A/N: Good evening everybody! I hope you are all well~ From here on out I love what is happening and what is to come so I hope you will too. If you have any questions about anything i'd say please don't hesitate to ask, but everything will be explained and make sense over time~ :P

Be patient, be good and don't kill me for what is to come~ kekeke

As always, comments and feedback are appreciated.

After spending the rest of the day together at their apartment, Leeteuk had talked the younger man into going to see his father. They had sat for hours talking about Kyuhyun’s father’s visit and how they should have explained things more in-depth to the king of the dark realm, but after hours of talking they were still no closer to knowing what to say. Once Kyuhyun had finally agreed to visit his father, Leeteuk decided to go back to his apartment for the first time in days, to pack a couple of bags. Moving in officially with Kyuhyun didn’t feel much different to the past couple of months, especially when they would spend days at Kyuhyun’s before Leeteuk hadn’t even thought about going back to his apartment. Kyuhyun had made room in his closet for Leeteuk’s clothes and shoes but lucky the prince’s drawers were mostly empty, giving the angel plenty of room for his things.

Leeteuk folded his clothes neatly and put them into the empty drawers before hanging his shirts up in the wardrobe along with his blazers and his trousers, for the more formal occasions. After he had finished he walked through into the living room, grabbing a blanket as he went, and stepped out onto the balcony. It was a cold but nice evening in the human realm and Leeteuk pulled the blanket around himself to keep out the cold before he leaned against the railings. The apartment already felt like home to him and had done for some time but as he settled into his new home he found himself thinking about Kyuhyun, and how the younger man's meeting with his father was going. When he felt something cold touch his nose he shivered and pulled the blanket tighter before he looked up at the darkening sky, smiling when he noticed snow beginning to fall.

“No wonder it’s so cold out here” He mumbled softly to himself and turned to walk back into the apartment, closing the door behind himself to keep the warmth in. He curled up on the sofa and lay the blanket over his legs and body before pulling out his phone and sending a message to Kyuhyun.
 

****
 

Kyuhyun had fully intended to go directly to his father upon arriving in the demon realm that night but when he arrived in Abaddon all motivation to go and visit his father disappeared. He sat on a nearby wall and looked up at the palace with a sigh. He hadn’t been back in Abaddon since his light magic had surfaced and several of his father’s guards had died as a result. A part of him was scared to continue up to the palace, worried about seeing Junsu, Jaejoong and the rest of the royal guard, but at the same time another part of him wanted to confront Jaejoong and tell him to stay away from Yunho, even though he knew doing that would likely put the angel in more danger. After a few minutes of sitting in silence, Kyuhyun’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he reached to take it out before reading the message on the screen.
 

To: Kyuhyun

From: Leeteuk

Message: How is your talk with your father going? I just finished unpacking and it’s starting to snow. When you get home I’ll either be watching tv or sleeping on the sofa because this blanket is warm and cosy :) I love you x
 

Kyuhyun couldn’t help but smile at Leeteuk’s message but at the same time, it reminded him of his inevitable talk with his father and his much-needed visit to the palace. He hit reply and sighed.
 

To: Leeteuk

From: Kyuhyun

Message: About that... I haven’t even gotten to the palace yet. I’m sat on a wall just outside of town. It’s weird to be back here after what happened with my magic the other week. It’s snowing? Snow is nice~ I love you too x
 

After pressing send Kyuhyun held his phone securely in his hand as he heard voices approaching. He pulled up the hood on his jacket and looked away when they passed but thankfully they only glanced at the young man sitting alone on a wall, neither of them realised it was the youngest prince and neither of them cared. He glanced down at his phone when he felt another buzz.
 

To: Kyuhyun

From: Leeteuk

Message: You’ve been gone for over an hour, you have to visit eventually. If you’re worried about what people think then don’t be. You are their prince, your father their king, they will keep their thoughts to themselves I can assure you. If you’re not going to see your father then come home. You can help to keep me warm~
 

To: Leeteuk

From: Kyuhyun

Message: I know… I’m going now, I know that I can’t hide forever but I figured an hour wouldn’t hurt. Keep you warm? Don’t worry, when I get back just say the word and I'll make you sweat ;)
 

To: Kyuhyun

From: Leeteuk

Message: Behave yourself~ Go and see your father.
 

Kyuhyun smiled and shook his head as he slipped his phone back into his pocket and zipped up his jacket. He had decided to leave the hood up but as he began the short walk up towards the palace people started to notice the prince’s presence. For the most part the people he passed stopped and greeted their prince accordingly, some bowed politely, some lowered their heads out of respect but others simply stared at him. It was obvious by the look on their faces that they had either witnessed first-hand or heard about what had happened to the king’s guards some weeks ago. The look of confusion, worry, caution and distrust on their faces told Kyuhyun to keep walking and he did just that until he approached the gate. The two guards stationed on either side of the large gates bowed their heads as they allowed Kyuhyun to pass through but the young prince soon stopped in his tracks when his ears picked up an all too familiar voice before Junsu came into view.

