Sanghyun sighs, laying his tired head on Cheolyong’s lap, the multiple layers of silk and the man’s floral perfume lulling the emperor’s consort into a comfortable sleep. Cheolyong the taller man’s black locks, his other hand drawing small patterns on his pale, well-muscled back. Cheolyong’s golden locks are held back by an intricate jade clip, the man’s unmarred face is pensive hiding his constant turmoil.

    Changsun peers over his intricate plans, moving and removing various parts off of his map. The light had dulled long before, but the emperor had yet to notice how late it had become. The familiar floral scent and sound of silk rustling across the floor causes the man to lift his head. “Is he asleep?” asks the emperor. The man nods and moves closer to the emperor.

    “He’s stressed Changsun-ah,” the man says.

    “I know Cheolyong, I don’t know what to do though. I need him to stay strong and continue to fight,” the emperor says. Cheolyong moves behind the emperor and massages his tense shoulders.

    “Why are you still here Cheolyong-ah?” asks Changsun, relaxing into the man’s soothing touch. “You could have stabbed me or poisoned me long ago,” the emperor says.

    “You’ve done so much for me,” Cheolyong responds quietly.

    “I bought you out of pity because I didn’t want to see a beauty go to waste.You trusted me and all I did was exploit you, I made you in charge of my harem just to see you suffer, to see how well you would fare. I wanted to see your pretty body dance, to cling onto life only to fall. Yet-” Changsun says.

    “Whether it be pity or personal interests, I am grateful that I have been saved from the hell hole that was my previous life,” Cheolyong says.

    “Why are you so kind?” the emperor asks, sighing in relief as a knot is suddenly released. Cheolyong doesn’t respond and continues to relieve knots from the stressed man’s back.

    “It’s late, I’ll accompany you to bed,” Cheolyong says.

_ _ _

    Seungho in his breath as he watches his lover climb up the red silk rope made out of his silken bedsheets. The blonde man prayed that the emperor’s favorite wouldn’t be making rounds today. The man wasn’t unkind, he made sure that everyone was healthy and happy, but he wouldn't dare do anything to disobey the man who had saved him from poverty.

    Seungho was the favorite of the previous emperor and Changsun would see him around quite often. Seungho wasn’t much older then Changsun himself, but he, much like Cheolyong was sold into the business quite early. Changsun had taken a liking to Seungho, he lay with the elder man not in lust but in curiosity. He was the self-appointed second father of Changsun, teaching him things his father was much too forgetful to teach his son.

        He had watched from the shadows as he slowly fell out of the emperor’s favor and a golden haired man had taken his place. The man was extremely quiet, his serene face hiding many of the younger man’s troubles. But when he saw Changsun his face seemed to light up, an almost puppy-like smile appeared on his face. Seungho was glad that the man was falling in love with someone.

    Then Changsun had gotten engaged, with a foreigner nonetheless, it was quite obviously a strategic move. The impending war hung on the forefront of the now middle aged man. His worries less of love and more on the safety of his people. Seungho had held a baited breath when Sanghyun had moved in, afraid of the man’s opinion on Changsun’s “favorite”. He was glad to see that Sanghyun had taken an intense liking to the man, Cheolyong spending almost as much time with Sanghyun as he did with Changsun. 

    When black locks and a sly smile appear in Seungho’s window, the blonde man smiles. He looks around warily then pulls up the silk bedsheets, his thoughts pushed to the back of his mind. Byunghee kisses Seungho, who eagerly responds to the kiss. “I’ve missed you,” Byunghee says caressing the elder.

    “I’ve missed you too,” the elder admits, nuzzling into the man’s comforting figure. Byunghee was a traveler of sorts; the two had met on the streets when Seungho was accompanying Changsun in a parade of some sort. The two had caught each other’s eyes and Byunghee had followed the man back to the palace and later somehow finding a way into Seungho’s room.

_ _ _

    Cheolyong shook the emperor awake, his usually calm face were wide in fear and shock. “Changsun, Changsun-ah wake up,” the man says. Changsun’s eyes snap open to be greeted with panicked eyes.

    “What is it?” the man asks calmly, the obviously distressed male.

    “Its time for you to leave, the war-“ Cheolyong stops, tears streaming down his face, “its started, the war has started.”

    Changsun pales, he sits up abruptly. “Gather the people and send them to a safe place, Seungho will know what to do. If you need help ask him, my love-“ Changsun pauses and kisses the now sobbing man. He wipes away his tears and pulls out a knife, cutting a lock of Cheolyong’s hair. He then clips the golden locks back and kisses him once again. “I love you and always will.”

    “I love you too Changsun,” Cheolyong says, tears coming down even harder.

    “I need you to be strong for me, wake up Sanghyun, tell him to meet me in the war room. As soon as you finish, get the people to safety,” Changsun tells him. Cheolyong throws on his discarded robes and runs to the consort’s room. He slams the door open, waking the baby-faced man abruptly.

    “Cheolyong?” the man asks, sleep still evident in his voice.

    “The war, it has started, Changsun wants you in his war room,” Cheolyong tells the man, who is slowly coming to his senses. The man’s eyes suddenly are hyper aware, drawers are coming out of no where opening and closing,  the room suddenly filled with weapons of war. Sanghyun is quickly equipped and he stops before leaving, “I love you Cheolyong,” Sanghyun kisses the golden haired man and exits quickly.

    Cheolyong fights the onslaught of tears and makes his way to the town.

_ _ _

    Seungho’s eyes slowly open, he suddenly realizes the lack of warmth and looks beside him to find the bed vacant and his silk sheets also gone. He gets up and his formerly neat room in disarray, his calligraphy section the only neat part of his room. As he makes his way over, dread pools in his stomach.

    His eyes widen in horror at the meaning of the papers spread out on his desk. Then almost sloppily on a smaller scrap of paper is, “I’m sorry.”

_ _ _

    Changsun and Sanghyun cough, blood everywhere. A solitary figure in black closes their eyes and lies them side by side before quickly disappearing.

_ _ _

    Seungho runs frantically through the halls, trying to find someone, anyone to tell what had happened. But the halls were covered in blood, the halls stained red. Seungho reads the papers, trying to find a clue to where people would be.

_ _ _

    Cheolyong muffles a scream as he sees his two lovers’ still bodies. He touches both tentatively and allows all of his emotions to overflow when they don’t respond, tears cascade down his face. Changsun and Sanghyun twitch at the sound of Cheolyong’s grief.

    Their eyes flicker open,”Live,” Sanghyun says.

    “I love you-” Changsun says coughing blood,”my precious best friend.” Both their eyes shut, first Sanghyun, then shortly after Changsun.

    Cheolyong screams, sorrow ringing throughout his voice.

_ _ _

    Seungho stops running, out of breath, his breath stops as he comes across the hastily thrown open doors of the ballroom. He follows a faint trail of blood that seems to come from the war room out to the balcony. Seungho notices the red of his sheets, and bile seems to come up in his throat. He peers over and cries, the man that he had loved hung from his red sheets.

_ _ _

A/N: This is quite raw, I haven't really read over it at all. It is kind of represents the emotions that are whirling through me with the stuff that is happening with MBLAQ. I don't really plan on editing it, so if there are mistakes, I'm probably gonna leave them be. It really shows how I'm feeling.