A/N: Happy New Year everybody! I hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year~

I want to say a massive thank you to all of my readers and subscribers, new and old, for sticking by me and keeping this story going.

Your comments, feedback and support are always welcomed and I appreciate each and every one of them, and you!~ ♥

I was going to post this chapter a couple of days ago. Then it changed to New Years eve. But being busy worked out for the best really because here it is, on New Years day. This is my Christmas/New Years gift to you all for being amazing over the past year, the years before and the year ahead.

I hope you all enjoy it! I enjoyed writing this chapter~

And as always, comments and feedback are appreciated.

Each time that Kyuhyun had entered the light realm it was different to the next. The first visit was cautious, filled with anxiety and stress over keeping himself under control around so many people of pure blood. The second time was due to an overload of power, leaving the demon prince weak, scared and unsure of himself as well as his place in the world. When it came to his third visit to the light realm everything was different, including Kyuhyun himself. The prince was no longer stressed about having to visit the light realm. Instead he found himself looking forward to it, eager to discover more of the power which had been hidden to him for so long. His slow growing ability to control his newfound magic gave him the small confidence boost he needed around Emperor Lee and the other people in the realm.

Kyuhyun and Leeteuk were sitting in the throne room as they waited for Emperor Lee to arrive. The guards had left the two alone, with the emperor's permission, and after Kyuhyun had explored the room thoroughly he sat down on the step in front of the throne and sighed.

“I'm bored” he mumbled, resting his chin on the palm of his hand. The throne room was large in size, located in the centre of the palace for ease of access as well as maximum protection in the event of an attack, it was the most fortified room in the whole of the palace. On either side of the room were several rows of seating for members of the court during meetings.

The throne was located along the back wall, on a small platform just a step up from the rest of the floor, giving the emperor the best view of the rest of the room. There was a long purple carpet stretching from the door up to the throne platform, tying the whole room together. Beside the throne on either side were two large chairs for the emperor’s advisors, each were silver with purple velvet fabric, matching the throne.

Leeteuk smiled when he heard Kyuhyun’s mumble and he walked over to sit beside the younger before bumping their shoulders together.
“Well we could find a way to amuse ourselves until my uncle arrives” Leeteuk said softly, looking at Kyuhyun lovingly before he pressed his lips to the younger's cheek. Kyuhyun smiled and turned a little to face Leeteuk, resting his hand on the angel's cheek before he spoke again.

“I don't think your uncle will approve of us having on his throne” He smirked and Leeteuk blinked before smacking  Kyuhyun's chest gently.

“Behave. That's for when we're at home. I just mean, well.. you can either sit here bored or kiss me. Your choice” Leeteuk smiled, his smile instantly reflected on Kyuhyun's face. Kyuhyun brushed his thumb over Leeteuk's cheek as he shifted closer, their lips just inches apart.

