Have you heard the news that you’re dead

“Don't judge yourself by what others did to you.” 
― C. Kennedy, Ómorphi

Jinyoung stared at the glimmering stars above his head. It had been a long day and by right he should be asleep. The throbbing in his head after the transformation had taken place was subdued but it was still there. And yet he couldn’t fall asleep.

It might have been because he almost died or it could have been because he didn’t.

“Why am I not dead?”

Yugyeom gave him a thoughtful look, the words that fell out of Jinyoung’s mouth stinging him.

“She found out who I was, Yugyeom. The protection spell should have broken. I knew the apple was going to kill me but I couldn’t help myself.” Jinyoung could hear how squeky his voice was recalling the incident. He was face to face with death and yet he was still here.

“Why am I not dead?”

“I have a theory but it’s not 100%. When you use black magic, you have a price to pay. I’m guessing her price was her soul which made her something less than human. She knew but it couldn’t break the spell. You were still Snow White when I found you. It was a sign the spell didn’t break”

Jinyoung remembers looking at the reflection of Snow White in the mirror before taking a bite into that poison apple. Who would have known that Snow White that he had came to hate would save him. he had thought Snow White was useless but really, it was the one thing that saved him.

“What are we going to do now?” Jinyoung looked up at Yugyeom and Jaebum who had invited himself into their sort of private conversation. The others were still trying to wrap their heads around the fact that Snow White was actually a man and not just any man, the prince of the kingdom.

“Now that Snow White is gone, she will grow stronger” Jinyoung said. He knows that Snow White had weakened the queen and with the spell broken, she would only grow stronger and Jinyoung wouldn’t stand a chance.

Yugyeom frowns at him.

“Now, you have something better than Snow White” Yugyeom said seriously. His expression was slightly too stern for his liking. It was almost as if he was still sulking that Jinyoung had tried to strike the queen alone. “You have me. I can help you fight her.”

“I can too. I can’t do magic but I’m a huntsman and I was born to fight” Jaebum muttered, fire blazing in his eyes.

“Wherever you go, I go”

Jinyoung turned his head to Mark who was over looking them talking from the door frame. He has a small proud smirk on his face when Jinyoung’s makes eye contact with him. Jinyoung tries to suppress his fluttering heart and the disapproving look Yugyeom had. It serves him right for snooping in his head again.

“Can’t sleep?”

Jinyoung’s head snapped towards the door so fast he might have whiplash. Mark was standing next to him with two mugs of hot tea in his hands. A small smile was playing on his features.

Jinyoung shakes his head, trying to calm his raging heartbeat. It was ridiculous that he felt this nervous because this wasn’t a new scene. He has spent nights sitting in the front of the cottage with Mark, gazing at stars countless times. It was nothing new.

And yet he felt so exposed and nervous his hands were visibly shaking as he accepts the mug of hot tea from the latter. Alright maybe it’s all new because Jinyoung was now Jinyoung. Mark knew everything now. Technically speaking, he was exposed.

“For you this probably feels like any other night,” Mark said raising his head looking at Jinyoung’s face, shooting up Jinyoung’s heart rate by the second. “But this feels so new to me”

He finds his place next to Jinyoung, letting himself find comfort on the makeshift stool. He is closer than usual or maybe Jinyoung was larger as a man while Snow White was smaller. Jinyoung met his gaze with apologetic eyes. He felt sorry because it must have been so confusing for him.

“It’s strange for me too” Jinyoung replied. “I feel exposed”

Mark hums thoughtfully at that, looking at the sky if only to break the increasing intensity of the atmosphere around them.

“Is there anything else I should know?” Mark said, letting Jinyoung be confused for a moment before a playful smirk hits his features.”Because I really don’t think I can take any more surprises after this” Mark said, his tone playful. Jinyoung couldn’t help but burst into laughter. It shouldn’t be funny because the last Jinyoung had checked Mark didn’t believe in magic. So for him to be in the middle of a royal spat for the kingdom that involved evil witches, enchanted forest, fairies and a prince that just happens to be his love interest, it was definitely a lot to take in. But Mark cracks a joke about it and Jinyoung could feel warmth spread in his chest.  

