Don’t need to hide anymore, I’m still with you

I’m pulling you to me again, I’ve turned back the frozen clock hands

W/c: 1.8k

Pairing: Jongyu

This is the au where Jongyu and their Kingdoms are cursed. Time stops moving for a thousand years as they must be completely separated from each other. All because Jinki never wanted to love and marry another. It’s happy in the end ^^

The warmth of the sun pouring through the large windows across the way set it up to be such a nice, peaceful morning in the Southern Kingdom of Milu, but the piercing screams of pain coming from his man he was curled around. “Jonghyun?” All remnants of sleep faded quickly as he pushed up onto his elbow and turned the visiting King onto his back. His face was beet red, jaw clenched tightly as his body tensed. “My love, what’s ailing you?”

“It.. hurts…so bad.” Jonghyun sobbed out. Jinki was caressing his hair, cupping his cheek, trying to find what could cause such pain when it dawned on him.

“You must go.” He whipped away from him in bed, rushing to wrap himself in his robes and moving to get Jonghyun somewhat dressed. Once he was covered, he pressed a kiss to his forehead. He heard the banging of the door, probably their guards fighting through the lock to get in and figure out what was causing the ear-splitting screams. When he flipped the lock for men in various states of armor fell through onto his floor at his feet. “You must gather your King and men, and return home to Centoh.”

Jonghyun’s guard captain Kibum rushed forward, a childhood friend of his, eyes ablaze at Jinki. “What did you do to him?”

“It’s a curse.” Jinki wrapped his arms around himself, heartbreaking into tiny pieces seeing Jonghyun curling into himself to try to hide from the pain. “I refused to marry Princess Sooyoung and by committing to that decision the witch went through with her threatened curse.”

“A curse?” Kibum parroted, “How do we break it?”

“The only way is to be away from me for a thousand years.” Kibum’s eyes widened, knowing full well what the time would do to his King. His gaze lowered to Jonghyun, too gone in pain to focus on their conversation. “I trust you with returning him to the safety of his Kingdom Kibum. Take my finest horses, whatever supplies you may need, but take care of him.”

The guard nodded his head before pushing his arm under Jonghyun’s head and the other under his knees, picking him up and rushing him out while holding him close to his chest. It wasn’t until they disappeared down the expansive hallway that it dawned on Jinki they never got to say goodbye. He stumbled back, finding the mattress with a shaky hand, before crumbling into himself. They always used to tease about how spending half the year together wasn’t enough, that it was so hard to go through 6 months without seeing the other… how could they handle a thousand years?

He fumbled over to his desk, finding the haphazard held together journal and pulled out the sketch of Jonghyun they had done before they took over from their fathers. He let out a sob when the image was blurred and unrecognizable. The damn curse wouldn’t even let them look at photos, as a reminder of the other’s face. He knew deep down letters would never find their way Centoh and to the hands of Jonghyun.

“Your Majesty?” Taemin’s soft voice called. The young guard's boots could be heard against the hardwood of the floors. “How may we help?”

When he looked up he had Minho and Taemin staring at him, both with soft, open expressions. They only cared to help their friend and King. Jinki shook his head, words almost impossible with how swollen his throat felt. Minho pressed his lips together before leaning to whisper in Taemin’s ear. The young guard nodded before disappearing out of the door. Minho unbuckled his sword from his waist, pulled his gloves from his hands and climbed into the bed, bringing Jinki close. He cupped his head and pressed a kiss to his hair. When Taemin returned the door was closed and locked, and there was a small red tinted glass bottle in his palm. The cork was popped off and offered. “A sleeping drought. To relax you.” Minho’s deep voice explained softly against his hair.

He took it all in one go before mumbling out, “Thank you.”

As his eyes got heavy Taemin and Minho shared a look. They both knew the next thousand years would be the hardest their friend would have to go through.

—–

Kibum rode closer to the carriage when he heard the soft sounds of Jonghyun awakening. Carefully he moved the dark fabric to gaze into the cherry wood carriage. Jonghyun’s nose was scrunched, hands up rubbing his face as he tried to take in his surroundings. His eyes quickly found Kibum, squinting at the bright light coming from around him. His voice was weak and gravely as he asked, “Where am I?”

“On the way back to Centoh, Your Highness.” Kibum calmly stated, mentally going through the way he had rehearsed how to tell his best friend he couldn’t see Jinki for a thousand years.

“Why are we returning home? We still have some time left.” When Kibum didn’t answer him right away Jonghyun asked again. “Kibum why are we on the road home?”

“King Jinki Lee of Milu ordered us to your highness.”

Jonghyun laughed, deep in his chest, because what an absurd thing to say. “No, tell me the truth Kibum.”

