A/N: Sorry for the delay in this chapter going live guys. I aim to get a chapter posted per month to give myself to finish and organise things, but over the past month and a half a lot has been going on and my writing has all but stopped as a result. I'm slowly getting back into it again now but it's a slow process. Thank you for always being patient with me. I appreciate you all for still being here ♥ Let me know what you think and don't be afraid to say hi!
As always, comments and feedback are appreciated.
 

Leeteuk ran his fingers across the back of Kyuhyun’s arm gently as he sat with his eyes closed. He was listening to the steady beeping of the machines around them in an attempt to calm his mind, but it had little to no effect. He opened his eyes and stood up for a brief moment before he leaned down and pressed a kiss to Kyuhyun’s forehead.
“I’m here, baby, I’m not leaving you. Take as much time as you need, but come back to me.” Leeteuk sat down and took Kyuhyun’s hand in his as he pulled his phone from his pocket. He had several missed calls and various text messages from his uncle, Sungmin, Changmin and Shindong but until now he had no interest in speaking to anyone. His mind was focused on Kyuhyun and Kyuhyun alone but as he sat in the quiet room of the hospital, he suddenly missed home. It had been a little under a week since Leeteuk had spoken to Sungmin and he needed to hear his cousins voice. He scrolled through his phone until he reached Sungmin’s number before he raised the phone to his ear and waited. It was approaching one o’clock in the morning in the demon realm but due to the time difference between realms, it was still early in the evening in Araqiel.

“Leeteuk? I've been so worried about you! I tried calling but you didn't answer” Sungmin beamed but when Leeteuk was silent Sungmin’s voice quietened “Teukie, has something happened? Are you okay?” Leeteuk was silent for a few moments before he sighed.  

“I'm fine, Sungmin. I've just had a lot on my mind, keeping tabs on my phone hasn't been my priority, sorry.” 

“It's alright, I understand. As long as you're alright... You are alright, aren't you?” Sungmin asked and as Leeteuk looked at Kyuhyun, tears began to gather in his eyes. 

“Yes.. No.. I honestly don't know anymore. I’m trying to be.” Leeteuk’s voice broke before he cleared his throat and wiped his eyes on his sleeve.

“Nobody will blame you for not being okay, Teuk. You’re allowed to be upset. You should get some rest.” 

“I’ve just slept for almost twenty hours, I'm rested enough. Kyuhyun needs me.”

“Are they taking care of you?”

“Yeah. They've been great. The Palace has been restricted to only people who need to be here so there is less danger to me. It means I can't leave the Palace but I'm fine with that. There's only one place I want to be and it isn't outside” Leeteuk spoke softly as he ran his thumb over the back of Kyuhyun’s hand. 

“How’s he doing?” Sungmin asked and Leeteuk sighed. 

“He's in a bad way, Sungmin, I don't know what to do. He's so weak and fragile right now. He has so many needles and wires attached to him, I want him to be okay.. I need him to be okay.”

“But he will fully recover though, won't he?”

“ZhouMi says he will be alright, it'll just take some time. He’s stable and over the worst now. We don't know what the damage will be to his brain yet though and that's what worries me”

“What if it's severe?” Sungmin asked hesitantly and Leeteuk bit his lip. 

“Then we will find a way through it. No matter what happens I'm not leaving his side. I just worry how Kyu will react.”
“He has you by his side, I wouldn’t worry too much, he sounds like he’s in the best hands. Just let me know if there’s anything I can do, okay? It doesn’t matter what time of day it is, if you need me just call. I’m always here for you”
“Thank you, Sungmin” Leeteuk smiled a little as fresh tears ran down his cheeks “I hate this feeling. It’s like watching my mother die all over again. Regardless of the outcome, there’s nothing I can do to help him.”
“Oh Teukie, I wish I could help. I’d use all of my magic to heal him if I could, even if it meant I lost it forever.”

“I know. Everyone wants to help but there's nothing any of us can do right now. Kyuhyun is resting and healing, the only thing I can do is be here with him.”

The pair were silent for a moment before the door to Kyuhyun’s room opened and ZhouMi walked in. He smiled softly at Leeteuk but when he noticed the phone pressed to the angel's ear, he frowned. 

“Ah, my apologies, Leeteuk. I did not realise you were on the phone. I will come back later”

“No, it's okay, ZhouMi. Do what you need to do, please.”