“If only I had known it was you all along” Mark mumbled, taking a sip on his tea as if trying to hide the hurt he held onto. Jinyoung frowned. Now, he feels bad for laughing.

“I’m sorry” Jinyoung apologizes. “I’m sorry that it turned out this way”

Mark let his eyes scan Jinyoung for a moment. “Don’t worry about it. Yugyeom told me what the spell entailed. If it wasn’t for the spell you wouldn’t even be here”

Jinyoung lets the side of his mouth twinge into a short smile. He is grateful that Mark had saved him. He is grateful that Mark broken the curse. He is grateful for everything that happened even though he wished it had happened differently. Maybe, Mark wouldn’t have to hold in his hurt for so long.

“Though, excuse me for being selfish for wishing I had known so I wouldn’t have wasted all that time away from you” Mark flashes a flirty smile and Jinyoung feels a blush creep onto his face. Mark was being blunt about his feelings and Jinyoung wasn’t quite used to it yet. “It would have saved me so much time from the dilemma between Snow White and you if I had known all along it was the same person”

Mark has an amused chuckle bubbling under his smile but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I’m sorry” Jinyoung said guiltily, not really knowing what he is apologizing for. Just guilty that it had happened the way it did.

“It’s alright though. You’re here now and that’s all that matters to me” Mark said placing his free hand on Jinyoung’s letting it tentatively curl around Jinyoung’s fingers, locking their hands together, resting it on Jinyoung’s thigh. He feels the rush of blood to his head, a blush quickly forming. Jinyoung looked away at his dirty feet, holding in the smile.

They stayed hand in hand for a moment, just sipping on warm tea, enjoying each other’s presence. Jinyoung tried to focus on the starry night like he used to but today he simply can’t and in the end he ends up staring at Mark’s side profile completely enamored at how handsome Mark Tuan truly was. At some point, Mark catches him and he looks away shyly. Mark however just laughs.

“I never imagined you would have rejected Snow White”

Mark looked at Jinyoung with the most shocked expression Mark had ever seen. His eyebrows were lost behind his soft brunette locks of his fringe, eyes blown wide and mouth forming a little ‘o’. Jinyoung wouldn’t say it out loud but that reaction was so cute and his heart is filled with adoration.

“I thought you would have accepted her feelings and if you did, for a moment, I thought I could live pretending Jinyoung never existed”

Mark’s expression morphed to express seriousness that made Jinyoung feel fear. Mark slowly extracted his hand from Jinyoung’s. “Why were you so convinced I loved her?”

“You looked at her like she put stars in the sky” Jinyoung squeaked. Mark was rarely this serious it scared him. When the words all leave his mouth Mark looked at Jinyoung with disapproval. He is silent for a whole minute which makes Jinyoung more scared. It felt like a bomb was waiting to explode.

“You know” Mark start, tone soft but not any less scary. “For every moment I spent with Snow White, I was reminded that no matter what or where I went you were the one I was looking for. Every part of her reminded me of you and yet to me, at the time, she wasn’t you. Do you realize how difficult that was for me?”

Jinyoung flinched at the hurt that laced Mark’s words. He wasn’t looking at Jinyoung, his tongue constantly swiping his lips as if it was dry but it wasn’t with the amount of time he was wetting it.

“I was constantly reminded that I was attracted to her only because she was the closest I would ever get to the ever unreachable Prince Jinyoung” Mark’s voice cracking as he said the word prince. For a moment, Jinyoung was overwhelmed with feelings. He hadn’t thought that Mark had ever loved him as Jinyoung and now that he knows, he hadn’t realized the gravity of his feelings. It had hit him like a boulder, squishing his lungs, suffocating him.

“For a long time, I have been holding this torch for you. I still do, even when I thought I had no chance”

Mark Tuan, the forest coal miner had fallen in love with the Prince thinking he was forgotten. Jinyoung’s heart breaks at just the thought. How could he be so blind of Mark’s feelings?

“How long?” he croaked, rendered almost speechless.

