another hybrid of historical (idk if this can be counted as royalty but) and canon AU!! (btw, I’m just talking about taehyung’s clothes on hwarang and jin’s clothes on the airport lol why do they even fit so easily on those)

this is longer than the first, kind of hard not to make it like that. hehe enjoy! (or well… I hope so.)

Year 1785

the cool breeze of the winter afternoon brushed against the skin of kim taehyung. it’s not probably a good idea hanging outside of the palace but taehyung’s not really particularly one to care. he led an easy-going life, doing all the things he simply wants, and not tend to overthink of it. he’d just deal with things head on, one at a time.

and this would just another be one of those times.

just now, the king had asked him to be part of a war going on between the two main towns of his subject. which was all well and good for he could take care of himself just nice but then, the hostility of both sides had always been the worst and negotiations were hard to come by. he may be going there in king’s orders but the dispute had already rooted many years before the current ruler ever sat on his throne and ruled the country.

he could just sigh and looked towards the mountains. I’ll just have to be patient for about… maybe 10 years.

his line of thoughts was cut when he heard a yelp at his side. an amused grin started to appear in his face as he took sight of the man picking up the books at the dirt and carefully stashing them back in his arms. he silently stood and walked behind him.

“you’re still as clumsy as the first time I saw you, my love.” taehyung said playfully, grinning as he finally walked in front of him.

startled, the books dropped again and a frustrated groan escaped jin. “and you’re still very infuriating as ever, kim taehyung.”

if it’s not for the blush creeping on jin’s cheeks, taehyung would’ve believed that he was annoyed with him. maybe, he really is, but taehyung also knows that he adored him at the same time. warmth spread in his chest, his affection for the man overwhelming him and the feeling of being knocked out of breath everytime he was reminded of that, was still the best feeling he ever had.

it was two years ago when he knew the very smart kim seok jin. the man was silent and taciturn, always keeping to himself and reading a lot of books. taehyung was curious, and he wanted to know what was so nice about being alone for he was the opposite of him, loud and playful, and likes to be around a lot of people.

jin was placing back the books on the small shelf of the library, when he had sneezed and knocked his head on the wood. he heard him whimper as he smoothed his forehead, and taehyung didn’t liked that he was hurt. he walked up to him and offered his help.

that was where it had all started, of him finding himself always on the older man’s side. being a part of jin’s life was a hard process and getting his affection was harder. he always seemed to hole himself in the library and research, he was silent even when taehyung talks to him and he was definitely persistent on pushing him away. but that wasn’t enough to stop him. when he wants someone, and in this case, it’s jin, he’d do everything to have them. no, he isn’t a prize, he’s not someone he would only want for a while. taehyung wants him like he had never before and needed him like he was air in his lungs. he loved him without hesitation and doubt, loved him like fire.

it was that time when jin had avoided him for a month and he thought it would kill him. literally. his neighbor saw him passed out in his house, from not eating and sleeping properly because he had missed the man terribly and he had been too worried that he may have done something wrong. since then, jin started to take care of him because he felt guilty of being the reason it happened and maybe, just maybe because he had also started to feel something for him. that’s what jin said. taehyung could just only grin when he remembered the first time he kissed him and jin started blushing furiously, shyly looking up at him.

taehyung helped jin on picking the books, getting most of them and carried it in one of him arms while grabbing jin’s hands. “where are you going?” he asked.

“you don’t need to hold my hand.” jin stubbornly said but didn’t pull his hand away, an affectionate smile at his lips. and for the love of God, he already missed kissing him even if he just did this morning.

“of course I don’t. but I want to.” he grinned. “are you going back to the library?”

jin nods. “I have to take this back for further research.” they started walking at slow pace and he’s not even going to complain.

“I see. have you found the use of the plant you found the other day?” taehyung asked. jin was doing research along with the other scholars and he was always happy to listen to every new information jin was telling him. he noticed that he was always hanging to every word jin says. he could just shake his head. he’s too inlove with him.

“currently, no. the pigments were new compared to the others we’ve already found.” he answered.

“you’d find out eventually, I believe in you.” taehyung smiles at him. “is there anything I can do to help?”

jin looks at him incredulously. “did you forgot the incident where you just drank some concoction and you were light-headed for a week? no, I’m not letting you go near that place.”

“are you worried I’d mess your research or you’re worried for me?”

jin considered that for a minute. “i’m worried my research would kill you.” he said teasingly.

taehyung laughs and swings their hands lightly. they walked silently, just the warmth of each other reminding them they’re still there. silence had never been awkward for them, it came comfortingly as it was the time they would spend their morning just working together seamlessly preparing breakfast, or the nights they curled up with each other, just a murmur of goodnights and love yous before going to sleep.

“what did the king say?” jin asked after a while.

taehyung his lips before he replies. he wanted to postpone this news for a little longer but he guess he doesn’t really have that much time to do that. “he sent me to the border.” he answered simply.

jin stops walking and looked at him with wide eyes. “the neutral border? between those two towns?”

he nods.

jin continued to stare at him disbelievingly, his grip in taehyung’s hands became tighter. his wide shoulders were tense. “when are you leaving?”

“the next week.”

silence governs them this time and this is not the kind he finds comforting. they both know how dangerous it is, there are constant blood and deaths between. the grim expression of jin makes him worried and he pulled him closer and kissed his temple. “hey.”

jin didn’t answer.

taehyung waits patiently.

“you can’t just… go.” jin mumbled after a while, voice cracked and taehyung felt his throat tighten. he doesn’t like jin being sad and hurt.

