Ontae 13.  “Kiss me.”  Rated PG

Jinki took a deep breath trying to calm his nerves, the sweet smell of hay filling his head.  He hoisted one of the saddles up to begin cleaning and oiling the leather.  

“Why have you been avoiding me?”  Taemin, the young lord of the estate had cornered him after his last round of tending to the horses.  

“I have not, young lord.”  He lied, as he absently rubbed the soft worn leather.

Jinki shifted to the other side to distance himself from Taemin, even if it just put another foot between them. 

“Liar.”  Taemin spat back at him.  

Jinki turned his face away, his long hair shielding the hurt in his eyes.  “I’m sorry you feel that way young lord.”

Taemin grabbed the oiling cloth from the stable boys’ hands and threw it on the ground.  “Since when did you ever address me as ‘young lord’?”

“It’s the proper…”

“I don’t care about proper!”  Taemin yelled, causing Jinki to flinch, his voice echoing through barn.  

Jinki sighed and looked outside, the sun was setting behind the rolling hills casting shadows across the large estate.  

“What is proper is nothing between friends.”  The young lord’s voice was calm now.  Jinki would rather have him scream though, he can’t hear the hurt in the other’s voice as easily when it’s raised but when it’s quiet like this…

“We’re not friends young lord.”    

“Since when?!”  Taemin moved quickly to stand in front of Jinki, making sure he could see his face clearly.  He was so close Jinki could smell him, the scent of fresh soap on his skin and hair, a freshly pressed shirt and jacket on his back.  He couldn’t help but look down at his own clothes, worn thin from years of use, dirty from a hard days work, the smell of sweat, horses and hay permanently embedded in his skin and hair.  “Since my father took you in?!  Since we were boys and learned how to ride together?! Which day out of the thousands that we spent did you decide we were no longer friends?!”

“Since forever!”  Jinki straightened his back and screamed at blonde causing him to lean back.  “Since I was just a stable boy and you were the son of the Lord of this house!”  He stepped back, letting himself fall against the wall behind him, he tried to catch his breath but he could feel his chest and throat tighten, the threat of tears coming upon him.  

“That’s never mattered before and you know that.  My status, your status, has never gotten in the way of our friendship.”  Taemin’s eyes bore into him.  “So tell me the truth.”

Jinki let his head fall back and he clenched his eyes shut, fist slamming on the walls behind him.  

“Jinki please…”  Taemin pleaded with him.  

The stable boy looked at the young lord in front of him.  So pure and clean, golden hair always in place, clothes always tailored to his form perfectly, a life of wealth and happiness ahead of him with a noble family name.  It was unheard of for two people from different classes to have a friendship like they had but Taemin was right, it had never mattered.  Taemin’s family always accepted him, always took care of him and allowed him to stay in a cottage by the stables in return for caring for the horses.  Jinki had always been satisfied with this life, it was simple, he had never needed anything more until recently.  

He took a deep breath.  “Since…since I’ve wanted to earn the young lords’ favor.”  

Taemin looked back at his friend of many years, fear behind his dark eyes. “Favor?”  He saw Jinki’s hands tremble at his sides.  “You have my favor.”

“You misunderstand my lord…”

Taemin closed the gap between them.  “I don’t think I do.”  

Tears fell down Jinki’s face, eyes wide, afraid to blink as Taemin faced him, only inches away.  

“M-my lord.”

Taemin shook his head.  

“T-Taemin…”

“Kiss me.”  Taemin whispered, his breath warm against Jinki’s cheek.  

“W-what?!”  The words were barely audible but the shock was clear.

“Kiss me Jinki for you have had my favor.”