“I know. And when we get home you can count on the fact that I will have you in my arms before you can even take off your shoes” He purred before he pressed their lips together softly. Leeteuk instantly melted into the kiss and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of Kyuhyun’s lips against his own. He rested his hand on Kyuhyun’s side and leaned his head against the younger’s hand as they kissed. For the next few minutes they each forgot where they were, and who they were waiting for, until they heard somebody in the room clear their throat.
“Sorry to interrupt boys, but I believe we have a meeting today” The emperor spoke softly, letting out a small chuckle when Kyuhyun and Leeteuk parted and Leeteuk looked away in an attempt to hide the blush on his cheeks.
“I... Sorry uncle, we weren’t expecting you just yet” Leeteuk mumbled, pausing for a moment to scowl at Kyuhyun, who was grinning from ear to ear, before he turned back to his uncle and smiled “It won’t happen again.”
“It’s okay Leeteuk, no need to apologise. And welcome back, Kyuhyun. I’m glad to see you up and about. You’re looking healthy again” The emperor smiled and Kyuhyun nodded as he turned a little to face emperor Lee whilst still keeping Leeteuk’s hand in his own.
“Thank you, sire. It hasn’t really been easy to adjust to things but i’m getting there, slowly. Both Leeteuk and my brother have been helping me with my magic so hopefully soon i’ll be in control of it instead of it being in control of me”
“That is good to hear. And of course i’m always here, which is the reason you are here today if I am not mistaken” The emperor smiled and Kyuhyun nodded before his eyes caught sight of Yunho entering the room. Kyuhyun noticed an instant change in the angel from previous times of seeing him. Yunho usually walked with impeccable posture and his head held high, displaying his confidence to anybody who would see him, but this time was different. Yunho looked paler and distant as he walked with his head down and one hand in his pocket, but the main thing Kyuhyun noticed was the cut across the angel’s cheek.
“Yunho?” Kyuhyun called out softly as he stood up from the step and walked over to where the angel was standing by the emperor “Are you alright? Your presence is different to normal, I felt it the moment you walked into the room”
“I’m fine, Kyuhyun. Thank you for asking”
“Do not lie to our guest, Yunho” The emperor sighed as he turned to look at Yunho, who nodded his head before sighing in defeat.
“I’m just tired. I ran into Jaejoong yesterday while I was in the human realm running an errand. He fatally wounded another angel, I put his spirit to rest but using magic of that strength takes a lot of energy.” At the mention of Jaejoong’s name Leeteuk looked up and straight over to Kyuhyun. The demon’s name had a tendency to send a shiver down Leeteuk’s spine and Kyuhyun knew it.
“Did he do that? Did he harm you?” Kyuhyun asked Yunho as he pointed to the cut on his cheek and Yunho nodded.
“He did this, yes. He…” Yunho paused while he tried to think of how to word what he was thinking. Kyuhyun reached out cautiously and rubbed Yunho’s shoulder before shaking his head.
“It’s okay, you don’t need to explain. I know all too well what Jaejoong is like” he smiled before pulling his arm back again. Emperor Lee smiled at Kyuhyun’s interaction with one of his closest friends before turning to Yunho and resting a hand on his shoulder.
“Yunho, go and lie down for a little while. You’re exhausted, you’re no good to anybody like this. Changmin will remain by my side and I have Kyuhyun and Leeteuk with me too, there’s nothing to worry about”

“I do not need to lie down, I am perfectly fine. I can do more by your side than I can when I am resting”
“Yunho this is not a request, it is an order. Now go, do not make me tell you again”
“Of course, my lord. I’ll be in my room if you need me. Kyuhyun, Leeteuk” Yunho smiled, giving Kyuhyun and Leeteuk a nod of his head before he bowed to the emperor and left the room.

When the doors closed behind Yunho Emperor Lee sighed as he walked over to take a seat on his throne. Changmin followed and sat down on the chair to the left of the throne, glancing towards the empty seat on the right where Yunho would normally sit.

“I don’t know what happened yesterday with Jaejoong but I have never seen Yunho like this before. He won’t tell me what happened between them and I am worried that Jaejoong somehow got inside of his head”
“Sire, where is Yunho’s room? I’d like to speak to him, maybe he’ll tell me what happened” Kyuhyun spoke softly as he stepped forward, still holding Leeteuk’s hand in his own.
“Thank you, Kyuhyun. It’s worth a try. Leeteuk can show you to Yunho’s room and when you get back we can talk about your magic.” Kyuhyun nodded with a small smile when he and Leeteuk turned and left the room. He felt oddly comfortable in the light realm despite only being there a couple times. People had began to change their attitude towards him for the better, although there were still many people who disagreed with the youngest prince of the dark realm being there.

As they walked through the palace and in the direction of Yunho’s room Kyuhyun’s ears twitched to people talking close by. He heard his name mentioned in several conversations from people they passed but there was one word in particular that he heard but could not understand. He tightened his hold on Leeteuk’s hand before pulling him closer and speaking softly.