“If you are sure. I do not wish to interrupt.”

“Kyu needs you to be here, I need you to be here. I'm just updating Sungmin.”

“Who's that? The way he talks... He sounds old” Sungmin mumbled after hearing ZhouMi speak softly in the background and for the first time in days, Leeteuk let out a small laugh. 

“That is ZhouMi. Kyuhyun’s doctor. I don't think he's that old, don't be rude.” ZhouMi smirked when Leeteuk spoke and he turned to look at the angel. 

“I am twenty-nine” He smiled before he shot Leeteuk a wink and returned to noting down Kyuhyun’s vitals. 

“Twenty-nine? He sounds older.” Leeteuk rolled his eyes as Sungmin talked but he was happy to hear his cousins voice. 

“Sungmin, stop talking. It doesn't matter how old he is or how he speaks. He saved Kyuhyun’s life and helped me feel better. He's good at what he does and that is what matters.”
“I didn’t mean anything by it... I’m sorry. Tell him I said thank you, from both my father and I.”
“ZhouMi, both Sungmin and my uncle say thank you for everything you’ve done.”

“I am only doing my job” ZhouMi smiled and held his clipboard against his chest “They have no need to thank me. I would never allow Prince Kyuhyun to die and I would not be doing my job properly if I had left you untreated. I know that Kyuhyun would never forgive me if I had done that.” ZhouMi reached out and ran his fingers through Kyuhyun’s hair and a small smile crept onto Leeteuk’s face. “I will come back later, Leeteuk. Kyuhyun is stable and doing well, so do not worry.”
“Thank you, ZhouMi.” After ZhouMi had left the room Leeteuk shifted in his seat and leaned back comfortably. He was still holding Kyuhyun’s hand while his other held tightly onto his phone. 

“Teukie..” Sungmin spoke softly “What happened? Heechul told us that Junsu tortured Kyuhyun and forced him to feed on you?”
“Yeah...”
“But he said that Junsu killed Kyuhyun... How is that possible?”

“I’ll explain another time, Sungmin. When Kyuhyun is awake and well enough we’ll get everyone together, somehow, and explain everything. Having to go over and over what happened… I can’t do it. I don’t want to do it.
“I understand, don’t worry. There’s no rush.”
 

Leeteuk and Sungmin settled into silence once again after Leeteuk had finished speaking. Their silence wasn’t uncomfortable or awkward in the slightest. Sungmin understood that Leeteuk would speak when he was ready and Leeteuk knew that Sungmin would need a moment to process the information he had been given. As the two sat in silence Leeteuk leaned over and kissed the back of Kyuhyun’s hand before he squeezed it gently. Sungmin closed his eyes as he listened to the steady beeping echoing through the phone.
“I wish I could be there with you, Leeteuk, I hate knowing you’re dealing with this on your own.”

“I’m not on my own, don’t worry. ZhouMi stops by every hour to check on Kyu, and Heechul and Hangeng are making sure I’m alright. Everyone’s making sure I’m eating, drinking and resting enough. Uncle would never let you come here on your own, but don’t worry about it, I’m okay. I need to be because Kyu is gunna need me when he wakes up.”
“I don’t know how I could ever thank them.” Sungmin paused and bit his lip as he listened to the beeping again. “When will Kyuhyun wake up?”
“He’s sedated for now. ZhouMi wanted to give him a little more time to heal. Kyu never listens when he’s hurt. You tell him to rest and he’ll get up and move around.” Leeteuk paused and laughed softly as his first memory of Kyuhyun being hurt came to mind. The young prince refused to be seen by ZhouMi and insisted on going home because he didn’t want to disappoint Leeteuk. “Normally he would be healed by now but without demon healing on his side, he’s healing at the rate that we do. I think ZhouMi plans to reverse the sedation tomorrow morning. I just can’t wait until he’s breathing on his own again. I hate seeing him with a tube stuck down his throat.” 

“I don’t blame you. It can’t be easy. But it’s to help him get better, just remember that. You’ll have him back before you know it and then you’ll be complaining that he’s back to teasing you all of the time” Sungmin let out a soft laugh and Leeteuk couldn’t help but smile.
“Honestly, I’ll never complain about that again. I miss his teasing. I miss him being snarky. I miss his voice. After all of this, I know now, more than ever, that I never want to be without him.”
“Call me when he’s awake, okay? Update me on how he’s doing and how things are looking. I’ll let father know you’re doing alright and I’ll have him send more blood if Kyuhyun needs it. Anything either of you need, just give me a call.” 