“Ah, Kyuhyun, you finally decided to come home I see” Junsu hummed with a sly grin as Jaejoong walked closely behind him, the collar still present around his neck with the addition of the younger man’s leash. Kyuhyun rolled his eyes and continued up to the palace doors before heading inside. He didn’t have the time to stop and play games with Junsu and now that he knew the man’s true identity, he didn’t have the patience either. The palace guards were still on alert and Kyuhyun tensed when he was joined on either side by his father’s guards.

“My lord Kyuhyun. We have been asked to you to your room. It is for both your safety and the safety of those around you”

“Are these my father’s orders?” Kyuhyun asked but one of the guards shook his head.

“No, my lord. These are the orders of Lord Junsu”

“I don’t need protecting and I know the way to my room so there’s no need to me anywhere. You can tell Junsu that he has no right to order me around in any way. He has no authority over me. Now leave!” he growled, alarming the guards slightly but they obeyed their prince’s orders, bowing for a moment before they turned to leave.
 

Nothing annoyed Kyuhyun more than being treated like a child in his own home, even if the palace wasn’t his main home anymore. He pulled down his hood and made his way through the palace to the throne room to find his father. He passed the meeting hall when he heard his father’s voice, he came to a stop and made his way quietly to the door, slowly pushing it ajar to peek inside. The king was sitting at the head of the table with several of his royal guards gathered around him. Junsu was nowhere in sight, much to Kyuhyun’s approval, so the young prince slipped through the open doors and walked silently to sit at the opposite end of the table to his father. The king smiled when he laid eyes on his youngest son but when he saw one of his guards reach for his weapon at the sight of the prince, the king growled low in his throat.
 

“Take your hand off your weapon” The king warned but the guards' grip tightened. Kyuhyun looked at the guard and then to his father with a look of confusion but when the guard spoke Kyuhyun’s eyes widened.

“He killed my brother..”

“That is an order!” The king growled

“What? Who was your brother?” Kyuhyun asked as he stood from his seat and walked closer. The guard turned to face Kyuhyun, his hand still wrapped tightly around his weapon but he showed no sign of moving to attack the prince.

“The day several of my fellow guards died in front of the palace, my twin brother Kai was among them. You killed him” The guard mumbled sadly and Kyuhyun’s features softened before he frowned.

“Your name is Taemin, right?” he asked and the guard, known as Taemin, nodded. “I am sorry, I truly am. I never meant for anyone to get hurt that day but it was something I could not control”

“I felt it. When his heart stopped beating I felt like mine had been ripped from my chest. Intentional or not you are responsible! You should pay for what you have done!” Taemin spat harshly and before the king or Kyuhyun could speak Taemin’s sword was drawn and pointed at Kyuhyun with the blade just inches from the prince’s throat. Kyuhyun looked at the blade before he stepped backwards.

“I am sorry, Taemin. Please forgive me” he spoke softly as he bowed before Taemin, surprising everyone in the room. The king remained in his seat to see how Kyuhyun would handle the situation having fought the urge to snap Taemin’s neck where he stood. Taemin’s anger soon faded and tears fell from his eyes and after a couple of moments, he withdrew his sword and lowered his head before he turned to face the king.

“I am sorry, sire. My behaviour was uncalled for” he spoke softly and turned back to Kyuhyun “My lord Kyuhyun, I would never harm you, please know that”

“It’s okay, Taemin. I understand your pain. I regret what happened that day and I wish it had never happened. But it did and I am sorry your brother was a part of it. Please, take as much time as you need to grieve for him. If anybody has a problem with it tell them to find me”

“Thank you, my lord” Taemin nodded before he bowed to both Kyuhyun and the king and made his way out of the room.
 

After a few moments of silence, the king stood from his seat and dismissed the rest of his remaining guards before he smiled at Kyuhyun and walked over to embrace his youngest son.

“I’m proud of you, Kyuhyun. I would have killed him in a heartbeat for turning his weapon on you. Rightfully I should have him arrested for such an action” The king murmured but as Kyuhyun returned his father’s hug, he shook his head.

“No, father. Everything that just happened was my fault. He might have turned his sword on me but he didn’t hurt me. He’s hurting right now and I know how that feels...” he paused as his neutral expression turned into a frown “There is no need to punish him for something I did... He just needs time to grieve”

“You will be a fine king one day, my son”

“That’s if I get to be king. I’m not in any hurry though, I’m enjoying my freedom” Kyuhyun smiled “Can we go and talk in my room, father? I need to speak to you about Leeteuk and I don’t trust doing it in here.”

