Last part before I go to take my plant taxonomy exam... It was nice to meet you guys. OTL

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo get back to the cave tired and freezing...

“I’ve told you to turn left at the big octopus-like root.”

“No, you said to turn right, that’s why we ended up going around in a circle.”

… and arguing.

“If you knew I’m wrong, you should have corrected me.” Chanyeol drops the collected wood to the ground with a grunt.

“I did but you were too busy worrying over the –“

Kyungsoo stops mid-sentence and steps next to the (other) knight to slap a hand over his mouth.

Chanyeol’s eyebrows lift but then he follows Kyungsoo’s gaze and understands the action.

Their princes are lying on the ground sleep and sound – Baekhyun has his hands on Jongdae’s nape while the latter has his own around Baekhyun’s waist. No matter how we look at it, they’re hugging… and they’re quite cute.

And no matter how we look at it, it’s a compromising position for two 2^nd Princes seeking for their princesses but of course Knight Chanyeol can only think of the former.

“Earth, air, water, fire!” He whispers in a strained voice, eyes sparkling. “How cute they are! They probably had felt cold so decided to snuggle to warm each other up, aw.”

Kyungsoo, the always conscious he is, thinks of the second option too.

“Should we break them up or something? If they wake up like this in the morning…”

“Don’t you dare!” Chanyeol whisper-shouts and throws his arms around Kyungsoo to stop him if the latter attempts to. “It’s a chance for them to make up. And if they make up, we don’t have to argue anymore. Hold yourself for the peace, knight.”

Kyungsoo hesitates but at the end just helps Chanyeol build the fire up. He has a wrong feeling about this but… maybe it’s really the best to leave on the princes to solve this problem themselves.

- - -

Jongdae wakes at sudden warmth on his face. He contemplates to turn on his other side and slumber on until Teacher Suho barges in his room to get him out of his bed but just as the thought comes, he realizes he’s not lying in the palace.

Jongdae blinks his eyes open to find another surprise – Baekhyun sleeping next to him.

It is surprising but it doesn’t feel bad. Baekhyun looks serene wandering in dreamland. He looks nothing of the mean, whiny prince he proved himself to be. He’s like a child, all soft and pure and… Jongdae has problems with his brain.

How did this escalate so quickly? Just yesterday he thought Baekhyun is mean and all and next morning he finds him cute. Something’s not right… even though it does feel right.

Jongdae slips his hands off of Baekhyun’s waist and wriggles out of Baekhyun’s arms around his neck. It is another good question how they ended up this way. (Jongdae remembers embracing him but certainly not this way.)

However the sun wandering over to the middle of the sky reminds Jongdae he has a duty to carry out – Sehun.

For his luck, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol are asleep too - the former snoring loudly, the latter lying on his stomach without a sound. (See, there is no pillow under his head but Kyungsoo sleeps as soon and knocked out as a newborn.)

Without horses, it’s slower to get to the glade but Jongdae’s limbs are numb from the position he slept in (okay, that’s it, don’t get into it more Jongdae, now is not the time) so the walk is not that bad, it helps on his aching body a little.

Sehun is waiting him for there, just like he’s promised.

Alone.

“Were you waiting long?”

“I had to.” Sehun answers, standing up from the fallen tree he was sitting on. “Luhan hyung wouldn’t have let me go if he was awake.”

Jongdae nods.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have hit him on the head that hard and… I should have noticed what’s going on with us.”

It’s cheesy and he remembers Baekhyun saying “He was all over you, you had no choice” or something but Jongdae can’t rephrase how he feels.

Sehun suddenly smiles.

“You’re made out of kindness, aren’t you?”

Jongdae steps closer.

“I –“

“You could have just said no, you know.”

Sehun looked all intimidating and powerful yesterday but now with his hanging shoulders and sadly calm look on his face it really shows he’s Jongin’s age. That he’s just a sixteen-year-old boy having his possible crush refusing him.

“I was frightened at first but you were really good to me, Sehun.”

The boy looks up resented.

“I don’t need the words from yesterday.”

Jongdae’s heart clenches.

“It wasn’t nice I played you but I have a journey to carry on, you know? Princess Sunyoung is waiting for me far away from here.”

What an excuse.

“As I’ve mentioned already, you could have just said no, nicely.”

“Would you let me and others go then?”

Sehun averts his eyes as his answer.

“I’m not saying this to comfort you.” Jongdae starts in a shy voice. Oh man, he just has to say it out. “But I… quite enjoyed the time I’ve spent with you.”