“Thank you, Sungmin. I appreciate it and I know Kyuhyun’s father and brother will too. If we can get through this I know we can get through anything. It was good to hear your voice, I miss you.”
“You too, Teukie. Things will get back to normal before you know it, I promise. I’ll speak to you tomorrow.”
 

Leeteuk and Sungmin said their goodbyes and Leeteuk scrolled through the various messages he had received from Shindong over the past few days with a sigh. Shindong had initially messaged Leeteuk to congratulate him and Kyuhyun on their engagement but after days of not hearing from the older man, Shindong had called multiple times and left messages for Leeteuk to call or message him back. He hit reply on Shindong’s last message and sighed as he typed.
 

To: Shindong

From: Leeteuk

Message: Hey, Shindong. I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch, things got a little… Chaotic after the party. I didn’t have access to my phone for four days and things aren’t good right now… We got hurt. I can’t explain at the minute. I’m okay but Kyuhyun is in the hospital and he has a long road to recovery ahead of him. I might not be around in person for a while but you can reach me on my phone now. We’re in Abaddon at the moment and will remain here until Kyuhyun has recovered enough. I’m sorry I worried you. I hope you’re well.  I’ll speak to you soon.

Leeteuk hit sent on the message and set his phone down on the small table beside Kyuhyun’s bed. A part of him hated the brief nature of the message but while he wanted to explain everything to his friend, all Shindong needed to know for the moment was that Leeteuk was safe. As he sat for a while simply watching Kyuhyun sleep, the sound of the steady beeping around him gently began to lul the angel to sleep. Despite sleeping for almost twenty hours Leeteuk still found himself losing the fight to stay awake. He let out a yawn and rolled his shoulders before he stood up and walked over to the light switch beside the door, dimming the lights a little but not enough to plunge the room into darkness. He walked back over to Kyuhyun’s bed and ran his fingers gently through the younger man’s hair with a small but sad smile.
“You’re doing so well, Kyu. Everybody sends their love. Just a little longer and you’ll be back with us. I can’t tell you how much I miss your voice. I miss you so much. I’ll be right here all night, I promise.” He leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to Kyuhyun’s forehead before he pulled back a little “I love you, baby.” Leeteuk pulled the blankets up around Kyuhyun a little more and rested the younger man’s hand comfortably on his stomach with the other hand before he walked over to the sofa and lay down. He settled his head on the pillow and pulled the blanket up to his neck. His eyes moved back to Kyuhyun’s bed and he continued to watch the younger man for several more minutes until his eyes eventually fell closed and he drifted off to sleep.

**
 

After having breakfast the next morning Leeteuk took a small break and spent an hour alone sitting outside in the inner courtyard of the palace. The sun was trying to break through the blanket of cloud overhead but it’s warmth could still be felt. Leeteuk had always thought Kyuhyun was exaggerating when the younger man talked about Abaddon being dull and dismal the majority of the time but having finally been in the dark realm, he understood exactly what Kyuhyun had meant. Being outside in the fresh air had helped to clear the angel’s mind a little and brought a small sense of calm upon him. The events of the past week still repeated in Leeteuk’s mind from time to time. The sound of Kyuhyun’s pained screams, as well as the pain Leeteuk felt as a result of Junsu forcing the young prince to feed on him, were an almost constant nightmare that the angel relived each time he slept. Thankfully, waking up to see Kyuhyun still breathing helped Leeteuk to push aside the nightmares of the past and focus on the present. Kyuhyun was very much alive, and stable.
 

**
 

“Morning, Heechul. How long have you been here?” Leeteuk asked as he pulled the door closed behind himself and walked over to press a kiss to Kyuhyun’s forehead. Heechul smiled and watched Leeteuk from where he was sitting.
“Good morning. I haven’t been here long, maybe thirty minutes or so. I have duties to attend to soon so I wanted to come and spend some time with Kyu beforehand. I brought this for you to look through if you’d like. It’s one of Kyu’s photo albums. There are a few pictures of you in here, from when you were both younger.” Heechul tapped the book resting in his lap with his fingernails and Leeteuk smiled before taking a seat and gently Kyuhyun’s arm.
“I didn’t think he would have photos of us from back then here in the palace.”
“Now I know it’s you in the photos I don’t how I didn’t figure it out when I first met you, it’s rather obvious. Kyu looks so happy in the photos of you together, it’s a shame he doesn’t remember much from back then.”