“I am, Jonghyun.” Without the honorifics it hit him straight in the chest. Kibum was being his friend. One who wouldn’t lie. “He woke up to you experiencing incredible pain and once he realized the cause he entrusted me to getting you to our Kingdom safely.”

“What…” Jonghyun shook his head. “Take me back.”

“No.”

“I order you to turn this caravan around Kibum.”

“I cannot do anything that would cause you harm, even if you order me to.”

Jonghyun’s nostrils flared a little as he huffed, annoyance and anger bubbling up. “How dare you think you know what’s best for me. I demand to return. I want to know why he sent me away.”

“You’re cursed!” Kibum hissed and Jonghyun froze in trying to fight the blankets placed on him. The snow falling on the guard’s furs was quickly melting and his breath could be seen as he let a deep sign out. He looked at his gloved hands holding the reins of his horse for a moment, before looking back up at him. “The young woman who threatened to curse you both if Jinki refused to marry Sooyoung… she was serious in her threat.”

“Cursed?” Jonghyun’s brows furrowed, trying so hard to remember what was said that early morning in the throne room, when Jinki stood between him and the young woman to protect him. “What does it entail.. The curse, how do we break it?”

Kibum shook his head, eyes reflecting how sorry he was he had to be the one to tell him. “The only way to prevent you from being in such horrendous pain is to stay away from Jinki.” It was like he could sense Jonghyun’s next question because when he continued it was the exact answer he wanted. “A thousand years Jonghyun. Time, aging has stopped moving. Your Kingdoms.. All of us, will live in this until the frozen hands of time are moved again in a thousand years.”

Jonghyun’s hands came up to cover his mouth as the first sob left his throat and Kibum was two seconds away from climbing through the window from his horse. But instead he stopped the caravan, giving Woohyun his horse to tie to his saddle and climbing into the carriage just as he ordered the first horses to continue. His King needed him as a best friend and not as the Captain of his Guard. He curled his fingers around his side, pulling him close and cradling his head against his chest as he cried.

—-

1000 years later, Kingdom of Milu

The bells from the tall tower along the wall rang loud throughout the kingdom, awakening anyone that may have been asleep, including their King. It took him a moment to distinguish what alarm was being played, but the moment it dawned on him he was rushing from bed. He stumbled a little, tripping as his legs got caught in his sheets and blankets in his rush to get to the window. As he pushed both sides open wide the salty sea air blew into his face. With curious wide eyes he looked toward the inner gate that separated the castle with the rest of the city. The only gate was open and the echoing sounds of horse hooves could be heard against the smooth, warm stones of the pavement. Jinki was sure he wasn’t expecting a visiting royal and he was unsure as to who it would be, but then he saw the tell tale white fur.

He was rushing out of his room in nothing but his untied robe and under clothes as he sped down the hall. He didn’t care who saw him as he yelled for the front doors to be open, rushing through them and down the main steps to the courtyard. The massive caravan coming in spread along the outer ring of the small courtyard, but he only cared about the man in the middle. Jonghyun wasn’t even fully off his horse before Jinki was crashing into him. The metal of his armor clinked at the impact, a haggard breath leaving Jonghyun’s lips as it was knocked out of him, but soon his arms were lifting to wrap around Jinki’s body.

Jinki lifted his nose from the fur around Jonghyun’s shoulders and cupped his face on both sides, thumbs moving across his cheeks. His vision was getting blurry as his eyes teared up, voice soft and tone heavy with emotion. “I thought you’d forget about me. I- That you would move on and get out of this god forsaken curse.”

“Thousands of miles and a thousand years are nothing against how much I love you Jinki.” Jonghyun’s eyes fluttered closed as he leaned into Jinki’s touch. When he opened them he was smiling, moving to push some of Jinki’s hair behind his ear. “We never let rain, snow or flooding keep us apart. I wasn’t about to let some jealous hag and her curse keep me from growing old with you.”

Jonghyun was tugged into his embrace. Jinki pressed his nose against his hair, nuzzling into him and breathing in his scent, feeling him close as the tears began to fall. “I almost forgot the shape of your face, the touch of your hand.. I..”

“We’ll never be apart again.” Jinki rose his head, eyes still glossy as he gazed at him confused. Jonghyun wiped his tears, smiling so softly as he pushed up to kiss his forehead, right between his eyebrows. “Let’s get you inside my sweet and we’ll discuss what I mean without such a big audience.”

“Alight,” Was softly mumbled as their fingers curled together, palms sliding until they were pressed fully, and it felt like everything snapped back into place.

As they walked back up the stairs, toward Jinki’s rooms to be alone, Kibum rode his horse up parallel with Jonghyun’s to take the reins, smiling softly with glossy eyes watching the scene before him. He’d never admit that though if anyone asked him. Never.