“Of course. Lead the way.”
 

Kyuhyun walked out of the room ahead of his father as the king followed closely behind. Two of the guards followed the king but were soon dismissed to give them the privacy Kyuhyun wanted. Upon reaching Kyuhyun’s bedroom he pushed open the door and let his father enter before he looked down the hallway on either side and closed the door, leaning against it with a small sigh.

“Father, you need to speak with Junsu before I hurt him”

“Why, what has he done now?” The king asked with a confused expression. Kyuhyun shrugged.

“He thinks he has the right to order your guards to me around the palace. The fact that he thinks he can order me to do anything is just insulting. He might be your brother but he is not my king and never will be. I will never answer to him”

“I will have a word with him. Many people are still cautious of you, Kyuhyun. They are worried about who you will kill next”

“My magic is under better control now. As long as people leave me alone and I don't get too upset or angry then nobody has anything to worry about. It's as simple as that. Worried or not he has no right to do that. He has no control over me”

“I will speak to him, my son, I promise. I take it he isn’t aware that you know his true identity yet?” The king asked and Kyuhyun shook his head

“I would prefer it if he didn’t find out either. I don’t want him to know until I’m ready for him to know”

“I understand, don’t worry. Come here and sit with me.” Kyuhyun nodded as his father sat on the end of the prince's bed, patting the space next to himself for Kyuhyun to take a seat. He hadn’t spent time alone with his father in a while and as strange as it felt to him, as much as he remembered the lies, it was nice to see his father again. “What did you want to talk about?”

Kyuhyun walked over from the door and sat on the bed beside his father before he kicked off his shoes and pushed them underneath the bed. He rested his hands on the bed by his sides before pushing up his glasses.

“I want you to meet Leeteuk again..” He started and the king frowned in confusion “I want you to meet him properly. I don’t want you to meet him as the angel that he is and the king you are, I want my father to meet my boyfriend, the man I love. I didn’t want your first meeting with him to be like it was earlier today. I was supposed to tell you about him, about what he was before you met him for the first time. But you took me off guard when you arrived at my apartment”

“I think I can manage that. I’ll admit, I don’t like the idea of you dating an angel but I cannot ignore the truth anymore. We’ve always known that you were different, we put it down to your ‘human’ side but now I know the truth it changes things. You are a part of both realms and that grants you access to more lives, more possible people to fall in love with. I cannot be angry at you for who you fall in love with because I would have to be angry at myself for loving your mother, and that I will never do because I have you as a result. I will meet him again, as your father” The king spoke softly and with a fond smile. For the first time in weeks, Kyuhyun was glad to have visited his father and even happier that the king had finally begun to accept that things weren’t always what he thought they were.
 

Kyuhyun smiled and shifted a little on the bed to rest his head on his father’s shoulder. As much as he hated being a prince sometimes, he was glad that he could still have these moments with his father, moments that reminded him that no matter how busy or stressed out the king was, he would always somehow find time to spend with his sons. King Kim’s small smile grew as Kyuhyun’s head rested on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around his youngest son’s shoulder, squeezing gently before rubbing the younger’s arm and pulling his arm back.

“So” He started, looking at Kyuhyun as his smile turned to a curious grin “Tell me about Leeteuk. Now that I’ve met him and you don’t need to hide who he is anymore. How long have you been together? How do you know him?” The king asked, bringing a smile to Kyuhyun’s face as he thought of Leeteuk. The king narrowed his eyes briefly as Kyuhyun’s expression changed but he soon smiled, happy to see his youngest son so happy.

“We’ve been together officially for a little over a year now. At first, we just went on a couple of dates but then we started getting serious. Do you remember when Heechul took me out drinking and the day after you both had Hangeng walk me home?” Kyuhyun asked and the king nodded “We walked into each other… Literally. He ended up walking with us back to my apartment and once I had gone inside Hangeng walked him home so that they could talk. Hangeng and Leeteuk know each other from before Hangeng met Heechul and moved to the palace. I didn’t make the best impression on Leeteuk though, because of his blood it pulled me in and I almost bit him. Thankfully things got better after that though. I went to the café where Leeteuk worked to see him again and on the way home I heard about a party that Emperor Lee was hosting. That was interesting for sure. After that we spent more and more time together and, well, today he’s moving in with me.” Once Kyuhyun had finished speaking he looked anxiously to his father and waited for him to speak. The king’s looked puzzled but he soon smiled at the young prince.

“I never imagined that you would have ever fallen in love for any being of the light realm, especially an angel. But then again… I never expected you to ever tell me that the part of you I thought was human was in fact angel. You dating Leeteuk is getting easier to process, the other half of your magic will take a little longer however..”