“Honestly, there’s a lot of things from when we were small that even I don’t remember. We were children and a lot has happened in our lives since then. I do remember this” Leeteuk paused and pushed up the sleeve of his cardigan to reveal a scar on his wrist just barely standing out against the now faint bruising. “I had forgotten how I got this until my uncle reminded me.” Heechul narrowed his eyes to look at the scar before he looked up at Leeteuk with an eyebrow raised. “When Kyuhyun and I used to play together we played like there was no difference in who we were. I didn’t see him as being evil or scary. He was just like me, only a little different. But he didn’t know the damage his fangs could do at the time. They were only small back then but still sharp” Leeteuk smiled and reached up to brush his hand over Kyuhyun’s cheek. “He bit me one day, I don’t remember why and honestly, at the time there probably wasn’t a reason, I was the one bleeding but Kyu was the one crying. He got lots of cuddles after that.”
“That sounds like Kyu.” Heechul laughed softly “He acts tough but he has a soft heart, always has.”
 

Heechul opened the photo album and showed Leeteuk the first page of the book. Two photographs were protectively displayed with a small amount of writing beside each one. The first photograph was of Kyuhyun was sitting on SoonKyu’s lap holding a black cat plushie against his chest. The pair were smiling happily for the camera while Kyuhyun was secure in his mother’s arms. The writing beside the photograph simply read ‘Umma’ with a small hand-drawn heart beside it. The second photograph was all too familiar to Leeteuk, having seen it in Kyuhyun’s apartment the very first time he was there. It was a photograph of Kyuhyun and Heechul sitting on their father’s throne.
“I’ve seen this one before” Leeteuk smiled as he pointed to the photo “It’s framed on the bookshelf in our apartment.”

“Kyu was seven when this was taken, I think. It was one of the first photos we took together. He has this one too” Heechul paused and turned the album to the back page, revealing the photograph from the night Kyuhyun walked Leeteuk home from work for their second date, the same night Shindong tagged along. Kyuhyun was on Leeteuk’s back as he poked his tongue out at Leeteuk the very moment the photograph was taken. Leeteuk let out a small laugh at the memory before he smiled. 

“I remember this. It was our second date and we went for a walk after I finished work. Shindong walked home with us, he’s the one who took this. He took Kyu off guard but refused to take another photo. We have it on the bookshelf at home.”
 

The pair spent a while looking through the rest of the photo album. There were various photographs of Heechul and Kyuhyun together throughout their lives. In some of them, Kyuhyun looked genuinely happy, in others the smile on his face was obviously forced. Throughout the album were photographs from when Kyuhyun was a child. In each of the photos Kyuhyun was either with his mother or with Leeteuk. As Leeteuk’s eyes landed on one picture in particular his smile slowly grew, something that Heechul noticed instantly. 

“This day was one of the last times we were all together. It’s the last photo we took before Kyuhyun and his mother left Araqiel” Leeteuk spoke softly and as he ran his fingers over the picture his smile faltered a little. The picture was of Kyuhyun, Leeteuk, SoonKyu and Leeteuk’s mother. The four of them were sitting on a blanket beside a lake with various food items placed around them. SoonKyu and Leeteuk’s mother were sitting with their sons on their lap and as Leeteuk and Kyuhyun grinned for the camera their hands were cutely intertwined between them. “It’s still crazy knowing that the boy I knew as Marcus was Kyuhyun all along.” 

“Even back then, you were holding hands” Heechul smiled “I never got to meet Kyu’s mother. I didn’t even know I had a brother until maybe a year before he came to us. Knowing he had this completely different life before his mother died… I always wonder what life would have been like if she was alive today. Kyuhyun would be a different person, I do know that.”

“The thought has crossed my mind several times” Leeteuk smiled as he absentmindedly played with Kyuhyun’s fingers. 