Mark looked at him with the softest expression. His face was growing a darker shade of pink with each moment passing. “Since the very first day; since I heard you sing to birds. Since you let me be your friend.”

Jinyoung was taken aback. All this time he had thought it was only him who had feelings for the other especially from the start.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Jinyoung feeling a little frustrated of all the wasted time. All the time they could have spent in each other’s arms but instead they were dancing around each other.

“At the time, I thought you were a town boy and I was a coal miner. You had books and I had rags. Now, I know you are a prince. How could I ever compare, Jinyoungie?”

“Those are all meaningless” Jinyoung exasperated. “I’ve been a prince my whole life but as my kingdom fell apart I sat in the sidelines waiting for something that would never come. Naivety led me to believe that when the time came I would rule the kingdom and restore what my father had built. But after all that, I was betrayed and left with nothing. I’m a prince but I sure as hell don’t deserve to be one”

Mark shakes his head, a smirk splaying on his face. “You are the kindest and smartest man I have ever met. The world has yet to see that but I’ve seen it from the first time I lay my eyes on you, Park Jinyoung. A beauty inside and out” Mark reaches for his hand and squeezes it. “Your brain and heart just can’t compare, I am constantly captivated by it”

“You’re crazy” Jinyoung blushed, struggling to keep eye contact due his shyness.

“Crazy for you, town boy” Mark flashes a wide smile.

Jinyoung hadn’t heard Mark call him that for a long time. Warmth spreading in his chest when he realized Mark would never have played around like this with Snow White. And it was all because his heart was already taken. Mark loved him and only him.

“If you haven’t noticed, I’m crazy about you too”

Mark smiled and Jinyoung could see him leaning in closer. “How are we going to save the kingdom if we’re both crazy?” he laughs. His breath was tickling Jinyoung’s cheek from the proximity. All Jinyoung could hear was the pounding of his heart and the blood in his veins. His eyes fixated on Mark’s lips that were getting closer by the second.

“I gave you my first kiss but I’m sure it doesn’t count if you don’t remember it” Mark hums. “Can I give it to you again?”

Jinyoung doesn’t remember nodding but he must have because the next thing he knows is soft lips were pressed onto his. Mark is gentle and takes it slow, nipping on his lower lip, letting their wet lips slide against each other in slow and controlled movements. Mark taste like warm tea and smells like the freshly burnt wood. The sensation is overwhelming to a point that Jinyoung is breathless when Mark backs away, his eyes shut in bliss.

“Did you like that, town boy?”

Jinyoung blushes so hard he smacks Mark’s side in attempt to gather whatever sort of pride he had left causing the other to laugh. Such a tease

-o0o-

“Are you asleep?”

Jinyoung cracks open his eyes to find Mark standing next to his bed. He hasn’t been sleeping but when he had heard the sound of footsteps come towards his door his first impulse was to pretend he was asleep. He had just separated with Mark just moments ago. Finally deciding that they should head to sleep and get enough rest before the inevitable chaos tomorrow.

“No” Jinyoung whispered, scooting over in the bed to make space for Mark. “You couldn’t sleep as well?”

“Yeah” Mark hummed as he lay next to Jinyoung. Jinyoung could feel Mark’s arm brush on his arm. The blanket they shared shifting as they find a comfortable position. He could feel excitement bubbling in his stomach. This was the first time they had shared a bed.

“What’s wrong with your bed” Jinyoung asked with pretend nonchalance. He continues to stare at the ceiling, too afraid to look at Mark at this proximity.

“Bambam is in it.” Mark said. Jinyoung could feel the bed shift as Mark adjusts his body so that he was looking at Jinyoung. His front facing him, hands tucked under his cheek. Jinyoung could see from the corner of his eyes that Mark was indeed staring at him. “And this bed is better”

“Why is that?”

“Because you are in it”

Jinyoung looked at Mark in almost disbelief at his words. He controls a blush when their eyes meet and Jinyoung is reminded of how close they were at the moment. Jinyoung watched the smug face Mark pulls after Jinyoung’s reaction. He pouts as he swats Mark on the chest making Mark flinch with a soft chuckle. Jinyoung hushed him. Jaebum was sleeping on Bambam’s bed just next to them. It really wouldn’t be good for them if he woke up.