“It surprised me just as much I can assure you” Kyuhyun pouted. He wasn’t surprised by his father’s unease but he was glad that the king was at least trying to understand. But when the next words left his father’s mouth, Kyuhyun froze.

“How did you find out about it?”

“I...” Kyuhyun paused as he thought about what to say. Part of him wanted to lie to his father about his meetings with Emperor Lee but what would be the point? His father would find out the truth eventually “Leeteuk took me to the light realm one day, it turns out I can pass through the portal because I’m only half-demon... I should probably mention that Emperor Lee is Leeteuk’s uncle”

“What?! You didn’t think to tell me this first? Your boyfriend is the nephew of my enemy and the enemy of this realm!” the king snapped and Kyuhyun hissed at his father before letting out a low growl.

“I don’t care who his family is! Emperor Lee maybe your enemy but he is and never will be mine! If it weren’t for him I would be dead!”

“What do you mean?”

“Let me finish and you will know. But don’t ever think to assume that your enemies are automatically mine, father. Afterall I hate Junsu but you still fail to see him for the monster that he is” Kyuhyun growled and his father sighed in defeat before nodding for Kyuhyun to continue “As I was saying, I went with Leeteuk while he met with his uncle. Emperor Lee was cautious around me but he could see me trying to keep in control so he welcomed me. After staying the night we met with Emperor Lee the following morning but I smelt blood. Long story short Sungmin set me up to make it look like I intended to hurt people, I attacked Sungmin, the guards stopped me and I woke up four days later locked in a cell. Before you threaten to have Sungmin killed, don’t worry because everything is fine now, we’ve worked everything out”

“The more you tell me the less I like his entire family” The king mumbled but Kyuhyun simply rolled his eyes.
“Emperor Lee had been piecing together small things that he had noticed about me since he first met me, familiar things. One of his guards can detect changes in people and even before they had met me he detected me through Leeteuk. After talking to his guards about it Emperor Lee came back and asked me about my mother, my real name and the name my mother gave me. As soon as I told him that he released me and allowed me back into the palace. He gave me a night to rest but the next morning he explained everything to me. He knew my mother before I was born and even before you met her. My mother and Leeteuk’s mother were good friends and as a result, Leeteuk and I spent a lot of time together when we were young, five years in fact” Kyuhyun paused and smiled sadly as a wave of mixed feelings for his mother washed over him. He felt sad whenever he thought or spoke of his mother but there was also a part of him that couldn’t help but smile at what she had given him in the short time they were together. “Since my mother died I’ve had so many questions about my life, questions I could never ask you, but Emperor Lee answered them for me. I know who I am now and it has made my head so much clearer. I have a letter written by my mother that confirms everything if you still need proof though”

“You said that if it wasn’t for Emperor Lee you would be dead… Why?” The king asked and Kyuhyun let out a small laugh before shaking his head.

“Because of you..” Kyuhyun mumbled as he looked down at the floor but when he finally looked up and back to his father he was met with a confused expression. “The day we argued about Junsu… The day you told me I was nothing..” Kyuhyun paused and the king frowned.

“I’m sorry I said that I was angry” he shrugged.

“That was the day I triggered my light magic. You saw the way your guards died but you didn’t see it closely. If you had you’d have seen that my eyes were blue... Heechul helped me get away and thankfully called Leeteuk to warn him because when I got back to the human realm I collapsed. My light magic completely overpowered me. Emperor Lee’s guards came to take me back to Araqiel and I was in a coma for a day. There was a chance I wouldn’t wake up or that I wouldn’t remember anything if I did. But thankfully there was no lasting damage, just bruising on my brain”

“Why didn’t you tell me about this? Why didn’t Heechul tell me that my son was in such a bad way?”

“Would you have believed either of us though? It was hard enough for me to accept that I had light magic. At that point, I never wanted to see you again. Your words hurt me, father. How can you tell your son that he is nothing? You know how easy it is to push me over the edge but you did it anyway”

“I regretted it the moment I said it but before I could put it right you had already gone. I wasn’t thinking. Heechul was the only one out of the three of us that day who saw through the anger.”
 

Kyuhyun picked at his fingernails as his father spoke. He knew what his father had said was out of anger, after all, he had said things he didn’t mean that day, but even now the king’s words had a lasting impact on his youngest son. He glanced down at the fabric covering his arms before he shifted to sit up straight.