“Your mother was beautiful too, Leeteuk. If you don’t mind me asking… how did she die?” Heechul asked and Leeteuk smiled before he sighed softly.
“She got sick and while her immune system was compromised she developed severe pneumonia, it hit her hard and all of a sudden. The doctors did their best but she couldn’t fight it, she went into respiratory failure and they couldn’t save her.” Leeteuk’s hand settled over Kyuhyun’s but Heechul could see the angel’s fingers holding tightly onto the young prince’s hand. He reached out and ran his hand over Leeteuk’s back.
“I’m sorry. That can’t have been easy.”
“It wasn’t. It’s also the reason seeing Kyuhyun like this is so hard, she was on a ventilator before she died.” Leeteuk sighed and cleared his throat before he shifted in his seat. “But the past is the past. I know my mother is always with me.”

“Does he know how she died?” Heechul asked and Leeteuk nodded.
“We spent an entire night, not long after we got together, talking about our mothers, our lives, everything pretty much. We drank an entire bottle of wine and didn’t sleep until almost eight in the morning. I missed work but we spent the day asleep on the sofa together.” Leeteuk smiled “It was a good day.”
 

As Heechul flicked the pages of the photo album they shared small memories from the day each photo was taken. Some photos had been forgotten, along with the memories that would normally come with them, but most came with a fond memory. 

“When was this taken?” Leeteuk asked as he looked over one of the photos towards the back of the album and smiled. There was a photo of Kyuhyun, Heechul, ZhouMi and an unknown man. ZhouMi was sitting on a sofa with Heechul on one side of him and Kyuhyun on the other. He had his arms draped around the back of both princes’. Where Heechul was sitting up and posing cutely with a silly hat on his head as he looked at the camera with a smile, Kyuhyun was cuddled against ZhouMi’s side with his head resting on the older demon’s shoulder. He had short black hair and a pale complexion as he smiled brightly for the camera. ZhouMi looked relaxed between the brothers, an image that Leeteuk wasn’t used to. Heechul looked down at the photo and smiled fondly.
“Ah, I remember that night. This was taken a couple of months before Kyu turned eighteen. After everything that happened with Donghae, Kyu was in a pretty bad place for a long time. One night we were going to a party that one of the villages was holding, after asking him for what felt like hours, he finally agreed to come with us. It was a good night and we all got pretty drunk, Kyu more than the rest of us.” Heechul paused and let out a small laugh before ZhouMi walked into the room with a smile. “ZhouMi, do you remember this night?” Heechul asked as the older demon walked over and looked down at the picture. Leeteuk watched as a bright smile stretched across ZhouMi’s face and he nodded.
“I do. That night was the first time in over a week that we saw Kyuhyun smile.”
“It was also the night Kyu tried to kiss you, wasn’t it?” Heechul asked and Leeteuk’s eyes widened for a brief moment before he chuckled.
“He tried to kiss you? Why?” Leeteuk asked and ZhouMi shrugged with a small smile.
“He was drunk. Very drunk. He does not remember much from that night.” 

“ZhouMi was the most sober out of all of us and by the time we were coming back to the palace, Kyu was so drunk he could barely walk” Heechul laughed “ZhouMi had to carry him home and a little later I found him passed out on the floor of his bathroom. I think he was hungover for two days after that.”

“That is… excessive. Why did you let him get so drunk?” 

“You try taking alcohol away from Kyuhyun when he’s in a bad place and already drunk! He would have killed me!” Heechul whined and ZhouMi let out a small laugh.
“Heechul is being dramatic. Kyuhyun has a high tolerance when it comes to alcohol, as I am sure you are aware by now, but he does not know when to slow down until it is too late. That night he went from a little tipsy, to barely being able to walk, in the space of a few drinks. It hits him all of a sudden and it hits him hard.” 

“Who is that?” Leeteuk asked as he pointed to the unknown male standing behind Kyuhyun in the photo. “I’ve never seen him before.”
“That’s Ryeowook. He and Kyuhyun used to be close but after Kyu moved to the human realm they drifted apart a little. He takes care of our library, he loves books and ancient texts so it’s the perfect position for him. I’m sure you’ll get to meet him at some point while you’re here.”

"Was this taken before you met Hangeng?" 

"Yeah. It was maybe a year before Hannie and I met. This picture is around five years old now, I think."

"None of you really look any different" Leeteuk smiled. "Kyu's hair is almost the same length in that picture as it is now. I think the biggest difference in all of you is your hair actually." 

"Kyuhyun is the biggest difference, to be honest. That smile is only there because he was drunk and clingy. He's doing so much better now and I'm so proud of how far he's come." Heechul smiled and reached out to brush his fingers through Kyuhyun’s hair. “So ing proud of you little brother.”
 

