kingdom come

"Yoongi-ah," Seokjin called, his eyes never once leaving his reflection as he brushed and played with his hair, trying to get it just right.

"Yes, your majesty." The male monotonously replied as he stood at the prince's side.

The older's eyes darted from his reflection to Yoongi, and he gave the man a playful glare. "Yoongi, I told you to call me Seokjin."

Yoongi held back the urge to not roll his eyes, letting out a deep aspirated sigh. "I'm a servant. Not your friend." He's becoming quite tired of the prince's antics.

The prince's eyes looked sad before a mischievous smile graced his face. "You're so mean," Seokjin said playfully with a pout before turning to Yoongi, poking the male's shoulder. "It's an order call me Seokjin, or I'll have you imprisoned!"

The male sighed defeatedly, "Okay, you win, Seokjin," he murmured, bringing a grin onto the prince's face. He's becoming quite tired of the prince's antics, but he always plays along.

Seokjin hummed to himself triumphantly as he directed his glance back to the mirror in front of him. "How do I look?" Seokjin questioned before shifting back to Yoongi.

There's a reason prince Seokjin is the most popular amongst his brothers, the man was utterly ethereal, and somehow his stylists made him look even more unreal.

Tonight was the ball, and God was Yoongi mentally cursing the stylists for making Seokjin look this good. His dark hair slicked back, showing his forehead and stunning features. The prince was dressed down in this beautiful white suit that came sinched at his tiny waist. Yoongi tried his hardest not to stare. He shouldn't think of the prince that way.

Yoongi swears time had slowed down as the prince turned to look at him. His hair blew back, and music started playing in the back of Yoongi's mind like it was a ty high school rom-com, and the protagonist's crush is being shown.

"Nice," He mumbled. It came out rushed and panicked, and Yoongi just knew the older could tell by the smirk he was giving him through the mirror.

"Just nice?" The prince asked teasingly, his rich brown eyes staring deep into Yoongi's.

The male dropped his head and nodded, swallowing back the dryness in his throat. "You look lovely."

"Really?" Seokjin asked, pretending to be shocked, but he's gorgeous, and he knows it.

"Hyung! Oh, I'm sorry am I intruding?" Prince Jeongguk questioned with wide eyes as he popped his head into the older's room. Seokjin turned at his brother with a smile, shaking his head waving for the younger to come in.

"No, Jeongguk. I'm just getting ready. You look so handsome, baby," Seokjin cooed, and the boy grinned happily at the elder's compliment.

"So you do, hyung!" He beams. "I'm so excited! Yoongi hyung, will you be joining us at the party?" The younger asks.

"No," he responds, trying his best not to crack a smile at the pout on the boy's face.

Prince Jeongguk has always been so endearing. He's truly a sweet boy.

Seokjin sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I tried to get father to give him a break to join me, but he said I won't be needing my shadow tonight." Yoongi grimaces at the nickname.

Shadow. Ever since he was appointed to Seokjin, that became his name. The younger and the prince he has been attached at the hip, more against his will. Seokjin just always wants him around, and he really doesn't mind.

"I'm going to run down to the kitchen to see if I can steal some food before it starts!" Jeongguk informs with two with wild eyes as he runs to the door.

Seokjin looks at the boy incredulously as he shakes his head in disapproval. "What Jeongguk no just ask-"

"Tried that already didn't work!" The boy calls before running out of the room.

This time the two both laugh."My baby brother. He's such a mess." Seokjin coos before turning to Yoongi.

There was a moment of silence between the two, Seokjin's chocolate doe eyes stared into his, and Yoongi was sure he might melt.

"It'll be so boring without you tonight," The prince sighs as he turns back to Yoongi.

There he goes making the younger's heart race again.

"I'm not that entertaining," Yoongi retorts.

"I know--but I'll still miss you," the older mutters.

"It's only one night, Seokjin."

"I can't even go three hours without you, Yoongi-ah," He confesses.

Yoongi is silent for a moment before a weak smile graces his face.

"I'll miss you too."


 

Yoongi's eyes were left wide as he looked around the ballroom.

It wasn't his first time serving for one but the size of the room and how extravagant it always manages to amuse the male. The room was decorated with gold, a chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating the place filled with people. Servants walked around back and forth, greeting the guests with champagne and hors d'oeuvres. The men dressed down in expensive suits and women in elegant gowns, all smiling and conversing with each other, some dancing to the live band that played, all of them enjoying their time all the same, unlike Yoongi, who is serving the guests of the ball, but he didn't mind. He wasn't interested in these kinds of things anyway, but a part of him couldn't stop watching the prince, who didn't seem to be enjoying himself at all.

"Yoongi hyung," A voice had called, and the male turned his attention from the prince to Hoseok, who stood beside him with a grin.

"Ah, Hoseok." Yoongi sighed out as he returned the smile.

"You having fun?" The younger teased as he watched the crowd.

"Nope," He muttered.

Hoseok tiled his head towards Seokjin and the king, "What's going on with them?" he asked.

Yoongi looked up and squinted his eyes, watching the scene unfold. Seokjin and the king were arguing as poor Jeongguk stood between, glancing at the two almost fearful. Yoongi continued to watch as the king jabbed the eldest prince's chest, pushing him back, and Seokjin looked up in shock before running off.