“Father…” Kyuhyun started, giving a small sigh as he remembered what his father had said about his choice of clothing just hours earlier before he rolled up the sleeves of his sweater to expose his arms to his father. Kyuhyun’s arms were dotted with small scars, unnoticeable to most people and especially humans, but the most noticeable scars ran parallel to the veins on each of the prince’s wrists. The king raised an eyebrow but within seconds his features softened “Are you ashamed of me because of this? Because of what happened that night? Is that why you don’t hold me on the same level as Heechul?”

“Please understand, Kyuhyun. I see people tearing each other apart daily but this... This was something new to me. Watching my son tear himself apart, hurt himself almost to the point of death, it was one of the most difficult things I've had to deal with. And without your mother, I felt lost. I didn't know what to do or how to help you”

“You didn’t try… You left Heechul to deal with me. I know you are our king but I am your son, I needed you, surely you could have stepped away from your throne for just one night”

“I tried my hardest, I’m sorry that my hardest wasn’t good enough. I love you, Kyuhyun, I’ve only ever wanted the very best for you”

“The night it happened.. You were in a meeting with Junsu and the rest of the council. I remember because I came to you but when you saw me crying you hugged me and sent me to Heechul’s room..”

“But you didn’t go to Heechul’s room...” The king paused and Kyuhyun looked down before shaking his head a little “No father should have to see his child lying unconscious in a bath filled with bloody water. From the second the guards told me what happened I regretted pushing you away that night. If things had been different and Heechul hadn’t found you things would have turned out very differently. We wouldn’t be sat here talking now. You wouldn't have pulled through and gotten stronger. You wouldn't have met Leeteuk and I would have lost a son and the last connection I have left to the woman I loved”

“Heechul knew something wasn’t right that night. He told me he could tell from the way I had been acting. I spent over an hour in his arms before I came to see you, that had never happened before. You have my brother to thank for me being here today. And yes, I am grateful that he found me that night. Looking back now I’m glad things turned out the way they did. I was so lost, father. You might have loved my mother but there is little stronger than a mother’s bond with her child. My mother was my world. We started the day with plans of going for a walk through the park, going to the zoo and getting ice cream and before we had even left the park she had been taken from me. If you had been there that day, if you were in my shoes at the moment that knife was driven into her chest, you would know the pain I have felt since the day she died. You would know what I was feeling the night I tried to kill myself. I wouldn’t wish that pain on anybody, not even on Junsu.”
 

The two sat in silence for a moment as King Kim thought of what to say next. It was the first time they had sat down and spoke about the past and the night the dark realm almost lost a prince, it wasn’t an easy thing for either of them to talk about but it was something they both needed. King Kim reached out to take Kyuhyun’s hands before running his thumbs over the scars on his son's wrists. Kyuhyun visibly tensed but when his sleeves were pulled back down again he relaxed.

“I would never be ashamed of you because of this. These scars are not who you are anymore. You cannot let them define you. I know we haven’t seen eye to eye much over the past couple of weeks but there isn’t a day that goes by where I am not thankful that you are still here” he spoke softly, giving Kyuhyun a small but genuine smile “When your mother told me she was pregnant I panicked. I thought that being a king was the most important thing in my life, and a king could never have a half-human son to inherit his throne... I left you both thinking it was the best thing I could have done, but I regretted it. But the time I had come to my senses I couldn’t find your mother anywhere in the human realm”

“She was with Emperor Lee and Leeteuk’s mother in Araqiel..” Kyuhyun interrupted but the king only nodded in understanding, however, the confusion about his ex-lovers true identity was still evident on his face.

“I grieved for you both. For five years I thought you both dead. But one day Junsu was in the human realm and he caught sight of your mother. He reported back to me straight away and told me that she had a son with her, our son. I knew how much I had ruined my chance to be with her and see you grow so I kept my distance and kept an eye on you both. Seeing you made me forget about the rules of this realm. I didn’t care that you were half-human because you were mine. The sweet, playful and innocent part of myself that I could never be” The king paused and a tear rolled down his cheek before he quickly wiped it away “The day your mother was killed I was in a meeting discussing security. I should have been watching over you both, I should have been there to save her. Her death is my fault and I will never forgive myself. The thought that I almost lost you too is something I can’t bare”

“You’re not responsible for her death, you were doing your duty as king. You weren’t the one to take her life. Please don’t blame yourself... I’m still here, there’s no danger of me going anywhere anytime soon I promise. I’m getting better every single day thanks to Leeteuk, you aren’t going to lose me” Kyuhyun said softly and pulled his sleeves down over his hands before using them to wipe the tears in his eyes. The king pulled Kyuhyun into a hug and for the first time in weeks Kyuhyun hugged his father back. Despite their differences and disagreements, Kyuhyun was thankful every single day to still have his father in his life.
 

When they parted Kyuhyun sat back and crossed his legs beneath himself and his father’s posture straightened again. He looked at the chain around his son’s neck before a small smile graced his face.

