun? She listened as he laughed - whether he was amused or angry, she wasn’t sure.

“My fiancée and my brother are in love!” He said to himself, as if it were the best thing he had ever heard.

“Don’t say that!” The princess snapped at him. She turned to scowl at him. She wasn’t upset at him, but she was upset that she had been caught.

“I have to ask... does he know you love him? Have you both told each other that you love one another? My god, have you kissed my brother? Princess, you and I kissed! That’s like kissing my brother!” Sehun seemed to lose his mind all at once. The princess rushed from her seat and made her way over to kneel in front of the prince. She placed her hands on his knees and looked up at him with an apologetic expression.

“Sehun, I haven’t kissed you since the first time I kissed your brother. I swear on it-“

“You did kiss my brother!”

“Well, yes-“

“You’re in love with him?”

“Yes, but-“

“Oh. My. God.”

“Listen-“

“I can’t believe this.”

“Listen!” The princess seemed to get his attention as she shouted. He looked at her with wide eyes. She didn’t want to know what scandalous ideas were floating through his mind at the moment.

“I wanted to love you, I really did, but it didn’t happen. With Kyungsoo... it wasn’t forced. It just happened. I’m sorry,” The princess spoke slowly, hoping to make sure every word she said was remembered.

“Can I confess a truth of my own?” The prince asked as he placed his hands on the woman’s shoulders. She nodded.

“I’m in love with the baker’s son,” he whispered. It was the first time he had admitted it to anyone but himself. He felt a weight lift from his shoulders. The princess’s eyes widened again.

“You are?” She asked in surprise. He nodded enthusiastically and began to laugh. She joined him, much to her surprise, and they laughed together for a few minutes. It felt good to laugh after all the sadness she had felt for the past two days. They held each other as they rolled around on the bed with excitement.

“Does he know?” The princess asked once their laughter had died down. They laid on their sides with their heads propped up in their hands while they stared at one another.

“No. I assume my brother knows if you’ve been sucking his face off,” the prince replied.

“We care about one another but we’ve been trying to figure everything out,” The princess answered him.

“When we return home, go to him and tell him you love him,” Sehun told her. She felt herself become flustered.

“Then you have to go tell your man you love him too,” she replied playfully. He held up a pinky. She eyed it with a lazy smile on her face. She wrapped her own around his and they shared another session of giggles. It was like they were a couple of teenage girls.