“Leeteuk, what is that? That word I keep hearing people say when I walk by?”
“What word? Oh, Agaryulnaer?” Leeteuk asked and Kyuhyun nodded. “It uh..” he paused, laughing a little to himself before shaking his head “It’s nothing really bad, don’t worry. It’s a word from our ancient language. Not many people use it anymore, they just use certain words. That word in particular means bloodsucker, or vampire”

“People here are still scared of me, aren’t they?” Kyuhyun asked with a sigh and Leeteuk squeezed his hand.
“It will take some time for people to come around to the idea of you spending time here in the light realm. My uncle trusts you, Changmin and Yunho trust you and Sungmin is learning to trust you. In time people will welcome you here, I promise you” Leeteuk smiled, instantly reassuring Kyuhyun before they stopped in front of Yunho’s room. “Here we are. I’ll leave you to speak to him while I go and see my uncle”
“Thank you, Teukie. I’ll come and find you when Yunho and I are finished talking” Kyuhyun smiled as he kissed Leeteuk’s lips softly before the angel walked back down towards the throne room. Kyuhyun knocked gently on Yunho’s door and waited until he heard a response before he opened the door and peeked inside.
“It’s me, can I come in?” He asked as he looked towards Yunho. Yunho nodded
“Sure. Did Emperor Lee send you?” Yunho asked but when Kyuhyun stepped inside he shook his head.

Yunho’s room was large in size but didn’t contain as much furniture as Leeteuk’s did. With a large bed on the far side of the room, a desk off to the left hand side, a mirror on the wall and a walk in closet on the right, there was nothing of much importance or sentimental value on display around the room and this came as a surprise to Kyuhyun.
“I asked him if I could come and see you. He said yes in the hopes that you might talk to me” Kyuhyun spoke softly after he closed the door beside himself and walked over to where Yunho was sitting on his bed. “Can I sit down?” he asked as he motioned to the bottom of the bed and Yunho nodded. The two sat in silence for a few minutes as Kyuhyun looked around the room again before he turned to Yunho and pulled his leg up to rest on the bed.
“What happened yesterday with Jaejoong, Yunho? Emperor Lee is worried about you”
“I don’t know” Yunho sighed as he leaned forward and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I was out walking and I heard screaming. I can sense the presence of other angels nearby and I knew that the scream I heard was from an angel.. But by the time that I got there I was too late” he paused as he chewed on his thumb nail “I knew who he was. Nothing I said seemed to bother him, he just saw everything as a game..”
“That’s what Jaejoong does. It’s what he’s always done” Kyuhyun nodded softly before letting Yunho continue.
“He was flirting with me almost from the minute he saw me. It made me sick but.. I’m not used to attention of that kind because I devote my whole life to Emperor Lee and the palace. A part of me enjoyed the attention but it’s like he was pulling me in. He pushed me up against the wall and I froze. I couldn’t move, my heart was beating out of my chest. He.. he leaned in to kiss me and that’s when this happened” he paused again, pointing to the cut on his cheek “He had his hand on my cheek but before he could get close enough to kiss me I felt a sharp pain and it snapped me out of whatever daze I was in. That was it. I moved away and used my power to set his victim's spirit free. I saw something I never expected to see in him though. I think I managed to make him feel guilty for what he had done. He apologised. And that was the last I saw of him.” When Yunho had finished speaking Kyuhyun looked at him with a small smile. He wasn’t surprised at Jaejoong’s behaviour towards the angel but he was surprised that Yunho had gotten away with only a cut on his cheek, others didn’t tend to be so lucky.