“Your mother would be very proud of you, Kyuhyun. I know this because I am proud of you too” Kyuhyun returned his father’s smile and gave him a small nod of his head before his father spoke again “I’m curious of one thing though if you are half-demon, half-angel, why has nobody noticed before? When I am around you I cannot detect anything about your scent to signal that your blood is different”

“I honestly don’t know. I think my demon side is more dominant, after all, I can only physically consume blood. I’ll let you know if I ever find out, although it explains a lot though.. Heechul once told me that when Eli stabbed me vampires were gathering around the blood, my blood, that stained the floor outside of the palace. They said it smelt almost pure... I guess when it’s out of my body it’s easier to detect for some people”

“How does Leeteuk feel about that? The fact that you can only feed and not consume food” The king asked and Kyuhyun shrugged as he attempted to hide a small smile from his father but it was a failed attempt.

“We made a deal.. I don’t feed on anyone but Leeteuk anymore,” Kyuhyun said softly and his father’s eyes widened before an almost proud expression graced his face “It’s easier for both of us this way. If I feed in the human realm regularly as I need to it draws unwanted attention, puts people on alert and there’s an increased risk that I could be infected with something. By feeding on Leeteuk nobody gets hurt, plus because of his blood I don’t need to feed as often”

“But Leeteuk would be getting hurt though, surely?” the king mumbled but Kyuhyun smiled and shook his head.

“It was his idea. He can feel when I need to feed now. We have a connection, I’m not quite sure how it works but he feels me weakening when I haven’t fed for a while. I worked out a way of telling when I need to stop taking his blood, it’s safe”

“Kyuhyun… I underestimated Leeteuk. He seems good for you. You’re happy and you’re healthy, that’s all I’ve wanted for you all of your life and I need to thank him for that.” Kyuhyun gave his father a smile followed by a nod of his head. Speaking to his father about everything felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Kyuhyun finally felt comfortable with his father for the first time in a while. Just as he was about to speak there was a loud knock at the door followed by a voice that Kyuhyun didn’t want to hear, now or ever.

“Sire” Junsu called out softly as he knocked again before pushing the door to Kyuhyun’s room open a little and giving both Kyuhyun and the king a smile. The king glanced at Kyuhyun and frowned when he noticed his son’s body language change the minute Junsu stepped into the room. Just moments before Junsu entered the room Kyuhyun was relaxed and sitting with his legs crossed beneath him, but at the sight of Junsu, Kyuhyun kicked his legs out and hung them over the side of the bed as he held tightly onto the edge of the mattress, his fingernails digging into the soft fabric. He visibly tensed and the king frowned.

“What is it Junsu? I’m busy”

“Forgive me but I just wanted to remind you that you have a meeting in five minutes” Junsu smiled but with another glance to Kyuhyun, the king shook his head.

“You’ll have to take my place, Kyuhyun and I aren’t finished talking yet”

“But sire..” Junsu started but Kyuhyun’s voice stopped him and he narrowed his eyes to the prince.

“Get out” Kyuhyun mumbled as a low growl came from his throat “Get out of my room”

“Junsu, I will join the meeting when Kyuhyun and I are finished but for now I think you should leave”

“Father get him out of my room before do it myself. And it won’t be as kind as throwing him out of the window as Heechul did to his dog!”

“Go, Junsu. I’ll find you later you have my word” The king said softly and Junsu gave a nod of his head. When the king turned to look at Kyuhyun to check on the younger, Kyuhyun looked up in time for Junsu to flash his fangs in an all too familiar smirk, before he winked at the young prince and bowed. Kyuhyun stood from the bed with his fangs bared but before he could move Junsu had left the room and he felt his father’s hand grab his wrist.

“Leave him. He’s not going to hurt you”

“I don’t trust him, father. Something isn’t right. You didn’t see what he did just now”

“So trust me. I’ll keep him in line, he’s my brother, leave him to me” The king spoke softly as he squeezed the younger’s hand in an attempt to reassure him. Kyuhyun frowned and shook his head. No matter what his father said, there wasn’t a single part of Kyuhyun that trusted his uncle anymore.

“I need to get back… Leeteuk will be wondering where I am…Thank you for this talk, father. It’s made me feel better about some things. But Junsu… The next time he comes near me I won’t apologise for what happens”

“Then I ask you to stay away from him, for both of your sakes. Please, Kyuhyun. For me. I’m not asking as your king out of worry for my advisor. I’m asking as your father out of worry for my brother”

“I’ll try, father. But I won’t promise anything. I’ll keep my distance but he better do the same. I’ll call you later and you can speak to Leeteuk because I won’t bring him here”

“Thank you, that’s all I ask. I will come and visit again when you feel the time is right. Have a good night, my son. Thank you for being honest with me” 

“Thank you for not abandoning me now that you know the truth about who I am and who my mother was. I’m glad to know that I can still talk to you about anything that worries me or is on my mind” Kyuhyun smiled softly and received a smile from his father in return followed by a hug.  Kyuhyun returned his father’s hug once again before shifting to slip his shoes back on when they parted.