“you know I don’t want to.” he whispered back. “I don’t want to leave you. but I don’t want to take you with me either. it would be dangerous and God help me if something happens to you.”

a tiny sob escaped jin and he felt his hand circling in his waist and pulling him. “I’ll go with you.”

he shook his head. “please stay here. where I know you’ll be safe. I might die of worry instead of a blade.” he said jokingly and added an empty laugh.

“don’t say that.” jin snaps and slightly hit him in the chest. “then what about me? I’ll be worried sick here thinking if you’re okay or just-just—“

taehyung silenced him with a soft kiss, gently nibbling his lower lip. year had already passed since he had first kissed him but the feeling was always the same. he felt so many emotions at once but the love he have for him was the strongest. he tastes sweet, of warm summery day, cherry blossoms hanging in the air. he was taehyung’s favorite taste.

“i will always come back to you.”

jin’s pov

it had already been two weeks since taehyung had departed from their home to deal with the dispute of the two towns. and everyday had been agony for him, waiting and waiting for his love to come home.

jin didn’t like interacting with people. it had always been him and books. he liked the silence of halls of the library, the peace being alone has to offer. no matter how the other kids used to talk to him and asked him to join their conversations, it just didn’t do well with him. even if he was doing some research with the other scholars, he had always preferred to do it all alone.

but taehyung, taehyung is the only exception.

the loud man who had panicked when he hit his head on the shelf, the man who laughs like honey and talks so animatedly, had always been the exception.

taehyung was patient with him and loved him unconditionally. even if he had pushed him away for so many times, when he had avoided him for weeks just for him to find another love interest, he was still and always there, waiting for him. it wasn’t so hard to return his feelings, more and more each day.

and so no matter how much jin had liked being alone, taehyung would always be the only person he’d ask to stay.

but now taehyung was not beside him, he was away, away, away from him where he can’t take care of him. the thought of him in danger was maddening. he had to put off his research because taehyung was always in his mind and knowing he was safe was more important.

but no news came.

he waited and waited. he saw soldiers going out of the gates of the palace, said they were going to the border. was it being more dangerous there? is it going well? those were his thoughts everytime the morning came and the sun goes down.

but still, he waited.

he waited for taehyung just like he did for him. he cleaned the house and changed the sheets so when taehyung comes home, he’d be able to rest. he stayed at the patio, looking at the gates, so when taehyung comes home, he’ll be there.

and so, he waited.

a month had passed and news came.

a war had erupted and negotiations are lost.

the palace had sent more soldiers, tension had been creeping the country. people were at their homes at the crack of dusk, doors tight shut.

but jin waited for his love to come home.

but then… taehyung never did.

Year 2017

it was a snowy afternoon. jin tightens his shawl in his neck and continued walking to the school library. there are a lot more projects going on than last year for his other subjects and he’ll have thesis the next semester. he really should prepare beforehand.

he scratches his nose as he walked towards the corner of the shelves. there are fewer people here than the front and the materials he needed are here though they were rarely used because they got internet, right? he was glad that he could have all of this for himself.

he dropped his bag on the floor and walked towards the shelf. he scanned through the books, eyes squinting and what the heck, his nose is really itching. grabbing the first one he saw, he sneezed and hit his head.

an undignified noise escapes him when pain erupts from his forehead and he sat down to holding the book in his one hand and his head on the other. he counted in his mind to soothe his annoyance and not cuss inside the library.

he then heard rushing footsteps towards him and the person knelt and grabbed his shoulders.

“hey, are you okay? that was loud! do you need medics? is it bleeding? I can take you to the clinic!” the man was panicking and jin had to look at the man’s face to tell him that he was fine.

he was gorgeous.

he had a worried expression but that didn’t mar his beauty. if his head wasn’t painful, maybe he would have taken his time on looking at him.

“I’m fine.” jin managed to say.

“you’re not fine. ohmygod it’s swelling!” his voice raised and his eyes widens as he grabbed jin’s face to look at it closer. “it’s really red but you know, you’re still pretty.”

jin was caught off-guard. “wha-“

a box-shaped grin appeared in his face and his eyes seemed to twinkle while looking at him. “this isn’t really the right time but I think you must know. anyways, let’s go to clinic.”

jin was still confused as the man helped him stand up and grabbed the book in his hand. “I can go on my ow—“

“hyung. I finally had the chance to talk to you! did you know I’ve been seeing you here all the time and just watch you as you read your books? and I know that was creepy as hell but I’m not a bad person.” he said in a flurry and looked at him with a shy expression.

jin just stared at him for a minute and when he couldn’t take it, he laughs.

really? this must have already happened. there was a feeling of deja-vu but he can’t point how. the man looked red as he stood there in front of him, not knowing that he had been the reason jin stayed at the corner of the library. but he wouldn’t say that. or atleast, not today. “you could have just talked to me. I don’t bite.”

“but you’re concentrating! how could I bother you?”

jin chuckles. “fine.” he grabbed the book on taehyung’s hand and they walked towards their table. “let’s go to the clinic. this ing hurts.”

the man gasps and grabbed his bag from him. “see? see? I’ll take this, let’s go.”

his brows creased. “i’m not invalid, I can carry that.”

“I know. but please?”

he sighs. “okay.”

they walked in silence but after a while, the man talked again. “what’s your name, hyung?”

“kim seok jin. you?”

the man smiles brightly at him and he felt a tug in his heart. “I’m kim taehyung. Nice to finally talk to you, jin hyung.”

I had planned not to add the present time but I don’t want too much sadness for my loves