Jongdae feels his toes curling and his fingers folding but Sehun seems to appreciate his words so he’s happy. He probably sensed he’s not lying this time.

“I got that. That’s why I don’t understand why you ran away!” Sehun voices out his frustration and crossing the distance between them, puts his hands on Jongdae’s arms. “I wasn’t joking when I said you should stay with me. Heck I wasn’t joking yesterday at all… I like you.”

Jongdae smiles a little.

“Sehun, you’ve known me for a day.”

“I’d know you better if you let me.”

What would that change, something says in Jongdae but purposely holds himself back from saying it. There’s no need to hurt Sehun more.

Jongdae becomes alert when Sehun lifts a hand to cup his chin.

“Do you have somebody else in your heart, hyung?”

If anyone asked Prince Jongdae, 2^nd Prince of Far, Far Away a few days back he would have answered with an immediate no. He had nobody around who he could have feelings for, be it male or female. He didn’t even know he wants to be in love.

But now Prince Jongdae can’t do that. He can’t say no… yet can’t say yes either.

“Maybe?” Jongdae answers finally though he himself doesn’t satisfied with the answer. Heavens, it’s hardly even an answer.

Sehun smiles again.

“I kind of guessed… So, it’s a goodbye.”

He doesn’t take it as a question and Jongdae is oddly thankful for that.

“It is.”

“Then let me give you a goodbye present.”

Jongdae can’t have a word of protest because one moment Sehun is looking at him intently and in the next he’s already pressing his lips against Jongdae’s.

On the contrary of his previous flirty behavior, Sehun keeps the kiss chaste. A low hum breaks out of his throat when he feels Jongdae pressing back against him but doesn’t go for more.

Jongdae is nowhere as freaked out as he should be. He’s taken by surprise and the feeling is foreign but he feels warm all over and doesn’t mind the kiss. This way it feels… fair.

Sehun only leans back because of lack of air.

“I had regret for not doing this the day before. Hope you don’t mind it too much, hyung.”

“It’s okay.” Jongdae tries sound nonchalant but the smile Sehun wears tells him his feelings are written on his forehead.

“I don’t like letting go of you after this… We’re missing out on so many great kisses.”

“Sehun.”

“I know. You have a journey to carry on.” Sehun thumbs Jongdae’s lower lip with a pout. “I wish you luck, my Jongdae hyung. Walk with eyes open and heart closed. Try not to get into a bigger trouble than this.”

“I’ll try.” Jongdae promises.

Sehun acknowledges it with a nod and lets him go to walk behind the trees. When he arrives back, he leads three horses forward.

“Moonlight!” Jongdae exclaims happily, recognizing the one in the front.

“You won’t reach that castle ever if you go by your two feet.” Sehun explains. “About your horse…”

Really. Now that Sehun is saying it, Thunder isn’t here.

 Jongdae feels his eyes water. No way… did they…

“I’ll keep it.” Sehun finishes with a grin. “What is his name?”

Jongdae would so slap Sehun across the face for joking around like that.

“Thunder.” Jongdae answers at the end then looks up to Sehun. “Thank you, Sehunnie. I’m really happy I’ve got to be kidnapped by you, not someone else.”

“The pleasure is mine.” Sehun chuckles and turns around to leave.

Jongdae hops on Moonlight and takes the reigns of the two other horses in his hands. The black one belongs to Chanyeol, and the white to Baekhyun. Both of them will be happy.

He thought Sehun has long left but when he reaches the edge of the glade, Jongdae sees Sehun still standing there.

“Be happy, hyung!” He shouts. “Let him know!”

Jongdae responses with a wave of a hand and rides away.

He doesn’t get what Sehun exactly meant by that but the thing he said him is disturbing a little.

- - -

Kyungsoo and Chanyeol look like they’ve seen a ghost when Jongdae enters the cave with the horses.

“Star!” Chanyeol exclaims, threading his fingers through the black horse’s mane. “Welcome back, buddy.”

“Yesterday you saved our lives and had a dagger on and today you come back from a gang leader alive and have our horses with you.” Kyungsoo says slowly. “Who are you and what have you done with Prince Jongdae, 2^nd Freaking Prince of Far, Far Away?”

Jongdae grins and pats his knight’s shoulder.

“I’m full of surprises.”

“I couldn’t have said it better.”

Baekhyun is standing on the side, watching the scene unfold. He doesn’t look certainly happy.