****
 

Leeteuk nuzzled his face against Kyuhyun’s side before he let out a yawn. He didn’t know when he had fallen asleep, or how long he had been asleep, but when he heard a voice in the room he opened his eyes. 

“I promise I'll do better from now on.” The voice spoke softly and when Leeteuk sat up King Kim was standing on the other side of Kyuhyun’s bed running his fingers through the younger man’s hair. 

“My lord, I didn’t hear you come in.” 

“I saw that you were asleep when I came in and I didn’t want to disturb you. I haven’t been here long. How’s he doing?” King Kim asked and Leeteuk smiled a little before he pressed a lingering kiss to the back of Kyuhyun’s hand.
“He’s doing well. He’s getting stronger every day but he still has a long way to go. I didn’t expect you until he was awake, my lord. What made you change your mind?” Leeteuk asked hesitantly out of fear of King Kim’s reaction. King Kim smiled softly and pulled a chair closer to Kyuhyun’s bedside before he took a seat. 

“After seeing the state he was in when he was brought back home I didn’t think I would be able to see him like this. But the more I thought about it the more I realised, I’ve already let him down so many times throughout his life. I wasn’t there when he needed me… I don’t want that to happen again.” Leeteuk smiled as King Kim spoke and he gave him a small understandable nod. “I may be king but he is still my son. And right now, he needs me to be his father first.” 

“I know he’d appreciate that, my lord, thank you. The past couple of days haven’t been easy that’s for sure. I’ve seen him hurt before, more times than I probably should have” Leeteuk paused and let out a small chuckle as memories of the past two years played over in his head. Kyuhyun had taken plenty of knocks to the head, cuts and bruises in the time he and Leeteuk had been together but the most significant injury he had sustained up to now had been when Eli had attacked the young prince.
“When Eli hurt Kyuhyun that day, he refused to be treated here at the palace” King Kim recalled with a small laugh and a shake of his head “Heechul took him home. I knew he would be alright but I hated that whole situation.”
“That was partially my fault” Leeteuk smiled sheepishly as he the back of Kyuhyun’s hand with his thumb. “That night Kyuhyun was supposed to be walking me home from work. We had our first date the night before and he wanted to see me again. He didn’t want me thinking that he had stood me up which is why he wanted to go home. I used my blood to help him heal faster and while he was resting Heechul filled me in on what happened. It was an unusual start to a relationship but I wouldn’t change a thing, except maybe the events of this past week.” Leeteuk’s smile fell and he held Kyuhyun’s hand a little tighter before King Kim sighed softly.

“Leeteuk, I don’t think I’ve ever thanked you.” 

“My lord?” Leeteuk asked as he looked up to where King Kim was sitting. 

“You’ve done so much for Kyuhyun since you met. You’ve been there for him, supported him, taken care of him… It’s no secret that you wouldn’t be my first choice for him. You and Kyuhyun come from different worlds” King Kim paused before his expression softened “But you are also both a part of the same world. I’m not sure I’ll ever be fully used to my son being half-angel but I’m glad that he has you to guide him through it. Besides, you’re definitely a better choice than that no good vampire Kyuhyun used to date.” 

“Kyuhyun is special to me” Leeteuk spoke softly as he ran his fingers gently over Kyuhyun’s arm “He is my rock and I am his. We got a second chance and I don’t plan on ever letting him go. I have no interest in spending my life with anyone but him. You don’t have anything to worry about, my lord. I promise.” 

“That’s good to hear. I’m glad he has someone there for him when we can’t be, it makes me worry a little less.”
“I just wish I could have stopped all of this from happening. He shouldn’t be lying here like this. We should be celebrating, planning our wedding and the rest of our lives together… We shouldn’t be worrying about potential brain damage and lasting effects of what Junsu did…” Leeteuk closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Kyuhyun’s hand. It was obvious to King Kim that Leeteuk was struggling more than he showed. He wanted to comfort the angel but just as he was about to speak again, Heechul’s voice came quietly from the doorway. 