Panic shot up in the male as he started to hand his tray to Hoseok. "I have to go," he murmured.

The younger nodded his head in understanding as he took the tray, "Go get your prince."

And with that, the male ran through the crowd and out the ballroom doors to the only place he knows Seokjin would be at. The balcony.

"Your majesty, what happened?-"

"Seokjin. I told you to call me Seokjin," The older sniffled, his back turned to the younger.

Yoongi frowned as he took a step closer, placing a gentle, comforting hand on the prince's back. "Why did you storm off? What happened, Seokjin?" He inquired once again.

Seokjin finally turned to face him, his lips were trembling, and tears ran his cheeks as he sniffled his chest heaving, and his breath was shaky as if he had attempted to make the crying stop to no avail.

The older looked up, surprised. "You were watching me?"

Yoongi began to feel embarrassed but nodded nonetheless. It was his duty to attend to the prince anyway. It's not weird--Or at least that's what he tells himself to feel better.

"I couldn't help but look around for you, and when I saw how upset you looked--I just followed. I wasn't thinking, my apologies."

Seokjin shook his head. "No, it's fine. If you didn't come looking for me, I'd probably had gone mad searching for you," he confessed with a bitter chuckle.

Seokjin his lips and sighs dejectedly. "They're arranging me to be married off to some princess they'd say it's for the best I'm next in line for the throne."

"How long are they giving you?" Yoongi questions. He feels his heartache, but he ignores it. This isn't about him and his feelings right now.

"Three months. They just think we will get to know each other and fall in love magically within three months."

"Seokjin, I know this is wrong, but you never know you might fall-"

"But I do know Yoongi I could never fall for her!" The older lashes out.

Yoongi frowns. Where is all of this coming from? He's never seen the prince so upset. He can comprehend being married off without your wishes is a difficult situation to take in, but something feels off--like this isn't the only thing bothering the older. Yoongi knows Seokjin, and from the look on the male's face, he knows there's more on the prince's mind.

"Never? You didn't even give her a-"

"Her. Her. Her. Her... I don't want to be with a princess."

"I think your parents will be understanding and let you fall for someone on your own terms if you'd just talk to them, Seokjin-"

"You don't understand a thing I'm saying, do you?" Seokjin asks, eyebrows furrowed, eyes deep with confusion and hurt. "Yoongi, I like-"

"Seokjin?"

"I'm gay, Yoongi," The older confesses in a whisper, dropping his head down in only what the younger can assume is shame.

Tears begin to roll down the prince's cheeks out as he lets out a hushed sob sinking to the ground. "What am I going to do? I can't marry her, and I can't tell them. They're just going to set me up with a woman after woman-"

"I know it's hard, Seokjin--But please think about what's best to keep you safe. Please think about your future," Yoongi reasons, not quite sure how to comfort the older.

Seokjin shuts his eyes, shaking his head. "The problem is I can't see it. Yoongi can't marry her. I can't go on like this lying to myself rather die."

"Seokjin," Yoongi murmured. He wanted nothing more than to reach out and hold the older, but he controlled himself, keeping his hands tightly at his side.

"Why did it have to be me? Jungkook is more suitable, and God knows father loves him more, so why me?"

Yoongi frowns as he takes the older in his arms, what's right and wrong Seokjin needs him. Keeping a distance isn't important right now.

"Don't say you are just as good as your brother, and your father loves you just as much."

It's unsettling to see Seokjin as anything other than happy, anything other than self-assured, vain, confident, cocky-- all the labels everyone has thrown on him since the day he was born. He seems so human, not above it all for once. The facade had finally dropped, breaking away.

"We'll figure something out, okay? I'll figure it out," Yoongi promised as he whispered other comforting words into the prince's ear."Please let me take you to your room. You cannot go back there in this state."

Seokjin shakes his head. "But my father-"

"I don't care you're going to bed," Yoongi replies cutting the prince off before he helps himself and Seokjin from off the ground, keeping his arm secured around Seokjin tightly as he took the older back to his room.

He helped the prince settle into his bed, and he almost cooed at the sight of Seokjin resting peacefully for what seems like the first time today.

He mutters goodnight until he feels Seokjin grasp onto the younger's hand, and Yoongi turned back hesitantly before looking at the older. He'd finally seem to settle down from the small smile that graced his lips,

Yoongi couldn't even dare to look down, but when he did, he saw the prince's pretty doe eyes, Seokjin batting his lashes, his stare begging Yoongi to stay. All Seokjin has to do is say the word the younger would, no questions asked. Who is he to deny the older? And that makes Yoongi so scared.

"Thank you, Yoongi. I don't say it enough, but you're the only person I can depend on. I'm so glad I have you here with me, or I don't know what I'd do-"

"You're rambling, go to sleep," Yoongi replied with a fond smile.

Seokjin looks conflicted as if he had more to say, but he settled for a nod and a tight-lipped smile. "Goodnight, Yoongi."

"Goodnight Seokjin."

Yoongi stood at the older's door, and a bittersweet smile came to his face as possibilities rushed through his mind, but he shook it away. He's lower in status. Seokjin could never look at him that way. The king would have his head before he could even look at the prince in such a way, let alone touch.

He's just a servant. He's just the prince's shadow, that's it, and that's all. Yoongi knows his place, but that doesn't stop that soft smile creeping on his face. The prince likes boys.