“You’re lucky to be alive. Jaejoong charms people, it’s one of his ‘skills’ although we’ve found it doesn’t work with everyone. He’s very playful and flirty but it’s never in a good way, that’s the downside to him being what he is… Well one of them anyway. There are a lot of downsides to Jaejoong, mainly the fact that he is still breathing” Kyuhyun grumbled, making Yunho laugh softly.
“Why does he do it? Why does he pray on the weak and the vulnerable just to kill them in one of the worst ways that he can?”
“Everything is a game to him. He’s a shapeshifter, primarily a wolf, so he loves to play it’s just who he is. Unfortunately his definition of playing tends to end with someone’s death. Lucky for you if he likes something or someone he lets them live. I know it’s an awful thought but it means that if you run into him again he won’t kill you, although i’m sure with your power he would have a hard time trying” Kyuhyun chuckled and thankfully Yunho smiled. The young prince wasn’t sure whether anything he was saying would mean something to Yunho or not, after all this was the first and only conversation they had really had. But when Yunho spoke again Kyuhyun’s questions were answered.
“Thank you for coming to see me, Kyuhyun. I feel a little better just from having spoken to you about it. And thank you for not judging me”
“You’re welcome, but why would I judge you? Jaejoong is pretty, he always has been and it’s what draws people to him, it’s just a shame that much can’t be said for his personality. He’s toxic just like Junsu. That’s why they work so well together” Kyuhyun sighed while shaking his head and Yunho nodded in understanding before looking at Kyuhyun with a smile.
“I know being here has not always been easy for you and I cannot imagine how difficult the past couple of months have been for you but I want you to know that you are always welcome here, I know Emperor Lee feels the same. You are one of us, Kyuhyun. Even if you are a little different” Kyuhyun smiled as Yunho spoke, finally feeling welcome in the light realm by someone other than the emperor. He stood up from the bed and stretched before turning to Yunho with a smile.
“Thank you, Yunho. You don’t know how much it means to me that people here are ready to accept me and not think of me as a threat. I know the information wouldn’t be so welcomed in my own realm so it means a lot. I’ll let you rest” he spoke softly and Yunho nodded before giving Kyuhyun a small wave when the younger left the room.

On his way back to the throne room Kyuhyun greeted anybody he walked by politely, either by saying hello, greeting them with a soft smile or wishing them a good day. Most people returned the prince’s gesture with a cautious smile but others simply ignored him, choosing to keep their distance rather than have anything to do with the boy they still thought of as their enemy. Kyuhyun stepped back inside of the throne room and looked around with a look of confusion on his face before he heard Emperor Lee chuckle and step forward from his throne.
“Did everything go well with Yunho?” He asked and Kyuhyun nodded.
“Yes, he told me what happened and that being able to speak to me about it made him feel a little better. Where did Leeteuk go?”
“That’s good, i’m glad he felt like he could open up to you. Ah, Leeteuk has been stolen away by my son for a little while. He needed help with something and apparently only Leeteuk could help him” The Emperor chuckled as he watched a small pout appear on Kyuhyun’s face “Would you rather we wait for him to return or are you comfortable with it just being the two of us until he returns?”
“No, it’s okay. I came here to see you after all, there’s no point in wasting time”
“That’s great. I want to show you around a little more while we talk. There is still a lot of the palace I doubt you have seen so i’ll give you the grand tour.” Kyuhyun left throne room following closely behind Emperor Lee, it felt strange to be in the palace without Leeteuk by his side but the young prince knew that he had nothing to worry about. Over the next hour Emperor Lee lead Kyuhyun around the palace and the courtyards. The palace was larger than Kyuhyun thought, with many hidden hallways and windows that you could only see if you knew where to look. There were several courtyards scattered around the palace, most of them were small in size but a few were large and housed tables, chairs and fountains, suitable for parties or outdoor meetings. As the two walked they discussed events that had been happening over the recent weeks, varying from Kyuhyun’s discovery of his light magic and who his mother truly was to Yunho’s run in with Jaejoong just a day earlier. Kyuhyun found that he felt increasingly comfortable around Emperor Lee, he could be himself without hiding half of his life, something he could not do when around his father.