Silence falls between them. It’s just as comfortable as when it was just them in the forest where Jinyoung would be reading a book and Mark stacking leaves only to kick them apart. He missed those simpler times.

“Mark” Jinyoung heard his voice echo. “I’m scared”

“Of what?” Mark said. “The Queen?”

Jinyoung looked at the other and contemplated his answer. He was afraid of the queen. He was afraid that the queen would win and finally kill him after her multiple failed attempts. He was afraid that when the leave to ambush the queen tomorrow, his friends would become victims. He was afraid that at the end of the day no victory will be one and it would all be his fault.

“I’m scared that if we fail, it will all be my fault”

Mark looked at him disapprovingly. He tugs the sleeve of Jinyoung’s sleeve as if pulling him closer. “Come here” he whispered, lowly, sending a shiver up the Jinyoung’s spine. “Closer”

Jinyoung lets Mark tug him closer till he was close enough for Mark to pull him into a hug. Jinyoung felt his heart burst but his body relaxing into the warmth Mark had to offer. They stay in each others arms for a moment; Mark letting his hand cup the back of his head in the most comforting way.

Mark then pulls away to looks directly into Jinyoung’s eyes. He has a soft smile on his face, his eyes glimmering with adoration. Jinyoung could feel himself creep with embarrassment but he doesn’t look away. It’s comfortable and comforting.

“Jinyoungie” he breathed. “You have to stop blaming yourself. Whatever she does to you isn’t your fault. Whatever she does to anyone else is also not your fault”

“I knew she was mean but I let her” Jinyoung could feel his tears well up.

“But you’re trying now and that’s all that matters” Mark cups his cheek and it with his thumb. Jinyoung leans into his touch, desperately trying to calm his incoming tears. “The truth will always prevail, Jinyoung-ah. We will expose her to the people and she would have no choice but to back away”

“She isn’t going to back down without a fight”

“Then fight we shall”

-o0o-

Jinyoung wakes up to loud noises coming from outside the room. He could feel Mark’s hand still enveloping him into his embrace as he gently lets his head rise to inspect the sounds. Jaebum was still sleeping in the bed next to them and the sunlight was pouring into the small window of the downstairs bedroom. The noises, after Jinyoung was awake enough to analyze them, were the sounds of knocking on what Jinyoung could only guess was the front door.

Mark groans awake as Jinyoung tries to untangle himself from him. “Where are you going?” he groans with an undertone of complain. Jaebum was now stirring in his sleep. The sounds of knock were getting louder and louder by the minute.

Jinyoung reaches the front door first, Mark following him close by. When he opens the door, Yugyeom looks frantic and slightly out of breath. It looked like he had run here as fast as he can, or maybe he flew.

“We need to go to town immediately,” he panted. “We need to expose the queen now”

“WHAT?” Jinyoung cried, feeling his sleep vanish to be replaced by panic. “Why so sudden? We hadn’t planned anything. We can’t just go there without a plan”

“Yugyeom, what’s going on?” Mark asked. His toner was calmer than Jinyoung’s.

“There is a funeral that is going to be held today” he manages. His breathing now stabilized. “Prince Jinyoung’s funeral; the queen is declaring the only heir of the king dead”

“All we have to do is show the people that you are alive. There would be a big crowd at the funeral. It would be the best way to expose the queen but we must hurry. The funeral is starting in an hour.”

Jinyoung closes his mouth that had been open out of shock. He wasn’t expecting to wake up to the news of his death. It was going to be a long day.

A/N

i'm sorry. one for taking so long to just be done with this. two for struggling with this prompt.
i am however to not let this fic be unfinished.
please yell at me to finish this fic @my tumblr or twitter @gotsichi7
also questions, comments, kudos, criticism, and all that knick knack is welcome. i am forever looking for ways to improve.
p/s: if you're interested to beta this fic for me please msg me thanks.