“You are and will always be my son, Kyuhyun. King or not I will never make the mistake of sending you away again, you have my word. I don’t tell you enough but I love you, my son and I’m proud of you”

“I love you too, father. I’ll see you soon.”
 

Kyuhyun and King Kim left the room together but parted ways just down the hallway. As his father turned to make his way back to the meeting room Kyuhyun turned and headed towards the palace doors and made his way through the palace grounds. A part of him was tempted to go and see Heechul but the only thing he wanted to do was go home to Leeteuk and relax.  

He slipped his hands into the pockets of his jacket and lowered his head as he walked through the palace gates and down one of the quieter streets in an attempt to avoid the majority of residents. A high pitched scream made Kyuhyun’s head shoot up and he rounded a corner to see an all too familiar figure standing before him cradling an almost lifeless body. 

“My lord Kyuhyun, what a pleasant surprise” Junsu hummed softly through his smirk as he his fangs clean and let the lifeless body fall from his arms.

“You don’t have a heart, do you not?” Kyuhyun grumbled as he rolled his eyes and turned to walk away from his uncle. As he began to make his way down the street he felt Junsu’s presence behind him and he stopped and sighed “Leave me alone”

“But sire, I just wanted to ask about your day. How are things? How is that wonderful boyfriend of yours?” Junsu purred and at the mention of Leeteuk Kyuhyun’s face contorted in anger and he stopped and threw out his fist, hitting Junsu square in the jaw.

“Don’t think you have any right to talk about him! He isn’t and will never be yours or anything resembling yours, do you understand me? I know who you are now. I know what you are to my family but you are and will forever be nothing to me, especially not my uncle!” Junsu rubbed his jaw as Kyuhyun spoke, the young prince may not have looked like the strongest person in the realm but the force behind his punch was surprising even to Junsu.

“So your father finally told you about your dear old uncle” Junsu murmured “What, don’t I get a hug?”

“You are nothing to me. You tried to have my boyfriend killed, you almost had me killed! And for what? What do you even get out of all of this?”

“You being hurt that day was unfortunate I’ll admit, unfortunate because I wasn’t able to drive that knife into your side myself. But you misunderstand because the day that I want you dead is the day that the last breath leaves your body and I will watch with glee as that happens”

“You’re so bitter. Your own dog is scared of you but you don’t see it” Kyuhyun laughed, shaking his head a little “I almost feel sorry for you. You lost your right to the throne, twice, and now you are nothing but a glorified guard dog to your brother” Junsu’s features changed in an instant. The cocky smirk left his lips and was replaced by a frown as his lip twitched in anger and his eyes darkened “It’s quite pathetic.” Junsu let out a low growl once Kyuhyun had finished speaking. It was the first time in a while that the youngest prince had got to speak to his uncle properly but neither of them was up for acting like a family.

As Junsu looked at his nephew he saw nothing but envy, anger and hatred for the young prince.

“I’ll tell you what is pathetic, my dear nephew” Junsu purred as he took a step closer to Kyuhyun, but Kyuhyun remained in place. “You walk around here like you’re better than everyone, better than me, but let me tell you something..” he paused before he did something which took Kyuhyun completely off guard.
 

Junsu stepped closer to Kyuhyun and snarled before he moved suddenly and extended his arm before wrapping his fingers tightly around the young princes’ throat. Kyuhyun’s eyes widened as he was lifted off the ground and pinned to the nearest wall, his head hitting the bricks harshly as he moved his hands to try and pull Junsu’s hand from his neck but it was useless. Junsu’s grip tightened and Kyuhyun gasped for breath as his airway was compressed.

“You are nothing. You will never be king because unlike me you were not born of this realm. You are a half breed. Impure and defective. The people of this realm will ever allow anybody less than a full demon to take the throne”

“Uncle.. please..” Kyuhyun choked out before kicking his legs out in an attempt to free himself from Junsu’s grip but it was useless, with every moment that passed Kyuhyun felt himself grow weak as he struggled for breath.

“You see how easy it is for me to kill you, even you can’t last much longer like this. Tell me, should I be kind and make it quick or…” Junsu started but his voice turned into a cry of pain when he was stuck over the head with a metal pole. His hold on Kyuhyun’s throat released immediately and as soon the prince hit the ground, Junsu was gone. Kyuhyun raised his hand to his throat as he coughed and gasped in an attempt to catch his breath before he looked up to see Heechul kneel beside him.