Emperor Lee stepped out of the palace and onto the grounds at the back before walking over to the small balcony there and leaning against the wall. There was a set of stairs on either side of the balcony leading down to the large courtyard located at the back of the palace. Kyuhyun closed the door behind himself and closed his eyes as the bright sunlight hit his face. He reached into his pocket and changed his glasses for his sunglasses before letting out a sigh of relief and following Emperor Lee to the wall.
“I don’t think my eyes will ever get used to the almost constant sunlight in this realm” Kyuhyun mumbled softly and the emperor chuckled.
“I expect it’s very different in Abaddon. I’ve heard stories of the sun never rising there”
“They are only stories, sire. The sun is there, just covered by cloud most of the time, unlike here in Araqiel, it’s always so beautiful here”
“That it is. Come with me I want to show you something” The emperor smiled and Kyuhyun nodded as he followed him down the stairs and through the courtyard to an area of grassland. There were two paddocks at the back of the palace and a large building converted into stables. There was a smaller sand paddock at the far side of the grassland, used for training the emperor's horses, and a large grass paddock closer to the stables. As the two walked closer to the stables Kyuhyun smiled when a horse was brought out into the field.
“Have you ever ridden a horse before, Kyuhyun?” The emperor asked and Kyuhyun nodded his head.
“Yeah. We have them in Abaddon but most are wild. I used to have my own horse, a stallion I named Blackjack.. A pack of wolves got into our stables one night and killed him” he paused and the emperor frowned before looking back at the horse.
“Well she’s yours if you want her. You can ride her anytime you are here and I promise nothing bad can happen to her. Her name is Zelda and she’s four years old”
“Really? Thank you, my lord” Kyuhyun smiled as he looked over to the brown horse now grazing in the field. Her mane was long and black and her tail flowed freely in the wind. Kyuhyun climbed over the fence and clicked his tongue as he walked through the paddock and towards Zelda, whose ears twitched upon hearing the familiar clicking sound. Emperor Lee looked on at the interaction, watching curiously when the horse approached Kyuhyun and instantly lowered her head to allow him to pet her.
“You’re beautiful” Kyuhyun smiled, letting out a small chuckle when Zelda rubbed her head against his legs. The stable hand had already prepared Zelda to be ridden but Kyuhyun double checked that the saddle and reins were stable before he secured his first foot in the stirrup and hoisted himself up onto the saddle. Zelda let out a whinny when Kyuhyun leaned forward to rub the side of her neck before he pulled the reins gently to the left to steer her towards the emperor.
“Is she usually this well behaved?” Kyuhyun called out and the emperor shook his head before smiling.
“I don’t think I have seen her allow somebody to ride her so quickly and easily for a long time. She must like you”

“She is wonderful to ride” Kyuhyun smiled back before Zelda the spot and began to trot down through the paddock and into the field, still keeping in view of the emperor.

Leeteuk made his way through the palace and towards the stables, where he had been told he would find his uncle. He had finished helping Sungmin run an errand, which had turned out to be going shopping for clothes for the prince to wear on his secret date with Siwon, and was finally free to spend the day with Kyuhyun and his uncle. As he walked out onto the courtyard he raised an eyebrow in confusion when he laid eyes upon the emperor standing at the fence alone before he followed his uncle's gaze to see Kyuhyun riding Zelda around in the field.

“Uncle! Is that Zelda?” He asked and the emperor nodded “Amazing, I've never seen her let anybody ride her like that before. What did you do?”

“Nothing. But I had a thought and I may be right. The last person to ride Zelda, as Kyuhyun is now, was different too. Her name was Lilah and she was also a nephilim. I think they have a connection with animals as well as nature and that's why Kyuhyun is so good with Zelda”

“I had no idea he could ride like that…” Leeteuk mumbled in awe and leaned against the fence as he watched Kyuhyun closely. Leeteuk’s eyes followed every movement Kyuhyun made, from the small and gentle kicks he made with his heels, to the smile on his face as he galloped around the field on the horse he was ready to think of as his own. When Kyuhyun finally looked up he smiled when he laid eyes upon Leeteuk standing by his uncle and he turned to walk Zelda back into the paddock and over to the fence.

“I had no idea you could ride like that” Leeteuk smiled and Kyuhyun nodded as he rubbed the horse's neck.