“Nobody could have seen this coming, Leeteuk. You can’t blame yourself. You couldn’t have stopped it but you helped prevent the worst-case scenario from happening.” Leeteuk turned around to see Heechul standing in the doorway to Kyuhyun’s room as he leaned against the frame. He pushed off the wall and closed the door behind himself before walking over to stand beside Leeteuk’s chair. “Kyuhyun is alive because of you. Don’t beat yourself up over the ‘what ifs’” Heechul smiled and squeezed Leeteuk’s shoulder gently before he perched on the end of Kyuhyun’s bed. King Kim sighed.
“If anyone should have seen this coming, it should have been me. I was the one person who could have prevented this from happening. I thought that sitting Junsu down and talking to him would stop everything he was doing to hurt Kyuhyun, I know now that I was wrong.”
“Father-”
“No, Heechul, I should have done something.” 

“Junsu might be your brother but you don’t know his mind” Heechul shrugged “Kyu and I are close but it doesn’t mean I know what he’s thinking. Nobody knew what Junsu was planning, nobody could have stopped it. Now we just have to look forward. Kyuhyun is alive and sure, it’s going to be a long road before he fully recovers, but he’s alive and that’s what matters. You both need to stop being so hard on yourselves.” 

“When did you become the voice of reason?” Leeteuk laughed softly but there was a hollowness to his laugh that both Heechul and the king picked up on straight away. Heechul reached out to gently squeeze Kyuhyun’s leg over the blankets before he settled his hand. 

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking over the last week. It’s easy to blame yourself for something but it isn’t always justified. There are only two people we need to blame for what happened. This is Junsu and Jaejoong’s fault and nobody else's.”
“Honestly, and I’m not defending him, Jaejoong wasn’t as much to blame as Junsu. We found out that the collar he wears is used as a tool to control him” Leeteuk shrugged and Heechul sighed.
“I don’t care, he’s still responsible and I’ll kill him if I see him again.” Heechul glanced between Leeteuk and his father and smiled. “It’s nice to see the two of you getting along. Kyu will be happy.” 

“I wouldn’t say we ever didn’t get along, we just haven’t really had the chance to talk much until now” Leeteuk smiled a little and King Kim nodded in agreement.
“Leeteuk was never my first choice for Kyuhyun, just as Hangeng wouldn’t be my first choice for you, but the main thing I want for you and your brother is for you both to be happy and healthy.” King Kim reached out with a smile to rub Heechul’s back almost proudly. “I know now that without Leeteuk we could have lost Kyuhyun long ago. Anyone who can make him happy and keep his spark for life alive is welcome in our family.” Heechul and Leeteuk shared a smile before Leeteuk met King Kim’s gaze and bowed his head.

“Thank you, my lord. I promise you, as long as I live and breathe, Kyuhyun will never stop fighting. I want to show him that this world can be amazing and beautiful and good, I won’t let him give up on life.”
 

The three of them settled into a comfortable silence for several minutes, simply enjoying being as close to Kyuhyun as they could be, before King Kim sighed and stood from his seat.
“This is where I leave my son in your hands, Leeteuk” He smiled softly “Heechul and I have a meeting to attend to but I’ll be sure to speak with ZhouMi before I leave.”

“Thank you for coming to see him, my lord. I really do appreciate it and I know he would too.”
King Kim reached out to run his fingers through Kyuhyun’s hair before his thumb over the young princes’ forehead. 

“I’ll visit you again soon, my son” The king’s voice went quiet as he leaned down to kiss Kyuhyun’s forehead, and in the quiet room both Leeteuk and Heechul smiled as a gentle whisper of ‘I love you’ passed the king’s lips. 

“See you later, little brother” Heechul smiled before he squeezed Leeteuk’s shoulder and the two of them left the room. Leeteuk sighed and walked into the bathroom, walking out with a damp cloth, before he sat on the edge of Kyuhyun’s bed. He reached out to brush Kyuhyun’s hair back before gently wiping the cloth over the young prince’s face. 

“Just a little while longer and you’ll be back with us.” Leeteuk’s words were more for his benefit than for Kyuhyun. He knew that Kyuhyun was stable and his condition had drastically improved but the past couple of days without Kyuhyun had felt like a lifetime without him.
 

****
 

Leeteuk awoke early the next morning to the sound of the door to Kyuhyun’s room closing. He let out a yawn and opened his eyes to see ZhouMi approaching Kyuhyun’s bed. 