“Brother! Are you okay?” Heechul asked as he wrapped his arm around Kyuhyun to help him up and Kyuhyun nodded a little before he tried to speak.

“I..” he paused, frowning instantly when his voice came out hoarse “..think so”

“Who the hell does Junsu think he is? Come with me, we must tell father about this”

“What’s the point?” Kyuhyun mumbled through his coughs as he pulled away from Heechul and leaned against the wall to rub his neck. He flinched a little as pain radiated from his throat but once he caught his breath he breathed slowly and deeply. “I’ve just seen father. I told him that I would keep my distance from Junsu”

“He cannot ignore it this time, brother” Heechul spoke softly and stepped closer to Kyuhyun before he reached out to gently pull the younger’s hand away from his throat. Kyuhyun’s neck had already begun to bruise as a result of Junsu’s hold, the bruise was faint but the skin was already a deep shade of purple, making it obvious that somebody had assaulted the prince “Your neck is already bruised. Come with me, we’re going to speak to our father”

“Please brother, I just want to go home” 

“Why do you keep protecting him, Kyuhyun? When Eli stabbed you it took you months to tell father the truth about what happened. And now Junsu tries to strangle you to death and all you want to do is go home? No, I’m not letting it happen this time, you can go home if you want to but I’m going to speak to father” Heechul growled softly. He turned to leave but before he could take more than a couple of steps, Kyuhyun sighed.

“Heechul, wait” He pushed off the wall, using it briefly for support, before grabbing Heechul’s wrist to stop him “I’ll come with you but once we’ve spoken to father I’m going home. Leeteuk is waiting for me and I just don't want to be here anymore”

“I promise when we're done speaking to father I'll walk you to the portal myself”
 

It didn’t take long for Kyuhyun and Heechul to reach the palace once again, even with Kyuhyun trailing behind, Heechul’s anger showed in his fast pace and Kyuhyun watched his brother’s tail thrash as he walked. Kyuhyun followed closely behind Heechul as the older prince stormed through the palace towards the meeting hall where he knew his father would be. As he walked through the corridors he ran his sharp black nails across the wall leaving behind deep scratches in the plaster. Kyuhyun had never seen his brother so angry, it was an anger that scared even the youngest prince, and as they finally reached the meeting hall Kyuhyun paused and was about to speak when Heechul suddenly pushed open the doors, sending them swinging back against the walls with a loud crash. The king looked up from the papers in front of him and his face instantly contorted in anger before he apologised to his guests and glared at his oldest son.

“Heechul, how dare you interrupt my meeting. You better have a..”

“A good reason, father? How about I tell you that Junsu just tried to kill Kyuhyun”

“Not this again” The king sighed “My apologies my friends but we will have to resume this meeting another time. I need to deal with this right away” he bowed his head in time with the others gathered around the table before he walked over to Heechul and grabbed his oldest son by the arm, dragging him out of the room and waiting for the guards to close the doors before he spoke again “You are testing my patience this time, Heechul. Enough With your lies”

“Lies father?” Heechul scoffed “Look at Kyuhyun for yourself and tell me what is wrong.”

The king blinked in confusion and turned around before his eyes widened when he laid eyes on his youngest son. Kyuhyun was leaning with his head against the wall and his arms crossed against his chest. His appearance was the same as when the king had last saw his youngest son only minutes previous, but the bruise along his neck was new and even the king couldn't deny it's presence. 

“Hello again, father” Kyuhyun spoke softly, his voice still hoarse as a result of the pressure that had been applied to his throat. The king silently stepped closer to inspect the bruising before Heechul spoke again. 

“I smelt blood while I was running an errand, normal enough, but when I got closer I heard Kyuhyun’s voice. Junsu had him lifted off the ground and pinned to a wall by his throat and you still try to defend him? Not this time, father. Either you do something about it or I’ll track him down myself and end him once and for all.” The king frowned before he pulled Kyuhyun to his chest and sighed whilst embracing his youngest son in a hug.

“How can I have been so blind? I am sorry it’s taken until now for me to see the truth. Heechul there’s no need to take matters into your own hands because I will take care of it. Tell me, do you know where Junsu went?” he asked and Kyuhyun shook his head as he hugged his father back before he pulled away.

“He was gone by the time Kyuhyun had hit the ground, he was too fast” Heechul sighed and the king nodded before squeezing both his sons on the shoulder.

“Heechul I want you to gather the guards and tell them to put out a city-wide alert. They are not to use lethal force because he will be questioned before I decide what punishment he should receive. Tell them to guard the portal with their lives, unless I say so nobody is to leave the realm until Junsu is found and bught to me!”