“I was telling your uncle earlier, I used to have a horse of my own when I was younger, his name was Blackjack. My father broke him but he would only ever allow me to ride him. Heechul tried once and Blackjack threw him off” Kyuhyun chuckled before Zelda let out another whinny. “I’ll take her back to the stable and be back with you”
“Okay, no rush”  Leeteuk smiled before he rested his head on his uncle’s shoulder “Thank you, uncle. I can see that this made him happy. He’s had a tough time with his magic lately so little things like this just help to keep his mind focused on the good things”  
“You don’t need to thank me, Leeteuk. Anything I can do to help make things easier, I will.”

After Kyuhyun had taken Zelda back to her stall he left the stable and walked back through the courtyard towards where Leeteuk and the emperor were waiting for him. Leeteuk instantly reached out his hand for Kyuhyun to take before the three of them walked back through the palace grounds and headed towards the meeting room.
“Uncle, did you tell Kyuhyun about Lilah?” Leeteuk asked once the doors to the meeting room were closed. The two sat together at the table across from the emperor before Kyuhyun shook his head.
“Lilah?”
“Not yet, I wanted to wait until we were alone” The emperor said softly before turning to Kyuhyun with a small smile “Lilah was like you, Kyuhyun. A nephilim. She had a way with animals and nature. I had a feeling that you could have that in common with her which is another reason I introduced you to Zelda, you proved me right.

“Another nephilim? What happened to her is she still alive?” Kyuhyun asked

“I am not sure. She disappeared a couple of years ago. Nobody has heard from her since”
“Is there any way we could find out whether she is still alive? Maybe it could help for Kyuhyun to meet her” Leeteuk questioned but the emperor shook his head.
“If she is alive she does not want to be found. Every effort we have made to track anybody down with that kind of power ended when we were lead back to Kyuhyun. It appears that using magic to track magic does not work when Kyuhyun’s magic is the strongest around” the emperor chuckled, leading to a rather sheepish smile appearing on Kyuhyun’s face. Just as Leeteuk was about to speak there was a knock at the door and Sungmin poked his head inside before stepping into the room and closing the door.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, father. I just, I heard Kyuhyun was here and I was wondering if I could do anything to help with his magic”
“That is not up to me” The emperor shrugged a little and motioned for Sungmin to come closer to the three of them. Sungmin nodded and stepped forward before giving Kyuhyun a small smile.
“Kyuhyun, I want to help. Let me help you with your magic, I can teach you the power I have, will you let me?” Sungmin asked and Kyuhyun smiled. Despite everything Sungmin had done to try to get people to turn away from him, Kyuhyun couldn’t deny that he did want the light prince on his side, even if it was fun to scare and torment him from time to time.
“Of course. Thank you, Sungmin”

****

When Junsu returned to his room after another meeting with the king and his guards he frowned as he opened the door and laid eyes upon Jaejoong. The shapeshifter was curled up in his wolf form on the middle of the bed they shared. His ears were low and his tail curled tightly around his body as he lay with his eyes closed.

“Jaejoong, baby? What's wrong?” Junsu asked and Jaejoong opened his eyes and raised his head before whimpering softly. The expression on the wolf’s face and the look in his eyes was something that Junsu had not seen for a long time, a mixture of fear, worry and regret. Junsu frowned at Jaejoong’s whimper as he walked through the room and set his folder down on the desk before he sat down on the bed beside the wolf.
“You’re sulking. Why are you sulking? You know I don’t like it when you’re upset” Jaejoong sighed as Junsu spoke and he lifted his head to rest on the older mans lap before closing his eyes. “We’ll talk later. I’m free for the rest of the afternoon so i’ll stay here with you.” The two sat in silence for over an hour as Junsu simply ran his fingers through the soft fur on Jaejoong’s neck. It was something that always helped to relax the shapeshifter and after a while his breathing evened out and his body relaxed completely as he fell asleep. Junsu looked down at the wolf’s sleeping face before he laid back against the pillows and closed his eyes, he had every intention of staying awake but after a busy day of meetings and training it didn’t take long for him to drift off to sleep.