“See? I came back fine.” Jongdae steps to him. “I’ve told you Sehun won’t hurt me.”

Baekhyun looks up to his face, arms folding in front of his chest.

“And what price have you paid for it?”

“Huh?” Jongdae doesn’t get what he means. He turns to Kyungsoo for advice but his friend is talking with Chanyeol by the black horse. “What price are you talking about?”

Baekhyun leans in, his arms unfolding to touch Jongdae’s face.

“You keep your lips ever since you’ve arrived back. He kissed you, didn’t he?”

Jongdae’s jaw drops. Is it sure that Baekhyun is a 2^nd Prince like him and not a psychic or something?

“I… brought your horse back. And they won’t come after us.”

“They better not.” Baekhyun murmurs, eyes scanning the face in front of him then just as fast as he has entered Jongdae’s personal space, he’s gone to check his horse.

Jongdae is left confused. What was this?

Whatever it was, Jongdae might be the one to blame that when it’s to decide which two of them will ride the same horse (none of them likes the idea to go by feet so there’s no other option but sharing), Baekhyun just shrugs and rides forward on his horse without a word.

Kyungsoo sighs and grabs Jongdae’s wrist.

“Come on, my prince.”

Riding behind Kyungsoo is something Jongdae is used to. When they were kids and Jongdae was too terrified to ride on his own, Kyungsoo always lead the horse for him or ride with him. (Although he always grumbled “you baby” under his non-existent mustache.)

Jongdae leans on Kyungsoo’s back with a sigh and closes his eyes. He’s so tired with Baekhyun changes of behavior. Why has Baekhyun a problem with him again? Jongdae freaking saved his life! Saved his horse too! What more he wants?

“He’s sleeping?”

“He looks like.”

Though Jongdae is far from what Chanyeol and Kyungsoo are thinking, he pretends to do so. He’s curious what the other two talk about. Since they escaped the gang camp, the two sidekicks (actually one of them is a knight and the other is a henchman but really what difference does it make) speak a lot more and but Jongdae was busy with an eager Sehun (and a weird Baekhyun), he could notice the bond forming.

“What is his problem?” Kyungsoo asks.

“I don’t know.”

“Chanyeol, please. You’re his best friend. You know, you just don’t want to talk about it.”

They’re probably talking about Baekhyun, Jongdae recognizes contently. He would have had a few words to say to Kyungsoo if said boy was talking him out behind his back.

“Yes, I don’t want to talk about it.” Chanyeol sighs. “It’s not complicated, ‘Soo. See, my prince is like an open book. He wears his heart on his sleeve. Just… think through what happened yesterday, this morning and you’ll know.”

The words aren’t directed at him but Jongdae does thinking…

“I’d rather not think about that.” Kyungsoo’s voice interrupts his brainstorming.

Jongdae is frustrated because it seems the two of them know the background of Baekhyun’s actions. Why is he the only who doesn’t?

He’s so angry he would sleep for real just to get disturbing thoughts out of his head but then Chanyeol breaks the silence:

“I was on to ask since yesterday night. You and your prince… Is it just that, ‘Soo? There’s nothing more?”

“What makes you think it’s more?” Kyungsoo’s voice has risen in pitch and being his best friend since they’ve learnt to speak, Jongdae knows he does this when he’s embarrassed.

“Well, you obviously like him.” Chanyeol clears his throat. “I’m just not sure about how much you do.”

This turn of topic reminds Jongdae of theirs with Baekhyun when they had switched from Sehun-talk to -talk. Why though?

“Prince Jongdae is the second heir of the throne of Far, Far Away. I’ve always known where my place is.”

“Does your prince know that too?”

“Jongdae knows what he has to. I’d really appreciate, Knight Chanyeol, if you didn’t interfere with that.”

Jongdae yawns and stretches his arms like he’s awaken from a little slumber. He doesn’t miss how Kyungsoo stiffens before him.

“Have you had a good sleep?”

“The best.”

“I see a creek ahead.” Chanyeol announces and pulls on the reins in his head. “We should stop by and get cleaned, the village is still far. I’ll go forward and make my prince stop too.”

As Chanyeol and Star gallop away, Jongdae tightens the grip on Kyungsoo’s waist a little. The latter laughs.

“I can’t believe you still are a bit afraid of horses.”

“Old habits die hard.”

“Yes.”

Kyungsoo doesn’t say more and Jongdae thinks of what he said a few seconds before. What did he mean by he knows his place? And why does Jongdae feel sad about it? Argh, so many questions unanswered…