“Good morning, Leeteuk. Why did you not sleep on the sofa?” ZhouMi asked with his usual smile and Leeteuk shrugged as he rubbed his eyes.
“Morning. I didn’t plan on sleeping here but I guess I just fell asleep. I don’t mind, I like being by his side.” He stretched in the chair and rolled the stiffness from his neck and shoulders before he stood up and kissed Kyuhyun’s forehead.
“Well, I have good news. Today is the day we wake Kyuhyun from his sedation.”
“How long before he wakes up properly?” Leeteuk asked and ZhouMi’s smile faltered for a moment as he prepared a syringe and set it down on the side of Kyuhyun’s bed for a moment. 

“It should not be more than a few hours because of the reasons for his sedation. It was a precautionary measure rather than a necessity. If I am not here when he wakes up, push this button” He paused and pointed to a small red button on the wall beside the monitor. “He will need to be extubated once he is awake.” 

“Will he be alert?”
“He will more than likely sleep for a while but it is a natural reaction so do not worry. He will be drowsy and confused when he does wake up but it is a sign he is getting better.”
“It’ll be like having him back home again” Leeteuk smiled and let out a small laugh as he held Kyuhyun’s hand tightly. “I’d rather have him sleeping than have to see him with that tube down his throat any longer. Regardless of whether it’s to help him or not, I hate it.”
“He will be alright, Leeteuk. This is all good progress”
“I know. I trust you and I know everything you’re doing is to help him.” Leeteuk watched as ZhouMi picked up the syringe and injected the drug into the cannula on the back of Kyuhyun’s right hand. The older demon reached out to run his fingers through Kyuhyun’s hair before he looked up to the monitor on the wall and turned his attention to the clipboard at the bottom of the bed. 

“I will come back later to check on him. Call for me or press the button if anything changes.”
 

****
 

Three hours after ZhouMi had started the process to reverse Kyuhyun’s sedation, the young prince showed signs of waking. As Leeteuk sat reading the book his uncle had sent, his hand still holding Kyuhyun’s tightly, Kyuhyun’s fingers twitched. Leeteuk closed the book and set it down on the floor beside his chair before he stood up and ran his eyes over Kyuhyun.
“Kyuhyun? Baby, can you hear me?” He called out softly and Kyuhyun’s fingers curled loosely around Leeteuk’s hand. Leeteuk pressed his hand hard against the button on the wall when the quiet sound of choking reached his ears. Kyuhyun’s eyes began to flutter a little as Leeteuk held tightly onto his hand and just moments later ZhouMi pushed open the door and Jaehyun entered behind him.
“ZhouMi, he’s choking, you need to get that tube out” Leeteuk breathed out and bit his lip.
“Remain calm, Leeteuk. This is a normal reaction, it is just his body fighting the tube.” ZhouMi pressed the button for a second time to turn off the alarm before he released the strap holding the intubation tube securely in place.
“Jaehyun, please have the oxygen mask ready” ZhouMi smiled and Jaehyun nodded as he prepared what was asked from ZhouMi. ZhouMi paused for a moment before deflating the cuff and quickly but smoothly removing the tube from Kyuhyun's throat as Kyuhyun exhaled. As soon as the tube was removed the sounds of choking stopped and Kyuhyun coughed several times. Jaehyun smiled as he gently secured the oxygen mask in place over Kyuhyun’s nose and mouth before turning on the airflow. Jaehyun disconnected the tubes from the machine before he turned it off and wheeled it away from Kyuhyun’s bed.
“Kyuhyun, I’m here,” Leeteuk spoke softly and brushed his fingers through Kyuhyun’s hair while he kept a tight grip on the younger man’s hand. Kyuhyun’s eyes fluttered for a moment before they opened briefly. 

“Welcome back, my lord” ZhouMi smiled as he glanced between the monitor and Kyuhyun but Kyuhyun didn’t respond. The young prince blinked a few times before his eyes fell closed and moments later his grip on Leeteuk’s hand loosened once again. “Do not worry, Leeteuk. The effects of the sedation will be with him for a while yet. But he is stable and breathing on his own. He is over the worst now.”
“Thank you ZhouMi, I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you for this. I know he is your prince and you have a duty to protect him but… He’s my whole world. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

“You need not repay me, Leeteuk. Just make sure that Kyuhyun lives a long and happy life. That is enough.”
“Don’t worry. That is my plan.” Leeteuk smiled before he leaned down and kissed Kyuhyun’s forehead. “I’ll take you home soon, my love. I promise.”