A couple of hours later Jaejoong finally opened his eyes. The light in the room was fading as the sun began to set and Jaejoong yawned before lifting his head to see Junsu sleeping on the bed beside him. Jaejoong shifted back into his human form, keeping his distance on the bed as not to wake the older man. He looked down at his hands and frowned a little. There were still small traces of blood beneath his nails and palms were grazed and dirty, from where he had landed on the floor, after being pushed away by Yunho. He got up and grabbed a bathrobe from the hook on the wall before he pulled it on and curled back up on the bed beside Junsu, resting his head on the older man’s chest as he traced his fingers over the creases in his shirt.

“I wish I could tell you but i’m scared” Jaejoong whispered before he let out a sigh when Junsu’s arm wrapped around him, holding his small frame close. He looked up to see that Junsu’s eyes were still closed. “It’s only ever been you. But i’m scared of the hold Yunho had over me yesterday. I’ve never felt guilty for taking a life until I met him. Please forgive me, my love. I promise I will avoid him in the future” he finished and pressed a kiss to Junsu’s chest before snuggling closer and closing his eyes. But when Jaejoong’s eyes closed and his body relaxed Junsu’s eyes opened slowly, focusing instantly on the man sleeping in his arms. His expression was nonchalant despite what he had just heard. A part of him was confused by the younger’s words but deep down he knew that Jaejoong would never leave him.
“Do not worry, love. This collar is yours for a reason” Junsu hummed softly as he ran his hand up Jaejoong’s arm to touch the collar that was still locked in place around the shapeshifters neck. The collar was a symbol to them and to others in the realm. It showed who Jaejoong belonged to and that nobody else could touch him, but where others recoiled at the thought of belonging to another so closely, Jaejoong welcomed it and wore the collar proudly.

Nobody could ever come between them and Junsu knew it.

****

Long after the light had faded in the light realm Leeteuk, Kyuhyun and Sungmin were gathered in the meeting hall with emperor Lee as they talked, and worked, through various forms of magic. The emperor and Leeteuk sat off to the side while Sungmin explained his own magic to the demon prince. Starting with the protection magic he had tried, and failed, to use on Kyuhyun in the earlier weeks. With the new magic came pain and discomfort on both ends. Each new magic Sungmin showed and taught Kyuhyun had to be demonstrated first, but both of the princes would never admit that they enjoyed hurting the other.

“You did that on purpose! We didn’t say full force!” Kyuhyun hissed after Sungmin had fired a particularly strong spark of magic in the younger’s direction, hitting him in the stomach. Leeteuk cleared his throat at his boyfriend’s action, subtly reminding the younger that there was no need to bare his fangs like he did when he felt threatened.
“So try harder then. I know you can do this, you’re not trying. Now show me. Make me feel what I just made you feel… if you can” Sungmin smirked, earning a chuckle from his father.
“You’re acting more like me every single day, Lee Sungmin” Kyuhyun hummed almost proudly at Sungmin’s behavior as he paced back and forth for a couple of moments before relaxing himself and letting out a breath. This side of Sungmin was different to the side Kyuhyun had seen in their previous meetings, he was confident rather than scared and worried and the fact that he was trying to help the demon prince proved that he really did want to make up for his previous behavior. Kyuhyun closed his eyes for a moment as he focused on the sound of Sungmin’s breathing. A small smile played on his lips when the light princes heartbeat quickened a little and before he could speak Kyuhyun opened his eyes. With all of his concentration focused on Sungmin, Kyuhyun raised his hand as his eyes faded from purple to blue before a strong bolt of energy sparked from his fingertips. Both emperor Lee and Leeteuk watched in surprise as Sungmin was thrown across the room by the force of Kyuhyun’s magic, a force neither of them expected so soon from the demon prince. Sungmin landed on the floor with a pained cry as his head hit the wall before he sat up and glared at Kyuhyun whilst holding his head.

“Ooowww!” Sungmin whined, sounding more dramatic than he needed to and Kyuhyun couldn't help but laugh “You did that on purpose!”

“I'm sorry, but I really didn't. You told me to try harder.. so I did. Although that still wasn’t trying my hardest but I think that could really hurt you”

“Okay boys, I think that's enough for today. You've both done well. Sungmin, go and see Dr Choi, make sure you don't have a concussion” Emperor Lee called out softly and at the mention of the doctors name, Sungmin smiled.

“Yes, father” Sungmin nodded before he felt his cheeks heat up when he looked over to Leeteuk and received a wink from the other. Kyuhyun narrowed his eyes when he saw the small interaction but before he could call the two out on it, Leeteuk shook his head and pressed his finger to his lips. As Sungmin left the room Kyuhyun walked over to where Leeteuk and his uncle were sitting and he sat down beside them, resting his head on Leeteuk’s shoulder as he let out a yawn.
“You’re picking up new magic faster than I expected, that’s good. Just give yourself time to rest. Your magic is useless if you don’t have the strength or the energy to stay awake” The emperor chuckled and Kyuhyun smiled. “There is a party planned to take place in a couple of days. It will be held in the auditorium of the arts centre in the human realm, and I think it goes without saying that the two of you are invited. There is no need for you to sneak into this one, Kyuhyun”
“Thank you, my lord. I look forward to it” Kyuhyun smiled before he paused and looked down at Leeteuk’s hand as he laced his fingers with his boyfriends. He lifted his head and pressed a kiss to Leeteuk’s cheek before glancing to the emperor. “Leeteuk, can I speak to with your uncle for a moment please? Don’t worry it’s nothing bad, I just would prefer you to not be in the room” he spoke softly and with caution, worried about how Leeteuk would react to being kicked out of the room, but Leeteuk smiled and nodded his head.
“Of course. I’ll go and see Sungmin. Check if Siwon’s found a brain in that skull of his” Leeteuk chuckled before smiling at Kyuhyun and squeezing his hand gently “Don’t be too long, okay? I want you to myself for a bit before we go back home”
“I’ll try not to be. Now go, i’ll meet you in your room in a little while.”

Kyuhyun watched with a small smile as Leeteuk left the room, glancing back for a moment with a smile before he closed the door, leaving Kyuhyun alone with Emperor Lee. Kyuhyun let out a sigh in an attempt to steady his nerves as he rubbed his hands together anxiously, something that Emperor Lee noticed straight away.
“What is it, Kyuhyun? You know you you can tell me if something is on your mind. And right now I know there is something on your mind”
“There is. But it’s.. it’s not magic related or anything to do with what’s been happening lately” he mumbled whilst looking down at the floor. “This has been on my mind for the past couple of months but with everything that has happened with my magic, being in a coma… I’ve put it off because the timing hasn’t felt right. But now things are starting to go well again. Leeteuk and I are better, closer, than ever. Sungmin is finally trusting me and I feel more at home here than I do in my own realm with my own father”
“You’re always welcome here, Kyuhyun. Never doubt that. Sungmin is smart but he’s cautious and sometimes reckless, you are not the first person to come into his life that he tried to push straight back out of it. He’s protective of Leeteuk because Leeteuk is the closest thing to a brother than he has ever had. What is on your mind? What have you been putting off?” Emperor Lee asked softly as he turned in his seat to face Kyuhyun a little better before reaching out to squeeze the prince's shoulder reassuringly. Kyuhyun gave the emperor a gentle smile and brushed one of his fangs over his lower lip before biting it softly. With several things rushing around in his head all at once there was only one thing that made sense to him. He took a deep breath and breathed out slowly before he finally continued.

“Since the day I met Leeteuk there was something about him that seemed familiar. Knowing now that we were close even when we were children made me realise that i’ve lost him once, I don’t want to lose him again, I can’t. He makes me the happiest i’ve been since my mother died, maybe the happiest i’ve ever been, and I didn’t think I would ever get to this point again. You are his family, you are the closest thing to a father he has, and family is important to me. I know this is a big step and I don’t expect an answer right away but..” He paused briefly as a familiar feeling of butterflies fluttered in his stomach and he couldn’t help but smile as he spoke his last words.

“My lord, I would like your blessing to marry Leeteuk.”